Caffeine & Information Overload

I never realized how different coffee could taste from different regions of the world. That was until I went to my coffee training class Tuesday night. Yes, you heard me correctly.....coffee training. Just like a wine tasting, but instead of a mellow buzz afterwards you are ready to paint the garage or run a marathon!! The fellow employee that rode with me and I talked NON-STOP all the way home afterwards. I don't think we even stopped to take a breath. It was very educational, I must admit. Although I am very overwhelmed right now and I don't think all the extra caffeine that I am ingesting is a good thing. And that brings us to this............

I am beginning to feel a little bit like I am in medical school. Once I purchase my scrubs I think I'll start walking around with my stethoscope around my neck so I can pretend I AM a real doctor!! See........ this is the craziness of the caffeine talking!! :-) Anyway, I had been doing very well with cutting back on the coffee, but now that I can get the free beverage, when I work, and I am so tired from class that I am eating bad things and WAAAAAAYYYYYYY to hyper.

There is just SOOO MUCH information to absorb. This Saturday I will have class from 9-4. Learning all about lifting, moving and transporting patients. Then begins the anatomy stuff. I must say that I am happy with my quizzes thus far, I have gotten A's on all 3. I would like to keep that up. The big tests come at the end of each learning unit. You have to earn a 75% or better.

It is just a whole new experience trying to juggle all of life with this new job/school thing. Like today, I am off from both, we are out of milk & Juice, I have 2 chapters to read and questions to answer. There is really no "down time" anymore. Not like college the first time. I would let classwork sit and throw it together at the last moment. I did learn how to throw a very good paper together in a very short time. That is one trait that I posess to this day.

It has been hard to keep up with news. I did sit down, last nigt, with a glass of wine and begin to catch up with the Daily Show and Scrubs that I have TiVo'd. Loved Bill Clinton on the Daily Show. Jon Stewart also did a great bit the day after Clintons interview with Chris Wallace. Gotta love the TiVo. No time to watch anything, it is a miracle invention.

Just today I am trying to catch up with my blog reading and responding and casting opinions about the cyber world. I guess one of Katie Courics top tid bits was Jon Stewarts interview with the leader of Pakistan, I haven't seen that episode yet, and she said, "Well, his show isn't real news anyway" or something like that. Does she really think hers, or any other network news show,is??!! How snooty and condescending of her. Hasn't she heard that more 18-35 year olds get their news from his show than any network news program. Guess not.

It is very rainy & gloomy here today. Gotta love Ohio in the fall. There are many domestic issues waiting for my attention. Can't wait. Feel like a hamster on one of those circular running things. I hope to read some newspapers this weekend and maybe have something important to contribute to the mix by Sunday!!

Just started another pot of coffee........... hmmmmmm, maybe I'll paint the garage!!

Come on Eileen!!!

He has named her......Eileen. The reason, she does lean a bit in her stand..

The Mannequin

I forgot to mention the mannequin. In all the excitement of the past week I managed to pick-up a store mannequin for my sons room.

How did that come about, you ask, well let me elaborate. My friend has a local business and sells wedding gowns etc. She is going out of business and is getting rid of everything in the store. Shelves, furniture and, you guessed it, mannequins. I did not even think to ask him until SO suggested it, so I did and he said that he would like to have one. Surprised me. That is something more like I would do, but since we already have too much clutter I refrained from getting one for myself.

So, I disassembled the young lady and stuffed her into the rear of my Tracker. I helped my friend when she opened this business, 6 years ago, and I am now helping as she brings it to a close. Only seemed fitting that I should be there. Well, we shared a nice bottle of chardonnay and cleaned up and then I stuffed my new friend, or I should say my sons new friend, into the vehicle.

Got her out and assembled the next morning. I added a hat and a tee shirt. He has since added jeans and a different tee shirt and several hats. She is very hip looking. I told him he should name her. My offering was Moneypenny.

The funny thing about her, she has been scaring the crap out of us at regular intervals!! I took clean laundry into the room the other morning and screamed. He was brushing his teeth, before school, and about wet his pants he was laughing so hard.He had to sit down. She has done the same to him as well. Everytime I am here alone and even just walk down the hall, and catch her in my peripherial vision, I am startled. I wonder how long this will go on.

SO is just returning from Oklahoma today and I am sure he has forgotten that we now have her. I can't wait to see if he has the same reaction. Ahhhh, we get our kicks where we can.

DUH!! It's the caffeine stupid!!!

According to this article, over at CBS news, the Iraq war has made terror worse. I believe that statement falls under the category of......DUH!!! Like we needed some unidentified source to tell us that little snippet of news. To help us through this time I see that Katie Couric is going to be doing a nice "fluff" piece interview with Condie Rice who says that..." ending the violence in Iraq will take time." Another DUH!! Those who care to hear her trot out the company band wagon and slogans etc. can watch that on 60 Minutes on Sunday. Rah! Rah!

The report was put together by U.S. Intelligence and states that the action in Iraq has made the overall terrorism problem worse and created more terrorist groups and heightened the threat of terrorism. Isn't that nice. Again, not something that we didn't know.

I am glad that I started this blogging thing while I had the free time to do so, but now I am looking at all that I have to do and I have to say......Mixter, how do you do it??!! I am looking at either working, even though its part-time, and then class form 6-9 PM. Here it is Sunday and I have 2 more chapters to read and study for a test, tomorrow night, over chapter one. What have I gotten myself in to???

I am feeling a little bit of intimidation over this work. Already drinking WAY too much coffee at work. How can I not, I ask you, since it is free while I work. I just don't have the strength to turn down a latte this or a carmel that. The whip cream dispenser is calling my name. I walked out of there, on Friday, way too hyper. Heck, I could have ran home!! Came home and had to eat something to counter all the caffeine. Watched both Kill Bill movies and then crashed HARD!!!

