Happy New Year!

Come on Pilgrim ~ Obituaries 2006

Shelley Winters 85, actress, heart failure.
Chris Penn 40, actor, multiple medication intake.
Coretta Scott King 78, civil rights leader, ovarian cancer.
Al Lewis 82, actor (Grandpa Munster), natural causes.
Betty Friedan 85, feminist & writer, heart failure.
Bruce Hart 68, lyricist for Sesame Street, lung cancer.
Don Knotts 81, actor, lung cancer.
Jack Wild 53, actor (H.R. Pufnstuf) oral cancer.
Dana Reeve 45, activist, lung cancer.
Syd Barrett, 60, founding member of Pink Floyd, cancer.
Desmond Dekker 64, Jamaican ska pioneer, heart attack.
Alex Troth 77, comic book artist & cartoonist, natural causes.
Paul Gleason 67, character actor, mesothelioma.
Aaron Spelling 83, television producer, stroke.
George Kashdan 78, editor of DC Comics, natural causes.
Red Buttons 87, comedian, vascaular disease.
Bruno Kirby 57, actor, leukemia.
Jennifer Moss 61, actress (Coronation Street)
Frances Bergen 84, actress, died after lengthy illness.
Wilson Pickett 64, musician, heart attack.
Peter Benchley 65, author (Jaws, The Deep) lung disease.
Darren McGavin 83, actor, natural causes.
Maureen Stapleton 80, actress, natural causes.
Billy Preston 60, musician, died of kidney failure.
Robert Donner 75, character actor, heart attack.
Jack Warden 85, actor, died after a lengthy illness.
Joe Rosenthal 94, photographer, natural causes.
Steve Irwin 44, conservationist, stingray barb to the heart.
Robert Earl Jones 96, actor, natural causes.
Francais Tullis 70, mother of Rusty (MASK) motorcycle accident.
Freddy Fender 69, musician, lung cancer.
Sandy West 47, cofounder of The Runaways, lung cancer.
Adrienne Shelly 40, actress, murdered.
Ed Bradley 65, journalist, leukemia.
Jack Palance 87, actor, natural causes.
Robert Altman 81, director, leukemia.
Peter Boyle 71, actor, blood cancer.
Mike Evans 57, actor, throat cancer.
Joseph Barbera 95, producer/animator, natural causes.
James Brown 73, musician, pneumonia.
Gerald R. Ford 93, 38th President of the U.S, natural causes.

20 Things We Know Now (That We Didn't Know This Time Last Year)

1. The part of the brain that regulates reasoning, impulse control and judgment is still under construction during puberty and doesn't shift into autopilot until about age 25.

2. The 8-foot-long tooth emerging from the head of the narwhal whale is actually a type of sensor that detects changes in water temperature, pressure and particle gradients.

3. Cheese consumption in the United States is expected to grow by 50 percent between now and 2013.

4. The U.S. government has paid about $1.5 billion in benefits to thousands of sick nuclear-weapons workers since 2001.

5. Scientists have discovered that certain brain chemicals in our tears are natural pain relievers.

6. Wasps spray an insect version of pepper spray from their heads to temporarily incapacitate their rivals.

7. Ancient humans from Asia may have entered the Americas following an ocean highway made of dense kelp.

8. An impact crater 18 miles in diameter was found 12,500 feet under the Indian Ocean.

9. A new planet described as a "super-Earth," which weighs 13 times as much as our planet, exists in a solar system 9,000 light-years away.

10. At least once a week, 28 percent of high school students fall asleep in school, 22 percent fall sleep while doing homework and 14 percent get to school late or miss school because they overslept.

11. Women gain weight when they move in with a boyfriend because their diet deteriorates, but men begin to eat more healthy food when they set up a home with a female partner.

12. Just 30 minutes of continuous kissing can diminish the body's allergic reaction to pollen, relaxing the body and reducing production of histamine, a chemical cell given out in response to allergens.

13. DNA analysis determined the British descended from a tribe of Spanish fishermen who crossed the Bay of Biscay almost 6,000 years ago.

14. Marine biologists discovered a new species of shark that walks along the ocean floor on its fins.

15. Most of us have microscopic, wormlike mites named Demodex that live in our eyelashes and have claws and a mouth.

16. The common pigeon can memorize 1,200 pictures.

17. Sleeping in on Saturday and Sunday can disturb your body clock, leaving you fatigued at the start of the week.

18. During the past five years, the existence of a peanut allergy in children has doubled.

19. One of the most effective ways for athletes to recover after exercise is to drink a glass of chocolate milk.

20. Researchers from the University of Manchester managed to induce teeth growth in normal chickens - activating genes that have lain dormant for 80 million years.

Courtesy of TBO.com

Cheesiest Lyrics of the Week #7

On the 8th day of Christmas my baby gave to me
a pair of chloe shades & a diamond belly ring
On the 7th day of x-mas my baby gave to me
a nice back rub and he massaged my feet
On the 6th day of x-mas my baby gave to me
a cropped Jacket with dirty denim jeans
On the 5th day of x-mas my baby gave to me
a poem that he wrote for me

The the feelin' that I feel is so good
He makes me feel so in lo-lo-lo-lo-love
If he only knew what he does to me
My man, my man, my baby
Oh he makes me feel so lovely, so sexy
I'm so in lo-lo-lo-lo-love
How I love him for his generousity
My man, my man, my baby

Doesn't it feel like x-mas (it feels lovely)
Doesn't it feel like x-mas (it feels so lovely)
Doesn't it feel like x-mas (wooooooooaaaaaaahhhh)
Yes it feels like x-mas
Doesn't it feel like x-mas (it feels lovely)
Doesn't it feel like x-mas (it feels so lovely)
Doesn't it feel like x-mas (the spirit of x-mas)
Yes it feels like x-mas

On the 4th day of x-mas my baby gave to me
a candlelit dinner just me & my honey
On the 3rd day of x-mas my baby gave to me
a gift certificate to get my favorite CD's
On the 2nd day of x-mas my baby gave to me
the keys to a CLK Mercedes
On the 1st day of x-mas my baby gave to me
quality T-I-M-E

A Christmas Meme

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Are there really gift bag people? I'm all about the wrapping and unwrapping.

