Happy Birthday Bruce Springsteen!!!

Happy Birthday Bruce Springsteen!!! 59 years old today!

I have been obsessed with Springsteen (not like in a stalker kinda way lol) since I was about 12-13 years old. A few years before Born in the USA became a big hit, then of course all the other songs that were huge hits too. It dawned on me that I don't think a lot of people know how I came about this obsession. It also made me think, ya know I bet a lot of people think it started with the Born in the USA song (which it did not, and which is NOT a patriotic song either; but I digress... I'll explain more about that song in a bit)

There used to be a guy that worked as a bagger in the grocery store (the only grocery in the very very small town that I'm from) and he was a Springsteen fan. Now to back the story up a little bit when I was younger (8-9-10'ish) Andy's mother used to babysit for my siblings and me when my mom worked in Tobacco. We'd go over there at dark-thirty in the morning and then his mother would have me wake up Kim (his little sister). I don't think Andy lived at home then.. I don't really remember.

Anyway.. back to the original explanation, in talking to him one time when he was wearing a Springsteen shirt I said, something like, "Who the heck is that?". He told me a singer etc, but the next time I went in there he gave me a 45 (yes I'm old and if you don't know what a 45 is google it, I ain't explaining it!) of Thunder Road. I listened to it, and fell in love with his story telling, his sound... him! So from then on I was constantly calling the Radio Station and requesting Bruce.. a few of the stations kinda laughed me off the phone but whatever.. in a couple more years Bruce would become the biggest thing out there!

Sooo back to my "Born in the USA" story.. It's a GREAT song, but not for the reasons that everyone sings it or loves it. You know my favorite thing is when campaigners use it as background music when they're on stage waving and getting ready to speak or just got done. That's just down right HILARIOUS!! Cause if you really listen.. it's about America not being so great after all. It's about a man in the USA not being able to find a job, about having to go to Vietnam and kill and then come back and be spit on and unemployable, it's about PTSD and it's about not being able to make it in this country without resorting to crime, and it's about going to Prison. So yahhh rahhh for being Born in the USA. It's a song about truth. Not the pretty truth of America but the sad truth.

Google the lyrics if you don't know the song and really read it. It's a sad song.

I have been a Bruce fan for about 25 years. I had my senior pictures taken with superimposed album covers as the background, my 16th bday cake said, "Lisa loves the boss". My senior ornament said, "Lisa loves Bruce". Most of my entire life has somehow revolved around my love for Springsteen and The E Street Band.

Thunder Road... BY FAR the GREATEST song ever written. Written in 1975 by Bruce, and on the Born to Run album. I've always thought if I could ever afford to see Bruce and the E Street band live that's the only song I want to hear. (btw.. they did not sing Thunder Road in concert)

I had the chance this past March to see Bruce live at Conseco FieldHouse in Indianapolis. I was in awe! I don't get into the celebrity stuff, but I actually shed tears when the man FINALLY came onto the stage. I was kinda bummed because one of the original members, Danny Federici has been off battling Melanoma. About 2 hours into the concert Bruce announced he had a surprise. I beat the heck out of my friend Jeanette that went with me and was yelling, "Danny Federici, Danny Federici" AND.. it was!! He played about 3 songs with them and I was just in awe.. Constant smiling!!! I actually got to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. All of them. It was a whole, it was a great life-moment for me. Sadly, Danny passed away less than a month later. He never performed with Bruce and the boys again after the night I saw them. I know this sounds ridiculous to you; but I'm truly honored to have been in the crowd when Danny did his last show with his "band of brothers".

So.. Happy 59th Birthday Bruce and RIP Danny. Thanks for the music, wherever y'all are :)

Peaceout Girlscout

Songs

Okay, so I know I haven't blogged in a few days... busy time of the year for me with Marching Season and all.

I said the other day I was gonna blog about songs that piss me off!! lol Well, here we go!!

1. "I drink alone" by George Thorogood. Seriously, this song makes NO SENSE to me!!! The lyrics are: "You know when I drink alone, I prefer to be myself" As opposed to what?!?! That is one of the stupidest lines in a song! Seriously! I don't care if you are "bad to the bone" that's just annoying! lol

2. "Beast of Burden" by the Rolling Stones. Actually, in particular Mick Jagger in this song. Okay forever I had a "misheard" lyric in this song.. There's a point that says "I can suck it up" but forever I thought it said, "I can suck a duck" well, come on , it's Mick Jagger so who was I to argue that he could suck a duck! I was really bummed to find out the actual lyrics! lol

3. "Drops of Jupiter" by Train. Okay, everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE TRAIN! Most especially Pat Monahan, but they have a part in this beautiful, melodic song that says, "Could you imagine no love, pride, deep fried chicken, your best friend always sticking up for you, even when I know you're wrong". Okay, you guess which part annoys me! What is up with the freaking CHICKEN!! Was Pat hungry when writing this song??!

