Erin go braugh-less

Happy St. Patrick's day, everyone!

I think it's kinda cruel to have today off (working Sat)and not be out partying. Still not 100% post-surgery and I still haven't quite gotten my taste for booze back. I think I have only had 2 drinks in the last 5 weeks...I am sensing an imbalance in The Force. The headaches are still around although not as severe. They seem worse in the evenings, no doubt due to the pressure on my nose from wearing my glasses all day. And I think my voice got even deeper...

I did manage to get a lot done this morning-taxes are filed, bills paid, and other shit ready to be mailed. And Mrs. CB grabbed a Peach Praline pie yesterday, so guess what I had for brunch.

And now I am preparing to spam your journals with my responses to comments given on this entry Last chance to get me to write you a post.

Erin go braugh-less

Happy St. Patrick's day, everyone!

I think it's kinda cruel to have today off (working Sat)and not be out partying. Still not 100% post-surgery and I still haven't quite gotten my taste for booze back. I think I have only had 2 drinks in the last 5 weeks...I am sensing an imbalance in The Force. The headaches are still around although not as severe. They seem worse in the evenings, no doubt due to the pressure on my nose from wearing my glasses all day. And I think my voice got even deeper...

I did manage to get a lot done this morning-taxes are filed, bills paid, and other shit ready to be mailed. And Mrs. CB grabbed a Peach Praline pie yesterday, so guess what I had for brunch.

And now I am preparing to spam your journals with my responses to comments given on this entry Last chance to get me to write you a post.

Meme post

cirrocoj -HM... OK, what are your thoughts on religion? Personal, emotional, intellectual, religion-and-politics, whatever

I was raised and educated as a Roman Catholic in the 70's/80's. Twelve years of Catholic school, not so much for faith-based reasons, as to keep us out of the public school system. I embraced the faith, because that is what we were taught to do. I also had a thing for nuns.

As a child/teen, it was easy to follow the expectations of the church because basically everyone you knew was doing it. As an adult, allowed the distance from the everyday pounding of church dogma into my brain, I have found organized religion to be something I want no part of.

I struggled for a long time to reconcile my love for the traditions and pageantry of Catholic services with my own personal views on certain issues such as abortion, women's roles in the church, birth control and the big one, gay lifestyles. The final straw was of course, the scandals involving abusive priests/clergy and the ensuing coverups. I could no longer be a part of such a hypocritical organization (my lust for nuns not withstanding).

But as to whether I believe in God, I must say I whole-heartedly do. I have been in too many circumstances where I strongly feel that without some sort of divine protection, I would no longer be here. My relationship with God is very personal-I don't preach to anyone, I pray for everyone.

I have had bad experiences with family members and friends turning to their churches when the chips are down and becoming very preachy and condescending. I hate that shit. I personally can't stand organized religions, but I do understand other people's needs-both spiritually and socially.

Intellectually, I have to believe in a higher power. I believe in evolution, but I think there had to be a spark to start it all off somewhere along the line. I guess that makes me a believer in Intelligent Design.

As far as politics go, I believe there should be no religious influence on politics/laws. I think faith-based politicos should be ousted, all couples should be joined in civil unions marriage should be considered a religious ceremony and not a legal one.

I believe I have a soul, albeit a tainted one, and I believe in life after death, be it in a heavenly place or reincarnation. While I struggle to find comfort in a specific religion,I believe in forgiveness, I believe in fairness, and I believe in faith.

Meme post

cirrocoj -HM... OK, what are your thoughts on religion? Personal, emotional, intellectual, religion-and-politics, whatever

I was raised and educated as a Roman Catholic in the 70's/80's. Twelve years of Catholic school, not so much for faith-based reasons, as to keep us out of the public school system. I embraced the faith, because that is what we were taught to do. I also had a thing for nuns.

As a child/teen, it was easy to follow the expectations of the church because basically everyone you knew was doing it. As an adult, allowed the distance from the everyday pounding of church dogma into my brain, I have found organized religion to be something I want no part of.

I struggled for a long time to reconcile my love for the traditions and pageantry of Catholic services with my own personal views on certain issues such as abortion, women's roles in the church, birth control and the big one, gay lifestyles. The final straw was of course, the scandals involving abusive priests/clergy and the ensuing coverups. I could no longer be a part of such a hypocritical organization (my lust for nuns not withstanding).

But as to whether I believe in God, I must say I whole-heartedly do. I have been in too many circumstances where I strongly feel that without some sort of divine protection, I would no longer be here. My relationship with God is very personal-I don't preach to anyone, I pray for everyone.

