tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91147173898750675822024-03-13T23:14:08.665-05:00Straight Shooter ~~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.comBlogger456125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-64395110455522543252010-09-10T19:57:00.000-05:002010-09-10T19:57:14.830-05:00Once Upon a Time...<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">there was a very different world...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrO5H2QPEI/AAAAAAAAENc/sh5mr8zPMsM/s1600/world+trade+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrO5H2QPEI/AAAAAAAAENc/sh5mr8zPMsM/s320/world+trade+1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">One where the sun shined, the skies were brillant blue, and we had not a care in the world.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrO9HW_92I/AAAAAAAAENk/YVo40PWX8m8/s1600/world+trade+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrO9HW_92I/AAAAAAAAENk/YVo40PWX8m8/s320/world+trade+4.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Then our world fell apart...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrPJkqZH7I/AAAAAAAAENs/ERslVJpyW4M/s1600/world+trade+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrPJkqZH7I/AAAAAAAAENs/ERslVJpyW4M/s320/world+trade+3.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Our spirits seemed reduced to rubble...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrPRVwwQ_I/AAAAAAAAEN0/Yx5Mi2s8Hnc/s1600/world+trade+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrPRVwwQ_I/AAAAAAAAEN0/Yx5Mi2s8Hnc/s320/world+trade+8.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">But America is more than a place. More than a name.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">It is a home.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">A home to the Free and the Brave...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrPgzrO0rI/AAAAAAAAEN8/FBZ8eD1Xafw/s1600/world+trade+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrPgzrO0rI/AAAAAAAAEN8/FBZ8eD1Xafw/s320/world+trade+7.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">We shall always overcome. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">We shall always stand united.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrSFctVS9I/AAAAAAAAEOM/EDTmMzfCevE/s1600/world+trade+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/TIrSFctVS9I/AAAAAAAAEOM/EDTmMzfCevE/s320/world+trade+2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Since we are America, we will <em><strong>always</strong></em> remember.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-86210885893854708212010-09-03T22:06:00.000-05:002010-09-03T22:06:47.994-05:00199 Bottles of Beer or just 199 Days Ago...Apparently if it's been 199 days since someone last blogged, they lose their ability to come up with titles. Or topics. Or even scant ideas of what to blog about.<br />
I hope this phenomenon does not last long...now that I actually miss blogging and have a wee bit of time in my life to actually participate in it again.<br />
Of course I haven't lost my ultra-sharp tongue, a.k.a. opinions, when it comes to politics, nor has my love of country and appreciation of our service men and women wanned. And I have plenty o'stories about The Sweet Spawn, Sledge, the Brain Dead Pug and our newest member Scooter Booter, but I just can't quite decide where to start. Should the first post back inform you that Big Shooter is a Ranch Hand? Both of the Sweet Spawn are taller than me and spent a MONTH in Idaho this summer? Or that I had to straddle a gear shift positioned precariously close to my woohaw for 188 miles with a tow truck driver named Stinky Clifford shifting often?<br />
I can't decide, so for tonight I think I'll just say, "I've missed you BloggyLand! I'm looking forward to reconnecting with you!"~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-18192018072307823682010-02-17T00:31:00.003-06:002010-09-03T22:51:01.743-05:00Day 3 & 4 CombineI so wanted to post everyday! So ain't gonna happen y'all!<br />
<br />
So I've come up with my own <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Winter Olympics</span> event it's called:<br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The Stellar, Useless, Obscure, Olympic Tib Bit Combine Post </strong></span><br />
<br />
Since most Combine Events take place over a couple days...I'll post at least every coupla days too! (Great <strike>excuse</strike> <strike>justification</strike> idea huh?)<br />
<br />
Where to begin this Combined Post? Do we start with the Drama <span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><strong>(with a capitol D)</strong></em></span> in the Men's Figure Skating? How the media puts such pressure on our young athletes and then seems to <span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><strong>drown in their own excited saliva</strong></em></span> when they fail to get the job done? How about the way US Gold Medalist Seth Westcott's <span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><strong>WWII vet grandpa</strong></em></span> influenced his Olympic experience? Or the fact there is, for the second time in Olympic history, a <strong><em><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">prego momma</span></em></strong> participating in these Games?<br />
<br />
Nah. I think we'll start with the fact that if you want Coke, you don't drink Shasta Cola. If you want a Xerox copy, you don't use a certain cheap @$$ printer that needs to be replaced. And if you want an envious, high quality, international standard event on perfect ice, you don't use...<br />
<div align="center">these specially made $1,000,000 off-brand ice machines.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3uag9vOydI/AAAAAAAAEMY/1GUPme5lP0E/s1600-h/3+day+ice+machines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3uag9vOydI/AAAAAAAAEMY/1GUPme5lP0E/s320/3+day+ice+machines.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Everyone knows you use the tried and true...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3uaNLGcVYI/AAAAAAAAEMQ/ZMsqydbrTHQ/s1600-h/3+day+zamboni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3uaNLGcVYI/AAAAAAAAEMQ/ZMsqydbrTHQ/s320/3+day+zamboni.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center">ZAMBONI!!!!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">What did our Gold Medalist Seth Westcott bring to these Games with him?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3uZ-syX-LI/AAAAAAAAELw/ajyhYQeKlzo/s1600-h/day+3+snowboard+gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3uZ-syX-LI/AAAAAAAAELw/ajyhYQeKlzo/s320/day+3+snowboard+gold.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>"I had a pretty powerful moment packing that thing in my backpack."</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- US snowboard gold medallist Seth Wescott on carrying his <strong>late grandfather's World War II service flag.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">And the media? Could they be any more houndish with our athletes??</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">How many ways can Lindsay say, "I fell people...I was young, dumb and reckless."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">They were dying to get a story of redemption.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">They missed it.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It was a much deeper, closer story than they could imagine.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">And while they were slippin' and slidin' in their greedy saliva rushing to get the next big story...they passed this one.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>In the same race</strong> Lindsay fell in 4 years ago in Turino and got the dreaded Silver,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Maelle Ricker crashed and was air-lifted out.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3uf9-DWEwI/AAAAAAAAEMg/dBLuVjogagE/s1600-h/3+day+maelle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3uf9-DWEwI/AAAAAAAAEMg/dBLuVjogagE/s320/3+day+maelle.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 years later, while the media was stalking Lindsay, she was quietly readying herself for <span style="color: #990000;"><strong>redemption.</strong></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3ugjEISolI/AAAAAAAAEMo/XaCXSfE2SwA/s1600-h/3+day+mealle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3ugjEISolI/AAAAAAAAEMo/XaCXSfE2SwA/s320/3+day+mealle.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">our eyes were glued on the red vest falling to the wayside...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3ug0rCNCzI/AAAAAAAAEMw/E9qKkTo23Zo/s1600-h/3+day+Maelle+Ricker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3ug0rCNCzI/AAAAAAAAEMw/E9qKkTo23Zo/s320/3+day+Maelle+Ricker.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maelle Ricker crossed the finish line 20 minutes from the house she grew up in and became the female darling of Canada...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Way to go Girl.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">One last fun little picture for this, the first Combined Post event, that shows the judges for the ski jumping. Each time they were mentioned I wondered where they were located to be able to watch the jumps from the side of the mountain.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Now we know...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3uaKqI0wqI/AAAAAAAAEMI/RPO8TrD8YyI/s1600-h/3+day+judges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3uaKqI0wqI/AAAAAAAAEMI/RPO8TrD8YyI/s320/3+day+judges.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Good Night my fellow Americans!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">May your popcorn have just the perfect amount of butter tomorrow night while enjoying the halfpipe! The girls flying down the hills in Downhill! Apollo...sigh, need I say more? It's gonna be a grand eveing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-4857118652580201482010-02-14T22:38:00.003-06:002010-09-03T22:43:29.187-05:00O Canada!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As Mary Carillo said, "The O in O Canada! no longer stands for Zero."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was a <span style="color: #990000;">5 Kleenex Alarm</span> in the Shooter household when Alexandre went down to hug his big brother, Fredrick, who he'd dedicated the race to and who suffers from cerebral palsy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPOxRPsAI/AAAAAAAAEKY/07y-5to28wg/s1600-h/Day+2+alexandre_bilodeau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPOxRPsAI/AAAAAAAAEKY/07y-5to28wg/s320/Day+2+alexandre_bilodeau.