Happy Independence Day!!

Enjoy a childhood favorite--Schoolhouse Rock!



Do you remember watching Schoolhouse Rock? Which were your favorites?

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

What Songs Do You Turn Up?

There are certain songs you just have to play loud. Ones you wish you could turn all the way up to eleven. Here are a few of my favorite songs to jam - in no particular order.

Who Are You - The Who
Got My Mojo Working - Muddy Waters
Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet
Thunderstruck - AC/DC
Love Struck Baby - Stevie Ray Vaughn
Master of Puppets - Metallica
Nessa Dorma - Luciano Pavarotti
Institutionalized - Suicidal Tendencies
Been Caught Stealing - Jane's Addiction (Though, this is tied with Coming Down The Mountain)
When The Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin
Shadow of the Season - Screaming Trees
Voodoo Chile - Jimi Hendrix
Higher Ground - RHCP cover


Honorable Mention
Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones
A Little Less Conversation - Elvis
Bad Girls - Donna Summer
Even Flow - Pearl Jam
Bitch Better Have My Money - Amg (I hang my head in shame, but I can't deny enjoying this song.)

There are a lot more on my list, but I figured I wouldn't share them all. Leave an air of mystery surrounding me. So, give. What songs make your arm have that involuntary reaction to turn up the volume as soon as you hear them? I promise not to tease you, even if it's Tunes by Englebert Humperdink to Hum in the Shower.

Why Can't Birthday Parties Be Easy?

Right now we are camping. I'm thrilled. Sorry, didn't mean to get that sarcasm all over you. That was just rude of me.

Each year I take one for Team Quinn and go camping for almost two weeks. So I'm leaving you with a rerun. And therefore, I won't be able to answer any comments until I get back. Yeah. THAT kind of camping.

Four days before we left for this trip I was hosting ten 7-year-olds outside in a torrential downpour for my youngest Urchin's birthday.

This rerun is from 2009, which NOT coincidentally appeared a few days before my Oldest Urchin's birthday. (There's a connection here. For some reason birthday parties can never run smoothly at Chez Quinn.) The day before this post I was mopping up vomit from the rest of the family and wrote that I felt like I had a bulls-eye on my back. Well, the next day...

Target Acquired

Yeah. It hit me last evening, before dinner. Only a day before my oldest daughter's birthday party. Can I say that I now have a new appreciation for vomiting in the wee hours since your stomach has had time to digest. I won't go into the degrees of chunkiness, just let it be known that I have changed my opinion.

So now I'm dealing with sore abdomen and back muscles from throwing up. When I was younger I believed it was important to stay in shape in case you had to hang from somewhere high up for a long period of time. Whether it be off a cliff, a high rise, high tension lines - what have you. Obviously you're up there due to an escape attempt from a psychopath and/or mercenaries.

Now that I'm old, I believe you need to stay in shape because you don't want sore muscles after a night of flu induced puking. So to that end I've put in an order for the Hawaii chair. Because really - who doesn't want to get fit while they sit?

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Going To Writer's Paradise

Remember that annoying commercial? No? Then by all means, let me inflict it upon you.



*subtext I hear

I'm really going to get you to hate me by the end of this post, I'm afeared. But I had to share. After all the craziness of the volunteerism gone mad from my life last month, I get to go indulge in my yearly writer's retreat. My local writer's group--whom I love like my youngest Urchin loved Alice Cooper when she was 4--goes away for three glorious days to a beautiful facility close to Pittsburgh. And all we do is write. And eat. And laugh. And then write some more. And it's BEAUTIFUL!!

No taxiing Urchins everywhere. No making meals. No doing laundry. No dealing with parental volunteers and evil principals and buying and creating supplies in the name of science education. No three year olds from my preschool yelling MORE JUICE!!. No glitter.**

**

 Just me and my WIP that I've completely ignored in order to bring outdoor science education to 320 school children in a fun learning environment.(If I say it like that, I'm a little less bitter about it taking over my life. A very little bit.)

