Recently in interesting to me Category

*emphasis mine*

According to a press release from Equality Forum, 463 of the 2007 Fortune 500 companies voluntarily include sexual orientation in their employment nondiscrimination policies.

There is currently no federal workplace protection based on sexual orientation, and only 20 states include sexual orientation nondiscrimination in their workplace statutes.

There are 37 Fortune 500 companies that are non compliant, and 15 of them are based in Texas. However, of the 55 companies total that are headquartered in Texas, 41 do provide sexual orientation workplace equality.

My Thoughts...
I wonder where the other 17 are?
and people wonder why I don't want to live in TX?
In FL, the laws are just as bad, but peoples attitudes are better! In TX people seem proud to discriminate against gays, where in FL people don't realize the laws are what they are...not that ignorance is an excuse, but at least you can educate ignorance!

One of the hazzards of me going to sleep WAY to early last night...is I'm not able to sleep now so I decided a bit of an update was in order...
I'm finally figuring out a few settings on this upgraded MT, like how to let comments be posted from actual people, and not let the spam through (a very good thing with some I host!) I still have to rehack the front page to bits and get it the way I want...but all in time *read, when I have time!*
The PJob (primary job) is going well, things are finally starting to settle down now that w-2's have gone out. We're opening the doors on our new resturant next Monday! And I feel like a have a moment to breathe again while I'm at work, instead of constantly answering the phone dealing with people who want to blame me that they didn't update their address and why didn't their w-2 come in the mail, and am I not a mind reader that can figure all of this out?!?!?
Speaking of Pjob, M and I are going to CT in April (hopefully it will be a bit warmer by then!) so I can meet a couple of my favorite managers I'm excited about this for several reasons...the first being I get to meet them (finally! after 2 years) and the second being I want to see how things work on their side of the buisness (like what do they have to do to get us our information, etc...)
Oh, and another interesting tidbit...my department was 'rewarded' by the higher ups in the company after the GM conference a couple weeks ago...it seems that they (the GM's) couldn't stop bragging about us to the executives and telling them what a great job we were doing! That was a very nice surprise...She (one of the execs) told us that it wasn't always that way, that she constantly got complaints about her (former person) and it was so nice to have people in the department that did their job so well! I cannot say enough, how nice it is to work for a company that is so wonderful to their employees...hard to find places like that anymore! (and people wonder why I would never consider leaving there! )
Now, as for the PTJob (part time job) I was supposed to be transfering to another store...but now I'm not sure if that's going to happen
Was going to transfer, because the manager who has always been honest with me, and went to the mat for me more times than I can count is there...it's closer to where I live, and honestly, I can make more money there.
Don't get me wrong, I love the people I work with now, we have a lot of fun, I enjoy my guests/regulars that come in...I only work overnights on Fri. and Sat. so the drunks are so entertaining
Not sure if it's going to happen because it seems suddenly that 'they can't do without me' (and I just found out moments, literally, ago, that my co-worker on the overnights is in the hospital! ) No wonder I woke up and can't go back to sleep....

Real post coming soon, but for now, I leave you with this...Happy Turkey Day!!

BY MITCH ALBOM
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

I'll take Thanksgiving.

You can have Halloween, New Year's, Christmas, Fourth of July, Easter, Hanukkah and any day dedicated to presidents.
You can stack them all up on one side, and the turkey and I will stand on the other.
I'll take Thanksgiving.
It is, to me, exactly what a holiday should be.
For one thing, there are no gifts. You never have to worry about what to get someone for Thanksgiving or how much to spend. There are no lectures about "greed" or "commercialization" or how we're "forgetting the spirit" of Thanksgiving. No way. The spirit of Thanksgiving is eating.
Who could forget that?
Second, it comes with football. What other holiday does that? New Year's Day? At least with Thanksgiving, you don't have a hangover.
Also, there is no "right" place to go on Thanksgiving -- except home. There is no church or synagogue. No graves that must be visited. No trekking out to watch fireworks.
You just sit on the couch, or sit at the table, and you laugh and eat and laugh and burp and -- ta-da! -- you are credited with knowing the "true meaning" of the holiday.
Also, it comes with a parade.

