Kohl's Fashion Show Update

We completed our second and final fashion show for Kohl's this past Friday. It really was a lot of fun working with them. What was even more fun, was that ALL of the models in the show were from MTM (our agency) so we were like one big, happy family. AWWE, how sweet.

This was a "back to school" fashion show,and KOHL'S was the client, so don't complain when you don't see half naked women. We had a lot of "half pint" models and I must say, they steal the show from us "aging" models. You also might be thinking right now,
"Addy, what the hell are you doing in a back to school fashion show...you're pushing 30!"
Well, some people thought I looked 19 and that I fit in with the college folk. Hey, without the kids and the wedding ring...I can pull off being 19. I just take away all reason and maturity, simple. There were a few other oldies in the show with me so I didn't feel so bad. Thank you George and Brandon!
So here's some of the pics I promised. They're not amazing because I snapped some when I could (while I had 30 seconds in between runs). I also recruited the dad of one of our models to take some pics of us on stage, and he admitted to not being able to use my camera so well. What can I say, technology.
Enjoy!

One of the runs, we had to wear T-shirts that described the kind of denim we were modeling. I got stuck with the Skinny Jean. You know, the one's I told you I wouldn't be caught dead wearing on the street again. Yeah, horrible. That, and the shirts were made to fit the guys, so they had to "cinch" them on all of us. The goof in the red is Laura. It doesn't look like it here, but she has been considered for Elite modeling in New York.

Some of our "half pints" passing the time by playing "hand clappy" games- Or whatever the hell they're called.

As the lights go down and the music begins, I was able to snap a quick photo of the jumbo-tron from back stage. Impressive huh?

Pay no attention to the glowing saftey devices in the background. Those were there so we didn't crash into them as we're haulin' ass from stage right to stage left, to enter/exit the runway and change into our next outfits.

Saftey first--right Kim?!!

Laura opened the show for our combined audience of 700 Kohl's corporate schnooldes.

Here's a great ass shot of yours truly in my "rocker 'chic" dubbed designs. I haven't worn flats or leggings since the 6th grade. ST Martini Baby!

(God, I'm slouching too! How embarrassing)

Our guys work the runway well. God Bless the Muscle Shirt!

Stripes Are Hype 'Yo. I felt like the Pillsbury doughboy in that big white hat. Mellisa plays to the excited crowd while George looks like a hotter version of Freedy Krueger in his get-up.

Here was our entire group after a weeks worth of hard work. Of course, we're all smiling because we just got paid on the spot...and Kohl's upped our rates because they were so pleased. The shows were a succes, Kohl's couldn't have been happier, and MTM has 25 models to be very proud of!

A Very Memorial Weekend

This past holiday weekend brought some much needed family bonding time, as well as some not so much needed family bonding time. I'll get to that in a minute though.

Saturday, we went to the zoo (my favorite home away from home) and we took in the beautiful weather and the amazing sites of our rapidly expanding zoo.
Mr. Vinny and Miss Maddy even got to see some life size dinosaurs that are going to be visiting our zoo over the summer.

I always enjoy watching my children, or any child for that matter, completely engross themselves into a new and exciting environment. It's as though nothing else in the world matters, except for that fantastic moment they're living in. You can see it in their eyes and feel it in thier movement.

I wish that we, as adults, could feel that way again. Our job now, is only to help shape our childrens' awareness in order to make sure all of the wonderful experiences they take in as children, will still be within reach when they too, become adults.

I have to say, my favorite part was going for a ride on the carousel with Mr. Vin! Though he wasn't too happy when I told him we had to wait in line to take our turn on the carousel. Once we got on though, Vinny was ALL smiles, and so was I.

Our Not so much needed family bonding, came on Sunday when we traveled over to my father-in-law's home for his retirement party. Don't get me wrong now, the kids had a great time visiting with their "cousins" and I was happy that my father-in-law can better enjoy his life without the hassle of work. I do like my father-in-law, it's Kevin's step-mom and her kids that baffle my mind. This might sound terrible, but I'm convinced they hate me. The thing is, it's not only me, they rarely speak to Kevin or even to my sister-in-law Kim. I can get over any dislike for me, Que Serra Serra, but being anti-social with people that have been part of your "extended" family for over 20 years? -What the hell is up with that?

Oh well, family is family right?

Memorial Day Monday found Vinny and Maddy lounging by their pool and soaking up the rays. My little "plus size model" was less than thrilled when I took her out of the water.

And Vinny learned that if the ants don't get your stray food....Rex will. The dog might be 14, but the nose works like new! Later, we journeyed over to Kelly and Aaron's place, and Aaron showed us his grilling magic in a pair of stellar house slippers!

Of course, we took time to remember those this holiday came to celebrate. The soldiers, and veterans of the armed services who proudly fought, and continue to do so, to ensure our privileged ways of life. I thought of my grandpas, I thought about my brother Brian, who is in the Navy, and I thought about Kevin. I can't even begin to imagine how very much I'll miss him when (if) the time came for him to serve his country.

I also thought about my mom. It hit me Saturday afternoon when I remembered it was my mom's birthday. She would've been 55. So Memorial Day has many new meanings for me. It is a time for me to reflect on all of the things that I have, and know that none of it would've been possible if others hadn't sacrificed their lives for the better of our future. It is also a time for me to reconnect with the true meaning of sacrifice, and know that I am myself, a better person in the process.

And it is now a time for me as a wife and mother, to help create the memories that my family will carry with them for the rest of their days.

I hope your Memorial Day was memorable as well, the way it was meant to be.

Ex's with benefits

I've recently listened to a podcast
(I won't mention whose, or where, as to avoid their getting big head syndrome) and one of the issues that was mentioned, was being friends with your ex.

Is is ok to remain friends with someone whom you've dated and have (probably) been intimate with, when you're no longer romanticlly involved?

What about when you and your ex have moved on (though some do while you're STILL dating)
Is it ok to "touch base" with an old flame if your paths cross?
Do you tell your new partner, or treat it as though it was any other old friend you ran into?

So many questions surround this issue, and I'd like to lay some of it out on the table in traditional Addy style. Which means I'll be getting comments from people with the numbers for marital counselors. Yeah, you can save that cotton candy for some other guppie.

I will say this right out and I will stand by my statement till the end of time.
I believe that there is NOTHING wrong with someone being able to re-connect with an individual from their past, if thier intention is to do nothing more than to see how they've been.
The catch is, that everything should line up appropriately, so as to not put yourself in a very delicate/dangerous situation. If your current significant other does not support the interaction, then you shouldn't do it.
I know some of you are probably fuming right now, and couldn't disagree with me more. And I'm sure they are the same bunch of people that know me personally!

