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March 31, 2004
gonna hang out with my honey
I had to work a bit late, and now that John and I have had dinner and a drink, it's time to go and cuddle and snuggle.
Joe Biden needs to join Hair Club for Men -
discuss.
Posted by Beth at 8:09 PM
In California, they may think you are growing pot
If you have high electricity bills. Here is the story:
CARLSBAD, Calif. - When police noticed Dina Dagy's family was spending $250 to $300 a month on electricity, they suspected a marijuana farm was flourishing under high-intensity lights inside their suburban home.What they found when they showed up with a drug-sniffing dog and a search warrant was a wife and mother who does several loads of laundry a day, keeps a dishwashing machine going, has three electricity-guzzling computers and three kids who can't remember to turn the lights out when they leave a room.
Go read the whole thing - then comment on why you think the war on drugs should be abolished.
DrugWar Rant does a great job of summarizing this story.
I have to go to work - see ya later.
Posted by Beth at 7:12 AM | Comments (7)
More on names
I will relent - partially - on my feelings about using false names. At least Patriot Boy leaves his URL, and it is not a fake one. So there is a way to have a discussion with him. I apologize for being obstinate about that.
However, leaving a fake email address that looks like this: blah@blah.edu, or this: stillfake@email.com, or this: jesussaysyousuck@hotmail.com is childish and indicates to me that you are afraid of discussion and hide behind a fake name to wreak havoc about the blogosphere just because you can.
Michele of A Small Victory also dislikes anonymous comments:
I am also making it impossible to leave anonymous comments - in a way. Sure, you can still be a jerk and leave a fake name and email address to go along with your insulting drivel, but at least I'll know I took a few precious seconds of your time to make you write something in those fields.
Posted by Beth at 5:55 AM | Comments (1)
March 30, 2004
On a lighter note
Sunday, I forced John to roam all around town going from one garden center to another.
I decided that this year, I would plant my herbs and peppers and tomatoes in pots on my deck. I was inspired to this by Laurence at Amish Tech Support, who has an absolutely beautiful patio garden with herbs, peppers, and flowers.
So I bought a bunch of pots, potting soil and herbs and a couple of tomatoes.
I also bought a drip irrigation system to prevent me from neglecting my plants when I am traveling.
As soon as it is a bit warmer, I'll buy some flowering plants to distribute around the deck.
In fact, I think I'll build a small fountain there and put some bird feeders up. It will entertain our kitties (who are all indoor cats) and will make our unused deck a nice place to relax in.
Posted by Beth at 9:00 PM
Orcinus has withdrawn the Story
of the Political Hate Crime post he wrote about on Saturday.
I like to think that my questioning the veracity of the report had something to do with David's removal of the accusation.
If not, that's ok, too. I think it shows that David of Orcinus is an honest man who really does care about the truth and doesn't write stuff just to cause further divisions between the left and right of the political spectrum. This is what he wrote:
I have decided to delete this post for now. The story cannot be confirmed, and I have no desire to be disseminating false information. I'm leaving its position here so the discussion about it can continue.I spoke today to Sgt. Connie Locke, the Atlanta Police Department's liaison to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. She says she monitors cases like this closely and would -- or should -- have been immediately notified in an assault case like this, and was not. Moreover, she says she personally walked the case down to APD's database center and searched for an assault case like this one and came up empty.
There is still the possibility that the case simply hasn't been directed her way yet, or that it is actually being investigated by another authority, such as Fulton County.
In the meantime, the alleged victim's friends are hoping to provide some kind of substantiation, but it has not been forthcoming.
I'm giving this case another week or so to settle out, since it is still possible that tangled wires have kept it from surfacing. I'm being restrained for now because of this possibility. But I'll post some more thoughts on this later, when the matter is definitively settled.
[For now, I'll simply apologize to my readers for abrogating my own standards for ascertaining the veracity of material sent to me in the process of getting this story up on the Web.]
Thanks, David, for doing the right thing here.
Posted by Beth at 7:09 PM | Comments (6)
What this Conservative stands for
I must thank Patriot Boy for linking to me - I suspect I'm getting some visitors from the other side of the political spectrum, and I welcome you all to read and comment.
I would like to dispel some of the stereotypes that many liberals have about conservatives. No two of us are alike, not even my husband, John and I agree on everything.
These are my beliefs:
1. Adults are responsible for their own actions. Blaming their own behavior on drugs, alcohol, coming from a poor family or because they are gay or black or female or brown or white is neither rational nor useful. Every day we all have choices to make - good ones and bad ones, and if you make bad choices, then don't blame me and expect me to pick up your pieces if things don't go well for you.
2. Life is precious. Whether you believe in God or don't, life is the most precious thing we have. That includes the life of a baby growing in a mother's womb. I get annoyed at all the liberals who think that 592 American deaths in Iraq (and every one of those deaths is distressing, but probably necessary in a war) is the worst thing that can happen on earth, when millions of Americans have been denied being born because abortions are too easy to come by for any reason whatsoever (let's leave rape out of this discussion, please). The Death Penalty should be abolished, and replaced with life in prison - no parole whatsoever.
3. Education is the road out of poverty. Many public schools in cities and suburbs fail to teach children the basics - math, reading, grammar. They graduate these kids, and when the kids can't keep jobs, they make bad choices (see #1). Alternative education choices, including private schools, give kids a much better chance to become productive adults because they spend more time on the basics.
4. Not all values/cultures/morals are equal. I am sorry folks, but cultures like fundamentalist Islam, where women are property and slavery is okeydokey do not have as high a value as Western culture. They are not equivalent to us in morals. Fundamentalist Islamic Arabs want to rule the world and force us all to be their slaves or convert to their rather perverted view of Islam
5. We all have the right to protect ourselves and our homes from harm. I am a gun owner. I am proud of that fact.
6. I don't care if someone is gay or lesbian or straight. What is done in the privacy of one's bedroom is not my concern.
7. The money I earn is my money. I work very hard for it. Taxes are necessary, but politicians need to stop thinking of my money as the government's money. We need to keep taxes as low as possible - this encourages growth. (Economics 101)
8. We all have the freedom to worship as we choose - so long as that religion does not harm other people (Islamic fundamentalism comes to mind, as does Satanism). The courts are flat out wrong when they say that Christians cannot express themselves but Muslims and Jews can when it comes to religious symbols.
9. Owning property is a fundamental right. Home ownership is a wonderful thing. Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful organization that helps people own their home. I would rather see home ownership subsidized by the federal government than Section 8 housing and projects.
10. Women and men should be paid the same for the work they do. I am in a predominantly male environment at work - believe it or not, I am a technical consultant. It is still an old boy's network, and I fight that every day.
11. A free market that is competitive (which means either eliminating or regulating monopolies) is a really good thing.
12. A free market that allows for free trade with other countries is also a good thing - as long as we don't allow other countries to dump artificially low-priced goods on us in an attempt to kill our own production. See #11.
13. The so-called War on Drugs needs a peace treaty. It is no more that a repeat of the alcohol prohibition of the 20's. The government should tightly regulate and license drugs like marijuana and possibly cocaine. Other drugs, I'm not too sure what to do about - some are just downright lethal. The gang problems our cities have will not exist without the profits they make from the drug trade. We have way too many kids in prison for doing stupid assed drug tricks - they should be out and learning how to make a legal living.
14. Every single one of the Bill of Rights is what makes our country so wonderful. That includes the right to gun ownership and the rights to worship as we please. I am worried that too many judges are abridging our freedom from unreasonable search and seizure - and the folks pushing for these searches without warrants are from both sides of the political spectrum - stop it, I say!