I have had bad experiences with family members and friends turning to their churches when the chips are down and becoming very preachy and condescending. I hate that shit. I personally can't stand organized religions, but I do understand other people's needs-both spiritually and socially.

Intellectually, I have to believe in a higher power. I believe in evolution, but I think there had to be a spark to start it all off somewhere along the line. I guess that makes me a believer in Intelligent Design.

As far as politics go, I believe there should be no religious influence on politics/laws. I think faith-based politicos should be ousted, all couples should be joined in civil unions marriage should be considered a religious ceremony and not a legal one.

I believe I have a soul, albeit a tainted one, and I believe in life after death, be it in a heavenly place or reincarnation. While I struggle to find comfort in a specific religion,I believe in forgiveness, I believe in fairness, and I believe in faith.

Meme post

theholyinnocent asked:
Have you ever been mellow?
Have you ever tried to find a comfort from inside you?
Have you ever been happy just to hear your song?
Have you ever let someone else be strong

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

That was easy.

Meme post

theholyinnocent asked:
Have you ever been mellow?
Have you ever tried to find a comfort from inside you?
Have you ever been happy just to hear your song?
Have you ever let someone else be strong

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

That was easy.

Meme post

atfm- I haven't been on your f-list long enough to know what you post about and what not, but since I'm all about food, I'd like you to write about your fridge.

Ahh, the fridge of love.

( You get a picture post! )

Meme post

atfm- I haven't been on your f-list long enough to know what you post about and what not, but since I'm all about food, I'd like you to write about your fridge.

Ahh, the fridge of love.

( You get a picture post! )

Meme post

darandkerry -Tell me what it's like to be 'elderly'. :)

Well, as I approach turning 21 for the second time, I must say that being elderly is relative to who I am with. If I am with my nieces and nephews, yeah, I feel old. If I am around theholyinnocent, I feel like a spry wee one.

As for feeling "elderly", well, wisdom comes with a heaping side of snark followed by a dessert plate filled with smackdown. I happily enjoy this Sunday dinner every week.

No worries on the other thing although I wish I had been around for THAT convo...Bangs of Shame take 2...woe.

Meme post

darandkerry -Tell me what it's like to be 'elderly'. :)

Well, as I approach turning 21 for the second time, I must say that being elderly is relative to who I am with. If I am with my nieces and nephews, yeah, I feel old. If I am around theholyinnocent, I feel like a spry wee one.

As for feeling "elderly", well, wisdom comes with a heaping side of snark followed by a dessert plate filled with smackdown. I happily enjoy this Sunday dinner every week.

No worries on the other thing although I wish I had been around for THAT convo...Bangs of Shame take 2...woe.

Meme post

theblanky- Stripper vs flowers, and why

Damn...

I wanna say strippers, cause duh, they strip, but I have to choose flowers and I have two good reasons:

1. Mrs. CB is an avid gardener and seeing her working with flowers and plants, and being so damn happy while doing it, truly warms my heart.

2. I am starting to get into photography and I have been documenting our gardens each year. I enjoy natural beauty so much, that being in a dark room with stripper actually pales in comparison to this:

Meme post

theblanky- Stripper vs flowers, and why

Damn...

I wanna say strippers, cause duh, they strip, but I have to choose flowers and I have two good reasons:

1. Mrs. CB is an avid gardener and seeing her working with flowers and plants, and being so damn happy while doing it, truly warms my heart.

2. I am starting to get into photography and I have been documenting our gardens each year. I enjoy natural beauty so much, that being in a dark room with stripper actually pales in comparison to this:

Meme post

ariestess- So what's the latest book you've read? Do you think I'd like it?

To be honest, it's been so damned long since I read an actual book, I can't even remeber the last one I read.

So I'll give you the title to one I am planning to read next. This past Christmas,artskat gave me Our Gods Wear Spandex-The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes by Christopher Knowles. I love superheroes and graphic novels (just grabbed all of the "52" series) and I am excited to read about how Batman is linked to Kabbalah.

Meme post

ariestess- So what's the latest book you've read? Do you think I'd like it?

To be honest, it's been so damned long since I read an actual book, I can't even remeber the last one I read.

So I'll give you the title to one I am planning to read next. This past Christmas,artskat gave me Our Gods Wear Spandex-The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes by Christopher Knowles. I love superheroes and graphic novels (just grabbed all of the "52" series) and I am excited to read about how Batman is linked to Kabbalah.

