The Return of The Muppets

I have been a fan of the Muppets ever since I can remember. In fact, I have more Muppety memories from childhood than I ever did of Bewitched. The Muppet Show premiered the same year I did and I do remember watching it when I was younger, most likely in reruns. I don't remember when I first saw my favorite Muppet movie, The Great Muppet Caper, however, I do remember that every time my dad would go to rent videos and a VCR I would always request it. For my eighth birthday, I went with my parents and my friend Shantel to see The Muppets Take Manhattan and for my tenth birthday the traveling exhibit The Art of the Muppets came to town so my mom paid for me and about 10 of my friends to go see it. Up to that point it was the best day of my life as the actual Muppets were there, albeit in cases, but still! Even Big Bird, my favorite Sesame Street Muppet was there! My bedroom was filled with Muppet posters that I got at the store or out of the Muppet Magazine (which I totally regret destroying as they are highly collectible).

What did I love about the Muppets? I loved that they were full of dreams and ambitions that they achieved, that they tried to be very professional even amid Fozzie's terrible jokes and Gonzo's crazy attempts at feats of daring like jumping through a hoop of fire while his chickens clucked the William Tell overture. Most of all I loved the outrageous zaniness of the resident band, the Electric Mayhem, particularly Dr. Teeth and his far out way of talking and Animal, the crazed drummer who could lose control at any moment.

My career goal was to work for Jim Henson and in fact, for career day in about fifth grade, I dressed up like a hippie and brought my babysitter Vanessa's Animal puppet so I could demonstrate how I was going to be a Muppeteer. Of course, every other boy was a fireman or doctor, so I stood out like a sore thumb, and I was told that it wasn't a very good career goal, which I didn't agree with at all.

In September 1990, Jim Henson (Muppet creator) sadly passed away and the world wondered if the Muppets would continue, no one more than myself. Shortly after his death the newest big screen Muppet movie A Muppet Christmas Carol was released and was also the unveiling of the new Kermit's voice. I was apprehensive, but it was OK, though I felt something was a bit off. Piggy was hardly in the movie and the Electric Mayhem, who had seemed to be a big part of every other Muppet movie, was a mere blip.

In 1996 Muppet Treasure Island was released and I have to admit I forced myself to like it, but it mainly just sucked. There was something missing! That year also saw the release of a new Muppet TV show - Muppets Tonight - which was all right, but it was certainly no Muppet Show, though it did introduce a new favorite Muppet, Pepe the Prawn.

The last big screen Muppet vehicle was Muppets from Space (1999) which was not that great at all. My Muppets were known for their great songs and all this movie had was musical montages to 70s songs.

A little after that Palisades began releasing Muppet action figures which literally was a dream come true. For years I've had dreams of going into what looked like the old Crossroads Mall into a shop in a deserted corner to find Muppet action figures everywhere and when these were released, I literally bounced a check at Toys R Us to buy Kermit, Piggy, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Dr. Teeth. That last one made me smile as big as he did as there was never any Dr. Teeth toys before! But soon, Palisades stopped their productions and the Muppets came out with a few TV specials that were far from special. It truly seemed that any Muppet magic was a thing of the past.

But then came along Jason Segal (How I Met Your Mother).

About four years ago it was made known that Jason wanted to head a new Muppet movie as he was a huge Muppet fan and in fact, had his own puppets he made. I wasn't sure about how all this would go down considering the most recent Muppet projects were ill-making to say the least, aimed towards pre-schoolers.

Then, starting last year, photos from the set and promotions started happening and it looked like maybe there was hope that someone had finally realized that us Muppet fans love ALL the Muppets like Thog, Sweetums, the Newsman, etc, because those Muppets were showing up in pictures and then in the previews.

Fastforward to this past week, Thanksgiving evening to be precise, I saw the new movie (simply called The Muppets) with my brother, my nephew Mayson (who I've indoctrinated with the Gospel of Muppet via the Muppet Show DVDs and the movies) and some of my friends.

So what did I think?

I LOVED it!! In the very first few moments the title of the movie came up and THANKFULLY not in the font with the M looking like a contorted Kermit, but with the old school Muppet Show looking font. I had the biggest chills when Gary (Jason Segal) and Walter (his Muppet brother) were shown watching The Muppet Show back in the 70s where Walter realizes there are others like him. When his room was shown with tons of Muppet stuff, I heard my brother tell Mayson, "That's Uncle Dave right there!"

I thought the songs were kinda cheesy, however, I can't get "Life's a Happy Song" out of my head. And I totally related to "Man or Muppet" where Gary tries to decide how much of a man or a Muppet he is and finally comes to the conclusion that he's a Muppet of a man.

The best part of the movie, though, was when Kermit and the reunited gang, put on a show harkening back to The Muppet Show, and when Kermit announced through the O of what was now the word "Telethon" the special guest star, I thought I would pass out...it was AWESOME!! Especially seeing all the Muppets in the archways.

I also really liked the inclusion of Uncle Deadly, a little known Muppet, but an awesome one.

Of course, the movie did have it's faults like the over all depression of Kermit, the Electric Mayhem not having a musical number and Beaker and Bunsen hardly being in the movie, however, those were minor gripes.

I loved the movie so much I went and saw it again and hope to see it at least once more before it's out of theaters. I really feel like MY Muppets are back, the ones that had an adult sensibility but who could also play to children a like, and not just be focused solely to kids.

What I really like is that my nephew, who is five years old, is about the same age as I was when I really began to begin my love for the Muppets, and now it seems that he's going to be able to have the same opportunity.

I hope the success of this movie means even more movies and maybe, just maybe, a new Muppet Show utilizing the old set.

RIP Grandma Pierce!

Tonight, around 9 PM, my Grandma Pierce passed away after dodging Death's scythe for many years. In fact, she stopped eating last Wednesday and went into some sort of coma state, though she could still hear us. My dad (her only son and first child) and I went down to see her on Saturday. She was having heavy breathing followed by periods of no breath for about twenty seconds or so. I grasped her hand and said, "Grandma, it's David. Me and my dad came to visit." Her breathing immediately went to a slow rhythm. I had watched my Grandma Slack pass away and the way Grandma Pierce was breathing was the same way. I was sure we would witness her death, especially since the nurses said it would be within the next twelve hours.

However, Saturday came and went, Sunday came and went, and today I had resigned myself to the fact that maybe she was again going to pull through.

Today I received the Complete Series of M*A*S*H on DVD. That series is a Pierce family favorite. In fact, every time I think of it I think of being down at Grandma's, getting ready for bed in our sleeping bags on the living room floor (us kids were too scared to sleep down stairs in the basement), and the adults getting ready to watch the show right after the 10 o'clock news. Everyone laughed and it was cool that the main character, Captain 'Hawkeye' Pierce, shared our name and looked like my dad. Anyway, my cousin Tracey from that side of the family, who is also my roommate, and I were watching the extras discs from the set when she passed. How fitting.

It's also a full moon which I think is great.

I'm so glad she's not suffering anymore. I felt bad that I didn't go to see her more often. I would usually go once per season because it was such a long drive, and then just really depressing when you'd get there because she was so miserable.

I lived with her while going to college and we had many discussions, laughed some, argued some, and just had nice time. I felt a special bond with her as she loved to paint and so did I.

