Happy Halloween

Went trick-or-treating tonight with my neices and nephews. Here are some pics. The first pic is Charlie - he's a vampire. The second pic is Jessica - she's a witch. Then we have Dillon - a werewolf, Marshall - an evil magician, Cordell - a wizard and Emma - a 50's girl. I wish the last picture were better, because their costumes were so cute. The werewolf even had fur showing through the rips in his clothing and fur on his chest where his shirt was open.

Tired Of Being At Work

Several weeks ago, a co-worker of mine scheduled vacation for Saturday, Oct. 28th. He works second shift and his hours are 1:00 pm - 11:00 pm. The first shift guys work from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm, so there is an overlap. And I work third shift from 9:30 pm - 8:00 am so that I overlap with both second shift and third.

So anyway, normally during the week if someone takes vacation there are other people in the office. Except for 3rd shift. 3rd shifters work alone. I work 4 days a week and another person works 3rd shift 4 days a week. Of course, that doesn't add up right, so on Wednesday's we both work and that is the only day I am not alone in the office. But I digress, as I was saying one of the second shift guys scheduled vacation for a Saturday night. So, several weeks ago my supervisor asked me if I could come in early and cover his shift before working mine that night. Since I have no social life anyway and I could always use the overtime money, I said "yes".

Then, as I got off work yesterday morning at 08:00 am (Saturday morning, but technically my Friday night) I realized that I had to be back at work in 8 and 1/2 hours. That's right, I was coming in at 4:30 pm to cover a shift. That's 5 hours earlier than my normal time which puts me working a 15 and 1/2 hour shift (can't forget that mandatory 30 minute lunch, even though I'm not allowed to take 30 minutes away from my phone). And then I realized that the time changes tonight, so I actually have to work another hour. Now don't get me wrong, I volunteered to come in and cover for my coworker. And I can and will use the extra money. I'm not mad about it or anything. I'm simply tired of being at work.

Good news is, I get outta here in about 45 minutes.

Jackie Stiles Is Back, Baby!

For years, I have been a HUGE fan of one of our local sports celebrities, Jackie Stiles. If you don't know who Jackie Stiles is, you can get a quick briefing at Wikipedia.

Now that we're all caught up let's continue. I was thrilled when I came across an article a few minutes ago that stated Jackie is giving basketball another shot. Check out the interview here at STLToday.com.

Since Jackie's first season in the WNBA, she has undergone 13 surgeries and has dealt with continous pain and very limited range of motion. When part of her physical therapy involved cycling, she realized that was one of the few things she could do pain free. With her usual competitive nature, she threw herself into cycling last year and was actually making a real big name for herself in that sport. But as much as she enjoyed it, cycling couldn't make her as happy as basketball did. Luckily, this past June, she was introduced to a new kind of physical therapy that in just a few short months has finally knocked down a lot of her pain and improved her range of motion pretty drastically. So, it's off to Australia to play in their women's league. Actually, the Australian league started a few weeks ago. But Jackie will not be joining them until early November. Jackie had a previous committment that she did not want to cancel. Today, she will be inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference's Hall of Fame as part of the conference's 100th anniversary gala.

And now you really don't have to read the article because I got a bit carried away and basically told you everything it says.

There's also an article and interview in the Springfield News-Leader.
And while we're on the subject of the News-Leader, here are two funny headlines I found on their website this morning:
• Pitt's 'Hungry Bum' brings levity to set (thought 'bum' meant 'behind' or 'backside' - now I get it though)
• Ugly bulldog proves sister has gone totally crazy

How's This For Cool?

I would love it if Springfield had restaurants like this one:

"The Bytes restaurant in Canterbury, England is a sit-down restaurant where you order when you are ready—on touchscreen panels. Entreprenuer Heath Clay enlisted the help of engineers David Russell and Mark Bate to build the hardware and software needed. Customers place orders on touchscreen panels, and the orders are routed through the restaurant. Orders for drinks go to the bar, orders for British-flavored concoctions like baked avocado with Stilton and walnuts and smoked salmon with local new potatoes and dill go to the kitchen.

And here's one feature that should appeal to children of all ages: Free games replace the menu after the order is completed."

This is part of an article from LiveScience.com which describes how some restaurants are becoming more automated. Check out the rest of the article here.

