Monday, January 31, 2005

Any help out there?

Whats the html tag line to put in a link and the name of the link so I can re-add friends websites? I can't remember!

They tell you your memory goes as you get older - I just wish they'd tell me where it goes to so I can go get it back!

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I had a rough Sunday, I had a migrain the entire day and couldn't even sleep this one off. So as youc an see, the website looks different, I could only sit here and quietly work on this. Tried reading, but my head just pounded more.

Hope everyone's about to have a great day!

Saturday, January 29, 2005

It's been 10 years today

The Super bowl

We drove home to be with my parents for the holidays for the first time in several years. The last time we had done this, we had stopped at the Scranton Airport to pick up my younger brother who had flown in from California, we were surprising my mother, she knew my family was coming up from North Carolina, but had no clue Greg was coming too. That had been a very successful surprise. As we drove back this time, the kids were all hoping for snow, and talking excitedly, arguing over seat positions, or asking how much longer we had to go. A typical family drive I suppose.

We arrived, happy and exhausted, but safe. My mother had a 12-foot tree set up in the living room of her Victorian B & B, waiting for the kids to help her decorate it. They gave hugs and kisses to her and my dad, before lugging the suitcases up to their rooms and heading for bed. It was late, and they planned to decorate the tree first thing in the morning, before heading off to play with various friends they didn’t get to see very often, and doing a little bit of sledding.

My husband and I got the kids settled for the night and then sat at the kitchen table, everyone’s favorite place to hang out in this huge house. The kitchen was this old fashioned country kitchen, all the cupboards ran around two walls, (The old fashion kind that had glass in them, and the drawers pulled through to the dinning room so you didn’t have to walk back and forth between the kitchen) a row of windows over looked a garden, now dormant in the winter cold, another wall had the door to the back porch and cellar, with an old butlers cart that held the coffee maker, now perking a fresh brew for all of us. At the end of that wall was the door to my parent’s bedroom, the only bedroom on this floor, originally a maid or cooks room, with a private bath adjacent to the laundry room. This was perfect for my parents; it left the remaining five bedrooms upstairs for guests, along with the old sewing room my mother turned into the linen room. (It held everything from the linen to shampoos, toilet paper, and anything else needed to run the Inn). We all sat at the large round oak kitchen table, sipping our coffee and discussing how the trip went.

My dad and I talked about how the San Francisco 49ers were doing that year. We were avid fans, although he claimed to be a bigger Raiders fan. We had always watched the games together when I was growing up, and over the years, no matter where my husband and I were transferred, I would always call my dad up and discuss the season, and on Super bowl Sunday I would call during half time, and he would call at the finish… if it were a Niners game. My husband Ron, had made beef jerky for my dad and handed him the bag. He passed that around for all of us to have a little. My mother informed us that we had just two sets of guest for the week, but that on New Years the place would be filled with friends coming from all over, as well as a couple rooms in their other house they rented out to guests. So that meant we were in for a very fun New Years Eve bash!

The next day the kids decorated the tree with Grandma while I slept in and then took off to play with their friends. After I woke and had coffee, and visited with the folks who stopped by to warm up before walking home, (They would walk to the post office across the street, get their mail, and then come have coffee at the Inn, in the kitchen.) I unloaded the Christmas gifts we had brought along with us. I carefully put them around the tree, making adjustments as my mother brought out hers to go under as well. The kids came trooping in, cold and hungry, so we made them lunch.

After lunch mom mixed up several different cookie recipes and let the kids go to town making them, baking them and decorating them. They had a lot of fun, as well as making a huge mess. But it was Christmas Eve, and we needed cookies for Santa. They got the mess cleaned up and noticed all the gifts under the tree, and of course they stayed amused there for a while, during which time we made up a light dinner and prepared everything for the next days Christmas meal.

Christmas was a hit, as it usually is when children are young. They are never disappointed in their gifts at that age, and tend to get along with their siblings… for a few hours anyway. All of us adults loved the gifts we received, I remember getting new knobs made of porcelain for my kitchen drawers, and each one had an herb imprinted on them, which I happen to love. Overall I definitely remember this day being a good one for my memory book.

The following week went by in various ways, my husbands parents dropped by from Connecticut for a day and night stay. My husband and dad went to Binghamton, NY. My dad had a doctor’s appointment, and they wanted to get supplies at Sam’s Club for the New Years Eve party. The kids stayed busy with friends and new toys, while my mother and I decorated for the party.

New Years Eve arrived… along with many friends! They all brought in food or Christmas gifts, and pretty soon the entire town was there as well as friends from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and other small towns in Pennsylvania. The house was packed, and believe me, this was a very large house! Music was playing in the living room, with people dancing, kids were in my parent’s room playing Nintendo on their television, the kitchen was packed with chatters and the dinning room packed with those who were hungry. We had roast beef, turkey, ham, crackers, and all kinds of snacks, as well as mixed drinks, champagne, beer and non-alcoholic beverages. No one was driving anywhere. They either lived within walking distance or were staying over. At the stroke of midnight the whistles blew, the fireworks shot off (Thanks to the family from North Carolina.) and sounds of “Happy New Years!” could be heard all over the tiny town of Starrucca, Pa! My dad was walking around hugging everyone, and thanking them for coming once again, he absolutely loved this once a year party they threw. He hugged me, telling me he loved me, and was so happy we had made it up for the holidays again.

It had snowed the following day, so we chose to leave on January third, pushing it really, since Ron had to be back on the fourth, as well as the kids back in school. But we didn’t want to have to face the snowplows and icy roads the day after, so we held off. The morning of our departure, my father kept trying to talk us out of leaving just yet, “wait another day, just one more.” He was saying. But we really had to be going. We promised our normal phone calls and looked forward to the play offs. The departure was tearful, but the ride home uneventful.

We got in late, but I still sent the kids off to school the next day and set about putting everything away. Just as the last child left for the bus the next day, January 5th, my mother called. My dad had died in his sleep, and could I come home? Well of course I would go home. I hung up and sat down in shock, I wondered why I wasn’t crying, I couldn’t think straight so I called my husband at work and told him, asked him to make all the arrangements. He came right home, he booked me a flight back to Scranton, and he would stay home with the kids.

An older couple picked me up at the airport, they were friends of my mothers, and she wasn’t up to driving the hour-long drive. Besides, there were family members flying in from all over the country. When I arrived at my mothers she was there along with several other people, sitting around the kitchen table. We hugged and cried, well she cried, and I hugged. We said goodnight to the friends and she and I sat down to talk. She told me about his last day after I had left and how he died. He talked about how happy he had been we had come home. I missed him already.

Friends and family flew in from all over the country. The Methodist church held the funeral and it was so packed that people were spilling out into the yard and street. Starrucca is a town of approximately 200 people, but my dad had lived all over the country and had touched many lives. So much so that they were willing to fly all the way to Pa. To pay their last respects. I was very impressed by this, and I hope I can live half as good a life as he did.

