Is It Just Me?

Merry Christmas To All

2008-12-24T06:16:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a joyous Christmas
and a Happy New Year!

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Golf Thunder

2008-08-30T05:26:00.000-07:00

Patriot Golf Days
(go to the link to see video and learn about the cause)

Join Major Dan Rooney (125th Fighter Squadron) of Broken Arrow, OK in his dream to support Veterans and their families by playing golf this weekend. Major Rooney is asking everyone to play golf this weekend at golf courses that support his foundation, Folds of Honor, which is set up to create scholarships to send the kids to college or a vo-tech school. Find a golf course near you - play and give to a great cause.

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Where Potholes & Road Barriers Reign

2008-06-03T03:51:00.000-07:00

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After 50 Years

2008-04-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

A week ago I passed the 50 year mile marker. Reflecting on life is a natural thing to do at this age.

The 1st Person Wish List...

Personally I wish I had:

more education
traveled farther
a deeper commitment to being centered (as in not allowing myself to be tugged in too may directions at the same time)

The Personal Wish List...

As a mother I wish I had:

spent more time playing with my kids
been better at providing for them
listened more and better
more patience and wisdom

As a woman I wish I had:

not been so easy to trust those who didn't deserve it
been more assertive
less afraid to venture out on my own

The lists contain the words "more" and "better" frequently. In retrospect, it's easy to spot moments lost and the regret that comes with them. Time does get away from a person. As much as a person wishes that the world would just come to a screeching halt, just long enough to get it together, the world continues on and willing, ready or not keeping up and evolving with it isn't a choice, it's a necessity.

The Next 50 Years Wish List...

I hope:

to remove more and better from my vocabulary by accepting myself first for the person I am
to take that acceptance and allow it to fill my life with new opportunities instead of regret.

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Better Late Than Never

2008-03-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

I'm out of practice. Lot's of excuses - too busy, writer's blog, my new dog, work, spending my income tax return, etc., etc.

Speaking of spending money. I bought a Sharp HD 19 inch TV/monitor combo. It's my new toy and I love it. I never was one to watch movies, now I watch them instantly from Netflix. Although, I did have to work out a kink or two. Like the video card is out-dated a tad. No problem, kick the driver on as long as it takes to watch the movie and back it back to stone age settings. The first time threw me as I didn't do this before shutting off the computer and when I brought it back up I couldn't get a signal to the display. Fortunately I hadn't thrown away the old monitor. Now I know better - ALWAYS reset before powering down.

My new dog was spayed this week. Poor thing really was loopy for a couple of days. She must have had some good drugs. She's better now and is playing and got her prance back. Although she was amusing while loopy. I thought only people stared at walls when they were messed up.

I don't know if I've had writers block or just a writer's blah thing going on. Politically speaking, McCain wasn't my first (second or third) choice so I've got nothing really to get fired up about. Between Obama and Hillary, while entertaining to see them skirt around issues and keep from spilling blood, there is nothing there to look forward to except the thought that maybe the Mayan's were on to something. 4 years of either one and Doomsday could very well happen...

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Little Miss

2008-02-11T06:34:00.000-08:00

Weighing in at 8.6 lbs, with a snore that can lull even the most caffeinated person to sleep, this pint size pooch has won the hearts of all the humans in the family. She's fearless of Sally our 70 lb. mutt and will stand down our cats who are all bigger than her. She's a dancer, who can cross a floor on her hind feet for a treat with her front paws crossed daintily in front. She's a wonder to everyone who's met her.

Little Miss showed up starved, dirty and cold nearly 3 weeks ago at our front gate on a frigid night with a single digit windchill reading. A trip to the veterinarian proved to be enlightening and added more to the mystery to her story.

The vet swears she is a full blood Pekingese. That was a shock. How or why would anyone abandon a valuable dog like her? She had no microchip, no collar, was not spayed and although the vet put her age at around two years old had never had a litter. Health wise, she's a little bit worse for the wear. Underweight, coat was thin, and an ear infection. But, that all is in the process of being fixed. She's had her shots, gotten ear drops, has a microchip, is eating quality food and next month will be spayed and have laser surgery to reduce the skin folds under her eyes to prevent her eyes from becoming scratched. (My "better"(?) half loved that - he wondered if the vet could do a two-for for the pair of us).

She's learned to play. The poor little thing had never had toys. It took over a week for Little Miss to settle in and begin to take interest in a couple of squeak toys. She wasn't housebroken. That is taking more time, but she loves her treats and is getting better at doing her "business" in the proper places and at the proper times. She's becoming well traveled. She didn't do well until I got her a traveling bag, but now she's ready to go.

I hate to admit this, but I think I needed Miss more than she needed me. I guess I had been slowly falling into the empty nest syndrome. My kids are grown and my better half doesn't like to be hovered over. It was hard to get up in the morning and harder to come home after work at night, especially when everyone was gone but me. It's funny how much more energy I've got since Miss has come along.

The vet says I rescued her..., (don't tell anyone - but, I really think it was the other way around).

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New Family Addition

2008-01-22T04:07:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend our family grew by one small addition. Saturday night my oldest son decided to go out at the last minute around 10:30. We live in the country with frontage on a 4 lane 65 mph highway. As he got out of his vehicle to open the drive through gate he found a small curled up ball of fur. The temperature was 18 degrees and the wind was blowing. The ball of fur was dirty, starved and cold.

He picked it up and realized it was unhurt, just in pitiful shape. Coming back to the house, he opened the front door and said, "Mom you've got to come here." I found him holding a small Pekingese cross dog. And so our family grew by one shaking bundle of fur.

Little Miss, is her name. Bathed, groomed and decked out with the latest doggie fashions this full grown dog had been dumped along the highway. Most likely because whoever got her from a puppy mill didn't have the slightest idea how to house break her and couldn't or wouldn't deal with it. So, whoever you are - thanks for dropping her by. Our home is full of throw away animals. She'll be cared for and loved.

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Out With The Old...

2007-12-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

Wishing you
the very best
in the New Year!!

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Season's Greetings

2007-12-24T06:57:00.000-08:00

Wishing You
Peace and Happiness
for the Holidays!!

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When The Bell Tolls - Ya Better Listen

2007-11-23T07:13:00.000-08:00

I have spent the last six months slowly and daily living with graduating pain levels. That was until the last month.

One morning I rolled over to shut off the alarm clock and got the wakeup call of my life. Feeling a huge and very painful pop in my lower back and an instantaneous back muscle spasm, I began a new chapter of my life. One that deals daily with getting my health back.

