Random Funny Pictures

Owasso Home Tour '08

Garrison Keillor: Ruth Harrison, Reference Librarian

I heard this clip on NPR the other day and absolutely loved it! Allways a fan of Garrison Keillor. I just thought I'd share it with you!

Ruth Harrison, Reference Librarian
Saturday, November 29, 2008Listen (MP3) Listen (RealAudio)
(THEME)
TR (ANNC): And now, from the hushed reading room of the Herndon County Library, it's Ruth Harrison, Reference Librarian.
(STAMPING) SS: I am so excited, Kent. Just ten more minutes and we close and I'm headed to Ohio. (STAMPS)
FN (TEEN): Gosh Miss Harrison. What's in Ohio?
SS: The best libraries in the United States, that's all. (STAMPS) Thank you, sir. Enjoy your book.
TR (BUSH): I will. Got one called "The Brush is Gone, and Now What?"
SS: Glad we could help. The door is over there.
(FOOTSTEPS, DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
FN (TEEN):Gosh, the best libraries in the country are in Ohio???
SS: The Columbus Metropolitan Library. The Cuyahoga County Library. The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Names known to every librarian in America.
FN (TEEN): Gosh, neat. So what you going out there for, Miss Harrison?
SS: Inspiration, Kent. I want to spend an entire week simply loitering in libraries and pondering and perusing.
FN (TEEN):Gosh, that sounds like fun Miss Harrison.
SS: And when I return I want to build a new wing with soft couches where people can recline and read. Dim lighting and mysterious objects that people can touch--
FN (TEEN):That could be dangerous, Miss Harrison—
SS: People think of libraries as austere places. I look on reading as a sensuous pleasure—
(FOOTSTEPS)
GK: I'm sorry, did somebody say sensuous pleasure?
(SS GASP)
SS: Why- you look very familiar sir. Oh my gosh you're Carson O'Connor, the mystery writer's mystery writer.
GK: The very one. Pleased to meet you.
SS: My goodness. (HEARTBEAT) We are honored. Kent, can you — oh, he's gone.
GK: Wow— your dress. Just then. I've never seen — it just has a sort of aura in this late afternoon light.
SS: This old navy-blue knit thing-you know I was going to de-pill it this morning--
GK: That's not what I call navy blue. In this light, it looks more indigo. Or lapis. Or cerulean blue.
SS (TO HERSELF): Now I wish I'd worn heels instead my beige comfort loafers—
GK: It really brings out your eyes, Miss Harrison.
SS: (GASP) You know my name!
GK: It's on your nametag.
SS: Oh— my nametag. Pinned to my bosom.
GK: Stand right there. Don't move. I need to take a few notes.
SS: Oh be still my beating heart.
GK: Lissome. Angular. Lithe. Nubile.
SS: Nubile??
GK: Don't move. Please.
SS: I'm feeling faint for some reason.
GK: I'm going to put you in my new novel, Miss Harrison. Except your name will be Herrera. Raquel Herrera. You'll be a tango queen and the star of the tango craze sweeping the Ohio river valley.
SS: Did you say Ohio!
GK: Yes, my new novel is set there. It's called "The Theft of the Sacred Thesaurus" —
SS: I'm dreaming.....
GK: And it's set in a library. Except for the tango parts of course. They have wonderful libraries in Ohio. Maybe you've heard.
SS: Me. A late- middle-aged reference librarian with no makeup on whatsoever — nubile.
GK: There's just something about you. A sort of noble vulnerability.
SS (UNDER): Noble vulnerability. (HEARTBEAT) How did he know? It's like he can see straight into the beating chambers of my heart.
GK: I've been observing you for the past hour, from over there in the shadows. Getting a feeling for your rhythms-the way you talk, what you think about—
SS: What I think about— if only you knew—
GK: You're a tango dancer. You try to bring the beauty of the dance to people who love to eat sausage with cheese and chili.
SS: It's me. It's the story of my life.
(DOOR OPENS, FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)
TR (BUSH): I'm back. Say you don't have a bookmark, do you?
SS: Right there on the counter, sir.
TR (BUSH): Good. Sometimes I get lost. Need a reminder.
SS: There you go sir, take two.
TR (BUSH): Thanks. I'm going now.
(FOOTSTEPS OFF, DOOR OPENS, CLOSES, A BEAT)
GK: I'd love to have dinner with you. Except I see your roller bag. You must be about to leave on a journey.
SS: I've been on a journey for a long time, Mr. O'Connor.
GK: I have a plane at the airport, we could fly to Ohio together. Get adjoining hotel rooms, have dinner, a glass of wine, we could talk about books. You and me.
SS: Why—this is so sudden—
(DOOR OPENS, FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)
TR (BUSH): Um. I just realized I never paid for these books.
SS: Sir.
TR (BUSH): Stole 'em right outta here like some kind of bandit.
SS: Sir, this is a library. You don't buy the books. You borrow them.
(A BEAT)
TR (BUSH): I don't get it. So you're saying these are free?
SS: Not exactly, but just hold on a moment, Mr. O'Connor— oh — where'd he go?
TR (BUSH): I think he left.
GK: I'm right here. I just bent down to tie my shoe.
TR (BUSH): Oops. Mistakes were made.
GK: So what do you say, Ruth. Fly to the romantic metropolis of Cincinnati with me. Walk on the pedestrian suspension bridge in the moonlight.
SS: Oh Mr. O'Connor-
(FOOTSTEPS)
FN (TEEN): Your cab's here, Miss Harrison. What should I tell him?
SS: Tell him to go away, Kent. I already have a ride. The one I've been waiting for half my life (SIGH).
(THEME)
TR (ANNC): Join us again next time as we bring you into the hushed reading room of the Herndon County Library for the adventures of Ruth Harrison, Reference Librarian.
(THEME OUT)

