Stories like this can't come true
Christine, you're talking in riddles
And it's not like you
-- "Angel of Music" from The Phantom of the Opera

I've been rocking out old school this week -- meaning, despite the fact that I have 3 off the hook, banging new CDs (Kelly Clarkson, Fleetwood Mac and Jessica Andrews), I've been listening to tapes. Yes, yes, y'all -- remember cassette tapes??

Anyway, I managed to listen to my beloved "Phantom" a few times before it broke. Oh well, I did have it for 10 years after all. Because of the success of "Chicago" and all, I'm hearing Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber is gearing up to finally make a movie version of the musical. Should be interesting. How are they going to do it?? "and do I dream again, for now I find, the phantom of the opera is here, inside my mind."

Anyway, much love to Heather, because girl, I smiled and almost teared up when I heard "Wishing you were somehow here again". I could literally see myself sitting at the Talent show, bursting with pride at you and Grace raising the roof with that song. I love you and miss you! =) (You're cool, too, G! Glad we can hang all the time!) =)

So, in keeping with the sentimental, I'm posting some Kelly lyrics here. This goes out to all of you that read the site. I love all of you and I'm thankful that you're in my life!!

"I'm thankful, for the blessin' and the lessons that I've learned with you by my side. And I'm thankful for the joy you keep bringing in my life. So thankful."

love to you all!
ames

Let the axis twirl,
I'm a happy girl.
-- Martina McBride

I told y'all I was going to be branching out in musical variety. Have you looked outside? It is beautiful. Yesterday and today are those rare spring days in the dirty South where the humidity is low, there's a nice breeze and temperatures hover around 70-75. Now this is what I'm talking about. None of that summer, 90 degrees and 98.2% humidity for me. This is how I wish it was everyday.

I'm gonna soak up the sun,
I'm gonna tell everyone to lighten up
I've got no one to blame,
For everytime I feel lame
I'm looking up
I'm going soak up the sun
While it's still free
-- Sheryl Crow

I hope you have a wonderful day today and please get outside a bit and enjoy it!

Amy

Hope you have a great day, wherever you are amongst the trees and plants doing your research thang!

much love!!!
Ames

in the back of a pickup truck
doing 90 round the corner
just trying to hang on for dear life
-- James Bonamy

On the way to work this morning I saw a shiny black Dodge Ram truck with a shiny black lab, tongue wagging, in the back rolling down the highway at around 70 mph. This poor dog couldn't figure out the best plan of action -- stay on the left side of truck, with cars whizzing by my head, or run to right side of truck, oh wait, cars whizzing past my head --- such a dilemma! So he chose to pace back and forth. And I'm thinking, how is he keeping his balance? I've seen a ton of dogs in the back of trucks before and they all feel the need to stand up. Why not just chill and lay down in the back?

So that song is by James Bonamy, one of my favorite singers ever. Sadly, he only made 2 records before losing his deal. But Dog on a toolbox is just straight up funny. I know I'm feeling that way! have a good weekend and Happy Easter!

Amy

see this pedestal is high, and I'm afraid of heights.
-- Alanis

Thought that was appropriate considering that everyone I know is obsessed with American Idol. Let me just say, how in the free world did Carmen not get booted??? crazy! she's bound to go next. Homegirl needs to get a few more years of voice lessons under her belt and try out again. But, that's my opinion.

I went to Goody's yesterday and got an Easter dress. You know how it is, you have to have a new Easter dress. So, why is this a topic of conversation? Well, this would be the same Goody's where I cut my arm on the dressing room door and proceeded to get an infection. Needless to say, I was paranoid -- my arm is all healed but still bright pink!

So, I enter the store, and all of you that know me well , know that I loathe shopping. I mean, it's fine sometimes, when I'm in the mood. But most of the time, I hate it. Anyway, I grabbed some dresses and headed back to the aforementioned dressing room. Now y'all, I don't know about you, but personally, I"ve been wearing deoderant since I was 10 probably. So, excuse me for saying this, but what grown ass women do you know that don't wear any?? That dressing room had the worst smell my nostrils have ever encountered. Please, ladies, whatever you do, make sure you and your girls always know your SECRET!!!!