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After almost <span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">34 YEARS</span> of never winning a gold on home turf...<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONGRATULATIONS Canada!!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Crumb Snatchers began asking questions about the moguls and the snow as we watched so the answers I researched provide Day 2s fascinating, obscure <span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Olympic Tid Bits!</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It begins with moving in the "special" white stuff.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPUi6XScI/AAAAAAAAEKo/gOtKmDwl6HY/s1600-h/day+2+moguls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPUi6XScI/AAAAAAAAEKo/gOtKmDwl6HY/s320/day+2+moguls.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Followed by specialized construction.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPSRkfkTI/AAAAAAAAEKg/9B62XAdqTjg/s1600-h/day+2+building+moguls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPSRkfkTI/AAAAAAAAEKg/9B62XAdqTjg/s320/day+2+building+moguls.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of the questions was, "Why is the snow so dirty when everything else has to be so perfect?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPYLnAnlI/AAAAAAAAEKw/Iqn8Dstoups/s1600-h/day+2+looking+down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPYLnAnlI/AAAAAAAAEKw/Iqn8Dstoups/s320/day+2+looking+down.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The answer is, as the athletes are flying down the hill and through the air, they need something in the pure white to offer a contrast. Give them a target so to speak. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Alexandre had a whole country behind him...I found two of the <span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>CUTEST CANUCKS!</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPbF7S5wI/AAAAAAAAEK4/gzqGK3t37vE/s1600-h/day+2+fans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPbF7S5wI/AAAAAAAAEK4/gzqGK3t37vE/s320/day+2+fans.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My own love of flowers lead me to this stellar find of <span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Obscure Olympic Tid Bit...</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPhNVqWUI/AAAAAAAAELI/p_X1OhmJB_w/s1600-h/day+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPhNVqWUI/AAAAAAAAELI/p_X1OhmJB_w/s320/day+2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Victory Bouquet is made of indigenous plants and flowers from the area...except they only bloom in the summer. So the indigenous flowers were grown and then flown from <span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Ecuador.</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They are literally changing lives in Canada.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The florists who won the bid to make them chose to partner with non-profit organizations that help "women who face barriers" when it comes to legitimate employment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The girls that make them would other wise not be involved or impacted by the Olympics in a significant way. They are recovering from addiction, leaving prison, exiting the sex trade or are victims of violence. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Instead, they all now have a viable future skill to fall back on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Way Cool.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPduZOUjI/AAAAAAAAELA/_YuPKINhGhw/s1600-h/day+2+florists.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPduZOUjI/AAAAAAAAELA/_YuPKINhGhw/s320/day+2+florists.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As we watched (and listened) to the pairs short programs tonight, one outfit (the shiny blue pantsuit) reminded me of a long ago Olympics America got the privilege of watching the Merrells favorite Olympic announcer - Scott Hamilton.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I found the picture...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPm1hrATI/AAAAAAAAELQ/KqLyZwi27V4/s1600-h/day+2+scott.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPm1hrATI/AAAAAAAAELQ/KqLyZwi27V4/s320/day+2+scott.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A few things about Mr. Hamilton outside the rink:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1) He survived testicular cancer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2) After skating with the Ice Capades, he formed the Stars On Ice.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">3) He was the first celebrity to grant a wish for the Make a Wish Foundation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">4) He is on he Board of Directors for the Special Olympics International.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">5) He's a husband to this beauty. And father to a 6 and a 2 yo boy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">6) He's a strong christian believer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPuOcOsII/AAAAAAAAELY/bfsoB_fsB2M/s1600-h/day+2+scott%27s+bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPuOcOsII/AAAAAAAAELY/bfsoB_fsB2M/s320/day+2+scott%27s+bride.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>And for just plain ole fun...</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Apollo Fans...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPyPAU6mI/AAAAAAAAELg/9NVSt3PBn6c/s1600-h/day+2+more+fans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jPyPAU6mI/AAAAAAAAELg/9NVSt3PBn6c/s320/day+2+more+fans.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dedicated, <em><strong>timeless </strong></em>Apollo fans...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jP0P7cEiI/AAAAAAAAELo/ybHg9L1yJ9w/s1600-h/day+2+more+fans+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3jP0P7cEiI/AAAAAAAAELo/ybHg9L1yJ9w/s320/day+2+more+fans+2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pray for our troops in harms way. Pray for their wives, children, mommas, daddies, sisters and brothers. They all sacrifice so very much for us to live our lives, watch our prime time tv, drink our fancy signature mixes and pray without fear.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God Bless America and our brave soldiers.</span></div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-61556714116385142822010-02-13T19:33:00.001-06:002010-09-03T22:43:52.161-05:00Let the GAMES Begin!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d0_mQGFQI/AAAAAAAAEJY/OwdQ_LAuLbw/s1600-h/logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d0_mQGFQI/AAAAAAAAEJY/OwdQ_LAuLbw/s320/logo.jpg" /></a></div>I've received too many emails about the Olympics to <strong><em><span style="color: #990000;">not</span></em></strong> try my hardest to post about these games!<br />
So here's the answers to a few of the questions I keep getting:<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #990000;">YES</span></strong>...I'm still a total Olympic Fuh-Reek...therefore, so is my fam. Some by choice, some by force.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d_gb5l0pI/AAAAAAAAEKI/ZTJRNPq31DA/s1600-h/opening+snowboarder.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d_gb5l0pI/AAAAAAAAEKI/ZTJRNPq31DA/s320/opening+snowboarder.png" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Yes</span></strong>, we are turning it into a total learning lesson. Big Shooter started it off by decorating the livingroom with big beautiful American flags, a giant world map, ski equipment and a surprise Name That Country By It's Flag game he made up on on the fly. Sigh...he's a man who's captured my heart!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d_eBd9XHI/AAAAAAAAEKA/oPb7463758c/s1600-h/opening+americans.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d_eBd9XHI/AAAAAAAAEKA/oPb7463758c/s320/opening+americans.png" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Yep</span></strong>, I'm going to be doing research each day about the happenings and all those fun extra little tid bits in these Games like I did for the Summer Games. However, I <em>cannot</em> promise to be the most consistent at posting what I learn. Sorry. You may, or may not have noticed I've been absent lately from the Blogosphere. Life. It's happening all around me.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The 2010 Winter Olympics logo is named Ilanaaq, which is the Inuktitut word for friend.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d6zLB8KnI/AAAAAAAAEJo/_ldFjmAZIEM/s1600-h/stone+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d6zLB8KnI/AAAAAAAAEJo/_ldFjmAZIEM/s320/stone+logo.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games were inspired by traditional First Nations creatures, the mascots include:</div><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Miga</strong></span> — A mythical sea bear, part orca and part kermode bear. <br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Quatchi</strong></span> — A sasquatch, who wears boots and earmuffs. <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Sumi </span></strong>— An animal guardian spirit who wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty Thunderbird and runs on the strong furry legs of the black bear. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d1C8hSpaI/AAAAAAAAEJg/RiOkXnHITmQ/s1600-h/mascots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d1C8hSpaI/AAAAAAAAEJg/RiOkXnHITmQ/s320/mascots.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First Extra Odd Tid Bit:</span></strong></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Skating Diva - Johnny Weir has elected to stay in the Olympic Village bc it is "more easily secured than a hotel". (He complained long and hard about his accomodations in the Village the last Olympics and had his heart set on a luxury stay this go round.) He has received valid and serious threats from anit-fur activists and is justifibly concened for his safety. (The irony of being threatened with your life from an anti-fur group just kinda cracks me up honestly.) However, they should be a little less angry with him, bc he has given in and sacrificed style and design be replacing the white fox on his outfit with faux fox.