This was my Papaw Allen McMullen. One of my unique grandfathers.

Take note dear friends, this is not about saying how cool we think our own grandparents are (all of mine are cool of course:) My grandpa McCarthy was a magnificant oil painting and pastel artist as is Grandma McCarthy (I have alot of their paintings now and an old Chicago Art School box from him with oils and oil brushed from 1930. They had a huge three level organ in their house, along with a walls of salt water aquariums for exotic fish. On my mother's side, my Mamaw (who is also still with us) and Papaw had a neat rock house (brought in from the East Coast of FL) on Sunset Point Rd, where alot of McMullens dwelled. I still have a book they gave me called "The Greatest Miracle in the World" and it has Papaw's underlines in it, as it also has mine from the past decade. I cannot say more today. There is too much to write about about these wonderful people. All we can say is that my sons knew or met 5 great grandparents, including my husbands family. We are lucky, and we are blessed. Take time this season to visit or send something special to the elderly in your family. Most of all they need contact even a phone call.

Allen McMullen Sr. | Visit Guest Book

McMULLEN, Allen Sr. Yet another direct descendant of the Pinellas County Pioneer McMullen Family has died. Allen McMullen Sr., known affectionately as Papaw, age 90, died on Dec. 12. He was a direct descendant of Captain James McMullen, one of seven McMullen brothers who were early 1840 settlers of Pinellas County. Papaw was always very proud of his family heritage and faithfully attended the annual gathering of the McMullen clan reunion held every 4th of July in the area since the 1920s. Papaw lived his life with the Will Rogers trademark of "never meeting a person he didn't like." If he knew you, you were his friend. Papaw grew up in Pinellas County in what was then a true paradise. He attended Safety Harbor Elementary and Junior High, played coronet in the marching band at Clearwater High, attended Massey business college in Jacksonville and served 4 years in the Navy. At the end of WWII he married Emily Daeger at Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church. He joined his father in the citrus packing business and wholesale produce delivery business. During the season they delivered packaged citrus baskets from their packing house that was at the corner of Sunset Point and McMullen Booth Road to the then railroad station in Safety Harbor for shipment to the northern states. After a fire destroyed the packing house, he spent time in the insurance business and finished his working career in the candy business in Gatlinburg, TN. He and Emily enjoyed their church life and family at the Presbyterian Church in Safety Harbor, Gatlinburg, TN and Northwood Presbyterian Church in Clearwater, serving as elder, deacon, choir member, and a Stephen's Minister. He was active for years in the Masonic Lodge, Lions and Kiwanis Clubs, and delivering Meals on Wheels. His wonderful marriage lasted 68 years many of them spent traveling in their motor home across the country and seeing a lot of the world. He is survived by his wife, Emily; daughter, Kathy (Alan) McCarthy, Panama City; sons, Allen, Jr. (Missy) Clearwater and Bruce (Sissy) Knoxville, TN; seven grand-children; six great-grandchildren; sisters, Wilma Krentzman, Clearwater and Shirley Johnson, Silver Bay, NY. Papaw was loved by all and will be missed by many. A celebration of his life will be held Saturday Dec. 17th at 11 am at the Northwood Presbyterian Church 2875 SR 580 Clearwater. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Northwood Presbyterian Mission or Hospice. Holloway Funeral Home. Oldsmar. 813-855-2439.

Published in the St. Petersburg Times on December 15, 2011

Vanity Fair Christopher Hitchens slide show!

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2011/12/christopher-hitchens-slideshow-201112#slide=1

slide show time :)

In case you haven't heard, Christopher Hitchens passed away a few days ago. However polarizing he became, especially to his more liberal friends by his very robust support of the Irag battle, I enjoyed learning about him first as a journalism student at UF, and then as a big fan who ate up his writing like they were my own little secret delicious treats. In the end, it's not about agreeing with someone that can make you respect them, but rather some kind of personal link or kinship that you find in them, something you can relate to. I liked his style of writing, his stories, and political postings. He was one of the last cool writers of our century who came out of the "Purple Decades" as Tom Wolfe would say. He made enemies, had friends, and at least left the world with some wonderful things to read and think upon. In the world of blogs, journalists who are really just pageant queens, and ranting lunatics (Christ Matthews, etc)...one can appreciate the human need for a good old fashioned debate, some great rhetoric, and a fine bottle of whiskey to go along with it.
Cheers to him and wish there were more. The hipster writers of today just don't have the balls to be honest anymore.. much less admit they're ever wrong, or change their minds mid-life. Too bad!

This is funny!

Read post below and nod in recognition. We all have a variety of friends and family right? so why is it a shock that we are all so different and have so many different opinions and viewpoints? And why are we surprised (or act all "offended") when we see the opinions of others posted on FB? Did we really think people didn't have their own personal viewpoints before FB came around? Were we really that arrogant to think that every single person we surround ourselves with is as enlightened, hip and educated as we are? Get the joke folks, and laugh at yourself while you're at it....

http://gawker.com/5869673/your-racist-shilling-sad-sack-status-updates-are-why-people-keep-unfriending-you

Your morning Tebow

there's alot of snark out there about Tim Tebow, as there was from the beginning :) Let us take a moment this Sunday morning to reflect on something a little fun, positive, and as far as I can tell- harmless to the general population. Despite your personal feelings on his pro-life stance, passing out Bibles in underdeveloped countries, and sometimes eye-roll inducing scripture quoting (i don't find this eye-roll inducing but to each his own), he has brought some fun to the NFL season for many. Enjoy the following slide show on Tebowing.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/slideshow/tribute-tim-tebows-touchdown-pose-15172201

Bringing home the bacon and pushing the prim

I can totally believe this. Nothing is ever black and white in these studies. However, my closest confidants (and you) have heard me say more than once that I was "happier" when my life was full of work related hours, events, social networking, and a life that was a little more adult oriented and way less baby talk.

I love my children, and a parent shouldn't have to qualify their desire to be back in the workforce by saying so. I know a few moms who love nothing better than to sit around other moms, talk about their kids while having playdates, and using their time at home to paint toenails and watch alot of TLC. You may think I'm being cynical by saying that- but no, a part of that has been my own life. And I disliked alot of that time.

My children need myself and their father to nurture, teach and love them. But I can truly say FOR ME, the stay at home lifestyle is not good for my health, physically and mentally. I wait for my husband to come home sometimes, waiting for that adult company. I book dates to see girlfriends, socialize (usually at night) and LOVE being social. I have always been a very social cat, but I never knew how having kids would make me miss that part of my life. We are busy people, we stay social, meet new friends and old out and about, and have made tons of great memories since having our boys, but my husband gets go to a job daily where he gets to hangs out with people his own age. Even the older peeps he has invited to our parties are funny, witty and nice to hang with.

But that part of my life is a hanging puzzle piece, dangling out there in Jennifer Universe waiting for me to grab it and put it into place. So, here's to a great new job (big money not required) for a more complete and fulfilling life....full of all the tacky stuff I miss- lunch with coworkers, making appointments/deadlines/sales goals, secret Santa at holiday parties, office gossip, paychecks, a sense of personal security I never have while not working even if I was married to the King of Dubai, a sense of pride I cannot get from my kids (sorry but true sons), and most of all- quelling my inner Scarlet O'hara ...we will never ever have bad potatoes on the menu.

Please read below link and look for my resume at an office near you :)

http://www.salon.com/2011/12/14/the_happiest_moms_working_moms/

Papaw McMullen

Passed away about one hour ago in his "homeland" of Pinellas County, where a ton of us McMullens came from. Many of my PC friends met them over the years as they traveled in their r.v. to visit us and roam the country (they were avid travelers). After about a week under hospice care and with his family with him (and loving Mamaw) he is gone. There is nothing else to say right now about this unchangeable fact. There is nothing more certain than someone dying. I listened to this song today and thought of him. It's been a tough week. But in the land of the living, we can all wake each morning to say "hello" or "i love you" to someone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmVlHNDk_hM

Vatican Fun!

Post below for a little appetizer tonight. A fun read about access gained to the Vatican library and other alluring places in the great Italian center of Holy Roman Universe. As it is now, priests were deflowering virgins and diddling young boys. Nothing ever changes-- those rascally scalliwags!!

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/welltraveled/features/2011/vatican_inside_the_secret_city/vatican_guide_inside_the_world_s_most_secret_city.html

Crazy night. Can't you tell. Won't even go into the phone call I got an hour ago.

Well, if Dan Quayle is endorsing Romney for President, then by all means - count me in. I was on the fence about the entire line of candidates running for the GOP this year but now I am most definitely a little Romster. "Little Romsters" are the cool conservative people that follow Mitt around like Lady Gaga's "little monsters" (i.e. her fans). We don't have to wear red meat dresses, we just eat it three times a day with our tea bags hats donned and eyes glued to Fox News (isn't that what every racist Conservative watches?? So I've been told) learning about how to build our fall out shelters, and how to bury gold in our backyards.

Waiting for the end, my friends. And now Dan Quayle has our back. Thank God for shiny shoes, hairspray and good edu-KATION.

