Friday, October 14, 2005

Funniest Auction EVER!

Seriously.

DKNY Leather Pants

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Nothing Sweeter...

than a free Costco chocolate chunk cookie. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

What? Just thought I'd share.

Tuesday... oh yes, I ended up in the dentists office having a Root Canal. Surprisingly, it went better than I thought. My dentist is a God. He simply will not allow me to feel discomfort for the sake of his convenience. If I feel anything, he will stop working to make sure I am properly medicated, even if it take a little longer on the procedure. Plus, he is working with me on the whole "No insurance" issue. Such a great guy.

Up until Tuesday, however, was another story. Milkshakes and soft food, and sometimes no food. Can't say I enjoyed the diet, but I am glad the pain is over.

I love my job. I still have 100% satisfaction and 100% Quality Review. I even got a comment from a member the other day who took a survey that said I was "Perfect in every way." That makes me feel good, knowing I am effecting people's lives and businesses.

I was chatting with a member today who is a lead singer for a prominent East Coast band. He said he loved me so much he wanted to hook me up with CD's and tickets and whatnot. It was awesome. Of course, I won't, but it's nice to be thought of like that.

Our living room is painted, with the extra loving care of my wiff. We chose a light green for accent walls, a hazlenut creme for the other walls and dark green for the trim. It's bright and beautiful. Our neighbor told us it looked like a bowl of mine cream (because of our brown carpet) but I am okay with that! Lindi is shopping for some shelving for our wedding pictures and things, to make it look nicer in the living room.

Next project - our bedroom.

Sharing the Love

A good friend of mine (read: Lorene) gave me a link yesterday that had me reading for a couple of days. I promised her I wouldn’t divulge the source of this link or even what the link is to, and I am keeping my promise to her.

I read and read and read – almost a guilty pleasure and have been engrossed by the thoughts of this website. It’s not p()rn, don’t worry. But it is almost a window into a place and time of my life I don’t remember with fondness – except for one thing: It was a defining moment in all of my friendships and relationships in my life.

It was a time I saw my friends rally around me in a way I was almost shocked to discover. It was a time I saw my partner support and honor me and my decisions. It was a time when my daughter really “became” my daughter, in the minds of my family and friends – and more importantly – for us.


And I have seen how far I have come.

I love my friends dearly, and they love me, even if we don’t get together as often as we want to or used to. I don’t feel as if I have to be included in every single little occurrence in their lives anymore to be a friend. We stay in touch as often as we can, but my life is out east, and their lives are out west and sometimes we don’t get to do everything we want. There are groups within my “group” that tend to do things more frequently together – and for the first time in a long time I look at that as normal. I don’t feel dependent on being invited to dinner or movies weekly, just like I go to dinner and movies with others and they understand, as well.

Sure, I would love to see them every weekend, but life gets in the way. At the very least, they all know that I love them and care about them and have a marvelous time when I am in their company. I miss them now and then, but that’s okay. I can have friendships with people my “core” group doesn’t care for – and it’s okay. Everything is just that – okay.

It’s almost as if I have grown to a place of security that I could not have without these trials in my life.

I have also “weeded the garden of friendship” a few times with some surprising results. I have planted new flowers that are growing beautifully, as well. A couple here at my new job, and a couple from my old job, still blooming bright with laughter and common ground.

Above all this, I have come to a point where I know this: “I am worthy.” Love, friendship, confidence, passion – all of it. I am worthy of it all.

I love you, Lindi, Sarah, Toni, Rob, Lorene, Dylan, Dee, Jeff, Jeremy, Michelle, Shane, Chet, Christopher, Teinamarie, Krysta, Deanna, D’ann, Lisa, Kris, Adam, Justin, Scott, Stephanie, Tre (and the other blog-friends who love and email and call me), and all of those who I forgot in this tirade but who have helped me find who I am.

Saturday, October 01, 2005

Getting All Political Up In Here…

Prepare for a tirade.

What has happened to my party, the Democrats? When has it gotten so evil to be called a Liberal? As if all liberals believe in slaughtering children and mass orgies or something. I have fought the majority of my adult life defending my stance that one persons rights are just as important as all of our rights – that the working man needs to be protected, that big business can crush the small shop, and women deserve equal rights to men in all things. Add to that the Gay Rights issue and I have been a loyal Democrat my entire life.

