American Idol: Top 5 Results

It's been a crazy, busy day that started at 3 a.m. and won't wrap up until 9 o'clock...but I wanted to take a minute and just comment on last nights American Idol results show.

If you missed it, the bottom three shaped up like this: Kris, Matt G., and Adam. Yeah...Adam!

For the record, I'm not a big fan of his...but I know enough about this show and the audience to know this kid has already won. So imagine my shock when he landed in the bottom three. I almost fell off the couch when they sent Kris back to the couch and left Matt and his enormous mole standing along side Adam at center stage.

As the anticipation built I kept thinkin, "Is it possible? Could Adam really go home? Did enough people think he was safe and not vote for him?"

The 20 or so seconds it took Ryan Seacrest to spit out the answer seemed like an eternity. But in the end America got it right and send mole...umm, I mean Matt...home.

On a side note...I wonder if Idol will pick up the tab on that $6,000 bill for the birthday food fight, or will they just front Danny the money to cover it until his record deal is finalized?

Next week the Top 4 sing Rock n Roll. I think this favors Adam, Allison, and Danny. Odd man out? Kris...the tender, soft love song kinda guy. But hey...what do I know? I would have bet you breakfast that Adam would never leave the comfort of the Idol couch on results night.

OK...gotta run...I have Cub Scouts waiting, I need a shower, and Survivor is on tonight! Oh and I have opinions about that show too! I'll talk about that tomorrow.

Alas...what's happened to breakfast!?

Oh the stresssssssss!

I had all but given up hope of a good week morning breakfast.

I don’t know why it’s so hard to understand what I am asking for, but the old team at, my morning coffee and breakfast joint, just couldn’t seem to get it right.

I suppose the thing that upsets me the most is that I know they can clearly hear what I am saying when I place my order! For crying out loud, I work in radio!! Aside from a 'Mainah' accent that comes out when I am being lazy or am tired, I am fairly articulate and can convey what I am thinking and what my desires are…I do it all the time successfully!

Last week, I stopped for my morning meal and found, much to my delight, a new person at the window. She was polite, friendly and actually smiled! I checked my order and then looked around to make sure I wasn't in the twilight zone - and left. I enjoyed my stops all last week. My breakfast sandwiches weren’t burnt to a crisp and my coffee was exactly the way I would make it at home. Delicious. There's really something to be said for customer service, especially at the 3:30 AM drive through!

This morning, I was in full anticipation of a delicious breakfast sandwich and piping hot coffee with extra cream and sugar. I had once again gotten excited about breakfast, and used to the easy stress free start to my day. I know my coffee will be hot, but not too hot. The sugar will be just right and my bagel will be perfectly toasted. I rolled through the drive through after placing my order and up to the window.

THE SHOCK! THE HORROR!

The old team was back in place... I don't know where they went, or why they came back but I was not impressed. Sure enough, my coffee wasn't right, and my bagel was burned beyond recognition. The only way I could even tell it was a bagel is because it was round. Well, it was mostly round I guess. It's coffee and a bagel. How hard is it really? I know a couple of elementary school kids who could do a better job.

Looks like I am going to have to find another route to work which includes a different breakfast stop. I just don't think I can go back to the way things were - not after having experienced the joy of a job well done.
What happened to my breakfast angels? Where are they? If you see them, please tell them where to find me! I miss them desperately!

Rock on with your bad self,

H

Spring is here in full force!

Finally! Spring has sprung and summer is around the corner!

We went for a bike ride on Saturday afternoon, and it was absolutely gorgeous! The first of many for the season.

We also had another trip around Casco Bay in the sail boat! We have begun our renovations to the inside the cabin, but we're not fully decided on what our final design will be - we are going to customize it to suit our needs. But it still sails great, and I don't mind being out on the waves one bit!

Today, it's back to work though and I have many tasks ahead of me. First on the list is to see about getting some manure, compost and some mulch for the gardens. We spent a great deal of time getting them weeded and raked out, now it's time to 'dress them up'.

I also need to get some large stones moved to the front yard, to make a curved wall at the corner of the driveway. Then it's on to relocating many rosebushes to the other side of the yard, and replanting them.

I got a sweet gift card to Home Depot for my birthday - and I can't wait to use it to get something new and fabulous for the yard! But, first comes the work. At least the weather is gorgeous! I'll turn on the tunes, lather on the sunblock and get to work!

Enjoy the day, and rock on with your bad self.

H

Just shut up Dad!

Monday's are always a little rough...but today seems to be even more so than normal...I've been feeling a little off since I got to work at 3:45 this morning.

