1. What's the last place you traveled to, outside your own home state/country? Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. 2. What's the most bizarre/unusual thing that's ever happened to you while traveling? A truck driver exposed himself to my family at a motel in Mississippi. It was surreal! 3. If you could take off to anywhere, money and time being no object, where would you go? I'm thinking either an Alaskan cruise, or Euorpe again during October. 4. Do you prefer traveling by plane, train or car? Travelling by train is really cool but we seldom do it. 5. What's the next place on your list to visit? Charleston, South Carolina, an historic and very romanitc setting.
:: Tom 8:23 AM [+] ::
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:: Thursday, August 07, 2003 ::
My free counter is now a pay counter. Anyone know of a free counter I can install?
Wearing: Small check (white and navy) short sleeve button down and Navy trousers (very spiffy).
Listening to: Dido- 'White Flag', also the Rippingtons.
Wondering about: The absolutely incredible variation in human personality, how we differ one from another in so many ways, yet we seek and find common ground and communicate to a level of understanding. I am just awe struck!
The death of my Guardian Angel haunts me daily. I reach out and she's not there. I am so alone now. She was older (in her 60's) and wiser than me, mysterious, keeping secrets. But let me tell you: She is gone! It seems that once you move on, regardless of which level of the journey you are on, there's no going back, no communion between spirit and flesh. I don't know how Jonathon Edwards does it, maybe somehow he has connected with the world of Shades, maybe he is a trickster. But I only feel emptyness on the other side. Astral Spirits of the living hover around me and visit my dreams nightly. But the dead are dead! Like the feeling I get when at the viewing at the Funearal Home before burial. I walk up, look at the body, and they are not there! The spirit has moved on.
And now she has moved on. There's noone to take her place. I am alone and I am so sad.
:: Tom 8:51 AM [+] ::
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:: Wednesday, August 06, 2003 ::
Wearing: Paisly print, forrest green buttondown, khaki slacks
Listening to: White Stripes- 'Seven Nation Army', Nellie Furtado-'Turn out the Light' on VH1
Feel like I may have lost a coupl'a pounds. No Pastries or Fast Food this week. I'll weigh in on Friday. Took today off from my job, laid around, watched an 80's movie with Jeff Bridges and Keifur Sullivan. Had seen it before but forgot how it ended. Then switched to a replay of last year's South Carolina/Clemson Game. We played them tough for three quarters before losing. Carolina actually looked a lot better than I remembered.
The clutch has gone out on the 200SX. I've been having a new one put in since yesterday. Now the guy calls and tells me they have put two in so far and their clutch kits don't work on my car. Sooo, they're ordering one from the dealership, won't be ready till Friday. That means Deb and I have to haul each other around to our respective job sites. Even though it makes both us rush and be late, it's still kind'a cool- we get to spend extra time together in the car. We both work 8:00 to 5:00, then I work 6:00 till 9:00 on Mondays and Wednesdays, she works Friday night till 9:00 then 10:00-5:00 on Saturday and again 12:00-5:00 on Sundays. We don't get to spend much quality time together, so these morning and afternoon commutes allow us to catch up. Deb can be a hoot sometimes, she keeps me in stitches! Tonight she was brow beating me for being a lazy bum on my day off and not walking the dog before I left to come get her and not doing any yardwork like I promised then we were trying to get to my job at the Library and we were late (which she blamed on me). She said: "Husbands- What are they good for?!" Then we both sang "Uhhh! Absolutely nothing!" like the in the 70's song "War". It was all in good clean fun. Husband and Wife stuff. Deb's a little bit smarter than the average bear!
Wearing: Faded black cotton trousers, white short sleeve Henley, hiking boots.
Listening to: The Beatles..."Help!"
Roo gave me a wonderful idea: Take some of my better, more tender posts and turn them into songs! Yeah, I can do that! My songwriting has dried up in the past year. Most of my creativity has gone into my blog. Ask a hundred songsters about the craft and and they'll give you a thousand keys to the creative process. Topping the list will be inspiration. Be it a phrase, a musical riff, an experience, an idea, something that stirs the creative stew. Well my blog is full of these kinds of ideas and experiences. Don't get me wrong, lyrics and melody are not easy, but give me the right idea and the song writes itself. And now the process has started. Thanks, Roo! I'll send you the CD!
I've got to lose some weight! As Gina so delicately put it, I'm "sure looking buff lately." Well I need to go about this the right way...hmm. I've put on 10 lbs since I quit the amphetamines. But I'm not going back in that direction. Portion control works. I did Weight Watchers a coupl'a years ago and lost 20 lbs. kept it mosly off for a year, then a combination of "all you can eat buffets" at night and Captain D's Fish 'N Fries at lunch. It's mostly a matter of attitude and small choices, and not giving up. That's what has happened lately...I just gave up..."Who cares?" I said. Well I care. Obesity is interfering with my quality of life, even to the point of tying my shoes, getting in and out of the car, getting up from the sofa.
So, I'll begin with small meals and more frequent snacks. I'll increase fruit and veggies and decrease empty carbs. No more doughnuts! Cakes! Pies! I'll have cereal for breakfast instead of a big fat cinnamon roll. (Gosh I'm off to an ambitious start so far!) After I've dropped a few, I'll add some walking. I'll see if I can persuade Deb to get back on her Stair Master. Yea, that's the ticket. Freshly cut Peaches, Watermelon, Plums, Cantelope! Brucolli, Cauliflower, Green Beans, New Potatoes, Corn on the Cob in my electric steamer! Palm sized cuts of Pork, Beef, Chicken on my George Foreman Grill. P-nut butter or cheese on crackers for a TV snack. Sherbet or fresh Strawberries w/cool whip or Deb's delicious Tri-fold with blueberries for Desert! I'll post daily updates on my Blog. You've got the 'Before' photos to the left. I'll add some new ones when my weight loss shows. I'll be fun! Yes, we can do this!!!
:: Tom 6:52 PM [+] ::
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