The First Dream

The Wind is ghosting around the house tonight
and as I lean against the door of sleep
I begin to think about the first person to dream,
how quiet he must have seemed the next morning

as the others stood around the fire
draped in the skins of animals
talking to each other only in vowels,
for this was long before the invention of consonants.

He might have gone off by himself to sit
on a rock and look into the mist of a lake
as he tried to tell himself what had happened,
how he had gone somewhere without going,

how he had put his arms around the neck
of a beast that the others could touch
only after they had killed it with stones,
how he felt its breath on his bare neck.

Then again, the first dream could have come
to a woman, though she would behave,
I suppose, much the same way,
moving off by herself to be alone near water,

except that the curve of her young shoulders
and the tilt of her downcast head
would make her appear to be terribly alone,
and if you were there to notice this,

you might have gone down as the first person
to ever fall in love with the sadness of another.

~Billy Collins

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I've updated ZZ's Photos as well.

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WiseGuys

Another funny evening at Wiseguys Comedy Club, and what better way to enjoy it than to be there with the very best group of Wiseguys, I could possibly know!
It was a sold out show and the only downside to the evening was that we had reservations for 16, though someone at the front desk only had down 11, which resulted in four from our group needing to be situated at different tables.


Trivia Question everyone....
What typically happens when you are seated *Closest* to the stage when there's comedy acts going on???



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If you guessed that you're sometimes brought 'into' the the comedy of the person on stage, then you are correct!

We were seated directly next to the stage, with my chair directly butted up against the stage itself! And because I've been so excited about the new camera that I just purchased, and taking pictures, I was gently razzed about it by the comedians on the stage.
Bruno Schirripa, the owner and MC for Wiseguys, had taken the opportunity to embarrass me just a tad, when he took my camera from me and shot a picture of he and I, cheek to cheek (actually, it was more like Cheek to Eye), in front of a sold out show! Considering he snapped the pic himself in 2 seconds flat...he did manage to get both of us in there..albeit my face got squished a bit! ;)


Below is the man I wake up to, every morning! *Naughty grin*
For those not from CNY, his name is Gomez, a DJ from The Gomez & Dave Radio Show on TK99, a Classic Rock Station in Syracuse. He's part of the Morning Program.
He too, took the opportunity to poke a bit of light-hearted fun at the picture taking by posing! (Sorry Gomez for the top of your head being cut off, you flustered me when you got up so close to me and posed like that!)

A better picture of him here:


A few of my personal favorite Wiseguys! Those who've been following my blog, you'll notice that C. is indeed back!! Yaaay! (Damn, that didn't last long, did it???) Personally, I would have waited until Spring to return, but L-O-V-E seems to be in the air! ;)


Below is the Opening Act, from Indianapolis, IN John Garrett. He was pretty funny, and very personable too, as he chatted a while with us after the show was done.
Again....posing for the camera in the middle of his act! He was smart though...as he saw fit to promote his CD! (Do I get royalties??) ;)



The last act was from a woman named Sheila Kay. I thought she was hysterical! And I would have guessed as much had I read her bio on her website first. With an introduction like this:
"My name is Sheila Kay. I was born, bred, married, spawned, and divorced in Detroit, Michigan…and to make matters worse I did most of that twice."
Anyone who uses the word SPAWN in a sentence, has definitely got my attention!


After the show, we ended up staying for a bit more. I had WAYYYYYY too much wine before and during the show to even consider getting another glass.


All in all, another good night was had!
~ZZ

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I'm a Pepper..He's a pepper..

She's a pepper...We're a pepper...

Wouldn't you like to be a pepper too??

A HOT Pepper, that is!

I came across another of these *standardized* blogthings quizzes with *high Internal Validity* and even a higher rating of *Reliability*. (Read: Top notch sarcasm to go with the top notch quality quizzes) ;)~
You all know how much I love Fluff with No Stuff. ........

You Are Cayenne Pepper

You are very over the top and a bit overwhelming. You have a fiery personality, and you can give anyone a good jolt. You can easily take things up a couple notches, no matter what crowd you're running with.

What Spice Are You?

Soo, I'm a hot pepper. Cayenne, no less! Let's see... I think I *can* be over the top...at times, and maybe even a bit overwelming , but I don't think that's how I *typically* operate. If I'm overwhelming, it's usually because I tend to be very direct at times, which may irritate some people. But I'm honest, faithful, and loyal too.
The other two statements, eh, well...maybe. :)~

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B.O.B. makes yet another appearance...

....In Grove City Ohio this time!





