For All You Bad Drivers...

-For all you drivers who fail to use a turn signal, I wish you the intelligence to discover exactly what one is used for.
-For all you drivers who can't drive the speed limit, I wish you the intelligence to discover exactly what they mean and to attempt to follow them.
-For all you drivers who wish to tailgate me at extremely high speeds, I wish you the intelligence to discover that me tapping on my nrakes is a warning sign.
-For all you drivers who throw you're cigarette butts lit out your window, I wish you the intelligence to discover that flammable objects can cause a fire.
-For all you drivers who pull in front of me disregarding a signal light, I wish you the intelligence to discover exactly what one is used for and why I honk my horn!
-For all you drivers who obsess with talking on the cell phone, smoking a cig whilst holding a soda, I wish you the intelligence to discover exactly what concentration is and how it can be used for driving SAFELY!!

-For all you drivers who bacically suck at driving and continuously piss me off, I WISH I WERE AN ELEPHANT SO I COULD TAKE A HEALTHY SH*T ON THE HOOD OF YOUR CAR!!!.

/end of rant

Have a great weekend and drive safely.

Friday Funnies

A Tale of 5 Days

Lately, I have been attempting to resurrect the person within me, the true me. I found that after my ordeal in 2006 that I had strayed from my chosen path and became a wandering soul lost in this maze of life. Decisions were no longer direct and simple, enjoyment of activities were minimal and I was constantly aching for something that is undefined. Everything I participated with still left an empty void.

And then last week, I finally discovered the void within my galaxy. I spent 5 glorious days reacquainting myself with Nature. Primal desires crested to new heights within quelching my yearnings for guidance. I spontaneously morphed into another person knowing all things regarding Nature and learning again all the aspects of Nature's cycle of life. I instinctively knew of the paths to venture allowing Nature to saturate my soul and mind with her beauty.

My connections with Nature rejuvenated my spirit as I reconnected with my lost soul. I cared not the elements were harsh, rainy, cold, windy and sometimes a sunny warm inviting environment. I cared not that deer, squirrels, birds, and many other forms of Nature went about their daily lives. I was at home...I found my peace and light shown through my void that plagued me for a decade. I had made peace within myself and with Nature. I found my path once again and my sanctuary from everyday life.

And then I remembered something I penned in 1987: "Peace and Tranquility; of oneness with Nature and God."

And yesterday's light reading brought forth a poetic piece I'd long forgotten.


I heard a thousand blended notes
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What Man has made of Man.

Through primrose tufts, in that sweet bower,
The periwinkle trail'd its wreaths;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopp'd and play'd,
Their thoughts I cannot measure,—
But the least motion which they made
It seem'd a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature's holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What Man has made of Man?

William Wordsworth

Hello..this thing on?...

"Hello boys...I'm baaaaaaaaaack!!!"

Back from my mini-vacation and I feel great! Muscles ache and I caught a lil sniffles but I'm feeling great. I'm rejuvenated and have plenty of blogs floating around in my head. Now to just get them on here. LOL

OMG..so many blogs to read and catch-up on and so little time. I promise I'll get around to visiting you all in the next few days!

In the meantime....don't forget:

Dazed over the Holidays!

Fellow bloggers...

Mark your calendars...

Don't miss the event of the year...

Make sure your well prepared...

It only happens here for one day! That's right...for one day and one day only you can attend the Holiday meet-up.

Dazed over the Holidays!

When: December 22, 2007
Location: Indianapolis
Time: 12 noon until ?????
Who: Me of course!!! And Dragon!!! And many others yet to be named! Any and all are welcome!!!

Everyone is invited! I realize it's the Holidays but I'm excited about this. If all goes well, I'll try and schedule one for the summer.

We will be meeting at Gray's Cafeteria at 12 noon December 22, 2007 for lunch. From there...who knows but at least we have a starting point. Excellent choice Dragon!
Here is a map: Gray Brothers Cafeteria.
And here is the address:
Gray Brothers Cafeteria
555 S. Indiana St.
Mooresville, IN 46158
317-831-5614

If you need directions, email me here and i will provide them to you. Let me know from what direction(town)you are coming from. Like I said...this is where we will start so if you have suggestions around Indy that'll be closer for some, email me or post a comment.

