AM I FREAKIN' INVISIBLE OR WHAT?

Wednesday, March 31, 2004

New (to me) Blogs Worth Reading

Hey I found two interesting new-to-me blogs today. The first is Kristal's blog. She's raising 7 kids and having a good deal of fun with it. She has tons of pics and shares quite openly.

The second is Keith's blog. Keith lives in THE UK and appears to be retired, though he seems to keep himself quite busy and will keep you up to date on current events "Across the Pond". You've got to read about what the Libraries over there are doing about overdue books.

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FREE SEX AND CHOCOLATE

Hey -I just found an interesting Blog based on a link on the Haloscan comments over at Gary's Blog.

There was a link for Free Sex and Chocolate and I'm a curious sort and particularly interested in the free Chocolate (the free sex, well, I'm married. I get all the free sex I want) and kind of wondering just exactly what that would be advertising in reality. Well, surprise! It wasn't an advert, but a blog link. And Stephen says that the words Free, Sex, and Chocolate are actually guaranteed to get 36 clicks out of 1000. So I thought, hey, let me up my readership. What the hell?

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Tuesday, March 30, 2004

"To Sleep, Perchance to Dream; ay, There's the Rub." -Shakespeare's "Hamlet" - act III, i, 65-68

So I had this bizarre dream the other night and it was so vivid that I can NOT put it out of my head. I dreamed that I went to New York (nothing bizarre about that, though if you've been to THE CITY, you might wish to argue that point) by boat or something (that particular part was rather vague and surreal) and crossed under a huge bridge (I'm giving you every detail in case you can help me decipher this). The next thing I knew I was in a really big nice hotel. While I was there, I ran into someone from my past (don't know if it makes a difference, but the first time I ever went to New York I went with this person).

We were fairly happy to see each other and hugged and started talking. Then, I went to use the Ladies Room. I left the Ladies Room and met back up with my friend in the lobby. We decided to go for a walk, but suddenly I was kind of limping. So I looked at my shoes and now I was wearing two different shoes. I wasn't wearing two different shoes when I got there, nor was I limping. I was incredibly embarrassed.

But I tried to get past it. I took off my shoes and we were walking along a road (that actually seemed to countrified to be New York) and it started raining -pouring really. I still had my socks on. Then I remembered that I must have left my purse in the Ladies Room. I mentioned it and my friend seemed annoyed with me. Then I got kind of whiny and started complaining that we were walking in the rain and my socks were wet and I didn't even have my shoes. So my friend was annoyed, but still took off his shoes and handed them to me. I put them on, but didn't want them because they were men's shoes and too big. And then I woke up.

It's probably nothing but a silly dream because I ate some sort of strange food combination before bed or something, but I can't get it out of my head. I even thought about calling my friend up, but I actually haven't called this friend in ages. We're still friends, we've just always had this strange friendship where we can not see or talk to each other for years and then pick up right where we left off. I don't want to call and say, "Hey, I had the weirdest dream the other day and you were in it." He might get the wrong idea. It's just really bugging the crap out of me. I half think it must mean something. It was just too vivid -in color and everything.

Whaddya think?

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Hey! Notice anything different? Yup, I've finally found a more appropriate template with all my links off on the right now. I hate the color combination though. OH WELL!

I have to fix dinner, but am not too interested today -which is odd because I usually enjoy cooking. I'm just not feeling to imaginative today. The whole transplanting of all my links and code for comments and crap like that has just completely taken it out of me. Drudgery will do that every time.

If you haven't tried Blogger Idol before you really ought to try it this week. So many interesting entries already and so much room for creativity this week. Click on the Blogger Idol link and learn more!

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Monday, March 29, 2004

BLOGGER IDOL WEEK 11

So this week's Blogger Idol Theme allows for a little more diversity in the writings and I had a bit of a hard time deciding which direction to take. Darren gave us the main theme, "Blogger Pageant", and then gave us the framework for the theme. We were to go to one of three sites where beauty pageant practice questions are listed and choose a question to answer. There were a few pretty hilarious questions and several more serious questions. It was tough choosing. At each site I found at least two questions that appealed to me, but when I got to the last site I found what I felt was the one question that was aimed at me, " Which of these women do you think was the best role model and why? Princess Diana...Mother Theresa... "

This question really speaks to me as I can recall when Princess Diana and Mother Theresa both died at about the same time. I was disgusted that a former Princess (they did divorce, after all) and a woman surrounded by scandal took all of the limelight away from a woman that dedicated every minute of her entire life to serving her fellow man. Of course, I've no doubt that Mother Teresa was perfectly content with the way things went. She did not live her life and do her works for the recognition of the public. She even gave up her greatest happiness -teaching at St. Mary's High School with the Sisters of Loreto to answer a call to serve the poorest of the poor.

A drunken, smelly, dirty man, who has obviously spent the night on the street passes you on the sidewalk. You cringe, shake your head in disgust, think how disgusting he is. Mother Teresa looks at him and sees another human being who needs love. She takes his hand and smiles into his eyes, and says, "How are you?" And he tells her, "Oh, after so long, I feel the warmth of a human hand." And his whole face changed.

Mother Teresa knew the secret to happiness. To love others and to show that love with even the smallest of gestures. Love is a personal thing and to truly love one another, we must be personal -a smile, a touch of the hand. We needn't know everything about that person to know that they need that love. All people need and deserve love. Mother Teresa knew this.

Mother Teresa did her works selflessly, with no desire for recognition. I greatly admire this trait in her, because I know my self that it is not easy to work without gratification. Her only gratification was the smile of a poor dying man or woman that she cradled in her arms, when not even their family wanted them.

She is the epitome of humility. When she had speaking engagements or was interviewed (on those infrequent occasions) she would not even look directly into the eyes of her listeners but insisted upon looking straight ahead over the heads of onlookers. It was her feeling that she was speaking for Jesus Christ and that if she were to look upon the crowds, it would take away from the strength of her words.

Mother Teresa worked hard to give dignity to the poorest of the poor. She loved one and all equally. She did not only serve the economically poor, but also wealthy who were poor in spirit, and the lonely.

She loved the unlovable above her own self. She served the Lepers, together with her Sisters, serving over 55,000 of the world's most shunned diseased. And through this work, she not only found new Christians, but persuaded non-Christians everywhere that love can move mountains.

This beautiful human being, this earth-walking Saint, has challenged governments to implement change, to build homes for the poor and the dying -not only in Calcutta, but all over the world. She has stopped nation's leaders from establishing laws that force sterilization of the poor and the sick.

This woman, this loving person has shown the world that you needn't be a Christian to love your neighbor; that it is necessary for us as human beings to reach out to one another. I believe that Mother Teresa is a marvelous example of all that is good in humanity. She gave us hope. She gave us strength. She made us look at ourselves and she made us see that every person on this earth IS lovable and deserving of dignity. She was not a role model only for women, or Christians, or the poor. She was and is a role model for humanity. She never asked for monetary donations; she had faith that what was needed would come. She dared us to give of ourselves. Have we? Will we?

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Saturday, March 27, 2004

Oh, Come On Now

'Catfight Girl' Sues Over X-Rated Video Games

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Kitana Baker, the raven-haired model in the "Catfight Girls" TV ads for Miller Lite beer has sued a Los Angeles company she says ruined her reputation by depicting her as a wrestler in "offensive" video games.

