No rental cars or westbound trains as Jimmy Buffett sings about, but a summer that I will never forget.
Not having kids, summer is just another season to me, albeit my favorite season because I like warm/hot weather and summer clothes. Well, I like pretty much all types of clothes. Back to summer, I generally do most of my vacationing in months other than the summer months in order to avoid the summertime crowds. So, I generally go to work everyday, attend local concerts, attend a Birmingham Barons baseball game, and go to a Jimmy Buffett concert, depending on his tour schedule. This summer was a little different, though.
In June I attended a high school reunion, the first one I’ve attended since I graduated. Like a lot of folks are, I was a bit apprehensive about attending; but after much deliberation, I decided to go. My decision was probably the best decision I have ever made in my life. I now have a bunch of new friends and acquaintances. I’m facebook friends with people I thought I would never cross paths with after leaving high school. I’m even planning to attend my school’s homecoming this fall. Are we talking about the same Nancy Graham? I really think my high school graduating class is great, and not very many people will say that. They’re really just good people and I’m proud to be one of them. There’s a few, of course, that I never cared for and still don’t; but we’re talking very few. And who knows; maybe if I had gotten to talk to them a little more at the reunion, I would have changed my mind. Anyway you look at it, going to this reunion has changed my life forever and for the better. Again, are we talking about the same Nancy Graham?
About a month after the reunion, I attended the event of a lifetime. My favorite singer in my favorite place…Jimmy Buffett in Gulf Shores. Getting everything together to get there took some doing, but we made it and ended up in a VIP section for the concert. Jimmy and his Coral Reefer band performed for free in an effort to get folks to visit the Alabama Gulf Coast following the oil spill caused by the explosion of a BP oil rig in the Gulf. The concert was broadcast on CMT with some of my friends and I actually getting on TV. The concert was great and the beaches were beautiful. There was a little bit of oil on the beach in front of the condos where we stayed. In fact, I picked a little up and squished it between my fingers. If my four friends had scoops and garbage bags, we could have cleaned it up in no time. But, of course that would have been strictly forbidden by the third Reich, I mean the USEPA.
Between 42,000 and 45,000 attended the concert and it was a site to behold. I’m so happy that I got the chance to be a part of such a historic event.
I’ve always acknowledged that summer is my favorite season and that I could easily live in an all year round warm weather climate. The summer of 2010 was long and hot, and made me realize I probably should stick to living in a place where the climate is seasonal. With actual temperatures in the high 90s/low 100s and heat indexes in the 110 to 115 degree range, I experienced a lot of migraine headaches and generally felt bad. Once the temps got back into the mid-90s, the headaches went away and I felt much better.
As a result of the oppressive heat here in central Alabama, I stayed inside a lot. However, friends and I did make one trip during these oppressive days. We traveled to Florence, Alabama to see Mac McAnally in concert. Mac has been named CMA Musician of the Year for two years in a row. He’s also the guy with the red hair and beard that stands just behind Jimmy and to his right while the band if performing. The concert, of course, was wonderful and we were able to meet Coral Reefer band members Roger Guth and Jim Mayer. Now, there are very few Coral Reefers that I haven’t met. Mac also remembered us from some of his previous concerts.
To most people, my summer would be considered a very “dorky” summer; but to me it was one that has changed my life for the better, making “old/new” friends and attending events that were not only fun, but made some lifetime memories.
Football season has now started and while Alabama certainly looked good in its opening game; the team has a grueling season ahead. Can we repeat? I’m not making any predictions. Life goes on.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Global Warming Rebuked Again
In an article linked by the Drudge Report to the New York Post online, the global-warming establishment took a body blow this week, as the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change received a stunning rebuke from a top-notch independent investigation. For two decades, the IPCC has spearheaded efforts to convince the world's governments that man-made carbon emissions pose a threat to the global temperature equilibrium -- and to civilization itself. IPCC reports, collated from the work of hundreds of climate scientists and bureaucrats, are widely cited as evidence for the urgent need for drastic action to "save the planet".
But the prestigious InterAcademy Council, an independent association of "the best scientists and engineers worldwide" (as the group's own Web site puts it) formed in 2000 to give "high-quality advice to international bodies," has finished a thorough review of IPCC practices and found them badly wanting.
In this article, several examples were cited such as the IPCC's claim in 2007 that Himalayan glaciers were rapidly melting, and would possibly be gone by the year 2035.
