It's TMI Tuesday! WhooHooo

Wouldn't you know that on the second TMI Tuesday there is a question I am not going to answer in a blog! After saying I liked seeing which questions OTHER bloggers didn't answer, I am busted! Regardless....here goes!

1. Early bird or night owl?
I suppose my nature is much more night owl but I have a tendency to wake up with any light. So, that sometimes stops any excursions into the night for me sometimes!

2. Where was the first place you ever had sex?
My mother reads this..I hope she does anyway.

3. On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you?
(1 is lowest, 10 is highest) I'd say I'm at an 8 or so right now.

4. Are you more submissive or dominant? Oh, I'll just face it and say dominant. I love when someone else will take the reins and get things done and done well. But the First Grade teacher comes out in me and I will fill in any spot that equals crowd control. That was the job where I had the most absolute control. They understood what I wanted and they really tried to do it. (and they told me they loved me and that I was pretty! Bet that doesn't happen at your job!) You think that happens as a principal?! You poor naive fool....

5. Do you believe in love at first sight? Yes, I do. Of course, it fails more than it succeeds but I think there's some sort of destiny between some people and when you meet them, you know it.


Bonus: Describe your bed time habits. I get in bed and fall asleep.

What side do you sleep on? Whichever side isn't taken.


What do you usual wear? Ummm....Mom reads this...


Any night time rituals? No

My mom....

Mom's 29th birthday (repeated for our pleasure) with
Bob, Anthony, Me, Patty and Bean!

I love my mom! We all love our moms! Well, most of us do! My mom just survived another visit with me and had a good time. I drag the poor woman all over creation and force her into humiliating situations when she's here. For example, The Boys and Girls Club Celebrity Luncheon that I unfortunately am forever tied to as a performer along with the Chief of Police, various city dignitaries and other school employees (all male). We do a little dance, get introduced and do another little dance. Then, it's out into the crowd to earn our dinner! I always insist that the mayor should NOT introduce my mother out in the crowd but he must forget and he always does. Along with a comment like
"Who'd want to take credit for that?!"

BTW-I had $100 bucks tucked in my... er ...given to me by the crowd at this year's event. We made nearly $15K that day.

B&G '05

Each year, after attending, she insists she'll never do again that she's gotten the idea. But once again, for the third time, she returned to support me in the show. That's her way. She's supportive in a quiet, refined, way. Well, as quiet and refined as this event can be. She still tells me it's almost as crazy and twisted as I am!! Hey, she's not that accepting. But both my parents were this way in raising us. They were there for us when we needed but they were going to make us learn to support ourselves, too! My dad passed in 1999. There are still days that something happens or some politician says something stupid and I think "I can't wait to hear what Dad'll say about that!"

B&G '08

The Whole Fam Damily '99

While it couldn't have been easy raising my brother, Chris, and me in conservative Nebraska, they told us to think for ourselves, be true to what we believed and to never vote Republican (I'm kidding on that last part...sort of). They have lived with the consequences! Both of my parents were there for me even when I knew they didn't agree with my choices or plain old disapproved! I always knew where they stood on an issue and that was on my side. Chris and I were so different in temperament, interests and outlook that it must have made for some very schizophrenic parenting decisions. But it worked since we're both loving and caring people, although my brother takes it too far at times.

My mom, who is older than you think and has forbidden me from telling, still works full time for the Rotary Club and loves it. She's survived my dad's bouts with cancer three times and was with him when he died. She's beat back lung cancer twice now herself! She's a survivor.

She's busy, got a wide circle of friends and admirers as did my dad. Many of my friends stick with me only in order to keep in contact with her. She's even gotten love letters from my exes at Christmas... "It's odd! Just so odd!" As kids, my brother and I used to hate walking into a restaurant with them because my dad and then, later, my mom and dad would get stopped, called over to tables, chatted up, etc. We thought we'd never get to eat. I had a flashback of that this year when Mom and I attended a formal dress ball when I went home for Christmas. Of course, several people knew her from Rotary. I had one man tell me he loved my mother. I politely agreed and he vigorously nodded his head and repeated "I've loved your mother for 30 years!" I replied with "I've loved her for 48 years!"

I think when you meet her, you'll understand.
Mom and me at the Getty Center
She had her artsy & gelled hair-d0

It's TMI Tuesday!

Every Tuesday, another blog ( TMITuesday ) posts questions! I always enjoy reading the answers on friends' blogs. And I REALLY enjoy seeing which questions other bloggers choose NOT to answer! I guess I just gave away that little guilty pleasure, huh?

