June 30, 2004
One of those days
This was one of those days where every time I tried to sit and type an entry, something would happen. Some days I feel overwhelmed, like I'm going to have a meltdown. This was one of them. I ended up taking a long nap and felt better for it. No less busy, but definitely in a better frame of mind.
I love to make chili. It is so easy! All you do is brown the meat, garlic, onions & peppers then throw it into a crockpot with beans, tomatoes & chili powder. Half the family loves mushrooms -- TB, Billy & Linda -- so those go into the crockpot too. My chili never tastes the same way twice because I don't really measure anything. It makes a great filling meal, summer or winter.
Linda and Kennan went for their counseling session and it must not have gone well because you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. The hearing for child support is tomorrow and I'm sure that Kennan is trying every which way he knows how to get Linda to stop the state from suing him. He even wanted to drive Linda to the hearing! Is that weird or what? I can imagine the pressure he'd be putting on her the whole way there. Luckily, it's TB and me who will drive her there.
Little T is getting bigger and able to do more things with his hands. He'll be 5 months old tomorrow! He grabs his toes and holds on with his fingers. It looks so cute! He can sit up on his own for a few seconds and as long as we provide a little support when he starts to topple, he can sit like that for quite a while! He's still into the rocking thing. I'll bet he'd like a rocking horse! I'll bet he gets one when he's older! 
Washing Eric's dress shirts drives me nuts, with their tendency to yellow and stain regardless of all my efforts. When it comes to doing laundry, what's your personal nightmare? How have you come to battle it? Lye soap? A brand-name product? Some special knack passed down for generations? Saying "to heck with this" and sending it all to the cleaners?
My personal nightmare has been an excess amount of iron in our well water. We have tried just about everything to rid the water of the iron. We add salt every month. We had the filter replaced. We’ve used chemicals in the washer water to get rid of iron deposits on the clothes. Nothing has worked. So now I take all my whites and light colors to the Laundromat.
Wednesday Whatevers
1. Does time pass by too quickly?
Yes it does. I noticed I’ve been in a time warp since I was 21. With each passing decade, time flies faster than I think it should!
2. Can money buy happiness?
Money buys things, not true happiness.
1. Is freedom of speech a privilege or a right?
It’s a right but it should not be abused. I also feel that the other person’s right stops where mine begins and ersa versa.
What's On your clock Right Now?
We have a lovely oak grandfather clock in our living room. It’s a light oak. There’s a glass covering the pendulum. It’s cool to be able to see inside and see it working. The clock face is a wind-up. You have to turn the key every week to keep the clock running. I love the clock! We just haven’t been able to match the chimes with the right hour yet. Oh well.
June 29, 2004
PreOp Testing
It was a gorgeous day today. TB was scheduled to go to the hospital for pre-op testing. He needed to have his blood drawn, have an EKG done, and an Xray taken. I was worried about his blood sugar but I guess we'll know next week if he can have surgery as scheduled. He sees two doctors on July 6, his internist and the surgeon!
This week Linda goes for a child support hearing. She is just going to be an observer, though, because it is the state suing Kennan. He is scared, thinking that he might lose everything to pay child support. Well, this is what happens! Now if he'd treated Linda well and married her already he wouldn't be in the mess he is in.
Frankly, Linda is better off this way! She can further her education, get decent job training and be so much better off.
And July 4th is on Sunday! I love the fireworks!
A new interim government has been established in Iraq, aiming toward establishing Iraq as a democratic nation.
1. Do you think Iraq will ever see a day when their democratic government works? If so, when?
I am feeling pretty pessimistic about it. A lot of Iraqi people seem to prefer having a conservative religious leader. That wouldn’t be a democracy. It would be similar to the government Iran had when the Ayatollah Khomeini was the leader.
2. Is it right for the U.S. government to spread its brand of democracy to other nations? Why or why not?
Is it right? That is hard to say. Does it work? I don’t know that it does. It seems very similar to what the missionaries did when they travelled to the Hawaiian islands and to Africa and to other places, trying to spread Jesus’ teachings and trying to convert the people to Christianity. Sometimes they were met with outright hostility and sometimes the people seemed to “go along” with it but secretly kept their old ways. I don’t know that trying to spread democracy will have any better luck.
3. Are there any countries the U.S. has invaded and/or helped establish a democracy that you truly consider to be successful.
I can’t think of any. Maybe there are some out there and they’re just not coming to mind?
Ten Athletes that You Admire
These are athletes I admire because of their skill, dedication, courage and endurance -- not only in the sport but in personal challenges:
Muhammed Ali
Mark Spitz
Nadia Comaneci
Olga Korbut
Billie Jean King
Jackie Robinson
Lou Gehrig
Babe Didrikson
Babe Ruth
Wilma Rudolph
June 28, 2004
Got the blues ...
What a surprise! The United States handed sovereignty back to Iraq today. It was supposed to be on June 30, but I can see that this was a smart maneuver. It took the press and the terrorists by surprise I am sure. When I heard it on the news this morning, I felt like I’d missed two days of my life. Was it really June 30th already? And then I read on the internet that no, it’s just that it happened earlier than we all thought. I wonder if it has anything to do with trying to stop the violence and vicious beheadings? I don’t think it will help.
I am feeling really blue for the second day in a row. I may have discovered that one of my daily vitamins/minerals might very well be contributing to it. Perhaps it’s even caused some of my weight gain. TB found an online site that has a feature telling you if the medicines/vitamins you take daily interact with each other.
I was really surprised when I tried it and found so many interactions. I’m glad he found the site, though, because maybe I will feel better making some of these changes. I’d been taking a magnesium supplement. Apparently it interferes with the amount of calcium in my blood if I eat or drink a dairy product. Some of the reactions (and symptoms I’ve been having) is feeling very tired, feeling dizzy, lightheaded, big weight gain, increased urination, and depression. Ah. Well, I am either going to stop taking magnesium or I’ll take it late at night.
Ibuprofen also interacts with cardizem and could cause fatigue, nausea, and increase in blood pressure. Great. I am taking cardizem to bring my blood pressure down.
TB has noticed big bruises on my legs. It seemed to me that I was always prone to that but it might be my mom I was thinking of. Anyway, I see now that ibuprofen interacts with the paxil. I might need to change one or the other because I bruise so easily and it takes a long time for my blood to clot if I get a cut.
Sometimes my hands and fingers tremble. Most of the time it doesn’t bother me but every once in a while it interferes with what I’m doing, like holding a pen or a fork. Antidepressants can cause that to happen. It’s also caused by Parkinson’s, but we won’t go there. I am a great big hypochondriac.
If you were asked to design a float for the New Year's Day Tournament of Roses Parade, what would make your float unique?
All of the people on my float would sign and sing fluently in American Sign Language. It would be great if the people (or some of them anyway) could sing and sign at the same time. The design on the float would be the international sign for I love you, made up of peace lilies and mini roses. I don’t know if such a float has ever been designed before but if it has, it’s not been used so often people got bored with it.
June 27, 2004
The weather was beautiful outside but inside me it was turbulent. I have a certain mental picture of myself and whenever I look in the mirror it is a shock to me. I don't picture myself looking as I really do. Well, today, I really felt awful about it.
TB is so supportive and wonderful. He loves me as I am. I usually like me, too, as long as I don't look in the mirror! :P
TB and I both felt really stressed today. TB's worrying about his upcoming surgery and how we are going to manage until he recovers well enough to go back to work ... if that can be.
It didn't help that Heidi blew a fit and was raging at us.
Time to escape.
For us, the big stress reliever is ... ice cream, cookies, candy, chips ... all the things that make us fat. I'm not even going to go there because for the moment I actually feel better!
On the positive side, I had a pleasant outing with Billy and Kristin. I'm trying to let Billy do as much of the driving as possible and he is getting better each day.
I say … and you think …
ol>
June 26, 2004
In other words ...
When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.
-- Walt Disney
When I am curious, I am interested in what is around me. What is it? How did it get there? Why is it that color? What does it do? How does it work? Can I make one? My mind is alive to different possibilities. Nothing is boring because there is so much to learn about everything.
| ||||||||||||||
From Go-Quiz.com
June 25, 2004
A calmer Friday
On the way back home from dropping Billy at work, I heard "What A Wonderful World" on the radio. It's one of my favorite feel-good songs but I usually don't think of the title until I hear the song. I don't know how to attach the music, but here are the lyrics:
I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They're really saying I love you.
I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world.
Five Things I Am Grateful For Today:
1. It was overcast but it didn’t rain all day
2. I was able to get started on my computer early
3. Billy is improving each time he drives and he drove to work today
4. TB loves me
5. My family loves me
TB and I enjoy watching the Animal Planet channel. They carry reality TV programs called “Animal Cops” which takes place in different cities. Sometimes it’s really hard to watch the show because the animals suffer such cruelty. Other times it’s very heart warming to see rescued animals adopted by loving families.
