Wishes for a healing, peace-filled New Year

Came across this video this morning, and I found it reminded me of an Emily Dickenson poem. A line that refers to "the river in the trees". At about 1:15 you'll hear it! I wait for that all summer. I hope you enjoy the video!



EDIT: Sorry, I posted the 40 second version first, I forgot. After viewing this, roll over the choices below the screen and find "one year in 2 minutes". It really is worth the time.
Believe it or not, there ARE places here in Duuurty Jersey that look like this!
In the Somerset Hills and the north-western parts of the state, and to an extent, south of the Trenton area.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve has always been my favorite day, beating Christmas Day out by 31 lengths or more.

Christmas Eve I was free to roam about the house, and enjoy the tree, mom's company and our shared itchy fingers for "taking peeks" at intriguing presents that were under the tree.
My brother Jon stopped putting his gifts under until after midnight, spoil sport.

Christmas Day found me secluded in my room with my Animals of the Day, biding time until my nemesis left. Those were the days I'd just write for hours. The writing part I have to cultivate again.

Well, my cats know what I get them the moment the package get here from Petco. I'm lousy at keeping things from them. Aside from that, they crawl inside every box and parcel that crosses the threshold, confident it's for them, anyway. As usual, they're right.

We got more than we bargained for in the last shipment from Petco. It was the first time I got the order in three different shipments from different warehouses. After the last package was opened and Tem-Tay-Shuns were handed out, I'd left the box under the kitchen table to take out the next day.
A few hours later, I was confronted with a Roach. And it wasn't any Jersey Roach, neither!
That sucker was sub-tropical, sitting next to my sink, mocking me. I swear I haven't seen a roach that big since I was in Hawaii 20 years ago. It was like a dried date with legs and looooong antenna! I actually feared for my cats lives, so refrained from calling out "Come Kill The Bug!!" In all honesty, that Roach from Hell was bigger than Brutus' mouth. And that's saying a lot. How I dispatched the rodent-sized insect is now fuzzy in my memory, but I think running to the bathroom to flush it down the toilet whilst it's legs and antennae wiggled in the breeze was a large part of it.
Spawn of Satan.

Speaking of Spawns of Satan, I have a problem with a certain record company t/a Warner Reprise. They have allowed You Tube to post music videos for years, and it's been great getting the chance to revisit a video after the song has long gone on the oldies playlist and the video is no longer being played on the MTV's of the world. Well, Warner decided it needed control back (read: Greed, plain and simple) and are now pulling their videos of artists under their management from You Tube. That, my friends, includes Our Dearest My Chemical Romance.
Well young'uns with more energy than I have been archiving such vids, and some Sweet Soul decided to post this video on the ASPCA Community website. Works for me
.
http://aspcacommunity.ning.com/video/video/show?id=658300%3AVideo%3A885485

Hope this works. It's the 2005 video to "Helena".

I'm going to try to post this puppy before I experience another crash...nasty business, that...

We hope your holidays afford you moments of peace and comfort.
We Love You.
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Happy Holidays from Durrrty Jersey, '08

Gaslight Anthem - "Drive"



When last we met, it appeared I would be moving, cats in tow, to a "safer" part of town.
Never happened.

I'll delve into events of the past summer later, but for now, I have 2 videos. One features a New Jersey band having it's 20th Anniversary this year, The Bouncing Souls. The second video features Gaslight Anthem, a band from New Brunswick, NJ.
These two bands are scheduled to play together during a 3-night run under The Stone Pony~Asbury Park schedule, with a slight modification:

BOUNCING SOULS MOVE TO GRAND ARCADE

The Dec. 26-28 shows with the Bouncing Souls have been moved to the majestic Grand Arcade at Convention Hall. All tickets will be honored at the new location.

The Souls will be there all 3 nights, and Anthem will join them on December 28th, as will Gimme Drugs and Let Me Run. At $20.00 a ticket, it's awesomely affordable. Something to use that AmEx gift card on, neh??

Off-Topic Note: I have created a genesis for a new Royals Blog. Now, if only I can remember where I put the username and password...
Wishing you Healthy End Of Year Celebrations, and a deservedly Much Better NEW YEAR.
For All of US!!

The Bouncing Souls - "Gone" - Epitaph Records