Leslie's Omnibus

Drive-Bys

I'm a 100% stickler. That's what they pay me the big bucks for. This is also why I'll never be any good at text-messaging. Sigh.

How about you?

(A tip of the cap to 42% stickler Jennifer!)
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Okay, sometimes it's NOT Jay's fault:

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Viscountess Leslie the Larger of Dramble Buzzcock
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title


Today Harvey is the culprit!
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

I dearly love a good smackdown:
Dear Internet Ida: How can I say this nicely? Your husband is a yellow-bellied, mealy-mouthed, chicken-livered girlie-man. The first time his potty-mouthed, bottom-feeding, ape-imitating, slop-bucket pal sent you dirty jokes, your husband should have immediately told him to cut it out, or else. I sure hope your husband has some redeeming qualities. Because chivalry ain't one of them.
Go Cheryl!
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

Blast Jay and his love of Blogthings! It's really all his fault:

Your Element Is Earth

You excel at planning and strategizing.

You could be a champ at chess or Survivor.

Well grounded, you are able to be realistic and rationalize.

On the inside, you have a hard core. It's tough to phase you.

You are super productive, and you are able to think anything through.

Focused and super charged, your instincts are a good guide for your next step.

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They're like potato chips:

You Are Bold And Brave

But daring? Not usually.

You tend to like to make calculated risks.

So while you may not be base jumping any time soon...

You are up for whatever's new and (a little) exciting!

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No one can do just one...

You Are A Romantic Realist

You tend to be grounded when it comes to romance.

Sure, you can fall hard... but only for someone you've gotten to know.

And once you're in love, you can be a total romantic goofball...

But you'd never admit it to your friends!

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Sheesh! No one's here in the office, but the work is still coming out my ears. More later -- I promise!
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Leslie

In The Body Shop...

... for a new paint job.

Keep your eyes peeled.

Suzie of Bluebird Blogs will be working her magic some time today!
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Leslie

Tootin' the Horn

Best...

Christmas...


Ever!

If yours was even half as blessed as mine, Christmas 2006 was memorable beyond measure.
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(Another weird coincidence -- that picture above the couch? I have that print, too.)
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I have so much to be thankful for!
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Leslie

Drive-Bys







What Color is Your Brain?




BLUE:

At work or in school: I like to be with people, sharing with them, inspiring them, and helping them. I work and learn best when I can take into consideration people and the human element. I flourish in an atmosphere of cooperation.
With friends: I always look for perfect love. I am very romantic, and I enjoy doing thoughtful things for others. I am affectionate, supportive and a good listener.
With family: I like to be happy and loving. I am very sensitive to rejection from my family and to family conflicts. I really like to be well thought of and need frequent reassurance. I love intimate talks and warm feelings.
Take this quiz!








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Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code



(Shamelessly swiped from Lady Gunn.)
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Leslie

Busman's Holiday

A quick shout-out to Ellison and Chai-Rista to say thanks for keeping the engine warm for me!

Yesterday I had a magical day in Barbados. First, I got to snorkle and swim with sea turtles, one of which was almost four feet long. They are awkward on land, but elegant and breath-takingly beautiful in the water. I was having such a wonderful time that they practically had to haul me out of the water by the back of my life vest to get us to the next location on time.

Next, we headed off to an area with protected reefs for more snorkling. It was like falling into a cloud of fish. Incredibly peaceful, floating in all that beauty with no sound but the beating of my heart and even breathing.

That was followed by the most delicious rum punch ever, swilled in waters just off the beach. Decadent! I sure would like to go back for a visit, and take friends and family with me.

Finally, more emails from my Most Precious Child. It has been especially wonderful to be able to share them with the Princess Mom. If all continues to go well, it looks like we will be meeting over the Christmas holidays. I can assure you that there is a God, and he is blessing me daily.
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Leslie

Tell It To The Judge

Hello. Elisson here. With Leslie traveling and being unable to post regularly (face it: she has More Important Stuff going on in her life right now), she has demonstrated the Questionable Wisdom of allowing me to drive the Omnibus.

Silly girl.

But I’ll try not to daub too much excrement on the walls and windows as we drive along. Here’s a True Story for you...

