Busy Week: A Short, No-Frills Post.

My husband is currently deployed for the month of August, so I've been filling my schedule with fun things to do (and to keep me from turning into a total recluse while he's gone).  So, it's been a busy week (as he left last Saturday, August 4th) - and my apologies for not blogging sooner.

I amused myself last Sunday by driving to the French Quarter.  Parking is free on Saturdays and Sundays, and since July and August is our low-season here, I was able park in a prime location - 800 block of Royal Street.  Picked up a couple of little things that I've been eying for the house and then ambled on over to Gallery Rinard and hung out with one of my favorite NOLA girlies, "Anita Martini" (her moniker).  Left there around 7:00 and met some other friends for dinner back here on the Westbank at a little dive with the best fried oysters, Perino's Boiling Pot.  Of course, I had an icy-cold Abita Amber to wash it all down with.  Yum.

Monday and Tuesday were busy with the regular stuff.  Cleaning, errands, shopping, catching up on some schoolwork, and meeting a new client.  Nothing hugely exciting - considering that I don't tend to cook a whole lot when the husby is gone.  So, no menus to plan.

Wednesday night I spent with a friend and her husband in Gretna.  I was invited for dinner and we had some t-bone steaks and salad.  Really delicious and cooked to perfection.  We then hung out and gabbed for quite a while after dinner and I didn't get home until really late.

On Thursday, we had some pretty big thunderstorms.  So I decided to stay in and hang out with our Choggie and veg out in front of the television.  I caught up with most of my shows and had an excellent (and very appreciated!!) rainy-day nap.  Oh, and I played the Sims 3 for a bit.  Was in the mood to build-build-build-build.  ;0))

Friday...  New Orleans Saints day!!  Was invited to watch one of the pre-season games with my friend (and favorite neighbor), S.  We had fabulous seats, full bar access, wait-service, and the house was packed.  Before the evening game, we went to visit some friends in the Garden District for a little pre-game canapes and wine.  I took some pictures and I'll be uploading them over the next couple of days.  We had a great time!!

And on Saturday, I headed up to Baton Rouge to officiate a flat-track roller derby match - between my favorite bashing bitches the Twin City Knockers and the Capitol Defenders.  My girlies kicked some ass - and ended up losing by one fucking point.  However, it was one of the best games yet and we were playing with a short roster - so we only had three jammers for the entire game.  I will most definitely be blogging very soon on that phenomenal game!!

And, finally, we're at Sunday - again.  I was supposed to meet some of my friends at the Canal Street Theatre - which is an over-18 movie theatre (no kids allowed!!) which has a great restaurant and chair-side service throughout the show.  However, I bailed (for the matinee) because I didn't get up until 11:00 this morning (I'm not counting the 5:30 AM wake-up call I had - to let Choggie out) and I realized that I needed to pick up some Crunchy-O's and other basic necessities.  So, I ended up running out to the commissary to stock up on things.  And I'm doing laundry.  Towels and sheets - oh my!!

Will update within a day or so.  Trying to figure out plans for next week!!

x0x0

Feeding the Beast: Music.

Listening to a lot of music as of late.  I'm in a funky mood because my husband is leaving tomorrow for a deployment (he'll be gone for a month) and I miss him a LOT when he's gone.  Yeah, I know that sounds kind of weird, but I *know* some wives who can't wait for their spouse to leave.  C'est la vie.

Without further ado...

"Radioactive"

**This song may sound familiar - it's used in adverts for the Halo video game**

Imagine Dragons

"All Shook Up"

**This song was used in a Trojan Lubricant advert**

Avila

"Fade Into You"

Mazzy Star

"Sweet Jane"

**This tune is on the movie soundtrack for Natural Born Killers**

Cowboy Junkies

"We Are Young"

Acoustic

Fun featuring Janelle Monae

"Drops of Jupiter"

Train

"Clocks"

Coldplay

"No Bravery"

Acoustic Live

James Blunt

"Bittersweet Symphony"

The Verve

"Downside Up"

Live

Peter Gabriel featuring Melanie Gabriel

And, that's all she wrote.  Literally.

x0x0

Drug-fully Loaded.

I had thought that I had recovered from my hedonistic San Fermin weekend unscathed.

Apparently not.

Ended up with some bruised and cracked ribs (along with various cuts, scrapes, and blisters).  Went to my doctor's office yesterday (love you, Dr M!!) and he took a shit-ton of x-rays.  Yep, I'm *officially* broken.  So, I now have a bag o' drugs (painkillers and muscle relaxers), some Lidocaine patches (HUGE), and directions to lay low for a while (about a full week).  Not that I could really do much, anyway.  The druggy-drugs make me loopy and I don't want to move.

Not that I can move... well, at least not easily.  I don't hurt BETWEEN heartbeats (hahaha)!!

^^  One of my nefarious bruises.