Not too long ago, there was an online story about a woman who had to give up 130 animals. Her home was unfit for habitation and it’s no wonder with all the dogs, birds and what have you she kept.
Everyone knows about an eccentric neighbor who takes in all the strays in the area. I knew a lady who had 6 cats. The thing is, though, when you start to get more and more animals it becomes nearly impossible to look after them all. I often wonder why someone would take in an overwhelming number of pets. Aren’t they concerned for the animals’ welfare?
Some of the dogs and cats have litters and the young ones are never socialized. They grow up inside the house and they’re feral! The sad thing is that many times they have to be euthanized … which is the very thing the pet owner says he or she is trying to prevent!
The woman’s story will be on Animal Cops, just not sure when.
1.Do you have a driver's license? How old were you?
I have had a driver’s license for centuries now. ;) I was about 22 when I got my license. I didn’t really need once before because I lived in Baltimore City and got where I needed to go by bus.
2. Who taught you how to drive?
An instructor from E-Z Method Driving School. That was either through Montgomery Wards or Sears & Roebuck.
3. Cars: first, current and pie-in-the-sky future?
First car: 1976 lime green Chevy Chevette
Current: 2001 charcoal brown Toyota Sienna van
Pie-in-the-sky future: some huge luxury sedan, haven’t decided which yet
4. Napster/Kazaa/Filesharing: A crime or the Best Thing Ever?
I loved it while it was there but now that it’s a “crime” I’ll make sure I buy all my CDs
5. You've just inherited $35 million dollars. Show me how you'd spend it.
Wow! First I’d pay off all our bills, make sure all the kids and grandkids had enough money for their education, help out other relatives with their bills, donate a chunk to Long Island Cares, Habitat for Humanity, the Marfan Foundation, and the Diabetes Association. Then I’d go with TB on the longest vacation ever. I would invest money and I would also buy us an island and a boat.
What is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
Rich and I had a particularly hard time after his heart surgery. Friends and family donated food, clothes, money and their time to help us get through it.
What's the nicest thing you've done for someone else?
A friend of mine had her husband walk out on her and her 2 year old daughter. He left her with nothing. I watched her little girl at no charge while my friend got job training. Also bought groceries for her and gave her clothes and was just generally supportive until she was able to get back up on her own feet
What one thing do you wish you had done?
Past is past and there’s no use looking back and saying I wish I did this or that. If I can change it, I will but if I can't there's no use making me feel sad about something I didn't do.
What is your biggest regret?
I don’t really think about regrets. If I had it to do over again, I’d not change anything because then I wouldn’t be who I am and I wouldn’t have my kids or TB.
What is your greatest accomplishment?
Being a mom to my kids, a Nana to my grandkids, and a wife to TB now and Rich then
June 24, 2004
Master Britt in his bare feet
So we survived the first full day of summer vacation! Tomorrow I'll let Billy drive the car to work to give him more practice toward earning his driver's license. Linda is working on getting her license back too. It seems like there's going to be a lot of driving to and from places this summer!
This evening as TB and I sat waiting for Billy to come out of his karate class, we saw Master Britt come plodding toward us in his bare feet. Uh oh. He's coming out with another message.
Master Britt is a big man, very powerfully built and he can be intimidating. Like many big men, though, he's really nice. We chose his school over others because we felt that he would be a good influence on Billy. He has been -- except for one thing: timeliness.
The class is supposed to go from 8:30 to 9:30, which is late enough for a class if you ask me. On Wednesdays, there are little kids in the beginner class which is supposed to go from 7:30 to 8:30. However, the classes run on Master Britt time. In other words, the class never ends on time and runs anywhere from 10-30 minutes over.
Ten minutes wasn't too bad but TB and I had a fit about waiting another half hour out in the parking lot. TB got Billy a watch with an alarm on it because the clock inside the dojo doesn't work right. Well, the first night the alarm beeped Master Britt came out to see us in his bare feet and commented on the nice watch we'd gotten Billy ... he almost broke it. Ha ha. He apologized for Billy being late and said he'd be out in a "few minutes".
After a few weeks, Billy lost the watch. The clock got fixed, though, and so Billy would note the time and try to get out within 15 minutes. Sometimes, though, he'd be so involved he'd forget and 20 minutes or so would pass. Then we'd drive up to the door and honk the horn. Master Britt would come out again and tell us Billy would be just a few minutes late.
Well, anyway, Master Britt came out to tell us that Billy reminds him every class night that we are out here in the parking lot waiting. He got really involved in his class tonight and said Billy would be out in a few minutes but we shouldn't be angry with him.
It's funny. I imagine Master Britt hasn't dealt with many parents like us.
I guess I wouldn't get too excited about the time thing if the class was held earlier and if it wasn't so far from our house. By 10 on most evenings, TB and I are ready to hit the sack.
Now school is out. I have a feeling that the classes will be running much later again. So it goes.
1. Whats your favorite movie with an animal as the main character?
There are so many. I’ll say Babe
2. Least favorite? And is it your least favorite because of the species of the main character, or just because it was a bad movie?
Walt Disney’s Robin Hood animated movie. I didn’t think the characters were all that well drawn.
3. Do you prefer your movie animals to be animated or real?
I don’t have a preference as long as it’s done well
Bonus~ If you were to star in an animal movie... What type of species would you want your leading... animal to be. And why? C'mon be creative. Even name your animal flick.
I would want my leading animal to be a cat. Hey, I just like cats. They can be very funny. They’re independent and sometimes unpredictable. I haven’t got an original title but here it is: Mousie
::Capricious: Governed or characterized by impulse or whim, lacking rational basis or likely to change suddenly::
Onesome: Characterized by impulse--Do you you consider yourself impulsive or do you tend to think everything through before you make a move?
Usually I’m impulsive. Now that we’re watching our pennies, I do tend to think everything through before I make a move, especially when it’s a purchase!
Twosome: lacking rational basis--If you are impulsive, do you rationalize and justify your actions? Like, since that item you bought on a whim was on sale, you really saved money by buying it?
Of course! Then I don’t have to feel guilty about it!
Threesome: or likely to change suddenly-- When you make up your mind, does it stay made up or do you tend to change your mind at the last minute? ...or do you waffle back and forth until you're forced to decide?
It depends on what I am deciding. The easiest decisions are the ones I make with conviction. Most of the time, though, I tend to waffle back and forth. It drives me crazy!
Assume that you have to spend six months in total seclusion, in a room about the size of a one-car garage. You will not be allowed any visitors during these months, but you may take with you any three objects of your choice... provided you can carry them in your arms when you enter the room. Food, drink, and clothing will be provided for you daily. What three objects would you bring along?
Bleh, no visitors for 3 months! I hope I have a window! I would take a telephone, a lap top computer and a TV … all of which would be links to the outside world. I could communicated with loved ones by phone or computer. I would not want to read the same book over and over and would read stories online.
I say … and you think …
- Abundance:: plenty
- Casino:: gamble
- Shell::beach
- Overpriced:: gouging
- Cancellation:: it’s not happening
- Eternal:: forever
- Lyrics:: song
- Faith:: comfort
- Because:: I said so
- Wimp::weak
Saturday 8:
1. when was the last time you cooked for friends?
Oh goodness. I can’t remember it’s been so long. We’ve had loads of family over in the last 2 years. I’m not sure about friends!
2. what did you cook?
Um… I don’t know
3. what is the dish/meal/course that you prepare exceptionally well, and what makes it SO good?
I can make slow cooked meals like chicken cacciatore or chili really well. I think it’s the ingredients (spices) I use and the texture that makes it come out so well.
4. the girl who cooked for my sorta-bf brought her sister-in-law over to help her cook. they both wound up burning themselves all over the kitchen. when was the last time you gave yourself a good burn in the kitchen? do you recall what you were preparing?
I burned myself just a few months ago. I think I was taking something out of the oven and some of the grease splashed onto my hand. Ouch!
5. what was the last meal you ate that really confused you - maybe you thought you were ordering one thing, but got something completely different, or a friend/lover cooked something you'd never seen before?
I don't eat things that confuse me. I make excuses and move on. Heh. When Billy was in a scout troop in Maryland, this other mother brought hummus to all the pot lucks. Hummus! She'd also make spaghetti and dress it with peanut butter. Didn't try either.
6. how old were you when you first began to cook?
12
7. what are your thoughts on cooking? love it? hate it? take it or leave it?
I can take it or leave it. I prepare the food cuz we've got to eat and it should taste and look good!
8. if your SO suddenly developed 5* chef-quality cooking abilities and he/she was to cook you an amazing romantic meal him/herself, what would you love to have them prepare for you?
Shrimp cocktail, prime rib, garlic&onion mashed potatoes, and baby carrots.
June 23, 2004
The long hot summer
Today was the last day of school. Already summer vacation is too long! The kids have been bickering in every combination possible. My ears are still ringing!
