How can I blog at time like this?

Well my friend... I am just too tired to blog. I have in two days work about 3 1/2 or 3 3/4 days... not sure. Too tired... too hungry... too mashed potatoes... what's in the fridge? Too tired to look for the World Cup of Hockey score on tv or the web or play guitar... Labor Day weekend is coming, so is one of the football games I look forward to most... U of L and UK at Louisville... GO CARDS!

"Did You Ever Notice?" and Last Night's Dream and blog, blog, blog

Did you ever notice how there is a scene in Tomorrow Never Dies that is similar to one of the final scenes in Rocky Horror? "How sentimental," says Magenta. "How romantic," says the evil genius in Tommorrow Never Dies.

Last night I had a dream that I was on a swing that was on a beach... I was swinging with a view of the ocean while my unknown compadre was swinging with a view of the tourist filled condominiums.

I'd really like to get a "wee v" that is, a tiny flying v guitar for all of the little children that I know. Happiness comes in the form of six strings, and the more "rock and roll" the guitar, the bigger the smile on your face... needs a baby stack of Marshalls, too. All done up with custom stuff too... dice for the volume and tone knobs and the little kid's name right on there too, yeah in mother of pearl. Awesome.

Yes, we have no blogs

To my blog-loving public, I must apologize. My blog is not as creative and amusing as I would like it to be, today in particular. I just don't "feel" it. I should tell you that yesterday Dan and I had a pizza party with our nieces and nephews as well as my brother and sister-in-law... always fun... it really gets me when the kids want us to stay longer or stay over or come to our house and the answer has to be "no." I don't like that. But I am so amazed at how big they are! Today, we learned that Dan's parents returned safely from their trip to Russia... very good news. My immediate family are all attending the wedding of a cousin in St. Louis. It hurts me to think that they are all there celebrating and here we are, plus it is raining. So, this is a sad blog, not a particularly happy one. This too shall pass. Happy blogs will return.

Can you blog it baby? I knew you could.

Hey baby, blog this... It's my new blog... yeah, that's right. I've got a brand new blue blog. Mmm Hmm... right, well I think I've had it for about a month. Yeah, it is kind of like a new car, you want to to stay clean and new looking. So I vaccuum it, get it washed, you know, treat it right, use a chamois so you don't get any water spots. The way I look at it, a blog like this is a major investment. You've got to take care of it right from the get-go or else you might be left high and dry. So I'm trying real hard to make sure I do that... oil changes, new air filters, yeah all of that stuff.

Diary of a Mad (Wo)Man

That's I guess how I see this, but really this is all just the culmination of the goofy thoughts that I have in my head that I really can't express during the day. I like to have fun at work and all, but I am pretty sure that they will think I have gone off the deep end and into the part where the fish glow in the dark if I uttered some of this stuff out loud. I guess I consider it the part of me that absolutely, doesn't stand a chance of growing up... and that isn't a bad thing, my friend. Kind of how listening to the Blue Grass music channel on the cable isn't a bad thing either. I wish I could play the banjo like that... but then I'd probably want to get those knee cymbals, and then, it really wouldn't be a Blue Grass act then. Then it would be more like a Gong Show act.

Dreams that are a bit too real

In times of stress, I notice that I have dreams that are a bit too real. Fortunately, the worst they have been is something like not waking up until 8:30am on a Monday. That's not that late mind you, except for the fact that I usually get to work at about 7:30am or 7:45am and it takes anywhere from 30-45 minutes to get to work. That would be a living nightmare.

Thank goodness for ramen noodles. I vowed in college that I would never eat them again, but you know what? They are fast and if you put some canned mushrooms in with them, it really makes for a filling dish... and way cheap. I really do like ramen noodles, I really do like them -- and Riley really does like potatoes.

