Valentines Day

Meh & now I can't sleep.

Remembering Grandpa Bill

My paternal Grandfather's birthday is tomorrow. He would be pushing his late nineties (the exact birth year escapes me at present). In late 1990, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. In early 1991, after a very short battle, he left the pain and suffering for eternal rest. Grandpa Bill retired when I was in kindergarten or first grade or perhaps before that. They sold the family home, bought a trailer, and moved across the state to be near us. When my parents bought our family farm, Grandpa moved the trailer directly next door on our land. For most of my life they were like a second set of parents. My Grandpa was always there, a key thread of the fabric that was my life. It was terribly painful and traumatic to deal with his death.

Grandma called early that morning crying that she couldn't wake him up. My Dad was in the barn working and there was no time to wait. Mom woke me and I drove the old station wagon down the ragged gravel driveway so fast I'm surprised it didn't fall to pieces. The moment we entered their home and saw Grandma at the kitchen table, we knew. She knew too, but couldn't tell us. All she could still say was that he wouldn't wake up. Perhaps the hardest thing I've ever done in life was going to the bedroom and putting my hand on his cold neck to check for a pulse. I was just seventeen; I grew up that day. Mom went to get my Dad & I called for the ambulance and sat with Grandma till they silently arrived, lights flashing, to take him away. Even though we told her he was gone, she kept hoping they could wake him up...

While I wasn't at home for their deaths, my Grandma Hazel, Aunt Charlotte, & Uncle Sam all later died in that trailer. During their lives, I could never enter the master bedroom again. The old trailer has long been removed, but it is still special to stand where they lived and died. I'll be home next weekend and need to spend a few minutes thinking at the old site. I'll stand by Grandma's old Magnolia? Tree, the only remnant it was her home. It scares me and I get chills to stand there. It also gives me more peace than visiting their graves to stand where they lived; where they helped make me who I am today.

It's not just his birthday that compels me to remember Grandpa Bill this morning. I can't go there today, but I'll eventually share. I love my family.

O'beastity

Yes, I spelled that correctly. Due to a variety of unfortunate situations excuses, such as several broken ribs in June and a lingering three month fight with Sciatica, I have been very inactive over the past six months. Yes, I still run a little; my leg and foot goes numb. Yes, I still go to the occasional class with Judy; I literally can't stand up after an hour of working out. Before the ribs, I was running and/or working out 5 days a week, in possibly the best health of my life, and I felt great. Today I can't walk five blocks without brutal Sciatica nerve pain.

My body has failed me this year and I haven't been able to push through.  A failing fitness regiment led to unhealthy eating and MORE smoking; I even started regularly smoking in the morning over the holidays. Today, the scale greeted me with a frightening number that I've never seen before; 249. This is officially the heaviest I've ever been. In light of my overall health, I still fit smaller clothes than seven years ago, but if I hit 250...what will happen? Perhaps I should smoke constantly and eat nothing?

At the end of the day, I look like a bear. I feel like a bear. I don't want to be a bear. I don't want to be a beast. Will I get even fatter if I successfully quit smoking? I crave food anyway; without the nicotine will I be strong enough? While he's smoking hot, I don't want to end up in a position where Bob's help is the only way back. I will not end up a beast.

Excuses

Excuses are monuments of nothingness,
They build bridges to nowhere,
Those of us who us these tools of incompetence,
Seldom become anything but nothing at all.   (unknown)

There's always some excuse to quit smoking later. I have smoking friends from MA coming this weekend. Next weekend is a holiday; we'll be out with smoking friends. We go on vacation at the end of the month with smoking friends. We're called the Chimneys...while it wasn't originally a reference to smoking, it certainly applies with so many of us paralyzed by nicotine's grip.

I frequently associate excuses with an old church song from the late 70's or early 80's. They used to make us sing it in Bible School. A quick interweb search looks like The Kingsmen Quartet published it at one time but I'm not sure if it was their original work? While I'm not the least bit churchy, it's interesting that many of the "Devil's excuses" to stay away from church loosely relate to excuses to keep smoking:

Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.
And the Devil he'll supply them, if the church you stay away.
When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses
So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.


