A Concept

Sometimes, I come up with the idea and have to let it out. Not wanting to wait, I wish to spit it out like that bad taste of Black Velvet that hits my lips when the husband says, "Here, mouthwash! I want everyone to read my words. I want to share with the millions of Looney Talk subscribers. And then the worry sets in. Like a black film beginning to build on the surface of the bathroom mirror as my spouse is in the shower. The confidence police start circling, waiting for the slightest moment of inadequacy. Hoping to catch me in the act of failing. And then the paranoia hoovers like a Black Hawk helicopter, waiting for me to finish my repulsive act and it strikes me hard to the cool, damp ground. They all are taking over my ideas, my words, my concept.

Shakespeare wrote "to be or not to be, that is the question?" After all the years of trying to figure out just what the bleep he was talking about, I think I have it figured out. If I were to write about my concept right now, it would be open to ridicule before it was even polished. It could possibly be stolen, someone else could take credit for it. All the creative flare I have dedicated to my project- taken in one swift move, similiar to that of a hawk making off with our farmyard chicken.

So, should I write my concept down in the blog? Let the readers put their two cents in. Or wait for the day when I actually do write my concept. Write it down and submit it to some twenty-something year old Hollywood script reader who wouldn't know a good story from a hole in his shoe. He would scribble on my script, "This would not sell! No one would watch. No one would read this." Oh, the negativity monster creeps in, taking all shred of human value I possess in my soul.

Pondering the infamous question of Shakespeare, I will sit upon my rock and challenge my mind, to be or not to be.

Death on 380

It was not a pretty sight. In one of those moments you see happening in slow motion, it was happening to me. Three vehicles ahead of mine. Playing out for all drivers to see. Or at least those who were wide-eyed and bushy tailed. By almost eight in the morning, at least half a pot of coffee has been ingested by myself. The drivers on the other side, were they paying attention? That is my question. When I saw it happening I wanted to honk my horn and come to a screeching halt. But I knew the drivers behind me weren't paying attention. They were too close. So letting off the gas as the accident happened was all I could do. To my amazement they must have seen it happen as well.

Running as fast as it possibly could, a beautiful doe had decided it was time to cross the busy interstate before 8 o'clock. Thank God she didn't have her fawn following. She was alone. Probably chased by a sexually charged buck or blood-thirsty hunter. Either way it was the final curtain for our little lady. I was three automobiles back. She came running past on the western side of the interstate without getting hit. She was halfway through. But there were a line a traffic on both northbound lanes. A black SUV in the fast lane hit her with its left headlight. Bam! She went straight down in the median. Just as fast as she came out of the corn field did she fall to her death. Murder on the highway. There was nothing to do. Everyone kept going. No one stopped. No one pulled over. Not even the SUV. Everyone drove on by. I kept finding myself slowing down the rest of the commute. Looking and scanning the horizon for her family and friends. No deer anywhere. Guess they all are waiting for their turn to run across the deadly highway.

It is a sad day for the deer and the driver. Their insurance will probably go up. They will likely have thousands of dollars of repairs. I will have that vision of the deer's final seconds of life play over in my head. It's like a movie that you can't take your eyes off. Mesmerizing in a morbid way. Death on 380.

Bedtime Story

After a month of using the CPAP I can report – underwhelming effect!

It took a while, but I am finally becoming adjusted to wearing it. The hardest part was under my nose, where the mask presses my mustache hairs into my skin. That still hurts by morning.

The other main adjustment was in sleeping position. At first, I slept on my back, but that hurts my lower back. Eventually, I was able to sleep on my side facing the direction the hose went. It took about three weeks to finally get comfortable sleeping on the other side as well, when the hose has to come up over my neck. But it is the only way I can sleep, as I toss and turn and must sleep on both sides.

I am still learning about the humidity level. I do like having cool, moist air when it is hot. We’ve had some cool mornigs, so I am trying out various temperature settings, although th eaother morning, something was weird and I nearly drowned!

But, still no “amazing energy burts” that other users had promised me I would experience. I know my level of sleep apnea is not very high, and ther pressure setting is fairly low, but I still wish I could feel something! I now need to work on getting to bed earlier (thanks a lot, FaceBook!) but I’ve never really been able to sleep more than six or so hours.

So, my report is practically “no report”, at least as far as benefits go. The longer I wear it, the more I get used to it, but I sure hope to feel the effects kick in sometime!

Friday Night Music

With the change of the seasons come the change of our music format.  Or at least this time.  Instead of cranking up the stereo and playing everything loud, we went unplugged.  We didn't shake the house last night, but it was a rumbling good time had by all.

  Music night started out with a girl and her guitar and her man singing.  We had started playing together over the weekend and found out that we enjoyed playing together.  We started the evening with a Ryan Bingham tune "Hard Times" and I think this one is a keeper.  With Tim on the vocals doing a Dylan-style melody the followers the Looney's may find it entertaining.  However, having said that don't be mislead that we'll be fashioning any open mic soiree anytime soon.  Practice must come first.  After all we aren't just ammee's here.  

   Next on the set list, a stunning rendition of Moonshiner.  Or was it strumming?  This one gets the fingers fumbling and without being repetitive, with one word I can sum this up-practice.

   "Tear Stained Eyes"-Son Volt  what a great song.    It is one of those tunes that you can easily sing along with especially the chorus.  It feels simple but it is quite complex which makes it a brilliant piece of Americana.  Don't fall off your chairs but we added some harmonies to this one.  Another keeper for the Looney's.  The capo really helps on this one-Thank You Jeff Schmidt.  You rock.

   "Passenger Side"-Wilco.  God I love this song.  Yeah, we got some issues with the beat but it will come together.  It is fun to play and sing along with.  Another smart writer, a simple song that is complex.  Where do these guys get that I wonder? :)  

   Now the voice is going and the fingers are starting to not work as well.  Time for some easier strumming and we're getting ready to close the joint down.  Grab that dance partner and start your little jig to "New Madrid"-Uncle Tupelo.  A great little ditty-it's a keeper.