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d_bozbkyI/AAAAAAAAEJ4/kC-V-jCn1Q0/s1600-h/Johnny+Weir+-+anti+fur+threats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S3d_bozbkyI/AAAAAAAAEJ4/kC-V-jCn1Q0/s320/Johnny+Weir+-+anti+fur+threats.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> Here are the adjectives the announcers used describing the Mens Figure Skating competition (no giggling): </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">* Deep</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">* Rich</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">* Staggering</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">* Unrelenting</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">* Exciting </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">and</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">*Unbridled</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Please stop giggling. They were ssssserious.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">And therefore, so am I. It starts tomorrow. I'm popping my popcorn early to get a good seat!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-66740760380823418202010-01-16T22:45:00.000-06:002010-01-16T22:45:13.738-06:00Never the Underdog ~ Shaun White<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S1KLmJLS6fI/AAAAAAAAEIw/kWyyvgkp6p8/s1600-h/WhiteShaun2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S1KLmJLS6fI/AAAAAAAAEIw/kWyyvgkp6p8/s320/WhiteShaun2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Picking the first was hard...and easy.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The boy just begs to be part of your family.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Crumbs wish he was.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've watched him with awe the past few years. He's won many more titles, dated some of the world's most notorious women (notice, I did not say beautiful...), he's made a whole industry bow down to his name and he's always positive. Hope he stays that way...</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Family sacrifice</span></strong><br />
When White first started snowboarding, his career put a <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">significant financial burden</span></strong> on his family, costing his parents $20,000 a year. In the infancy of his career, the family (Shaun, Roger, Cathy and his siblings, Jesse and Kari) would drive up to Mammoth every weekend and sleep in their 1964 Econoline van (a.k.a. "Big Mo"), <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">cooking meals on a stove in the back.</span></strong> As Shaun got older, the family began staying at a motel, but the lifestyle still required significant sacrifice. Cathy spent her weeks shuttling back and forth between bringing Shaun to Mammoth and waiting tables in San Diego, and by 2002, her 1998 Honda had reportedly <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">accumulated 180,000 miles.</span></strong> <br />
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</div><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Early trouble</strong></span><br />
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White was born with a <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">heart defect</span> called Tetralogy of Fallot, which his website (www.shaunwhite.com) describes as "a series of heart malformations." The heart defect required two <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">major surgeries</span></strong> at a young age. <br />
He was also <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">severely bow-legged</span></strong> early in his childhood and had to wear corrective leg braces at night. However, neither malady stopped White from trying snowboarding at age six (with the assistance of his father, Roger). The entire White family has since taken up snowboarding, with Cathy (his mother) being the last to learn.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Halfpipe coronation</span></strong><br />
Entering the 2006 Torino Games, White was widely considered the favorite to take Olympic gold in men's halfpipe. However, the Carlsbad, Calif., native got an <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">early scare</span></strong> when a mistake on his first qualifying run left him with just 37.7 points, facing a do-or-die scenario to earn a spot in the final with his second qualifying run. White ended up qualifying with ease on that second run, and in the final, he <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">did not disappoint,</span></strong> claiming the Olympic title with a dominant performance. Riding to AC/DC's Back in Black, the then-19-year-old racked up 46.8 points in the first run of the final round, a score that no other competitor would surpass. During his interview with NBC after the victory, White broke down, <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">unable to hold back his tears.</span></strong> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S1KRZMF91qI/AAAAAAAAEJQ/jw2YS0XGUc0/s1600-h/shawn_white+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S1KRZMF91qI/AAAAAAAAEJQ/jw2YS0XGUc0/s640/shawn_white+1.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Two-sport star</span></strong><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In addition to owning the Olympic snowboarding crown, White is <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">also a champion skateboarder</span></strong> who claimed the skateboard vert title at the 2007 Summer X Games, making him the first athlete ever to win Summer and Winter X Games titles. White skates professionally in the summer, leaving him roughly six months on the snow each year, making his achievements in snowboarding and skateboarding <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>all the more impressive</strong>.</span> And though White didn't win his first X Games title until 2007, his skateboarding career has long been ordained for greatness - he first started skateboarding with the legendary <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tony Hawk</span></strong> at age nine. <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Project X</span></strong><br />
In the spring of 2009, Red Bull, one of White's principal sponsors, built him a private halfpipe complete with foam pit at Silverton Mountain in southwestern Colorado. Dubbed Project X, the pipe was built on the backside of a mountain in an <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>inconspicuous avalanche chute</strong></span>, reachable only by helicopter and snowmobile. There, it took White all of three days to land the trick that would come to dominate snowboard chatter over the summer and beyond - <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the double-cork</span></strong>. The game-changing maneuver involves two off-axis rotations, or diagonal flips. And at the season's opening World Cup event in New Zealand in August, White debuted back-to-back double-cork spins en route to victory. The first of those double-corks was a cab 1080 stalefish, meaning that while White was <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana;">twice flipping diagonally, he was also executing three full spins and grabbing the board at his back heel edge. </span></strong><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">The empire</span></strong> <br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">From his relatively <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">modest beginning</span></strong>, White has ascended to a <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">staggering level of success</span></strong>. He reportedly earns more than $9 million annually, primarily from endorsement deals with Burton, Hewlett-Packard, Oakley, Red Bull, and Target, putting him second behind skateboarding legend Tony Hawk in Forbes' 2008 <strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">list of the highest-paid action sports stars</span></strong>. White also owns a Lamborghini and three homes, including one on the beach in Carlsbad, Calif. And like the aforementioned Hawk, White reached a notable digital milestone in November 2008 when he officially became the title character in his own video game, Shaun White Snowboarding. <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We'll be watching you closely and cheering you on Shaun. Make America proud!<br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Love Note to Big Shooter:</span> Just so you know Love, I pretty much just plagairized this article since I promised to not spend such insane amounts of time researching...that's going to be my compromise. Just so you know. In case the Plagairism Police come knocking.</span><br />
<br />
</div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-71283165813760171312010-01-16T21:21:00.000-06:002010-01-16T21:21:29.440-06:00Anti-War Monger<div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S1Jukk84y6I/AAAAAAAAEIo/UTSJLSnHBB4/s1600-h/War+Moron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S1Jukk84y6I/AAAAAAAAEIo/UTSJLSnHBB4/s640/War+Moron.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Y'all know nothin' lights my fire faster than questionable treatment of our troops ~ the men, women and families who sacrifice so much <em><strong>every</strong></em> day for each of us to live our lives in the manner we've come to demand and expect, instead of treasure and respect.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So imagine my reaction to THIS ap article I came across this evening...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">A group led by anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan has protested near the CIA's headquarters and former Vice President Dick Cheney's home in northern Virginia.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">They were protesting the use of unmanned drone aircraft to attack al-Qaida and Taliban targets.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The group of about 70 people rallied alongside a highway near the CIA compound Saturday. About half then marched to Cheney's nearby street and stayed for 20 minutes. Police kept them from going down his street.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sheehan's 21-year-old son Casey was killed in Iraq in April 2004. She staged a prolonged demonstration outside former President George W. Bush's ranch near Crawford, Texas, in 2005.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">She says using drones is "cowardly" and "immoral."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't get it people. I really, really don't.