Percurso, Ergo Sum

2011-05-25T22:10:00.001-07:00

Wow. This is still here. Felt compelled to write today. Actually, finally have a tiny bit of free time and found that I wanted to talk about what I am doing now.

Still working. Kids are growing and great. Still married. :) Things are fairly good, overall, I must say!

The new thing for me is that I am becoming a Zumba convert...quickly. I have attended classes, but only once a week at most for weeks--maybe two months now. But the past two weeks I have attended twice a week and this week, three or four times. I am finding that I enjoy this more than I have enjoyed anything in a VERY long time!

I am not coordinated. I do not dance. Once upon a time, I enjoyed dance, but I was never good at it. At all. :) I find that sometimes I am downright rigid and uncoordinated, but somehow I still find pleasure in bumbling around in Zumba classes. I really like the two instructors I have enjoyed taking classes with thus far and really hope that this is "it" for me.

You see I have NEVER enjoyed exercise. At. All. I loathe it really. I make myself do it and I try to get 3 or 4x a week in lately since I started working on my efforts to lose weight, wholeheartedly. It took months to work up the confidence to approach the instructor to see if I might possibly be "okay" trying out a class. He said yes. So I did, the very next day.

To my pleasant surprise there were OLD people there. There were FAT people there. There were people WAY less coordinated. :) Of course there were some thin and athletic people. There were some downright awesome and fluid hip-shakers as well. It was a great mix of people! So I went back.

With school and field trips and nap times, it has been hard to make it more than once, but things have opened up with Elena finishing Kindergarten. I am excited to have more flexibility in my schedule with my own course load, too, so I am taking advantage of it. Come fall things will rev up again, so until then, I am going to make Zumba as often as possible and ride this wave.

I have NEVER enjoyed sweating --ever. Honestly, I still don't like the 'sweating' part but I *do* like feeling like I am accomplishing something and that I am sticking to it.

I hope I can continue. I have every intention to.

Are you KIDDING me?

2009-11-05T11:56:00.001-08:00

Sooooooooooooooooo its been over 3 months and I have no idea how things got so hectic SO quickly.

Before PreK started, there were play dates and scrimping to get all the fees handled and I worked on my resume to get back out there and find an on-site teaching gig. Then once school started, there were school events and just getting adjusted to it all. Once we were adjusted, I got a mid semester gig teaching an accelerated course at the local JC. It is taught in half the semester, so it begins half way through the regular semester. Comp I is familiar territory so its been going well!

NOW I'm finally getting settled into juggling my two online courses, the on site course, and Elena and her various comings and goings and I am starting to do research into next year's plan. Kinder will be here before we know it!

Since I was so lost in the process last year, I figured I would get a jump on things. Josh attended a school fair after I did some research and now we have narrowed it down to five or six possibilities.

I was going to keep her where she is for Kinder, and still may, but because it is hard to get into the private schools it might be better to start trying now instead of later. The school she is attending now only goes up to Kinder so switching her sooner rather than later means she will be establishing her friends and routines in the place she'll likely stay for a longer period of time(since most go to 6th or 8th grade).

I have tours set up in the coming week and look forward to applying a couple of places and seeing what is in the cards for us! Since we rent, I don't want to start her in public and have that be effected by any moves we end up doing in the next couple of years.

And Emilia is getting baptized in a couple of weeks, right after Thanksgiving. THANKSGIVING! Insane that its "that" part of the year already! Then Christmas. And begin again in January. IN. Sane.

Lena is gonna be 5 this coming January too! It never ends, huh? :) There will be a birthday party to figure out. Not especially looking forward to taking that on given her new expanded circle of friends, but I'm sure we'll figure out something economical and fun! :)

That is the update from us! BUSY BUSY BUSY and having fun with the kiddos too. We are blessed because we all have our health and the kids are growing and thriving!

More to come soon!

MISS YOU GUYS! ;)

Pre K

2009-07-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

Come September, my eldest will be starting her official "schooling". The first in many years to come, I hope!

This decision should not have been so agonizing! Yet, it was. First, there is the consideration of the money. The huge amounts of money. It costs a small fortune to get your kid into pre-kinder in a private school.

Secondly, I had to give up more time with her before she officially starts "school". She is growing up quickly, so I thought if she didn't get into pre-k, I would keep her in a two-day-a-week Spanish immersion program she has been attending the past year and a half. That would give her some away from us time and keep her with us a lot of the time to enjoy the last year we had together before "big kid" school starts.

In this town, you have to qualify based on need (money, disability, etc) for public pre-k. We didn't fit into any category, so free pre-k wasn't an option. Then my next option was religious schools, namely those of my own denomination. My church was too expensive as were a few others I checked. I considered trying for my own church's school anyway and did fill out all the paperwork but was wait listed due to missing deadlines. I had no idea these things happened in JANUARY! I was too pregnant to have a properly functioning brain and stand by that excuse!

I did get a call from them to bring her in for testing but it was scheduled for the day she had an emergency dental procedure (that was a last minute decision right before my due date). I called the lady to reschedule that morning and she said she would call me back. I nursed my daughter back from her surgery and then popped out another kid. After a few weeks I realized that I never got a call back and that window was probably closed. I didn't mourn too much since I knew I couldn't afford it and probably wouldn't qualify for scholarships.

My other option was a phone call I had made to a place called The Acorn: A School for Young Children. By calling, I was put on their list and went ahead and did the tour in May (with one month old infant in tow). It looked like a wonderful place, but being on the wait list meant taking whatever opening came up--if indeed any did come up. Based on the fact that the tour was full of preggies, shopping around for schools for their unborn children, I felt a *tiny* bit late in the process.

One grandma was there for her one year old grandson. Her darn daughter was dragging her feet in getting her baby a spot secured in the school (a tour is mandatory and held only twice a year), so she went herself to get the process underway. I was looking for a spot THIS YEAR and just got put on the list. I wasn't holding my breath.

Good thing I didn't because I got the call yesterday, a full three months later. A spot in the lesser preferred five day a week class opened up. I was not first on the list, and because they balance classes (boys/girls/ages), there were a few other four year old girls in line ahead of my own. I was "lucky"!

More days per week = more money. And of course, the days are half days. It is a morning spot, so she would be gone early until 11:30 a.m. The good thing is that her sister is guaranteed a spot when she is old enough (3 years) and that I can keep Elena there for Kinder should I wish to do that. I do wish (if we can afford it) since its a tiny place and mommy isn't ready to put her kid into a big bad public school with big kids!

So after considering it, I decided to take the spot and went down there today to leave a nice chunk of change down to hold her place. More due in August and more due in September (and ever month after that in regular tuition payments). I had both girls in tow and I felt good about the decision, which made writing the check slightly easier.

Elena got to meet her teachers and take a tour of the place and she was in LOVE with it. She didn't want to come home with me after seeing the kids at play (in the summer program they have which ends today). She tells me, "Mom! I didn't know there were so many kids in this town!" :)

Yes, little one, there are many things you do not know. (She would never admit this because she thinks she knows EVERYTHING.) BUT that is why she is starting school. She has a lot to learn!

The early childhood classes of yesteryear were different. Children who are disadvantaged (Second language learners, physical/mental disabilities, etc) are believed to be the ones who need "early intervention" or a "head start". Children who come from poor families are often thought to need the help as well.

While my daughter doesn't fall into this category, she does fit into the new think when it comes to early starts in school. She is intelligent, social and some might say (and have said) gifted. She has had a large vocabulary for a couple of years now and does not need to have the playing field leveled before kindergarten. What she does need is stimulation and enriching learning experiences. She needs to play in a structured environment and be ready to settle down when the serious learning (writing, reading, etc) begins in school.

She also might get something I never got--a leg up. I was always thought of as gifted as a child and I went to gifted schools but was never really challenged. I was bored and without breaking a sweat, got very comfy in my place and didn't think it was worth it to push myself. Why should I? It was fun to coast. I got the good grades and had fun because I didn't have to try as hard as others did.

Once I got to college, I realized something I never knew. I wasn't really *that* smart. I mean, I was, but I wasn't as exposed to things as others had been. I wasn't confident when I compared myself to the other people around me and it hurt me greatly in how things played out in the years that followed.

The students I met in college were nurtured from early ages, read earlier than I did, and read far more authors than I ever knew existed. I read what was required, and nothing beyond that. These students went to summer programs and camps and were learning all the time. I was home with siblings, helping my mom with the house and my younger brothers during summers. We played outside, got really tanned and watched too much television.

I am hoping I can create an eager lover of learning in my daughter. I want to give her many opportunities to learn, but also to be comfortable around the different people who are more "privileged" than she is. She won't be able to do all the camps and won't go to swanky private schools, but she can do what we can afford to do here and there to benefit her.

This is one small thing. (Well...maybe NOT so $mall.) It is one, possibly two years in a very small school with one teacher for every five children. The place is nurturing and fun and I have no doubt she will thrive there. I won't be able to take breaks between classes (I teach), will have to spend a lot more time grading, and we will have to tighten our belts (super snugly), but I think its a good cause and I hope in the long run, it benefits her.

I am hoping she feels comfortable and confident in every situation she faces going forward. She already has the great confidence that goes with "knowing everything" and being a four-year-old. She has a very nurturing home life that has made her feel safe and strong. Hopefully, things continue on this path so that she ends up a stronger woman than I thought I was! :)

Week Six

2009-07-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

I say it too often, I know, but wow time zooms by!

I'm 2/3rds of the way through the courses I am teaching and I am ready for them to be over. I get sick of some of the personalities I deal with. It can be quite frustrating!

I keep being offered newer courses that I haven't taught since they were revamped (earlier this year) and I sent a message to one of the schedulers hoping to be offered more of the same (what I am teaching now). I hope she takes pity on me! I really want to not have to revamp things and spend more time on grading and posting to a new course, especially since I am trying to increase my course load!

Thankfully, I am employed (however part time it may be) and I hope it stays that way!

This month I am just biting my nails and waiting to find out if Elena gets into preschool or not. If she doesn't it isn't the end of the world as I don't have the money to really pay for it. It would be good, however, and I would struggle to make it happen because I need her to have something to do to allow me time to teach more courses! It is also a great place and I know she would benefit from attending. I still feel awful about having missed deadlines and not having a slot waiting for her come September. :( Mama dropped the ball!

At least when it comes to Elena, I should be okay! I have about four years to get my act together!;)

Maybe I have posted about this stuff before. WHO KNOWS! I have a bad memory these days!

Leni starts ballet/tap classes Tuesday (once a week) and she is SOOO excited about it! She did a free class last week and LOVED it (her words). Very glad to get her into something cuz she is stuck with me most of the while and tiring of it for certain! :)

Have a great week! Half way to Christmas! ;)

Week Two--DREADED assignment :(

2009-06-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

I am still here :) Grading bad PowerPoints as we speak. But that is not the worst of it!

This week is the week in which students pick their topic (from a list provided by the school--not me) for their final project. It is something he/she will have to live with until the end of the course and hopefully build a great philosophy project around. It is a question which they explore and research theories about in order to build their own answer (build upon the ideas of the greats of course).

Unfortunately, too many students DO NOT DO THIS. They pick a topic they feel they know ALL about and proceed to "preach" (literally) to me in their OVERLY personalized pieces without citing any sources. CHECK THAT! They actually include one citation if I am lucky. To guess what?

THE BIBLE.

I know I know. It is a source of infinite knowledge and wisdom and....well...sorry to say, blah blah blah. THIS IS NOT a Bible study course. This is not a Christianity course. It is not even a world religions course. It is a PHILOSOPHY COURSE in which they should be demonstrating their new found knowledge on the topic of...you guessed it! PHILOSOPHY.

I dread this topic-picking assignment because most students pick the hardest topic to do and never do it justice. There are so many interesting topics, but too many students feel "oh, I know ALL ABOUT THIS" and then fail to recognize the purpose of the assignment---or the numerous, VERY visible and spelled-out, REQUIREMENTS.

I get that many are very good Christians who feel compelled to share this knowledge with me or anyone else, but when did school become the place for that? When did requirements become optional? When did students start writing EVERYTHING in first person and talking to me like a buddy they are emailing? Since when did "research" become reciting memorized passages from the bible to back up your own ideas?

This is tough for me in some ways because I GET where they are coming from (in their personal lives and experiences and their obvious conviction for their religion), but I am also an educator. I am there to do a job and disregard for MY purpose and clear instructions PISSES ME OFF!

I bitch about this every time I teach these courses and my husband gets an earful, so I thought I would take my annoyance elsewhere for a change!

There. I feel better. :)

Good news and bad news

2009-06-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness I survived week one! I now only have nine more weeks of grading for this course! :)

I got offered two more classes that overlap with these and I don't think I can handle it. I love the idea of the extra cash, but it is HARD staying on top of grading.

It is one minute to midnight here and I am ready for the week with one hour to spare. It took a LONG time to get things ready between eating meals, going to church, feeding my milk loving baby and trying to talk her out of her screaming fit earlier. UGH it was a loud, long evening!

I have managed to survive the first week without falling behind. Good news is that I did it. Bad news is that week one is always the easiest week! I have high hopes that I can balance things and keep moving forward this way!

The other bad news is that I have time for little else. I think of the fun summer things I want to fit it and it is hard when the majority of my work falls on the weekend. It is hard to squeeze family stuff in when Saturdays and Sundays have to be set aside for working. I have grading to get done and the week of posts to prepare but also, this is the best time for working since hubby is around to watch the kids while I work! I do work during the week, but because of due dates and when our week begins (Monday), the weekend is the best time for working!

I knew this was coming and I just hope that we are still able to fit in some fun stuff along the way, either during a really slow weekend or after these classes end. It all depends on if I get a break before starting new courses or if I overlap the next set with these.

The other good news that my little girl is changing! She really is starting to come into her own in the looks department and it is facinating to watch! :)

MORE bad news is that my eldest is making life hard sometimes. She wants to go run and do constantly and with classes and an infant in tow she is HATING how things are slowing down. Things cost money too and she is oblivious to that. "Just go to the bank" she tells me. IF ONLY it were that easy! It must be great being four!

She doesn't think it is so great though. She is in a rough spot being that she thinks she is a teen most days. She knows what she wants to wear (regardless of the weather, if its clean, if it fits, etc) and I don't know anything. She knows what she wants to do, and again, I know nothing! :( It sucks being so stupid! ;)

I look into my little one's innocent face and wonder if I am in for more of the same or if she will be dramatically different. Don't think I can handle TWO divas!

I am tired so no more news for now. Look for pics on the other blog! About to put some up!

Hi-ho, Hi-ho...Off to Work I Go (errr...STAY)!

2009-06-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

BLAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay I love what I do, but honestly, doing it NOW is the furthest thing from my mind. I do NOT feel like dealing with the grading and stress right now when I have so much else going on. DANG ECONOMY is not leaving me much of a choice though.

I start work next week and I am dreading it.

The worst part is that I do not have a regular job where you drive there, work there, then leave it there. I work AT HOME and never get to leave it. I have to fit it in between feedings, diaper changes, play dates and trips to the grocery store or park and naps! It is hard to get the work done, especially when I am not good at keeping my comments to students brief. I need to work on that and keep saying I will, but it is so hard when the classroom is a virtual space.

The best part is that this job allows me to avoid day cares or babysitters. I am with my children 24/7 and I realize how blessed that makes me.

There is no such thing as a free lunch though, so it is a huge sacrifice and a blessing all in one!

The things we do for money! :(

Porkulosis ...or the Other White Flu

2009-05-01T07:17:00.000-07:00

LOVE those two alternative names suggested on CNN for what is now known as Swine Flu. They have tried to rename it, more seriously, as N1H1 but that lacks something and doesn't really roll off the tongue.

It seems this flu strain is basically the same as regular flu--as it occurs in humans thus far here in the United States. I have never had either, so I don't know I'd know if either hit me, but the first cases in the states were found here in good ol' Tejas. As a matter of fact, they were found just miles from where I live.

Initially, I was quite frightened about this, expecting it to spread more quickly and to take lives as it has in Mexico. Thank god that has not been the case, and hopefully it will continue to not be the case. With a newborn (or with a child, period), the idea of an epidemic is more frightening that it might have been otherwise. THANKFULLY it is appearing that the hype was uncalled for.

So people are now back lashing against the media. They are causing panic and hysteria. They are covering it TOO closely and TOO much. Honestly? Has anyone stopped to think that this very media coverage is what has kept keep a pandemic at bay? Knowing that there is "something" out there and that it can be deadly has probably led many to wash appropriately and change their habits accordingly to keep the disease from spreading.

People are now doing what they should have been doing all along--Washing their hands and being attentive to their symptoms. People are probably not ignoring the sniffles, sore joints, coughing and other issues that they might have ignored before. THIS IS A GOOD THING!

Perhaps the spread of Porkulosis has been kept to a minimum DUE to the media's coverage. I believe that the spread of REGULAR flu has probably also tapered. THIS IS ALL very positive and I think we should thank the media instead of vilifying them for it.

MUCHAS GRACIAS from this mom who really doesn't think she could have taken the stress of a quickly spreading, deadly, mutating virus just yet. Let me rest up for a few weeks and get back into fighting shape before we go there mother nature!! ;)

My Two Girls

2009-04-23T15:08:00.000-07:00

Introducing the newest addition to the family! Emilia! She is already getting close to being a whole MONTH old!!!! It has been a very busy time here at the house with not a lot of sleep being had and MANY diapers being changed. I have enjoyed most of it, but the best news is that Elena ADORES her sibling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How could you NOT love that face??? ;)

And I had to post this picture of my daughter attempting to dress herself. She has some risk-taker in her when it comes to fashion huh? Reminds me of early Madonna. Everything old is always new again at some point, huh? :)

Nothing else is really going on here. I am consumed with the kiddos for now and debating when to start up classes again. I miss the spending cash which helped us make ends meet more easily, but I do NOT look forward to grading papers in a sleep deprived state! I guess I will wait a bit longer!!!

Temps are starting to go pretty high here. As high as 90s so far! And it is only APRIL! :( FUN TIMES ahead!!!!

More to come soon!

Taking a "Hike" :)

2009-03-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

Packed and Ready to go!

Yesterday, my daughter spent the afternoon packing her backpack for a "hike" in the local park. I was up for the much needed exercise, and I want her to get to do more before this baby changes her life, so we went as a family after her father came home from work (and after eating dinner of course)!

In her backpack, there was a box for putting found objects into and a water bottle for me and a juice drink for her. She also brought band aids in case anyone got hurt. (In her last visit she got a bad splinter and we had to leave to tend to it since it was bleeding pretty good. She didn't want to have to leave again I guess? She packed two band aids per person, and one band aid for her in utero little sis.)

We "hiked" through the "forest" looking for "clues". This was her game and she came home with a few rocks and odds and ends she picked up while we walked around. After she got tired of walking, she hit the slide and climbed on the equipment at the park. It was a good time!

Afterwards, we hit the grocery store and walked a few laps around there too. VERY tiring day for me! :) Pic of me on the hike on my other blog.

Enjoy the photos!

Home alone and sweaty :(

2009-03-08T22:31:00.001-07:00

Baby girl is much better now and eating all the normal foods. SO that excitement is over. THANK GOD. I don't need any more excitement (or expenditures) at the present time!

We are home alone tonight. Dear hubby is gone for today and tomorrow and back around midnight before he sleeps then goes to work on Tuesday. He is out of town for a work opportunity that I hope pans out locally. They hire around the country, including here. I can't go into more details now and I don't know a TON more about the position except that its in his field and supposedly a great position! We shall see if anything comes of this. I hope it isn't a waste of time.

I was terribly nervous about him leaving this far into a pregnancy, but he assured me that since it was one night only, NOTHING would happen. I feel pretty good about nothing happening (like labor) but I feel like you NEVER can be TOO SURE! Thankfully my parents were around to help out and distract us some today. I was sadder than I expected when he left this afternoon.

Daughter and I are sleeping downstairs because, of course, now that the weather is heating up, the a/c has gone kaput. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? It was in the 80s today and we had NO Air conditioning. It is in the 70s over night and we are STILL without air conditioning. I called early this morning and they assured me that someone would try to be here tomorrow if they could schedule the a/c guy to come. I HOPE TO GOD he comes because one more night of this...and I don't know what I'll do! I hate sleeping in heat and I hate sweating and pregnant women are small ovens to begin with! WITH THE A/C blaring I complain, so without it, I am a pretty miserable being!

Hopefully, Monday goes by quickly and midnight and my husband arrive safely and into a cool comfy abode! :)

whew

2009-02-27T14:06:00.000-08:00

She made it through just fine. There was more than enough drama and panic for me but she is good and relatively pain free. She is a bit sore but eating okay and relatively happy. She is highly irritable and whiny, but I guess that is not the worst it could be. HATED to put her under, but she got all her dental work done.

There were some surprises in the x-rays so it was a little more than we expected that got done, but its over.

Now to pay the bill. DOH!!

Quick Update...Prayers please

2009-02-26T18:21:00.000-08:00

Leni is going to get the procedure tomororw. Just turns out they hda an opening and the anesthesiologist only comes in every six weeks. It was do it now or wait six weeks and risk her getting worse and experiencing more pain AND having to juggle this and an infant. Figured now was a better deal.

Pray for her tomorrow morning (Friday).

Dentists and orthodotia for the little one

2009-02-24T16:03:00.000-08:00

I don't even believe that this is happening.

Apparently in the very recent past, my daughter's teeth have gone to SHIT. I am NOT exaggerating. We went to see our new pediatric dentist who is awesome today, but the news was all all all all all bad! :(

We found out she has quite a few cavities. He said her teeth were clean and well taken care of, but extremely SOFT and susceptible to cavities. She has more cavities in her mouth NOW than I have ever had in my entire life. I had NONE on my baby teeth and a handful on my "big" teeth during my entire adulthood! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

I'm devastated because teeth are so important and knowing she'll have to endure some pain in the very near future just kills me.

We have an appointment Thursday to see the recommended kid orthodontist (I had no idea they existed) and get an estimate about what it will take to handle the situation. The dentist (who came highly recommended, and I see why now) HIGHLY recommended this orthodontist. The problem is, he's not in network! This means this might get really expensive.

We are looking at possible extractions of one to two teeth, a possible crown and quite a few fillings. It cannot happen in one session unless they use anesthesia which I am NOT thrilled about.

This particular ortho has an anesthesiologist come into his office while others have you go to the hospital for the procedure. Things are complicated by the fact that she is too light for some of the medicines they would usually use for numbing. :( My little light weight. :(

What a sad morning it was for me. With only one month before the baby arrives and lena with a couple of very bad teeth, we have to move QUITE quickly. I hope it all falls into place and we can do it. I hope we can afford it too! A PAYMENT PLAN is hopefully in my future!!

V-day weekend

2009-02-16T13:08:00.000-08:00

What a great weekend it was! You know its rare to have a weekend when you don't feel anything was a disappointment. Usually you spend more time doing something work related or busy with to-do lists or just never get around to doing the things you need to get done. Sometimes you don't spend enough quality family time with loved ones or feel short changed because time flies so quickly. This was not one of those weekends.

Somehow, we managed to jam so much into it that needed to get done plus spend a ton of time having fun. There were happy surprises and a good time seemed to be had by all.

Elena got to go to her first "big kid" party at hubby's friend's house. It was very different from the little kid parties we have been to, but it was a good time. I got to meet the friend from work and his family and that was nice. We got along well and had a good time at the birthday party.

We also got to visit friends we hadn't seen in a long time. That was a nice thing to finally get around to too. They moved out of town and were in for the weekend, so it was great to reconnect.

Of course, it was Valentine's Day weekend as well. This went surprisingly well. My husband, who tries but struggles with romance, has never been great with these kinds of things. He tries, like i said before, but isn't always good at making me feel loved. This weekend was much different and it was a great change of pace!

I got flowers, delicious chocolate truffles (milk/white combo), Necco Sweethearts (my favorite candy for this holiday) and a very sweet card. It wasn't so much about the gifts as it was the sentiment and the words all weekend. I felt like he was trying to make me feel special and loved, and that is something I appreciate so much!

Busy weekends can be stressful, but this one was productive and enjoyable! It is good to have a great weekend from time to time! I was overdue!!!

Ouchie!!!

2009-02-09T09:45:00.000-08:00

I don't know if a filling came out or what but OUCH my mouth hurts! Quite suddenly too! Saturday morning I brushed my teeth and got a real SHOCK--literally! :(

I have an appointment for Wednesday with the old dentist I used to see when I lived here, but no idea if he takes my insurance. Of course, my husband has the most obscure insurance that most people have never heard of. The regular billing person wasn't there so I have to wait for a call back tomorrow to find out if my insurance is accepted. I CERTAINLY HOPE so!

I didn't want to see a dentist at all while pregnant and I definitely don't want to see a new one! I hate seeing new doctors, especially for something important--or painful! :(

Wish me luck!!!

February begins.

2009-02-04T07:39:00.000-08:00

I will be honest. I haven't posted because I LOVE THOSE PICTURES of my baby and hate to push them down! :) LOL I'm a nut, but once I had them all assembled, I just enjoyed looking at them so much!

We had her school party last week which went well and then her party here at home this past weekend. It was her birthday for a week and she's bummed that it ended, but she had a GREAT time! She got such great gifts including the kitchen we got her which she is in LOVE with. I'm so glad her last birthday as an "only child" was a good and memorable one! :)

Birthday Time!

2009-01-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

My girl is about to turn FOUR! Time certainly flies!

She went from this:

To this!

She's a big girl now!!!! And soon to be a big sister! :)

The Bush Family has left the building

2009-01-20T10:41:00.000-08:00

It looks like we have a new president. The emotion and significance of the day is not lost on me, but I have a bit of inauguration fatigue. It has been covered on some of my favorite channels (news stations) non stop for SOOO LONG that I am glad things *should* hopefully be winding down soon.

I know today and tomorrow and maybe even the week are lost causes, but hopefully, soon, people will start to realize that other things happen in the world that are of significance.

YES this is huge. YES this is historic. BUT do we need to watch every step he takes every day and every breath he takes? Need we watch his kids go to school every day and know what his wife is wearing daily? I think not.

Let us get on to the business of fixing the sorry state of the country.....and fast! I don't expect miracles from him, however. I know some are certain he will "fix" everything with a quickness, but that is very unlikely to happen. I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed to learn that Obama is merely mortal. He will make mistakes and he won't be as liberal and "anti-establishment" as so many thought. In the past weeks we've already seen some evidence of this.

Some progress for our country is all I ask for and hopefully I won't be disappointed.

Idiocy SURROUNDS us ALL! :(

2009-01-08T13:48:00.000-08:00

Who the hell

are these

idiots?

In the first story we have an idiot who left her kid in the car. THANK GOD everything turned out well, but this summer, I read about similar stories every week. Here in Texas, this is often a fatal error. What is so important that you have to run in to buy while your kid sleeps in the car? Imagine the terror that kid experienced, waking to find herself ALONE in the stopped car without her mother? Stupid woman.

The second link takes you to a story I found today about a man who is trying to get payment, or his kidney back, from his soon-to-be ex-wife. He is going through what sounds like a bitter divorce and is changing his mind about saving a fellow human being--for free. He is a surgeon himself, which means he is very likely not hurting for cash, but he nonetheless is looking for over a million dollars in exchange for his wife keeping the kidney he willingly gave her.

What is really stupid, is that he is supposedly a HEALER! What will people think of him now? I would never let someone like this cut me open! God forbid he be in a bad mood that day! What a jerk!

Then we have the grand prize winner for idiot of the week. The mom who takes her infant into a bar and proceeds to get drunk. Runners-up include the bar employees and patrons who sat and watched as this unfolded and allowed her to drink as much as she did! I mean most bars don't allow children. This one allowed an infant to remain there while the caretaker got loaded? HUH?

Why are there so many imbeciles on this planet? And...Why do they keep procreating?

Too many cookies later....

2009-01-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

I am back! We had a good enough Christmas and a better New Year. I imagine its best to get things off on the right foot, so 2008 is over and I should focus on the upcoming year. There are lots of things that will follow me into the near year, but I can only hope and pray that things get better and that 2009 will be a huge improvement over the last year.

I hope everyone else had a great holiday. It is back to the grind for most people in just a few short days. I keep forgetting, but I too have work to tend to as my break ends and classes restart on Monday! Egad! I really had forgotten! :( I am wishing I had not accepted this upcoming set of courses, but I really would like another pay check before the baby comes!

Here we are at the start of the year. I hope we look the same (with big smiles on our faces) by the year's end! ;)

More to come soon!

Merry Merry Merry Christmas...and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2008-12-24T10:39:00.000-08:00

2008 is coming to an abrupt ending. It seems to have come even faster this year. I imagine that is part of getting older, since it seems to be a trend!

I hope that everyone is spending their last days of the year with loved ones and enjoying a blessed and happy holiday!

Elena is sick so we are in a boogary tissue-covered wasteland right now, but we are tracking Santa on NORAD and she's PSYCHED about possibly getting her scooter tomorrow. She is certain its coming because she was SOOOOO "Good" this year (cough cough ehem..NOT..cough cough). Lucky for her its bought and will be under the tree despite her pain-in-the-ass tendencies! ;)

The year has been a mixed one with some high highs and some low lows. Thankfully, a new year is right around the corner, and I am hoping for a better 2009. A baby will join the family within only a few months, and that is always good happy news. I am looking forward to it!

Despite the economy, we are doing well enough to not want for anything and to have a Merry Christmas. We are blessed!

I hope you and yours enjoy a great time over the holidays! Know you are loved and that you are thought of often! Very few cards went out from me this year and they were sent LATE! Hopefully, everyone in my life knows that I love them and that Christmas came a bit too fast for me this year! :)

***HUGS***

Back to my cookie making! We are making blossoms (topped with a Hershey kiss), chocolate peanut butter cookies, and regular chocolate chip. Tonight Elena will make a small batch of sugar cookies JUST for Santa. He said only special people leave those for him. She wants to leave Chocolate chip ones and wants to leave enough for the elves and reindeer and Mrs. Clause. That is a whole lotta cookies!

Mine don't look like these, but these sure look good! I wish I had the patience to make cute ones like these!

Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo! :)

2008-12-18T13:02:00.000-08:00

It is that time again! Christmas is upon us and before we know it, we'll be chiming in a new year! Where does the time go?

Not too long after the new year, my little girl will be turning FOUR! Insane, huh?

She went to visit Santa today and asked for her one gift. She said she only wanted ONE thing, so that should be fine. Those are her words. I'm assuming she's thinking since its ONE thing, she'll be certain to receive it! :) She wants a pink scooter! "Santa" needs to get in gear and purchase said scooter, but at any rate, everyone knows now and its officially her request.

She wanted one other thing she asked me about. I asked her why she didn't tell Santa about her other request. And she said, "He only makes TOYS, mom!" Her other request: Candy! YES she is my daughter! ;)

Here is her picture!

I was excited that they got the money shot in ONE take! :) She was just so genuinely happy and excited and she was very huggy with him. So the picture was really a natural easy shot.

This is an exciting year because its her FIRST year where she COMPLETELY gets it all. She knows who Santa is and his role in things. She knows when the gifts appear and how. She knows she has to behave herself and she knows that Christmas is really Jesus' birthday.

She saw the Grinch cartoon and asked me, "Mom why are they happy with no Christmas?" And I explained to her that it isn't just about gifts. The real Christmas is about being happy that Jesus was born. She got it quite easily and loved the cartoon.

You get to be happy for the birth of Christ AND HAVE GIFTS!!! YES!!! Does it get any better? :)

I hope you are enjoying the countdown to Christmas! This year there are no holiday cards from my house and very few gifts just because time is running out too fast! I miss all the fuss I usually make over the holidays, but so long as my little girl is okay and I know she'll have a good Christmas, then I'm okay.

This year put a lot of things in perspective for me and continues to. I love to give give give but I scaled back this year because time just escaped me. I have my job, a residence close to home and family, my healthy and intelligent child, my own health and a sweet child growing within my belly...I am not sure it gets much better than that! ;)

Finally moving day...again.

2008-12-03T18:31:00.000-08:00

So we found a place. We will move in this weekend. Starting friday we'll move a few loads in our vehicles and we are renting a truck for saturday. My brothers are helping so hopefully we'll be done by Sunday! I really want to get through this quickly so we can set up the tree and just get settled before the holiday! :)

This place is a duplex, so its a lot of space. It is very close to the cafe I used to go to a lot, so I'll be going there more it seems. There was no fridge, and we required one, so the owners bought one and its being delivered tomorrow. I have to go with lena after we pick up the keys and wait for it to be delivered.

It will be an incredibly busy weekend, but I'm looking forward to being closer to things, since being at my parents means being SO FAR from most things--including dh's job and dd's school. A LOT less time in the car is a very good thing!

Wish us luck! I hope we'll be there for a little while and not have to move again for a while!

Been Busy!

2008-11-18T15:19:00.000-08:00

Seems life gets in the way sometimes! It can't always be pleasant and it hasn't been really lately. But what can you do but deal with it? So you do!

But I had to post a couple of pics of my honey. My girl went to have her FIRST "pedi" (nail painting) last week. I am trying to motivate her to quit sucking her fingers! It is hard because she does it at night, but she's trying to cut back so this was her reward. I want her to get her finger nails done, but she cannot until she quits sucking those fingers! :)

This is another photo of her at her dad's softball game on a surprisingly cool evening here in TX! This was about a week ago too.

Aside from that, dinner is cooking and I'm behind in my grading! LIFE is what it is! :) Hopefully in another couple of weeks we'll be relocated and settled in well before the holidays! Looking at places now and hoping we get a decent deal somewhere. I want to get into the holiday spirit soon but feel like I cannot until we are parked somewhere less temporary!

Have a great week! :)

Furry Faced Kiddo! :)

2008-11-03T16:17:00.000-08:00

Halloween came and went and its NOVEMBER NOW! Insanity! Time is flying!

And i haven't posted pics of my little girl in a while I think. Here she is a few days before Halloween, dressed up for her school party.

And here she is on Halloween night, trick or treating in a friend's neighborhood:

It was a fun night, even though the costume was a bit snug and warm (in Texas, anyway). This was the first year that she was really INTO the festivities so it made it so much fun for the whole family.

And she insisted on a dog costume, btw. That was not my idea. I couldn't find any other ones although I looked and was willing to pay quite a lot! She had her heart set on it, so I finally ended up letting her wear this one that was a bit snug! :)

She had a great time, despite the fact that there were MANY scrooges in the area with their porch lights off! :( She got tired after walking so much to hit five houses and wanted to go back to play with her friend and hand out candy. That is my girl...all about the socializing!!! :)

Simple Equation to Yumminess

2008-10-27T16:14:00.000-07:00

Heard of Frito pie?

I had no idea it was a regional treat, but apparently it is. Some say its white trashish, and others think its plain disgusting. I haven't enjoyed the treat since junior high or high school, but I know in 8th grade I had it almost every day for a year straight and somehow didn't wear out my esophagus. I lived to tell about it and am looking forward to indulging in one tonight!

Simply put, Frito pie is a mix of foods that probably shouldn't be combined. It can reek havoc on your digestive system, and probably shouldn't be eaten by people over 20. That said, I have heartburn meds ready to and am looking forward to dinner tonight! :)

Back in junior high, they took a small back and split it down the side, opening it like a bowl. They poured in a ladle of chili and topped with some cheese and VIOLA! LUNCH! This was accompanied with a fake orange drink that doubled the acidic punch of this meal and delighted my taste buds. All of this for a dollar sixty-five. YUM!

I only hope that things like this aren't sold in the schools my children attend when they are older. THE HORROR...and the delight! :)

A sticker and a lolli and all is well with the World! :)

2008-10-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

How I wish that life REALLY worked so easily! It does for little ones. Mine is almost four. She has her birthday in January. Life is relatively simple for her at this stage. She gets in trouble when she disobeys and gets treats when she's good. She has very few responsibilities and not a care in the world aside from where her favorite lovey might be found.

Today was the first time I took her in for a shot after talking to her about it at length. She knew that she was going in for a flu shot because everyone in the family was. Daddy goes later this week and mommy goes next week (all different doctors) and her appointment was today. She was frightened and really tried to talk me out of it, but I insisted and explained why.

Its one of the very important "big sister" responsibilities she had. We all share the same responsibility. We have to stay healthy. If one of us gets sick, the chances of mama and baby getting sick are quite high. Baby is not as strong as we are, so we have to try hard not to get sick. She got it, but was NOT happy about it.

So she knew it was coming and I'm not sure if it made it easier or harder for her. She seemed fine until the needle came out. she didn't cry until it went in, but I had a hard time getting her distracted because she wouldn't stop STARING at the needle. She was anticipating it and I think that made it much more painful. She proceeded to cry quite a lot and loudly.

Then when we left the exam room, she picked out her sticker and her lollipop, barely whimpering by this time. In the elevator, she complained to me that it hurt a lot and that she needed to be carried. I tried, but that didn't last long. So, she hobbled along until we made it to the car. Once inside, she tore into her lolli and the whimpers stopped. Her eyes were still wet with tears, but she was all smiles.

Sugar does make the medicine go down...in the most delightful way! :) Mary Poppins sure knew her stuff!

There MUST be a screw missing...

2008-10-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

Because I just accepted MORE CLASSES! I have a pretty manageable schedule right now and I've been LOVING IT! The idea of teaching more classes and overlapping again is NOT something I relish, but the extra money is always nice to see. I haven't been paid in a long while! Because of the way these classes are spaced, however, I should be getting paid a few more times before the holidays. Always a good thing!

I was hoping that this year would be a nice calm one with less stress, but so far that hasn't been the case. When I have had fewer classes I've had connectability issues or really stressful people in the course with all these special circumstances. It has been aggravating.

And since the move, Josh goes to work later, which means he comes home later, so going out to work has become difficult to do. We are FAR from civilization now (exaggeration), and the places out this way close early. By the time I could get somewhere, I would have very little work time before needing to turn around and head home. Makes it not wroth the gas money back and forth!

The other new development is that I have a *hard* time staying awake! I used to be able to keep myself semi-alert until two a.m. if need be. These days? By 11 p.m. I'm zonked. I notice that I start making mistakes (ore more of them) on my feedbacks to students. Typos and other errors that just don't make me look good! (Thank god for spell check!)

So given my circumstances, I should not have taken on these additional four courses. I wanted to help out the scheduler who asked for help and needed someone to pick up classes starting monday, and I liked the idea of getting paid again before October is over! :)

I also want to get as much done as I can before the end of March (D-day as I like to think of it). After then, I won't be teaching much at all for at least a few months. If this kid is anything like the last one, and the experience is anything like the last one, I'll be "hung over" for a LONG time before I am back in a mental reality. Aside from that, with two kids, I'll no doubt be VERY busy--and tired--and irritable--and lots of other negative adjectives! ;)

Let's hope I didn't make a huge mistake and that I can swing these extra courses without the issues I've already discussed reappearing! I'd like something to go SMOOTHLY for a change! :)

We are finally IN

2008-10-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

We relocated over the last week and it has been HELL!

I haven't eaten well or slept much and I'm poopered out! I must have hurt one of my knees (or the back of my leg behind my knee) becaise its been killing me ALL DAY LONG! I'm hobbling along and just hoping it works it self out soon! Hate feeling this way!

I am behind with grading and would like to get to it but today was another busy day. I did do some of the really late stuff but need another few hours of uninterrupted work to get what I need to get done, done. I am hopeful that tomorrow I might get a few hours to work alone! We'll see!

We aren't MOVED IN, however as that would require there to be fewer boxes and crap all over the place in piles. We were so tired from doing things ourselves, things stayed where they were put and now we are scavenging boxes when we need things!

I'm fine with slow going since I cannot be lifting much on my own anyway. Maybe this and next weekend we'll get it all finished! *fingers xed*

Dayum!! That is GOOOD Cheesecake!

2008-09-24T19:09:00.000-07:00

This is da bomb!!!!

Today is Josh's bday and I ordered him a chocolate swirl cheesecake from Juniors because we haven't had one in years (literally). Oh. My. Goooooodness. It is SHEER JOY on a plate!

He loves cheesecake and this is one of his all time favorites. This was his cake and his present! :)

Worth paying the very high shipping rates!!!

I LOVE ME SOME BILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-09-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

And he's EVERYWHERE these days! I saw him on The View then on The Daily Show (below). BOTH were quite entertaining..and educational.

I have to say, I really wish more people talked *TO* us instead of at us. He put things into relatively simple terms that I could understand. (This was even more true, and detailed, in his longer visit on The View on Monday morning.)

It was refreshing, and informative! I have been confused about some aspects of the economic crap ongoing, but he really broke things down. I taped both to show my husband and he was thankful.

Maybe its just me (its not) but he is someone I listen to and trust. I hear and believe. He speaks and puts you at ease. He even makes you laugh! I am missing the good old days of those times. Those were really good, happy, peaceful and prosperous years. Good times!

Only seven years ago...

2008-09-11T21:08:00.000-07:00

and it feels like yesterday.

9/11 is a day most of us will never forget. Strangely, I usually have a pretty bad memory about things that happened a year or two ago and things that happened last week, but when it comes to this date in our nation's history, I remember it clearly.

I was World Trade bound, as I was every morning en route to my lower Manhattan job. It was a scary day and one that I think was blessed because I was no where near the tragedy when it struck. I was running late that morning. Thank God for that! A couple of minutes made a huge world of difference and put me far enough from the chaos that I was able to avoid watching things unfold and far enough when the towers came down.

I thank God when I remember that day because it could have happened much differently. The hardest part was being incommunicado with my husband that day and being unable to let him know I was okay. The next hardest part was walking 20 blocks in heels to a long wait standing in a line for a ferry that would take me off the island and back home to Jersey. My sacra fices that day were minuscule compared to the prices paid by others.

What an awful day.

Pray for those lost and remember to pray for the survivors and for those who are ill after spending days and weeks going through rubble for survivors. There are a lot of sick people who are dying after inhaling and being exposed to all the crap in the air that day.

Business as Usual!!!

2008-09-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

I really hate that Obama claims to be above it all then does something as OBVIOUS as his "lipstick on a pig" line. THEN, the reformer guy who is NOT playing political games, swears....it was misunderstood and completely innocuous.

ARE YOU SHITTING ME?

Be a freaking man and just OWN up to whatever you meant instead of pointing the finger BACK to the other side and saying THEY are playing games or THEY are reading into things.

Be a man and play the damn game by the existing rules in an open manner, but DO NOT dare to continue to pretend to be above the fray when you are in the thick of it and LOVING every minute of it. It is sickening to watch and makes it harder and harder to force myself to go pull the lever for you when I already don't like you.

I hate that you pretend to be something you are not and never have been. (Is it a coincidence that the last time he used the "common" remark was in reference to Hillary Clinton?)

I am not convinced that every attack on Palin is out-and-out sexism, as the right screams anytime anyone has *any* criticism of her. (This after saying Hillary needed to not use her gender and "get over it" if she couldn't hang with the big boys. Uhm...okay.) But a line like this really crosses the line and makes it appear as if Obama is a pig himself. Why give them fodder? Why not pick one of the million OTHER cliches he might have selected? After all, words MATTER, right B.O.?

YES you don't look like the other faces on the dollar bills. Appearances are misleading, however, and looks do not make the person. Because you don't look like the rich white folks running things for the past 200+ years doesn't make you better or any less LIKE them.

I guess B.O. won't be happy until he hands the Republicans plenty of ammunition for free! Maybe he wants to be a "come back kid" and wants to see his standing in the polls go down before the election?

With more idiotic moves like this, it won't be long before enough people see him for what he is and decide that the "worse" of two evils isn't always a Republican! Either that, or they will be so sickened by BOTH sides that they decide to stay home. The stay at home group seems to be growing with every day that passes!

Media Shake Down

2008-09-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

Thank GOD they finally came to their senses over at NBC! I used to love watching Tom Brokaw, and whilie I still enjoy watching him when he's on, the next gen of anchors have been unable to live up to his level of performance.

Throughout the primaries, I got mroe and more tired of the MSNBC goons and their unfair coverage. It was interesting at first to see a different side of coverage, but as it grew more and more liberal, I realized I was watching the left version of Fox and not "news" at all.

I was unable to watch them lately until I saw the clips of them self destructing. It seems that over the past two weeks, things finally came to a head and it was interesting to see how far they would let it go.

Apparntly not too far! NBC saw the light and decided to stir things up and make some big changes! GOOD FOR THEM!

MSNBC: Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews won't anchor politics
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Monday, September 8th 2008, 9:06 AM

MSNBC said Sunday it is replacing Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews as co-anchors of political night coverage with David Gregory, and will use the two newsmen as commentators.

This article gets interesting! Read the rest of it here! :)

First day of School....again.

2008-09-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

Today my girl started up Spanish school again and she did really well. I love that she comes out of class, shows me her projects, and calls them their names in Spanish instead of English. She's come a LONG way from when she started in spring! I'm glad she is still there...for now.

I am starting to think changes will be coming for us since the girl is changing so much lately. She's skipping her nap more and more often and that has really changed things around for me. It is a change I knew would come to us, but for some reason, I thought I had more time before naps became a thing of the past.

Today was a nap day because she had school, and after being out a few weeks, it tired her out. Thank goodness it did because mom needed a nap too! :)

Thinking of these changes just makes me realize she's growing up. The potty training was one thing. The yapping up a storm was another thing. This nap thing is hitting me harder than anything else, though. I just see her as a big kid more and more often and its hard to get used to!

Thankfully, we are a ways off of Kindergarten. She doesn't turn five early enough to start next year, so we get another year together before she's off to full day school. I am very glad for that extra time and I hope we can make it count!

A rare shopping spreeeeee!

2008-08-29T19:55:00.000-07:00

Today, I took advantage of some sales and coupons I had collected and went "back to school" shopping for my little girl. She's about to move from size 3T to 4T, so new clothes are in order. And what girl doesn't love fall clothes shopping? The styles are the best, with layers gallore and gorgeous colors! It was a rare treat for me since I've never really had the chance or the reason to do so before.

My girl grows slowly. Plus she's never had much need for tons of clothes. PLUS my mother buys her odds and ends here and there, so I pick up things when I see them or when we need them. I've never actually gone "clothes shopping" with the intention of buying her a whole new wardrobe. What fun it was!

We hit The Children's Place, JCPenney's and Gymboree. I got the biggest haul at Gymboree and it includes some really cute stuff, including this and this. The Children's Place had adorable skorts and she got a few of those. All we need now is some cold weather (chilly will do!) to hit South Texas.

I have a feeling we are in for a long wait.

The good news is that by the time it hits, these clothes will fit her better since the 4Ts run big at Gymboree! :)

Three stores, 120 bux later, I think my girl is ready to go. Mama got some good deals and I *never* had so much fun embracing the girly stuff my daughter loves.

I wish it was this fun shopping for me!!!!! :( lol

Your mind goes everywhere when you can't sleep...

2008-08-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

...and that is exactly what happened to me last night.

I was so tired, but my mind wouldn't shut off. This is a regular occurrence for me, but it never seems to be less frustrating.

My mind went in an interesting direction, however. For some reason, I was remembering one of my first New York interviews with an Internet company. It offered decent pay for writing content for a website. It ended up being between that position and another position with a small family owned educational publishing company and I chose the later.

The positions couldn't have been more different. They were both in Manhattan and the Internet position paid a bit more, but that is where the similarities ended.

The safe secure position is the one I took. It was a typical 9 to 5, unionized position that was predictable. The people there were a bit stuffy and quiet, but I was just coming off of many years of college and was hoping for something more simple and that would allow me free time to read things I'd like to read and spend time with my husband.

The position I turned down, was very unpredictable. I interviewed for it at a coffee shop and the offer came in quite late in the decision making process. They left me hanging quite a bit, which seemed to be how they were...a little less than organized. The dread-headed, well dressed guy who interviewed me told me that i could expect to work late nights and weekends quite often, especially as the site was about to launch. It was further up town than the other job which meant a longer commute alone, possibly at night. I also might not get to spend weekends with my husband. The idea of having to work late nights and weekends was not one I relished, but the idea that I might be part of something exciting was tempting. I was very interested in being in a young, fast-paced, high energy "Internet culture" work environment.

The job I did take couldn't have been less "high energy"! People there worked at a snail's pace and I resented it quite a bit. Many of them were older and "lifers" working their way up the union's pay scale with secure jobs that were safe and easy. I didn't even have Internet access for the first few months since only a handful of people had it there! Computers weren't networked and everything was done on paper there. It was a weird experience, especially being fresh from a college campus that was pretty tech-savvy.

My boss there was an interesting funny character, however, and I enjoyed the position as long as he was there. He interviewed me in a pair of jeans and an extremely wrinkled dress shirt. He was balding and shaved his head and was a short Jewish guy who didn't seem comfortable conducting the interview at all. He turned out to be a wonderful person to know and work for, however. Once he left, things took a downward spiral pretty quickly and I was bored. I started to teach night courses to do something that was more interesting and rewarding to me. In the end, I think that if I didn't take the editor position at the educational publishing company, I may have not found my way back to teaching.

A couple of years later, watching Oprah, I saw the same dread-headed guy who interviewed me for the web-editor position. Turns out he worked for HARPO Productions, evaluating technological gadgets and came onto the show to discuss them. OPRAH! Weird, huh?

I'll never know what would have happened had I taken the web editor job, but I have no doubt it would have changed quite a few aspects of my life. I know I am where I need to be so I don't have regrets. My choices have been made with a great deal of thought and usually based around what I thought was best for myself and my family. I think teaching has allowed me the flexibility I need to be a good mom. While I enjoy it, my favorite job is raising my daughter, something a faster-paced job wouldn't allow me to do! :)

He "agreed" ??? Was there any OPTION? Me thinks NOT!

2008-08-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

This just infuriates me. He could have said "NO"? That would have even been ALLOWED???? I would imagine chaos would ensue if HE were able to break with tradition and KEEP her name out of nomination. I am disgusted that this is what it came down to...him "agreeing" to let the process continue as it is meant to. HOW VERY BIG OF HIM!!! UGH I hate this guy! :(

Read more at CNN's Political Ticker: Clinton's name to be put in Nomination

He "always knew this would probably have to happen", the story says (emphasis mine). SO why so long for this announcment? Why not just set the record straght from the get go and let people rest assured that the Democratic party has not ENTIRELY lost its mind?

Finally made it to the gym...and RAMBLINGS :)

2008-08-13T18:01:00.001-07:00

MAN that took a lot of doing! :)

Thanks for the post regarding the cereals, Mrs.L. Unfortunately, we don't have those here. Those turbos look especially yummy. I've never heard of the brands and don't recognize the cereal on the box as being packaged as something else here. Curious about the amounts of different things (fiber, protein, carbs, etc) on each of them. I couldn't make the information out on the box, although I trid.

I have a few favorites too but most are really high in carbs. Most are packaged as healthy alternatives but seem to have higher carbs than even some of the sugary kinds.

Do you guys have Frosted Flakes (also with Tony the Tiger on the box)? I was talking to a friend today and remembering how that was all I had for breakfast most mornings growing up. Its a miracle that I survived without becoming diabetic or worse! :) I'm just a sugar addict, but I guess eating such large amounts of Frosted Flakes might be part of the reason for that, huh? :)

Curlz, your post about KK has had me thinking about it all week! I have yet to give in and don't know how the lot of you could do the "one bite" technique. It seems wrong to leave them sitting there and I know it would be a matter of time before I'd go back for MORE bites! :) I would probably never get a variety pack anyway, though, because I don't like things in my donuts. I like them plain or chocolate glazed.
Yummmmmmmmmmm *drool*

So back to the gym! I made it! I did a 30 minute cardio work out since that is mostly all I can do these days but I was glad i dragged myself there. I just hate walking over to pick up my daughter and seeing she's playing in the dark because the worker in the kids room is trying to watch a movie and has the lights off! WTF? I really hate the girls who run that room!!!! They irritate the heck outta me when they don't interact with the kids and shut the lights out! Sometimes I think they do it to subdue the kids into relaxing, but no suck luck with my kiddo. She was playing in the dark with the small stream of light coming in through the door way! :) That's my girl!!!!

On a completely unrelated note, is anyone watching the Olympics? Are those Chinese girls REALLY 16? Sure doesn't seem so to me! I don't understand how/why this wasn't investigated earlier and why it is okay to turn a blind eye to it? This is yet another reason why it sucks being in debt to China! We are walking on egg shells and afraid to offend anyone. However old those kids are, DANG! Freeking amazing! I guess at least we have swimming, huh? :)

How was that for a nice mix of topics today? LOL Here's hoping I can make it to the gym again tomorrow! *fingers xed*

Lipstick Fortune Telling

2008-08-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

Try THIS. It was actually right on point for me! Weird! :)

ENJOY!

The evils of Crocs and other annoying phenomena

2008-08-05T08:50:00.001-07:00

I had a good laugh this morning reading this article off MSN/Newsweek's website. It is called "Make. It. Stop." and is about Crocs. LMFAO! I have to say I agree with this guy wholeheartedly and have never understood this phenomena.

The day I knew things had gone too far, I was in a Chinese restaurant with my husband and child when another family walked in. The adults were middle aged and the children were young teens. The father was a scruffily bearded, rotund, tall man wearing tacky Hawaiian print shorts and a too tight white undershirt. He also was wearing pulled up white sports socks and a pair of neon green Crocs.

I was offended, deeply, by his "look". This look said, "I don't give a rat's ass anymore!" or "My wife bought me these so I'd stop walking around bare foot." He looked the type that just might try to go somewhere sans shoes. :)

I know people say they are comfortable, but come on. Comfort that doesn't match in the least and makes you look like a clown? WTH is that about? I'm all for comfort and had to wear prescribed, disgusting looking New Balance tennis shoes after hurting my foot two years ago. I hated them but I wore them, calling the shoes my "Frankenstein shoes". I still think those gross shoes were less offensive than Crocs!

This article also has some great links to funny sites. One is interesting and worth checking out called Stuff White People Like. Entries include, girls with bangs, Facebook, unpaid internships, sweaters, scarves, and playing children's games as adults! :) See yourself yet? LOL

It also links to a website called I Hate Crocs Dot Com, which is a blog stating, "We hate Crocs here. Why? Because they are to your eyes what secondhand smoke is to your lungs." Interesting way to put it, and spot on!

There are a few other interesting links here worth checking out. Including a piece about another offensive phenomena that I just don't get! They are called in this article, the accessory that truckers are going "nuts" for. Nuff said.

Then there is this post from super obnoxious guy at Best Page In the Universe. HIGHlarious! Some of it I do not agree with completely, but its still funny!

I hope you enjoy the reads!

Meaningless gesture # 48779948982

2008-08-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

Or: Playing it Safe 101

Okay. Since I need a reason to dislike this guy more than I already do (dripping sarcasm), this came out yesterday.

I won't even go into it all, but over at The Confluence, Riverdaughter did a great job of summing up my feelings in this piece.

When I saw this news hit the Internet yesterday, I thought, "Oh NOW he feels every vote should count! How gracious of him!" *insert gag sound here* Riverdaughter lists the many reasons why this is not a grand gesture of any sort. I'm not sure most people see through this, but I know those who are paying attention know its another shallow attempt to appease and to appear to be something he is not. Fair.

More on this can be viewed in the following trailer. This is the beginnings of what seems like it will be quite an impressive and interesting look into the primaries, up close and personal. It appears to be an examination of things here locally in Texas. It was an unholy mess and made it clear to participants that the Obama camp was out to win by any means necessary. The rules were out the door and intimidation and threats were used in their place. So sad.

This is going to be a must see so that people can see what really went on in our state, and in others with caucuses (overwhelmingly going to Obama, of course).

Enjoy!

Wow!!! I thought Canada was safe??

2008-07-31T09:20:00.001-07:00

I don't know why I have this image of Canada as completely different than here. I guess it still might be to some degree, but apparently its not as safe, benign and pristine as I imagined.

Read this:

Man Stabbed, Decapitated on Bus from Edmonton to Winnipeg

Was the guy snoring too loudly? Was his music offensive? Did the crazy guy next to him always travel with cutlery or did he board that bus determined to kill? Man...just when you think you are safe and only have body oder to worry about on a bus trip, something like this happens!

*******

They are saying that Clinton's being keynote speaker means she's not on the ticket. Did anyone REALLY think he'd pick her as a running mate? I knew he didn't have the balls to do something TRULY unselfish and good for the country as a whole (and especially the party).

Major NO BRAINER!

2008-07-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

July 30, 2008

Clinton to speak Tuesday at Democratic convention, sources say
Posted: 10:15 PM ET

From CNN White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux

(CNN) — Sen. Hillary Clinton has agreed to speak on the second night of next month's Democratic convention, headlining on the 88th anniversary of the day women earned the right to vote, sources say.

Two sources close to Clinton said the former presidential candidate will speak August 26 with all female U.S. senators on stage with her.

"Tuesday night is Hillary night," said one supporter.

That night is the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which gave women the right to vote.

************************* HAVE YOUR TISSUES OUT! What a PROUD happy moment this will be for WOMEN all over!!!!!******************************

Cute!

2008-07-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

I loved this and had to post it. No context. None needed!!!!

Have a great Monday night! :)

Definition of Terms

2008-07-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

The first definition listed in Dictionary.com defines "trust" (noun) as a "reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence." I don't think anyone could argue that definition. This meaning (for its noun or verb tense) is probably the most common meaning of the word, although there are quite a few more listed.

I find that trust is such a crucial part of relationships (of all levels), and when you are missing this element, other things easily start to fall apart. Where there is a lack of trust, there is doubt. Doubt is actually defined as "distrust". Its first definition, however, is "to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe."

So these words are not exact opposites although trust and distrust do seem to be in direct opposition to each other. I find that uncertainty and hesitation are less extreme in my mind than "distrust". Maybe I'm just playing semantics for my own self preservation.

I have lost trust recently and now have doubt. When you realize there is a reason to be uncertain, you begin to question other things from the past. You also aren't sure you believe the new information you get from the now questionable source. You reflect on the old and are slow to take any new information as truth. This puts you in a bad position. When you cannot have faith in someone, what do you have?

There isn't much you can have besides "the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best." You can have hope. I am trying to hold on to that.

Family movie day on Saturday

2008-07-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

We had a decent weekend here and celebrated our first family movie day in Texas. We hadn't been to see a movie as a family since moving from NJ until this past weekend. To celebrate, we took off to see Wall E. This is a good movie that did not disappoint. I read the review by Mrs. Loquacious a week or two ago and was worried she was over hyping it! While she does tend to get worked up on certain topics, exuberant even, she was right on about this one.

While watching Wall-E, we laughed and cried and laughed some more!

It isn't for those who were raised to love the loud, fast, and explosive ways of most movies of today, however. I found myself having to "get used to" the lack of dialogue, especially at the beginning of the movie. The first half or so seems to be relatively "quiet". While this was odd to me, it wasn't as bad as the Tom Hanks/talking volleyball movie. ;)

A little peice of tin/metal really does become loveable in this movie. He does look too much like Johnny Five, but he is so much his own chracter and such a willing participant in love. Seeing the concept of frienddship and love portrayed in a slightly differnt way was sweet and endearing.

My daughter who is three and a half thoroughly enjoyed the movie as well! She wouldn't stop talking about "Ev-uh" and "WallEeeee" and kept wanting to recreate scenes from the movie. My husband also enjoyed the flick!

The other really great thing about this movie were the coming attractions! I had never seen so many interesting and funny trailers that left me dying to see more kid flicks! The theme music for some was catchy (and I heard them over and over that evening courtesey of my little girl) and the characters from others were lovable and hilarious. I cannot wait for the next few months when we'll be seeing some really great kid movies come to the big screen. The timing couldn't be better as my daughter is at the perfect age/maturity level for enjoying the movies.

Here is hoping that the next movie day we have is just as enjoyable! :)

Will you be going to see Wall-E or other "kid" movies soon?

Interesting, que no?

2008-07-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

Fightin' Mad and on a mission!

2008-07-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

I know I'll sound schizo after yesterday's post, but I've been sent more information today that just fueled a fire that has been slow burning for a while now.

Okay. Here it goes.

WTF?

I have heard about this on countless websites (for weeks) but have NOT been hearing about it on the news. Granted, I'm slightly out of the loop in the past week, *this* is the kind of story that just goes against everything and screams "COVER ME!" I would have *had* to have seen it on CNN.com, but alas, I have not!

B.O. (or the DNC, or both) don't want Senator Clinton "on" the ballot come convention time in Denver. When has this ever been the case? Why is it acceptable to rewrite the rules *now*? If the story is false, where is Howard Dean? Why hasn't he come out to PUBLICALLY denounce them and let everyone know that *nothing* will be changed from standard procedure? I am sure it is true, since most of the no coverage negative Obama stories don't seem to get traction. Sad thing is, THEY ARE almost always TRUE!

THESE are the kinds of sinister little tricks that have me hopping mad with B.O. and his henchmen/women. I'm sick to death of the underhanded crap that has gone on for the entire primary and even now! He looks and talks the part but he is a cunning son of a gun and I DO NOT WANT HIM TO BE *MY* PRESIDENT!

It saddens me that its come to this. I really was hoping I could hold out and "learn" to like him, but I'm so beyond aggravated with the system and his slick playing of things. Its like the guy knows the ways of the Jedi! BO: "I *am* the best change for the country" Stadium full of obamabots: "You *are" the best change for the country..." Droool.

The good news follows:

Because of the latest shenanigans, groups have popped up, most notably, The Denver Group, which is making it their mission to inform the public and ensure that HRC is not only "on the ballot" but in nomination. (The difference of which I was not aware of until reading this post on their site.)

And now it seems that a movement has grown and now, superdelegates are taking notice. IT IS ABOUT DAMN TIME! Where the heck have their heads been (hint: It is dark there!) for the past many months?

*********************************************************
*Breaking* Obama SuperDs Switching to Hillary!

By TexasDarlincloseAuthor: TexasDarlin Name: Texas Darlin
Email: susanunpc@gmail.com
Site: http://texasdarlin.wordpress.com

Alegre at Alegre’s Corner breaks the story:

…There are unconfirmed reports based on phone banking efforts to reach out to Super D’s that 8 previously Obama SD’s, expressed that, given the opportunity, they would vote for Hillary at the convention.

Did you get that?

Superdelegates who have “declared” for Obama are now saying that they would vote for Hillary at the convention.

How many more disillusioned SuperDs are out there? ...

Read the rest here!
***********************************************

The light at the end of this tunnel is that people are awaking from their slumber. After that much beauty rest they should be drop dead gorgeous! I just hope it is not too late to stop this runaway train!

An important call worth making....

2008-07-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

Again, the only way for Dems to be CERTAIN to win, is to have an Obama/Clinton ticket. Without it, he is far too vulnerable to defeat.

With other VP candidates, he is bringing on unknowns and certainly much less experience and depth. He needs a strong compliment and a strong base to get the numbers needed. Alone, he is tied with McCain in popularity (as of this posting) and behind him in fundraising. After eight years of Bush, should McBush be this close to keeping the status quo by winning the White House?

Obama's courting of the middle has left many disillusioned about his dedication to the left and by his ease and comfort with flip-flopping. Because he is looking more and more political and less and less infallible, people are having second thoughts and buyer's remorse. YET, dems still want a ticket they can get behind.

There are 18 million people backing Clinton who would still love to see her on the ticket. With those 18 million votes, Obama cannot lose. If he does not pick her, I fear its the last nail in the coffin of his historic run.

DO ONE SMALL THING to help along an important cause. Below is a brief email from VOTEBOTH.com. Read it and make the call. I am after posting this. REGARDLESS of where you are or where you live, pick up the phone to help us put an end to the war and begin the process of healing and repairing the United States of America.

Thanks!
-C

VOTEBOTH.com:

We are down to the wire -- Senator Obama will pick his VP any day now. Your help is crucial to making the Dream Ticket a reality.

We are calling Senator Obama to tell him why we support him picking Hillary for VP. It is easy and quick -- We know because we just called.

Do you have time to make a quick call? When they answer the phone tell them who you are, where you are from and that you are a member of VoteBoth.com -- remember to stay positive and tell them the reasons that YOU support this ticket.

Call Senator Obama at 312-819-2008

When we called Obama's campaign, we told them that Hillary is exactly the candidate Sen. Obama is looking for:

* She’s experienced and a team player who would be a strong partner to help Senator Obama change Washington.
* Hillary is about as tough as they come, and she can help fight back against the Republican attack machine.
* Hillary brings key groups into Obama’s base, allowing him to concentrate on expanding the electoral map.

Feel free to use our notes as a guide while telling them why you support them running together.
If you don't get through the first time please try back again a little while later.

After you call, please take time to be counted by clicking HERE.

Talk to you soon--
Your friends at VoteBoth.com

There is only ONE way to Beat McCain!!!

2008-07-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

If B.O. wants to unite the dems and the country--and more importantly (to him), WIN the election--he *must* not settle for anything less than the very best. Anything short of creating the "dream ticket" is stupid and careless. This is too close of a race to leave it to speeches and spin.

Courtesy of VOTEBOTH.com:

Dear Friend,

The dream ticket needs your help TODAY.

Yesterday and today in New York City, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton came together for a series of fundraisers. Reports from these events show what we both know—the firepower of Senator Obama and Senator Clinton on stage, together, would blow away the Republicans and lead us toward a brighter future. Reporters are already writing about what they think of Hillary on the ticket, and we think they should hear what you and I have to say.

Take a moment and tell the media and thousands of readers in your area why you think Barack Obama should pick Hillary Clinton.

http://www.VoteBoth.com/LetterToTheEditor

Soon, Barack Obama will make the most important decision of his campaign. He will pick a person he trusts to be just a heartbeat away from the presidency to join him on the trail. He knows his pick must be smart, tough, and respected—someone who can fight back against the Republican attack machine through November and who he can work with in the White House.

You and I know that this person is Hillary Clinton. And it's now time to take our campaign to the pages of a paper in your area.

Click HERE to find the email address for your hometown paper.

Show people that Hillary belongs on the ticket because she makes Obama electorally and financially stronger. She is a true team player. She's been vetted 18 million times over, and will unite our party for change.

http://www.VoteBoth.com/LetterToTheEditor

Your continued work for a Democratic "dream ticket" keeps this alive. Send your letter today, and be a part of the coverage tomorrow.

Voting Both,

Adam Parkhomenko
Founder, VoteBoth.com

Who Doesn't Like B.O.?

2008-07-04T20:25:00.000-07:00

Some Clinton supporters still not embracing Obama, poll says
Posted: 04:40 PM ET

From CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

A new poll shows many of Clinton's supporters still aren't read to back Obama.
(CNN) — One week after Hillary Clinton made a public show of unity with Barack Obama, a new survey suggests supporters of the New York senator are increasingly less likely to follow her lead.

A growing number of Clinton supporters say they may stay home in November instead of casting their ballot for Obama, a clear sign the party has yet to coalesce around the Illinois senator four weeks after the most prolonged and at times divisive primary race in modern American history came to a close.

According to a new survey from CNN and the Opinion Research Corporation, the number of Clinton supporters who plan to defect to John McCain's camp is down from one month ago, but in what could be an ominous sign for Obama as he seeks to unify the party, a growing number of them say they may not vote at all.

In a CNN/ORC survey conducted in early June, entirely before the New York senator officially ended her White House bid, 22 percent of Clinton supporters said they would not vote at all if Obama was the party's nominee. Now close to a third say they will stay home. In all, only 54 percent of Clinton backers say they plan on voting for Obama.

In another sign the wounds of the heated primary race have yet to heal, more than 4 in 10 registered Democrats — 43 percent — still say they would prefer Clinton to be the party's presidential nominee. That number is significantly higher than it was in early June, when only 35 percent of Democrats said they preferred the New York senator to lead the party's presidential ticket Then, Obama won 59 percent of support from registered Democrats, now he garners 5 points less.

By nearly any measure then, it's clear Clinton supporters remain wary of supporting the man who beat her.

Read the rest here.

About time!

Happy Fourth!

2008-07-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

I hope you all have a great fourth of July weekend. I will have a busy weekend between family obligations and work (weekend's are busy for me) but I'll be back before too long!

OH. MY. Goodness. pant pant

2008-07-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

So today I was beat into a sad pile of wilted, sore, fleshy mush. Almost literally. I went back to personal training after more than a two and a half month break. I have a new trainer, who I actually like, but I was so out of shape that it left me breathless, dizzy and dang near passing out.

TRES EMBARRASSING!

First off, I was worried the trainer would look kinda like this ---> but she actually is very normal looking and has really muscular legs. She wasn't as young as some of the others (25). So far, so good. (I say this because I previously had a young guy trainer (20) who I liked as a person, but not otherwise. Sweet kid, but wasn't consistent and seemed to lack some knowledge.)

I felt fine for the first half of things and then started slowly to feel light headed. I get light headed in my day to day life (not sure why yet, thinking its an inner ear something because BP and sugar issues have been ruled out), so this was nothing out of the ordinary. A little closer to the end, I told her how I felt and we took longer breaks but pressed on. I'm stubborn too and was determined to get through it.

Then the last set of ab exercises came. I had to hold my now leaden legs up and balance on my tailbone/butt doing medicine ball twists. I know I'm not using technical names, but I am still panting here. Gimme a break. :) This last move took every last ounce of effort I had in me and I told her before I started it that I might not finish. But of course, I pushed forward. I stopped right before it was over and she made me finish.

Done. THANK GOODNESS. Whoa. Things really start spinning. Oh snap!

I sat for a while and then nausea started. CRAP. I excused myself and went to the bathroom. Spinning spinning by the toilet. I realize too late that I'm not going to puke. I'm going to pass out. SHIT. SHIT. SHIT!

I walked as fast as I could as the room went ...black. I grabbed the door before going down and fell beside it. I think I lost a few seconds there, but was back soon thereafter. The door opened and I crawled outside and across the small hall into the kid room where my kid was busy playing with a worker and a few other kids.

"Mama!!! Look!!! These are all my friends!" Hugs and kisses follow as I lay there, room spinning and feeling extremely out of it. The trainer had been there from the tail end of the bathroom thing when I was coming back to the land of the living and had said a few things and was sitting next to me again by this time. She brought a glucose pill for me to chew on. Yum. Orangey.

We proceed to talk while I come to. She is a nice gal. Young, but I like her better than my previous trainer. I also learn she used to be my size! Woah. She's now a size four. HUH? WTF? She swears she can get me to size eight. I laughed. Hard. Out loud. Feeling much better now.

Before you go thinking that I didn't eat anything, I had a meal replacement bar en route to the gym. It was a south beach one, so it had carbs in it. I really thought I'd be okay! I have had a lot of dizzy work outs in the past (I have lots of dizzy days), but they *never* ended this way before! INSANE.

The past two days have been emotionally draining for a few reasons, though, so I am not surprised the physical draining followed. I had been away from working out with weights and I was running on fumes. Little sleep. Etc.

Mind and body connection. I swear its a very real thing!

I will be back on Tuesday and every Tuesday and Thursday after that. Hopefully I am back to where I was and then some in another month or so and it should happen without any more black outs! ;)

I'll be back to the gym tomorrow for cardio and I hope no one points and laughs!

Higher and Higher!

2008-06-30T09:40:00.000-07:00

Today the CNN-Money Headline reads, "Gas Hits All-time High". Wasn't that yesterday's headline? I think I've seen that headline most days in the past few months and it is starting to get OLD!

The article states:

$4-a-gallon gas -- The AAA survey showed that 33 states and the District of Colombia have an average gas price above $4 a gallon.

Alaska has replaced California as the state with the highest gas prices. Drivers in Alaska pay an average of $4.623 for a gallon of gas. Californians pay $4.583 on average for a gallon, and Hawaiians pay $4.408.

The state with the lowest gas price is Missouri, where a gallon of gas averages $3.862.

Diesel prices slipped to $4.762 a gallon from $4.764 the day before.

According to a survey from Consumer Reports last week, 77% of Americans blame the government for high gas prices, compared with 75% who blame oil companies and 70% who blame foreign oil producers.

Surging gas prices have prompted many drivers to change their habits. Nearly 31% said that they now walk or ride bicycles more. And 16% said they were riding public transportation more often.

Last week, AAA reported that it expects the number of Americans traveling during the Fourth of July holiday travel period to decline 1.3% to 40.45 million drivers versus 41 million last year.

So are there are 222% of us voting? ;) Looks like 70% of us are placing blame somewhere and know that *someone* is up to no good!

The question didn't ask about oil speculators, however. They didn't have any percent there pointing to the artificial factors raising the gas prices. Some say its all supply and demand, but with the prices going higher and higher, and more people walking, car-pooling, biking, and using mass transit, how can the demand be up? Fewer people are flying the less-than-friendly skies these days and fewer people are going on holidays via the automobile, opting for "staycations" closer to home.

Where is this "demand" coming from exactly? Is it only happening here?

I obviously have more questions than answers, but this whole idea that *we* are driving the price up is seriously flawed.

I wonder when this will end and if we will ever see the lower prices in gas that we had only a year or two ago. Are those days long gone? It seems any small break in prices brings huge sighs of relief. My fear is that they will be able to keep the prices artificially high now and so long as gas is under four bucks per gallon, most people who will be so happy that "at least the prices are down from what they were!" How do we know what prices *should be* anyway?

I guess I should feel lucky since around these parts gas is still lower than it is nationally, but I know its only a matter of time before the "high" goes up and so do the gas prices where I live.

We saw this coming...

2008-06-29T13:38:00.001-07:00

...but my heart still sank as I read this. PLEASE someone make November come sooner! We don't need a third war to fight! :(

Report: U.S. "preparing the battlefield" in Iran

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration has launched a "significant escalation" of covert operations in Iran, sending U.S. commandos to spy on the country's nuclear facilities and undermine the Islamic republic's government, journalist Seymour Hersh said Sunday.

An Iranian flag flies outside the building containing the reactor of Bushehr nuclear power plant, south of Tehran.

White House, CIA and State Department officials declined comment on Hersh's report, which appears in this week's issue of The New Yorker.

Hersh told CNN's "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer" that Congress has authorized up to $400 million to fund the secret campaign, which involves U.S. special operations troops and Iranian dissidents.

President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney have rejected findings from U.S. intelligence agencies that Iran has halted a clandestine effort to build a nuclear bomb and "do not want to leave Iran in place with a nuclear program," Hersh said.

"They believe that their mission is to make sure that before they get out of office next year, either Iran is attacked or it stops its weapons program," Hersh said.

The new article, "Preparing the Battlefield," is the latest in a series of articles accusing the Bush administration of preparing for war with Iran. He based the report on accounts from current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources.

"As usual with his quarterly pieces, we'll decline to comment," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe told CNN.

"The CIA, as a rule, does not comment on allegations regarding covert operations," CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano said.

Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador in Baghdad, denied U.S. raids were being launched from Iraq, where American commanders believe Iran is stoking sectarian warfare and fomenting attacks on U.S. troops.

"I can tell you flatly that U.S. forces are not operating across the Iraqi border into Iran, in the south or anywhere else," Crocker said.

Hersh said U.S. efforts were staged from Afghanistan, which also shares a border with Iran.

He said the program resulted in "a dramatic increase in kinetic events and chaos" inside Iran, including attacks by Kurdish separatists in the country's north and a May attack on a mosque in Shiraz that killed 13 people.

The United States has said it is trying to isolate Iran diplomatically in order to get it to come clean about its nuclear ambitions. But Bush has said "all options" are open in dealing with the issue.

Iran insists its nuclear program is aimed at providing civilian electric power, and refuses to comply with U.N. Security Council demands that it halt uranium enrichment work.

U.N. nuclear inspectors say Tehran held back critical information that could determine whether it is trying to make nuclear weapons.

Israel, which is believed to have its own nuclear arsenal, conducted a military exercise in the eastern Mediterranean in early June involving dozens of warplanes and aerial tankers.

The distance involved in the exercise was roughly the same as would be involved in a possible strike on the Iranian nuclear fuel plant at Natanz, Iran, a U.S. military official said.

In 1981, Israeli warplanes destroyed an Iraqi nuclear reactor.

Iran's parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, warned other countries against moves that would "cost them heavily." In comments that appeared in the semi-official Mehr news agency Sunday, an Iranian general said his troops were digging more than 320,000 graves to bury troops from any invading force with "the respect they deserve."

"Under the law of war and armed conflict, necessary preparations must be made for the burial of soldiers of aggressor nations," said Maj. Gen. Mirfaisal Baqerzadeh, an Iranian officer in charge of identifying soldiers missing in action.

Quick Weekend Update

2008-06-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

So far so good.

I haven't had stellar eating habits, but I did make it to the gym four days out of the past week (Tuesday through Friday). I had big plans for today (work and gym) but it was a completely lost day due to an overnight migraine that hit. It was a doozie! Hadn't had to use the anti-nausea meds before. Those did a number on me and I slept away the migraine and the day! Woke up woozy, hung over, and dizzy, but the migraine is a thing of the past! WOOHOO!

Tomorrow is a new day, right? I will spend most of it grading as I'm really behind after losing Saturday and Friday night. It should be ...fun.

Have a great Sunday!

Time to FRESHEN UP!

2008-06-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

So, I was looking for a more cool sherbety looking color theme for my blog. I think I got that. But MAN it took forever. I still want to be able to add a space or two between the last line of one entry (with comments) and the dateline for the next one, but I have yet to figure that out. I also haven't figured out wrapping text or changing the sizes of the columns (less border, more text). I've wasted enough time just doing the color thing so I'm calling it quits for a while.

IN THE PROCESS of messing with things, I lost my original list of links. I hope I included everyone here who was originally on my list. Going to have to spend more time on that list later.

On a related note, I decided to make some much needed changes to my life...yet again! I swear I'm such a loser. With the beginning of the hotter weather, I've been doing much more with my daughter, going out, etc and I've also been working more than I had in the last year--currently five classes. It has been a hard juggling act to maintain, so in the process, of course one or more balls are going to be dropped. For me, it was my healthy lifestyle changes!

Sad to say I've gained a few previously "lost" pounds. They are happy to be home again and I'm highly annoyed and disappointed in myself!

Over the past two months, I have not been making it to the gym. I admit it. I completely fell off the exercise wagon! At first, I was going but less frequently and then I completely stopped meeting with the personal trainer. I stopped making appointments mostly because I didn't have a very open schedule, but also because I want to switch trainers and felt bad about breaking that to him. I don't like his generic approach to things and want to learn to use the equipment more so that I can continue on my own.

How do you break up with your trainer at a gym where you know you'll still be seeing them regularly? Blaming it on my erradic schedule was easy --at first-- because I kept going to the gym. But then I stopped going to the gym. That lack of care started to bleed into other areas. Namely, my eating! :(

Slowly, in the time pinches, we started indulging in fast foods again. I wasn't cooking as often because I was so busy and it was just easier. When I was out for coffee, I might indulge more in a sweet treat. BAD! There were graduations, parties, social engagements, travel, etc. More BAD!

Needless to say, it has caught up with me in a *BIG* way. I've avoided the scale, but swore today I would hold myself accountable--finally. I weighed in, only after dragging myself to the gym for a 45 minute cardio session. I'm still sick, so it wasn't a super hard workout, but it was something. I did sweat and I did get my heartrate going. Having worked out, I felt less horrible about the weigh in, because I had already started the changes I know I have to make. I still feel pretty bummed, however.

How is it that losing weight is such a slow and painful process and gaining it happens so quickly and never hurts one bit (unless you count the itty bits of guilt you feel from time to time)! It is all fun until someone starts to cry. And you do start to cry when you find your clothes getting snug on you again.

That is what happened to me over the past two weeks. What used to fit well started to look less flattering on. Being summer, this is not the look a gal is usually going for ------->

I'm posting about this only to hold myself accountable again. If I don't make it public record, I might start going backwards! Here's hoping I can make some positive changes and get back into my habits quickly. It seems painful to start it all up running on all cylinders, but its much needed. I'm hoping that within the month, I'll be back where I was three months ago when things started to go awry!

A girl can dream anyway! Here's to hoping that dream becomes a reality. I'd like to show myself I can do it on my own and stick to it. I just wish it were easier! :(

Sad Day :( RIP George Carlin

2008-06-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

Today, George Carlin died at 71 years old. Loved this guy.

Here is some of his great stuff on "soft language". He always delivered GREAT stuff on the topic and I always enjoyed his work thanks to my mom who was also a fan.

RIP to a great one!

The Stupid Award for today goes to....

2008-06-20T11:06:00.001-07:00

THIS Moron. *shakes head*

The Two Obamas --NYT

2008-06-20T10:38:00.000-07:00

The New York Times had this great article posted today. I found it interesting and REASURING since its been my opinion for a long time, but no one was chiming out about it! So glad to get some back up! :) LOL

ENJOY!!!!

Me sick=sux. Baby sick=suckier!

2008-06-19T21:06:00.000-07:00

So that is where we are now. I got sick then she got sick two days later. We are both still sick and the worst part is when she runs a high fever. They just are not themselves when they get that way and its hard to watch. On the one hand, she's a big pile of mush to squeeze and love on, but on the other hand she's miserable and would rather be playing.

The days seem to be dragging on to the weekend. I don't mind terribly because I am SO behind on things, having lost two days to being drained and in pain. I found out I had a sinus infection and bronchitis and the next day took her in for her fever and found out it was a sore throat. Just so happens whatever is causing it is also causing a high fever. It marked the first time I took her in for a fever and didn't leave with antibiotics. She's a magnet for infections it seems.

Because of being behind, I got hate mail from a student! Bastards! Who do they think they are? Paying customers demanding "quality" service? X%%$#!!! Anyhoo, I felt bad because I was late with some homework, but life happens. I cannot stop that train ride if i wanted to!

Aside from being "up to my eyeballs in marking" (to quote a dear friend), I am busy with caring for my limp noodle and getting myself healthy again too! :) I also have happened upon a few interesting websites over the last week.

I'll be adding many to my list of blogs here. None are by people I know, but instead spawned by interesting movements. I am loving some of the interesting posts and wishing I had more time to read the frequent updates and archives at these blogs! They are all political in nature and democratic. The perspectives and information are fascinating, however, and I just wish everyone could be exposed to more than one opinion.

I'd also like to create a new look to this blog. I've wanted to for ages, but I hate all the templates and don't know how to make adjustments in color or widths or anything. I could ask my husband and he *might* have the answers, but would he actually make the time to do the work for me? I do not want a lesson in HTML but for someone to DO THE WORK FOR ME. Is that too much to ask? Preferably the someone will charge nothing and do it happily and instantaneously! :)

Something to keep you company until we next meet again:

Hope your week is coming to a climactic and happy end on Friday! :)

a game of tag....

2008-06-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers! All two-five of you! :) I have to figure out how to "tag" people for this, but I figured I'd follow through since it is my first time being "it". ENJOY and hopefully I can FIND five people to tag!

I've been tagged by my friend Dana in the game of Meme.... Still not entirely sure what that means, but apparently it doesn't matter, because here i am! Here is what you need to know:

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then go to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. What was I doing ten years ago? I had just completed my first year of gradschool (if memory serves me) at Purdue in Indiana. I was studying Rhetoric & Composition and feeling way in over my head! I also was just two months from marrying my husband! :) We'd known each other for a while at that point--I think over two years.

2. Five things on my to do list for today: Rest, go to the doctors (I'm sick), clean some, grade some papers, stop at the grocery store for a few odds and ends.

3. Snacks I crave: anything SWEET. I have a crazy hyperactive sweet tooth. Baad!

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire: Pay off our debt, build a great house in a great part of town, buy a condo in NYC for visits there, buy a hybrid along with many stocks in oil/gas futures, go back to personal training (but have my sessions in my new home gym not at a public gym), put away for our retirement and establish a great trust for Elena's college and beyond, help out family with debt and with college...man, there really is no end to this list!

5. Places I have lived: Texas, NY, NJ, Indiana, PA

6. People I am tagging: Elysia, Helen, Chris, Nelly and Melissa!

Enjoy peeps! :)

Seeing RED!!!!! WARNING! Vent begins....

2008-06-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

NOW!!!

I am so angry I can't see straight!!!! (So excuse typos, errors, etc! I have an excuse today! hehe).

SERIOUSLY!!! I hate this apartment complex. Lots of promises and some perks but none of it is worth the crap we have to deal with on too regular a basis.

In the past few months they have been prepping various vacated apartments for re-habitation. One time last month I was stiff led by an overwhelming strong chemical smell that was pumping into my apartment (I guess via the air vents). This smell was so strong that I worried about my daughter and left.

I immediately complained, quite loudly, to the apartment complex and all they did was apologize and swear up and down that that is *not* how they are supposed to do things when prepping apartments. Apparently, it is protocol to cover/close vents, open windows and THEN use the highly dangerous chemicals that are used to clean, paint, treat walls and floors. "We are so sorry and promise it will never happen again!"

Well here I am. It is happening again. I am already feeling under the weather with enough phlegm in my throat to choke most people, congestion like no one's business and this smell is SO potent that within a minute or two I had a slight headache! WHAT THE HECK IS IN THAT APARTMENT that they are using to treat things with? Turpentine? Paint thinner? A combination of those with a few extra chemicals mixed in for fun?

I am so angry that I could barely find the number and dial it. My favorite employee (seriously) answered and I was fighting off TEARS when speaking to him. I'm mortified that this is happening. MY daughter is sound asleep in the other room and I can only feel the slightest bit of relief because it hasn't infiltrated her room yet. It seems to be limited somehow to the living room. Weird.

Anyway, I'm livid and will tell everyone I know to avoid this complex! It is a wonderful place to live if you don't mind your A/c issues being ignored, fumes coming into your home ever couple of months and then lingering for days, gates for our safety that are ALWAYS opened or broken, maintenance people who don't return calls and most things being outsourced to companies which are less than professional and do a crap job of "fixing" things, often times leaving a trail of paint and spackle in their wake.

I have been waiting for 20 minutes for a call back and as soon as my daughter wakes up, I'm marching over there and giving them a bigger piece of my mind if I can hold it together! I also want to take her OUT of this stinky apartment now. I can hardly wait for her to wake up and may go wake her up just to get myself out of here! :(

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO RETARDED????

Looking Back...and Forward!

2008-06-14T22:20:00.000-07:00

I thought THIS was touching.

Having a girl, I do think about what is ahead and what will happen in her lifetime that I may not live to see myself. I thought this article was a refreshing interpretation on recent events from a different persective.

Enjoy! :)

So much to say, such a short attention span! :) The news TODAY!

2008-06-11T22:03:00.000-07:00

There are so many things I'd like to write about today, so I'll just have to be quite brief in order to get a few things off my (heaving) chest:

First the Headlines

* McCain doesn't care when we pull out of Iraq or if we do. I just said there were many flubs to come and not a day later he has another one!? Man he delivers! Gotta love that. Imagine four blissful years of great comedy! So funny we'll all be crying, no doubt!

*Possible VP noms for Barry are all the talk. Their names are swirling the airwaves, some are so top secret they have no names! They range from Hillary to Gore to people we don't know about and won't care to know. My guess is he'll pick one we don't care about who is a nobody really so that he is the big kahuna of the ticket. Have I told you lately that I'm not impressed? WELL..I'm NOT!

* I LOVE LYNN SAMUELS! YES she may not be a looker and YES she isn't 100% right all the time (in my opinion), but she says things that need to be said and isn't apologetic. She's also easily distracted by shiny objects in a way only a gal with pretend ADD could appreciate! :)

* THIS just IN: Obama is a politician! Speaking of Lynn's favorite new presumptive nom, Barry seems to be a bit of a hypocrite. Do as I say and not as I do? Funny how he hammered Clinton and McSame for more "tangential" relationships. So it really *is* politics as usual, huh? SUPRISE! Sorry! No refunds or exchanges!

* WTF is up with the WEATHER? Tornadoes, floods and heat waves DAILY it seems? Everywhere there is something strange going on. Did they finally perfect the weather machine to help control the weather, hence raising the prices on all forms of energy, INCLUDING our damn food? I know I said it already, but WTF?

* Where's Waldo (in a pantsuit)? You know it wouldn't be a complete round up without my girl mentioned in there somewhere, right? Where are you Hillary? We miss you already! It is almost like she fell into an abyss right after giving that "consession" speech. Well at least people are talking about her--some in a positive light!

* Don't leave your kids in the car, asswipe. How do you forget you have a kid in the car? How do you leave him/her in the car for hours or OVERNIGHT? Some people really should be taken outside and shot. Repeatedly. Then left to die in the heat. I would do something far worse than this to those parents! :(

And Finally...

* I work hard for my money! So don't charge me for crap! I won't go into too many details but I won't be visiting one of the local coffeehouses here again after a fiasco regarding my coffee tonight. I pay quite a lot for this coffee and it should be fresh and a refill should be filling of the cup AGAIN, not a topping off. I'm angry and had to leave because I couldn't see straight! I know you are trying to save money, but I WORK HARD FOR MY OWN dang MONEY! Again, words fail me where acronyms do not. WTF?

Lets go Yankees!!

2008-06-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

We will be headed out to another part of Texas in just a couple of days! A chance encounter at Panera Monday morning (yesterday) led to me investigating Astros tickets for this weekend. They are playing the Yankees, its father's day weekend, and dh is a hardcore yanks fan. You do the math! :)

Needless to say, I ended up paid way too much for two GREAT tickets (behind visitor's dugout--4th row) and now need to rush to find a hotel! We are only going two nights, three days, but it should be fun and I know Josh will be happy and grateful! I'm shopping with my mom and daughter while he'll take in the game with my father. Should be a fun time!

