The grandaddy of 'em all wears crimson 'n' cream

How many times did the Sooners have to hear, "You don't deserve to be here." Or, "But you're not a Pac 10 or Big 10 team..." Everything from piss and vinegar out of the likes of Keith Jackson, to smug superiority from coaches, players and reporters. Like the Big XII just isn't good enough to take the field with the other conferences. Very reminiscent of the press coverage before the 2000 title game with FSU. Hell, the Washington State coaching staff even tried to block our Schooner mascot from making the trip to Pasadena.

Well guess what? Not only did the Sooners prove they deserved to be in the Rose Bowl today, they did it with an exclamation point. Do you think OU's players and coaching staff took it personally? Hell yeah they did. Final score? OU - 34. Washington State - 14. OU's first-ever Rose Bowl trophy (from our first-ever Rose Bowl appearance) will be making it's trip home to the Switzer Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

Is our 2002-03 football season really over? Congrats to the 2002-03 Sooner squad, all of the exiting seniors, and Rose Bowl MVP Nate Hybl. It's time to fire up the basketball calendar. March Madness will be here before ya' know it!

P.S. Hey Keith Jackson... Got seven?

(To comment on this entry, please visit the new 2003 Sooners entries at "Ain't too proud to blog".)
posted at 08:57 PM | link-

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A sphincter says what?
Quote just overheard from the husband to the dog: "Oh no! You just got smacked around by the penis glove!"

Some things...you just don't want to know...
posted at 04:30 PM | link-

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If we met tomorrow for the very first time

It's getting so lonely inside this bed
Don't know if I should lick my wounds
Or say woe is me instead

And there's an aching inside my head
It's telling me I'm better off alone

But after midnight morning will come
And the day will see if you will get some

They say that girl ya know she act too tough tough tough
Well it's 'til I turn off the light, turn off the light
They say that girl you know she act so rough rough rough
Well it's 'til I turn off the light, turn off the light

And I say follow me follow me follow me down down down down
'Til you see all my dreams
Not everything in this magical world is quite what it seems

I looked above the other day
'Cuz I think I'm good and ready for a change

I live my life by the moon
If it's high play it low
If it's harvest go slow
And if it's full, then go

But after midnight morning will come
And the day will see if you're gonna get some

I'm searching for things that I just cannot see
Why don't you don't you don't you come and be with me
I pretend to be cool with me, want to believe
That I can do it on my own without my heart on my sleeve

I'm running, I'm running, catch up with me life
Where is the love that I'm looking to find

It's all in me, can't you see
I can see, why can't you see it's all in me.....

I guess there's a lot of talk going on out there about so-called A-Lists and inner-circles in the blog world. Reading things like that always makes me sad. Even more so when I see my name in the mix. I'm not naive. I've seen my site stats. But you know what? I still see myself as the same person / blogger as I was the day I started with 10 readers. If I ever feel any differently, that's the day I turn in my mouse and keyboard and walk off stage with my lovely parting gifts and year's supply of Turtle Wax.

I think Melly addressed this topic best back in November. She said, and I quote: "It is not necessary to consider yourself a blog deity. If you quit, in time, people will forget. It's just the way it goes."

And that's true. To quote Dr. Evil: "If anything should happen to you I don't know what I would do. I'd probably move on and get another [blog] replica but there would be a ten minute period where I would just be inconsolable." If any single blogger out there -- myself included -- up and quit tomorrow, sure there would be the obligatory "please don't go" comments and well-wishes. But the whole world would keep on turning. People would still have things to say. And they'd still have stuff to read. Blogging continually evolves. The way it's written. The way it's read. No one has a corner on the market.

If anyone out there truly thinks that I take myself -- or my blog -- seriously, you really don't know me very well. Stop and think a second about my life. I get fully dressed at most twice a week -- that includes doing my hair and makeup. I can't drive a car. I don't have a real income. I don't have "power lunches". I pop open a box of Lunchables and drop the cracker bits down the front of my shirt as I munch away. If that ain't a big ol' put yourself right in your place slap o' reality, I don't know what is. I started out with 10 readers a day just like everyone else. Maybe I got more exposure -- not because I'm "good" or even "deserve" it -- but because in the beginning I had more time to read and get to know other bloggers than someone who was juggling a career, kids, and a husband. I've got one of the three. Granted, my free time has been severely lacking lately (which sadly includes e-mail and being in touch with people as often as I'd like) -- but it was certainly there in abundance when I started out.