Global warming, now referred to as climate change in a lot of circles is probably the biggest hoax on mankind in the history of the planet. Al Gore and many other alarmists have insisted that "the debate is over," that the science was "settled." That claim is now in shreds -- though the grants are still flowing, and advocates still hope Congress will pass some version of the economically disastrous "Cap and Trade" bill.
About a year ago I was at some function or club meeting and commented that I would love to drive a Hummer...gas guzzling and environmentally challenged... just to spite the climate change alarmists. One of the folks that I was talking to said, "you're bad, you're bad". She was being good natured about it, though. I went on and she kept saying, "you're bad". Finally, I said, "I'm not bad, I'm good", and let loose about climate change and some other things. This lady then kept saying, "I didn't know that." She assumed without a doubt that the planet was warming and drastic measures had to be taken to save civilization. I told her to read my blog and do some research because there is definitely a strong credible other side; and she said she would.
This is Birmingham, Alabama, not Palo Alto, California, and still folks are duped about climate change. The mainstream media says it exists and so it must. I've run into a few other people who definitely believe there is climate change those that don't buy into it are somehow self-centered and think only of themselves.
Well, maybe this time we can "put a sock" in climate change and stop this viscious assault against the middle class that regulations to lessen the emmission of greenhouse gasses will surely bring. We have a long ways to go to get our country and our way of life back. Can we do it?
But the prestigious InterAcademy Council, an independent association of "the best scientists and engineers worldwide" (as the group's own Web site puts it) formed in 2000 to give "high-quality advice to international bodies," has finished a thorough review of IPCC practices and found them badly wanting.
In this article, several examples were cited such as the IPCC's claim in 2007 that Himalayan glaciers were rapidly melting, and would possibly be gone by the year 2035.
Global warming, now referred to as climate change in a lot of circles is probably the biggest hoax on mankind in the history of the planet. Al Gore and many other alarmists have insisted that "the debate is over," that the science was "settled." That claim is now in shreds -- though the grants are still flowing, and advocates still hope Congress will pass some version of the economically disastrous "Cap and Trade" bill.
About a year ago I was at some function or club meeting and commented that I would love to drive a Hummer...gas guzzling and environmentally challenged... just to spite the climate change alarmists. One of the folks that I was talking to said, "you're bad, you're bad". She was being good natured about it, though. I went on and she kept saying, "you're bad". Finally, I said, "I'm not bad, I'm good", and let loose about climate change and some other things. This lady then kept saying, "I didn't know that." She assumed without a doubt that the planet was warming and drastic measures had to be taken to save civilization. I told her to read my blog and do some research because there is definitely a strong credible other side; and she said she would.
This is Birmingham, Alabama, not Palo Alto, California, and still folks are duped about climate change. The mainstream media says it exists and so it must. I've run into a few other people who definitely believe there is climate change those that don't buy into it are somehow self-centered and think only of themselves.
Well, maybe this time we can "put a sock" in climate change and stop this viscious assault against the middle class that regulations to lessen the emmission of greenhouse gasses will surely bring. We have a long ways to go to get our country and our way of life back. Can we do it?
Thursday, August 19, 2010
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE FEDS
For the last nineteen months, we have seen an attack on our freedoms by our country’s leaders. There has been out of control spending that has increased our budget deficits and the national debt to levels that will haunt our grandchildren and possible our great grandchildren. We see that our current president has indicated that the United States is not a Christian nation. The current president now says that it’s okay for a mosque to be built at ground zero. Further more, there are many proponents for Sharia law being adopted in the USA. I could go on and on, but you all know what’s going on here. Our current president appears to be an Islamic sympathizer as well as a socialist. Our country’s leaders want to impose their socialist/big government beliefs and principles on the American people. To their credit, the American people don’t want any part of this; and hopefully these leaders who choose to take us down claiming that the United States of America is a bad country will either be taken out or rendered impotent in the upcoming November elections.
Now I’m coming to the crux of this post. The federal government and our country’s leaders are doing some terrible things to the United States of America, as we know it. Can we take our country back and repeal these things the current president and our country’s other leaders have foisted upon us against our will. I believe we can, but we have to arm ourselves and be strong.
Michelle Obama has made one of her causes childhood obesity. Being obese as a child affects children in many ways. If you were obese as a child, you’re going to have the propensity to put on weight all of your life. You can diet and exercise and take the weight off, but it can certainly come back.
