Any Madonna fans out there?

I can't wait for this cd!

This song will be on the cd too!

Mass march under way in Pittsburgh at G-20

The Associated Press: Mass march under way in Pittsburgh at G-20

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More than 1,000 protesters are on the move in Pittsburgh for what has been billed as a peaceful protest against the Group of 20 summit. (AP)

It doesn't look very coordinated. It looks like there are several different groups and causes out marching today. ~ John

Michelle Phillips Slams Mackenzie

Southern Chaos: Michelle Phillips Slams Mackenzie

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I am sharing this, since it appears I am in the minority. I just don't believe Mackenzie Phillips. I think she would say anything to make a buck. Last night one of my facebook friends had a thread about this and I added that I didn't believe Mackenzie's salacious claims of a ten year consensual incest relationship with her Dad. I also said that I sure would like to know what Michelle Phillips thinks, and well, here you go!

~ John

Desperate Housewives back sexier than ever

They're all She Wolves!

The ladies of Wisteria Lane all have something to hide.

And finally here's the first Desperate Housewives Season 6 promo which is actually a music video featuring scenes from the past seasons, a few from the upcoming season of the show, the clips from the previous seasons promos and the clips from Shakira's "She Wolf" music video.

Season 6 premieres on Sunday, September 27th at 9/8c on ABC. Don't forget to tune in or set your vcr,dvr, or Tivo!

Celebrating Ron's Birthday

Here's a photo I took, as we were entering Harrah's St. Louis.

Ron and I spent much of the weekend in one of our favorite cities--St. Louis to celebrate his birthday. First I took him to his favorite food stores, Trader Joe's and Whole Paycheck Foods and bought some of his favorite foods (and mine, of course LOL). Then we hurried to one of our favorite steak restaurants, 'The Range' at Harrah's St. Louis Hotel and Casino. Dinner was delicious, as it always is there.

Then we hit the casino floor, where I handed Ron his generous birthday pre$ent. He was not disappointed! Funny how I hardly could find him during our three hour gambling spree. He has a way of finding me, when he loses nearly all of his money. I hit jackpots all over the place and kept getting richer as the night went on! I was ready to go home a winner, when he found me. I didn't tell him about my winnings until we were driving out of the parking lot in the wee hours of the morning. Then I whipped out all my hundred dollar bills and started counting them and shared with him, so he too came home a winner! Ron had a great birthday celebration, and I was happy that he didn't have to shell out a dime for anything.

His birthday was actually the 13th, but he took me to the ER the night of the 12th. That's the night I found out that I had a kidney stone. I felt really bad then, because we had planned to spend his birthday weekend in Peoria for the first Peoria Pride Celebration. Unfortunately we missed the Peoria Pride, but I'm thinking now that the St. Louis outing was meant to be.

St. Louis Gas Prices September 20, 2009

I filled up my gas tank in St. Louis this morning and saved .30 per gallon. Every time we go to St. Louis, I have it planned well in advance and have just enough gas to get there. Why? Gas is always .30 to .50 per gallon cheaper than in Illinois. Gas in and around my town was $2.47 per gallon and up. I wonder how much you must pay for gas where you live?

Mariah Carey's latest

It's such a beautiful song, and I remember it well from 1984 by Foreigner. I can't wait for the new album out September 29th! Do you like her remake of this song?

I gotta take a little time

A little time to think things over
I better read between the lines
In case I need it when I'm colder

In my life
There's been heartache and pain
I don't know
If I can face it again
Can't stop now
I've traveled so far
To change this lonely life

I want to know what love is
I want you to show me
I want to feel what love is
I know you can show me

Gonna take a little time
A little time to look around me
I've got nowhere left to hide
It looks like love's finally found me

In my life
There's been heartache and pain
I don't know
If I can face it again
Can't stop now
I've traveled so far
To change this lonely life

I want to know what love is
I want you to show me
I want to feel what love is
I know you can show me

Show me
I want to know

I want to know what love is
I want you to show me
I want to feel what love is
I know you can show me

Oh, let's talk about love

Mad Man: Glenn Beck

Mad Man: Is Glenn Beck Bad for America? - TIME

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What a cover, huh?

Truer words were never spoken!

Goodbye Mary Travers

Mary Travers of Peter, Paul, and Mary dies.(Reuters)

Both my Mom and my sister loved Peter, Paul, and Mary. One of them had their records and although I was young I remember their music and especially loved the hits like, "If I Had a Hammer," "Where Have All The Flowers Gone," "Lemon Tree," "Puff the Magic Dragon," "Leaving on a Jet Plane," and "Blowin in the Wind."

