KayR profile picture

KayR

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About Me





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I was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and have lived here my whole life except for two years that I lived in Houston, TX back in junior high. I absolutely love my hometown - Shreveport is located in the extreme northwest corner of the state, about 15 miles east of the Texas border and 30 miles south of the Arkansas border. It is 3 hours from Dallas, 4 hours from Houston, and 6 hours from New Orleans.
Shreveport is named for Captain Henry Miller Shreve, a steamboat captain, who in the 1830's cleared the great log jam ("Great Raft") that stretched 165 miles along the Red River. This accomplishment opened the area to commerce, marking the beginning of growth and leading to the incorporation of the city of Shreveport in 1839 .. obtained from the Caddo Indians. Agriculture and the lumber industry were the mainstays of the economy until the 1900's when the oil boom served as the impetus for industrial and commercial expansion.
Shreveport is right across the Red River from Bossier City and the two are paired cities like Minneapolis/St. Paul. The combined population is 270,000 with about 450,000 in the overall metropolitan area, but both cities still have that "small town" feel. The cost of living is moderate. Shreveport is a progressive city with a number of industries. The year-round temperature is mild and pleasant. “Sportsman's Paradise” –– the Louisiana State nickname –– is one that definitely applies to the Shreveport-Bossier area. With several nearby lakes, parks and the Red River, our great outdoors offers opportunities for camping, hiking, canoeing, fishing, boating and more.

The Shreveport-Bossier City area offers a multitude of entertainment and cultural activities. Shreveport has its own symphony, metropolitan ballet company, theater arts council, and is the host of numerous cultural festivals each year such as the Red River Revel, Holiday in Dixie, Mudbug Madness (crawfish), and Mardi Gras balls and parades. The American Rose Center is in Shreveport. It features North America's largest rose garden with more than 20,000 roses on 118 acres of blooming beauty. The center is headquarters for the American Rose Society. The Louisiana Hayride is in Shreveport and is the place where Elvis got his start. Shreveport hosts the NCAA Independence Bowl, The Shreveport Sports - a Double A professional baseball team, The Shreveport/Bossier City Mudbugs, a professional hockey team and The Battlewings - Bossier City's arena football team. There are a total of 5 riverboat casinos which draw tourists from all over the United States. There is a booming Movie Industry in Shreveport where several movies have been made featuring Kevin Costner, Ashton Kucher, Demi Moore (my niece Alissa is an extra in her movie), Meg Ryan, and Sandra Bullock. I'M WAITING FOR JOHN TRAVOLTA TO COME TO TOWN - HE'S MY FAVORITE ACTOR!!!
Barksdale Air Force Base is located in Bossier City and is home to the 2nd Bomb Wing and the Mighty 8th Air Force and the B-52 bomber. Barksdale warriors and B-52s have a proud tradition serving both at home and abroad in support of the Global War on Terrorism; they have played vital roles in combat operations supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Barksdale was the first location to which President George W. Bush was flown after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Also located in Bossier City is Louisiana Downs, one of Louisiana's premier horse racing tracks and host of the Super Derby each year.
The Shreveport/Bossier City area has some of the best schools in the state. Both are considered to be two of the most progressive cities in Northwest Louisiana.
Health care is a major industry in Shreveport. I work at LSU Health Sciences Center which is one of the largest teaching hospitals in the South. I have a great job - lots of fun although busy, busy. I am the administrative coordinator for the Obsetrics & Gynecology Residency Program. I basically take care of 24 doctors in training while making sure our program is in compliance with all mandated educational requirements. I have been doing this for over 25 years now and I have seen many groups of residents complete our program. It is rewarding to watch them go from timid medical students to accomplished physicians. The road to becoming a physician is a tough one - I see it from start to finish - and admire them all for making it through.
FAMOUS PEOPLE FROM SHREVEPORT
Albert Belle - ML baseball - Indians, White Sox, Orioles
Terry Bradshaw - NFL player - Pittsburgh Steelers
Kix Brooks - Country star
James Burton - Legendary guitarist for Elvis
Pat Carroll - Actress & comedian
Van Cliburn - Concert pianist
Johnnie Cochran - O. J. Simpson's lawyer
Joe Ferguson - NFL player - Bills, Lions, Buccaneers, Colts
William Joyce - Author and filmmaker
Robert Parish - NBA player - Boston Celtics
Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Blues guitarist
Hal Sutton - PGA golfer
Stromile Swift - NBA player - Memphis Grizzlies
David Toms - PGA golfer
Todd Walker - ML player -Twins, Rockies, Reds, Red Sox, Cubs, Athletics
Vernon Wells - ML player - Toronto Bluejays
Hank Williams, Jr. - Country star


