English Only

Recently, another blogger posted about the controversy surrounding Geno's Steaks and the owner's "English Only" sign. The blogger, much to my dismay, agreed wholeheartedly with the incredibly intolerant sign. It's fascinating to me that those who claim to be "good religious folk" are often the first ones to kick the less fortunate to the curb, but that discussion is for another time.

The controvesy reminded me of a paper I wrote a few years ago for my Multicultural class while obtaining my teaching degree. I'm not one to stand on a soap box on my blog, but I decided to throw caution to the wind and post my paper. Ironically, while checking sources for this post, I found this priceless little item. It seems that in 1965, Geno's was an "Italian Only" restaurant - not only were the menus written in Italian - but Italian was the only language spoken. In other words, if you didn't know Italian, you were shit out of luck in 1965 Geno's. I can't help but wonder what language the 2045 Geno's will insist on.

The English Only Debate

The debate for and against English Only laws has been raging for as long as the United States has been in existence. Are English Only laws a beneficial paradigm that will unify a nation? Or are they a detrimental scheme that will divide it? Ever since the first colonists came to America and claimed it as their own, this country has been a multilingual nation. In the early days of America, it was not uncommon to hear as many as 20 languages spoken on a given day. Languages such as French, German, and Dutch were as common as English. In fact, so prevalent was the use of German that even the Articles of Confederation were printed in both English and German. As the nation’s population diversity grew during the 19^th and 20^th centuries, so did the diversity of its languages. The more the diversity grows, the more people argue over the concept of English Only laws. But what exactly are English Only laws? And more importantly, who will the laws effect?

English Only laws vary from state to state. Some statutes simply declare English as the "official" language of the state. Others limit or ban non-English language assistance and services normally provided by local governments. Examples include restriction of bilingual education programs, denying multilingual ballots for elections, and prohibiting non-English government services in general -- such as courtroom translation services and multilingual emergency police lines. At this point in time there are 16 states that have English Only laws - including Florida and California – both of which have some of the largest populations of immigrants in the country. While English Only laws primarily apply to government programs, there are some laws that extend to the private sector as well; in some Southern California cities it is forbidden to use foreign languages on private business signs.

In 1780, John Adams proposed to the Continental Congress that an official academy be created to "purify, develop, and dictate usage of," English. His proposal was rejected as undemocratic and a threat to individual liberty. This was the first example of an English Only law in America. In the early 19^th century laws were again proposed, mostly in response to massive waves of immigration. The laws were an attempt to “Americanize” the immigrants. In the early 1980s, again during a period of concern about new immigration, a movement started to seek the establishment of English as the nation's official language. This movement had some success, resulting in many of the current English Only laws now in place. At present, for the first time in history, an English Language Amendment to the Constitution has been proposed.

As always, there are two sides to every argument. I dislike the concept of “English Only” to the exclusion of all other languages, especially when it comes to the private sector. The idea of the government telling people what language they can put on their own business signs smacks of a violation of free speech. I also disagree with the concept of the government not providing services to those that do not speak English. Is that only directed at immigrants? What about foreign visitors? Must they learn English to simply visit our country? Should a person not be entitled to emergency services because he or she can’t speak English? How far does this go? Wasn’t this nation founded on immigration? Because unless you are a Native American, you are an immigrant - be it first, second, third, or tenth generation.

On the other hand, I can see the point of English Only laws – to a certain extent. Almost every nation on earth has an official language. Why can’t the United States declare English as its national language? Why do we spend excessive amounts of time and energy bending over backwards for every cultural group in this country? Are we, as a nation, allowed to have an American identity and culture of our own? What is wrong with expecting people to assimilate to this society? I lived in Italy for a short time, and I assumed the customs and traditions of this country because it was my choice to place myself in this culture.I did not completely lose my American identity, and nobody expected me to. But I did learn enough of the language to get myself around, and I did make an effort to assimilate myself in my new surroundings. Some of the areas I spent time in had a lot of people that spoke English, and I was always grateful when these people would help me. But there were many rural areas where English was not spoken, and you know what? I dealt with it. I did not expect them to do for me – I was the foreigner, and I respected the fact that I needed to speak Italian in order to make myself understood.