On a normal morning I park on the street, and then move my car to the parking garage after the show. Most mornings this means that I have to park on the 4th floor of the garage...which I love because it allows me to take the stairs and then walk the block back to the station and get a little exercise.

However, since I'm not feeling so great this morning...I was thrilled when I spied an open spot on the first floor of the garage. But my happiness was short-lived because as I turned on my blinker and prepared to pull in...a woman in a HUGE SUV decided that since her vehicle is bigger than mine that she would squeeze her gas-guzzling monster into a spot designed for a sedan...and she promptly swung in front of me and took my spot!

Flabbergasted that someone would be so rude, I sat there looking at her with my most evil scowl. Once finished fixing her make-up and gathering her purse, she climbed out of the SUV, glanced my way and flipped me the bird!!

I almost came unglued! How dare she steal my spot...and then have the audacity to flip me off! My first instinct was to curse her up one side and down the other. I probably would have too...if it weren't for my kids. As I sat there...the first word of a long list of unprintable words on the tip of my tongue...I thought of Jack and Nick and what they say to me when I get really mad.

"Dad...the first rule of anger management is to just shut up!"

Right they are. Rule number one when you feel like you're going to go off the deep end on someone...is just shut up and don't say anything. My boys love to remind me of that...I really think they just enjoying saying shut up, since it's on the list of banned phrases at our house...and the fact they get to say it to me just furthers their enjoyment!

So to the lady in the big blue SUV...you should thank my kids for saving your butt this morning! Now before I actually blog something I'll regret later...I'll just shut up.

Why Does This Stuff Always Happen to Me?

Have you ever had one of those days when you stop and ask yourself, "Why does this stuff always happen to me?"

Yeah me too.

Take today for instance! I was at the gym...on the treadmill, minding my own business...hot, sweaty, legs burning, praying to God that I'd survive another 10 minutes. I had the headphones on blasting some Disco's Greatest Hits CD that my wife got me for my birthday.

Usually, I just get into a zone and don't pay attention to anyone around me...but then she walked into the gym! Oh you know her...the really hot chick that looks like she just stepped off the cover of Fitness magazine...toned, tanned and buff...but not too much. And she worked the aisle between the treadmills and elliptical machines like a runway model on the catwalk!

And then it happened. She stopped a few feet away and smiled. In that split second I thought to myself, "Oh my God! Do I know her?" In the next split second I thought, "I must really be looking good!"

So I smiled back, took off my headphones, and heard her say, "Hey! How you doing?"

Again, the voice in my head spoke up, "Dude...you are the man!"

I continued to smile and said, "I'm doing great. How about you?"

What happened next couldn't have been any more embarrassing than if I had fallen off the back of the treadmill and face-planted on the floor!

The smile on my beautiful Fitness magazine hottie was quickly replaced with a look of total disgust. I heard her say "Oh my God. Some old dude just tried to talk to me. Oooooooo gross."

I looked around to see who could possibly be so stupid...and that's when it hit me....she was actually talking to someone on her Bluetooth...not me!

OH MY GOD! I WAS THE GROSS OLD DUDE? Come on. Really? Me?


Then suddenly the voice inside my head was running its yap again. At least it had the decency to keep it short and to the point..."Loooooooser!"

I hate that voice.

Another year older, but not much wiser...

Why do people say older and wiser? It seems that as each year passes, I forget more than I remember. and I just end up feeling more and more old. When do I get to the 'wiser' part anyway?

I was asking my mother last night over my birthday dinner, if it's normal for me to remember the stuff that doesn't matter - and always forget the important stuff. Appointments - I forget them. Stupid insignificant stuff - Yeah...I remember it. Some days I seriously think that some point I was handed the title "Keeper of Odd Knowledge". (It's fun at parties and during trivia games, but otherwise it's a real pain in my you-know-what!)

I walk into rooms looking for something and once I cross the threshold, I completely forgot what I went in there for. I will turn around to leave and suddenly remember - "Oh yeah..." I was going to pick up that herb that helps you remember stuff, but every time I go to the store I forget what it's called so I come home empty handed. I go through a lot of advil from smacking myself in the head, and I can't tell you how much V-8 I've had in the past few years.

Mother said it's not going to get better - and that it's OK - and perfectly normal for me to find that I've left the carrots on the stove and didn't serve them with dinner, because I forgot I made them. Forgetting that there WAS dinner is another story though. Maybe she's still protecting me, maybe she's telling the truth. Who knows for sure, she's A LOT older than I am - which most likely means I'll need to get her a GPS soon so she can continue coming over to visit and then find her way home. LOL JK mom, I love ya.


