August 2004 Archives

My oldest daughter stayed home from school today as she woke up with a sore throat and a fever. I had a lot to do today ... so she spent time alone at the house cuddled up with the cat and chicken noodle soup. The following is a conversation we had before I headed out to yet another errand. She thought it was just hilarious and wanted me to blog about ... so here ya go:

D: Mom, can I take a bath?
Me: I would rather you wait until I get back.
D: What's the difference?
Me: Well, your sick.
D: Mom, what does that have to do with anything?
Me: You could drown or something.
D: What?!
Me: I've heard stories about that.
D: Mom! I am not going to drown. I just want a bath.
Me: Okay, but if you drown I am going to whoop your butt.

I just found an interesting article that I thought I would share with you. It is kind of long, but definitely compelling.

The Hispanic Challenge
By Samuel P. Huntington

"The persistent inflow of Hispanic immigrants threatens to divide the United States into two peoples, two cultures, and two languages. Unlike past immigrant groups, Mexicans and other Latinos have not assimilated into mainstream U.S. culture, forming instead their own political and linguistic enclaves--from Los Angeles to Miami--and rejecting the Anglo-Protestant values that built the American dream. The United States ignores this challenge at its peril."

Comments are, of course, welcome.

This was the image in New York yesterday. Isn't it beautiful? Doesn't it make you wish you were there right smack in the middle with your picket sign? It sure made me feel that way.

Watching the marchers yesterday reminded me that you can't just oppose Bush silently. We have to give ourselves a voice and show our fellow citizens why we do not want to see this man reelected. How many eyes can we open sitting on our couches voicing our dissent?

Yesterday was powerful. The march not only showed us that we are not alone. It showed Bush what we think of him as well. Goodness knows he is good at ignoring us ... but how long can he keep ignoring us? We ARE the PEOPLE. Come November, the PEOPLE will vote. Let's show Bush that the PEOPLE will not tolerate him, his lies, his policies, or his war ... ANYMORE.

I have three girls. These three girls each have chests to put their clothes in. They have two double closets to hang their clothes in. They have clothes stuffed in a tub in one of their bedrooms. They have four 30 gallon tubs of clothes in closets as well. Yet, I was just informed that none of them have anything to wear.

Excuse me?

Let's have some fun! Here are some of my favorite protest signs from the demonstration in New York. Vote for the one you like best. If I am lucky, I may be able to get someone to make us some buttons from the winners! :P

1. "Yee-Haw" is not a foreign policy!
2. Bush hijacked our GRIEF and flew into IRAQ!
3. A Vote for Bush is a Vote Against America!
4. End BuSH*T!
5. Retire the BUSH REGIME!
6. Counting Bodies Like Sheep ... To The Rhythm Of The War Drum!
7. If you Want a better Future ... make Bush the Past!
8. Mr. President ... 1000 Dead Soldiers is More Than a "Miscalculation!"
9. We The People SAY NO to the BUSH AGENDA!
10. Your Cowboy A** Has Gotta Go!
11. I am tired of being ashamed of my governments appearance!
12. Is Everyone Taking Crazy Pills? The Emperor Has No Clothes!
13. Let's Leave This Child Behind!
14. The TRUE Patriot Act ... DUMP BUSH!!!
15. Dissent is not a Crime! Occupation is not Liberation!

Now which one do you like best?

Update 9/10/04: Check out the winner here!

I am watching the demonstrators in New York right now on C-SPAN. Oh, what a sight it is! I so wish I was there and I am so glad to see so many people tired of Bush, his lies, and want to see him out of office.

I am excited just watching this!

I am bored and I am sleepy. It appears that most of you have no interest in blogging anything today ... let alone something that is exciting and makes me want to blog or comment. And, before you ask ... Yes, you were put on earth for my entertainment thankyouverymuch.

So, I guess I will go to bed now.

Exciting, ain't I? :P

I quit smoking today.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Snatched from Mad :)

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Strengthen The Good has posted it's very first charity: The Gulf Coast Community Foundation Of Venice Hurricane Charley Disaster Relief Fund.

We all know about Hurricane Charley and most have seen the destruction it left behind. Now, there is a way to help and the GCCF of Venice will match contributions to its Hurricane Charley Disaster Relief Fund up to $100,000!

