Happy New Year

Well, this is it. The last day of 2007. This has been a weird and wonderful, crazy year. Lyric turned 13 so now I am a parent of a teenager. Which doesn't hardly seem possible, because I often feel like a teenager myself. I was blessed with the fortune of finding my biological father. Although, I'm not sure where that relationship is going, or the one I might have with my siblings (Hey, WR!) it was nice to finally put the final piece in my biology puzzle. I've made some friends, become closer to some and really just had fun.

I don't believe in Resolutions, because then there is a higher expectation, and it seems most resolutions are harder to keep. I make ongoing goals. I have a list of things to do in my lifetime. This list gets updated periodically. Some of the things on it are: See Lyric graduate from high school, see Baby graduate, attend Lyric's wedding, celebrate our 50th Anniversary (with Fisher of course). And then there are things for me: meet Barbara Delinsky and Rick Springfield, learn calligraphy, publish a novel (so much closer to getting this done), and travel to Australia.

One of my goals for 2008 is to be less of a complainer and more of a doer. If there is something that I can't fix/change, then I chose to accept it and not complain. That's one. Two is to be happy. That's pretty vague, but I like it that way because different things make me happy at different times. So here's to a Rockin', Happy, Somewhat uneventful 2008!

Christmas with you video

Reunions

Yesterday's news included a wonderful story about a mother and son reunited...at work. Here's one of the links below:
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_17851.aspx

This is such a wonderful story, especially at the holidays. I know that there are many others out there looking for biological parents. These little stories often show up and they are always excited and heartwarming.

The ones we don't usually hear about are the ones that don't have a happy ending. The ones where the birth mom never told her "new" family that she had another child, or the ones where the birth father isn't interested in a relationship, or maybe just outright denies the child. But they are out there. It's life. People get caught up in their day to day lives and push the past deep into the closet.

For those out there that have had happy reunions, I applaud you and send you a big cyber hug. For those that can't find the missing person, or don't have a happy outcome- you get an even bigger hug. Sometimes those can be more emotional than the "new beginning" stories.

At this season of giving and caring, make sure that you take time to tell your family you love them, give them an extra hug and enjoy them. Don't forget, Jesus died for you. Love don't get any bigger than that.

Happy Holidays...

The holiday season is bearing down on us...everybody is rushing to buy presents and send Christmas cards. People are rushing to the mall, the local WalMart or to the closest computer. Spending is up, even at a time when disposable income is down. I know people who buy everything their kids want so they can have a good Christmas. Tha's great, but when they get everything that they want at Christmas, they expect that to happen all year long. I know other people who only buy their kids 3 gifts...Baby Jesus received three gifts and so do they. Fisher and I fall somewhere in the middle. We try to get the kids things that they want, without being too crazy...and three gifts under the just doesn't seem enough.

If you are looking to do something wonderful and meaning full and have a few extra dollars to give, check out the link below.
http://www.jasonthompson.org/XMAS%202007.html

Gold Star Mothers deserve our support and respect, and I for one, am happy to be loosely associated with the girls that are putting this fundraising effort together.

I love Bon Jovi....

and not in the 14 year old girl "someday I want to marry him" way, or not in the "he's so wonderful" way...but in the Jon Bon Jovi is a wonderful man, doing good things, who is down to earth and REAL. Not only has he been able to keep his wife and kids out of the limelight for like 20 years, he keeps working hard, cranking out good tunes, working with the same guys all that time, and in his "off" time, he does things like help with Habitat for Humanity (did you see that video Jon and the boys did with Jennifer Nettles??) and now he is involved with Project HOME. (Actually, I think that he founded it). I saw a little interview on Fox News this morning with a family that received their home this way. Jon Bon Jovi was at their house (can you say- WOW) and the little girl who was like 9 said that she didn't know that he was a rock star. He was just "a normal human"...how darling is that?? So, I love Bon Jovi- the band, the music, the man and the whole dang thing.

It's happening already....

Baby now has magazine posters on her wall. (Tiger Beat to be exact) One wall, three posters (zac Efron, Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers). I remember when I was in 7th and 8th grade and started putting posters up. Rick Springfield, John Stamos, Paul King, any cute boy that was in one of those magazines. Now, a "few" years later, the only ones that have still survived are the Rick Springfield ones. (and I'm sure that some of these were Tiger Beat- now I have to check!) But let me just say, Baby is 8....is that too young for magazine posters? And when she told me that she was talking to the posters while she was playing in her room, I knew that she was destined to be just like me. before you know it, that poster of Zac Efron will be hung on the wall to match his actual height and she will be standing in front of it to see how their heights compare.

Lyric has has posters on her walls for a couple of years, mostly Daniel Radcliffe...she is a huge Harry Potter fan...There are a few other ones up there as well, but mostly those.

And I can't really say anything, because Fisher is the one who bought the mag for Baby. He actually went back to the store later to get same magazine for Lyric. Now, there is something wrong with that. they are 4 years apart. Aren't they supposed to like different things? Or am I way off base? Any thoughts?

