I got Paid!

As many of you know we just completed the AW blog chain #8. As normal the chain started with a simple question "Why do we do the blog chain?" or rather what do we get out of it, and ended with us talking about giving to others. For a recap, here is a list of the participating blogs and their entries.
A View From the Waterfront

Just a Small Town Girl

Gillian's Journal

Writing From Within

Down From the Garrett

Incoherent Blabbing From an Incoherent Person

Curiouser and curiouser

Peggy

BTGC Production Log

NVNC ID VIDES, NVNC NE VIDES

Fireflies in the Cloud


Peggy, up there, did a wonderful post on her site "The road Less Traveled" about paying it forward.

Yesterday someone paid it forward to me, and I want to share. I said "Thank you" at the time,and though it was a small thing it really meant alot. Therefore, I am taking the time to relay the story.

Picture it, lunch time yesterday, a young American girl heads out from her job at the local bank to procure what small items she can for lunch. Taking a break from smiling at everyone, and generally being as nice and helpful as she can. Wanting only to hide in the solitude of her car with a good book for a small hour. (yeah okay so I had the "Golden Girls" theme music running in my head for some reason, anyway..)

I decided that I really only had enough spare cash for some crackers or chips and a soda. Went into my purse to grab said money only to discover it was gone. Apparently my kids beat me to the cash, again. I digress. Not to be dismayed I had the debit card. So I went to the local dollar store. Picked out some crackers and a root beer Shasta. I handed my card to the cashier, smiled and said "Run as credit please."
"I'm sorry Mame, we only except Discover." Frantically I began scrounging in my purse. Surely I had some change right? Luck was with me, I had one dollar in change. I smiled at the girl and handed her the change. "Just the crackers then, please."

A line had formed behind me and now not only was I just getting crackers, but everyone knew I was only getting crackers. Have I mentioned I embarrass easily?

A voice spoke next to me, "what is it she can't get? A soda? Give her the soda, just ring it up with my stuff."

I smiled at my heroine and breathed a grateful thank you. Now some of you are saying it was just a soda, why the big deal.

Most who shop in the dollar store, have to make their bucks stretch as far as possible. One dollar can buy: three boxes of mac & cheese, 2lbs of spaghetti noodles, 2 cans Spaghetti sauce, a bag of rice, 2 bags of split peas, 2 cans of tuna, ect...

Basically a dollar can rob a family of a meal. So for her to be willing to spend a dollar on a complete stranger meant a lot.

So next time you think..it's just a dollar, think again. You could really make someones day.

Wait! Come back here! Not ready for you to be grown yet...

As parents you spend the first part of your children's lives waiting for them to hurry up and get bigger. Then once they accomplish that, you find yourself wishing they were still small.

Don't get me wrong. I love the fact that my kids no longer need me to hold their hand with every little thing, but I miss the little things. Like the boys crawling up in my lap with a book with a little "read to me, Mommy"

These past few days I have been able to recapture that a little bit. We recently made the decision to get rid of our T.V. in order to encourage the children to do things like read, do their chores, do their homework, play outside. To that end the children lamented that they had "nothing" to read. So I borrowed a few books from my brother-in-law. One of them is Rakkety Tam By Brian Jacques


Ashley tried reading it to herself, but had a bit of a time with it. She asked me if I would read it to her. So we started. Soon I had four children draped around me in various states of repose, listening intently as we went on a journey together to a far off land. Where Otters guard abbey walls, a cellermole can become father of said Abbey and squirrels brandish claymores.

Justin wanted to read ahead, but still comes and settles in when the nights chapters start. So for a little while I can pretend that my "babies" are still babies.

Beatboxing flute inspector gadget remix

I found this thanks to Mr. Wheaton. The kids and I watched and listened in complete awe. They made me play it four times. Then we had to listen to the rest of his stuff. Not once was I disappointed. I would love to see this guy play live! Such control, timing, talent...WoW! I really appreciated his talent when I watched his "Super Mario's" theme. The way the video is shot you can truly appreciate his ability with a flute. I don't' think this guy has a hard time getting a date on Friday nights, or any nights for that matter.

An argument to support reincarnation..or finding your universal twin?

