Atta Girl! - of the Week

This weeks Atta Girl goes to none other than Miss Dolly Parton who tomorrow will turn 62 years old! (at least the original parts of her will anyway)

At age 62, Dolly shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon with the new album "Backwoods Barbie" due out next month and a musical stage version of her movie 9 to 5 (penned by Dolly no less) due to make it's stage debut later this year!

Someone once asked Dolly what she hoped people would say about her in 100 years and her response was "I hope they say Damn she looks good for her age!" Right on Dolly. Right on! At age 62, you've never looked better!

(Not so) Forced Entry

A long time ago, there was an episode of Designing Women where the Sugarbakers had to redecorate the home of an older lady that had recently passed away. Upon entering her house for the first time the Sugarbaker clan was perplexed by the strange and unusual items they found. Having not known a thing about the dead woman, they simply drew the conclusion that she must have been some Crazy old lady that lived alone with her cat. Later, they met the man who checked in regularly on the elder lady and after a quick explanation of the strange surroundings, Every thing that was once a mystery to them now made perfect sense. This experience made the ladies ask the question: If you suddenly died today and somebody had to go into your home to clean it out, What would they find. What in your home right now makes perfect sense to you but might lead an unknowing observer to believe you were one ticket shy of the crazy train?

That particular episode came to mind last night when i got home... Let me back up a few days.

On Monday, I came home to find a note on my door stating that the building management would be entering random apartments on Wednesday to inspect for dust and lead levels as they are considering whether or not to update the kitchens and bathrooms. If they decided to inspect your particular apartment, a note would be left on your door. Please secure your pets and what have you... blah, blah, blah.

Tuesday I get home and there is no note on my door... Cool.
Wednesday night, i get home and there is a note on my door:


Thank you for allowing us to enter your apartment today. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated,

The Management.
\
Oh Crap!

What did i leave laying out? I didn't make the bed this morning! Lord, please tell me I threw my underwear in the hamper this morning and didn't leave them laying on the bathroom floor.

Granted I didn't have anything so bad as a sling hanging from the ceiling or any adult toys beside the bed. ( I don't own either in case you were curious) but... there might have been a "grown up" DVD (or 2) on top of the DVD player. And if they looked inside the bathroom closet they might have found a garland bedazzled black velvet dress along with a size 14 pink prom dress and a huge blond wig hanging on the door hook and if they chose to look at the pictures stuck on my refrigerator they would find a bevy of captured moments of me and my friends in costumes and dresses over the past couple of years.

So on the bright side of all of this I now realize, if I suddenly died today and somebody had to enter my home to clean it out I am pretty certain that they wouldn't think I was a crazy person living alone with a cat. But I'm pretty damn sure they would think I was a drag queen!

Double Trouble

So, I was watching the News last night and apparently, the FDA has now approved the sale and consumption of cloned meat! (with the exception of sheep (?)
My first thought was "Hmmmm?"
My second thought was, When did we get to this point?
Wasn't it just a few years ago that we cloned Dolly the Sheep? Doesn't it always make the news when an animal is successfully cloned? Apparently not because according to the news report, there are currently over 600 (known) cloned animals in existence in the United States
Seriously!?!?
They even interviewed a researched scientist who has been working on/with cloned animals for the past 10 years... 10 YEARS?
So I guess that being able to clone a living creature is not news anymore... only whether or not we can eat them!
I guess it's only a matter of time before a human being is successfully cloned (if it hasn't happened already) which begs the question... would you clone yourself if you were able to? I'm not sure myself. On one hand, it would be a fabulous resource for a new liver and lungs when my give out but on the other hand, , on the other hand... Wow. I can't think of a single reason why i wouldn't clone myself. Guess i'm feeling a little conceited this morning!

Atta Girl! - Of the Week

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Girl friend pulled off one of the biggest upsets in modern political history Tuesday when she defeated Barack Obama in the New Hampshire primary.

I raise my glass and say: Atta Girl!

Blanche Endorses...

Hey Ya'll

It feels like I haven't blogged in ages! The truth is, I have not done a good job at keeping up with this thing in the new year... My Bad! I'll try harder in the coming weeks.

So what's been going on? Not too much here.

I am currently listening to John Kerry endorse Barack Obama over on CNN.com (puke)

I haven't talked much (if any) about politics here on my blog because frankly, Fitness Nerd does a much better job of it over on his blog. So, if you'll allow me, let me give you my 2 cents on what i think.

I love politics. I love it as a spectator sport. I love that because of the television writers strike, the 2008 Presidential campaign is pretty much the best reality show going right now, full of drama and suspense.

I am a supporter of Hillary Clinton. I have been since it was rumored she might run for the presidency soon after she was elected to the Senate for the first time. I feel that she has the perfect mix of experience, strength, intelligence and compassion to pull this country out of the hole we've been digging ourselves backwards into for the past 7 years. She is the only choice for me. I love watching her in debates. I love watching her go toe to toe with a room full of men and coming out overwhelmingly as the smartest person on the stage. I love that when all of the other candidates are talking about the abstract issues of Hope and Change, she's talking about better screening of cargo ships entering our ports and the recent housing market crisis.

Don't get me wrong, I like the ideas of Hope and Change and all that Optimistic crap. Barack has gained a huge following with those themes and I can see why. Being an optimist myself, I want to believe that anything is possible and that Change can come and give rise to hope and that we'll all be better off one day because he is the candidate of change and blah blah blah...but eventually the Optimist in me has to give way to the realist and ask, "How are you going to do that?"