NaNoWriMo...and more...and more

Wow, this writing thing is crazy. I've actually been disciplined enough to write 6 out of the past 7 days. Go me! I'm trying to stay on task for my total word count of 50,000, but I'm hand writing so it's hard to say if I am or not. Mostly what I've done is written a page, counted the actual words on that page, and then guestimated for the rest of the pages in that notebook. So, I could be over or under my word count and not know it. I'm hoping to transfer everything over to computer over the next week or so, so I really know what my word count is. And if I hit 50,000, I want that certificate darn it!

So, I'm off to continue writing...and writing...and writing....wish me luck.

The biggest leaf ever...

I will post a photo later, but you will not believe it. I was walking across the yard this morning and found the biggest leaf I have ever seen. I took a pix of Baby holding it, but I don't have my cord with me, so I can't upload it right now. It's bigger than my head! wait til you see it.

Night two of Basketball...

Lyric is trying to be an all around student. The play finished Friday night and Saturday morning she was off to basketball tryouts. Tonight is night two. At the end of the night, she will get an envelope. Inside it will either say- "Thanks for trying out, sharpen your skills and try again next year" or it will say - "See you tomorrow". IF you get a see you tomorrow envelope, that means one more night of try outs. Then on Wednesday the team will be posted. The 8th grade team will actually be posted tomorrow. And then tomorrow night is just for the 7th graders. I'm a bit worried for her. But, she seems to be okay with whatever the turn out will be.

So, to that end, I hope she's channelling her dad's energy and maybe Sahara could just give her a little boost!

It's the end of the weekend....

I missed my blog entry yesterday and I'm a lot of words behind in NaNoWriMo, but I have two happy healthy children so there's the trade off. Sahara's Celebration of Life (www.saharaaldridge.com) was yesterday. Pamela is going to give us an update on the blog tomorrow and I've been working on pages for the memory book. I feel like I want them to be perfect for Amy and Shannon. Even though I don't know them, and won't meet them, I hope that they know that the pages were put together for them. I'm trying to picture how I would feel if somebody was doing that for me. What I would think of when I looked at those pages if the words in them were for my daughter. I hope that it will help them with their grief process. I can't say healing process because I don't think they can heal from this. They can only go forward from here. I know that they are different people than they were a week ago, and that's just how it is.

Getting one in....

I only have a few minutes before Friday is over and I wanted to get in my daily blog. Lyric was in a play yesterday and today at school. It went well, but there were a few mic problems. I took Lyric and 3 of her friends to Dairy Queen ( affectionately known as DQ) and they caused trouble for about an hour. It sure did seem longer, and it wasn't just "my" kids. There were several from the school, and really, really, they weren't bad. Lyric and her friends are looking at pictures and videos from her camera on the TV screen and they are having a ball. Baby is over at a friend's house for the night. Her friend's mom is our babysitter and one of Lyric's friends that is spending the night is the babysitter's daughter. So basically we did a kid switch. Tomorrow starts bball practice. I hope she gets on the team.

how many words...

how many words can you write in an hour?? You would probably be amazed. I wrote 1188 words in less than an hour. That makes this NaNoWriMo thing seem like a piece of cake. In a little over an hour, I should be hitting my goal for each day. Now, writing for 1 1/2 to 2 hours each day should make me totally be able to hit the goal for the month, right?? RIGHT! It's actually harder right now to blog everyday than it is to hit the goal....go figure. Anyway, peace love and happiness to you and yours.

Hug the ones you love and don't forger to tell them how much they mean to you.

Healing broken hearts....

Sahara's support continues, although it has been transferred to her parents, family, friends. Sahara is playing basketball in Heaven and there is no doubt that she is hitting all the 3 pointers! How do you heal a broken heart?? I don't know if you can. I think time lessens the pain, but the extrodinary loss is always fell. It's hard to see the good in things like this. It's not for the best- the best would have been for her to not have to be sick at all. She's not in a better place- because what better place is there than her mom's arms. I am a believer in God. I believe that God has a plan for each and everyone of us. He had a plan for Sahara and now he needs her in Heaven. There is no doubt in my mind that Amy and Shannon will use their grief to do something wonderful in her honor. No doubt at all.

God has a plan....

I keep telling myself that, even when it doesn't make sense. Sahara Aldridge passed away last night, and I can only imagine what her parents must be going through. Her blog link in over there on the right. Click on it. You can read her story, and post a comment if you wish.

She was a little girl with a big presence, and she made an impact on many more lives than she knew (or than her parents knew). I want to thank Amy and Shannon for sharing their lives and Sahara's story with the world. We are still here for you. Do you feel the collective hug of all of us wrapping our arms around you?? We are.

I'd tell you to be strong, but you already are, so I can only pray for peace for you both.

There's also a note from Rick Springfield on his website. That link is over there to the right as well.

A day behind....

I'm only a day behind for NaNoWriMo and NaBloPoMo...go figure. I'm at almost 5000 words as of last night....so if I write a few hundred words extra for the next few days, I'll be back on track. This novel that I am working on is not what I started with, but so far I'm liking where it is going and I have an idea for a twist here and there. Wouldn't it be funny if this turned out to be better than the Derek and Abbi story?? I promise, Derek and Abbi's story will get done. It will, really! Actually, it is mostly done. What I need is the time to type it, but that won't be happening in November, now will it!

