Let Freedom Ring...

I may be a little behind on this but saw it and wanted to support the cause. As you may know a number of states voted to ban gay marriage, something I definitely don't agree on. While I do see where people might have a problem with it from a religious standpoint and the fact of churches marrying gays, I do not see where these couple can not be united by a justice of the peace (government official) and be given recognition as their partner's husband/wife. Gay unions should not be viewed as sub par. There is supposed to be a separation of church and state in this country. This is just hate!

I found a way to show my disagreement with what happened via first going here to "WTF Have I Done" Julie's blog and then going to visit with Kayla and Rufus on their mom's blog "the state that i am in" here and after seeing Erin showing her support on her blog with her post pointing me to "Diary of a Modern Matriarch" here (where you too may go to show your support if you'd like). So, this is what I think of this ban...




P.S. Do me a favor and ignore the bitten-down finger nail and the profound need for some hand lotion, just take in the true sentiment of the picture :-)

Ok, these are two of the best Speak-Outs:
and

Halloween 2008

Another Halloween and I have to say I really enjoyed myself. It is Jason's favorite holiday and he always wants to go all out and I must say I am a little scared by this and in normal fashion not totally into something someone else is totally obsessively into, but this year I did make steps towards embracing Jason's enthusiasm for the Halloween holiday.

We spent the evening in DC and met up with friends with the understanding that we were pretty much just going to one bar and not doing a lot of moving around as the bar we picked was near the beginning of the annual "Nightmare on M Street" event. We chose Buffalo Billiards which when we got there at about 7:30 we were the only one's in costume, but this eventually, like all other bars in the neighborhood didn't last long. We did make one venture out down to M Street to attempt going into Sign of the Whale because we were told there was no line - I don't know who told that lie as the line was all the way down the block when we got there and wasn't moving, so we returned to BB, where we were able to avoid the line getting in there since we had already been there. It was pretty cool, I must say, to walk around though and see everyone's costume and join in the weird camaraderie of the evening.

I want to thank our friend Ray for his advice on going to the website vampfans.com to order my fangs for the evening - they were awesome - looked good, felt pretty natural, didn't keep falling out and best of all didn't make me keep gagging with a gag reflex - woo hoo. We had done a "dry run" of our costumes by attending a halloween party the weekend before - another great time - and I had to try and use the store bought plastic ones after the fang kit I bought at the costume store completely sucked.

As you can tell by the last picture in the bunch it was a "fun" night and I was done in by the end of it. Luckily we stayed right down the block at the Hotel Madera
a Kimpton property where they allow pets (actually treat them well - next time we might go for the pet pampering package) which rocked because we were able to bring Lucie and Kira with us, so it was almost like going home at the end of the evening. The room was wonderful, the staff great - they said the dogs were good - didn't hear a peep - when I'm quite sure they did bark their heads off at least a little bit - I'm thinking everyone around us had to have been out enjoying their evening too :-)

I almost can't wait for next year....

Baby's got a Brand New Pair of Shoes

This morning I'm riding up the escalator at Metro Center standing on the right hand side, of course, and this older lady - I'd say in her late 50's early 60's walks on by me on the left hand side. Now, that just happening shows how lazy and pathetic I really am, but to top it all off she's walking by me up the escalator stairs in a pair of heels - I'd say about a 2in heel - and there I stand on the right with my brand-new flat Naturalizer shoes. Something is definitely wrong with this picture. Me in a pair of flat Naturalizers and this older lady sporting some stylish 2in heels. I have to say though I do love my new shoes. Just bought them last night after another agonizing day in my ankle boots which have a two inch heel. I loved these boots when I first bought them two or three years ago - they were so comfortable, perhaps it's because they are old that that is why they hurt now and maybe all that I have to do is buy a new pair of boots which will have padding in the sole area. Yay - more shopping!!!

I actually got two pairs last night one flat pair (the Cresson) and the other, I went out on a ledge here, a 1 1/4 in hee (the Gaston) l!! Aren't they cute? Very, very comfortable!!

Women Please Get Out and Vote

Preview for the 2004 HBO movie Iron Jawed Angels. A very powerful movie which all women should watch to remind us what had to be done in order to give us our right to vote. A reason for all of us to exercise this right!