So, as if that wasn't enough to endure. I was holed up in the little room next to a 12 year old and her grandmother. The conversation went something like this:
Kid, "I hate this shirt with this skirt, go out there and pick out a few others for me to try on."
Grandma "no, you know that everything I pick out you hate. Get dressed and go out there and find some you like."
Kid, "but I don't want to go out there by myself! you do it."

Let me interject here and say that my grandmother would have already put the hurt on me for showing an inkling of disrespect, such as that.

Grandma, "Nope, not going to do it. Hey, why are all of the clothes in this pile at least $90 each?? you know this ain't no spending spree! I brought you here to get stuff you really need."
Kid, "Yeah, well, I really need this and that ----"

My butt was out of the door by this time, finally free to breathe through my nose again and hear the bliss of background noise in the store. Ok, so went back out, got something else, went back in-- this time on the other side from the drama, and surprisingly enough, the stank wasn't as bad either. Try on dress, like it, let's roll out.

I reached for the door and my ass is locked in! Of course, I'm yanking on the little lock thingy with all my might, hoping against all hope that I wouldn't get another dumb cut. Finally the door gave in. Y'all, I was almost having to crawl under there. Had that happened, you can bet my butt would have never stepped foot up in the Goody's again!

So, crisis averted and I hightail it up to the cash register. The line is long and they have one register open. I'm telling you, I wanted to get on the phone next to the empty register and say, "attetion little punk teenagers that work here. get your sorry butts up here right now, you can flirt with each other later." but, I refrained.

Meanwhile, a mere 10 feet away was Mr. GQ of the year (If you asked his opinion, I mean) on a $500 cell phone talking as loudly as humanly possible. Dude, there is a lobby right through those doors, get thee to it! driving me nuts. His woman checked out and they left. I breathed a sigh of relief, momentarily, at least until I realized that the lady in front of me had about $200 worth of returns. I'm sorry, but this is out of control ridiculous! even the little 15 year old behind me let out a loud sigh.

At long last, I paid for my dress and ran swiftly to the comfort of my pollen covered yellowish crimson Jeep. I'm sure I intended for this story to have a moral, but it doesn't. Just beware of the Goody's Family Clothing, y'all!!!

Amy

A way to calm the angry voice
And all I really want is deliverance
Do I wear you out
You must wonder why I'm so relentless and all strung out
I'm consumed by the chill of solitary
-- Alanis Morrisette

Sorry, I'm on an Alanis kick now. And I've just got to post the rest of "All I really want". I am so feeling this song this week! and my own words aren't adequate enough. Seriously, Jagged Little Pill is one of the greatest records ever made (in my humble opinion, anyway).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enough about me, let's talk about you for a minute
Enough about you, let's talk about life for a while
The conflicts, the craziness and the sound of pretenses
Falling all around...all around
Why are you so petrified of silence
Here can you handle this?

Did you think about your bills, your ex, your deadlines
Or when you think you're gonna die
Or did you long for the next distraction
And all I need know is intellectual intercourse
A soul to dig the hole much deeper
And I have no concept of time other than it is flying
If only I could kill the killer

All I really want is some peace man
a place to find a common ground
And all I really want is a wavelength
All I really want is some comfort
A way to get my hands untied
And all I really want is some justice...