Like buttah

Yes, but does it make you feel like beautiful French woman standing nude in front of gently blowing curtains on a balcony gazing down languidly at an Italian lakeside vista? If yes, then by all means indulge. Life is short- blow all your money.

http://jezebel.com/5864914/chanel-kindly-offers-to-sell-you-cotton-balls-for-20

And now for something Completely Different

I am trying desperately, my dear friends, to get back to more movie reviews. By the time my two sons are asleep I am basically down to flipping Netflix and lulling myself to sweet oblivion with weird "C' movies or "Say Yes to the Dress" episodes lately (quite a read on the way some people think the tackier the dress, the more their husband will love them forever). I am very interested in some films coming out for the awards season as usual. This being one of them: I love films that portray sex as something more than just a cog in the lust machine for simple minded folks. Sex is always full of power and while of course means pleasure for most...can be full of deeper meanings (no pun intended there). Young star Emily Browning was great in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" one of my favorite Jim Carey movies. I like fun films, fast films, and pure entertainment films, but also appreciate when a director (a woman no less) tries to put something out there to make us think.

Remember "thinking"? Before Google and our "experts" on Facebook could inform of us everything ;)

Anyway, I am taking my kids to the park and hope you all have a wonderful Saturday out there. Talk to you soon, once again.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/movies/2011/12/sleeping_beauty_soft_core_titillation_or_artful_rumination_on_sex_and_power_.html#comments

Man Crosses Yosemite on 3,000-Foot-High Tightrope, Without Safety Gear

NO THANKS!!

Man Crosses Yosemite on 3,000-Foot-High Tightrope, Without Safety Gear: Risk taker Mich Kemeter took sightseeing to new heights when he crossed a steep gully in California’s Yosemite National Park on a one-inch tightrope, 3,000 feet above the ground, without a safety harness. The 23-year-old Austrian made the death-defying trip across 25 meters of...

burn baby burn

I was just told that for about $30 our trash company (city contracted company) could come by and pick up our pile of recyclable cardboard boxes that have grown since we have unpacked. I have had them outside for two weeks waiting for the recycling trash pick up to get them, and then watched as the regular trash routers completely ignored the stack and drove right by yesterday. Now, they would have picked the boxes up had they all been folded and flattened and put into our recycling trash can...however this was already full. So, I have decided that we are doing away with yet another non-necessary house bill- the trash bill. Without naming names, I know many people who are fed up with the creeping costs of trash disposal. Solutions I have seen- composting (of course the original trash disposal method), burning (which we can do in small amounts on our firepit- burning paper goods, mail, small cardboard items etc), and simply separating out leftover trash items to be taken to city recycling dropoffs (which I assume are free like many other cities we have lived). Another path to consider that is done quite often by people I know is to dump your trash into a "company bin". This means using some larger company's BIG dumpsters (for example Walmart) to throw your bags in. This only being done after you have taken recycables out, and doing only about once a week.

Recently having paid a minimum fee for a basic cable package...we are considering going back to free antennae we have had for a few years- the network channels while amusing, really stink as far as quality shows, and all the public channels offer great shows (last night I watched the ARTS channel with all those musical videos...Eurovision is a wonderfully weird producer of these). Another bill off the list!!

MEATBALL CUPCAKES

Here's your "food porn" for the day (not my term but used enough in the media to have become somewhat less offensive and now just "ho-hum" in the shock value department). MEAT CUPCAKES. We all know that cupcakes and the mini versions were Sooo 2008 so now- meat cupcakes are in baby! I say totally gross but am always amazed what humans can do with their time - like reading this blog for example (what is wrong with you??)

MEAT CUPCAKES. It's like a literary ironic chef's worst nightmare all wrapped up in a "waffer" thin paper just waiting for some hipster foodie to try out. NOT the vegetarians of course. Only the hipsters who have decided "F the compassion for animals we're all going to die anyway" kind of hipsters. Those kind.

Go find some of the MEAT CUPCAKES and indulge in one of the most disturbing but strangely human food trends I have heard of in a while ...except for the "dirt cuisine" that is something I would try but only if the dirt has been through one of those Sears Catalog Rock Tumblers from 1984 (I had a rock tumbler and recently gave my box of polished rocks to Dominick yes indeedy) and then through a filtration system. Then I would test the dirt that people are paying big bucks to eat.

Have fun eating your flesh tomorrow. hee hee hee. evil laugh... I will.

Link below- please enjoy:::

http://jezebel.com/5862140/meat-now-available-in-cupcake-format

What are your favorite live albums??

I admit it, I am not a big fan of live albums. "Exit Stage Left" (Rush) and "Under a Blood Red Sky" (U2) are two of my most tolerated ones. The Avett Brothers, Jimmy Buffett and Zac Brown Band have fun, folksy sing along type albums that I can also enjoy for about an hour. I really adore live concert footage (DVD) and we have White Stripes and Audioslave in Cuba (an outstanding show) for example. Some people love live albums, I prefer to hear the music as clearly as possible, without the drunken shoutouts (I'd rather be there live, than listen to other people party) and hear what exactly the artist decided was the best representation of their songs to put down digitally from the studio. Either way, everyone has their own tastes musically. What are your favorite live albums? Some of these are the typical eye rolling inducers from the 80's generation like me who had to endure countless airings of "Frampton live" on the FM radio growing up- so some of these have been numbed down to my musical sensitivity. But, music is a LIVE art form that constantly grows on you, and changes you, whatever form attracts you to it!

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2011/11/best_live_albums_from_axl_to_zeppelin_.html

A side note.

Sometimes the hardest thing for a parent of a special needs child, is the time during which you are lulled into thinking your child is perfectly "fine." Because, of course, out of the blue you are jerked awake by a moment of anewed clarity. This may be a moment of fear, during which your child does something that most kids their age would not do, or any moment like that. These times are the hardest- not the times of therapy, learning new ways to adapt, or making their lives better- that's the easy stuff.

It's the time of "almost normality" that is almost a cruel trick. Parents go about their lives, allowing for the small illusion that they can ease up, let go, and relax. Be assured, every child has "special needs" but some of them, like ours, have needs that even our closet family and friends just don't see- the little things we have to do for them every single hour to make them safe. It is exhausting, mentally and physically. Our child is happy, playful and full of life. He has vision needs that affect the way he learned to speak, communicate physically, and even coordinate his movements. He will lead a fulfilling adult life because he has never known any different.

For parents, the differences are hard. But that place of contentment, so alluring, so welcomed...is a place to beware of. It's full of promises that weren't yours to keep. It's not about lowering any standards for your child, but about changing them...

Then, the parent can sleep in contentment- being assured of what is reality and what is not.

That is peace.

The tricky art of letter-spacing

Let's forget about all the news of abuse, snarkiness, Kardashian divorces and other tripe. What REALLY matters is that the right font and the perfect spacing of letters. After all, what you put on paper or digital surfaces is a reflection on your true inner being. To us font nerds anyway. Just remember, all caps means you're an angry bitter person. Never use all caps like some people do on Facebook unless you want to be seen as a self imploding pile of volcanic sociopathy that is waiting to take down city hall.

Nice fonts are a true mirror into your innermost self, not your makeup, your clothes or your daily good deeds or how many times you smile.

True!

The tricky art of letter-spacing

Flexitarian Advice

About two years ago, right at holiday season, I decided to try being a full time vegetarian. As was pointed out to me by several people, if I was still eating dairy or seafood I was not a true vegetarian. (By the way, I love being corrected by peers...try it sometime. It's fun to watch me squirm and hold it all in..being a true Capricorn and first born and A-type personality). With this information and determination I forged on, planning meals with no chicken, pork or red meat.

The red meat part was the hardest part to let go. I actually have never been a big chicken or poultry food lover, ask my husband who saw me squint every time we got some chicken parts ready for roasting or grilling. No, I'd rather have my meat be all red, full of thready muscles and taste of blood, salt and pepper- just like a good steak should.

Another point- I never decided to reduce my meat intake due to caring about the animals as my biggest "reason" although I certainly have been known to be a animal loving person. Rather it was more about a cleaner diet, lower calorie and less cholesterol laden meal planner for me and my family. Stew on that if you like, but I don't care much for the bullies at PETA or the insufferable health gurus who use bullying to push their vegetarian views on others saying they are compassionate but really being mean, judgemental and spiteful.

All has been going well, although admittedly I have shared a homemade burger or steak with my husband the past few years, I am trying anew to make meals 7 days a week with no meat included. This means there will still be a few fresh beef parcels in our fridge, waiting for my husband to marinade for that craving we get, and my kids may still get the fish tacos we make now about once a week. In fact, seafood is something I just cannot quit - from the fresh grouper from home, the oysters, scallops from Appalachicola and the red snapper from Bay County fish docks- in moderation we are a seafaring family. Luckily due to the rising costs of meat, it is easy to decide to reduce our meat buying, and you will be amazed as I have been how much cash you have leftover for other food items when you greatly reduce it!

Here are a few tips I have incorporated into cooking our meals that reduce other things besides meat, such as sodium, weird fillers and triple named chemicals in rice and pasta "flavor packs":

When cooking with canned beans, which I do ALOT more now for protein, iron and fiber- always rinse the beans to get rid of about 40% of the extra salt you do not need. The flavor will be there, and of course the beans are a great replacement food for meat.

Use canned beans to replace meat- for tacos, enchiladas (I make a great black bean, corn side dish and stuff enchiladas with yellow rice topped with scallions and fat free sour cream). Beans are also great for spicy dip bases, soups, and mixed with bow tie pasta (for fun) and a can of cream of mushroom soup for a casserole type crowd pleaser.

