Welcome To THE COUCH...Sit on Down and Get Comfy...
Today's COUCH SEATING covers many topics...so get real comfyAnd a new day dawns.
And a new day dawns.Rays of light breaking through the dark clouds,
which have covered the earth for long these many months.
A new time…
new challenges…
new goals...
Coming with the knowledge that this journey
will not be without it's potholes, as all journeys do.
Also knowing that the crumbling earth which has existed,
will now be repaved.
Bringing a smoother ride...
New beginnings...
New hopes and dreams.
which have covered the earth for long these many months.
A new time…
new challenges…
new goals...
Coming with the knowledge that this journey
will not be without it's potholes, as all journeys do.
Also knowing that the crumbling earth which has existed,
will now be repaved.
Bringing a smoother ride...
New beginnings...
New hopes and dreams.
V.M.
10/03/2006
10/03/2006
Yes KIDDIES, yesterday at around 4:30pm EDT, I signed my official contract with Inner Workings. Two weeks of negotiations has brought to fruition a new challenge.A challenge that is very welcomed into my life.
Of course, I will be leaving behind, for now, Allyson, Matt, Rocky and Troy and that is sad, but we all agree that the positive outweighs the negative at this time.
I have to be in Chicago tomorrow for a company meeting and then, possibly flying to Memphis tomorrow evening for meetings on Thursday I have been requested to attend.
I would fly home Thursday and then spend Friday with last minute items, leaving Saturday morning for the drive to Memphis.
Next weekend I will try and secure an apartment and fly home the next week, pack the U-Haul and drive back down to move into a new “home."
So, remember, y’all now have a place to visit in Memphis, with a COUCH available at any time.
I was brought up in a home where we always took in wayward travelers around the holidays. Mom and Dad M. always had an open chair at the table for anyone who did not have a place to be…never wanting someone to be alone.So add that to my new learning in S’thern Hospitality and the door is always open to all.
One year Mom & Dad had gone on a cruise and upon their return, learned the ship would be in port for the entire week as it was Christmas week. They had grown to like their Stewards and insisted that these two Italian men, who spoke very little English come and spend the holidays at our home.These two men insisted on decorating our tree, as a showing of thanks for the generosity bestowed upon them. Well, they did the most beautiful tree I had ever seen. They used rolls of cotton to simoutale snow on the branches of the tree, and when it was done, it was like the snow covered forest was in our living room.
I have used this technique over the years on our trees and people always come in and "ooo and ahh" and ask how I learned to do it, and of course I tell the story.
OK…so, yesterday we talked about growing up on Long Island and the fun we had in the 60’s with all the friends and families.Well, I remembered one hysterical prank the parents all pulled on “Uncle Vinny and Aunt Annette”, out neighbors across the street. Mom and Dad grew up with Vinny & Annette and were excellent friends.
Now, as to which of the adults came up with this prank I cannot say, but a few families were involved.
Vinny & Annette and their kids Steven and Anthony were on vacation in the summertime and were due home on this particular day.
Well, what y’all have to know to appreciate this is that the development we lived in was growing by the week, with new homes going up al the time and it was an “up and coming” area.
Well, a day or so before they were to return a sign went up on their front lawn announcing the house for sale and an open house that was to occur on their date of return.
Y’all can imagine their faces, as they pulled into their driveway to find cars out side on the street and all these strangers being given guided tours by their best friends.
I do remember standing on our lawn laughing hysterically.
Ah…youth and fun!
Now…the “teased” trip south with dad.THE COUCH NOTE – Dad M. reminded me that I had posted part of this before, so if it sounds familiar I am sorry and y’all can skip through those parts!
So, the summer I turned 15 or maybe16 (brain fog y’all) Dad was working for Esquire Magazine at the time and he was Ad Sales manager. Some of his accounts included the cigarette companies, who at the time, were still allowed to advertise in magazines.
