Nervous as a Prostitute at Sunday Service

That would describe me right about now...

Some of you may know and others I am sure can guess based on the time that i can spend blogging, that I have not been exactly a full fledged member of the workforce lately. I have had odd jobs here and there, though nothing big and plenty of interviews, though none successful.

Well today, in about 2 hours actually, I start another one of those temp jobs. I will be canvassing for one of the democratic congressional candidates, though not the one listed on the side of my greeny blog. Now this should be right up my alley, I used to be a telemarketer and am intelligent enough to hold a coherent conversation on politics, plus the pay is pretty good.

But, Im sitting here sweating and stressing. I hate starting new things, what if I screw up, what if im not any good at it, what if I stammer and get too nervous. How will I react if someone yells at me, or even the darker scarier things of being in strange neighborhoods. Oh I could go on and on and on with all the crazy dark thoughts.

Mrs. Duck says im nuts! Here opinion is sort of broken down as follows...

A-your being silly, you will do great, love the job and have some keen money after election day is over.

b-it maybe tolerable, so you just work the hours expected (weekdays until Election Day) and take home some pretty easy money, but not work the extra hours. Its only like 5 days.

c- you may hate it, thats ok, you take your $100 and never go back again...

So, shes the positive one, and im sweaty sweaterstein! Heck, I dont even know what to wear?? Comfortable shoes, sneakers, khakis, jeans, dress shirt, neat like im going out to a bar, whatever i have in my closet??? See, told you I could go on.

Some votes of confidence, or even calling me a big baby would be helpful, especially since I cant reach Mrs Duck presently. God, sometimes being a Libra so sucks...

Hmm I'd like to see ya carve that

Thanks to Carmen who has one of the best names of a Blog BTW, for digging up this quiz so I didnt have too.

discover your jack-o-lantern face @ quiz me

Pumpkin Dip

Ok, no, this is not a really really late food for thought post. Actually, its all about this weekend, with the fact that there was a Halloween Party held at Chez Duck. Lots of fun, frivolity, and drunkeness had by all. And some good costumes as well. The only hiccup was the rumored action of Sarge, possibly defiling our bathroom with his on and off again babe. Well, actually, its not the first time the bathroom has been defiled in that way, its just that Mrs Duck and I would like to be the only ones who well did that in there.

Otherwise, a fun time, the meatballs went like hot cakes, Mrs Duck just has a way with that recipe. And my roast beef sandwich, with the extra garlic of course was a close second. I think the only failure was the spiked cider, and that could have been partly because it may not have been spiked enough.

If ya'll would love to possibly see a picture of our costumes, drop a comment with an email address, Mrs Duck is still leery about exposing our true identities.

Oh, and someone stole the L on our Halloween sign!

Carnival of the Mundane XXII

(Editors Note:The carnival pulls into Philadelphia. For best effect, insert the adults voice from all those Charlie Brown cartoons when necessary)

Carnival of the Mundane-Treats and Some Tricks, a one act play

"Honey!? Yo Honey??!! Have you seen my Freddy Krueger fingers anywhere? The kiddies are surely going to be coming soon and I need to scare them properly"

"Hey, dont yell at me, your always putting my stuff in some other spot, Crud theres the door, you look, Ill get the candy"

"Oh hello Kailani dont you just look so lovely in your pink hula girl outfit. Yes yes I Forgive you for tping my car just, Forget about it Heres your almond joys

"Hey pookie???!! You gonna down here or what? You just missed Wenchypoo, she was dressed like some Humorous Junk Mail and she had me-ander with her all dressed up like a cute kitty, though the poor kid was muttering about Last night...

"What? Yes I folded the laundry? No I didnt put it away, I never put it away. I can never find a place to put your stuff away, phew saved by the doorbell"

"Hey! Hey! MAD KANE, What!! What are you supposed to be! What! Here take some candy, I cant hear you over the False Alarm

"Sheesh I think my ears are bleeding. Poor ZenKitty, I almost pissed her in her sailor suit from that racket, at least I think it was a sailor suit, since she was singing about Going with the Flow Hmm and the fishing pole was a good tip off to I think.

"Oh Sweety you have to come look. Yes I know your cleaning up the furballs I said I would get from Miss Kittie, but if you dont hurry your going to miss Marisa from that apartment across the street, yes Apartment 2024. Shes dressed like a squirrel and trying make sure everyone knows about her Hording rubberbands and other confessions Hey, its a good idea when collecting candy to be so frugal? Hey, what do you mean babe, Ive only had like 5 or 6 snickers."

"ok, I have to run and get the Kit Kats, yes Kit Kats, I know there your favorite, honey, but, well, you left me in charge of the candy. Take care of Wa Salaam. yes Wa Salaam, the one dressed up like a Mirror, or is that a Reflection in Nature. Oh shoot I cant tell, I need to go to the bathroom, you figure it out. And don't look at me like that."

"Oh shoot, did I miss The Sam and BeckyBoo Show. She said she was going to be dressed like,Julie; Julie McCoy from the Love Boat. Well thats good, that was your favorite show, I liked Fantasy Island better. Yes, of course I washed my hands -eye roll-"

"Quick, Quick, come here, look its Mimi, dressed up like a vacuum cleaner that sucks – part 3 Yes, I meant the vacuum cleaner, not the costume. No you shouldnt chase after her telling her about how heavy your hoover is dear. Dear come back!"