The Playboy Lingerie Model of the Year claims that Backyard Wrestling Inc. tricked her into signing an open-ended talent release when she appeared in a 2002 video and then used her image to plug hard core products, according to a lawsuit filed on Monday.



Backyard Wrestling says on its Web site that it principally produces videos that "highlight the most outrageous, violent, shocking and sexy footage from real backyard wrestling matches all across America."

The company could not immediately be reached for comment.

Baker said she agreed to perform a "Playboy style" striptease for a "Backyard Wrestling Babes" video but "would not under any circumstances ... engage in any wrestling," the lawsuit said.

"Ms. Baker was further told that the entire video was going to be done in a high-class manner and would not be in any way graphic," the lawsuit said.

Baker became famous as one of two statuesque beauties who slap, strip and wrestle in a fountain and a vat of mud over whether Miller Lite beer "tastes great" or is "less filling."

Saying she was outraged over Backyard Wrestling's using her likeness in X-rated video games, Baker asked a judge to award her $1 million in damages and to stop the company from featuring her in an upcoming sequel.


03/24/04 10:38

© Copyright Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. The information contained In this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of Reuters Ltd.

Ooooooooohhhhhh yeah! Like the biggest concern for "beauties who slap, strip and wrestle in a fountain and a vat of mud" is Class. Psht -yeah right!

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Friday, March 26, 2004

GO THERE

Ya know how around a dozen years ago in high school (yeah, I'm THAT old. Got a problem with it?) we started saying, "Don't go there"? Have you noticed now that everybody and their brother says it now? I heard a little 8 year old saying it the other day and I've heard baby boomers uttering it on more television shows than I care to name. Why do all the really good and unique catch phrases have to be beaten into clichedom? Anyways...

That was all a neat little way (at least I think so) of leading you off to where I want you to go (no, I'm not that rude. I just really think you'll be glad you listened to me -if you do in fact deign to follow my suggestions). So WHERE was I going with this?

I found a really good blog through Disillusioned's Blogalicious Links. It should probably be categorized under the deep and disturbing category, but you really ought to pop over and read the short story "The Rabbit". I started reading it about a week ago and am currently addicted. I'm waiting for my next fix. Ya see, it's being written in installments and it's really a delicious tease to only be able to read as much as the author is allowing you each day.

Oh, and today I found a cool and interesting new blog Sweet Sweat when Kay stopped by and let me know that she didn't see my Letter to a Celebrity on Blogger Idol. I haven't figured out yet why I've re-posted my Letter to a Celebrity three times and now I'm being told again that it's not on there, but I have found a cool new Blog that you should pop over to. Go visit Kay and tell her I sent ya. One thing you should know, though. On Kay's most recent post she says it may be awhile before she's posting regularly again due to work headaches, so be sure to stop back every few days. Don't give up on her. Read her archives while you wait for her next installment of Bloggity Goodness.

Okay, it's 8:15 and I haven't eaten dinner yet so, "Nitey Nite!" :D

PS: If you haven't gone over to Brown Ribbon yet, PLEASE, Pretty Please with Sugar on Top -GO!

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What is the world coming to when surveys like this (copied from CompuServe) are a possibility?

Who would be the worst jail cellmate?

Michael Jackson 45%
Courtney Love 19%
O.J. Simpson 14%
Martha Stewart 12%
Diana Ross 6%
Tommy Lee 4%

But anyway, just for kicks, who do you vote for and why?

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Thursday, March 25, 2004

If We're Ever Going to Get Out of this Handbasket, People must begin to think!


Wear a brown ribbon next Thursday. For more info go read Disillusioned's Rant of the Day. Not only is it well written, but it gives you something constructive to do like go click on brown.

Go on now, you know I'm right. Repeat after me, "Yes, HR Lady, you're right. You're always right." :D Okay, I know that's going a bit far, but, well you'll see.

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Hey! How's it going?
Today's Weather: Aaaahhh Just Take a Guess


I'm personally contemplating a career in meteorology. It seems it requires no actual calculation, education, or brains. Let me tell you what lead me to this conclusion.
Every morning, I get up, flip on the PC, log on to my internet service and click on the weather link. For the past several days, It has forecasted 83 with sunny skies. Now not only, has it not been 83 -try a HIGH of 70 Max- but it has been tremendously overcast each morning and by afternoon, HUGE thunderclouds are forming. Now, I'm no rocket scientist, but even I know that thunderclouds day after day predict less than warm sunny skies. Not only that, but the barometric pressure is such that my sinuses have actually exploded -no s**t- my eyeballs pinged right out and my even my gums hurt with the pressure. After stupidly trusting these people on their forecast for the past several days, today I opened the blinds, looked up at the sky, and said hmmm -looks like rain, probably about 70 and then checked the forecast -85 partly sunny ---where is that weather happening???

So basically, I think we're all a lot better off just guessing -that's basically what they're doing.

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Wednesday, March 24, 2004

I HAD to post this:




Dear Abby:

My husband is a liar and a cheat. He has cheated on me

from the beginning, and when I confront him, he denies

everything.

What's worse, everyone knows he cheats on me.

It is so humiliating. Also since he lost his job

two years ago he hasn't even looked for a new one. All he does is

buy cigars and cruise around and bullshit with his pals, while I have to
work to pay the bills.

Since our daughter went away to college, he doesn't even pretend to

like me and hints that I am a lesbian. What should I do?

Signed,

"Clueless"

Dear Clueless:

Grow up and dump him. For Pete's sake, you don't need him

anymore you're a United States Senator from New York now.

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*SHAKING HEAD VIGOROUSLY*

Copied from my news service:

Don't Wear This T-Shirt in West Virginia

Abercrombie & Fitch is not beloved by the governor of the great state of West Virginia. Why? The company, based in New Albany, Ohio, is selling a T-shirt with a simple outline of the state's shape emblazoned with these words: "It's All Relative In West Virginia."

My thoughts:

1. Remember the good old days when people had a sense of humor?
2. Did his Cousin Wifey tell him about this after she'd seen it while out shopping for their sons/nephews?
3. Is the governor so stupid that he think's we'll take a slogan on a t-shirt as reality?
4. Doesn't the governor of West Virginia have more to do than complain about t-shirt slogans (like officiate at his cousins' wedding)?
5. Hey! The Governor of West Virginia can read?!?!?!?
6. Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?
7. Pffhhah!


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Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Happy Birthday to me... Happy Birthday to me... Haaaaaappppppppyyy Birrrrthdaaaaaaaaaay dear meeeeeeeeeeee -eeeeeee! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa -peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey Birrrrrrrrr -rrrrrrrthhdaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay toooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo meeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Okay, okay, so Diva, I am NOT (it's pretty bad when even your own kid says, "MOM!! Please don't sing!") but I'm in a very good mood. Amanda was the first to wish me Happy Birthday today and I popped on over to her BLOG -it's too cool for words. Pop in and say Hello -tell her HR Lady from Am I Freakin' Invisible sent you. Anyways, I'm not planning to hang out here too long today, because HUBBY (that wonderful darling) gave me carte blanche (hope that's spelled right, I'm too lazy to look it up) on one of the credit cards today and I'm going shoe shopping and maybe some new lingerie too (nice repayment to hubby for a most excellent birthday gift)!!! YEE-HAH!! He also gave me my rose bushes I've been wanting for the yard and gardening tools, which I've also been whining -er asking about for a while. So maybe later I'll be getting down and dirty (in the garden -what is it with you people with your minds always in the gutter -do you think about your Mom with that mind -okay that was lame, but I had to try it out -Consider yourselves my personal guinea pigs). It's also very tempting to go and get my Kitchen Aid mixer :D, but I really NEED a whole new shoe wardrobe.