Click here to learn more.

I found this over at David's joint and wanted to share it.

Strengthen The Good

"STG is the nexus of a network of bloggers committed to raising awareness for small charities around the world. Every three weeks this space highlights a new micro-charity-a small, inspiring charity, one with a real face and where $1 makes a difference-and the bloggers in the network link to that post, sending traffic, and awareness, the charity's way."

If you are interested, please join now. :)

I think I have finally driven my husband crazy with my Sims addiction. :) Yesterday, he made me quit playing to take a walk across town ... because he decided I needed some exercise. He said that if I sat on the couch any longer, my butt would flatten as a result, and he was not having that! Of course, when we returned, I was right back to The Sims. :P

I guess it has gotten bad though. Last night, I shut down the game and started watching Law & Order. LM came into the living room and sat down as well, only to look at me with a shocked expression.

LM: Where are the Sims?

Me: I shut it off. I wanted to watch Law & Order.

LM: No Sims? Are you sure the game is not broken?

Me: Positive.

LM: Wow ... that is something! How long do you think it will take before you go into convulsions or something? Will you have a heart attack? How long do you think you can survive? Is your life insurance current? I would hate to find out that I would have to bury you out of my own pocket.

Me: Screw you.

LM: Sim style?

I snagged this from Donna :)
Pick your birth month and cross (strike) out what doesn't apply to you.

JUNE:
Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having lots of ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Abiding. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

It is official. I am an addict. They say the first step in recovery is to admit your addiction ... so here it is ... I am addicted to The Sims. I am a Sims Addict.

I have all the PC games except Livin' Large, but I did not need to buy it as it came in the Deluxe Edition that I did buy. So, that is The Sims Deluxe Edition, The Sims House Party, The Sims Hot Date, The Sims Vacation, The Sims Unleashed, The Sims Superstar, and The Sims Makin' Magic. The money I spent on them alone is unbelievable.

But, it does not stop there. No, I also have The Sims Bustin' Out for PS2. Yeah, and I play the crap out of it. It started as a present for my children, but then I got into it as well. Now, I play the main game and they play the Free Streets. It works too, as I make the goals that opens up the locations and objects that the Free Streets get to use too. Though, right now I am getting sick of trying to get a pool table from Bing ... as I play and play the buttwipe but I never get that table.

I am purchasing The Sims2 next month ... I recently preordered it. I am so excited about that! I cannot stand the wait, either. I have been waiting for it for over a year! It will open a whole new world of simming, I tell ya. Three dimensional characters whose personalities are shaped by their lives ... who grow up ... who die ... can have pregnant bellies ... and know who their family is.

Way cool, dude!

Uh. Anywho ... I was saying I am an addict. But, I think I could have just left that part out and you would have figured it out anyway. :P

Iki found this site and I didn't even know it existed! It actually has some interesting stuff on it ... scroll below the map to check out some of the links.

http://www.electoral-vote.com/

A superintendent in Missouri was put on administrative leave without pay for putting the Ten Commandments on a cafeteria wall. It appears someone got in a tizzy about it and decided to smack a federal lawsuit against the Ten Commandments and praying.

"The debate over the display began in March, when Humansville resident Carrie Roat filed a federal lawsuit objecting to the 11-inch-by-14-inch plaque hung in the cafeteria, and to prayers being said before athletic banquets in the town of 946 residents.

Roat claimed in the suit the plaque violated the Constitutional guarantee of separation of church and state."

You know, we really have to do something about these people that want to put things on walls that teach people right from wrong, have to do with God, and being a decent human being. How dare they? We need more upstanding citizens like, Carrie Roat, to save us from the good things life has to offer us. Goodness knows she doesn't have anything better to do like start a neighborhood watch, work with the homeless, feed the hungry ... and stuff like that. But, then again, attacking that big bad God is a chore unto itself.

And, yet, I am not done. Like many American citizens, Carrie Roat seems to believe that "separation of church and state" is a Constitutional guarantee. I will repeat this again ...

No where in the Constitution of the United States does that phrase occur. It is not in there. It has never been in there. Why people keep spouting it, I have no idea. But, it doesn't exist.