Someday, I will be able to tell my grand children stories about how I lived, loved and learned.

They'll think I am absolutely amazing, just like I did about my grandparents. Of course that's before they realize that I don't remember who they are or that I am related to them.


Rock on with your forgetful self...

H

Nice to meet you...now turn and cough!

I just got back from meeting my new doctor...which is to say that an hour ago I got naked in front of a complete stranger within 15 minutes of meeting him!

You know...nothing says, "It's nice to meet you" like "Turn and cough."

As far as I'm concerned, choosing a doctor is a lot like going on a first date. On a date you aim to impress...detailing every work accomplishment, embellishing your sports prowess, and bragging about last years trip to Jamaica...all in an attempt to make a good impression and hopefully end the night with a good night kiss and the promise of another date.

When meeting a new doctor you kind of do the same thing...but instead of work and
vacations...you boast of going to the gym 3 days a week and working out like an Olympic athlete, insist that you've never been sick a day in your life, pull out a photo album that traces all of you ancestors back to the old country...people of strong stock, that all lived to be at least 96.

And, if you're a guy...you tell all of these tales for one reason, and one reason only...to avoid the dreaded prostate exam!

We'd rather have dinner with our ex-wife and her mother...both of them berating and verbally beating us to a pulp...before we hear the sound of a latex glove snapping against a cold hand! Oh you laugh...but it is SO true.

Thank God I escaped with just an examination of the Fox Family Jewels...but I'm sure my smooth talk will only get me so far! But then again, maybe I can just avoid him for a couple of years...and then work my charm on another new doctor.

Hey it's worth a try...anything to avoid "OK...relax. This will just take a minute!"

Sailing Casco Bay!

Geoff and I bought a sailboat a few weeks ago. I've never sailed in my life, but was willing to have him teach me. He's sailed for years, worked at marina's and knows all about boats. I am beginning to think there isn't much he doesn't know! (Incidentally my dear, if you're reading this, I mean that in the nicest possible way!)

I never considered sailing as something fun. I didn't think I would ever have the desire to go, or be invited, because I don't know anyone else who sails. I thought it was boring and something that old rich people did.

The boat is a 1971 Venture 21'. It's been sitting for a long time and needs some work. We cleaned it up, but before we got too involved in the fixing, we needed to get it in the water and make sure we weren't getting in over our heads. (that is the expensive part I worried about) Saturday, we raised the mast put on the sails and made sure we had everything in the right place. We had everything together and the only other thing to do was to try it out. We spent Sunday morning cleaning her up, and then headed in to Casco Bay around 11AM. It was a perfect day! Sunshine, nice wind, we were ready for our maiden voyage.

As we left the boat launch and headed out into the bay, I was excited and apprehensive. I haven't been on too many boats in the ocean. It's a lot different than the lakes and rivers I am used to, thank you very much. But once the sails went up, and the boat took off - it was amazing! I completely forgot that we were in the ocean. It felt like we were riding a kite. I learned how to 'come about' by switching the jib from one side to another and was amazed at how that little rudder can move the boat with such precision!

Soon enough Geoff let me be in charge of the tiller and that was it. I was hooked!

I watched the jib, and as the wind caught it, I could feel it in the tiller and once I found the 'sweet spot' and held on, the boat took off across the bay! I felt such power! It was truly incredible. I can't wait for next weekend and am hoping that we're not too busy with household chores and such so we can go again! Heck, I'm ready to go right now!

Rock on with your bad self,

H

I'm Nicks Dad

Somewhere along the way I've ceased to be just Bill Fox. I'm not exactly sure how it happened...but I'm pretty sure it's my kids fault!

Oh sure we're all defined by our family, our job, the little quirks that make us all unique...but when did I become known simply as Jack and Nicks Dad? Not that it's a bad thing to be Jack and Nicks Dad...but Bill or Mr. Fox would be OK too!

Here's what I'm getting at...on Thursday my youngest son, Nick, took a school field trip to Merrill Auditorium to see the musical/play Junie B. Jones. Since it's only two blocks away from work I decided that I'd walk down and see it with him.

As the school buses arrived, I could see the eager young first grade faces, filled with excitement as they looked out the windows, eager to get inside. As Nick climbed off the bus he spotted me immediately and was quickly glued to my side. As other kids started climbing down from the bus..I was occasionally met with a "Hi Mr. Fox"...which I fully expected because many of them know me as the Cub Master for Cub Scout Pack 323. But then I began being peppered with "Hi Nicks dad"...or "Hey Nicks dad are you here to see Junie B. Jones?"...or "Hey Nicks dad, I heard you on the radio this morning."