This means that my packing job is half done since we just got back from Austin. One week, three cities. Not too shabby for this homebody! :)

The Austin trip was great and the convention was memorable and interesting. I learned a lot and I'm sure its not my last democratic convention. Hillary's campaign won't be my last either. I already am interested in a few other local candidates and look forward to doing what I can locally until the next presidential campaign is upon us.

While I will very likely unhappily support the democratic candidate for president in 2008, I won't be knocking on doors or making phone calls for him. I'll do what I have to do, but little beyond that! :( Sad, but I'm just not feeling it. There is one thing he could do to show me, and millions of others, that he is a true uniter, but I know that won't happen. I hold out a little bit of hope that it will, but I'm 99.9% sure it won't be a headline I'll be reading anytime in the near future.

Speaking of headlines, anyone see this doozy? I found it hilarious given how his wife's family made their millions!

McCain: 'I will veto every single beer'
Posted: 11:32 AM ET

(CNN) – John McCain issued a promise Tuesday that may cause a bit of unrest with a broad swath of voters: He'll veto every single beer?

In a slip of the tongue while railing against excessive earmarks at the National Small Business Summit in Washington, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee inadvertently pledged to veto the popular alcoholic beverage.

"I will use the veto as needed. I will veto every single beer — bill with earmarks," he said, as rumblings from the crowd could be heard. "And every single bill that we have come across my desk I will make them famous. I will veto them, you will know their names."

The first of many doozies to come, no doubt! :)

Another month...and a Process nears its end...

2008-06-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

Wasn't it just the start of May? Now its JUNE? How did this happen??? ;)

Obama is close to clinching the nomination by winning more than 50% of the delegates up to win. I'm going to be up watching the Obama speech, although probably not in its entirety, and all of Hillary's speech tonight. Both should be quite history-making as has this entire primary season. I'm excited to have been a part of it and am still looking very forward to the Texas State Democratic Convention happening this weekend.

I'm not sure which genius decided to schedule this event sometime *AFTER* the primaries were over, but that is when it happens. It is probably moot, but as I've realized in the process, it isn't *merely* about selecting a president, but about selecting our leadership in the democratic party and possibly bringing about change for how the election takes place. Perhaps most importantly, the convention is about laying the ground work for the future elections in our country.

Those in leadership are often times super delegates. Could not a future election come down to the Supers as it has this go round? If so, I'd like my picks making that decision! For too long, not enough people took part in this crucial part of the democratic process, and I'm very proud to be in a position to learn this year and to start a tradition of representing my precinct at the state level and in future years, perhaps beyond that! :)

Yes Mrs.L, I'm really big into this political thing! :) I've always been this way, just dormant for the most part. The excitement and grave importance of this election woke me from my slumber! :)

So in two days, off I go, with my husband and daughter in tow, to spend a few days in Austin. Getting there a day early and leaving a day late and hoping to have a little bit of fun in between the work that will be done. Wish me luck! :)

May and more...

2008-05-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

May is here! I cannot believe another month is underway and we are *that much* closer to another summer and then fall and then another holiday season. Time sure does fly these days!

I find as you age time seem to go by faster. At this rate i'll be 60 in just a few years! Or at least that is how it will feel! :)

Today I went to the craft store with my daughter and husband to purchase some odds and ends for a project we are working on for moms day (for my own mother). That was a fun trip! I hadn't been inside a craft store for a long time and it reminded me of all the things I always want to do but never get around to doing! I used to crochet a bit but never really formally learned and that went by th wayside. My scrap booking started, stopped then started again and I haven't picked up glue or scissors to scrap in about two years! Sewing classes were never at convenient times when we lived in NJ (working around my husband's work schedule) so I never got to learn! I've wanted to try a handful of other things but just never tried or followed through in the promises I've made myself!

Maybe this summer I can finally take a class or two on my own to enjoy some free time diong something I want to learn. Sewing or a crochet or knit class would be a great place to begin. I hope I can find something at a time that works for me not too far from home. The hurdle would probably be my daughter. I'm certain she'll want in on any "project" i begin, so it may be hard to ever "practice" around her! Hmmm....this could be a challenge! :(

Aside from that, we are all doing quite well. Dieting has fallen by the wayside. We still have pretty good habits but indulge in the delish from time to time and probably too often. I'm weaning myself off caffeine as well and with more classes to teach lately, have been making it to the gym less frequently than I had been. I have high hopes to start heading back there more regularly SOON! Next week should be a little less hectic. I have to *make* the time, but it sure can be difficult when you are pulled in so many different directions!

IN OTHER NEWS:

Clinton gaining on Obama in North Carolina

Posted: 01:10 PM ET

(CNN)— Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is gaining on Barack Obama’s lead in North Carolina’s polls, three days before the states May 6 primary.

The latest CNN poll of polls out Saturday shows Obama has a 9 point lead with 50 percent to Clinton’s 41 percent among likely Democratic voters.

The new average consists of four surveys: Zogby (May 1-2), ARG (April 30-May 1), Research 2000 (April 29-30), and Mason-Dixon (April 28-29).

Both candidates continue to campaign hard in North Carolina ahead of Tuesday’s primary, where 115 delegates are at stake.

From: CNN's Emily Sherman

That is about all from the homefront! I hope all is well with everyone who reads this! I have a lot to do and some quiet time with everyone else napping now, so I better hop to it!

The Tide Continues to TURN!!!!!

2008-04-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

Could it be? Might we see? Will it be a win for Hillary?

I hope so! My pride will grow! Madame Prez will run the show! :)

She can beat McCain and flush this (less than) half-ass admin down the DRAIN! With the rest of the poo! :)

I never said I was a poet, but the mood struck so there ya go! This was my intro to the following Off CNN's Political Ticker:

Poll of polls: Obama losing ground

Posted: 09:30 PM ET

Obama now leads Clinton by 1 point nationally.

(CNN) — The Democratic presidential race is tightening nationally, according to a new CNN average of several recent polls.

Obama's lead is now down to 1 point over Clinton nationwide, 45 percent to 44 percent, in CNN's "poll of polls." That margin is down 3 points from another CNN poll of polls conducted two days ago. In that analysis, Obama led Clinton 47 percent to 43 percent. The margin is also considerably lower than an April 18 poll of polls that showed Obama with an 11 point lead.

The poll of polls consists of three newly released national polls from Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, Gallup, and Newsweek. There is no margin of error on the poll of polls.

Both the Fox News poll and the Gallup poll were conducted partially after Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, made a fresh round of controversial comments earlier this week.

The Fox News poll also appears to show Obama no longer has an edge over Clinton among independent voters. In head-to-head match ups, presumptive Republican nominee John McCain wins independents by a 4 point margin over Clinton (42-38 percent) and by a 10 points over Obama (47 percent to 37 percent).

Super big happy delicious sweet feel-good news!!

2008-04-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

TWO STORIES!!! Read below....

First:

Poll shows Clinton has better shot of beating McCain

Posted: 05:20 PM ET

Hillary Clinton would beat McCain by 9 points, a new poll shows.

(CNN) – A new poll out Monday appears to bolster Hillary Clinton's argument that she is in a better position than rival Barack Obama to beat John McCain in a general election match up.

According to a newly-released poll from The Associated Press and Ipsos, Clinton would beat McCain by a wide 9-point margin, 50 percent to 41 percent. But when Obama faces McCain, the two are statistically tied — Obama holds a two point edge over McCain, within the poll's margin of error.

The Clinton campaign has long argued the New York senator has a better shot at beating McCain because of her demonstrated appeal with working class white voters — a demographic that is key to winning several swing states.

SHE CAN BEAT HIM!!!!!!! VOTE HILLARY!!!!

AND SECOND:

Easley on Clinton: She makes Rocky look like a 'pansy'

Posted: 11:55 AM ET

Watch Easley's comments Tuesday.

(CNN) – North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley formally endorsed Hillary Clinton's White House bid Tuesday, saying the New York senator "gets it."

"It's time for somebody to be in the White House who understands the challenges we face in this country," Easley said at a rally in Raleigh with Clinton at his side. "They are significant. I never ever thought the United States of America could get in as much trouble as we have over the last 7 or 8 years."

Easley, a popular two term governor who is unable to run for re-election because of term limits, also praised Clinton for her persistence.

"I've been accused of being persistent, and down right aggravating…but this lady right here makes Rocky Balboa look like a pansy," Easley said.

The endorsement gives the New York senator a symbolic boost in the state she is trailing Barack Obama by double digits. Easley is particularly popular with white, working class voters, a constituency that has favored Clinton in other primary states. He is the second superdelegate from North Carolina to back Clinton. Six North Carolina superdelegates have endorsed Obama.

Easley is a former backer of John Edwards' White House bid.

GO NORTH CAROLINA!!! DO THE RIGHT THING! ;) It feeeeels goooood!!!

GO Hillary!!!!!!!! WOOOHOOO!!!!

A few words from Maya Angelou

2008-04-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

From Maya Angelou:

"Dear Friend:

I am writing to tell you about my friend, Hillary Clinton, and why I am standing with her in her campaign for the presidency. I know the kind of president Hillary Clinton will be because I know the person she is.

I am inspired by her courage and her honesty. She is a reliable and trustworthy person. She is someone I not only admire but one for whom I have profound affection.

Hillary does not waver in standing up for those who need a champion. She has always been a passionate protector of families. As a child, she was taught that all God’s children are equal, and as a mother, she understood that her child wasn’t safe unless all children were safe. As I wrote about Hillary recently in a praise song: “She is the prayer of every woman, and every man who longs for fair play, healthy families, good schools and a balanced economy.”

It may be easy to view Hillary Clinton through the narrow lens of those who would write her off or grind her down. Hillary sees us as we are, black and brown and white and yellow and pink and relishes our differences knowing that fundamentally we are all more alike than we are unalike. She is able to look through complexion and see community.

She has endured great scrutiny, and still she dares greatly. Hillary Clinton will not give up on you, and all she asks is that you do not give up on her. She is a long-distance runner. I am honored to say I am with her for the long run.

I am supporting Hillary Clinton because I know that she will make the most positive difference in people’s lives and she will help our country become what it can be. Whether you are her supporter, leaning towards her, undecided, or supporting someone else, I believe Hillary Clinton will represent you – she will be a president for all Americans. It is no small thing that along the way we will make history together.

Vote for Hillary Clinton and show your support www.hillaryclinton.com. I know she will make us proud."

DOUBLE DIGITS!!!!

2008-04-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

Clinton claims victory in Pennsylvania

WOOHOOOO!!!!!! Yeahhhhhh bayyyybe!!!!! Not by a huge margin, but big enough!

CONTRIBUTE and KEEP the MOMENTUM going! She can beat McCain people! The other guy...not so much! :( I do NOT want another four years of the same!

"Oh, What A Night!... "

2008-04-17T22:24:00.001-07:00

"Late December back in '63...What a very special time for me...As I remember what a night!"

Actually, I wasn't even born then. My parent's hadn't met yet in 1969, as my father was still overseas fighting as a Marine in the Vietnam war. And still, that song is one I love, in spite of the circumstances in my life the first time I heard it ringing loudly through the air.

I was living in a small town (think no-airport-access w/in a couple-of-hours-small) in PA attending my first year away at college. This song would play with great regularity out the windows of the Frat house very close to the dorm building I lived in. I could see their large homemade banner hanging from the windows. It was made from a large sheet and had big red letters painted on it that read "BUSH '92".

I was a strong Bill Clinton supporter in my first legal election. I was eager to vote and did so via absentee ballot that year due to being away from home for the first time in my life. The campus was so republican it was weird. I had heard college was a more liberal place and every day my Clinton signs were being ripped off my dorm room door!

Yes, everyone, I was in hell. This had a lot to do with why I only stayed in PA one year!

I fondly remember that song for some odd reason, even though when I did hear it blasting from the sporty expensive convertibles driving around campus or from the windows of the Republican old-money dorm it gave me the willies back then.

Tonight, as I sit by an open window with a very atypical chilly breeze blowing in and the loud splattering of rain hitting the balcony, that song came to mind. I actually said to my husband, "Oh! What a night!" :)

On a not so great day, this night has cheered me up and left me revived and inspired. Thank goodness for small miracles! :)

Reflecting over morning tea...

2008-04-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

The past couple of weeks have been insane (or at least felt that way at times)! I feel like I'm just now starting to recover from the events and set backs I've experienced. The biggest event was the Senatorial Conventions here in Texas. Those were interesting, hard, frustrating, but rewarding. I am glad I did it, but sad it was how it was. Apparently, the Democratic party is well known for their disorder and rough-around-the-edge running of things. Little did I know how true this was until I was neck deep in one of the biggest events run by Texas Democrats.

The day started early and ran late. I left at one thirty a.m. and the convention had still not ended! The good news is that I was selected as the delegate from my precinct to represent us at the Austin state-wide convention coming up. That is an exciting honor because it allows me to learn more about the process and hopefully make a difference for Hillary. Its a strange system because although it seems like the process was over back on election day, it is still 1/3 incomplete.

That day was the longest time I have ever been away from my daughter. It was a strange experience, but good in the end. She did fine and enjoyed spending time with my parents and her dad. It was a good "break" for me in that regard, but one stress was replaced with another one!

I could go on and on about the senatorial convention, but I will spare you. :) Your welcome!

My courses have been insane and I've fally behind due to the other stuff going on in life. This is fine and dandy really, except for one thing. I got a notification that I will be getting peer-reviewed this session. The peer reviewer, of course, was assigned my *worst* class to review. If that isn't the worst luck, then I don't know what is! I have three other courses they might have selected to review! But noooooooooooooooooooooo...they want to see the ONE course where I have been late more than I ever have in my entire college teaching career! They want to observe the train wreck that is this course. Darn the luck!

The good news is that as of today I'm pretty well caught up in there, but the damage is done! I cannot wait (sarcasm) to read *that* review! Egad.

Weight loss has slowed lately. Mostly because my gym trips aren't quite as frequent and my eating was not as regimented due to the running around and craziness of the past two weeks. So that is pretty much unchanged. I've teetered back and forth with the same pound for a couple of weeks. While that is disappointing when you want to see a loss, it is not entirely so since I am quite happy to see myself maintaining. The difference about this time around is that I wanted to acquire changes that would last a lifetime, not just until i finished "losing" weight. I think I have done that and that makes me very relieved.

It will be interesting, if we are blessed with another child in the future, to see how I can keep up my lifestyle changes over the course of a pregnancy and after that. I intend to stay in the gym and remain active. I plan on also maintaining healthy eating habits. It will be a very different experience from my last pregnancy but I look forward to it and hope that it means things will end in a better way than they did last time around. While my pregnancy ended in a happy and healthy child, the experience itself left quite a bit to be desired. I was miserable leading up to it and that feeling lingered and left resentment afterwards. It was a very difficult time that I hope I never have to relive!