How to make a tortise shell...

otherwise known as "I opened my big mouth again". LOL. Lyric is Mrs. Tortise in the fall play. As of last week, they weren't sure what her costume was going to be. So I got this idea, Lyric ran it by her teacher and he said "Sure" as long as he didn't have to do anything. So, today we head out to the store to get the stuff I think we need. I had a great idea, we'll see if it comes to light. SO for I have the front and the back pieces made, but I have to put it all together and see if it really looks okay. Then we have to take it to the teacher for approval. So I ask you this- How would you turn your daughter into a turtle/tortise?

Lots of good stuff....

1) I was checking Lynn's blog the other day, and then clicked "next blog" at the top of the page. I was surprised and thrilled to find http://www.mamarazzi.org/. Cute, funny, cheeky. Check it out.
2) another of the blogs that I happened upon (and I'm sorry that I can't remember which one) but it was written by a mom. She had code names for those in her family. I loved that idea. I try really hard not to put names in, but oldest and little one are kind of lame. So from here forward: hubby will be known as Fisher, Oldest will be known as Lyric and youngest will be known as Baby.
3) NanoWriMo is into day two, as is Nablopomo (is that right?) Anyway, one is for writing every day and one is for blog posting every day. (For the month of November anyway.) So far, I'm doing great at the blog thing, not so good at the writing thing, but I have high hopes that I will complete the challenge this year (even if the writing doesn't make a lick of sense, which, at this point, seems highly likely).

NaNoWriMo...or less

Today is the first day of NaNoWriMo 2007...the goal- 50,000 words written by the end of the month, no editing, no going back, just writing. This works out to be 1667 words per day. Think I can do it?? I'm sure that I probably do write that many words in a day, but they don't all count. :-) So wish me luck on my journey, as I try my best to complete this goal. Feel free to bug me about how it's going, how many words I've written and it any of it makes sense.

Tagged...

Paula over at Paula's Place http://www.paulafasciano.blogspot.com/ tagged everybody who read her blo...LOL So, here's my list.

Four Jobs I've had
1. Secretary (current)
2. HUC/NA (CNA and unit clerk)
3. Case Aide (social work)
4. Receptionist

Four Films I could watch over and over
1. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
2. The Wedding Singer
3. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
4. Hard To Hold

Four TV Shows I watch
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Nip/Tuck
3. Law & Order SVU
4. Numbers

Four Places I've Lived
1. Edgerton, WI (this is what I consider my home town)
2. Sturgeon Bay, WI (Born here)
3. Rockford/Loves Park, IL
4. Stoughton, WI

Four Favorite Foods
1. Pizza
2. Chocolate anything
3. a good burger
4. chips

Four Websites/blogs I visit everyday
1. www.saharaaldridge.com
2. www.lynnslife.blogspot.com
3. Spoiler fx for Grey's Anatomy dirt
4. Paula's Place

Fave Colors
I don't have 4- but I do like Pink and Green

Places I would rather be
1. sleeping
2. at a Rick Springfield concert
3. dinner with hubby
4. watching a movie with the kids

Names I love but would/could not use for my children
1. Braeden
2. Brandon
3. Rebekah
4. Christian

Now, who should I tag?? Let's tag: Lynn, Abbi and Derek, and anybody who reads the blog. You're it!

New Stuff....

I have a new article at Associated Content- "How to be an Organized Girl Scout Leader". check it out. I'm also working on another one "Rick Vs Bruce- how to tell the difference". If it doesn't get accepted at AC, then it will just be posted here as a blog entry, I think. I'm not sure if I'll submitted it to Helium or one of those other writing websites. I will for sure let you know when/where you can read it.

I'm looking forward to the weekend. It's been a long week. Finally got rid of the week long headache (thank goodness) but now I have a weird shoulder thing going on. I think I pulled a muscle or 5, and it's making it pretty difficult to move in the middle of the night. I'm taking Advil and using heat pads, so hopefully everything will loosen up and go back into place.

I'm going to Granite City with the girls from work tonight. None of us have ever been there, so it will be a fun experience!

C'ya,
Aim

Dis'd on the radio...

(Do people still say dis'd??)

Okay, so it wasn't me that was dis'd, but the one and only---Rick Springfield. This morning, hubby had on the radio while in the shower, I went in to help the youngest finish getting ready (does nobody understand the concept of punching a time clock except me???) and Man Cow was on the radio. He was playing a snippet of "people are people" (I can't remember who it's by, but you know the song- "people are people so why it should it be that you and I can't get along- or something like that)....anyway, then Man Cow says "Worst lyrics ever written, except for the Rick Springfield" and then they play a snippet of "Jessie's Girl". Hubby and I both laugh but for different reasons. Hubby enjoys any cut downs of the Rickster...I enjoyed the fact that he was mentioned on the radio AT ALL, and if you know anything about me, you know that Jessie's Girl is my LEAST FAVORITE SONG of all time. (Sorry, Rick) It's not a bad song, it's just not his best song. Unfortunately, Jessie's Girl and Rick Springfield go hand in hand, unless you have followed his career at all. Then, into the car, on the way to the babysitter's. "mom, play Jessie's Girl," say the youngest daughter. "I'm not even sure I have Jessie's Girl on my ipod," I say. I hear the collective gasp of my fellow Rick fans right now, but it's true, I wasn't sure. I checked, and yes I do, Both versions (Ricks and Frickin' A's) So I let the little one listen to JG for the 2 minutes it takes to get to the sitter's house. Am I a super cool mom or what?!?!?!?