"Well, I am glad you couldnt catch up to her, leave the girl alone would you, sheesh. Plus you missed the lovely costume miriam had. It was an homage to Odd couples. Hey no cracks about me being the Felix in this couple. Aint that sweet too, Leslie Carbone was dressed as a television, yes it was a Recent Television, it looked like a flat screen Plasma to me. Can I have one for Christmas? -insert another eye roll-"

"Oh I didnt tell you, while you were upstairs cleaning up after Miss Kittie. Miss Margo came by as well, dressed up like a B-52 I think. Though I dont know, she yelled Tiiiiiin Roof Rusted! at me, so I yelled Hook Em Horns right back. What do you think Tin Roof Rusted means? Dont, hey, stop hitting me, the Horns was a joke! Ouch!"

"Quick Hide Kittie, you know she loves dogs, I see Lil Duck Duck coming, with a Big Red Dog. Look at her face, it just screams The things I do for this child…. Yes, pookie, we should give her and the dog some extra Snickers. Hey wait not my Snickers!"

"Phew, I think we made it, I dont see anybody else coming down the driveway. How much candy do we have left, oh beautiful wife of mine. Hey, dont hide it, hey, hey, come back here, dont make me spank you with this Freddy Krueger claw"

--------------------------End Scene (applause unnecessary)--------------------------
But Wait theres more....

Ok, I wanted to include this submission from Mona as well. I just could not figure out a way to get humor, even my small amounts of humor into it, so im posting it Here as a small tribute to Red and her mom.

Thanks for visiting and thanks to everyone who made it so easy to host, or at least collect such easy stories to work with.

Sometimes YouTube rocks-Bon Jovi

My favorite song from the Random Friday list, and one of my favorite songs by these guys ever.

Back at it-A Random Friday Return

Well, its been a few weeks, but with the return of some Ipod gift certificates, why not also have a return of the Random Friday Ipod Shuffle? Dont answer, Im doing it anyway.


1.How to Save a Life-The Fray-How to Save a Life

2.What it Takes-Aerosmith-Pump

3.Tiny Dancer-Foo Fighters-A download from the Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn

4.Jersey Girl-Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band-Live:1975-1985

5.She Talks to Angels-The Black Crowes-The Black Crowes

6.Fall to Pieces-Velvet Revolver-Contraband

7.Sound of Silence-Simon & Garfunkel-Essential Simon & Garfunkel

8.DnDS #402-Dawn and Drew Podcast

9.Daily Feed 8.23.06-Best of Preston & Steve-Wmmr.com

10.Bed of Roses-Bon Jovi-Crossroad

Best Song:I used to be able to say without a doubt that Jersey Girl was the best choice. Though some things changed and that song now has some baggage to it, so Im going to name Bed of Roses as the best song from this random list.

Worst Song:Taking the two podcasts out of the discussion, I am gonna say that What it Takes is the weakest. Probably because it was so so overplayed over time, and its only marginally weak, just weak in this group.

Seen Live:Springsteen & the E Street Band & Bon Jovi. NJ does rock sometimes.

Ill post some more Random Fridays links once I scrounge them up.

Mundanity Plug #2

Dont Forget, I am hosting the Carnival of the Mundane here on Friday the 27th. Email me with your submissions at blujackit AT gmail.com. Oh and

SCROLL DOWN FOR THIS WEEKS THURSDAY 13

Thursday Thirteen #4 A spooky treat

Thirteen Things about Samhain 1.Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year, for the Celts divided the year into two seasons: the light and the dark, at Beltane on May 1st and Samhain on November 1st. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle, just as the Celtic day began at night. The most magical potent part of Samhain and its celebration is actually the eve before, hence Halloween. 2.Samhain literally means “summer's end.” 3. In the country year, Samhain marked the first day of winter, when the herders led the cattle and sheep down from their summer hillside pastures to the shelter of stable. All the crops and harvest were to be gathered and stowed away. It was also a time of Family reunions, all around the hearth. 4. The reasoning behind the idea of Winter was because the fairies would come in November and blast all the crops with the cold breath. So when a blizzard strikes, blame Tinkerbell. 5. Samhain was the principal Festival for the calendar year. Think Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hannukah and wrap them into one. 6.At at all the turning points of the Celtic year, the gods drew near to Earth at Samhain, so many sacrifices and gifts were offered up in thanksgiving for the harvest. Personal prayers in the form of objects symbolizing the wishes of supplicants or ailments to be healed were cast into the fire, and at the end of the ceremonies, brands were lit from the great fire of Tara to re-kindle all the home fires of the tribe, as at Beltane. As they received the flame that marked this time of beginnings, people surely felt a sense of the kindling of new dreams, projects and hopes for the year to come. 7. The Samhain fires continued to blaze down the centuries. In the 1860s the Halloween bonfires were still so popular in Scotland that one traveler reported seeing thirty fires lighting up the hillsides all on one night, each surrounded by rings of dancing figures, a practice which continued up to the first World War. 8.After the great Celebrations, ashes from the fires were sprinkled over the fields to protect them during the winter months -- and of course, they also improved the soil. The bonfire provided an island of light within the oncoming tide of winter darkness, keeping away cold, discomfort, and evil spirits long before electricity illumined our nights. 9.Samhain was a significant time for divination, perhaps even more so than May or Midsummer’s Eve, because this was the chief of the three Spirit Nights. Divination customs and games frequently featured apples and nuts from the recent harvest, and candles played an important part in adding atmosphere to the mysteries. 10. Divination is the attempt of ascertaining information by interpretation of omens or an alleged supernatural agency. 11. The Apple plays a major significance in Samhain traditions and celebrations. And during Samhain, the apple is in harvest, making it the spiritual centerpiece. 12. At the heart of the Celtic Otherworld grows an apple tree whose fruit has magical properties. Old sagas tell of heroes crossing the western sea to find this wondrous country, known in Ireland as Emhain Abhlach, (Evan Avlach) and in Britain, Avalon. 13. Samhain is one of the eight annual holidays referred to as Sabbats observed by modern day Wiccans, and by other Neopagans who base their traditions on Wicca. Its date is not universally agreed upon, as many Neopagan movements have no binding structure upon which all agree. In the end, this is something I have really been interested in for a long time, ever since the first wife actually. Mrs Duck excepts the concept, as long as I am not crazy out front with it. Does that really count as having a faith if its in the background? Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