15. The elderly - as children, we need to take more responsibility of our parents' needs when possible - not the government. Too many times I hear very wealthy people complaining that their mom or dad can't afford rent or to eat because their medications are too expensive - for God's sake, help your parents! They raised you - the federal government should not be taking the place of families. If someone has no family, that's different - of course we should help them - but the next rich BMW-driving SOB who complains that his mom or dad is suffering because there is not enough Medicare - well, I would say something really rude here!
Well, I could go on forever, and I know you really don't want me to do that, so I'll stop here.
Posted by Beth at 6:17 AM | Comments (15)
March 29, 2004
What's in a Name?
Lately, I have noticed that people who disagree with me tend to leave aliases and fake email addresses rather than at least their first name and a bonafide email address.
I don't believe people need to give out their main email address when commenting on a blog, as it is a simple and free matter to simply open up a yahoo email account.
And I'm beginning to think it is cowardice when people don't use even their true first name.
Anytime I leave a comment on any blog, I leave my full name, Beth Donovan, and a real URL and a real address.
Perhaps that just means that I have the courage of my convictions, while people who call themselves things like Patriot Boy or Rank and File Democrat don't really believe all they say.
Or perhaps not.
Posted by Beth at 7:35 PM | Comments (14)
This is totally uncalled for and absurd
Demonstrators Swarm Around Rove's Home (washingtonpost.com)
This group of people wants the US government to allow illegal aliens to pay the lower costs for a college education that citizens pay - in the state they live in.
Leaders said they want Bush to advocate for the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, a bill that would permit immigrants who have lived in the United States for at least five years to apply for legal resident status once they graduate from high school. The measure would eliminate provisions of current federal law that discourage states from providing in-state tuition to undocumented student immigrants.Immigrant activists say that 50,000 to 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high school each year and that many students can afford college only at the reduced, in-state rates given to legal residents.
Well, fine, they certainly have the right to express their opinion. There are several problems with what they want and how to go about getting it.
First of all, since Karl Rove is not an elected official and does not represent any constituency, it was rude and downright ignorant for them to storm his house. There is a reason that people have to take a test to become citizens, and that is to understand how the government runs here in the USA.
Their behavior was not only rude, it was illegal trespass:
Protesters poured out of one school bus after another, piercing an otherwise quiet, peaceful Sunday in Rove's Palisades neighborhood in Northwest, chanting, "Karl, Karl, come on out! See what the DREAM Act is all about!"Rove obliged their first request and opened his door long enough to say, "Get off my property."
"Seems like he doesn't want to invite us in for tea," Emira Palacios quipped to the crowd.
Others chanted, "Karl Rove ain't got no soul."
The crowd then grew more aggressive, fanning around the three accessible sides of Rove's house, tracking him through the many windows, waving signs that read "Say Yes to DREAM" and pounding on the glass. At one point, Rove rushed to a window, pointed a finger and yelled something inaudible.
Secondly, this seems to me to be a State's issue - the State Universities determine what tuition is, not the Federal Government.
Thirdly, if they want to impress the rest of the country with how 'deserving' they are to earn status as legal aliens, they they ought to behave like people in a civilized country. They impress no one with tactics like that (except, I'm sure, Patriot Boy and friends).
Posted by Beth at 3:36 PM
Oh, by the way
I have been asked in the comments section on other blogs if the Margolis incident has been documented in a newspaper of record.
The answer is yes. The Boston Herald covered the altercation.
Posted by Beth at 5:52 AM | Comments (2)
Shallow VS Deep
Patriot Boy says I'm shallow (along with all other Bush supporters).
Frankly, I don't care if he thinks I'm shallow or not. I'm a bit more concerned that he appears to believe that folks in Unions are not capable of civilized discourse and that anyone who disagrees with them kinda deserves to be pushed around a bit.
Why won't union workers just lay down when we disrupt their rallies? My prayers go out to Blogger for Bush Matt Margolis, who was roughed up by union workers last Thursday when he tried to disrupt a Kerry rally. Fortunately, God was watching over him, and he was unhurt in the altercation. The workers merely held him down on the ground for a few minutes. They were very lucky. Matt tells us that he "felt robbed of the experience of really pounding a union worker." (2:07 am comment) Good thing for them that they had the presence of mind to hold him down.I can't figure out why these blue-collar workers get so upset when we provoke them at their rallies. We're just minding our own business and inciting our political opposition into reacting to our presence so that we can play "victim." It's how we recruit so many shallow people--well OK, we also recruit them using very simplistic, angry rhetoric about treason, abortion, homosexuals, and the flag, but that strategy is limited to our media efforts.
Yes, I know that some would call such acts of provocation, juvenile, but it's really all we have. The left just isn't in to committing acts of political violence--it's not a part of their philosophy. If we didn't provoke the left, Rush would have nothing to rant about.
Yes, I'm one of the shallow people he talks about. What concerns me more, is that he is propagating the rumor I wrote about yesterday as if it was fact.
I have been asking a lot of questions in the comments of this post by Orcinus.
Go read the story, and please, tell me if you think my comments are unreasonable - by asking for proof?
Posted by Beth at 5:44 AM | Comments (2)
Reasonable Disagreement
Hmmmm. I have had a couple of comments disagreeing with my support of Young Republicans and others to exercise their freedom of speech.
I think that discussion and disagreement is a good thing.
One comment, from Rank and File Democrat (with an email address, naturally of fuck@you.com) goes thusly:
Get ready for a lot more of it Beth.When vets start returning from Iraq and realize that little pussy boys like Matt Margolis didn't have the balls to enlist themselves, there will definitely be hell to pay.
You have no idea what's going to come down on you in a few years.
Well, Mr. or Ms. Rank and File Democrat, I have to ask; how you would know about anyone in the military and how they feel about the war in Iraq, Afghanistan and the War on Terror itself? Could you please, please, please assure me that you have served in the military yourself? Or are you simply assuming that Kerry's military service is typical - where one accuses all fellow soldiers of committing war crimes after one gets out of the service early with flesh wound Purple Hearts?
I have many, many friends who are still on active duty. I have served in the Army Reserve and my husband is a Retired Army Officer. I live in a military town. None of these people would agree with you in the least. In fact, many of them are quite unhappy with the way Rank and File Democrats pretend to support the troops, while calling their Commander in Chief every name you can think of.
I would truly welcome some reasonable disagreement, but what I get from the Democrats appear to be veiled threats of my future and the future of anyone who does not agree with the Left and name calling.
Posted by Beth at 5:19 AM | Comments (5)
March 28, 2004
I feel for Atlanta
Let's hope the good people of Atlanta keep her out of National Politics again.
Posted by Beth at 6:46 PM
I now Blog for Bush
After seeing what lengths the rank and file Democrats go to in order to prevent Bush Supportors from speaking, I decided to become more involved. So, I am now blogging for Bush.
Posted by Beth at 1:53 PM | Comments (25)
UN wants control over the Internet
Groups Debate U.N. Control of Internet
You must read it. Here is an example of their reasoning:
The United Nations would be a good platform for that, because it has legitimacy. The countries are all represented," said Izzeldin Mohamed Osman, a computer science professor from the Sudan University of Science and Technology
Right. The UN has legitimacy because countries like Sudan are represented, eh? They practice slavery there, for God's sake!
They also follow Sharia Islamic Law.
Sorry, the UN gets no legitimacy whatsoever because countries like Sudan have no legitimacy whatsoever with the Human Race.
Posted by Beth at 11:29 AM | Comments (3)
Where are the Facts?
There are people on the left side of the political spectrum who are claiming that 'right-wingers' have viciously assaulted an artist in Atlanta: Orcinus: A political Hate Crime
The crime, if it did happen, is truly repugnant:
The assault -- which included raping the man with a sawed-off broomstick and holding a knife up to his scrotum and threatening to cut it off -- was in apparent retaliation for a LiveJournal post in which the victim, an Atlanta artist, depicted (through the wonders of Photoshop) George W. Bush as a Grand Dragon at a Klan rally. Using information they gathered from the Web, they stalked him and brutalized him into unconsiousness, leaving him for dead in an alley.