We had taken our car for the trip, driving through the south. We were in the middle of the trip and on our way into Winston Salem. I remember we had come over a rise in the road and could se the city in the distance. As we drove down the other side of the rise, a car came by us very fast to our right and I laughed because this woman was sitting on the drivers lap with her back against the driver’s window.
I pointed it out to Dad and at almost the same time the sound of a police siren could be heard coming up from behind. AH HA…man was that guy gonna get a ticket….
Ummmmmm…..nope!
The cop pulled US over.
He came over…his big ole Troopers hat tilted just so on his head and informed dad he had been clocked speeding. Dad began to argue and tell the Trooper about the car (that had NC plates - as opposed to our NY plates, btw), and the Trooper wanted nothing to do with it and told Dad to follow him to see the judge.
We followed him to this one room jail (think Mayberry RFD) where this big ole man was seated behind a desk with his feet up on the desk.
Trooper said “Honor, this her man was exceeding the speed limit and is her to pay his fine.”
Now, let me describe, a bit better, the scene. This Judge - leaning back on his chair, feet on the desk - was watching this little black and white TV with a baseball game on (To this day I want to say it was the All-Star Game, but am not certain).
My Dad begins to say, “Your Honor, I was not speeding and the trooper completely let off this couple in a car…"
The trooper bellows “Now Judge, let me show y’all here on the blackboard what I witnessed…"
“No need Billy Bob... (probably not the name he used, but he called him by name and I am using poetic license here), either this man and his ummmm son (my hair was long even then and that was obviously a slam at the young “hippie” in his “court) will be paying the fine or enjoying our hospitality for the evening."
Well, Dad did not have enough cash and had to contact his client in town to bring enough so we didn’t have to enjoy that ummmm “hospitality."
Now during this trip, we would get to our hotel and Dad would have meetings during the day and I would stay behind. It was in Atlanta, GA that I learned of something called “room service" and that they would deliver you food right there by the pool while I chatted up the young women on vacation with their families.Dad and I had a little “educational chat” about the expenses I ran up once we checked out from that hotel!
Then…on the way home, we stopped off in Virginia to visit a family who used to live down the block from us on Long Island.All their kids were older and their two oldest sons, and oldest daughter had acted as baby-sitters for my brother, sister and I when we were younger. Their youngest was about 2 years older then me.
Well, that night the two girls had a party to go to and asked if I could come along. Permission was given and off we went.
Well...remember the drinking age was much lower then and there was booze at the party. Not sure how many Tom Collins’ I had, but it was enough that I got sick at the party and then again when we got back to their house.
The two girls got in trouble over my inability to hold my booze and I got a loooooong talking to for the entire 5-hour ride home, with a head that felt like three Mac trucks were playing demolition derby inside it.
I also got another “lesson” from Dad as we stopped at some real greasy spoon for breakfast and I was forced to eat some runny, greasy eggs for breakfast.
Let me tell y’all, I did not drink for at least another month! LOL
But Dad and I had a great trip and it was on that trip that I fell for the south…interesting since I never made it back there to live....well until NOW!
Another shooting in a school...and this time in an Amish schoolhouse!Violence is everywhere, but I ranted on that yesterday so I will just say, THE COUCH prays for the families of the young women killed.
Here are some disturbing facts taken from an interview given to the Associatd Press:"There's no perfect security, from the White House to the schoolhouse," said Kenneth Trump, president of the National School Safety and Security Services consulting firm in Cleveland.
"Since Columbine, school officials have gotten better at preventing student violence", he said, "but authorities can't prepare for every problem."
"When you factor in unpredictable outsiders, when you have a roaming monster walking into the schools, we have to be realistic," Trump said. "There are some incidents you're not going to be able to prevent."
Trump's firm counts 17 nonfatal school shootings so far this school year, beginning Aug. 1. There were 85 the previous school year and 52 in the 2004-2005 school year.
Since Columbine in 1999, the number of fatal school shootings in a school year has ranged from three (2002-03) to 24 (2004-05), according to National School Safety and Security Services. The firm does not track cases before Columbine.
