There are a few songs, both current and oldies but goodies, that whenever they come on the radio in the car, we turn it up and the whole family sings along. "White Flag" by Dido is one of them.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UrK3XszSzgc&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UrK3XszSzgc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#000066;">I know you think that I shouldn't still love you,<br />Or tell you that.<br />But if I didn't say it, well I'd still have felt it<br />where's the sense in that?<br /><br />I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder<br />Or return to where we were<br /><br />I will go down with this ship<br />And I won't put my hands up and surrender<br />There will be no white flag above my door<br />I'm in love and always will be<br /><br />I know I left too much mess and<br />destruction to come back again<br />And I caused nothing but trouble<br />I understand if you can't talk to me again<br />And if you live by the rules of "it's over"<br />then I'm sure that that makes sense<br /><br />I will go down with this ship<br />And I won't put my hands up and surrender<br />There will be no white flag above my door<br />I'm in love and always will be<br /><br />And when we meet<br />Which I'm sure we will<br />All that was there<br />Will be there still<br />I'll let it pass<br />And hold my tongue<br />And you will think<br />That I've moved on....<br /><br />I will go down with this ship<br />And I won't put my hands up and surrender<br />There will be no white flag above my door<br />I'm in love and always will be<br /><br />I will go down with this ship<br />And I won't put my hands up and surrender<br />There will be no white flag above my door<br />I'm in love and always will be<br /><br />I will go down with this ship<br />And I won't put my hands up and surrender<br />There will be no white flag above my door<br />I'm in love and always will be </span></em><br /><br /><center><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.ladyjava.org/2008/09/music-monday-just-take-my-heart-when.html"><img src="http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/LJMisc/MM.png" /></a></div>Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">ONLY</span> the actual post link here. You can grab this code at <a href="http://ladyjava.javaura.com/">LJL</a> Please note these links are <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">STRICTLY</span> for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><script src="http://www.mcklinky.com/linky_include_basic.asp?id=10666" type="text/javascript"></script><a href="http://www.mcklinky.com/" target="_blank"><img height="39" src="http://www.mcklinky.com/images/MckLinkyLogo119.gif" width="119" border="0" /></a><br />PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!<br /><br /></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-4717439146139106828?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<p><em>This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=105272&amp;url=http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=200632&u=372280&m=14362&urllink=&afftrack=" rel="nofollow">Jones Soda</a>. All opinions are 100% mine.</em></p><p>IZEA and Jones Soda teamed up to put hundreds of bottles of Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda in the mail to loyal blogging "posties." 100 bottles of pop in the mail, 100 bottles of pop, if one of those bottles should break in the mail, 99 bottles of <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=105272&amp;url=http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=200632&u=372280&m=14362&urllink=&afftrack=" rel="nofollow">Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda </a>in the mail... and one soggy cardboard box and the strange smell of turkey gravy wafting from our mailbox.<br /><br />Rex, London, Maddie and I spent our pre-Thanksgiving Saturday in the Roxiticus Valley catching up on errands. London had a tennis make-up lesson with Pavan and Mark at Fox Chase Tennis, followed by a fancy meal of Whoppers and crown shaped chicken nuggets at Burger King, a new pair of jeans and some casual holiday dresses for the girls at the Gap, birthday earrings from the Icing for Maddie's newly pierced friend, and a big shopping day at Shop Rite, including a turkey to donate to the local food pantry.</p><p>On the way home from Chester, I was regaling Rex and the girls with what I hoped to find in our mailbox: our very own free sample of Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda in my Thanksgiving Postie Pack from IZEA. Even though London and Maddie were a bit skeptical about the unusual seasonal flavor combination, we were psyched to sample the soda. Rex went to the mailbox and brought back a large green cardboard box... but uhoh, it was wrapped in plastic with a message from the post office that it had been damaged in shipping... and what an odd smell! Kind of like Thanksgiving dinner and soggy cardboard all wrapped up in one. </p><p>When I opened my postie package, we were all sad to see that our Jones Soda bottle had been smashed to smithereens... but we did get a great turkey hat for Rex to wear while he prepares the Thanksgiving dinner... stay tuned for photos!<br /><br /><a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=105272&amp;url=http://socialspark.com/code_of_ethics" rel="nofollow"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="SocialSpark Disclosure Badge" src="http://socialspark.com/metrics/view/post?slot_id=105272&amp;url=http://socialspark.com/images/disclosure_badges/disclosure_badge_orange_new.png" border="0" /></a><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-7287249650556833996?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<p><em>This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=91532&amp;url=http://sponsoredtweets.com/" rel="nofollow">Sponsored Tweets</a>. All opinions are 100% mine.</em></p><p>Speaking of our investment banking clients, Twitter is not just all the rage in my personal and blogging life... it has crept into our professional lives as well! One of our new clients actually provides competitive intelligence on Twitter marketing messages for brand marketers and their competitors. Right here in the money making blogosphere, our good friends at IZEA recently launched SponsoredTweets.com, a new marketplace that is designed to help Twitter's tweeters to monetize their Tweets. Once you <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=91532&amp;url=http://bit.ly/3KZC7I" rel="nofollow">sign up for sponsored tweets</a>, all you need to get started making money is to set your price, add a category and some keywords, then wait for offers to start rolling in from big name advertisers. Even though RoxiticusDH hasn't qualified yet (you need 200 followers), IZEA does have many other celebrities participating in the program including Bob Vila, Kim Kardashian, Leann Rimes and Sister Hazel. IZEA is also very excited about their disclosure engine, referral program and API... they are looking for Twitter developers to use their API in new and unique ways.<br /><br /><img alt="Picture-26-468x306" src="http://socialspark.com/uploads/socialspark/public/assets/1312/Picture-26-468x306.png" /><br /><br />Go ahead, sign up... and tell 'em RoxiticusDH sent you. And while you're at it, please follow RoxiticusDH on Twitter so I'll have 200 Twitter followers before too long and qualify to monetize my tweets. In the meantime, here's a Web 2.0 riddle for you: Tweet and retweet were sitting on a fence. Tweet fell off, who was left?<br /><br /><a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=91532&amp;url=http://socialspark.com/code_of_ethics" rel="nofollow"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="SocialSpark Disclosure Badge" src="http://socialspark.com/metrics/view/post?slot_id=91532&amp;url=http://socialspark.com/images/disclosure_badges/disclosure_badge_purple_new.png" border="0" /></a> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-4611831109358680050?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

