My First Blog Post in 2 Years!!!!

Time flies I guess...had no idea it had been THAT long. So, since the end of the year is nigh I will do a brief retrospective of 2013: Bought a lot of material things. My travel trailer, my Big Fruck, did some work on the house. Did some traveling, went to Florida with Leah, went to San Diego with Felton...both fun, San Diego a little more though.

Moved up a bit in my job...learned and became a better manager. Have a GREAT staff at my job now.

Got over some things that made me sad and finally managed to put them behind me. Have some really good things out in front of me I am looking forward to. Best music this year? Gonna have to say that Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Lorde is the most interesting thing I've heard in a long time. U2 has a new album out in 2014 so we'll see how that goes. Last one, not so good, hopefully this one will be better. Is Denise going on tour again with U2? Not sure. She might...Depends on the album and the type of tour they decide to do. If it's a stadium, probably not...I prefer the arena tours by FAR.

Best movie? Well, thus the picture. I have always had a soft spot for Leo (I killed him Gilbert...I killed him). LOL! The Wolf of Wall Street is QUITE good. Leo pulled out ALL the acting stops in this one...may be too late to create enough buzz with the academy to win him the gold man, but if ever he had a performance that SHOULD, well, this is it. Good luck Leo!

So 2014 I welcome you! I look forward to camping, traveling, spending time with my old and new friends and just working on inner happiness. Happy New Year to all of you. I'll try not to take 2 years to post the next time.

Denise:-)

Autograph Signing with Tim Robbins!!!

Found out quite suddenly yesterday that Tim Robbins, of Bull Durham and Shawkshank Redemption fame has a band. Also found out he was going to be playing in PDX, as well as doing some record store signings. Huh...My celebrity wall hadn't seen a new pic since Bono so I figured it was time. I showed up at 5:30 so I could rally a good spot for the 6pm show....6:30, still no Tim. Best line of the night? A guy behind me said, "10 more minutes and I start flinging Michael Bolton cd's!"
Luckily, just about that time Tim did walk in. BUT, we were told since he was so late and had no guitar, no show...just cd signings. That's fine...since they had his music playing for the hour and a half we were getting annoyed waiting for him we were all starting to wonder if that's the music they play in purgatory anyway. I'd had enough of his singing for one day.
So I leave my spot I had reserved for the last hour and a half and go to a different spot in the store to stand in line for an autograph (I actually had purchased a cd...seemed polite if I wanted a picture). People in front of me had Shawshank dvds and posters they wanted signed. Tim immediately nixed that with "No movie stuff! I'm here to sign cd's". Wow...that's a huge mistake if you are trying to get folks to love a new side of you...tell them you refuse to sign their beloved movie stuff and come off as an asshole. Hard to get folks to believe they are going to love your cd after you've done that. Oh well...at this point I was just hoping nobody pissed him off so badly that he got mad and left...
Got up there quite quickly for my turn. Told him, "OK, I bought the cd, I only have one thing for you to sign, can I have a picture?" He looked sort of confused and then said, "Yeah, sure!". So I leaned in and the store guy took the picture for me...it's not bad, considering it's just a counter leaner.
While he was signing my cd I said, "I won't make any snarky comments about Bull Durham...." He sort of had this grin on his face and kept signing my c.d. Then he looked up with this DAZZLING smile and said, "Thanks so much for buying my cd!" Pretty funny. And my GOD what a smile. Everytime I get around these guys I don't think much of it until they turn the looks on...then you realize how they got so famous in the first place. That's why they are celebrities I guess.
As I was walking out I just started laughing. I was thinking, "Tim Robbins is sort of a dousche...." But the longer I thought about it, the more I think his douschiness made it a little more fun. LOL!

U2 360 in Seattle...Finally....