He Shoots, He Scores, Ho-Hum

I had a revelation today. My Playstation 2 is on its way to being obsolete. Which makes sense of course, since the new PS3 and the Ninetendo's replacement for the Game Cube are coming out for the Holidays. But, it kind of makes me feel a tad bit old. I cracked open my new NHL 07 game and I have to say, where's the bells and the whistles?? Dont get me wrong, its not a bad game, you can see the skater making little cuts in the ice as he moves around. But, its got nothing special about it. No frills or anything. Its an enterntaining game so far, but it has been 5 or 6 years since I purchased a hockey game. If I had NHL 06, I would be looking for my $50 back.

Stuff I learned today

1.The Republicans will still stoop to the lowest common denominator when it comes to campaign ads. And surprisingly, it isnt fear, but the good old race card in the Senate Race in Tennessee.

2.Izzy would have driven me mad. Now I understand the guilt when it comes to getting the $$$ from Denny, but seriously, the check on the fridge would drive me nuts. Too easy to get lost, and hey, no one said that you shouldnt collect interest.

3.Politics in PA are quite boring this year. Though that makes sense, since Fast Eddie is an amazing campaigner, and as was said in the Philadelphia Inquirer a few weeks back, when it comes to Santorum, eventually his true personality shines through. (ehem, probably why he is down 12 points)

4.Kittie is very easy to medicate if you sneak up on her while shes sleeping, wake her up and then shoot the medicine in her mouth.

5.Craigslist has already given me more interview chances then any of those other so called "employment" websites.

6. 26 pieces of dry cleaning are very very heavy.

A Brillant Wordnerd Idea

If you go to this site and then click on the Fund Free mammograms button, they um, will give free mammograms to people less fortunate.The Breast Cancer Site : Fund Mammograms for Free Plus theres plenty of pink. I know im gonna bookmark to come back for a possible Mrs Duck B'day present.

Friday Night Lights, a show you Need to watch

Ok first off, Friday Night Lights is not a show just about football. Far from it even, since there are only some football clips in the program. Its more about how the team, its wins and losses, affects a town and how that pressure affects the players who are just kids. It is one of the best ways to show that football is the new National Pasttime when it comes to our country.

Need a few more reasons?

1. It has Kyle Chandler who is not only a a very good actor who has been in alot of smart TV shows, I have also been told that he is very good looking.

2. The chicks in the show are hot. Look at my early Hottie post, as well as the fact that you have to know that the town "harlot" is going to be a looker.

3. Its a mix of Monday Night Football, American Dreams and the OC all mixed into one, with some sprinkles of Degrassi: The Next Generation. So its a sporty soap opera, which is actually a brillant move on NBC's part, look at the popularity of Footballers' Wives, which is show about European soccer that can only be scene here on BBC-America.

So, take a chance, watch the show, its on NBC tonight at 10 pm Est/9 pm CST. And if you miss it, its on again Tuesday at 8pm with the exact same episode, so you will have plenty of chances to catch up. If you like well written shows, you won't be disappointed.

And now heres some Fan Sites who share the love...

Friday Night Lights Online
Friday Night Lights on NBC - TV Show Fan Site - Home
Friday Night Lights TV Show - Friday Night Lights Television Show - TV.com

Call up the Neighbors, Wake up the Kids, the Carnival of the Mundane will be here

Thats right ladies and germs, the Carnival of the Mundane will be hosted at this lovely website on October, 27. 2006. Its a chance for all of you to have some of your great posts read by a group of people that may not see them. If you wish to join in, I need the entries by Thursday Afternoon, hmm ill say 6pm, eastern time, so you West Coasters have a chance. Just drop an email with the post to, blujackit AT gmail.com. And check out the Carnival website to see what they are looking for.

Friday Night Hottie #6

Our Selection this week is the lovely Minka Kelly, from the faboulously awesome show Friday Night Lights. She plays the cheerleader girlfriend of the injured star QB. Its hard to tell if her character really cares about her beau, or if she is big on the image that they have cultivated together, but to me, she can really do no wrong.




And while she plays a 17 or 18 year old, Minka is actually 26 years old, so no worries about this being creepy in some sort of way. And if you take a good look at her, she does remind me of Penelope Cruz. Well enjoy Little Known Hottie #6

Man bites Cops

You know the stories. The story about the stupid bank robber who leaves his address on the back of the note he passes to the teller. Or the smash and grab guy who tries to smash a rapper and his posse. And who hasnt heard the old joke about a donut shop being the safest place to work. Well, add this ticket scammer who not only was stupid enough to try and steal money from some of the toughest fans in the country, but also made sure that those fans were Police Officers!!

