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.

My oldest boy called me tonight...they had their last game this evening

they WON!!
:groupwave

which means they've only lost one game this season (and it was the one he didn't get to play! :flames )

had to brag a bit :biggrin

and her party is tonight

Happy Birthday RanRan

no, before you ask, I don' t have it working the way I want to yet...but we're not going there tonight! :errrr

tonight, I'm in to good a mood to even think about it...

I have the most awesome job...and reason number 5963+ why I think so

We get 50.00 gift cards to use in the restaurants we own here in Jax every month
My company has season tickets to the Jag's games...every week (in order) someone gets 2 tickets (touchdown club) and a parking pass...this week was my week (yes, I know I'm not into football, but it will be my first NFL game!)
every year we're 'reviewed'. that just happened, and we were #1, so we all got gift cards to target for a job well done (it's so nice to work someplace where they SHOW how much you're appreciated!)

after many plans to my wife and I managed to get up and see a sunrise.
:sun_smiley
Yes, Sunday morning we got up before dawn showed her crack and drove out to the beach (before coming back home and taking a nap before she went to work :lol )
other than that...there is really nothing going on here...
we had to reschedule our trip this weekend (mini-honeymoon) due to circumstances beyond our control :sad
My oldest's team has won 3 out of 4 of their games to date! :banana
3 weeks from today I get to see my kids!!!!
:groupwave
other than this...I can't think of anything else I want to say in this post...:shrug

till next time...

Borrowed from "MoveOn.org"

Timeline

Friday, Aug. 26: Gov. Kathleen Blanco declares a state of emergency in Louisiana and requests troop assistance.

Saturday, Aug. 27: Gov. Blanco asks for federal state of emergency. A federal emergency is declared giving federal officials the authority to get involved.

Sunday, Aug. 28: Mayor Ray Nagin orders mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. President Bush warned of Levee failure by National Hurricane Center. National Weather Service predicts area will be "uninhabitable" after Hurricane arrives. First reports of water toppling over the levee appear in local paper.

Monday, Aug. 29: Levee breaches and New Orleans begins to fill with water, Bush travels to Arizona and California to discuss Medicare. FEMA chief finally responds to federal emergency, dispatching employees but giving them two days to arrive on site.

Tuesday, Aug. 30: Mass looting reported, security shortage cited in New Orleans. Pentagon says that local authorities have adequate National Guard units to handle hurricane needs despite governor's earlier request. Bush returns to Crawford for final day of vacation. TV coverage is around-the-clock Hurricane news.

Wednesday, Aug. 31: Tens of thousands trapped in New Orleans including at Convention Center and Superdome in "medieval" conditions. President Bush finally returns to Washington to establish a task force to coordinate federal response. Local authorities run out of food and water supplies.

Thursday, Sept. 1: New Orleans descends into anarchy. New Orleans Mayor issues a "Desperate SOS" to federal government. Bush claims nobody predicted the breach of the levees despite multiple warnings and his earlier briefing.

Friday, Sept. 2: Karl Rove begins Bush administration campaign to blame state and local officials—despite their repeated requests for help. Bush stages a photo-op—diverting Coast Guard helicopters and crew to act as backdrop for cameras. Levee repair work orchestrated for president's visit and White House press corps.

Saturday, Sept. 3: Bush blames state and local officials. Senior administration official (possibly Rove) caught in a lie claiming Gov. Blanco had not declared a state of emergency or asked for help.

Monday, Sept. 5: New Orleans officials begin to collect their dead.

Those are the facts. State and local officials BEGGED for help as people in their city suffered. The Bush administration didn't get the job done and when their failure became an embarrassment they attacked those asking for help.

The New York Times reported on Friday that Karl Rove and White House communications director Dan Bartlett "rolled out a plan...to contain the political damage from the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina." The core of the strategy is "to shift the blame away from the White House and toward officials of New Orleans and Louisiana."

I think my Ex seriously needs to read this!!

How to talk to kids about gays, lesbians

First, and the last thing I will say in this matter on here...no matter what anyone says, I did not lose custody of my kids, I can show you the papers if you like that state I have joint custody of them.
Now, back to our normal (whatever that is) lives...

I'm fairly certain that this weekend marks the last I will be working at BW...due to them changing the system and me not willing to take time out of my other job to go to the training...I'm not exactly a novice at computers or motels, and if they seriously think it's something I can't pick up in an hour or less, then it's really to damn confusing for most of the people working there to be using anyway :rofl

Speaking of jobs, it makes you feel really good when your new boss comes in and asks you what days you want to take off around the holidays...meaning the ones in Nov. and Dec...definitally a good sign they plan on keeping me around!! :banana Or so I would think anyway :biggrin
Yes, I am enjoying the hell out of it...tracking down reasons why payroll's not balancing, data entry, deadlines, etc...and yes, I realize I'm a bit strange liking that sort of thing, but it fits me to a ~T~ (pun intended)

In other news...apparently while I was at work yesterday we had a bit of a power surge...enough to fry my graphic card and corrupt the hard drive :scared
fortunately, since all the crap I've replaced on this thing that didn't need to be...I had another card...and the windows disk was able to get rid of the BSOD :fdup
Which is a VERY good thing...since my girl can email me at work now when she's home :groupwave

I get sick of listening to straight people complain about, "Well, hey, we don't have a heterosexual-pride day, why do you need a gay-pride day?" I remember when I was a kid I'd always ask my mom: "Why don't we have a Kid's Day? We have a Mother's Day and a Father's Day, but why don't we have a Kid's Day?" My mom would always say, "Every day is Kid's Day." To all those heterosexuals that bitch about gay pride, I say the same thing: Every day is heterosexual-pride day! Can't you people enjoy your banquet and not piss on those of us enjoying our crumbs over here in the corner?
~Rob Nash

I've seen and heard it said, especially lately, why we feel the 'need' to be so vocal about who and what we are. For example, the bumper stickers on my van, the quotes on my site, and the fact we feel the need to 'announce' it to everyone.
If we could just 'live and let live' 'be who we are' and the like, we wouldn't have discrimination, we wouldn't have people voting to keep us 'separate' from them, if it wasn't an issue then it wouldn't BE an issue, no one would have to worry about gay marriage rights, or getting fired from a job because you're gay, because it wouldn't be an issue.
No, you don't have to tell everyone you're straight. Hell, if I didn't say anything most people from looking at me would probably assume I was!! I can't tell you how many times I get hit on at work, sometimes even after they know! :lol That is why I do the things I do, I'm not ashamed to be who I am. and btw, I have seen a lot of bumper stickers allude to people being straight for that matter.

In my mind, I guess what it boils down to is this...we want to be visible, we want people to know we're here and we're not going away, and if you look at us, get to know us, then perhaps you'll see we're really not that different from you! Perhaps someday, people won't think anything more about seeing two women kissing than they think about seeing a man and woman kissing. Maybe someday they'll just take it for what it is, two people who care about each other and want to show that.

Enjoy the other quotes I found below...