According to this Yahoo news article:



Blow-up doll stands in for groom

Fri Feb 15, 10:33 PM ET

If one bride felt lighter than air in her wedding gown, her groom certainly felt like air itself as 19 couples renewed their vows near Columbus.
Sheila Smith's husband, Bob, had to go away on business and couldn't make the Valentine's Day recommitment service at Grove City United Methodist Church. So friends brought a life-size inflatable doll to serve as a stand-in.
They dressed Blow-up Bob in dress pants, a shirt and tie, and taped on a head-shot photo of the real Bob Smith.
His wife was blown away, because she thought she'd only be serving as matron of honor for four of her friends. After Sheila Smith phoned her husband to tell him about his air-filled alter ego, she wiped away tears as she told how he laughed so hard he couldn't speak.
___



I am cracking up reading that article. Anyone who had been following my blog, and had read my B.O.B. Story, would appreciate the twisted humor and irony behind this.
And that's his *real* name too! It doesn't get any better than that.
It sounded like she was more than ok with this, but I wonder...

What about Bob??


:)~~

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Of Alanis & Men & Women

I couldn't think of a more appropriate title for this post.
I think it encompasses exactly what I want it to say.
No, I am not estolling the virtures of Alanis's angsty-like lyrics like I had back in November/December, but I did want to share a few tidbits since then.
One, being a request someone had posted in a forum I had read, about a month or so ago. It was from a woman who had been asking for a referral for any Marriage Therapists in the area, as there had been some serious struggles with in her own relationship and was looking for some guidance.
Doing what I do, professionally, I'm aware of several contacts with in our community that specializes in Marital Therapy. And btw - anyone reading this, *ever* wants Marital Therapy....make sure you ask the therapist what they have specifically been trained in. This form of therapy is and should be regarded as specialized, given subtle dynamics that impact that relationship. If he/she has not had specialized training that deals specifically with marriage and couples, ask to be referred to someone who is.
Anyway, I used to work with a woman who now has her own private practice, who also had been trained and certified in Imago Therapy, a specific model that works with relationships. I had posted to that woman the name of his therapist, along with the website for this form of Marital/Couple Therapy, as she is listed there, and shows her credentials and capabilities. The website is called "Getting the Love You Want", if you'd like to check it out.
Because I don't put up links without first researching them, I had decided to look it over myself first.

Lo and Behold, what do I find on this relationship website, but a blurb from, none other than Alanis Morrisette, estolling the virtures of...........Relationships!
Alanis! Wow! I obviusly had been out of touch, since her 'Jagged Little Pill' CD that I had been blasting the night of a Party I had. You'll find it here.

Below is a rather amusing video by a man named Mark Gungor, who is a pastor, speaker, author, musician and producer, aside from being a Marital Counselor. I got the biggest kick out of this video that talks about the Lighter side of the Differences between Men & Women's Brains...I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.


~ZZ

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Saturday's Quote - III

"The majority of us lead quiet,
unheralded lives as we pass
through this world.
There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us,
no monuments created in our honor.
But that that does not lessen our possible impact,
for there are scores of people waiting
for someone just like us to come along;
people who will appreciate our compassion,
our unique talents.
Someone who will live a happier life
merely because we took the time to share what we had to give.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch,
a smile, a kind word, a listening ear,
an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring,
all of which have a potential to turn a life around.
It's overwhelming to consider
the continuous opportunities there are
to make our love felt."
~Leo Buscaglia.

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Saturday's Quote - II

"When you like someone,
you like them in spite of their faults.
When you love someone,
you love them with their faults."
~Elizabeth Cameron

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S.U.- Georgetown (We Won!)

I had tickets to the S.U. - Georgetown game, set for noon. The morning started out with Bailey's (Homemade, btw), Frangelico, and coffee. Yummm...A nice treat before making the blustery climb up to The Hill.
Below, a sea of Orange.

I had recently purchased a decent camera - Canon PowerShot SX100 IS. I'm still playing around with it, trying to get used to it. *Psssst* I have started a new blog, just with photos on it, they are a mixture of photos that I took, as well as photos that, though are *not* mine, they speak to me all the same. I'll be posting a link to it here eventually, and, as the same with this site, it will Always be, a work in progress.
So, I wanted to know how well the zoom would be on this. Below you'll see a shot, no zoom, from where I was sitting. You'll notice the little, itty bitty white circle I added on the top right side, along with the note asking if you can see the two gentlemen in that circle. Obviously, if you can...I want your eyes!! ;)

Using the zoom for the photo below, please notice the gentleman in the gray long-sleeve shirt, with the orange stripe, using the binoculars and gentleman to his right, with orange cap and shirt. Those two are the two gentleman in the above white circle. That is also the husband (W/ Binoculars) of the friend I was with, and her Father - in - law, next to him. I could have been a bit more steady when I took that, thereby making a clearer shot. But I am liking the idea of a 10x Optical Zoom.