Next week the pace is really going to pick up as I have class on Sat. from 9-4 AND work hours are picking up as my training progresses. Well, I must move on. Since it is Sunday I have many things to get done so my Monday starts off as easily as possible and study has to happen at some point.

Better warm up the coffee...................

Anatomy& Physiology, Plus Guilty Pleasures

What I have gotten myself in to!! Last night was my first class and after looking at the syllabus I am momentarily questioning my sanity at taking this class. Anatomy & pysiology, Cardiac Arrest Management, Bleeding & Shock and finally Head and Spinal Injury Management. Just to name a few. There are many Saturday classes that will run all day from 9 - 4 PM. Beginning in Nov my clinical time will start and I will have to arrange my own hours at the hospital. Guess I'll squeeze them in around coffee mega giant time. Text book was provided, but I have to go out and get my own stethoscope this weeekend. I never realized that after so many years I would be playing doctor again!! :-)

Well anyway, I know I can do this. It will just be a matter of doing the homework and being a very serious student. Sometimes NOT how I approached my college career. Also NOT keeping late nights!! I had made the mistake of being out until 1:00 AM on Tuesday night, with the gal pals at BW 3's, and I paid dearly for that!!! So I will refrain from putting myself through that torture again.

Learned a ton of things at coffee mega giant for the first day too. Came home smelling like mocha & coffee beans. Not that that is a bad thing. I kept sniffing myself throughout the rest of the evening at class. Went there straight from coffee work. My feet were talking to me that is for sure!! I also had had WAAAAAAY too much caffeine, as if there is such a thing, and had to pee all night long.

What made me think about the guilty pleasures was an interview with someone that was talking about staying home at night and watching their fav guilty pleasure show that they had TiVo'd. So, I thought that I might share mine and see what you all might have lurking in your closets. What do you love to watch, but don't usually tell anyone for fear of seeming like a bowling alley bimbo.

Mine is Judge Judy. There, I said it!! I even dressed as her one Halloween after doctoring up my graduation robe. I am not sure why I watch, but maybe it is because so many of the people that appear on there are just train wrecks waiting to happen. Maybe because I can not believe that some people would actually take their stuff on TV and let it all out for a national audience. Who knows. Maybe a good sociology class could explain it for me, but for now I just keep the TiVo running and when I come home all tired and stressed out it is something to throw on and just unwind to........ kinda like a nice wine or a good chocolatey candy bar.

So, what is yours?

File This Under Crazy!!!

Since I am working AND starting class today this post will have to do. It was an interesting article to be sure.

When I was either dating or interested in a guy I remember getting gifts of differing types. Flowers maybe, candy, jewelry, movies....... whatever, but never something like this!!

Read this article over at CNN and can honestly say that I have never asked for anything like this!! Seems that this girl, who just happened to be a stripper and I don't think that her occupation had anything to do with her gift choice, either asked for or received a severed hand and several sculls from a doctor that frequented her place of employment. She had these items on display in her apartment. Nice. I'd like to talk decorating tips with her and/or fung shui. I'm not sure that room would have good vibes!!

Anyway, seems there was a call placed to police about an attempted suicide by a roommate at that apartment and police saw these items. These folks are in a bit of trouble right now. I think I may have a few odd pieces of art lying around here and maybe even a few skeletons in the closet, but no pieces parts!!

It takes all kinds.

Live & Dance as if No One is Watching

My thoughts today came as a result of reading Rachels blog this morning. She hit upon things that I have been trying to do, or wishing I could do. Isn't it a shame that children learn at such a young age how to be selfconscious and embarassed? Then we carry that through with us into the adult years.

For many, many years I took myself very seriously. Now, there is nothing wrong with looking seriously at the appropriate things, but it is wrong to loose your inner child or your sense of silliness. One day, at school, last year I was wearing a pair of my Chuck Taylor high tops, I have 5 pairs in various colors, and one of my students said," I like your shoes. I have never seen a grownup where those" and I replied," Who says I am grown-up?" I think that sums it up. Even though we might be "of age" and all that, why do we have to always be so controlled and afraid to experience things?

For years I was very rigid and thought that I had to fit a certain mold. Belong to all the right organizations, clubs and civic organizations. Make my kid play all the correct sports and join student council and boy scouts. I wanted to be a PTO mom and a joiner. I wanted to shop from L.L. Bean and Eddie Bauer catalogs. I smothered the artist and creative me that I had been in my early 20's. I even went so far as to listen to more acceptable music!! What had happened to me!!!!!????

I wanted to hang out with women that lived in the cool, box house developments. Go to Mary-Kay and Tupperware parties. I wanted them to like and accept me, so I tried to dress and act like them. I smothered me and became a Stepford Wife.

Suddenly, in the last 2-3 years I have started to let myself find myself. I began to let my perceptions change. I started to look at all those people that I wanted to be like, and I began to see that they were not me or even what/who I wanted to be. I stopped pushing my son into crap and let him be him. He is a skater, has been for at least 10 years, and there is nothing wrong with that. Life will not end for him if he does not play sports for his school. My life will not be anything less if he does not join student council.

I found my music again and I don't care what others are listening to and if my friends prefere something else, so be it, we are all unique!! I am re-discovering my fashion sense. I am back to Goodwill and the thrift stores and I don't even pick up a fashion magazine or care whatever is "currently in style". I missed too much in all the years that I was trying to fit in. Rachel had a great quote," How much joy, fun and growth do I let pass me by because I am too worried about what other people might think to take a chance?"

