| Ray Charles... dead at 73 :( |
[Jun. 10th, 2004|03:14 pm] |
May he rest in peace. He gave us talent unlike any other... and he will be truly missed...
Grammy-Winning Crooner Ray Charles Dies
Updated 3:41 PM ET June 10, 2004
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - Ray Charles, the Grammy-winning crooner who blended gospel and blues in such crowd-pleasers as "What'd I Say" and heartfelt ballads like "Georgia on My Mind," died Thursday, a spokesman said. He was 73.
Charles died at his Beverly Hills home surrounded by family and friends, said spokesman Jerry Digney.
Charles last public appearance was alongside Clint Eastwood on April 30, when the city of Los Angeles designated the singer's studios, built 40 years ago in central Los Angeles, as a historic landmark.
Blind by age 7 and an orphan at 15, Charles spent his life shattering any notion of musical boundaries and defying easy definition. A gifted pianist and saxophonist, he dabbled in country, jazz, big band and blues, and put his stamp on it all with a deep, warm voice roughened by heartbreak from a hardscrabble childhood in the segregated South.
"His sound was stunning _ it was the blues, it was R&B;, it was gospel, it was swing _ it was all the stuff I was listening to before that but rolled into one amazing, soulful thing," singer Van Morrison told Rolling Stone magazine in April.
Charles won nine of his 12 Grammy Awards between 1960 and 1966, including the best R&B; recording three consecutive years ("Hit the Road Jack," "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "Busted").
His versions of other songs are also well known, including "Makin' Whoopee" and a stirring "America the Beautiful." Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell wrote "Georgia on My Mind" in 1931 but it didn't become Georgia's official state song until 1979, long after Charles turned it into an American standard. |
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| Doc visit |
[Jun. 10th, 2004|02:14 pm] |
I know I said I wasn't gonna, but since everything is basically okay for now I will. Chest x-ray was the same sorta. No malignancy, so that was good. I went down to 115 again... not so good. I'm anemic, and my sero(?)whatever is out of whack, and something else is low... plus another thing too I think. He said the indications are some sort of infection, but he can't find anything that would suggest that there is at this point, other than the discrepencies in my test results. I have no joint pain, no blood in stool, no excessive bruising, no night sweats, etc., etc., etc. So he did a shit load of bloodwork, and I'm talking tubes here also. It was kinda neat this time though, cuz since there were so many tubes to be drawn, a butterfly thingy with a long thin tube was used. It was neat because when the first vial was drawn I watched it (my blood) go through the tube, around the coil and stuff. Morbid yes, but I thought it was cool ;P
Anyway, two specific tests are being done this time also, one for lymphoma, and another regarding the thyroid. As he put it, he's going on a fishing expedition with me to find out what's going on. Hopefully I won't hear from him either, and will see him in 3 months as usual (Sept. 23rd). He also said that he didn't think what is going on with me can be attributed to HIV, at least not yet. I got admonished for still smoking (I knew that one would come), and that I need to eat better. 3 full meals a day (I.E. breakfast, lunch, and dinner... which I don't always do, and the fact that I rarely eat breakfast at all), and snacking inbetween so I can put on weight and keep it. I didn't stick with the meal routine I got used to when I was down at mom and dads last, but these next few days will hopefully allow me to get back into it... and this time continue. So while it all isn't necessarily good news, because something is definitely going on with me, its not that bad at this point either.
You know, a couple of years back I really didn't have a reason to fight and was literally on the verge of just giving up, but these past 4 have certainly given me reason to fight this monster as hard as I can. Proof of that is that as of Saturday, I've made it another year... To quote my favorite Diva that I love to hate... and that's a good thing! :) |
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| Ick! |
[Jun. 10th, 2004|05:50 am] |
Gary bought some of that goooooooood Tequila last night... Cabo Wabo. I had one, alright several, Margarita's too many and still feel buzzed. Heh, I don't drink hard liquor really and it zapped me ;P That stuff is really as good as they say it is too, so I guess its worth the price. Had a really good time too, but we won't go there ;)
Anyway, I'm supposed to fast before I see Doc, but there's no way I can go without eating anything all day, especially after drinking last night, so my cholesterol (or however the hell you spell it) check will just have to wait for another time. I really don't care about that anyhow, and whether its high or low, I'm still gonna eat whatever I can to gain and keep weight on me. So it's kinda useless to even have that test done. Besides, the last time it was a little high he wanted me to cut off all kinds of things (this is when I was at 130 or so) like cheese, ice cream, etc... which in turn caused a huge drop in weight, and one that I've never been able to regain. So futz that.
