Rhyming Wednesday #4

Image by Cool Text: Logo and Button Generator - Create Your Own


It is Wednesday again and that means that I am searching out the poet in all of you! It does not have to rhyme, or be your own, it just needs to be some kind of poetry. Even dirty limericks count! Here is mine this week:

As I lay here dying
Far from my place of birth
I just keep on crying
Where is the peace on earth

Humanity has faltered
This is my funeral dirge
The world it has been altered
And barbarians emerge

Some people that will kill
In the name of a God
Innocent blood does spill
To me it seems so odd

Is it just insanity
That makes some men so cruel
Or do they resent humanity
For wanting fossil fuel

And now we have some nation
Put a threat upon our shores
A nuclear confrontation
May be a prelude to a war

World peace would be a goal
But let us not confuse
It is tough to become whole
With so many different views

So as I lay here dying
Upon this distant shore
I cannot help but crying
For those who've died before

As heroes they did fall
a fact that you can"t deny
So think about them all
On the fourth day of July

Have a safe Fourth of July People!

Random Tuesday Thoughts

Did you ever notice that when you are in a position, where only one thing could possibly go wrong, and the odds of it going wrong are 5000 to 1, it always seems to go wrong! Of course, on the other hand, It takes me $50 in lottery tickets to win 5 bucks! My mother wants to visit Brazil, but is afraid to fly over the water. I can see her point, hitting the ground is a much better result than a water impact! How can elevation be calculated to sea level if the sea level constantly changes? Every time I go to star bucks or dunkin donuts for coffee, when I get it, the cup smells like perfume or cologne, I like perfume smell on a woman, not on my coffee cup! Shaving is a pain in the ass! I love it when my face is clean shaven, but it rarely is, I am the poster child for five o clock shadow. I noticed that there are a few movies that I will watch every single time they come on TV. I watched “My Cousin Vinny” again the other day, I have only seen it 50 times! My central air is not working correctly, so I am running three window units in the mean time, just after getting a letter saying that the utility company was going to raise the electric rates. Why is everyone so into sitting on the beach? It is hot, and dirty, and smells like fish! (Hmm, I really could be bad! LOL) People used to always say,"Oh , you are still young", or "it's never too late to start over"! No one says that to me any more. Pizza is my Heroin, it makes me very happy, until it is gone, then I feel guilty for eating it and immediately start jonesing for more! LOL! They do not have Birch Beer in the south, most people here do not even know what it is. I ate lunch one time with this old guy who had lived in NC his entire life, he had pork loin, biscuits, mashed potatoes, gravy, and banana pudding, he salted everything heavily and spent the whole lunch talking about heart disease running in his family!(Not to mention the after lunch cigarette!) I have to work on the third. How the fuck am I supposed to do something on the fourth, without having time to prepare? Did you ever stop up someones toilet and freak out because there was no plunger in the bathroom? I did it one time and the damned thing overflowed. Why do they call it a stool sample? I sit on a stool! The term "black ice" is silly, maybe it is black because the road is black?! My step brother claims that he is not a racist, he says he hates every one the same. He is 42 years old, unemployed and unhappily married and living where he hates, maybe we know why! This is a thought from my sister, Did you ever look at your parents and wonder if you would like them if they were not related to you? I am sure that they have thought the same about me! O.K. Enough! LOL!!!

For more Random thoughts and many other great posts, check out The Un MOM!

I am a Queen?????

The Ice Queen, at A Constant Chill, gave me this awesome award, giving me the monumental task of trying to brag about things that make me awesome. I will give it my best shot!

Here are the rules:
1. List 7 things that make me awe-summm!
2. Pass the award onto 7 bloggers that I love
3. Tag those bloggers to let them know they are now Queens too (and link back to the Queen who tagged you)

1). I will usually put other people before me, I tend to like to make other people happy even if it means making my life tougher.
2). I always want to be the best at whatever I do, I rarely quit anything and will work at things that I don't feel that I am efficient at doing.
3). I can always view a situation from both sides, I may not always agree with one side, but I always am able to understand why a person might think the way he/she does.
4). People find me amusing, not comedic or anything like that, but I get told that I am funny quite a bit.
5). I am always on time, I am NEVER late! I cannot remember the last time that I was late for anything!
6). I am good with helping people with problems, most of my friends and family usually come to me when they need advice. (Just call me Dr. Otin! LOL)
7). I can make some kick ass homemade Italian food! People say that I need to sell my sauce!

Well, that is it! Makes me look pompous, but I was tagged, Damnit!

I am supposed to tag 7 people, but Ice Queen did 5 so I will also!

The Ancient Sword
Blog like no one is Reading
East Coast Wahine
Girls and computers don't mix (Formerly anonymous blogette)
That Kollege Girl

That's it from your Queen Otin!!! LOL!

Weekend post post #5

Every once in a while, I like to turn attention to what other bloggers write, so I look through posts from other people and pick four that I think are interesting, and then I link to them. They may be sad, funny, serious, or even just pictures! They are just posts that I found interesting, don't be offended if you do not see yours, you will one day! If you are interested in who already has been included just click on these:
Weekend post #4
Weekend Post #3
Weekend post #2
Weekend post #1

1). First, we have a great post from Mango Girl, every once in a while you come across something that is very heartfealt, and I found this one very moving!
2). Chris from Maugeritaville has a good blog, and has some very insightful posts, I enjoyed this one about defining disorders like ADHD!, in an amusing way.
3). RxBambi gives pharmacy advice on Fridays(How she ends up discussing shoes is a mystery to me) she did another one the week before, if you enjoy this one.
4). Last but not least is Marissa at Whahappen. With the fourth of July coming up, I don't think that this post can ever be old! She is on a blogging hiatus, and has not posted since this. Some of you have probably seen this one, as about 4 of us had it linked on Memorial Day, please check this one out, and ignore some of the silly comments at the end, some of us have been trying to coax her out of hiatus!

