You've Gotta Groovy Thing Goin' Baby!

Listing to the Simon & Garfunkel Old Friends CD's at work today to keep me a little more focused on all the work I have this week so I won't be getting involved in the conversations going on around me. Especially with Lightning Fever overtaking the newsroom.

..."And the leaves that are green turn to brown..."

Let's Go Lightning!

Coming to a Town By the Bay Soon...The Stanley Cup! 

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Lightning for beating the Philadelphia Fliers tonight 2-1 and advancing to the Stanley Cup final. This is our hocky teams first and very well deserved trip to the finals. We are looking forward to this series and know that you will be bring the Cup back to Tampa where it should be!

(Psst. Aaron, hopefully this will quench your thirst for more Sarah Says for the day. I will be working Sunday, so it may not be until later when I get to post again. ;-)

Now Why Would you Do That?

The Funniest Mayor's Name of Them All 

So I am going through my picture files on my computer tonight and see this photo. I know, you are thinking what's soooo funny about this sign? Well, this is a sign from up in Ft. Wayne, Ind., my mom's families and my birthplace. H.W. Baals is a previous mayor of the city. His name? Harold W. Baals, but everyone called him Harry, so it's Harry Baals (pronounced Balls).

This is especially funny because my mom's mom, Josephine Kinder, always thought it was the funniest thing. Give her a glass of wine or a beer and she would be chatting on and on about how who in their right mind would name their child Harold when their last name is Baals??

If you have a funny real life person's name let me know. Besides the baby Apple.

Call in Exhausted?

Getting out of bed was really hard today. When hubby started poking me imploring me to get up I wanted to "reach out and touch someone." After I got up and got dressed he says to me, why don't you call in sick. I knew I couldn't, too much to do in preparation for getting the privilege of getting time off, I had to do the work for that week ahead of time (how many other jobs require that?)

I did want to call in exhausted. It could have gone something like this... "Boss, it's me Sarah, I'm calling in exhausted so I'm not coming in today. Working seven days a week has caused my brain and body to basically shut down and I need a break."

I am thinking coffee is in my near future.

Just a Test of the Emergency Cat System...Only A Test

Say Hello Tiger! 

Am just trying out this new Blogger photo program..while you're at it you can AWWWW at my lovely little kitty Tiger. (Don't know how old the photo is.)

$1,000 Omelet?

A New York Restaurant has added a $1,000 omelet to its menu according to a story at CNN.com. So what makes it's worth the big grand? A lobster and lots of $65 an ounce caviar. Probably more of a gimmick then anything I suppose, but I could never imagine spending that much money on one item of food. I think twice about a $10 bottle of wine and spending $3.50 on a gallon of milk. I guess no ones ordered it yet, big shocker. But maybe Trump hadn't heard about it yet. You can check out the article below.


CNN.com - Pricey omelet costs $1,000 - May 17, 2004

Apple?!

Ok, the end IS coming. People are now just naming their children after objects that they might have had for lunch.

If you haven't heard or read Gywneth Paltrow gave birth to a daughter Friday and named her Apple. As if that wasn't bad enough headline writers had a heyday with the name.

Now Apple, next it'll be telephone or maybe even Water. Why not? As if that poor child won't have a strange enough time growing up in the home of a movie star and a rock star, now she's got to be named APPLE!

Am I crazy? Please, do tell me.

Jesus Hasn't Come Yet...

Started my next book the other night. The Glorious Appearing by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins is the conclusion to their wildly popular Left Behind series of books, this one is #12.

Mom and I started reading them for the fun of it, you know a fictionalized account of what these guys feel the end of the world will be like. Boy, we had NO idea what we were getting ourselves into.

First off, it took 12 books to write about 22 short chapters. It gets a little drawn out at times. I also think that too many times the "fictional" books drag too much into preaching. (I skim those parts often) I want to know what happens, I can read the bible to get all the quotations they often use in them.

The final installment has the last few originals (2) of the Tribulation force and other believers waiting for the coming of Jesus and the beginning of his "1,000 year reign." I'm more than 100 pages in and Jesus hasn't come yet although I've been treated to a visit from Satan. I imagine there'll be lots of fighting between the good and bad guys and there's supposed to be a huge earthquake and huge hail store to come.

So far the book is ok. It seems to drag out the invitable with long scenes. My Mom read this one first. She said she liked the beginning and the end, but the middle was too preachy from Jesus. (But being he's the son of God, that's understandable, I am just curious what words these two fundamentalists put into his mouth.)We'll see. I'm sure he'll be appearing any page now.

Will let you know...

Earn Your $$

Saw an interesting story today on the wires. It said there is evidence that people who had to earn their money rather than being given it (whether inheriting it or winning it) found more satisfaction in spending it than their counterparts.

An excerpt:

Lottery winners, trust-fund babies and others who get their money without working for it do not get as much satisfaction from their cash as those who earn it, a study of the pleasure center in people's brains suggests.
Emory University researchers measured brain activity in the striatum - the part of the brain associated with reward processing and pleasure - in two groups of volunteers. One group had to work to receive money while playing a simple computer game; the other group was rewarded without having to earn it.
The brains of those who had to work for their money were more stimulated.
"When you have to do things for your reward, it's clearly more important to the brain," said Greg Berns, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral science. "The subjects were more aroused when they had to do something to get the money relative to when they passively received the money."
Berns and other researchers said the study has broader real-world implications, particularly in the age of multimillion-dollar lottery jackpots.
He said that other studies have shown "there's substantial evidence that people who win the lottery are not happier a year after they win the lottery. It's also fairly clear from the psychological literature that people get a great deal of satisfaction out of the work they do."


It makes sense to me....although I have to say I wouldn't turn away a fortune that has fallin' in my lap. I'd just have to think of all the ways of spending it that could make me happy. Starting with a honeymoon...I work a lot now, so having more free time would make me very happy.

Story of the Day

Fellow Biz staffer Alan Snel had a great article on the Tampa Bay Lightning's attempt at getting more people to buy season tickets next year by offering all you can drink beer during the playoff games when they signup.

Check out his exclusive here. The story showed up on Yahoo's top news stories for the day so you know it's being talked about nationwide. Would you be guessing that they are rescinding the offer? If so, you would be right.

Three Years and Counting

Happy 3rd Anniversary to sister Laura and bro-in-law Greg. Three years ago today you guys were all gussied up and gettin' hitched.

It was a great day as I remember. Lots of good family, food, and friends.

I know there was something about you two sitting up in the honeymoon suite sipping champaign on the balcony watching our inebriated family swim the Gulf...and lots of fun at the bar afterwards.

Congrats and here's to many more!

You Can Cover Up the Noise - But NOT the Odor!

Ok, thanks to co-worker Pat I am featuring one of the funniest dang web sites in a long time. Flatulence Deodorizer.

This "invention" purports to help those with "gas" issues control the smell. And the best part? The Thong and Diaper for your dog! Because you want to spare your pooch the embarrassment of smelling you or your guests out of the room. (Don't count the embarrassment you will put him/her through when you have to explain what that thing is on your dog everytime.)

It's a charcoal filter that either fits in your underwear or in a pad you sit in on a chair.

I can think of a few friends and family who should be getting this for Christmas!

Belated Wishes and Caviar Dreams

I wanted to wish all the moms out there, especially my mom, a Happy Mom's Day.

For all they do for us we, and I, appreciate it all.

DoughNUTs

Krispy Kreme's stock offering was a Cinderella story. They made tons of money and enjoyed an increase in stores and sales.

Then came Atkins and the South Beach Diet. According to the Associated Press shares of the wonderful glazed donut-making dudes and dudettes fell 23 early today on news that they were lowering its earnings forecast. They blame all those who are cutting carbs in America. They announced in March they are planning to introduce a low-sugar version to get those people back in their drive-thrus.

It's amazing how much can change in a short period of time. First KK was everywhere (including in my papers pages) with KK wedding cakes and parties. Now they are being shunned by the carb Nazis. I was amazed that they were soo hot to begin with, I mean a doughnut is fried fat basically, you don't need Dr. Atkins or the South beach diet guy to tell me that it's bad for you. You just can't eat them daily and multiple number of them.

It's common sense to me.

They Say It's Your Birthday!

Happy birthday to long-time friend and college roomy Kathy! She turns the BIG 3-0 today, even though she looks 24 still, maybe that. We had lots of great times. This is also a big year for her, she's getting married in Sept.

Happy birthday Kathy! You get to be 30 first!

Viva Cinco di Mayo!

Happy May 5. For a history lesson behind the Mexican holiday check out this site.

Just thought I'd have a little history lesson today. ... Ok, there it was, not get back to your drinkin' festivities.

Hilarious Read

Finished Seven Up by Janet Evanovich this weekend. What a fun read!

I guess it is in the series of character Stephanie Plum. Stephanie is a bounty hunter. She became one when she graduated from college because she couldn't find another job during an economic downturn. She kept the job because she liked it, and I think because it drives her mother nuts.

