This is super heart-warming... and the neighbor whose sentiments were something of "it's the least we can do for all he's done"... SPOT ON. We need more neighbors like her in this world.
Friday, July 18, 2008
I Wish They Could ALL Come Home Like This...
Domestic Incentive
$10 off a $25 purchase at Lowe's? Seeing as how I can't leave Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. for less than $30... I'll take it!
Dear Sue Stock... your "Taking Stock" blog is the stuff dreams are made of. Two thumbs up for continuing to save your readers what I like to refer to as: Texas$. (That's big money.)
Country Music Junkie
...and proud of it!
I was really excited to see the line-up for the State Fair - especially Lady A and Heidi (I'm in love with "Johnny & June"):
Feel that nip in the air? The 2008 NC State Fair gets underway in a mere 92 days, and the concert lineup (which is, as usual, heavy on the country) has been released. Online ticket sales start Aug. 1 , and the lineup is below. Scope the details here.
Oct. 16 -- Josh Turner
Oct. 17 -- Jason Aldean
Oct. 18 -- Toby Mac
Oct. 19 -- Lady Antebellum and Heidi Newfield
Oct. 20 -- Bobby Flay
Oct. 21 -- Bucky Covington
Oct. 22 -- TBA
Oct. 23 -- Mario
Oct. 24 -- Leeland
Oct. 25 -- Joe Nichols
Oct. 26 -- Montgomery Gentry
Oooh... and we can take Mom and Dad to Bobby Flay... wonder if he'll do a local showdown while he's here?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
What a Let Down...
So my previous post on how Live Nation > Ticketbastards... maybe not so much.
I go to buy my $10 Journey and Three Doors Down tickets just a few moments ago and this is what I was faced with, once I got through the hype:
| 9/16/08 6:00 PM | 3 DOORS DOWN | LAWN | L18 | 117 | $10.00 | Parking Fee $6.00 Convenience Fee $4.45 | $20.45 |
Parking is $6.00/person (NOT VEHICLE!) for a gravel lot that is manned by the biggest douche-baggery staff I've ever met? No thank you.
Since when is it appropriate to charge more than double with "applicable fees"? That sounds VERY Ticketmaster-ish to me (just google "ticketbastards" to find so many other who also hate the ticketing monopoly).
I have been fairly impresed with the significantly higher level of service provided by Live Nation. I do however, continue to be harassed by the parking nazis at Walnut Creek... tailgate after tailgate and would prefer not to keep them employed.
Time to mull over how much I hate this - enough to pay double in fees? Am I really saving anything or was this just a clever marketing ploy that caught even Little Miss Marketing herself captive?
The House Rules for College Football
Thanks Ashton!
If someone could frame this and hang it up for the games we'll be seeing from home (very few since I have NCSU season tickets and BF has UNC season tickets)... that would be great!
by Fox Sports blogger Lisa H.
(which is a great first name, but not the same person as the author of this blog, "Growing Up Southern"...)
It's getting close. Only forty-six days until the start of college football. It is now time to post the house rules. You know what I'm talking about.
That legendary list of rules that every family needs to abide by during college football season. The list that supercedes all other lists. The list that will be copied and pasted to the front of the fridge. Read it and weep, non-college football fans.
1- There shall be an open view of the hi-def television at all times.
Any child that stands in front of the TV to get attention from me will be permanently disowned. Unless loss of limb or mass quantities of blood is apparent (and we are talking visible proof here), no cries of injury will be attended to by me (find Daddy if you feel like fainting). Grab a band-aid and take a Motrin. Better yet, rub some dirt on it.
Any child who decides to show off her High School Musical 2 dance routine while a football game is being broadcasted will be offered up for adoption to Brad and Angelina. As is.
Any persons who cross the family room floor will be sent to their rooms without dinner unless they crouch while passing in front of the screen. The crouched walk has been taught, practiced and preached- any person who walks in an (censored) position will be deemed a traitor and forced to watch Ishtar is slow motion.
2. Nutritional needs are not a priority on Saturdays.
Kids...here's your chance to ask Mommy for cake and ice cream for breakfast! In fact, timing is everything. If you ask for cotton candy and deep fried twinkies while Lee Corso is deciding which mascot head to don, you'll probably get a quick nod of the head and a swift dismissal via hand.