It was the summer of 2004, and She Who Must Be Obeyed, the Mistress of Sarcasm, and I were returning from a week-long road trip to the Northeast. A few days to attend my 30th college reunion; a few days to visit with Eli (his ownself) and Mrs. Eli; a few days in Cambridge with Elder Daughter.

After a full day of driving from Boston, we had stopped for the night somewhere on the southern marches of Richmond. At the Butt-Crack of Dawn, we hightailed it out of there, headed south on I-95, intending to stop for breakfast after we had gotten a few miles under our belts. Sure enough, as inevitably as the sun rising in the East, the cabin of our sedan gradually filled with the lusty sounds of borborygmus.

That’s a 50¢ word meaning “Gut Rumbles.” The sound an empty - and moderately pissed-off - stomach makes.

SWMBO, our trusty driver, was easily persuaded to stop for breakfast. This we did at a Crapper Barrel near the Virginia-North Carolina border.

I’m sure many of my Esteemed Readers are familiar with the Crapper Barrel. Not only can you get your all-day breakfast, your meat ’n’ three, your countrified chicken ’n’ dumplin’s there - you can also load up on Old Time Radio CD’s (superannuated content meets modern technology!), old-fashioned regional sweetmeats, Christmas gewgaws ’n’ gimcracks, and jes’ plain ol’ Crappola. And you can drive yourself batshit playing that stupid-ass game with those fricking golf tees and the triangular piece of wood. Yeah, you know the one I’m talking about. The one where you keep playing until your food is cold and your brains have turned to pudding because you Just Can’t Freaking Figure Out How To Leave Fewer Than Eight Tees.

There we sat, waiting for our stacks of hotcakes and bowls of steaming hot grits to arrive. I was into my 37th round of the Stupid-Ass Tee Game; SWMBO and the Mistress were having a conversation; and I began to feel as though eyes were boring into the side of my head.

They were - and they belonged to Ol’ Banjo Eyes. Eddie Cantor!

For hanging there on the wall next to our table, placed there for purely decorative purposes, was an ancient Parker Brothers game board, with Eddie’s demented grin front and center.


Tell It To The Judge. [Click to embiggen.]

The game? Tell It To The Judge, a board game in which one would attempt to navigate one’s car from the garage to the Club without suffering humiliating breakdowns or being arrested for trivial moving violations.

Tell It To The Judge was around for years, but eventually it disappeared from the Gaming Tables of America. That jaunty 1930’s Art Deco design and jazz-age theme were not enough to save it.

As soon as I saw that board, I knew I had to find one of those games. When we arrived home that evening, I began scouring eBay. Within a few weeks, I had a near-mint condition game, complete with playing pieces, cards, and Play Money.

Let’s take a look at that money. It’s almost like Bizarro World Monopoly Money, with Eddie Cantor’s exophthalmic grin (so reminiscent of the grinning mascot of George C. Tilyou’s Steeplechase Park in Coney Island) shining forth from the center of each bill.


Eddie Money.

Every so often, I like to imagine a world in which Tell It To The Judge turned out to be the smashing success amongst its brother Parker Brothers games, rather than the greed-soaked Monopoly. It would be a world in which Ventnor Avenue and Park Place would be mere footnotes on the pages of history, not cultural-geographical icons. It would be a world in which the demented leer of Eddie Cantor, Ol’ Banjo Eyes, would be as familiar to the average American McDonald’s burger-eater as Old Mr. Moneybags is today, and in which the Pursuit of Mazuma would take second place to Evading Motorcycle Cops as the Great American Board-Game.

I think I would like such a world.

[Cross-posted at Blog d’Elisson. Tip o’ th’ Elisson fedora to Ivan, whose recent post at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear got me thinking about Mr. Cantor.]
Leslie

Busman's Holiday

This might just qualify as the most hilarious holiday ever with the Princess Mom.

Yesterday, we arrived late in Curacao, due to high winds during our first two days (at sea). After having experienced moderate temperatures and high winds for a couple of days, we were delighted to find it warm and sunny in Curacao... until... the clouds burned off and the sun started beating down relentlessly. It was upwards of 100 degrees and 90+ percent humidity. This, of course, in the middle of the tackiest shopping district we've run into yet.

