finished...

To be sure, Cooper's résumé is intriguing: a white boy sold into service at age 12 at an Indian trading post by an aunt and uncle, forced to wander through the wilderness, and eventually adopted by a Cherokee tribesman.

Later on, Cooper dabbles in jobs ranging from self-made legal eagle to state senator, with ample time devoted to lobbying in Washington on behalf of the Cherokees. He also boasts an impressive business career built on an expanding chain of trade and general stores and dabbles in lucrative land speculation.

Taken from Erik Spanberg's CSMonitor review.

thursday bug

Sometimes it helps to share with others what bugs your mind.

They may have a solution, a kind word, or a smile of encouragement.

This week my thursday bug is:

Perfectly beautiful Spring days that don't last long enough.

thursday threesome

::Mark my Words::

Onesome: Mark--ing devices? What do you use to mark things up around the house, school, work, wherever? Does the Sharpie rule? ...or do you believe in the sanctity of the pencil *g*? For the most part, the Sharpie rules my roost. Occasionally I will try using the faux-sharpies made by Bic.

Twosome: "My-- day starts off best when I......" I'll let you fill in the blank at your place! when I honor my morning ritual--I like to get my desk organized at school and have a few minutes of sitting behind it before the students stream in. Coffee or tea is a must.

Threesome: Words-- of a feather clump together? Nah, but hey: what word pairings do you use routinely? Are you into alliteration? ...pithy comments? 'Down home' sayings? Give it up for Thursday! I do say, "alrighty then" and "ok" a lot. Especially when students are trying to get me off topic.

color my world... er, wardrobe...

If you had to wear one color every day for a month, what color would you choose and how'd you choose it?

maybe something really is free...

what does your taste in music say about you?

What Your Taste in Music Says About You

Your musical tastes are energetic and rhythmic. You are full of energy and can be quite talkative. You are forward thinking and open minded. You despise conservatism of any sort. You are intense, detail oriented, and motivated. You are an ambitious person, though your ambition is anything but conventional.

What Does Your Taste in Music Say About You?

44

1) If you got married would you keep your last name or take theirs? more than likely keep mine

2) What did you do yesterday? oh, the usual... school, American Idol

3) When do you plan on having kids or your next kid? nevah

4) Do you know a secret about your last ex that would embarrass them? several

5) Can you take a bra off with one hand? I've never tried

6) Can you use chopsticks? yes

7) How old were you when you lost your first tooth? the average age... 5 or 6?

8) Were you a hyper or mellow kid? probably more mellow than hyper

9) Why did you throw up last? I must've been illin'

10) What's for dinner? leftover pizza

11) Ever been to the Statue of Liberty? I've flown over it several times

12) Voting for Hilary? I haven't made up my mind yet

13) How many e-mail addresses do you have? three

14) Do you HAVE to have brand name stuff? no

15) Who will you be sleeping with tonight? me

16) Do you like Oreos? double stuffed

17) Do you send out Thank-You cards? usually

18) Can you ice skate? I could in my college years

19) Do you have a brother? no

20) Do you know how to change a diaper? sure do

21) Do you flip people off while driving? not so much

22) Would you take a bullet for anyone? depends

23) Do you keep a planner? not a planner so much as a calendar

24) Who's your favorite American Idol judge? Simon--but I don't know if I would like him with anyone other than Paula & Randy, that chemistry is amazing...

25) Do you like to grocery shop when I have money, yes

26) What kind of mood are you in? great!

27) Last time you cleaned? Saturday

28) Did you get an Easter basket? no

29) What pills do you take daily? four prescriptions and vitamins

30) Do you do your own laundry? sure do!

31) Has someone close to you passed away this year? no (knock wood)

32) Baths or showers? showers

33) Do you take out the trash? sure do

34) Are you getting engaged any time soon? to whom?

35) What's the best part about being single? not answering to anyone

36) Paper or Plastic? I have my own canvas bags, thanks

37) Do you watch "The Hills"? I did when I had cable

38) Last CD you played? Madonna's Bedtime Stories in the car

39) What did you do last Saturday night? had dinner with my sister

40) Which one of your friends is going to have the cutest baby? they already have them

41) Wearing any bracelets? that's very rare for me

42) Last thing someone bought for you? flowers

43) What are you going to do now? vegetate

44) What is your current problem? I am puffy

idol chatter...