  And  ending our session, a fun song to play and sing along to, "Wagon Wheel" -Old Crow Medicine Show.  Now somewhere I had heard that Bob Dylan wrote that song.  Guess I should research it before posting but that would require work and time, so for the moment I will CYA with, we were performing OCMS rendition of said song.  It's a great song.  

   Next on the FNMN show we viewed on DVD the 100s from Java House.  Performing back in January for IPTV Radio, it was a great performance.  Unplugged but not undone.  I love these guys.  Great songs, simple but highly complicated.  Similar to those other guys we mentioned above.  Do you see the attraction?  I don't know if you can buy this, but I believe every now and again, the cable channel in Iowa City shows these past performances.  It was a great show-Vern McShane rocking the place on the pedal steel.  I especially loved the bass solo on the "Picture" song.  The only thing about that gig that I disliked was the small room and crowded stage.  Not anyone's fault, it just was tight.  Great night of music folks.  If you have never heard any of these tunes before look them up on google. It is worth the little bit of effort to find them.

Peace,

Ang

   

  

Friday Night Music Night: Back on the Air

After taking some needed creative time, Friday Night Music is back. Thanks in part to sister Jill for her awesome Christmas present. And another thanks to boss Bob Burns and his CD at work. I'll explain how those two brought us here.
As I was driving to work Friday, I like to jam out. So I looked in my CD lunch bucket case and pulled out a CD Jill made for me for Christmas. Remember those days of "Mixed" tapes? Yes, this was one of those. I remember the other one she gave me and with a slight hesitation I put it in, fearing the worst. (That's another story for a different day.) Heard some great tunes including a Kinks cut. So I wrote to Looney and told him about it and he wrote me back about going to a Kinks concert and the opening act blew him away-Cheap Trick. Well, Bob had a Best of Cheap Trick on his desk several weeks ago and I asked him if I could take it home and listen to it. So Tim had finished burning it that day and when we got home, there was the Cheap Trick CD. So there is the back story now here is how the night started.
Goth girl was looking great and I wanted her to listen to a Pat Benetar song that I thought Adam Lambert should have performed on Idol when doing songs from the 80's. "Hit me with your best shot." So we jammed to that, she knew the words and danced around the basement and air guitared the solos....Looney still has it. Next cut, and Goth girl was so excited...."Carry On My Way Word Son -Kansas....so turn the dial up some more! It was great. The three of us carrying on and such. Next cut (this is off the CD Jill had made it remember?) "Hair of the Dog" by Nazareth. Oh, the great times of high school that song is. Goth girl doesn't know it, asks what's this? and leaves. That means she will check it out later without the parental units watching. Meanwhile, we dig it. Next cut is the Kinks-"Captain America" which cut then leads us to Cheap Trick. Following us now? So we listen to a cut that has Chrissie Hynde "walk Away" which I had never heard before. I had wanted to hear some Pretenders stuff so this was a nice treat. Loon says the Pretenders have a country album out so we really need to check that out. After hearing "She's Tight" "Southern Girls" "If you want my Love" and "Dream Police" we moved on to a band that maybe listened to RUSH......The Police. Great times we listened by all. Played "Answering Machine" by the Replacements, who must have influenced Uncle Tupelo because I hear so many nuances in Jeff Tweedy's music. I hope he is ok with this. I think Paul Westerberg is a genius. Drugs and alcohol is the downfall of a lesser man no doubt. Paul is still doing so stuff out there so look him up readers. I will do more research and see what I find out and post at a later time.
Played "seven Chinese Brothers" -REM. We had a nice discussion about REM. I told Tim I liked them when they were a college band, before they hit it big. He said he thought they were a bit pretenses and too artsy fartsy....my words not his.
I think (a couple of beers and a nice glass of scotch tend to fog up the later part of the night) we ended on the Police's Message in a Bottle-but I can't remember. Oh wait we spun a U2 song (Tim picked-can't remember the name....oh the edge sorry. Wait, Tim is looking it up...."The Fly" off Achtung Baby. And I think I ended it with Sinead O'Connor-"I don't want what I haven't got."
A great night of some of the finer music of the late 70s and mid-80s and into very early 90s. Tune in for updates on our picks.

Bed Head

Snoring Cure Part 3

The journey continues!

First was the breathing doctor who sent me to the sleep center - see: http://looneytalk.blogspot.com/2009/06/sleepless-in-cr.html

The diagnosis: Sleep Apnea. It turns out I stopped breathing 14 times an hour!

Then the really bad news: I can't be fitted for a C-PAP breathing device because I don't move enough air through my nose. Surgery will repair a deviated septum and reduce my turbinates. "Hopefully" that solves the air-flow problem and I can get a C-PAP. Otherwise, the next thing we'd be looking at would be to remove my tonsils. While that is a relatively safe and easy procedure in children, it is one of the most painful and hard to recover from surgery for adults! As in, "Most people schedule it for the day before Thanksgiving so they can save on the sick leave." Yikes! Don't want that!

So, after a full physical and more blood tests, off to the hospital. What typically is an out-patient procedure will require an overnight stay for me - since I stop breathing so often.
Relaxing in the prep room as the drugs kicked in - and a thunder storm hit outside! Hope they don't lose power while I'm under the knife!

Next thing I know, I'm waking up in recovery! Then off to my room. I feel like I have the worlds worst head cold - perhaps due to the miles of gauze shoved up my nose? My nose is tender, but the drugs are preventing much pain. My biggest complaint is my neck - I think they broke it during surgery!

So, after an un-restful night, I can finally go home. Sounds good, right?

Well, the pain killers were strong, but not enough to eliminate all of my nose pain. My neck still was the worst, plus I have to sleep upright on several pillows, killing my back as well.

I've had surgery before, I thought that staying home for a week would be fun - movies, TV, internet - I thought I'd clean some files off an old computer. Boy was I wrong! The drugs made me brain-dead! I couldn't concentrate on anything. I couldn't follow a movie or even get into a televisions show. All I could watch was HGTV - I could wake out of a daze, say, "That's a nice kitchen" then doze back off.

