St. Louis, Missouri

On his way back from Missouri my boyfriend sent me photos of and from the arch and i just wanted to share :)

LizaCorrine.Com Poll Update - What food of your childhood do you recall...

LizaCorrine.com Poll Updates…
Today I will, by popular demand, start sharing LizaCorrine.com poll results for SOME LizaCorrine.com polls. I was asked by a few people what did other people respond.

On May 22, 2006 I asked…
What food of your childhood do you recall...

I personally loved Jell-O Pudding Pops, the frozen version of Jell-o pudding. My personal favorite was vanilla, contrary to my original email which was a cut and paste from the website that sparked this poll question.

You all also made me recall a few more childhood things … Big League Chew… oh why was it appealing to look like you were a child with snuff?

Also Mickey Mouse flavored popsicles… ahh those were the days… – Liza Corrine

But now to your responses…

“I have been craving Mickey Mouse Ears for about 2 years now.” – KST – Knightdale, NC


“The classic Chocolate Chips Ahoy!...the ones now taste like dust. Freezer pops and pop sickles...they taste like water now. I could go on....Ice cream sandwiches and ice cream bars...they were so big back then!
” – DB – St. George, SC

“Those hard bubble gum candies -- I forget what they are called. They are pink and the bubble gum was in the middle. That and Now and Later's.” – CMF – Snellville, GA

“Cinnamon toast crunch cereal! I wish it wasn’t so bad for you!!” – AAP – Greenville, SC

“ I remember Tab cola... : P” – JH – Louisville, KY

“PUSH UPS!!! Frozen orange sherbet treats in a cylinder container that you push upwards as you eat them.” – DS – Greenville, SC

Oh man, without question it is the 7-11 Slurpee!!!!! MMMM, MMMM!!! I get 'em still to this day!! :o)))) A close 2nd would be Sugar Babies candy!!! :o))) – LAJ – Edwards, IL

I remember coming home from school and popping open a can of Chef-Boyardee spaghetti. I used to eat it cold right from the can. My granny kept a few cans for me to eat when I got the munchies after school. I think these days I would warm it up. – MBA – Fredericksburg, VA

Thank you again for participating in a LizaCorrine.com poll. FYI..For those of you who mentioned a candy you recalled you may be able to find it at Cracker Barrel Stores.

Liza with a "Z"

One of my pet peeves is how people mess up my first name after I have told them how to correctly pronounce it. I even go as far as to say, "like LIZA MINNELLI".

While watching television the other night I saw a concert she did for television called Liza with a Z.... I have yet to see the movie but I can only imagine what issues she had in the entertainment industry correcting people. It doesn't bother me so much that it is mispronounce in the first place it just becomes elevated when you have told them how to correctly pronounce it and they insist on calling you what they wish... okay so that is my vent for today :)

Family and Friends

Family and friends are what can build you up or tear you down. I am blessed in my case to have both family and friends who indeed help build me up. Today I wanted to share a little slide show of just a FEW of the people who have helped to make me the person I am today. THIS IS BY NO MEANS EVERYONE ... but just a few pictures I had on my computer right now. Whether it be that they are there for me everyday or they took a moment to make a difference in my life. It could be just a smile, group I play poker with or that family memeber that calls every once and a while to say hello.... or just growing up seeing that if you stick together (though both good and bad)... that is something special to pass onto generations to come...I may decide to do this periodically...changing the pictures... but for today...enjoy

Words can make or break your day...

How many times has someone's comment made your day spectacular or ruined you completely. I have been going through a lot right now, but one of my personal goals is to stay positive... for that reason I would like to share the following.

On Mother's Day my mama told me how much she loved me. It was kind of in an awkward situation but she meant it and I knew it anyway. But there is something about sharing those words with someone that can change their lives.

On yesterday I was sitting playing with my boyfriend's guitar (not knowing what I am doing more than the man in the moon) and I could feel him looking at me... and with sincerity in his eyes, as I glanced up from the stings, he looked at me and said... "you know you truly are a beautiful woman". Do you know how that made me feel?

Then today as I was reading a friend's blog I read that her son looked up at her and told her "mom you are pretty".

You see these things were mere words, they didn't cost one thing. These mere words made someone's day. I challenge each of you who read this blog to choose kind words to say to someone today. Say I love you, tell someone how you feel about them... What makes it even better is the element of surprise.

Sale! Clearance! Discount! Oh MY!

If there are any of you who see the, Big Red/Yellow/or whatever brightly colored signs with the words SALE! CLEARANCE! that draw you right in... then this blog is for you! As soon as I enter just about any department or discount store I know EXACTLY where the sale section is. This little tidbit was taken from womenswallstreet.com and should serve as a point of reflection the next time that you are on a mission and stop by the sale rack :)

To counteract the spell of the sale, here are a few chants I use:

Nothing on sale is a bargain if I didn't plan to buy it anyway.
Nothing on sale is a bargain if I don't need it or won't use it.
Nothing on sale is a bargain if I must buy two of them.
Nothing on sale is a bargain if it doesn't really fit.

