Captain Pecker the Party Wrecker

What party doesn't need a 6 foot tall inflatable penis? LOL Misia and I saw this at a Lover's Lane once and now I just saw it online at a party store website... They also recommend it is a lot of fun in a swimming pool because it floats!

From the website:
A Blow Up Penis really sets the mood for a crazy, off the charts, wild bachelorette party, doesn't it? Especially when it's the Captain Pecker 6 Foot Tall Blow Up Penis. We like to call him Captain Pecker, The Party Wrecker!

Every bachelorette party should have a six foot tall inflatable penis. In fact, I see more and more of these inflatable penises at the bars and clubs I go to. They are a very hot item for bachelorette parties. It might be a little embarrassing to carry in at first, but we suspect that after a few drinks, you will be introducing it to people as your bodyguard Peter, or something along those lines. Be sure to take lots of pictures, because you won't want to forget the precious memories of your night out with the giant, 6 feet tall Captain Pecker Blow Up Penis.

It is 5 feet 8 inches tall, about 4 inches shorter than it claimed to be. That sounds like a guy, always claiming he's just a little taller than he really is!

When the original is better than the cover version

Yvonne Elliman- If I can't Have You. Click to watch.

My son thinks LFO is the first band to sing this song. I had to explain to him that it is old and has been redone a few times. I usually don't like older music, but I really do like this version of the song the best. I think it's because I am a fan of Yvonne Elliman from when she was in Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley. I've seen that musical too many times to count, and I even got to see Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson as Jesus and Judas (twice) when they toured with the musical years ago. I still know the lyrics to all the songs in J.C.S.



And here is the version my son thinks is the original... LOL

DaLee Trinketry

My friend Debra has finally started selling her handmade jewelry online. She has a shop set up at etsy.com. Check out her beautiful, hand made one of a kind items which feature glass and metal.

Click here to go to DaLee Trinketry

ADDED INFORMATION----
I was able to get one of the bracelets like the one pictured above today. It is absolutely beautiful and I love it.

Definition of the day- "take a digger"

1. Commonly used to describe an ungraceful fall.
2. Fall forward or trip and land on one's face
Derived from the volleyball slang- a Digshot is a desperation diving hit that results in a faceful of sand.

Example:
I wasn't paying attention and I took a digger when I tripped on the crack in the pavement. I can't believe I fell flat on my face.

On a personal note, I "took a digger" when my dog Max tripped me while I was carrying a basket of laundry a few weeks ago. Even when I fell I didn't drop the clothes! LOL. Don't let his super cute looks fool you... Max is nuthin' but trouble!!

ELO Evil Woman- The Misheard Lyrics

Or like the version I found... MEDIEVAL WOMAN!! This is for Kate, who made me laugh so hard the other night talking about this song... Watch video below.

Happy 4th of July!!

Have a safe and happy holiday!
Click below to watch video.

Slide show from parade yesterday

Thanks so much to K. for inviting us last night to the parade and fireworks! And thanks you to Mr. and Mrs. E. for letting us take over your backyard for the night! The boys and I had an awesome time. We can't wait to do it again next year! (I should have more pictures later...)

Man Calls 9-1-1 Over McDonald's Order

(MYFOX NATIONAL) - Several months after a woman called 9-1-1 because of a " McNuggets emergency ," another person is in trouble for calling 9-1-1 and claiming McDonald's robbed him.

OregonLive.com reports that Jeremy Lloyd Martin, 23, called 9-1-1 repeatedly last Friday after he said an employee at McDonald's failed to fulfill his complete order and cheated him out of $8. Martin claims that he gave the employee $10, but only got a burger and fries.

The 9-1-1 dispatchers reportedly told Martin that he was abusing the system and should stop, but Martin kept calling back. Police arrived shortly thereafter and took Martin into custody.

In March a Florida woman called 9-1-1 three times after she found out her local McDonald's ran out of Chicken McNuggets. The "McNuggets emergency" is just one in a group of infamous 9-1-1 calls that have been made over the years.