I had the tickets for almost 2 years, but finally the Claw came to Seattle. My co-pilot changed several times over that 2 year stretch, but it turned out that my brother Wade ended up going with me. Considering it was Wade's first U2 show, I'm thinking Bono gave it his all!
I saw 360 Tour twice already, once in Vegas and once in B.C. When I saw it before they still had hope for NLOTH to take off so a large part of the set list was from that album. This time they dropped most of that and did a very nice selection of their past catalogue. I was pretty excited that I got to see them play Stay live and accoustic. That was a first time for me. Also a first time for All I Want Is You in concert for me. Loved both!
I'm not sure if "It" was in the stadium or not...I think it's harder to feel that in that large of a stadium...you couldn't really hear the crowd singing from where I was sitting, so it was harder to get the whole comeraderie thing as I have at some smaller venues in the past. However, I won't say "It" wasn't there either...it was a good show and I felt pretty good afterwards. A U2 show continues to be my number 1 happy place!

Billy Joel On My Mind....

It occurred to me I hadn't blogged in FOREVER...last night I had a dream that was interesting enough to inspire me. Won't go into details, but I had a really interesting dream about being at a Billy concert, going home with him afterwards...for some reason my ex love interest was at the concert too but I didn't care because I knew I was hooking up with Bill, etc. One of those REALLY GREAT dreams that make you wake up feeling fantastic. So I decided to listen to all Billy Joel today as a tribute to my dream, and the first album on my WMP is The Bridge. Some of my favorite lyrics EVER belong to Code of Silence...it defines how I feel inside about MANY things. Here they are:

Everybody's got a million questions

Everybody wants to know the score

What you went through

It's something you

Should be over now

Everybody wants to hear the secrets

That you never told a soul before

And it's not that strange

Because it wouldn't change

What happened anyhow

But you swore to yourself a long time ago

There were some things that people never needed to know

This is one that you keep

That you bury so deep

No one can tear it out

And you can't talk about it

Because you're following a code of silence

You're never gonna lose the anger

You just deal with it a different way

And you can't talk about it

And isn't that a kind of madness

To be living by a code of silence

When you've really got a lot to say

You don't want to lose a friendship

There' s nothing that you have to hide

And a little dirt couldn't hurt no one anyway

And you still have a rage inside you

That you carry with certain pride

In the only part of a broken heart

That you could never save

But you've been through it once, you know how it ends

You don't see the point of going through it again,

And this ain't the place, and this ain't the time,

And neither's any other day

So you can't talk about it

Because your following a code of silence

You're never gonna lose the anger

You just deal within it a different way

So you can't talk about it

And isn't that a kind of madness

To be living by a code of silence

When you've really got a lot to say

I know you well enough to tell you've got your reasons

That's not the kind of code you're inclined to break

Some things unknown are best left alone forever

And if a vow is what it takes

Haven't you paid for your mistakes

After the moment passes

And the impulse disappears

You can still hold back

Because you don't crack very easily

It's a time honored resolution

Because the danger is always near

It's with you now

But that ain't how it was supposed to be

And it's hard to believe after all these years

That it still gives you pain and it still brings tears

And you feel like a fool, because in spite of your rules

You've got a memory

But you can't talk about it

Because you're following a code of silence

You're never gonna lose the anger

You just deal with it a different way

But you can't talk about it

And isn't that a kind of madness

To be living by a code of silence

When you've really got a lot to say

 

What's really sad is that Billy claims he can no longer write...he says he hasn't released any new stuff because he can't write anymore...Let's all cross our fingers and hope that the Muse will descend at some point and help him shake his greater than a decade writer's slump!

 

Thanks for being you Billy!

Finally Saw a Gorge Concert....One More Check off the Bucket List!!!

I finally did it and sucked it up and went to a Gorge in George concert. I must say that the drive was spectacular...all the windmills next to the road going up the pass at Maryhill were pretty cool...very distracting though...pretty windy road to be gawking at windmills on. I made it through unscathed though.