Those songs will always be classics and Mary Travers will certainly be missed.

Kidney Stone Passed

...and hopefully the last post about this subject! Last night about 11:30, it finally happened. It wasn't too painful. I had been adding lemon juice to my distilled water, and I believe the juice broke it down some and made it easier to pass. It was almost a soft stone and somewhat difficult to get out of the strainer. I'm just so glad that is behind me, and I hope I never have to go through that again! I also hope none of your ever get one. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy!

Now I must change my diet. I was given an informational packet and one thing on it said 'people who eat foods high in oxalate may be at higher risk of developing kidney stones.' It goes on to say that if you eat nuts (check), chocolate (check), coffee (check), tea (check) and green leafy vegetables--especially spinach (check) you are at higher risk. I also read somewhere online that blueberries (check) are on the list too. Meat and salt are on the list, but I eat very little meat and hardly ever add salt to anything, except potatoes. Now let me tell you about my heart healthy diet that most likely contributed to the kidney stones.

I had been buying large bags of raw almonds for years, and eating them for snacks. I had read that they help control cholesterol, which I used to have a problem with that too. I guess I had just been eating too many of the almonds.

I saw on tv about a year ago about people adding handfuls of raw walnuts to their breakfast berries. Well, I have been doing that too. About every other day I have a large bowl of mixed berries (mostly blueberries) with walnuts for breakfast along with a bowl of old fashioned oatmeal. I liked the walnuts so much, that I also started adding them to the oatmeal (along with organic ground cold milled flax seed). On the days I didn't eat the fruit and nuts, I would have a banana with oatmeal for breakfast.

I don't eat a lot of chocolate, but I do always stock up on dark chocolate, especially cheap at Trader Joe's. I never eat any kind of chocolate except the very dark 71% or more. I suppose I have just been eating too much at a time.

I have drank coffee since I was a teenager. I didn't think I drank that much though in the last few years--two to three big cups a day; sometimes half a pot. I drink coffee for the caffeine in the mornings, then I'm done with it for the day unless I need a pick me up in the afternoon, which is not very often.

Tea is something I have drank all my life and is my favorite drink. The only difference now is that I don't like it sweetened. I buy big jugs of green and white unsweetened tea with mint from Trader Joe's, and try never to run out. I also love iced Jasmine Green Tea. I like a hot cup of herbal tea, like chamomile most anytime.

And fresh spinach is something I have been eating probably three or more nights a week. It has been my favorite salad for quite sometime. Sometimes I even make a meal of just a large salad.

I have been taking a multivitamin and quite a few supplements too. Now I wish I had all that money I spent on them. Needless to say, I won't be taking all the supplements that I had been taking, especially not calcium.

So for me, I had off the chart numbers on a lipid profile a few years ago and was even put on a statin drug for awhile. I did not like taking the drug and was determined to lower my numbers with diet and exercise. And I succeeded! Who would've ever thought at the same time a whole new health problem was arising.

I think I've learned my lesson and it is a simple one--everything in moderation.

I have always been drinking lots of water, which helps eliminate these stones. I should also vary my diet more and I think I will do that by eating out more often and trying new things. I'm also learning some unique dishes on the Food Network's Top Chef and other shows. Another new cooking show called "The Naughty Kitchen with Chef Blythe Beck" starts next Tuesday on the Oxygen Channel. It looks to be a really good show--lots of good food, reality comedy and drama!

Health Update

I still have not passed my kidney stone, despite flushing myself with water and cranberry juice. I still have the kidney pain. Hopefully it will pass soon! I cannot get comfortable. I am not miserable as I was, but the pain is still there.

I left more of an update as a reply comment under the last post. I like doing that, because it's not so "out there." You have to look for that personal stuff! You never know what you will find in my comments.

I never intended to write such personal things on my blog. As you know, it was always more informational and definitely more interesting than my personal health. Speaking of that, I thought I was in perfect health. Ha!

I have a lot of catching up to do once I feel better. Thanks for your patience.

I have a diagnosis

Well friends, I really did think I was feeling better. It was a long hot bath that made me feel better--temporarily. Last night I just couldn't take it any more and was taken to the local ER/outpatient at the hospital.