While I was on my mission about three months in, I woke up horribly ill with a splitting headache and quite nauceous. In fact, I fell into a coma and awoke in the evening thinking it was still morning. As I lay in bed not able to get up because my head hurt so bad, the phone rang. My companion answered and said, "No ma'am, there is no Pamela Reddington here." !!!!! Pamela is my cousin so I told him to give me the phone. When I got on, it was Grandma!! Nobody had my phone number as I wasn't allowed to call home. She was quite surprised and said she didn't know how she got my number. I told I was glad because I was feeling so sick, which made me homesick so we spoke for awhile. She was glad to speak to me. She also wrote me quite often, which I greatly appreciated.

Grandpa Pierce has been dead 20 years this Thanksgiving so it's about time she joined him.

All though I am sad, I'm more grateful and happy that she won't suffer anymore, that she'll finally be with Grandpa again, that she'll get to see her parents whom she lost when she was just a teen or younger, and her younger sister who died when she was quite young. I know I'll see her again and I'm so thankful for the testimony I have of eternal life and that the Savior, Jesus Christ, has made it possible for all of us to be with our loved ones again throughout Eternity.

My Dreams of Jeannie Come True!

All though my heart lies with Samantha and the witches and warlocks of Bewitched, I have a place in my heart for Major Nelson and the beautiful Jeannie he released from her bottle imprisonment of 2,000 years on I Dream of Jeannie. In fact, I would say that when I was little, Jeannie was more my favorite than Samantha because she was half naked (for the 60s) plus the bottle was so cool and her smoking in/out of it was even more cool!

Late last year, Barbara Eden (Jeannie) announced that she was writing her auto-biography. I knew that meant she most likely would be having a book signing and wouldn't you know it, she did! So I purchased my trip and flew out last Thursday to Los Angeles for the book signing at the Barnes & Noble at the Grove. I met up with some friends that I had met at the Bewitched Fanfare and after going to lunch, we got in line about 15 people from the front due to Lindsay being an employee of B&N getting us wristbands for the front.

A couple weeks before I had bought a replica Second Season bottle that Barbara could sign however the B&N people had all these dumb rules about "No Memorabilia" and "No Posed Photography." I brought it anyway.

At 2PM Barbara showed up. She is very tiny and though she is pushing 80, she looks like she is pushing 60! She asked if we wanted a Q&A or just start signing. We all opted for the former. She did about five questions and then the signing started. When it was my turn, I was so thrilled! She is so beautiful and kind! I had all ready read the book and told her how much I loved it and how she has brought me so much joy through her talents. She thanked me and while Lisa was taking our picture, Lisa said outloud, "No don't you dare pose! But smile!" Barbara laughed and we looked at Lisa and then when the rest of my friends had gone through the line we all told her goodbye at the same time and I blew her a kiss.

I was going to stay until after the line had died and see if I could get the bottle signed but Lisa invited me to go with her and our other friends to a Hollywood Starbucks where the stars always go so I opted for that as Lisa seems to attract an extraordinary amount of stars to her. Well, we ended up visiting with Zsa Zsa Gabor's crazy husband, Prince Frederick!!

When I went back to the Grove for a dinner party that my friend Gina had set up with the possibility of Barbara joining us, I found that the book signing ended early and Barbara had actually been signing memorabilia as well as went to the place where we were having dinner. She had left just before I got there. Oh well! The dinner was fun as I was with other IDOJ fans.

The next day I made my way up to Westward Beach in Malibu, CA where the pilot episode of the show was shot. It was so cool seeing it as it hasn't changed. I also got to be part of some more magic as I was asked to film a proposal of a guy to his girlfriend without her knowing under the cover of them building a sandcastle and her digging up a bottle with the proposal message inside.

All in all, a dream come true and I shall always dream of Jeannie, er, Barbara!

You know what? F*** YOU 2010!!!

Now you all know I do not condone use of the F-word having been traumatized by the two times I did utter it, but there was no other way to express how I feel about this past year.

Last New Year's Eve was supposed to be magical and infused with positive energy because of the very rare happenstance of a Blue Moon happening that night. I was sure it meant great things for the new year. This was not the case:( And what's even weirder is normally even years are generally good for me.

Here is a recap (RED means I hated it and GREEN means I loved it):

January

• It did start out with a little magical event when my friend Jean was sending me a book and it kept not arriving and one day Jean asked if he could call me so we could talk about it. He called on my way home from work and we were depressed that his present seemed to be lost when I discovered that I had a package waiting for me and it was the book! So Jean and I, whom I never get to talk to, got to listen to me open the book to see what it was - a photo journal of one day in the life of Daniel Radcliffe aka Harry Potter.


• Because of my three day illness with the flu, and the fact that I didn't have enough time to cover it, I was put on a final written warning at work, which meant that I didn't get any of my Personal Days and that any attendance infraction would be my demise. The warning would last til September.


• Liz Montgomery's three part mini-series "The Awakening Land" was FINALLY released on DVD! It's SOOO good! And Agnes Moorehead's "Alice Through the Looking Glass" was also released. I love 'Alice in Wonderland' so it was was awesome to have a Bewitched tie.

February

• Sharon and I continued our I Dream of Jeannie club in the Second Season. It was fun because it's fun to hear a different point of view about the episodes.


• I was so sick of the crap at my job that I decided to reapply at the Post Office and had to re-take all their damn tests only to be told via an email that I was unsuitable for re-hire and if I wanted to know why I had to write an actual snail mail letter. Those bastages!! So I had to remain at my job which, from previous posts you know I do NOT like.


• I did receive a raise and a HUGE bonus at work which I used to purchase a Blu-ray Player, a flat screen for my room and for the living room at my parent's and paid off my curio cabinet.

March

• The first weekend my dad and I went down to Price so my dad could baptize Colton, my cousin Shaun's son. The Spirit was there in great abundance and it made me very happy as I had to work on Sundays for the past couple months.


• Also that weekend I went to the premiere of Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" with Mackenzie and her son Jack. I hadn't seen them for so long and it was fun. And the movie is one of my new favorites!


• And that weekend my friends and I went to see Daniel Tosh's show. We had second to front row seats and it was awesome! It was a lot of fun.


• Paula Abdul also tweeted me for the second time but you can read about that in a previous post on my blog:)


• My elementary and jr. high school friend Andrea asked me to draw a logo for her MS race team. She has MS and she loves llamas and she remembered I draw. Seems like noone knows that anymore, and it's probably because I hardly ever do, so I drew one and Pibby polished it up. It made me feel really good to break out the drawing talent again and Andrea loved it!

• Mayson turned four however because of conflicting schedules (or so it seemed) his parents couldn't be bothered to throw him a party, yet were able to have poker parties of their own every weekend. They kept saying they would have one so I waited to give Mayson my present. My mom did make him a cake and she, Mayson and I had a little party.

April

• My friend Jone from Iowa flew into town for her work and I met her for dinner in Layton. We hadn't seen each other for a long time so it was great to see her. The best part was I had the waitress take our pic on my phone and I immediately posted it to Facebook until I realized that my fly was open!!! It was so embarrassing but funny:)


• I read about a ballet production based on Jim Henson's "Labyrinth", one of mine and Michelle's favorite movies, so I talked everyone into buying tickets and we went down to Orem for it. We were going to be late so we ate dinner really fast and then it turned out the production was THE lamest piece of crap we have ever witnessed. However, I believe that was the trip where Tracey and I came up with the fun game called "There's a Church" where you point out all the LDS churches along the way.