Gone away

You were a good companion, you listened to my crap for many years, you were a part of my life! It will be a big adjustment without you there. I will get by, but I feel like I have just lost a part of me. In the end, you fought a brave fight and did not want to go, it was so painful for me to watch that it brought tears to my eyes. How will I go on without you? I guess I will have to chew on the other side for a while. Goodbye tooth #2! Hello Vicodin!

My cat (So Eileen will stop pestering me!)

O.K. Hit 40! Here is a picture of my cat! Just for you!

Aloha Friday

In Hawaii, they pride themselves in taking it easy on Friday, Everywhere else, Friday is just another day at work. I like joining in on this blogging theme of posting a question for readers to answer. For more info on Aloha Friday, visit An Island Life.
Here is this weeks question:

IF THE INTERNET WERE TAKEN AWAY , HOW BIG OF A LOSS WOULD IT BE TO YOU?

For me, it would be a huge loss, I would feel that I have so many friends that would be lost, even though I have only been online since January!

Theme Thursday (Summer)

Every summer, when I was young, My parents and I would spend most of the season at our cabin by the lake. It was a wonderful place to be, our hideaway from the real world. The cabin was nestled amongst the tall pines, and if you looked at just the right angle, you could see through the trees and capture a glimpse of the lakes crystal blue water. There were no permanent homes or businesses on the lake, it was strictly a summer resort for families fortunate enough to be able to afford such a luxury. The best part about these trips was going down to the beach and playing with the other children, they came from all over the country. It was funny though, we all socialized at parties and on the beach, but we never went to each others cabins, it was not like a neighborhood, so to speak. I always thought it was a bit strange, but I guess that is the way people were used to doing things there. I knew where some of the other kids stayed, but I never went to their cabins to look for them, I always just knew that they would find their way down to the lake.
In 1976, I was 11, and my parents were having marital problems, so I knew, in my heart, that this would probably be my last year at the lake. That was the year that I met Dianne. It was the summer of the bicentennial celebration, and she told me that her family had just bought a lake cabin because she had urged them to do so. I thought that she must have been spoiled thinking that her family bought the house for her, but she was just the opposite. Dianne was my 11 year old soul mate, if that was possible. We were so in tune with each other, we met every day at the lake and talked about things that normal 11 year olds don’t discuss, like relationships, and marriage, and children, we even named our fictional offspring, if it was a girl, she was going to name her Summer, after the fun she was having that particular year, and if it was a boy, we would name him James, after me. We were just nutty kids, but I think I fell in love with her, and at the same time I knew that I would not be back the next year. As the season drew to a close, I gave Dianne my phone number, and I may have even told her that I loved her, in that silly pre teen way that you laugh about when you get older. I walked her to within site of her cabin and then I hugged her and said goodbye. As I walked away, my throat got tight, and I never looked back because I did not want her to see me crying.
I never heard from Dianne again, it tore my heart out. In 1982, I got my license, and one night that summer, I decided that I was going to drive up to the lake, and see if she or her family still vacationed there. It was only a six hour drive, that I had been planning for six years. I figured that the best case scenario was that she would be there, and if she was not, then maybe someone could tell me how to contact her. I arrived at the lake, it had not changed at all, and I easily found Dianne’s Family cabin. My heart was racing as I knocked on the door. A woman answered that I knew must be Dianne’s Mother, I could see the family resemblance.
“Have you owned this cabin long”? I asked nervously.
“Since 1976” , the woman replied, Do I know you? You look familiar.”
“I spent the summer of 76’ glued to your daughter’s side, we were like two peas in a pod”! I was giddy with anticipation at the thought of Dianne being here!
“I don’t have any children, never did, you must be looking for another cabin” she said in a confused tone.
I was sure that I had the correct cabin. I scanned the living area and there I saw a painted portrait of me and Dianne! We had never been photographed together, but there we were, hanging on the wall! “There is a painting of us, right over there”! I exclaimed, “I don’t know how you got my picture, but you obviously know about me.”
“Young man”, the woman said with a befuddled look, “That is a painting of my Mother, Dianne, who passed away in 1975, and my Father , Jim, who I never knew. It was painted from an old photo of the two of them when they were kids, they met at this very lake. We bought this cabin for Mom, because she always talked about being here with Dad, when they were children. She died before we ever had a chance to bring her up here. My Dad died before I was born, and this is the only likeness I have of him, all of his personal belongings were destroyed in the fire that killed him”.
I was in shock, her mother, Dianne? Was this possible? She was puzzled also, but we were oddly transfixed on each other. “My name is James”, I said to her.
She replied,”My name is Summer”.
We hugged and cried, never searching for an explanation!

For more Theme Thursday peeps, Click Here.

HIT 40 HAS INFORMED ME THAT SHE IS ROASTING ME THURSDAY! SHE HAS A PROBLEM BEING MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT SHE COULD ROAST A MARSMALLOW WITH A BLOW TORCH, BUT WE WILL SEE!!!!

Rhyming Wednesday #3

Image by Cool Text: Logo and Button Generator - Create Your Own

Just post some kind of poetry, it does not need to rhyme, and it does not need to be original if you don't want it to be. It can be any form! (Dirty Limericks are fun!) Someone said that they were going to camp this week. I have never had good times camping, I never sleep well and get paranoid!