I stayed on for several weeks to help my mother. I really didn’t want her to be alone yet. I had watched the play offs with other family members during the week of my dad’s funeral; the Niners were going to the Super bowl, as was San Diego. The date arrived for the Super bowl and my heart wasn’t in it. We were invited over to some friends’ home to watch the game and have dinner, so we went. It was a real good dinner, and the game got started, but all of a sudden I just couldn’t be there. I needed to be at the house, to watch it alone.

I sat and watched the game, by myself. My mother read a book while I sat in my dads chair, watching. And when the end of the game came, and the San Francisco 49ers won, I cried my eyes out. I said goodbye to my dad, and unknown to me at the time, I also said goodbye to an era of football that I would never experience again. I went home three days later.

Friday, January 28, 2005

Happy Cows

I Absolutly love the happy cows - california cheese commercials! Whoever thought of that idea hit a jackpot.

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I don't have a problem with God
It's his fan club that worries me!

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Dear Goddess

Dear Goddess

After America has it's religious war (I know it isn't official yet - but it's coming) and after they have pulled every cartoon off television for promoting tolerance in other peoples lifestyles that do not affect your life or mine, do you think we could have a more peaceful country? A country that I can be 100% proud of.

I'd like to see all Americans get along, no matter their race, creed or sexual preference, (pedophiles are not included of course). I'd like to see no litter on the sides of our roads, clean public bathrooms and mass transportation you can feel safe and clean on.

Do you think you could talk to your partner and have him get his followers to back off a bit on people who arent like them? Maybe he could suggest they spend all that time their devoting to cartoon watching to walking the roads and highways picking up trash. Maybe he could suggest they stick to huntin deer instead of witches, lesbians or gay men?

This is all just a suggestion of course... I know how hard it is to get men to listen - just do your best.

Amen

You Worry Me

Aside from the question of authorship for the story below, this is not an item that can be branded "true" or "false," because it's merely someone's expression of his opinions. Thematically, it's a more overt expression of the feelings conveyed by such (apocryphal) September 11-related legends as the claim that no taxis were to be found around the World Trade Center the morning of the terrorist attacks: the fear and unease generated by the knowledge that the perpetrators were people who had been living among us undetected for months; people who, although they may have been foreigners, were not out of place amidst the cultural diversity of America. How, then, do we now distinguish friend from foe? Wouldn't it be so much easier if — as advocated here — we could simply assume all ARAB-MUSLIMS to be guilty and demand them to demonstrate otherwise?

But such an approach is not only inimical to many of the principles American stands for, it is also logically flawed. What terrorists bent on the destruction of the USA would hesitate to camouflage themselves by hypocritically waving American flags or professing a false love for the USA? We cannot judge people by outward appearances alone, and that realization leaves us feeling scared and powerless.
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You Worry Me


"I've been trying to say this since 9-11 but you worry me. I wish you didn't. I wish when I walked down the streets of this country that I love, that your color and culture still blended with the beautiful human landscape we enjoy in this country. But you don't blend in anymore. I notice you, and it worries me. I notice you because I can't help it anymore. People from your homelands, professing to be Muslims, have been attacking and killing my fellow citizens and our friends for more than 20 years now. I don't fully understand their grievances and hate but I know that nothing can justify the inhumanity of their attacks.”

“On September 11, nineteen ARAB-MUSLIMS hijacked four jetliners in my country. They cut the throats of women in front of children and brutally stabbed to death others. They took control of those planes and crashed them into buildings killing thousands of proud fathers, loving sons, wise grandparents, elegant daughters, best friends, favorite coaches, fearless public servants, and children's mothers. The Palestinians Celebrated, the Iraqis were overjoyed as was most of the Arab world.”

“So I notice you now. I don't want to be worried. I don't want to be consumed by the same rage and hate and prejudice that has destroyed the soul of these terrorists. But I need your help. As a rational American, trying to protect my country and family in an irrational and unsafe world, I must know how to tell the difference between you, and the Arab/Muslim terrorist.”

“How do I differentiate between the true Arab/Muslim-Americans and the Arab/Muslims in our communities who are attending our schools, enjoying our parks, and living in OUR communities under the protection of OUR constitution, while they plot the next attack that will slaughter these same good neighbors and children? The events of September 11th changed the answer. It is not my responsibility to determine which of you embraces our great country, with ALL of its religions, with ALL of its different citizens, with all of its faults. It is time for every Arab/Muslim in this country to determine it for me.”

“I want to know, I demand to know, and I have a right to know whether or not you love America. Do you pledge allegiance to its flag? Do you proudly display it in front of your house, or on your car? Do you pray in your many daily prayers that Allah will bless this nation, that He will protect and prosper it? Or do you pray that Allah will destroy it in one of your "Jihads"? Are you thankful for the freedom that only this nation affords? A freedom that was paid for by the blood of hundreds of thousands of patriots who gave their lives for this country? Are you willing to preserve this freedom by paying the ultimate sacrifice? Do you love America? If this is your commitment, then I need YOU to start letting ME know about it.”

“Your Muslim leaders in this nation should be flooding the media at this time with hard facts on your faith, and what hard actions you are taking as a community and as a religion to protect the United States of America. Please, no more benign overtures of regret for the death of the innocent because I worry about who you regard as innocent. No more benign overtures of condemnation for the unprovoked attacks because I worry about what is unprovoked to you. I am not interested in any more sympathy...I am only interested in action. What will you do for America - our great country -- at this time of crisis, at this time of war?”

“I want to see Arab-Muslims waving the AMERICAN flag in the streets. I want to hear you chanting "Allah Bless America". I want to see young Arab/Muslim men enlisting in the military. I want to see a commitment of money, time, and emotion to the victims of this butchering and to this nation as a whole. The FBI has a list of over 400 people they want to talk to regarding the WTC attack. Many of these people live and socialize in Muslim communities. You know them. You know where they are. Hand them over to us, now! But I have seen little even approaching this sort of action. Instead I have seen an already closed and secretive community close even tighter. You have disappeared from the streets. You have posted armed security guards at your facilities. You have threatened lawsuits. You have screamed for protection from reprisals.”

“The very few Arab/Muslim representatives that HAVE appeared in the media were defensive and equivocating. They seemed more concerned with making sure that the United States proves who was responsible before taking action. They seemed more concerned with protecting their fellow Muslims from violence directed towards them in the United States and abroad than they did with supporting our country and denouncing "leaders" like Khadafi, Hussein, Farrakhan, and Arafat. If the true teachings of Islam proclaim tolerance and peace and love for all people then I want chapter and verse from the Koran and statements from popular Muslim leaders to back it up. What good is it if the teachings in the Koran are good and pure and true when your "leaders" are teaching fanatical interpretations, terrorism, and intolerance?”