Turkey Dance

This year's Turkey Dance was even more fun with the addition of the Clapping stanza.
2008 Thanksgiving Day Turkey Dance!

Oh! Don't forget to rate it! The more high ratings it gets the higher it will be on the viewing lists.

Lisa's Baby Shower

Garrison Keillor: Guy Noir

Here's a part of Garrison Keillor's radio show. I've always enjoyed Guy Noir, but this one was particularly funny to me because the whole GPS part in the beginning. It's what I think my GPS is actually saying.

Guy Noir script
Saturday, November 8, 2008Listen (MP3) Listen (RealAudio)
TR (ANNC): A dark night in a city that knows how to keep its secrets. But on the 12th floor of the Acme building, one man is trying to find the answers to life's persistent questions. Guy Noir, Private Eye.
(THEME)
GK: It was Election Night, and I dropped off to sleep and I had a dream Barack Obama was giving a speech
TR (OBAMA): Hello Chicago. (BIG CHEERS) If there is anyone out there who still thinks that America is a place that is run by people in their sixties who don't know how to do e-mail or text on a cellphone, tonight is your answer.
GK: And then I was awakened by a call. (PHONE RINGS). It was six-thirty in the morning. (PICKUP) Yeah, Guy Noir here. What can I do for you?
TR (ON PHONE): Guy, it's Louie down at the state election board — listen, we've got one precinct still not reporting. One little precinct. Pine Bluff Township. You mind driving out there and get the vote totals so we can lock up here?
(BRIDGE, CAR ACCEL)
GK: So I got in the car and punched Pine Bluff Township into my GPS and got almost there and
— SS (GPS VOICE): In point-one mile, turn left at the red barn with the chicken coop and silo and the "Prepare to Meet Thy God" sign on the tree in the front yard — Recalculating route...... GK: Whoops, Guess I missed the turn.
SS (GPS VOICE): As soon as possible, make a legal U turn.
GK: Road is too narrow for a U-turn.
SS (GPS VOICE): Then turn into a farmyard and turn around.
GK: I don't see a farmyard.
SS (GPS VOICE): In 100 yards turn in at the yard with the cast-iron deer and the plaster gnomes in the front yard....
(CAR BRAKES)
GK: Okay, there it is.
SS (GPS VOICE): Good. You found it. Now turn around and turn right onto the road you were just on.
GK: You don't need to be sarcastic. I know which way I'm coming from.
SS (GPS VOICE): Oh, really. Well, maybe you'd like me to just be quiet then. Okay. I'll just turn myself off and let you make it on your own.
GK: No, no. I didn't mean that. Where do I turn?
(BRIDGE)
It was a little white frame building. Pine Bluff Town Hall. There was a light inside. There was a meadow nearby and some Holsteins standing in the dark. (COWS QUIET MOOING)
A farmhouse far away. (DISTANT DOG BARK) And far beyond was the town. (DISTANT TRAIN WHISTLE PASSING) (FOOTSTEPS ON GRAVEL)
I walked over and (FOOTSTEPS ON WOODEN STAIRS) up to the door and went in (SQUEAKING DOOR) and there was a man sitting at a table under a single light bulb, counting ballots. (TR MURMURING) And a big jowly man in a chair beside him, asleep.