Time Wasters

If you're bored at work, here's a few internet sites that will occupy your time:

In honor of Halloween - carve a pumpkin

To work off some frustration - knife throw game

For general gaming fun - Candystand.com

And for everything else - Addicting Games

Recommended Book Of The Week

Well I've been trying to hold off on this book as long as I could, but alas, I can wait no more. You see my favorite author is Stephen King. I know a lot of people don't like him because he is too descriptive and rambles on about unimportant things (okay, a lot of people don't like him because he's too gory also). But it's his long, rambling descriptive attention to all the little details that is exactly why I love him. When he goes into full detail about the way the trees looked against the sky as little Billy rides his bright, shiny red bike through the grassy, green and gently-rolling fields - I feel like I'm watching a movie more than reading a book.

Therefore, he's always been my favorite. The only fiction book of his that I've ever not liked was one called "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon". I'm not sure why I didn't care for it, but I didn't.

So anyway, I waited as long as possible before recommending a Stephen King book because I don't want to get into the habit of listing all of his books here. But, I only recommend books that I have actually read and I mostly only read horror novels. So, the time has come to recommend one.

This week I recommend my all-time favorite Stephen King book, "IT".
And, btw, I really think Amazon should look into paying me a little something for always referring people straight to them.

A Letter To My Dog

Okay, I don't actually have an inside dog. But some of you guys do and when I found this "Letter to my dog" on the internet, I had to steal it and post it here. Even though it doesn't apply to me, it sure does crack me up. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did. Oh, and feel free to use it as your own story at anytime. I stole it, you might as well too.

A Letter To My Dogs

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king size bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, bark, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered.

Also, I have been using the bathroom for years. Canine attendance is not mandatory.

The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog butt.. I cannot stress this enough!

Let's Talk About Health

Here are a few of the new stories concerning health which have made the news lately:

The "Great Spinach E. Coli Outbreak of 2006" may have been caused by pigs! Researchers have finally gotten the bacteria tracked to a few ranches where the majority of the contaminated spinach came from and discovered quite a few wild boars in the area. They believe the bacteria may have been transferred to the spinach field by the pigs.

Studies have suggested that older women may help fend off the common cold by engaging in some moderate exercise. I figured I would post this just so one of my friends who is quickly becoming an "older woman" might finally be able to get rid of the sniffles. You know who you are. *cough* Bobbie *cough*

On Wednesday, the results of a six-year study revealed that eating at least 2 servings of vegetables a day could increase your mental alertness. Of course, the study was conducted on people aged 65 or older. I just wanted to make sure a certain friend of mine was aware of this so she can prepare herself for becoming a senior citizen. You know who you are. *cough* Bobbie *cough*

Sad News I Hate To Hear

Yesterday, while fighting a wildfire in California, four firemen were killed and one more is not expected to live after a burst of strong wind blew the fire over them too fast for them to react. What makes it even worse is the fact that authorities believe this fire was intentionally set.

You can read the full story here, but feel free to pray for the victims and their families anywhere.

Springfield's Historic Heer's Building Getting Lots Of Attention

The redevelopment of the Heer's building downtown has attracted the attention of some out-of-towners. In fact, there are 4 different development teams being interviewed by the city. Here's the story.

I Love Candy Corn

October 30th is National Candy Corn Day, so be sure and get stocked up on some so you can celebrate in style. These days you can buy it in "cherry" flavor and "green apple" flavor, but I love the original so much I've never tried any of the other flavors.

If any of you guys have tried them and like them, let me know.

My Jack-O-Lantern

Here's a pic of the jack-o-lantern I carved on Tuesday. I know it's not exactly a traditional halloween pumpkin, but it did turn out pretty cool. Go Cardinals!

Bat Patrol

Well, as I was getting ready to come to work last night I noticed my little bat friend was still hanging in the same place and it did not look like it had moved at all. On the internet yesterday I read that bats will usually start to hunt about 2 hours or so after dusk. I left for work at 9:00 p.m., so I was concerned that maybe the little guy was just hanging there dead. My friend Charlie and I decided to gently prod it to see if it was alive. As soon as Charlie's finger touched him, he flicked his ears and squeaked at us. So, he's definately alive - I'm just totally perplexed as to why he is in that location. He's hanging in the window sill on my front porch which faces east, so he's getting quite a bit of light in the mornings. And there's nothing to protect him from the wind. I don't understand.

Cordell

A pickle in one hand, a hot dog in the other - life is good.

Here's A Pic Of My New Pet

It's the adorable little brown bat that was sleeping on my porch when I got home this morning. I actually read that large brown bats have a body length of approx. 3 inches and little brown bats measure 2 inches, so I'm not sure whether my bat is a little brown bat or a large one. Either way, it's so cute. Wanna learn more about cute little brown bats? Here's some info for you:

Bats are the only major predator for night-flying insects in Missouri, and every year they consume tons of insects. In fact, one little brown bat may eat up to 600 mosquitoes in an hour.

