Friday, April 28, 2006

Drama Central

If you've ever wondered why I named my blog, "Mind Blowing Insanity", here's an example of the things that just always seem to happen either: to me, around me, or because of me.

I woke up yesterday morning to get ready for work, open the blinds to my big picture window in the front room, and see a S.W.A.T. team standing in my front yard, along with 30+ cop cars lined up and down my street. WTF???
Apparently, at 6:00 a.m., they had tried to serve a mental inquest warrant on the woman who lives two houses down; she went ballistic and brandished a weapon. There's nothing worse than a drunk, schizophrenic woman with a handgun. (Is it terrible that the whole time this is going on, I'm snapping pictures to share with you guys????)
At about 9:45 a.m., they broke a window and tried to throw a phone into her, so that they could communicate, and she responded by throwing the phone back at them and firing a shot at the officers. Talk about freaking out! I live in a nice, quiet neighborhood. I'm not used to waking up to gunfire. Anyway, at this point in time, the police won't let any of us leave the neighborhood.....so I'm stuck watching the drama from my front porch. I sat watching one of the officers practice working with this robot, so that they could try to catch some images from inside her home. I thought this was stuff you only see in movies???
I was finally allowed to leave to go to work at around 10:00 a.m. This was the scene on the other side of her house.
At about 6:00 p.m., she fired two more shots through her front windows, but didn't seem to be shooting at anyone. The police never returned fire - which I thought they should be applauded for. The whole point, for them, was to get her to a hospital for treatment. She apparently hadn't been taking her medication and was drinking heavily, which is why her family members issued the mental inquest warrant in the first place.
I got home at around 8:00 p.m., and had to show ID just to get into my driveway, which was full of news vans. They actually did their live reports from my front yard - which was kinda cool!!
About an hour after I got home, I started hearing alot of what I thought was gunfire. Apparently, they fired about two dozen rounds of tear gas into her house. It took them until after midnight to go in and get her. She must be freakishly immune to that stuff. I watched them put her into the ambulance and take her away to the hospital.
(Sorry the picture is so small - I don't know what I did!!)
Anyway, there's another edition of Jen's World, coming to you live from The Ville.
Stayed tuned for further drama in the near future.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Half Nekkid Thursday - 04.27.06


Nothing like a hot, soapy bath to take away all of life's troubles!

Happy HNT Everyone!!!

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

And The Thunder Rolls....

As the storm blows on
Out of control
Deep in her heart
The thunder rolls
~Garth Brooks~



This weekend was an absolute blast! The air show was incredible and the fireworks were amazing, as always. How can you go wrong with over a million dollars worth of fireworks??
My Sister, Melly, and I started the day off at my office. Of course, before we could go up, we had to go through a security check point, at which time we were given ID badges and bracelets that had to be worn at all times. We felt like real VIP's! LOL!
We stayed upstairs for a while, before Melly started begging to walk down to the River Front.
Could anyone resist this?
People came down real early to stake out their spots. We had a record attendance this year of over 800,000!
Melly really wanted this trumpet, which they were selling down on the "strip". She proceeded to blast that thing for the next hour....non-stop!
I was then awarded with some "Melly Lovin's" (notice that she hasn't put the trumpet down yet!) before we headed back to my office to watch some of the air show!
My sister pointed out how eerie it was to be in the tallest building in town and have these planes flying so close. Sometimes, they were heading right toward us! It was pretty crazy!
I wanted to post this picture to give you an idea of how things looked during the day. This is the same window that we watched the fireworks from. I'm not sure if you will be able to see them, but right above the bridge, there are about 200+ boats in the water. Law enforcement won't let them get any closer to the bridge on Thunder Day. Also, right on the water's edge is the "Great Lawn" and it's packed elbow-to-elbow with people. They're even staking out spots on the rooftops!
LET THE SHOW BEGIN!
I know these pictures really don't need an explanation, but I did want to say this: They shoot the fireworks off of barges that are positioned on either side of the bridge, but they also fire them from the bridge, which is why you see three different sets of lights. The coolest thing about THUNDER is that each barge fires them simultaneously, and in sync with music that is blasting all over downtown. It really is a sight!!! (Of course, I took over 100 pictures, and I had a really hard time choosing which ones to show you!) I have to represent, right??
What a fantastic show! It is impossible to not be in awe of what you're watching!
It was Melly's first Thunder! We all had a great time.....
Until we got caught in this:
Then Melly's smile turned to this:
LOL!!!
It was a great day and I loved spending it with my sister and my niece! I wish we could do it more often!
BTW: I may take tomorrow off from posting! This post took me two days and six attempts!!! I'm worn out!

