Brian Crook, Where are you now?

Brian Crook is no longer Brian Crook. He changed his name, and we lost contact.

Brian wasn't even my friend, he was my brother's best friend when we lived in Sacramento. He and his younger brother, Brent, lived across the street from us, around the corner from Birdcage Walk as it was under construction. I would get sent over to call my brother home for dinner and
Brian's mom would always tell me to get a piece of candy from the dish--I was four or five, people, that was HUGE. Brian's family had also come from Redding, but they lived in Enterprise. Being four or five, I had no concept of subdivisions or parts of town. I thought Brian and his family had lived on the Starship Enterprise. I always wanted to ask if I could see their uniform shirts.

The Crooks moved back to Redding about the same time we did. The boys made their own skateboards, for YEARS. They became fans of Devo, of Blondie, of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. They double dated. Then Brian and his family moved to Portland. My brother went to live with them the next summer. It broke my heart. I hope Big O always makes time for Little O the way my brother made time for me. I'm sure a sister six years younger worshiping you was a drag sometimes. My brother sent me tapes for my birthday, Synchronicity, by the Police, and Bonnie something, she sang total eclipse of the heart. (Sweet lord, why am I telling you that? I apparently have NO kind of filters or dignity) I about wore out that Police tape.

I'm thinking of Brian Crook because after my brother went up, Brian came down and stayed with us. He brought his guitar, and on lazy afternoons, he would sit in the family room and play Beatles songs on his guitar and sing them with me. It was heaven. I sing. It's just my nature, I sing constantly, to the point of annoyance and monotony, at times.

I bought Little O the Disney sing it because my girl loves to sing, too. Imagine my glee at discovering that the microphone is compatible with Rock Band. The Honey bought me the Beatles Rock Band disc for my birthday. I told him we could get the guitars and drum set later, I just wanted to sing.


I didn't know I knew the words to Dear Prudence, but listening to it, I don't hear the Beatles singing, I hear Brian Crook. It makes me smile.

I hope someday he googles his old name and finds this. I hope his kids (I hope he has kids) buy him Beatles Rock Band and sing it with him.

Happity Birthday to Meeeeeeeeeeee.

The origins of the Jen Factor Explained...

Thankful, you say?

How could I NOT be?

Look at them.
(Has it really been almost two years since I took this photo?

We are all healthy.

The honey misses his dad terribly at times like today, and mine may be miles away, but I know he's there with just a phone call. Both of my parents are.

My nephews are in uniform, and are safe (for now).

I have the best friends, in life AND a la blog.

Short of pulling a Pakistan, Dubya only has one more year.

I live in America, in the twenty first century. We have modern medicine, clean water and fucking drive thru Starbucks, for pete's sake.

Driving home from the SIL's last night, my kids warm and cozy in the back, the Honey with his hand on my knee, we drove past a corner bar with people spilling out. Seven or eight years ago, that would have been me, trying to get away from the misery that was my marriage. All I could think as I drove by was how empty that life seemed.

Of all the dog shifts this holiday season, I got the one that pays OT. So I have to go jump in the shower, and drag my butt into work-and you know what?

I'm thankful.

I got a Rock.

What color is your soul painted? Grey Your soul is painted the color grey, which embodies the characteristics of elegance, humility, respect, reverence, stability, subtlety, wisdom, strong emotions, balance, and cancellation. Grey falls under the element of Water, and symbolizes the moon, tide, ebb and flow. Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

On the brutally honest personality test? I got boring.
I am the Charlie Brown of Blogs.

Tee hee. I find myself a wee bit more colorful in person, but I AM quiet and understated by choice, and I DO like grey. Um, hello, Grey on grey, trimed in Dark Grey. Nice Blog.

Wow!

Pippajo has awarded me the Thinking Blogger Award. I could not BE more shocked (thank you, Chandler Bing). May I add flattered? I find blogging to be an entertaining way to keep me out of Target—when the security guards know your kids’ names, it time to think about staying home. I get to use the verbiage that would be wasted on my customers, and vent a little. Okay, a lot. But to hear this from Pippa, who writes about deeply personal stuff, and has moved me to tears more than once, is amazing to me. I agree, that this award means I have a big responsibility to choose 5 blogs that really make me think. The problem is that I generally come to the internet to Unplug. I read blogs that will entertain me. This will require some thought.

Okay, I know how she feels about blogging popularity contests, but I can’t NOT say Irreverent Antisocial Intellectual. All comparisons to Chuck Norris aside, she has a unique perspective on the dregs of society, and the ability to speak with authority on dealing with them. The fact that she shares her knowledge with her readers without cushioning the blow and without apology is a glorious thing to behold. IAI, if it’s any consolation, there are no hearts on this button, and it comes in metallic colors, like your beloved hardware (Okay, I really picture your guns being no-nonsense matte black, but work with me here, you’re already pissed off). Face it lady, when you write the way you do, and with the scope of topics covered, eventually accolades WILL come your way. Shut the fuck up and say thank you—you’ve not been voted prom queen, you’ve been voted ass-kicking queen of the mathletes. Now take it. (oooh, I feel so empowered! Should I be pulling your hair?)

And Now for Something Completely Different…

Pendullum
Pendullum does not post as often as I’d wish, but when she does, they are extraordinary. She is always a well written and satisfying read.

Still Life With Soup Can
Sarah at Soup Can is another one I read for fun; she is a sci-fi fan and a cat lover. Sarah is, as she puts it, living in a post apocalyptic city. Her casual references to life in post Katrina New Orleans are always startling. I’m sorry, but I think we HAVE forgotten what happened, and that folks down there are still waiting for all of the help we promised them. I wish I could say that that will all change with a Democrat in office, but a democrat is still a politician, and bureaucracies still choke the life out of any attempt at change.

My fourth choice is a new blog for me, I was following the MyBlogLog links, and found Charles Sheehan-Miles
His IS a thinking blog, and led me to this nauseating story of soldiers being treated as meat. I swear to Dog, that scene in The Wall, where the kids are being ground up? I’d like to see a You Tube of THAT with a big picture of Dubya turning the crank. What am I talking about?
Read this.

My final nominee would be Sayre.
What can I say about Sayre? I found her during the fabulous Nikki’s weight loss contest, Operation Lose that Ass. Sayre not only lost that ass, she is still enjoying the karate classes she signed up for during that time, and I find that inspiring as hell. Sayre is someone I would love to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon with. You’d be guaranteed great conversation spanning a wide range of topics.

The directions I was given are these:
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think, 2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme, 3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote



I heart Mert.