Now, to be perfectly clear, I'm definitely NOT saying it's ok to lie and cheat on your partner with an ex. I'm big enough to admit that in my younger, "crazy" days, I've been on both sides of that web, and neither one is fun to be on when the shit hits the fan.
You'll always end up alone.

I'm simply saying, that I see no harm in a quick, "Hey how've you been? Are you still....Great. And your job is....wow, good for you!"

Though it is easier if you're single, as most things are, except the costs of living single. You are only bound to your own morals and decisions about communicating with an ex.
Well, what if you LIVE with your boyfriend or girlfriend? As unfortunate as it sounds...it's still only temporary. There's only two ways to go when you Co-habitate. You either make it permanent and legal and get married if that person means enough to you, or typically, one person decides marriage is not what they want and the co habitators go their separate ways. Then in fists of rage, the broken couple begin bar hopping again with their single friends or contacting their exs in a desperate attempt to once again feel "whole". Does that then make it ok to contact an ex, when you're trying to one-up or cause jealousy in someone who hurt you?

Understanding your circumstances is critical. I know couples that are totally cool with their significant others hanging out with people of the opposite sex. On the other hand, I also know couples (some married, some not) that can't even fathom the idea of their "better half" conversing with someone without their prior approval.

When you're married, I feel, running into an ex is MUCH easier than doing so when you're single. When you're married, all bets are off. You no longer live to only satisfy yourself. You made a promise to someone else to sustain them and prioritize their needs, most times above your own. If you still choose to engage in an extra marital relationship with an ex, or with anyone for that matter, it is a decision with ramifications most people are ill prepared to deal with.
I love the reaction I've gotten when I've run into some exs over these past few years that I've been married. And more importantly, had children. They're always like, "HEY!!!! How the heck are you!" all smiley and approachable. Then they see the BLING and idiotically ask, "Are you getting married?"
When I tell them that I AM married, the response never fails them. They look at me with sarcastic eyes and say, "AWE, and you didn't even invite Me!" to which I've replied,
"Well, I would've, but my husbands ex-wife brought a date, and that was our last chair."
Then the jaws drop when I tell them I'm a mom...of 2. See, it's great catching up, especially when I find they've done nothing more with their lives besides anxiously awaiting Summerfest each year.
I've been fortunate, I think, to have sustained a tolerable, friendly exchange with the men I was once involved with. Don't get ahead of yourselves, because there haven't been that many.

I'm what you would call a "lifer" in a relationship. I look for the best in that person, and slowly, as they start to screw me over, I always refer back to those redeeming qualities that attracted me to them initially, thus giving them chance after chance to make amends.
And once I'm no longer tied to them by the binds of a relationship, I hold no bitter grudges. It's a lot like once someone dies, you only have the best things to say about that person.

A perfect example of this, is an ex of mine, (and again, I won't name names). We dated for a few years, and he was controlling and jealous most times. Despite that, we always made each other laugh. After we went our separate ways, we occasionally went to a movie, or to grab a bite to eat and we were actually more compatible NOT being a couple. He wasn't a crazed psycho path anymore, and I could care less if he banged 12 shot girls in one night...because he wasn't coming home to me anymore!
Long story short, I still cross paths with him every now and again, as he works somewhere I do business. We're very friendly to one another, he always asks to see the latest pictures of my kids and I always come home and tell Kevin when I've seen my ex. It's never been a problem for my husband, yet I've heard whispers on the wind, that there are "others" who think less of me for engaging with such a cad. To them, I give the razberries, and tell them to resume sticking their heads in a hole, and keep pretending that these situations never occur.
De-Nile is not just a long river in Egypt.

The way I've always felt about matters of past relationships, ex's (meaning boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands and wives) and old flames: These people helped shape who we are. Better or worse, when you invite someone to share in your life, you take a little piece of that person with you. And that individual you share your life with presently, who loves you for who you are (hopefully) good and bad, through and through, has those past relationships partially to thank.
So how do I feel about Ex's with benefits (which is one step below friends with benefits, meaning, the ex's benefit is to be a friend. Deep. I know) again, I hate to get Dr. Philosophical here, but, if it's something you wouldn't feel comfortable doing right in front of your significant other, you shouldn't do it at all. But that rule applies to more than just ex's.

Gotcha thinking about your ex's now don't I?
Well why don'tcha get all stalkerish, look em' up on the net, give em' a call, and use me as the lame excuse for why you're calling!

God knows, I've been blamed for worse.

How does this work again?

It's been so long since I've posted anything, I've almost forgotten how!

It's been busy as of late, in the world that is Addy.

No fears. I have lots of fun things to write about in the hopes that I can reel in some unsuspecting, desperate fish, with my propaganda and biased troll statements!

I'm laughing right now, in case you can't feel my sentiment ;)

I have to run in a minute though. The last big rehearsal is tonight, before the much anticipated Kohls fashion show tomorrow morning. Yes, I'll be snapping pictures in between runs when I can, so you'll be sure to have visuals to go with the absurd descriptions of the fashions we'll be modeling.

A little heads up ladies: The SKINNY JEAN is coming back in a big way for fall. I won't be wearing them, as they now fall into the catagory of "MOM JEANS" for someone like me.
The SKINNY JEAN is that pair of jeans that is fitted ALL the way down your leg, and then tapers IN at your ankle. Most people are lucky to get their feet through the opening, moreless squeeze into the rest of the pant.
I'm fine with my low rise, hip hugging, flares, thank you. I might be out of style, but at least my body will look proportioned.

Another big fashion trend that has been creeping it's way back into our closets, is anything from the 80's. I shit you not, one of the outfits I'm modeling, looks exactly like something Cindy Lauper wore in her "Girls Just Wanna' Have Fun" video back in '85.
Embarrassing to say the least...but extremely fun, just the way Cindy would want it. So if you haven't inventoried your wardrobe in the past 20 years, don't do it now, becuse your dusty, crusty, leggings are back in style!!!!

I'll be back to fill everyone in on the runway show after we've completed both shows this week.

I also have Volleyball updates, and a few other interesting tid bits to share, when I get a spare moment to spill my thoughts onto the web!

For now, I'm outtie. I gotta plug in my FLOCK OF SEAGULLS 8 track, so I can get in the right mindset for the fashion show!

Mothers Day in Review

I had a wonderful mothers day. It was a little hectic at times, but hey, thats what motherhood is all about, right?

