Remembering

In the spirit of passing it on, I found this on my friend Melissa's blog and thought I'd play along. I will credit her for getting me to blog again. (Not counting on MySpace, where I primarily put my words down-- I know, cheesy.) I don't know if I even have any readers anymore!

1) As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn’t matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember.

2) Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It’s actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I’ll assume you’re playing the game and I’ll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don’t want to play on your blog, or if you don’t have a blog, I’ll leave my memory of you in my comments.

i don't count sheep.

I have a problem with migraines. Sometimes, when the pain is intolerable, I have a hard time falling asleep. I get anxious about the pain, and it's often hard to calm myself down enough to start to relax, so that I can try to sleep it off.

Over the years, I have tried various self-hypnosis type methods to bring me the calm I need. Some work, some don't. My most recent technique is going through my life and thinking of as many of the live shows I have seen/heard as I possibly can. This list is a result of the hours I have spent on my search for stillness. I am a Music Junkie. It is much harder to remember than I would have imagined, which is why I have written it down. I'm sure I am missing something, but it's been distracting enough for me to recall this many, so that's alright with me.

Abbey Lincoln
Al Green
Alex Chilton
Alter Bridge
Angela McCluskey
Aretha Franklin
Art Alexakis
B-52s
The Beastie Boys
Better Than Ezra
Billy Joel
The Black Crowes
Bon Jovi
Boston
Bruce Springsteen
The Connells
Counting Crows
Cowboy Junkies
Cracker
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Dave Matthews Band
David Bowie
David Ryan Harris
Drive By Truckers
Drivin' n Cryin
Duran Duran
The Eagles
Eddie Money
Elton John
Eric Clapton
Etta James
Everclear
The Four Tops
Garth Brooks
Hootie & the Blowfish
Huey Lewis & the News
Indigo Girls
Jackie Greene
James Brown
James Taylor
Jeffrey Gaines
Jimmy Buffett
Journey
KC & the Sunshine Band
Kool & the Gang
Leon Russell
Lionel Richie
Lisa Marie Presley
Little Feat
Live
Me’Shell NdegeOcello
Morris Day & the Time
Nancy Griffith
Nancy Wilson
Natalie Merchant
Neil Young
Night Ranger
Nine Inch Nails
Patty Griffin
Paul Simon
Paula Cole
Pearl Jam
Pete Yorn
Pink Floyd
The Police
Prince
The Radiators
Radiohead
The Ramones
REM
Rick Springfield
Rod Stewart
Sade
Sarah McLachlan
Seal
Shaun Cassidy
Shawn Colvin
Silverchair
Simon & Garfunkel
The Smithereens
Steve Winwood
Sting
Susan Tedesci
The Temptations
Tina Turner
Tracy Chapman
Train
U2
Van Halen
Vic Chesnutt
The Village People
The Wallflowers
Whitney Houston
The Yayhoos

"like a thief in the night," bonnie sang.

I'm stealing this from Her Slackassedness, who stole it from Tasty. (Yeah, that's right. We bad. We bad. We know we bad.)

10 years ago I was:
Working for the devil. I had no idea then, but I was 3 1/2 months away from a nervous breakdown, and he was packing my bags. Possibly nursing a headache.

5 years ago I was:
Living with my nerdboy, working for a startup, and coming down from the first season of Big Brother. Probably nursing a headache.

1 year ago I was:
Newly married to my nerdboy, working in a beautiful store with great people, considering buying a condo where my friend KooKoo was buying one, and definitely nursing a headache.


Yesterday I was:
Doing laundry at our condo, after having signed on with a Real Estate Broker as a new agent, and swearing out loud while nursing a doggone headache.

5 snacks I enjoy the most:
1. Pringles
2. Oreos
3. Heaven on a Cracker
4. Celery & peanut butter
5. homemade spinach dip (recipe from the Knoll's box) and Triscuits

5 songs I know all the words to (too many to name, but here are some possible surprises):
1. Rapper's Delight
2. all Alter Bridge songs
3. Boogie in Your Butt, by Eddie Murphy
4. Take Your Time, Do it Right, by the SOS Band
5. The entire Grease 2 soundtrack


5 things I would do with a billion dollars:
1. Help Katrina victims
2. Give a bunch of it to my Dad
3. Buy one of these things that I heard about from Surcie: Mine will be pink, even if I have to pay extra.
4. Give crazy fun presents to all of my friends on their birthdays or just whenever.
5. Hire a maid.

5 places ideal for running away to:
1. Seagrove Beach, Florida
2. my bedroom
3. Anywhere tropical
4. a kick-ass treehouse
5. the movies

5 items you'll never see me wear:
1. gauchos
2. UGGs
3. thigh-high boots
4. lime green (love the color, but I have bad luck when I wear it)
5. anything that might get my liberal ass mistaken for a Republican

5 best TV shows:
1. The West Wing
2. L O S T
3. The Daily Show
4. ALIAS
5. Big Brother

5 biggest joys in life:
1. when I laugh until it hurts
2. when my nephew says my name ("Other Kim") and/or smiles at me
3. talking with kids
4. when my nerdboy smiles at me when he wakes up
5. hearing a great song for the first time

5 favorite toys:
1. my iPod
2. my travel Yahtzee!
3. play-doh
4. our dog
5. my GameBoy

ketchup or catsup?