Don't expect anything home-cooked, unless you count Papa Johns pizza heating in the oven as home-made. Better yet, don't expect anything. Period. Football season is why vitamins were made, so throw back a Barney Rubble with some OJ and quit your complaining.
3. Demands for sex will be accepted only during certain hours of Saturday.
Please note the following time changes for when sex will be not be accommodated: 6:30 AM -11:15 PM (PST) every Saturday will no longer be acceptable times for sex due to conflicts with college football games.
If you feel dauncy and want to risk punishment, please feel free to solicit for sex during that time frame and watch for future schedule changes. Permanently.
4.
Given that the
Besides, I want to see if Lou will nail his locker room pep talk.
5. No one shall question the merits of any game being played on August 28th.
Any person who asks why I am watching Middle Tennessee v Troy, Buffalo v UTEP, Vandy v Miami (Ohio), Eastern Michigan v Indiana State, Ball State v Northeastern, UConn v Hofstra, Cincy v Eastern Kentucky, Stanford v Oregon State, Georgia Tech v Jacksonville State, NC State v South Carolina, or Iowa State v South Dakota State on Thurday, August 28th, will be shot on site. "Shoot first, ask questions later" will be the motto of the day.
I have waited seven long months for some college football, and frankly, the thought of watching Iowa State v South Dakota State live on television has my mouth watering.
August 28th, the first day of college football, should be viewed as a National holiday and treated with the utmost dignity and respect.
Every one of the games will be the most beautiful games I have ever watched, and the South Carolina v NC State, an ESPN Thursday night special, will be watched with tears in my eyes as soon as the theme music starts up. Kurt, I miss you already.
6. From 7:00-9:00 AM PST, all requests requiring Mommy to take her eyes off the TV set will be ignored.
Sure the show has gotten commercial, sure the two stars, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit, have made the concept seem a little contrived, and sure Lou Holtz can be downright irritating. But after seven long months, I can't wait for College Game Day to start.
In fact, I'll probably cry tears of joy as soon as I see the Home Depot desk with Lee tapping his pencil, and Kirk setting Lee up for a "Not so fast, my friend." I'll scream with laughter at all the goofy signs, admire the cheerleaders standing on their partner's shoulders, and take a deep breath the second they mention my team.
Oh yeah, the second anyone asks me, "Can I .....?" while the show is on will either get ignored or a quick nod of the head. Kids, here is your chance to go ask if you can play in traffic, set the dog on fire or try your first cup of coffee. I'm not listening. I'm in a trance.
7. No one shall make fun of any attire worn during Saturdays.
There comes a time when wardrobe critique from small children or spouses should be quelled. Saturdays are one of those days. (Note- spouses should take special note of the possible sex schedule being changed if too much critique is made of clothing.)
Since I have probably not slept much Friday night due to the anticipation of College Football on Saturday, I will be looking pretty bad. Pajamas, slippers, un-brushed teeth and bedhead are to be expected until approximately 12 noon.
Yes, I look like a witch. I also may be a little ornery, depending on whether or not my doctor has approved my request to have a temporary catheter (to avoid potty breaks) on Saturdays. (He's thinking about it, by the way)
I may not ever change my clothes on the day of the games because they are too exciting. Deal with it. Take the kids to the park if the sight of me is too horrid. In fact, just stay the heck out of my way until 11 PM. Then I'm all yours.
8. Any person(s) who plays the "hide the remote from Mommy" game will suffer serious consequences.
Yes, Saturday morning cartoons are important to all children. That's why each child has a TV and DVD player in their own rooms. Santa Claus wasn't born yesterday, honey. If the remote suddenly gets "misplaced" on a Saturday, the punishment will be liver and onions for lunch (home delivery, of course) and steamed brussel sprouts for dinner (frozen bag in microwave). The stench should be a poignant reminder of such foolish behavior.
Furthermore, any comments of "more football?" or "when is it over?" will cause the the offensive mouth to be bound with duct tape. After ten years, you should know better than to say such blasphemous words and you will treated as one who has committed an act of treason. Recognize.
9. Any phone calls from friends will be treated the same as telemarketing solicitations.
Just what kind of friend are you if you want to know if we can go to lunch? You know I'm officially busy all day, and after all these years, your phone calls are annoying, at best.