What I asked for in a comment there, because I cannot find any link to a news source, is proof that this happened. I do not know ANY conservative who would even think of doing such an awful thing. If this indeed happened, I suspect some lunatic did it.
This story is also told in the Daily KOS - with no links to any newsource whatsoever.
My biggest concern, though, is that this story is being passed around the blogosphere as fact.
I have search everywhere trying to find an objective report of any such attack in Atlanta, and cannot find one.
My suspicion is that this is a Hoax made up to make conservatives look more thuggish than the Liberals who did beat up Matt and friends in Boston.
There is nothing to prove that this story is real. Nothing. Anywhere. If anyone can send me a link that is on a news site, please do, and I'll post it.
Posted by Beth at 9:49 AM | Comments (3)
This is a Great Ad for Bush
This should be on TV.
Takin Care Of Business
It is the best Bush Ad I've seen yet!
Thanks to Blackfive for the link.
Posted by Beth at 9:38 AM | Comments (1)
Hypocrites
I just discovered that I have to wait for 24 hours after registering to write a comment to a post on the Daily Kos. I guess it so they can verify that I exist.
Why, then, do the writers on KOS think that a 24 hour waiting period before getting an abortion is a bad thing? I would think that thinking about the life a woman is about to extinquish for one day is worth the wait. And it only takes a few minutes to have a sonogram to verify that the baby growing inside its mother's uterus exists.
Posted by Beth at 8:04 AM | Comments (1)
Disgusted with Democrats
The more stories I hear about the abusiveness of the Democrat Supporters of Kerry, the madder I get.
I am adding a new blogroll to my sidebar that will list bloggers who have been abused by Democrats - by word or deed. Now, mind you, I have probably missed many people who have been so abused, so just leave a comment with a link to the site describing such abuse, and I'll link to the blogger who irritates the Democrats.
From the condescension aimed at Republican Women (see Rae's "a likely story") to the actual physical assault of bloggers like Matt Margolis, the Democrat supporters are showing just how democratic they are, don't you think?
Thanks to Dean and Rosemary for keeping track of so many things - Dean's World is one of my first stops every morning, and the place where I learned about the stories above.
Posted by Beth at 7:45 AM | Comments (5)
March 27, 2004
Conversations while flying
Sometimes I meet the most interesting people when I'm flying to or from a client site.
Thursday night, the gentleman sitting next to me was from Iran. He came to the USA in 1975 to go to college, and was unable to return because of the revolution.
It has only been in the past 6 years that he has been able to safely go to Iran to visit his friends and relatives and be sure to be able to return home to the USA safely.
This man told me that the USA is heaven to him. No other country on earth comes close to having the freedoms that we have here. He has taken his two young daughters back to Iran a couple of times. He told me that one reason he wanted them to see Iran is so they can appreciate how wonderful life is here in the United States.
This man, an Irani Muslem, loves George Bush. He is not impressed at all with Europe or Canada, in fact he is disgusted that Canada allows the Mullah's in Iran to invest huge amounts of money in buildings all over Canada.
He has strong hopes for the University students there - that they will be able to change Iran and make it a Democracy. But he will not go back there to live, no matter what. He feels the US is his home and that this country is doing more good things for Iran and Iraq than any other country on earth.
Interestingly, he says that the Mullah's supporters are almost all Arabs, not Persians - he told me that though he is not prejudiced, all the fanatics are Arabs, and he would rather they stay the heck out of both Iran and Iraq.
More on this conversation later.
Posted by Beth at 9:46 AM
March 26, 2004
Nit Picking?
Top doc backs picking your nose and eating it
Picking your nose and eating it is one of the best ways to stay healthy, according to a top Austrian doctor. Innsbruck-based lung specialist Prof Dr Friedrich Bischinger said people who pick their noses with their fingers were healthy, happier and probably better in tune with their bodies. He says society should adopt a new approach to nose-picking and encourage children to take it up.
I stole this from Laurence at ATS.
Hey, Joanie, do you suppose this practice might help people with chronic sinus infections? Ewwwww yuckkkkkkk icccckkkkk blechhhhh
Posted by Beth at 4:48 PM | Comments (3)
Springtime for Toads
It is a beautiful day here in Leavenworth. And I just now heard the first horny toad calls from my little garden pond. The toads are looking for love. Calling out for cute little toad girls to hop in and make toad eggs that hatch into little toad tadpoles and then turn into little toads and leave the pond.
I just heard some Spring Peepers, too. They are tiny, itsy bitsy frogs who are incredibly loud for their size. When their little tadpoles change into froglets, they are only about the size of my baby fingernail. I have to be careful not to squish them.
I'm going to try to get some photo's of them in the act. I did last year, but I can't find the pictures!
Posted by Beth at 2:56 PM | Comments (1)
Bunnies
This is not for the faint of heart, so if you are stong, go to the Extended Entry.
Posted by Beth at 7:48 AM | Comments (2)
No More Clock
Dowingba, Pam and everyone - I took the clock and the blogstreet link off. I think I threw all sorts of stuff on the side bar when I started this simply because I could. Please let me know if this is better.
Somehow, though, in my purging of excessive stuff, I kinda screwed up my Dead Pool Link. Any ideas on how to fix that?
Update: Dowinba told me what I needed to do to fix my Dead Pool Link - and it is now a very happy link.
Updated update: Pam suggested I make the Dead Pool Link a sidetitle, and it looks even better!
Posted by Beth at 6:53 AM | Comments (2)
March 25, 2004
I don't know how I missed this one
Well, actually I have missed a lot of great posts in the past couple of months - this traveling has really cut down on my blogreading.
Dowingba (who has a very nice site design) compares bloggers to Nintendo games. If bloggers were classic Nintendo games
Man, he really slammed my site design. If anyone wants to make suggestions, feel free. I just really like my banner. Anyway, this is what Dowingba says about She Who Will Be Obeyed.
Beth of She Who Will Be Obeyed! = Final Fantasy. Badly designed and poorly implemented, but the concept is still there. If you can stand the frustrating glitches and load-times and freezing, what lies underneath is a truly wonderful thing.
On the other hand, it is a quite complimentary comment, so thanks, Dowingba!
I would have missed this completely if Jack of Random Fate had not mentioned it!
Honestly people, if you write cool stuff, tell me! I don't want to miss anything!!
Posted by Beth at 4:38 AM | Comments (6)
How I would run a hotel
Some hotels have some good points, all have some bad points. If I was really rich and owned a hotel, my hotel will be perfect.
1. All the rooms will fact the quietest street, never the highway.
2. TV Sets will all be at a higher level than the bed.
3. All bathrooms will have good quality toilet paper - like Charmin Ultra.
4. The little thing of condiments for coffee will have enough sugar and creamers that guests can have 2 cups of coffee with 2 sugars and 2 creams each.
5. The housekeeping staff will remember to replace the coffee and sugar and creamer every day.
6. Parking will be free.
7. Down comforters and big comfortable mattresses in every room. (this week, I am in a room with a brand new Sealy Posturpedic and a down comforter)
8. Lots of pillows.
9. Soft, fluffy towels.
10. Free Broadband connection. (Some hotels have this now, but not enough)
11. Real cable TV, with all the channels that anyone can get on basic cable.
12. A place to plug in the iron somewhere within reach of where an ironing board can be set up - you would be amazed at how many hotel rooms have no sockets that are not hidden by huge armoires or beds.