I'm a number on your wall, I'll make you so tired.
Yeah, and I don't think I like this game no more,
It goes round and round and round --
I'll take it one more time, one more time.
And now you've crossed that line, you can't come back
Tell me how does it feel now?
It's too late, too much to forget about
Can't stop now, tell me how does it feel now?
I'm only asking because I want to know --
how you wanna feel.
-- Matchbox 20


That's for more than one of you out there! you know who you are. Or maybe you don't! So let's just make it for all my peeps and you can dicpher it any way you please! =)

Ames

I recommend sticking your foot in your mouth at any time
Feel free
Throw it down (the caution blocks you from the wind)
Hold it up (to the rays)
You wait and see when the smoke clears
You live you learn
You love you learn
You cry you learn
You lose you learn
You bleed you learn
You scream you learn
-- Alanis Morissette

"Who is FICA and why did he get all of my money?"
-- Rachel Greene

and that's all I care to say right at this moment!!!

Amy

Every second of the night, I live another life,
These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside,
Every moment I'm awake, the further I'm away

-- Heart (See previous entry about my fave songs)

I dreamed last night that I was in high school. I've always heard about people having horrible reocurring dreams that they were late for a test, etc. Not me, never had one (that I can remember any way).

Anyway, I dreamed that Grace and I were in a history class together, but there were no seats and then I had to leave and go across the street to find someone. I ended up sneaking back into the school and I got in trouble. Then I couldn't find my schedule so I had no idea which class I was going to next and it scared me to death.

So what does this mean?? I really do wonder about dreams a lot. I know that I dreamed about high school because Grace and I were talking about it last night. But what was with all the other stuff? Who knows. Anyway, I heard someone on the radio the other day say that most people dream about things that were mentioned in passing somehow in their days. I think that's true. I can sit and have my brain wrapped around one subject/object and go to bed and dream about something minor that someone mentioned to me.

So now I've rambled on and on. I just have to tell a favorite college story. My roommate was a math major (for the first year, anyway). She had a huge test and the night before I woke up and she is sound asleep saying, "12, 24, 17, 120," Hilarious. I said, "Breezy! what are you doing??" and I think she mumbled something about figuring out a math problem! I think she had told me before that she tends to dream about whatever she focuses on, the opposite of me.

Sweet dreams are made of what for you??

Ames

Miss keep your distance, no
Miss on her own
Miss almost grown
Miss never let a man help her off her throne

-- Kelly Clarkson


As Randy Jackson would say, "what's up dog, how you feelin' today?" And as Wilson Pickett would say, "I feel pretty good, y'all, na na na na na na -- need somebody to help me one time"

Ok, so Kelly's album comes out on Tuesday and I found a site where you can hear 3 of her songs, and they are awesome! she's got a bluesy, rock vibe going on. Check, check, check out Kelly's melody -- Open a new broswer when the song repeats and paste the url in to hear another track.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a beautiful weekend!!

much love,
Amy

pull out some hope for me, it's been a long day, always, ain't that right?
-- matchbox 20

The past 3 weeks have quite possibly been the longest of my life! or, at least it just seems that way. I have been so, so busy and the bad news is that it's only going to get worse until June 1 (finish date for a huge, gigantic, major monstrosity of a project). But, that's ok, I'm just glad to have a job. Anyway, it keeps me super busy and I guess that makes me valuable. (it's nice to be valuable to someone at least!) Anyway, everybody's got a lot going on, so hang in guys, we're young -- we should be able to handle it!

Amy

Only on days that end in "y".

Anyway, how's everyone's week going? Mine is fair. Just a Tuesday, nothing special. I think I'm going to run home a lunch. Yes, this is a big deal, because I don't live around the corner. But, I feel like leaving for a while, so I think I will. I'm going to see Bill Cosby this weekend! I'm very excited and I expect a great show. Well, can't even think of anything else to say, so I guess I'll roll. Y'all please straighten up and act right, as my momma would say!

Ames

Welcome to the beautiful new amydabbs.com!! Many, many thanks to my good friend Chris Burks for the kicking new design! Chris would be the cool dude I mentioned in Friday's post. Check out some of his stuff:

www.lit.org
www.chrispian.com
www.hiwaay.net (for some of that corporate stuff)

Thanks a bunch, Chris -- you are the web master extraordinaire!! =)

Ames

I see a shadow in the mirror, and she's laughing through her tears, one more smile's all I can fake.