Going to fill out the paperwork today for my new job that I start Monday, and mulling over what to do in my head, I finally decided when I got there.
I ended up laying all my cards on the table, telling him that I wanted to talk about his company's discrimination policy, to which, he looked rather confused at that statement.
I told him I probably shouldn't bring it up, but since having first hand experience with it in the past, it was a concern of mine.
He asked what I was talking about.
I said, 'ok, to put it bluntly, I'm gay'
He looked at me and said, ok, so?
good answer :rofl

I then told him the story of the last place I worked at through the agency, and what my suspicions were, he was very understanding about why I would be so concerned about it, and assured me it was not a problem for him, and if anyone else said anything about it in the company, let him know and it would definitely be taken care of :biggrin

I then went to talk to my managers at BW...
yea, I was not looking forward to that...to put it mildly...
so after my GM saying that "you cannot leave" and the front desk manager assuring me that they will work with me...I'm going to be there on a part-time basis until they can find someone to take my place...hopefully I will manage to get out of debt working both jobs, and still manage to get some sleep time in there somewhere! :scared
I guess we'll see...

so today...my friend D, who cleans houses for Fannie May came by. One of the last houses they cleaned they found 3 abandoned kittens, their eyes barely open, mama cat nowhere to be found, and they thought they had found a home for them with their boss, who's dog had just had puppies.
Well, apparently 2 of them needed extra care, one was the runt, who wasn't able to get enough to eat, the other was one that between the puppies and it's siblings, was not able to eat...D's roommate was attached to the runt, so she brought the other one over to see us...
she doesn't have a name yet, and yes, this brings the count up to 4 cats in the house
but how could we resist her?!?!

View image
View image

especially after she curled up next to me and fell asleep :blush
and I had just woken up...so was a very weak moment...
OK, so it sounds good :rofl

OK WhiteTiger, just because of your recent comment, I'm posting dammit!! :lol
I do have a valid excuse however, my computer, my baby, is having 'issues'...for some reason at random intervals it will reboot on me...I've replaced the processor, the power supply, hard drive (was blank, so clean install of the OS) so about the only thing left that it could be is the memory or the motherboard :scared
so today (being payday) I'm taking a trip to Comp-USA to pick up some memory...if nothing else by the time this is over with I'll have a brand new computer :rofl
or I'll throw the damn thing out the window :devil
can we tell I'm a tad bit frustrated? :pummel

And because this post is pretty much just for ~S~...you know I worry about you girl, so call me dammit!!! :cry :kisses :wink
Miss you!!

yes, we are alive here
no, we are not unpacked
between working nights (me) and second shift (my wife-to-be and 'daughter') the progress we HAVE made is impressive :lol
and to those 1-2 who might have wondered if I'd dropped off the face of the earth...no such luck, bellsouth, in their infinite wisdom, dropped the ball more times than I care to count on getting the dsl back up and running, however, finally managed to get that accomplished last night.
I need more sleep :sleeping...more of an update later (it's Friday you know!) :woo

I do a lot of reading...
I try to keep up on current events and what's going on in the world around me, like most people, in relation to how it affects me...
in other words, not a day goes by that I don't read something about one religious 'leader', politician, judge, etc, is trying to save the rest of the world against me and my 'chosen' lifestyle!

I have a very simple question to ask everyone out there reading this blog...WHY would anyone CHOOSE to be gay?
Why would you wake up one morning, and decide "I think today, I'll join a group of people who its still OK to discriminate against, you can be fired from your job for belonging to (yes, that is still legal in most areas) your tax dollars mean nothing because even though you pay in as much as everyone else, you don't have the same rights and freedoms the rest of the country has (with the exception of MA, and even they can't file joint on their federal returns)"
why would you do that?
YOU WOULDN'T!!
So why in the hell do all these people think you would? Does this make any sense to anyone out there? Because if it does, please explain it to me!!

I know, to a point, we can 'choose' who we fall in love with, I'm sure to some that would be a simple as choosing a man over a woman (such as in mine and my friends case) however, it's just not that simple...
I can assure you, most of us have tried that route, a lot of us have biological children (the 'old fashioned' way), were engaged or married to the opposite sex at one point or another, and knew that it just wasn't what we were, we were lying to ourselves, the only "choice" we made was to stop doing that.

In closing, if it was something you could 'choose' then I ask all my straight readers out there, is it something you chose? or did you just know you were all your life?
See, we're really not that different after all, are we?

so I got it :biggrin
click on the thumbnail for the full view

looking at this really made me realize just HOW much the scorpion needs recolored however...

as most know, I've been waiting a long time to get this one...I had to get the eagle done first, because I'd been waiting on that one for many years...this one was deeply personal, as, of course, they all are...but this one was for my babies, my life, my boys...maybe some cannot understand why I wanted this one so badly...that's ok, I don't expect everyone to...but I did...

so, today, finally, I am going to get my next tat...the one I've been waiting to get with my kids names on it
pictures to follow after it's done :wink

Fear is preventing the legal recognition of gay marriage

what I've been saying all along, just worded so much better :smile

and another great article

Ease your paranoia; Buster the Bunny is not recruiting

as a dear friend of mine pointed out to me the other day, my blog has been blank, unfortunately, my mind has not!
as most of you know, I now live in Jacksonville, FL, as I'm sure some of you who pay attention to that sort of thing know, the super bowl was here last weekend...and as very few of you know, I started a new job last week, I'm once again working in a best western motel...here in Jax...:errrr
to say we were busy would be putting it mildly, however, I put in 54 hours last week, of which I desperately needed!! (yea overtime!!) so between work and sleep, have not been on-line much :wink
I also bit the bullet and got the front end of my van fixed...both idler arms and a serpentine belt later...she's running fine, but goddess I hope my tax return gets here SOON! :lol
so the extremely good news about this new job, is they're trying to arrange it where I have the same day's off as my girl :banana, so far so good in this first week after the super bowl...we both had yesterday off, and next week we have both our day's off together...it was so nice just to spend time together, even though we tried and didn't manage to get much accomplished around the house :rofl, it's been so long since we had a day together where we could just sit around and not have to go do anything. I'm looking forward to many more day's like that!
in other news, has the world gone nuts?? I sit and wonder every day what the hell people are so afraid of, and what could possibly make them think they are right when they try to legislate discrimination at the federal and state levels. what is so wrong about two people who love each other wanting to spend their lives together? and how in the hell does it affect heterosexuals and their sacred institute of marriage?
what is up with this?
Majority must oppose gay district: 'I call it the road to Sodom and Gomorrah and this, The anti-gay blizzard and in rebut to all the 'Christian arguments' out there Alex Locke/ Student Columnist Thursday, February 10, 2005, FYI, the last one is a STRAIGHT teenager, yet, he still gets what many grown people do not!
no I'm not trying to convert anyone, just trying to get you to open your mind and take a look at what you are doing, we are still human beings here, and yes, we hurt when you try to take steps like this to make us less than that!

I like this guy more every time I read him
yes, a lot of what he writes is satirical, however, that doesn't make it any less true! and that makes it all the more frightening.

but now that I do, I want to go!!
GLBT Historical Society
This is awesome!

Their Website

and I hate California....:rofl

6 months ago tomorrow (since it is now after midnight, and officially the 13th) I met someone, who I refer to on here as M...we've been together every night with the exception of one since then.
Tonight, we went out, since on the 'official' night, we are working opposite shifts :cry
I'm not going to go into ALL the details, since I have to be to work at 6am, and you can see from the time at the bottom of this post, that it's not long from that now...but I will post the song she had dedicated to me...

this is something I saw on a message board I frequent, not sure who wrote it, but if you know who needs credit, please let me know...
I promise a real post soon!! just been very very busy here!!

Until the people we deal with realize that we are human we will not be accepted.