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Monday, March 22, 2004

Friday Five So I'm a LITTLE Late -sue me -I just found these on Amanda's site today and saw them on Gary's site the other day, so I guess now I'm hooked on Friday Five -you people are ENABLERS.


If you...

1. ...owned a restaurant, what kind of food would you serve?
I'd like to go with the something for everyone menu -International- American, Japanese (mmmm, suuuuuusssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiii), Mexican (I make amazing tamales!), Italian (my Seafood Stuffed Shells are to die for), Seafood (I make a shrimp scampi that would make you fall in love), Hungarian (mmmmm, chicken paprikash), Greek (Spanokopita -puff pastry, feta, spinach-yum), Thai (shrimp stir fry in spicy peanut sauce -I am SUCH a cook) Jeeeeeeeeezzzzzzz -now I'm hungry.

2. ...owned a small store, what kind of merchandise would you sell?
BOOKS!!

3. ...wrote a book, what genre would it be?
Mystery with a little romance or Drama -based on actual lives but mildly fictionalized

4. ...ran a school, what would you teach?
World Languages and Cultures -and THAT is my dream!!!!

5. ...recorded an album, what kind of music would be on it?
I wouldn't record an album. It would only frighten you -unless you need "Music to Drive People Away". That would be it -I'm pretty well tone-deaf and rhythmless.

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Locked up 5 Years for Locking Lips?!?!?!?! What is this world coming to?

Balinese Lock Lips in Kissing Festival

BALI, Indonesia (AP) - Dozens of Balinese singles locked lips in a steamy kissing festival Monday that ended with village priests dumping buckets of water over the couples to douse their passions.

Locals believe the festival, held yearly in a small village on the Indonesian tourist island, ensures the good health of those taking part and prevents bad luck hitting the village.



The ceremony, which dates back to the late 19th-century, took place even as some Islamic lawmakers in Indonesia moved to ban public kissing and punish it with five-year prison terms.

But in the village of Sesetan on Monday, the only debate was on how long participants should kiss for - not whether they were breaching morals on the island, which is a Hindu enclave in the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Around 70 young men and women dressed in traditional sarongs prayed in the local temple before parading in lines through the street and choosing a partner.

As a gamelan orchestra chimed in the background and with hundreds of cheering locals and foreign visitors looking on, they kissed for around 15 seconds before priests stepped in, soaking them with buckets of water.

``I am kind of uncomfortable what with all these people watching but I came along with my friends,'' said one female participant, Kadek Ari.

Members of Indonesia's parliament committee on pornography introduced a bill earlier this month that would ban kissing on the lips and making love in public places, a reflection of the growing influence of religion in Indonesia.


03/22/04 18:07

© Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained In this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

If things were like this here, I'd be serving a life sentence.

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Saturday, March 20, 2004

Miscellany...

Oh... Have I mentioned? My birthday is coming! I can actually feel myself aging by the minute. I'll be 32 on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. I've gone ahead and added my wish list to the list of links on the lower half of this page. Go look. If you feel rich or outrageously generous you can buy, but don't feel obigated. It's mainly just for kicks.

By the way, I'm wondering what's happened to Mick. He hasn't been in my comments for a couple days and he hasn't updated his Blog either -you should get over there if you haven't been. He's got some lovely pics there.

Have I mentioned what a faithful little Bunny Reader the Grumpy Bunny is? Hop over and read her Blog too. Disillusioned has done some updating to her Blog so you can now skin her site -go see.

Have you run by Gary's site lately? Warning, it's not for the weak of heart, but he did put my Blogger Idol post in his Top 5, so ya gotta love him.

Alright, catch ya later.

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ENOUGH ALREADY!

Okay, so ya got me. I didn't post yesterday. But I've got a very good reason -a pain in the neck LITERALLY!!! I don't know what did it, but I screwed my neck up real good. So badly that I basically couldn't sit up for most of the day yesterday AND I had an excruciating headache all day. I was miserable. The neck is still a little uncomfortable and so I don't want to sit in front of this PC all day.

I do have something to say though (when don't I?). Is anyone besides me sick and tired of all these drug commercials? Does anyone else think it's going to increase the number of hypochondriacs in society?

Does anyone else feel like they may actually have Adult ADD after watching that commercial for the umpteenth time? That one really takes the cake. Who doesn't occasionally lose track of what they're doing? Become easily distracted (in today's society with all the bells and whistles)? So basically, the way the describe it, pretty much everyone I know has Adult ADD. Next, do I have to sit through one more commercial for Natural Male Enhancement while I'm eating my Cheerios???? Am I really apt to walk down the street telling perfect strangers, "Hey I lowered my cholesterol?"


And another thing, have you listened to the side effect warnings on some of these suckers? One of them (don't remember which) listed menstrual cramps as a side effect and the only thing I DO remember is that it didn't seem to have anything to do with menstruation -well JEEZ, can't get enough of that, I think I'll run right out and get that prescription. Another listed frequent bowel movements and an inability to control them -so what health problem could be so inconvenient and uncomfortable to me that I'd be willing to begin wearing adult diapers to control the problem resulting from the prescription that was meant to control my original problem, "Well, I used to be fat, but now I only shit myself occasionally!"

I can just imagine what it's like for parents of young children. In case you don't know, young children are particularly fond of memorizing commercials and randomly bleating them out at odd moments. Wouldn't you just love to be there when little Jimmy blurts out -"Send away now for your free trial of BLOTTYBLOT the natural male enhancer" THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!!

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Thursday, March 18, 2004

In Key West, Florida KFC has taken the whole idea of Kitchen Fresh Chicken a little too far. SO, if you want truly Kitchen FRESH Chicken, you'll have to make a special trip to the KFC in Key West. :D Read on:

KFC -Kitchen Fresh Chicken- Inside and Out

Parra has snared more than 90 chickens in the few weeks since he became the first official chicken catcher in Key West, where colorful chickens dart through traffic on busy streets, meander in mangroves and even greet customers at the drive-thru of the KFC.

This story wasn't really meant to be simply a news item about KFC. I copied and pasted that one paragraph because I found it particularly amusing considering their ridiculous new name. There's actually a problem in Key West with the chickens that wander the streets -and no KFC didn't bring them there. Apparently the chickens have been there for years, but in recent times they have become a nuisance wandering into homes and roosting in Christmas trees. Yup, that's where I live -good old Florida- not only do they have trouble operating their voting booths, they have Renegade Roosters hangin' at KFC. Sheesh

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Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Crayola® Crayons (they make lots of Green Crayons!)




Alice Binney, wife of company co-owner Edwin Binney, coined the word Crayola by joining craie, from the French word meaning chalk, with ola, from oleaginous, meaning oily.


In 1864, Joseph W. Binney began the Peekskill Chemical Works in Peekskill, New York, producing hardwood charcoal and a black pigment called lampblack. In 1880 he opened a New York office and invited his son, Edwin Binney, and his nephew, C. Harold Smith, to join the company. The cousins renamed the company Binney &Smith and expanded the product line to include shoe polish, printing ink, black crayons, and chalk.


