Montana and the O/C Fest (part 2)

Goal: 2x Arms & Abs, 2x Floor (scraping/sanding)
Sitrep: 0x anything. ;)

So. Where was I? By the time Ob.ama left, I was shaking (internally). Partly from the fact that I was in a crowd of around 4k people and I don't do crowds well, and partly because the man is a great speaker.

He finished speaking at 7:30pm, and Clin.ton wasn't scheduled until 9pm. So there was quite a bit of "down" time. Senators Tes.ter and Bau.cus spoke, followed by Gov. Sch.weitzer accompanied by Jag, his faithful border collie (who reminds me of my sweet - hah - Scully.) Then a senator from South Dakota spoke. She was pretty good, but admittedly not many people were listening. They should have given a half hour break after Oba.ma so people could talk about his speech, wind down a bit, and then give their attention to the in-between speakers. None of them got a lot of attention, which I thought was very rude. They could only stretch out their talks until 8:40, so there was a twenty minute break before Hillary Clin.ton appeared.

She got kind of a raw deal speaking so late; I'm not sure who arranged the times, etc, although there have been lots of rumors that they refused to speak too close together, and wouldn't be in the same building together. Sounds a bit too petty to me, and I think it probably had more to do with their schedules than anything else. But by the time she spoke, people had been there for six or more hours, and everyone was exhausted. And had been drinking. She wasn't heckled or anything, but the energy was waning - fast. In spite of that she got a good reception. I'm not sure if it's because she gave more specifics or because I was tired or because I was less moved, but I got more notes from her speech.

Clin.ton comes across a lot better in person than on TV. Speaks smoother, jokes are funnier/smoother, etc. It took her a little longer than Oba.ma to get the crowd warmed up. But I'm not sure if that was her or the late hour. I think it was both. Overall I got a very favorable impression from her. She came across as very capable, and committed, and as knowing her stuff. Experienced, knowledgeable, factual. But she's not as talented as Obam.a for motivating and inspiring, I think. At least, that's how I felt during/after her speech.

Here are the notes I took:

• "we don't even know what damage has been done to our country" (speaking about current administration policies, etc.)
• using politics of fear & fatalism has harmed us
• she'll be ready on day one to end war in Iraq and keep America safe
• focus on improving the economy
• we need a fighter
• she'll be a president who'll "work her heart out for you"
• for her it's not about the next election it's about the next generation
• need to put to work the "entrepreneurial energy & innovation" of the US
• work on/focus on:
  -expanding/developing infrastructure
  -renewable energy
  -middle class in jobs where they can afford to raise their families
  -rein in special interests
• proposes $100bn middle class tax cuts for health care, schools, and so on
• take away $50bn in tax cuts to corporations
• provide tax cuts to companies that keep jobs in the US, not for corporations sending jobs overseas
• return to fiscal responsibility, pay as you go
• trim/cut the budget
• No more no bid contracts (Haliburton)
• Will back a strong Farm Bill:
  -permanent disaster relief
  -renewable energy
  -country of origin labelling
  -a bill that works for real family farms
• will have US people sign a "Declaration of Energy Independence"
• invest in bio fuels, clean coal, wind energy, solar
• "We are more dependent on foreign oil today than on 9/11"
• need to develop and expand energy Transmission and Distribution system
• need an alternative energy plan
• $50bn Strategic Energy Fund paid for by:
  -taking tax subsidies away from oil companies
  -oil companies can reinvest in alternative energy solutions, clean up greenhouse gas emissions
  -or face Windfall Profits Tax
• She'll stand up to China (we send our jobs and money there, they send us lead-tainted toys, tainted dog food, etc)
• Universal Health Care - 47million uninsured ($160k in MT), there are insured but insurance companies refuse to pay,
• If you're uninsured, under insured, or not happy with your insurance, she wants to open up the Congressional health plan
• If you're happy with your current insurance you don't have to switch
• Provide tax credits
• Limit amount ever having to pay for premium to a small percentage of your income
• Regulate Insurance companies so they can't discriminate based on health
• End "No Child Left Behind"
• universal prekindergarten, early head start
• make college affordable for every single student
• Fully fund Indian Health Service
• bring respect, government to government representation/communication
• Pledge to do whatever she can to make that happen
• Social Security - no privatizing
• "You don't have to worry about privatizing social security"
• She'll restore leadership and moral authority
• End war, bring troops home as quickly and responsibly as possible
• "Lead way to new global agreement...include India, China..." [talking about global warming]
• "Comprehensive global diplomatic efforts" using respected people from both parties
• need a new 21st Century GI Bill of Rights - money for college, homes, businesses
• Force is a last resort, not first
• Restore Separation of Powers between the branches, Checks & Balances
• Start bringing troops home within first 60 days
• Home Mortgage Crisis - "if we can find $30bn to bail out one firm on Wall Street, we can find $30bin to help homeowners stay in their homes"

She finished speaking, and we were out of there...I turned around and the people I was riding with were already leaving. So no seeing how she interacted with people on the floor on her way out, like I could with Oba.ma. Overall, her speech was specific and knowledgeable. Not as inspiring or hopeful as Obam.a's, but confident, sure, capable.

Anyhow. Lunch is almost over and I need to eat. Tomorrow I'll sum up my feelings on the two; which one I think I'm voting for and why. I'll post pictures, too.

Montana and the O/C Fest (part 1)

Last Week's Goal: 3x Arms & Abs, Gym Night
Debrief: 2x Arms, 3x Abs, 20 min Basketball (Gym Night)
Goals (4/7-13): 2x Arms & Abs, 2 nights finishing bedroom floor (scraping, sanding)

Mid-day Saturday I met up with friends at the local Wal.Mart just off the interstate. We piled into one car and headed off for Butte, MT (or "Butte, America" as everyone's fond of calling it.) Roads were clear, only "bad" area was Elk Park, with limited visibility. Blindingly white from snow, glare and mist/fog. Very weird.

We met up with 2 coworkers at the civic center around 3:00 pm. They had gotten our tickets earlier that morning (wrist bands, really) and were already in line. I wasn't expecting it to be that long. It took 2 hours to get inside, but the doors didn't even open until 3:30, and considering we had to go through security that's not so bad! We got some good seats. Off to the side of the stage, second section. Good thing I had my zoom lens, though!

The wind was bitter standing there in line, but the sense of excitement more than compensated. Many local/state candidates up for election in November were there, and tons of campaign volunteers for Oba.ma and Clin.ton. My coworkers loaded up on the campaign stickers & buttons. I only took two, one for a candidate for our Congressman At Large position (I want the incumbent out) and one to stop a Constitutional (State) Initiative to declare life begins at conception.

As we came around the corner of the building and the door came in sight, the crowd sort of parted by the vendor tables for O and C. I saw the sign first, then I saw the neanderthal holding it. The sign said "America's not for N-word". To say I was shocked, horrified, sick to my stomach puts it mildly. I have never been confronted face to face (so to speak) with that kind of hate before. Obviously, the guy holding the sign was a skin-head; bald, swastika-wearing, stereotypical neo-Nazi. And just a few feet away from him was an African-American male working the Obam.a table, selling buttons, t-shirts, promoting his candidates...Now that is courage. I'm not sure I could have done that. Not one single person in the crowd paid any attention to that hatemonger. Everyone (while I was out there) turned their backs on him...refused to give him the attention he wanted. Best thing for me though, was the fact that that guy was alone. It was only one person, far outnumbered. Maybe it's false hope, but that made me feel a little better, somehow. Only thing I could think of was KT, Shanni's sister. She's half African-American. And this guy was....I'd better not go there. I'll tear up again from anger and fear and sorrow...

We got inside and were at our seats by 5pm. The event started at 6pm. Let me just say here and now, that the evening did not help me make up my mind. At least, not entirely, and not right away. By the time Oba.ma was done speaking, I was determined to vote for him. Ten minutes into Clin.ton's speech, I wasn't so sure. Sigh. After a few days now, I think I've made some headway in my choice. But I'll get to that later. There were around 4,000 people in attendance, 2400 in the bleachers, the rest on the floor, apparently.

O.bama took the stage at 6:40, and his reception was wild. From the second he stepped out from behind the curtain it was insane. We were sitting between two groups that were definitely for Obam.a. I thought my head was going to explode. LOL. Here's my impression of him, from the notes I took. I will admit, it was hard to take notes while taking pictures, cheering, etc. Sometimes I would only catch the first part of his statement because everyone would start screaming, and I'd miss the rest. [g]

He is a phenomenal speaker. The pitch, tone, phrasing...masterful. He was poised, confident, radiated strength and capability. Humor, as well. The best lines of the evening were when he was talking about Bu.sh leaving the W.H., and taking "my cousin Dick Cheney with him." Pause for light laughter. "That was really embarrassing [when that came out]." laughter "We've been trying to hide it for a long time." Brought the roof down with that one.

He captured the crowd within the first few minutes. I haven't seen someone work a crowd like that since I attended a Gar.th Bro.oks concert years ago. I'm not saying this was a performance, I'm just saying it was that kind of energy, electricity. At least, for me! FYI, when I'm in crowds I tend to get drained fairly quickly, am too sensitive to the energy, etc. It's one of the reasons I don't do crowds or big cities. One of my coworkers said she wasn't moved by him at all; I got chills quite a few times during his speech. He's a great motivator. He made me believe what he was saying. I believed change can and will happen, that we can make a difference, that Washington and politics doesn't have to be the way they are. He used his voice well; smooth, soft, booming when needed. Controlled the flow very well. Was extremely comfortable giving the speech; impassioned, serious or firm or humorous when called form. Varied between those. Was not nasty about opponents (C or M) or Bus.h.