13. Truffles on every pillow at night.
14. No full length mirror situated right across from where the toilet is - I'll put them somewhere else.
15. Nice hangars that come out of the closet.
16. Hot tub in every room.
17. Most importantly, a bartender who can make a decent margarita! (Madfish Willy?)
Posted by Beth at 4:13 AM | Comments (2)
March 24, 2004
What kind of a teacher does this?
Teacher Under Fire For Killing Baby Rabbits As Class Watched.
Her reasoning is that the baby rabbits were rejected by their mother. However, reading further, one of them was covered with fire ants - what kind of rabbit hutch would have fire ants in it?
If I had been a student there, I guarantee, I would have been expelled because I would have pulled the shovel away from the teacher rather than let her use it to smash baby rabbits.
Even if they were a day old, baby rabbits can be fed by bottle and can survive.
Posted by Beth at 7:44 PM | Comments (2)
Dreams of Spring
I had the most pleasant dreams last night. I dreamed about planting herbs and flowers and buying jiffy pots and starting seeds. Oddly, I also dreamed that I planted a bunch of cabbage!
I have always loved plants. With all our kitties in the house, no house plant has a chance in hell of surviving, so I plant things outside. Unfortunately, I kill many of those plants because I forget to water them or I'm out of town and I can't water them, but someday, I will have pretty growing things on the front porch and around our garden pond.
When I got up this morning, I surfed the web a bit, and found that Laurence at Amish Tech Support, has a lot of nice herbs and peppers growing on his patio. Obviously, he lives in a much warmer clime than John and I do - his plants grow! And I suspect that he remembers to take care of his plants!
Posted by Beth at 5:40 AM | Comments (4)
March 23, 2004
More thoughts on Israel
The 'international community" is up in arms about Israel's actions to defend herself from Hammas terrorists. But I think of it this way - if we knew where Bin Laden was, and we were unable to arrest him for whatever reasons - I am pretty damn sure we would not hesitate to attack and kill him, even though he has kidney problems. Heck, we have a huge reward on Bin Laden's head - dead or alive.
Why does the world expect Israel to behave differently about the leaders of terrorists groups in their midst?
Posted by Beth at 5:38 AM
March 22, 2004
Israel does what it has to to protect itself:
Hamas chief killed in air strike.
Hamas said Israel had "opened the gates of hell" - but the army said the Sheikh had been "personally responsible" for the killing of Israelis.Security forces killed the Hamas leader in an air strike on his car in northern Gaza Strip, an army statement said.
Reports from the scene said Sheikh Yassin was being pushed in his wheelchair when he was directly hit by a missile.
Yes, Yassin was in a wheelchair, but you know, he never hesitated to send suicide bombers into restaurants, school buses and busy street corners, so I have no objection to it.
Posted by Beth at 4:36 AM | Comments (11)
March 21, 2004
War against Iraq
A year later, I am still sure that the US and our allies have done the right thing. I read about the people protesting the War, and I have to shake my head. It appears that they are all so pissed off that Bush is the president that they are incapable of logical thought.
There is no use arguing with them. They are unable to allow anyone with an opposing viewpoint to speak.
I wish I could take them back in time so they could see Germany a year after WWII was over. Would they still say that Iraq is a quagmire? Would they feel that we should have left Hitler alone because he was elected by the Germans?
Just wondering.
Posted by Beth at 9:30 PM | Comments (1)
Ahhh, Spring .... Cleaning
When I got off the plane from Springfield, MA Friday night, I realized that it is Spring here at home. It was snowing in Massachussets when I left.
It's in the 60's - oh heaven! And yet, I can't go out and play. Why? It is most definitely Spring Cleaning time.
Between my seemingly never-ending travel and the fact that I'm pretty damn lazy when it comes to doing things I hate (like housecleaning), the Donovan Castle is looking pretty shabby.
I spent yesterday and today cleaning the kitchen and bar area of the house. I have moved every spice jar, saute pan and knick knack and cleaned and re-aranged and generally spiffed up what was a total mess. ( I accept all blame for this, the kitchen is my kingdom, after all!)
I'm pretty pleased with my progress. I found quite a few things in drawers and cabinets that I had completely forgotten we had. I found gadgets and appliances that should be given away because they were only used once or twice, and they were stowed away, never to be used again. They have been purged from the Donovan domain and will be given to a charity that can give them away to whomever may want them.
I still have much work in the bar area. I also have to get my clothes washed and dryed and packed for next week's trip.
I found out the other day that I am traveling significantly more than any one else in the entire group - not just my team - but a humongous group of about 200 people.
I am more billable that anyone else. I am going to do my best to make sure that I make more as a result - maybe enough that I can afford to have Merry Maids or something come and clean the house for me.
It would be really cool to come home and only have to worry about what fun things I can do - play with the horses, do stained glass stuff, pottery, etc.
I'm not holding my breath, though!
Posted by Beth at 2:29 PM | Comments (2)
March 20, 2004
Completely without any redeeming value whatsoever
This piece of foolishness came from Pam
Posted by Beth at 4:49 PM | Comments (2)
When you have some time ..
Go and visit The DaGoddess Gallery.
I just spent 30 minutes visiting the Gallery, and it is good. Very good. Joanie has a great eye for composition.
Posted by Beth at 8:24 AM | Comments (1)
March 18, 2004
It's going to be an ugly campaign
I have been in John Kerry's home state of Massachusetts this week. I have been appalled at the hate and disgust displayed towards President Bush by the people I have been working with.
Mind you, I have not once brought up politics to these folks. I've just been doing my computer geek thing. The people here have been asking me what I think. I tried for a couple of days to just let them know that I didn't think that discussing politics is appropriate while I'm working on their systems, but they kept on about it all.
Yesterday, the guy I've been training really got into it with me. He said, knowing that I'm married to a military retiree, "Don't you think we should get out of Iraq? Don't you know that Bush lied to us to get us there? The UN should take over there. War is bad." Then he tells me, "I lost 2 uncles in World War II" (this was before he was born). "I don't want to lose anymore relatives."
He went on to say, "Americans are being killed there, our soldiers should not by dying". I looked at him and said, "They are soldiers. There job is to do what they are doing. Unfortunately, sometimes they die. We have lost very few soldiers in Iraq. Nothing like the numbers lost in Vietnam. Nothing like the numbers lost in Korea or World War II."
Then the guy says, "One dead American soldier is too many."
Okay - then I find out this guy is a Democrat who campaigns for whoever is running, and he apparently believes everything piped down to his level. There is no arguing with people like this. He doesn't understand why I won't vote for Kerry. He really thinks it would be better if the UN was in charge of the world, and that there is nothing wrong with them making the USA do whatever the UN thinks is best.
And now I have to go back and work with him again today!
Posted by Beth at 6:33 AM | Comments (2)
The New York Times squashes free speech
Day By DayŠ by Chris Muir.
Posted by Beth at 6:05 AM | Comments (3)
March 17, 2004
Well, that hurt!
But it was a short enough work out I'll try to do a little more tomorrow. Once upon a time I could probably out sit up anyone. Now, just a few crunches and I'm burning.
sigh.
Posted by Beth at 7:21 PM
Don't laugh
I'm going to try to follow a DVD and do what I can with an abs workout tonight.
Isn't there an easier way to look thinner?
Posted by Beth at 7:00 PM | Comments (1)
Seems like Europe is going to do it all wrong
I hope and pray that Spain will be the only country to cave in to terrorism in the coming months and years. I suspect that the Spanish People will regret their vote - sooner or later, the terrorists will want more, and blow up more people. The Socialists have just demonstrated to the terrorists that Spain can be pushed around. What if terrorists threaten to blow up Madrid unless Spain makes Islam the official state religion? Will the Spanish cave in to that?
Now it appears as though the French Government has received a threat of terrorism in reaction to the banning of headscarves in French public schools.
I am sure the French thought they were safe because they did not join the US in the war on terror. Will they rethink their strategy of how to deal with Islamofascists? It will be interesting to find out.