Before I started school, I was quite thin and picked at my food. I was a little bit sickly and had lots of stomach aches. My reluctance to eat made my family unhappy and I sensed this. I was told I needed to eat more. Well, guess what? I decided to do just that. If it would make the family happy and get them off my back, why not? So, I ate when I really didn’t want to and started putting on weight. Then when I became a chubby little girl, the family wasn’t satisfied either. To this day, I will never feel that what I do is right or good enough. Whatever I do will not be acceptable. Do I blame the family? Of course not! They were concerned about my well being and did what they thought was best. Do I blame my failures in life on this? No, I really don’t.
Childhood obesity can certainly cause problems, both physically and emotionally for the overweight child; and all parents should do their best to make sure that their children maintain a healthy body weight and stay in good physical shape.
But now, the feds are going to require that your BMI (body mass index) be a part of your medical records as well as you height and weight. These records will be accessible to the feds, so they will know if you’re fat or not by their standards. I’ve posted about this many times and I won’t re-invent the wheel. However, if you want the feds to stay off of your back with regards to body weight, perhaps we should all loose a little weight so that the feds will leave us alone.
While our country’s leaders were busy bailing out banks and automobile companies, many were struggling with credit card debt. To show that they were just as concerned about private individuals as they were about the large corporations, the feds implemented a program whereby they would assist you in paying off your credit card debt. Supposedly, if you have more than $10,000 in credit card debt, you could qualify for this government program. I never checked into the particulars of this because I was in the process of refinancing my house to pay off mine. I firmly believe that if the feds get their claws in you while you’re working with them to lower your credit card debt, they will never take their claws out of you. In other words, you will be a “marked” person and subject to federal regulations for the rest of your life. We bailed you out of your oppressive level of credit card debt; now you are ours. Could all of this possibly be a segway into the feds knowing about your level of debt and forcing you into their debt relief programs if your debt reaches a certain level? So, in addition to losing the weight, perhaps you should take steps to get rid of your credit card debt without fed assistance.
Also, a bill has been signed into law allowing for stricter regulations of financial institutions. As you know whenever the feds level new taxes and regulations on businesses, those businesses are just going to seek to find other areas to recoup what they have lost due to any new regulatory statutes. I was talking to a couple of friends the other day. One of those friends is a small business owner. She was telling me that even though you get you may get your deposit to the bank before 2:00 pm, your checks may bounce. In other words, in reconciling after 2:00, now results in banks clearing your checks before crediting your deposit. This can result in multiple checks bouncing because they didn’t add your deposit in before attempting to clear your checks. Banks are also being known to attempt to clear larger checks first so that they can bounce the checks for smaller amounts and charge those fees. So, I’m also recommending that well all keep a few thousand in our checking accounts as a cushion against the above.
So, three things that we can do to possibly keep the feds off of our doorstep would be to pay off or pay down drastically your credit card debt; maintain a healthy body weight, and keep several thousand in your checking account.
Now, the above are things that we all should do; but we should not be doing these three things because we’re scared for the federal government to find out that we may have problems with weight control, that we may be struggling with credit card debt, and living from hand to mouth with our income and expenses. If the feds were to find out about these things, they might try to help. Heaven forbid! When someone contacts you and says, “I’m from the federal government and here to help.” Run like hell!
Now I’m coming to the crux of this post. The federal government and our country’s leaders are doing some terrible things to the United States of America, as we know it. Can we take our country back and repeal these things the current president and our country’s other leaders have foisted upon us against our will. I believe we can, but we have to arm ourselves and be strong.
Michelle Obama has made one of her causes childhood obesity. Being obese as a child affects children in many ways. If you were obese as a child, you’re going to have the propensity to put on weight all of your life. You can diet and exercise and take the weight off, but it can certainly come back.
Before I started school, I was quite thin and picked at my food. I was a little bit sickly and had lots of stomach aches. My reluctance to eat made my family unhappy and I sensed this. I was told I needed to eat more. Well, guess what? I decided to do just that. If it would make the family happy and get them off my back, why not? So, I ate when I really didn’t want to and started putting on weight. Then when I became a chubby little girl, the family wasn’t satisfied either. To this day, I will never feel that what I do is right or good enough. Whatever I do will not be acceptable. Do I blame the family? Of course not! They were concerned about my well being and did what they thought was best. Do I blame my failures in life on this? No, I really don’t.
Childhood obesity can certainly cause problems, both physically and emotionally for the overweight child; and all parents should do their best to make sure that their children maintain a healthy body weight and stay in good physical shape.