The phrase comes from a letter that Jefferson wrote regarding the "wall of separation." That was in regards to religious liberties granted by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Madison said that there was a line between church and state. Therefore, "separation of church and state," was born ... but it is not law. It is not in the United States Constitution. It is not in the Bill of Rights. And, it never implied what people try to use it for now.

Educate yourselves, people.

Well, a Louisiana judge may end up suspended without pay for a year for putting on a prison costume, shackles, afro wig, and black face ... and appearing in public that way at a costume party.

Hmmm.

Now, while I think it is incredibly tacky that he did that ... I wonder if it had been Marlon Wayans looking like this ...

would he have found himself in court?

I don't think so.

George W. Bush was taking a stroll around Capitol Hill with a senior member of Congress when he met a little girl carrying a small basket with a blanket over it.

Curious, he asks the girl, "What's in the basket?"

"New baby kittens," she replies and opens the basket to show him.

"How nice," said Bush. "What kind are they?"

"Republicans," she responds.

Bush smiled, patted the little girl on the head, and they continued on.

About three weeks later, Bush and another Congressional colleague are again strolling around Capitol Hill when he sees the little girl again with the same basket.

Bush says to his colleague, "Watch this, it's very cute," and they approach the little girl. Bush asks the girl how the kittens are and she says fine. He then says, "What kind of kittens are they?" and she replies, "Democrats."

Somewhat abashed, Bush exclaimed, "Three weeks ago you said they were Republicans!"

"I know," says the little girl, "but now their eyes are open."

I was checking on some stats today ... well a stat. I wanted to see who has been linking to me. I like to know who has found my blog, is linking to it, and I also find some really neat blogs that way. But, anyway ... I was looking at who has linked to me and found that four p*rn sites have links to me.

Why???

I do not do p*rn. I do not post p*rn. I am definitely not a p*rn star.

Note: The asterisks are to throw off search engines. :)

I do not know what is wrong with me. I am constantly tired. I do not want to cook, clean, go anywhere, or be around anyone. I dodge the phone, as I don't even want to talk to anyone. All I really want to do is sleep. I think about sleeping 90% of the time.

I don't feel depressed. I don't think I am sick. But, I am really, really sleepy.

Maybe it is the weather ... or the changing of the seasons as Fall is upon us. I don't know, but I do know that I wish I could sleep for about twelve hours uninterrupted. I doubt that is possible, though. I know it is impossible. No one lets me sleep around here. :(

Tonight, we went to see Catwoman at the drive-in and it was da bomb. Halle Berry performance was sensational and gave Catwoman a whole new dimension on film. The kids loved it. LM, of course, loved it. And, I loved it.

Over at Buzzstuff, I said that Julie Newmar was by far the best Catwoman. I think I am going to have to take that back. Move over Julie ... Halle has just scratched and purred her way to the top ... at least in my book.

Last night, my friend T called to let me know that DG was shot to death in St. Louis. I still cannot believe it this morning. He is the second of my friends to be shot and killed in the last seven years. In the same seven years, over six of my friends have been shot.

DG and I used to run around together back in the day. He had a fierce crush on me and he was a cutie, but I never felt that way about him. He grew up with a crack mama who didn't care what he did, but he did not start getting into real trouble until he was 19. Then he started selling drugs.

His little brother used to come to my house and spend the night when their mom would lock them out of the house. DG spent the night at my place quite a few times as well. I mothered them. I tried to talk to them about their choices, help them when I could, and even sneaked them through houses on a few occasions so that they could evade the police.

DG is now dead in his early thirties. Shot to death by someone I will probably never know. His little brother helped kill a man and will spend most of his life in prison. And, it makes no sense to me. I remember them. The sweet boys they used to be. I remember their pain, their heartaches, their need for someone to love them.

It doesn't make sense for two intelligent boys to grow up to a life of crime ... and eventually prison and death. They could have been anything. They could have done anything. And, maybe, if they would have had a mother that cared ... they might have.

The kids are back in school and life is getting real hectic. One wants to get involved in the drama club. The other wants to be a cheerleader. And, my little one is just happy to be back in school so she can see her friends from last year.