“It matters little how good Islam SHOULD BE if large numbers of the world's Muslims interpret the teachings of Mohammed incorrectly and adhere to a degenerative form of the religion. A form that has been demonstrated to us over and over again. A form whose structure is built upon a foundation of violence, death, and suicide. A form whose members are recruited from the prisons around the world. A form whose members (some as young as five years old) are seen day after day, week in and week out, year after year, marching in the streets around the world, burning effigies of our presidents, burning the American flag, shooting weapons into the air. A form whose members convert from a peaceful religion, only to take up arms against the great United States of America, the country of their birth. A form whose rules are so twisted, that their traveling members refuse to show their faces at airport security checkpoints, in the name of Islam.”

“Do you and your fellow Muslims hate us because our women proudly show their faces in public rather than cover up like a shameful whore? Do you and your fellow Muslims hate us because we drink wine with dinner, or celebrate Christmas? Do you and you fellow Muslims hate us because we have befriended Israel, the ONLY civilized democratic nation in the entire Middle East?”

“And if you and your fellow Muslims hate us, then why in the world are you even here? Are you here to take our money? Are you here to undermine our peace and stability? Are you here to destroy us? If so, I want you to leave I want you to go back to your desert sandpit where women are treated like rats and dogs. I want you to take your religion, your friends, and your family back to your Islamic extremists, and STAY THERE! We will NEVER give in to your influence, your retarded mentality, your twisted, violent, intolerant religion. We will NEVER allow the attacks of September 11, or any others for that matter, to take away that which is so precious to us:

“Our rights under the greatest constitution in the world. I want to know where every Arab/ Muslim in this country stands and I think it is my right and the right of every true citizen of this country to demand it. A right paid for by the blood of thousands of my brothers and sisters who died protecting the very constitution that is protecting you and your family. I am pleading with you to let me know. I want you here as my brother, my neighbor, my friend, as a fellow American. But there can be no gray areas or ambivalence regarding your allegiance and it is up to YOU, to show ME, where YOU stand.”


“Until then ... you worry me.”

Dr. Death

After one death American doctors are usually held accountable to make sure no wrong doing was done, makes me glad I live in the USA where the doctors just rob you!

The last time I went to see a doctor I had the flu really bad and I only went because my mother insisted (And you know moms... they refuse to take no for an answer once they have decided what you should do.)

So anyway, I went to the doctor, a nurse ushered me into my room, took my blood preasure, temperature, weighed me and did all the other stuff they do, then she asked me my symptoms. After that she left.

10 minutes later the doctor walked in, read my chart and said 'sounds like a good case of the flu to me"
Gee ya think?
"Well here's 2 prescriptions for you that should help you feel better" Hands me two slips of papers and begins to walk out the door.
I said "What are you? The one minute man? Your wife must love you in the sack!"
And grabbing my coat I walked passed his surprised face, he followed me all the way up to where you have to pay your bill and I asked the lady there "How much did that cost me, to be seen by the doctor for less than 2 minutes?"
And she took my papers (and the doctor stood there looking uncomfortable - which he shoulda been at this point) and she comes back from her computer and said "That will be 78.00 Ma'am" At which point (whipping out my check book) I looked at the doctor and said "78.00!! For your information, I already knew I had the flu, and nytol was making me feel just fine - you arent worth 78.00 and if it werent for my mother you wouldnt be getting this money, because I need a heater installed in my van more than I needed you!"
I handed over my check and walked out.

I still don't let my mother live that one down, everytime I get sick and she sais I think you should go see a doctor I tell her to go for me... and to pay the bill herself.

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

I couldn't have said it better!

WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO TURN ON THE TV ONE DAY AND HEAR OUR PRESIDENT, ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?

My Fellow Americans: As you know, the defeat of the Iraqi regime and the insurgents is over. Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete. This morning I gave the order for the removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be completed within 30 days. It is now time to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries that have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. List one is short.The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains all of the countries not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the cost of the entire Iraqi war.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world hellholes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption. Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France or, how about Germany?

In the future, together with the Senate and the Congress of the United States of America, I will work to redirect these monies towards solving the vexing social problems we still have here at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

To Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Yo, fellas. Work out a peace deal now. I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing all UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this issue. You have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers, and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York.

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are now very likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change. Mexico is also on List 2. President Fox and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. Since we will now have some extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put em? Yep, border security. So start doing something with your oil.

Oh, by the way, the USA is abrogating the NAFTA treaty - starting now. We are tired of the one-way highway.

It's time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "darn tootin." Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America.

To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thanks guys. We owe you and we won't forget. We will also continue to do business with you. To the nations on List 2, another final thought. Take a hike.

God bless America.
Thank you and good night.

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

80 BILLION DOLLARS!!!

What is he - CRAZY?! Surely not just the dems are going to complain about this amount. I would think everyone would. Seriously - where the hell does he plan to get this much money from? From what program will he take the money, who will have to do without?

If congress gave the job of spokesperson to a woman who is also a mother, she might stand up to him with her hands on her hip and say "Well George, if you want that much money I suggest you go out and earn it, because you don't seriously think we're made of money here do you? Do you see a money tree in the back yard? It's high time you learned the value of a dollar boy, and the only way your going to learn is to go out and make that money yourself." Yeah, he needs to have a mom who's had to live on a budget speak to him about spending.

80 freakin BILLION dollars.... good gawd. I say we spend that on US! It's time someone said "Hey, our public schools need more class rooms, our roads need re-paving, our mass transit needs updating, our medical costs need to be reduced, our medications need to be reduced, spend the money on AMERICANS." If Iraq wants a democracy well then they can go fight for it themselves - like WE did. And if we can't keep our fingers out of it, then sell their bloody oil and use the money from THAT stuff to finance the whole thing because why the fuck do WE have to pay for this crap? It's not MY country, I don't live there and never will. I really don't understand why the whole thing hasn't been financed from their oil wells. It should be, it's their freedom we've been fighting for isn't it?

And I know it's not just democrats that feel this way about the money... I'm a lone dem in a huge family of rep's and they aren't too happy about the possibility of 80 BILLION going to that country either. Thank gawd we have SOMETHING we all agree on!

Goddess & God bless us everyone... :)

One Hungry Bush... And JC

One day George W. Bush and Dick Cheney walk into a diner.
A waitress walks up to them and asks if she can take their order.
Bush leans close to her and says, "Honey, can I have a quickie?"
The waitress is appalled and yells at the President about women's rights and storms away.
Cheney then says to Bush, "George, its pronounced 'quiche'."