Feast Dummy

Kind of hard to join in the Friday Feast if you dont have the link isnt it?

Friday's Feast

Friday Feast #2

Hopefully the power will cooperate through this whole list, since its like Hurrican Fall out there right now. Here goes...

Appetizer Whats your favorite beverage?

Mountain Dew would be my pick for this one, just because it covers so many bases. It gets the caffeine that you need, quenches your thirst and can be sampled 24 hours a day, unlike Martinis.

Soup Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.

Hmm have to think, since i use the laptop 99% of the time. An Oregon Duck stuffed mascot doll. The connection bridge to update my ipod. A berry candle.

Salad On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?

8. Do I use a white lie or two now and then, yes. Do I sometimes say the laundry is done and then scramble around after talking to wifey to get it done, yes. Do i tell the big lies, helllll no

Entree If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?

My goodness, odd question. The first one that pops into my head is New York, since everytime I have been there I dont remember anything New. I would probably rename it Manhattan, since thats the part everyone knows.

Dessert What stresses you out? What calms you down?

There are plenty of things that stress me out, though the lack of a job has been a constant. My biggest stresser now is visits from my family. The Ipod really really loud on my way to the airport to them up. Kittie kisses help too and Mrs Duck scratching her nails in my head works as well.


If you join in drop me a line and ill save ya a seat at the table.

A few responses to the most recent TT

A few comments in response

KT-He has 3 books, ive read two of them and the 3rd one is impossible to find, but im still looking

TINK,CHEY-I am still reading some of her old books, though I could not help but know that Benton died and lived even though I havent gotten to that book yet. Ive heard shes gotten creepier recently, we will see.

CARMEN-I want a copy

COLEEN-TY that means alot coming from someone who has already been published.

MEASI-There really quite different in there styles so I could see how you would like one and not the other.

Everyone else your welcome, try em out and let me know whatcha think...

Ahoy, its Apple Cake

Continuing the recipe exchange on Friday idea, here is the recipe for Apple Cake, which was great and lasted the two of us 4 days. Now be forewarned, the batter is sticky, and if Mrs Duck did not have the KitchenAid we might have had some problems.

3 cups of Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup cooking oil
2 beaten eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups chopped peeled apples
1 cup toasted chopped peacans
2 teaspoon lemon peel (we didnt add this and it was fine)
powdered sugar

1.Grease and lightly flour 10 inch tube pan or bundt pan. Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and a 1/4 tea of salt. Set Aside

2.In another mixing bowl combine sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium for 2 minutes. Add dry flour mixture and beat on low until just combined. Fold in Apples, pecans and lemon peel (if using). Pour entire batter into the prepared pan.

3.Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or till wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake on wire rack for 10 minutes, then dust with powdered sugar. Cover and store in refridgerator until its ready to be served.

this comes from the Better Homes and Gardens New cookbook.


If you try it, let me know how it tastes and please feel free to share a recipe, i love new stuff.

Nope not gonna do it

Going to resist the urge to BWI (Blog while Intoxicated) though who knows i might be more brillant this way.

Lower and Lower, how long is left in this election?

This is even low for the Republicans. There should be a rule that there are certain Icons in our country that should be off limits for use in political ads. Its almost like saying Santa Claus is a republican.

Thursday Thirteen #4

Thirteen Authors Sparkyreads faithfully And One mention of a book they are known for, enjoy... 1.Mike Lupica-Amazon.com: Summer of '98. Sports books with humor. 2.Tony Kornheiser-Amazon.com: I'm Back for More Cash: A Tony Kornheiser Collection (Because You Can't Take Two Hundred Newspapers into the Bathroom). A editorialist and sports writer who now calls games on Monday Night football. Some laugh until you cry articles, and its not all about sports 3.Laurell K Hamilton-Amazon.com: Danse Macabre (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter)Books about Vampires and Fairies with a certain twisted view. 4.Kim Harrison-Amazon.com: The Good, the Bad, and the Undead. Books about witches and casting out spirits, yet almost like a mystery murder book as well. 5.Robert B Parker-Amazon.com: Early Autumn. Two of the best heroes in Mystery's, Spenser and Hawk 6.David Maraniss-Amazon.com: When Pride Still Mattered. The biographer of America 7.Al Franken-Amazon.com: Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot. Originally, he was just very funny, now he has become funny and truthful. 8.Darby Conley-Amazon.com: Say Cheesy: A Get Fuzzy Collection, Vol. 5. Cats in a Cartoon, enough said 9.Shakespeare-Ok, I didnt voluntarily read most of his works, but they werent that bad, even if force for educational purposes. 10.Michael Moore-Amazon.com: Stupid White Men: ...And Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation!/a>. A little bit radical, but he does get a discussion going. 11.Patricia Cornwell-Amazon.com: Body of Evidence. I first started reading them because she located her books around places my parents used to live, then they just became creepy good. 12.Jane Green-Amazon.com: To Have and To Hold: A NovelThe first chick lit author that i really liked. 13.Other authors that i should be reading more of:Sarah Vowell, Kristin Gore, Zoey Dean, Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Anne Rice. Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

I want to be left alone....

You are Betty Grable

The ulitmate girl next door You're the perfect girl for most guys Pretty yet approachable. Beautiful yet real.

What Famous Pinup Are You?

Maybe TMZ will pick this up

A little fiction suggested by Queen Kukka. Enjoy....