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She's protested the war in general for years. I <em><strong>do</strong></em> get that. It's been a long haul. It's been extremely costly in American lives. But, I also feel there's been no real solution presented to the problem either. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(I was secretly harboring a hope the Messiah would have presented/followed through with <em><strong>his </strong></em>solutions by now.) </span><span style="font-size: small;">So if she was protesting <strong><em>that</em></strong>, I'd understand. But she's not. She's protesting the use of <em><strong>NON-MANNED WEAPONS</strong></em> against true enemies of the state. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial;">These groups make no bones about it, no justifications, no excuses, not the merest hint of denial about the way they feel about us or Israel. We are dogs. We are infidels. We are whores. They hate us. They wish each one of us dead. They are training to kill as many of us as they can. They plan their attacks on our troops day and night. They will stop at nothing. She wants us to leave them alone. That's her opinion. She's entitled to it. The troops are fighting for her right to express herself freely. </span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial;">The catch is, they <em><strong>are</strong></em> going to continue attacking us. We <em><strong>will</strong></em> need to defend ourselves against them whether we are there or here. Period. </span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial;">And according to her, saving American lives by using non-manned methods is "cowardly" and "immoral".</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">mon⋅ger [muhng-ger, mong-] </span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">–noun 1. a person who is involved with something in a petty or contemptible way</span> </span>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-47125267804878418482010-01-13T22:42:00.001-06:002010-09-03T22:44:17.978-05:00Ready or Not...Here They Come!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nearly 250 athletes will venture north of the border to represent the United States at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here are the 15 sports we'll be cheering them on in...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A mere 30 days!!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06Zj35AWjI/AAAAAAAAEG4/HQKnaEJf3L4/s1600-h/BS.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06Zj35AWjI/AAAAAAAAEG4/HQKnaEJf3L4/s320/BS.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bobsled</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06Zhg19rzI/AAAAAAAAEGw/NhnpXl3D7ok/s1600-h/Alpine+skiing.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06Zhg19rzI/AAAAAAAAEGw/NhnpXl3D7ok/s320/Alpine+skiing.gif" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Alpine Skiing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06ZoMD6i6I/AAAAAAAAEHI/A8_A0kR2TT8/s1600-h/CC.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06ZoMD6i6I/AAAAAAAAEHI/A8_A0kR2TT8/s320/CC.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cross Country Skiing</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06Zl4tjhtI/AAAAAAAAEHA/R6dBuMCRfsI/s1600-h/BT.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06Zl4tjhtI/AAAAAAAAEHA/R6dBuMCRfsI/s320/BT.gif" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Biathalon</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06ZrZ49mQI/AAAAAAAAEHQ/pzxTIAq7Y2w/s1600-h/CU.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06ZrZ49mQI/AAAAAAAAEHQ/pzxTIAq7Y2w/s320/CU.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Curling</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06ZtkwASUI/AAAAAAAAEHY/MStS6i4nBbE/s1600-h/FR.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06ZtkwASUI/AAAAAAAAEHY/MStS6i4nBbE/s320/FR.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Free Style Skiing</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06ZwHMtQdI/AAAAAAAAEHg/OiKw2om5lP4/s1600-h/FS.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06ZwHMtQdI/AAAAAAAAEHg/OiKw2om5lP4/s320/FS.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Figure Skating</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06Zy-NQb9I/AAAAAAAAEHo/rQcMdjTwLKE/s1600-h/IH.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06Zy-NQb9I/AAAAAAAAEHo/rQcMdjTwLKE/s320/IH.gif" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ice Hockey</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06Z1lVANrI/AAAAAAAAEHw/KpDmvBo9br8/s1600-h/LG.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06Z1lVANrI/AAAAAAAAEHw/KpDmvBo9br8/s320/LG.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Luge</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06aka8kczI/AAAAAAAAEH4/zwvB31XVFYc/s1600-h/NC.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06aka8kczI/AAAAAAAAEH4/zwvB31XVFYc/s320/NC.gif" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nordic Combined</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06anFoN1aI/AAAAAAAAEIA/1nofo-Z5QC4/s1600-h/SB.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06anFoN1aI/AAAAAAAAEIA/1nofo-Z5QC4/s320/SB.gif" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Snowboard</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06apNiTL7I/AAAAAAAAEII/ocBDXdhvwSw/s1600-h/SJ.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06apNiTL7I/AAAAAAAAEII/ocBDXdhvwSw/s320/SJ.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ski Jumping</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06arhCPJlI/AAAAAAAAEIQ/48-2wAhSwL0/s1600-h/SN.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06arhCPJlI/AAAAAAAAEIQ/48-2wAhSwL0/s320/SN.gif" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Skeleton</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06auYZMN9I/AAAAAAAAEIY/PTo2TgDsMPI/s1600-h/SS.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06auYZMN9I/AAAAAAAAEIY/PTo2TgDsMPI/s320/SS.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Speed Skating</span></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06ayX740jI/AAAAAAAAEIg/h9q8cZbJcis/s1600-h/ST.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S06ayX740jI/AAAAAAAAEIg/h9q8cZbJcis/s320/ST.gif" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Short Track</span></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Okay, my heart rate has increased. My breathing is getting ragged and quick. I feel the need to scream, moan and roll my head around...and it's not for the reason you may think. It's because I'm getting giddy with anticipated excitement for the Opening Ceremony.</span></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tomorrow you get to meet one of our stars.</span></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can't wait!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">Love Note to Big Shooter:</span> You show patience for my obsession. You show tolerance for my insanity. You show genuine interest (don't admit anything else if that's not true) in all the craziness leading up to the Blessed Event. You show intense enthusiasm right along side me...thanks for your unconditional love, my Love. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-48413945232557628112010-01-10T19:48:00.001-06:002010-09-03T22:51:54.459-05:00Sex Talk<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S0pHJZJmbFI/AAAAAAAAEGI/WFKBKG5D2UY/s1600-h/Caution_Out_Of_Order.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S0pHJZJmbFI/AAAAAAAAEGI/WFKBKG5D2UY/s640/Caution_Out_Of_Order.png" /></a></div>Last Christmas Eve (2008) I decided I wasn't waiting any longer for Big Shooter to get over...well, whatever he needed to get over to have the Sex Talk with the Boy Child so I could have the same talk with the Girl Child. <br />
So I decided to do it myself. Both of them. <em><strong>At the same time.</strong></em><br />
<br />
Let's just say I now have the best advice in the world to hand out to parents all over the world trying to save themselves from having to do the Sex Talk more than once. <br />
<br />
Do more than one. Do as many as children you have. Do practice sessions. Do extras.<br />
Just don't do them <strong>AT THE SAME TIME!</strong> Ever.<br />
<br />
I'm not going to get into the whole conversation and questions here. Just know that when some certain information finally sank in, Boy Child sputtered and choked, "I have to do <em><strong><span style="font-size: large;">what</span> </strong></em>to my wife??"...in front of his sister. And later, "Do I <strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">have</span></em></strong> to? Will I get a divorce if I don't <em><strong><span style="font-size: large;">want </span></strong></em>to?" <br />
<br />
And Girl Child? Poor Girl Child. She couldn't say anything for days other than, "Mommy, does it really, really, <em><strong><span style="font-size: large;">really</span></strong></em> hurt when the baby comes out? Or just <em><strong>really </strong></em>hurt?" I felt awful for her. I'd crushed her little Mommyhood Bubble. The girl was meant to me a Momma. Aside from all the tom-boy, dirt, animal-loving and target shooting...she just wants to be a fantastic Momma. She talks about it all the time. She practices. She plans it. She dreams about it. Ooooh the trauma of learning the truth!<br />
<br />
Now, mind you, I made it all wonderful, ooey-gooey and lovey-dovey. I really did. In fact, I've shared how I approached it with many mommas and daddies who have shared it in the same fashion.<br />
<br />
That isn't the problem.<br />
<br />
It's the natural curiosity since it all start soaked in + the unabashed openness the Shooter Household is known for that makes, at times, even my toes curl with the questions these precious little maturing Crumb Snatchers now ask.<br />
<br />
No matter when or where we are (much, much, MUCH to Big Shooter's chagrin), if they ask a question about sex answer as honestly as I possibly can. After a year of this it's not a big deal any more and I love the fact they trust us enough to ask all the questions that just seem to pop in their heads from out of left field. <br />
I am also relieved to announce, after a year, Big Shooter has chilled out and can now calmly field a tough sexual question instead of directing all traffic my way.<br />
<br />
This all brings me to today's conversation while driving to a movie.<br />
<br />