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I'm staying up late to watch the Leno special about Carson, which is making me laugh and cry, but I just had to share that stupid joke cause it made me giggle. Bob Newhart is the best straight man for comedians, he just cracks me up. Don Rickles flash back with Frank Sinatra was too funny. I realized tonight that Carson started working the Tonight show 2 months before I was born (Ok so now you know my true age - but thats JUST a number!) so like... I've known him my entire life! (Back to my age issue... I might grow old - but I'm never growing up. I'll be 5'1 forever!)

Monday, January 24, 2005

Let your daughter go - what are you afraid of?

15 years on a feeding tube isn't long enough for these folks to figure out she isnt coming back? Is her husband expected to give up his life and all his money to keep her alive - but not human? Not a living being - just a vegetible of sorts, that knows how to smile, but doesn't know much of anything else? Is that living? If anything like that were to happen to me, I hope my family doesn't keep me alive because that's all I would be, alive and nothing more. I wouldn't be ME.

I think Terri's parents are very selfish. The thing that really blows my mind is the end of the article... "They have asked the trial judge in Florida to remove Michael Schiavo as his wife's guardian. They said he has a conflict of interest because he has lived with another woman for several years and is the father of her two children. "

Did they expect him to not ever move on? He was young too when this happened. Would they have felt that way about their daughter had he been the one to suffer the heart attack? Would they have made her keep him alive? Are they afraid there isn't an after life?

If I learn nothing else in life the one true thing I will always know is People are weird.

CNN.com - Pentagon spurned plan for enemy aphrodisiac - Jan 17, 2005

Ok so what I wanna know is that if these PhD's are getting paid for thinking up this shit, why I can't get a freakin job doing the same thing. I'd probably have better ideas too! I mean seriously, I can't believe they get paid for this! Gawd I'm so frustrated - all I want is a decent paying job that I LIKE going to everyday!

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The more I think about this the more amazed I am that these people have college degrees, I mean you would think that type of thinking would stem from someone uneducated (And I mean UN-educated - didn't make through high school even!) You picture someone who can barely read and write, not someone with a doctorate or masters degree. Do people still think that homosexuality is a choice? I have to ask, does anyone really think that men and women would choose to be ostracized by friends, family and society just to have a 'different' sexual experience for the rest of their lives?

*sigh*

They own the place, we just pay the mortgage.

Patches
What I was TRYING to do was put more than ONE freakin picture in here at a time.
baby boy

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Don't Ask, Don't Think

This is NOT my writing, but it was so freakin awesome I just had to share it....
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By Richard Cohen
Tuesday, January 18, 2005;
Washington Post, Page A17

In one of those itsy-bitsy items you're likely to miss, the New York Times reported last week that, since 1998, the military has discharged 20 service personnel who spoke or had studied Arabic, six from the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif. They all had, in some way, been caught being gay. Try translating that into common sense.

This country, this government, this Congress and social conservatives in states both blue and red have so much invested in anti-gay policies that they will, if need be, jeopardize national security. It does not matter that Arabic interpreters are badly needed in Iraq, where they could save lives. What matters more -- what is downright paramount -- is that no gays get into the military or, if they do, that they stay deep in the closet, where, of course, they are smugly felt to belong. This is national policy.

The illogic of "don't ask, don't tell" can produce a pounding headache in any thinking person, but it is not without precedent. In the McCarthy era, the government rid itself of some Asian experts because their patriotism and, in some cases, their masculinity, was in doubt. This ill-prepared us for the coming crisis in Vietnam -- never mind what it unfairly did to the people involved -- plunging the United States into a civil war it little understood if only because the people who did had been purged from government service.

I sit in uncomprehending awe of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. I was a military man myself, if basic and advanced training in the combat engineers count for anything, and therefore I lived in barracks with gays. That's a statistical certainty. Later in life I belonged to several health clubs where, statistics aside, I damn well knew that many of the members were gay. In all that time, I had not a single uncomfortable moment. This is not something that, for instance, women at West Point and the Air Force Academy could say. In both military institutions, women have been molested and even raped. Yet no one suggests getting rid of women . . . or men -- just making the system work. This should be the rule with heterosexuals and homosexuals as well.

Fat chance, though. Homophobia has become entrenched because gays have become the personification of modernity, particularly changing sexual mores. So much of cultural conservatism has to do with sex -- abortion, marriage, sex education, celibacy -- that it makes sense that those who are the most outré, the greatest taboo breakers of them all, are the most loathed. This is why it is important for social conservatives to insist that homosexuality is a choice -- a casual one, at that -- and not something determined at birth or shortly thereafter. That valuable piece of ignorance justifies homophobia since, in America, you can no longer hate what someone is, only what they have become. The element of choice is as essential as it is fictitious.

In the many reviews I've read of the new book claiming Abraham Lincoln was gay, the same disclaimer appears over and over again: It wouldn't matter if he was. I take this as an affirmation of historic truth -- the slaves would still have been freed, the Civil War both fought and won -- but also as an assertion of blasé tolerance: Who cares? It wouldn't change a thing.

But these reviewers are right in a way I don't think they intended. Even if Lincoln had been gay, even if the book "The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln" by C.A. Tripp had received mostly respectful reviews instead of general dismissal, it still would not matter. America would be as reluctant to face the prospect that one of its greatest presidents was gay as it once was to acknowledge that Thomas Jefferson fathered a child with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings. It would be dismissed, belittled -- treated in the conservative community much as evolution is today. Facts do not matter when faith is at stake. Fire the gay linguists.

Inshallah!
cohenr@washpost.com

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Just awesome....

Johnny Carson

He died today, as most of you most likely know already. When I think of JC, I think of my dad, so I want to write my thoughts about him.

My dad always stayed up to watch JC, no matter what we were doing, or where we were, you could count on JC being on late that night. I remember we took a trip across country when I was probably 14, and we were staying in a Holiday Inn, 4 or 5 of us crammed into the hotel room, myself and 2 brothers, and my parents. 2 queen beds, everyone asleep except my dad and me. It was my turn to sleep on the roll away cot and it was near the TV, so I stayed up watching JC with my dad. I think it was one of the first times I paid attention to the show, and he was introducing a new line of toys coming out for the year and of course he was just showing the whacky ones. As the show progressed he had skits and chats with the guest stars, and what I remember the most was his innuendos. He was very classy about that. You had to be on your toes to catch them - at least if you were only 14 and just learning about sex and drugs and alcohol, so of course I just absorbed it all to sort out later what I wasn't quite understanding right then. But I was hooked, I couldn't stay up to watch him every night, but I got to catch him on Fridays and all summer long, and holidays. And because of him I started watching SNL during its BEST years. Late night was fun. Course when I was old enough to go out on dates things slowed down for the television aspects for me, but dating was just a few years before graduating high school and getting married and then I was back to sitting home on weekends and watching late night again.

