Payton's Webkinz

This will be a running list for everyone to keep track of the Webkinz Payton has & will be getting. Look for a link on the right once this gets pushed down the list.

Current Webkinz (updated 7/13/08)
**New additions: Crocodile, Toucan

ALSO, please let me know if you have any of the figures, which I will also start to list here.

Beagle
Bengal Tiger
Black Arabian
Black & white cat
Black cat
Black lab
Black Stallion
Brown Arabian horse
Brown dog
Bull frog
Charcoal cat
Cheeky Dog (Black & white)
Cheeky monkey
Chicken
Chocolate lab
Clydesdale
Collie
Cow
Crocodile
Dalmatian
Duck
Elephant
Elephant (velvety)
Frog
German Shepard
Golden Retriever
Gorilla
Grey Horse (Arabian)
Grey & white cat
Himalayan cat
Hippo
Husky
Kangaroo
Koala
Lemon-Lime Gecko
Leopard
Lion
Lion (little kinz)
Lioness
Love frog
Monkey
Orange & white cat
Panda bear
Penguin
Persian cat (white)
Persian cat (little kinz)
Pig
Pink google
Pink & White Cat
Pink pony
Pink poodle
Pinto
Polar bear
Rabbit
Raccoon
Reindeer
Samoyed
Siamese Cat
Spotted frog
Tiger Snake
Tree frog
Unicorn (little kinz)
Velvety Elephant
Wacky Zingoz
Whimsy Dragon
White poodle
Yellow lab
Yorkie


Purchased, but haven't given to the Princess yet:

Black Bear
Black Poodle
Blue Rhino
Bull dog
Chihuahua
Cocker Spaniel
Tiger
Toucan


Figures:
Brushing Up Hippo
Chillin Out Polar Bear
Fire Chief Elephant
Kinzpinz Panda
Shootin Hoops Black & White Cat

Misc.:
Notebook
School Supplies kit

Top 20 Songs - 1988

Another solid year. You can really start to see the influence of my rock ways starting to show, although it's still a fairly diverse list.

HONORABLE MENTION: Two Occasions: The Deele, Just Like Paradise: David Lee Roth, Wishing Well: Terence Trent D'Arby, Hands to Heaven: Breathe, Walk on Water: Eddie Money, Edge Of A Broken Heart: Vixen, Look Away: Chicago, Waiting For A Star To Fall: Boy Meets Girl, If It Isn't Love: New Edition, All Fired Up: Pat Benatar, Lost In You: Rod Stewart, Supersonic: JJ Fad

#20
I Still Believe, Brenda K. Starr
"Each day of my life I'm filled with all the joy I could find. You know
that I am not the desperate type. If there's one spark of hope left in
my grasp I hold it with both hands. It's worth the risk of burning to
have a second chance."

#19
Beds Are Burning, Midnight Oil
"The time has come
To say fair's fair
To pay the rent
To pay our share
The time has come
A fact's a fact
It belongs to them
Let's give it back"

#18
Kiss Me Deadly, Lita Ford
"But I know what I like
I know I like dancin' with you
And I know what you like
I know you like dancin' with me
Yeah, yeah"

#17
New Sensation, INXS
"Cry baby cry
When you've got to get it out
I'll be your shoulder
You can tell me all
Don't keep it in ya
Well that's the reason why I'm here"

#16
Nite And Day, Al B. Sure
"Believe me when I say that I do care (I can tell you)
I’d like to run my fingers through your hair (I can tell you)
Baby, if you left I could not bear (I can tell you)
Please don’t share"

#15
Sign Your Name, Terence Trent D'Arby
"Sign your name
Across my heart
I want you to be my baby
Sign your name
Across my heart
I want you to be my lady"

#14
Parents Just Don't Understand, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
"I said, "This isn't shinin' armor, c'mon mom, I'm not Bowser.
Mom, please put back the bell bottom, Brady Bunch trousers.
But if you don't want to I can live with that, but,
You've gotta put back the double-knit, reversable slacks"

#13
Going Back To Cali, LL Cool J
"I'm going back to Cali, rising, surprising
Advising realizing, she's sizing me up
Her bikini - small; heels - tall
She said, she liked, the ocean
She showed me a beach, gave me a peach
and pulled out the suntan lotion"

#12
The Flame, Cheap Trick
"Just can't stand up for fallin' apart.
Can't see through this veil across my heart, over you.
You'll always be the one.
You were the first, you'll be the last."

#11
Endless Summer Nights, Richard Marx
"Do you remember all the nights we spent in silence
Every single breath you took was mine
We can have it all again
Say that you'll be with me when the sun brings your heart to mine"

#10
I Want Her, Keith Sweat
"I seen ya last night
I saw you standing there
Couldn't picture the color of your hair
And all I wanted to know
Were you really there"

#9
When It's Love, Van Halen
"You look at every face in a crowd
Some shine and some keep you guessin'
Waiting for someone to come into focus
Teach you your final love lesson"

#8
Forever Young, Rod Stewart
"May good fortune be with you
May your guiding light be strong
Build a stairway to heaven
with a prince or a vagabond"

#7
Electric Blue, Icehouse
"I just freeze everytime you see through me
and it's all over you, electric blue.
In too deep, standing here waiting
as i'm breaking in two, electric blue."