We were parked at a corner with a gentelmen's club on Boy Child's side of the car. Girl Child said, "Ick. Did anyone read that banner? It said, 'Coldest Beer and Hottest Girls in Town'. Now who in this car would want <strong><em>that</em></strong>???" Big Shooter tightened my hand bc we've been wondering when we'd have to address the strip club issue since we live on the side of Plainsville these establishments are seen more often. Before we could say anything, Girl Child reported from the backseat, "Ummm guys...you should know...your son just raised his hand. Apparently, he wants cold beer and hot girls."<br />
Now <em><strong>my</strong></em> hand held a death grip on Big Shooter's since he was trying to suppress a grin. (Have I ever shared the one testicle story about Boy Child? If not, just know Big Shooter gets a big kick and sigh of relief whenever our boy shows any natural interest in girls... Then remind me after the Blessed Event - Olympics - is finished and I'll tell you how we have a Leftie - as in, he has only one left.)<br />
<br />
After our cautious explanation, they both came to their own conclusions.<br />
These were that Girl Child didn't want to become a stripper. (sigh of relief) <br />
And Boy Child had apparently changed his mind about wanting cold beer and hot girls once he found out they were naked. (sigh of relief from me...a "go figure" shrug from his father). <br />
I guess we did our religious, right-wing-nut-job, conservative, redneck jobs well.<br />
<br />
Although, when they fully understood what actually took place, they naturally went to the sex subject. They both asked questions about the actions and attitudes of a strip joint leading to sex, the desire for sex and sexual temptaions...Sex, sex, SEX! (Is this all these spawn think about now??)<br />
<br />
Before we had time to gather our thoughts on all the questions and decide where to start, Girl Child very firmly declared, "Well, I've decided if I'm ever tempted...I'm just gonna slap a sticker on my flower that says OUT. OF. ORDER!"<br />
<br />
Big Shooter released the steering wheel, threw his hands in the air, and shouted...<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">"AMEN!!"</span></em></strong><br />
<br />
Yep. We're making progress.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Love Note to My Big Shooter:</strong></span> Yep, sex, sex, SEX... I wonder where they get that from? Hmmmm. Heh, heh.~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-33895985152227968522010-01-03T23:42:00.000-06:002010-01-03T23:42:29.802-06:00Crumb Snatcher SpeakI will never tire of the funny things they say. And they are definitely getting further and further apart...<br />
I don't even know if I can explain this one clearly, but I have to try.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boy Child called while I was out to ask if I'd take him to Game Stop to exhcange a game before they closed. I said, "Sure. You'll need to call and see if they're still open." I hung up and called them too. (I mistakenly thought it'd take him a little while to look up their number. I now think he has their number memorized.) I called the one on Elm Dr. and asked their hours. My phone immediately rang. I answered it with, "Guess what? They close at 7:00." His response was a surprised, "Mommy! Did you call the one on Elm doctor too?!?"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Love Note to Big Shooter:</strong></span> Took two whole days to count them all. But, I came up with 378 ways... ;o)~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-56442735968939240792010-01-02T23:51:00.000-06:002010-01-02T23:51:08.718-06:00To be or not to be...resolute? <strong><em>That</em></strong> is the question.<br />
<div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S0Au7S3pNsI/AAAAAAAAEGA/zMTROcrgzZc/s1600-h/resolutions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/S0Au7S3pNsI/AAAAAAAAEGA/zMTROcrgzZc/s320/resolutions.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Big Shooter and I have not made any resolutions in <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>years</strong></span> because, honestly, what's the point of putting ourselves through the agony of facing our giant out-of-reach goals in the next few weeks and then withstanding the emotional failure of having to consciously let them go by the way side? Why put ourselves through that again and again? So we haven't. We stopped like 15 years ago.<br />
<br />
I'm so over that silly decision.<br />
<br />
I'm staking my claim. Making them in public. <br />
<br />
One easy, make-ya-feel-good kind.<br />
And one not so easy to keep, but a make-ya-feel-good-if-ya-keep-it kind.<br />
<br />
The <span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>first</strong></span> is going to come as a <em>complete</em> surprise to you all.<br />
I'm going to commit to being a complete and utter over-the-top fool for the <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>2010 Olympics.</strong></span> (I <strong><em>know</em></strong>. Go ahead and pick yourself up now.) <br />
Here's how: I'm going to publish a daily <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Getting to Know Your USA Team</strong></span> post for 30 days leading up to the blessed event. The first one will be January 13th. (Just doing you a favor so you can hold your breath, break out all your red, white and blue clothes and prepare the snacks.)<br />
<br />
The <strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">second</span></strong> one is a bit more hairy to accomplish since it will involve many of my family members. And y'all know that's like herding cats. While talking with an old family friend she explained how she'd appointed herself the Family Orator. Once a month she sends everyone in the fam a Family Update. I miss my family dearly living here in Plainsville. Some live in Idaho, some in Washington, some in Colorado, some in Conneticut and some in Wyoming. So I've now appointed myself the 2010 Family Orator. (If you're reading this fam, I'll be calling you soon with my interview questions, pen and pad...<em>puh-leeze</em> answer the phone. I really want to accomplish <strong>one</strong> New Year's Resolution in my life!)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Love Note to my Big Shooter:</strong></span> (Sigh.) I'm still counting the ways...~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-5401689476587005602009-12-31T18:04:00.000-06:002009-12-31T18:04:40.139-06:002009 Get the Hell Outta Dodge Already!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I was reading a Plainsville newspaper article highlighting the decade's highs and lows a couple days ago.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I realized a few things:<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">*</span></strong> There are always going to be highs and lows...it matters how you face them.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">*</span></strong> Love, family and true friends are truly the only things that matter in life.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">*</span></strong> 10 years goes a whole heckuva lot slower when you're younger...<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sz0u00zoclI/AAAAAAAAEF4/x_7sPnSuF00/s1600-h/IMG_0799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sz0u00zoclI/AAAAAAAAEF4/x_7sPnSuF00/s320/IMG_0799.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the past decade, Big Shooter and I have been blessed with:</span></strong><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">* <strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Healthy, growing Spawn.</span></strong> (Well, except for the nasty, old man horn that grew out of Boy <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Child's ....nose a couple years ago... and the fact that he's allergic to everything not grown in an organic garden and raised on a local farm which of course puts a little damper on my lifestyle. But hey, it's all in the way we face it right?)<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* A marriage thankfully made of Silly Putty.</span></strong> It has been flatten and stretched by the Wringer of Life and been re-inflated through the Bringer of Life these past years.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* And True Friendships</span></strong> that have kept us buoyed in the past few years of sickness and life altering changes...<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> We've most definitely molted many times over and we have become very comfortable in our new skins.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Before I receive a bajillion emails and texts asking if this is really us...have we gone off the deep end? Let me answer, "Yes, that's really us...at a goth themed wedding reception. And yes, we've most definitely gone waaay off the deep end...but we're still the same ole, same ole Shooters just the same."<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sz0urfdD-JI/AAAAAAAAEFw/FAWN7RevA7o/s1600-h/IMG_0805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sz0urfdD-JI/AAAAAAAAEFw/FAWN7RevA7o/s320/IMG_0805.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love Note to Big Shooter: <span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Wow it's been waaay too long since I've sat down and wrote you a stinkin' Love Note! Let's see...How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. And the ways. And the wa...heh, heh.</span> </span></span></strong><br />
</div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-8365220410301785612009-10-19T22:20:00.001-05:002009-10-19T22:21:35.161-05:00What in the HECK??If ya'll know what happened here...Puh-Leeze give me the inside scoop!~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-9723856339015058522009-07-27T08:29:00.004-05:002010-09-03T22:56:50.372-05:00R.I.P. Straight ShooterGood Morning World from my hospital bed in Plainsville!<br />
<br />
Long time no hear from I know. Here's why:<br />
<ul><li>Had a hysterectomy. (don't need any more Sweet and Loving Spawn)</li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Had major bladder repair. (hopefully, no more spontaneous piddling on the floor)</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Big Shooter took aforementioned Sweet Spawn to Idaho to hang with their beloved Grammie while I recuperated...</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">While BS was 5 states away, I threw a couple pulmonary embolisms.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Started to bleed to death.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Crashed.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Went to ICU.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Got stabilized.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Started to bleed to death.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Crashed.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Stopped breathing.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Went to ICU.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Crashed.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Stayed in ICU.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Now stable on blood thinners.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Third week in hospital.</div></li>