By the time we got back to the ship, we were overheated and pooped. Still, the Princess Mom has been on a mission to see every available show on board, so we cleaned ourselves up, put on the glitz and the glam, and headed down to dinner.

In the middle of the appetizers, the captain came over the intercom to announce that one of the ship's generators had gone out of service, and that we would not be pulling out of port until it was repaired. What he didn't mention was that it was the generator that powers the onboard air conditioning.

Dinner soon got to be an uncomfortable affair, as the fuller the dining room became, the higher the temperature rose. All the ladies were glowing, in the most southern belle sense of the word.

Still, the Princess Mom insisted she wanted to see "Le Magnifique," so off we went to stake out seats early. The theater was even more closely packed than the restaurant, and by the time the show was over, we were
"glowing" like Three Mile Island.

By that time, we were too tired and wrung out to even think about whooping it up, so we headed back to our cabin with its tiny veranda. Halfway down the hallway I looked at Mom and teasingly said, "Let's go get naked and sit on the balcony."

Her reply? "I don't know about naked, but I'll do it in my undies."

Yup. Me and the Princess Mom in nuttin' but our skivvies, full makeup and all our bling, sitting in the starlight and laughing like hyenas.

Frightening.
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Leslie

Spamalot Review

I saw Spamalot last weekend in Charlotte, NC. In our Bus Driver's absence, I'll share with you some of the highlights.

There aren't any big name actors in the traveling show, but it didn't matter. The whole musical comedy is so over-the-top in sets, costumes and the excellent talent of the relative unknown actors, that I never missed the fact that Tim Curry and David Hyde Pierce weren't there.

Favorite scenes from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail are re-created, with a twist. The ends of the scenes are changed so that they fit into a new story that tells how Arthur recruited his band of knights and then how they scattered in the effort to "find your Grail" as the recurring theme song encourages.

Camelot is portrayed as Las Vegas. "What happens in Camelot stays in Camelot." There are plenty of Vegas-style dance numbers and leggy girls in costumes Hugh Hefner would approve. Getting there is more than half the trip. Therefore, it won't take anything away from your enjoyment for me to reveal that in the process of finding his Grail, Lancelot comes out of the closet and Robin discovers his love of musical theater. It is very, very funny.

When you go, sit as close to the stage as possible. We were on bottled oxygen in the back of the balcony, and I think something is lost when you can't clearly see the actor's faces. This stage production is as outrageous as a French trebuchet loaded with a wooden rabbit. If you already love Monty Python, by all means GO. If you've never heard of them, Spamalot is a silly place with strong language that may not be your cup of tea.

--Chai-rista
Leslie

Tootin' the Ship's Horn

Just a quick update to let you know that we're talking via email. This is a good thing.

Keep those prayers coming, please. They've been immensely comforting.
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Leslie

Doing the Happy Dance On Top of My Desk

Update: I sent an email to the Sunny Ridge lady, just to let her know I'd try and get ahold of her tomorrow. Lucky for me, she was wide awake and checking emails.

I just got an email back with a PDF of the letter from her. And a photo.

Oh.

My.

God.

She's smart, she's sweet, and she's heart-breakingly beautiful.

I am never going to sleep tonight.
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Leslie

Speed Bumps Ahead

Only yours truly could turn getting incredibly good news into a comedy of errors.

You see, Thursday night, I overturned the gi-normous bag which I use to carry just about everything I own (it's a big honking purse, and I've threatened to buy a doll house sized kitchen sink for it just so I could say I carry that, too) and apparently missed my cell phone when I was shovelling stuff back in. It was dark. What can I say?

I didn't notice it was missing until I was packing up my stuff to leave after working late last night. I figured it was at home on the charger... although I couldn't recall when I might have done that.

Nope. No phone on the charger. Unloaded huge honking purse. Still not there. Restuffed huge honking purse. Not in the kitchen. Not in the bedroom. Not in the coat pockets. Not in the bathroom. Not in the laundry hamper.