Then I get to work and one of my co workers says, "Amy. Rick Springfield. November 17. St Charles. I've been meaning to tell you. Are you going?" (See some people are looking out for me! ) But I am not going. Too much other stuff going on right now. Can't do it.

But I am anxiously awaiting the new Christmas CD- "Christmas with you". I preordered from CD Universe.(www.cduiniverse.com) CD and Shipping for under $11. I know that if you order it from Rick's Merchandise (www.ricksmerch.com) you can get it right away, as they started shipping on Oct 15. I was willing to wait and pay a little less. It's mostly covers, with one "remix" and one new song "Christmas with you" which can be heard (a part of it anyway) at www.rickspringfield.com. Check it out!

Enchanted Potions...gifts and more

Who's ready for Christmas?? You do know that it is less than 3 months away, right?? I recent signed up as an affiliate with Enchanted Potions. I've been watching their website for years, and I was previously signed up as an affiliate, but I didn't have a good website to go with it. Well, anywhere, here's the deal. I can get 30% off anything I order (They have some great products over there that I'm sure I won't want to share), I can do parties, or if somebody else is interested, I can make a team. There's really no pressure. Well, there's one thing. You have to place an order (any size) once every quarter. Nice, huh?!? The friendly people who starte this company, are awesome! I'm looking forward to making "body baskets" for my girls and maybe buying some extras to have on hand for those last minute birthday gifts.

Listen to the rhythm of the music in your head....

or wha's on the radio, or what's on you Ipod. This is the next installment of "What's on your Ipod". I'll only do 10 songs today because 20 seems to be a bit much. (Ipod is on shuffle)
1. Octopus' Garden- The Beatles
2. Naked in My Bed- Frickin' A
3. One Short Day - From WICKED
4. Love N' Stuff- Waltham
5. Story of my Life- Bon Jovi
6. Let's Go Crazy- Prince
7. Now Comes The Night- Rob Thomas
8. I'll Be There for You - Bon Jovi
9. Revolution- The Beatles
10. Pickin' Wildflowers- Keith Anderson

Hmm, not a Rick Springfield song in the bunch. Weird huh. Oh, here it comes. Wait for it....wait for it.... There it is:

11. Who Killed Rock N Roll- Rick Springfield

Don't You Hate It....

when you come in on the end of a joke? Or when you know the answer to the question, but didn't hear the question in the first place?? Today, I was listening to the radio. What I hear is "Amy, what's the answer?" and then AMY says "Love Somebody by Rick Springfield". Now, had I been paying attention 5 minutes earlier, that Amy could have been me. How do I miss these things??? I don't even know what the prize was, but I don't think AMY deserved it because when the DJ's asked if she had seen Rick's Coronado concert video she said "No." Not only had she not seen it, she didn't even know about it. Hello, woman, are you not calling from ROCKFORD?? Oh, the little things that make me crazy!

Hey, all....TV shows and More

DId you see Rock of Love?!? Did you see crazy Lacey finally go home. I thought that Brett was pretty smart in his thinking that if she was hiding things from her parents, she was probably going to hide things from him as well. When she was "throwing heather under the bus", I'm glad that Heather overheard and that she confronted her on it. Poor Brett, When Lacey's dad asked about their "relations" I thought he was going to throw up! Funny TV though. So, now we are down to Jes and Heather. I really, really want Jess to win. I think the last episode is going to be crazy! And I heard that they filmed a reunion with Brett and all the girls, so that should be on in a week or so.

Next week starts ABC's fall lineup. Can't wait for my Grey's Anatomy. That's the only show I'm really looking forward to right now. We'll have to see what else shows up. I found out last week that Crossing Jordan got cancelled. Not Happy!

and last but not least, I finally figured out how to add things to my cafepress store, so if you feel the need, desire, curiosity, head on over to: www.cafepress.com/kruegerstore

Let me know what you think!

the anniversary of 9/11..AKA Happy Marni Day

Several people lost their lives on 9/11/01, one of them being Marni, who was a huge Rick Springfield fan. I never actually met Marni, but I have read several of her posts that have been archived on the net. She was a very fun, happy, loving spirit. I know that there were others out there just like her. SO, today, on 9/11/07, please don't forget to take a moment to remember all of those that lost their lives, and their families who I'm sure are still grieving as they try to go on.

What a wild ride...

I hope. I've started a blog for the two main characters in my book. I spend some time working on the book this weekend, and then decided that this would be a fun way to share their story. the blogs are:
www.derekalexander.blogspot.com

www.abbihamilton.blogspot.com

check them out, and follow the story. We'll see how it goes. Maybe when the story comes from them, it will change, I don't know.

This Day in History...Number one songs

What song was #1 a year ago today? Two years? I know you wanna know, so the answer is below.

