The Secret Belly Dancer's Club....

I recently had the good fortune to be able to spend a wonderful evening away with good friends celebrating our 40 years on this lovely earth. (Ok, by the look you're giving me you either can't believe I'm 40 or that I have good friends!) Three of us have known each other since 6th grade and the 4th, well she fits in so well it seems like we've known her that long. We talked about anything and everything...and it was that comfortable talk, when no one judged each other and we all made each other feel good....at least that's how I felt...the other three are probably reading this saying, "Shit, I feel bad now for talking about her after she left!".
Anyway, our group had a little initiation of the ever so important secret toe ring ceremony....and if you remember a blog I did waaaaayyy back with a photo of Bethany's feet...you could probably figure out which foot is mine....

This, of course, was after much good food and many, many raspberry lemon-tini's...don't leave home without them! And maybe some wine....and a beer or two...

But mostly it was about just taking the time to spend with one another and kind of rejuvenate our sisterhood. I only wish we could do it more often...just enjoy laughing and not have to explain what I'm laughing about to my 9 year old. Or go to the bathroom without someone knocking on the door the instant I've sat down. Or passing out and not have my kids trying to wake me up saying "Please get up mommy!"....kidding! Totally kidding!

These are some very special friends in my life...and I don't mean "special" as in...you know.....and why did I call this "The Secret Belly Dancer's Club"? I'll never tell....

And The Death Pool Winners Keep Coming....

Well, people, I completely missed the boat on the David Carradine's scandalous death! He was found in Thailand in his hotel room, with a rope around his neck and genitals...they are saying it was some kind of sex thing and he died from asphyxiation. Quotes I read online from his friends and family, of course, say they can't see him doing this to himself. Really? I mean take a look at this photo:
You can't imagine this guy into any kinky shit? His friends and family are probably well aware of his closet habits and are trying to give him a respectful send-off. Freak....I mean..to each his own!

Now this next one, I have to tell you kind of freaked me out. Not because of who it was, but because last week at work when we were discussing the demise of The Gloved One and The Goddess, one of my co-workers actually said this guy was next! I'm serious....I saw it on the news and my jaw dropped. Billy Mays will undoubtedly have the cleanest funeral EVER!

Can you imagine if they do his eulogy "Billy Mays" style, shouting all the reasons we should remember him? That would be great!

Heavy Losses...Any Winning At "The Death Pool"?

Sorry, was that a bit callous? If you are not familiar with "the death pool", it is an actual list of famous people who people bet on as to when they are going to die. People will bet on anything! Those crazy people....not that I have $20 on Charo biting the dust in 2015...her hip will give out during an onstage performance and cause her to careen off the stage, ultimately causing her demise. I do have some evil thoughts, don't I?

OK, on to more serious memories. It's always difficult when famous icons pass away unexpectedly or at an earlier than expected age.

With Farah Fawcett, when I was about 6 years old, you either wanted to BE Farah Fawcett, or you wanted to BE WITH Farach Fawcett.
This first photo is an early Farah...notice the photo is from an old "Teen Beat" magazine...weren't those the best!
Now this next photo was really famous and at one point in time you could walk into almost any boys' room and see this poster on their wall....my brother and I actually had mugs with this photo on it - but it was just her head. I will never forget one night we were both going to have some milk in our mugs, but after my Mom left the kitchen, my brother decided to have soda instead. When my Mom saw the soda she asked why he didn't get milk and he said, "Farah made me do it"...it doesn't seem that funny now, but I remember laughing about it back then...

This was Farah probably a few years ago - not so bad, but looking a little ragged. If we only knew the terrible disease she was enduring. Farah will be missed, but unfortunately I believe her death will be but a fleeting thought....

Mainly because she had the misfortune to pass away on the SAME DAY as Michael Jackson! What rotten luck! Her memory will forever be overshadowed because she died on the same blasted day as the King of Pop! That will be my luck. I will finally have my chance for 15 minutes of fame some day, and guaranteed some gigantic event will overshadow it. Not that I'm in any way comparing myself to Farah....I never could get my frizzy, curly hair to feather like hers! But we all tried, didn't we! (don't lie, I know you did!) Always had my comb handy in back pocket to fix my non-feathery hair at a moments notice! Or is was in my Bermuda bag. Or that pocket of my Barracuda jacket.

