Welshrogue

Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Danny Trejo in one movie?? The word is AWESOME!

by the dashboard light. Yes, that old (1977) classic rock song by Meatloaf (real name, of course, Marvin Lee Aday) with additional vocals by Ellen Foley. Featuring on the 1977 release of Bat Out Of Hell, was written by Meatloaf’s main contributor and collaborator, Jim Steinman and produced by Todd Rundgren. It features a couple reminiscing on their first time, in a parked car, by a lake. Yes, not exactly an original idea but the way the song is constructed, it makes no difference.

The first part of the song has the couple describing sitting the in car and the feelings that were happening. It also contains one of the best lines in rock, “Cause we were barely seventeen, And we were barely dressed”. No matter your opinions on Mr Meat, that is one hell of a good lyric!

The second part begins just as the couple begin to get heated. A radio broadcast of a baseball game is heard. In a move that I would find it hard to believe could be done today, the baseball announcer really was a baseball announcer, Phil Rizzuto, who called games for the New York Yankees. Using the baseball metaphor for the progress of the boy, the player on the radio is about to steal home when……

Part three. The girl sings “Stop right there”, making the boy beg, plead and finally breaking down and professing his undying love for her before they can consummate their rendezvous. It is the classic power move from the girl who waits until the boy is in a powerless state and the girl holds all the cards. Most boys have experienced some sort of variance of this move! After trying his hardest to convince his date, he realizes that he might never get this chance again and caves, giving the girl what she wants before he gives the girl what he wants.

Part four consists of the boy regretting his decision years ago as it is revealed that despite his unhappiness, the boy will not break his promise and has stayed with the girl who he now cannot stand.

The pace of the song changes with each part and even the style is inconsistent but like other songs that change halfway through, (Band On The Run by Wings for example), it keeps the song listening experience fresh as every couple of minutes it changes. At 8:28 long, Paradise is a very long song but to fit 4 parts, it would have to be.

Paradise By The Dashboard Light is a perfect driving song. You feel the passion of the first part, making you think of your own parked car experiences. The second part builds the excitement of the first time. The third makes you realize how evil, unkind and manipulative women can be, if you have had any bad experiences, otherwise you just smile and think, yep, that’s about par for the course. The fourth and final part shows that not only is he regretting his choice, he is still a good person for keeping his promise, no matter how painful his situation is now.

I made my first sale on kijiji! Well, the transaction will be completed tomorrow! but it's a start!

I have been asking friends and fellow forum members on smartcanucks.ca for some creative suggestions to save or earn money and I just had to share this one. It was along the lines of  "don't forget a free sample of KY massage oil to take with you." And every time you become intimate before you leave, put a toonie in a jar and then count them up before you go." Hmmmm...If I know my husband he will want to use a credit card if he doesn't have any cash on him, and I have no idea how to swipe it!

KIJIJI (click this to check out what's for sale) Kijiji is Canada's most popular free, local classifieds site. Kijiji offers a convenient, fun, and easy way for people in the same city to buy, sell, trade and help each other out in areas such as goods, cars, services, housing and jobs. The word "kijiji" (pronounced like key-gee-gee) means "village" in Swahili. This name was chosen because it captures the essence of what we are creating - a site where people can connect with others in their community. Kijiji sites are currently available in dozens of cities around the world. Kijiji was launched in Montreal and Quebec City in February 2005. In November 2005, Kijiji expanded across rest of Canada and is now in over 100 cities coast to coast. Over eight million Canadians use Kijiji each month. Well I hope kijiji can help me unload a few unused household items and put some money back in my pocket for my Vegas trip. I'll let you know how that goes.

With my easy program you too can save money paying your bills! Well, not exactly but if you pay extra and forget about it, when the next bill comes in you have less to pay. Its not REALLY saving money, but its less money for me to put out and for that reason, mom will get an extra $20 when I see her tomorrow. I will have to do the kijiji thing tomorrow too. I didn't get around to that today!

Because she makes me do things that I would not normally attempt, such as go to Vegas, work around the house and even the silly little stuff, like be nice to people. When I say makes me, its not like she MAKES me, its more that she inspires me to do things and instills the confidence that I might be able to do them. Its a good feeling to have someone believe in you and it always helps when faced with something that may or may not become troublesome. She also questioned why I had stopped on Reason 49 and that inspired me to write at least one more…….

A reporter who has just lost his job finds himself investigating an apparently solved murder and in the process discovers that not only are things not what they seem, but that there may be an undetected killer who is successfully killing and getting away with it.

From the beginning, The Scarecrow reads more like a Jeffery Deaver story than a Michael Connelly one. If the main characters had been replaced by Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs I honestly would have been had pressed to notice. Perhaps part of the reason for this is that rather than the straight forward and steady Harry Bosch digging into a crime, you have Jack McEvoy who is investigating something that may be a lot bigger than he can handle.

The plot is very similar to the type of novel that Jeffery Deaver writes with lots of twists and the main characters often in the dark while the protagonists are plotting against them. Michael Connelly has a style of writing that is enjoyable without having to work at it, I mean that you read it and it feels familiar even though it may be a new book. It helps the reader get settled into the book and lets the first few paragraphs grip the reader.

A great book that started a little slower than usual but built up to a great ending. Another great Michael Connelly book.

OK, I gave my mom $20 last night ( for coupons I had used while shopping) and another $20 today and I put some of her shopping through with mine because she was just getting a few things and I told her to put what she owes me into the pot.

I have also posted things that I will do for $5 on www.fiverr.com believe me, I am pretty cheap and easy *lol*

Tomorrow I think I will start the kijiji thing, and I plan of having a yard sale in April or May.

So far, so good!