I think one of the saddest things I've ever had to digest when it comes to blogging is people being afraid to comment. Unless you go anonymous and/or come here with the sole-purpose of trashing my friends, my Sooners, and sometimes Y (my Bucs) -- I want to hear what you have to say. I don't purposely have a lynch mob ready to rip you apart with a wave of my hand (unless you steal my work). And I had to give up holding virginal sacrifices by blogging decree in early 2002, so you're safe there as well. Hell, someone I consider to be one of my closest blogging friends wouldn't even read me in the beginning because he thought I was in too many Blogrolls. But he did visit, we did get to know each other, and somehow someway we're going to figure out how to meet in person dammit.

If there's an A-List, I never received my formal invite in the mail. I didn't get the t-shirt. Hell, I didn't even get a complimentary 6-month subscription to Yahoo! magazine. And I certainly don't want people to feel like they can't read me or approach me because they happened to glance at my Nedstats tracker this week. I'll confess I've had a bit of an attitude lately. I took it from all sides for weeks on end, and I have just enough of a cat in me to make my back arch, my claws extend and my hair stand up on end. If you got in the crosshairs, I do apologize. But admit it. Isn't that why you love me and tease me that I'm a Princess™?

Just because I disagree with someone -- privately or publicly -- doesn't mean that I don't love or adore them. Hell, it makes me respect them more. Nothing garners more admiration from me than a strong will and the courage and self-respect to tackle the things placed in front of you. If we were all alike, what a truly boring world this would be. Just imagine the same 50,000 monkey clones at 50,000 typewriters. That can -- and would -- be wrong.
posted at 03:52 AM | link-

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Should auld acquaintance blah blah blah
Check out the "key and stupid web moments of 2002" (page 1, page 2) courtesy of FARK.
posted at 12:43 AM | link-

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If this Jetta's a rockin', don't bother kn-kn-knockin'!
Double-post! From my guest-blogging duties over at Blog Anon ... the "best & worst make-out cars" for steaming up windshields.
posted at 05:41 PM | link-

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Slim pickin's
Tell me why I don't like Mondays...

I guess I could understand if she was PMSing, but day-um.
Don't worry. You might still be able to play a dwarf in LoTR 3.
What is it with men and photos like this anyway?
This FARK Photoshop contest is for Ashley.
The strangest things lost at Disney World and Universal -- glass eyes, limbs and dentures -- oh my. I want in on those yard sales though!

And now, your moment of zen...
posted at 04:12 PM | link-

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Here we are now - entertain us
Now here's a little story I've got to tell
About three bad brothers you know so well
It started way back in history
With Adrock, M.C.A., and me - Mike D.

Had a little horsey named Paul Revere
Just me and my horsey and a quart of beer
Riding across the land - kicking up sand
Sheriff's posse on my tail cause I'm in demand

One lonely Beastie I be
All by myself without nobody
The sun is beating down on my baseball hat
The air is gettin' hot - the beer is getting flat
Lookin' for a girl - I ran into a guy
His name is M.C.A., I said, 'Howdy' - he said, 'Hi'

He told a little story that sounded well rehearsed
Four days on the run and that he's dying of thirst
The brew was in my hand and he was on my tip
His voice was hoarse, his throat was dry
He asked me for a sip

He said, 'Can I get some?'
I said, 'You can't get none!'
Had a chance to run
He pulled out his shotgun
He was quick on the draw - I thought I'd be dead
He put the gun to my head and this is what he said

'Now my name is M.C.A. - I've got a license to kill
I think you know what time it is - it's time to get ill
Now what do we have here - an outlaw and his beer
I run this land, you understand - I make myself clear?'

We stepped into the wind - he had a gun, I had a grin
You think this story's over but it's ready to begin

'Now I got the gun - you got the brew
You got two choices of what you can do
It's not a tough decision as you can see
I can blow you away or you can ride with me...'

I said, I'll ride with you if you can get me to the border
The sheriff's after me for what I did to his daughter
I did it like this - I did it like that
I did it with a whiffleball bat

So.........

I'm on the run - the cop's got my gun
And right about now - it's time to have some fun

The King Adrock, that is my name
And I know the fly spot where they got the champagne

We rode for six hours then we hit the spot
The beat was a bumping and the girlies was hot
This dude was staring like he knows who we are
We took the empty spot next to him at the bar

M.C.A. said, 'Yo, you know this kid?'
I said, 'I didn't' but I know he did
The kid said, 'Get ready cause this ain't funny
My name's Mike D. and I'm about to get money.'

Pulled out the jammy - aimed it at the sky
He yelled, 'Stick 'em up!' - and let two fly
Hands went up and people hit the floor
He wasted two kids that ran for the door

'I'm Mike D. and I get respect
Your cash and your jewelry is what I expect.'

M.C.A. was with it and he's my ace
So I grabbed the piano player and I punched him in the face
The piano player's out - the music stopped
His boy had beef - and he got dropped
Mike D. grabbed the money
M.C.A. snatched the gold
I grabbed two girlies and a beer that's cold
posted at 05:05 AM | link-

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Not. Bye, bye, bye (week).
"And TB will lose in the chilly lands of Chicago land."