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Im Chris Meowthews and your watching Furball. Lots of news to report up in Minnesota, but now we get word that there is a hastily called press conference being put to gether by Miss Kukka-Maria's press liason, Sparky Duck. We go to Minneapolis now for live coverage.

Thank you for coming everyone, I am Sparky Duck, and I have a prepared statement put together by Miss Kukka as well as some of her other people in her public relations staff (read Agent). I will be reading from this statement, to try and dispel some rumors and innuendo being sprayed around, but I will not be taking any other questions.

First, Miss Kukka-Maria will not be running for Senator this year in Minnesota. Or any year for that matter. Especially since she was quoted as saying I cant believe that we have to come here for the Super Sexy Hyper Talented cat convention. That was a mistake, what she meant to say was that I can't believe we dont come here every month.

Second, Miss Kukka-Maria did not say that Mr. Kennedy was as smart as a scratching post and that Ms. Klobuchar needs to find herself some contact lenses. In fact I hate these 3rd party blind quotes being propigated as fact. (a sidelong glance to the agent).

Third, while it is true the Miss KM was and is a proponent of Iams and Purina, and yes being a celebrity, she does have some pull with you bumpkins, er, modest people of Minnesota. But, she has nothing to do with the attempts to make either of those foods mandatory for all cats in Minnesota. Again, nothing could be further from the truth, since Miss Maria would love to sample Innovo, Whiskas and any other cat food product. Please feel free to contact me with an sort of endorsement ideas.

Finally, while it is true, (clearing throat and glaring backstage) since it was caught on tape, that Miss KM did say she cant believe you all had a Wrestler as Governor, she was on a prescription for catnip and was not in the right frame of mind when the quote was taken. The catnip is strictly medicinal, for a slight pulled muscle in her back, though not, I repeat not, due to any gaining of any weight!

Now, if anyone would like, there are autographed pictures on the back table on the way out, but again, I will say that there will not be any further comments from Miss KM until this convention is over, which by the way has not gotten enough media coverage that is for sure.

Political quicksand?

First, yesterday was not the best day for Sen. Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania, who is in a tight race right now with the Democrat, Admiral Sestak. Though, it is the Philadelphia region and we like our politicians with a bit of a mud on there lapels. This race though has been very nip and tuck and the way that things have been going so far for Republicans in general, the timing sucks for Weldon.

Then there was the Minnesota Senatorial Debate over the weekend, on Meet the Press. Now I would not have though that Minnesota would have been a place that would go red, and after watching the debate, I still dont think it will go red, since Kennedy seemed quite, um, dry. (Ok Mrs Duck said dopey) and Klobuchar, while inexperienced, was an excellent debater. So, it should noy be a surprise that a poll came out the same day that had the Klobuchar, the democrat, up by 22 points. Mr. Kennedy might have debated better if he actually acknowledged his opponents presence while they were on the air.

I dont know how they do it

Cardinal fans in Arizona, the 3 of you out there, must be looking longingly at the Chase building this morning, trying to figure how hard it would be to jump.

Fire Denny Green

After last night's disaster, I am sure there is plenty of cries to get Denny Green out now, today, period. You can't blow two 14 point leads in the fourth quarter and survive as a coach. This is a team that had Emmit Smith and now has Edge James at running back and still finds itself mired at about rank 20 or so in rushing. They have 2 of the most exciting wide receivers in the game right now and a rookie at quarterback that is going to be a stud and they still CANT WIN!

New Stadium-CANT WIN
New Uniforms-CANT WIN
A Hard Hitting Secondary-CANT WIN
a defensive line that has managed close to 30 sacks over the last 2 years and they just CANT WIN.

Somehow I think it might be the coaches fault by now.

My Fantasy Football day

(Editors Note: My actual post on my fantasy league message board. Can you tell I was a tad annoyed that I am losing going into the Monday night game?)

I Hate Kevin Jones

Ok, I dont hate Kevin Jones, I hate the fact that I didnt
play him. Plus, it was the only way I could think of as an
excuse to use a Jenna Jameson picture. Though, I do hate the
fact that I didnt realize that Frank Gore would gain as much
yards as Al Gore would against San Diego. Now I am off to go
find a curse for the Chicago Bears defense,

Coach Wiccan out

Little Known Hottie #5

Our Winner this week is Lindsey of the Minnesota Vikings. Yes, I am a sucker for brunettes and a sucker for curly hair, so this one is right up my alley im afraid. 't Shh, dont tell Mrs. Duck, but this discovery was made by watching the NFL Cheerleader Playoffs which quite frankly is a pretty stupid show, but they have a dance competition!

Recipeville

Kristie from Slacker-moms-r-us came up with idea and I love it. I adore cooking, everyone says I should become a chef, but I want my hobby to stay a hobby. Anyway, Im going to post a recipe and if you try it, let me know how it went or share your own on your blog and lemme know its there.

Chicken Mole Poblano a recipe I got from The Great American Cookbook, which by the way I only paid a dollar for at Michael's.

3 Tbsp oil
4 chicken pieces, about 8 ozs total
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1 hot DRIED chile reconstitueted and chopped (the canned chiles are too hot)
1 tbsp sesame seeds toasted
1 tbsp chopped almonds
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, cumin and ground cloves
3 tomatoes peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons raisins
1.5 cups chicken stock (plus some extra incase its dry)
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 oz semisweet chocolate (i used powder)

Serve with rice or noodles

1.Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the chicken and set aside

2.Add the onion, garlic, and chiles and cook for 5 minutes. Add the sesame and the nuts and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, stock, raisins, peanut butter and chocolate and stir well. Let simmer for 5 minutes.

