My Teenage Daughter's First Fender Bender!

My Daughter's First Car - Chevy Cavalier Z24

Daughter Has First Fender Bender

My daughter has had her car for less than a month. Today I came out of work to find her in the parking lot waiting for me. She came with a family friend.

She admitted later that she worried about my temper, my possible reaction to telling me the bad news about her first accident.

She backed into a small metal pole. No damage done to the pole, just her bumper. She misjudged the distance while looking out her mirror. Quite literally a fender bender.

She's driving a white Cavalier. It's a pretty little coup - the sports version - a Z24. The Camero's little brother.

I was happy to give it to her for her sixteenth birthday.

Now her little white sports car is just a little less pretty, a little less perfect. She could fix up the damage for around five hundred dollars.

In fact if you squint your eyes you really won't see the damage. Still I know it's there.

Not enough to report on any insurance claim since it would cost me a bundle in increased premiums.


Meanwhile - My Vehicle Is Literally Falling Apart

As I continue to make payments on My daughter's car I wonder when I'll ever get the chance to buy a newer car for myself.

I'm driving an old rust bucket that is quite literally falling apart. I wouldn't want to make a list of the broken, and not working items on my car - as I'm worried someone would probably tow my car off for scrap.

I gave my daughter the newer car to drive since I didn't want to risk her life having her drive the junk which I drive everyday to and from work.

I wanted my daughter to have the thrill of driving a nice looking sporty little car at an age when that's about the most important thing in life - other than premarital sex.


I Dedicate Myself To The Purchase Of A Newer Car - For Myself!

This little experience has decided for me that I will buy myself a newer car.

I was going to pay off a few bills first, but that's always been the reason I never bought a car for myself in more than a decade.

In a few months I'll have my daughter's car paid off, and when I do I'm going to buy myself a car!

Yes, that's what I'll do, or at least that's what I'm telling myself tonight.

A Sunset Rainbow

Naomi Discovers A Sunset Rainbow

Second Life allows for all kinds of unusual virtual phenomena. Naomi discovered a beautiful night time rainbow. The rainbow arches over a small waterfall near a little bridge. The sun was setting at the time, and just a trace of red remains in the sky to the left.

Naomi later moved on the other side of the rainbow to watch the moon glide low through the sky. It was a novel sight watching a full moon in the background with a rainbow in the foreground. Not a sight I ever would have dreamed of, but witnessed at Second Life.

Naomi Wants A Ferrari

Naomi Wants This Ferrari

Naomi has been pressuring me to purchase her a Ferrari. I'd really like to see Naomi driving around in her favorite race car, but the fact is it's a bit on the expensive side.

Approximate cost is 1890 Linden Dollars, or about nine dollars U.S.

Needless to say if I buy Naomi a sports car then I'll have to buy her a garage, house, and land. I can see where all this is going. Did I mention that Naomi also has her eye on a submarine?

If I hadn't purchased my teenager a car I'd probably have the money to get Naomi what she wants, but there's only so much to go around.

I've Started A Second Life

Her Name is Naomi

Well, not really, but for this post that's what I'm calling her.

Time Traveller Says - Elton John Rules

Razor Face - 1971 - Elton John

Something about 1969 through 1972.

Wish I could explain it.

You can sense it.

It was real.

Beyond the style.

In the music.

Yes

Especially

There.


Elton John - 1970 - Burn Down The Mission

Calvin & Butterfly

Calvin & Butterfly - Slide Show

Decided to do something fun with the slide show. Since there are bubbles in this section of the mural I've went with a bubble slide show. Those bubbles are washing away all the dirt on the mural, and magically repairing the sections of the mural damaged by the elements.
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Hobbes has not been forgotten, and is next in line for a digital renovation!
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Renovated Calvin & Butterfly
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I have completed a variety of versions of this "finished" renovation. I couldn't decide which version I liked best. I offer this high contrast and high color version. This digital renovation took me longer to complete than any other I have presented. In fact I still want to continue making minor adjustments, but have decided that it is time to post what I have.
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I love those pyramids in the background. I've made some digital modifications to the image. For example the third pyramid in the actual mural is to the left of the scene shown, and so I added a pyramid so that there are three in the scene. The small pyramid to the right is the one I added. I also added a stream of clouds which wrap around the largest pyramid.

