Deep In The Forrest

No worries, just the end of 2008. There's plenty more to come from "Deep In The Forrest". Stick around, I'll be back in 2009 with renewed vigor and plenty more words. But until then... Go on, have a blast and ring in the new year. Please be safe whatever you do. Mark Twain Said It Best! "New Year's Day: Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual." And here are just a few others... May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions. ~Joey Adams One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things. ~John Burroughs Maybe time for a toast? Irish toast: In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want. Benjamin Franklin: Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.

Two thousand eight... 2008... Two Zero Zero Eight... anyway you slice it, what a year it has been! It was lightening fast. My family started 2008 after a bit of a better holiday last year, I think, but then January brought us in (albeit nearer the end of the month) with Dad going into the hospital after falling and busting his head, causing more problems, and more decline of his condition. Then we wrapped the year up with the same, a hospital visit and a worsened condition. I can't lie, this was the worst year for me and the 'holiday spirit'. Just the way things have been around my childhood home, and my feelings about it all, I've fought depression and reasoned with myself about the realities of life, and then of course work, band, and the rest of everyday life is really enough to keep us all occupied. It keeps on moving though, and it's like being on a fast motorcycle, you gotta pick your feet up and lean with the bike on the turns or you're gonna get "P3...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY RICHIE AND ME! Has It Really Been Seven Years?!? I love you with all of my heart. Thanks for always being just you. Richie and Jackie December 28, 2001

It's one of my sisters' birthdays today, she was born the day after Christmas, which I'm sure happened to be a bummer sometimes. But there are plenty of people born too close to various holidays. She made do. I want to wish Deb a very Happy Birthday today, December 26th. :) Anyways, I've been in and out, and I haven't had time to get around to blog hop during Christmas, but will be back through to check on you guys very soon. So, my apologies for that, I am not trying to ignore ya. It's been very busy, and I've just had my mind on so many family things lately with Dad's ongoing dilemma and all. Hope things get back happy and semi-normal soon, but I have my doubts. Looks like we're in this for the long haul. :( In the spirit of important people in our lives, this video, Social Distortion "Don't Take Me For Granted" , I might have posted before but I like it, and it fits. Here's a little music to tide you over... don't take anyon...

N ot sure that I, Aunt Jackie , would be on Santa's nice list (if he really does keep up on all that) rofl. But as we're celebrating this week, it's time for a little Christmas Cheer... right? No matter the hard times that have been going on for my family, or myself, I always find time to be plenty naughty... don't you worry about that! It is very near Christmas, so what a perfect time for Tink (Our WWC Mistress) , to choose such a theme as "Naughty" and "Nice". She's probably been a little naughty herself... so Tis The Season, and here we go my fellow bad boys and girls. I don't know two more "Naughty" boys than these two brothers. You might remember this "Naughty" devil. Could that same "Naughty" devil actually become a "Nice" Christmas Angel? Blade probably cannot decide if he wants to be a "Naughty" or "Nice" driver (give him a break, he's only 2) lol And that's all she...

We went back to our old gym again. It's larger, has more amenities, and it is cheaper. We still like to try to go in before work and grab a good cardio workout, so this morning I forget that Mondays are "Spin Class", and they group all of the little bikes used for "Spinning" over in the corner. I thought getting away from them would help, but the overzealous "Murial Hemmingway-esqe" teacher shouted, "Woo-Hoo'd" and chanted loud enough, still, to ruin my morning workout. Once I made it through that, and all the eye-rolling and under-breath cussing, I decided to hit up the "Hot Box", or Sauna for some heat and relaxation. It was not long before some incessant "Clanker" began clanking around the bathroom, slamming doors, and flushing toilets and having unnecessarily loud conversations around the shower area. I have to wonder... "Why Me?!?!" It's like I attract the clankers and the clackers and stompers and t...

