To tell you how I feel
But all I kept on writing
Was slipping on the tears from the day
When I was young and brave
- Train

I’m ashamed to have abandoned amydabbs.com. I go through these spells every once and a while, but these past few months I’ve just had zero desire to blog. I’m not sure why. Maybe it was my rapidly developing Facebook addiction? (Which has subsided considerably of late). There is something intoxicating about collecting “friends” like they are trading cards. I think I’m up to 122. And I’m pretty sure only 10 of those I actually see and/or talk to on a regular basis. But it’s fun to see what everyone is up to these days. And it helps with that “hey we should stay in touch” thing that we all promise to each other when we leave jobs, move away, graduate, etc.

There’s nothing much going on with me. I’m loving the Alabama football season this year. And it has been a long time coming! I’m kicking around the idea of getting a Blackberry and that may be expedited by the fact that my current flip phone doesn’t easily flip anymore. We moved locations at work and that was fine. I have this ridiculously big office but the downside is I’m farther away from my buddies. I totally got to see New Kids on the Block and cannot even describe the level of awesomeness of that concert. And now I will end the random and discombobulated paragraph and give you the…

The Dabbs Five
Five Things I love this week
1) Taylor Swift and Def Leppard on CMT’s Crossroads
2) “So Much Better” from the Legally Blonde the musical soundtrack
3) “Somethin’ Special” Colbie Caillat
4) “Sweet Thing” Keith Urban
5) “Grown Man” by New Kids on the Block

-ames

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!

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