Couldn't get a lot of nonsense off my mind this weekend. Talked to a coworker and it always amazes me when other people are able to just shrug things off. I don't really know why it amazes me, I can usually do the same, 'cept this time I guess I was blindsided by the fact that I was doing something nice for someone and didn't see it coming. Hence, the to "blog or not to blog" post, I wanted to vent, but I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. It was nice getting someone else's perspective, someone who was in a similar situation.

This morning's entertainment news was jam packed with goodies. Spider Man 2 will begin filming in April, pushing the start date to July 2004. Scooby Doo 2 begins production this month. Peter Jackson of the Rings/Twin Towers will be doing a remake of King Kong. And Spirited Away will be released on the 15th. On a related note, check out the Whedonesque page - link over there on the side, for some Buffy news and spoilers.

To Blog, Or Not to Blog.......


I think I've come to one of those situations where I've seen other people - I hesitate to write something. Someone might read it that I'd rather didn't.
I don't talk about work here really, abstract thought once in a while, but not much. I saw something happen this week that will probably have some repercussions, a turn of events where I'm sure someone feels that she was ganged up on, when in fact, she wasn't, she was truly a victim of fate and misinformation and the fight that was fought had nothing to do with her, but with fairness. In the end, I think it may all work out. It's a shame that everyone involved just didn't chat it out first and that supposed promises that were made shouldn't have been, because in the scheme of things, not only just now, but in the future, I don't see how they can be kept.

Gossip


I hate gossip. I really do, I think even more, I hate the fact that I do it myself sometimes. Does it make me any better if I say that I don't gossip viciously? I like cute, happy gossip. They should really make a clarification, come up with a new word! Oh well.

How Old Were You?


My friend Jayne, passed this link along. It's very interesting, you put in your date of birth and it tells you how old you were when certain historical events occurred.

More Laughs


A funny take on blogs

Thanks for the laugh!


I laughed my ass off reading Saddam's Cyber Palace and Osama's Offerings

My Mother


On this day, 4 years ago, my mother lost her battle with cancer.
I didn't always get along with my mother, but that doesn't really matter now, does it. She actually did some things that were quite mean, I don't know why. But, she did nice things too. When I was a girl I didn't like sandwiches, I still don't care for them very much. I didn't like sandwich meat very much either. But, I did like Ritz crackers with butter and strawberry preserves, I still do. My mother would make these up for my lunch and she would cut the top off the box of crackers and neatly stack these crackers, all made up with the butter and preserves, in the bottom of the box. And she used to play this game with me, it was very silly really, we'd pile our hands on top of one another's, pulling the bottom one out and slapping it on the top. I don't know if there was a purpose, other than it was funny and silly to a small child, that's purpose enough.
She was a dedicated church volunteer, she helped the elderly, she was a Eucharistic Minister, she belonged to the Carmelites and she adored my son.

Avon4Military, no longer affliated


I am no longer associated with the group Avon4Military. I will still take items to the local base for distribution, so if anyone is interested in donating, please continue to contact Me


I left the group because of a remark made by one of the founders of the organization yesterday in a post to the list. She was commenting on the soldier who was "allegedly" responsible for the grenades being thrown in the tents. He had an ethnic name and she made a comment about how he couldn't be Amerian born. Excuse me?? I was disgusted and extremely disappointed that she was willing to already convict this guy and then was such a bigot about it. Maybe this guy did do it, maybe there is irrefutable evidence against him, we are still a democratic society and he is entitled to his say and defense. I'm sure there are lots of boys and girls over there who may not have been born in the US, but are now citizens fighting for *their* country. I'm sure there are lots of soldiers who were born in the US, but may carry and ethnic name whether by choice, or family tradition. How dare she point fingers like that and yet say that she supports the troops. I guess the packages will only be going to the soldiers born in the US.


I don't care which soldier mine go too.

It Just Isn't That Simple


I'm sure that some people are well intentioned when they open their mouths, but do they think anything through?

From: The Daily News
"Julianne Moore, who won a Spirit for her star turn in "Far From Heaven," said she and her fiance, Bart Freundlich, "teach our children not to fight. Fighting's not the answer."

I taught my son not to fight too, but lets look at this from another angle, if someone were threatening her children, would she fight then? I know I would, I wouldn't even hesitate for a minute if someone were hurting my child.