3.Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. (I blended a half of a cup or so and that worked out fine, instead of the entire sauce)

4.Return the mixture to the skillet, add the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer covered for an hour or so (after 35 minutes the mixture was good to go for us) or until chicken is tender, adding more stock as necessary.

5.Serve over rice.

Sparkys Notes:Ok, I made this last week, and it tasted great, except it was way too hot, even for me. I used the goya chipolte peppers in adobo sauce because i could not locate any dry peppers. Big mistake, no matter how many additional tablespoons of peanut butter and chocolate I added, it was still hot. So, next time, I will use a seeded jalapeno or poblano fresh pepper if I cant find dried.

My First Friday Feast (FF#1)

Appetizer How many hours a week do you spend reading other peoples blogs?

Well, I would say roughly about 10 hours a week or so. I have to blog rolls of blogs I check out every day in my favorites and I also have a couple of blogs that are almost like commercial ones, like Deadspin and Wonkette, which I read a few times a day.

Soup Your community wants everyone to give one thing to put into a time capsule. What item would you choose to include?

Hmm, I think I would do a little combination type thing. I would include an Ipod because I think that is one of the biggest technological advances of our time and I would include the Fly Eagles Fly song, as well as as many podcasts from WMMR and as many live cuts from the Electric Factory I could find. Oh and I would have to include a charger too, since the battery will die in that much time.

Salad What is the most interesting tourist attraction you've ever visited?

Hmm, I actually have to go back to the Smithsonian in Washington DC. Though it was not one museum, but a group of museums, it seems to be a Museum I still remember, and I still love that educational enterntainment now.

Main Course If you could give an award to anyone for anything, who would it be and what would the award be titled?

Hmm, I would give the award to my Father, because no matter how hard I try to avoid it, I still pattern my life after his example. I would call the award Exhibit A

Dessert What do you think your favorite color reveals about your personality?

Well, Purple is my favorite color, and I think it reveals how I am a tad out of the norm, because while purple is a hugely popular color now, I was ahead of the curve! Hmm, im a trendsetter?


If your gonna join in, leave a comment and put your name in the linky

An Ice Pick in my brain

Last night was either a migraine or some sort of sinus infection thing going on. I actually dont think it was a migraine, because Big Poppy gets migraines and I was not as handicapped as he has been, but it was annoying. I will say though that the cold compresses at the back of the neck really works, for some strange reason. I dont know if it is because it distracts the front of your head from pain, or if it really does something, but it worked. At least I did not have to resort to Head On, though scary as it is, I did consider it.

Grey's Talk

So, we had a Grey's marathon last night, well at least a Grey's double feature since last week was a tad crazy. I truly do enjoy this show, though more times then not Izzy annoys me in one way or another. My question is from last nights show, where did Denny Jr get all that money from?

Thirteen ThingsSparky got for his Birthday 1…. $65.00 in Itunes Gift Cards. I am an Itunes/Ipod Junky 2.Evanescence-The Open Door. Besides the fact that Amy Lee is beautiful, her voice is spectacular. I really wanted this CD, which says alot since im a Itunes Junkie :) 3.my Precious Brett Favre jersey. I have been asking for this for four years. Gonna break it out this weekend. 4.What looks like a great book and an Imus in the Morning favorite guest 5.I love Vampire books, so I am hoping L.A. Banks will join my stable of authors I already read. 6.I dont even like to watch hockey on TV, but the NHL franchise from EA Sports has been one of the greates games ever created, so I updated my collection 7.After reading this blog, do you think I would miss the opportunity for a Keith Olbermann book? 8. My Oregon Slippers, well a replacement, since the ones I got last year I wore into the ground, until they fell apart. 9.I adore Sarah, she writes more beautifully then she sings. I cant wait to crack this DVD open. 10. The Oregon Yell-o Spirit T-Shirt, though it is a double XXL, I havent gained that much weight, but I see it being hard to return, so this may become a sleep shirt. 11.Free dessert from Famous Dave's Barbeque Ribs and Sauces. This was my choice for a Birthday dinner, and when you sign up for the P.I.G. club, they send you something free on your birthday. Yummy bourbon bread pudding, thank you very much. 12.Woken up in the middle of the night -wink wink, nudge, nudge- 13.A terrific day, where I felt loved and at home, even though the only visitors I got was Mrs. Duck. I am very lucky and I know it. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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For Red's Mother

well, also for Red too, since its probably hurting her more now...

By the great Sarah McLachlan

Hold on
Hold on to yourself
for this is gonna hurt like hell.

Hold on
Hold on to yourself.
You know that only time can tell

what is it in me that refuses to believe
this isn't easier than the real thing.

My love
you know that you're my best friend.
You know that I'd do anything for you
and my love
let nothing come between us
my love for you is strong and true.

Am I in heaven here or
am I...
At the crossroads I am standing.

So now you're sleeping peaceful
I lie awake and pray
that you'll be strong tomorrow
and will see another day
and we will praise it
and love the light that brings a smile
across your face.

Oh god
if you're out there won't you hear me.
I know we're never talked before

and oh god
the man I love is leaving
won't you take him when he comes to your door.

Am I in heaven here or
am I in hell
at the crossroads I am standing.

