Here's something interesting that you might not have known...

My new boss's brother, Joseph Volpe, was the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. The Opera put on a HUGE retirement gala for him a couple of weeks ago, and it will be televised on Thursday night (June 1) on PBS at 9:00 PM. I can't wait to see it. I almost know someone famous!!!

Last week, my brother had some sort of post on his blog about doing a "blog pay it forward" or some such thing. Someone listed his blog as one that she likes to go to. He then had to list several blogs that he liked to read. One of them was mine. (Thanks, Billy Rhythm.) I didn't really have any other blogs to post, other than my brother's and Amy's and Jim's (that had already been listed). Well, today I learned of three new blogs, and I've spent the last 30 minutes or so reading up on them. Here they are:

www.ginny-therest.blogspot.com - This is my Aunt Ginny's blog. She's just started it. She's a great writer, so if she has time to keep the posts coming, I know this will be good.

www.sizzlin-sizzle-sizzle.com - This is the blog of Aunt Ginny's daughter, Sarah. She recently moved to Massachusetts, so this will be a good way to keep up with her. Even though I never really saw Sarah a whole lot, I really miss her--not knowing she's in Maine just leaves a hole somehow.

www.han-shot-first.blogspot.com - This is the blog of Sarah's (a/k/a Sizzle's) boyfriend. There's a lot of political stuff there, which I just skimmed over. I read through it because, honestly, I wanted to be nosey. I wanted to make sure that he was treating Sarah like a princess. I did see that they've been to basketball games, Ms. Pac-Man tournaments, the movies, and the like, so I guess he gets my approval. I'll be watching, though. Especially since Sarah has the nickname of "Sizzle". There's got to be a story there. I may not want to know. ;)

Today I got my notice that a 20th class reunion would be held for the RDHS Class of 1986. The Class is going to go aboard the M/V Mohegan, from the Rockland Public Landing. It's going to cruise to Camden and back, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. There is no mention that dinner will be served. It does however, say the following: "Yes, it's a booze cruise!" and "Our goal is to cover the cost and have some left for the bar tab!" Guess what the cost is? $50.00/person, or $75.00/couple! Since Dwane and I don't drink at all, that's a pretty expensive boat ride to Camden! I just can't imagine paying $75.00 to finance someone else's partying!

I've got an idea that a lot of my old friends from high school are going to feel pretty much the same way. I'm considering organizing a picnic from 3:00 to 5:00 that afternoon at the Rockland Public Landing. Bring your own food. We'll be the "bon voyage" crew. It won't cost us a cent, and we'll still get to see everyone as they board the Monhegan. Sounds like a plan to me!!!

Amy's MI-5:

This is mi-5 can have long answers or one or two word answers..it is up to you

1. What was the last song you listened to?

"Settle for Slow Down" by Dirkes Bentley on CMT.

2. What was the last show you watched on television?

Days of Our Lives. I missed most of it. Didn't start watching until half-way through, and then I fell asleep. The last show I watch in its entirety was American Idol on Wednesday night.

3. What was the last book you read?

Praying God's Word by Beth Moore. I finished it on Monday.

4. What was the last concert you went to?

Must have been one of Eben's school concerts. If not that, then one of Unk's concerts at church. As far as a famous person's concert goes, well, that was probably The Judds in Augusta, back before I was married. Oh, wait at minute. It was probably the Cathedrals in Bangor. That was still quite some time ago though. Oh--wait another minute. It was a concert in Union that Dwane's friend, Jim Harding, plays guitar for. It was at a church last summer, I think. Jim's band is a Christian rock band. I can't remember the name. Oh, no. I take that back again. My brother, Billy Rhythm played in a Christmas Concert at the Owls Head Transportation Museum with the Midcoast Band. That HAD to be it.

5. What was the last job you had?

Currently a legal secretary for AMV. Prior to that, a legal secretary for EBJ (about 3 months). Prior to that, a legal secretary to JWB (18 years). Prior to that, a legal secretary to JLK (about 18 months). Prior to that, a legal secretary to JBC (3 weeks). (That was when I was in high school.)

The Television MI-5

This week's 5 is based on key phrases from my brother Bill's favorite TV shows. He then developed the questions from the phrase.

1) Discovery, Deadliest Catch: "Sig Hansen is on the crab!"
What's the craziest thing you've ever been on? A horse? A jury? The lam?

I would have to say a roller coaster. I've been on quite a few. I don't know if there is one that is crazier than another--I think they're all quite nuts. I go on them just so I can say that I did it. I have been on a stand-up one, and my favorite one is a wooden coaster in Lake George, NY. I can't remember the name of it. It is a really old one that they moved from some other amusement park (in Canada, I think).

