Thursday 13

Posted: Thursday, May 31, 2007 by Travis Cody in
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Look! It's me doing a 13!

I'm having so much fun being able to see my books every day. So here are the first 13 authors on the shelf.

1. Douglas Adams - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
2. Richard Adams - Watership Down
3. Poul Anderson - The Time Patrol
4. Mark Anthony - The Last Rune
5. Piers Anthony - The Xanth books, The Adept books, Incarnations of Immortality, Bio of a Space Tyrant
6. Isaac Asimov - Foundation
7. Robert Asprin - The M.Y.T.H. books
8. Margaret Atwood - Cat's Eye
9. Nicholson Baker - The Fermata
10. L. Frank Baum - The Wizard of Oz
11. Ben Bova - Orion
12. Elizabeth Boyer - The Elves & The Otterskin, The Wizard & The Warlord
13. Lilian Jackson Braun - The Cat Who books



I like...

Posted: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 by Travis Cody in
20


...Valerie Bertinelli. Always have. I had a bit of a crush on her when she played Barbara Cooper on One Day at a Time. I didn't know the word for it back then, but she was snarky. I was drawn to many of the sit-coms that portrayed single moms because my mom was on her own raising me and my sister. ODAAT was my favorite for awhile.

And she married a cool rock star!

What made me think of Valerie today? Her Jenny Craig commercial! It's been playing all evening and she's just so dang cute! She's in front of the freezer trying to decide what to have for lunch. She lists a bunch of really great meals, and then there's the ad for Jenny Craig, and then she throws her hands up and says "Pizza!"

She's 47 years old, she's a little overweight, and she's still as cute as I remember.

There are some women in my life who are struggling with their weight and the way they see themselves. I love y'all and I want y'all to be happy.

It's not easy to make changes in long-standing habits. I wouldn't presume to offer any advice. But it seems to me that stressing over weight loss only makes the process harder.

Valerie actually has a blog where you can follow her progress. If you're having trouble on your weight loss program, maybe this is the plan for you.

Keep your eyes out for that commercial. I couldn't find it on youtube.

Dang. She sure is cute!

Poor poor Spidey

Posted: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 by Travis Cody in
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We went to see Spider-Man 3 on Saturday.

Some liked it. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone says "There are delicious bits aplenty in Spider-Man 3 for those who care to notice."

Many didn't like it. Kenneth Turan, LA Times staff writer, says "Though aspects of it are entertaining, the presence of all these mismatched pieces give Spider-Man 3 an ungainly, cumbersome feeling, as if its plot elements were the product of competing contractors who never saw the need to cooperate on a coherent final product."

I was disappointed in it. I was too long. It dragged. It was silly in spots, and not in a good way.

The big free-for-all battle at the end was good. But I waited an awfully long time watching a bunch of boring stuff to get to it. Some of the early fight sequences were edited in a way that made me a little motion sick. I couldn't follow them, they moved too fast.

It took so long to get Venom into the action, that I totally forgot there was supposed to be a second villain. And as far as villains go, Sandman was a wimp.

Speaking of wimps, Harry Osborne was ridiculous.

I realize that the black goop was as much a villain as the others, but it was never really explained where it came from. I don't know the story of black suit Spidey very well because it's been so long since I read the comics. So a better explanation here would have been appreciated. The sequences with Peter's teacher seemed like an after thought, and it slowed down the action.

The first film was terrific. The second was enjoyable. The third is forgettable.

Rats.

A stirring and powerful tribute to service

Posted: Monday, May 28, 2007 by Travis Cody in
2

Please visit my dear friend Julie at Julie's Jewels and Junque to view a wonderful slide show honoring the service of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines.

Mo's Manic Monday - Memorial Day Edition

Posted: by Travis Cody in
28



Welcome to another Manic Monday with Mo. Don't forget to visit MM HQ at It's A Blog Eat Blog World. Today's theme is Red.

Most of my readers know of my special fondness for the Corps. It was my original career choice to become a Marine. When that goal was taken away, it took a long time to come to terms with it and move on to other pursuits.



I saw this photo at Mimi Writes not too long ago. I posted a comment to the original post, saying that the photo both broke my heart and made me proud. Why proud? Because I'm proud of the young man for looking Lt. Col. Ric Thompson in the eye while he accepts the flag. I'm proud of the young man's father for his service and his sacrifice.


Some might use this photo to make political statements. I simply honor the service and sacrifice of Marcus Golczynski, who gave his life in Iraq. And I honor his brave son, Christian. (DNJ photo by Aaron Thompson)

Memorial Day is for remembering the sacrifice of all our military personnel.



I remember my buddies who joined the Corps and gave their lives. Semper Fi fellas.



Entertainment has it's place

Posted: Sunday, May 27, 2007 by Travis Cody in
12

Getting organized is a beautiful thing. We're slowly getting it together here in Pam-and-Travis-ville.

I finally had enough room to put the new cabinet together for the living room. Collectibles will go on the shelves. I might hang the daggers tonight, or maybe tomorrow.



We bought a great media cabinet yesterday. It holds over 1000 CD's or more than 600 DVD's. I was able to get all of the DVD's and CD's onto the shelves with some room to spare.


















Now the next organizing dilemma is this:



The record albums won't be a problem. They should go quite nicely underneath the table. I think there's enough space and they'll be very easy to access. But the cassettes could be a problem. I'll have to think on that one.

Of course, the most important thing we did was to re-create Mr Tucker's space in the closet. He's quite happy we did that for him.



We're getting tired y'all and we wish we were finished!

New Music & Surprises

Posted: Friday, May 25, 2007 by Travis Cody in
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I got new music today. Well, it's new to me.

We have an FYE store just down the block and I popped in on the way home. I didn't know what I was looking for - which always makes for a fun 30 minute browse.

Just as I walked in the door, on the sale rack, was .38 Special The Very Best of the A&M Years. Taking a stroll through my mental catalog, I realized immediately that I was deficient in the .38 department. So into my hand the CD jumped. It's a steal at $9.99.

So that got me thinking about southern rock, which led me to Molly Hatchet. Again with the deficient catalog - how do I not have Molly Hatchet? Wait...I do have Molly, but I have it on cassette. Luckily they had a greatest hits.

A happy man was I!

And then, it got even better.

See, another of my guilty pleasure silly obsessions, So You Think You Can Dance, premiered tonight but I was expecting to watch most of it by myself. Pam had late meetings. But at 19:40 she walked in the door! She surprised me!

A jubilant man was I!

And then, it got even better.

After she showered, she snuggled up on the sofa with me and we watched the first segment. This show is produced by the same folks who do that show that was on FOX last night. Following Soul Patrol protocol, I'm not mentioning the name of that other show.

Anyway, there were a bunch of bad dancers and a few really good ones in the mix. The show doesn't really begin until Vegas round. I don't care for watching train wreck dancers, just as I don't want to be bombarded by bad singers on that other show.