• I added my mom to my cell phone plan not thinking she would actually use the phone but she keeps it with her for the most part.


• I was officially diagnosed with diabetes:(


• Last month at Grandpa Slack's late birthday celebration, Evelyn told us that her friend Ellen had a long haired Siamese cat to give away as it belonged to her son who is a meth addict in jail. My mom had been thinking of getting my dad a cat for therapy as she had read that having pets helps a person feel healthier mentally. So Ellen brought it over. The cat is BEAUTIFUL and Andrea from Reno says he's probably a Snow-Shoe or Ragdoll. He's huge! Paul named him Snickers however one day Mayson asked where "Sniffles" was so he's forever known as Mr. Sniffles.


• A month after Mayson's birthday Paul and Jody went on separate vacations which was really weird, however they seem to be doing a lot separate lately. However, the fact that Mayson hadn't had a birthday yet really pissed me off as he kept saying how he was going to have a party and yet never got one:(


• Mayson also fell at preschool and cut his head wide open but Jody found a great plastic surgeon and he now has a light scar.


• I FINALLY received my Paula Abdul Fan Club package a YEAR after joining! It was cool though...it came with one of her star rings she designed, a tote she designed, a signed photo and a letter.


• Mark Simpson, the organizer of the Bewitched Fanfare, told me that he had booked Bernard Fox for this year and that he wanted to present him with the Fan Favorite Award and he wanted me to present it!

May

• Dad collapsed at work because his blood sugar was 314 when it should only be 120. He was in the hospital a couple days.


• My mentally disabled cousin RuthAnn's husband David died from complications due to Muscular Distrophy suddenly. It was very sad and I think because of all the stress I had at work and with my dad and everything else this was the straw that broke the camel's back because I found out at work and could not stop crying. And it's not like I was close to David. Still, very sad.


• Two days after showing us her new ring setting, Jody told Paul that she wasn't in love with him anymore and that she wanted a divorce. It was truly unbelievable, though it seemed like they were growing distant the past couple months. However there was more going on then we realized and so it made it hard to feel sympathy for either side once the truth came out, though Paul wanted to go to counseling which Jody refused cause she's done. It makes me so sad as they seemed perfect for each other not to mention that Mayson shouldn't be denied having his parents stay together.


• While Jody, Paul and Mayson were in Lake Powell, where the big breaking point came, my dad seemed truly out of it and not coherent at all. He kept repeating himself and seemed like he wasn't listening to anyone. So when we take him to the hospital we find that his sugar was 1200!!!! He should've been dead. It was truly scary and so stressful especially with the unnecessary stress of what was happening with Paul and Jody.


• Heather became engaged to Tyler, whom she had been set up on a blind date with in February. THANK GOD!!! We have had to hear about her whining about stupid Dave S. for so long and how she was never going to get married that this was truly welcome.


• The series finale of LOST aired and it was truly sad and awesome. My family and friends and I have been following it since the Second Season. It's been so great because it made you think about things and pay attention. It was always nice to look forward to a new LOST.


• Jenn R and Tracey invited me to move back into Tard Mansion as their roommate was leaving. That's where I lived two years ago and I was so excited cause I missed that place and was WAY tired of living with my parents.

June

• My dad hadn't been to work in over a month because of twisting his ankle when he collapsed at work. He seems to be really going down hill:(


• I got a sore throat that turned into laryngitis yet I still had to stay at work with no voice because the all mighty dollar rules.


• Mom was told by her b*tch a$$ boss that she wouldn't be hired in December when she got her RN. And my mom has worked at LDS hospital for 18 years and that's how she's treated.


• Bewitched Fanfare happened in Los Angeles and it was THE best one ever!! I met my favorite Dr. Bombay aka Bernard Fox plus other great stars including Erin Murphy aka Tabitha who surprised us at the Bewitched house. Also got to go to Disneyland for a minute with Andrea and Robert. I was so glad they were there.


• At the Fanfare there was a cute girl there named Lindsay who I thought was married as I knew a married couple was coming. Afterwards, all of us at the Fanfare were sharing pics and memories through email and as Lindsay and I started talking I found that the guy she was always with was her uncle. So we decided to start up a long distance relationship.

July

• It was the annual Bear Lake trip and I drove up with Mayson. He slept most of the way and we had a lot of fun up there. He had to leave on Friday night with my mom and it was the most sad, heartbreaking farewell as he tried saying goodbye to me but couldn't say it as he started crying.


• Lindsay painted a picture of me in a bull fighter's outfit, just like Dr. Bombay wore, so I decided to paint her a picture and painted an awesome watercolor of Endora and Samantha. As time was going on, I realized that long distance relationships are not my bag, and I ended it but it was fun while it lasted.


• I went for a card reading with Michelle and Kim, who was out visiting, at Tarot by Tracey and it was really insightful.


• My Uncle Ray and Aunt Sarah from Florida flew out the week of Pioneer Day and so Evelyn had a party up at her house as there is a firework show that happens quite close to her home. It was one of the best Slack parties I've ever attended.

August

• My Uncle Ron was hospitalized because of high blood pressure which caused him some amnesia. My mom called me to come over to the hospital to give him a blessing and when I got there, it seemed like Ron's family had know idea why I was there and that's because they didn't: Mom had taken it upon herself to ask for a blessing. So my dad and I were supposed to give him a blessing and I felt that since I hadn't been to church all year, my dad would give it to him and I would just stand in. However when I started going up to Ron, Dad just stood there. So I gave it. I was so mad at both my parents, my mom thinking she has the authority to ask for a blessing for someone not in our immediate family and for my dad for not stepping up. He said it was because my mom hadn't told him he was going to be a part of it.


• Some time during this summer, we had a couple BBQs at Pibby and Jenny's at the place in MillCreek Canyon where they were renting. It was so peaceful there.


• The starter on my car gave out and I had to buy a new one with really no money. Luckily Tyler could install it.

September

• Mayson seemed to have a huge growth spurts this month and his vocabulary is getting even bigger. I wish he'd stay little forever! He also didn't get enrolled in pre-school again which made me sad as I feel like he needs to have friends his age around him.


• I bought the coolest Halloween decorations at Tai Pan and Michaels and decorated about two weeks into September. Halloween makes me so happy!


• I FINALLY got off my final written warning for attendance which opened up being able to apply for other positions when they became available.

October

• I FINALLY got a Saturday-Sunday off schedule at work but have to work 10 - 7 PM, which is both good and bad.


• On October 5, 2010, Heather and Tyler were married in the Salt Lake Temple for all time and eternity. Their reception was at the Gathering Place at Gardener Village and Michelle was their wedding planner. Michelle started her own event designing business during the summer and it's been going so well. The reception was awesome and it was so great seeing old friends.


• I turned 34 and had a great birthday! We had a taco dinner at my mom's one night and the next night my friends and I and Pibby and Jenny and Tyler and Heather went to dinner at Olive Garden and then we went to the Haunted Forrest in Lehi. It was so much fun!


• Halloween sucked because I didn't have enough money to fly to Reno and because it was raining. Also, in the times I didn't go to Reno, I would go over to the Wilde's and go Trick-or-Treating with everyone but as Jody and Paul are split that couldn't happen.