Would I see more music at the Gorge? Probably not....It's a Looooooonnnnggg drive, and the sound is bad. The view is amazing, but 20,000 people on a VERY steep hill lawn is a little much. I will have to say I far preferred Red Rocks in Colorado...much smaller than this venue, but a better venue for taking in good music. Important thing is that I did it...As I said, one more thing off the list.

What did I think of John Mayer and Keith Urban together? Well, together they sounded every bit as good as I thought they would....And I'd just seen Keith a few months back at the Rose Garden and was impressed out of my shoes. This show was an abbreviated version of that, only with worse sound and too many people....but it made me remember the Garden show so I was happy. As for John Mayer, alas, I just don't like HIM...I tried to look past it for the music, but then realized the music is a little too sleepy for me. I don't hate him, but he's nobody I'd go see again. I like him better when he's jamming with others than I do on his own playing his own stuff.

So, overall it was not a bad day, and I'm glad for the experience, but unless U2 books the Gorge pretty soon, I probably won't be back anytime soon...I have too many good venues within 20 miles of where I live to feel the need to drive 300 miles for a concert. I guess that's why I live here in the first place!

How Not to Go Over Oak Springs

We are all going rafting on Sunday. Hopefully this is NOT how Oak Springs works out for us...

Jimmy Fallon on a Roll....Idol Skit

This is really funny...gotta give Jake credit for doing this:

Evan Lysacek and the Argentine Tango

Best dance I've seen since Gilles was on the show a couple of years ago...VERY hot!

My Girl Melissa on DWTS

This doesn't suck. Nuff said. :-)

Maks Dancing to Reba

This TOTALLY works for me! Maks with his shirt off dancing a 2 step type thing is just so hot...enjoy!



And this Paso Doble was pretty hot as well...I've already stated how much I love Derek in the past!

Crystal Bowersox....Very Good!

American Idol completely sucks rocks this year....except for 2 points of light: Crystal Bowersox and Casey James....without these 2 I think the season would be a total loss.

More "Why Dogs Bite People" Photos!!!

I do not take credit for these photos, but they are pretty great!

Denise:-)

Highlights from Haiti Concert

The buzz on this was that it was dark and depressing...To me this looked just like the 9-11 telethon, and I thought the same thing of that one. The only person who really exuded we were going to live was Faith Hill...her song she dared to smile and exude some sort of hope. I think that's important in a "concert for hope". So here's a retro look at my fav cut of the 9-11 Concert for Heroes telethon.



Now to the present and back to the Haiti concert...honestly I DVR'ed it and then fast forwarded through most of it, BUT, this version of Hallelujah and Matt Morris (I don't know who he is)is VERY good...the harmony is fantastic. I liked this:



Lastly, Bono penned this song but did very little performing in it...Rhianna and Jay Z did most of it (not really familiar with who they are either...other than I know Rhianna got the crap beat out of her awhile back by her ex). The more times I listened to this the better I like it...I'm seeing some Black Eyed Peas influence on my boys since they toured with them so much last Summer. Some will despair, I sort of like the ability to "mix it up". Very cool...

Notes from an 87 Year Old Horsewoman's Journal

A page from an 87 yr old. horsewoman's journal...I've proclaimed that Firenze is the last horse I will ever buy. When I'm 87 he would need to be 50. I'm thinking I'm not going to get that sort of longevity. I'll be stoked if I'm still riding at 70, so we shall see.

Enjoy...

Denise:-)

This is for all the women here who will no doubt shed a tear as they nod in agreement and for the men in the group who might just understand why we do what we do. I hope my fingers still work well enough that I may write something like this when I am 87.

I Ride

I ride. That seems like such a simple statement. However as many women who ride know it is really a complicated matter. It has to do with power and empowerment. Being able to do things you might have once considered out of reach or ability. I have considered this as I shovel manure, fill water barrels in the cold rain, wait for the vet/farrier/electrician/hay delivery, change a tire on a horse trailer by the side of the freeway, or cool a gelding out before getting down to the business of drinking a cold beer after a long ride.

