Friday Photo #13 

this is going to sound weird, but ...

I like cemeteries. They're really quiet and contemplative. Plus they're full of history... personal history. There's this great old cemetery two blocks away from us which contains some wonderfully weathered tombstones dating as far back as the early 1800s. 

The historical significance is worth the trip alone, but what fascinates me most are the tokens loved ones leave behind in a desperate attempt to cling to the memory of those lost.

Many are adorned with traditional statuary of saints, Jesus or Mary, but there are a lot of unorthodox, more personal items lovingly placed on these grave sites. Things like gnomes riding frogs, pinwheels, bunnies and squirrels, sea shells, baseball caps, even a small concrete ducks dressed in season-appropriate attire. At a relatively new grave there was a sad, picnic tableau complete with Weber grill, empty beer cans and burned out bottle rocket remains. 

But by far the most crushing scene in the entire cemetery was a large, brightly painted Tonka Truck atop an enormous headstone lined with a child's trinkets, lovingly left by his parents whose shattered hearts will never be whole again...even if they live to be one hundred years old. 

You know one of these days I'm going to get my act together and make a photo book out of these shots titled "Tokens". It seems somehow disrespectful to just leave these photos lingering on my desktop. 

More Bits And Pieces  

or cleaning out my mind's attic...

As  noted in the prior posting, my muse hit the highway some time last week and all I got was this lousy t-shirt. (www.nataliedee.com)

So I figured I'd just toss a bunch of random mental trash on the junk heap. 

1. As if you didn't know, the Steelers won the Super Bowl lasts Sunday. Pittsburgh celebrated with a "Salute to the Champions" parade on Tuesday. 350,000+ Steelers Nation faithful lined the Boulevard to cheer and revel in the glory of our unprecedented sixth title. Some of the players stepped off their cars and walked the parade route. One went one step further...

Yes, Troy Polamalu treated his rabid fans with a repeat of his crowd dive from 2005. You can see a much cleaner, professional video from a rival TV station here. Can you say "crowd pleaser"?

2. So apparently an Arizona newspaper reporter has been bad mouthing Steelers fans. He was saying crap like we're just a bunch of rude, ignorant rubes who are loud and ill-mannered. WaWaWa...sore loser. Does this cat not know there is an entire NATION of Steelers fans around the country and the world...even in Phoenix?!? What a douche. Perhaps he and the other Cardinals fans should remove the stick from their collective butts and learn how to have some good, old-fashioned, blue collar fun. Bottom line is they can say anything they want. The fact remains we have six Lombardi trophies AND Troy Polamalu stage diving. In the words of Tina Fey... he can just suck it.

3. Okay, so remember my "wiener of the week" posting from January 28th wherein I spoke of a co-worker's anxiety over what was prowling around in her new beau's pantaloons? No? Well you can read it here, then come back.... I'll wait.....

(whistling Jeopardy theme....) 

Done, okay. So last night we were at a wine tasting with one of our favorite couples. Afterwards we were at a bar when I told my girlfriend Kels about my wiener posting. Well... she has her own horrendous hambone horror story. 

Get this!! She once dated a guy who had one ball ... and two holes.

I repeat... Two. Holes.

The one ball thing is no big deal, but he had TWO HOLES. 

I mean, come on. That just brings up all kinds of questions.... what happened to his other nard... what's with the two holes... seriously, does like .. pee come flying out in two different directions?  How the hell does one end up with two holes in his schlong? A Prince Albert piercing gone horribly wrong? A shaky Mohel at a Bris? A bizarre bicycle accident? (seriously...who's bright idea was it to make boys bikes with that scrotum crushing bar, anyway?)  What could possibly have happened to this dude to turn his tube steak into a meat whistle.

Of course, she was so stunned (and much more of a lady than I) she never talked to him about it, thereby denying we twisted and curious from obtaining the (w)hole story. Sorry. had to do it. Oh well. Maybe it's more fun to ponder anyway. 

4. I haven't obsessed about the king of all my things lately, so here's a video just for me... because it's MY blog, dammit!! 

One of the best parts of Rhett's solo shows is his storytelling and banter with the audience. This is classic. And, no... they won't play at your wedding... unless you have lots and lots of money to throw their way. 

Hmmmmm... note to self... if we ever win the lottery... restring all your guitars and pack up all your stuff, boys. You're playing at my house!

In Which I Admit I Suck At This Blogging Thang Lately  

Mea Culpa

I don't know what's up, but lately I've been really scattered. I can't seem to focus on something...anything entertaining to write about. My muse has apparently motored south for the winter, to bask in the glory of the warm sun and sip Mojitos poolside in that skimpy little leopard bikini that used to look so hot on me until, you know, excess stuff started settling in around my mid-section, but of course it still looks fantastic on her because she's a freaking "muse" and therefore immune to getting fat or cottage cheesey in all the wrong places (not that there are any places on one's body in which being cottage cheesey is acceptable). But is she happy with merely mocking me by looking uber sexy in my own bathing suit... No!! She has to rub it in by sending postcards of her antics with young, muscular pool boys named Sven and Gunther. AND if that's not bad enough, she stabs my very heart by getting my one, true, fantasy love, Rhett Miller to kiss her!?

Stupid little skank. Do you see how she taunts me? I miss you, Muse. Please come back.