Catching up...

Dad's surgery was last week, and it went great. "Mad props" (whatever those are) to his surgeon, Dr. Edward Chen, and all of the staff at Emory who made his stay as pleasant as possible. The doc said his heart is in great shape, but his lungs are horribly damaged by years of smoking. Dad has no plans of smoking again, thankfully, and I am hoping he won't ever find the need to pick up another cigarette. And you, too, if you're a smoker. :D

In other news, I am doing my final studying for my Real Estate licensing exams, which I hope to take next week. I think I am probably ready, but I just don't want to take it twice!

Most importantly, the people affected by Hurricane Katrina have been in my constant thoughts and prayers. I can't get over the heartbreaking devastation they are experiencing, and I'm not to the point yet that I can turn off the TV. I just feel that the victims all deserve to have their stories seen and heard. I have "adopted" a New Orleans family who was displaced and is now starting over (at least for the next six months or so) in Birmingham, with the help of my friend, Lynn. If you would like to help send support to them, let me know. I just personally can't be satisfied by throwing money at huge organizations-- the possibility of funds being diverted doesn't prevent me from doing it, but not without hesitation.

Other than that, my life is good, and I have no complaints.

God save the Gulf Coast.

papapalooza

Just a quick update on Pops-

He has not had surgery yet. He still has a cold, and his surgeon is a busy guy. It sounds like the earliest it could happen is this Friday. He is really anxious to get it over with, so that he can get on the road to recovery and start feeling better.

In the meantime, he's been hangin' out with my nephew, as you can see here.



Thanks for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers.

Love,
me

P.S. Yes, that is a Pink Floyd t-shirt. :)

oh. well, pardon ME, sir!

Correction:

Dad will NOT be on bedrest. He said that he is not supposed to go up or down any steps tomorrow, but after that, he is free to do whatever he pleases. Oh, no. No BEDREST for HIM!

So I guess that means he'll continue his marathon training on Friday. ;)

let's slow it down a little.

My Dad had a stress test a couple of weeks ago, where they determined that they needed to do a Heart Cath. It was scheduled for this morning.

They did that, and thought that he had a blockage and a valve problem. They did a sonogram this afternoon, and confirmed that he does have both.

He called and told me the news by saying, "well, we're gonna have pig parts in the family!" (He is going to have a pig valve installed. And they'll do a by-pass.)

He has a terrible cold right now, so they are unable to operate just yet. It will probably be scheduled for the end of the month. Until then, I imagine he will be on bed rest or something close to it. (Not that he's Active Man or anything, so it won't be a *huge* change!) I asked him if he's scared, and he said he's not at all. He feels great about it, and is looking forward to feeling much better and stronger than he has felt in a while. The surgery will be done at Emory. He said, "Kim, I have the BEST doctors. They're CHINESE!!!" I never knew this before, but I think my Dad must think that Chinese doctors are the very best variety. Who knew?!

If anyone out there could keep him in your thoughts and/or prayers, I'd really appreciate it. He's crazy as a loon, and a total mess, but I absolutely adore him and want him to live as close to forever as possible. Thanks. :)

The West Wing: The Nirvana of broadcast television?

After reading a messageboard friend's post about Beau Bridges joining the cast of Stargate SG-1, I just have to pay homage to The West Wing for bringing quality film actors to the small screen. Remember when that was Just Not Done? I mean, some may have started their careers on television, but once one had A Movie Career, one did NOT return to tv.

I saw Richard Dreyfuss on the Rosie O'Donnell Show years ago, plugging The Education of Max Bickford (a great show that I dearly miss). Rosie asked what made him take the role. He said, "I can tell you EXACTLY what made me take the role. The West Wing."

Now, I am not saying that Martin Sheen brought grunge to television, but as Nirvana took rock & roll in a totally different direction, so did The West Wing. Martin Sheen brought credibility to television roles. Since that first season of The West Wing, we have had all kinds of terrific film actors gracing our living rooms every week. Actors like Glenn Close, Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Steenburgen, Joe Montegna, Joe Pantoliano (Joey Pants!), Marcia Gay Harden, Kyra Sedgwick, Peter Gallagher, Anthony LaPaglia, Marianne Jean-Babtiste, Gary Sinise, Vincent D'Onofrio, Dianne Wiest, Alan Alda, and JAMES SPADER! Is it any wonder that I am a TV addict? (By the way, Boston Legal will be back on August 9th at 10.)

AND as if that isn't good enough, we're soon to see Alfre Woodard on Desperate Housewives, Geena Davis and Donald Sutherland on Commander-In-Chief (where Geena plays the first female American President!), Jason Lee in NBC's My Name is Earl, Dennis Hopper in E-Ring (oh yes I did. I said Dennis Hopper.), and Stockard Channing is back in a new comedy from CBS called Out of Practice.

So thank you, West Wing, my favorite show ever. I will never listen to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" in the same way again.