O.K. FOLKS ... HERE IT IS ... MORE THAN YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT LOUISIANA ..................
OUR STATE SYMBOLS:
AMPHIBIAN - Green Tree Frog
BEVERAGE - Milk (with a shot of Bourbon LOL!)
BIRD - The Eastern Brown Pelican
CAPITAL - Baton Rouge (Means "Red Stick")
COLORS - Blue, White and Gold
CRUSTACEAN - Crawfish (Crawdads or Mudbugs)
DOG - Catahoula Leopard Dog
FLOWER - Magnolia Blossom
FOSSIL - Petrified Palmwood
FRESHWATER FISH - White Perch
GEM - Agate
INSECT - The Honey Bee
MAMMAL - The Louisiana Black Bear
MOTTO - Union, Justice, Confidence
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT - Diatonic Accordion
NICKNAME - Pelican State/Sportman's Paradise/Bayou State
SONGS - Give Me Louisiana & You Are My Sunshine
TREE - Bald Cypress
WILDFLOWER - Louisiana Iris
Louisiana is the 18th state and has a very diverse population. It was named for King Louis XIV of France. There continues to be a strong French influence in the southern part of the state. I'm sure you've all heard the term "CAJUN" but do you really know what it means besides hot spicey food? It represents a group of people who are descended from the early inhabitants of Canada's Maritime Provinces who were exiled from Canada by the victorious English in 1755. Many settled in Louisiana and came to be known as Cajuns.Modern Cajun cuisine tends to be spicy and bold and includes recipes with popular items such as andouille, boudin, jambalaya, gumbo, and etoufee. The use of the dark roux and the holy trinity of chopped green peppers, onions and celery form this incredibly flavorful cuisine. Go here to read a list of popular Cajun dishes and their ingredients. CLICK HERE
Another wonderful part of the Cajun culture is a form of music called Zydeco. Zydeco has been steadily growing in national and international popularity over the past fifteen years, as Louisiana's rich cultural heritage has become more widely known. Cajun cooking shows, Hollywood films set in Louisiana, and the New Orleans' Mardi Gras celebration have all contributed to this trend. Zydeco is a lively mixture of Cajun music, blues, R&B, the Jure' religious singing of southwest Louisiana, carribean music, and even a little jazz. Zydeco is based on the earlier Cajun and Creole music played in southwest Louisiana (in this area, the term "creole" was used to identify the French-speaking African-American population). Their fiddle music, played for house dances and community gatherings, retained its early French feel while absorbing the sounds of neighboring groups. German and Italian immigrants to Louisiana introduced the ACCORDIAN in the late 1800s, and it was first picked up by the Creoles. By the 1920s, the accordion-fiddle duet had become a standard feature of Cajun and Creole music. Shreveport's yearly "Mudbug Madness" festival is host to numerous Zydeco bands and to me it is the best festival we have - I could listen and dance to this music all night.
Watch this video of some great Cajun fun - dancing to Zydeco music. They are singing most of the song in Cajun French.
FAMOUS PEOPLE FROM LOUISIANA
Trace Adkins - Singer, Songwriter
Louis Armstrong - Musician, Singer
Evelyn Ashford - Olympic champion
John James Audubon - Naturalist and artist
Geoffrey Beene - Fashion designer
Truman Capote - Author
Kitty Carlisle - Singer, Actress
James Carville - Political consultant
Patricia Clarkson - Actress
Harry Connick, Jr. - Musician, Actor
Michael DeBakey - Physician, Inventor
Ellen DeGeneres Comedian, Actress
Jake Delhommne - NFL football player
David Dellucci - ML baseball player
Antoine "Fats" Domino -Musician, Singer, Songwriter
Donna Douglas - Actress
Clyde Drexler - NBA basketball player
Kevin Faulk - NFL football player
Marshall Faulk - NFL football player
Trev Faulk - NFL football player
Faith Ford - Actress
Pete Fountain - Musician
Mickey Gilley - Musician, singer
Ron Guidry - ML baseball player
Bryant Gumbel - Television newscaster
Greg Gumbel - Television sportscaster
Lillian Hellman - Playwright
Al Hirt - Musician
Clementine Hunter - Artist
Mahalia Jackson - Gospel singer
Randy Jackson - Bass player, Singer, American Idol Judge
Doug Kershaw - Country singer
Sammy Kershaw - Country singer
Dorothy Lamour - Actress
Ali Landry - Miss USA, Model, Actress
John Larroquette - Actor
Jerry Lee Lewis - Singer, musician
Ted Lyons - ML baseball player
Karl Malone - NBA basketball player
Archie Manning - NFL football player
Eli Manning - NFL football player
Peyton Manning - NFL football player
Branford Marsalis - Musician
Wynton Marsalis - Musician
Tim McGraw - Country singer
Garrett Morris - Comedian, Actor
Aaron Neville - Singer
Randy Newman - Songwriter, Singer
Lee Harvey Oswald - Assassinated Kennedy
Melvin (Mel) Ott - ML baseball player
Carly Patterson - Olympic champion
Paul Prudhomme - New Orleans Chef
Anne Rice - Author
Cokie Roberts - News journalist
Bill Russell - NBA basketball player
Richard Simmons - Fitness expert
Howard K. Smith - Journalist, Reporter
Britney Spears - Singer
Freddie Spencer - Motorcycle racer
Ray Walston - Actor
Lynn Whitfield - Actress
Reese Witherspoon - Actress



