tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48700416214802222962011-10-10T16:37:41.925-07:00I have a brain fart that the medical community calls Chiari Malformation. After decompression surgery in 2006, my brain is learning to coexist peacefully with my spinal cord in the cramped quarters of my spinal canal. With a real hole in my head, I am now free to continue the pursuit of life, liberty, and good coffee-- between headaches, nausea, dizziness, and seizures, of course!Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.comBlogger359125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-35663888957976009932011-02-14T06:27:00.000-08:002011-02-14T06:48:34.961-08:002011-02-14T06:48:34.961-08:00

Thanks to Amanda at Bloggin' with Amanda for hosting Musical Monday. To join in the fun, click here.Since today is Valentine's Day, I'd have to have the soul of a warthog not to be moved by a song that makes me think of the AED! Happy Valentine's Day

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-57477688764252026842011-01-17T08:01:00.000-08:002011-01-17T08:28:07.187-08:002011-01-17T08:28:07.187-08:00

Want to join the Monday's Music Moves Me blog hoppin' fun? Join us by visiting XmasDolly's blog for the links and instructions.**OOps! It wasn't until I started hopping around other blogs that I saw there was a theme. Don't know how I missed it on XmasDolly's blog, but I did. Sorry, please forgive the newbie. I promise to do better next time, LOL!**This Monday, it's the music of the Dixie

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-19728372574587890472011-01-16T20:25:00.000-08:002011-01-17T07:53:34.151-08:002011-01-17T07:53:34.151-08:00

Thanks to Amanda over at Bloggin' with Amanda for keeping this awesome meme alive!I've blogged about my favorite singer of all time before and have even used a couple of his songs for Musical Monday posts in the past, but today's entry is extra special. You see, Merle Haggard, received special recognition on December 5, 2010 when he became a Kennedy Center Honoree for his musical contributions

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-36445508549035485912011-01-11T04:08:00.000-08:002011-01-11T04:54:56.754-08:002011-01-11T04:54:56.754-08:00

It's just a bit past 4 on this Tuesday morning in the OC and on any other Tuesday, I'd be blogging random thoughts. But in a few hours, the Amazing Egyptian Dude (AED) will be home after what has been the longest time we've spent apart since we got married almost 30 years ago.What should have been the usual 5 weeks trip to get a container of products on its way from Cairo to Alexandria and from

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-21386221088668632912011-01-10T14:33:00.000-08:002011-01-10T14:44:31.519-08:002011-01-10T14:44:31.519-08:00

Thanks to Amanda at Bloggin' with Amanda for hosting Musical Monday.Way back during the audition phase of last season's X-Factor (UK), I went out on a limb and predicted on my Facebook page that Matt Cardle would win. As the season progressed and the contestants were selected, I began to doubt myself and even to go back and forth between Matt and two others whom I really, really liked. But Matt

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-91882792985124839932011-01-07T09:55:00.000-08:002011-01-07T12:14:41.020-08:002011-01-07T12:14:41.020-08:00

Post about 5 favorite things from the past week. It can be anything that tickled your fancy: favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, great internet finds, etc., etc. Be as detailed as you like, the more detail the more fun for those of us visiting. Susanne, the hostess, just asks that it be kept family friendly. To see entries from other participants or to play along,

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-84669999661844296272011-01-03T09:50:00.000-08:002011-01-03T10:17:43.773-08:002011-01-03T10:17:43.773-08:00

Thanks to Amanda at Bloggin' with Amanda for hosting Musical Monday.Albert Hammond must not have lived here, cuz it sure does rain in Southern California! Still, it's a great song and the one that is moving me this morning.Here's wishing everyone a great week!

