Keepin' It Light

Sunny Hi 112 Lo 83 for Baghdad, Iraq
Hazy Hi 87 Lo 61 for Northern KY, USA

Song of the week: Afternoon Delight as interpreted by Will Ferrell

This week I am keeping it light. I have for my own sanity kept the news to a minimum this past week. Visions of people being forced out of their homes in Gaza, the governor of my former home state "blah blah blahing" about having a higher standard of ethics, the $253,000,000.00 decision made against Merck & Co., Cindy Sheehan hype amidst all the memorial services and funerals that took place locally, etc, etc, etc is just more than I can handle. So, this week, I will just provide you with blips and blinks of things that have amused me over the past several days.



OK, this photo was taken when the decision was made in the Merck & Co. Vioxx decision. Are these lawyers emotional because they won a decision that "rights the world" or are they mentally computing 30% of $253,000,000.00? You decide.

OK... the weirdness has already started. Thanks to Angry in the Great White North I have found out that Christopher Walken is running for President in 2008... Is this a joke? You decide...

09 August, 2005
Actor Christopher Walken to run as Candidate in 2008 Presidential Race
For Immediate Release
New York - Early today, actor Christopher Walken, 62, held a private conference at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York in which he announced his intentions to run for the Presidency of the United States in the 2008 Election.

My caped crusader friend, Wonder Woman at A North American Patriot found this web site Grouchy Media. WW is an intelligent broad with a lot of spunk. She is well written and approaches topics thoughtfully. Spend some time with her, eh? Grouchy Media has some fantastic videos.... turn up the volume to listen to some thrash and take in the images. Powerful and uplifting. See the good works that our men and women in uniform are doing.

I find myself visiting Japan Window more and more. I am instantly drawn into the photographs. This is definitely a place I go to take in the sights of Japan as seen the the lens of this photographer.

By now, I'm guessing you are cursing me for choosing "Afternoon Delight" as the song of the week. Well, I figure this is one way you will be reminded to visit often (or not)...If I get enough comments, I may change the song... I must admit, this by far is one of the worst songs ever written and what is even worse is that it is so darned catchy.... By the way, whatever happened to Starland Vocal Band?

I really love movies. One of my favorite pastimes (which sadly, is happening less and less) is firing up the DVD and watching an old classic. Nothing beats seeing Jimmy Stewart in It's A Wonderful Life or Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys or Roman Holiday or Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? or Gary Cooper in High Noon. But then there are the more "recent" classics like The Princess Bride, Field of Dreams, Jaws, or the Lord of the Rings Movies. I just love movies! If it is a good enough movie I can enter and live in that world created by the director. Does that make sense? Something I have decided to do from time to time on this blog is list movies that I find appealing. I have already mentally come up with some categories: "Tear Jerker Chick Flicks", "Teenage Angst", "Feel Good Sports", "I'm Really Not a 15 Year Old Boy", "Fun with Holidays", "Musical Mania", "John Wayne Personified", etc...

The song "Afternoon Delight" was featured in the movie Anchorman, The Legend of Ron Burgundy. This by far is one of the dumbest movies ever made and falls into the Category of "I'm Really Not a 15 Year Old Boy". When I am at work or with friends and the guys start talking about movies, I am able to pipe in and recite my favorite lines from such movies. I think most women find this disturbing. I find these movies hysterical. Yes, childish, yes cornball, yes dirty, but good grief they are funny! So in no particular order here is my top ten list of movies, category: I'm Really Not a 15 Year Old Boy

1 Monty Python and the Holy Grail-- I'm French. Why do think I have this outrageous accent, you silly king.

2 There's Something About Mary-- Those goofy bastards are just about the best thing I've got going in this... crazy world.
3 Airplane! --I am serious, and don't call me Shirley4 Stripes--We're soldiers, but we're American soldiers! We've been kicking ass for 200 years! 5 Blazing Saddles--I want rustlers, cutthroats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con-men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers, hornswogglars, horse thieves, bull-dykes, train robbers, bank robbers, ass-kickers, sh**-kickers, and Methodists!6 Raising Arizona-- The doctor explained that her insides were a rocky place, where my seed could find no perch
7 Office Space -- I love kung fu movies
8 Pee Wee's Big Adventure--tequila! "Paging PeeWee Herman"
9 Honeymoon in Vegas-- We're the Flying Elvises, Utah Chapter!
10 Anchorman, The Legend of Ron Burgundy-- I killed a guy with a trident

That's it. As I pulled the pics for these movies I thought of even more... History of the World Part I, The Rutles (All You Need is Cash), The Jerk!! (I can't believe I forgot that one), Night Shift (Michael Keaton, Henry Winkler, Shelley Long), Clerks, This is Spinal Tap (..but this one goes to eleven) Ah well...

