Alaska Adventure Recap - The Exciting Conclusion!

Day 4
Today we left Valdez and headed to Seward. I had my first wildlife encounters today. As we were driving,we saw a moose on the side of the road. P. is fearless, and got some nice photos of the creature. They are really big. I guess they are used to having tourists (most of them in RVs - I swear I have never seen so many of those things in one place in my entire life!)pulling over and taking photos of them - kinda like Paris Hilton and the paparazzi (or something.)

Anyway, our second encounter occured at a nature preserve. You could drive from animal to animal (we dubbed it the "lazy zoo"). We saw more moose, elk, deer, foxes, owls, an eagle, and, at last, bears (yay, bears!) Of course, I took a million pictures, so if you'd like a million pictures of bears, email me!

Seward is a lovely town. The marina area is filled with quaint shops and restaurants (as well as the obligatory glacier tour companies and fishing charters.) We stayed at an adorable cabin that one of P.'s friends owns - definitely the best accommodations we had on the trip. We had more yummy seafood - including a superb crab bisque - for dinner (good thing I'm not 100% vegetarian anymore, huh?) and hit the hay.

Day 5
Today we went out fishing for salmon and halibut (with Crackerjack Charters - had to give them a plug!) This trip also marks the first time my seasickness (which I only get occassionally) made me take a nice long look overboard (if you know what I mean!)As they say in the Gilligan's Island theme song, "The weather started getting rough..." It was cloudy, cold and windy out there. We had been blessed with some beautiful weather the first few days, so this wasn't unexpected. We were out wityh a bunch of execs from Red Bull, which was cool (again, I was the only lass on board). For me, fishing was tough (for P., not so much!) I caught a few Red Bull execs, which frustrated me to the point that I had to take a break. After the weather calmed down, I managed to hook a salmon, a halibut and a few dogfish (small sharks). P. managed to collect about 30 lbs of halibut for our freezer (yum!) Wewent out to dinner that night with Andy (the charter captain) and his wife Nici (who owns the cabin) - very nice people (Fun Fact: Andy looks like Tom Wopat from "The Dukes of Hazzard"!) The next day was our early day, so off to bed...

Day 6
Today we went fishing for sockeye salmon on the Kenai River. We were up before 5, and it took us an hour to get to the lodge. From there it was another 45 minutes to the boat launch. I got to wear waders for the first time (not a good look for me, I'm afraid!) and use a fly rod (I felt very "A River Runs Through It"!) I did ok - I actually landed a fish (no surprise, P. landed quite a few - the guy behind him in the photo that looks homicidal is actually our guide). All in all, another 15 lbs of fish are headed back to Florida!
Day 7
Today we made our way back to Anchorage. We were supposed to go fishing, but the weather was pretty grim. Besides, something captured my attention the minute we rolled into Seward, and I couldn't stop thinking of it the whole time we were there. There is a training facility for one of the Iditarod teams in Seward that's open to the public. So, you know what this means - SLED DOGS!! They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so here's your "awww moment of the day"...

Oh, alright, here's another one...

I got to dress up like an Iditarod racer, see one of the dogs from that movie "Eight Below" and go on a sled ride (oh, and, of course I took a million pictures. If you'd like a million sled dog photos, email me!) On our ride (we used a summer sled - with wheels on it that they use to train the dogs in the off-season) I leraned that not all sled dogs are Huskies or Malamutes - they are a bunch of different breeds (and a lot of mixed breeds) that are put together as a team based on their unique attributes (some dogs are faster, some stronger, some have more endurance, etc.) Here's the team we went out with:

After we got back to Anchorage (our hotel had a walk-in freezer for fish - only in Alaska!) We headed (once again) to the Sea Galley for the "Last Supper" (more crab!) and then ventured into downtown for a little fun with P.'s new friend, who just happened to be in town that day. Ryan is a Blue Angel, and he and his fellow Angels were in town for an air show. So I got to party with the Blue Angels - pretty cool, huh? Here's a photo from one of the local watering holes - you will only "get" this if you saw "Bubble Boy"...