My oldest daughter is now in middle school and is already driving me nuts. Nothing she has in her closet is good enough anymore. Her shoes have to be cleaned everyday or she becomes spastic. Her hair has to be just right. Every afternoon becomes a whiny fest because her cousins did something to her ... whether it be tugging her ponytail, yelling her name as she walks down the hall, or making faces at her.

And, of course, none of the school supplies that the kids have is enough. No, they need more. After the school charges $25.00 per child for school fees, they decide it is time to nickel and dime parents to death. So far, they have wanted money for something everyday!

Whatever happened to a free public education? Because, thus far, their educations have been far from free. It just does not make sense for them to want money constantly and for the most ridiculous things. But, you know they say that freedom isn't free. That must be true. I wanted to be free from my kids a couple of hours a day and it is costing me a pretty penny.

This is a public service announcement. Please be careful when driving around town. Do not be surprised to see women and men dancing in the streets, jumping up and down, singing, laughing, and having a good ole time. It is okay. They will not hurt you.

No, they have not won the lottery. No sweepstakes entries have won. All their bills have not been paid. The cleaning fairy did not visit in the night. They are not celebrating any material gain or magical visits.

Their children have went back to school. :P

It is days like this that I thank my lucky stars that I have a husband that loves me as much as he does. We have our moments. We have our arguments. But, mostly we have uneventful days filled with little things that make me smile, fill my heart, and make me thank the Lord above.

It is wonderful to have someone that truly supports you, even when you are unsure of yourself, the situations you find yourself in, and who is so willing to risk and sacrifice whatever they need to just to see you through life. It is even more wonderful when you feel the same way about them too.

My husband is beyond beautiful ... flaws and all. He sees me the same way. And, we are learning so much from each other, about each other, and what we can accomplish together. I watch my daughters thrive under his love as well. I can't ask for anything more than that.

And, with everything going on in my life right now ... I am blessed regardless.

God is great.

I just finished reading David's blog, which tends to be quite political, and could not help but remember something that happened in 1999. So, I decided to share. :)

David and I were in a hotel in LA (though, it could have been the one in San Francisco) and this guy was being interviewed on TV. I wasn't paying much attention at first to the interview and really wasn't sure who the guy was ... though, I had already gathered enough to figure out that he wanted to run for president.

The interviewer asked him where a country was ... he couldn't answer. When asked who the leader was of another country ... he didn't know. He reminded me of a person who likes to pretend they are real intelligent, but fails the test under scrutiny.

I made a comment at that time. I said, "That idiot will never be president. There is no way our country is going to vote someone like him into office." David agreed.

It was George W. Bush.

And, I still cannot believe the man is president of our country. That is just so messed up to me. It kind of reminds me of Head Of State, starring Chris Rock. The difference being that Bush is white, backed by the Republicans, he never realizes he is just being used, and Chris Rock's job is to make an idiot out of himself.

One of my greatest pet peeves is when someone tries to convince me that they are telling the truth about something ... when I know firsthand that they are lying.

That really makes me mad.

My oldest baby is eleven years old today! It amazes me that she is approaching her teenage years. She might as well already be one. Puberty started a bit ago. She already has her moods, she is getting so sensitive, and she no longer looks like the little girl she once was. She is growing up so fast!

If I could just make time stand still for a bit. It seems, at least to me, that she was a baby just yesterday.

Cold Mountain sucks. Any movie that can suck me in like that, make me really feel for the characters, and end like it does ... totally sucks. It isn't a tear jerker ... it is a "just bawl and get it out" film. I cried ... and cried ... and cried.

And cried.

Mom called the police and social services on my sister-n-law the day before yesterday. She (my sister-n-law) got the priviledge of having them come to her work and ask her in for questioning. Mom told them that she punched my niece in the mouth and that she beat my nephew. She told them that there was no food in the house and that the children were starving ... and a bunch of other stuff.

Fortunately for my brother and his family ... Momma lies all the time. All the reports were unsubstantiated and they were allowed to get on with their lives. What is real interesting is that the night before this happened, mother told me to call my brother, on his job, and tell him that she was going to press charges on his wife for child abuse. After she found out that the charges were dropped and no evidence of her lies could be seen ... she told Sis that she didn't call on our sister-n-law in the first place so she didn't care that the allegations were found to be false.

Though, she continues to argue that it is all true. *shaking head*