Ooooooh! This was not good. Not good at all. You see... I don't have a land line. Haven't had one for years, and, up until today, I haven't wanted or needed one. (Yes, I'm rethinking this decision.)

And, of course, I had a list of things to do before catching a taxi to O'Hare for a 6:30 a.m. flight tomorrow. I had to go get a set of keys cut for my cat sitter this morning. Several small but vital last minute odds and ends to pick up. I also had 50 skillion loads of laundry to do.

Of course, one of my neighbors got to the laundry room first. Argh!!!!

I met with the cat sitter and got that straightened away.

I checked on the laundry room. Rats.

I started wrapping stocking stuffers for the Princess Mom. (Yes, we're doing stockings on shipboard. I admit it -- the two of us are like little kids about this stuff.)

Back downstairs with a load of laundry in tow. Hallelujah! The washer was free.

My afternoon and evening was a marathon of wrapping and schlepping stuff up and down three flights of stairs.

Finally, I was able to head back downtown to the office to finish up some stuff that simply must be done by Monday a.m. (I know, I know -- only an idiot shows up at the office at 9:00 p.m. on a Saturday.) First thing on my to do list? Call the last place I could remember handling my cell phone. Bingo!

Back out of the office, down the street and past the train station. Yay!!!! The phone was there... but, of course, the battery was dead.

Back to the office and dig out my extra charger.

Finally, I got the phone turned on, and waded through 20 voicemail messages. There's a letter waiting for me at Sunny Ridge.

It's 10:43 p.m. on Saturday night, I'm at the office and will be here for several more hours. I have a 6:30 a.m. flight tomorrow.

I've waited 26 years. 10 more days, though, might just kill me. Thank goodness I'll be with the Princess Mom, who provides countless distractions and endless blogfodder.

I'll call the Sunny Ridge lady from the airport tomorrow, and ask that she send the letter to my home.

It's the first time ever that I wanted a vacation to be over before it ever began.
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For all of you who have left me kind words, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is truly a terrifying time. I imagine that anyone who's ever been in my shoes fears, deep down, that they'll never measure up to expectations. Your words have given me a lot of comfort.
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I'm kind of sensitive about being called a mother. I'm not her mother. I'm her birth mother.

The woman who kissed her boo-boos, changed her diapers, helped her with her homework, taught her how to fix her hair and do her makeup and much, much more is her real mother. I will not ever do anything to take that away from her. I'm grateful to her every single day.

I'm just hoping for...

Wow. 26 years down the road, and I still can't wrap my arms around what I'm hoping for.

See what I mean about terrifying?
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Leslie

Tootin' the Horn

There's a 6 odd things about me meme that's been running around the blogosphere lately. I've never done one before, but I have good reason to now:

1. I am a birth mother. Until right now, only a handful of trusted friends and family had any idea.

2. My mom got a call from this place today.

3. They've left me a phone number, and apparently it's good news.

4. They left it on my cell phone... which, of course, like a doofus, I left at home today.

5. I am terrified.

6. I am elated.
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Leslie

Busman's Holiday

If I make it out of the office before midnight tonight without collapsing, I'll soon be on my way from this...

... and this...

... to THIS!


I'll be back on the 21st. In the meantime, I'm tossing a couple of sets of keys to the Omnibus to a couple of (mis)trusted, but thoroughly amusing friends.

I'm hoping someone will take the darned thing for a spin in my absence!
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Leslie

Holy Smokes!

--------------------
Shooting at site of Metra station
--------------------

Tribune staff report

December 8, 2006, 4:00 PM CST

Ogilvie Transportation Center is being evacuated this afternoon while officials investigate a shooting inside the building, Chicago police said.

Police said at least one person was shot at 500 W. Madison St., but that person's condition is not known.

Around 3:40 p.m., one man could be seen being taken out of the building on a stretcher.

Emergency crews were responding to reports of multiple people shot, CLTV reported.

The address houses the Metra station and the Citibank Group Center.

The building is shut down and trains are not running.

There were dozens of police cars in front of the building along with two fire trucks.

People were seen hurrying down the escalators and running from the 37-story skyscraper on the west side of the Loop.

Many commuters who'd planned to board trains at Ogilvie were milling around in the cold, trying to figure out how they would get home.