This one she is looking for Eddie DeCooche, an old guy on the run because he missed his bond hearing. Stephanie can't do anything right when it comes to this guy. There's plenty of funny situations that come out her trying to bring him in. There's lots of mob humor. Stephenie's Grandmother Mazure is one of the highlights. This spunky lady says just about anything, including how she should get a Harley because when she was riding on one she was awakened down there and she liked it. Lots of twists and turns and a nice surprise, I didn't know what the outcome would be half way through, which really ticks me off!

Next up? Dunno. My mom is finishing the last Left Behind Book Glorious Appearing and I'll prob. get my hands on that one soon. Will keep you up to date.

Rainy

Woke up to the sound of rain drops on the roof. I love the rain. Especially when it's not the monsoon ones that we often get in Florida. It was a little cool and very dark. I wanted to stay in bed and enjoy listening to those sounds. It was tempting to call in "wanting to listen to the rain and that's why I couldn't come in." But I didn't think that would fly.

Yeahhh!!!

Youngest sister will be hitting the road soon from Jacksonville for a short visit. We don't get to see her too often so it is a treat. I am sure there will be much fun and frolicking this weekend around the normal work.

Homeownership - Part III

What's cool about having a home of your own? Sitting around the house and noticing the possibilities. What I mean is thinking about the color of paint you would like to use and if you might use a special technique. Or where you might put a flower bed. Or the color of drapes that may look cool.

That's a Sheep?

When I first saw this photo I thought it looked like a rock with a white nose sticking out of it..now a sheep that hadn't been shorn for six years. The freshly cut guy looks much happier although I have to imagine he must feel practically naked. Check it out.
Sheep Photo

Skippy and Britt and Lunch and more Sadness

Went to lunch with Skippy and his better half Dr. Britt today at UT's cafeteria. This cafeteria was WAYY better than I remember at school. First off there was a lovely salad bar with fresh fruit on the other side. Then there was some fresh prepared items, sandwiches, burgers, roasted chicken and desert. And all of this for about $5 and it's all you can eat.

Then off to see Dr. Britt's office at the Sykes College of Business. It was a very serious looking place. And very quiet, but being it's almost finals time, that's not surprising. The doc. collects shot glasses from around the world, specifically Hard Rock Cafes and Planet Hollywood. He's got a windowsill full, a big windowsill full. But that's cool.

We are sadly losing our Assist. Biz editor Katrina...she is transferring departments. I am sad because she is a good neighbor, has taught me tons and brings chocolate and snacks to work. Soon it's only me and the new neighbor who still can't figure out how to use the phone and has computer probs daily.
WAAAAHHHHH!!!!

Cool Part of Home Ownership - The Sequel

Sitting out on your back porch watching you hubby barbecue on the new grill we got for a house warming gift.

I mean the yard isn't anything to look at, well, there's nothing back there, I do mean it, not plants, grass (it's weeds baby) or trees. But that's Ok, cause it was a nice evening and the grilled chicken, corn on the cobb and grilled potatoes were very good.

It was very cool.

It Sucks You In!

Last night I was watching Iron Chef America on Food Network. It is a takeoff of the original Iron Chef out of Japan. If you have never seen Iron Chef this is how it works....Two high-profile chefs battle it out on camera in a set called Kitchen Stadium. They have to make the best dishes they can from a special ingredient that is shown to them at right before the competition. Whoever impresses the judges who taste the food at the end wins. It's really funny, it sucks you in.

Now Food Network is doing an American version. They have three Iron Chefs (all men of course) - Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck and Mario Batali and it is hosted by food scientist Alton Brown from Good Eats (I love him by the way...I actually learn stuff from him.)

Well these Iron Chefs are battling Japanese chefs. I started watching the end of the tag-team event last night at about 10:30, watched a re-airing of the intro show and then was sucked into the Flay/Sakai battle with trout which ended at 1 a.m. I just couldn't stop watching! So corny, yet you can't look away. I love it! They will be reshowing the other battles later so I will have to watch.

IRON CHEF!

Who Knew?

Who knew that women's hair pieces were so popular? Out at the flea market today I started to really notice how many womne have fake hair. From the fake pony tails to extentions to bad buns and braids. And often it's on a older woman trying to make their hair big.

What's with that? I guess it it up there with the blue and bright green eye shadow.

Rhino Luuuvvv

Thought this story was really funny. CNN.com - Rhino gets amorous with car - Apr 22, 2004

Oye, I'm Gonna Crash!

It's 12:35 and I'm feelin' OK, for now. But I KNOW that come 2:30-3 p.m. I will be crashin' big time. I can't remember the last time I didn't get to bed before 2:20 in the morning before having to work. Man do I sound old, but it's true!

I'm Buzzin!

Ok, so you notice it's 2 in the freakin' morning on a work night...and here I am typin' to you. We had an old friend of hubby's over from New York tonight and at 9:30 were were drinking cappuchinos and having cake..yowzer! Now anyone who knows me knows that it doesn't take too much caffeine to get me going. Well espresso, which is in cappuchino tends to be full of it. So here it is 2 a.m., they left about 1:15 ish and I am laying in bed with my eyes wide open. How ironic, I drank the coffee tonight and I can't fall asleep, tomorrow around 3-4 p.m. I will have to drink coffee to keep from falling asleep!

The Lord is My Shepherd...

Last night I finally finished Rabbi Harold S. Kushner's The Lord Is My Shepherd: Healing Wisdom of the Twenty-Third Psalm. I received it as a gift from my husband for Christmas and was very glad to have read it.

The book is not big, only 175 pages, so it wasn't the size of the book that took me so long, it was what I was reading. (I am sure moving could play into this too.)

Kushner takes one of the most well known psalms:

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name' sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

from the Bible and delves deep into each part, taking apart each sentence and talking historically about what may have influenced the writer, what others have written about it and then making his own interpretations. In the end it all comes down to that God is with through you valleys and will always be there to walk you into the light and that the light is with him at the end and that is your home.

This is a book for anyone who has been through trying times or are going through them now because it shows there is hope and even though you may not be able to see it at the time of great distress there is hope to being happy. This passages said a lot to me...

"The psalm does not deny the shattering reality of death and loss, nor does it minimize how painful death and loss can be to us. It never asks us to pretend, as some religious teachings do, that death does not change things, that moving from life to death is no different that moving from New York to Chicago. It acknowledges the emotional darkness we find ourselves in when a loved one is dying or has died, the "valley of the shadow of death." But instead of cursing a God who permits our loved ones to die, it introduces us to a God who is with us in our pain, and who leads us through the dark valley back into the light. It summons us to live bravely, to go forward with our lives in the confidence that we are not alone.

For anyone who has lost someone close to them this is an important thing to hear. I know that when my brother Paul died less than two years ago it felt as if there would be no end to the pain. Crying could come at anytime and everything seemed dark. There wasn't a thought that the light was shining at the end of the tunnel. But there is. I still feel a great loss, but the ache is a little less and I can smile more when I talk and think about him.

Kushner is very easy to read and his thoughts are very well laid out. This is a book I will hang onto, because many of the things he says may come in handy later.

Next...a complete 360, Janet Evanovich's Seven Up. From what I gather so far it is a thriller comedy.

Any book that starts:
"For the better part of my childhood, my professional aspirations were simple-I wanted to be an intergalactic princess. I didn't care much about ruling hordes of space people. Mostly I just wanted to wear the cape and the sexy boots and carry a cool weapon.
peaks my interest...it's funny so far. Will let you know.

Things Overheard in the Newsroom

"I'm just tryin' to sex it up." This is one bosses response in fleshing out a story idea. And we are a family newspaper supposedly.

Cakes Everywhere!

Today was a cake-filled day at work. First we had a surprise wedding shower for two ladies getting married next month. So there was a lovely lunch and a lovely cake (I didn't partake of that one knowing that there was more to come. And then later in the afternoon was Ms. Cherizon's (Cherie's) farewell and there was another cake. Wow. You could smell the sugar over wafting in the newsroom.

I am very sad to see Cherie leave. She's a funny lady with a fashion sense that beats most. But she's on to bigger better things and that's awesome for her. But I am still sad...We'll miss ya Cher.

How do you...?

How do you tell the new guy that his bottom two buttons on his shirt have popped open? I mean I have been trying to figure out the nicest way to do it. But I can't. I want it to go away because it isn't like his stomach is nice to look at exactly, just the opposite. And I can't wait to see him in the summer. He's sweating a lot now, what will he look like in August? Ew...

Bill, You're Hired!

After a drawn out 2 hour finale Bill came away the winner of the Apprentice on NBC. He chose to head up a multi-million dollar 90-story building project Trump is building in Chicago rather than taking charge of a new golf coarse in California.

I believe Trump made the right choice. After Kwame made the mistake of letting Omorosa make costly mistakes and not minimizing her role or even better firing her and not becoming more concerned and strong I knew Kwame wasn't the man for the job.

I did think that the ending was cheesy, with the "boardroom" splitting apart revealing an audience and a band. And almost as obnoxious was The Donalds horrible reading ability.

He said that some of the old contestants may be back for the next season and a picture of Troy and Omorosa showed up, I am sad to see that he is giving more credence to her. She is a liar and a bad employee, I know she makes for ratings, but I am tired of her and am ready to move on.

Bring on the next Apprentice! I'm ready!

Little Chocolate Eggs

Another great thing about Easter? Chocolate filled eggs.

The boss who sits next to me brought in a bag of Nestle Easter miniature eggs that are filled with Peanut Butter, Crunch, Butterfinger and Caramel. Yum!!! They were calling my name, I had to have one or two ok, maybe it was one of each. All I know is that they were VERY yummy and I have to work very hard to not listen to those eggs calling my name...they must not win...but it is so hard... mmmm... Little Chocolatey Eggs!

Mixer Memories

I was reading the main article in the Food section in the St. Petersburg Times called Battered, Not Beaten in Wednesday's paper. The author Lane DeGRegory talks about her 40 year-old handmixer that she still uses. It was a wedding present to her parents. She got it when her mom stuck it in her going to college boxes (she says it's because it was an excuse for her mom to get a new one.)

It works, mostly, and it's cord is an old cord from electric hair rollers she used in college and changed it to the mixer when it's detachable cord died.

This mixer represents to her so many family memories. From her and her sister fighting over who gets to lick the beaters to her son who now gets that privilege.

While we don't have a 40-year-old appliance in our family we did have a 15+ year (mom how old was that old girl?) SunBeam stand mixer that we used to mix everything from cake mixes to Christmas cookies and the famous Christmas and Easter tea rings. I used it to comfort myself when my Dad was in the hospital after having an appendectomy. It was Christmas time and instead of buying gifts for friends I baked like a nut. From the famous butter cut-out cookies to soft sugar cookies and everything in between. I decided I wanted to cut down on mixing time so I not only doubled the recipe (which is OK) I tripled the butter cookie one. Man, what a mistake! Before I knew it the dough was coming over the top and up into the mixer. Soon it was smoking. I thought the I had killed the thing. Wrong. Just washed the sucker off, cleaned out the batter and removed some of the dough from the bowl and went to mixing it again!

That was in high school, I was just 16. The mixer was retired about 10 years later when we implored my Dad to buy a brand new Kitchen Aide for Mom, she deserved it. The mixer was getting really hard to use and it jumped around like it could dance off the counter at any time, you had to watch it. The new mixer is great. But it is missing some of the fun. The mangled beaters that I couldn't tell which was the round and which was the square by the end, they clicked together no matter which side they were in.

It was a part of my childhood and young adult life which I look back and always will smile.

Do the Funky Chicken!

At the web site The Subserviant Chicken you can tell the chicken what to do. He dances, shakes his booty...

It's VERY funny. It's a site designed by Burger King to get you into the mood for it's new chicken sandwich. It has 400 prerecorded actions... but it's still funny.

Bread Makes a Come-Back!

I knew that carbo-light lifestyle would not reign forever...

From the Associated Press today:

"The survey by Morgan Stanley analysts estimated that 13 percent of the U.S. population was on the Atkins, South Beach, or other low-carb diet in January. Participation has since trailed off to 11 percent."

We know that people cannot live on bread along...but some bread is not inherently bad, it the bad amounts.

Duhh Moment

The Wall Street Journal devoted an entire article on the fact that coffee from coffee shops, has MUCH higher amounts of caffeine then the stuff you brew at home. Well, WSJ, I could have told you that one. And that coffee can be addictive? New one there too.

Here's some highlights:
In pursuit of a bolder taste, coffeehouses typically brew their blends much stronger than a trusty old cup of Folgers. But a powerful side effect is unusually high levels of caffeine, according to a national test of ready-made coffee run by a laboratory for The Wall Street Journal. House blends at Starbucks Corp., GloriaJean's and other gourmet coffee chains have an average 56 percent more caffeine than samples tested at 7-Eleven Inc. stores and 29 percent more than those at Dunkin" Donuts nationwide.

and

These ill effects are important. Recent research has shown people often choose to maintain their caffeine intake more to avoid the irritable results when they don't get it, than for the positive effects when they do. Caffeine withdrawal usually begins within 12 to 24 hours after the last coffee was drunk, which may neatly explain why people often reach for their mug first thing in the morning.

There are times that my beloved WSJ just is off a little. They need someone like my trusty editor Kitty who told me about the story and went "Duhhh!!!"

Favorite Headline So Far Today

You had to know that poo had a higher purpose:

Yahoo! News - Research: Pig Manure Can Become Crude Oil

Good things About Easter

These are a few of my favorite things about Easter.
Waking up and getting to have my mom's famous cinnamon rolls. The are sooo yummy!
Chocolate eggs, almost any kind.
Getting to spend time with family and friends.
A dressed up dining room table with china, flowers and silver.
Easter dinner. I love the ham and my famous green bean casserole.
Crowding around the dinner table.
Remembering all the Easter traditions and stories of Easter past.

Happy Easter

"Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

This is the final chapter of the book of Matthew from the Bible. It is when Jesus has risen and met with his apostles and commands them on what they must do now. Tonight we continued that tradition at St. Matthews Catholic Church in Largo. Six or Seven people came into the church tonight by being baptized at the Easter Vigil Mass. This mass is the oldest in tradition (and the longest, although Fr. John got it to 2 hours and 15 minutes, not too bad, it was 3 hours last year).

We begin outside where a fire is lit and blessed. And then that fire lights the Easter candle which is used for the rest of the year to remind us of that we are a people of Easter, of resurrection. That flame is spread through the attendees, we hold candles. Then we process into a dark church with our candles filling it with this light. Inside we sit in the dark, a reminder of the death of Jesus and the darkness the world had during that time, I also thing it reminds us of the darkness the world was before creation, and we listen to bible selections beginning with the creation of the world and a variety of others. And then the lights come on, we sing the great Alleluia and it is Easter. (Easter is from the evening to the evening of Sunday by the way.) And then we have the rest of the mass. A highlight is also the baptism (it was all adults and 1 young teenager) and then receiving the other sacraments (confirmation - coming into the church fully as an adult) and their first communion.

It is a wonderful mass. Lots of tradition, singing, incense, readings...etc. It is full of sensory experiences.

I just wanted to share how I, my hubby and some friends rang in the Easter holiday.

To all my family and friends, no matter where you are this night and Easter Sunday may you have a blessed day, rejoice in spending quality time with friends and family.

Amen and Alleluia!

Congrats!

Congratulations to friends and new parents Denise and Mark! Their daughter Amy Lynn was born Tuesday night. I don't have many details yet...but mom sounds like she is doing well.

I am SOO happy for you two. I can't wait to meet her. What an Easter gift.

Tiger Goes Worldwide!

Make sure to take a stroll over to Mr. Doodles Dog to read my cat's interview with Joe the Cat and Gimlet. And notice the lovely photos, he is a handsome cat!

Nick and Amy, You're Fired!

Wow! What a show. Within less than 20 minutes Nick got the boot and then Amy was not too far behind. The task was for them to interview with some of the top exec's of Trumps empire, CFO (corporate finance officer) head of the hotels..Etc... Those execs were tough and had some great questions which helped them weed out Amy and Nick. I was a little sad to see Amy go, I was really hoping to see at least one women in the final. But she didn't interview well to say the least.

Now Kwame and Bill are facing off by heading up two different events to see whose is most successful. Kwame is in Atlantic City with a Jessica Simpson concert and Bill is up at one of Trump's golf courses heading a golf tourney. They are given employees, previously fired Apprentice candidates, and started at their tasks. So far the most contentious part has been Omorosa's reappearance. So far she has already screwed up. She took an important phone call from a Trump employee about the task and blew it off and then lied to the women and to Kwame and the others about her involvement.

And on Bill's end, Nick doesn't seem too pleased to be back and being an "employee."

I don't know who is going to win this. At this point I am wondering if it is whose employees will make them look the least bad.

I am pulling for Bill. He seems to be the most down to earth, he is sure of himself and his abilities and seems talented. We will see, next week there's a 2-hour final where Trump will finally say "You're Hired!" to one of them.

Oh the disparity..

Once again I find myself aghast at how reporters describe women. In an article by the New York Times on Condolezza Rice's testimony, reporter Michael Janofsky went on to tell everyone what she was wearing...

"When Ms. Rice arrived, the room fell nearly silent but for cameras clicking like crickets. She strode in erect and sure, wearing a smart tan suit, matching pumps and gold earrings. Throughout questioning, she sat at a sharp angle forward, which seemed to convey a confidence that bordered on brash."

Ok, would any media EVER describe the suite a man was wearing or the tie that he was wearing? No! Just like they did with Martha Stewart, her expensive purse and stole. What about the other executives on trials thousands of dollar suites? Shoes or briefcase? Does anyone really care? No. And it is terrible that these so-called enlightened journalists are continuing to drag out the perceptions that what a powerful women is wearing is worth noting in a story that has nothing to do with fashion. Rice was there to talk about national security, what does her clothing choice have to do with it? It doesn't matter how powerful the woman is, what she has achieved...in the end there is always room for her couture...how sad!