Happy Bargin Hunting! :) hehehe

Focus on Children's Strengths in Education

Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.-Malcolm Forbes

I cannot recall at this moment where, but I recently heard someone say something that to me made so much common sense but I don't know if it has been researched. I believe it deserves further investigation or study and I would like to employ a derivative of this principle to my children when I have them. The discussion was mainly criticizing education for focusing on children's weaknesses. Stating that is it not funny that instead of cultivating the things people are good at (starting in grade school) we make them work on things that they are not good at. [I.E. If you made straight As in Math but struggled in spelling parents/teachers/educators tend to give you overtime in spelling but basically push aside the idea of cultivating your stong point Math].

Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.- Will Durant

Since I cannot recall the venue where I heard this information I personally think that a combination of the two ideas would be an excellent educational approach. Elaborating further the example, I believe we should address and understand that a child may struggle in spelling but also engage in activities that would further cultivate their math skills. What do you think?

Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten. - B. F. Skinner

2nd Greenville Drive Game

Good Morning All! ... Last night some of my close friends and I attended my SECOND Greenville Drive game... one might think that I am developing a fondness for the game... and they would be right. I have attended both games with people who take the time to explain to me different things and who are easy to talk to during the uneventful eras. It has been great. Last night my friends and I went on what was intended to be our "tripple date" with; Alyssa, Joe, Stephanie, Cory, and Joe's daughter Anna. But my sweetie was actually on field emceeing while the rest of us were in the stands cheering for him. ENTERTAINING... All I have to say after last night I will RARELY bring up this pizza thing because of an afro and a hot dog eating contest.

Untapped Talent

As I was reviewing the hometown of the top 12 American Idol finalist for this year I realized that 50% of them were from states recognized as "Southern" and and 67% if you include Virginia and Florida. This thought lead me to think that there is a well of "untapped talent" because there is not a convenient outlet for talent to be found in southern states without extensive travel or complete uprooting. Yes, there is Atlanta and Nashville and those are wonderful places that one can be discovered, or make a name for yourself...However I wonder if it would be beneficial to establish or fund the establishment of some type of talent agency that looks primarily in small towns, rural areas, and/or southern states. I believe that there is this "untapped talent" that is waiting to be discovered that does not want to move to the big city or for reasons not yet known/researched/what have you... that if presented with the opportunity tailored for maintaining somewhat of a connection with their hometown or community that they would be inclined to share their talent with the world, as well as a lucrative investment for some willing soul...I don't know.. this is just another LizaCorrine random idea...

1st Greenville Drive Game

Last night was my first Greenville Drive baseball game. The drive won 12-1 It was Kris' first night as on-field emcee. He did a GREAT JOB! He is so good at things like that! To watch him is simply amazing, he has so much positive energy that it exudes from his being... but that is just one of the many reasons I love him! I never really thought I would enjoy baseball, however I believe that it may take the right recipe to really enjoy oneself. With the right person to watch the game with (THANKS ANGELA!) and the fact that my honey was the on-field emcee I had a GREAT time! My Next game will be this Saturday and since tickets are so economical that maybe I will treat different people to the games to enjoy the sport, get away from everyday routines, and see my honey in action.

Slower Traffic Keep Right

While I am not the fastest driver in the world I am often bothered by slow drivers. I try to convince myself that maybe they are God's way of keeping something bad from happening to me, kind of like my divine hold up so to speak...

However, today's blog topic is going to be my personal vent about slow drivers. One of my pet peeves is for people to drive under good weather conditions in the left lane when people are passing them in the right. If I recall correctly I believe Kentucky or Tennessee has a posted road sign that reads, "Stay in the right lane unless passing"... I remember thinking how much clearer could that be. South Carolina has signs that read, "Slower Traffic Keep Right"... maybe that is not clear enough for some, or that may leave room for interpretation error.. I don't know. I believe that if people could follow this simple rule of driving that there would be a slight reduction in traffic congestion and an even smaller decline in automobile accidents. I also believe that we would also see a reduce in the prevalence of road rage.

The following are a few personal suggestions to drivers...
- IF you choose to talk on a cell phone and drive ... PLEASE STAY IN THE RIGHT LANE
- If you really have no where important to be and you know that you drive slow, please do not leave around 8, lunch, or rush hour (especially in areas where there are only two lanes)
- When you are driving with your windows up and another driver is annoying you in some way.. please do not yell at them.. they cannot hear you and if you have passengers there is no reason to subject them to your disgruntledness

No I am not in a rush, I just think that by adhering to a few of these suggestions the world stress level will/would decrease slightly. Again I would like to reinerrate I am not the best nor the fastest driver in the world however the aforementioned are my opinions.

