Sunidesus Speaks

I don't know what to say about this. It's horrible. I feel like I've got to say something though. One of Syn's very good friends lives in Nacadoches Texas. She said that they heard it. I don't know what to do besides to pray for their families. There's the "Our thoughts are with you" line that I personally don't like. It all feels much too familiar.

I hope it was just (just?) an accident. But my first thought when I heard was Oh No! did some stupid terrorist get to the shuttle?

I have to go now, they need me at work.

In just over an hour I'll be Jumping!!! There will be pictures this afternoon or evening at the latest. Any donations from here on out will get to Special Olympics, but they won't be part of my Plunge total. But feel free to continue donating! I (and Special Olympics) won't turn away the money! :)

Wish me luck!!!!!!!

This is an amazing tribute to the 7 we lost.

I am impressed with the President's speech yesterday,
The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven
souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return
safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home.

I echo that. I pray that they are all safely home.

It started snowing yesterday about 1 or 2 in the afternoon. It was pretty heavy for quite a while and it's just been trickling since two-ish this morning. It's still coming down just a little bit at a time. We finally have snow!

It's that soft, thick stuff that comes straight down and settles on everything. There is a little stripe of white on each tree branch and power line. It's beautiful. The grass is finally covered and it looks like winter!

I ran around taking pictures last night & again today. I haven't looked at any of them yet so I'm hoping at least some of them turn out.

Polar Plunge pictures are still in the wings. I ended up getting sucked into a different project yesterday and now I've been at work or out taking pictures all day today. I WILL get to them though.

This is one of the funniest sites I've seen in a long time. But just to warn you, you can't smork there!

Found it over here

This guy is an amazing writer and today his post about the snow we just got is incredible. He describes it all so perfectly.

He makes me want to be a better writer.

There's a Deaf Survivor in this round! Very cool. I would have watched anyway, but now I'll be rooting for someone.

Found here

But I didn't.

I bought gas tonight and when I went in to give them my $10 (I pump exact amounts) there was a line. The lady in front of me just had to be someone's grandmother, the big purse (perfect for candy) and the too tight perm leaving hair that never moves. She started small-talking me about the flowers lined up next to the register.

"Oh, look at how gorgeous those roses are! Each one is just perfect!"

I made the obligatory "Mmm-Hmm" noise all the while I was screaming inside...

"They're not real!! Of course they look perfect! They're mass-produced." They weren't even very good fakes. The leaves were all plasticy (is that a word?) and there were little "rain drops" affixed to the petals. Unless the rules governing water have changed recently, it isn't normal for water to just sit in perfect little drops all over a bouquet of flowers and NEVER DRIP!

And in other news...
I'm reading this book. A friend at work loaned it to me saying, "You HAVE to read this." It's been sitting on my shelf since the first of the year and I finally picked it up the other day. I was so engrosed that my legs fell asleep! (I was on the toilet if you must know) I ended up sitting there long after my "business" was done because I was so wrapped up in this book.

It's a book of letters between a pair of friends, one in Manhattan and the other in Africa with the Peace Corps. I was thinking that it wouldn't be that interesting, I mean a bunch of letters? Come on. But it's really very good. It is anything but dry correspondence. It's more like an extended phone conversation between best friends, inside jokes and everything.

Anyway, go pick up a copy. It's worth it.

My mom took me shopping tonight, just 'cuz. She bought me a pair of jeans, and two nice tops. Isn't she nice? She gets in a "Let's buy Laura something" mood every once in a while and lucky me it was tonight.

There is a car on fire right now. That in itself isn't that interesting. But... it's in the middle of a lake. I have no idea how it got there, but it's there and it's burning. I'm thinking they should just let it melt the ice and put itself out.

This is just really strange. NASA has been saying that they aren't convinced it was the insulation that was the problem. Maybe it was the weird purple light.

Found over at Gretchen's place

Since I moved my main blog to Moveable Type I've been wanting to also do my PhotoBlog. It has now been done. There's even a new picture up.

