I remember this product...toy...hot item...however you want to categorize it...from the 80s, but I didn't remember this commercial for it.  I'm thinking this is how Big Nic got his start in radio though--perhaps he had a Mr. Microphone in the crib with him as a Big Nic Baby.  And I'm almost positive that's Mr. Average trying to hit on me from the back seat of the convertible.  The 80s were our courtin' days.

Wanted to share George Strait's "Don't Mess With Texas" public service announcement with you.  I love George Strait and the state of Texas and I'm really hoping George didn't have to do this because of Mr. Average's "I'm Sorry I Messed With Texas" incident of 1991.  You see, Texas is a VERY BIG STATE...and when two guys are driving the U-Haul, followed by two chicks and a baby in a Jeep...moving from California to Florida...and you're driving through West Texas with very few rest areas AND Mr. Average was having some "issues" due to whatever he ate the night before...WELL, he messed a bit with Texas....West Texas that is.  On behalf of Mr. Average, I'm really sorry and apologize to the great state of Texas and to King George.  Hopefully after 19 years and George Strait's message, Texas is all better now.

Absolutely loved this!  It's very relatable to our family since Mr. Average thinks he's "so cool"on his zero-turn lawn mower.  The children of these dads will either think they are very cool or the biggest dorks in the world!  Enjoy...

I'll admit it, I was a cheerleader...all through junior high and high school.  Back in "the day," my dad used to tease me, "Why don't you play basketball instead...you're tall, you can shoot!"  Of course, I had my own agenda - I preferred cheering for the boys and I really didn't like running suicides all that much.  I have to admit though that my enthusiasm level during cheerleading did not match the enthusiasm of this guy...GO TEAM!!!

Top 10 Things I Learned While My Making My On-Stage Dancing Debut Last Week for the "Dancing With Desire" Event for Children In Crisis:
10. The right pair of dance shoes are surprisingly comfortable--except you're not supposed to wear them outside (oops!)
9.   When Tony Dovolani from "Dancing With The Stars" is schedule to come to the studio, even if I've had to wear a t-shirt to another event, I need to bring other clothes and dress up a bit because he's cute, charming and smells great!
8.  Dancers are supposed to have false eyelashes for the on-stage performances, so the other girls had to scramble to find me a pair.  They were very long!  Mr. Average asked what radio station I was able to "pick-up" with my eyelashes...105.5 The Wolf, of course!
7.  For us non-dancers who feel like they are gonna puke all day long leading up to their performance, having pizza backstage is not the greatest idea...
6.  If you text "Hope I didn't embarrass the family" to your 21-year-old son from backstage following your performance, expect to get a message back "...tell Edyta I said hi."
5.  Have at least one other non-dancer with you so you have one other person who'll understand when you ask, "Is it too late to back out?"
4.  If you think your hair looks great the way it is, the real dancers don't think so--they'll tease it, bump it, fluff it, spray it, bump it bigger and make you feel like you've reverted back to the "Big Hair Days of the 80s."
3.  Real dancers are very thin and very young...us fake ones are not.
2.  Don't waste a good spray tan on just the dance...wear dresses and shorts for 3-4 days afterward while the bronze look lingers.
1.  When your radio morning show partner (Big Nic) announces publicly that he wants you to break your ankle, so he can YouTube it...just be patient...wait until 3 days before your performance and then laugh at him when he comes in with a BIG, SWOLLEN ANKLE AND NEEDS CRUTCHES...oh the irony!
Seriously though, the dancers from Fred Astaire Dance Studio are so very talented and so very nice to "take me under their wing" and teach my the dance routine.  I loved every minute of it and I'm really sad it's over because it was so much fun...and it was for the kids at "Children in Crisis" - a local organization that does fabulous work in our community to give kids a safe place to live when they've been removed from a bad situation.

I've loved Kevin Costner since "Field of Dreams"...and now to find out how his vision years ago can help our Emerald Coast just makes me love him even more.  I say..."whatever works, let's use it."
Ocean of dreams? Kevin Costner helps out with oil cleanup

BP’s getting some help from a surprising source: Kevin Costner.