(TK JOWLY SNORING, OFF) (FOOTSTEPS)
TR: One thousand thirteen. One thousand fourteen. One thousand fifteen. One thousand sixteen. One thousand seventeen. One thousand eighteen. One thousand nineteen. One thousand twenty. One thousand twenty-one. One thousand twenty-two. One thousand twenty-three. One thousand twenty-four. One thousand.....
GK: Excuse me—
TR: Whaaaaa?!?!
(FLURRY OF PAPER)
(TK JOWLY MAN EXCLAMATION)
GK: I'm sorry- I didn't mean to startle you.
TR: Look what you've done!!!!
GK: Let me help you pick those up.
TR: No!
GK: I am sorry.
TK (JOWLY GIBBERISH)
TR: Go back to sleep, Cliff. Almost done.
TK (JOWLY GIBBERISH)
TR: Gotta start all over, Cliff. Sorry. Go back to sleep.
GK: You have to start all over?
TR: Have to start all over-
GK: Sir, there are news anchors in New York waiting for your vote totals.
TR: Gotta start over.
GK: The presidential vote totals.
TR: Already counted those, now I gotta count the last race, the one for township judge.
GK: You couldn't give me the presidential totals and then finish counting—
TR: I always do 'em all at once. (EXASPERATED SIGH) One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
GK: You know you could make piles of twenty. It would go faster.
TR: Mister, I've been counting ballots in this township for sixty-seven years. Sixty-seven years.
GK: Okay but it'd go faster if you —
TR: This is the way I've always done it. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. —Did I say five twice?
GK: You did.
TR: You know, if you weren't here bothering me, I might be done by now.
(TIME LAPSE BRIDGE)
GK: So I sat in the corner. Watched them do their thing. One man sleeping (SNORING) and the other man counting. (TR, OFF: Three hundred and fifty six. Three hundred and fifty seven...) I dozed off around four-hundred and when I woke up, he was almost done counting.....
TR: One thousand four hundred and eighty five. One thousand four hundred and eighty six. One thousand four hundred and eighty seven. (DOG BARKS, OFF) One thousand and-Shut that dog up!! (DOG BARKS, TK JOWLY GIBBERISH) Where was I?
GK: You were at one thousand four hundred and-
TR: And? (A BEAT)
GK: Eighty-eight.
TR: Okay. One thousand and — you sure?
GK: I'm sure.
TR: One thousand and—
GK: Eighty-eight.
TR: One thousand eighty-nine, one thousand ninety, one thousand ninety-one—
GK: Let me stop you there at one thousand ninety-one.
TR: What is it?
GK: I notice that this judgeship race you're counting votes for, you're only keeping one tally.
TR: I am counting votes.
GK: Not two or three totals, just one. One thousand ninety-one.
TR: Right.
GK: Why?
TR: She ran unopposed.
GK: We're sitting here five hours waiting for the vote total in a race with only one candidate?
TR: We need an accurate vote total.
GK: What's the problem if you're off by a couple? She's still elected.
TR: She wants to know if she has a mandate.
GK: A nation is waiting to hear about the race for president and you have to know whether you got one thousand ninety-one or one thousand ninety-two?
TR: Okay, now I'm confused again. I gotta start over.