I had spent the day hard at work on a Confidential Information Memorandum for one of our investment banking clients (Project "Rocket Science"), and had just about run out of brain cells. Not to mention feeling a bit under the weather with the first cold of the season. Then Maddie asked me for help on her second grade math and logic puzzle homework tonight. She had finished most of the assignment, leaving only the toughest problems for mom to help on. There were words in circles and other words not in circles, and somehow you were supposed to guess what the non-circle words had in common with each other and did not have in common with the circle words. Here's a sample problem that Maddie said was easy...the circle words are teddy bear, doll, and blanket; outside the circle words are pants, scissors, and pliers. Well, not only am I NOT smart enough to be a fourth grader, I am too tired to be a second grader! Turns out the answer is the words outside the circle come in pairs. I think I'll put on a pair of pajamas, grab my teddy bear, and get into bed early so I can wake up smart enough to be a second grader, third grader, and an investment banker.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-4759938752295430900?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<p><em>This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=92302&amp;url=http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;219551231;42786230;a?http://www.britishairways.com/travel/offerus209/public/en_us?DM1_SRC=US|US|DIS|%epid!|%eaid!|" rel="nofollow">British Airways</a>. All opinions are 100% mine.</em></p><p>It's mid-November and a chill is in the air... we closed our beach house in Bay Head after the annual Halloween Parade, and we've been spending our weekends up north (and west) in the Roxiticus Valley. We miss the beach from November through mid-April, but it always seems too dark and desolate during the cold winter months without Daylight Savings Time. Since <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=92302&amp;url=http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;219551231;42786230;a?http://www.britishairways.com/travel/offerus209/public/en_us?DM1_SRC=US|US|DIS|%epid!|%eaid!|" rel="nofollow">British Airways</a> is running a November Seat "world sale" on their truly upgraded experience (including over 200 On Demand entertainment options), it seems like an ideal time to get away from the United States and Canada and visit someplace we've never been before. </p><p>I think several of my current dream destinations are available:</p><ul><li>A whirlwind European tour starting in London and including France (Paris and the French Riviera), Spain (Marbella, Madrid), and the Italian Riviera;</li><li>An African safari -- lions and tigers and bears, oh my!</li></ul><p><br />British Airways sure is a great way to get away -- with World Class service not only to traditional favorites like London and Europe, but also more exotic locales including the Middle East, India and Africa. There's no skimping on the basics, with complimentary food and cocktails on all flights... an incredibly comfortable in-flight experience featuring ergonomically designed seats, complete with lumbar support, adjustable headrest and recline... plenty of blankies, cushions, eyeshades and flight socks to maximize comfort for the entire journey.<br /><br /><br />Let's get going... book by November 19, 2009!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N4415.SocialSpark_US/B4022433;sz=1x1"><img height="1" alt="Click Here" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/N4415.SocialSpark_US/B4022433;sz=1x1" width="1" border="0" /></a>" class="empty_for_tags"><br /><br /><a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=92302&amp;url=http://socialspark.com/code_of_ethics" rel="nofollow"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="SocialSpark Disclosure Badge" src="http://socialspark.com/metrics/view/post?slot_id=92302&amp;url=http://socialspark.com/images/disclosure_badges/disclosure_badge_blue_new.png" border="0" /></a><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-3371676761750880821?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

Last weekend, on the way home from the Miley Cyrus concert at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, with our little girls falling asleep in the back seat of my Acadia, my friend Susan and I were discussing our mis-spent youth and our first concerts. Mine was Southside Johnny &amp; the Asbury Jukes at Somerset County College; hers was Jethro Tull. We were both feeling a bit older, more like parents than the rockers we once were, but this song came to mind and put me back in the "never too old" frame of mind:<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/80LJTeto8MQ&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/80LJTeto8MQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />The old Rocker wore his hair too long,<br />wore his trouser cuffs too tight.<br />Unfashionable to the end --- drank his ale too light.<br />Death's head belt buckle --- yesterday's dreams ---<br />the transport caf' prophet of doom.<br />Ringing no change in his double-sewn seams<br />in his post-war-babe gloom.<br /><br />Now he's too old to Rock'n'Roll but he's too young to die.<br /><br />He once owned a Harley Davidson and a Triumph Bonneville.<br />Counted his friends in burned-out spark plugs<br />and prays that he always will.<br />But he's the last of the blue blood greaser boys<br />all of his mates are doing time:<br />married with three kids up by the ring road<br />sold their souls straight down the line.<br />And some of them own little sports cars<br />and meet at the tennis club do's.<br />For drinks on a Sunday --- work on Monday.<br />They've thrown away their blue suede shoes.<br /><br />Now they're too old to Rock'n'Roll and they're too young to die.<br /><br />So the old Rocker gets out his bike<br />to make a ton before he takes his leave.<br />Up on the A1 by Scotch Corner<br />just like it used to be.<br />And as he flies --- tears in his eyes ---<br />his wind-whipped words echo the final take<br />and he hits the trunk road doing around 120<br />with no room left to brake.<br /><br />And he was too old to Rock'n'Roll but he was too young to die.<br />No, you're never too old to Rock'n'Roll if you're too young to die.<br /><center><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.ladyjava.org/2008/09/music-monday-just-take-my-heart-when.html"><img src="http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/LJMisc/MM.png" /></a></div>Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">ONLY</span> the actual post link here. You can grab this code at <a href="http://ladyjava.javaura.com/">LJL</a> Please note these links are <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">STRICTLY</span> for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><script src="http://www.mcklinky.com/linky_include_basic.asp?id=10271" type="text/javascript"></script><a href="http://www.mcklinky.com/" target="_blank"><img height="39" src="http://www.mcklinky.com/images/MckLinkyLogo119.gif" width="119" border="0" /></a><br />PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!<br /><br /></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-5775735136417190178?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