But now, the feds are going to require that your BMI (body mass index) be a part of your medical records as well as you height and weight. These records will be accessible to the feds, so they will know if you’re fat or not by their standards. I’ve posted about this many times and I won’t re-invent the wheel. However, if you want the feds to stay off of your back with regards to body weight, perhaps we should all loose a little weight so that the feds will leave us alone.
While our country’s leaders were busy bailing out banks and automobile companies, many were struggling with credit card debt. To show that they were just as concerned about private individuals as they were about the large corporations, the feds implemented a program whereby they would assist you in paying off your credit card debt. Supposedly, if you have more than $10,000 in credit card debt, you could qualify for this government program. I never checked into the particulars of this because I was in the process of refinancing my house to pay off mine. I firmly believe that if the feds get their claws in you while you’re working with them to lower your credit card debt, they will never take their claws out of you. In other words, you will be a “marked” person and subject to federal regulations for the rest of your life. We bailed you out of your oppressive level of credit card debt; now you are ours. Could all of this possibly be a segway into the feds knowing about your level of debt and forcing you into their debt relief programs if your debt reaches a certain level? So, in addition to losing the weight, perhaps you should take steps to get rid of your credit card debt without fed assistance.
Also, a bill has been signed into law allowing for stricter regulations of financial institutions. As you know whenever the feds level new taxes and regulations on businesses, those businesses are just going to seek to find other areas to recoup what they have lost due to any new regulatory statutes. I was talking to a couple of friends the other day. One of those friends is a small business owner. She was telling me that even though you get you may get your deposit to the bank before 2:00 pm, your checks may bounce. In other words, in reconciling after 2:00, now results in banks clearing your checks before crediting your deposit. This can result in multiple checks bouncing because they didn’t add your deposit in before attempting to clear your checks. Banks are also being known to attempt to clear larger checks first so that they can bounce the checks for smaller amounts and charge those fees. So, I’m also recommending that well all keep a few thousand in our checking accounts as a cushion against the above.
So, three things that we can do to possibly keep the feds off of our doorstep would be to pay off or pay down drastically your credit card debt; maintain a healthy body weight, and keep several thousand in your checking account.
Now, the above are things that we all should do; but we should not be doing these three things because we’re scared for the federal government to find out that we may have problems with weight control, that we may be struggling with credit card debt, and living from hand to mouth with our income and expenses. If the feds were to find out about these things, they might try to help. Heaven forbid! When someone contacts you and says, “I’m from the federal government and here to help.” Run like hell!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
WHAT IF I LIVED IN A LIBERAL STATE?
Earlier this week I read a NewsMax.com article that indicated that Alabama was the fifth most conservative state in the United States. The four that came in ahead of Alabama included South Dakota, Utah, Mississippi, and Oklahoma (I think).
Alabama has always been a very conservative state. As the current president says, “we hold onto our guns and our Bibles”. In the last forty-six years, voters in Alabama have only supported a Democrat candidate for president once. That was Jimmy Carter in 1976. I can go up to most people without even knowing them and say that we (the Republicans) have to take back the House and the Senate in November or the United States of America, as we know it is gone. I then can then indicate that we have to get rid of the current president in 2012. I have never had a stranger that I’ve said this to disagree with me. I do know some Democrats/liberals/current president supporters; and some of them I’ve said this to. They, of course, disagree; but it doesn’t take very long for me to argue them down.
Back to the title of this post…how would I fare as a resident of Massachusetts, California, New York, or any of the other predominately liberal states? Actually, I would probably be more politically active and maybe even aspire to leadership within the state’s Republican party. These states have some very strong Republican organizations. When I was a Young Republican, Massachusetts had some very outstanding Young Republican clubs. Would I get in trouble at times for expressing my opinion? Probably.
But I live in the fifth most conservative state in the country. As you can see from my picture and my profile, I’m a southern white conservative Christian. Several years back a friend of a friend who is very liberal, vacationed in the British Isles. When he returned, he indicated to me that he liked it because there were very few conservatives over there. I immediately asked him why he didn’t stay there. He then indicated that even though the southeastern United States was fully of southern white conservative Christians like me, he still liked it better here. I retorted that he had better think twice before wishing for us to be annihilated because southern white conservative Christians are about the only group you can make fun of and still be considered politically correct.
In connection with the gulf oil spill, I think the current president did set foot in Alabama, but I think most folks didn’t want him here. As I’ve said in previous blog posts, he doesn’t care about the gulf coast states. With the exception of Florida peninsula, we didn’t vote for him. So according to him, we’re irrelevant and useless, and that’s just fine with me.