Do you owe your life to a chimpanzee? Over the last century, millions of people have been able to live longer, healthier lives thanks to the medicines and surgical techniques that were tested on chimpanzees -- one of humankind's closest relatives. Dozens of vaccines, for instance, have been perfected on chimps purposefully infected with diseases such as polio and hepatitis.
And other chimps have helped us make major technological leaps, by testing everything from submarines to spacecrafts to make sure they are safe for human use.
Sadly, chimpanzees have received little thanks for the knowledge they have allowed us to gain. Once their work is over, if they survive, their futures are grim: they often live out their lives -- which can last nearly as long as humans' -- in cramped cages or laboratories. However, people are increasingly joining a movement to create sanctuaries for these "surplus" animals, allowing them to spend the rest of their long lives with greater dignity and freedom.
I am proud to say that one such place exists right here in my hometown. It is called Chimp Haven. It took several years for this place to finally get built and receive its first group of chimpanzees. There are now over 100 chimpanzees there including a new baby that was an "accident" - Conan's vasectomy failed! I will never forget the first time I visited Chimp Haven. It was thrilling to see these wonderful animals living "free" - that is, free from cages and moving around outside freely - even climbing trees. It was so fascinating to watch them - trying to read their minds as they gazed at us - were they saying thank you - one even held out his apple as if to offer us a bite. It was thrilling to hear their shrieks and laughter and to watch them interact with each other. It was an amazing experience.
PLEASE VISIT: CHIMP HAVEN
Watch the very first habitat release on July 22, 2005 when the doors to the 5-acre forest were opened and the first group of chimpanzees who had arrived at Chimp Haven had the opportunity to feel grass under their feet - for some, it was the first time they were ever outside at all except for when they were transported to Chimp Haven. As you will see, one or two were a little timid about leaving the safety of the indoor enclosure, everything was so new to them. What a thrilling day!!!


My Interests



- especially CATS -I have 5 CATS and they were all adopted or rescued - POOKER, ANNA-CLAIRE, OZZY (who I rescued after Hurricane Rita), LEXI, and OLIVIA - I LOVE THEM WITH ALL MY HEART!