After a long day at work, on a Saturday, none-the-less, I rushed to Paulo's Pizzaria that evening to meet my family for my uncle Jim's birthday. See... even 60-something's still have pizza parties.
After a few hours of eating and visiting, I just needed to be home. When I walked in my house, I saw a stunning rose boquet arranged beautifully in the crystal vase Jeff and Jessica gave us when Kevin and I got married. There were two yellow roses (my favorite) to symbolize Vinny and Maddy, and one red, tye-dyed rose, from Kevin. Then they were accompanied by tulips and sunflowers. So pretty. Kevin had also hung up more of our family photos, and he found a perfect spot to hang my beloved lions head. No, it's not real. It looks like a statue, and I haven't seen it since long before we began remodeling our house. He got major brownie points, being that he found time to do that throughout the day. Granted, it's not like the house was clean or anything...but I totally understand, so that didn't matter to me one, single, bit. Then, Kevin and I stayed up late watching the movie, Monster-in-Law. Which we BOTH found very humorous.

It was just nice to be able to sit back, relax, and watch a movie without any interruptions. Of course, we had to do that at MIDNIGHT to be sucessfully "relaxed".

Sunday morning came rather quickly, as we needed to get ourselves and the kids all dressed up to go to the Silver Spring Country Club for the Mother's Day Brunch. We were meeting Kevin's mom, step dad, and his step dads family at the country club.
It's always an interesting experience, taking a toddler and pre-toddler (not an infant anymore, but not a full fledged toddler either) into a fancy restaurant. -Or ANY restaurant for that matter. Vinny got a major "shy bug" and clung to my leg like a bull dog in heat. Maddy is at that stage where she recognizes people, and those she doesn't...well, she's screams like a banchee when you try to hold her.

So the first trip I made to the buffet line, really had no rhyme or reason to what I was piling onto my platter. I had creamed cucumbers with french toast, roast beef topped with bacon and garlic mashed potatos with a side of pineapple. I was just trying to get whatever food I could, and get back to my table to soothe my crazy kids.

The food was amazing, when I got to enjoy it, but the best part of mothers day, was my gift.
I got, are you ready for this....ZOO TYCOON 2
I'm not much of a gamer (though I did participate in GenCon on a yearly basis until those bastards moved it out of Milwaukee) Zoo Tycoon is my ultimate favorite computer game. It's like Sim City, only you develop and maintain the zoo of your dreams! You're probably starting to see why I love it so.

Aaron and Kelly actually began my addiction with Zoo Tycoon. I think they bought it for me as a birthday gift. Later, Aaron got me the expansion pack, that includes Marine animals AND Dinosaurs. It totally rocks!

So now I have a new game to play, and no time to play it. Ya' see, this is not one of those games you can only play for 20 minutes or so. I've wasted HOURS, upon HOURS developing and caring for my animal friends. --Those damn chimps are never happy. That was also before I had kids, and my role as a girlfriend, and then a fiance, were merely to only look smokin' hot when Kevin came through the door, so we could shag like minks after he had a long day at work.
My, oh my, how times change.

Still, I had a wonderful mothers day. I'm blessed to have my crazy little family, and I'm looking forward to getting in some much needed Zoo Tycoonin'

Thanks baby! I love you!

I hope everyone else had a great mothers day! And for all of you schmucks that didn't get your mom a card or flowers....know this....there's a rail car on it's way to hell, and it's got your names on it! You'll be taking the seat next to a blog troll.

A Memory of Mom

With Mother's Day approaching this Sunday, my thoughts have once again, shifted back to my mom. It will be 2 years this September, that she's been gone. Though I am a mom myself now, with a wonderful family for me to love, I still can't help but feel this void inside of me without my mom.

She and I never had that typical mother/daughter relationship. In fact, we never truly forged a "bond", a mutual understanding of one another, until I was in my early twenties. The relationships my mother had with my two brothers and me, was severely strained and lacked the loving guidance we needed, due to my mom's addiction to alcohol.
She began drinking at 16, and she never missed a chance to indulge herself. She was even pregnant with my brothers on her 21st birthday (they're fraternal twins) and many years later, she told me that she wasn't going to let the fact that she was pregnant, stop her from celebrating the big 21. I was a little surprised by that. So she became single mom, back living with her parents, working 2nd shift in a factory to support her two baby boys. My mom was lucky that my grandma was there to help care for Paul and Brian (my brothers) because their father wanted nothing to do with them.

After a few years, and one failed marriage (to another idiot who promised to take care of her and her young sons) my mom began dating this guy she knew from the local bar where all of the factory workers hung out after hours. He was quiet and polite, and many people actually joked around that he was gay, because he was really good looking, into weight lifting and football ...and was never seen with any women. The ladies gave him the nickname, "Pootchie" because they all wanted him as thier pet. It was the 70's, what can I say?
Well the rumors of "Pootchie's" sexuality were put to rest, when he began dating my mom. At that time, she was one of the only women who worked in a factory, but as soon as her time card was punched out for the day, she would let down her long, dark hair, throw on a mini and some heels and head to the bar. She actually began enjoying a new life separate from drinking as her relationship with "Pootchie" grew. He welcomed her two sons, and after a short while, "Pootchie" proposed to my mom. It was the first time she had been truly happy in a long time. Pootchie, whose name is really John, married my mom, and he became the man that would one day, be my father.

When my mom discovered that she was pregnant again, I guess she felt scared and trapped. She was a stay-at-home mom, and didn't want the same thing to happen with the father of this baby, that happened with her boys. Even if it was different this time, as she was married to the father of this baby. Not having yet told her husband that she was expecting, my mom first called her best girl friend Pat, and desperately sought her advice. I'm not sure of how the decision was made between the two of them, but somewhere along the line, my mom decided that the best thing to do, was to abort the pregnancy and not tell her husband, John.

Upon her visit to the abortion clinic, (again, this was the 70's shortly after Roe vs Wade) my mom, looking around the "clinic", thought that she stood a greater chance of getting an infection or disease from receiving the procedure, and decided that she couldn't go through with the abortion.
Fast forward a few months later to find my mom giving birth to me, on the couch none-the-less, at our home. Apparently, her labor was moving along too quickly to transport her to the hospital, so the paramedics delivered me from the comfort of our davenport.
(A side note on that: Remember when I wrote about "Precipitous labor" and how I had my kids in record time...apparently that trait is passed on to your children, so it then made more sense to me)
My dad was at work when the excitement erupted, and once again, my grandma was there to help keep my brothers calm, as they were 8 years old when I was being born. It was a wonderful gift for my dad, seeing as how he was going to celebrate his 40th birthday only three days after I entered the world. I was born on March 12th, he was born on the 15th.
Of course, he still didn't know what my mom had tried to do earlier. And even then, the doctor pulled my dad aside at the hospital we were taken to after I was born, and he told my dad to think about having the necessary tests done to ensure I wasn't born with fetal alcohol syndrome.