Posted by Beth at 6:39 AM
March 16, 2004
%%@!@hotel%#@&*(!!!
Let's see, this is the third night I have been at this glorious (ha ha) Marriott Hotel, and finally, I have internet access.
Most Marriotts are quite nice, and they normally do take good care of you. However, this one sucks!
They are in the middle of a remodel, and I get to hear hammering above me until about 8:30 pm. The room they gave me has the smallest bathroom I ever saw. And, to make all of it just lovely, when taking a shower or bath, rusty water will start pouring on you with no warning whatsoever - apparently the remodeling causes the hot water heater detrius has been disturbed and occasionally throws up the gunk. I complained to the Front Desk and they said, yes, we know that might happen. Sorry. It won't hurt you.
Arggghhhh!!!!
Posted by Beth at 6:25 PM | Comments (5)
March 13, 2004
D'oh
I made my reservations for my next business trip on Southwest about 4 weeks ago. Somehow, I misplaced my itinerary, so I called Southwest. As always, the lady I spoke to was very nice, and even offered to change my flight (for a fee, of course) when she told me that I had made reservations on a flight that leaves KCI at 6:50 AM. . . On a Sunday. . . WTF was I thinking?
I will get to Massachusetts around noon, though, so if anyone can suggest some great shopping or touring to do in the Springfield area, please let me know!
Posted by Beth at 9:11 PM | Comments (1)
My wings
I got this from Pam - she has Faery Wings.
You are one of the few out there whose wings are
truly ANGELIC. Selfless, powerful, and
divine, you are one blessed with a certain
cosmic grace. You are unequalled in
peacefulness, love, and beauty. As a Being of
Light your wings are massive and a soft white
or silver. Countless feathers grace them and
radiate the light within you for all the world
to see. You are a defender, protector, and
caretaker. Comforter of the weak and forgiver
of the wrong, chances are you are taken
advantage of once in awhile, maybe quite often.
But your innocence and wisdom sees the good in
everyone and so this mistreatment does not make
you colder. Merciful to the extreme, you will
try to help misguided souls find themselves and
peace. However not all Angelics allow
themselves to be gotten the better of - the
Seraphim for example will be driven to fighting
for the sake of Justice and protection of those
less powerful. Congratulations - and don't ever
change - the world needs more people like you.
*~*~*Claim Your Wings - Pics and Long Answers*~*~*
brought to you by Quizilla
Posted by Beth at 7:24 PM | Comments (1)
What Book Am I?
Found at Left and Right via Michele.
You're A People's History of the United States!
by Howard Zinn
After years of listening to other peoples' lies, you decided you've
had enough. Now you're out to tell it like it is, with all the gory details and nothing
left out. Instead of respecting leaders, you want to know what the common people have to
offer. But this revolution still has a long way to go, and you're not against making a
little profit while you wait. Honesty is your best policy.
Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.
Posted by Beth at 7:06 PM
I had such a great birthday yesterday!
Everything went perfectly.
I took the day off work.
The entirety of my Parelli Natural Horsemanship Partnership program was delivered. (no, it's not an Amway kind of thing, it's a horse training thing).
I went to the barn and spent a full 3 hours with Petey my wonderful, yet problematical horse.
My vet, a fantastic women, Jeannie Hauser, came and gave both of my guys their spring shots.
I took Willie out for a 2 hour trail ride.
John got home from work at a decent hour.
Andy came home from college for the weekend.
I fixed a wonderful Prime Rib Roast (diet be damned!).
Some of you may wonder why that is a perfect day for me. To understand, you really have to be a horse lover. My job has taken me away from home so much that I have not even seen my horses since November - John has been taking care of them for me.
Spending time grooming and playing with and riding my horses is like heaven to me. If I ever won the lottery, I'd spend at least 5 or 6 hours every day with Willie and Petey.
If you are not a horselover, you won't understand why I so enjoyed the day.
Posted by Beth at 6:40 PM | Comments (3)
March 12, 2004
Who Really Cares About Endorsements?
It seems that every labor union, special interest group, newspaper and magazine spends a lot of time deciding on who they will endorse for everything from Dogcatcher to President.
Personally, I don't make up my mind on who to vote for based on an endorsement by the National Society for the Prevention of Trashy Trailer Parks or an endorsement by the New York Times. I can't imagine that most people do that.
Candidates seem to believe that every autoworker in the country will vote for them if they get the autoworkers union endorsement. It's not like every autoworker gets to vote for who their union endorses. Labor unions are not exactly democracies when it comes to endorsements. The big shots get to decide these things, not the worker on the assembly line.
And now, Kerry seems to be hinting that he has the endorsement of several foreign governments. (I say aruhhh to that - think of Scooby Doo's little noise when he is confused - the one where he cocks his head to one side- that is what aruhhh is).
Now, I think Kerry is a little wacko if he thinks that Americans in general are going to vote for Kerry because some foreign government wants Kerry in power. Most of us, at least I hope most of us, would rather that we decide who governs us, not France or Germany, or even our pals, England and Australia.
Of course, these 'endorsements' of Kerry's can't be verified. He won't even say which foreign governments want him to beat Bush. Could they be the endorsements of governments who don't like the fact that the US is defending itself from terror attacks under Bush?
What concerns me even more is the thought of a candidate talking to foreign leaders and saying bad things about the Bush Presidency - to me, that just seems wrong, it gives the appearance of pandering to foreign governments, and maybe even being an agent of foreign governments. Some people might even consider it close to treason - but I suspect that is going a little too far.
I just don't see how making such claims will help Kerry's campaign.
Cori Dauber and Scott Deatherage of Rantingprofs (and they are actually University professors) have an excellent post about Kerry's foreign endorsement claims.
Here is an excerpt:
at what point did it become appropriate for a candidate for office to have contact with foreign leaders? Doesn't Kerry realize the damage that can do? If he leads any foreign leader to believe that he'd be more sympathetic to their arguments and interests -- which clearly he's done -- how isn't that a signal to those countries to hold off any dealings with this administration in the hopes it will soon be sent packing and they'll be able to do better? And if that's the case, then why isn't Kerry now interfering with American foreign policy in a way that could potentially benefit him (by reducing the level of success this administration can chalk up between now and the elections since at least some leaders will be stonewalling hoping for a better deal)? No doubt some of that kind of stonewalling is likely with other governments during any election season -- should Kerry be explicitly encouraging it?
By the way, I am adding Rantingprofs to my blogroll. It's an excellent blog.
Posted by Beth at 10:28 AM
I'm 51 today!
Don't feel like I'm 51. Feel about the same as the last 10 or so birthdays. I took the day off work. I'm going to the barn all afternoon so I can play with my horses (yes, I do play with them). Probably won't ride, just want to brush them and untangle wintry manes and tails and play tag with them in the paddock or pasture.
Should be a nice day. Andy is coming home from college for a couple of days. John promised that he would get out of the office at a reasonable hour tonight - the last two, he has worked past 11:00 pm. I'm going to make a nice Rib Roast for dinner. It will be a nice day.
And for all of you below the age of 40, life only gets better and better as you age. Yeah, I am slower and ache a little, but everything else is better.
Posted by Beth at 8:46 AM | Comments (4)
March 11, 2004
Eyes get old, too.
I had to go to get my Driver's License renewed today. Here in Kansas, the renewal is every 4 or 5 years.
For the first time in my life, I could not pass the vision test without my glasses on. In fact, things were a wee bit blurry with my glasses on. I guess it's time to get my eyes checked.
On the bright side, I did get 100% on the written renewal exam.
Posted by Beth at 6:25 PM
Terrorists in Spain - who are they?
Al Qaeda Claims Bombings according to the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper.