I figure I've been fixated on downers... depressing stuff lately, and I thought I would try to do something a little different. I haven't been tagged to do this, and it isn't a tag or "meme" (although I was tagged a few days back by Speedcat Hollydale , and just never had the chance to sit down and think it all out. Sorry Speedy! :( This title or idea I found while just browsing around a while back, and saved it as "ideas". I give you, on behalf of my ID, I suppose, even though it's not 'bizarro', 10 of my Guilty Pleasures (in no particular order). Guess we'll start at #10. Just Cuz. 10. R&B Slow Jams 9. Ice Cream 8. My Z Memories 7. Getting all 'made up' just to take Self-portraits 6. Flirting 5. Crystals and Healing Stones 4. Men, I just love em. 3. Blogging 2. Playing With My Husband's Hair 1. Just being lazy and sometimes doing absolutely nothing. Those were probably boring, but hey, I tried.....

Guys, this is a cop-out of sorts, but I promise I am going to try getting back into the game next week. Tink's Weekly Words Challenge words for this week are "Pine" and "Contribute". I will do a little demonstration with pictures, but these are not my pictures, just some I found to 'contribute' to the cause... I am participating but not really participating. Next week I will really try... I swear. Anyways, here we go. I PINE FOR THE GOOD OL' DAYS... AND THAT TENDS TO CONTRIBUTE TO MY MELANCHOLY. ENUFF SAID.

They're calling for Ice Storm warnings today. Other than that summer wind storm that screwed things up around July of 2004, we haven't experienced something like that since the Ice Storm of 1994 . When things like this overtake the Memphis area, which is as I said, rare, the panic and rudeness factors go through the roof. All you need around here is a mention of a snowflake or a few drops of ice and the city shuts down and goes into emergency-mode. Schools and other establishments close, and the streets are no place to be at all. People run to the grocery stores like the sky is falling, and stock up on Hot Dogs, Bread, Milk, Hot Cocoa, and other "essentials". If the electricity goes, all this ruins of course, people not really knowing how to survive anymore since we've all de-conditioned ourselves to plain living. Therefore, it becomes a sort of "Armageddon". "Shot Taken From Ice Storm 1994" The worst thing that worries me right now is if it d...

Just a quick reminder, if you are looking for more entertainment, and haven't checked these out in a while, slide on by the other blogs that I contribute to. For Childhood nostalgia, and holiday memories, hit up I Miss My Childhood , owned by the fabuloso "Chelly"! For outrageous Friday WTF Fun, don't miss WTF Friday (Updated Fridays and then some!) Ho, Ho F***ing Ho , right?? ;)

Ahh the good ol' days... where have they run off to? Every time I start trying to live in the moment and forget the past, I fall right back into melancholy nostalgia. Saturday has zoomed by, and I hate that. I wish Saturdays would last much longer than they do. Spending the night at Mom's last night to help with Dad, upon trying to get some things done around here since I have been home it's just nearly gone. Dad being home isn't making things much better, and it's not the happy event that it should have been. He is still miserable, talking some weird stuff, you know like trying to tell you something but he calls things very odd names, seems to be talking out of his head here and there. Then since he is still on "Honey Consistency" foods because of his poor swallowing (thank you elephant tranquilizer), he doesn't like anything that you bring him. He keeps asking for "Kool-aid", or "Fruit Juice". Then when you bring him something, l...

Well, "The Chick Magnet" rides again. Back into his own Barnyard he goes! How happy he will be. Yes, they're releasing Daddy this morning, and he is going home. That doesn't mean he's in the best of conditions of course. But he's strong enough and out of the water enough to go home where he is happy and comfortable. We all believe that he will thrive his best in his own surroundings where he is most happy. Yesterday they started him on "Honey Consistency" foods that he seemed to swallow best, which he will continue at home, and as he is stronger and more able, we can gradually have him back on normal foods. So good news, for now... and all I have discussed previously still stands. I know that everyone has an "exit time" and will have to eventually hit the trail and bid us "Adios", but for now, I am happy to have a chance to watch maybe just one more "M*A*S*H* Marathon" with my Daddy. Thanks again to everyone for their su...