In 1903, the Binney &Smith company made the first box of Crayola crayons costing a nickel and containing eight colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown, and black.


The now-classic 64-box of crayons, complete with built-in sharpener, was introduced in 1958. H


In 1993, Binney &Smith celebrated Crayola brand's ninetieth birthday by introducing the biggest crayon box ever with 96 colors.


In 1949, Binney &Smith introduced another forty colors: Apricot, Bittersweet, Blue Green, Blue Violet, Brick Red, Burnt Sienna, Carnation Pink, Cornflower, Flesh (renamed Peach in 1962, partly as a result of the civil rights movement), Gold, Gray, Green Blue, Green Yellow, Lemon Yellow, Magenta, Mahogany, Maize, Maroon, Melon, Olive Green, Orange Red, Orange Yellow, Orchid, Periwinkle, Pine Green, Prussian Blue (renamed Midnight Blue in 1958 in response to teachers' requests), Red Orange, Red Violet, Salmon, Sea Green, Silver, Spring Green, Tan, Thistle, Turquoise Blue, Violet Blue, Violet Red, White, Yellow Green, and Yellow Orange.


In 1958, Binney &Smith added sixteen colors, bringing the total number of colors to 64: Aquamarine, Blue Gray, Burnt Orange, Cadet Blue, Copper, Forest Green, Goldenrod, Indian Red, Lavender, Mulberry, Navy Blue, Plum, Raw Sienna, Raw Umber, Sepia, and Sky Blue.


In 1972, Binney &Smith introduced eight fluorescent colors: Atomic Tangerine, Blizzard Blue, Hot Magenta, Laser Lemon, Outrageous Orange, Screamin' Green, Shocking Pink, and Wild Watermelon. In 1990, the company introduced eight more fluorescent colors: Electric Lime, Magic Mint, Purple Pizzazz, Radical Red, Razzle Dazzle Rose, Sunglow, Unmellow Yellow, and Neon Carrot.


In 1990, Binney &Smith retired eight traditional colored crayons from its 64-crayon box (Green Blue, Orange Red, Orange Yellow, Violet Blue, Maize, Lemon Yellow, Blue Gray, and Raw Umber) and replaced them with such New Age hues as (Cerulean, Vivid Tangerine, Jungle Green, Fuchsia, Dandelion, Teal Blue, Royal Purple, and Wild Strawberry). Retired colors were enshrined in the Crayola Hall of Fame. Protests from groups such as RUMPS (The Raw Umber and Maize Preservation Society) and CRAYON (The Committee to Reestablish All Your Old Norms) convinced Binney &Smith to release the one million boxes of the Crayola Eight in October 1991.


In 1993, Binney &Smith introduced sixteen more colors, all named by consumers: Asparagus, Cerise, Denim, Granny Smith Apple, Macaroni and Cheese, Mauvelous, Pacific Blue, Purple Mountain's Majesty, Razzmatazz, Robin's Egg Blue, Shamrock, Tickle Me Pink, Timber Wolf, Tropical Rain Forest, Tumbleweed, and Wisteria.


Washington Irving used the pseudonym Geoffrey Crayon when he published The Sketch-Book, a collection of short stories and essays, including The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle.


On average, children between the ages of two and seven color 28 minutes every day.


The average child in the United States will wear down 730 crayons by his or her tenth birthday.


The scent of Crayola crayons is among the twenty most recognizable to American adults.


The Crayola brand name is recognized by 99 percent of all Americans.


Red barns and black tires got their colors thanks in part to two of Binney &Smith's earliest products: red pigment and carbon black. Red and black are also the most popular crayon colors, mostly because children tend to use them for outlining.


Binney &Smith is dedicated to environmental responsibility. Crayons that don't meet quality standards are remelted and used to make new crayons. Ninety percent of Crayola products packaging is made from recycled cardboard. The company also makes sure the wood in their colored pencils doesn't originate from tropical rain forests.


Binney &Smith produces two billion Crayola crayons a year, which, if placed end to end, would circle the earth 4.5 times.


Crayola crayon boxes are printed in eleven languages: Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish.

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You've got to read this one -If I thought I saw Bin Laden, I'd run him over too. To hell with high insurance rates, I guess $5 (GREEN -American Money is Green -don't worry I haven't departed from my St. Paddy's Day theme) million would cover the costs. Read on:

Man Thought He Was Running Over Bin Laden

MONTPELLIER, France (AP) - A Frenchman was convicted for trying to run over a pedestrian he mistook for Osama bin Laden.

The 35-year-old, identified as a struggling artist named Pierre, was sentenced Tuesday by a court in this southern France city to a three-month suspended prison term and ordered to pay euro500 ($615) to the victim, who was unharmed.



The man's lawyer, David Mendel, said his client was traumatized by last week's terror attacks in Madrid and was temporarily the ``victim of a hallucination,'' while driving Monday through Montpellier's historic center.

The victim, a man in his 30s, was able to run from the oncoming car, which crashed along the side of a street.

``It wasn't bin Laden,'' Mendel said. ``If it was, we would have won US$5 million.''

The Madrid train bombings, which killed 201 people, increasingly appear to have been orchestrated by Islamic extremists with links to bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network.

The only thing that I'm left wondering about is the lawyer said his client was the "victim of hallucination". Does that mean that the guy he ran over didn't look anything like Bin Laden or what? They don't elaborate on that point. Someone shoul have told the poor fellow that it's not close enough to the American elections yet. If he wants to run over Bin Laden he should wait 'til October; That's what Bush is waiting for.

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IN HONOR OF ST. PATRICK'S DAY, I'LL BE PUBLISHING "GREEN FACTS" TODAY, HERE'S THE FIRST:

Snopes.com -Urban Legends Revealed

Claim: Dr. Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham after being challenged by his editor to produce a book using fewer than fifty different words.

Status: True.

Origins: Many [Sam I am!] of us grew up enjoying the wildly imaginative rhyming works written and illustrated by Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known to us as Dr. Seuss. Bartholomew and the Oobleck, If I Ran the Zoo, Horton Hears a Who!, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and many other books involving "ludicrous situations pursued with relentless logic" were the core of many a child's personal library. In 1957, Seuss produced a classic children's tale, The Cat in the Hat, using only the words on an average first-grader's vocabulary list. This work was followed by a series of books employing an ever more limited vocabulary: Ten Apples up on Top!, Hop on Pop, Fox in Socks, and the book that initiated this trend (and is perhaps the best known of all of Seuss' efforts), Green Eggs and Ham.

What prompted this minimalist trend by Dr. Seuss? A dare from his editor, Bennett Cerf, that he write a book using no more than fifty different words. Seuss took Cerf up on his challenge and produced a classic children's work many of us can still recite from memory.


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JUST IN CASE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN MY AMBER ALERT BANNER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE
PLEASE READ - THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT AT HUMOR - PLEASE READ

Amber Alert Issued for 2 Year Old Washington Girl
Posted: Tuesday 03/16/04 10:20 PM CST

The Walla Walla County Sheriff and the Washington State Police Issued the Amber Alert after the girl was abducted in Walla Walla Washington on Tuesday afternoon.

Crystal Cuanas was abducted in Walla Walla County Washington on Tuesday afternoon March 16.