2007 ... "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie
2006 ... "SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake
2005 ... "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey
2004 ... "Goodies" by Ciara featuring Petey Pablo
2003 ... "Shake Ya Tailfeather" by Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee
2002 ... "Dilemma" by Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland
2001 ... "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys
2000 ... "Doesn't Really Matter" by Janet

ramblings, musings and more

So, I got caught up on "Rock of Love" yesterday. Caught up!?!? I hadn't really missed much. I know this. 1) Bret's "Superfans" had great ideas, Bret just didn't listen, 2) Lacey is a nutjob, 3)Sam is better off without Bret (Even though they might stay friends), and 4) all these girls should tell Bret bye bye, because nothing long term is going to come out of it. DUH!

Daughtry---I'm re-newly obsessed with this CD. Loving it, loving it. I can't wait for some new music. I'm thinking about ordering Absent Element's CD. If you have it, let me know what you think.

Scott Baio is 45 and still single. I thought that he and Renee were going to get married. After doing some internet sleuthing the other day, it seems as they are together, expecting a child and still not married....Hmmmmm

Who Killed Rock N Roll?!?!? If you haven't already heard this song by Rick Springfield, hope on over to Itunes and check it out. Who do you think killed Rock N Roll.

I inadvertently stumbled across a blog today, written by a person/author that I know several people were trying to get in contact with because she wrote a book, they bought it, and she never delivered. If you want more info, it's going to have to be private. Email me.

Rockin' with Daughtry

Yes, Daughtry. Last night I had the priviledge of heading to downtown Rockford for opening night of On The Waterfront (with their own opening act of 12 Stones, who also ROCKED!) I have three things to say: Loud, short, AWESOME! It was a very good show. Chris and the boys rocked the house. I'm still kicking myself for not buying the Daughtry hoodie, but I think that I can get one online, so Merry Christmas to ME! The set list is below. If you get a chance to see Daughtry live, I highly recommend it. Great show.

Set List:
Crashed
What I Want
Used To
Gone
It's Not Over
Breakdown
What About Now
Black(Pearl Jam cover)
Feels Like Tonight
Over You
Home Sweet Home (Motley Crue cover-just the first few lines)
Home
There and Back Again

Happy Birthday, Rick Springfield

Today, is Rick Springfield's 58th birthday. 58, people! Have you seen this man?? Who would believe it. This picture was taken this summer, by my daughter. (She is totally grossed out by the fact that he took his shirt off.) Anyway, Happy Birthday, Mr Springfield. thanks for the many years of music and entertainment....Here's to a few more!

The High School Musical Phenomenon

No, I'm not talking about all those artsy fartsy types who love to sing and dance. I'm talking about the Disney channel mega hit(s)- High School Musical and High School Musical 2. If you have a child anywhere from 8-15 (and maybe even older or younger) then you must know about this. HSM 2 debuted last weekend with the highest viewer ever for a cable movie. 17 MILLION people. What is it that makes the kids want to watch? Are there subliminal messages? Is it because Chad or Troy are so cute? Is it because they want to be like Sharpay or Gabriella? Is it because they are in a hurry to grow up?

I think it is because: the girls are cute, the boys are cuter, there is dancing, and singing (and a kiss or three). My kids have not stopped listening to the CD since Saturday when I gave them both a copy. Okay, that's a little fib. They stop long enough to re watch the movie everyday. Since we got an extended summer break due to a teacher's strike, they have already seen it three times this week. I draw the line at once a day. No more viewings than that.

Most of the kids I know are already taking about HSM 3! What are your thoughts on the HSM phenomenon??

vacation rocks!

Let me just say, that even though the road was long (10 hours) it was worth it....Leech Lake, MN was beautiful....we were out in the middle of nowhere, and it was pretty and quiet (for the most part), and the kids had a ball...except for the sore losers. You know, 15 year old boys can be competitive, but not as competitive as 30 something moms! LOL. Kelley and I won the first two rounds of Trivial Pursuit (pop culture and 80's)...The boys won the third round, and then we locked them out of the cabin....It was very funny. I'll try to get a couple of pix up here for you to see. You won't even belive it.

25 years ago

July 18, 1982---Dane County Coliseum--Madison, WI
Rick Springfield performs, and I was there. In the back, the way back. He was a super small spot on the stage, but man was that a good time. Fast forward, 25 years later, I have now seen Rick 15 times, including that first time. I still love the show, and always gladly share Rick's music with others. The last show that I went to, I took my two daughters.

I know that some day, there will be no more Rick Springfield concerts. Someday, but for now, I will continue to listen to the music, go to the shows, and share his catalog of music with all who will listen.

Dirty Martini Review

JA Konrath- Dirty Martini

I have been waiting for this book for a year. And it was worth the wait. I have read all of JA Konrath’s books, and honestly, I can’t remember how I started with him, but I’m glad that I did. They always leave me laughing, crying and wanting more. Definitely a fun ride, if you're willing to take the chance.

Dirty Martini is a continuation of the story of Lieutenant Jack Daniels, who is a tough cop, dealing with all the slime balls in Chicago. Oh, did I mention that Jack is a woman?! You go, girl! Jack’s boyfriend wants to get married, but she’s more of the once burned, twice shy school. Then she finds out something about her parentage that throws her for a loop. And at the same time, the Chemist is poisoning food all over Chicago. The guilt is multiplied when Latham gets sick at the hands of the Chemist, and is rushed to the hospital.