We went to a few bars (one of which was called Platinum Jaxx - which sounded like a nudie bar, but wasn't) and P. intorduced the boys to his world-famous Backdraft shot. Here's a photo of one of the guys in the process of enjoying this fine libation...

What a way to end a great vacation, huh? The next day, we took the long, uncomfortable flight back to Florida. Next up - California!

Alaska Adventure Recap - Day 2 and Beyond

Since I'll be Internet-less until Monday, I figured I'd better finish up this recap, so here goes...

Day 2
Today we left Anchorage and headed for Valdez (yes, as in Exxon Valdez - remember that?) I won't bore you with my slightly blurry photos of the scenery on the loooong drive there (mountains at 55 mph don't look as good as the real thing), but will show you a very cool (literally) sight - the Worthington Glacier. These things are all over the state and they are breathtaking. Valdez is a really small town. It's probably only a few miles around. There's a market (it's too small to be considered super) a video store, a liquor store, a few gas stations and diners and a Subway. The marina was the center of activity here, with nature cruises, kayak tours and fishing charters. Our hotel was right next door and it was really nice (for the second night in a row we were upgraded to suites, for no reason whatsoever. I like this place! We ate dinner in the hotel and it was surprisingly good (finally sunk into some delicious Alaskan salmon. Mmmmm...)Since we had a long day ahead tomorrow (and there really wasn't much to do - we did get to see "Flavor of Love" though!) it was off to sleepy-land for us.

Day 3
Today we went Salmon Shark fishing (I had never heard of them before either). We were out on a party boat with 4 other men. Yes, this was a close as I got to an Alaskan cruise. At least I was on a boat - but I did miss Isaac slinging fruity cocktails my way as I relaxed on the Lido deck. Oh well...

Fishing was tough. I got a shark nibbling at my bait - he even came back 3 different times, but I couldn't hook him. P. was having problems getting the fishies to bite as well. There were 2 sharks caught on the boat. I didn't like the fact that the sharks were killed, because they were beautiful (sorry, that was your PETA-approved moment of the day)so it's probably just as well I didn't get one. P. has photos, but I don't think you'd want to see dead sharks, so here's a shot I took in the hotel parking lot of a bunny's tush...

More to come...

At long last - the Alaska Adventure Recap!

I have to get this done before I no longer have Broadband (new house is dial-up - ewwwww!)so, without further ado...

Day 1
Wel, obviously, the bulk of day 1 was spent on the plane. We flew Alaska Airlines, which was ok, but they didn't have an in-flight movie, per se - they had a individual set-up where you had your own little monitor (that you had to pay for, 'natch) where you could choose from such fine films as "Phat Girls" and "Curious George" - thank God for my iPod! Once we landed, we strpped the Alaskan feed bag on for the first (of many) delicious dinners. We went to a place called the Sea Galley. Tacky name, great eats. We had Halibut Nuggets, which upon seeing them, we dubbed them Halibut Boulders! Halibut has now overtaken grouper as my favorite fish. We also got crabs (get your minds out of the gutter - we had a delicious assortment of snow, Dungeness (spelling?) and Alaskan king crab. But enough of that, I'm making myself hungry! As Paul and I are creatures who crave culture, our obvious next stop was the local adult entertainment establishment. Yeah, strip clubs are pretty much the same wherever you go (in the states), but you can't pass up a place called The Great Alaskan Bush Company, now can you? The place definitely takes the prize for ambiance - it's done up like an old, wild west saloon, but the ladies are far from Miss Kitty. Mixed among the patrons of the establishment was a ladies (and I use the term loosely) softball team, who apparently had just won a tournament and were out for a night on the town. They upped the people watching ante to a whole new level. One of the ladies looked like Erik Estrada (I swear). Too funny. We decided to cut out around 11pm, and when we stepped outside, it was still light out (the whole week I was there, I never got used to that!) Fortunately, the hotels have those thick, light blocking curtains, so slumber came quickly.