4. The group "Butthole Surfers". That's just annoying all by itself, forget that there music is just bad anyway. I personally, cannot nor will I surf in a butthole!

5. "Echos" by Pink Floyd. Seriously, this entire song is annoying AND 23 minutes long! Come on people, ONLY Meatloaf should record long songs, and that's just because that's all he knows how to do! lol

6. "Yellow Submarine" by the Beatles. Okay, I'm NOT a Beatles hater, as a matter of fact I like a lot of their music, but OBVIOUSLY drugs were available during the writing of this song which has about five other words than "We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine" It's just ridiculous.

Lastly, for tonight anyway;

7. "Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen (okay, I know everyone that's reading this is freaking out because they know I am obsessed with the Boss' music and have been a life-long fan and would give both legs to meet the man) BUT.. my problem is not with the song, nor is it with Bruce. My problem is with the bitch (Courtney Cox) because in the video she gets to dance with Bruce. Therefore, I can't like her. On Principle alone people! (p.s. I'm not really a Courtney Cox hater lol)


Now mentioning that last one (#7 for all of you special people) I wanna wish Bruce a happy 59th birthday tomorrow!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRUCE!!!!

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I guess that's my rant for this evening.. y'all have a good night and hopefully I'll get a chance to blog more in a couple of days!

Peaceout Girlscout

Aggravated!!!

Well, we got the "Ike leftovers" here in Indiana a couple of days ago. The power went out on Sunday from 4-9:30 pm. Whew, glad that was over (or so I thought)

Apparently, one of my neighbors had a tree that was "endangering the power lines". Okay.. so they shut the electricity off yesterday morning at 8:00. We JUST GOT IT BACK!! I am furious!

So, I'm slightly paranoid at night with no lights on (house was burnt a year ago etc) so I have no lights, no fan (have slept with a fan for as long as I can remember) (Brad works midnights so I was in a paranoid fit and heard every single noise there was and probably made up a few of my own!) and so I can't sleep! I knew I couldn't have my son (four-legged canine named Max) in the bed with me because he'd want to lay on top of me. I put him in his crate and he whined, and yelped like a pig.. finally I let him out and put him in bed with me and yes, he laid on me, and I was burning up. Paranoia be damned, I opened the bedroom window for some air!

I finally fall asleep at about 3-4 am, then of course have to get up and pee at 5 am, then my friend called my cell phone to make sure I was up at 6 am. ARGHH no sleep!!!

I get up, wake the girls up, who are already pissed at me for making them go to school when we have no electricity. (HELLOOOO I had to work!) I get in the shower (thank god for gas hot water heaters) and get out, get dressed quickly, do my make-up in the dark, and yes, it actually looked pretty decent lol Go down to the office at 7 am this morning and blow dry and curl my hair. I've had no sleep, patients from hell, Dr who wasn't in a very good mood either, a headache, heartburn, two freezers and a fridge full of ruined food.. which brings me to another gripe!!!

The electric company shut us off. NOT an act of God. They didn't tell us how long we'd be without power (pretty sure I'da remembered being told 27 freaking hours) and when I called yesterday after we were without for 9 hours he said he couldn't tell me how much longer. Should they not reimburse us for our loss of food! My neighbor brought this up today and I think she has a good point!

When the electric company finally came this morning, it took them less than two hours to get the job done!

The excuse they had for not doing it yesterday?? All of their crews are in Texas. Now, honest to god, I feel horrible for the folks in Texas, but should you not at least make sure you're not putting your state in jeopardy by sending all of your folks elsewhere?!?!?!?

Duke Energy KNOWS who they shut off power to. How about sending someone door to door (it was only 3 streets for gods sake) and say, look, you might wanna consider doing something with your food cause we're gonna shut ya down for 27 freaking hours!!!!

So, all day I've been crabby, tired, heartburn (and haven't even eaten a flipping thing) and now I have a house to clean, laundry to do, bills to pay, 64548 emails to check, freezers and fridges to clean out and dispose of, and I don't want to do any of it!!!! ARGGG

Did I mention a crabby 17 year old?? (who will be 18 in 28 days, and yes, I'm still getting the countdown) All of the flutes were to come here after school today to make shirts, and we didn't have power and we had to cancel so they weren't happy, therefore, she wasn't happy and lordy have mercy I don't know why I don't drink! lol

So, I really wanted to blog about songs that tick me off, but that'll have to wait till tomorrow, I'm tired, and I have too much to do!