Darkness falls, an eerie blanket,
Casting shadows over all,
Sunlight's warmth quickly fades,
As time begins to crawl.

Luminous sphere of the night,
casts a glimmer on the ground,
Tiny specks of Heavens light,
Twinkle all around.

The comfort of the day,
Brings a chill by night,
By sunshine you are safe
with moonlight comes a fright.

Movement of the timid creature
Suddenly seems so wild,
Imagination takes control,
As if you were a child.

Daybreak, oh daybreak,
Won't you please come at last,
Thinks the nervous camper,
As the night just creeps on past.

Random Tuesday Thoughts

I hate taking medicine, I always get so paranoid that it will have some adverse side effects, I guess I see to many warnings on those drug commercials. Interstate 95 from Washington DC to Richmond Virginia is the worst section of road to drive, it really needs to be about 20 lanes! I have been very unmotivated lately, in everything except blogging. Almost every Flintstones plot was taken from the Honeymooners. I just spent 4 days in rainy 70 degree weather, now I have to get used to 90+ and humid. Sussex county NJ, never changes, it is like it is frozen in time. I need to get a tooth pulled this week, that should be fun! My nuts are hurting me, the cashews are fine, but the peanuts are killing my tooth! I have now lost 30 lbs on my blogging diet, it really works! LOL! I wish golf was a little less expensive, I like to play. I usually shoot par, unless the windmill fucks me up! Casinos seem to be popping up everywhere, Thank goodness that there is not one too close to me, I would be homeless. We have had some discussion over at Rx Bambi’s to try to determine whether or not an erection lasting four hours warrants a trip to the doctor or the night club. I hate hearing a saxaphone in a rock song, I think that is why I was never a big Springsteen fan. I wonder if there are any more WWI veterans still living? They would have to be over 100. Air bags frighten me, I wish you could turn off the drivers side one. I have a black widow web outside my back door. I sprayed it with ant and roach spray, but the spider didn’t die! Typical woman, you can’t get rid of them, they just hang around until they kill you! LMAO!(I know I am getting shit for that one!) Does anyone else think that the Burger King mascot is kind of creepy? He looks like the guy from “V for Vendetta”. Hypno Therapy would be a good field to go into, as a patient, you can never really prove that it did not work, and as a therapist, you could tell the patient whatever you wanted to. Did you ever look at one of your siblings and wonder why they got all the good genes? It sucks that the bands that I first discovered in high school, are now considered “Classic Rock”. I hear that the movie, “The Hangover” is really funny, maybe I will go see it. I wear sunscreen everyday, and the first thing my family said when they saw me was, “You are so Tan”! I guess it is time to up the number.
I love Random Thoughts because that is the way I think anyway.

For more Random thoughts, visit the always entertaining UN MOM!

5 Questions from RxBambi

A few days ago, I asked Bambi to send me some random questions and here is what she asked me:

1. What is your favorite keepsake from childhood and why did you keep it?
A: I built a cedar chest in sixth grade woodshop, It is still in perfect condition, and has survived many moves. The chest is over 30 years old!

2. If you were stranded on a desert island with 1 person from history (or the present) who would it be and why?
A: In all seriousness, it would have to be a woman, probably RMP , a woman that I knew in Pennsylvania, who I was very close too. She was my best friend, but because of circumstances, I have not contacted her in 14 years.

3.Is there a fictional character that you'd say defines who you are?
A: LOL! Cartman LMAO!

4. What are you wearing right this minute?
A: A leopard striped thong...(Just Kidding!) Shorts and a tee shirt!

5. When you were a boy, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why didn't you follow thru with it (or did you?)
A: I wanted to be a porn star, but I was too well endowed,they would have had to shoot from too far away to capture the whole image! LMAO! I wish LOL!!! Seriously, I don't think that I ever really had one set goal for a career, I like what I do, but I wish that there was more money in it!

If you would like me to give you five questions, just let me know!

Made4aid Charity!

Mrsupole asked me to help out fellow blogger Lettuce, who's blog that I had never visited, to promote a worthwhile cause. Made-4-aid is a craft bidding auction that supports Darfur

For more information about the made4aid project please visit their website at http://www.made-4-aid.blogspot.com/ . You can see what item is being posted that day for everyone to place their bid. You just click on "Place Your Bid", put your info and the amount you would like to bid, then after the auction of that item is closed, the winner is notified.

This is a fun way to donate to a charity, and receive something special that you can keep or give away as a gift. Please visit there today and place your bid. Thank you everyone for helping to shamelessly promote this.

Please feel free to post this information on your website and to e-mail it to all your friends and family. Click on the button on the top right section of my sidebar to go to the website!

Midtown Rain

It was another rainy day in Jersey, and the people up here are getting quite frustrated. In this part of the country, they only get about 70 to 90 days of summer weather. It is supposed to be cloudy and rainy for the next week, so they are going to be left with the possibility of maybe 60 days of summer, and that is a max number. Things still are not great with family, but I am not angry like I was yesterday. I took my mom and went into New York City. It has been a while, but I still remembered how to get around!
As you can see, it was still rainy! So I asked my mother to take a few pictures for me, and this is what she took...
Not the greatest photographer, but I guess it was better than no picture at all! My nephew graduated and that is really what I came here for...
I took that picture, Mom had no hand in this one. LOL!
I just wanted to say that I trashed my Father two days before Father's day, and I feel bad about doing so. I have issues with him, but he is still the reason that I am here. He is a good father, but a bit insensitive at times and that is where the issue comes from. Happy Fathers Day dad, even though you will never read this!

Aloha Friday

OTIN IS ON A TRIP TO THE RAINY WET STATE OF NJ! I wish I could comment more on other blogs but my time is limited, thank goodness my brother has a good setup computer wise!