I have to go pack some more. I'll be back later with day 2 and beyond...

Hey, aren't you...?

No one tells me I look like anyone famous. When I was in college, I got Jodie Foster and Ellen Barkin. I didn't see it. The worst was being compared to Tina Yothers from "Family Ties" (by a guy I used to date!) So, after that crushing blow, if I looked like someone famous, I didn't want to know - it's better that way.

So anyway, my hubby has told me that a few people have mistaken him for Tamap Bay Bucs coach Jon Gruden lately. Hmmm...let's see...

Here's the hubby doing something unusual (sure!)

Here's Gruden.

I can kinda see it, but since fishing is involved, I think this pic may prove a stronger resemblance...

Oh, yeah - it's him! (Sorry P., couldn't resist! At least no one said you looked like Andy Reid!)

Happy Birthday Colleen!

My sis is 34 today - she has already informed me that's she's going to Chili's for her birthday lunch so I'm confident she'll have a good one!

Well, it's Friday - the end of a kind of slow week at work. I'm in the process of phasing myself out at work and I have less things to do during the workday (that and the whole office has been slow.) So I decided, just to get the right brain going, to do one of those cute "I-Pod Shuffle" pieces. 7 (usually it's 5, but I have that kind of time. If things continue to be slow it could be 10 or even more) random songs that pop up on the pod and my thoughts on them. Sounds like fun, huh? Here we go...

"Shambala" - Three Dog Night: "Joy to the World" was the first 45 I ever owned (and my favorite sing-along at Howl at the Moon) and I love this band. I have Joy and it's B-side, "I Can Here You Calling" (very funky for a bunch of white boys) as well as this song on the ol' I-pod. I need more Dog - at least "Old Fashioned Love Song".

"Get Set" - Taxiride: This is one of those faux psychadelic songs that came out in the mid-90s. I think it was in a movie. The whole CD is pretty good. I have nothing more to say about this one, sorry.

"One Way Street" - Go West: I loooove Go West - especially that guitar player - I think his name is Richard Drummie. Let me check...yup. My college roomate and I fantasized about marrying them - Richard for me and lead singer Peter Cox for her (yes, pathertic as it is, I fantasized about celebrity relationships long into adulthood). This is one of their mellower tunes - I think I'd have to pick "Goodbye Girl" as my favorite - oh, and the remix of "Call Me" from "Bangs and Crashes". Ok, getting a little music geeky here...

"Burning Up" - Madonna: I remember when I hated Madonna. My gay friend forced me to listen to her first album every time we got in the car (a gay man who loves Madonna? Who woulda thunk it?) I thought she was whiny - but it didn't take long to become a big fan of the Material Girl - I dressed up in the "Lucky Star" video get-up for a high school costume party (complete with knock-offs of her boots from Desperately Seeking Susan which I still have (again, pathetic - isn't it?)

"Hung Up" - Madonna: 2 by Madge in a row? I like this one because of the ABBA sample. That's pretty much it. I kinda gave up on Madonna after "Ray of Light", but this one is catchy.

"Good Morning, Good Morning": Peter Frampton, the Bee Gees & Paul Nicholas: I was hoping my baby Peter turned up! This is from the soundtrack of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the movie that I have seen more times than any movie ever. I remember when we got cable for the first time, and watched every single viewing of this movie the month it was on (it had to be over 20 times.) I lost count around 50 or so viewings. I also watched it on my 21st birthday, when my purse was stolen (as in no ID) and I drank Heineken that someone had to buy for me with my friend Patrick (who's an actual movie star now!) It obviously holds a special place in my heart!

"Show Me the Way" - Peter Frampton: What could be better than a Frampton 2-fer? Not much! Of course this is the "Frampton Comes Alive" version. I (obviously) have a lot of his songs on my I-pod. Favorite? "Baby, I Love Your Way" (which would have been our wedding song if I'd had my way) and "Penny for Your Thoughts", but his songs are kind of like your children - it's so hard to pick a favorite.