• Sharon and I also finished "I Dream of Jeannie" club:(

November

• Andrea White's father had a stroke while hunting near the Nevada/Utah border and was life-flighted to the U of U hospital so she flew in to be with him. All though it was sad and scary about her dad, I was glad she was able to fly in because I felt so sad about missing Halloween with her.


• Wouldn't you know it, my starter gave out AGAIN and I couldn't find the receipt for it. Tyler wasn't available to help me get it fixed and so I had to drive Jenn's car (she was in Italy). I was totally scared driving her car for fear of wrecking it. But Tyler got it fixed again however I went into bad debt.


• Because Jody has decided to leave the family, we had to make other plans for Thanksgiving as we usually have it with her family. We decided to have it at my house and it was absolutely delicious! And it was nice just having our family. So though I did miss having it with the Wilde's, it turned out great.


• I won $175 at work for my great customer reviews!!


• I got put on another final written warning, this time for "behavior" as I didn't pull up the Consumer Clear Disclosure list when helping a customer, even though I hit the points of it when helping the customer, who rated me as best. I felt it was an unfair punishment for the crime because it's a year long so I told Stephanie, the Assistant Director, that it should be reconsidered. She reviewed it again and found that I had noted in the account that I had covered the CCD but because I hadn't pulled it up, the punishment stands. Which means that I can't apply for any other position for a year.

December

• Because of Paul and Jody's troubles and the fact that Mayson's life has been turned upside down, I was not in the mood for Christmas. Also, my mom, who was supposed to be graduating with her RN this month failed two classes so everything is just depressing. I have been so depressed that I never put up the Christmas tree at my mom's house until a week before Christmas, and even then it was a stupid fake one.


• The Slack Family Christmas party was a lot of fun and probably the best one in years. I look forward to it every year. I even had Mrs. Santa sit on my lap.


• One night, Pibby, Jenny, Mom and I went up to Temple Square where we were going to listen to a choir from Carbon High sing but they got snowed in. We listened to other groups sing and looked at the lights and it was a lot of fun and made me feel much more like Christmas.


• I wasn't looking forward to Christmas Eve cause normally that's spent with the Wilde's at Paul and Jody's house, however we had dinner at my mom's house and Pibby and Jenny made the most DELICIOUS chicken. We watched "Muppet Christmas Carol" with everyone and it was just a very nice evening.


• Christmas Day was good as well. Jenny's cousin Charmaine joined us and I got $50 from my parents, a magic book from Jenn, a Mad Men book from Tracey, a $40 Old Navy gift card (which I bought pants with), Doritos, Peanut Butter M&Ms, beef jerky and a 2 ltr of Diet Coke with Lime from Heather.


• Jody's best friend, Reagan, was hit and killed in a car wreck due to the horrible weather. Jody lives with Reagan and her brother and so Mayson is there part time. It is so sad. That same night Heather and Tyler got rear ended by a guy high on drugs. Luckily they weren't hurt.


• New Year's Eve was spent with Pibby, Jenny, Jenn, Michael and Michelle at the Cousins's house for a crab feast and goodies. We also played Wii games and watched the ball drop. It was a nice evening.

This year was horrible because of Paul and Jody breaking up. Even though there was a lot of good, it was always dampened by the thought of our family breaking up. Plus my dad going into the hospital all the time didn't help matters either.

I'm not going to say anything about 2011 because I thought last year that 2010 was going to be so great. I have hope that 2o11 will make a 180, but we'll see.

The Summoning of Salem

In 2006 I fulfilled a life long dream of visiting Salem, Massachusetts. Of course, Salem is notorious for the events of 1692 where many people, mainly women, were unjustly accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 people lost their lives as they were sentenced to death.

My fascination with Salem was sparked by the episodes of Bewitched where they traveled to the Witch City so Samantha could attend a witches' convention. Those episodes have always been favorites of mine and much to my surprise and delight, in Ninth Grade I learned that the Witch Trials were an actual event in American History. In fact, my year end project for History was a presentation about the Trials complete with visuals including poster board depicting wood cuttings from that time, pictures from Bewitched and a visual aid of my sister's Malibu Barbie dressed in a shoulderless black dress which was hung by the neck from a a tree branch set in a vase with Plaster of Paris. I also did a huge report on one of the big participants in the Trial, Cotton Mather, who wrote much about witchcraft.

Since that time Salem has always held a deep fascination for me so when the opportunity arose in 2006 to visit Salem, I pounced on it. Salem was everything I hoped and dreamed it would be. The town still retains much of it's pre-Colonial charm because of some of the original buildings still standing and a graveyard adorned with Tim Burtonesque headstones memorializing people from over 400 years ago! There are many places devoted to the history of the Trials but also a lot of modern practicing witches/wiccans have taken up residence there and so the streets are dotted with little witch boutiques filled with charms, incense and crystals.



But the thing that struck me the most was the atmosphere. I had heard rumor that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints didn't have missionaries in Salem because of it's affiliation with the Devil and evil spirits, however right before I left for Salem I found that wasn't true. Even knowing this, I was afraid I might feel of the evil that maybe there however it was markedly different. It was a feeling of sadness mixed with jubilance but most of all a sort of sacred feeling as you realized while visiting the homes and sites of the people involved in the Trials, that people had lost their lives due to hysteria and greed. I also felt that though Salem is only 40,000 people big, it was filled with many more souls than that. Everywhere we went, even if it was in the empty elevators at the Hawthorne Hotel, you were never alone in them.

I also didn't come home from Salem alone. The whole time I was on the plane and when I came home I felt there was someone with me. I also felt that whoever this was came with me because they didn't want me to leave. I know this sounds nuts, but the reason I know someone came home with me is that they made their presence known by making a wooden spoon fly off the counter one night when friends were over for dinner and then another time, right after the trip when showing Amanda my photos from the trip, my relatively heavy cell phone did a somersault on the glass top coffee table. Every so often something will happen that will remind me my visitor from Salem is still around and when I visited a tarot card reader a couple months ago, when I asked about any spirits that may be around me, she asked if I had noticed things that moved by themselves and told me it was a spirit that had attached itself to me, a young man who held me in high regard who in life hadn't been a "good boy" and that he moves stuff to remind me that he's there.

Before I went to Salem, I purchased a book by Marilynne K. Roach called "The Salem Witchcraft Trials", a day by day account which I read on the plane there and back. It was a totally fascinating book and it brought me closer to those victims of the Trial for which I feel much sympathy.

Recently I began re-reading that book and have had Salem a lot on my mind, more than usual. My visitor has also been more active than before as he knocked over my shelf of DVDs while I was talking on the phone one night. I've found new wood cuttings depicting the Trials lately and I keep wondering if Salem is summoning me back? I also just found a TV mini-series from the 80s titled "Three Sovereigns for Sarah", the most realistic portrayal of the Trials. It was filmed in Salem and the surrounding areas and I felt what could be termed "homesickness." I wonder that maybe I should move there? And possibly for permanent. I know I would have a hard time doing it as I would miss my family so much but it seems to me that Salem is my home. I do have ancestors that came from that area and I can't help but think that maybe there is something

However, I'm sure my recent re-kindled focus on Salem has been stirred by this past October which marked the 40th anniversary of the premiere of the Bewitched Salem episodes which I have written about.

All a Twitter over Twitter

About a year after I joined Facebook Twitter came into being. I really didn't understand why anyone would want to be a part of Twitter since essentially it's just the "update status" part of Facebook.