Fortunately for me, my better half was there to haul me out of the bed that morning and take me to the urgent care center. I was unable to stand up straight, was dragging my right leg, and unable to tolerate lying down (my spine was locked up in perpetual spasm causing my pelvis to tilt at a painful angle in which I could pass my hand easily underneath my back while lying down). The initial round of pain killers and muscle relaxants did nothing to help my back spasms and two days later after sleeping fitfully in a chair we were able to get in to my regular doctor. After x-rays, the doctor prescribed a stepped up medication therapy and a visit to the chiropractor in four days once the medication had a chance to kick in. For those four days I remained sleeping in the chair and hoping the medication would work.

Going to the chiropractor helped tremendously. He had me lie down on his exam table and said, "Please remove whatever you have in your back pockets." When I told him I didn't have anything in my pockets he said, "Boy, you are messed up." Fortunately for me he was able to make a single adjustment (he tried for two but couldn't because my back was still spasmed too much) and I spent my first night in bed that night after 6 nights in a recliner. What a blessed relief that was!

So after missing 10 days of work, I returned with a lumbar support cushion for my chair feeling a hundred times better than I had for months. It seems that since I took a desk job after having been so physically active that slowly my back had decided to go into mutiny on me. What I did find out was that I actually had had a herniated disc at the L5-S1 region, which I re-tore when rolling over. The doctor said that the first time I injured it I probably just thought I had strained my back and was able to go on with my work, but the second injury created enough of the "cushion" to be gone between the discs that it created the pain I felt which was aggravated by the muscle spasms. I also found out I have a bulging disc at the L3 region and levoscoliosis which causes a curve to the left of the spine at the bottom of the thoracic region where it meets the lumbar region of the spine. The levoscoliosis affects the nerves that feed the abdomen and groin area causing pain to that region.

This is where my health story becomes more interesting. Now as a nearly 50 year old, I was experiencing painful menstruation for the same six month time frame and had undergone a complete physical with ultrasound that found nothing conclusive to explain the monthly agony I was having. Having ruled out (prior to my back going out) any organic reason for the pain it was with some relief to believe that the source of the pain was my back caused by the levoscoliosis. This revelation I could live with it. At least I wouldn't be having to endure a hysterectomy.

So I worked for a week with minor back and abdomen discomfort helped by medication that I only took at night. I invested in a Sealy mattress set (for a fraction of the cost) that was comparable to a Cadillac of the Tempur-Pedic mattresses and was sleeping like a baby. I actually felt pretty darn good compared to what I had a couple of weeks prior to the morning my back seized up on me. I was able to catch up on my backlog at work and was feeling pretty good about things when I returned to work the following Monday morning. That is when, hell began again for me - but with a very surprising twist.

By Monday afternoon my abdomen and right side was hurting some. No problem, pop some pills, sit in my new zero gravity recliner with the heat massager on full blast and I thought I was good to go the next morning. But by Tuesday afternoon the pain was so bad that I medicated myself at work which I had not had to do since I had returned. My office mate noticed my discomfort and I told her I had probably thrown my back out once more.

Tuesday night the pain was radiating from my belly button to my right groin with pain on my right flank (side). I couldn't stand upright, couldn't sleep, and the medication was not helping. I began to suspect that I had the cursed luck to be having an appendicitis attack on top of everything with my back. I finally took my temperature and with a sinking feeling confirmed to myself I couldn't ignore the symptoms I was having. So I called in to work once more and took myself off to the urgent care center again, having sent my better half off to work earlier that morning with the stubborn notion that "this too would pass".

I dismally failed the exam. The urgent care doctor wanted to call for me a ride, but the hospital was only a couple of miles off so I drove myself. After I hit the ER, things began to move pretty quickly. Lab work was done and I had an elevated white blood count (showing an infection). A CT was done and although they couldn't visualize my appendix, the doctor said that I definitely had "something going on" as there was a thickening in the abdominal wall in the region that I had pain in. A surgeon was called in, the anesthesiologist made his appearance and before I knew it off I went to surgery.

It wasn't my appendix. The surgeon began a laparoscopic surgery and found as he put it a "perfect" appendix. What gave me my trouble turned out to be a diverticula - not to be confused with diverticulitis - but rather a congenital birth defect, which usually is seen on the left side and discovered at a young age (before adulthood) where a single spot of the intestine causes a weakening in the intestinal wall which causes a pocket to form that finally becomes necrotic over time. In my case, the diverticula had burst causing the thickening of the abdominal wall as peritonitis set in. Fortunately for me, the hole closed off quickly (encapsulated) or I would have been in much more serious condition. As it was, the surgeon ended up removing the diverticula (which the anesthesiologist described as "massive") and about 6 inches of my large intestine. He also found a cyst on one of my ovaries and removed it, leaving the ovary intact. All were sent off to the lab for testing before they closed me up and thank God came back negative for cancer. I figure the diverticula was probably the size of a small tangerine, based on the size of the incision they made to remove it.

That was Wednesday. By Saturday I was released from the hospital. Let's just say it wasn't a pleasant experience. I found only one nurse to be working at a "gold standard" level during that time, while the other nurses (and aides) not only were substandard with their care, but indifferent to boot. On Friday I demanded to see the doctor as the pain wasn't being covered by the medication he had me on. The problem I had with all the staff was trying to make them understand that I was having back spasms that was right up there with the pain I had had a month prior, while my incisional pain was inconsequential (one of those if you don't touch it, it doesn't hurt things). He finally prescribed a muscle relaxant after my insistence and low and behold, my pain began to go away.

I also told the doctor that I was disappointed with the lack of proper and adequate basic personal protection the nurses had taken (no gloves, etc. while giving injections, changing IV sites and IV bags) and that I could take care of myself better at home. I had finally told one of the nurses, that I had worked in a long-term acute care facility taking care of MRSA, VRE, and flesh eating disease patients and asked her to use gloves for her own protection (forget mine at that point). I had felt a sudden wetness (which I discovered was blood) coming from down below earlier in the morning and I had called this same nurse to check it out. She asked, instead of LOOKING to see exactly where I was bleeding from (having had surgery on two different regions, either which I could have been bleeding from), if I had brought "personal hygiene protection" with me! It wasn't time for my period, it was 10 days early I told her and no, I didn't have any "personal hygiene products" with me. So off she goes and comes back a few minutes later with a package of napkins, tosses them on the furthest side of the bedside table away from me and waltz's back out the door. I thought my better half was gonna kill her. He got "that look". That was when I called her back to the room and we both demanded to see the doctor. (Why I began bleeding was probably due to trauma to the ovary and tube as it was nothing akin to menstruation, which the doctor allowed after examining me and resolved itself late Saturday).