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-57400737665902493892011-01-01T17:52:00.000-08:002011-01-01T18:09:37.510-08:002011-01-01T18:09:37.510-08:00

It's so hard to start a post on the first day of a new year without sounding cliche! Here it is with the first day of 2011 nearly over, and I haven't made a post yet because I can't come up with an opening line that isn't corny, LOL!This is the first New Year that the Amazing Egyptian Dude and I have spent apart. He's been in Egypt since October and won't be home until January 11th. I suppose

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-90280591321609611232010-07-26T03:53:00.000-07:002010-07-26T03:53:00.533-07:002010-07-26T03:53:00.533-07:00

Dianne from Good Mourning, Glory is taking a break, so hats off to Amanda for hosting this wonderful meme during her absence.From the time I first heard him singing the train songs of Jimmie Rodgers, I have loved Merle Haggard. It was 1969, and I was just ten years old when my dad brought home Same Train, Different Time. So in tune with the American character is he, that I tell everyone to

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-1463753703144601162010-07-20T07:50:00.000-07:002010-07-20T10:34:25.650-07:002010-07-20T10:34:25.650-07:00

Random Thought #1I've been itching to change my blog template for a very long time and even added myself to a professional designer's incredibly long queue last summer. Unfortunately for me, that designer made some significant life changes, before my place in the queue came up, and is no longer designing blog templates. Despite hours of scouring the web for just the right freebie template, I

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-67976818933826351712010-07-19T09:20:00.000-07:002010-07-19T09:56:35.684-07:002010-07-19T09:56:35.684-07:00

I liked Amanda's idea of choosing a general theme to describe what's moving her this Monday, so I jacked it -- but at least I am honest about my thievery!In the wake of a miserable last week, I've decided to give in and surrender to the forces beyond my reach that wreak havoc in my life. I've come to the conclusion that sometimes it's better to actually lose the war because in doing so, one is

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-81753842846764491792010-07-13T05:34:00.000-07:002010-07-13T06:45:24.475-07:002010-07-13T06:45:24.475-07:00

Today's random thoughts aren't completely random; they are things that have been stuck in my head for a few days and now need an escape. Lucky you!Random Thought #1After three years of flawless duty, I retired my iPhone 2G and bought a 32-gig iPhone 3GS last Friday. The decision to retire the 2G didn't come easy -- it works fine and does everything that I need it to do when I need it done.

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-2126654543457816242010-07-05T09:53:00.000-07:002010-07-05T10:05:31.909-07:002010-07-05T10:05:31.909-07:00

Dianne from Good Mourning, Glory is taking a break, so hats off to Amanda for hosting this wonderful meme during her absence.In honor of America's birthday, I chose one of my favorite Elvis Presley songs, "American Trilogy," from the Aloha from Hawaii satellite TV special that aired way back in the days when I was a teenager. You know, back in the days when only the government had satellite TV

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-76978134941787288402010-07-02T20:03:00.000-07:002010-07-03T17:07:15.444-07:002010-07-03T17:07:15.444-07:00

Thanks to Thom for sharing another meme; I love these things!Saturday 9: Make Me Say It Again, Girl1. Do you feel that you need to keep repeating yourself when talking to a particular person?Well, considering that the Amazing Egyptian Dude has lost a significant portion of his hearing and isn't exactly consistent about wearing his hearing aids, I spend an inordinate amount of time repeating

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-61335659941071839112010-07-02T05:15:00.000-07:002010-07-02T07:56:33.762-07:002010-07-02T07:56:33.762-07:00

Post about 5 favorite things from the past week. It can be anything that tickled your fancy: favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, great internet finds, etc., etc. Be as detailed as you like, the more detail the more fun for those of us visiting. Susanne, the hostess, just asks that it be kept family friendly. To see entries from other participants or to play

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-23367785823302681792010-07-02T03:41:00.000-07:002010-07-02T04:06:45.195-07:002010-07-02T04:06:45.195-07:00

To see other entries and/or play along, click here.1. When it's quiet, the cats are either asleep or up to no good.2. Probably because it's true, I haven't blogged in what seems like a month.3. My heart is working as it should.4. I don't have many family or friends with birthdays in July.5. In the town where I was born lived a man who sailed the seas. And he told us of his life in the land of

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-62341407243104618082010-07-01T11:04:00.000-07:002010-07-01T11:28:10.123-07:002010-07-01T11:28:10.123-07:00