That is why I am now out there taking chances. Nothing dangerous, like jumping out of airplanes, although if I wanted to I would! I am trying very hard not to look at situations and people as disadvatages, but rather as opportunities for growth. not that it is always easy, but the best we can do is to try. When I lost my job I could have gotten all crazy and depressed, but instead I looked around to see where the growth might be. I found a class to take, decided that unemployment would not be the end of the world and got a part-time job. I am re-inventing who I am and what I do and I am doing it daily now. I started a journal and write in it almost daily. I began a blog. I am trying to be positive every day. Not that I am, but trying is the important thing. It is an exciting time and that is because I am letting it happen. I am not trying to change it or make it more acceptable to anyone.

I have actually been pleasantly surprised by people that tell me how cool it is, or how lucky I am to be starting over with a new career. People actually are envying me! Imagine that. I am trying to look at all people in a new light and not judging any of them as I want them to try not to judge me. All, easier said than done, but worth trying.

I am trying to live & dance on my own terms and to my own choices of music!!

Personality Cluster/ Blogthings

Your Personality Cluster is Extraverted Thinking

You are: Organized and logical - a master at puzzles Competitive in almost any arena of life Objective when necessary, but passionate about what you truly love Intolerant of excuses and incompetence

What's Your Personality Cluster?

Hecklers, Katie Couric , Bush & Me Time

Well, here it is Monday, my mom has gone back home and I am ready to do a little posting!! Read quite a bit of news this weekend, so I have several tid-bits to speak about that caught my attention in the papers. The nice thing about going into the coffee mega giant, on a Sunday, is that people leave their papers behind so you can pick up and read all of them. Now I do have plenty to do today, especially since this is the first day of the new part time job with the coffee mega giant, BUT I have the need and drive to say a few things since I had to entertain all weekend. The world keeps on turning even though mom is over for dinner and a fire. By the way with the cool 57 degree fallish evening it was a beautiful night to have a fire!

Maybe those of you that are big sports fans and frequent them could comment on this one because I seldom go to live events since they are cost restrictive. You have to take out a small business loan just to get to an event, park and heaven forbid you get a few hot dogs and Cokes!! Then your kid spills the $8.00 Coke!! Anyway, it seems that a fan of the Cleveland Indians decided to heckle a player with a "fat ass" taunt and it got him into some hot water.

Friday a federal court ruled, 2-1, that fans can heckle as long as they are not drunk or too rowdy. I thought that most of the people that did heckle, at least those that do it strenuously, were drunk. My bad. It seems that the 34 year old was ejected by an off duty police officer and charged with resisting and disorderly conduct. The officer was off-duty and working security at the ball game. He found the taunts to be profane language. He claims that the fan resisted and that he had to wrestle him to the ground.

He had been hollering," Branyan, you suck" and "Branyan, you have a fat ass." It is unknown if the player heard these taunts. He has sued the officer for excessive force and violating his First Amendment right to free speech. Jeers do not amount to "fighting words" which are not protected under the First Amendment. The judges noted that fans have a long history of hurling insults at players.

The Indians actually went on to win that game, with the Toronto Blue Jays, and Branyan had three hits.

Is it just me or is anyone else tired of all this Katie Couric and the Nightly News bonanza??!! I can not even believe that she and CBS are having some sort of contest for people to help her come up with a nightly "sign off" catch phrase. Oh, I think I am going to be ill. I don't watch any of the network news shows, so all my info has come from USA Today, MSNBC and other sources as well as political cartoons, so if this is important please correct me. Although, I doubt it. I am just appalled at what a circus this whole thing with her and Merideth Viera has been, oh yeah, and Rosie O'Donnell taking a seat on Vieras old show. Why is anyone so wrapped up in this? Who still watches those programs?` They have made such a big deal that you would have thought that it was the "second coming" on the Today show. They have talked about Katies clothing choices on the Nightly news, Merideths chemistry with Matt........ I mean it goes on and on and on. Enough to make you dizzy just trying to stay on top of it all. Jon Stewart had a great clip of Matt Lauer actually throwing Merideths hand off of his on the show this past week. A very funny clip. If you ever see it or I come across it on You Tube I will be sure to post it. A subtle, yet somewhat Freudian move if you ask me. Just so sad when there are so many other things going on in the world. I can understand a few "feel good" bits about puppies and kids, but this is WAY a waste of time.

Next......... I can not believe that he (Bush) is SO working the fear angle. It is just such a low tactic, but as we all know, it works!! Warning the nation that we could be at risk of another serious attack if Congress doesn't approve the White House guidelines for interrogating and trying suspected terrorists. This also goes along with what Mixter has been talking about for a few posts.

"I wish I could tell the American people,'Don't worry about it. They're not coming again'," Bush said of terrorists. "But they are coming again." Okay, bring on the scary music, dark spooky-looking foreigners and the booming base drums! Let's scare the b'jeezus out of all the old people and the easily frightened. lets remind everyone how unsafe we are and terror is lurking under every rug and around every corner. When in doubt they always pull out all the scare tactics and catch phrases to remind everyone how bad 9/11 was and they are going to keep blowing us up. I am not saying that something won't happen again, some day, but for cryin' out loud they make it "or" fault if we don;t let them have their way. It's like playing with the kid that will quit the game if you don't play by HIS rules!! "Fine! But you'll be sorry if you don't do this!" Can't you almost see him stamping his foot and pouting as arms are folded.

Even Sen. McCain realizes how important the Geneva Covention provisions are. Hard to convince BushCo though as he feels that such a move would "compromise efforts to gain intelligence" about terrorist operations. he wants legislative action before the Congress goes home in two weeks!! he went on to say,"Time is running out." More scare. Running out for us would be the suggestion there. Something bad will happen soon if you don't do this seems to be the idea here. Oh really?