#6
Born To Be My Baby, Bon Jovi
"My heart beats like a drum (all night)
Flesh to flesh, one to one (and it's alright)
And I'll never let go cause
There's something I know deep inside"

#5
It Takes Two, Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock
"My name is Rob, I gotta real funky concept
Listen up, 'cause I'm gonna keep you in step
I got an idea
That I wanna share
You don't like it? So what, I don't care"

#4
Father Figure, George Michael
"Sometimes I think that you'll never
Understand me
But something tells me together
We'd be happy"

#3
Pour Some Sugar On Me, Def Leppard
"You gotta squeeze a little, squeeze a little
Tease a little more
Easy operator come a knockin' on my door
Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet
Little miss innocent sugar me, yeah"

#2
Sweet Child O'Mine, Guns N Roses
"She's got eyes of the bluest skies
As if they thought of rain
I hate to look into those eyes
And see an ounce of pain
Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place
Where as a child I'd hide
And pray for the thunder
And the rain
To quietly pass me by"

#1
Hysteria, Def Leppard
"Out of me, into you, yeah
You could hide, it's just a one-way street
Oh, I believe I'm in you, yeah
Open wide, that's right
Dream me off my feet
Oh believe in me"

The Wire - Top 20 Characters

If you're not watching "The Wire", don't worry, this isn't the post where I try & convince you to watch. I've most likely already talked to you about it and if you really need more convincing, just Google "The Wire" + "best show". Wait. I'll save you the time. Just click here. Besides, that post will be coming soon.

Instead, I'd just like to list MY favorite characters from the show.

This show is incredibly written, incredibly cast & acted even more incredibly. David Simon & Ed Burns throw a lot of characters at us over the years, but they all grow on you eventually. I wish I could put into words how great everything about this show is, but again, you can Google for yourself & read what people with far better writing skills than I have to say about it.

For the HM guys, I will try & link to a YouTube clip of theirs. For the other 20, I'll embed the clip right into the post. BEWARE. I can pretty much assure you that all of these videos that will have language NSFW.

One other thing to watch out for. If you plan on watching the show (which I really hope you do), many of these clips will contain spoilers, some pretty big ones too. Just a heads up.

Honorable Mention: Detective Leander Sydnor, Deputy Ops William Rawls, Marlo Stanfield, Slim Charles, Wee-Bey Brice, Avon Barksdale, Poot Carr, Gus Haynes, Randy Wagstaff, Bunny Colvin & Butchie.

#20
Sgt. Jay Landsman

Landsman cracks me up. He's not ashamed to be sitting at his desk, reading some hard-core porn, even in front of the Mayor of Baltimore. He's based on a real Jay Landsman, who happens to play the role of Lt. Dennis Mello. The show really is "all connected."

One of the most memorable moments of the show:


#19
Elena McNulty

Det. McNulty's ex-wife, she didn't make the list because of her character, she made the list because I adore Callie Thorne. I've liked her ever since her role of Detective Laura Ballard on Homicide: Life On The Street. (Another David Simon production.)

#18
Senator Clay Davis

Senator Davis, a horribly corrupt politician, makes the list for his signature line.


#17
D'Angelo Barksdale

One of the many great aspects of this show is how it blurs the line between good guys & bad guys. The guys you're supposed to root against, you end up rooting for. D'Angelo is one of those guys.


#16
Brother Mouzone

A small, but memorable role for the Harper's Weekly reading enforcer.


#15
Dennis "Cutty" Wise

Cutty's rise during season's 3 & 4 is one of the very few uplifting story lines in The Wire.


#14
Preston "Bodie" Broadus

Bodie has lots of memorable scenes in nearly every season. He grows on you.


#13
Det. Kima Greggs

Unfortunately for my faithful readers, there aren't many good YouTube clips of Kima that don't involve her & her girlfriend. I wanted to show her police-ness in this space. :)

#12
Michael Lee

Season 4 focuses on the problems with the schools in Baltimore. We're introduced to a handful of kids, nearly all of which you will become extremely attached to emotionally.


#11
Chris Partlow

I love, love, love this character. The way he goes about his business, expressionless & without emotion (with one notable exception) is fun to watch.


#10
Bubbles

How Andre Royo has not won himself a handful of Emmy's for his role of Bubbles is beyond me.


#9
Sgt. Ellis Carver

For all the bleakness The Wire shows, there are many, many funny scenes. Sgt. Carver seems to be behind a lot of them.


#8
Duquan "Dukie" Weems

Poor Dukie. I love this kid. His interaction with Prez is inspiring to this future teacher.

#7
Proposition Joe

Prop Joe, the master of negotiations.


#6
Major Cedric Daniels

Major Daniels climbs the ladder, but has a questionable past, which we may learn about in season 5.


#5
Stringer Bell



#4
Det. Bunk Moreland

Bunk is a funny man!


#3
Set. Lester Freamon

Lester is the Father Figure of the bunch. Stand-up guy & real po-lice.


#2
Det. Jimmy McNulty

McNulty would probably be considered the main character. I could post 20 clips just of him. Good stuff here.