What will she do? Will she accept Latham’s proposal? Will she find out the truth about her parents? Will she save Chicago? I was unable to put this book down for little more than eating and potty breaks. I wanted to devour it, not literally. But...wait, there are no buts here. This is one of the best books I have read so far this year, and if you know anything at all about me, you know that is a lot! I love a good book that makes me think. I was trying to figure out who the Chemist was from the get go. And I must admit, I was wrong, but it was still worth reading. I'm already counting down for the next book, and I'm not even sure if it has been written yet....

Dirty Martini is a great story all by itself, but I recommend reading the series.
Whiskey Sour
Bloody Mary
Rusty Nail

You can get more information, and sign up for JA’s newsletter at http://www.jakonrath.com/

Are two "Ricks" better than one?

This is a thought that I have been contemplating since watching General Hospital last night. (I watch on SoapNet at 9pm) I love Rick Springfield. I think it is very cool that after two decades they brought back Noah Drake. I love General Hospital. I'm sure that I have been watching this show on and off my whole life. I think Eli Love is hoot. He's so funny, quirky, and not bad too look at (for a guy with a brain anurysm). But are two Rick really better than one? I'm not sure.

I smiled when Eli appeared at the beginning of the show, and smiled a little wider when Noah appeared. Then I just giggled when Noah and Eli were in the same room. Was the storyline funny? No. Was there a wardrobe malfunction? Unfortunately, not. I was sitting there picturing Rick talking to an empty bed, or a stand in, and the whole concept of the storyline was lost. I got caught up in reality and couldn't buy Noah and Eli in the same room. Then I started to wonder if Rick was getting paid double for doing two characters. Food for thought.

I will continue to watch GH, because I love to see Rick getting some screen time, I think scrubs are awesome and I, for one, really want to see Jason and Elizabeth get together. I like Lucky, but I don't think he fits with Elizabeth anymore. It's too weird. That could be her fault, but regardless, I want to see Jason and Sam break up too. Sam is DEFINITELY not good enough for him. Or not right for him anyway.

When Noah fades back into the darkness, will I still watch? Yes. I will continue to follow the show, maybe not daily, but since it is SOOOO much better than Days right now, how can I turn away.

And, one last thought. Have these guys not ever, EVER thought of lip syncing?!? Patrick keeps saying how Noah can learn the songs, etc etc. Dude, all you gotta do is get up there and lip sync and pretend to play the guitar. Learn the songs, you don't have to actually sing them! I'm looking forward to Rick actually singing on the show, and I think this is a good way to make it happen, without compromising Rick as an artist or Noah as a doctor.

Turnabout is Fair play....

(this picture was taken by Hannah)

Last weekend, I had to joy of taking my two girls to a Rick Springfield concert. Their second, however, the younger one was too little last time to remember. If you know anything at all about me, you probably know that I have been a Rick Springfield fan since I was 12...yes, that's right, since I was 12. So, I was very much looking forward to experiencing the concert on 7/7/07. Not only with my girls, but with friends new and old. My friend, Melissa and her daughter went with (actually, Melissa drove) Anyway, it was good show, though hot and humid, but the kids seemed to have a good time. Rick was playful as always. And though I didn't get to hear my favorite song "Wasted", I did enjoy myself.

So why is it, do you think, that I haven't stopped listening to Nickelback since that night?! I have 110 Rick songs on my ipod and 19 Nickelback, guess what's getting the most airplay?! See, this is what happened. Melissa had 2 Nickelback CD's in her car. We listened to them all the way to the show and all the way home. Something about the music has SUCKED ME IN! I guess I should say, sucked me in farther. I have always liked Nickelback. When I would here one of their songs, I would sing along. But now, Nickelback is my music of choice. I'm so sorry, Rick, that you have been temporarily replaced....I don't think this has every happened before and it's all Melissa's fault.

I guess since I turned her on to Rick a few years ago, and now she looks forward to his shows as much as I do, turnabout is fair play. If Rick and Nickelback were both doing shows on the same day, I would be hard pressed to pick...So, I'm leaving the picking up to Melissa...:-)

Books, Books and Books

Just as a few weeks ago I had the SUPER MOVIE WEEKEND, now I have had the SUPER BOOK WEEKEND. Two of my favorite authors release new books. Janet Evanovich released "Lean Mean Thirteen" and "Hot Stuff" and JA Konrath released "Dirty Martini", plus I received the books that I ordered from www.Bookcloseouts.com. Let me just tell you, I had so many books to read, I wasn't sure where to start. I wanted the Janet books and the JA book to be for vacation, but that is like almost a month away. Yup, you guess it, I read "Lean Mean Thirteen" in a day...and I would do it again. Then I read "Hot Stuff", and started Dirty Martini and one of the book closeout books. Believe it or not, I did get some other stuff done that weekend as well.

Let me tell you about this book close out place. I bought 6 books, 2 of them hard cover, had them shipped to my house (delivered in less than a week) and it cost me less than $20. yes, you read right, LESS that $20 for 6 books, delivered. I think I'm in heaven.

Although, it will be hard to read and right at the same time. Derek and Abbi have come back to visit me and I really think that their story will get told this year. Keep your fingers crossed.

What is a friend....