I think Clinton was a great president, I think Bush I and Bush II are not, and I happen to like a lot of things about Hilary. That’s okay, it’s just my personal opinion. I’m against tax breaks for the wealthy - even though most people say it creates jobs. (It doesn’t. It creates yachts and European vacations, not jobs.). I believe that women should have the right to an abortion up until the third trimester. I believe in the right to die. I also believe in the right to live the way you want to without government interference - unless you intend or have hurt another human being.

I believe in unions. I believe in the right to work. I don’t believe in welfare for long periods of time, but if you need help, there should be someplace for you to go. I believe in non-profits that truly help our people. I believe in animal rights and punishment for those who abuse them, children or the elderly.

Yes, I believe in the death penalty – but in very, very select circumstances. I don’t think our current system is up to par in that area. I would rather 100 guilty go free than one innocent to die.

I believe in free education. I believe in health care for all. I believe in limited immigration – within our capacity to support – and a well documented system of immigration.

Two men and two women who commit to one another should be given the same legal rights as a man and a woman. I don’t care if you call it marriage or a civil union, but their rights and property are just as valuable, regardless of their sexual orientation. I also believe they should pay the same amount of taxes as married couple – and be subjected to the same divorce law and child custody arrangements.

I believe in securing our country and training our soldiers and the power of our military. I don’t believe they should be sent overseas unless another country has asked us for help or there is imminent danger to us. And boy howdy, you had better prove to me that there is imminent danger or you, as President, should be impeached.

Pretty solid, right? Nothing really extreme.

Then I hear this – the ACLU won a lawsuit that forced the Federal Government to release more pictures of Abu Ghraib detainees being abused.

See, this is what I just don’t agree with.

We know there was abuse at Abu Ghraib. We know this because we are taking action against the soldiers that did it. The Government Agencies who are taking action are the only ones who need to see these pictures. These pictures are propaganda against the US. Period. These pictures, now that they are public, will be used to recruit more supporters to the insurgents. Don’t doubt it – the Japanese and the Germans did the same thing during WWII. It’s military strategy at it’s finest. “See, see – look at those infidels! They abuse our countrymen! Die for Allah!”

No, don’t get me wrong, I am not pro-Iraqi war. But I also know that we cannot just simply “leave” now that we have caused this chaos. We have to settle the country down to rule itself. The question as to whether or not we should even be there is irrelevant now. We are there, and cannot leave until they have a government in place – since we took down their other one.

So, with that aside, what IDIOT LIBERAL FEDERAL JUDGE decided it was a good idea to release even more pictures of what we already know, to inflame and enrage more insurgents, while our soldiers are STILL THERE? What point, what good, did the ACLU do by forcing the release of these pictures when the only result could be more harm to our armed brothers and sisters in Iraq? These are pictures during Wartime, folks. These should remain classified.

I understand the need for information in a free country. I do. I am a former journalist who sued her college for the release of crime victim information, which is the right of the press. HOWEVER, during war time, there are certain pieces of information (especially those which would no doubt seed the enemy) that should be kept classified until after our troops are home.

Why don't we hand out maps and strategies and positions of our troops and call it a day?

I feel betrayed by the ACLU. I feel that the ACLU has been hijacked by ultra liberal idiots who think that anyone should have the right to do anything whatsoever. I hate to remind them, we do NOT live in a democracy – we live in a republic. Majority rules – as long as the individual rights and liberties are protected. The ACLU takes every cause as a worthy one – its’ teeth don’t sink like they used to.

When I was younger, I dreamed of being a lawyer for the ACLU – protecting the rights of Americans. Now, all they seem to be doing is Republican-bashing. Where are the cases of women being sexually harassed? What about workplace fairness (and I mean real fairness, not “cater to the pansies” fairness)? No, the ACLU is defending a violent convicts right to have her 13th baby in prison.

I love the ACLU – the ACLU of yesteryear – who stood up for us, who was the lone gun against big business and an uncaring repressive government. It’s almost as if they have run out of causes, so they find causes nowadays.

My father always said “Pick your battles carefully.” The ACLU is finished picking their battles for the common good. They take everything, therefore, they mean nothing.

Shame on you, ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero. Shame U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein who ruled in their favor. If one of our soldiers dies because of your unnecessary “need to know”, I hope you are tried for crimes against the American people.