June 2007 Archives
Looks like we're in for a BIG heat wave here in Colorado for the next few days! That sucks on a couple of levels. First of all, it always means more forest fires up in Rockies, usually because some idiot up there camping for the long holiday weekend decided to have a campfire when he wasn't supposed to. That, and dry lightning. Secondly, it will probably mean restrictions for the 4th of July with regard to fireworks and stuff. I'm OK with not shooting off our own, but I sure hope they don't cancel the city's firework display. They had to do that a couple of years ago, and it really just ruined the holiday for all the kids.
According to my weather people at 9News:
Dry air over the western U.S. is going to hang around for the next 5 days, putting the region under unusually hot temperatures and very dry conditions. Have fun at your cookout and outdoor party, but be careful with the matches. The fire danger will creep up over the western valleys tomorrow and it will become tinder dry over the eastern plains by Sunday, as the winds increase and the humidities drop. Wear sunscreen, your sunglasses and be careful out there.
UGH! 
Hot Weather, Forest Fires, Firework Restrictions, Heat Wave
Do you own your own domain? Or two? Or three? ;) Yeah, so do I. Have you ever wondered what those domain names are actually worth? I have, too, but I didn't know there was actually a place on the 'net where domain owners can go to get that kind of information - for free! - and it's actually very cool.
At LeapFish.com, you simply input your domain name in the field provided and voila! Within seconds you have an accurate domain appraisal! While it was very common years ago during the Internet boom to sell cheap domain names for hundreds of thousands of dollars, things have slowed down considerably since then, and it is now very rare to hear of a domain name being sold for over $10,000. It can, however, still be profitable. Some .com domain names are being sold today for upwards of $5,000 in the domain aftermarket. That's pretty awesome, huh? So you can imagine my surprise when I found that my prismofwhispers.com name is appraised at $4,389.00!! Not that I'm in the market to sell it, but if I were, I could make a pretty good chunk'a change! I never would have known that had I not heard of LeapFish.com. Not only is it a good thing to know what your domains are worth, just in case you do decide to sell, but it's just plain fun to find out. :) Go give it a try!
Is there really such a thing as an indestructible dog toy??? I have invested many dollars over the years in dog toys and chews which are marketed as indestructible, only to have my dogs destroy them within minutes. Oh I guess I have ONE toy which has actually lasted, but it's made out of heavy rubber or something, and not real practical for fetching and definitely not usable for water fun. ANYway, I ordered some more toys this week after reading that they are specially made for "aggressive chewers". YES, I thought, finally!! My two biggest dogs are definitely aggressive chewers! Well, they arrived yesterday. One of them is already destroyed, another about halfway so far. Damn! 
I was really holding out a lot of hope for those toys, mainly because they also float and could be used when we take the dogs swimming. Now I have to put some of them up and save them so that I have at least a couple left to take to the pond with us! That's not cool. Do any of you have the same problem? Or are my dogs just ... destroyers. LOL
Dogs, Dog Toys, Dog Chews, Indestructible Dog Toys
So now that's it summertime, it's vacation time. I don't know about you, but I daydream about a beautiful beach and gorgeous blue water. Actually, I pretty much daydream about that all year round. One of these years, I'm going to make that daydream come true, and I'm thinking it will be in Bermuda. Oh man, how fantastic would that be! I can hardly wait to see those famous pink beaches. Yes, they're pink! Do you know how they get to be that pretty color? I didn't, either, until I read this. Cool, huh! Not only are there pink beaches, but there are also gorgeous sugar-sand beaches. Can you imagine how soft that must be?
In daydream-planning my perfect vacation to Bermuda, I wasn't quite sure what the ideal time to visit would be, but fortunately bermuda-guide.info offers comprehensive information on year-round weather cycles, which helped me decide that I should plan my trip between May and September. Actually, according to their information, anytime from March through November is the time of year when Bermuda experiences their greatest influx of tourists, but the temperatures from May through September are what I really love -- highs between 75 and 84(F), and lows between 68 and 76(F). Doesn't that sound absolutely perfect? Ahhhh, I can hardly wait! :)
(this has been a sponsored review)
My daughter's two best friends are really wonderful girls. I can relate to both of them in many ways, the primary one being that both of their parents are divorced. I grew up without my dad around, so I know how it feels. At least they get to see their dads, though, which is good, but it still leaves a girl with certain issues, such as poor self-esteem and a bad sense of self-worth. Also, one of them has a step-father who doesn't like her much and is always hassling her and saying things about her real dad which aren't too nice. Don't even get me started on why her Mom allows that!
