2009 In Review

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way.”

I don’t believe there is another quote in the world of literature that could come closer than this to summarizing this past year for me. These immortal words from by opening of A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, pretty much hit the nail on the head. 2009 was a year that contained my highest highs and my lowest lows. My happiest and my saddest; in many ways 2009 was the best year of my life, it was equally the worst and I am glad that it is almost over.

2009 dawned a very promising year; a great fun year of going and doing. Early on I spent a week in London for a friend’s birthday.

It was the year of musicals and few people like a good Broadway show better than I. This year I saw:

The Adventures of Priscilla (in London)

Wicked (in London)

The Lion King (OKC)

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (OKC)

The Drowsy Chaperone (OKC)

Wicked (Tulsa) – Head and shoulders above the London production

The Producers (OKC) – possibly the best Lyric Theater production I’ve ever seen

Little Shop of Horrors (OKC)

Margaret Cho (OKC)

Sweeny Todd (OKC)

In 2009 something happened that I never believed would happen and for a time, I was the happiest person in the world.

The worst thing of the year was losing a good friend. Not just any friend, but my best friend of 7 years. The best friend I’ve ever had and may ever have. We took a trip to Tulsa this past summer and saw the Oklahoma Aquarium, but the highlight of the trip was going to see Wicked. We then went out of the town and had such a good time; we stayed an extra day, checked out the Philbrook Museum of Art and did it all over again.

There is a duet in the musical Wicked sang by Glinda and Elphaba called “For Good.” I have included a link to Kristen Chenoweth sining it. I would like to dedicate it to my friend.

I don’t know for sure what the future holds, I can only say 2009 did a number on me and I am not the same person that started the year.

Usually I stay home on New Year’s Eve as I consider it amateur night, but maybe not this year. The last day of this year is both a full moon and a blue moon. Perhaps I’ll venture out to say goodbye and good riddance to 2009. Then again, maybe I won’t….

Crazy Product of the Year?

A friend of mine found this product on Amazon.

I can’t help but think this is a disaster in the making and a product liability lawyer’s dream come true

Be sure and read the customer comments and check out all the pictures, espically the last few :)

My favorites are the transcontinental pilots using it during their flights on the “daily grind” and they guy who wants one for his motorcycle so he has a place to sit his blender while making margaritas.

CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #270

I saw this on TV tonight and it made me laugh.....so I thought I would put it here for others to read....

Jillian had a urinary tract infection... again.

That sentence appeared in my head a few days ago, just as you see it above. I have no idea what it means, other than the obvious, and I don't know anyone named Jillian. Regardless, I thought it'd be interesting to begin a vanity card with it and just see where it goes.

Jillian had a urinary tract infection... again. Her doctor liked to abbreviate the condition to UTI. She liked to abbreviate it to TMH - Too Much Humping. Regardless, the road back to vaginal happiness was always the same: cranberry juice and abstinence. Thankfully, her boyfriend, Dudley, was always very understanding. He'd just smile, hold her in his arms and say, "Well, babe, when one door closes, another one opens up." She'd always giggle and blush when he'd say that, but deep down she wished she had the courage to cover his mouth and nose with a chloroform-soaked rag, and then, while he was unconscious, snip off his testicles with the little scissors she uses to groom her schnauzer.

All of which explains why the next sentence popped into my head recently.

Nobody sang Bee Gees songs on karaoke night like Dudley.

I put a spell on you...

Voca People

Wow! This is pretty amazing...

Mr. Buble....

I stand corrected, well, I sit corrected

Generally, I think I have a fairly decently sized vocabulary. I can’t spell worth a crap, buy I know more than my fair share of words. Today I used the word enormity at work. I said, “The enormity of this project is overwhelming.” Meaning the great size/scope of this project is overwhelming. But alas, I was corrected, ever so politely, after the meeting.

Enormity is not the noun from enormous – it doesn’t mean size at all.

Enormity (noun) – A monstrously abnormal act, an unspeakable atrocity or the state of being unspeakably atrocious.

In days past, enormous meant “abnormal” but over time it changed in meaning to “extremely large.” Enormity’s meaning has not changed along with it. The word is derived from the Latin work enormis meaning “abnormal” based on e(x) meaning “out” + norma meaning norm.

Well, there you have it….I’d bet, however, that over time, my usages becomes adopted….then again, in an enormous number of years, I may be corrected for enormity’s use again.

OMG

This made me laugh so hard, I had to post it!!

Appearances CAN be deceiving

All I can say about this is WOW, can appearances be deceiving!

I dare anyone to watch this, then tell me they didn't have a tear in their eye by the end!

Please check this out!! Click here to see!

Number 100, Somewhere!

Well, this is my 100th blog entry!!! It has taken long enough :)

One of my favorite bands covering one of my favorite songs!

Dedicated to all of those I love, you know who you are!

Do Re Mi Antwerp

The strangest things happen at Antwerp Central Station in Belgium!

The List

The Fear

The Fear by Lily Allen - Awsome song....






I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don’t care about clever I don’t care about funny
I want loads of clothes and fuckloads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them

I’ll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
‘Cuz everyone knows that’s how you get famous
I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror
I’m on the right track yeah I’m on to a winner

[Chorus]
I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear

Life’s about film stars and less about mothers
It’s all about fast cars concussing each other
But it doesn’t matter cause I’m packing plastic
and that’s what makes my life so fucking fantastic

And I am a weapon of massive consumption
and its not my fault it’s how I’m programmed to function
I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror
I’m on the right track yeah we're on to a winner

Chorus
I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear

[Bridge]
Forget about guns and forget ammunition
Cause I’m killing them all on my own little mission
Now I’m not a saint but I’m not a sinner
Now everything's cool as long as I’m getting thinner

[Chorus]
I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
‘Cause I’m being taken over by fear

The Sound of Silence

Well, 2008 is over and 2009 has kicked off - if that isn’t an over statement of the obvious. I have several blog entries to write. They will probably be a few days coming, I’m having a slight motivational issue these days.

“Spam-a little less – The holy quest for Vegas” will probably be the first, look for the picture of “Unabomber Dave.” Then, if I can be creative enough to find sufficient semi-interesting things I’ll do the 2008 in review posting.

Until then, here is one of my favorite songs preformed a bit differently than usual. The words are great. Catchy tune as well. You may have to turn the volume up a bit.

Sounds of Silence

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds of silence