The yellow brick road which is very prominent in the mural appears to continue in the background across a bridge and toward the pyramids on the distant horizon.

I also eliminated the skull in the clouds bubble. I have another version which keeps the skull. The bubbles in the scene are coming from the tailpipe of the "Further" bus. As they lift into the sky they are filled with a small skull - in the Grateful Dead tradition. In this version of the digital renovation I eliminated several clouds so as to bring greater focus upon Calvin, the Pyramids, and the butterfly.

Notice behind Calvin is a suitcase. The pole to the right of Calvin is topped off with a Bus Stop sign, and Calvin is waving his arms to stop the "Further" bus which has already passed him by to the left. Master Yoda of Star War's fame, and Hobbes - Calvin's companion are off scene to the right.
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Penny Lane Mural Featuring Calvin & Butterfly
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The mural is heavily damaged in this area. Despite the damage the Mural is a real work of art, and is available for view at Penny Lane on South Macarthur Blvd., in Springfield, Illinois.

Grateful Dead Bear Steals Your Face

Slide Show of Digital Renovation of Penny Lane Mural

This post features a Grateful Dead Bear which is positioned within the large Steal Your Face Skull at Penny Lane. Penny Lane is located in Springfield, Illinois. I'm focusing just on the Bear, and will feature the Steal Your Face skull later.
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Digitally Restored Steal Your Face Grateful Dead Bear
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Despite any digital magic used during this restoration series the original mural is much better. Even though the mural needs work it's still a work of art. Catch it at Penny Lane on South Macarthur Blvd.
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Penny Lane's Grateful Dead Bear
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Penny Lane Founder

Slide Show of Digital Renovation of Penny Lane Mural

This Post presents a section of the Penny Lane Mural featuring one of the Founders of Penny Lane and his spouse. For those who haven't turned their Pop Up Blockers on you can click on the slide show to freeze the slides and take a better look at the steps I took in the digital renovation. Below we see the finished product.
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Digitally Renovated Penny Lane Mural Segment - A Founder on Further
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Needles to say this took many hours to accomplish. "Mom" has her face back!
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Photo - Penny Lane Mural Segment - A Founder on Further & Spouse
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As we can see in the photograph of the mural (above) there's been extensive damage to this portion of the mural.

Skeleton and Cat In the Hat

Grateful Dead Skeleton, Cat in the Hat, and ?


Grateful Dead Skeleton and Cat in the Hat

Sesame Street's Ernie Visits Penny Lane

Digitally Restored Sesame Street's Ernie Is Happily Seated Next to Death - The Driver
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Not sure what the creature seated behind Ernie is. Maybe it's a lion, or a bear? Big ears, and purple is all that I can come up with. Could it be a Grateful Dead Bear? Ernie played many roles on Sesame Street as I recall. The Ernie in the Penny Lane Mural is a long haired rock star version of Ernie.

Not seen in this close up are Darth Vader to the left. Darth is hanging out of the entrance of the bus with light sword in hand. To the right of Ernie (also not seen) is a skeleton man, in the Grateful Dead style. Mr. Bones is definitely driving the bus folks. Ernie seems unconcerned.

The name of the bus "Further" is a reference to "The Bus" which was a psychedelically painted school bus used in a 1964 cross country bus trip. Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters brought plenty of acid, and every other kind of drug along for the tour. The bus was crammed with rock amplifiers, and musical instruments. The tour influenced a generation helping to kick start the counter culture revolution of the 1960s.
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Ernie of Sesame Street Fame Is Prominently Featured On The Penny Lane Mural

Thanks to my readers I have now correctly identified Ernie as Ernie, and not his sidekick Bert.