Every time I am given the chance to show off my girl or show others that I am still just a human, I will take that chance.. because *I* deserve that chance and so do they.

go read THIS!!

and I would tell you to comment on it, but unless she's got them fixed, you can't yet :wink

I found this very interesting...for those of you, women expecially, who don't think your vote counts for anything...go read this and tell me if it changes your mind
As Oprah Slaps Bush
With 30 states poised to smack down women's rights again, the one true savior emerges

I found this over at Faiths, :biggrin and thought it looked like a good way to kill time here at work...the bolded one's I've actually DONE, and I liked her idea of commentary in italics so I'm stealing that to :lol

01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid (hopefully sometime before I die!)
06. Held a tarantula (and don't plan on it, thanks!)
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it (currently, on a daily basis)
09. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris (another before I die thing...)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watched the sun rise I worked nights, remember?)
15. Seen the Northern Lights (yet another...)
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars
21. Changed a baby's diaper (to dang many!)
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you're not ill (oh tell me you haven't!)
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse (plenty of partial ones though)
41. Ridden a roller coaster (LOVE those things!!)
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job on all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53. Had amazing friends (and I still do :biggrin)
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe (got to get there first)
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government's official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach
62. Sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
66. Visited Japan (lets not go here....)
67. Benchpressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records
70. Pretended to be a superhero (I think I was 5 at the time...)
71. Sung karaoke (and no intention of doing it either!)
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude in front of strangers (see #71 comment)
74. Scuba diving
75. Got it on to "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theater
80. Done something you should regret, but don't regret it (regret nothing)
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who's not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog (happened to Scorpion's Sting...after a certain ex-jerk of mine got nosey)
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better
84. Started a business
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married (BIG Mistake!!)
91. Been in a movie
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn't have (haven't we all...)
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced (yes i did regain my sanity!)
96. Had sex at the office (but not the one I currently work at)
97. Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice
101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on (please don't ask)
103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
105. Got flowers for no reason
106. Masturbated in a public place
107. Got so drunk you don't remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
109. Performed on stage
110. Been to Las Vegas (twice)
111. Recorded music
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night stand
114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Siouxsie live
116. Bought a house
117. Been in a combat zone
118. Buried one/both of your parents
119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off
120. Been on a cruise ship
121. Spoken more than one language fluently
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror
125. Read - and understood - your credit report
126. Raised children
127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
132. Called or written your Congress person
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
134. ...more than once? - More than thrice?
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
137. Had an abortion or your female partner did (NO I didn't, but an ex-girlfriend of mine did)
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
140. Wrote articles for a large publication
141. Lost over 100 pounds
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback
143. Piloted an airplane
144. Petted a stingray
145. Broken someone's heart
146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a T.V. game show
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being (plotting doesn't count, right?)
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Ridden a motorcycle (owned one ffs)
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
157. Ridden a horse
158. Had major surgery
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
169. Been a sperm or egg donor
170. Eaten sushi
171. Had your picture in the newspaper
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime (although the 'healthy' part could be debated)
173. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions
175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name (getting married counts, right?)
178. Petted a cockroach
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad
181. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them
183. ...and gotten 86'ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
187. Skipped all your school reunions (I've only had one ffs)
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
189. Been elected to public office
190. Written your own computer language
191. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts (my favorite pastime)
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196: Dyed your hair
197: Been a DJ
198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199: Written your own role playing game
200: Been arrested

You exhibit a slight twitch when introduced to anyone with the first names of Charley, Frances or Ivan

If an airboat is parked in your drive instead of a car.

Your freezer never has more than $20 worth of food in it any given time

You're looking at paint swatches for the plywood on your windows, to accent the house color

You think of your hall closet/safe room as "cozy"

Your pool is more accurately described as "framed in" than "screened in"

Your freezer in the garage now only has homemade ice in it

You no longer worry about relatives visiting during the summer months

You too haven't heard back from the insurance adjuster

You've ordered gas cans via FedEx

You now understand what that little "2% hurricane deductible" phrase really means

You're putting a collage together on your driveway of roof shingles from your neighborhood

You were once proud of your 16" electric chain saw

Your Street has more than 3 " NO WAKE" signs posted

You now own 5 large ice chests

Your parrot can now say" hammered, pounded and hunker down"

You recognize people in line at the free ice, gas and plywood locations

You stop what you're doing and clap and wave when you see a convoy of power company trucks come down your street

Your depressed when they don't stop

You have the personal cell phone numbers of the managers for: plywood, roofing supplies and generators at Home Depot on your speed dialer

You've spent more than $20 on "Tall white kitchen bags" to make your own sand bags

You're considering upgrading from a 16" to a 20" chainsaw

You know what "Bar chain oil" is

You're thinking of getting your wife the hardhat with the ear protector, face shield for Christmas

You now think the $6000 whole house generator seems reasonable

You look forward to discussions about the merits of "cubed, block and dry ice"

Your therapist refers to your condition as "generator envy"

You fight the urge to put on your winter coat and wool cap and parade around in front of your picture window, when you finally get power and your neighbor across the street, with the noisy generator doesn't get electric

And finally you might be a Floridian if

You ask your sister up north to start saving the Sunday Real Estate Classifieds

I received this last night in an email...now granted, I haven't been a Floridian for that long...(and I live in the more NE area than SW...) but still...I got a kick out of this, and thought some of you might also :biggrin

Ran sent me this...she was so hot I had to post her :biggrin

just cause I can :wink

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

It takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them

My Friend.....I wish you enough!

You are talking about what you need in a way that is more detached from your emotions than is typical for you. This newfound ability can be helpful as you struggle to deal with your most intimate relationships. Even surprises are not a surprise now. You have become accustomed to expecting the unexpected. Your truth, as it reaches the surface, may also be a surprise. Whatever it is, get it out into the open.

gee, and what if I don't feel like dealing with things or getting them into the open? :lol

ok, i promise, a real update coming soon!!

It's all about what you say now. You have the power to dwell on the most difficult aspects of a situation. You also have the power to live your life according to the integrity for which you strive for. This is a social time for you Scorpions, but you may be preoccupied with issues of having to express yourself. Don't worry too much about this feeling of disconnection. It won't last through the week. Hang tight and the connection with your own feelings will get strong.
ok, these are starting to hit a bit to close to home...

considering some of the things I've read today...I found this facinating...

Your romantic life needs to go on the back burner today. To have a friend is to be a friend, they say, and a really good friend needs you right now. The person you're crushed out on will be impressed by your loyalty.

Horoscope for 07-21-04
Your future has arrived at your doorstep and it feels much closer to the present moment than you thought it would. Your deepest values are undergoing profound changes and there is little you can do to stop the process that began a couple of months ago as Venus began her retrograde phase. Today, things are looking better as you see the opportunities spread out before your eyes. You don't need to make a decision today -- just let yourself dream about the possibilities.

and to those out there with the smart ass comments, I know what you're thinking...and no, that's not it.
but maybe I'm becoming more open to the possibility it could possibly happen
*now where did I put those running shoes*

now granted...I do have a vivid imagination...however, it rarely becomes reality...so :wtf

When you close your eyes, you can see fantastic images representing your passions and your desires. When you open your eyes, you see the same thing. No, you're not crazy. The planets have conspired to let your imagination run wild and then to take whatever you've dreamed and throw the illusion of it into your reality. Deal with it. After all, you did dream it.

I love this group, downloaded 2 of their albums last night...

doesn't do much for a bad mood if you're in one anyway...but what the hell...

*edited to add: anyone else think it's odd this is my 4th post today?*

I believe there is a reason and purpose to most things that happen to us in life...whether it be the people we meet, things we do, or the way we act...believing this I've always tried to treat others the way i would want them to treat me, and do what i believe is right...
when i see a friend going through something, i try to help, whether it be a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, or whatever i am able to give, i try...peoples patience at times...but still...

