Category Archives: Everyday Stuff

Just an area for what I’m doing on an everyday basis.

Political Figures

Posted on Wednesday August 26th, 2009 by | Comments Off on Political Figures

I’m sadden by the passing of Ted Kennedy. I’m not a big fan of the Kennedy family legacy stuff and Camelot talk.

JFK & RFK each had potential, but it was not realized so why go on about it what could’ve been. And honestly with out the political capital that LBJ got with his reelection after JFK’s death the Civil Rights and the Great Society programs would’ve never passed. That legislation really helped to move our society forward and gave the poor and old the safety nets.

What also always bothered me about how people go on about the Kennedy is family is how they gloss over and white wash over Joe Kennedy’s shaddy business/political dealings and his Anti-Semitism. The good thing he did was teaching his family public service, even if it was for his own ambitions it worked out in the end that they had a positive effect on the country. The generations following him are the ones that built the Kennedy name for public service.

But Ted Kennedy’s story is interesting in that you see someone who was over shadowed by his brothers and when they murdered, he had an intense pressure put on him about going for president. So in a lot of ways, even with his wealthy upbringing, he was set up to fail. But he found away to come out on his own….especially after the pressure of becoming president was removed. He keep his humility and didn’t care if he didn’t get credit if it would derail the goal. He honestly tried to help people who were less fortunate and that I admire, because he really didn’t have to.

I think what saddens me is the end of the era when our elected officials (overall) use to know how to work together even if they were very partisan. They knew that they were there to serve us and do what was right, not use the system just for themselves. They were able to argue, fight over issues but still respect each other afterwards. They no longer actually learn about the issues and work them. That is what is missing today.

What is also kind of strange is that Ted Kennedy has been in the Senator my whole life. Kind of weird to know that he will no longer be there, even if hasn’t been there for the last year. You just knew that he was there fighting for the less fortunate and it was reassuring to know that someone in power thought of them and was doing their best.

While today, one of the GOPers in the gang of six admitted to his town hall that he was there to stop health care. So he is either a liar and a coward to the people that voted him in or a liar and coward to the other senators he serves with….that is just screwed up….he really doesn’t care about what is good for this country…he isn’t offering solutions, just knows how to say no.

I had so hoped that Kennedy would be able to come back enough to help get health care passed. We needed someone with his stature, backbone and know how to get it passed.

But I knew when he didn’t go to his sister’s funeral that the end was near. And then when we heard the breaking news on ABCNews (none of the other news sites had it yet), the last images of Diesel start to play in my head. I started to pic how Kennedy looked towards the end, because we just saw the same thing happen to D. =( Then images of other friends that lost their lives to brain tumors. It is a horrible way to go….but, at least for him, he got to live his life fully….our friends didn’t get to see their kids/grandkids grow up and start to live their lives.

All the stories and memories that I’m reading about Kennedy doesn’t help, sounds like someone that would’ve been interesting to meet. And I’m a MAJOR sucker for a good life story and I’m a softy for them. So I tear up often and easily…..it really drives me nuts…because I can’t never enjoy the story without getting a stuffy nose and having to blow it….blah

I got the feeling I’ll be picking up Ted Kennedy’s memoir when it comes out….that is a lot of history.

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Evening Everyone!

Posted on Saturday August 22nd, 2009 by | Comments Off on Evening Everyone!

Been a while since I’ve posted.  Never sure what to post lately.  Our routine hasn’t really changed and nothing much as been going on.  And you saw my rant over a week ago……..lol  Just our normal gym, errands,  work and enjoying our cats as they do goofy things.

I’ve been trying to chill out on the political/social commentary here and keep it on twitter.  Short, to the point and easy to skip over if not interested in it………grin  But doesn’t mean that I won’t do here on an occasion.

Well, this week was ok at the gym.  I got my treadmill and abs in everyday, but didn’t get as much in on the weights as I should.  I need to step it up next week.  My weight has flat lined, I’m not too concerned but wouldn’t mind losing about 5# of jiggle.  I’m more focused on maintaining and developing more firmness in the arms and thighs.  I’ve always been weak in the arms.  =(

This week was bad on eating…..I maintained my calories overall, but too much sugar and sweet cravings.  Forgot that the week before my cycle my sweet tooth kicks in big time.  But if I’m able to maintain my calories during that, I consider that a victory.  =)

Our neighbor’s dog got skunked a few nights ago………lol  Hubby was closing the blinds to our balcony and saw a skunk run up the street with their dog behind it.  He told our neighbor that it was skunk.  We were hoping that it hadn’t sprayed.  It was finally cooling down and turning into a perfect night and we wanted to leave our windows open.  Well that didn’t happen, a few minutes later we smelled it…….doh!  Then hubby saw that the dog did get hit….lol  They were out there washing him in the drive way.  Hubby was laughing about it, he use to do that very summer to his dogs when he was a kid.  So happy that wasn’t him out there washing the dog………grin

We are back to perfect temps, 60s at night and 70s/80s during the day.  I love it.  So happy to be out of Indiana and Florida.

