The deaths of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson are getting to me. I think Jackson's death is hitting me harder, but first, a quick rambling about Fawcett.

Charlie's Angels was on before I was born. However, Farrah Fawcett was still a star around the time I was a young child. My mother jokingly called me Tara Tossit-Minor as a kid. It was because my hair naturally fell in place like Farrah's hair. My hair wasn't a blonde as Farrah's. I was a strawberry blonde. And if you saw pictures of me as a youngster, you would understand my mother's little nickname.

So why is Jackson's death a harder hit? It reminds me of my mother's death. Both were 50; so close to 51. Both died of a cardiac arrest. As soon as I heard they took him away in an ambulance for such a medical event, I knew he was dead. I know that sounds cold, but had I not witnessed them take my mother way in the same nature, I'd probably would be been more optimistic.

And many of my childhood memories have like pieces of Michael Jackson here and there. Nicki and I loved "Billie Jean" as children. When it was just the four of us as a family, I remember listening to Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, and Elton John have big hits on the radio. They, along with the "older" music my parents listened to, made up the soundtrack of my life. Nicki and I wanted to see Captain EO, but never did. When I turned 6, someone gave me the Michael Jackson Mr. Microphone. I loved it; my mother hated it and tried to discouraged me from using it. And if you ever heard me sing, you'd understand that, too. LOL. Thriller was everything.

When I was in 3^rd grade, Bad came out. The family we car pooled with always had either Bad or George Michael's Faith on in her car. By the end of that year, I pretty much recognized all the songs on Bad. I was in 7^th grade when Dangerous was released. The big discussions in the girls bathroom the next days after a premier of his videos was the video.

In 1993, when Free Willy was release and "Will You Be There" was all over the radio, I made an unintentional joke. My father had just returned from Egypt and I was in the car with him on this hot summer day. I told him the song sounded better without the orchestra. My father just started laughing, freaking me out. He ended up telling me that I just made a joke and had to explain it. At the time, I was suffering from a severe bout of depression, so to hear me make any joke made him happy. I ended up laughing when my dad explained the punchline. A father/daughter moment brought to us thanks to Michael Jackson.

Even a few years ago, when Lindsey, Matthew, Joey the Jerk, and I came back from our trips to Atlanta, Joey and I talked about Michael Jackson for a bit. I listened to "Billie Jean" and a few other songs in the car that day and we just talked about his music and the memories associated with it. Even now, I still think of Joey when I hear "Billie Jean" because of the song reminds me of elements of Joey's life that I know about.

So, to read of his death, yes, it's a little unsettling. I feel for his children. No child should have to go through what they are about to go through. It doesn't matter how good or evil Michael Jackson; he was their father and now he's gone. I think the saddest things I read so far about his death are 1) was Lisa Marie Presley's blog entry about his death. In a way, I understand what she's saying. 2) Reading that Paris screamed: 'No, no, Daddy. No, no!'. No child wants to hear his or her parent has died.

Now, I haven't cried about these events, which is good for me, but they have cast a heavy shadow on me at the moment. God bless Farrah's and Michael's families.

[♪Listening to: "Say Say Say" - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson]

Taste It
Uploaded by peachy92.

My father and brother are currently on their way home to Savannah from here. They spent most of it with me. Yesterday, we went to the World of Coca-Cola. Matthew had never been, so it his turn to go. It was so packed, so he didn't get to see everything. I like to think he had a good time. He saw the 4-D movie, the Pop Culture exhibit, the bottling plant, and Taste It. Taste It was the main attraction he wanted to visit. He tasted all of the African drinks, all the Latin American drinks, all but one of the Asian drinks, and all of the European drinks.

My father tricked my brother into trying the Beverly last. My father even drafted my brother's drink while he was trying his next to last European drink. Matthew had been taking swigs of each drink; most people take only a sip. Matthew was disgusted, like the rest of the family, as he processed the flavor of the drink. I remember my father's reaction to it. Matthew was worse. Even as he chugged down some Coke, he still couldn't get rid of the taste. His response to this encounter on Facebook: "OH GOD MY TONGUE WAS MELTED OFF BY A HORRIBLE DEMON POSSESSING 'SODA'". My father, had they had one at the store, would have gotten my brother a "I survived the Beverly" shirt or hat.

My father was happy to join us. The World of Coca-Cola give free admissions to those that come to the ticker counter with an active or retiree military ID card. So, my father doesn't need a season pass; he gets in for free. There is this kwi-mango Bibo drink from South Africa that he wishes was sold here in the US. Since it's not, he gets his fill of it at WoCC.