As efforts to contain the 114 million gallons of oil that have gushed into the Gulf <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37700674/ns/disaster_in_the_gulf/> dragged on with only partial success, BP has ordered 32 centrifuge machines from Ocean Therapy Solutions, a company backed by Costner. The centrifuges, which weigh in at about 4,000 pounds each, suck in oil and water and spin them at high speeds. Because they have different densities, the fluids are separated, the oil is trapped, and clean salt water is released back into the ocean.

So what does the “Field of Dreams” actor have to do with all of this? In interviews Monday with “Good Morning America”<http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/kevin-costner-bp-machine-developed-answer-oil-spill/story?id=10905441> and CNN<http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/06/15/oil.disaster.costner/index.html?hpt=T1>, Costner explained he was inspired to create an invention of this type after seeing the damage from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. He contributed more than $20 million to create it, and his brother Dan, a scientist, created the actual device. They teamed up with a former Department of Energy employee and joined forces with Ocean Therapy Solutions, a California-based company with a hub in Louisiana, and created their first machines about a decade ago.

The company says its most advanced device can clean water at a rate of 200 gallons per minute.

Last week Costner told a congressional committee, "It may seem an unlikely scenario that I'm the one delivering this technology at this moment in time, but from where I'm sitting, it is equally inconceivable that these machines are not already in place."

On its website<http://www.ots.org/>, Ocean Therapy Solutions says, “Oil and water don't mix. Let us separate it for you.”

Tony Dovolani from Dancing With The Stars was in the studio on Friday to help us promote the upcoming benefit for Children in Crisis called "Dancing With Desire 2010" on Thursday, June 17th at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College.  While at the station, Tony told us lots of stories and posed for many pictures with ALL THE LADIES!  He doesn't act like a celebrity at all!  It seemed as though he had all the time in the world for us--and here are some of the comments from the girls in the office....(none by me!)
"Oh honey, you smell so good!"
"I wore my new wig and my push-up bra for you!"
"Let me suck in my stomach so I look real good for my picture with you!"
"How did you put up with that woman on the show?" (referring to Kate Gosselin)  "I think she danced like that 'cause she pushed out all them babies."
And my favorite..."How come you didn't rip your shirt off on the show like Maks did?"
You can see Tony, Maks, Edyta, Chelsea, Anna, Val (Maks' brother) and many more "Dancing With The Stars" pros, plus local Fred Astaire Dance Studio champions...and me, Average Lisa...the klutz...on June 17th.  For tickets, visit Fred Astaire Dance Studio, 11 Yacht Club Drive in Fort Walton Beach, or call 850-244-4480.  I just hope I don't hurt my dance partner!  Sorry you're stuck with me Chris!

My kids always loved playing with Legos when they were little...and it was fun for me to join in their creative efforts.  I can honestly say though that we never came up with anything quite this unique!

Thank you WWII veterans!  What an honor it was to shake your hand and welcome you home at the Northwest Florida Regional Airport on May 5th from your very special Emerald Coast Honor Flight.  So many of you said it was such a great day...and one you truly deserved after what you sacrificed for all of us so many years ago.

My sentiments exactly...I've always loved watching Phil Mickelson play golf and was cheering throughout Masters Weekend for him!

By Rick Reilly
ESPN.com<http://espn.com/>

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- It's not often women win the Masters, but they did Sunday.

Actually, Phil Mickelson won, but for millions of women around the country, it must feel like a lipstick-sized victory. Mickelson, in case you forgot, is the guy who stayed true to his wife. He's the guy who's been missing tournaments the last 11 months while he flies her back and forth to a breast cancer specialist in Houston . He's the guy who didn't need reminding that women are not disposable.

Mani-pedis for everybody!

Also winning Sunday: karma, which proved to be alive and well. And guys who never had a temper in the first place. And endings that make you wipe your tears on the couch pillows.

Mickelson is the guy whose heavy head on the bed pillow lately wasn't self-inflicted. Both his wife, Amy, and his mother , Mary, have breast cancer. Usually, those two are at every tournament he's in, but for the last year they've been fighting, resting, and fighting again at home. And Mickelson has gone back to his rented homes alone.

