Awesome Moment of the Week

I sang with Johnny Cash's sister in Applebee's.

"Amazing Grace. Key of C."

Hey erybody, its Christmas

Feel free to leave a load of gifts.

A Confession

I am a nerd.

Here is a little peek into my brain:

Every once in a while, when I am shopping in a store like Target, or Walgreens, or CVS, I wander over to the card section. I like the read the funny birthday cards and think of who I can send one to and then tragically realize that I can never remember anyone's birthday. That, unfortunatly, is not the nerdy part.

After being very ashamed of myself, I give up on trying to remember and look in the other sections like "Miss You" and "Love" and "Blank". And, what makes me nerdy, and happy, is finding a "Love" card that I can give to my future someone. I found one a long time ago, and again tonight I found one that, I hope, will pretty much sum up my relationship with him. Now, these aren't you're normal mushy cards. They are short, one or two sentences, with some sort of witty comment that expresses how I feel.

I feel this makes me a nerd.

I'm ok with that.

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

One week from today, Lord willing, I will be in Calgary with the TuneTown Show chorus for an international barbershop chorus competition. We've been working non-stop for this awesome week and we're all super excited. We compete on Oct. 11, and you can watch us online just click here and follow the instructions. I think we should be on around 12:45pm central time, but if you want to watch you might want to get on earlier.

I've never been to Canada so this is even more exciting for me. I love travelling to new, far-off, places. I'll update after I get back, I'm sure I'll have lots to tell.

How My Brain Works...

Have you ever pulled up behind a car at a stop light that is exactly like yours in every way and thought, "What if that is me one minute into the future?"

I think these kinds of thinks a lot.

Daily Observation

My favorite types of clouds are the ones that look like blankets across the sky, and I especially like them at sunset. I am always seeing photographs in daily life, driving down the street, walking through the store, taking a walk, etc. And, I was thinking today on my way back from church, that these clouds are the best for taking pictures, dramatic enough to be interesting but subtle enough blend into the background if they aren't the focus. To me, these clouds are more of a rare breed, so they tend to be more exciting for me to see.

I also like the single fluffy clouds in the afternoon.

Yes, I realize I didn't use any of the proper names, but who does? Besides people who know then, like scientists or....science teachers.

"Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong." -Donald Porter

Customer service is of utmost importance to me. I have worked in sales long enough to know that if you are good to your customers then you get repeat business and a good repoire with them every time they come to the store. If you aren't good to them, then they spread the exact details and tell all of their friends, and anyone they run into, not to go to Said Company.

I would like to tell all of my friends not to go the the Sbarro in downtown Nashville.

Let me recount...

Most of the time I get water because I just want to drink it, and buying bottled water is just silly to me. I got tap water at this not-so-authentic Italian eatery, along with baked ziti and a garlic roll. I was pretty thirsty so I took a drink of my water, and then proceeded to over to the condiment counter where I got some parmesean cheese, salt, and a fork. I got over to my seat and was about to take a drink of my water, but I noticed some black specks floating in it. Ew. I went back over to the cashier and told him I had black things in my water. He poured it out and got me some more, but this time he noticed that there were still black dots in it. An awkward silence...

"Would you like something else to drink?"

"Well, yeah.", I thought.

"I really just want some water.", I replied.

"Would you like a bottle water?", he asked.

"Yes, that would be great.", I answered back.

"That'll be $1.98.", he told me.

"Seriously? He's really going to charge me for some water when I just had black floaty things in mine?", I thought.

Awkward silence...
I just stared at him until I said, "No, I just won't have anything then".

Now, I realize that I didn't pay for a drink. I get that, but my free drink should not be hazardous to my health. If I were that Italian food server/cashier I would have (1) apologized profusely and (2) given me a free drink.

Customer service, people. Get some.

Yes, that is the same person.

If you can remember about a 2 years ago (wow), I posted some pictures. One of which, was the ugliest picture I ever took of myself. Dee, Dan, and I decided it would be fun to take ridiculous pictures of ourselves. I succeeded, by far, in taking the ugliest picture...I have ever seen of anyone. This was all in fun, of course, but still very gross.

I have made a little photo compilation with two extremes. One is absolutely hideous, and one is over-the-top-almost-silly glamorous. I thought an update after a couple of years would be a fun way to bring back that picture that caused a lot of people a lot of laughter. I also have to give props to Eddie for this hilarious idea. Thanks! :)

Encore! 2007 Tickets On Sale Now!

Mark your calendar now and invite your family and friends to Encore! Join the TuneTown Show Chorus for a rousing night of four-part harmony at the Acuff Theatre, Saturday, September 22nd at 7:00 p.m. (next to The Grand Ole Opry House).

Back by popular demand is the Hot Air Buffoons. If you were in the audience during their last Encore! performance, we hope you have fully recovered from any injuries suffered as a result of "sidesplitting" laughter. Their performance is one-in-a-million...not to be missed!

New to our stage this year is Durant. While you will definitely enjoy this young group and their unique collection of music, they'll also wow you with their energetic and rich vocal harmonies.

Also performing will be our very own Last Minute (International Rising Star second place quartet medalists!), Fiddlestix (headed for International quartet competition in Calgary, Canada ) and of course, your very own TuneTown (who are also headed to Calgary this October for chorus competition against 33 choruses from all over the world!)

You can buy tickets online at www.tunetownshowchorus.org

Click it. It'll be awesome.

First in sound

2nd in the world. Woo! Last MInute was at an international quartet competition in the middle of July and we won 2nd! It was a wonderful trip. You can find more information on www.myspace.com/lastminutequartet

Pictures from this weekend...

First place international quartet champions, the Buzz, let us wear their crowns. It was the highlight of the weekend.