"Mr. Blue Sky" - Electric Light Orchestra (yeah, it's number 8, but I'm exquisitely bored...) These guys had me at Xanadu. This is such a peppy song, great for morning workouts!

"Belief System" - Double Drive: I saw this band a few years ago at Music Midtown in Atlanta. My then-boyfriend and I got in a fight during their set. Ah, sweet memories...Actually, this song rawks.

"Rhiannon" - Fleetwood Mac: Peter Frampton and Stevie Nicks - my 70s idols. "Dreams" is still my favorite karaoke song of all time, but this one is cool as well.

Ok, the guys from Clerks II (a must-see) are on Opie and Anthony now. Later 'taters!

Every comment in my high school yearbook - the video

Yeah, I was a geek in high school, and I'm proud of it. Most things from high school (jokes, music, fashion - thank GOD for that) have long since been forgotten, but there's one thing that we just can't seem to let go. So that being said, here's a li'l old school video for my PJPII homegirls!

Nothing from me...how 'bout some more Frampton?

I love YouTube. I figure if I put enough Peter Frampton references here, maybe the man himself will check the site out and - who knows? And for those of you who aren't Peter, enjoy...

Guess I'll never learn...

Yup, once again, I am surrendering my body for charity. Just yesterday, I signed up for the 2007 Walt Disney World Half Marathon. This one (along with Disneyland Half in September) concludes my "Farewell Tour" - as in I am hanging up my running (oh, alright, walking) shoes after this. As in 2006, I am taking part in this race for charity. This year, the charity I'm raising money for is near and dear to my heart.

Joints in Motion is a part of the Arthritis Foundation. The Arthritis Foundation is the only national not-for-profit organization that supports the more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions with advocacy, programs, services and research. Those of you who know me know that my Dad has dealt with arthritis and, thanks to the wonderful world of genetics (and my current weakening state) I'm a prime candidate for it in the future. So, now commences the begging...

PLEEEEEEAAAASSSEEEEEE! No, I will be more subtle. Last year, the response for my efforts with Team in Training was overwhelming - those who gave donated what they could, and if it weren't for everyone's help, I would have never made my fundraising goal (by the way, it's $2500 this year.) No donation is too small, so if you are feeling charitable, please click here. And hey, it's tax-deductible! As with last year, I am chronicling my training efforts on Chariots of Fitz, so enjoy and feel my pain!

Starting the Holiday Weekend Off Right

I was looking for clips from America's Got Talent on YouTube (for my Pop Culture Junkies column) and I found what has to be the biggest laugh-out-loud moment on TV I have ever seen. I have seen this so many times and it makes me cry - it is that funny. Now, laugh, cry and enjoy...





If you don't know, that's Ryan Stiles and that's improv. Hope this clears the whole stand-up vs. improv thing once and for all!

It's Amazing What You Find When You Clean Out Your Closets...

Things I Want

Ah, the summer blahs. 2 months to vacation, hubby out of town, friends incommunicado, move date up in the air and to top it off, a severe case of right-brain atrophy (as in my creativity is lagging, big time!) So, here's a list of some miscellaneous (mostly non-tangible) things I want.

- A TiVo (ok, that's a tangible one). I have a lot of the other high tech goodies (iPod, Razr phone, digital camera) but somehow, the TiVo has escaped my grasp. I initially didn't want one, as I feared it would render me a useless couch potato. If I had a TiVo, instead of a VCR that we never have seemed to be able to program correctly, I could record and watch all of what I dub my "unemployment greatest hits" - the daytime judge shows I love (Judge Mathis is my favorite, but I also like Judge Milian from The People's Court, Judge Joe and, of course, Judge Judy) and watch them when I got home from work - while recording the evening shows for later viewing - thus causing a never-ending cycle of TV watching...not good. But I think I may obtain a TiVo soon for the following reasons:

First of all, I have so many VHS tapes laying around that it's ridiculous. When "House" used to be on the same time as "My Name is Earl" and "The Office" (my 3 favorite shows) we obviously had to tape something; and now that I'm doing recaps for two shows over at Pop Culture Junkies, I also need to tape those. Mount VHS is growing at an alarming pace.