The time, the money, the effort it takes to ride calls for dedication. At least I call it dedication. Both my ex-husbands call it 'the sickness'. It's a sickness I've had since I was a small girl bouncing my model horses and dreaming of the day I would ride a real horse. Most of the women I ride with understand the meaning of 'the sickness'. It's not a sport. It's not a hobby. It's what we do and, in some ways, who we are as women and human beings.

I ride. I hook up my trailer and load my gelding. I haul to some trail head somewhere, unload, saddle, whistle up my dog and I ride. I breathe in the air, watch the sunlight filter through the trees and savor the movement of my horse. My shoulders relax. A smile rides my sunscreen smeared face. I pull my ball cap down and let the real world fade into the tracks my horse leaves in the dust.

Time slows. Flying insects buzz loudly, looking like fairies. My gelding flicks his ears and moves down the trail. I can smell his sweat and it is perfume to my senses. Time slows. The rhythm of the walk and the movement of the leaves become my focus. My saddle creaks and the leather rein in my hand softens with the warmth.

I consider the simple statement; I ride. I think of all I do because I ride. Climb granite slabs, wade into a freezing lake, race a friend through the Manzanita all the while laughing and feeling my heart in my chest. Other days just the act of mounting and dismounting can be a real accomplishment. Still I ride, no matter how tired or how much my seat bones or any of the numerous horse related injuries hurt. I ride. And I feel better for doing so.

The beauty I've seen because I ride amazes me. I've ridden out to find lakes that remain for the most part, unseen. Caves, dark and cold beside rivers full and rolling are the scenes I see in my dreams. The Granite Stairway at Echo Summit, bald eagles on the wing and bobcats on the prowl add to the empowerment and joy in my heart.

I think of the people, mostly women, I've met. I consider how competent they all are. Not a weenie amongst the bunch.. We haul 40ft rigs, we back into tight spaces without clipping a tree. We set up camp. Tend the horses. We cook and keep safe. We understand and love our companions, the horse. We respect each other and those we encounter on the trail. We know that if you are out there riding, you also shovel, fill, wait and doctor. Your hands are a little rough and you travel with out makeup or hair gel. You do without to afford the 'sickness' and probably, when you were a small girl, you bounced a model horse while you dreamed of riding a real one.

"My treasures do not chink or glitter, They gleam in the sun and neigh in the night"

Pants on the Ground

Alright, this guy is THE MAN:




Then THIS GUY makes it just a little bit funnier:(it's actually Jimmy Fallon imitating Neil Young, but I bought it the first time). I GUARANTEE this guy will make it on the Idol Finale. LOL!

Rain: A Beatles Tribute

We went to this on New Year's Eve. Only 5 words necessary: Holy Shit that was awesome!!! If you get a chance to see these guys, go.

Rain: A Beatles Tribute

Martin Short's Christmas Song...

This is Beauuuuuutiful....LOL! Enjoy!

Induction Speeches...

Thought I'd go back in time and post this for folks who missed it. In 1999 Bono gave Bruce Springsteen's induction speech for the Hall of Fame. Then years later Bruce returned the favor for U2. These are both really great induction speeches showing a great deal of affection for each other. The speech Bono gives is a bit rough but you can get the point.





There is a Part 2 to this, which I can't find...sorry...The Hall of Fame disk is out now, so I'm sure it's on there.

Gimme Shelter at the RRHF...Outrageous!!!

This was FANTASTIC. My favorite live music moments are when it's NOT so slick and polished. This fit into all my criteria. And I'm going to have to re-think Fergie a bit. She actually manages to nail one of the most difficult female vocals ever recorded (in my opinion). Enjoy!

