Just Be Grateful

Natalia in Perú

Natalia's in Perú with hubby and Teo. She's such a doll and has been keeping me up to date on all her adventures.

(The ham rant.)

Roger Sterling Quotes

My favourite character on Mad Men, and the most debonair and handsome, was without question, Roger Sterling. I’m so glad I took a screenshot of his best lines because I really needed this laugh. I gotta re-watch that series immediately. 

Meeting Mr. Copeland

Back in February I bought tickets for me and Jax to see Stewart Copeland's spoken word tour and scored us a meet and greet as well. It was a little under four hundred bucks total, which was kind of an insane thing to do since I'm not a massive fan of The Police and I don't really know his film scores or other work. Jackson didn't know him at all, but Copeland is one of the most respected drummers alive and I wanted us to go and kick start Jackson's discovery of a new-to-him musician. The day arrived and I was worried about traffic and parking and so we left way too stinkin' early. I picked up Jax at 1 and, of course, we hit zero traffic and found a perfect parky spot by 2:40. 

First up was late lunch at Tai Me Up for some fab grub.  I thought we'd kill a couple hours but the food arrived super fast and we wolfed it down, done at 3:20. Thankfully the place wasn't busy and the waitress there is an absolute sweetheart and didn't mind that we stayed until 4:30. We headed over to Reads to do some book shopping before arriving at the theatre at 5:30. 

The meet and greet portion was before the show and didn't start til 6. Finally, my hand-held fan on full blast in an effort to cool the fug down, we were ushered in to form a line. It moved pretty quickly and by 6:15 we stood before the man himself. Every thought I had about what to say flew right out of my head. I got as far as shaking his hand and introducing myself and then Jackson. He was signing Jax's drumsticks and I stupidly said, "So how are ya?" I gotta stop meeting celebrities. I always come off as a freakin' doofus. Then I turned to Jackson and said, "you have nothing to say??" That jogged his memory and while Mr. Copeland signed my copy of his memoir (which I will say he seemed kind of impressed, looking at the spine and saying "Oh!" as he recognised his book) Jackson asked him how he warms up. (Copeland said he shakes out his hands and stretches them then does single stroke rolls and paradiddles (or paradoodles, as I prefer to call them), which Jackson said was a helpful tip.) Then as I thanked him and we turned to go, Copeland said, "get him to give up drums and go into dentistry!" Cute!

(Kudos to Inez who took the photos - she did a fantastic job and I love that she took candid shots plus a couple posed. What a doll!)

Now it would be another nearly two hours before the show started. We squirreled away in a corner and chatted til they let us in to our seats at 7. The spots I scored for us were the exact row behind where we usually sit. Jesus God almighty. It was so tight and poor six foot tall Jackson was crammed in with his knees crunched into the back of the seats in front of him. I'm 5'5" and it was uncomfortable as hell for me. By the time we'd sat there for a half hour I decided we'd be better off standing out in the upper hall until showtime. Jackson was clearly dreading having to go back to the seats so...I made the call and we skipped the show. Stupid, I know, but I just thought, he's happy with having met Copeland and I was bored silly with his memoir that I read back in March, so why torture this kid with a show that I wasn't elated to see either. Plus Chase, his BFF, was back at the house waiting for him. We stayed long enough to hear the crowd cheer for Copeland and, oddly, chant E-A-G-L-E-S!!! at Copeland's prompting, and then hit the side door and left by 8:15. I figured he'd want me to race him home, but instead he wanted to drive to Lena's Water Ice for a chocolate shake (they have the best chocolate water ice, too!). I dropped him home by 10:30 and then steered Phineas towards home in the downpour. Aside from cramped seating and lots of waiting around, we had a great time together as always. The bonus was that Stewart Copeland was very nice and I didn't trip and fall on the walk to meet him. Hurrah!

