Happy (Pre) Thanksgiving!

K, it's Sunday and we're leaving Weds. (I thought it was Tuesday until yesterday- yay for my family and our ability to convey information to each other, lol) and, to make a long story short(er) I don't think I'll be blogging again until Weds. after Thanksgiving at the earliest.

That being said, I feel the urge to wish a Happy Turkey Day and safe travels to all my American friends (read: Betsy and Maggie) before I go:

Randomly found these through a Google search, definately good for a quick, one panel laugh!

Maggie, when I get back/things are settled with you, let's do something wildly crazy and off the wall-like maybe go to/rent a movie or something. ;)

Much prayers for my aunt and almost uncle on their wedding would be appreciated...

...And I'd REALLY appreaciate it if somebody prays that my grandparents will change their minds about bringing their cat.

I mean, come on! Cat/wedding = not so much a great idea.

:fan girly girl squeel of glee:

Dude, this really hottt Marine who had to be 6 4 or 6 5 (in full dress uniform, minus the hat) was just at work (with his mama- naaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!) and started talking to me- AND said he really liked my name tag/how it was very patriotic.

(Going to assume no one will die of shock if I mention that my name tag is my name over a American flag background.)

And then I'm all- "Thanks, I try- but your uniform is a LOT more patriotic then my name tag!"

And his mother was all proud of him and everything. Turns out he's been in the service like two years.

And he told me specifically (by name!) to have a good weekend when he took their food. :happy dance:

All right, this probably sound STUPID to any guy reading this post of pure bliss- but there are very few women out there who don't go ga-ga over a guy in a Marine uniform. (And the one's who don't aren't women/bat for the other team.)

Soooooooooooooo... Not a bad way to end my work day/start the weekend! :)

I'd like to fax a complaint to whoever is responsible for this

Weds. night (as in LATE Weds. night) is was 70 here.

Next day, it was 34 with a windchill of 19.

On my way to work this morning it was 26 with a windchill of 10, according to the radio.

It's like, what the HECK HAPPENED TO FALL?????

:sob:

And it was such nice fall weather, too...

...This is all because I said how much I liked how the weather was the other day, isn't it?

Politically incorrect random book notes...

Haven't read anything lately I really feel I need to remark on (shocking, I know- but I'll get over it, lol!) so, for today's Random Bit Of Information You Could Have Lived Not Knowing, I'll run through a few things I have on request from the library- since there's actually a linking theme here I think at least Betsy and Maggie will find amusing. ;)

The National Review politically incorrect reference guide : your handbook for the right information sources
by John J. Virtes (Editor), Russell Jenkins (Editor), National Review Research LibraryNew York, N. Y., Frederick W. Campano (Compiler)
"Against the odds, perhaps, this collection of columns by the National Review's house economics analyst and prominent outsiders has considerable impact as a lively, thought-provoking defense of positions near or dear to the hearts and minds of political conservatives. Informed by an abiding mistrust of the major media's arguable leftward tilt, the author and his guest commentators (Martin Anderson, William Niakanen, Paul Craig Roberts, et al.) raise merry hell with the liberal agenda. They blast away at a host of people and ideas: the assumption that the 1980s benefited only America's affluent, federal regulation, government spending, protectionists, quotas, taxation (notably, capital-gains levies), tort law, and overly zealous environmentalists.

Well, what's not to love in that?? Lol! ;)

The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History
by Thomas E. Woods Jr.
"Claiming that most textbooks and popular history books were written by biased left-wing writers and scholars, historian Thomas Woods offers this guide as an alternative to "the stale and predictable platitudes of mainstream texts." Covering the colonial era through the Clinton administration, Woods seeks to debunk some persistent myths about American history. For instance, he writes, the Puritans were not racists intent on stealing the Indians' lands, the Founding Fathers were not revolutionaries but conservatives in the true sense of the word, the American War Between the States (to even call it a civil war is inaccurate, Woods says) was not principally about slavery, Abraham Lincoln was no friend to the slaves, and FDR's New Deal policies actually made the Depression worse. "

Ok, this one, I actually read around the end of the summer- what got me into this "genre" of books, as it were, and it's GREAT. Witty, full of interesting historical facts you won't get in Mrs. Swedenborg's history class, and with a read-able layout.