I don't think that we can paint this incident black or white, because there is far too much involved. What most people do seem to be saying, much like myself, is that they/I support the troops. They are doing their job, they've been given their orders, I support them. It doesn't mean that I like the war, it doesn't mean that I've resolved myself to the fact that there is a tie between Al Queda and Saddam, I haven't seen proof of this yet, I still don't know. But, I do support the troops. Which brings me to my next rant of the day........see above

Sadness

I read with great sadness the accounts of Baghdad burning.
I'm struggling to find the right words that will express the deep sorrow and frustration that I feel. 9/11 stripped away any naivete that I might have had about the devastating effect this type of assault has on people. True, the poor people involved in 9/11 weren't given any warning, the people of Baghdad at least knew that the war was upon them, but the horror of this event is no longer just something that is happening around the world to people who *may* look and dress differently than we, no, now we've seem that horror in our own countrymen. I wonder sometimes if the events at the WTC and the Pentagon and aboard those planes, were just as foreign to someone in Kansas as these are? For me, as a person who used to live in NYC and passed those towers on countless occasions, the devastation was all too real. So many of us were directly touched by the loss that occurred there. This type of horror was no longer something that happens in a distant country, it was here on our doorstep. So now, I feel more for these people who are caught in the middle of this, the people like myself who wouldn't have the extra money to fly out of the area, I would be one of those people forced to have to try and flee on foot or via bus or in the endless stream of cars. It is demanded of us now that we consider these consequences, that we have plans for the safety of our families and our pet family members, we are being asked to prepare ourselves to make terrible choices.
There was just a loud noise outside, military plans pass over head quite often here, big ones. I remember visiting in VA many years back and I was struck by the constant sound of the "Top Gun" planes roaring over my head on a constant basis. They were beautiful to watch and so incredibly loud. The roar outside just now wasn't anything really, just thunder, long and rolling thunder. I imagine the people of Baghdad wish that it was just thunder.

Emotions


So many emotions today. Are we really prepared? I keep hearing all this talk about how everyone (gov't wise) is so prepared. There was a radio show with the governor and his head of homeland security for the state, they talk a good talk, but I don't have a lot of faith in it. We are a nation completely unprepared for this type of emergency. I wonder how many people actually have a contingency plan for themselves beyond where they should all meet up or who will get the children from school. Are their animals beng considered? The Red Cross states that they cannot accept animals in their shelters, yet they aren't to be left behind either. We've seen the long traffic delays that can occur in coastal areas, are there contingency plans in effect? Their standard answer for everything seemed to be to contact your local law enforcement and then what?

As a child, I grew up on the tail end of the whole head under your desk when you hear the sirens go off. I knew as a child what was to be done, not that it didn't cross my mind that the desk above me was relatively useless, but still, I understood that I was to shield myself and I knew what I was to do if I heard that siren. But now, as an adult, I don't have any idea at all. Is it because of the severity of weapons that it creates this atmosphere? One where people seem to have a "kiss yer ass" goodbye air about them? But, we still have to consider events like the WTC, isolated incidents that have widespread ramifications. I'm just not sure that we're prepared for that.

Ravenclaw! Some might see you as a bit haughty, but
that's just because they lack the intellectual
capacity to be worthy of your presence. You see
little difference between enlightenment and
entertainment; learning experiences are
tremendously enjoyable for you. And remember,
kids: just because you're brilliant doesn't
mean you're studious!


A More Unique Hogwarts Sorting Quiz
brought to you by Quizilla

Just got information about this Avon Project in my Avon newsletter. Since I'm already an Avon Rep I'm going to find out about starting one of these up, I think it's an excellent idea and no, we don't make a profit, it's all at cost, which is great! If anyone is interested, please send me an E-mail
Thanks!

Cats


Sebastian - the brave and odd, 'bass man has put on weight and looks quite good, except for the recurring problem with the left side of his face. His face swells and his eye tears. I guess I didn't get to it soon enough and he tried to wipe it himself, this resulted in him cutting something by his eye and him now not only tearing, but bleeding. He could care less. He's very sweet that way. He's still on the 2x a day dose of the insulin, but he has gained weight and looks great!

Max - poor Max. We feed him and feed him and he still doesn't put on weight. I've resorted back to allowing him to have dry food in the crate. Yes, he's still confined and as long as he's allowed to be crated inside the house, as opposed to the garage, he's very happy.