I was still running a temp and insisted on another round of antibiotics from the doctor. I had been forced to take my own temp under my armpit and adding a degree as is customary in this case, as the aides had a problem understanding that drinking cold water (as I had been constantly due to the temp) would affect the outcome of the reading. (Case-in-point, I took it with my personal digital and had a 102. 4 temp, the aide came in within a half hour and shoved it in my mouth, even though I told her that I had just taken a drink of ice water and announced my temp was 97 degrees. I told her to try again and this time took it from her, put it under my arm and to her surprise it came back 101.3 (add the degree and there you go...). Can you say pissed off? (Always, ALWAYS - I am sorry to say as a nurse - look out for your loved ones in the hospital, take notes, question the staff and try to learn as much as possible about their health situation and appropriate care they should be receiving and then DEMAND it). Temperatures under 101 are not normally treated with Tylenol, but a consistently higher than normal temperature is indicative that something other than a normal healing process may be going on. Meaning, another set of lab work and more antibiotics if necessary, is not an uncommon way to deal with it.

Well no one was happier to walk out of a hospital than I was Saturday morning. I am now doing very well. I saw my personal doctor on Tuesday and he was amazed (the look on his face was worth a million bucks) that I had come in - not because of my surgery - but because I wanted to make sure that I didn't run out my medications for my back and to get my annual flu shot while I was off work. I don't think the poor man really believed I had had surgery until he got me up on the exam table and saw the incisions for himself. He was taken aback when I told him that I wanted the low dose of pain medications renewed for my back, as I didn't need the stronger and addictive pain medication the surgeon had put me on. He allowed that I would always have back problems and promptly re-wrote the medication prescriptions for my back, all the while muttering that he had never seen anyone come in that soon after surgery and not make a "big deal" about it.

To me it wasn't a "big deal" having had surgery. My back is a "big deal" and was the real culprit as I laid in that hospital bed in pain. Now that I know how to deal with it, I find myself celebrating my new found health, even if I do have to live with back problems. I am still having the up's and down's of surgery with a good day followed by a bone aching tiredness the next, but hey - everyday it gets better and it's nothing compared to what I had lived with for such a long time before that morning the alarm clock rang and woke me up once and for all about my health.

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Common Ground - Rev. Fred Phelps & Rev. Manuel Rivera

2007-11-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

From the pulpit the word of God becomes a tool to promote political causes. No one knows this better than the Reverends Fred W. Phelps Sr. of the Westboro Church and Manuel Rivera of the National Coalition of Latin Clergy. Using their title of "Reverend" both are preaching words in the name of God that are filled with a message that promotes hatred, incites division, and defies man made laws.

Who is listening to the preaching of these two men? Phelps' followers are comprised mostly of members of his own family (his recognized congregation numbers 75 members). Although his numbers appear low, Phelps has an uncounted number of supporters whose sympathies lie with him in those groups that are anti-government, are homophobic, and have white supremest leanings. Rivera has a much larger group listening to him as he is one of the recognized "activists" leading the Hispanic movement against reform (and into hysteria) of our immigration laws both on a federal and state level. Rivera has been of late spending his time in Oklahoma fighting House Bill 1804 which went into effect today, despite his efforts to impede it.

Although their causes at first glance appear very different, both are steeped in a belief that "their God" condemns anyone who doesn't think/believe as they do, that the laws of the country they are citizens of do not pertain to them, and that the color of their skin empowers them to cry out falsely that they are being persecuted. Phelps and Rivera are not above using inflammatory speech (while hiding behind the rights of the 1st Amendment) to castigate the very government that gives them those freedoms and rights. Both have stepped out from behind their pulpits to preach on the streets to promote their cause. Both are preaching "end-of-times" propaganda to audiences held captive by their circumstances (those who are living in their own versions of hell on earth) whether attending funerals of loved ones lost or by those who knowingly and purposely have broken laws (and now are suffering the consequences) to attain monetary gains unavailable to them in their birth countries.

Of a $10.9 million lawsuit loss to the father who's soldier sons funeral was a recipient of the Westboro curbside crusade of Christianity at it's crudest, Phelps had this to say,

Fred W. Phelps Sr., Westboro's founder, vowed to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, in Richmond, Va.

"It's going to be reversed in five minutes," he said. This case, he added, "will elevate me to something important," as it draws more publicity to his cause.

Phelps attacks those who have lost loved ones to death from war or AIDS with his funeral sign campaigns bearing slogans of "God Hates Fags", "God Hates You", "Cursed Not Blessed", etc., ad nauseam.

Rivera instills upon Hispanics (many of whom do not speak or read English) that they are being "ethnically cleansed" and

"We cannot trust the Tulsa Police Department or the sheriff department. They will definitely do their job which is to try to confirm if your legal status in this country is correct, which is when everything will be loosed against you," said Rev. Manuel Rivera.

Rivera's fellow activists have warned their opposition that their activist group is needed to "prevent violence" because their youth "are angry".

Phelps definitely is the crudest of the two. In his own words, a loss will help him promote his cause. Rivera is much slicker at playing his own people (using their fear of deportation to create a stampede out of Oklahoma) and non-Hispanics (by veiled threats of retaliation in the form of a Hispanic backlash) to promote his being a savior to Hispanics and non-Hispanics alike.

In the end, Phelps and Rivera's messages come across loud and clear even to those of us who don't want to listen. Forget compassion, forget acceptance, forget right from wrong - instill hate, incite division, trample upon those who oppose you. It is pulpit propaganda like this that breeds violence and hate-crimes.

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The Saga of Socks

2007-10-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

Cats DO have nine lives. The saga of Socks has been resurrected and if this cat could talk you can bet it might be hard to understand him through the hissing.

Socks the cat was a presidential celebrity during the 8 years the Clinton's tried to write their own version of Camelot. Socks initially shared his spotlight with Buddy the chocolate Labrador pup of the Reagan days, who unfortunately didn't have nine lives and ended up roadkill within months of his leaving the White House. Buddy's early demise, though tragic, was not in vain as he became the inspiration behind young parents everywhere when telling their children to "look both ways before crossing the street". It was easy for them to point out that Buddy was no more, all they had to do was point at his picture on the book filled with letters they wrote to Buddy and Socks. That Hillary capitalized on these impressionable young parents across the party lines, can still be seen today. Their children, now grown, still stand on street corners everywhere paralyzed by the fear of having to step off the curb and take responsibility for themselves. Their parents, under Hillary's guidance as a first mom, effectively enabled these disenchanted young adults of today to be perpetually looking for the outstretched hand to take care of them for all their lives (cause you know... without someone looking out for them they could end up like Buddy). But no fear, Hillary is back and ready to take their hands and lead them into HER promised land.