But here's where it gets the best. At the first commercial, Pam gave me presents!

Get your minds out of the gutter! Not those kind of presents! She had 2 CD's for me. One was Barenaked Ladies Greatest Hits...woooooooooooooooooooo!! And the other was Gordon Lightfoot, another Greatest Hits.

My baby knows what I like. It's a good day when you pick up so much good stuff.

And a content man am I.

And the ugly mirror ball trophy goes to....

Posted: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 by Travis Cody in
14

Internet is a little wonky tonight, so I haven't been able to make my rounds. I'll catch up with y'all in the next few days.

Lots of filler tonight in a 2-hour results show. But first, we have encores! Here are the three free style performances.

Laila & Maks


Apolo & Julianne


Joey & Kym


Here's a recap on the leader board:

58 Apolo & Julianne
56 Joey & Kym
55 Laila & Maks

Each pair gets one more dance that the judges will score.

Apolo and Julianne dance Paso Doble. This is the one they got the perfect score on, when he put his hand down. They did the exact same routine - without the bobble. They performed very well. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30.

Joey and Kym dance Tango. This is the Tango to Star Wars music. He didn't get good scores the first time because of posture and technique. But this time everything came together and he nailed it. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30.

Laila and Maks dance Mambo. This was one of my favorites for her. Yeah! That's how I want to remember her. She is one fine HAWT woman. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30.

Those perfect scores were predictable. As long as no one fell down, they were all getting 30.

88 Apolo & Julianne
86 Joey & Kym
85 Laila & Maks

And third place goes to Laila & Maks. Dang. Well, someone has to finish third. She is the epitome of strength and elegance.

Can a woman ever win this show again?

And now the long, slow, march of the filler...more filler...and still more filler.

Finally! We have a winner...Apolo & Julianne!

Pam and I prefer Joey & Kym, but it's cool.

Dancing - week 10

Posted: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 by Travis Cody in
7

Time zone notice: To my friends living to the east, please remember that I live on the west coast. You will know the result three hours before I do. Thanks for keeping that result under your hat until I've had a chance to see it "live".

Wooooooooooooooo!! Cue the music!!

Live!! It's the finals of Dancing With the Stars!

Tonight, it's judges' choice for each of the couples and then a free dance with no rules. America votes on these two dances tonight, which will count for 50% of the total score. And then tomorrow night the judges score a dance to determine the winner.

Judges select Paso Doble for Laila & Maks. They have proper Paso music, which we appreciate after some of the silly music we've had to endure. She's bringing the passion and fire to the dance. She was aggressive and her technique and posture were wonderful. The red dress was HAWT. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29. Len picked on technique and foot position just a little bit.

Judges select Rumba for Apolo & Julianne. Oh we don't like this Rumba at all. There was an awful lot of posing and not much real dancing. It was forced and it didn't look smooth. We didn't feel any romance in it. That was actually disappointing. And someone needs to gag Bruno to keep him from talking over the other judges! We agree with Carrie Ann and Len on this one - it didn't measure up. Judges say 9,9,10 for a total of 28.

Judges select Cha Cha Cha for Joey & Kym. We like the funky stuff because they mixed the basic Cha Cha Cha elements into it. The choreography fit the music and as always they performed so well. The judges are picking on the fun stuff. They say not enough Cha Cha Cha content and too much hip hop. We liked it because it was fun and we thought there was enough content. Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26. That 8 is too low.

Leader board after judges' choice:

29 Laila & Maks
28 Apolo & Julianne
26 Joey & Kym

Free style is next.

Laila & Maks: Nothing overly complicated or difficult. No big lifts or throws. Well, we can understand that - she's a boxer and quite the big girl. Pam appreciates the shirtless Maks. Just not enough content for us. They had fun and performed well. But it was only hawt, not HAWT. Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26.

Apolo & Julianne: Young, contemporary, and fun. Perfect choice for this pair. We didn't really like it that much. It was fun, but it didn't blow our hair back. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30.

Joey & Kym: This is how he made his living gang. And you know what, he danced WITH Kym. That was brilliant. It played to his strengths and was also ballroom dancing. The lifts were amazing. They used elements from the entire 10 weeks worth of dancing. We loved it! Judges say 10's across for a total of 30.

Tonight's final leader board:

58 Apolo & Julianne
56 Joey & Kym
55 Laila & Maks

We spent our 10 votes for Joey & Kym.

So tomorrow night, it's one more dance for the judges to score. And then the champion is crowned.

We've really enjoyed this season. I hope I haven't bored you too much with these weekly reviews. I'll miss sharing my silly obsession!

But...this Thursday...it's the return of So You Think You Can Dance!! Woooo!! So maybe I'll just shift obsessions and do this on a different day! Heehee!!

Later babies!

Mo's Manic Monday - Graphic

Posted: Monday, May 21, 2007 by Travis Cody in
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Welcome to another Manic Monday with Morgen. Today's theme is Graphic in honor of the lovely and talented Janna from The Jannaverse. Janna has launched her online graphic arts business, Jannagraphics. Janna designed the various Manic Monday banners, as well as the Manic Monday Minion button in my sidebar. She's extremely talented, so cruise by her new blog and see what other visual delights she has to offer.

And don't forget to visit MM HQ at It's A Blog Eat Blog World.

Warning: This post contains graphic adult content and is a departure from what you would normally expect to find here.

He was tall and handsome, with a presence that invaded the dimly lit lounge. He stood framed in the doorway while the eyes of men and women both were drawn to him. She successfully resisted turning, but only because she could see his approach reflected in the mirror above the bar.

She felt his eyes on her as the subject of the unfulfilling fantasies of her youth threaded his way through the crowded lounge toward her. He managed the path deftly, rolling smoothly between high pub tables, shifting his weight to avoid bumping elbows or upsetting trays as he navigated the bustling wait staff.

The last steps carried the smile that curled her toes. His sparkling eyes found hers in the mirror. His touch on her elbow was electric. She fought a shudder and turned slowly to him. Her fingers tightened imperceptibly on the stem of the wine glass as he leaned in close, his lips brushing her cheek as his hand dropped possessively to her hip.

Hitching up casually onto the stool next to her, he craned his neck around to catch the bartender’s eye. It wasn’t long before she had a fresh glass of cabernet and he sipped appreciatively at a vodka tonic. He smiled easily and often, raising and lowering his drink, charming her.

But then, he’d never had a problem being charming. Back in high school, that had drawn people to him. She had never been able to resist it, although back then she hadn’t existed in his world. She was part of the invisible crowd as a teenager, unknown and unknowable, awkward and deeply mired in the hormone driven vagaries of life as an unpopular adolescent.

High school had been four long, lonely years in her life. But with graduation had come the opportunity to bolt the home town and dissolve into college life on the other side of the country. Gradually she made changes, learned to understand and accept, and grew fully into herself.