POOKER came to me when I "cat-sat" her for someone who went overseas for a few months. I absolutely fell in love with her - she is so sweet and has the most endearing meow. Luckily, her previous owner decided to let me keep her. She is extremely affectionate and wants to be in my lap all the time which is just fine with me.
ANNA-CLAIRE , my little princess, was brought to Petco by one of our foster moms. Since she was somewhat overloaded with foster animals, I agreed to bring Anna-Claire home "just to foster her". Well, guess what? She absolutely captured my heart and I decided to adopt her myself. She is very small and petite and so lady-like - a real princess.
My little man, OZZY , was brought into our Humane Society Emergency Shelter we set up after Hurricane Katrina. He was actually brought in after Hurricane Rita. I was out of town when he was brought in and when I would call to see how things were going, everyone told me I was going to love this little cat that had been brought in. When I got back, I got to meet him - and they were right - he is so friendly and outgoing and so affectionate- he just "talks" to you all the time. His former owner did not come back for him - we tried to contact her but never reached her. So, I decided to take him home with me.
Beautiful LEXI came to me when her previous owner could not find another home for her. The owner was moving and could not bring Lexi with her. I agreed to take her. It was a rough transition at first - some fighting with Pooker - but eventually she settled in and things are fine now. She is so soft and silky with beautiful long hair. She loves to sit in my lap when I'm on my computer.
OLIVIA . She is my youngest cat and was in a litter of kittens born next door to our Humane Society Vice-President. We brought the mama cat and the kittens to Petco to try and get them adopted. Well, all of them were adopted but Olivia. This continued for over a month and by this time, we had all gotten attached to her. I couldn't bear the thought of a stranger adopting her, so I decided to adopt her myself. She has settled in nicely and is very sweet and loves to play, play, play.
I guess you noticed that I really like black and white animals. Every time we have a black and white cat at adoptions, my friends all try to get me to adopt it saying "it fits your color scheme"!! Well, I don't think I will be adopting anymore cats for quite awhile although I wish I could. Instead, I will continue and NEVER STOP trying to find homes for orphaned, lost, abandoned, and abused cats and dogs. They are all precious living beings.



Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

I'm the Secretary and Volunteer Coordinator for our local chapter of the Humane Society. We are a small organization and don't have our own shelter - that is our dream and the goal we are striving for. Takes lots of $$$$ which we don't have. We do a lot of fostering in our homes and we also bring animals from our local city shelters to our adoption days on the weekends. So, most of my spare time is spent trying to get homeless animals adopted.
Millions of households have pets, and billions of dollars are spent yearly on pet supplies and food. But as a nation, we should take a hard, sobering look at a different annual statistic: the millions of dogs and cats given up to shelters or left to die on the streets. And the numbers tell only half the story.
Every cat or dog who dies as a result of pet overpopulation—whether humanely in a shelter or by injury, disease, or neglect—is an animal who, more often than not, would have made a wonderful companion, if given the chance. Tremendous as the problem of pet overpopulation is, it can be solved if each of us takes just one small step, starting with not allowing our animals to breed. It is so important that we SPAY and NEUTER our pets.
Other things we can do: Go to our local shelters and volunteer our time to help socialize frightened animals so they are more adoptable; Become a foster "parent"; Support local ordinances that offer protection to animals; but most of all, we can help by ADOPTING A HOMELESS ANIMAL. They make the best pets because they know they have been rescued. I truly believe this.

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE:
HUMANE SOCIETY OF NORTHWEST LOUISIANA

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED ADOPTING AN OLDER PET???
One of the saddest things is an old dog or old cat left in a shelter by an uncaring human family. In this disposable society, some people actually dump their family dog or cat in a shelter and walk out with a new puppy or kitten. Imagine the fear, sadness and confusion that an old shelter dog or cat faces. Even worse, their time in the shelter is spent watching people walk past their cages, barely seeing them, instead rushing to the cute puppies and kittens. PLEASE consider adopting a senior dog or cat, you won't be sorry. No chewing, already housetrained, mellow and sweet. Your decision to adopt a senior pet will be rewarded with unconditional love and devotion……

FOR ANIMALS IN SHELTERS

May you know the touch of kindness.

May you know a warm blanket, a special treat.

May you know a walk outside.

May you know another day.

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A PRAYER FOR HOMELESS ANIMALS

This is a prayer for little paws
All up and down the land,
Driven away, no friendly voice
Never an outstretched hand.
For weary paws of little beasts
Torn and stained with red,
And never a home and never a rest,
Till all little beasts are dead.
Oh God of homeless things look down
And try to ease the way
Of all the little weary paws
That walk the world today.

WILL YOU WALK ON BY?


HOW COULD YOU WALK ON BY?


Nora - Practice Makes Perfect, Pt 2

"Nora's Song" Music Video (Music CD available petcds.com) "Nora's Song" incorporates Nora's actual piano playing. It is the title track on a CD of cat-themed songs by Haynes and Walden. CD is available at http://www.petcds.com $2 from the sale of each CD is donated in Nora's name to Best Friends Animal Society. http://www.bestfriends.org
Since I don't have a dog of my own, I thought I would adopt one. Isn't she cute??? Click on the word more to play with her!..