After many tests, including a CT scan, I was found to have 4mm kidney stone. It is out of the kidney and working its way out of my body. In the meantime I am on a drug called toradol and was sent home with a urinal jug and strainer and jar for the stone, when it comes out. Then I must see a urologist.

Luckily I do not have any kind of infection. I will be glad when this nightmare is over though, and I hope none of you ever have to go through this. If you have pain in the kidney area, go to the Dr. or hospital sooner rather than later.

The medicine makes me tired and groggy, so I still won't be back online until a few more days.

Also, thank you to everyone that sent emails and left a comment on the previous post. I really appreciate it! I did leave a comment back for you all on the previous post.

Slowly feelng better

Sorry about the lack of posting and visiting my favorite blogs, commenting, etc. On Wednesday I woke up very sick. Today is the first day I have felt better, but still am not feeling normal. Hopefully as more time goes by, I will feel even better and catch up with my favorite blogs.

~ John

President Obama's speech to students

The text of the President's speech to students is now posted on the White House website, so all those people that got their panties in a wad can go read it, calm down, and send their kids to school tomorrow.

In summary, the President will be emphasizing the importance of education and that you should study hard and stay in school. If this speech can keep just one student from dropping out of school, I think it will be well worth it.

What an exciting day it will be for our school age children to know that the President cares about them and is going to talk directly to them!

Happy Labor Day

For many, Labor Day just another stressful day (AP)

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis says this Labor Day is a time for people to come together to help one another because of all the job losses in the last year. (AP)

Ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich's Book; Don't waste your money!

Hell no, this is not a book review! For one thing, the book won't be released until September 8, 2009, but in Springfield it is already for sale at Barnes and Noble. Luckily for us locals (and now you, since I am sharing some local news about it), we don't have to waste our money on this book to find out what he has to say!

But first, Back in March--when the Chicago Tribune announced they were having a "Name the Blago book" contest, I made my own blog post about my choice for the title. Unfortunately the link to the Tribune's article is no longer in tact. Click here to read the article that announced the winning book title and the winner of the contest. I voted for "They paid me a [Bleeping] Bucket of Cash to Write This [Bleeping] Book."

As it turned out, none of the titles in the contest ended up as the book's title. Here's a picture of the book cover and it's title, "The Governor: The Truth Behind the Political Scandal that Continues to Rock the Nation," by Rod Blagojevich.

Well, like I said now the book is already available in Springfield and the best newspaper in central Illinois, the Springfield State Journal-Register has printed enough excerpts so far that you don't need to waste any of your hard earned money to read the book.

Last month the current Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed into law House Bill 4078, which would seize any profits made from the book deal or television appearance. Unfortunately the former governor would have to be first convicted of his corruption charges and be determined to have "injured the people of Illinois" before the profits could be seized. Obviously, Blagojevich is racing against the clock to make money off of this book, while he still can legally. And if you still need a reason not to buy the book, you can probably check it out at your local library.

It appears that the State Journal-Register might be doing a series of articles on the book, since two have already appeared in the newspaper. The links below will give you enough from the book to give you a reason not to buy it! I hope you have time to read the links below and of course the readers' comments that will appear at the bottom of the articles. The comments are hilarious and of course submitted by real people. A great number of people have commented that the book should be found in the fiction section of the store! Here are the links:

Blagojevich explains himself in new book (State Journal-Register)

Mansion, local radio get ink in former gov's book (State Journal-Register)

Be sure and check the Springfield State-Journal Register daily for possibly more excerpts and information about the book. And remember, don't waste your money on the book!

Who wants some Hubby Hubby?

I'll take one to go, please!

Ben and Jerry's renames ice cream Hubby Hubby in celebration of gay marriage - Telegraph

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It used to be called Chubby Hubby, but now it's Hubby Hubby! I heard (seriously-on CNN) that this new version has more nuts! This is a great story of the day, well worth reading the shared link.

~ John

Sneak Peak of Whitney Houston on GMA tomorrow!

You might want to set your vcr, dvr or Tivo!

Taxes in Illinois went up today on candy, shampoo, and liquor

Taxes going up on candy, shampoo, liquor - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

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Welcome to Illinois, where we will tax you to death!

(sorry no time for graphics right now)!

Be sure and read this article...here's a tidbit of it:

Munch on a handful of plain, dry-roasted peanuts for a snack and you are eating food taxed at 1 %. Buy the honey-roasted version, and you are eating candy, which is taxed at 6.25% at the new level.

And as always, I highly recommend the readers' comments below the article!

~ John