Anyway. Here's what I managed to write down:

• "American people are desperate"
• "pain is trickling up"
• "I am many, we are one"
• focused a lot on positive aspects of the US and our past
• "[focus] on talking to not just our friends but to our enemies"
• examples of good things US has done, "something, something, Peace Corps Volunteers to forgotten corners of the world"
• He or Clin.ton would be better than McC.ain
• "Party will be unified"
• Need new kind of politics, no money from special interests
• He wants to be "not just president of blue or red states, but President of the United States of America"
• Change from bottom up
• Mother died of cancer @53, remembers her lying in hospital bed reading insurance forms/policy because it was a new job and the insurance company was trying to claim it was pre-existing condition.
• He knows what it's like to fight insurance companies
• tax breaks to working families, seniors, homeowners
• no tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas
• give tax breaks to companies that keep jobs here, invest in US economy
• $150billion over 10 years to sustainable energy - wind, solar, bio fuels
• Used example of going to moon - no one said couldn't be done, President said "Go" and we did.
• What's holding us back? [Someone in crowd yelled out "R.ehberg" - our republican congressman at large.]
• focus on schooling, health care, taxes
• no more No Child Left Behind
• no teaching to test, teach music, science, literature [said more, but was drowned out by cheers]
• $4,000 tuition credit for community service
• "We'll invest in you, you'll invest in America"
• first job as president is to keep us safe
• he won't hesitate to strike against any that threaten to do us harm
• take care of our troops, including when they come home - care, VA, etc.
• use our military wisely
• end war in Iraq, win war in Afghanistan
• rebuild our strong [something, something] world? (I think it was moral standing)
• focus on common threats - terrorism, nuclear weapons, poverty, global warming - work with rest of world on this
• close Guantanamo
• restore habeus corpus
• "only standing here because someone stood up for me"

Overall the speech was inspiring, but not extremely specific on how he would achieve these things. But I've been getting that specific info from research, etc. Last thing I wrote in my notes for Oba.ma was "words, power, strength - capable". Like I said earlier, I got chills several times during his speech.

Anyhow. Lunch is over; must return to work. I'll try to get online tonight to post my notes on Clin.ton, and then my overall feelings comparing the two.

On the Exercise Front

Last Week's Goal: 3x Arms & Abs, Gym Night
Debrief: 2x Arms, 3x Abs, 20 min Basketball (Gym Night)
Goals (4/7-13): 2x Arms & Abs, 2 nights finishing bedroom floor (scraping, sanding)

I just wanted to pop in with a post on my exercise for last week. I feel much better, almost made my goal. Only short one Arms workout. Also got in some stair climbing via the bleachers at the dinner on Saturday. And does it count that we stood in line for several hours? In the "bitter wind and snow" to quote the local paper? It was cold when the wind blew. Enough to make a person move around alot. But I did the layers thing which was smart. Because it was darn hot inside. At least up in the bleachers. Too many politicians campaigning on the floor. ;)

Will download pics to my computer today from the rally, and compose a post. Lots to think about. It was an amazing evening. Left me completely exhausted yesterday. Managed to hangout with Shanni and KT though. Watched "Sweeney Todd" (excellent, if bloody - had to make Shanni cover her eyes for some of it), and "Enchanted" (fun, different.) I guess it was a day for musicals of a different color...ST is on my "buy" list for DVDs now. Hint, hint. (Hey, someone has a birthday coming up in oh, ten days?)

Be back later with info on Montana's O.C. ;)

Today's the Day: ROAD TRIP!

Goal: 3x Arms & Abs, Gym Night
Sitrep: 2x Arms, 2x Abs, 20 min Basketball (Gym Night)

The dog woke me up at exactly 3:21 this morning. She was very insistent on not only sleeping in the bed, but in also getting under the covers. Considering she hasn't slept in the bed for several weeks, I was a little surprised. Until it dawned on me that it was pretty cold in the bedroom. Colder than it should have been with the electric baseboard heater on. Then I realized there was no red glow coming from my nightstand alarm clock. Uh-oh. Looked outside, and lo and behold, there's at least 3 inches of snow covering everything. And I could tell it was the very heavy wet stuff. The wind must have been blowing pretty hard as well, because there was quite a bit of snow stuck to the window, which is unusual!

I called the power company's outage line, and the recording indicated crews had already been dispatched. I made the rounds of the house turning faucets on so the pipes wouldn't freeze, and turned the thermostat up on the direct vent furnace in the living room. Good thing I didn't listen to that idiot salesman and stuck to my guns on getting the furnace that doesn't have to have electricity to run. ["Oh, the power never goes out in E.H." - rolling eyes]

You know something? It's not a good sign when the power company truck rolls slowly down your street shining a light along the power lines checking for the downed line. [g] Power was out until about 6:30 am.

And today is the day we drive down to Butte for the Ma.nsfield-Metcal.f Dinner featuring Oba.ma and Cli.nton. It should be fun, but the roads aren't going to be! My coworker in Butte already called and suggested we leave at least an hour earlier than we'd planned because it's still snowing there; quite heavily, in fact. At least they've lifted the restriction on wearing coats tonight. They were saying absolutely no coats as recently as yesterday. This morning they said it's too cold to do that. I'm still planning on dressing in layers!

I've got my camera ready to go. Brief scare last night when I couldn't find my 75-300mm zoom lens, spent over an hour tearing the house apart, even searched the car! Turns out I left it at my little sister's house. So now I have to race out to the valley to get it today before meeting up with my friends to drive to Butte. I'm taking a little notebook with me to write down any notes/my thoughts. I'm sure I'll be posting about it here. It might take me a few days to percolate my thoughts, though!

Oh, Woe is me!

Goal: 3x Arms & Abs, Gym Night
Sitrep: 2x Arms, 1x Abs, 20 min Basketball (Gym Night)

It's starting to look like I'll be spending my summer "vacation" in FL at the parents house; odds are my siblings and their families will be there as well. Math might not be my strong suit (I did okay until we hit fractions), but even I know that Florida + June = Significant Pool Time. And Significant Pool Time =

Oh, the horror! The past few summers I have managed to limit swimsuit time to one afternoon. That is just not going to be possible this summer. The kids live for the water. So does Mom. I will be out in the water. Pool, beach...it's all bad. ;)

I'm really going to have to amp up my workout routine...got to flatten that lower belly some more!!! I guess next week I'll start the Boot Camp DVD again. Oh, the things I do for my family!!!

And it's no coincidence that I got the Land's End Swimsuit catalog in the mail a few days ago. The universe is out to get me. (Not that I'm paranoid or anything!)

It's all about your Reputation

Goal: 3x Abs & Arms, Gym Night
Sitrep: 1x Abs & Arms, 20 min Basketball (Gym Night)

"Don't get my kid kicked out of the White House."

That's what I woke up to at 7am this morning. Well, okay, I was awake at 6:15, I just kept hitting the snooze button. Man, did I dream a lot last night. All I can remember of that is something was being torn down or deconstructed or taken apart. It was not a good night. So when the phone rang as I was putting in the first contact lens, I'm pretty sure I swore. Popped the second lens in and ran for the phone.

It was Shanni's mom. Yesterday was the big family meeting for the upcoming Washington D.C. trip. Apparently the kids get to meet with the delegates from their states (delegates as in our states' congressmen). Each kid has to come up with a question for our representative/senators, along with a solution, on important issues facing MT. Well. Guess who's gotten tasked with that? Not that I really mind. [g] Of course, I was sitting there going "What? Why didn't she ask me last night when we were hanging out together?" (Shanni has a really bad habit of leaving homework/reports to the morning of the day they're due.) I was a wee bit irritated because I'd specifically gone over her homework list with her last night! Turns out it's due on Monday. So then I asked why not have Shanni come up with it? Because really. I don't think like a 12 year old. At least, not all the time! They'll be able to tell we're feeding her lines. ;)

I bet Shanni can come up with a good one, and a suggestion for a solution. She's smart enough, definitely creative enough, and let's face it; the poor kid has been around me long enough she's not exactly in the dark as far as current events and politics go. And from what I gather there have been more than a few heated arguments at her Dad's house between him and her older sisters...Dad is a staunch conservative, his girls are more on the liberal side (as is their mother).

Jeez. A girl lets her hair down once around this family and they never let you forget it!!!! ;)

Last night's foray to BBBS' 2nd Gym Night was fun. No volleyball available, so it was more of a free-for-all. Shanni & I shot hoops for a while, and then I challenged her to play some one-on-one with me. She scored more baskets than I did, even though she grumbled at first that she didn't know how to play. We did that for about 20 minutes, until it got too crowded on the court. I think our case manager got some shots of us. I didn't give Shanni any quarter....I wanted that ball and was determined she wasn't going to score. That girl is fast, and can turn on a dime!

But I got to beat her at air hockey. Three games in a row. Hah. And then we played checkers. Can you believe she's never played checkers before? Shocking what kids nowadays aren't exposed to. ;) I explained the rules and we started to play. Apparently she didn't quite get that you can jump more than one checker in a row as long as there's an empty square on the other side and you're headed in the correct direction (unless you're a King, then you can go either direction). The first time I jumped two of her pieces I thought she was going to swallow her tongue, she was so startled!!! It was absolutely hilarious. I don't think I have ever seen her look so surprised and shocked...

Now I can add to my reputation - at least with BBBS - that I'm a ruthless air hockey and checkers player. I will give my chosen victim no quarter! ;)

Bright Eyed & Bushy Tailed...

Goal: 3x Abs & Arms, Gym Night
Sitrep: 1x Abs & Arms

...I am not. I think I need a keeper. [g] Went to the bookstore yesterday during lunch to get Dagger Star, the new Elizabeth Vaughan book (author of Warprize, Warsworn, Warlord trilogy). This book returns to that world. Of course, I couldn't get just one book. After work I made a particularly dismal stop at Wal.Mart to pick up prescriptions on the new insurance ($18 cheaper a month, whoo hoo!). I really wonder about some people, you know? I handed them my new insurance card, said it was new insurance and the other insurance was cancelled. Please refill prescriptions X and X under my new insurance. 30 minutes later, I pick it up and they've run it under the old insurance. Sigh. How it went through I have no idea.