It is Aloha Friday time, and I cannot take it any easier than taking four days off of work. To get more Aloha Friday details, check out An Island Life. I will ask a question for you to answer. This week is easy, because I am tired! LOL!

WHAT IS THE LONGEST ROAD TRIP THAT YOU HAVE EVER TAKEN, AND DO YOU ENJOY TRAVELING BY CAR?

My longest trip was from NJ to Key West! I liked the drive, but the trip was horrible! I seem to like road trips less now than I used to.

Theme Thursday (Roof)

James and Eileen Scott sat in their living room in anticipation of the Beatles first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. They lived in a little two story house, in the country,in rural New Jersey. Their only child, Kevin, was just 10, and had no interest in the Beatles, or anything else that was rooted in reality. Kevin was always watching Godzilla movies, seeing dinosaurs in the back yard, and watching the heavens for strange lights. A few weeks earlier, Kevin had seen a light in the sky and had run in to get his dad. James humored the boy, telling him that he had no clue what the lights were, knowing full well that it was just a passing plane.
Ed Sullivan was going to be on in ten minutes, when Kevin came bounding down the stairs. "Dad, come look, More Lights"! Kevin had gotten into the habit of crawling out of his bedroom window and laying on the gently sloping roof. He felt safe there, he was high enough so that the dinosaurs could not get him, but still, he could look at the stars. James got up from his chair and moved in Kevins direction.
"Kevin, I will come look, but it is probably an airplane, and I hope you were not out on that Roof again"!
Kevin replied,"Uhhh...no Dad, I was just looking out the window".
James went to his son's room and peered into the black night, seeing nothing but stars and a half crescent moon. "Kevin, the Beatles are coming on, Don't call me up here again to look for airplanes, and stay off of the roof, it is dangerous"! he said.
James went back and joined his wife in front of the TV. After a while, the Beatles took the stage, and Eileen seemed to be as excited as the screaming pre-teens in the Sullivan show audience. James was surprised that a woman of 30 could be so giddy over a rock band. All of the anticipated viewing was interrupted by a loud crash and banging coming from upstairs. James got up from his chair and headed angrily toward the stairwell. "The boy is going to get a beating, Eileen, I told him not to go on the Roof" James threw open Kevin's door, finding the bedroom empty. Removing his belt,James headed for the open window, expecting to drag Kevin inside, and whip his behind with his leather weapon, but there was no one on the roof. Police were called, searches were conducted, but nothing turned up. How did a little boy, wearing plaid, flannel pajamas, disappear without a trace?
40 years had gone by, Eileen had passed away, and James, now 72, would just sit and watch game shows to pass the time. He and Eileen,never had any more children, and he had never remarried. The furniture had changed, and the TV was modern, but the house was pretty much the same. Kevin's bedroom was not touched after he had vanished. James would go in there sometimes and weep for his lost loved ones.
One night, while trying to figure out a wheel of fortune puzzle, James heard some strange noises coming from upstairs. He got up, much slower than he used to, and headed toward the stairs. Looking up at the top of the landing, James was sure that he was seeing things. The little boy in the plaid, flannel pajamas said,"Daddy, I told you it wasn't an airplane"! James fainted.

For more theme thursday peeps, CLICK HERE

Rhyming Wednesday #3

Image by Cool Text: Logo and Button Generator - Create Your Own

So maybe this rhyming Wednesday thing will catch on or maybe it won't but I am about sick of the wordless thing, I have too much shit to say! Anyway, someone asked me about rules. There really are no rules, just post something that is poetry, it really does not need to rhyme, and it does not have to be your own, either! At least I made it look good! lol!

The homeless man is sitting there
By the box where he does live
Holding out a plastic cup
Just hoping that you'll give

A little change to buy some food
or coffee to warm his hands
His life was not always this bad
He hopes you'll understand

That once he was a soldier
Fighting for us all
So that you could make your meetings
Or play some racquetball

Awarded for his courage
He received the purple heart
When a sniper's fire found him
and tore his world apart

How many did he save?
No one kept a count
But as generations pass
The numbers tend to mount

So as you walk on by him
And think that he smells bad
He may have saved your Grandfather
Perhaps, even your dad.

Everyone has value
Some people just get lost
So show a little kindness
It's well worth the cost.

I know that there are some hugely talented poets in blogland who would love to play along!