We're up in the Roxiticus Valley recovering from Saturday night's Miley Cyrus concert at the Prudential Center in <a href="http://newarknj.roxysbestof.com/">Newark, New Jersey</a>. I've posted <a href="http://roxiticusdh.blogspot.com/2009/11/music-monday-party-in-usa-by-miley.html">a sort of review of the Miley Cyrus concert and Music Monday video over at Roxiticus Desperate Housewives</a>, and wanted to keep the theme going here with Miley's Big Brother, Trace, and his band, Metro Station, who opened the show. Here's the official video for his song, "Shake It," but it seems like they updated the video for Miley's Wonder World tour, with baby sister herself shakin' it on the jumbotron behind the Metro Station live performance.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1t8wyGOn87w&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1t8wyGOn87w&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#000099;">Let's drop!<br />Yeah, come on<br /><br />I'll take you home<br />If you don't leave me at the front door<br />(Leave me at the front door)<br />Your body's cold<br />But girl, we're gettin' so warm<br />And I was thinking of ways<br />That I could get inside<br />(Get inside)<br /><br />Tonight you're falling in love<br />Let me go now<br />This feeling's tearing me up<br />Here we go now<br /><br />Now if she does it like this<br />Will you do it like that?<br />Now if she touches like this<br />Will you touch her like that?<br />Now if she moves like this<br />Will you move her like that?<br />Come on, shake, shake<br />Shake, shake, shake it<br /><br />Shake, shake<br />Shake, shake, shake it (x4)<br /><br />Your lips tremble<br />But your eyes are in the straight stare<br />(In the straight stare)<br />We're on the bed<br />But your clothes are laying right there<br />And I was thinking of places<br />That I could hide<br />(I could hide)<br /><br />Tonight you're falling in love<br />Let me go now<br />This feeling's tearing me up<br />Here we go now<br /><br />Now if she does it like this<br />Will you do it like that?<br />Now if she touches like this<br />Will you touch her like that?<br />Now if she moves like this<br />Will you move her like that?<br />Come on, shake, shake<br />Shake, shake, shake it<br /><br />Shake, shake<br />Shake, shake, shake it (x4)<br /><br />I saw you dancing<br />And I couldn't get you off my mind<br />I could tell that you could tell<br />That I was taking my time<br />But I was thinking of ways<br />To get you to stay tonight<br />Body's shaking<br />Tell me off so I can turn off the lights<br /><br />Now if she does it like this<br />Will you do it like that?<br />Now if she touches like this<br />Will you touch her like that?<br />Now if she moves like this<br />Will you move her like that?<br />Come on, shake, shake<br />Shake, shake, shake it<br /><br />Shake, shake<br />Shake, shake, shake it (x4)<br /></span></em><br /><center><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.ladyjava.org/2008/09/music-monday-just-take-my-heart-when.html"><img src="http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/LJMisc/MM.png" /></a></div>Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">ONLY</span> the actual post link here. You can grab this code at <a href="http://ladyjava.javaura.com/">LJL</a> Please note these links are <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">STRICTLY</span> for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><script src="http://www.mcklinky.com/linky_include_basic.asp?id=9742" type="text/javascript"></script><a href="http://www.mcklinky.com/" target="_blank"><img height="39" src="http://www.mcklinky.com/images/MckLinkyLogo119.gif" width="119" border="0" /></a><br />PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!<br /><br /></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-4153833392322455600?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

After the annual <a href="http://bayheadnj.roxysbestof.com/"><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong>Bay Head Halloween parade</strong></span></a>, we always close down our beach house and stay warm and cozy in the Roxiticus Valley until the snow melts in April. And, here in the United States, this weekend we ended Daylight Savings time by turning our clocks back an hour. So I wanted to find a fitting Music Monday, and came up with "Closing Time" by Semisonic. Rex and I saw them live at the Garden State Arts Center about fifteen years ago when they opened for Matchbox 20.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KdmLmIArqWM&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KdmLmIArqWM&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><strong><em><span style="color:#6600cc;">Closing time - time for you to go out, go out into the world.<br />Closing time - turn the lights up over every boy and every girl.<br />Closing time - one last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer.<br />Closing time - you don't have to go home but you can't stay here.<br /><br />I know who I want to take me home.<br />I know who I want to take me home.<br />I know who I want to take me home.<br />Take me home...<br /><br />Closing time - time for you to go back to the places you will be from.<br />Closing time - this room won't be open 'til your brothers or you sisters come.<br />So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits - I hope you have found a<br />friend.<br />Closing time - every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.<br /><br />Yeah, I know who I want to take me home.<br />I know who I want to take me home.<br />I know who I want to take me home.<br />Take me home...<br /><br />Closing time - time for you to go back to the places you will be from...<br /><br />I know who I want to take me home.<br />I know who I want to take me home.<br />I know who I want to take me home.<br />Take me home...<br /><br />Closing time - every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end...<br /></span></em></strong><br />We'll see you all in April 2010!<br /><br /><center><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.ladyjava.org/2008/09/music-monday-just-take-my-heart-when.html"><img src="http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/LJMisc/MM.png" /></a></div>Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">ONLY</span> the actual post link here. You can grab this code at <a href="http://ladyjava.javaura.com/">LJL</a> Please note these links are <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">STRICTLY</span> for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.<br /><br /><script src="http://www.mcklinky.com/linky_include_basic.asp?id=9185" type="text/javascript"></script><a href="http://www.mcklinky.com/" target="_blank"><img height="39" src="http://www.mcklinky.com/images/MckLinkyLogo119.gif" width="119" border="0" /></a><br />PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!<br /><br /></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-5353526285522206792?