Little Brown Bats are one of the most common myotine species in the state. They have dark arm bones, and often sleep near each other, though not piled together in clumps as do the endangered species.

Big Brown Bats often roost near the entrances of caves. They have a body length from head to tail of about 3 inches, and are recognizable by their shiny brown hair, which resembles that of a chihuahua dog.

The little brown bat has an expected lifespan of up to 30 years.

Brown bats invest a large amount of time each day grooming. Individuals use their claws to groom the fur, and tongue and teeth to clean their wing membranes.

Random Thoughts I Had Today

Why can't the stupid Chiefs play football as well as the Cardinals play baseball?

I wish I had a big bowl of chili right now.

Why do the old men at work always turn off the ice machine before I get a chance to fill my cup?

Why do I always try to put a "g" in souvenir? souvegnir is not right!

Why doesn't Misty post any comments here anymore?

Why does Jordi always post as anonymous?

Oh my gosh, there's a little brown bat sleeping under the eaves of our front porch.

That bat is absolutely adorable.

I hope Brennan doesn't hurt the bat.

I wonder if the bat will still be there when I get home from work in the morning?

What was I talking about?

Random Pic

This summer, I got to go on a mini-vacation to Galveston Island, TX with Bobbie (best friend) and Cordell (her son). It was a great trip and very relaxing. This is a picture of some seagulls and pelicans we saw while we rode the ferry over to the island. Sure wish I was there now!

Recommended Books Of The Week

Over the weekend I realized that I had forgotten to recommend a book for last week. So, in order to make the world right again, I am going to suggest 2 books this week.

First one is Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom. This is a true story about a sports writer who learns his old college professor is terminally ill and decides it would be rude not to visit him. But that one polite visit would turn into a weekly ritual as Mitch discovers just how much Morrie can teach him. This is a heartwarming and inspirational story about a dying man with a remarkable attitude towards both life and death.

Second, one of my favorite books of all times, Watership Down by Richard Adams. This book was required reading for me in high school, but I have read it twice since then. Everytime I enjoy it more. It's an amazing piece of literature because you can read it as a simple, entertaining tale about talking bunnies who have to find a new place to live, or you can read it a little more intensely and discover a lot of wonderful bits of wisdom on topics such as freedom, leadership, and ethics.

Update: Haystacks

Last week I posted a recipe for haystacks and told you guys I was planning on deviating from the recipe a little bit. I left out the peanuts on all of them and added mini marshmallows to half of them. Also, I made 2 batches with butterscotch chips and 2 batches with semi-sweet chocolate chips. The butterscotch are always a favorite, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the chocolate ones went over. In fact, several people told me they preferred the chocolate. The only thing I would do differently is probably use milk chocolate chips next time to make them just a hair sweeter.

Cardinals Head To World Series

This is the kind of news I like to read:

"NEW YORK (Reuters) - Yadier Molina blasted a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to send the St Louis Cardinals to the World Series with a 3-1 victory over the New York Mets in a climactic Game Seven on Thursday."

Rest of story HERE.

Yummy Bug Recipes

If you are interested in some extra protein for your normal everyday recipes, head on over to Iowa State University's website and check out their tasty insect recipes.

Here's an example just to whet your appetite.

Banana Worm Bread
Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 eggs
1/4 cup dry-roasted army worms
Directions:
Mix together all ingredients. Bake in greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

Steve Wynn Throws An Elbow...

right through an original Picasso painting that he had just agreed to sell for a staggering (and record-breaking) $139,000,000. Apparently, while showing off the painting to several celebrity friends who wanted to see it, Mr. Wynn backed up a little too close and accidentally put his elbow through the canvas while gesturing with his arm. Witnesses say the hole was about the size of a silver dollar with 3 inch tears radiating outwards.

Amazingly enough, the guy stayed calm and continued on with the tour. The art collector who had previously agreed to buy the painting has been let out of the deal and Mr. Wynn and his wife are repairing the painting and have decided to keep it.

Microsoft Releases Competition For FireFox

Internet Explorer 7 is finally being released and Microsoft has finally added some of the features that made FireFox and a few other brousers so great. Now IE users can enjoy tabbed browsing and a smaller toolbar to allow more space for the web pages. They also included a built in RSS feed platform and extra security features to help protect the user's identity.

If you're interested, you can download it HERE, although I would recommend waiting several weeks because Microsoft invariably will find some major bugs in the release that will need to be patched.

Neat Website I Found

"Missouri's Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes, Hay Rides and More -
Where you can find a pumpkin patch, corn maze, safe trick-or-treating, hayrides and other Fall and Halloween fun near you! Be sure to scroll down the page, some are big!"