Register to Vote - DC & VA Deadline Today - MD Oct 14

Saw this on Julie's http://juliezilla.blogspot.com/ blog and had to copy. Please remember to vote and register to do so in time.

Grumblings and Ramblings

I keep getting the following e-mail from friends about some guys brilliant plan regarding what should be done with the bailout money:

Hi Y'all,

I'm against the $85,000,000, 000.00 bailout of AIG.

Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000, 000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.

To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+. Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up.

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billion that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,0 00 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.

Of course, it would NOT be tax-free.

So let's assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes.

That sends $25,500,000, 000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket.

A husband and wife has $595,000 .00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved.

Repay college loans - what a great boost to new grads

Put away money for college - it'll be there

Save in a bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs.

Buy a new car - create jobs

Invest in the market - capital drives growth

Pay for your parent's medical insurance - health care improves

Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at
Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 ( "vote buy" ) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.

If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG - liquidate it.Sell off its parts.Let American General go back to being American General.

Sell off the real estate. Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.
Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.

Sure it's a crazy idea that can "never work."

But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party! How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion We Deserve It Dividend more than do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.

It does sound like it would be a really nice plan and would be wonderful if people were responsible. But people aren't - not average American citizens, not big industry, not politicians. I actually don't trust my fellow Americans to use this bailout money responsibly any more than I trust the big companies. I, myself, would probably do some of the responsible things, but not all of them. Everyone needs a system of balance and checks - it's when this goes wrong that crap hits the fan.

I think that there were plenty of people who did not think and should be held responsible for what happened to them. People who overspent/took on mortgages, that they had no business taking on in the first place. Just because someone tells you you can afford a $500,000 mortgage doesn't mean you really can and if you are pressed as it is to get the house going for the financing the jacked up way it was being offered is about the dumbest thing. We were told we could afford a place for about $100,000 more than we actually bought for, but we used our brain and said seriously there is no way we can swing that - what if something unexpected came down the road, we used our brains and said hell no to an ARM and splitting the loan with one being an interest only loan - could be because I saw others years ago (10 years) struggling with their mortgages when they had ARMs when the rates started going up at that time - I remember them scrambling to refinance. Even then, myself, I had a fixed rate - it might have been the conservative way to go, but that's me. Now, I can see the beauty of an ARM don't get me wrong, it does help people get into a house or place of their own, but use your brain people, buy a condo or a smaller, less expensive place - it's still yours - in other words buy what you can really afford, consult someone other than the person selling you the house/mortgage/doing the financing, someone who is not vested (going to make money off of your purchase) in your buying the place.

This doesn't even mention the people I see every day saying that they are struggling to make ends meet, when they have a car which is brand new every two or three years, brand new tvs, furniture, etc. not to mention purses and jewelry that cost over $300 for just one purse - they buy all this crap on credit or spend their cash on these items not even considering that they still have to make it through weeks until they get paid again and darn they didn't buy the necessities for the household - food, toilet paper, etc. These people obviously don't know what to do with their money and then after it happens over and over again I'm supposed to feel sorry for them? Now, I'm not perfect and I have credit card debt and, those who know me, know that I am apt to overspend here and there, but I do keep an eye on it and I do make efforts not to let myself get carried away and not think one day if I keep it up and don't curb myself that I will have to pay the piper and I'm not willing to let myself get to that point - learned my lesson the first time I got a bit in over my head.

I feel bad for the people who really are struggling, who have lost their jobs because they have been laid off because of the economy and have then been forced to lose their houses. And what has happened to the economy due to the unchecked running of companies is atrocious. Something has to be done.

Some of my rambling and not feeling bad is probably due the fact that no one is offering me a lower mortgage rate like they are offering people I know so that they can stay in their houses cause they over spent. Me, who was responsible, only spent what I could, me who is trying to watch the bills, etc. I have to continue to pay what needs to be paid. Me who was responsible, doesn't get the breaks and handouts that the irresponsible get. It just sorta sucks sometimes when you think about it that way.

The Secret Life of Bees

I just finished reading this and this is what I typed on my goodreads page about the book. Normal rambling....