So here she was, a stay-at-home mom of three... two crazy, rambunctious 8 year-old-boys, and (I can only imagine) a screaming newborn baby girl. She then did, what most of us moms only fantasize about doing when the stresses of life get to us. She began drinking heavily throughout the day to help her, Cope, with the intense demands of motherhood. She hid beer in the basement behind the washer and dryer, or stashed her empty Pabst cans on the top shelf in the pantry until she could dispose of them without anyone becoming the wiser.
My dad knew better though. But he was working two jobs, 2nd and 3rd shift, just to make ends meet, and missed most of the daily activities of the household. A noble thing on his part, but in retrospect, only made my mom's drinking worse. My dad recalled times he would come home from work, only to find my mom passed out in the recliner, and I would be laying on the floor crying, as I had rolled off her lap in the absence of her conscienceness.
Her alcohol addiction tore their marriage apart. After countless arguments about money, childrearing, and unequal treatment, my parents got a divorce. I was two.

My mom then did the best she could to get herself together to care for her children. She really could no longer rely on her mother, and was only receiving child support for me, which was still enough to support our entire family. My mom would go through her phases of sobriety, while she worked as an aid in nursing homes. Caring for others was something that came so naturally for her, and she was so good at it. She gave her heart and soul to those elderly people, that at most times, had no one else. But once she resorted back to drinking, she would constantly call in to work and say that her kids were sick and so she couldn't make it in to work. When in actuality, it was a five year old little me that was making toast for lunch in an attempt to try and help get mommy off of the couch. When she finally returned back to work, she would come to find out that some of her favorite patients passed away while she was gone. She would come home and sob for hours, and then begin the vicious cycle of drowning her sorrows in alcohol again.

It wasn't always terrible though. She bought me my first bike. It was purple with silvery stars and it had a huge rainbow that stretched across the banana seat. My mom also taught me how to hula hoop. One day, she brought me this HUGE sky blue and white stripped hula hoop. It had little beans or something inside of it that made it "SWISH SWISH" when you used it. She called it, a "shoop shoop hula hoop". She even taught me tricks I could do with the hula hoop, like how to roll it on the ground, and make it come back to you, like a boomerang. Or how to hula hoop with several hoops that span all up and down your body. Some on your neck, your arms and your waist. To this day...I can out hula hoop anybody that crosses my dangerous path!

We did have some scary times where she would black out and my brothers had to call 911.
As my brothers grew older, they began to defy mom more and more, as most teens will do. She lost a lot of control over them once my grandpa died. He was the only male influence in Paul and Brian's lives, and it was devastating to my mom to loose her father. I think she lost a huge part of herself when we all lost grandpa. I was fortunate however, to still have the strong family bonds on my dad's side of the family. I can't tell you how much I anticipated seeing my dad and his family every other weekend. There were times that I didn't want to come back home.

When I was 8 or 9, my mom began dating Dan. She met Dan at bingo at St. Vincent's, the school I attended. He was called "Bingo Dan" (real original) and was the beloved, good time, polka dancing, bingo caller at St Vinny's. My mom volunteered her time twice a week, for the church, in order to get cheaper tuition for me to go to school. The week before I turned ten, my mom lined up me and my brothers in the living room and said we were going to move in with Dan.
I remember her saying, "It's not like you have to call him dad, but it sure as hell couldn't hurt." Paul and Brian and I just looked at each other in disbelief, and Paul (who is the loud mouth of us) said, "What the fuck are you talking about woman?!! Adrianne has a dad, and I'll be damned if Brian and I are gonna call that Polak dad, I've gone this long without one, I don't need one now!"
Paul and Brian were almost 18 and readily preparing to leave the nest, so any transition was going to be met with the utmost resistance.
Dan was also divorced, and had a son, Christopher, who was 3 years older than I.
I guess my mom and Dan thought that we'd get along well. They couldn't have been more wrong, but thats an entirely different post.

Living in Dan's home was the worst experience that I've ever encountered. My mom and Dan just enabled each other to drink, and drink and drink. Once my brothers turned 18, Brian joined the Navy to get as far away from our situation as possible, and Paul stayed close to try and scam where he could. But I was left alone, to deal with the escalating difficulties of two alcoholic adults, who were supposed to be parenting. Though it was traumatic and daunting most times, it helped shape who I am today. Also, I made a life long friend in Kelly. If it wasn't for her, and few other forgotten friends (Reuben, and Kari, Muffy and Rusty) I honestly don't believe I would've survived living there.
My mom did have moments of clarity, where, I assume, she began to rethink her decisions. But then it seemed she never could remain resolute in her decisions.

When I was 12, I decided that I was going to live with my dad. Things had gotten so awful living with my mom and Dan, even they knew this had to happen.
I'll never forget what my mom said to me as I packed up my last bag of priceless belongings (my stuffed animals) into my dads car. She said to me in her stern, deep voice,
"Don't think that we're going to have this, every other week visitation bullshit. You're gone, Goodbye, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out kid."

I didn't see or speak to her for 6 months.

After that, I saw her and called occasionally. Most times I knew I would have to call before 2:30 in the afternoon, because once Dan got home from work, they would hightail it to the bar where they would hole up until the wee hours of the morning.

As I got older, I could see how her health was rapidly deteriorating. She would tend bar for her own spending money, but mostly, it was so she and Dan could drink for free. When I turned 21, I went into the bar to go see her, which is what I had to do for years before then. My mom gave me a card with some cash, but something was different about this card.

She included a hand written note on a separate piece of paper. I've been searching for this note lately, and while I've found the card, the note is still missing. She stated in the letter, that she was proud of me for the accomplishments I made in my life, despite her lack of mothering to me. She apologized for not doing a better job with her only daughter, and she regretted the hell I had gone through because of her decisions. It was the first time she'd ever apologized to me for anything. From that night on, I had a new appreciation for her.

A few years later, when I told my mom that Kevin and I were getting married, and more over, that we were expecting a baby, she was very happy for us.
She was as about as involved as she could be, because by this time, she had already been through a severe detox in ICU and had what the doctors evaluated as "wet brain syndrome". She couldn't even move around well without the help of a cane. She reluctantly attended the bridal shower and mandatory parties, though she never felt comfortable in front of anyone anymore, except under the dark lights of the tavern, with her "REAL" friends. We picked out a nice dress for her for the wedding, and she even fought with me to pay for my wedding dress. A dress that I had loved for YEARS before, and opted against it, because of it's price. She said that she had money set aside just for this occasion, and if thats the dress I wanted, she was going to be the one to buy it.