If you happen to purchase pre packed food like the instant pastas or rices that come with the "flavor packets" only use about 1/3 of the packets and toss the rest. Yes, even with the awesomely gooey Mac and Cheese of old, do it. Your kids will never notice the difference, and their bodies won't be full of 3 days worth of salt, MSG, whey, and all the other weird stuff that make the orange powder so volite.

Don't over- serve! Kids don't need half a packet of fig newtons or a bowl of cheerios for a snack every few hours. Recently I fell into the "lazy trap" of giving my kids bowls of snack food so we could pack and move. Also easy to do when someone else's child is eating this way. Don't waver- I try to always have bananas, pears, plums, grapes and whole foods in the truck if we are visiting other so I can chop and serve for snacks.

Dilute the Juice! I buy no sugar added (sometimes organic) juice for my kids - in the big bottles. During the course of the week, they can have juice but I pour 3/4 of their cups with fresh water first, then the juice. This makes the juice last longer of course, but also let's the kids have juice without all the extra sugars and fillers. Again- getting their taste buds used to food in their more purer forms, best you can.

It is easy to play around with these ideas...i can easily go to extremes. Sometimes we go for days with just soy milk and water (for the kids), sometimes we splurge with some turkey hot dogs but even those are going the way of the dinosaur for us. Another thing- I just noticed I used the word "splurge" - watch out around your kids that you don't use food as a treat. This is something I am working on. Kids don't need to have food issues this early in their lives! A treat should be a family outdoor activity not a bowl of cookies.

Always working to be better, always willing to learn for myself and what is good for my own.

Have an awesome day!

Michelle Duggar Expecting 20th Child

Salt:

Let's get all the stuff out of the way first: they want to have a large family, they do not use or believe in birth control, they have every right do live their lives as they want to in our great country.

Lime:

I wonder if this desire to stay in a state of perpetual pregnancy (which is a whole different topic) gives Michelle Duggar some kind of feedback or personal gratification. Is it the attention from a long running reality show? is it an underlying fear of not knowing what it would be like to be a woman for an entire year who is not pregnant, who has to really help with all her kids and is not pandered to while "resting her feet"? Believe me, there is something quite delicious for most pregnant woman, when for a while, everyone who loves you is catering to your moods, your sore feet, and helps you out with many of life's little annoyances while waiting for your big day and new child. Is she doing a form of "hoarding", not knowing what she would do if she didn't go out to every little flea market and bring home any shiny white object that glimmers in the dusty windows?

We wish nothing but good health for a new mom and child. She seems to be a well meaning mom whose children adore her. I would call letting them think that dinosaurs never existed is a mild case of child abuse, but that again is a different story:) People are free to be as ignorant (even purposefully) as they like in this, our great nation.

Michelle Duggar Expecting 20th Child: Michelle Duggar and husband Jim Bob are expecting their 20th child. The stars of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” (expect a title change next season) made the announcement this morning on NBC, surrounded by her husband and their 19 children. Duggar, 45, now three...

What’s the language of the future?

Hello old friends! Again, long time no see...I have finally settled into our new home and have our home office up and running. I am going to name it the Beehive. Here in the Beehive, we are busy as heck but wanted to post this nice article about the future of our most popular language. I will return tonight for some personal insight, news, opinion and various sundries while you wait eagerly for every word (ha ha). Have a great Sunday and if you're like me, you'll be hatin it at 5 pm tonight when the sun goes down- I wish the cooler days of fall could be just as long as summer! Meantime, enjoy your day and tell someone you really love them.

What’s the language of the future?

I miss my old friend's pea green Mercedes!

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/design/2011/10/car_paint_colors_why_are_so_many_cars_painted_white_silver_and_b.html

We have landed. And- I hope you are all doing well today.

How are you doing this wonderful Saturday? are your ducks all in a row or are your planets zipping through the universe all out of whack? Either way, you could just get in your car and drive...which is one of my all time favorite things to do.

Last week, my entire family loaded up two vehicles (one with a huge one "U" on the side), left one vehicle behind that is now somewhere in the Hillsborough/Pinellas area with a family member, and drove. We drove north on Hwy 19, past New Port Richey, Crystal River, north past the ever interesting time capsule of Perry, FL, and then came to the wide open green hills of Tally South...staying south of I-10 just long enough to enjoy the country air before elevating our vehicles to the I-10...famous for (what I think) are the most enjoyable miles of hills in FL mostly due to the green hills AND the lack of traffic.

We are safely ensconced in a family home...biding only a few days until we move into a new home. One we are in love with..it has a huge old wooden workshed that I cannot wait to set up my oil painting items in. No more worrying about my kids inhaling paint thinner or touching my canvases before they dry (this takes weeks with oil). My husband did not stop smiling the entire week, being around his family again, enjoying dozens of bands at Deluna Festival, revisiting our mutual favorite spots in the panhandle...and enjoying the brisk cold blue air and pure white sand that makes the panhandle fall time the best place we love.

one thing we always said was that living near the I-10 area makes you feel like you can go anywhere...only 1.5 to historic Mobile with all it's similar Spanish and French architecture, and only hours for an evening jaunt to New Orleans and from there...the West. Every time I have traveled "west" I have used I-10...amused and sometimes slightly troubled by the crazy landscapes of Texas, the obvious poor living of parts of LA and MS, and then turning north towards New Mexico to climbing elevations, crayon colored sunsets, and dry desert air.

I love the Southeast and Mid Atlantic and it's very old thick forested canopies, but now look forward to some road trips more "out there".

Because in the end, that's always been my most favorite spot of all.

The store that killed small business

what killed the small business? Besides automobiles and fatter Americans who don't want to drive to 5 different places to get their various sundries (love that word)....

The store that killed small business

Steve Jobs's 2005 Stanford commencement address

The part I like the most about this speech is how he emphasizes not to bow down to other people's dogma. In other words, to keep a firm ear to ground of YOUR OWN truths, your own goals, intentions, and inner voice (or voices if you tend to be multi-personalitied). I like this reminder because in this new world of constant chatter, internet opinions, self educated "experts", one can be easily distracted (even momentarily) by the sounds of other's fears, outrage, feelings and biases. We all are human. We can all share, and enjoy the community of social networking...but i think staying firmly truthful to one's own inner voice is a goal worth fighting for. Only then can we reach our full potential and quite possibly discover our individual purpose of being on Earth.

Steve Jobs's 2005 Stanford commencement address

Insect Advice

It is perfectly acceptable to kill huge Florida roaches that dare to fly inside your door with furniture spray. It is.

The creative class is a lie

Great article on salon.com about the so called "creative class" that emerged mid nineties with the net and opened doors to any artists, writers, creative minds etc. Did we, instead, like some commentors wrote- fall into the easier trappings of reality tv and internet debate (the angry passive aggressive kind, not the fruitful kind I always search for)? Are we really using the internet and all it's new toys (facebook) for our best potential intellectually, and for the personal well being our our families (i.e. potential income)? or are we just still playing Angry Birds, passing time, and using the net for distractions rather than for our betterment... are these run-on sentences- You bet. Grammar is not my thing this morning it seems.

Is that a word- "betterment". Better Google it.

See article link below and have a wonderful day free from the spider web memories of last's nights horrific slaughter of the Gators. That was some ugly. Ugly stuff.

The creative class is a lie

Mystery is good.

Sometimes I think that Facebook is steadily killing any and all nostalgia about people we knew in the past. Perhaps there is something to be said about leaving the past as it is, stuck in a haze of one-sided memories, dream like perspectives, and memories that were meant to remain left alone. i am not speaking of anyone in particular, but rather after some events that have recently transpired that leave me thinking the past is better left in that safe closet of old times, where the present doesn't shine the light of harsh present day reality. I say, leave the old ghosts alone, peaceful in their graves buried under years of questions left unanswered. Mystery is slowly dying due to the large connectivity of today. There is romance in not knowing everything, and romance (not the passionate kind, but the sentimental kind), is necessary for humans to keep using their imagination. Remember that- before Google? Imagination.

Look in our own backyard.

Soo---- this message will self destruct in 10 minutes. I'd like to be around for dinner tonight.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/25/world/americas/mexico-editor-decapitated/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Story time.

Once again, I am left with little time to write some things down. However, there is this - I am reading a best selling book about how our children are going to need the education of "nature." Furthermore, the book describes how we need to teach the next generation to deal with their time management between the technology of their time ( the obvious stuff now- texting, gaming, Facebooking, etc) and incorporate real "outdoor time" so that they have balanced minds.

Now this seems like some fluff, but it's not. It's great if your kid is fast on the texting, twitter, etc but our minds have evolved from ancient cousins who used to listen to the air, smell the air, and taste the air for survival. It doesn't take much time to take our children into some local nature sanctuary and just picnic or walk ( there are thousands of state parks in our country) nature trails and secluded riversides, lakesides, beaches or mountains. I have specifically noticed changes in our own young kids (ages 2 and 4.5 now) when they have spent the entire weekend or day outside of the house. I know it helps their imagination, their creativity and their personal growth. It reminds them that the tv, dvds, and yes even music - are better enjoyed after they are "missed" for a while- aren't most great relationships like that?

I say- get your kids outside for quiet time- yes, they may want to run around, yell and have fun. But also remind them that the trees talk, the wind speaks, and the water definitely has a story to tell- every single day.

Give it a rest!

