Tis the season . . .

When you can get lots of work done in the office because no one else is around to interrupt. Ahhhh, the holidays. Unfortunately, it is also the time when others call in and you have to cover things that should have been done already in their absence! Ahhhh, the holidays.

Oops.. no tree? No problem

I found this on a website and it is quite funny!!!

*Stick a broomstick in a bucket of sand and drape a green.. towel, bedspread or what-have-you over it. Pin decorations on.
*Get your hands on a sheet of heavy paper or pasteboard and make a cone shape from it. Color, paint or wish it green, (or pink if you'd rather) then cover it with small decorations and a star.
*Use a houseplant, preferably one in a bushy or upright shape. Decorate with small items.
*Make a tree from cardboard, large or small, depending on what you have. Draw the shape of a tree (doesn't have to be perfect) and cut it out, then use that as a pattern for three to five more. Cut deep slits in the top of each to set them together. Trim to shape when you're finished.
*The idea is to find something, (and it could be almost anything) green or otherwise that will lend itself to the right shape. It can be as funky or as dramatic as you like.
*Make a star for the top from cardboard, and cover it with aluminum foil or melted wax or bits of broken tinsel, or all three. Glue a piece across the back so you can set it on the tree.
*Remember the old 'paper lace doilies' we used to make by the dozens? Make a fancy version by using salvaged or saved foil or other material like cellophane. Cut it into small squares, then fold over first one way then the other. Cut swirls, squares, triangles (upside down ones, too) and any other shape you like from all four sides, being careful not to cut too deeply. When you've got it all cut out, unfold carefully. Tie a thread at the upper center for hanging.
*Cut balls, bells, stars, gingerbread men or whatever you can think of, from the newspaper, magazines or pasteboard (like cereal boxes) and hang with thread, yarn, paper clips, or hooks cut from the pasteboard. Or just set them on the branches if you have a 'real' tree.
*Round up everything red, green, silver, and gold that you own and display it somehow in one room or area, and it will take on a Christmas look. (My personal favorite!)

Blind Man Walking

On my drive to work today, I saw a man hobbling around in the bitter cold. He caught my eye because he seemed to be having some trouble maneuvering around and over the construction work that was going on at the curb. The construction tape had blown around his leg. As he turned, I saw his cane and realized he was blind. He worked his way through it without a hitch--though I am sure it was different from his normal path, and he was encountering some obstacles.

Made me think a lot about life, and how humble we really are or at least should be.

Madonna tops 2004 tours: Material Girl's tour racked up $125 million

I was there--twice this Tour--it was amazing! Though not a theatrical as the Drowned World Tour--which I saw 5 times. (I was planning a 6th in LA, but paid $300 for a ticket on e-bay and then Sept. 11 occured but the airline assured us that they would be keeping our flight and then the day before--way to late to drive from here--said they were cancelling the flight.)

Madonna's blockbuster Re-Invention tour took all of the drama out of the top tour of the year race, ringing up a year's best $125 million in total box office gross by the time it wrapped in September.

According to Billboard Boxscore, Madonna sold out 55 of 56 performances worldwide, with an average nightly take of $2.23 million.

"My Re-Invention tour was by far the most creatively satisfying experience I have ever had," Madonna told Billboard. "I was able to put everything I love into one entertaining event: film, music and dance."

Prince's Musicology tour drew nearly 1.5 million people, more than any other artist, and grossed $90.2 million, second only to Madonna. Shania Twain was third, reporting grosses totaling $62.5 million and playing to nearly 950,000 fans. The rest of the top 10 included Simon & Garfunkel ($59 million), Metallica ($53.8 million), Bette Midler ($53.3 million), Sting ($52.4 million), Kenny Chesney ($49.3 million), David Bowie ($46 million) and Toby Keith ($44.3 million).

This year, Celine Dion reported more than $77 million from her residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. If Dion's numbers reflected a "tour" per se, she would rank third among all acts. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, with James Brown and Chicks On Speed, headlined the top engagement at the year, three nights at London's Hyde Park that grossed $17,187,324 and drew more than 258,000 June 19, 20 and 25.

Who's your pick?

"The Aviator" star Leonardo DiCaprio earned a nomination as best dramatic actor for his role as Hughes. Other nominees were Javier Bardem as a paralyzed man seeking the right to die in "The Sea Inside"; Don Cheadle as a hotel manager sheltering refugees in"Hotel Rwanda"; Johnny Depp as playwright Barrie in "Finding Neverland" and Liam Neeson as the title character in "Kinsey."

The nominees for best dramatic actress were Scarlett Johansson in "A Love Song for Bobby Long," playing a teen who finds an unlikely extended family; Nicole Kidman as a woman visited by a boy claiming to be her dead husband in "Birth"; Imelda Staunton asthe title character in the abortion drama "Vera Drake"; Hilary Swank as a boxer in "Million Dollar Baby" and Uma Thurman as a vengeful former assassin in "Kill Bill - Vol. 2."

Life can get Ugly!

So, last night was the only night I had off this week. Yes, I work 3 jobs. I was excited because I was going to just go home a veg out rather than work on my new place. However, all plans change! The world has it's way!!!

So, last night for 3 hours I was running back and forth to Home Depot to my tenant's apartment. It seems the toilet got backed up--and went all over the floor--GROSS! I luckily was able to figure out that I needed to purchase a toilet auger and rectify the situation, and then I went back to HD to get build up remover to help any further problems.

All in all, it really sucked and I had no chance to relax. What a world, what a world . . .

The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2004

According to the Barbara Walter's Special, the year's most prominent names in entertainment, politics, sports and business are Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump, Paris Hilton, Usher, Michael Moore, Ken Jennings, Mel Gibson, Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Curt Schilling.

Has it been that slow of a year? Some are to be expected like Oprah and Donald, but come on people! Do we really need to glamorize Paris Hilton, aka Rich White Trailer Trash? A few years ago if a woman acted like that she would have been dropped as a low class bimbo.

And, in what some would call the year of Beyonce, why isn't she on the list! She was everywhere in 2004.

New Look

I am in the process of changing my blog--hopefully you will enjoy the new look, layout, and title. Let me know what you think.

Here is a problem I wish I had

Financial Envy: What to do if you are rich and your friends aren't.

I think I would like the challenge of dealing with this situation. Rather than being the poor friend all the time--LOL!