On my wedding day, I think mom was more nervous than me, but she smiled in the pictures, and lit the unity candle with Kevin's mother, and danced to the special Neil Diamond song I requested for her and Dan. As I said in a previous post, my mom LOVED LOVED Neil, and passed it along to me as well. I think my wedding was one of the last few times I saw her smile.

There were a few more smiles she shed when she got to meet and hold Vinny after he was born. She was now a grandmother by all three of her children. She felt her mission was complete.

On Saturday, September 11th of 2004, I was doing a Partylite show in the near vicinity of the bar that my mom and Dan went to. I decided to stop in and let her know that I was, once again, expecting a baby... and only 7 months after having Vinny. She replied with a signature mom phrase of, "Holy shit girl! He doesn't waste any time does he? Did Kevin even let you sleep before he jumped your bones?"
She then added her well wishes and motherly advice for me, "Well, I hope you have a girl, because then you'll be done and you can get your tubes tied. And maybe you'll have twins like me and really be up shit creek!"
She really meant those things in a loving way, but they would sound harsh to the outside ear. Kinda like the way I write on my blog!
She gave me a hug and told me to pass along the congratulations to Kevin on his further conquest of her daughter. If I had known that would be the last time I would see her truly alive, maybe I would've said something else besides, "Bye Ma!"

A week later, on September 18th, I received a call from my brother, Paul. He told me that mom was in ICU at St Francis Hospital and that she was going to die. I was like, "WHAT?!! What the hell is going on?!!" Paul continued to tell me that mom had a massive brain aneurysm that basically popped and she wasn't expected to live more than a day.
I was so confused and overwhelmed. I knew that this was going to happen sooner or later, but you're never fully prepared when it does. Kevin insisted that he go with me to the hospital, and so we then had to take Vinny with too. When I walked into her room in the ICU, she had a breathing tube in her mouth and wires strung out from all over her now frail, and discolored body.
Kevin didn't stay long, as we didn't want Vinny to be exposed to germs and sickness. I remember Kevin even got a little choked up. As he was getting ready to leave and was holding Vinny, he leaned over and began to cry as he told Vinny to, "Say goodbye to grandma".
I, of course stayed, as I knew Dan and my brother Paul were also there, but must have been on a smoke break.
With the few minutes of alone time I had with mom, I walked over to her bedside and held her hand, which was nice and warm. I just started talking to her,
"Hey ma', it's Adrianne. Kevin and Mr. Vinny were just here to see you. Vinny is getting so big, I'm sure he'll be a lineman for Green Bay just like you predicted." I was able to hold back my tears...
And then my emotion's took over.
"I just can't believe this mom, you're suppose to be the person who introduces Vinny to Neil Diamond, and helps teach my daughter how to iron better than her mommy, by letting her practice on handkerchiefs and dish towels. You're not supposed to be giving up now."

And then the doctor came in with Dan and Paul. He explained to me that my mom had a massive aneurysm the ruptured in her brain, and that was inoperable due to the amount of blood that had covered her brain. There was nothing they could do at this point. He said she was still breathing over the machines, but would remain in this coma-like state. I hate how they try and give this glimmer of hope to people, whom they know, will hang on to any indication of a positive outcome.
"Just keep talking to her, chances are, she can hear you. Some people can remain in a state of stability with the assistance of the respirator and an IV. We are also giving her medicine to keep her blood pressure down."
I thought, "For what?" They've already said that she isn't going to last, and my mom always said she'd rather check out versus being kept alive by machines. She hated it when she saw her patients at the nursing home like that.
Dan was in a state of frantics and shock. He reeked of beer and cigarettes, and couldn't sit still for two minutes. Though I just had to ask Dan what the hell happened that this came to be.

Dan told me that they were at the bar Friday evening (of course) and mom was complaining of having a headache and wanted some tylenol. My mom HATED taking meds too, even tylenol, so I knew it must have been bad for her. He continued on to say that at around 10 pm, mom said she wanted to go home. He helped her in the car and only a few blocks from home, Dan said my mom slumped over and began vomiting. By the time he was able to attend to her, she was unconscious and he wasn't even able to get her out of the car. He called 911 and by the time the ambulance got there, and transported her to the hospital, she had already been legally dead for over 7 minutes. Obviously, they were able to restart her heart, and that brought us to her current state.

I made phone calls to her friends and our family. My dad even came to see her. After their divorce, they had a few times of momentary romance, where they would exchange a kiss or warm embrace. But it was just never in the cards for them to get back together. My dad couldn't do that to himself anymore. Though when my dad actually saw my mom, laying lifelessly in an ICU bed, I know it was too much for him to take, though I knew he wouldn't allow himself to break down then and there. He asked if we needed anything to eat, but no one was really ready to eat yet (even a 3 month prego me, that normally ate every 30 minutes or so)
Dad offered his thoughts and prayers to Dan, Paul and me, and told me to call him in the morning.
The next 24 hours were the most exhausting and emotionally challenging things I had ever been through. Dan, Paul and I were discussing what we should do. We basically came to the conclusion that if she didn't pass on her own, through the night, we would remove her from life support in the morning. We contacted the chaplain and had them give my mom her last rites. That was a really, really difficult moment for me. I just couldn't stop crying. My mom wasn't the most religious person, but thats what she would've done for any one else.

I managed to sleep for a few hours in the family waiting room, on the most uncomfortable pleather loveseat, but even that felt refreshing compared to what I'd just been through.
I knew I had to eat something because I wasn't prepared to put my tummy dweller, on a hunger strike.
After eating, I went in to check on mom. The nurses said that she was no longer breathing on her own and her heart rate and blood pressure were becoming erratic. The doctor confirmed that the ruptured aneurysm blood, must finally be reaching her brain stem, where many of the deep set functions are controlled. In turn, this would cause dramatic changes in her heart functions. One minute, it would look like her heart was beating normally, the next, it would drop to less than 30 beats per minute. The doctor performed one last MRI to confirm that there was no longer any brain activity.
We knew what we had to do.
We alerted the doctor and said that we were ready to remove her from life support. Dan couldn't stand to be in the room, so Paul and I stayed.

Paul and I were on either side of her, holding her hands when the nurse gently removed the breathing tube. She told us not to be alarmed if we heard a gasping sound. Something I saw as a medical practicioner going into "science mode" instead of thinking of the morality of it all.
The silence from the machines being turned off was nice; but scary, because I think both Paul and I thought we would hear her breathe, but there was nothing.
She just laid there, very peacefully, and we spoke softly to her and told mom we loved her.
After a few minutes, the nurses came back in and said we could stay as long as we wanted.
(which really means, "Get movin' because we need this room for the next poor sucker")
Paul stepped out of the room, and I was once again left alone with my mom. I told her that I forgave her for everything, and that I knew she did the best she could raising me. I promised her that I would see her again some day, and that I'd miss her until then.
And I do.