Read link below and give me a big AMEN. Put that song to rest where it belongs. I remember buying my first Jeff Buckley CD years ago and playing it to death (learning shortly after about the great songwriter that Leonard Cohen was). Still a great album but when they put it in a SHREK soundtrack- ten years ago- you know its time to let beauty lie still in the grave. Forever at peace, never to be sung again by some reality show contestants.

As AWOLNATION says "Can I get an AMEN?"

http://www.salon.com/news/music/index.html?story=/ent/music/2011/09/19/hallelujah_already

You- Please Run for President

Michelle Bachman is not going to become our next President. Neither is Rick Perry or Mitt (I have no other wives) Romney. Do not panic. I am so still trying to wrap my mind around the extra-ordinary hoopla over Obama in 2008 (and his win) that I cannot even hold my breath for a better candidate this time around. There are no rays of hope - only a light down the road, waiting for the next election in 2016. He had two years with his own party entirely in power and here we are, still pointing fingers and of course, I am reminded why in the end, we need to elect people who have actually had some leadership and managerial positions. This isn't a local environmental group who needs some permits to clean up a lake, this is the entire country someone needs to LEAD.

That is all for now, Go Gators and please, if you think you can be a better leader, PLEASE Run.

Coffee Perks

According to a recent Southern Living article I came across, coffee has many perks. Now, I am a purist when it comes to my Joe- I have never added sugar or flavored creamers to my coffees, when possible. I only like it black with a smidge of milk, cream or lite cream. That's it - no lattes, foam, whipped cream, cherries, nutmeg, syrups, espresso shots for me.

Here are the perks of being a coffee drinker: bottoms up!!

It may reduce your chance of diabetes- 3-4 cup drinkers are 25% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. This of course without adding all the sugar and cream calories and fat.

It helps reduce muscle soreness after workouts. - caffeine reduces post exercise muscle soreness by nearly half.

It's a great source for antioxidants- good for your heart!

It''s a brain booster - increases short term recall, and 3-5 cuppers are 65% less likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Whoah!

It may reduce your chance of getting some cancers such as liver, breast and colon cancers.

Drink up..

What is up friends???

I can't stay long, but plan on checking back here by midnight for some more items, as I will be "writing" (that means for $$ and career baby steps) and in the meanwhile will be posting fun stuff on here, as this is my creative notepad. Let's get real - there's alot of CRAZY to talk about these days, ameye right or what?

Let's think about this while you work, if you had a dinner with any 10 people in the world (let's keep them alive for this one) - who would they be? Let's get some out of the way (Jesus, Mother Theresa, Nixon, Vlad the Impaler).

So let's go from there ;)

I am thinking Jack White for starters, Christopher Hitchins, Jim Carey (I have never loved his movies but have always thought what a bucket of crazy to have as a friend), Oprah (great hostess gift giver right?), Tilda Swinton, and those are to start. I have many favorite authors but most I truly admire are in the land of the light and glittery clouds, except for Amy Bloom and a few modern poets, and I don't know about saving a spot for them, don't want to discuss pentameter, symbolism and free range writing all night.

It's hard to really pick so few. I mean there are circles of different people- the ones I admire for their life's works, the ones I am just curious about due to their unusual or infamous behavior, those who still manage to retain some mystery in their lives, and those that I want to just share good food and conversation with. (Javier Bardem or even Kathy Griffits for two very extreme examples).

Anyway, time for school pick up and then errands with the kids to keep everyone busy until bedtime- the best time of the day.

Tata for now dogs and cats.

Why I will never be a Real Housewife

I have weaned myself off of the Real Housewife wagon the past two years. since canceling our cable and being in general a ton more busy, I stop by Bravo.com every few months to see what's going on with an old friend (I LOVE the real estate show with Jeff....). Anyway, I have compiled a short list of why I will never be a real housewife:

My McMullen hair is too thick and wavy for it. All the gals on RHW shows have straightened hair. I always got lots of compliments on my actually very curly hair ( i have pics to prove it trust me), and I kept it super curly until about two years ago. Before that- there were some periods of trying to straighten it but in the end, I went totally natural and let the curls fly. Now,my hair is super short and fun and sexy...but I know I will never again go against the grain and try to have long straight hair-- only long, super curly hair. Accept the wave, girls!

I will never get a spray tan. Yes, I use SPF 25 or more, and get out a few times a summer to "tan" the legs and tummy. I cannot do the spray thing...just can't. When it's winter, even in the panhandle of FL, you should look paler and hipper in the jeans and boots, not orange.

My house is not full of rental bronze and faux marble furniture. Alot of RHWs seem to fill their McMansions with bizzarely oversized furniture and things they never use- like grand pianos. I love pianos- and know how to play them very well. I grew up with a perfectly nice upright piano and have never expected more in my future when I want to get one. They go against a wall - leaving more room for playing with your kids, and your book shelves.

My husband is not an alcoholic or emotional abuser.

Plastic surgery is an option- but not mine. I do not see why any attractive 30 something year old needs any work. I could understand if you are 55 and decide you need a lift, peel, tuck or something else after half a century of raising children, or working hard on a career (just as important to alot of my friends). Now, I am not talking about the people that I know who are not "RHW's" - these women already have the upper hand- the time and money for botox, lip injections, jaw implants and other things. I am talking about the women who are obsessed with their body image so young that they never enjoy their full womanhood.

Enjoy your self.

I will never have a "crib" to show off to cable tv- mostly because we are rarely here if we can't be. We love our home, and always love our homes (we move alot and are glad for it). I dress our home with stuff we find traveling, on the beach, or from family. It's a mini museum - we even have old insulaters, fossillised bones from mastodons, and other weird stuff just laying around, if anyone wants to know about, we have stories!

I am too shy. My writing is easy to me. But being in front of cameras would make me look like a deer in the headlights of a Bay County fully permitted hunter who is lit on Jim Beam and has a bad wife. You know what I mean.

Well, I have a sick child tonight. If it's not one, it's the other. Our children are always so healthy, until one gets a cold...then it's "Let's put aside a few weeks for seeing if we need a doctor time". Fun! Hope everyone out there is doing well. Times are crazy but as one good old Chinese person said (Kenko) - "It's vain to think we are living in bad times...there were always bad times before you."

Free Kisses!

Until I am able to do my movie review list like I want to...here's a nice photo gallery of kisses!

BTW we just watched "Dinner with Schmuck's" last night and it was very very funny (in parts). I worry that Steve Carrel is turning into a one note tragi-comedy actor (or has he already?). No doubt he's talented but I kept thinking of Jim Carey's incredibly aggravating and annoying character in the "Cable Guy" while watching it. I know there are a TON of Cable Guy fans out there (my husband is one). But I could never get over how frustrating that story line was and Jim Carey made me crazy in it. That was the point I am sure. But I don't like being toyed with in that way (Capricorns hate being made fun of..we take ourselves way too seriously).

Ha! I did kindof get a movie review in there after all...anyway..got the whole family here this morning and my new name (Mom) is being repeated like a banging gong in my distant mind.

Have a great day and enjoy the kisses in below link:

http://todayspictures.slate.com/20110825/

Food Fight!!

Anthony Bourdain takes on the Queen Deen (Paula that is)....interesting commentary on how political foodies can get. I didn't realize the extent to which Deen is paid by Smithfield Food Products. My husband and I laughed hard at one show where she was showing a huge pan of mac-n- cheese to a foreign black child - she was shouting at the boy like he was deaf. We were like - no Paula he's not deaf he's just not American! holy wow.

Fun reading- it's a good one. Love love love the Village Voice!

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2011/08/bruni_culinary.php

What I've been doing

Hello cats and dogs! What are you up to on these hot humid nasty days? Did i mention it's hot and humid. About to get another afternoon storm here (pretty regular after 3) and soon that Hurricane Irene will be barreling up the East coast, making some poor souls get all wet and prob have no a/c for a few days (been there, lots of times- we always got beer, ice, fruit and charge those cell phones early!).

Soo...I intend on writing some good stuff here soon but have been a little busy the past few weeks. Twice within a 7 day period I am sitting here plugging away happily, doing some writing for someone else' website and blog. You may know him- Aaron Allen from Panama City, FL. His parents owned a great restaurant (Allen's Seafood) and we met up for a quick lunch last year after getting in touch on Facebook. As cheesy as some may think Facebook is, I have to say, I have liked getting back in touch with some old friends, even those I may not have been super close with 20 years ago- but rather the ones who I may have more in common with now, or even find interesting company for lunch (who Aaron, of course, is). My two young kids were behaved enough but that's not the point-

The point is, you should check his website out sometime. He does global restaurant consulting, and I am helping to write blog posts for him. His site is http://aaronallen.com/ . I love doing this kind of work and am hoping to offer my services to more companies soon. Anyway, Aaron and I have been in touch about working since January (when I did a few works for him) and now I am helping with a few blog topics he needs research on. Obviously, in this my own blog, is full of grammatical issues and editing nightmares...but I am very happy to have another creative outlet as real work.

So....if you look at his site under "Restaurant Marketing" (under Blogs) you will see two posts "5 Tips for Location Based Services" and "5 Well Done Restaurant FB Pages"....you may recognize my own voice on those. Of course Aaron has great anecdotes to insert and great professional information that is also infused into the blogs! Anyway, check it out sometime. You are welcome to "like" any of his great articles (look for him to do more fantastic stuff about Global Food Crisis and Foodie Trends too). I have also contributed several other ideas like "Successful blogging," "On Facebook, Now What?", "Like and Share, the Dynamic Duo", and "Selling on Facebook" which you may see posted down the road.