I'd like to meet:

PAUL MCCARTNEY

I saw Paul McCartney in concert in New Orleans in 2002 - it was a dream come true for me. It was an incredible experience. There are just no words to describe the atmosphere in that arena that night. He did a tribute to both John and George that was very moving - it brought tears to my eyes. He sang "Here Today" for John and "Something" for George on the ukulele. Seems George was a ukulele buff and actually had a ukulele club that would meet on a regular basis. I saw Paul in a huge arena, but he made the place seem so intimate with the way he engaged the audience. It is a night I will never forget!

Here are two of my favorite songs he sang that night- The first is "My Love" - I just about lost it when he sang this - It is one of my all time favorite songs. The second one is another favorite - "Maybe I'm Amazed". ENJOY!

Music:



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I AM A HUGE FAN OF THE GREATEST ROCK BAND THAT HAS EVER EXISTED -
THE BAND CHICAGO!!!

I have been a fan since I was 16. I went to my first CHICAGO concert in 1971 and have loved them ever since. "Beginnings" is the song that got me hooked and is still my favorite CHICAGO song - my favorite song period.
CHICAGO celebrated their 40th ANNIVERSARY on February 15, 2007 - an accomplishment not achieved by many other bands. Here are some amazing facts about this fantastic group: CHICAGO has had record sales of 100,000,000, 20 Top 10 hits, 5 number one albums, 5 Number One singles, and 5 Gold singles. To date, Chicago is the only American band to chart Top 40 albums in five decades – a landmark accomplishment. In addition, they have also received a Grammy Award, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and continue to be a top live attraction, successfully touring throughout the U.S. and internationally every year.

Today the band still has four of the ORIGINAL members - the brilliant songwriter ROBERT LAMM - Keyboards & Vocals; and the PHENOMENAL horn section - JAMES PANKOW, - Trombone, Lee Loughnane - Trumpet & Flugelhorn, and Walter Parazaider - Saxophone and Flute. There is no group of musicians that plays as tightly as the Chicago horns.
There are 4 ADDITIONAL members of the band who some still refer to as the "new guys" although they've all been with the band for many years. BILL CHAMPLIN - Keyboards, Guitar & Vocals - he has been with the band since 1981; JASON SCHEFF - Bass & Vocals - since 1985; TRIS IMBODEN - Drums & Harmonica - since 1990; and KEITH HOWLAND - Guitar & Vocals - since 1995.
This group of musicians is so amazing to see live in concert. The energy coming from the stage is electric and the musicianship is incredibly impressive. The camaraderie the members of the band have is apparent and their interaction with the audience makes the concert so much fun. But it is the timeless songs that are performed that bring fans back year after year. I never dreamed when I saw my first concert in 1971 that I would still be privileged to see this band performing LIVE some 36 years later. The band members say they have no intention of hanging it up anytime soon which is music to my ears. As long as they're out there, I will be in the audience!!

The band has a terrific fan club - CTA - Chicago True Advocates - I have made so many great friends over the years and the band members are all great guys who are wonderful to us. We meet each year for our annual fan club convention in Las Vegas where we are treated to personal appearances by some of the band members at the convention and after the fan club show on Saturday night, there is a Meet & Greet with the entire band. It's an event I look forward to with great excitement every year!
CHECK OUT:
THE CTA FAN CLUB WEBSITE
AND:
THE BAND'S WEBSITE


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I also love much of the solo work of the members of CHICAGO, i.e. ROBERT LAMM, JASON SCHEFF, BILL CHAMPLIN, THE SONS OF CHAMPLIN, and THE HOWLAND IMBODEN PROJECT. I also really like an artist named LARRY KLIMAS - he plays a killer sax and plays with Chicago on occasion. Another fantastic artist with a Chicago link is WILL CHAMPLIN - he is the son of Chicago band member Bill Champlin. His work is amazing!
WILL CHAMPLIN
CHECK OUT THEIR MYSPACE PAGES FOR MORE INFO ON THESE GREAT ARTISTS:
Robert Lamm
Jason Scheff
Keith Howland
Tris Imboden
Bill Champlin
Will Champlin
Larry Klimas


ALSO, CHECK OUT THESE MYSPACE PAGES FOR A VARIETY OF GREAT MUSIC:
Greg Barnhill
Joanna Cotten
Leigh Nash
Fauxliage