Though my mom cut her life short due to her addictions,(she was 53) she still had a great appreciation for many of the little things in life. She loved the feeling of an open window on a spring day. She would always say "how pretty" it was outside. She also loved thunderstorms and once stood outside and just, watched, while a tornado made it's way through her community. She loved owls and dogs, and would do just about anything for an animal. She loved to cook, and her meals were typically enough to feed Poxy's Army. Then she would complain about how many left overs there were! My mom loved Christmas, and though she tried to play it gruff for many years, her face always lit up at the sight of a well decorated tree. And though, later in life, she was merely content with the idea of wearing her Harley T-shirts, Wrangler Jeans and Easy Spirit shoes, she still enjoyed getting "gussied up " as she called it, (even if she did bitch and moan about it the entire time), and feeling like a beautiful woman.
And she was, she really, really was.
Though she didn't get to be here (in person) when my second child was born, she did get her wish and I had a girl. Little Miss Madison! And ironically enough, Madison was baptized on the one year anniversary of my mom's death. Life it seems, does come full circle.

Why did I need to share all of this with anyone who had the time or desire to read it? I guess it's part of my healing process. I think I'm a better person for having the mother that I did. She wasn't a terrible person, she just never got the help she so desperately needed to save her own life. So we ALL suffered with her.
I know I'll be a better mother as well, in spite of it. Though I've heard that some think I'm too wild to be a mom. a statement I think is very humorous, as I've never been drunk in my entire life...no lie. Would you if your mom had the track record mine did???
I'm already hardwired to become an alcoholic, and thats not something I want to inherit from my mom.
I feel if my story can help anyone that may be going through the beginning process of alcoholism, or for the family that has to deal with an alcoholic...if my story can be of any assistance to help open their eyes to the reality of a life without the dependency of alcohol, then my mom did not die in vane.

Understanding People, I'm trying

In light of that fact that I have been bickerring with someone, who I would consider to be a good friend, lately, about the true intent of my words on this blog... I've been inspired to post one of the most difficult activities I've ever taken part in, to see where a person's true intentions lie.

When I went to MATC, this assignment was given to our speech class. What it has to do with speech, I'm still not sure?. What it DID do however, was open our eyes to what it really means to understand others, and not just pre-judge from what little you may or may not know about an individual. This was after 9/11 so the atmosphere around this assignment was very serious. Almost too serious. It is meant to be a worksheet for coming to a consensus within a group of varied beliefs, opinions and walks of life. So it was perfect for MATC, otherwise known as
Milwaukee's Area Tribunal Counsel.
If you're a fan of the show Unanimous, 24, Survivor or even LOST, you'll probably enjoy this activity. Or even if you just enjoy playing Devil's advocate.
It has stayed with me ever since that speech class and I've just now found it on the web after a dozen or so word searches.
***By the way, my group never came to an ultimate unanimous decision. Rather, some of us "broke the rules" and gave in, for the better of our grades.
If you would like to post your top 4 picks in the comment box, I would enjoy seeing your thought process in critical descision making.
I will list MY top 4 picks (that to this day, still remain the same) after I've given other people the chance to fairly look within themselves, instead of trying to challenge my ideals.
Enjoy!

“Airplane Hostages”


Instructions:
A plane has been hijacked! The hijackers offer to release four passengers to the U.S. embassy. In return for this gesture, the government of a neutral country will agree to allow the plane to land at its airport and refuel.
The captors insist, however, that U.S. authorities select the four to be released from the following list. The President has given your group the job of making the selection. If you do not select the people, the hijackers are perfectly willing to allow the plane to run out of gas and crash, killing all passengers. You must reach a decision by consensus, and you must do so within the next half hour.
You may assume the terrorists are honest about releasing those who are chosen to be released. You do not know what will happen to those who remain on the plane, but given what is known about this particular terrorist group, you expect most or all of the remaining hostages probably will die.
Quickly rank the following passengers in the order in which you would choose them to be released. In the column titled “Your rank,” place the number 1 by the hostage you would save first, the number 2 by the one you would save second, and so on through number 8, the hostage you would save last.

Hostages Your Rank

1. Brenda Jones, age 27, has three children by three different fathers, none of whom she has married. She loves her children, however, and has resolved to get her life together for the children’s sake. Her mother is caring for them so Brenda can attend a six-week training program for women who lack job skills.

2. Fr. John O’Brien, 65 years old, is in excellent health. A Roman Catholic priest, he has dedicated his life to working with the poor in an inner-city ghetto. He is taking this flight to arrange for funding and personnel that will enable him to set up a program to carry on his life’s work after he becomes unable to work. Should he die at this time, the work probably will end.

3. Juan Garcia is 45. He has a history of heart trouble and might not survive the stress of a prolonged hostage situation. He is a wealthy businessman whose estate would easily provide for his wife and three young children, even if he should die in the hijacking. His business, however, which has employed and given dignity to many Hispanic people, probably would fold without his vision and drive, putting many people out of work who will not be able to find jobs

4. Elijah Brown is 52. He did time in jail for armed robbery. Since his release two years ago, he has worked hard, gone to school part time, and supported his invalid wife and youngest child (the only one remaining at home). There would be no money to provide for his family in the event of his death.

5. Betsy Bates, 29, is a well-known and successful model. Married a little over a year to rock star Duke, she has just found out that she is pregnant, a discovery she views with mixed feelings.

6. Congresswoman Jan Perkins is 47. Widowed young, when her husband died in the crash of an Air Force plane while on a diplomatic mission for the State Department, she has devoted her life to politics. She has been an effective and eloquent worker for peace and for the rights of women and minorities. Her death would be a crushing emotional blow to her elderly parents, though she has provided for them financially in her will. Perkins is widely seen as the most likely candidate for the first woman President of the United States.

7. D. B. Calhoun is 43. Little is known about him, except that he is a very bigoted person with an unstable employment history. He reads Soldier of Fortune and similar magazines, and dreams about being a mercenary. It is quite possible that he will try some hostile action against the hijackers and ruin any chance of getting the remaining hostages out alive.

8. Andrea Ohms, at 19, is already a distinguished pianist, having started performing professionally at age 8. Her performances give immense pleasure to thousands of people around the world. She is engaged to be married.

THE RULES

Your task is to reach a consensus ranking of the four hostages to be released by the terrorists. This means that the ranking for each of the four should be agreed upon by each member of the group before it becomes part of the group decision. Here are some guidelines to use in reaching consensus.

