JAY'S BACK TO SCHOOL MI-5

Jay says: "It’s that time of year – back to school with the kids (that’ll learn ‘em to complain about being bored during summer vacation!). Look back to your high school years & answer these questions five:"

1. Think back to the soundtrack of your high school years – what were you listening to then?

Oh, whatever was in the top 40 was what I was listening to. I specifically remember being together with the football team and the other cheerleaders on the bus to a game and grooving to "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club, and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" by Elton John. As cheerleaders, we warmed up to all things Madonna, and we also liked to sing along to a Beatles song that goes something like "I don't know why you say goodbye and I say hello, hello, hello". And of course, we pronounced "hello" as "ello" and thought we sounded very British. I think it was the Beatles, but I could very well be wrong.

2. It’s an average Thursday night– what’s on TV?

The Cosby Show, of course! I think Alf may have been on Thursday nights, too, but I'm not positive about that.

3. What was playing at the local Bijou then?

I never really went to the movies much. As a tween, I remember going to see Star Wars, Rocky and 101 Dalmatians. During my senior year of high school, when I finally started dating, I saw Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Perfect. My movie days really didn't start until 1988 or so (2 years after graduation).

4. What character from “The Breakfast Club” best described you during high school: Judd Hircsh, the brooding rebel without a cause? Molly Ringwald’s pampered princess? Ally Sheedy’s freak in need of a bottle of Head & Shoulders? Emilio Estevez’s varsity jacketed jock? Or Anthony Michael Hall’s dweeby dork?

While I see a little of myself in Molly Ringwald's character (teacher's pet, perfect teen, etc.) and I was also very proud of my varisty cheering letter (as was Emilio Estevez), I was probably most like Anthony Michael Hall's geek character. I was an honor student, and didn't like to party or anything, so I guess I was most like him.

5. Does looking back at your junior & senior high class pictures cause you to cringe, wondering why nobody stopped you from walking out into public looking like that? Why? Mullet? Poodle perm?

Shortly after graduation I got a perm. It didn't turn out at all like I wanted it to. I wanted a spiral perm, that would leave spiral curls, but I remember it just being frizz. During high school, my hair was pretty much just always straight and pulled back at the top with a barette, so it was pretty plain. Nothing that really makes me cringe. (What makes me cringe more is that I still have the same hair style 22 years later!)

THIS WEEK'S WEIGHT LOSS

Lost this week - 2.4 pounds

Total lost - 22.2 pounds. I'm so excited!!! (Dwane even told me I had a flat stomach. Of course, he was telling a fib, but it was a nice compliment nonetheless. I'll take it!)

BILLY RHYTHM'S MP3 MI-5

Billy Rhythm says: "This five has been inspired by my recent purchase of an i-Pod Touch (http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch)."

1) Do you use some form of PDA (personal digital assistant)/MP3 player/smart phone for contacts and calendar items? If so, what is it, and what do you use it for? If you don't use some sort of digital calendar, what do you use?

The only type of digital calendar I used is the Calendar in MS Outlook. I use that to keep track of my paralegal deadlines. For personal events, I just write them on the calendar hanging on the wall by the refrigerator. (I see it a lot that way.)

2) Do you use any sort of MP3 player? If not, do you use anything for "music on the go"?

I do have an MP3 player. I got a Sansa 1 gig (is it gigs?) one last year, and Eben now uses that one. I now have a Sansa 2 gig one (pink, of course!). I use it mostly when I go for a walk. I put fast songs on it to help me keep a good walking pace.

3) Do you have a favorite application you run on your PDA/MP3/smart phone? What is it? If you don't use one, how about some cool application you like on your computer?

This question almost sounds too technical for me. I use the "playlist" function on my MP3, so I can do my walking playlists. Applications...hmmm...I use MS Office all of the time, and Internet Explorer, but I think those are programs, not applications. So---I guess I have no idea.

4) How about a favorite game on your widget? If you're non-widget-ized, what games do you like to play on your computer?

Is a widget a DS? If so, I love Brain Age 1 & 2, Word Jong, Cake Mania 2, and Pogo Island (thanks to Amy!). On the computer, I love going to www.bigfishgames.com, and trying out their games (free for one hour). I am really loving the games that combine match-3 with time management.

5) Most little gadgets have a way to personalize them, like a cover or faceplate or something. What's on yours? If you don't own one, tell us about something else you've personalized.

My DS is not personalized, but I want to decorate it. I saw some pretty white Aloha-Flower sticker thingies that I'd like to put on my pink pearl DS, but I haven't seen them anywhere lately. I'll keep looking. I got some stickers with my Guitar Hero game, but they were a little too "rockin'" for my taste.

FRIDAY FILL IN

1. Dancing to the CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN DTV CHANNEL while COOKING makes me REALLY HAPPY!

2. The last time I PUT DDR (MY DAILY EXERCISE) ON A HARDER MODE I nearly BROKE MY ANKLE.

3. When I drive I SING ALONG WITH THE RADIO.

4. I saw CALEB AND EBEN standing AT THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY, WAITING FOR THE BUS (IN MY MIND).