Coffee's done, so I'm definitely off to get a cup, or two, or three. I have to get sleepy head up too, get him fed, and off to work (heh, poor baby ;P). TA! |
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| To my one, my only |
[Jun. 9th, 2004|03:24 pm] |
Happy anniversary!
Its been 4 years now, and what a 4 years it has been. I can still remember how I felt when I first saw you again, how I absolutely lost it, and at an Oldsmobile dealership of all places. That a few days later, as your special birthday gift to me, you took me to Tony's, one of my most favorite (and expensive) places to eat. Remember that day when we ate at some quaint little restaurant, and you put some of their sugar cubes in your pocket, and then we took a drive out to the country to see the horses? God how I wish I had a camera that day. How we ever got that beautiful black Mare to even come over to us is still a mystery to me, but you petting her on the nose and calling her `pretty girl` while she gently took those sugar cubes you offered her, and your wind blown hair would have been the perfect picture. I may not have that scene on `paper`, but I'll remember it for as long as I live. I think it was that day that I also finally admitted to myself that I did love you, and always would.
Loving another man has not been easy for me either, as you know. Donalds passing at such a young age devastated me and the thought of becoming involved with someone else, even years after, was alien to me. I didn't know how to pick up the pieces and move on, I was totally lost. I thought moving on meant forgetting him, which is something I can never do. You... however... showed me that I could love another, and remember him at the same time. You've allowed me something not many would, and for that you are truly special.
We've been through some very, very black days as well, and when most would have quit and given up, we've somehow found a way to still make it work. One very nasty night in particular comes to mind, the night where you gave me 6 stitches above my right eye, and I gave you 5 inside your upper lip. The only time we have ever gotten physical with each other and a lesson well learned... don't go there again... ever. Even through that huge mess, and aside from people telling me to leave you... I still loved you, and it was so very hard going through what we did. We got past it though.
Our current living situation doesn't please me, and I know you don't like it either, but things can and will change soon enough. Incase you haven't noticed, you've been staying here more and more, instead of in that apartment... and I'm sure you have noticed. I want you next to me every night, not just some, and I'm sure you want that too.
I think that after 4 years, and the good and the bad we have gone through, we are meant to be, and that we will make it. In fact I know we will... because I really do love you. Forever my heart you are... |
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| New kitty maybe? |
[Jun. 9th, 2004|10:52 am] |
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Go here: St. Louis City Pound, and take a look at the huge white kitty named Fancy. Yes, I'm interested in her (have been for about a week now), but I really can't do anything until I get back from the country. Mom having a new kitten will certainly help influence my decision on whether I keep searching for a Chow puppy, or get a new feline friend also. I've never had any problems with cats that I've adopted either (aside from bladder stones developing in neutered males that is), so that's a big plus. But isn't she just absolutely gorgeous. I can just see a pretty pink/purple sparkly rhinestone collar on her now, glittering while she walks inbetween my legs in the morning saying `feed me dahling` ;P |
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| Bad Karma... |
[Jun. 9th, 2004|10:14 am] |
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Didn't I just tell you that today was already going wrong? First I dropped and broke the `empty` coffee pot this morning (lucky I have another 12 cup as a spare too), ran out of smokes at 5:30, then I call a cab at 8:50 and by the time 9:45 came around... still no cab. Its kinda nasty out today also, but I can't accept that as an excuse since they are always here within 10 minutes, regardless of what the weather has been like. So with that mishap I had to reschedual my doctors appointment for tomorrow at 1:00pm, a time frame I really dislike, but what else can I do. So now my stomach gets to play hell with me again today because I'm always nervous as hell before I see my Doctor. This is just bad fucking Karma (and I do believe in Karma, but I've also done nothing wrong for it to be kicked back at me badly... soooo). I just hope nothing else goes wrong because tonight is Gary and I's anniversary, and I want to have a nice time. |
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[Jun. 9th, 2004|08:12 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  annoyed | ] | Heutiger Tag beginnt bereits aus Unrecht. Scheiße! |
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| Not looking forward to tomorrow... |
[Jun. 8th, 2004|11:12 am] |
Doc's appointment at 9:30 and of course I have the heebies about going because of the news I'm gonna get. I know I am this time because of whats been going on with my being able to breath right. Anyway, as I said before, I'm not going to discuss it with anyone or make a post until after I have talked with Gary, and then my parents this weekend as I'm spending my birthday with them. I feel that they should be the first ones to know anything, especially if the news isn't very good. Tomorrow's gonna be bitter-sweet as well because its Gary and I's 4 year anniversary and I have no idea what frame of mind I will be in. Whatever that may be, at least he'll be here, and that's what's really important to me right now.