I found this website tonight, thought there might be some interesting things on there that some of you may want to know about. www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org

The description above was taken off of the site itself. So, don't blame me if you're disappointed.

Branson Webcams?

Did you know that you can simple click here and choose to watch a couple of live webcams in Branson, MO? The webcams are apparently provided by the Killian Group and you can control them by making them pan to the right, the left, etc. There are also 2 webcams in Glendale, AZ that you can choose to watch if you so desire.

And yes, they are on all through the night if you want to stare at a bunch of street lights.

Had A Good Weekend

Well, everything went good this weekend. The weather was perfect for a hayride and we all had a blast. Plenty of good food and good conversation. Also had a great time at Apple Butter Makin Days, although I wish I would have bought more than two jars of apple butter. What was I thinking? Next year I'll know better.

Also had a good Fantasy Football weekend. I won for the first time this season, so I'm happy about that. I ended up with a fantasy score of 133 this week, which is twice as much as I have been getting. Totally awesome. Of course the Chiefs are playing like crap and lost another game, so as a Chiefs fan I'm not too happy right now.

Then again, I still do have the St. Louis Cardinals. I'm watching the game right now so, I'm gonna sign off. I'll post more once I get to work tonight.

Hayride Tonight

Well, tonight's the night for my family's annual hayride and hot dog roast. I called my Aunt Edna last night and confirmed that she was indeed stirring up several big batches of homemade hot chocolate. Good stuff. I can't wait to run and play with all of my cousins. Too bad I fell down the stairs last night and my right foot is killing me.

It seems like this might be the first time in years it's not going to drizzle or rain on us. Yay! Of course, it will be pretty chilly, but that will just make the bonfire and the hayride more fun.

Before tonight's festivities begin, I am going over to Mt. Vernon's Apple Butter Makin Days. In fact, I am taking off work in about 4 minutes and I've gotta rush home to do some last minute packing for tonight, then I'm off to the races. Going to be a full day for me, with no stopping and no chance for sleep until waaay later tonight. So, wish me fun.

Computer Shortcut

I'm sure that by now you all use the Google Toolbar because of it's awesome pop-up blocker, quick web search features, and the ability to remember your favorite pages no matter who's computer you are on, but did you know that you can also use it as a calculator shortcut?

Simply type in your mathmatical problem into the search box (circled in red) and hit your "enter" key. The search window will open to display the answer to your problem.

Friday the 13th!

here's some trivia for you:
(these facts have not been verified by me, so if they are wrong blame the websites I stole them from)

According to Smithsonian Magazine "fear of the #13 costs American a billion dollars per year in absenteeism, train and plane cancellations, and reduced commerce on the 13th of the month."

Lizzy Borden uttered a total of 13 words at her trial.

There were 13 original colonies.

A witches coven consists of 13 members.

Tarot Card number 13 is the Death Card, depicting the Grim Reaper (although it is read as transition or change and not literal death).

There are 13 steps leading to the gallows and 13 knots in a hangman's noose.

13 feet which the guillotine blade falls.

The driver of Princess Diana hit pillar #13 at Place de l'Alma when she was killed in Paris, France.

13 people, Christ and his 12 disciples, were in attendance at the last supper. This is where the Christian belief ties in, making Friday a believed unlucky day, as the crucifixion occurred on a Friday.

E Pluribus Unum has 13 letters.

The US Seal has 13 stars, bars, feathers in the eagle's tail, 13 bars in one claw, 13 olive branches in the other.

Was Your Day Unlucky?

While I certainly don't suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia, I am curious as to why I came out the door tonight on my way to work and completely fell all the way down the front porch steps. I've lived there since February and have never stumbled on them before. Of course, I did forget to turn the porch light on so that I could see where I was walking. And I was talking on the cell phone so I was distracted.

Speaking of my cell phone, it immediately flew out of my hands as I was rolling down the concrete steps and skidded all the way down the driveway. I was talking to Bobbie and she didn't even realize I was gone until I crawled over to the phone and told her what had happened. Now I've got skid marks on the screen. But they're minimal, so it could have been worse. At least the screen didn't break. Luckily, neither did any of my bones.

Anyway, do any of you have Friday the 13th stories you can share about today?

Kids Will Love This

Jell-O Aquarium

Ingredients/Directions
Blueberry fruit-flavored gelatin
1 can of fruit cocktail
Swedish fish
Clean fish bowl

Mix gelatin according to package. Put fruit cocktail in the bottom of the fish bowl as gravel. Pour Jell-O on top, then put the fish bowl in the fridge. Once the Jell-O is slightly set, add a couple of candy fish to the "water." Put the fish bowl back in the fridge until set completely.

