It’s positively time to shake your junk
- Laura Bell Bundy and Greek Chorus from Legally Blonde The Musical

The Dabbs Five
Five TV Shows I’m Loving This Summer

1) Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods (well, this ended last night, but I’m still loving the soundtrack and am glad to have the MTV taping of the musical with Laura Bell on my Tivo to watch anytime.)
2) So You Think You Can Dance – love, love, love it
3) My Boys – Ok, so I held out on this one but finally caught up and am very glad I did!
4) Army Wives - good, solid drama
5) Rock The Reception – Tabitha and Napoleon from So You Think You Can Dance teach couples a unique number for their first dances (recent numbers include Crazy in Love and U Can’t Touch This). It’s a super fun show, give it a watch.

-dabbs

We’ve learned the art of compromise
Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we cry
And sometimes we just break down
Good now ‘cause we have to be
Come to terms with our vanity
Sometimes we still curse gravity
When no one is around
- Suzy Bogguss

Well, I had a great birthday. Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes! I didn’t even have time to stop and think about getting old. (I’m sure that’s coming at some point).

Now, on to The Dabbs Five…
Five Reasons Why I’m Totally Still A Kid
1) I will absolutely watch Saved By The Bell and Full House any time I see them on TV
2) I still sleep in every single Saturday that I can
3) I sing in the car without shame
4) I get giddy when an artist I love releases an album
5) All I wanna do is have some fun

I’ve got a feeling I’m not the only one.
-dabbs

When 30 was old
- Deana Carter

See, this is exactly what happens when you are barely 18, just starting college and you find this really great song that you love to sing along with. And you and your roommate talk about how, wow, 30 will really be like, REALLY old. I remember wondering what 30 would be like. And now that it’s here, (shrugs shoulders) eh, it ain’t so bad, I guess. Not to say that I won’t have a complete and total freak out at some point today, but we’ll see. In the meantime, since it’s my birthday, more lyrics, whether you like it or not!

I think that I'm throwing, but I'm thrown
And I thought I'd live forever, but now I'm not so sure
You try to tell me that I'm clever
But that won't take me anyhow or anywhere with you
- Lisa Loeb

Ok, so maybe knowing that song was out when I was 16 may have depressed me just ever so slightly. I so remember going to Wal-Mart with Heather and I had on my green Chuck Taylors and we heard this in the car. Love it. This will always be a great one to shout along with in the car.

Sentimental moment – I have truly been blessed in my life to have the most amazing parents that were ever created. I love them with my whole heart and would not be who I am or where I am today without them. I’ve also been blessed with an amazing family – too many to name. And last but never least - I have the most awesome friends on the entire planet. No really, I do. I love all of you dearly and thank you for everything.

Now, to today’s regular news.
The Dabbs Five
Five Reasons I Know I’m Getting Old
1) I actually sang along, and did a few hand claps to “Private Eyes” by Hall and Oates and thought to myself, “Wow, this is some good shit.”
2) I cannot stay up past 11 on a work night. If I do, the next day is brutal.
3) Top 40 radio gets on my nerves most of the time.
4) I have started saying, “Remember when..” an awful lot.
5) I actually remember when gas was less than $2 a gallon.

Thanks for being my pals and reading my website!

-Ames

Shades of gray and I feel a weight over my shoulder
It’s kinda tough getting older
- Colbie Caillat

The Dabbs Five
Five Early Childhood Memories
1) Riding Dumbo at Disneyworld (age 4)
2) Checking out my kindergarten classroom at an open house one night before I started school (age 5)
3) Mom dropping me off at preschool – she sat with me in a little room while I ate my lunch before she left to go to work (probably age 4 or so)
4) Getting my ears pierced (age 4)
5) Dad picking me up from after school daycare in the blue and white Chevelle (probably age 5)

I’m sure the older I get, the less I will remember.
-dabbs

That’s how the sky will do
-The Bridges

Well, I got the Jeep back. It hasn’t leaked, yet. Fingers crossed. I’ve pretty much chalked the whole experience up to an exercise in learning patience. (Maybe that’s why it has been a 2 and a half month process). Here’s hoping it is over now.