2) Outdoor Life, Shooting USA: "Shoot safely, and share your sport!"
What was the last organized sport you participated in? Expound.

I am definitely NOT a sports person, except for watching figure skating, some gymnastics, and NASCAR. I guess Cheerleading would probably be the last one I participated in, and I think that's now "classified" as a "sport".

3) FoodTV, Good Eats: "There's room in my kitchen for only one uni-tasker."
Is there something you do that you MUST uni-task? Something that you have to be so focused on you can think of nothing else?

I think I'm a pretty good multi-tasker, as most women tend to be. However--when I'm doing my work (legal work), I don't like to be interrupted. I can do many legal work type things at the same time, I'm just not good at being patient, having real life interruptions, and doing legal work all at the same time. Other than that, I can cook, talk on the phone, take care of Caleb, and watch Dr. Phil all at the same time.

4) HGTV, This Old House Classics: "And I'm (insert host name here), for This Old House."
What's the oldest thing you have in your house? Tell us about it.

I'll probably miss something here, but it's probably a dish that my grandmother gave to her mother. When my grandmother bought it for her mother, it was already very old then. I'll have to have Ma tell me the story again. I need to write it down so I don't forget.

5) Trinity Broadcasting, G.E. Patterson: "Let's go into the message."
Are you planning on going somewhere cool/exciting/neat this year? Where? Why?

I'm going to the Smokey Mountains in Tennesee in October, courtesy of my Mom. We're going on a bus trip, and since it's my Mom's first "trip" since my Dad went to Heaven, I'm going along as her "traveling buddy". We'll be going to Dollywood, the Smokey Mountains National Forest, and a lot of shows. I'm looking forward to it. I have never been away from my husband or my kids for that long, so it will be a challenge, but Mom and I have never spent this much time together, so I know it will be good for both of us.

The MI-5

1. If you had to change your last name to something else what would you choose?

I'd change it back to Batty. If I couldn't do that, I would change it to something that people would rarely misspell. Something like Smith or Jones.

2. Name three landmarks you drive by on your way to work.

Since I work from home, I don't drive by anything. If I did drive to the physical office, though, I'd drive by the Keag Store, the Owls Head Transportation Museum, and the Vocational School (Region 8, to me).

3. Tell us about the last time you drove out of state.

I think it was when we went to Virginia in April, 2005. No, wait. That's not it. It was when Dwane and I went to Boston for his office Christmas party in December of 2005.

4. What kind of summer activities do you enjoy?

I don't really do anything different, regardless of the season. I'm pretty much an inside person, so my activities don't change too much from season to season. I do get the "itch" for planting bulbs in the spring and fall, but when I actually try to do it, I hate it. I do however, love to go to Acadia National Park for a picnic, and that's something we really only do in the summer.

5. Tell us something new you would like to try or are going to try this summer.

Well we just bought a little travel camper from Blind Al that Dwane's going to "renovate". It would be the first time that I have camped in an actual trailer since I have been an adult, and it will be the first time that Caleb has camped at all. If Dwane gets all of his renovating done, we may just try camping a little.

The MI-5

This week's MI-5 was written by Bill's wife, Sue, who is a legal TV addict.
Thus this weeks questions:

1. What is the worst legal trouble you've ever been in?

I was driving through Connecticut with my ex-boyfriend. He was tired, and wanted me to drive. He pulled over to the left side of the road on a busy highway. A copy pulled up behind us to find out why in the world we pulled over on that side. Because I was in the driver's seat at that point, I was the one who had to talk to the officer. I didn't "get in trouble" but it was scary to me nonetheless.

Or, it could be the time I hit a deer. I don't know if that counts as "legal trouble".

2. Do you have a lawyer and what do you use him for?

Fortunately for me, any legal work I've needed to have done, I've pretty much been able to do myself. Since I work for a lawyer, though, I would use her if I needed her. She did help with title work when we just refinanced, and she allowed me to identify myself as coming from her office when I fought with my mom's cell phone company.

3. Have you ever been called for jury duty? Did you serve?

I have served twice. Once for Failure to Report an Accident (not guilty) and once for marijuana possession in prison (guilty).

4. What's your most serious traffic infraction?

See #1 above.

5. Have you have any funny legal incidents?

I guess the funniest one was when I was a senior in high school. After school, I worked for Attorney John L. Knight. For a field trip, my Applied Law Class went to District Court to watch the trials. I was very excited about going, and had told John how I was looking forward to it. Anyway, during the trials, the clerk walks in the courtroom and whispers to the judge. The judge then looks out into the crowd and says, "Is there a Lisa Batty here? Would you approach the bench?" I walked forward, in front of all my peers, shaking like a leaf. When I got there, the judge said, "John wants to know where the John Doe file is." I wanted to kill John!!!!