Playing the MeMe Google Game 

or like you need more help wasting time on the internet   

Okay, so you probably know about this game already. The idea is you Google your name followed by a verb, hit enter and hilarity ensues. 

Of course I stole .. er.. borrowed this idea from John and Hank Green... who probably stumbled on it from someone else... who heard someone mention it at a soiree... who saw it on one of those hip 'n happenin' trendy websites... who ran into Kyra Sedgewick at a Hollywood shindig... who is married to, none other than, Kevin Bacon. Thus completing the mystical circle of six degrees of Kevin Bacon. 

Okay, not really. John really stole it from Facebook... who probably stumbled on it from someone else... who heard someone mention it at a blah blah blah... who yadda yadda yadda... Jane!! Stop this crazy thing!?!  

You have to try this. Here's mine:

Murray likes...to socialize and will use any excuse to celebrate with friends. (very true)

Apparently Murray also like apples, Iggy Pop and to flirt obviously. Or is it flirt, obviously? (Well... obviously. Duh.)

Murray wants... a Zombie picture!!! (sure, why not) Also Murray wants you to hang up your coat on Phil Cuttance's trophy hangers (not the wire hangers, you neanderthal), AND Murray wants to get married in the nude. (little chilly in February)

Murray loves... to deck out the place with streamers (because it's FAB-U-Lous!!!)

Murray hates... Bruce, and Bruce barely notices!  (*sob* selfish bastard!)

Murray lives... with her three children and sings with a swing band for fun! (scattin' her kids to sleep)

Murray says... I could lose myself in his eyes and his smile. (Aaaah)

Murray asks... to show her drawing, but there is no time left. Then out of nowhere, Murray asks for Kate's badge then pulls a gun!?! (she's quite mad, you know)

Murray wears... a vampire-chic waistcoat and climbs around on a jungle gym to the Eurythmics' "Would I Lie to You". (now that sounds about right)

You can go on and on and on, typing verb after verb, providing hours of entertainment. But trust me. Do NOT type "Eats". Lots of nasty, nasty stuff appears. Or maybe that's just with my name. 

Wait a minute... when I use Geo's name, the foulest things to appear is he eats babies, Twinkies from the garbage and old grey rats while painting houses yellow. 

What the?!? 

Damn! There's some uber slutty chick with my humble moniker. Eeeewwwwwww! That ain't right. Get your own name, Hootch.

Welcome to SixBurgh 

please make sure your Lombardi trophy is in its upright and locked position  hehehehehehe...

Hey, guess what? 

We won. 

We got us a six-pack, Baby! 

Okay, so I'll admit it. I'm not a big fan of Ben RustyMcBurger or however the hell you spell his impossibly long moniker. That fact completely puzzles Geo, probably because I really can't say why. I just don't care for him. But I have to hand it to him... he's tough. He did a great job keeping it together through the pressure, thereby keeping the team together and focused. They all gelled as a team and kept fighting down to the last nail-biting, blood-pressure-raising, heart-attack-inducing 35 seconds--in what will be recorded as perhaps the most exciting Super Bowl finish EVER. 

One thing is certain... the Super Bowl is never dull when the Steelers are playing. 

In other 02/02 news...

Yeah... this jagoff saw his shadow... AGAIN! Six more weeks of winter. Dude, you better be scared. You know back in the day, they used to cook your kind after prognosticating. We get another hideous ice storm, and I'm comin' for your ass.

Run Forest, RUN!! 

or get that boy some oxygen, baby!

Okay, so tonight is the much ballyhooed Super Bowl XIII. Our Steelers started the game like a tinderbox en fuego, scoring 10 points. Then there was a little mishap and Arizona scored. But then there was an incredible interception in the final seconds of the half by none other than the much underrated James Harrison. Instead of an easy one yard pass for a Cardinals TD, Harrison picked off the ball on the GOAL line and ran it 100 yards for a Steelers TD. 100 yards!?! from a guy who barely runs... needless to say, he was puffin' like a steam engine when he collapsed in the end zone.

I think this photo says it all..

I don't know how this match up will end, but as of now this dude is totally my MVP. Not bad for a guy nobody wanted in the draft. Forest...this Bud's for you, Baby!!

Friday Photo #12 

or is there something going on this weekend? 

Unless you've been in a coma the last two weeks, you know this Sunday is the Super Bowl. The battle this year is between the Arizona Cardinals and ...ta da!  The mighty Pittsburgh Steelers!!! 

Since the closing of the mills in the 70s, Pittsburghers have been forced to move near and far for work. The distance from their beloved city has only strengthened their resolve to maintain their loyalty to the Steelers and all things Pittsburgh. Thus creating what is known as a Steelers Nation. You can find Steelers fans EVERYWHERE... vocal, adamant Steelers fans proudly wearing their black and gold in designated Steelers Bars run by ex-pats of course. My sister found such a bar (owned by a Burgher) while traveling through Alaska last year. 

This photo (shot in Afghanistan) was taken by Bobby McGrath, an instructional designer at the Naval War College in Rhode Island. The pilots are out of the North Carolina air force base named... wait for it... 

Seymour Johnson.    Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha (sorry.. that makes the 12-year-old in me laugh)

 

Let's just hope the Steelers can clip the Cardinals wings, because if the black and gold would lose to a stinking red bird...