Lady Gaga gets weirder and weirder

This is the cover of her new album.  I just really don't know how to react to this.  It's kinda cool I guess.  Is it just me or is she just getting weirder and weirder?  I mean, the Born this Way video is just BIZARRE AS HELL.  Check it out on youtube if you haven't seen it and you'll see what I mean.  When she first came out, she was different and that was cool, I liked the music and all.  Now it's just...I dunno.  I heard her second track off of her new album, "Judas" and I am just not crazy about it.

Anyway, let me know what you think guys!

Thanks is never enough

Just wanted to update all of you guys (I can't believe there are 69 of you guys...WOW!!) on how my talk went on Wednesday night.

It went so well guys, I was blown away - at least from my end I felt great giving the talk.  It was more for myself and personal growth than anything else, and in that purpose I succeeded.  I'm sure I wasn't the most eloquent speaker in the world, that's not who I am.  I stood up and the moment that I did, my nerves were GONE which really tripped me out! 

I thought I would run out of things to say and we'd quit early, but it was just the opposite - I ran out of time and had to kind of rush through the end of what I wanted to say, which I kind of hated.  However, I know that I'll get a chance to do this again later this year, so I'll be a pro by then and know what to expect.

I had a few close friends there that knew me well for support, which helped tremendously!  It was so cathartic and theraputic, and I felt so great after it was over.  Not sure if my fear of public speaking is gone totally, but for that one night it was. 

Thanks to all of you guys for your comments of encouragement, I really appreciated every single one of them.  They meant a lot to me. 

For my new followers, WELCOME!!!!  If I haven't followed your blog back, my apologies - I'm a bit behind in that regard due to all the excitement of my speaking debut this week.  I'm planning to get caught up on all of that this weekend so get ready for me....Karen's coming on down!!!!

Hope all of you have a great weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

I haven't done one of these yet, so here are some pics for ya!


                                           Flowers from my best friend to wish me luck for my
                                           speaking engagement tonight.

One of the trees in our yard blooming...gorgeous!

                                           My springtime welcome sign

                                                     New Hello Kitty socks!!!!!

                                                    Blooming flowers

                                              My Sunshine's favorite spot in the natural area

                                               Pretty pink flowers!

Facing our demons - just throw me in the pit of fire already! - UPDATE!!!!

We've all got our irrational fears right?  Some are afraid of spiders, snakes, heights (me), enclosed spaces, etc.  I'm also pretty agoraphobic (did I spell that right?).  Hate crowded places with a passion - even had a couple of anxiety attacks in really crowded places that I felt were too much for me. 

Well guys, I have to face the big one in a couple of days.  The big daddy fear.  The one that overshadows them all.......PUBLIC SPEAKING!!!!!

Yes indeed, Wednesday night I have to get up in front of people and talk - for about 45 minutes.  I've never talked that long in front of people in my whole freakin life.  The few times I've had to speak in front of a group in the last few years, I've basically typed out every word I was going to say and read it off of the pages.  My speeches have lasted 5 minutes, 10 at the most.  I can't get away with that this time you guys. 

This is me - just me, standing up there talking.  I can't say what it's for but let's just say it's a very personal talk I'll be giving about myself, about my story and who I am, so I can't really cheat - know what I mean?

This talk will be about my life, where I came from, things I've been through and how I came to be the person I am now.  Part of this talk will take me back through some dark times that I haven't had to re-visit in a very very long time - I really do NOT want to go back to that place, but it is part of my story and a part of who I am so I do have to go there in order to do this properly. 

Just to give you a small preview of what I'm facing here, part of my story goes back to my first husband, who got very deep into the drug underworld and was heavily addicted to crack cocaine.  He was hanging around with drug dealers, which meant I was around drug dealers by default.  I didn't get sucked into that lifestyle, thank god, but it's a part of my life that was very scary and that I have suppressed for a very long time.  That's the kind of stuff that's going to come out in my talk on Wednesday night.  Scary dark shit, right?  This is crap I haven't thought about in years and I'm digging it out of my brain and chest to lay it out for all the world to see....that, on top of my blinding fear of public speaking has me FREAKING THE FUCK OUT!!!! 

This talk will come from my heart, you know that withery black thing in my chest (hehe, just kidding).  I've never done anything like this before and to tell you the truth, it scared the bejeesus out of me! (yes, I just used the word "bejeesus" - get over it!).  I've told individual friends about things I've been through, but never in a forum like this.