So, I met up with a friend for lunch and had the most delicious bacon mac-and-cheese bites (in a cheddar beer sauce) ever.  We also had a sweet and spicy chicken flatbread, Korean shredded pork tacos (with lots of cilantro and lime), grilled na'an with chicken skewers, and a salted caramel cake for dessert.  I'm pretty sure that the fall didn't affect my taste buds at all...  and we just did tasting menu/small plates/tapas thing - so it wasn't full-on gluttony.  Oh, and I drank a LOT of non-alcoholic beverages.  My mouth feels as dry as talcum powder and I don't feel like I can drink enough water to ever even make it moist.  Winning!!!

^^  Bacon mac-and-cheese bites.  These were totally delicious.  

(And no - I wasn't that drugged up - the pic just doesn't do them justice)...

I'm planning on chilling out for the rest of the afternoon.  Hopefully, I can find some cheezy TV drama...  I'm thinking it's a Judge Judy kind of day.  ;0))

x0x0

Thundering. Thursday.

One of the most awesome things about New Orleans happens to be the (almost) daily afternoon thunderstorms.  I love them.  The Choggie, however, is NOT a fan.  She's crammed up under my desk - on my feet - which are gradually falling asleep.  It's so dark out right now it looks like twilight (and I'm not talking about that idiot who writes about "sparkly" vampires - I'm a "True Blood" kind of girl) and it's raining.  Our weather forecast doesn't look so hot for the festivities this weekend:

^^  Thunder-y every day!!

^^  Choggles is currently sitting on my feet.  Her head is the only thing that is NOT under my desk...

I'm super excited because four of my roller derby sisters are coming in tomorrow night - and then it's the Running of the Bulls on Saturday!!!  Husby and I have also decided to have a throw-down-hoe-down on Saturday night - while I'm boozing with the bulls, my better half will be smoking a beef brisket (an all-day process).  We'll be serving it on fresh po' boy bread with a choice of spicy ho'made BBQ sauce or a more traditional debris sauce.  Crackers, chips, dips, veggie tray, and LOTS of booze (okay - cheap wine and beer) will round out the party nicely.  We'll also be making a Southern Comfort pound cake (utterly delicious) for dessert.

Yesterday, I popped over to the French Quarter to pick up some tees for our upcoming weekend festivities, and popped in to The Red Lantern to get some socks to wear on Saturday (knee-socks for derby girls are pretty much mandatory!!) and I found the coolest little owl wristlet bag that has enough room to hold all necessary items.  It was a little pricey, but well worth it.  Check it out:

^^  Sorry it's a little blurry - but the caption reads "It's the little things".  <3

^^  Beer socks!!  I'm going to wear them with my black low Chuck Taylors - sexy, eh???

Annnnnnnnnnnd...  I dragged my friend A. over to The Company Burger (scroll down for the menu and booze listing) so that I could get my delicious fix.  At first, A. was a little wigged out that they don't put lettuce OR tomato on their burgers (they don't even have it on hand - the back of the staff tee shirts reads "BYO L & T").  Personally, I'm okay with this because lettuce always ends up wilt-y and nasty from the heat of the burger AND I prefer my tomatoes on their own or in a cold crisp salad.  Needless to say, A. is now a convert and has agreed that the lack of tomato and lettuce are not that bothersome (this was AFTER she tasted the awesomeness of their burgers).  Go on, it's okay to drool:

^^  Single with onions, cheese, bacon, pickles, and ketchup... small order of red onion rings and tots...

And this has pretty much summed up my week thus far.  Although, after looking at the picture of my delicious meal, I must say that I could probably totally go and grab another one.  Alas, my hips and ass would NOT appreciate this type of a meal TWICE in one week.  :0((  So, just because I'm feeling defiant, I'll leave you with this:

^^  Vag power!!

x0x0

The Month of June: Lost. The Recap.

My apologies for being absent since the beginning of June.  I have no excuse, really, but I have been VERY busy (and sadly it wasn't for travel).  Right after my last entry, I started taking a labor-intensive 90-hour course which has to be completed within 30 days.  Most of the material is very dense (with quite a bit of legal-ize thrown in for good measure), so it's taken me quite a while to digest and memorize the pertinent information.  And just for the record, I'm not very keen on taking online classes - so I've had to literally force myself to NOT procrastinate.

So... just a recap for the month of June (and believe me, some of what I've been dealing with has been dooze-O-licious):

• Choggie had to go to the vet because she was scratching excessively.  Come to find out, she had fleas.  Choggles has been a part of our family for WELL over 10 years and has consistently been on Frontline (TM).  When we established her with a vet here, he switched her to Advantix (TM) and it doesn't work for her.  So, we had to get her scrubbed and dipped, flea-bombed the house, sprayed and disinfected her many puffy dog beds, treated the carpets and furniture, and sprayed the back and front yard areas. And to add insult to injuries...  the Chog had her anal glands depressed while she was at the doggy hospital.  I think she's still traumatized.  :0((  Hell, I know I'm still in a mood because my house smells like a chemical dump.  Blah.

^^  Our beloved hünd..

