I went camping with a whole bunch of people over the weekend.  No, seriously.  I really did. 

I've determined a lot can be learned from "Little Miss Sunshine." When the situation is absurd, you simply must commit to it. You commit with everything you have in you and you pretend you're shooting a movie and that your role is rumored to be Oscar worthy if you rise to the occasion.

So, when I was canoeing down the Buffalo River careening toward a stump in the water with a copperhead snake sunning on it, I paddled backwards, against the current, as if my life depended on it. The irony being, of course, that it did.

After four hours on the river, we made it to our campsite (where all the movie cameras were hidden behind the trees.) As it began to rain, I summoned the will of Toni Collette and decided that the more mud I could get on myself, the better. It would look more real that way.

This is when we realize that some of our beverages and our lunchmeat has been stolen. As it turns out, a "scruffy looking man with a backpack and a machete" was seen rifling through our food and our coolers while we were gone. He took most all of the lunch meat and the soda. ...seriously.

Sunday, we were back on the river to canoe the second leg of the trip. As I careened toward an entire fallen tree blocking the water with an even larger copperhead sunning on it, I thought, "Forget the Oscar," and screamed like a little girl.

-b

I've been in NYC for a few days visiting my brother.  I saw "Wicked," the musical.  For those of you under your rock, that's a show which gives the backstory to the "Wizard of Oz."  It explains the whole good witch/bad witch thing--wow, did the 'wicked witch' get a bad wrap.  Had that happened in this day and age, she could've filed SUCH a lawsuit. 

 

I also saw the movie, "Little Miss Sunshine."  I can't really talk about it because I might start laughing and pee my pants. 

 

There was big U.N. summit happening--something like 60 world leaders descended on the city.  They didn't ask me to come over and sing...so I didn't go.  Of course, I couldn't have gotten there anyway.  The streets were all blocked off and the traffic situation was complete chaos.

 

New York is a dog city.  Everyone has one.  I like that.

 

I was in Battery Park (the park in Manhatten which looks out to the Statue of Liberty) reading yesterday while waiting for my brother to get off work.  I had a piece of a pretzel in my hand and accidentally dropped it on the ground.  In an instant there were like 15 pigeons and birds on the ground in front of me.  Yuck.  Well, these two girls had been sitting next to me (out of all the room on the empty 20 yard bench, they chose to sit RIGHT next to me--so I was already irritated) and the one girl thought it smart to get snippy with me.  She told me she was afraid of birds and told me not to feed them.  I stared back at her...with the entire expanse of the LONG, EMPTY bench as a background to her tiny little pinhead and, after deciding not to thrust her straight into the harbor, I suggested that she might be happier if she utilized some of the unused space WAY on down at the other end.   But, I smiled as I made the suggestion.  So, that was nice of me.

 

And, then there was La Guardia Airport.  Let me just say to the entire world wide web, American Air at LGA needs to address the total lack of organization in the next staff meeting.  Seriously, people--move the topic to the TOP of the agenda.  Everyone is checking bags now.  You need a plan. 

 

It was a nice visit and a fun escape for a few days--even though both my brother and I felt like the universe was conspiring against us all day yesterday.  :-) 

 

...off to feed the pigeons.

 

-b

 

 

 

Yesterday I saw a quote from a reviewer about a single that Sue and I have out now.  He called the song "unremarkable," and if I remember correctly, the worst one on the record.

 

Here's another quote about the exact same song:

 

"This is one of the best songs Jeff & Sheri have ever recorded, and they've recorded some great songs," says Bill Gaither.

 

 

 -b

"Dancing with the Stars" is back. 

 

Could Sarah Evans have looked any more matronly?  A stylist somewhere needs reprimanding...or firing.

To Tucker Carlson, I say, "If you're not going to participate, then don't sign up.  And, contrary to what you clearly think, you're NOT too cool to be there." 

And, once again, I think we know that for the most part we're using the term "Stars" VERY loosley. 

 

EXCELLENT!

 

-b

The man in front of me in traffic this morning was picking his nose...like there was gold up in it or something.  It made me sick to my stomach.  I had to pull over because I was physically gagging. 

 

-b