state of the union continued

I better hurry downstairs now and see if Abe and George are standing beside Bush!

state of the union

I posted this pic on my flickr pics last year but on this day I think it bears pondering again.

I guess it's comforting to know that the ghosts of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington (note how slender George Washington looks here, ghostliness becomes him) are guiding our current president. Or maybe they're praying for him to find a brain? I'm not really certain what role the Statue of Liberty and Iwo Jima memorial play but it must not be very important since they don't glow.

For those interested in adding this lovely artwork to their home or office you can purchase it here. Personally, I'd like a 20" x 40" to hang over my bed so it's the first thing I see every morning.

nosering update

Day 5 without the nosering and Steven still hasn't noticed.

Wonder what that indicates?

finally getting that piece of glitter off my nose...

Well Lee can't try to take the piece of glitter off my nose anymore...

When I got out of the shower yesterday I took out my nosering and threw it away.

Time to grow up.

No more nosering.

I don't regret it but I'm still sad. For years I said that when I got pregnant or had a baby I would take it out. (I don't want to be one of those mothers who thinks she's still a teenager.) Yesterday I decided time was up. I just felt it was the right moment to take it out. I was afraid I'd change my mind if I kept it so I threw it away as soon as I took it out.

After having a nosering for over 10 years it feels weird knowing it's completely gone. I took it out all the time but it feels different knowing I'll never put it back in.

I loved the way it looked and in some ways it felt like a piece of armor. "If you don't love me with this, than I don't need your love." "Go ahead. Pre-judge me. I'll prove all your stereotypes wrong." I really loved that one. Over the years I found people make all kinds of stereotypes about people with noserings. They weren't all bad ones either. I felt like I pushed beyond those stereotypes, both positive and negative, and showed that I was just me. Having a nosering didn't make me "cooler" or "edgier" nor did it make me a deviant. It just meant that I liked silver and the way it looked in my nose.

No more. No thin silver hoop. No tiny "diamond." No small silver ball. Just a nose with a hole in it (which Steven hasn't even noticed yet, just goes to show you how much attention he pays to my appearance!)

progress

I finally feel like we are making progress towards building our family!

Steven and I attended a "Newborn Care Class" at the hospital on Monday night. This was great because it felt like something everyone does before starting a family. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone had ever taken the class there who wasn't pregnant and they couldn't quite seem to figure out what to do with us. It was a small class (4 couples, including us, and a single woman). There were several awkward moments and some that just made me sad and feel a longing to be a mother.

Tomorrow we have an "Infant/Child CPR" class. I don't really know what to expect with this one, but I imagine there will be some awkwardness with this one too since it wouldn't let me register online without entering my due date, physician and labor coach. Obviously I had to make up stuff for those spaces and explain our situation in the "Comments" section.

My greatest excitement is that after our class tomorrow we're going to pick up our crib! Yeah! I can't wait to get home and watch Steven assemble it. I'm anxious to put the bedding in it and really begin transforming the room into a nursery (currently it has returned to junk room status with boxes of Christmas decorations littering the floor).

On Monday our new social worker is coming over for our Home Study Update Visit. The key word in that sentence is new. The agency handling our Home Study explained that the social worker who worked with us before is still having some issues so they assigned us a new one. I feel for our original social worker and pray that whatever is happening in her life works out but I feel reassured knowing we will be working with someone else from now on. Hopefully this time our documents will be turned in correctly and on time.

It's a nice change to feel like we're moving forward instead of standing still.

my little sis

(pic from an earlier 30K)

Just wanted to share with the world how proud I am of my little sis. Yesterday, while I was sleeping, sitting in church, eating lunch and riding in the car she was running a marathon!

She continually leaves me awestruck.

killed by...

I had even more fun with this one than what I look like!

Okay, so here's the deal, find out how you end your life, the google way. Go to google, type "(your first name) was killed by" and see what the end of life holds in store for you. (example- "Mary was killed by") Remember to use the quotations marks, else it wont work.

