Real World:

- Charley is one mile short of being a Category 3 Hurricane, so that means that me and Matt are heading to my mom's for a couple of days. The wind and rain is expected to be pretty bad here in the next 12 hours and we're taking no chances. Some parts of Savannah were flooded last night, and more than a few cars were submerged under water. A word of advice to those who think they can drive through standing water...don't.

Webcams:
Bay Street, Savannah
Hilton Head Island, SC
Hilton Head Lighthouse, SC

- I found my Poli Science book last night in the bookstore...thank goodness! And oh lucky me, they have 14 used copies on hand, which means that I'll only be spending $45 instead of the $68. Good good. I need to grab some notebooks and pens while I'm at it. Damnit! I'm back and pissed. It seems as if Financial Aid hasn't posted my book credit yet, so I can't get any of my books. It's Friday people...I have class on Monday! *screams and pulls hair* Get your shit together AASU! I have an hour before Poli Monday, so I'm praying that my store credit is up by then. Bastards.

- It looks like the whole pregnancy thing was a false alarm. At this point, I'm just giving up on having another child. I keep having my heart broke over and over and I refuse to keep doing it. I need to just get used to the fact that I'll never have another child. I'm going to be content knowing that I'm blessed with one healthy child and I intend to spoil him rotten. If, by chance, God decides to bless me with another one, I'll be happy. But from this point on, I'm not going to try or get my hopes up. And that's all I'm saying about this subject. If I keep discussing it, I'm going to get depressed and start beating myself up for not being woman enough to have another baby. *takes a deep breathe* Thanks to all of you who sent me well-wishes. You're all very sweet. I wish I had better news.

- OMG...today is Friday the 13th! *throws salt over shoulder*

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Recipes:

I personally cannot eat cheesecake, because I think it's disgusting, but I'm sure some of you will love this recipe. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon Sour Cream Topping

Crust:
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

In a bowl combine the cracker crumbs, the pecans, and the sugars, stir in the butter, and press the mixture into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of a buttered 9-inch springform pan. Chill the crust for 1 hour.

Filling:
1 1/2 C. solid pack pumpkin
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. firmly packed light brown sugar
24 oz. cream cheese, cut into bits and softened
1/2 C. granulated sugar
2 T. heavy cream
1 T. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 T. bourbon liqueur or bourbon if desired

In a bowl whisk together pumpkin, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and brown sugar.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together cream cheese and granulated sugar. Beat in cream, cornstarch, vanilla extract, bourbon liqueur and pumpkin mixture; beat until smooth. Pour the filling into the crust, bake the cheesecake in the middle of a preheated 350° F. oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is just set. Let cheesecake cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes.

Topping:
2 C. sour cream
2 T. granulated sugar
1 T. bourbon liqueur or bourbon, or to taste
16 pecan halves (for garnish)

In a bowl whisk together sour cream, sugar and bourbon liqueur. Spread the sour cream mixture over the top of the cheesecake and bake the cheesecake for 5 minutes more. Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a rack and chill it, covered, overnight. Remove the side of the pan and garnish the top of the cheesecake with the pecans.

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Memes:

- I know that the Hump Day Hoo-Hah is a Wednesday meme, but I was working, so I'm doing it now. Got a problem with that punk? ;)

01. In your opinion, who are the three most attractive bloggers? What makes them so damn attractive? *Note: I’ve confused a few people with this one. Attractive can mean anything, physical or otherwise. Totally up to you. I was going for the hotness level though. Carry on. *

- Stephen, from Vodkapundit. Good lord the man's hot.
- Joelle, from Tenth-Muse.
- Rachel, from bitchalicious. Yooz a hot momma!
- Moxie...damn girl. *bows*
- Geoffrey, from Dog Snot Diaries. I've been a fan since the "package pic". I'm pretty sure I still have that pic hidden on my computer somewhere. *goes in search of it*
- Jaboobie: I've always had a thing for redheads. Especially redheads who are Parrotheads and own Jeeps. *vroom*
I did six...so sue me. It's my meme damnit.

02. When reading a blog, what’s more attractive: the delivery of the posts, the layout, the person blogging, etc?
I don't really care about the layout. As long as there are no pop-ups and I can read the text, I'm cool. I find the delivery of the posts to be the most appealing. If a blogger has personality and is able to get their point across and make me laugh, I'm loving it. I also like bloggers who say what they feel and don't give a shit whether you agree or not.