#1
Omar Little

Omar is not only the best character on The Wire, he may be the best character in the history of television. A modern-day Robin Hood, Omar answers to a code & that's it. For all the cursing these characters do, good like finding one coming from Omar's mouth. (Only one to be exact & that was it.)

The Stuffed Animal (and more)

Well, I've received a couple of comments regarding my sleeping with a stuffed animal. Allow me to expound a bit.

There is a reason for it. Sure, I had plenty of them growing up (still have some of my originals), but this one is special.

Since I don't sleep under the same roof as my daughter, I thought it would be cool if we both slept with the same stuffed animal. So, I picked up two of these when Kohl's was selling them about a year ago.


I've kept my end of the bargain, but Little Miss P has way too many now (especially her precious Webkinz), so I believe Spotty has been relegated to the closet.
-----
In other news, Mary is currently on her way to Shanghai. Therefore, I will have more free time than I know what to do with for the next few weeks. Look for more posts here, including the conclusion of my Top 20 songs of the 80's (& hopefully 90's), my Top 20 characters from The Wire, and more, if I can find my list of ideas that's in a notebook somewhere.

The Century Mark

No, this isn't my 100th post here. The official counter says 96, but that doesn't take into account really old posts which seem to be lost forever. This is more like post 200, but whatever.

As I saw the "official" number inch closer, I was reminded that I wanted to do a 100 post, similar to Mike's. Why? I have no idea, other than I thought it was interesting. So, without further adieu, here we go. 100 things you may or may not have known about me.

1. I'm an only child. Can't you tell?
2. I have no idea why I have a blog. Few people read it, so I suppose it's cathartic for me.
3. I have never lived anywhere besides Connecticut.
4. I don't think I could ever survive living in a city. Baltimore may be the lone exception to that rule.
4. Fishers Island, NY is the place I would live if I had the opportunity/choice to live anywhere.
5. I don't trust anyone with a mustache. That includes women.
6. I have a beautiful, smart, funny and just plain wonderful six-year old daughter.
7. I have a fantastic girlfriend I'm not sure I deserve.
8. I have four cats (plus three from a previous marriage) and wouldn't mind more.
9. I'm a divorcee.
10. I'm currently a salesman.
11. My dream job is to become a teacher.
12. I don't have a bachelors degree yet, hence the reason I'm not a teacher yet.
13. My GPA my first semester in college was a 0.6. (See #12.)
14. I have never once been drunk in my life.
15. I despise cigarette smoke.
16. I really can't stand people who don't know how to drive. The rules of the road are not difficult. Pay attention, know what lane you're supposed to be in & use your turn signal and I'll be happy.
17. I'm quite picky when it comes to food.
18. My perfect salad is lettuce, sharp cheddar cheese, croutons & dressing.
19. My all-time favorite Kool-Aid flavor is Berry Blue. (followed closely by Purplesaurus Rex, Sharkelberry Fin & Grape.)
20. I love history, mainly U.S. history.
21. I'm a registered member of nearly 50 message boards.
22. The things that I enjoyed doing 20 years ago I still enjoy today. (playing video games, collecting baseball cards, playing basketball & listening to 80's music.)
23. I coached my daughter's soccer team this past fall & (hopefully) am coaching her basketball team this winter.
24. I've had four surgeries on my left knee.
25. Count Chocula is my favorite cereal.
26. I'm a Gemini.
27. I will always have a real Christmas tree. This is not debatable.
28. I enjoy making lists.
29. I'm totally spoiled by HDTV. I rarely watch anything that isn't in HD anymore. Too blurry.
30. I greatly enjoy fantasy sports, but I'm horrible at fantasy baseball.
31. I love weather of all kinds. I get very excited for thunderstorms, snowstorms, cold snaps, heat waves, you name it.
32. Summer used to be my favorite season, now it's my least favorite. (In order, fall, winter, spring, summer.)
33. Honolulu Blue is my favorite color.
34. 12 is my favorite number.
35. I have a knack for recognizing voices in voice overs.
36. I have a knack for making a comment during a televised sporting event moments before the people getting paid to make comments say the same thing.
37. I do not find anything remotely attractive about Angelina Jolie.
38. I hate country music, with the exception of Carrie Underwood.
39. I enjoy acoustic versions of songs.
40. I try & get along with everyone I meet/know. However, if someone screws me over or doesn't treat me with the same respect, I don't forgive or forget. Thankfully, only a few people are on that list.
41. I sleep with a stuffed animal.
42. I collect many things, much to Mary's dismay. (Star Wars figures, baseball cards, Fishers Island postcards and lots of other random junk.)
43. I'm really bad when it comes to seeing movies. Go ahead, ask me what I haven't seen.
44. I don't have one artistic bone in my body.
45. One of my dreams is to finally live in a house with a finished basement. I love basements.
46. The Xbox 360 may be my favorite video game system of all-time, and I really loved my Atari 2600, NES, Sega Genesis & PS2.
47. I'm a night person and don't function well in the morning.
48. I hate being late.
49. I love to shop.
50. I hate Wal-Mart, but love Target.
51. My first car was a 1980 Buick Regal. Lemon.
52. The only country I've ever traveled to outside of the U.S. is Canada.
53. My iPod has 2,494 songs on it, plus Anchorman.
54. I still need to rip at least another 50 CDs from my collection.
55. I order my sodas in restaurants without ice. I want my money's worth!
56. I find it very difficult to save money, although I did open a high-yield savings account last year.
57. I have a cousin who has been on a soap opera (Santa Barbara), Three's Company, the cover of GQ, a failed NBC show (High Performance), US Marshalls & the cover of GQ.
58. I have another cousin who is a member of an up & coming band. (Grace Potter & The Nocturnals.)
59. I follow 52 blogs in my Google Reader. (According to my records, one person subscribes to this blog.)
60. I have a very large collection of Sports Illustrateds dating back to the 80's that will largely be recycled come this spring.
61. I'm still a loyal Miami Dolphins fan, even after this wonderful season.
62. I have personalized license plates.
63. Seinfeld is my favorite sitcom of all-time.
64. The Wire is probably my favorite drama of all-time, surpassing Homicide: Life On the Street.
65. I hate the Red Sox, but love Fenway Park.
66. I try not to get involved in politics or political discussion. I hate when people try & force their beliefs on you.
67. My Friends Five list would probably be Evangeline Lilly, Carrie Underwood, Julie Bowen, Jennifer Aniston & Kate Beckinsale, not necessarily in that order. (I smell at Top 20 list here)
68. I have at least five different versions of Monopoly.
69. My favorite cartoon was Underdog.
70. I don't like seafood at all, aside from the occasional shrimp.
71. I hate spiders.
72. I'm not fond of clowns either.
73. I have great parents.
74. I have a great long-term memory.
75. I have some long-time friendships that I'm proud of.
76. I wish my friends & I had more time to spend together.
77. I love the smell of asphalt & gasoline.
78. I definitely believe in life somewhere besides Earth.
79. A lot of movies make me cry.
80. I like sleeping in a cool room.
81. I'm loyal to brands that I enjoy.
82. I'm beginning to get a little mad at Mike, who said this list should take 20 minutes to create. (I've been at it for well over an hour.)
83. I don't like John Madden at all.
84. I could eat pizza every single day.
85. I didn't receive my driver's license until I was 18.
86. People who whistle in public annoy me.
87. I despise Uggs.
88. I really enjoy spending time on eBay.
89. I'm still a Hartford Whalers fan. Hockey is dead to me.
90. My car has nearly 180,000 miles on it.
91. I have a hard time falling asleep on Sunday nights.
92. I really don't enjoy going to concerts, unless it's a band I absolutely love and have never seen live.
93. I don't drink coffee. Can't stand the taste.
94. I'm a notorious procrastinator.
95. I like to fly.
96. I love period movies/TV shows, but not from too long ago. (40's - 70's.)
97. I'm so glad that I won't have to take any foreign language classes as I work towards that degree.
98. I miss the chili cheese burrito from Taco Bell.
99. Roberto Clemente is my all-time favorite baseball player & he died before I was born.
100. I really enjoy sleeping, which is what I'm going to do right now.