So, it's gotten better since then. Flushing the nasal passages feels better than it sounds!

Finally, it was time to head back to the sleep center.

I scheduled it for a Friday night so I wouldn't have to deal with it at work the next day. I was pretty tired going in, and the Ambient kicked in fairly quick. I got wired up and had the C-PAP strapped to my head. Nice, cool air gently blowing into my nose. (When I opened my mouth, the air blew out lol!) With stuff between my eyes, I couldn't focus on the TV, but it didn't take long and I was out. She woke me up once to have me roll back onto my back, but otherwise, I slept the whole night - from about 9:30pm until 4:30am. I won't say I woke up refreshed, and honestly, I think I had a hangover from the Ambient, but it wasn't bad sleeping with the mask on. Other than the headpiece was too tight and gave me a headache. In fact, getting ready for bed Saturday night I kind of wished I had the nice, cool, gentle air forced up my nose!

But I could still get the report that it was ineffective and I need tonsil surgery, so I'm not going to rest until I know for sure.

To be continued...

Alice, Nicky & Mom

Iowa Sunrise

 The old saying, it's darkest right before dawn could be changed to this:  The best light is right before dawn.

  The rays of the sun being bounced to our view, the reds vibrant and sure making the green of the grass an emerald color waiting to be selected in an old woman's jeweled ring.  The blue tint of the sky, sharper in focus than any fool photographer could ever be.   The description of my morning sunrise.

    What started out as a sudden attempt by a higher calling to get on an exercise morning, turned out to be one of the most gorgeous skies of the summer.  As I woke, I decided I would listen to that voice in my mind who said, WALK NOW.  I did.  Accompanied by Biscuit leash-free we started walking down the gravel road.  The sun was not yet up, but its light was bouncing on the eastern horizon.  Fire red at the horizon.  It fuel my walk up to the mile corner.  Living out in the country they old timers tell me every corner (generally speaking) is approximately a mile.  So I take their word, and Biscuit and I walked for a mile then turned around to walk home.  The walk back we were looking directly at the sunrise.  It was now getting brighter, the dark-vibrant red was replace with a yellow glowing ball, Father Sun.  I looked at my cellphone to check for the time.  Always curious and for some odd reason like it really matters about the time, but it was 5:52 (am for you who may not be following along closely or for you others that are seriously-educated public-criticiser's.   The bottom line is this, Iowa has great sunrises.  Every morning.  Tuesday Father Sun "winked" at me.  No kidding.  He was starting to rise over the big hill that I call mountain just to the east about a mile or two from the Looney farm.  It was a loving gesture to say "Good Mornin' Mrs. Looney!"

Today, the horizon was blood red and clouds above.  Clouds everywhere, except along the horizon.  Just enough for me to say "Hey Father Sun, how ya' doin' this morning?"   And what would you think he said back?  He caught me between walking by the tall corn, and being ever so polite because that is his nature, he says to me, "Glad to see you are getting those dogs back on the exercise plan."  

   Sometimes, it is so hard to get out of bed, the body just wants an extra minute of rest.  The body is lazy.  It doesn't want to work it wants to lie awhile and  "dream," dream about things that don't really matter and  flying.  Flying around the earth to see the sunrise.  Then the mind has to wake itself up.  C'mon, get up silly.  Time to get to work.  The mind is willing but the flesh is exhausted.  So walking the dogs at sunrise is a great way for me to get some exercise, have the dogs get some exercise, and see Father Sun.  How about that!  I can do it every morning, view an Iowa Sunrise.  Right in here.  

Eight Heads in a Perfect (Gale) Storm

Just heard Gale Storm died, so that's now 5 celebrity deaths - one to go? Ed McMahnon, Farrah, King 'O Pop, Billy Mays, Gail.

Our movie viewing got a little better, as we watched a movie off of Frankie's fav list: 1997's "8 Heads in a Duffle Bag". Joe Pesci, David Spade, Kristy Swanson, great roles by George Hamilton and Dyan Cannon. Madcap comedy. Falls in to the "Plot A" category: Miserable loser overcomes odds to win in the end. (We'll be exploring the basic plot themes as time goes on.) Great writing, funny situations, good time.

Later, we watched 2000's "The Perfect Storm". Good cast, with George Clooney, John C. Reilly and Marky-Mark Wahlberg (better actor than singer!). Had this NOT been "based on a true story", then it probably would have been Plot A, and they would have come home succesful.
However, too much Hollywood drama added to "spice up" the story, I'm sure all of the marital and personal subplots were added. This was probably better on a theatre, with the huge waves crashing. Too predictable, such as the subplot of John and his nemisis fighting but then of course making up. Yuck! The stupid and unexplained scenes with a wasted casting of Karen Allen were presumably added becasue it really happened, but made no sense and were just a waste of time.
I like George, but to quote Angie, "Where's Mark Greene?"

The lame won this round. Let's hope we get another chance at the movies!

Movie Review-The Governess

Absolutely one of the worst movies made in this decade.  Actually, think it was produced in the 1990's but will look it up for sure.

Tom Wilkinson and Minnie Driver star is this slightly erotica but based upon one guy's dream of teen Jewish sister's talking about semen in their bed at night.  Let's make our heroine the Governess one of the first female bootie photographers.  Every scene, either Tim or I were knocking out each line spoken, what the action was to be.  The only thing I predicted that didn't happen was a pregnancy, which should have because it would have put an natural twist on an extremely stupid movie plot.  Fact is, Tim was awaken in the middle of the night with yet another problem in the movie.  The Governess, who is Jewish, pretends to be a Christian to accept a job as a Governess with a Scottish family.  This could have been slightly funny, or it could have been dramatic but the dialogue, the motion of the characters were not thought out.  

Sorry folks, it looks like we wasted our time watching this movie-I want my money back.  Alas, it gave me a chance to at writing a writhing review.  

Now, what to watch next?

FUNKY Friday Night Music Night?