03. What’s the biggest blog turn-off?
Crappy sites with pop-ups or invisible text. And flaming lefties. Yeah...big turn-off there. Oh and people who don't hat-tip when they find cool links or stories. *grrr*

04. Just admit it, we’re all green of other bloggers. Which blogger(s) do you envy?
Joelle. She's just awesome. She is, in my opinion, the internet "It Girl".

05. Bigger asshole: Kos or Atrios? If you don’t know who thesFe guys are, you really aren’t missing anything. Just insert your own assholes and go from there.
I'm going with Kos. I've gotten to where I need to take a Paxil before and after visiting his site. Sometimes I worry about him, but not worry in the "Oh I hope he's okay" way. More like the "That dude's fucked-up" way. Ya know Joe?

06. Ever met another blogger in person? Who? If not, who would you like to meet?
I have! I've had the honor of meeting Giz, Shawn, and Kelley. All three are beautiful, intelligent, wonderful women. Giz is the only Pinkie I've met in person. Jen and Riika are next on my list! ;) Shawn is a fellow AASU student and we met up in the computer lab last semester. Great gal. I met Kelley last December, where we met up at Starbucks to have a mini-birthday chat. Rob was supposed to have met up us that day, but he was a no-show. I was so sad, because I REALLY wanted to meet him. One day I will.

07. Do you blog for yourself or for others? In other words, are you for real with what you write or do you just want the attention? The truth shall set you free!
I blog for myself damnit. I don't care what anyone else thinks about the things I write here. If I did, I'd password the bitch and no-one would ever read it. My blog is an outlet for my thoughts, whether they're good or bad. I'm aware that the way I come across sometimes is not a true reflection of the real me. Sometimes, I just have to bitch and rant and get shits off my chest. Do I need the attention? No. Is it nice to have it? Sure it is. I love the comments you guys and gals leave for me. But at the end of the day, I'm only doing this for myself. And the day I decide I don't want to share my feelings anymore, Dizzy Girl will bite the dust.

08. Quick! First word that comes to mind when describing your blog. You’ve got two seconds!
Saucy

09. Is blogging here to stay or is it just a fad? And damnit, do you think we’ll ever be taken seriously?
I think blogging, in some form, is here to stay. I think we're already seeing signs that bloggers are being taken seriously. Case in point: bloggers being courted by the DNC and RNC. That's big news folks.

10. If you could trade places with one blogger for one day, who would it be and why?
Joelle, because she has a hot boyfriend and a kick-ass job. She also has a life, which sadly, I do not.

11. Blog fights: funny or just plain sad? Ever had one?
Ha! You're talking to the Blog Fight Queen. I've had a few tifts over the years. Most have been due to titty-babies getting their feelings hurt about something or the other that I've written. The thing that people just don't seem to get is that I do not take shit off of anyone, especially someone from the internet who doesn't know me. I think they're funny myself. Nothing gets me as excited as a nice piece of flaming hate mail or post. Bring it on losers.

12. Is there an unknown blog out there that deserves more attention? If so, link it and tell us in five sentences or less why it’s the best blog we’re not reading.
Well, I don't really know if it's unknown or not, but I love Hormonal Bitch. It's a group blog and I love it.

13. In your personal opinion, what’s the best blog out there? Why? And no…you may not say your own.
Wow, this is a hard one. There are so many blogs that I love and think are great and it's really hard to pick just one. I guess, at this moment, I have to say Blogs for Bush. I know some of you are rolling your eyes, but you have to hand it to the bloggers, they are on top of their shit.

Oh yeah: Jen, Rachel, and way too many to list here.

-

I am Frylock from Aqua Teen Hunger Force!!

Which Aqua Teen Hunger Force character are you??

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Quotes of the Week:

- "Are we screwed?" -- coloradodem2004@DU

- "Kerry's supporters have their usual off-the-rack denunciations of any witness against a Democrat. The veterans are: liars, bigots, idiots, politically motivated, and I was never alone in a hotel with Paula Jones." -- Ann Coulter re: Swift Boat Veterans

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Entertain Me...Or Not:

- Breaking News: Julia Child has died at the age of 91. :(

- *sobs* No Kilby! Come back. My heart is broken.