Some of my older followers may remember that I got partial requests from Harlequin and Sourcebooks for this one. And you may remember that Sourcebooks sent me a revise and resend for the full. Well, I'm going to revise like sea monkeys vie for world domination. Ruthlessly. (except with much less slime.) I want to make huge progress to make up for all the time I lost in April. Needless to say, I'm pretty damn excited!

The month of May is also turning into author interview month here at Tongue In Cheek. Last week I had the fabulous Melissa Maygrove over for the Sea Monkey Author Interview. I will be having two other authors from my writers' group here--one a week--to answer questions and then traverse through the sea monkey SAT portion of the interview.

So what are you doing this month? How's your writing going? Any insane volunteering going on in your life at the moment? Have your children/nieces/nephews/neighbor children had unhealthy obsessions with 70s rock stars? I wanna know!!


*Hate me because I'm a self absorbed ninny who thinks no deeper than appearances.

Urchin Star Wars Viewing Update

When last we left the Urchins, they were still firmly entrenched in the enraptured bliss of watching the original Star Wars IV.  (Click to view crazy back story that will explain some of the jokes to follow.)

Last night, The Man went to his part time job (yes, he has a full time job too.) So I asked the girls what they'd like to do. A resounding vote for Star Wars from each of them still has my ears ringing today. I was totally down with that, since as has been established previously here at Tongue in Cheek, I'm a total geek girl and am raising two as well.

So last night we did it up right. Popcorn was popped. The Oldest Urchin brought down her build a bear that plays the Star Wars Theme when you press its foot. (Like mother like daughter- I still have the Star Wars soundtrack on vinyl.) And snoogled up on the couch for some classic Star Wars viewage.

The Oldest Urchin is now beginning to appreciate the humor of Han Solo. In her first viewings, she was righteously indignant on Luke and Leia's behalf at any remarks he made towards them.

The Youngest Urchin, who's now six, is no longer asking what Chewbacca and R2D2 are saying. No. now she's telling me what she thinks they're saying.  Throughout the entire movie.  Yet one thing hasn't changed. When I tell her she's incorrect and what R2D2's really saying is,"Tell the Youngest Urchin to stop talking during my movie." She still makes some very Chewbacca-like noises at me.

So what's your favorite part of Star Wars? Which is your favorite character? And twenty thousand imaginary bonus points to you if you have the Star Wars soundtrack on record or 8 track. You may redeem them in my imaginary shop, Pitchforks 'n Things a.k.a. The Angry Villager.

I'm Going Against The Mainstream, Here

But what else is new?

Do you all remember the show Mad About You with Paul and Jamie Buckman?

Here's a quick refresher for you.



I enjoyed this show. There was one episode in particular that I've been thinking about lately.  They were both having terrible days and  kept trying to get to "The Feel Good Movie of the Year" and were thwarted at every turn until and act of kindness by the film projectionist at the very end of the show saved the day.

Right now, I really want there to be a Feel Good Movie of the Year. Everything that has come out recently seems to be either post apocalyptic or base humor that flaunts bodily functions and/or tears others down.



Are there any feel good movies out now? One that is light and funny and even, dare I say it, a little uplifting?

Help a gnome out. What do you recommend for lighter fare in the movie realm?

Curve Ball

We got back from vacation in the Poconos with The Man's family last Friday. I ran the writer's meeting Saturday, have barely unpacked and have been working feverishly on getting ready for the Youngest Urchin's birthday and party Friday and Saturday respectively.

Unfortunately, our 15 year old suv decided to be ornery and not pass inspection. Repairs to said geriatric vehicle would cost at least as much as it's worth. So now we're scrambling to find something comparable to replace it with.

That we can afford.

And will tow our pop-up camper.

And that we can afford.

And fits two car seats.

That we can actually afford.

And will be reliable.

Before we leave next week for Montana.

