Even Season

Well, the Titans couldn't quite pull it off today against the New England Patriots, losing the game in the 4th quarter, 40-23. Still yet, they truly proved this year that we can never count them out early in the season again. Now that Vince "The Prince" Young has his feet wet...next year's possibilities are endless.

They end the season with an 8 wins and 8 losses. Pretty darn good considering where we were just two short months ago!

Great job guys...we love you!

Christmas at Graceland

Had a great time at Graceland yesterday. I visited about 15 years ago, and there have been some great improvements in the experience since then! You now get your own personal headset with an audio tour that you can pause and play at your own pace as you visit each room. The visit also reinforced in my mind how influential Elvis was on popular culture and music. Yeah, the house had some tacky decor for today's standards, but back in the seventies it was the bomb! It was also very cool that on the audio tour Lisa Marie gave her own insight on what it was like to be a child in the midst of Elvis' lifestyle. We also visited the other museums and toured the Elvis' jet, the "Lisa Marie". The weather was perfect. It was definitely a first class experience all around. Here are a few of my favorite pics. There are more on my page at Flickr.

Christmas at Graceland

Down in the Jungle Room

The infamous TV that Elvis shot because he just couldn't stand hearing Robert Goulet sing any longer.
We didn't make it to Rendevous for their world famous ribs, but there's always next time. We made it back to Nashville safely, and I am looking forward to playing tourist for the weekend!

My Blog Policies

I have an announcement to make: I will not tolerate name calling or obscenities on my blog. If you do not like the pictures I post here, the opinions expressed by me or by opinionated but courteous commenters, or any other content of this blog, feel free to never come here again. There are many other blogs for you to choose from that will allow name calling and obscenities. I, however, will not.

Got a problem with that? This blog is called GingerSnaps. I'm Ginger. It's my blog. I will post whatever I choose to post...it's my prerogative.

We all have our opinions...that's the great part about forums like these...we can learn that others have differing views from our own due to differing life experiences--and perhaps even broaden our own views beyond our existing comfort zone. To quote Austin Powers: "It's a really groovy thing, baby."

Going to see the King...

Heading to Memphis with an old friend of mine...who I've known since 6th grade...almost 30 years...

A full report to follow...





Photo: Getty Images

Christmas Morning

I know she's 6, but I can't help it...I love those jammies with the little feet in them...

Goodbye, Godfather of Soul

James Brown
1933-2006

Umph, There It Is...

Vince's new title: Vince the Prince Young

After his 36 yard run in for a touchdown, and what what seemed like an eternity of praise from the CBS sportscasters, now the country (or at least those who get this feed) now understand...

We're conVinced!

Update: At Halftime: Tennessee Titans 20 // Buffalo Bills 19

Update: Uh-oh...come guys...

UPDATE: Yeah, baby!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tennessee Titans 30
Buffalo Bills 29

P.S. What was up with that play call by Buffalo on 4th down and the game on the line? Yikes...somebody's head is gonna roll...but Tennessee thanks you!


Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images

Gotta love it...

Ya gotta love it when a dear friend knows exactly the gift that will make you squeal with laughter in the middle of Cracker Barrel at Christmastime...









I would love to know where people find these things to sell on Ebay...

Christmas Tagged...

Favorite Christmas Movie:
"Miracle on 34th Street" (the original)
I love everything about it--the cute Santa, the precocious little girl (Natalie Wood), the beautiful Maureen O'Hara, and the very fine gentleman who finally wins her heart (dunno his name, but does it really matter? lol). It's just the best! If I'm flipping the channels and it's on, I will stop and watch it...it's been on numerous times, and I think I have watched it 6 times already this year.

Favorite Christmas Song:
"O Holy Night"
by Mariah Carey

Favorite Christmas Cookie:
Ginger Snaps...of course! :)

Favorite Christmas Gift Ever Received:
My first little handmade ornament from my little girl.

Least favorite thing about Christmas:
When I get overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done.