My roots are in Alabama’s sod and I’m southern by the grace of God. I take pride in where I’m from and the in the values that are part of this state. It’s nice here and quality of life is very good. And it doesn’t hurt that our football team in number one (at least for now).
Alabama has always been a very conservative state. As the current president says, “we hold onto our guns and our Bibles”. In the last forty-six years, voters in Alabama have only supported a Democrat candidate for president once. That was Jimmy Carter in 1976. I can go up to most people without even knowing them and say that we (the Republicans) have to take back the House and the Senate in November or the United States of America, as we know it is gone. I then can then indicate that we have to get rid of the current president in 2012. I have never had a stranger that I’ve said this to disagree with me. I do know some Democrats/liberals/current president supporters; and some of them I’ve said this to. They, of course, disagree; but it doesn’t take very long for me to argue them down.
Back to the title of this post…how would I fare as a resident of Massachusetts, California, New York, or any of the other predominately liberal states? Actually, I would probably be more politically active and maybe even aspire to leadership within the state’s Republican party. These states have some very strong Republican organizations. When I was a Young Republican, Massachusetts had some very outstanding Young Republican clubs. Would I get in trouble at times for expressing my opinion? Probably.
But I live in the fifth most conservative state in the country. As you can see from my picture and my profile, I’m a southern white conservative Christian. Several years back a friend of a friend who is very liberal, vacationed in the British Isles. When he returned, he indicated to me that he liked it because there were very few conservatives over there. I immediately asked him why he didn’t stay there. He then indicated that even though the southeastern United States was fully of southern white conservative Christians like me, he still liked it better here. I retorted that he had better think twice before wishing for us to be annihilated because southern white conservative Christians are about the only group you can make fun of and still be considered politically correct.
In connection with the gulf oil spill, I think the current president did set foot in Alabama, but I think most folks didn’t want him here. As I’ve said in previous blog posts, he doesn’t care about the gulf coast states. With the exception of Florida peninsula, we didn’t vote for him. So according to him, we’re irrelevant and useless, and that’s just fine with me.
My roots are in Alabama’s sod and I’m southern by the grace of God. I take pride in where I’m from and the in the values that are part of this state. It’s nice here and quality of life is very good. And it doesn’t hurt that our football team in number one (at least for now).
Sunday, July 25, 2010
AN EVENT OF A LIFETIME
I can’t believe that it’s been two weeks since the Jimmy Buffett concert in Gulf Shores, Alabama. To this parrot head, this event ranked even with the BCS Championship game in January. Both were thrilling and I will always treasure the memories.
Jimmy Buffett in concert on the beach with the Coral Reefer band, including my celebrity crush, and all of this happening in one of my favorite places, Gulf Shores; made for a very special long weekend/mini vacation.
All card-carrying/dues paying parrot heads that were in town for the concert had the opportunity to be in a VIP section during the concert. This meant that we didn’t have to get to the concert site hours before, stand in line, and fight for territory. No chairs were allowed, but you could take blankets. From what I understand Governor Riley had a chair and I imagine a few others had chairs also. Having this VIP section for parrot heads subsequently released several thousand free tickets into the area. To get our VIP wristbands, we were asked to give our tickets to those down there that didn’t have them. This included locals who were kind of forgotten about in the ticket distribution and folks that traveled to the gulf coast area without tickets, hoping to get tickets; but would be spending some money to jump start the coast’s sagging economy anyway.
Of course we gave out tickets away. On Saturday night, we went to a party at the Fly Creek Marina In Fairhope. When that was over, we drove back to Gulf Shores to Lulu’s Restaurant on the intercoastal. In case you don’t know, Lulu is Lucy Buffett, Jimmy’s sister. As we were getting out of the car, our club president received a phone call about the VIP wristbands. I stayed with Kay in the car and the other two in our party went in the restaurant. When Kay and I joined up with our friends to tell them about the VIP section, they were talking to these three ladies who were in town for the concert, but didn’t have tickets. They were really bummed out, but planned to watch the concert from Lulu’s the next day and spend some money. Well, you can just imagine their reaction when we pulled out three of our tickets and gave the tickets to them. There was a lot of screaming going on.
The big day came and we decided to go to Lulu’s and ride the shuttles from there to the concert. We also decided that we should get to Lulu’s around 10:00 and get in line for a table as surely the place would be packed. Well, while we were standing in line, Charlotte, the director of conventions for the international parrot head organization, Parrot Heads in Paradise, said that we had a VIP section at Lulu’s with our own servers. It just keeps getting better, doesn’t it? We were under then by the water right next to the stage where bands were playing right up to concert time.