So they had to re-run it. One prescription changed, the other was still at $8.00 when it was supposed to go up to $10.00. I could not make them understand this, and eventually I was too frustrated so I left. Ended up finding the $1.00 candy bin and brought waaaaayyyy too much of that stuff home. Ugh. Then at the checkout my Flex Plan debit card kept getting denied. Now I know I have enough in that account. So I had to pay out of pocket. I had the funds, but that's not the point! I'm on a strict budget which I'd already gone over earlier with the books.

Got home and checked online, and they've closed out our Flex Plan account. Our new health insurance is through the same company, and apparently they want to tie the two accounts together (Flex and Health Ins) so last week they moved the funds. Only didn't tell us, didn't give us new debit cards, etc. Arghhh. Do you have any idea how embarassing it is to be sitting there at Wal.mart and having your card declined? That has never happened to me before. Ughh.

To "comfort" myself, I ate too much candy and stayed up late reading. Past midnight. So today I'm tired and cranky. And I decided to give up coffee again today. I must be deranged or something. [g]

Tonight is Gym Night with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and I so do not want to go. But I'm going to because a) I promised Shanni and b) I blogged here and posted on the bulletin board. So. My big mouth is doing me in again. ;)

Probably because I'm cranky, but the talk - again - of bailing out the homeowner crisis is ticking me off. Read one article about this woman that works specifically with homeowners that are in default. She is the middleman between the homeowner and the loan holder. They specifically showcased this dual income couple that had to take out TWO loans to get into their $300,000 plus house, BOTH with adjustable rates. Their mortgage went from $1600 to $2200 over several years, and they ended up behind on their payments. Eventually this lady was able to work it out where the two loans were consolidated into one loan, with no penalties or fees paid by the homeowners, and locked in at a 3.5% for five years, with them needing to refinance again then. WTF? Give ME that deal. I can guar-an-dam-tee you that in 5 years my credit score will still be high enough and my finances at least as good as now that I'll qualify for a loan no problem. What makes them think these people will be any better with their finances or decision making in five years when they haven't suffered any repercussions with their current decision? Why is it that people who are stupid and irresponsible seemingly get all the breaks???

Oooooh, I think I need to take these red-colored glasses off and go talk a quick walk outside or something. Shake loose the cobwebs and crankiness from my brain!

Here are two good things to blog -

- for the 2nd week in a row on Biggest Loser, a girl beat the guys. Heheheheh. I really, really, really hope Ali wins.

- my sister emailed me a picture on my phone of my 4 yr old niece at Disney...Daddy was not able to talk his little girl out of the Princess Jasmine costume...[g]

Jedi Mind Tricks

Debrief (3/24-30): 1x Arms, 1x Abs, 20 min Walk (w/the Dog!!)
Goal (3/31-4/6): 3x Arms, 3x Abs, Gym Night (Big Brothers Big Sisters)
Sitrep: 1x Arms, 1x Abs

I'm sure any one reading this is aware by now that I've been seriously slacking on the exercise and eating the last three months. I'm slowly getting back into REVing, and noticed something. Even if I haven't exercised for weeks, about 5 minutes into the workout I start feeling slimmer, more compact...I look at myself and look slimmer, more toned. I've been pondering this for awhile now and think it's one of two things:

1. A Jedi Mind Trick (hey, I'm no Toydarian, I'm susceptible.)
2. I'm actually seeing myself as I really am

As much as I'd rather believe there are Jedi in the world, I'm thinking it's the latter choice. [g] All kidding aside, it's a very strange phenomenon. I know that I don't see myself as I really am when I look in the mirror. It's something I've struggled with since high school...when I was a size 7 and thought I was fat. Now I'm a size 12/14 and am semi-okay with that. (Oh, the irony!!!) But when I look at myself while I'm exercising or just after working out, I see myself as I really am, I think. Oh, I'm not saying I'm in super shape or model thin. But I'm not some big giant blob either. Yes I'm still out of shape. Stamina, muscle tone, weight - all need work. But I'm not Jabba the Hutt. ;)

It's kinda weird, and I wonder if this happens to anyone else? It's almost as if when I work out, the blinders are lifted and the inner me and the physical me are more aligned, fit together better. It's like when my equilibrium is messed up because of fluids in my ears. I bump into walls because I don't know where I am...where I think I am is not where I am at physically . But when the fluid goes away, my equilibrium returns, and my mind and my body are in balance. I am physically where my brain thinks I am. I hope this makes sense.

Either way, it's a bizarre sensation, looking at myself and seeing myself differently. I might not feel that way a few hours later, but when I exercise again, it returns. And really. If I keep working out consistently, the blinders will stay off longer and longer, and hopefully, eventually I will always see myself more clearly.

Define: Statesman

Sitrep: 1x Arms, 1x Abs
Goal: 2x Arms, 2x Abs

Instead of blogging yesterday I felt the need to shake up my blog a bit. After several hours of frustrated attempts to modify one blog layout to fit my desires, I switched to this one and tweaked it. My apologies to those of you who might have checked in yesterday during the "experimental" portion of the "design". I like this, although the orange is already getting to me. Too fall-ish, I expect. So don't be surprised if it changes up this weekend.

Around 4 am this morning I blundered onto a show about Lincoln on the History Channel. It was different than any I've seen before, and painted quite a different picture of Lincoln and his wife, etc, than I'm used to. Not necessarily bad, either. Just more detailed, and a more human view. As in Lincoln, the Man, then Lincoln the President. Not just Lincoln the President. It made me admire him that much more and think to myself that I really need to read up on this extraordinary president.

It also reinforced for me that politics have not changed all that much. Twenty-four hour television and always on Internet just make it seem so. Everyone is so inundated now, there's this constant barrage of information we have no time to really process or think about things as they occur. Different, I really think, that when information was limited to newspapers and a few radio stations.

Last weekend my sister and I spoke on the phone for quite awhile, and we got to talking about the upcoming presidential elections. With Obama's speech on race occurring just that week, naturally we got to talking about it, and Obama himself. Why are so many people responding to him the way they are? Is it just the message of hope? But there have been others with messages of hope that weren't received this way. Is it that he comes across so differently? Not part of the status quo? More dignified, more distinguished, somehow? Fresher? It's hard to express. And yet I'm not blind to his reported shortcomings; although the melee about his Pastor doesn't upset me as it has some. But that's a post in and of itself, so I'll save that for another day. I've read about his connections to that land thing. (Can't remember the guys name off hand). I've been reading up on his campaign style, tactics, ads. It's not that different from the others. And yet there's still this little something that keeps me going "hmmm." And looking at him some more.

Regardless of all that, I thought the speech was extremely impressive. I haven't heard anything so well written or well spoken by a politician in a long time. I'm still torn between him & Clinton, but was very impressed by the speech. It occurred to me during our discussion that that speech made him come across almost as a Statesman, not a Politician.

Statesman: a person who exhibits great wisdom and ability in directing the affairs of a government or in dealing with important public issues.*

Politician: a seeker or holder of public office, who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles.**

"Politician, statesman refer to one skilled in politics. These terms differ particularly in their connotations; politician is more often derogatory, and statesman laudatory. Politician suggests the schemes and devices of a person who engages in (esp. small) politics for party ends or for one's own advantage: a dishonest politician. Statesman suggests the eminent ability, foresight, and unselfish patriotic devotion of a person dealing with (esp. important or great) affairs of state: a distinguished statesman." **

I can't think of anyone really that I would call a statesman. At least, not anyone current. President Carter comes to mind, but more for his actions after leaving office than during. I don't know much about his years in the Oval Office. What does that say about my government? Or about us as a people?

* statesman. Dictionary.com Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Random House Inc http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/statesman (accessed: March 28, 2008).
**politician. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/politician (accessed: March 28, 2008).

Speed of light; ie, Who was that masked man?

Sitrep: 1x Arms, 1x Abs
Goal: 2x Arms, 3x Abs

I'm here, I'm okay, Dad's doing great last I heard, Dog needs treatment for something Vet will talk to me about when I get there at 5pm (if I get out of work on time) because he's in a major surgery right now, will someone PLEASE disconnect our phones at work, and I forgot I have a Big Brothers Big Sisters meeting tonight at 6pm on a topic I've been requesting for MONTHS so I kinda sorta haveta go, which gives me one hour from end of work to pick up the dog, talk to the vet, get the dog home, eat dinner, and get back to town. It's a small town, but this might be pushing it.

Oh, and my company bought our own office space today...here's the virtual tour: http://tours.justsnooping.com/2346401/?b=true

We're moving in April, only we have 2 board meetings in April and one of my big 3.5 day seminars that occupies 2 weeks of prep time. Can we say nightmare? ALthough I'm thrilled to have the new space, and I want an office with a window! Hoo-yah!!!!

Exhaustion

Goal: 3x Abs, 2x Arms
Sitrep: 1x Arms. Yesterday was a typo - I didn't do Abs. That was pure wishful thinking. [g]

Scully woke me up multiple times last night to be let outside. Just like the night before. I thought Sunday night it was from the food she got at my little's house. Easter goodies. Ham for sure. I turned around just in time to see a deviled egg (tons of mayo in it) sprinkled with paprika going into her mouth. sigh. Not sure who looked guiltier, Shanni or the dog!!! But that should be out of her system by now. The food, I mean. For the dog.

After the third time I let her out last night she got up on the bed and sat there looking all sad and pathetic. And trembly. She wouldn't lay down. After a few minutes she got off the bed and lay on her own. After the fourth or fifth (got hazy after awhile) she did the same thing. I think she's having some reaction to the meds she's on. I took her in last Monday for a follow up because on Sunday (a week ago) she had some funky seizure like thing going on. Vet thought it might be the Terbutaline (bronchodilator) so we took her off that. But she was still on 2 antibiotics & prednisone. sigh. Her re-check is tomorrow morning so that's good. I'm worried it's affecting her kidneys. She had that one flare up just over a year ago, and she'd been on lots of meds then too.

And Dad's going in right about now to get his new pacemaker with defibrillator. He's been in the hospital since Sunday night...just found out that yesterday evening. Looks like he's okay, and the pacemaker procedure is "routine" and the last one went without a hitch. It's just a nerve wracking day today. No wonder I'm exhausted!!! It shows in my BB and here, doesn't it? I can't type correctly to save my life today. Yikes.