Of Course, taking a photo of Jim Boeheim, in his Most Famous pose, just *had* to be done!
(My day wouldn't be complete with out that.) :)

Caught a shot of us making another basket. Yaay!

My friend J., of my B.O.B. Party Fame.

The ending score. Yaaay!!

Typical after a win, many people storming the Court to rush to the players. Damn! Can you give the guys some room to breathe?!

So after a couple Bailey's & Coffees, PreGame, Blue Lights during the game, and Margaritas, After the game, it feels good to be snuggled in a warm home with a nice fire going.

~ZZ

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Saturday's Quote

"Madness does not always howl.
Sometimes, it's the quiet voice
at the end of the day that says..
is there room in there for one more?"
~Unknown(s) ;)

I'm off to the SU-Georgetown Game!

~GoOrangeZZ

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Nothing You Can Do About It...

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Nice Philosophy

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind.
She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend.
He was always there for her.
She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I would marry you.'

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her.
When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything,
including her boyfriend.
He asked her,'Now that you can see the world, will you still marry me?'
The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind.
The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her.
She hadn't expected that.
The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her
to refuse to marry him.
Her boyfriend left her in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying:
'Take good care of your eyes, my dear,
for before they were yours, they were mine.'

This is how the human brain often works when our status changes.
Only a very few remember what life was like before,
and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

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"And the day came when

The risk to remain tight in a bud
was more painful than
the risk it took to blossom."

~Anais Nin

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Turn about is Fair Play :p~~

I was over at the site of Delmer, from What's a Delmer Look Like? today. His site is definitely more a Personal blog, like mine, rather than a niche blog, and he tends to be rather comical about his day to day stuff. I find his sense of humor rather amusing, if not a bit unusual at times; however I've noticed that he & I seem to play off of each other's jokes a lot, so I'm not sure what that says about me...I might be slightly twisted too??
Anyway, I had decided to proclaim him to be The Ambassador for World Peace. (Yes, Ladies, hold yourselves back, he claims he's able to recite the alphabet...In French...with all the accents in place. But he still hasn't been able to master tieing a cherry stem in his mouth.

Sorry. I digress. That seems to happen when that topic gets broached.
So, where was I? Oh yeah, I was over at his site reading the Daily doings of Delmer, when I happen to come across one of his most recent posts: The Three Way. (I believe that to be every Man's dream.)
One of his regular posters had commented tongue-in-cheek about him pulling the........... .....Nope. I'm not going to spoil it. You'll just have to take a gander over at Delmer's site and read the post yourself. Actually, it's the comments and subsequent video I posted that I think you'll get a kick out of.
~Enjoy!

~ZZ

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My Voice, Super Tuesday, and Hillary

*In my very best Taunting voice* I got a phone call from Hillary! (Sung to the tune of "I got an Ice-cream and you don't) ;)
Enjoy!



~ZZ

***Edit 3:01 PM - If you are listening to this on a computer that tends to run a bit slow, it will slow down the tape a bit, making my voice seem a bit deeper than what it really is!
I noticed it with my work computer and have just had a gentleman email me to say that:
" I thought your voice would be more sassy or something to better match your personality."

LOL Trust me....I can be as damn well SASSY as I want to be,
don't let *that* fool you!!
:)~~

My guess is that it's probably the quality of the tape. Or maybe because I had done that first thing in the morning. If that's the case...Consider it my bedroom voice. ;)

But I Like Sassiness!

~ZZ

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Left VS Right Color Test

According to Perth Now:
Look at the chart and say the COLOUR, not the word.
Your right brain will try to say the colour while your left brain will read the word!
Can you do it in less than a minute?

For more on Left brain/Right brain and determining which one is more dominant for you, please see my other post on Right Brain/Left Brain.

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HA! Winter Driving in...

Good Ole Syracuse NY!

I LOVE this video!! It's Perfect!

Kudos to Kelp1967 for the decent quality video of what it's like to drive in the winter in Syracuse, NY. Great tune too!
This guy has a hell of a commute to work. It looks like he was coming in from the North area, way past Liverpool on Route 57, possibly Clay area. You'll watch him go from Rte 57 thru the village of Liverpool and hop onto the Parkway. Then, under the Train Bridge (2:55). He enters the Downtown area and you'll see him drive right through Armory Square, a neat redesigned downtown area with many restaurants, bars, and boutiques to choose from. I've spent many-a-night partying there when younger. You'll see that area at 5:36 - 5:55.
A neat video, great song too!

My niece had texted me this joke back in December with the following:

"98% of drivers say 'Oh Shit' when they hit ice. The other 2 % are from Central New York and say, 'Hold my beer & watch this shit!'"

**Disclaimer**
Above text-joke not meant to encourage drinking & driving. Meant in the flavor of 'We can handle our own in any snow storm". :)


~ ZZ

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