So when Amy turned up on the 18th green Sunday at Augusta National for the first time in 11 months and Mickelson practically fell into her outstretched arms, you wanted to hug somebody yourself. Mickelson hugged and cried. And his wife hugged and cried. And his coach and his caddy hugged and cried. And 10 minutes later, the caddy was still crying.
"This is way beyond golf," said caddy Jim "Bones" Mackay, who's been with Mickelson for 19 years. "This is about a guy who loves his wife. This is about a guy who had a really hard year. Twenty years from now, nothing will compare with this. This is his greatest win, by far. Because of Amy, because of his mom, everything. God bless all those women that go through what Amy and Phil's mom have gone through. Because I've seen it and it ain't easy."

"Of all the majors I've been involved in," said Mickelson's coach, Butch Harmon, "be they with Tiger, Phil, anybody, this is the most emotional by far. This year has been a big, big strain on him. His game has suffered. What he really wanted was to be home with his family."

You figured a guy who came into this Masters having played only seven tournaments this year -- and never placing better than eighth in any of them -- would have a snowball's chance. But something melted in him when his wife and three kids showed up for the first time in nearly a year on Tuesday.

"He just had this peace to him that I haven't seen in awhile," said Bones.

Amy was still hurting, so she wasn't able to come to the golf course, but it was close enough. Each morning, Mickelson would take his oldest, Sophie, to a local coffee shop and play chess for an hour. At night, the whole brood would watch dumb movies. Mickelson came through that door each night after work like it was Christmas morning. You don't know how dispiriting it is to come home after a long day to a strange, empty house. Come to think of it, maybe Tiger knows.

"It's been tough," Mickelson said. "The meds that she's been taking have been very difficult and she didn't feel well and she doesn't have energy and she's not just up for a lot. But to have her here, man …"

Amy Mickelson is the kind of walking rainbow that could put a smile on a mortician's face, so when she showed up, everything started looking up. The golf gods started raining favors down on Mickelson's curly hair. On Saturday,golf balls started going into tiny little cups from great distances. Sunday, it got even better:

At 9: ball hits tree, bounces back into fairway. Par.

At 10: ball hits tree, bounces back into playable territory. Par.

At 11: ball hits fan, bounces into short, happy grass. Par.

"Got an assist there," Mickelson said.

Did the guy say anything?

"Ouch?" Mickelson guessed.

The big lefty took it from there.

At 12: looked into his "book of reads" for the 20-foot putt -- the green-studying book that Bones and he spent "days and days" putting together on a trip this year to Augusta -- and buried it. Birdie.

At 13: pulled off the most audacious, swashbuckling shot of his life at 13 -- from the right woods, off pine straw, through two trees (4 feet apart), over Rae's Creek, from 207 yards, to 3 feet. Two-putt birdie.

At 15: smashed an 8-iron from 205 yards -- yes, 8-iron to 15 feet for a 2-putt birdie.

Suddenly, the guy who'd spent a career being eaten alive by Woods had left him 5 shots behind. It was only a matter of lag for par, lag for par, 10-foot birdie and get the Kleenex ready.

"I saw Amy just before I putted," Mickelson said. "That was so great. I mean, I didn't know if she would be there. To walk off the green and share that with her is just very, very emotional. We'll remember this [for] the rest of our lives."

Contrast that with Woods, who spent the week reverting to form -- acerbic answers, sprayed swear words, and curt interviews. He finished fourth, which shows that the golf game is very close. The personality makeover, though, looks like it needs some work.

Soon enough, though, Woods will win tournaments like this, pass Nicklaus, and order will be restored in the universe. But for this one Sunday in a flower-stuffed pocket of Georgia, the good husband, the good son, the good man actually got rewarded.

It's almost the big day for my daughter!  Thank goodness not her wedding day...but the junior-senior prom.  We got the dress at least 2 months ago which is really good because I'd hate to be running around this week trying to find the perfect dress.  So here's her prom checklist:
Dress
Month of Tanning
Alteration of Dress
Earrings & Necklace
Shoes
Ticket
Date
Clutch Purse
Shopping with Date for Vest/Tie/Etc. To Match Dress
Boutonneire for Her Date (she called it "that flower thing")
Assembly at School for No Drinking & Driving (it made her cry, so I think the message got through)
Place for Pre-Prom Pictures
Place for Dinenr Before Prom
Place for Gathering After Prom
Money for Prom Pictures
Transportation (Hey mom, your car is the nicest and cleanest, can we PLEEEEEEAAAAAAASE take it?)
Shave Legs, Fix Hair , Paint Nails & Perfect Make-Up
Please don't let it rain - "It'll ruin everything!"
 