Is this what I have to look forward to? I'll go bonkers!
In the continuing saga of why I hate third party carriers: Dr. Farrell's secretary called TB to schedule some appointments for his upcoming surgery. During the conversation, she mentioned TB's insurance might turn down the claim because it's resulting from a work related incident. So now we have to go through all this rigamarole to make sure someone will pay for the surgery. If it's not Selective Insurance (the workman's comp insurer with TB's company) then it has to be Aetna and if it's neither of those, then the surgery isn't happening. What a PITA! So the secretary is going to get everything pre-approved so there are no unpleasant surprises.
Tuesday Newsday
SpaceShipOne, reached 328,491 feet, which is 408 feet (124 meters) above the internationally recognized boundary of outer space. In celebration of science in the news for once, my questions have to do with this news story. As usual, feel free to answer one, any or all of them.
1. What do you think of private spacecraft? Are they the way of the future or a waste of materials and fuel, or something else?
At first I wasn’t sure that I liked the idea of private citizens messing around in space. It seems as though space might get as cluttered as the bay does on a beautiful day. Who would have “right of way”? What about drinking and flying? What about speeding? I don’t mean to sound flip about it. It just seemed that we might have some real problems there.
Yet, I also support the idea of private spacecraft. NASA’s budget has been cut so often and so much I can’t imagine how they’d ever be able to develop the technology to do what they need to in order to make civilian space travel possible.
2. What do you think of NASA? Are they still effective? Should they be doing more? Are they just a waste of materials and fuel? Should we be exploring space at all?
I absolutely believe that we should explore space. Part of it is the traditional pioneering spirit, just like the explorers felt when they began going into uninhabited land here in the U.S. The down side to this, of course, is that we tend to spoil what we explore with litter and with exploitation.
I think that NASA has a lot of great minds with a limit amount of funds to work with. Space is no longer a priority for our government. I don’t blame NASA for this. Whenever there are budget cuts, NASA is one of the first programs hit. I still have a lot of respect for them.
3. Is space the final frontier? Or should we be directing exploratory resources to the ocean bottom? Or somewhere else? Or perhaps exploration is done?
Exploration is never done. I have read that we know little to nothing about our ocean bottom. My concern about that is this: we keep exploiting our resources and they are almost depleted. There are “dead zones” in the oceans already from pollution and over fishing. So here we are already disrupting an environment we haven’t explored thoroughly yet! I worry that exploration will bring about more damage to the ocean. Once our water is gone, we are totally screwed.
Wednesday Whatevers
1. Do you wear your seatbelt?
Always. It’s become such an ingrained habit I buckle up without even thinking about it
2. When do / did you graduate high school?
I graduated in 1973, in the Age of the Dinosaur
3. How often do you get mail?
Everyday
What's On your desktop Right Now?
There’s a picture of a mill overlooking a waterfall in West Virginia. I have a few icons on the desktop. I don’t remember which ones because I never use them.
On my actual desk top, I have a small overhead lamp, a couple of anniversary cards, an Irish Barbie still in the box, a family bear picture frame, two bears holding a pink heart that says “Happy Anniversary” (from TB), a snow globe with cardinals (from Billy), a leprechaun figurine, a cat figurine, a candle (from Heidi), and my Precious Moments figurines (from TB and from Kristin)
Friday Fiver:
1. Have you ever traveled beyond the country that you were born in?
Not yet
2. How many different residences have you lived in since you were born? ... Which abode was the best?
Ok, let’s see –
Cottage in Islip
House in Brentwood
Rowhouse in Baltimore
Another rowhouse in Baltimore
Rooming house in Baltimore
Apartment in Baltimore
Another apartment in Baltimore
Apartment in Laurel
Trailer home in Lothian
Cottage in Islip
Apartment in East Islip
Apartment in West Isli[
Apartment in Laurel
House in Columbia
Townhouse in Massapequa Park
House in south central NJ
WOW!
Which one was the best? I'd have to say Columbia, Md although I preferred living in NY. We were buying our home there and it was in such a great location: grocery store across the street, elementary school a couple of blocks down the street, middle school practically in our back yard and high school just up the street. Columbia is full of open space, offering lots of lovely parks and places for kids to play. It is a great setting for a family!
3. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
where ever it is, it needs to be very close to a beach
4. Name your preferred method of transportation:
Walk, if possible. Drive, if not
5. Jackie Chan: Hip or hype?
I understand he’s funny. I don’t think he’s hype. His movies seem pretty popular
Friday Foofah:
1. Favorite men's perfume / favorite women's perfume?
I’ve always liked musk scents
2. Favorite natural smell?
Roses
3. Most noxious odor known to mankind?
A decaying animal
4. Cinamon chewing gum - armpit odor or sweet goodness?
It’s okay
5. Deodorants and antiperspirants - civilized necessities or deadly chemical cocktails?
Necessities
June 22, 2004
is now found!
YAY! I have my blog back and it's better than ever thanks to Faith (more about that included in my Blogger Seeds entry. There was just one little glitch with the comments section, something that also happens to Faith and TB. When you want to leave a comment, some of the words seem to be missing. But if you highlight everything, you see the missing stuff which isn't all that important anyway.
Happy days are here again!
What is something you wish you were better at doing?
Today I wish I understood more about web design, using templates and graphics and animations. I don’t really have the patience to sit still and try to learn by doing. When my page went kerpow! on me I was going to sit and wait for TB to figure out how to fix it. He’s been trying to teach himself about css stylesheets but hadn’t learnt enough to fix my problem.
Luckily for me, though, Faith contacted me and was willing to help me. She worked with what she had and with what I had. I am happier with this style sheet than I was with the other one. I like warm colors better than the cool colors. I am also pleased to have that kitty graphic. That reminds me … I need to add a button crediting the site where I found the kitty … but that can wait until tomorrow!
Are you following any of the sensational trials going on right now? (i.e. Peterson and Bryant)
I am following the trials in that when there is coverage and I’m already watching the news then I listen to it. I’m not especially interested in all the details. I find the Peterson case especially sickening – that someone would kill a pregnant mother about to give birth makes me want to puke. I am even less interested in the Kobe Bryant case. He says/she says.
Ten Things You Look for in a Mate
Eye contact
Sense of humor
Good manners
Affectionate
Literate
Similar goals
Similar values
Ability to communicate
Non-drinker, non-smoker
Respectful
what was lost ...
On June 17, my blog got all messed up. In trying to fix it, I thought I deleted my entry ... but I didn't, not entirely. Part of it didn't delete. :P Anyway, here is what I wrote that day:
I am not sure what I did but somehow the information in the column to the right of my text is now at the bottom of the page! I don't know how it got there and I don't know how to get it back. I am frustrated because it's not the way I want my page to look. I wish I knew a little more about setting up a blog because there are some other things I'd like to do to personalize this blog. Waaah! 
"I'm different from all my friends because..." I can sign fluently and they can’t. I’m different because I grew up in an alcoholic deaf dysfunctional family and I’ve learned to build barriers between myself and other people. I think that I keep them at a safe distance while they might be more trusting and open with me. I have learned to protect my heart from injury by trying to keep it in a safe. I don’t particularly like that but am not sure how to get rid of that safe … or at least figure out how to keep the door open all the time. I am different because none of my friends (except for TB himself) is a widow. They have all been loving and supportive but … well, being a widow is sort of like joining another dysfunctional family. Other widows and widowers “get” it, “get” every feeling. Non widow/ers can’t “get” it because they’ve never experienced it.
Onesome: Things that go- What's the strangest contraption you've ever had to use to get from point A to point B?
I don’t have any interesting or strange contraptions to talk about. I guess I’d have to say a swing rope over water
Twosome: Bump- Have you ever hurt yourself doing something you weren't supposed to be doing?
No. How dull. I’ve gotten hurt sledding into a telephone pole, falling off a bike, slipping on oil, and tripping at a miniature golf course but they weren’t occasions where I was doing something I shouldn’t.
Threesome: In the night- Do you believe in things that go bump in the night or anything supernatural?
Yes, I do. I believe that life goes on after death and that our loved ones are nearby and sometimes communicate with us. I believe in angels too.
June 17, 2004
what kind ... ?
What kind of disease are you? Storyteller: | ||
Storyteller is caused by monkeys. | An infection of Storyteller will cause giant robots to attack your house. Cure Storyteller by dressing like an 80's rock star. | |
June 16, 2004
Ooops, they weren't all Christians!
Oh my goodness! The meme writer for Tuesday Newsday sent me a comment about the people who wrote the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and others involved in the shaping of our country. The founding fathers of our country weren’t all Christian as I’d thought! They believed in God – or some sort of Diety – but didn’t necessarily accept Jesus Christ or both testaments of the Bible. As Gomer Pyle once said, “Sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise!” Many of our presidents and patriots made some good points about some not-so-positive issues in Christianity. In fact, some quotes are very critical of Christianity.