GK: Don't start over. It's one thousand ninety-one—
TR: I want to get it right.
GK: You've got it right. You're at one thousand ninety-one—
TK: (JOWLY GIBBERISH)
TR: You can't go home now, Cliff. We aren't done counting yet.
TK: (JOWLY GIBBERISH)
TR: Just go outside in the bushes.
TK: (JOWLY GIBBERISH)
TR: Nobody's going to see you, what you talking about?
GK: You're at one thousand ninety-one—
TR: You're sure about that?
GK: Positive.
TR: Okay. Which ones haven't I counted yet?
GK: That pile there.
TR: Okay. One thousand ninety-one, one thousand ninety-two, one thousand ninety-three
(HE CONTINUES, INTO BRIDGE)
GK: So Cliff went home and Judge Hoolihan went and sat in her car and I took my seat by the door and I dozed off again and dreamed I was in Washington on Inauguration Day and (CANNONS FIRING) there was a twenty-one gun salute and the Blue Angels flew over (JETS SCREAMING IN SKY) and the honor guard came to attention (SFX SGT COMMANDS, THUNK OF RIFLES, CLICK OF HEELS) (BAGPIPE PLAYS "HAIL TO THE CHIEF") and I wondered, why a bagpipe? And then I saw him —
TR (MCCAIN): I do solemnly swear, my friends, that I will faithfully execute the office of President....
(STING) GK: And I woke up—
TR: One thousand five hundred and sixty one. One thousand five hundred and sixty two. One thousand five hundred and sixty three. One thousand five hundred and sixty four.
GK (UNDER): Keep going.
TR: One thousand five hundred and sixty four. One thousand five hundred and sixty five. — Did I make a mistake?
GK: No.
TR: One thousand five hundred and sixty six. One thousand five hundred and sixty seven. One thousand five hundred and sixty eight. (FOOTSTEPS APPROACH) One thousand five hundred and sixty-
TK (TEEN): Pizza! You order a sausage pizza? Extra onions?
TR: Dang it!
GK: Oh no.
TK (TEEN): Did somebody order a pizza? What's the address here? This isn't 611 Dry Creekbed Drive?
TR: It's 613 Dry Creekbed Drive. 611 is next door.
TK (TEEN): Whoops. Sorry. Wrong house. Bye
(FOOTSTEPS OFF)
TR: I suppose I have to start over.
GK: You were at five thousand two hundred and sixty eight.
TR: Five thousand? There aren't that many voters here.
GK: Okay. You don't like five thousand, let's say One thousand five hundred and sixty-eight.
TR: One. Two.
GK: Don't do it.
TR: Three.
GK: Listen-(SHOVES PAPER OFF TABLE)
TR: Hey! My ballots!
GK: The American people are ready for this election to be over, okay? I'm just gonna give you a number, okay? Two thousand and eight.
TR: Why?
GK: that's the final number. Report it and go home. Trust me. Report it to the election board and go home.
TR: That's not how it's done.
GK: It is now. Go eat. My treat. I'll buy you a pizza. What you want? Extra cheese? Onions? Sausage?
TR: No anchovies.
GK: No anchovies. Not a single one. I'll remember that.
TR: And pepperoni.
GK: Pepperoni. No anchovies.
TR: No green peppers.
GK: No green peppers. Got it.
(THEME)
SS (ANNC): A dark night in a city that knows how to keep its secrets. But on the 12th floor of the Acme building, one man is trying to find the answers to life's persistent questions. Guy Noir, Private Eye