People wonder why JC was able to be the only lion in the jungle when he was the host of the show - it's because he had so much class. He had that gift of innuendo, without making it dirty. He was able to make things funny. He was the erotic letters written in Playboy vs. the erotica written in Hustler. He had class.

My dad died 10 years ago and now another piece of his life goes with him.
Goodbye Johnny
Goodbye again dad.

The Donalds Wedding

WHO THE FUCK CARES? Why is everyone so interested? What the hell has he ever done for the masses? So why would the networks think we care about him getting married? PLEASE SOMEONE EXPLAIN THIS TO ME!!!

*Takes a deep breath and changes the channel ... again*

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

Now this is a much better channel... not that the whole world should care. But it's a hell of a lot better than the Trump wedding.

Unique posing for the camera (She's got mischief in her eyes)

Saturday, January 22, 2005

Missing Money: Mystery in Iraq as $300 Million is Taken Abroad

Do we honestly think we are going to make Iraq into a Democratic Nation?

300 MILLION! Geez if only I had 5000.00 of that, just 5000.00. All my bills would be paid, plus some! I could breath easier until a better job came along. But hey I need a new car, mine is 17 years old and ready to die, lets make it 25,000.00 so I could pay all my bills and buy a brand new car. I don't need a luxury car, but I'd like a PT Cruiser that's been pimped out with custom paint job and DVD in the back seat and awesome stereo system.

Oh wait, I'm still thinking small potatoes here. I could put my kids through expensive colleges OR I could put every kid in 3 counties through colleges here in NC (And still afford to pay off my bills, and buy a new car). I could put heat into all the homes with no heat here. Hell I could put air conditioning into them too! Running water and plumbing - yes America, we do have 1800's living standards still here in America. In TN, AL, SC, NC, KY, GA, WVA, VA, and I'm pretty sure the south doesn't have it all. I'd bet there are people living in sub standard housing all over our great nation.

And I know allot of people feel we should help ourselves and not look for hand outs, and I agree mostly with that, but if we lived that way completely, then we wouldn't be handing out weapons to other nations, or being the go-between for 2 different political figures of a nation to keep war from breaking out. We wouldn't be the world police. So if we're going to fix the problems of the world - shouldn't we fix our problems first? Shouldn't we help our own nation - our family first?

Extreme Makeover - home edition cannot do it all!

Friday, January 21, 2005

Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart just keeps making the news doesn't it? This time an employee was kidnapped and later found dead. Apparently the man that kidnapped her had tried on several other people first... WHY THE HELL WASN'T HE REPORTED? If you haven't already seen the video, it shows the woman walking to her truck, which is far away from the store itself and not very brightly lit - having worked for wal-mart in the past I can tell you that that is where they tell their employees to park. The late shift coming or going has no one to watch out for them as they leave or arrive and at the store I worked for most of the female employees refused to park that far away. We got reprimanded for it - but my attitude (Yeah I know it sucks, but it's mine) was always and will always be - KISS MY ASS! Employees should be aloud to park close and there should be good lighting everywhere.

But why the hell didn't the other people report this creep?

Melts in your mouth AND in your hand!

“'In most parts of the world chocolate is associated with romance, and not without good reason. It was viewed as an aphrodisiac by the Aztec's who thought it increased the prowess of men and made women less inhibited. So when it was first introduced to Europe, it was only natural that chocolate quickly became the ideal gift for a woman to receive from an admirer or a loved one'” http://www.aphrodite-chocolates.co.uk/chocolate_aphrodisiac.htm. I take you on a journey through a sexually driven world.

He waltzed into the room, the light reflected off his metallic golden orange jacket. He waves his hand like a flag, signally to his many admirers that he has arrived. Coming closer we see the many shades of burgundy that encircle his coats body. He looks good enough to eat. To be too close would be flirting with death, the temptation is difficult but to look away may mean he won’t last in a world of thieves. The look of him gives promises of a pleasurable experience.

His coverings slowly unraveled. So careful not to tear the delicate craftsmanship of his coat. Through the openings, the shimmer of his ebony colored skin glistened in the light. His skin promises delicacies yet to come. Mouth watering thoughts were what he was made of. His coat carelessly crumpled and tossed into the unknown abyss of the room, he looks so soft and tasteful to the hungry eye. The light dances against him, looking smooth, hard and firm, so well defined. His body one of the most perfect of hour glass shapes.

Slowly I put him into my mouth, allowing his flavor to roll over my tongue, savoring the taste of him as he melts slowly around and under, on and in, slowly dripping down my throat clinging to the insides of my cheeks. Oh my gawd! He bursts open revealing an entire new flavor for me to experience! It’s thick, almost chewy, yet so sweet and a wonderful blend. Melting, becoming creamy, my eyes close in ecstasy, swallowing and sighing. I want more, I’m greedy, I lust for more of his taste. But he’s done, he’s left me, I’m desolate.

I sigh, and looking around I see his twin! Being in the lust of the moment as I am, not caring that I’ve just had his brother, I reach for him, tearing away his jacket, ripping it, not caring, I thrust him into my mouth, taking him fast this time, wanting only to satiate myself this time! Sucking hard, making him melt much quicker, experiencing the same flavor of his twin before him and loving every drop of him.

I thank GOD and Wal-Mart for the $4.00 bag of all these Hershey caramel kisses!

(By my daughter)

Thursday, January 20, 2005

The Inauguration of 2005

Well I didn't vote for the man... again. So not much to say on THAT issue. But I would very much like to say that it makes me proud to see all the past presidents come together for these events, I'm not use to seeing that. However I don't like hearing the news commentators speculating how people feel. When the Clintons arrived the applause wasn't as large as it was for the Bushes... well duh, the majority of the people gathered for this event are Republican don't ya think? The applause for the Carters was very warm... the news commentators said they thought the crowd love them... well I can sure attest to the fact that Americans didn't love the carters at the end of his term. The man is able to do far more now as an ex president than he was ever able to do as a president. So don't base peoples opinions on the applause. I wish Reagan was still alive and in good health. He was my favorite. Maybe because I was just getting to that age where the politics interested me when he was the Governor of California and Jimmy Carter was President. High school government class was boring as shit, but my teacher made us watch the news and report what we were learning, rather than reading text books. He had us learn the current events, and learn from them.

Anyone out there reading this who's a Bush fan, as you may have guessed I am NOT. But you can't categorize me into a group, because I just tend to vote for the man OR Woman I feel will do the best thing for this country. I was born and raised on the left coast but even by their standards of liberalism - I am not, yet I am not some stodgy old republican either. This war is wrong, it wasn't part of the deal when we were all screaming vengeance for 9/11. No one can make me see it differently either. BUT that doesn't mean I don't care about our troops - hell it's because I care so much about them I hate seeing them die for a frigging LIE. I want my best friend to come home safe, to be with her 6 yr old son, so she can raise him and not me and her mom. I want my other friends, my sons friends, to all come home safe. And I'll continue to send care packages to them all, with notes about home and all the silly stupid things that don't matter but mean so much to hear about. And maybe soon we'll be done with Iraq-nam.