Peaceout Girlscout!

First Band Competition

Yesterday was the first band competition of the season! Seems like it got here awfully fast!

Jeanette and I had just got done making the food for the kids to eat for supper and Ashton calls me, crying! She said, "Mom, can you come here I got smoked". I'm like WHAT!? Does that mean! lol

They were marching and she got hit in the elbow (hard) by a guard flag. We ended up in the ER and she has a hair-line fracture in her left elbow! She still marched and we took 2nd! Which we deserved and are proud to get!

This is the 2nd time Ashton's ended up in the ER from Marching Band! I know, I know, you would expect this from football, NOT Marching! lol

Her Freshman year she locked her knees and passed out and took a hard fall down, in the band room. Took out a couple of clarinet players and a stand or two. She didn't break anything then, but then we have her senior year! I guess she came in with a bang, she'll go out with a bang! lol

We competed against Greenwood, Greenfield, and Bloomington. Greenwood came in first.. as they should! They are awesome!! HUGE!!!!!!!!!!! They've won state every year we've been in this. They will again this year! We're class B, but Brad said Greenwood could easily beat all of the Class A bands! They took all "caption" awards (again, not surprised) but we were pretty close in points to them!

Who knows, with more practice, maybe we could beat Greenwood once or twice!

I suppose I should end this and do some laundry. I seriously need to find that laundry fairy and see why she hasn't been stopping by!!!

Peaceout Girlscout!

Wow... I'm beat tonight!!!

I worked today but then tonight we had a Band Fundraiser at Steak N Shake. Ashton works there and was working tonight.

I've never been in there when she was working as a Hostess, only when she was working drive-thru and I didn't really see her as it's in the back of the restaurant.

I can't believe MY little bitty teeny tiny baby girl works. It makes me so sad. Yes, I know she's almost 18, but she shouldn't be, and well, I didn't SAY she could be. (Which does NOT make this the first time she hasn't listened to me! ha)

I think we did fairly well with the fundraiser, there seemed to be quite a few people in there this evening.

Ohhh my funny story of the night; Jeanette and Caitlin joined me for supper (Brad was at work and Brenna ate there earlier with her Grandmaw) Sooo Caitlin goes to shake the ketchup to open it up and use it; Wellllll the lid wasn't on! OMG!! Ketchup flew everywhere!! Now I was sitting across the table from Jeanette and Caitlin and somehow she managed to soak my scrub pants on the left side of me, and my sock on the right side of me! She's just that talented folks. You can rent her for 5.00 a night at 555-555-1056. HA!

Okeys, well I'm really tired tonight and have tons to do tomorrow. Our first contest is Saturday so Jeanette and I have a boat-load of running around to do to get the stuff to make the kids (all 130 of 'em) food.

Peaceout Girlscout!

Teenagers

ARGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you ever have to remind yourself that millions of people have survived raising teenagers? Do you find yourself wanting to call your own parents 100 times a day and apologizing profusely?? Do you ever find yourself googling anti-psychotic drugs?? ha!

Why is it that our children DO not understand that we love them more than life; that we would do ANYTHING to protect them!?

You wanna know the scariest moment of my life?? The day it dawned on me that I could be eating my Wheaties and if you came in and harmed my girls I could blow your head off and go right back to eating my Wheaties. That really bothered me for awhile. I mean, I think I've always known that every human is capable of murder, but until it really dawned on me I guess I never really gave it much thought.

I can tell you the specific day. As I've said before I got divorced when Ashton was a newborn; I also went back to work when she was only days old. I was working and my ex sister-in-law (whom I still think is a wonderful person) called me and told me that Sperm Donor (yes, that's all he was useful for and will never be referred to by name) had Ashton in the bedroom by herself and she'd been crying for a couple of hours and he wouldn't let her go in and take care of her. (She was a newborn) Every fiber in my being wanted to strangle him. Needless to say I was gone about 2 days later, but for many other reasons than just that. It really scared me to know that I could cause physical harm to someone who hurts my kids. Now, I don't give a rats ass. Doesn't bother me! Mess with my kid, and well, I'm back to my Wheaties.

Ya know the things I went through when I got married the first time (I hate calling it a marriage since it lasted all of about ten months) made me who I am, and I would do it all over again just to have Ashton! It's funny really how God knows exactly what he's doing!