She emerged confident and capable. But she never went home again. It wasn’t required. She had shed the awkward teenager and found new friends, new interests, and new adventures.

She had thought memories of those unassuming years were gone forever, until his path crossed hers at a business conference.

He was still charming. Of course he hadn’t recognized her. He couldn’t have, even had she bothered to mention that they had moved through the same school system from the ages of 5 through 18.

He was mind-numbingly handsome. He had always captivated her. She had spent many restless nights wondering what it would be like to be noticed by him. They would be at a party. He would walk up behind her and wrap his strong arms around her, nuzzling her neck and whispering in her ear that it was time they left. He would drive them to the lake and park in a secluded spot.

He would gaze at her from beneath those luscious eye lashes, the deep brown of his eyes dancing over her face. He would lean closer, his fingers caressing her jaw, his thumb on her chin. His lips would meet hers, softly at first, then more insistent and she would open to him, their tongues exploring. Her arms would reach and clutch his shoulders as their kisses became ever more intense. Her back would arch slightly as his mouth moved down her throat, his hands slipping inside her blouse to fondle her breasts through the lace fabric of her bra.

They would pause to wrench shirts over their heads, and she would yank the bra away to feel his mouth on her nipples, suckling and making them deliciously hard. She would curl her fingers into his hair, and feel his hands all over her body, the feather light touch moving down her back and over her hips, the fingers kneading her thighs, pressing them apart as his hand explored beneath her skirt.

Waking in sweat soaked sheets, breathing hard, not equipped in those days for the fantasy to go any further.

But now, as adults making small talk in a semi-crowded hotel corridor, she recognized that he was actively working her. The grin, the hand that reached for hers, the way his head tilted as he wondered whether she might meet him for a drink later. He wanted her. Just like in her fantasies.

That knowledge should have pleased her. Instead she found her mind drifting back to those painful school days. She spent the afternoon re-hashing old memories when she should have been focused on lectures and the latest business theories. She skipped the last meeting of the day to retreat to her hotel room, shower and shake the developing case of nervous tension.

He wanted more from her than a drink. She knew that. She was any other attractive woman he might notice. He knew nothing else about her.

But she knew. She remembered the way pretty teenage girls fawned over him, competed for him, lusted after him. He always seemed so aloof, knowing he could choose any of them and not really caring which one. He had never tied himself to one girl in high school. She noticed he wasn’t wearing a wedding band now.

She remembered the longing she had felt whenever she saw him. And as she stood there dripping from the shower, she realized he could be hers for the night. A warm glow spread through her as the realization finally firmed in her mind. She smiled at her reflection. So much grief and depression suffered to get to this point, where her body no longer repulsed her.

Now, as her fingers caressed the stem of the wine glass, her green eyes captured his blue ones and conveyed years of longing. He responded by tipping the contents of his glass quickly down his throat. As he stood she felt the swelling of his need press urgently against her leg. She leaned into him, briefly enjoying the power she seemed to wield over him, and then casually slipped off the barstool to walk ahead of him out of the lounge.

Alone in the elevator he covered her mouth with his as her arms wrapped around him and pulled him close. Their lips parted to let hungry tongues explore. His hands moved down her back, gently crushing her against his hardness. She finally pulled away to catch her breath, and he steadied her. He offered another smile, this one full of lust and the promise of a night of passion.

The elevator doors opened and they walked quickly down the hall to his room. He fumbled the card key out of his wallet and got the door opened on the second try. She hid her smile; it was comforting to know he had moments when he wasn’t calm and collected. She felt completely feminine with this confirmation of the effect she had on him.

The room was dimly lit and smelled fresh, as though maid service had only just finished. He dropped the room key on the credenza and she set her handbag next to it. She felt his hand on her shoulder and turned into him. They kissed again, more gently this time. His mouth and tongue held her attention, so she barely noticed as he released the fastenings on her dress.

Her breath coming in short gasps, she let her hands roam across his broad chest as their tongues continued to dance. She felt the straps of her dress slip down over her shoulders, the fabric bunching at her waist. Deftly, she shifted her weight and the dress dropped to the floor.

He quickly unbuttoned his shirt, pulling his arms out of it and tossing it aside. She took the opportunity to unfasten his belt and unzip his fly. She was anxious now, and determined. She locked her eyes on his as she carefully dropped to her knees. His pants hung loosely on his hips. She rested her hands on his legs, just above his knees, holding his gaze. Slowly she started to move her hands up the outside of his legs. She heard him moan.

She hooked her fingers in the waistband of his pants and lowered them slowly, breaking eye contact so she could savor the site of his exposed cock. The head glistened. She placed her hands firmly on his hips and ran the tip of her tongue over the head. She purred deep in her throat as the most exquisite of her fantasies came to life. He quietly moaned as she held his hips still and ever so slowly teased her tongue up and down his shaft, wrapping her lips around him, moving back to the head and taking as much as she could into her mouth.

She felt his knees wobble. She pulled her mouth from him, reaching her hand up to stroke him instead while he folded onto the bed. She was able then to pull his trousers from his ankles and get them out of the way. Standing, she slipped out of her bra and panties and stepped closer to him. She leaned her hands onto his shoulders, pushing him to his back on the bed so she could climb up and straddle his chest.

His hands caressed her sides and moved to her breasts, fingering her hard nipples. She held herself above him and encouraged him to move one of his hands between her legs. She was throbbing, needing his touch. She gasped as she felt his cold finger tease her clit. She spread her legs a little farther, and he obliged by gently massaging his way between her lips and then his fingers pushed inside her.

Her eyes closed and she moaned. He was in control now and he rolled her to her back, continuing to work his fingers between her legs. His head dropped to her breasts and he sucked at each nipple, kissing the cleft between her breasts and licking the soft skin beneath them.

She writhed beneath him, her fingers curled in his hair, gasping as his fingers and mouth continued to please her. Her hips rolled and she felt flush as the first orgasm engulfed her in warmth. She felt her muscles squeeze around his fingers, crying out for him. He removed his fingers, replacing them slowly with his cock, expertly moving inside her, each time plunging a little farther until his entire length pierced her. Her legs curled about his hips as he rode her, each orgasm building on the last.

He thrust harder and faster, and gradually they found a similar rhythm, meeting each other, taking and giving, until he exploded deep inside her, and they finally collapsed together in a tangle of arms and legs, breathing in gasps, giggling and whispering little endearments.

It was a night when all her fantasies were made real. They pleased each other until they fell into exhausted, satiated sleep.

She woke first and listened to him breathe. She felt warm, and complete. But she knew she needed to leave. She disentangled from him and eased out of the bed.

As she was slipping her dress over her shoulders, she realized he was watching her. She smiled at him as he sat up in the bed.

“Stay a little longer,” he suggested.

She shook her head.

“Why not?”