• Next, the air conditioner went tits-up in my Honda del Sol.  Considering the car is over 20 years old AND still cranks, handles well, and runs like a charm (I took this car to Germany on the Autobahn - THRILLZ!!), the husby and I decided to pay to have a new AC installed over at Royal Honda (across the bridge in Metairie).  They even rented me a CAR (on their dime).  Seriously.  The customer service is top-notch.  I would recommend them to ANYONE.   If you're new to the Greater New Orleans area, don't hesitate to call them.  Superior Honda, didn't really want to fix my car, and only pushed me to purchase a "newer model car"...  well, fuck them.  I adore my del Sol with all the love in my wicked little heart.  Besides, she's a manual and I can go topless in it.  There's very few cars available with those two characteristics.  Pfffft.

^^  5600 Veterans Boulevard, Metairie, LA 70003

• And if the air conditioner in the car going out just wasn't bad enough, the air conditioner in our house totally shit the bed.  Died.  Kaput.  Gonzo.  OUT.  Living in New Orleans, NOT having air conditioning is really miserable.  The temperatures were hovering around the mid-90's with the humidity being close to 100%.  Since we live in an urban area, opening the windows isn't really an option, so NO CROSS BREEZE.  So, I bailed out.  Went over to the neighbor's house, drank cocktails, and then passed out in their blissfully COOL air-conditioned guest room.  Husby opted to spend the night here with the Choggles - but my Yankee ass was not about to sweat to death in a miserably hot (and not in a good way) house.  Hell, a cold shower was even out - because the pipes are not far below ground and COLD water is impossible to come by.  Lukewarm was about as chilled as it could get.  At least the we had an HVAC technician out early on Sunday morning and he managed to get our system limping along until the new parts come in (sometime in the next 7 - 10 days).  

• Slowly, but surely, I'm turning into a sloth again.  Previous to my car being in the shop (which it was there for well over two weeks), I had been going to the gym every weekday morning AND going to the pool to swim afterwards.  Well, I haven't been doing anything EXCEPT eating and lazing around the house.  It didn't help that my rental car didn't come in until the last four days of my Honda being in the shop - and "registering" a rental car on base (where the gym and pool are) is a pain in the ass.  And I'm having a whole lot of problems with getting my motivation back.  So, I'm going to do my best to get back on track.  To put it in the words of that moron Fergie (of the Black Eyed Peas):

"I be workin' on my fitness!!"

This has been the summary of my shitty month of June.  I'm really hoping that July improves DRASTICALLY - I don't think I can deal with any more of the cray-cray bullshit that has been plaguing me.  I hope everyone's month has gone better than my thirty days of hell.

x0x0

Week-ending. Improvements.

This weekend has been pretty crazy, yet productive.  On Saturday morning (at 0'-dark-thirty), I loaded up the car, picked up breakfast, and headed over to Harvey to help my two friends with their yard sale. Of course, I ended up with books:

^^  I haven't read any of these yet...  (still trying to get through Koonz's "Odd Thomas")

And I also received a lot of clothes (especially shorts and capris - I didn't realize how much weight I actually dropped - SIX SIZES - squeeeeeeeee!!).  So, I was happy-happy-happy that I didn't have to go shopping (which I detest - trying on clothes, getting frustrated, and then ending up kind of pissy about the whole shebang).  I'm usually not the *thrifty* type, but I'm pretty sure my husband is thrilled that I didn't blow the bank.  :0))  Besides, I fully anticipate losing more inches.  So, when these new-to-me clothes get too big, I'll just pay it forward to someone who can use them.  Karma, baby.

 ^^  I don't care how long I live here in New Orleans, I still love looking (and taking pictures!) of all the palm trees.  I was sitting underneath this one... quite shady, actually.

On Friday (okay - my days are sadly out-of-order), I went with A. to Lowe's and picked up some tropical plants for our tiered deck.  It needed help, desperately.  We have a bunch of elephant ears growing wild (and I think they look pretty good), so we picked up tropical ferns, Boston ferns, a pretty purple wandering Jew, and some smaller accent pieces for the other side table.  This is where I'm at thus far:

 ^^  View of the happy table, chairs, umbrella, ferns...  A. thinks I need some sort of indoor/outdoor carpet under the table.  I'm a bit torn on that one...

 ^^  Coming around the corner from the entrance...  I'm still working on that other corner, so no pictures yet.  I feel like I'm creating a secret garden, because there is NO indication that any of this is back here from the outside of the fence.  I love that aspect...  something that looks bland and generic from the outside, but lush and beautiful once you walk inside...

^^ KMart had these lights on sale...  24' of 100 lights for $6.99.  The cool thing??  If you bought one, you received a second box for half off.  So, I ended up buying four boxes.  :0))  White decorative lights are the bomb-diggity all year round.  So it's not like they'll end up in a closet somewhere...  I'll use them regardless of whether or not it's inside or outside.  