- I feel like I'm losing a little bit of my childhood with this news:

Toys R Us May Sell Toy Unit

Pounded by competition from discount retailers and increasingly shunned by kids moving on to fancy cell phones and iPods at younger ages, Toys R Us says it might shed its toy business in a major restructuring.

The company, eager to maximize its fast-growing Babies R Us unit, announced Wednesday that it is "pursuing the separation" of the baby and toy stores that might include a sale.

Wayne, N.J.-based Toys R Us is the No. 2 toy seller after discount giant Wal-Mart (WMT). It and other toy chains have faced intense price competition on the most popular toys from Wal-Mart, Target and other discounters. Already, mall-based toy retailer KB Toys and high-end toy merchant FAO Schwarz have been pushed into kruptcy protection.

.............

- Sit down all of you teenage girls, because this one may hit you in the heart. It's reported that Justin Timberlake does not plan to go back to the group 'N Sync. I'll give you a few moments to collect yourselves before I start laughing. Who...cares? Justin's hot by himself. Ditch the losers I say.

- IMDB is saluting Hollywood's Brunettes. Call me partial, but I think brunettes are the sexier of the 'heads. You blondes don't have a thing on us! ;)

- Who else is just not giving a shit about the Olympics this year? Could have something to do with our American athletes being put in time-out for acts of over-patriotism. Because you know, God forbid the American athletes get a little patriotic.

Fluttering gently in the Athens breeze, the Stars and Stripes hangs side by side with the flags of the other nations contesting the 28th Olympiad.

But elsewhere in the village and around the Greek capital the U.S. standard is a conspicuous absentee.

It is symbolic of a confidence crisis that appears to be afflicting the usually ultra-patriotic nation in the wake of last year's U.S.-led Iraq war, the legitimacy of which has divided world opinion.

Security fears in Athens are sky-high and, with U.S. track and field athletes also currently engulfed in a drugs scandal, Team USA have been ordered to tone down exuberant displays of national fervour at the Games.

So while athletes from other competing nations have draped their flags over balconies in the village, the Americans have been told by concerned team officials to refrain.

I say we all just boycott the damn games altogether and watch something else. Let them having their fucking games. Here's hoping that organizers, advertisers, and networks lose a big chunk of the good ole American dollar for the "over-patriotic time out". Check out Michelle's post about this.

- Saddam's an Outkast: Hey Allah!

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You Know You Want To:

Sign up to win a free IPod! :)

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Politics:

- N.J. Governor Resigns, Admits Gay Affair

In a stunning declaration, Gov. James E. McGreevey announced his resignation Thursday and acknowledged that he had an affair with another man. "My truth is that I am a gay American," he said with his wife by his side at a nationally televised news conference.

"Shamefully, I engaged in adult consensual affairs with another man, which violates my bonds of matrimony," the twice-married father of two said. "It was wrong, it was foolish, it was inexcusable."

McGreevey, a Democrat, said his resignation would be effective Nov. 15.

McGreevey, 47, refused to answer questions at the Statehouse news conference. He said "it makes little difference that as governor I am gay," but added that staying in office and keeping the affair and his sexual orientation secret will leave the governor's office "vulnerable to rumors, false allegations and threats of disclosure."

I'm already hearing rumblings from the numbskulls at Dumbocratic Underground about this. Newsflash losers, this has nothing to do with politics. This isn't some orchestrated right-wing conspiracy. It doesn't have anything to do with the fact that he's gay. It DOES have something to do with the fact that he's married with children...and he's been cheating on his wife and lying to his family, friends, and everyone else about it. I couldn't give a crap if he's gay. What does that have to do with the way he does his job? Nothing, that's what. If he wants to throw in the towel, let him. But stop politicizing the damn thing and trying to make it a "them against us" issue. I do question the timing of this though, but whatever. I believe the Democratic party has pushed him to do this, and if I'm right, they should be ashamed of themselves. I also think it's a shame that he feels like he should resign because he's gay, because that doesn't have anything to do with the way he governs. But like I said, if he feels as if he needs to, let him. I do have to say this though: his wife's an idiot if she stands beside him after this. He's obviously NOT happy in the marriage and I can't imagine how she ever could be after this. He's broken his vows and I know I couldn't stay married to him. But that's just me.

