Coincidence????

The Pope is now on a feeding tube.

I just need 1 person who can explain this....

This morning, like many mornings, I listen to the Glenn Beck program. He brought this story to light. Apparently, last night, CBS news had posted on its website an article about Terri Shiavo and her passing. As I write this blog, she is still alive. Why would CBS fabricate such a story?

I can somewhat understand getting the background info ready, and fill in the rest later. But to include "Michael Schiavo, who was at the bedside of his wife Terri when she died, told Larry King that he lives now with another woman with whom he has two children." Come on, people - that is just wrong - I don't care what side of the issue you are on. For a "respectable" news outlet to be so irresponsible (nevermind the whole Dan Rather thing) and report on future events, is not reporting the news. It is spouting your own views, your own beliefs about a topic, and presenting them as facts.

I really doubt that Michael Shiavo will be at her bedside - he's probably too busy with his woman and two children. (Who technially are bastards, but we won't get into that.)

So here is my challenge... I want to hear from at least one person who can provide a plausible reason why CBS would post such a story before the event. Does this not make you think twice about where your news comes from? Lesson: get your news from more than one source! (and I really hope it isn't CBS.)

Keep praying for Terri and her family!

Who needs bon bons when you have Carmel Hershey Kisses

The housewife... is that what I am? YES... and I love it. And after all this time of having feelings of guilt for wanting to stay home and raise my daughter, I find out I am not alone.

Now, I did grow up as a latchkey kid (do they still have those anymore?) with a working mom and dad, and am I hurt by it? No. If anything, I learned the value of working hard and providing for your family. I also learned that every moment we spend with our kids is precious, and not to be wasted. I had fun as a kid, but it is even better when you have one of your own. (Even though there are many times you find yourself wanting to say "Not now..." you can't say those words to your kids... It's not good, and I really really try not to. (and it is very hard not to, when I am working - that's a guilt trip for another day!)

I love staying home and playing with my daughter. I love making messes on the kitchen table with paint and other crafts.

Ok - I don't love the cleaning up part, but I'm getting better at it. One reason, Aggie and Kim, they make cleaning the house interesting (love the gloves) and also show me that I am not as messy as some (ahem) would think. If I could walk in high heels, I probably would while I clean the house, but I have comfy slippers instead. I only have one set of good pearls so wearing those are out (besides, they would really clash with my Rick Springfield shirt.)

Desperate Housewife? I've only seen about 10 minutes too much of that show, and it was ridiculous. But I did catch the Oprah version of DH, and let me tell you - there are some strange people out there. But am I desperate? I don't think so... well, only when I don't get to watch Days everyday. (Can you believe Bo? He is such a moron when it comes to Billie)

I don't want to be a perfect domestic diva, making everything from scratch (even though I like to think I can in my head). I just want to have fun with my family, take care of my family and house, and be happy with who I am. I may not leave the house everyday for my job, but my life is my job. (So sometimes, this means that , I go without bathing for a day or two -OK 3 - but that's only if I forget what day it is.)

Thank you to all of the hard working ladies who broke through the glass ceiling and proved to everyone that women CAN succeed in the career world; for showing that women can attend colleges for more than just finding a husband; for bringing wonderful ideas about flexible child care and the family leave act to reality. Without the foremothers who struggled with tough decisions only a working women can understand, I wouldn't have the flexibility I do today to work from home, take care of a family and raise a child. I love what I do.

Now where are my Bon-Bons?

Lifeless visiting

Yeah! I have a friend. She is visiting! How cool is that. Even though I had to drag her downtown to and force her to do her homework, she still stayed! It was very cold today, well, after it warmed up, and then after it rained, and warmed up again - it was cold. Cutie Adam J on WSAZ said it was going to be cold. We may not like the weather, but we like Adam.

For some reason today felt like Saturday. But it's only Friday - so that is good. I did pick out my Easter outfit today from Value City. Dear Hubby hasn't seen the bill yet, but most of it was clothes for our girl, so it was worth it. All 500.00 of it. (Just kidding.)

Just hanging around the house now... maybe something will happen.


Keep praying for Terri.

Just in Case...