Keegan Greene, who works at Verizon Wireless on the first floor was helping a customer when fire alarms began going off.

"One of the security guards came up to us and started saying, "Run, run, run, run, run!" Green said.

He said he saw someone on a stretcher on the first floor as he exited and saw two stretchers being brought out of the building.

The Associated Press contributed.
Copyright (c) 2006, Chicago Tribune
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This is my train station. Looks like I won't be going home in a big ol' hurry tonight! Yikes!
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Leslie

Tootin' the Horn

Happy 29th birthday to Genny -- a styling babe for sure!
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

Yes, I'm all for the death penalty in this case. In fact, let's stuff her into the very same microwave that she used on her own baby.

Waste not, want not. In fact, it's the best form of recycling I can think of.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys


While I have a very good excuse (I'll be gone from the 10th to the 20th of this month), sometimes we all need a little help coming up with a good excuse. Click the image. You'll thank me for this.

(A tip of the cap to Jennifer!)
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

In light of yesterday's Post Heading of the Day, that crazy Nancy V. figgered I might get a charge of of this. In fact, most of it squicked me out... until I got to this:

You, too, can make your very own tampon blow gun with matching bandolier. While I'd like to say "the mind boggles," in this case, I could actually visualize one or two of these babies turning up at any blogmeet wherever a Jawja Blown-Eyed Blodger happens to appear.
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"A zombielicious little wine..."
Hmmm... I'll have to order a bottle of this for my buddy you-know-who.
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Quote of the Day comes from Your Crazy Uncle's Rules for the ER:
"31) Please don't bring in a "show and tell." If you have to fish it out of the toilet, it's really not necessary to bring it in. We will take your word for it. If you did fish something out of the toilet.....you may NOT use my pen."
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You know, maybe there's a cure for Eric's famous fear of zombies: give him something even worse to be afraid of. Like psychic lampreys. Now there's an image that'll scare the bejeepers out of you!
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Leslie

The End of the Line

I told you the Apocalypse was coming!

Really, though, it's and happy ending and a new beginning. If you're already reading my BlogDaddy, update your links here. (And if you're not reading his stuff, you should be!)
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Leslie

Rubber-Necking

Post Heading of the Day:
"Tampons: Satan's Little Cotton Fingers"
I laughed myself silly. But I'm not so sure this guy will see the humor in it. Then again...
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Pssst! Don't tell Eric, but there are Zombie Chickens on the loose. Zoicks!
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

Here's another great example of fine parenting. Seems to me that the mother and the grandmother could have put a stop to this by simply removing temptation from a kid who has no impulse control and over whom they obviously have no influence. But, noooooooooooo. Let's get the police involved.

Here's another good question: if the gift tag had the kid's name on it and it was in plain sight, isn't it technically his? How can this be theft? Yes, it's crappy behavior... but theft? C'mon. It's just lazy parenting.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

Since I've never been a Seinfeld fan, I'm really not sure how I feel about this one:







Which Seinfeld character are you?




You're Jerry!
Take this quiz!








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Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code



(A tip of the cap to Robin.)
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You can blame this one on Samantha Burns:


What does your driving style say about your sexual habits??

Taxi Driver

You stay on the road, always use your turning signals, and talk sweetly to your car when it starts to act up. You're more than likely toting around children throughout your day, or at least playing taxi to a few friends. Maybe it's time you spent more time on yourself! In the bedroom, you focus so much on your partner, you forget the best sex is meant for two! Other obligations are often running through your head while in the bedroom. Don't be afraid to shut out your daily obligations to really enjoy yourself. I bet you're a really devote person, and your partner loves that about you.

Click Here to Take This Quiz
Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.


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Wow! Weird quizzes are popping up all over the place today. This one is courtesy of the Desert Cat:







Note: At the first screen, click on "Extras", then on "What's Your Seduction Style?"
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Leslie

The End of the Line

Little Piper has gone over the Rainbow Bridge.

Please go send condolences to Laurence Simon and his lovely wife Gina.