No history lesson needed
Did I mention the dressing? Not the turkey dressing. The human dressing. There isn't any! Oh, sure, maybe you put on a nice pair of pants. Maybe. But who really dresses up for Thanksgiving? You can celebrate in a sweatshirt. Can you say that about New Year's Eve? Not unless you're a lonely, pathetic loser.
And Thanksgiving doesn't require some smarty-pants history known only by your geeky cousin from Baltimore. Uh-uh. There's no quoting Lincoln or Washington. No reading from the Declaration of Independence.
What do you need to know about Thanksgiving? The Pilgrims and the Indians had dinner. Pass the gravy.
Thanksgiving never moves. It is always on a Thursday, strategically placed so that you might as well take off Friday as well, since Saturday and Sunday are next, and, while you're at it, maybe half of Wednesday just to pick up everyone from the airport. Thanksgiving gets you half a week off.
What does Labor Day get you? Monday?
And there is no shopping on Thanksgiving, unlike Memorial Day or Presidents' Day. Sure, there are Thanksgiving sales, but you do them on FRIDAY! How cool is that?
Also, there are no masks. You don't beg for candy from strangers. And nobody eggs your house.
Have I mentioned stuffing?

And plenty of time to nap
There is no more celebratory food -- short of dessert -- than stuffing. Be honest. When you were young, you couldn't get enough of it, right? Maybe you hated cranberry sauce, but all kids loved stuffing. It was everything great about bread and pudding and hot, mushy food wrapped into one.
Tell me you don't still feel that.
Tell me there's anything better than a meal that goes all night, that doesn't have an event tied to it, that doesn't come with a bill at the end.
Tell me there's anything better than only having to catch up with your aunts, uncles and cousins to feel as if you did the holiday proud. Tell me there's anything easier than passing plates. Tell me there's a better place to appreciate what you have than in a kitchen filled with good smells.
Tell me there's a better invention than "the kids' table."
And what holiday not only condones but pretty much expects you to fall asleep on the couch?
So let's sum up. No costumes, no presents, no services, no tuxedos, no time limit, no guilt trips, and all the food, naps and football you want.
I'll take Thanksgiving. After all, no one tries to sit on the turkey's lap and ask for an Xbox.

Be gay to participate.
But if you are a single, coupled, or married gay parent, or a straight, supportive, or just know someone who is a gay parent and would like to participate...would you please consider going to the Blogging for LGBT Families post and joining in.

Thank you for your support!

:gmorning
I just realized yesterday, when I had no time, that I had once again let all my posts slide off into the archives :hum
I also realize, that since this is April 1st, and I'm posting, that I'm running the risk of everyone that reads here (all 3 of you?) thinking that it's an april fools gag...
Trust me, this is an honest update, I suck at pranks...I admire those that can pull them off, but never have managed that art...

Well, where to begin, since really nothing exciting has been happening since the recent scare (thank the goddess for that!)

Oh, it was brought to my attention recently, that I've negelected to update my readers on some things....I could have swore I did.
I bought a new (to me) car...and isn't it amazing how after you make such a purchase, everyone you know has one they're selling, for less than you paid, and with a lot less problems than the one you bought :uhoh3
Yes, said car was bought from 'friends' and has been in the shop 3 times to get it running properly :brick

Melissa is coming to Jax!! I found out yesterday after tickets went on sale...and yes, M, Ran, and I are going!! :banana
I'm still amazed she's coming here!! :1luvu

The sites have all been moved to the new server, it went fairly smoothly, only losing the banner ads over at Problem Adults and those have since been fixed (ok, that's all I've noticed were missing, hopefully that's the case!)
I have noticed that anything going to an aol account is bouncing, so I hope to get that matter cleared up soon.

With the move complete, I have a new project that I'm playing with...hope to have progress on that in the coming week, as I would really like to have it up and running by the 7th :biggrin

other than that...nothing really to report here...hope everyone is doing well, and don't fall for to many pranks today!!
:wavey

and lately...I've needed this on a t-shirt

Top-10 Hints for Heterosexuals

1. Do not run screaming from the room. This is rude.


2. If you do have to back away, do so slowly and with discretion.


3. Do not assume we are attracted to you.


4. Do not assume we are not.


5. Do not expect us to be as excited about meeting a heterosexual as you are about meeting a gay person.


6. Do not immediately start talking about your boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife in order to make it clear that you are straight.