When conservative military guys like McCain stand up to the president people need to take notice and see how wrong the White House is on this issue. Bush said that Common Article 3 of the Convention was "...wide open to interpretation...." How can you not shake your head and wonder...... how wide open is his head?

Finally........CNN was talking about "me time". The idea that women no matter if they are single, married, moms or childless, are endlessly fulfilling every obligation except the one to themselves. A recent poll showed that women of all strata of society feel overwhelmed with all the insatiable demands on them. well, I don't know about some of you women, but I have finally taken control over that part of my life. How about you? I have found that even though I may have many things on my plate, projects started, school, work, family etc., no matter what I am doing I MAKE time for the one or two things that I like to do that give me peace. This blog is one of them. Right now there is laundry that is just waiting to be sorted, a floor somewhere that wants mopped a bed that wants made. Oh well, I do this for me. This is my relaxation. That bed will be there later, it ain't goin' no where. The world is not going to end just because I might not make the bed today. It also does not matter who might see it un-made. I have discovered that when I am happy I enjoy my life so much more. If I choose to read a book, for an hour or so, I am happier than if all my laundry is on hangers and folded in baskets. I know I am important and I make sure that I do not ingnore me. Just remember, if mama ain't happy, ain't no one happy!!!!

Previews & Coming Attractions

My mom is staying the weekend, so I don't have the time to post or think about a lengthy post. I saw that Indigo Luna has a meme that I might play with, after my mom leaves, and tag a few of you lucky dogs out there. Also been reading some interesting things in the papers and news sites, so I should have something real by Monday!! Have a great weekend everybody!!

Another Book to Add to the List

Watching the Daily Show yesterday I saw Gary Hart was talking about his new book. Shown on this page. He had some interesting things to say about what some of the problems with the democratic party are and what they could do to change those. It was very interesting and I found that Amazon has the book for $14.95, so I may pick that up this weekend. Here are a few things that were talked about:

When asked what the problems, with the party, are he said," They need to re-identify what they stand for and what the Democratic party stood for. One nation pursuing social justice. They believed in international alliances to make us secure." Does he mean alliances as opposed to the thought that we are the country that needs to be the bully and push others around? That we need to go and strong arm everyone else to show our might? Enforce our thoughts and policies on others? That we are right, no matter what? I doubt it.

He says that the party lost direction when they got taken over by highly paid consultants, media experts, polsters and focus group experts. Politicians said,"Just tell me what I need to say to get to the center." Instead of," Here's what I stand for." Boy, how refreshing would that be!! From ANY politician. Then, he says, the center comes to him or her.

He finished the interview by saying," We don't need to sacrifice our constitutional liberties to make our country secure."

Amen to that brother!!

Chest Obsessed?

Yesterday, as I was having a grande something -or-other at the coffee mega giant, I picked up a copy of the local college newspaper. There was an article that caught my attention about breast implants. They interviewed a 37 year old woman about her recent decision to have the procedure and the out come. Interesting. Of course feedback from you males out there will be interesting also, I wonder if you are all obsessed or could care less. Or has anyone even read this far or are you still looking at Pam Anderson? :-)

Anyway, the article surprised me, right away, because I did not know that Gwen Stefani had hers done. I thought she would have been too much of an individual to go that route, but I guess eventually that atmosphere could make one crumble to the popular trends as so many female actresses etc. have shown. The subject went from a 34A to a 34D. The D part sounds too large to be functional to me. Am I crazy? But it seems like that would just get in the way.She said that she had always had a sister larger busted, but the final straw came when her own daughter began to look older than her. Since when do we compare ourselves to our kids? Aren't we the adult? What do we teach them we we say that what we are is not good enough and if you don't like it you can just change it with a medical procedure and enough money.

Now the cost is one thing that would hold me back, but then they talk about various risks involved. If they make the incision through your nipple you pretty much have no sensation there ever again she was told. Nice, a numb nipple. I think that would also be annoying. Through the armpit is very risky because of the major nerve located there. If that nerve is damaged during surgery feeling and function could be affected. She was told that she could have that ," annoying falling - asleep feeling permanently in her arm." Now how fun does that prospect sound? Nothing like having that constant little pinprick feeling all the time running through your arm. More fun!!

Then, the best part, the implants have a life expectancy of 10 to 15 years, so future replacement is inevitable. The article says that this is because they eventually deflate!! Hopefully gradually. Can you imagine being at a party or function when your boobs begin to loose "air" and begin to droop and sag? Kinda like a helium balloon as it drops all flat and laying on the floor. Nice.

The subject said that she can wear a bikini and not feel self conscious. Hell, if she could wear one before the implants that's a bonus!! So she didn't have enough of what she thought should fill the top or is it what society tells us we need to have in the bra department? Personally I got over that hurdle years ago. Smaller busted women are not going to have saggage issues and can always go braless without issues. Sure gravity takes its toll on everyone, but the advantage is to the smaller busted.

Personally I think women, like Pam Anderson, look silly. A caricature of a woman. If you can feel good about yourself and have that confidence, no matter what cup size, carry yourself well, it just doesn't matter. It is just too bad that we still have not gotten far enough along in our attitudes that we still think that we have to make improvemnts to ourselves to be pretty and accepted by the opposite sex, or society for that matter.

Got Tagged!! Meme Time

Got tagged with a meme, by the blogger over at Maybe There is a Dog , so I am putting it out there and I will tag Mixter and Six and Indigo Luna............