Plus my mother-in-law is having ankle surgery tomorrow, and I'm heading over to a friend's house who has ALS to weed for her in the afternoon. And I need to make cupcakes and wrap presents and decorate and get the carnival games ready for about ten five and six year olds who will be coming Saturday to my back yard and I'm praying for good weather because there's no way all those little kids and their parents will fit in my house and I want to trim the bushes so they don't eat said children as they run by between face painting and sack races and I need to pack for Montana.

I could go on, but I'll leave you with this little nugget of personal information.

I've developed an eye twitch over the past six months and both the family physician and the ophthalmologist who recently tried to shiv my eye blamed it on stress.

I have a feeling they may be right.

My Mom Loved the Roller Derby!

Like daughter like mother, apparently. Last Sunday, yes Father's Day, my mom, the BFF and I went to the local roller derby bout. It was just as intense and fun and awesome as I'd remembered, and my mom loved it.

Fast hard-hitting action

There was even chocolate covered bacon on a stick to be had. As many of you know from my 'Possum Queen carny days, fried stuff on a stick is a rare treat for me, but surprisingly, I wasn't enticed to try these.

Along with chocolate covered breakfast meats, there was a local live band.

Saints of Sorrow

I didn't get too close for fear of being labeled a groupie. I'm much too old and dignified for that. So I pretended I was taking a picture of the guy in front's butt. The band was good, and even had my mom bopping along to the heavy metal beat.

Mom was so into the whole experience that she even wore one of my coveted home-team jerseys to the bout. I wore this one. And the BFF got me an entirely new one that night for my birthday!! Check it out!

Do you feel the mash up love?

So a great time was had by all. Including my seventy year old mother.

She visited for two weeks from Montana, and left two days ago. That, along with bylaw revisions, finaling in a writing contest and the wrap up of the two environmental field days I ran for 183 and 132 kids respectively, the final days of the school year for my Urchins,  and my oldest Urchin's dance recital tonight, I have been regretfully absent from my blog.

But that will change. All the lovely crazy that I can cram in will be here in future days. Though, I have vowed to take more time for my writing, so I may slip some more of that in here around all the lunacy. We'll see how that works.

So what have you been up to for the past few weeks? Inquiring mind (my own) wants to know!

You Know You're Getting Old When . . .

you recover from your motorcycle accident by lying on the couch and watching The Antiques Roadshow. After that eneded, Lawrence Welk came on and I was unable to find the remote. I had to send my five year old upstairs to have my husband rescue me from THIS!!!!



It almost broke me. (bone wracking shudders)

As they say, there's two kinds of riders; those who've laid down their bikes and those who haven't . . .yet. So yes, I took a small spill on my motorcycle on the way to my monthly writers meeting. I'm mostly okay, and the bike is fine. Just a cracked turn signal light and a few small scuffs.

I was going through an S turn under a train overpass, and a huge pick up truck hauling a trailer was coming the other direction. He took the turn wide and I swerved to get out of his way. The bike tipped too far and went over. I hit the pavement on my shoulder and did a Pete Rose slide across the asphalt.

As usual, I was wearing jeans, boots, motorcycle jacket with armor, helmet and gloves. (Though there's no armor on the front of the jacket.)  I put my foot  down to try and stop the fall, and am having some soreness in the knee, probably from the force and weight of the bike, my shoulders and neck are sore. And my left boob. Could have done without that.

The driver didn't stop, and I slid into the middle of the road, which could have been fatal if someone came around the corner behind me right away, and my cycle hit the bank. Another motorcycle rider was coming in the opposite direction. He pulled over and helped me out, made sure I was okay and that my bike still ran. Great guy. Harley rider. Salt of the Earth, as are most of them. 

So there's the abbreviated version of my accident. I'm still stiff and sore. I still ran the writer's meeting and went to lunch after. I'm nothing if not stupid hard core.

Of course I now have more fear in riding, and the thought has crossed my mind that it may be time to give it up. We'll see what I think in a week or two.