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (And the Crusades)
by Robert Spencer
Michelle Malkin, bestselling author and columnist: "The courageous Robert Spencer busts myths and tells truths about jihadists that no one else will tell."

Ibn Warraq, author: "A clarion call for the defense of the West before it is too late."

DYING to read this one... Need more be said?

Straight White American Male: A Politically Incorrect Survival Guide
by James Overbey, Taylor Overbey
"In Straight White American Male: A Politically Incorrect Illustrated Survival Guide, father-and-son team James and Taylor Overbey, writer and cartoonist, respectively, comment on the many absurd effects of political correctness on the English language, or "Manglish," as they call it. Satirizing the entire process, they suggest "Monspeak" for English (with "mon" as the generic for both man and woman), "hupe" for human and, of course, the eponymous SWAM."

Yes, I KNOW. But I'm sure I'll find it amusing, and I can always tempt my brothers with it- I mean it has cartoons in it, so why wouldn't they scan it? ;)

Early Turkey-day funny...

Omg, you HAVE to see this- I just about DIED laughing! :)

Wow, Sesame Street Flashback Here...

I stole this from Kat, but she probably got it from someone else first, so we're all going to have to be ok with this, lol! ;)

My ABC's

A - Age of your first kiss: 14? God, and I chew out my brother for TALKING about girls at 16... I'm BAD, lol! Or maybe it was simply my first bf that was? Who knows at this point? ;) ;)

B - Band you are listening to right now: None, since I stopped to do this in the library :shhhhhhhhhhhhh!: If I was at home, I think I'd by listening to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack again. ...Which is not a band. But that's ok, lol.

C - Crush: As in people I actually see occasionally, and there's a point in crushing in? No one since there was the one guy I thought was really cute I saw at Johnson food hall a few years back. Other then that? Something I should be smarter than to be even THINKING about AGAIN. :mental smack:

D - Dad's name: The one he was given at birth or the one he goes by?

E - Easiest person/people to talk to: Owen, Betsy, Maggie, my mom, Lauren, Kristi...

F - Favorite ice cream: Vanilla (ice! ice! baby!). I am a conservative traditionalist! ;)

G - Gummy worms or Gummy bears? Sour gummy worms, those things are AWESOME! :)

H - Hometown: Smalltown, USA- which I actually love a lot more than I did in high school, when I bitched about it all the time. Go figure, huh?

J - Junior High: Sucks.

K - Kids: Yes. Several, with the right person at the right time, etc. etc. Want the list of names I like, too? Lol!

L - Longest car ride: Oh dear God. Too many when I was younger. Um, middle of Texas to Chicago was a hike- as in, several days in which I was squished between my brothers' carseats in the back seat. Longest since I graduated from HS, Denver to Durango (six hours).

M - Mom's name: Nuh, we're crossing the line into To Much Information Territory here, but most of you know anyways.

N - Nicknames: Well, Betsy called me 'Madame Maid' on my last post, does that count? Actually, I don't think I really have any anymore, now that I think about it... When did this happen?? Lol!

O - One wish: One??? I can't do one!!!

P - Phobia: Speaking in front of large groups of people. Making a fool of myself. Killing bugs. (Not the bugs themselves, just the squishing them bit = eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew! Freak out!)

Q - Quote: Let's throw "Yes, I'm a natural blue." and "I'd like to remind people listening here tonight that a plan is not a litany of complaints." of George W. Bush's from last election season just for fun, since I don't have a list on me.

R - Reasons to smile: It's warm for November and beautiful outside today!

S - Simple pleasures in life? Sunshine. Fleece. Blue skies. Email. Talk radio. (Lol, only for me!)

T - Time you woke up today: I woke up at 7 something, but I didn't get out of bed until like closer to 8, since this was the first day I didn't have to be in to work until 9- yay for lazy Saturdays!

U - Unknown fact about me: I'll have to refrain from telling, or it'll cease to be "unknown". ;) ;)

V - Vegetables you hate: Olives. Cucumbers. Green peppers. Broc. Coliflower. (Sp?) Cooked carrots. Sprouts. Brussel sprouts. (Does ANYONE actually like brussel sprouts???)

W - Worst luck with: Relationships?

