So it's more than obvious that I'm no longer posting here...if you feel so inclinded, however...you can find me on MySpace @ http://profiles.myspace.com/users/8974697 Maybe someday I'll be back here, who knows. Catch you guys later...

Case

CaseBelle Was Here @ 3:44 PM
Well...there really isn't much to say. Boston FINALLY beat the Yankees. My Yankees. I guess it's our turn to say, "Wait until Next Year." This just really isn't my year, I guess. Too many bad things happened...don't even know why I thought my Yanks would pull through. Our bats stopped swinging, our pitching took a dive...and Boston just got better. *Shrugs her Shoulders* Im not happy...no where close to it...because honestly I really needed them to win...if only just to feel that feeling you feel when your home team wins. You know what I mean...that happy butterfly thing. I just wanted a few minutes of that. Maybe it's greedy...the Yankees "always" get that, right? But after the year I've had...I really don't give a shit...I just wanted it. So quite frankly...yeah, that's selfish...and I'll probably seclude myself from those of you who just want to rib me for all of two seconds...I dont need it...and I really dont want it. A lot of people just dont see how that team- a silly baseball team- could be so much more than that. Its hard to explain...they're one of the few things that actually gets me through my rough times...so for them to go down...this year...to Boston...is more painful than most of you can fathom. Imagine that. A silly baseball team.

And now...for a great story that Im all too accustomed to due to the similarity of names. :) Enjoy. Congrats to Boston (Yes- Im big enough to give you that much) BUT...Im still rooting for Houston or St. Louis...and God knows I hope they win.

Casey at the Bat
Ernest Lawrence Thayer

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day;
The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play.
So when Cooney died at first, and Burrows did the same,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought "If only Casey could get a whack at that -
We'd put up even money now with Casey at the bat."

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a lulu and the latter was a fake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and they saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled in the mountaintops, it rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the hillside and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped -
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one," the umpire said.

From the benches black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone in the stand;
And it's likely they'd have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult, he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."

"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered "Fraud!";
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.

The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out.



CaseBelle Was Here @ 1:51 AM
It has to be one of the saddest things...to wake up and have it hit you. Reality. I used to be a big fan of Reality, still am...to an extent. But sometimes I'd like to sleep forever because it is in my dreams that anything is possible. I can see her in my dreams, she's there...she puts life back into living in those dreams. In those dreams I can cross the line of "That week in April" and remember how it felt to live back then. And then...you wake up. My eyes open and right next to me sits the fat ass of reality.

It's the 9th...which, for those of you following along at home...means tomorrow is October the 10th. Six months. Im afraid that if the next six months go by as fast as these six did...well...I'll be getting older a lot faster than I had originally planned. It still feels like yesterday. Still hurts to breathe on most occassions. I know they say that it gets better. Easier. But I think that they're lying. Whoever "they" are...they should know that liars go to hell. :þ I knew that life would change- that there would be no going back...and yet if I had three wishes...I'd use them all on that, probably. And, honestly, I've never been a huge fan of "memory lane" either. I realize that you should never look back...just keep moving forward. But those cliche designers..."they" are also liars.

It is the defineable moment in life. The line's already been drawn...so those other big moments...getting married, having kids, buying my own house...obviously they'll be moments. Things will change, but...I highly doubt that EVERYTHING from the taste of bubble gum to how the wind feels...will change. That's what April did. There was before that week in April. And then after it.

I was at Wet Seal yesterday...and most of the girls that work there are the type of girls who live to annoy me, but the one who helped me yesterday was so nice. Genuinely nice. Somehow we got into talking about sisters. She asked if my sister stole my clothes. All of you know that Kellie was a professional thief when it came to picking the lock on my door and stealing everything from socks to new shirts with tags still on them. Even now when I cant find something...I think she's playing games with me. Just to see how long it'll take me to wind up in her room to search through her clothes...so that I can find my own. I couldnt tell that nice girl though that "She used to...before..." No, I just smiled and told her about Stef, "Well...she's 14...so she'll take a shirt occassionally..." The girl told me how close she was to her sister. They stole each other's clothe all the time. Then asked how old I was. "21." "Oh yeah? I'm 21 too. My sister's 19. So you can just imagine how close we are."

Yup. I could imagine. But I also know. I know it better than just about anything in the world...

CaseBelle Was Here @ 9:05 AM
Apparently THREE hurricanes just weren't enough...Charley...Frances...now stupid undecisive Jeanne. Well, she's sure made her decision...unfortunately it was Florida again. :( Im tired of all these retarded storms and even more tired of the boards on the house!! I dont want to live in a batcave anymore...or to loose my power again! UGH! I cannot wait until November when this season is O-V-E-R. Anyway...other than that...it's the same ol' stuff...different day. More later.