Things I would like to do before I die................
1. See as many of the cathedrals of Europe as I could
2. Travel to Australia
3. Sing with a band
4. Learn to swim
5. Meet my biological dads family

Things I CAN NOT do.........
1. Tap dance
2. Cartwheels
3. French braid hair
4. Speak good Spanish even after 2 years of it in college!!
5. Sit through ANY Tom Cruise movie

Things I CAN do...........
1. Sing
2. Speak in front of a crowd/group
3. Put together most anything under a deadline
4. Party planning
5. Make anyone feel comfortable

Things that attracted me to my spouse........
1. Trustworthy
2. Honest
3. Good with my son
4. Intelligent
5. Enviromentally concerned

Things I say most often............
1. Crap!!
2. Peace
3. Grande Carmel Mocha with Carmel & Mocha Drizzle
4. Do you guys need to go out?(to dogs)
5. Do you have homework?

Books I love to read..............

1. Any Al Franken
2. Tuesdays with Morrie
3. Illusions : Richard Bach
4. Most historical non-fiction
5. Shel Silverstein

Movies I love..............

1. Fight Club
2. The Fisher King
3. Brazil
4. Harold & Maude
5. Secondhand Lions
6. Rocky Horror Picture Show
7. The Birdcage
8. Sunset Blvd.
9. L.A. Confidential
10. The Usual Suspects

So, there you have it. Now I'll tag everyone!!!!!!!!!

Happy 40th Birthday U.S.S. Enterprise!!!

Now comes the true geek in me!! Wishing Captain James T. Kirk et al a Happy 40th birthday. Yes, sad to say, I am a closet Trekkie. Not one of those people that goes to conventions or dresses up like my favorite characters or anything like that, but I was an avid watcher for years.

As an older kid I watched the original shows. The show started in 1966 and I did not start watching those episodes until I was older and they were probably already re-runs. Trouble with Tribbles remains, to this day, one of my very favorite episodes. Ensign Chekov was my favorite character on the first series. Then, along came Star Trek: Next Generation.

At first I refused to even watch it because I was such a loyal fan of the William Shatner school of starship commandeering, but soon became hooked with the excellent writing on NG. They also had many more characters and very intriging story lines every week.

One of the other blogs that is linked on mine is Wil Wheatons'. He played Wesley Crusher on NG. He is now a writer and family guy in Calif. His blogging is very humorous and often very basic just like the rest of us. He is married and has 2 step-children and 2 dogs. Does yard work and tries to find regular work, but sometimes is locked into the "sci-fi guy" trap. He also plays a lot of celebrity poker. Go give it a read sometime. It is one of my guilty pleasures (kinda like Judge Judy), but that is for another discussion!!

Recently Comedy Central had a roast of William Shatner which was very funny and of course they made fun of his acting talents. One comedian even held out a paper bag and asked him to act his way out of it. Funny stuff.

Now days there isn't really too much that satisfies that secret geeky, sci-fi part of my personality. Although I was really jazzed with the first Matrix movie and only watched it a trillion times. Disappointed by the last two. My expectations were WAY too high. I was such a geek that I even took notes because I wanted to be able to discuss it later with other people and compare it to the first one. Yeah, sick and twisted and sad, I know.

The more I write here you may find out that I have other closeted obsessions and weird quirks. I promise I'll only let them out slowly and a bit at a time. Wouldn't want to scare everyone away.

Political Rally , Bee Stings & 9/11

I added the, Captain Jack Sparrow For President, button simply for my own pleasure or for anyone else that might have drooled over him in those movies. Sorry guy readers, but sometimes there has to be a little eye candy for this truly to be my blog!! I must add though, that I would love to be the first lady in that administration!! But seriously................

Yesterday I went to a rally in the county seat held by the Democratic Coalition for the Governor of Ohio. It was Ted Strickland and Lee Fisher and all the local Dems. It was a very beautiful, sunny day and I was even lucky enough to find a very good parking space that was a close walk. The foot is still healing and tender to walk on. Not moving at my usual clip yet.

As I was walking around on the grass, in front of the courthouse, jockying for position I must have picked up a bee. I guess I should first mention that I was wearing what many would call one of my "hippie skirts" that drag the ground. Next thing I know I am feeling a sharp pinch/poke on my right hip area. I began to do a strange little dance motion to try and shake out what might be in there. As I am doing this I am moving towards the sidewalk and a bench. It keeps stinging and I finally grab open the waistband and peer in there and see that whatever was there is gone, but I indeed had been stung and a red welty area was rising.

A nice older lady, sitting on the bench, offered me a piece of ice from her cup to put on the sting and it helped right away. Then I remembered that I had some antihistamine tablets in my purse and I took those. Well, it all helped and it didn't really bother me through the program. It did smart latter that evening.

It was a great rally and the first time I had heard the man speak in person. I was already planning to vote for him, but it was good to hear aside from just reading in the paper. There were labor unions there to support, a group that read "Sportsmen for Strickland" and a few tee shirts that said"Republicans for Strickland".

This Tuesday I think I am going to attend the coalitions potluck dinner and volunteer to do something for the upcoming election. This not working full time is offering me the time to do things I could not do when I was teaching everyday. I'll even be able to give blood on Monday because I won't be too tired after working all day!!

The EMT class was put off starting until the 20th, not tomorrow, which gives me 2 more weeks that I can meet with my tai-chi class and learn the last parts of the second set, so even if I have to stop when school starts I will still have 2 seta to work with. That's enough and I can go back after class ends in 15 weeks.

As for all the 9/11 hoopla that is going on and I am sure there will be tons of it on TV. I know it will be a ratings bonanza for all of them, but I just don't think that I will be watching. I watched so much that day and in the days that followed. It just really makes me very sad. Aside from all the politics I think way too much about the people that lost their lives that day and how it must have been and it is just too much to think about. So I would rather not bring all of that back by watching the various shows and programs.