Secondly, TiVo would come in handy when there's nothing else on TV - which is quite often. We have gone through just about every "On Demand" movie and show, and it would be nice to take some time off from channel surfing (husband is a master of this.) So that's enough about this. Now on to the intangibles...

- I want more people to read my blog - all of them. I want people to realize that I'm a pretty decent writer.

- I want to do some cool celebrity interviews for Pop Culture Junkies. Not the typical Brad/Angelina/Vince/Tom (Hanks or Cruise) ones, but some people that I've always wanted to talk to - like Chris Atkins and anyone from Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. I'd also love to talk to Gina Gershon, Henry Rollins, Janeane Garofolo and Margaret Cho. Of course, I think it's been pretty well established that the ultimate would be the one and only Peter Frampton!

- I want a nice new house with a big kitchen (with pantry and island) and a community pool. I want to be in a neighborhood where they have get-togethers and such. I want to live somewhere where there are not NASCAR stickers on the back of every car and truck. (Ok, another tangible, sorry...)

- I want to be a full-time writer - maybe an arts critic/columnist for a newspaper (I couldn't be a restaurant critic - I'd be as big as a house!)

I want to stay at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego just once - as that was where they filmed my all-time favorite movie "Some Like it Hot".

- And the last one for now...I want Peter Frampton to play at my 40th birthday party. I fully intend for this to be a reality. Don't know how, but I'm going to do everything in my power to make it happen!

That's all I can think of for now...

On-Whee! (Say it out loud...)

Oh my God. I am so bored. I can't even come up with something interesting to write about for any of my blogs (at least I have my show recaps at PCJ for the next few days.) I am sick of surfing the 'net - I know way too much about Lindsey, Paris and the gang. I am slightly ashamed and feel slightly dirty. I have made a few "celebrity connections" since I started writing for PCJ. Got an email from Doug Benson from "Last Comic Standing" and even cooler, Harrison Page (from "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" and "Sledgehammer!") emailed me today - I am hoping to do an interview with him sometime soon. I am trying to hone my journalism skills, as I am really enjoying the writing thing, and may be able to parlay all of this blogging into a real career. It would be awesome if the hubby and I were both doing something we enjoyed!

I am really at a loss. I need some sort of right brain jolt or something. I've been reading other blogs to get some sort of inspiration, but it's not helping. Since I'll be a single gal for the next few weeks, maybe I can (gasp) actually work on my book concept for a while! Kick me (figuratively - I'm not into the kinky stuff!), I need it!

Movin' On Up to the East Side

Great news for your friend Sugar. We have officially put our Hooterville estate on the market! I am beyond excited. With this excitement comes stress (of course!) as we now have to kick the packing thing into high gear! Our real estate agent, Barry, came over last night and told us what to do to make the house more sellable. We know we have to fix the obvious, like the laundry room Boo trashed during that "let's see how she does without her crate" period (a complete disaster) and the chunk of stucco I took out on the side of the garage with my car (no, I was not drunk. I was headed for the gym. Who knew?) When Barry got to our bedroom, he took one look in my closet and said "oh no."

My closet is a disaster. I blame the fact that the only dresser I have to speak of looks like it belongs in the Barbie Dream House. It's small, but then so was my apartment in Atlanta, where I bought the thing. So now comes the painful reality of having to get rid of a lot of stuff in a short amount of time. This could be a good thing, as I'll have little time for sentimentality and quiet reflection on things that really need to go, like my extensive collection of "stripper shoes" (5" heels in a variety of patent leather colors.) I never go anywhere that would call for stripper shoes, so I will ace those (but save one pair for "special occasions" - hubba, hubba!) I also need to cut down my extremely huge t-shirt collection. All the shirts that have been relegated to the drawers under my bed I believe will soon be the latest in Goodwill fashions (except for any of my Frampton tour shirts, for obvious reasons.) I can at least get rid of my business suits, because who really wears them anymore; but I am not parting with my Madonna "Desperately Seeking Susan" boots that I've had since high school, because I can't. Period.