Today I was in worker bee mode…..just wanted to get things done around the house.  Hubby attacked the floors and vacuumed everywhere.  I made some egg salad.  I got our towels and bedding washed along with all our other laundry, so it was an all day thing.  The hardest part about making our bed, is switching out the duvet cover on the down bedcover just because it is a king it is so huge and heavy.  That gave me a work out….lol

I finally cleaned up the mess in our office closet.  It was mainly caused by me digging for cds when I lost my external hard drive and the music on it.  So that is finally straighten up and better then it was before.  We can actually walk in there.

I also got all of our flowers outside fertilized.  I’ve been disappointed that we haven’t had more flowers on our rose bushes. I watered them everyday during the heat wave and every other day in between the heats.  Hopefully the fertilizer will help….. I love having our roses in bloom.

Not sure what I’m doing tomorrow.  I’m hoping that my motivation to get things done continues.  I won’t mind doing some lite rearranging in the garage and maybe get some oatmeal cookies made for hubby…..otherwise I would like to get a walk in,  attack some picture galleries for my family and get some company work done in the evening.

Today was a great day for playing catch up with the family, dad and Cheyanne & Charles video chatted with me as mom shouted hello.  Cheyanne had to show me her new kitten, Angel.  She was also having a blast making faces at me as Charles keep making rabbit ears behind my dad’s head.  Just had to remind dad to IM me or text me before calling on skype….lol  I’m not always by my pc or have my headphones ready….grin  I called mom later since I hadn’t talked to her and ended up on speaker with her and dad as they were heading out to the racetrack.  Then Sandi returned my call and we ended up on the phone for 2hrs.

Well, I think that it is all that I have for tonight. =)

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Posted in Everyday Stuff, Family Stuff, Pics, Reflections

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Frustrations

Posted on Wednesday August 12th, 2009 by | Comments Off on Frustrations

I think I’ve been losing it.

I had to make a doctor appointment to get a referral on some my regular meds, well we don’t have a primary care physician, so I made it at the urgent care.  The reason why we don’t have a primary care doc is because I’ve been trying to get us insurance but the fracking blood sucking companies won’t cover me due to my meds….even though I’ve told them that they don’t have to cover them.  So we haven’t gotten a regular doc since I wanted to get insurance 1st since they are have to be in the network.

So I’m stuck paying high fracking clinic fees and then get forced to take a pregnancy test (pay for that), even we though take extreme protections and I just had my fracking monthly.  So there is nothing like watching news coverage of the morons at the town halls who are stupid enough to believe in the supposed “death panels” then have to deal with a test that means that I have to piss in a cup that I’m going to miss and get it on my fracking hands!  So that just really pissed me off.

I’ve been frustrated and annoyed ever since. I so hope that these morons don’t ruin the chance for health care reform.  I can’t even get fracking insurance unless I work for a mainstream company and lose my daily freedom.  I hate insurance companies, but you can’t go without the insurance due to the extreme costs.  I want a public option or that they allow us to get the same damn options that federal employees get and let me get it.

As you can see from my language, I’ve not been a happy camper.  I just want something to happen that will help me on getting us insurance and not screw us over…..which is happening all the time with damn insurance companies getting what they want and screw the rest of us.

I got my work done today, but was scattered on getting it done.  I can’t do that tomorrow.  Payroll is already here (where the hell did the time go?) so I need to get my work done and then attack my payroll prep.  So I’m trying to get things out of my system and focus.

Doesn’t help that I’ve been starving all day no matter what for some wacky reason.  My eating habits haven’t changed so WTF?

Sandi, she has been totally stressing out so we traded our frustrations.  Which was perfect for us.  It helps to clear our heads and relive some stress.

Hubby and I have been watching comedy ever since.  Watch Better Off Ted (I LOVE that show) and are watching the Muppet Show from netflix.  I hope I’m much better tomorrow.

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Hot Week!!!

Posted on Wednesday August 5th, 2009 by | Comments Off on Hot Week!!!

It has been a hot week and half…..yuck.  Yes, I know I’ve been complaining about it a lot, but when we moved here we didn’t expect to have this kind of heat.  We had a few days last year, but that was only in the low 90s….here we hit the 100s for 3-4 days. We set a new record of 10days of constant temps over 90.

We did set up our portable ac in the bedroom for a few days.  We tried not to use that much, because it really only gets that room and is noisy.  Central air is so much better….portable ac units are not efficient.  We love having fresh air, Oregon spoiled us on that because even if it gets humid it is no where near as bad as it gets in the midwest & Florida.