Crystal is 3'5", 40 lbs. with black shoulder-length hair, and black eyes. She was last seen in black pants with a "Tweetie Bird" on front of her shirt. It is possible that the little girl has a broken arm.

Police are looking for Ernesto Cuanas, 31 yrs., Hispanic male, 5' 6", 165 lbs., black hair, brown eyes and a goatee. He has fresh slash wounds on his forearms.

The vehicle is a gold, 2002 Ford F-150 extended cab pickup with a short box. The vehicle may have unknown California plates at this time, and has right front-end damage.

They may be headed to Oregon or Idaho.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Walla Walla Co. Sheriff at 509-527-3265 or 911.

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Tuesday, March 16, 2004

THIS ONE'S FOR CHARLIE:

Age-Old Beer Mystery Finally Solved

So even if you drink a wee bit too much on St. Patrick's Day, and you see the bubbles in your beer sinking in the glass, your eyes are not deceiving you provided you're drinking Guinness. Reuters reports that scientists from the University of Edinburgh's School of Chemistry tested it and have proven that Guinness bubbles really do flow downward and not upwards. (Yes, they were paid to figure this out. No, we don't know how you can get a job like that.)

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Tonight, on the menu is a family favorite -Chicken Kabobs with Peanut Sauce- yummy yummy in the tummy. I'm serving it with white rice. For dessert we will be having more of the So-Ripe-They-Practically-Drip-Sweetness Strawberries that I picked up from the Farmer's Market on Monday. I'm having a love affair with our new Mega-Grill and am dying to go out and buy a bunch of grilling cookbooks, but am fundless at the moment. If you have any extraordinary grilling recipes, please e-mail me. I will be eternally grateful. :D

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You Gotta Be Dead

"If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money
to the church, would that get me into Heaven?" I asked the children in my
Sunday School class.
"NO!" the children all answered.

"If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything
neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?"
Again, the answer was, "NO!"

"Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children,
and loved my wife, would that get me into Heaven?" I asked them again.
Again, they all answered, "NO!"

"Well", I continued, "then how can I get into Heaven?"


A five-year-old boy shouted out, "YOU GOTTA BE DEAD!"

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. .
*

NOW I'VE SEEN IT ALL PANDA PORN!!!!!!!!!!




American Panda Gets Sex-Ed Class in China

BEIJING (AP) - Chinese veterinarians have begun showing American-born panda Hua Mei sex-education videos featuring pandas mating to prepare her for ``blind dates'' with Chinese suitors, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday.

Because Hua Mei has been in captivity since she was born, she has little knowledge of sex, so officials have shown her videos of mating pandas and brought her to see other pandas mating.

Panda voyeurism too -Sheesh *shaking head* What is this world coming to?

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MY BLOGGER IDOL "LETTER TO A CELEBRITY"


March 15, 2004

Mr. Antonio Banderas
1 Studly Way
Hollywood, CA

Re: Your correspondence date 3/11/04

My Dearest Antonio:

Querido mio, Regrettably I must turn you down. I cannot run away with you to the South Pacific to live on your island and be waited on hand and foot night and day. The offer is tempting as I sit looking into my kitchen sink with its pile of dirty dishes, but there's a strong, handsome, funny, and silly man who would miss me terribly. And I would miss him too. Perhaps you don't realize this, but there's something quite sweet and heart warming about shared memories, overlooked faults, and silly ridiculous jokes. Even if you could give me endless hours of passion, I'm sure you couldn't give me that.

Though your smile ignites my most lustfull feelings, one look from my husband instantly melts my heart. Though I find you unbelievably attractive, sexy and funny -a lethal combination, I find my dear, sweet, hard-working husband so much more so. As I glance at the worn-out carpet in the living room, I know your bank account could build me a new mansion or two, my husband's work ethic makes him a better man -and builds his muscles well beyond your scrawny build.

There's more to my man than just a pretty face. There's a smile in his eyes. An understanding in his heart. And a knowledge in his touch. Lo siento, but you could never give me all of that. Ours is a marriage of souls. So, cara mia, you must move on. Find someone else. I am not for you. I know it will not be easy to forget me, but try.

Con cariño,

HR LADY

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Monday, March 15, 2004

Photo Quest PICS


I'll edit these later so that they look nice. Right now I'm rushing my kid out the door to Communion Class. Yes, you heard me right, Communion Class. Only we Catholics could come up with one like that.

So here we have my Photo Quest entries (quite late, actually) for the week. The first is pretty self-explanatory "Cheese -American (like me). A Cheese and next up is, it almost goes without saying, a cheese slicer two actually -Two kinds of slicers, cuz around here we can't get enough cheese. Cheese Slicers. Then here comes the Vending Machine -ala US Post Office- you'll notice, like all things Governmental, if you squint up close on the display the stamp machine is out of order, despite the fact that this was the middle of the day and they had about 43 gazillion employees milling about. Hey I know, lets jack up the price of stamps to hire somebody to fix it!!!!!!!! A Vending Machine Good ol' number four,

From my Front Door Lookin' In
The view from my front door lookin' in. Ya can't tell from this pic, but I've actually got quite the decorating touch.

And, last but not least: Public Transportation My Only Source for Public Transportation -I live in a farm and ranch county, ain't no public transportation here but your feet, or the local police -if you get too rowdy and drunk and go out tippin' cows.

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I just went over and checked out Chix Mix, based on a link I found on Where the Hell Was I?. You must get over there.

NO, I mean now. You MUST go there. Go ahead, Go. Let your digits do the walkin'. See ya back here later.

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This week's Blogger Idol subject is Letter to a Celebrity. I've already decided on how I'll work my theme, now I've just got to put ass to chair and finger to keys and get it done. Sadly, I'm feeling a little blog-lazy at the moment and will have to comeback later.

In the meantime, have you noticed the way I changed my Comments? Take a peek (go on scroll down, hurry hurry, there, whaddya think?). Well, since I'm just a scatter-brained dumb-bunny, I didn't take the time to read up on that over at Haloscan, so I had to ask for help. Good ol' Gary how he did his. He was cool enough to e-mail me as to where to go to make the changes. YAY GARY!! So, please be cool enough to pop by his site and read his this week's Blogger Idol entry, if you haven't already (Warning, It is not rated "E" for everyone. Tuck the kiddios into bed or in front of the Flintstones before you read it).

Ah, and if anyone is wanting to see my Photo Quest entry for this week, Disillusioned has kindly offered to get my pics posted, so, they should be ready a little later on. In the meantime, go by her place and look around -she's got that fancy schmancy moveable type AND promises to skin her site shortly -making her site way more attractive than my pathetic Blogger IDOL template. Go on, Go. Just make sure you're back here later :D

*SIGH (I mean really HUGE SIGH)* Trying to get back in shape and just got back from my 1 and 1/2 hour walk. The good news is, before I came home I picked up a flat of Luscious Strawberries. I wish I could post photos, because the mere sight of them would induce salivation. Plant City Florida has not just the best strawberries, but (if you ask me, and YES, you did ask me, whether you're willing to admit it or not is another story) the ONLY strawberries worth eating. And, nyah-nyah-nya-nyah-nyah, I am about to slice 'em up into a bowl and immerse myself in strawberry-breakfasty-goodness. So I really must go now. CHOW(Ciao -do you know that even though everybody uses that to mean Goodbye, that the actual literal translation is: I'm your slave?!?!? Let me tell you people, I love you, but not THAT much -I am slave to this blog only)!