Ernie is seated in the front most passenger seat on the Penny Lane Bus. Penny Lane is located in Springfield, Illinois. The exotic novelty shop is covered in murals. I am presenting a segment of the Penny Lane Mural here in digital format.

I have digitally restored the mural for presentation here, but the actual mural, despite needing a revamp is even better. Go visit Penny Lane. It's a neat little shop, and check out the murals on your way in.

Darth Vader

Darth Vader With Light Saber - Penny Lane Mural - Springfield, Illinois

Mostly Restored.



Penny Lane Digital Mural Restoration

Darth Vader

Elderly Psychic Quietly Sanctifies Union Station

Union Station (1879) Located In Springfield, Illinois Holds Many Intriguing Secrets
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Union Station In Springfield, Illinois has seen many incarnations over the last century. Now as a part of the prestigious Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum the station's past is carefully being rewritten. As state and local officials attempt to present a friendly facade for tourist the station's real history is being hidden.
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Elderly Psychic Inspects & Sanctifies Springfield, Illinois' Union Station On Opening Day

The photographs which appear within this post were taken at Union Station on its opening day. The station is to act as a portal to the Abraham Presidential Library and Museum and other Abraham Lincoln related historic sites throughout the region. Few tourist seem to know that Union Station was built after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, and fewer seem to appreciate Union Station's dark past.
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Drawing Of Union Station As It Was One Hundred Twenty Five Years Ago

Photographs of an elderly gentleman appear within this post. To the casual bystander the elderly gentleman, and his young female assistant may have looked as if they were ordinary tourist. However to the initiated it was obvious that the old man was in the midst of performing a sanctification ritual.

The elderly man walked with a cane as he moved slowly from one room to another within the station. He held a Bible in one hand and large silver Crucifix hung around his neck. He quietly glanced into his Bible and read in Latin, and would pull holy water from his pocket thrashing his arms about during this secret blessing.
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Assistant (Background) Watches Over Elderly Psychic During Sanctification Ceremony

Hobbling about with his cane his assistant seen in the background of the photograph above kept careful watch as the elderly man continued on with his incantations.
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Clues Abound - Union Station's Masonic Origins Still Evident

Large Parts of Union Station are forbidden to the public. During my visit I was under constant surveillance. Just taking these photographs in the non-forbidden areas brought unwanted attention.
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Union Station Springfield, Illinois On Opening Day - March, 2007
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While I still recommend any tourist visiting Springfield, Illinois take the time to visit Union Station, do not attempt to bypass ALPLM security to ascend the clock tower, or attempt to descend to the subterranean level. It is both forbidden, and dangerous, and could land you behind bars.

Reveal Yourself

We Are Trapped Here

Master Yoda

Master Yoda Mural Digitally Restored
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Note aside from Master Yoda of Star Wars fame that Calvin and Hobbs are also in this mural. They are at a bus stop next to a tree. This is part of the Penny Lane Mural in Springfield, Illinois. I am digitally restoring the damaged mural for historical, and artistic purposes. And present it here on my blog.
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Master Yoda - Penny Lane Mural - Springfield, Illinois

Master Yoda of Star Wars fame appears in the Penny Lane Mural. As the photo above illustrates the mural is in disrepair. I'll restore it digitally for this blog, and present the results here soon.

Buying A Used Car - The Liar

Buying A Used Car - The Liar!

Last week I called Dave of the11thhour up, and told him I had purchased a used car. It seemed too good to be true. The auto was in excellent shape, checked out on CarFax.Com, and was going for a thousand dollars under the Kelly's Blue Book price.

We were told there was only one hitch - a lean that needed to be paid off.

The owner even brought the car over, and we parked it in our garage for the evening.