What I really wanted was some great 80's rock music but what turned out was a lot of funky tunes from that decade.

I wish we had a turntable, and I know the Loon does too.  But with his nose recovering from surgery there was no way it was going to get hooked up.  So this is what happened.

I put on Talking Heads, "NAKED" cd.  Why did I buy this 20 years ago?  Beats me.  I looked for the "hit" and couldn't find it.  Damn.  I know I used to crank this mother as loud as possible, but with my memory so to is it....gone.

Living Color-again, another problem with too much funk and not enough rock.  Gone, with my memory.  So at this point I am not impressing Loon.

He puts on Nels Lofgren....Primus and Rush.  Ok.  Pretty good actually.

And we played a couple of cuts off the Outfield, 1985.  Now, we are talking about great 80s rock.

So we put in an Eric Johnson DVD-killer.  That guy is one of the greatest guitar players I have ever watched.  Watched Alejandro and Alice in Chains.  So, we went from some why did we ever listen to this music to finish it off with great stuff.  To sum it up, sometimes the funk leads us to ...fill in the blank readers!

Friday Night Music

Fans, followers, readers, and yes, family.  Well, probably only "family" actually read this but I wanted to let everyone know that I have received a list of "plays" for our Friday Night Music Night.  Let me say, it is a pretty good rundown of stuff we should take a listen to.  

Here are a couple of examples:  Alice Cooper.  The Beatles.  And we have had both of these groups on the show.  Love it to Death and Abbey Road.  Two great albums with a plethora of classic rock songs that helped shape my musical life.

What's on tonight?  Darned if I know.  I wish we had some way of getting our LP's into rotation but right now with "Mr. Nose out of Joint" music man not a lot of reorganizing and repositioning is getting done.  I'm sure all would understand.  Being on codeine and BV and trying to move the plasma around is not a good mix.  You may remember what happened last year when we rearranged our living room/TV viewing room.  That required a new TV-thus the Plasma.  So, we'll not get the turn table hooked up for tonight's show.  We'll just wait and see what happens....maybe our dear Brother-guy we've looked up to our whole life (or since we've known him) and his lovely wife Jules will come out to the Looney Farm and surprise us!  

Keep reading and we'll let you know what happens......

'til Saturday

Ang

Under the Knife

Friday I go for surgery to correct my deviated septum and to trim back my turbinates. Necessary before I can be fitted with the C-PAP breathing device. And that will entail another trip to the sci-fi sleep center! The fun never ends!

Hopefully there won't be a big story in this.

Mushing Loon Iowa Sunrise Run

Sleepless in CR

It was straight out of a '70s sci-fi flick: sterile hallway, a young man in beige scrubs with his hair tied back, my "sleep tech" Kayne. Over twenty "Sleep Suites" yet it seemed we were the only ones in the building. Suite 17, my room, full of wires, gear and a remote-controlled video camera. Just relax and watch TV for a couple of hours, with electrodes glued to my legs, chest and head, as the drugs kick in. Am I going to wake up as a programmed zombie?
It was difficult to sleep with the wires everywhere. I woke up cold and had to pee. "Hey" I say. "Be right there" Kayne replies over the intercom. He comes in and helps me up, disconnects the wires and I go to the bathroom. He brings another blanket. I fall asleep and dream that he pushes my bed outside because he double-booked the room. Then he comes in and tells me I'm done. It's 4:10am. He had not attached a C-PAP, but that doesn't mean I won't need one. He of course can't tell me the results. That's up to the doctor in a month.
Time to shower and then get some breakfast and go to work early, as opposed to driving home and turning around and driving to work. They told me ahead of time that it would be a "normal" night's rest, but that was way wrong. As Kayne said, it was a medical test, they needed to get good data, it was not supposed to be a comfortable night's sleep! So I fought through the fog in my brain from a bad, weird-night's sleep all day. And I'll have to go back if they decide I need a C-PAP so it can be set properly.
I can't wait - but then, I might just be programmed to say that!

The 100s-"(Just Call Me) Slow"

Friday Night Music Nights

Readers:

   With our new dogs, we have been extra busy!  We need help from you dear readers.  Send us some suggestions on what you would like for us to listen to on our Friday Night Music night.  Please indicate the album/DVD/CD the song is from because we may have to track it down on the internet if we don't have it available.  

   Remember, we like good music and LOUD on friday night music nights.

Take care and Rock on.

Guitar God Wannabe....

Ang

Alice Waiting to Run

The Loon and His Dogs on Our Farm

Check Out THE 100s!

A new video of some behind the scene footage of the 100s is now available on YouTube.  Check it out at "angielooney" .  Sorry for whatever reason forgot my password and had to make a new account.  LAME!!!

 You can still see the older stuff at  "theangielooney@youtube.com"

Angie has posted some videos from different hunnerts gigs.  Enjoy.

Friday Night Music Night

4/10/09
What a great way to kick off the weekend then to crank out the tunes. This week's repertoire inspired by Angie's guitar lessons, was a look back at some of the greatest songs written and performed from the 1950's and 1960's with a pinch of a modern day band.
Here's the list: Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young-Name of Love(This is what inspired us to take a look back at the early stuff. This album (American Dream) came out in 1988.
The Association-"Requiem for the Masses" & "Enter the Young" (These came off the album Greatest Hits which both Tim and Angie had the LP when they were kids.
Simon & Garfunkel-"Cecilia" & "The Boxer" again, both off the Greatest Hits LP.
The Beach Boys-"Darlin'" & "Don't Worry, Baby" again, off Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
The Hollies-"King Midas in Reverse" & "Bus Stop" again, off a Greatest Hits CD.
Buddy Holly-"Rave On" off The Original Master Tapes. (Talented & gifted musician, tragic loss)
The Monkees-"Love is ONly Sleeping" 1967 off the Looney Tunz The Monkee Collection CD. (Mike Nesmith sings, awesome.) & "Your Auntie Grizelda" 1967-Weirdly wild.
The Byrds-"From a Distance" & "Eight Miles High" -again off the 20 essential tracks From the Boxed Set 1965-1990.
The Mamas & the Papas-"California Dreamin'" from the Forrest Gump Soundtrack. (Reminds Angie of the Variety Show in high school when Becky Griffin and her performed this song dressed in "hippie garb" and nailed it.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band-"Will the Circle Be Unbroken" & "House of Pooh" again off Greatest Hits CD.
Hank Williams-"Jambalya (On the Banyou) again 20 of Hank's Greatest Hits CD.
The Derailers-"Then She Kissed Me" Produced in 1999, it's the most modern produced CD of the night, but you would think you were back in time. Excellent band, fun and great to dance in your basement.
Lefty Fritzell-"If You got the Money I've Got the Time" 1950. The Legends Of Country Vol. 1 Looney Tunz.
Carl Perkins-"Honey Don't" 1954. The Legends of Country Vol. 1 Looney Tunz.