Where would your perfect Christmas be:
Anywhere with my daughter.

Favorite part of Christmas:
The lights and the excitement of little children waiting for Santa to visit them.

Favorite Christmas Decoration you own:
My collection of Santa Clauses from around the world.

When do you put up the tree?
The weekend after Thanksgiving.

Do you wear "holiday" sweaters/sweatshirts/t shirts?:
Two long sleeved t-shirts: a red one that says "Ho Ho Ho" and a black one that says "Happy Holidays"

If you haven't been tagged for this Christmas meme yet, feel free to tag yourself! :)

Missing Miami...

This is a great aerial view from downtown Miami--my hometown.
I think the city lights look like Christmas...

*Photo courtesy of the Miami Herald

So Sorry, Barry!

Oh no! I just read that Barry Gibb isn't laughing about "The Barry Gibb Show" this time.
From the Tennessean:

"I think it is really silly because it is not me at all," he says. "I like things that are funny, but I am not very keen on things that vilify you, and it sort of vilifies me. I think you'd have to ask the people who know me what I am like, and they don't know me."

Yeah, I can see where he would be a little put out by the portrayal of him having outrageous tantrums and saying "Do you know who I am? I am Barry Gibb!!!!!" I have always heard and experienced what gracious of a man he is. I think it was just an over the top skit like they always do. I thought it was hilarious, and, as you know if you have read my blog recently, I am a HUGE fan of his. I know that Justin is, too, and it would probably bum him out to think Barry took it that way. So, don't be upset, Barry...we love ya...it's all good.

Zero Tolerance

I have been masking my utter disgust regarding an event that happened last week by blogging some light hearted posts until I could wrap my head around what I wanted to say. Last week was a banner week for juvenile delinquents in this town. There has been outrage expressed at the cold blooded murders of the two Madison convenience store clerks by a 16-year-old girl, and two males, ages 18 & 20. Usually, I would just shake my head in resignation, and comment on how society has gone to the dogs and something needs to be done about these thugs, and then go back to my regularly scheduled life. That was until this whole issue hit WAY too close to home.

Tuesday night around 8pm, my little girl came into my room and broke down in tears. "I have to tell you something, Mommy." I tried my best to be as calming to her as I could while my heart was sinking inside, because I knew this was going to be bad with the state of mind she came to me in. I held her and reassured her that she could tell Mommy anything. She told me that a boy in her class--First Grade, age 6--grabbed her, shoved her into the bathroom of the classroom, held her down, and sexually assaulted her!!!! I tried to hold it together and stay calm. I promised her that we would go talk to her Principal and take care of this first thing the next morning. I was not prepared for the unbelievable "pulling of teeth" it took to get the school to take appropriate action in line with the severity of the offense this child committed on my daughter!

First, I was told the child would not be taken out of the classroom, even for that day, because it was one child’s word against the other. Then when I refused to accept that answer--and told them that he would not be in the same class as my child ever again--they offered to let me take my child home or to another class for the day.

Wait, what??? How is it justified that MY child--the victim--is the one who must have her routine disrupted even more than it has already while the offender is being coddled? Then, they agreed to let me take my daughter to her classroom while they took the boy down another hallway, and to the office for questioning. Gee, thanks, but ok. Any chance this child might be disciplined? Suspended? Expelled? He did physically and sexually assault an innocent girl, after all.

I was adamantly told that even though this child had been in the principal’s office at least 4 other times in a month for his disruption and trouble making, there would be no expulsion. What happened to “zero tolerance”? Well, zero tolerance only applies if the child has a weapon (knife, gun) or drugs. I find that ridiculous…to me, the logic in that is if a kid got so violent that he beat another child to a pulp, he would still be in school because he didn’t use a weapon. My response: BUT HE USED HIS BARE HANDS AND HIS BODY AS A WEAPON!!!

After going around and around with the school, central office, school resource officer…
Final solution: move the boy to another class. He won’t be in gym, recess or any other activities with her, except for lunch where they will be at separate tables.

