FURIOUS

I am furious, absolutely furious. I don't like to say that I don't like people, but I really, really, really am NOT a fan of one Mr. Allmendinger, or a Mr. Evernham, or a Mr. Gillett. What a bunch of shifty, crooked business men, violating their contract with Elliott Sadler, a multiyear contract to drive the 19 car, signed only in May. Tell me this isn't a spur of the moment decision--they (GEM) are basing their decision on a 5 race run when the guy (Allmendinger) can't even qualify his own car in a race!! Whatever! Elliott has proven himself in every car he has driven. He is the last driver to give the Wood Brothers a win (on horribly old tires, at Bristol, no less!), he has also won at Yates racing. He has impressive stats, is a fan favorite, a marketing gem, AND is an all around good person. Why on Earth would anyone want to be such a horrible scoundrel and kick him out of his car???? I smell lawsuit for violation of contract. Heck, Elliott is better off without such crooked people, but it's the principle of what has been done that has me in an outrage.

ATTENTION NASCAR OWNERS: HIRE ELLIOTT SADLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, again!

Again, I want to reiterate how much I dislike Tony Stewart. His comments about Regan Smith at the awards show Friday were uncalled for. I was impressed at first, that he congratulated him on winning rookie of the year, but he completely undermined this by snarkily (making up this word???) bringing up "the incident" at Talladega. Anyway, this isn't going to turn into a NASCAR blog, or a Regan Smith fan blog, just wanted to rant for a minute.

I do want to let everyone know about some good songs/CD's that are out there...
Songs:
"Feel That Fire" (Dierks Bentley) I grade this song "B" but it's still listen-to-able
"More Like Her" (Miranda Lambert) FABULOUS song.
"In My Arms Instead (Randy Rogers Band) Ahhh, my Randy. I love the delivery of this song. It'll rip your heart out.
"Don't Think I Can't Love You" (Jake Owen) This song showcases what a big, powerful voice Jake has, and the feeling he can pour into a song. Good Stuff.
"Always the Love Songs" (Eli Young Band) Good song, better delivery, strong imagery
"She Wouldn't be Gone" (Blake Shelton) Can't go wrong with a leavin song.
"She's So California" (Gary Allan) It's my Gary. 'Nuff Said.

Also check out songs by:
Micky and the Motorcars
Reckless Kelly
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Jack Ingram (I won't post about his new song. Love Jack, HATE "That's a Man."
Hayes Carll
Eric Church (Eagerly awaiting the February release of the new CD "Carolina")

This Winter is going to rock for new music and CDs.
I'm looking forward to new music from Dierks Bentley (Feel That Fire), Jake Owen, Eric Church ("Carolina") and I know there are others, but I am currently going brain-dead after a monster weekend [last week of the semester crunch].

Coming soon to pancakechicken:
Literature, music, movie reviews.
possibly some recipes
possibly some semi-entertaining anecdotes

Until then...
I am so enjoying the weeks up until Christmas, a.k.a. Advent. Is there any better time than Christmas time? I don't think so.
I still despise probability with a passion.
I now hate similar and congruent triangles.
I am rethinking my love of math.
I really want to see some snow.
I am only slightly crazy.

I've lost my bonkers and gone marbles.

Ta Ta!

Busy busy...

Hi all! I have not abandoned the blog...may or may not be good news, haha!

I've been incredibly busy over the last few months--don't you just looooooove school? I, for one, am not enjoying it so much at the moment. However, I do promise to give a real update soon. Really.

Until then, I just want to say.....
1. Regan Smith was robbed!
2. Sam Hornish, Jr. needs to be parked.
3. JPM is a menace.
4. I'm tired of bad luck.
5. math is, at times, hugely overrated.
6. Probability is the root of all evil in the world.
7. I love colder weather and DST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8. It is a quarter to 12 in the morning, and I am still not doing my homework. I'm BAD!
9. That is my act of rebellion...not doing my homework in a timely manner. How lame is that?
10. I hate getting up early in the morning.

Here I go again.