Update #2

After trying to post three times today (and after posting about 25 pictures), Blogger crashed on me and I've lost it ALL again.

I'll give it another go later this afternoon!

Monday, April 24, 2006

Update

Blogger is giving me fits today. I've been trying to post since 9:00 a.m. It wouldn't load any pictures and it's as slow as molasses in January.

I'll try again in about an hour!

Happy Monday!!!!

Friday, April 21, 2006

Let's Get This Party Started

Tomorrow is the official kick-off of the Derby Festival! Let the Good Times Begin!
As I mentioned in the historical post of my hometown, Thunder Over Louisville is the first event of the "season". They start the day off with an air show and tons of booths and food that's terrible for you, but oh-so-good! The fireworks show starts at about 9:30 p.m. and lasts about an hour - give or take. I can see the entire show from my office window - which is way cool! I'm bringing my sister and Melly down here to enjoy it! I figured with her being eight months pregnant, and having a five-year-old, she doesn't need to be walking around with the masses - and trust me there are hundreds of thousands of people, from all over the world, who come to witness this spectacle. They choreograph the fireworks to music and blast it all over the city - it is truly awesome! I'm going to try and get some good shots to post on Monday!
The only bad thing about attending Thunder is the two to three hour traffic jam that you must endure afterwards. There is just no getting around it!
I think I may go out and let off some steam tonight! It's been a long exhausting week at work, with no signs of slowing down any time soon! Trust me, I'm not really complaining - job security is a good thing. But, when you're the only one in your department, it can really suck some major ass!
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
XO - Jen

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Half Nekkid Thursday - 04.20.06




Happy HNT to Everyone! I got my new necklace from the Easter Bunny! He must love me!

I was a little hesitant to put this picture up, but I figured it was either this or an ear, since I've posted just about everything else. Hope I didn't offend anyone!

Much Love - Jen! XO

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

101 in 1001

This is a post I made when I first started blogging. I decided to revise it a little bit and document my progress so far:
So....since I'm going through my first mid-mid-life crisis, I decided to make a list of 101 things I want to do in the next 1001 days. Something to motivate myself into making my life a little better and to try and live life to the fullest. So....here goes (in no particular order):

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Beginning Date: March 21, 2005
Ending Date: September 28, 2007

1. Go on a kick-ass vacation. (Completed June, 2005)

2. Try to figure out what went wrong in my marriage. (At this point, it really doesn't matter anymore.....August, 2006.)

3. Refinance my house. (Completion pending.....August, 2006.)

4. Start working out again. (Completed October, 2005)

5. Improve my volleyball game.

6. Watch UK win the NCAA tournament.

7. Watch Duke lose to UK.

8. Play in a high stakes Texas Hold 'Em tournament.

9. Win the tournament.

10. Make up with my parents. (Completed April 9, 2005)

11. Visit my sister in New York. (Completed January 26, 2006)

12. Get a tan. (Completed Summer, 2005)

13. Lose weight. (Completed, Summer 2006)

14. Learn a new language.

15. Spend more time with my family (i.e., parents, sister, niece)

16. Start drinking more water.

17. Start drinking less alcohol. LOL

18. Quit smoking....cigarettes.

19. Go to a Yoga class.

20. Listen to all of my CD's in their entirety.....I have over 200 and have probably only listened to half of them all the way through.