Wednesday's Noon Meeting

On 24 July 2020 I saw a YouTube video from ASAP Science that posed the question:  Wednesday's noon meeting has been moved forward by two hours. What time is the meeting now? For me, the answer was clearly 2pm, since that is two hours after noon and therefore two hours forward in time. It was fun to ask friends and find out how differently we interpreted the question. My most involved convo was with Marina.

Bishop: 2pm

Xavier: 10am

Amy: 10am

Dave: 10am

We Heart Tom Selleck

Aunt Berne had a lifelong crush on hunky Tom Selleck, who was my first celebrity crush. Seeing these on Instagram last year always made me think of her. 

One step at a time...

Is there another option of which I've not been made aware? Cuz if there's a fast lane to the good part of life, I'd much prefer that. 

Long Live the Oxford Comma

Among those interviewed were Merle Haggard's two ex-wived, Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall.

This book is dedicated to my parents, Ayn Rand and God.

Highlights of Peter Ustinov's global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector.

(I'm a big fan of the Oxford Comma, even though my brother Dave is the polar opposite and hates it with a passion.)

The Hart to Hart Workout

I'm not a fan of exercising, but this workout is definitely something I can get behind!

Educating Helen

July 2025

Hello from the armpit of the universe!

I'm just waking up each day to a new circle of the hell that this country's become. In other news, last week Phoenixville, PA had their 25th Blobfest! Super fun!!

♥ Lisa*

Eight Years Ago Today

I know this video makes 14 year old Jackson absolutely cringe with embarrassment, but I for one think it's super cute. 

Girl Scouts at the Double K!

Gettin' Hot

If You Leave - OMD

The Promise - When In Rome

The World Is New - Save Ferris

Cosmic Girl - Jamiroquai

New Moon on Monday - Duran Duran

Look Me In The Heart - Tina Turner

The Blue Sky - a-ha

A Girl Like You - Edwyn Collins

Til I Hear It from You - Gin Blossoms

Ridiculous Thoughts - The Cranberries

Always Something There to Remind Me - Naked Eyes

One Thing Leads to Another - The Fixx

Nowhere Fast - Fire Inc.

Don't Get Me Wrong - The Pretenders

Sheila Take a Bow - The Smiths

Got to Be Real - Cheryl Lynn

Mercy Mercy Me - Marvin Gaye

Any Way You Want It - Journey

The Old Apartment - Barenaked Ladies

This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) - Natalie Cole

You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi

Twist of Fate - Olivia Newton-John

Never - Moving Pictures

Authority Song - John Cougar Mellencamp

Heaven Is a Place on Earth - Belinda Carlisle

This Is Me - Rocket Summer

Can't Stop - Madonna

Tears Are Not Enough - ABC

Never Let Me Down - Depeche Mode

Lover to Fall - Scritti Politti

 - Summer 2021 Playlist

College Journal #2

Limitless

This tag from a (I think) Yogi tea bag is on my vision board directly in front of my desk, held in place by an AIDS ribbon and beside my punk-rock Lisa Star Simpson shrinky dink. I always feel very limited; in my body, the way my face is perceived, by my intellect and often lack of knowledge, and by my fear of failure or not fitting in with society. I wish I could be fearless and strong and become the best version of myself. Someone who tried, failed, tried again, failed, and continued to strive for success in anything and everything. I'd take up the piano, learn to sing, speak my limited Spanish and Dutch with friends and strangers, publish my writing, and not care so much about what the world saw me as. If I removed all the limits I've placed on myself, I would soar. I would finally feel like the someone I know I am but feel too frightened to unleash. I wish that wishing would make things so, for if they did, I would be truly magnificent.

Fab Tats

Years ago I learned that a lot of women who undergo a mastectomy and opt not to have reconstructive surgery will instead get elaborate tattoos. I love that. It's restoring something beautiful in a completely different way and giving the woman a new kind of secret that she gets to share with whomever she chooses. (Also, I am quite certain I used whomever incorrectly, but no one reads this blog anyway.) These were a few that I simply adored.

All a girl really wants is...

Early July Texts with Bishop