Um, am I the only one who realizes that they have just removed this troubled child from one class and into another just to do the same thing to another child?

I have gotten a lot of talk of things like “we may not know if the child is old enough to understand right from wrong and the consequences of his action”. Right. So when are we going to wake up to the fact that we are growing up a generation of people who have never had to pay the consequences for anything they do wrong because we’re afraid of infringing upon their rights?

My child has the right to be able to attend school without fear or intimidation.

Chief Serpas was on the radio the morning after the murders in Madison, and from his words, it is obvious that he has a fervent desire to get the court system to actually enforce the sentences they impart to criminals. What a concept! Is it any wonder why we have repeat offenders? Because they haven’t had to fully pay the consequences for their actions the first time around! Why are we seeing younger and younger violent criminals and more teenagers being transferred to adult courts because they are committing progressively more severe offenses? Because they haven’t had to pay the consequences for their actions the first time around! Yes, it is true that a six-year-old may be too young to press charges against, but something must be done to rattle the parents and rattle the child enough that he will never hurt anyone again. I have zero tolerance for excuses. It starts now so that in the future he won’t end up in the same boat as the 16-year-old murderer is now.

We as a community and a society must insist that sentences are carried out to the end, kids are punished at the appropriate level of their misconduct, and if they are delinquents, send them to a correctional institution to either be rehabilitated or prevent them from hurting anybody else again.

If we don’t start insisting on this now, we will all pay the consequences.

Do You See What I See?

A few weeks ago on Big Joe's blog, he was, for some strange reason, fixated on Walker Texas Ranger being the best worst show you love to hate, and Chuck Norris being the best worst star ever.

This reminded me of an ongoing joke in my family that was revived over the weekend when I was visiting them for a family Christmas celebration. You see, I have a crazy aunt (love ya, Wanda!) who absolutely swears that she sees Chuck Norris in the design of her bathroom floor linoleum. Ok, so we can have a Mother Teresa sighting in a cinnamon bun, the Virgin Mary apparitions in various forms, Jesus in a tortilla, so why not Chuck Norris in the bathroom linoleum? What's really, really scary is that I can see it, too.

Now, you be the judge...in the spirit of the ink blot test...do you see what I see?

Generations

This is me & my Uncle Stan...he is my late Daddy's brother. He is hilarious...he loves picking on me to no end! That's how I know he loves me--if he ever stopped razzing me, I wouldn't know how to act! He's such a sweetie. It was great to see him this weekend on my trip to Northern Kentucky to see family. Good times indeed.

One Of My Fave Pics

Sniff, Sniff...

I smell a Wildcard...

Tennessee Titans 24
Jacksonville Jaguars 17

Beautiful Child

It Won't Bring Her Back...

My dear friend Jodi has once again posted so eloquently exactly what I would like to say regarding the new allegations that the CIA was tapping Princess Diana's phone calls...

It's been almost 10 years.

Let it go.

They Did It Again!!!

I was driving home during OT when Vince took the ball in for the winning touchdown. Being the faithful Titans fan that I am, I had my little portable B&W telly in the passenger seat of the car and my radio set to KDF listening to the play by play (by the way, the radio delay was waaayyy behind tv today--very annoying). Anyway, I was screaming at the top of my lungs, my daughter was holding her ears, and passersby on the interstate were probably sure I was having a "medical emergency". Holy cow, I think it is still possible for a wildcard spot in the playoffs...heck, we've had so many miracles this season, why not just believe it can happen!!! Hallelujah, I believe!!!

Tennessee Titans 26
Houston Texans 20

Merry Mothership (insert holiday here) Party!!!

I had such a fantastic time at tonight's Blogger (insert holiday here) party! To have the opportunity to meet so many lovely people was such a blast. My daughter loved hanging out, too. I would say highlights of the evening included flirting with two (of the many) good lookin' guys in the joint: JJ Dubin and Mr. Mack from Coyote Chronicles. Who knew I would be doing tequila shots with Dr. Funkenswine and company (which incidentally, I showed some of you men up! I was the only one who took the entire shot the first swig!).