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<a href="http://bayheadnj.roxysbestof.com/2009/10/25/kid-stuff/todays-the-day-annual-halloween-parade-in-bay-head-new-jersey/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396660837921138530" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 280px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vfw5StcsXZ4/SuTKcHmNJ2I/AAAAAAAACbY/jslObI9kUT0/s320/004.JPG" border="0" /></a>I'll be posting some photos from the Bay Head Halloween Parade soon, but first it's time for Roxy's Music Monday theme: Halloween! In honor of all the scary monsters, sweet bumblebees and flamingos, and creative costumes that turned out at for the annual Bay Head Halloween Parade, here's Bobby "Boris" Pickett with a spooky video of the Monster Mash:<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0thH3qnHTbI&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0thH3qnHTbI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#ff6600;">I was working in the lab late one night<br />When my eyes beheld an eerie sight<br />For my monster from his slab began to rise<br />And suddenly to my surprise<br /><br />He did the mash<br />He did the monster mash<br />The monster mash<br />It was a graveyard smash<br />He did the mash<br />It caught on in a flash<br />He did the mash<br />He did the monster mash<br /><br />From my laboratory in the castle east<br />To the master bedroom where the vampires feast<br />The ghouls all came from their humble abodes<br />To get a jolt from my electrodes<br /><br />They did the mash<br />They did the monster mash<br />The monster mash<br />It was a graveyard smash<br />They did the mash<br />It caught on in a flash<br />They did the mash<br />They did the monster mash<br /><br />The zombies were having fun<br />The party had just begun<br />The guests included Wolf Man<br />Dracula and his son<br /><br />The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds<br />Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds<br />The coffin-bangers were about to arrive<br />With their vocal group, "The Crypt-Kicker Five"<br /><br />They played the mash<br />They played the monster mash<br />The monster mash<br />It was a graveyard smash<br />They played the mash<br />It caught on in a flash<br />They played the mash<br />They played the monster mash<br /><br />Out from his coffin, Drac's voice did ring<br />Seems he was troubled by just one thing<br />He opened the lid and shook his fist<br />And said, "Whatever happened to my Transylvania twist?"<br /><br />It's now the mash<br />It's now the monster mash<br />The monster mash<br />And it's a graveyard smash<br />It's now the mash<br />It's caught on in a flash<br />It's now the mash<br />It's now the monster mash<br /><br />Now everything's cool, Drac's a part of the band<br />And my monster mash is the hit of the land<br />For you, the living, this mash was meant too<br />When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you<br /><br />Then you can mash<br />Then you can monster mash<br />The monster mash<br />And do my graveyard smash<br />Then you can mash<br />You'll catch on in a flash<br />Then you can mash<br />Then you can monster mash</span></strong></em><br /><br /><br /><center><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.ladyjava.org/2008/09/music-monday-just-take-my-heart-when.html"><img src="http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/LJMisc/MM.png" /></a></div>Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">ONLY</span> the actual post link here. You can grab this code at <a href="http://ladyjava.javaura.com/">LJL</a> Please note these links are <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">STRICTLY</span> for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.<br /><br /><script src="http://www.mcklinky.com/linky_include_basic.asp?id=8691" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><a href="http://www.mcklinky.com/" target="_blank"><img height="39" src="http://www.mcklinky.com/images/MckLinkyLogo119.gif" width="119" border="0" /></a><br />PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!<br /><br /></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-3796429029204203859?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<a href="http://bayheadnj.roxysbestof.com/2009/10/25/kid-stuff/todays-the-day-annual-halloween-parade-in-bay-head-new-jersey/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396527205614502466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vfw5StcsXZ4/SuRQ5sdiQkI/AAAAAAAACbQ/SBpoE3rfX74/s320/003.JPG" border="0" /></a>For the past few years, it feels like the annual Bay Head Halloween Parade has involved a grim weather forecast of hell and high water. Yesterday we drove down to our beach house in the pouring rain, which flooded Lake Avenue and didn't let up as we made our way to the Crab Shack to pick up 100 clams for dinner.<br /><br />All week long, our little Weather Girl, Maddie, has been watching Weather.com, where just like last year, they forecast rain, rain, rain on Saturday, but sunny and 60 degrees on Sunday for the Bay Head Halloween Parade. Witches, goblins, ghosts and Disney princesses will start gathering on Mount Street in Bay Head, New Jersey, shortly after 11am for the 11:45am parade start.<br /><br /><a href="http://bayheadnj.roxysbestof.com/2009/10/25/kid-stuff/todays-the-day-annual-halloween-parade-in-bay-head-new-jersey/"><strong><span style="color:#ff6600;">Continue reading</span></strong></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-3632189335202737115?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<a href="http://bayheadnj.roxysbestof.com/2008/10/27/kid-stuff/london-and-maddie-rex-and-roxys-big-win-at-the-bay-head-halloween-parade/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261863125127494514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 287px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 171px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Vfw5StcsXZ4/SQXkoj3ze3I/AAAAAAAABek/FpzVQvdzZM4/s320/mayor-curtis-trophy-bay-head-halloween-parade.jpg" border="0" /></a>Roxy's loyal Bay Head Blog readers know that our family takes Halloween very seriously, particularly our participation in the annual <a href="http://bayheadnj.roxysbestof.com/">Bay Head </a>Halloween Parade. Last year, London, Maddie, Rex and I won the "Good Sport" award for grown-ups who dress up in the best costumes and march in the parade with their kids. The photo on the right shows us in costume, from left to right: Maddie (as Sharpay "Golf" from High School Musical) Rex (as Ken), Bay Head Mayor Bill Curtis, Roxy (as Barbie), and London (as Sharpay "End of Year" from High School Musical).<br /><br />This year, I don't want to give too much away to the competition in advance of the event, but London and Maddie are dressing up and performing along the parade route as their girl band, the Butter Bites, and we've prepared a special "float" to march in the parade. And Rex and I will be in costume as you've never seen us before... pictures on Monday!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-2871495125996234402?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