Unless you've been living in a vacuum lately, you have probably heard about Terry Shiavo. The woman who is brain-damaged. Who is now STARVING TO DEATH (Here's a real life Survivor, Mark Burnett) Who has a husband who says she wants to die (oh yeah, he "remembered" this 7 years after she was in the state she is in, and after he wanted to marry the woman who carried his two kids while Terri was in a hospital bed with no therapy and after he got the settlement to care for her) Watch the videos on www.terrisfight.org and see for yourself if this is a person who is in a coma.

There are so many inconsistencies with this case - it boggles the mind. I really hope Congress and the President can come through tonight and at least grant this woman the same rights that Scott Peterson is going to get - a federal review of her case. If they decide the same thing as Judge Greer - then so be it. But at least it will give her a fair chance.

With that said - Dear Hubby and I were talking about what would happen if we were in a similar situation. I do value life. I value my own life. I don't want to be a burden on my family. It's a tough call. Do I want doctors to take extreme measures? Do I want to be hooked up to machines? I'm still researching all that entails. I do want to live. I want to be given a fair shot. But do I have a DNR order in place (watching ER really helps explain this stuff) no. Shoud I? Or a DNK (do not kill) order in place? No. Like I said - I need to investigate what each entails, not so much for me, but for my family.

So here is my temporary plan - And I have told Chad this, so if it worked for Michael Scumbag Shiavo, Chad should have no problem getting the doctors to agree to this - that if I ever end up on a feeding tube, I want Frish's Big Boys (no lettuce) pumped into me every now and then. The fries with butter from Heggy's on West Tusc would be great as well. If LifelessID could whip up one of our Whopper drinks, that would certainly make things go a little better. Oh, and chocolate. Any kind but white chocolate would be good.

I also want music playing, the TV going - especially when DOOL is on, or CSI or Matlock is on - and book on tape/CD. Play those for me.

I'm still thinking of what it would be like to be in Terri's postition. I have been praying for her. I hope you do the same.

L

Free School

I saw this on the news - this is a horrible abuse of our educational system.

Free School? Fox news
(Its a video segment, you may have to look for it under a side bar or something)

Am I dening the right to an education in the US? Absolutely not!

Am I questionioning whether it is right? Yes I am.

How can we expect the students (legal or illegal) to perform well? For teachers to do their job and TEACH, when they are faced with so many problems in the classroom? How can a school district allow such actions to happen? The testing results alone (ohhh, let's bow to the almighty TESTS) should be enough for the district to wake up and take a look.

It's not like these students are coming over from one district to play sports in a different district (where the money would follow the student) In this case, they are totally freeloading and abusing the Public school system. Unless of course the busload of students being picked up at the border to go to school in the US are from American taxpaying people(by that I mean paying taxes in America, not necessarily American citizens- have to explain my PC lingo), who are kicking in money to the school district through their taxes.

What can be done? I don't know - perhaps a transitional school that is funded by the illegals and the state until the students are ready to attend public school. Here they could learn English in a least restrictive environment, they could also learn Math, history and the other necessary subjects, such as CITENZENSHIP. The illegal students would not be hampered by students who live in the district, and can understand the teacher. The district students who have a right to an education in the least restrictive enviornment would not have to wait for the teacher to translate everything into other languages, and can move at a pace best suited for the class. Oh wait, this would be tracking the kids, and that could be bad.

As an educator, this report makes me so mad (not the reporter or anything - just what the report is about.)

I'll wait to hear the other side before I say any more.

L

Fried Brain

I was just reading over my last post and realized I used ensure when I shouldve used assure in one sentence. Sometimes my brain is fried. Probably just too much Cat In The Hat or something.

Oh yes kind and gentle reader we here on Delaware have managed to Tivo "The Cat In The Hat" with Mike Meyers or whatever his name is. The guy from Austin Powers. Just as I thought would happen my darling Isabella wants to watch this god awful piece of cinematic drivel 45 fricking times a day. She makes jokes and calls it Rat In The Hat and oh how right she is. The highlight of the film would be when the real estate agent Mr. Humberfloob (played by one of the homosexuals on Will & Grace) is introducing one of the new employees who shakes his hand. Mr. Humberfloob is obviously a littlle on the OCD side and he tells him he is FIIIIIIIRRRRRRRREEEEEDDDDDDD as he squirts his hand with about a pound and a half of hand sanitizer. Yes ladies and gents that is the highlight of the movie. Well that and seeing Alec Baldwin covered in purple paint. It is a kid's movie but so was Old Yeller and that was a freaking classic. I guess they just don't make movies like they used to.