21. See a John Mayer show.

22. Watch every movie that has won an Oscar for "Movie of the Year".

23. Give Blood. (Completed August 2, 2006)

24. Win the Lottery.

25. Pay off my credit cards.

26. Cut up my credit cards. LMAO

27. Reunite with at least three friends I've lost track of over the years and actually stay in contact with them. (Completed April, 2005)

28. Go on a white-water rafting trip.

29. Redo some rooms in my house. (Completion pending...March, 2006)

30. Get a massage. (Completed, May, 2006)

31. Give away something I cherish to someone who will appreciate it as much as I do.

32. Get another tattoo...or maybe four. (2 completed, August, 2005)

33. Go on a spontaneous weekend trip with no special destination in mind.

34. Throw/give away half of my clothes - I've got way too many. (Completed September, 2005)

35. Learn a line dance.

36. Take a walk in the rain.

37. Sit on the porch during a huge Thunderstorm. (Completed November, 2005 and April, 2006)

38. Learn to control my road rage.

39. Learn to control myself.

40. Learn that I can't control others.

41. Spend less time worrying about shit I can't control. (Completion pending......)

42. Adopt another dog. (Completed, January, 2006)

43. Spend more time with my stepdaughter. (Working on.....9/12/05..she's now living w/ me.)

44. Go see a fortune teller.

45. Go skydiving.

46. Audition for a reality show.

47. Get another piercing of some kind.

48. Start a novel. ( I have alot to write about.) (Pending....)

49. Research my family tree. (Found my old research March, 2006.....in the works)

50. Try new foods (maybe Thai or Bosnian). (Completed March, 2006)

51. Take an art class.

52. Take a cooking class.

53. Plant a garden. (Completed May, 2005)

54. Learn how to play piano.

55. Make a difference in somebody's life.

56. Organize all of my pictures into albums.

57. Start taking more pictures. (Started September, 2005)

58. Get a passport.

59. Ride in a hot air balloon.

60. Sing Karaoke. (Completed, February, March and April, 2006)

61. Throw a party for no reason at all.

62. Swim in the ocean. (Completed June, 2005)

63. Go scuba diving.

64. Spend an afternoon at the art museum.

65. Start an IRA. (Completed January, 2006.)

66. Go to Vegas.

67. Go for a ride on a motorcycle. (Completed August, 2005)

68. Learn not to be so hard on myself.

69. Buy a homeless person a meal.

70. Catalog all of my VHS tapes and DVD's.

71. Bake a cake. (Completed October, 2005)

72. Donate money to some cause/charity. (Done! Katrina Victims)

73. Go to a yard sale really early on a Saturday. (Completed September 10, 2005)

74. Protest something. (Completed October, 2005 - Racist - McPherson)

75. Go to a casino....walk in....lay $500.00 on Black and see what happens.

76. Make-out with a girl....just to see what it's like.

77. Create a budget for myself and stick with it.

78. Visit my grandpa. (Completed November, 2005)

79. Buy all new lingerie. (Completed December, 2005)

80. Go to the Cinemas and see two movies back to back on a rainy day.

81. Send "Thank You" cards to my friends for no reason.

82. Go three consecutive days without spending any money.

83. Slow dance. (Completed September 10, 2005)

84. Take a train ride.

85. Go skinny dipping.

86. Go camping.

87. Go to the zoo. (Completed April 10, 2005.)

88. Take a nap in the middle of the day.

89. Witness a bar fight.....one that I'm not in. (Completed July, 2005)

90. Put flowers on my grandmothers' graves. (Completed May 2005)

91. Visit the Grand Canyon.

92. Fly first class.

93. Have sex in every room of the house on the same day.

94. Do something nice for an eldery person.

95. Smile more.

96. Laugh more.

97. Live more.

98. Renew my library card.

99. Ride a bike. Wow...it's been a long time.

100. Take a long, hot, bubble bath.

101. Accomplish at least half of this list.

Whew....that was a hard list to come up with. Plenty of variety up there.....wouldn't you say?
I hope I don't disappoint myself. ;o)

So, there it is! I've made some progress and it feels good!