I felt like I was meeting long lost friends. This may sound all mushy, but it feels like we are all a part of a great group--a community, if you will--and we have a bond. I'm proud to be a part of this, and thanks for welcoming me into the fold.

Some pics for your enjoyment:


Sista, Wonderdawg, me


crazy people


Linda, JJ, Amanda


Brittney & Aunt B


jag & jj


Three bloggin' babes


Stop! In the name of love...


How 'bout another shot?


Texas Hold'Em


Two Guys I've never seen before in my life...well, until last night


A drink with Dr. Funkenswine


B-dub and his date



newscoma's appearance looked like this ;)


Holiday Grinch


crazy people, er, Kathy T, Brittney, Glen Dean

Party City

Well, it’s that time of the year when schedules get overloaded with activity! In the next 36 hours, I will have attended 5 different parties. Sure, I’m gonna be exhausted by Monday, but I am truly thankful to have friends and co-workers (and bloggers!) who care enough to invite me into their lives to celebrate the season.

A quick and caring reminder that if you have had too much to drink, please do not drive. One decision can alter the lives of countless people, as well as your own. Forever.

Have a fantastic Friday night!

My Daughter the Comedy Writer...

The Scene: In the kitchen mixing cupcakes for school tomorrow.

My 6 year old daughter runs into the kitchen, looks at the food, and sings to the tune of the "Ricola" commercial:

"E Coli"

I couldn't have thought of that myself...

I Need Some Christmas Prozac

I’m sitting here at work, not wanting to work, and listening to one of the all-Christmas radio stations playing the same round of Christmas songs over and over and over again. Then, to make matters worse, on comes “Another Auld Lang Syne” and that just puts me over the edge…

So I thought it would be “fun” to put together a list of the most depressing Christmas songs ever.

Here are my Top 5:

“Another Auld Lang Syne”
Dan Fogelberg

“Hard Candy Christmas”
Dolly Parton

"Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk this Christmas"
John Denver

“Do They Know It’s Christmas”
Band Aid

“Christmas Shoes”
Newsong

Any of you Scrooges want to add to this comprehensive list?

I promise, I’ll be ok…

Inspirational Moment...

To the survivors...

Rock On, TItans!!!

Another come-from-behind victory courtesy of our dream team, Young/Jones/Bironas! Two franchise record breaking accomplishments in two weeks! This week, Rob Bironas kicked a 60-yard field goal with 7 seconds left to take us to a 20-17 victory over the second Manning brother.

Also, breaking news: Jeff Fisher has been offered an extension to his contract. As I've stated before, I am amazed at how consistent he is as a coach and a person. You hardly ever see him sweat, but when we have a great play and an amazing win, the genuine elation he shows to his boys is palpable!

I hope he'll sign the deal and stay with us here in Tennessee...besides, I couldn't imagine not having him around to admire his gorgeousness.

Tennessee Titans 20
Indianapolis Colts 17

AIDS, Obama, & Rick Warren...

This story immediately caught my eye this morning. Actually, it infuriates me. Evangelicals are dogging Rick Warren (pastor of Saddleback Church in California and the very successful author of “The Purpose Driven Life”) for inviting Sen. Barack Obama (a Democrat—GASP!) to the church’s 2006 Global Summit on AIDS and the Church. Why should Pastor Warren have to apologize for inviting any government official to his church to discuss something that is a worldwide issue?

It is high time that the Church get real. If we truly want to connect with the world in its current state, as Christ did in his time, we must get off of our high horse. It appears to me that Pastor Warren is trying to do a good thing in bringing to the church’s attention the need to minister to what today would equal “the leper” in biblical times.

Here’s a concept:

Matthew 10:8: "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.” In other words, minister to those who are in need physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Look beyond yourself!

Do you think Christ meant, “and you can do this with the help of those who believe only what you believe to the very letter”? Really?