No good books to read either. Finished Spymaster's Lady last night. Maybe I'll hit the UBS on the way home. See if they have the earlier Sandra Schwab The Lily Brand. Looked for it on Ama.zon but it's not in print??? Only available used. I was hoping to do the Amazon Prime free 2 day shipping. Guess I'll check locally first. And she has another book coming out in April - Bewitched. Yay. Amazon just says April 2008, B&N has it as a March release, available now new and used. Hastings has April 1 as the release date on its website. Hmmm. Maybe I'll call them and see if they're going to get it in. Probably not - they're lousy at having books in - but then again - that's where I found the one I just read. So miracles do happen!

I'm so going to stop now. Totally rambling 'cause I'm tired and stressed. (Like you hadn't guessed that!) I should probably try to get some work done today!

Books & Movies

Sitrep: 1x Abs
Goal: 3x Abs, 2x Arms
Check out Alden's blog today - great post. And definitely try the Perfect Pushup. If I can do it, so can you!

Lately I've been on quite a roll when it comes to books and movies. Knocking quite a few off my TBR (To Be Read) or TBW (To Be Watched) piles. So I thought I'd give some reviews:

Castle of the Wolf by Sandra Schwab - I picked this up due to a review posted on the readers bulletin board I go to. Well worth the money and the time. I liked it for several reasons:

1. Character Driven - well developed characters, can understand why they do what they do, no large cast of unnecessary-to-the story-line and just-there-for-spin offs characters
2. Set in Germany - unusual place setting for a Historical Romance
3. Shades of paranormal in it, but just shades. Wasn't about vampires or werewolves or whatever
4. Well written.
5. The hero/heroine didn't have that misunderstanding for three-hundred years thing keeping them apart. The heroine took action, made mistakes, etc. She wasn't TSTL (too stupid to live), either.

A definite Buy.

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Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne - also purchased due to a recommendation from a friend & BB posts/reviews. Well worth it.

1. Character driven - definitely are seeing more in their heads than those stories that are more suspense/action than romance. The romance/character development is the primary story, the suspense/action is the vehicle showcasing the character development, the vehicle moving it along.
2. Again, no large cast of characters that are there only for amusement and for potential spin-off books. The characters that are there are there for a reason. Only one I find maybe more lacking in development, and a caricature or more of a stereotypical role is the bad guy they're running from. Reminds me of Chauvelin from The Scarlet Pimpernel.
3. Well written. I'm not rolling my eyes and flipping forward, skipping paragraphs.

A definite Buy - and I'm only half-way through it!

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Babel (starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett) - avoid this movie at all costs. Premise is great, execution is terrible.

1. Five minutes into the movie I figured they weren't going to a) start speaking in English and b) give me subtitles. So I turned them on myself. Not sure if the movie is intentionally supposed to be non-understandable for most of it...Doesn't work for me. If I want a foreign film with subtitles, that's what I'll rent. At the least, give me subtitles. I think they were aiming for it to be unintelligible unless in English, to give the watcher more of the feeling of being in the middle of this chaos...Doesn't work for me.
2. What was up with the Japanese family? Tenuous connection to the other 2 story lines at best, waste of time at worst. Did not like at all. Especially the 10-15 minute disco/club scene of nothing but flashing lights and dance music and bodies moving around...would have given a few people I know seizures (epileptic) & started giving me a headache. So I fast forwarded. Again, not sure why this was in there or what point they were making. That people are people and miserable the world over? Great. But what connection did they even have to the main story? Small, inconsequential. Should have ended up on the cutting room floor.
3. The Hispanic woman taking care of the kids. Had real issues with this because a) What illegal alien in their right mind would head back to Mexico for a wedding? Even if it is her son's wedding. She's an illegal. I don't think she'd do it, even if she did have her boss' kids with her. And b) If she did raise those kids from birth, why would the family just toss her aside because of this one mistake? Didn't buy it.
4. Didn't buy their miraculous rescue from the desert either. Or that the nephew never came back for her, that she started walking instead of waiting where he left her - at least until daylight so she could see the road. At least their story tied in more with the one in Morocco...these were the kids of the parents.
5. Didn't like the US government thinking it was a terrorist attack. Seriously. Out in the boonies where they were, with one shot at a tourist bus? What would be the point? I don't think the embassy would have gotten involved to the point of stopping the ambulance from picking them up. Would they even have been able to stop it anyway? And then to send in the helicopter? Give me a break. Americans get in trouble all the time overseas and the embassy's power is limited...Usually the can't do much more than get you a lawyer if you're in jail, get the Red Cross involved, maybe make a phone call...But hey, maybe that's just my take on it.
6. The actual Morocco storyline, which I thought from previews was the main point of the movie, was a backseat to everything else. I thought it was going to be more along the lines of Frantic starring Harrison Ford. Would have been better.

Don't buy, don't rent.

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The Last King of Scotland (Forest Whittaker) - AWESOME MOVIE.

1. Well acted, to say the least. Whittaker did an unbelievable job. No wonder he got an Oscar for the role.
2. This is a dark movie, a historical thriller. I'm not an expert on the time & place or Idi Amin, but I thought they did a masterful job of tying the fiction in with the historical facts. At the end I wasn't sure if the doctor was a real character or a fictional one. Watch the special features after the movie to find out. Definitely worth watching.
3. Well written and acted. Tense, believable, I could definitely see the doctor being taken in at first. Young, naive, newly in country. Oh yeah, it takes awhile to really get a sense of things when you're fresh in country. And after all, historically Idi Amin was popular with the people...until his madness and paranoia took full control.

Definite watch. Buy or Rent.

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I Am Legend (Will Smith) - Very good movie, if dark and depressing.

1. Good acting
2. Great special effects
3. Jump in your seat moments - mostly in the beginning.
4. End was kind of the usual blow 'em kind of thing, but overall it was a good movie.
5. Spoiler coming - don't read if you don't wanna know (The dog dies. For those of you that prefer to know those things in advance...like me.)

Definite watch. Rent.

------------------------

So that about sums up the last few weeks. I also spent inordinate hours this weekend watching History Channel & Discovery Channel doing "Easter" shows. Discovery's "In the Footsteps of Jesus" is worth watching. The History Channel's "Exodus Explained" is great. I love the historical & archaeological searches to prove/explain things that happened in the Bible. I've always thought the Bible was a fair history book of sorts.

Connections

Goal (M-Su): 3x Abs, 1x 15 mins Other/Any Exercise
Sitrep: 1x Abs

It really is all about the people you know, sometimes. Shanni is part of a gifted & talented program at her school, and they did an environmental awareness project last year called EARTH Action. They've won the 2007 President's Environmental Youth Award for Region 8 (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY). (PEYA Program)

So they get to go to Washington D.C. for the ceremony, which is being held in the White House and hosted by Laura Bush. So she gets to meet the First Lady, and possibly even the President, from what we're told. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of the current administration. (Shocker, I'm sure) However, this is an awesome opportunity for a 12 year old. To be recognized at such a high level for hard work, and to meet the First Lady and possibly the President...Once in a lifetime opportunity! They get to do a summary presentation and everything. There's a social, the awards ceremony, and they're going to see some of the sights (Smithsonian, etc.)

Shanni is one of the top 2 students they want to go on the trip. Five students and two teachers are attending. We were told that there would be fundraising, and they didn't even let anyone know which kids were going until last Friday. Well, today Shanni's mom got the call that tickets had to be booked today. Insane. They don't have money for it, nor do they have a credit card. She also didn't know where to start to book the ticket. (They haven't traveled much by plane.)

I offered up use of my credit card, as we can get the money raised prior to the bill coming due, I'm sure. I've got a line out on a scholarship/financial aid through Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the school is partially funding each child. Next I called my recently retired boss, who went back to the family business. Which just happens to be, with their most recent purchase of a local office, the largest travel agency in the state. They were able to get Shanni booked on the appropriate flights for $500.00....and they are willing to trade for my IT services. I'd already agreed to do consulting work on my own time for them, and we have an hourly rate set. We'd also discussed my working for airfare as another option since my family is all out of state. Which appeals to me more than cash, frankly. :) So we are looking good. They had originally told us we'd need $1000. But since we got the ticket about $200 cheaper than budgeted for...Now we need that much less.

I can't wait to hear back from BBBS to see how much we get from them. I love it when a plan comes together!!!!

And the day really just gets better...Obama and Clinton are speaking in Butte on April 5th. General Admission tickets go on sale tomorrow morning for $40 a piece. Only 2400 available. There are 4 of us in the office - so far - that want to go. So we're going to try to get tickets. Keep your fingers crossed!

Lunatic On Loose At K.Mar.t

Sitrep: 3x Abs (Beginner)
Goal: 3x Abs, 1x 15 mins Other/Any Exercise

Is probably what some poor lady today was thinking while doing her shopping during lunch. She sure gave me that look when I kept laughing out loud in the card aisle. I couldn't help it. Sometimes I have just too much fun getting a birthday card for my sister. One that falls under the category of "Hilarious But DO NOT Send" went like this:

[front] Happy Birthday Mom
[Inside] Oops! I meant sister (It's getting harder and harder to tell you two apart.)

Heeheehee. Mom won't see how that's funny, and it's not meant in any way cruelly. It's just funny as all get out to me. Rather too cruel to send to my sister, though. I think. Although she'd laugh, she might wince as well. Not good for a b-day card.

In the Runner-Up category:

[front - praying child angel] Sisters are a gift from God
[inside, big letters] A cruel, vengeful & punishing God

That was laugh out loud funny, definitely. I think I snorted I laughed so hard. That's when I got the look.

It's fun to spend time shopping for cards. Especially when you can find funny ones. Last few years they've been on the scarce side. At least, any that strike my funny bone. Or that I think my sister will find funny. We're a lot alike, my sister & I.

I remember the birthday my first year in college, when my sis came down for the weekend (our bdays are 1 day apart). It was also East.er weekend, so Mom & Dad drove up (since the 2 of us were going to be together, Mom just had to be there too!).