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I was once told I was "stuck in the 70s" - well I am - face it - the music during that time was amazing and still is. Besides my love and admiration for Chicago, I also love The Beatles, Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin, Rare Earth, ELO, Three Dog Night, The Bee Gees, Carole King, The Guess Who, Creedence Clearwater, Rod Stewart, Dan Fogelberg, Elton John, Carole King, The Guess Who, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Carly Simon, The Carpenters, Hall & Oates, The Moody Blues, The Eagles, Boston, The Doors, Van Halen, Santana, Queen, Styx, Head East, Marshall Tucker Band, Deep Purple, Supertramp, Ted Nugent, Cat Stevens, Janis Ian, Aerosmith, Earth Wind & Fire, Grand Funk Railroad, The Doobie Brothers.

I also love all types of Latin music and Big Band Music, both of which I grew up listening to. Then, there's Old Blue Eyes - Frank Sinatra - there will never be another one like him.

I like country music - one of my favorite artists is Craig Morgan. I also like Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Reba McEntire, and Trisha Yearwood.

I like some opera - Pavarotti & especially Andrea Bocelli. I love, love, love Josh Groban! His voice is amazing.

As far as classical music, I adore anything by Sergei Rachmaninoff.

I also really like Kelly Clarkson, Melanie C, Cheyenne Kimball, Natalie Merchant.

Sports



I AM A HUGE LSU FOOTBALL FAN! THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE TIGER STADIUM ON SATURDAY NIGHTS! One of my favorite Tiger moments was in 1988. LSU was playing Auburn. Late in the 4th quarter, the score was Auburn-6, LSU-0. With national rankings at stake and a national audience watching on ESPN, LSU quarterback Tommy Hodson threw a touchdown pass to tailback Eddie Fuller on fourth down with 1:47 remaining in the game. The eruption of the crowd was so LOUD, it registered as a SMALL EARTHQUAKE on the seismograph located in LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex. LSU went on to make the extra point and WIN THE GAME! I was watching at home and will never forget it!
LSU won the National Championship in 2003. What a game - It was a dream come true. And winning the National Championship AGAIN in 2007 was icing on the cake!
I wish I could get to Baton Rouge more often to see the team play. There is just nothing like a LSU home game experience. Tailgating is a huge party -lots of cajun music playing and fabulous food cooking and of course, lots of beer drinking. The party outside of the stadium is almost as fun as the game itself.
But when you get into Tiger Stadium, that all changes. There is electricity in the air and you get all caught up in it. The fans are SO LOUD - ALL 92,000 OF THEM - Tiger Stadium is sometimes referred to as "Death Valley" - well, most of us fans call it "Deaf Valley". When the team comes onto the field, the place just erupts and it doesn't stop until the final tick of the clock. Yes, it's truly a special place and a stadium other teams dread.
BUT DON'T JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT ....
CHECK THIS OUT .... TIGER STADIUM QUOTES

MIKE THE TIGER is the official mascot of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and serves as the graphic image of LSU sports. By tradition, Mike is a live Bengal tiger, however, the last two tigers were of mixed breeds. Mike VI is a Bengali-Siberian hybrid.
Before 2005, I have to admit that I was very unhappy with the habitat the tiger mascots lived in. It was very small and I really felt sorry for them. Although they are treated like kings on campus, it was still hard to see that small enclosure. But in 2005, a new $3 million habitat was created for Mike. The Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF) raised funds, entirely from private sources (INCLUDING ME), to subsidize the construction project. The habitat features state-of-the-art technologies and includes among its amenities lush plants, a waterfall, a flowing stream that empties into a wading pond, and rocky plateaus. The new habitat ranks among the largest and finest Tiger preserves in the country and expanded Mike's home from 2,000 to 15,000 square feet.

As you can see by the video below, MIKE VI is enjoying his new home and showing off for his new fans!

TRADITIONS
On home football game days, Mike's cage on wheels is parked by the opponent's locker room at the southeast end of Tiger Stadium. Opposing players must pass by Mike's cage in order to reach their locker room.
With his cage topped by the LSU cheerleaders, Mike rides through Tiger Stadium before the start of home games.
According to tradition, LSU will score a touchdown for every one of Mike's roars on game day.