So for awhile now (translate a few years) I have been telling anyone who would listen of the uncanny resemblance between Paul Revere and Jack Black.

But today I found another set of universal twins or a reincarnation from the past.

Observations....

While I have been working in the bank, I have become enthralled with money. Not the value it represents, but the information that each bill and coin hold.

Take for instance the Susan B. Anthony silver dollar. Have you ever looked at one closely? For years I assumed the eagle was hovering over the earth with the moon hanging over it's left shoulder. Ah contra er(sp?), the eagle is landing on the moon, and it is the earth over the left shoulder..check it out. It's really kinda cool how they marked a piece of our history that way, the coin telling part of the story.

The new dollars are out. Showing George on the front and lady Lib on the back. The detail is awesome, you can actually count the windows in her crown and torch. The coin shows the dates that Washington was in office, and because so much attention to detail took up room on the coin, the words " e-pluribus-unum" and "In God We Trust" are etched into the edges of the coin.

The Chinese New Year is fast approaching. A tradition of theirs I have learned recently is the giving of "new" money to family and friends. They want Newly minted or still pristine condition bills to hand out. It is a sign of prosperity for the coming new year. Similar to ours, here in the south, of hiding coin in the black eyed peas. A bite of peas to ensure you don't go hungry and the coin to ensure wealth.

So what does money,( or silver and gold) and stories told by money, and traditions all have in common with what I have been reading lately? Why the Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon. Also know as the the Knights Templar or Templar Knights.

Along lover of history and church lore, this book was right up my alley. Hidden treasures and conspiracy theories abound in this novel The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry. Personally I couldn't bring myself to read Mr. Browns Deviancy Code, but I ate up this book, like a starving man coming off a 40 day fast.

To those who can not challenge themselves to "what if questions" or who may doubt their faith is planted strongly, don't read this. But for those that can remember it is a work of fiction, run don't walk to find a copy. This was the first of Mr. Berry's work that I've read but it will not be my last.

Traditions

When I was growing up here, in my home town, every once in a while we would come across a funeral procession heading to one of the cemetery's here. First you would see the lead police car or motorcycle, then would come the train of cars. Cars in the opposite lanes would stop. Right where they were. Not a single car would move, until the last car in the procession past.

I asked my daddy once why we stopped. He said it was to show respect for the departed, and the family for their loss, and it was tradition. To me this made perfect sense. Tradition just like the Christmas tree not going up until the 17 of December, and not wearing white before Easter or after Labor Day, or having Sunday Dinner at 2 in the afternoon.

As time went by, the city grew and more people came and settled here from other parts of the country. The stopping for funeral processions seemed to have been set to the wayside. I cried a silent tear for another lost "tradition" and a bit of the southern lifestyle.

Today on my way to lunch, however, I saw cars stopping in there tracks. I quickly followed suit, not sure what lay ahead. Then over the top of a hill came the first police Motorcycle, lights flashing and he pulled to a stop next to my car. Cars on both sides stopped in perfect precision, and along came the procession. I looked in to the other cars, some people were frustrated, others seemed puzzled as to why we stopped. In one car a saw a child point and speak to it's parent. I knew what the question was and the answer. I cried another silent tear, for a tradition and a piece of southern lifestyle that might not be gone. And in this day and age of hurry, hurry and disconnection..maybe it's a tradition that needs to stay a little longer.

So if you are ever in my neck of the woods and you see cars suddenly stopping, you'll know why.

I'll get you Blogger..and your little dog too!!!!

A.K.A. "I didn't wanna do it". For months I have resisted changing from "old blogger" to "new blogger". I didn't want to have to sign up for a google account, I have enough accounts spread around the web, that I don't remember what half of them are for. But, they got me anyway. I went to sign in the other day and it refused to let me, UNTIL I signed up with google..Damn them!..so I caved like a little Biatch and signed..Oh god I have no scrupples.

I did entertain the notion of hunting down another place to but my blogg, but the trama I endured when switching from live.space to blogger was really enough to last me a life time. And, as everyone can still post with out having to join some stinking special club..I'll bite the bullet of being whipped like a dog, that piddled on the floor, and stick around for awhile.