Waiting for Milwaukee Admirals tickets to go on sale... waiting for the Cheese Shop at Lambeau Field to open. Check out www.lambeaufieldcheese.com... only in Wisconsin. You can purchase these items at your local Wisconsin grocery stores and Bob Uecker has his own bratwurst http://www.onmilwaukee.com/articles/print/ueckerbrats.html and we are home to Miller High Life, the champagne of beers. I love Wisconsin!

The Great One Signs My Name?

Ahh Yes... Dreams are a good thing. I just read that Wayne Gretzky is doing a private signing... He'll even personalize your autographed item for 25 bones more. I tell you my friend, the thought of a 16 x 20 of the Great One wearing the old Oilers sweater with a "To Ann & Dan... Wayne Gretzky" has all of the appeal of the Bahamas in a during February in Wisconsin... but man, that's a lot of coin. We did the math and it would cost over $500... that's including a nice frame. You can't just have something like that propped up behind a bookshelf. No, we don't have that kind of bread laying around either. But it sure is nice to dream about it. Hey, while I'm at it, I'll dream about Wayne Gretzky paying me $325 for my autograph. I think I have answered my own questions about whether or not to do this. Really, is anybody's signature worth that kind of dough? Really there isn't. I just came up with a ridiculous idea. Don't worry, if I am dumb enough to make it a reality, you'll know.

Thank You NBC... No Edits

I have to hand to NBC, they did not edit the events that transpired during the men's high bar competition in men's gymnastics. I guess though it was too much drama for them to pass up. While it is questionable that the officials seemed to be reactionary (only responding when the crowd was unruly), fortunately they did something, perhaps too little too late. The bottom line... the best performances in the men's gymnastics competition, and to some degree maybe the women's competition were not recognized. The crowd had just had it, and the NBC announcers showed their emotions as well. They controlled themselves for a long time, but they are human too. As dramatic as the Jerry Springer Show... how unfortunate.

Olympics controversies... what's up with that?

What in the Wide World of Sports is going on at the Olympics? Especially what's going on with the judges in gymnastics? I have yet to see it all unfold on television, but I read a little bit about it on the web. Seems to me like a culmination of what the crowd and perhaps NBC's announcing team as a string of questionable decisions. I will be interested to see what goes on... hopefully NBC will allow the cascade of boos and catcalls to air unedited. Has there always been controversy in the Olympics? I have only been able to really understand since the Calgary games in 1988, but I don't remember anything like what's happening here. Nothing like the last winter games as far as the figure skating debacle with the judges. Too much... it detracts from the efforts and accomplishments of the athletes.

Tourist in my own tourist trap town

Today Dan and I were tourists in our own tourist trap town. Where we live is indeed gourgeous, and it has a reputation for being the place where folks with a lot of money come to enjoy their free time... mostly the folks come from the greater Chicago area, but people come from all over the world as well. So today we walked all around the town, even went to Starbucks (feigned excitement)! There was an artfair, a carnival, and of course the shopping (more feigned excitement)!

I am appreciative for the beauty of our area, the fact that people want to come here and spend their money -- but surely, there are other parts of the state even that have more to offer. I guess they are all touristy places, the Dells, Door County, Minocqua... and truly I would say that Galena, Illinois is completely over looked. It just amazes me that people would spend $150 or more a night to hang out around here. God bless them though, they generate a great deal of money for the area.

I guess what really makes me happy is that I am fortunate enough to live here. I don't have to leave on Sunday or on any day, unless I am going to head out to somebody else's tourist trap town.

You can't win if you don't play

Lottery... Lottery... My only wildest dream... I'll tell you my friend, I could and would do a number of good things for the world if I was ever fortunate to unlock that magic combination of numbers. I would indeed contribute to charities, set up foundations, help out kids. I would also live a modest life... I wouldn't forget the people around me, those who have helped me out. I know... the odds are long, but it has to be somebody. It could just as well be me... and it could just as well be you.