Travel

I LOVE TO TRAVEL! Some of my favorite places I've been to are LAS VEGAS, CHICAGO, WASHINGTON, DC, AND NORTH & SOUTH CALIFORNIA and HAWAII. Places I would love to go someday include AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, ALASKA, & AFRICA.

Movies:



Don't go much - but some of my favorite movies are "The Sound of Music", "To Kill A Mockingbird", "Wuthering Heights (the modern version), "Gone With The Wind" and "Young Frankenstein" - the funniest movie I've ever seen.


Television:



Animal Planet, Lost, Rachael Ray Show, Food Network, Discovery Health Channel, HGTV, National Geographic Channel, History Channel, Fox news shows


Books:



I'm not much of a reader these days - just don't have time, but I do love the book "Wuthering Heights" and I also enjoy biographies, autobiographys, real life crime stories, medical mysteries and books with true stories about animals.


Heroes:



My parents first - I couldn't have asked for better parents - they have helped make me the person I am today - strong, confident, loving, and appreciative of all I have.

Also, my two older brothers - best big brothers a little sister could have.

I'm thankful for all the brave men and women serving our country - risking their lives daily to protect our freedom - there is nothing more selfless than that.

I appreciate our policemen and firemen who think of others before they think of themselves.

And, I have a very special place in my heart for all those who rescue and foster homeless animals.


My Blog

Please add Humane Soc. of NWLA as your friend!

Hi to all my friends out there - especially my animal-lover friends: I have finally gotten a myspace page for the Humane Society of Northwest Louisiana up.  Please add us to your friend list.&nb...
Posted by KayR on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:28:00 PST

GREAT NEWS FOR CHIMP HAVEN!!!

Chimp Haven Is Home Act Signed Into Law By President Bush! Thu Dec 27, 2007 CHIMP HAVEN IS HOME ACT PASSED!     Wording in the CHIMP Act could have allowed chimpanzees to be ret...
Posted by KayR on Sat, 29 Dec 2007 09:59:00 PST

Chi pics from Pegs website

Thanks to Pegs for the great Chicago Christmas pictures - the beautiful snow globe and the band members in their Christmas hats!  She is extremely talented....
Posted by KayR on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:18:00 PST

WE HAD A GREAT ADOPTION DAY TODAY!

The Humane Society of NW Louisiana had a great adoption day today (Sept. 15).   We adopted out 5 grown cats, 2 puppies, and 14 adult dogs for a total of 21 animals.  We are just elated!...
Posted by KayR on Sun, 16 Sep 2007 10:19:00 PST

QUOTES ABOUT THE LSU FOOTBALL TEAM

The last one is especially good&.Quotes about LSU vs. VIRGINIA TECH GAME: "The No. 9 Hokies struggled early and lost to No. 2 LSU before a Tiger Stadium crowd of 92,400 bourbon-soaked Cajuns."  Darr...
Posted by KayR on Sun, 16 Sep 2007 10:12:00 PST

MY LETTER TO JUDGE IN M. VICK CASE

After hearing Vick's comments at his news conference today and his lack of remorse, I was compelled to write this letter to the judge who will sentence him.  I hope you will do the same. ********...
Posted by KayR on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 02:39:00 PST

GLORIOUS ADOPTION DAY TODAY!!

The Humane Society of NW LA held an adoption today at Petco and we adopted out 20 animals!!   We adopted out 4 puppies, 1 grown cat (he was the sweetest thing ) and 5 kittens, and 10 grown d...
Posted by KayR on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 09:54:00 PST

I WAS SELECTED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR!

YES - I'M BRAGGING!  Well, yesterday I received an "Employee of the Year" award - one of 15 people in our two institutions that received the award. I am so appreciative of it. Our faculty and my...
Posted by KayR on Fri, 17 Aug 2007 07:30:00 PST

HUMANE SOC. OF NWLA UPDATES

The past several adoption days have been wonderful.  We have gotten so many animals adopted.  Today we got several dogs and a cat adopted that we had had for awhile.  It's always good t...
Posted by KayR on Sun, 05 Aug 2007 09:44:00 PST

ADOPTION DAY - SAT., JUNE 23, 2007

Well, today was a fantastic day for the Humane Society of NW Louisiana.  Despite a very heavy downpour, we managed to get a total of 19 animals adopted today - 2 kittens and the rest dogs - all A...
Posted by KayR on Sun, 24 Jun 2007 09:15:00 PST