I'm honored that they both talk to me about things that are bothering them. They call Hubs and me Mom and Dad and seem to really love spending time here with us. We like having them here, too. There's something, though, that I'm having a hard time with. One of them told me something quite serious. No, it's not about abuse or anything like that, so don't worry. But it's something that could change her entire family dynamic completely, and she's scared to death to say a word about it to her mom or her dad, let alone her step-father. I know it's difficult to judge the issue with me being so cryptic about the whole thing, but I thought perhaps I could get some advice from you. Would you help her with her problem without telling her parents? Would you tell her you'll help her, but first she needs to at least tell her mom? Or would you tell her she needs to tell her parents and let them help her (even though she's positive they wouldn't). I love her and I want to help her, and I'm very thankful she felt safe enough to approach me and talk to me about it. I'm just not sure which path to take.
daughters, friends, parents, secrets
Have you bought the new double disc compilation Police CD yet? You have? Good for you! Isn't it GREAT?! If there are any of you out there who haven't bought it yet, get out there and do it!!! It is SO GOOD! I love each and every one of the songs on this CD set -- check it out:
Disc: 1
1. Fallout
2. Can't Stand Losing You
3. Next to You
4. Roxanne
5. Truth Hits Everybody
6. Hole in My Life
7. So Lonely
8. Message in a Bottle
9. Reggatta de Blanc
10. Bring on the Night
11. Walking on the Moon
12. Don't Stand So Close to Me
13. Driven to Tears
14. Canary in a Coalmine
Disc: 2
1. Do Do Do de da da Da
2. Voices Inside My Head
3. Invisible Sun
4. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
5. Spirits in the Material World
6. Demolition Man
7. Every Breath You Take
8. Synchronicity I
9. Wrapped Around Your Finger
10. Walking in Your Footsteps
11. Synchronicity II
12. King of Pain
13. Murder by Numbers
14. Tea in the Sahara
And now guess what I get to share with you? The official 30 second TV spot running in the UK right now! Watch this!
Cool, huh! I have listened to my CDs over and over again. I absolutely LOVE them! My daughter loves them as much as I do. In fact, she kind of “stole” them from me and had them in HER stereo in her bedroom! LOL I guess that’s OK. At least I know where they are and that they won’t get mixed in with all the other CDs around here. I definitely would NOT want that to happen! The music is truly awesome! It has brought back so many great memories for me, and I just love that I can share their timeless tunes with my daughter. Now get out there, if you haven't already, and buy that CD! It's awesome! And don't forget that you'll also be getting a vintage The Police poster with the CD, which totally rocks! I love mine!
You're all Nancy Grace fans, right? RIGHT? Well, if you're not, there's either something wrong with you or you've never watched her on CNN's Headline News! ;)
We watch her show every night. She is such an amazingly passionate victims' advocate! I think that's what I love about her the most -- that, and the fact that she's completely genuine and sincere. Well, last night on her show she announced that she and her new husband, David, are expecting twins!! She teared up, saying that after her fiancé was murdered so many years ago -- which was the catalyst in her becoming a lawyer -- she never thought at any time during the ensuing 20 years that marriage and/or children were even possible for her anymore. Now she has both! She made me tear up, too. Yeah, I know, I'm SUCH a softie! LOL Anyway ... YAY for Nancy! 
Nancy Grace, CNN Headline News,
Those of you who have been visiting me for a long time know how much I love art. In fact, you know that I'm an artist myself. That's why I'm so passionate about art, and that's why it's so exciting for me when I find something on the internet which truly feeds that artistic side of me.
Allow me to introduce you to Paint Your Life -- an amazing service where authentic portrait painters turn your photos into beautiful paintings on canvas. Just take a look at some of the picture to art samples they have on the site. I couldn't stop looking and wanted to see more after I had viewed them all! What makes it all the better is that it is quite affordable, and turnaround can be as short as 10 days!
How cool would it be to take one of your all-time favorite photos and have it turned into a gorgeous oil painting, a beautiful watercolor, or a powerful black-and-white charcoal painting, which can last forever and be handed-down from generation to generation and become a true family heirloom? I say VERY cool! Don't want to take my word for it? That's fine -- just go read and listen to some of the customer testimonials, then take a look at the following short video, which illustrates perfectly what I'm trying to say:
What an incredible thing, don't you agree? Oh I know I sound pretty excited - and I am - and you may think it a bit funny, but as I said earlier, we're talking about ART! :)
(this is a paid - and honest - review)
I'm sure by now most of you have heard the horrible story about Chris Benoit, the 22-year pro-wrestling veteran who was found dead with his wife and young son on Monday, right? One of the "theories" emerging in this despicable event is that he did this because of anabolic steroids. Now, please correct me if I'm wrong, because admittedly I know very little about "roid-rage", but doesn't it usually mean that someone using steroids does something heinously violent out of the blue? Like they snap or something? This guy strangled his wife on Friday night after first tying her up, smothered his precious little boy sometime Saturday morning, then didn't get the guts to kill himself until sometime Saturday night! That sure as hell doesn't sound like roid-rage to me! It sounds like something he planned out. Rage doesn't last that long; a plan does.