Both arguments have their valid points. I think the problem is that people take extreme sides of this argument. Why not declare English as the official language of the United States, and yet still allow for other languages to be a part of our national culture as well? We live in a nation that is multilingual; there is no denying it. Why does everything have to be so extreme? Can’t we all meet somewhere in the middle? Or as the saying goes – can’t we all just get along?

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One year ago today: the infamous Accidental Flash.

When All Else Fails...

My brain is working at zero capacity. Fortunately I found this meme over at Lemorse's. Consider yourselves tagged.

1.You are in the Witness Protection Program and must invent a new first, last, and middle name. What is it?
Luscious Babycakes Mcgillicutty.

2.You are in a threesome with two famous people, alive or dead.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

3.You are in charge of naming your new band. What's the name of the band?
The Asshats.

4. You are going to get a free tattoo. What would it be?
Either an anklet of rosebuds or an arrow on my tummy pointing to my hoo hah.

5. You are being forced to listen to one song over and over, ad infinitum, as a form of torture. What song is it?
Anything by Mariah Carey.

6. You are leaving your state/province. What state do you move to?
The Garden State.

7. You are leaving your country, where would you move?
I'd bounce back and forth between Italy and Australia.

8. You get to choose one book as the best ever written. What book do you choose?
To Kill a Mockingbird.

9. You get to choose one movie as the best ever made. What movie do you choose?
Casablanca.

10. You get to spend one day each as a bird, an insect, and a mammal. What bird would you be? What insect? What mammal?
A seagull so I can torment the shoobies back home. A spider so I can make grown men scream like little girls. A dolphin so I can kick some shark ass.

11. You must relive one year of your life. Which would you like to relive?
1991. And this time I won't let him slip through my fingers.

12. Which year(s) would you least like to relive?
Anything after 1991.

13. You have a time machine that will take you backwards anywhere from 1800 to the present. What decade do you most want to visit?
The roaring 20's. Flapper dresses, hot jazz, and bathtub gin. I'm so there.

14. You must choose to go skydiving or very-deep-sea diving.
Can't I just have root canal instead? Fine, deep sea diving.

15. You get to return to the past (using that handy dandy time machine we were talking about before) and have a sexual encounter with a rock star who is no longer alive. Who do you pick?
Michael Hutchence.

16. You get to be a contestant on any game show, airing today or in the past. What show do you want to be on?
Family Feud. Good answer!! Good answer!!

17. You are given $1 million dollars but you must give it all to one charity. What charity do you choose?
The Ms. Wose Educational Fund.

18. You must ban one word from the dictionary and all usage, to be no longer uttered or written. What word do you ban?
Canoodle.

19. You can have 100 million dollars tax-free but if you take it, you'll die at the age of fifty. Do you take it?
No way. I look forward to being old and gray and poor.

20. There is no number 20.

Letter to 13

Dear Brooke at 13,

I know that this is an incredibly scary time for you. Everything you have ever known is changing, and not for the better. I also know that there is nobody you can talk to about any of this. You know what I am talking about. Not about puberty, which is pretty much the only issue that your peers are dealing with right now. And not about boys, as you have no problem in that area. This is about the disintegration of your family, your home, and everything that has made your life good, and stable, and happy, up to this point.

Your father is gone - not for good - but he's gone for now and there is nothing you can do about it. It's not your fault and it's best for you to just know that he will be back and he will make every effort to make it up to you in his own way. Your mother is having the first of many meltdowns. Get used to this. They come and go with the breeze. This will be hard for you to comprehend, but you and she will be best friends one day. Important tip: breathe deep and count to five when you sense an oncoming freak-out. As for your brothers, though older and wiser, they are still too young and contain too much testerone to be able to understand what you are going through. They are also having a much harder time dealing with all of this then they are letting on.

You will always have fond memories of your life before now, but please, leave them in the past. You had an incrediby happy childhood. What you are going through now is totally unfair and borderline cruel, but you will get through it. The long, lonely walks you will take to get to your new school will help. They will give you the time to think, and sort, and deal with the fact that you are in a new town, a new home, and none of your old comforts to help you. I know it will be tempting to spend those walks imagining that none of this is happening - believe me I know. But don't. Pretending that none of this is real robs you of the opportunity to see the good things when they come - and they will. Believe me.