Damn. I hate news like this.
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Leslie

From the Rowdies in the Back of the Bus

From the Sweetheart of Shell Knob, MO (a natural blonde herself):

A blonde goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards. She says to the clerk, "May I have 50 Christmas stamps?"

The clerk says, "What denomination?"

The blonde says, "Lord help us. Has it come to this? Give me 6 Catholic, 12 Presbyterian, 10 Lutheran and 22 Baptists."
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She also sends this bit of Texas humor:

(Anyone who has ever dressed a child will love this one!)

Did you hear about the Texas teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten students put on his cowboy boots? He asked for help and she could see why.

Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still didn't want to go on. By the time they got the second boot on, she had worked up a sweat.

She almost cried when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet."

She looked, and sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on.

She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on, this time on the right feet.

He then announced, "These aren't my boots."

She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, "Why didn't you say so?", like she wanted to. Once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet.

No sooner had they gotten the boots off when he said, "They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear 'em."

Now she didn't know if she should laugh or cry. But, she mustered up what grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again.

Helping him into his coat, she asked, "Now, where are your mittens?"

He said, "I stuffed 'em in the toes of my boots."

She will be eligible for parole in three years.
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Also this giggle of a nursing story:

A nurse walks into a bank. Preparing to write a check, she pulls a rectal thermometer out of her purse and tries to write with it.

She looks at the flabbergasted teller and without missing a beat says,

"Well, that's great..........that's really great..........

Some asshole's got my pen."
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Leslie

Drive-Bys


Yep. Things at work have got me a bit, erm......., tied up at the moment.
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

The first snowfall of the season and conjunctivitis occurred simultaneously today. Who else could be so lucky?
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Leslie

Rubber-Necking

Spray-on WHAT???? (The other ads are the page are equally gawk-inducing.)
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Leslie

Tootin' the Horn


Score!

Someone in Dekalb needs to email me. There's a Potbelly's gift certificate in it for you!
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I'll never know how many actual hits I've had, as I didn't even install the site meter until I'd been blogging for over a year... but... 20,000. That's a lot of hits.

Each and every one of you who has dropped by have been and continue to be greatly appreciated!
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Sun of a gun! Another dear blogging friend is celebrating a big mile marker. Go send him warm farookin' wishes.
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Click here and find even more things to celebrate today!
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Leslie

Rubber-Necking

Whoooooooooooweeee, Lawd! Mamacita delivers one phenomenal smack-down. I would not want to be in that kid's shoes today.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

It's posts like this that give Scott Adams a permanent position on my blogroll. Side-splittingly funny.
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Hmmmm....

The Five Love Languages

My primary love language is probably
Physical Touch
with a secondary love language being
Quality Time.

Complete set of results

Physical Touch:
8
Quality Time:
7
Acts of Service:
5
Words of Affirmation:
5
Receiving Gifts:
4


Information

Unhappiness in relationships, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don't understand our partner's requirements, or even our own. We all have a "love tank" that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others.

Take the quiz

These things are spookily acccurate more often than not.

(A tip of the cap to the Desert Cat.)
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If Kate thinks not owning an iPod is a shameful secret, what in the heck would she think if she knew that I haven't had (or particularly missed) a television since the beginning of July? And I don't have a stereo in the house, either -- just a CD player in the car. My favorite forms of amusement? Either reading, or listening to talk radio. I'm living in the Dark Ages, I know...
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Leslie

Makin' A List

I've been working on my Christmas list. In my stroll around the internet, I've run across a few unusual items that remind me of a couple of my pals.

For Dax, who bug blogs on a regular basis:


For Contagion and T1G, who beer blog from time to time:


For Yabu, who knows the true meaning of bad, bad juju:


For Mr. Debonnaire Hizzownself, I just couldn't choose between this:

And this:

The choice is a difficult one, no?


For Og. He knows why!


And for Livey, who crap blogs from the North Woods:

For JimmyB and Grau, because I love their sense of humor:
And for Velocidude:


I imagine we'll be hearing "wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" a lot at the next Jawja Blodgemeet.
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Gotta get back to my shopping...

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And wouldn't you know it? I found the perfect gift for Vicky's daughter.

Much better than a radiator!
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Back to shopping...
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

It's amazing the things that'll dredge up memories.