The reason I'm upset about this is because I don't want the media and everyone else giving this man an "out"; an excuse for what he did. They found steroids in his house -- so what. He was tested in April and was clean. Again, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't roid-rage happen after prolonged use? Two months ago he was clean! Well, I don't care what they come up with as to why he did this -- the point is that he did it. And I hope he burns in hell for it.
Chris Benoit, Familial Murder, Steroids, Pro Wrestlers
Well, not really, but I would if I had designer sunglasses! Especially if I bought them at EyeglassesContacts.com, where the price of all designer sunglasses is drastically discounted, making them very affordable. You can choose from brand name sunglasses such as Dior, Giorgio Armani, Saks Fifth Avenue, Carrera, Fossil and many more! I really like this pair of Fossil sunglasses, especially with the deep 39% discount! Now those are the kind of bargains we can all appreciate, eh? But do you want to do know what really makes EyeglassesContacts.com stand out from the crowd? Their Guarantee of Authenticity. Take a look --
EyeglassesContacts.com guarantees that all the items we sell are 100% authentic to the brand name advertised on our website. All products are supplied include their original packaging.EyeglassesContacts.com stands behind the products we sell. All products featured on our website have been thoroughly inspected by our experienced professionals before leaving our facility, ensuring proper fit and quality control.
YOUR PURCHASE IS GUARANTEED TO BE AUTHENTIC!
Cool! That, plus the deep discounts -- how could you possibly go wrong?
(this is a paid review)
Designer Sunglasses, EyeglassesContacts.com
Wow, what a strange night last night was! First of all, there was tons of lightning, but only about 3 drops of rain. It was so strange. The light show was awesome, though! Totally loved it.
Then later my cell phone rang, and it was my daughter. She was at Dave's house (my son) and said, "What do you do with an injured bat?" I was like, "An injured bat!?", to which she replied, "yeah, an injured bat". First thing I said was to stay the hell away from it! Bats are notorious for carrying rabies 'round these parts, and then I told her to keep Dave's dogs out of the yard and not to let them get near it. Then I asked her what was going on. She said that they had been in the house and heard a strange noise. She thought nothing of it, thinking it was just the water heater or something. It was, as she described, a squeaky noise. Dave got up and went out to the back yard to look around, and quickly came back in and said "There's somethin' messed up out there!". LOL! He grabbed his big flashlight and they all (Dave, Callie and her b/f Darin) went out to see what it was. What they saw shocked them all -- two bats on the ground beside his house! They're not sure if they were fighting or what, but Dave told Callie it looked like one was chomping on the other. Anyway, the one doing the chomping flew away immediately; the second one just laid there, but when Dave would shine the light on it, it would start flapping its wings and making that funny squeaky noise. Somewhere along the line it got to a pipe running along the bottom of Dave's house and starting hanging from it! LOL You know, like bats do. Dave slowly walked closer and shined his flashlight on it again, and that's when it suddenly got pissed off and flew directly towards his head! LOL Scared the crap out of him! LOL! Oh man, I so wish I had been there to see that!
After the whole bat thing was over, another lightning show came along. Totally cool. It was truly a batty and beautiful night! 
Bats, Lightning, Dry Lightning,
Do you have a tattoo? I don't. Both of my sisters do. My oldest sister has four, and my other sister has one. I've always wanted to get one, and probably will someday, but my problem is that I want my tattoo to be truly unique, and probably something I design myself. I've just never come up with anything that has totally wowed me yet. That's why I think getting an airbrushed tattoo first would be such a great idea. That way, I could see for sure if I liked it and if it was something I would want on me forever. Did you know you can buy airbrush kits? Don't you think that's cool? They have different kits to choose from, too. Let's take a look at Hobby Kit III -- it includes:
50 10mm Mylar, reusable stencils or any stencil set (stencil set includes laminated poster)
40 Swarovski crystal tattoos
50 tri-fold brochures
4 2 oz Duratat inks: black, blue, red & yellow
3 1 oz Duratat ink: orange, green & white
8 oz TAT-off (Removes tats easily)
1 3D Body Art Fun Kit (Makes glitter tattoos)
1 3D Body Art Sexy Kit (Makes glitter tattoos)
1 Titan III compressor with regulator & gauge
1 top feed airbrush
8 dropper applicators
1 10' coiled hose
1 training DVD
1 promo poster-laminated
That's a lot for the money! Did I say money? Yeah, let's talk about that -- you can get everything for about HALF of the manufacturer's suggested retail price at TATstore. That's a huge savings! Yep, I'd say this is a great alternative to a permanent tattoo!
(this is a sponsored post)
Hey peeps, I know I don't review other bloggers' sites very often at all, but I totally want to turn you on to a gal who is super funny and a total hoot to read! (And NO, Fab, it's not just because you're running a contest, either! lol) You'll find her at Jantics, and she had me from the very top line on her blog which reads "It’s cute how some people expect the world to actually make sense". LOL! That, is awesome! You can get a real good idea of the funniness inside the pages of her blog by looking at some of her categories:
Food!