So with respect to the question I answered yesterday about the separation of church and state, I’d just say the founding fathers were Deists, Unitarians, and of other religious backgrounds. Still, they did believe in God of some name. And I think they wanted to be careful not to have the country controlled by one religion.
I can’t see that happening here.
Well, I missed a post on Flag Day, (June 14), but here is a questions about flags anyway. Do you fly a flag? why or why not?
Yes, we do have a flag. We fly it to show our love and support for our country and the military. I might not agree with the war in Iraq but I support all our soldiers.
Wednesday Whatevers
1. Do you think out loud?
Sometimes, especially if no one is around.
2. What color pen do you prefer to write in?
Blue or black
1. How would you describe your voice?
Pleasant but I think I lithp on my “s”s
What's On your 'vanity license plate' (otherwise known as personalized license plate) Right Now? (If you were to have one?)
I don’t have one. If I did, it might have been (at one time) I SIGN or TERP (referring to being an interpreter). Now, I would pick something like HIS and HERS for our Sienna vans or IMAHUSSEY or T&C4LIFE. Is that too many letters or numbers? Maybe CATLVR
June 15, 2004
It's all turning to dust
Now Little T likes to try and slide off my lap, down my leg (like it’s a slide) and bounce on the end of my foot. Well, I have only myself to blame! 
One time he was wiggling off my lap and so I pretended to slide him down my leg. He loved it! Of course, he wants the same thing over and over. He still enjoys rocking, too. He is almost always in motion, a very active baby.
He is learning and changing every day. Now he is sticking his fingers on my lips. I think it’s so he can figure out how I talk or how I can stick my tongue out. I blow raspeberries into his hand and he laughs and laughs. Linda says he’s begun noticing when he’s in a different place. He looks around for us. I notice that if he is cranky when he comes in from a day trip with his parents, he cheers up almost immediately as soon as TB or I pick him up. He realizes he’s back home then!
Linda hadn’t seen her cousin Julie’s baby yet so Gram came over and drove them down. It took about two hours one way! I was supposed to have gone too but Kristin was home sick. TB and I haven’t seen Nikolai either. They had a nice visit but it was hot and the drive was long. Nikolai is a very handsome or cute baby, they tell me but I think no one is cuter than my Little T!
On Sunday, the kids and I went to see a movie called The Day After Tomorrow. It was a pretty good disaster movie. We have used up so much of our resources and polluted the planet so much that we’ve brought on this global warming which causes polar caps to melt. All that fresh water pouring into the ocean changes the flow of current in the North Atlantic … and quite suddenly (a bit unbelievable) we experience a drastic climate change. This big tidal wave nearly drowns all of New York City, tornados blow Los Angeles apart, and a deep freeze sets in over the entire northern hemisphere.
Interestingly, today I read an article online about the world turning to dust. Places that used to be green are becoming arid because of global warming, bringing down the trees, using up all the water, and overpopulation. In the western states, lakes and rivers are drying up. What will people drink? How will they water their crops?
“Most at risk are dry regions on the edges of deserts — places like sub-Saharan Africa or the Gobi Desert in China, where people are already struggling to eke out a living from the land.
As populations expand, those regions have become more stressed. Trees are cut for firewood, grasslands are overgrazed, fields are over-farmed and lose their nutrients, water becomes scarcer and dirtier.”
It’s really frustrating because scientists have been warning us about this for decades. No one wanted to address the problem. In the movie, the vice president and other government officials scoffed at the theory that another ice age was coming. They were especially unconcerned because the catastrophe wasn’t supposed to happen in our lifetime. I think that is the very kind of thinking going on now.
So how do you get people in power to listen, to believe, and to try and come up with a solution before it’s too late?
"I don't want to control everything, I just want people and events to mold to my desires!"
-- Tino Tonitini
I don’t want to rule the world but I want everyone to listen to me and do it my way. In one way, it’s funny because you know you can’t get every single person and every single event to go with your way of thinking. On the scary side, though, some people try to make it happen … like Adolf Hitler.
If you could change one thing about your partner (if single, best friend), what would it be?
To be honest I would not change a single thing because if I did, he wouldn’t be the same person I fell in love with!
Fifty years ago the words "under God" were added to the Pledge of Allegiance. Yesterday, the Supreme Court threw out a case to remove them, not because it disagreed, but on a technicality, avoiding having to make an opinion on this issue. This issue has come up over and over during the past decades.
Another recurring issue that has come up again recently has to do with praying before football games, and other sporting events.
So, my questions are:
1. Do you think public Christian prayer is acceptable in a country that preaches acceptance of all, or no, religion?
I think it’s acceptable. I also wouldn’t have a problem with public prayers of other cultures. I think that some people are over-reacting and misinterpreting “separation of church and state”. I don’t think it means that we absolutely cannot have anything religious on public property nor that we absolutely can’t have prayers in public places. Since we supposedly preach acceptance of all religions, why can’t we be exposed to them all? What is the big deal?
2. Do you think the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance overstep the separation of church and state.
NO, I do not. I think the founding fathers came up with the concept of separation of church and state because they didn’t want government run by religion. At the same time, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were written by men who were Christians. I think some people just get too nit-picky about what separation of church and state means.
Let's go swimming...
1. "Beach, Baby!" or "Pool, please"?
I used to be a beach only baby but now I’ll use a pool. My legs aren’t as strong as they used to be for swimming and resisting an undertow
2. "Check me out!" or "Does anyone have a tent I can wear?"
Make that tent extra large,
3. "Deep end of the pool" or "Floaties are my friend"
I’ll take the deep end of the pool
4. "SPF 45, hat and glasses, please" or "Tan, tan, tan"
Actually SPF 50 because I’ve had several sun damaged skin cells removed. That’s a result of my “tan, tan, tan” mindset of 30 years ago.
5. "I like to people watch" or "Hand me a book and leave me alone."
Give me a book and I’ll look up and around occasionally.
Fun with Memes
What are the first four things you think of when I say:
Writers
Creative
Frustrated
Talented
Readers
If you could wake up tomorrow morning and have an extraordinary talent that you currently do not have (within human capabilities... no x-ray vision, or super-strength*), what would that extraordinary talent be?
I would like to be able to create tall tales and other stories at will, not having to wrack my brains for an idea or plot. I’d like to be able to think of the whole thing instantly: conflict, characters, setting, and so on.
Sunday Brunch:
1. How do you usually celebrate your birthday?
Usually by going out to dinner with the family
2. Do you ever lie about your age?
No, why would I?
3. What is your favorite flavor(s) of cake and ice cream?
Chocolate cake with a strawberry filling and whipped cream icing
4. Have you ever completely forgotten the birthday of a family member or friend?
Yes, usually my BIL Steven’s birthday which is on July 2. We always forgot his birthday. Embarrassing!
5. What was the most memorable birthday party you've attended?
It had to be the surprise party I threw for Rich when he was 25. A co-worker of mine dressed up as a gorilla in a white tux and came to the party to sing a song to Rich. The look on his face was priceless! Originally, it was to be a “quiet” surprise but once I told Fred what I was planning he wanted to have a big birthday barbecue in the backyard. The whole family came and enjoyed!
1. my 8-year marriage broke up five months ago, and yet i still find myself crying nearly every day about it. what was your longest relationship that broke up, and how long did it take you to stop grieving the loss?
The longest relationship was 2 years. I was still grieving a bit when Rich asked me to go out on a date with him. I hemmed and hawed and thought, why be nervous about this? If we don’t hit it off, we can be friends anyway. And the rest is history!
2. a new hybrid cat, the savannah, was featured on cbs this morning. an african serval in bred with a 'regular' housecat. this results in a 30-lb. housecat that will 'fetch,' like to play in water, and also cost $6K and UP. does this kind of exotic cat appeal to you? why or why not?
No, I wouldn’t want a 30 pound cat. If I wanted a dog, I’d get a dog. I like my cats to be lap sitters
3. i mistakenly thought that father's day was THIS sunday (tomorrow). i express-mailed my dad's gift because the mail didn't run due to the reagan remembrance crap going on, spending $15 i didn't need to. when was the last time you missed or pre-sent a gift for a holiday or someone's birthday/anniversary?
Believe it or not … it was my own anniversary! I meant to get a card for TB and just totally dropped the ball! :P
4. it's hotter than hades in orlando, and yesterday we got up to 96 degrees. i'm chugging sweet tea like it's going out of style. when it warms up, what is your beverage of choice?
Ice water. Nothing else quenches my thirst
5. due to the breakup of my marriage and stress from grad school, i've lost over 10 lbs. and need to purchase new shorts for the summer. where is your favourite place to purchase summer wear, and what do you like to buy there?
Like all my other wear, I prefer Walmart because they have the varieties and styles I like and are reasonably prcied
6. i recently purchased my favourite spanish-language films, "like water for chocolate." i am SO excited to add this to my collection. what is your favourite foreign-language film, and why do you like it so much?
