Piazza

One of my favorite baseball players, Mike Piazza, announced his retirement today. I remember the day in the mid-90s when I was driving north to the Los Angeles area and had Howard Stern on my radio. The interview was already underway and I could tell he was grilling a professional athlete about women, parties and groupies. Oh, and then about baseball and business. I eventually figured out Mike Piazza was the guest and he was an excellent sport and pretty funny to listen to - after that I found him an interesting character.

He'll for sure go in to the Hall of Fame someday for his offensive numbers as a catcher, but also I hope he has a career in the near future as a color-man in broadcasting. Sans moustache or not.

I got my $600! I got my $600!

Yes, the day has finally arrived - and what a glorious day it is! Thank you United States Department of the Treasury!!

Here are some current possible ways to spend my "free money":

Write check to The Democratic Party
Place cash under my mattress
Gamble at local casino
Spend on lottery tickets
Wait for Escalades to pull into local gas station, offer to pay for premium fill-up
Tap dancing lessons
600 trips to Wendy's for $1 menu
Pay toward credit card debt
Purchase plane ticket to Iowa for 4th of July holiday
Professional bleaching of non-white teeth
8 Pedicures plus gratuity
IKEA BLERG

Happy May 15th!!!
Paula

Um, Check Cleveland Off the List...?

I visited Cleveland last week, JEALOUS???

What originated as a training conference for work, morphed into an extended weekend including delicious pierogies, Yankees/Indians baseball, various pronounciations of "Carnegie" and viewing Mick Jagger's tiny pants at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. My pal Katy joined me and, to quote her, we "squeezed what fun we could" out of Cleveland.

Cleveland Rocks! Yes, for some. No Floydster sightings, though.

Check New Orleans Off the List!

I can finally check New Orleans off the list of cities I want to visit. I traveled there last weekend for the annual French Quarter Festival. I got the opportunity to join a large group heading to the Crescent City and hopped aboard the madness. I had a great time, ate a lot of delicious food, enjoyed some wonderful weather & the Southern hospitality and friendliness. Here is a sampling of things I did, ate, saw & of course DRANK:

enjoyed many local bands on multiple stages throughout the French Quarter
ate powdered sugar (with some beignets attached)
viewed a guy wearing leather/thonged/assless chaps
drank a 'Sex on the Levee' (okay, two)
took a ferry across the Mississippi river to Algiers
ate shrimp bisque & seafood gumbo
ate sweet potato mash and okra
ate an Arby's Beef & Cheddar (I couldn't help it!!)
drank the local Abita brew
drank several vodka gimlets
drank those vodka gimlets TO GO, on the streets of New Orleans (!!!)
loved the beautiful balconies & hanging plants in the fabulous neighborhoods
experienced "Louisiana Tummy" & "Louisiana Hair"
watched 'Dog Whisperer' marathon during above-referenced GI situation
learned some New Orleans history, before & after Hurricane Katrina
rode the streetcar while only moderately tipsy
grabbed beads hanging from the trees (left over from Mardi Gras)
rejoiced that I wasn't flying American Airlines
ate the best red beans & rice
ate andouille sausage
saw huge horses with police officers riding them
did not comsume one drop of alcohol on Bourbon Street
forgot which day it was - several times
and much, much more!

If you haven't been lucky enough to visit New Orleans already, add it to your list!!