Tiger Interview

Our feline friend who boards with us is soon to be featured at Mr. Dooldes Dog. Tiger tells me he had a wonderful interview with the dogs and his favorite outdoor cat photographer Joe the Cat. Will let you know when the feature runs. Tigers gonna be a star!

Little Changes

More water and getting up to walk around more often. These are the things I am working on integrating into my life right now. I know that I tend to sit at my desk at work and don't drink enough. So this is a challenge for me. I just forget to drink. But I have noticed the more water I drink here the more often I have to get up and walk because I have to walk to the other side of the room to go to the bathroom. It works like this. Finish the cup of water, off the bathroom and then back to full up the cup. Will see how it works on those really busy days when I don't have the chance to get up too much. But I am going to try.

Tiny steps...baby steps to improvement.

Bye-Bye Cherie

A sad day at the office. Gal-pal and shoe aficionado Cherie Jacobs announced she has a new job. She is leaving the type and gripe factory for a lovely PR job in St. Petersburg. No more 6 minute commutes for her. She can feel my pain. We are very sad to see her go though. She is funny, smart and talented. We will miss you, but we know where you live and we know where you will be working...and we will be keeping in touch.

Good things about houses - It's a Good Thing!

Part-1, (I'm sure I'll find more.)

1. Drive ways. You always get to park in front of where you live, not around the corner because the guy downstairs has all of his friends over and they are parking where you usually do.
2. Garages. A wonderful place to put all the things you will need to go through but haven't had the chance. And a place eventually for you to park.
3. Washer and dryer in the garage!! Yes, my washer and dryer are free of the closets. Now I can open my dryer door a full 180 degrees rather than 90 and the washer I can approach from the front rather than from the side. Easier to reach the bottom.
4. A front walk. Something cool about that to me.
5. Windows. Ok, I had windows at the apartment. BUT they were only facing one direction so you rarely got a good breeze. Now air coming from lots of directions. And it feels wonderful.

Very Sad

An article today says that an increasing number of people are blaming the Jews for the death of Jesus. I have to wonder why this increase is happening? Here's an excerpt:

"The percentage of Americans who believe Jews were responsible for killing Jesus has grown in recent years, although it remains a view held by a minority of people, according to a poll released Friday.
The survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found 26 percent of respondents believe Jews were to blame for the Crucifixion, up from 19 percent in ABC News poll in 1997.
The greatest increase was among young people and blacks.
Thirty-four percent of those under age 30 now believe Jews were responsible, compared to 10 percent in 1997, the Pew Center said. And 42 percent of blacks hold that view, compared to 21 percent seven years ago."


I cannot understand this. How can you blame a whole group of people responsible for the actions of so few? And do they fail to see the culpability of the Romans who carried out the act? Do you really think that Pilate, a known brutal man, would seriously take into consideration what a group of people who he hated and put down, what a few might want? If he didn't want it to be Jesus, it wouldn't have been. It would have undermined his authority.

I also see them missing the point. The point is that he died, the reason for that and that, in the Christian, and my belief, rose. That other issue is secondary and even below that. It's the entire message that people are looking past.

How sad. And this is what lead Christians into the holiest time of the year of the Easter season. If the Passion movie has helped fuel this flame, I am ready for it to be put out.

You're Fired Troy!

I have to say I am very sorry to see that Troy got fired last night on the Apprentice. He's a spunky guy who is smart and added a lot of fun to the group. But I can see Trump's concerns. I think with a little more time to help him hone his skills he can become a little less of a loose cannon, which he is. I did like how Trump told him that an education is a good thing. And maybe he might look in picking up some courses here and there. To broaden his thinking. Even if he doesn't, he has shown that you don't have to have a fancy degree to be successful in business, which is very true.

I do think that Kwame is lucky he is still in the game. Yes he has an MBA from Harvard and works for Goldman Sacks in a great job. But I don't see him as a star in the group. I still see the quiet Bill as a contender. And between Amy and Nick, that's a tough one. They are both smart. But Nick now knows that Amy is only really playing him and I think he is clearer that she can't be trusted. Next week, two get fired. And then we are off to the finally. Who do you think will win?

A Yummy Review

I had the chance to eat an inside-out Reeses Peanut Butter cup today. That means that instead of chocolate on the outside with the yummy filling of peanut butter on the inside it is the opposite. Now as I always say, nothing with both chocolate AND peanut butter can be inherently bad. It's just not possible. Those two flavors were created to be together.
Now with that said...I have to say I was a little disappointed. See the problem is that the sweetened peanut butter is just that sweet and it overpowers the creamy chocolate inside. The regular way just is perfect the way it is. You are able to experience both equally. I do give it to them for trying to experiment with their product, but next time I will be go for the original. And I hear they have made a king Sized cup..now I am all for that one.

This is for you Karen

I saw this on the Side Salad this morning. It's The Flying Cow, you fling a cow and try to get it in the Bulls Eye for points. I can see why this could be addicting. So Karen, my cow-loving sister, this ones for you!

And while your at the Side Salad, link on the left, check out the String Cheese Photos. Very funny!

Happy Late Wednesday

I was really busy at work today. Too much to do and not enough time. And then it was home to do some more moving. Thanks for friend Aaron and his purdy new truck we were able to move LOTS of stuff. We only have a few things left, mainly garbage to throw out and a little cleaning. I can't wait till this part is over.

I have to say that I enjoy living in a home. It is so different. I am still getting used to all the space, although the more we bring over the more it fills. But I know a lot of that is just stuff isn't where it should be, closets, out of oversized boxes, etc.

Well, I gotta run. I'm sure there'll be more to chat about soon.

And my thoughts and prayers go out to the men and women who were brutally killed and paraded through and Iraqi town today. No one deserves to be treated in death that way.

It's String Cheese Man!

Ok, it's not every day one sees the Sorrento String Cheese Man at your work. Well, we did. I know there will be photos up at The Daily Dave (oh sorry Daily Daal) and Side Salad later so you can see how funny it was. And by the way, string cheese is VERY yummy! And fun to eat.

Weeeeeeeeee!

Vrooom! That's how fast my Internet connection is now! Say bye-bye to dial-up and HELLLOOO road runner! Weeeeee!
Many, I'm going sooo fast I cannot almost see myself...Now I'll be able to utilize photos more here since uploading photos will be very easy and fast. Well, that's once I figure out where I PUT the digital camera and accessories...photos soon, I hope. I am still looking for clothing that I can't figure out where I put them...I did find the shoes though!

Tired...so tired

Wow. What a whirlwind of a weekend. Working Saturday, more packing and moving. And then suddenly it was Monday morning again and I know I could have slept longer. I want to take the time to thank those helping this weekend. Thanks Aaron, Adam, Mike and Roy. You guys are awesome. And a big thanks to my Dad and Mom. Mom brought yummy food for lunch and dinner, and the best part, a huge Texas chocolate cake. Yum! And they helped move our waaayyy too many clothing over. (Time to pare them down again.) Without your help, hubby and I would still be moving right now. Yes, right now.

Tonight it's back to the apartment for more moving of stuff.

When is it nap time?

The Apprentice

Katrina, You're fired!

Unfortunately we missed the first 10 minutes of the show so we didn't see whose idea it was that brought down Katrina, Amy and Nick. But from the rest of the show that I did see, I saw that the other team went after the high rollers, the ones who they knew would be spending the big bucks. And that was a great idea.

Now, I have never been a Katrina fan. I know she is smart, but I didn't think she was anything special. She didn't really shine. And what through me about her was the task in real estate, which she is supposedly a star in and she bombed. If she couldn't get the task with her specialty right, what makes me think she is great in other areas?

I think the three man team is really strong. Bill, is quietly making strides and may be the one to beat. I believe Kwame is nice, but I think he has been riding the coat tales of successful teams and has been lucky. I think he might be next, except his team is so strong.

I do like Amy and I hope she will be a finalist, among the women I think she is one of the smartest and business savvy. But I don't know if her alignment and now dissing of Nick in front of the Donald will be her downfall.

I love that show! I will be sad when it ends.

What the?

From what I understand about this Laci Peterson law, the law currently in Congress to make it a crime if you kill a fetus during a crime. So how does that fit in with Roe vs. Wade? How can you truthfully have both laws on the books at the same time? They totally contradict each other. One says, yes you may abort your child, it is your right, a fetus is not a life up till certain times. This law says that the fetus is life and it is protected. I'm not taking sides here. Just pointing out one of the laws (if the Laci/Conner Peterson law is passed) will be struck down.

There are some interesting things coming up with this one.

Another one down

Dynegy exec., Jamie Olis has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison. And he won't be getting out early because it is federal. He is 38 and will be 62 when he gets out.

See Martha wasn't a fluke. Unfortunately the Tyco trial seems to be breaking down. There are now reports that the jury is having severe problems deliberating and is being called "poisonous."

I am glad that we are beginning to see some of these men go down the river. It's time these execs. see if they break the law they won't be getting a slap on the wrist.

Next!

Say hello to Mrs. Homeowner

Well, we did it. We handed over lots of dough and in turn received a home.
Observations:
1. You are at the mercy of these people when it comes to closing. Just because they tell you the day before this is going to happen here and at this time, doesn't mean it will. They can call you 25 minutes before and tell you they have pushed back the time, and this apparently happens all the time.
2. Do hand exercises prior to starting the signing. You can get some real good hand cramps if you don't while going through the inches of paper that you must sign.
3. Get good help - realtor and finance side. Because most likely you won't know what you are reading, and they can tell you. Thanks to George and June!
4. It is a great feeling. Knowing that all the hard work has finally paid off. And another reason to make sure you are careful with your credit because it would suck to live in an apartment forever..I can't wait to move, houses are cool.

We already met some of the neighbors. They came over an introduced themselves. Looks like there are lots of friendly people there with many kids who actually PLAY outside!

Coming to a home near me and some of you....a house warming party/block party.

Home is a good place to be.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow!

Is just a day away...

Tomorrow we close on the house so I will be out and about all day. Very exciting. Hubby will be mowing the law for the first time tomorrow.

Ahh..domestic bliss.

Wish us well.

Kooks Are Out At the Flea Market Again

Man! Working at the Flea Market is a crazy thing. The people out there are kooks. Still the people and their dogs. What's with that? Do dogs not know how to walk now? I am wondering since so many people out there like to carry them like children. And the choice of clothing out there is interesting. Usually, it's the lack of it. And what's with the middle aged women with the bad hair pieces? You know the curly extensions that are obviously fake and do NOT make their owners look younger? But only like Dolly Parton on a bad day. It is always interesting and never boring. And we are still not talking about the vendors. To our left is a gun shop, left and forward porno, front, silk plants, right sports stuff, right forward some hippy stuff. Some of the stuff you can find there...lots of women's underwear, hot tubs (I would LOVE one of those!), grave marker sales, a wine shop, old computer shop, old vacuum shop, jewelry (plenty) and a women you can pay to paint your loved ones name on a mural she's been painting. Oh yea, lots of beer.

Spring has SPRUNG!

Walked out my front door this morning into a beautiful Spring day in West Central Florida. The sun is shining and everything and I do mean EVERYTHING is blooming today. (In fact last night when I was taking the garbage out I was looking up at one of the many oak trees that line one of the parking pads at my apartment complex and I noticed that the tree looked fuzzy. I walk closer, it is one of the late bloomers, it is covered from top to bottom in pollen hanging from every crevice.)

From the oak trees to every know flower and flowering bush and tree that could bloom, is! I looks lovely but it starts out with the tickle in my sinuses and the next thing you know I'm sneezing and my sinuses hurt. I want to go out side and enjoy the weather...maybe when a few things finish blooming. But by then it will be almost 90 and I will stay inside just to stay cool and comfortable.

Spring officially starts tomorrow, but it's been Spring here for a while, and we've got the Spring breakers and snow-birds here to prove it.

Happy early Spring equinox!

Proud to be an American...

A big congratulations to my hubby's aunt Anna in becoming a naturalized citizen this morning. She was one of more than 300 in a morning ceremony who were naturalized. And I understand there was one this afternoon. So there are lots of new citizens in the Tampa Bay area today.

Congrats!

Top O' the Mornin'!

Happy St. Patrick's Day. Are ye wearing yer' green today? I am. I have some Irish blood flowing through my veins. My grandmother's maiden name was O'Connor, as one of the five original tribes of Ireland, and her Irish relatives came to the U.S. from Limerick, as made famous by Frank McCourt's Pulitzer Prize winning novel Angela's Ashes.

So in honor of the day here's a little history on the man of the day St. Patrick:

Patrick was really a Brit., he was born in Britain around the end of the fourth century. He was taken prisoner by Irish raiders that were attacking his families estate and was held captive in Ireland for six years. During this time he became deeply religious while seeking solace in his situation. Eventually he escaped back to Britain. He was told by a voice he believed to be God to return to Ireland to convert Irish pagans to Christianity. (Although some believe he introduced Christianity to the green isle, he actually was sent back to not only convert but to minister to the Christians there.) He incorporated traditional Irish symbols into Christianity rather than forcing the Irish to lose their traditions. This includes using the bon fire during Easter (we always light a fire during the Easter vigil to symbolize Christ's light) and incorporating the sun into the cross, this has become the Celtic Cross. He spent his life ministering to the Irish and eventually became the Bishop, which he almost didn't get because he didn't have the proper book learning usually required. He is believed to have died on or around March 17 460 AD.

There is only 2 known documents attributed to Patrick and where we received the most knowledge about his life is through The Confession of St. Patrick. It's a little long, but interesting.

If you want to read about some famous Irish folks try here. (Note, Ireland is a progressive country now. They have had two women presidents, and as you know, that's 2 more than the U.S.)

So even if you have no Irish lineage (everyone can't be blessed like that) enjoy the day and have may the luck o' the Irish be with you today!

A Movie Must

Last night I sat down and watched HBO's Iron Jawed Angels. It chronicles the heroics of women sufferagists in the early 20th century. Specifically it centers around the "radicals" Alice Paul and Lucy Burns. These young women, they were in the late 20's, went toe-to-toe with politicians, including then president Woodrow Wilson, society, other women and even the organization that was leading the fight at the time, The National American Women Suffrage Association. They believed whole-heartedly in their fight and noted the hypocrisy of the president in going to war to liberate those who don't have say in their own governments, as women in the US didn't.

They did unpopular things such as protesting out front of the White House in whatever weather from dawn to dusk. They protested during the war. They went to jail on trumped up charges and Alice lead a hunger strike that got her labeled as a trouble maker and they forced fed her so they wouldn't have a martyr.

They won.

I think this is the type of movie that should be shown in history classes. It uses direct quotes of speeches, letters and editorials. As a young woman myself I cannot totally appreciate what these women went through because I have always had the rights they fought so hard for. But watching this movie really puts a human face on the issue and appreciate those battles.

I want to point out an extraordinary part in the film. The character Emily Leighton played by the wonderful Molly Parker. She was the wife of a U.S. senator who began to see how important women's rights were. At first she was behind the scenes supporting the group with her money. Then her husband found out and closed her bank account and told her she would have to pay for household goods with credit and he would pay the bills. The last straw? He threatened to take her children away from her because she had taken them to a protest rally. He accused her of being a bad mother and that "No judge in the district would give you custody." And how could she pay for a lawyer, she has nothing. The light went off in her head. She was nothing to her husband in his eyes and she had nothing. Everything was his and his alone. She started protesting and went to jail too. And she tells her husband the only reason she is doing this is for her daughters so they don't have to do it.

This internal struggle portrayed was amazing. I wonder if I were her would I have stood up or would have I been pushed into submission like so many other women of her stature?

But I am lucky, unlike her, I will never have to make that choice. If you have HBO see it! If not, I am sure it will be available out there for rental. It's time more people understood what had to happen for women to be granted the same rights as men and the same rights for those we fought a war over.

Irritation Gone Awry!

Went to my neighborhood drugstore last night to pick up some cortisone cream to get rid of an obnoxious rash that has had taken up residency on my neck area. I thinkin', no problem! How many creams can there be? The first problem, finding the right type of cream. I walk down the first isle and I find more creams than I ever could have imagined intended for hemorrhoids. Any many advertised quiet largely that they were for anal itch. Yes, many were cortisone cream...but I wasn't buying anal cream for my neck.

Up and down the isles I went looking for anti-itch and rash cream...FINALLY! There they were. All 4 or five shelves. Who knew there could be so many?? Creams, gels, pads, cloths...OYE! .5%, 1%, super, moisturizing, with oatmeal, with aloe..etc..etc..All for some rash cream! I am beginning to think there are just too many choices. Do I need a PHD to know what to buy?

"Beware of the Ides of March!?"

Happy Ides of March to all! I, like most people who hear that assume that it is a negative thing. I did some reading up on ideas and found out it is just the way in the Roman calendar that denoted the 15th of March, May, July, and October; the 13th in the other months. So the soothsayer to Julius Caesar was only warning that something bad was going to happen to him on that day.

So to all, Happy March 15th!

I fell pretty..oh so pretty!

I was packing again yesterday afternoon. I emptied out the curio cabinet, it was a big job because I have lots of expensive breakables in there and you have to be very careful in the packing. I'm such a freak in fact that I have kept all the boxes these items orig. came in and that packing.

I also keep my sparkly wedding tiara in there. So I took it out and didn't know what to do with it so I wore it while packing. It really made the ordeal more fun. Something about wearing a tiara makes you smile. Maybe I'll wear it more often. Maybe while watching TV, or reading a book, dancing around the new house. Nothing that would make it dirty because I know sister Karen has her eye on it to wear it in her wedding. Tiara wearing is highly underrated!

Are we crazy?

I looked at the top of the newspaper I work for today and was almost stunned to see what the fine editors here feel is the top story. A football player got canned, and that's number 1! Granted he is a nice football player, but he nevertheless, still a football player. While underneath plays the fact that the local big town has started giving partner benefits to employees and a bomb explosion in Spain that killed almost 200 which is purported to be the work of Al Qaida. I know there are varying interests in the community and we have to show that in our pages. I think there are very few cases when a sports person should be the top story on A1. And today, he shouldn't have been there.