In October 2001 my son & I were on a trip to D.C. and saw the Pentagon, with the Boy Scouts, and it was very sobering. Then in 2003 or 4 we made another trip to D.C., with the Scouts, and on the way back we stopped at Shanksville and went to the crash site of Flight 93. That was a very sad stop. The kids did not quite grasp the feeling there that the adults did. Not a dry eye among us as we looked at the photos and memoribilia that was left hanging on the fence. The first original memorial that people started. The angels that were placed there with each persons name. The toys left for the children that were on the flight. The lone American Flag that stands out in the field at the sight of impact.

Career Test

Your Career Personality: Detail-Oriented, Observant, and Hard-Working

Your Ideal Careers: Designer Family counselor Independent store owner Interior decorator Museum curator Nurse Preschool teachers Social worker Stay at home parent Teacher

The Quick and Dirty Career Test
How interesting since I have been a teacher for the last 5 years and am currently preparing to enetr into a nursing type situation/program. Thanks for the link and hours of fun Mixter!!

More SNAFU's with Unemployment & Other Stuff

Frustration levels were running high today as I traversed the maze known as unemployment. I knew that once I dialed that 1-800 number I was going into a foreign place. I should have taken along a friend or someone to pull me out, when it got crazy, but I thought I was going to be able to handle it alone. What was I thinking!! I barely made it out alive.

I thought that I was smart, pulling out the nice file that I have started, keeping all the various papers orderly, neat and ready at a moments notice if called upon. I had clean, new paper and several pens at the ready. Dated the top and dialed. Prepared to make my numerical selections when prompted.

Because you know it takes forever to get a human on the other end of the phone. Someone finally came on, I began to explain the situation from the LAST SNAFU and gave her all the details. Went through ALL the personal info that establishes who you are etc. Blah, blah, blah. Then the unthinkable happens......... we were disconnected!! The line went dead. I sat there for a moment not able to believe the total silence that was on the end of the receiver.

"No way!" I could not believe that I had to call back. Okay, no problem. Until........... You can not just call back. I thought if I just pressed the "o" I would get the operator right away. Not so. I had to go through several menu options until the operator. Then when I asked for the girl I had just been disconnected from I was informed that this new girl was in such & such city and did not know where that person was that I just was speaking with, but she was sure that she could help me. I was ready to cry.

I really did put my head in my hands and said,"I can't believe this." I told her that I did not want to go through all of this again, could I please just give her the Readers Digest Condensced version? Still had to go through so much. It took awhile for her to realize that I am already in the system and did not need to file a NEW case, but rather to file first week until I get my new PIN, via snail mail, and after that I can file on-line.

I still have two more weeks to file and she says that I probably will not get the first check until the week of the 18th. That is the week that I am supposed to begin work at the coffee mega giant. It is only part time, so I may still qualify for some unemployment compensation. We'll cross that bridge when it comes.

I can not even imagine what part of this system they think is easier than talking directly with someone who is sitting at a desk directly across from you.Really, dealing with people is becoming a thing of the past. Now we just push buttons and make choice, or utter phrases, it's not until we screw it up that they decide to let us have a real person to talk to. Fine with me. Maybe it's just easier to screw up.

Then, tonight I had another of those "in my face moments where I realized something profound to me." That has been happening to me quite often these days. The idea that a leopard can change its spots and I need to stop expecting it to happen. Things are what they are. I have to stop thinking that people should change. If they do, fine, but it is not for me to decide. No matter if I find them annoying or irritating..whatever the case may be. I guess if you can find a way to make it work, the way they are, then fine, otherwise change friends. I guess I have to look back at what made it work in the first place and try to find the real essence of what it was all about in the beginning. Stop trying to put the square pegs in the round holes!!

Tomorrow is going to be one busy day, so I thought that I might get something out tonight. Bills to pay, gotta register for my class AND pay for it. Yuck. Hopefully last doctors appt. for the foot. Walked the dogs today and I think I did too much because it is very tender tonight, well the tai-chi didn't help. Puts too much weight on the heel.

I am very tired and seem to be rambling, so I will say so long for tonight and thanks for stopping by.

Books

I was quite surprised to see that over at Mixter's Mix she also was thinking about books. I had written myself a little post-it note, while watching the Daily Show yesterday, about the same topic!!

I was thinking about how diverse and interesting all the authors are that Jon Stewart has on his show. If Oprah thinks that she has a corner on the book market she is dreaming! No matter what his politics he has a wide variety of authors and huge variety of topics. Many times I have written down the name of a book as one that I would like to add to my wish list for Borders. Sad to say that since books are so pricey I usually have to wait for the paperback version!! Sometimes I can't, usually on an Al Franken book, and I go ahead and get the hard cover. I know my friend over at Maybe There is a Dog gets his books at the Dollar Tree, but I don't always take the time to drive to one and look through what they have. I'm not a book snob, but I usually like to read current political tomes, and leave the older stuff to fiction or historical material. I really love historical literature. Have read some great stuff on Abigale Adams, Napoleon, 1776 and Lincoln.

A book that I am considering right now is "Marley and Me" the story , non-fiction, about a guy and his black lab I believe it is a black lab. I know it's his dog, but it also has gotten great reviews. Sounds like a nice reprieve from politics etc. right now. A few others if you are interested or have read them let me know what you have thought. I have on my wish list:

By the author of "Pay it Forward" a new book, "Love in the Present Tense"
"Impostor" Bruce Bartlett
"American Gospel" Jon Meacham The history of religion in this country.

And now for that meme........

