don't make me get out of my car

Baby you can DRIVE my CAR—Did you (or do u still) have a favorite drive-in theatre or drive-in (for eats)? Yes and yes for me. I'll save that for another blog. Right now I want to know yours. Click on Comments below and tell us for petes sake. Here's an image that might get you going.




CZECH FUN PHRASE—Prosím vás, kde je divadlo?

Balmy Breezes Blow Blissfully By

Where do you surf on the web to get your world view of news and events? Do you stop by BBC News or Slate? How about Radio Free Europe or Mother Jones? Blog and share some of your sites. Don't tell me you still read birchbark, um, I mean the newspaper???....and get printers ink all over your thumbs!!!....c'mon now, how old-old skool is that!

....(Psst, I still do too!)

That last photo was icy cold so we needed a balmy photo to help us feel nice. Thanks Kathy for this shot. (Click on photo to get a big warm view....ahhhh bliss!)

If ONly the wind would stop, it'd be troPICAL

I was getting some backgrounder pics down at the beach for the Journal recently and noticed how the ice was built up like something you'd see in a tv show shot at Yellowstone Nat'l Park. Click on pic for larger view and you'll see what I mean.


Gee it was only about 467 degrees below zero windchill but I really felt like taking a swim when I notied these signs. Darnnit!

CZECH FUN PHRASE—Our server, Blogger, offers a menu of languages for the blog. One of them is Czech. I'm thinking of switching Insider into Czech for the day. Good? What day should we pick Insiderati? I was thinking maybe Friday, February 1.

THE BUCK STOPS WHERE?—Today is National Compliment Day so let me get this out of the way. You bloggers are looking good today. Fit, feeling strong, weekend is coming. All signals go! And you! Yes you! I like what you're doing with your hair. Oh and you over there, stop yawning while you read this it's not polite and, oh, wait, compliments, compliments yes-yes, that's the order of the day. Forgot. Ummm, let's see, you have an interesting yawn, we might even say it's downright yawnrific. All in all I'd say it's an intelligent and high quality Insiderati that we have here. All the best to you and yours.

Whew! I'm glad that is done.

Now....let's see....oh yeah, is tomorrow really National Send-Your-Editor-A-Dollar Day? Hmmmmm....

That's 40,000 feet to you and me

This one goes out in a special request package to A, T and most of all F who is, like, all-world today and everyday.

Youthful Fountain Of Talent Bubbles Forth (metaphor in use, stand back!)

FRIDAY SWING—the CSA Photo Contest deadline is January 24. I'm getting lots of entries. Keep 'em coming.

YOUNG AT HEART—The Journal is going to feature more youth stories this year from all over the country. Last weekend DC 12 Family Div held its sleepover and it was really fun. I stopped by in the evening and took some shots and there will be coverage in the February issue. Watch for it next month. Is your lodge or district doing anything youth-oriented? Blog or email me and let me know. Here's a shot from the sleepover as some young people get ready to start a game.

JOURNEYS—I'm promoting a new feature in the Journal that will be written by and for our CSA young people. Email me your article idea at: tburke@csafraternallife.org. When I give you an okay you can start writing. Your idea will be kept private. Three people have jumped onboard and are writing stories but I need way more.

I won't tell you no-no lies

P R and the Rs...

Well it's a groovy world, girl, let me bring you to a (good, good, good, good) good thing guuurl

you can see where he got his spots from

I suffer from neck aches (who doesn't?). I wonder what sort of neck ache a giraffe gets? Think of that....all that neck....manoman now I'll never complain about a sore neck again! I got it easy compared to them. Found this cute pic of son and dad giraffes on the BBC News Photo of the Day. The "awwwww" factor is right off the chart, don't you think?



From the Strange But Trivial file—has anyone noticed that Paul Revere and the Raiders songs mostly all reference other pop songs? Check it out next time you're listening. A friend and I were noticing the strange coincidences between the movies Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation and It's A Wonderful Life. Both star Jimmy Stewart. In Mr. Hobbs there are several references to the other flick. The kids names are almost all the same and he makes quips that lead me to think there was something tongue-in-cheek he was doing. Also, he pulls the bannister knob off ala Wonderful Life.

Ever noticed things like that? Well don't bogart it—share. Blog it by clicking on "Comments" below. See ya.

so then, Cab and Goodbye would be tough

I know, I know....I haven't been posting as often....and I need to put some music up here too....hey, for the CZECH FUN PHRASE how does this grab you—Taxi! (*See explanation at bottom.)

Are you a-plannin' a trip to that there Czech Republic land this a-year? (Sorry, been watching too much Beverly Hillbillies lately.) If so, check out this map below. I never realized that the CR is so centrally situated in Europe. Did you? Prague is further west geographically than Stockholm or Vienna and almost as westerly as Rome. Hard to really see it as an eastern block country back in the 'iron-enriched drapery' days. But oh, it was kids, it was! Also, here is a coin from the CR. If you carry this map and this coin you should be fine in your travels. Now go on, git! And good luck!




'Taxi!' Explanation....it seems that taxi is taxi in almost every language. I checked in Czech; poly-vued in french; como esta'd in spanish, ach-tunged in german and even looked into Gada's language too and each time it came up taxi. I haven't been able to ascertain chinese but maybe M will help us there.

Also...."hi" is "hi" in all languages. I guess being friendly always works. G'day Insiderati. Hi.

January 2008 Covers

Tall enough for your feet to touch the ground

Question of the day....who are you gonna vote for in the, no, wait, we're not gonna go there....the POPPER for today is: did you ever go to a drive-in and is there still one near you? Blog your comments below or if that's too much trouble talk right into the speaker, go ahead, I'll hear you. Just holler real real loud. And if it seems I'm setting you up for something....don't worry, I am! Hee-hee-hee.


THURSDAY SWING—Jan. 24, deadline for the CSA Photo Contest. February 18, deadline to request an application for a CSA Scholarship. April 6 is the Jr. Bowl-o-Rama and March 6 is the deadline to register.