Martha, Martha, Martha!

I have been trying to ignore commenting on the Martha Stewart deal. But after hearing conversations and participating in a few I feel I have to.

I am getting tired of hearing all these feminists saying that Martha was railroaded because she was a woman. Why are they glancing over the facts that she was guilty and had more than 1 chance to redeem herself and she chose not to? She lied. Case closed. I wish these strong women would take up the causes of strong successful women who are acting inside of the law.

I am unhappy with how the media has been describing her though. The design-diva etc. And then all the hubbub on what she's wearing, her purse and that she is hard to deal with in business. Would a male exec. being tried ever be commented on his shoes, brief case or if he was a jerk in the board room. Doubtful. I do find this sexist.

I will be watching as these other CEO's come to trial and see if they are actually convicted and forced to pay as Martha did/does. If not I will cry foul.

But until then. Martha broke the law, and she knew better. She has to pay.

Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month. I know some people don't believe there should be any special designations given out like this, supports being separate or something. I found this interesting fact today while searching for some info. for work. In history books only 2 percent of text is devoted to women. Thus the need for the month because we just didn't and mostly don't learn about what women have done to contribute throughout history.

I also found this great article at womensenews.com about Mothers facing continuing discrimination. I found this article to be very thought provoking. Consider:

"We like to think that all women have choices today. But what kinds of choices do mothers really have? The choice to work our rear ends off in corporate jobs that refuse viable part-time positions or quit and stay home? The choice to go on welfare after a divorce and then be forced to work at Wal-Mart? The choice to never see our kids during daytime hours or never put our college degrees to work?

"I think it just goes back to old-fashioned discrimination against women," says Ann Crittenden, author of the "The Price of Motherhood: Why the Most Important Job in the World Is Still the Least Valued." "We lavishly support the things men choose to do, whether they choose careers in the military, or science, or farming, but we don't support the choices women make," Crittenden adds. Namely, the choice for women to bear and raise a child themselves."

and

"Crittenden and others believe the unpaid work of mothers needs to be quantified and measured by the Gross Domestic Product and also qualify for Social Security. Women who stay home to raise their children--the future taxpayers of America--unintentionally put themselves at financial risk. In fact, spending time out of the paid work force to raise children (or provide any type of unpaid caregiving work) can lead to poverty. This is amply demonstrated by the current cohort of retirement-age women, who are almost twice as likely to be poor than men in the same age group.

"We feel that the unpaid caregiving work that all mothers do has got to be recognized and valued by society," says Joanne Brundage, founder and executive director of Mothers and More, an Illinois-based advocacy group for mothers.

To help keep mothers and children out of poverty we also need viable part-time work options, health care, access to education and job training regardless of our economic status, and affordable, high-quality preschool and day care if we choose it for our children."

I do not have children. Just to upfront about that. But I know many who do and they are put in this situation daily. You are pulled in every direction. But it seems to me that all the lip service about being good parents and the benefits children receive when parents spend more quality time with them is just that, lip service. What democrat or republican is going to truly stand up for women and get bills passed that truly benefit the family? Also why are women looked down on in the workforce when they take time off to take care of their children? They should be applauded! This isn't just a woman's issue, there are many men staying home too now, they should be protected too. This is a family issue that effects this country to the core.

Check out the entire article
here.

Happy Tuesday

Just wanted to pop in and say hi. Don't have much to report. Just lots of work and lots of packing ahead - we have yet to start actually. But I plan on doing SOME tonight. The hard part is the lack of space to PUT the filled boxes. Oye. Ta ta for now.

Spam Poetry

Just came across this wonderful blog. This woman writes poetry based on spam subject lines she gets. It's really funny. Check it out!

Not for the Depressed

I finally finished The House of Sand and Fog by Andres Dubus III last week. It was a book full of contrasts.

First I have to say if you do not like sad and depressing books, steer clear of this one.

I liked the book overall. I thought the story was interesting and the writing fairly good. The story is about a woman whose husband left her which leaves her is the midst of depression and despair and an Iranian Colonel who had to flee his country and is trying to make a new life for his family. Their paths cross when she loses her house because of a mistake in the county's tax office (she also neglected to open the mail to look at all the notices that told her she was losing the house) and the colornel buys it out from under her at an auction for a steal of a price. He wants to sell the home for full price so he can make some more money to help set up a business to support his family.

I noticed other reviewers said that there is no way she could have lost her home this way so it made it too unlikely the story. I let that part go and focused on the characters more.

The spiral downwards happens when the woman is helped by a local police officer who was there as part of the eviction team stays and helps her move. This man is in a bad marriage and they become lovers and advocate in getting the house back. In the mean time the Colonel is gets mixed up in the scheme soon and the whole things spirals out of control, more than I thought it would.

On the upside, I enjoyed seeing the story from the different perspectives, usually from the Colonel and then from the woman. We saw the pain from both of them. I especially enjoyed the Colonel.

On the downside, sometimes I thought the book rambled and some was really only filler. Also, the book can be tedious. It is not easy to read and didn't flow great at times so you can't stick with it for a long sit and read session. Also, I thought the ending was a little confusing. In fact I missed an important part completely and had to skim back over it. Infact I still am missing a key part of the ending that I just don't see.

I know they recently released this book as a movie. I would like to see it being that Ben Kinsley (Gandhi) stars as the Colonel and I appreciate is work. But I think some time will have to go by first. It's a little too unsettling to both read and watch that movie too close together.

Observations from a Flea Market

I spend my Saturdays and some Sundays hawking jewelry at the Oldsmar Flea Market in Oldsmar. (Notice on the web site that beer is at the top of the good things about the market.) I was a sellin' fool this Saturday, out sold Hubby, which is never the case, but I think it was because he was often congregating with the other jewelers (that's a story for another time).

Things I saw recently:
Teens walking around with kittens, just because they thought it was cool.
A kid with a bicycle chain around his neck. Seriously, but it was shined up at least.
A women who debated with herself if she wanted to buy a $200 bracelet or save it for the $800 Louis Vitton handbag she really wanted (her fake wasn't cutting it anymore) -she bought the bracelet from me...getting the handbag next month.
Dogs in strollers and in baby carriers used for infants againsst a persons chest.
Way too many hair extentions and bad ones at that.
Some really bad bright blue eye shadow.
Old ladies in their house coats - way too many.
A woman buying a family ring (gemstones for each family member) with her gemstone and one for her dog.)

Just some observations. And that doesn't include the anything about the vendors or what they sell out there. That's another installment. Get out to a flea market just for the people watching. And you can have a beer while you're doing it.

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!

Omorosa got fired last night on the Apprentice. Yeah! Finally the manipulative, nasty bitch got the can. And apparently she is thinking about suing Trump because she was subjected to unsafe conditions when the tiny piece of plaster fell on her head and gave her a "concussion." And I loved her little piece at the end in the cab where she trying to teach to the nation. But man she must have low self esteem..."I know that I am a good person..." Ha! Bye bye babe...

On a nicer note, I wanna welcome back Skippy to work, we are glad he is feeling better. Work is just not as fun without him.

Movies seen.

I am sooo behind in what I have been reading and seeing and blogging it is almost pathetic. Ok, it just IS pathetic. So I'll be playing catch up.

I finally saw Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl last weekend. I wasn't too hot on it to begin with because it is all based around a ride at Disney! A ride! I am happy to report that I enjoyed it. It was funny and full of action. And it had the lovely Orlando Bloom in it so it was nice to look at. ;-)

I have to say I particularly liked Johnny Depp's character. He plays captain Jack Sparrow, a nutty pirate who had a big ego and lots of eyeliner.

Ok, some of the effects are cheesy as are some of the lines. But allow yourself some suspension of disbelief and you should be able to enjoy it. I also am a sucker for the romance part of it and I enjoyed it in this movie too.

Last night we kept the adventure theme going and watched The Mummy. (I know, I am one of the few who hadn't seen it!) Once again, get past the cheesy lines, some overly computer-generated scenes and you have a fun movie. There were some gross moments, but even me who is grossed out easily made it through it unscathed. Once again the cheesy romance was there and a handsome Brendan Fraser to look at. But it has lots of twists and turns, the necessary mummy fight scenes, a goofy Arab-looking and sounding guy and fun ending. I have the second one at home and will be watching that one coming up.

Not tonight though, The Apprentice is on and that is one of the highlights of TV watching for me right now. Keeping my fingers crossed that Omorosa gets canned, she's not nice and I wouldn't want her working for me. But she brings lots of tension to the show though, but I would hate to think she might win.

Next topic...books read and CD's listening to.

Drumroll Please!

After lots of hard work, very few nights at home, trolling the Internet and the neighborhoods of central Pinellas County hubby and I have are finally getting home. A lovely 3 bedroom, 2 bath (yes! 2 bathrooms! Woohoo!), 2 car garage (this part hubby is in love with) home in unincorporated county, south of Largo.

I am excited, yet dreading the inevitable...packing and moving. I hate moving more than just about anything. And going up and down the apartment stairs isn't too grand either. At least there are no stairs at the house! Well, better start scrounging for boxes..I'm gonna need a lot of them!