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Tuesday Funnies

Well, my friends, I am really under the gun at work this week. However, I couldn't let a little thing like my career stand in the way of my daily post. It's not much, but it's something.
Hope they make you smile!
And, my personal favorite:
XO - Jen

Monday, April 17, 2006

Easter Pics

I didn't get as many pictures as I normally do, but I had a great day yesterday! I spent a lot of time with my family and had an awesome dinner! My mom rocks in the kitchen! (I had to roll myself out to my car!)
My Daddy - isn't he the cutest???
Downstairs in Daddy's studio! Melly was singing us a new song!
Melly showing off her eggs! She was so proud of them!
This is what I got when I asked Melly to pose for one more picture! As you can guess, this is the last one I got out of her! LOL!!
I woke up Easter morning and my dogwood tree was in full bloom! The night before the branches were bare - talk about an Easter miracle!!
Mama's Baby Girl!
I hope you all had as nice a day as I did yesterday!

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Jesus is My Home Boy


I would rather live my life, as if there is a God, and die to find out there isn't, than to live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there is.

Friday, April 14, 2006

klaj sdfklja kdlad

Well, today is (or was) my wedding anniversary! It's going to be one of those days that hang over me like a black cloud for awhile. I just don't feel like posting today! Sorry Guys!
I hope you all have a wonderful Easter Weekend.
God Bless! Jen - XO

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Half-Nekkid Thursday - 04.13.06


Happy HNT to Everyone!

I think this one is my favorite so far! It gets harder and harder every week to make myself look good! LOL

I hope you all have a fabulously sexy day!

Much Love - Jen - XO

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Idiot of the Year - Pocket Taser Stun Gun

This was submitted by a guy who purchased his lovely wife a "pocket Taser" for their anniversary.
Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 22nd anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife, Toni. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser. The effects of the taser were supposed to be short lived, with no long-term adverse effect on her assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety.... WAY TOO COOL!
Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button AND pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arch of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. Awesome!!! Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Toni what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave. Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two AAA batteries,right?!!! There I sat in my recliner, my cat, Gracie, looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect her self against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong?
So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, taser in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries. All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5"long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and loaded with two itsy, bitsy AAA batteries) thinking to myself, "no possible way!" What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best.....
I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as if to say, "don't do it master," reasoning that a one-second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad. I decided to give myself a one-second burst just for the heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and HOLYMOTHER, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION!!! I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs. The cat was standing over me making meowing sounds I had never heard before, licking my face, undoubtedly thinking to herself, "do it again, do it again!"
Note: If you ever feel compelled to "mug" yourself with a taser, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one-second burst when you zap yourself. You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor. A three second burst would be considered conservative. SON-OF-A-.. that hurt like a @#!@!! A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. How did they get up there??? My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. I'm still looking for my testicles!!! I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return.
Still in shock, Tommy

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Tuesday Post #3 - Entitled "T-M-I"

I borrowed this from my buddy Scott. I thought it was a pretty good list.