And it wasn't just kids either. I heard one parent ask another, "Who's that guy in the red jacket with the kids?" The reply? You guessed it..."Oh...him? That's Nicks dad!"

Nicks Dad? OK...I am Nicks dad...but come on before I was Nicks dad I was Bill or Mr. Fox or Bill Fox from FRANK-FM! Hey, don't misunderstand...I love being Nicks dad...but I'm also kind of fond of being Bill.

So, after about the 5th or 6th time of being greeted as Nicks dad, I finally asked one little girl if she knew my real name. She said she had heard me say on the radio that it's Bill Fox, but her dad is convinced it isn't really my real name because no one on the radio uses their real name!

Oh my God...I almost fell over on the sidewalk right outside the Merrill!

I assured her that my real name is Bill Fox, and that lots of people on the radio use their real name. She tilted her head, looked at me as if she was trying to figure out whether or not I was trying to pull a fast one...then smiled and said, "OK Nicks dad...if you say so!"

Oh well...Nicks dad it is!

OMG! Am I a Stalker?

The weirdest thing just happened.

After moving my car from the curb to the parking garage next to the FRANK studio, I headed toward the stairs to start the climb down to the street, when my nose caught a whiff of the most beautiful smell ever. Immediately I scanned the garage looking for what could possibly be responsible for this glorious aroma... after all this garage usually reeks of cat urine, motor oil, and burned rubber...so to smell something this wonderful was quite a surprise.


Then I spotted her...talking on her cell phone...totally unaware that her perfume had caused me to lock in on her like a Great White Shark on a bleeding seal! Usually I'm in no hurry to rush down four flights of stairs, but I was afraid this wonderful scent was about to escape so I quickly picked up the pace and fell into step one flight behind this walking bouquet!

All the way down the stairs the smell of perfume engulfed me to the point that I thought to myself, "You have to say something. You must tell her how wonderful she smells." It was almost like a scene in a movie where an Angel and a Devil pop up on your shoulders!


The Devil was whispering in my ear..."Do it. Tell her you wanna sniff her from head to toe." Meanwhile the Angel was saying, "Don't you dare say a word. Plug your nose and keep on walking." Then the Devil popped up again and called me a wimp!

By this point I had reached the bottom of the stairs, she had escaped, umm I mean gone outside...still talking on her cell...waiting to cross the street. Usually I would have crossed, but for some strange reason I suddenly felt a little more law abiding!

Then, as quickly as it had started, it was over. The light changed, she walked on, and I took a couple of deep sniffs...hoping to ingrain that smell into my olfactory lobe forever.

I'm not sure who would have won out in the Devil vs. Angel battle...but I'm kinda leaning Devil!
I just can't even begin to explain how GREAT she smelled...it was truly AMAZING. And you know what just dawned on me? Maybe I'll smell her, I mean see her...tomorrow and I can ask then.

I'll let you know.

Oh the drama of a teenage girl at prom time!

I couldn't begin to tell you what I have spent on dresses for Caitlin in the past 6 years.
Formal, semi-formal, casual, whatever!

If there was a dance, she needed a new dress. And often times there was more than one dance a year, which meant another shopping trip! (because God forbid she be seen in last year's dress!)

And of course getting a new dress, means getting new shoes, new jewlery, nails, hair, etc...

If you have a daughter, then you know the drill.

She came home yesterday and said she found one that was perfect and soooo beautiful! Then proceeded to tell me that she wished she had the money to buy it.

No matter that it was $400!

After I was done choking, I told her that sounded more like a wedding dress than a prom dress, and for her to not hold her breath that I was going to pay for it either.

The major dilemma this year, is that she needs a date. She can't go with her boyfriend, because he is 21. The 'rules' about prom, say that someone over the age of 20 cannot attend. So, now, she is freaking out.

I told her to find a friend who she'd have a good time with and go with him. No pressure, just fun. It's their last year to all be together and they should enjoy it. Apparently that wasn't a good suggestion, because she shot me a look that said "you've got to be kidding"...

Her brother suggested that she go with her friends and have a good time, since it's the last time they'll get to go to a school dance, and he got the same look.

Apparently, it's not cool to show up at your senior prom with your friends. It means you're a completely hopeless loser and couldn't find a date. I tried to tell her that she could be the one person to shatter that 'loser image' by showing up sans date. Again, I got the look.

I don't know what she's going to do, all I know is that after this the whole dress shopping thing is over. Well, at least until she decides to get married. And THAT isn't going to be for a verrry loooong time!

Rock on with your bad self. I gotta go dress shopping... AGAIN!