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

As you can see I am not at the funeral. Parking is at a minimum, its freaking cold for NC and the family doesn't know me personally anyway. With all the firemen, policemen, highway patrol men and sheriffs dept there, it should be a very nice funeral - but the family won't remember that part. Not for a few years, when its all less painful.

The state plans to prosecute for the death penalty and I sure as hell hope he gets it. believe it or not, the 19 yr old's father is in prison for life for killing a police officer as well. I hope the kid didn't procreate before this happened - maybe the chain will be broken in that family.

If you can't tell - I'm in a pissy mood today. It was such a senseless killing. The boy truly was and is an Idiot.

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Officer shot and killed

We're not a large community here, we're a small town, so something like this really hurts. Tomorrow I'll be attending the funeral, because my boyfriend being a firefighter for our community will be there in full uniform with the fire trucks representing all of us. I hate funerals and havent been to one since my dad died. I may change my mind and not go. I won't know until tomorrow really. His wife and 2 children will be there, they're pain so evident in their faces...

I just really hate funerals.

Headlines:
Funeral Services for Fallen Officer
Friends Mourn Slain Police Officer
Community Reacts to Officer Killing
Remembering Officer Mitch Prince
Boiling Spring Lakes Officer Shot and Killed

Friday, January 14, 2005

People who touch our lives

We go through life (sounds so deep doesn't it?) meeting people, talking to them, in my case I tend to be an open book, speaking without thinking, not knowing how much personal info I share, but I guess that's what makes me who I am. Anyway, what I'm trying to get to is someone who's touched my life at various points in the past 4 years.

I met her at one of our tanning salons here. She was the owner. Very nice woman, actually I suppose you could say I met her at my cigarette shop first. My co-worker introduced us and then later I went to her tanning salon to work on a tan prior to starting my anual summer job at the beach but thats not relevant (I do this allot). Anyway, through the weeks as I worked up my tan, we chatted, just about everyday things, our lives etc. I told her about my seperation and then later my divorce, my boyfriend (he's a firefighter and her husbands a police officer), going back to college to finally finish, etc. Then summer came and I didn't see her again until the following spring except when she'd come by when I happened to be working at the shop.

The following spring when I went back to start up my base tan for the summer she told me she was selling the place and going back to school. I was a b it surprised because she had what I considered the American dream... her own business that was succesful. But she said she wanted to do this, it was something she had always had a desire to do and I'm always for doing what your heart desires. So I didn't see her again until last June or July. When she came into the smoke shop to get her weekly carton, she said she had finished school and was now a certified beautition (I think that's how it's spelled). So I was happy and asked for her card, I'd have her do my hair for my up coming graduation.

I called and made my appointment for Aug. 5th and my daughter came with me, I had blonde highlights put in my hair (it's red) and they (blonde streaks) do a marvalouse job of making grey blend in *grin*, and I had my hair cut. As we were letting the goop sit in my hair she poured me a glass of wine and we sat outside having a smoke.

That's when she told me it was because of me she decided to go back to school. That blew me away. Why would I have that affect on someone? She said it was because I wasn't afraid to do it, so she shouldn't be afraid either. I gotta tell you, this woman had always and still doese actually, seem very strong to me, like she knows her own mind, isnt afraid to grab for the things she wants. I've always been afraid, I've always looked at women like her and my mom and wanted to be more like them and yet I always feel like I've sold myself short. And here she was saying I affected her enough to make her follow her dream.

Wow... I am honored. That is the only thing I can think of that can describe how I felt.

I seen her this week. I graduated August 6th and on August 7th she was in a motorcycle accident and was in intensive care for a long time, and with her imune system so weak, she was exposed to someone who had chicken pox and that paralized half of her face, and as she said, it made her look as though she had a stroke. the muscles are slowly coming back, it will take awhile though. But even though she was unable to use those facial muscles, she still has an incredible beauty about her.

She's back to working and now I have to say this - She is the reason I wont give up trying to get what I want. (Which of course is a good paying job with benefits etc). Which may not seem like enough to some people, but it's what I want. My dream is to have a job that pays well enough that I can take care of all the bills here and my mom can retire, not work unless she wants too, so she can travel while she is still healthy enough to do that. A job I can have 2 weeks paid vacation and actually afford to GO on one. A job that will allow me to pay for half of each of my childrens college educations.

Because she can go through all she has and still keep going, never giving up... well, so will I.

Thank you for that. Thank you for touching my life.

:)

Well, BB is fine. I'm sure HE doesn't think so though. We took him to the vet and it turns out he was attacked about a week ago by another cat, and where the cat bit him became infected, they broke open last night and that where there was blood every where. So those are cleaned out now AND he's been snipped. No more baby makin things on him.

His mother is in heat though, seems the previous owners lied about having had them fixed. Course only asshole would abandon their pets anyway.

Thursday, January 13, 2005

:(

Baby Boy is bleeding all over my screened in porch, it's 10:30 at night and we have no idea why he's bleeding, he won't let us have a close exam. I cannot see any blood anywhere but on his tail. His back hurts him though. He's been on my porch since last night with only our 4 house cats neer him, the only one brave enough to possibly fight him is Patches, only BB is not a fighter, so I don't think those two faught.

John said he'd take him into the vet in the morning after I go to work. I hope it turns out to be nothing, but I don't know, there is allot of blood and its a bright red. :(

I'm tired and now I have one more thing to worry about.
TTFN

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Gawd I am limp!

Man I am BLOODY wiped out! It's been 3 years since I've had a full time job I was on my feet the entire time for and my gawd! My poor feet are DEAD! But, my manager was admitted to the hospital this morning, she had ended up dehydrated from this sickness, and tomorrow they are doing some kind of test by sticking a camera down her throat, they think she may have severe ulcers which is not good. So, I'd rather work so she doesn't worry about the store. Besides, it will be a welcome change in my paycheck LOL (The only good thing about all this) well not the only good thing, cause it's good exercise as well.

On another note... have ya'all ordered your Girls Scout Cookies? I did and they come in February (here at least, it just depends on where you live in the USA as to when you get them). I was a GSA Leader for 8 years and a Cub Scout leader for 8 years... at the same time. Oh it was a blast. Primitive camping for my girls, tent camping for my son until he was a weblow... BSA coddles their boys, GSA lets the girls go camping from Brownies on up. I'm glad those years are past now though, because now the only camping I wanna do is from a motor home with room service!

Time for CSI
Good night ya'all

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Good Morning?

Who the hell came up with THAT slogan?
11:05 AM
__________________________________________________________
Well I'm putting in some extra time at work this week, that will be nice. You seriously loose the joy of sitting at home doing nothing when it becomes a daily thing. But I am sorry my manager is home sick. I have a job interview tomorrow before work, it's for a full time position in an office, but hardly pays more than the job I have now - but it IS full time so I'll def. go for it!
Anyone out there who's got a job like me where your on your feet most of the time so you really look forward to the witching hour that lets you turn the sign over in the door to CLOSED will probably understand what I am about to talk about...
That ONE person that walks through the door at 1 min to closing. So that's what happened tonight. In she walks, oh hi - I need blah blah blah... and blah blah blah, I'm with such n such store down the road so we get the tax excempt. So I say yeah no problem... IF you had come in 20 min ago. As it is, I am just filling in so I have no idea where your store tax exempt number is and besides... thats JUST for the Phillip Morris products and your only getting one of those. Anyway, she wasn't too happy with me and I let her know I frankly didn't give a damn since we close at 7. She said "Well I didn't know" I probably would have been nice from the beginning but damnit she came in with an attitude of her own right off, and started demanding this rather than just asking. It all just rubbed me wrong and I had been in such a great mood the whole day, singing and dancing along to great songs on the radio, even some of the customers hung out to hear a song they particulaly liked. It was fun.
All in all the day was good... but she put a little bit of a downer on it. But I'm ok now. LOL

Monday, January 10, 2005

Cat's Cats & More Cats!!

Unique - also known as Neke (Or Bitch)

Salty - Trying to see what it is the birds are doing
Baby boy - after killing a bird to eat... Posted by Hello

Secret confessions of a cat lady

I was looking at pictures of cats last night and left a msg at one - afterwards I realized how I must look as the local cat lady. I didn't start off as that, it's not like I purposely went out and picked up all the cats who live around my house... It's all circumstantial evidence I swear!

It happened like this:

My mom has 2 cats, both orange striped, brother and sister, named Salt and Pepper. Real imaginative - especially since they're not even black and white! Anyway, my daughters had lovingly caught a baby wild kitten who was *maybe* 4 weeks old because they had always wanted a white cat and this one has a blue eye and a green eye. (She is beautiful - but don't touch her or you may only get a hand back with nubs where your fingers used to be.) They named her Unique. Anyway, so when we combined homes, we then had 3 cats living in it. Pepper, the female one of my moms doesn't leave my mothers bedroom. She thinks she's guarding it and the only cat ever allowed in there is her brother and only when she's in a tolerant mood.

Then my boyfriends sister decided to move and told him he would have to take his cat that she had been keeping for him all this time. It's a calico named Patches. The meeting of the 4 cats was interesting, we're still vacuuming up fur and it's been over a year now. At this point they all tolerate each other but there isn't any play between them. Now my mom's cats are neurotic to say the least, Salty is so obese that the vet is now making my mother learn how to give him his shots whenever we go to the vet so she'll know how to give him insulin shots when he develops diabetes. (She didn't find this funny - but I did) He's suppose to be on a diet, but you can't feed 3 cats and leave the 4th out - he finds ways to get that food. *Another story*... Unique climbs the door jams, and it isn't pretty, and Patches claws the furniture which WAS brand new last February. *Again another story*...

We moved into this larger home a year ago, it has a covered front porch, a side screened in porch and a back deck. Our lovely neighbors across the street had 4 cats of there own. 1 was the mother cat - short hair black. Her 3 offspring were all long haired and beautiful. The neighbors were having marriage trouble, screaming matches in the front yard, with windows open, 2 am or whenever or where ever... so they decided to move into town close to where he works (since he lost his drivers license for a DUI) They would show up about once a week, slice open a huge bag of dog food and throw it into the back yard for the dogs. If they even fed the cats I have no idea... but the cats took up residence on my front porch where they figured we'd at least pet them. That is, 2 of them did. The other 2 are wild, because that family had been unable to find homes for them as kittens and had never wanted them. So now I have "mama cat" and "baby boy" coming for attention.

Neighbors called the police about the dog situation, so they took the dogs to the pound. It wasn't like "animal cops" on the animal planet channel either. In the meantime, "She" came back to the house to live with her 2 small children and left him in town. They were now officially separated and she was moving out west. I asked her about the cats and she ignored me and went into her home. When he showed up one day I asked him about the cats since now I was feeding them, and he said it wasn't his problems they were HER cats. Uh huh.

I made a small poster with pictures of baby-boy on it, trying to find a home for him because damnit I don't like the pound! People came by to have a look at him but as soon as he got wind of strangers in the area he was outta there like a bullet. Mama cat is the same way. I guess they feel they have been abandoned enough in there lives. So what can I do? At least all the cats have been spayed or neutered now. The last thing I need is kittens!

Now the owners are gone (do you see my tears?), a For Sale sign is in the front lawn and I have 4 house cats, 2 porch cats and 2 wild cats hanging around and I am now a freaking cat lady!


Saturday, January 08, 2005

I'm Up I'm Up! Grrrrrrrr

I don't do mornings very well. I never have. It's much more natural for my body to stay up until about 1 or 2 am and fall asleep naturally. But I am the kind of person who cannot sleep the day away, yet would like 7 to 8 hours of sleep, but noise or light will wake me and I rarely can go back to sleep. (This is why I usually take that new sleep aide thats non-habit forming from tylanol) But when I wake up, please do NOT try to have a conversation of any kind with me for at least an hour. (Unless your a pet).

But I have gotten used to the fact that most other humans (at least in my life) cannot leave me alone for 1 hour. They MUST talk to me - even if it's just to talk about the weather. My son is about the only other person I know who is the same way. In this we get along perfectly. We can sit together on the porch, watching birds, squirrels, rain or whatever and not say a word to each other without feeling we're being rude. But my son has his own apartment so this doesn't happen anymore.

Instead I have others who live with me. My mother wakes up full of sunshine and chatter and even though she has known me my entire life still has NOT gotten it. Still cannot understand why she has to leave me alone while I sip my coffee or I get 'pissy'. My boyfriend on the other hand is 'pissy' when he first wakes up, but lets you know about it rather than just sitting quietly, so this tends to get my feathers ruffled right away. Because he is so much younger than me and is still in the "Sleep all day if you let him" mode of life, I tend to let him sleep until I have at least fully woken.

I think my youngest daughter is taking after me as well, but it's hard to tell since she too will sleep as long as she can and I'm usually busy and not paying attention when she first gets up. My eldest daughter though takes after her grandmother, and there is something wrong with people who wake up smiling. In fact they not only wake up smiling - they wake up EARLY! They like to do dishes and other things that make noise too. They annoy the hell out of me. I love them with all my heart. But for that ONE HOUR I wish they were still asleep.