Over the long Columbus Day/Roxy's Birthday Celebration weekend, one of London's teachers gave me some homework... to provide my insights into London's reading style and abilities and any influences on her reading and writing. The "homework assignment" got me thinking back to my own childhood and the teachers who influenced my own reading and writing and made a difference in my life. Over the twenty five years since high school, I've lost contact with all of my teachers, most of whom must have retired by now... including the Freshman English teacher I'll call "Mrs. Bill." While I can't say that the assigned reading for her class really inspired me, I give Mrs. Bill credit for getting me started on a lifetime of keeping a journal... and eventually a blog, though the Internet hadn't been invented yet when I was in college... never mind high school.<br /><br />In an attempt to track down Mrs. Bill, I've Googled her and tried the usual social networking sites, but I don't think many people over the age of 60 has a Facebook page! So I'm going to visit <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=75922&amp;url=http://this.content.served.by.adshuffle.com/p/kl/46/799/r/12/4/8/ast0k3n/VESIfHDf6VyGxLxswN5oXfrvp0llYQWU9~sl~FfvI8c!pl!^tTrAviynZyvMQ==/click.txt" rel="nofollow">MyLife</a>, America's #1 people search, and test out the service to see if you can find Mrs. Bill...If I find her, I'll let all of my loyal readers know what she's up to these days, and I'll be sure to thank her for influencing the writer (and mother of two readers/writers) I am today.<br /><br /><map name="map4272"><area shape="RECT" coords="0,0,206,45" href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=75922&amp;url=http://this.content.served.by.adshuffle.com/p/kl/46/799/r/12/4/8/ast0k3n/VESIfHDf6VyGxLxswN5oXfrvp0llYQWU9~sl~FfvI8c!pl!^tTrAviynZyvMQ==/click.txt" rel="nofollow"><area shape="RECT" coords="207,0,225,45" href="http://socialspark.com/code_of_ethics" rel="nofollow"></map><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Post?slot_id=" src="http://socialspark.com/metrics/view/post?slot_id=75922&amp;url=http://socialspark.com/images/disclosure_badges/disclosure_badge_blue.png" usemap="#map4272" border="0" url="http://socialspark" /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-6195921511192897709?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

Up north and west in the Roxiticus Valley for this rainy rainy weekend, Rex and I attended a memorial service for a dear neighbor who passed away after a long struggle with cancer. The lyrics below for Love Lies Bleeding (since Funeral for a Friend is the instrumental lead-in) really reflect the end of a love affair rather than the end of a life, but the song was stuck in my head, so here's my Music Monday pick.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5GYI6XJH9Ss&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5GYI6XJH9Ss&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#990000;">The roses in the window box<br />Have tilted to one side<br />Everything about this house<br />Was born to grow and die<br /><br />Oh it doesn't seem a year ago<br />To this very day<br />You said I'm sorry honey<br />If I don't change the pace<br />I can't face another day<br /><br />And love lies bleeding in my hand<br />Oh it kills me to think of you with another man<br />I was playing rock and roll and you were just a fan<br />But my guitar couldn't hold you<br />So I split the band<br />Love lies bleeding in my hands<br /><br />I wonder if those changes<br />Have left a scar on you<br />Like all the burning hoops of fire<br />That you and I passed through<br /><br />You're a bluebird on a telegraph line<br />I hope you're happy now<br />Well if the wind of change comes down your way</span></em><br /><br /><center><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ladyjava.org/2008/09/music-monday-just-take-my-heart-when.html"><img src="http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/LJMisc/MM.png" /></a></div>Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave <span style="font-weight: bold;">ONLY</span> the actual post link here. You can grab this code at <a href="http://ladyjava.javaura.com/">LJL</a> Please note these links are <span style="font-weight:bold;">STRICTLY</span> for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.<br /><br /><br /><br /><script src="http://www.mcklinky.com/linky_include_basic.asp?id=8155" type="text/javascript"></script><a href="http://www.mcklinky.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.mcklinky.com/images/MckLinkyLogo119.gif" width="119" height="39" border="0" /></a><br />PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!<br /><br/></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-4344774886322903001?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

It is no secret that my younger daughter, Maddie, wants a dog. For the past couple of years, she's done every school project, big or small, about dogs. At the Mendham Township Elementary School book fair last spring, Rex and I found her a huge encyclopedia of dogs and, despite its five pound coffee table book weight, Maddie carries it with her everywhere, reading out chapter and verse on different breeds and how to take care of your new puppy. When she has a chance to go online, Maddie visits all sorts of dog and pet web sites, such as <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=71332&amp;url=http://www.petango.com" rel="nofollow">Petango.com - Adopt a cat!</a> a site which lists thousands of dogs and cats, currently cared for at reputable animal shelters across North America, who are all looking and waiting for loving homes.<br /><br />Due to her older sister London's pet allergies, Rex and I have been reluctant to <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=71332&amp;url=http://www.petango.com" rel="nofollow">adopt a pet</a> for Maddie, but after three years of "research and testing," including a doggy slumber party, with the Cock-a-poo across the street from our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, we believe that London no longer has allergic reactions to certain dog breeds. Maddie has used our zip code to look for a dog on Petango, which provides a real-time searchable database of happy, well-loved pets waiting in reputable shelters around the country for new loving homes. The pets Maddie finds on Petango are right in our own backyard. Now we just have to find one... or two... who won't make London sneeze and break out in hives...wish us luck!<br /><br /><map name="map5322"><area shape="RECT" coords="0,0,206,45" href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=71332&amp;url=http://www.petango.com" rel="nofollow"><area shape="RECT" coords="207,0,225,45" href="http://socialspark.com/code_of_ethics" rel="nofollow"></map><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Post?slot_id=" src="http://socialspark.com/metrics/view/post?slot_id=71332&amp;url=http://socialspark.com/images/disclosure_badges/disclosure_badge_green.png" usemap="#map5322" border="0" url="http://socialspark" /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-7803857448034565362?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