Defending the Twi-Hards

Okay, I went and saw New Moon for the second time last night...that's not bad for me, since I went to Twilight at least 9 times in the theater and caught much shit for it. I was trying to figure out what the label 40-somethings such as myself who like the series are called, and instead found a wonderful blog post that almost says what I wanted to say. This lady was replying to a movie review in the Savannah Morning News. The post read as follows:

I enjoyed reading your article, at last an article that doesn't refer to any fan of Twilight/New Moon as being only those lonely, lustful, teens, or totally incapable of thinking. While you may or may not be a fan of the series, I found your article more unbiased and insightful, giving just a hint of what transpires without spilling the whole movie. Also appreciated is your acknowledgment of the large audience of adult women (and some men) who love this story as well. I have been told outright by some family members (I do not live with them, thank goodness!) that I need professional help for my devotion to this series, but I love the overall feel-goodness of it and the "you can make it" theme through out the story. I think it helps all of us to realize we can overcome our weaknesses and even be accepted, maybe loved (?) in spite of our weaknesses and faults. Bella and Edward both believing they were unlovable because of their own weaknesses or traits. I also appreciated that even though they felt desire for one another, they abstained and followed Edward's "old-fashioned" belief in chastity before marriage. It was something new for Bella to hear from a guy, but she loved him and wanted what he wanted. It is a worthwhile message for all to hear. Thank you for your article. Judy Bradley

Now, I don't know about the whole "chastity before marriage" thing...I wasn't too good at that in my day, but then again I never dated anybody who would most likely kill me by accident if he got too excited. LOL! But there are points to it I agree with and was thinking about as I was watching the movie again last night. What is so intriguing about vampires? They somehow find their soul mate and mate for life. The movies haven't gotten to the whole imprinting amongst wolves thing, but that's coming in the next couple of movies. Wolves also mate for life...Humans are wonderful creatures, but we do treat each other as very interchangeable and disposable...ALL of us are capable of that. I know I've "disposed" of people several times during the course of my life because something about them made me uncomfortable. I never gave a lot of thought to what I may have done to that person as a result...hopefully I've never caused anybody any sort of lingering pain. If I have, I'm sorry.

Then there's love. Different folks are wired differently to handle that. Some people can date and date and date until they find the right fit. They can even get their hearts shredded and handed back to them in tatters and still find a way to continue to pursue love without worrying about being hurt again. I truly tip my hat to those folks. I'm more of a, "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me" girl. I've been shredded, at least 3 times over the course of my life and I find that eventually something in your gut sort of snaps into place and it makes you a lot less capable of giving yourself to ANYBODY on that sort of level again. I don't think it's a conscious decision, it was a defense mechanism. It is what it is..

Anyway, the illusive point: The thing I loved about the Twilight book when I first read it was the absolute certainty of Bella and Edward's love. It's a little annoying that Bella won't believe him, but in her shoes it would take me a long time to believe him as well. As the readers we know what it is, but if you were living it, then it wouldn't be as cut and dried. That's what appeals to me when I watch the movie; the intensity and goodness of the relationship. It's everybody who's ever been kicked in the teeth's dream, and I find it soothing.

As for the whole vampire lifestyle? Not so sure I'd be big on the power trip angle of it, and the bloodlust...that's not any part of my attraction. Taking away the whole, "When am I going to die" part of being human wouldn't suck though...knowing your body wasn't going to slowly decompose and sag until one day you just ceased to function wouldn't be a bad thing either. I'm not terribly afraid of aging and death, but it is something in the back of my mind. I worry about LOTS of things, if I didn't have to worry about that, to quote Forrest Gump, "Well, that would be one less thing!" LOL!

So why do I love Twilight/New Moon? Because it makes me feel better...that's why. I keep it concealed, but I'm pretty prone to panic attacks and I worry a LOT. Since I quit smoking that's a little worse because I'm lacking that calming thing when I get that flutter in my gut. So if I love Twilight, New Moon, True Blood, Queen of the Damned, eventually Eclipse and I watch vampire movies all day long every day, well, leave me alone. It makes me happy dammit!!!