1.My roommate once: Broke a light bulb and instead of cleaning it up, he wrote "broken glass" on a piece of paper and laid it over the shards of glass.
2. Never in my life: Have I been intentionally mean to someone.
3. The one person who can drive me nuts, but then can always manage to make me smile: My dog, Kloie (Yes! I consider her a person.)
4. High School was: A blur, I only have one friend that I went to high school with.
5. When I'm nervous: I twirl my hair or bite my lip.
6. The last time I cried was: Yesterday.
7. If I were to get married right now my bridesmaids/groomsmen would be: My sister, Robyn, Stephanie, Monica and Theresa.
8. My eyes: Are one of my features that I like best
9. My hair: Used to be blonde, but now it's red and I love it!
10. When I was 5: I glued my hands together with crazy glue and my mom had to cut them apart.
11. Last Christmas: Was depressing for me. It was the first year without my husband and I didn't see any of my extended family.
12. When I turn my head left, I see: All of my pictures of my family and my dog that I have hanging in my office.
13. I should be: Working
14. When I look down I see: My Boobs and My Cute Feet - LOL
15. The craziest recent event was: Saturday night at the bar
16. If I were a character on Friends I'd be: Rachel
17. By this time next year: I hope to have some, if not all, of my current drama resolved.
18. Current Relationship Status: Married, Yet Single.
19. I have a hard time understanding: How (and why) some people can abuse children, animals, and each other.
20. One time at a family gathering: My aunt from New York asked me if I had AIDS because I was so skinny. Then, the next time she saw me, after I had gained a little weight, she asked me if I was pregnant. I can't win with her!! LOL
21. You know I "like" you if: I give you a pet name.
22. If I won an award, the first person(people) I'd thank is/are: Whoever else, if anybody, was personally involved.
23. Take my advice: Count Your Blessings and Be Thankful For What You Have
24. My ideal breakfast is: Bacon, Hashbrowns and French Toast
25. If you visit the place I grew up: You'd Fall In Love With It
26. Where do you plan to visit anytime soon: Virgin Islands
27. If you spend the night at my house: You'll Get Star Treatment
28. I'd stop my wedding if: I wasn't in love.
29. The world could do without: Terrorists
30. I'd rather lick the belly of a cockroach than date: Howard Stern
31. Most recent thing you've bought yourself: Lunch
32. Most recent thing someone else bought for you: A Beer
33. My favorite blonde is: My niece
34. My favorite brunette is: My sister
35. The last time I laughed really hard: Was last night
36. The last time I was drunk was: Saturday
37. The animals I would like to see flying besides birds are: Pigs - then you couldn't say "When Pigs Fly!"
38. I shouldn't have been: In my ex-best friend's wedding, because she didn't show up for mine.
39. Once, at a bar: Don't even get me started......
40. Last night I: Got my hair cut
41. There's this girl I know who: Is the stylist for "The Eagles"
42: I don't know: Where I'll be a year from now
43. A better name for me would be: Sensodyne, because I'm too sensitve.
44. If I ever go back to school I'll: Probably just be dropping my kids off
45. How many days until my birthday?: Around 230 or so

Tuesday Post #2 - I'm Bored

The Rules:
1. You can only say YES or NO!
2. You are NOT ALLOWED to explain ANYTHING unless someone messages you and asks!
*****************************************************************

Taken a picture naked? : YES
Made out with a member of the same sex? : NO
Danced in front of your mirror? : YES
Told a lie? : YES
Gotten in a car with people you just met?: YES
Been in a fist fight? : Yes
Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back? : YES
Been arrested? : NO
Left your house without telling your parents? : YES
Ditched school to do something more fun? : NO
Slept in a bed with a member of the same sex? : YES
Seen someone die? : YES
Kissed a picture? : YES
Slept in until 3? : YES
Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by? : YES
Played dress up? : YES
Fallen asleep at work/school? : YES
Felt an earthquake? : NO
Touched a snake? : YES
Ran a red light? : YES
Been in a car accident? : YES
Pole danced? : NO
Been lost? : YES
Sang karaoke? : YES
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? : YES
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? : YES
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? : YES
Kissed in the rain? : YES
Sang in the shower? : YES
Got your tongue stuck to a pole? : NO
Sat on a roof top? : YES
Played chicken? : YES
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? : YES
Been told you're hot by a complete stranger? : YES
Broken a bone? : YES
Flashed someone? : YES
Forgotten someone's name? : YES
Slept naked? : YES
Blacked out from drinking? : YES
Played a prank on someone? : YES
Felt like killing someone? : YES
Made a parent cry? : YES
Cried over someone? : YES
Had sex more than 5 times in one day? : YES
Had/Have a dog? : YES
Been in a band? : NO
Drank 25 sodas in a day? : NO
Shot a gun? : YES

I won't be hateful and "tag" everybody, but please feel free to join in, if you so desire.

A Tear In My Beer? Maybe....