The Dabbs Five
Five Things I’m Reading (Or Have Already Read) This Summer
1) The Purpose Driven Life – Rick Warren
2) Shopaholic – Sophie Kinsella
3) Between, Georgia – Joshilyn Jackson
4) Can You Keep A Secret? – Sophie Kinsella
5) Little Women – Louisa May Alcott

I used to be an avid reader. The summer before fifth grade my friend Kristin and I formed a book club. Ok, so it was just the two of us, but still. We competed to see who could read the most in one summer (yes, there was a time I was that much of a bookworm). I won. I filled up the front of a legal pad in two or three columns listing everything I read. Of course it would be more impressive if we hadn’t agreed that even Archie comics counted.

Then reading became all about school and by the time I got to college and minored in American Studies, reading was no longer for fun.(Seven to eight novels/books a semester will kill any reading fun). Now I’ve slowly started to get back into reading and have had the good fortune of people just give me books recently. (Thanks Lori and Kathy). And since it is so rare for me to not provide commentary, I’ll give you a dose on the above list.

1) The Purpose Driven Life is a really great read for any Christian. I’ve really gotten a lot out of it.
2) Shopaholic is a fun summer read. I’d recommend it.
3) Between, Georgia was fantastic. It was a superbly written piece of nature vs. nurture family drama that was both funny and sad etc. Seriously – read it.
4) I’m about to crack open this one and Kathy has promised it is very funny, so I’m looking forward to it.
5) I really want to reread Little Women. This is one of my most favorite books and it’s been ages since I read it. (I won't be like Joey and put it in the freezer, though).

Anything that you are reading that’s worth sharing?
-dabbs

but a !@#$% ain't one
- Jay-Z

Car is supposedly fixed - fingers crossed, so send up a prayer about that. It was not without serious levels of drama today, though.

Anyway, the Dabbs Five
Things I Wanted To Be When I Grow Up
1) A Dentist
2) A Detective
3) A Backup Singer
4) A Copywriter (TV Commercials)
5) A Television Writer

your turn!

-Sheryl Crow

So more car drama. Yes, you did the math correctly, it has been two months and this will be the fifth trip back to the place that supposedly fixed the whole radiator/water pump/cooling system thing by PUTTING IN ALL NEW STUFF. So how is it possible that it keeps leaking transmission fluid? I understand that the connections between the radiator (we’re on new radiator number 3 now) and the transmission are very tenuous, but come on, if it says RADIATOR right there in your name, you should be able to figure it out. Sort of how if you go to WAFFLE House, you tend to think they know how to prepare WAFFLES.

Anyway, I’m beyond done. I’m tired, I’m irritated and I just want to leave for a while. I’ll try to make through the next couple of weeks before I’m off the last week of the month. Say a prayer for my temper. It’s been working overtime lately.

-dabbs

Over numbers, unencumbered numbered words
Hundreds of pages, pages, pages for words
More words than I had ever heard and I feel so alive
- Jason Mraz

I used to write more often and I’d like to get back to that. Just writing on here sparks my creativity and any time I’m feeling creative, my mood generally improves. So, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to start a feature on amydabbs.com called The Dabbs Five. I figure everything is in fives these days, so I may as well join. Each day (ok, that’s probably a stretch, but we’ll see) I will post a random listing of five things. And I’d love it if you’d join me. Or, you can sit over there and just be a spectator if you want. Whatever cranks your tractor.

Today’s Five: The first five songs my iTunes plays on shuffle:
1) That’s All – Michael Buble
2) Hey Cinderella – Suzy Bogguss
3) Wounded – Little Big Town
4) All I Really Want – Alanis Morissette
5) Can’t Let Go – Mariah Carey (and yes, I knew there would be one that would make you all point and laugh and it had to be Mariah. Oh well. For the record, I was in middle school when she hit and her MTV Unplugged was the second CD I ever bought. Enough qualifying).

Now, you go. Don’t have iTunes? Well, think of something else, then. How about the first five songs that pop into your head? Something? Anything?

-dabbs

Happy Belated Birthday to Chris! I hope you had a great day!

When I close my eyes
-Heart

Editor’s note – this post is all over the place, for those that are tangent weary, you’ve been warned.