2. Real tree or artificial?
I love real trees but I have to be honest in admitting that we have an artificial tree. Something about being afraid of a fire.

3. When do you put up the tree?
Usually about 10 - 14 days before the big day.

4. When do you take the tree down?
I'd love to say New Year's Day but sometimes it's way later.

5. Do you like eggnog?
I do. The light eggnog is still a little rich for me so I mix it with a little milk. But I do love it so.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Hmmm. I'd have to say my Hamster, Hammy.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
No. My sister Julie used to make a different one every year when we were little. My favourite one of hers was made out of toilet paper rolls.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
I don't have a hardest person to buy for.

9. Easiest person to buy for?
My sister Jessa is quite easy to please and I'm grateful.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail all the way!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
An Eaton's pen, from my uncle who worked at Eaton's. I mean, why bother?

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
I think this is one of the hardest questions I have ever been asked. I can't choose just one so here are my picks in random order.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas
A Christmas Story
The Year Without Santa Claus
Charlie Brown Christmas
A Christmas Carol (with George C. Scott)
Home Alone
It's a Wonderful Life

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
I start early and then I kind of just stop. And then I'm totally behind and running around a couple of days before Christmas. I don't understand why I do it I just do.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Does a bear shit in the woods?

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Potatoes Romanoff

6 russet potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup diced green onions (scallions, or red onions if you like)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
paprika

make the night before
bake @ 350 for 1 hour

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Coloured this year.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
I really can't even answer.
Let's put it this way... there really isn't a Christmas song I don't like.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Home Home Home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers?
I can indeed.

20. Angel on the treetop or a star?
Star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
One on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Cranky cashiers.

23. What would you like for Christmas?
World Peace.

Comfort and Joy ~ Test Your Knowledge of Christmas Pop Culture

Click here to take the quiz.

I got 8 out of 10!

I'm A Busy Elf, What Can I tell Ya?

Christmas time has crept up quite suddenly. Although, I've known for sometime that I should get my ass in gear I've been resisting for some reason.

Even Poppy hasn't gotten her Christmas letters/cards out yet. And for a girl who usually has her baking, shopping and cards ready by the first week of December - that's really saying something.

So I hunkered down and started my cards...


It took me most of the day but they're done!
I feel a bit better now.

Work Christmas Party...

is tonight.

Can't drag myself to go.
Even after hearing about the door-prize; 2 plane tickets to anywhere.
I'm making cookies instead.
I'll regret my decision as soon as I hear who won.

I Literally Came Across This While Drinking a Coke

What Happens To Your Body While Drinking a Coke

Have you ever wondered why Coke comes with a smile? It’s because it gets you high. They took the cocaine out almost a hundred years ago. You know why? It was redundant.

• In The First 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You don’t immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor allowing you to keep it down.
• 20 minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get it’s hands on into fat. (There’s plenty of that at this particular moment)
• 40 minutes: Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dialate, your blood pressure rises, as a response your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked preventing drowsiness.
• 45 minutes: Your body ups your dopamine production stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works, by the way.
• 60 minutes: The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.
• 60 Minutes: The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play. (It makes you have to pee.) It is now assured that you’ll evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolyte and water.
• 60 minutes: As the rave inside of you dies down you’ll start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You’ve also now, literally, pissed away all the water that was in the Coke. But not before infusing it with valuable nutrients your body could have used for things like even having the ability to hydrate your system or build strong bones and teeth.

Courtesy of Healthbolt

A "MORTIFIED Short Bus" Presentation. Featuring the diary of Will Nolan. Recorded live at MORTIFIED.

Directed by Bill Barminski

Quote of the Week

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."

Mark Twain

Sesame Snack of the Week

One Word

Here are the rules:

You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.

No.
Explanations.

So:

1. Yourself: tired
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend (spouse): tired
3. Your hair: straight
4. Your mother: alive
5. Your father: dead
6. Your favorite item: snowtires
7. Your dream last night: none
8. Your favorite drink: tea
9. Your dream car: stationwagon
10. The room you are in: kitchen
11. Your ex: yuck
12. Your fear: loss
13. What you want to be in 10 years? Grandma
14. Who you hung out with last night? husband
15. What you're not? diplomatic
16. Muffins: raspberry
17. One of your wish list items: skiboots
18. Time: passes
19. The last thing you did: type
20. What you are wearing: clothes
21. Your favorite weather: warm
22. Your favorite book: mockingbird
23. The last thing you ate: toast
24. Your life: good
25. Your mood: relaxed
26. Your best friend: hilarious
27. What are you thinking about right now? this
28. Your car: jeep
29. What are you doing at the moment? answering!
30. Your summer: short
31. Your relationship status: married
32. What is on your TV? nothing
33. What is the weather like? freezing
34. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday