HAPPY MATRIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY !!

Today as we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I watched Selma for the first time. Yep I know I am very late. I have even had the DVD in my house since it was released.  For whatever reason I never watched got around to watching it.  It seemed fitting to watch it today.

I felt it was a GREAT movie and I really liked the humanness of Dr. King and all the people involved in the movement. The relationship between key people in the movement and Dr. King.  I loved the fact that they showed that everyone did not always agree with Dr. King.  They also showed that being non violent was a struggle for the movement participants. I loved the scene where a black man is looking for guns on Bloody Sunday.   He was told is has nothing to do with was is biblical or what is right but just as soon as 2 whites are killed 10 blacks will be because they (whites) have pump guns, airplanes, tanks, and a whole army and that is FACT.  

Over all Ava DuVernay did an AWESOME job!


After watching this movie, I was compelled to go visit and ride my horse Felix.   Because of their fight for equal rights, I am able to enjoy my greatest joy ...riding Felix! I am so glad that I get to own and ride my boy! We owe them so much for the many things that we almost take for granted.  Choosing to stay where you want to stay, driving the car you want to, sitting on the bus, train, or whatever where you choose to.  Going to school whatever.. and so many more!
My mother always ask me the same thing whenever I move Felix to a new barn like did just last week.  Her question is always "Are there any other blacks?"  My standard answer "No".  I have only ever boarded at one place where I was not the only black there. (There was a total of 2 that included me.)   I am okay with this. All I care about is that they treat me and my horse well. I can tell sometimes people are kind of surprised when they see me but soon after chatting with me are totally fine.

TREADING WATER

I am really a home body in a lot of ways.  If I had Felix at my house and did not have to work, I would probably never leave home.   I have noticed that if I do not go see Felix for awhile I am officially in some kind of a blue funk.  I normally go see him about 2-3 times a week. 

I do not have any idea what starts this cycle.  I do know that it has to stop.  Tomorrow I will be going to see him.  I LOVE my big guy dearly.   I just wish I did not have to drive 45 min to see him. Maybe I need to start taking a really good multi vitamin.  Any suggestions??

 Eat Work Eat Sleep and Repeat.   I am going to make more of an effort to go see Felix and to start back walking my dogs even if I have to walk them after dark in my neighborhood.

I also have a  GAZILLION leaves in my backyard.  I will be blowing those and bagging them up.  I have other house projects too.

Now I have said it I must just do it!!

Today, I have spent the whole day at home reading and watching tv.  I found this series on Netflix  "Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce".  The characters are all women divorced or getting a divorce. It just follows how the handle life and kids during and after divorce.

Hmm Now that I think about it ... I need to find some happier programing.

THAT MOMENT WHEN ....

That moment when your dogs put you to bed !!

Diesel saying "Come on Mom!  It is bedtime!"

Scenes  from the Peanut Gallery
Diesel and Solomon are reluctantly posing for this pic

I AM STILL HERE.. I AM STILL STANDING!!

HEY YALL !!

I have been away for a good long minute.  A whole lot of stuff has happened both good and bad.   Anyhow I am back !!  I am going to share some of my best news. I am sure that this post will make you smile and laugh.  Get ready it is probably going be long but have plenty of pics. I got to catch yall up on a major development.

MEET DIESEL  :) 

8 weeks old

 



This pic was taken before he even had a name. I held pup naming contest and everything. We had all these cute potential names like Bentley (tuxedo dog), Axel, and a few others. I have even forgotten most of them along with which one I was leaning toward.  This little guy when put in his crate, he would try to climb the corners of the crate and slam his body against the crate.  Soon it just was clear that he needed a tougher name than any of the ones I was considering.   So the choices became Rambo (bc he rams the crate), Tank, Diesel, and Samson.  I picked Diesel.

 

I took Solomon with me to the pre - adoption meet and greet.  Solomon ( 11 yrs old) was trying to figure out who and what this little thing was that kept trying to jump on and bite him.  So he started practicing avoiding him  but watching from a far.

 

 

Diesel weighted about 15 lbs  but was well on his way to becoming a puller.  I always said that I will not have a dog pulling me up and down the street. I tried all the techniques that I used on the other dogs I have had over the years to no avail. I did not have the time or the patience this time around especially for such a stubborn, 'never say die'  little puppy. Diesel was just a determined little puller.   I took him to Blake Rashad, a trainer, in my area when he was only 9.5 weeks old.  He stayed at the trainers home where he only takes in a few dogs at a time.  Five days later my pup came home walking much better on a leash and knowing basic commands both verbal and hand signals.  He was a quick study.



 

 

Diesel's first shopping trip at 10 weeks

 

 When Diesel came back home, Solomon acted like he really missed him.  I took them outside in the backyard and Solomon actually initiated play for the first time. Solomon first had to do a stare down and Diesel had to submit by sitting and looking away. Then they could play!!

The Stare-down 10wks
"Diesel can we just play?"

 

Playtime !! 10wks

He was such a chubby big pawed puppy. I took him everywhere I could so that he would get used to people, other animals, and not to get dependent on Solomon. The people at the barn just love him even now when he does not even have puppy breath anymore. He thinks horses are just funny big dogs and everyone is here to love on him.





Chubby Puppy

When Diesel came back from school, I realized that Solomon needed to brush up on his training.  So they both had to practice stays and other commands before dinner, after walks, and other random times too.



 

 I brought a doggy backpack for Diesel so that we can walk the same distance but have him work a little harder. I put a bottle of water in each pocket. So he carries 2lbs of weight, this helps burn more of that puppy energy.  I think Solomon absolutely loves going on walks which I had never done with him on a regular basis.  I felt kind of bad about that because he loves going on walks and he could have been enjoying them all along. I was a bad mommy in that area. Diesel got to go on play dates. My friend has a deaf dog ,Tyke.  She was using hand signals to tell him to sit and my Diesel came flying over to sit so fast. That was when I realized that the hand signals that Diesel learn in school were universal.  How cool!! 





Pals  (Tyke, Reba, Diesel)  9 months

Walk in the Park ( 8 months)



 

Diesel is a great little big puppy. Now his is an energetic television watching, wrestling, boxing, lovable puppy. He loves everybody but is learning how to be a good watch dog from Solomon.  His alert "big boy" bark is already much fuller that Solomon's.  I took him with me to the ATM one night. He saw a guy walking to his car and used his " big boy" bark for the first time and startled me.  He weighs about 52lbs at 10 months old.  He watches the Falcons with me every game day in red and black bandana.

 

My boys on the Deck  about 7months

Halftime Pig Ears  9 months

 

 

Dressed Out for Falcons Game Day ( 9 months)

 

 



He loves riding in the car especially to the barn ( 10 months)
.

I hope yall enjoyed this post about my little big guy. I will be back to posting.

QUICK VENT

 For at least the past few weeks I pass through a construction zone on the way to and from work.  They have one of these signs posted.  This sign backs traffic up something awful sometimes.  It is just crazy because when you get to the actual bump...  it is only 2 inches at the most deep. It really is an area where they have stripped the pavement down about 2 inches. We have potholes worst that this area.   I end up behind SUVs and trucks of all shapes and sizes and they stop to creep over this area like they are rolling into a black hole.  You can clearly see the deep of the area and that is it a nice and neat area .. it is just a bump.  People don't even slow down that slow for speed bumps which are far worst that this area.  All these SUVs and trucks are supposed to be able to handle a bump at speed faster that 1-2 mph.  They slow me down EVERY morning fooling with this bump. Needless to say I roll right over it like it is not even there in my car.  :)

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Look what came in my mail yesterday!!! 



I even ordered a copy for my daddy.  He got his a couple of days ago,  I very sure he will just love it because he loves black history documentaries.  In my opinion this is one of the best collections if not the best.

If you did not catch it when it was on tv ....check it out.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

This year I had the most low key holiday season.  I did not host my mom's side Christmas dinner. Nor did I put up a single Christmas decoration.  I did spend more on gifts this year because I did not do much advance shopping.  Almost all my shopping was done online. 

Well looking forward to this new year, hopefully I will spend less of the year sick or having health issues.  In 2014, there are several areas that I will try to work on.

1. Finances - Need to save more money

2. Health -  Will have a surgery done first part of the year.  Stay on top of my health.

3. Eat better

4. Go see and ride Felix on a more regular basis

5. Work on house

VROOM.... VROOM ..... HERE COMES COWGIRL CRE!!!

This weekend was very dreary and cloudy and COLD. Too much going on all at once with the weather. I need for it to be either rainy or cold but not both at the same darn time.  I was able to get Daddy Cre to go with me to pick my bike up from the repair shop. We were able to take advantage of the only dry time of the weekend.  Daddy Cre really likes my bike. Since I am still not really road ready and definitely not expressway ready, my daddy drove it for me.  He followed me to a deserted parking lot.  He hopped off gave me my fly helmet and got in my warm car.  I put my helmet and gloves on and drove off.  It was MY first ride on my very own bike.  (I wish I had pictures) I had other people riding it for me  to check it out.  We all agreed it needed some work, which is why it got put in the shop.  I rode around in the parking lot practicing shifting up and down, turning, and stopping.  It was awesome!!  I was so excited!!  I was scared that I had forgotten what I learn in my class.  I had a blast!! The feel of my bike between my legs the power and control of the throttle.  The wind slipping around and over my leather jacket. AWESOME!!!  I will be a frequent cruiser of my subdivision on my bike.  We then swapped back and went to my house. Yep I even went for a spin in my subdivision. 

VROOOM......VROOM HERE COMES COWGIRL CRE!!!

I LOVE MY T-SHIRT

On Friday I wore my t-shirt I brought last year at the Bill Picket Rodeo with my sister.   I wore it with my cowboy boots.

My Daddy is AWESOME!!!

Sometimes I come home from work to a big surprise.  My yard all manicured and pretty, when it was looking pretty crazy that morning.  Before I even get out of the car, I have to call my awesome daddy because I know he did it.   I feel like he waits at home for my phone call and the delight and relief that I do not have to do my yard work until next time.  I must hard all the trees in the world in my yard and therefore have all the leaves in the world too. 


Some  months ago I brought a motorcycle. I finally put it in the shop for some repairs. My dad offered to drive it home for me once the work was complete.  My dad used to ride almost everyday.  In the last 7 years or so, he has only been on a bike a few times.  My dad hopped on my bike and rode his heart out to my house.

Belated Birthday Post

Who does a belated birthday post for themselves???   Yep  Ya Girl CowgirlCre!! 

I  have been doing too much blogging in my mind and not actual blogging  online.   I have been sick for awhile so during that time, I was struggling. I still have not gone back to riding Felix as much as I used to.  That was one of my mother's first major signs that something was not right. When she found out I was not going to see my boy,  she got worried.  The good news is after a slew of tests and scans, I am on my way back to feeling normal. 


I had an awesome birthday!! First off I did not go to work!!  Nerp!!  LadyLee had to hold the cube down by herself.    Oh!!  You know a big chunk of my birthday month I was on furlough ... Thanks to the Tea Partyist!!! .  I little more I would have my whole birthday month off!!  I slept in and read in bed for a little bit.  Had a nice breakfast.  I spent the bulk of my day with Felix at the farm.  I babied, brushed, petted, and rode him.  I loved it!! 






My nieces  picked me up and took me to dinner at Metro Café Diner.




The diner serves a little bit of everything ... breakfast to gyros to sandwiches to fried chicken. Oh and they also have fabulous cakes !!  They are open 24 hours a day.  I have two nieces Baker S (Need new name for her ... she bakes cakes) and College.  Baker S has two kids a girl and a boy.  We had a great time talking and cutting up.

For the week of my birthday and the one following several of my co workers took be out for lunch.  I got several pairs of handmade earrings and cards.  LadyLee blessed me with one of her signature cards and a gift card to my favorite place to eat lunch at work!!




  My sister asked me what I wanted for my birthday?  I had to think and I came up with I wanted a real part of cowboy boots!!   With a name like CowgirlCre , you are supposed to have a real pair of cowboy boots!! 

 

I also got myself a few things:   I brought a motorcycle leather jacket and another laptop.  I cracked the screen on my old laptop so I had to suck it up and buy another. 

 

I also put my motorcycle in the shop for some repairs. I found out that they would come pick it up for me. Wish I had know that earlier, maybe I could have had it back in time for my birthday.  

 



 

 

The guys at GasHead Motorsports have been very cool to me and hopefully the repairs to my bike will not break the bank!! So far that have been pretty reasonable and helpful.

 

Well I had a rough start to my birthday month but finished with a flourish!!  Overall it was a GREAT birthday month.    Hopefully I will have many more awesome ones.  

TIME OFF !!

HAWT DAWG!!  I had a four day weekend!!  It was GREAT and well overdue!!
 


Saturday -  My parents came over to help me with my yard and some other house stuff.  My dad helped me tame my grass/weeds in my backyard.  He even found a hornet nest!!  Thankfully he did not get stung.  But OMG  I almost when out there to trim those hedges with  the manual hand clippers!!  


They would have gotten me good!!  My dad and I did yard work and my mother did a few loads of laundry and chilled with my Solomon.  My mother is one of Solomon's favorite people, he LOVES her.


Sunday- I woke up with a headache. I still went to the barn to work. I work off part of Felix's board on most Sundays.  After I finished my work, I decided to see how I felt on Felix.  Sometimes riding Felix helps with headaches and such.  I still had a slight headache but still was able to have a quick lesson.

Monday and Tuesday-  I slept in !!  I had a nice home cooked breakfast.   What a way to start the day!!

I spent 4 hours at the barn each day with Felix. We had lessons were we jumped!! We are back to jumping!! YEAH!!   We rode all out in the fields.  I absolutely love riding him.


I read......slept.....watched tv and videos!!!   I stayed up late. It was sooo relaxing knowing that I did not have to get up and go to work.  I probably should have been playing lotto everyday and maybe I would  not have to go back to work!! 

CowgirlCre is Still Here !!! :)

I have been struggling at work for a while.  The work morale is still very low.  We even had our annual picnic in a park near the job.  Nope I did not go.  I stayed at work and it was very peaceful.  I like my job but the politics associated with it is very frustrating.  Can I just come to work and do my job without dealing with a whole lot of BS??  Clearly that is just too much to ask for.

Anyhow... I have been a little drained lately. I guess taking some time off is really LONG overdue.  So  I will be off the first part of the week.   I have been dragging so bad that I have not been going to see Felix as much as I have been plus it has been raining cats and dogs here in the "A".  I have Felix at a very nice farm. They take very good of my boy.  For example, Felix lost a shoe and they called the farrier to put it back on and I got a call from both the farm manager and the farrier with updates.

In the past,  I have only allowed my trainers to ride Felix.  Every blue moon somebody else would ride for me.   Since I have not been going out as often, my trainer would ride him for me. She told me that she had allowed a student to ride him.  Felix spooked at a buzzard and the girl fell off.   My first instinct was you did not ask me before allowing her to ride.  But I really wanted to let the girl to ride him at least one more time after coming off.  In a way I do not want to be selfish with Felix. I remember people allowing me to ride their horses.  I have decided I am NOT ready for that.   I like being the one who rides him the most.  I like being in tune with him.  I definitely do not want anyone jumping him but me and my trainer. If something happens to him  that is my vet bill.  I like to know if he acts up about something, I like to know why or that it was MY fault.  So tomorrow I will be telling the trainer that after re thinking,  I don't want anyone else riding Felix but her and that I want to be the one to jump him.   I am really possessive and selfish with him.  I thought I could loosen up a little bit but guess not. HIS IS MINE!!    :)

This week I will put up a few post. 

MOTORCYCLE SHOPPING

Now  that I got my license, I need a bike. I have been looking around online for my bike.  I found two that in the price and size range that I think I want.

I found a Yamaha 2002 V Star Custom 650







Here is another view.




Here us the second bike....  1997 Honda Shadow VT 600



I think I like the first bike the best because it a 5 speed  as opposed to a 4 speed.


I also found a really good helmet that I really like.  It is very girly without a lick of pink and it  will match just about anything. The more I look at it the more I like it.






It is a monarch butterfly !! How cool!!  It also comes in pink but pink does not match everything.  I started out looking for a good solid black helmet  and look at what I will probably be getting. LOL!!  I think it is pretty!!  Should do a great job protecting my noggin cause after all I am still learning.




My brother brought his bike back to town so we can ride together. He is an University of Alabama alumni ... hence the crimson color. Awesome color ...Awesome looking bike. I LOVE my brother!!

Now we got to find just the bike for me.

He is going to go look at some bikes with me.  I will keep you posted.

I PASSED !!!!

I PASSED !!!!   I pass my motorcycle license class!!!  





Mann....  I was sweating bullets!!   But I passed!!   YAYY!!!

I took the class here http://georgiamotorcycleriders.com/    I would recommend them to anyone who is interested in learning to ride.  I am not just saying that because I passed either.  I told my best friend LadyLee after Day 2 that no matter what  I was happy I was taking the class. 

The purpose of this class in my opinion is to teach you basic riding skills and how to be safe.  It provides a nice foundation to build on and an opportunity to get your motorcycle license at the end of the class.

 It was a 3 day class.
 Day 1 was classroom only.
 Day 2 was riding range then classroom.
 Day 3 was riding before lunch.  After lunch one last riding exercise then riding test  followed by the written test.


Day 3 was my favorite because I felt my individual coaching on that day  after each run of exercises really helped me. Our coach helped us along each day but Day 3 coaching helped me alot.  Lord knows when we were doing our exercises, I made more than my share of mistakes.  We were all learning by watching and doing.  Some caught on to some things much faster than others.  During my test after completing a maneuver that I had trouble with almost everytime during practice ......  Mann I wanted to park my bike and hop off  for a dance break that would have included the running man , cabbage patch and the whop !!!  LOL!!  Yep I was happy and proud!!   Our class consisted of 5 men and 3 women.  We all passed. We all routed and tried to help each other along the way where we could.     I think we all left the class with the realization that we must still do alot of practicing.  I for one plan to pracitice riding in my subdivision for awhile after I find me a used bike.

My play brother Kendall stills has his bike and is willing to go riding with me through my neighborhood while I learn.  Also I have a very nice neighbor, who rides a Harley and is game for helping me too.   I plan on taking my time and getting a little bit more comfortable by practiicing.


So this is only the beginning.     Used Bike Shopping here I come!!!

NEW THINGS

For as long as I can remember DaddyCre has always had a motorcycle.  He and one of his brothers that passed about a year ago always rode motorcycles.  I mean they rode HARD!!!  They raced and did wheelies and all kinds of crazy crap. My dad used to occasionally ride down the expressway on his Kawasaki 900 with the extended chopper front with his feet up on the handle bars all laid back.  He even got pulled over and the cop would not even give him a ticket because he was amazed.   One of my earliest memories is of going to the Kawasaki dealership with my mom and dad.  I remember looking at a long row of bikes inside the dealership.  I went from one bike to another  asking " Daddy,  Is this a motorcycle?" over and over down the row.  My mom said that I even had a blue jean outfit of pants and a vest that I LOVED to wear with my white high top hard bottom shoes.   I remember as a child my daddy putting me on the gas tank in front of him riding around the parking lot of our apartments.  I think I was the only one who really loved it.  We used to be able to heard my dad's bike well before he even turn on our street and KNOW that it was him.  Which worked out because if us kids were doing something wrong it gave us a good 5-7 min heads up!  :)  As I got older my dad would turn on our street and do a wheelie ALL the way down the street.  That would embarrass me so bad !!  I did not like and extra attention and I wanted my dad to be like everybody else's dad.  Their dad were not doing wheelies.  I did not mind him riding his motorcycle though.  The couple of time he took me to or picked me up from school  were the best!!  I love that.



Bike is similar to my Dad's last one. Dad's was jet black with red pinstripe. SWEET!!

With all that said I  guess the fact that me and my best friend both thought our first vehicles were going to be motorcycles was not a stretch. We both ended up being a little bit more practical and got cars.  Every so often I still think about getting one. Years ago my play big brother Kendall got a motorcycle.  Yep... Lil sis had to got ooh and aah  over it. It was sweet.  He even told me then "You know you can get one."   Over the year I have often thought of getting one and learning how to ride.  My dad has stopped riding, my uncle is dead and my brother has sold his bike.    NOW,  I finally decide to explore this motorcycle riding thang. 

I found this place that gives lessons and supplies the motorcycles and helmets  http://georgiamotorcycleriders.com/index.html Yep, I found them Monday and I'm going today for my first ride.  Wish me luck!!!   If I like it I will be taking the full class to get ready for my license.   I will then probably get something like one of these motorcycles with all the chrome!!!







I might be a biker babe in the making !!!  Or maybe I always was .... my daddy just did not know until this week.  :)  LOL!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEE !!!