Well, I figured why not do a post on good ole' Country & Western Songs. There's no better time, then the present, to list some of the top songs on my list....of course with a little mixture of heartbreak and sarcasm - two wonderful ingredients of C&W music.
1. I Hate Every Bone In His Body, But The One In Mine
2. It's Hard To Kiss The Lips At Night That Chewed Your Ass Out All Day
3. If I Can't Be Number One In Your Life,Then Number Two On You
4. If The Phone Don't Ring, You'll Know It's Me
5. How Can I Miss You, If You Won't Go Away?
6. I Liked You Better Before I Got To Know You So Well
7. I'll Marry You Tomorrow, But Let's Honeymoon Tonight
8. My Husband Ran Off With My Best Friend And I Sure Do Miss Her
9. You're The Reason Our Kids Are So Ugly
10. His Teeth Were Stained But His Heart Was Pure
11. He's Looking Better After Every Beer
12. I Ain't Never Gone To Bed With An Ugly Man, But I've Sure Woke Up With A Few
And My Personal Favorites:
13. I Still Miss You Baby, But My Aim's Gettin' Better
14. If I Had Shot You When I First Wanted To, I'd Be Out of Prison By Now
15. I'm So Miserable Without You, It's Like You're Still Here
16. I Can't Get Over You, So Why Don't You Get Under Me?
17. If You Can't Live Without Me, Why Aren't You Dead Yet?
18. I'm The Only Hell Mama Every Raised
19. He Got the Gold Mine and I Got the Shaft
20. Thank God and Greyhound He's Gone
21. I Got the Ring and He Got the Finger
22. She Offered Honor, He Honored Her Offer, and All Through the Night it Was Honor and Offer
23. I Keep Forgettin' I Forgot About You
24. I Got In At 2 With a 10 and Woke Up at 10 With a 2
25. If Love Were Oil, I'd Be A Quart Low