The phone will simply not be answered- unless it's from my bosses from FOXSports.com, of course. All other calls will viewed as solicitation calls and will get ignored. Moreover, a secondary follow-up call on my cell phone will be viewed as harassment.
I don't bug you during Idol and House, M.D., so don't bother me while I am enjoying my football.
10. Baseball is officially non-existent on Saturdays.
I don't care if it's close to the play-offs. When football is on, there is no other sport worth watching. Including baseball.
I have suffered all Summer watching these players chase butterflies in the outfield, whiff on fast balls and overthrow to first base. I'm tired of the rally (censored) not working his magic. I'm sick and tired of A-Rod's alleged dalliances and Giambi's mustache.
I need some contact sport, I need some violence, I need to see some green turf without brown dirt in the middle of it. I don't want to see any more managers kicking dirt at the ump's feet, I want to see Spurrier throw his visor, dang it. Out with the Cracker Jacks, in with the brats on a grill!
The House has spoken.
*Please note- in case of emergency (ie- devastating earthquakes, mudslides, brush fires, locusts invasions, pestilence or California falling off the face of the earth), please evacuate house and take all valuables to the nearest Red Cross Shelter. Do not spend your last fleeting moments of life begging me to leave the television for safety.
Think of me as a postal carrier- "neither rain, sleet, snow, or hail"...blah blah. I'm not letting a catastrophe from keeping me from my mission.
Besides, I'm already in heaven.
PS - Fashionable dressing is totally acceptable if your tailgate attire of choice is from Buzz & Berly!
LiveNation > Ticketmaster
Who's excited about $10 Maroon 5 and 3 Doors Down tickets? Meeeeeeee :-)
Although, it will be very hard to find a 3DD concert that can top their show with Lynyrd Skynyrd a few summers back... best. concert. ever!
Don't delay, this deal is only good from 10am until 10pm TODAY!
Wednesday, July 23 - 311/Snoop Dogg with Fiction Plane
Friday, July 25 - Projekt Revolution featuring Linkin Park
Tuesday, July 29 - Maroon 5/Counting Crows with Sara Bareilles
Sunday, August 10 - Journey with Heart & Cheap Trick
Saturday, September 6 - ZZ Top/Brooks & Dunn with Rodney Atkins
Tuesday, September 16 - 3 Doors Down with Hinder
Friday, September 19 - Music Builds with Third Day, Switchfoot
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Avoid CBW Like the Plague...
I've never experienced such poor retail management and customer service as I have with Carolina Bridal World in Smithfield (Wal-Mart included... and I hate that place)!
I wish I had read some of the reviews on local websites (CitySearch, etc.) since the issues my BFF bride-to-be is having now with CBW seems to be their M.O.
Once we have the bridesmaid dresses in hand and they're not conveniently "lost" or "damaged", I'll divulge the full dirt... but I just wanted to warn as many locals as I can ahead of time. Don't make the drive to Smithfield just for this place!
(I should have known we were at the wrong type of store when I saw a girl trying on a prom dress that looked like it'd be the dress of choice for any contestant in the Miss Ghetto pageant.)
Beaufort Water Festival - Part 2
I KNEW there had to be a better website for the Beaufort Water Festival and lo and behold, I've found it:
So check it out... and enjoy some good ol' fashioned Budweiser sponsored events before InBev destroys the American favorite (thanks for the link Lisa S.!).
Auction for the Animals
Yay - another opportunity to help our four-legged friends!
From dBusinessnews.com:
RALEIGH, NC – Second Chance Pet Adoptions is pleased announce the 8th Annual Auction for the Animals. The Auction will take place Saturday, July 19 from 7 to 10 pm at Caspar Park in Raleigh. There will be a silent auction and raffle with all proceeds benefitting Second Chance Pet Adoptions.
The proceeds from this year’s event will be used to continue to provide medical care for cats and dogs at the Second Chance Pet Adoption Center, developing new outreach programs focusing on abandoned and stray animals, providing support to foster families by providing medical, food, and supplies, and continuing to grow the new low cost AKC CAR micro-chipping program for dogs and cats that Second Chance has started this year.