Join us for an afternoon of fun as Dragon takes Indiana by storm!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving
by: Edgar Albert Guest

It may be I am getting old and like too much to dwell
Upon the days of bygone years, the days I loved so well;
But thinking of them now I wish somehow that I could know
A simple old Thanksgiving Day, like those of long ago,
When all the family gathered round a table richly spread,
With little Jamie at the foot and grandpa at the head,
The youngest of us all to greet the oldest with a smile,
With mother running in and out and laughing all the while.

It may be I'm old-fashioned, but it seems to me to-day
We're too much bent on having fun to take the time to pray;
Each little family grows up with fashions of its own;
It lives within a world itself and wants to be alone.
It has its special pleasures, its circle, too, of friends;
There are no get-together days; each one his journey wends,
Pursuing what he likes the best in his particular way,
Letting the others do the same upon Thanksgiving Day.

I like the olden way the best, when relatives were glad
To meet the way they used to do when I was but a lad;
The old home was a rendezvous for all our kith and kin,
And whether living far or near they all came trooping in
With shouts of "Hello, daddy!" as they fairly stormed the place
And made a rush for mother, who would stop to wipe her face
Upon her gingham apron before she kissed them all,
Hugging them proudly to her breast, the grownups and the small.

Then laughter rang throughout the home, and, Oh, the jokes they told;
From Boston, Frank brought new ones, but father sprang the old;
All afternoon we chatted, telling what we hoped to do,
The struggles we were making and the hardships we'd gone through;
We gathered round the fireside. How fast the hours would fly--
It seemed before we'd settled down 'twas time to say good-bye.
Those were the glad Thanksgivings, the old-time families knew
When relatives could still be friends and every heart was true.

Caption It!

No Caption It! this week. I don't have a cool pic and the blog will be quiet from Wednesday until Wednesday the 28th. I have a few days vacation to burn. Its deer season here in Hoosierland and I've not been deer hunting in almost 14 years. I plan on taking my camera...so I can shoot some either way.

Although I did find a good pic that I just couldn't pass up.


I'll post again before Wednesday. Have a great week!

Dazed Over the Holidays

Dazed over the Holidays!

UPDATED

Fellow bloggers...

Mark your calendars...

Don't miss the event of the year...

Make sure your well prepared...

It only happens here for one day! That's right...for one day and one day only you can attend the Holiday meet-up.

Dazed over the Holidays!

When: December 22, 2007
Location: Indianapolis
Time: 12 noon until ?????
Who: Me of course!!! And Dragon!!! And many others yet to be named! Any and all are welcome!!!

Everyone is invited! I realize it's the Holidays but I'm excited about this. If all goes well, I'll try and schedule one for the summer.

***UPDATE***

We will be meeting at Gray's Cafeteria at 12 noon December 22, 2007 for lunch. From there...who knows but at least we have a starting point. Excellent choice Dragon!
Here is a map: Gray Brothers Cafeteria.
And here is the address:
Gray Brothers Cafeteria
555 S. Indiana St.
Mooresville, IN 46158
317-831-5614

If you need directions, email me here and i will provide them to you. Let me know from what direction(town)you are coming from. Like I said...this is where we will start so if you have suggestions around Indy that'll be closer for some, email me or post a comment.

Join us for an afternoon of fun as Dragon takes Indiana by storm!!!

Caption Contest Winners!

First Place:
What Deer Serial Killers Think:
"You know, staging a fake suicide would sure be a lot easier with thumbs." DragonLady

Second Place:
Cheney's a damn fine hunter when it comes to shooting at his "friends" but a deer...not so much! Ray M.

Third Place:
Hey Rex...Are you awake buddy? I guess you won't mind if I have a little bit of your snack and a sip of your Shiner Bock.... Becky

Thanksgiving Facts

The First Thanksgiving

The first American Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, to commemorate the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony after a harsh winter. In that year Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving. The colonists celebrated it as a traditional English harvest feast, to which they invited the local Wampanoag Indians.

Days of thanksgiving were celebrated throughout the colonies after fall harvests. All thirteen colonies did not, however, celebrate Thanksgiving at the same time until October 1777. George Washington was the first president to declare the holiday, in 1789.

A New National Holiday

By the mid–1800s, many states observed a Thanksgiving holiday. Meanwhile, the poet and editor Sarah J. Hale had begun lobbying for a national Thanksgiving holiday. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, looking for ways to unite the nation, discussed the subject with Hale. In 1863 he gave his Thanksgiving Proclamation, declaring the last Thursday in November a day of thanksgiving.

