My semi-weekly (if I feel like it, sometimes) update...
My daughter can now sing all of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"- I am absurdly proud.
I was less proud when she decided it would be a good idea to wave her butt at our elderly next door neighbor when the woman tried to get her to say her ABCs.
We spent a half hour last Friday afternoon looking for the abusive dad and/or his kids. No luck. I'm keeping my eye out though.
Go to
patriside, sign up to do the (ooooooh!)
Scary Mix!
Send much love to
Alala- she needs it.
I am carless (for various reasons that I won't mention here, as I will rant for way too long), and not happy about it. Thanks to everyone who's helping us out with that right now.
Okay, I thought there was a lot more going on. Guess not!
And a Halloween costume was chosen...
I think it suits her, and have to admit to being REALLY glad she's not doing that princess thing again this year (not that she isn't TOTALLY into that, but still).
Some Rora pics...
Rora spent the entire weekend dressed exactly like this. No wonder people think we are strange.
Then, she decided this was the funniest thing ever, and proceeded to spend the evening putting various things in her nose. Sigh.
And tonight at bedtime- Rora, Daddy, and The Justice League (what, did you expect Barney?)
The 10 ,9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 meme
Ganked from
Mario...
TEN FIRSTS
1. First Best Friend: Sofia Huber.
2. First Pet: Brandy, an Irish Setter.
3. First Piercing: ears.
4. First high school crush: Maynard de la Paz.
5. First CD: Lets Get Physical, Olivia Newton John (and yes, I still know all the words to all the songs).
6. First Car: 1970 VW Bug.
7. First Love: Kevin.
8. First Stuffed Animal: Winnie the Pooh- I still have him.
9. First Concert: can't remember it... was a LONG time ago!
10. First Time Drunk: Banana rum at Kim Gelo's house- can't remember which state though.
NINE LASTS
1. Last Beverage: coffee.
2. Last Vehicle Ride: home to work.
3. Last Movie Seen: Silent Hill. Oh, and don't bother- it sucked.
4. Last Phone Call: Kevin, wondering where his book went.
5. Last CD Played: Can't remember!
6. Last Bubble Bath: Can't remember!
7. Last Time You Cried: This past Monday, over a story about missionaries who left their children to save people from the nazis.
8. Last Kiss: This morning.
9. Last Concert attended: Tom Waits in Dayton, Ohio.
EIGHT HAVE YOU EVERS
1. Have you ever dated one of your best friends? Yes.
2. Have you ever been arrested? No.
3. Have you ever skinny dipped? Yes.
4. Have you ever been on TV? Yes.
5. Have you ever kissed someone and regretted it? Yes.
6. Have you ever had a sex dream about someone you know? Yes.
7. Have you ever been sent to the emergency room? Once, I think. Maybe not.
8. Have you ever been in a fist fight? Yes.
SEVEN THINGS YOU’RE WEARING
1. Beige sweater.
2. Blue jeans.
3. Brown sandals.
4. Undies (don't remember the color).
5. Purple bra.
6. Purple glasses.
7. my skin?
SIX THINGS YOU’VE DONE TODAY
1. Sent a bill for freelance work.
2. Worked.
3. Read some blogs.
4. Read the news.
5. Listened to America by Jon Stewart (audio book).
6. This meme.
FIVE FAVORITE THINGS IN NO ORDER
1. Aurora.
2. Coffee.
3. Kevin.
4. Good Food.
5. Good wine.
FOUR PEOPLE YOU CAN TELL ANYTHING TO
1. Norman (he doesn't tell).
2. Ness (also doesn't tell).
3. Kevin.
4. My imaginary friend.
THREE CHOICES
1. Eat or Drink: Eat.
2. Blonde or Brunette: I'm currently a brunette. In fact, I'm always a brunette.
3. Pink or Black: Black.
TWO THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE
1. Live.
2. Be done living. (good answer
Mario- I'm stealing it!)
ONE THING YOU REGRET
1. Leaving New England.
Happy Happy Birthday!
AnnMarie and Michael!
Suggestions?
This past Friday I saw something I hoped never to see- a grown man threw his (what looked to be) 4 year old daughter against a stone wall, and then smacked her upside the head so hard I could hear it. It was at the YMCA where my little girl goes to preschool, so I am there twice a day, 5 times a week (if not more) but I had never seen this guy before. I don't know if this poor little girl is a friend of my daughter's or even if she goes to school there- I didn't recognize either of them. Afterwards, he led her to the soccer field and sat at one of the bleachers- I assume to watch another child play soccer.
So this dude has at least two kids in his care.
I was so flummoxed when it happened, all I could do was stare. Afterwards, I actually had Kev drive the car past them several times, trying to get a better look at the little girl, whose face at the time had been crumpled and miserable. She had been crying, but no noise had come out at all.
So, I don't know if she is in school, or where. I don't know if she has ever even been to the YMCA before- if I did, I would definately let a teacher know. Someone, at least. For now, my only plan is to go to the soccer field next Friday with my camera, and watch them. I want to get a photo of the little girl, and her dad. And the other child, if I can. I want to make sure it never happens again, but without more info, I don't know how.
Any suggestions?
Sorry this is so late- its been one of those weeks... (and a special apology to Sharon... I had asked my husband to mail that Hot Mix out to you, and he forgot, I'm sending it today- and I got yours- thanks!)