</ul><div align="justify">Nothing new and exciting going on here. How about you?</div><div align="justify"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Love Note to my Other Spouse:</span> Saucy Sashi, how to thank you for never letting my hand go during the first scare? Keeping me calm, lifting me up in prayer, being my spouse until BS could return? You literally saved my life. You're a hero.</div><div align="justify"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Love Note to Big Shooter:</span> Where to begin? Thank you for rushing back to be by my side? Thank you for never stop talking so I could hear your voice in those scary, scary times? Thank you for sleeping on a rock hard sofa(ish) for weeks and never uttering a complaint just so your presence can be a comfort to me? Thank you for being a rock? An anchor? My life preserver?</div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-28322746452949900462009-06-20T00:38:00.000-05:002009-06-21T00:39:10.673-05:00Happy Father's Day Grandpa!<div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sj3DRHWxO0I/AAAAAAAAEFo/LRu3LRs-tmo/s1600-h/June+09+017.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349646631185759042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sj3DRHWxO0I/AAAAAAAAEFo/LRu3LRs-tmo/s400/June+09+017.JPG" border="0" /></a> From <em>all </em>your kiddos...<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sj3DQyFAKUI/AAAAAAAAEFg/QkzJF90hg84/s1600-h/June+09+047.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349646625474095426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sj3DQyFAKUI/AAAAAAAAEFg/QkzJF90hg84/s400/June+09+047.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sj3DQk0npHI/AAAAAAAAEFY/MaLzi7osz9Q/s1600-h/June+09+066.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349646621915718770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sj3DQk0npHI/AAAAAAAAEFY/MaLzi7osz9Q/s400/June+09+066.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Even the 4-legged ones...<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sj3DQZGoBJI/AAAAAAAAEFQ/-EeGywj4FAo/s1600-h/June+09+022.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349646618770015378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sj3DQZGoBJI/AAAAAAAAEFQ/-EeGywj4FAo/s400/June+09+022.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sj3DQHE0YMI/AAAAAAAAEFI/0zjWtgS1EPw/s1600-h/June+09+013.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349646613930598594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sj3DQHE0YMI/AAAAAAAAEFI/0zjWtgS1EPw/s400/June+09+013.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We so hope your day is abundantly filled with love.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div><br /></div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-8141849684755246662009-06-09T10:37:00.002-05:002010-09-03T22:26:17.513-05:00Life Lessons...just keep comin'<div align="center">Remember when I introduced our great neighbor <a href="http://shootinstraight.blogspot.com/2009/05/welcome-to-hood.html"><span style="color: #000099;">The Recluse Artist</span></a>? I mentioned then how I wanted to have the whole thing all thought out and go in order down my street and how that never seems to be how things work out in the Shooter house.<br />
<br />
</div><div align="center">Well, I actually had a post ready to go to introduce you to <strong>Fruitcake Mary</strong> this week. Instead, you're going to meet the newest additions ~ Bugsy & Precious.</div><div align="center">Before I formally introduce them, I need to explain the change up...</div><div align="center">Y'all know our precious Sweet Girl, our Eula Mae.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345339783666126658" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Si52NmEuz0I/AAAAAAAAEEw/E2YZack8dmI/s400/Eula+Mae.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Girl Child's buddy. Her confidant. Her playmate. </div><div align="center">Her <strong><em>friend</em></strong> that she misses more than words can explain.</div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: 85%;">(It's a whole other post. Maybe for tomorrow in fact, cause I need some Momma advice.)</span></div><div align="center">Well, things are happening over at our Sweet Girl's house that are turning out to be very difficult to watch.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">First, Harley Momma (I'm tellin' ya, I have great neighbors!) and I had to find a home for Miss Daisy the shitzu. That about killed us all from the git-go.</div><div align="center">Then, the lady-who-we-all-trusted-with-our-Eula Mae, and her son backed a truck up to the door and proceeded to steal several very large items. We all watched. We thought she was taking them to our Sweet Girl in the nursing home.</div><div align="center">Next have been the countless, daily prospective home buyers. I don't know why it's so hard to watch strangers go in and out...but, it <em><strong>is</strong></em>. My protectiveness of Eula Mae is overwhelming. I don't want people looking at her stuff. Touching her things. My littlest Crumb Snatcher is not dealing with it pleasantly. She starts a fight with her brother and acts hideously if she's outside at the time of the showing. I finally figured this out the other day when I witnessed the whole thing from start to finish. My heart hurt for her. I guess she figures if she makes a big enough scene, the people looking will not want to live near her.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Girl Child came in yesterday with a stricken look and that precious chin quivering. Because now there's a trailer parked in the drive-way for the auction house...</div><div align="center">It's tough being 40 and watching all this going on. I get it. I don't like it, but I understand it.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Crumb #2 is 9. She doesn't get. She doesn't understand it. She doesn't like it. And she's struggling.</div><div align="center">I've been having a long conversation with God about this whole thing.</div><div align="center">His answer couldn't have been more perfect. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">And here they are...</div><div align="center"><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345339787772697042" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Si52N1X0GdI/AAAAAAAAEFA/QH7IP7VyO7c/s400/June+1-5+005.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" />That's Bugsy with The Belly. And Precious, her finance'.</div><div align="center">Why those names?</div><div align="center">Since I've only lived next to them for two months I haven't come up with any permanent names yet. The Recluse Artist, Harley Momma, Sweet Girl, The Newlyweds, Hot Head Tom, Crazy Larry and Fruitcake Mary are all appropriate because I've <em><strong>lived</strong></em> with them for a long time! Know what I mean?</div><div align="center">So Bugsy is Bugsy because that's her real nickname. I can't call her it. I don't know why. I call her by her beautiful given name. It fits her. She's beautiful. Inside and out.</div><div align="center">The beautiful artwork on her chest? It is a tribute to her momma. She died at 36. It's literally a piece of art. She's a trained classical musician. She rides a unicycle. She knows more about cars than Big Shooter. (I know. He has a big crush on her.) She used to make reeds for Yamaha. She paints. And she's about to bless The Neighborhood with June Bug. (Girl Child and I have a big crush on her too. I think Crumb #1 does too. But I think it for reasons this momma doesn't want to contemplate at the present. Thankyouverymuch.)</div><div align="center">Precious will roll his eyes when I tell him that's what his name is...for now. I tried a bunch. Tat Boy (he has a bunch you can't see in the pictures). Dreadlock Dude. Bugsy's Boy. Cool Cat. They all work. But none fit. He is, by far, the most thoughtful, hardworking, responsible and loving 21 yo I have met in a loooong time. So what does a over bearing, compulsive momma call that? Why, Precious, of course.</div><div align="center">And he is.</div><div align="center">And they are.</div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345339787648644498" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Si52N06PNZI/AAAAAAAAEE4/b0CjrPOAwFc/s400/June+1-5+006.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><strong>Love Note to my Big Shooter:</strong></span> It's been a while since you've experienced the Compulsive Nurturer. I must first give you my condolences and second, my gratitude because you are handling it beautifully! Thank you, Love.~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-28192754758738576122009-06-08T00:06:00.004-05:002010-09-03T22:27:03.385-05:00A picture says a 1,007 words...<div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Siyc9qKwATI/AAAAAAAAEEg/h_9GD3VLdZQ/s1600-h/June+1-5+004.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344819440887267634" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Siyc9qKwATI/AAAAAAAAEEg/h_9GD3VLdZQ/s400/June+1-5+004.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<div></div></div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-21466003978852555382009-06-05T00:40:00.001-05:002010-09-03T22:27:39.300-05:00What's Your Signature Saying?Are you known for anything you say often?<br />
<br />
Do your family or friends ever give you that knowing glance and say it before you do in that "gottcha" kind of way?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One of my aunts, who lives in Utah, says, "Oh my heck."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