So, after the gym tomorrow morning (I'll be leaving here at 9:00 AM - but setting my alarm clock for 7:30 AM so that I can get my housework out of the way), I'll go to the pool for about an hour to do laps, and then I plan on finishing up the back porch.  I've also got some Mardi Gras beads to hang up.  And then, I'll be close to having a proper New Orleans "courtyard".

We also have a series of Wednesday Night Concerts in Algiers Point starting this week.  I'm going to get the info and post tomorrow.  Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!!  

x0x0

At This Juncture:

We're back to our regularly scheduled blog.

The Good. The Bad. The Fugly.

I'm in a bit of a pensive mood this morning (not a bad thing - but it is an odd thing - considering I'm not typically a morning blogger).  My alarm went off at 7:45 AM and I (immediately) whacked the snooze button.  My relationship with that little tease has been hot and cold for YEARS.  And for my question of the day... what clockmaker/manufacturer thinks that 9 minutes is REALLY enough snooze time??  For anyone??  I might have to Google that later.

So, my thoughts were kind of jumbled all in my inner stratosphere (my pet name for my screwy mind) and I decided to make a bit of a list of all the things that I tend to think about, when I'm laying in bed and pondering all the mysteries of life.  They are in no particular order - and unless something is very obscure, I will not be providing links (or pictures - for those of you who may be visually inclined).  On with the show!!

The Good

- Family.  Somewhat.  I really love my siblings and all my nieces and nephews.  I even like my MIL, FIL, SIL, and BIL (#1) - but I don't care for the Jerry Springer BIL (#2).  He's just an asshole.  But, at least he is living well over 2200 miles away.  Makes visiting a pain in the ass - and he's too cheap to go anywhere.  ::happy dance::  haven't seen him in YEARS because of this!! 

-  My husband.  He is my best friend, confidante, lover, companion, constant, and he totally gets me.  I don't have to explain to him where I'm coming from, because he knows me that well.  I also know how he ticks and all of his favorite things and what makes him happy.  Sixteen years together, through multiple moves, deployments, the ups and the downs.  It's all good.  If anything, it's made us far closer (well, that and the lack of children - I think they can royally fuck up a relationship - and many HAVE actually screwed up relationships - so my reasoning is solid...  ;0)) ).

- My friends.  Even those who are in every single state, in every corner of the globe.  We are all able to stay in touch via Facebook and Skype... and it always makes me happy to see their faces.  Fuck fighting time and distance... we can beat that.  It just takes a little more of an effort.

- My city.  New Orleans may not be where I was born and raised... but every single time I leave and come back here??  I feel like I'm coming home.  The feeling is indescribable and makes me utterly and sublimely happy.  I'm proud of this place and the wonderful, awesome, artistic, happy-go-lucky people it attracts AND who live here.  There's nothing shabby about French Quarter Fest or The Running of the Bulls, either.  

- Living every day to it's fullest.  I truly believe that this life is the only one we'll ever have and we need to make the most of it.  Volunteer, travel, see the sights, do things you'd never, ever think you could do... be honest and blunt and quit waiting for an afterlife or a visit from Saint Peter (he of the pearly gates) or any type of god.  Besides, if you're only being good for the "idea" of god (and getting into heaven or wherever), it kind of defeats the purpose, don't you think??

- My dog.  She's never met a stranger, demands nothing from me but love and affection, she's far easier to care for than a child (no diapers, no messes, no problems) - if there is such a thing as reincarnation, I think I'd be content coming back as a dog.  Really.  Instant gratification to Chai-Dog is the best happiness in her life.  Walk??  Ride??  Treat??  Yeah, I could wag to that.

- Roller Derby.  Need I say more??

The Bad

- Upstairs neighbors who have loud little children and piss-poor-parenting skills.  As much as I would, indeed, like to blame the children for their rudeness, they DO learn all their societal skills from their parents.  And when the parents don't know any better, how can you expect their children to??

- Burning food because you can't hear the timer from the other end of the house (where I tend to fold laundry and all that other happy shit).  It's stinky and it takes forever for the smells to dissipate.  GAH.

- Kill shelters.  People who put animals in kill shelters because they suddenly find that they are knocked-up, and their loyal dog or cat of X-amount of years has to go because of the new baby.  That's pretty damned shitty.  Or, if they don't put them in a kill shelter, they'll just abandon them.  Makes me wonder if some of these assholes would be so callous with their own baby (should it have something wrong with it).  I don't really tend to trust people who treat animals poorly.  It speaks VOLUMES about their personality.

- People who lie to spare someone else's feelings (even if it is a problematic character flaw).  If a friend of mine tries on a new outfit and it looks like a horse's ass, I'll be tactful about it - but I'll let her know that it's not for her.  Why would I want her to go out in public thinking that she looks good, when she really doesn't??  Of course, we all have different styles - and I tend to wear funky tee-shirts and jeans/shorts/Chuck Taylors/Dr Martens, but I'm fully aware that I look like a freak and that's perfectly okay with me.  I just can't be bothered** (which might be a GOOD thing and maybe this is under the wrong category) to try and fit a stereotype.  Makes me gag to think about it.  