On the positive side, this will be in front of a group of loving people who have been through similar situations as mine - a group of non-judgemental people who will still love me even if I flub up the whole thing. Many of them don't know my specific story, but it doesn't matter.  I know in my heart that the people in that room are good people, I trust them implicitly and know that doing this is important.  If my story can help one person in that room with a struggle they are having, then it is all worth it - no matter what. 

Anyway, send positive and calming thoughts my way.......I REALLY REALLY need them right now!

UPDATE
Guys, my talk went GREAT!  Once I got up there, the nerves just went away and I was just myself.  I had my notes and just started talking.  Before I knew it, my time was gone!  I feel absolutely wonderful now that it's over.  Hope I'll have an opportunity to do it again soon!!!!!

Anybody else got a BEAVER problem???

Anyone else out there have a beaver problem?  I'm telling you, here in the south, we have a HUGE PROBLEM with our beavers.  They are just out of control!




Get your minds out of the gutter!  Not THAT kinda beaver! (Although I had ya going for just a sec didn't I? LMFAO!!!!!)


THIS KINDA BEAVER!

Apparently we've had quite a time here in NC with them.  We've had some wetland restoration projects going on trying to restore our streams and wetlands and the state has spent upwards of $80,000 removing dams and trapping these poor guys.  In some cases, they say the dams have been so sturdy they've had to hire contractors to come in and blow them up!  DANG! 

The beavers, bless their hearts....are chewing up newly planted trees, and are just causing a real problem for these wetland projects, the little buggers.  Not sure if they're relocating them or what, back in the 19th century the beaver became almost extinct here back when their pelts were big business.  Hopefully that won't become a problem again. 

Beavers.....behave yourselves!!!!

Glee to cover the dumbest song ever!!!

What the fuck?!?!? 
Okay, I am a big Glee fan but they have officially picked the crappiest song on the face of the earth to put on the show.

If you haven't heard the song "Friday" by Rebecca Black, go ahead and listen to it once just so you know what I'm talking about.  With lines like this:

"Fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun"  Ahhh pure poetry!

"Kickin in the front seat, Sittin in the back seat, Gotta make my mind up, Which seat can I take?" Um, it's one or the other just pick one stupid!

Oh and my favorite is this one:
"Tomorrow is Saturday, And Sunday comes afterwards"  Gee thanks for that calendar check!!!

Do you guys see what I mean now???  I mean really!  They keep this crap up, I dunno....I might hafta jump ship.  The reason I started watching to begin with was the great music they chose.  They start picking crap, forget it!

It's just another Manic Monday.....UPDATE!

Hey guys!  Hope you all are having a decent Monday - Mine's been a little insane, but what day in my life isn't? 
Let me back up a coupla days, woke up Saturday morning and I was deaf in my left ear.  Yes, deaf - as in cannot hear SQUAT!  Well, except for some annoying ringing now and again, that's nice.  I'm fairly sure it's allergies since I am in North Carolina and we have pollen freakin everywhere!  I went ahead and started on some decongestants and tylenol, but called the doc this morning - have an appointment tomorrow so we'll see what they say.  Only bad thing about having to schedule this is I had to reschedule my physical therapy and they couldn't get me back in until next week - so no fibro therapy for Karen this week.  WAH!!!! 

Had some drama at the Registration and Title office, about an hour wasted there this morning....you guys know how those lines are over there but I got that crapola done and finally got to work.

We've got some big wigs coming to visit on Wednesday, our VP and lord knows who else so everybody is up in a big tizzy cleaning, they've been painting and doing all kinds of shit to get ready for this visit (although he was here not too long ago.)  They were vacumming and everything around the office today. 

I however ended up out in the plant working on getting a job out, so I was helping the finishing girls pack up a job for about 4 hours.  Came home, and my back was KILLING ME!!!!
Got home finally, took care of a few things and finally was able to relax and take some meds to get this pain under control. 

Geez, what a day!!!!  Let's strap in for another one tomorrow...


UPDATE:
I can hear!!!!  I went to the doctor today and they took a look at my ear.  Turns out a session of irrigation is all I needed and VOILA!  Hearing restored!
We have exorcised the demon!!!  (a la Ace Ventura)

Poor M. Night Shamalangadingdong!

M. Night Shayamalan...that poor poor guy.  He had The Sixth Sense which was his breakout film..then the movies went down.....and down....and down.....until we got to the Razzie award winning The Last Airbender.

Can things get any worse for him?  Ummm  yeah, I think so.  I was reading an article where there are now 3 film students that have started a campaign to raise $150,000 send M. Night Shayamalan back to film school.  There is a real website at www.mnightschool.com where they are actually taking pledges!

They say that they know his feelings will be hurt when he hears about it, but his movies do still make money.  He does have the money himself for this and that yes he'll turn it down, but the money will actually go to a scholarship winner in Shayamalan's name. 