Editor's Note:

Some of my funny little "weird news" facts come from MiamiHerald.com and I have noticed that if you try to read more than 2 or 3 articles from their website a day, you get a notice that you have to subscribe to continue reading or view new articles.

I just wanted to let you guys know that I subscribed to their service a week ago or so and after you create your account and submit your information, a page opens up asking you to choose what email lists you would like to be included on. You have to go through and manually select "no" on all of them, but after you're done with that I really have had no problems with the site at all. I am able to read all the articles and so far have noticed no increase in the amount of spam and junk mail I receive in my email account.

Thought I would share that with everyone in case you were wanting to read an article I linked to, but weren't too sure about subscribing to the site. Of course, I reserve the right to be wrong and cannot be held accountable for any unsolicited emails you may receive if you do sign up with an account. It could just mean that they like me better.

Cool New Digital Camera Being Developed

Two engineers from Rice University in Houston, Texas believe they may have created the next best thing to happen to digital cameras. At a time when everyone is jealous of more megapixels, they are preparing to give us a single-pixel camera that can produce higher resolutions by using less power and taking up less room on memory cards.

The new technology does have a trade-off, however. Apparently the single-pixel must "blink" about 10,000 times to capture an image which results in a much longer picture taking time. This new technology is still being developed but was revealed this week at the Optical Society of America's conference held in New York. It's a long way from being consumer ready, in fact it's the only single-pixel camera in the world, but it could one day become the standard in digital technology.

Girl Fight!

I remember when I was little, probably around 4, I decided to take my little pair of safety scissors and cut a pretty good size chunk of hair from the front of my head. I don't remember if my hair was in some way offending me, or if I was simply bored and had no construction paper to cut shapes out of. Either way, I really managed to screw my haircut up. Mom was thrilled, I'm sure.

Surely we all know someone who cut their own hair as a child. Turns out, this is a pretty common occurrence among small children, especially the girls. Of course, boys sometimes cut chunks out of their hair also. I believe one of my brothers was in kindergarten when he decided to cut his own hair.

But in Des Moines, Iowa, girls are taking scissors to hair in a whole new way. Two teenagers there have accused each other of "haircut rage". One girl accused another of sneaking up behind her and cutting her hair. She turned around and attacked her attacker, suffering cuts on the hand and face. But, when the girls were interviewed by police, the "attacker" said she was the one who had been attacked. They actually called in Crime Scene Investigators to document the missing hair and injuries.

In Case You Ever Need To Know

Now you never have to fear Conga lines again, because even you can learn "How To Behave On A Conga Line".

As soon as I learned the details of how to conga properly, I decided to test it out in my office. I fired up an mp3 on the computer (Conga by Miami Sound Machine is a good choice) and started the line right at the entrance to my cubicle. Amazingly enough, I wasn't nervous at all. Of course, that may have something to do with the fact that I work the graveyard shift, so there was no one else here.

Apple Butter Makin' Days

I didn't want anyone in the area to forget that Mt. Vernon's annual festival, "Apple Butter Makin' Days" starts tomorrow. I have actually never been before, since I never really lived in the area, but I have always heard great things about it. This year, I have decided I am going. I have Saturday night off of work so I can attend a big hayride, so I figure that means I don't have to go home and go to bed when I get off work on Saturday morning. Instead, I'm going to meet up with Bobbie and Cordell in Mt. Vernon and we are going to get to know this festival on a personal level.

I plan on buying some apple butter, that's for sure. I am also hoping to have kettle corn, a funnel cake, maybe a caramel apple. Man, I can smell all the wonderful smells already. According to the website, there are hundreds of craft tents. Wow, I can't wait.

SpongeBob Will Soon Have A Guest

One of the new SpongeBob episodes that will air in 2007 will feature a character named "Lord Royal Highness" who will be played by singer David Bowie. According to Bowie, he watches the show regularly with his young daughter. Needless to say, they are both excited about his upcoming appearance.

I'm Feeling Rather Nostalgic Lately

I sure do wish I could go back to the 70's & 80's and keep all of my toys and things so that I could have them now. I think I'm going to start collecting some of my favorite old things and put them in a display case to remind me of how innocent and un-electronic (for the most part) my childhood was.

Here's a few examples of the types of things I miss and want to find:

A Walt Disney School Bus lunchbox - I remember taking one of these to school for years. My pbj, banana and potato strings were never smashed.

Gizmo from the Gremlins movie. He was so cute, but his offspring were UGLY!

Merlin which was so cool back in the day. I burned hours playing with this thing. Can you imagine today's kids putting down the Nintendo Game Boy to play with a Merlin? Me neither.