The next day I simply had to show up at the dealership, and payoff the lean, and a little more - and the title would be mine.

It quickly dawned on me that I didn't want to pay off someone's lean unless I knew for certain I had the title in my name - BEFORE handing over any checks.

And so I called the dealership, and was told that they didn't hold the lean.

I then called the real lean holder, and discovered that the person selling the car wasn't the owner!

That's right - the woman's mother actually owned the car.

Needless to say the car still sits out along a major road here in Springfield, Illinois awaiting someone stupid enough to give this young woman some money.

NEXT POST - Buying A Used Car - The Thief

Where I 've Been - Buying A Car

My post have been significantly reduced in the last week or so.

Not only have I been working on a digital restoration, and preservation of the Penny Lane Mural, but I've also been in the process of purchasing an auto for my daughter.

What a story to tell.

I'll share more as soon as I get the garage cleaned out.

The never ending saga.

Jerry Garcia In The Clouds

Penny Lane Mural - Jerry Garcia In The Clouds - Restored



Penny Lane Mural - Jerry Garcia In The Clouds

Felix The Cat On Grass & Mushrooms

Digitally Restored - Penny Lane's Mural Features Felix The Cat

Once again my meager attempts to capture and re-present the Springfield, Illinois Penny Lane mural fails to do the original justice. The brush strokes which make up the grass in the actual mural would have taken me too long to faithfully represent. I did however apply a lighter set of greens mixed with yellow to brighten up the image for presentation on the computer screen.

I also decided to animate the image - see below. Felix the Cat is certainly enjoying life in the scene in the mural. Imagine a life in which there were no stresses, and plenty of time to take in life. Childhood comes and goes for most, but Felix the Cat certainly expresses the inner child in us all. Just looking at this section of the Penny Lane Mural makes me wish I had a few weeks off to go spelunking about the country side.
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An Animated Version of Penny Lane's Mural Featuring Felix The Cat Trippin On Life

Felix doesn't take drugs. He's just high on life laying out on the grass. I posted these images on April 20th, which for some reason has become associated with the celebration of the use of marijuana. Back in the days when selling drug paraphernalia was legal Penny Lane was often referred to as a head shop. I spent many hours playing pin ball in the back rooms of Penny Lane. The owners were friendly, and the place was "cool".

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Photograph of Penny Lane's Mural - Springfield, Illinois - Felix The Cat

The Penny Lane Mural located in Springfield, Illinois is a modern work of art. Murals are taken for granted by the majority of those who see them. We drive past them, and they seem to catch the eye for just a moment until another image replaces them.

Despite the surplus of images which compete for our attention in this modern life I feel murals have a place. Murals aren't just streaks of paint upon walls. They actually change the space around them. One simply can't go anywhere near the Penny Lane Mural without feeling its affect. Whether you like the mural or not it works the space and fills the entire area with its set of messages about the 1960s and 1970s.

Moon and Stars In Trees

Moon and Stars in Trees Digital Restoration

I've edited the image for blog presentation. I hope to do the original justice.



Primordial Moon - Penny Lane Mural

At one point Earth's Moon looked primordial, and much closer in orbit.

The artist behind the Penny Lane Mural in Springfield, Illinois is very talented as is evident in his art.

Still Bloggin - Just Short of Time

This Penny Lane Mural Digital Restoration Project is taking a huge amount of time. And this is coming at a time when I have no time. So I've fallen back on my postings.

But I'm still here!

JP

Winnie The Pooh

Winnie The Pooh Hippie Digitally Restored




Winnie The Pooh With "Oh Man, That's Beautiful" Sign

From the Springfield, Illinois Penny Lane Mural

Kermit The Frog

Kermit The Frog With Banjo Digitally Restored

More on this post soon...