But enough about Buddy. This is about Socks. Now Socks had a long and sometimes controversial life as the first feline. He became the poster kitty for momma Hillary's soft side. He was photo-op'd to the max and even had his own special issue Christmas kitty lapel pin, which the Secret Service team once wore. He was the subject of right-wing cartoons, often showing that the silent and much put upon cat had more sense than anyone he shared the White House with. In the end, the cat Socks knew ALL the secrets and for all of Hillary's promoting of the feline and his part in the presidential family, he didn't have a home with the Clinton's when they had to move. (He wasn't alone as Bill didn't have much of a home with Hillary after Monica, but that's a different story). Poor old Socks was dumped on Bill Clinton's personal secretary Betty Currie. Betty was good at taking care of unwanted and troublesome "issues", like the cleanup after Monica, so why not clean up after a retired Socks, too?

Unlike Hillary, some people DO believe an adopted animal IS family until the day they die. And this where the ninth life of Socks the cat comes in. He is back this time as the symbol of what Hillary really is all about. Hillary's first lady days as first mom, first wife, first friend to cats and kids alike are over. In revealing the saga of Socks we see Hillary as Hillary sees herself, FIRST. She conveniently oust the cat when having a pet was inconvenient and burdensome. That's relatively a minor personality flaw. But she also compromised herself as a real leader by keeping her compromised husband. Politically speaking, she capitalized on those who believe marriage is an institution, even when (in this case) those involved in it should be institutionalized. It's hard to be a liberal and find some common ground with the right, but Hillary did this the day Bill became first lady when she publicly forgave him. That's the day, the claws really came out and an emasculated Bill took the backseat for a decade long campaign to untarnish the Clinton name and leave a legacy that Hillary could live with.

Happily for Hillary, it appears all her hard work over the years, compromising herself for cross over appeal, is paying off. Soon our children, WILL be village children, brought up to believe in the big hand(out) of government if Hillary gets the votes. Of course, talking about paying for that is about as unspeakable as talking about used kitty litter.

So Socks wherever you are, you are needed and loved. May your picture become, once more, iconic and an inspiration for the right. (As well as a much needed reminder to Hillary that only cats have nine lives).

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Weigh This

2007-10-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

In New York, a little girls chalk drawing of a blue flower on the front stoop of her parents home results in a threatened $300 fine for "graffiti".

Let this be a warning to anyone wishing to express themselves, on their own property, in a temporary medium, which can be viewed by neighbors who do not know the meaning of being "in touch with their inner child" that the scales of justice are tipped in favor of the neighborhood Scrooge, who doesn't realize how many tax dollars he/she just wasted for a frivolous citation to be issued. Doesn't a child have a 1st Amendment right to freedom of expression?

Speaking of 1st Amendment rights...

disclaimer: photo used for illustrative purposes only

It's OK to burn the American flag on US soil as it's protected under the 1st Amendment, but try burning a Mexican flag on US soil and you fall off the scales of justice.

Faced with a charge of "burning rubbish" (evidently calling the Mexican flag rubbish is protected under the 1st Amendment as no new litigation has come forth in this case) a San Antonio man has yet to see the fat lady remove her ponderous butt from her perch on the scales of justice. In this instance, the fat lady doesn't have time to sing, she's too busy stuffing herself with candy covered injustice. Remember the right to have a speedy trial? This case has only had three trial postponements so far.

All things considered, both of these instances of injustice are "weigh" out there.

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Where I Disappear To

2007-10-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share some pictures of how I relax with you all.

You'll see wilderness, friendly four-leggers, fishing, camping, golfing in the wild, and maybe something a little risk-A, as they say...

What do you do with your weekends?

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Legal Illegals Are Still Lethal

2007-09-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

New York State's Gov. Spitzer is aiming to improve the driving conditions for the residents there by enabling illegal immigrants (or aliens, whichever you prefer) to present passports and insurance verification in exchange for a free pass from jail (or exportation). Gov. Spitzer, you might want to reconsider if you would just look at this picture and read the story that accompanies it.

Suspects Sought After Vehicle Strikes Building
KOTV - 9/19/2007 6:11 AM - Updated 9/19/2007 6:42 AM

Sapulpa Police are looking for the occupants of a pickup truck that sped off an Interstate highway exit ramp overnight and hit a building. The accident happened at I-44 at West 55th Place.

Witnesses told Sapulpa Police, two Hispanic males got out of the pickup truck and jumped into an SUV and fled the scene. The pickup truck has a Tri-State Gunite Company logo on a door panel and New York license plates.

Sapulpa Police say this is the second time this year a vehicle has overshot the exit ramp and struck the same building.(emphasis mine)

Of course, the legal status of the two Hispanics is unknown, but based on the fact that they fled from the scene it surely raises the question regarding how legal they were.

Let's just imagine that they were holding a valid New York license, Gov. Spitzer. Then, at least, the property owner might be able to recoup some of the damage done to his property. But (and this is a BIG BUT), Gov. Spitzer what would become of these two IF they were illegal immigrants driving under a valid New York license? Local law enforcement officials (Oklahoma has passed tough laws against illegal aliens) would be faced with a deportation problem - that being, do they deport them back to you and the relatively safe haven of New York State or just boot them out of the country (which is what you should be doing in the first place)?It's just a thought Governor, but you might want to consider your political popularity if you allow drivers like this a legal right to endanger the lives of your citizens.

Just think of the repercussions, Governor. Here in Oklahoma, we may have to pass further legislation to deal locally with your lack of foresight. Like sending you and your state a bill each time we have to deal with a mess your lack of wisdom creates for us.

In the meantime, New York State has an estimated 500,000 illegal aliens, while in Oklahoma because of our ability to see illegals for what they really are - here illegally - they are leaving in droves. Maybe they are headed to Canada under the false impression that it's safe there for them or it could be that they are headed your way.

Trackposted to Stop the ACLU, Outside the Beltway, The Virtuous Republic, Perri Nelson's Website, Rosemary's Thoughts, Big Dog's Weblog, Right Truth, Shadowscope, Stuck On Stupid, The Amboy Times, Leaning Straight Up, Adeline and Hazel, third world county, Wake Up America, Woman Honor Thyself, Pirate's Cove, The Pink Flamingo, CommonSenseAmerica, Right Voices, Church and State, Blog @ MoreWhat.com, 123beta, DeMediacratic Nation, Adam's Blog, Nuke's News & Views, Webloggin, Cao's Blog, Phastidio.net, The Bullwinkle Blog, Conservative Cat, Diary of the Mad Pigeon, Faultline USA, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, Blue Star Chronicles, Republican National Convention Blog, High Desert Wanderer, Gone Hollywood, The Yankee Sailor, and Public Eye, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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Cammo VS Stripes

2007-09-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

Friendly fire(?) - on the lighter side... It's not all about size or the clothes you wear.