In 1939, 1940, and 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt, seeking to lengthen the Christmas shopping season, proclaimed Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November. Controversy followed, and Congress passed a joint resolution in 1941 decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November, where it remains.

How the Turkey Got Its Name

There are a number of explanations for the origin of the name of Thanksgiving's favorite dinner guest. Some believe Christopher Columbus thought that the land he discovered was connected to India, and believed the bird he discovered (the turkey) was a type of peacock. He therefore called it 'tuka,' which is 'peacock' in Tamil, an Indian language.

Though the turkey is actually a type of pheasant, one can't blame the explorer for trying.

The Native American name for turkey is 'firkee'; some say this is how turkeys got their name. Simple facts, however, sometimes produce the best answers—when a turkey is scared, it makes a "turk, turk, turk" noise.

H/T to reader Michelle!






(Double click the following one)

Hoosier Alert!!!

Fellow Hoosiers and bloggers from all over...

Mark your calendars...

Don't miss the event of the year...

Make sure your well prepared...

It only happens here for one day! That's right...for one day and one day only you can attend the meet-up to rival all meet-ups.

Dazed over the Holidays!

When: December 22, 2007
Location: Indianapolis
Time: 12 noon until ?????
Who: Me of course!!! And Dragon!!! And And many others yet to be named! Any and all are welcome!!!
Name: Dazed over the Holidays!

And there's more!!

"But Dazd..how can there be more?" I know...tough to imagine isn't it? We have planned a special appearance!!!

The exact location hasn't been decided yet. So if'n you all have any great suggestions on location, let me know ASAP.


Join us for an afternoon of fun as Dragon takes Indiana by storm!!!

Wednesdays Funnies

============

The big game hunter walked in the hunting club bar and bragged to everyone about his hunting skills. The man was undoubtedly a good shot and no one could dispute that. But then he said that they could blindfold him and he would recognize any animal's skin from its feel, and if he could locate the bullet hole he would even tell them what caliber the bullet was that killed the animal. The hunter said that he was willing to prove it if they would put up the drinks, and so the bet was on.

They blindfolded him carefully and took him to his first animal skin. After feeling it for a few moments, he announced "Bear." Then he felt the bullet hole and declared, "Shot with a .308 rifle." He was right.

They brought him another skin, one that someone had in their car trunk. He took a bit longer this time and then said, "Elk, shot with a 7mm Mag rifle. He was right again.

Through the night, he proved his skills again and again, every time against a round of drinks. Finally he staggered home, drunk out of his mind, and went to sleep. The next morning he got up and saw in the mirror that he had one hell of a shiner. He said to his wife, "I know I was drunk last night, but not drunk enough to get in a fight and not remember it. Where did I get this black eye?"

His wife angrily replied, "I gave it to you. You got into bed and put your hand down my panties. Then you fiddled around a bit and loudly announced, "Skunk, killed with an axe."

Caption It!

Leave your captions in the comments!

Caption Contest Winners!

"The squirrels were not fearing hunting season at the famous Christmas Place"

First Place: "Oh crap, my wife will kill me if I don't win my nuts back." Dawn

Second Place: The nuts here at the Christmas Place are a little stale. Do you have something else? Becky

Third Place: That had better not be an ace in your cheek squirrely boy! Hammer

Honorable Mention: Go Fish! Meleah

Remembering Our Heroes

What is a Veteran?

On Veterans Day, November 11th, we pause to remember and to honor the men and women who selflessly and bravely served in America’s armed forces to keep our nation strong and our freedoms secure.

Veterans Day traditionally is a day of celebration when communities large and small demonstrate their respect and appreciation for the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who have sacrificed so much for the cherished causes of liberty and peace.

This Veterans Day, however, will be a more somber occasion as we pay tribute to not only those who served in past wars, but honor America’s sons and daughters on active duty in Iraq and in the war against terrorism being waged around the world.

Observance of Veterans Day – or Armistice Day as it was known then -- began 84-years ago, in 1919, when Americans gathered to celebrate the first anniversary of the peace agreement that ended the first world war – the war to end all wars.

Today, many wars and conflicts later, we continue this tradition of paying tribute to those who have worn the uniforms of our armed forces. Our servicemen and women have freely given of themselves throughout our history to preserve the precious liberties and freedoms enjoyed today by Americans and people worldwide. We are the fortunate beneficiaries of their vigilance and determination.