HAPPY TMI TUESDAY!


1. Pancakes or waffles? With or without toppings?
I usually prefer pancakes but I love a good waffle. Toppings? Maple Syrup? You bet! All that Rootin' Tootin' fruit stuff? Uh, thanks, but no!

2. They say, "Way to a man's heart is through his stomach." What is the way to your heart?
Being a great cook can't hurt, that's for sure. However, a good generous spirit, a great laugh, intelligence, and being tall also help a lot!

3. Have you ever gone to a topless/clothing optional beach? If yes, did you participate?
Amateurs! Who needs it to be clothing optional? I'm hardly modest. In fact, the few times I have been modest have been more worrying about other people's embarrassment than my own. I went to Ireland with the F man in August but who expected it to be in the 80s and sunny? As we drove through Donegal we came across a beautiful beach surrounded by rocky cliffs and greener than green fields. There were families there and a few visiting Spanish tourists! (They left Spain to go to the beach on the North Sea in Ireland?) We walked for a while and got around a few boulders, and, having no swimming 'costumes', we stripped. I wasn't about to get in the cold water but the F man did his always impressive and stunning swim way out as I lazily sunned on a rock. A family with toddlers suddenly came around the boulder and, being Euros, they were unfazed! Just imagine if I were in the OC!!

4. What song reminds you of a previous relationship (for good or bad)?
There are a few, Best of my Love by The Emotions keeps in mind that one person's best is someone else's worst. Just recently, when I would be justifiably angry, the song I Say a Little Prayer for You with customized lyrics (designed to make me soften my stance and get over it) would float from the next room accompanied by soft strumming on a guitar!! And it worked! That song always reminds me just being creative and talented with music doesn't mean one isn't also manipulative and unwilling to accept responsibility for one's actions. I still love to dance to it! Then there's Ode to Billie Joe,which always reminds me that laughter makes for a great memory !!

5. When, where and with who was your best kiss ever?
Oh, I wish I could say I remember but, unlike the songs, anything that was the best or even close gets minimized in my mind when it's all over. But there's nothing like a great kisser, the right situation and the right mindset.

Between previous relationships and best kissers and nude beaches covered in this TMITuesday, this clip seemed appropriate...

At least I'm consistent...

HOUSES!

Ever since I was a little guy in Omaha I've had a fascination with cars, old cars, blonds, convertibles and houses. I loved doing those charity collections where you had to hit up everyone on your block. I got in every house on the block in Sunset Hills. Sometimes I got homemade cookies for my generous efforts at making the world a better place. HA! I did so well some of the charities gave me a bonus block! Needless to say, between oncoming adolescence and multiple charities, I was less popular as the years dragged on. But while it lasted, I knew everything about some of these families. They should have known better because I had real issues with chattering away as a child.

But I loved seeing how all these mid-50s ranches could appear to be more or less the same but were quite different. The Hagstroms had a huge kitchen with a bay window...the Manchester's was too small for a table even...The Williams' had a fabulous intact 50s kitchen with turquoise appliances and big windows. Mr. Dowd's kitchen was big but I don't think any food was ever prepared there.

I still love houses. Just ask Chris...not brother Chris...Southern Chris. When visiting him in Chicago, we drove out to Glen Avon Woods Ellyn to see my cousin's house. He thought we'd do a quick drive by, see if they're home and head back to the safety of urban life. No! Even though he was driving, I sneakily suggested a few "I-don't-know-where-I'm-going" turns because of something I'd seen on Google maps. But he was a good sport. Just set me loose in a neighborhood of interesting houses and I can meander like an old lady in the health and beauty aisle at the Safeway.

So here's my topic for my first blog. (The crowd yells "Finally!")

I think you should be able to take over your neighbor's house if they completely ruin the neighborhood.

Repaint, remove ugly additions, relandscape all at their expense!! You have to look at what they've created, for goodness sakes. A simple vote of your neighbors and you'd better hold onto Grandma or she'll get a makeover, too!

I have an example of course:
Hancock Park in Los Angeles is a beautiful neighborhood of large homes with great architectural style from the 20s and 30s.
.

There are wonderful Tudors

(although someone chose to cut down all the trees)

& Spanish/Italian Villa-esque homes (C'mon...it's LA!)

Then we come to this!

Don't miss the details! Check out the droves of Davids along the drive!

And does anyone really need that many bars when there's so much evidence there is NOTHING worth stealing from this house?
I tell you, they should come home from work some day and find that it's been returned to it's original 50's mega-ranch house blandness, AND huge bills from a contractor and a trash hauler.