In the summer it's too hot. And, in the winter, it's too cold.
In the spring time when the weather's just right, you find some place else to go.
Well, it's up to the mountains or down to the beach or to visit some old friend.
Or, to just stay home and kinda relax and hope that some of the kin folks will start dropping in.


Well, the church benches are too hard. And, that choir sings way too loud.
Boy, you know how nervous you get when you're sitting in a great big crowd.
The doctor told you, "Now, you better watch them crowds. They'll set you back."
But, you go to that old ball game because you say "it helps you to relax."


Well, a headache Sunday morning and a backache Sunday night.
But by worktime Monday morning, you're feeling quite alright.
While one of the children has a cold, "Pneumonia, do you suppose?"
Why the whole family had to stay home, just to blow that poor kid's nose.


Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.
And the Devil he'll supply them if the church you stay away.
When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses
So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.


Well, the preacher he's too young. And, maybe he's too old.
The sermons they're not hard enough. And, maybe they're too bold.
His voice is much too quiet-like. Sometimes he gets too loud.
He needs to have more dignity. Or, else he's way too proud.


Well, the sermons they're too long. And, maybe they're too short.
He ought to preach the word with dignity instead of "stomp and snort."
Well, that preacher we've got must be "the world's most stuck up man."
Well, one of the lady's told me the other day, "Well, he didn't even shake my hand."


Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.
And the Devil he'll supply them if the church you stay away.
When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses
So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.
So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses. 

Regardless, I'm tired of using these tools of incompetence to drive my behavior. I must be strong. I must desire to quit and actually do it. I have no choice but to succeed; the alternative of a short life and painful death is just too gruesome.

Support System?

Do you tell the entire world you want to quit? Will they offer support or will their own complacency with smoking or weakness make it worse? Will the pressure of public failure help achieve the goal?

Do you make it a private endeavor? The last time I quit for over a week before my boyfriend even noticed. That gave me willpower to do it on my own because nobody else even gives a damn about anything. I think I lasted over five months that time.

I am ready to forever quit. I will prematurely die of cancer, a heart attack, or stroke if I don't make a healthy choice now. It's in my genes. If I fail please display the body in a black suit with a black tie and a black shirt. Put a sign in the coffin that says, "smoking kills." My failure to be a good example to my daughter in life might leave a lasting impression in death so she never smokes. Let my ashes be a reminder.

I hate smoking

One of my early blog topics was smoking. Needless to say, many years later, I'm still dependent on the nicotine and passively committing suicide one stick at a time.

I hate smoking. I hate the way it smells. I hate the way I feel weak as if I have no self control. I hate how much it costs. I hate how it ruins my body and slows me down.

I'm thinking about quitting again. I wonder if I will be successful or if I'll succumb to cancer like others in my family who didn't have the willpower to quit or who quit too late in life to prevent an untimely death.

I don't want to die but feel it killing me. I hate smoking.

I Heart Del Shores

I fell in love with Sordid Lives many moons ago in Fort Lauderdale at a local theatre putting on unknown independent films.  I thought it was hardly independent with stars like Delta Burke, Leslie Jordan, Olivia Newton-John, Beau Bridges, and several others!  After waiting YEARS for it to be released on DVD, I've purchased six copies of this fantastic film. The first three were borrowed and never returned, the fourth was trapped in a friend's trunk after a car accident and the fifth I have in my collection.  The love for Sordid Lives has extended to literally every friend who's been introduced.  I was compelled to buy another DVD tonight, merely for the purpose of getting a signed copy.