This book has been on my to-read list for quite some time now and I am really glad that I finally got around/made time to read it. What took me so long was that I had heard so many good things about it - "It's a good book", "It's a great book", "You should really read this book", etc. I know, so why did it take so long for me to get to reading it could be a mystery, but for those who know me, they might know that I shy away from things that everyone else just loves to death. I think sometimes it's because I just can't believe all the hype and I have been disappointed in some of the other recommendations that come oh, so highly recommended. The other reason is that (unless I wasn't paying attention and that can happen, we all know) every time it was recommended, no one really told me what it was about or didn't give me insight to some of the background of the book, that to me would have piqued my interest.

I enjoy reading (hhhmmm, how to word this) books that have history or historical facts in them (that works - wanted to make sure people didn't think I enjoyed reading about oppression and conflicts of the sort addressed in the book- civil rights). Anyways, reading about the way that things were and knowing how things have changed in some regards and in others not so much really gets me thinking and I like that. I know that the underlying conflicts of civil rights was not the main point of the book but while reading about it it made me think about what I would have done or how I would have reacted in a number of the instances in the book. I feel as though I probably would have been beaten up myself because of the way I feel that that is, was wrong, but then I wonder, would I really have spoken up or would I have just thought about the injustice as a silent observer. See, inner reflection happening.

Ok, that's enough rambling for now, and can't really say it's a review of the book or anything, just my thoughts as I finished up reading the book. It was well written and I enjoyed it is what I can say about the book.

Just Another Weekend

Not much to report for this past weekend. Went out for a little while on Friday night. Went to a baby shower on Saturday for a girlfriend who is due the end of October. It was a good time. Watched the movie Sunshine on Saturday night - pretty interesting - it is directed by the guy (Danny Boyle) who directed 28 days later and 28 weeks later and had a little bit of the same feel - filmwise as they did or maybe it's because it's British, i don't know. I would say I liked it. On Sunday we watched the Redskins win and the Steelers lose so, some good and some bad. That's about it. Sorry to be boring, trying to get back into posting, we will see how it goes.

Friday and Other Thoughts

Today is Friday - Woo Hoo. The day we look forward to all week, or at least I definitely do. I was riding the metro and though this is something I do almost everyday and most Fridays, this morning I noticed just how many people were wearing jeans and it struck me as funny. Funny to see all the people you normally see in suits or at least khakis and dress slacks or skirts and dresses or pants depending on their sex wearing jeans. It goes to show you how many offices have a jeans day Friday and how we the people really do embrace it. In my office we get to wear jeans only on certain Fridays and that is in conjunction with some time of charity fundraiser. Today's good cause is for:

SNEAKERS@WORK DAY, launched in 2007, is a sweeping nationwide workplace-based awareness and fundraising event, which will bring major attention to the #2 cancer killer among men... prostate cancer. One hundred percent (100%) of every dollar raised through SNEAKERS@WORK DAY goes directly to American Prostate Cancer Initiative and its S@W DAY partners, Us Too International, The Dean and Betty Gallo Prostate Cancer Center at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the Prostate Cancer Mission/Florida, to support Prostate Cancer awareness, patient education, advocacy and research programs that might otherwise go unfunded.

All employees who contribute $5 (minimum) may wear sneakers AND appropriately fitting jeans on Friday. All employees who contribute $10 may wear sneakers AND appropriately fitting jeans, and will receive a pair of SNEAKERS@WORK DAY trademark blue shoelaces.

Have you ever noticed that if you walk down the street with a smile on your face and you actually aim it at someone, they may look surprised but the majority will return your smile and you can actually see it effect them by lightening up their mood and hopefully their day. I will warn it's a little easier with women then men or at least with me - for some reason I feel that some of the guys are thinking "What is she trying to pick me up or something?" - Must be my killer looks - lol - or maybe it's just my overactive imagination. Anyways, it's one of my favorite things to do to brighten up my day as well as hopefully other - go ahead try it I dare you.

How about elevators. In our office we have to swipe our key card to get access to the floors we need to go to - good security. The one thing I dislike though is the person who gets on the elevator first, swipes their card, selects there floor and then never moves away from the panel making it completely inconvenient for anyone else to get to it in order to select their floors - grrrrr.

Ok, enough for this morning, got to head up to our cafe where on Fridays, we are treated to donuts, bagels, muffins, fruit cups and yogurt on the firm - double Woo Hoo.