St. Lucia Honeymoon

If you had purchased...

If you had purchased $1000 of shares in Delta Airlines one year ago you will have $49.00 today.
If you had purchased $1000 of shares in AIG one year ago you will have $33.00 today.
If you had purchased $1000 of shares in Lehman Brothers one year ago you will have $0.00 today.
But if you had purchased $1000 worth of beer one year ago drank all the beer then turned in the aluminum cans for recycling refund you will have received $214.00.
Based on the above the best current investment plan is to drink heavily & recycle.
It is called the 401-Keg.
A recent study found that the average American walks about 900 miles a year.
Another study found that Americans drink on average 22 gallons of alcohol a year.That means that on average Americans get about 41 miles to the gallon!

Makes you proud to be an American!

We're Back!

Chris and I are back from our amazing St. Lucian honeymoon! We had so much fun. I will be posting pictures of both the honeymoon and the wedding soon. If anyone has pictures from the wedding, please feel free to email me them and I will post them.
Thank you, everyone, for your well wishes and love!

In-Law Bridal Shower

Chris' Birthday

How Chris celebrates his birthday... playing with his new toy!
Happy 30th, to my old man.

Whoopsie! on Invitations

Just a slight correction

My First McDay

So I started working at McDonald's today! Yeah!
It's something I never thought I'd do, but it's turning out to be a whole lot of fun. The people are really friendly, and of course the food is addictive.
My bosses make sure my MS doesn't interfere and even provided me with a chair to sit down on when I get too tired. I only work from 7am to 11am, so it's not that long, but it is a long time on my feet! At least a lot longer than I thought it would be, so the chair is really appriciated towards the end of my time. I work the register at the drive through, which is really nice. Someday I'm going to learn the headset, but that's kind of scarey to me.
(written later on) It's so busy in the mornings! I didn't realize how many people have McDonald's every single day for breakfast! There's a lot of regulars. One lady always brings her little yorkie with her to the drive-thru.
Anyway, keep eating McD's and remember that the lunch menu doesn't start till after 10:30am. :)

London Cruise on the River

Catch Up

It's been a while, I'll try to catch you up. Sorry about that. Check out some of the previous blogs: I'm going to try and post with previous dates, so you'll hahve to go back in time... sorry :) Hope you have fun checking out what I've been up to! It'll be that way throughout my blogs.

Vesica Piscis Part 3

Vesica Piscis Part 3

Vesica Piscis part 2

Been a while

It's been a while since I've posted, and a lot has gone on. I'll have to fill you up on everything as soon as I have a moment to catch my breath... and that moment is coming. I'm starting to get the hang of this "married life" thing, I think... maybe... maybe... the dust is starting to settle, which is good, because I've got the big wedding to plan! I do have my dress, **squeal**!! My mom and mom-in-law went with me to help me pick it out. Read about it soon on the wedding page (I promise that update is coming soon too; time, people, I need time!).
Chris is enjoying his new job here, which is good. I am searching for a part time job, while doing part time work at the Ranch. Also, I'm learning that housekeeping and wedding planning are almost fulltime jobs to themselves! But most everything is under control with the wedding thanks to the VP personelle. Housekeeping is getting there... I just got to get into a daily routine and not let myself fall behind.
Christopher did such a wonderful job surprising me with a beautiful setup on the house! Everything was put away... and we have furniture! It's great! I just have to pick up every once and a while to keep everything as wonderful as he made it for me. It's hard to do, because I get out paperwork and just spread out all over. I know it annoys him. But he's a dear and doesn't say anything. That's one of many reasons why I love him. Anyway, enough gushing. I should get some sleep.

McDonald's 'Chicken Legend'

Here's one of the chicken legend commercials, but I like the other one better... I'll try to get it downloaded soon. :)

Official Virgin Holidays Advert - Starring Charlotte Church

It's such a fun advertisment!

New Haircut

I got a new haircut today! Great feeling. I love it!

This is me before:





This is me now:

Aren't I cute/sexy!! I love it! It's nice and short, but still long enough to do stuff with.

Mom got her hair cut as well. Isn't she georgous?

Think before you speak

Think before you speak...

Here are six reasons why you should think before you speak - the last
one is great!

Have you ever spoken and wished that you could immediately take the
words back... or that you could crawl into a hole?

Here are the Testimonials of a few people who did....


FIRST TESTIMONY:

I walked into a hair salon with my husband and three kids in tow and
asked loudly,

'How much do you charge for a shampoo and a blow job?' I turned
around and walked back out and never went back.

My husband didn't say a word... he knew better.


SECOND TESTIMONY:

I was at the golf store comparing different kinds of golf balls. I
was unhappy with the wome n's type I had been using.

