The next morning I stopped at a Mexican restaurant (notice a pattern here?) for breakfast. And hit the road toward Colorado. My sister Lou Ann and her husband live in Loveland, a foothill community just north of Denver. I hadn't seen them for awhile.
The sky was clear, but it was windy as I headed west on Interstate 80.
Having grown up in the Far West, I forget that the Midwest is the West too. When you're there, you can feel it in the history, and the people, and the lay of…
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Added by David Vidal on March 31, 2010 at 4:33pm —
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Heart says, "Let's go skate!"
But painful injury says,
"We're going nowhere!"
Added by Jami Ward on March 30, 2010 at 11:30pm —
1 Comment
Josh had a show in Omaha that night. Some kind of restaurant gig. But he said he'd be back with his guitar player to do an opening set at The Zoo Bar. He asked if I wanted to play some slide guitar with them. I always want to play some slide guitar.
So I showed up a bit before nine. Found a parking spot around the corner from the club. Cozied the van up to a snow bank. Brought my stuff inside... a couple of guitars and stands. The club had a p.a. and a sound man. I was relieved to…
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Added by David Vidal on March 29, 2010 at 1:34pm —
6 Comments
'Big Dreams'
I read a story the other day about a relatively large lady who has high hopes of being able to claim the Guinness world record title of the 'world's fattest woman'
in the near future. She weights 560 pounds now and hopes to weigh
1,000 pounds in the next couple of…
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Added by Rick Reiley on March 29, 2010 at 12:38pm —
7 Comments
It's that time of year
When the trees are having sex
And my nose gets screwed.
Added by Jami Ward on March 28, 2010 at 11:30am —
3 Comments
Fussing parakeets,
Chirping finches, barking dogs:
Music at my house.
Added by Jami Ward on March 27, 2010 at 5:46pm —
1 Comment
When you are down and out
Your perspective will differ
From when you stand tall.
Added by Jami Ward on March 27, 2010 at 5:40pm —
2 Comments
Lives come to an end.
Death comes eventually,
Yet life never dies.
Added by Jami Ward on March 25, 2010 at 10:30pm —
1 Comment
Sleep brings rest and dreams.
Flying while laying in bed -
What an adventure!
Added by Jami Ward on March 24, 2010 at 11:36pm —
4 Comments
About thirty miles out of Lincoln, I called Josh Hoyer. The reception was lousy, so the ensuing communication was a combination of half finished phone conversations and text messages. He guided me to the Super 8 Motel, where a room was reserved.
Since I was there a day early, I'd agreed to pay for the room the first night. The Zoo Bar would pick up the tab for the second night.
The parking lot was almost totally covered with ice. I wasn't confident about the van's ability to…
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Added by David Vidal on March 24, 2010 at 1:03am —
11 Comments
Humans are all both
Masculine and feminine.
Gender is fluid.
Added by Jami Ward on March 23, 2010 at 11:30pm —
1 Comment
Testing, testing, can you guys hear me? I couldn’t think of a snappier way to present sound than a recent trip to southern Louisiana.
In New Orleans the decibel levels flew off charts, right along with history, dog ugly and gorgeous as any I’ve ever heard. Even so, I relished the whole Who Dat and Zydeco music and the waitress named Nicole but pronounced Ne-cole. Her inflection piped out like a shot of New York swirled with Louisiana…
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Added by Dorraine Darden on March 22, 2010 at 10:00am —
10 Comments
The first time I traveled Interstate 80 eastbound was soon after I got out of high school. A friend of mine was going to Minneapolis, and I rode along with him. I don't remember Lincoln from that trip, honestly, nor Omaha. But Des Moines left an impression, because there were hookers on the corners. I don't know why, but that took me by surprise. I just hadn't expected street walkers blatantly doing business right out in the open in Iowa. It's funny how the world is not at all as you'd imagine…
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Added by David Vidal on March 20, 2010 at 6:39pm —
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Bake a cake, let it cool just enough that it's not to hot to touch. Crumble in a big bowl, stir in 1 can of frosting then use whatever means necessary to roll into half-dollar size balls and place on cookie sheet. Freeze balls over night. Using toothpics, dip balls into melted almond bark of your choice, and let cool until coating sets.
Had Red Velvet cake and cream cheese icing balls dipped in white almond bark first. Mmmm.
Then tried German Chocolate cake with conventional…
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Added by Diane Brown on March 20, 2010 at 6:04pm —
4 Comments
The next morning it was snowing. Wendell called a mechanic he knew, because I had failed to get the nut unscrewed to check the transmission fluid level. Not that I didn't try. I just couldn't get the thing to budge once I crawled under there, because it had been put on so tight.
So I stop by the garage, and the mechanic gets it up on the lift, unscrews the nut and finds the fluid level is fine. Hmmm. Maybe it was overfilled? Who knows. I stop worrying about it. For now. And head…
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Added by David Vidal on March 20, 2010 at 5:01pm —
3 Comments
Moving on with life.
Getting to a better place.
Status quo no mo'.
Added by Jami Ward on March 19, 2010 at 10:04pm —
5 Comments
Weesie had a meltdown 'bout a quarter after two.
Homer tried to comfort her but Weesie threw a shoe
Hit Homer in the solarplexus, then she blacked his eye.
When Homer caught his breath again ole Weese began to cry.
I know you never loved me and Myrtle is the proof.
I saw your cars at the local bars and now I want the truth.
Homer swore his innocence on a stack of bibles high.
Weesie was the only girl to ever catch his eye.
But Weesie still…
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Added by Diane Brown on March 19, 2010 at 9:08am —
4 Comments
My dad owned an old Gibson acoustic guitar. He had it as far back as I can remember. I used to lay it on my lap, when I was like four, and slide my fingernails on the strings. I always liked the way it sounded, sliding up the neck. I realize now that's where my bottleneck guitar playing started.
He used to sing old cowboy songs. "Streets of Laredo". "Red River
Valley". Stuff like that. He also played some pretty mean boogie woogie piano. My older sisters had a vocal trio. I grew up…
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Added by David Vidal on March 18, 2010 at 1:04pm —
6 Comments
'A Revelation'
by Rick Reiley
It came to his attention
As the bullets splintered wood
Things were not as peaceful
As he had thought he understood…
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Added by Rick Reiley on March 18, 2010 at 11:52am —
2 Comments
Well, that's a relief:
Mister Congestion moved out,
Left my chest behind.
Added by Jami Ward on March 17, 2010 at 10:33pm —
3 Comments