Feel Good Friday – The Offspring

Riding to a game last night, I flipped the radio around the dial until I ran across this tune. Cranked it up, sang along (Give it to me baby) and put a smile on my face for a few minutes.

The Offspring – Pretty Fly (For a White Guy).

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Face in Space

Sometimes NASA is just cool.

A couple of years ago they sent a Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter into orbit around the moon. Included on the craft was a microchip that had the names of anyone who submitted their moniker to the NASA website. I made sure that little chip had my name upon it. Matter of fact, as a tribute to a friend who loved space but was taken too soon by the damned demon that is cancer, we actually filled out the form in his name and gave the certificate to his widow. Stew is still circling the moon as we speak.

I mean heck, we obviously aren’t getting flying cars or living like the Jetsons and jetting off to space anytime soon. I thought that was my one shot at being an astronaut.

Until NOW!

NASA is at it again. This time you can send your pic out into the zero gravity zone on an upcoming launch of the Space Shuttle.

I submitted the pic at the top of this post. See, I was already prepared for my astro moment.

The Face in Space page says:

NASA wants to put a picture of you on one of the two remaining space shuttle missions and launch it into orbit.

(snip)

Return to this site after launch to print your Flight Certificate – a commemorative certificate signed by the Mission Commander.

How cool is that!?!?!

And just know that if my picture sees a UFO while it’s out there, I told it to wave at the little green men and then come back and report to Fox Mulder.

Vision Quest

So I spent the majority of Monday on a day long drive from the office to a tennis match to another tennis match to a softball game and back to the office.

It was a long day, nearly 200 miles and several different towns and cities.

I spent most of it by myself in the car. Part of the time driving I was on the phone, but most of it was just good old me, myself and I.

During the course of the day I saw tears of sadness and exhaustion followed by tears of joy. The joyful emotion came not from an athlete but from a parent.

I saw heavy, black thunder clouds that transported tornadoes that ripped up a few communities I didn’t drive through.

I saw a coyote trotting through a field. I don’t know its destination, but I believe it was racing to find a safe spot ahead of the storm.

I saw a rainbow.

I think it was some sort of vision quest day.

Feel Good Friday – Strawberry Letter 23

It’s Friday and I spent the morning at the 73rd Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Parade in Humboldt, Tennessee today.

Lots of corn dogs, lemonade, candidates and marching bands in attendance. One parade exec I heard speaking was pleased with the turnout considering the horrible weather and flooding parts of the community endured just days ago.

In honor of the strawberry, today I bring you The Brothers Johnson.It’s from a performance on a Dutch televsion show in 1977.

And if you want to find out how to help with flood relief in Tennessee, there are links at Speak To Power.

Feel Good Friday – Norah Jones

I heard this on Lightning 100 last week while cruising through Nashvegas on my way to Murfreesboro for the TSSAA girls state basketball tournament.

It’s stuck with me ever since, so I thought I would share it with you.

Norah Jones performing “It’s Gonna Be” from The Fall album she released in late 2009.

I love the organ in this one. I think that’s what pulled me in.

The performance is from “Later With Jools Holland.”

Fat Tuesday

It’s been too long since I’ve been down in the Big Easy.

I think the recent Super Bowl win by the Saints has amped up my desire to make a return to NOLA.

I’m missing New Orleans. Days like today, Fat Tuesday, make me crave it even more … the food, the music, the beads, the beverages.

Speaking of beverages, I’m not Catholic, but I am giving up something for Lent this year. I’m swearing off sodas. Bye Bye Mountain Dew. See ya later Dr. Pepper. It’s been sweet, but I’m going to eliminate you.

I did this a few years ago and erased Diet Coke from my list of liquids of which I partake. As a matter of fact, it’s now been four years since I swilled a Diet Coke.

Hurricane Katrina has paid a horrible visit to New Orleans since I have. She ravaged it. I hope to make a much more gentle landing in the Crescent City.

I’d love to  feel the heavy air and smell the amazing aromas that waft out of doors and windows of restaurants of both the five-star and the tiny five-table variety.

The music pulses through the humidity moving your feet along the cobblestones and sidewalks, pulling you toward the rhythm. Brass boldly squawking at you. The felt-covered hammers inside the piano striking and making the strings vibrate to match the pumping of the blood through your veins. An accordion wheezing and breathing, yelling more than whispering, urging you to come inside. The city and its music speaks to you.

To put you even more in the spirit of New Orleans, Newscoma called upon Buckwheat Zydeco this morning.

I present to you Dr. John performing “Iko Iko.”

Six More Weeks of Winter

If weather prediction were left to up to the Squirrel Queen instead of that annoying prognosticator Punxsutawney Phil, there would be no way that six more weeks of winter would be an option.

Who listens to a groundhog anyway? Fraidy cat scared of its own shadow.

Not the Squirrel Queen. I’m mandating an early arrival for spring.

I’m booking it a flight on Priceline right now.

William Shatner would be so proud.

Hacked Stop Signs

What with all the snow on the roads around here, everyone is yakking about reckless fools sliding through stop signs due to their carelessness combined with the driving conditions.

So in honor of the octagonal red intersection commands, Urlesque has hacked stop signs and their unexpected messages.

Everything from MC Hammer to Harry Potter gets referenced. Some of the pics are photoshopped but others have been physically altered.

None of them, however, offer a zombie warning for you.

Christmas Prank on Louie

One man (Louie) leaves his key to his apartment with a friend before heading out of town for a week in early December.

Inspired friend invites mischievous elves loaded with Christmas paper and tape over to the temporarily-vacant abode.

Wrapping ensued.

Everything got the treatment, including dish towels, curtains, light switch plates and the food inside the fridge and freezer. Nothing escaped their paper.

William Shatner’s and Stewie’s Rendition of Elton’s Rocket Man

Oh, William Shatner, how I heart you and your vocal stylings.

I found Shatner’s rendition of the Elton John tune “Rocket Man” and I can’t get enough of this. It was part of the televised 1978 Science Fiction Film Awards.

As if his singular version isn’t trippy enough, through the “magic of television” they bring in a couple of other versions of Shatner for a trio finale.

I wonder if Travelocity could use any of this footage in their commercials? Nahh.

As a bonus, you get Karen Black introducing Bernie Taupin at the front end of the clip.

Of course, Family Guy lets Stewie do his dream version of Shatner, but I’ll stick with the truly original Captain Kirk puffing, sweating and offering dramatic pauses as he wends his way through Elton’s tune.

Of course, I’ve previously documented here at the Queen’s abode some appreciation of Captain Kirk’s appeal to alien babes and the Star Trek theme song.