So how was your weekend? Hope it was better than mine.

Girls Night In at Chez Quinn

The Man, God love him, works full time teaching and part time on the camera crew for the local AHL (hockey) team.Which means he works for them on weekends.

Which means the Urchins and I get to do special Mommy girly things. Now if you've been around here for a while, you know several things. A) I'm not right in the head. 2) I'm not very girly (I get a haircut once a year and ride a motorcycle for crying out loud.) III) I work hard to not be my demographic. I run around yelling SKEW! SKEW! wherever I go. It's my goal in life to be that one outlying statistic that throws off everyone's data.

So it will come as no surprise that Girls Night In was quite different than what poor unsuspecting people who stumble upon this blog might think. But as we all know, Tongue in Cheek is not for the faint of heart or the uninitiated.

To the question, "What do you want to do for girls night in?" I receive the instantaneous and deafening duet of "STAR WARS!!!!!!!!!!" (yes, it needs that many exclamation marks to really get across the decibel level that was reached.)

And so it was that after an all-Urchin request dinner of peanut butter sandwiches on potato rolls and new England clam chowder. Washed down with peanut brittle and fruit leather. (I abstained from the fruit leather.) We snoogled up on the couch under copious blankets with each other and our stuffed animal of choice and watched the original Star Wars.

The oldest Urchin, who is eight, watches in enraptured and reverent silence for the duration. With only a few words of praise for the cleverness of Princess Leia and the dreaminess of Luke Skywalker.

The youngest Urchin, however, cannot last more than a minute without asking something. It's mainly, "What did R2D2 just say?" Or the closely related, "What did Chewbacca just say?" To which after 100 askings I replied, "He said, 'tell the Youngest Urchin to be quiet.'" Which elicits some very Chewbacca like noises and a brandished fist from the five year old.

But a good time was had by all. And the next morning, I initiated them into the wonderful world of Mark Hamill on The Muppet Show.



I thought the oldest Urchin was going to keel over from laughing so hard. A girl after my own heart.

I have to admit, I am of an age where I saw the original Star Wars and this episode of the Muppet Show when they came out. And they made a big impression on me. But now, hands down, my favorite viewings of these were this past weekend.

So what are your fondest Star Wars memories?

It's Definitely A Bad Sign When

You pull a muscle as you attempt to hook your sports bra. I mean, I hadn't even made it to Zumba class and I'm already injured? What the hell?!

The only thing worse is as I get older, I find that I go to bed feeling okay, but wake up with a pulled hammy. And I didn't do anything during the night in the bed to sustain an injury. I'm just old! How do I go to bed fine and then wake up injured? What is that about?

I blame the sea monkeys.

Well, I still went to my Zumba class. Not the one I last reported on. You remember, the one I wanted to stage a coup and take over. Hostil-y. A la Joan of Arc in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. I now attend Zumba at the roller rink. Yes, the roller rink! It's so awesome. They turn down the house lights and get the disco globe going and the colored party lights. I'm hooked.

So I didn't injure myself further, though this has been the week of injuries/frailties for me. I had that ear infection, I banged my head wicked hard (it's still tender) on the corner of the door jam of my kitchen,(the man still thinks I may have slightly concussed myself) and now the sports-bra-hooking injury. It reminds me of the time I almost killed myself due to deeply ingrained girly tendencies.

Ahhh, good times.

So are there any weird things happening to you as you get older? (Why do I have the feeling it's just me.)

Whatever Happened To Menudo?

I spent some time the other week with my young teenage nieces and got a full-on education about the newest boy band, One Direction. (As did my five and eight year old. I could have done without that.)

To really show my age, my first boy bands were The Monkees (Peter was my favorite. The bff's was Mike. Whenever she'd watch the show, she'd do so with a knit winter hat on her head. Which explains a bit why she's the bff.), Menudo and a little later New Edition.