X - X-rays you've had: My head when I hit it when I passed out in the heat in church back down south in middle school. My head again (repeatedly) when I was young when I got sinus infections that put me in the hospital once a year when I was 0-10. My teeth before I had my wisdom teeth removed.

Y - Years since you've been to church: A few weeks ago, actually, do to scheduling conflicts... But I feel bad about it!

Z - Zoo animal? Penguins!!!

Tadaaaaaaa!

Ok, everyone admire what Maggie did to my layout for me and make nice comments! :)

OMG, wedding in two weeks! :freaks out:

Argh, I still have to pack, get my hair cut/trimmed/I have NO IDEA WHAT I WANT TO GET DONE TO IT, ***FIND SHOES/EARRINGS***, do something about my nails, and think of a nice wedding gift/etc!!!!!!! :panic mode:

...However, my dress is already picked out, paid for, arrived at my aun't house yesterday, and is pictured on the right. :wipes sweat off brow:

So, my aunt's wedding is all with the fall theme-age, so we're going with a pretty chocolate brown for my dress/my sister's sash. (Her dress is ivory, which goes with my aunt's dress, so we're all coordinated!)

Also, I LOVE Jessica McClintock in a 'there-is-no-way-I-am-NOT-getting-a-Jessica-dress-for-my-wedding' way. :sigh:

Sooooooooooooooooo pretty! :)

And more...

Only difference being here that I voted for two incumbents... So, apparently, even I am not right about EVERYTHING. ;) (But I did vote for the guy that got the most votes of all the canidates, do that count?)

Out with incumbents, in with new members
Birth, rebirth in Hudson
Newly elected council member has baby hours before Election Day sweep
By Stephen Dyer
Beacon Journal staff writer

HUDSON - Kristina Roegner had quite an Election Day. First she gave birth to her third child, Kristine. Then she was part of a rare, remarkable day in politics: the defeat of every incumbent up for election in Hudson.

"What a day,'' Roegner said Wednesday from her room at Akron General Medical Center. ``I can hardly handle so much good news in one day.''

Indeed, Tuesday marked a re-birth of both Hudson's City Council and school board. Presidents of both the council and the board were turned out, with City Council President George Roth receiving fewer votes than any of the six at-large council candidates.

The day after the remarkable event, victors and losers alike remarked how much voter animosity there was in Hudson toward those in power.

"How else can you explain 2,400 votes against the Charter Review Commission?'' asked J. Daniel Williams, one of three at-large council incumbents defeated Tuesday. The commission had recommended just housekeeping changes to the charter.

"There was a lack of trust.''

John Green, director of the Bliss Center for Applied Politics at the University of Akron, said what happened in Hudson, though rare, affirms democracy's greatness.

"It's that possibility that makes democracy effective,'' he said. ``At any time, the voters can rise up and vote out everyone.''

Two issues during the past year encapsulated Hudson's growing antipathy toward incumbents.
City Council incumbents had to deal with a controversial plan to sell the old library building on Aurora Street to a private trucking company, for substantially less than the price offered to the nonprofit Burton D. Morgan Foundation. Many residents were outraged by the proposed sale, claiming it was a boondoggle for the trucking firm.

School board incumbents had to deal with the decision to oust a popular high school principal. That choice last spring led to a massive demonstration by students, who were eventually pepper-sprayed by Hudson police.

While no candidate said these issues were the only ones that moved votes, few denied their roles in Tuesday's outcome.

"I was one of the original members who didn't want to sell'' the library, Roth said, adding that misinformation on the sale hurt the council's image. Yet after the council decided to proceed, he, as president, took the lead on pushing it, so "everyone thinks I was in favor of that albatross.''

John Logan, one of the at-large council winners, said the library issue was a key one because he said it ``identified that the public's business was not being done in public.''

Douglas Whipple, who won a school board seat, said the flap over the principal was merely ``the tip of the iceberg... and people in the community were disillusioned with many decisions.''

But school board winner Nancy Terry denied the principal issue was a factor in the outcome.
"I think people had moved on,'' she said.

Defeated incumbent James Hackney disagreed, citing "a single-issue group'' and "low voter turnout'' -- Hudson had about 37 percent turnout, about 2 percentage points less than the countywide 39 percent. Less than half as many people voted Tuesday as voted last November.

However, for Hackney, "the principal thing was the primary part of it.''

