Wordle of my blog

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I haven't blogged in soooooo long!

After working the tailgate at the LSU game, Nat picked me up so we could watch the game together at our favorite watering hole...Chelsea's. Game sucked, but comapny and drinks were great! Oh and thanks to Erik for buying us two Jager Bombs in 15 minutes, like that was really necessary. After Chelsea's we went to Avoyelles to see Erik while he worked. Home pretty early. Up early this morning to do a little work, met Mom at church, rode my bike to Sunday in the Park to meet Holly Bof and my folks, left there to have a burger at Ivars. Now will go to City Park with Green Bean for her church picnic. It is just too beautiful to be indoors today!

An all girls dinner at Chelsea's was scheduled for last night. A mixed group including myself, Nat Depp, Kat Creech, Holly Bof, Liz Noland, Heidi B, and possibly Green Bean. Unfortunately, Natalie had a loss in her family on Tuesday evening so we decided to reschedule (I mean, what's a party/ get together without her?). After work, in route home, my mom called to invite me to join her and my dad at Chelsea's! Ironic kinda. AND I had just been to a lunch at Chelsea's the day prior! The food is always excellent, so no complaints here.

I am anxious for the weekend, although I have no idea what my work schedule is looking like as we have a new store opening on Tuesday and that should take some weekend participation on my part. I am hoping only a little Saturday day time work so I will not miss any LSU football, not too late on Friday so I can catch some Live After Five, and NO work on Sunday so I can do church with my mom and a friend then picnic at Sunday in the Park where this week we can rock out to Hip Boot Joe.

Sunglass Swapp II

Following Sunday in the Park, I met friends at Pluckers to watch football. In photo is Hef. Someone threw a paper towel into the pic at just the right moment!

Friday's Live After Five

My usual date, Cousin Will!

Book Block

I haven't opened a book for leisure reading in over a week now...it is driving me completely batty. I have nothing lined up to be my next read. Usually I have at least three or four on deck. I have read everything in my apartment short of the phone book at this point. I thought I could thumb through my program from the recent Louisiana Book festival for inspiration. There are many books listed that peaked my interest but nothing screamed "read me now". For me a trip to a big box for a book is useless because I am a total product of all book marketing ploys B & N so proudly on display. I never have a half day to spend in there really digging for something off the wall/intelligent/interesting to read. I am a "judge a book by its cover" kind a gal and the first fancy cover with a semi-interesting summary is in hand and waiting in the 10 person deep line for check out so that I have something/anything to read prior to bed.
I have a few options, I figure:
1. Re-read a classic (ie: Fountainhead, To Kill a Mockingbird, or Love in the Time of Cholera - top three choices when browsing the book shelf in current mood).
2. Read something I have put off my entire life but need to read just to call myself a literate human (ie: Anna Karenina, The Republic, Don Quixote or War and Peace).
3. Read something recommended by a friend (this being most unlikely option as there are only a handful of people who recommend books I would consider reading - hopefully I can catch a comment from one of them. Since one of them no longer reads my blog, I will also post as a note on facebook in hopes she catches this posting there).
I was recently told about "Catching the Big Fish" by David Lynch...anyone read it?
Ideas on anything else? Suggestions? Please nothing too trendy.

LSU game stunk it up

at least we got a cute picture out of it!

Top pic: With Holly Bof
Bottom pic: With Rhodes B.

Brunch for KK's Bday

Thanks, Caroline and J! Happy Anniversary...

Caroline, my cousin, was married last October in upstate NY. K Keen and I made the trip to witness the nuptials. It was a lovely time of year to make it to New England as the leaves were in their prime changing state. We arrived mid-day Friday, just in time to settle in our hotel (after first asking to be shuttled to another one) and make it to the "Welcome Karaoke Party" hosted by a neighboring hotel bar. I was not aware Caroline and her future husband, J, were such Karaoke fans! The party was a blast. I think my poor Uncle picked up most of our drinks thanks to my cousin, Crews, buying multiple rounds of shots (mostly Jager Bombs per the request of my underage at the time Cousin, Jordon). Saturday we attended a bridesmaid luncheon and later an after party at a local brewery. For most of the guests it did not matter that she chose the weekend LSU played Florida to marry, however her father and brothers are die-hard Tiger fans. My Uncle has not lived in Louisiana since graduating from LSU but follows the team closely and I think makes a game or two each year. He has raised all of the kids to be fans as well. The brewery had reserved the entire upstairs for Caroline's post rehearsal dinner party, however all of the TVs were downstairs! All of the Keen clan stayed glued to the sets downstairs and made all of the locals pseudo Tigers for the night. Anyone remember the LSU/Florida game last year? Wow, what an exciting night! End result was a big win and the start of a big 2 part celebration once we re-joined the upstairs non-football interested crew. Sunday was the outdoor sunset wedding in an old estate garden. It was absolutely gorgeous and so was Caroline! There was a basket set up by the door as you exited the reception with CDs for their guests. I often listen to this CD on my long store visit days with lots of car time. I thought I would share the playlist...