Super Pickle - apparently, this little stuffed super hero was not very popular. I looked all over the internet and all I could find was this single, lonely picture. But at least it proves I wasn't the only one that had one.

Then there was the Whee-Lo which I carried around constantly and could practically do in my sleep.

And of course, the Kenner Family Tree House complete with a family of little tree tots, a family car, a family dog and a dog house (which is the little green clam-looking thing at the bottom left). There was a swing hanging from a branch, a door to go in, and stairs that folded down. The top of the tree popped up when you wanted to play, then you pushed it closed when you were done so nothing would fall out.

I also loved the Etch-A-Sketch, the Rubik's Cube, the Smurfs figurines, the Wooly Willy Magnetic Face, Connect Four, Hungry Hungry Hippo's, and so many more I can't even name them all.

I might have to get a second job just to afford all these things. Especially since the Kenner Treehouse seems to be pretty rare and very expensive.

Haystacks

CHOW MEIN CANDY

2 (96 oz.) pkgs. butterscotch chips
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. peanuts
1 can chow mein noodles

Melt butterscotch chips in top of double boiler; add peanut butter, peanuts, and chow mein noodles. Mix well and spoon onto wax to cool, then refrigerate.


I'm gonna try and make a big batch of these this coming weekend to take to the hayride. But, I'm going to do a little bit of playing around with it and use mini marshmallows instead of peanuts, plus I'll probably make some with chocolate chips instead of butterscotch. I'll let you know next Monday or so how they turn out.

I'm So Disappointed In Myself...

Yesterday, I was apparently a bit sensitive and feeling kind of down, because I allowed myself to get sort of rude and sarcastic with an online friend that I know from a message board I frequent. Of course, today I've already visited the forum and apologized for my reactions. I didn't get real hateful and nothing really horrible was said, but I am disappointed that I even let myself get riled up. Especially since the guy I was mouthing is someone I basically consider a friend.

He's a guy who likes to try and start a fight, but I know that about him and I also know he does it just to rile people up. So I know better than to dignify some of his posts with a response. But unfortunately, yesterday I did. I'm so disappointed in myself. And if you are reading this blog Tyler, I apologize again.

Got Maggot Juice?

You probably don't have any maggot juice yet, but you soon may. Researchers have discovered that the fluids secreted by maggots can increase the speed at which tissue can be healed. Since the idea of maggots and their secretion usually gross people out, scientists are aiming for possibly coating bandages and wound dressings with a mixture of the beneficial enzymes contained in the fluids.

I was gonna post a picture of a maggot with this entry, but honestly, they're just gross.

Go Chiefs!

I lost for the fifth straight week in Fantasy Football, but at least my KC Chiefs pulled off a second victory. It wasn't necessarily a pretty win, but a win nonetheless. It was an exciting game to watch because of the many ups and downs by both teams. However, it did turn a little scary when KC running back Larry Johnson practically got his head ripped off.

Go Cards!

The Cardinals beat the Padres and are heading to Shea Stadium to take on the Mets in the National League Championship Series.

Hopefully the Redbirds are World Series bound!

And Speaking Of Sports....

Believe me, I like sports a lot more than most women do. But I am not someone who can quote stats and names and records about anyone in any sport. It's almost always the men who get themselves completely immersed in that kind of stuff.

But some men take it a little bit farther than they should. Check this out.

I hope he grows up to be as big as a football player so he can defend himself against all of the ridicule he is likely going to receive.

Fantasy Football Update

Well, if any of you are keeping track, I am now 0 - 4 in my Fantasy Football League. I'm tied for last place with some other loser who sucks as bad as I do. (Charlie if you read this, I still love ya)

Wish me luck on week 5 - maybe I can actually win one. Although to be honest, it's not so much the losses that bother me as much as it is the fact that I am losing BADLY. I mean my scores have been 69, 65, 69 and 74. Whereas the average scores with the rest of the teams in my league have been around 100 or better.

And worst of all is that my irritating little brother is destroying me. The week he played against me he won by 31 points. I don't think he has gone below 110 points in any of the previous weeks. Why does it bother me that he is scoring more than me? Because I know enough about football that I participated in the live draft and picked and chose my men (except that all the good ones I really wanted kept getting taken before it was my turn) and my brother signed in long enough to pick 3 people then let the computer pick the rest for him. That is so not fair!

N Korea's Bomb Would Kill 200,000

It's a clickable headline because it kinda speaks for itself.

Random Thoughts From Today

Long John Silvers chicken planks are good - and the little crunchy things that fall off of them are even better.

I really wish I had time to go see a scary movie, maybe I can do that on the upcoming Friday the 13th.