Last night, we went out to Stone Mountain to see the laser show. We enjoyed it, except for the lawn being over croweded and the concession stand being full of morons on the customer side and workers that couldn't better control the flow of the customers on the inside. We got angry about that. I got in line behind an idiot that wanted to make a big order. That was after waiting 15 minutes. My father then stood in line and he got behind some idiot that had to call his friend once the idiot got to the front of the line. Goodness people are selfish! For the big guy order, they could have taken it, and had him step aside while they got my small order. As for the idior in front of my father, they shouldn't have served him until he had his order ready.

And yet today, when I got breakfast at McDoland's, I got told to move aside because they didn't have what I ordered already cooked. One of these days, I'm going to tell them I'm not going to move. I'm tired of me being the unselfish person. I've been feeling this a lot, lately.

Finally, here's a scrapblog I made of a few World of Coca-Cola photos:

Last weekend, I was in Fayetteville for a night, so I toured Starr's Mill and Coweta County for photography fun. Just thought I'd share those.

Tools Race
Uploaded by peachy92.

So yesterday, my office had an outing to Turner Field to see the Braves take on the Pirates. This season, I have been going to Braves games left and right it seems. :) Not everyone went, but quite a few of us did. While there, I got one of those baseball helmet ice bowls. I have yet to get a picture of one of my cats in a Braves batting helmet like I want. The Braves ended up losing it in the 9^th. Such is my life. Right after Brian McCann made the last out, the skies opened up and a flash flood hit around Turner Field. I got soaked on the way back to my car.

I shared the pictures from the game with my team at work. Joke amongst a few of my co-workers is that one them wants to be the hammer if he's not working his current job!

After getting home from work today, I went to sleep. I always seem to crash on Fridays. Being out in the heat yesterday tired me out.

Not sure what all this weekend has in store in me.

[♪Listening to: "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" - Bette Midler]

Never posted a scrapblog on here before, so here we go!

Nicki
Uploaded by peachy92.

Since Thursday night, I have had at least one of my sisters at my apartment. Tonight's the last night, and frankly, I'm going to miss them. Nicki's been wondering why I have no food in my apartment. I really don't each much when I do have a chance to be home. Buying food when I won't eat it seems like such a waste. Friday night, after work, Beth, Ben, and I went out to briefly drive around the campuses Southern Polytechnic State University and Kennesaw State University. Ben wants to transfer to SPSU to further his degree in computing and IT. His credits from Savannah State will transfer to SPSU. Beth said she wants to move up with Ben and try to attend school as well. They want to move in with me. So, if she's going to school, I took her to KSU to see it as well. She can look at the both of them and see which one has a degree she's interested in. Saturday was spent at Six Flags with Nicki. She hadn't been to an amusement park in forever. I spent about $100-$150 there between her ticket, souvenirs, food, and the Flash Pass. Yes, we were Sneetches with stars apon thairs. That's how the Flash Pass works, it seems. She got to ride many rides with it, as well as do other stuff she wanted to do. We rode stuff she likes, like Thunder River, and stuff she hates, like Superman the ride. We spent 8 hours and there. As a result, my scalp is sunburned. I couldn't really wear a hat on these rides. Once we got home, we just sat in my living room with my father, Beth, and Ben. They had a karaoke stage that day, and she went and performed. She impressed the staff handling the karaoke. The emcee told the crowd that they were going to enjoy her singing. It seemed like they fast tracked her onto stage to have some good performers on stage. It was fun. It made me miss the days where Joey and I would hang out at the karaoke bar. He'd sing; I'd listen and make suggestions. I didn't realize what an impact that made on me. The emcee tried to get me to sing, but they didn't have anything I could perform.

I hardly spent time with my father this weekend. He didn't mind. He came to relax and relax he did. He spent time alone at my apartment Saturday while Beth and Ben went downtown to World of Coca-Cola and the aquarium. Sunday, he, Beth, and Ben went to the movies prior to going home to Savannah.

Sunday, Nicki and I went to the Braves game against the Brewers. It was Brian McCann bat day and he wasn't in the line up. First 15,000 people got them. We got there early enough for us to each get one. We sat in my favorite section - the upper deck above home plate. It was a back and forth game between the teams. First the Braves led, then the Brewers, and then Chipper would do something to cause us to regain the led, only for pitching to give it back to the Brewers. Finally, the Braves took the lead in the 8th and held on to it. We had fun at the game, too.