Angie's Project Test

Carissa on the Move

Brownie and Biscuit Getting Ready!

This is what we do when it snows.

Snow on Saturday

Did anyone else go out in the snow and play? We almost had enough

Publish Post

to hook up the dogs and take them on a run.
But I am ready for spring, is anyone else?
And I don't think that it matters if my little poems don't rhyme or even keep time. It is a loose form of prose.
And that is all I have to say about life at the moment.

Which Arrested Development Character Are You?

If you are on Facebook, then by now you are used to be innudated with requests to take this quiz and test your IQ, and find out which sexy lady are you type tests. After awhile, they beyond annoying. Fun at first and tiresome by the about the fourth one.
So, in contrast to those lame quizzes that everyone does, try this not quite as lame as those quiz.
You tell us which Arrested Development Character you most identify with.
Now, because those characters are so complex you could be part Gob part Tobias....but I want to know who you most identify with.
Have some fun...and remember it is all in fun and it's a damn shame that the show is no longer but rumours appear to be revealing a movie in the works.

Angie most identifies with..... "Maybe"

Friday Night Music Night

We had an abbreviated Friday night music night because of the daughter's high school play. So here is what we chose to watch AFTER the play.

RUSH in RIO.
DVD-2003

So it turns out I am a HUGE fan of RUSH and didn't know it most of my adult life. Today I am a huge fan of RUSH and knew it from the instant. How can this possible be? RUSH is like the classical of rock and roll music. With movements of musical masterpieces, it is up to each individual listener to take away the notes, the tones, the tempo, the rhythm and make a decision for themselves.
Imagine over 40 thousand fans, 50 thousand fans, 60, 70 and 80 thousand fans, jumping up and down with their hands clapping into the air, singing at the top of the lungs to the songs they know and love. This is what RUSH in RIO is all about. These fans are Brazilians. And they know the words to Tom Sawyer, New World Man, Roll the Bones, Limelight, 2112. You get the idea. Amazing is all I can say every time I watch this DVD. There is no mosh pit. The fans were getting into their music, singing along, jamming and experiencing the RUSH experience. What a great show. What an amazing DVD. If you have not seen this, it is well worth your time.
And how do you follow up RUSH?
You don't.
Like I said, it was a late Friday Night Music Night and when the first artists you start with is with some of the best, most talented musicians the world has heard, you call it a night. Goodnight!

Signs of Spring

My tulips have broken through the ground.
The grass has a greenish tint.
Tim is obsessed with the Iditarod.
Tim is obsessed.

The buds are bursting on the maple trees.
We can sit around the campfire at night
Tim is obsessed with the Iditarod.
Tim is obsessed.

I always can feel when it is spring
the air is warmer,
the dogs take off for hours at a time
Tim is obsessed with the Iditarod.
Tim is obsessed.

Guess What was Waiting for Me?

I arrived at work later today by about fifteen minutes. So that put me in the parking lot of at 8:15am. There was not a train on the track. Until I got out of my car and heard the alarm and saw the lights go on. Drat! I will never make it. I am telling you I have bad train karma. Today the train was using its brakes and the squeaking was making a horrendeous noise. I reminded me of when someone runs fingernails on a blackboard. Oh yeah, doesn't that just drive you off the edge of the cliff?

Train, Train

by Angie
By now you know things just happen to me. Little things that tend to blow up to become "crisis" situations. Well, not exactly but at the time they sure seem to be. So this is my story on the train karma I am experiencing.
I drive approximately 65 miles to work one way. I park my Honda and walk an additional 15 minutes on a smooth ice free sidewalk day. I don't mind the walk, it gets me invigorated to start my day at my cool job. But a few weeks ago, I had heard something on the morning news. It was exercising for 10 minutes was just as good as exercising for 30 minutes at a time. I missed the last half of the report because I was leaving the house to drive to work. So I really don't know if this is true or not but in my mind leaving that morning it was all true. And when I parked at my assigned lot, I thought great I'm going to count how many blocks I walk to see how far I walk in 15 minutes. As I turned my head around while walking forward I tripped falling flat on my chin on the hard, cold sidewalk. Right in broad daylight. No one saw me, or stopped to help. The only thing broken was my pride. My chin hurt and my whole jawline and my ears ringed for days. I made it through work and walked back to my parking lot when the train was stopped on the track. It had not moved for a good five minutes, but it felt like five hours. There were a couple guys that dared to cross the train to get to the other side. You see my parking lot was just on the other side. It had been a long day. My chin hurt, my ears were ringing, my jawline was sore and I had broken my pride. I just wanted to go home. I waited for the train to get going and finally it moved forward about seven cars and then it came to a halt. Now what? No one was around and the train didn't make any sounds. I looked left. I looked right. I looked behind. No one was watching. No one to help if I jumped on the train and it started to move would save me. But I really thought I could do this. Just give me one last chance to prove I am still gracefully. (Family members be quiet!) I grabbed the ladder and pulled myself up. There was not any railing on the end of the car so I walked quickly to the other side and lowered myself down on the opposite ladder. It was all good. As soon as I got into my car, the train moved. Ok....that was not as much fun as I thought so next time I will walk 3 blocks out of my way to get around. The next night, there it was waiting for me. The train. Just sitting there, watching and waiting and not moving. C'mon I needed to get home. So I walked out of my way and got home late. The next week, the one day that I needed to get to work early because of a meeting there was the train, waiting for me. Silent on the tracks. Not moving. Begging me to jump on it. Just try me, that is what the train was whispering. No way, I'll walk around. So I did. I was right on time, but sweating and looking all disarrayed from the extended brisker walk. That same night, trying to get out of there to make it to a variety show at my kid's school, the same train was just sitting there on the tracks. No movement. No grinding. No thrusting. Just waiting for me to try and cross. I walked around again barely making it on time to my engagement. By now I had decided to call the train a word with an adjective in front. What did I do? I crossed when I shouldn't have and realized that wasn't smart. I know. But c'mon this has got to stop. I was having a bad train karma week. The next morning, again I am running about 5 minutes behind schedule. I parked my car and jumped out of the vehicle when I heard it. The train whistle. You have got to be kidding me. I ran over to the sidewalk and jumped across the cement wall that divides the parking lot from the hill sidewalk. I stopped at the tracks. It was moving slow and it was coming at me. It was about one block away. Do I cross? Do I test fate? Would I trip on the tracks? I looked left. I looked right. No one was watching me. No one to rescue me. What should I do? The train was still half a block off. Probably it was going to stop and not move for hours. Now there was a car that came up to the crossing. Was it going to cross? Would I?
I decided that my train karma was indeed in alignment with some positive influences. The car crossed without getting smashed. I walked the extra blocks to maintain my train composure. What will happen tomorrow? Will that train be waiting for me or will I not see it for weeks? I'll keep you posted.