PACKERS play tonight. I happen to know at least five people who will be at the game. Glad for them... hope to see them on television. My friend Rachael and her husband Dennis have seats in Section 108 in the north end zone... FRONT ROW. Nice seats, Dan and I were fortunate enough to use them a couple of years ago. Thrill of a life time I tell you. That and the BBQ ribs we'll have tonight for dinner with Gates (KC) BBQ Sauce. Come on over, my friend.

Blog Blog Blog... Blah Blah Blah

How shall I blog today? Blog this, blog that... I've been blogged! Would you like a little blog with that? Can you please pass the blog? Can you tell me what kind of blog we should have? Hey, can I use your blog tonight? I'm sorry I am late, but my blog wouldn't start.

Can you tell that I am having trouble trying to write my blog? I've been working a lot lately, and it is difficult to stay on track. All of my creativity is being used on the job, so my blog isn't very exciting tonight. Can you understand? I knew you would. Thank you my friend.

Generosity

The generosity of people never ceases to amaze me. Some you are close to and that is truly a blessing. Sometimes, you don't really even know the person... and then I guess that their generosity can be measured by degrees of familiarity. Just when you think that people would just as soon see you thrown to the wolves or that you have to face the world on your own, someone honors you by sharing what they have with you. It is meaningful because they are willing to give what they have worked for to another person. In a world where so many people have so much more than others, we can be tempted to horde what we have. It's much easier for me to list all of the things that I don't have... I am quicker to do that than to be able to remember all that I am blessed with. I am far better off than the majority of people in the world. Most of us are. I have a wonderful person in Dan to share my life with, I have a loving family, dear friends, a roof over my head and a job. Right there, that says it all. I have so much to be thankful for. Tonight, I found one more thing.

What's new in Jean Teasdale's World?

I don't know... read The Onion if you want to learn about Jean and her cats. This has to do with what is new in Ann's world... not even what's new, just the mind-numbingly amazing things that I think of!

I think I am going to learn some simple magic tricks. Maybe three or four. I think that they have to be tricks that you can do with a magic wand. Somehow, it just doesn't seem like a magic show without a magic wand. I know that Penn and Teller probably wouldn't agree. I also think that for people to really believe that you are a magician, you also need top hat. No, not for the rabbits, but for effect... I mean you have to have something to wave your magic wand over. I am going to save a little bit of money each month for my magic supplies and props.

Wrigley North or "I can't afford to buy inflated second-market tickets to Cubs games and I don't know anyone who works for the multi-billion dollar Tribune Company so I drive to Milwaukee and complain about how horrible it is" Miller Park? You be the judge.

Great News from Lambeau Field

The Packers are at it again! I knew that things seemed to be falling into place... that all seemed to be coming together... it's coming to be football season again. Of course, everyone wants to know will this be Favre's last year... not a chance! Then Favre says if there's no Super Bowl, the season's a bust... true. Are you watching the Green and Gold Show? We'll see... I am not sure about the D.

I've got a wisdom tooth coming in... you want to talk pain? This is pain, baby. I'm talkin' I might gnaw off my own jaw to relieve the pain. Carve that thing right out of my head! It's got to go. There isn't much I'm reluctant to do, but I hate going to the dentist. YIKES! I am not sure what it is, but I just get creeped out at the thought of going to the dentist. Like I'm going to get my wisdom teeth pulled? Thanks but no thanks, my friend.

Allergies or Virus? Hamburgers or Italian Beef?

Maybe it's allergies that I have and not a cold. I took some benadryl not 40 minutes ago and no change in my condition. I think I was better off before. Just so you know, I have been breathing through my mouth for about 48 hours... I know my breath must be lovely, you know that type of bad breath, sickie bad breath... YUCKY and GROSS!

Now for something really important... shall we have Hamburgers or Italian Beef? What's gonna get the most mucus and pflegm out of my nose and throat? I guess that either one could. You should also know that I have just about been eating Frank's Red Hot Sauce with a spoon since Friday. I can barely even taste it, but I can feel its medicinal power seeping through my soft palate up to my sinuses.