Hooaa!

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Have You Seen These Pictures?

2007-09-13T17:53:00.001-07:00

OK, I am the first one to admit that I never forward emails or share most of the info/pics that come through my spam box - but this is definitely worth sharing. So, hey - pass it on!

I'm told that there is a huge rock near a gravel pit on Hwy 25 in rural Iowa. For generations, kids have painted slogans, names, and obscenities on this rock, changing its character many times. A few months back, the rock received its latest paint job, and since then it has been left completely undisturbed. It's quite an impressive sight. Be sure to scroll down and check out the multiple photos (all angles) of the rock. I thought the flag was draped over the rock, but it's not. It's actually painted on the rock too.

Bless this young man and his beliefs. From stone we build - this stone art emphasizes the history from which our country has grown strong.

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Still Angry

2007-09-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

Six years have past and yet the memories of Sept. 11, 2001 remain vivid. Should it be any other way?

Most can recall the moment that they learned of the first plane crash. Someone happened to be listening to the radio or was watching TV and couldn't believe what they were hearing or seeing, so they called. I learned of the news that way. Turn on the TV, I was told, the radio is saying there is something going on in New York City. Then I became the eyes for the caller who was car bound and stuck in traffic. From the moment of that call to just minutes later when the second plane struck, I reported in a fashion of the first "accident", seeing the second plane hit, and the horror as realization hit that this was no accident at all.

That day was one of the longest I can ever remember living. As the minutes rolled past, the world seemed to spin off axis. The third hit was to the Pentagon, then the frantic announcements that at least two more planes were unaccounted for. The announcement that all flights were being grounded and those in the air were being ordered down immediately. The confused news of a fourth plane crash, followed by the relief that all other flights were accounted for and of no possible harm.

The following days brought uneasiness. Now the skies were empty except for military jets screaming across the sky. The unknown and what if's were terrifying. Most people talked over just in case emergency plans as the revelations of what happened and by whom and why was made known. The realization of how vulnerable, not only you are as one human being, but the enormity of the realization that the entire country is vulnerable, makes a person do one of two things, either become paralyzed by fear or very pissed.

Six years later I am still one of those who are angry. I am angry with no remorse for those who, under the guidance of a disillusioned rich kid grown a muck, have chosen the path of destruction to change the world all in the name of jihad. That this same lunatic still frequents our lives with his condescending words of wisdom only inflames my anger more. His appearance once more only serves to harden my heart and strengthen my support of anyone and any means taken to bring about the end of this son of Satan and his followers.

What also angers me is the wasted time I have spent trying to understand the enemy, for that is clearly what he is, because he made it so. After all this time I admit defeat. How anyone can sacrifice his own people (has he not created the cause for which his own people have died by the thousands in a chess game of global domination?), sully the name of his own religion (what blacker eye could one give to a religion, than by his own manipulations have it become synonymous with the most horrific kinds of death like be-headings and mass mutilation through bombings?), and use his endowed money (born of oil capitalism, which he himself claims is the downfall of all mankind) to seed destruction - all this is in exact contradiction to everything he spews as his beliefs - is beyond my capability to fathom. That is the only defeat I will give up in this life to him.

Out of anger will come good. Of that I have no doubt. What will come in time is change from complacency, diligence to a cause, and bridging world differences to bring global unity from, which was just a few short years ago, an unthinkable common source of inspiration.

As these things come about (and they are, without a doubt), it will be his turn to be angry.

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It's Only A Carrot

2007-09-01T06:52:00.000-07:00

In an effort to appease the Mexican government for the financial devastation wrought by sending their illegals home, the US trucking industry will be the first to suffer as nationwide Mexican trucks will roll down US highways.

We just thought we were rolling up the welcome mat...

From Colorado a lament from the trucking industry describes how deploying a carrot can undermine faith in our system:

“I don’t get what the politicians are trying to do here.”

Does anybody? At a time when US citizens are trying desperately to get our southern borders closed, we instead find ourselves faced with sharing the roads with second-hand cast-offs by the American trucking industry that have been sold in Mexico. Not only has the price of fuel affected the cost of doing business for the US trucking industry, now they are faced with competing for business with someone driving their old trucks!

Pleas before court made by the Teamsters Union and other concerned parties fell on deaf ears...

Current rules require freight from Mexico to be transferred to U.S. trucks and drivers in the U.S. Under a one-year U.S. pilot program, Mexican trucking companies could move shipments around the U.S. themselves, saving time and money. The program was supposed to start as soon as Thursday.

The Teamsters union, representing 100,000 long-haul truckers, and the Sierra Club and other public advocacy groups asked the court Wednesday to put the plan on hold until they receive more assurances that the vehicles comply with U.S. environmental, security and safety regulations and that U.S. truckers would get reciprocal rights to travel in Mexico.

The U.S. Transportation Department said in a Thursday court filing that Mexican trucks will be pre-screened and inspected for safety before being allowed to travel in the U.S. Mexico promised to reciprocate for U.S. trucks, the agency said.

As if the promise by Mexico that US truckers could wander about Mexico on substandard road systems with nearly non-existent protection from a vastly corrupt Mexican law-enforcement to deliver goods to a poverty stricken nation should more than compensate for the US truckers economic disparity in this deal.

Not much of a carrot to give the US trucking industry or the US economy that will be impacted by this move. But hey, who said life was fair?

Thanks to: Stop The ACLU
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American Dream Coalition Nightmare

2007-08-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

Tulsa, OK Union High School was the host site yesterday (I sincerely hope that the school system was paid for the use as a meeting house promoting continued illegal activity) for a forum sponsored by the American Dream Coalition. The topic that filled the house? How to fight Oklahoma's HB-1804 (effective date November 1, 2007) which empowers local law officials to check citizenship status of individuals that they arrest who are charged with misdemeanors warranting the cause to be held in jail and felonies. Attending were concerned Hispanics worried that they will become victims of ethnic profiling in traffic stops and the like. Now if all they did was speed or run a stop sign and have proof of insurance - no problem, right? If they are good upstanding green card carrying or legal citizens of the US they have nothing to fear except paying a traffic violation and seeing their insurance rates go up. In traffic stops that's all that is going to happen.