As I mentoned over on my Roxiticus Desperate Housewives blog, we're down at our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, celebrating my birthday with a long Columbus Day holiday weekend... London and Maddie have off from school, so it takes me back to my elementary school days, when I often had a long weekend celebration for my birthday.<br /><br />I'm feeling a bit introspective this weekend, with life and death weighing on my mind after our dear neighbor in the Roxiticus Valley passed away last week. For my birthday Music Monday pick, I wanted something that would convey the depth of these emotions, but at the same time give us all an uplifting message. Back in 1959, Pete Seeger set the words of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 to music in "Turn, Turn, Turn," made popular by the Byrds in 1965.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aNopQq5lWqQ&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aNopQq5lWqQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;"><strong><em>To everything (turn, turn, turn)<br />There is a season (turn, turn, turn)<br />And a time for every purpose, under heaven<br /><br />A time to be born, a time to die<br />A time to plant, a time to reap<br />A time to kill, a time to heal<br />A time to laugh, a time to weep<br /><br />To everything (turn, turn, turn)<br />There is a season (turn, turn, turn)<br />And a time for every purpose, under heaven<br /><br />A time to build up,a time to break down<br />A time to dance, a time to mourn<br />A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together<br /><br />To everything (turn, turn, turn)<br />There is a season (turn, turn, turn)<br />And a time for every purpose, under heaven<br /><br />A time of love, a time of hate<br />A time of war, a time of peace<br />A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing<br /><br />To everything (turn, turn, turn)<br />There is a season (turn, turn, turn)<br />And a time for every purpose, under heaven<br /><br />A time to gain, a time to lose<br />A time to rend, a time to sew<br />A time to love, a time to hate<br />A time for peace, I swear its not too late</em></strong> </span><br /><br /><center><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ladyjava.org/2008/09/music-monday-just-take-my-heart-when.html"><img src="http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/LJMisc/MM.png" /></a></div>Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave <span style="font-weight: bold;">ONLY</span> the actual post link here. You can grab this code at <a href="http://ladyjava.javaura.com/">LJL</a> Please note these links are <span style="font-weight:bold;">STRICTLY</span> for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.<br /><br /><br /><br /><script src="http://www.mcklinky.com/linky_include_basic.asp?id=7590" type="text/javascript"></script><a href="http://www.mcklinky.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.mcklinky.com/images/MckLinkyLogo119.gif" width="119" height="39" border="0" /></a><br />PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!<br /><br/></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-7719177296115306427?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://bayheadnj.roxysbestof.com/files/2009/08/kitchens_by_the_sea_bay_head_nj.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-432 aligncenter" height="112" alt="" src="http://bayheadnj.roxysbestof.com/files/2009/08/kitchens_by_the_sea_bay_head_nj.png" width="285" /></a></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">In a few minutes, London and Maddie's babysitter will arrive, and Rex and I will head out to Kitchens by the Sea, an amazing day of peeking into our neighbors' kitchens and enjoying delicious food samples provided by local Jersey Shore restaurants and caterers. This year's participating restaurants include:</p><ul><li><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Rock'n'Joe's</div></li><li><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Scone Shoppe</div></li><li><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Miletto's</div></li><li><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Bay Head Chocolate Shoppe</div></li><li><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Labrador Lounge</div></li><li><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Martell's</div></li><li><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Theresa's South</div></li><li><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Shore Fresh Seafood</div></li><li><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Brandl; and</div></li><li><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Joe Leone</div></li><br /></ul>Each of the homes, spread out through Bay Head and Mantoloking, will feature an excellent local restauranteur or caterer serving samples of their cuisine. In addition, the dining areas of the homes will showcase table settings and floral arrangements provided by local designers.<br /><br />All proceeds benefit the Bay Head School Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Please call 732-714-1902 for more information.<br /><br />Tickets are $50 (with limited availability, as this is a very popular event) "at the door" today, the day of the kitchen tour, at Bay Head School, 145 Grove Street in Bay Head, where your information packet and tour map will be distributed.<br /><br />As you head out on the tour, be sure to stop in to visit the local Bay Head merchants...many of the shops, including the Anchor &amp; Palette Gallery on Mount Street, are offering special discounts to kitchen tour participants.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-6016012891757968722?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

Saturday night, we were relaxing on the porch with our iPod five star playlist rolling on the last night of our vacation at our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey. Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones came on with the seductive "Tops" and I decided to make it my Music Monday pick.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x4jURW_Bu4c&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x4jURW_Bu4c&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;"><em>Hey baby<br />Every man is the same come on<br />I'll make you a star<br />I'll take you a million miles from all this<br />Put you on a pedestal<br />Come on, come on<br /><br />Have you ever heard those opening lines<br />You should leave this small town way behind<br />I'll be your partner<br />Show you the steps<br />With me behind your tasting of the sweet wine of success<br />Cause I'll take you to the top, baby<br />Hey baby<br />I'll take you to the top<br /><br />Step on the ladder<br />Toe in the pool<br />You're such a natural you don't need no acting school<br />Don't need no casting couch<br />Or be a star in bed<br />Never, never, never let success go to your pretty head<br />Cause I'll take you to the top, baby<br />I swear we're never going to stop, baby<br />I'll take you to the top<br /><br />Don't let the world pass you by<br />You better take your chance now baby<br />Or be sorry for the rest of your sweet loving life, baby<br />Oh, sugar<br />Hey sugar, I'll take you to the top<br />I'll take you to the top<br />I'll take you to the top, sugar </em><br /></span><br /><br /><center><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ladyjava.org/2008/09/music-monday-just-take-my-heart-when.html"><img src="http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/LJMisc/MM.png" /></a></div>Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave <span style="font-weight: bold;">ONLY</span> the actual post link here. You can grab this code at <a href="http://ladyjava.javaura.com/">LJL</a> Please note these links are <span style="font-weight:bold;">STRICTLY</span> for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.<br /><br /><br /><br /><script src="http://www.mcklinky.com/linky_include_basic.asp?id=5055" type="text/javascript"></script><br />PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!