I opened my presents first (I'm the 17th Apr, she's the 18th Apr). Upon reading the card from my sister, I could not stop laughing. See, although we lived miles and miles apart (Tallahassee for me, Atlanta for her), shopped in different malls & stores, we had managed to buy each other the exact same card for our birthdays. :)

Free To Any Home: 1 Set Used Ears

Sitrep: 1x Abs Beginner workout
Goal: Daily abs for the next 5 days. :)

I have a double ear infection. Again. This is just ridiculous. It's been 6 months since the last one. I must be averaging 2 per year. I think I'm getting more ear infections as an adult than I ever did as a child. =8-O

Talking to Shanni on the phone last night (poor kid is still at home w/Flu) and she says to me "What is this, eighteen?" Smart aleck.

This time, though, there is no ear pain and mild clogging. I can feel that there is liquid sloshing around, but it's not totally packed. And I got extremely dizzy and nauseous. Not my usual symptoms. I guess my body decided that since I ignored the sudden extreme pain last time (resulting in that mildly perforated ear drum, yikes!) it was going to give me a different symptom: extreme dizziness and nausea. Not fun. Couldn't get in to see my regular doc. The one I did see was nice, though. Actually listened to my past history, what I had to say about this current bout, and believed me when I said Amoxy.cillin just doesn't cut it anymore. He wrote me out a prescription for Aug.mentin, and said to keep up with the Sud.a.fed. (Not that it was helping much, really.) So. I'm now on antibiotics, am double-dosing the sud.afed (no lectures, please!) and decided to top it all off with some motion-sickness meds - Bonamine. So I'm at least functional at work, and not running to the bathroom every 5 minutes because I feel like I'm gonna hurl.

You should see my kitchen counter. There are 7 medicine bottles lined up. Four on the left, 3 on the right. The left is for the dog, the right is for me (my 2 regular meds, plus the antibiotic). The OTC meds are in my purse; I take as needed. I'm actually having to write on my calendar when I've given the dog her meds & which ones, as apparently I'm not capable of remembering to give her all of hers and take mine. It's one or the other.

I wonder if they put tubes in adults ears?

Define: Ironic

Sitrep: 1x Abs Beginner workout

So I'm watching TV last night, and this commercial comes on with 2 models talking about their new clothing line (or lines) at Target. I think they were models, they said their names like the viewer should recognize them. They described the clothes as inspired by 1930's florals, but more 1970's, and "flirty", "fun", "ironic"...

Did I miss something? Is it those girl-genes I was born without? How can clothing be ironic? I understand flirty. (Sometimes). I understand fun. But ironic?

ironic
adjective
1. humorously sarcastic or mocking; "dry humor"; "an ironic remark often conveys an intended meaning obliquely"; "an ironic novel"; "an ironical smile"; "with a wry Scottish wit" [syn: dry]
2. characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is; "madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker"; "it was ironical that the well-planned scheme failed so completely"

Are they saying if I'm wearing the "flirty, fun, ironic" dress, I'm actually not flirty or fun? I'm confused.

I think it's more ironic that that SOB Mark got back on the Biggest Loser last night. Or that Ali (a girl!!!) BEAT HIM to be the Biggest Loser of the night. :) That made my evening. Although there wasn't far to go for it to get better, because it ticked me off when he got back on the show. It's more ironic that every Tuesday this year I stuff my face while watching the Biggest Loser. Now that's ironic. I think. Like I said. I'm confused.

However, I did realize something last night. I've been bemoaning the fact that I can't seem to get myself exercising again. All told, I've spent hours over the last 2 months thinking about why I can't seem to get moving again. Is is the fact that Alden no longer posts? Is is the slow down in Gator Patrols? Is it that it seems no one else is still working out? Well, Alden's posts weren't supposed to go on forever. Really. The man has a buiness, family, a life. And the Gator Patrol? I could start some of those myself, but I don't. No one else working out? Not true. I get glimpses of it now and then, in a post or two on the BB. What it really comes down to is this:

I've got to be able to sustain this myself, in the long run. That is the only way this will become a life-long habit. I've shifted tracks, moved onto a new phase in this journey of self-improvement and better health, mental & physical. I need to do this for me, because of me. Oh, that's not to say that having support from others isn't good. It is. It just can no longer be the only motivator to keep me going. I am the motivator. Me, and only me. Just like I am the only reason I've stopped. I am the only one being disappointed or hurt by my lack of action.

It hasn't just been lack of exercise either. There's been significant backward action in these areas:

1) Daily water consumption (some days are negative!)
2) Morning & afternoon snacks (amazing the difference that made!)
3) Controlling portion sizes
4) Choosing healthier ingredients/foods
5) Lack of journaling/tracking food & activity (on here, on SparkPeople)

All these tools I've thrown away. Well, no more. Isn't it ironic (stop singing, please) that my biggest stay-sitting-down-don't-move addiction, television, has given me such a big eye opener? It was Ali, on The Biggest Loser, that made me sit up and go "oh" last night. She was voted off in week 4, yet came back in week 11, having lost more (% of weight loss) than all the other eliminated females. Frankly, she's lost more than the women that made it through to week 11. She lost more than them, even though she was on her own for the last 6 weeks! 6 weeks in the real world, without Bob or Jillian, without her whole day at the campus focused on exercise and eating right. How ironic is that?

Modern Language Association (MLA):
"ironic." WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University. 12 Mar. 2008. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ironic>.

A girl could get paranoid

When her coworkers scurry around with air sanitizers and clor.ox wipes after she walks past them. She could get paranoid...but I won't. ;) I'm just glad I'm up and around. Finally. Been doing nothing but sleep on the sofa since I woke up Friday. Holy moly. I'd been feeling down last week, but thought it was just the regular cold/sinus deal. Although since I've been using the Neil.med Sinus Rinse (THANK YOU CRANKYOTTER, a million times THANK YOU!!!), my sinuses have been so much better I've been off the Clari.tin.

But Shanni came down sick on Friday as well, so we commiserated (ie, whined) over the phone to each other. Except Saturday morning her mom calls me and says "So, I'm on my way to Urgent Care with Shanni. Do we need to pick you up on the way?" [g] Not quite. But it's nice to know they care. Several hours later the diagnosis for Shanni is: Influenza A. Nice, huh? Poor kid. She was pretty miserable. The doctor prescribed Tam.iflu for the entire family. Guess how much that costs per person, after insurance? $80.00. So times 5 people, that's $400. And they have insurance. Needless to say, only Shanni and Steve got the meds. The rest are taking their chances. As of this morning, Michelle is also feeling ill.

I feel like hanging some garlic around my neck. lol.

Anyway. Scully was not doing well, either. Her breathing was getting progressively worse over the weekend, so I dragged my sorry butt out of bed yesterday (ok, off the sofa) and took her to the vet. $180.00 later, she's on 2 antibiotics and a bronchodilator, plus pred.nisone. I guess it's just that time of year for bronchitis and asthma, etc. Sigh. She was pretty funny on the pred. Made her look all droopy; like a bloodhound. Hehehe. I'm not sure who collapsed on the sofa first, her or me.

But I'm back at work now. Tired, not contagious (I don't think) and wishing I was sacked out on the couch listening to "The Waltons" and "Little House on the Prairie" as I doze. Much nicer than being at work and wading through voicemail and email. People sure are impatient if you don't answer an email within 24 hours. Sheesh.

The Kindness of Strangers....Ungrateful Little Miscreant

Sitrep: working on it

My just-retired boss Roger has decided - finally - to find a new home for the Lhasa Apso he inherited on his wife's death last July. Truly, he is not a small dog or indoor dog type of person, and with his new job he'll be traveling more. This little dog, Gizmo, is a sweet yet mean little thing. I know; how can he be both? It's not so much that he's mean, he's just very wary of strangers, men in particular. Doesn't help that he's 8 yrs old, not neutered, and Laura let him rule the roost for too many years. Until she married Roger. Gizmo likes Roger; he just thinks he's Roger's equal & in charge. He also 'talks' or 'purrs' (sounds like a mild growl) when you pet him or talk to him. Roger backs off when Gizmo does this.

Last Monday I located a breed rescue group in MT, not too far from me. Spoke with the lady that night. She is wonderfully nice, and totally understands the situation. She was actually very surprised that Roger has tried for 7 months. I guess Lhasa Apsos are, uh, more temperamental? They bond to women easier and are stubborn - smart - talkative. High maintenance in personality and care (daily brushing, etc, unless you buzz cut them!)

She is confident she can find Gizmo a home, and is go-go-go. She'll actually be in town on Monday, and is a) bringing a better brand of dog food (!) for Gizmo, and b) will pay to have him Micro chipped. She microchips all 'her' dogs. As soon as she gets more info (shot records, etc.) and pictures she'll post him on her website and start looking for a home for him. Yippee! I'm a bit surprised at how eager and helpful she is. Not sure why. It's not like she's the only such person I've run into. I guess I just let my cynical nature be in control too much. A "expect the worst so you won't be disappointed" kind of thing.

As for that little miscreant Gizmo...I dog-sat him the past 2.5 days while Roger was out of town. Gizmo behaves very well. He even let me groom him. He loves to be groomed. As long as you don't make him sit there and let him wander off and then come back. He does come back as soon as you call his name & pat the floor in front of you. I got most of the matts out of his fur the last few days. But he won't let me brush his belly, where there are quite a few matts, and he absolutely will not tolerate my trimming his feet. I think he must have gotten a nail cut to the quick once, and remembers. I was fine with him until this point, because that's when the ungrateful little miscreant bit me! Stupid dog. I know, I know, it's his only way of protecting himself, etc. But it pisses me off all the same.

Scully didn't like it either. She didn't attack him, but was getting upset. I could tell from her body posture, and how she came over and kept trying to get between me and Gizmo. Which didn't help me much...Because then I was worried they'd attack each other. I made sure that after he bit me (it wasn't much of a bite - didn't break the skin, etc.) that I handled each leg (without the scissors or brushes anywhere near us) just to let him know I can darn well touch him wherever I want because I am in charge.