More moving adventures coming soon! In the meantime, if you know of anyone looking for a house in Hooterville, let me know!

Sugar - Broadway Impresario?

I'm posting this here, 'cause it might be a little too obscure for Pop Culture Junkies. I was thinking, since Jersey Boys, a musical featuring the songs of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, did quite well at this year's Tony Awards, why not revive the music of some other bands that may have lost a bit of their luster over the years? Here are some suggestions...

"I Wanna Sex You Up" - The Color Me Badd Experience


"Brandy and Other Fine Girls" - A Look Back at Looking Glass


"Shambala Boys" - The Music of Three Dog Night


"Flint Guyz" - The Songs of Grand Funk Railroad


"Saturday Night Scots" - A Musical Revue Spotlighting the Music of the Bay City Rollers


"Afternoon Delights" - A Musical Tribute to the Starland Vocal Band


and...wait for it...


"Do You Feel Like He Do?" - The Peter Frampton Story (Oh please, oh please!!!)

I thnk these are all viable properties, don't you? I mean, look how long Cats was on the Great White Way? Just a thought...

That's My Time...Tip Your Waitress...

Since my other site is down right now, I thought I'd return to my home blog - and write about something that's been on my nerves for a while. Those who know me know that I have a pretty extensive background in Improv comedy. I honed my skills at FSU, when I was in the Moving Company, the school's children's theater troupe (yes, Miss "No Kids" did children's theater!) You have to think on your toes to keep 3rd and 4th graders amused, and I must say we did pretty well (I also got to rap in the show we did, so I immediately endeared myself to the young'uns.) My Improv background also helped out immeasurably during my stints as a tour guide (both at Universal and CNN.) We had a script for the godawful tram tour at USF, but as you are carting a load of tourists around closed, empty soundstages for 15 minutes, you have to come up with something, and boy, did I (we also would do the tours in different accents, to liven things up.) CNN was another story. Fortunately I had worked in television production before I got there and could riff endlessly about the neat-o things that went on in the newsroom and studio (which came in especially handy on the VIP tours, where people paid a lot of dough for the occasional face-to-face with a Headline News anchor (Chuck Roberts, my friend (and twin sister at the time) Toria Tolley, and the late, great Don Harrison) and the chance to watch (former) CNN anchor Lou Watters incessantly spray his hair (my parents got to witness that, and they still talk about it.) I could write a book about CNN, probably will someday...

So why the walk down "memory lane"? What does this have to do with anything? I was talking about Improv. I did some in Atlanta and had a really good time doing it. Unfortunately, the 2 troupes I was in there broke up (little ego-clashing problems and the like) and I haven't found another outlet here in Florida, so I haven't had much practice as of late. But what really steams my buns is that whenever people hear I did Improv, they instantly say "Tell us a joke!" (a few of my co-workers are guilty of this - in fact it happened again last week, which prompted this entry.) I don't know how many times I have to say it, Improv-ers and Stand-Ups are 2 totally separate groups. I have nothing against Stand-ups, in fact I dated one for a while. It's hard work. It's just different. I met Jeff Foxworthy (shameless name dropping) at a charity event (which a friend and I snuck into, but that's a story for another time) and told him I did Improv. He said, and I'll never forget it, "I could never do that!" I thought that was awesome. Improv is hard too, especially because more people hate it, so that's another battle we need to fight. I love going to see stand-up comics (like Jim Gaffigan, who is my favorite, Margaret Cho, Lewis Black, Dave Atell, the aforementioned Jeff Foxworthy, and so on...) but I also had a blast seeing Wayne Brady and Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood do improv live. We can all live together in harmony, doing our own thing. Kumbaya.