I met Brad when Ashton was just barely 2. He was a blind date set up by the aforementioned ex sister-in-law and her boyfriend (currently her hubby). He said, "I should fix you up with my boss" and I said, "No freaking way I'm going out with your boss, how old is he!?" Of course I found out that he was "our" age etc. I did have a requirement though. I told him, well this guy better have blue eyes. He, of course, had no idea what color eyes Brad had. But he found out! ha!

I didn't let Brad meet Ashton for awhile. I didn't want to be "that" mom. So I think it was a couple of months into our dating and talking that I took her to his house one evening. You can tell my hubby is an only child. He bought Ashton crayons and a coloring book! I thought, holy crap, she's gonna eat the crayons!! ha!!!

Well, we weren't there two minutes and she was in his lap! An hour later, she was puking on him. He had puke down the side of his face, his chest. He calmly set her down, grabbed paper towels and was cleaning her up, then said, "Will you excuse me while I take a quick shower" I was thinking to myself, Holy cow.. she's my kid and I probably would have thrown her across the room if she started puking on me!!! (NOT literally people!) I knew at that moment, I was gonna marry this guy! ha!

To shorten up an already long story, we did marry. He married Ashton and I. He fell in love with her just as well as me. He's so easy to read anyway, and you could just see how crazy he was about her. Sperm Donor wasn't involved in her life, no matter how hard I tried to make him be, so she started calling him Brad-Daddy (never at my suggestion or Brad's) eventually at about age 3 dropping the Brad part of it. When she was five she asked Brad if she could have his name. That's all it took! Of course he adopted her, loves her as much as he loves Brenna and is a wonderful father.

God knows what he's doing!

Peaceout girlscout!

Happy Anniversary Baby! ~~~~singing away~~~~

Very good thing you guys couldn't hear me singing that! No one deserves that.. although.. my dear dear friend Kat gets tortured with my singing on occassion. Don't worry.. she sings to me too. Leaves messages on my cell voice mail singing, "My names not Lisaaaaaaaaaa". Never said I had friends that were sane, or had any singing ability whatsoever.

Anyway.. today is our Anniversary. We've been married 15 years (for those trying to figure out about the fact that we have an almost 18 year old I'll address that issue either later or tomorrow) Not all 5,475 (yes I used the calculator) days have been wonderful.. in fact some have been just plain bad... but I would NOT trade one of those days for anything. It's what's made us who we are. Two very happily married, in love people.

I guess in some ways we have the "ideal life". We have the 2 kids, a canine son (no, he's not a D-O-G just cause he has four legs and a tail), nice home, etc. Only thing we're lacking is the money stuff... I think it's green.. 'bout all I can remember about it it's been so long since I've seen it lol

Do you ever wonder where different roads might have led you? I sometimes wonder that. Not because I regret being married, or wish I was with someone else (okay okay so the Springsteen fantasies have been there lol) but you just wonder. What if I had not been married once before when I was 19 and gotten divorced 10 months later with a newborn infant? Well, I wouldn't have Ashton and I kinda like her :) But just little things.. what if we hadn't done that, or we would have done that... I don't live with regrets EVER. Heck the only one I had I took care of this past March (seeing Springsteen LIVE).

I wonder how many people think they married a best friend? Or if they enjoy doing things with them? Or if they have hobbies they enjoy together? Brad and I like to do the same things.. amusement parks, casino (if we had money), computer games, same television shows etc. But there are healthy number of things we don't enjoy of each others'. For instance, I love to read. I have never in 16 years of being together seen Brad pick up a book. Hell, he even avoids the book of instructions that come with "big items" he needs to put together! (whole 'nother blog though folks lol) He likes to play some games on the computer (with my bro-in-law) that I would NEVER play. He loves the sun, I would be happy if it never got above 72 degrees. He'll drink Coke , I would NEVER touch a Coke!!, He's quite, laid back and shy, and I'm... well, I'm none of that lol

I guess my point is we have a perfect match-up. I wouldn't trade him for all the money in the world, and I don't think he'd trade me.. well, maybe for all the money! lol

Happy Anniversary Brad. I'm so thankful for you.

peaceout girlscout

Random Ramblings

Ya know sometimes it's like a job to figure out a blog title! I mean come on, no one's reading this but me anyway right??!? lol

Tonight was back to school night at our high school. I now have a Senior and a Freshman. Brad was already at work so I sawed me in half and half of me went to one kids' classes and the other half went to the others. Okay, not really but come on. There is only one of me and two high-schoolers!