I cannot take credit for putting this together, but I thought it was worth sharing....Enjoy Aim

A Friend....
(A)ccepts you as you are
(B)elieves in "you"
(C)alls you just to say "HI"
(D)oesn't give up on you
(E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)
(F)orgives your mistakes
(G)ives unconditionally
(H)elps you
(I)nvites you over
(J)ust "be" with you
(K)eeps you close at heart
(L)oves you for who you are
(M)akes a difference in your life
(N)ever Judges (O)ffer support
(P)icks you up
(Q)uiets your fears
(R)aises your spirits
(S)ays nice things about you
(T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it
(U)nderstands you
(V)alues you
(W)alks beside you
(X)-plains thing you don't understand
(Y)ells when you won't listen and
(Z)aps you back to reality

What are you listening to?

Right now I am listening to "Cheryl" by Waltham. Very upbeat, rocking, tune. In two minutes I could be listening to Alan Jackson sing "Blessed Assurance", or Rick Springfield sing "Jessie's Girl", or even Idina Menzel sing "I'm not that girl" (from WICKED). I know that a lot of people have varied artists on their ipods. That's what an ipod is for. Calm music, upbeat music, sleep music, inspirational music. You can put it all in one place, available at the touch of a finger, music to suit any mood. So, let's see...the next 20 songs to pop up on my ipod's shuffle songs are:

1) Hold me down- Tommy Lee
2) The Heart Won't Lie- Reba
3) Still Crazy for You- Rick Springfield
4) He's Gonna Step On you Again- Def Leppard
5) Barely Listening- Pilot Speed
6) Amigone- Goo Goo Dolls
7) Perfect- Rick Springfield
8) Wanted Dead or Alive- Bon Jovi
9) Gathering- Nomad
10) Hate me- Tantric
11) Novocaine- Bon Jovi
12) As Good as I once was- Toby Keith
13) Few and Far Between- Shannon Curfman
14) It's my life- Bon Jovi
15) Landslide- Fleetwood Mac
16) Celebrate Youth - Rick Springfield
17) Forever (EFX Houdini) - Rick Springfield
18) Lady Red Light- Great White
19) Miss Me Baby- Chris Cagle
20) Beautiful Soul- Jesse McCartney

So, I ask you, what are you listening too??

And away we go...

I would say that we are officially starting summer now....I know, I know, it started weeks ago when school got out, or it starts this week (Thursday to be exact), but it feels like summer now. we (meaning I) am starting my list of stuff to do/bring for vacation, and I'm counting down the days. Being that we are going significantly later than usual, I'm REALLY looking forward to it.

I think this is going to be a good summer though. In July, the girls and I are going to see Rick Springfield (and if we went on vacation at the "normal" time this would not be possible), In August, I'm going to see Daughtry at On The Waterfront, and I get to spend a week reading. There's a new JA Konrath coming out, as well as a new Janet Evanovich. My favorite author ever, Barbara Delinsky already put out her book for the year and it was WONDERFUL! Just when you think you know what's going to happen, she twists it up. It's definitely worth a reread.

Okay, a quick update on Zach Garside: He's going HOME today. YEAH!!!! Still doing outpatient therapy but he has improved so well, so quickly, that I have to think all those prayers are working! You can check out his story/updates at www.zachgarside.blogspot.com

That's all for now. C'Ya soon,
Aim

Movies, Movies and More Movies

I would have to say that this past weekend was the biggest movie weekend I've had since my birthday weekend. Actually, bigger. Birthday weekend, Kelley and I watched 3 movies. This past weekend, I watched 4. It must be summer time.

Friday night, my sister in law and I watched "Music and Lyrics". Kind of corny, but lots of funny one liners. Then we watched "Freedom Writers". Good casting, good story. It's nice to see that good can come out of bad places. Saturday night I saw Erin Gruwell on C Span, doing a Q & A from Chicago, and she had more to tell of the story. I was glad that I had seen the movie before I saw her talking, because everything really made sense.

Saturday, SIL and I went to lunch and then to see "Premonition"..you know, Sandra Bullock and Julian McMahon. (What is it about those men from Australia!?!?) What a freaky movie. I liked it, but I think I need to see it again, just to piece everything together in my head. Kind of like watching "Sixth Sense" for a second time. You look for those little nuances of information that will help tell the whole story. What I walked away from that movie with was "DESTINY". You can change the process but you can't change the outcome.

Then, because I was home alone, and I had to return videos anyway, I rented "Catch & Release". That was another one that I think I would watch again. I was writing/editing while I was watching it, so I'm sure that I missed some stuff. But overall it was cute, funny, and had a happy ending. There were a few cute one liners in that movie too.

Okay, that's all for now.

Aim

Hey, it's finally FRIDAY

Been looking forward to this day all week! It's gonna be a busy weekend but well worth it. The most recent news on the friends that were in an accident last week is positive. The little one is out of ICU..The older one went back to school but is still in a lot of pain, and mom is hanging in there. You can check out their story at
www.zachgarside.blogspot.com
or
www.carepages.com (zachgarside)

Hope the midwest storms missed everybody...I know I slept like a baby.

C' Ya
Aim

Prayers, please!

I bet you can't believe that you got two enteries from me, not only in a month, but in less than a week. Well, when prayers are needed, blogging succeeds. (that probably doesn't make a ton of sense, but I kind of rhymed.)