Let's be clear- the ideas and initial information is all Aaron. I merely edit, contribute great screenshots, ideas and additional information. Fun- what a journalism and advertising geek like me loves to do. And all from home!

Soo- the next time you get on Facebook and wonder why I'm there for three hours a night- I am probably doing restaurant marketing research (trust me, tons!) and NOT trying to find out where you live or if you're married !

LOVE TO YOU ALL - Jenn McC. PS will be writing again very soon :)

How are you? I am busy today and am writing for a living tonight but hope to break out and write on this one for a while later. There no being left alone with two small children - for such a previously private person i am now officially "Broken" of that personality trait.

Two boys ..... it's enough to drive a girl insane ...but they're mine so they don't!

CHeck this meditative art film out for a few....

http://www.salon.com/entertainment/movies/our_picks/index.html?story=/ent/movies/andrew_ohehir/2011/08/11/over_your_cities_grass_will_grow

Things I am going to spend a moment on and then try to forget....

Here what needs to go away or retire for a while, or forever:

24 News Channels - they are making everyone nuts. It's not news, it's someone's opinion parading as news, and it's sad how many people watch and nod their heads in unison without thinking for themselves.

Kardashian ANYTHING. Please please please. please please please. Please.

Texting - great for business communication, but I detest it for friendships, family and people I hold "close" - use the digits and your voice if possible. I know we all do it, but I miss the long phone conversations I used to have with tons of people, now everyone's all "Write me on FB" - why not call? Oh, you're too busy texting me or writing on FB - lol.

Kanye West

Music Smugs- these are the folks we all know who still think it's cool to act like they were the first ones to see a new group, discover them, or share them. Yes, yes you did it first. Does that make you feel better? Music is for sharing, not for being snobby over.

Reality TV - except for cooking shows, which are mildly meditative and zen- like unless that red faced Brit is screaming at someone, in which case you can always turn the tv to public channels and get Zen moments from Lawrence Whelk, Austin City Limits or Ken Burns doc (all reality based)

JLo - Thought she'd get married to Marc Antony after all that Bennifer crap, and lay low - but no, she had to go get separated and insert herself again onto our world stage. Get off my stage JLo!

Britney Spears - because she and N'Sync pretty much RUINED MTV starting around 1998. Time to get back to the bayou little blondie, drink some mojitos with momager and raise your kin.

90's Nostalgia - isn't it a little too early to daydream about the days of Boys to Men, late Hair Bands, Bill Clinton and big cellular phones? I get a little tired of constant nostalgia, especially the ton or remakes from bad tv (Buffy Vampire Slayer, 90210, NOTKB tours). Leave the stuff in the past, where it belongs. Except for Steve Spurrier footage, I don't need to be constantly reminded of something that, in my own mind, is really only a "few years ago."

That's all I can muster for right now...I have been writing for various other things lately (including two essay contests $$) so my mind is slightly fried. The fam is good, and we are very thankful for some helpful family members who let us have two whole evenings children free. Next up, my summer list of movies, ratings and all. We saw a ton of movies at home this summer, and by were there some stinkers and stars!!

Happy Birthday World Wide Webbernet!!

"Member the days when you stuck an AOL disc in and could go to Taco Bell, come back and visit web sites for about 10 minutes per week? that was fun wasn't it?? Sine FB is all "Remember when..." this week, thought I'd post this fun link from Salon about the old webbernaut days! Happy surfing.

http://www.slate.com/slideshow/business-tech/happy-20th-birthday-world-wide-web#slide_2

According to .....

Inc.com one of my favorite zines about small business information:

15 Sq Ft of workspace was lost by the average office worker from 1994-2010

Sales increases for fitness centers and sports centers grew +13.62% from 2009-2010

while sales decreased for car washes -12.187%

Men sent an average of 555 text messages per month while women sent 716. (according to Nielson).

So - more people are working out of their home office or cars, are going to car washes less (which makes sense, we always wash our own cars and alot of states have had such bad droughts that car washes are closing down), and women are texting a ton. Which is funny because i text about twice a week to local family for plans or a few far away girlfriends. But I always prefer a long old fashioned catch up session using real voices. I see men texting alot more than women, in my life, but hey you say to-may-toe and I say toh-mah-toe.

Cool off with these!

Forget about the salt and the lime...these are all about the lemons - plentiful right now, cheap and perfect for cold drinks on hot days! Enjoy.

Rated R Lemonades..

Thyme and Lime Lemonade- 3 cups lemonade to start. Mash up thyme with lime juice, add to lemonade and chill for an hour. Add 3/4 cup vodka, serve over ice, and garnish with thyme. Serves four friends...if you don't have any - then get some.

Hibiscus and Mint Lemonade - 2.5 cups lemonade. Steep 4 bags hibiscus tea and 2 cups fresh mint (easy to grow, and great ground cover btw), mash the mint, let cool. Discard teabags and mint. Combine tea and lemonade. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh mint leaves.** G Rated lemonade.

Spicy Cayenne Shandy - 1 cup lemonade, combine 2 tablespoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper on a small plate. Moisten the rims of 4 glasses and dip in the salt mix. In a pitcher, mix 2 12oz bottles lager beer and lemonade. Serve over ice. Sounds interesting! Someone should try it out because I haven't had time yet.

RHONY - Whackadoos!

just a little reminder that too many cocktails and pills (besides other things..) can lead to some not so nice "girlfriend" conversations. Witness Andy Cohen trying to referee during one of the Real Housewives Reunion shows of late. I don't watch these anymore since we don't have Bravo, but enjoy seeing the short clips that Gawker and sister site Jezebel provide. Here's your Tuesday night dose of CRAZY>

link below

http://jezebel.com/5824799/kelly-bensimon-is-insulted-by-other-womens-vaginas

Reasoning with a 4 year old is like bargaining with a squash. No deal

the Gig.

I am happy to announce that I have returned to something I love to do (and getting paid for it) - being a freelance editor for a unique company and it's website blogs. I will tell you more about it at a later date. The topics cover everything from food trends, travel, global issues and most importantly - the global food crisis.

I am also moving into a new phase of life soon by working full time (editing done during my free night hours). The full time career has many possibilities, and I am super excited. It's been interesting to be a stay at home mom for almost 4 years, but I have found it...well let's just say sitting around playing full time day care can be very very mundane for my curious mind. My sons have been very lucky, I realize, to have me to attend to all of the first milestones and their father is of course usually here. But I am happy to help "pitch in" and get back to being a true partner for our household. We have goals and one of them is to travel more (i mean really travel, not just go to concerts or local camping). Who knows, if we work like the thrifty little squirrels we've become the past few years...we may end up cutting all ties, getting the rv, and head OUT - sans couches, sans tv, sans lawnmower. Hello Maine Iv'e missed you, hello Boston Musuem of Art - been a while, Hello Denver, Utah, Texas, New Orleans, ATL and NYC- been a while! And yes find some new places to see!

Sounds great! Hope you guys are doing well. these dark rainy afternoon give me really bad headaches - i hope it would break already, rain buckets and clear up so I can smile without hurting my eyebrows.

Just look at the following link and tell me those don't look delicious!!

I haven't tried these yet but heard about them through several friends. Although located in NYC, she does ship in the US. They are mini-cupcakes and are priced reasonably well for such a unique item. Would be a great addition to a wedding/baby or "I'm single and without child and Fabulous" shower (women need more those).

I am a big fan of great ad pop art, and love this website just for all the colorful little goodies framed in extreme closeup. Enjoy!

http://bakedbymelissa.com/#/flavorsandsizes/

How Finland became an education leader

Interesting post from Salon.com about education in Finland. We could use a different model right about now. My children are not that old yet, but I hear a lot of parents rail against the large amount of testing their kids do every year. I'd rather my children learn real life skills they will use : economical education (how to save, avoid debt, be smart with money), business models, several languages, creative arts, musicality (helps with memory and creative thought processes), physical education (yoga, running, some competitive sports is just fine with me), how to behave in social situations, respecting our elderly, compassion and empathy (emotional education including anger management), and required volunteering hours in order to graduate.

Have a wonderful day!

Link below:

How Finland became an education leader

Whatever you do, do NOT go outside right in Westcoast FL after 9 pm. It's a jungle out there. HOT, steamy, in general not nice. We have been doing to yard work on our back lot, moving mulch, making room for a grassy area, and there is nothing but beetles, skeeters, flies and wasps to be unearthed. We have seen a black snake slither across our porch, a rat snake out front, and several little field mice running around. We live in a normal suburb. If we lived out in the "country" like we both have talked about doing..these natural wonders would be expected and something to wonder at. Here, in a neighborhood, it's not so nice and cute. The 4 days of rain from last week awoke the beasts of the ground, and they are still hunting, getting as much as possible in case the next drought comes back.

I miss the cool weather. The mild air of fall, the breeze and hint of winter coming. The whisper of football weekends, nights in wondering at how cold it's going to get, and the chance to wear jeans and boots. Nashville gave us more than enough months of that. Looking for something a little more..in the middle.

