Whaddya do?

It's been a rough couple of weeks. I've cried, yelled, been bitchy, slept, not slept, stressed, been in pain, and cried some more. But I am actually feeling a little better today. My back isn't spasming so much. My uncle is coming along. My brother took care of his older sister (actually, he took care of Alex). Sigh... Steve has been mostly great and patient. Altho he had his moments... but hey, give the guy a break, his wife has been a total bitch for a couple weeks! I got my Spring Grades - 2 A's and a B-. So mad about the B-, but it's better than the C I thought I was gonna get. I made an argument about some of the questions on the test, so she said she could tell I understood the material and upped my grade. But now my GPA is only a 3.9 and that makes me sad. :(
Okay, ttyl!

Almost....

....done with Spring Semester!!

Lloyd

Rest in peace my dear from Lloyd. There are so many "what-ifs" or "should haves" when you lose someone you care about. Lloyd was no different. I talked to him mostly through Pogo when we would find each other playing games. The last email exchange was when I wished him a happy birthday in December. He had just turned 50. He was one of the most caring people I knew. We became friends when a co-worker, who Lloyd believed to be a friend to him, ended up in jail for domestic violence. Lloyd and I spent numerous hours talking. We went out a couple times, had a few beers. He always had a smile and a great laugh. One year he was my Secret Santa. He gave me two teddy bears that I still have. They sit on the entertainment center in my bedroom, always looking down on me.

Cheers Lloyd Miles Bailey! You are loved and you will be missed dearly! May you find the peace you deserve.

Cruise

I had the best time on our Mexican Riviera cruise! Steve actually had a good time too and I think I may have him hooked! I wasn't too impressed with Cabo - but I did try the Rattlesnake tequila! Wow!




Mazatlan - I got to spend the day with my mom Patty! We also saw Jorge while we were there. Steve and I both went parasailing - which is so beautiful!!





And of course - Puerto Vallarta! Dolphins! This was probably the most amazing experience I have ever had. They are smart, fun and loving! They love to cuddle and be petted. And we could hear them talking. Just a blast!

Gene Porter was the man behind "The Man."

Gene Porter, the man behind the hot sauce, dies at 71
Mr. Gene Porter, 71, the owner of Dixie's BBQ in Bellevue, died Sunday of cancer.

By Katherine Long
Seattle Times Eastside reporter



Gene Porter was the man behind "The Man."


"The Man" was Mr. Porter's own secret hot sauce, and at lunchtime Mr. Porter would work his way through the tables of his crowded barbecue restaurant, challenging customers to try a tiny dab of the fiercely hot liquid on a toothpick.

Mr. Porter, 71, the owner of Dixie's BBQ in Bellevue, died Sunday of cancer.

"The Man" hot sauce is legendary, and under Mr. Porter's hand, Dixie's barbecue has become a Bellevue institution since it opened 16 years ago — one that has fed hundreds of people for lunch every day in a converted auto mechanic's shop. For many years, it was considered one of the best barbecue places in the Greater Seattle area.

The restaurant crowd is often standing-room-only, and people have come from all over the world — CEOs from big companies on visits to the Eastside, as well as movie stars like Bill Cosby and sports heroes like basketball great Lenny Wilkens and hydroplane racer Chip Hanauer, said Mr. Porter's daughter, L.J. At various times through the years, the restaurant had served barbecue to practically everyone on the Sonics, Mariners and Seahawks teams, she said.

"People come in from all over the world to try that 'man' sauce," L.J. said. "They come in to get beat up. It's pretty crazy."

Those who dared to taste "The Man" often walked out with bumper stickers to advertise their courage: "I met 'The Man' at Dixie's BBQ. Yeah, baby!"

Those who couldn't take the heat would bolt to the front of the store for a handful of peanuts to put out the flame.

L.J. said her father perfected his barbecue technique through trial-and-error. As for the sauce, "he was just kind of messing around with something one day, and he came up with it, and he started calling it 'the man' sauce," she said.

The restaurant is a family business, L.J. said. Dixie's was named after Mr. Porter's wife. For the red beans and rice and other side dishes, Mr. Porter used his mother's recipes, which were originally developed in Louisiana and Mississippi. And Mr. Porter's son, Alton, runs a barbecue restaurant and catering service, Porter's Place, in Tacoma, as well as Porter's Place & Dixie's BBQ at Safeco Field.

Mr. Porter started his career as an auto mechanic, opening Porter's Automotive Service in 1970 on Northup Way. L.J. said her father was one of the best mechanics in the area.

On the weekends, he'd cook barbecue for church fundraisers, raising thousands of dollars. One day, a parishioner persuaded him to drop auto repair and open a restaurant, she said.

Mr. Porter converted the auto shop into a barbecue restaurant in 1994, and soon after, the accolades began pouring in.

Dixie's BBQ is closed for the week, but L.J. said the restaurant will continue to operate.

Mr. Porter is survived by his wife of 50 years, Dixie; his children, Alton and L.J.; and five grandchildren.

Services will be held at Overlake Christian Church, 9900 Willows Road N.E. in Redmond on Monday, March 8, with a viewing from 9 to 11 a.m., and a service at 11 a.m. Mr. Porter will be buried at Tahoma National Cemetery.

Katherine Long: 206-464-2219 or klong@seattletimes.com

I am sending this because I recently watched an eye opening Oprah special on cell phones and driving. First, let me start by asking, do you text while driving? Do you talk on your cell phone while driving? If you answer yes to either of these questions or you know someone else who would answer yes to these questions then please go to this link http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/Americas-New-Deadly-Obsession and watch these videos. You will be completely shocked. The full episode is about 40 minutes and is worth every minute of your time. I CHALLENGE you to watch it and take the pledge for a "No Phone Zone".

I learned a few things while watching this show:

You are 4 times more likely to be in an accident if you are talking on the phone while driving
A drunk driver is also 4 times more likely to be in an accident as a sober person (Yes, a cell phone user is equivalent in their level of impairment as a drunk driver)
You are 8 times more likely to be in an accident if you are texting while driving
Your brain cannot multi-task the way we wish it would while driving and talking on the phone, thus impairing our peripheral vision

Happy New Year

2010 - can you believe it?
I am back at work today after being off since December 24. Well, I worked that day - sorta. I worked from home and there was NOTHING to do!
Not much to write at the moment. Just wanted to say Happy New Year if anyone still reads this thing.