We got a high of 84 yesterday, which is perfect!  Takes the chill out of the house and is so comfortable.  Today the high ended up being about 74 area.  Our house is shaded in summer and with the nights get down to the 60s/50s again it left the house a little chilly longer today.  Kind of funky…went from barely wearing anything to hubby wearing a sweatshirt today….lol  Only in Oregon.

We are suppose to finally have a chance of rain in the next few days.  I really hope we get some, we haven’t had any in about a month.

Now with the temps more normal, time to see about planning some hikes.  I will admit we are so looking forward to the colors of fall already.

I’m watching Mamma Mia! again…….lol  I think I have the hots for Brosnan…..but then there are a lot of cute guys in it, even if they are on the young side….grin  Wow….sad that I now see the age on the young ones……lol  I didn’t recognize Rosie as Molly Weasley…I didn’t recognize Bootstrap Turner…..grin  Damn, I love my ABBA, way too many happy childhood memories to that music and I can’t hear that music without giving me images of Germany.

This weekend was payroll….every time you think you are finally done with one payroll period another sneaks up on you…lol  I finally got all the work caught up yesterday and was left feeling lost.  Today I had some work, but no where near the amount I had a few days earlier.

What I need to do is work on a few picture galleries for my family, back up my pc, and catch up our holiday letter.  I just haven’t been able to find focus and when I find motivation for it, it is time to bed….so messed up.  Now I need to pack some clothes for a few days.

A very good friend of ours mother’s has passed from a long fought illness and they are having a party to celebrate her life.  So we are heading up to Seattle for it.

Now for the record, that is what we want…no viewings, no memorials, no services…a party.  NO casket…just use every part of our bodies for transplanted and then cremate the rest.  Just throw my ashes in a box and released into the mountains…preferably Alaska or Oregon.  =)  Harold’s ashes are to be thrown in the ocean.  I haven’t done the legal paperwork for living will and remains disposal. But figured this is a good way to record my wishes for now while thinking about it. =)

My dad finally got skype and made his first call.  He didn’t warn me when he called so I didn’t have my head set ready…lol  I was just trying to get him to use the chat….grin  Then he wanted to use the cam feature.  Of course, that is a feature I’ve never used….so we both were learning that at the same time, it was funny.  Now he just needs more lighting. =)

I even got to show him Drew….lol It took him getting a new laptop to finally get skype…lol  Now I wonder if mom will ever use it.

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Posted in Everyday Stuff, Family Stuff, Pics, Reflections

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Hello Everyone!!

Posted on Sunday July 26th, 2009 by | Comments Off on Hello Everyone!!

Been a bit since I’ve done an entry. If you’ve been following my tweets, it has just been the normal daily routine…..working, getting things done around the house, doing errands and the gym.

We have tried to stick with our routines just to keep our mind busy. Mine keeps drifting to Diesel’s family and I’ve been dropping them emails.

It is HOT…yuck. It is going to get hotter…blah. I know places like FL and IND gets hotter and stickier but for OR, the place where central air is not standard, it is hot. If it wouldn’t go past the mid 80s, it would be perfect. But we are suppose to hit the 100s in the next 3 days…ugh! Which also means the gym is going to be stuffy. Need to make sure we get treadmills near the fans.

I’ve been making progress and I hit the weight goal that I set when I started about 18 months ago. So I’m pretty pleased, just need to get rid of some more jiggly. I’m not sure what I want tightened more, my ass, thighs or abs. Ab wise, I’ve never had a tight one even when I was younger and in shape….so that is actually out realistically and I do like my curves. So I think I really would like to see my legs tighten up because I use to stop traffic with them. =) Either way, I’ll just keep with my exercise program and keep counting my calories. That is the only way.

Hubby and I are trying to decide where are next hike is going to be. We’ve been in OR for about 2 yrs and have yet to visit Mt Hood, then there is the Bend area and Crater Lake….not sure. Trying to decide if we want to camp or get a hotel and how many nights. We are counting down the days when school starts to free up the crowds in the parks and trails.

In fact, Harold mentioned that he is ready for fall. The colors and the comfortable temperatures…..the crisp air….the kids in school. =) I love fall, it is my favorite time of year.

Finally found out from my mom, that my great aunt that passed away last month is going to have a memorial next month in FL. Unfortunately, I’m not able to go. =( But mom is going.

I finally got a few months written on our holiday letter. I still need to do the rest of May, June and July. I really need to write them when they are fresh in my mind, but this year is flying by. I can’t believe that July is almost over…wow

I really need to get to my long term to do list…..picture galleries, clean up my hard drives and organize them, back up my pc……. I just really didn’t have motivation for them this weekend, too hot.

Well, I’m going to read my comics online and get to the bedroom, much cooler in there. =)

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Posted in Everyday Stuff, Family Stuff, Hiking/Camping

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