Happy Christmas Eve

Top 20 Songs - Christmas Edition

I figured I'd take a break from documenting my favorite songs from the 80's & 90's and list my favorite Christmas songs.

I'd list my favorite TV/movie specials, but that would be very difficult to pick a favorite. They are all required viewing each season & they all hold special memories. That list would include Rudolph, Frosty, The Grinch, Emmett Otter, Charlie Brown's Christmas, Year Without Santa Claus, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, It's A Wonderful Life, Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story & Elf.

Anywho(ville), here is my Top 20 Christmas songs:

#20
Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) - Elvis Presley

#19
Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys

#18
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - The Carpenters

#17
Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes

#16
Linus & Lucy - Vince Guaraldi Trio

#15
A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives

#14
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses

#13
Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley

#12
White Christmas - Bing Crosby

#11
Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms

#10
All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey

#9
Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano

#8
Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 - Trans-Siberian Orchestra

#7
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole

#6
All Alone On Christmas - Darlene Love

#5
Christmas In Hollis - Run DMC

#4
Winter Wonderland - Stryper

#3
Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid

#2
Sleigh Ride - Boston Pops

#1
Last Christmas - Wham!, Jimmy Eat World, Carrie Underwood

Top 20 Songs - 1987

This may be the pinnacle year for me in the 80's music-wise. A great summer, a great Thanksgiving and just an all-around great year for music. This was the last summer that I strictly listened to music on FM & MTV.

HONORABLE MENTION: (I Just)Died In Your Arms: Cutting Crew, Tunnel of Love: Bruce Springsteen, Should've Known Better: Richard Marx, One Heartbeat: Smokey Robinson, Casanova: Levert, Since You've Been Gone: The Outfield, Point Of No Return: Expose, Something So Strong: Crowded House, Head To Toe: Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, Pump Up The Volume: M/A/R/R/S, I Want To Be Your Man: Roger, Faith: George Michael

#20
Fascinated, Company B
"'Cuz I, I'm fascinated by your love boy
And I'm fascinated by your love toy
I'm fascinated by the way U make me feel"

#19
Seasons Change, Expose
"Some dreams are in the night time
And some seem like yesterday
But leaves turn brown and fade
Ships sail away
You long to say a thousand words
But seasons change"

#18
I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Michael Jackson
"Each time the wind blows
I hear your voice so
I call your name...
Whispers at morning
Our love is dawning
Heaven's glad you came..."

