Jerry and Tori

I have been suffering from an ear worm lately. No, it's no the latest superbug...you know it's one of those songs that gets into your head and just won't go away. I had always liked the chorus but hadn't really listened to the words of the verses until just recently.

Our oldest got a Kid's Bop CD and this song was on it. I listened and listened and then looked at the words more closely.

Listening to the words brought up some memories that I hadn't really thought about in a long time. I was reminded of a few people from my past...Jerry and Tori. I had known Jerry from the time I was in kindergarten. We went through school together...sometimes in the same class others not so much. In high school we were in the same science class...I'll never forget the day that Jerry decided to stick his pencil in a plug of the desk just to see what would happen. When flames came shooting out Jerry was sent to the Principal's office. When he returned back to class, I was granted a new lab partner...and our friendship grew. We worked together in our after school jobs and just hung.

I was in college when I got the call...my friend Della called to let me know that there had been a tragedy. Jerry was dead. He had gotten stoned and had a fight with his girlfriend. She threatened to not let him see their daughter any more...and he couldn't handle it. Between the desperation he felt and the drugs surging through his body he decided to take his own life. I never really got to say goodbye to Jerry...his funeral was during finals week and I couldn't get away. Every once in a while I miss that old friend.

Then there was Tori...a girl who had been one of my students when I taught. She was also a drug tragedy...one day she came into my class asking about drugs and drug abuse and the next day she had died in a car accident. She had been inhaling an aerosol can's fumes while driving and hit another car head on. I still have a picture in my teaching stuff of her with her class.

Jerry's been gone for 17 years now...Tori's been gone for 14. But their memories remain.

With these two in my mind, I read the story about this song. According to The Fray's lead singer and songwriter, Isaac Slade, this song was influenced by his experience while working as a mentor at a camp for troubled teens. There was a boy who was 17 at the camp who was dealing with a lot of issues and no one could figure out what to do to help him. One thing that the young man needed was support from those who cared about him.

The lyrics can be found here.

And here is the video.

Go Cleveland!!!

It may be time to break out the ol' Indians flag.

My friend from college, Jim Vanderpool is most likely beside himself.

GO CLEVELAND!!!

Why Is She Like That?

As I've written before, I've been watching The Biggest Loser. I definitely have my favorite trainers. In prior seasons I was really fond of Bob...he's so supportive and kind in the way he helps his team lose weight.

Jillian was not one of my favorites because I always thought she was mean. But, when I saw a lot of my water aerobics instructor in Jillian, I gained a lot of respect for Jillian...I saw in her "meanness" a caring...when I found out one season that she had struggled with her own weight, I became even more fond of her.

Last season, Jillian was gone...and replaced by Kim. I don't know if it's her Barbie doll appearance or what, I just don't think she's that great of a trainer. I was watching the show and thought...what is her deal?! Then last night Kim tried to influence the vote of her team by encouraging them to vote their only woman off. I don't understand what's up with Kim...I don't really get her workout techniques...nor do I think she is that greatly supportive of her team.

If push came to shove, I'd love to have a trainer again like Jillian...when I was working out with Mary's direction (my aerobics instructor) I lost more weight and inches than I did when I was walking 3 miles and riding the bike 5 miles three times a week. Mary coached you in ways that were tough yet caring...yeah, that's what I'd like. Maybe the trainers should be voted off....

Girls of the 70s and 80s Remember

I got an email today from one of my longest and dearest friends...it was a forwarded email which I usually just glance through and that's about it...but the first picture caught my eye and I had to read more. I called my oldest over to share with him some of these pictures and memories.

I may have forwarded this to some of you, but others of you can enjoy this too.

If you were a girl who grew up in the 70s and 80s, if you just grew up in the 70s or 80s or if you had children who did...these pictures will bring back some memories....enjoy!

If you were a girl in the 70s or 80s you had that Fisher Price Doctor's Kit with a stethoscope that actually worked. I didn't have that but knew some who did.

You owned a bicycle with a banana seat and a plastic basket with flowers on it. Mine was blue with a white daisy basket.

You learned to skate with actual skates (not roller blades) that had metal wheels...the wheels on mine were red.

You thought Gopher from Love Boat was cute (admit it!) OK yeah, maybe.

You had nightmares after watching Fantasy Island. Nope, but I did want to visit it.