Don't remember Menudo? I don't know how you could ever forget them. (I suggest you not watch the entire clip. They have the same effect as polka, and I'd hate to have to stage another intervention.)

Note Ricky Martin in the pretty turquoise outfit on the end.

So who were your favorite boy bands? Or the ones you most enjoyed making fun of.

Remember That Pinched Nerve?

Well, I do. And now it's back. I spent the morning at the doctor's office being twisted into a pretzel from the waist down and being asked, "Does this hurt?" I swear he was a sadist in disguise. And I was secretly on some new kinky reality show. At the very least I was getting punk'd.

Then I was sent for back xrays. I'd never gotten anything xrayed before besides my teeth. That was an interesting experience. Standing for the whole thing proved slightly problematic. That's all I'll say.

I am now on steroids and some heavy duty locate-your-bed-before-you-take-these pain pills. I'm supposed to be packing for vacation right now. We're going camping. On Monday. On plywood boards that have pathetic foam coverings so they can masquerade as beds. Suffice it to say I'm not going to be a happy camper.

But I'll take one for the team and hope like hell I don't develop paralysis over the long term.

Look on the bright side. Apparently this was the universe's way of supplying me with a summer re-run.

So here it is.

All It Took Was A Pinched Nerve

Happy trails, citizens.

We'd Like You To Write A Song . . .

About Manifest Destiny. And you should use the words manifest destiny in it. And it needs to be catchy and educational. Oh, and understandable by children.

And so she did.



Thank you, Lynn Ahrens. For this and many more that you wrote and performed. You don't just rock, you School House ROCK!

The BFF Has Gone Mad

Mad I tell you! It's usually me who makes crazy, delusional statements and then follows through on them. And it's the BFF who tries to talk me out of it. But now - now she's the one insisting on insanity.

We'll both be celebrating a milestone birthday next month. You know the one. The "old enough to know better but think you're young enough to survive whatever hare-brained notion you come up with to prove that you're not".

Yeah. That old.

So, a new country bar opened in our redneck of the woods. (Yes this is related. Just wait.) And in this hillbilly honkytonk, there is a -wait for it- mechanical bull.

Yes, the BFF wants us to go ride a mechanical bull for our big milestone birthday celebration. She is refusing to grow old with dignity. I just want to be able to grow old period. Which is why I am balking at this particular half-baked plan. But she's sticking to her guns, bringing up the many times where I talked her into doing something stupid. Or dangerous. Or stupidly dangerous. Such as:

The Infamous Occurrence of the Hot Tub Party.
The Riding in the Back of the Pick Up Down the Highway Double Date Disaster
The Pilfering of the Flashing Construction Sign
The Pool Sharking at the Dance Club
The Tag-Team Mud Wrestling (You can totally take her, Cat. You're wiry.)
The Under-aged in a Country Bar Incident (though, to be fair, it was HER mom that got us in.)
The Trapped in the Camaro Doing Doughnuts in the Schoolyard Debacle

The list goes on. And on. So as you can see, I may just have to get my ass up on a mechanical bull in restitution. If you ask the BFF this is already a done deal.

So I'm praying she either comes to her senses, which is unlikely. Or the mechanical bull  has a setting level of Shetland pony. I have a feeling I'm screwed on both accounts.

Did you ever do anything wild for a birthday, or just in the craziness of youth? Lay it on me!

I've Done Been Tagged

Susan Gourley, awesome fantasy author and all around wonderful person, tagged me over at her blog, Susan Says. I'm still lamenting the fact that I missed her book signing at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore yesterday. Not only didn't I get to catch up with Sue, but The Midtown is probably the best independent book seller in the area. So that's a double whammy of goodness that I missed out on. In my defense, I have had no voice and a wicked cough for three days now, so I haven't gone much of anywhere- not even out into the blogosphere.

Sue was tagged last week and answered a different set of questions. Be sure to head over to her blog to check out the answers she gave.

Anywho, here are the questions that Sue tagged me with. And my understanding is that I must answer truthfully. Hmmmm.