MUSIC NIGHT IS BACKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!

FRIDAY NIGHT
It's back....music night. Now that Angie is working regular normal business hours Tim and her will enjoy some music cranked up on Friday night. Are you wondering what is on tap for tonight? Well here's what Angie has piled up.....

Now you know the way it works...Angie first then Tim...or if Tim is in a bad mood Tim goes first.....if I pick a song and another Tim picks one song then another....we always try to out do one another. Now, I am not sure if we'll get thru this list tonight but here's the sneak peak at what is on Angie's list....ssshhh.....don't let Tim know ahead of time. Comments?

REM-Murmur
Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet...Bela Fleck-Casey Driessen-Ben Sollee
Patti Smith Group-Radio Ethiopia
King's X-Gretchen Goes to Nebraska-"summerland"
Michael Monroe-Not Fakin' It-"Dead, Jail, or Rock n Roll"
Led Zepplin-Bringin it on Home

Tim's Picks..from what I remember....
RUSH-"By-Tor and the Snow Dog"
FIGHTER-(Bill Heller is an awesome guitar player)

Mushing in a blizzard-Iowa style

Saturday's blizzard was my first opportunity in weeks to take advantage of a little mushing. Brownie was already outside, on the loose. I went into the barn and harnessed up Biscuit, leaving Krunchy alone in the barn, crying to come along. No way was I going to let Krunchy come along with us. He ran half a mile ahead of us and did whatever he wanted to do. It is not fun when he gets the other two all excited and not paying any attention to me. After harnessing up Biscuit I brought the pretty vivid red harness for Brownie. She sat at my feet and let me put it on her. She usually is hard to get dressed but today she wanted to go for a run. Got everyone hitched and went to get the sled that hangs in the garage. We headed east to the waterway. There was about 4 inches of snow on the ground in places, and just covering the grass in others. Temperature was 12 degrees but falling. We saw a big green Chevy truck and thought it was Dad so we ran back home. It was not him. So we attempted for the second time to head east to the waterway. When we went about 30 yards and got to the same spot we were at when we saw the other truck, there was dad. So we ran back to the house to talk with him. Then we headed west out to the cornfield.The wind from the northwest was howling and blowing hard snow pellets into our face. I walked alongside the sled and let the dogs trot ahead not having to pull any wait. It is hard walking in the earth turned field. Bumpy and the remnants of corn stalks sometimes snags the sled. Alas, we made it to the waterway that goes to the timber. This was great, smooth sailing for the most part. The dogs were happy to run along and I would push off with my left foot keeping my right foot on the sled. Then we came to the edge of the timber. I stopped to get the newly made brake out because I knew the hill down to the river bottom was steep and fast as that is the one the Loon wiped out on weeks ago. So I checked out the new brakes and decided it would be safe and worked. SO mushing the dogs down the trail, ever so slowly we walked down the trail. The snow was too deep, it got caught up on the brake so every 10 yards I would have to stop to clear it. So much for going fast. When we got to the bottom of the hill I could see the river, the Wapsipinicon or the Wapsi as everyone calls it. IT was moving fast for this time of the year. I wanted a closer looked so anchoring the dogs I walked quietly and carefully to the edge of the river. IT has a steep bank and the edge of the river is frozen unlike the other side that was moving swiftly. I laid down on my belly to watch. I had to keep the dogs a distance from me or they would have given me kisses and licks and jumps and more kisses and licks and jumps. Biscuit loves to love. Getting up carefully, we left to continue on the trail. It is a snowmobile trail but no one had been along for weeks. The dogs did pretty good until we were on ice. Now, I didn't know how deep the water was where we were on. Usually during the winter months, the river is low and the bottom timber is dried up. But we were walking on ice. The dogs decided they didn't want to pull so much, so I ended up just walking behind the sled, laying my arms across the handle bar on the sled. The ice was cracking and we were watching closely, because the last thing I wanted to do was to fall into some waterhole that had just enough water to soak me, without drowning and I would have to walk back to the house pulling the sled. As we followed the river, I noticed we were below the level of the river, not sure what it meant but beginning to feel a little edgy. Just as I thought we were close to being out I slipped and fell. Oh shit. Was the ice going to break? That was my first thought. Quickly, I jumped up before the dogs could jump all over me. I notice the creaking of the ice and needed to get off this stuff right away. Looking to the south I saw we had a bank to go up and we would be high enough the water would not get us if there were a flash flood. We weren't in any real danger, but I think about stuff happening so I will know what to do if and when it ever does happen. Living on the edge. So there I was, just steps from climbing out of the river bottom and I couldn't climb up the bank, it was ice covered. I couldn't get a grip. I was yelling at the dogs, pull me pull me get going but they wanted to love me, kiss me, jump on me, and love me, kiss me and jump onto my face. WHY? Didn't they know we could be trapped out here, never to return until the spring thaw? After finally getting Biscuit to relax was I able to crawl on my knees and fingers to the top of the bank. And running as far as we could away from there. Walking thru yet another cornfield, partial plowed with cornstalks sticking up to grab onto the sled every twenty steps, and Brownie not wanting to pull at all now, it was still a blizzard and I was sore from falling on the ice, twice. About every 10 steps there would be a different smell. Rabbit? Deer? Fox? Squirrel? Only the dogs knew for sure and they wanted to check out every smell, one at a time. By now, the blizzard was rolling strong and I was having to just walk behind the sled. They would not pull me at all, not even with me pushing with my left foot. I had a good mile plus to walk. And I forgot to go to the bathroom before I left. I just wanted to get out there and forgot to go. Now I am a mile from home, beat up from falling on the ice, twice, and I have two dogs that only want to stop every ten steps to smell what lies below the snow. Needless to say, it was a long journey for half a mile until we reached the eastern waterway. Now, we were within site of home and I fell again. Into a big hole. I didn't see it, but it was there and so was Biscuit right on top of me. Love and kisses and jumping. Double duty for Biscuit. And Brownie didn't want to pull at all. I finally stopped the sled and tried to see what was bothering her. She let me take off her harness but in the process she began overly excited and ended up putting her mouth into my nose. OUCH! It hurt and she didn't mean to bite me, but that is what happened. So now she is loose, I am sore and have a bloody nose and it is a blizzard, and I have now almost wet my pants. I didn't have a phone with me and my husband was not around. I forgot to tell him where I was going and when I would be home. As good fortune would have it, he pulled in the driveway with his big-ass truck. He noticed my nose and wondered what happened. I told him he could read all about it on our blog. The blizzard continued for several hours, and I felt fine until the next day. Sore all over. My nose is ok and Brownie and Biscuit are ready for some more mushing fun. Tune in next week to see what happens.