The fact that Jimmy was playing a free concert in Gulf Shores has been on the national news. Because I watch Fox News 90% of the time, I had been seeing some of the coverage. Fox sent Craig Rivera, Geraldo’s brother, to cover the concert for Fox. He was at Lulu’s dressed in dark jeans and a dark shirt and had to be hot. This is not NYC. He, of course, interviewed Lucy and some of us got on the national news by standing behind her. I had my picture made with him and I’m anxiously awaiting for Jane to send me the jpeg. Craig seems like a very nice guy and is much better looking than his brother.
Since everything was falling in place for a perfect day, what else could happen? Maybe I would run into my celebrity crush and he would invite us to an after the concert party. Well that didn’t happen. The concert was just fabulous. Jimmy looked like he was having a great time, as did the rest of the band. Even Jimmy’s bodyguard was smiling and he never smiles.
Also, we were on TV (the concert was broadcast live on CMT). I got two texts during the concert that some of us were on the tube. Two folks said they saw us twice. A couple of others said they saw me a lot. If course some friends blinked and didn’t see us at all. Believe it or not, I have not seen the replay; so really don’t know how many times I was on TV or what I might have looked like after wilting in the hot July sun.
After the concert, we caught the shuttle and made it back to Lulu’s. After getting something to eat, we headed back to the condo in Orange Beach. I HAVE NEVER BEEN AS TIRED IN MY WHOLE LIFE AS I WAS AFTER THE CONCERT. But before I would lay me down to sleep, I had to get in the shower and scrap the sand/sunscreen paste off of my body. I managed to do that, crawled in bed, and slept like a log.
The rest of long weekend went very well as we hung out at the pool as opposed the beach. I did walk down to the water and it was fine. There was a little oil on the beach and it looked like seaweed from a distance. I picked up a little bit and squished it between my fingers. The cleanup crews were on the beach, but I never saw a single one actually working. There were mostly sitting under their tent. I really think my three friends and I could have gotten some scoops and garbage bags and cleaned that oil up in an hour or two. Of course, that was illegal and we would probably have landed in jail.
In addition to hanging out at the pool and going to the concert, we ate out a lot, consumed some adult beverages, and shopped. Hey, it was the beach, it was Gulf Shores, and Jimmy Buffet was doing a concert on the beach, good food and drink, and shopping. Also, Alabama is still number one (I had to get that in here). Life for those few days was good!
Jimmy Buffett in concert on the beach with the Coral Reefer band, including my celebrity crush, and all of this happening in one of my favorite places, Gulf Shores; made for a very special long weekend/mini vacation.
All card-carrying/dues paying parrot heads that were in town for the concert had the opportunity to be in a VIP section during the concert. This meant that we didn’t have to get to the concert site hours before, stand in line, and fight for territory. No chairs were allowed, but you could take blankets. From what I understand Governor Riley had a chair and I imagine a few others had chairs also. Having this VIP section for parrot heads subsequently released several thousand free tickets into the area. To get our VIP wristbands, we were asked to give our tickets to those down there that didn’t have them. This included locals who were kind of forgotten about in the ticket distribution and folks that traveled to the gulf coast area without tickets, hoping to get tickets; but would be spending some money to jump start the coast’s sagging economy anyway.
Of course we gave out tickets away. On Saturday night, we went to a party at the Fly Creek Marina In Fairhope. When that was over, we drove back to Gulf Shores to Lulu’s Restaurant on the intercoastal. In case you don’t know, Lulu is Lucy Buffett, Jimmy’s sister. As we were getting out of the car, our club president received a phone call about the VIP wristbands. I stayed with Kay in the car and the other two in our party went in the restaurant. When Kay and I joined up with our friends to tell them about the VIP section, they were talking to these three ladies who were in town for the concert, but didn’t have tickets. They were really bummed out, but planned to watch the concert from Lulu’s the next day and spend some money. Well, you can just imagine their reaction when we pulled out three of our tickets and gave the tickets to them. There was a lot of screaming going on.
The big day came and we decided to go to Lulu’s and ride the shuttles from there to the concert. We also decided that we should get to Lulu’s around 10:00 and get in line for a table as surely the place would be packed. Well, while we were standing in line, Charlotte, the director of conventions for the international parrot head organization, Parrot Heads in Paradise, said that we had a VIP section at Lulu’s with our own servers. It just keeps getting better, doesn’t it? We were under then by the water right next to the stage where bands were playing right up to concert time.