1. Shanna- looks like I don't die...sorry guys, your stuck with me!

2. Clyde - My husband Clyde was killed By A Camaro ...figures

3. Nicole (Grace) - Nicole was killed By The Mafia For stealing coke from them

4. Hoo - "Christina was killed by her businessman husband (John Stamos)" ....Seriously???

5. Chelsea - Between "Chelsea was killed by a stray bullet", "Chelsea was killed by a coyote", and "Chelsea was killed by another vampire", I think I've had enough of death.

6. Shana - My only option is "Shana was killed by a drunk driver", but that just doesn't make for good comedy. Instead I tried "Shana was born with" and got "Shana was born with a bowel blockage" and "Shana was born with missing fingers and a clubfoot."

7. Josh - Josh was killed by mistake by Mr. Wu's men because Josh was wearing Frisco's jacket.

8. Rebeca - I had to spell my name wrong to obtain my manner of death on google--"Rebecca was killed by ricocheting bullets"--but since whatever records my death will probably spell my name wrong anyway's it seems like a fair result. (I also tried it in Spanish with my actual spelling and this too returned no results.)

9. Jo Ann - I don't! LOL....but I did find this which cracked me up: "Then Jo Ann Chavez Killed by the Mexican Mafia"

10. Chuck was killed by a public vote, not by the mafia.

11. Matt was killed by the silence of educated well meaning people who pretend to have an enlightened view of homosexuality while quietly tolerating the abuse. With a back-up: DANGEROUS MATT was killed by Scorpius.

12. Nick was killed by Herpes. ...

13. STEPHANIE was killed by YUENGLING in A 1 MINUTE fight. (But Yuengling is my 2nd favorite beer!!! Oh Geez! What a way to die!)

14. "Virginia was killed by the blind, skeletal forms of Medieval knights Templar whose devil worshipping has given them immortality and a need/craving for human blood… " Sounds like fun!

what i "look like"

A friend posted this on myspace and I had so much fun with it I couldn't help but post it here!

Google the phrase "(YOUR NAME) LOOKS LIKE" and find the best one from the first page of results. (example: "Mary looks like") Don't forget to put it in quotes, otherwise it won't work. Add yours to the bottom of the list and repost this.

1. "Amber looks like Monica Lewinsky, only less attractive." -aww really!! do you think so! wow thanks!

2."Kyle looks like a rather fetching cross between Jessica Simpson and Tori Spelling when Donna Martin had red hair and owned that clothing boutique." hahahaha holy shit thats so random i love it!

3. "Alissa looks like a promising candidate for taking her moms place as crew boss, with her attention to detail and her desire to manage her unruly co-workers." hahahahaha wow

4. "Jason Looks like total crap." There was also another good one right next to it. "Jason looks like a chicken while he's running."

5. "Stephanie looks like a natural on her first climb ever.." I think they must have been watching me on New Years Eve trying to get up my apartment stairs.

6. "Sasha looks like she is enjoying the stimulation." HMMM.

7. "Angie looks like trash". wow, whos been spying on me?

8. "Melissa looks like a piece of plain, trailer park trash in desperate need of a tan, but at least she couldnt be mistaken for a bum." well, yeah. trailer park trash girls have so much more character than bums.

9. "Tracy looks like she may pull her arm from its socket if she isn't called on." (((OR))) "Tracy looks like she pierced my rightnipple very crooked."

10. Laura looks like shes about to breastfeed those pups."(or)Laura looks like thekind of sweater you would wear often...comfy, simply elegant and cozy

11. "Liz looks like a rockstar with slurpees" or "Liz lookslike someone sprinkled her with magic"

12. "holly looks like" a nice girl, but most people who know her end up in jail.she preys on suckers - watch out. :::end transmission:::. LMAO... this was really on google!!! linked to a Myspace profile, of course!