My granddad had a very...shall we say, colorful expression he used frequently.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Big Shooter says, "Life is good" quite frequently.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And apparently, I say, "Oh my word" in between every sentence.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In fact, I've been told I have so many different ways of saying this phrase that I have one for every kind of situation.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li>In response to Girl Child telling me she's finished yet another chapter book in a single evening: (said with the Momma Wow voice), " Oh my worrrd!"</li>
</ul><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li>After Boy Child tells me, in agonizingly great detail, the many life-sustaining battles on a video game: (said with as much fake momma wow as I can muster), "Oh...my word."</li>
</ul><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Tasting some divine culinary treat: (said slowly with a throaty voice), "Oh...my....worrrrd...".</li>
</ul><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li>After Saucy Sashi gives me some unbelievable news: (each word is said separately and slowly with my eyebrows up as far as they can go), "Oh. My. Word. " </li>
</ul><ul><li>Screeching at the top of my lungs when seeing a scary jumping bug, "Ohmyword! Ohmyword! OhmyWORD!!"</li>
</ul>I'm dying to know if y'all have a signature saying of your own? Please share it with us. What is it? Where'd you first hear it? What does it mean to you and how often do you express it?<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><strong>Love Note to my Big Shooter:</strong></span> I should have said your Signature Saying is, "Zzzzzzzz. snort. Zzzzzzzz."~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-52775681202829659742009-06-04T02:14:00.003-05:002010-09-03T22:30:20.087-05:00My newest addiction...I think I mentioned a long while ago we were working on a garden? <br />
<div><div><div></div><br />
<div>It's growing. </div><div></div><br />
<div>That in itself is a miracle.</div><div></div><div></div><div>The Crumbs are looking forward to eating the vegetables.</div><div>That is another miracle.</div><div></div><div></div><div>We are going to have lots of tomatoes. Lots.</div><div></div><div></div><div>So I am exploring things I can make with them.</div><div></div><br />
<div>Big Shooter and I love brushetta. He makes it for me all year round. </div><br />
<div>So I decided to try a few little variations to make it more interesting. Y'all already may make it like this. Or it may just be too simple for your tastes.</div><div></div><br />
<div>But, lemme just tell ya...</div><div>This one knocks <em>my </em>socks off!<br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div>Slice and toast these.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343354262169982258" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SidoZCG2FTI/AAAAAAAAEDA/s_A240gwtZc/s400/brushetta+6.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /> Dice these.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343354264285042162" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SidoZJ_HVfI/AAAAAAAAEDI/y2jg4N7o7Ic/s400/brushetta+5.bmp" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 389px;" /> And these.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343362932582902930" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SidwRt6X7JI/AAAAAAAAED4/_arT3KM-yjE/s400/brushetta.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 247px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 325px;" /><br />
Add these. And mix. <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343354268476172770" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SidoZZmW6eI/AAAAAAAAEDY/wxJtZFAJoaI/s400/brushetta+3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343362934378133058" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SidwR0mY9kI/AAAAAAAAEEA/DoyNMCPoBdk/s400/brushetta+7.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 262px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 323px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343354269440065746" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SidoZdMKwNI/AAAAAAAAEDQ/AU6RGE_oFXU/s400/brushetta+4.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /> I almost forgot the best part!<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343369228630038258" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sid2AMg_FvI/AAAAAAAAEEQ/pbZoaqxnJXc/s400/brushetta+8.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /><br />
<br />
Spread this on hot slices.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343355405561151602" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SidpblkiwHI/AAAAAAAAEDo/1FKuh8LqR40/s400/brushetta+2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 274px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><br />
<div></div><div>Scoop the tomato mixture on and ... <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343369223100465218" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sid1_36ogEI/AAAAAAAAEEI/bYIcJ9pNgys/s400/bruschetta+6.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 301px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div>Sprinkle this on top.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343369227990894674" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sid2AKImiFI/AAAAAAAAEEY/gIVw8sPzc2I/s400/brushetta+9.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 330px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 335px;" /> <br />
<div>Viola!!</div><div></div><br />
<div>I can't seem to get enough of it. I've had it <em>for </em>lunch. And with dinner for the past 5 days. When I get to use fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes...Woo Eeee! Look out Rachel Ray! (Big Shooter has a crush on her by the way.)</div><br />
<div>Just wanted to share. It was love at first bite.</div></div></div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-20049095219028550592009-06-03T01:48:00.001-05:002010-09-03T22:28:28.677-05:00Finally! A new mistress.The search was exhausting.<br />
<br />
The search was torment.<br />
<br />
The search was arduous.<br />
<br />
The search took us from sea to shining sea.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 78%;">(By sea I mean tears...His wimpering and sniffling got old.)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
But FINALLY, he has found the Perfect Girl to replace <a href="http://shootinstraight.blogspot.com/2009/05/once-upon-time.html"><span style="color: #000099;">the tramp</span></a> that plagued my life for far too long.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I may even partake in a menage trois now and then just to get the job done if need be!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Meet Red Toro. His new love.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343008832026722034" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SiYuOWi6PvI/AAAAAAAAEC4/YAZkmA1dApI/s400/lawn+mower.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 350px;" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><strong>Love Note to my Big Shooter:</strong></span> I should have known you'd do a bang-up job. She's pretty. She's clean. She's respectable. And best of all her reputation is irrefutable. Congratulations Big Shooter on a fantastic choice.~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-37320681634134894292009-06-02T00:13:00.002-05:002010-09-03T22:30:55.082-05:00It might just be a redneck date, if...<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SiS2ndYG09I/AAAAAAAAECw/_ikC5ZVRBMc/s1600-h/wal-mart.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342595846985143250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SiS2ndYG09I/AAAAAAAAECw/_ikC5ZVRBMc/s320/wal-mart.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 120px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 160px;" /></a><br />
<div></div><div></div><div>the entire 4 hours is spent perusing the aisles of Wal*Mart together.</div><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><strong>Love Note to my Big Shooter: </strong></span>Wooo Eeeee!! You sure can show a girl a good time! How'd I get so dang <em><strong>lucky</strong></em>??~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-30692244846614205992009-06-01T00:11:00.005-05:002010-09-03T22:31:35.846-05:00Effects of Swine Flu<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SiNdpDRqxxI/AAAAAAAAECo/Mw8ggc_FG1w/s1600-h/swine-flue.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342216542826972946" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/SiNdpDRqxxI/AAAAAAAAECo/Mw8ggc_FG1w/s400/swine-flue.bmp" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 259px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> Girl Child said, "...so that's <em><strong>really</strong></em> what happens if you get swine flu?"<br />
"Yep," I assured her.<br />
After a pretty long pause and intense study of the picture she decided, "Well I'd better be very careful with germs...that means staying away from boys. Especially dirty ones."<br />
"Yep," I assured her smiling to myself. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><strong>Love Note to my Big Shooter:</strong></span> You can do two things later - thank me for giving you another reason for Girl Child to avoid dirty boys and to show me <em>why</em> she should avoid dirty boys...<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">winkety</span>, wink. </div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-62282481477451829212009-05-29T00:03:00.004-05:002009-05-29T02:08:45.307-05:00The Arrogance is unFreakin' believable!Sorry people, I can't take it any more.<br /><br />When President-Elect Obama compared himself to Lincoln - The Great Emancipator, I vowed to zip it and not point out he hadn't <em><strong>done </strong></em>anything yet. Yes. He was taking over the reigns of a country divided and had big plans for healing...however, I felt, he needed to <em>earn </em>that kind of respect.<br /><br />I told myself not to pass any judgement for the first 100 days. Let him get his feet wet. Let him find some footing.<br /><br />That was until yesterday.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#990000;"><strong>"I would put these first four months up against any prior administration since FDR," </strong></span><a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink1" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,1);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,1);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,1);" href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/23031.html#" target="_top"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#990000;"><strong>Obama </strong></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;color:#990000;"><strong>said.