Monday, April 10, 2006

The Weekend That Changed Everything

Well, I sit hit here this morning with a heavy heart and a knot the size of Texas in my stomach. I hate that feeling. My heart broke a little more over the weekend....and this time it might be for good! Maybe I just expect too much from people.
Let me apologize in advance for this post, because when my emotions are in turmoil, I tend to ramble on and on, and this probably won't make any sense to you guys.....I just need to vent!
Friday was Bryan's birthday - the big "Three-0"!! To start things off, his best friend, Candace, came in from Austin to celebrate. First off, let me just say that it usually takes a lot for me to dislike someone, and I have a really good sense about people. I have really, really tried to like her, because Bryan adores her, but you know what? I can't stand her. I'm sorry. She's just one of those people who seems completely and totally fake to me. She comes to the bar and perches on a stool and just sits there with this plastic, barbie-doll smile planted on her face. It drives me insane! Candace is an old regular at Tam's, so she knows everybody, but since she's moved out-of-state, I guess she's lost touch with everyone. Because now when she comes to town, she doesn't have anything to say to anyone.....except for Bryan. As far as Candace, jealously has nothing to do with this. I have alot of guy friends, so Bryan having girl friends isn't an issue. I think the thing that drives me crazy, is her attitude that when she comes into town, Bryan should be at her beck and call and the center of his attention. OK. Long story short....I had to work on Saturday, so I couldn't hang out very long Friday night. Right before I had to leave, Candace's friend, April, shows up. If you think I don't like Candace, imagine how I feel about April. She's is married, with two kids, but she always runs around leaving her husband at home to watch her kids, while she stays out all night, partying it up. That makes me immediatley disklike her. Anyway, Bryan ends up at Candace's hotel room with her and April.....until daybreak. That didn't start my weekend off good at all. I know we are in "friend" mode, but I can only take so much. This is getting to be way too hard. That was just the beginning of hell.
Saturday night was the big party for Bryan's birthday. His mom brought a bunch of food up to the bar and alot of his family came. I knew she had a surprise in store for Bryan and I thought it would be funny. Boy, did that backfire. There's a girl who comes in every once in a while that Bryan's mom vaguely knows. She's the type of girl who has about two drinks and then starts grinding on anything that moves - you know the type. Anyway, Bryan's mom was going to have her give him a lap dance for his birthday. That's not what bothers me. What bothered me that night.....and still bothers me.....is his reaction to it all. Normally, he would be totally embarassed, but not Saturday. Granted he was pretty buzzed by then, but by the time she was finished with him, he stayed out on the dance floor with her dancing away - I can never get him to dance like that. Then, after they're done dancing, he walks off towards the bar, and walks right past me, totally ignoring my presence. I was already being a little sensitive because of the hotel room issue from the night before, but at least I showed up to celebrate his birthday. I don't know why because I might as well have been a hole in the wall.
Tramp Deluxe
Hooker for Hire
I love where the top of this beer bottle is pointing. If only I could have shoved it straight up her ass!
To sum it all up, for the next two and half hours, they were hanging all over each other and he didn't leave her side the rest of the night. To make matters worse, everyone at the bar kept looking at me, waiting for me to do something. Well, being the classy lady that I am, I just sat there dying inside, watching him fawn all over the first tramp that rubbed herself all over him. The thing that hurts me so much, is him acting like that. I know he's a man....he had a buzz.....he's lonely.....whatever!!! I've had a buzz plenty of times, but I have never treated him like that. I ended up standing outside crying for about 30 minutes, while he's inside having the time of his life, not even noticing that I'm devastated. It's just too soon to have to deal with this.
The thing I loved about Bryan was that he wasn't like other guys. He would never disrespect me or act like an ass to try and make me jealous. He was just a nice, sensitive, loving and caring guy. That entire imagine of him was blown for me in one night. Am I over-reacting?
Look, I know we are in friend mode, but when we both hang out at the same place, it's just common courtesy to respect each other. I would NEVER do that to him. I would never hang all over some other guy in front of him. I know I wanted my space, but I didn't want that "space" shoved in my face. Understand? I am literally sick to my stomach just thinking about it. And that's another thing that hurts me so bad...I never thought that Bryan would do anything to make me feel this way, and now I feel like he's just like every other guy I've been with. Disappointing.
Moral of this story.....love, alcohol and trashy hookers don't mix.

Friday, April 07, 2006

The Ville


I was born and raised in Louisville ("the Ville"), Kentucky, and there's no place I'd rather live. I thought I would share some things about my home town that you might not know.

Louisville is the largest city in Kentucky, and is the 16th largest city in the United States, with a population of 1.3 million. While most non-Kentuckians want to pronounce our city as "Lewis-ville", the "S" is silent, unless you are referring to Louisville, Colorado. The correct way to pronounce Louisville is: "Loo-a-vul" or "Louie-ville". Just a tip, in case you ever want to come visit, without getting laughed at. LOL!

The City of Louisville was founded in 1778 (just two years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence), by George Rogers Clark, and is named after King Louis XVI. In 1803, explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark organized their expedition across America at the Fall of the Ohio in Louisville. In 1826, the Louisville and Portland Canal was completed. This allowed boat traffic to circumvent the Falls of the Ohio and travel through from Pittsburgh to New Orleans.

In January of 1937, a month of heavy rain througout the Ohio River Valley prompted what is still known as the "Great Flood of '37". The flood submerged 70% of our great city and forced the evacaution of 175,000 residents, and killing 90 people. Many Kentuckians blame the length of recovery time from this flood for Indianapolis and Cincinnati becoming larger and more popular cities.

On March 27, 1890, Louisville was visited by a major F4 tornado, which destroyed 766 buildings, causing over Three Million Dollars in damage, and killing 78 people. At least 44 of those deaths were caused when the Falls City Hall collapsed, making this one of the highest death tolls due to a single building collapse in United States history.