The fact that Jimmy was playing a free concert in Gulf Shores has been on the national news. Because I watch Fox News 90% of the time, I had been seeing some of the coverage. Fox sent Craig Rivera, Geraldo’s brother, to cover the concert for Fox. He was at Lulu’s dressed in dark jeans and a dark shirt and had to be hot. This is not NYC. He, of course, interviewed Lucy and some of us got on the national news by standing behind her. I had my picture made with him and I’m anxiously awaiting for Jane to send me the jpeg. Craig seems like a very nice guy and is much better looking than his brother.
Since everything was falling in place for a perfect day, what else could happen? Maybe I would run into my celebrity crush and he would invite us to an after the concert party. Well that didn’t happen. The concert was just fabulous. Jimmy looked like he was having a great time, as did the rest of the band. Even Jimmy’s bodyguard was smiling and he never smiles.
Also, we were on TV (the concert was broadcast live on CMT). I got two texts during the concert that some of us were on the tube. Two folks said they saw us twice. A couple of others said they saw me a lot. If course some friends blinked and didn’t see us at all. Believe it or not, I have not seen the replay; so really don’t know how many times I was on TV or what I might have looked like after wilting in the hot July sun.
After the concert, we caught the shuttle and made it back to Lulu’s. After getting something to eat, we headed back to the condo in Orange Beach. I HAVE NEVER BEEN AS TIRED IN MY WHOLE LIFE AS I WAS AFTER THE CONCERT. But before I would lay me down to sleep, I had to get in the shower and scrap the sand/sunscreen paste off of my body. I managed to do that, crawled in bed, and slept like a log.
The rest of long weekend went very well as we hung out at the pool as opposed the beach. I did walk down to the water and it was fine. There was a little oil on the beach and it looked like seaweed from a distance. I picked up a little bit and squished it between my fingers. The cleanup crews were on the beach, but I never saw a single one actually working. There were mostly sitting under their tent. I really think my three friends and I could have gotten some scoops and garbage bags and cleaned that oil up in an hour or two. Of course, that was illegal and we would probably have landed in jail.
In addition to hanging out at the pool and going to the concert, we ate out a lot, consumed some adult beverages, and shopped. Hey, it was the beach, it was Gulf Shores, and Jimmy Buffet was doing a concert on the beach, good food and drink, and shopping. Also, Alabama is still number one (I had to get that in here). Life for those few days was good!
Friday, July 16, 2010
I’M HERE TO TELL YA’LL…
There is a movement in this country to create a master race of slim, fit people. The wife of the current president is an advocate of stopping childhood obesity. On Mike Huckabee’s show several months ago, she expressed the desire to have grocery stores in every community selling healthy foods.
There is nothing wrong with having a healthy lifestyle including a good exercise and diet regimen. But having the government mandate that you eat healthy and exercise is socialism/communism pure and simple.
On cnsNews.com this morning, there was an article indicating that new federal regulations stipulate that the electronic health records that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that the current president signed last year, must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the body mass index, a measure of obesity. The law also requires that these health records be available, with appropriate security measures, on a national exchange.
In her desire to have a grocery store in every community selling healthy food items, is the current president’s wife advocating the mandating of private grocers to open stores in these communities and price their items so that residents can afford them? Or better yet, does she want to open government run grocery stores in these communities? Because these government run grocery stores aren’t concerned about turning a profit, they can be stocked with only products that the government thinks you should have, not necessarily what you may want. This all sounds like communism to me.
Now back to the requirement that by 2014 that everyone’s body mass index be a part of government record. What are the feds going to do if your BMI is not within acceptable levels? A few posts ago, I made up a fictional situation about the possibility that people would be sent to fat camps or fat farms with a number of my readers indicating that I was pushing the envelope.
Look at whom we elected as president, and look at his advisors. These people scare me as they should you. Some of them advocate the distribution of wealth and the rationing of health care. I really and truly believe that the scenarios outlined in my previous post could become true if we’re not able to take our country back in the November 2010 elections; and ultimately in November 2012.
There is nothing wrong with having a healthy lifestyle including a good exercise and diet regimen. But having the government mandate that you eat healthy and exercise is socialism/communism pure and simple.
On cnsNews.com this morning, there was an article indicating that new federal regulations stipulate that the electronic health records that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that the current president signed last year, must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the body mass index, a measure of obesity. The law also requires that these health records be available, with appropriate security measures, on a national exchange.