So, in summary, if you ever run into me, please don't ask me to tell you a joke!

2 Legit 2 Quit!

Believe it or not, the fine folks at Pop Culture Junkies have given me a chance to write on a site that is seen by more than 2 people! I'm a writer! Check out my hilarious review of Last Comic Standing. If you suffered through it last night, you will probably think the recap was much funnier than the show itself (hell, I laughed more at the "Office" marathon promo!)

In other news, my sister-in-law just had a baby early this morning. Congrats Lynne and Mark! This means I am now an aunt. I am someone's aunt. Scary, isn't it? I want to be a "hip aunt" like my aunt is. She introduced me to rock n' roll (still have the LP's) and Oyster Bars, among other things. By the time my new niece is ready to be RAWKED, the only thing "hip" about me will be a hip replacement. Of course, the li'l chica will have to learn to fish first (from both Dad and Unca Paul!) Speaking of fishing...

I never detailed the excitement of the PTTS Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament down in Boca Grande a few weeks ago. I was on a team with Dena and Beth (it was the "wives and girlfriends crew".) In keeping with the long tradition (which started way back in 2005) of dressing up for the event (as no one, including the event organizers, take the ladies seriously,) we decided to do a "pimp n' ho" theme. Paul got he and Cap'n Ozzie those silly pimp hats that you find at Spencer Gifts or other fine retail locations. We gals had to bring the sexy. Last year I was in an oversized fishing shirt and baggy shorts. This year, it was a black bikini with matching mini skirt and (optional) red feather boa. At least the camera boat was around us more this year! We dropped lines at 9am and had 3 hours to land a bigg'un. I thought I had one on 2 occasions, but I merely had hooked the bottom. Beth got one hooked, but we couldn't keep it. If you've ever seen the Tarpon Tourney on TV, you'd know how hard it is to actually land a fish - boats are stacked thick and are almost on top of each other. Result? No fish (only 3 were caught in the whole tourney - 60-something boats) and a slight sunburn due to negligent sunscreen application. It was fun though!

Not much else is going on right now. If I were a psychic (which I'm totally not), I would predict a lot of changes coming up this summer and beyond....

Score One for the Goobers!

Yay! Taylor won! Goobs represent! I'd like to think I had something to do with this victory, so hey guy, you're welcome. They did give a scary statistic at the end of the show, over 60 million people voted, to which Ryan "I'm not gay, really, I'm not...but that Simon..." Seacrest said something along the lines of that it was more people than voted for A.I. than they did for the last presidential election (to my credit, I did vote in the last presidential election too, I just didn't pick a winner like I did tonight. 'Nuff said.) Noticed they let the gospel singers out from their backstage confines for one last performance until next year. How nice of them. I did finally realize, as I whooped and hollered on the couch when they announced that Taylor won, that I don't have anything to root for this time of year (no football!)and that's probably why I got involved woth this whole "Idol" thing in the first place. At least that's what I'd like to think...

Congrats Taylor!

Pa-F'in-Thetic

Ok. I officially have no life. I stayed up last night so I could call in and vote for Taylor Hicks on "American Idol". He was my second choice even (I really wanted Chris - the "rock guy" - to win), but for some reason I was compelled to battle the busy signals (for 2 hours, no less) just to hear "Hi, thanks for voting for me!" I even watched the whole shebang (my defense remains that "A.I." is on right before "House" - that's my story and I'm sticking to it!) Some things struck me as funny while I wasted an hour of my life. One of the judges (probably Paula, the mistress of fluffy comments) said Taylor's dancing style was "contagious" and I thought to myself "More like he has something contagious!" maybe that's why I like him - he's a goob and has no problem with it. Yeah...that's why. I also hated the last song - how schmaltzy! Why do they do that to these poor kids (even "Boobie McBooberson's" song sucked.) And what is it with the gospel orchestra. I guess they helped out BMB, but why drag them put for Taylor? I guess the producers figured, "Well, we've already paid for them..." Yikes. So anyway, congrats Taylor and sorry to my hubby, who hates him!