I don't understand people who use others, lie to people they say they care about, or do things they know will hurt others...

what i understand even less is people who do things like this, then turn around and say they've changed...when they've done the same things over and over...i'm sorry, maybe you have, but don't expect me to believe it or forget...i will forgive a lot, but i don't forget much, nor will i put myself out there to be hurt once again by someone like that...and i can forgive you from afar, you will not be a part of my life again, just in case the leopards spots decide to return...

and in closing, i want to say this...once you've asked for forgiveness, whether it is given or not, your reason is done, you don't have to keep going over and over it again, and trying to change the heart and mind of the one you hurt...that is nothing more than the same game you were playing before...
the only problem is, no one wins...

In the midst of change, your feelings stabilize enough for you to realize how far you've come, but your words tend to show more emotion than stability. You may not reach the goals that you originally set for yourself, but knowing the reality of what you cannot achieve still can give you peace of mind. You can fall back on your own creative ability to survive, even if current circumstances are giving you a run for your money.

I read this and was reminded of a conversation I had yesterday with my girl Ran...we were talking about the ability to survive and stand on your own two feet regardless of circumstances...
I guess sometimes, it's written in the stars...

I just have to plug my best friend here.
due to much begging and pleading on my part, she came out of MIA to post this post about our weekend...afterwards...I don't know the entire story, but she posted this one (with photo's :lol)
you may now all stop wondering why I love this straight chick so much :wink :rofl :kisses

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
to my best friend, in the whole world, Jamie aka Jet...
love you gal, see you Friday!

Lookie what my buddy Whtetigr found for me sometime last night...I HAVE to find somewhere for this on my site, it's just to damn perfect :biggrin
thank you gal...you rock :kisses

I recieved this in my inbox today, I'm sure most of us have seen it before, but sometimes need a reminder :smile
to all my friends out there, I love you...:kisses

True friendship is like sound health;
the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.

-- Charles Caleb Colton

A real friend is one who walks in
when the rest of the world walks out.

Friends listen to what you say.
Best friends listen to what you don't say.

My father always used to say that when you die,
if you've got five real friends, then you've had a great life.

-- Lee Iacocca

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart
and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

-- Unknown

well, as most know I've been up to my eyeballs in packing, sorting, and stuff for the last couple days...something I really didn't do much of with my 'cross-town' move back in Dec.
This time everything has to fit in my van :scared so needless to say there is a lot that is being tossed...but in all of this I have managed to find a lot of things that I'd forgotten I even had, (and a few that should have remained hidden) :hum and in the process have been taking a few to many walks down memory lane :walk_sad

I'm feeling so conflicted right now, I've been waiting for this day for so long, it hasn't turned out the way I thought and hoped it would, but only a temporary setback...everything happens for a reason and things always turn out like they're supposed to in the end.
It's also unexpected how you find out at times like this who your friends really are, who will stick by you in the long haul and who will bail at the first sign of trouble...fortunately I have the most wonderful friends in the world (as I hope they ALL know!) so not to much of that going on :smile

**update* for those interested, my ex-father-in-law is having surgery today, please keep him in your thoughts**

I haven't seen this in years, but yesterday Buffy sent it to a email list we're both on...
mostly attributed to Kurt Vonnegut as a graduation speech he supposedly gave at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it was actually written by Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich's column on June 1, 1997 as a mock graduation speech, and went on to become a song that even cracked the top 50 on billboard...

personally, I just think it makes a lot of sense, and wanted to put it up to remind myself and others of a few basic truths :smile

OMG...HE POSTED!! :banana
the world as we know it may come to an end....(hell dude, I was wondering if you still wanted that blog :wink )

:gmorning
I woke up entirely to early this morning (3:30 am :wtf) with the incredible urge to do one of those "year end posts" :confused11 but no idea what exactly to put in it...
then I make the mistake of taking a stroll through my archives since January...(big mistake, had forgotten how boring I can be :lol)
good goddess, all that happened THIS YEAR?!?!?!
I came across posts about the Columbia tragedy, our nation at war (less than a year ago...feels like so much longer to me), some states pulling their heads out of their asses and taking steps toward legalizing same-sex marriages...the supreme court ruling...

I've been told several times by several people I need to update...
2 words for you guys
:bite
me

I want to take the time to publicly thank Buffy and Jamie for goodies sent my way :banana you guys ROCK!!-
In my continuing plan to take over the blog world (side note to -=e=-, where the heck are the rest of the archives?) I want to welcome Whtetigr to our happy home here. Put your feet up, enjoy your stay, (and try to avoid picking up any pointers from Jamie) :smokedevil

last but not least...I was over at Subversive Harmony and found this pretty cool questionaire that looked much more interesting than actually getting any work done around here :sun_smiley

GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES IN LONG-TERM, COMMITTED RELATIONSHIPS GET EQUAL PROTECTIONS UNDER LAW IN MASSACHUSETTS

bout fucking time

:banana:banana:banana:banana:banana:banana:banana:banana:banana

*edited to add in light of recent comments*
Mass. Court Strikes Down Gay-Marriage Ban
Mass. Ruling Boosts Same-Sex Marriage

I found this over at Dailee. Some of it's a bit to close for comfort...

You can do yours here if interested!

Your name of Teresa creates an intense desire for association with people and new experiences, many of which have been rather bitter. This name has given you a gregarious personality and a quick-thinking, creative, and versatile nature, but one that is unstable emotionally. You desire change and travel and would enjoy opportunities that allowed you to be creative and to act independently, rather than to conform to system and routine. However, this name does not allow you to complete your undertakings, as farther fields always look greener. Although you may appear confident and positive, you actually lack confidence and feel self-conscious at times. This name spoils patience and depth of thought, and weakens your stand in matters of principle. You are too open to suggestion, and thus you could become involved in detrimental associations which could lead you into by-paths of thrill-seeking or emotional indulgence.

A friend of mine sent this through a list I'm on, it totally blew me away, and I think it says it all...

View image

:gmorning been a few day's hasn't it?

I know I've joked around about this before, but this guy explains why we shouldn't...I found him linked on several blogs in the last week or so, and I must say I'm glad I did! :Woot
Also interesting reading, is someone asking the same questions I've been...and this guy can't even be blamed for having 'an agenda' :biglaugha

Now for totally unrelated news...:wtf is going on here lately? yesterday more specifically?
I found out, first off that my boss (who is the worlds greatest boss IMHO) is leaving in about 2 weeks...along with one of my co-workers.
My landlords are getting a divorce...he's keeping the rent houses...however, he asked her to check with me about the rent.
so she did
so WHY IN THE HELL was he over here in the middle of my night, waking me up, to 'collect the rent'? :confused11
I gave it to her yesterday...
don't you think, if you ask her to check on something for you, you might want to check with her first!!!
do it again and I'll come beat on your door at 2:00 AM and see how you like it!
:fdup

Found at Faiths

What does your birthday say about you?

Unrelenting
strange and full of contrasts
often egoistic
aggressive
noble
broad horizon
unexpected reactions
spontaneous
unlimited ambition
no flexibility
difficult and uncommon partner
not always liked but often admired
ingenious strategist very jealous and passionate
no compromises.

Frighteningly accurate...

Found this at Cal's... and since I really don't feel like doing anything else I'm supposed to be (ie:laundry, cleaning house, shopping) I figured, wtf...

LAYER ONE:
Name: Teresa
Birth date: 10/31/69 (yes, I know what day that's on tyvm)
Birthplace: Modesto, CA
Current Location: somewhere in this hell they call Oklahoma
Eye Color: blue/grey
Hair Color: brown/grey
Height: 5'7"
Righty or Lefty: Both actually
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio, like you all didn't know that!