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Sunday, March 14, 2004

Where to start... Where to start... Donde puedo empezar?

Well, I've been a fairly lazy blogger this weekend. Lazy blogger = Very Busy Housewife Been doin' all kinds of domestic chores and church obligations. Then after Mass today, we decide to take a run up to Ocala -the only place in our world that there is anyplace worth shopping, which is situated approximately 3 kajillion miles (okay, okay; I mildly overstated it.) Actually, under normal circumstances, it's about a 45 minute drive at about 85 mph. Only today, the Snowbirds, Brake Testers, and Oglers insisted upon slowing it down to a rather excruciating 10 to 20 mph for about 2/3 of the trip. Needless to say I was ranting and raving and generally verbally abusing all of the morons that insist upon hanging back ten freakin' car lengths so that every other car in America had to keep jumping up there in front of us, because, really people a two hour drive just really perks one up on a Sunday afternoon in 80 freakin' degree heat!!!!!!!!! Though, to be fair, I had the AC crankin' steadily the whole torturous time. But, I whine too much.

It actually wasn't as bad as it might have been because I'd brought along snacks so that we didn't have to stop for lunch (I just wanted to go, get what needed getting and get home -foolish, foolish girl I am!!!). But I haven't told you the best part of it all. The whole time we were sitting there I kept saying, "Really, we shouldn't be upset and complain. After all, we have our snacks here, we used the bathroom right before we left the house, and it's got to be way worse for whoever had that accident up (thinking that the police must have closed a couple of the lanes ahead because of some monstrous 3 car pile up) there that's holding us up (I was trying desperately to be a good, patient, caring Catholic girl). We should pray for them, really, that everything will be okay."

Well, about 980 hours later, traffic started moving again so I relaxed and was all kinds of happy, but all we saw were people pulled over at the side changing a tire and another one whose car appeared to have overheated. WHAT IS IT WITH PEOPLE?!?!?! WHY DO THEY HAVE TO SEE EVERYTHING?!?!?! MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT DO THEY THINK THEY'RE MISSING?!?!?! EVEN BETTER, DON'T THEY HAVE ANYTHING PRESSING TO DO?!!?!?!?! WHY IS NOSINESS THE PERFECT EXCUSE TO HOLD EVERYBODY UP FOR THE ENTIRE AFTERNOON??

We actually were going real well again for about ten minutes when they (I shit you not) did it again!!!!!!!!! At this point, I had not only blown my fuse, but my gasket too! But, I said, "OOOHHH, that accident must be up here and it's stop and go. (Really, they don't get much more naiive than I) Once again, we get up there and somebody is pulled over doing I don't know what -but there's no freakin' accident in sight, no bits of pulverized glass and other debris, NADA, nothing, zip, zilch. Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't want anyone to have an accident today. I would really prefer that no one ever have an accident anywhere, ever, NEVER; however, I am more than a little perturbed that these DING DONGS must drop speed from 80 mph all the way down to 10 mph in 3.2 seconds. Good thing we put new brakes on the car a few weeks ago. As it is, poor hubby nearly flew through the windshield, and that was WITH his seatbelt on!!! I can't believe the airbags didn't deploy -really, I know I have a tendency toward exaggeration, but it was literally 80 one second and 10 the next. I was convinced that I was going to be joining Grandpa in the rear of his Honda! Thank God that didn't happen.

Needless to say, I'm in no hurry to make another trip to Ocala in the near future. Plah. I'm still disgusted. IQ tests should be a part of the Drivers' Licensing process. Ay ay ay.

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Saturday, March 13, 2004

Hey everybody! I put on my housewife hat this morning and never did find my blog hat. Actually, I was feelin' kind of groggy and bummy -my allergies do that to me and I was out of Claritin and not motivated enough to get dressed and go to the store. Anyways, I think I've found my new calling. With Ol' Martha in the hoosegow, (my Nana always used that word instead of Jail -my Nana was awesome), and after having made my own banquette today to fit into the bay window in our dining room, I've decided that I'm ready to take over, and I promise not to wack out and take it out on my template if you question me on touchy subjects. I'll have to practice an affected smile.

Okay, on to blog business. During the course of my late night (early morning really, stayed up 'til 3:30 a.m.) blog hopping, I ran across a new blog. I'd like everyone to pop by and say hello to UK Mick. He's got some very interesting travel photos(you've got to see Majorca, it's too awe inspiring) including some of the NYC skyline pre- and post 9/11. But, what I was most impressed by was his Dad's story (you'll find the link on the right hand side of his page). His dad is (was) of Irish descent and the story is of the old days in Ireland and the trials and tribulations of growing up there then. It's kind of a nice way to get in touch with your roots before St. Paddy's Day, if you're at least a little Irish like me (my great grandfather came over on the boat, rather than just waiting 'til Wednesday to suck down a Good Pint, or some Green Beer and a big platter of corned beef and cabbage and then puke green all night (yup, had to take you back to your last St. Patrick's Day Parade, sorry). It's good reading and Mick's a good fella. He's already stopped by here a few times, and rather than readin' and runnin', even dropped me a couple of lines in the comments.

Well, I'm off and running now as my sweet little hubby has already conked out in exhaustion (he regularly puts in 80 hours a week) and I 've got to drag my dead *ss off to Mass bright and early -such is the life of a good (hey, no laughing and I mean you -and I hope *with a stern face* your 4 minutes are up already!!) Catholic Girl.

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create your own personalized map of the USA
or write about it on the open travel guide

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Friday, March 12, 2004

Wrong Patient Gets Heart Procedure, SARASOTA, Fla. (AP)

Well, now that makes me want to run right to the hospital next time I'm not feeling well, or am sent by my Primary Care Physician (I don't have insurance any more, must I still refer to the Doc by that asburd nomenclatural tag?). The best part is they either can't or (more likely) won't explain how this mistake ocurred! Kinda gives you confidence. They should be forced to publicly announce not only what happened, but which moron(s) were responsible. Next -what's up with that Doc? Did he not get in there and notice that catheterization was unnecessary for this particular patient? Didn't he go to medical school? Or are they giving out degrees from Cracker Jacks boxes these days? Let me tell you that was one hell of a prize for the poor sucker who got the wrong procedure! Psheh! When are friggin' supposed professionals gonna start paying attention to what goes on around them and at their hands??????

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Thursday, March 11, 2004

GONNA HAVE TO FACE IT, I'M ADDICTED TO BLOG

Let me just tell you. I'm proud of all the new things I've learned about blogging and all the crazy new stuff [with my blog -I'm getting too old (32, week after next) to try crazy new kinky stuff] I've done in the last few days. BUT I'm getting where I really can't stand the look of my Blog and I'm tempted to change it. There is a huge roadblock to that idea though. I cannot stand the idea of going through and re-entering all of the code and links and all that jazz just to prettify (my own word) my site. This really sucks. I'm all about symmetry and coordination and a place for everything and everything in its place, but I am also really quite lazy. What's a girl to do? On top of it all, if I don't spend a little more time away from the PC, it's gonna be (to quote Charlie), "Blog, it's what's for dinner." And the homestead is definitely losing the symmetry, coordination and a place for everything and everything in it's place-ness.

