art is...

Bottle Village... has got to be one of the more interesting pieces of art I've ever heard about. When I take a cross-country Roadside Attraction Tour of the US, I will make sure to stop here.

This just blows me away...

Beginning construction in 1956 at age 60, and working until 1981, Tressa "Grandma" Prisbrey transformed her 1/3 acre lot into Bottle Village, an otherworld of shrines, wishing wells, walkways, other random constructions, plus 15 life size structures all made from found objects placed in mortar. The name "Bottle Village" comes from the structures themselves - made of tens of thousands of bottles unearthed via daily visits to the dump for years, some of them from her husbands own bad habit. Appearances aside, Bottle Village began as two purely practical needs for a cheap building material to build a structure to store her pencil collection, which eventually numbered 17,000 and a bottle wall to keep away the smell and dust of the adjacent turkey farm. However, it was her own ability to have fun and infuse her wit and whimsy into what she made which over time became the essence of Bottle Village. Practicality alone would not explain The Leaning Tower of Bottle Village, the Dolls Head Shrine, car - headlight - bird - baths, and the intravenous - feeding - tube - firescreen, a few examples of her delightfully idiosyncratic creations.

Knowing this little lady was so resourceful makes me wonder what I really might be capable of doing. I mean, I know I don't have the mathmatical skill set to construct structures out of anything (with the intention that they would last)... what is MY skill set??

She's such a cute little old lady. And what a story, what a life.

The PBS link has a fantastic interactive tour... and includes video interview footage of Grandma Prisbrey.

what april fool's prank should you play?

Your April Fool's Day Prank Should Be

Wearing a shaving cream hat

What April Fool's Prank Should You Play?

are you a nonconformist?

You Are 54% Non Conformist

You definitely have your freak flag out, and from time to time, you wave it. You have some pretty strong opinions, and you're not afraid to express them.

Are You a Nonconformist?

blah

It's been a frustrating couple of days. I had a lot of anxiety in anticipation of Group this week. It's hard to have apprehension and still want to be open to being productive. I've seriously got to work on being afraid of situations like that. I mean, part of it was because I thought there would be a major misunderstanding... which is exactly what happened... and I didn't want to get into all of that.

Mostly, I felt like I had to explain that when I speak, I say what I mean. For instance: if I make a generic comment, it's a generic comment. It isn't about anyone but me. Part of what happens in Group is that they are a bit... quick to jump to assumptions. They assume that when I say something I'm talking about something specific, instead of making a general observation or asking a question just to ask a question. Oh, no, there has to be some deeper darker meaning.

I guess that's part of what I need to work on, though. Learning not to react the way I do when people misconstrue what I say. Maybe I'm hyper-sensitive about it because I am so careful to choose my words when I'm at school. I get in the habit of saying exactly what I mean the way I mean it. Ah, I don't know... what I do know is that I had a LOT of frustration and I allowed it to spill into anger. And it was ok. I did ok with being angry.

How come women aren't socialized to deal with anger? How come anger is such a male emotion? It's too bad, really. But that's a whole other rant.

Anyhow, I just feel blah... like what I am saying is nonsensical. I really hate when I am talking in an important setting and I am not being heard.

In our department meeting this morning, we were talking about creating the AP syllabus to propose to the school board. It seemed to me that it had already been decided who would be teaching the course--when I said I wanted to teach it and have been saying that since we first thought about offering AP. I asked if there was a meeting I missed where we decided who would be teaching it.

I feel dismissed. I feel like I'm not being taken seriously. And it pisses me off that there is such a holier-than-thou attitude. That really has GOT to go. Maybe tomorrow at breakfast I will broach the subject gently. Maybe not. That isn't really an appropriate forum for that kind of conversation.

It's getting harder and harder for me to hold my tongue around KB. Seriously. It is so hard for me to accept him for who he is instead of who I want him to be. I have to get that mantra back in my vocabulary... especially if the department thinks we're going to put together a literature connections class and incorporate some lit into our units.

So... to wrap up: I am feeling very frustrated at school--as though I am considered the joke of the department. I am feeling very frustrated at Group--as though I am some kind of foreign being that talks but makes no sense. And part of it semantics, I realize that. I guess that's about all.

On another note, my face is almost completely healed. I think it's looking much, much better. Any scarring will be so light, it won't even be noticeable, I don't think. Certainly not disfiguring.

What if this is as good as it gets?

Spring break in Maine

this or that

Food/Drink
McDonalds or Burger King?	McDonald's salads, BK fries
Pepsi or Coke?	Diet Coke
Sierra Mist or Sprite?	Sprite Zero
Dominos or Pizza Hut?	Pizza Hut
Fridays or Ruby Tuesdays?	Rubys
Pancakes or waffles?	waffles
Hamburgers or cheeseburgers?	cheeseburgers--especially bacon!
Meat or veggies?	both
Vanilla or chocolate?	chocolate... duh!
Clothing
Abercrombie or Hollister?	neither
Boxers or briefs?	huh?
Collar: popped or regular?	regular
Jeans or skirt?	jean skirt?
Sneakers or flip-flops?	sneakers
Music
*NYSNC or Backstreet Boys?	which one had Justin Timberlake?
50 Cent or 2pac?	neither
Country or rap?	country
Rob Thomas or Maroon 5?	Maroon 5
Goo Goo Dolls or Matchbox 20?	both
Porcupine Tree or Opeth? ;)	no clue what this means
The Other Sex
Face or body?	posture--so I guess that's body
Chest or heinie?	hands
Hair: short or long?	clean
Brunette or blonde?	either
Candy or flowers?	yes, please!
Hugs or kisses?	both
Friends with benefits or date?	date
Technology
MySpace or Facebook?	MySpace
AIM or MSN?	AIM
TV or movie?	both
Cell phone or iPod?	generic MP3 Player
Automatic or manual?	automatic
Colors
Black or white?	both--grey
Red or blue?	blue
Gold or silver?	as a color... either, for jewelry, silver
Yellow or orange?	*shrug*
Pink or purple?	purple
Weather
Summer or Winter?	not too hot, not too cold
Fall or Spring?	fall
Rain or thunderstorm?	rain
Snow or rain?	rain
Would you rather...
Shower or bathe?	shower
Play an instrument or sing?	sing
Play ping-pong or pool?	pool
Be hot or cold?	cold
Are you...
Quiet or loud?	in between
Immature or immature?	how about mature
Ugly or hott?	hotttttness
Smart or stupid?	smart
Gay or straight?	why do you ask?
Misc.
Dogs or cats?	dogs
Pen or pencil?	black ink pen
Bush or Kerry?	ewww... neither
Canada or Australia?	Canada, eh?
Take this survey or other MySpace Surveys at PimpSurveys.com

The things people use as bookmarks

By MIKE HARDEN
Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Any librarian who has pulled a tour of duty on the circulation desk of a public library has a few tales to tell about the curious objects people use, and then forget to remove, as bookmarks.

"People leave photos, Social Security cards and driver's licenses," said Kate Porter, assistant director of the Upper Arlington (Ohio) Public Library, "gum in wrappers, letters that need to be mailed, prescriptions, airline tickets - some that are unused and some that are used - ponytail holders, fines that they owe the library."

"We've seen a condom as a bookmark," said Vi Yarman, head of circulation of the public library in Mount Vernon, Ohio. "It was not used. The patron was renewing the book. My staff opened the book up, and the patron said, 'Oh, that's my book mark.' "

I know what you're thinking, and Yarman surely would have remembered if the book had been "The Joy of Sex."

Sharon Shrum, director of the public library in West Jefferson, Ohio, recalled her initiation to working with books at a library south of Columbus: "I was a high-school page in the Grove City library. I was pulling out shelved books to see that they were still in good shape, the binding and such. I pulled out this book, and $20 bills started floating out. There was $260."

"We had a staff member find $300 in an envelope," said Gerald Schwab, who manages the circulation division of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. "(The patron) put it in the book and forgot about it."

The money was returned.

"People use money, sometimes large denominations, as bookmarks," said Stephen Lilly, media-relations chief for the Metropolitan Library, "and you never know what is going to be in those return chutes when you open them up."

At one library, Shrum recalled, "someone pulled up almost all of the flowers out front on a very rainy day and shoved them - mud, roots and all - down into the book drop. It ruined the books."

At the Bexley (Ohio) Public Library, "someone put a live cat inside" a book drop, director Robert Stafford said. "It was OK, and the staff released it later."

Dirty diapers are commonly dumped in book drops.

Books returned for shelving in autumn often contain leaves; those returned in summer, sand.

"We have gotten love letters, charming love letters," Schwab said. "One of my colleagues was telling me he found a set of fake fingernails and an emery board."

One librarian said a book was returned bookmarked with a butter knife - with butter on it.

"I guess my favorite," Porter said, "is using toilet paper" as an improvised bookmark.

"I was working at (one) library and I found a piece of uncooked bacon," Schwab said. "It was a cookbook. They must have been using it in the kitchen."

In West Jefferson, Shrum said a patron returned a videocassette of a movie that had been tampered with and taped over in the middle of the film. Shrum didn't know it had been taped over until it was borrowed again and a woman brought it back.

"I think it was like 'My Fair Lady,' or something like that," Shrum said, "and all of a sudden there is this heavy panting. Someone had taped one of those soft-porn channels."

Asked how offended the patron was, Shrum said, "She did go back and check out a whole bunch more."

;-)

Sizzle's 10

I totally stole this from Ms. Sizzle. She won't mind.

1. If money were no object, what would you be doing with your life? I would work with AIDS patients--perhaps children. Maybe even in Africa.

2. Money is just that - an object, so why aren’t you doing it? I have to pay my own way through this world.

3. What’s better: horses or cows? cows

4. What do you think the secret to happiness is? puppies, hugs, cookies & George Clooney... or, not taking myself too seriously and remembering that "this too shall pass."

5. When was the last time you had a dream that you either remember well or did not want to awake from? Can you share a bit? I don't remember my dreams very often... so I don't know and no.

6. When you were a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? happy... I believed (and I mean... BELIEVED) that I would die young like my mother did, so I never thought about a future that involved growing older... yeah, that's biting me in the ass now.

7. Complete this statement: Love is… please see my answer for # 4... oh, ok... knowing I am smart enough, good enough and--doggoneit--people like me!

8. Can you tell a good story? I would say so. I cannot tell a joke.

9. Can you remember your last daydream? What was it about? oooh, yes, this afternoon at about 2 o'clock, I wanted to bash books against the wall of the neighboring classroom--there was a substitute, showing a video (that was way too loud) to a group of freshmen who were talking and laughing over the film. I couldn't even hear myself think. bah!

10. If you were to thank someone today, who would you thank? I would thank the six random kids who came up to me this morning and hugged me. It was really neat. And I love hugs.

random meme

What does your Blog name mean?	it's from a line in the movie: As Good As It Gets
Elaborate on your default photo:	it's a question mark
Do you drink?	not alcohol
What's your current mood?	chillin out
What exactly are you wearing right now?	jeans, snap front shirt, tshirt and undies
What is your current problem?	what to have/who will cook supper?
What do you love most?	laughing
Do you smoke?	not for 9 years and three months
Are you musically talented?	I can sing, but I hate performing
If you could go back in time and change something, what would you change?	I don't really know what I would change
If you MUST be an animal for ONE day, what would you be?	a pampered pooch
Ever had a near death experience?	last June
Have you ever been in love?	yes
What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head?	Weezer "Smile" from the green album
Name someone with the same birthday as you:	Nadine
Have you ever vandalized someone's private property?	not knowingly
Have you ever been in a fight?	I was a bystander and got hit
Have you ever sung in front of a large audience?	yes
What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?	their presence
What do you usually order from McDonalds?	iced coffee
Do you hurt yourself on purpose?	lord, no!
Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?	no
Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows?	yes, often
Did you have braces?	yes
Are you comfortable with your height?	yes
Do you have a crush on someone on your myspace?	no
Does this person have a crush on you?	no
Take this survey or other MySpace Surveys at PimpSurveys.com

super dog

A Calvert woman claims her 2-year-old golden retriever saved her life Friday by giving her the canine version of the Heimlich maneuver.

“The doctor said I probably wouldn’t be here without Toby,” said Debbie Parkhurst, 45, a jewelry artist who lives near Rising Sun High School with her husband, Kevin, and their two dogs. “I keep looking at him and saying ‘You’re amazing.’”

Parkhurst said she was home alone with the dogs Friday afternoon when she decided to snack on an apple.

Suddenly, she said, a chunk of the fruit became wedged in her windpipe.

“It was lodged pretty tight because I couldn’t breathe,” she said. “I tried to do the thing where you lean over a chair and give yourself the Heimlich, but it didn’t work.”

Parkhurst said she then began beating her chest, an action that might have attracted Toby’s attention.


“The next think I know, Toby’s up on his hind feet and he’s got his front paws on my shoulders,” she recalled. “He pushed me to the ground, and once I was on my back, he began jumping up and down on my chest.”

Toby’s jumping apparently managed to dislodge the apple from Parkhurst’s windpipe.

“As soon as I started breathing, he stopped and began licking my face, as if to keep me from passing out,” she said.

A friend soon arrived and, after witnessing the canine rescue, drove Parkhurst to the doctor’s office.

“I, literally, have pawprint-shaped bruises on my chest,” Parkhurst said. “I’m still a little hoarse, but otherwise, I’m OK.”

At first, Parkhurst thought Toby was simply trying to play.

Now she believes the golden retriever that she and her husband rescued from a Dumpster knew exactly what he was doing.

“I know it sounds a little weird, but I think he had a sense of what was happening,” Parkhurst said Monday. “Of all the dogs in the world, I never would have expected this goofy one here to know the Heimlich.”

As strange as Parkhurst’s story might sound, Toby’s actions actually followed the emergency measures recommended for choking victims by the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross.

Both agencies recommend first aid responders use a series of five back blows followed by a series of five abdominal thrusts, otherwise known as the “five and five.”

“I have no idea where he learned it from,” Parkhurst said. “But can tell you that I’m going to peel and mash my apples from now on.”

idol chatter

Still so excited from tonight's American Idol!!! Thanks to Rickey, you can see clips and hear audio at his site.

fat rant

spring forward

Monday Meme 41 : 2006-04-02 : Spring Forward

1. List 3 things you like about spring:

1. it's not so cold your nose freezes

2. daylight!!!

3. people seem to be in better moods

2. List 3 things you hate about spring:

1. mud

2. potholes

3. people are rushing through spring into summer

3. Do you set your clocks forward in the spring? Do you think it is a good idea?

Yes, the clocks spring forward. I suppose it's a good idea but it completely disrupts my body.