New Technology: Welcome to the 21st Century

It's happened. Angie has finally suctioned herself to Facebook. Of course, the daughter and her sister Jill had to assist setting herself up. Yeah, she doesn't really know all the ins and outs of Facebook, but she is learning.
And learning too about her newly found social status, her suspicious husband. Why would he be suspicious about me and all my friends. My dad, my sister, his bandmate, old friends from my past and new friends from my job. I don't understand his hesitation.
Do you have any ideas, readers on how I can handle his insane jealousy of a new hobby? Talk amongst yourselves while I post this.

Sick Kid

Remember the days when you were a kid and sick? What did your mother do to make you feel better?
My mom always came when I called, or mostly yelled out her name. MOM!
The boy is sick today. He has been sick since Monday. In fact, Sunday night he was at his dad's and wanted to come home early because he felt sick. I told him to just wait and he'll feel better. Was I wrong.
Now, we are waiting to go see the doctor. I don't claim to be a doctor, but here's my diagnosis: he has the flu. So there may not be anything to give him, but he has asthma so we need to go. I should have taken him earlier but I thought whatever he had would run its course. I didn't go to the Dr. when I was a kid until I passed out and they figured out I had strep throat and mono. I was out sick for 3 weeks, right in the prime season of detasselling corn. I missed out on a bunch of money. And I was only 15. Bummer.
Comment today on your memories of being ill and having your mother, father, grandmother, or other caregiver nursing you back to health.

Mushing Photos

Check out some photos of us mushing at The Loon's Mushing Report.

WHAT I HAVE DONE RECENTLY

BY ANGIE
It's Feb. 1st and I have been busy this year. Just wanted to share some of the things that have been keeping me busy. I'm sure you all are on the edge of your seats so here goes.
I got a new job. No longer am I slaving over writing promos for the news department at kgan/kfxa tv. I have been appointed at the University of Iowa as Educational Media Coordinator II at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. When I figure out exactly WHAT my title means I will share it with you. For right now, I am the assistant to Head of the Production Unit, Bob Burns. Bob used to work at KGAN. So, it has been a blast so far. Just finished my 3rd week on the job. Tim came over after his gig on friday to get the nickel tour.
The 100s had two gigs in Janaury. One around Jan 10th. at Springville at the Legion. Good show. We went out for breakfast afterward, which meant driving to Cedar Rapids. Tim was mad at me, but I was hungry. A girl has got to eat.
Then the 100s played an unplugged gig at the Java House in Iowa City, Friday Jan. 30th. Filled the room and more. Great show. It aired on the radio, IPR so cool. They did videotape it so you can watch it somewhere, sometime, at a date which I don't know.
We have been taking the dogs out on the snowmobile, or snowmachine, trails about once a week to get them some exercise. Tim wiped out, as you may have read last weekend. We went today and had a better run. We did not let Krunchy go with us so it helped Brownie focus on leading. HEr and BIscuit did a great job. PRoud of both of them. They pulled me a long ways. Tim made a new break for him when he went down the mountian trail. He didn't wipe out, the break worked great. We are now in the house, sweaty and tired but feeling great about the dogs. They did a super job.
The daughter is performing in speech and is going to the state contest for her group mime. We are proud of her.
The teen son is using Motley Crue to wake us up ev ery morning. At 6:15 every morning. Even when he is not here. He is playing basketball, and although I have only been able to attend one game, Tim took the video camera and I was able to watch another. HE seems to enjoy it and even remembered the other guys from the other teams that he played against during football. That is the cool part about playing sports, meeting the other team and sometimes making friends.
Saw Tim's other son at the gig Friday and turns out he has class in the building I work at. Maybe he'll look me up more?
Would recommend reading the book "winterdance" by Gary Paulsen, if you like reading about life, obstacles, dogs, outdoors, dreams, and the iditarod. Good book. Easy reading, fast paced. Good. 5 stars. And I finished the book I got for Tim for Christmas, by Neil Peart "Roadshow" good book and again, easy to read, fast paced, could keep reading for hours on end if I had the time. He (Peart) is similar in many ways to Tim. Or vice versa. So I totally understood his lack of enthusiasm for being a rock star. Like I said, great book worth the read. Especially if you are a Tim Looney fan, a Rush fan, or a DRUMMER.
Now we are preparing for Feb. the time of the year when winter doesn't go by fast enough. Looking forward to selecting seeds from the catalogues, planting new trees, and baseball and softball season.
Stop in and visit friends or family. We welcome ya'll.