An email to the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper said the Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri was responsible for the worst terrorist attack on a European city since the second world war.It also warned that a "big attack" on the US was "90% ready".
"The death squad (of the Abu Hafs Al-Masri Brigades) succeeded in penetrating the crusader European depths and striking one of the pillars of the crusader alliance - Spain - with a painful blow," the email said.
"We bring the good news to Muslims of the world that the expected 'Winds of Black Death' strike against America is now in its final stage...90 percent (ready) and God willing near."
The Spanish government, however, suspects that Basque Separatists (Eta) may be to blame.
Either way, hundreds of innocent civilians have been killed and probably several thousand injured in the attacks.
I hope the Dimocrats wake up and realize that this is a war and we must win it.
Posted by Beth at 5:11 PM
Houdini is a real troublemaker
Houdini, the newest addition to our herd, managed to get up on the kitchen counter and steal a bottle of doggie vitamins. He couldn't open the top of the bottle, so he ate through the bottom of it and consumed all the vitamins, every single one, and a good chunk of the plastic bottle they were in.
We discovered that he had done this around midnight, when he jumped into our bed with the half eaten vitamin bottle. So John got up and checked on the toxicity of the particular stuff, and it appeared that he would live through it.
Naturally, he threw up right next to my side of the bed around 4:00 am, and had some icky poopoos, too. Yuch. Warning - this next sentence is really gross: I didn't have to clean up his vomit, as his brother, Whiskey the dog, did so before I could get out of bed. At that point, I put all three dogs out in the backyard, because I figured Whiskey will get sick next, and I was tired.
Honestly, Houdini is worse than any little kid.
So, he survives another day, and I clean up after him. It looks like we will have to put everything in cabinets and then lock them, since he manages to get into everything possible!
Posted by Beth at 8:56 AM | Comments (5)
An Army Brat young lady
My horses, Willie and Petey, live at Ft. Leavenworth ( just a few miles from home) in a historical barn that was build nearly 100 years ago.
Ft Leavenworth has many CGSC students who live there for just one year. They normally bring their families with them. There are usually at least a few teenage girls who manage to hang out at the stable during their parent's time at Ft. Leavenworth (time being in the Command General Staff College, NOT the Disciplinary Barracks).
One of these young ladies, Kelly, was one of my very favorites. She was at the stable every spare moment. Her parents allowed her to lease a horse while she was there, but only if she paid for it herself. Kelly babysat for people to earn the money, and in her spare time, she managed to take care of her horse, be a straight A student and participate in sports. Kelly is an incredibly polite and fun and sweet young lady. She and I would clean our horses' stalls and talk about everything under the sun. If I ever had a daughter, I would want her to be like Kelly.
Anyway, to get to where I'm trying to go, Kelly has emailed us old barn ladies regularly since her family was moved to Hawaii. She has her own horse now, and she sent us all a link to her website. I'm not going to link to it here, as I'm afraid that some awful lurker might see it and harass her, for she is very beautiful, and very innocent. Her family is still in Hawaii, and she appears to be a very happy girl.
Gee, I miss being able to spend enough time at the barn to make friendships like that. Maybe I'll buy a lottery ticket and maybe I'll win and then I could quit my crazy travelling around! (yeah, right!)
Posted by Beth at 8:36 AM | Comments (1)
March 10, 2004
Blogger Birthdays
Wouldn't it be nice to have a calendar with your favorite blogger's birthdays noted on it?
Well, someone out there, figure out how to do it and publish it!!!!
I'm not that bright!
But, April 1st is Helen's birthday. It is also my horse, Petey's birthday. (He is the guy on the upper left there - cute little APHA you think - until he bucks you off!)
My birthday is coming up, and I bought myself this.
My Petey, the pretty little horse up there, and I have some problems with each other. I have been afraid to ride him like I can ride Willey, and I want to fix that.
So, I'm going to start from scratch with him. The Parelli System teaches 'Natural Horsemanship". It is an entirely kind way to bond with your horse. The kit should come tomorrow. I can't wait. I am taking off tomorrow and Friday, and I plan on spending a lot of it with Petey my problem horse and the Parelli stuff.
I don't know how many of you are horse lovers. And frankly, I don't care :-)
I'll take my camera with me tomorrow and take some pretty pictures of my pretty paint pony.
I have been avoiding the barn for months - for several reasons. John has been taking care of the horses for me. I am determined to go there as often as I can from now on, and to ignore the snobby horse bitches, and just go there to be with my horses.
Posted by Beth at 8:13 PM | Comments (3)
John's working really late
So I get to fix myself anything I want for dinner! At the Red Lion Inn in Salisbury, England, they serve a wonderful Stilton Cheese salad. I had it one day for lunch when John and I were there last November, and I have been trying to duplicate it ever since.
I'm getting closer.
For the salad greens, I use (hey, I work and don't have time to do it ALL by myself!) the Fresh Express Royal Blend (you have to have some kale in there) and some pitted calamata olives. Then I crumble about 2 tablespoons of Blue Stilton on the salad, and for dressing, Newman's own Balsamic Vinaigrette. Yummy.
So, that's my dinner tonight. That, and one little margarita.
Posted by Beth at 7:45 PM | Comments (2)
Verse 2
My husband blogs nekkid each morning
he blogs while the coffee does brew
My husband blogs nekkid each morning
'bout the dimocrats having no clue!
Posted by Beth at 11:07 AM | Comments (1)
Verse 1 of the Blogging Nekkid Song
I always blog nekkid on Sunday,
'Cause by then, I'm out of clean clothes,
I always blog nekkid on Sunday,
from my head to the tips of my toes.
Okay, Eric - I have made up a tune, but I don't know how to get it to you.
it goes like this:
dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum
etc., etc., etc.
Oh, and there it can be sung in harmony
the tune for the alto goes like this:
dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee
Got that?
Any additional verses are welcome!
Posted by Beth at 7:31 AM | Comments (4)
Shoespenders!
Well, I dreamed about a coming fashion statement last night - and I think this is a totally original concept - Shoespenders!
What, you may ask, are shoespenders?
Shoespenders are *not* women who spend a lot of shoes!
Well, let me tell you about them - they are suspenders to hold your shoes up. They can reach down from very fashionable leather belts with little pink flowers on them and clip onto those backless shoes to keep them from flopping every time you take a step. There is another variety, also. Little leather straps that go around your legs, just under your knee - where knee high socks end up.
One shoespender clips onto the back of the shoe (and all shoes now have little places for shoespender clips, now that they are in fashion) and looks something like the seam in old fashioned stockings. Then, of course, the kinky crowd likes black rubber and leather shoespenders, with straps of leather going round the leg every 4 inches or so. Looks a little Medieval.
I wish I knew how to take a picture and photoshop some model's legs into legs wearing shoespenders!
I do have to ask myself this: what on earth did I eat that produced that dream! Or, is it something I can get rich on? Would you wear Shoespenders?
Posted by Beth at 6:35 AM | Comments (1)
March 9, 2004
Strange Coincidence
Teresa, one of my very favorite commenters and now blogger, suggested that I Google OCD, Counting to find out more about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. So, I did. I found out that I'm on what is probably the correct medication - but not at the correct dosage. I also found out that Cognitive Behavior Therapy often goes hand-in-hand with medication for this um, problem.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy.... that sounder really familiar. I was a psychology major, after all. Hmmmm. Oh, that's it! When I was a junior in college - oh, yes, many, many years ago, way back in 1974, I took a psychology course. It was called something like Rational Self Counseling.
It was one of my favorite classes. My professor, Father Costello, SJ, was a fascinating, funny lecturer who didn't just invite students to participate, he gave us no choice at all.