But that is exactly what they fear. Which is exactly what the Dream Coalition is capitalizing upon and are seeding a nightmare of fear amongst a group of individuals who may be legal citizens now, but in most likelihood had themselves or a family member a less than auspicious entry into the country years ago. Group fear of alienation brought upon by a collective guilty conscious.

"Over 20,000, at least, have already left, and that's devastating to families. economies, businesses and churches," says Rev. Victor Orta with the American Dream Coalition.

If they were legal, why leave? If, as the Dream Coalition is promoting, they as legal citizens were harassed by law officials and subjected to illegal profiling they would more than likely bankrupt the state in successfully won lawsuits. Instead, the nightmarish reality of the whole purpose of the forum is to fight the law and sue the state for what the Coalition contends is an unconstitutional piece of legislation. Which in turn, if the Coalition had their way, would leave us with an open door policy and provide safe harbor to all of those 20,000 who left, again I might add, for questionable reasons.

It's a shame. It should be a shame to all of them. Using rhetoric, inflammatory rhetoric, and cruel language," says Rev. Miguel Rivera with the Coalition of Latin Clergy.

Imagine that - the wording of the legislation being so awful. Why would they want to be Oklahoman's if they thought our elected members of government were so blatantly biased?

While the Coalition met, in Wagoner County, OK an illegal alien awaits trial on first degree murder charges for kicking his 2 year old son to death after an argument with the child's mother.

In this case, illegal citizen status wasn't ascertained until after a murder. A felony charge. Would the child still be alive if this illegal alien had been stopped for a simple traffic violation? No. It wouldn't have been an offense warranting a check the way HB 1804 is written.

Why won't the American Dream Coalition talk about this case and the other acts of violence being perpetrated against American citizens by illegal aliens across the country? Why aren't they telling those attending their rallies to live legal and they have nothing to worry about? Instead they are instilling a nightmarish fear amongst a group of individuals who they are using to promote continued illegal activity. The dirty unspoken secret here is that 20,000 did not leave because they were law-abiding citizens - they were illegal aliens and had broken laws to be in this country in the first place.

This is no honorable way to promote a cause. This murderer should be the poster boy for how well the system is working to protect people who are law abiding citizens. As long as he was quietly and legally pursuing his livelihood, he had no fear of being deported. Once he committed murder, he opened himself up to the full strength of law that Oklahoma holds.

Instead of supporting good legislation that would protect the lawful activity of legal citizens, the Dream Coalition would rather open the borders and give all rights of an American citizen to anyone, under any circumstances. And that is where the nightmare really begins.

Trackback thanks to: Stop The ACLU

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Dark Night Of The Soul

2007-08-25T08:09:00.001-07:00

President Bush is (once more) drawing heat over his comparison of an Iraq withdrawal to Vietnam. We all should cringe to think about the consequences the President suggests would happen, should we pull out before stability in the country is attained.

Even so, the reminder bites. Those who remember Vietnam, also remember that cause as the beginning of an era that has divided the country to this day. Using lessons not learned won't mend any fences and pull the country together, when it comes to those who believe in the cause and would fight and those who don't and won't the division will remain intact. In this instance, using history as a club to instill unity through fear of the unknown won't work. History is subject to being reviewed with present day views and opinions.

"Remember the Alamo" worked for awhile to unite, but with the Tex-Mex border as it is today that battle cry is a new slogan for everything it didn't stand for with the present day invasion that floods the border. Regardless of how horrifically detailed the history of the Holocaust was, modern day interpretation based on present day perspectives hasn't united the world against genocide, if anything it has become a source of inspiration by those supremacist's (religious or political) seeking to justify their cause. What it proved to them was it could be done and the lesson to be learned they take away from history is that supremacy can be obtained if it is done more ruthlessly and on an even larger scale.

When using history as a means to justify one's cause, the inevitable will occur. No cause will ever be won by reviewing past lessons learned. Regardless of the case in point, regardless of historical documentation without bias, individual perception will twist history to accommodate that individual's belief system. The only history lesson learned here is that history can and most probably will be repeated because of that uniquely human quality of intelligence combined with a soul, which allows us all to take away from life's lessons a rationalized view of things that personally we can live with.

In Mother Teresa's self description of her personal belief system, she described over 40 years of persevering amongst the worst conditions that mankind has wrought upon itself, as the "dark night of the soul". Even though she led a life in service to God, she lamented that internally His light never entered her soul during that time. She was the wick and the flame to multitudes, yet her body, her soul, her vessel remained as dark as the inside of a metal oil lamp. Hers may not be a historical lesson, but instead is a prime example of individual perception being the base of purpose. She strove to do God's work, rationalizing that darkness as a motivator to do more.

I suspect the dark night of the soul that Mother Teresa described may be the one common denominator that mankind shares. When looking to the past for any kind of inspiration, the times past mark history with many such as herself who were a light in the darkness for many, but who also privately questioned themselves and their own abilities (they doubted) which inspired them to levels of motivation most of us can only dream of. The childhood song goes "this little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine...", not I'm gonna see it shine. So even though we doubt (and we all do) others see, what we can't.

Historically speaking, someday President Bush will be remembered as a flame or an inflammation. This, like everything else mentioned here, is going to be a judgment made of individual perception. One thing that could unite us, even if history lessons won't, is to let our own lights shine.

Let them shine, let them shine, let them shine...

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Rolling Up The Welcome Mat

2007-08-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

Oklahoma House Bill 1804 is designed to enable local law enforcement officers the ability to check the citizenship of a person that has been arrested (either under felony charges or misdemeanor charges that qualify the individual to be placed in custody). HB 1804 does not give local authorities the power to deport, but it does give them the power to detain and turn over to ICE any individual that is questionable for a hearing before a federal deportation judge once they have satisfied the charges against them locally. Before HB 1804 local law turned over a couple of people to ICE a week. Since they have been given access to check citizenship that number, in one week alone, jumped 5 times. HB 1804 is also known as the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, which requires all local and state agencies to verify a person's citizenship before they can receive benefits. It was designed to not only remove individuals from the state that are breaking the law, but to ease the burden of welfare costs in the state.