Out darned snot!

Thank you my friend.

Late Night Corn & Brat Roast Blog

Still spontaneous... tonight, our friends Paul, Nichole and Big Mike came over... watched Olympic Table Tennis, Women's Weightlifting, Women's Swimmng and Men's Synchronized Diving. The Olympics are cool. Then we went down to the lake for the Williams Bay Lions Club Corn & Brat Roast. Good move. The corn was delicious and the fireworks were AMAZING... and the brownies were good too.

The fireworks had some zany DJ medley of patriotic and dramatic songs... kind of over the top in a goofy way, but a lot of fun.

Then we walked back home, shared a bunch of laughs and watched more Olympics... this time it was Men's Gymnastics and Women's Medal Round Swimming Relays. Again, the Olympics are cool. Right now, I have the Colts and Chargers game on... waiting for more Olympics... but maybe former BADGER Sorgi will play a series or two at QB for the Colts.

Apparently the Colts hold a "Football 101" and "Football 201" for women... that's funny, women in Wisconsin don't need anything like that, we've got it covered.

GO - PACK - GO!

Early Morning Blog

Well, it is for a Saturday anyhow. Right now the Olympics are on, and it's Women's Basketball... it's awesome! Catchings, Tarausi, Bird, Cash... great stuff. The US and New Zealand are facing off and so far it looks good for the US but there is a lot of game left.

Tonight, there will be plenty of pre-season football, it gives us time to get ready for the "event" of Sundays...

Here's a link about the Stanley Cup that may explain it to those who are unfamiliar: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=knight-stanleycupreturns&prov=knight&type=lgns. Give it a read.

I have got the worst summer time cold that I have ever had. My eyes are gooey and crusty, my nose is full of gross stuff and my head feels like it's being held in a vice. To make things better, it's been 45 degrees here in the mornings... I am not kidding. It's August for crying out loud. It doesn't make you want to get out of bed when you know it's more like October except not as dark.

I am very thankful that we do not have to worry about hurricanes here in the Midwest. My heart and prayers go to those folks in Florida and on the coast. May God please keep them safe and protected.

There is really no flow to this entry, perhaps a sign of my delirium from illness and Saturday morning. I will take my leave. Thank you my friend.

Get the door, fool -- it's Domino's

I will always get the door for Domino's. It's not my favorite pizza, but heck, they deliver. So does Skip's, but Skip's is only two blocks away and I would feel silly asking them to deliver. At any rate, here's what I ate: nine hot chicken wings, two pieces of sausage and onion pizza and two pieces of cheese bread -- don't forget the bleu cheese dressing for the wings. But you know what? Domino's doesn't ring our door bell... did you even know we had one? I usually forget, but then sure enough, just when I thought we didn't have a door bell, someone rings it! Then Dan and I are all like "Hello!" from the top of the stairs. Usually though, people just knock... Then I'm all like "Get the door, fool." And then Dan's all like "You're the fool, fool."

The AHL vs. The NHL and why Hockey is best

Five Reasons to Dig the "A"
5) You won't pay $35.00 plus service charges for the worst seat in the house
4) You actually have the opportunity to meet and talk to players
3) You can take a division "road trip" with out taking out a small loan AND all of your vacation days
2) Three words: Collective Bargaining Agreement
1) Your Milwaukee Admirals are the Calder Cup Champions and not those stinkin' Chicago Wolves

In case you need another reason, I'll tell you what my friend, they didn't base "Slapshot" on some slick team like the Colorado Avalanche (those stinkin' Lava Lamps)... No sir... This is the Federal League we're talking about, the league that's fed by the Iron League.