I don’t have a favorite foreign language film, guess I’m just crass ;-)
7. my lawn mower is broken, and it's been raining like crazy for a week so my grass needs attention in the worst way. where you live, who takes care of the grass? you? your spouse? a professional company?
TB and Billy take care of the grass
8. reagan and ray charles died recently. it is said that celebrities die in 3s (and i count reagan as a celeb because he was first an actor, then a politician). even though this is morbid, who do you think will be next?
Nope, I don’t engage in those kind of guesses
June 13, 2004
How to Make A Storyteller
The kids and I went to see "The Day After Tomorrow". It's been a while since I've seen a good disaster movie. The last one was "Independence Day". Anyway, it definitely took my mind off my troubles, seeing a big tidal wave flood NYC out.
Linda is back and Little T is sleeping upstairs. No surprise, Kennan was trying to pressure her to drop the suit again. I asked in all sincerity, why in heck would she want to keep seeing him anyway? And she said she's been thinking about that. :P
| How to make a Storyteller |
| Ingredients: 1 part intelligence 3 parts humour 1 part beauty |
| Method: Layer ingredientes in a shot glass. Add a little cocktail umbrella and a dash of fitness |
Stress
I don't always realize when I'm dealing with too much stress. I think it's a holdover from growing up in a dysfunctional family. There's no pressure valve in those kind of families because we're not supposed to have any bad emotions. We have to keep pretending everything is okay. So as I'm beginning to feel stress, I just keep thinking deal with it, deal with it.
There are good stresses and not so good stresses ...
Billy has a job (good!) but needs transportation (not so good)
Heidi's still plagued with allergies illness and anxiety (definitely not good) but she's making so many beautiful drawings (definitely good)
Kristin is saving money for a bike (good because it gives her a goal and because it's good exercise and bad because you can't trust anyone anymore and there are no more safe neighborhoods and there is no one else her age riding bikes) ...
TB's still waiting to hear about shoulder surgery (good because hopefully it will
fix the problem and bad because the problem hasn't been fixed, he's been kicked off compensation by that stupid insurance company and we just don't know for sure the problem will be fixed)
Linda is making some headway and we all love the baby (good) BUT today she took Tomas and went off with Kennan to his house. Well, that is bad stress no matter what but he has been pressing her to drop the custody suit and no doubt will be doing it again today AND she will be over THERE, what if he won't bring her and the baby back? What if she gives in to the pressure and agrees to drop the suit? We can't support her -- and she will totally screw up a terrific opportunity to do well for herself. And ...WHY would she want to go with someone who's already pressing her to do something NOT in her best interest or her baby's?
I don't get it, I don't get it, I don't get it!
'A Bit On Birthdays'
1. When is your birthday?
December 19, 1954
2. As a child, how did you celebrate your birthday?
How do you celebrate it now?
Then: with birthday cake and presents.
Now: dinner out, cards & lots of love
3. Do you dread your b-day or do you still love having them?
I don’t dread my birthday. I don’t think I’d say I “love” having them. I enjoy my special day.
4. What was your best birthday?
There were lots of memorable ones, so many I can’t remember! Heh…
5. Did you ever get a gift that you didn't like?
No, I never dislike gifts from the heart
- Colorblind:: black & white
- Shallow::low
- Erotica:: sensual
- Figment:: imagination
- Eviction::thrown out
- Composed:: calm
- Chill:: cold
- Girl:: boy
- California:: Hollywood
- Bond:: friendship
June 12, 2004
I hear you
I wrote a little bit about this "new and improved" Kennan who brought Linda roses and ice cream. Michele, who has seen this kind of thing many times before, left a message for me. It's funny and I hate to be cynical, but I was just thinking almost the same thing. In a controlling relationship, when the guy goes too far he's always "sorry". And then for a while, he's nice as pie. That's called "the honeymoon phase". It lasts about as long as it takes to get the woman content and happy again. And then BAM! The bad guy's back in town!
So far, though, Linda is taking all this with a grain of salt. She says she is keeping TB and me posted so that if she starts to feel content with her relationship again, we can bring her back to reality. That's good and I really pray it works out that way. In the back of my head, I worry that Kennan will convince her to go back with him and then ... the same old same old. But hopefully Linda is benefitting enough from staying here that she won't be tempted to go back without a whole lot of counseling for her & Kennan.
So the girls and I went to the mall today before Billy needed to be picked up from work. We went into a little shop just for teenage girls and young women. I think it was called Claire's. Anyway, I flashed back to some of the shops I'd visit in Ocean City. They had lots of cute or cool looking jewelry. That's what this Claire's was like. So as Kristin picked out the necklace she wanted, I just took a short walk down Memory Lane. These things are not terribly expensive and you can have fun wearing them -- they look nice, not cheap.
My favorite piece was a "ban the bomb" necklace. It was handmade, the circle and legs were some kind of metal all welded together. Inside each of the legs was a piece of stained glass. I bought it in one of those little stores in Ocean City, along with other items like a scrimshaw necklace and ring and several tee shirts. I wore that necklace for years and years. I'm not sure what happened to it.
It's been a looooong day today and I'm about to call it quits and go plop in front of the TV or something!
June 11, 2004
Bits & Pieces
Will wonders never cease? Kennan brought Linda some roses! And they are beautiful! Could it be there's hope for that boy yet? And here I was worrying that he might up and keep Tomas in his house if he ever took the baby for the evening. Um ... well, I still worry about that.
Michele might have gestational diabetes which would suck but most of the time it goes away once the baby arrives. I'm not sure what happens when there is a family history of diabetes though!
I enjoyed playing with Little T this morning. He rolls from side to side, can't quite get over onto his tummy. If I put him on his tummy he gets annoyed quickly because he can't flip over onto his back. He's getting a lot better at holding his smaller toys in both hands and shaking them. It is so cool to watch him change as he develops more and more!
Kristin is in pool heaven! TB's been fighting with that stupid pool to get the water clear. It finally was okay to swim in yesterday and you'd have thought it was a piece of heaven in our backyard! She even went into the pool today and it was a damp, gloomy, cool sort of day.
No work for Billy this evening ... no long drives to the theater and back! Heidi's gotten another allergy shot and has been getting them faithfully ... why doesn't she seem much better?
Weekend Wonderings:
1. Do you generally have any problems sleeping?
I used to suffer from insomnia but not anymore. Now I sleep well
2. Do you snore when you're asleep? If so, have you ever woken yourself up?
Yes, I do snore but I never woke myself up. It turns out, though, that I have sleep apnea
3. Do you talk in your sleep? If so, have you ever woken yourself up?
and a bonus...
I’ve never woken myself by talking in my sleep. TB says that I sign in my sleep.
4. Do you sleepwalk?
Nope
Friday Fiver:
1. Where were you went you heard that Ronald Reagan died?
I was home and I found it through a news update on the internet. I was taken aback because I’d just seen the news that he wasn’t doing very well right now. I had a feeling we were being prepared but never expected he’d pass the very same day.
2. Where were you on September 11, 2001?
I was at work and trying to get on the internet. It was moving almost intolerably slow and I couldn’t get several sites to open. When I finally got yahoo news, I was stunned by the news the World Trade Center had been attacked.
3. Where were you when you heard that Princess Diana died?
At home, I think, watching the news
4. Do you remember where you were when you heard Kurt Cobain had died?
No
5. Take one for The Gipper: What's your favorite flavor of jelly bean?
Blueberry
June 10, 2004
Thursday MeMes
1. How old were you when you left your parents' house? Was it by choice or by force?
I left home when I was 19. It was my choice but it was sort of forced on me. My parents’ drinking and fighting were affecting me and then one night my mom tried to kill herself by swallowing a bottle of tranquilizers. My dad refused to take her to the hospital and wouldn’t let me call an ambulance so I packed a bag and left that nuthouse. My mom recovered but they continued drinking and fighting so I stayed away.
2. Did you go to college? If so, did you live in the dorms? If not, what was your housing like?
I didn’t go to college then. The pastor of my church helped me get a room at a boarding house for working women. It was similar to a dorm in that we had community bathrooms, living & dining areas. I made friends and enjoyed living there
3. What was the scariest thing about moving out on your own? How did you overcome it?
I moved into my first apartment less than a year later. It was a bright and spacious efficiency in Bolton Hill, Baltimore, MD. The scariest thing was being alone at night. I used to push my dresser in front of the door after I was in for the night. Eventually, I just got used to it.
Bonus Question for Comments: If you could live in any structure (house, apartment, etc) what would it be? Why?
I would choose a ranch type house or condo because going up and down stairs has become difficult for me. I don’t want to live in a beehive, which is what an apartment would be like now. I’d like to have an easy-to-maintain home with TB sometime in the future when everyone grows up, gets married, and moves away.