4. Do you have allergies in the spring? Do you take any allergies medications?

No serious allergies.

5. What are you looking forward to the most this spring?

being motivated to be active

I was the 5,316th person to take this week's Monday Meme!

100 acre personality quiz

Take the 100 Acre Personality Quiz!

JUNE 8!!!!!

grrrr

Don'cha just hate when you forget what you were doing and you're in the middle of doing it?

Separated Dog Brothers Find Each Other

Separated Dog Brothers Find Each Other

LA CROSSE, Wis. (March 23) - They were called Wallace and Gromit, a couple of abandoned yellow Labrador retriever siblings who wound up at the Coulee Region Humane Society.

The pups were 5 months old last June when they were adopted out, but to separate homes.

Months later, Pat Kucera at Diggity Dog Daycare noticed two yellow Labs named Levi and Cooper would "play like crazy" every time they got the chance during visits to his facility.

"They love playing chase, ring around the picnic table and face wrestling on the couches," Kucera said.

When he mentioned their behavior to their respective owners, Cyndy Lamb remembered the other pup she never forgot - the one that was with Cooper when she took him home from the humane society.

She asked Denice Mack, owner of Levi, about her dog's past and found out she too adopted her dog last June.

"When she said he was 5 months old when she got him, my heart stopped," Lamb said.

"I was so excited," Mack said, "because when we adopted (Levi), we knew there was another yellow Lab out there, and we wanted to find him and get together with him."

Mack and her husband Curt said they're hoping to set up play dates outside the daycare for the two long-lost Labs.

"I'm definitely going to take them up on that," Lamb said.

how do you live your life?

How You Life Your Life

You are honest and direct. You tell it like it is. You're laid back and chill, but sometimes you care too much about what others think. You prefer a variety of friends and tend to change friends quickly. Some of your past dreams have disappointed you, but you don't let it get you down.

How Do You Live Your Life?

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Groovy :: Vanda


2. Jealousy :: green with envy


3. Watching :: broken glasses


4. Kenny :: South Park


5. Games :: Beth & Payday; Tammy & cards


6. Bread :: crack/addiction/omg--get me some fresh bread!!!


7. City :: Dublin, home


8. Stems :: flowers


9. Birds :: springtime


10. Listener :: mentor

Unconscious mutterings

are you an optimist or pessimist?

You Are a Realist

You don't see the glass as half empty or half full. You see what's exactly in the glass. You never try to make a bad situation seem better than it is... But you also never sabotage any good things you have going on. You are brutally honest in your assessments of situations - and this always seems to help you cope.

Are You An Optimist or Pessimist?

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. Every week I like to post one that speaks to me. Go take a look.

No Dentist Left Behind

My dentist is great! He sends me reminders so I don't forget checkups. He uses the latest techniques based on research. He never hurts me, and I've got all my teeth.

When I ran into him the other day, I was eager to see if he'd heard about the new state program. I knew he'd think it was great.

"Did you hear about the new state program to measure effectiveness of dentists with their young patients?" I said.

"No," he said. He didn't seem too thrilled. "How will they do that?"

"It's quite simple," I said. "They will just count the number of cavities each patient has at age 10, 14, and 18 and average that to determine a dentist's rating. Dentists will be rated as excellent, good, average, below average, and unsatisfactory. That way parents will know which are the best dentists. The plan will also encourage the less effective dentists to get better," I said. "Poor dentists who don't improve could lose their licenses to practice."

"That's terrible," he said.

"What? That's not a good attitude," I said. "Don't you think we should try to improve children's dental health in this state?"

"Sure I do," he said, "but that's not a fair way to determine who is practicing good dentistry."

"Why not?" I said. "It makes perfect sense to me."

"Well, it's so obvious," he said. "Don't you see that dentists don't all work with the same clientele, and that much depends on things we can't control? For example, I work in a rural area with a high percentage of patients from deprived homes, while some of my colleagues work in upper middle-class neighborhoods. Many of the parents I work with don't bring their children to see me until there is some kind of problem, and I don't get to do much preventive work.

Also, many of the parents I serve let their kids eat way too much candy from an early age, unlike more educated parents who understand the relationship between sugar and decay. To top it all off, so many of my clients have well water which is untreated and has no fluoride in it. Do you have any idea how much difference early use of fluoride can make?"

"It sounds like you're making excuses," I said. "I can't believe that you, my dentist, would be so defensive. After all, you do a great job, and you needn't fear a little accountability."

"I am not being defensive!" he said. "My best patients are as good as any one's, my work is as good as any one's, but my average cavity count is going to be higher than a lot of other dentists because I chose to work where I am needed most."

"Don't get touchy," I said.

"Touchy?" he said. His face had turned red, and from the way he was clenching and unclenching his jaws, I was afraid he was going to damage his teeth. "Try furious! In a system like this, I will end up being rated average, below average, or worse. The few educated patients I have who see these ratings may believe this so-called rating is an actual measure of my ability and proficiency as a dentist.

They may leave me, and I'll be left with only the most needy patients. And my cavity average score will get even worse. On top of that, how will I attract good dental hygienists and other excellent dentists to my practice if it is labeled below average?"

"I think you are overreacting," I said. "'Complaining, excuse-making and stonewalling won't improve dental health'... I am quoting from a leading member of the DOC," I noted.

"What's the DOC?" he asked.

"It's the Dental Oversight Committee," I said, "a group made up of mostly lay persons to make sure dentistry in this state gets improved."

"Spare me," he said, "I can't believe this. Reasonable people won't buy it," he said hopefully.

The program sounded reasonable to me, so I asked, "How else would you measure good dentistry?"

"Come watch me work," he said. "Observe my processes."

"That's too complicated, expensive and time-consuming," I said. "Cavities are the bottom line, and you can't argue with the bottom line. It's an absolute measure."

"That's what I'm afraid my parents and prospective patients will think. This can't be happening," he said despairingly.

"Now, now," I said, "don't despair. The state will help you some."

"How?" he asked.

"If you receive a poor rating, they'll send a dentist who is rated excellent to help straighten you out," I said brightly.

"You mean," he said, "they'll send a dentist with a wealthy clientele to show me how to work on severe juvenile dental problems with which I have probably had much more experience? BIG HELP!"

"There you go again," I said. "You aren't acting professionally at all."

"You don't get it," he said. "Doing this would be like grading schools and teachers on an average score made on a test of children's progress with no regard to influences outside the school, the home, the community served and stuff like that. Why would they do something so unfair to dentists? No one would ever think of doing that to schools."

I just shook my head sadly, but he had brightened. "I'm going to write my representatives and senators," he said. "I'll use the school analogy. Surely they will see the point."


(Note: I do not know who wrote this. In honor of the stress at school, I thought I would post this--It was in my school email, from a friend who knew it was the week the visiting committee from NEASC was here.)

Your Celebrity Match is: Morgan Freeman


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morgan Freeman

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Born: June 1, 1937
Actor Morgan Freeman is famous for his roles in Shawshank Redemption, Glory, Outbreak, and Hard Rain.
Your next closest matches were:

Harrison Ford
Tommy Lee Jones
Bruce Springsteen

a rose by any other name...

More men taking wives' last names
By Steve Friess, Special for USA TODAY

The newlyweds knew it would be surprising, but they never expected it to go quite so badly.

As Donna and Mike entered their wedding reception, an unwitting announcer told the expectant crowd, "Ladies and gentleman, put your hands together for the new Mr. and Mrs. Salinger!"

Some guests clapped, some chuckled at what they presumed was a joke and most looked at one another in confusion. The couple spent the entire reception and some of their honeymoon explaining to people what they had done.

The groom, you see, had started his day as Mike Davis and ended it by doing something precious few of his brothers-in-arms do: He took his wife's last name instead of her taking his.

"Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought it would have caused as much of a stir as it did," says Mike Salinger, 27, of Seattle, who was married in November. "We knew people might be surprised, but we figured they'd say 'Huh' and get on with it.

"Three months later, I'm still taking (flak) from one of my college roommates."

Breaking with the 'norm'

The Salingers broke a patriarchal tradition so ingrained in American society that many women's studies researchers have yet to study it.

"I'm sure somewhere there's some anthropologist or someone who has looked at this, but I don't know of any," says Nancy Lutkehaus, chair of the Gender Studies program at the University of Southern California. "It hasn't been a large enough social phenomenon that it's hit the radar as something to be studied."

That may be coming. The California Legislature is set to consider a bill this month that would allow men to change their surnames upon marriage as seamlessly as women now can. Only seven states now allow a man who wishes to alter his name after his wedding to do so without going through the laborious, frequently expensive legal process set out by the courts for any name change. Women don't have to do so.

The bill is co-sponsored by the ACLU of California as a follow-up to a federal lawsuit the civil rights group filed in December on behalf of Michael Buday, a Los Angeles man who wants to take on his wife's surname, Bijon, to show his affinity for his father-in-law. He accuses the state of gender discrimination for forcing him into the more complex process.

"We have the perfect marriage application for the 17th century," says ACLU attorney Mark Rosenbaum, who is litigating the case. Buday did not respond to requests for an interview. "Every place Michael went, he had the door shut in his face or he was ridiculed."

Mike Salinger, who said it cost him about $350 to change his name legally, concedes he changed his name "because I'm a big ole granola liberal and I wanted to tweak the tradition while showing my wife I love her."

The 'hyphenating' option

But his and Buday's approach is only one, and perhaps the boldest, possible variation. A more frequent — if not common — occurrence, wedding consultant Sharon Naylor says, is for both members of a couple to take on both last names.

"I'm seeing men and women discussing the possibility of hyphenating their names together more than I did before because both have a vested interest in keeping the last name they've built their careers under," says Naylor, a New Jersey-based author of 32 books on weddings. "If the groom is considering it, there's always a concern of 'What will the people think at the office? What will my father think?' "

Christopher Sclafani and Jeannie Rhee avoided the wedding-night scene the Salingers endured by instructing their deejay not to introduce them with their last names, but their decision to take on both names without a hyphen caused other problems. The new Christopher Sclafani Rhee was immediately and persistently called Mr. Rhee, which most people assumed was his whole last name.

"People could not handle the idea that a man had a two-part last name," says the 34-year-old Washington, D.C., lawyer. "The first couple of months were incredibly jarring. Then we realized both are hard names to spell and to explain, so I just accepted this (Rhee) as my new last name."

'Turn in your man card'

Sam Van Hallgren, 32, co-host of the movie-review podcast Filmspotting, had to explain himself not just to his listeners but even to his co-host, Adam Kempenaar. Kempenaar was caught by surprise the first time Van Hallgren introduced himself at the top of their show with his new name. Van Hallgren was formerly Sam Hallgren until he wed Carrie Van Deest in August and they both took on the new, combined names.

Van Hallgren received a scathing note from a longtime listener with a subject line that read, "Sam, turn in your man card." The listener asked what "sissy juice" the host was drinking.

The Van Hallgrens, who live in Milwaukee, say they did it for their future children. The idea of merging names, which Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa also did when the former Antonio Villar wed the former Corina Raigosa in 1987, started out for Sam and Carrie as a joke. Then, while talking with a friend who was surprised Carrie would take Sam's name, Sam first uttered the merged version and they both liked it.

"I feared that people would think I did it to suggest more people should do it," he says. "But I didn't. It just made sense for us."

NAMING NAMES IN OTHER PLACES
Though anthropologists know of no world cultures in which men uniformly take on their wives' family names upon marriage, there are some variations in the naming traditions for wives and children. Among them:
•In many Middle Eastern nations, including Iran, Yemen, Jordan and Syria, Muslim women retain their own names after marriage out of respect for their fathers. In some cases, they must get a court order if they wish to go by their husband's surname.
•In Spain and several Central American and South American nations, including Venezuela, many married women traditionally retain their birth names. Children typically get the surnames of both parents, though the father's is usually the one used by the child and handed on to the next generation.
•In Iceland, most people do not have family names. Instead, someone's second name usually indicates who their father is. For example, Joe's son John is known as John Joeson, John's son Jay would be Jay Johnson, and so on. Novel first names must be approved by the Icelandic Naming Committee. Sometimes the mother's name is used instead, although it is rare and usually indicates a rift with the father.
•In the United Kingdom, Prince Charles' full formal name is Charles Mountbatten-Windsor, taking and generally using the family name, Windsor, of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Mountbatten was the family name of the queen's husband, Prince Philip. The naming of Charles and his siblings required an act of Parliament in 1960 and was done to preserve the Windsor name.
Sources: University of Southern California, University of Chicago, BBC News, George Mason University

fetch, fido!!

a myspace meme

1. If you were to attend a costume party tonight, what or whom would you go as?
a bride.

2. What are your choice of toppings on a hamburger?
cheese, ketchup.

3. You are chosen to have lunch with the President. The condition is you only get to ask one question. What do you ask?
why?

4. It's your first day of vacation, what are you doing?
lounging in my lounging clothes as long as possible.

5. What is your concession stand must-have at the movies?
oh, I donno.

6. Which do you dislike most: pop-up ads or spam email?
flashing ads.

7. What do you think Captain Hook's name was before he had a hook for a hand?
O, Captain, my Captain...


8. Rock, paper, or scissors?
rock.

9. Which is worse, being in a place that is too loud, or too quiet?
too loud.

10. What is one quality that you really appreciate in a person?
being open to the possibilities.

11. At the good old general store, what particular kind of candy would you expect to be in the big jar at the counter?
sugar daddies.

12. What is the most distinguishing landmark in your city?
oh, the balloon launch thingy...

13. How many times did it take you to pass your drivers test?
two.

14. If you had to have the same topping on your vanilla ice cream for the rest of your life, what topping would you choose?
hot fudge and chopped nuts

15. You are offered an envelope that you know contains $50. You are then told that you may either keep it or exchange it for another envelope that may contain $500 or may be empty. Do you keep the first envelope, or do you take your chances with the second?
kinda depends on where I am...during the day I would go for the $500, at night I would take the $50

16. If you had to choose, which would you give up: cable/tv or dsl/internet?
television.

17. What is your highest level of education?
some work on a post-college degree, but I do NOT have to get a master's

18. How much is a gallon of gas in your city? What was the highest it's been?
$2.79...highest was over $3.25/gallon

19. What kind of lunch box did you have as a kid?
brown paper bag...I didn't have a lunch box until 2006!!!

20. What would you rather have, a nanny, a housekeeper, a cook, or a chauffeur?
housekeeper....although, I am very disappointed that masseuse is not on the list!