And speaking of my little one, she's started school! I'm excited to begin this regimine with her--for me and for her. She gets to socialize and learn a new language (in a Spanish-immersion program) and I get three hours two mornings a week in which to grade and sip coffee and have uninterrupted mommy time. It has been a long time in the making and as Len likes to say, "It was worth the wait!"

Just last week, on her second visit to school, she got her first invite to a "friend's" birthday party. Strangely, its a gathering at a tea house in the middle of the week, but I'm excited about taking her. I believe the birthday girl is a year and a half older than mine, so I have no idea what a girl that age wants! I will have to call the mom to find out! :) It is a nice moms & daughters only event which seems like a cute idea and I'm sure Len will have a great time!

I thought her "firsts" were over, but it seems she has quite a few ahead of her that I had never thought ahead to! It is still a very exciting ride we are on and for that, I am thankful!

Back to my current cup of Green Tea before it completely goes cold on me!

Big Fat News!

2008-03-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

Or the skinny on things!! Including me!!!

Although I'm far from skinny, there is less of me than there was only a few short months ago. Since I started my weight loss /health journey (this time around, back on 10/29/07), I have lost a total of 32lbs! In addition, I've lost more inches than I want to admit to and 4% body fat! Wooohoo! Go me!

On the one hand, those stats are amazing and give me a huge sense of accomplishment, but on the other hand when I see how big the numbers are, and that I have more yet to lose, it brings home the fact that I was a very large woman. I am not proud of where I've been for far longer than I care to admit! Unlike some, however, I've never been a small or even medium-sized person. I've been large my whole life, and grew larger as I aged, got married and got busy with life.

These days, I am proud to see my clothes hanging on me, and to be fitting into things I wasn't able to fit into, even before I conceived my daughter! I'm smaller now than I was when I became pregnant four years ago!

I no longer work out with the trainer who started me on this journey, but I'm thankful to him for teaching me and motivating me to get this far. I'm mostly on my own now (seeing another trainer at my new gym only once a week). I find that juggling things on my own is harder, but I'm determined to make exercise a way of life, since I hope to continue shrinking and seeing my cholesterol and other numbers remain in healthy ranges.

Truth be told, I love food. I realize now that I can indulge myself (and do) but that it is the exercise that makes it possible. When I don't include it religiously, it can cause problems--big, ugly, dimply, fat ones! Since I know I'm never going to be able to live a completely carb-free, sugar-free, fat-free existence, I know I need to get myself to the gym 4-6 times a week to keep myself in check.

That being said, I better go get my yoga pants on and head there. I look better in those than I ever thought I could. While I'm not ready to wear them without my comfy t-shirt covering most of my midsection, I don't have to wear my husband's extra larges with them anymore! Woohoo! :) Small victory, but a victory nonetheless!

Does it get any cuter???

2008-03-15T20:18:00.001-07:00

And the contest continues....as does life!

2008-03-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

One week ago, I had one of the longest days of my life! Okay, maybe not my life, but in a long time. All day and all night I was at the voting precinct with my family. I was telling people to come in and vote and to remember to return for the caucus that evening. As it turns out, Texas is the only state in the union that could not make up its mind and allows its citizens to vote twice in primaries! Only in Texas, huh?

The caucus was interesting and I'm glad I did it. I was picked as a delegate to represent the precinct in the county level later this month. Then delegates who are selected go on to state and then a smaller number get to go to the National Democratic Convention in August. How exciting, huh? I'm certain I won't be among them, but it is somehting I intend to shoot for in future elections!

My girl was great that day and had a good time telling passers-by, "Vote for Hillary!" Luckily, our precinct was at an elementary school, so she did well with lots of breaks during the day!

I am glad to say we delivered in our county which went to Hillary at a larger margin than the state as a whole did. Unfortunately, the people in Mississippi and Wyoming didn't follow suit. Damn spoilers! :)

I am hopeful that the Pennsylvania voters will agree with the other large states and vote overwhelmingly for Senator Clinton. We never say "die" on our side and unfortunately, the rhetoric from Obama has be seriously questioning him. His actions, record and now his words are hard to get past. I don't know what I"ll do if faced with a democratic ticket that he leads with some other person I'm not excited about! I hope I don't have to figure that out down the road!

Aside from this, I'm trying to continue with my weight loss. Things majorly slowed down with the business of the past few weeks, but I'm back on track and trying very hard to hit my -30 lb mark! I am hoping it happens this week! I have my last appointment with my personal trainer on Saturday! I am seeing a new one at the new gym, but its only once a week. For the most part I'm going to be on my own! Here's hoping things start speeding up soon!!!!

Busy, but its all for good causes. My health and the future of the country I live in...not too shabby! :)

Tick tock goes the clock!

2008-03-02T22:06:00.000-08:00

Ever feel like there is just *not* enough time in a day or days in a week? I feel that way over the past week or so. With the campaign churning a million miles a minute here in Texas, it is an exciting, but draining time!

I am having a great time working on it, but I feel that time is almost up and I haven't done all I want to or need to do. There have been some incredible highlights, however.

Hillary is much more attractive and smaller in person! I got to shake her hand and get her John Hancock on Saturday morning. What a thrill that was. I'm easy, huh? I hope that I shook the future president's hand. A gal can dream, huh? Now she can REALLY dream BIG with reality as exciting as it is these days!

Tomorrow I am meeting with like-minded new friends to strategize for Tuesday-- D-day here in Texas! There are schedules to create and calls to make. It is the final push before we finally get to make history! I hope Texas does the right thing!

Recently, I've grown more and more uncomfortable with the idea of an Obama ticket in the general election. There is just so much research I've done, things I've read and watched that make me see how beatable he is. It is very easy to see how things will go in the general election and what the GOP will do with him. I'm not sure he stands a chance and I feel that too many people are guided by the hype and not by the reality.

On a lighter note, here are some GREAT videos from last night's Saturday Night Live. I laughed my ass off and then thought, "Crap! This would be even funnier if there weren't so much truth to it!" But alas, it was some much needed levity in a very action packed couple of days. I'm glad she did SNL and I hope it helps her "likability" factor.

I have wanted to write about a few things over the past few days but have not had a chance. With my job picking up speed, this week may be a slow one on the blog. I hope to see you all again soon. I'll be back if anything urgent comes to pass, otherwise I'll see you in a few days!

I need tissues and Vicks, but life is GOOD!

2008-02-27T12:39:00.000-08:00

I meant to post yesterday but things have been busy. It seems like that so much more so these days! Will things start to slow down again? Probably not likely.

Right now my girl is sick and so am I. I started today and she started up night before last. Headachey, sniffley, snotty and tired is not a good way to go through your day! The plans we had are on hold and for now, we are just doing what we have to do in order to get through the week!

Last week I found out that my brain works well enough to be labeled "normal" (MRI) and that my blood is in much better shape than it was last year! My cholesterol is over 40 points lower and the "bad" stuff is also down. That was exciting to see! My "good" cholesterol is not up, however, and that was disheartening given the supplements I take and the exercise that I do. The doctor mentioned "False low readings" that happen from time to time when people are losing weight, so I am hopeful that is what happened in my case.

I also went to see the hand doctor about the pain in my wrists that has existed since my pregnancy. It has changed over time, but it has never gone away and as of late has actually worsened again. Annoying as hell!

Turns out it is as simple as my joints being "loose" and it is genetic. Turns out my daughter has inherited this "condition" as well. The only thing I can do, is more of what I am doing--Exercise! Apparently I need to add some specific hand and wrists exercises in addition to purchasing and using a lot of ergonomically correct equipment, hardware, etc. Not a cheap path to take, but it is the only one that will make now and later less painful. What a change that will be!

Lots of doctors in two weeks and lots of sickness here at the house. On top of that I am starting two new classes this week, started one new one last week and have two wrapping up. The overlap is always hard, but it seems to be more difficult in the past two weeks. I cannot seem to catch up and find my bearings. Add to that trying to fit in work outs and play time with Len, and it can get quite overwhelming.

I shouldn't complain because life is generally pretty good! :) Why is it then that we cannot help but go on and on about the "problems" we have when they surface? Those problems are really usually small on the scale of issues we might be experiencing, right? And yet, to us, when facing them on a daily basis, we feel the weight of them to be much heavier than they are in actuality.

The problems we experience aren't usually really problems at all. They are inconveniences and annoyances that keep life from being ideal or perfect.

In the scheme of things, just shy of great, perfect or ideal is not a bad place to be, is it? ;)

Color me RED!

2008-02-22T20:07:00.001-08:00

Love my new hair! It is red red red...the color I have wanted for ages but never got! It wasn't for lack of trying either!

One gal told me that people *our* age shouldn't try that much color. Another swore it would be sooooooo bright but then disappointed me with a pale and quite non-brilliant shade of red(dish brown). I tried a total of FIVE TIMES, this being the fifth time!

The guy almost got it wrong too until we talked MORE about it and he finally followed what it was that I wanted. This was my second time seeing him too. I like this guy quite a bit! He's funny, sassy and really good with scissors! :)

Hope I can get it to look decent in the morning. I still wanted it shorter but I'll settle for this for now. My face is so long that maybe short hair isn't good for me? Not sure, but this works and seems to suit me.

Knock Knock for Hillary!

2008-02-21T14:37:00.000-08:00

Today I decided to start taking things up a notch locally for Hillary. I am going to be doing more caucus training and trying to spread the word about this all important element in the upcoming (and currently underway) Texas election.

I was at headquarters today for materials to start handing out where I live and around the neighborhood. I want more people to learn about the caucus process so that on election day I'm not sitting there alone! :) Most people I've discussed it with have no idea what it is or how to go about it. Scary since its how we decide 35% of our delegates in the state! That is a large percentage that is left to a process that most people don't know about? How screwy is that? :(

The materials are less than impressive so I'm going to be tweaking what I got, making copies and then going door to door next week. More materials are supposed to be arriving so I'm holding off until the headquarters receives those. My efforts may not make a huge difference in things, but I'm wiling to give it a try in order to hopefully see the outcome I desire the day of elections!

On the same topic, I found this website today which I found to be extremely inspiring! I need to make a video and submit it! Please check it out! http://www.hillaryspeaksforme.com/

Also check this out:

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not an Obama hater. I am, however, a big believer in experience. While on the job training does have its merits, I don't think *this job* is one that I want a novice taking over! In another time and place, perhaps, but now? Right now when the world needs us to get our crap together? Right now when our own country is in a shambles along with our reputation abroad?

I think he's a fine candidate, but I really want us to hit the ground running. It seems more imperative now than it has been before in my lifetime. It means so much to me. I want Texas to go for Hillary so that this race isn't over before its begun! It seems that too fast, the momentum is taking over and not allowing people to *think* instead of feeling.

I hope people have their wits about them soon. I am happy that we have two great candidates on the Democratic side of things and I am pleased to know that either of them will *hopefully* be elected. I want the strongest candidate to win, however. In my opinion, that is Hillary.

Grumble grumble insert weird sound here

2008-02-20T04:39:00.000-08:00

That is my stomach this morning. The one day I cannot eat anything (because I have a fasting blood draw this am) is the day I wake up starving. Isn't that how it always is?

This week is the big medical week for me. Going today for an MRI to look into some dizziness I've been having and doing my fasting blood draw. Friday I go in for results on those things and Tuesday of next week I go to have my hands looked at by a specialist. With my new *and large* deductible, I am trying to pound things out quickly so that the rest of the year is "free" or near that. It is also a great way to continue my work on myself. I have ignored problems I've been having or have been unable to tackle them until now. I need to be healthy inside and out, so this is part of that journey.

The biggest news I have is that yesterday Elena and I went door-to-door for Hillary Clinton's campaign and had a good time. We met another mother and daughter and plan on keeping in touch with them. The little girl is half Elena's age, but they played well together and I like her mama. That is always a great thing! It isn't often you meet quality people!

Cameras for the national news were there, but I am fairly certain there was little to no footage of Elena or myself because of how things went down that day. Disappointing because Elena was in her "future president" shirt and was a real trooper that morning! :) She now has added "Hillary Headquarters" to her vocabulary and is excited about the fact that her mom is excited about something. Here is hoping we can turn that excitement into an enormous Texas blowout in Hillary's favor!

And Thursday, Bill Clinton will be here hosting a debate watching party! As much as I would love to go see him and hear him, I don't think I can go stand in line for that long! Josh won't stand with me with Elena for that long without a great deal of complaining, I'm sure. So this morning, I sent out an email to the campaign and I'm hoping I can volunteer at the event and get in that way, otherwise I will watch the debate from home!

I'm off to start my day and hope you have a great one. Thanks for checking in! :)

Rambling begins...NOW!

2008-02-18T11:44:00.001-08:00

Welcome to my first post!

What better time to start than on a Monday? It is nap time at my house too, which means I have a few spare moments to myself! I have been wanting to do this for some time, but hadn't had the chance or a strong enough inclination to do so. I have both now and here I am!

We live in Texas and life is anythng but boring since our recent move. For a SAHM, I am busy--almost every day--juggling a part time job, my 3yo daughter, household duties and a few other specific projects. There are two big ones I am currently engaged with and right now, I'm the number one project on my list.

For the first time in my life, I am working on myself, inside and out! After thirty some odd years (give or give a few), I am exercising like a fiend. I don't know how fiend's exercise, but I would imagine it would be on most days of the week and would include strength training and cardiovascular elements. I am doing this and have been now since right before Halloween ('07).

Only a few months have passed, but I've lost just over 25lbs, a good number of inches all over and just over 4% body fat. Not too shabby for a chubby chick who loves all things carbolicious/sweet and hates sweating! :) I knew I would see good results, but I had to finally have the means and the inspiration. I got both in the last year.

After moving, and having some "found" income, we were able to afford some personal training for me which has been key to my success. I also am faced with my age and the annoying fact that it keeps going up! I want to expand the family and know that I stand a better chance of being a better vessel for making that happen and a better mom afterwards if I can become healthier beforehand.

Then there is my other, more recent project. I decided last week that I would like to see Hillary Clinton win the presidential primary and have put my money where my mouth is. I mean this literally because I've donated money to the cause in addition to my time and effort. So far I've gone to caucus training, made phone calls and hope to continue to help the campaign at the local level in any way that I can.

I cannot tell you how exciting it has been to see the energy that volunteers have. They are excited and motivated and hopeful. I want to be around these people and help bring change to the country. The mess we've made of things is going to improve, regardless of who is elected because--lets be honest--how can it get worse? I think we have seen the bottom of things and it can only go up from here, especially with a strong, experienced democrat at the helm!

Hillary is the gal for me and I'm hoping Texas and a few other important states see it my way so that we can be part of making history in electing the first female president in the U.S. The idea excites me more than I can express, especially as a woman myself and the mother of a young girl.

Those are the two things I've been working on and that is probably what I'll be discussing here over the next few months. I will no doubt talk about my husband and child and job, among other things, because I have a hard time sticking to one theme too long! :) My thoughts go hither and thither and back again. I am probably a few notches shy of being ADD and if you have ever had a phone or in-person conversation with me, you know this is the gospel truth! ;)

So that is your welcome post. This is the only the start and who knows how long or where things will go. I hope you stick around for the ride and keep me company as I wander down this winding road of life.

Have a great day!