13. "Virginia looks like Ward Burton sounds." Not really sure that's intended as a compliment...but since I live in South Boston and he told me at a Super Bowl party once that I had a pretty name, how could I not post this one?

teaching from the heart

Teaching from the Heart

by Ennis William Cosby

What got me involved in the educational field was my experience student teaching for a year at Dean Rusk Elementary School. Three days a week, I was assigned to teach, as an assistant, 24 third graders. I felt that this experience would be rewarding because a true test for a healer is to heal people who need it most. After two weeks of working at the school, the teacher, who was female, brought to my attention that the young black males in the class who had no fathers would do better academically when I was in the classroom than on the days I was absent. That is what convinced me that I was needed in the academic field.

It amazed me that academic performance by children could be altered by a simple motivational factor like a direct role model. I was aware of the statistical dominance of female teachers in the academic field, and I felt that as a male I would have a lot of influence on children who had no fathers or on children who had dyslexia. Of course, the group of students I imagined would look at me as a direct role model would be black males who have dyslexia.

I got so involved with the elementary school that I began to go to the special education classes and offer my services to the teacher. I really bonded with the kids in the special education class. I was teaching from the heart, and the kids' biggest needs seemed to be a teacher who cared about them and their individual needs. The greatest reward for me was working with a child who began to read his first words after just three weeks.

Just like being a therapist, I feel that educating children is a form of healing. Working at this school was a confidence booster because if I could relate to these kids and get positive results, I knew I could teach anywhere. The measure of a great teacher is working with the most raw, unrefined students and making a change. It just seems too easy measuring a teacher's ability when that teacher is already working with students who are successful in school.

In the middle of my last year in college, I knew that I wanted to work with children who had learning disabilities. I wanted to go to a graduate program that would be the best at providing me with the newest information. There were two events in my life that were extremely important. The first was graduating from college. The second was accomplishing the goal of getting into graduate school even though I am dyslexic.

Since leaving Atlanta, I have not taught in the classroom. I have no real experience as a teacher, but I do have some natural attributes that I feel may help me become an elite teacher. First, I have a natural love for children, and children get along with me very well. It is one of those nonobservable variables that exists between me and childen. I am far from being perfect, but I get along well with most children.

Second, I believe in chances, so I do not give up on people or children. I know that if I have a class full of kids, I would want all of them to be successful students. I believe in finding solutions to any and every problem. I don't believe in quitting because of all my academic experiences. With all the chances I was given, I am going to give all of my students as many chances as they need to find themselves as students.

Third, I believe teachers need to bond with students. When I reflect on my favorite teachers in my life, they were teachers who were my friends, too. I see teachers wearing many titles besides TEACHER. I see psychologist, mother, father, friend, and adviser. I believe students react to my behavior. The more I give of myself, the more they will give back to me.

Fourth, I believe in a saying one of my favorite teachers told me: "Whatever you teach a child, it will not be digested completely by that student until he leaves your classroom." I feel that learning is a slow process, and patience is a very crucial quality to have as a teacher.

Lastly, my best quality is I am very personal with all students. I work with kids and try to make them feel that I understand them. I am very stern on good morals and manners. I am not old fashioned. I just believe in respect, honesty, and truthfulness. I feel that children will be better students if they become better people. I will teach things that are not in the books. For instance, I believe that children will be better students if they like each other better or if they like themselves better. I believe that stability starts inside and then reflects out of a person. So, my tactics would involve molding the student completely. I feel this is how I would get the most out of my students. What makes me believe in my system is the fact that my favorite teachers had the same type of philosophies as I do.

How will my experiences influence change in the school system? I am soon to be a teacher who can influence change by my experiences as a victim of the system. I believe that if more teachers are aware of the signs of dyslexia and learning disabilities in the class, then less students like me will slip through the cracks of the system. I also feel that the special education programs need to be changed. From my personal experiences, I feel that special education needs to be a combination of one on one and group teaching.

I believe in fairness within the system. I just want all students to have an equal opportunity. I have a lifetime to devote to making the school system more balanced in any way I can.

© 1998 The Estate of Ennis William Cosby.

hello friend - Ennis William Cosby foundation

add me to the list of people who were taken in

It appears I fell for the proverbial hook, line and sinker on this one.

