I just received an email from Tony with an update on his cancer and his progress. The news is not good. Out of courtesy for Tony and his privacy, I won't post the email he sent, nor will I elaborate. I'm sure he'll see this post and if he wants to share his situation with everyone, then I'll let him do that.
Regardless, I wanted to post a quick message to ask everyone to keep Tony and his family in your thoughts and prayers. As Ashley can attest, every little thing helps in situations like this.
Just wanted everyone's opinion regarding the blog music. Right now, I have to manually add the songs which entails uploading them to my web server and then pointing that little flash player to the actual mp3. Not an easy process, but hey...it works. I try to change it out every now and then with a different 80's tune. My question is this:
Do you like the autoplay feature? Or would you rather it NOT play automatically and if you want to hear the song or not, you can just click on the play button?
I started thinking about it, and if we continue to post movie and video clips from YouTube, then you have to go up there and try to pause the player which for some reason usually takes two clicks.
I can set it so that it's a manual process...you just click if you want to hear it.
Let me know by clicking on "Comment" below and posting your opinion. Thanks!
I've been itching to post this story, but I had to wait until Bobby got his surprise first. Surprise, you ask? Let me explain...
Back in 1986, Prince had a record label called Paisley Park. One of his signature bands on that label was called Mazarati. They released a self-titled album that year, and Bobby (as usual) was the first one to get it, and the minute I heard it, I had to go out and buy it:
I wore that damn tape out! I can remember riding around town and obviously up and down the strip with my windows down, just blasting that tape. I literally wore it down to the point that it wouldn't play any longer. Unfortunately, Mazarati didn't exactly do very well after that album, so the album never made to CD format. And the tapes became extinct, too.
For years I tried to find the tape and/or cd by combing through imports catalogs in record shops. You could find stuff in Japan that was never released in the US...but I never had luck.
21 years later (about 3 weeks ago, in fact), I found myself on eBay and thought I'd search for Mazarati. Next thing you know, I see someone in Germany selling the Special Edition Digitally Remastered Mazarati album. I got into a bidding war for it, and after paying a hefty price for it (don't tell my wife), I won it. It arrived last week, and I made a copy of it and sent it to Bobby. Needless to say, the first thing I did was rip it and store it on my computer to transfer it to my iPod. Then I took it back down to my car where I've been listening to it nonstop ever since.
SO....today the cd finally arrived at Bobby's house, and he called me the minute he got it. He knew he had a surprise coming, but he didn't know what it was. You should have heard him...he called me and was playing the cd in the background. You'd have thought he'd won the lottery or something. We both loved this album so much, and now WE HAVE IT!!
Perhaps most of you could give a damn, but I thought I'd post this for the hell of it. We all know how music takes us back in time. I listen to this album, and I'm back in 1986 wearing JAMS and sporting a good ol' mullet while riding around in my truck with the windows down. It didn't get any better than that!!
Of course, I got on YouTube and found an old Mazarati video, so I thought I'd post it. Perhaps most of you didn't even know they existed in the first place, and if that's the case, then you probably won't appreciate the video. I think Brett and Heath will remember Mazarati, though. Regardless, take a look at this video. And then tell me that the ol' Prince days of wearing those weird clothes and sporting that "androgynous" look wasn't hilarious. The video isn't the best quality, and it's a pretty "bad" video in the first place, but it gives you a great idea of that era. Awesome, if you ask me!!
If you're wondering where the picture of Jimmy came from, here's the original photo. Bobby's already posted one from this night, but I guess this one was taken with just the guys. Was this our "back to school" dance our Senior year?
Yes, that's right. Jimmy turned 36 today, unless I'm off on my birthday calendar. Jimmy, I'm not exactly sure what you did today/tonight for your birthday, but my guess is it had something to do with work. Dude, you've been "working" since the day I met you. Didn't matter who, what, where or when, you always had some kind of business or "operation" going. So whatever it was that you chose to do on your special day today, I hope you had fun.
Man, I remember hanging out at George Mercier's house with George and Weston, and we'd always pay you a visit to see what new and exciting toy or gadget you had. I remember you having a pool and a trampoline in your back yard. Seems like there was also a circus tent with elephants, tigers, etc. Just kidding....but seriously....the one thing I remember about you is that we never knew what new cool "thing" you were going to have. I seem to remember George bugging the hell out of you, but that doesn't surprise me. We'd be over at his house, playing commando or something down in his gigantic basement, and then to take a break we'd go over to your house. You never knew what George was gonna do once we got over there. But you seemed to survive it all.