He said he would have made the same decision again, even though at the time he "had an inkling'' it could cost him.

But perhaps it was just time for new blood -- a rebirth of Hudson's elected bodies.

Hackney even agreed that perhaps the distrust of federal government officials had trickled down locally.

"Perhaps the public was in the mood to turn out everyone,'' he said. ``Perhaps the (Bush) administration's problems permeated down to the citizenry into a distrust of government.''

Whatever the reason, new mom and new Councilwoman Roegner quickly developed a slogan for all that went right for her (and her fellow challengers) Tuesday.

"I went from large to small to at-large all in one day,'' she said with a chuckle, cradling her newborn daughter.

Stephen Dyer can be reached at 330-996-3523 or sdyer@thebeaconjournal.com

God, talk about sour grapes from Hackney, huh? And TOTALLY UNNEEDED AND STUPID Bush slam there- which totally doesn't make any sense, anyways.

Ah, I remember the night Hacknet said he was going to run... Since I was one of the people who started cheering... ;) ;) :P

It was a good time, lol! :)

YEEESSSSSSSSS!!!! :) :) :)

Hudson schools activists replace 3 board members
Thursday, November 10, 2005
April McClellan-Copeland
Plain Dealer Reporter

Hudson- One goal of the Save Our Schools Coalition was to replace three of five incumbent school board members for ousting a popular principal last March.

The group's mission was accomplished on Tuesday, when voters elected three new board members - Douglas Whipple, Nancy Terry and Karen Capone-Sheer - over incumbents Andrew Duff, James Antes and James Hackney.

"I'm glad the opportunity for meaningful change exists," Stan Ritter, co-chairman of SOS, said Wednesday.

"That is what is important to us. There is still much hard work to be done. We're ready to roll up our sleeves and go to work with the new board."

Capone-Sheer said voters wanted a change and connected with her goal of improving communications with the community.

"I want to be the liaison between the school board, the community and the students," Capone-Sheer said.

"I want to be their voice."

The sweep is a victory for SOS, a grassroots group that sprouted when former High School Principal Roger Howard was ousted. The coalition did not formally endorse the candidates.
In March, the school board did not renew Howard's contract, sparking student protests and parent criticism.

Howard's work evaluations were cited as one of the factors. Superintendent Maryann Wolowiec gave Howard a "needs improvement" rating after two years of good ratings.

The rating declined after Howard did not follow through on instructions to continue a drug and alcohol program at the school.

For Duff, the school board president, the SOS effort came as no surprise.

"They told us they were going to do it last spring and they were able to pull it off," Duff said Wednesday.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
amcclellan@plaind.com, 800-628-6689
© 2005 The Plain Dealer
© 2005 cleveland.com All Rights Reserved.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! :throws confetti: Dang, that feels good! :)

Other update...

My burn's almost completely (three weeks later) healed over.

Smooth red/pink/purple-ish skin, vs. gross/painful/itchy scab situation.

I'm not wearing mummy-like wrappings anymore, and people keep wincing when they see it- but I swear it doesn't hurt... It just looks like it does, lol. ;)

Argh!!!!

So, yesterday (Tuesday? What do you mean I have Alzheimer's already?) my aunt asked me to be her Person Attendent at her wedding.

They aren't having a wedding party, persay, but I will be in charge of my aunt's flowers during cerimony, lipstick :freaks out about losing it:, and arranging her skirt as she move around the alter.

So, I'm not a bridesmaid, persay, but I have a Title and a job to do. Also, I get a awesome dress! :D

She's thinking wine colored (ooooooooooh, sophisticated!), possibly strapless (interesting, I've never done strapless... Think I can carry it off?), and shorter- as in, not full length- skirt.

I wanted to upload some options in different spurts, for group opinions, but Blogger is freaking out and won't let me upload pictures. :pouts:

Oh, well.

I'll just try again, hopefully tomorrow.

'DEMOCRATS STICK FORK IN OWN HEADS'

Ann Coulter must read column of the week, in celebration of His Judgeship!

Favorite parts:

With the Democrats still reeling from Friday's sad news, Bush gave them a right-hook by nominating the stunningly qualified Judge Sam Alito on Monday. (So I guess not all qualified candidates for the Supreme Court turned Bush down before he nominated Miers.)