H

Tipping for Take-out

If you missed it this morning, I told the story about how I was chastised for not tipping when I picked up a take-out order Friday night. As I headed toward the door, after signing the debit receipt, I overheard a waitress ask the cashier if I tipped. When she said "No," the waitress screeched, "Unbelievable...what a jerk."

Jerk? Me? Why because I didn't offer up 15% of the bill for a TAKE OUT order? Hello. All she did was place the food inside a Styrofoam container, place it in a bag, and bring it to the counter. She didn't ring it up...heck she didn't even put napkins or plastic utensils in the bag. She simply carried it from point A to point B. For that I'm supposed to tip? Sorry...ain't gonna happen.

Now had I sat down and had dinner at a table, and she had actually waited on me...as in brought drinks and food to the table, provided re-fills or answered questions about the menu, been polite and attentive then she would have gotten no less than 20%. However, for the service provided I didn't feel a tip was in order.

The overwhelming majority of people that called, e-mailed, and sent Facebook messages this morning in response to the story actually agreed with me. There were a couple of people that thought I should have tipped regardless of the situation. One waitress said it's customary to tip 10% on take-out orders.

Curious about this...I decided to do a little research but couldn't find anything to support her claim. As a matter of fact, most of the articles I read said just the opposite...NO tip for take-out is perfectly acceptable.

Tipping is one of those things that everyone has an opinion about. Heck you know it's a big part of pop culture when it shows up in the opening scene of a movie (Reservoir Dogs) and we spent half an hour talking about it this morning, and here I sit blogging about it almost 12 hours later.

Did you know in Iceland it's considered rude to tip?

For more on tipping check out this website: http://www.tipping.org/tips/us.html.

Mondays are not my favorite.

Oh yeah... It's monday.

What the heck is going on? I can't do anything right! I can't talk. I can't type. I can't walk and chew gum today! It seems like everything I touch breaks or just doesn't work.

This morning before I even got here, I should have known it was going to be a bad day - because as I was ready to pull into the garage, I couldn't find my keycard. I didn't even have my debit card to get cash from the bank to put into a meter! I just started to tell myself how stupid I was, and then I looked down and found it in the cupholder. Now, why I would ever put it there in the first place, I don't know. But I did, and thankfully I found it. I wonder if part of my problem is left over from the weekend.

We went to New Hampshire and stayed with Geoff's mother for Easter - great trip, great meal, great company and many, many laughs. I love to visit their house! Normally, Geoff and I take the room downstairs. It's a pullout bed that is king size. We love how dark the room is, how quiet it is and I love how big the bed is! This time however, as I headed for the room Geoff said, "We're in the guest room upstairs this time. That bed is more comfortable." I said "OK."

What I didn't know, was that the bed upstairs in the guest room was a full size bed. I didn't realize people still had those... Needless to say, although the bed was comfortable, there just wasn't enough of it! OK for one person, or maybe a couple of 6 year olds, but not the two of us!
I didn't get much sleep and was anxious to get home and sleep in our own bed.

I stayed up extra late last night, hoping that once I hit the bed I wouldn't hear a thing till the alarm went off. I woke up an hour before it was scheduled, and tossed and turned getting more upset by the minute. Finally I got up. Things haven't been good since.



The only good thing about it is that I know Bill's day isn't any better than mine.
Ask him how HIS day started!...




I am off to find a comfortable spot in the sun to try and take a nap.

Rock on with your bad self,

H

Finally Friday!

It's finally Friday!

Bill and I have been jonesin' to get out of work since we got here! All morning we've been discussing how we need to get our weekend started! We've had nothing but silliness all morning, well, wait a minute... we always have silliness all morning - but something about today makes our silliness extra special.
(Prolly cause it's FRIDAY!) We've had tons of fun and shennagins on Facebook as well!

In my search of the internets for silliness, I came across this. It is kind of like what Bill and I like to refer to as a 'Frank Prank', cause we'd so do this...

Enjoy the video and your weekend!


I am outta here so I can get to the store and buy up all the Easter peeps before they're gone!
Rock on with your bad self...

H

Baseball is back

Spring is finally here and that means the return of baseball.

After a false start because of weather, the Red Sox started off strong on Tuesday...Josh Beckett was on fire. Last nights game wasn't so great....John Lester started off strong, but quickly faded in the 4th inning and Boston ended up losing. And things aren't going so great this afternoon for game 3 with Tampa Bay. I know it's only the 3rd game of the year...but I hate losing this early on.