I also remember your dad being pretty involved in Boy Scouts...I can't remember if you were or not...or what troop that was. And I remember you basically running the entire show for our Follies. You had the headset and stuff on, which was almost unheard of back then. But I'm sure without you, Follies would have imploded for sure.
Hope you had a great birthday. If you are the Mayor of Corinth, what exactly do you do on your birthday? Please do tell....
Just wanted to share some exciting news and extend an invitation. As I mentioned in my update, I am the Sales Manager for Mortgage Investors Group (MIG) based out of Knoxville, TN. For the last 3 months our office has been located in the 508 Waldron Building (Mitchell/McNutt) in downtown Corinth, and has served as an adequate temporary location. As of last Friday, I secured the lease on the Corinth Tourism Office/Museum next door to Borroum's Drug Store. We will be moving our operations in late May or early June of this year! We are so very excited about this, because it gives us a prime location with optimal visibility. The office is absolutley gorgeous with hardwood floors throughout, exposed brick walls, and architectural details seen only in the finest construction. Our office will be 2 doors down from Bobby and Christy Burns' Waldron Street Market, so when you are in town, kill 2 birds with one stone and pay us both a visit. AND.........(Here comes the shameless plug) If you or anyone you know is interested in buying or refinancing a home, please give us a call. We are Tennessee's largest volume retail mortgage lender and have over 100 loan programs to offer. We are a Lender, not a Broker, so you can be assured the lowest rates without all the extra fees. We also offer in-house underwriting and processing, so we can close loans really fast. Lastly, we offer programs for customers with great credit, poor credit, no credit, who are first-time home buyers, or who are looking to do a VA loan. (662) 808-5025 Come see me...
If you want to get on the subject of videos or songs that spark memories, these two take me way back the minute I hear them. Take this one, for example:
When I see or hear this, it reminds me of walking around town with Weston and his boombox. We'd walk around and he'd have his boombox on one shoulder and he'd be carrying some cardboard in the other hand...or I'd be carrying it. "Rock It" would be playing on the box, and we'd stop whenever Weston got the urge, and he'd lay the cardboard down and breakdance. I can't imagine what people driving by (usually on Shiloh Road near the bridge) were thinking. Two idiots with bandanas tied around their legs with Members Only jackets and sunglasses on, trying to breakdance on the street corner. Absolutely hilarious when I think back on it....
And this little beauty:
Hearing this song takes me back to the 7th grade. Man, I can remember playing this in my room and loving it! This was another one I remember listening to while working on my science project...
And last but not least, this one is a classic:
This one is literally burned into my brain. Why, you might ask? Probably because Brett used to love to sing this song, only he changed the lyrics to "Owner of a Smelly Fart." Ok, ok...yes...that's crass....but it was the 7th grade and we're talking about Brett. Give me a break.....
I know all the guys in our class remember this I am not so sure how many of the girls do. But this has to be one of the best movies from back-in-the-day and this is one of the best scenes excluding the pool scene with Phoebe Cates. This movie has gotten a lot of attention lately because of Forrest Whitaker. He played the older brother of the guy in the passenger seat who was the big football star at Ridgemont High and was gonna S*%# then he gonna kill us!!!!!
I bet you want be able to get this out of your head. I remember it like it was yesterday. Going to the Twin Cinema and then to the WALL at Pizza Hut....
I just wanted to remind everyone that you can click on the word "Comments" at the bottom of each post or story, and then you can post a comment as well as read any comments that others have posted about that story.
Additionally, I have the blog set to show the last 20 posts on the front page. To view posts older than that, you can either click "Older Posts" at the bottom of the page, or you can look in the side bar on the right and click the month (to view posts for that month) or a specific post title (to view only that post).
I would set it so that a bunch more posts show on the front page, but because we have pictures and videos, it kinda slows down how the page loads. If the majority of you would like all on one page, just let me know and I'll go ahead and change it.
Go down and look at Traci Haskett's post about kindergarten in Mrs. Crow's room. I could swear that's John Bell in the lower left corner in the red dress. John, what's up with that?
Well, I warned y'all. If you join the blog and don't post your update or join in the fun, then I'll do it for you. Vandy, just so happens you're the first one. A little birdie told me that you have a My Space page or profile or something like that. I find it hard to believe you'll mess around on My Space but our class blog makes you feel old?!