CaseBelle Was Here @ 10:49 PM
We're about to enter the peak of the hurricane season. Any day now, you're going to turn on the TV and see a weather person pointing to some radar blob out in the Gulf of Mexico and making two basic meteorological points:

(1) There is no need to panic.
(2) We could all be killed.

Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to be in Florida. If you're new to the area, you're probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for the possibility that this is the Big One. Based on our experiences, we recommend that you follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan:

1. Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least three days.
2. Put these supplies into your car.
3. Drive to Ohio and remain there until Halloween.

Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in Florida.

We'll start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items:

HURRICANE INSURANCE:
If you own a home, you must have hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic requirements:
1. It is reasonably well-built
2. It is located in Ohio.

Unfortunately, if your home is located in Florida or any other area that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies would prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they might be required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the insurance business in the first place.

SHUTTERS:
Your house should have hurricane shutters on all the windows, all the doors, and -- if it's a major hurricane -- all the toilets. There are several types of shutters, with advantages and disadvantages:

Plywood Shutters: The advantage is that, because you make them yourself, they're cheap. The disadvantage is that, because you make them yourself, they will fall off.

Sheet-Metal Shutters: The advantage is that these work well, once you get them all up. The disadvantage is that once you get them all up, your hands will be useless bleeding stumps, and it will be December.

Roll-Down Shutters: The advantages are that they're very easy to use, and will definitely protect your house. The disadvantage is that you will have to sell your house to pay for them.

Hurricane-Proof Windows: These are the newest wrinkle in hurricane protection. They look like ordinary windows, but they can withstand hurricane winds! You can be sure of this, because the salesman says so. He lives in Ohio.

HURRICANE PROOFING YOUR PROPERTY:
As the hurricane approaches, check your yard for movable objects like barbecue grills, planters, patio furniture, visiting relatives, etc. You should, as a precaution, throw these items into your swimming pool (if you don't have a swimming pool, you should have one built immediately). Otherwise, the hurricane winds will turn these objects into deadly missiles.

EVACUATION ROUTE:
If you live in a low-lying area, you should have an evacuation route planned out. (To determine whether you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's license; if it says "Florida," you live in a low-lying area).

The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being trapped in your home when a major storm hits. Instead, you will be trapped in a gigantic traffic jam several miles from your home, along with two hundred thousand other evacuees. So, as a bonus, you will not be lonely.

HURRICANE SUPPLIES:
If you don't evacuate, you will need a mess of supplies. Do not buy them now! Florida tradition requires that you wait until the last possible minute, then go to the supermarket and get into vicious fights with strangers over who gets the last can of SPAM.

In addition to food and water, you will need the following supplies:

1. 23 flashlights and at least $167 worth of batteries that won't work or will be the wrong size for the flashlights.

2. Bleach. (No, I don't know what the bleach is for. NOBODY knows what the bleach is for, but it's traditional, so GET some!)

3. A big knife that you can strap to your leg. (This will be useless in a hurricane, but it looks cool.)

4. A large quantity of raw chicken to placate the alligators. (Ask anybody who went through a hurricane; after the hurricane, there WILL be irate alligators.)

Of course these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast of the situation by turning on your television and watching TV reporters in rain slickers stand right next to the ocean and tell you over and over how vitally important it is for everybody to stay away from the ocean.

Good luck, and remember: It's great living in Paradise.


CaseBelle Was Here @ 9:04 PM
So...apparently two major storms in one month was just NOT enough. :) Third times the charm, folks...

CaseBelle Was Here @ 6:38 PM
HERE WE GO AGAIN~ Now with Hurricane Frances! Just when things were getting back to normal...geeze...this is just so insane. Most Hurricane seasons barely produce one good storm...and we're get them from the left...and now from the right! And...that means MORE time without power, airconditioning...cable...all the things that are lovely...or...I need for school. :þ Should be fun.

Stay Safe Out There!!

CaseBelle Was Here @ 12:28 PM
So...Hurricane Charley, Huh? Number One...I dont understand why we have to have a unique spelling of the name for a hurricane! :P Secondly...this thing came on quickly huh? I heard this morning that it was barely a category three...that it was just going to graze Orlando. Now? It's a category FOUR...and only 10 mph away from being a category five! Orlando is supposed to get winds up to 100mph...the most this area has seen is YEARS...and by years...I mean a good 20 years. In my 11 years of being here...I've gone through a few of these things, but none this severe. Kinda freaky. Everyone stay safe & dont do anything too stupid...like surfing. Idiots. Catch ya when the winds die down. :)

CaseBelle Was Here @ 2:47 PM