21. Would you rather be trapped in an elevator, or stuck in traffic?
depends...

22. Lets say a brick fell on your foot, and your kid is standing right next to you, what is your 'cleaned up' swear word?
I'd probably just "ugh."

23. Do you still talk to the person you lost your virginity to?
uh, who?

24. What would you do with 1000 plastic spoons?
eat puddin'.

25. What kind of music did you listen to in elementary school?
45s, especially the DeFranco family and the Beatles.

26. What is the best thing about your current job?
today.

27. Do you wish cellphone etiquette was a required class upon purchasing one?
only if I get to make the rules.

28. What's the most messed up food combination that you've had that was actually good?
grilled peanutbutter bananna and bacon sammich.

29. Have you been on a date in the past week?
nope.

30. If yes, how did it go?
nope

31. Where are you going on your next vacation?
anywhere.

32. Are most of your friends new or old?
yes.

33. What's one of your most random pet peeves (something that annoys you)?
none of my pet peeves are random, thank you very much.

34. What do you wish someone would buy you?
anything at all, I love gifts.

35. What are you wearing right now?
jeans, hoodie, sox, stuff.

36. When is the last time you had Mom's home cooking?
35 years ago.

37. Do you like your parents?
definitely!!!!!

38. What state are you from?
maine.

39. Tell us about the last conversation you had.
group.

40.Where do you see yourself in one month?
in a mirror.

41. What is your favorite smell?
puppies, coffee, bread

42. What do people label you as?
a teacher.

43. Do you consider yourself bipolar?
definitely not.

44. What is the outside temperature at the moment?
I donno...warmish

45. Are you missing anyone right now?
not so much.

46. What does your myspace quote mean?
love.

47: Elaborate on your primary photo (default):
caricature of a teacher.

48: Who introduced myspace to you?
lots of students... Little Rockwell helped me the most

49. How many comments do you have?
2003.

50. What's your current problem?
lol... where to begin...

51. What are you doing right now?
wriggling my ankles to crack them.

52. What's one type of person that really bothers you?
people who pretend to be dumb.

53. What's one type of person that you enjoy being around?
thoughtful

54. What random things make you happy?
Alysia's burps in homeroom, laughing, having a car starter on very cold days, resting my head on someone's chest and having them read or hum (my daddy did this when I was a girl and I loved it), having my hair played with

55. If you could go back and change something, what would it be?
uhm...there are a couple of things I would do--tell someone how much I care

56. If you could be any animal or creature for one day, what would it be?
a well-loved puppy.

57. Ever had a near death experience?
pulmonary emboli.

58. Name one obvious quality you have?
I'm a bit fluffy (ok, ok, I'm fat... fat, fluffy... all the same).

59. What's the name of a song that's stuck in your head right now?
Mysterious Ways by U2.

60. Are you happy today?
for the most part, yes.

61. Do you believe in Heaven?
not so much

62. Who will copy and paste and fill this out first?
i don't know.

it is always spring

It is better to light candles
than to curse the darkness.
It is better to plant seeds
than to accuse the earth.
The world needs all of our power
and love and energy,
and each of us has something that we can give.
The trick is to find it and use it,
to find it and give it away.
So there will always be more.
We can be lights for each other,
and through each other's illumination
we will see the way.
Each of us is a seed,
a silent promise,
and it is always spring.

Merle Shain

Women's Work

Tending The Hearth

In the recent past, the term women's work has come to have a derogatory connotation. Women's work encompasses all the domestic chores that have historically been associated only with women-cooking, cleaning, and raising children. Whenever a person is limited to only certain kinds of work in a society, there is a need to break free from that work in order to inhabit a place of choice. However, when we choose to do women's work because we enjoy it, there is nothing degrading about it. There is an honor to it, and when done alone or in a group this work can be truly meaningful and fulfilling because the home is the foundation of security for all who live in it. The importance of tending the hearth that nurtures all who bask in its warmth cannot be overstated.

In addition to being essential to the functioning of the world, women's work offers creative fulfillment, intimate interaction, and personal satisfaction. The more we become aware of the significance of this realm of labor, the more fulfilling it will be to those who do the work and those who benefit from it. A well-set table and a delicious, healthy meal can heal us on multiple levels. Clean, crisp sheets on a bed allow us to enter a deep slumber, inspiring a sense of safety and trust. Our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health all rest upon the smooth functioning of our homes.

The gift of women's work, which still often comes from the hands of women, now also comes from fathers, husbands, and hired help. Whatever the source, our sincere gratitude upon receiving these treasures reminds us of the profound value of what is traditionally known as women's work. The more we acknowledge the tremendous importance of this work, the more we are able to do it with a sense of pride, never feeling for a moment that our efforts are less significant or meaningful than those working outside the home-on the contrary, it is this work that makes all other work possible.

from the Daily OM

total time waster

Get Game Codes For Your Profile - CLICK HERE!!

what color is your passion?

Your Passion is Gray

Your sexual attitude is best described as apathetic. Often joking that you're asexual, you can go months without getting any. For you, great sex does not make or break a relationship. If it happens, it's just the icing on the cake.

What Color Is Your Passion?

what animal were you in a past life?

You Were a Snake

You have a primal energy that drives you to explore the mysteries of life. A nearly immortal soul, you'll live a very long life.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

to nap or not...

That is the question... holy moly, it's 5:36 pm and I am so tired I am aching. Do I nap or not? American I dol results are on tonight, I'm on a four-day weekend... and... well, I don't know what to do with myself.

what's your inner blood type?

Your Inner Blood Type is Type B

You follow your own rules in life, even if you change the rules every day. Sure, you tend to be off the wall and unpredictable, but that's what makes you lovable. And even though you're a wild child, you have the tools to be a great success. You are able to concentrate intently - and make the impossible possible. You are most compatible with: B and AB Famous Type B's: Leonardo Di Caprio and

What's Your Inner Blood Type?

beige, I think I'll paint the ceiling beige...

Bob and Sheri featured this story on the radio this morning, it took me a while to hunt it down... fun stuff. Those who know me know my favorite color is beige... I'll go with brown in this case.

What's your favorite color?

The clothes you wear, your home furnishings and the car you drive all give clues to your sexual personality. The key is the colors you select for your possessions. Most people claim they haven't got a favorite color. But look around you, and you'll notice a pattern, especially in your clothing and home furnishings. The predominant color for you is the one that appears most frequently, it's the one that mirrors the sexual you. A panel of psychologists explained the association between color and sexual patterns.

RED: People who like red tend to be tigers in the sack. They are easily aroused and enjoy sex in every way imaginable. Once the sexual spark is ignited, it may take hours to extinguish. When two reds get together, the ensuing erotica could make Lady Chatterly blush. Lovers of red tend to be aggressors and weaker colors should be aware.

YELLOW: If you tend to favor yellow, your sexual drives are complex and turn toward the adaptable. The favorite color of homosexuals is yellow. But don't panic, not everyone who wears yellow is queer. In most cases the person will consent to the stronger partner's desires in a passive manner. You will never enjoy sex to the fullest, but you will never turn down an invitation from somebody you enjoy or admire.

PINK: Persons who like pink show a reluctance to mature in sexual matters: women tend to tease, to promise more than they intend to deliver. In some cases they flaunt their femininity, but because they secretly hate men. A great percentage of prostitutes boast entire wardrobes in pink. Men who like pink are the philanderers and flirts. They are the type who will make three dates for the same evening and not keep one, preferring to pick up a dish in some bar instead. Women whose husbands like pink should keep a secret nest egg.