1. Chicken Payback - The Bees
2. Rave On - Buddy Holly
3. A Higher Power - Jonathan Richman
4. A Place in the Sun - David Isaacs
5. That's how strong my Love is - Otis Redding
6. Keep Dancing - The Ronettes
7. Wait Til the Summer Comes Along - The Kinks
8. California Stars - Wilco
9. Southern Girls - Cheap Trick
10. Tell Me - The Rollings Stones
11. Red Tan - The Ravonettes
12. Danny's Song - Kenny Loggins
13. Tango Til They're Sore - Tom Waits
14. Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory - Guided by Voices
15. Descending - The Black Crowes
16. With a Girl like You - The Troggs
17. Sloop John B - The Beach Boys
18. Believe What You Say - Ricky Nelson
19. Queen Bitch - David Bowie
20. Incident on 57th Street - Bruce Springsteen
21. Forever in Blue Jeans - Neil Diamond
22. Disco 2000 - Pulp
23. Ignition (Remix) - R. Kelly

PS - Song 23 took me by surprise the first time I listened to the CD!

PSS - Photo is of Caroline and J in the photobooth at their wedding (sorry it is tiny, I ripped it from her blog).

K Keen Bday!

Happy Happy Birthday, Kristen Keen! Love you!!! It was great having you here for a few days.

Weekend In Review

I have NO photos to share because Tsunami is babysitting my camera battery and charger, thanks to Willis for letting me charge it there in the first place.

Friday: Live After Five with friends, Happy's and Red Star. I did get to meet Collin's new lady friend.

Saturday: Farmer's Market, Book Festival (wow, that was an awesome event and I will attend every year now), Houndogs, Symphony on the steps of the Capitol, Tsunami, Hilton.

Sunday: Brunch at Capital City Grill, Sunday in the Park, Pluckers for Football, the Chimes, Southpaws for Cam.

Monday: Relaxation and total chillness.

It was very nice catching up with so many people and spending so much time with my sister.

Now it is a packed week at work. Daily grind resumes.

Hopefully I will have some pictures to post. I will have to convince others to email me theirs.

jeez....

i love me some holley vaughn, s town committee needs to vote her queen for '09!!!!!

ooops!

So sorry for not posting Nolan pics from last week...

Thank Ya!

Circa 2002 = the last time I wore a watch on my arm. The battery died and I never replaced it. I have been semi-holding out for a particular watch I have wanted for many years. I have now come to grips with the facts that A.) no one else is going to buy it for me and B.) I will never spend that much money on myself. This morning I ran across my old watch while looking for something else and remember my friend, Jeffrey Culotta, is a manager at Lee Michael's in the Mall of Louisiana and decide I will bring watch with me today with a possible trip to visit Jeffrey and perhaps repair the watch. I text him mid morning to ask if he is working, if they have the battery I need for my model watch, and how much it would cost (I mean watch batteries can't be that expensive right???). He calls me after lunch to tell me I will have to go by and have them open the watch to see the battery and if they have in stock. He would be there until 5:00. I now have an operating wrist watch for the first time in 6 or 7 years. He replaced it for free, thanks buddy! I am caught in a place of excitement to wear a watch I once loved and the liberating place I found myself in by not wearing a watch. It is ticking, we will see if I decide to actually wear it!

WTF?

OMG, football polls make me crazy...
Alabama jumping LSU is somewhat understandable because they beat a higher ranked team, but please USC is still in the top 10? That is f**ked up! Oregon State, really? Come on!

Sunday somewhat Funday

Last night, after the game started and I had the all clear to leave campus, I rushed home for a shower and headed out to meet Boyd and Rhodes at Hilton Bar. Walked over to Red Star anxiously awaiting Celeste's arrival for birthday celebration drinks. She never made it out though :( AND K Keen was unable to come to town because at the last minute her boyfriend's babysitter bailed. Darn! Matt B from LSU met us at Red Star, walked to Happy's for a quick drink then home. I woke up waaaaaaaaaay too early this morning, strolled to the grocery for coffee with Heath. Finally made it to Plucker's a little after noon to settle in for some Saints fball. They won! Watched first half of the Dallas game with the gang before heading home. I was too tired to stay for an entire Sunday Funday. I had a pleasurable experience at Wal-Mart this evening (see many previous posts about how much I HATE that place). Green Bean introduced me to the the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market. This is NOTHING like regular Wal-Mart. There were no children running loose, screaming mothers, long lines, or bullshit. Quick in and out trip tonight. I purchased candles, milk and watermelon. Round two with watermelon in a week. This time it looks much better.

A Reading for Jen by Aquarius

Aquarius posted this for me around my birthday.