That is, until I realized that a ton of celebrities were using Twitter including my Paula Abdul.


So I joined.

It has been awesome! Paula updates her Twitter quite often and has close to 2 million followers. And even though I've met her and spoke to her on several different occasions, I always thought it'd be cool if she'd answer a 'tweet'. That happened last November quite out of the blue, right before Thanksgiving when Paula had asked how everyone's day was going. I was at work (of course) and said how I was working but was hoping that I could leave early. Right after that I got the following back:

PaulaAbdul@drbombay76 I hope you get off early to enjoy the day! xoP
5:17 PM Nov 25th, 2009 via web in reply to drbombay76

I was in the break room with people I didn't even know but I was so excited I said, "Hey I realize we don't know each other however the coolest thing just happened and I have to show someone!" They thought it was so cool.

How is it that I still get such a thrill out of talking to Paula??! I've met her, spoke to her on Larry King Live and on the radio here in Utah and yet that was so awesome! (p.s. We did get to go home early)

I seriously thought that since there are so many people tweeting her that would be the only time but I was thankfully wrong:)
So then in March she asked what everyone was doing and I responded that I had a five-day weekend and was going to see Daniel Tosh's show. She responded:

PaulaAbdul@drbombay76 Hope it's a great five day weekend for you and have fun at the comedy show! xoP
1:36 PM Mar 5th via web in reply to drbombay76

Then just a month later she was talking about the return of "Glee", which I'm embarrassed to admit I watch, and I told her that I thought she should be a guest on the show as Coach Sue Sylvester's rival at a different school. It would be hilarious cause Sue is so evil and Paula is good and perky:) Well she responded:

PaulaAbdul@drbombay76 I would love that!! xoxo
1:34 PM Apr 13th via web in reply to drbombay76

Wow!! Three times!! I have to admit that I feel pretty honored because I've seen a lot of her other fans that whine and complain about her never talking to them. So if three times wasn't enough in May she asked what everyone's plans were for the weekend and I told her I was going to see Iron Man II:

PaulaAbdul@drbombay76 Let me know what you think! xo P
12:52 PM May 7th via web in reply to drbombay76

A couple weeks later she posted behind the scenes videos from the American Idol finale and I told her how much I liked seeing them, especially cause she had been playing around with Bret Michaels and Ruben Studdard:

PaulaAbdul@drbombay76 i'm so glad, david! xoP www.PaulaAbdul.com
1:44 PM May 27th via Twitter for iPhone in reply to drbombay76

That response was my favorite because it confirmed that she knows who I am. I know I have some weird psychological need for approval from her which I think stems from the fact that I seriously love her so much. But again, she took the time out of her millions of fans to answer me!

In June Paula said that she was going to start following her fans Twitter feeds to pay us back for following her. I saw that she had all ready started following about two hundred fans and I noticed a lot of those that hadn't been followed were whining about it and also begging her to follow them. I was embarrassed for them however I really wanted her to follow me but didn't say anything. So one night I decided to see who was following me because I noticed there were 20 people following...and wouldn't you know it, Paula was one of them! I was so happy!! When someone follows you that means you can send them private messages, so that's cool.

Around this time I started losing my voice and was bored on my break so I thought she'd think it was funny that I have a job where I use my voice but yet had none so I told her about it and....:

PaulaAbdul@drbombay76 good thing you don't need your voice to tweet! lol! xoP www.PaulaAbdul.com
9:21 PM Jun 7th via Echofon in reply to drbombay76

Paula is always tweeting trivia or quotes so a couple days later on King Kamehameha Day in Hawaii she asked if any of us knew about it. Well, I only knew about it because of an episode of "I Dream of Jeannie" that centered around it, which I told Paula about:

PaulaAbdul@drbombay76 LOL LOL LOL LOL! :))))))) xoP www.PaulaAbdul.com
3:54 PM Jun 11th via Echofon in reply to drbombay76

I loved that I made her laugh. Quite frankly, I love Paula's laugh and it was awesome to imagine it. Plus I loved that I gave her multiple LOLs.

A month later I had read that she was having an event that is about empowerment and achieving success but, of course, it's not coming to Salt Lake. I had read this right before I was going to sleep and I tweeted her telling her that I wished it would come here cause I'd so be there..and I told her to have sweet dreams:

PaulaAbdul@drbombay76 awww, thank you! same to you..sweet (tweet!) dreams! xoP www.PaulaAbdul.com
11:22 PM Jul 11th via Seesmic in reply to drbombay76

I seriously couldn't fall asleep! Paula had wished me sweet dreams!! LOL

A week later I sent her a quote ( "A man is not measured by what he does with his life but by what he does w/the lives of others.":) that reminded me of her. A little bit later she tweeted about how it was Nelson Mandela's birthday and I thought it was amazing that my quote fit him to a T. I wasn't aware it was his birthday and told her that and she said:

PaulaAbdul@drbombay76 today might be a holiday for #NelsonMandela International Mandela day? not sure, anyone know? xoP www.PaulaAbdul.com
11:44 AM Jul 18th via Seesmic in reply to drbombay76

We found out that it was, so that was fun to be learning with her.

So last night she was having trouble posting pictures of a photo shoot she had just finished and she thought maybe her tweets weren't being seen. I told her I could I see it and called her "Tweetness" cause she's always calling her fans "tweethearts" or "tweeties". She responded:

PaulaAbdul@drbombay76 thank you Dr Bombay! xoP www.PaulaAbdul.com
about 23 hours ago via web in reply to drbombay76

Of course, that gets me all excited on two levels: 1) It's Paula tweeting me for the 10th time and 2) she referred to me as my nickname 'Dr. Bombay', which is what I'm referred to in the Bewitched fandom world. I know I need to snap out of it, but I doubt it will happen cause every time I think I'm over her, she does something or says something (or wears something) that makes me love her more!

Anyway, I LOVE Twitter!! I love that it allows me to keep in touch with Paula without having to go to great lengths to do so.

I also got tweeted by Melissa Joan Hart this week because it was the premiere of her new sitcom "Melissa and Joey". I told her I hoped it was highly rated and lasted long and she retweeted my message for all her fans to see but also added "Salute!"

UPDATE (June 18, 2012):

Since this time Paula has tweeted what turns out to be many more times!

On October 9, 2010 she asked what everyone was doing for the week and here is what I told her with her response:

@PaulaAbdul you deserve it! enjoy! xoP RT @drbombay76: @PaulaAbdul This is the first weekend I've had off in over a year cause I'm on a new schedule!

On December 29, 2010 I tweeted something to @Alyssa_Milano for the first time and realized it was my 600th and mentioned that. Right after...:

@Alyssa_Milano @drbombay76 Hello, David.

