Cleaning Out My Closet

Only of clothes and cleaning up the bedroom. It has to be done. Wish me luck.

Go, Go A.J.!

Well, we made it. Another Indy 500 in the books. Pete made it, although it was 14 hours later than originally planned. He had car trouble and his family made arrangements for him to get there. So at midnight or so on Sunday morning, we met Pete at the entrance to lot 2 and presented him with his parking pass. We grilled and celebrated and then went to sleep. Up at about 9:00am, grilling, eating, taking down the tent... by 11:00am, we were on our way to Gate 5. Then of course, we were witness to the Greatest Specatcle in Racing.

Most of the spectacles were provided by the Foyt Family of racing. Great job again, boys. I wish I had an opportunity like that. If I was good, I would keep going. If I was bad, I would stop. Helio wasn't a factor and Hornish didn't finish the race, again. Carpentier went out an Kanaan didn't finish as strong as he had hoped. Patrick did very well and so did the Andretti teams.

The only thing I wish we would have done differently was to arrive on Friday. It takes a lot of work and a lot to get together for 30 hours of camping. We have been fortunate for the past three years. We are always next to friendly people who don't get too drunk and try to remember that it's a family show. I don't go out to Georgetown Road or 16th Street after dark. It's not my scene.

It's nice to use a real bathroom and take a hot shower.

Ready! Steady! Go!

All we need is to watch "Speedway." We are ready, friends. All 500 miles and I could drive 500 more. A much needed respite. Hopefully Pete's car can make it or he can find alternate transportation. I know that DB and I are going to have fun. We both need it. We have had only a few days off in May.

I'll tell you what, my Friend. I admire my brother Mike and his wife, Jenny. They are good souls. I am blessed to know so many.

Getting Ready for Indy

Well... we are getting ready for Indy, Friends. We will meet Pete there and then get we will be grilling and watching the big race. I know that there are two factions in open-wheel racing and that Indy isn't the experience that it used to be. I will be honest with you, I am glad that it isn't it. It is plenty of experience for me. I can't wait. It will be fun. I will need it.

Just Like Jack & Diane

... I am doing the best that I can. A few busy and stressful days ahead and then it is off to Indianapolis. The 500, baby. We'll be meeting my cousin Pete there. It should be a good time. We'll need it by then. I am trying to balance my life and is a difficult balancing act, my Friend.

If Believe that George Lucas Can Do No Wrong...

... do not read this post. I was decidely unimpressed with the final movie, Episode III. The script was flat. The "clever" placement of modern day references were too easy for a man who was clever enough to create this saga. "Commander Cody?" Please. The Wookie "Tarzan" yell? Honestly. All those years and $100 million more than Epidsode IV and this is what we get? Hmm... Thank you Mr. Lucas, I think.

Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake

Much Ablog

I forgot to send my Grandma a birthday card. Then I forgot to call her. Now it is 10:00pm. I can't call her now. On a lighter note, I also forgot to buy a lottery ticket. To top it all off, due to some crazy goofy thing with our cable box, we can't watch M*A*S*H and Dan is sick.

Grocery Shopping

While I was grocery shopping this evening I ran into a co-worker. That was good to see him outside of work. He's a good guy. Later, as I was making my way down the pickle and salad dressing aisle a young man looked me square in the eye an tapped me on the shoulder. He pointed to a list that he had. He was looking for something. It dawned on me that the young man was deaf. Where I live there is a sizable deaf community. Fortuanately for me, I had just passed by and even pondered purchasing the item that he was looking for. He signed "thank you." I stuggled for the "welcome" sign. He knew that I was. He showed me and I reciprocated with the appropriate sign. I felt terribly inadequate. I thought of how much courage it must have taken that young man to ask someone for help. I don't even know if he really wanted the particular style of item that he wanted. I thought of going back to ask him, but then, how would I ask him? The experience makes me want to learn a little bit of sign language. Then the cashier was really great. She went above and beyond what she had to do. She even used my name and said "Thank you Anna, have a nice evening." I said "Thank you, Claire, you too." I always try to use people's names when I can.

Ralph's

We did it again! Wonderful morsels of beef and grilled goodness. Thank you to the fine folks of Ralph's Steak House. We love you steak! This is a busy weekend. We have a lot happening and its already been fun. Dennis and Rachael came over... we went to Ralph's, then on to Culver's... Chocolate!

A New Shower Curtain

We have a new shower curtain... AND a new plant. I am going to take my shoes off at Dan's suggestion. The shoes are off and the PJs are on. I still haven't eaten since about 2:00pm. I guess that's okay. M*A*S*H is on right now, so I am going to "stick around for more laughs." This weekend is the big ballet weekend. We also have a wedding to attend. It's nice. It helps me to realize I am not as old as I sometimes think I am. I don't think we'll get another one in quite a while. Lately, all of the weddings have been courtesy of my younger cousins. The new Buick commercials are kind of weird. Aerosmith selling Buicks. Right. Buicks were always cars for old folks. Like Oldsmobiles. This is not your father's Oldsmobile, yeah and it's not mine either. They don't make Oldsmobiles anymore. I'd really like a pizza right now. Don't think there's delivery right now.