Glad to know someone will remember me.

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Oh, the things you see at midnight

I was painting my desk turquoise because I thought that was a good color for a desk. Around 11:30pm, I heard some tapping of little feet across the sidewalk. I looked up and saw a mama raccoon and her baby climbing up a tree. I thought this was pretty cool, but I didn't get a good look at the baby. They went up the tree and hung out for a second and climbed back down into the sewer. Then I saw a motorized carriage (not a car), but a tricycle with a covered back for a couple to ride in drove by. I wanted a ride because it looked fun.

About 30 minutes later, I heard the raccoon again with her baby and she climbed up another tree. But here's the twist, she came down with 2 more childrens and started to cross the street. This made me a little nervous because the street tends to stay fairly busy. As she was in the middle of the road, ANOTHER baby started down the second tree. So, she stopped in the middle of the road to watch. The baby made it down and all 5 of them made it across the road, but of course she decided to cross when a car was on its way. She and a baby made it across the street in front of the car, and thankfully the rest of them had enough sense to wait.

Just as they got across the street, a couple of night bicyclers were cruising down the street wondering down fast they were going.

"How fast do you think we were going down that hill?"

"Probably like 30 mph."

"Yeah."

Fortunately for the raccoon family, they got out of the way in time for the speed bicyclers to pass and she made her way back into the neighborhood across from me.

The babies were absolutely adorable, and I want one. I don't think the cats would appreciate that.

Opportunity's Hard.

I was completely out of underwear. Completely. Today, I had to wear the ones that stay hidden in the back of underpants drawer until it's absolutely necessary to pull them out. And, I think we all know how uncomforable that pair always is. I just went to Wal-Mart to buy some new ones because it was time for some fresh bloomers.

As I walked, in I noticed a security guard and said hello. I thought I heard some kind of accent when he responded back, but I wasn't completely sure. I went in, and went straight for the skivvies. I found the drawers that I needed and found a few necessities. A $7.50 movie (Unbreakable), a Label Buddy, different colored tapes to go in the Label Buddy, and a KitKat bar. Clearly, all important.

As I was walking out, I saw some money on the ground. I stood there for a second and stared at it blankly.

"Crap.", I thought.

I didn't particularly want the responsibilty of taking care of this lost money, but I felt since I saw it I should do something about it. So, I picked it up. From where I was standing it only looked like a few dollars, but when I looked through it and I noticed the two 20's that were hiding behind the 4 ones. I had already decided to give it back, and fortunately for me the same security guard that I said hello to earlier was walking around near me.

"I found this $44 and I thought I should hand it over to you." I told him.

He looked at me and said in an accent that I couldn't recognized, "Okay, I'll take you to one of our managers."

"He must be new." I thought.

Nobody seemed to want to take the money from me, and I was trying to give it to everyone. We finally found a manager that would take it.

"Thanks!", she said.

It really was no problem.

"I would hope that someone would turn it in if it were mine." I told the guard.

He went on and told me that I did the right thing.

I don't know how we shifted from the money conversation, but he asked me what my name was and I told him. Then I asked him.

"Ariga."

It was very hard to hear in the Wal-Mart and I think I just stared at him.

"Manyahe."

He then pointed to his nametag. A. Manyahe.

"Manyahe?" I asked.

"Ariga Manyahe." He said.

"Okay, Ariga Manyahe." I repeated back to him.

He then proceeded to ask me where I was from, and I said from here.

I asked where he was from.

"Ethipoia."

I have never met anyone from Ethiopia before that I know of.

I asked him what he was doing here and he said, "Opportunity."

He was a high school teacher in Ethiopia. Now, that he's here he has to start everything over. He has to go back to school. It's hard to live in Ethiopia, and it's hard to move towards "opportunity" here.

Opportunity's hard.

I'm not one to just start talking to people that I don't know. But, I glad that I met Ariga Manyahe.

This one's for Dee

SLITRK1 is gene 13q31.1-A portion of this chromosome has broken off, turned upside down and reattached, therefore the genetic material is inverted. (inversion)



Chromosome 13

Mmmm...

I had Lenny's for lunch today...

...and the bread was better than normal!!

I love how the trees bloom...

As I was driving home yesterday, I realized (and this happens every year) how much rain really makes spring happen. It's true. I can't really explain the feeling that comes over me every year at this same time, but it's something like happiness, only...better. The trees sprouting their baby leaves overwhelms me with that better-than-happiness feeling. Rain showers are welcomed now. Effect. Things happen now when it rains. Yes, this is a warm rain welcoming the baby leaves back again.

.

Springtimery

It's my favorite. Go outside!

The Irish love a twinkie...

Dee and I went to Wal-Mart tonight. Here are some pictures from our trip.


That hat got Punk'd.


We got stared at a lot. This...we are used to.


I might have to go back and get this wig.


Dee still looks hot.


We went a little overboard with the wigs, but had a good time. We always do.

Birds Can't Snap

I'm sitting outside because it's beautiful today. It's sunny and about 60 degrees. It's amazing what a day like this will do for a person's mood. I just feel better because it's nice out today. I think the birds do, too.

At first, I just saw two of them talking to each other. And now, I think there are 5 or 6 of them. But are they actually communicating, or are they just enjoying the sounds that they are making? Is it just a deep discussion or are they composing a song, hymn, aria, ditty, bird shanty?

They seem to be congregating in groups. One group is on one side of the tree and the other is residing on the opposing side. This reminds me of West Side Story. Except, there's no snapping because birds don't have opposable thumbs...or fingers.

I can't wait for spring to get here. Winter is such a dreary season.



P.S. I just saw a dog with a ghetto booty.