5. Give me POT ROAST, give me LOBSTER, give me BOILED DINNER WITH HAM.

6. Next week I am looking forward to GOING TO VIRGINIA!!!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to MAYBE GOING TO THE MOVIES WITH MRS. CHEESEBALL?? (SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2), tomorrow my plans include THE DEMOLITION DERBY AT THE UNION FAIR (HOPEFULLY GETTING HOME IN TIME FOR THE BRISTOL RACE and Sunday, I want to REACH 20 POUNDS LOST!

THIS WEEK'S WEIGHT LOSS

Lost this week: 2.2 pounds
Total lost to date: 19.8 pounds.

So close to 20 pounds lost! I'm also very close to another milestone. Just maybe I can reach both before vacation on August 28. I'd have to lose 4.5 pounds by then. It's a long shot, but no reason I can't try!!

A HAPPIER DAY

We have a new member of the family -- Mimi, the guinea pig (named by Caleb). She has a black head, with a white stripe down the center. Her body is white with buff spots. She's really, really cute. Very mellow and calm. She's little, and hasn't really been "talking" yet. (Buddy was a HUGE talker.) Caleb is glad to have a "friend" back.

JIM'S "THE I DON'T LIKE IT" MI-5

1. Is there a term or expression you dislike?

This week, it's "The fact of the matter is..." which is a favorite term/phrase of my boss. I don't think that she even realizes how much she says it. Sometimes it's actually kindda cute and funny, and other times it drives me nuts.

2. A place you dislike?

Definitely the dentist. I'd rather have a pap smear and a mammogram (even on the same day) than have to go to the dentist.

3. A food or cuisine you dislike?

Vegetables, of course. I definitely don't hate them, but besdies corn, cucumbers, and potatos, I could go without them. I could say I don't like Indian food, or sushi, or Thai food, but I've never tried it. I think I'm afraid to.

4. A social situation you dislike?

I think I'm pretty sociable for the most part, so I don't know if there's anything I dislike about it. Perhaps being overly emotional in public is something I don't like about myself sometimes. I mean, it's ok with people I know, but Mom and I are going to a banquet next month, and Dad will be "honored" to a certain extent. I'm a little nervous about being overly emotional in front of those people, as I've only really just met them. I'm afraid they'd think "Will she just get over it already? It's been 3 years!!". I'll never get over it.

5. A memory you could stand to forget?

Definitely the house fire and my Dad's illness. I don't want to forget my Dad, obviously, but his suffering is something I'd like to forget. And, the house fire still haunts me, although I did learn how stuff is just stuff. Although, maybe I didn't really learn that, as my house is full of it now. I wonder if my accumulation of stuff is the little girl in me trying to reclaim what was lost. Ok. I'm getting way too psychological for myself.

FRIDAY FILL IN

1. The last meal I had at a restaurant was LAST NIGHT AT BOLLEY'S FAMOUS FRANKS IN AUGUSTA. I HAD A HOT DOG, HALF OF AN ORDER OF FRENCH FRIES, AND HALF OF A WHOOPIE PIE.

2. BEING ON A DIET is something I intensely dislike. I DO LIKE BEING MORE HEALTHY, BUT I'M REALLY MISSING AN OCCASIONAL PIG OUT.

3. The full moon CASTS A LOT OF LIGHT.

4. "WICKED GOOD" is one of my favorite local expressions.

5. Sometimes it's best to NOT SAY ANTHING AT ALL, AND OTHER TIMES, IT'S BEST TO SAY WHAT YOU REALLY FEEL.

6. SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS (THE FIRST ONE) is the best movie I've seen so far this year! I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S REALLY, REALLY THE BEST, BUT I HAVE A HARD TIME REMEMBERING WHICH MOVIES I'VE SEEN. I SAW THE WATERHORSE THIS WEEK AT THE MOVIES (FOR FREE) AND THAT WAS REALLY GOOD TOO.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to A SCRAPBOOK PARTY FOR JULIA, tomorrow my plans include ABSOLUTELY NOTHING (I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!) and Sunday, I want to SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO BREAK THE 20 POUNDS LOST MARK (IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH, BUT I REALLY WANT TO HIT IT)!

A SAD DAY

In memory of Buddy. He was a good guinea pig, and we will miss him. As Caleb said, "He was my friend."

(Buddy was "older" as far as guinea pigs go, but we didn't really expect him to go now. There have been lots of tears shed here.)

THIS WEEK'S WEIGHT LOSS

Lost this week - .4 pounds
Total lost so far - 17.4 pounds

I'm hoping to be down 20 pounds before we go to VA at the end of the month. We're going to be spending August 29-30 at Busch Gardens, so I'll get some walking in then, but VA food, oh goodness. I'm in trouble.

AMY'S LOCAL YOKEL MI-5

Amy says: "This is all about where YOU live":

1. If I were coming to visit you- what time of year would you suggest?

I think May or October. Both seasons show Maine's beauty, whether it be spring flowers, or fall leaves. For Amy, specifically, I would pick July, so that we could go to the NH Nascar race.