P.S. Did you know that McGreevey opposed gay marriage? *gets crazy look* Not only is he a liar, but he's also a hypocrit to boot.

- What the fuck is up with this site?

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Harry Potter:

- You can now pre-order "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azka" dvd! Click here

- Older HP fans unite! There is now a site for us older HP fanatics: Harry Potter Adults.

- The paperback of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix went on sale this past Tuesday. So if you haven't grabbed yourself a copy, do so today! :)

- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azka won an award for Best Drama/Action Adventure of 2004 at the Teen Choice Awards. *claps*

- Mugglenet (God bless them) has tons of "Goblet of Fire" set pics. Head over and check them out. I demand more Rupert Grint pics!

- Godrics Hollow (one of my favorite HP sites) has information and video about the upcoming POA dvd. It looks to be loaded down with extras, which is great for us fans.

- Speaking of POA, something that's always bothered me, but I never really got around to bitching about until now, is the link between Lupin and James Potter. I think that an extremely important piece of information was left out regarding their involvement in the Marauder's Map and about how Harry's Patronus is in the shape of James' animagus form. I remember sitting in the theater and leaning over to Jason and bitching about how they had left such an important piece out of the movie. I was so upset that I wanted to leap up and educate the crowd about what it all meant. It really would've been beneficial for those fans who've never had the pleasure of reading the books. I really think it would've been one of those "Aaaah...I get it now!" moments, if Lupin had told Harry about how they were the creators of the map and such. Gah. Anyone else feel the same way? Just me? Hrm.

- Godrics Hollow was kind enough to list the facts and rumors of the upcoming HP book, The Half-Blood Prince. Read over and discuss.

News and Information J.K. Rowling officially released the title of the sixth book on June 29, 2004. This came on the same day that a hoaxer announced the name of the book would be Harry Potter and the Pilar of Storge. Rowling said this was a possible title for Chamber of Secrets.

Release Date
No release date is known as of yet, speculation points towards summer of 2005.

What we Know
- The Half-Blood Prince is neither Harry or Voldemort.
- This books plot will be similar to that of Chamber of Secrets.
- We will learn more about Peter Pettigrew's past.
- There will be a new Minister of Magic.
- Harry will not spend much time at the Dursley's.
- The book will be shorter than Order of the Phoenix.
- The opening chapter of the book is a chapter Rowling tried to use for the first, third, and fifth book.

Rumors
- There will be an attack on Hogwarts.
- A Weasley death will occur.
- Harry and Draco will have to team up for a short while.
- Harry's eyes will play an important role.

- "Botha! Botha! Botha!....Avada Kedavra!" Potter Puppet Pals is hilarious. I've had the link for months and I guess I just forgot to post about it. Snape cracks my shit up with the voice. And Hermione listens to Britney

- Hogwarts 1969: This is another link I've been keeping to myself. The best feature is Snape's Diary. The first time I read it I almost peed on myself. It's hilarious!

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Top 5 Blog Posts of the Week:

Not this week kiddies. Sorry. I don't have the time or the energy to put a list together.

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Friday Music :

I'm in a meloncholy mood, with the rain and all, so I'm hooking you up with some of my favorite "rainy-day" songs. I was also inspired by the music from "Lost Highway", which if you haven't seen yet, is awesome! Enjoy the music folks. :)

You know the rules:
- DO NOT STREAM!
- Right Click/Save Target As.
- Files will stay up for 24 hours and then they're gone forever. Please delete these from your computer. Don't want the music nazis after you do ya?
- If you like the music, purchase the cds! Keep the music flowing people.
- A bloody "thank you" would be nice.

Right. Learn it. Know it. Live it.

Gillian Welch - Everything is Free / Purchase
Gillian Welch has always been one of my favorite country artists. Her style of music is old school...and that's fine by me.

Mindy Smith - Hurricane / Purchase
This is the second time I've posted this song. Mindy Smith is my new favorite and for good reason...she fucking rocks. I'd kill for a set of pipes like hers.

Kim Richey - A Place Called Home / Purchase
"Alias" fans will recognize this song from season two (I believe). Richey is awesome.

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Et Finalement:

The weather here is getting bad, so I'm heading to the school to pick up Matt, then I'm heading to my mom's house. I should be home in the next two days. Good luck to all of you in Florida and around Georgia. Stay safe and dry!

xoxox