OK moving right along....I can remember meeting my friend Julie, who was my new neighbor at the time, and her playing the song "ABC, 123" by the Jackson 5.
This photo is when plastic surgery was just a sparkle in his eye...he was all about normal at this point in his life....

Then I think it was 8th grade when Billy Jean came out. I remember that video and thinking it was sooo cool...those moves! We all wanted to be able to dance like Michael Jackson. When "Beat It" came out, my friend, Lisa, and I actually took a break dancing class....we thought it would help us dance like him in that video. I was never one of the screaming Michael Jackson fans, never went to one of his concerts, but I definitely enjoyed his music....

This photo shows he has begun the face work, but it doesn't look bad, he hasn't turned into scary mask guy yet....

I even remember when the Thriller video came out. That was insane! No one had ever done anything like this before! Every time I would watch MTV (back when MTV played videos all day for 24 hours a day) and the Thriller video came on, I would pray it was the long version. There was the long version which was about 20 minutes long, then the short, more commonly played version that was about 5 minutes long.

Ok, now we get to the scary photo. I'm sorry, but the guy turned into a whack job! I read an article today that said his interview a few years back where he let the guy basically live with his entourage for a few months, really did irreparable damage to his reputation. I think if MJ didn't look so freaky, he would have been easier for the public to stomach. I'm assuming he had lots of bad plastic surgery; supposedly he had that pigment condition which was turning his skin white; and during his trial for child molestation he supposedly had back problems. I don't know, I think he made some crucial mistakes: marrying Lisa Marie Presley, dangling a baby over the balcony AND SLEEPING WITH CHILDREN! My husband thinks he hired someone to stage his death - fake body and all - so that he could just disappear; I said I thought it was very possible that was the case and he was living somewhere as a woman right this minute.
MJ (I can call him that because we go way back), your music will be missed.

Heeeeere's Ed! OK, I thought Farah had bad luck? Poor Ed McMahon died a few days before Farah and MJ and his memory was less than a blip on the news screen.
Who didn't like Ed McMahon? He came off as a clean cut, all-American guy...like your favorite Uncle or your best friend's Grandfather. Secretly he might have had a mouth like a truck driver and worn women's clothing, but what we don't know won't hurt us....right?

So I wonder if he's in heaven now following God around saying...."Heeeere's The Almighty!"

Dragons and Polar Bears and Ravens..Oh My!

You may or may not know that I read a lot. Books, magazines, cereal boxes...you name it. I also strongly encourage my children to read. When Jamie was younger and became a voracious reader I decided I would read some of the same books so we would have something to talk about. Every now and then I would read one...and I usually enjoyed them. Now that Bethany is also becoming a reader, she is enjoying some of the same books Jamie and I have. I particularly love this set of books. I believe the fourth in the series is out now although we have yet to get that one. Dragons are brought to life in modern times and have all sorts of powers. These are an easy read so if you have kids, you might want to give them a try.

So You Didn't Think It Was Funny? Boo Hoo!

I know the David Letterman comments about Sarah Palin's daughter is kind of old news - a few days anyway - but I felt it had been far too long since I have commented on any current events. First, can we please shoot the person who coined the term and the meaning of "politically correct"? I am really sick and tired of hearing that phrase - I'm not saying I want to be able to call someone a name that will degrade them, I just think different groups take things too far...Like in this instance. From what I read online - I did not see David Letterman's show when it happened - David mentioned that Sarah Palin had gone to a Yankees game and as part of his joke, said Sarah's 14 year old daughter got knocked up by A-Rod during the seventh inning stretch. That's it. Nothing more. And lots of people got very angry. Really people? I mean, her other daughter got pregnant when she was 17, so it's not really far off the mark, right? If you want to get technical about this. AND, I strongly feel that if you are famous by your own doing...meaning you became famous because you put yourself out there, then you and your family are fair game. I don't mean fair game to be stalked or anything like that...but if people like David Letterman WHO TELL JOKES FOR A LIVING, make a joke about you...BIG DEAL! You should not run and pout...it's actually a compliment that he thinks you are still worth commenting on! Sheesh!
OK, I think I got it all out....for now.