Isn't that how all of us feel at some point?? Heck, I feel that way when I'm walking around in my building on the job and I smile at someone and they just stare blankly (see previous entry, "hi or not"). Now, granted, I share an office building with a bunch of extreme introverts. But, really, just because you like computers and Star Trek, does that mean you can't say hi or at least smile when you see someone??? geez!!! My good friend Chris is a great example of the opposite of this. Chris is very bright, very into computers, but is very friendly and can carry on a normal conversation and he's hilarious. Chris is the coolest computer dude I know. But he's the exception to the rule. What is it about this genre of IT folks that gives them the mentality that they would rather chew their left arm off than look you in the eye and have a real converstion with you??

So that's what I'm saying -- one more smile's all I can fake! Maybe when I pass one of them, I'll just throw up my hand and seperate my ring finger from my middle finger in that whatever Star Trek thingy -- I bet they would for sure talk to me then!!! I'm giving my sense of humor a serious break this weekend!

have a good one!

ames

Yeah, you know it's time -- I gotta fly

Ok, so this is so how I feel today. Not to complain or anything, but I'm just ready for Friday to roll in and for me to roll out of work. I'm telling you guys, this has been a crazy week. I know we all have those, but I've managed to ring up 2 of them in a row and enough is enough! Maybe next week will be average or somewhat boring. I don't need any more excitement in the workplace! =) Anyway, what's new with all one or two of you that read this site?? send me a shout out and tell me what the good word is.

Ames

I hate to say it, but Avril hits the nail on the head with that lyric. Is it just me or are journalists these days COMPLETELY out of their minds??

First, we've got Peter Arnett kissing up to Iraqi TV, telling them how the US has totally screwed up and underestimated their "power." Then, there's good ole geraldo thinking he's a Marine, drawing a map in the sand!!! That's a good one, Geraldo. I mean, what are they thinking?!?

This is not some game we're playing; this is WAR. We seem to forget about that, since it has become a complete television circus. These journalists are just out there hiding in trenches, riding on tanks, thinking they're part of the military. Hey, NEWSFLASH, you are a news person; you sit at a desk, make words come alive in print, and say what others tell you to say when you get on television. We don't really need these guys out there distracting our military, do we? Just a thought.

Another thing...these press conferences are driving me insane. I swear, the journalists must all get together and say, "Hey, let's drive these people really crazy by asking the SAME question 50 times. But we have to change the wording around each time, so they won't catch on. Oh yeah, and if they say they can't comment on something, let's just keep talking about it. Maybe they'll slip up and actually answer us." Come on people! This is not rocket science. There really are some things we don't necessarily HAVE to know at the exact moment it's happening. War plans being one of them. Geez!

So, the next time you find yourself yelling at the TV because these people are absolute idiots, "rest assured, you're not alone." (Stereofuse)

-- Holli

Y'all, please give it up for my very first guest columnist -- Holli! Holli and I go way back to the days of advertising classes and Food Science! Show Holli some love and comment on her post. I totally agree with her rant. (I'll post her's next).

You too can have your thoughts posted on this here site. Shoot me an email with your rant and we'll show the love!

Amy

I keep on changing my mind!

There, that's a lyric that is neither 80s, nor hip hop! ha ha! I told you I'd think of something. That is from "Hole in my pocket" by Sheryl Crow.

Now, I have absolutely nothing else to say other than the next American Idol will be none other than Ruben Studdard representin' the magic city! Go Ruuuuuben!

Say what you want about reality shows and American Idol, but at least it gives us an option to watch something other than war coverage. Don't get me wrong, the news is super important, and if I knew someone over there, I'd be watching 24x7. But I think it's healthy to take a break and enjoy something like Idol.

I'm obsessed! but what else is new, right?? I always pick something to obsess, stress, fret over and it just happens to be Ruben on Idol! =)

Amy

Give it up y'all for my momma --- HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

I LOVE YOU!

Amy