Happy Anniversary To Me

Another year has come and gone, faithful readers - today marks the three year anniversay of TWIT.  It's hard to still believe that three years ago today I made the decision and commitment to start blogging.  I'm still very proud to report that other than I think three days when there was technical difficulty from AOL that prevented me from blogging, I've posted in TWIT every day.  Including this entry, I've posted my thoughts, rants, raves, and smartass remarks to you, my faithful readers, 1156 times.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my posts.  I never imagined that people - even strangers - would be interested in something that I write.

As I mentioned before, I've always dreamed of writing a novel, and hope one day to finish the one I started.  But in the meanwhile, I will continue to keep on blogging as long as I have such awesome faithful readers as you. 

Mullet Watch

Boy, howdy - we went a couple of months with no mullet sightings, and now it seems we can't go out of the house without seeing one.  I have a few sightings just reported to me today. 

The first mullet sighting is by my new faithful reader, AB45.  Here's what she had to say about her first official mullet sighting for TWIT:  "Golden Beach Rd, Mechanicsville MD on the side of the road selling vegetables - a mullet sighting! LOL  Now, everytime I see someone sporting one of those - I think of your journal!" Priceless, just priceless.  We have no way of knowing, but I'd be willing to bet that this mullet might have worked at one of the shopping center carnivals.

The second sighting is from our current Frequent Mullet Spotter, JMc. Once again, here's the mullet sighting in his words.  And I quote "I cannot believe it!!  Here I am not being able to spot a mullet for a long time then I go to the county fair last Thursday and BAM 3 mullets. Now last Friday when I had to stop at Kroger in Brandenburg, guess what….yeah that’s right another sighting.  This one was a little different from the rest.  It can pass as a “Skullet” but there was hair on top of the head.  The hair on top of the head was a real short, maybe a clipper setting of 2 and then the  flap longer than the collar. Buying….you guessed it, Budweiser.  A favorite among the Red-neckess belligerentess. "

The third sighting this week was by yours truly.  Last night, I made a trek out by Churchill Downs to the VFW post for their infamous Monday night bingo.  I had no idea that I would spot a mullet.  I was sitting at my table reading a book until time for bingo to start when the mullet strolled in.  At first glance, it appeared to be just another long pony tale pulled through the back of a ball cap.  Boy was I wrong.  The guy took off his cap, and with a shake of his head, the back of the mullet fluffed out.  It was very long and light brown, and was the textbook business in the front, party in the back.

Mullet count: 27

 

More Drama At The VFW

It's been a while since I've had any VFW drama to report, but you're in for quite an action-packed update today.  Let's flashback a couple of months.  In April, we had elections for officers for the new year, and in May the officers were officially installed and took office.  Things were fine in at the Post and Auxiliary the month of June, and then all hell broke loose.  Last week at the monthly Post and Auxiliary meetings, just about everybody in office except me, the Auxiliary secretary, resigned.  Keep in mind the annual Post picnic is this coming Saturday, and the people that had been planning and organizing the picnic were among those that resigned. 

First, I'll cut some slack - the Post Commander's cancer came back, and our only fault with him resigning is that he didn't do it sooner so he could have gotten the hell out of the crazy Post. His wife, the Auxiliary President resigned so she could devote what minimal spare time she has to taking care of her husband.  The second wave of resignations were equally justified.  The Auxiliary Treasurer resigned so she could devote more time to take care of her elderly, very sick father. Then the Post Quartermaster (their equivalent of a Secretary and Treasurer) resigned because he didn't want to work with whoever the new Commander will be.  The Post's Senior and Junior Vice Commander both resigned for the same reason, as did the Post's Ritual Team.  It's all just a mess.  At least the Auxiliary has our positions covered - the Senior Vice President automatically moved up to President, and the Junior Vice President was automatically moved up to the Senior position.  And we were able to coerce a new member into taking over the Treasurer duties.  So we're all covered.  But things are still pure chaos on the men's side. 

Our meeting last Sunday afternoon went way smoother than I'd anticipated.  Rumors had started to fly earlier in the week about the resignations, and I spent some time doing damage control, but I really think things will work out fine for the Auxiliary.  The new President and Treasurer and I attended the VFW "School of Instruction" this past weekend, and now we know all there is to know about our office positions. Yeah, right.   If we just keep telling ourselves that, we'll be okay. 

Link Of The Week

A faitful reader sent me this week's Link of the Week, and after checking it out, I find that it is in deed worthy of Link of the Week status.  First of all, a disclaimer - the link is to a site in My Space, but it's not your typical My Space page. This is about Minisode.  If I may say, it's like the TV version of Cliff Notes - they've taken episodes of cool TV shows and have give you the best six minutes.  Visit http://www.myspace.com/minisodenetwork and see for yourself.  If you don't have a My Space log-in, never fear - you can still get to this page.  It's pretty cool.  I highly recommend the minisode of "Policewoman". 