Hope all of you are doing well tonight and have a great Sunday. Right now, after a full day of cruising through Clearwater to Clearwater Beach (haven't been there much lately) and the library to stock up on our weekly kids' movies, CD's and books, it was a very good day. We ended up at the mall, getting some items from sales and then after the whole family went home, I went to the gym the last hour it was open.

We wait with anticipation for fall. We go to our local Dunedin Causeway and Honeymoon Island often as normal, and have many good memories there. But now the time is here, the next few months are so hot that the water just doesn't cool one down enough. I have never lived near the Gulf where it is so placid. In PC the waves are usually kicking and the water is deep. Here, it is just as beautiful and lures you in with not many days of tidal swimming accidents. But this is the time...to find the movies, stay out of the heat, and bide our days until Fall arrives. Gator time, Ohio time (both in our house) and shorter evenings of fresh cool air flowing through the windows.

Hello and this is not the WSJ and Sex.

Just wanted to say hello to my old friends out there who stop by and read this blog. I appreciate your feedback, thoughts and giggles about it and hope it entertains you at times. I figure if you want the facts, read the Wall Street Journal, NY Times or even Facebook (there are a TON of experts on FB). A blog is just a ghost of diary and a shadow of a journal. I leave out huge parts of me and leave some room for you to fill in huge parts of you. Maybe leave room for relational thoughts and a moment to go "what?" or " I know exactly what she means". That's all. It's not here to educate and you do not need my expertise on - anything.

One a side note, my tutoring student and I had a church giggle tonight because the topic of sexual attitudes in the US was brought up between us. We discovered that we had the same viewpoint of the US. One kinky, fun, neurotic, exotic, experimental and sexual group of people who really are that way but are generally made to feel guilty due to our Quaker and Pilgrim roots. Sex on cable tv is either adultery or done before a big murder (after which Horatio comes to clean up the mess). What we meant is - how deeply neurotic we are and oppressed we are made to feel about feeling and being sexy beasts that we are. In northern European countries, children get a good talk about pregnancy prevention and similar topics and they educate their children on these things. As a general rule, we don't talk about sex but yet our kids see it all day on tv. Seriously check out cable or network tv sometime. And it's not "good sex" where people are laughing, hugging, enjoying themselves...it's usually some criminal or judgemental light put to the story line. There's not alot of "loving" sex (and I DO NOT mean just married people).

All I want to say to America is lighten up. Have fun, quit telling other people how to live, look at yourselves. If you're bitter, ask why. Have sex, have fun, be safe, read the WSJ sometime and stop being judgemental of others. I have gotten so sick of snobby people the past few years. It's like they popped up like weeds lately. The right to assume you know best for others is an idea that should have gone the way of the Pilgrim. It's time to work on ourselves, to be better, happier and then spread that feeling around. Not to be so arrogant and righteous as to be bitter at other's happiness. That is backwards. It doesn't work. I have seen people try to maintain a "friendly" appeal but their inner snob always come out, wafting out of their tight smile like smoke.

or maybe they just need a friend, for the night.

Yeats- reposted because I just noticed that previous poetry post didn't show up. Oops!

I WILL arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

Should kids be banned from restaurants?

I love Salon's column writers, not because I sometimes agree with them, but because they bring up interesting thinking points. I know kids can be annoying, but let's remember, at many of the very nice places we have dined at in the past during our travels, Phillip and I have seen adults act like totally out of control monkeys too.

It's all relative. Any person at any age can act childish. As a society we just notice the tots more because they scream, throw food at the floor, and whine while the adults dining have more subtle ways of showing their displeasure. passive aggressively arguing with their dinner partners, skipping a tip for a bad waiter, sending back food, asking for the manager, or making the waiter "run" in the duration of the meal. Not to mention the drinkers who don't realize their conversations aren't that funny, they aren't that smart, and they aren't important enough for everyone else to have to listen to.

that said....

In the end, I do think businesses should be able to decide what age customers it caters to. It is a form of discrimination, to a point....a logical point. If I want to go eat at a high-end place for romance and ambience, I should feel secure that some tot is going to ruin the mood. Now, if someone doesn't like this rule then they can vote with their money and go to a place where they can bring their children. It's free choice. I have worked at 4 restaurants (2 higher end and very busy), and watching people drag their kids to dinner when they should be in bed was never fun. It almost never worked out. Other patrons would have a ruined meal just because Mom and Dad were too lazy to get a sitter and make their kids meals at home. That said, I think businesses (again) should be allowed to make that choice. Child friendly to attract families, or child-free to assure patrons of a nice quiet dinner out. Hee hee "child-free".

Should kids be banned from restaurants?

one of my favorite poems.

I have many books of poetry, the first one I bought over two decades ago, and many others were given as gifts. Since then,I have bought a dozen annual anthologies of modern poets. I love those, and admire many poets who have emerged in the 1990's through now. However, Yeats tugs at my romantic heartstrings, and although some of his poems seem sentimental to some cynics, many of his works are, at their heart, very dire, very straightforward, and very compatico with any modern reader.

I invite you to read one of his works printed below, and also buy a book of his poems to keep at home. I have one that I got long ago in a bookstore in Panama City Fl decades ago. I have many other volumes now, of great poets. I enjoy sharing what I love, and poetry is always there, under the surface of the silly stuff I write about. My husband knows that I am returning to my roots when I am reading my poetry or old literature books.

Reading stuff on the internet is not the same as having a pile of good books to read. The physicality of holding a book (any book, even I delve into a good Jonathan Kellerman or Patricia Cornwell novel every month along with some great literature) and turning pages and reading type is not the same as looking at a monitor. It's about the experience of reading a poem the way it was meant to be read, especially ones before the advent of the internet. I have published this before but it bears repeating:

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made: Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee; And live alone in the bee-loud glade. And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow, Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings; There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow, And evening full of the linnet's wings. I will arise and go now, for always night and day I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore; While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey, I hear it in the deep heart's core.

"Rapt": An icy-cool French kidnapping thriller

I love a good comedy especially one with snappy, right on, modern and even raunchy humor is ok if it makes sense....but I also love a well written drama/mystery/thriller like my old stand- by "Casablanca". My husband is also a film buff when it comes to watching these great foreign features and we even have certain directors we recognize who do outstanding work. I have always liked that about him (my husband). He's subtle, and he just sits and listens to people try to put on their airs, and he has a good chuckle about it later, and has great conversations with old and new friends, depending how un-snobby and pretencious that person may be (most of you who read this know exactly what I mean). I admire that and think it's cool how many wonderful foreign movies we have watched in the last ten years or so. This looks like a great new one.....see link below. We are both always game for some new film to stir our souls. It takes alot for a pair like us, we have seen alot, traveled alot and know a ton of different people. But a good film? We always look forward to those...Cannot wait to see this one!

"Rapt": An icy-cool French kidnapping thriller

mint juleps and Nancy Grace

I know alot of people who are in the public eye (from a t.v. show or news column, etc) really do try to actually bring attention to issues in our country. I also believe at one time, Nancy Grace was a pretty normal (for a lawyer) woman who got sick and tired of the large amounts of crimes against children and women in our country. She decided to do something about it. She got a show, and has slowly driven her crazy train towards the shallow end of the ocean.

I really did used to catch her on CNN and would be slightly amused, sometimes wary, and even sometimes touched by the amount of emotion she would show about the victims of horrific crimes. But then, I realized, just like someone watching Law and Order SVU reruns on a Sunday cable marathon, that the original intent of her message is lost in the close ups of gore, fantasy, unnecessary graphics, overindulgent talking heads, and silly interviews that do seem scripted.

It would be nice if someone would create a show (in her stead) that would lay out crimes so that a sane person could follow without feeling completely visual and mentally assaulted afterwards.

As someone who has always had an interest in court cases, crimes and enjoyed the law classes I took, I have empathy with those who felt emotional about this horrific Casey Anthony case. As time went on, like a bad soap opera, the original missing person crime turned into a messy daytime drama. It was ugly.

Maybe Nancy Grace will retire now to a 3 story on stilts over in Hilton Head and make organic soaps for her friends in between massages from a flown-in Swedish blonde hunk who even paints her toes Atlanta Red for her. They could watch the waves, gossip, play rummy, drink mint juleps and we'd never hear from her again.

That will never happen.

see link below for some general American wackiness. Don't let it upset you, it's just another helmet headed media nutjob who gets a whole hour to spew stuff. (thanks, whoever let this one out of Belview).

http://jezebel.com/5818628/the-best-of-nancy-graces-batshit-casey-anthony-coverage

Lilac Wine covered by Jeff Buckley

If would like a beautiful few moments of life..then just listen to this. I hear someone is trying to make a movie about this wonderful musician which always makes me nervous. Biographies are risky and someone this talented and young deserves a great actor, especially given he died so young.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yo3M2Z0tD0

Curious George vs. Casey Anthony

Today at 2 I was browsing through my FB account when I got top secret messages from some friends who knew I was interested in the Casey Anthony case. And NOT interested as in Nancy Grace, stand in line for hours to get inside courtroom and watch 24 news networks kind of interested. more of a ...ok so I have had to hear about this story for 3 years now so what's going on with it kind of interested. So the verdict is in. Not guilty. Alot of us are outraged. Knee jerk reactions and gut feelings pervade the airways and we get angry that this mean looking, dark haired mother witch has probably gotten away with murdering her daughter or disposing of her body after an accidental death.