PURPLE: Lovers of purple frequently consider themselves to be too sophisticated for a fun romp in the sack. Women sometimes are the type who hate to mess their hair. Men are business-like in their approach to lovemaking. In both sexes purple partners are more concerned with their own fulfillment than with anyone else's gratification.

BLACK: Black color preferences point to black sex (not necessarily meaning black partners). These people are the misfits of the sex world and seek out each other in kinship. They tend to prefer perverted sex and are usually masochistic or sadistic in nature. They are moody people and often perform at their peak when under stress or during unhappy times. Police psychiatrists claim that sex offenders prefer the color black. And it is no coincidence that the uniform of mosters and teenage gangs is black attire.

GREEN: Those who prefer green are fresh and innocent in their approach to sex. Women who love green will always make love like virgins all their life. And a man may always be a trifle clumsy and awkward but in a charming and endearing sort of way. Green lovers are gentle, but not passionate. If chosen as a mate, one will never need worry about infidelity.

ORANGE: Lovers of the color orange lean toward sexual fantasies. The sex act is regarded as a dramatic one-act play in which they are the star. Foreplay is as important as the act of love. They whisper sweet nothings, meaningless dialogue; they feel it is their image. Orange people often do not experience orgasm, but they put on a damn good act. Men tend to pull their partner's hair, and women leave red welts on the sex partner's back.

BROWN: If you love brown, you're a real treasure for the right mate. Brown lovers tend to be warm and deep, sensitive to the needs and desires of their partners. Sex is a 24 hour a day thing. Where you can't say "I love you" often enough. Snuggling by the fire, walking in the rain or catching snowflakes on their tongue is a turn-on to a lover of brown. They need lots of time and privacy to make love, but their emotions are such that one harsh word could end the affair.

GREY: The color grey a preferred by people who are indecisive. They can't get excited about anything, including color, so they choose a noncommittal shade. Men who prefer grey look at sex as a way of relieving tension- nothing more, nothing less. It's wham, bam, thank you ma'am. Women don't make love, they have intercourse and for one of two reasons only: to accommodate their mate, or to become pregnant. They count the cracks in the bedroom plaster until the sex act is over with and done. When teamed with another color, the grey spouse considers the other's infidelity a blessing. When a grey marries another grey, the marriage is made in heaven.

BLUE: Lovers of blue are wonderful sex partners. They are sinners, affectionate and sensitive to their partner's needs. They consider love making a fine art and their approach is elegant. Men who love blue are like concert pianists, delicately ravaging their partner like they would play a baby grand. Women in the blue category enjoy sex to the fullest. They are exciting partners but their passion may be compared to a tidal wave rather than firery aggression. Both women and men enjoy foreplay and the aftermath of lovemaking, as much as the sex act itself. In marriage a blue person is a wonderful mate, never seeking outside interests.

WHITE: If a person is infatuated with white, sex often seems filthy. These people are puritanical in nature. French kissing is obscene and to make love in the daylight in unheard of. Women who love white will undress beneath the covers. Men will shower before and after the sex act. These people still use pet names for their genitals.

mmm... good to the last drop

Middle-Schooler Faces Expulsion for Putting Urine in Teacher's Coffee

MUNCIE, Ind. - A Muncie eighth-grader has been suspended from school and faces expulsion after admitting that he put urine in a teacher's coffee pot.

The Wilson Middle School teacher noticed that the coffee had an unusual odor Friday and reported it to the principal.

A student overheard other students discussing the incident and reported it to school officials.

School officials say the found urine in the eighth-grader's locker. They say the student admitted placing the urine in the teacher's coffee pot.

In a letter to parents, school officials say such behavior will not be tolerated.

massive alphabet meme

Massive Alphabet Meme
I found this meme at A Tense Teacher's blog and thought it would be worth trying...

The Letter A
Are you agnostic? more agnostic than athiest.
What is your age? 41.
What annoys you? not having input

The Letter B
Do you like bacon? it's one of the four food groups, right?
When is your birthday? October 29th
Who is your best friend? My three sisters... Val, Tammy and some of my school friends

The Letter C
What is your favorite candy? Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or Snickers
Who is your crush? George Clooney
When was the last time you cried? two Thursdays ago

The Letter D
Do you daydream? not so much, but I do get lost in thought
What is your favorite kind of dog? cute ones
What day of the week is it? Moanday

The Letter E
How do you like your eggs? scrambled
Have you ever been in the emergency room? Last Thursday, yes... three stitches in my face
What’s the easiest thing to ever do? laugh.

The Letter F
Have you ever flown in a plane? yes!! I love to.
Do you use fly swatters? not so much.
Have you ever used a foghorn? no

The Letter G
Do you chew gum? occasionally, but I snap it in my teeth (not the loud popping, just a softer snapping)!
Ever tried gazpacho? I have a killer recipe for it!!
Are you a giver or taker? giver

The Letter H
How are you? my face is sore (see ER answer)
What’s your height? 5' 5"
What color is your hair? strawberry blonde

The Letter I
What is your favorite ice-cream? wavy gravy (a retired Ben & Jerry's flavor)
Have you ever ice-skated? I used to skate at the outdoor rink every Sunday
Do you play an instrument? the kazoo

The Letter J
What is your favorite jelly bean? red ones
Do you wear jewelry? I like funky earrings and cool pins
Have you heard a really hilarious joke? I can't tell a joke... and I don't often remember them

The Letter K
Whom do you want to kill? no one
Do you want kids? no
Where did you go to kindergarten? Pine Street Elementary School...I didn't like my teacher

The Letter L
Are you laid-back? I used to think so but then I was threatened two years ago and I became hyper-vigilant and some dormant OCD issues kicked into high gear.
Do you lie? occasionally, about unimportant stuff.
Do you love anyone? my family, friends and some of my students... but I am not in love

The Letter M
What is your favorite movie? City of Angels, When Harry Met Sally and a good heist film.
Do you still watch Disney movies? oh yeah!!!
Do you like mangos? they're ok.

The Letter N
Do you have a nickname? several
What is your favorite number? 3 or 33
Do you prefer night or day? it varies... I've become a morning person

The Letter O
What is your one wish? to be well
Are you an only child? I have three older sisters
Do you wish this year was over? not especially

The Letter P
What is one fear that you are most paranoid about? I sometimes think a student will stab me when they get up to randomly walk around the classroom. Sometimes I have a flash of fear.
What personality trait would you look for in someone you wanted to date? being open to the possibilities

The Letter Q
Are you quick to judge people? no

The Letter R
Do you think you are always right? not so much, but I usually am.
Do you watch reality T.V.? YESSSSS!!
What is a good reason to cry? any

The Letter S
Do you prefer sun or rain? sun but not too hot, rain but not too cold
Do you like snow? to look at, until it's dull grey and dirty and it's April
What is your favorite season? Autumn

The Letter T
What time is it? 9:30
What time did you wake up? 5:15
When was the last time you slept in a tent? summer of 1988

The Letter U
Are you wearing underwear? pink hi-cut briefs

The Letter V
What is the worst veggie? okra
Where do you want to go on vacation? anywhere
What was your last family vacation together? uhm... never? Well, I did go to Europe with Dad in 1991

The Letter W
What is your worst habit? I am super self-critical
Where do you live? in a very cozy apartment

The Letter X
Have you ever had an X-ray? not recently, although I thought I would have to have one last Thursday
Have you ever seen the X-Games? oh yeah, love them on TV
Do you own a xylophone? no

The Letter Y
Do you like the color yellow? some shades of it
What year were you born in? 1965
What do you yearn for most? health and peace

The Letter Z
What is your Zodiac Sign? Scorpio
Do you believe in the Zodiac? not so much --but the Daily OM is creepily accurate a lot
What is your favorite zoo animal? hippos

today in history...