Mom's Checklist for Prom:
Prayer for all of those kids to get home safely
 
Dad's Checklist for Prom:
1 Shotgun

Anyone who's been in the business world for any length of time has probably seen some really bad resumes, and typically I don't care for forwarded e-mails, but this one caught my attention.  Enjoy ladies!

My Resimay
  To hoom it mae cunsern,

I waunt to apply for the job what I saw in the paper.  I kin Type realee qwik wit one finggar and do sum a counting.

I think I am good on the fone and I no I am a pepole person, Pepole realee seam to reespond too me well. Certain men and all the ladies.

I no my spelling is not too good but find that I Offen can get a job wit my persinalety..  
My salerery is open so we kin discus wat you want to pay me and wat you think that I am werth,

I kin start emeditely.  Thank yoo in advanse fore yore anser. hopifuly Yore best aplicant so farr.

Sinseerly,

Bubba

PS:
Because my resimay is a bit short - below is a pickture of
me. 
 

Employer's
response:

Dear
Bubba:

It's OK Honey.. We've got spell
check. 
See you
Monday.

Sometimes dads don't "read" situations very well when dealing with their kids.  I try to tell my husband that he needs to examine the mood of our 16-year-old daughter before he says pretty much anything...whether it's reminding her of a chore, saying something about one of her friends, recommending a different way to do something or even complimenting how she looks.  For some reason whatever he seems to say to her usually causes distress within our family unit.  Seems like this dad had some trouble too...

I loved my art classes in high school and probably would've pursued some type of career in art had I not ventured into radio.  I never would've been able to create anything like this though...iconic pop artist Peter Max has re-created Taylor Swift's Fearless album cover for his first gallery show in 12 years. It's one of 120 pieces that will be displayed at Rodeo Drive's Road Show Gallery on March 27th and 28th. The event is open to the public, and all artwork is available for purchase.  Taylor is a great role model for teens...has been great for  country music...and this is a beautiful rendition of her album cover.  She's gonna be around for quite a while!

With today being St. Patrick's Day, I couldn't help reflecting on St. Patty's Day 2009 where I headed out of studio during The BARP with The Wolf's "Largest Leprechaun."  The 3XL Leprechaun was wearing a Medium "Kiss Me I'm Country" t-shirt, had a Blarney Stone duct-taped to his big belly and paid Wolf listeners in gold...Burger King Crown Cards...if they were brave enough to kiss the Blarney Stone.  It was all quite disturbing, but oh-so-funny.  Our leprechaun is now living on the West Coast...but I can honestly say I'll always think of our weird leprechaun and even weirder listeners who were brave enough...or stupid enough...to kiss the redneck Blarney stone (a rock we found in the parking lot and washed off with soap and water) on that beautiful sunshiny March 17th, 2009.  Happy St. Patrick's Day Y'All!

Mr. Average and I are taking dance lessons...something I'd always suggested and finally got him to agree to...now I'm thinking Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Fort Walton Beach is not paying our instructor, Chris, enough to teach two uncoordinated, "older" and "bigger" adults how to be light on their feet and graceful in movement around others.  Even though my feet hurt after last night's private dance lesson followed by a party dance lesson...AND I tripped over Mr. Average's size 11 foot and twisted my back, I don't feel nearly as clutzy now that I've watched this video.  Of course, I'm pretty sure alcohol played some part in many of the "fancy dance moves" you'll see here!  Can't wait to dance at Big Nic's wedding--someone definitely needs to be running the video camera!

 According to Webster, one of the definitions of irony is:  "incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result"

Growing up in Ohio, occasionally we would see Amish families when driving through the countryside.  The largest group of Amish reside in Holmes County, Ohio.  The Amish are known as "the plain people" who shun the ways of the modern-day world.  Basically they live off the land, work very hard, help other families in need, use a horse-drawn buggy for transportation, use old-fashioned hand pumps for water and do not use electricity in their homes.  So, of course, I found it VERY IRONIC that a local fruit & vegetable market that also sells Amish butter and cheese would promote their Amish goods by putting electric Christmas lights on an Amish buggy right next to the road.  It's a horrible picture, but then again, it should've never been set up to attract attention to begin with!