7. Do not ask us why we got this way. Instead, ask yourself how you got the way you are.


8. Do not assume we are dying to talk about being gay.


9. Do not expect us to refrain from talking about being gay.


10. Do not trivialize our experiences by assuming this is a bedroom issue only. We are gay 24-hours a day.

I swear, they must be there...
in my last post, I could have swore I talked about Saturday...in which the major event was another dear friend of ours who's moved to the other side of the state, stopping by to see us! (we miss you guys so much :cry ) before they went to dinner and over to mulletville...
however, in re-reading my post, I see that I skipped right over Saturday and went right to Sunday :uhoh3

The shopping trip went ok...one of these days I hope to find someone willing to do it for me though :lol
4 stores and one trip to Carino's (love those job perks!) later...I managed to find an outfit that I can live with. (side note...I did find an awesome pair of boots that my wife helped me pick out...lets just say, with the exception of the color, they're the ones I've been wanting for years! :biggrin )
My wonderful wife, on the other hand...was unable to find anything (which means we have to do this again :scared ) but did manage to find the Star Wars III DVD :banana

After all of that...getting in way to late last night, her (and Ran) having to work this morning...I got to go fix my friend D's computer...let me tell you, Destiny was NOT happy at getting up at 7am this morning (neither was I to tell the truth!) and I did manage to get a little something to entertain my kids when they come down! (and I'm sure my wife will like it to...big kid that she is :rofl )

ok, I know the page has been blank a few days, so sue me (you won't get far, as I'm one broke lesbian! :lol)
where to start....
Last Thursday, as most people know was thanksgiving...we celebrated by going over to M's mom's house, eating entirely to much, bringing home 1/2 of the leftovers, and going to see our friend D, who we hadn't seen much lately. (ok, at ALL...she's been starting a new business and is harder to get ahold of than we are)

Friday, some of us had to work (namely ME) Ran had gone to her moms for another turkey day dinner, and then on to work...so we met up with our dear friend who moved 1/2 way across the state :cry and her girlfriend for dinner at E Street. More good food, good conversation, what more could you ask for? (except for her to move her as back to Jax...and you knew I would say that!)
afterwards, it's back over to D's house to pick up a couple things, hang out some more, and head back home, since the next day it's my lovely wife's turn to work.

Sunday...she decides that now that it's after thanksgiving, it's time to start decorating the house...ok...I'm a scrooge, but if you want to then by all means, more power to you (although, I am in the mood for my usual holiday baking, which is better than the last 2 years)
well, she started...from the looks of the living room, it might be 2006 before she gets done though! :scared

and to close this entry...I would ask you all to please keep me in your thoughts this weekend...
you see, my wife and I are going to my office X-mas party...which means I have to go shopping...and we all know how much I just LOVE to do that :drunk
especially this time of year :shakehead

this week...has been a week from hell!
there's really nothing 'specific' I can point to that made it that way for me...
Monday was about the same as usual at my job...extremely busy, but that makes it go by faster...seems like there were more mistakes that people didn't catch that we had to, and therefore had to fix.
Tuesday was more of the same...plus we discovered two people got overpaid, one was not an issue, but the second one it's going to take a bit more doing to fix the problem.
Wed. I don't think the phone quit ringing all day...of course it was with issues that people wanted fixed for this payday, but we wrap things up and transmit in the morning...they all know this...any and all changes have to be in BEFORE that :shakehead
Thursday it just seemed like everyone had an attitude, plus finding out that the problem we thought we fixed Tuesday wasn't fixed, and actually caused other issues :brick
and Friday...umm..can I get a do-over on Friday? one whole division's direct deposits didn't go through...this wouldn't normally be a big deal, except that it was a manager pay week, so it affected A LOT more people :hammer and none of them were very happy about it! plus the fact that the people that process our payroll outright lied to us about what was going on...it was a very stressful day, to top off a very stressful week.
but the good news..is my wife did a little shift changing, and so has all of tomorrow off, which will be the first day we've gotten the ENTIRE day together in quite some time!! :flames

ok...to wrap this up, the pictures I promised!
M and I, plus 2 of my coworkers
yes, I was losing my 'teeth' on that one!
me and the crazy people I work with
My cubicle all decorated for my birthday

I borrowed this from some friends at LJ, thought it might be interesting to put here :lol

Leave one memory of you and me together. It doesn't matter if I know you a little or a lot, anything you remember. Next, post this in your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you.