Funny how Sunday I blogged about The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack and it happens to be the song David Cook blew me away with tonight on Idol. Other than the producers picking really stupid-ass songs it was a great night.


It has got to be a David & David finale.

ten things tuesday...

Ten things I love... (to counterbalance last week's hates)

1) Laughter. This is by far my favorite sound. There are so many kinds of laughs from a slight snicker to a full out belly laugh. I love to laugh.

2) Hugs. I love hugs and cuddles. I think it's because there wasn't much affection in my household after Mum died, that the human touch has become so important to me. Hugs, cuddles, I'm a touchy-feely person. But even people who aren't touchy-feely tell me it's ok when I do it.

3) Good coffee. A good coffee or tea, with coffee being my first choice, is truly something I savor. The aroma, the silky taste, the warmth traveling to my tummy... ahhhhh, that's perfection.

4) Sunshine after rain. Or, I suppose, after clouds in general. Watching the sun break through the clouds makes me joyful inside. We're so terribly sun deprived living here in the Great White North that it warms me to my bones. Too bad it's so bad for me.

5) Books. I'm learning to put down books I don't enjoy but I read almost everything with words. Have you ever read the front of the phone book? A wealth of information there.

6) Family. Whether we're together or not my sisters are my best friends. Forever. No other relationships I've ever had duplicate the way I feel complete with my sisters. And my dad and I have a mother-daughter type relationship. My step-mother is more than just a step-anything to me, more than a friend. Sometimes I wish I was closer to my extended family.

7) Imagination. I'm never bored. I think it's because Dad always said, "if you're bored, you're boring." I learned at a very early age to entertain myself. I'll be great at being retired. If only I could.

8) Music. Luckily, I grew up listening to all sorts music, especially classical music and I have a deep appreciation for many types of music. Being exposed to so much throughout my life has made me crave musical stimulation. I love classical, choral, opera, jazz (not the far-out experimental stuff), rock, country, blues, r & b, rollicking zydeco, cajun, dance and almost everything in between. I just don't love gangsta rap and some polka music.

9) Nature. What would happen to me if I ever left the Great White North? Where else would I see the tinge of green on trees through the burnt umber of autumn? Where else would I see bear, deer, moose or foxes on my daily drive (ok, ok, I don't see all of them every day but I've seen all of them at one point or other). How would I marvel at the rolling fields chasing the skyline? I don't think I would do well in a city.

10) Love. I love that this list was ten times easier to compose than last week's hates. I love my life, I love my friends, I love my car, I love chocolate & pizza. I love puppies and George Clooney.

mercy

by Duffy

just another manic monday...

# 116

If the statement, 'You are what you eat' was true, I would be a pizza!

If you had to have one piece of music (softly) playing in your mind for the rest of your life, what would you want it to be? hmmm... perhaps Canon in D

What is the most important thing in any relationship? asking myself, "what can I do to make so & so happy?" and then doing it.

happy mothers day...

I never really know how I'm supposed to feel on Mother's Day. I mean, I appreciate women who are mothers. I always try to acknowledge my sisters for having the children of my heart. But I never really figured out what this day means to me. Every year seems to bring a slight confusion. Having lost my mother at such a young age, I was six or seven, I have precious few memories of her that are mine and not shared memories with my sisters.

What I do know is that I have always had strong, independent women in my life who've been role models and mentors. Now I am trying to create that for my nieces.

My feelings for my step-mother are more like best friend feelings. I can talk to her about anything and everything. And we have a friendship, but it's beyond friendship. Maybe that's what having a mother feels like.

It's uncharted territory for me.

i say... and you think..?

1. Track :: and field
2. Snake :: cold hearted
3. Assignment :: mission
4. Blockbuster :: movie excitement
5. Bombastic :: a colleague of mine
6. Adventure :: excitement
7. First time :: ever I saw your face
8. Aged :: wisdom
9. Grip :: squeeze
10. Shortcut :: bypass

#275

postsecret

Postsecret is all about Mother's Day.