My Thoughts About Other Blogs
Potpourri Of Informational Goodness
Things I Don’t Understand
I can so relate to her on many of the subjects in the "Things I Don't Understand" category! LOL!
In reading her About page, I discovered that she and I have a few things in common (unfortunately, age is not one of them). She likes super hot, spicy food as I do, and loves to read books about true crime and serial killers. So there ya' go -- someday she and I will discuss grisly, fiendish murders over a meal of tear-producing spicy food! Ahhh, good times!
Go pay her a visit! Your funny bone will thank you!
In the continuing story of missing and pregnant Jessie Marie Davis, searchers announced today that they have recovered a body this afternoon believed to be that of Ms. Davis. I know that by now everyone had pretty much accepted the fact that she would not be found alive. I think even her mother and father and siblings realized it. I'm just so relieved they've found her and can bring her home to her family. My heart is bleeding for them, and for her sweet little boy. Only time will tell how this event has altered his life. May he be blessed with only good things from here on out.
The "good part" in this breaking story is that it was also announced today that Bobby Cutts, Jr. has been arrested and charged with two counts of murder, including that of Jessie's unborn child, of whom Cutts is believed to be the father.
All I can say is well done!! I think everyone knew from at least day 2 into the investigation that he did something to Jessie and the baby! I applaud the authorities for not dilly-dallying because Cutts is a fellow officer. I think they've shown that at least in Canton, Ohio, justice is indeed blind when it comes to apprehending the perpetrators of crime.
This whole story is so much like the Laci Peterson case, isn't it? Why do these men keep thinking they can get away with killing their wives/girlfriends?? Especially a cop!! My gut feeling is that this was a "heat of the moment" kind of thing. I don't think he planned on killing her. I think it "just happened" during an argument. In any case, the lives of a wonderful, loving mother and her precious unborn daughter were unnecessarily and brutally taken. I so hope he gets what he deserves!
Jessie Marie Davis, Bobby Cutts, Jr., Jessie Davis' Body Found, Bobby Cutts Arrested
Life sucks so hard sometimes, and the word "fair" shouldn't even be in the English language. I don't know the NYC Watchdog myself, but I've seen his comments on some of the blogs I do frequent. He lost his 5 year old son in a swimming accident on Thursday. We bloggers are a tight group; we feel the pain when one of us is hurting bad. He's hurting bad, guys. Please go show him some love with a heartfelt comment, or perhaps you can do what I and a lot of others did and "buy" a graphic to post on your blog from Avitable. And keep Dawg in your prayers.
Oh say it isn't so! Celebrity Gossip is telling me that Paris Hilton has been offered 1 million buckeroos by NBC for her first post-release interview. Unbelievable!! Of course we all knew she'd make bank off her short stint in the big house, but come on! One million?!
Well, whether it's Paris or some other celebrity in the middle of the idiot spotlight , I can always count on them for the juiciest of the juicy tidbits in celeb gossip! Their format for reporting what's hot and what's not totally rocks, too, with the freshest always on top and a time-line to tell you exactly how many hours and minutes ago each story was posted. They are the hunter-gatherer of celeb info on the 'net and deliver it up in one nice, neat package. No need to worry about trying to track down the hottest of the hot, either -- it's right there for you with a simple click of the mouse. Coolio!
Want to get the skinny on a certain someone? No prob! Just check out their celebrity database! Can you say HUGE?! I don't think they've missed anyone who was ever someone in the world of stardom! I'm serious! They have everyone from A to Z and 50 Cent, too! Go, look, read! You know how much fun dishing the dirt on those celebutantes can be! *wink*
How could a 5-acre glacial lake in Chile's southern Andes disappear in the span of 2 months? Park rangers at Bernardo O'Higgins National Park report that in March the lake was there, but in May they found a 100-feet crater there instead. Interestingly enough, several large pieces of ice that used to float atop the water are still there, just lying on the ground. At first I thought the same thing the experts did -- that the water must have escaped through cracks into underground fissures, but there have been no earthquakes in the area lately at all, so why would cracks suddenly appear?
Geologists and other experts will be arriving in the area, which is 1,250 miles southeast of Santiago, in the next few days to investigate. Now this is something I definitely want to follow. A true mystery! Of glacial proportions! (sorry, I couldn't resist LOL) Seriously, though, this is one weird phenomenon!
Chile, Andes Mountains, Glacial Lake Disappears
Do you like sending e-cards? How 'bout building sandcastles? I know how you can do both - at the same time! It's so much fun! I've never built real Sandcastles before. There aren't a whole lot of beaches in Colorado. LOL I watch those shows on TV whenever they're on, though. You know the ones -- the extreme sand carving shows? They're awesome! Man, I wish I could do something like that. But I did the next best thing: I built my own virtual sandcastle! Wanna see it?
I got into it like you wouldn't believe. LOL When I was finished, I visited the gallery to see other sandcastles, and realized immediately that I could do much better. lol So I know I'm going back and doing it again. And probably again. LOL It's kind of addictive, and I want to see just how fancy of a sandcastle I can build!