The astrological glyph for Taurus by Sherill Anne Gross at Sagworks.

I felt a little guilty as I started to work on this reading for Jen. After all, anyone who reads her blog can see that she is an outgoing, fun loving, life loving, young woman. It's obvious that she is close to her family and has a wide circle of good friends, that she is open and sharing about her life and feelings, and observant and appreciative of the world around her. Much of her astrological chart would only confirm this.

But the beauty of astrology is that it sometimes reveals a deeper and broader perspective of who we are, and what may be the eases and the challenges ahead for us. The challenges especially are not so much about what may happen, but what we need to do to successfully maneuver ourselves through and out.

Jennifer Elizabeth Keen was born on April 30, 1975, which happened to be a Wednesday, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was born in the morning at 10:59 a.m. in the sun sign of Taurus, with the moon in Capricorn, and as Cancer was rising. Those are the three most important things to look at, the sun, the moon, and the ascendant or rising sign.

Sun in Taurus
The sun represents your basic personality and who you are at the very core. The most important thing for a Taurean is reliability. They need a secure and stable background, whether it be in their work, their family, or their relationships, in order for them to function properly. They have a lot of common sense, but can sometimes be inflexible. One measure of stability and security is often through possessions, and Taureans often rely upon possessions as a sign of achievement and position in society.

In fact, possessiveness and jealousy are often considered the worst traits of Taurus. On the plus side is a person who is very methodical, no short cuts, who steadily builds upon her work and career. This is also a person full of natural charm, who also finds time to listen, lend a shoulder to cry on, and offer practical advice. Taurus people very often have soft, gentle voices.

Both the Sun and Jupiter are in Jen's 10th House, which is the House of social and professional activities. I'd say that Jen's work and career will always be a very important part of her life, and it is these activities that make her feel expansive and fulfilled.

Moon in Capricorn
The moon represents your emotional nature. Traditionally, the moon represents the feminine, the mother, the ebb and flow of life, the cycles of life, and your feelings. The cycles of the moon physically impact the rise and fall of ocean tides, the planting seasons, menstrual cycles, etc. Capricorn is an ambitious sign, often centered on climbing up the ladder, building things, whether it be actual buildings or building a community or a project, and being very organized and productive. So, my interpretation for someone with the moon in Capricorn is that planning and building are very important to them; if we all come from a particular tradition, theirs would be the tradition of being the planners and the builders of society.

Now, I have to say I wouldn't expect this in Jen, but moon in Capricorn is often someone who reacts or responds very calmly and coolly to situations, almost to the point of aloofness. Moon in Capricorn does have a somewhat offbeat sense of humor, though, which serves to soften any sense of keeping people at a distance.

Ascendant in Cancer (Rising Sign)
The ascendant, or rising sign, is the sign that was on the eastern horizon in the sky at the moment of your birth. It symbolizes the personality that is revealed to the world; your public persona or how others may see you. Cancer is very maternal, and like it's symbol - the crab - it can be a softy on the inside protected by a hard shell. Cancer rising is often someone who serves as everyone's "surrogate mom". They love history and old things. They also have incredible memories, and they never forget a good or bad deed done to them or someone they love. Like a crab's pincers, they often have a difficult time letting go of things.

The next three planets are important because they are the so-called personal planets - Mercury (how we think), Venus (how we love), and Mars (how we fight.) They are the planets closest to the sun, and support, color, and impact our core personality.

Mercury in Taurus
Jen's Mercury is 22 degrees in Taurus. Mercury is the planet of communication; how we think, how we talk, how we send and receive information. As children, Mercury in Taurus may represent someone who is not necessarily the swiftest learner, but one who learns steadily and builds a solid foundation. This placement could signify someone who is quite stubborn, and once they make up their mind, that's it! Again, the ability to plan constructively, methodically, and with discipline, is a strength. Inflexibility is the weakness. When both Sun and Mercury are in Taurus, as in Jen's case, this is a person who will often be described as "salt of the earth".

Venus in Gemini
Hmmm. How do we say this delicately? Oh heck, I'll just quote one of my favorite astrologers, Caroline Casey, who says Venus in Gemini is "goddess with a mouth". Everyone knows Venus as the Goddess of Beauty, Aphrodite, but her beauty is more powerful than just physical. In fact, Venus is often described as a fierce beauty, who represents all that we value in life, and will do what is necessary to protect and obtain such values. In the talkative sign of Gemini, this is a person who is not afraid to speak up for beauty, art, gardens and culture.

Venus in Gemini is a lively partner who communicates well in all relationships. Sometimes, such liveliness could be construed as flirtatiousness. It's very important for someone with Venus in Gemini to have interesting and fun things to talk about with a partner or friends. Also, this is someone who has a knack for fundraising (money is another kind of value), moneymaking, and finding great bargains. In other words, Jen is a great person to go shopping with.