Not only is Alito qualified, but he also does not consider membership in the Federalist Society comparable to joining the Klan. In other words, this was just the sort of judicial nominee that would have terrified the White House a month ago.

Judge Alito's dear 90-year-old mother — who evidently had not yet been briefed by White House political consultants to avoid stating positions popular with Americans — immediately said of her son, "Of course he's against abortion."

As a judge on the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, Alito voted to uphold a Pennsylvania statute passed by the legislature and signed into law by the governor that required women to notify their husbands before getting an abortion. (This was later deemed an "undue burden" by liberals' favorite Supreme Court justice, Sandra Day O'Connor.)

There is no question about Alito's qualifications. Democrats can only oppose him for his record, which will alarm a narrow segment of lunatics commonly known as "the Democratic Party base."

"Maybe the Democrats aren't running from their base. Maybe they're trying to help NARAL by preventing anyone from finding out about their agenda. If only Democrats could get the American people to believe that a group with the words "abortion" and "rights" in its name is some kind of benevolent little charity that holds bake sales. "

Don't worry, I didn't actually drop off the face of the earth, Maggie :P

Hey, it's me, reporting to you from this here computer, and while I have been MIA (and definitely not with Maggie's permission) for, by Maggie's count, five days, I assure you it was because I was very, very, VERY busy.

And not near a computer when I wasn't.

Which, as it turns out, is important for posting on blogs.

Go fig! :P

So, updates, updates, updates...

- We have our plane tickets for flying to my aunt's wedding, and I can pretty much promise that there will be NO posting the last week of Nov., what with pre-trip/trip/coming home and sleeping. (Hopefully, Maggie/etc. will be too busy for this to turn into a nation crisis, lol!)

- Much love of Judge Alito :throws confetti:, but he deserves his own post, so more on that later.

- Apparently Charles and Camilla (sp??) are visiting the country? Anyone notice/care? I read somewhere yesterday that a whopping 60-70% of people fall in the "I really don't give a darn" category on this, which even the British press was predicting, lol.

- Hope is going back to her other store for good on Tuesday. :tries not to look too happy and fails miserably: I'll miss having someone who knows what they're doing, it'll kinda suck we'll be down an assistant manager, etc... But I honestly can't say I will miss Hope in and of herself. Am I a bad person?

- Leads me to second bit of news... Last Thursday I completed training to BE a trainer- meaning I get to do all the new people we get from now on, get a blue (? kinda scared on this one until I see it) hat-vs. the tan one everyone wears, and get a raise. So, I go to ask Karrie about that Tuesday after I clock out for the day, and she's all A) bad shocked about what I'm making now because evidently Erica definite should hired me at a bigger salary :glares at Erica, who's not even her anymore because she's got an internship: B) brings up again (for real this time) that she wants to make me an assistant manager!

:happy scream:

So, I'd replace Hope, and maybe Dan, if she decides to get rid of him... Since he's kinda useless... Especially if his girlfriend is working... Etc... You know how that goes?

- Halloween was warmer then it was last year, which is good, as I was the one on the porch giving out candy. However, right before trick-or-treating was due to start, I notice the God-awful HUGE spider (as in, bigger then any non-tarantula spider I've ever seen in my life) with big evil, horror-movie looking legs hanging out by our front door.

Obviously, I freak (quietly, didn't want to freak out any little kids in area), because this is the biggest, grossest, most poisonous looking bug I've ever seen. Seriously, this thing's butt was the size of a dime = not normal for around here.

Littlest brother squishes with his big, canoe sized shoe.

Other brother comes home, and reports that other kid on swim team was bitten day beforehand by a poisonous spider (he didn't see, but from the bite it couldn't have been anything else) that the doctors had to give him STEROIDS to control.

Naturally, I jump every time anything touches me the rest of the night because A) GROSS and B) not so into being bitten by poisonous bugs. Thanks but no thanks.

Opening at 5:30 (again!) tomorrow, because Kristi has a normal doctor's check-up for the baby. (Naaaaaaaaaaaaw...)

Supposedly, I get off at one, but knowing Friday lunch rush, I definitely see that not happening, lol.

Working Saturday, so I might update then. Other then that, what I get done today, I get done, and Maggie will have to leave me alone about it. (Just kidding, Maggie!)