The spirit of the child

Quote of the day...The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age which means never losing our enthusiasm - Aldous Huxley

Meeting Dr. Essie Mae Washington-Williams & Genealogy Research

On last evening my mama and I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Essie Mae Washington-Williams, the half African-American daughter of the late Senator Strom Thurmond. She spoke of why she kept quite for so many years, a little about her book, her strong support of education, and her current and future plans and thoughts about race relations. She conveyed in her talk something that I don't think one can truly understand unless they cannot trace their ancestors if desired... which was... the African-American/Caucasian union to create child was very common however she was just brought to light because of the notoriety of her father. This is a message I think needed(s) to be echoed because I am into genealogy. I research in my spare time and try to talk with the older people to record as much information as I can to pass on to my descendents if it be God's will. What intrigues me personally is not so much her birth father because once she has that she can find generations of records but her mother,Carrie Butler. I would love to be able to help her find a picture of this lady to pass along to her future generations.

I suppose why this sticks out in my mind is because my great grand father, Jessie, was a child of a biracial union as well, and to insure his safety (his mother was Caucasian and father African-American... from what I have been told) his mother placed him on the doorstep of an African-American family. I suppose, and this is only an assumption, that this was safer during this time because she may have been made to get rid of the baby or she may have been disowned by her family. And like Dr. Washington-Williams stated, during earlier times children were expected to be seen and not heard henceforth if adults of this time knew the true genealogy or if children were curious it would dare not be discussed.

Greenville Drive's Opening Game

Today is the opening game for the Greenville Drive... the new minor league baseball team for Greenville, South Carolina. My boyfriend, Kris, is on the promotions team and he took me out to see the stadium and just hang out while he practiced yesterday. That was fun... just to watch all the happenings and rush of everyone getting ready for the opening day and they hadn't put up this or that sign, hadn't finished that sidewalk completely, had mud all over the road... it was amazing to see the work .. then I watched the players practice... looked around some of the facilities... tried some of the stadium food... and watched Kris dressed up like a slice of pizza... who oh why did i not have my camera phone then? :) But there are still some Montana pictures that will be posted and post dated recording my last days of break spent in Montana.... Today is a great day!

Day 9 - The Last Full Day in Montana

Today was a relaxing day... slept a little late... got up packed up most of my things for the journey home tomorrow... then Yeoh treated me to a massage at the European Massage.... my masseuse was Tamara... This was my first professional massage ever and it was GREAT! So very relaxing and calming.... exactly what I needed and wanted it to be ... THANKS MELISSA!

Then later this evening we went to the famed Sir Scott's Oasis Steakhouse, Manhattan Montana!... Yes the place of the ALLEDGED infamous Ted Turner Jane Fonda refusal to serve (Urban Legend going around via email forward). Well it is actually a small place and not fancy at all!... and the size of the steaks served ... all I can say is OH MY GOODNESS... I got some ummie steak fries... Yeoh talked me into getting a large order but I should have just gotten the small, however her logic is they will be great plane food... we will see about that. It was great though!... also at Sir Scott's was the first time I have ever had pickled cauliflower.. don't even ask but I love cauliflower and it wasn't that bad. We were served veggies to snack on, soup, salad, meal, and dessert... man am I full! Here is a little about Sir Scotts taken from ultimatemontana.com...

This nationally known restaurant is the Sir Scott's of the "Real Beef in Manhattan" commercials. Locally famous for their outstanding steaks and seafood served up daily. Your entree selection comes with appetizers, soup, salad, choice of potato, dessert and coffee. The generous portions are something you won't forget! All of Sir Scott's beef is USDA Choice beef aged and cut daily on the premises. Try their Jo Jo fries and don't say no to their soups. The atmosphere is pure Montana and open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. They also offer a carry out menu. Reservations are highly recommended.

Day 8 - The Week's Educational Culmination

The week's educational culmination was today. Today we heard from our very own Bobby McCormick, visited North Star Consulting, and heard and concluded theday with an summarization of the weeks educational activiest and lessons from Terry Anderson.

While at North Star Consulting, we visited Clemson Alumni, Doug Fletcher. He told us of his path to where he is today, owning his own company and what steps he took to get there. He shared with us a little of his Career To-Do List top 10...they read as follows

1) Intern/co-op - seek out unique work and extracurricular activities-grades alone will not differentiate you

2) Grad School - work 2-3 years then go back to school

3) Experiment until 30 - then FOCUS - seek diverse work experiences - begin to focus by around 30 to 35

4) Become a Voracious Reader - diverse topics and surces - internet, magazines, books

5) Travel Extensively

6) Learn a Second Language - how good is your Spanish or Mandarin?