So it's 8:44 am and I should be playing some online poker but like our Lifeless ID student
I'm procrastinating and not really in the mood. It's not like it's a job or anything I have to do like a freaking DESIGN PROJECT!!!! She did make the deadline. Maybe soon we could hear the grade she received? She seems a little too busy for that as there are stories of perverted boys lifting girls skirts and other stuff to blog about. Fine by me, I love those stories. I like to look at Lisa's old yearbooks and stuff. I was looking at some pictures the other day of her high school days and she was like way hot. She says none of the guys thought so but more than likely they were intimidated by her. She's not exactly shy and I'm sure she never was. Lucky for me I found her and the rest is HIS TOR Y.

OK I've blogged myself silly now so gotta go fishing on Party Poker.

Oh yeah and I just heard that Ironton may have to play Jason's high school in the state basketball finals if they both make it... That should be fun win or lose...........

I Love Lawrence County!

Pre-Owned Beaver Lick Road

As Larry The Cable Guy would say: "That's funny I don't care who you are."

I was thinking today (yes somedays I actually do that) and I realized something. More and more of the so-called good neighborhoods in this area are being taken over by a new generation of people. This obviously brings about changes in the area. Changes such as big Ohio University Super Bus Trailer things being parked out in front of your house and other eyesores like two story garages being built less than 50 feet from your own front door on someone else's property.

So I've come to the conclusion that you can't beat them so why not join them. This summer in the front yard we will have a bird bath (not too bad, can be rather nice looking), some pink flamingos ( the appitamy of white trash) and are you ready for this one THE LAWN GNOME. Yes ladies and gentlemen here on Delaware we are moving right up the ladder and joining the masses.

I called off work this morning because I was hacking up gold gunk. I was sick to my stomach and just basically felt like I have that "bronchiitis / cold / flu" that has been passed around for weeks now. One sick day won't kill me and it's not like I have anything to catch up on when I get back. I think that is part of the problem with my job. #1 I don't enjoy it and # 2 I don't really have any responsibility other than people on the road. It's terribly boring. When I worked at the PD there was always something exciting going on. Fights, People arguing with pizza places that there were "twigs" in their cheesesticks you know typical Southern Ohio arguing.

I guess I need to go ahead and relay the twigs in the cheese stick thing for those of you who are not familiar. I had been working with my current employer for about a year maybe two and I was really missing the old workplace so I went to the old one just to hang out for a few minutes. Well to make a long story short things got a little busy and I end up taking a call that went a little something like this:

Me: Ironton Police can I help you?

Female Caller: Yes, I have twigs in my Giovanni's cheese sticks.

Me: Excuse me, could you repeat that please?

Female Caller: Yes, I have TWIGS IN MY GIOVANNI'S CHEESESTICKS!

Me: OK, maam and your reason for thinking this is a police matter would be what?

Female Caller: I demanded my money back and the driver came but he won't give me my money unless I give him back the cheesesticks.

Me: OK, so what's the problem give him the cheesesticks and

Female Caller: (interrupting me) The F*&@ing driver says he's going to have me F*&@ing arrested if I don't give him the F*%@ing cheeseticks. Can he do that?

Me: No maam, I can ensure you that no one will come arrest you if you don't give up the sticks. However if you would like to have your money back you're going to have to give him the cheeseticks.

Female Caller: NO F$%@ing way. I'm turning them into the health department in the morning and they are going to give me my F%@*ing money back.

Me: OK MAAM! IF YOU WANT YOU'RE MONEY GIVE HIM BACK THE CHEESESTICKS OTHERWISE KEEP THEM AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANT BUT THIS IS NOT A POLICE MATTER AND DON'T WASTE MY TIME AND YOURS WITH SOMETHING THIS IDIOTIC!

Female Caller: OK I'll give them back since you guys won't do anything. F*#@ing PIGS!