Second Chance will be selling approximately 600 raffle tickets for $50 each. The grand prize winner of the drawing will receive a choice of trip for two people, for 7-12 days to Morocco, Tahiti, Peru or a European River Cruise, second prize will be a 37-inch LCD TV, and third prize is a $250 gift certificate to a local home improvement store. To purchase tickets or learn more about this event please visit www.SecondChanceNC.org.
###
The mission of Second Chance is to rescue abandoned and stray cats and dogs, provide excellent care for each pet and match each pet with the best home for its needs, in order to ensure a long lifetime of safety, love and companionship. Second Chance also encourages responsible pet ownership through education, advocacy, programs and services. For more information please visit www.SecondChanceNC.org.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
What I Love...
...about the South.
Thank you Rodney Atkins for a song that pays tribute:
About the South (about the South)
If you need a Dixie Fix just a' come on down
It's what I love (what I love)
About the South (about the South)
Southern Belles with a drawl make you stop and drop your jaw, come on y'all, shut your mouth...."
Anyways, today's reminder of our regional differences: summer beverages.
Apparently, north of our nation's capital, they drink unsweetened crap tea and black coffee year round. Well not down here, thank goodness. There are a few things that every Southern needs in the summer:
* BBQ (the food, not the action, I'll have to share the language barrier we had based on that word some point in the future)
* Watermelons, peaches, and strawberries
* Some time at the beach/lake/sprinkler/your local body of water
* Potato salad
* Porches
* And of course, lemonade (Country Time, Chick-Fil-A, or freshly-squeezed. Pink or Regular. I'm not picky.)
Here's some recipes from RealSimple.com for some summer lemonade for my fellow Southerns who will really appreciate it (aka Lil Lisa.)
And if you love lemonade and you happen to live in Raleigh then I'm going to tell you a secret. The city's best lemonade (and maybe the best BBQ) is at Cooper's Barbecue. It's downtown on Davie Street (across from Progress Energy) and you can get a BBQ sandwich, Lemonade, hushpuppies, and a side for $5. They only take cash but it's TOTALLY worth the trip to the ATM. That's my local endorsement of the day. :-P
P.S.: If you want your summer beverage done up grown-up style then remember, citrus vodka can always go in lemonade, no matter what flavor it is. :-)"
Monday, July 14, 2008
Beaufort Water Festival
Big thanks to my favorite Zeta blogger for letting us all know about the awesomeness known as the Beaufort Water Festival!
If you've missed the first few weeks of events... don't worry! There's lots more going on now through Sunday, July 20th. Check out the full schedule online - there are lots of events going on every day... even during the week (warning: it's a PDF... at least that makes it print friendly).
Here's a little background info about the event:
In July of this year, the island county of Beaufort will celebrate its great heritage and present-day progress. Our Water Festival had its official roots in the 1930's, when sailboat races on the Beaufort River were accompanied by parties on shore. The Festival also dates to the antebellum era when plantation owners raced barges on our Lowcountry waters. Then, as now, Water Festival was a time filled with merrymaking of all kinds.
The Commodore and his crew invite you to share in the Annual Water Festival with this year's slate of events and activities. Many of the events take place in the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, a seven-acre recreational area in the heart of the Downtown Historic District overlooking the Beaufort River.
Activities
The Water Festival features dances and concerts, fine arts and crafts, an antique show, boat races, sporting events of all kinds, historic home and museum tours, a grand parade and a Lowcountry Supper with local shrimp and after-dinner entertainment plus much more!
Location
The home of Water Festival, Beaufort, South Carolina, is the second oldest city in the state. Beaufort is nestled on the coast between Charleston, SC (70 miles north) and Savannah, GA (45 miles south), and is just an hour's drive from the popular resort island of Hilton Head. Beaufort is easily accessible from US Highway 17 or Interstate 95 (exits 38, 33 or 8).
"Recipes for Research" Now Available!
News from Mrs. Tammy with an update on great (and delicious) way to support Brittany's Battle:
Two versions of this dynamic cookbook are available:
You can purchase a "download" version or order the hard copy!
For every cookbook sold, BBI receives a donation from the publisher, LuLu.com.
You can order using the links above, or you can go to BBI's website and order it from there.
Thank you for your support and remember,
No One Deserves Cancer!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
"Southern" Sugar Scrub
...because you know how Southern cooks are: directions are only "suggested" and anything goes.