Of course tonight is the Portland Sea Dogs season opener against the Connecticut Defenders. I'm excited to see how new pitcher Junichi Tazawa will play for Portland. The Sox obviously have high hopes for him...he was signed last year as amateur free agent after four years with the Japanese Industrial League.

If this kid does well how long do you think it will take them to print up a bunch of T-shirts and jersey's with the name TAZ on the back?

And finally, as excited as I am about the Sox and the Dogs...I'm more excited about Hollis Little League. Both of my sons will be playing their first season of baseball! Nick played two years of
T-Ball...but as he frequently reminds me, this is the real thing with uniforms AND he has t wear a cup! Can I tell you how thrilled they both were to wear a cup...UNTIL they had to wear it!

Let's hope it's a good season for all of our teams.

My son is totally cool.

Last night, while making dinner, my son came into the kitchen with his bass guitar and a couple of CD's...

OK. Pause.

His best friends play guitar and they have their own band! He's gone to a few garage concerts (at another friend's house) It's at a safe fun, adult supervised, chem free place so I don't mind him going. They have a huge concert at least once a year and all the 'school' bands take turns playing. He has gone to a few and really liked them. So, I bought him a Fender Jazz Bass for Christmas two years ago, wondering if he'd play it or be interested in it. It's a sweet one too, it's royal blue and he takes very good care of it.

OK. Resume.

He didn't say anything, but I knew he had an agenda... I asked him "What's on the CD's?" He said "Oh, it is just a couple of music CD's that I made." So I said "Anything I'd like?"

He said "Yeah!" and that was all it took to get him talking. He pulled (out of no where) the tabs he printed off the internet and showed me what he's been practicing. I was interested to hear what he could do and he said that he could play a few of the songs on the CD he had in his hand, I said, "Well, lets hear it!" He put in the CD, I took a seat in a kitchen chair next to Geoffrey and we listened.

The first song he played was by Kings of Leon, but don't ask me the second song. Not because I didn't know it, or because I wasn't paying attention... But, as he played, I watched his fingers - and it seemed to me that the music wasn't coming from a CD player at all. It was coming from HIM. I was fixated. I was amazed.

My eyes teared up, and I tried not to let any of them fall out, because he gets so embarassed when I do that. (He's 16, and there is a lot of stuff that upsets 16 year old boys, as I am finding out!) Gosh! Just sitting here writing this, thinking about listening to him and seeing the efforts he's put into teaching himself how to play, makes me teary.

Do you know the feeling of having your chest filled with pride to the point that it physically hurts and feels as though it will explode? I can't explain it any better than that, but if you're a proud parent, I don't need to.

My son is totally cool and I didn't realize how cool he was until last night. I am so flattered that he came to seek me out, guitar and CD in hand to show me his talent. I've heard him up in his room 'playing' and at bed time have always told him to 'turn it down please', but I had no idea that he was so talented. I am not going to ask him to turn it down anymore.

Who knows, he could be the next Les Claypool, Larry Graham, Jeff Berlin, Flea, Victor Wooten, John Paul Jones or Jaco Pastorius!

Rock on with your bad self, I sure am!

H

I Just Saw the Coolest Thing

I was just up close and personal with a HAWK!

I was taking the stairs in the parking garage when I heard someone coming down behind me, talking softly, and obviously trying to comfort someone...or in this case...a hawk! At first, I didn't realize it was a hawk...I just kinda glanced in his direction and initially thought it was a dove...then I saw the beak.

The animal control guy told me that the hawk had gotten stuck on the 3rd floor and couldn't fly out...so he had been dispatched to rescue it and then set it free.

Being a huge animal lover it was amazing to be that close to a hawk...and I was happy to see the animal control officer was being so gentle and caring. Good on him...and I'm sure the hawk will be a little happier now that he's not trapped inside a parking garage.

Hor'dourves anyone?

I am throwing a party in less than two weeks and have been stressed out about the Hor'dourves. I've gone back and forth for a few weeks now, and still can't decide.

I make a pretty decent bruschetta, if I do say so myself, so I have at least decided on making that. I've served it at coctail parties as an appetizer, as well as with weeknight family dinners. I make it so often that my family doesn't consider it 'special' any more... They don't even bother ordering it when we go out, they just wait for me to make it at home and with 4 teens, it doesn't last long so I normally make two batches at a time! Today, I'll share it with you, and you can try it out on your family to see what they think.

As a side note, you can use a can of petite diced tomatoes (drained of course) in place of the fresh ones - and if you're in a pinch and don't have fresh herbs, you can use dried ones, but beware, it won't taste the same!