Another cool feature is that when you've finished building your sandcastle, you can send it as an e-card to friends via email, and also save it to your computer as wallpaper! As soon as I build my ultimate castle, I am SO going to put it on my desktop! :) It's a great activity for the kids, too. Let them build one with you, or show them how then let them go to town creating one on their own and surprise you with it. Kids love doing things like that! OK, I'll stop talking now so you can go build your own! Oh, and be sure to have your speakers turned up. ;) No sandcastle would be complete without beach sounds!
Sandcastles, virtualsandcastle.com
Today is my sweet girl Cheyenne's 3rd birthday. Go look at her picture, I'll wait. 
Doesn't she have the sweetest face ever? I know, huh! Not only is her face sweet, but her disposition and personality are sweet, too. She's my special girl. :) I quite literally fell in love with her the instant I saw her face. My daughter and a friend had been out walking and saw puppies in someone's back yard. Well, my daughter can never pass puppies by without petting them first! LOL The homeowner came out and began talking to the girls and, of course, my daughter wanted one of the puppies in the worst way! She ran home and told me about them, and you'd think I would've said no instantly considering the fact that I had just bought Lily 2 months earlier, but I told her to see if she could bring one over to show me (I'm a sucker for a Lab). I was in the bathroom putting on my makeup when they returned. I heard them come in and so I looked in the mirror toward the bathroom door, and there she was, looking utterly adorable in Callie's arms. I know this sounds corny, but our eyes met when I turned around and that was it -- love at first sight! I was hooked, and she's been my special, special girl ever since. 
So Happy Birthday, Cheyenne! And thank you for bringing me so much fun, love, laughter, smiles, comfort and joy for the past 3 years! 
Dogs, Labrador Retrievers, Doggie Love,
Do you like auction sites? My husband sure does! He can surf those places for hours. Well guess what? I just found out about another one for him -- and for you, too! It's called eBid Online Auctions. I've been looking around there for a while now, and it looks very cool. Really easy to navigate and find what you're looking for -- I like that a lot. And guess what else? If you're a Yahoo Auctions member, you can import your Yahoo feedback to eBid and they'll give you a free lifetime Platinum upgrade worth $99.99! It's a limited offer until Yahoo Auction shuts its doors on June 30th, so you better hurry! You didn't know Yahoo Auction was closing? Yep, they are. Check it out:
With the imminent closure of the US and Canadian Yahoo auction sites, US and Canadian users of Yahoo Auctions can import their feedback for free to eBid.net. Included in this special offer eBid.net will also allow all US and Canadian citizens to upgrade to a lifetime Platinum account membership worth $99.99 for absolutely nothing giving them zero listing and zero final value fees for life.New users should register at us.eBid.net and if they wish to import feedback email a screen grab from their log in area of their yahoo auctions account showing their feedback page. Do not screen grab the public view of your Yahoo feedback page.
They can screen grab by pressing the PrtSc key on their keyboard to save a copy of their current screen to their clipboard and then paste into an email or into some photo software.
This offer lasts until Yahoo closes its doors on June 30th, 2007.
Users should email the jpg/gif/png/bmp image to yahoo_offer@ebid.net along with their new eBid username.
There you have it, all the skinny. Now hurry, go! Oh man, Hubs is gonna love this!
(this is a sponsored post)
Oh man, I was just having the weirdest, ickiest dream! I was killing people, as directed by this very scary "leader" type dude. I would then have to bring him back proof of what I had done, and believe me, it was usually pretty disgusting. I was "moving up" in the hierarchy of this .... group, coven, cult - I don't know what! - and I had to pretend I was thrilled, but I wasn't at all, because the higher up I moved, the more killing I had to do. Plus the other women in the group were getting VERY pissed that I was moving up so fast, and they scared me. LOL Then I remember right in the middle of it, one of the "main characters" was killed, and I said to this person who was with me, "Wow, this movie is SO unpredictable!", like I was watching a movie instead of participating in all of it. It was SO WEIRD!!! It was exhausting. LOL And disgusting! I was very glad when my doggie Pippin whined in my ear and woke me up! But it left me with a headache. I'm going to take some aspirin and go back to sleep for while. LOL
As many of you already know, I'm a fool for furniture and interior design stuff. Love all those shows on TV! I'm a firm believer in the personality and ambiance of a room coming from the little touches, such as a picture on the wall, a certain glass figurine on the table, the color of the walls and, of course, the window coverings. My personal preference is blinds. I have blinds in every room of my house. I use accent curtains and draperies, but nothing overpowering; it's the blinds which make the statement. Right now I would love to give all of my windows a makeover! I'd adore some vertical blinds for my livingroom like my son has in his new house. They look so pretty! And it would be so awesome to have some black out roller blinds for my bedroom! Yeah, I'm one of those people who needs it as dark as possible in order to sleep. ;)
One of these days - hopefully soon - my windows will get that makeover!