Okay, I have to say it. Sheep royally annoy me. Not the farm critters, they're adorable. AND, they give us fleece. I like fleece. No, I'm talking about sheep of the human variety--people who will jump on any readily available bandwagon without thinking for themselves.
I'll start with my NASCAR rant. How easy is it to be a fan of a super successful, runs up front every week guy? Sure, there are probably genuine Gordon, Johnson, Earnhardt fans out there. But how many of the rest of their fans actually are fans or just pick them because that's who the media shoves down our throats, who has merchandise in major retail stores, who they see first. Or, worse, say, "Ooh, he's cute, I'll pick him." Seriously? How lame is that? I like these guys, I do. But not as drivers with any credibility. Anybody can drive to a win if they're given breaks and loopholes to avoid penalties, and if they're in good equipment from their rookie season until whenever. Let's see these guys "who can drive ANYTHING" in Ganassi or Haas equipment. Let's see them drive a road course race with no koolbox, no power steering, failing breaks, and other problems (such as a crew chief who won't help him with adjustments or give a bottle of water during a pit stop to someone driving in 100+ degree heat...but I'm not naming names **cough cough, Wingo,**cough cough, Gustafson** ahem, what a frog in my throat! Anyway, I have yet to see these guys live up to all of their hype with any credibility. Sure they have wins, and championships, but have they fought for it? Have they really earned it? Think of how much more impressive, how much more it would mean for somebody from an actual team that has drivers who can drive cars that aren't absolutely perfect all the time to win a championship or even just win a race? What would it mean to Robby Gordon's team, a Regan Smith, a Reed Sorenson, an Evernham team, or a Haas team, just to name a few?
Don't even get me started on the teammate issue. My favorite drivers aren't fan favorites, even by a long shot. I heartily pull for the underdogs, because they are more humble, they actually DRIVE their cars even when they aren't perfect, and because it means more when they do well. Yes, I pull for Ward Burton (it pains me that he is no longer driving), Sterling Marlin (same case as Ward), Terry Labonte, Bobby Labonte, Kyle Petty, Elliott Sadler, Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray, David Ragan, and many other drivers you'll never hear mentioned on television.
I can't stand these low-life punks who come into the sport acting like hot shots, and thinking they're the best ever. Whatever. You haven't paid your dues, let alone proven yourself at all. I can't stand the Mark Martins, who just sit and whine about everything. If he's so great, how come he only thanks his crew when he wins or finisheds in the top ten. Otherwise, he throws them under the bus--no, it's their fault that he can't drive anything that isn't perfect. Give me a break. Not to mention....he was supposed to have retired at least four years ago! How disrespectful to his fans, who stood with him/bought his retirement merchandise, to his family (he was retiring to spend time with them), to David Ragan and Regan Smith who were supposed to take over his ride, and now, to Aric Almirola who is being screwed out of his rookie season, and rookie of the year at season's end! Yeah, Mark Martin, he's so great! Har Har. Then why does he eagerly step out of "his" ride for Bristol, Talladega, and road courses, among other tracks? Because those tracks are hard to drive! It's tooooo harrrrrrd. Wah Wah Wah. Cry me a river. Why not retire if you aren't even going to try for an entire season. Give up your seat to someone who actually wants it?
Back to the Johnson, Gordon, Earnhardt drivers. Heck I'll throw Stewart in there too. They are all upstanding, good people. I'll give them that--they're all really nice and generous people. I just don't see where their talent should be hyped as much as it is. You don't really have to try that much when you have great equipment, so how do we really know how great they are? I take back that statement that I think Stewart is this great person. Yes, he does great charity work and is very generous, and I admire that. Here's to you, some credit, Mr. Stewart. That's all you get. He is nothing but pompous, arrogant, rude, and downright unpleasant every other time he is spoken to. Grr! I hate that! But yeah, that's all the time I'm giving him. The other guys I mentioned, and implied mention of, they're all fine people, and I like them, as their non-driving selves. I don't think I can quite respect them as far as ability as drivers. Even more, I don't understand how or why people cheer for them as their favorites. Is it just because it's easy? Frankly, I think that's pathetic.
How was that for some unpopular opinions?
I know Audrey has ranted about this before, too. If you haven't read it yet, shame on you! Go read her posts too....right over there on the fresh to death link list. It's "If it's not one thing, it's another." This is just something that bothers me so much that I had to rant about it.
I'll even rant a bit about the non-NASCAR fans. How dare you people pass judgment on us?! Are you really so uppity and hoity-toity as to think you are better than someone just because of the sport someone else chooses to watch? How petty can you be? If you don't like NASCAR, that just fine, it's certainly your perogative. But don't you look down your nose at those of us who do. Just do me a favor, don't bother talking/writing about it. Ignore it if you don't like it. Just don't use your time to insult, degrade or bad-mouth those of us who enjoy the sport.
On to NASCAR itself. STOP BENDING THE RULES TO SUIT YOUR GOLDEN BOYS!!!!! Drivers aren't allowed to pass the pace car. All drivers are not allowed to speed on pit road. All drivers may use pit road to avoid an accident as a last resort. Lucky dog passes go to the first car one lap down. Drivers who bring out cautions on purpose must be penalized. Drivers who use their cars as mechanisms of revenge **ahem, Waltrip, ahem** (there goes that frog again) shall also be penalized. Why is it then, that all drivers are not made to follow these rules, and that some rules are only enforced when necessary. To be a fair and respected organization and ruling body of a sport, the sport must be consistent in its rulings. No favoritism. That's all I ask.
I'm finished now. Thank you and good day to you.