In her desire to have a grocery store in every community selling healthy food items, is the current president’s wife advocating the mandating of private grocers to open stores in these communities and price their items so that residents can afford them? Or better yet, does she want to open government run grocery stores in these communities? Because these government run grocery stores aren’t concerned about turning a profit, they can be stocked with only products that the government thinks you should have, not necessarily what you may want. This all sounds like communism to me.
Now back to the requirement that by 2014 that everyone’s body mass index be a part of government record. What are the feds going to do if your BMI is not within acceptable levels? A few posts ago, I made up a fictional situation about the possibility that people would be sent to fat camps or fat farms with a number of my readers indicating that I was pushing the envelope.
Look at whom we elected as president, and look at his advisors. These people scare me as they should you. Some of them advocate the distribution of wealth and the rationing of health care. I really and truly believe that the scenarios outlined in my previous post could become true if we’re not able to take our country back in the November 2010 elections; and ultimately in November 2012.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
WE JUST DON’T ACT LIKE THAT DOWN HERE
There was a blurb on the news a few days ago about looting and rioting taking place in Los Angeles after the Lakers won the NBA championship. For quite a while now, we’ve been hearing about rioting, looting, etc. whenever a community’s sports team wins a championship. Not only is such buffoonery taking placed at the professional level; it has also taken place at the college level. I seem to remember some issues in Columbus Ohio, College Station, Pennsylvania, and others.
The University of Alabama football team is the national champion for the 2009 NCAA football season. Was there any rioting, looting, etc. in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, or any other place in Alabama? There was not. If there was, believe me, we would have heard about it. When the BCS Championship game came to a close on January 7, 2010, Alabama fans were hugging each other and yelling Roll Tide. And yes, a few were doing the Rammer Jammer cheer.
Alabama ended a six game loosing streak against it’s cross-state rival, Auburn, by beating AU 36-0 in Tuscaloosa in 2008. As far as I know, there was no rioting in Tuscaloosa or anywhere else. The wife of an Auburn assistant coach complained that a group of Alabama fans blocked her from entering the visitor’s dressing room. When that game was over, I couldn’t find any Auburn fans to thumb my nose at because they had all left.
There are some heated college football rivalries here in the southeastern United States: Alabama/Auburn, Alabama/Tennessee, Auburn/Georgia, etc. After these games, I’m sure there are some bloody noses, fat lips, and black eyes. I’ve even heard about flat tires, damaged cars, and other things. Of course, none of this should happen, and I’d like to think these incidents are few and far between with alcohol excessively consumed.
I’ve been going to Alabama games for years and have had minimal problems. At an Alabama Georgia game one year, an upset Georgia fan threw a whiskey bottle into a crowd and I was in close proximity. Also, I had some Auburn fans try to block me from getting out of Legion Field a number of years ago when the Iron Bowl was still being played at Legion Field in Birmingham. Again, it’s just minimal.
But breaking into stores, stealing, looting, and setting fires? NO. We just don’t do that sort of stuff down here.
The University of Alabama football team is the national champion for the 2009 NCAA football season. Was there any rioting, looting, etc. in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, or any other place in Alabama? There was not. If there was, believe me, we would have heard about it. When the BCS Championship game came to a close on January 7, 2010, Alabama fans were hugging each other and yelling Roll Tide. And yes, a few were doing the Rammer Jammer cheer.
Alabama ended a six game loosing streak against it’s cross-state rival, Auburn, by beating AU 36-0 in Tuscaloosa in 2008. As far as I know, there was no rioting in Tuscaloosa or anywhere else. The wife of an Auburn assistant coach complained that a group of Alabama fans blocked her from entering the visitor’s dressing room. When that game was over, I couldn’t find any Auburn fans to thumb my nose at because they had all left.
There are some heated college football rivalries here in the southeastern United States: Alabama/Auburn, Alabama/Tennessee, Auburn/Georgia, etc. After these games, I’m sure there are some bloody noses, fat lips, and black eyes. I’ve even heard about flat tires, damaged cars, and other things. Of course, none of this should happen, and I’d like to think these incidents are few and far between with alcohol excessively consumed.
I’ve been going to Alabama games for years and have had minimal problems. At an Alabama Georgia game one year, an upset Georgia fan threw a whiskey bottle into a crowd and I was in close proximity. Also, I had some Auburn fans try to block me from getting out of Legion Field a number of years ago when the Iron Bowl was still being played at Legion Field in Birmingham. Again, it’s just minimal.
But breaking into stores, stealing, looting, and setting fires? NO. We just don’t do that sort of stuff down here.
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