Let's pretend for a minute that the NHL season does go on... at what price? A shortened season? Just what Commissioner Bettman and the boys need... a shorter amount of time for nobody south of the Canadian border to care about the world's greatest sport. Hockey's got the greatest history, the BEST trophy, and the greatest traditions, not to mention the greatest heroes. If you don't believe me, here's a few:

History: Slang for the puck is "the old boot heel," the game was played on frozen rivers and lakes, the league is 88 years old... older than the NFL

Trophy: Lord Stanley's Cup! Guys on the winning team get their names engraved on it AND get to do whatever they want with it for a day... Also, fans all over the US and Canada have an opportunity to see and touch the cup. The Lombardi Trophy? Dream on! They don't even display the real one in public, it's a replica! Think anybody but the GM gets to touch it?

Traditions: Detroit's creepy octopus, Hockey Day in Canada, the handshake line after each round of playoffs, the hat trick celebration, team dentists, the Original Six, playoff beards

Heroes:
Wayne Gretzky: Owns more NHL records than any one ever. They call him "The Great One" for a reason

Mario Lemieux: Came back twice in injury and cancer plagued seasons to win the scoring title, oh and did you know he carried the city of Pittsburgh and the entire nation of Canada on his shoulders in 2002?

Gordie Howe: A bruiser on the ice, all heart off the ice

Need more examples? Let me know... I'll be your hockey sensei, you'll know Jarko Ruutu from Teemu Selanne, Phil Esposito from Tony Esposito, the crease from the zone, a misconduct from a game misconduct and how the Calgary Flames let one of the greatest of all time slip through fingers... and the Blues for that matter.

Thank you my friend.

What is my favorite part about the Island of Blog?

Today Dan asked me what my favorite part of "the blog" was... was it checking my site meter? Well, that is kind of cool, to see how many people think your life is worth checking out. Really it's a lot of fun to do "the blog."

Did you get the Island of "Blog" reference? Visit www.stevenkellogg.com for clarification if you are unsure... you'll see the rough riding rowdies on Rodent Day.

So Brett Hull signs a deal with Wayne Gretzky's Phoenix Coyotes... let me tell you friend, the Coyotes roster is full of guys who used to play for the Blues. Now they can join the ranks of teams who make the playoffs with guys who used to sport the Blue Note.

Dan is a Red Wings fan... not a humble one either... every time I get smart, he says "Remind me how many Cups the Blues have won? Oh yeah, that's right, none." At any rate on August 5th, the factoid on my desk calendar was the tale of how that creepy Octopus tradition started in Detroit, so I gave Dan that page. It was fitting.

Did you know that Siouxsie Sioux is on the road? She's playing a show on September 2nd at the House of Blues in Chicago. I won't be able to go, but if you are able to check it out. She puts on an awesome show! To find the closest Siouxsie show in your area, visit www.pollstar.com.

Tonight is spaghetti night, and it is time to make the salads. Actually, Dan has prepared dinner... spaghetti is one of his specialties... until next time, my friend.

In Search of... Motherly Expertise

Well, Dan and I bought new towels for our bathroom tonight. They had a sale by Kohl's, cool colors too, a huge departure for us. We had to visit the big W to get our new trash can, soap dish and soap dispenser. At any rate, I know that you need to wash towels before you use them. Let me tell you, we called just about everyone we knew who is a Mom to find out how many times you need to wash them before you use them. We called them all, my Mom, my Sister-in-law, a friend -- these are all Moms -- and you know what, none of them were home. I even called an "amateur" Mom friend of mine... no luck, then I called her sister (also a Mom)... no dice. Then it hit me... my Mother-in-law... surely she would know. Of course, she did. She said that once would be enough for her, and that there would be a lot of lint. This lead us to beleive that all of the Moms were at some sort of "Order of the All-Knowing Mother" meeting. If you were, I know you can't tell me, you are sworn to secrecy. When we did get home, we found we had no laundry detergent, so this is a "water only" cycle. I think it'll be okay though. If you come over and use our towels, I promise you they will be clean.

My favorite thing to do on a Sunday... Cleaning and Football.