I Cowgirl Cre declare today February 7th a holiday here at the Chronicles in honor of Ladylee's birthday (http://ladylee35.blogspot.com )

HAPPY BIRTHDAY  OLDGIRL  LADYLEE!!! 





















Sorry Right now I don't have a better pic!! 
Lee is my best friend.  We met in college and have been rolling strong ever since.  She is my cubicle mate at work.  Work is not the same when she is out because I need to have our uplifting convos or peanut gallery discussions.  We are almost always able to crack each other up which definitely helps the day past.  Plus we are always sharing snack and other stuff with each other.  Lee has a very giving spirit and is always LOOKING for the opportunity to sow a seed in someone.  I strive to be more like her in that area.  She is all about self improvement too.  

She is an AWESOME  OLD CHICKEN!!!!!  

SO put on your spandex suit  like in the pic below and dance !!!



Lee LOVES music especially the old stuff from our childhood.  It is your day !!!   LADYLEE is going on a holiday!!!  Just like Patti says!! (Lee dug wayyy back in the crates and found this one but we love it in our cubicle.) 






This one is for you!!!  Lee, just picture me in my desk chair sanging loud and proud ..."Look into my eyes and reeeead  what the sign has to say !!!" 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  ENJOY!!!

SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL

HERE IS MY FAVORITE SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL  !!!





Yall know yall probably saw this commercial and thought of your girl CowgirlCre and Felix!!   It surely made me smile.  

NEW SPOT !!

Anyone who has being reading my blog for any amount of time knows that I have a little furry man named Solomon running around my house.  He is my constant companion,  head of security, and comedian.  He has his own bed in my bedroom.  Every night he sleeps in a minimum of 3 location.  He changes locations throughout the night.  Well I was in the bed the other night, I heard the crinkle of some paper by the side of my bed.  I thought WTH is he doing?  Did he find something?  Is he eating something he should not?    I flung myself to the side of the bed to look underneath only to see my precious boy laying pretty contently  under my bed looking at me.  He looked like he was asking "What's wrong with you?" LOL!!    So then I had to make sure the sinker was not stuck... so I called him from under the bed.  My bed is a platform bed, so it is close to the floor.  I watched him army crawl his way out.   Mind you Solomon is a 65 lbs flat coated retriever.  So he was really flat while crawling!!  LOL!!  I petted him and he turned around and went back under my bed!!  Since he is black, I could not get a decent picture of him staring back at me from underneath my bed.   He has taken up this new spot the last few nights when we go to bed.  When I wake up he is almost curled up in his bed. 


OH.... Well I have tried to upload pics of  Solomon only to be road blocked my errors.  So no pics in this post. 


Here is an update on his new spot....   Right after this original posting,  I got tired of laying in bed listening to Solomon army crawling around under my bed panting and whining.  I asked him to come out and go somewhere else.  He came out only to go right back.  I went right to the closet for my broom.   I got him out  and out of my bedroom !!   He only returned to the bedroom in the morning when I called him ... my door was not even closed all the way.  He must have thought me and the broom was waiting for him. LOL!!  He came in and followed my around as I got ready for work.   He got evicted from his new spot!!   Sorry Mann !!  You will not be disturbing me at night with all that craziness.  

Radio Stations

This is my first post of the year.  I hope 2013 has been kind to all of you guys.  I am still working on somethings with me. both in my personal life and my work life.

I had to have some car repairs done and I got a loaner car from the dealer.  They gave me a Nissan Rogue.
 

I found that I really liked the little SUV.   I had to get used to being higher up from the ground.  When I first went to get out of the car I forgot and almost burst my butt.  Yep and there was somebody else present in the parking garage. I just did not make any eye contact and acted like it did not happen. Do you think they questioned whether or not they really saw my stumble?  LOL!!   The car also had the rear camera for backing up.  I loved this. 
I also found that XM radio is the total bomb!!   I wore it out while I had that car.  But I just can bring myself to pay for radio.  I realized that I missed my radio station that T.I.  to Taylor Swift  to Marron5 to Florence and the Machine to Pink to Kelly Price to OutKast.    So when I got my car back I started tuning in to some other stations.  I am still in search of a station that completely fits the bill.   Until then I rotate through a few stations.  I have been listening to more pop this week and have thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Here's to bringing back more diversity in my music in 2013 !!