It's things like this that remind me of Old Crankypants:

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A couple of Jedi tests for Deb and Barb:






Jedi Knight

You scored 63 on the Force Sensitivity/Jedi Chart!

Other Jedi like you: Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade, Leia Organa Solo, Anakin Skywalker (before turn), Ki-Adi Mundi, Aayla Secura and Revan(after rescue)

You are a Jedi Knight, the symbol of what is good and just in the galaxy. You are in control of your feelings though you may rarely do something considered dark or think of yourself before others. Hardly any darkness makes it through you.

You are a very skilled fighter and have heightened mental and athletic abilities only other can dream of. You use your abilities not for yourself though but to help others, and while you have probably killed, it was either in defense of others or in defense of yourself. You prefer to negotiate or detain rather then kill as both give your soul much easier rest. You command the respect of a great many and as many Jedi were you are probably a high ranking officer in an army.

You have little left to accomplish as becoming a Master is a matter of completely giving yourself to the Force and being respected by other Jedi. Teach yourself new things and seek out training you have not had yet and you may very well become a Jedi Master. Be wary of the Sith, as they will seek to destroy and those around you.

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Thank you for taking my test, if you have any comments, complaints or anything you'd like to see changed/added, please contact me through here or my email (zabomb56@hotmail.com).










My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender:
free online datingfree online dating
You scored higher than 99% on Force Sense




Link: The Jedi Test written by zabomb on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test
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I am a Shadow Jedi leaning light

"Just push yourself a bit more and you can make it to be a light Jedi my friend! Remember to always keep your cool, and try to help others in need. By the looks of it you always wish to help people but would want to be left alone when you're down in the dumps and wouldn't want to be bothered."


True Jedi Test By Ocean-Saurian and PrincessLeia2
www.princessleia.com


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Only a kick-ass gal like Nancy could find humor like this in the middle of being treated for a pulmonary embolism and a blood clot in her leg:
Lovely lady, my roomie. She was a little confused while I was there. All the while, the nurses and doctors and therapists would come in and assess her cognitively. One question came up again and again. "Do you know what the date is?" One time, she answered 1996. The doctor gently corrected her and told her that it was actually 2006. My dear roomie said, "Well. No wonder I'm so tired, traveling all that time at once." I wish I could have seen her doctor's face.
Go send her get well wishes.

(Sheesh. The things I miss when my life gets out of control. But, guys? Even if I'm not able to read your blogs, I'm checking email at least a couple of times a day. For goodness sake, please make sure to let me know about stuff like this in the future, okay?)
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This guy, on the other hand, always cracks me up: "Fuzzy crapper seat covers are the tool of satan."
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

I don't know which of the stories in today's news stands my hair on end the most: this one? this one? Nope. Definitely this one.

I'm rendered completely speechless.
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Leslie

Rubber-Necking

The Apocalypse must be near -- for once I am in total agreement with the Rev. Jackson. Behold:
"Black leaders on Monday challenged the entertainment industry, including rap artists, actors and major studios, to stop use of the racial slur that triggered the Michael Richards scandal." [Emphasis mine.]
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One more sign
the Apocalypse is near?
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

It's about damned time.

For those of us who can't take any form of hormone supplements or replacements (blood clots run in the family), this would be a Godsend.

And let's not even get into the shouldering responsibility equally discussion...
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Leslie

Tootin' the Horn

I can tell I've been way too tied up for my own good when I miss this sweet friend's birthday.


I'm sorry I'm late, but sincere in warm and loving birthday wishes.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

Crazy week at the office
+
Moving and unpacking stuff I haven't looked at in 2 or more years...
...but needed right now
+
Putting together several pieces of furniture
(Fastest cordless screwdriver in Des Plaines!)
+
Cleaning up and throwing out packing materials
(Lots of packing materials)
+
Cleaning house
+
Cooking and serving Thanksgiving dinner for my family
=

Yes -- I feel (and look) like I've been run over by my very own Omnibus.

See you next week!
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

And how's your day today?
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

(Somebody forgot to tell my bosses that there's a holiday coming and things are supposed to slow down this week. Gahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!)
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

That naughty Erica has tagged me with...