2. Any specific things you would suggest I visit while there.

Walk the Rockland Breakwater, hike Mt. Battie, and visit Children's Chapel.

3. Where should we eat?

We should definitely drive an hour to go to the Red Barn, which has the best fried seafood at the most reasonable prices. We also need to get some lobsters from Richard or Brandon and have steamed lobsters at my house.

4. Is there anybody I should meet?

You'd have to meet my best friend Mrs. Cheeseball (who also reads the Bad Groove), and also Billy Rhythm, Beloved, and my Mom.

5. Where else should I visit in your state?

Ft. Knox in Bucksport is kind of a neat place, and Acadia National Park is always awesome.

FRIDAY FILL IN

1. You know you're old when YOU FIND OUT THAT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATES ARE NOW GRANDPARENTS.

2. My heart is divided between MILK CHOCOLATE and DARK CHOCOLATE.

3. SOME KIND OF PASTA WITH CREAMY SAUCE is what I need RIGHT NOW!

4. I have felt the RAVAGES OF CANCER IN SOMEONE I LOVE, I have known the depths of MOURNING.

5. Gah, won't these people USE THEIR DIRECTIONALS!

6. FIND JESUS as soon as you can!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to FINISHING A PROJECT, tomorrow my plans include A BABY SHOWER FOR SARAH and Sunday, I want to WATCH THE RACE AT WATKINS GLEN!

THIS WEEK'S WEIGHT LOSS

Lost this week: 3.4 pounds
Total so far: 17 pounds

PADDY'S RADIO MI-5

Paddy says: "I just started a radio show on WRFR 93.3FM in Rockland (streaming on the web at wrfr.org) and I thought a radio-related 5 for this week:"

1. What was the first song you remember hearing on the radio? Maybe a favorite that you really looked forward to hearing?

My earliest radio memory was in the car with Mom, Aunt Karen, and all of us kids. I think we were going to Sears to have our pictures taken as a suprise for Dad and Uncle Rusty. I remember listening to "Kiss an Angel Good Morning" and "Honky Tonk Angel". As a good Christian girl, I guess I liked the angel songs, even if I didn't know what they were really about. I would guess that was in the early-70s, probably pre-Michael.

2. As a kid, I had a transistor radio that I took with me EVERYWHERE! Did radio play a big part in your childhood? What specifically did you listen to?

I became a radio "fan" around 5th-grade, I think. I had to listen to the Top-40 countdown, which I usually listened to at my grandmother's house. I was a huge Andy Gibb fan at that time, and I waited not-so-patiently to see if his songs were moving up the chart.

3. When I was a teen growing up in Maine, there were two kinds of kids: WBLM kids (album rock) and WIGY kids (Top 40). Which one, if either, were you? If you aren't from here (or are older or younger), relate as best you can your listening preferences as a teen.

I was definitely a WIGY kid. I thought WBLM was only hard rock, which I considered "bad" (as in naughty, I guess).

4. Do you have a special "radio moment" that you can share?

Back in the late 1980s, Kiss 94.5 used to have this turkey contest on the radio around Thanksgiving time. They would play a sound bite of a gobbling turkey, and then you had to race to the phone to call them, and if you were the correct caller, you would win a turkey. I played, and played, and played. I never won a turkey. Do any of you remember that?

My brother, Billy Rhythm, and I were HUGE Larry Glick fans as kids. He was a radio guy on WBZ in Boston, and was on during the evenings. It was mostly talk radio, and filled with political stuff as well as some crazy stories. He'd throw in a fun song now and then, too, like the Banana Boat Song, The Glick Nick Song, etc. "A favor's a favor, what is your favor," he would often say in his best Godfather voice whenever anyone requested a song. I can't sleep listening to music, as I sing along instead of sleep. So, I became a fan of talk-radio. I guess I was in junior high or high school then. Billy and I even made up a tape recording of our own version of his show. It's quite hilarious. I've got to find a copy of that tape.

5. In this age of micro-mp3 players, XM and iTunes ... how often (if at all) do you listen to radio?

I still listen to the radio quite a bit in the car. I tend to buy a CD, listen to that until I can't stand it anymore, and then listen to the radio until I buy a new CD. I usually listen to country radio. And I love Saturday radio with "Music from the fast lane, fast lane, fast lane." They talk about Nascar in between the country songs.

FRIDAY FILL-IN

1. If I could travel back in time, I'd go to PRE-DAD'S CANCER, OR MAYBE BACK TO LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE DAYS.

2. Give me CHOCOLATE or give me SOMETHING CALORIE-FREE THAT TASTES EXACTLY LIKE HIGH-CALORIE, HIGH-FAT CHOCOLATE.

3. I am listening to MARTHA STEWART ON TV.

4. Somewhere, someone is thinking THAT THEY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

5. I'll always be MISSING MY DAD.

6. My idea of a good time includes AN AMUSEMENT PARK.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to GETTING SOME GROCERIES?? tomorrow my plans include THE LOBSTER FESTIVAL PARADE and Sunday, I want to WATCH THE RACE IN POCONO (OUR HONEYMOON WAS IN THE POCONO MOUNTAINS)!