So now you're sleeping peaceful
I lie awake and pray
that you'll be strong tomorrow
and we will see another day
and we will praise it
and love the light that brings a smile
across your face

Hold on
hold on to yourself
for this is gonna hurt like hell.


ps-its always the bagpipes that get me

Now I know why the Shrub gets nothing done

Its obvious, he has so much on his plate. Im unemployed, Ill take one of his jobs!

Alright, I can be Fo Real Fo Sure

Thanks to good ole pimpmaster Zeus I to can have a pimped out nickname. I always wanted to be like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Ludacris, and now I can be. Actually I do have a few choices, either based off my real name making me

Crazy Eyes C. Jazz

or my stage name

Sugartastic Sparky Flex

Though amazingly, I actually am a fan of choice A. Hmm Philly Transplant brought to you by Crazy Eyes has a certain ring to it.

Get your pimp name here, sorry, music video chicks not included.

Wadda Week Pt 2

The fun continues...

Tuesday was non existent. Probably because we walked in from the game at 2 in the morning and even with plenty of sleep I was totally and utterly exhausted. Poor Mrs Duck had to go to work. I can't even tell you what I really did that day.

Wednesday was a haircut down in Center City. I go to Jen at House Productions Studio. She does a nice job, though how hard can it be to cut my hair, you just have to cut it short. But Mrs. D does not like when I go to the Hair Cuttery and since it was a gorgeous day, a trip into Center City was not that bad. You just have to be out of town by 3 or the traffic gets disasterous. One highlight, besides saying hello to Mrs Duck at work, was a visit to the Amazon Cafe! on Market Street. I love there juice smoothies, plus they say they are putting little boosts of vitamins in them, though Im not totally sold on that. The coconut drink just brought back memories of Hawaii.

I was able to get out of the city in a reasonable amount of time and hit the Acme to pickup some odds and ends for dinner. Though I made a slight mistake in picking up peppers for dinner. Chipolte peppers in Adobo sauce are not a mild as I remember them!! Though I will share the recipe later, I can say that it was hotter then I remembered it, no matter how much chocolate powder or peanut butter I could add.

Should he stay or should he go

The soap opera that is the future ofJoe Torre's career in New York has continued for another few days. I actually think that they might as well keep Torre, since he's going to be paid for another year anyway, and at almost 10 million dollars to boot. Plus knowing Steinbrenner, he will want to steal as much limelight from the Mets as he can, so firing Torre before Wednesday makes no sense. And if he does keep Torre, he has Larry Bowa as a built in interim manager if things go sour early next year.

Then again, who really cares, the Yankees will continue to overspend on free agents no matter whether its Torre, Pinella, Bowa or Porky Pig as the manager.

Bizarre

Seems I really need to look into getting flickr, since those pictures came out looking a bit out of wack. Not that I am going to spend my time to fix em now, my nose feels like its going to explode.

Pictures from the Linc-Eagles/Packers

Wadda Week Pt1-The Linc

Well, I am finally out from underneath the deluge of the in-laws, I am able to look back over the last week, my birthday week. Thrilling isn't it? Anyways, on to part one, The Ducks go to the Linc.

I picked up Mrs Duck and we had actually an easy time getting down to the stadium. Though I realized later because it was Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur or one of those jewish holidays, actually a good time to go to a Monday Night game. The seats were nice, the Eagles won and it didnt rain. Now the Rest

The Good from Eagle vs Packer 10/2/06
1.The Eagles won. It was for a brief period of time kind of a nailbiter. Its amazing what a difference Westbrook makes, because without him, at least against Green Bay, the Eagles had no running game. But Donovan finally decided to start running, thankfully.

2.McFadden's at Citizen's Bank Park. This place was alot of fun, and actually not that crowded, at least for what you would think with an Eagles game across the street. The beers were cheap and the music was good. Highly recommended if your gonna be at an Iggles game.

3.The seats were great, at least when it comes to sightlines. We were right on the 50 yard line, and there was no place hidden from view. Well worth the money.

4.I was glad Greg Lewis had a great game. Though if they say he's 6 feet, then I am Chris Matthews of MSNBC.

The Bad:
1.Favre had a horrible game. Ok, horrible might notbe the right word, but he threw 2 interceptions and could not get his team into the end zone. I was really hoping to see a glimpse of the old Favre, but, I will take just seeing him play at all.

2.Sitting for over an hour in the parking lot to be allowed to leave the stadium. Something that they really need to work on down at the stadiums is the fact that there organization is lacking. We left the game early and were still sitting there with people who stayed until the bitter end. Next year, maybe the subway.

The Ugly:
1.The collection of fans around us. I dont know if because it was a Monday night game, the older guard gave there tickets away to there kids, or if it was the fact that they had the chance to drink all day, but in general I felt the gathered upper level fans were quite rude. Rude to the point that they yelled and tried to make the people in front of them sit down to watch the game. I have been to plenty of games, you don't sit the entire time. Rude to the point that they booed and yelled at first aid workers who were tending to a drunken fan that fell down the stairs, because all of his bleeding was taking too long to clean up, and they couldn't see. Stand Up for Christ Sake!

Overall, an enjoyable experience. A Monday Night game has a certain electricity. Though I think Mrs Duck and I both decided that it would be only a once a year trip.