<br /><br/></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-583159551008186298?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vfw5StcsXZ4/SqG29Ja8qKI/AAAAAAAACZs/WPtHBn9MlYY/s1600-h/186.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377780591674304674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vfw5StcsXZ4/SqG29Ja8qKI/AAAAAAAACZs/WPtHBn9MlYY/s320/186.JPG" border="0" /></a>Tomorrow, Maddie and London em<em><strong>bark</strong></em> on a wonderful adventure. Our neighbors, Jango and Dorothy Parker, are traveling to a wedding in Chicago, and have entrusted us with their sweet dog, Cashew. When we next get together with the neighbors over a long weekend in September, I'm going to help the good doctor Dot to set up her own hormone replacement therapy blog.<br /><br />The girls have spent plenty of time playing with Cashew, and taking him for walks on the weekend. However, due to London's pet allergies, this is the first time we've had a doggy visitor spend the night. Since Cashew is a cockapoo, an allegedly hypoallergenic dog, we're testing to see if London's allergies act up, or whether we might be able to get a cockapoo as a pet next summer instead of a lizard.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-3013779419162014521?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

Here's the second post in my theme for this week's Music Monday: Lookin' Back, this time with Taylor Swift, to age "Fifteen." As my sweet 7-year-old Maddie and 8-year-old London sing out the lyrics, I think about who they might be at 15 and hope they'll remember the words of Taylor Swift, who at only 19, doesn't have that far to look back to her 15-year-old self:<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/y09XHWZtQo8&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y09XHWZtQo8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#000099;">You take a deep breath and you walk through the doors<br />It's the morning of your very first day<br />You say "Hi" to your friends you ain't seen in a while<br />Try and stay out of everybody's way<br />It's your freshman year and you're gonna be here<br />For the next four years in this town<br />Hoping one of those senior boys will wink at you and say<br />"You know I haven't seen you around, before"<br /><br />'cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you<br />You're gonna believe them<br />And when you're fifteen<br />Feeling like there nothing to figure out<br />Well count to ten, take it in<br />This is life before who you're gonna be<br />Fifteen<br /><br />You sit in class next to a redhead named Abigail<br />And soon enough you're best friends<br />Laughing at the other girls who think they're so cool<br />Well be out of here as soon as we can<br />And then you're on your very first date and he's got a car<br />And you're feeling like flying<br />And your momma's waiting up and you think he's the one<br />And you're dancing round your room when the night end<br />When the night ends<br /><br />'cause when you're fifteen and somebody tell you they love you<br />You're gonna believe them<br />When you're fifteen and your first kiss<br />Makes your head spin round but<br />In your life you'll do things greater than dating the boy of the football team<br />But I didn't know it at fifteen<br /><br />When all you wanted was to be wanted<br /><a href="http://roxiticusdh.blogspot.com/2009/08/music-monday-theme-lookin-back-with.html"><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>Wish you could go back and tell yourself what you know now</strong></span></a><br />Back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday<br />But I realized some bigger dreams of mine<br /><br />And Abigail gave everything she had to a boy<br />Who changed his mind and we both cried<br /><br />'cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you<br />You're gonna believe them<br />And when you're fifteen, don't forget to look before you fall<br />Ive found that time can heal most anything<br />And you just might find who you're supposed to be<br />I didn't know who I was supposed to be at fifteen<br /><br />La la la la la .. la la la la la .. La la la la la<br /><br />Your very first day<br />Take a deep breath girl<br />Take a deep breath as you walk through those doors<br /></span></em><br /><center><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.ladyjava.org/2008/09/music-monday-just-take-my-heart-when.html"><img src="http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/LJMisc/MM.png" /></a></div>Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">ONLY</span> the actual post link here. You can grab this code at <a href="http://ladyjava.javaura.com/">LJL</a> Please note these links are <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">STRICTLY</span> for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.<br /><br /><br /><br /><script src="http://www.mcklinky.com/linky_include_basic.asp?id=4552" type="text/javascript"></script><br />PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!<br /><br /></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-2716231366429837503?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<a href="http://thejerseyshore.roxysbestof.com/2009/08/29/events/were-having-a-party-southside-johnny-and-the-asbury-jukes-at-martells-tiki-bar-in-point-pleasant-beach-nj-monday-august-31-and-tuesday-september-1-2009/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375514900874204290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 117px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vfw5StcsXZ4/SpmqUldtFII/AAAAAAAACZE/axudHsvchR8/s320/southside_johnny_martells_tiki_bar_point_pleasant_beach_NJ.png" border="0" /></a>While I was raised on the Jersey bar band sounds of "We're Havin' A Party," "Talk to Me," and "I Don't Want To Go Home," I've never really known whether Southside Johnny has a following beyond New Jersey and the Tri-State area, or whether Bruce Springsteen is the only Jersey boy who's become a household name for the rest of the world. For most of the past twelve summers, Rex and I have made an annual tradition of seeing <a href="http://thejerseyshore.roxysbestof.com/2009/08/29/events/were-having-a-party-southside-johnny-and-the-asbury-jukes-at-martells-tiki-bar-in-point-pleasant-beach-nj-monday-august-31-and-tuesday-september-1-2009/"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Southside Johnny &amp; the Asbury Jukes at Martell's Tiki Bar in Pt. Pleasant Beach, New Jersey</strong></span></a>.<br /><br />We had some portion of the Jukes and La Bamba's Big Band at our wedding on the beach in September 1998 and at Rex's 60th birthday party at our house in Mendham a few years ago.<br /><br />While London and Maddie had the good fortune to see their first concert (Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds Tour at the Prudential Center in <a title="Newark, NJ" href="http://newarknj.roxysbestof.com/" target="_blank">Newark NJ</a> in December 2007) before they turned seven, my first concert was Southside Johnny &amp; the Asbury Jukes at <a title="Somerset County NJ" href="http://somersetcountynj.roxysbestof.com/" target="_blank">Somerset County</a> College (now Raritan Valley Community College) in 1978, when I was twelve years old. Having learned proper groupie decorum from late night network TV (who remembers Midnight Special and Don Kirschner's Rock Concert??), I jumped the stage and grabbed onto bass player Gene Boccia's leg. 20 years later... <a href="http://thejerseyshore.roxysbestof.com/2009/08/29/events/were-having-a-party-southside-johnny-and-the-asbury-jukes-at-martells-tiki-bar-in-point-pleasant-beach-nj-monday-august-31-and-tuesday-september-1-2009/"><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Continue reading</span></strong></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-6431946426142177377?