This way, he actually might make a contribution to films besides the bad ones he's been churning out!

A funeral home for zombies????

In all seriousness, this has apparently caused a stir in the UK when an advertising firm put this billboard on the side of a building that happened to be a funeral home.

Can anyone say...OOPS?

Love is a Battlefield

Hubby and I have a very weird relationship sometimes.  It can be antagonistic, but in a loving way - and I know that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.  Case in point, Saturday.  We decided to go to lunch and then to see a movie, we went to see Battle:  LA.  He looked up the listing and told me the movie was playing at the Carmike at Koger Blvd.  We got ready and then headed out, me driving. 

When I started heading the direction of the Carmike, our conversation went something like this:
Hubby: Where are you going?
Me:  To the Carmike, where you told me the movie was playing
Hubby:  I thought it was at Brassfield.
Me: You told me Carmike, so that's where we're going.
Hubby:  Well, okay. I don't remember that, but okay.  Where are we going to eat?
Me:  You pick the place, you're the one that said, "I'm starving, I haven't eaten all day! Blah blah blah"
Hubby: I picked the movie, you pick the restaurant. 
Me:  Well what kind of food do you want?
Hubby:  Karen, it doesn't matter!  I'm just starving, just pick somewhere!
Me:  Fine!  Is Cracker Barrel okay?
Hubby:  That's fine
Me:  Good!

We had a nice lunch, even though the service sucked and they tried to bring me cold food. 

The movie WAS at the Carmike, so I was right.  And no I did not get an acknowledgement of, "Yes Karen you were right."  What do I expect?  Douche canoe...

He absolutely loves loves loves to criticize my driving.  He knows it makes me insane and the more I tell him to shut the hell up, the more he blabs on and on about it.  Either I'm not driving fast enough, or I'm too close to someone's bumper, or I needed to run that light, it doesn't matter what I do or don't to - I'm not doing it right.  The continual berating of my driving started when we left the house and continued until we got to the theater on the other side of town.
 
We got to the movie theater and I said, "Look, when I'm driving, you need to shut up.  When you drive, there are things I don't like and I keep my mouth shut."  He made some smart-ass retort, to which I responded, "Go fuck yourself."  He said, "No thank you."  I said, "Well, then bite me."  He again said, "No thank you."  I then said, "Then shut the fuck up!"  Then he said, "No." 

What an ass hat.

I love my hubby very very much, but he can be a douche canoe ass hat. 

That's our relationship folks....in a nutshell.  And in case you're reading this honey, Love you baby :)

Grease is the word!

Grease is the word!  Or maybe not, hell I dunno.

I don't know what is up with me and this nostalgic mood I've been in this weekend, but I'm just going with it okay?  Just  roll with me.

Grease came on TV this afternoon this afternoon and of course I just HAD to watch it.  It was just a compulsion or something.  First off, it was my favorite movie for many reasons and it brings back so many memories for me.

We did the play my senior year of high school and it was way fun!  I was only in the chorus, but it was still great - I got to be in most of the numbers and to this day I still remember the hand jive!  We had to learn the chant in "We go together", you know the one that starts "Rama lama lama, ka dinga da ding da dong, etc." and goes on forever?  I still remember that whole thing too!  Hell, I remember all the songs, is that sad or what? 

Anyway, we did the play and I was already a fan of the movie.  During college, my roommate and neighbors loved it too and we watched it incessantly.  It was a Greasefest singalong all the time up at Lenoir Rhyne.  Way fun times.  I did get sick of it for awhile after I graduated, but now and then I do watch it just for shits and giggles.  I just hate watching the TV version, they cut out the good parts. 

Have yourself a Grease singalong - it's way fun!

I freakin love Star Wars!!!

I came home from my meeting this morning and needed to sit with my heating pad on, so I turned on the TV to see what was on and what should I find but the Star Wars marathon on Spike.  I freakin LOVE LOVE LOVE the Star Wars trilogy.  I'm talking about the original movies:  Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.  The others don't count as far as I'm concerned. 

Star Wars came out in 1977 when I was 5 years old.  It was the first movie I ever saw in the theater.  I remember my parents taking me and my brother to see it one summer while we were at Emerald Isle, NC at the beach on vacation. We were camping at the Travel-Park there in our pop-up camper (anybody remember those things?)  Anyway, my brother wasn't even 2 years old yet and even he remembers going to see it!!!  It was so mind blowing for its time, plus the fact that I was only 5 at the time - it was just almost too much for my little brain to handle!  Darth Vader scared the bejeesus out of me!!   Killed Obi Wan though?  What the hell?  Dude!

