Summer Reading Programs

It's that time again! Bribery? Maybe. But my kids love filling out their forms and redeeming them for valuable prizes! (usually, more books)

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading/

Pizza Hut http://www.bookitprogram.com/

Half Price Books http://www.halfpricebooks.com/feed_your_brain.html

Borders - http://www.borders.com/online/store/MediaView_doubledogdare?cmpid=SA_20100505

Scholastic Summer Challenge - http://www.scholastic.com/summerreading/index.htm

Also be sure to check with your local library for both children and adult reading programs this summer. But you knew that. Right?

Letting the iPod make the decisions

This morning I needed music, but didn't know what. So I put the iPod on shuffle all, and did not allow myself any skipping as I went about whatever domestic drudgery was going on today. This is what happened.

1. Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Pts. 6-9 - Pink Floyd: A little much playing this long version early in the morning. But it's Pink Floyd, so it's all good.
2. Rehab - Amy Winehouse: Always good.
   
3. Let's Get High - Lords of Acid: Had forgotten all about this song. There was dancing. The children were alarmed.
   
4. Come Sail Away - Me First and the Gimme Gimmes: I love this song in any form. Shut up.
   
5. Ball and Chain - Social Distortion: Never not in the mood for this one.
   
6. Suspicious Minds - Dwight Yoakam: Country? Now? Ok, at least it's fast and it's Dwight. Mmmm Dwight.
   
7. Blue (Da Ba Dee) [Extended Mix] - Eiffel 65: More dancing!
   
8. Memories of East Texas - Michelle Shocked: Love her, didn't know this song. Very pretty, really liked it.
   
9. Stickshifts And Safetybelts - Cake: Cake is awesome. This song is one of the least awesome. Bad luck.
   
10. Somebody - Depeche Mode: Like Pink Floyd, hard to go wrong. High school memory inducing tune. Just sayin.
    
11. My Name Is Prince - Prince & the New Power Generation: Now that's some morning cleaning music I can get behind.
    
12. Walking Towards Paradise [*]  - Robert Plant: meh
    
13. Wind Below - Rage Against The Machine: Good song, but not in the mood.
    
14. Dress You Up - Madonna: At first I was like cool, old Madonna. Then it was more of a yuck, this song is annoying.
    
15. Mendocino County Line - Willie Nelson & Lee Ann Womack: Reminded me of my dad, in sad/happy ways.
    
16. Is It Still Over? - Randy Travis: Blech. Romance. Sappiness. Gag.
    
17. Judas - Depeche Mode: We know about DM by now yes?
    
18. Slice of Your Pie - Mötley Crüe: A little jarring in the middle of the rest, but ok.
    
19. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The Beatles: Beautiful song I don't really hear much, which is odd.
    
20. Policy Of Truth Depeche Mode: DM
    
21. Down In Flames (- LP Version) - The Uninvited: Bought this cd for a different song, turns out most of it is pretty good. Like this.
    
22. Ya' Keep On - Kid Rock: Another cd loaded for an entirely different song(s). Kid, not today. Go away.
    
23. Carrie - Europe: Hair bands, how I miss you.
    
24. Down Rodeo - Rage Against The Machine: This was ok, I was about done with the music for a while though. Besides...

And then something from Metallica's Load came on, and I had to give up the game. I don't even remember what it was, but it wasn't good.

So that was fun. It could have been better. It could have been a lot worse, too.

Finally, 12 of 12

Every month I enjoy looking at my friend Brian's 12 of 12 posts. Self, I say, you should do that. Then I forget. But not this month. Set a thingy in the Blackberry, and managed to take 12 pictures, every hour(ish) today starting at around 8:30. Want to see them? Ok bye. The rest of you, let's go.


I give up. I can't figure out how to do the pictures like he does. But I did this, dammit.

Click HERE to go see the set on flickr.

Goodnight. Gah.

Don't call me Lady

Seriously. It's a direct route to my facepunching nerve. LADY. Nothing good ever comes from conversations that start with someone calling me Lady.

So I'm driving in this suburb today. It's out in the country. The roads aren't paved yet. They are gravel and dirt, and with all of the snow and rain we have had, they are really horrible.

The speed limit is 20 mph. This is hardly a problem, as when it is wet, anything over 10 will send you into someone's front yard, and when it is dry, you throw up enough gravel and crap from the tires to shatter every piece of glass in your car.

Anyway. I drive to where I'm going and do what I have to do (nothing interesting, honest). I head back out of the neighborhood.

Cue Crazy Old Man. He stands out in the middle of the street. I slow down and try to go around him. He holds up his hand moves in front of the car. Wait, what? He's holding a jar of something in his hand. He wants me to roll down my window.

And conversation. I am not using some dialect thing to try and make him sound like an uneducated country bumpkin. I'm just writing it how he said it.

COM: Hey, Lady, are you aware the speed limit here is 20 miles an hour?

Well, yes.

COM: Well, you wasn't doin no 20 when you came thataway! You stayed down there for a while then you came back this way.

Yes, I did that. But I wasn't speeding.

COM: Yes you was! Lady you got kids you (mutter mutter)

I see. Can I see your radar machine?

COM: I just count from pole to pole, them telephone poles!

Well, that's a fucking magic trick, congratulations.

Then I rolled up my window and left. Didn't even try to squish his foot.

I will now work on overcoming my childish urge to drive past his house really, really slowly. A lot.