(this is a sponsored post)
Summer arrives with the solstice tomorrow, June 21st, at 2:06 P.M. (Eastern Time). I absolutely love that! But I hate it, too. Why? Because it's the longest day of the year, which means every day after that will be getting shorter again. I really hate that! I love it when it stays light out until 9:00PM! Geez, I really must learn to live in the moment more, don'tcha think?
And for your information (cuz I know you just love this stuff 
), according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, Sunday, June 24th, is Midsummer Day. Even though it occurs near the summer solstice, or what we think of as the beginning of summer, to the farmer it is the midpoint of the growing season, halfway between planting and harvesting, and an occasion for celebration. I suppose if you don't live in a rural area like I do, this really isn't all that interesting to you, huh. Well ...
tough!
It sure feels like summer out there today! 93 degrees and still climbing! The huge downside of that is that with this heat comes wildfires up in the mountains. Last I heard, there were something like 3 fires burning in the high country already. I'm sure there will be more before week's end. It's sad.
So what's it like today where you live?
Wildfires, Forest Fires, Summer Solstice, Midsummer Day, Old Farmer's Almanac
Michael Weston, CIA Operative, was on his final few weeks of what had turned into a 3-year stint of deep undercover work, taking him everywhere from Beijing to Moscow to Brussels. Utilizing well-proven contacts along the way, as well as making new ones - untried but seemingly reliable - he had come safely to what looked like the end of the hardest case he had ever cracked.
Today dawned clear and crisp. Michael awoke with work on his mind and a spring in his step, knowing he was one day closer to returning home. As he slathered warm shaving cream on his whisker-shadowed face, the smell of fresh coffee brewing quickened his purpose. It was just then that he heard it; the muffled sound of footsteps and rustling paper just outside his hotel room. Removing his gun from the holster hanging behind the door, he drew a sharp breath and silently stepped outside the bathroom, quickly fixing his sight on the spot from where the sound seemed to be emanating. Just then a glimpse of yellow caught his eye from underneath the door. Keeping his back against the wall, he silently stepped closer to what was beginning to resemble the corner of an envelope. As he inched closer, he crouched down and cautiously reached for - yes, it was an envelope. Michael grasped the corner between his thumb and forefinger, carefully sliding the envelope toward him, exposing it fully from its hiding place.
Once he was sure it did not contain an explosive device, he first holstered his gun, then sat on the pillowy, overstuffed and much too flowery sofa in his expansive suite. Using the pen knife he pulled from his trousers pocket, he slowly sliced through the adhesive holding the secret contents within. After placing his knife on the gold-flecked glass table in front of him, he opened the envelope and peered inside. One piece of paper. A solitary piece of white paper. That is all it held. He reached in and carefully withdrew the pristine white, turning its face to his anticipating eyes. What he saw was at once both shocking and surreal, seemingly causing the room to literally spin. It said:
BURN NOTICE
That was all. And that was enough. For a CIA operative, it was the kiss of doom; the beginning of what could quite literally be the end - his complete undoing. He got his "pink slip". His mind began racing, racing; unsuccessfully coming up with a reason of what, why - or worse, who - could have happened! Was his cover blown? Was the case completely destroyed so close to the end? Was he in danger? Suddenly his thoughts came crashing down around one person .... Natasha. He thought at the time they met she looked familiar, but had brushed it off as coincidence. After all, he was in Brussels. Who did he know from his past who would possibly be there, especially in the company of the kind of people with whom he was associating? No one, which is what he thought at the time. Now that he wrapped his mind more tightly around the image of her face, he realized -- Oh my God. It was her. It was Stacey. The one person in the world who knew .... who knew .... he was a virgin! This was a disaster of unfathomable proportions! Not only would enemy spies be making fun of him, but women of enormously questionable background would be trying to bed him! No one would ever take him seriously again! In fact, he thought to himself, they'll try to get rid of him in order to avoid bringing any embarrassment down on the Agency. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door .....
-----------------------------------------------
Well ..... that's my story, anyway, and I'm stickin' to it. *wink* If you want to find out the real story behind Michael's termination, visit the USA Network's Burn Notice web site and see for yourself! Come on now, you know you want to. *wicked grin*
Well, as you can see, I'm back! 
When I called my web host's tech support this morning, I was lucky enough to get a guy named Damon, and Damon really knew his stuff! (unlike the guy I spoke with last night 
) Seems my little hacker friend got in and changed the permissions on all my files, rendering the domain inaccessible. Damon simply switched them back and voila! It's back! 
Thanks to those of you who hung in there with me and sent such supportive emails! It was very much appreciated! 
Hackers, Internet Hackers, Web Site Hackers, Hackers are Scum
Those of you who have been visiting me for a while know I like to call out celebs on all the dumb stuff they do, right? So when I found out there was a new place to get all that juicy celebrity gossip, I was excited! All those celebutantes who think they're all that and a bag of chips, well, let's just say I don't eat before I read anything about them. LOL And I just LOVE passin' it along!
