Release Me

One of my fondest memories as a child is riding in the car with my mom. Even though she used the car to mostly lecture her captive audience (because it’s just not prudent to jump out a moving car), she also used our driving time to expand my appreciation for different types of music.

Her ’76 Gold Ford Elite was top of the line, in my opinion. It had a cream leather hard top, cream leather seating, really nice shiny rims that had the spokes, white wall tires and an AM/FM radio complete with an EIGHT TRACK CASSETTE PLAYER! Yeah, real top notch. I think that was the only luxury car my family owned up until the red Ford Taurus circa 1990. LOL.

On to the music…
My mom’s car music consisted of Gospel (think: Mahalia Jackson, Shirley Caesar and James Cleveland) and Easy Listening a/k/a “Elevator” music (think: Nat King Cole, Barbra Streisand, The Carpenters). That’s how she rolled. Her eight track collection didn’t contain all the Easy Listening artists, but there is one in particular that I clearly remember…Engelbert Humperdinck. Good ole Engelbert. I used to ogle that cassette tape case because he was so very cute to me.



And my favorite song was “Release Me”. Such mature lyrics to be singing for a little girl that was about 5 or 6 years old who knew absolutely nothing about breaking up with someone, but I used to belt those lyrics each time the song came on.
Not only were the lyrics mature, I saw the video on You.Tube when looking for the song.



Kind of racy for 1985, isn’t it? LOL

I really wish I had this memory 2 weeks ago. Engelbert is still performing and he was in Bethesda, MD on Oct. 7th. I would have gifted my mom some tickets for her birthday. It would’ve been a hoot for sure.

Question: What kind of music did your parents to listen when you were young?

Bologna Biscuits for Breakfast!

I work in a small town. Many people have not heard of it when I mention it by name, but when I tell them it’s near a well known airport, they immediately know the area. This place is far from metro-chic and if it were not for the prominent government contractor buildings and the hotel district, I would describe it as…how can I put it…a hick town. And let me be clear; not “hick” as in quaint, Mayberry-esque.

On one side of town there’s a High’s Dairy. I didn’t know High’s still existed. Last time I saw one was about 16 years ago and it was clearly a poor attempt at replicating the original. Think “8-12” – you know the fake 7-11 that sells everything from bread & milk to clothing items and cheap jewelry. But this High’s ain’t no throwback. It comes equipped with the hand dipped ice cream counter.



On the other side there’s a Hardee’s. HARDEE’S? Didn’t Roy Rogers buy them out, here in the North, and didn’t Roy Roger’s go out of business? I couldn’t get a picture of it (thanks to the cheap camera phone), but this one had a sign that said, “New Breakfast Item: Bologna Biscuit - $1.49”. I don’t know what’s worse; the fact that bologna biscuits are on the menu or the fact that they are $1.49. You can get a whole pack of meat bologna for like $ 0.99. You can get a Mc.Double for $1.00…meaning TWO patties. That price is ridiculous. I swear I’m not making this up.



I thought this kind of stuff only existed in the South. My bad, Maryland is technically “the South”, isn’t it?

All Together Now

(Sung to the tune of the Mickey Mouse Club theme song)



Come along and sing a song and join the family…

O-M-G – O-M-G-a-M-O-U-S-E!
In my house (WTFudge)
IN.MY.HOUSE (WTFudge)
Until it’s dead I’ll hold my feet up high
HIGH, HIGH, HIGH!

Off I go, to the Lowes to visit aisle 3C
G-L-U…add an “E”…T-R-A-P-P!!!

What a Random Week!

• I recently volunteered at a community day where we gave away information and food – not just canned goods, but groceries. It started raining at around 2:30pm. People would not go home. Do you think it was because they were trying to grab the last bit of free groceries that we were giving away? Nope. They were waiting in line – IN THE RAIN…to get the free cotton candy, popcorn and snow cones. And they were NOT children.

• Did you know that Chuck Norris will be 70 years old in 2010? He has a set of twins. They are 8 years old.

• My father is 73 years old. I am 35. 70 must be the new 40.

• I really don’t like it when I go to the ladies room at work and someone is using “my stall”. Ticks me off.

• I can not believe that Whoopie Goldberg tried to make a distinction between rape and “RAPE-RAPE” on The View this week when discussing the Polanski case. Don’t believe me? Take a look. I’ll wait…



Can you believe that?

13 year old + 40something year old + alcohol & drugs + “consensual” sex = RAPE each.and.every.single.time in my book.

Now every time I see her on that tmobile/google phone commercial, I’m going to suck my teeth and give her the stank-eye. Watching “Ghost” will never be the same.

• I think I have eaten more food this past week at work than I have in the entire month of September. Thank God I haven’t gained any weight.

• I REALLY need to start back exercising on a regular basis. The Fall/Winter months are the time when I tend to pick up weight. Last year before I knew it, I was almost 25 pounds heavier. That will NOT happen again this year.

• My sons are the coolest kids ever! Love them to itty-bitty pieces.

• I really REALLY love my job, my co-workers and my boss. After all those years of working with crazies, God saw fit to bless me with a great work family.

• My name is Lisa and I’m a reality show junkie.

• I just found out last night that my son watches the Real Housewives of Atlanta on purpose. That is so funny to me.

• They should make a reality show with Tim Gunn from Project Runway and Dwight from RHOA.

• Dr. Bailey on Grey’s Anatomy is a really good actress.

• I’m so glad that the weekend is here.

SUNSHINE!!!

It's definitely been one of those weeks.

In spite of it all, it's Friday and...I'm just happy that God saw fit to give me another day of life.



HAPPY FRIDAY SUNSHINE!

With love, Lisa