1. Don’t argue stubbornly for your own point of view just because it is yours. (An emotion that greatly exists in the blogosphere) Listen to other members of the group and be willing to change your views on the basis of reason and logic.

2. On the other hand, don’t change your mind simply to avoid disagreement. Seek differences of opinion and try to get every member involved in the decision-making process. The more information you have, the better chance you will have of making a sound decision.
3. Avoid such techniques as majority vote, averaging, flipping coins, and bargaining

So who would YOU choose? Some of them seem like "no brainers" but you would be surprised at how many people have deep set prejudices they don't even know about. Others hold the belief of "Don't judge me until you walk a mile in my shoes"

I love projects like these, because it really helps someone to better see who they are.

This is my attempt to live up to the TROLLING I've been described as doing. With something like this, I encourage everyone to participate.

And you thought photo copying your ass was bad...

Sometimes the warning is worse than the consequence.

Thanks Kelly!

So, What did you do all day?

That phrase must be on countless medical files as the "CAUSE OF DEATH" for husbands who chose those toxic words, when they arrogantly combined that constellation of letters in the English Alphabet.

When you ask a Stay-At-Home Mom what she did all day, delivered in conjunction with a negative undertone and a disapproving glare, this is basically how it's translated to her:

"You lazy, ugly, bitch. I'm out, working my ass off all day for a shitty boss, at a shitty job, making shitty money, only to come home to a shitty house, eat a half-assed dinner and have to put up with these shitty kids- that you can't seem to train, because you're too busy fantasizing about how to spend my paycheck each week. I'd tell you to do something with yourself because you look like hell, but I know that will only encourage your over spending habits, and put me farther into a financial fuck hole. I'd rather put a pistol in my mouth versus having to spend one more second trying to exist in this so-called home. I bet I could find a $5.00 whore that could do a better job at keeping this dive livable. You're laundry detergent makes me itch, your cooking sucks major ass, these damn kids are outta' control, and I absolutely can't stand your feeble attempts at decorating, it just costs me more time and money to fix. I'll be at Super 8 with a voodoo woman named Phyllis until you can get your shit together, you pathetic excuse for a wife."

And then the kicker:

"My mom was right about you."

Maybe dramatic, but thats what is conveyed when the phrase "What did you do all day?" drips off of the forked tongues of unknowing men. Kevin has only made the mistake of muttering those words to me on very rare occasions. And yet, he tries to put a positive spin on it, by delivering his message in a chipper voice and with a smile:
"So sweetie, what did you do today?"
That's just one way clever men attempt to delay their inevitable demise at the hands of a woman, whom they thought once loved them.
When in actuality, if we were to have someone come into our homes and document every moment of our "uneventful days", the asinine question of what we did all day, would no longer hold its validity.
I'm in the process of documenting such a day and posting it here for all to observe. It may not be epic, but I'll be damned if you have enough time to take a shit (at least not without an audience of toddlers and pets) moreless donning stillettos, red lipstick and a matching G-string to look "presentable" for your beau on his return to the homefront.

My rant spawns not from any recent encounter with my lawfully wedded companion. Rather, I read a recent post over at one of my favorite places, "Where am I going and why am I in this handbasket?" and was further inspired to publish my feelings, when Mama Tulip wrote
A Letter to her Husband

Be on the look out for: My Day In Print, the Agony, the Ecstasy and the BonBons I wish I could afford.

Men...You Can't live with em', You can't live, you just can't

So my husband and I got into a bit of a tiff early this evening over the fact that neither I, nor our children were home when he returned home after a long days work.

My friend Kelly came over, and we decided to do a little shopping with my kids
(which is neither fun nor easy most times, so God Bless her soul)
We didn't leave the house until after 4:00, and I knew that my kids wouldn't last long in any store, so I didn't anticipate being gone for hours and hours.
Well, when Kevin got home, I'm sure the first thing he noticed was that the minivan was gone, and in its place was Kellys car, whose exhaust is fucking obnoxious even when the key is out of the ignition.

A typical man would rejoice with a resounding squeak and precede over to the couch where he would engage in viewing his favorite porn in the privacy of his own kingdom. Of course he would watch it in fast forward, not wanting to be caught, still in slight fear of the inevitable return of his family.

Oh no, not my husband. He is excessively preoccupied with possessing the knowledge of our whereabouts at all times.
His reasoning: "When you don't come home, at least I'll know where to tell the cops you were last."
Well that's positively reassuring honey. Thank you for that abundance of loving concern.
Now I know the swarms of arrogant, unattractive men would say, "Your husband seems controlling darlin'" and that couldn't be farther from the truth.

I guess I was just a little insensitive to the fact of how important it is to Kevin for me to keep him abreast of our family activities, especially when he's not involved in them.
To my credit, I did try calling him 3 times to let him know I was at WalMart with Kelly and the kids, and that I would be home soon. For whatever reason, my calls weren't going through within the evil confines that is WalMart. I figured, it's a 5 minute drive from WalMart to my house, why call him now once we're in the car?
Thats the rationality of a woman. Men share that same rationality, say, when they're at a bar with their buddies, and they have to choose between calling home and having their wives or significant others KNOW that they're completely smashed OR they can have one more beer and begin the journey home...then telling the woman that they drove "extra" careful and took side streets so they wouldn't get pulled over, and thats what took so long.

After Kelly left and made her journey home to Aaron,
(which I can only guess interrupts Aaron's train of blogging) Kevin laid into me about not letting him know where we were, and not calling, or leaving a note on the fridge.....yada yada yada...holy shit dude....its good to see you too....happy cinco de mayo shitty kitty.
I really had no argument except that I did try calling him a few times.

Well, that just set the mood for the rest of our evening. I wouldn't normally even write about this...but it pisses me off SO much when it happens. I have a way of looking at things like this though: Is it going to be something that will still make your blood boil 3 years from now? Or will it be forgotten long before then? Will you lose sleep at night worrying about how to rectify the situation? Or will watching a movie and having make up sex clear the air? Though there was no movie or make up sex involved; to me, I felt it was one of those things that too, shall pass. I need to ensure that I am more vigilant with giving Papa Bear the 411 on the rest of his pack, because this is not the first time he's flipped out about it. But damn fellas'........ ease up.

Kevin was preparing to once again, head out for his once a month guard drill, and I was getting the distinct feeling that he was leaving tonight versus early Saturday morning, as he normally does. I knew this because he was loading up my beetle bug with his duffel bag and uniform and he was still in his street clothes instead of his comfy old house clothes...being the super sleuth I am, I put 2 and 2 together. But I still had to do the typical woman thing,
I asked him: "So are you leaving tonight then?"
He replied: "Yes, I've got alot to get done before I start tomorrow morning"
I just looked at him and nodded. I'm sure part of it was that he was still slightly pissed at me.