Friday, January 07, 2005

Rants, Raves, Ramblings and *sigh* Work

MSNBC - Tsunami death toll up to about 145,000

1. So which is it? 160,000 or 145,000? And who bloody cares right now? Why are we being deluged with the death count at this point? Lets focus on the living at the moment and help them deal with this. Where I live - the hurricane coast - I just can't imagine how I'd feel sifting through rubble trying to find personal belongings while worried about family members I can't find, and finding dead people under rubble as I cleaned up. I really just don't think I could cope with that. I just don't think I'd deal well seeing children walking around looking for their parents, God how are they doing it? Day after day looking and hoping for those two people they trust more than anyone, being made to attend school only to see classmates empty seats. The news commentators say children are very resilient, but I just don't think anyone knows what the mental health of these kids are going to be like a few months down the road.

Tell us the numbers after the clean up is over ok?


Who should be the next secretary of homeland security?

2. Who should be the next secretary of homeland security? That's an easy one... Rednecks with guns! And all the grandmothers can be their bosses. (Because those guys are usually very well behaved with good manners around grandmothers!) They won't let anyone in or out of the USA who they think is a threat, and they love a good fight. Better let the southern branch of Baptists handle the body searches though, or some might get a bit frisky. "Scuse me Ma'am, sorry to have to check ya like this, won't take but a minute though ah promise" This would bring some jobs back to our people too wouldn't it?

*shrug* It was just a thought...

3. At last - home from work... all of 4 ½ hours of it. But on the brighter side, a woman stopped by who is part owner of the new coffee shop in town and said I could always apply for part time with them too while waiting for a full time job. I love coffee and the place has internet access and they are not all that familiar with computers. Hmmm maybe my degree in information Systems could pay off there?! Probably just wishful thinking.


4. Today's MAJOR rant. Rude drivers of all ages. Several things here...
a) STAY OFF MY ASS WHEN DRIVING BEHIND ME. Especially at night. If I can't see your freaking head lights in my rearview mirror you are too fucking close and I will - let me repeat this - I WILL apply my breaks and let you ram your $20,000.00 car into the ass end of my 16 year old van that is worth $450.00 (Blue book value). Won't bother me a bit.
b) KILL YOUR FUCKING BRIGHTS WHEN APPROACHING ON COMING CARS. This should be self explanitory. And those of you doing this to me will find that my van has this special little thing that when I hold in my light dimmer its a double blind before dimming or brightening, far worse than normal brights. (Not sure why it does it, but I've been using it for years and loving it).
c) CELL PHONE USERS - GET OFF THE FREAKIN PHONE AND DRIVE!!!!!! You cannot possibly do both well, one or the other is going to suffer so just stay off the phone! I'll tell ya one thing... cause me to wreck cause you were on the phone and I can get out of my car and walk... YOU BETTER RUN!
d) BLINKERS - ALSO KNOWN AS TURN SIGNALS. USE THEM! Did you NOT attend a drivers training course at some point in your lives?! I swear to the Goddess you make me want to slap your lazy asses!

I'm sure I will rant more on this as time goes by, because I really hate rude drivers.

Until another time...

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Job searching and all it's glory

I was at a job interview today - again - and had originally filed my resume with them for a full time salary position. Arriving there and speaking with my interviewer I found they were offering me a position that was part time and only paid $7.00 an hour. I was incredulous! Does a college degree mean anything anymore here? How are people - adults - suppose to live on that? Pay bills, buy food, raise families? The frustrating thing though is that this was for a company that caters to the rich and yes - famous on an island off the NC coast. Yet they pay their employees like we're a 3rd world country. Eventually we will all be just like the people of Indonesia and Malaysia who cater to rich Americans and Europeans who vacation there, while they all go home to their 2 room huts.

Welcome to America folks.

___________________________________________________

So I already have a part time job, that pays about as much as the above mentioned company has offered me, and the bonus of staying with the place I am presently at is - I get to verbally abuse the customers!

Last Friday a guy comes in, wants me to show him this and that, doesnt really know what he wants and I have other customers, so when he gets a bit pissy with me I told him I wasn't paid enough to wait on him hand and foot. He blinked and then started laughing. And thats how it normally goes there, so why would I leave one low paying job that I get to be abusive in, for another where I'd have to take the bullshit the rich and snobbish are so good at dishing out?

Welp... time for CSI

Frustration!

Ok so sometimes I feel frustrated... this is one of those times. Posted by Hello

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

Oh how I hate asking for help!

As I peruse through other peoples blogs I see some of them have pictures next to their personal info... So how the hell do I do that? I been trying everything and it's driving me a bit batty that I can't figure it out myself. Don't you hate that? Now I'm not the type that won't ask for directions when going somewhere, but when it comes to something I personally think would be easy and I can't figure it out, having to ask for help drives me nuts!

Yes I'm a Capricorn

I was also born in the year of the Tiger... I'm just not saying which Tiger!
Yes I'm a Capricorn! Posted by Hello

What's going on?

Ya'know, I didn't vote for Bush either time. I felt the first time around that he was a man that was going to get this country into a war. On September 11th I sat in front of my TV having been awoken by a friend that the twin towers were on fire. I had turned it on in time to see the 2nd plane crash into the second tower and knew that was no accident. I was in shock as was everyone else. But as the day rolled on and the out-pouring of concern and care and help was being offered in such abundance from other countries I realized that we weren't such a hated country after all. I cried as I watched the evening news, showing what other countries were doing to show their support of us.

Within 6 months we were hated again... we were going to go to war against a country who hadn't attacked the world trade centers. Bush got his war and I hate that I said this would happen and no one in my family believed me and they voted for him anyway!

Now here we are, a little more than a week after Christmas and the worst catastrophe the world has ever seen in my lifetime anyway and it really pisses me off that some how we are being blamed for the slowness of the tsunami recovery. Sure I'm pissed that Bush took 3 freakin days to say ANYTHING! If the rest of the world had taken 3 days to respond to OUR catastrophe, how would we have felt?!

But... I have to say this: He and the USA did not have a thing to do with the tsunami so why is America being criticized? Sure the initial amount of money for relief was a joke, I'm sure at the time they had no clue how huge this was (I myself would not have quoted any amount but instead would have said my advisors will be visiting the area to see how much we should send, but medical supplies, food and water is already on the way) but I don't think Mr. Bush ever had to take a customer service class in college the way I had too.

Anyway as I was saying, why are we being criticized? Why isn't rich countries like the Saudis anteing up tons of cash too? Why aren't more people demanding this of them? Why the hell does America have to fix everything and get bit in the behind when things go wrong? My heart goes out to all those people, I wish I could help. Not financially because I CAN'T - they have my jobs over there in India. I went to school for help desk operations, computer technicians and customer service. I could offer my muscles to help clean up but will they buy the plane ticket? I just feel terrible for the hurt and misery all the people are going through.

Just as I felt the hurt and misery all the people of Florida, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina went through this past summer with all the hurricanes.