HB 1804 is being blasted by critics as a means to single out the Hispanic population in Oklahoma by such groups as the American Dream Coalition and the Coalition of Hispanic Organizations. News reports from local individuals in the areas of town that the Hispanic population has settled are indicating that this bill is bad for business and will hurt the economy locally as many will seek to move away from the state to other locations in the nation that have less restrictive laws or just go back to their country of origin to avoid (as they allege) the profiling and discrimination that will accompany the empowerment of the local law enforcement agencies. It's been estimated that the illegal alien population in the last year or so had risen to around 20,000 in the Tulsa metro area. Some say that is a conservative figure and that the actual numbers might be double that. Regardless of the actual count, that number will be reduced over time with the combination of HB 1804 and the new federal laws that will soon go into effect mandating employers to verify citizenship or face large fines and possible imprisonment.

Nationwide news reports are indicating that the new federal laws are already hurting the dollars that have been flowing out of the US to the families of the illegal aliens that they were sending money home to. Oklahoma HB 1804 is this state's way of rolling up the welcome mat. It's our own way of saying, no mas. We won't be a sanctuary state any more to those who choose to come here illegally, regardless of their intentions good or bad. That is the bottom line really. Those well-meaning and "law-abiding" illegal aliens are still breaking the law, even though they can bend the truth in their own minds by justifying it with ideology that they are only providing for their families back home as best they can.

I can't respect that line of thought and will not allow myself to be sucked into the "poor them" spin that the open border lovers sing. I don't have any sympathy either for the businesses who made their money by hiring the illegal aliens to avoid paying the legal price of doing business. I doubt seriously that the nation will collapse because "there won't be anyone left to do the jobs we won't". It might mean a slight increase over the short term in the cost of doing business, but in the long-term the dollars saved in federal and state funding to subsidize the cost of doing business with the illegal element will more than pay off.

Although, there are those government agencies that will loose funding because the reduction in illegal aliens will reduce the dollars that they will have to work with. Take for example, the school system which is federally subsidized by the number of students they have. Not having the children of illegal aliens in some schools will drastically cut their funding. One of the local news agencies did a piece on an elementary school principle who was begging the illegals to bring their kids to school and promising that they wouldn't be subjected to citizenry checks. Excuse me, but this person's outpouring of humanity, saying she was worried about the kids, is suspect because her school funding is about to be drastically cut. It's also deplorable because as a state employee she should be the first to protect the law, not flagrantly encourage the abuse of it. I can only hope that the legal citizens of that school district have questioned the actions of this person. What kind of example really is she setting for her kids?

Our kids deserve a future that doesn't involve supporting an underlying illegal population which is draining our economy to subsidize a foreign economy that is dependent upon us to fix their problems. Our kids deserve to be free from a future in which the ability to speak Spanish is mandatory for them being able to be employed here in our own country. Our kids deserve a country that being a legal citizen has more rights, privileges and benefits through legally gained work than those who aren't legal citizens. They also deserve a life in which our borders are protected from those who aren't coming here to make a buck, but are intent on creating as much death and destruction as possible.

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Road Rage Run Amuck

2007-07-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

Recently, a 60'ish year old man shot and killed a 40 something male after being chased down a road and physically accosted in a public parkway. Onlookers gave their impressions of what happened and the shooter was cleared as a matter of self defense. By happenstance, I had a chance meeting with a former acquaintance of the man who lost his life shortly after this happened. The man relating the story had known the dead man for quite a few years and had other friends in common with him. All were aware of the man's inability to contain his emotions while driving. The former friend sadly related how the dead man's instability had got to the point that none of them would ride with him anymore. They were all afraid someday something like this would happen.

Sadly, this isn't an isolated incident. It doesn't just affect the male population either. Another recent story hit the news when a woman got cut off by a driver, flipped him off and honked her horn and got shot at for her efforts to show her displeasure. The bullet lodged in her child's carseat. Fortunately, it was empty at the time.

My youngest son recently completed a driver's ed class as part of the requirement to get his license. Do you know that part of the curriculum is dedicated to road rage? It's a sad state of affairs when children are taught that the law recognizes the fact that there is no way to protect them from others who use the roads and highways as a form of picking a fight with anyone that has the misfortune to be near them when they decide to go ballistic. It says a lot about how we as a society are miserably failing to curb impulsive behavior in general.

Road rage is becoming the new story of mice and men. The weekend following the 4th of July I had an eye-opening experience of what happens to fools who are distracted while driving. My experience was maybe an example of road rage in reverse...

At an intersection I was attempting to make a right turn and pull out into traffic utilizing a turn lane. Traffic to my immediate left was stopped by a light. As all poor drivers do, both cars stopped for it had used the white line as a means to hitch their front tires so when they got the green light they had less intersection to traverse. Which meant that I literally was creeping into the oncoming cross traffic to see around their cars. And I got rear-ended for my effort to be safe because of the two idiots sitting next to me. But they weren't alone that day on the road.

There was the idiot behind me who hit me hard enough to push my SUV a good foot further into traffic and giving my teeth a good rattling. So like a good driver I stop. That is what you are supposed to do when you are involved in a fender bender. I get out of my car, expecting that the driver behind me would be doing the same. I walk back to the rear of my car and see that the vehicle that hit me was a minivan and inside it were a 40 to 50 year old man (driving) and woman. I reach my bumper and realize that they had hit my tow hitch. Outside of a good jolt I was good to go. The minivan had a noticeable indentation in it's bumper. To my surprise I realize that the man was still in his vehicle. Now I knew he couldn't have been hurt because the damage was insignificant. As I turn to walk towards his car door, I realize that both had weird looks on their faces. He was rolling up his window and locking his door while his lady was on her cell phone with huge eyes and talking a mile a minute.

I am nearly 50 years old, I am 5'4" tall and weigh 130 lbs. I had on running shorts and a t-top. I was, evidently in their eyes, an aggressive person suffering from road rage who was gonna kick their butts right then and there. They looked like two deer caught in headlights. If traffic hadn't been backing up, I probably would have stopped to roll on the ground with laughter. As it was, I managed to stuff that down to a giggle and crooked my finger at the driver indicating he should remove his paralyzed ass from his seat and come talk to me. Reluctantly and very slowly, he eased out the car and when he was finally standing next to me was easily over 6' tall and better than 200 lbs of quivering flesh. The giggle had got past me somehow and now I had a huge smile on my face. Imagine that, in this poor schmucks eyes, I was the "intimidator".

I waited for the man to say something. Like maybe, "I'm sorry" or "Gosh, are you alright?". There was silence. I felt the smile slipping away from me as the silence grew. Finally, I said to him, "There wasn't any damage to my car, although your bumper has a pretty good dent in it. Look legally I had to stop and get out and make sure that whatever happened you don't want to call somebody." He stood there dumbstruck (or so it seemed to me) and blurted out, "I thought you were gonna go." Which mildly pissed me off as I was expecting an apology. I said, "You know I couldn't see around the two other cars waiting on the light." I felt like adding to that, "until you pushed me out into the lane and nearly got me hit by the on-coming car." Having given up on an apology at that point I repeated, "You are the one with damage, do you want to call somebody?" He quickly said, "no" and then followed that with a rather quiet, "I'm sorry." With that, I turned my back on him and got back in my car. Then I got pissed.