I was exhausted after that. Got ready for bed, made sure to block the hallway so Gizmo would stay in the living room, and went to bed. Scully was funny. She usually goes to sleep on her bed right next to mine. Then around 2am she climbs into bed with me. Not last night. She got right up on the bed, laying on the foot of the bed (faces the door). A few minutes after I climbed into bed, she laid her head down, but still where she could keep an eye on the door, and laying in a position where she could leap up at a seconds notice to defend me...

Bad Day at the Library

Heh. Not words you think I'd say/write very often. And it's not for lack of books, either. I really didn't stay there long enough for it to become an issue. Apparently Sunday afternoons at the library are Not A Good Idea.

I will admit, it wasn't totally the library visit itself that ruined the day. I was already on edge due to the event I took Shanni to first. MT is the sister-state to Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan. They have a center in town, on the Walking Mall near the library. Yesterday was Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) in Japan, and they had a little celebration for the public. I thought it would be fun to take Shanni. When we walked in there weren't too many people there and the hosts (there is a Japanese family that lives here to manage the center, along with a local American coutnerpart) seemed as ill at ease as us...I have a feeling not too many people they don't already know attend the celebrations, even when they are open to the public. Anyway.

This cute little girl in a Yukata (she was a bit offended when I complimented her on her Kimono - she quickly corrected me!) handed Shanni and I each a bowl of what appeared to be rice and veggies. Me being me, I didn't think too much about it, although I should have. And trying to instill some manners in Shanni, I thanked them and took a bite. Uh, yeah. Have I mentioned I'm a picky eater? It had enough of a taste to let me know that there was more than rice and veggies in there. I looked closer, and by George, there was a little shrimp hiding in there. I'm not sure if I ate one; I don't think so...By the look on Shanni's face, she wasn't too thrilled with it either. So I quickly distracted her by dragging her over to the wall displays, and we made our way into another room. I noticed that she took a second bite. She told me later it would be too rude to only eat one bite, so she made herself take another. I guess she's instilling manners in me. :) When no one was looking, I put both our bowls in the trash. (Told mom this last night and she laughed and said "you are your father's daughter!". I consider that a compliment anyways, so...) As you've probably figured out, it was some type of rice bowl sushi. I knew I should have called Mom before going. But I doubt she'd've warned me. This is the same woman that used ground turkey in Hamburger Helper once and thought I wouldn't notice. And I was an adult at the time! Hah! She's a joker sometimes, my mom is!

We learned how to make an origami Hina doll, and an origami crane. Then they had a tea ceremony. That was cool. Shanni didn't want to stay, but I thought it an important part of Japanese culture, so we stayed. It would have been more enjoyable if the parents had taken control of their kids. Really. There were at least 8 kids there, 3 yrs old to 10 or so, and they crowded around the raised tatami mats. The hostess had to stop in the middle of the ceremony to warn them back, as they were leaning forward and a couple of them were just inches from the hot tea kettle with boiling water in it. Parents just stood back, did nothing. Not even when one of the kids knocked into the Hina Doll display stand, knocking several pieces onto the floor. (Thank goodness the breakable ones just tipped over).

Shortly after the ceremony ended, we left. Irritated, because those kids blocked most of what the hostess was doing, so Shanni didn't really get to see much.

Then we walked down to the library. I'd noticed when we parked that it seemed awfully busy for the library, but didn't realize why until we went inside. There were kids everywhere! It was horrible. The library was buzzing with noise. So not right. Cell phone talkers, kids running and yelling. No parents in sight...What is wrong with people? Kids were walking out with library books that hadn't been checked out, setting off that stupid alarm. It was insane. Turns out the library has a program on Sundays called PAWS for reading. Kids get to practice reading out loud to specially trained dogs. At the same time they were also celebrating Dr. Seuss. At least that's only the one time thing. The PAWS program is another few weeks or so.

Shanni was a little startled we left so quickly. I got one book by S.L. Viehl (Eternity Row - the only book by her they had. I'd normally try inter-library loan to start with the first book, but it being so insanely busy and noisy...). Couldn't use the self-checkout because I had 2 books in that I'd reserved, and one was the next in a series Shanni was reading so we had to pick it up. Darn it. We got those and were out of there. She asked what was wrong & I told her I couldn't handle the noise and crush of people, especially the kids running amok. It was giving me a nervous break down.

So. Note to self: NO LIBRARY VISITS ON SUNDAYS. At least, not without checking their calendar first.

First Meeting of the Wine & Chocolate Club

Sitrep: 1x 15 min walk, 1 set Perfect Pushups (10 Reg, 10 Wide, 10 Close), 5x stairs (Up & Down, 26 steps).

What I want to know is when did I get so old that 3 glasses of wine make me feel so crappy? Okay, the champagne at work (boss' last day), plus eating chocolate chip cookies & carrots all day probablly didn't help. But Seriously. Now I'm a lightweight that gets hung over. This is so not fair.

I'm just now feeling human again, and it's 10pm...

After the boss' send off at work yesterday, it was home to get the dog, and off to my little sister's for dinner and a girl's night of painting finger and toenails. Green, natch. It is March. ;)

I admit I'm the one that brought the wine. But really. Strawberry White Zin should be safe enough...Even after a glass of champagne. I got there and the chocolate cake was cooking...the frosting was coconut pecan. OMG. I have a new favorite cake, seriously. And I was responsible for the ice cream, too. Had over a gallon left over from the party at my boss' last weekend. Josie was there too, which we haven't managed for a few months...since New Year's, actually. Which is probably why we had so much fun. And it was fun. For us, anyway. Steve, the poor man, hid in the bedroom with a set of earplugs. He came out at one point for his pain meds, but didn't stay long.

Someone made the mistake of asking my opinion on something to do with politics...because of the last discussion on the BB (which I just had to start!!!), I was already worked up, and with the wine...I had a lovely case of verbal diarrhea. Michelle was surprised at "this side" of me. Shannon's seen it before. Josie just laughed, and asked "how do you know all this..." I just sat there fish-faced for a few before going "I read? Google, maybe?" Michelle's not so sure anymore my going to D.C. with Shannon is a good idea.

Needless to say, I slept there last night...Got up around 7 am (gotta love the dogs, NOT!) and made Shanni find me some aspirin. I think I faked being awake through a couple hours of conversation with her, because I have a vague impression of her talking and me going "uh-huh" a lot, until suddenly it was 9 am. I hope I didn't agree to anything too painful. [g] It took cake & ice cream and a couple cups of coffee to get me out the door around noon.

The dog still hasn't recovered from the night out...she looks worse now than I felt this morning...

Powerful Books

Sitrep: 1x 15 minute walk

A topic I've been thinking on for awhile is what gets people started reading, and what keeps them reading? Why do we keep coming back for more? For me, I seem to get some kind of emotional connection or satisfaction when I read. Maybe it has to do with my earliest memories of books, all of them wrapped up in family, if you think about it:

- Dad holding and reading to me
- My 6th or 7th birthday where Mom & Dad got me the first 5 books in the Bobbsey Twin series
- Dad coming home from work with another book for me
- Mom reading to us kids
- Mom getting us our bilingual (English/Spanish) Fairy Tale books (the Ugly Duckling was my favorite!)
- Family trips to the library
- Endless summer days bicycling to the library with a sibling or friend or by myself when I was older
- My sister and I reading late into the night, with our secret code of knocking on the walls to indicate “meet in the hallway” (to share a good/funny part) or “going to bed” or “finished book”
- Sneaking books into church to tuck into the Missalette so I could read during Mass (until my brother tried this and got caught…that was the end of sitting in the balcony on our own!)

We joke, my sister and I, that the best presents for us growing up were books. Mom despaired, I think, of her two daughters that wanted books over clothes or makeup. When we unwrapped the book, we’d squeal, caress the cover, open it to the inside flap and read the blurb, no matter how many times we’d already read it before, finish the back inside flap, then gently close the book, caress the back, and regretfully, softly, place it on the floor next to us to continue with the Christmas festivities. [g]

But as much as these memories make me smile, I got a reminder yesterday of other ways that books have affected my life. Stronger, and not as “nice” ways depending on your point of view. Ways that have made me uncomfortable about who I am, what I believe, my perceptions of the world around me.

A friend asked me to look up a Saint for her, Saint Dymphna. I thought it was made up, but was wrong. Dymphna is the patron saint for the mentally disabled. Appropriate, because that’s the field my friend works in. She wanted to know the reason/backstory for this Saint. So I got to rooting around online, and going through a list of Saints and the Beatified and those on track to become Saints in the Catholic Church, I came upon the three children of Fatima. I’ve always been fascinated by that story, from an early age. Maybe because we lived in the Terceira Islands, maybe because Mom’s from Spain, who knows. But it’s always fascinated me.

I distinctly remember reading a book about the Miracle of Fatima, a sort of biography of what happened and the three children. I was drawn to the second girl, the youngest of the three at 10, Jacinta. She died quite young, in the hospital. One of her greatest wishes was to receive the sacrament of the Holy Communion. Yet the priests denied her because she was too young. Even on her death bed, when she begged, they denied her that and the Sacrament of the Last Rites. And she died that night.

Being near /the same age as her, I was horrified, terrified. Here was this pious little girl, trying to the best of her ability (and from what I read now succeeding at) being good and following the dictates of the church, and they wouldn’t let her have First Communion. I think that was the beginning of my disillusionment with the Catholic Church, and perhaps organized religion in general. Even in my “religious” years in high school/beginning of college, there was that seed of doubt. Maybe that’s why I was (still am) curious about other faiths, religions, ways of believing. Who knows. I think it was also the beginning of my sense of injustice in the world, that things don't always have a nice tidy ending, things don't always work out. It probably didn't help that within a few years I'd read the Diary of Anne Frank.

Anyway. It just reminded me that as much as I focus on the fun of reading, I don't think too much about the ways books have helped me to grow, have challenged me, and have stretched my horizons.

Just because you're paranoid...

Sitrep: Same old, same old...