#17
Don't Shed A Tear, Paul Carrack
"Cab fare to nowhere is what you are
A white line to an exit sign is what you are
Oh but I saw in you, now I see through"

#16
Don't Disturb This Groove, The System
"Pay attention are you listening
You're my favorite girl
Excuse me for the moment
I'm in another world"

#15
I Need Love, LL Cool J
"When I'm alone in my room sometimes I stare at the wall and in
the back of my mind I hear my conscience call, telling me I need a
girl who's as sweet as a dove for the first time in my life I see
I need love"

#14
Rock Steady, The Whispers
"You looked at me to my surprise
You were too anticipating
I should have known -- It was in your eyes
That you were getting tired of waiting"

#13
Lost In Emotion, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
"Between you and me
Just how true are the rumors
I am hearing
About this crush you have on me"

#12
Carrie, Europe
"Can't you see it in my eyes
This might be our last goodbye"

#11
Heaven Is A Place On Earth, Belinda Carlisle
"When you walk into the room
You pull me close and we start to move
And we're spinning with the stars above
And you lift me up in a wave of love..."

#10
Is This Love, Whitesnake
"Can't stop the feeling I've been this way before
With you I'll find the key to open any door
I can feel my love for you was stronger day by day
And I can't wait to see you again
So I can hold you in my arms"

#9
Meet Me Halfway, Kenny Loggins
"Meet me halfway
Across the sky
Out where the world belongs
to only you and I"

#8
Brilliant Disguise, Bruce Springsteen
"I hold you in my arms as the band plays
What are those words whispered baby just as you turn away
I saw you last night out on the edge of town
I wanna read your mind and know just what Ive got in this new thing I've found"

#7
Jacob's Ladder, Huey Lewis & The News
"Step by step, one by one, higher and higher
Step by step, rung by rung climbing Jacob's ladder"

#6
Don't Dream It's Over, Crowded House
" Now I'm walking again to the beat of a drum
And I'm counting the steps to the door of your heart
Only shadows ahead barely clearing the roof
Get to know the feeling of liberation and relief"

#5
Midnight Blue, Lou Gramm
"And I remember what my father said
He said "Son, life is simple"
It's either cherry red or...
Midnight Blue..."

#4
Here I Go Again, Whitesnake
"I'm just another heart in need of rescue
Waiting on love's sweet charity
And I'm gonna hold on
For the rest of my days
Cos I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams"

#3
The Way You Make Me Feel, Michael Jackson
"Hey pretty baby with the high heels on
You give me fever
Like I've never, ever known
You're just a product of loveliness
I like the groove of your walk,
Your talk, your dress"

#2
Only In My Dreams, Debbie Gibson
"Couldn't see how much I missed you (now I do)
couldn't see how much it meant
now I see my world come tumbling down
now I see the road is bent"

#1
Heart & Soul, T'Pau
"More than an ocean,
Keeps us apart.
I feel a tearing in half of my heart.
A walk on the water,
Is all that I need.
But miracles are not happening"

When I Was Your Age, We Called It Graffiti

P.J. tagged me. Here we go.

1-Grab the closest book to you, go to page 18 and write down the 4th line :
"dles: one to be lit on Christmas Eve, one on Christmas Day," - Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Christmas Collection

2- Whats the last thing you saw on TV
Rise of the Video Game on Discovery HD

3- Other than the sound of your computer, what else can you hear?
The dehumidifier in the basement.

4- Last time you went out, what did you do?
Went to breakfast at the Oh Boy Diner, then hit Target.

5- What are you wearing?
Jeans & a long sleeve Jordan shirt.

6- Whats on the walls in the room you are in?
Unfortunately, just paint. However, I have lots of pictures waiting to go up.

7- What’s strange about today?
Mary shipped off for England for the week, so I'm cooking dinner for myself tonight.

8- Whats the last Movie you saw?
I popped in the Anchorman HD-DVD Friday night.

9- Tell us something we don’t know:
I haven't shaved since Friday.

10- Do you like dancing?
No.

11- If you had a daughter, what would her name be?
I have a daughter.

12- If you had a son, what would his name be?
Sterling.

13- Ever thought of living abroad?
No.

14- What would you like GOD to tell you when you crossed the pearly gates?
"Oops. Sorry. Not yet."

15- Mouhahaha, there is not question 15, mouhahaha!
That's just dumb.

I suppose I'll tag Brian & Mike.

Water Water Everywhere

Along with all the ways we deal with water in our daily routines, I seem to deal with a lot more.

• I make sure the cats have water by filling up their water bowl.
• One cat, Bandit, only drinks water from a running faucet. I need to make sure he gets his fix.
• I have to empty the dehumidifier in the basement. It's not a daily process now like it was back in October, but it still needs to be emptied every two days.
• I have to change 30% of Fiona the Goldfish's water about twice per week.
• I need to fill the humidifier in the bedroom every night. I probably will have to pick up another one for the living room. Damn electric heat.
• 'Tis the season to make sure the Christmas tree has enough water. The dry living room ensures that the watering can is emptied three times per day.
  