My work was honoring National Pancake day (March 1) and so I tweeted Melissa Joan Hart about it as her favorite episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch was about Sabrina's drug-like addiction to pancakes. Here is her response:

@MellyJHart Ha!RT @drbombay76:Were u aware that March 1 is Nat'l Pancake Day? Thought you should know since you said the pancake episode was your fave:)

On April 26, 2011 Paris Hilton's mother, Kathy, mentioned that she was going to an event/lunch with Erin Murphy (Tabitha from Bewitched). Kathy appeared in an Eighth Season episode "TV or Not TV" as a client's daughter, Robin. I tweeted her:

@KathyHilton @Erin_Murphy Make sure to take pics so us Bewitched fans can see Tabs and Robin 2gether:)

The next day she responded:

@KathyHilton @drbombay76 @Erin_Murphy Ask Tabitha... . She might have some. XO KH

On June 29, 2011 I received word that my first book ever, The Bewitched History Book (available on Amazon right now), was going to be published. On Paula's website in the Fall of 2010 she had challenged us fans to set a goal and work it to the end. I had decided to try publishing the book and she knew I was going to do that. So I told her that my book was going to be published and she said:

PaulaAbdul @drbombay76 DON'T MAKE ME CRY! if i start crying this early team mystery glam will find you & they'll HURT YOU! I'M ECSTATIC FOR YOU! xoP

I was so happy about this as by this time her website's messageboard had been deleted so there wasn't anyway to communicate with her but for Twitter. I was glad she knew this was happening.

On August 18, 2011, which was a Thursday and what Paula refers to as "Friday Eve," she told everyone how hers was going great and I told her mine was too as I had the next day off. That next day, later in the afternoon, I get a notification that I've got a tweet and about died when I saw it was from her:

@PaulaAbdul @drbombay76 how's your day off? xoP

I replied:

@drbombay76 @PaulaAbdul It's fine as frog hair...I'm going to go hand [I meant 'hang'] with my 5 year old nephew Mayson. He's awesome! How's your day?

I thought that would be the end of it since she has over 2 million followers but right after that I get this:

@PaulaAbdul @drbombay76 fine as frog hair? really?? i see where this #Friday is headed... hairy frogs. guys named #Dougie & 'stanky' legs. lol!

The "Dougie" and stanky legs were some jokes other fans were going on about it. But how cool! Two tweets in one day!

On September 28, 2011 I discovered that Nick Bakay, voice of Salem the Cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch had joined Twitter. So I asked him if he had ever been to Salem, MA and he responded:

@NickBakay4real @drbombay76 @Salem_ma I haven't, despite shooting three movies in Boston in three years. I have no excuses...

I told him about the Bewitched statue of Elizabeth Montgomery there and he responded:

@NickBakay4real @drbombay76 @Salem_ma For real? No Dick York?

I also asked him if he was allowed to keep any of the Salem puppets and he said:

@NickBakay4real @drbombay76 Hell no -- believe it or not, those things cost like 80K. They probably used the spare parts in Transformers 3.

On Halloween 2011 I asked Melissa Joan Hart what her favorite Halloween episode of Sabrina was. She retweeted my question and this is her response:

@MellyJHart The candy corn one is memorable!RT @drbombay76: Do u have a fave Sabrina Halloween episode? Mine is the one with the cast of Laugh-In.

That same week, Paula's cousin Tara, owner of a boutique store in LA called Tweak 99, lost her dog Lola. I asked Paula and Tara if there was any word of Lola and on November 5, 2011 Paula said:

@PaulaAbdul @drbombay76 no :( not yet. thank you for asking, retweeting, etc. love you!! xoxoP

A couple hours after that they found Lola:)

On January 4, 2012 I had signed the contracts for my book and told a couple celebrities about it on Twitter, including Erin Murphy. The next day she responded:

@Erin_Murphy “@drbombay76: @Erin_Murphy @Alyssa_Milano @MellyJHart @Rosie wanted 2 invite u 2 check out my upcoming Bewitched book:)” Congratulations! EM

On March 29, 2012 I was watching the prior week's episode of Raising Hope and I had found that Elizabeth Montgomery's daughter, Rebecca, was the director. In the episode one of the characters was watching Bewitched ("Hippie, Hippie, Hooray") so I told Rebecca it was cool seeing her mom on there. She responded:

@RAZero @drbombay76 Thanks. I'm glad you liked it. And, yeah, it was nice to be able to put that nod in there.

The Bewitched History Book was officially released on April 30, 2012 and Paula Abdul that day asked what everyone was doing that evening and I told her celebrating the release of the book. I had during the time in between signing the contracts and then been tweeting her the progress. She responded to this:

@PaulaAbdul @drbombay76 CONGRATULATIONS! THANK YOU for being diligent, SO polite & an overall sweetheart. Got your DMs-SO appreciate your patience. xoP

@PaulaAbdul @drbombay76 your hard work paid off-you deserve all your success. See what happens when you don't make excuses & focus on your goals? xoP

A little while after that I contacted Tara, her cousin, to see about sending a copy of the book to Paula for her upcoming 50th birthday (tomorrow 6/19/12) and got an address. I sent it about the third week of May and every three/four days would ask Paula if she received it. On June 13, 2012, Paula tweeted everyone thanks for the early birthday wishes and I said, "Speaking of birthdays, did you get my present?"

She privated messaged me and said:

@drbombay76 YES I DID!!!!!!! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR THE BOOK!!!!!!! xoxoP

AND thanks for your patience AND generosity! I get so much mail. It takes time to go through it. Sending so much love! xoP

SOOOO AWESOME!!! Not only does she have my book, but the fact that she private messaged me is also great because it means that she follows my Twitter account, and out of her 2 million plus fans, she only follows 2,214:) So I feel pretty special and I'm way glad I don't have to wonder if she got it.

Bewitching Dreams Come True

Sorry I haven't updated the blog lately, just haven't been near a working computer much.

Anyway, I wanted to post about my most favorite weekend of the summer so far! And that was June 18 - 20 for the Bewitched FanFare 2010 in Los Angeles, CA.

I posted below about how I was going to meet Dr. Bombay aka Bernard Fox...and I did!! And it was even better than I could've imagined!! The events were held at the cute and classy French Market Restaurant. I dressed up in my finest duds and we got there at about 5 for dinner where me and my friends sat up in the gazebo. Soon Mr. Fox arrived with his wife and daughter Amanda and her lover, Lisa. I was astonished at how tall Mr. Fox is! They sat on the ground floor and it was all I could do to not go stare. Here was Dr. Bombay in real life eating dinner with me!! Soon, Mark, the event organizer, came and took me to meet Mr. Fox. As he is older his eyesight and hearing are going but he was so nice.

After dinner we gathered in a little area for a presentation. I sat with the Fox family right behind Mr. Fox and we watched a clip show of his performances as Dr. Bombay. After that it was my turn to give my presentation which I present here along with Mr. Fox's acceptance speech. Unfortunately he doesn't speak very loud but there are still some funny moments and the last minute of the last video is the best!







Afterwards Mr. Fox signed autographs while I visited with Mrs. Fox and Amanda. Both are so funny and witty! I got my pic with Mr. Fox and the family before the night was out. I don't know why put the pics are cut off on the right because of the blog formatting which I can't figure out how to correct but if you click on the pic you'll see the full picture.





The next night there were several guest stars that showed up and wouldn't you know it, I forgot my camera and can't find the pics of me with them that were taken by others. However there was Art Metrano who appeared in five episodes and is best known as Lt. Mowser in the "Police Academy" movies, Bobby Hart of the music group Boyce & Hart who wrote the Monkees songs and appeared in one of my most favorite Bewitched episodes, Steve Franken who appeared in eight episodes and who I met in 2008, Heather Woodruff Perry who was a secretary in three episodes and who I met also in 2008 and best of all, William Asher, the show's producer/director and husband of Elizabeth Montgomery showed up!! I met him in 2008 but he seemed in better health this time. He also confirmed that when Liz would dress as Samantha's sultry brunette cousin Serena he would take her home like that for some "fun". LOL

The last day we went to the WB Ranch where the outdoor scenes of Bewitched were filmed. While we were all basking in the glory of 1164 Morning Glory Circle, a sleek silver Thunderbird pulled up in the driveway and out stepped a beautiful blonde woman who announced, "I'm home!" It was Tabitha aka Erin Murphy!! I was so excited as I didn't think she would join us, especially since I had essentially pestered her on Twitter. She was so beautiful and nice and we all got pics and autographs with her as well as a big group photo out in the front of the house.