After browsing for several minutes, I was approached by one of the
good-looking gentlemen who works at the store. He asked if he could
help me.

Without thinking, I looked at him and said, 'I think I like playing
with mens balls'.


THIRD TESTIMONY:

My sister and I were at the mall and passed by a store that sold a
variety of candy and nuts.

As we were looking at the display case, the boy behind the counter
asked if we needed any help.

I replied, 'No, I'm just looking at your nuts.'

My sister started to laugh hysterically. The boy grinned, and I
turned beet-red and walked away. To this day, my sister has never
let me forget.


FOURTH TESTIMONY :

While in line at the bank one afternoon, my toddler decided to
release some pent-up energy and ran amok. I was finally able to grab
hold of her after receiving looks of disgust and annoyance from other
patrons. I told her that if she did not start behaving 'right now'
she would be punished.

To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as
threatening, 'If you don't let me go right now, I will tell Grandma
that I saw you kissing Daddy's pee-pee last night!'

The silence was deafening after this enlightening exchange. Even the
tellers stopped what they were doing.

I mustered up the last of my dignity and walked out of the bank with
my daughter in tow.

The last thing I heard when the door closed behind me, were screams
of laughter.


FIFTH TESTIMONY:

Have you ever asked your child a question too many times?

My three-year-old son had a lot of problems with potty training and I
was on him constantly. One day we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick
lunch, in between errands. I t was very busy, with a fu ll dining
room.

While enjoying my taco, I smelled something funny, so of course I
checked my seven-month-old daughter. she was clean.

Then I realized that Danny had not asked to go potty in a while. I
asked him if he needed to go, and he said 'No' .

I kept thinking 'Oh Lord, that child has had an accident, and I don't
have any clothes with me.'

Then I said, 'Danny, are you SURE you didn't have an accident?'

'No,' he replied.

I just KNEW that he must have had an accident, because the smell was
getting worse. Soooooo, I asked one more time, 'Danny did you have
an accident ? This time he jumped up, yanked down his pants, bent
over, spread his cheeks and yelled

'SEE MOM, IT'S JUST FARTS!!'

While 30 people nearly choked to death on their tacos laughing, he
calmly pulled up his pants and sat down.

An old couple made me feel better, thanking me for the best laugh
they'd eve r had!


LAST BUT NOT LEAST TESTIMONY:

This had most of the state of Michigan laughing for 2 days and a very
embarrassed female news anchor who will, in the future, likely think
before she speaks.

What happens when you predict snow but don't get any?!

We had a female news anchor that, the day after it was supposed to
have snowed and didn't, turned to the weatherman and asked:

'So Bob, where's that 8 inches you promised me last night?'

Not only did HE have to leave the set, but half the crew did too they
were laughing so hard!

Tracy's Trip

These are a long time coming; but here are the pictures from Tracy's trip to ASF.

6 things that resemble the Death Star

It’s a simple shape, a sphere with a concave dish set in the surface. In 1977, the shape was forever linked to the movie Star Wars and is known as the Death Star. In the movie, it was a space station as large as a natural moon that housed the “ultimate weapon”, a planet-destroying laser.

1. Hotel Full Moon

The Hotel Full Moon in Baku, Azerbaijan is a design from Heerim Architects of Korea, to be built on a peninsula overlooking Full Moon Bay. The luxury hotel will have 382 rooms in its 35 stories. Another hotel on the bay will be called Hotel Crescent, also with a shape to follow its name.

That’s only the most recent example. Keep reading for others.

2. Convention Center Near Dubai

The RAK Convention and Exhibition Center in the new city of Ras al Khaimah, UAE looks very much like the Death Star. A project still in the concept stage from the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, the design is the result of a competition. The project team is led by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, who also designed the CCTV building in Beijing. The building will hold hotels, offices, restaurants, and stores as well as a convention hall. See more pictures here.

3. Belarus National Library

The Belarus National Library moved into a new building in 2006. It’s not spherical; the shape is a rhombicuboctahedron (try saying that three times fast). During the day, the 24 sides sparkle with glass panels. At night, they are illuminated by 4646 color-changing LEDs. The Minsk building is imposing and not without controversy. It has been referred to as the Death Star both because of the way it looks and how it was financed.