Computer Problems and City Stickers

CHICAGO (CBS)

First, it was the new Chicago parking pay boxes going on the fritz, frustrating people trying to park on city streets. Now, it's the new computers used to print city stickers that have Chicagoans tearing their hair out.

People waited in long lines to get stickers Tuesday and eventually many just threw up their arms and gave up.

CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker found shorter lines Wednesday, but more problems.

The computer that spits out the stickers at the currency exchange on Wacker Drive near Madison Avenue was hit-or-miss Wednesday, but Tuesday was even worse. The currency exchange and more than 300 others that operate on the same computer system stopped working for nearly four hours.

"One of our contractors had a server go down," said City Clerk spokeswoman Kristine Williams. "They're working hard to get the problem fixed."

Tat contractor is a company called Electronic License Service. They may be working on fixing the problem, but they're still having problems.

Clerks at a currency exchange on the West Side also complained about intermittent service this morning.

"We're trying to work with them to make sure it doesn't happen again," Williams said.

And the process to get a city sticker online hasn't been much more successful for some.

"It's been a real joke," said Martha Thompson.

She's the poster child for the problems the city is having filling online sticker orders.

"I went online May 27. I've just been waiting and waiting," Thompson said.

In fact, just last week Thompson got an e-mail from the city admitting it was experiencing "an unusually high volume" of online sticker sales. Some 235,000 city residents ordered stickers online. That's a 60 percent increase from last year.

And guess how many people were initially processing all those orders.

"We had a couple of people to process the online orders like we did last year," Williams said.

That's right – only two people to process hundreds of thousands of orders.

"We didn't anticipate, we weren't able to anticipate, the number of stickers that were going to be sold online this year," Williams said.

To keep up with the orders the city had to hire an outside vendor for a few days to help the two city workers. City officials insist it now has the orders under control.

Thompson, however, is still waiting for her sticker. If you're still waiting for your sticker and you don't get it soon, the city suggests you keep calling, send an e-mail or visit the city offices to pick up a temporary sticker.

I went and got my sticker from a currency exchange around a week ago. I had no problem getting it at all. I thought they way they were printed this year was cool, but still a rip off.

Handwriting Analysis

What does your handwriting say about you? ( And I normally don't dot my i's with hearts... ) Click on photo for larger image...

Romance Reader Stats

•74.8 million people read at least one romance novel in 2008.

•The core of the romance fiction market is 29 million regular readers.

•24.6 percent of all American read a romance novel in 2008, versus 21.8 percent in 2005.

•29 percent of Americans over the age of 13 read a romance novel in 2008.

•Women make up 90.5 percent of the romance readership, and men make up 9.5 percent.

•The heart of the U.S. romance novel readership is women aged 31–49 who are currently in a romantic relationship.

Information from the RWA.

Buffy Vs Edward (Guess who wins?!)

If you like Buffy and hate Edward, this is for you! I used to love watching Buffy. I was barely able to get through Twilight (the book AND the movie).

Billy Mays Found Dead

TAMPA, Fla. – Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman known for his boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean, has died. He was 50.

Tampa police said Mays was found unresponsive by his wife Sunday morning. A fire rescue crew pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m.

There were no signs of a break-in, and investigators do not suspect foul play, said Lt. Brian Dugan of the Tampa Police Department, who wouldn't answer any more questions about how Mays' body was found because of the ongoing investigation. The coroner's office expects to have an autopsy done by Monday afternoon.

"Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days," said Mays' wife, Deborah. "Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times."

Tampa area media outlets reported that Mays was a passenger on a U.S. Airways flight that made a rough landing on Saturday afternoon at Tampa International Airport, apparently blowing its front tires in an incident that left debris on the runway.

Tampa Bay's Fox television affiliate interviewed Mays after the incident.

"All of a sudden as we hit you know it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping," MyFox Tampa Bay quoted him as saying. "It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head."

U.S. Airways officials said Sunday they could not immediately confirm that Mays was a passenger.