I will be at Ashley Furniture this Thursday from 2-4p collecting these items. Please come by and help.

1 hand towel (15" x 25" up to 17" x 27")
1 wash cloth
1 comb
1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards)
1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz and up)
1 toothbrush (single brush only in original wrapper; no child-sized brushes)
1 large tube of toothpaste (4.5oz or larger, expiration date must be 6 months or longer) OR $1 in lieu of toothpaste purchase
6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
1 sealable one-gallon plastic bag (for contents)

Big Nic makes fun of me eating "Hot Pockets" for lunch, BUT I actually eat "Lean Pockets."  Take a peak into Average Lisa's freezer after Mr. Average visits the commissary.  "Hey Big Nic, may I treat you to lunch?"

It's almost time for Cumulus vs. Cops II.  Coach Big Nic has us all in training...morning work-outs, afterwork practices and lots of basketball drills to improve our coordination and basketball skills.  Because I'm so horrible, Big Nic is giving me extra assignments.  I have to watch, learn, practice 3 hours per day and get as good as this guy in this video or I don't get to play in the game on January 29th.  Hey I'm a girl!  I'm just supposed to show-up, pretend I know what I'm doing, wear some wild color socks and fake a few injuries in hopes the cops come to my aid & assistance (don't they take an oath to do so?)...then my Cumulus team can score lots of points while The Cops are helping me!

On Monday, December 28^th, Average Lisa and Mr. Average celebrated their silver anniversary.  They were married in New Paris, Ohio, on December 28^th, 1984, under cloudy skies with highs in the lower 60s—not bad for an Ohio winter.  The groom wore a silver tuxedo, sported his military short haircut and was 25 pounds lighter than he is in 2009.  The bride wore a white gown with ribbon lattice work on the bodice, almost set her veil on fire while blowing out the unity candle and weighed somewhat less than now, but it’s definitely distributed in different areas.

      For their 25^th anniversary celebration in Navarre, the couple ventured to The Club at Hidden Creek for 18 holes of golf under sunny skies with a wind-chill in the 20s—not good for a Florida winter.  Mr. Average donned long underwear, trousers, three layers to cover his ample upper half including his Nebraska Cornhusker jacket (“Go Big Red”), but was naked on his ring finger of his left hand because he’d gained 25 pounds in 25 years and it had to be cut off by the surgical team at Eglin Air Force Base the week prior.  Average Lisa opted for ski socks, navy slacks, cream-colored sweater and her Miami Redhawk hooded sweatshirt (they used to be the Miami Redskins, but a lot has changed in 25 years) with hood pulled up to cover her ears, ponytail and Hidden Creek visor.  Her engagement and wedding ring still fit and can be taken off whenever she gets mad at Mr. Average and wants to head out on the town with “All The Single Ladies.”

      The anniversary couple capped off the evening by treating their 20-year-old son, Derek, and 16-year-old daughter, Katie, to a nice dinner at a local restaurant where their son ended the evening in the restroom with flu-like symptoms.  Katie then drove Derek home in order to keep Average Lisa’s newer car from being contaminated with his germs. 

      In lieu of such an interesting anniversary day, The Averages have elected to celebrate their 25^th anniversary throughout 2010 in hopes there are better days ahead.  

Eagles number one
Can't be number 2
And Niceville's going to beat
The whoopse out of you!
 
Eagles are ready
Eagles are smooth
Eagles will take control
And stomp all over you! 
 
Two bits, four bits, six bits a dollar...
All for the Eagles, stand up and holler! 
Beat Dwyer!!!

My daughter absolutely loves spaghetti and would ask for it for dinner every night if she could.  It's no wonder that her dog, Addie, loves it as well.  Here's another Beagle enjoying a spaghetti dinner.  We prefer, however, to drive Addie crazy by putting it on the back of her neck and watch her try to turn around to get it off...."I can smell it, I can feel it and these strange people that take care of me like to watch me go nuts trying to get it!"  Here's some advice:  if you've had a bad day and have a dog, cook a pot of spaghetti and laugh your troubles away!