Random Tuesday thoughts

(check out Hit 40's roast of Michel!)
Did you ever notice that when a woman is in a bad mood, she is labeled as "moody", and when a guy is in a bad mood, he is labeled as "An Asshole"! Why is the place that you would love to go to always so far from where you are? I wonder if people in the Bahamas are yearning to come to my town? I miss riding a motorcycle, but the roads are so bad and the drivers are so crazy that I don't know if I would ride anymore. I hate it when people try to tell me what an author was really trying to say in his or her stories, how does anyone really know what went on in Shakespear's head, maybe Romeo and Juliet were just a couple of kids from the block, and he had no notions of trying to put forth a life lesson! Imagine how great a man's life would be if scientists found out that semen was a cure for all diseases, unless, of course, we got sick ourselves. I think I would stick with NyQuil! My cat has the most annoying meow, it sounds like it is being run over by a truck! (no she is not in heat!) On the T.V. show MASH, it was always funny how the people wanted to go home so bad, but when they got their orders they always acted like they wanted to stay there. I love to snow ski, so I moved to a warm place with no mountains that gets 1 inch of snow per year. If you were an Egyptian in biblical times, and you were in pursuit of Moses, when he parted the Red Sea, would you have actually kept pursuing him, I think I would have called it a day! How much more interesting would NASCAR be if all the drivers had to drink a six pack before a race? Texting is really kind of insulting, it is like someone is saying,"Here are my thoughts, but I don't have the time to listen to what you have to say." Whoever invented the DVR or TIVO should be worshipped, there is nothing worse than having to watch the pathetic commercials that are on, Geico sucks ass! Two more days until I make my way up the old NJ turnpike, I am getting psyched! My Tunica comments over at Pwn Stars blog, have given me the gambling bug, I think Atlantic City is out this time, but there is always Dover Delaware. Jaime, get those White Castles ready! Jersey Girl wants some too. I was going to bring Midtown Girl some BBQ, but she declined! I despise seat belt laws, even though I would probably wear one anyway, I just don't like being told that I have to do it! I remember when I was a kid, I used to fall asleep laying down on the front seat of my Dad's car. I always thought that it was funny that America is named after an Italian guy, even with all the English and Spanish Settlements. In the future, these story tags should be one person at a time, it gets confusing otherwise. My mother was born in Mississippi, she has a half brother that is also her cousin, and has a cousin whos first name is "General", If Jerry Springer is reading, please Email me for my full story! LOL!
For more random thoughts, visit the wonderful Un Mom, she has a great blog!

The Otin Interview (The final Part)

Let's suppose that Otin was a famous person and was asked to do an interview for a popular magazine, it would probably go something like this....

Here at ARMCHAIR MAGAZINE we have the pleasure of a rare sit down interview with the man that the world knows as OTIN. In a category with one name icons such as MADONNA,CHER, and PRINCE, Otin has been a recluse these past few years. We sat down with him at his North Carolina home. (This is the final part, to read the first two parts click HERE)

AMC: Let's talk about your self proclaimed blogging addiction, is there anything that bothers you about being obsessed with it?
Otin: The one thing that I worry about is people disappearing, there have been a few blogs that I have seen where they just stop posting and you never know what happened to them. You can get close to some of the people that you regularly correspond with, and like any relationship, when it ends, there is an adjustment period.
AMC: Are there any things that you are afraid of?
OTIN: Oh yea! Death for one, it goes back to the whole atheism thing, Strange dogs, Flying, illness, well, I guess they all tie into the dying thing, I hate the thought of not being.
AMC: Does this make it hard to enjoy life?
OTIN: Not really, I don't think about it much, unless It is brought up, thanks for that! (laughs)
AMC: If I gave you a choice between giving up your blog or giving up commenting on other blogs, which would you choose?
OTIN: Very easy choice, I love commenting more than I love getting comments!
AMC: But you have obtained a pretty good following?
OTIN: I think that if I get too many it will make me nuts! I like checking in with everyone, and it is very tough to do with alot of people.
AMC: Would you ever meet these people in person?
OTIN: Some of them, in a heartbeat! The "virtual wall" bothers me sometimes.
AMC: You say that you are into reality shows, how would you do on Survivor?
OTIN: Technically, I would do great, the whole creative surviving aspect, I would suck on alot of the challenges, but where I would really get into trouble would be trying to hide being a leader, I have a hard time with taking a back seat and keeping my mouth shut!
AMC: What would be a dream job?
OTIN: I would love to write songs, but I can't sing, or read music, so I am screwed when it comes to songwriting, maybe if it was the 60's I could do the whole Jim Morrison, crazy poet, thing.
AMC: Have you had a lot of jobs?
OTIN: I have had three jobs in 26 years, I am very loyal!
AMC: Wow, all construction?
OTIN: No, the first job was as a cook.
AMC: Are you a good cook?
OTIN: I do some great homemade Italian food, that is about the extent of my cooking anymore.
AMC: You must have accumulated alot of vacation time working for so few companies?
OTIN: I am sort of a workaholic, I probably have not had off a total of 45 days in my entire life!
AMC: No vacations?
OTIN: Not to destinations like resorts, mostly just family visits. My Mom is in mississippi, my Dad is in Atlanta, and my brother is in NJ, I also have a sister in Seattle, I have not seen her in years!
AMC: One last question, What is something that you have been told that you are good at?
OTIN: (Laughs) Is this a sex question? No, seriously, people seem to come to me with their problems, because I have been told that I give good advice, and I like helping people, so this is a good thing.
AMC: This concludes our interview with OTIN, read our next interview in a the fall, we could not get a star of OTIN's magnitude, we will be interviewing BONO, sorry about the let down!

Photo Tag

Sarah, at Thats What She Said, Tagged me with an easy little tag. I like easy when it comes to doing homework! Sarah is a runner, it seems that there are a lot of runners and wine drinkers in the blogosphere! I am supposed to post the 10th picture in my 1st folder and write about it, that seems pretty easy.

This is a picture from about 6 or 7 years ago, from ,bottom left clockwise, My uncle, my Dad, Me, My brother,my youngest nephew, and my brothers oldest son, the one that I am going to New Jersey for his graduation. This was at my Uncles house in North Carolina! I know, we look like a mob family.
Now I am supposed to tag 5 people.
Candie Bracci
Gaston Studios
Mango Girl
Pwn Star
Optomistic Pessimist

And On It Goes!

Megan tagged me to work on this ever changing story, so, being a guy who likes a challenge, I thought that I would give it a try, then I got phone calls and writers block and eventually ended up with this! OK It starts HERE:

(I) The ground crunched beneath my feet. Aside from my noisy footsteps, I heard only the sound of the gently crackling fire behind me. Its faint orange light lazily revealed my immediate surroundings. Beyond the glow, there was total blackness. I whistled. I took the small rock I had been carrying and whipped it away from me, expecting a thud, crack or plop -- but a soft yelp of a cry answered. (Splotchy)

****

(II) I froze in my tracks as my mind played back and processed the sound. Animal? Or the other thing? My eyes strained in the darkness. A shuffling, skittering sound filled my ears. Something fluttered at the edge of my vision - was it only the dance of the reflected flames along the leaves, or something more? Not ten paces behind me sat my backpack, with all that it contained. Would I be allowed to reach it?