Long story short....you know my stories never are, I became infatuated with Jason Dottley by following Del Shores.  Yes, I have a boyfriend, yes, I know it's a school girl crush, yes I know he's married, but I'm allowed at this age to have one or two of those .  Jason played Ty on the Logo series of Del's great film and he's subsequently made some very fun music

Tonight, despite the attitude at Town, I met them both!  It's been a great day and I am a bigger fan of Del Shores than I've ever been before.  I won't spoil the show, but my favorite line was related to co-dependency....the performance was brilliant and took me back to my non-instrumental Christian roots.  I wish I knew about it further in advance so I could have enjoyed it with a large group of friends.  Fortunately, my hot single (call me if you want his number) bestest of friends joined me for the show!  Fun times in DC!

There may be only 8? shows left on this ~40 show tour, but if you can catch it, it's worth your time!  I'm not a film critic, I won't generate crowds with my 2 blog followers, but I can tell you that it's worth the price of admission!

Del & Jason In My Hood!

I am not generally star struck, whether A-List or not, but have had a strange infatuation with all things Sordid for many years!  I rarely blog these days, and likely have only 2 or 3 blog followers left, but this is the most relevant place to share details about this show!  Remember all the posts about Jason Dottley and his occasional comment that made me giddy?  This is definitely a blog-worthy topic; perhaps I can get some ChimneyJ followers to click over and learn about the excitement...

Tomorrow night, Del Shores' Sordid Confessions will be in DC at Town!  After years of being in MANY cities, literally days before or after Del and/or Jason perform, I will finally get to see them in person, literally around the corner from home!

Please CLICK HERE to buy tickets (only $15-standing or $20-seated) and join me tomorrow night at Town!

Scoot-A-Que 14

Come with me to the best city rally in the country! The 14th Annual Scoot-A-Que will be held in Columbus, Ohio on September 23-25, 2011.  We'll have a weekend full of Scooter madness and raise money for Camp Sunrise! Yes kids, the Cutter's are a club with a big old heart!  Camp Sunrise has been empowering children and families impacted by HIV/AIDS since 1994 and we are proud to help them out!


Register Here via Paypal
RSVP on the Facebook Event Page
Follow the chit chat on the Facebook Group

This year's theme is based on the 1979 film, The Warriors, so bring your friends and wear your colors! Come out and playeeeeeeee

Zanger Rinus - Met Romana op de scooter [HD]

I dare you to watch this. Be warned, some things you just can't un-see.

Even in FL

I know I don't blog much but when we're featured here in JAX I must...

Painted Ladies

My friend, @grantcobb1, is in town so it was time to schedule more time with the needles!  Last year in February, we were on @chimneyfallcat's birthday cruise and several of the Chimneys agreed to get DC flag tattoos (we drink sometimes).  Five of us went in tonight and four came out with new ink!  There are a few others that will be joining us soon and we'll be there to cheer them on.  Pictures of the other's DC Flags are forthcoming, but here we are hanging out at Tattoo Paradise during the process!

This is a 'just finished' shot of my arm.  I know artists hate to work on other people's stuff, but it was time to add new significance to the original stop smoking star from San Antonio.  It will never stop being what it was, but it now also represents "home."  After today, Grant has done and/or modified all of the art on my body.  I'm a happy chimney.

Old School Sunday Funday!

So we didn't go to church, but we did get this direction from the lord enroute to Duffy's new brunch! $10 bottomless mimosas? Yes Ma'am!

With the good holiday tomorrow and a rare 3 day weekend without plans, today is gonna be an old school Sunday Funday! Good to hang with the old gang!

Merry Christmas!

This is my one year old nephew's tree! There's also a giant one in the mansion, but he picked this live one from the tree farm! You should see the little fella burning around the house on the Radio Flyer Tricycle that Santa left!

Despite a little pre-arrival monkey drama, it was an excellent Christmas Eve with my family. I'm now getting ready to head home to the District! Let's hope the snow currently falling in the mountains and the storm headed to our fine city doesn't leave me stranded along the way.

Merry Christmas to you and your Chimney from the family farm!

To tree, or not to tree?