- Pimping your religion.  Whether it be via email, door-to-door (private residences), or on a public street corner.  If I *were* interested, don't you think that I'd seek YOU out??  

- Helicopter parents.  Need I say more???

- Organized religion.  The Greeks, the Romans, the Christians (to include the Crusades), the Moors, the Islamists... if there were no religion to fight about, what would life be like here??  Probably a lot more fucking pleasant.  Which is why I identify with atheist or secular humanist.  Christopher Hitchens was right.  Religion POISONS everything.  However, I don't really give a shit if you want to worship Mohammed, Jesus, God, Kali, follow Buddha, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster...  I just don't want you to shove it down my throat.  Easy enough, right??  Wrong.  Some people feel compelled by the "spirit" (or just the church's ugly little tithing system - because the current flock isn't coming up with enough).

The Fugly

(Which stands for "Fucking + Ugly = FUGLY")

- Position does NOT dictate behavior (nor should it ever).  Watch Kevin Smith's original movie "Clerks" and you'll understand this concept.  You are who you are and unless you're a psychopath or a serial killer or a person who just blows people out of their shoes because they can... well, you need to be true to yourself - regardless of position.

- Ass kissing people.  Oh, my bleeding Jeebus... they make me want to go over a really high, rocky, rough cliff in a Sedgeway with NO HELMET ON.  Not everyone is going to agree all of the time (and those that do make me just cringe... like they've never had a fucking original thought in their head) and not agreeing is perfectly fine.  It's also fine if you think that I'm an asshole and I think that you're a douche bag.  It is what it is.

- People who whore their entire lives out and then piss and moan when someone makes a comment or points out something which is known by all, but should *never* be brought up because it's "not nice" or some other such blathering bullshit.  If you didn't announce this uncomfortable thing to the WHOLE WORLD, no one would ever know your sad secret and point it out.  And, if you can't defend yourself, you shouldn't expect other people to do it for you.  Grow a fucking pair already and OWN what you've written.  If not, shut the fuck up and disable people from POSSIBLY posting something negative.  

- The lack of common-fucking-sense from grown adults.

- I don't think "sensitive" men are attractive.  I want a man to be a knuckle-dragger who can take control and act like a man.  One that holds a purse/diaper bag and simply says "yes, dear" seems to be emasculated to me - and I'm always tempted to ask if their fucking balls are beside their wife's wallet (in the quilted cheezy purse).  

- Sheeple mentality.  People who are so worried about fitting in, looking a certain way, or doing things in order to impress others.  It's pitiful.  I see this bullshit with some of the military wives (they'll compare the size of their strollers and SUVs - however, they don't describe their husband's cock size, so that's SOMETHING, at least).  Many of them are so vapid, they don't have an original thought in their head.  I see this with certain religions - and although I feel a bit of pity for these type of people, I also feel like they are just selling out and are probably miserable inside.  If they can't stand up and say "this IS NOT RIGHT" on their own, they are complacent.  Which is nothing different than the German people who lived outside of Auschwitz and claimed to never smell the crematorium while thousands of people were thrown into ovens and made into ashes every single day.

Okay.  The last thought was just an awful one and I'm going to quit while I'm not quite ranting.  If you'd like to send me a list of YOUR personal "The Good.  The Bad.  The Fugly.", you can send it to:

thepoint[dot]nola[at]googlemail[dot]com

Disclaimer:  I will post those emails I find to be thought-provoking and different from mine... however, if you write something idiotic and miserable (with any personal attacks), I still may post it on here with my responses or commentary.  Just a heads-up.  And if your language is dirty, I don't care.  We're all adults.  But if you curse or use "dirty" words, please use them in the correct context.  It would be a shame for me to have to point out that you don't know what a certain word means.

I look forward to hearing from some of you!!  Now, it's time to get ready for the weekend... it's movie night here for all the girls... and wine is necessary!!

x0x0

Memorial Day Weekend. Crawfish Saturday.

Memorial Day Weekend???

Started with a bang.  BOIL time!!

There is NOTHING better than a boil, great company, and plenty o' booze.  I actually find myself feeling bad for those who think a "party" consists of high-end cupcakes, some sort of fizzy drinks (non-alcoholic, of course), and worrying about how everything looks.  How does one do it??  To me, that would be the second circle of hell - I'd rather deal with crazy drunks rather than the Joneses.  True story.

Let's start off with Friday night.

So.  Went to Perino's last night (I had such a hard-on for some properly fried oysters).  We sat in the bar area (which also has electronic gaming machines - so no one under the age of 18 was allowed - SCORE!!) and ordered our deviously delicious seafood.

I had a basket of sweet fried oysters and curly fries.  Husby had the fried shrimp (which are JUMBO) and he drank a couple of Abitas.  Needless to say, I drove home.  ;0))  Perino's is THE place to eat fresh Louisiana seafood.  It's not fancy (not by any means), but the beer is frosty and cold, the menu is simple, and the food comes to you hot and fresh.  One of our very good friends introduced us to this very local restaurant, and I won't eat oysters anywhere else.  The decor is awesomely tacky, though...