Yesterday, I had to work late, so Nicki and I didn't spend too much time together. We grabbed some Fuddrucker's for dinner and watched a 15 inning Braves game on TV. I had joked about going to the game last night with her for the $1 seats. We're just going to hang out at my apartment tonight after we went to IKEA for browsing and dinner. She's going home tomorrow.

Thursday, I'm going to the Pirates game that's in the afternoon. That's a work outing, so it will be nice not to be working for once.

[♪ Listening to: "I Feel for You" - Chaka Khan]

Swimmer's ear. I swam for about 30 minutes today. The pool was finally warm enough and there wasn't any rain. However, I stopped swimming when I felt my ears starting to clog. I've taken my post-swim shower and put some alcohol in my ears. I'll just have to let them drain naturally today.

So far, so good, work's been good this week. I think I'm actually ah-ead] (Scooter, this is my blog, not yours!) ahead of my tasks for the week. I also got news of my annual raise. I should see it later this month.

My sisters,Ben, and my father are coming up this weekend. Nicki wants to go to Six Flags. Beth will go, too. Ben doesn't want to go. I also made plans with Nicki to see (yet again) the Braves take on the Brewers on Sunday afternoon. I want to take my father to Stone Mountain. Also, I plan on going to Thursday's Braves game against the Cubs. My plan is to see the entire NL Central. My employer is taking us to a game against the Pirates next week, so all I will have left is the Reds.

In my personal life, well, with the warmer weather, I've become a bit more active with my photography. I still do things alone. I haven't really had a chance to make friends here in Atlanta. The one friend I had when I move here was a bust. Sometimes, friendships just fade away. People grow differently. People grow jealous of each other. I still wonder why this one failed. It hurts.

I finished reading The Choice by Nicholas Sparks. I've been taking my time reading it. Finally, I was about 50 pages from finishing, so I just finished it. It was okay. Personally, I think he spent too much time on Travis's and Gabby's courtship. I think it could have been better with more about Travis's struggle with Gabby's life that dealt with the choice. I also think more could be written about Gabby and her talk with Kevin. It was written in the typical Sparks formula that's now predicitable after reading several of his books.

Oh, in case you aren't aware, I have a Twitter account. It's good for short thoughts I don't want to waste a blog entry on. Time for me to have some dinner.

[♪Listening to: "Lonesome Loser" - Little River Band ]

Stone Mountain Laser Show
Uploaded by peachy92.

I actually only worked a 32 hours week this week. I doubt I'll be working only a 40 hour week next week. I've got another big project ahead of me at work.

Pikachu's death still hasn't hit me so much. I know it will come when I least expect it. And when it does, it will hurt like hell.

This weekend has been a bum weekend for me. Yesterday, I went out to Stone Mountain just to watch the laser show. It's one of the attractions out there I have yet to see. Last night was a beautiful night, so I went. It would have been better if I wasn't alone. And believe me, there were several reminders about me being alone. I took my camera out there and took a few photos. Photography wasn't my main focus will there last night. I want to take my family there next week. I don't know who all is coming next weekend. My season pass and season parking pass have paid off for me. When I'm broke, I can just drive out there and waste the day away.

Today, I was lazy with a capital L. I slept most of the day. I slept in late and then took another nap on the couch while watching the Braves game. I am currently watching the Giants game now. Tomorrow, I will probably clean my apartment. I hate cleaning my apartment.

Bonaventure Cemetery
Uploaded by peachy92.

It still hasn't hit me yet about Pikachu's death. I know it will, eventually. When I least expect it. And it's going to hurt. Scooter and Graysie missed me. I think they are angry with me. I cleaned their catbox before I left, but they didn't use it. First thing I did when I got home was clean up the area around the cat box.

My weekend was nice other than Pikachu's death. My father made spaghetti for dinner on Saturday. Saturday, I spent out at Bonaventure and Tybee Island. My father thought it was depressing to go to Bonaventure so soon after Pikachu's death. Maybe it was. I don't know. All I know is that it can be peaceful and allows me to work on my photography skills. Maybe it's my way to cope with the pain of death. I don't know.

I was on Tybee originally to escort Oy to the Class Six store. Oy and the kids went to Tybee for the weekend with a few of her sisters and their families. Mary Ellen and Harold were also in Savannah over at Bob's house. When I got to Oy's beach house, John, Joey's baby brother, and John's mother, Ellen, arrived at the same time. First thing they asked me was "Where's Joey?" I told them the truth - I haven't really spoken to him in a few months. John talked her out of going to the Class Six and go to a closer package store. I decided to stay behind and help Oy's sister with the younger kids, including the twins. We took them to the pier and let them see some people fish. One guy caught a shark, and the kids were so excited. After the pier, we took the kids out to the dollar store to get some beach toys. When we got back to the beach house, we had ice cream before I went home.