I had band booster stuff to do tonight too so I was already by the band room. Sooo I did what any good mommy does. I did the band booster stuff and then went to their first class (they both have band first hour so that was easy! lol)

I don't even agree with there being a back to school night! I mean seriously, can one teacher really meet and connect with 300 parents!!?? I think not. I think it's more about "come see what classes and teachers your kid has". Hmm here's a thought how about talking to your kid about their classes and their teachers. I can learn more at home from my girls than I can going to each of their classes for 7 minutes. Not to mention, I'm not from here, didn't go to school here and would STILL be at school (2 hours later) looking for 2nd hour!!!!

Kids aren't supposed to go to Back to school night so the teacher can't even "connect you with your child".

They bring home 7985 forms to sign after the first day of school along with a list of $98452.25 worth of supplies they need that first week. Shouldn't everyone be paying attention to that stuff?!!?

But wait!! I am Vice President of Band Boosters, have been one of the most active people involved in band for the last 4 years and I truly have NEVER had a piece of paper brought home to me by Ashton. Just tonight the band director is saying how some kids haven't gotten some paperwork signed and brought it. He said, "you should have gotten this orange folder" HUH??? Seriously.. I never get paper-work. Sad huh?!?! Considering I'm as involved with band as I am! lol

Ahhh well.

My friend and I have decided that since her daughter turned 18 and mine will turn 18 in 36 days (yes she counts this down to me daily) that they are far more intelligent and know wayyy more than we know anyway. Damn we're dumb.

I forget when it is that we'll get smart again. I think my parents got stupid when I was about 16 and didn't grow a brain again till I was about 21 or 22. I don't understand what happens to parents those few years but man they get STUPID! Guess it's just my turn. Ohh wait, maybe it's because we have to remember a bazillion things, cook, clean, work, check homework, haul kids everywhere, juggle bills, rob peter to pay paul (pretty sure peters even broke now) do laundry, be "volunteers", cry and hurt for our children, do yard-work, take care of pets, ohh and sleep for a couple of hours a day. Yeah, we don't have anything on our plates lol.

I love when Ashton's mad at me though.. like tonight, she wanted to go to her classes with me and she had band practice, I told her no. So when I was in the band booster room, she walked by and I yelled, "I love you Ash". Of course I got the "go to hell" look! lol Again, like I said in a previous blog; it's fun to return the "pissing off" bit!

I gotta say, I love my girls, and for the most part they "suck it up", "tough it out", and "live it up". But man... sometimes I wonder if I've done my part.....

peace out girlscout!

Simple, Complicated, wonderful love

I have to wonder why after all these bajillion years someone has not created a "user manual" that the hospital could send you home with after you have these little creatures.

First off, I can guarantee you that if anyone else on this planet choose to hurt me the way labor hurt me, I'd hate your guts. But noooo I'm convinced your children start screwing with you the day they're born. Instead of wanting to beat the hell out of that horrific, pain-causing, vomit-inducing life-form that we call our babies, when they're born.. we love them. Immensley and with every fiber in our being. Starts off pretty whacked huh???!!

Well, doesn't really get any better does it?? I remember the first time Ashton (my soon to be 18 year old) said, "I love you mommy". I bawled. It was the most horrible thing I'd ever heard in my life. You see, she had always said, "I wub you mommy". Then all of a sudden at about 3 yrs old, she's coming off with this love you crap!!! What's up with that?!?!

At least things start off slowly. They break your heart little by little so that when "I hate your guts" comes out of their mouths it doesn't hurt as bad. Which by the way, you're usually so pissed off at them anyway that when that flies out of their mouth you seriously could care less! Doesn't matter when/if my girls ever said that they didn't love me or they hated me or anything else like it, I always told them, "Doesn't matter, I still love you and there is nothing you can do about it". Of course, it's always an added bonus to return the "pissing-off" favor to them!

My girls are beautiful, wonderful, loving, caring girls. I absolutely pat myself on the back. I will tell you this; I was certain when Ashton was about 11.5-13 I wasn't sure I was going to survive. Pretty sure my friend Kat can attest to that. I even told Ashton one time, "One of us will NOT survive your growing up." I truly wasn't sure if it would be her or me, but I knew one of was NOT going to make it! lol

Now that time-frame with Ashton has paid off for dealing with Brenna. Brenna's always tending to be a later bloomer than Ashton in all respects. Even with the mouth. Sooo Brenna is now 14 and she started growing horns and frothing at the mouth at about 13. One day I just looked at her and laughed, I said, "You know what, I survived your sister and you ain't got crap on her!"

I often said my theme song when Ashton was going through "that" stage was Gloria Gaynor, I will survive.

I have, I will continue to and I will love these beautiful girls more than life itself.

Peace out girlscout!