I haven't been in a picture taking mood lately, but I can feel it starting to creep up on me once again. So there's sure to be many updates over there in the days ahead. Actually there's one I want to upload right now, but I'm at work and my pooter is at home and the picture is on my camera which needs my pooter! Was that a run-on sentence?

So the PhotoBlog is back up and working and all Moveable Typed. I also messed with my archive templates so that the month and individual archives match my style. They were still on the default and I didn't like that! Now everything matches.

And now that my hard drive is re-formated and my website is reworked I can work on dealing with pictures from Christmas til now! Watch out Photo Album!

"The Blaxis of Evil", giggle snort. That made me laugh!

I found this link over at Robyn's site. A total wacko is loose on the internet again. Do these people not have jobs? How does someone find the time to create over one hundred different on-line identities for the sole purpose of harassing people? Scary!

What does it mean that I had a dream about someone IM'ing me last night?

I used to dream fairly regularly, I even kept a dream journal for quite a while. I still have it somewhere. But senior year of high school (was that 6 years ago already?) I started on meds. Prozac first, then switched to Paxil which I'm still on. I realize those don't immediately sound related, but it was about that time that I pretty much quit dreaming.

At least a year later I was doing some research on side effects and what the different drugs do to you and discovered that one of them can be that you stop dreaming. Weird huh?

The past year or so I've started to have just little short dreams, nothing big and involved, just simple uncomplicated dreams. It doesn't happen very often either, but they're dreams and I haven't had those in a looooong time.

I'm so happy Marshall is back!!

But Dixon is making me sad :(

This link kinda freaks me out. I just stuck in my height, weight, body shape, hair color, etc. and it made this model right there in cyberspace and it looked like me! Yipe! I'm not sure why but that kinda scares me.

I found this link over at ATS. It had me laughing out loud. Kinda a manual of what NOT to do with your computer. I think this one is one of my favorites.

Another link from Laurence, or to Laurence rather. Be warned it has a couple naughty words, I know most people are fine with that but just a heads up. It's a whole new spin on the Virgin Mary apperances in tortillas, windows, oil slicks etc. It made me laugh so I'm spreading the joy.

The creepy stalker guy from Judging Amy is now on Crossing Jordan as a cop. I haven't finished the episode yet, but it seems like he's playing a decent person on Crossing Jordan. That must be weird to go from playing a complete psycho to playing a normal person.

Update: Finished the episode... nope, he's a creep on this show too. Not a mood swinging actor.

I just voted in the Photobloggies. It took a couple hours for me to get through all the sites to pick my favorites, but I did it and it was totally worth it. Found all kinds of cool sites that I just might have to add to my list of daily visits. Go check it out if you haven't yet. (Insert plug for Cis here)

Gretchen is handing out pie! Yum!

Gretchen has pie, and now Lori has cake! Apparently the blogisphereiverse is cooking this week.

Robyn doesn't seem to have comments enabled on this post so I'm sticking it over here!

I'm sending prayers and hugs your way.

I wish I could lose some weight. I wish I ate healthier more often, although that seems to be happening a little bit more frequently out of necessity lately. I wish I could get motivated enough to actually work out. I know I did it for a few months a couple years ago and I actually enjoyed it. I wish I could go back to that.

I would like to be able to go to the grocery store and buy what I want instead of having to keep a running total of how much money I've spent so I don't feel like an idiot when I get to the register.

I wish I could buy a CD or a DVD every now and then without feeling guilty about it. Not every day, just every so often.

I wish it was easier for me to keep my apartment clean, and my car clean. I wish it was easier for me to keep ME clean!

I'd like to stop procrastinating so much, and not just about important things, about stupid little things too. I wish I didn't feel so overwhelmed all the time.

I wish I was out of debt.

I wish I felt more confident in myself. I wish I wasn't sad so often.

I'm not Catholic, but I like the meaning behind it so I'm doing it anyway! And I am praying for you all.