Best Bruchetta

INGREDIENTS

1 French baguette
1-2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch ground white pepper
1 (8 ounce) package sliced mozzarella cheese
1 (6 ounce) package sliced provolone cheese


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Slice the baguette into 1/2 inch thick diagonal slices.
Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Brush both sides of each slice with the olive oil.
Place tomato slices and a sprinkling of basil and oregano on the bread slices.
Sprinkle the tomatoes, basil and oregano with the garlic powder and white pepper.
Cover the tomato slices with slices of the mozzarella and provolone.
(I normally tear these up a bit, to make them fit the bread better, and don't usually use a full slice of cheese per bread)
Place more basil, oregano and tomato slices on top of the cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
Enjoy!

If you have a favorite recipe for Hor'dourves that I can use for my party, I'd sure appreciate you sending it along! Please? If it's really good, I may just invite you to my party!

Rock on with your bad self and get out the recipe book!

H

Monsters vs. Aliens 3-D

If you have kids then you MUST...I repeat MUST take them to see Monsters vs. Aliens 3-D. Make sure it's the 3-D version...and the only place it's showing in the Portland area is the Cinemagic in Saco. The 3-D makes it feel like a ride at Disneyworld.



Now understand something...the storyline is thin, the plot is OK, the actors are fantastic (it has an all-star cast)...but your kids will love it. The best part...after 30 minutes of being wowed with the 3-D...you can catch a great nap and no one will notice because you have on those big, plastic 3-D glasses!

Beware though...it is a bit pricey...$30 for my two boys and me...that doesn't include snacks. So be ready to shell out some serious bucks for a a great nap...ummm, I mean an afternoon of fun!

In all seriousness...it was a very good movie, and based on my kids reaction it's sure to be a big hit.

I didn't think it would get me, but it did...

"Hello, my name is Heidi, and I am a Facebook addict."

It's true! I would join a support group, but that's usually for someone who's quit something. I can't quit Facebook!! It rules my life during the week. Usually, on the weekends I have a lot of work to do in the house and outside, and I don't always have the leisure of sitting at my computer - the kids tend to take up a lot of weekend time at the desk anyway...But when it's finally my turn to log on, I head straight for Facebook! I can't stand it if I don't know what's going on.

Facebook is going to turn me into a recluse! I'm totally serious, here's why.

1.) You can 'visit' with people and never leave the comfort of your computer chair.
2.) Reconnecting with classmates is easier than going to a reunion.
3.) #2 also applies to family.
4.) It has saved me a lot of minutes on my cell phone plan. Why call someone when I can FB them instead?
5.) I can keep up on my kids and their friends...
6.) I now have friends all over the world!
7.) I save money on pictures, post em once on FB and let people download and print them as they want. Also saves on stamps.
8.) Saves me money on sending birthday cards. I can even get gifts on FB. What a cheapskate!
9.) Cool games, surveys (cause who doesn't want to be a statistic?) and information you'd never know about people if they hadn't filled out the "Random 25 things about me"!
10.) Being on FB makes me cool. (OK, maybe not, but it feels like it!)


I love my Facebook! And I was the 'Doubting Thomas' that didn't want to join. I was afraid it wouldn't be as good as 'other networking sites'. Forget about it! Facebook is THE BEST social networking site there is! If you don't have an account yet, what're you waiting for? Go start one, and when you find me, send me a friend request! I'd love to have another friend!


Rock on with your bad self!

H

Ready for the Weekend

It's finally Friday! I just woke up from a nap and I'm feeling great...so I thought I'd drop a quick blog before the kids get off the bus and the madness begins at Casa Fox.

It's the first Friday of the month and that means if you're looking for some inexpensive fun...then you might want to head to downtown Portland tonight. All of the local art galleries, etc will let you in for free to check out their wares. They usually have some free munchies too! Just don't forget your umbrella tonight.

I'm headed out to the Dogfish Cafe with Charmen and my buddy Wayne and his wife. It's the first time the four of us have all gone out together...it should be a fun night. Wayne and I are both Cub Scout Leaders...so you know nothing too crazy should happen...unless someone spikes our canteen.

Hey by the way...did you hear...Forbes Magazine named Portland "America's Most Livable City" Way to go Portland! Whoop! Whoop!

OK...the bus has arrived...perfect timing.

Have a great weekend.

April Fools Day Lesson

Never...I mean NEVER...try to pull an April Fools Day joke involving money on a 9-year-old kid.

It was almost bed time last night when I realized I hadn't exercised my God given right as a parent to pull an April Fools joke on my kids.