"I think TB needs to be more concerned wih figuring out a way to win in cold temps then about Parcells."

15-0 score. 12-4 record. Now would you like to try again with your real name and ID? I'm sure I'll be taking my fair share of smack when/if we play the Eagles at home...
posted at 11:27 PM | link-

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Karma, she's a real bitch, ain't she?
Remember this? Well now we are seriously laughing our asses off.

Bucs say talks with Parcells amount to tampering
The Buccaneers have notified Bill Parcells' agent Jimmy Sexton that talks with the Cowboys are in violation of NFL's tampering rules, claiming Parcells signed a four-year contract with Tampa Bay last year before deciding not to take the job...

...The Bucs contend teams must first seek permission from them to talk with Parcells and would be entitled to compensation if Parcells agrees to coach elsewhere next season.

Read the full article over at ESPN.com and snicker along with us...
posted at 04:47 PM | link-

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I want my...MTV2
Not that I can remember the last time they actually played videos...but...

"You thought you were sick of J. Lo now? MTV has released plans to tighten its already limited video playlist and concentrate on 10 videos that will receive substantial airplay -- 30-plus spins per week. The initiative, which is being referred to as “The Big Ten,” was the brainchild of MTV/MTV2 Executive VP of Music and Talent Programming Tom Calderone, and saw videos from Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Eminem, Jennifer Lopez and Snoop Dogg receiving between 48 and 52 spins during its first week in effect. While one might think that expanding playlists would be the logical step to increase total music sales, Calderone apparently has different ideas: “We are serious about selling music and breaking bands,” he tells HITS magazine. “The more impressions, the more penetration, the better the sales.” Fortunately, there are no plans at this time to apply this policy to MTV2."

Lovely. Timberlake killed the video star. (Story from FARK.com and CMJ.com.)
posted at 03:17 PM | link-

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Apron strings
Since it was brought up in my comments, I thought maybe this should be addressed on the main page instead... Adoption for us isn't as easy as just saying we want to / we're going to do it. In fact, adoption will most likely be in our plans one day. But. And here's the big but. (And not the one on my backside.) I am disabled. Public adoption is pretty much ruled out for us. Which completely invalidates your theory. There is no way I could pass the screening process, even though we are perfectly capable of raising a child together. (Key word: together) We've been told we have little to no chance of adopting a child through state-funded means. And even if we did...you don't just apply and get a baby. You wait. And wait. And wait some more. Just like we've been doing since we originally started trying to have a baby in 1998, and then I learned I couldn't have one in the spring of 2000.

Which leads us to private adoption. Yep, we've done our research here, too. We've been told to have a minimum of $10,000 on hand for this. Shaw...right. We're lucky to have $1000 in savings in a given year. We live on one income. Although if we had a child tomorrow we'd be perfectly capable of raising it on what we make now -- starting out with -$10,000 from day one would cripple us in any given scenario.

Then there's private foreign adoption. We watch this very closely each time we learn of someone pursuing it. In the examples of family friends that have done so, we've been told to have a minimum of $20K on hand -- and up to $50K saved depending on the country. Besides the legal expenses involved, some countries have a knack for upping the ante at the very end -- and if you can't pay, you can't play. Since I don't have a rich aunt Edna somewhere waiting in the wings to buy us a child, again, we wait.

Adoption is tailored to a two-income family -- or at least a one-income famlily with two healthy individuals. We are neither. I'm not exactly sure where you're getting the figure that it's cheaper than having a kid in the hospital, but that's certainly not our case. We have excellent insurance and each prenatal visit's co-pay would be $10 each. The actual birth and hospitalization would cost us a maxium of $150. Versus a $10K pricetag...well, no... I've had several thousands of dollars worth of surgeries, drugs, and treatments to date -- and we've been out no more than several hundred in co-pays. Of course, our arms are still empty. But no matter what path God ultimately leads us down, it will never be as easy as just wishing it done. Ever. We have finally accepted that.

And even though I was open to the idea of adoption from day one, Todd was not. That's a very big, and private, decision in a marriage. You just can't go along telling someone they "should do it". We reached the decision together after travelling a path together that was filled with an enormous amount of pain, physically and emotionally. I cannot fault my husband for wanting his own flesh and blood. That's a part of human nature. And he certainly can't fault me for exhausting every bit of modern technology possible when trying to give that to him. But again, these are very private decisions we have to reach together for private reasons -- emotionally and financially.

If anyone out there has $10K lying around, well then I'd love to consider starting my family tomorrow. Otherwise, I just have to continue to believe there are reasons God has said "not right now", and that someday I will understand them.
posted at 02:45 PM | link-

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