4. AT&T Logo

AT&T’s world globe logo was designed by Saul Bass in 1984, replacing the phone logo that had been in use for nearly 100 years. This came about because of the forced breakup of Ma Bell into seven regional “baby bells”. SBC Communications bought AT&T in 2005, and a new, slightly different logo was unveiled. The newest one hides the classic death star spot somewhat better, but some can still see the Evil Empire in the logo.

5. Panapet

The distinctive shape of the Death Star was around before Star Wars. It’s possible that George Lucas, or some of the other creative minds behind Star Wars owned a Panasonic R-70 transistor radio, marketed as the Panapet. Very likely, in fact, since it seemed everyone had one. They were produced in the early 70s.

6. Mimas

The most amazing similacrum of the Death Star is Mimas, one of the inner moons of Saturn. It has an 80-mile-wide crater named Herschel, which looks like it could easily focus a superlaser. The uncanny resemblence is coincidental, as Star Wars was made several years before the first photographs of Mimas with its crater were taken.

If you love the shape, and don’t want to travel to Dubai, or Minsk, or Saturn, you can build your own Death Star with a Lego kit -or just watch someone else do it.

The Story behind the Cereal

The Stories Behind Your Favorite Cereal Mascots
By Nick Hansen

Everyone remembers the wonderful Saturday morning ritual of diving into multiple bowls of sugared cereal while watching hours of cartoons. (Some of us haven’t moved on yet.) Cereal cartoons are one of the largest and most successful advertising trends in history. I still sympathize with the Trix Rabbit for not being able to enjoy a bowl of his fruit-shaped cereal. Here are the stories behind the characters that successfully motivated us to beg our parents to purchase their sugary products.

Horatio Crunch — Cap’n Crunch

One of the grossest things about cold cereal is when it gets too soggy and turns mushy. Captain Horatio P. Crunch was born in response to a survey kids that said they hated soggy cereal. Jay Ward (above) drew the captain and, according to his daughter, based the cartoon on himself. The honorable captain was charged with guarding the Crunch from the evil barefoot pirate Jean Le-Foote. The Captain has protected his cereal from the menace of sogginess so well that there was a movement to promote him to the rank of Admiral. If you look closely at the early commercials, they look familiar to other cartoons of the day. That’s because Jay Ward also animated other popular TV shows like Rocky and Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right and George of the Jungle.

Can you see the resemblance?

Snap, Crackle and Pop — Rice Krispies

Rice Krispies had the distinction of being a cereal you could hear. A jingle for the noisy cereal inspired illustrator Vernon Grant to create the characters Snap, Crackle, and Pop:

“Listen to the fairy song of health, the merry chorus sung by Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® as they merrily snap, crackle, and pop in a bowl of milk. If you’ve never heard food talking, now is your chance.”

Grant’s flair for fantasy caused him to draw the three characters as gnomes. Snap was the first gnome and appeared in a few solo ads before his brothers came along. When they first started appearing in 1939 they fought against their rivals Soggy, Mushy and Toughy for the hearts (and bowls) of the children. Once the television ads began to be seen by a larger and younger audience, Kellogg’s decided to modernize the three and make them more human-like. Snap, Crackle and Pop are now the longest-running cereal advertising campaign in history.

The Rabbit — Trix

Before he was animated, the Trix rabbit was a hand puppet. The original tagline for the cereal was “I’m a rabbit and rabbits are supposed to like carrots. But I hate carrots. I like Trix.” Catchy, isn’t it? General Mills knew that television was the best way to advertise to kids and they decided to spend 97 percent of their advertising budget on commercials. It paid off: the “Silly Rabbit” campaign was a hit. By 1976, General Mills was worried it was sending the wrong message to kids by having the rabbit always fall short of his aspiration. They decided to do the American thing and let the kids vote whether the rabbit should get a bowl. The Rabbit’s campaign was so successful that more than 99 percent kids voted to let the rabbit have a bowl. The Rabbit has succeed in grabbing bites here and there, but he hasn’t had a full bowl since 1980. And as you can see, it is probably a good thing because it seems to have some sort of weirdly stimulating effect on him.