Header from samulliClick here to see other entries or to play along.In honor of America's Independence Day celebrations coming up this weekend, I wanted to celebrate the American Character with a list of interesting things about America and Americans. Here goes nothing!1. 27% of Americans believe that we never landed on the moon. So how did Michael Jackson come up with the Moon Walk, then,

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-32806325428077207532010-06-29T08:15:00.000-07:002010-06-29T09:20:26.358-07:002010-06-29T09:20:26.358-07:00

Random Thought #1Considering that soccer, or football as the game is known throughout the rest of the world, is the most popular game around the globe, it is inconceivable to me that FIFA continues to reject the use of technology to determine the validity of goals! If it weren't for the numerous flubbed calls that have been made thus far in the World Cup, the FIFA officials would continue to

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-59655516761202259742010-06-22T04:54:00.000-07:002010-06-22T06:57:58.643-07:002010-06-22T06:57:58.643-07:00

This post ought to be one of the easiest I have ever written considering the random nature of the events that drive my life these days. Let's see what happens . . .Random Thought #1I love watching the FIFA World Cup games, but my addiction to them has caused an already sleep deprived person to become even more tired. It's my fault, I know. After all, I don't really need to wake up at hours when

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-43542381522782006402010-06-21T03:05:00.001-07:002010-06-21T04:10:04.547-07:002010-06-21T04:10:04.547-07:00

To see other entries or play along, visit The Bumbles.This week's movie topic is all about Time Travel.When I first saw this week's movie topic, I have to confess that the theme song from one of my favorite childhood TV shows immediately popped into my head...Must be time travel has been a topic of interest to me for a very long time! That said, it's about time to make a list of my favorite

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-29726010208599763322010-06-20T13:26:00.000-07:002010-06-20T14:26:32.013-07:002010-06-20T14:26:32.013-07:00

To see more participants or to play along, click here.Sunday Stealing: The Oh My! Meme, Part One 1. The phone rings; who don't you want it to be?A telemarketer of any kind. Despite being on the No Call List, a few of them still manage to call our unlisted phone number!2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?Yes, I do. I always put the cart in the nearest holding pen or

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-62459185172101716662010-02-01T03:14:00.000-08:002010-02-01T03:42:57.553-08:002010-02-01T03:42:57.553-08:00

Visit Diane, the gracious hostess of this meme, to see other entries or to play along.First, let me say Happy Anniversary to Diane and Jory and to thank them for hosting Musical Monday for one year now. It's been a blast, and I look forward to many more weeks of music with you.I really like American Idol, but I love The X-Factor! Through the magic of satellite (the show airs in the UK), I've

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-67782833116690415492010-02-01T00:49:00.000-08:002010-02-01T03:02:52.205-08:002010-02-01T03:02:52.205-08:00

To see more entries and / or play along, visit The Bumbles.This week's movie topic is all about Highs & Lows.When I first saw the Bumbles' entry for this week, I groaned. Literally. And aloud. This week's post is titled "ON MOVIES ~ The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly." Considering that I detest this particular film with a passion the likes of which I am not nearly as passionate about anything else

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-34277300924026822242010-01-31T00:01:00.000-08:002010-01-31T00:13:59.395-08:002010-01-31T00:13:59.395-08:00

To see more participants or to play along, click here.Here goes nothing!It has been a very long time since I blogged, so this meme is the perfect re-entry into the blogosphere!1. How long have you been blogging?On and off for at least three years.2. What made you start?I first began blogging as a way to encourage my students to write. The first blog I set up was for an upper-division composition

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870041621480222296.post-41342064248225802482009-09-28T07:51:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:12:29.942-07:002009-09-28T08:12:29.942-07:00

For more entries or to play along, visit Diane or Jori, the hostesses of this fun meme!Being the first grandchild and niece on both sides of one's family has certain perks and privileges, a fact that I learned the day that I was lucky enough to have been born into that blessed position. I'm the first to admit to having been spoiled by my grandparents and having experiences that other kids my age

Carleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01759364225378314114noreply@blogger.com18