Born William Mays in McKees Rocks, Pa., on July 20, 1958, Mays developed his style demonstrating knives, mops and other "as seen on TV" gadgets on Atlantic City's boardwalk. For years he worked as a hired gun on the state fair and home show circuits, attracting crowds with his booming voice and genial manner.

After meeting Orange Glo International founder Max Appel at a home show in Pittsburgh in the mid-1990s, Mays was recruited to demonstrate the environmentally friendly line of cleaning products on the St. Petersburg-based Home Shopping Network.

Commercials and informercials followed, anchored by the high-energy Mays showing how it's done while tossing out kitschy phrases like, "Long live your laundry!"

Recently he's been seen on commercials for a wide variety of products and is featured on the reality TV show "Pitchmen" on the Discovery Channel, which follows Mays and Anthony Sullivan in their marketing jobs. He's also been seen in ESPN ads.

His ubiquitousness and thumbs-up, in-your-face pitches won Mays plenty of fans. People line up at his personal appearances for autographed color glossies, and strangers stop him in airports to chat about the products.

"I enjoy what I do," Mays told The Associated Press in a 2002 interview. "I think it shows."

Mays liked to tell the story of giving bottles of OxiClean to the 300 guests at his wedding, and doing his ad spiel ("powered by the air we breathe!") on the dance floor at the reception. Visitors to his house typically got bottles of cleaner and housekeeping tips.

Discovery Channel spokeswoman Elizabeth Hillman released a statement Sunday extending sympathy to the Mays family.

"Everyone that knows him was aware of his larger-than-life personality, generosity and warmth," Hillman's statement said. "Billy was a pioneer in his field and helped many people fulfill their dreams. He will be greatly missed as a loyal and compassionate friend."

Burger King Ad

(From another website--- NOT written by me!!)

If it hasn't already happened, today can go down in the record books as the day subtlety died. Burger King's latest advertisement -- for its, ahem, BK Super Seven Incher -- leaves little to imagination or interpretation. As you can see here, the woman in said advertisement is about to go down on said Super Seven Incher with a suggestive tagline that uses the word "blow." Mmhmm, I think it's safe to assume that such humor will only be going over the head of those younger than, oh, about 13 years old. (Sorry, parents!)

The "copy" at the bottom of the ad -- not sure that you can even seen it here -- takes the whole thing even further: "Fill your desire for something long, juicy and flame-grilled with the NEW BK SUPER SEVEN INCHER," it says. "Yearn for more after you taste the mind-blowing burger that comes with a single beef patty, topped with American cheese, crispy onions and the A1 Thick and Hearty Steak Sauce."

"Something long, juicy"? "Yearn for more"? "Mind-blowing"? I think it's all rather glorious, in an I-love-trash kind of way. Who ever cared about cunning, cleverness, and nuance anyway? Blow your mind (and this Super Seven Incher) instead!

--Wow! (the burger itself sounds nauseating)

I Gotta Feeling...

Tonight's gonna be a good night. Click to watch.

Plagiarism in the news again

BOSTON – Elisabeth Hasselbeck, a co-host of ABC's "The View," has been accused of plagiarism.

A lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts alleges that Hasselbeck lifted "word for word" content from a book on celiac disease written by a self-published author on Cape Cod.

Hasselbeck's book, "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide," has appeared over the past month on several best-seller lists.

Author Susan Hassett filed the lawsuit Monday, saying she sent Hasselbeck a copy of her "Living With Celiac Disease" book as a courtesy after the TV celebrity disclosed she had the illness last year.

The lawsuit says Hasselbeck's book reproduces lists of grains containing gluten along with scientific names of the grains.

Hasselbeck's book "includes dozens of paraphrased as well as word for word regurgitations of phrases" from Hassett's book, the lawsuit claims, but it doesn't cite specific examples.

The lawsuit also says the books have a similar organization and chapter format.

Hasselbeck said in a statement that the allegations are baseless and she worked "diligently and tirelessly" on the book and was disappointed by efforts to discredit her work.