When Empire Strikes Back came out, we all went to see it as well.  Just as mind-blowing, but much sadder because of Han getting frozen and sent off to Jabba the Hut.  It seemed that the bad guys had won. Darth Vader still scared the bejeesus out of me and he was more evil than ever because he cut off Luke's arm!  But the shocker of all shockers - "Luke, I'm your father."  WHAT??????????????????????

Then we had Return of the Jedi, as a kid I love the Ewoks - I wanted one as a pet.  Couldn't believe there could be someone even more evil than Darth Vader, but then we meet The Emperor....creepy guy, and that voice, does he sound like a creepy pedophile to anybody else but me?  Anyway, so sad that Yoda died, OMG I think I cried dude!  Shocker number 2, Luke and Leia are sisters?  EWWW, didn't you guys make out?  Yuck!  At least it opened her up to get the bad boy, I liked her with Han better anyways. 

These movies just remind me so much of my childhood, I saw every one with my family during the summertime while we were on vacation at the beach.  It just brings back those great times for me.  Hope you enjoyed the trip down memory lane.

Crickey! I've lost me mojo!

I've noticed lately with my posts that I've lost that lovin' feelin....my sense of humor. 

http://youtu.be/LTbASqoqH3Q


I wanted to let all of you, my faithful readers know that I am working on gettng that back.  All of you know from my fibro friday posts that I've felt like hammered shit the last few weeks, and major pain is not exactly conducive to creating hilarity. 

I really want to get back into the whole freakin reason I started this thing....writing because I love it and for theraputic purposes.  I lost the fun along the way and if it ain't fun, then what the hell am I doing?

So, while all my future posts may not be funny, I will try not to be such a stick in the mud "Debby Downer" - is that cool?  In the meanwhile, the white hot poker that keeps stabbing me in the back will continue to be there but I'll try not to let it get to me so much.

Have a lovely weekend

100 Facts About Me - Part 2 26-50

Resuming where we left off last time.....enjoy!

26.  I wanted to be Daisy Duke when I was growing up (was obsessed w/ The Dukes of Hazzard)

27.  If I couldn't be Daisy Duke, I wanted to be Wonder Woman (even had underoos!!)

28.  I LOVE that plastic bubble wrap (you know, that comes in packages).  We get that in at work sometimes, and I drive my co-workers NUTS popping all the bubbles.  It's a great stress reliver!!!!  I have 2 big sheets in my desk right now!!! (LMAO)

29.  I know sign language.  I went to a college that had a rather large deaf population, made several hearing impaired friends, so I got good enough to interpret for events and was interpreter for my sorority for a couple of years even.  Not as good now, but I can still get by if I need to.

30.  Speaking of sororities, I was a Kappa Delta in college.  Still active with the alumni association today.

31.  I was in the play Grease in high school

32.  I collect shot glasses

33.  I was obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology as a teenager.  Read all I could get my hands on.  When I was in school and found an elective class on Mythology, I jumped at the chance to take the class!

34.  I suck at math

35.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE to read

36.  My dog's name is Sunshine.  She's a yellow lab we adopted from the animal shelter.

37.  I'm a huge Elvis fan.  Love his music...his voice was like buttah!

38.   Also love Sting.  His music is great, and something about that yoga thing...SEXXXXY!

39.  To follow along the music thing, I'm a Coldplay fan.  Chris Martin is like a junior Sting....sexy!

40.  I was extremely shy during middle and junior high (if u can believe that!).  Hid my nose in books to avoid people.  Finally came out of my shell junior year of high school.

41.  I met my  husband at karaoke at a  bar and grill called McPherson's.  (I'll blog the story for u one day)

42.  I have 2 stepchildren, one is 20 and one is 18

43.  I started learning piano at age 8

44.  I started singing at age 12

45.  My favorite flowers are daisies.  They are just the happiest flowers...I just LOVE them!

46.  I love to knit - but the only thing I know how to knit are scarves. (how funny is that?)  I SO need to go find a class so I can learn how to make something else.  Problem is, being left handed I always have to re-teach myself how to do everything left handed because when anyone teaches me this kind of stuff they can only teach me the right-handed way.  It's like I'm crippled!

47.  My first (and ex) husband was (and probably still is) a drug addict.  Those were very very bad times for me.  His drug of choice, crack cocaine of all things.  Glad I got out when I did. Was a long time ago though.

48.  My first kiss was when I was 13 to a boy named James. 

49.  I love the show Criminal Minds.  The sickos they have on there are simply delicious!

50.  Favorite ice cream.....chocolate!