So I've been puzzling over my unsettled feelings on our current president and congress, and the laws being passed, etc. I've come to the "conclusion" that while I might be a little paranoid, there is some basis in our past history to back my uneasiness.

Being a history buff, I seemed to remember reading/learning somewhere that our government has restricted our freedoms of speech, etc., with at least one Sedition Act, so I did some digging around. The one I was thinking of was in 1918, during WWI. Yet there are two very big instances in our country's history that curtailed some of our basic constitutionally guaranteed rights:

1. Alien & Sedition Acts of 1798: read this and this
   
2. U.S. Sedition Act of 1918: read this and this

The first one, from what I read up on today, was politically motivated to restrict one party from being able to accomplish anything in an election year. (Gee, things haven't changed that much have they???). The second one seems to me to be more fear and hysteria driven. (Sound familiar???), and lead me eventually to the Smith Act of 1940, which has more to do with groups that advocate for the violent overthrow of government, and which I'll have to read up on. Eventually I ended up at a page that has what I can only call a Motherlode of Links on the First Amendment. (This is gonna take up my weekend, and how!)

I guess I just need to keep reminding myself that yes, the Constitution is the basis for our country and law. But it's implemented and enforced by people who have their own political, religious, moral, and/or personal drivers. And that the system of checks and balances deliberately built-in to our form of government is very important.

In these cases above, eventually, that system seems to have worked. It makes me wonder if it will work now to stop the growth of federal power; the Executive Branch in particular.

Here are a couple of other links that I found interesting: Sedition (definition, of sorts) Freedom of Speech (brief history of)

Whirlwind Weekend

Sitrep: Nothing.
Goal (2/25-3/2): Fifteen minutes of some type of activity daily.

I'm amazed my post from last Friday is as clear as it is. I wrote it in a frenzy of thinking and while in the grip of some type of funky sinus/stress/migraine? headache...Coffee made it worse...migraine meds had no effect...ibuprofen and sudafed helped mildly...

Then I went and had my taxes done. That was fun. But at least it's done and filed, and I'm getting enough money back to pay a few bills and pre-pay for a year's worth of lawn maintenance (fertilizer & weed control) along with a core aeration, and leave me some money left over to sock away in savings. Whoo-hooo! Hopefully this year, with my witholding change in effect for a whole year instead of just half a year, I won't get as much money back. Sounds bizarre, I know, but why lend the government my money interest free? I'd rather put it in a money market account. I think I'm disciplined enough to do that now.

This weekend was crazy busy. I need a day off to recover. Saturday our soon to be retired boss had a party at his house for the staff. It was a lot of fun. I went over a few hours early to a) bathe his late wife's dog (that's a post for another day) and b) to get his new printer/scanner set up for him. Only accomplished the first before everyone else showed up. The party started around 2:30pm, and ended around 8:30 pm. It was a lot of fun, and definitely the most relaxed I've ever seen my current boss. Okay, he was pretty lit. It was hilarious. My new boss makes a pretty mean margarita. I had to stop after two. My head was starting to spin. Yes, I'm a light weight...But everyone else even said they were strong. And, okay, I was drinking out of a large plastic cup instead of a margarita or wine glass, so I suspect I was getting more than I planned...

Our office now has a strong contingent with ties to Butte. Which explains the Margaritas. Around here, Butte is known as the party town. If there's a celebration going on, it's gonna be in Butte, and it's gonna be a week long, minimum. :) You know it's gonna be a long day when an hour into the party the (new) boss says "Call J (our accountant/HR person) and tell her since she's last to arrive, she has to stop at the liquor store on the way here and get 2 more bottles of margarita mix. And tequila." And his wife hollers from the living room, "You might want to make that 4!"

Let's just say a fun time was had by all. I was in bed by 9pm. Didn't get up until 10am.

Yesterday my little's mom & stepdad came back from Great Falls. He seems pretty chipper since the back surgery. Of course, the pain meds might have something to do with that. Although he and Michelle can definitely use the space from each other. lol. That week in one hospital room was tough, apparently. Especially the last 2 days. They had a huge blow up yesterday at their house; over a t-shirt from what I gathered. It was hard not to a) over hear, and b) laugh out loud, because it was the silliest argument I've heard in a long time. Stressed the girls a bit though, so I had them go into one of their bedrooms on the other side of the house. I'd brought some groceries with me, and made a chicken pot pie for dinner for them...it was edible, even if I do say so myself. ;) Thank you to my SIL who reminded me of this recipe when I visited them last December. I gave her the recipe originally, and then forgot about it myself...How sad. Then my little sister made chewy chocolate cookies with Reese's peanut butter chips...I "helped", mostly by eating the dough when her back was turned. Heh. Then I went home, talked to my folks, and crawled into bed.

I'm a pathetic sad sack. I have got to get exercising again. I feel better, eat better, and am just all around better when I do. My goal this week is to do fifteen minutes of activity each day. I don't care what as long I get moving.

Meee-owww

Sitrep: Sluggish beyond belief. Lack of motivation.

So. There's still a brouhaha going on the bulletin board, and today it really descended into cattiness. Sigh. Why do we have to do this to each other? I've noticed it really seems to happen with just a few posters, and I have done my fair share of wallowing in the mud with certain other posters.

It's just so hard to refrain, you know? As I said to one of my BB friends, when she called me and told me not to respond to one post (this was weeks ago, and has nothing to do with the current squabble), I really felt like replying with this:

Bad of me, I know. What can I say?

Good part of the day is that I got to have a nice little side conversation with Cranky Otter about the government's use of "In God We Trust" on official documentation. Okay, really, it was CO talking with someone else, I just got the benefit of "listening" in. It was great. Just the kind of stuff I love to talk about, but can seldom find anyone else who wants to.

It's interesting the views people have. I remember one discussion I had on the BB with someone who did not feel that there was any religious discrimination in the U.S., or that anyone not a Christian in this country is ever made to feel inferior or opressed. Really? I have. She came back with a "No You Haven't" post. Which really made my blood boil. [g] It might not seem like much, but when I get a work email from someone in an organization we do business with, and it is signed "God Bless You" and I get in trouble for having as part of my email signature "Blessed Be" or "May the Goddess Bless You". How is the one acceptable and the other not? That is a form of opression, a way of making someone feel inferior.

And I had another, brief, go round with someone on the BB this week who doesn't believe there is any opression in the U.S. (I'm thinking it's the same person as before, but am not totally sure.) I want to respond to her post, and ask her what her definition of opression is. From what I read, it seemed to me that as long as a person is free to leave the country, then they aren't opressed. I'm probably interpreting the posts wrong, but that's what I got from it. Which really - scares - me in some respects. Because if one person seriously believes this, then there are probably many more that do.

For one thing, I don't believe leaving the country is all that easy any more. At least, not legally...(her responding post seemed to me to suggest people leave illegally. Which is funny, if you think about it, because so many in this country are up in arms over those coming here illegally.) For another, there really is opression going on in this country. Just look at the struggle for gays/lesbians to have equal protections and rights under the law. To not be treated as second class citizens. Look at the prejudices and discriminations that African Americans still face. Yes, it's come a long way since the 60's. But it's still there. And until I moved West, I didn't realize the types of discrimination and prejudice faced by Native Americans. I could go on and on...

I guess I just have this sensation that's been building since 9/11 that we are on the precipiece of some really scary restrictions when it comes to our freedoms to live our lives like we have been.

I used to believe our government wouldn't harm us. That we needed more federal government than state government. Now it frightens me that the individual states' rights are more and more getting swallowed up or over-ridden by the feds.

I really don't like this uneasy, queasy feeling. I don't know. Maybe I'm just paranoid...like my friend who's stockpiling supplies for when the government collapses...

Define: Angst

Sitrep: Can you guess?

A kind of fear or anxiety; Angst is German for “fear.” It is usually applied to a deep and essentially philosophical anxiety about the world in general or personal freedom. *

Basically, that's been my kind of day today. Filled with Angst.

It started with Steve (little's stepdad) going in for his back operation this morning. Started at 8:30am, out at 1:30pm. He's now out of recovery and doing well, from the text I got from Michelle.

And continued with the BB. Ah, the joys of the BB. Sometimes I don't understand myself. Why do I read the posts when I know they're going to upset me? Why do I read the posts in potentially upsetting threads by people whose posts I know are going to upset me. It's like being in the room and watching mother and daughter have an emotional, verbal knock-down-drag-out battle. Emotionally draining. I just get so frustrated when I witness stuff like this. Someone being "attacked" because they posted a differing viewpoint. I'm sure I've done it before; I try not to as a general rule. But I'm not perfect. I just hate what I see as the typical knee-jerk reaction of isolationist Americans. (In my viewpoint, anyway). It's the type of angry reaction that's rhetoric filled, builds a wall, fosters hate.

This has been the kind of day that drives me to eat poorly...and since I happen to have several boxes of Girl Scout cookies on my desk - this is not a good thing. So in my effort to not eat a box of Thin Mints in the course of one 8 hour work day, I've devoured my finger nails. Sigh. And they were looking so pretty, too. I haven't chewed them since January 1st. That's almost 2 whole months.

Okay. So I've vented plenty on bad stuff. Now I'm going to vent on good stuff. :)

1) Got to see my little sister this morning because I drove her to school. Sshe's staying at her dad's a few blocks from my house, and her school is right by my work so she's catching a ride in to town with me.

2) I get to see my little sister every morning the rest of this week because I'm driving her to school.

3) I got to see a litter of newborn labrador puppies at lunch and got to bottle feed one of the pups. :) There's something about the smell and feel of newborn and weeks old puppies that's so relaxing. One of our vendors takes their dog to work, and she had her litter overnight. So I stopped by during lunch. There was a steady stream of people stopping by to see them. :) The Mama Dog is doing great. She had 10 puppies; her first litter! Six boys, four girls. And they are all healthy looking and very noisy. But oh, so sweet. I held a couple of them. Got to bottle feed one, as they are rotating them on/off the mother. I guess she can only feed so many at a time, so they're supplementing with formula.