The Smoking Gun revealed yesterday that James Frey's book A Million Little Pieces is largely a work of fiction. The Smoking Gun article, A Million Little Lies, exposes the truth about James Frey's past and it appears he took quite a bit of dramatic license with his criminal past among other things.

I received this book as a Christmas present from a couple who, by their own admission, are not readers. After 45 minutes in a Barnes & Noble trying to figure out what I might enjoy they finally asked a clerk what the latest Oprah Book Club read was. They were handed A Million Little Pieces.

When they gave the book to me the apologized profusely because they didn't realize it was about a recovering addict until they were wrapping it. They were concerned I would be offended. I laughed and told them as long as it wasn't a self-help book about how to recover from an addiction I wasn't offended (truthfully, I was just thrilled to have an excuse for reading an adult book!).

Once I started the book I couldn't put it down. For the next 2 days I read the gripping "memoir." I even tried reading some of the more compelling parts out loud to Steven. (For those who've read it, he finally snapped at me to stop when I tried reading about the root canal done without anesthesia.) I was completely enthralled with this book. I didn't agree with James Frey's "I'm better than you" attitude or his mean-spirited-ness about the existence of a Higher Power but I gave him leeway. I decided that self-loathing yet self-righteous attitude was what helped him overcome his addiction and his past. Now it appears he is on a power trip. He really thought he was smarter than the whole rest of the world.

Come on, in today's world you have to know you're going to get caught if you tell lies this big!

favorite description of me

I'm trying to clean out the in-box of my main e-mail account and had to smile when I came across an old e-mail where a friend wrote:

PS You ARE a modern Christian girl with old-fashioned values!

Of all the ways I've been described in my life (some nice, some not so nice) this is my favorite.

Thanks, Mindi sunshine!

`Twas the Night of the Rose Bowl

`Twas the Night of the Rose Bowl!

`Twas the night of the Rose Bowl, and all through the land,

All the Longhorns were stirring, even the band.
The tickets were purchased for the game, room, and air.
In hopes that "Saint Vincent" would soon be there!!

The fans were tailgating from their truck beds,
While a vision of a championship danced in their heads.
And Bevo in his bridle, and me in my cap.
Had just popped a cold one before the first snap.

When out on the turf there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter!!
My eyes fixed on the tunnel, and the thundering herd;
The roar of the fight song; I sang every word!!

They ran to the end zone, and knelt to their maker.
Giving thanks for TEXAS, and the victory later!!
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear.
Coach Mack in his glory, "THE HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR"!

And our hero from Houston that I haven't seen since;
I knew in a moment it must be "Saint Vince"!
More rapid than eagles his posse they came.
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name!

Now, THOMAS! Now, TAYLOR! Now, PITTMAN and SWEED!
On, CHARLES! On, GRIFFIN! ROSS, HUFF and McGEE!
To the top of the world for a championship crown!
Now dash away, dash away, to a TEXAS touchdown!

They fought with fury! They fought with might!
They fought like champions on this championship night!
Oh! The bombs they flew, and the holes blew open.
The Longhorns ran the ball just as we were hop'in.

The defense attacked, and oh, they played hard!
Stopping the Trojans, in their own back yard!
Mack's eyes how they twinkled, his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, the "crystal ball" he did carry!

He embraced his coaches, he embraced his team!
And "The Eyes of TEXAS" we all did sing
A season that will live forever in lore;
COME EARLY, WEAR ORANGE, STAY LATE, once more!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, TEXAS!!

HOOK 'EM HORNS!!

Come see us at www.GuitarsandCadillacs.com!

Let's hope this comes true!

some ghosts are just a little hungry

According to the site Long Island Oddities local legend (one that I don't remember at all) holds that the Pizza Hut in Centereach is haunted.

If I'm going to haunt a food establishment after I die I sure hope it's a place with good coffee. I won't be able to taste it but hopefully I will still be able to smell it. I pity the ghost that's doomed to smell pizza or grease for all eternity. I think the ghost in the story from my childhood who haunts The Country House Restaraunt in Stony Brook is much better off than the poor Pizza Hut ghost.