I listened for the dogs. Surely, their heightened senses would have picked up any dangerous presence? They had never failed me before. Was their silence proof that all was well? Or had they somehow been dispatched without a sound? That thought galvanized me to action. Throwing caution to the winds, I spun and raced back towards camp.(Megan)

****

(III) Unfortunately, in my haste to get back to camp, I neglected to grab my back-pack! And now it was starting to get very dark, from a suddenly approaching storm. Thinking I should return to where I left my back-pack ( as it did contain my electric torch ), my sub-conscious got the better of me ( it knows ). There was something( or someone ), out there. I could still hear the crackling of the under-brush. Was that foot-falls? My mind raced faster than my feet, as I became more aware of that "something", which I could not see. Dashing down the now darkened path, I failed to see a large tree root, blocking the way( I don't remember that ). Could I be on the wrong path? The darkness has me confused. I realise, that this is not the way back to camp. Now with the storm gathering in intensity, I cannot hear the other sounds. Just the wind slashing through the trees. Wondering if "it" was still out there, I chanced to stop and catch my breath...(Subtorp)

****

IV) Water sloshed around frozen feet, making my shoes slippery. Maybe the water would cause "it" to lose my trail. Spotting the moonlight glimmer on the small creek when I stopped for a breath, I had leaped down the small bank.

Clawing at earth I tried in vain to climb the walls that seemed so much smaller from above. Roots pulled loose in clumps, my wet shoes slipping once more. There has to be a way out. Panting now, muddy hands pressed to my head, the rain began.

Lightning flashed, the world shaking with its thunderous boom, unveiling the shadowy form menacing overhead.

Running blindly along moss covered rocks, falling, skinning my knees, I clambered forward and then the ground beneath me feet disappeared and all I felt was air rushing incredibly fast as I plummeted....(Brian)


I woke up in a cold sweat, this recurring nightmare had become much more realistic over the past few nights. They say that I am crazy, and that the restraints are for my own protection, but I know that I am not a lunatic! The devil was coming for my baby! I know it sounded crazy, but it was true, I had to get her as far away from the town of Morning Grove as quickly and as secretive as I could. The strange one, as I call him, had many different titles including, mortician, undertaker, grave digger, but I looked upon him as death, it was written in the weathered lines of his face, he was a monster sent to our quiet little town to harvest our souls, or at least my childs. I knew his motive that day when he touched my hand at the general store, I have always been able to connect with people, through a touch or being in close proximity, but this was like nothing that I had ever experienced, it was like maggots were feasting upon my flesh, and that is when I had the vision. My newborn daughter, Emily, being carried away by the strange one, his wrinkled mouth managing a twisted smile as they disappeared into a mist. I ran home in a state of panic, and put Emily in my camping backpack. I had to hide her, he would find her otherwise. I put the backpack in the car and sped away like a bat out of hell, and I really meant hell, because I knew that is what Morning Grove was to become. I never made it out, a State Trooper, or it could have been one of The Strange ones disciples, had stopped me in the next town, finding my baby in my backpack, I guess he must have known what I had intended. I went berserk, knowing that my one chance to save us had gone awry. I was crazy at that moment, and that is how I ended up at the morning grove institution, not knowing what became of Emily. Last night I was screaming at the caregivers and they decided that I needed to be restrained and sedated, culminating in that dream where I was slipping on mossy rocks and falling. I looked down at my legs, and there on my knees were fresh scrapes, filled with coagulating blood and traces of greenery. Even here, I was not safe from The Strange One..... (Otin)

I hate linking things, so I will tag 5 people.

Jaime
RxBambi
Miss O
Beth
Chris (Maugeritaville)
Subtorp77

Aloha Friday #(I lost Count!)

It's Friday! Time to say FU! to the workweek and Hello to Weekend fun(Like lawn maintenance). Over at An Island Life, the whole Aloha Friday thing can be explained a lot better! So I will ask a question for you to answer. Way back in the early days of my blog, I did a post asking a question, before I ever did Aloha Friday, so I will ask it again:

IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON AN ISLAND FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, AND YOU COULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, WHAT WOULD YOUR CHOICES BE ?
1). ONE FOOD
2). ONE CD
3). ONE PERSON
4). ONE MOVIE

Theme Thursday (Swing)

As I gaze upon my brother, Sleeping in his bed, I can't help but think about the fun that we had as children. We did the usual activities, little league, bike riding, pickup basketball games, and , of course, the mischievous things, like throwing snowballs at cars, or ringing doorbells and running away. We had some great neighborhood friends, most of whom I have not seen since then, and one that took his own life over his obsession with a woman. It was a great time, everyone congregating in our back yard after school, and all day long in the summers. I remember the tire swing more than anything else about our old house, it haunts me with a mix of happiness and sorrow. My dad had climbed high up in a towering Maple and suspended a tire with a heavy rope, it must have been thirty feet high, or at least it seemed like it when I was ten. We spent a lot of time on that swing, it was not like swinging on your typical playground set, the length of the rope and the long sweeping motions gave you the same sensation as a rollercoaster might have. It quickly became the neighborhood hangout, as we all tried to see who could get the highest arc, and be king of the back yard olympics. My brother was the champ, with me pushing, he had gone higher than anyone could imagine. He was 11 and I was 14, why I was still pushing a tire swing four years after my Dad had put it up, was beyond explanation, it seems like I would have been past all that childish craziness, but my brother seemed to keep me involved. It was all a joyous and wonderful time, until that day that made me lose all of what was good about my childhood. There was a loud crunch, and then, instead of my brother swinging back to me, he was falling straight down. The branch of the maple had snapped, and my brother, instead of a graceful swing, had come back down in a perilous crash, landing on the back of his head, and lying there, motionless. It has been 11 years now, since he last opened his eyes, or uttered a word. I have watched him grow into manhood , all the time, never acknowledging my presence. They say he will never escape his coma. I miss him! Damn that old SWING!