What was your first job and how much money did you earn?

So I got a call mid-morning today. I wasn't sure why the daughter was calling me and I am at my new job so I really didn't want to disrupt what we were working on, but I answered my cell. The girl wanted to know my first job and how much I earned. Here's my first job that I can remember where I had to have a social security card and all that jazz. I worked at the cafeteria at Upper Iowa University. I believed I earned about $1.10 an hour. I would work at banquets waiting on tables, and clearing the tables. Guess it was ok. IT must have made an impression that I didn't want to get into that line of work.
Looney reader's share with us your story of first job and how much you earned.

Come on, what are you waiting for?
Angie

Loon's Big Mushing Wreck

Read about Loon's big mushing wreck here.

Reading Material

Looney Talk readers here is another chance for you to voice your opinions. This week we are asking you what are you reading? Go ahead and share your latest adventure book, your romance novel or the best darn article you've read from your favorite mag rag.
Here's what on my list.
Road Show-Neil Peart
(Gave this book to Tim for Christmas and I read it first. How mean am I? If you don't know anything about Tim, you probably shouldn't be reading this blog. However, if you do know and love Tim, you'll know and love this book as well. Neil writes about his travels from one show to another, night after night all the while on a motorcycle. Great look to the inside of a working rock band. I like his style of writing. Reminds me of brother Pete's writing styles. Pete Looney, keep writing and work on publishing your work. I'll read it.
Winterdance-Gary Paulsen
(I am not finished with this, but it is a book I gave Tim for his birthday. OF course, he picked it out, found it on line and bought it for himself. But it was for him. IT is a great look at what it is like to even BEGIN to start racing sled dogs. It is a funny story of a man who really doesn't have a clue to what he is doing. Kinda like someone else we know and love. His mistakes are what makes me laugh out loud. Knowing that I, too, would probably have done what he did. So far so good. I could hardly put the book down last night.

This Is Not A Film

This past weekend, the Loons watched the 2003 film "This Is Not A Film". A pseudo-documentary of a young man who makes a video-reenactment of his relationship with a lost love.
Through the act of remaking their dates, combined with the analysis of the woman who portrays his lost-love, he begins to discover his part in the downfall.
A clever device, and a decent exploration of the differing views on a relationship, he was searching for Grace, which is the ultimate theme - searching for grace.

I give it a 3 out of 5.
Angie says this is her summary: This film took an idea and made it into a movie. Some parts I liked. Some effects I did not like. In fact they were extremely annoying to me. The jump cuts just bothered me. I can't stand it. It seems to be the "latest" hip technique, but I am old-school and declare the director/editor couldn't come up with an original transitional technique.
I give this film a 2.75 out of 5. (Hey, a 5 is considered a 10 so it was not a bad film at all. Go ahead, watch it yourself and comment. Dare YOU!!!)

Latest Musical Influences

We know we all have been influenced by bands, musicians, poets and teachers when we were young. But who is the latest person to have influenced you musically?
Here's my list: the 100s-Hubby's band but they have influenced and continually support my goal of playing guitar.
Alejandro Escovedo-This guy has been around a long time and has been through a lot. He writes great music and puts on a heck of a performance even if there were only 20 people at the bar. He is a great musician and just to be able to hear him and see him was amazing, a life changing moment.

Tell us who influences you. Share and compare. My list is short because there are so many bands that I can't list them all right now.

Doors and Cats

Have you ever heard the pawing of your cat, trying to get into the room you are occupying? Now here's another question. Have you ever had a cat who gets into the room, closes the door than can't get out? That is what we have here in Looney Land. Smoke, that crazy cat of ours does it on a semi-daily regular basis. We have had to put door stops in (loose weights, amp's and heavy stuff like that) in front of the doors so he won't lock himself in. And the worst of it, he always has accomplishes. Little Dottie and Meredith. His little harem. Besides the obvious of tossing him outdoors to fend for himself, what can a mother cat do?

New Movies Angie and Tim Watched

Now look, we don't claim to be hip, happening nor on top of things. In fact, one person could say we are middle-aged hippies who are working for the man. Tim of course, works for the "coolest, hippest, man. While Angie does work for the man. In order to maintain my great status with the company, no further talk of this will occur.
My point is this, we watched a great movie several weeks ago and we are of course way behind schedule with the rest of the "world."
Here it is: Juno. Yes, great movie that we will watch over and over again. Maybe not as much as Tim is watching "Once" but something along those lines. IF you have not seen Juno, don't wait any further. Put it on top of your list. Humanity in a nutshell. Well written and well-shot cinematography. Great actors who were able to tap into each's other emotional state of their character's.

Mushing On Ice

By Angie
I'll admit it. I am now a musher. And in the two plus weeks I have taken out my two dogs, Brownie and Biscuit with Krunchy off-leash leading our way, I have bruised my elbows, hyper-extended my knee, and almost flipped myself over the sled onto the ice glacier of an Iowa waterway. This is the most dangerous sport I have ever done! Just when it starts getting fun, something happens and BAM! I find myself beat up. Realistically, I don't think my body can take it. It is tough. So kudos to all those mushers. I'll stick to being an amateur. And my question to you is this: How do you run dogs on solid sheets of ice?