Bloggin' is a full time job. Then there's my obligatory visits to all my people -gotta drop over three or four times a day to see if Disillusioned has finally posted since she gets all tied up rubbin' pps and 'kuing and forgets about us little people, or if Charlie has blessed us with a midday post (no, you can't make me call it a nooner again!!) and go link hoppin' like a bee-bloggin' bunny (er-don't really know what a bee-bloggin bunny is, just sort of made it up -if you don't like it, deal with it or, hell, comment on it -let me know somebody actually reads that crap I spew).

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Killer Popcorn


Thank you Charlie, dear, for teaching me to link.

Now I can't say this one surprised me. Ever since I worked in an office and was constantly assaulted by someone's microwave popcorn fumes, I always felt that cloud of odiferous gas was more than a little overpowering and just this side of noxious. And that smell does not leave -even febreze won't help eliminate that permeating odor. I've turned to burning candles to mask the nauseating aroma. It's odd, buttered popcorn at the movies smells great, but multiply and intensify that smell to the tenth power and suddenly -ugh, mind if I sniff your feet?

That's not to say I don't enjoy eating it myself. We regularly consume about 30 tons of the stuff annually. I like to give it an extra boost (read fatten it up) by spraying it with butter flavored cooking spray to give it that at the movies touch. Now I wonder if they'll next tell us that the butter flavored spray heating in the pan is pure poison as well. Well it's like I said this morning with coffee, if one thing's not killing us something else is. What are ya gonna do, starve?

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This is my new blogchalk:
United States, Florida, Bushnell, English, Spanish, Lisa, Female, 31-35, Language Study, Cooking. :)

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Ooh -almost forgot, been wanting to openly thank my good friend Charlie over at Where the Hell Was I (see Jolly Cholly link below) for giving me a shout out. Through him I found my first faithful reader, Disillusioned (yup she's linked too -cuz she's too cool and writes with refreshing honesty, but you've got to jump down the page to see the links, cuz I'm just not talented enough yet to know how to place a link within my post -all things in good time I guess). By the way reader(s), if you feel like mentoring me and teaching me new and creative ways to make my blog better, feel free. I'm a blog newbie and could use all the help I can get. And I'm interested in learning more about the various "Blogger Games" (like Blogger Idol -which I gave a shot at yesterday). But be gentle with me, please. ; )

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COPIED THIS ONE FROM CompuServe's What's New Spot:


_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Love Coffee? You'll Like This Good News

Pour that second cup of coffee. Hey, go for a third or even a fourth! A new study from Finland concludes that people who drink coffee and other caffeinated beverages reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, reports Reuters. This isn't the first study to reach this conclusion. A similar association was found in 2002 by Dutch researchers.

Eating this food for breakfast could help protect you from developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. Click to find out what it is!

The study: The research term, led by Dr. Jaako Tuomilehto, from the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki, analyzed data from surveys conducted in 1982, 1987, and 1992 to assess the link between coffee intake and diabetes in 6,974 men and 7,655 women, reports Reuters. None of the participants had diabetes, heart disease, and stroke when the various studies began. The average follow-up period was 12 years. During this time, 381 of the 14,629 volunteers developed type 2 diabetes.

This is really weird! Find out why scientists have determined that people who have short thighs are at a greater risk for diabetes.

The results: Compared with those who drank no coffee or up to two cups a day, men and women who drank up to 10 cups daily were 55 percent and 79 percent less likely, respectively, to develop diabetes. Coffee's protective effect against diabetes persisted even after other factors were taken into account, including body weight, smoking status, alcohol use, and consumption of filtered or non-filtered coffee.

If you eat this food before every meal, you'll actually lose weight and lower your risk for diabetes. Click to find out what it is.

Here's the question of the day: How does coffee reduce the risk of diabetes? The researchers don't know. It may be the caffeine, but it may be other ingredients instead. The research findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

THAT'S COOL. I've Been Drinking It Because I'm Basically Addicted. I Get a Headache if I Don't. But no matter how good they're saying it is today, in a couple of months they'll be telling us it lowers our immune system, gives us cancer, and rots our trachea or some crap like that. Oh well, everything else is gonna kill us -may as well die fat and happy right?



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Wednesday, March 10, 2004

MY VERY FIRST BLOGGER IDOL ENTRY! MY LITTLE BLOGGY IS GROWING UP : )

http://www.livingroom.org.au/blog/archives/blogger_idol-1.gif

I confess that while on the surface this appears to be quite an easy topic (and terribly apropo, considering it is now lent and many Christians use this time to confess and attempt a closer relationship with the Lord), there are actually so many facets to it, that one like myself could easily be tempted to ramble for days. I actually made a brief, half-hearted (Why is it 1/2 hearted? You never hear of anyone being 1/4 hearted or 1/3 hearted, but one does occasionally do something whole-heartedly -and is that heart half empty or half full?, but I digress -as is my habit) attempt at research before beginning my entry.

Wandered over to dictionary.com. Checked my Spanish-English dictionary to see if the translation gives a clue to the Latin origins (Not really, but I did notice that in English the word confess does contain two Spanish words -Con, which means with and Fe, which means with faith-a coincidence probably but "with faith" does seem to fit into the whole religious aspect of confession. I also did a search on the word -I was a little knocked out by endless pages of results, but what really struck me was the variety of associations with the word. I had everything from "Confessions of a Hot Horny Housewife (that ought to bring me into Yahoo's top 10) to articles on the validity of coerced confessions in the halls of justice (Have you noticed: you are purportedly innocent until proven guilty; however when you face the judge you either guilty or not guilty? Why is that? Have they already decided that regardless or whether or not your guilty of the crime at hand, everyone's guilty of something? ah, whatever) to "Confess your darkest sins here and receive absolution (who is crazy or brainless enough to put their deepest secrets and worst transgressions?).

The research alone was an eye-opening experience. I confess. I'm a little overwhelmed by confession. : l

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Tuesday, March 09, 2004

I'LL JUST CALL THIS ONE: HUH?!?!?!?

******************************************************************************************

Calif. Lawmakers Propose Voting Age of 14
By JIM WASSERMAN

SACRAMENA Republican colleague said it was ``the nuttiest idea I've ever heard.''
TO, Calif. (AP) - A proposed amendment to California's constitution would give 16-year-olds a half-vote and 14-year-olds a quarter-vote in state elections.

State Sen. John Vasconcellos, among four lawmakers to propose the idea on Monday, said the Internet, cellular phones, multichannel television and a diverse society makes today's teens better informed than their predecessors.



The idea requires two-thirds approval by the Legislature to appear on the November ballot.

``When we gave the vote to those who didn't own property, then to women, then to persons of all colors, we added to the richness of our democratic dialogue and our own nation's integrity and its model for the world,'' Vasconcellos said, calling it time to further extend the vote.

A Republican colleague said it was ``the nuttiest idea I've ever heard.''

Said Assemblyman Ray Haynes: ``There's a reason why 14-year-olds and 16-year-olds don't vote. They are not adults. They are not mature enough. They are easily deceived by political charlatans.''

Student supporters said the idea could give them a say in issues such as education funding and bring new voices to the California electorate.

``If we could vote, politicians would see us as votes, not just kids, and they would take our issues seriously,'' said Robert Reynolds, a student at Berkeley High School.