(Just Fiction) for more theme thursday peeps click HERE!

Wordless Wednesday

check out more wordless wednesday here!

Rhyming Wednesday #2

Well, this is my second week in a row with the poetry thing! I found this in a box of old papers that I was looking through, this is probably from the 80's

Wild eyes staring at me like the sun upon the sky,
The gentle zephyr through her hair begins to catch my eye.
A beauty sporting radiance which no jewel could obtain,
Her presence is the antidote to ease my yearning pain.
My imaginary love, a love too perfect to behold,
A dream that will someday come true, this I have been told.
Until that day I just search, looking for those eyes,
That gaze upon my universe, enlightening my skies.

Tuesday Random Thoughts

I always wonder why it is so easy to get out of bed at 5 am to go fishing, but it is so difficult to get up at 5 am to go to work. It seems that we are establishing one of these weather patterns where it is crappy on the weekend and hot and sunny during the week. Speaking of sun, I predict that in about 20 years you are going to find out that sun screen causes cancer. You'd think that I would learn, how many times am I going to get a salad at a fast food drive through before I remember to check and make sure that they gave me a fork? Salad is not good finger food. It is within the realm of possibility that Bigfoot exists. Maybe there is only one Bigfoot left in the species, that would make it almost impossible to find, I mean ,damn, we had a whole army looking for Bin Laden, and he seems to be untraceable. I remember a time when you could talk on the phone without asking,"Are you still there"? I guess that is the price you pay for progress. I think that all mid week holidays should be moved to monday or friday. The superbowl should be played on Saturday night! I decided to go ahead with my Jersey trip in a couple weeks, Jaime better buy me some White Castles! The Optimistic Pessimist is coming to North Carolina that same weekend, it's too bad, we could have all gone boating! Why are the roads so busy, all day long, don't people work, or at least stay home sometimes? Neighborhood kids caused about 10,000 dollars in damage this weekend by putting concrete mix into a machines muffler. It is hard enough to keep things running without vandalism.

NOTE: I WILL NOT CENSOR ANYONE'S THOUGHTS AS LONG AS THEY PERTAIN TO THE BLOG OR OPINIONS ON A SUBJECT, I DON'T EVEN CARE WHAT IS WRITTEN ABOUT ME, NOTHING OFFENDS ME ANYWAY, BUT I WILL DELETE COMMENTS THAT ARE HURTFUL TOWARD OR DIRECTED AT OTHER BLOGGERS. DON'T COME HERE AND INSULT MY FRIENDS OR I WILL JUST DELETE THE COMMENTS SO YOU ARE JUST WASTING YOUR TIME!

For more random thoughts, visit the wonderful Un Mom!!

All Stars

Some time ago I nominated my employer and friend in the People Magazine All Stars among us tribute. He built a ball field for special needs children that is state of the art, putting aside the business at times and spending huge ammounts of money on the project. He is also on the board of the Cal Ripken Jr foundation for North Carolina and is also a member of a local charity for children with cancer. A more generous human being could not be found, and I think that is why I have worked with him for 14 years! Anyway, he is now a finalist in the People Magazine campaign and has a 33% chance of representing the Baltimore Orioles(EWW!) in the all star game! Starting at noon on monday, the public will start voting on the 90 people left in the competition. If you get a second, click on the all star emblem on the top right side of my site and vote for David Vaughn! Thank you my wonderful all star bloggers!!!!

Otin's Blogger Roast of Hit 40 (Eileen)

We all know how a roast works! I will start and then you guys can have fun in the comment section, let loose, she can take it! LOL!

You have never seen a picture of Eileen, and probably never will, it's hard for her to take a photo because her head is so far up Michel's ass all the time that she could never take a head shot! She spends 22 hours a day on the computer and then tries to tell us about all the other things she does, like perfecting her garden, showing us photos of perfect landscaping. She fails to show the pictures of the 4 Mexicans that she hires to do it for her. And what is with the stuffed dog? Can't she afford a real one? Eileen seems to have an obsession with seminal fluid, she calls her son "Supersperm", recently asked sex question including semens sugar content, and even wrote a post about finding semen in her bathroom trash can. I am not saying that she wants some, but if all my posts were about pizza, you could make the case that I wanted to eat pizza! It is hard for her to be intimate, though, because she can't reach the keyboard! She teaches math, can you imagine a math problem on her tests, they would probably be like this: If I left 200 comments on blogs that don't follow me, and 17 new followers appeared, what is my percentage of success? She deals with so many people that she gets confused, the other day she sent me some cake mix, and a card that said "America misses you"! You can't expect too much from her, after all, she lives in Ohio! Seriously, Eileen is one of my best buddies and I know she has a great sense of humor, so please be rude, because I know that she would love it! Think back to some of her crazy responses to your posts and go from there!

Keepsake award

Here are the rules:1. Post a funny or sweet keepsake that tells something about you!