1961 Poppin' Fresh Pillsbury Dough Boy introduced
In 1965 more than 50 actors audition to be the voice of the Dough Boy. The winning voice belongs to Paul Frees, also known as the voice of Boris Badenov in "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle."
In 1985, Paul Frees dies and Jeff Bergman, the voice of Charlie the Tuna, is the new voice of the Dough
Boy.

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard.

Hallejuia... they will feel much better knowing they aren't alone. At least, I would.

super teacher strikes again

So, me and my disfigured face are going to school. Yup, it's Sunday and we have to be there. The Visiting Committee is coming to interview (although the VC Chair calls it "conversations") 30 of the 42 teachers at school. We all have to be there. I will try not to play the disfigured face card too heavily but... the bruising is setting in and my upper lip is still two times too big. And I'm getting a shiner.

It's only funny because I wasn't injured beyond facial lacerations, a fat lip, bruised eye... etc. I'm sure it wouldn't be quite so amusing if I lost teeth, broke my nose, shattered my cheek or eye socket. But it's still very gross to look at.

Let the interviews begin. In three more days this will all be over, except picking up the prioritized list and starting to fix what needs fixing. I hope the administration doesn't get carried away with making too many non-listed changes. I mean, I'm all for innovation in the classroom but let's not change every single thing about school all at the same time. And some of the changes are not going to increase student enjoyment or empowerment. They appear, to me, to be pointless in many ways. I mean, if you truly want change wouldn't you want the people who will be most directly affected by the change to have input on the change? Ah, but then the change isn't admin-driven change.

Ok, so, what shall I wear for my interview. Perhaps something with some yellow tones to flatter my shiner?

what if this is as good as it gets?

everybody's irish...

St. Patrick's Day Comments

index card philosophy...

The Daily Nooz once again came up with a brilliant website called Indexed.

the suckage of my life...

my face hurts
we're going to get massive snow
I don't want to cook
there is no one to cook for me
my eyes are watery because I'm wearing oldold (as in Sally Jesse Raphael style) glasses

this is when a fairy godperson would come in very handy

old man winter

... Winter Storm Warning remains in effect from 10 PM this evening to 8 PM EDT Saturday...

A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect from 10 PM this evening to 8 PM EDT Saturday. Snow is expected to develop later this evening and become heavy late tonight and will continue into Saturday morning. The snow is then expected to change over to sleet and then freezing rain by midday Saturday. Sleet and freezing rain will then change to all rain... mainly east of a Van Buren to Portage to Baxter State Parkline during Saturday afternoon. West of an Allagash to Clayton Lake line... precipitation will mainly be in the form of snow... mixed with sleet at times in the afternoon. Total snowfall accumulations of 10 to 20 inches can be expected before the changeover occurs with the greatest accumulations generally west of an Allagash... Clayton Lake line. In addition... a band of significant icing is expected across portions of north Central Aroostook and northern Piscataquis counties... with locally up to half to three quarters of an inch... with lesser amounts over areas that transition to all rain.

This storm will have a high impact on the warning area. Combination of heavy snow and wind gusts up to 25 mph and icing will create very hazardous conditions. Visibilities will frequently be less than one half mile in falling snow with occasional blowing and drifting snow causing near whiteouts.There is the potential for sporadic power outages on Saturday due to the ice and heavy snow.

what alcoholic drink are you?

You Are Tequilla

When you drink, you're serious about getting drunk! You'll take any shot that's offered up to you... Even if it tastes like sock sweat! And you're never afraid of eating the worm.

What Alcoholic Drink Are You?

I'm not a drinker anymore, but after tonight I could use a shot of tequila.

fall down, go boom!

I took a header today. Yup. Fell flat on my face. Thankfully, there was a nurse and a nursing student where I was and they tended to me. I was a bit stunned but didn't lose consciousness or anything... my ego is most wounded. First thought was--did I ruin my favorite jeans? Second thought was--what happened to my glasses? (they are quite askew) And third thought was--what will the visiting committee say?

Timing couldn't have been worse, that's for sure. I hope I can fix my glasses enough to wear them tomorrow. I can't imagine going a whole day without. I've been gently icing my face. The three stitches are permabond, so they won't scar. I laughed out loud at that... but the attending doc was very concerned that I would scar. I think that's the least of my problems. No chipped or cracked teeth, no bone-pain, it's all superficial/flesh wound pain and I didn't bleed in my mouth. Just my lip and cheek... and my knee where I skinned it. This might just force me to get new glasses.

All told, no permanent damage and thankfully I am not on the Coumadin--I can just imagine how much I would have bled then!!!! Facial lacerations are bloody as it is...

My puffy face and I are going to sleep...

how skeptical are you?

You Are Fairly Skeptical

You're not the type of person who will fall for anything... But you do keep your mind open to all sorts of possibilities. You figure that anything could be true. After all, the world is a strange place. However, you're going to need some convincing before you can believe in aliens or reincarnation!

How Skeptical Are You?

this annoys me...

The word is spelled frustrate. Notice there is no "H" after the s? You should say it as Frus trate, again, no H.

Why does this drive me so crazy???

Kit ten not Kiten
Mit ten not Miten
Frus trate not Frushtrate


ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

Please--remember the long vowel rule: ThE end, not tha end... when the article THE precedes a vowel word it is a long E... same with the article A... if it precedes a word with a short vowel it is ah, if it precedes a word with a long vowel sound it is A. How flippin' hard is that????

horoscope

March 14, 2007

The Importance Of Privacy

Scorpio Daily Horoscope
A desire for privacy can come over you without warning today, causing you to feel uncomfortable in the presence of individuals with whom you usually enjoy spending time. You may, in response, choose to relax at home rather than spend time pursuing hectic or draining outer-world affairs. This can be an optimal solution as the resultant privacy can allow you the time you need to recharge your batteries and relax away from worldly stressors. Yet you may still feel uncomfortable today, even while safely ensconced in the relative silence of solitude. Spending time thinking about your past, present, and future can give you an idea of why you so ardently desired privacy and help you remember the pleasures time alone can offer you.

Privacy is an important part of all of our lives because it affords us the peace, quite, and solitude we need to reconnect with our inner selves. Though we may feel tranquil in the presence of others, their values and opinions can become intertwined with our own over periods of prolonged contact. Alone, we are left with our thoughts for companionship, and we can examine our thinking patterns in a more autonomous context. We soon discover that much of what we thought was representative of our individual consciousness is actually part of a larger collection of worldly baggage that we are then empowered to incorporate into a personal philosophy or do away with altogether. Your choice to honor your privacy today will help you rediscover who you truly are.