Luckily, in our country, we are not supposed to convict someone due to feelings, knee jerk reactions and gut instincts. The prosecution never had enough evidence to link Casey directly to murder or even accidental death of her daughter. There was a TON of circumstancial evidence, all clearly showing a slippery slope of how her daughter may have died. Computer searches, weird after child goes missing tattoos, not telling anyone her daughter was missing, strange sudden recallings of incestial family ties. More of it popped up - body parts, duct tape residue, and the infamous smell of death. Unfortunately too much time had passed and alot of physical evidence was lost forever in the woods.

However, in the end we have to relent and listen to the arrogant bloated roosters that are Casey's attorneys that are on tv right now, Right? No, you can join me in my quest for sanity and flip to public television , where due to our wonderful free antennae service, my kids can watch Curious George and eat a snack. They can unknowingly enjoy a Mom who decided to turn off the trial, and watch the little monkey make, yet again, another mess. If the real life grown ups are going to act like pre-civilized creatures (the media and lawyers), I'd rather watch a cute one whose owner wears a yellow hat.

amusing article posted below- thanks Jezebel!

I am surrounded by our two main chiefs right now so this is a quick one. One has been in hot water for most of the afternoon so if they both can behave then a nice cold popsicle should mellow everyone out. Hope you are having a fun July 4. This one is the first in a while when we don't have big plans and it's kindof nice. I still have options open to take the kids to (things besides the later night fireworks like some open air festivals and parades) so we'll see. We already cut and pasted some flags and recited the Constitution by heart. Just kidding about the last part.

Have a good one and keep it on the road.

http://jezebel.com/5806750/how-to-be-a-vegetarian-at-a-barbecue

HELLO PEOPLE

Hope you are having a great July 4th weekend. I can tell the grasshoppers of FL are hoppin when I hear nothing but edgers, lawnmowers and blowers right now. It also means our first dry day in 5. Where to begin.

1. Our son went into the ER again this week. It sucked bad, for us and mostly for him. All wired up and stapled down while they tried to find the cause of his high fever which in turn caused him to have along seizure, during which I had a panic attack in the ambulance with him.

2. The above ordeal was not something we take lightly. Nick is fine now, but the past few nights I sleep with one ear open, not that it would help. I think about what he heard while in seizure, if he felt my hands on his head and chest, if he heard me whispering to him the whole way.

3. Now we are having to tackle some ignored yard work. We have made a vow to NEVER again buy a house, and furthermore when we do move again (and we will) to have a low maintenance yard. This one is great, but we just do too much out in the community and for entertainment to really need to have a large front and back yard someone has to constantly work on. I love plants, but in our smaller yards I was able to procure herbs and flowers all the same.

4. On that note, we are not going to buy another home for a while. We are way too mobile to have to deal with any plumbing, roofing or other issues. We have been lucky with this wonderful home so far, but now that our kids are growing fast, we'd rather spend our extra expenses on all the things we have put off for tow years- camping, traveling, fishing more, and visiting far away friends and family.

5. We are moving back to the panhandle within 6-8 months. We love it here and have made alot of great memories the past three years, including the birth of a son, lots of great parties in Brandon and here, U2 concert, Big Lebowski Fest, Crickateers friends and fun, and people we have met in downtown and Safety Harbor. Since last Thanksgiving, when we had a rather soulful visit to PCola and panhandle, we realized as we left that it was our basecamp and that our home here was more like a longterm vacation home. Things shouldn't feel that way. Plus, we like the panhandle locations because they are closer to New Orleans and ATL for future events or even moves. Old friends, old/ new friends we left behind and a ton of people I know are migrating back to the North (panhandle) after being gone decades. There are more reasons but we can discuss those in the future.

6. I do not understand why these people are in the news: the Kardashians, Ashton Kutcher, Angelina Jolie, the Teen Moms of MTV, Jersey Shore crew, and Gwyneth Paltrow (what an unfortunate name).

Most of these people are passing in their 15 minutes, but some fall under the category of celebrities who think that because they are in LA that they are experts on world issues such as poverty, etc. Most do not have college education, some do. Most live lives in a vacuum of managers, nannies, and photographers. Most have agents who donate their money to charities. Most are not good actors but still get decent roles. Most cannot carry a tune but people (family connections) still insert them onto music show duets and we are cringing for them. Egos are a great way to never feel scrutinized, and that must be a great feeling.

Jersey Shore- I've never seen it because we don't have MTV but the amount of internet cover stories they get is astounding. I wish them no harm but would like one weekend without getting on my beloved pc and seeing any of these silly people.

That's all for now- outdoors again to continue some yard work and then drive down to the beach for a stroll or snack.

Mumford & Sons - Awake My Soul (Live)

I am listening to Way Back Home by Band of Horses. If you have never heard this song, please do so at your earliest convenience :) Every single time I listen to it, it gives me chills. It's like the Beach Boys had their children and they created a band for the modern times. It even has the "wall of sound" so famous from Phil Spector (who unfortunately shot a woman in his home and is now a murderer).

Anyway, the point of this post was that I have been terribly homesick lately. You may have noticed. My heart is on the sleeve of the internet and I am a pretty honest and open person. Now "Infinite Arms" is playing, another great song from BOH. These songs make me feel like I should be cruising along HWY 98. Am I having an early midlife crisis? No. I am happy with my life, family and current situation. However, it's too easy to want more. Isn't it. Sometimes, I want only to take my whole family back to Bay County to live, grow up and enjoy the special places that I know and that Phillip and I enjoyed as an early married couple for a few years. Nothing is the same as home, or being close enough to get there in less than 8 hours.

It has been a hard month to be honest, we took Nick to the ER at midnight about two weekends ago because he couldn't breath. He is fine now. Croup, they said, an easily passed viral infection. I spent the past few days washing everything in the house. Airing out, fresh sheets, throwing out some stuffed animals and explaining that to our kids. In the meantime, Mumford and Sons music helped me out too. Music doesn't give solutions but it certainly helps a scared parent out at times.

When your kids are suffering, there is a part of your heart that will never be the same again. Trust me.

Stars - Take Me To The Riot

Posting some vids from Deluna Artists

Deluna Fest this year will be awesome. I am a big fan of many of the bands that are coming and also love seeing new stuff "live" and then have some new bands to talk with Phillip about. (Bad grammar, it's Friday what do you care). This song gets better as it builds. The vid was directed by the same folks who did some kick butt White Stripes and Foo vids.

If any of you can make it to Pcola for any of the now 4 day Deluna Fest, please do so! We met up with some good old friends last year and of course that has been Phillip and my own hometown at different periods in our lives. We love it! It has the cosmo feel of a larger town with some homegrown friendliness and a ton of great downtown venues, symphony halls, and art museums. In fact, the first Warhols I ever saw were in downtown Pcola, and although I saw many more years later at Boston Museum of Art, the Pcola one I drove there with a few girlfriends...was my first high school brush with art that was not out of a textbook. (Panama City caught up a few years later ;)

Tata for now, but be ready, because I am into a musical mood and there ain't no stopping that train.

Cold War Kids - "Hang Me Up To Dry"

A small post

First, I wanted to ask all of you how you are doing this evening and let you know that we are doing well. This includes alot- A TON. "Alot" can mean different things but we really are doing fine. The kids aren't in the ER. I am so finely mellow after staying in Gulf water for more than just a few minutes- got to swim, soak and talk to some exotic people from far away places (New Yorkers) who were so friendly I had to step back and stop myself from asking if they had lox for my bagels at home.

This place is strange still, my birthplace, the "tampa area" I was born. So many family around, so many holidays spent here throughout my youth (many ones I was ticked about but got over it as I grew up), so many familiar places that my parents went to high school, got married at, family burial sites (McMullens in the house!) and deep sentimental ties (McCarthy/Mock families also) that have been so nice to revisit, especially since my parents come here often.

Family aside, in the end, all I wanted this morning was to not have to THINK, PLAN, CLEAN Or WORRY for just about 4 hours. And ,thanks to my best friend, Phillip, I did. And he gets his. We trade off days sometimes, but this one was overdue for both of us. He had 5 days off in a row, and keeping two young boys happy for 12-14 hours with a nap is hard to do> But, we do it! We take them everywhere....3rd Fridays, wine festivals, Tarpon Springs, the mall which has an indoor playground, the beach,the playgrounds, the gym with a daycare...you name it, we find something to haul them to...just like our own parents did.

I remember sitting in the back of a pickup truck with a camper top with a tub full of scallops leaving Gulf County years ago. My parents didn't ASK if they could take us scalloping..we just did it. Some days, we would end up driving around northern Bay County looking at Antique stores in Eufala, Dothan, Chipley or Youngstown, and come back with cool treasures, just because we were told that is what we were doing that day. We didn't question...we went with the adventure.

Whether you take your kids out on a boat like mine did our whole lives, or you take them to a zoo...the memories you give them stay with them forever. I am proof of that.

But keep in mind..it's ok to take a "break" - each parent getting away to remember and live their hobbies or loves is healthy and needed.

Sharks beware! There's a mommy in those waters! Nothing is more watchful, sharp, or in desperate need of soul Food.

Twitters Anonymous Needs a Meeting Place

There is a ton of stuff to write about like how politicians shouldn't be sexting pics of their weeners to girls they don't know (personally) ...I mean if you're in love (talking to you, Mr. South Carolina) then by all means write love letters and fly around the world to see your women on the side (and ruin your family). But please have some class and at least use POLAROIDS.