After the Ranch and a pizza lunch at Shakey's, we went back to the French Market and met Ron Masak, guest in four episodes and better known as the Sheriff from "Murder She Wrote". He is one of the nicest men you will ever meet, so full of light and laughter.



After playing some games and listening to Heather Woodruff Perry's memories of the show as well as from her career, it was all over.

I'm so happy that my dreams have come true in meeting Dr. Bombay AND Tabitha! However, there is one more magical thing that happened that weekend, one thing I thought would NEVER happen! I met this beautiful cute girl named Lindsay, a Bewitched fan as well! She had brought a painting for the cast to sign and I thought she was married so I didn't really interact with her until after I got home. As we conversed I found out that the guy I thought was her husband was her uncle! And that Lindsay was really taken by me:) So I'm in my first long distance relationship and I loving it!

Thank you Mark Simpson for being a dream maker!

My Favorite Part of the Day

My favorite part of the day is really but a moment and most of the time I don't think I even recognize it because it is so brief.

It's that part of day when you just wake up and you think about the dream you just had, especially if it was a good one, and you're so comfortable in bed and you think, wow, things are great.

It's really REALLY brief because then, like the hitting of a gong, the reality sets in that you have to get out of bed plus all the turmoil that is going on in real life comes flooding back and you think, "Oh, I don't want to think about all that!"

I wish I could live my life in that brief beautiful moment all the time....

Calling Dr. Bombay!

You all know of my love, obsession, passion, etc for Bewitched (and if you don't, girl, you really don't know me).

Of course, my favorite character is Samantha because she's played by the beautiful, sexy and funny Elizabeth Montgomery. And then there's her cousin Serena, also played by Liz but in a dark wig.

But my most favorite male character is Samantha's witch doctor (they call him Warlock Doctor cause he is a warlock), Dr. Bombay who was played fantastically by Bernard Fox. The doc was always my favorite because first and foremost, he's hysterical with his bad jokes, his bad temper when Samantha has zapped him "of me porpoise and I was winning the race!", and his bevy of beautiful nurses (one of which was played by Utah native Pat Priest, more famously known as "the odd looking one" on the Munsters, Marilyn Munster). Dr. Bombay epitomized everything that was the best of any world.

One - he's a doctor and that's always a good thing to have around, especially if you are one in the mortal world cause you make the big bucks!

Two - he was the ladies' man, always having a hot nurse or three in his employ and with whom he played "doctor" a lot.

Three - he was smart as he came up with all manner of devices to help diagnose a sick witch.

Four - he had a marvelous sense of humor.

Bernard Fox played Dr. Bombay in not only 18 episodes of Bewitched, but two episodes of the spin-off series Tabitha and two episodes of the daytime soap Passions over 30 years after he had appeared on Bewitched. He was also considered to reprise the role for the Nicole Kidman Bewitched movie but, alas, the role was written out.

Whether you realize it or not, Dr. Bombay is in the public stream of consciousness as Mr. Fox has appeared in several HUGE big screen movies over the years including Titantic (Col. Archibald Gracie) and The Mummy. When I went to see The Mummy I didn't realize he was in it until I saw him on the screen and I leaned over to my sister who was sitting a seat away and she leaned in towards me and at the same time we both excitedly whispered, "That's Dr. Bombay!" People around us all sighed with relief as they said, "That's who that is! I knew I knew him!"

About eight years ago somebody posted on one of the Bewitched message boards that I frequent that Bernard Fox had passed away! I was utterly shocked and saddened, but only for a brief moment when that same person found that there was A Bernard Fox who had passed but not THE Bernard Fox. Quite relieved I decided to write him a letter to tell him how much I really enjoyed him so much so that I had adopted the screen name of Dr. Bombay. I also told him how much I enjoyed his other roles, especially the one in The Mummy. No more than two weeks passed and I got a response from him! He told me how much he appreciated my letter and told me what a great time he had on Bewitched and recounted that just he and a few others remained of the cast and how he enjoyed his time filming the Mummy as he and his wife got to fly to Morrocco.

A couple years after that a Titanic exhibit came to town where each of the tickets was printed with an actual passengers name so at the end of the exhibit you could check to see if your passenger survived. Some magic was working that night as my dad ended up with Col. Archibald Gracie out of the hundreds of possibilities!

Over the past decade I've been to the Bewitched convention almost every year and the more recent ones he had been invited to attend but always declined because of his health or other reasons.

This year, he is actually attending!!! And even more special is that I've been asked to present him with a Fan Appreciation Award, the first of which we presented to the producer/director of Bewitched and Liz Montgomery's husband at the time, William Asher.

I'm so excited and I can't wait to see him in person, shake his hand and possibly give him a hug!

Snickers Satisfies:)

First off, I'm not going to be blogging about the candy bar which happens to bear the name of my new kitty:)

It has been four long years that I have been feline-less. I had my cats Molly and Tigger for over 17 years and they both were put to sleep within two months of each other in 2006 around this same time. That was over half of my life that I had them. I didn't think another cat would ever compare.

Right now I live with my parents as I try to recover from the financial raping inflicted on me by my former dentist and my dad is in the midst of kidney failure and is on dialysis. It's a very depressing situation for everyone, but especially for him. My mom is currently trying to get her RN License and in the course of her studies read up on how having a pet relieves a lot of stress and can help combat depression. She has never liked cats and said that after Molly and Tigger she would never have anymore. My dad was the one that took Molly to the Humane Society and even though he claimed he didn't like her (he really loved Tigger), he said he didn't want another cat because of the possibility of having to face their loss again.

Last month my Aunt Evelyn announced at a family party that her friend Ellen was giving away a cat that belonged to her meth addict son who is currently in jail. She can't take care of the cat and wanted to give him a good home. She also said it was a Persian-Siamese mix. My mom instantly perked up and said she would like to take the cat.

And so, last week Ellen brought the cat over.

He is majestic and not Persian-Siamese, though I can see why Ellen though that. A friend that worked at a veterinarian clinic said that he looks like a rare breed called Snowshoe which are very docile and love people and very smart. They have Siamese ancestry which accounts for the cat's beautiful coloring. Ellen said her son called the cat "Freddy" but for such a majestic creature, that name would never do. The minute I looked in his beautiful blue eyes I knew that he was an aristocat and that his real name was Aloysious Q Crumb IV. My brother said he looked like his name should be Snickers, and so that's what it is. However during the past week that he's been with us, he's just been called "Kitty".

He is awesome! He LOVES to be petted and insists on it all the time and even more than that he loves his long fur to be brushed. He never stops talking, except for the 20 hours that he sleeps. And my mother absolutely loves him because without any real direction, he knew where the litter box was, even when we changed it out of the room that he was hiding in when he first arrived. My dad loves him too and always wants to know where he is.