Courtesy of JoAnna, a bit of a diversion for you to peruse. This is too cute... a little demented... go check out 30 Second Bunny Theatre at Angry Alien Productions. There you will find soon to be classics like, Jaws in 30 seconds (and re-enacted by bunnies)

Now, I must note, as a conservative, it can be extremely painful to go to the movies, listen to music, or watch television, read a book... etc... Inevitably, I end up "boycotting" someone for a period of time because he/she just had to open his/her mouth and say something ridiculous. With age (so some say) I have learned to take on Laura Ingraham's attitude of Shut Up and Sing. There are some that will forever be on my list of "not a dime will I spend".... but, for the rest...I have found Libertas A Forum for Conservative Thought on Film to be helpful.

Oh... and to Mr. Myripple, I haven't forgotten your blog, I'm simply ignoring you. I suggest you read my blog in its entirety and maybe you will understand that anger isn't the "American Epitaph as you claim. I'm still considering responding to your blog, but I think it is you that is angry without hope. Come to the other side... the right side and you will see that it is ok to be angry now and again... You'll also come to see that there are a lot of reasons to be hopeful and happy. In America, anything is possible with perserverance and a positive attitude.

Try this out...create your own conspiracy here.

Welcome back Otimaster! I hope you had a wonderful holiday!! I'm still waiting to get a translation on what Otimaster means...

I have added to the sidebar under "with humble appreciation" a direct link to Tribute, which originally was posted 7/3. There I have maintained a growing list of men and women that I owe thanks. I have added Casey Sheehan to this list.

I can't let this go without sharing my memory of this song... Afternoon Delight came out the summer of our Bicentennial. I was 11...My grandparents, mom, and brother piled into the car to go visit my Uncle Steve and cousin Chuck (Benjy back then) in Cherry Point, North Carolina where Uncle Steve was stationed (remember, he's a Marine). Anyway, between spats and who was on the wrong side of the seat..."stop touching me"... "Mom, tell Terry to knock it off"... this song came on every other song on every single station.... we would all stop talking and start singing... I'm not exaggerating... I swear... at least that's how I remember it... We DIDN'T KNOW what this song was about!!! Good grief....

Afternoon Delight

The Starland Vocal Band

Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight

gonna grab some afternoon delight.

My motto's always been; when it's right, it's right.

Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night.

When everything's a little clearer in the light of day.

And you know the night is always gonna be there any way.

Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite

looking forward to a little afternoon delight.

Rubbin' sticks and stones together makes the sparks ingite

and the thought of lovin'' you is getting so exciting.

Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight. Afternoon delight.

Started out this morning feeling so polite

I always thought a fish could not be caught who wouldn't bite

But you've got some bait a waitin' and I think I might

try nibblin' a little afternoon delight.

Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight. Afternoon delight.

Please be waiting for me baby when I come around.

We could make a lot of lovin' 'for the sun goes down.

Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight. Afternoon delight...

And now a few pictures from last weekend...

This is my nephew Cory. He was stung for the first time just moments after this picture was taken. He is a cutie and he is all boy.

This is my nephew Caleb. He is by far one of the gentlest souls I have ever known. He is always very serious and whenever I have asked him for permission to take his picture, he is always serious. My grandfather and he look so much alike...


This is my niece Kamae. She is 7 and ready for adventure. She looks so much like me when I was her age...
This is mother and daughter watching tadpoles in the Maumee River. Mom is my other sister-in-law, Maria. She will be giving birth to niece #3 (for me) her 4th on September 2nd. I'm so lucky to have her as a sis in law. I couldn't ask for more. I have lucked out on the in laws.... I love them all and Maria is at the top of the list...

Have a great week everyone. Keep the faith, afterall this is America. We have the best of the best keeping watch over us...