LAYER TWO:

Your heritage: English, Irish, French, German, Penn. Dutch, and Cherokee (in other words, I'm a mutt.)
The shoes you wore today: none if I can help it
Your weakness: Bluewolf
Your fears: losing my kids, being alone
Your perfect pizza: everything but bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes
Goal you’d like to achieve: A+ certification, and moving away from here!

LAYER THREE:

Your most overused phrase on AIM: don't use it enough to overuse anything, but brb would probably fit
Your first waking thoughts: "Who the F&*K is calling me now?"
Your best physical feature: Been told eyes and legs, *shrugs* not sure
Your most missed memory: not sure about this question, is this a memory I don't remember? if so it would be when my parents were divorced, thats all black...

LAYER FOUR:

Pepsi or Coke: Coke
McDonald’s or Burger King: Burger King
Single or group dates: Single
Adidas or Nike: ??? Shoes? I don't do shoes
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Don't do tea either
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate baby!!
Cappuccino or coffee: I love both, but GOT to have my coffee

LAYER FIVE:

Smoke: yes
Cuss: oh hell yea
Sing: not where anyone can hear me!
Take a shower everyday: yes
Do you think you’ve been in love: I know I have...still am!
Want to go to college: doubtful at this stage of the game
Liked high school: not really
Want to get married: who's doing the asking?
Believe in yourself: yes, most definitally
Get motion sickness: not usually
Think you’re attractive: hell no
Think you’re a health freak: no, I know I'm not
Get along with your parent(s): for the most part
Like thunderstorms: as long as I'm not alone in them
Play an instrument: longggg ago took piano lessions, but haven't played in ages

LAYER SIX:
In the past month…

Drank alcohol: no
Smoked: daily
Done a drug: no (unless you count allergy meds)
Made Out: don't I wish *sighs*
Gone on a date: no
Gone to the mall?: oh hell no
Eaten an entire box of Oreos?: yuck, no
Eaten sushi: no
Been on stage: HELL no
Been dumped: fortunatly, no
Gone skating: are you kidding??
Made homemade cookies: no LMAO
Gone skinny dipping: nope
Dyed your hair: no, but I sure need to!
Stolen anything: again, HELL NO
You sound boring: LMAO...if you think so *eg*

LAYER SEVEN
Ever…

Played a game that required removal of clothing: ummm..yea
If so, was it mixed company: no comment
Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: several times
Been caught doing something: such as??
Been called a tease: yessssss
Gotten beaten up: not as bad as the other person
Shoplifted: NEVER
Changed who you were to fit in: not in a million years, I'm me and see no reason to change that

LAYER EIGHT:

Age you hope to be married: LMAO
Numbers and Names of Children: 9, 6 and 4...names are not needed, my little rugrats is what I call them here.
Describe your Dream Wedding: as long as shes the one I'm standing by, it really doesn't matter
How do you want to die: quickly and painlessly, and a long time from now preferably
Where you want to go to college: see above
What do you want to be when you grow up: I refuse to grow up
What country would you most like to visit: Egypt someday, Japan, Sweden...several others

LAYER NINE:

Number of drugs taken illegally: 4
Number of people I could trust with my life: 2?
Number of CDs that I own: 7
Number of piercings:4
Number of tattoos: 1
Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper?: 6 that I'm aware of
Number of scars on my body: 3
Number of things in my past that I regret: none, everything in my past has made me who I am today

And if you've actually made it this far, you can go take the nap I'm sure you need now *s*

I really don't have a clue what possessed me when I thought I would be able to update every day this week!
It's the end of the month, aka 'hell week' for me at work, getting all my paperwork done and making sure the month balances (and with my co-workers, that takes some doing!)
couple that with the fact that I seem to be determined to update every committee page I have, and being up to my neck in code...(to which Jet said, "You're always up to your neck in code"...she's right...but it's FUN for me *s*)
posting, again, took a back seat...*sighs*
but I did find the cutest thing while cleaning out my in-box today, and with the ranting I've been doing lately about my co-workers, it's very fitting *g* you can click below to read it.

well it looks like I have once again been neglecting my 'blogging' duties and let everything slide off into the archives :-(
in my defense, I had planed on posting last night, however we had some MAJOR storms going on here, so, instead I shut down and went to bed...which is why I'm up at this ungodly hour...well that, and my body clock is so screwed up from working nights, that it thinks it SHOULD be up anyway :-)

ok, so what have I been up to that keeps me away from you wonderful people...well lets see...
added a new blogger to my site, who is a good friend of mine and Jet's...and am working at moving 3 off to their own domain (which means I get to install MT again! *happy geek dance*)
And speaking of 'happy geeks' I got the webring up and running! For more info on that, email me privately, as it's not my own group and don't think this is the place to publicize it.

Next weekend I will be heading back home for my sisters graduation! which I am glad about, however the 'family time' involved should be interesting...at least its only for 2 days...

inside my head I don't even know how to begin with all the things going on, some of which I'm sure I will be covering later (after I make some calls) I just know I HAVE to get out of here...living under a microscope is not healthy for anyone...and there is so much more I need to do and learn in this lifetime, that is just not possible in the space I'm in right now...which I'm sure I'll elaborate on later also, right now, I only have one goal I'm focused on...and am prepared to do whatever it takes to see it through...

more later...

well this entry is a day later than I wanted to make it but I have to brag!
Yesterday I got up early and went to the races, ok, the pinewood derby races :smile
you see, my two older kiddo's are in Cub Scouts and yesterday was the area race, last year my oldest (he's the one waving on the back) went and although he didn't win a race, he did take first place in craftsmanship, which is an 'overall' award, not just their age group.
well, I'm sorry to say this year he did not win a race again, however, his younger brother (the one on the back) won his second race, (out of three, he didn't place, but he had a great time!) and my oldest once again won first place in craftsmanship! :banana
at the local race (thursday night) my oldest took craftsmanship, and second place, while his younger brother smoked him! :biggrin and took first! (overall, they have a very small pack)
And I have to add this, before I quit boring everyone to tears here, the "little dude" got to make a car also! and they let him race at the local meeting before the 'official' ones started, against his brothers :smile
guess who won? :biglaugha

OK, as promised, the 'happy post' :smile
With the past holiday I've read several posts at both ends of the spectrum..from I hate Valentines day, to it being a wonderful day filled with spoiling and gifts...it started me thinking about my own relationship, and relationships past.

I never used to really like V-day, I didn't hate it, just really had no use for it. What was the purpose (I thought) of having one day where the person you were with, tried to make up for treating you like shit all the other days of the year...like all would be forgiven cause they bought you a box of chocolates or flowers...yea right!

But now...I look forward to it, this might sound odd but now it seems like every day is V-day, and let me tell you thats not easy to achieve when your 1648 miles apart! But it's true, I can honestly say I've never known anyone that knows me so well, I've never been with anyone who I don't have an almost constant tension with...
yea, thats right folks, we don't fight...we might disagree on some things, and I'm certain I get on her last nerve allot of times...but we don't fight.
never have...can't think of anything we ever would fight over...
and I can't even begin to describe how wonderful that is :smile

Now this may seem like I'm bragging (ok, maybe I am just a bit :lol) but when you're happy with something in your life, don't you just want to let everyone know? :banana

I've held off posting anything about yesterdays tragedy, due to the inability to find words.
I received this in my in-box today from a list I'm on, and it did help me to think of the words, however not better than the author, so I thought I would share this with you all...