So, I quietly called over my oldest son, Jack, and whispered dramatically....making it overly obvious that I what I was about to impart was for his ears only. When I told him that I had left a $20 bill in my left jacket pocket and that he was welcome to it his eyes lit up like Christmas morning (That's when I should have known that I had made a BIG mistake).

Jack looked around the room to see if anyone else had heard...then silently mouthed, "20 bucks?" As I nodded yes he was off like a shot. Once at the coat rack his hands worked quickly...pulling my coat off the hook, tossing it on the table., feverishly attempting to get his little hand inside the pocket. But once there, a curious look crossed his face as he asked,

"Dad...did you say left pocket?"

"Yes, " I replied.

With confusion in his voice he said, "It's not there...and it's not in your right pocket either."

Holding back a chuckle, I said, "Oh really? Hmmm...must be because it's April Fools Day!"

At this point I expected to hear, "Oh Dad...that's not cool." Or a groan, followed by a request for some real cash. Instead he began crying like someone had ripped off his bike! It wasn't just a cry mind you...it was more of a mournful wail really! Of course it probably didn't help that I was laughing.

I tried to explain that it was a time honored Fox Family tradition to pull April Fools jokes on each other...and that now that he was old enough...I had pulled my first one on him, and that some day he will pull one on his son. Of course this line of reason fell completely on deaf ears.

However, his response had me doubled over! Through the tears he managed to choke out, "April Fools Day is stupid. It's just a good reason for people to go around lying to other people. And this is especially bad because you I would love to have $20."

Eventually all of the crying...mixed with my laughter...caught the ear of my youngest son, Nick. Once he had heard both sides of the story, Nick looked at Jack, shook his head and said, "Gimme a break Jack. It was a joke....you know Dad better than that...he's not giving up 20 bucks for any reason! Now stop your bawling...I'm trying to watch Cops."

Of course this made me laugh even harder...and Jack cry louder!

After about 10 minutes of blubbering he finally stormed off to take a shower and cool down. Afterward I tried again to explain the tradition of April Fools Day. I guess he had some time to think it over and see how ridiculous the whole thing was, because he laughed and said,

"How do you know I wasn't pulling an April Fools joke on you by pretending to cry."

"Were you?"

"No," he said. "Are you kidding? We're talking about $20!"

After I tucked him into bed I replayed the whole incident over in my head...and was reminded of this classic Saturday Night Live skit, Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy.



Good times...good times.

April Fools?

As you can imagine, with two kids graduating this year, Geoff and I have one busy household. Lots to prepare and plan for, and of course, college is at the top of the list!
Today, my daughter Caitlin, got confirmation that she’s been accepted to one of the Maine schools that she applied to. She’s thrilled, but was really hoping to be accepted to another school, so she’ll continue waiting. (It was the first acceptance letter we’ve received, so as excited as we are, we know that others will follow for both kids.)

After opening my email, I decided to check the news and I stumbled upon this story…As you can imagine I immediately thought of Caitlin…

'UC San Diego -- a school for the smart ones, supposedly -- mistakenly congratulated nearly 29,000 applicants on their acceptance, according to university officials. Earlier this month, about 17,000 students were offered admission for the fall, leaving nearly 29,000 hopefuls out in the cold.

But on Tuesday, the school's communications office said an e-mail was sent Monday afternoon to all 46,377 students who applied for admission -- including the 29,000 rejects -- welcoming them to the campus. A half-hour later, school officials said, they realized their mistake. Almost two hours after the first note went out, a second e-mail was sent, apologizing to 28,889 freshmen applicants for the mistake. An anonymous parent told the Los Angeles Times it was a "colossal screw-up."’
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/
Youre-Out-Youre-In-No-Youre-Out.html?yhp=1

I see how excited she was to be accepted from a school that she may not choose to attend, I can’t imagine her heartbreak at finding out it was a mistake! Wow. My heart goes out to these families and kids who got this letter. What a shame.

On another note, since it’s April Fools Day, I expected some sort of prank from someone and I think I got it. At least I HOPE I got it. Earlier today, I got a text message from Caitlin, saying that after school she and her friend Nicole were going to get their noses pierced. I told her “Ha ha, very funny”.

She replied that she was totally serious, so I sent back “April Fools!” To which she wrote “Mum, I am not joking. Its small and he said after it healed for a week I could take out the ring and put in a tiny stud.” As you can imagine, I lost my mind.

We’ve talked about this a few times over the past year, and I just can’t see someone wanting to put a bunch of holes in their face! I am partial because I am her mother, but she is a beautiful girl!

I don’t want to see a ring in her nose, even if it is tiny and only for a week!
What do you think?

Rock on with your bad selves,
H