Woo!

Why the woo? I'm posting for the second day in a row! The woo is just for effect.

I'm posting to fulfill my street-team-ing duties.....and because I want to share with the world some great music.

Call your local radio stations or satellite radio stations, or check out the artists' web sites and request some great music....I highly recommend the following:

Learning How To Bend--Gary Allan
Trying to Stop Your Leavin'--Dierks Bentley
Cry Lonely--Cross Canandian Ragweed
Better Off Wrong--Randy Rogers Band
Gunpowder and Lead--Miranda Lambert
Anything by Micky and the Motorcars
Anything by Reckless Kelly (Their new CD Bulletproof is in stores now...ask about it, then buy it.
Don't Think I Can't Love You--Jake Owen
Maybe She'll Get Lonely--Jack Ingram
His Kind of Money (My Kind of Love)--Eric Church

**Heck, it'll probably blow some radio station's minds to hear some of these names, but hey. There is better music out there than the junk that Clear Channel plays. Fight the urge to "Baaa," people.

That'll do it for now, I guess.
TaTa!

What do you think??

I picked a new color scheme....what do you people think of it?

Posts are coming soon...I'm sure you're all positively giddy with excitement.

A second May post...

Apparently I've developed a trend of posting 2 times per month. Shameful. Tsk tsk, Sarah, tsk tsk.
I do have a purpose however; I'm here to muse on the joys of a swing. There really is nothing more relaxing than sitting in a nice backyard in a big old swing and just being. We used to have a swing...but alas, it has been dismantled and discarded. It's sad, really. Swings always remind me of a poem my Grandma used to recite, which my Dad taught me when I was little, appropriately named "The Swing," by Robert Louis Stevenson:
"How do you like to go up in a swing/Up in the air so blue/Oh, I do think/It is the pleasantest thing/Ever a child can do./Up in the air and over the wall/Till I can see so wide/Rivers and trees/And cattle and all/Over the countryside./Till I look down on the garden green/Down on the roof so brown/Up in the air I go flying again/Up in the air and down."
I love that poem, simple and sweet, but it says it all. (Some of those line divisions [can't remember what they're called... *scandalous*...don't tell my Writing about Literature teacher] may be incorrectly placed.)
It just seems like all is right with the world for a few minutes...Ugh, what sap that is. I am NOT a sappy person. But alas, a swing might make me a bit of a sap...for a few minutes at least.
P.S. I shall (whoo..."shall!") update/edit this when I remember what those / marks are at the end of lines of poetry. Then everyone's life will be complete, I'm sure. (I may not be sappy, but I sure am sarcastic! And cynical...)

I remember what the / marks are called: caesuras!!!!!! Update July 4, 2008.

Please don't call me baby.

I promise that I will try to steer clear of "this kind" of post for a while. No one likes to read this stuff all of the time. Therefore, I will try to make this one the last one for as long as possible.
Okay. I have another slight issue that I need to throw out there. This issue has been plaguing me for some time, but it really came to anger me even more last week (slow to update, I know). I really, really, really do not appreciate being referred to as "girl" or "baby" or "darlin" or other diminutive terms. Do you hear of young men being called "boy" or other such demeaning "titles" on a regular basis? I don't, but that could just be me. While out at a restaurant with my family last weekend, our server continually referred to my sister, me, my mother, and my aunt as "girls," "baby," or "babe." EWW. Aside from the serious ewww factor of creepiness, I felt extremely offended. My father was "Sir" but we were not even referred to as adults (which we all are, by more than 4 years). Do I want to be referred to as "woman?" No. But I do not wish to be degraded to child status either. If age is not obvious, please, please do not "down grade." Whatever happened to respectful yet still vague terms such as "young lady," "Miss," or even "Ma'am?" I try not to ask for much; just please, don't refer to me as a child.
TaTa for now!