It hit me then, that the man knew he was wrong and was expecting me to ream him out. He assumed that he would catch hell for it and maybe even be the recipient of a nice little lawsuit. I got pissed because of a couple of reasons. First, he wasn't paying attention and could have got me hurt. Second, like so many asses in the world, he assumed that he would catch hell from me for it. I had the feeling that this wasn't the first time his inability to focus on the road had got him into a bad situation. It just so happened, this time for him would not evenly mildly create a hazardous outcome for him. More than likely his wife would give him hell for following too close, if anything came of it at all. But what I can only hope for is that this was a wakeup call for him to not put himself in situations where he potentially could end up on the wrong end of a gun. Realistically, I am more inclined to think he probably is playing Russian roulette with his poor driving habits. Someday, it won't be a petite middle-aged lady approaching him - more than likely it will be a rage-filled road warrior seeking scalps.

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Writing On The Run

2007-07-22T08:31:00.000-07:00

Back in April my life changed dramatically. I didn't realize at the time that taking a new job would shuffle my priorities to the point that it has. Obviously, this blog hasn't been one of the top ones in the last couple of months.

The job suits me well. It combines skills I learned as a young adult in the world of business with the second career I began when I became a nurse a decade ago. It will suit me well in the future as I age and spin closer to retirement. The only drawback is it is time-consuming at a time when it seems there isn't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything I need to do. I am living out of a suitcase more now than I was a year ago at this time. Commuting back and forth to work can be a draining experience in and of itself. Keeping up with two homes is a challenge. I've got a great family though and they accept the hours I keep and the quirks of today because they understand, not only my long-term goals, but how their future plans and dreams are incorporated into my own.

My home will become my oldest sons. I am slowly transitioning out of the picture there which will begin with my younger sons high school graduation in two years and be complete (hopefully) as the youngest finishes college and moves out on his own. At the time my youngest graduates from high school I will permanently relocate to live with (as our plans go) my future husband and complete an engagement that has lasted nearly 5 years now. In the time that he remains living with his brother and going to college, Mom will pay his rent to his older brother.

Right now as I write this my significant other is remodeling a room in his house to be a memory room for me. It will hold all my cherished memorabilia from years of being, not only a Mommy, but being me. Although we've shared our lives together for years now, it was never time for me to "move in". The time is drawing closer and for all of us the transition is beginning.

My younger son remarked to me the other day that it seemed his older brother seemed more emotionally involved with us, or as he put it, seemed to be realizing it wouldn't be much longer when we would no longer both be kicking around the house with him. I had privately come to the same conclusion and was impressed that my teenager had hit upon the same thought. This future reality has been driven home in the last month or so as I made "the list" of what would be moving with me. I spent a couple of hours inventorying and measuring. I described the "memory" room and gave my sons an idea of what the finished room would look like. For my sons having the "girlie" stuff taken from various places in the house has left them with the decision as to what would cover the walls and fill the corners instead. Laughingly, they've informed me that the manly way to go would be to replace my antiques and Renoir prints with posters of interest to them (i.e. Metallica, Nascar, etc.). Lord only knows what will fill the empty corners...

My better half has a nearly 100 year old house, which he has maintained a rustic look to in the interior. He leans towards different stained paneling hung horizontally which gives each room an individual look. He gutted the room with it's very dark and chinked paneling to accommodate the changes I wanted. I chose a bead board paneling (both ceiling and vertically on the walls) which will be painted white. He has already completed the ceiling and it looks great. He will rebuild the window sills and door jambs and even the interior room door panels to fit the old look to the room that I wanted. As it isn't an overly large room (12' X 10') along the top of the walls will run a shelf to put pictures, smaller antiques, and bric-a-brac that I don't want to give up. I have chosen a steel blue (my better half thinks it is gray) carpeting, which will go very well with my fondness for blue that comes out in the furniture I'll bring and the curtains that will hang on the windows. This will be the brightest room in the house when done and with it's eastern exposure will be an ideal place to house a few plants and make a peaceful setting to drink my coffee in the morning while reading the paper in my chair by the window. I am thrilled that my better half is making this happen for me, although I think he has an ulterior motive in which by creating a room for me his manly house won't acquire some serious feminine overtones. But that is all good, as I like his house that he basically remodeled himself and I don't feel the need to change it or him in the process of moving in. Having my own space is enough.

As to the rest of my furnishings that won't go with me, based upon what my oldest son wants and needs they'll either go the way of a yard sale or stay for him to use. I won't need any of it when I move permanently. But it is so nice to know that what I cherish will have a place to go. The plans are that when the room is finished I'll begin to relocate my things. As to the changes, I am looking forward to being able to feel more at home wherever I am. When you are the only female in a male dominated environment, having a feminine retreat is priceless.

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Could Have, Should Have, Would Have

2007-05-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

Hindsight is great, if you learn and build from the past. But, when that turns into "could have, should have, would have's" the doubts and regrets of what didn't happen often leave the experience more traumatic than it initially was.

It seems to me that most of what we hear today in the news is filled with "CSW's". An event occurs and immediately the armchair generals, politicians, quarterbacks, lawyers, theologians, financiers, and talking heads in general are lined up to rehash the event into something other than what it really was. When you're in the 12th hour after an event, the news is already old but it seems that there is always someone left that has something to say about it. At that point we are subjected to opinions that often are well past the point of being enlightening or thought provoking (that is unless you count that thought that passes through your mind of "would that jerk just shut the !@#% up!").

Some news never dies. It comes back on an unbidden and irregular basis to remind you that you experienced the moment once, but you haven't experienced THIS part of the moment yet. Take for instance OJ. So now the clothes he wore when he was handed down his verdict are up for sale. $25,000 will get you "the suit" with shirt and tie included. The skidmarks (left during the final moments before the foreman of the jury began to speak) have (un)fortunately not been preserved for humanity to bid on. Surely that was something that was overlooked at the moment. Think about it - they could have saved those, probably should have saved them, then we would have had a better understanding of just how close to the pucker factor OJ really was at the moment. Oh those "CSW's". The "what if's" in life abound...

The moral of this story? Those who make their livelihoods in regaling us with their opinions of what could have happened, why it should have happened, and more importantly would have happened are oftentimes leaving us with a version of an event that really reeks.

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