Anyway, I did some checking around and found out that you work at Bennett Yacht Sales in the Service or Parts department. I went to the website, and look what I found parked right in the "Meet the Staff" section:
Funny what you can find on the Internet if you look hard enough, isn't it? I'll give you a few more days to post your own update, and then if you don't make any progress, I'll go ahead and finish it for you....in my own words. Man, this might be fun!!!!!!! -Jake
Kim, today is your day, too! I hope you had a great day turning the big 3-6!! I bet you had no idea I'd still have this picture. I think it was from 5th grade, but I could be wrong. Can you remember? Anyway, in keeping with tradition, you know I have to tell a story or two about you...
One of the main things I remember about Kim is that she was a great basketball player and her face would turn R-E-D when she was out on the court. Regardless, you were one heck of a ball player. I also remember that Terry Harmon had the BIGGEST crush on you. I mean, he was probably more obsessed with you than I was with Beth. A bunch of us always hung out at the YMCA after school, and Terry would always reference you whenever he did anything! He'd shoot a 3-pointer, and say, "Uh, oh...Kimberly Ivy!!!" I mean the guy talked about you nonstop...and I don't think you ever gave him the time of day, either. Must have been some kind of conspiracy that you and Beth had against us.
I also remember that you didn't take CRAP off anyone! As much as some of us (me obviously included) harrassed the girls, we knew not to even think about messing with you. You were the one girl that would punch the hell out of one us, so as far as I can recall, we always maintained our composure around you. Am I wrong??
Well, as you can imagine, today is Beth's birthday. Yep...she turned 36 today just like the rest of us. I thought I'd post a few pictures and tell a few stories about her, to help her celebrate such a special day. .I've known Beth since I was old enough to walk. I remember being in some type of Christmas program at the Methodist Church when we were really little, and we had to recite the 12 days of Christmas...each one of us had to remember the saying for a specific day, and when it was our turn, we'd have to step forward and say it. I was the 10th day, so I had to say "Ten Lords a-leaping." Beth had the 1st day, which means she had to step forward every time and say "And a Partridge in a pear tree." EXCEPT...little Beth had a speech problem when we were little, so when she said it, it sounded like this, "And a Pa-twidge in a peah twee." Needless to say, we had fun with that one. When we were in the 8th grade, I had the biggest crush on Beth. I mean I was in L-O-V-E with her. And she wouldn't give me the time of day. Well, we were friends...but she wouldn't and couldn't think of us in any other way. Truth be told, she had a huge crush on Ken Williams, and so she eventually started "going" with Ken. And I was devastated. Oh, well. This is Beth's 8th grade picture, and I thought I'd show you what I wrote on the back of it...to prove how obsessed I was with Miss Coleman.
I have many, many more great pictures, but I want to save them for later. Regardless, Beth I hope you had a great birthday.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Ok, after seeing Traci's post below, I had to add to the fun. This was in 1976...and it was Mrs. Andrews' kindergarten class at the Methodist Church. Her classroom was next to Mrs. Crow's. I remember playing with blocks in her room, and also finger painting out in the halls. I also remember climbing the walls in the courtyard, before they paved it and poured that pebble-like surface. There was a day when it was grass and we'd play out there for recess. Anyway, I also remember playing concentration with these little cards...you lined them all up in a square, and then turned them over and tried to remember where the pairs were. And I also remember out at recess one time playing super hero with Weston and Sammy Morris. I squinted my eyes and raised my eyebrow to be my hero, and Weston said I couldn't be Steve Austin, the 6 Million Dollar Man....and I didn't even say that's who I was. I guess my impersonation of him was that good! Ha!
Anyway, here's the picture:
Back Row: Larry Doran, Sarah Lyle, Weston, Jake, Kristye Sweat Front Row: Michelle Norris, George Mercier, Sammy Morris, Stephanie Norris, Derrek Perminter
I was actually looking for my pictures of the 4th grade Christmas play when I ran across this pic...along with some others that I'll post later. Flashback...1977, kindergarten at the Methodist Church. Remember those heavy metal doors? Well, my most vivid memory of that time has to do with Georgiana Hand and those doors....she was so little and didn't have the strength to open the door by herself, and I remember her just standing there waiting until someone who could open the door would come along and let her in.
