I think I'm in love with John Cusak. *chuckles* Rather, not in love, but I really want a guy like him.

Personally, I'd prefer a man a little taller, a little thicker and not an actor, but still... The movies I've seen him in just... I don't know...

I just got through wathing Say Anything again. I really like his character there, Lloyd. But I like his character from Gross Pointe Blank. I liked Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I wasn't all that keen on him in Sixteen Candles, but he was more interesting to me than Anthony Michael Hall. (Now there's a man who proves that a few years can REALLY change a person. Milk does a body good, baybay)

Anyway, this is going to be a very short entry, just cause I'm totally wiped and need a nap before we continue the festivities for this Fourth of July.

We had the fam over today. My adopted-brother's ex-wife and kids. Her sister and kids and then Mom and Dad and me. And, Joey, of course. *grins*

Four kids... clambering over wanting to play the computer... wanting to run around outside (Please, please, please go outside)... alternately whining and yelling about whose turn it is to play on the comp... trying to make a tether ball out of one of Joey's toys, a piece of yarn, and an old clothes-line pole out back...

*sighs*

ANd me... the good aunt... I take them to the park so that they can run and play and get out of the 'rent's hair for the time being. *chuckles*

Yes, I still want children of my own. But I really, really need to have a husband first, cause there's no way in fucking hell I'm putting up with children alone. That single parent thing just is NOT my gig. I'm not doing that.

I have the uttmost respect for single parents. It's a tough job when you have two parents AND extended family close by to spell ya for a while... But alone? No way!

I'm an aunt. And I babysit a friend's kids every so often. It's tough for me. It drains my energy so very quickly, and I don't really know why. It doesn't make sense to me. I don't understand why watching children play would exhaust me, unless I'm playing vicariously through them.

*chuckles quietly*

Anyway... there's Karaoke tonight, so I'm thinkin bout going to do that with the 'rents. It's one of those family things that we do together, strange as it may seem. I really enjoy it.

Contrary to most people I know, I really enjoy going out with my folks. They're cool most of the time. I don't like going out to dinner with them... *shrugs* Dunno why, but I do like going out to sing Karaoke. My Father has a great voice, but his pitch needs a little help. As does his rhythm. It's extremely entertaining to watch him.

As soon as I have the know-how, I'll post a short video clip of him. *grins* He sings "There's a Tear in my Beer" from Hank Williams Senior. And also, "Soul Man" from the Blues Brothers. Soul Man is his best. *laughs* He gets up with his dark sunglasses on and sings the song. He shakes his butt and the whole thing. *laughs brightly* It's really hillarious to watch this 60 year old man partying down in a karaoke bar.

Ya know... I've been thinking about starting a place down here at the beach. THere isn't any coffee house out here. There are a few places where you can get coffee, but it's that typical restaurant coffee. ANd there are drive-through espresso places, but I want a real coffee shop. Where you have choices for coffee.

Ya know, a place that caters to the coffee conisuer as well as the folks who just want to have a cup of coffee. No special latte or half caf double tall mocha-cino. *chuckles*

And there would be two sections to this place. There'd be a smoking section and a non-smoking section. And the smoking section would be completely closed off. And extremely well ventilated.

This would be the kind of place where someone would come in, and could read or write, or just talk a while. A place to rest and relax with a cup-a-joe, espresso, iced coffees or specialty blends.

And, I'd have a house Karaoke system. *grins* I'd use the Pioneer system, as that's my favorite. The Pioneer system uses the big disks, like lazer disks. The other kinds, use normal CD sized disks. The videos and sound quality are better with the Pioneer system. I'd use Bose speakers as those provide the best sound. AND, I'd have a multi-level mixing board. There's nothing worse than having a standard Karaoke set up where you can't distinguish from bass and treble, and where your music volume is tied in to your vocals volume.

*rolls her eyes* I've used a hell of a lot of systems. Most of them have been realy shitty in my opinion. The absolute best set up I've ever heard, is at the Thunderbird on 72 and Waller Road in Tacoma Washington. Actually, it's closer to Puyallup, but that doesn't matter much.

Anyway... If any of you are passing through Tacoma and looking for Karaoke entertainment... Go to the Thunderbird. It's a bar, tho, so you have to be 21 or older. And listen to Lonnie's set up. I started karaoke-ing with him, going from place to place like a fricken groupie, about 8 years ago or so.

He's really got the best set up. He runs Lon-Man Productions. Check him out if you're in the area. Thunderbird has Karaoke 7 days a week. If you want to sing a lot, go Sunday or Monday night. If you just want to hear a bunch of different singers, go Friday or Saturday night.

ANyway... that was sort of an unintentional plug for my old friend Lonnie. He and his wife, Lisa, and their child, have the best system I've EVER used. And he's the second best Karaoke DJ I've ever heard. The best, is Dirk, but last I heard, 9 years ago, he was moving to Montana or something.

That's it, I've run my mouth long enough. Just know that I want a man like John Cusak. The culmination of all his characters. At least from the movies I've seen.

And check out Lon-Man Productions in the future sometime.

The folks I Karaoke with now are Future Star. They're good, but Lonnie's better. Future Star actually has a website that I know of, I just don't have the URL in front of me.

I gotta jet out now, tho. I've prattled too long into my napping time.

Peace unto thy hearts, my friends.

J...