Xerox is sponsoring a really cool thing: Let’s Say Thanks. At the site, you choose a free thank-you card (designs drawn by American children), and Xerox will print and send it to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other overseas posts. You can’t choose who receives your thank-you, but it will go to a member of the armed services stationed overseas.
Xerox says they will continue doing this as long as there’s a need. Please take a moment and send a soldier or sailor your personal thanks. It’s entirely free.
UPDATE: Also just found out that the US Postal Service free Priority Mail shipping supplies for customers sending packages to U.S. military personnel overseas. To obtain a free kit of shipping supplies, simply call the USPS’ packing supplies order line at 1-800-610-8734, select option #1 (”Express Mail, Priority Mail or Global Express Guaranteed products”), and ask a customer service agent for CAREKIT04 (or a “military kit”). You need supply only your name, address, and phone number, and they’ll get a kit off to you that should arrive within 7-10 days. (This offer includes only packing materials — senders who use these materials still have to pay the requisite postage themselves.) More info on the USPS supporting our troops is available here.
As I was doing the Blogathon last night, my passel of cats each visited me in the computer chair. They love lying across my arms and impeding my typing, in an effort to insist that I pet them. Each of them has different “bother Mommy” styles: Zadya will walk around on my lap & arms without settling down, she meows to be petted and will only stay for a minute or two, and then only if she gets lots of petting. Hasani will insinuate himself onto my lap, curl his rather large bulk into a catloaf, and sit there indefinitely unless he sees something going on in the other room which looks like more fun. Michiko will walk directly up onto my chest, head-butt my jaw and face, lick any part of my skin she can find, and occasionally curl up to start kneading my neck or chest with her sharp little kitten claws.
And now for something completely TMI…
Hurray! I actually completed Blogathon 2006! (What in the name of little green apples was I thinking when I decided to do this again?! Next year, if I even so much as suggest the slightest possibility of the teensiest chance that I could even whisper the phrase “sure, I could do Blogathon again,” SLAP ME. Really hard. No, really. Knock some sense into me. It would be a blessing.)
With any luck, I’ll be unconscious by 6:07 am. That will be ever so nice. Whoops! — I think I’m actually drooling over the prospect of sleep. (And isn’t that just an attractive visual? *smirk*)
On behalf of the kitties, I want to wish a huge, ginormous thank you to my sponsors!
Alrighty, the last song… I’m tempted to actually use The Last Song for the last song, because it’s one of my favorites (didn’t make it into the Blogathon only because I had more than enough sad songs already, and an arbitrary decision had to be made). However, I wanted a song that I can fall asleep thinking about with a smile on my face.
And now for something completely TMI…
Just one more Angry Chick Song. They’re addictive, even when you’re not angry (or necessarily a chick).
And I know I’m wiped out by sleep deprivation now, because I just tried four different ways to spell “necessarily” before I gave up and went to dictionary.com for the correct spelling. Earlier I thought I was having auditory hallucinations, because I kept hearing barely perceptible music and it wasn’t coming from a neighbor or any audio equipment in my house — or so I thought. Then I noticed it went away when I turned my computer speakers off. A-ha! The culprit was located — but it didn’t matter if I turned the volume down to zero on the speakers, I could still hear the music. Barely, not enough to make out a song, but still. I know many of us in PDX have bumper stickers on our cars that say “Keep Portland Weird” but damn, that’s really some nasty radio bleed over the local airwaves if my speakers turned down to zero volume are still picking it up.
Either that, or I’ve got a very subtle poltergeist.
And now for something completely TMI…
I’ve noticed, while slogging through the ‘Net to find decent lyrics pages to link to, that some song lyrics are slaughtered mercilessly. Isn’t there a website devoted to noting mangled lyrics? I haven’t been able to find it; I must be using the wrong adjectives in the search engines. One of my favorite examples is the song Mr. Brightside by The Killers. For some idiotic reason, every lyrics page that I’ve seen has a line “Jealousy, turning saints into the sea.” Does that make even the remotest amount of sense? Ha ha ha ha, no. The line is “Jealousy, turning sex into deceit.” See, that actually makes sense… I think too many people keep their iPods up so loud that it’s ruining their hearing by the time they’re old enough to drink.
Now, excuse me while I kiss this guy…
And now for something completely TMI…
I had no idea who Kelly Clarkson was when I first heard this song, because I’ve never seen a single episode of American Idol (nor have I ever wanted to, from what I’ve heard about the show). But I don’t hold it against her — everyone’s gotta start somewhere, and I’ve enjoyed every song of hers that I’ve heard. She’s kind of like a more cheerful Avril Lavigne.
And now for something completely TMI…
Here’s a song that’s probably only been heard by fans of the movie EuroTrip, as it’s from the soundtrack, or those lucky enough to have been exposed to the band in their brief career (the oldest guy in the band is young enough to be my… uhm, much younger brother). Shockingly, a little online research has determined that this is yet another Canadian band. Is there something in the water up there, or what? Maybe it’s all that non-caffeinated Mountain Dew.
And now for something completely TMI…
Although the original version of this song is wonderful, a fiercely passionate ode to a lover, I was lucky enough to also get the acoustic version, which I love even more. None of the passion or fierceness is really lost in the acoustic version, but the slower tempo and the starkness of the vocals seem to lend it more depth, and an even more profound sincerity — like the difference between a full-out party of a wedding, and a simple private commitment ritual.
And now for something completely TMI…
Here’s something that might be considered pretty odd for a mature 37-yr-old woman: I like Avril Lavigne. A lot. I own both her CDs and like most of the songs on them. I can’t wait for her to put out another CD. (What is it with all these musically-talented Canadians, anyway?)
And now for something completely TMI…
There is absolutely no redeeming social value to this song. The lyrics are stupidly juvenile, the tune might span 3 chords but I doubt it, and it’s from the soundtrack of an absolutely ridiculous little movie.
And ohmigawd, I love this song!!!! A LOT!!!! Really, really loudly!!!!
Can I change my name to Fiona? No? But it’s a pretty name, and I can write an absolutely gorgeous capital F in cursive!
Okay, I’ll just stick with having the song as the personalized ringtone which goes off when I phone my Number One Internet Fanboy. And inflicting EuroTrip on every prospective boyfriend as a test of his coolness. (You think I kid? I assure you not.)
And now for something completely TMI…