Meme post

coldbeer-I'm all about childhood anecdotes

I struggled with this one because there is so much to choose from. While trying to decide, I went to grab a snack and happened upon the gift my sister gave me this past Christmas- Candy from the 70's.

Candy was a vital part of my life in the 70's. Not only did it satisfy my sweet tooth, it brought about opportunity. See, I not only ate candy as a child...I sold it to my friends at a price just above market. I think it started in the 4th grade with cinnamon flavored toothpicks being sold 3 for a nickel. See, in Catholic school, during school hours, the only thing one should ever have in their mouth was the Holy Eucharist and your lunch. Cinnamon toothpicks could be broken into small pieces and sucked on until the flavor became, well, wooden, without much notice from the nuns.

As the candy companies started producing "fun" candy, kids started to be a little more brazen about eating it during school. It was always amusing to see the face of one of the guys start turning red as he tried to keep the mini-explosions of Pop Rocks quiet during a lecture on Self Control.


My sales involved Now and Laters. I would buy a pack of Cherry and Sour apple with what, maybe 7-8 pieces in each pack for 15 cents and sell the individual pieces for a nickle a piece.(Nickles were very big back in 1976). There was quite a bunch of us doing this-we even went to the grocery or Ben Franklin store before school to stock up.

As we got older, we bought candy not for profit, but for personal enjoyment. Pop Rocks, Bottle Caps, Zotz, and one of my favorites, Wonka's Everlasting Gobstoppers. Layers and layers of colors, never knowing what the center would be.

Candy bars were another favorite. During the summer, we lived at the park-softball in the morning, swimming pool the rest of the day. The concession stand at the pool sold frozen candy bars and I could usually be seen with a frozen Zero or Milkshake bar in my hand. Then came the Marathon Bar:


A lacy weaving of delicious caramel, covered in creamy milk chocolate and hawked on TV by The Duke's son. I was in love. I really wish they still made these.

We moved away the summer before my sopohmore year, but my love for candy remained. Our stepfather was the Candy Buyer for a local grocery chain and he attempted to win our affections by supplying a constant stream of goodies. Needless to say, I gained a few pounds during highschool.

As I grew older, my candy buying decreased as my wine buying increased. I have gained a greater appreciation for GOOD chocolate and have even ventured into odd chocolate pairings: Mrs CB even found a candy bar I have been wanting for a long time-two of my favorites, bacon and chocolate combined in one form:

Nowdays, a bottle of good red and some dark choclate fills my need for candy, but I may open up those Gobstoppers....

Meme post

coldbeer-I'm all about childhood anecdotes

I struggled with this one because there is so much to choose from. While trying to decide, I went to grab a snack and happened upon the gift my sister gave me this past Christmas- Candy from the 70's.

Candy was a vital part of my life in the 70's. Not only did it satisfy my sweet tooth, it brought about opportunity. See, I not only ate candy as a child...I sold it to my friends at a price just above market. I think it started in the 4th grade with cinnamon flavored toothpicks being sold 3 for a nickel. See, in Catholic school, during school hours, the only thing one should ever have in their mouth was the Holy Eucharist and your lunch. Cinnamon toothpicks could be broken into small pieces and sucked on until the flavor became, well, wooden, without much notice from the nuns.

As the candy companies started producing "fun" candy, kids started to be a little more brazen about eating it during school. It was always amusing to see the face of one of the guys start turning red as he tried to keep the mini-explosions of Pop Rocks quiet during a lecture on Self Control.


My sales involved Now and Laters. I would buy a pack of Cherry and Sour apple with what, maybe 7-8 pieces in each pack for 15 cents and sell the individual pieces for a nickle a piece.(Nickles were very big back in 1976). There was quite a bunch of us doing this-we even went to the grocery or Ben Franklin store before school to stock up.

As we got older, we bought candy not for profit, but for personal enjoyment. Pop Rocks, Bottle Caps, Zotz, and one of my favorites, Wonka's Everlasting Gobstoppers. Layers and layers of colors, never knowing what the center would be.

Candy bars were another favorite. During the summer, we lived at the park-softball in the morning, swimming pool the rest of the day. The concession stand at the pool sold frozen candy bars and I could usually be seen with a frozen Zero or Milkshake bar in my hand. Then came the Marathon Bar:


A lacy weaving of delicious caramel, covered in creamy milk chocolate and hawked on TV by The Duke's son. I was in love. I really wish they still made these.