Give the new kids a chance. I understand why you don't want to tell them about where your father is. Or that your family had to sell the house you grew up in and then all go their separate ways. Or that you had to give away your dogs, and your cat, and sell anything of real value to move from a 5-bedroom house at the shore to a tiny 2-bedroom rowhome in Center City - with only your mother, no less. It's ok to have secrets, but don't let them eat you up inside. These kids won't judge you. They will like you. They don't care that you don't have the kind of money they have. They don't care that you wear Levi's and not Sassoons. You will be extremely popular because you are enormously likable. Trust me.

I don't want to tell you how this year ends because I am afraid it will begin a lifelong pattern of living in the future and not the present. But know this - you are going to be OK. You have more strength in you than you know. Everything that has happened - has happened for a reason. Go with it. Stretch. Learn. Absorb. And most important of all, don't be afraid to be yourself.

Love,

Brooke at 40
(I know! Can you believe it! We're 40!)

Land Shark

It seems the smell of the teriyaki chicken that a Hilton Head couple was grilling in their back yard was too much to resist for one of their more carnivorous neighbors. After hearing a muffled knock on the front door, the couple looked out the window to see a six foot gator trying desperately to ring the doorbell.

The couple did not invited him in, and the gator took off before anyone realized he had neglected to bring wine for his hosts.


**Editor's note: photo caption contest in comments.
Say that three times fast.

I'll Be on the Couch

Don't cook.
Don't clean.
No man will ever make love to a woman because she waxed the linoleum.
"My God, the floor's immaculate! Lie down, you hot bitch."
~Joan Rivers

I'm Only 4% Stupid After All

Neil: Brooke, just to prove you wrong from your last post -- that you are not a stupid girl -- here is a quiz titled "Are You Stupid?" I guarantee at the end you will see that you are not as stupid as you suggest.

Last night I got this instant message from the famous Neil, of Citizen of the Month, no doubt the most popular and prolific blogger in the blogosphere. How he finds the time to worry about me I don't know. He also told me that he stole two of my readers, so the worry may have really been guilt...

We both thought that the quiz looked fun and silly, so Neil decided to take it too. It turned out to be a bit harder than we thought. Neil even tried to cheat off me several times, but I would have none of it. I actually did quite well as you can see.

Neil never did tell me what his score was. And while I would normally take this opportunity to make fun of him for this, he was too nice to me to allow myself that sort of indulgence. Either way, he made me feel a lot less stupid. Yay!

So I have come to the conclusion that I am not stupid! It's the boys that are stupid!

Neil not included.

Stupid Girl

OK then. I got a few emails about some of the things I said in my last post from people who actually read the answers. Actually one of the things I said. About a man. You read that right, a man. Yes, there was a man that I have not mentioned here on my blog. Actually I did mention him here, but I didn't tell anyone that I did get back with him again. When things started unraveling and I realized that he hadn't changed, I mentioned it here, but nobody asked me for details and I didn't offer any up. There is a perfectly good reason for this. If any of my real friends knew I had given him another chance, they'd have beaten me with hammers (and real hammers too, not those little plastic ones that make those cute squeaky noises.) In fact, I never mentioned it to a single soul, which shows how much confidence I had in the relationship working out.

To be fair, I didn't expect us to live happily ever after. I knew he was a commitment-phobe from when I went out with him before, but we always had a certain rapport. It was nice to be able to fall back into something comfortable and familiar when I was going through so much stress in my life - mom in hospital, work pressures, trying to work out the next move in my life, blah blah blah. I know, it's crap. I have nobody to blame but myself because I am a gullible and stupid girl who forgives and forgets far too easily. And rather than write another 10 paragraphs about what happened between us, I thought I'd write a little ditty about it instead. So may I present - my first song -

Stupid Girl
lyrics: The Babbling Brooke
music: The Ballad of Jed Clampett
(aka The Beverly Hillbillies theme song)

Come and listen to a story about a girl we know,
Sweet little thing just lookin' for a beau,
That's when she lent a hand to fate,
And she packed up and moved to the Sunshine state.

Florida that is. More boys. Lots of 'em.

Well the first thing you know she’s met a millionaire,
All their friends said, “You're the perfect pair!”
But then one day she discovers she’s a fool,
Cause the man that she's been falling for's a two timin' tool.