“I have an early flight.” She sat on the edge of the bed to put on her shoes and felt his hand on her back. She turned and kissed him lightly. “Thank you. Last night was everything I ever dreamed.”

He cocked his head. “What do you mean?”

She stood. She would never be able to explain what made her say it. “This was my fantasy, my dream, when we were in high school together.”

Oh the confusion on his face. It did something to her. It gave her power. She felt giddy from it.

“You won’t remember me,” she said, feeling the sadistic pleasure of what she was about to say. “I used to be James McNeely.”

The End


Saturday Meme Part 2 - Muscial Wayback Machine

Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2007 by Travis Cody in
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Sanni complains that she is old because she turned 18 in 1992. GAH! Stop it!

I like a good musical retrospective, and this is a good one. Here are the rules:

1. Go to www.popculturemadness.com
2. Pick the year you turned 18
3. Get yourself nostalgic over the song´s of the year
4. Write something about how the song affected you
5. Pass it on to 5 more friends

OK. The year was 1982. See Sanni? I got 10 years on ya baby!

Here are a few quick facts:

Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a live bat and is hospitalized with rabies. DOH!

John Belushi is found dead of a drug overdose at the Chateau Marmont in Beverly Hills.

Sheena Easton is Grammy's best new artist.

In 1982 I was getting close to turning away from pop music. I love the music of the 60's and 70's - southern rock, classic rock, Motown R&B, and such. There were a couple of songs on the list that caught my eye, so I think I can come up with the 5 requisite songs.

Jack and Diane, John Cougar - The "Mellencamp" came later. Back "in the day" we knew him as John Cougar and he rocked!

You've Got Another Thing Coming, Judas Priest - No big hair and silliness, just throbbing guitar rock. Rob Halford had the quintissential rock voice - he could get the scream and stay on key, then drop right back into the lyrics.

Under Pressure, Queen with David Bowie - It's Queen, it's Bowie. Nothing else to say.

I Feel Like A Number, Bob Seger - Seger is a comfort artist for me. So many of his songs speak to specific moments from my life.

Hurts So Good, John Cougar - What's better than one JCM song? Two JCM songs!

Whew! That was actually a difficult exercise. I love music. But the music of my late teens and early 20's basically sucked for me. The sound alike bands of the big hair era were looming on the horizon. I didn't like punk rock. Southern rock was starting to fade a little from pop radio.

So into my old records and cassettes I dove. The radio finally went silent in 1985.

Thanks for the tag Sanni!

Milestone Missed - 200 posts

Posted: by Travis Cody in
7

I hit the 200 post mark a couple days ago with my post on Wednesday.

I feel like I've gotten a little lazy with my posting recently. I'm not writing much "real" content. And I can't just chalk it up to the last few weeks of buying the condo, packing up, moving, and unpacking. Although those things have taken up a huge chunk of time.

Ah well. My blog...I guess I can be lazy.

Hey - is anyone else annoyed with this new auto-save feature? I guess it's nice, but I've heard stories around the bloggosphere that folks are still losing posts. Blogger says it saved, but it really didn't. And as Morgen pointed out, Blogger is turning off the comments so you now have to manually check your post options to make sure your comments are allowed.

I like that Blogger is trying to improve the blogging experience. But it would be nice if they would work out the kinks before they make a new feature live.

Well, happy 200 posts to me! I'm off to do Sanni's Musical Wayback tag.

Meme Saturday Part 1 - Food

Posted: by Travis Cody in
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It's been a crazy few days. Before I get busy on some more organizing, I thought I would catch up on a couple of tags.

First, my pal Bond over at The Big Leather Couch tagged me with the restaurant meme.

I must add a direct link to this post below the name of the person who tagged me and include the city, state, and country where I live. There's a lot of peeps on this list.

Nicole (Sydney, Australia)
velverse (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
LB (San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy)
Selba (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Olivia (London, England)
ML (Utah, United States)
Lotus (Toronto, Canada)
tanabata (Saitama, Japan)
Andi (Dallas [ish], Texas, United States)
Lulu (Chicago, Illinois, United States)
Chris (Boyne City, Michigan, United States)
AB (Cave Creek, Arizona, United States)
Johnny Yen (Chicago, Illinois, United States)
Bubs (Mt Prospect, Illinois, United States)
Mob (Midland, Texas United States)
Yas (Ahwatukee, Arizona USA)
Alicia (Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA)
Tug (Hell, Colorado, USA)
Bond (Memphis, TN, USA)
Travis (Pacific Northwest, USA)

Now that's funny - linking to my own blog. You're already here! Heehee.

Next I must list out my top 5 favorite places to eat at my location.

Finally I must tag 5 other people (preferably from other countries/states) and let them know they’ve been tagged.

1. Grazie Ristorante, Factoria WA: They call it sauce instead of gravy, so Vinny and Pia will probably tell me it's not authentic Italian. But the food is fantastic and the atmosphere is like a little Italy. Also, the wait staff is incredibly knowledgable and they offer seasonal specials. This is one of the first places I tried when I moved to this area.

2. The Keg, Kirkland WA: I know this is a chain and not exclusive to my area, but it's one of the better steakhouses I've ever enjoyed. Whenever we can't decide where to eat, we go here.

3. Jalisco, Kirkland WA: There's no website for this little place. The crowd from work often comes here for lunches because for every regular dish they have a veggan alternative. And it's a great place to come after work because the happy hour jumps. Plus, it's only a block from the pier in Marina Park for spectacular sunsets over Lake Washington.

4. The Crab Pot, Seattle WA: This is a must for any visit to Seattle. From the website...

Located on Seattle's Historic Waterfront, the Crab Pot Restaurant & Bar features fresh local seafood. Our specialty – “The Seafeast” - is what makes us unique! We take a variety of crab, clams, mussels, shrimp in the shell, salmon, halibut, oysters, potatoes, corn on the cob and andouille sausage steamed with mouth watering spices and pour it right on your table! No need for silverware, we give you a bib and a mallet and let you go at it!


5. Tap House Grill, Bellevue WA: This is a fun place to go in the evenings for happy hour.

There you have it. I'm not tagging anyone today, but if you'd care to share some of your favorite places to eat and have a good time, well then feel free!

Part 2 of our Saturday meme comes later - gotta head out for lunch!

Perfectimus Muchus!

Posted: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 by Travis Cody in
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Tonight, I have video! I present perfection.

Apolo & Julianne Quickstep


Ian & Cheryl Jive


Laila & Maks Quickstep


Laila & Maks Cha Cha Cha


Joey & Kym Foxtrot


Joey & Kym Jive


Joey & Kym are safe. Laila & Maks are safe. Apolo & Julianne are safe.

Ian & Cheryl are out. I'm glad he got his perfect 30.

For the finals next week, the remaining couples must perform a dance chosen by the judges. And then they get to do a free style routine where all the rules against lifts are...well...lifted.

And next Tuesday the winners are crowned.