It totally sucks that I get off work at 8:00 am on Sunday mornings and football starts at noon. At least this week the Chiefs play the 3:00 game.

Dude, I love football.

On October 14th, my family's annual hayride and hot dog roast is taking place and I have got to figure out what I am making to take down there. It's for family and all the friends we want to invite so it usually turns into a huge event and involves lots of food and 4 trailers of hay.

I hope it doesn't rain on the hayride again this year.

I hate it when I start reading two different books at once because it takes longer to find out what happens at the end.

My room smells yummy because I have been burning my wedding cake candle.

I have got to get an FM transmitter so I can listen to my iPOD in the car.

Why do I have to be such a dork?

Seriously, I'm a dork.

Woo Hoo, my Dad is coming home from Iraq in less than 1 month.

Did You Know?

Did you know that Wild Bill Hickok became legendary after he was involved in what is considered the first wild west gunfight here in Springfield, MO? The shooting happened downtown on the public square and, according to the story, can be blamed on a pocket watch Wild Bill lost in a poker match. You can read more about this story and plenty of other cool Springfield trivia facts at OffbeatTravel.com.


And here's another fun trivia fact about Wild Bill and his connection to Springfield.

Introducing Sadie

My good friends DJ & Jordi recently welcomed a new puppy into their lives. Her name is Sadie and she is sooo cute. She's a beagle so she has those sad little eyes and floppy ears. Absolutely adorable. In the top pic she's playing with her new PetSmart toy and in the bottom pick she is holding her krunk cup (that's what her owners call it).

Recommended Book Of The Week

This week I am recommending "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien.

If you are a fan of The Lord Of The Rings series, either in book or movie format, it is imperative that you read this book. "The Hobbit" is the story of Bilbo Baggins, who is Frodo's uncle, and tells how he first came into possession of the ring. It's a great adventure and a prequel for "The Fellowship Of The Ring".

Rumor has it that this story was developed by Tolkien as a bed-time story for his children, which may explain why some readers think it has more of a childish feel to it's whimsical plot than the trilogy that followed it. However, I disagree. I find it an entertaining read and a great chance to become more connected to Bilbo and the rest of Middle-Earth.

I Knew It....

I kept telling everyone it was getting opened but no one believed me. Well now, this article should help prove I was right. I knew my cocaine was being opened.

Oh, ummmm..... I mean my mail was being opened. Not my cocaine. My mail. Yeah, that's the ticket.

You Go Girl!

On Friday night, Kaylin Chain was crowned Homecoming Queen at Mt. Pleasant High School in Pennsylvania.
Why is this news? Because she accepted the crown during half-time of the football game.
Why is that news? Because Kaylin is the kicker for the team and she was crowned Homecoming queen in shoulder pads and cleats.
After the ceremony, the Mt. Pleasant football team went on to win the game. You Go Girl!

Is Anyone Out There?

I certainly don't believe that my blog is anything special. I also don't believe that more than 6 people read it and probably none of them read it regularly. But surely someone is reading it. I mean, I have personally commanded 2 or 3 of my friends to check it daily.

Yet, I rarely get any comments. Is anyone out there? Do you have opinions about what I'm posting? Do you agree or disagree? Have you checked out any of the music I've talked about or read "Pigeon Finds A Hot Dog" yet?

C'mon people.

Need A Bigger Hard Drive?

If you have been wanting to increase your storage potential on your pc you should check out this sale at BestBuy.com

Seagate is a very trustworty brand and $89 is a very reasonable price for 250GB.

'Tis The Season For Pumpkin Pie

EASY PUMPKIN PIE

1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell
1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine ingredients in large bowl, pour into shell, bake 15 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking 35-40 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

New CD Released Last Tuesday

One of my favorite bands just released a new album on Tuesday. You can preview 2 of their new tracks at this Pure Volume page. and you can order the new CD here at Amazon.com.

Give 'em a chance, they rock!

Halloween Trivia

The following Halloween trivia facts can be found at http://www.halloween-website.com/trivia.htm

-Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death.
-Jack o’ lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.
-Pumpkins also come in white, blue and green. Great for unique monster carvings!
-Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes.
-Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.
-The ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night. They began wearing masks and costumes to avoid being recognized as human.
-Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States.
-Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers #1.
-Halloween is the 2nd most commercially successful holiday, with Christmas being the first.
-Bobbing for apples is thought to have originated from the roman harvest festival that honors Pamona, the goddess of fruit trees.
-Black cats were once believed to be witch's familiars who protected their powers.

Hooray For Mike Gallagher!