Sunday was a lazy day at home. My sisters got in a fight. Seems lately, I'm an accessory to a fight. I'm not a part of a fight, but my name is brought up. So, as they screamed it out, in front of my father, I just sat there being used as fodder in their debate. It was mainly a grieving session. They were feeling the pain about Pikachu, not being able to help my father with his pain, and the pain of my mother's death just hitting us all again. We knew this would happen when Pikachu died.

I came back this afternoon. I took my time coming back. I realized what I don't miss about Savannah - the humidity. Atlanta's humidity is not as bad as Savannah's. My poor face started breaking out as a result of the heat and humidity down there. There was no escaping rain, however. It was raining down there like it's been raining up here. It's been hard to make outside plans. The pool here at my complex hasn't had the chance to warm up with all the rain here.

On my way home, I stopped and looked for the geographical center of Georgia. Couldn't find it directly, or even its marker. I stopped in Jeffersonville, GA, and took a small look at it. I stopped at Five Guys Burgers and Fries for dinner. Great hamburger. Fries were the closest to homestyle that I know: my mother cutting a potato in fry-like strips. When I got home, saw a lot of comments on Facebook and Flickr about how was it. It amazes me when some photos I take for fun end up being the biggest noise makers.

My family lost its beloved Pikachu today. She was 10 and a half years old. She died of lung cancer.

I haven't cried about it, yet. I know I will. When will it hit me? I don't know. I know I cried hard yesterday scrambling at work trying to help my father. I got so emotional, my boss saw me and came to talk to me. I told her I wouldn't have been acting as I did if I haven't been so concerned for Pika. I told her what made Pikachu special.

My mother arranged for the adoption of Pikachu. Her friend, Kitti, had a kitten that still needed a home. This kitten was the runt of the litter. My mother joked about adopting the kitten for my father to take on the road with him. Well, Kitti asked my mother did she still want the kitten. My mother told Kitti if she drove the cat up to Savannah from Jacksonville, my mother would take her in. Kitti drove the kitten to Savannah. And my mother, following through on her joke, gave the kitten to my father to live with him in his trailer.

Pikachu didn't adopt to that life very well at first. My father decided it would be better to leave her at home. Pikachu took well to the house. She ended up adopting me. She would run into my room and curl up between me and my wall on the bed. Being a wall sleeper, I had to fight the cat for it! I used to call her stalker cat because she had to follow me around to every room.

Over time, we ended up adopting more cats. Some she tolerated. Others she couldn't stand. Scooter was one she couldn't stand. And Scooter, well, he adopted a crazy facination with her as soon as he saw her when he was a kitten. And when she rejected him, this facination continued. You would say her name, and he would light up looking for her. He was a stalker. She didn't take to well to his stalking and ended up just living in my room to avoid him.

The family decided to move her to my father's trailer k(his portable home for work and his den when he's home) for a few days to give her a vacation from Scooter. She took to the tralier easily. She became more relaxed and spoiled as a only cat out there. We realized then that her life would be that of my father's travel companion. He's taken her to Maryland, Pennsylvania, Florida, and New York, to name a few places she's been. He spoiled her and treated her. She was happy to be with him. I didn't want her to go, at first, but I knew him taking her on the road with him was the best thing for her. That's why I have Scooter and Graysie over her. Eventually, my father adopted Harri and Harri joined them in the trailer.

When I heard this morning she had cancer, I asked my boss could I just go ahead and leave work to get a start back to Savannah early. My boss was gracious with me leaving ASAP. I went back to my place, hugged Scooter and Graysie tightly grabbed my stuff, and drove home.

Pikachu died about an hour and a half after I got back into Savannah. I got to see her and pet her and baby her. My family debated about when to put her to sleep. Finally, before we could take her to get vet after me having my goodbyes, she ran out of my father's arms to hide to die. We rushed her to the vet where she died. The vet let us have some time with her. He spoke to me about her illness and rest assured us that there was nothing we could have done to stop her death. We're all feeling guilty about what we could have done differently, but there was nothing we could do.

My father is rightfully heartbroken about her death. She was his baby given to him by his wife. Ever since my mother and Misty died, he told me he dreaded this day. Right now, I am in shock. I did the least amount of crying at the vet. Sometimes, I wish I wasn't the strong, motherly one.

She will be cremated and joining Lucky and Misty.

I love you, Pika.