Mars in Pisces
Mars is the planet of energy, sex, and war. Pisces is a watery sign that raises the emotional level, yet somewhat dampens the fire of Mars. Therefore, you may have someone who gets all fired up and ready to fight, but will ultimately let it pass. Mars in Pisces needs to find the right channel for this emotional energy to be released. With Mars in Pisces, it is best to use up that energy in a creative way rather than a physical or assertive way. Pisces is a very artistic sign, and not particularly self-confident, so any creative expression should be encouraged and nurtured.

Saturn in Cancer
A lot of people fear Saturn, shudder even, at the thought of its effects. In old astrology, Saturn was considered a malevolent planet, bringing hard times and bad news in its transits. Indeed, as the planet Saturn crosses the skies, it signifies the passing and structure of time, and the rites of passage faced by all of us.

Saturn rules all that is rigid, rhythmic, structural, institutional, scheduled, organized, you get the picture. The military is Saturn. Government is Saturn. Marriage and divorce, interestingly, are also influenced by Saturn.

There is an interesting placement of Saturn in Cancer being close to (conjunct) to the rising sign, and directly opposite the Moon in Capricorn. One interpretation may be that structure and organization is a major part of Jen's life, and other's see her as super organized and, for better or worse, almost militant about it. But the opposition to the Moon adds another element, like maybe there is also depression or emotional letdown if things don't always go according to plan. Or instead of depression, perhaps there's a bit of push and pull with Mom over organization and planning? Not sure, here, but opposition to the moon usually means struggle with emotion or mother.

As Saturn makes its way around the chart, it changes or reorganizes the structure of whatever that planet means. For example, I'm curious whether something really big or significant happened in Jen's life in April of 1997? That's when Saturn crossed the MidHeaven and Jupiter together. The MidHeaven signals a crowning achievement, for good or for bad, that is out there for everyone to see. Jupiter expands whatever it touches. So, when Saturn crossed both Jupiter and the MidHeaven in April 1997, there should have been something big, perhaps public, that occurred in her life.

Then, in May 1999, Saturn crosses Jen's Sun. That should also have been a time of challenge.

I'm wondering if something significant happened in Jen''s life during the period between October 2003 and June 2004? That is when Saturn went full circle around the chart and returned to the same position as when she was born (natal position). It's called the first Saturn return, it usually happens around age 28 or 29, and it's a critical time for everyone. It usually involves a big move or a change of some sort, whether it be a job, or a relationship, or a physical move or change.

The Four Elements
There are four energetic elements - Earth, Water, Fire and Air. Jen has a fairly evenly distributed number of planets in Earth, Water and Fire, and only a couple of planets in Air. Her strongest element is Earth (Sun, Moon and Mercury are in Earth), and next would be Water (Saturn, Ascendant, Uranus and Mars in Water).

Upstairs, Downstairs
Most of Jen's planets are placed in the top parts of the chart, signifying that her journey is outward, interacting with people. If her planets had been predominantly on the bottom part of the chart, the journey would be more internal. Most people have a sprinkling in both top and bottom, right and left. I've just taken another look at Jud's chart, and most of his planets are on the bottom of the chart - therefore, Jud's journey in life will be more internal.

In closing, I want to thank Jen for the opportunity to do a reading for her. I'm sorry I wasn't able to do it in time for the birthday, which I hope was a happy one! And thanks again to Jud for making the suggestion.

For Jen and others, any feedback is very welcome. Was I close? Completely off base? Constructive comments are helpful. Feel free to ask any follow up questions.

Jen's planets:
Sun - 9 degrees Taurus
Moon - 10 degrees Capricorn
Mercury - 22 degrees Taurus
Venus - 19 degrees Gemini
Mars - 14 degrees Pisces
Jupiter - 10 degrees Aries
Saturn - 13 degrees Cancer
Uranus - 0 degrees Scorpio
Neptune - 11 degrees Sagittarius
Pluto - 7 degrees Libra
Ascendant - 18 degrees Cancer
MidHeaven - 7 degrees Aries

?

PB, where did you go???

Girl's Poker Night

I hosted, baked Taco Pie, no cards were played, boys attended...maybe next time!

Oh, and I read this book a few years back...was ok.

PS - Go Beavers! USC, perhaps overrated as usual?

You Have Got To Be Kidding Me...?!?

Going home for lunch today, I start to turn onto my street and see a ton of fire trucks! And a fire! Blazing in front of my place. My bitch landlord hired some yoo-hoos to cut down some trees on the property. It has been very entertaining watching them the past three days. They have no idea what they are doing and are very unsafe. Today, one of them in a tree with a chainsaw, trims a limb which tumbles down right on top of a hot electrical line and starts a fire! The entire tree torched in a matter of minutes...this leaves me without power yet again. Jeez!