^^  An alligator sucking down a beer??  WINNING!!

^^  Cheezy mural outside Perino's...  the crab isn't really looking boiled.

But the gator has a beer and is wearing "over-hauls".  <3

After dinner, we stopped at Barnes and Noble (again) on the way home - I had just found out that the new Joe Hill book was out (I've given up waiting for the trade paperback/regular paperback versions - I'm rough on my books and I love to have them forever), so I picked that up and found a book which was a collection of short stories/novellas by some of the best horror writers in the genre.  So, I started reading that today (Sunday - as I'm a bit behind).  :0))

So... on Saturday, the neighbors were having a crawfish boil.  Oh, yes.  I picked up a Bananas Foster Cake (banana cake with rum custard - if I were religious??  I would've had an epiphany!!) and some Mike's Hard Cherry Lemonade from Rouses Market (which is one of my favorite local stores here in NOLA)... and bestowed my friends with the gifts.  I also drank some Abita beer, white wine, and a lovely mixed (girly) cocktail.  Delish!!

 ^^  It was 10* cooler under the overpass.  I was glad to get some shade!!

^^  Looking down a side-street on the way to my house...  I love how I can see the city (even when it is beyond the levees AND across the Mighty Mississippi)...  shots like this make me appreciate living in New Orleans.  The difference between a "big city" and a "little neighborhood" are obvious, but not unreachable.  This city is FANTASTIC.

^^  Live crawfish.  Waiting to be boiled.  And, yes.  That is a boat paddle in the upper right-hand corner of the picture.  Certainly necessary for getting every last live crawfish into the boiling pot.

^^  It takes 30 minutes to boil the crawfish, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, garlic, and corn (along with cayenne and other Cajun spices) on a 80,000 BTU gas burner.  Sounds like the space shuttle taking off, it's so loud.  And when everything is done, it's spread out on a large table and everyone eats what they want - it's a communal experience.  We were really lucky - we had some out-of-country visitors (a married couple from Brittany, France - and an Irish woman on a short stay from Dublin).  It was very cool to teach them how to eat the crawfish and they really enjoyed the whole experience.  

^^  After dinner, L. (who works for the New Orleans Saints), took out her ring that she received when the Saints won the Superbowl.  It's from Tiffany's - and it is HUGE.  Weighs over 2 ounces with all the  gold, diamonds, and onyx... and it is heavy.  

^^  Here I am, wearing the ring (to give you some perspective, my solitaire is 1.2 carats - and the Superbowl ring makes it look minuscule)... I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever worn a piece of jewelry that is so very expensive...  

^^  View from the front porch after the boil.  Everyone is keeping their lights off, because right now - the termites are swarming.  Yes, you *did* read that correctly.  However, it was a really balmy night and the wind coming off the Mississippi River was lovely.  So, we braved the swarms.  ;0))

I didn't get home until well after midnight and managed to sleep until 8:00 AM.  Woke up, showered, dressed, popped some Tylenol, and headed to another friend's house because I was on doggy-sitting duty for her four pups.  Hung out there for about an hour and a half, ran the dogs until they were tired, watered and fed them, and headed home.  Where I promptly fell asleep on the couch while reading one of my new books (no, the book wasn't boring or badly written - I was just wickedly tired).  I managed to snap some pictures of the pup-dogs, though...  they were so happy to see me and so very cute!!

 ^^  Petey (the ugliest-pug-in-the-world) is wrestling with Clementine... the hairiest dog in the house.

^^  Petey's profile.  He has a massive under bite and the worst breath.  ;0))

I didn't get pictures of Sophie and Bootsy... as Sophie had jammed herself under an end table and Bootsy moves TOO fast for me to get a decent picture of her.  Maybe I'll be able to get a photo in the morning (when I head over to the Grotto to water, feed, and wee everyone).  

Speaking of tomorrow, I don't think we're planning on doing much.  I borrowed the Lord of the Rings trilogy from my friend, K. - so I'm thinking it's going to be a pretty laid-back day.  I'm thinking that we'll probably do some upscale bar-food (spicy buffalo wings, home-made pizza with a ton of roasted veggies, and some jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon, and broiled) and we'll probably graze for most of the day.  Besides, it's supposed to be hot and humid here again, and I think it'll just be in our best interest to take it easy.

Because... come Tuesday, I'll be back at the gym for my 3+ miles on the treadmill and then off to the pool afterwards to hopefully start a tan of sorts and swim some laps.  I love, love, love to swim!!  

I hope everyone had a wonderful, relaxing, fun, happy, awesome weekend... because we most certainly did (and are technically still working on it).

x0x0

Stocking Up: On Books.

Although this stash will only last me a week or two (at the most).  It'll depend on how many notes I make or references I come across (I find some of the most interesting tidbits/quotes/people)...