7) Write It Down - write and review your life goals every year

8) Work/Life Balance - keep things in perspective - dont' let relationships suffer - remember, job change but friends/family are there forever

9) Focus On Your Strengths - do that which you like best becuase that will be what you are best at doing

10) Money Doesn't Make You Happy - money will not make you happy, achievingperson goals and dreams will

If you like or are inspired by Doug's Career To-Do List you may also like to read his blog from time to time, "Friday's with Fletch"

This evening the gang went and enjoyed a closing dinner at Ale Works.

Day 7 - A Little Bit of Bozeman

The day began with us sleeping in... next we had great expectations of hiking the College "M"... those expectations were quickly squashed with a greater desire for a mid-day nap following a few personal chores. Once we were finally out of the house we picked up elk and bison jerky from the local Meat Shoppe.

Then we had every intention of going to Moooo Casa to enjoy a milkshake, however upon arrival Yeoh smelled something good and turns out Moo Casa is now Mooo Casa La
Tinga... half ice cream shop, half Mexican restaurant. The food was good, however my ice cream left something to be desired with its frost bitten aftertaste... while Yeoh enjoyed her creamy Chocolate Moose...

Our next stop was a brief one at the Museum of the Rockies to see Big Mike... featured here :)

Then off to Bozeman Hot Springs & Spa.. where we enjoyed the amenities of the spaand springs. A relaxing evening of soaking in hot tubs which felt wonderful to our aching ski muscles....


We then ran to Bobby's to change and get dolled up to paint the town orange! Per recommendation of Terry Anderson, icon of free market environmental movement :), we decided to grace the wine bar Plonk with our gorgeous presence. There we experienced fine dining, saw two of three African-Americans I have seen in Bozeman on this trip, and Yeoh was almost swept away by a middle age doctor, while I was in
the bathroom checking out the cool tile mosaic Yeoh insisted I see.

Late breaking News

Good Morning all. As my friends and family check back regularly many of you may or may not know. While composing yesterday's blog I got word that my townhome was on fire in South Carolina. No one was injured, which is most important. Had I been home, it was my afternoon "nap time", therefore thank God I was not there. To each of you that have called, emailed, imed, texted... Thank you so much for everything, words cannot express my sincere gratitude. Thank you for your offers of copies of pictures, furniture, clothes, places to stay, and so much more. Not that I doubted it but I truly know that I am loved! I would like to extend a very special thank you to my boyfriend, Kris and my parents who are handling thing until I return. They are a TRUE BLESSING. They requested that I continue to stay in MT and I agree there is nothing I can do there that they cannot handle until I return.

Many of you have expressed concern about me. Just please keep me and my family (biological, extended, and more) in your prayers. I am doing fine, and that I promise. Thanks to my extraodinary family and spectacular friends.

If you are in the area, Upstate South Carolina, and would like to help please contact me and I will either pass along Kris' information to you or let you know something when I do.

For friends and family that are away the following are news articles regarding the fire.

- Greenville News - There are pictures here

- WHNS Local CBS

- WYFF Local NBC - There is a video here with "interviews" of my next door neighbor Brian and the neighbor on the other side of them.

Thank you again.
Love ya,
Liza Corrine

Day 6 - Learning to Ski

My oh my... today Yeoh and I went to the Bridger Bowl and took ski lessons form Instructor, Rick... who was absolutely awesome and PATIENT. That in and of itself was an expereince. For one thing we never left the "Snowflake"(what we called the kiddie slope), however we learned. Then we stopped by the famed, Burger Bobs where I had "The Cardic Arrest" and Yeoh "Buger Bob's Inferno". Now is nap time. This evening the students are coming over for dinner and poker.

Day 5 - Let the Learning Continue

Good Day All! I am not sure why but my blog has been down and I do apologize to those friends and family are checking daily. If you have been following my blog daily go back a few days and I have added pictures.

Today we...
- picked up our special order M.E.L.E.E. vest that turned out great
- had lectures from Holly Fretwell & Don Leal
- Holly's lecture was interesting and discussed everything from incentives to natural burns of forest
- Yeoh, three students and I took a quick trip to Montana State University's Bookstore to pick up some university paraphernalia
- we then went out and had an AWESOME tour of Ted Turner's Flying D Ranch by Russ Miller and Ranch Manager Mark Kossler
- we got to see Bison upclose and personal
... a little about the Flying D taken from www.tedturner.com

Flying D Ranch, Montana
"This stunning 113,600-acre ranch is located in southwest Montana just north of Yellowstone National Park. The Gallatin and Madison rivers comprise the eastern and western borders respectively. The Spanish Peaks Mountain Range run along the southern boundary."

- Yeoh and I then returned to Bozeman for a little shopping and dinner prepared by Bobby and Bentley

And tonight I got to to talk to my sweetheart, mama, daddy (last night), and sister... I love you and miss each of you :)