Writing Questions

Sometimes I get emails asking questions about writing and getting published. I always answer anyone who has questions and try to give them the best advice I can. Have you ever thought about writing a book but never started? Have you written a book but have no idea what to do next? I'm willing to answer your questions to help you out with your writing. I was lucky when I started to have someone to ask for advice. If I didn't I might not have ever submitted my first manuscript. Email me at annmarieauthor@yahoo.com. Please put "writing question" in the subject heading. I will answer back as quickly as time allows.

Disco Inferno

Might as well stick with that "hot" theme!! Watch the video and see some stylin' 1970's outfits!

Hot as hell

Today seems we are experiencing that "typical" Chicago weather. Typical here is extreme. First we were all freezing our asses off because of the cold when winter should have been over.

Then just a few days ago we had those torrential rains come through so bad I was fully expecting to see the ark float past my picture window. (And don't forget that water in the basement. I actually had it just coming up through the concrete floor. WTF??)

Now we have that heat that is so brutal and makes you step outside and melt. The sun is relentless. Another couple days of this and I'm sure we'll have those rolling blackouts happening. (Last year we had what... two or three days of no electricity here. Lost everything in my fridge and deep freeze.)I hate to say this since summer just started, but I am already looking forward to the fall. : )

Girl VS Legos!

I win!!! I completed two sets of Batman Legos yesterday for my boys. One of the kits had over 250 pieces in it, which doesn't really sound like a lot... but when they are all spread out in front of you on a table it is a bit much. But regardless... I win!!

Definition: Dick Inches

Arbitrary (and usually incorrect) units of measurement used mostly by males. Derives from men overestimating their penis size. Dick inches are much shorter than actual inches. Hence a guy can claim to have a 9 inch penis when it is actually closer to 5-6 inches. The term "dick inches" is usually used when over-estimating non-penis measurements.

Example:
fellow one: "Finally! There's a parking spot!"
fellow two: "No way, man...You can't park within 30 feet of a stop sign."
fellow one: "There's plenty of room."
fellow two: "Yeah, only if you're measuring in dick inches."

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! Hope you have an awesome day with your kids!

Paradise by the Dashboard Lights

A classic video. Enjoy! Back to posting later tonight. The weather's too beautiful and I'm spending the day with the kiddies outside!

My Epiphany Moment

All my girlfriends told me to read this book and I haven't. They told me to watch the movie, and I didn't. Until last night. It was painful to watch. At some parts I winced and cringed because it was so dead on the money. And then, maybe a quarter of the way into it, this scene happened and it was my big epiphany moment. I had to get the remote and watch it again, right away. This scene told me what I knew in the back of my mind but have been trying to desperately ignore. I couldn't ignore it this time, and I sat and listened. Not only did I hear the truth; it roared in my ears:

"You seem like a cool girl so I'll be honest with you. Connor is never going to call you."

"Oh really? How do you know?"

"Because I'm a guy and that's just how we do it."

"He said it was nice meeting me."

"I don't care if he said you're his favorite female since his mommy and Joanie Cunningham. Over a week went by, ok GiGi? And he ain't calling you."

"But maybe he did call and I didn't get the message. Or maybe he lost my number? Or he's out of town? Or got hit by a cab? Or his grandma died?"

"Or maybe he just didn't call because he has no interest in ever seeing you again."

"Yeah, but my friend Terri once went out with a guy who never called. She totally wrote him off. Over a year goes by and she ran into him and it ended up they-"

"You're friend Terrie is an idiot. And she's also the exception. By the way, the rare exception."

"Ok. Ok. But what if I'm the exception?"

"No, you're not. You're not at all. In fact you're the rule and the rule is this: If a guy doesn't call you he doesn't want to call you."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Always?"

"Yeah always. Look, I know what blowing off a woman looks like. I do it early, I do it often. So trust me when I say if a guy is treating you like he doesn't give a shit, he genuinely doesn't give a shit. No exceptions."

"Thank you. You've given me a lot to think about."

I'll tell you what. He gave me a lot to think about too.