Okay people...

Here's the scoop, guys...
I have lots of stuff to say but not enough time to say it. Which is bad, really, since I'm a philosopher of life and all........yuk yuk yuk. Let's just say, I have my own philosophy. I'm my own party, even.
This time, I think I'll relay the story of this blog's name and web address. I'm sure you've all been precariously perched upon the edges of your seats in complete and utter breath-holding suspense. (How's that for a wordy sentence??) That's another thing you should probably know before too long...I like words. A lot. Therefore, I'm quite generous with them and enjoying throwing them about all willy-nilly. Okay, back to the story kids.
Let's start with the web address...I located this blog in the web of knowledge at pancakechicken.blogspot.com because.....wait for it....I LOVE my mom's pancake chicken! (And also because it just sounds funny together.) Pancake chicken is an original delicacy. It involves chicken thighs (no skin, no bones), milk, flour, pancake mix, and Kentucky Kernel seasoned flour. Let me tell you, that is the best fried chicken you'll ever eat. Ooooh...it...is...soooooo...good. Pancakes are also another specialty of my mom's. I'm a fool for a pancake. Anyway...that's beside the point. So yeah, that's where pancake chicken came from for an address, so to move on to the name of the blog.
Why on earth would you name your blog "Randy," Sarah? Here's why. The first thing that came to my mind when the formatter prompted me for a blog name/title was an actual name. Seriously. I must have had "literal brain" that day. All I know is that it said "Blog name:___" and I thought, "okay, I'll call it...Randy!" Why "Randy?" Many reasons. Well, maybe "many" isn't the right word for it... I chose Randy because the name has been in my head for weeks. My favorite band, the Randy Rogers Band is tragically underappreciated by radio stations that are available in my area, and also lately by satellite radio. I make it a point to "ask" the radio to play said band constantly, to no avail. This makes Sarah sad. Sarah doesn't like to be sad, but she spends a lot of time that way. Strange but true. Anyway...another reason I picked "Randy" is that the name is kinda funny. You don't really hear it all that often, and if you think about it...it kinda brings a smile to your face. Maybe it's just me. I don't know, and frankly my dears....I don't care. I think Randy is a fine name for a blog.
Do me a favor, if you please. Check out my favorite and under the radar of mainstream (pthooie) radio band: the Randy Rogers Band. I promise, they aren't what you'd expect. I wouldn't steer you wrong. http://www.randyrogersband.com/
I really don't have an agenda, I just want to share some great music with you.
Is anyone out there? ****crickets**** Boo Hiss.

Great Expectations

Okie dokie, folks. Let's go. What shall we tackle today? I don't bloody well know.
Movies? Okay. How about a list of dos and don'ts?
Don'ts
1. Movies with Tom Cruise, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Jim Carrey
2. Movies that are described as "Heart-warming."
3. Action movies
4. Movies involving Martial Arts
5. Movies with senseless violence and cursing.
6. Movies with gratuitous icky-ness
7. Movies with an agenda
8. Chick flicks--if there are characters singing into cooking utensils or other household items, it's a no-no (Steel Magnolias doesn't count, because there aren't any instances of spontaneous singing)
9. "Historical" movies which ignore actual history. (i.e. "Titanic"--don't even get me started)
Dos
1. Movies based on literature.
2. Movies with real plots and developed characters
3. Movies with clever and/or dry humor
4. War movies
5. Mobster movies
6. Musicals
7. Sci-fi movies that are well-thought out (i.e. Blade Runner, Gattaca, Frequency, et. al)
8. Dramas

I have high expectations when it comes to movies. Basically, my biggest request for movies--as for most things in life: Don't waste my time! If I can predict the end of the movie, or the next line of dialogue, it's a waste of time. There are probably several other qualifications that I use, but I can't really think of them right now. Let me know what you think.

Coming Soon...

The answers to all of your questions will be revealed...compelling, no? Seriously though, if your questions involve wanting to know what the heck the purpose of this is...that may possibly, at some point, in the future become clear. In the meantime...I leave this shrouded in a cloud of mystery...Mwah ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!!