Kermit The Frog With Banjo

Next Project - Kermit the Frog with Banjo

Part Four in the Penny Lane Mural Digital Restoration Project

Cheshire Cat

Cheshire Cat Mural - Digitally Restored
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I was always amused by the Cheshire Cat. There's something special about any creature that can become invisible. And that smile. Cats do smile - kind of spooky - but they do. This restoration includes significant editing on my part. I've changed the sky somewhat, but this digital media is another media versus a mural, and I felt it appropriate.
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Photo - Cheshire Cat - Penny Lane Mural

The original mural art was created by Mike Moyosky. The image is based upon a photograph which I took of the Penny Lane Mural located at on Macarthur Blvd in Springfield, Illinois.

The Alien and The Owl

Restored - The Alien and The Owl - Penny Lane
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I've digitally restored another portion of the Penny Lane Mural, and present it here for my readers. The Mural is the work of Mike Moyosky.
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Photograph of The Alien and The Owl

Such a nice piece of art. I just had to capture it before it's too late.

Spot the alien?

And the tootsie pops?

What Is A Green Meanie?

Penny Lane Mural - Green Meanie

I have completed my digital renovation of this small section of the Springfield, Illinois' Penny Lane mural. I'd be embarrassed to admit how many hours it took me to edit this image. Yet I like the effect. This section features what I'm calling the Green Meanie. He's only mean because he's sticking his tongue out, and doing the nana nana boo boo with his hands and ears.


What Is A Green Meanie?

I believe the creature is some type of gnome, and is probably an alien.

I've seen these cartoon characters presented with with one eye before. sometimes more. I'm not sure if the one pictured above actually has an eye.

I suspect they are very intelligent, but are usually comical and therefore possibly inept.

Then again I'm only guessing as I've never seen or hallucinated one.
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Springfield, Illinois - Penny Lane Mural - Green Meanie

The original mural of which Green Meanie is a part is located in Springfield, Illinois on south Macarthur Blvd. Green Meanie is just one character on an incredible mural on Penny Lane's north side. The mural is now in disrepair having been painted in 1995 by Mike Moyosky.

Saint John's Ghostly Mounted Horseman

St John's Ghostly Horseman Await Their Bounty

They wander unseen and rarely felt.

The living and the dead know them not.

They are claimed neither by God, nor the Devil.

They are watchers, and knowers.

Lurking close to the place of parting they await their bounty.

Twenty Two Degrees April Seventh 2007

CNN-ScreenCap What's With The Weather?

About two weeks ago temperatures were nearing eighty degrees here in Central Illinois. Those temperatures were abnormally high. Everyone seems to celebrate the end of Winter when an early Spring is in progress, but deep down we know there's something wrong. And we try not to think about the long term, big picture implications of Summer weather in March.

Now just a few weeks later the weather has turned upside down. It is December outside, and yet it's actually April! An unbelievable mix of frigid subfreezing temperatures mixed with strong gust of wind has turned Spring into Winter.

Despite loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in crops, and the obvious sign that something is very wrong with the weather some people continue to stick their heads in the snow.
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(AP) Texas Snow Storm - April 2007 - Bush Crawford Texas Ranch Entrance
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Drunken Republican Fools Still In Global Warming Denial
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Last night I ran into two drunken fool twenty something republicans who were claiming that weather like this (i.e., subfreezing temperatures in April) proved that global warming didn't exist. Of course these same ignorant fools were still big on the Iraq war (obviously not enough to join up, and serve), and were critical of Al Gore. I usually don't get hot under the collar, but despite the fact there were two of them, and one of me, I wanted to thrash them both - with the truth folks, only with the truth.

The Exchange

JeromeProphet: Have you boys gone to college?

TwentySomethingRepublican: Yes.

JeromeProphet: I was wondering, because you seem so uninformed.

TwentySomethingRepublican: Well Gore spent $35,000 on utility bills last year!

JeromeProphet: And this proves there's no global warming?

TwentySomethingRepublican: Gore's a hypocrite!