Case in point, this afternoon I noticed an "icky" (if you will) peeling arm/shoulder. Crap, there were two of them. (Two weeks to the day after getting sunburned on Falls Lake with the Redneck Yacht Club.)
I went home and googled "homemade sugar scrub" and found a new fun website (with RSS feed!) and a recipe to boot.
By Annie B. Bond, Care2 Green Living Executive Producer
"OK, folks. Get ready for almost unbelievably soft skin (even for those of us with older skin).
The other day I was speaking with Larry Pleasant, CEO of The Vermont Soapworks, and he mentioned that he and his staff had spent the morning testing homemade sugar scrubs, and that everyone was commenting on how incredibly soft their skin felt. Aware that sugar cane produces glycolic acid, one of the natural alpha hydroxy acids that exfoliates the skin, I was immediately curious about his recipes.
Ingredients
* 50 percent white cane sugar (note that organic sucanat, while the best choice for food, doesn’t work as well for this recipe)
* 50 percent vegetable glycerin to moisten the sugar (I used avocado oil since I was out of vegetable glycerin and it proved to be a successful substitute)
* Small amounts of aloe vera gel, vitamin C crystals, or anything healing that dissolves in water
* 1 or 2 drops of essential oil if desired (Larry recommends combining orange and lavender)
* Enough ground hibiscus powder for pink color (if desired)
Combine the ingredients in a bowl. Scoop some of the scrub onto your hand and massage gently onto your skin for a minute (the scrub will actually tighten onto your skin like a masque). Leave on for 3 to 4 minutes before rinsing.
Let me warn you in advance that you’ll want to use this sugar scrub on your entire body. I started on my face, returned to my desk, and my skin felt so baby soft that the skin on my neck felt like sandpaper, so I needed to use the sugar scrub there, and on and on."
* 1 plastic bowl (and a fork to mix with)
* Enough sugar to fill the bottom of the bowl
* A squeeze of honey (for consistency... seemed like a good idea to me!)
* A little bit of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil for those of you who aren't Rach fans)
* A squirt of lemon juice
* A few drops of lavender essential oil (for smell)
* Some bath salts (also for smell)
Mix all of the above. Hop in the shower with a poof or a washcloth and enjoy SUPER soft skin!
The only changes I would possibly make would be for coconut oil (or another yummy smelling oil) in place of EVOO and to add the aloe gel... I forgot about that part even though I had some on hand.
I wouldn't recommend this in the morning... some of the oil could leave spots on clothes. (I'm wearing linen pants and a tank-top right now with no problem though!)
For You Female Entrepreneurs Out There...
I know there are quite a few business girls like me who read my blog (thank you!) so I wanted to share... SCORE is one of my favorite small business resources. That and the SBA. Check out your local affiliates!
From Sue Stock, local business N&O writer & blogger:
SCORE, the organization that has helped thousands of small businesses get off the ground, has launched a special Web site for female entrepreneurs. The Web site provides tools, mentoring, workshops and articles specifically for women. You can find the new site at http://www.score.org/women.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
More NASCAR Love...
I'm sure my fashion blog readers were shocked when I did a post dedicated to Under Armour & NASCAR... but I mean c'mon... NASCAR's awesome.
The commercials are hilarious, the sport is downright exciting to sit in the stands (or your living room with surround sound) in the midst of, and it's the last great American sport to still let you bring your own "beverages of choice" and snacks in the "park" with you!
I noticed an email that came for Nick yesterday (pre-forwarding his RR account to the hotmail one he actually uses) from GoMotorBids.com. Obviously, the following caught my eye:
I told him that Ryan Newman and his wife look like our kind of people... (to which the Kahne-iac scoffed at), but then I said: "just look at those causes and that puppy's face - he looks like a Tanker". There's no avoiding it, they do seem to be our kind of people!
(Note: All dogs are "puppies" to me and "Tanker" is in reference to our big boy, pictured here.)
Some of programs supported through The Ryan Newman Foundation include:
If I had money coming out of my ears, Daddy would be the proud owner of that fire suit. Watch the story about it... the poster in reference, actually sits framed in Dad's office.
How cool would THAT be?
Nick says that auction will go for the likes of $20K+ and I'm pretty sure Dad would wring my neck if I paid that much for a fire suit... but boy can a girl dream of the BEST GIFT EVER FOR DEAR OL' DAD!
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