1. Are you a Kindle, Nook, Ipad or other? Or none?

Other - I read ebooks, of which I own more of than traditional books, on my laptop.

2. Who is smarter, you or your phone?
Me. Definitely, since my phone only makes calls. I am an openly admitted Techno Freak

3. Do you like two story or one story homes?
I grew up in a three story home, I currently live in a two story home, and as I age I'm definitely seeing the benefits of a one story. So, I guess my preference depends on the day.

4. Country born and bred or city slicker?
I'm originally a city slicker who has come under the influence of country, however unwillingly.

5. Cereal, toast, eggs or just coffee for breakfast?
Cereal. I have eaten Cheerios for breakfast almost every day of my entire life. Yes, I can be that boring.

6. What new show on TV has caught your interest this year?
Burn Notice. Absolute GOLD! I mean, Bruce Campbell? Come on! And Gabrielle Anwar as a former IRA who deals arms internationally? And Jeffrey Donovan is something very nice to look at, dontyouthink? Great stories, good acting, and tons o' fun. Plus. BRUCE CAMPBELL!




7. Have you ever bought a celebrity book? About whom?

Okay. Fine. It was the eighties, and I was truly going to marry him. It was fated. Tiger Beat Magazine's celebrity compatibility quiz foretold that he was my optimal celebrity match. And a little piece of me will always belong to him. *sigh* John Schneider.



8. What is your favorite guilty snack?
Do I have to pick just one? I guess it would be rippled pototato chips and good dip.

9. What was your favorite cartoon character growing up?
Again, just one? I did an entire post dedicated to my favorites.

10. Do you pack your lunch or carry it?
I eat at home. Peanut butter and jelly, just about every day. Again, sad answers when it comes to the food.

11. What book have you read over and over again?
Mostly children's books to the Urchins. I have many a Sandra Boynton memorized as well as My Good Night Book, illustrated by Eloise Wilkin. (I've always loved her illustrations)

So there you go! I now will tag two more unsuspecting bystanders who must answer these three questions! WHAT is your name? WHAT is your quest? WHAT is your favorite . . . Oops, wait, I strayed off into Monty Python and the Holy Grail again. I hate when that happens. Here are the real questions.

1. When is your favorite time to write?

2. What would you like to change about the place where you write?

3. Who is your favorite villain?

4. Which do you prefer, Mel Brooks movies or Monty Python's?

5. Who is your favorite character from The Princess Bride?

6. If you could meet anyone living today, who would it be?

7. What is your favorite dish that your mom used to make for you?

8. What song are you really into right now?

9. If you had a kickass Halloween costume party to go to, and you had unlimited resources to prepare, what would you go as?

10. Who from your past would you FB stalk, but never want to see in real life?

So there they are. I personally, think #4 is the hardest of them all. So go on over to

Misty Simon's blog

and

M. J. Fifield's blog

to see how they answered. Because TAG they're it!

Adventures With Alice Cooper

I always know I've crossed some line of propriety when I get no comments. Apparently taxidermied squirrels bizarrely frolicking for eternity (or until the moths and dust mites decimate them) crosses that line. Who knew?

Anywho, to my new readers, let it be said that I blend pretty well into my suburbia, doing the stay-at-home mom thing, even though I'm a gnome (see picture to right). I don't walk around wearing Metallica concert tee shirts and ripped up jeans, smoking and drinking a 40 on my front stoop.

Yes, I ride a motorcycle, which I haven't been out on in forever, but other than you, gentle readers, and a few others in my inner circle, no one knows that I do. I was a teacher for a decade before I stayed home, and I teach Sunday and vacation bible school. (It's all in an attempt to lull the defenseless masses into a false sense of security.)

So when I tell you this story, you'll know how crazy it really is.