"let us not forget in the hundreds of shuttle flight and dozens of rocket flights prior to that, how few the accidents have been:

it may seem cold to break it down to figures, but when you realize that in NASA's history they have only lost 17 Astronauts and maybe 50 USAF aircraft pilots in the pre NASA days, and when compared to a war.

yet we still have wars despite the tragedy of the losses so let us still have space flight let deep space exploration be their legacy and their heritage"

Faith awarded me a golden finger award!

this time under: Problem Adults/Cutest Picture of Blogger with Tree Companion.

Now I don't know about you guys, but I think that is very sweet, and she even got the award for "Most cuddliest and sweet blogger in the whole dern blogiverse"
Now I have to agree with the sweet part. *hoping I can run fast enough!*

In the true spirit of insanity, and never letting any of us take ourselves to seriously, today, -e- gives us the finger.

yes folks, in the category "TRIAL BY FIRE (and other legal crap)" under the subheading of 'Screw blogging, my kids come first' I AM #1! *s*

kinda makes me feel all warm and mushy inside (don't worry, I'm sure it will pass! :lol)
thanks guy...you rock!

I had such plans for a 'new years' post...well as you can see that didn't happen :lol and I was even off work that night!
my 'to do' list is growing by leaps and bounds, only problem is I don't seem to be making much headway into it...since the kids have been out of school I've become a vegetable it seems, and sleeping all day! oh well, that will stop on Monday when they go back :sad
I'm so psyched about this year, I expect great things from it, so much to look forward to...and so much I want to talk about here but not yet...
looking forward to getting us [here] back up and running again also, just to decide what exactly we want to do with it...any ideas would be appriciated....

and since I'm now putting myself to sleep I'm going to end this before everyone else is to
happy new year everyone!

Yes, I am still alive, much to some peoples dismay I'm certain :wink
Some of you might have wondered (the important ones already knew) what on earth was going on in the eagles nest, well to be honest not a thing, the eagle flew off to see what life was like in the lair...and enjoyed it so much she hated to fly back home :kiss, but had to due to certain things in life that have to be taken care of first.

Its hard for me to believe that Christmas is not until day after tomorrow, for me it came last week...funny how it came early for me last year also...and yes I got everything I wanted this year, and none of it came from a store :smile

I have a hard time this time of year, for me the 'merry' went out of Christmas long ago (about 13 years to be exact) before that I was worse than a kid, I loved everything about it, even putting myself into debt...growing up we didn't have much but it was always a fun, happy time with lots of traditions in my family...then for 11 Christmases it was nothing but a struggle, never in my life had I done all my shopping on Christmas eve but I soon learned to do that, I used to cry while wrapping presents because I was so miserable...and after the kids came it was harder still, wanting and trying to make everything perfect for them, while not having much help in that area from 'others' (ok, just one other, who shall remain nameless) I became a real grinch! :drunk
This year was so different from those past, last weekend I spent with my family; I actually got all my shopping and baking done before then! Then last week was spent with the love of my life, doing everything and nothing, and enjoying every moment of it. (Take good care of what I left honey...you know what I'm talking about :kiss) Then coming back and spending an evening with dear friends, whom I don't think I can ever thank enough for everything they have meant to me in this lifetime. Driving back and finding my house still standing (the furry baby's left it intact thankfully!) sleeping, getting up and wrapping presents (I'm trying to block the laundry and cleanup bit) and so far successfully avoiding unpacking!
And it's still not Christmas yet. I don't believe it, I can say with 100% certainty it came last week...and I got the best present of all...
I received hope...
Have a Very Merry Christmas everyone.

I was checking mail this evening and someone sent me this link...I've only read the first part of the series but I just HAD to post it here
What is love?
*will open in a new window*

Quote:
"Love is perhaps more easily described by what it is not. Love is not fear, hurt, pain, jealousy, bitterness, hate, separateness, lust, attachment, aggressiveness, ego-centeredness, indifference, possessiveness, suppression - the list goes on."
gee why did I feel the need to bold that one word...hmmm...
anyone who knows me knows the answer :smile so I think I'll just leave it at that...and be very grateful that I've found love, real love :kiss

those who know me know I belong to 'a few' lists :rofl
those who read this blog know that when I get something I particularly like I usually will post it here...this is one of those times...
I was cleaning out my mail today and came across this, and realized I wanted to put it somewhere it wouldn't get lost, as I usually try to do most of them but need a reminder often occasionally :smile...so here it is...

ONE.
Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO.
Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE.
Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR.
When you say, "I love you", mean it.

FIVE.
When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye.

SIX.
Be engaged at least six months before you get married. **note, I do not necessarily agree with this one!**

SEVEN.
Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT.
Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE.
Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

TEN.
In disagreements, fight fairly. Please No name calling.

ELEVEN.
Don't judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE.
Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN.
When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

FOURTEEN.
Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN.
Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

SEVENTEEN.
Remember the three R's:
Respect for self;
Respect for others;
Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN.
Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN.
When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY.
Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY ONE.
Spend some time alone.

I'm sure we've all seen these in one form or another, but I've always enjoyed reading them, so if it bores you just move along :biggrin

Just in case you weren't feeling too old today, this will certainly change things. Each year the staff at Beloit College in Wisconsin puts together a list to try to give the faculty a sense of the mind set of this year's incoming freshmen.

Here's this year's list:

The people who are starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1983.
They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.
Their lifetime has always included AIDS.
Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic!
The CD was introduced the year they were born.
They have always had an answering machine.
They have always had cable.
They cannot fathom not having a remote control.
Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.
Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave.
They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.
They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are.
They don't know who Mork was or where he was from.
They never heard: "Where's the Beef?", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel", or "de plane Boss, de plane".
They do not care who shot J. R. and have no idea who J.R. even is.
Michael Jackson has always been white.
McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers. They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.

Do you feel old yet? :sad

Yes, as I'm sure several of you know by now, today was my birthday :biggrin

It was celebrated in my usual fashion,I dressed up (see pics below) and not in the same costume I had the last 3 years :wink, took the kids trick-or-treating, and getting to see all kinds of cute kiddos coming to my door yelling, "trick-or-treat!"

I live in a small town, a lot of people around here feel safe taking kids door to door, this to me is the best part of Halloween...when I was a kid (and for the record I'm 33 today) this was a requirement! every year driving around town and hitting the best houses, remembering to say 'trick or treat' and you better NOT forget to say 'thank you' afterwards, Mom or Dad standing at the end of the drive or by the porch while we went house to house. I lived in several places as a child and it was the same in a small town or big city.
I've lived in both since I've been out on my own, the thing that really sucks is this is the first town I've lived in that I've seen the things that were familiar to me as a child.
I long for a time where my children can do this even if they don't live here, where my grandkids (a very longggggg time from now!) can do this without fear. Perhaps I'm thinking simplistically or simply waxing nostalgic but I can't help but feel this way every year at this time.