Oh, just a reminder. I live on the west coast. So if you live east of me, you'll get the result before I do. Please bear that in mind.

Dancing - week 9

Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 by Travis Cody in
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Cue the music! Yes, it's time for my silly obsession.

And we're down to four - Joey, Laila, Apolo, and Ian.

No video today. I've been having a little trouble with my internet connection and I didn't want to chance losing the post.

This week, the pairs have two dances and they get to select their favorites. Happy Len says that the four best couples have made it this far. I have to agree.

First dance is couples' choice Ballroom.

Apolo and Julianne dance Quickstep. Julianne has really choreographed a terrific routine for them. It was precise and sharp, charming and full of fun - it matched their personality so well. Very smooth and excellent. They set the bar extraordinarily high. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30. This time, I agree.

Ian and Cheryl dance Tango. I thought we were done with unfortunate musical selections, but they were stuck with a lousy song. The dance was intense and passionate. He had every step and he looked relaxed. The choreography was more difficult and I thought they did well. Judges say 9,10,9 for a total of 28. That was Len throwing the 10.

Here's my thought. If no one falls down, the judges will set the scores as close as possible so that the fans determine who they want in the finale. That's what they did last season. I would not be surprised in the slightest if all 4 pairs ended up tied, or with only 1-2 points separating them on the judges' leader board.

Laila and Maks dance Quickstep. Walk Like an Egyptian? That was technically very good. Their holds were close and their footwork was right together. They overcame the curious music selection with a smooth and sophisticated basic Quickstep. The basic steps were done well, and were impressive because the holds were so close. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30.

Joey and Kym dance Foxtrot. That was great! Smooth, charming, and elegant. All the things a Foxtrot should be. They brought the audience into a wonderful story and told it with style and class. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30.

After the ballroom round, we have:

30 Joey & Kym
30 Apolo & Julianne
30 Laila & Maks
28 Ian & Cheryl

Len went around to rehearsals this week to give some pointers. I would have loved to find some video of Len dancing. But alas, there was none to be found.

Second dance is couples' choice Latin.

Apolo and Julianne dance Cha Cha Cha. That was really good. It had a lot of excitement and was so relaxed and controlled, sexy and hot. Len says it was too raunchy and he is right that there were basic Cha Cha Cha elements that were missing. It was like a Cha Cha Cha that you would see in a club. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29.

Ian and Cheryl dance Jive. He's dressed like Elvis and they Jive to All Shook Up. It was a little slower than I like for Jive, but it had all the choreography and he really looked like he was enjoying the dance. I think he hit every step and he really sold the dance. The performance was great and technically he was right on. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30. There it is!

Laila and Maks dance Cha Cha Cha. OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH. This had all of the Cha Cha Cha basic elements in it and was danced with control, style, grace, and showmanship. This is her dance. It was perfect. Her technique was flawless. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30.

Joey and Kym dance Jive. And this is Joey's dance. It was fast and crisp and exciting - just like I expect from a Jive. That was the best dance I've seen this season. Wow! The first Jive they did was great, but this one was even better. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30.

Here's the final leader board:

60 Joey & Kym
60 Laila & Maks
59 Apolo & Julianne
58 Ian & Cheryl

Yup. The fans will decide. Pam was very happy for Ian to get his perfect score tonight. But we have both put our votes behind Joey. We want to see what he does with a free dance!

Results tomorrow gang.

Mo's Manic Monday - Green

Posted: Monday, May 14, 2007 by Travis Cody in
33


Welcome to another Manic Monday. Don't forget to visit MMHQ at It's A Blog Eat Blog World. Today's word is Green.

I actually would have preferred to write something for today, but unpacking my books took priority. While it doesn't really take that long to get 1000 books out of 40 boxes, it does take some time and careful consideration to get them properly shelved.



Well, it does if you have to have them alphabetized by author with the history section shelved separately. Don't laugh! It's important if I'm to have a proper library.



So what has this got to do with Green? Well, I'm done! OK, I'm mostly done. But the transformation from dining room to library is complete. And now this is the lush little forest I can see out my library window.



Now you can see that I have five bookcases. The odd one in the far left corner by the window is the history shelf. Once those books have been put away, all my bookcases will be full.



Here's the problem. About a third of the books here go on the history bookcase. The rest are spill over and I'm out of room!



So now I get to come up with a solution. I can always hang a series of shelves next to the tall bookcase in the foreground on the right. There's a good space right there for three shelves.

We're making slow and steady progress and we're still having fun!

Love to Mom

Posted: Sunday, May 13, 2007 by Travis Cody in
13

My folks are out of town this weekend, so I don't get to spend the day with Mom. But I always try not to "save up" for just one day. She's my mom 24/7/365, for the last 43 years.

Here's a poem I wrote many years ago when Hallmark wasn't getting it done.


Did you see my mom
On the day of my birth
A life created in pain
Made forever painless by love

Did you watch her
Make a world from nothing
And weave it with selfless devotion
To lessen the fear

Did you hear her
With the voice of logic
Steer and direct a mind of small vision
To achieve its own identity

Did you ever thank her
But how could thanks ever be enough
For someone who asks for none

Love her and be you
Walk your path boldly
Your joys become her reward


Happy Mother's Day y'all!!

Guitars guitars guitars!!

Posted: Saturday, May 12, 2007 by Travis Cody in
15

The lovely and talented Empress Bee (of the High Seas) tagged me for a Guitar Meme. This exciting new meme was created by the evil and notorious...I mean the clever and humorous Meloncutter.

I must list my 5 favorite songs with lead guitar solos. YES!! A musical meme! But how can I narrow the list to 5? And since dear Bee also tagged my good friend Bond, who has a gazillion records - real vinyl records - and knows a ton more about music than I do, how will I do this without getting a repeat?

Hmmmmmm.

Well, I guess the idea is not to stress about it and just pick my five favorites. Uhm...does this rambling introduction count as over-stressing about a meme?

Yeesh! Since there are no wrong answers, here are my 5 selections:

1. Free Bird by Lynryd Skynyrd - Of course this would be at the top of the list. It should be on every list, because it is THE guitar anthem of rock and it has dueling lead guitar solos. I dare you to watch this and not rock your entire body during the solo. It can't be done.


Sorry - got distracted by that masterpiece. This meme could take a long time.

2. Layla by Derek & The Dominos featuring Mr Eric Clapton - There are so many Clapton solos to choose from, but I think this one is my favorite to hear live.


3. Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan - I remember I was turning into the parking lot on my way back to work from lunch when I heard on the radio that he had been killed. I sat in the car for at least 20 minutes. I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach.


4. Samba Pa Ti by Carlos Santana - This is seduction by guitar.


5. Johnny B Goode by Chuck Berry - The solo of solos for a guitar player, done by the master himself.


Sorry about all the video, but I just had to share. Now I'm supposed to tag 3 others for this and I think I'll tag some of my fellow music lovers. So Anndi, Julie, and Songbird, y'all have been tagged.