I've been on edge here lately about other things as well, mainly about the D-Day crap, and the fact that I've heard the words German bastards and Krauts more than I care to. When being German is part of your heritage (part in my case, but full in Gary's), it really does hurt when you hear those things. It was an evil war for christ sake, but I had nothing to do with it, it happened decades ago... yet if you are German you are still singled out because of the lingering hatred, much as the Japanese are. It stinks, it really does. I even sniped at someone who's not even on my friends list last night because I took offense at what he said, and I shouldn't have. So for that I'm sorry, and as anyone who knows me will attest... I don't say I'm sorry very often.
Bout it I guess, and I'm gonna go have a drink, or two, or three. Its early, but considering the mood I'm in... I really don't care. TA! |
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[Jun. 8th, 2004|03:59 am] |
Mmmm kay, so an Alderman says this:
"We want within the city limits the same things that people have to go outside the city for - the Best Buys, the Circuit Citys, the Lowe'ses," Crim said. "In addition to those, we want some destination retail, to attract national players that don't have a presence in the St. Louis region."
All I have to say is stop the high theft rate from low-lifes and they will come. This is the reason Dierbergs, BestBuy, and others are out in the `burbs` and refuse to come into the city. Its also the reason that food places like Taco-Bell, Wendys, and KFC have vacated.
They make millions, so why even drive if they've been drinking... call a cab!
LIFE'S A BEACH: Actor David Hasselhoff, best known for portraying lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the long-running "Baywatch" TV series, was arrested in LA over the weekend on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, police said. In 2002, Hasselhoff checked himself into the Betty Ford Center for treatment of alcoholism
Further proof that the man has no real talent:
EMINEM'S MOON HAS BEEN ECLIPSED: MTV plans to cut a shot of rapper Eminem exposing his rear end to the audience at the 2004 Movie Awards when the show is broadcast at 8 p.m. Thursday. Eminem, who performed at the Saturday night taping with his group D12, appeared onstage dressed in a long red wig and jeans in a parody of Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose. He repeatedly groped and flashed a studded codpiece in front of the cameras and the thousands of people in the live audience. Toward the end of the performance, he pulled down his trousers and flashed his bare backside at the audience. |
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| SBC |
[Jun. 7th, 2004|05:45 pm] |
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I just got off the phone with SBC services and I have to say that I'm impressed with their honesty. Unlike the nightmare I went through (and am still going through) with AT&T;, I was told that I'm on the outskirts of their DSL service and the maximum I could get was 345+ or in otherwords just their basic DSL service. I asked for an extensive line check to be done, since I pay wiring charges, and since I told her about the BS I just went through with Covad and AT&T; and she said `no problem sir, we can do that`. I told her that I probably wouldn't make a decision until around the 15th or so, but that I would definitely be contacting them about local LD and even dial-up. I expressed my thanks for her honesty as well, something I never got from AT&T.; So with this said and the information I have received, you can pretty much be assured that my email addresses will change. I hate being flat out lied to, which AT&T; has done. |
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