Top 20 Songs - 1986

Finally! After many requests (one), here's 1986. (Seriously, I can count the number of regular readers to this blog on one hand and have enough fingers left over to tie my shoes. Oh well.)

This is a fantastic year. I'll probably list the top three years when I finish this, but 1986 should be up there. Lots of tough choices.

HONORABLE MENTION: I Can't Wait: Nu Shooz, Who's Johnny: El Debarge, Human: Human League, The Captain Of Her Heart: Double, Brand New Lover: Dead Or Alive, Tuff Enuff: Fabulous Thunderbirds, Dreamtime: Darryl Hall, Heartbeat: Don Johnson, Word Up: Cameo, Walk Like An Egyptian: Bangles, Invisible Touch: Genesis, Something About You: Level 42

#20
True Blue, Madonna
"I've had other lips
I've sailed a thousand ships
but no matter where i go
you're the one for me
baby this i know cause..."

#19
Rock Me Amadeus, Falco
"Er war Superstar
Er war populär
Er war so exaltiert
Because er hatte Flair
Er war ein Virtuose
War ein Rockidol
Und alles rief:
Come and rock me Amadeus
Amadeus, Amadeus..."

#18
Venus, Bananarama
"Her weapons were her crystal eyes
Making every man a man
Black as the dark night she was
Got what no-one else had
Wa!"

#17
I Didn't Mean To Turn You On, Robert Palmer
"When I took you out
I knew what you were all about
But when I did
I didn't mean to turn you on
Now I bring you home
You tell me the night's not enough for you
I'm sorry, baby
I didn't mean to turn you on"

#16
This Is The Time, Billy Joel
"And so we embrace again
Behind the dunes
This beach is so cold
On winter afternoons
Ah, but holding you close is like holding the summer sun
I'm warm from the memory of days to come"

#15
When The Heart Rules The Mind, GTR
"When the heart rules the mind
One look and love is blind
When you want the dream to last
Take a chance forget the past"

#14
Your Wildest Dreams, Moody Blues
"Once upon a time
Once when you were mine
I remember skies
Mirrored in your eyes
I wonder where you are
I wonder if you
Think about me
Once upon a time
In your wildest dreams"

#13
Your Love, The Outfield
"Josie's on a vacation far away
Come around and talk it over
So many things that I wanna say
You know I like my girls a little bit older
I just wanna use your love tonight
I don't wanna lose your love tonight"

#12
Point Of No Return, Nu Shooz
"No turnin' back
it's much too late
To go back now would be a big mistake.
It's taken me a while to learn
I'm at the point of no return."

#11
Mad About You, Belinda Carlisle
"Something 'bout you
Right here beside me
Touches the touched part of me like I can't believe
Pushing the night into the daytime
Watching the sky's first light
While the city sleeps"

#10
West End Girls, Pet Shop Boys
"Too many shadows, whispering voices
Faces on posters, too many choices
If, when, why, what?
How much have you got?
Have you got it, do you get it, if so, how often?
And which do you choose, a hard or soft option?
(How much do you need?)"

#9
Dreams, Van Halen
"Run, run, run away
like a train runnin' off the track
got the truth bein' left behind
falls between the cracks
standin' on broken dreams
never losin' sight, ah
well just spread your wings"

#8
The Rain, Oran "Juice" Jones
"I gave you silk suits, blue diamonds and gucci handbags.
I gave you things you couldn't even pronounce!
But now I can't give you nothing but advice.
Cause you're still young, yeah, you're young.
And you're gonna find somebody like me one of these days . . .
Until then, you know what you gotta do?
You gotta get on outta here with that alley-cat-coat-wearing,
punch-bucket-shoe-wearing crumbcake I saw you with. Cause you
dismissed!
That's right, Silly rabbit, tricks are made for kids, don't you know
that. You without me is like corn flakes without the milk! This is my
world. You're just a squirrel trying to get a nut! Now get on outta
here. Scat!
Don't touch that coat..."

#7
Danger Zone, Kenny Loggins
"Revvin' up your engine
Listen to her howlin' roar
Metal under tension
Beggin' you to touch and go"

#6
Living On A Prayer, Bon Jovi
"Gina dreams of running away
When she cries in the night
Tommy whispers: Baby it's okay, someday
We've got to hold on to what we've got
'Cause it doesn't make a difference
If we make it or not
We've got each other and that's a lot
For love - we'll give it a shot"

#5
Rumors, Timex Social Club
"I can't go no place without somebody pointin' a finger- I can't show my
face cuz when it comes to rumors I'm a dead ringer- I'll think I'll
write
my congressman and tell him to pass a bill- the next time they catch
somebody started rumors-shoot to kill!--"

#4
Heaven In Your Eyes, Loverboy
"I can tell by the look in your eyes
You've been hurtin
You know i'll never let you down oh, no
And i'll try anything to keep it workin
You gave me time to find out
What my heart was lookin for
And what i'm feelin inside"

#3
Take Me Home Tonight, Eddie Money
"I feel hungry it's a hunger
That tries to keep a man awake at night
Are you the answer I shouldn't wonder
When I can feel you whet my appetite
With all the power you're releasing
It isn't safe to walk the city streets alone
Anticipation's running through me
Let's find the keys and turn the engine on."