Tony the Tiger — Frosted Flakes

Cartoon spokescharacters were all the rage in the 1950s. The Kellogg Company wanted an animal to advertise its new Sugar Frosted Flakes to appeal to the younger generation while reassuring mothers that it was OK to let their kids eat a sugared cereal for breakfast. The Leo Burnett advertising agency came up with four different choices: Tony the Tiger, Katy the Kangaroo, Elmo the Elephant and Newt the Gnu. The agency could not decide between a kangaroo or a tiger, but the marsupial was sacked when the feline outsold her by huge margins. The tiger concept was so successful that Kellogg’s sued Exxon Mobile for their use of a tiger in their advertisements.

When Tony first appeared on cereal boxes, advertising critic James D. Wolf said, “I am very fond of breakfast cereals, but a tiger fails to give me a hankering.” Evidently he didn’t realize how “great” Tony would become. If Tony’s singing voice sounds familiar it’s because his voice actor Thurl Ravenscroft also sang “You’re a mean one Mr. Grinch” for the Grinch cartoon. [Stacy’s Note: He also sang one of the ‘Grim Grinning Ghosts’ parts in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyworld.] Tony’s son also had a short lived spinoff cereal called Frosted Rice.

Lucky — Lucky Charms

The concept of marshmallows in a bowl (or “marbits,” as General Mills called them) was easily appealing to kids, but a much harder sell for parents. Lucky was spawned from a concept to base the marshmallows around a charm bracelet. Lucky was replaced for a time in the 1970’s by Waldo the Wizard, but the leprechaun came back within a year. The marbits continued to evolve due to increased product sales every time a new one was added. Lucky’s original charm bracelet included yellow moons and stars, but now are blue moons and shooting stars. Kids could not resist trying to catch Lucky to get his marshmallow-filled cereal. Fortunately, Lucky provided the secret… go to the store and buy a box. Arthur Anderson supplied Lucky’s voice for 29 years, but surprisingly he’s not Irish.

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House in Owasso OK

Yard Sale

Yeah! The yard sale is over!

We made quite a bit of money and are very happy with the results. We did have a few boxes of knick-knacky things to donate to Goodwill at the end of the day (which ended up being at 4pm) but all big items went really quick.
We had a preview on Friday which was supposed to start at 4pm, and ended up starting at around 3:30. The actual sale on Saturday was supposed to start at 7:30am and ended up starting somewhere before 6am. I was not terribly a happy camper. But I was glad to take the money.
I was very greatful that Patti and Anita were there to help, because I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. All those people with their questions! I think I would have sold everything for a dollar, including the fridge, if they'd kept asking me. Thank goodness for the kindness of other people, because I was about to explode. That is why I stuck to doing the money.
It was a very tiring day, and fufilling. I feel a great weight is lifted. It continues to go with me as we pack for our future. Chris and I are both still weeding out items that we no longer wear to take to Goodwill for donations again. We are filling our souls, and it feels good. It feels good not to have so much stuff taking over our lives and bogging us down. And especially since we wont be carrying it with us. It's like a clean escape from this state. It will be good.

Oral Trials

Okay, so this could go under either Job or Everything Nice, but for right now I feel it definitely deserves to go under EN. As ya'all know, there's been talk of an oral drug coming out for MS treatment, well the clinical trials have been going on, and so far so good, so they're going to do long term clinical trials. And one of the study centers is in Tulsa! So I'm going to try and get signed up as a lab rat as fast as I can. I really think it'd be great.
I've talked to some of the other people who have taken the clinical trials who were obviously not taking the placebo and they say that it works wonderfully, with no side effects, so that's really good news. I'm really hopeful. I have my next appointment with Dr. E at the beginning of March, and I've gotta ask for my Oklahoma transfer then, so I'll ask for the recommendation for the clinical study at that time as well. I checked it out, and filled out the survey, they seem to think I'd be a prime candidate for it. I'm really excited. **Squeal!!**

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