I Knew it!

Saw this story on anti-bacterial soap today. That it works no better than regular soap.

All I have to say is I knew it! Soap is soap and is antibacterial by nature. Now if only some of the darn soap companies would make a few more non-antibacterial soap brands I would be happy.

Awesome!

If you live within driving distance to the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts you should make sure to get to see the Chihuly Across Florida Masterworks in Glass show. It is awesome! Dale Chihulymakes/designs those stunning glass sculptures and installations. What is so cool is the size of some of them. They seemed to move almost. Another cool part was the use of the glass outside in the gardens. The pieces were in harmony with the plants and water features.

But his work wasn't the only great part, the museum is awesome. There was a small Monet exhibit..Monet! Included were also a lovely Renior, Ceszane, O'Keefe..etc. What a treasure in St. Pete!

Life's Twist and Turns and Other Things

I know I am a dreamer. I have always dreamed where my life would take me. And certain things I had believed would happen by a certain time would have to be. It seems like my dreams are just that and only that dreams. And it is hard to hear people tell you that life is hard and it doesn't turn out the way you want most of the time. It's hard to effectively put your dreams to bed, especially by the person you never thought would do it.

But I digress...

Been really busy this week. Lots of work at work and stuff after words.

Lent started with Ash Wednesday. It's the 40 days before Easter that many Christians, and as a Catholic Christian we honor. It is a time for retrospection of your life, and seeing if your spiritual life is in tune or needs a tune up. It's a time for reflection, prayer, fasting and improvement. I am starting a Bible study as part of my Lenten journey. (It's not all about giving up believe it or not, but adding.) We are discussing the last book of the Bible, the Book of revelation and the Book of Daniel, both are apocalyptic books, meaning:

"From a Greek word meaning "to reveal" or "to unveil." It refers to a type of literature that flourished in Judaism and early Christianity from roughly 200 B.C. to 200 A.D. This was a time of great persecution of the Jews and Christians.

This type of literature sees the end of history and the coming of the New Age, God's reign; God is in control. The Books of Daniel and Revelation are examples." - Disciplesnow.com

It has been under lots of scrutiny in the past few years due to the Left Behind book series that was written by a very fundamentalist minister who takes the Bible word for word without looking at the context of the history of when it was written and by whom. I have read the books and take them as a fictional account, for no one knows when or how the end of the world will come, only God does, and I'll let him worry about those things. I can only worry about myself and how I handle myself.

Sorry to be ignoring my Blogging duties...I promise to try to be better. :-)

It's Raining, It's Pouring, Sarah is Exhausted!

Whew! The past 2 days have been hectic. Work has been non-stop.

Little Sis #2 was in town over the weekend with her significant other. We had a great time seeing them. We can't wait until they are able to move closer as we miss them a lot.

I'm looking out the window by me desk at work and it is pouring rain. It has about 30 minutes to stop so I can get to my car without being soaked.

The search for a home continues. We live in an area that the housing market is HOT. And finding a home you want to move into and being able to secure a contract is not easy. But I'm not gonna rush into something I'm gonna regret...say a little prayer for us that we find something. :-)

Well, back to work. More to do..and not a lot of time.

More Congrats

Congrats to cousin AJ and wife Catrina who are now expecting TWINS. I suggest they get sleep now for they won't once not only one but TWO babies come. It is so exciting for them. You two will be in our thoughts.

We'll Miss Him

Last night infamous local sportscaster Chris Thomas died from his battle with cancer. He used to be the sports guy at the TV station that lived downstairs from the newspaper. He was entertaining to say the least and he never lost the moment to get his own opinion of others into the newscast. He had his own radio show, and that's where he really shined. I have to say I miss his style (or lack of it sometimes - he wore a giant sombrero on Fri. nights when he went through the high school football scores - a dancing football with a sombrero danced across the screen with the scores.) So many of today young sportscasters look and sound alike. They couldn't hold anything to Chris Thomas who not only knew the sports but loved sports and you could tell. I know he could be brash, and lots of people didn't like him, but that's part of him that I did.
Hope there's a horse race you watch up in heaven big guy!

Spong Monkeys?

Ever seen that newer Quizno's ad with those things that are singing that looks like potatoes with mouths? On today's Financial wire this story came out. To clear it all up, they are spong monkeys...

They're "spong monkeys." Really. That's what they are.
They look like deformed hamsters or cardboard gremlins, and they've been singing "We Love the Subs!" in an odd ad campaign for Quiznos Sub that began Feb. 1, on Super Bowl Sunday. One has on a pirate hat, the other is wearing a bowler. They both have bulging blue eyes and weird toothy grins.
What the heck is a "spong monkey?" It's a strange creature from the United Kingdom that popped up on the Internet not too long ago and became a pop culture icon across the pond. The creative brain trusts at the Martin Advertising Agency in Richmond, Va., stumbled upon them and pitched them as "spokes-things" to the sub corporation.
"The agency thought they'd be perfect, and they presented us with the idea of putting them in a commercial," says Stacie Lange, vice president of public relations for Quiznos. "The creatures are just so zany and crazy and random. They really make people stop and pay attention."
The spong monkeys certainly snagged Quiznos" corporate attention. The company hired Martin for its new campaign and licensed the wacky critters. Martin says it's too early to tell how successful the ads have been in terms of sub sales, but the buzz has been loud.
"We've had a lot of customers writing and calling, mostly people just wondering what are these creatures?" Lange says. "Some think they're hamsters, other people think they're squirrels. Some people even think they're potatoes."
Spong monkeys may have nothing to do with sub sandwiches (but then polar bears have nothing to do with Coca Cola, either), and they may look a bit disgusting to some folks, but they're becoming stars.
"They've generated lots of water-cooler conversation, and that kind of talk value puts us on consumers" radar," Lange says.
Besides the "We Love Subs" spot, another one began running recently alerting customers that Quiznos will accept "any coupon for anything" for a $1 discount on their subs.
Quiznos hasn't officially ordered more monkey ads beyond this month, but if the buzz continues to grow, who knows how far these computer-generated spong monkeys can go? Stuffed toys? Cartoon series?

I'm Back, Kinda

I have been remiss about posting because 1. I work all weekend and 2. I had a bad bad headache yesterday and Sunday so I stayed home and rested with the thought of logging onto my computer not being a good one.

I actually spent most all of the weekend with my valantine. For us that's a lot of time since usually we are hanging out with friends or family. It was nice.

I have been really busy with work today since I was not here yesterday. But I have to admit I am still tired so I am not up to my normal perky and funny self. Hopefully soon!

My Ode to Fog

I love the fog.

Something about the way it makes everything so white/gray and in the evening how the lights shine through it. And if you have never lived by the water you can't appreciate how wonderfully thick, dense and damp sea fog can be. You know it's coming and when it does it is fast. On my drive home last night as I was driving West it looked like there was a storm coming in. The clouds looked heavy and and dark. But it wasn't a storm, it's sea fog. By the time I got home it was already rolling in to my apartment complex. And rolling is a good word to use. It seems to roll over the landscape, it is very fascinating.

I love being out on the beach on those foggy nights. I even love the dampness. In that fog your whole body is wet.

I can see why it has inspires people to write about it. (Here I am doing the same.)

Other Ways to Say "I Love You"

There's a great article in the Wall Street Journal today about the use of the phrase "I Love You," and the ways people express love minus the words. I found this very interesting. Here's a few excerpts:

We've become a society that places great importance on saying "I love you," and in many matters of life and death, no other words are as comforting. Many children now hear the phrase daily, and people say it generously to friends. "I love you" is cooed to newborns, and whispered to those who are dying.
Still, as we fixate on those words, we can forget that love is sometimes even more powerful when left unsaid. While we wait (or demand) to hear "I love you" from people in our lives, we may not notice their loving acts, says Corinne Wilburne Barker, a psychologist at California State University, Northridge. In her research, she calls this "an adoration of verbal expression," and it worries her.
People who are adept at expressing love verbally often feel superior to loved ones who aren't good at it, says Dr. Barker. A husband might show love in subtle ways - by filling his wife's car with gas, or taking her hand when crossing the street - but she's unhappy that he's reticent about declaring his love. "It can lead to estrangement," says Dr. Barker, who warns against belittling less-expressive partners.
Some people feel panicked by their inability to articulate affection. Jane Bluestein, who teaches parenting courses nationwide, encourages people to coax the words out of their mouths. One recent seminar attendee confided that she told her dog "I love you" before mustering the nerve to say it to her kids.

America's love talk can be traced to the 1960s. Before then, people struggled through world wars and Depressions; they were less focused on emotional needs. But since then, "all you need is love" has been touted as a comprehensive cure-all. Even President Bush peppers his speeches by encouraging people to visit shut-ins" homes and say "I love you," or to hug paroled prisoners and say, "I love you, brother."
Valentine's Day is now just one of 365 days for loving language; Hallmark Cards says sales of its nonholiday "love" cards rose 555 percent in the past three decades.