</strong></span><br /><br />??????????????<br /><br />That, my friends, is pure unadulterated arrogance...<br /><br />Let me ask you these questions:<br /><br /><ul><li>Would Kennedy have greeted and then entertained Castro and Chavez like family?</li><li>Would Reagan have shut down our CIA systems around the world in the middle of a War on Terror?</li><li>Would Roosevelt excuse all the terrorists of the U.S.S. Cole, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Gitmo</span> and the 9/11 masterminds?</li><li>Did Clinton make his first call as Mr. President to Mahmoud Abbas, leader of Fatah party in the Palestinian territory or grant his first interview as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">prez</span> on Al Arabia television?</li></ul><p>Those are just a few of the posts that were dying to get typed. Not to mention the fact he recently signed an executive order (he wrote it back in Feb.) of presidential determination allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to settle in the United States at American taxpayers' expense. By executive order, President Barack Obama has ordered the expenditure of $20.3 million in migration assistance to the Palestinians. (Federal Register FR Doc. E9-2488) Did you read that? </p><p>It's a done deal. We are now going to pay the way to the American Dream for people who<em> openly</em> hate America. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Niiiice</span>.</p><p>Today he is with Abbas shaking his finger at Israel. </p><p>Unbelievable.</p><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#990000;"><strong>Note to my Big Shooter:</strong></span> I know you wanted me to rant about the D-Day snub, but I couldn't get past the "I am the greatest thing since sliced bread" insinuation. In 44 months will there even be words great enough to describe his administration?</p>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-29788167473613793802009-05-27T11:45:00.001-05:002009-05-27T11:54:20.513-05:00Mooning on I-44<div><div><div><div><div><div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sh1h1mHWr_I/AAAAAAAAEBg/Z810gieyQ0g/s1600-h/headlights.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340532306523631602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sh1h1mHWr_I/AAAAAAAAEBg/Z810gieyQ0g/s400/headlights.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Have I ever told you about the time I mooned many passersby on Interstate 44?</div><div></div><div> </div><div>Albeit unwillingly. But, mooned none the less.</div><div></div><div> </div><div>Y'all know I'm really a Farm Girl from Idaho at heart. And Farm Girls have certain skills that most Citifieds wouldn't ever consider <em><strong>skills</strong></em> - until needed, of course. Like, pluckin' a chicken. Knowledge of irrigation. And the ability for quick, but modest, impromptu emptying of bladders out of doors.</div><div></div><br /><div>Late one evening, before we were married, Big Shooter and I were traveling on a stretch of I-44 that has no rest stops for like a billion miles. Usually it's not a big deal. The problem was I'd drank the equivalent of a keg of ice tea while visiting Aunt Faye and Uncle Woodrow on their homeplace. I was new to Oklahoma and sweet tea. I didn't yet know that tea has a diuretic effect on me. An almost immediate effect.</div><div> </div><div>My well thought out plan was to have Big Shooter pull to the side, turn off his lights, wait until there was a large gap between cars passing us and quickly take care of my business <em><strong>in front</strong></em> of his car where they couldn't see me. I had taken care of business in this manner 100s of times grownin' up. This would be no big deal. Just immediate, glorious relief. It would have worked out beautifully because the cars traveling in the opposite direction were also too far away to see anything either.</div><div> </div><div>Unless the person you love, </div><div>the person you are betrothed to,</div><div>the one person in the world you trust more than any other...</div><div>slowly backs up the vehicle you are using as a privacy shield while you are, um... incapable of moving.</div><div> </div><div>And then does this...</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340532867281373538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sh1iWPGayWI/AAAAAAAAECQ/gdZlWVJOC-c/s400/headlights3.jpg" border="0" /></div><div>And the people traveling in both directions see this...</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340532326837165186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 226px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sh1h2xyenII/AAAAAAAAECA/gLCh1bh5nek/s400/headlights5.jpg" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div>Big Shooter, obviously living in the same fantasy land he still visits often, thinks I'll have this reaction...</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340532322101494322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 370px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sh1h2gJaAjI/AAAAAAAAEB4/vGT6HexPkC0/s400/headlights6.jpg" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div>When, back in the real world, I have this one...</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340532861371982882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sh1iV5FgpCI/AAAAAAAAECI/mSnAB51nHwA/s400/headlights4.jpg" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div>And then this one...</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340532313524098738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 171px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sh1h2AMZVrI/AAAAAAAAEBw/9QgeVpyaOr4/s400/headlights7.jpg" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div>At which this point he realizes his dilemma.</div><div> </div><div>He's afraid to let me back in the car because he's afraid for his life. </div><div> </div><div>So he locks the doors. </div><div> </div><div>Then he realizes that's not such a bright idea either because I simply turned heel and started walking down the road. </div><div>Back to Plainsville.</div><div>In the middle of the night.</div><div>On the side of I-44.</div><div>With him following me.</div><div>Slowly in the emergency lane.</div><div>With his lights shining on me.</div><div> </div><div>Are you getting the picture?</div><div> </div><div>Now he's realizing how this looks. That at any moment a State Trooper is going to pull over to investigate.</div><div>And he knows - I will have NO MERCY.</div><div> </div><div>He's, once again, afraid for his life.</div><div>Smart boy.</div><div>Kinda.</div><div> </div><div>After much begging, pleading, promising and apologizing - I finally got back in his car.</div><div> </div><div>The next morning his car looked similar to this...</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340532310129893906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 282px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/Sh1h1zjJ4hI/AAAAAAAAEBo/nuF7NouaNnY/s400/headlights+8.jpg" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p> </p><p>I'm kidding of course.</p><p>Kinda.</p><p>But that will have to wait for another post.</p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#990000;"><strong>Love Note to my Big Shooter:</strong></span> </p><p>Dear Big Shooter,</p><p>Thanks for sending me the picture of the mooning ducks. They were adorable as could be. Brought back some fond memories. Made me take a stroll down Memory Lane. I love it when you send me emails in the middle of the day with a sweet note. Makes me feel loved and thought about. Feel free to send me more any time. I just file them under Blog Fodder...I mean, Notes from the Love of my Life. Have a fabulous day Sweetness. Can't wait for you to come home.</p><p>Lovies,</p><p>Straight Shooter</p>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114717389875067582.post-69903109591242109142009-05-26T01:09:00.001-05:002009-05-26T01:09:20.606-05:00Things you see on the road.<div align="center"> Have I ever shared with y'all how much I'd love, love, LOVE to homeschool on the road? </div><div align="center">Sell the house. Buy a motor home. Be nomads across this beautiful country of ours...I'd teach the little Crumb Snatchers a lesson on a certain place or activity while Big Shooter was driving there.</div><div align="center">Talk about a real life education!</div><div align="center">I have to say, however, each time we fantasize about it...</div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339987145830446242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/ShtyBERgNKI/AAAAAAAAEBI/kk7cQL0MmcA/s400/Dallas,+Branson,+American+Girl+023.JPG" border="0" /></div><div align="center">this is not quite the car I'd always imagined us driving around to explore in.</div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339987150745871026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/ShtyBWlborI/AAAAAAAAEBQ/ku_i6nofhrU/s400/Dallas,+Branson,+American+Girl+019.JPG" border="0" /> Now it is.<br /><br />However, that was not really what I wanted to show you.<br />See that truck coming up behind me in the mirror?<br />Well, he's carrying a <em><strong>real</strong></em> important load.<br /><br />How do I know?<br />Easy. <br />It said so.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339987153749638770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/ShtyBhxlfnI/AAAAAAAAEBY/8v8h6h-CHk8/s400/Dallas,+Branson,+American+Girl+022.JPG" border="0" /><br />That yellow strip right under the doors and above his bumper told us what prized load he was transferring across state lines.<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/ShtyA4THU5I/AAAAAAAAEBA/XCAFlLEZ9jM/s1600-h/Dallas,+Branson,+American+Girl+026.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339987142615978898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/ShtyA4THU5I/AAAAAAAAEBA/XCAFlLEZ9jM/s400/Dallas,+Branson,+American+Girl+026.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The blurry words say, <div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/ShtyApb5y-I/AAAAAAAAEA4/eN8D14B5Ggk/s1600-h/Dallas,+Branson,+American+Girl+027.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339987138626309090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iRYSwAJt8LU/ShtyApb5y-I/AAAAAAAAEA4/eN8D14B5Ggk/s400/Dallas,+Branson,+American+Girl+027.JPG" border="0" /></a> "CAUTION - PRIZE CHICKENS"</div></div><br /></div>~ Straight Shooter ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/12204698287264697086noreply@blogger.com5