Onesome: School-- Since the school year seems to be over (your mileage may vary: some of you are already in summer sessions!): what was your favorite year in school? Yeah, the one you had the best time in or learned something special or had that learning breakthrough?
My favorite school year was my senior year in high school. All the pressure of required courses was of for the most part and I was able to take subjects I really enjoyed: music, drama, and Latin. The seniors had a special section of the cafeteria reserved and it was great to sit at a round table eating lunch with my best friends! We were the “top” class on the school bus and that year we got to sing, “We are the seniors, the mighty mighty seniors! Everywhere we go, people ought to know who we are so we tell them …” And it would go round and round. Those memories are dimmer now because it’s been over 30 years!
Twosome: Bus-- Hey, how did you get to school in the early years? Walk? Bike? Mommy van? Bus? ...and for those still attending, how are you getting to and fro these days?
I walked and took the bus. When I was a kid, the elementary school was close enough so that I could walk. In junior high, I was supposed to take the bus but couldn’t stand the troublesome characters who got on. One girl used to throw lighted matches into other people’s hair. I have no idea why the bus driver didn’t do anything about it. So I walked to junior high too. When I was in high school, I took the public city bus to school. Nowadays I am driving!
Threesome: Stop-- ...and when did you stop going to school? ...or did you? Are you still at it? Amy plans to go back for those who are out of the system?
I graduated in 1973 and went out and got a job. I attended college for part of a semester in 1974. It’s a long sad story involving my pastor, who ended up being a sociopathic crook. I started back to school again part time in 1978 and got around 20 credits. I moved to Long Island, eventually married, moved back and started going back again in 1993. I have 60 credits but I’m not finished. I don’t think I will bother at this point because I am almost 50. It’s hard enough to get a job being a young graduate, never mind being an old gray mare!
The riderless horse
I’ve only seen one state funeral before for an American president. That was for John F. Kennedy in 1963, when our entire country watched, stunned, on television. The procession yesterday for Ronald Reagan was totally different. He’d lived a full life, had been struggling with an awful disease, and while people were sad I think they were there to pay their last respects rather than grieve.
I was hoping my kids would be interested enough to watch. I didn’t want to force them but I thought it would be educational for them to see the state funeral of a president. Although all presidents are entitled to have one, not all do. The last ex-president honored this way was Lyndon Johnson, way back in the early 1970s.
Anyway, the kids didn't watch more than five minutes. They don’t remember Ronald Reagan and so I suppose he is just “ancient history” to them. Still, they didn’t understand what the caisson was all about and what the riderless horse was supposed to represent. I had to tell them in a quick sound byte because they didn’t have the time or patience to hear anymore.
I heard a little bit about the tradition of presidential funerals from the TV news commentators. Mostly, though, they were congratulating themselves on the fact that TV has brought us “there”. Before, we had to depend on the radio or newspaper to tell us about the ceremony. Yeah, okay, thanks so much TV.
I wanted to learn a little more about it and so I went online to look for information.
Once the caisson was underway, the procession moved very slowly along Constitution Avenue. I thought it was respectful but it turns out there is a military procedure for state funerals that covers everything from how fast you can move to the seating arrangements in the Rotunda of the Capital.
When the guard transferred President Reagan’s casket from the hearse to the caisson, they stepped very slowly and very precisely. “Are they supposed to move that slow?” Linda asked. I remembered Kennedy’s funeral procession and I remembered other military ceremonies I’ve seen. Yes – they are supposed to move that slowly.
There’s a reason that the hearse stops at 16th & Constitution so that the casket can be transferred to the caisson but I forgot what it was. It dates all the way back to President Lincoln, though, and I wonder if it has to do with the Civil War? The caisson is pulled by six black horses.
Everyone asked about the riderless horse. I was kind of surprised at that because I thought everyone learned the significance … but I guess I shouldn’t take things for granted. The riderless horse carries a pair of boots in the stirrups, except that the boots are facing backwards. It symbolizes a fallen leader. The boots are on backwards because the leader supposedly is looking back at his followers one last time. Reagan’s riding boots were used for the procession. Not all presidents ride horses, but he did.
When the procession reached the Capitol, three sets of body bearers carried the casket to the Rotunda. The catafalque the casket rests on is the same one from President Lincoln’s funeral. That was a wonder to me! It is made of pine.
So far, tens of thousands of Americans have passed through the Rotunda to pay their last respects to President Reagan. The funeral service is scheduled for tomorrow.
These two articles provided most of the information I was looking for:
Presidential Funerals Rich in Tradition
State Funeral Steeped in Tradition
June 09, 2004
Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?
We used to chant this with the kids in preschool:
Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?
Cassie took the cookies from the cookie jar.
Who, me?
Yes, you!
Couldn't be.
Then who?
TB took the cookies from the cookie jar!
And it would go on and on.
Well, we're not talking about cookies here. It's baby food jars. An opened jar of bananas and an unopened jar of sweet potatoes magically appeared on top of Linda's clothes. I say magically because, of course, no one took the jars from the downstairs cabinet. Or, it was those little imps Notme and Idaknow.
It really bothers me that no one will own up to it. I don't really care at this point why the baby food was moved from the cabinet to upstairs and on Linda's clothes.
TB and I had the kids come in and sit with Linda, T, and the two of us. I already knew we weren't going to get anywhere and the kids were all wondering what the big deal was all about. And it might have seemed really trivial but the point was, someone was fibbing. That was the part that upset us most. Lying to stay out of trouble always seems to be first on the list of choices with kids. Bleh.
I suppose we'll never know who took the jars and left them on Linda's laundry basket. :P
Start with a warm day and add some high humidity! Throw in thundershowers in the evening and you have a typical Michigan summer day. What's the weather like in your neighborhood?
The weather in New Jersey sounds like the weather in Michigan! Right now, it’s sunny and hot. When I go outside, it’s like stepping into an oven. The air is humid so already the perspiration starts running down my face. I can’t stand that feeling, not unless I have an ocean to jump into and I don’t. I avoid going outdoors if at all possible. I don’t think we’ll have the relief sometimes brought by a thunderstorm. We’ll have some rain tomorrow and that will bring the temperatures down.
I really believe that all states have the saying, “If you don’t like the weather here, wait five minutes and it will change.” It doesn’t help! :P
Home Work:
Take a good look around you. What's the most pressing disaster brewing in your house? A mammoth pile of laundry? A Leaning Tower of Dishes? A junk closet about to explode? Do you have any immediate plans for dealing with it, or is it hidden enough that you can ignore it a while longer?
Right at this moment, it’s in my room … It’s a little bit of everything lying all over so it’s not hidden. I’m getting to it a tiny bit at a time!
1. Money is no object...pick a car.
Lincoln Town Car or a Mercedes Benz or maybe a Bentley
2. You are stranded on a deserted island, pick only one book to bring.
the Bible
3. You can no longer live in the United States, pick a South American country to move to and why.
I would pick either Uruguay or Brazil and because of the proximity of the ocean & the friendliness/economy of the country
4. Pick the one state you'd love to live in besides the one you live in now, and why.
Hawaii … it’s warm and is surrounded by the ocean
5. Ladies, pick the one (living) actor you'd love to have dinner with. And men, pick the one (living) actress, you'd love to shag take to dinner.
David Selby. I had a crush on him when I was a kid so I’d enjoy having dinner with him
6. Pick a language you'd like to learn or learn more of.
I’d like to learn Spanish
7. Pick an instrument you'd like to learn to play.
I’ve always loved the sound of a saxophone and I would love to be able to play it!
Wednesday Whatevers
1. Do you prefer happy or sad endings, and why?
Oh come on! I prefer happy endings. I’ve had enough sad endings. I’d much rather smile and laugh than cry.
2. What is the most annoying thing about computers?
that I can make one goof by accident and screw up so much!
1. Who has the biggest influence on the world now?
I would say it’s the media for better or worse and many times it’s worse :P
June 08, 2004
Something to be proud of
What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?
I’m proud of being a skilled sign language interpreter for the deaf for over 20 years. I’m also proud of being a mentor for young interpreters. I’m glad that I was able to show them that qualified interpreters don’t have to be contemptuous or highly critical of students. The young interpreters are going to step in for us older ones as we retire so why not give them a positive experience about the field?
Tuesday Newsday:
1. Who is/are your favorite political blogger(s)?
Recently I’ve been reading a lot of Iraqi blogs. I’m not sure if they are technically classified as political but it’s been fascinating learning some of the history & background of some Iraqi citizens. My personal favorite is http://hammorabi.blogspot.com/ Hammorabi
2. Is she/he/they right wing, middle of the road or left wing?
I’m not sure
3. What issues to they tend to keep up with the most?
Hammorabi’s provided a lot of background information about what life was like under Saddam Hussein as well as cultural and political histories and anecdotes
Summer's here, and that means road trips, driving with your window open, and hot and heavy traffic. I'm from California, and almost every time I'm on the road I've got a gripe about someone or something...What annoys you the most when you're on the road?