Cheater that is. Pond scum. Lyin' snake.

Well not long ago he asked for another chance,
He promised her lots of fun and romance,
Two months into their second little whirl,
Turns out he's cheating with that very same girl.

Same girl that is. From before. Yes it's true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, now it's time to leave behind his psychopathic ways,
And I am here to tell you that I'll learn one of these days,
You're all invited back again to laugh at my expense,
And share a heaping helping of your awesome common sense.

Stupid that is. Stupid girl. That is me.

Y’all come back now, y’hear?

Go Ahead....

Ask me anything**.
(idea stolen borrowed from Todd)

**Added note - Ask me anything about me - personal stuff, opinions, thoughts in general. I will answer as honestly as possible. And as was briliantly stated by Todd the first time he did this post, stupid silly questions will receive stupid silly answers.

Wookin Pa Nub

Recent search terms to find their way here - always entertaining. Now in color-coded categories!

Seaching for Brooke but probably not this Brooke:
brooke - I guess these guys are just looking for any Brooke around. How disappointed they must be when they wind up here.
brooke burke's boyfriend - yeah, cause you have a shot.
break it again brooke - sure, blame me.
blind date brooke - I wish I hadn't done it.
brooke april - porn star. Not me. Obviously.

Random Searches
money stolen from LoLo - I didn't do it.
stealing candy from 7-11 - I didn't do this either. Not from 7-11 anyway.
read fractured fairy tales online by a 9 year old - huh?
good words to express frustration in a letter - go with "fuck", it always works for me.
salome is a farthead - awesome. Even better was google's did you mean? response - "salome is a fathead", which is obviously much clearer.
50 random questions - I wonder if they actually used the ones I had.

Sex and Flashing
accidental flash - #1 in the USA, the UK, and now - the Netherlands!
flashed my boob - geez, it wasn't on purpose.
flashing boobs on boats - cause it's always better on a boat.
"sexual fling" "on vacation" - shut up. Everyone does it.
why do i get goosebumps when i am really hot - I don't know if this was a sexual question or not, but it sure sounded dirty to me.
bedside romps - this sounds like a Doris Day/Rock Hudson movie. (google's did you mean? - bedside lamps)
sadists love masochists - well now to me, this makes perfect sense.

Viggo, tattoos, and monkeys
viggo mortensen poetry cleveland - no Melanie, Viggo is not coming to Cleveland to see you. Get over it.
schiffmacher hells angels - I'm telling you, I should be getting commissions on this one, Henk.
the ultimate tattoo - is on my ass baby!
monkey and pants - it just doesn't get much better than this one.
"ultimate tattoo" monkey lips - oh, I spoke too soon.

And now my favorite - all time - no doubt about it - may have to change the name of this blog search term is-

Tattoos bitches and bikes

yeah baby!

Happy Blogiversary To Me

It is hard to believe it was a year ago on this day that I made that fateful Google search which led me to the world of blogging. It is even harder to believe what a big part of my life this has become. This past year I have poured out my soul in some 156 posts, participated in many a dreaded meme, written more than my share of inane comments, and best of all - have made several blog friends. It is a completely different world than what I expected. I knew nothing of comments, site meters, or blogrolls. I had no idea about cliques, lurkers, or comment bombs. It is a whole new world, this blogworld is. So I am now going to offer up five little pearls of wisdom and knowledge I have acquired this past year to those newbies out there who might be considering joining the world of blog - and all with the help of everyone's favorite imaginary friend, Tyler Durden.

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1) The first rule of Fight Club is, you do not talk about Fight Club. Woe to those whose families and friends read their blogs. I have told very few friends about my blog - and I'm almost sorry I even told them. Sorry guys, but really, I tell you everything anyway. I have told no immediate family and absolutely no workmates. How can you bitch about family and friends if they are snooping around your blog looking for dirt? Keep the blog to yourself. Your blog life - and real life - will be all the healthier for it.

2) Hey, you created me. I didn't create some loser alter-ego to make myself feel better. Take some responsibility! I originally started writing in the hopes that if anyone out there was looking for me, they could find me through my blog. Well that was as dumb as a bag of hammers. If there is one thing I could change it would be that my name would be in no way associated with this thing, especially now that I am in the education field. Being a teacher, and having my name on here, I just don't feel comfortable writing about my sexual exploits or drunken debauchery. Because that's the reason I don't write about that stuff, not because there are no sexual exploits or drunken debauchery to write about.
Shut up.