WOOOO…we got a “tip o’ the Tam” yesterday over on the FOTW site…thanks Bro!THE COUCH may be hit and miss the next two weeks or so, but know that--when I can--even it is only two or three lines, I will post to let y’all know what is happening.AND MOST IMPORTANTLY – THANKS TO ALL MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR YOUR WORDS OF LOVE & ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRAYERS OVER THE LAST 21 MONTHS.Without all of it, I am not sure I would have made it this far.
And lastly for today… YES KIDDIES, I have used the term y’all throughout…
just practicing…bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa
Thanks for sitting on THE COUCH, hope you enjoyed your stay.FIND AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAY IT FORWARD!
Keep that spark of insanity kids...It helps keep you an individual.
woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
All I can say is "WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME" I knew you everything would work out the way you wanted it to... I told you it would...
::HUGS, GROPES & SMOOCHES::
Lee Ann
I'm cheating - this is during my grade 10 music class. I hope I'm not boring you by saying over and over how happy I am for you. This is gonna be sooo great! Yay, Vinny!
Oh ... was there other stuff on the blog today? Oops! Too excited and slightly one-track, I guess ...
Just ignore that last comment and don't post it, ok? Just went back and read again. Beautiful poem, Vinny. So glad ... ok, won't start repeating myself yet again. Yeah - I read about that road trip before ... still immensely entertaining. The Amish schoolhouse ... (long pause as my heart weeps for those children)... the world is sometimes far, far beyond my comprehension.
DIXIE: TY TY TY .. now go get that MRI dog-gone-it
COCO: TY also..sorry posted before I saw your request not to LOL
But the road trip did have new info FYI...
Beyond most of our comprehension ... doesn't matter how small the community...it can strike anywhere.
Congrats! I knew it would come.. I won't say I told you so....
Hell, yes I will!! TOLD YOU!!
Coming from a city that has seen 3 such school shootings, with one just recently.. yes, it can happen anywhere. And it's tragic.
My heart goes out to that community. Senseless.
*scared face* I guess I better go get that MRI done beings as Vinny is only going to be about 1 1/2 hrs from me at home and 45 mins from my work... OOPS!! *looks around to make sure Bruno is no where around to drag me to the clinic* ;-)
From the mind of Meribah:
Wooooooooooooooooo Vinny! Ooops, I mean, Bond! LOL **does the dance of joy** I am so happy for you, and I loved the poem! Didn't know you had it in you!
Oh, and we can visit you? Cool! **starts packing her doggie treats and squeak toys** Hope you don't mind hair all over your furniture, 'cause I sheds like the dickens! LOL **is interrupted in her packing by a little bird whispering in her ear** What? He did? Awwww! Looks like I can't come. That Damm duck has the border patrol on the look out for me! Sheesh! LOL
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
p.s. hope your accent gits better :)
YAY! I'm so happy for you Bond! Brighter days are ahead my friend.
Woooooooo Hoooooooooooooo!
Good for you! Finally things are turning around for you. Much happiness and luck in your new job and home. umm I'm with Damm...best get a book with some southern words, y'all! Great introduction poem, loved it! Be careful on your drive. Soooooooooo Happy for you and your family!
HUGS!
Sueann
Best of luck!!
Robin
We have yet another sighting.. Another DAMM DUCK sighting.. wooooooooo ;-)
Congratulations on your new job! I wish you the best! Welcome to the South!
YAY FOR BOND!
THANKS EVERYONE! I know I usually address each individually, but so much to do today.
Glad some of you mentioned my attempt at writing poetry again.! LOL
Bond baby - I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU.
::thigh slap, lean back, head back and giant WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO out to ya::
Congrats babe - like I told you, patience.
The poem was so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes.
Don't be so busy you can't keep us updated ok?
Hugs, smooches and gropes (and sorry I'm late, I'm a bit behind in everything these days)
GIT R DONE!!!!!!
I'm going to have to use that cotton ide on my laundry tree...LOL!