Speaking of metaphors...My friend and fellow wordgeek (cept she is geekier than me) put this little jewel up . She got it from another friend of ours "Da Beav" But enjoy..and maybe Muse will bite you in the rear... Not Jason Muse..the other one. Although, if asked, Jason might do it too, he's weird like that.

Okay...another confession...

I love music. Classic, Motown, Jazz, Pop, Big Band, Swing..if it makes my heart beat, my head bob, my feet move, or paints a picture in my head..I love it. Most people think I'm strange cause there is very little I won't listen too..and even then..I've been proven wrong. Like saying "I don't like opera" then someone turned me on to Gilbert and Sulivan..and Rap..but then a song comes a long and I totally Grok it.

But I need help here. I want to change the song on my "myspace" for Valentines day. Two guesses what song I want....

So here is my problem the only artist I can think of who sang it is Ella Fitzgerald..and on her songs offered, the one I want isn't listed.

Who can think of who else did "My Funny Valentine"? and Frank, Wayne, and Harry are all out of the running.

Actually my love of song has almost gotten to me at work..I listen to the music pipping in, it's supposed to be nice calm music. Except I know the words to alot of the pieces they play and want to sing along. My co-workers have given me one or two strange looks as I catch myself bopping along and mouthing the words under my breath.

On the plus side..the music keeps Ward and Christine close to my heart most of the day..specially when Billy Joel's stanza's fill my head. Right now, just this moment..Harry is crooning sweet endearments in my ears...ahhhhh..Night ya'll.

Hello..My Name is Bk_30 and I am a Julie Garwood addict...

I Love to read. If you have been following this blog for long, or know me in real life, you probably know this about me already. I will read anything. Even the back of food packages or cereal boxes if they happen to be lying around. A few years ago though, on a routine trip to the library I found a book about a group of five orphan children living on the streets of New York. The boys found a baby girl in a trash can and decided to become a family and raise the baby. As the boys fell in love with their new baby sister, I fell in love with all of them. And as I laughed and cried my way through the book, I fell in love with the Author. The book was For the Roses and the author was Julie Garwood. Since then I have read every book she has written (under that name at least). When she took a break form historical romance to write modern suspense romance..I went right along with her and was not disappointed. When I get a Garwood in my hands I loose all sense of time and place. I am completely pulled into the story line and when I reach the end, I'm like a child on christmas morning, looking for the present that surely must be hiding under the tree. As I turn the last page back and forth in disbelief that the story is over. I have to force myself to only read a few chapters at a time so that the book will last..other wise, I have been known to read one of her books in a day..and then be cranky like any other addict when I can't get my fix.

So imagine the exicitement that coursed through me the other day, when I went to get the new book hubby and I were going to read, and saw a new Garwood sitting on the shelf just waiting for me to find it? For 1/2 a second I hedged and looked at another book, but then I rememebered hubby read and liked Heartbreaker, Mercy,and KillJoy so he was certain to like Slow Burn, right? Debate over I took the book and carried it clutched to my chest to the car. I lovingly set in the seat next to me and returned to work safe in the knowledge that I had read all of her books and was going to spend the weekend devouring the newest one.

I forced myself to wait until bedtime to snuggle down and get aquainted with my newest find. I cracked open the book and let the "new book" smell wash over me. Being a creature of habit I, of course, had to read the list of "other books" that comes on the first few pages of every book. What did my eyes find? Horror of horror's, that I had missed three of ms. Garwoods books! Murder List, A Certain Smile and Shadow Dance But then I realized that means..I can rip through Slow Burn and still have three books waiting..so not really a bad thing uh?

Now if you'll excuse me..a certain dashing Buchanan and the streets of Charleston are calling my name.....

Oh I sooo want a camera!

Months ago, I asked for a digital camera. I would see things or get ideas for a blog entry and want pictures to help illustrate my point. With a picture being worth a thousand words...can you imagine how short some of my posts would be? lol. To see an illiustration of what I am talking about...I direct you tohere.
I warn you, this is not for the faint of heart. If you aren't prepared for the carniage a small child can do to a toy, well take this advice from famed archeologist Indian Jones "Don't look Mariam! Don't Look!" Enjoy!

P.s. Matt, it you follow the links back...I couldn't comment Kudos on your post..so I did the next best thing and linked it :)