Anyway, this was a very hard list for me to do, as I'm sure it was for most of you. Everyone I know has a slightly different take on 9/11, and I must admit that along with the sorrow I feel for the people who were lost that day as well as for the simple violation of my country (which I had been naive enough to think would never happen in my time), I feel an immense anger at being deceived by people I should be able to trust.
I despise being lied to, and our entire nation was lied to - and because of that, I feel that the casualties of 9/11 extend to our soldiers in Iraq - those who have already perished, and those that have yet to meet their fate in this war, therefore, my list is separated into sections. The first section was 9/11 itself, and its immediate aftermath, the second being our country going to war because of 9/11 (I don't care WHAT he is saying now - that was what was said then), and the final being that ray of hope, that come 2008, this country will take a different course, led by the people who have always been aware of the subsequent tragedy perpetrated upon our own armies by this government and hopefully, by those who are only now waking up to see our leader’s horrible missteps.
Amazing Grace - Ani DiFrancoI'm not a religious person, but I think something like this should always be started with a prayer.
Taboo - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Peter GabrielThis song seemed very appropriate for those chaotic moments when all of our worlds became a different place.
4:33 AM (Running Shoes) - Roger WatersChaos.
4:37 AM (Arabs With Knives & West German Skies) - Roger WatersAnd more chaos.
Trouble - Cat StevensAfter Harold and Maude, this song has always seemed about ultimate loss to me. And it is so beautiful.
It Can't Rain All The Time - Jane SiberryAnother song of sorrow, but with a tinge of hope.
Orange Sky - Alexi MurdochDuring the initial aftermath, this country started to stand together as it never had before. The courage of our police and firefighters and others helped us see the good in all of us. And while I regret that that patriotism helped fuel the desire amongst some for war in Iraq, it was wonderful to see that the country would not simply fall apart under pressure.
What Do We Do Now - John HiattWe had so many ways we could have dealt with this tragedy...
President - Wyclef JeanSometimes I wonder what would have happened, how our country would have reacted, if some one else was...
Eve of Destruction - Shawn Z.This is how I felt after that first Presidential address..
Drink Before The War - Sinéad O'ConnorI despise war, and can't think of very many good reasons (though there have been some) to get involved in or start one, and this song
seems to me to capture the impending brutality and tragedy that followed.
War - Edwin Starr And of course... WAR.
Feel Like I'm Fixin To Die Rag - Country Joe & The FishJust switch out some words here, and you can see how appropriate it is.
I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier - Mad SeasonThis is for all those men who did their tours, but were (and are being) called up again and again.
Soldier's Things - Tom WaitsThere always has to be a Tom Waits song, and while The Day After Tomorrow was the most appropriate, I knew others would be usingit, so I thought I would choose this instead.
Haven't We Lost Enough? - Crosby, Stills & NashI think we should leave now...
Where Is The Love? - Black Eyed PeasAnd here starts the hope. Its not exactly a hopeful song, but its introspection makes it a good choice.
Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards - Billy BraggOne of my favorite revolutionary songs...
Put Him in the Hall of Fame - Jill SobuleHey- that election is coming up sooner than you think!
This Land Is Your Land - Ani DiFrancoI don't often repeat an artist on a mix, but the sorrow in this song, and the way she sings it, seemed the perfect ending to a mix that was indeed full of sorrow.
Special thanks to
Patricide- this was a thought-provoking exercise.
In Memoriam
Five years ago thousands of Americans were killed in an arguably preventable act of terrorism. Stock brokers, secretaries, public servants and a variety of other people lost their lives as they tried to escape the collapsing towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, fled the Pentagon and successfully stopped a further act of terrorism on airplane flying over Pennsylvania.
In New York City, as the civilian population rushed out in search of safety from the falling Towers, the New York Police and Fire Departments rushed in.
Paul John Gill was one of the members of the NYFD to have lost their life on that September day. Mr. Gill, born April 11, 1967, was 34 on that day. The same age to the day that I am on this September 11. His remains were never found.
I did not know Mr. Gill, nor did I know his family, but by all accounts, he was something of a live wire while growing up, but developed a strong sense of responsibility as he reached adulthood. In applying for the NYFD, Mr. Gill scored a 99 on the firefighters' exam and died doing what he wanted to do; helping people.
He was, along with the other fifteen members of Engine Company 54, working to rescue people from the Marriott Hotel attached to the WTC when the towers came down.
None of the members of the company survived.
While I did not know Mr. Gill, I know that it takes a special person to put his or her life on the line in order to run into a burning building in order to save the lives of others... and it's a whole other order of magnitude to run into a collapsing building. The world can use more people like Gill and the others that fell on September 11, 2001.
Mr. Gill, a talented artist, is survived by his parents, siblings, his wife Tina and two sons, Aaron and Joshua.
R.I.P.
Special thanks to
Kevin for helping me write this
tribute.
What do you do when your company...
holds its annual picnic, and wants people to participate in silly field games?
You make your husband...
Cont.
And daughter do it...
No idea why I keep doing these...
Ganked from
Mario...
(why did they use this picture, and not Michael York? I use to have such a crush on him...)
You scored as
D'Artagnan.
You are D'Artagnan, the brash Gascon who embodies the high ideals of the Musketeer. You are sometime your own worst enemy, but your motives are pure and your character is unimpeachable. You are destined for great things and passionate (though often ill-fated) love.
D'Artagnan - 95%
Richelieu - 85%
Rochefort - 75%
Aramis - 65%
Edmund Dantes - 60%
Porthos - 60%
Mercedes - 50%
Athos - 45%
Which Dumas character are you? (pics)created with
QuizFarm.com