Anyone with a diabetic cat or a cat w/kidney stones I love to hear from you! Thanks

Candidness


I grew up in an Irish Catholic home where we were told to never discuss our private lives outsde the home. No small wonder that the Irish drink! I'm kidding, but the level of repression is amazing.Particularly if there are problems within the home, like alcoholism, arguing, just general discord. Because of this, I'm always amazed at other people's ability to open up and discuss anything about there lives. Sometimes, I'm even a wee bit jealous, they get some nice TLC, while the reticient set, myself included, go about our day with our woes safely ensconced in our back pockets.

BRAVO!


These young people want to see things change!

Discrimination Lawsuit
Mass. Students File Lawsuit Over Selective Service Act

Ith posted a link over on Gaggle of Girls and One Guy, to Kay S. Hymowitz's article

Liberation's Limits - Feminists to Muslim women: Drop dead.


Ith's commentary on this article is well worth the read. It naturally warrants me dusting off my age old arguments about how hypocritical the entire women's right cause is. The article discusses the UN, put them towards the top of my list. An organization that still demands that their female employees wear high heels and skirts to work, while the make guides are attired in comfortable slacks and low shoes. The women's rights movement is against war. I'm not saying that I'm for it, because I'm not for it right now, although I do see where the necessity might arise. Getting off on another track, I'm further annoyed by the fact that everyone seems to demand that we take one side or another, you're either for war or you aren't. What happened to those of us that see the threat, we'd just like to not rush into things, even George H.W. Bush has stated

"...regards Saddam Hussein and his military establishment as far less powerful now than when Desert Storm was launched. But he believes Saddam is surely far wiser about the strength of the U.S. "He had no respect for our military then," says the elder Bush. "He felt that we could not fight. Now he knows."

So again, I'm left asking, what's the rush?? But that, is a whole 'nother post!


And speaking of hypocrites -

"Their concerns were enhanced last year, when the Bush Administration - for the first time in the organization's history - refused to automatically renew DACOWITS' charter."
*
"'The Bush Administration, I believe, is trying to neuter DACOWITS although it has stopped short of dismantling it,' said Robin Gerber, senior scholar at the Academy of Leadership, University of Maryland."

Quotes from ABCNEWS.com - article Girl Power, by Leela Jacinto


How can we say that we are willing to protect the women in another country and offer them equality, when we aren't even willing to offer it to our own women?


As the above article states,

"Canada, South Africa and a number of Scandinavian countries allow women on ground combat missions — the times, they say, will simply catch up with the U.S. armed forces. "

When? How can we condemn another cultures treatment of their women when we aren't much better? I personally remember have a judge tell me that the fact that my young son wasn't being properly cared for by his father during his weekend visits was because "he was a man". "Because he was a man" relieved him of the duties of properly feeding, bathing and changing his dirty clothing. After all (I suppose) only women were capable of seeing how these needs should be met. As a victim of spousal abuse in 1986 or 7, I was sent back to my home, where my abusive husband was, because the police supervisor said that it wouldn't be right to wake him up at this late hour, after all, he had to get up for work in the morning. Damn right! He must have been tired after all that abusing, he'd certainly need his beauty sleep! Yet now, we see the error of our ways, we strive now to protect the females in another country from their husbands. I applaud this, but lets pay attention to the atrocities that still exist here at home and the inequalities that exist in our military.

I felt a touch of nostalgia today when I saw people in the grocery store with ashes. I realized then that Weight Watchers probably picked today as the great weigh-in day because of the number of people who give things up for Lent. Smart move really. I wish that I was able to find some type of organized religion, it could be that I'm just a creature of habit, that after years of attending, despite the fact that something felt off about it, I still, at times, can't adjust to the lack of attending as a group. Sounds silly really though, because the group was hardly a united one, these were the same people who would damn near run you over in the parking lot.
I wonder if the Pagan Speak ring will boot me for this one, because I still believe in God and Christ, but the Catholic church.....don't even get me started. My image of Christ is of a man who I think would appreciate the Wiccan Rede, who preached a very similar lesson, one I've mentioned here before, do unto others. Wise. A simple man with great respect for his mother and father(s). A man who loved despite who you were or what you did, no prejudice.