Random thoughts on Thursday

Posted: Thursday, May 10, 2007 by Travis Cody in
24

Why does a cat snuggle up on ya and proceed to bathe? Can't that be done somewhere else? Snuggle time is snuggle time.

And you thought basketball was a non-contact sport. (AP Photo by Matt York)


We're making slow and steady progress on the condo. We found the rest of the kitchen boxes tonight. And I made room so we can get out on the balcony and move holiday decorations into the storage room. That should help us get to the books so we can put them away this weekend.

OH! It's almost classic car show season! Woooooooooooooooo!! 1956 T-bird babies!


Dang. Just saw the trailer for Spiderman 3. We didn't get out to see it last weekend. Maybe this Saturday.

I'm watching the Idol results show and they're trying to make me excited about the Summer Tour. Uhm...I've watched this entire season and I can't think of a reason to sit through 8 mediocre singers just to hear maybe 6 songs from Jordin and Melinda. I'll pass, thanks anyway.

OK. That does it for this random post. I'm tired.

It's only a TV show...

Posted: Wednesday, May 09, 2007 by Travis Cody in
21

...but I'm still a little grumpy about those 5 10's the judges decided to hand Apolo. I like the guy, but there's no way that Paso was perfect. It was good, but not perfect.

I knew it would be the encore. So check out the first 30 seconds, after the slide hold and tell me - is it a perfect score when you have to put your hand down to keep from falling on your ass?


It's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...

Grrrrrrr.

OK. Nelly Furtado performs I'm Like A Bird. Does she have a cold? She sounds awfully nasally.

Billy Ray & Karina are the first in the bottom two.

Nelly comes back to perform her latest single All Good Things, and sounds like someone is pinching her nose. That was pretty irritating.

Wooooooooooooooooooooo!! Ian and Cheryl are safe!

Wait...that means Joey or Apolo or Laila is in the bottom two. Ruh roh.

It's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...

I need some CAKE.

Laila and Maks are safe. Apolo and Julianne are safe.

Joey and Kym are in the bottom two with Billy Ray and Karina.

It's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...

Finally! Billy Ray goes home.

Now we have dancers left. And if these judges decide a dance is worth a 10, then the dance damn well better be perfect. No putting hands down to keep from falling, no missed steps, and no stumbles.

And remember, this is only a TV show.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Dancing - week 8

Posted: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 by Travis Cody in
19

Cue the theme music!

Live! This is Dancing With the Stars!!

Woooooooooooooooooooo!! Such simple and silly words and we love them. Somebody told me today that I enjoy this show too much. Too much, said I. Yes, said he.

Then he said I qualified for status as an honorary gay man. I don't quite know what to say to that, so...

On with the show!

Ballroom is first. If you didn't watch last season, you missed such a wonderful moment. Jerry Springer danced a beautiful Waltz with Kym. He went on the show so he could learn to Waltz, so that he could dance with his daughter at her wedding. I learned how to Waltz so I could dance with my sister at hers. Maybe I'll share that story another day.


Ian and Cheryl (Happy Birthday!) dance Foxtrot. That was classy and sophisticated. Ian is finally enjoying the spirit of these dances and he's performing well. I have to agree that his lower body didn't seem right to me, but his upper body posture was very good. The judges really picked on it though. Judges say 8,7,7 for a total of 22. That's really low and he needs to nail the Rumba later.

Joey and Kym dance Waltz. They danced very well. It was beautiful, elegant, and technically good, but it wasn't a fairy tale and that's what I want from a Waltz. Len called it proper ballroom dancing, which it was, but Bruno and Carrie Ann thought it lacked his usual flair. Judges say 9,9,8 for a total of 26. That 8 is too low.

Billy Ray and Karina dance Foxtrot. Walking the steps is not dancing. He's counting again with the head bobs. The man can't dance. It's the same every week. They give him props again for his effort, but at this point in the competition they simply have to judge this as it was. Bruno called him deliciously awful. He just needs to leave the competition. Judges say 7,6,5 for a total of 18. The 7 is too high.

Muhammed Ali in the ballroom y'all.

Laila and Maks dedicate the Waltz to Mom & Dad. That was the fairy tale that a proper Waltz should be, and set it slightly apart from Joey & Kym. It was beautiful and romantic and elegant and sweet. The judges picked on some technical things about her posture and frame. She's so muscular (YEOWSA!!) in her upper body that sometimes she looks stiff. But she could kick my ass so I wouldn't tell her that!! Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.

Apolo and Julianne dance Tango. This could be the worst music selection in the history of this show. Tango to Jesse's Girl. And they played the music too loud. Yeesh. I didn't really like that dance much. I have to agree with Len on this one. I think Bruno and Carrie Ann were caught up in the loud music and the crowd reaction. Julianne had to choreograph to that music and she did her best - but the music really did not allow them to do a proper Tango. Judges say 10,8,10 for a total of 28. The 10's are too high.

Well evidently there is controversy with the judging as Carrie Ann says she meant to thow a 10 but punched in 9 on her electronic scoring. The 9 is the proper score for that dance, in my opinion. But now they allow her to change the score to a 10. What a crock.

And now Latin. This is Emmitt & Cheryl's Rumba from last season.


Ian and Cheryl dance Rumba. That was an excellent Rumba. The technique was wonderful and he performed the dance well. At this point, I don't think there is any pleasing the judges for Ian. It's unfortunate because he's a fine dancer and he's not getting credit for it. Judges say 8,8,9 for a total of 25. Bruno did reward the dance. It's not a bad score, but it's not likely to get them to the final.

Joey and Kym dance Mambo. He's great at the up tempo stuff. That was a controlled dance. Early in the competition he might have taken that to a manic level, but he has learned how to dial it down without losing the charm and spirit of the dance. His personality feeds it, and he's learned how to load up the dance without losing the technique. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29.

Billy Ray and Karina dance Mambo. OK, can we clearly see the difference here? A great Mambo was followed by a lousy one. The dancing is just bad. Judges say 6,7,7 for a total of 20. Those 7's are ridiculously high.

Billy Ray can bitch all he wants to, but he can't dance. He's been kept on the show on the strength of fans who will vote for him no matter what. I just want to see some good dancing. The judges are grading the other dancers based on their ability to correctly perform all the steps, interpret the character of each dance, and perform. Billy Ray gets judged on his effort and how charming he is. YAY for charming, but it doesn't change the fact that he can't dance.

Laila and Maks dance Jive. She danced that very well, but I still thought something was lacking. It didn't seem as fun as a Jive should be. I didn't like the beginning at all - they needed to dance more. The choreography seemed a little too easy. I agree with Len; Laila is an excellent dancer and doesn't need gimmicks. She needs difficult choreography so she can perform. Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26.