It would be the best birthday present I could ever have...

ok, I'll shut up now and post the dang pics! *L*

View image

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Just cuz I thought it was very well written...please go read this This that my friend Jet wrote and give her some feedback on it if you would..thank you all very much *s*

since apparently I have 'reproduced'

Pinging my gal to test her trackback install

well in the last 2 days I've upgraded myself and
Redwaterlily with the new version of MT. Now I'm trying to figure out how the trackback works and testing out the bookmarklet feature..so just ignore this if you would *s*

finally upgraded to 2.21..just checking it out to see how this stuff is working..

also if extremely bored I've got a new page up on my main page please keep all throwing of rotten fruit to a minimum

I can't believe what I've gone and done..
I actually signed up for blogrolling, and even inserted the code *sigh* what is the world coming to?
let me explain..
I had 'issues' with it before, simply because I know how to add a link to this darn thing I didn't want to use it..
but that 'recently updated' feature..well it was just to much for me to resist, and believe me I have for a while now...
I scoured around, looking for something I could put on here that would let me do the same thing without signing up for this..
*sighs* nothing..nadda..zip...zilch..
I'm weak, I know..*sighs*
however..I didn't add the 'her' or 'our' blogs to it..well because ours doesn't ping (neither does mine..but thats another issue for another day) and hers I go to so frequently anyway (not to mention I'm usually on the phone w/ her when she posts)*g*
so haven't 100% for certain decided I'm keeping it..like she said it might just due to popularity go kaput one day anyway...like blogback etc..did.
so I'll test drive it for a while..yea thats it! *desperately trying to make myself feel better about not hard coding something*

while life has kept me from following the "under God" case to closely, I do have my own oppinions on it, others still do to it appears *s*
one of my reads/dear friends for many years (yes I have a few *s*) finally sat down and gave her view on it today go read this
she may not update often (once or twice a week) but damn when she does she will either piss you off, keep you laughing so hard you fall out of your chair, or make you think..
Mary, you took the words right out of my mouth..keep hanging in there, and give the little men a hug from me to.

I know...the posting once a week or so is getting a tad ridiculous, however I plead extreme irl busyness!
for the next month or so I will be working 6 day weeks..which sux but hey its overtime! so can't complain to much, OK well I CAN but won't..much *g*

the boys are still in town (miracles never cease) which is the most they have been since school got out. took the 2 younger ones to see Lilo and Stitch the other day, I HIGHLY recommend this movie! has allot of good things/lessons in it about accepting differences and different types of families..my youngest can't wait for the video to come out!

anyone else hope the USA follows Canada's lead on this?

ever have one of those times when there was so much you wanted to say in a post but when you sat down to write it the words just wouldn't come? over the last several days I've thought of at least 2 dozen things I wanted to blog about and now I cannot find the words..ah well, I never did claim to be a writer now did I..damn good thing..

and under saving the best for last, BlueWolf is trying to find a way to conquer the Spam Monster..great idea and plan..I for one am certain if anyone can do it she can *s*

Yes I'm still alive, thank you to all who wrote and expressed concern over my disaperance..*s*
Blue Wolf was in town visiting this week so time was spend with her instead of on here (with her *s*) so posting just took last priority (to say the least)
her coffee still sits half empty on the nightstand, the 'blue stuff' and creamer for it are still on the counter in the kitchen, and I now know what she means when she tells me I need to 'hurry up and get out of the bathroom' *sighs*
we had a wonderful time, went to TX to visit my friend Jamie and her family, she would go to work with me and read while I did paperwork, we went shopping (first time I actually enjoyed THAT), went to the lake and took pictures, out to eat, and of course stayed in and watched movies and snuggled on the couch *s*
she even had the joy of meeting the EX *rolling eyes* lucky her *G*
my youngest and her hit it off wonderfully and he's already asking about her when I talk to him...
she's just in the bathroom son...
it won't be as long this time till we see each other again..it can't be..
but we have to do this the right way..
months are really insignificant when your talking about a lifetime, right?

OK..she not only passed it she did an AWESOME job on it *s*
I knew you could do it babe..(can I say I told you so now? *g*)

Blue Wolf is taking her test, well right now as I type this... *s*
She was up studying in the wee hours of the morning..and stressing out over it..
and I just wanted her to know (as if she wouldn't *s*) that I'm thinking of her and pulling for her ;-)
good luck baby..I know you'll do great..

Well as you can see I'm back..
I want to take a moment to thank EVERYONE for their support, be it public or private..it really helped allot more than you probably realize, and for most of you taking time to comfort a virtual stranger..well it really means allot to me...

the service was lovely, all of her children were able to be there, as were most of her grandkids and great-grandkids..(I found out she currently has 25 grandkids and 31 great-grandkids) I don't think the chapel where they had it had ever seen anything quite like it.
She has one sister left alive, who after the service when everyone around was saying stuff like 'shes in a better place now, shes not hurting anymore' etc..
said "yes, but we don't have her here with us anymore"...I lost it..I know all the other stuff is true also..and she will always live on in our hearts..but shes not HERE physically with us anymore..and never will be again...*sighs* that thought will take some getting used to...

in other news..as you can see I got the new design done..its amazing how coding can occupy your mind (takeover is more like it!)
if you want to see "the" image..its on the main page Here (opens in new window) not completely sure what to do with the rest of the site yet but at least the layouts done..and I'm actually a bit impressed with myself on what I learned to do.
*these links will open in a new window*
This http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp is an great site for learning to do your own style sheets
and this http://adashimar.hypermart.net/ssi.htm really helped allot in me getting that pesky SSI figured out!

This is going to be a short one..
I got the call tonight..the aneurysm on her aorta burst this morning..she held on this evening when she passed on..
heaven called one of its angels home..

Since my darling has gone off on a posting frenzy she seems to think I need to update..so now that her guilt trip is working here I sit wondering what the hell am I gonna write about? (*g* love ya babe)

bad news first..Grandma is back in the hospital due to her being unable to eat. they were correct in her only having one aneurysm, but it is still getting bigger and the reason they thought it was 2 was its between her heart and stomach (where exactly it is I'm not sure)
I'm sure most of you are sick yourselves of hearing about this..but, its my blog, *s*

In unrelated news, I found THE image..of course now I have to change the whole layout I had in mind but I know it will be worth it *s*

only 2 more weeks to go...*BFG*

I don't know what is going on around the net here lately but it seems I'm not the only one suffering from lack of sleep. Sleeping only 4-5 hours a day makes it very hard to stay awake at night..however when I get home in the morning I'm wide awake and then up by 3 most afternoons..its just at night when the world is dark and still, you wish you could just lay down and drift off..but paperwork beckons *sigh* I'll be so glad when we get this new system done...
not that I'll get any more sleep then but at least I won't feel so stressed at work.

I miss my boys..I want this BS over with..I want to go 'home'

*deep sighs*

This one got to me to..if anyone knows of who wrote it please let me know so I can give proper credit where it is due.
Thank you cal for helping me know who to give credit to *s*

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
so young, so tall, so proud,
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of taps one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That taps had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of the fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.

Copyright 1981 by Kelly Strong

Here's another one I'm sure many of us have seen several times, but still bears repeating. Though it might be more appropriate for Veterans day to me Memorial day has always stood for remembering all who have served..not just those who died..and we can never have to many days to do that..

WHAT IS A VET

Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg - or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity. Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a vet just by looking.

What is a vet?

He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.

He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.

She or he-is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.

He is the POW who went away one person and came back another-or didn't come back AT ALL.

He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat-but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.

He is the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.

He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.

He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.

He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket-palsied now and aggravatingly slow-who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.

He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being-a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.

He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.

So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.

Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU."

"It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag."

Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC

**WARNING** This is not a happy post, if your looking for light-hearted content go elsewhere.

I got a phone call today..my mom called me because my Aunt had called her today..instead of tomorrow or Sunday like we were hoping..but I'm getting ahead of myself *sighs*

I found out last night my Grandma is back in the hospital, some of you may remember from last year when my sister and I took a trip up to see her with my kids (2 of which she had never met)..she has lung cancer.
my aunt was supposed to call Sunday after she talked to the Dr.'s tomorrow or call tomorrow after she spoke to them if it didn't look good..
they called her today..
My Grandma will not be leaving the hospital alive it seems...
The cancer has spread all through her lungs, and the aneurysm is getting bigger (its on her aorta)

the damn thing about this is we were all supposed to be getting together in July when one of my cousins got married, she had 9 kids, 8 are still alive, and 4 of them live out of state, they were ALL going to be there, plus their kids, and kids kids..you get the picture..this woman has will be leaving one hell of a legacy I tell you..

she raised her kids single handed, in a time when that was usually only done due to spousal death, her husband left her to go it alone and she did! she never remarried...and all of her children love and adore her...as they should shes truly an amazing woman...