3) Man, you've got some fucked up friends, I'm tellin' ya. Limber, though...Blog crushes are an inevitable part of the game. I have yet to meet a blogger who did not form some sort of a crush on a fellow blogger. Ok, I have yet to meet a blogger at all, but you know what I mean. The crushes happen, and I am here to tell you - don't let it happen to you! The blog world is an unnatural world; friendships come hard and fast. If you make a friend, keep it that way - as a friend. This is going to come as quite a shock... but... people on the internet....lie. No, it's true! They do! If you want a date, go to Match.com. Don't look for one through your blog. And no, I'm not going to mention MoMo here, because she just blows my whole crush theory to hell, damn her and her perfect man.

4) The things you own, end up owning you. At some point I became more concerned with how many blogrolls I was on and how many hits my blog was getting than about what I was writing. That's when I knew it was time to step away from the computer. Yes, it's always flattering to be blogrolled by people, just don't freak out if they dump you like a bad habit with no notice. Having a Site Meter is really only worthwhile to see how complete strangers find your blog through internet searches - I am number one for Accidental Flash! And don't get me started on Comment Envy. Listen, comments are a very nice way to get feedback, but whether you get 5 or 50, it doesn't matter. It's a blog, not a popularity contest. If you are trying to grab that elusive popularity you never obtained in high school, then you are a bigger loser than you were back then. And I know of what I speak, cause I was super cool in high school. No really, I was much cooler then than I am now. Now I'm a dork.

5) Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken. Don't try to be like others, just be yourself. My blog is all about me. Me me me. There's nothing wrong with that! Let's face it, if I don't write about me, who else will? Some people rant about politics, others treat their blog like a journal, while still others practice their mad writing skills. It's your blog and you can do what you want with it. If you like hot fez wearing chicks - then show them off! If exploding things in the microwave is your thing - feel free to share with the world! If conversing with your penis is your claim to fame - then get some therapy. But write about it first!

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And there you have them, my five little nuggets of genius. Extra special thanks to Tyler Durden for his help with this extra special post. I hope you enjoyed my first blogiversary musings. If you did, come back again sometime. If not, go fuck yourself.
What! It's my blog, I can say what I want.


Tis better to have blogged and lost than never to have blogged at all.
- The Babbling Brooke

Congratulations. You're one step closer to hitting bottom.
- Tyler Durden

The Spaminator

This fuckwit has spammed me repeatedly for the last six months. I have even written to him to tell him to knock it the fuck off and yet he just keeps hitting my blog - mostly in my archives. Please note his email address and then continue reading for further instructions.

All the best to you! (deepseas8880@yahoo.com) wrote:

Hi, Fellow!I like your blog!I just came across your blog and wanted todrop you a note telling you how impressed I was with the information you have posted here.I have a pet center (link removed) site. It pretty much covers pet center related subjects.Come and check it out if you get time :-)

Best regards!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is my response.

Hi asshole!

Thanks for spamming me for at least the 30th time in six months! I am writing you back to let you know that I am not only going to post this on my blog for other people's entertainment, but I am going to have all my blog friends sign your email address up for every gay porn and penis enlargement site on the internet!

All the best to you too!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's deepseas8880@yahoo.com. Go forth and spam!

Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter.

50 Random Questions

I stole this from the Ramblin' Sandra, who stole it from someone, who stole it from someone else, and so on... and so on... and so on...

1. What curse word do you use the most? As insults, I'm partial to fuckwit and dipshit. They rhyme, so it works out well for me. For general expletives, fuck is my go-to curse word.
   
2. Do you own an iPod? No. I'm so ashamed.
   
3. Who on your MySpace “Top 8” do you talk to the most? Am I supposed to have a MySpace too? Fuck, I'm so not with the times.
   
4. What time is your alarm clock set for? My alarm clock is off for the next two months. Psych!
   
5. What color is your room? Sage and lilac.
   
6. Flip flops or sneakers? Flip-flops. This is Florida after all.
   
7. Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture? Take the picture. Unless I'm drunk. Or backpacking. Or drunk backpacking.
   