Apolo and Julianne dance Paso Doble. They had all the elements of a proper Paso, with the exception of the bobble on the big slide move. They had the passion and fire the dance needed and they sold it well. Too bad about the bobble, otherwise that would probably have earned a couple 10's. (I typed that before the judges threw their scores). Judges say 10's across for a perfect 30??? How do you get a perfect score when you almost fall on your ass???

WTF?????

It's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...

I'm sorry. You can't nearly fall on your ass and get a perfect score. That's ridiculous, even for a TV show.

The leader board...

58 Apolo and Julianne - the 5 10's they got tonight were not earned
55 Joey and Kym - best combination of dances tonight
53 Laila and Maks - great Waltz, not quite great Jive
47 Ian and Cheryl - better than they are getting credit for
38 Billy Ray and Karina - I've had enough

Both Pam and I are a little frustrated with the judging tonight. Most particularly, we think the 30 for Apolo & Julianne's Paso was ridiculously wrong.

It's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...

Nelly Furtado performs on the results show. And perhaps we'll finally say goodnight to Billy Ray.

It's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...it's only a TV show...

Mo's Manic Monday - Survive

Posted: Monday, May 07, 2007 by Travis Cody in
29


Welcome to another Manic Monday with Mo. Today's theme is survive. Don't forget to cruise by MMHQ at It's A Blog Eat Blog World.

I don't think of myself as a survivor. I just get up out of bed every morning and do my thing. I have a lot of good stuff in my life - my beautiful lady, becoming a home owner, supportive family, a good job, my health.

My health. I lost the feeling of invincibility when I was 17 and had my knees destroyed in a football game. But I don't think recovering from that, physically and emotionally, qualifies me as a survivor.

Late in 1993, just before Christmas, I was nervously considering proposing to my girlfriend. I had a ring and I was just trying to figure out if it was really what I wanted to do. We'd been together for a few years and were kind of moving in that basic direction.

One morning in the shower, I realized that something wasn't quite right. I felt a growth in my groin. When I got to work I made an appointment with my doctor.

The doc suggested out patient surgery to remove the growth and get a biopsy. We scheduled it quick and the results came back - Hodgkin's Lymphoma. The next step was to stage the cancer and discover whether it was localized or if it had spread along my lymphatic system. I had surgery to remove my spleen and some liver tissue samples.

I was fortunate that the cancer had been found very early. It hadn't spread, and all I would have to do was a radiation regimen. No chemotherapy was required. By summer of 1994 I had completed the radiation treatments and the cancer was pronounced in remission.

I never lost my hair. I was only briefly sick when the radiation treatments moved to my abdomen. I was in the best physical shape since my days as a high school athlete - the worst part about the surgeries and treatments was I had to stop working out. It took a long time to get my abs back in shape.

Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a cancer with a very high survivabilty rate. Since mine was found so early, I was never really concerned that it was life-threatening, and neither were any of my doctors. My family freaked out a little, but once I explained everything to them they were able to settle in and relax.

After five years with no recurrance, I was pronounced cancer free in 1999 and am essentially cured.

One of the unfortunate side effects of the radiation was that it made me sterile. When I consulted with the oncologist, he said that was a possibility because there was really no way to block the effects completely, especially considering where I had to have the treatments - in my groin area and then up into my abdomen.

That wasn't a big deal for me though. And I didn't think it was a problem for my girlfriend, soon to be fiance. We had talked around the idea of children and I thought she was on the same page with me - I didn't want them and I thought she agreed.

She was with me through every step. But when she found out that children were now impossible with me, she left without a word.

I did survive that, but it took a long time. Part of it was the way she just picked up and left. We didn't talk or anything - one day we were going through this major illness, and the next she was out of my life.

Sometimes I still ask myself how I could have been preparing to tie myself to someone who I evidently didn't know as well as I thought. Surviving that emotionally was a lot tougher than surviving my Hodkin's.

The first few days in the new place

Posted: Sunday, May 06, 2007 by Travis Cody in
6

I found my camera cable! So as promised, here are a few pics of the first few days of the move.

Now moving can be a little scary, especially if you're a spook named Mr Tucker. This is just before the movers showed up at the condo with our stuff. He's in the closet, trying to decide whether this moving business is a good thing.

Just as he figured it was ok and he could explore a little, the movers showed up and we put him in the bathroom. He didn't freak out too badly, as long as he had a cupboard to hide in. He looks quite pathetic though, doesn't he?

There's the thousand yard stare. I guess it was pretty stressful on the little guy. I shouldn't make fun. He did pretty well, all things considered.

And finally he felt secure enough to crash.

As for our stuff, we tried to keep a few areas as clutter free as possible. Of course we had to be able to sit comfortably in front of the 42" Plasma for Dancing!

And it was important to keep the bedroom free of chaos.

I had the movers stack all our stuff in the dining area, soon to be redesignated as the library as soon as we can clear this mess. This is the part we're working on this weekend.

So we're having a good time. It's a lot of work and we're taking it slow, putting things away rather than just moving them around. By the end of this month, every box will be open and sorted. It would have been nice to thow stuff out and not have to move it, but I've been lugging my things around for a long time now. There are mementos I haven't seen in years.

I'm looking forward to the hidden treasures we'll find, and sharing them with my lady.

OK, now it's back to work!

Doing the tagged dance

Posted: Saturday, May 05, 2007 by Travis Cody in
8

Yeah yeah...I'm supposed to be unpacking boxes. Or showering so we can go to Target and then get some lunch.

But Alice over at I Was Born2cree8 tagged me for a Wikipedia meme. The idea is to go to Wikipedia, type in my birthdate of April 11, and report the following:

3 events that happened on that day in history:
1905 Albert Einstein reveals Theory of Relativity
1921 First sports broadcast on the radio
1961 Trial of Adolph Eichmann begins

2 important birthdays
1755 James Parkinson, English physician (died 1824)
1932 Joel Grey, American singer and actor

1 death
2007 Kurt Vonnegut, American author (born 1922)

I'm supposed to tag 5 others, but I always break the rules on this part. You may play if you choose and consider yourself tagged.

OK, now I really have to go shower so we can get our errands done. I guess the order will be switched - lunch and then Target shopping for necessaries.

Later babies!

A bit of useless information

Posted: by Travis Cody in
4

At three minutes and four seconds after 2:00 a.m. on the 6th day of May this year, the time and date will be 02:03:04 05/06/07.

People do the oddest things

Posted: Friday, May 04, 2007 by Travis Cody in
15

From the "sometimes people are just silly" file:

This morning I walked over to the cafeteria for my cream of wheat/muffin/apple juice breakfast, as usual. It was raining so I took the parking garage route. On my return, I came across a person diligently attempting to back their car into a parking space.

This is not unusual. It wasn't even unusual that the driver was having difficulty getting the car backed up properly. Lots of people are uncomfortable with backing into parking places these days.