I have always believed it's not the words spoken that are the true indicator of a person's love for you but the actions. It is nice to hear, but a baby feels safe not by the words, but that they are kept warm, safe, fed, hugged. It's the significant other who offers to shop for the other when the other is exhausted, getting up and cooking a special breakfast for their family when it isn't expected or giving a child limits and sticking to their guns about them.

So yes, telling those you love you love them is important, but don't forget your actions everyday are just as important.

Closer

I am listening to Josh Groban's new CD Closer. I am a huge fan of the young baritone and I am looking forward to him stretching his talents more with more and more difficult songs. He sings songs in English (only 5 of 13 for those who don't want to listen to foreign-worded songs), French, Spanish and of course Italian, which he sang on his first CD. The song Raise Me Up has received much of the promotion on the CD but it isn't the best song...listen to Il Postino (with violin accompaniment by the gifted Josh Bell) or Per Te. Lovely. I do see that some of the lyrics are somewhat fluffy but I let that go because of the wonderful accompaniment and the clarity of his voice. I know many people dismiss him as being Classical-lite, and so it may be...but I have no reservations that he is a talented man and there is a place for his music too. I have other purely classical music CD's and I listen to those too...but when I am in the correct mood, this is one that makes a soar with his lovely voice.

Whew! Busy!

Busy day today. Looks like the rest of the week is shaping up to be similar. At least hubby and I got a chance to relax last night. Had a nice (easy) dinner, a bottle of wine, a little TV and off to a GREAT night of sleep. I know I got more than 8 hours, it has been a little while since I have gotten that much and it felt lovely.

I want to send out a BIG congrats to my cousin Dave and his new bride Kim who have found out that they are expecting at the beginning of September. I am so happy for you two!

Also, a small request. Say a little prayer for my Grandmother who is in the hospital. She had fluid in her lungs and we are waiting to hear the cause. Hopefully she will be home soon.

Return of the King!

What a GREAT movie. Yes it was long...my butt I think almost fell asleep...but, I liked it a lot. I know I will have to see it on DVD again to take it all it. I have to admit I never read the books, so I was/am confused on a few points, especially at the end. But it wasn't enough for it to take away from my experiece.

Some favorite parts:

1. Smeagol - Gollum (when they are going back and forth from the water to him). How truely split he became. And although he was computer generated...you couldn't tell.
2. Sam - I LOVED Sam. I cheered for him all along and was angry when he was "sent" away...and hurt for him when his "Mr. Frodo" was leaving him. Sean Austin was great, I see him differently as an actor now.
3. "No man can kill me!" - The Witch King ---"I am no man!" - Eowyn.
4. Liv Tyler - I think she is beautiful woman as Arwen. I can't believe someone as lovely as her can be a daughter of Steven Tyler!
5. The army of the dead...that just was cool.

There are other parts but that's just a small part. What a trilogy! I'm not into fantasy usually, but I liked this one.

Windblown and Tired

Just got home from my second job. I moonlight as a jewelers wife, which means I sell jewelry too. We opened a location at a local large fleamarket to try to help make some extra money. So that means Saturday and some Sunday's for me (including tomorrow) I am out hawking the finest jewels in Pinellas County for the best prices!) But I do have to admit it is tiring. Up early, there for a good amount of time and then back to work at the type and gripe factory for the week. And the house shopping too, can't forget that. But I am not gonna complain too much. I guess I would rather do this now when I am a still a young thing and can...before any bambino's make their appearance. But it is hard work.

Tonight we go to see Return of the King finally. I am excited. Hubby is making us cappuchino's to help perk us up for the evening. Last night I finally saw Seabiscuit. What a beautifully filmed film. It was lovely to watch. It was pretty good too the movie. But I will have to say to get the full benefit one MUST read the book, it is an awesome book. But I enjoyed it none-the-less.

Well, off to have a drinky and later to the movies. Ta!

#@*&%(& Stop!

There's a great article in the Tampa Tribune today about the overuse of cursing (or cussin' if you were from the south). It was right on. It is about a gentleman who wrote a book back in 2000 called
Cuss Control: The Complete Guide to Curbing Your Cursing.

Author Jim O'Connor said:
"Swearing is so widespread now that it's contributing to the breakdown of civility and the dumbing down of America.'' I am inclined to agree.

How hard is it to use the same select word again and again to describe how you are feeling or what is wrong etc? It isn't. It is much harder to describe those things with real words that can evoke a message that is just as strong or even stronger, thus the dumbing down part.

Also,
"When you look past the bad language to what is being said, it's often mean-spirited and disrespectful,'' he said. ``It's the coarse, negative tone and the anger that's just as disturbing.

"Using the `f word' used to be a sign of ignorance and lowlifes, but now even presidential candidates do it,'' he said, referring to Sen. John Kerry, who used it in a Rolling Stone interview.

"There are so many other words that he could have used, such as `bungled' or `fouled- up,' to more effectively describe how he felt about President Bush's policy in Iraq,'' O'Connor said. ``Using the `f word' is just lazy language when there are so many words that are more effective to make a point.''

Amen brother! I understand there is a time and a place for everything, some people have forgot that. Dropping that kind of language anywhere and everywhere thus passing it on to their children and other people's children who may not approve of it. I also know that curse words slip out here and there, I do it. It's the people who can't figure out how to use a regular word to describe situations I have the problem with. Instead of "F-ing awesome!" try just awesome! Awesome by itself is a special word, it means "Inspiring awe." I know it is hard to break the habit, but it's worth it. Our children's literary, social and verbal futures are at stake.

You can read the entire story here.

Oh Boy!

You KNEW this had to happen. The judge should throw her out on her ass.

Birthday Week!

We are in the midst of Birthday week here in the Business News department. Three of my co-workers have or are turning a year older this week. So that means 3 cards (which luckily I obtained already because Publix doesn't seem to change their cards that often so I went somewhere else to avoid the embarrassment of getting the same card for folks as the year before (I have already done that by the way.)

Yesterday it was a marble cake with white frosting, today a chocolate with choc. frosting cake and tomorrow...who knows...whatever looks yummy. Maybe cheesecake? mmm..cheesecake!

Note to boss: need to hire people in the following months (Jan./March, April, May or Oct. to help spread the cake around.)

So happy birthday to Ted, Katrina and Mark!

Dr. Suess and Your Computer

My mom sent this to me today and I thought it was really funny. I know when your computer is down it definitely isn't funny, but at least you can try to grin and bear it. :-)

Dr. Seuss Explains Why Computers Sometimes Crash! (Read this aloud - it's GREAT!)

If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port, and the bus is interrupted at a very last resort, and the access of the memory makes your floppy disk abort, then the socket packet pocket has an error to report.

If your cursor finds a menu item followed by a dash, and the double-clicking icon puts your window in the trash, and your data is corrupted cause the index doesn't hash, then your situation's hopeless and your system's gonna crash!

If the label on the cable on the table at your house, says the network is connected to the button on your mouse, but your packets want to tunnel to another protocol, that's repeatedly rejected by the printer down the hall, and your screen is all distorted by the side effects of gauss, so your icons in the window are as wavy as a souse; then you may as well reboot and go out with a bang, 'cuz sure as I'm a poet, the sucker's gonna hang!

When the copy of your floppy's getting sloppy in the disk, and the macro code instructions is causing unnecessary risk, then you'll have to flash the memory and you'll want to RAM your ROM, and then quickly turn off the computer and be sure to tell your Mom!

( WELL! That certainly clears things up for ME! )

Boobs Everywhere...

All I hear and read about is Janet Jackson's boob-baring experience last night. I am hoping this will die down soon because it is getting a little excessive.

Whew..I am torn about this whole thing. First I know that the Super Bowl is an event when there are lots of families are watching. But really...is the Super Bowl and/or football really that family friendly any more?

If you go to a game, the chances of seeing skin (people flashing) and men who shouldn't take their shirts off who do, hearing questionable language and drinking huge amounts of beer is the norm. Also, when you are at home, you are bombarded with ads about beer and other ads that most often are denigrated to women. And we haven't even gotten to the game or the players yet.

More frequently the players, who are grossly over-paid, aren't good examples for families. They are fathering multiple children with multiple women, breaking the law but being allowed to continue playing, being foul-mouthed in public and in general not being good ambassadors for the team or the city and these are the guys your kids idealize.) Then there is the game itself. It is rough. From the hard hits which can be really violent at times (and how many times they show those really hard hits again and again) to fighting, coaches and players cursing and the camera catching them mouthing those words and the more and more scantily-clad cheerleaders. This is family friendly?

I am sad that something like this ends up on TV. That a women of her stature feels she needs to do something like this to get more publicity. What happened to being an artist and who got attention for her music and moves rather than how little she wears and how out there her performance can be? This is what little girls see and no wonder they feel they have to be perfect looking and that they have to center themselves around getting men to like them rather than concentrating on being the best that they can be as a person first.

Any ways...off my high horse...there are just too many boobs out there.

Need to take a trip..

I stole this from The Side Salad Blog. I have visited 35% of the 50 states...not too hot...seems I need to head West.



create your own visited states map
or write about it on the open travel guide