JeromeProphet: Don't you think this weather is just a little odd?

TwentySomethingRepublican: No.

JeromeProphet: Maybe it's because I'm a little older than you, but I can tell you this weather isn't normal.

TwentySomethingRepublican: Well I think it is normal.

JeromeProphet: I talked with people all around the country today, and those who spoke about the weather, from South Dakota, to Georgia, to New York City told me they believe there's something mighty odd about this weather. For God's sake it's December out there!
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WeatherChannel - More Snow Predicted For This April 8th 2007 Weekend
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Fragile Republican Brains Unable To Grapple With Complex Relationships

Their fragile conservative brain cells couldn't quite grasp that global warming is actually driving bizarre weather like this. By adding energy into frontal systems global warming is increasing the number of hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, flooding, and movement of fronts - including cold fronts.

With less energy in the global weather system there is less energy behind fronts, and cold temperatures tend to stay farther north, and hot weather tends to stay farther south at this time of year. Putting energy into the system is forcing anomalous weather like the kind we are currently experiencing. This isn't good for anyone. From agriculture to insurance being able to predict weather is important.

While a few cold days in April is certainly normal in Central Illinois, a week of subfreezing weather is breaking records for a very good reason - it just doesn't happen - not within a normal human lifetime.

Central Illinois isn't the only area effected either as the entire Midwest, and Eastern U.S. has been effected.

What's going on with the weather folks? It's time to take responsibility. To own up to the situation. We must own the problem, before we can address it.

Never A Friend To Me

I'd never join a club that would allow a person like me to become a member
-Woody Allen-
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The Truth?

I've been declined, or at least my request to be included on SJ-R's blogroll has been utterly ignored.

I'm not really serious about the "Sell Outs" graffiti on my artwork above.

Actually, I'm asking a question, not making a statement.

Child like as it seems the image above is timely, and thought provoking.

When an independent minded blogger becomes beholden for a certain percentage of their esteem, or their blog hits due to such a link will the blogger begin to soften their criticism of that main stream media outlet?

Would the blogger's fear of being removed from such a list tend to inhibit the blogger's post?

Will any of you on the list ever feel as comfortable critiquing SJ-R as you did before you made it on their Springfield Blogger's list?

So does that make you victims, or sell outs?

Before any of you comment, let me make one admission here.

Since establishing my relationship with the Illinois Times I can say that on several occasions I have found myself editing my own post for fear of being seen as too fringe, too controversial, too radical, too non-politically correct, etc.

I'm sure I do it on a subconscious basis too.

The effect is real whether realized or not.

Beautiful Downtown Springfield Illinois' Shoreline

Downtown Springfield, Illinois As Seen Offshore

Springfield's posh restaurants, hotels, and nightclubs ring the south side of Lake Springfield.

During Summer tourist mingle with swimmers and fisherman at Lincoln's Beach and Mary Todd's Pier. In Winter the Beach is closed to swimming, but ice skating is allowed.

Downtown Springfield, Illinois - Not Just About Abe Lincoln Anymore!

A Slice of ALPM Anyone?

Crescent Moon & Venus Over The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum

I love Spring.

Why We Met

Two Little Lassies On Saint Patrick's Day
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Why We Met
by jp

You said I was
Someone
You'd seen before
Someone
You knew
From long before
Someone
Who hurt you
Someone
Untrue

I was in pain
When
Confusion reigned
Then
I needed to
See
What I could
Be
What we could
Be
I needed to
See

I was scared to
Grow
I needed your
Grace
I needed to
Know
The smile on your
Face
I needed to
Know
I just had to
Know

Many years have passed
I wonder where you are
If you're near or far
From time to time
If you'd be mine
If you'd be mine

You'd like me now
I'm more stable now
Sort of happy now
Still confused now
After all these years
I'm still filled with fear

Still I'm here
Thinking of you
Wondering if you
Ever think of me
Like I think of you
My love was true