You may have never heard of Mike Gallagher, or you may know who he is and completely dislike him, but either way you should respect him for his actions today. Mike is the host of a nationally syndicated radio show and a FOX News contributor. Today on his radio show he hosted some of the members of the Westboro Baptist Church. People are pissed about this. In fact, people are downright furious that Mike allowed them to be on his show for the full hour today. The Westboro Baptist Church is a group from Topeka, Kansas who believe that all tragedies happen because we allow homosexuals to live instead of killing them. Today, they spent an hour on national radio talking about their beliefs. That's why people are mad, because they feel like Mike Gallagher should not have given these people any airtime. Some people think Mike only did it for ratings and some people are saying he invited these hateful people to his show because he agrees with their beliefs. But I am grateful for Mike Gallagher today and I respect what he did with his radio show.

Today in Pennsylvania, funerals were held for 4 of the girls who were killed on Monday in the Amish school shootings. The Westboro Baptist Church was not on-hand to protest like they had originally planned to be. Instead, they allowed Mike Gallagher to give them an hour of on-air radio time in exchange for their protesting at the funeral. Here's Mike's take on it all.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

I am a huge fan of horror movies (although they seem to be more bloody and less scary these days) so I am excited about Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning which opens tomorrow night. But it took a while to decide whether or not I wanted to see it. Not because it might be scary but because a few years ago I discovered something about the original movie which really ticked me off. In fact I was so mad, I still have not seen the remake that was done in 2003.

I loved the original movie. I remember watching it at a fairly young age and being scared out of my mind by that family. It stayed with me for years as one of my favorite films simply because the fact that it was real made it even more scary. I even went to high school with a girl whose family had moved up to Missouri from Texas in 1982 and she was old enough to remember living near that town when the killings were on the news in Texas at the time all of this was discovered. Or so she said. Then, one day a few years back I accidentally found this and I was so dissapointed that I became completely disenchanted with the whole story and it's movies. But, I am over it now and I am willing to tackle the new movie and see if it can do the job of scaring the crap out of me.

Any of you guys want to go see this with me?

Learn To Spit

Well, I know this is something you have all been waiting for and now you can finally get it accomplished. That's right. You too can learn how to rap freestyle.

This is a very helpful tutorial if you want to start entering battles. Just listen to what I spit out after reading the lesson earlier this morning:

"I'm a white girl and a fly girl
And I know you'll find I'm the right girl
I know you'll want to shake your butt
When you hear my funky cut
Because my bass is pumping
You can't keep from jumping
Out of your seat and on the dance floor
You'll beg for more"

Okay, maybe that's not really fierce enough to go into a battle with. After all, I wasn't even mean to anybody. Guess I wasn't cut out to be a freestyle rapper. But don't let that stop the rest of you! Battle on.

P.S. Don't forget to read the special note at the bottom of the tutorial which explains that spitting does not always refer to saliva.

John Wayne Don't Know Jack

No, I am not trying to pick on The Duke, just trying to be witty. My point is, cowboys portrayed in western movies were not handling snake bites correctly, and if you are bitten by a snake you should not do things the way you remember them happening in "True Grit." Apparently, tourniquets are a bad idea if you have a snakebite.

Actually, that's good to know. I, for one, would have never been able to put on a tourniquet, cut open the bite and suck the venom out. In fact, if I were to ever be bitten by a snake, the instant heart attack I would suffer from would require the quickest medical attention.

Welcome To October

Yeah, October is finally here! I am excited because this is my favorite month of the year, not only because I love Halloween so much, but also because October has the best weather ever. The crispness in the air when I step outside just makes me want to sit around a campfire and roast marshmallows. Plus, all the trees start turning colors and everything gets so pretty. It's awesome.

Anyway, I welcomed in October by going to a family reunion. And it was actually much hotter than I expected it to be. There was definately no crispness in the air yesterday. The reunion was good, but I was dissapointed to see that attendance was really down from what it used to be. It made me realize that I am going to have to stop thinking of myself as one of the grandkids, and actually start acting like an adult. Meaning, I need to make sure I stop buying a veggie tray at Wal-Mart the morning of the dinner and start making several dishes of food, getting there early to help set-up, etc. I think I am even going to make an effort to send out reminder letters a month or so before next years reunion. It's just kind of sad that so many people didn't show up. There wasn't very much food brought and no one had taken the time to really get stuff organized and make the day fun. Even some of my first cousins that I eat dinner with at Grandma's every Sunday, did not show up for the reunion. And out of the ones that did, half of them showed up a few minutes before time to eat and were gone 30 minutes later. So, I really think I'm gonna step-up and try to make things different. I'm the oldest grandkid and my grandmother is basically the boss of the family, so it should fall on my shoulders naturally anyway.