We were watching Third Watch last night, as we always do at 3AM, well, we try. One of the storylines involved a shooting, three guys held up check cashing store, they had Uzis. Two of the cops, unsuspectedly walked in on this, a shootout ensues and then a pursuit, more cops become involved. Another shootout and one of the cops is shot and so is a suspect. Another suspect flees inside a building. Two of the officers are positioned on stairs above the fallen suspect. They look down and as he lays there, he says, "Help me." The officers are in an awkward situation, the suspect is out in the open, attempting to get to him could be risky and tensions are high, these same suspects just shot a cop and they have already shot a civilian. The EMS workers arrive and yell to the cops, asking them if the fallen suspect needs medical attention. The senior officer looks down at the suspect, who again, says "Help me." The officer shouts back to the EMS guy, "No." "Is he dead?" the EMS worker asks. "Yeah, he's dead" replies the officer. He looks at the rookie with him and the rookie doesn't say anything. After the scene is secured, the EMS workers go to the suspect and find that he's alive. They start to work on him, scores of officers are there now, he asks for a back board, no one moves. He shouts now, looking at them, they look back in silence. Finally, the rookie cop goes and gets the back board. The suspect later dies, he'd bled to death. The officer's regular partner, who'd been assisting the fallen officer, later tells him that she feels he'd lowered himself, that the suspects were animals and that's exactly what he'd behaved like.
Makes ya wonder. Would you? Could you?

Sanity at last?

Advisors warn Bush he faces "humiliating" defeat on UN resolution

'We were hoping you were Canadian.' Canadian? Since when was it cooler to be Canadian?"

Check out this article about tourists/people working abroad, facing criticism.

Here's another nice site for writing to the troops. They suggest postcards because of the strict postal restrictions. Makes sense.
Contribute USA

Wow......got this in my entertainment new this morning -

Spring is near - so they tell us - and that means school science classes, kids, adults, camps etc. are getting ready to build their own rockets and set them off on the local football field. However, purchasing a rocket motor this year may prove somewhat more complicated given the new Homeland Security Act, or at least one of the provisos within the newly ratified law (November 2002). According to the law, those wishing to purchase rocket motors will need to first obtain a permit from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and explosives (ATF) and they would also be subject to a background check. Having the permit brings on other issues, such as a complete log of information about each motor in the event that the ATF wishes to see them at any time. As of May 24, 2003, the companies that ship the rocket motors must perform background checks on all employees who physically handle the products as well as have them fingerprinted and certified. Additionally according to several published reports various delivery services, the US Postal Service, Federal Express, trains etc. will no longer pick-up and deliver packages with rocket motors. This of course is not good for the model rocket industry or the stores that provide materials to make and set off rockets. Enter, Sen. Michael B. Enzi, Wyoming Republican, who has taken note of the situation and has written to have the legislation re-worded. And this during National Crafts month!

Tomorrow is the big weigh-in at Weight Watchers. I'd been going to WW, I had good success too. But, when we went off to Canada for the week for posted by Mickey at 7:16 AM

Found this while surfing - The Ships Project
From their web site

The troops need slippers/socks and hats. With winter finally winding down, our bigger need will be for slippers/socks. Many of them sleep in these. Hats can be sent to the ships year-round, but for the ground troops, the need will soon be for mainly slippers/socks. Please concentrate on these items in MEN'S sizes and colors ONLY. NO pastels or "girlie" colors!! We do not accept earwarmers or scarves. Brighter colors are great for the ships; for most of the ground forces, darker muted colors are necessary. Our goal is to provide a "hug from home" to as many of our deployed forces as possible to let them know we support them! WE DO NOT COLLECT SNACKS OR PERSONAL CARE ITEMS.

If you get a chance, take a peek. I know that it only takes about an hour to crochet a hat and there are tons of patterns on the web.

Bill Maher, on his new show over on HBO, Real Time With Bill Maher, said what I feel a lot of people have been thinking. I said it myself last week, okay, I was only half serious, but why didn't Dan Rather take out Saddam when he was interviewing him? I wonder sometimes if that isn't part of our problem, that we are too civilized? Osama bin Laden used this ploy and we think he's an animal. I can't help but wonder sometimes if we are going to have to stoop to their level in order to bring an end to terrorism. I hate to think of us stooping that low, but the thought still crosses my mind.

I'd like to start the Self Challenge, but the Girl Scout cookies are in!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Peter Zuber, where ever you are! Peter was my best friend when we were kids. He's a month and a day older than me, that's a big deal when you're a little kid. He was the older one.

Found this while blog surfing. It's Defend America U.S. Department of Defense News About the War on Terrorism. While at the site, you can send your thanks to the troops.

Thanks to NJMike.com for the link.