What sets Celebrity Gossip apart from the other gossip sites I visit is that you can actually join - for FREE - and then can vote on each story, letting them know if you think it's gossip-worthy or not. I like that a lot! You can also leave comments, which is always fun. ;)
Just surfing their front page, I learned that Julia Roberts had her baby! I hadn't heard about that at all. I was so happy! Go take a look -- there's tons of gossip just waiting to be read! ;)
(this is a sponsored post)
Celebrity Gossip, celebritygossip.com
Other than my husband, I don't have anyone to wish a Happy Father's Day to anymore. My own father passed away many years ago, as did my dear, sweet grandfather. I don't have any uncles or brothers or brothers-in-law, so I decided I would take this opportunity to wish all of you fathers and grandfathers out there who see this a very Happy Father's Day! May your day be filled with laughter, love and fun! 
Father's Day, fathers, grandfathers, uncles
Are you in need of a graphic designer? Are you a designer in need of Graphic Design Jobs? Well I have just become aware of a very cool new service where the two can meet and make deals! Now why didn't anyone think of this sooner?
It's very simple: If you need to find a designer you post a project and get free quotes for web design, graphic design an/or logo design; if you're a designer in need of clients, you can browse projects and find graphic and web design leads, then bid on the jobs you want. More info can, of course, be found on their How It Works page, including:
Clients:
1. Submit your project.
2. Receive up to 9 bids.
3. Choose the designer you like best.
4. Work out the payment and work schedule.
5. Rate the provider on our website.
Designers:
1. Buy just the leads you want as low as $4 each.
2. An average of 10 new projects are added every day.
3. Every project is verified by our staff before it is posted.
4. All bids are sealed, you're not trying to lowball competitors.
5. There are never more than 8 other designers bidding on a project.
6. Once you get a client, they are yours forever.
7. Never pay a commission or subscription.
Their numbers are quite impressive, as well. Currently there are 95 open projects with a combined value worth over $176,099.30! There's a lot more information than what I've shared with you, so if you're a graphic designer or in need of one, be sure to check out DesignQuote.net!
(this is a sponsored post)
Do you enjoy talent that is genuine and unforgettable? Do you love it when an entertainer can give you goosebumps or make you cry? Well then, take a look at this young man -- I think he'll give you both!
My friend Theresa led me to Paul, and I am so glad she did! Thank you, Theresa! :)
Britain's Got Talent, Paul Potts, Opera
That's right, people, there's a brand new meme in town, and it's the Thursday Meme - Animal Site Review from Tip Tail! OK, let's get started!
As most of you know, we have 6 dogs who grant us the privilege of sharing their lives with us. :) Well, about this time of year we always have the same problem - HAIR! And LOTS of it! My Aussie and Golden blow their coats BIG TIME. Today I brushed my Golden, Daisy, and had a Wal-Mart sack almost completely filled with hair when I was finished! So I went in search of an animal site that would give other dog owners who encounter the same problem some useful advice, and found Pet Tails.
I immediately found what I was looking for with regard to dogs blowing their coat, plus a whole lot more! They have just about everything you need to know with regard to behavior, health, care, training, and problems and solutions with regard to both dogs and cats. I find myself searching for answers to pet-related questions quite often, and I know this site is going to come in very handy! Under the topic of Dog Behavior alone there are many sub-topics which look very informative and educational. If you, too, find yourself wondering about things like why your dog eats grass or even how to pick out a puppy, you will definitely find the answer you want, and much more - at Pet Tails! :)
Animal Site Review Meme, tiptail.com, pet-tails.com
Have you ever had a waterbed? I have - and do! Yep, would you believe we still sleep on the same waterbed we bought 16 years ago when I had my back surgery? I'm addicted to it. I don't think I could sleep well on anything but a waterbed. When I sleep on regular mattresses, I always wake with a backache and stiff muscles. I hate it. But whoa, was I surprised to see how much waterbeds have changed over those 16 years! Our waterbed is still in great shape, so I've had no reason to look around at new ones. I'd never even heard of a Softside Waterbed before! They look so comfy! I think I've found another thing to put on my "must buy" list! (Plus, go take a look -- all shipping is free!)
(this is a sponsored post)
Waterbeds, my-waterbed-shop.com
Do you remember not too long ago when I did a post for PayPerPost about the band "The Police"? Oh c'mon, you remember, don't you? It was all about how they've come out with a 2-disc set of all their greatest songs and have embarked on a world tour? Yeah, well guess what!! PayPerPost was given CD sets to be given out at their discretion to 100 of the 300 Posties (bloggers) who took the opportunity, and I got one!!!! I was sooo excited! Like my post said, I LOVE THE POLICE!! But that's not all! lol PayPerPost is totally cool when it comes to giving out freebies and running promotions and stuff, and they didn't think the 2-disc set was enough, so they also included a t-shirt, a big PPP foam finger, some mints and some very cool putty! LOL Here, look for yourself!