Whatever happened to keeping your semi-delusional and fantasy dreams to "yourself" and going old school like FDR did with his famous Lucy. It may make your wife miserable, but at least she has the option to leave you before the entire world knows what a 15 year mind you have. (not you the reader, but the politicians who may happen to read this, in my own fantasy). Technology has come a long way, baby, but it's not been long enough for some minds to grow up with it.

Twitter me this - if anyone wants to see your private parts, they should be at your house, listening to the jazz flute, eating some fondue, and stoking your fire. NOT sending you semi-adolescent pics of themselves with a towel draped suggestively around their torso. NOT someone we need in our government, or in our school systems, churches or other leadership roles.

Besides that, the Big Dipper is out and the heat is too. I have never felt such a hot spring before and I thought the places we lived before had outdone it. No. This place has the prize. Most of the year it is really nice and breezy and peaceful, but I truly think the crazy traffic and heat makes people crazy here this time of year. I almost envy the people I know who live in much different and exotic climates. We have talked alot the past year about where we might live next and all I saw is...further north! We love our family here ALOT but this traffic and the feeling being boxed in this far south is weird and unexpected. At least in the panhandle there are roads taking you to anywhere, immediately - west, east north and south and with alot less time :) I used to get to NOLA in about 4 hours, TX in 6, and ATl in 4.5... That's just a start for most of us trippers who like to drive Out West or just up the Mississippi Delta or to the NorthEast to see old friends.

Oh well, we love what we can do here, and that's alot. Everywhere we have lived, we have found interesting people and places, and sentimental special spots for our family to revere.

What does that have to do with Twitter and the Twittering nude pics of congressmen? Nothing, and thank God.

no moon out here tonight

supposedly there is something going on outside with the moon tonight. no luck here in our neck of the woods. It has been a crazy but good last few days. Kids are still sniffling but no trips to the ER after last week. That was a lesson in being a parent. One of the reasons I used to not want to be a parent was because I knew that being on meant getting your heart broken. It is true, and it happens. The children can scare the shit out of you, and you have to deal with it. There is nowhere to run, and no one to help them but yourselves.

I was always a commitment-phobe, and would get real antsy anytime someone wanted to get serious. I knew that I would react the same way if I ever had kids. This personality trait is one I am constantly working on. A really good friend of mine and I had a talk recently about how the same is true of many things, and how "how" we were as teens or even 20 year olds doesn't really change, but circumstances push against you, and you have to learn to grow emotionally and accept responsibility anyway. Some might say this is "growing up" I say it is deeper than that, not so black and white. I say it is not that easy and that our true nature or personality whatever you want to call it, is a cloudy and unmovable as the weather outside tonight. No moon, just a mass of humid clouds dumping large amounts of heaviness.

In the end, the pay off is that on good days, the light comes out and what we have to do is clear as the sun is bright, or the moon. Enjoy the moonlight, wherever you are. Tell me how it looked!

Mad Men "The Suitcase"

If you have never watched "Mad Men" please do so at your earliest convenience :) We just watched an episode from season 4 titled "The Suitcase" and I have to say it is the best writing for a t.v. show I have seen in a long time. In order to better appreciate it, you would have to see the previous seasons, I admit. On it's own, it was like a post modern Tennessee Williams play, but including more winks and nods towards the impending doom of modern times (Mad Men takes place in a 60's Manhattan ad agency, but there's so much sub plot nodding to race issues, gender issues and it's a general last hoorah of an age before the hippies come in...and they do. As beatniks, and they are not the enemy here, trust me.).

This show represents two decades after WWII when people thought they would live forever, have sex without consequences, and marry without doubts. I love how the writers show women trying to find their way, using their brains and their other attributes to get ahead, and without being judgemental. The men do the same thing, and in this show, all is equal in the end. Whoever has the brains, in each story line, gets a prize. But is it what they really want, or what society is telling them what they should have?

Besides that, the corporate sessions they have of actual ads (Samsonite, Playtex, Ponds, Pan Am) are great , the story boards of old, the radio and tv ads being drawn up and played out in offices that are in the end, million dollar accounts, all with some cocktails at lunch hour and real life history (freedom riders) thrown in to make it seem "real."

I never thought a team of such great writers and actors could be assembled for one place. And it is here. "Mad Men" is for the curious, the open minded, the people willing to revisit a past they may not have known, but their parents did. It is a place to laugh and sometimes get a tear jerked out by scenes that are artfully carved. And, it is art. I said it- there is art on tv. "Mad Men" deserves all the critic's awards it has gained, and it's fan are rabid. I'm on the leash. It's that good.

Bay High Story Vol. 1 Story 2

Back in the day, things were not much different. You had alot of teachers wearing different hats. For example, sports coaches teaching a math, English or Spanish class each semester in order to fulfill their full time job standards. Almost all of these coaches were very good at teaching these subjects, and all was well. There were a few though....

Subject "C" was a coach who taught a secondary math course. They also were a popular coach although there were many who wondered why that particular person was so popular. This coach taught a "class" of a skill that was required to move on to the next grade. Bad move. This coach was always being fawned upon by people who were so insecure as to think they needed to do this in order to get a better grade. In fact, they were right. There were certain people who resisted the coach's unslightly moves and somewhat illegal way of talking that they ignored them. Thus they got worse grades.

This happens alot we are sure. However, to see it happen so blatantly, some students should have spoken up sooner. The coach/teacher was not a good teacher, and would never really answer questions in order to help those that did not wear short skirts or kiss some ass. Is this person still around. You betcha, in some way. Betcha some people better make sure their kids are safe if they are enrolling in good old Bay High, Stay High. Betcha others will always keep an eye open. This coach was better at watching the girls kick a ball around a field then in coaching their math skills. Nobody's perfect but if you sign up to teach, you better be ready for the fall out if you play the field.

What a wanker!!

the thing about kids is that they remember EVERYTHING. They don't forget that you promised another afternoon drive to the beach to have dinner sandwiches with veggies (my fave way to eat as a family...no high chair cleanup or floor mopping afterwards.) No, they won't forget. EVER. Not even after a full day of church, gym, nap, playtime, bubbles, coloring and general center of the world-ness.

Kids. kids kids kids kids. one just gave me a toy blue pick up truck on my knee. Back to parenthood for me. Hope you are having a great day!

Bay High Story Volume I

I promised you guys some Bay High stories, some of you went there, most of you didn't. However, maybe in the stories I start posting you can relate to in some way. Either way, enjoy. All names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Wow. I've got alot. Here's the first one.

At our school, there was a fourway stop. Very infamous. It's still there, just a little different. It had mostly student parking surrounding it. A particular character, A, had just had a dramatic and youthfully romantic relationship that had crashed and burned via locker love letters, late night phone calls (some intercepted by A's parents) and general high school drama and hormones. After a few weeks, A was just getting used to being a single person when the "other person" started dating someone else (C). The other person is "B" - keep up people. Anyway, after some more late night phone calls from person "B" who couldn't seem to make their mind up about what blonde to date (A, or C). they left the radar. However, just as A was moving along in young life, C, in a white sporty convertible type car with their older friends, spotted A walking with their friends at the 4 way stop. A mother f'in standoff ensued. I kid you not- the "German" car that C was in, although not driving, revved up and tried to run down A. No casualties, but the friends of A talked about exactly what happened and were so shook up they almost told authorities. Let's just say karma is a bitch. Which is appropriate. C, B, and their pals had some hard, tabloid times ahead and at least A and their youth left.

More to come, high school was alot of fun, but people were nuts. Next story will be more funny less crazy. It's all true though!!

Kings of Leon and Victoria's Secret have a wedding

Very recently, the lead vocalist for Kings of Leon (Caleb Followill) married Victoria's Secret model Angel with Wings and a G-string (Lily Aldridge). I first heard of KOL while living in Nashville as they were still a somewhat underground Southern rock Tennessee band, who burst forth with a more arena rock sound a few years back. This year, they released an album that I liked even more, as it went back to their somewhat haunting, high mountain sound and Caleb got his Western wear leathery voice back. Welcome back to the South, Caleb.

Anyhow, this is not about their music. This is about rock stars who marry models. It is so common but i wonder how these things happen. Here is a made up scenario for Caleb and Lilly.

(Caleb) "Hi, I'm Caleb, the lead signer for Kings of Leon. You're hot. Wanna jump in my limo and hang while we're in Toronto after the concert?"

(Lily) "Where is Leon?"

(Caleb) "What? Oh, never mind, I think you're foreign so that's ok that you don't know who we are. Anyway, you're hot. Wanna make out in the bathroom?"

(Lily) "You're all grungy, scruffy and smell like cigarette butts and whiskey, but you're famous so that's ok. Let's go make out."

(Caleb) "Right on, beautiful. Let me text my other girlfriends to tell them I'm booked for the night."

(Lily) "What?"

(Caleb) " Nothing, honey bunch. You're a flower in bloom. You're an angel and I'm the devil so let's make some sweet music.

(Lily) "Sure, you're hot so..."

(at this point Lily texts her Ukrainian model friends the following message: "I'm going home with a King, from Leon. Aren't you jealous?"

well, Mrs. Followill, maybe not so jealous after all! Congrats to the happy newlyweds!