Another creepily "on target" horoscope. Today, I was feeling overwhelmed and wanted to be closed off to the people around me. I wanted to be alone. Not in a bad way, I just... needed my alone time/privacy.

homework

I have been diligently working on my therapy assignment. Saturday and Sunday were completely out of my typical weekend routine (not rut but routine) and Monday was, too, since I went to Al's for dinner in the evening and ordered something other than my usual. Today I went to school about half an hour later than I normally do--and I admit that was tough. When 7:40 rolled around and I was just pulling into the parking lot I knew it would be a struggle to get my day going "right" and then, at 8, I had a special ed student evaluation meeting so I didn't get all my morning stuff done in the order I like to get it done. And it didn't completely ruin my day. But I was aware, all day long, that I wasn't doing things the right way. Oh, Dr. Lisa will have a field day with this. Oh, and this evening, I did laundry and then came home to watch American Idol. So that was way out of my typical evening plan, too.

Watch out or I may turn into a wild thing...


what if this is as good as it gets?

Idol chatter

Diana Ross night--two whole hours of Diana Ross songs. What a time. Anyone else wonder if they chose to have her as the first guest because of Jennifer Hudson's success in Dreamgirls? Melinda, Phil, LaKisha, Blake and Jordin were fantastic. I voted for all of them but especially for Melinda and Blake.

I remember as kid listening to Diana Ross and not understanding why people made such a big deal about her. I'm not sure if I get it now, although I can certainly appreciate her artistry. The Concert In New York where it rained is one of my strongest memories, I don't even remember when that was. Ah well, her songs were part of the soundtrack of my life growing up. And it's funny how I listened to MoTown through the late 80s and into the 90s. Other people discovered rap, I discovered that fantastic doo-woppy MoTown sound. Ahhh, now that's music.

Check out Rickey's website for audio and video files. Rickey has the best Idol blog!!!

what is your true birth month?

Your True Birth Month Is January

Loyal Social Logical Easily jealous Loves children Rather reserved Highly attentive Likes to criticize Needs close friends Ambitious and serious Smart, neat and organized Hardworking and productive Loves to teach and be taught Quiet unless excited or tensed Sensitive and has deep thoughts Knows how to make others happy Searches for the greatest romance Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds Romantic but has difficulties expressing love Always looking at people's flaws and weaknesses

What's Your True Birth Month?

birth order predictor

Not quite right about the birth order, but the description is fairly close.

You Are Likely an Only Child

At your darkest moments, you feel frustrated. At work and school, you do best when you're organizing. When you love someone, you tend to worry about them. In friendship, you are emotional and sympathetic. Your ideal careers are: radio announcer, finance, teaching, ministry, and management. You will leave your mark on the world with organizational leadership, maybe as the author of self-help books.

The Birth Order Predictor

très agité

For a Monday, I got excessively annoyed at one of my colleagues. I thought the gates of hell were going to open and swallow me up, that's how mad I got. I got so mad that I spoke with the principal about what happened. She didn't realise that the pomposity embodies this man is not just for fun--that he is serious when he does the affected things he does. But to bully, chastise and sass high school seniors for NOT donating money to a charitable organization is beyond acceptable. If I had tried to confront him myself then he would be limping. I would have ripped him a new one... seriously. Partly, it's protective nature for my students but partly it's because he went over the line this time. I was flippin mad. I was très agité.

Grrrrr... I did a very good job of not taking it out on my students, although they knew there was something bothering me. And I did admit there was something bothering me but I didn't go into any details. I am proud of myself for not taking it out in the kids; it would be very easy to do. It's kind of tempting to do, too, especially because it was the Monday Moans--all they do is whine and complain.

I tried to work on my assignment--I went to Al's for dinner tonight instead of going yesterday. It was kind of weird to go there on a Monday evening--and to go in the evening at all. I'm so used to going during the day that in the evening it seems weird. But the pizza is soooo good. :-)

Sooo, what else can I rant about? There are days I truly hate my job. It can be really hard to be nice to people who don't deserve anything other than indifference. Sarcasm is definitely my weapon of choice, too bad I can't really let fly.

Cute puppies, gooey cookies & George Clooney... that is my new mantra.

help a shelter

I saw this link at Why ask why me? and thought it was worth reposting here:

Women’s shelters in the U.S. go through thousands of tampons and pads monthly, and, while agencies generally assist with everyday necessities such as toilet paper, diapers, and clothing, this most basic need is often overlooked. You and I may take our monthly trips down the feminine care aisle for granted, but, for women in shelters, a box of tampons is five dollars they can’t spare. Here’s some good news: you can help us contribute to rectifying this situation by making a virtual donation below! For each virtual donation, Seventh Generation will send a pack of organic cotton tampons or chlorine-free pads to a shelter in your state.

Tampontification!

steal my heart away

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard.

what is your life path number?

Your Life Path Number is 6

Your purpose in life is to help others You are very compassionate, and you offer comfort to those around you. It pains you to see other people hurting, and you do all in your power to help them. You take on responsibility, and don't mind personal sacrifice. You are the ultimate giver. In love, you offer warmth and protection to your partner. You often give too much of yourself, and you rarely put your own needs first. Emotions tend to rule your decisions too much, especially when it comes to love. And while taking care of people is great, make sure to give them room to grow on their own.

What Is Your Life Path Number?

grumpy

I don't want to move the clock ahead an hour. I am tired of the constant wind chill. In a week the majority of the stress at school will be over but surviving the next week will be tough. Period cramps are maddening.

My pregnant friend Amy is getting together with me for dinner at my very favorite restaurant and I am afraid I'll be crabby. If she mentions her weight gain I might have to smack her.

On the other hand, though, she's always a good time. And it has been far too long since we've gotten together. She might be just what I need to crawl out of the doldrums.

Lawd have mercy, did I just turn my crabby attitude around?

so...

Here it is another rockin' Friday night. And what am I doing? I'm trying to figure out how early I can go to bed. Woo hoo. There are times I can't believe how wild I am... uhm... ten years ago I never expected this to be my life, that's for sure. Talk about taming the shrew. muahaha...

Dr. Lisa suggested that all the anxiety I've been experiencing lately could not only be stress-related but related to me having to break from my routine. Hmmm. When she said that, it felt like there was an internal "click" and it registered with me. Could it be related to breaking my routines? When is a routine a rut? And, is there anything wrong with a routine? I didn't think I was that tied to my routines... I mean, we allllll have things we do every day, right? So what makes this different than just doing the regular stuff I do? Maybe I'll ask that next week. My therapy homework this week is to do something that is wildly outside of my routine--and journal about how I felt. Unfortunately, she didn't suggest what would be good to try. Do I take a different route to work? Do I go later than I usually go (I mean, I get there almost an hour early)? I don't know if I could get there later, though, I get sooooo cranked when I think I'm going to be late for anything.

Holy moly.

what if this is as good as it gets?

i need a hobby...

brrrrr

WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST FRIDAY... A WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST FRIDAY. WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM 25 TO 30 BELOW ZERO THROUGH THE NIGHT. A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN A STRONG WIND WILL COMBINE WITH COLD TEMPERATURES TO CREATE DANGEROUSLY COLD CONDITIONS FOR EXPOSED SKIN. THE WIND WILL MAKE IT FEEL LIKE IT IS BETWEEN 20 AND 34 DEGREES BELOW ZERO FOR A PERIOD OF SEVERAL HOURS. THOSE PLANNING TO VENTURE OUTDOORS SHOULD DRESS WARMLY MAKING SURE THAT ALL EXPOSED SKIN IS COVERED.

Talk about in like a lion...


what if this is as good as it gets?