Isn't that nifty? The mints are very tasty, and guess what the shirt says on the front? "I used to be a stripper". Lemme tell ya', those PPP people are total crack-ups! LOL I don't think I'll wear it to the store or anything, but I'll wear it! Probably on a day when I'm feeling particularly snarky. I'll go walk around the neighborhood and wave at the neighbors. 
Anyway, thank you, PayPerPost!!
(this is not a sponsored post)
PPP, PayPerPost, PPP Goodie Box, The Police
Do you know how to play the piano? Have you ever wanted to learn? I have. When I was little, I was mesmerized by the fact that my mother could play. I never knew that, though, until we happened to inherit a piano from a family member. I was so surprised when she sat down and played! We were never fortunate enough when we were young to afford piano lessons, and by that time my mom couldn't really remember enough to teach us herself. Actually, she could only remember one song well enough to play it, but oh my how I loved that song! I'm telling you all this because I was genuinely excited when I found out about Free piano lessons email newsletter for adults on "Piano Chords & Chord Progressions".
Yes, that's right, you can learn how to play the piano online! Author and teacher, Duane Shinn, is a graduate of Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon with a BS & Masters Degree in Humanities (Music & English literature - a double major) and he is known as "the pianoman", and has authored over 500 books, CD's and DVD's regarding all aspects of piano playing. Now he is offering us, the masses, a chance to learn for free! You will receive free tips on how you can improve your piano playing using chords and chord progressions every single week for the next 101 weeks by e-mail. No cost or obligation, and you can say "stop" anytime you want! You'll learn chords, progressions, music theory and all kinds of fun stuff. It is a free weekly newsletter that not only has full HTML graphics, but sound as well. You can HEAR Duane play and explain while you read the E-mail newsletter. Can you say s i m p l e? I think that is a fantastic offer! Believe me, if I had access to a piano, I would be doing this in a heartbeat!
(this is a sponsored post)
I'm cross-posting this with my blog at The Inconvenient Truth cuz I think it's cool. And fun! :)
Are you a blogger? If so, have you heard about the newest revolution? It's called Quick Blogging! Do you spend hours and hours torturing yourself like I do trying to come up with interesting and relevant content for you blog? Well fret no further! With Quick Blogging all one has to do is type out the words rolling around your head, regardless of what they are, and hit publish! Does it have to make sense? Nope! Does it have to be interesting? Nope! It just simply has to be whatever it happens to be when it leaves your fingertips. Yay! No more pressure! 
Who's in?
Quick Blogging, crashutah.com, juliesjournal.com
I called my daughter-in-law yesterday to see how their weather was, as I'd heard they were getting severe thunderstorm and flood warnings (they live 30 minutes from us). We got to talking about my grandson, of course - who wouldn't, he's a gorgeous genius! Anyway, she told me that they got him a new swimming pool this year, with a bigger slide that my son fashioned in a way that Brayden can go down it and land right in his pool. Cindy said he has great fun doing it, but guess what he does first? He hides under the deck and takes off all his clothes, then runs as fast as he can so Mom can't catch him and goes down the slide into the water completely nakey! LOL! Like my sister said, he's a water baby - a skinny-dipping water baby! She's a bit concerned the neighbors will begin to wonder what kind of a mother she is, but I told her just to let him do it. He's only 2 1/2 - he should be naked! LOL!
So when we finished our conversation, she let me talk to him. I could only understand about 10% of what he was saying, of course. He told me Dad was in bed "seepin'", then he said something about his "simmin' poo" - lol - and then the best part, he told me he loved me and gave me a kiss over the phone. 
Made my whole day!! I just wanted to reach through the phone and squeeze him! 
I told Cindy I'm going to go up soon and bring my camera so I can get some nakey swimming pictures! 
grandchildren, skinny-dipping, toddlers, grandmas
Like a lot of people, I'm really, really hoping that this whole Paris Hilton fiasco actually results in some positive changes within the judicial system of California. I'd like to see them crack down on drunk drivers unconditionally, regardless of social status! And what about this two-tiered system we're hearing so much about? The rich and famous get treated like kings and queens within the L.A. County correctional system, while the "unknowns" are treated with complete and utter indifference and callousness and, in some instances, like animals. What's up with that??
Well, if you're stupid enough to drive drunk or unfortunate to be one of the latter, you're definitely going to be needing some good Los Angeles Criminal & DUI Lawyers! The attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP, consist of former L.A. Senior Trial Prosecutors, a former District Attorney and Law Professor at UCLA and Pepperdine, and are State Bar Certified Specialists in Criminal Law, together having over 50 years courtroom experience. Not only that, but the firm has been recognized on the Martindale-Hubbell® Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers ™ and are in the top 5% of U.S. Law Firms. Sounds like just the kind of lawyers you Californians need!
(this is a sponsored post)