 

Mullet Watch

I was just tickled to death to get this mullet sighting report from my good friend and faithful reader JMc.  I know he's been a bit down in the dumps because he hasn't spotted many mullets lately, but my oh my he sure made up for it this this report.  Here's JMc's mullet sightings in his own words:

I have been dry for the mullet watch until last night.  The Meade County Fair.  Nothing beats a good small county fair to bring out the best in the Mulletians.  The first mullet spotted was a well groomed mullet with spiked hair on top and the back straight and heavily jelled for stiffness. This was on a patron who was dressed well casual with a short sleeve button down shirt tucked in, jeans no holes or wear marks, belt, medium size buckle and boots.

The second mullet was…you guessed it on one of the carneys.  This was the classic I have a mullet but trying not to look like I have a mullet.  Not spiked hair on top but brushed back, short on the sides and a nice wavy flap in the back to complement the assemble.

The third mullet was the typical, trailer bound nice guy who enjoys a good cheap beer.  This particular mullet has been flourishing a good while on this host.  Spiked hair like Bon Jovi in the 80’s on top, short on the sides and mid way down the back of this tall slender dude. Sleeveless shirt, a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, jeans slightly worn and boots.

Ahhhh, you got to love the fair. .

Mullet count: 24

Flashback Friday

                         

These days, you don't hear too many people say they went out for ice cream - mainly because there's hardly any ice cream parlors left.  My favorite ice cream place from back in the day was Farrell's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlour.  Farrell's were created in 1963 by Bob Farrell and Ken McCarthy.  Their goal was to recreate a segment of one of the most colorful and memorable eras in American history - the 1890s.  The waiters wore straw hats and vests, and some even wore fake sideburns and handlebar mustaches.  The menus were printed on funny psudo-newspaper pages. 

Farrell's had food, but ice cream was their drawing point. Regular sundaes were served in a big brandy snifter that was so big it took too hands to hold it. Clown sundaes were popular, as was the Pig Trough - a huge double banana split. If you ate the entire Pig Trough, they would come over to your table, ring the bell and blow the siren and give you a ribbon to wear that said "I made a pig of myself at Farrells."  The main attraction at Farrell's was The Zoo - 40 scoops of ice cream served in a big galvanized bucket.  When someone would order one, the bells would clang, the sirens would go off, and someone would start beating a big bass drum as two of the waiters would carry The Zoo out on an old fashioned stretcher. 

The only Farrell's in The 'Ville was in Oxmoor Center, a mall in the east end of town. It was on the 2nd floor of the mall, conveniently located right next to the Oxmoor Cinema movie theater.  I would go there once every few months after Sunday night church with my youth group.  Most of us would pool our money and buy a Zoo, just so we could be a part of all of the hoopla.  My friend and faithful reader SH was also a part of my church youth group, and when I asked her about Farrell's she said her favorite memory was not of the ice cream, but the real cherry Coke that they served.  Maybe she was one of the holdouts that didn't want to go in with us on the Zoo. 

Farrell's also had awesome non-ice cream stuff.  I had my first fried cheese sticks at Farrell's.  I remember that they had the best buttermilk ranch dressing for dipping the cheese sticks, too.  They also had good chili, too,  which they served in a tall ice cream soda glass, with a dollop of sour cream on top.  They also had a gigantic submarine sandwich that they served on a long plank, which was also served with the same fanfare as when someone ordered a Zoo. 

The ice cream and food was only part of the Farrell's experience - they also had a cool candy and toy store, which was located by the cash registers, just like when you pay your bill at Cracker Barrell you, have to go through their little country store.  Very good marketing move, I have to say. Farrell's had old-fashioned candy and toys - giant jawbreakers and rock candy were my favorites.  I remember buying a kazoo just about every time we went to Farrell's, and I'm sure if i looked hard enough in our basement, I could find one.

 

What Will Al-Qaida Think Of Next?

In between the news stories about Lindsay Lohan's latest DUI arrest this week, we saw the headlines about Al-Qaida regrouping and threatening to attack the U.S. again.  The media is even scaring us with stories of the terrorists conducting dry runs of their attack missions.  Airport security officials around the country have been alerted by federal officials to look out for the terrorists "practicing" by carrying explosive components onto airplanes.  This alert is based on some curious seizures at airports in the past six or so months.  The items found in checked and carry-on luggage were components used to make IEDs - Improvised Explosive Devices.  The components included wires, switches, pipes, tubes, cell phone components, and dense clay-like substances, including block cheese.  Yes, cheese.  The TSA (Transportation Safety Administration) said that block cheese is the same density and consistency as some explosives.  In one seizure, a block of processed cheese was found taped to a cell phone charger.  I'm guessing it was a big block of Velveeta.

We all know that the military has been trying to find and destroy Al-Qaida training camps, but I think the terrorists are learning their techniques from watching old "I Love Lucy" episodes.  One episode in particular stands out - when Lucy and the gang were on their European vacation (yes, the same vacation that brought us the classic episode where Lucy and Ethel were stomping grapes).  They were travelling by train, and while in Italy, Lucy decided she wanted to smuggle out a huge roll of salami.  She smuggled it on the train by disguising the giant salami as a baby.  She wrapped the salami in a baby blanket and cradled it in her arms while she was on the train.  Maybe the Department of Homeland Security needs to make sure Al-Qaida doesn't have access to TVLand or Nick At Night.