The Dueling Meme

Popcorn or candy? Popcorn! Extra butter and salt.

Name a movie you’ve been meaning to see forever: Who could pick just one? I’m waaaaaaaaay behind in my movie-going.

You are given the power to recall one Oscar. Who loses theirs, and to whom? Marlon Brando’s 1972 Best Actor award, which he refused. You don’t spit on the Academy. I would have given it to Paul Winfield for Sounder.

Steal one costume from a movie for your wardrobe. Which will it be? Glinda the Good Witch’s dress – including wand and tiara. Man, would TMBCITW love to see me decked out in that get-up!

Your favorite film franchise is The old black & white Tarzan movies.

Invite five movie people over for dinner. Who are they? Why’d you invite them? What do you feed them? Bette Davis. Lillian Gish. Kathleen Turner. Brian Dennehy. Gregory Peck. Champagne, smoked salmon on toast points, caviar and blini, for starters. Who cares about the rest? Can you imagine the conversation? Who could focus on food at a time like that?

What is the appropriate punishment for people who answer cell phones in the movie theater? Death by Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator.

Choose a female bodyguard: Ripley from Aliens, Mystique from X-Men, Sarah Connor from Terminator 2, the Bride from Kill Bill, Mace from Strange Days. Eew! If I have to have a bodyguard, please can’t I have Kevin Costner?

What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever seen in a movie? Adam Sandler. No… wait! Dolly Parton and Sylvester Stallone together in a romantic comedy.

Your favorite genre (excluding comedy and drama) is? Buzby Berkley musicals.

You are given the power to greenlight movies at a major studio for one year. How do you wield this power? I round up all of my favorite authors and pair them with great screenwriters. Strong story lines with emphasis on character and plot, rather than special effects. Then I’d hand pick directors for each film, and give them free reign in casting selection, with incentives for finding fresh talent. No reruns. No derivatives.

Bonnie or Clyde? Who cares? Dead is dead.

Who are you tagging to answer this survey?

Sorry. Tag your own self, if you like.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

I have but one thing to say about this: Ick.
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The Princess Mom called me today to check and see if I had gotten the travel packet for our upcoming cruise yet.

Nope. I haven't received a thing.

Well, she said, that's odd. I've had my information packet for a couple of weeks already.

(Let's just say she was ready to hold a Southern Baptist tent revival-sized Come-to-Jesus meeting with her travel agent later today.)

Hmmm. At that moment I had a brainwave and asked her what address she had given the poor schmo.

Well, ____________________ Ave., Chicago. Why?

Ummm, Mom? I haven't lived at that address or in that city for well over a year. Helloooooo??? We spent how many weekends furniture shopping for a new apartment in what city this summer?

I swear she sounded just like Emily Litella: Oh. Never mind.

(And, no -- it's not old timer's disease. She's always been like this.)
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Karma. Ain't it a beautiful thing when it works?
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Leslie

Rubber-Necking

TMBCITW...

and the MPAE....



... are convinced my real name is "Auntie Fun."

Any questions?
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

Your Expression Number is 6

You have an outstanding sense of responsibility, love, and balance.

You are helpful and inclined to comfort those in need.

You have many artistic and creative talents, but you only use them to better others.

You are loving, friendly, and appreciative of others.

You have a depth of understanding that produces much kindness and generosity.

Openness and honesty are apparent in your approach to all relationships.

Sometimes, you can be too demanding of yourself.

At times, you tend to sacrifice yourself for the welfare of others.

At other times, you have trouble distinguishing between helping and interfering.


Yeesh. These things sometimes strike awfully close to the bone.
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One more thing:

Your Quirk Factor: 57%

You're a pretty quirky person, but you're just normal enough to hide it.

Congratulations - you've fooled other people into thinking you're just like them!

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Leslie

Tootin' the Horn

I hear my pal Richmond has a thing for hot firemen. Who knew there was a whole band of 'em named in her honor?

I've handed them a request to play "Happy Birthday" for her. I'm telling you, that woman is an inspiration.

(Hey -- I'll do anything to make a pal happy!)
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Leslie