When I was younger, my parents seemed to lack responsibility, while they were good in alot of ways, their overall level of maturity was astonishingly low, this I am aware of now, looking back. It seems that I was always in a position where I had to step up and act like the adult. Both of my parents came to me with their problems, some were very heavy subjects, for instance, my Dad wanted relationship advice, basically letting me decide who he was going to date, Christ, I was only 15! My mom asked me about something that I won't even discuss here. In 1985, I was living on my own, I had graduated in 1984, and had that whole independent thing going. My brother had one more year of school, and he and my Mom were living in an apartment in NJ. My Mother met a man the previous year and had been spending alot of time with him, he lived in Pennsylvania. She was going to move to Pennsylvania, and my brother was crushed, he would have to change schools in his senior year. I broke my lease on my apartment and took over my Mother's apartment so that my brother could finish school where he wanted too. I have always been willing to make sacrifices to make someone elses life better, and I don't think that is a bad thing!

I am supposed to give this award to 10 other bloggers, but I hate linking shit, therefore 5 will be my limit!
Mango Girl
O
Gaston Studio
Ice Queen
Graciebird

Aloha Friday!

Friday is here again and that means it's time to visit An Island Life and find out details on Aloha Friday. Here is my question:





DOES YOUR BLOG MIRROR YOUR PERSONALITY, OR ARE YOU MUCH DIFFERENT IN PERSON?





I have the same outlooks and opinions, but I think that I am a little more reserved in public. I am sort of shy until I get comfortable with people.

Theme Thursday- CLOCK

20 minutes remain, and everyone is focused on the CLOCK, except for me, I wish that I could freeze the cruel hands of time. I didn't kill anyone, I was trying to help her live! Why won't they believe me? 17 minutes remaining until the clock strikes 12, my head has been shaved, and I now sit trembling, waiting for my walk. When I got to her house, the knife was in her back, I removed it and called for help! Yes, she was my ex wife, and yes, we had a bad history, but why would I want to hurt the mother of my children? 14 minutes remain, and a priest is now with me. I don't even believe in God, but if he existed, surely he would intervene, or at least, the governer would, but as of now, still no phone call, or divine intervention. 12 minutes now! There I was at the scene, my prints on the weapon, my ex wife dead, what jury would believe me? Certainly not the one that I had. They are taking me now, the walk begins. I shuffle step down the long hallway and into the room where I will be a spectacle for all those seeking their revenge. 5 minutes remain, and I am now seated, still no phone call. I know who is behind the glass, my ex in-laws, revelling in my sorrow, for they do not know the truth, I cannot hate them. I am glad that I cannot see their faces. The straps hurt, but why should I complain, I only have 2 more minutes. I love my children, and I mourn their mother, I hope they will be o.k. in life. They shove something in my mouth and put a hood over my head, still no phone call, one last tick of the CLOCK...........



For more theme thursday posts, CLICK HERE

Rhyming Wednesday #1

I don't know if there is such a thing, but if not, then I guess that I just started it! So this is my inaugural Rhyming Wednesday! If you like the idea, give it a try next week on your site, your poem does not need to rhyme, or be long, it can be anything, even a limerick!

When I was a boy
I used to ride a bike
I'd ride it just for fun
Anywhere I'd like

Now that I am a man
And I drive my car
I get aggravated easily
trying not to go too far

When I was a boy
We used to play outside
Not bothered by the heat
we'd take it all in stride

Now that I'm a man
I watch other people play
I set my air on seventy
and watch the games all day

When I was a boy
Girls were not yet beauties
They were people to avoid
for fear of getting cooties

Now that I'm a man
Women catch my eye
From the smile on their faces
to their smooth and sexy thighs

When I was a boy
We used to build a fort
and catching frogs and snakes
was almost like a sport

Now that I'm a man
I never look under a log
Because I am way too busy
Working on my blog

When I was a boy
My mom always yelled
About our dirty rooms
Or how the bathroom smelled

Now that I'm a man
Things are really strange
For when it comes to mom
Some things never change

Wordless Wednesday

For a story to go with these photos, CLICK HERE

Random Tuesday Thoughts #8

Memory is a funny thing! I can remember the liner notes from a 70"s album, or the dialogue of various movies, so why do I forget to bring my phone in the house every night when I get home from work? When you were in school, you were taught that people were fools for believing that the Earth was flat. If you had no means of telling that it was not flat, would you really assume that it was round? I think that it is crazy to widen a road to accommodate more traffic, and then add three new traffic lights to the stretch. I love watching "Behind The Music" and listening to people cry because they had too much booze, sex, and money. I have never heard one of them say, "I wish I was a plumber"! Most of the people that I encounter in North Carolina don't know that the word "themselves" exists, everyone says, "theirselfs" haha! The college team at East Carolina is the Pirates. There is a local bank that supports the team, and I shit you not, their slogan on the radio is, "When you are banking with us, you are banking with Pirates"! I'm the only one who seems troubled by this. The Pirates are in the top 15 in the nation, in Baseball, this year. It is hard to find time to read everyones blog, every day, but I do my best! I am getting up 30 minutes early just so I can check more, what an addict. I went to a funeral last year for a relative that I really didn't even know, I just went because I was visiting my mom at the time. Everyone kept saying how good the deceased looked, um, she was dead, I think she probably looked better at an earlier date. Technically, Mexicans are Americans! In the show, "Star Trek", Mr. Spock knew everything. Why did they need all of the other crew? It has been almost 8 years since 9/11. I wish we had built the Twin Towers back like they were and added one extra floor as a monument to the victims and also as a big FUCK YOU to Osama Bin Laden!

For more Random Thoughts, visit the fabulous Un MOM!