Second only to taking a nap is to clean the bathroom. If you think about it, it is most important for your bathroom to be clean and to have clean clothes. If your bathroom isn't clean, are you really clean? Hard water does freaky things to the tub and the toilet tank, right? Then if your clothes aren't clean, then what's the point of getting clean yourself? Right, there isn't any point in it then.

Really, the highlight of any Sunday is football... and if you happen to be so blessed as to live in the Land of Cheese, it's really PACKER football that makes the rest of the week in winter worth shoveling and driving through. They showed the annual scrimmage on television last night, let me tell you, I think this Favre guy can bring something to the team. I tell you it's a wonder that kids in this state learn to count past "4" because come fall, it doesn't seem like much else but "4" matters. He carries the morale of the entire state on his shoulders each week. What will really happen around here when Favre retires? You thought that Y2K could have been out of hand? I'm storing provisions (cheese, sausage, crackers and beer) and distractions (Super Bowl XXXI video) for when Favre does hang it up.

That brings us to BUCKY. Now I learned about three years ago that "Bucky" is more than just the cutest dirt-dwelling rodent in the country, it is more than a mascot, rather it is term for the collective of the University of Wisconsin athletics, further still, it is a state of being. Saturday we have Bucky, Sunday we have the Packers... See? It's looking better already, isn't it my friend?

Rock and Roll Never Died... it moved to Elkhorn, Wisconsin

That's what I am telling you, my friend. Elkhorn was the place to be last night. I haven't seen so much stuff I am embarrassed about at 32 that I would have laughed at when I was 21 since I don't know when.

Here's a band that you should see: Noise Pollution. The guys in the band even let me play the tambourine. Oh sure, the lead singer is a friend of mine, but that doesn't make a difference.

At any rate, I woke up this morning feeling just as I had many years ago, except I didn't smoke any cigarettes or drink any whiskey. Life begins at 30, right?

I can't believe I didn't blog yesterday... who wants to read a blog that is not up to the minute and current? Who cares about yesterday? It's right now.

What will tonights hi-jinks hold in store for my husband and I? You'll have to read about it on Sunday.

my google image search

Below are the images I came up with when I entered my own name into google.com. See, I told you this was a fun game. Try it! You'll be amazed at the what you'll find. I just can't wait to see what you come up with.

Remember when you would be wearing white tennies, and you wouldn't wear sockes, and then you would mow the lawn, and then your shoes would get grass stains? I always wanted to "Shout it Out!"

This was the last picture I found when I searched google.com images for myself 

Here's another...  

This is what I came up with when I searched for myself on the web 

A fun thing to do on the web...

Here's a fun thing to do. Visit yahoo.com or google.com... Do an image search for a the name of a friend of yours. It is pretty funny to see pictures of people with your friend's name who look nothng like your friend. I was tempted to do a "guess which guy is my friend" contest, but then I figured that maybe my friend wouldn't be so into that. But, I could do that with my own name... hold on... I'll be back in a minute...

How about now?

Well? How about now?

Did it work?

I tried to add a counter to my blog... More evidence that I am in need of attention. This could be defeating.

Cartoon Nation

What if we had a cartoon nation? I don't mean like the Justice League or G-Force. I mean what if you walked down the street and met Huckleberry Hound, and then you went to the hardware store and Donald Duck helped you to find masonry nails, and then you went over by your neighbor's house for a barbecue and Buzz Buzzard was there telling you all about his golf game, and then you went on over to the Ford dealer to buy a car and Space Ghost was the sales manager, and then you went to the grocery store and Judy Jetson was the produce manager, and then you went to get an ice cream cone and Hong Kong Fooey asked you what flavor you wanted, and then Olive Oyl was the loan officer at the bank, and then you went over to the stadium and Lucy Van Pelt was the PA announcer, and then you went to the airport and Jonny Quest was the TSA officer, and then you went over by the local tavern and there you see Felix the Cat behind the bar, and then what if Rudy and Russell were the guys who sat next to you at work, and then what if the Pink Panther was the mailman, and then what if you went to the hospital and Snow White was the nurse, and what if you went to get your oil changed and it was the Chipmunks taking care of busines... what if we did live in that magical nation? What if we did my friend?