You had either a "bowl cut" or "pixie" not to mention the "Dorothy Hamill." People sometimes thought you were a boy. Mine was a pixie.

You had rubber boots for rainy days and moon boots for snowy days. Yeah! You owned a "Slip-N-Slide", on which you injured yourself on a sprinkler head more than once. Nope Mom thought they were too dangerous.

You owned "Klick-Klacks" and smacked yourself in the face more than once! Nope

Your Holly Hobbie sleeping bag was your most prized possession. I didn't have a Holly Hobbie sleeping back but my parents still have my Hollie Hobby sheets that they break out for the twin spare bed when we're in town.

You wore a poncho, gauchos and knickers. I'm ashamed to say yes, yes and yes.

You begged Santa for the electronic game, Simon. Uh, yeah.

You had the Donnie and Marie dolls with those pink and purple satiny shredded outfits, or the Sunshine Family. Was Marie anyone else's villian as they played Barbies? Mine lost an arm so she was the evil lady. I didn't have the Sunshine Family, but knew people who did.

You spent hours in your backyard on your metal swing set with the trapeze. The swing set tipped over at least once. Mine didn't have a trapeze, it had a glider and a slide...my dad dug deep, deep holes for the legs to go into which made the swing set go up and down as you swung higher and higher but it kept it from tipping.

You had homemade ribbon barrettes in every imaginable color. Yeah, with the little dangly bead ribbons.

You had a pair of Doctor Scholl's sandals (the ones with the hard sole & the buckle). Nope. You also had a pair of salt-water sandals.

You wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder really bad; you wore that Little House on the Prairie-inspired plaid, ruffle shirt with the high neck in at least one school picture. Go Half-Pint!

...and you despised Nellie Oleson!

You wanted your first kiss to be at the roller rink! All skate!

Pong! ("video tennis") was the most remarkable furturistic game you've ever heard of!

Your hairstyle was described as having "wings" or "feathers" and you kept it pretty with the comb you kept in your back pocket. Mine was a pink tie dye color.

When you walked, the "wings" flapped up and down, it looked like you were gonna "take off".

You know who Strawberry Shortcake is , as well as her friends, Blueberry Muffin and Huckleberry Pie.

You carried a Muppets lunch box to school and it was metal, not plastic. With the thermos inside some were glass inside and broke the first time you dropped them. I had a Holly Hobbie lunch box...it was metal....but it had no thermos.

You are your girlfriends would fight over which of the Dukes of Hazzard was your boyfriend. I was partial to Bo.

YOU had Star Wars action figures, too! No...but I did dress like Princess Leia.

It was a big event in your household each year when the "Wizard of Oz" would come on TV. Your mom would break out the popcorn and sleeping bags! It was a big deal...we wouldn't do the sleeping bag thing. I still love that movie...has to be one of the best!

You often asked your Magic-8 ball the question: "Who will I marry. Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, or David Cassidy?" Oh yeah...Shaun...Da Do Run Run."

You completely wore out your Grease, Saturday Night Fever, and Fame soundtrack record album. Only had Grease...on 8 track.

You tried to do lots of arts and crafts like yarn and popsicle-stick God's eyes, decoupage, or those wierd potholders made on a plastic loom. Yes, yes, and yes. My parents still have some of the potholders I made.

You made Shrinky-Dinks and put iron-on kittens on your t-shirts!

You used to tape record songs off the radio by holding your portable tape player up to the speaker.

You had subscriptions to Dynamite and Tiger Beat. Nope, no subscription...but my dad would buy me a Tiger Beat or comparable each week when he went to the news stand.

You learned everything you needed to know about girl issues from Judy Blume books. Are you there God, It's Me, Margaret. Loved Judy Blume.

You thought Olivia Newton John's song "Physical" was about aerobics. (??It's not??)

You wore friendship pins on your tennis shoes, or shoelaces with heart or rainbow designs. Yeah buddy.

You wanted to be a Solid Gold dancer. Not so much, but I do remember my mom said they were half naked shaking their butts.

You drowned yourself in Love's Baby Soft - which was the first "real" perfume you ever owned. Didn't everybody?

You glopped your lips in Strawberry roll-on lip-gloss till it almost dripped off. I can still taste that nasty strawberry flavor.