1. People don’t yield to each other in traffic jams, causing a longer & more difficult merge
2. People run stop lights
3. People run red lights
4. People tailgate
5. People drive too slow
6. People blast their music so loud our whole car vibrates
7. People talk on their cell phones while they are driving
8. People do other stuff – read books, newspapers, apply makeup, etc etc – while they are driving
9. Gas is going up every day!
10. Roads aren’t wide enough to accommodate all the traffic :P
June 07, 2004
Baby Face
He just has such the cutest little baby face! I hold him on my lap with him facing away from me because he loves to rock back. I can't support him for long with my arms and that's why it's easier for me if he falls back against my tummy. Lately, though, Little T has begun to look around and into my face. It's so adorable. It's like he's checking to make sure I'm still there or still nana. I remember when babies develop, once someone is out of sight it's like they don't exist anymore. Anyway, when Tomas realizes that it's still me his eyes twinkle, he smiles and he starts to stick his tongue out at me. He remembers me as the tongue sticker-outer and that is just so cool!
Now that chocolate is banned from the house, we chocoholics in withdrawal have to have something else to do at the dessert hour. So today we went around the block. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it! By the time we got down the block, I was huffing. I am in sad physical shape.
Linda was out of breath too but still able to push the baby's stroller.
Billy was rollerblading for the first time in a long while and he took frequent rest breaks.
The only one who seemed unphased was Kristin, leaving us all behind in her scooter's smoke!
So Billy drove to the library and the shopping center this afternoon. TB came along for the ride because he needed to pick up a reserved book from the library. I think his presence made Billy feel especially nervous: he went right by the library and then when he came out of the Acme, he "lost" the car in the parking lot. Some of his movements are very jerky and it's like the car lurches a little. He also needs to practice driving in the middle of his lane. He is doing okay, just still needs more practice.
What's a favorite book you recently read?
I have many many favorites and so it’s hard to choose one. I’m always looking for good books to read and I’ve discovered another series I want to read. I’ve always been fascinated by the King Arthur stories. When I was browsing at the library recently, I found the first book in The Pendragan Cycle called Taliesin. It’s written by Stephen Lawhead and it’s not been recently published. In a way, that’s a good thing because all the books are there for me to read. It’s not like having to wait for the next in the series as I’m doing with George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series. Check it out! It’s good!
If you were a contestant on a trivia-style game show, what category would you most want to see displayed when it came down to the million-dollar question?
American history – I always had better luck with that category in Trivial Pursuit
Ronald Reagan : President, charming, humorous, dedicated
D-Day: ivasion, dying soldiers, bloody, victory
I say … and you think …
- Charity:: donate
- Scale:: weigh
- Jennifer Lopez:: who?
- Coercion:: force
- Meter:: measurement
- Pressure:: stress
- June:: July
- Infestation:: bugs
- Serial killer::Ted Bundy
- Anguish:: sorrow
June 04, 2004
Turn Around Shift
I met Billy's friend Kyle today at the allergist's office. I was there with Heidi so she could get her weekly shots (yippee). She leaned over and whispered that Kyle and his mother had just come in and sit down. I'd heard about Kyle but hadn't met him and so I introduced myself and we began talking. It seems poor Kyle has been suffering from some plaguish form of sinus infection that will not clear up. He's been on all sorts of antibiotics, none of which worked for long. He had a workup to see if he was allergic to anything and he's not! He had to have a sinus CT scan and the doctor found that he has all kinds of polyps and what have you that prevents his sinuses from draining.
So while I was sitting wondering why on earth the poor kid hasn't had surgery yet, I listened sympathetically to the mom telling me that one day he feels good and goes to school. The next, he is totally wiped out and unable to wakeup. He'll sleep for 10-24 hours and wake up feeling fine again. This has been going on since January and he hasn't been in school a full week since.
I'm amazed that this has dragged on that long. When I took Heidi to the allergist, he had her go for the same CT scan but they determined that surgery wouldn't help her. All of that was done within the first few visits.
Meanwhile, Kyle is freaking out because school is over in 3 weeks and he has finals. He can't catch up and is way behind. For a kid like Kyle, this is serious business. He is #6 in his entire class -- or he was. He was also due to get a promotion at the movie theater ... but he's had to bail out and call in sick a lot.
Speaking of the movie theater, I realized with dismay that if Kyle called in sick then we would need to drive our tired butts out later to pick Billy up after work. Not only that, but Billy's been scheduled to cover for someone else who is out from 8:30 to whenever tomorrow. This will be after working until 12:30 this evening.
I remember the turn-around shift. I used to do that, too. On Fridays, I'd work from 4 to 1 a.m. On Saturday mornings, I would work from 8:30 - 5. I could do it because I was young but it did mess my sleep cycle up for the weekend. Once I got home after work Friday (around 2 a.m. usually) I would be wide awak and not able to sleep. So I would be up until 3 or 4 and have to get up again at 7:30.
I would be barely awake and I'd be there swaying as I made my pot of coffee. Then I'd practically gulp the whole pot down and try to get some food down as well. I also tried a shower to try and wake me up. I'd feel better, clean, but not awake. It was almost as bad as having a hangover except there was no headache. I'd get in the car and somehow get myself to work and drag myself miserably to my chair. I'd feel like nodding off by noon time. People would talk to me and the first few hours I'd just look at them, not even able to do much more than grunt at them. Mostly I just wished everyone would leave me alone and let me sleep!
Not fun! Well, this will look good on Billy's record ... pitching in to help out more than once now.
There are lots of fun new memes:
if you had one minute to do, say, ask, scream, criticize or show something, do it.
I don’t understand why my kids never stick together or help each other out at home. If you ask one to pick up something, right away they’ll say “That’s not mine!” and they don’t want to put it away. It’s like it would be a criminal act to do something nice for a brother or a sister. The girls are especially famous for doing that stuff. Why do they find helping each other to be such a threat or such a terrible thing to do? I don’t get it! It doesn’t make any sense to me. Yeah! Now I feel better!
Ingredients
1. Choose upto 5 ingredients from the following list, then describe what you'd make using them (preferably edible!) :
Butter
Sultanas
Tomatoes
Nutmeg
Coriander
Eggs
Salt
Chicken
Oil
I would make a totally delicious but also totally unhealthy oven fried chicken using eggs, salt, chicken, oil and butter
2. What dish do you make best? Include the recipe!
I make lots of dishes that taste really good. The trouble with including a recipe is that I make it a little different each time. A basic chili recipe:
2 lbs ground beef
2 big cans of kidney beans
3 cans of whole or crushed tomatoes
some red wine
onions
peppers
mushrooms
Italian seasoning
I put the ground beef, onions, peppers & mushrooms into a frying pan until the ground beef is brown. Then I throw it into a crockpot and add all the other ingredients. I cook it on slow for like 6 hours or so. But I don’t measure anything precisely and I’m likely to add other stuff like garlic.
3. What dish do you like best?
I like corned beef and cabbage best
4. Favorite place to eat out?
Prospector’s, especially for their breakfast buffet
5. Atkins - miracle diet or a health disaster waiting to happen?
Well, for the short term it works. Long term: could be a health disaster for people like me at risk for clogged arteries. Studies now show that in the long run, the low carb diets aren’t that much more successful than other diets.
1. Would you say that you're happy with yourself the way you are?
Mostly … I’m not perfect and I know it.
2. If you could change one thing about yourself (bodily or personality-wise) what would it be and why?
I would change my weight so that I’d be healthy and not at high risk for heart attack, stroke, diabetes and other debilitating or deadly things
3. Are you the kind of person who always puts others first, or do you concentrate on making yourself happy?
I mostly put other people first. Then I come to my senses for a while and do things for me.
1. If the world were to suddenly end right now, what do you wish you would have done?
published a best selling novel
2. How many times do you hit the snooze button before getting out of bed?
None because I don’t have a snooze button!
3. What cartoon do you enjoy watching from the present (or the past)?
I enjoy the Sniffles cartoons and the really old ones from WWII era
4. If you could go to any time and/or place in history, where/when would it be?
I would go in the present time to Hawaii. I wouldn’t go in the past because I might change something accidentally
5. If your life were a movie, what would it be rated and why?
It would be rated R because there would be love scenes in it. Lots of them. ;)
June 03, 2004
Still No Cicadas
We heard them in the beginning of May but never saw one. They don't sing anymore either. Maybe New Jersey has mutant bugs?
My head and neck are very itchy. I had a hair cut today and didn't get a chance to shower afterwards. No matter what the stylist does to try and keep the shorn locks from going down my back, there are always tenacious hairs that manage to tickle and aggravate me for hours.
It's fun to watch Little T change as he develops. He used to lie prone in my arms. Now he doesn't like to do that. If he's not taking a bottle, he's trying to sit up. He holds his head up really well but needs support on his back to keep him from flopping over. He has a new thing now where he likes to rock back and then sit up again.