I had some free time today, so I figured I'd mosey on down to my local Barnes and Noble.  They had been calling me for a couple of days (I ordered a hard-to-get book and didn't expect it in so soon) - but my social calendar had been full, AND it's been 90* with humidity above the 90% mark.  Not exactly cruising weather (I've taken two showers today and I'll probably take another one before I go to bed), but I figured I could take one for the team (hahaha) and make the effort to pick up my books.  Besides, I'm hard-up for reading material in printed form (I love my Kindle, but it'll never replace real books).

And, since it is Memorial Day Weekend, I figured I'd probably be enjoying my lovely deck, soaking up the sun, drinking a dirty martini or a gin-and-tonic or an amaretto sour (or maybe all three)... but what is missing from this idyll picture??  The pleasure of a BOOK.

Here is what I ended up getting:

 ^^  "LIARS FOR JESUS:

The Religious Right's Alternate Version of American History - Volume I"

- Chris Rodda - Foreword by Rev. William N. Esborn

ISBN:  1-4196-4438-6

"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."

- Daniel Patrick Moynihan

This was my special order.  The author has not completed Volume II as of yet, so I've added Chris Rodda to my wish list... and I'll be notified as to when it comes out.  :0))

********************

 ^^  "Urban Voodoo:  A Beginner's Guide to Afro-Caribbean Magic"

- S. Jason Black and Christopher S. Hyatt, Ph.D

ISBN:  1-56184-059-9

My initial interest was piqued because of the strong Voodoo and Hoodoo influence here in New Orleans.  There are shops here which cater to the practice of both - along with witchcraft and Paganism.  You can purchase a Voodoo doll suited for your needs at some shops - I received one for love when my husband I were married here.  It's on my desk right now.  

********************

 ^^  "The Handmaid's Tale"

- Margaret Atwood

ISBN:  978-0-385-49081-8

Description:  "Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead.  She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read.  She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable."

One of my friends, who is a librarian at a university, recommended this book to me.  I'm really looking forward to reading it - and there are a couple other Margaret Atwood books that I'd also like to buy.

********************

 ^^  "Alien Contact"

- Edited by Marty Halpern

ISBN:  978-1-59780-281-9

Compilation of stories by:  Stephen Baxter, Orson Scott Card, Cory Doctorow, Karen Joy Fowler, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, Ursula K. LeGuin, Elizabeth Moon, Pat Murphy, Charles Stross, Michael Swanwick, Harry Turtledove

Oh, how my geeky little heart beats faster at the thought of delving into this awesome alien sci-fi...  I can't wait to start reading this!!  Besides being a *huge* Stephen King fan, I also love Neil Gaiman.  Hopefully, some of the other authors may have other novels available... and if I enjoy their short stories, I'll be willing to try a full novel, a book of their own short stories, or a novella.  Finding new authors within genres that I like is always such a pleasure.

********************

^^  "God's Brothel"

- Andrea Moore-Emmett

ISBN:  978-1-930074-13-2

Description:  "The extortion of sex for salvation in contemporary Mormon and Christian Fundamentalist Polygamy - and the stories of 18 women who escaped."

"[An] illuminating new book" - CNN

I initially came across this book while reading about Flora Jessup and her escape from Warren Jeff's FLDS sect.  Another novel, about the "Lost Boys" (young men exiled from their communities so that the elders can take more wives) is on my short list for summer reading.  I am fascinated with cults - and the people in them... both from a sociological and psychological standpoint.  It is difficult for me to understand the need to "fit in" or (in Borg-speak) "assimilate" in order to stay in a lifestyle in which you've been born and raised.  I cannot imagine not having mentors who encourage learning in any capacity - or repress the natural nature of questioning your world and the people who inhabit it.

********************

I'm currently reading the sci-fi/fantasy book "Game of Thrones" by George R. R. Martin.  HBO has made a program that follows the series... but I didn't realize that there were quite a few books that follow.  The second is "A Clash of Kings", the third is "A Storm of Swords", the fourth is "A Feast for Crows", and the final book is "A Dance with Dragons".  If the first book is indicative of the rest of the series, I can say (with some certainty) that I will be purchasing the rest of the series.  

x0x0

Rain. Drugging the dog. Hiding.

^^  The sky will be falling most of the day, Chicken Little.

Well, the bad weather has finally moved south.  I woke up this morning to the loud rumble of thunder (at least it wasn't the uncontrolled, loud, obnoxious neighbor's children - the bastages) and promptly messaged my friend and gym partner, L. to let her know I wasn't going to be able to make it to my workout.  Seems like laziness is in the air, because she was still in bed.  Le sigh.  I'm up, but still wish I was snuggled under the soothing blankets of Big Puff (that is what we call our big awesome bed in this house).

 ^^  View from the back deck...

^^  Looking toward the French Quarter (the big green house is actually a recording studio)...

The sky looks so angry.

And since Choggie is terrified of thunderstorms, I ended up giving her a benadryl in order to calm her down.  She's currently holed up in the master bedroom closet - sleeping.  She gets so panicked during a storm, she tries to jam herself into the smallest places (and a 100-pound dog can't fit under the coffee table - it's physically impossible).  Disclaimer:  Our vet suggested the benadryl solution for when it is thundering/lightening outside.  I'd rather give her that instead of some weird prescribed anti-anxiety medication.  It appears to work rather well for her...

