Are you ready for some (Professional American Tackle) FOOTBALL?

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Y'all might remember back in the good old days when Jay hosted a blogger+ Fantasy Football League.

That's right ... when he hosted ...

This year Jay decided to leave us hanging (I think this is the last spot left where I can attempt to guilt him just a little bit more).

No matter how much I tried to shame him, he would not reconsider. In a moment of weakness I set up an ESPN Fantasy Football League hoping that I could talk 12 people into playing.

I'm half-way there.

And the draft is this weekend (not to worry, it's an autodraft - you don't even have to be sober in town).

Now I'll be honest, I have NO IDEA what I'm doing as league manager. I'm counting on Mike to help me out when I'm quietly sobbing in my recliner chair because I cannot figure out how to award trophies.

But?

We'll have fun!

I promise!

How could we not have fun in a league called "Show Me Your TDs"??

And it's FREE!!

If you are interested in playing, leave your email addy in the comments section, or email me at dana.luann@gmail.com and I’ll send you an invite

I need to fill out the league in the next day or two.

Please??

Pretty please??

Pretty please with a cherry on top??

I'll show you my TDs

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No Longer Cynical, Now He's Every Day!

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I don't do birthday shout-outs on my blog. I just don't. I can't remember everyone (contrary to popular belief, I'm not one of those "set an Outlook reminder" people) and inevitably someone gets their panties/boxers in a bunch and the hate mail ensues!

But ...

I just cannot let this day go by without acknowledging Jay's birthday.



See? I kind of use Jay, and he deserves a day on my blog in repayment.

He's my personal social media wiki. He lets me know when I screw up by RT-ing someone I unfollowed, and he is my go-to guy for critical questions like, "Just how far back can I go in my twitter time line without presenting a disjointed social media response?"

And he makes me laugh ...

And he keeps me honest ...

And he doesn't let me get away with my bullshit unchecked ...

He's been a great friend, and some day (i.e. when Redneckville finally opens a liquor store) I'm going to head south and give him his own personal lap dance as a belated birthday gift.

Wait!

Didn't he say something about hemorrhoids in his birthday post? Maybe I'll just ship him a case of Preparation H ... or Tucks (by far the WORST name for a hemorrhoid treatment product).

Maybe the lap dance was a bad idea.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAY!!

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What's Your Value?

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Don't you hate it when someone steals your blog post? OK ... maybe "steal" is a strong word ... since Jay published it before I did, but it was in my head! I swear!!

In Jay's "Some Observations ..." , a post about the Tucson shootings, one of the things he touches on is how society artificially elevates the value of people.

As I mentioned in my comment on his post, I know that a Federal Judge, a 30-year old man who was recently engage and a 9-year old girl (born on 9/11/2001 and featured in a book about 9/11 babies) were killed in the gunfire. I know that Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford was shot in the head - a through-and-through wound contained to just one side of her brain.

I know NOTHING about the other three people killed nor the other 13 (I'm not even sure that number is accurate) who were wounded ... my guess is because they were just "normal" people. People like you and me. People who are a few rungs lower on the "human value" ladder.

That is what disturbs me most about the tragedy in Tucson.

Not that Jared Lee Loughner was able to legally purchase a gun.

Not that, after one Walmart denied him the purchase of ammunition, a second one allowed it.

Not that Sarah Palin used cross-hair targets on a map.

Not that the media, in their attempt to improve ratings, claimed Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford had died and then had to retract that statement.

No, what bothered me most is that we, as a society, place value on the loss of people, and that value is not equal.

Congresswomen are more valuable than corporate executives.

Federal Judges are a greater loss than fast-food workers.

Childrens' deaths are more tragic than those of construction workers.

We do it all of the time.

A homeless man is found frozen to death. We might have a moment of "Wow! That's too bad," and then we go about our day without another thought.

We hear about a gang-related shooting in [insert the name of the big city nearest you] and we think, "Stupid gang-bangers. Thank goodness there are a few less of them on the street."

We will never stop the irrational actions of individuals, but we can start valuing human life.

ALL human life.

Equally.

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Regional Dialect Video Meme

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Ahhh ... Saturday! The internets are closed which makes it the perfect day to post 5 minutes of my dribble!

Jay posted an audio version of this meme over at Every Day Jay but because I like RULES and this is called the Regional Dialect Video Meme, I decided to do it the right way. *gigglesnort*

If, after watching this, you cannot contain yourself and must do your own version? Here are the nitty-gritty details.

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Introduce yourself - where are you from?

Say these words: Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

Now answer these questions:

• What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?

• What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?

• What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?

• What do you call gym shoes?

• What do you say to address a group of people?

• What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?

• What do you call your grandparents?

• What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?

• What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?

• What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

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