Last week a local high school teacher came to my place of business for a two day look at how technology and business collide. She was looking for ways to get her students excited about technology in the classroom and how to prepare them for careers where technology is essential. Andre and I loved talking to her– she was energetic and very curious and it made for a very enjoyable conversation.

I guess that’s why I dreamed last night that my entire office was invited to a high school classroom to talk about what we do. (I should mention she took one of my cards and one Andre’s cards and promised to call when school starts to schedule us to chat with her 10th graders about what we do). And I’m sure the other reason I had this dream because I spent part of the weekend watching My So-Called Life on DVD.

Tangent – My So-Called Life was brilliant television. I vividly remember sitting in homeroom one morning in 10th grade when Colleen Craft excitedly asked me and the Crackle twins if we were watching the show. When we all said no, she said, “You have to watch it! Seriously, you like, totally HAVE to watch it. It’s like, so exactly what school is like. And if more people don’t watch it, they will like, cancel it. And plus, the guy on there is totally hot.” Well, the last part was all it took to get my attention. (Hello, Jared Leto). But for some reason I didn’t get to see a whole lot of the show. (Probably because I didn’t want my parents catching me watching something that featured underage drinking and drug use). UPDATED TANGENT - It was on against Friends. That totally explains it. So now, I’m revisiting it on DVD. And geez, was it ever spot on for what I remember it was like to be a 15 year old. You know, that time in life when being addressed by an adult on any topic would simply elicit a heavy sigh and eye roll from you.

Still on the tangent - And speaking of Jared Leto – I remember equating him with that guy Josh that was a senior when I was maybe in 9th grade. (You know who I’m talking about Heather and Grace!) The guy with the long brown hair that we all loved. His senior quote was simply, “love.” Anyway, I love some Google, I totally remember his last name and googled him and found out where he graduated college and that he still lives in the area and his email address. Ok, so I did one quick Google search – a cyber stalker that does not make me. (Heather and Grace, next time we're all in town, we should totally do a drive by). I’M KIDDING, PEOPLE. Mostly. How is it possible that I can remember all of that but have been trying for over a week to remember who my 11th grade English teacher was? Ugh, American Lit, I bet that’s why I can’t remember. Give me the Brits any day. (Sorry, Holli).

Now, back to my dream. My coworkers and I loaded up on a bus and went to visit the school. The entire time on the bus I was panicking because I was going to have to talk to a bunch of disinterested teenagers that would probably laugh at me. I was even more disturbed to realize I had simply brought along a baking pan and a skillet as my props. No laptop, no projector, no luggage tags with the logo, etc. Nope, just a skillet and a baking pan.

We arrived at the school and were split into several groups. I was sent to a kindergarten class. YEA! At least I could use the pan and skillet to make some noise – maybe I would tell them that I was a drummer, they would think that was cool, right? After all, they are five; it won’t take much to entertain them. And then, Will and Jessica from So You Think You Can Dance walked in and the kids went crazy. Will and Jessica? Really? At least put me in the room with Mark and Chelsie or Twitch and Kherington or Joshua and Katee – somebody with personality! I skulked to the back of the room and listened to everyone else talk about what they do for a living and finally I raised my hand and asked to be excused. I took my pan and skillet out into the hall to find the ladies room. I was frightened to discover that these were kindergarten bathrooms. This meant that the doors were only three feet tall. I finally found the teacher’s lounge and went back to my assigned classroom to discover the kids were taking a nap.

Here we discussed the pros and the cons of the four a week, 10 hour days many of us have been working and I wisely told the group that I had learned to sleep with my head propped up on my hand next to my computer which made it look like I was working to the casual passerby. (Totally not true). Then someone yelled at me and my clock went off. It was one of those mornings when I literally cried out, “Noooooo!!!!!!!”

So what can we make of the madness?
1) I love So You Think You Can Dance
2) I love My So-Called Life
3) I wish I had of gone to high school with Jared Leto
4) I don’t like speaking in front of groups of people
5) I didn’t empty the dishwasher last night, consequently leaving some dishes still in the sink
6) I didn’t sleep well at ALL
7) I’m tired even though I had Saturday and Sunday to rest (Well, just Sunday. I worked around the house all day on Saturday).
8) I still heart Josh, class of ’93 with his long brown hair and bad ass senior quote
9) Clinically, I’m probably totally insane.

What do you think it means?