Thats ok. I'd rather miss the idea of him, rather than have him here, and be shitty.
Everything will be better on Sunday.

Men. What can I say.

I love you baby.

Cinco de Crappo

I'm surprised at the lack of blogs spreading the holiday cheer for Cinco De Mayo. The only people encouraging the festivities around here are Corona and Tostito's.

I'm not going to get into the history of Cinco De Mayo, because it really doesn't matter. I'm not trying to appear biggoted, because most Mexicans can't even tell you what Cinco De Mayo is all about.

I grew up on the South side of Milwaukee, which quickly became the central hub for anyone whose first (and only) language was Spanish. It got so bad in fact, that the local bank on 16th and Mitchell had a sign for their customers specifying which tellers spoke ENGLISH. And just a side note about 16th Street...it's name was changed to Ceasar E Chavez Blvd. For what, you ask?
I couldn't say.

Don't get me wrong, I have many friends that are of Latin/Spanish/Mexican heritage, and make sure not to confuse any of those for one of the other, cause they'll kill ya'

I just never agreed with the mentality that people should be allowed to break the laws of this country, in order to demonstrate and celebrate their independance in another country.
I've seen some low ridin' Monte Carlo's with Mexican flags drapped over them, running red lights and blaring thier horns (that play La Cucaracha) as though they're participating in a New Orleans funeral. I've witnessed drunken hermanos stumbling through Mitchell Park in their cowboy boots and matching sombrerros, shooting off El Pistolas. What's worse, is that it's next to the Mitchell Park Domes, which is one of the only greenhouse conservatory sites of its kind, composing of 3 large glass "domes" (hence the name...duhh) and their unloading some extra rounds only a few yards away! That kinda' sends a confusing message when they're donning a huge gold amulet with Our Lady of Guadalupe on it.

If they really want to remind themselves of what Cinco De Mayo is all about, they should pool their money together, that they would normally wire back to Mexico, and buy a few hundred round trip tickets to Spain or even better- France, and there, do a million man mexican hat dance on Napolean's grave. Thats where the focus needs to be reshifted in order for the future generations of Mexicans to be able to truley embrace their heritage. Not by teaching their kids that it's ceremonial tradition to tie the mexican flag around their shoulders and parade around the halls of their high school's like the test tube offspring of Superman and Speedy Gonzales.

I'm sure Bush has seen his share of gun slinging compadres, being that Texas has become one of the first staging points for most " new immigrants". And I'm sure that during his stay in the Governor's office, Bush had many of them cook up his favorite Southwest dishes, otherwise he would threaten them with execution.

"Don't push me Paco, I've already fried half of you buggers today, don't make me flip that switch agian amigo! Now, go cook me a chimichanga ya' beaner"

!Feliz Cinco De Mayo!

I know that first exclaimation point is supposed to be upside down. Maybe the mexicans should protest to Bill Gates to create a special key with an upside down exclaimation point so their sentiments will be carried out appropriately.

Doyle's Oil Cap Petition, guess who signed up?

Governor Doyle Launches Petition with State of Michigan to Cap Excessive Oil Profits and Also Calls for Repeal of $10 Billion in Oil and Gas Tax Subsidies

Governor Doyle today launched a joint petition with the state of Michigan that urges the President and Congress to cap the excessive profits of oil companies. Governor Doyle also urged Congress and the President to repeal $10 billion in taxpayer subsidies to oil and gas companies.

The Governor feels regular people need real relief and the only way to do it is to find a way to cap the outrageous profits of oil companies.

Doyle is asking every family in Wisconsin who is getting squeezed by these ridiculous prices to go to www.lowergasprices.wi.gov and sign a petition.

"We need to send a clear message to Washington and to the boardrooms of big oil that these excessive profits have got to stop.”

So, as I was signing my dads name on the petition, as he was the one who brought it to my attention....I found the list of registered petitioners and you'll NEVER guess who I recognized on the good governor's list...

Subject to Change author, and self proclaimed conservative, Aaron K reel em' in. Thats right, Aaron agrees with governor Jim Doyle in his actions to call out Georgy and his petroleum pals, Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp. and ConocoPhillips.

It appears that "whole party prejudice" no longer exhists in Aaron's world.
Aaron's valor inspired me, moved me, shook me even. So I, also decided to sign up on Governor Doyle's petition to the Pessimist, I mean the President. Pardon me.
And in Aaron's selfless action to truley look out for the well being of Americans, I've decided to put him back on my sidebar. After all, what would Cheers have been without Cliff, what would Family Matters have been without Erkel, what would Lavirn & Shirly be with only Lenny and no Squiggy.

Welcome home Aaron. The Prodigal Son Returns.

Beach Volleyball 2006

Tonights the night! Our team will once again, take to the sand and ruthlessly compete against various other teams of sextuplet-lumberjack-lesbians, powder puff, booty short clad blondes, and the "others", who have no athletic ability whatsoever, but engage in this sport for sheer recreation and for free beer and pizza.

"What is this sport you speak of Addy?"

In case you missed the self explainatory title of this post, I'm talking about none-other-than, beach volleyball. You may have read some of my past ramblings about our volleyball team, and how we struggled to find a rhythem within the team. Well there are two differences between then and now.

Difference Number 1: When we played in October, that was indoor court volleyball, my personal favorite...and it is also more organized and competitive.
Difference number 2: It seems that people are in better spirits motivationally, when it comes to beach volleyball. I know I am. It could be that I'm just more competitive indoors, and I wig out easier when we're getting our asses handed to us. Outdoors, you're enjoying the weather, and (at least the league we're in) most people aren't out for blood.

Though beach volleyball begins (here) in May....and May in Wisconsin can be tricky. Some pansies come ready to play in snow pants, boots, and hoodies. I say pish posh to that shit. Most times, I'll be there barefoot, in spandex and my t shirt...thats the only way to play.

Unless you go with true beach volleyball attire and dress to impress, like Olympic Gold Medalists, Kerri Walsh and Misty May. Straight bikinis baby! Yeah, not our team. We're much too self aware for that craziness.

Below: That would be me, looking very star struck (and fat) next to the 6'3" beach beauty and World Volleyball Champ, Kerri Walsh, at the AVP championships last September in Chi town.
Maybe I should give her a call and see if she can sub for us??? She said she would! ;) She also probably thought I was talking about the "special olympics"!

Anyhoo, our Team name is, "Serves You Right" and I'm going to post weekly updates on our progress, triumphs and deafeats alike. Hopefully, this season, there will be more triumphs than defeats.

Later bloggers. I gotta go stretch.

Very sandily yours,

Addy