50 is Nifty

That's true. Dan's parents will be celebrating 50 years of marriage this June. I think it really cool. I am trying to think of something that Dan and I can do for them to honor them properly. I think I am almost there. If you are reading this Anne and Jerry... don't pay any attention to it! They have already planned their own party, so that won't be a surprise. We have a good amount of time to take care of it and I think we will do so in fine fashion.

A Van

Lately I have been wanting to buy a van. Not a mini-van. Not a cargo van. But a van like Uncle Rico, like the Bad News Bears, like a totally wild van. A van that I can install shag carpeting in, that we can get curtains for. I want a van with a bubble window! This is an odd life crisis to have. Some people want children, some people want to be elevate to the top of the business elite. Not me, no dude. I want a van. Anyone know someone who is selling a VAN?

Feeling Cruddy for Feeling Cruddy

Well Friend, I'll get you what. Today I felt cruddy, so what did I do? I helped someone lese to feel cruddy... so then I felt cruddy on all counts. Here I was all down in the mouth and feeling bad for myself, so there I go and do the same thing to someone else, then I felt cruddy for doing that to a friend. I'll feel better in the morning. See? I have to be able to see things from someone else's point of view. I can't be so self absorbed that I disregard a friend's feelings while I am trying to salve my own.

I Really Know How to Pick 'Em or Why I Am Not a Professional Gambler

I never would have bet on Giacomo to win the Kentucky Derby. If I had been at a track, I would have bet on Don't Get Mad, which is exactly the advice that I should heed. If you had bet the Superfecta correctly for today's Run for the Roses, you would have won something like $1.7 million. "Don't Get Mad" Ann, you never ever would have picked that correctly because you never would have picked Giacomo to win. Did you ever get mad when you don't win the $100 gazillion Power Ball. I did once. I have to admit that I have been dwelling on money since last week Saturday when the fortune in my fortune cookie told me that my money worries would soon be over. I'll tell you what my Friend, I am starting to think this way: No money? No worries. Certainly that's not true. Perhaps I am learning that I shouldn't be worrying about it without just cause. Maybe that's what my fortune meant by my money worries being over soon. The biggest money worry? Student loans... not too different from everyone else. Second biggest money worry? Car payment... again not too different from anyone else. Third biggest money worry? Where does it all go? Again, not too different from anyone else.

Real bummer of the day is that the Killers are in town and the show was sold out... I missed the band wagon. Next time, next time.

My So Called Life

It isn't very complicated, I'll admit that my Friend. But, I do wish it was more simple. I just have to look ahead, get through the next few days here... at nothin' to it but to do it, right?

I really like ducks.

Today I realized how much I really like ducks. Ducks are pretty cool. They quack. They have bills. They have webbed feet. They can walk. They can swim. They can fly. They also come in different shapes, sizes and colors. I like to watch them. One day, maybe I will have a pond and I can have my own little gang of ducks. I'd like to have three different kinds... a yellow duck, a wood duck and a mallard. Maybe two of each, like a Noah's Ark for ducks but instead of a boat, my pond. Just ducky.

In other news, Dan and I bought $5.00 worth of lottery tickets tonight. You never know if you will win, but you certainly won't win if you don't by a ticket. Here's to hoping.

My Axes

My axes are suffering from neglect. I suppose I could be playing them instead of sitting here in front of my blog. I don't know if I feel more comfortable with strings or a computer keyboard. I can hear music in my head, but I have trouble getting it to the strings. Most times at night as I am fading off to sleep or when I first wake up, I hear songs in my head... not someone else's songs, but my own. I wish I would harness them and develop them. But I am not sure that anyone but me would ever hear them if I can't get them on the otherside of my brain. That's another thing that I need to commit myself to. I will tell you honestly, I am a frustrated musician. That was my dream. More than anything. But just like everything else, I wasn't focused enough to make it happen. Now at 32, how realisitic is it? I mean to be a professional musician... not very realistic. I really like performing in front of an audience... it's a lot of fun. I don't mean that I want an arena full of people. I think your best shot for a connection with people is when they can look you in the eye and you can look them in the eye. But, I didn't have the determination, so it's lost.

Which Way Does the Wind Blow?

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate... one of my guilty pleasures along with McDonald's french fries... there really isn't much else that I indulge myself in. I'd like to indulge myself in losing about 15 more pounds. We made a roast on the grill tonight. It was delicious. See, my guilty pleasures are food based. It's the way I can treat myself... I should find other ways to do so. I should play more guitar, I should write more letters, I should listen to more music, I should do more things for other people. I should be more of a lot of things, I should do more of a lot of things.