#2
Yankee Rose, David Lee Roth
"When she walks
Watch the sparks go flyin'
Firecrackin' on the 4th of July
No sad songs tonight
Somethings in the air
Yeah, the feeling gets you
A real state of independence
So pretty when her rockets fly
Still provin' any night
That her flag's still there"

#1
Walk This Way, Run DMC
"School girl sleezy with a classy kinda sassy
Little skirt's hangin way up her knee,
There was three young ladies in the school gym locker
And I find they were looking a D.
I was a high school loser, never made it with the ladies
Till the boys told me somethin' I missed,
Then my next door neighbor had a daughter had a favor
So I gave her just a little kiss alike this"

How I Spent My Black Friday

No shopping on Black Friday for this guy. After waking up at 10:45 AM, I spent the majority of the day playing my 360. I took a shower, drove to pick up a pizza & watched some TV. (Beauty & The Geek with Mary and The Rise of Video Games on Discovery.) Here's the breakdown:

Halo 3: 8 hours, 48 minutes
Guitar Hero II: 1 hour, 6 minutes
Soltrio Solitaire, 21 minutes

(Stats courtesy of LiveEye)

Tomorrow should be a little more ambitious for me.

For the two of you reading my list of songs, 1986 should be up by the end of the weekend.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Top 20 Songs - 1985

This was a strange year. Lots of good songs, but nothing really stood out for me. I ranked them, but I could've just as easily picked them at random. Weird.

HONORABLE MENTION: Only The Young: Journey, California Girls: David Lee Roth, High On You: Survivor, Perfect Way: Scritti Politti, Day By Day: The Hooters, Silent Running: Mike & The Mechanics, Burning Heart: Survivor, Sentimental Street: Night Ranger, Emergency: Kool & The Gang, Take On Me: A-Ha, Summertime Girls: Y & T, Who's Holding Donna Now?: Debarge.

#20
Life In A Northern Town, Dream Academy
"He said in Winter 1963
It felt like the world would freeze,
With John F. Kennedy and the Beatles."

#19
You Belong To The City, Glenn Frey
"The sun goes down, the night rolls in
You can feel it starting all over again
The moon comes up and the music calls
You're gettin' tired of starin' at the same four walls"

#18
Kyrie, Mr. Mister
"When I was young I thought of growing old
Of what my life would mean to me
Would I have followed down my chosen road
Or only wished what I could be"

#17
Don't Lose My Number, Phil Collins
"There came a night leaving fear behind, shadows are on the ground
Nobody knew where to find him, no evidence was found
I'm never coming back, I heard him cry, and I believe him
He never meant to do anything wrong, it's gonna get worse if he waits too long"

#16
Party All The Time, Eddie Murphy
"Girl I seen you at clubs, just hangin out and dancing
You give your number to every man you see
You never come home at night because your out romancin
I wish you'd bring some of your love home to me"

#15
One Night In Bangkok, Murray Head
"You’re talkin’ to a tourist whose every move’s among the purest.
I get my kicks above the waistline, Sunshine.
One night in Bangkok make a hard man humble!
Not much between despair and ecstasy.
One night in Bangkok, and the tough guys tumble!
Can’t be too careful with your company.
I can feel the devil walkin’ next to me."

#14
Sara, Starship
"I'll never find another girl like you
With fire and ice
a dream won't come true"

#13
Dress You Up, Madonna
"You've got style, that's what all the girls say
Satin sheets and luxuries so fine
All your suits are custom made in London
But I've got something that you'll really like"

#12
Some Like It Hot, Power Station
"We want to multiply, are you gonna do it
I know you're qualified, are you gonna do it
Don't be so circumscribed, are you gonna do it
Just get yourself untied, are you gonna do it"

#11
Axel F, Harold Faltermeyer
"dum dum dumda dum dum dum dum dumda dum dum dum dum dum dumda dum dum"

#10
Oh Sheila, Ready For The World
"Oh oh Sheila let me love you
Till the morning comes
Oh oh Sheila you know I want
To be the only one"

#9
Money For Nothing, Dire Straits
"We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these color TV'"

#8
Obsession, Animotion
"I will have you
Yes I will have you
I will find a way and I will have you
Like a butterfly
A wild butterfly
I will collect you and capture you"

#7
Be Near Me, ABC
"All my dreams came true last night
All my hopes and fears
All my dreams came true once more
In tears in tears"

#6
Voices Carry, 'Til Tuesday
"I try so hard not to get upset
because I know all the trouble I'll get
oh, he tells me tears are something to hide
and something to fear
and I try so hard to keep it inside
so no one can hear"

#5
And We Danced, The Hooters
"I met my be-bop baby at the Union Hall
She could dance all night and shake the pain of the walls
But when I saw her smile across a crowded room
Well I knew we'd have to leave the party soon
As the band began to play out of tune"

#4
Nightshift, Commodores
"Marvin,
He was a friend of mine,
And he could sing a song,
His heart in every line,
Marvin,
Sang of the joy and pain,
He opened up our minds,
I still can hear him say..."