When do you cross the line from ridiculous to...

brilliant and then back to just plain dumb? For me, it is from the time that my alarm clock goes off, to the time my hand reaches for the alarm clock, to the time that I roll over and pull the covers over my head. If I didn't have my eyes closed, if I blinked I would miss that flash of brilliance.

By the way, I stole the elipitical title to post from my pal Caprise... thank you my friend.

And until next time, thank you my friend.

The Winner of the "thank you my friend" blog community Favorite Movie Poll 

The Results Are In!

The results of the big favorite movie poll are in... are you ready? By an overwhelming landslide of votes... the favorite movie of the "thank you my friend" blog community is... "Terms of Endearment!"

I was absent for this photo shoot... they told me not to be there until 2:00pm, Pacific Time. 

Home Made Pepperoni Melt!

After a long hard day of work... what else could satisfy an empty tummy but a home made Pepperoni Melt? Well, only a home made Pepperoni Melt... Make sure that you have ham, pepperoni, provolone cheese, mayonnaise and bread. White onions, tomatoes and oregano are helpful, but not necessary. Make sure you heat up the pan and that you melt the cheese... add the mayo before you take the stuff out of the pan. Serve it on a paper plate with potato chips.

My husband wants to know what tonight's post is all about, so I told him... PEPPERONI MELTS! Then he wanted to know who responded to my e-mail about "thank you my friend." So then I told him -- you know who you are.

Hey... do you hear that? You know what that means, don't you? I knew you did! That's right! Call Bill Wyman!

I know that you're used to a lot of quizes in your favorite magazines, I don't have a quiz, but I do have a poll. This poll has to do with what your favorite movies are, only I pick the movies that you choose from. Is your favorite movie "The Bad News Bears," "The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training," or "The Bad News Bears go to Japan?"

I'll let you know what the results are after I tally votes.

Until then... thank you my friend.

Is that my neck? 

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

Well, I have spent about 2 weeks or really 3 or 4 hours sorting and organizing what I think is about 7 years or more worth of photographs. Now, if I were smart, I would do that all along. I already know what you're thinking... "Ann, you're not that smart."

Smart enough to know that I am not anywhere near as smart at 32 as I was at 20.

How can I be so concerned of my own issues when the fate of open-wheel racing is so uncertain? Who would have thought 10 years ago that when one associated "Jr." with racing that the next connection would be Earhnhardt and not Unser? No offense to NASCAR. It appeals to me in that it is straight forward... I drive a Taurus, so does Mark Martin... I drive a Monte Carlo, so does Jeff Gordon. Really though, I almost get no joy out of an open wheel race anymore. Each series has about 20 guys that run (if that) and the field isn't even all that competitive... well it could be worse. I could be a die-hard F1 fan and a true blue fan of Christiano da Matta.

Well, if I thought my life would be of any interest at all... I have lost all but one or two people by now. As only 2% of all people in the world even care about auto racing, even fewer care about open wheel racing... there, I blew it.

One Time Only Political Comment

This will be the only time I spout on about anything political. There are two things that prohibit me from being qualified about discussing politics in a public forum. First, I am not knowledgable enough, two I am not interested in persuading anyone into thinking what I think or telling someone else their own beliefs are wrong. Here's all I have to say... and it is not a reflection on any particular candidate in any office race.

When I was younger, there wasn't a reason for the democrats to care about me (save for a vote for Bill Clinton from a first time, idealistic voter). Now that I am older, I don't have enough money for the republicans to care about me. I am convinced that the only agenda of either major party is to get elected... once elected, the agenda evolves into getting re-elected.

Remember the episode of the Brady Bunch where Deacon Jones meets Peter Brady and assures Peter that it's okay to be in the glee club? We all need a visit from our own Deacon Jones once in awhile... so we keep singing.