The thing that was unusual...the thing that made me laugh and nearly drop my breakfast...was that there were no other cars nearby. And it's a back-to-back parking space. So the person could have driven around and done a pull through and avoided the trouble of trying to back in.

People are silly.


**C.O.W photo found on Flikr

Visits, oh we get visits!!

Posted: Thursday, May 03, 2007 by Travis Cody in
19

I see by the old counter on the blog that I'm fast approaching 3000 visits.

Let me say thanks for putting up with my Dancing obsession.

I'm looking forward to the weekend. The last few days have been tough on Mr Tucker. There are lots of strange new noises - he spooks easily and he hasn't had an easy time being by himself all day. He'll probably freak out a little when we start organizing.

Organizing! YAY! I don't know if we'll get it all done this weekend, but the goal is to get a huge chunk of it done. I think we'll start in the office - get the furniture rearranged so we can walk in there. Then it's box after box after box.

Fun stuff!

OK - I guess I've rambled on long enough. Thanks again for the visits!

My harmless obsession

Posted: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 by Travis Cody in
17

This is the encore I would have preferred!



Meatloaf in the ballroom. Very dramatic and sounding very good.



Dance Center! Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahah. This is more evidence that the show doesn't take itself seriously. This is all about entertainment.

Laila & Maks are safe - no surprise there. John & Edyta are in the bottom 2 - again, this is no real surprise.

We've got champion kids in the ballroom, ages 9 to 17. For this post, I found a video of Maks' students.



Are you getting tired of my Dancing obsession yet?

I will be picking up Bat Out of Hell III this weekend. Meatloaf sounds great.

And Apolo & Julianne are safe. Ian & Cheryl are safe. Joey & Kym are safe.

Billy Ray & Karina join John & Edyta in the bottom two.

John & Edyta go home. That really sucks. They deserved one more week.

The celebs learn two dances again next week, and the finale is just three weeks away.

Dancing - week 7

Posted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 by Travis Cody in
14

Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy!! Dancing on the 42" Plasma!!

We do not have our fu-fu finery tonight but we do have CAKE!! Boston Cream Cake from Safeway.



So this evening we have the couples performing two individual dances - a traditional ballroom and a Latin.

Elegance, sophistication, charm...Fred & Ginger anyone?


Laila and Maks dance Quickstep. That's an unfortunate music choice, although the slower tempo allows them to control the steps very well. Maks has choreographed to Laila's strengths. She looks much less awkward than she has in ballroom style. They danced very well, but I wasn't really wowed by it. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29. I'm not feeling that score.

John and Edyta dance Foxtrot. This is an excellent dance for John because of the elegance. Yup. This is the dance for John and you can see him enjoy it. He's dancing very well. It's basic and simple, but he has the elegance and he's doing all the steps correctly. That was very nice. Judges say 8,7,8 for a total of 23. That's a good score for a basic Foxtrot.

Apolo and Julianne dance Foxtrot. You can see the difference between this and what John & Edyta did. This had strong choreography and it was performed exceptionally well. It had charm and elegance, and the story was well interpreted. Len was grumpy and picked on it, calling it unsophisticated. I disagree - it was youthful. Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26.

Ian and Cheryl dance Tango. Oh more unfortunate music. Yeesh. This is not what he needed to loosen up. I didn't like that at all. It had the intensity of a Tango and good choreography, but there was just something about the dance I didn't like. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27. That's generous. I didn't think it was that good.

I'm not agreeing much with the judges tonight. Laila & Maks were good, but not one point off perfect. I'm with them on John & Edyta, but I thought Apolo and Julianne were much better than the judges gave credit. And I don't really know what they liked about Ian & Cheryl.

Billy Ray and Karina dance Waltz. This is a very fortunate first dance for Billy Ray and they had the perfect music. Too bad they didn't bother to do a proper Waltz. He didn't dance at all. This needs to be marked way down. Len needs to stop fawning over Billy Ray and score the dang dance the way it deserves. Judges say 5,6,6 for a total of 17. A proper score for a Waltz that wasn't.

Joey and Kym dance Foxtrot. That was great! Standing O from the sofa in my house!! It was charming and elegant, sophisticated and smart. Kym choreographed a great routine to play to his strengths and he delivered the performance. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29. That's great - but a shame in my opinion because I thought this was a better dance than Laila & Maks.

Next up, the Latin round.

Hot, sizzling, smoking...can you say Rita Morena & George Chakiris?


Laila and Maks dance Samba. She's hawt and sexy and stunning and gorgeous. But there's something off tonight. I don't believe her performance tonight, in either dance. Something was just missing for me. Judges say 10's across for a perfect 30. Dang - I'm happy for her, but I just didn't feel it this week.

John and Edyta dance Rumba. He caught lucky to get the slower dance. But Samba to Queen's Pressure?? He did that about as well as he could, given his physcial limitations. That was a nice, safe Samba. It was graceful and he was able to dance the steps, leaving out the hip action. It really should be enough to earn him one more week. Judges say 7,8,7 for a total of 22.

Apolo and Julianne dance Mambo. Some of his movements were a little choppy. They had some difficult choreography that they performed very well. It was rough in spots. They threw themselves into it with a lot of energy. Overall it was a solid dance. Judges say 9,9,10 for a total of 28. The 10 is too high from Bruno.

Ian and Cheryl dance Mambo. They have great Mambo music. Cheryl has choreographed to his strengths and he had a great time with it. That was his best dance yet. Outstanding. He was loose and relaxed and really sold the dance. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27. Well deserved.

Billy Ray and Karina dance Samba. I'm really annoyed by the fact that they praise this every week. There are excellent dancers in this competition and it's now time for Billy Ray to go home. He's gone as far as he can on effort and charm, but enough is really enough. Judges say 7's across for 21.

Joey and Kym dance Jive. I need to look this up because it doesn't seem right that Jive is part of the Latin round, as I said last week. This is a great showcase for Joey's talent. And he delivered another fantastic performance. We're standing again for that! It had energy, excitement, sharpness - a perfect Jive. Judges say 10's across for a perfect 30.

Here's the scoop direct from Wikipedia about Jive:

"Jive is a dance style in 4/4 rhythm that originated among African-Americans in the early 1940s. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, i.e., belongs to Swing dances.

In Ballroom dancing, Jive is one of the five International Latin dances. In competition it is danced at a speed of 44 bars per minute, otherwise at between 32 and 40 bpm."

So I guess that explains that!


And the standings:

59 = Joey & Kym tied with Laila & Maks
54 = Ian & Cheryl tied with Apolo & Julianne
45 = John & Edyta
38 = Billy Ray & Karina

For those of you taking this seriously (yes, I'm aware of how silly that sounds), the gap between John and Billy Ray is probably enough that the fan vote won't change the order and Billy Ray will most likely be going home.

How about one more dance video, just 'cause I can?


Check out results tomorrow night!