A book that changed my life:

Like Mixter, I have not read any book that has changed my life. There have been many that have offered tid-bits of wisdom and thoughts that I have followed and added to my life.

A book I've read more than once:

Tuesdays with Morrie. I have read that with my seniors, at school, many times. It has so much value and teaches so much about relationships. I just love that book.

A book I would take with me if I was stuck on a desert island:

Wow! Tough one here. Not sure I can come up with an answer for that on, although I liked Mixter's choice of Gray's Anatomy.

A book that made me laugh:

Lies and the Lying Liars, by Al Franken. He always makes me laugh!!


A book that made me cry:

Tuesdays with Morrie for sure!!

A book that I wish had been written:

Life: The Total Handbook and Users Guide

A book I wish had never been written:

Another nod to Mixter, anything by Bill O'Reilly

A book I've been meaning to read:

Impostor by Bruce Bartlett

I'm currently reading:

Nada. I wish I was, but next Monday I'll be back at school and reading texts. I am lucky I can read these blogs and the daily news!! I may get myself a good book for Christmas break!!

Wisdom of Dharma & Greg

Who would have expected to have a personal revelation while watching old re-runs of Dharma & Greg, one of my fav old shows, on some cable network on a day that was an absolute waste? With workers here all day fixing the roof etc. I was homebound and did not even bother to look presentable.

As anyone could tell, from my blogging, yesterday was a day of personal reflection and questioning. For a few of us it seems. Well, the episode of Dharma & Greg was where she had a vision that told her she had to go out and find out who she really was. She finally resolved that she is many things to many people. They see her as each of them thinks she is, but that doesn't define the "real" her! She is who she is and that is all she can expect of herself.

Let others see you as they wish, but that doesn't mean that that is who or what you really or totally are. People will see you in the way that is easiest and most convienient for them. A quick assessment and they draw the conclusions as to who or what you are. As they said in The Breakfast Club,"you see us in the easiest most convienient terms, a brain, a princess, an athlete, .............."

I see myself as a teacher, whether I am working right now or not, and I may not be in a classroom, but that does not stop me from teaching. I am doing that right now, I will do it somewhere else today. I am a student. At some time today I may learn something new.

We are many, many things. It is hard not to let others tell us who they think we are or what we should be. So, what if you are currently unemployed? It is only someone's way of thinking that demeans your current position. You are other things to other people. Your lack of physical employment does not change the person that you really are.

I am becomming a student again, but that doesn't make me a loser, or flighty because I am choosing a new path. Sure, I could go out and sub in schools, but I don't choose to go out there and support "teaching to the test" systems. I don't want to deviate from the type of schooling and student that I prefere to teach. I have family members and friends that think that a career change, at this juncture, is silly. Well, I have news for them... this is what I want to do and be. I feel a certain call to this type of service to humanity. I know that I could make it an easier road for myself to travel, but I am not wanting to go that way. Remember the "road less traveled?" That is the road that I want to take.

Whether it be friends or family don't let them decide what you should be doing or who you should be. They may offer opinions,but you know best. You REALLY do!! It can be hard to make your own trail , but I think in the long run you will come out of it happier. Isn't that what we ultimately want? Our happiness? If others enjoy the ride with us, fine, but only you know what you want and will be happy with.

So be you.

Tai Chi Changes too!!!

A change that I am not looking forward to. It looks like I am going to have to drop my tai-chi class on Monday nights. It is a conflict of timing with my new EMT class. Spoke to my instructor and we are going to try and work something out so I can learn the last few moves of the second set. That was where I left off right before the foot surgery. he teaches at a senior center in a nearby town and I might be able to get the last few moves there. I will probably have to actually join a club or something in order to continue on. It has been far to beneficial to quit now. I like it too much. I hope with all this new scheduling that I am able to fit it in. When there are things that are good for you, you shoulkd try to always make time for thewm in your life. I am really going to try and move things around to make time for this.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on yesterdays.

Welcome Wagon

Welcome Wagon Welcome to newest link: Living Life Fully e-zine. Uplifting and encouraging stories, quotes and other misc. for your musing pleasure. It can't always be serious!!! I think today is one of those days were I need to stop and remind myself to stop and smell the flowers along my way.

Zen Moment

The Game of Life & Other Weekend Musings

How nice it would be, at times, if what we perceive as our "real life" was as simple and easy to play as the Game of Life.This was and is a topic that I have been thinking about and toying with over the long Labor Day weekend. Sure there was plenty of political fodder in the newspapers to feed upon, but I am feeling just a tad overwhelmed with thinking politically right now. It gets my blood boiling and I think I need a break, otherwise it gets me depressed and I try to avoid that these days. I imagine a few days of "political abstinance" will have me back up to par in no time!!

But I digress..... Sometimes I wish it was as easy as driving a small plastic car, with pink or blue plastic representatives of people, around a choice of only 2 tracks and letting the game cards tell you what to do!! I am feeling in such limbo land here. As the mornings begin and I am not rushing out the door to school and dropping off child etc. I am sitting at home having my tea and blogging, which is fun, but foreign to me. Five years of routine is hard to just drop! Yesterday the manager at the coffee mega giant offered me the job I applied for and I am to talk to him today about what week to start.

See, this is all a bit daunting, to be starting an almost new life over at 40ish. I am going to be a student again, as that EMT class begins next Monday and also working a "back in college days" type job again. When I was in college I worked at a counrty club as a server for many years and also had my own catering business for 6 years. That got me through.

Anyway, I can't help but have some butterflies and nervousness at the idea of all this newness. I feel apprehensive and the smell of fear is somewhere nearby. Fear of failure. Rememeber how you used to just jump into almost anything at 21? I am not even sure if I jump in now if I'll be able to tread water!! I imagine I will, but the thoughts of learning and starting something new just seems to take my breath away.