^^  Hide-y holed up in our bedroom closet.

My motivation is missing.  I really need to find it.  And I'm just really sucking today.  There is one consolation... I cleaned the house pretty thoroughly on Monday.  So, I have a minimum of work to do today, and I think I'm going to fire up the crock-pot so that I don't have to worry about dinner.  :0))  I also bought the book "Game of Thrones"... so I'm eager to start it.  If it's as good as the reviews say, I'll probably end up reading it right through today.

Sometimes thundery, rainy, gloomy, overcast days are absolutely needed (and it's not just Choggie who is hiding from the world... it's me, too!!).

x0x0

Musicology. Listening ears are now ON.

The first word in the title of this post doesn't sound copacetic.  Yes, I agree.  It *does* - indeed - look entirely like a made-up word.  But it isn't.  According to my favorite online dictionary the term is legit (but no need to take my word on it) - here is the definition:

mu·si·col·o·gy

 [myoo-zi-kol-uh-jee]

noun

the scholarly or scientific study of music, as in historical research, musical theory, or the physical nature of sound.

Origin: 

1905–10; music + -o- + -logy

Related forms:

mu·si·co·log·i·cal [myoo-zi-kuh-loj-i-kuhl], adjective

mu·si·co·log·i·cal·ly, adverb

mu·si·col·o·gist, noun

Now we've all learned something new today, kids!!  //sarcasm  

I can't lie.  As a bibliophile, I'm a word-lover, a grammar lover, a spelling lover, and a text-speak hater.  I suppose this just adds a bit of eclectic charm to my (sometimes) abrasive personality.  But, it also means that if you receive a text from me, there will be no sign of abbreviated words, the spelling and punctuation will be (generally) proper, and the length of my response will reflect this.  However, if YOU send me a message with a bunch of fucking acronyms, I will more than likely curse you as I'm trying to look the shit up on Google.  

Seriously, though.  I'm going to post some YouTube video links with some newly discovered (by me) music.  Before my trip to Shreveport, I found myself in a musical rut.  I tend to enjoy a lot of alternative and grunge music and find that I have very little patience for shitty pop music (Justin Bieber??  Adam Lambert??  Mariah Carey??  Celine Dion??  - I can't even believe that I have befouled my blog with those musical whores).  And, I don't really care for a lot of country stuff (there's only so many times your wife can leave - or cheat, the tractor can flip over, the dog can die, or the crops can wither).  I'm okay with some of the classic country, like Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson - but as far as the new stuff goes??  No.  Just... no.  So, it was utterly surprising to me that I ended up downloading some music which sounds kind of country and twang-y.  Hell, maybe it's more bluesy (at least that's what I'm telling myself).  

For most of these songs, I've actually used an app on my iPhone called "Shazam".  It's a free app (you can also purchase the ad-ware free version, but I couldn't justify paying for that version - the adverts really don't bother me much and certainly don't affect the app itself) and all you have to do is touch the screen (to SHAZAM!!) when a song is on, and it identifies the name of the song and the artist.  Pretty snazzy, eh??

^^  Wham!!  It's Shazam!!  

**Okay, so that was wickedly cheezy.  But I thought it was amusing.  It is what it is.**

What I'm getting at, is this little app helped me to discover new (at least to me) music and artists.  It entirely took the guesswork out of finding the songs on both YouTube and the iTunes store.  

Now my shameless Shazam plug is over (and no, I didn't receive anything for pimping this app - I just really like it), we'll *finally* go on to the actual reason for this post... the music.

Please note:  Lyrics, video content and subject matter may be offensive to some.

"Ain't No Rest for the Wicked"

Cage the Elephant

"99 Problems"

Hugo

"Immigrant Song"

**Remake of Led Zepplin's original song**

**Also featured as the opening song for the movie "Girl With a Dragon Tattoo"**

Trent Reznor, Karen O., Atticus Ross

"Hats Off to the Bull"

Chevelle

"Pride"

**I couldn't find an official video for this song, hence just the audio.**

Syntax

"Man of Constant Sorrow"

**Remake of the song from the movie "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou"

Charm City Devils

"Alcohaulin' Ass"

Hell Yeah

"Too Close"

Alex Clare

"Hey Mister"

**Totally inappropriate**

Custom

"Shambala"

**This song makes me so happy - and reminds me of the movie "Drowning Mona"**

Three Dog Night

Just a partial list of my road-tripping music.  :0))  Some of these songs are a bit older (besides the Three Dog Night song from 1975) - and I missed them because we were living in Europe during the time they were released Stateside.  Contrary to popular belief, everything American does not necessarily make it across the pond.  Hell, the Germans still think David Hasselhoff is a hawt commodity (and for those brave enough to take a look and listen... click here).

Until next time, peeps.  

x0x0