My personal opinion at this point is that Barack would make an excellent Vice President. I like the guy a lot and wouldn't mind seeing him as my President someday... He's just not ready yet.

Less than a month ago I would have told you that a white woman and a black man would have the same odds of making it as a donut in a weight watchers meeting, but after the events in Iowa and New Hampshire I'm beginning to think otherwise. Barack is a movement. He has been drawing people to his rallies (and more importantly to the polls) in droves. Record turnouts in both Iowa and New Hampshire out numbered Republican 2 to 1 in some places. Plus, he has done what John Kerry couldn't do in 2004. Get out the youth vote. I honestly believe that a Clinton-Oboma ticket could turn some long time red states, Blue.



The Republican party is pretty much on Life support this year and I don't think that all the Evangelical prayers in the world are going to help it.

For the Democrats, Our time is now. People are engaged in this in this election like never before. Record turnout at the polls along overwhelming ratings for a televised debate (on a Saturday night no less) are just the start. This is going to be an exciting and historic year so I encourage you all, get informed and get involved in the conversation.



01/20/09 will be here before we know it and it is my hope that when that day comes, A woman will have crossed that bridge to the 21st centruy into the grand hall of that City on the hill and that Barbara Striesand will be singing one more time, "Happy Days are Here Again"

I was going to quit smoking today but...

I was going to quit smoking today but I had too many cigarettes left at the end of last night to just Throw Away!

I was going to quit smoking today but it's a beautiful warm day and nothing beats a smoke break to go outside and enjoy the weather.

I was going to quit smoking today but when I woke up this morning I didn't know what to do with the time originally reserved for smoking a cigarette and watching the morning news.

I was going to quit smoking today but the truth of the matter is I just wasn't ready to. I have a brand new box of of extra strength patches on the counter at home and the name of a Doctor who will prescribe me the Medication needed, but I just didn't feel like quiting today.

The truth is, I enjoy smoking. There is nothing more enjoyable to me than a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, or a cold beer, all accompanied by a nice relaxing smoke. And don't get me started on the enjoyment of a cigarette after a bloat inducing meal!

I know that smoking is one of the most unhealthy things a person can do to themselves yet despite that, the small pleasures seem to outweigh the long term risk.

I know that I spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $1700 dollars on cigarettes in the year 2007 but that point seems irrelevant when you can get such a "good deal" by buying the 3 pack special.

I still have every intention of trying to kick this monster one more time but with the Mean Girls Biggest Looser and a handful of other resolutions I've made to myself, there's only so much self improvement I can focus on at once!

So for now, I"m still smoking. Someday (within this month) I will again, pick a date and attempt to slay this beast that has such control over my life. God Willing!

I was going to quit smoking today but I just wanted a damn cigarette.

2008 is Here!

Wow... where do I even start?
First of all, I'll start off by apologizing to everyone who has been checking back to my blog only to find Julia Carson's face staring at them each time (may God rest her soul). I took some much needed time away and now I'm back. I feel recharged and rejuvenated and I realize how much I actually miss coming to work. I like the routine, the hustle, the drama and the unexpected surprises that come with a full days work.
Can you believe that it's 2008 already? it seems like only last year we were ringing in the new millennium and stocking up on our Y2K rations and here it is 8 years later already! I like the New Year. I like that it somehow feels like a fresh start. A chance to start over or at the very least improve on what you started in the year before.
This year, the Mean Girls are starting a "Biggest Looser" program and I'm excited about it. nothing motivates me more than a good ol' competition and with $50 on the line to the winner, I can't wait to get started!
I also am going to try (again) to quit smoking. I have been a smoker since the age of 22 and have tried to quit numerous times. Will this finally be the year? I hope so! Check back here regularly for a progress report on that.

So what do we take from 2007?
Well, It was a Fun year without a doubt. check out Romeo's blog for a re-cap of just some of the fun we had. Plus after searching for for a good couple of years, Fitness Nerd, Maestro and I finally found that magical 4th person that had long eluded us. I don't remember when it happened or where it happened but Romeo one day appeared and the rest is history.
It was also exciting to watch the transformation of close friends this past year. We watched as Xena blossomed and found her way into the sisterhood of Sappho and even joined Dykes on Bikes for the Indy Pride Parade as if to say, I am Woman, Hear me Roar! (litteraly)
We were witness to the continuing transformation of Mom. Once a quiet and meek soul that would rather bite her lip till it bled than say anything that might offend someone, she somewhere along the way found her voice and is now the first person to call something for what it is. She has no problem getting in someones face when needed and she is often times the voice of reason in the sea of stupidity that we sometimes find ourselves in.
And the Mean Girls themselves changed somewhat this year. Once fixated to the dark corners of social gathering, we stuck our heads out into the light this year and (painfully) met some new people and made a few new friends.

So with 2007 behind us it's time to look forward. 2008 promises to be a fun and exciting year.
I was watching Sylvia Brown on the Montell show the other day and she herself said that even numbered years are always better, and that the number 8 is the infinity number (???)
anywho, There's all the usual annual events to look forward to, Pride, Birthdays, Chicago, Halloween, plus the addition of the Summer Olympics and a Presidential Election.
Those big events are the best. but it's important to know that those events would mean nothing without the little moments found within them. Having your face painted side by side to the smell of Sloppy Joes, Eating Pie Hole Pizza on a stoop in Chicago at 2:00 in the morning or Trying to take one's picture on stage as your being flipped off. Don't ignore those little moments. They are what makes the ticket worth paying for, and the ride that much more fun!

May all of your Hopes and Resolutions come true this year!
Happy New Year Everybody!