I remember when we lived near her and later when we moved and would take vacations to go visit her..she never was the typical baking cookies, story reading, kind of grandma..but I never had so much fun as when we were there. now that I'm older and know her as an adult she just amazes me..she always has, her strength and determination just blow me away..after my divorce it was her who helped me the most, we only talked one time but she was the one that said something that helped me more than anything.

She's fought off this monster for so long..I know she's tired..and I know soon she won't be in pain anymore..but that doesn't mean I will miss her any less..

I know most of us have seen this before, but its definitely worth repeating

This is for all the mothers who have sat up all night with sick
toddlers in their arms, saying it's OK honey, Mommy's here." when
they keep crying and won't stop.

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their
hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.

For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew
Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see.
And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.

This is for all the mothers who froze their buns off on metal
bleachers at football or soccer games Friday night, so that when
their kids asked, "Did you see me?" they could say, "Of course, I
wouldn't have missed it for the world,".... and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery
store in despair. Because their kids stomp their feet like a tired 2-
year old who wants ice cream before dinner.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and
explained all about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted
to but just couldn't.

For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a
year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their
shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who
opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their
daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for all mothers whose heads turn automatically when a little
voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own off
spring are at home.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with
stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there,
only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to
please pick them up. Right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find
the words to reach them.

For all the mothers who bite their lips sometimes until they bleed -
when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.

What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad
hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a
shirt, all at the same time?

Or is it heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or
daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the
very first time?

The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2
A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?

The need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you
hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?

For all the mothers of the victims of all these school shootings, and
the mothers of those who did the shooting. For the mothers of the
survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror,
hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.

This is for mothers who put pinwheels and teddy bears on their
children's graves.

This is for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep
deprivation.

And mature mothers learning to let go. For working mothers and stay-
at-home mothers.

Single mothers and married mothers.

Mothers with money, mothers without.

This is for you all.

So hang in there.

Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all
fall."

well the friday five is down for the time being so I'm posting an older one from the archives

1. What are the first things that you do in the morning to start your day
Well let me start by saying my mornings are not when everyone elses morning is. I work night shift so my 'morning' actually starts at about 2:30pm most days. (except days off) I start them pretty much the same way though, get up, drink coffee, check email, and then go get my kids from school.

2. What are the last things that you do at night before going to bed?
I get off work, go pick up my kids and take them to school, come home and eat something, set up the coffee pot, check email and throw the cats off my spot in the bed so I can get some sleep *s*

3. What daily routine have you recently added to your day?
here lately it seems to be playing Mario Land 3 with my 8 year old.

4. What routine do you wish you could get rid of?
well let me see, laundry, dishes, cooking, oh and definitally fighting w/ the ex about the kids.

5. What's the one thing that makes you feel like something is missing if you don't do it some point within your day? oh this ones easy, talking to my gal on the phone *happy sighs*

ok, I know I've been lax in posting..I really mean to but life has this way of interfering.
I'm actually going to do a friday five on friday..omg look out something is definitally wrong in the world now

1. What are your hobbies? besides graphics and webpages and not sure if my classes could be considered a 'hobby' not much anymore

2. Do you collect anything? If so, what? eagles (of course) and keychains from places I've visitied

3. Is there a hobby you're interested in, but just don't have the time/money to do? I used to love to ride my motorcycle in the mountains when I lived in Utah but since it is long gone now (and I dont have the money to replace it) and I dont live there anymore I would have to say this is the closest thing.

4. Have you ever turned a hobby into a moneymaking opportunity? dont i wish!

5. Besides web-related stuff (burbs, rings, etc.), what clubs do you belong to? none anymore..who has time!

will try to make up for not posting much this weekend..right now I need SLEEP!

geezz..somedays it doesnt pay to get out of bed
I couldnt get my random quotes to work (finally did last night w/ bluewolf's help..thank you honey)
nothing was going right all day, I was getting very frustrated and I hate that I'm running to catch up to myself feeling..
then I get home from school, pick up my oldest son who was going out to feed the puppy (she was about 3 months old) and he comes in and says 'mom, peppers not feeling good...she just lays there, I said well she may be tired son, then he said she just lays there w/ flies all over her
OMG
it was parvo (sp?)
:-(
somedays it just doesnt pay....*sigh*

I meant to post this yesterday but just wayyy to much excitement going on around here for that..not to mention having the phone glued to my ear most of the day *s* why is it I rarely get calls but when I do it seems like everyone and their uncle does it at once?
well the big news around here is we had a tornato touch down here in town..first time in almost 7 years I've lived here thats ever happened..I found out the next morning at work it was about 1/2 a mile from my house..wayyyyy to close for comfort tyvm! just one more reason to get out of here asap!
I've lived in tornato alley most of my life, you would think by now I would be used to it right? WRONG! if I never hear another siren in the middle of the night or see another black cloud when the wind gets calm and the rain stops it would be just FINE with me! of course the state I was born in isnt much better..who wants to live w/ the threat of earthquakes? not me..I think I could deal w/ the threat of possible hurricanes alot better than this..hell I would know its coming in pleanty of time I'm sure to get the hell out of town!..and snowstorms dont bother me a bit..its thunder I can't stand..

ok in other non related news I scored a totally excelent 94 on my test monday *G* and for those wondering wtf is she talking about I'm taking classes for my A+ cert.

ok..I need sleep..I'm starting to bore even me.

I'm in a online group where on one of the committee lists we have we ask a question of the week, I was writing my response this morning and found that I wanted to add to it a bit more but it might be a bit much for them over there..so I decided to put it here..the question is what do you look for in a partner..
below is my 'slightly edited version' of what i wrote there.

its very hard for me to answer this w/o thinking of my current partner, I imagine the same would hold true for anyone that was with someone...
I look for understanding, similar interests, or at least possibly they are interested in something i could become interested in, ability to communicate (or at least try!) willingness to let me go my way and grow and learn more as a person, knowledge that just because we arnt together every moment (hey everyone needs their space..I just need less than most *s*) doesnt mean I don't think of her and appriciate the time we do spend together that much more..ability to laugh, ability to love (its rarer than you think! trust me), and open mindedness..quite a list don't you think? LOL

oh, I almost forgot..she must be italian with beautiful brown eyes, a smile that makes me melt inside, and the sexyest voice I've ever heard *sighs*

I love you babe..

ok, I'm in shock..I can see how Mandie would find this place, but how did hoopty? not to mention he has never once in the year and a half I've had a blog and the 6+ months I've been reading his..never ONCE commented on mine..what do you do guy sit on your site stats??

ok..I'm over it..*shaking head*

I'm sure most of you here know who I am..or actually I should say who I was, that name and site will NOT be mentioned here due to the fact that google is just to damn good sometimes..if any of you want to know why that is feel free to email me and I will tell ya...and feel free to link me but please make no reference to the old homestead *s*

so anyways this is my new home *G* not completly redecorated but I'm pretty proud of it, there are just a few more little touches I want to add..and not to mention there is nothing here yet but this blog...lol..just got to figure out what else to put here..

but anyway..I digress..welcome to all who enter here, hang on for the rest of the ride..we've only just begun.