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<a href="http://bayheadnj.roxysbestof.com/tag/anchor-and-palette-gallery/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375373033115513442" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vfw5StcsXZ4/SpkpSy4QcmI/AAAAAAAACY0/OBc0EsxknGQ/s320/104.JPG" border="0" /></a>It's a rainy Saturday here at our beach house in Bay Head, the perfect time for a rundown on Roxy's recent beach reads, all of which I've picked up for 50 cents at the <a href="http://bayheadnj.roxysbestof.com/tag/anchor-and-palette-gallery/"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Anchor &amp; Palette Gallery in Bay Head, New Jersey</strong></span></a>. All proceeds go to the good work of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, on the corner of Bridge Avenue and West Lake Avenue in Bay Head, NJ.<br /><br />The best, by far, is the one I'm reading right now: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&amp;location=http://www.amazon.com/False-Memory-Dean-Koontz/dp/0553592149?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251552235&sr=8-1&amp;tag=roxitidesperh-20&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325"><span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong>False Memory, a thriller by Dean Koontz</strong></span></a><span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" height="1" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=roxitidesperh-20&amp;l=ur2&amp;o=1" width="1" border="0" />:</strong><span style="color:#000000;"> a tale of madness, suspense, love, and terror from a startlin and true-life psychological condition so close to home it will stun even his most seasoned readers... autophobia -- fear of oneself. As a huge fan of <a href="http://roxiticusdh.blogspot.com/search/label/haiku"><strong><span style="color:#000066;">haiku</span></strong></a>, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the evil psychiatrist who manipulates his patients with hypnotic haiku.</span><br /></span><br />I also breezed through <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&amp;location=http://www.amazon.com/April-Oliver-Novel-Tess-Callahan/dp/0446540595?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251552550&sr=1-1&amp;tag=roxitidesperh-20&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325"><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>"April &amp; Oliver,"</strong></span></a><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" height="1" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=roxitidesperh-20&amp;l=ur2&amp;o=1" width="1" border="0" /> Tess Callahan's debut as a novelist, as well as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&amp;location=http://www.amazon.com/Look-Again-Lisa-Scottoline/dp/0312380720?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251552674&sr=1-1&amp;tag=roxitidesperh-20&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325"><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>Lisa Scottoline's "Look Again."</strong></span></a><span style="color:#990000;"><strong><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" height="1" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=roxitidesperh-20&amp;l=ur2&amp;o=1" width="1" border="0" /></strong></span><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"></span></strong><br /><span style="color:#000000;">I'm headed back to my comfy chair on the porch to finish False Memory... I'll try to post more details later without giving away the gripping conclusion.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-2490988860111129187?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vfw5StcsXZ4/SpXDDOYXvRI/AAAAAAAACYs/g3Gw4U_RVoE/s1600-h/025.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374416190503894290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vfw5StcsXZ4/SpXDDOYXvRI/AAAAAAAACYs/g3Gw4U_RVoE/s320/025.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-5104934032006745587?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

<a href="http://bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373848248574626674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Vfw5StcsXZ4/SpO-gp0lS3I/AAAAAAAACYc/90SrBe617Co/s400/Roxy_Gone_Surfing.jpg" border="0" /></a>No one in our family actually surfs with a long board (though I have a cool pink boogie board and London and Maddie are getting to be quite the body surfers like their dad), but I wanted to let you know that Rex, London, Maddie and I will be spending the next couple of weeks here at our beach house in <a href="http://bayheadnj.roxysbestof.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Bay Head, New Jersey</strong></span></a>. I'll still be posting here, as well as over on <strong><a href="http://roxiticusdh.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Roxiticus Desperate Housewives</span></a></strong>, and may even have more time to devote to the blogosphere, but hope that my posts will be filled with the relaxation of the ocean waves crashing against the sand.<br /><br />The first day of our beach vacation started out as an 8-hour day of work in the home office, but as I said to Maddie and London when we headed out to the edge of the ocean around 4 o'clock, <em><span style="color:#3333ff;">"A short day at the beach sure beats a day at the office."</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></em><br /><span style="color:#000000;">At a minimum, I'm hoping that a daily dose of sunshine and the sound of the ocean waves will calm my nerves, soothe my soul/psyche, and remind me to focus on what's really important: my family and my health. So far, so good... for me, the sound of the ocean is more relaxing than all the yoga and belly-breathing a more "holistic" person might enjoy.</span><br /><br />I'm writing in a new pink journal whose proceeds, through the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, benefit the fight against breast cancer, which is another element of putting priorities in perspective. I thank God every day for all the ways I have been blessed.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-454270092161720909?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>

You know how spammers and other e-mail marketers give you a click through to "unsubscribe" from their frequent, unwanted e-mails? Have you ever received an e-mail (or multiple e-mails) from a friend and wished you could just e-mail back a single word response..."unsubscribe."<br /><br />I have a high enough degree of stress in my career that I don't need to add to it, so I avoid unpleasant news and discussions. I don't find it helpful to commiserate about the economy, the unemployment rate, or the housing market, unless there's something productive to do about it. There's enough bad news in the world that can't be avoided, so I'd prefer that my friends not pass along their grim reaper newsletters to me.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3726134327287510771-2934930492498971930?l=bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>