I love him too because I think he is Molly reincarnated. Molly would always talk, she had a certain way she would walk and Snickers walks just like it. She would also always suck on the blankets on the bed and knead them with her paws like she was getting milk from her mother (which she didn't know long, we found her in some bushes when she was only a couple days old) and Snickers does this too. He also really resembles her in his facial markings.

He is two years old and I hope he's around as long, if not longer, as Molly and Tigger were.

So I Gots "the Sugar"

Last week I had a doctor's appointment so that I could get something to tame my horrible anxiety lately as it seems I'm stuck in my job. Along with getting pills for that I had some blood work done and a urinalysis. The results came back and it turns out I have diabetes, type II.

That sucks...however, I knew it was coming considering that my dad has it, his father had it and so do all of his sisters. That and my weight are contributing factors.

It makes me feel like I can't eat anything because let's face it, my dad is the best example of what NOT to do when one is diabetic. I'm going to be seeing a diabetes nutritionist soon, but for now I'm going to stick with vegetables and some fruit.

So goodbye delicious sugary sweet foods! Goodbye sumptuous salty foods! It's been fun but thanks for nothing.

I really think I can get it under control cause it's not that bad, but still.

Oh, and hello exercise!

No Easter Here

Remember how I b*tched and moaned about working through Christmas vowing never to do it again? Why didn't I think at that time "let's make sure not to work on the other Christian holiday" which happens to be Easter.

Guess who's working? That's right...me!

Nothing says remembering the Savior and his Crucifixion and Resurrection like listening to some jerk whine about their unpaid bill or how I work for the most evil company in the world or how their phone won't work...even worse are the nice people who apologize for calling up on Easter...THEN DON'T DO IT!!!!!

This week I'm bidding on a new shift and there are quite a few with Sundays off. Please pray that I get one!! It'll at least cure the problem of Easter next year and Christmas will be taken care of by the fact that I haven't been able to use any sick time so far.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAYSON!

My nephew, Mayson, is four years old today! It's so unbelievable! He should just be a baby but he's a cute little kid and my favorite person in the whole world. And such a miracle as well!

He was born three months early due to complications from HELLP syndrome that his mother, Jody, had where the body thinks the fetus is a virus and attacks. He was only 1 lb 6 oz when he was born and looked like a little alien baby.

Even though he was very tiny and fragile looking he was very strong and had a very tight grasp with his tiny little fingers. I remember it being a scary time yet I felt calm about it, like I knew he would be all right. One night after he was born I took his father, Paul, to buy a shirt really quick as he needed a new one, and Paul said, "Don't tell anyone else, but I'm not worried about Mayson at all. Everyone is all upset but I just don't feel like that." I confirmed that I felt the same way.

It seemed like he was in the hospital forever, and I believe it was two months, but it was so great to finally be able to hold him and then have him at home. And it's been so much fun watching him grow up and learn. He's SOOOO smart and picks up on everything instantly. And he's funnier than even his dad.

He also just dotes on me and always wants to be where I am when I am around. We have a lot of fun playing BATman (that's how he says it to) or Spiderman or Wolverine, which essentially is play fighting. He also loves Mickey Mouse and the Muppets and every so often he requests to watch Bewitched, even though his daddy told him it was

dumb. (Mayson: "Daddy says Bewitched is dumb. He's a KY [how Mayson thinks you spell 'jerk'...but funny cause of the jelly].")

Anyway, I'm so blessed to be the uncle to the cutest little boy ever to hit the planet and I hope his birthday is fantastic!

Why Am I Crying??!

Ok, this is seriously so stupid but I have to write it out so I can hear how ridiculous it is so I'll stop crying! I'm literally in tears right now and I don't know why! I know what started it and it makes me mad because I'm such a baby. It was hearing the song "It Might Be You" by Stephen Bishop, which was made famous in the movie "Tootsie". I would try and find it on YouTube but if I hear it again I'll never stop crying.

It's supposed to be a love song but ever since I heard it when I was really little it's made me very sad. It's a stupid cheesy 80s love song that probably plays on continuous loop on KOZY.

Anyway, I heard it again tonight as part of a show I was watching. Everyone has left my house or has gone to bed and I keep on hearing it and when I saw these pins that Heather got me in Disneyland of the Muppets with Mickey ears, for some reason I started thinking of Mayson, my three-soon-to-be-four year old nephew, and how he seems to be really growing up fast lately.

I know, right? I'm seriously crazy! But hear me out...cause I don't know what else to do to stop crying. Holy cow, I haven't cried this much since my cats died!

Mayson stays at my house a lot and he absolutely loves me. He doesn't want to do anything unless it involves me. I always read him a couple stories before he goes to bed and he likes a lot of the things that I like, like the Muppets. And he LOVES Mickey Mouse! Anytime I come home and he's hear he shouts out my name, "DAVE!!" and asks where I've been and then about if we can watch a movie/play a game/play BATMan or whatever other super hero he wants to be. It really makes me happy and I feel like I'm really needed. I really like reading to him, though, because I remember how much I liked it when I was read to when I was little. There hasn't ever been a night where I couldn't read to him...there were nights where I wanted to go to bed earlier but gave in when he said, "Just one story, please!"

Last night I came home from Michelle's house and had to use the restroom first thing. As I was closing the door to the bathroom I thought I heard him. Usually if he knows I've come home and I'm in the bathroom, he'll play the Big Bad Wolf and come pound on the door and say, "I'll huff and blow your house in!" (One of his favorite stories is "The Three Little Pigs"). That happens EVERY TIME! Last night it didn't so I thought maybe I had just heard something. When I stepped out and into the living room he was there and turned and just said, "Hi Dave." He did come and give me a hug but then he went right back to watching whatever it was that he was watching.

As it was the evening of the time change and I did get home pretty late and had to work early today I told him I was going to go to bed prepared to hear that he wanted me to read to him. There was nothing but a "good night, Dave"....and that's it! I was glad but sad at the same time because we ALWAYS read a story.

While going to sleep I thought about how maybe the time is coming when Uncle Dave isn't so awesome anymore and I didn't think about it much more nor at all today.

I actually was in a good mood today because the sun was shining and for the first time ever I actually felt awake at work, even with the time change!

My family came over for dinner and Mayson was still here and we played Batman-Wolverine-Spiderman and watched the extras from "Up" and had a good time.

He and his family left along with the rest of the family that doesn't live here and I watched that show with that STUPID song in it with my cousin Tracey, and he left. I did tell Tracey that the song seriously makes me depressed and when I saw the Muppets with Mickey hats on it I just started bawling! I guess that's why I'm crying...Mayson is turning four this Friday and I guess really soon I'm not going to be the big star in his life anymore. I remember how I used to love sleeping over at my Aunt Carol's when I was little but how there are very few memories of doing so and I've realized that may happen with Mayson. He'll remember how much fun we had and I know he'll always love me, but I suppose there will be few memories since he's so young, and it just makes me sad.

But I guess that's part of life is growing up and moving on and quite obviously I'm having a hard time with that. And I supposed that's why that STUPID song brought it up because it starts out:

Time... I've been passing time watching trains go by
All of my life...

I feel like that's what's happening watching Mayson grow up.

Anyway, I think I'm done with my tears and runny nose...though I suppose I'll look at the pins again and keep hearing that stupid song in my head, but I just needed to talk it out.