The courage of America’s veterans has been passed down from generation to generation. Our veterans have proudly and bravely battled tyranny and oppression in the world wars, Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East.

And, today, our men and women in uniform once again are at war, bringing freedom to the people of Iraq and standing vigilant against brutal and ruthless terrorists who kill innocent people in their blind hatred of America and our special way of life.

Through their service, today’s veterans have joined a long line of patriots willing to risk all to preserve our freedom and the American way of life.

To the families of others who have made the supreme sacrifice – we extend our heartfelt gratitude, acknowledging we cannot measure the value of the freedoms secured by their supreme sacrifice. Their losses, however, will not be in vain, as our nation will emerge victorious in these wars and the world will be a better and safer place.

We are a nation blessed with an abundance of citizens willing to take up arms to secure, defend and maintain the principles put forth by our forefathers. Since the founding of our nation, nearly 50 million men and women have served America in uniform.

Half of them – some 25 million – are living today. They are our grandparents, parents, sons and daughters, co-workers, friends and neighbors – ordinary citizens who have served in extraordinary ways to preserve the greatness of America.

It is our duty as citizens of this great nation to remember the service of our veterans, their sacrifices and their commitment to America and its citizens. We should do so, not just on Veterans Day, but every day of the year.

That is the least we can do in recognition of the inestimable debt we owe for what they have done for us, and continue to do to make a better and safer tomorrow for generations of Americans, who will enjoy the promise of freedom and happiness as the legacy of the selfless service of countless patriots.

A few years after the end of World War I, President Calvin Coolidge cautioned Americans that “The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten.” The admonition is as timely today as it was then.

On Veterans Day 2006 let us join together in remembering our veterans and giving thanks for all they have done for us and our great nation. And, let us pray for the safety and well being of our men and women in uniform, and wish them success as they fight for the cause of freedom and peace.

Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU." Remember November 11th is Veterans Day.

"It is the soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier,
Who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag."

Father Denis Edward O'Brien, USMC

Wacky Wednesday

Folks...I always strive to find the funniest, sincerest, mainstream, off topic materials known to mankind. I think I have truly outdone myself.

If this doesn't work on the main page, double click for it to function.


And BTW...this is my 500th post!!!

Caption It!

"The squirrels were not fearing hunting season at the famous Christmas Place"

Leave your captions in the comments!

Caption Contest Winners!

"Johnny was sorry he made the statement...'It really chaps my ass the swings are broke.' "

First Place: At the Marquis de Sade School For Wayward Boys, even recess was an integral part of the curriculum. Ambulance Driver

Second Place: The other children laughed when they saw young Thomas Edison's alternative to hemorrhoid cream. Fortunately for the rest of us, the teary-eyed and ass-grated inventor never gave up. Arthur

Third Place: Once Bush realized that vetoing the SCHIP healthcare bill didn't quite go far enough... Ray M.

Honorable Mention: Tom Cruise, sick of hearing how his young costar stole every scene that he was in, takes the young lad to a "special" playground. Vince

Friday Funnies

Good Thoughts and Well-wishes

17 seconds of pure thought is equivalent to 2000 hours of action. If you are working a regular 40 hour a week job, that is about what you work in a year. 17 seconds equals 2000 action hours. Abraham-Hicks

What's this have to do with good thoughts and well-wishes? Nothing really except I'm gonna ask all my fellow bloggers to take 17 seconds of their lives and send good thoughts, well-wishes and/or prayers to the following people.

Momma Mia: She's developed a severe upper respiratory infection & bronchitis. Stop by and leave her some comment love...she really enjoys it.

Ksquest: Here hubby Walter is in the hospital after nearly having another heart attack. He's lucky to have a good woman like that by his side. Stop by and leave her some comment love...she really needs the buoyance right now.

17 seconds, 8.5 seconds each is all I'm asking for. That's not too much to ask for is it? Afterall, a person generally works 2,000 hours a year. That's 7,200,000 seconds a work year. 17 seconds a day is approximately 4,250 seconds a work year which is approximately 3/5,000% of the toal working time each year.

My brain hurts now...

Anyways, show them some support! And don't forget to tell them Dazd sent you!

Ps. And if my math is wrong, please leave constructive criticism.