P.S. Look at that picture (thanks Cold Hearted Truth for the image). He is kind of cute. But then again, I have always had a thing for kinda nerdy guys (and the complete opposite, like the hubby!)

What's Your Favorite Color?

Ok. I am in a slight quandary. I get restless about any number of things – I tend to have a "gypsy" mentality – I am never completely happy where I am – both physically and spiritually. The spiritual thing is more of an issue as of late. (Physically, if we actually pull up stakes and head out of P.R., that’s great. If not, I am going to do a 100% overhaul of the house, so it will be a change of scenery in some shape or form at least.) As many of you know, I am hopelessly insecure about my looks, and to ask anyone to be honest about matters of looks is essentially futile, as no one is completely honest about such matters (although my husband said he "wouldn’t mind" if I got a boob job.) So, next best thing…I need your help - it’s time for an exciting new poll…

Find Fitz’s Perfect Hair Color!

I am taking suggestions as to which color is best on me. Here are your options:

1. Blonde – Yes, I was born blonde. Those who know me know I can be pretty dinghy, so it’s easy to believe that I have “blonde roots”! I have always wanted to emulate my role model, Marilyn Monroe (except for the bad marriages/choice in men and drug problems) and since I don’t have the bod, at least I can have the hair (although, Christina Aguliera has been doing her take on Marilyn (a slutty take, but an obvious nod) lately, and I wouldn’t want anyone think I was paying tribute to her!) I was blonde when I met and married my hubby, and I have spent the most time this color. Since I’m so pasty, I don’t now if this color works as well on me as I thought it did. When I “fake bake” (tan-in-a- can), it looks better, but I can’t afford to keep myself in fake tanners year-round! This always seems to be my “go-to color” – I think I might be too old for platinum, but who knows?

2. Brunette – This was the first color I chose when I wanted a change from the blonde. It’s my “I want to be taken seriously” color. The first time I experimented with brown hair was when I graduated from college (the first time). I thought I’d get a better job if I looked more responsible because, in my 21-year-old brain, blondes were perceived as being dumb (not that there were any dumb brunettes anywhere…) My first go-round with the brown was not too good – my hair was resistant to the change, and my hair ended up as kind of a dingy, almost gun metal color. It was pretty bad. I went brunette again in my early 30’s – just for a change (I was going through a lot of other “changes” at that time as well…) I added a few blonde streaks in the front – the overall result was kind of cool. Of course, I desired change, so it was back to blonde after a few months. See? Fear of Clairol Commitment!

3. Red – The current shade. Bowing to Ann-Margret, not Lindsay Lohan! I actually kind of like this, but if I need a change, I can’t stay this shade. Again, I came here from blonde (this was my post-wedding change. Most girls cut their hair, I opted for a different route), and my hair didn’t want the red. It still is a battle to keep it red, it mellows out pretty quickly. I just don’t know!

If you’d like to help, leave your comments here for me. Don’t know if I’ll change, but input is always appreciated!

Don't Hate the Player...

I hate to admit it, but I have been following "American Idol" this season (it's on right before "House" for pete's sake!) I can't believe it. I spent so much time trying to avoid it, but it's everywhere - even in Australia, on our honeymoon, it was on. It was on in Costa Rica too! It is too powerful to escape...

So anyway, like most of the country, I was rooting for Chris (the rock guy). After he was (gasp!) eliminated, I moved on to my second choice, Taylor (the guy with the grey hair). I like his Joe Cocker-esque voice, the fact that he hasn't dyed his hair (I'm one to talk...) and, sorry, I love his dorky dancing. My husband (also drawn in to A.I. because of it's pre-"House" time slot) hates him, pretty much for the same reasons. He had not one good thing to say about the guy. He (of course) is rooting for Boobie McBooberson (the only chick left and the reason that girls can get their husbands/boyfriends to watch the show!) I am rooting for Taylor even more now, although I don't think he needs my help! Go Taylor!