The class was actually created by Dr. Maxie Maultsby - a pioneer in Rational Behavior Therapy. Father Cos (as we called him) had met Dr. Maultsby at some psychology thing or another and was greatly interested in Maxie's theories. Well, somehow, our class became a collective guinea pig for Dr. Maultsby's theories, and he developed the class I took.
Basically, we looked at our behavior and decided if our behavior was rational given the circumstances or was it irrational? What did I think or say to myself before I started this behavior, etc. Then the trick is to reverse negative thoughts that trigger the behavior (be it smoking cigarettes, drinking too much, phobias, etc) and to talk yourself into better behaviors (yes, I know this is corny) by positive thoughts. It also teaches you to realize that you, and you alone, are responsible for how you feel.
There is homework involved - you need to write all this stuff down. Then, look at it later in the day. Then evaluate if your reaction made sense - how could you better react.
It was very effective for me when I was in college - I had some problems with over reacting to criticism, etc.
Anyway, because of Teresa, I will talk to my doctor about changing my Celexa dosage to see if that helps with the OCD stuff. I am also going to order Dr. Maultsby's more current book on Rational Self-Counseling, Coping Better, Anytime, Anywhere. I'll let you know how it works now that I'm lots older!
Posted by Beth at 8:58 PM | Comments (5)
California has some nutty people
California lawmakers propose lowering voting age to 14 for state elections.
They are not mature enough to drive at age 14, but they are old enough to vote?
"A proposed amendment to California's constitution would give 16-year-olds a half-vote and 14-year-olds a quarter-vote in state elections"
Counting votes by halves and quarters of votes.
"If we could vote, politicians would see us as votes, not just kids, and they would take our issues seriously," said Robert Reynolds, a student at Berkeley High School.
I don't believe I have ever taken anyone from Berkely seriously. Does anyone else?
Posted by Beth at 3:11 PM | Comments (5)
March 7, 2004
1,2,3,4,5 - An Obsessive Compulsive Life - oh, yeah!
All my life, I have had something of an obsessive/compulsive personality. When I was a little girl, I would count how many steps it would take me to walk around the house, or how many steps it would take me from home room to French class, etc., etc.
When I was in First Grade, I remember seeing a commercial on TV of a child praying, and then slowly looking up at heaven. I then developed a compulsion to do the same thing, time after time, when I was in the Chapel at school for Benediction or Mass. I'm sure I drove the Good Mothers (my mom called the Sacred Heart Nuns who taught me 'Good Mothers") out of their minds during chapel.
At some point, I started counting the syllables of words I said (or even thought). I had this odd thing where sentences had to end with number divisible by 5. (Probably due to the fact that there are 5 fingers on each hand.) Even now, when I am under extreme stress, I can easily fall back into that pattern.
As I grew older, I found I could think in rhymes very easily. By 5th Grade, I had a great vocabulary because I needed to know words with different numbers of syllables that meant the same thing so I could complete a sentence with the correct number of syllables (any number divisible by 5). I had to be able to rhyme all the words I thought. This also improved my vocabulary.
English was my best subject all through grade school and High School. In college, one of my professors begged me to be an English Major. No one understood that I was good simply because I was compelled to be good. I didn't even understand that.
I even won some awards for poetry, and I used to write my own songs (but I never played them for anyone else to hear - I was desperately shy).
I was a good student, but I did not play well with others. I felt like I had nothing in common with other little girls, and I always felt left out. But since I was well-behaved and mannerly nobody thought to wonder why I was so weird. Maybe they didn't notice!
When I was in high school, I became very anxious and depressed so my parents sent me to a psychiatrist. He put me on something that made me sleep for 24 hours straight, so I never took it again. He did talk to me, and he felt that there was nothing wrong with me (no testing, mind you!). He suggested to my parents that I should be encouraged to express my artistic side, that I was depressed because I was of an artistic temperment.
He never saw that I was counting all of my words and his with my fingers - if he didn't finish a sentence with syllables divisible by 5, then I would have to say something to make it so.
I always felt like I was an oddball, so I ended up majoring in psychology in college. I took some very introspective courses hoping to understand myself better, but nothing really opened my eyes to the fact that I have OCD until my
son was about 10 years old, and I recognized that he was obsessing about conversations he had at school. I could see that he was also counting, his fingers would move ever so slightly when we had conversations. It hit me like a ton of bricks, my son is somewhat obsessive/compulsive. Then, it hit me like another ton of bricks, that I was most definitely obsessive/compulsive, fortunately, a relatively mild case of OCD - no frightening thoughts, no desire to do bad things - just counting and rhyming when I'm stressed. And my darling son has inherited this rather annoying disorder.
My son and I have talked a lot about this, and he realizes now what he is doing very quickly and seems to have learned to stop it by doing something else, keeping busy, reading. He knows that if it starts to take over his life, he should go see a doctor, but he feels like he can control it (he is now in college and doing extremely well).
As I have aged, I have been able to keep my compulsions at bay unless I am under extreme stress, then I find myself counting syllables again, or rhyming like crazy. After 9/11, I found that I was counting and rhyming in my head like crazy. I was also extremely depressed and anxious and I started having panic attacks when driving or even at work. I finally went to the doctor (at the urging of my incredibly wonderful and patient huband, John) to see what she could do.
Me being me, I only told her of the anxiety and depression and the crying. I never told her about my counting. She prescribed me Celexa, and I have been taking it ever since (with a few months off last year, when I felt a lot better). I looked up the drug, and it is also used for treating OCD. It does help quite a bit, however, the side effects have included an obviously large weight gain as well as a certain tiredness and disinterest in some things that I have always loved to do. I need to go see her again, and ask if there is something I can take that doesn't dull my senses. I don't have the joy of life on the drug that I can have off the drug - oh, gee, maybe that makes me manic depressive?
In case you didn't notice, I am also very suggestible.
Here I am, I have everything I have ever wanted in life - a wonderful husband, a wonderful son, enough money that we can go on vacations, my horses and the dogs and the cats. I have a potter's wheel and a kiln and all the art supplies I could ever imagine - from a glass saw for stained glass to my oil paints. But I don't have the energy to enjoy all that we have worked for. I sometimes come home from work, fix dinner, and then retire to bed and fall asleep without spending the time with the dogs, horses, cats, and my artsy stuff, and most importantly, without spending time with the love of my life, John. I have not been to the barn in months - John, incredible man that he is, has taken care of my boys, Willie and Petey for ages.
I have to get out of this funk - I suspect it is caused by the Celexa, but I can't go without the Celexa, or I panic, and begin to doubt myself and my loved ones. I start to believe that I am completely unlovable.
Yes, I know this is not the kind of thing I usually write. This is something that I should be able to help myself with. I am not depressed as I was the months after 9/11, but I'm tired and without energy. Here it is, 8:19 in the evening, and I'm ready to call it a night and head off to bed.
Anyway, there is a reason I brought all this up - since it is so easy for me to rhyme and figure meter, etc., I have half made up a song about nekkid bloggin'.
If I have time tomorrow, I'll write it down. I'll ask Eric to work out a good tune for it on his guitar - mine needs new strings!
Posted by Beth at 8:41 PM | Comments (6)
Democrats and Taxes
I have been travelling every week since January 9th, with only a day or two home before I had to fly off again. During this time, most of the news I got was from Fox Friends in the mornings while I dressed for work and the free USA Today rag that I get as a steady hotel guest.
I don't know why the Democrats keep coming up with condescending know-it-alls for their nominees. Back in the 2000 race, Al Gore lectured the country in his speeches. His tone of voice and choice of words always made me feel like he was reaching out to the slightly retarded voters of America (those who did not see things his way). He lectured us on how all children now need government sponsored preschool, and how rich people should never get a tax cut - and his definition of rich would include me. (ha! I drive a 1991 Mazda Protege with 285,000 miles on it).