03/09/04 16:34

I actually copied this from the news channel on my Internet Provider. I guess soon enough campaign promises will be something like this:

If teens can drive, teens should have cars. My staff will work hard to put through legislation that requires parents of teenagers to provide them with a car when they reach driving age. Vote Jon Blowhard

Why should teens wait til they're 21 to drink? We entrust them with voting on the future of our nation, why not give them the right to party? Cast your Vote for Tom Shitforbrains.

Age of consent? Why are we denying our children such a basic pleasure before they're too old and tired to truly enjoy it? Mark your ballot in favor of Chester Featherbrain

Legislation to change the tobacco age limit from 18 to 14 would bring in valuable tax dollars that could eventually pay off the current Federal Deficit. Elect Jim Bsartist

*********************************************************************************************

I like what "a Republican Colleague" said. Why must politicians continually talk out of their asses???

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I copied and pasted the lines at the bottom concerning the US Search for bin Laden from an Associated Press update on my Internet Service. Having just moved from NJ, where we definitely felt the reverberations of panic and fear from the 9/11 attacks, I cannot believe that only now more than two years later have we decided that we should be searching from this man 24 hours a day! HELLO! I thought the whole point of going to war and letting hundreds of our military die in the East was to find this man. Curiously, Election Day draws closer for our "Beloved" President and NOW, only NOW we begin a 24 hour a day hunt for this evil being who provoked all of the terror, deaths, and expense. What is this???????



U.S. forces searching for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden between Pakistan and Afghanistan will soon implement high-tech surveillance tactics, enabling them to
monitor the area 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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I've been thinking. I should probably start to tell you folks a little about myself. Let's just call this the "Getting to Know Me" post. Probably one of my more interesting facets is the fact that I speak Spanish at a native level. What's particularly interesting about this is that I do not come from a Hispanic background, did not grow up in a Spanish Speaking country or neighborhood, and I was born in the good ole' US of A. Let me tell you my language ability is a gift on SO MANY LEVELS! I also have a profound interest in Language Study. I'd like to take on at least two additional languages by the time I hit 40. I have this gift for picking up on new languages very quickly and I'm very talented at tongue wrangling (it's not nearly as sexy as it sounds -though it certainly could be, depending on the conversation ;). By tongue wrangling (my own Special terminology) I just mean that I very easily master the native accent, inflection, and emphasis in pronunciation.

Another talent of mine is cooking. I absolutely LOVE to cook. I find it incredibly relaxing -it is my solace. NOT SO MUCH the clean up part though. I can actually taste something at a restaurant, church supper, friend's house, whatever and then later duplicate it at home -often with improvements. I rarely measure anything out; just toss a little of this and a little of that into the post. I've some terrific cookbooks, but I just look at them for ideas and inspiration -they're rarely perfectly suited to my tastes. And I'm not a cooking snob -I love Baked Macaroni and Cheese equally as well as a good Penne patience or Flounder Franchaise.

I'm also pretty artistic. My artistic interests run from ordinary arts and crafts to interior decorating -special wall treatments, painting, etc. Trading Spaces was once my favorite show -especially since they'll pay off your mortgage (I don't know who's butt I wouldn't kiss for that, though there are limits), but now I have so many more of my own ideas and creative touches that I've been tempted to go to school for interior design (like I have time -I'm a slave to my blog folks). I love photography too, though there was time when I really didn't consider that art.

I read voraciously. And I seem to delve into every genre there is -from Wacky Douglas Adams (God Rest His Soul) to James Patterson to the Classics to the Sunday Comics and Charlie's Blog over at http://wherethehellwasi.com (see my Jolly Cholly link below).

I have newly immersed myself in an absolute love of being a Domestic Goddess. I've taken up sewing with plans to recover furniture, create a window seat for our bay window, make all of our pajamas and some of our street clothes. I plan to get back to crocheting and learn quilting.

I'm in love with the Americana from 1920s to 1950s and have begun collecting a number of things.

I used to work in Human Resources, so if you ever want a little interview or resume advice let me know in my comments links. I'm glad I left it, but only because of the unbelievable hours I was putting in every day.

I have a short temper and no patience whatsoever. I'm often heard chanting, "Come on already, comeonalready, c'monalready, c'mon", whether it be to the computer, the moron in front of me who needs 10 minutes to make a right turn, or my husband who is never ready to go when I am. I probably should have a cable modem, but I'm just too cheap to pay double -so I'll still be chanting 'til the prices come down.

I live in Florida -in the middle of nowhere. My entire county is almost all farms and ranches, we have more feed stores and tractor supply centers than we do grocery stores and retail centers. THERE IS NO MALL, NO MOVIE THEATER, NO DUNKIN' DONUTS, NO STARBUCKS, NO life -woops, did I say that? Actually I do love it here, but it's extremely hard to adjust to driving 45 minutes or more to everything worthwhile. I grew up in New Jersey, where you walk out the door and you're already where you were going. Oh, and there's the added advantage of driving behind all of the retirees who come down here and insist upon driving ten to fifteen mph BELOW the speed limit -I AM NOT KIDDING. I just know one day I'm going to completely lose it and write them my own version of a ticket. I'm inevitably stuck behind them in a no passing zone, or in the far left lan of the Interstate with no opportunity to go around them on the right. It's like they look at those speed limit signs and say, "Oh no (George/Martha/Methuseleh/Whatever), can you believe they want us to go 70 mph on the Interstate? That's much too fast! Let's teach these kids that the only safe speed is 30 mph." I guess you can tell from my verbosity on this subject, that I'm ready for the snowbirds to go home.

Ah, I guess you've learned enough (or quite possibly too much -wouldn't want to drive away the readers I don't even have yet) about me already today. Time permitting I may drop in for a second post later; otherwise see ya tomorrow. Same bat blog. Same bat URL.

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Monday, March 08, 2004

I ran into the store the other day for two things and something struck me (no, not a bus; though I did look like it when I paused to check my reflection in the nearest mirror). Our local major retailer has a specially designated parking spot for "SICK CHILD". First there's the fact that it's at the exact opposite end of the building from the pharmacy (Hey look at the map of the store. We're not talking Rocket Science here are we?). Next there's the fact of who's gonna regulate that crap? Ya got a kid, ya got a free pass to park there right? But who's to say your sick kid isn't at home barely hanging on waiting for the next dose of Children's Tylenol? So anybody can park there any time, right? Then there's the idea that whether you have a child with you or not, they're all looking the kid up and down to see if he/she looks sick to THEM!

Why isn't there a spot for "FEET HURT" or "IN A HURRY" or "TOO LAZY" or "I'M NOT REALLY HANDICAPPED, JUST SO FAT THAT MY LEGS CAN'T CARRY ME ANY MORE, BUT THE DOCTOR SIGNED MY NOTE SO I CAN PARK CLOSE ANYWAY" or "MY DAY SUCKED; DEAL WITH IT". I personally could use a sign for "CHOCOLATE EMERGENCY" or "FEELING AWFULLY BITCHY" or a third that could sum up those two in most cases "PMS".

Feel free to post your proposed signs in my comment box.

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Sunday, March 07, 2004

My very first post. There goes my blogger virginity ;) Oh well, couldn't hang on to that forever. Mucho Grassy-ass to Charlie of wherethehellwasi.com for his recommendation that I get my feet wet (why is it always the feet -I can think of far more exciting things to get wet) here at Blogger. First post short and sweet -like me.

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