We moved away the summer before my sopohmore year, but my love for candy remained. Our stepfather was the Candy Buyer for a local grocery chain and he attempted to win our affections by supplying a constant stream of goodies. Needless to say, I gained a few pounds during highschool.

As I grew older, my candy buying decreased as my wine buying increased. I have gained a greater appreciation for GOOD chocolate and have even ventured into odd chocolate pairings: Mrs CB even found a candy bar I have been wanting for a long time-two of my favorites, bacon and chocolate combined in one form:

Nowdays, a bottle of good red and some dark choclate fills my need for candy, but I may open up those Gobstoppers....

Meme post

kjaneway asked What role, if any, does music play in your life?

Music is VERY important to me. I don't think I would survive if I was unable to listen, sing along, or dance to music.

I use music to inspire me to write or vid, to motivate me, to put me in the proper frame of mind.

At work, music keeps me centered and relaxed, even when things get a little hectic.

Music in the car is a must. In fact, I am looking at getting a new stereo/CD player that has an MP3player hookup.

I have always listened to music, from what my parents played, to school musicals, Broadway, country bars, rock concerts, makeup and breakup songs, bars and even discos. I wouldn't even be able to write this post if I didn't have music playing. Music helps give me peace of mind, and rhythm in my life.

Meme post

kjaneway asked What role, if any, does music play in your life?

Music is VERY important to me. I don't think I would survive if I was unable to listen, sing along, or dance to music.

I use music to inspire me to write or vid, to motivate me, to put me in the proper frame of mind.

At work, music keeps me centered and relaxed, even when things get a little hectic.

Music in the car is a must. In fact, I am looking at getting a new stereo/CD player that has an MP3player hookup.

I have always listened to music, from what my parents played, to school musicals, Broadway, country bars, rock concerts, makeup and breakup songs, bars and even discos. I wouldn't even be able to write this post if I didn't have music playing. Music helps give me peace of mind, and rhythm in my life.

Meme post

macayagirl asked what's your favorite vacation spot?

Oh that's too easy.
New York City.You didn't really expect a different answer did you? ;)

It's really the only place I ever want to go, but I will have to allow Mrs. CB to pick a different destination soon or she may boot me out.

I don't think I can explain why I love the city so much, because I fall in love with some new aspect of it every time we go. Architecture, entertainment, the park, restaurants, museums, the history- I love all of it. Even the damn subway.

We especially enjoy tooling around with our Brooklyn Girls and discovering new things together. Now we just need to get them to Ohio for a weekend...

Damn, I still have my NYE and New Years Day pics to post...I might do that after dinner.

Meme post

macayagirl asked what's your favorite vacation spot?

Oh that's too easy.
New York City.You didn't really expect a different answer did you? ;)

It's really the only place I ever want to go, but I will have to allow Mrs. CB to pick a different destination soon or she may boot me out.

I don't think I can explain why I love the city so much, because I fall in love with some new aspect of it every time we go. Architecture, entertainment, the park, restaurants, museums, the history- I love all of it. Even the damn subway.

We especially enjoy tooling around with our Brooklyn Girls and discovering new things together. Now we just need to get them to Ohio for a weekend...

Damn, I still have my NYE and New Years Day pics to post...I might do that after dinner.

NYE in NYC-Day 3 New Year's Eve Part One

Day 1
Day 2

Finally remembering to post these last 2 days:

( New Year's Eve )

NYE in NYC-Day 3 New Year's Eve Part One

Day 1
Day 2

Finally remembering to post these last 2 days:

( New Year's Eve )

NYE in NYC-Day 3 New Year's Eve Part Two

As it grew dark, we left our hotel, had to show our hotel cards to the police to get OUT of the barricade area, and hopped the F train for Brooklyn. We were spending NYE with theholyinnocent and her spouse.

( NYE Evening )

NYE in NYC-Day 3 New Year's Eve Part Two

As it grew dark, we left our hotel, had to show our hotel cards to the police to get OUT of the barricade area, and hopped the F train for Brooklyn. We were spending NYE with theholyinnocent and her spouse.

( NYE Evening )

NYE in NYC Day 4 New Year's Day

We slept in until 9:45 and had to make a mad dash to the lobby for coffee before they closed it down at 10:00. We showered, dressed warmly and headed out for our last day in NYC

( New Year's Day in NYC )

NYE in NYC Day 4 New Year's Day

We slept in until 9:45 and had to make a mad dash to the lobby for coffee before they closed it down at 10:00. We showered, dressed warmly and headed out for our last day in NYC

( New Year's Day in NYC )