4) My new boss' daughter just stopped by with their two new puppies. Chocolate brown Cocker Spaniels, 2.5 months old.

Ahhh. Now that's the way to end a day. I'm all smiley and happy feeling now. I just have to keep thinking about those puppies, that's all.

And hope to heaven that my dog doesn't get too bent out of shape when I get home tonight. ;) I've cheated on her with 13 other dogs today! Soon to be 14, as my coworkers Great Dane is outside in her car, waiting to go out to O'Toole's tonight. ;)

*"angst." The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. 20 Feb. 2008. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/angst.

Too Close to the Edge

Sitrep: Back to Zero. Just got my Girl Scout Cookie order. Why did I order so many? What was I thinking?????

So this weekend I spent quite a bit of time with my little sister's family. Her stepdad has had back problems for years. Several weeks back he "tweaked" it somehow, and it just hasn't been getting better. He has to have four vertebrae fused, which is happening tomorrow. Unfortunately, this puts him out of work for at least 3 months. And, naturally, his employer doesn't provide disability insurance, so he won't be getting any pay. In addition, he can't go back to his job (one he's been doing for pretty much the same employer for 30 years) because of the heavy lifting involved.

So he's basically been laid off for medical reasons. And starting March 1st, they are switching him to his wife's medical insurance plan (they work for the same company) so he will still have insurance. Only she has to pay the premium for him, which is an additional $360 per month. It sucks, big time.

My little's mom was freaking out. Which I can totally understand. They're losing half their monthly income. They were barely keeping their heads above water as it was. They weren't exactly the best with their finances, but they weren't that bad either. Most of their existing debt is medically related. It's amazing how fast medical bills add up even when you have insurance.

But there's just no way they can pay anything on any of their debt with just her income (and she's already working 2 jobs; one full, one part-time). It's barely going to cover basic necessities as it is. And just forget about any of the new medical bills because of the back surgery and rehab. I highly doubt insurance will cover it all. It really sucks. They've pretty much decided they'll have to declare bankruptcy once those bills come in. Because it's a minimum of 3 months until he's supposed to be back on his feet, and then he'll have to be retrained, etc, and find another job. Doesn't look like he can get unemployment because he isn't able to work (one of the exclusions listed) and it takes 6 months (per the SSA) to get SS disability. Which he qualifies for, from what we researched, but we've all heard that you get turned down the first time, no matter what.

It just makes me wonder how many of us are that close to the edge. I'd always realized intellectually how most people (myself included) are one or two paychecks away from disaster. I guess I didn't realize exactly what that meant. The reality of it. Now granted, they could have managed their money much better than they have. But they haven't been doing that bad in the grand scheme of things. It's pretty scary when you think about it.

Romantic Couples

Sitrep: 1x PPU, 15 min Snow Shoveling

Happy Valentine's Day!

I dedicat today to my love of chocolate, chocolate, chocolate.

Has there ever been a better love/hate relationship? :)

The first forty-four days of this year I've been in a reading slump, of sorts. After spending quite a bit of time delving in the world of the romantic classics with Masterpiece Theater's "Jane Austen" series, and the 2005 version of "Jane Eyre", I decided to go back and re-read some of my old favorites in the classics section of my personal library.

The last few days it's been "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte. It's one of my favorites, but not for the usual reasons. The volume I have is worn, you can tell it's been read alot. And seemingly, I always start it from the same point: the scene where Isabella flees Heathcliff and makes her dramatic appearance at the Grange, shortly after Catherine died. I start there and read to the end. The tale of what happens after, the relationship/romance between Cathy (the daughter) and Hareton (Catherine's nephew) is so little written about in the book, yet seems sweeter to me and more wonderful than that between Catherine & Heathcliff.

Frankly, I do wonder at why people love the romance between those two so much. Why they are such a celebrated pair of star-crossed lovers. I found them to be two very unlikeable characters. Their love was obsessive, selfish, destructive. Very much like the fiber of who they were. I felt no pity for them; they brought their destruction upon themselves. I just couldn't and can't picture Heathcliff as a hero. He was mean, vindictive, possessive...no redeeming qualities about him, from my viewpoint. He and Catherine were wild and mad in a bad sort of way. Not sure how else to describe it. Like the worst lightning/thunderstorm I've ever been through.

Catherine was spoiled and selfish...willful, tempermental. She wanted to marry the rich man so she could be "lady of the manor", but still tie Heathcliff to her side. She was selfish to the end; not seeing how she brought about her own destruction, and that of her husband and sister-in-law. Heathcliff let his bitterness focus his life; the whole revenge on those that "did him wrong" was his sole reason for living, even before Catherine died.

I just find it hard to understand why people characterize this as romantic or a romance. I suppose they might seem romantic, if you only ever watch the old Merle Oberon/Laurence Olivier version, which leapfrogs from Catherine's death (which occurs only 160 +/- pages into the book!!!) to Heathcliff's death. It totally omits what happens after, which is by far the bulk of the book. And it paints them in a much nicer light, really, than the book. I can't explain why, but they are much darker figures in the book.

The book itself is a masterful piece of writing, I think. It protrays quite a section of people and life and says quite a bit about human nature and revenge and selfishness and love and the nature of love. And it's destructive power. It's a wonderful trip into madness and despair and destruction, that actually ends on a whiff of lightness and air...

Maybe that's why I like it so much.

'A Rose By Any Other Name'

Sitrep: 1x PPU (10 regular, 10 wide, 10 close)

Would definitely smell as sweet...and probably be just as darn prickly.

We had an interesting staff meeting today. Got to discuss the potential first name of our accountants pending grandchild: Atley. She is sooo not thrilled with that. Still insists no grandchild of hers will be called Atley.

Our new Exec just got not one, but two, new puppies. Chocolate brown cocker spaniels. Brothers from the same litter. The puppy was a Valentine's Day present to his wife. (They lost their dog last year, and she has been wanting another one. ) Unfortunately for him (fortunately for the 2nd puppy) he took his daughter with him to pick up the dog. That's how they ended up with the second one. Do men never learn? Really. I don't care if she is in her first year in college. How could he not know she'd insist on getting the other puppy? It was the last one left....

So our weekly staff meeting ended with trying to name a) the grandchild and b) the two puppies.

For the grandkid, we came up with Dean Atley. The reverse of what the parents want, but hey, it's a compromise. And at least the poor kid wouldn't go through school being called Atley! Grandma is still on the "no" bandwagon to using Atley at all. I rather like "Seth" myself.

The dogs, I think, are going to end up Marco & Polo. And now you all can have those dratted names echoing in your heads, like they have been in mine: Maaaarcooooo..............Pooollloooo!

There Are Signs Everywhere

And if you follow them, you won't get lost. Maybe. If they're in your own language.

There were plenty this morning. I woke up at 3 am and couldn't sleep. It'd been 6 hours since I took the capsule form of Ny.quil (no hallucinations, yay!), but didn't want to take the daytime version for fear it would prevent me from eventually falling asleep again. So I listened to an interesting program on the history channel about the "underground" used by the "enemy" during the Viet Nam war. This really huge cave that was a military base, for all intents and purposes. And in comparison to their South Vietnamese couterparts who lived on bases with AC and swimming pools. Huh. No wonder they won. Much more motivated... (Yes I know that's an oversimplification.)

My alarm went off at 6:45 am, later than I normally get up, and my legs were so heavy and achy when I got out of bed. That was sign number two. But hey, it's just the meds, this is really just a head cold, so I sucked it up and came to work.

Signs number three, four, five and six occured when I walked into the office, took off my hat, coat, gloves, boots, etc, and walked back to where my coworkers were gathered. Night utilities didn't run so we had to run it this morning (40 minutes of downtime), no one had made coffee yet, the "slacker" called in sick becuase of her "cold" (puh-lease, she sneezed maybe 2x yesterday!!!!) , and my coworkers started laughing at their first sight of me...

That is really just too much. I thought I had mascara on my cheeks, or my shirt on backwards/inside out, my zipper undone, something. But no. They just said I looked like I felt like "crap" and that my hair was...weird. Not how I usually wear it. I still can't tell what they're talking about. But really. When your coworkers laugh at your appearance upon arrival at work...

I think that sign is saying GO HOME

Is it Saturday Yet?

I'm on my second dose of liquid Dayq.uil since 8am. (I usually stay away from the stuff. Nyq.uil makes me hallucinate. The day stuff is just a step behind that.)

Ran out of Klee.nex by 10am, reducing me to using toilet paper. (Had to steal a roll of TP from the bathroom. Shhhh. No one turn me in, please.)

Santa can use me to lead his sleigh, my nose is so raw it's glowing red.

Every lotion I have makes my nose burn, even the stuff supposedly for this very thing.

Oh, and I did Abs Essentials Intermediate last night.

Tonight I'm going home and curling up on the sofa and watching Jane Eyre again. Too bad I no longer have a VCR. It would be a pefect evening for Colin Firth as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.

Note to self: Add P&P to your wish list on Amazon...

And every time I scan this post, my eyes substitute "Satan" for "Santa". Repeat after me: step away from the Dayq.uil...

The "Alpine Glow"

Sitrep: 3x Thought about Reving, 2x Thought About doing PPU

Driving into work this morning was beautiful. It's starting to get light out now just around the time I get up. By the time I head for work, it's that lovely gray turning white light.

I go West to get to town; the foothills this morning had a coating of white still from all the snow, with the lovely golden brown of the grass peeking through. Like donuts lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar. Behind them loomed the mountains of the Continental Divide. A darker gray with snow, several long, strung-out layers of puffy clouds hovering above. The light from the rising sun coated the clouds and tips of the Continental Divide a glorious pink that faded down into the snow-covered sides of the mountains. They look just like someone has poured freshly melted pink syrup over the peaks and let it dribble down. Streaks of pink looked like they'd been painted across the white-blue sky. I've been told this is called the "Alpine Glow."

Whatever it's called, it's absolutely beautiful to see when it occurs. The light, the colors, the textures, the depth of the sky...Almost made me glad I was up early enough to see it. Almost!