Anyway, the prayers are for a friend of mine. She was in a car accident with her two boys in the car. The youngest is in ICU, improving slowly, daily, but it's still going to be a long way home. I don't have the full extent of his injuries, but he's banged up with some broken bones, and head injuries. What we here at the hospital call "TBI" (traumatic brain injury). We'll be putting together a carepage soon. Everybody can go there to get updates. Until then (and even after that) pray, pray, pray....and while you're at it, continued prayers for our little friend, Sahara. you can read her story at www.saharaaldrige.com

C' ya soon,
Aim

Aqua Fest review

I was cleaning the other day and came across this review that I wrote about Rick's show in Rice Lake, WI..it was like what 3, 4 years ago. Enjoy.

Rick Springfield's performance at Aquafest was typical of his entertainment style. After a couple of false starts ("The Gathering" played twice as did a few songs from Karma, Rick's ___ album), he quickly got the crowd involved. Several audience members participated in singing "DTTS". A song during which Mr. Springfield generally retrieves someone's cell phone from the audience to speak to the none to expecting party on the other end. At this performance, Rick summoned a somewhat unwilling member of the stage security to come up front and sing. "Mike" did as well as could be expected for a non fan and the audience cheered.

A few songs later, during IGE, or at least at the beginning of it, Rick said "I need a little help up here" and women started pushing their way towards the stage. He then informed the audience (and security) "We'll take the first 10". Yours truly jumped over the orange, plastic, fake fence and rushed up the steps (and was able to enjoy a moment of being in such close proximity to such a wonderful entertainer.) I was able to take a couple of pictures of him with the guitar girl (who was right next to me...all I needed to do was take a step to the right and it could have been me.

I continued singing along and before leaving the stage, received a hug from the man himself. Have you ever noticed that he smells like vanilla?!?

Rick and the guys played mostly older songs that everybody could sing along to. Noticably missing were songs from Rock of Life and Karma. The guys left for a quick break and when they returned for the encore, Rick informed the audience that the band was about to do a ballad from the new CD. This ballad is called "idontwantanythingfromyou". It was a great laugh for those in the know, and a surprise for those that weren't.

Rick left the stage but not before throwing out his trademark hug and kiss to the audience.

Special notes not included in the review.
*Rick announced "I'm gonna come out there" and the crowd went wild. He put on the headset and worked his way out and about into the sea of 30 something faces. He was not visible to most, but he sang the whole way.
*He took the stage in a black tee and black shoes, and his camo cargo pants, looking good as ever.
*he came to stand on the equipment cases placed on their side next to the orange fencing and asked "how's my hair?" A little while later, he asked "Has anyone here seen my naked butt?" which lead into a near perfect rendition of "Love Somebody"
*Overall, he looked good, sounded great and was able to laugh at himself as he messed up or forgot the words.
*After Rick asked, "IF this is Aquafest where is the water?" Someone opened a bottle of water and sprayed it at him. He laughed and said "There it is."

Where have I been?!

A little here, a little there, a little crazy, everywhere...LOL.

School is done for me for the semester and I'm still waiting to hear on a couple of programs. The kids have a couple days left and they are looking forward to it.

We've already got a baseball game planned, camp, family vacation, and I found out today, that our city hall is doing 3 free movies this summer, outside, with pop and popcorn. The only bad thing is that they don't start until 8:30, so we'll have to see.

Saw Rick Springfield a couple of weeks ago. What an awesome fun time. I got to reconnect with old friends and make lots of new. It was great. If you are even remotely a child of the 80's, you should check out a Rick Springfield concert. You won't believe your ears! I'll have to put my review up here soon. I've got some "best of" lists that will be posted over the next couple of days...stay tuned!

C ya,
Aim

How many passwords does one person need....

I get that you need a password to log into stuff to make sure that it's really you. I get that you need a pasword to log into case sensitive stuff. I get it, really I do. What I don't get is why I have 50 (maybe more) different passwords, some in various forms of others, and I can't remember them all. So guess what I do?? I write them down. Oh, yes, I do! How else am I supposed to remember them? I have passwords for email, password for school stuff, for blogging, for each and every site that I order things at (make your life easier, create an account--easier my behind!) Anyway, that is my rant for the day....I'm having a complete memory lapse and it's really irritating me.

Where have you been

I bet that you were wondering where in the heck that I have been. I've been busy! Christmas came and went. School started again (for me) and the kids are both in basketball now. I'm only taking one class, but it's still at night, so no rest for the Wicked...LOL.

I found out that I will not be entering the RN program at Rock Valley college this fall. I think I'm okay with that. I still might get into the LPN or the surgical tech program. I'm waiting to see. If I don't get into any, it's okay, because I can stay at the job that I have a little bit longer.

I am going to try to get in here and update you a little more frequently. I have a couple of ideas floating around in my head. One of them is to update my "affiliate" links and the other is to share with you some of my older writing. Some of it is very funny, mostly because I wrote it as a teenager, before I knew how the world really worked. Not sure if I will get it up here or not, but I promise to at least think about it.

I just signed up for a new Gmail account. I've heard lots of good things about it, so I'm going to try it. Since I can't access it from work, it won't be my primary, but it will work as a good "home" email.

I gotta run the oldest to basketball. See ya soon!

Amy