Thursday 13 #3-And you thought last week was personal

Thirteen Things Sparky has seen in the last 20 years or so 1.That cats can actually smile with there eyes. There is a certain little glint that shows up in Kitties eyes when she sees you after a long trip or even when you are about to feed her. It is just the slight recoginition that says, thats my dad and he's here to take care of me again. 2.9/11. No offense to anyone that lost anybody, but if you did not live north of Virginia, it did not affect you the same way. The pain stayed over and over again, thanks to the local news, accept for the fact that the local news went off the air because of the loss of the antennaes. The pain and fear in people's eyes in NJ, and the fact that I could drive up the turnpike and see the smoke was and is unforgettable. 3.The pain of divorce. Perhaps I got married to young, or married for all the wrong reasons, but a divorce is still somethin that is hard to get over. My advice, don't get married before your 30, you have no idea what you want in life. 4. That a vodka martini is a terrific drink. Olives are a delicacy and it should be a national law that a martini is required after work. 5.Bill Clinton. Yes, he was a bad bad boy in his social life, but as a President, he was my Kennedy. My President that helped me to realize that politics could actually make some sort of difference and that my vote actually made a difference. Plus, he was a natural and brillant campaigner. 6. The happiness that was in my wife's eyes when we first saw each other on our wedding day. There was something so warm, so perfect in her face. She calmed me that day, made me happy and she does that everyday without even knowing it. 7. TV has improved 10 fold over the last 10 years. In the old days, the Cosby Show was groundbreaking. Now we have some great stories being told on Lost, Studio 60, NCIS, House,Grey's Anatomy and Friday Night Lights. I will miss the West Wing, but I do firmly believe that it made TV watchers much smarter in the end. 8.That greed causes pain. My family went thru a rough spot, a spot that will never make any of them the same ever again. And it was all caused by greed and the need to think that you got something out of you families lives that was material. I hope that makes the victors happy. 9.The sunsets in Arizona and Hawaii. They are both natural marvels, yet so different in there makeup. Arizona, Phoenix specifically, is a manmade engineering feat, especially when you realize it is the in the middle of the desert. Hawaii is a natural treasure, because it is made of volcanic rock. Everyone should see them each sunset once, to see how brillant and how different they both are. 10.Football is the national pastime! Its something that brings entire cities and states together that baseball just can't handle. Ohio IS Buckeye football. Texas is High School football. I have seen the brillance of Kordell Stewart Hail Mary, a Doug Flutie Dagger against Miami, The Buffalo Bills comeback and The domination of the Giants running game. 11. The greatest games I have seen? Well, the greatest game ever was between Lightbulb HS and Dolly Middle HS, the school my dad worked for. Lightbulb was up by 13 points with 6 minutes to go, and they were chirpy. In fact the biggest blowhard was the schools Athletic Director, someone that should at least know that both schools and teams were playing hard and this game was important to them both. So it was very very sweet when Dolly Middle returned a 90 yard punt for a touchdown and then caused a fumble and threw a 60 yard pass for a touchdown to beat good old Lightbulb. As I think about it, I dont think those Eagles ever recovered, and my dad and I both lost our voices from screaming so much and telling that AD to stick it up his, well you know... 12.Christopher Cross, America, Eddie Rabbit, Bell Biv Devoe, U2, Hootie and the Blowfish, Kool and the Gang, Bruce Springsteen,Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan, Gin Blossoms, REO Speedwagon, Love Seed Mama Jump and Live. Was every concert great? No, but it gave me an appreciation for different types of music, expanded my listening horizons. Plus, when the concert was great, you appreciated it alot more. 13. Family. My family, small as it is, is all down in the Lonestar, so they are not around or we dont see them as much as I would like. But Mrs. Duck's family has stepped up and made me feel like one of there own, even before we were officially hitched. Its nice to have some people to lean on when you need them, either by phone or in person. Amazements that missed the cut: The Bill Buckner "Behind the Bag" play, Ronald Reagans Assasination attempt, 99 yards by Alex Molden that solidified my love for Oregon, Iran/Contra, Desert Storm I and II, my nephews being born, Evanescence, the passing of Maureen and Megan, AIDS, the pathetic Fox News Channel, Keith Olbermann news icon, the Daily Show, ESPN, Philadelphia: the movie, Tom Hanks megastar, Remember the Titans, Seabiscuit, the run of Smarty Jones, poor Barbaro. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants



Oh and incase you haven't guessed it, yes its Sparky's birthday.

With Cool Whip...

I know everyone is waited with baited breath to hear about our adventures down at the Linc. -crickets- Ok, im sure there is someone curious, but right now my brain is tapioca pudding. I will say that it was an enjoyable experience, that I would like to have only once a year.

You, Me and Favree

That is actually how Brett Favre's name was originally pronounce, Favree, though eventually everyone would know how to really pronounce his name once he got to Green Bay. I had Favre on my radar since the late 80's when I was reading a newspaper article while on family vacation in Georgia. It was when he was still a junior, but I find it amazing still as I can see the article in my head, where I was sitting and telling my father this guy out of Southern Miss could be pretty good.

Little did I know, I wish I was that brillant with other things, I'd be an investment genius.

Anyway, thanks to Doc & Subway, Mrs. Duck and I will be taking in the Eagles/Packers game tonight. I am totally jazzed! Favre has been a hero of mine since those early days, and to have the chance to see him in person, even if it is the older, less nimble, Favre, there are still flashes of his brillance in there.

So, what I am rooting for tonight? An Eagles win, 42-35, and a great day by Favre, running around and flinging the ball all over the place to receivers who come through for him once again. Its the least I could hope for isnt it?

And I promise to take plenty of pictures!!