Here's the latest "Daddy Update" just real quick, I won't go too detailed because I'm tired of talking it out more or less, but just wanted to give y'all a little run-down, and some thoughts. First off, I can't help but feel like we've been in a soap opera. As you run around the hospital, in and out of the cafeteria, people come by that you know. Just like "As The World Turns" or "Guiding Light" always seem to center around people meeting up with one another in the hospital somehow... Very odd. Seems one of my other classmates from High School had her father in on another floor for the exact same thing as my Dad. I found that odd. Then I saw my old crush Bob's Mom (Bob from my "Motorcycle Madness" story). He finally found Mrs. Right in the last few years, but then lost her to Breast Cancer. Irony huh. Another funny? Back when I saw him last he only had 1 daughter. His mom said he had 6 children (dodged that bullet I ...

I'm in for a moment just to check e-mail, check my work queue and catch up a bit around here. Dad has been fairing "ok" during his hospital stay, as far as, the swelling going down a good bit, and his breathing treatments seem to be doing some good. However, his condition has been a serious one, and I only hope he can recover and regain some strength back. For those of you who have sent sweet notes of support and love, you are so appreciated. Thanks from my whole family. Meanwhile, I'm still not sure how long his stay might be, and I will continue to keep things posted when I am able. Last night they gave him some sedative that made him sleep way through breakfast and lunch, so he has not eaten yet today. I tried to stay around long enough to get him to eat, but he was too "out of it". I was worried about that. Perhaps they gave too strong a drug or too much? You never know in the hospital. I will be going back tonight to check in on him, and try to make sur...

These are the best parents in the world. Please have them in your thoughts right now... Just a quick note... Mom called early this morning to let me know she had to have Dad in their local hospital overnight with his fluid build up. He wasn't breathing easy, and still had all that swelling. They being the small local hospital wanted to send him up the highway to the larger hospital so a cardiologist could check him too... Seems it's basically "Congestive Heart Failure". So I just wanted to put that out there, and please everyone have him, and my Mom in your thoughts, and anyone who does pray or send healing vibes I would appreciate any of those type of thoughts. May be in and out, so I don't know exactly when I might post, but I will try to update when I can. Thanks everyone. AJ

On A Crazy Train... Happy Birthday to Ozzy Osbourne , who is sixty ( 60 ) years old today. It's been quite a ride, and I've always been a fan... from Black Sabbath , to "The Ozzman Cometh" and on, and through his host of great guitarists. The funny thing is, with all of our 'musical heroes' turning fifty-something, sixty, seventy and beyond, it only serves as a wake up call to the children that we still subconsciously hang onto. In other words, it reminds me that I am not "that kid" anymore, no matter how much I try to be, or how immature I seem to remain. We've come a long, long way since those early days when MTV changed the world, or Friday Night Videos were the highlight of our Friday nights (this was before we could date of course, and Stacey and Kristie were forced to stay up for this, but rarely made it. They probably remember "Friday Night Videos" in an entirely different light). So you go to sleep one night, and you're ...

Time for our Weekly Words Challenge by Tink! . This week's words are "Abundance" and "Thanks" Gotta be short on words today because I have a lot to do, so here we go. Kristie and Rodney indulged greatly in the abundant spread Reanna is tired of the Abundance of photos taken. Mom has an abundant supply of coffee and cups. Blade's face says "thanks!" for his fabulous birthday cake! An abundance of joy for his 2nd birthday. Blade's friend gave "Thanks" for surviving the ride... The abundance of Pumpkin Pie surely dwindled. "Thanks Mee Mee!" says McKenna. We gave "Thanks" for being able to gather together. Reanna, Jackson and Austin found an abundance of rocks! Thanks again everyone... hope you have an abundance of happiness today!

Paul Simon is a great songwriter. I thought this was a very nice 'Father/Daughter' song... although someone else had created the video with various Father/Daughter photos, I still think it's very heartspoken. This is basically going to be "growing pains" week for me, for whatever reasons, and like I said I will share more actual feelings and words later. Right now, I just want to share this. I love both my parents very much, and I know I could not have been graced with any two in this entire universe any more wonderful... I am very lucky, and I am so thankful. Check out Paul Simon - "Father and Daughter" If you leap awake In the mirror of a bad dream And for a fraction of a second You cant remember where you are Just open your window And follow your memory upstream To the meadow in the mountain Where we counted every falling star I believe the light that shines on you Will shine on you forever And though I cant guarantee Theres nothing scary hiding unde...