Kentucky is most famous for horse racing,

although we're also known for things such as:

Basketball

Fried Chicken

Bourbon

and, Bluegrass

The Derby is a really big deal here. It is held annually on the first Saturday of May, and is preceded by the two-week-long Derby Festival, which includes "Thunder Over Louisville", the largest annual firework display in the nation. It really is pretty awesome! The Festival also includes the Pegagus Parade, the Great Balloon Race, a marathon, the Great Steamboat Race, and about 70 other events. It's really a great time and the whole city gets involved. If you ever have the chance to come for the Derby, let me know, and I'll make sure you have a blast! The Derby is usually attended by over 375,000 people (including the infield section).

Louisville is also home to several major corporations, including several Fortune 500 companies, which has helped our economy in so many ways. Louisville is also home to the third largest tobacco company, two major Ford plants, General Electric, UPS, and Brown-Forman, which produces one-third of the world's bourbon supply.

Louisville's sister cities are located in China, Argentina, Germany, France, Russia, Ecuador, Ghana and England.

LOUISVILLE FUN FACTS:

In 1880, a local pharmacist invented flavored chewing gum.

In 1934, Kaelin's Restaurant introduced the first cheeseburger.

90% of the world's disco balls are manufactured in Louisville.

One of our natural attractions, Mammoth Cave, is the longest cave system in the world.

The Ford Edsel, the biggest flop in automotive history, was built in Louisville.

Louisville is only one of two cities named for someone who was executed.

The term "workaholic" was coined by a professor at our local seminary in 1968.

According to Entertainment Weekly, the ABC show, "According to Jim", has a stronger viewership in Louisville, than any other TV market.

Spinelli's Pizzeria serves pizza until 5:00 a.m.

Our local go-kart track, Kart Kountry, is the longest track in the world - one and a half miles.

Built in 1914, the Belle of Louisville, is the oldest river steamboat still in operation.

In 1983, the Louisville Redbirds (Cincinnati's minor league team) was the first minor league team to draw more than one million fans in a season.

The first enamel bathtub was made in Louisville in 1856.

Maier's Tavern has a happy hour that lasts for seven and a half hours.

The Kentucky State Fair is the most air-conditioned of any in the country, with 1.2 million square feet of indoor space.

Jefferson Memorial Forest is the largest urban forest in America, with more than 30 miles of hiking trails.

During the 1970's, you couldn't turn on the TV without seeing a game show hosted by a Louisvillian.

Underneath the Louisville Zoo, is a three million square foot cavern which holds sensitive financial documents and medical supplies. This space was once used as a stone quarry.

In 1964, Colonel Sanders sold Kentucky Fried Chicken to investors for $2 Million Dollars. Seven years later, the investors sold it for $285 million.

Abraham Lincoln's grandfather, who was also named Abraham Lincoln, lived on a farm in Louisville, until he was shot by Indians in 1786.

In 1925, the Courier Journal (our local newspaper), sponsored a spelling bee that later became the National Spelling Bee.

The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, which puts on plays every summer in Central Park, is the oldest free Shakespeare Festival in the country.

Diane Sawyer began her career as our local weather reporter in 1967.

FAMOUS LOUISVILLIANS:

Muhammad Ali, of course!

Ned Beatty - actor

Foster Brooks - actor and comedian

George Rogers Clark - preeminent miltary leader during the American Revolution

Tom Cruise - lived in Louisville until his early teens

Thomas Edison

Dian Fossey - gorilla activist

Heather French - Miss America 2000

Mildred and Patty Hill - composers of "Happy Birthday to You"

Paul Hornung - Football player for Notre Dame and Green Bay Packers

Allan Houston - NY Knicks player

Pee Wee Reese - Brooklyn & LA Dodgers player

Diane Sawyer

Phil Simms - NY Giants Quarterback

Tantric - rock band

My Morning Jacket - indie band

Zachary Taylor - U.S. President

Hunter S. Thompson - need I say more!

Johnny Unitas - football legend

Sean Young - actress

Among the many things I love about "The Ville", are the diversity of the people, as well as the changes in the landscape:

I'm so proud of where I come from and I just wanted to share a little more of "me" with you guys! I hope I didn't bore you too much with the history lesson. It's just something I've been wanting to do for awhile!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

XO - Jen