This is why I love Lawrence County. It's my favorite dispatching story of all the ones I have. This is the creme de la creme of dispatch stories. No other dispatcher in the world could have a story of a person this stupid and if they do I want to read it. I'm positive things like this only happen in Lawrence County.

OK that's all for now hope everyone had a chuckle.

How to Name Roads in Lawrence County

I was driving back from Chillicothe the other day (Monday and Tuesday - lovely trip!) Anyway - I had plenty of time to gaze at the road signs and ponder on the naming conventions. It seems that most road names can be broken down into three parts; a fun adjective, some type of animal or meat product and a descriptor.

Now you can create your own road name. Simply choose one name from each column and viola, you have your Southern Ohio Road Name!

Fun Adjective

• Greasy
• Slippery
• Purple
• Scooping
• Camp
• Old
• New
• Pre-Owned
• Pretty
• Scooby

Meat/Animal product

• Venision
• Pork
• Tenderloin
• Beaver
• Ostrich
• Possum
• Snipe
• Monkey
• Chuck Roast
• Ham
• Racoon

Descriptor

• Creek
• Lick
• Fork
• Lake
• Stone
  
• Branch
• Short
• Ridge
• Fountain
• Bottle-Neck

For the record, some legitimate Lawrence County Road names:

Venison Ham Camp
Greasy Ridge
Porter Gap
Lick Creek Road (Yes, this all comes from the third column)
Charley Creek

I'll list more once I find my county map.

InOutSideSideInOn

Chad and I were reminiscing tonight, about the good ol'days. We were talking about the playground (It's not important on how we got with this topic, just go with me. ) He was very surpirsed to hear about our playground situation. And when you think of it, it probably explains a lot about who I am today, or was, way back when I was single. I mean, it's proably the sole reason why I didn't get any dates.

We had a parking lot. It was a church/school parking lot, behind the school. On the left, the boys. They had a basketball hoop. They had a building to play dodge ball against. The same building acted as a nice buffer when the winds kicked up, as they do in NE Ohio.

The girls' side was, well, bland. There was a nice dip in the far corner by the light post that made a great base for tag (more on that in a bit) . There was a good sized round patch of blacktop, mid way down the side which also made a good base. Oh, and we did have a piller about three feet high, to keep the cars from running over the bushes, that made a great leg for Chinese Jump Rope (inoutsidesideinon) But no basketball hoop. Nothing but chain link to buffer the wind from our bare legs. (OK we did have leg warmers, which looked pretty stylish with our plaid uniforms - and yes, that uniform below was the one we wore sans tie, and yes, I did have a pair of red and white leg warmers - my favorite pair)

Where was I going with this? Oh, yeah - the boys. The boys weren't allowed to cross the LINE from one side of the parking lot to the other. Neither were the girls. During my formative years, I never really played with boys at school, and therefore didn't really know how to act with them later on. Now, we did have gym class where we did play with the boys, whenever they deemed us important enough to add to their team (that, and they were forced to by the gym teacher) so no, I never really "hung out at the playground" with boys. No wonder my life was wacky for a while.

I did promise more on tag. Seeing as how we didn't have a basketball on our side, and you could only jump rope so many times, we were rather inventive with our games. Some of our favorities:

• Smurf tag (Evil Gargamel was out to capture the smurfs)
  
• The Jacksons - we would act out the life of the Jacksons. (I think I was alway Tito, but that's another story.)
  
• Witch in the Well (Ok we didn't invent this one, but it was cool to run down the line of upturned hands and smack the ones belonging to the people who were mean to you that day.)
  
• Colored Eggs - somehow we always found a way to work in "That's just Grandpa flushing his teeth down the drain again"
• Line crack tag
  

Line crack tag was probably the most inventive. No, we were not shooting up on the playground. Again, since we had nothing but a blacktopped parking lot to play on... this worked extremely well. The person who was "IT" had to only stay on the lines - the painted lines for the cars. Everyone else could go on a line or a crack. Too bad for you if you got stuck on a crack that ended in the middle of a square of lines.

Fun was had by all.

Wow. It's a wonder I am still sane!


Our Uniform: I even wore the Peter Pan coller!