Two weeks ago the Youngest Urchin was driving me out of my gourd with some revoltingly innocent video that I've completely repressed so that I can go on living a fruitful life. But at the time, it was boring into my brain and laying eggs. Suffice it to say, I made the move to have her choose some different viewing fare. We went to the video cabinet (yes, we still do videos), and she decided to choose a Muppet Show tape I had in the way back.

Now let it be known to one and all, I adore the original Muppets I grew up with. They are truly awesome and I revere Jim Henson as a creative genius. The only reason this one was shoved to the back is because it was the Vincent Price/Alice Cooper tape. The Oldest Urchin is a sensitive little soul who gets frightened easily, the Youngest Urchin? Not so much (read down towards the end and you'll see what I mean). But she was a little too young for it when I relegated the video to the back. Well, the Youngest Urchin starts pleading her case in her four year old terms.

"I love it, Mommy. I'm not afraid. I'm big. I like it now."

To which I replied, "You've never seen it."

The debate went back and forth, and in a fit of self preservation so that I didn't have to endure one more hearing of the other offensive video, I caved. It's the Muppets, for crying out loud. How harmful can it be?

So I put it in and the Youngest Urchin settles down to watch. Well, Vincent Price she could take or leave.

But Alice Cooper? He made a huge impression.

Urgent calls from the living room begin.

"Mommy! Where do we keep our capes?!?!" (A big scarf tied at two corners)

"In the dress-up bin."

"Mommy, Mommy go back! Alice Cooper is talking to me!"

Never before did it cross my mind that my four year old would ever utter those words.

So now Alice Cooper on the Muppet Show is her favorite. She pretends to be him. I hear her warbling Welcome to My Nightmare from the back seat. Her Barbies are now the ghost and monster band from the first skit. She wears her cape wherever we go. And when a well meaning adult smiles and comments how she's such a great super hero, she turns and replies, "I'm not a super hero. I'm Alice Cooper."

I just smile and nod as I lead her away from some stunned little old lady who looks at me askance.

Ahh, such is the life here at Chez Quinn.

So tell me, what's going on in your neck of the woods?

I Love Parkour

And this man is a master. Though with my new dodgy hip, I'll for sure never be. (not like it was very likely in the first place.)



One of my heroines uses parkour in her vigilante work.

This jump actually made my butt pucker. Wait for it. Yours will too.



So tell me, are you a parkour/free running fan or does it repulse you?

Just Call Me Helga

I finally got a new bathing suit last night. Ever since the wardrobe malfunction on the beach last summer, in which I issued a public apology to the inhabitants of that section of Rehoboth Beach, I've needed a new one.

Well, I got one last night.

It was a family affair, so you can imagine the unadulterated joy it was to bathing suit shop - which I hate - with The Man and Urchins in tow. I basically got the one that I could tolerate and called it a night.

So I now own a bathing suit with leopard print. Grey and black toned leopard print. I've never owned a leopard printed anything in my life. (I heard those gasps of shock, but believe it, leopard print ain't my shtick.)

It also has cups of steel. I kid you not. I could knock on these knockers and hear a resounding ~BONG~. I feel like I should be sporting a helmet with horns protruding from each side and wielding a spear as I descend from Valhalla.

If only I could work it like Bugs bunny, then at least I'd know I looked good.



But alas, I fear I wear it like Helga, the opera singing warrior in my old favorite video game Clayfighter.



I originally was trying for some rockabilly style. It has that vintage pinup vibe about it. Here's a picture. It doesn't show the cups that well, but you get the idea.



I may add little gun barrels to the center of each cup just to give a nod to the Austin Powers Fembots. We'll see.

Speaking of vintage pin up girl style, if you haven't checked these guys out, you're no hep cat of mine. I love their designs.

So, any bathing suit disasters you'd care to share with the rest of the class? We're all ears!

Gotta Have Some Soul

I just needed a little vintage R&B tonight. Add a little Soul, and this is what you get.

Enjoy!



And this song always takes me back to that night I was underage and on the dance floor in a bar down in Delaware. And that's all I'm saying about that.