It also seems like many other things are changing too. I don't feel the same way about people like I did. It is almost like my eyes were opened and the blinders came off. I see things differently. My tolerances seem to be lower for some things. Are they shallow or am I just seeing it for the first time? Why do I seem to be moving further away from where they are standing? I am trying to make myself better while they seem to be concerned only with them. Am I that bad? They seem to want every conversation to be about "them" and think anything about the world, but just so narrowly.Never the bigger picture. Should I be thinking so critically about them or just go with the flow and let them be them and me be me? Is it necessary that everyone around us think similarly to us?

The game is hard and relationships are not easy at all. Actually it might be easier to deal with the politics than to try and sort out relationships and personal issues!! How funny is that. You can read and read about personal improvement, but trying to put it into actual practice is a whole other ball game. I try to practice the Kaizen, that is why I chose that as a blog name, but I may start out my day with the best of intentions..... but then I find that I am not trying very hard.

Ohioans in Poverty Grows 25%

Well, for those who live here this probably does not come as any surprise! The headline read," Middle Class Gets Poorer", something else that doesn't come as much of a shock.

The article tells us that the number of clients seeking emergency food, at local food banks, grew 66% between 2001 and 2005. The food bank, that serves an 8 county area in the Akron-Canton area says that it is now assisting more than 163,000 people. Spokeswoman Erin Deegan said," while some of our clients may not be considered in poverty by federal definition, many are very close to that and are forced to choose between food and other essentials."

This is the group that would be alled the " working poor". Those who are trying to get by, but who also may not have health benefits because they can't afford to have that deducted from their pay. This is the group of people, who I did consider myself a part of when SO was laid off, that you usually will find shopping at places like Wal*Mart. You can read my previous post about that topic.

The group of people who make just a tad too much to qualify for any type of federal assistance and not enough to even get from one pay to the next with anything but some spare change at the end of the week.

It can't come as a surprise to anyone who watches national news that Cleveland was number one as the poorest city in the nation. A city that also boasts a 75% absenteeism rate from school any given week of the school year.

The article also went on to tell us that the purchasing power of Akron-area families is diminishing two to three times faster than the rest of the nation. Kathryn Wilson, associate professor of economics at Kent State University, said that figures tell her that America's middle class is continuing its vanishing act. "traditionally, as national productivity goes up, wages go up,"she said. But in recent years, wages have not kept up with increased productivity. In other words, we're working harder for less pay.

Meanwhile, "We've seen huge increases in compensation for CEOs and upper management. At minimum, it's a case of the rich getting richer."

According to the latest Census Bureau report people between the ages of 18 to 64 are being impoverished at faster rates than the traditional poverty groups of children and senior citizens. In this age group there was a 24% increase between 2000 and 2005.

This is not any news to me. It is only putting in print what I have known for years. The working poor just continue to grow as a group and it is not good. College is becoming an institution for the elite. Some days it just becomes terribly overwhelming to think about what the current group of teens will be up against when they hit 18. For many the military will be the only way. Those who are too poor for higher education will have to make the choice to either go into a trade or vocational school or military service where they can hope to attain the benefits that those organizations entice them with.

I am not putting down the military here at all. We had many of them come to our school and speak. They do offer good benefit packages. For some poorer kids though, who may not have a choice or money for further education, this may come as their only choice whether they want to do it or not.

As I see it, Ohio is in need of some serious changes at the top. Hopefully at election time we will see the changes that we need and hope for.

Law & Order Junkie

I am so tired this AM!! I have no one to blame, but myself. I knew that I had to get up early this AM, with lots of running around to do, but I got hooked into an episode of Law & Order that I had never seen and that was it. At 8:00PM I turned on one of the many cable channels that plays all the re-runs of said show. It was an old one, that had Lenny teamed up with Benjamin Bratt, and it also was one that I had never seen. Hard to believe, I know, considering how many times of day that it is on and how many channels.

Well, it was a very good one, and it was still early, I thought I could watch it and be lights out by 9:00. Well, suddenly at nine it said,"to be continued" and I said,"No way!" Well of course I had to see how it ended because I had no idea who did it, so I keep tuned on. It just got even more complicated and interesting the second hour. Then at 10:00 it ended even more abruptly than the previous hour and was a frickin' 3 parter!! I could not believe it. This had never happened to me.

Well, I made it till 10:15 of part three and that was all she wrote. It was not that I fell asleep, but that I was just getting so tired and I knew that 5:00AM was going to come as a shock to my system. And it did. When the alarm went off I actually hit the snooze, something that I never did when I actually had to get up at this inhuman hour. I have to drive the men folk around this AM so that I can have the vehicle today and run various errands.

Today I go and pay for my EMT class. I am now finally getting a bit jittery about this. I know that I am smart enough and that I will be able to do it, but just finally getting nervous about beginning a new chapter in my life.

I also have to go and get , what I hope is the last, check-up on my foot. It is healing and I sure am loving those Epsom salt soaks. NOT!! Dang that crap burns. I have never used it before and on an open area it is not the most comfortable place to be. Yesterday I actually got back to my weight workout, just standing there not doing too much with my feet, and it felt good to be back in action. Did my tai-chi workout and still had to be careful about how I placed my heel on the ground. With my class being on Mondays from 6-9 I will have to see if my tai-chi instructor can move me to another of his classes. He teaches in other venues and I hope there is one that I can move to. My EMT class will be Mon.& Wed.

So, I am off to get myself moving. I may even go out and have lunch with my old teaching companions. I have heard that a few of the repeat kids have been asking about me. Kinda nice, I do miss them.