He is still flapping his arms and legs but now he seems to have a purpose. He'll kick his legs until they are practically straight up in the air. He's trying to roll over but hasn't quite made it yet. His arms and hands are going all the time too. He can grab a toy with one hand and then he'll bring it front and center and then he'll try to use his other hand to get a grip.
This is a child that wants to go places and he will.
I remember that Heidi and Kristin both learned to walk and talk early than Billy because they had him as a role model. I think Tomas has enough people encouraging him so that he will want to get up and move around so he can be "like" us.
Babies are wonderful!
1. Who's your favorite president? Why?
My favorite president is Abraham Lincoln. He is far back enough in history that he can be admired and not picked apart like the recent presidents. He was honest, wise, very witty and very self-deprecating. It’s a really wise person who can laugh at his or her own faults. Like, he said: “If I was two-faced, would I really be wearing this one?” He suffered, both from the war and from personal tragedy. Regardless of the reason why the Civil War was fought, he did free the slaves in the south.
2. Which president do you think did the most for this country? How so? (there's a difference between your favorite and the one who did the most)
I think Franklin Delano Roosevelt did the most for our country. He came up with programs to help the country recover from the Great Depression. He gave inspiring talks. He was a fantastic role model for overcoming obstacles … he had polio and was in a wheelchair but he’d also get up and walk or stand when he needed to. He was a wonderful leader during World War II. He and Churchill … two people able to inspire their countries.
3. Who's the worst president the US has ever had? Why do you think that? (no, I'm not pointing any fingers towards Boner Jr's way! :P)
Well … only time and history will tell. :P Some people would say Jimmy Carter. He wasn’t very successful as a president but then he was too nice a guy, too Christian. Some might say Richard Nixon because he disgraced the presidency. Some might say Herbert Hoover, blaming him for the Great Depression. I don’t think people remember back to Hoover anymore though. I have been much less impressed with this Bush than any other president. The reason is because I think that this president is leading us down a path of death and destruction and I think this is an event that can lead to us losing our position as a world power.
Bonus Question for Comments: If you were president(pick a timeframe, doesn't have to be today), what would your top 5 priorities be? What would you like to accomplish?
If I was president in when George Bush Sr was president I would:
1. Have had General Powell continue beyond freeing Kuwait from Iraq & would have had him send the army after Saddam Hussein
2. Make sure everyone in the country has health insurance
3. Make sure everyone in the country has a roof over the heads
4. Make sure jobs didn’t get outsourced
5. Funded more research for AIDS, cancer, & heart disease
"When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do." -- Walt Disney
Onesome: When you're curious- Is there a specific subject you're especially curious about? A person? A region of the world? An animal? A field of study?
I’m curious to learn more about the early 20th century, say from WWI to the Roaring 20s and into the Great Depression. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, and parents lived through those times and I’m just interested to know what life was like then. I don’t mean stuff I can read in a textbook either.
I’m also very interested in Irish history, Celtic myths, songs, and cultural things like that. I would love to know the background stories of my ancestors in Ireland.
Field of study: Deaf culture
Person: Eleanor Roosevelt, Annie Sullivan, Barbara Mikulski (senator from Maryland)
Twosome: you find lots of interesting- What do you consider your most interesting trait/ feature?
I would say my sense of humor and my ability to use my hands and face to express what I’m feeling
Threesome: things to do- What's on your list of things to do everyday, whether you want to or not? Filing, phone calls, homework, chasing around after kiddos, cooking, cleaning, etc.
Seeing the kids off to school
Changing the kitty litter if necessary
Other household chores like laundry
Reading my email
Journaling
Playing with Tomas
Running errands
Cooking
Reading
Last week's:
Onesome: Learning-- Hey, what would you like to learn how to do this Summer? Learn to ride a motorcycle (like Sarah)? Learn PHP? Learn how to chill out and vegetate properly (lessons available
I would like to learn to lose weight and keep it off!
Twosome: to-- Too? Two? Okay, two things you are positively not going to learn how to do! Ever!
Sky diving
Mountain climbing
Threesome: Ride-- Speaking of motorcycles: Do you ride? Did you ever ride? ...or do you just enjoy them? ...or maybe, "No way!"?
No way! I like to watch them in movies but don’t especially enjoy them in traffic, especially when they drive on the line between two cars. It scares me when I see the rider lean way over to one side. I’ve never been on one and never intend to!
June 02, 2004
Where are those cicadas?
All spring I've been hearing about these 17 year cicadas. I've been through a couple of cycles of these things.
The first time I remember seeing them, I was in the 9th grade. They are some funny looking bugs with big red eyes. They just seem to lumber around which is not too surprising, I suppose. They sleep under the ground for 17 years, get that certain "itch", crawl out and go looking for another pretty red eyed cicada to mate with. Anyway, I mostly remember that the boys used to chase the girls with them and they'd throw the cicadas into the girls' hair, nearly starting a riot on campus. The other thing I remember is that my cat thought they were a delicacy just for her.
I haven't seen a single one here since they supposedly began crawling out. We have a lot of trees out here. We're in a rural area and there's an awful lot of trees around. What? Don't the cicadas like trees? Or is it just because we're in New Jersey? I am feeling pretty disappointed about these dumb cicadas. I'd been entertaining (if that's the word for it) the kids with tales of these red eyed bugs ... and now we've been stood up! It's just not fair!
Billy drove my car for the first time today! He was a little nervous which is understandable. He'd learned to drive in a car and I have a van. Not only that, but there's a totally different feel to things when you know it's your mom's car. Anyway, I thought he did great. He just needs more practice to build up his confidence. Go, Billy!
Do you have a codified housework schedule, or do you fly by the seat of your pants? If you have a schedule, how is it organized? Room by room? Chore by chore? Do members of your household rotate chores on a regular basis?
I’m not organized when it comes to doing house work. I used to do everything on Saturdays but that’s long since gone by the wayside. I’ll do things based on when they look like they need to be done. The kids all have their assigned set of chores that they do on a regular basis. We all have dish night except for Linda, who does the morning dishes.
The phone rings. You've got unexpected company coming over in an hour! Look around your house. Is it company-ready? What can you do in an hour to get it up to the level that would make you comfortable?
Our house is pretty company-ready. All we’d have to do is clear up the clutter and make sure the bathroom looks tidy.
Wednesday Whatevers
1. What is the lowest grade that you consider acceptable?
C is acceptable … it’s considered to be an average grade, something anyone should achieve
2. Does the universe have an end?
No
3. Are you superstitious? Explain.
Not really although I’ll throw salt over my shoulder if I spill it
What's On your porch Right Now? (If you don't have a porch, feel free to substitute with 'deck.')
There used to be a table and chairs out there. Now there’s some planters and possibly some puppy toys but not much else
June 01, 2004
2nd Wedding Anniversary
TB and I had a wonderful, blissful, beautiful, exciting day today and it was so much so I've wore myself out and can't really type about it now. I can't believe we've been married 2 years! It seems like we only got married yesterday ... but that we've been together for years! We got beautiful cards from Linda, Billy, Heidi, Kristin and baby Tomas, very moving sentiments and a lovely note from Linda. TB got me an adorable bear couple and a Precious Moments figurine! I felt awful because I hadn't gotten anything for TB yet! I thought about it and wasn't sure I'd find the right card to say how I felt. I thought about getting a special balloon or some flowers but I told myself the important gift was spending the entire day together, just us. But then I felt awful! TB, though, said those things mean more to a woman and that he didn't need it. That's the way I felt about it...until I saw the cards and gifts! Still, the best of the day was the time I spent with TB!
This is Adopt-A-Cat Month! How do you feel about cats?
Oh, I love cats! We have two cats now, Amber and Mouse, and TB’s been wanting an orange kitty he’d like to name Hobbes. We haven’t gotten a Hobbes for him yet because we still have ADD (a dumb dog). There would be just too much pet hair and dander for the more allergic members of the family. I think we adopted Amber in June, 2001. I didn’t realize that June is adopt-a-cat-month!
Tuesday Newsday:
1. From where do you get your news and why?
I get my news from the internet and from the TV. I get most of the details on a story from reading on the internet. I get all my quick updates from TV.
2. Do major news services really present just the news, and should they?
I don’t know that they do. I am sure the news is slanted (even just a little) one way or another, even the news stories written in newspapers and on the internet
3. Do you consider talk radio, (Air America on the Left, Rush Limbaugh on the right) to be news?
No!!!
So this week's theme is your favorite drinks, whether it's alcoholic, frozen, or something you can only find at your favorite restaurant...
1. diet decaffeinated cherry Coke
2. ice cold water
3. Wendy’s Frosty
4. diet decaffeinated Pepsi or Coke
5. coffee
6. 1% milk
7. lemonade
8. rootbeer float
9. chocolate shake
10. Starbucks’ coconut mocha frappacino