8. What was the last movie you watched? I'm watching The Princess Bride at this very moment. Right now they are in the fire swamp with the ROUS's. It's all very exciting. See how I multi-task?
9. Do any of your friends have children? Practically all of them.
   
10. Has anyone ever called you lazy? Only once. Now he sleeps with the fishes.
    
11. Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep faster? Tylenol PM is the greatest invention since fire.
    
12. What CD is currently in your CD player? Buffalo Tom, Big Red Letter Day
    
13. Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk? Diet Coke.
    
14. Has anyone told you a secret this week? Yes.
15. Have you ever given someone a hickey? hehehe... yes.
    
16. Who was the last person to call you? Call me what?
    
17. Do you think people talk about you behind your back? Oh I am sure that some people do.
    
18. Did you watch cartoons as a child? The question should be, "Which cartoons did I not watch as a child?"
    
19. How many siblings do you have? Four older brothers. And it is as hellish as it sounds.
    
20. Are you shy around the opposite sex? Yeah, shyness has always been a big problem for me.
    
21. What movie do you know every line to? Ghostbusters, Aliens, The Godfather, Field of Dreams, The Princess Bride, Animal House...I'm stopping now...this is getting embarassing.
22. Do you own any band t-shirts? Not since the 80's.
    
23. What is your favorite salad dressing? I have my own secret recipe.
    
24. Do you read for fun? Of course I do. How sad is it that this question is even being asked?
    
25. Do you cry a lot? I cry at the drop of a hat. I could win an Academy Award.
    
26. Who was the last person to text message you? I don't remember. Don't make me go check my cell phone. We had a little accident with a puddle today and it's not happy with me at all.
    
27. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop? Both.
28. Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoo? No, I am not wanting for piercings or tattoos. I have both and I'm good, thanks.
    
29. What is the weather like? Come on - June in Florida. It's hotter than seven hells out there.
30. Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos? As long as he had six pack abs.
    
31. Is sex before marriage wrong? If sex before marriage is wrong, I don't want to be right.
    
32. When was the last time you slept on the floor? Last year at a slumber party. Seriously.
    
33. How many hours of sleep do you need to function? As many as possible.
    
34. Are you in love or lust? Fuck you.
    
35. Are your days full and fast-paced? Full, fast-paced, and action packed!
    
36. Do you pay attention to calories on the back of packages? I read them, paying attention to them is another matter.
    
37. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? And fuck you again.
    
38. Are you picky about spelling and grammar? I wouldn't say picky so much as fastidious.
    
39. Have you ever been to Six Flags? A bunch of us went the day after prom. I don't like to talk about it.
    
40. Do you get along better with the same or opposite sex? I like both sexes. As friends I mean. I like both sexes as friends. I don't like both sexes for sex. I like boys for sex. Not girls for sex. Not that there is anything wrong with that...I'm sorry, what was the question again?
    
41. Do you like cottage cheese? Mmmmm...cottage cheese.
    
42. Do you sleep on your side, tummy, or back? How should I know what what position I'm in when I'm sleeping?
    
43. Have you ever bid for something on eBay? I just won an auction not ten minutes ago! Ebay rules!
    
44. Do you enjoy giving hugs? I do. I'm a hugger. Somebody give me a hug. Come on.
    
45. What song did you last sing out loud? Dream On in my car at the top of my lungs. The volume on the radio was so loud my car was shaking. It was awesome. Not my singing of course, my singing sucked.
    
46. What is your favorite TV show? Currently my favorites are Lost, Prison Break, and 24. And pretty much anything on HGTV. But Buffy is my all-time favorite.
    
47. Which celebrity, dead or alive, would you want to have lunch with? Viggo Mortensen, preferably alive. In a hotel room. On a tropical island. Clothing optional.
    
48. Last time you had butterflies in your stomach? Just now when I was answering number 47.
    
49. What one thing do you wish you had? Besides number 47? I wish I had more money than I could possibly spend in ten lifetimes.
    
50. Favorite lyrics?
    Out on the road today
    I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac
    A little voice inside my head said
    "Don't look back. You can never look back."
    I thought I knew what love was
    What did I know
    Those days are gone forever
    I should just let them go but...
    Don Henley, The Boys of Summer

Have fun storming the castle!