This antiquated way of thinking is what has alienated the “evangelical” church on so many levels. It certainly isn’t a way to show the way to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is divisive not only to the unchurched but to their very own members.

I say “Go for it!” to Pastor Warren and Senator Obama. You’re doing good work, even if your own “constituents” don’t support you.

Tag, I'm (One Of) "It"

My buddy, John, over at Salem's Lots has tagged me to reveal 6 weird things about myself. This is a "chain" that is circulating through Nashville's blogging community. Others to check out are: Sista, Kat, SaraClark, KathyT, and Malia among many others.

Ok...so here goes...

1) I was born & raised in Miami (15 minutes from the beach), and never saw snow until the age of 18. I cannot swim. I can snow ski. Ironic, no?

2) My favorite drink of all time is a Sonic Route 44 Diet Coke with Chocolate.

3) I must have a box Kleenex with me at all times: by my bed, at my desk, in my car...

4) I go ballistic if my daughter gets her feet anywhere near where my face will be lying on in the bed (pillow, top edge of sheets, blankets, etc.). It just grosses me out.

5) I can tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue in less than 5 seconds...and I think it's fun to do on every occasion that I have a cherry stem in my presence.

6) I turn on the TV as soon as I get home from anywhere. Before I watch anything else, though, I must check CNN to be sure there is no "Breaking News" of any significance happening in the world. Then and only then can I go on about my business.

Is that weird enough? Scary--it really wasn't very difficult to come up with 6 weird things about myself. Guess I'm weirder than I realized.

Ok, I hereby tag the Blonde Mom, Big Orange, the one we call Linda, Sharon, the Pop Culture Idiot, Amayesing Angie, and the insight of Miller. Your turn to reveal your weirdities...

Absolutely AMAZING!!!

...and we were there!!!!

A day of miracles...I got an e-mail at 2:15pm from a dear fellow blogger who had scored 2 tickets to today's game (that started at 3:15pm!). I jumped at the chance to go, because this would be my daughter's first real Titans game! So, after parking in the worst possible part of town, we made it safely to the stadium and to our seats, which were awesome! We were pretty darn bored for the first half and third quarter. In fact, many many fans left, and we would have if we hadn't seen a friend who graciously agreed to give us a ride back to our car (a total God-send!).

Then the fourth quarter happened. It appeared that we were going to be completely shut out. It was 21-0, and hope was bleak.

Well, Vince Young was having none of that.

Vince lead this team through some amazing drives and even scored his FOURTH touchdown of the season!! We have entered the era of Vince Young.

Pacman is now my daughter's favorite football player. She has informed me that she wants his number to replace her McNair jersey. He was amazing today. Two interceptions received, people! This guy can spin out of any tackle like I've never seen before! Awesome.

Then through 2 amazing plays with 23 seconds left, Vince set the field up for the 49 yard field goal that Rob Bironas kicked with 6 SECONDS left!! We WON!!!

The crowd was jumping up and down, high fiving each other, and going nuts! What a game! What a first game for my daughter to witness!!! She even got to meet T-Rac!

And we made it back to our car and then home safely!

What a night!!!!

Note to JH: THANK YOU! I owe you one!

Today, I am thankful for life, health, love, and laughter. For a beautiful daughter who has been more of a blessing than I could have ever dreamed she could be. I am thankful for my family, who even though we are separated by distance, I love very much. I am thankful for good friends, good co-workers (well, most of them-lol), a car that runs, a house that keeps me warm, a faithful kitty cat who's always there when I get home, the people who cross my path everyday and are a blessing to me even when they don't know it, and for my new online buddies.

I am thankful for music.

I am thankful for so much that this small space cannot contain it.

Most of all, I am thankful to God who has sustained me through some very difficult times in my life and who never fails to bless us.

Happy Thanksgiving

I Concur

Swoon!

Fantastic Game!!!

Now that's what I'm talkin' about...

Tennessee Titans 31
Philadelphia Eagles 13

Good game, guys!