What annoyed me even more about Al Gore was the fact that he was, and is, stinking rich. He has never had to truly work for a living. Why did he think I was rich?
And now, the Democrats have annointed John Kerry. He, like Al Gore, knows what is best for Americans. He apparently knows more than anyone, at least that is what his speaking demeanor seems to indicate.
At the same time, he claims to speak for the little people, those who are poor and lower middle class. Oh, and I guess he thinks he speaks for the middle class, but I don't think he has any idea where we are.
John Kerry has never known a poor moment in his life. I'll guarantee that he has never had to pawn the jewelry he inherited from his grandmother to pay the power bill. I'll bet you $100 that he has never pulled all the cushions off the sofa looking for enough change to go buy a burger. And I'm pretty sure he did not live on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese dinners in college.
Do you think John Kerry has ever *had* to have a garage sale to make ends meet? Do you suppose he ever had his power turned off because he didn't have enough to make the full payment?
John Kerry has no fricking clue what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck, without enough income to even have a credit card. He has absolutely no idea what it's like to have to sew your own clothes from cheap fabric at Walmart to save money for groceries and utilities. But damn, John Kerry sure claims to speak for those of us who have ever had a hard time! He knows what we need, don't you know!
He came from money and he married into money - twice. Yet, he, like Gore before him, tells us all that rich people don't pay enough in taxes, and then defines our income as being in the rich bracket. John and I earn our money. We didn't marry into it or inherit it or grow up in super-wealthy Eastern Blue Blood families. And now, he would like to just take our money, earned with our hard work and sacrifices, by taxing 'The Rich' more, by rolling back the Bush tax cuts.
What annoys me even more about John Kerry (aside from his idiotic ideas about National Defense) is that he thinks that a good chunk of the middle class is rich. The most common Democrat definition of 'The Rich' seems to be any family who makes over 2 times the median income. According to the most recent Census Bureau stats that I could find, the median income for all families in 2001 was $60,335. So anyone making over $120,670 is rich, rich, rich.
But is this really true? No way! The median income means that 1/2 of all families make under $60,335 and 1/2 make over $60,335. That includes people who work part time only. It includes people on welfare. It includes people on Social Security. It includes anyone who files income taxes.
John and I do not feel rich. We have a kid in college, we are trying to make improvements to our home and we both work very long and hard hours to earn our money.
What irks me the most, is that the Democrats make the assumption that what I earn belongs to them. That they know better than I do how to spend my money. If Kerry is elected and the Democrats have their way, my incentive to be productive will be decreased by the amount of money they steal from me.
Of course, I suspect the Democrats don't really like those of us who are super productive - we make the less motivated people who don't earn as much feel bad about themselves, and we probably earn quite a bit more than those who are not as productive. Naturally, then, we must be punished and taxed, to make it more fair.
harumph.
Posted by Beth at 7:11 PM | Comments (1)
March 4, 2004
Looks like I'm not going to finish
my project on time. I'll have to come back to South Carolina at the end of March, most likely. There were many sudden last minute demands to train an endless parade of people, so not all the technical stuff is beautiful quite yet, just pretty.
I will be very happy to get home tomorrow. A whole week! Whoopee!!!
Posted by Beth at 3:55 PM | Comments (2)
Serenity is in an awful fix
She needs surgery to fix broken bones, and unbelievably, they won't do the surgery until she has a $4,000 down payment!
Serenity does hava a PayPal Button (hint, hint).
If 400 people send her $10, she will have what she needs - or 40 people could send her $100.
Posted by Beth at 5:13 AM | Comments (2)
March 3, 2004
legobeth is . . . kinda boring
And unhappily, legobeth's shape is very similar to my shape.
I saw this first at Pam's place, then everywhere else!
Posted by Beth at 5:20 AM | Comments (2)
March 2, 2004
boobie prize
Joanie reveals that her "Nips" are not perfectly aligned.
Joanie - don't feel bad. My right boob is a full cup size larger than my left boob - makes bra shopping an adventure! And to make things worse, I find that my right arm is at least one full inch longer than my left arm. 3/4 length sleeves are bountiful these days, and I realized that when I wear blouses with sleeves that length, that it looks like the sleeve on my right are was cut one or two inches too short.
From now on, long sleeves only! And I'll bet you that John will tell you that one of my buns is bigger than the other - or worse!!!!
I should look 1/2 as good as Joanie does, or even 1/4 as good - or 1/8 as good.
Posted by Beth at 7:18 PM | Comments (6)
On the brighter side of Air Travel
We are now allowed fingernail clippers in our carryon bags. Knitting needles and crochet needles are allowed, as are corkscrews, cigar cutters, etc.
Here is a partial list for allowable Carry-on Personal Items
Cigar Cutters, Corkscrews, Cuticle Cutters,Eyeglass Repair Tools (including screwdrivers), Eyelash Curlers (do people really use these?), Knitting and Crochet Needles, Knives (only round-bladed butter or plastic knives), Lighters, Nail Clippers, Nail Files, Safety Razors (including disposable razors), Scissors (either plastic or metal with blunt tips), Toy Transformer Robots, Toy Weapons (if not realistic replicas),
Tweezers, Umbrellas (allowed in carry-on baggage once they have been
inspected to ensure that prohibited items are not concealed), Walking Canes (allowed in carry-on baggage once they have been inspected to ensure that prohibited items are not concealed).
For a full list of what is or is not allowed, go here
I may go back to crocheting as a way to keep busy during seemingly unending flights!
Just to be safe, I am going to print the official list out and carry it with me, so if any non-TSA security goons at KCI object, I can show them the error of their ways!
Posted by Beth at 5:05 AM
Homeland Security
You may not be aware of this, but some airports are not required to use TSA personnel for security screening. Kansas City International is one of those airports - they contract with private security companies.
I'm not too sure this is a good idea. I have seen at least one serious lapse of security at KCI (I was not asked for identification at all last week), and the private security firm doesn't feel like it needs to follow the procedures that TSA follows at other airports.
For example, if you are chosen for special screening, the security people do not bring your belongings with them, while at other airports, it is standard operating procedure. This is quite worrisome, because your laptop, purse, camera, any other valuables just sit there where anyone can pick them up and take them. This has happened to me twice in the past 5 weeks.
The independent security company does not keep TSA complaint forms at the gates where they do the screening. They have conveniently been 'out of forms' the past 2 times I have asked for them.
The Kansas City private security people are the most abusive when it comes to 'verifying' that I am wearing an underwire bra of all the airports where I have been screened. They are also generally rude and condescending.
On the whole, I have found TSA personnel at other airports to be very polite and respectful. At KCI, I feel like I'm being checked out by near-thugs, who are working security to prove they are more powerful than we lowly air travellers.
I finally got around to writing TSA to explain my concerns. I'll let you know what they say.
Posted by Beth at 5:02 AM
Kinda cool - from LunaNina.com
via Jack at Random Fate.
Free Association
- Hollywood:: Idiocy
- Censor:: Janet Jackson's Nipple
- Nascar:: Noisy
- Lube:: KY
- Mortgage:: Forever
- Freedom:: USA
- Champion:: Seabisquit
- Reality TV:: Proves there is nothing worth watching on TV
- New York:: Liberal blowhards
- Tease:: Hair
Posted by Beth at 3:52 AM
March 1, 2004
I'm tougher than Pam
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Posted by Beth at 7:50 PM | Comments (4)
Charleston, South Carolina
Despite what John said in his post on The visit to Charleston, we did not come close to seeing every gallery in Charleston - there are many more I can go to next time we make it there.
It is a beautiful city, and we had a nice time, despite Embassy Suite's major screwup. I'll tell you about that later, unless John has more time, then he can tell you about it.
Must work now. Happy Monday, everyone!!
Posted by Beth at 7:17 AM | Comments (1)