I had BIG plans last year!  The theme color was red; I purchased several new ornaments and enough sequined and sparkly fabric to cover all the throw pillows red.  This is apparently the only (blurry) picture I took of the tree since I only blogged a pic of one ornament.  I ultimately ran out of time and didn't sew the pillows.  These crafty projects always sound like a great idea but take longer than I'd like.  For example, I finished the hat and ONE leg warmer for my friend's 40th Birthday party in 2007.  The other...it's about 3 inches long.  I suppose she could use it as a bracelet and keep one leg warm at a time?

I have no motivation this year, not even enough to start decorating.  Is that terrible?  Is it necessary to do it every year?  I just don't feel like traveling across the city to the storage bin and dragging everything out.  Decorating alone takes 4 trips total for set up and tear down.  I think I'll be a scrooge for 2010.

Other news...The movie night page is updated.  We're still missing several historical details.  If you have any recollection of the film and/or food from the missing dates, please let me know!

Happy Holidays!

ChiDogo's

So far so good! We did the World AIDS Day vigil, the fundraiser, then drank out way back to U Street and ended up here! I'm excited! Chicago style dog & fried pickles!

Richmond Road Trip

Our great friend Stacey moved to Richmond last year. We miss her and threw together a surprise Richmond Road Trip! She about fell out when 7 Chimneys from DC strolled into Ellwood Cafe! Five months of secret planning paid off!

Now let's check out what this city has to offer!

Warrior Dash 2010

Early this year I learned about Warrior Dash in one of my running magazines.  It sounded like a great adventure so last month we loaded up Bernadette and met a bunch of friends in rural PA for a day of beer drinking and mud slinging.  Yes, we are THAT butch! 

Many of our cheerleaders committed to participation next year!  There are details at the bottom of this post if you also want to join!  Now that I'm posting it here, nobody can whine that they weren't invited...

The day was unusually warm for October.  After a series of runs, climbs over military equipment, ropes, hay, swamps, and a variety of other obstacles, it was time to slither through mud under barbed wire.  We saw one person stand up too early and literally slice open her face.  Gross,

The fire jump wasn't very large, but it was a) HOT, b) my eyes were covered in mud from the mud slithering so I couldn't see where to jump, and c) it was the very last obstacle so I was tired...

The best part of the day?  People watching.  Wet, hot, sweaty, muddy, muscled, tattooed, men watching to be exact.  Delicious.  For others it was the beer, but I only had one since my duties included the role of Shirley Jones

Many participants donated their shoes at the end of the race.  They will be cleaned and shipped to a place where, well I guess where people don't have shoes?  It was a great idea, but I should have carried flip-flops in my bag because the gravel drive tore up my feet.

At the end of the day, several of us continued our road trip to Havre De Grace, MD for a night of relaxation and fun.  We started with delicious Manhattans prepared by the owner of The Vandiver Inn, clearly the best accommodations available in this quaint little town.  Well...truthfully, it started with a long hot shower to transform back to reality!  We then enjoyed treats at The Vineyard Wine Bar while waiting for a table at Laurrapin Grille.  Who knew one would need reservations on a sleepy Fall weekend in a little waterfront town?  The wait was worth it!  Live music, sustainable, locally grown food and a beverage or two...

Most importantly, click here to sign up for May 21, 2011 in Mechanicsville, MD!  Several of us are shooting for the 1 PM wave.  Prices go up the longer you wait so you should do it now!  Don't forget, many of the 2010 events sold out far in advance of dash day.

Living Vicariously

I started blogging again so I could share all of my exciting fitness adventures...or rather...so I could win fancy prizes from DC Rainmaker who actually participates in exciting physical activities!  I'll post about Warrior Dash next, but unfortunately that's the extent of my summer 2010 physical fitness!

Seriously, if you haven't read his blog, it is great!  I'm just a casual runner, I rarely swim, and my bike is (hopefully) locked in the basement.  I haven't actually ridden it since 2009 (or was that 2008?)  Hmmm.  Regardless, click over for a chance to win his November Forerunner Giveaway or to just check out the site!

Cheers!

Hello Judy

RJ may not be here, but the posse ended up at Restaurant Judy. Security next door is trying to get us over to check out the Ethiopian Booty, but there's still no booty at the Judy!