#3
Tarzan Boy, Baltimora
"Jungle life
I'm far away from nowhere
On my own like Tarzan Boy
Hide and seek
I play along while rushing cross the forest
Monkey business on a sunny afternoon"

#2
Raspberry Beret, Prince & The Revolution
"I was workin’ part-time in a 5-and-dime
My boss was Mr. McGee
He told me several times that he didn't like my kind
Cuz I was a bit 2 leisurely
It seems that I was busy doin’ somethin’ close 2 nothin’
But different than the day before
That's when I saw her, ooh, I saw her
She walked in through the out door, out door"

#1
Save A Prayer, Duran Duran
"Pretty looking road,
try to hold the rising floods that fill my skin
Don't ask me why I'll keep my promise,
I'll melt the ice
And you wanted to dance so I asked you to dance
But fear is in your soul
Some people call it a one night stand
But we can call it paradise"

Top 20 Songs - 1984

Once again, another tough year to rank.

HONORABLE MENTION: Back Where You Belong: .38 Special, Come Back And Stay: Paul Young, Jump: Van Halen, New Moon On Monday: Duran Duran, I Want A New Drug: Huey Lewis & The News, Here Comes The Rain Again: Eurythmics, Drive: The Cars, Breakin'...There's No Stopping Us: Ollie & Jerry, Loverboy: Billy Ocean, Jungle Love: The Time, The War Song: Culture Club, Desert Moon: Dennis DeYoung

#20
Somebody's Watching Me, Rockwell
"When I'm in the shower I'm afraid to wash my hair
Cause I might open my eyes and find someone standing there
People say I'm crazy, just a little touched
But maybe showers remind me of Psycho too much
That's why..."

#19
Eyes Without A Face, Billy Idol
"Now I close my eyes
And I wonder why
I don't despise
Now all I can do
Is love what was once
So alive and new
But it's gone from your eyes
I'd better realize"

#18
Dancing In The Dark, Bruce Springsteen
"You sit around getting older
there's a joke here somewhere and it's on me
I'll shake this world off my shoulders
come on baby this laugh's on me"

#17
I Can't Drive 55, Sammy Haggar
"One foot on the brake and one on the gas
Well there's too much traffic and I can't pass No
So I try my best illegal move
A big black-and-white come an' touch my groove again"

#16
It's My Life, Talk Talk
"It's my life
Don't you forget
It's my life
It never ends"

#15
Easy Lover, Phillip Bailey & Phil Collins
"And don't try to change her, just leave it, leave it
You're not the only one, ooh seeing is believing
It's the only way
You'll ever know, oh"

#14
Ghostbusters, Ray Parker Jr.
"If you're seeing things running through your head
Who can you call?
Ghostbusters!
An invisible man sleeping in your bed
Oh, who you gonna call?
Ghostbusters!"

#13
Cruel Summer, Bananarama
"It's a cruel, cruel summer
Leaving me here on my own
It's a cruel, cruel summer
Now you're gone"

#12
I Can Dream About You, Dan Hartman
"I don't understand it
I can't keep my mind off loving you
Ooo, now baby, I'm caught up in the magic I see in you
There's one thing to do"

#11
Let's Go Crazy, Prince & The Revolution
"If you don't like the world u're living in
Take a look around u
At least u got friends
I called my old lady 4 a friendly word
She just picked up the phone
Dropped it on the floor
"Ssss ahh, sss ahh!" is all I heard
I'm not gonna let D-elevator bring us down
Oh no, let's go...let's go crazy"

#10
Sunglasses At Night, Corey Hart
"While she's deceiving me, she cuts my security
Has she got control of me
I turn to her and say"

#9
Jam On It, Newcleus
"Said Superman had come to town to see who he could rock
He blew away every crew he faced until he reached our block
His speakers were three stories high with woofers made of steel
And when we boys sit outside, he said "I boom for real"

#8
Boys Of Summer, Don Henley
"Nobody on the road
nobody on the beach.
I feel it in the air: The summer's out of reach.
Empty lake
empty streets
the sun goes down alone.
I'm driving by your house though I know you're not home. "

#7
Infatuation, Rod Stewart
"Caught me down like a killer shark
It's like a railroad running right through my heart
Jekyll and Hyde the way I behave
Feel like I'm running on an empty gauge"

#6
Magic, The Cars
"Twisted under sideways down
I know you're getting twisted
And you can't calm down
I see you under the midnight
Love darts in your eyes
How far can you take it
Till you realize
There's magic in your eyes"

#5
Oh, Sherrie, Steve Perry
"You should've been gone
Knowing how I made you feel
And I should've been gone
After all your words of steel
Oh I must've been a dreamer
And I must've been someone else
And we should've been over"

#4
Dance Hall Days, Wang Chung
"So take your baby by the wrist
And in her mouth an amethyst
And in her eyes two sapphires blue
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her and she needs you"

#3
Missing You, John Waite
"And there's a message that I'm sending out
Like a telegraph to your soul
And if I can't bridge this distance
Stop this heartbreak overload
I ain't missing you at all"

#2
The Reflex, Duran Duran
"I'm on a ride and I want to get off
But they won't slow down the roundabout
I sold the Renoir and the TV set
Don't want to be around when this gets out"

#1
Panama, Van Halen
"Ain't nothin' like it, her shiny machine
Got the feel for the wheel
Kept the moving parts clean
Hot shoe, burnin' down the avenue
Got an on-ramp comin' through my bedroom"