7:43 The guys are sooooo pissing me off! Did they go out of their way to find all the sexist guys they could?

8:08 Ha! Take that you stupid men!

Found another link to computer tech support stuff over at Solonor's. I spend two full hours reading silly tech support calls. Very Funny.

I just posted a couple Polar Plunge pictures over in my PhotoBlog. It's not all of them, but they're pretty good ones! I'll get around to posting the rest of them eventually.

Robyn & Todd lost their babies on Friday. The blogiverse is in mourning.

I'm sending giant hugs towards Florida and prayers for you as well.

Plasma - noon on Monday

Me Lawyer - 9 a.m. Friday

M&D Lawyer - Feb 25th 1:00 p.m.

CCFCU savings account! Now!

It's been a while since I've done one of these on-line quiz things, but this one was just so silly, and just a touch sad that I just had to take it.

Snuffy's Suicide Attempts

Poor baby, life is rough for you, huh? No one
seems to see you, no one notices your pain--
except for your friend Big Bird, but he's alway
off hanging out with his other friends. You
wish you were him, all happy and curious and
popular and bright yellow. You feel like his
shadow anymore, like the only reason you exist
is to amuse him. It's hard being somebody's
imaginary friend. But stop trying to kill
yourself--imaginary people can't kill
themselves. Sorry. And hey, maybe tomorrow
you'll feel better!
Someday people will see you, I promise.


Which Sesame Street Muppet's Dark Secret Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

I have this sneaking suspicion that I was pretty close to being "The Count's Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder" instead of this one.

I found it over here

Not a lot happened today, I just didn't like the idea of not having a post up here for today.

I went to a dance show with my mom this afternoon. It was mostly Irish step dancing, but there was other stuff too. Flamenco, jazz (Fosse style), Scottish sword dance... it was fun.

Oh! I saw an owl this afternoon. That was cool. I'd never seen one in the wild before. Just in zoos, on tv, or in books. I've heard them lots of times, but this was the first time I saw one.

Now that I start writing I guess more happened today than I thought!

I had a lovely "Ah-Ha" moment with Dolce today. I was holding him (he was very snuggly today) and he let me flip him over on his back and was just loving getting his head scritched. I had this feeling all of a sudden of being amazed that this little creature trusts me that much. That this snuggly little bundle of feathers will put himself in such a vulnerable position for me. Incredible!

I just read this article in my parents' Newsweek. It's a different idea of what to do with the WTC site. It's one I hadn't heard before and I really like it. I think that the author's idea of trees is wonderful. It would truly be a place to celebrate the lives of the people who were murdered there. Not just a place to remember their deaths.

The last couple days I haven't been feeling like writing as much as normal. So, I'm using the Tuesday This or That meme to kinda jump start me.

1. Black or white? Black
2. Plaid or stripes? Stripes probably, but I don't particularly care for either one.
3. Paperback or hardcover books? Hardcover. They're more durable and last better. But I always take the dust cover off before I read them.
4. Color or B&W printer? Color, but I use black & white for everyday stuff. Color I use for more graphical type stuff.
5. Golden oldies or the newest tunes? I usually listen to older stuff, but I've never really enjoyed the popular music. I have very eclectic musical tastes. But going into all of the different music I like would be a whole other big long post. (hmmm... maybe I'll have to write that sometime)
6. Ice cream: in a cone or a dish? Cone! Waffle cone if you've got it.
7. Bath or shower? I prefer baths, but I usually take a shower because it's faster
8. Are you outgoing or shy? I'm shy with new people, but once I know someone I can be pretty outgoing. Downright goofy and hyper if you get me in the right mood!
9. Answer the phone when it rings, or screen calls? Screen!
10. VCR or TiVO? I have two VCRs actually. I'd love to have a TiVO, but I can't afford it right now.

I had a great night tonight. I went into work this afternoon to do the prep (graphics) for the 5 & 6 pm shows and then left the 10pm in the very capable hands of Syn so I could go to a play. I went to "Oh, Figaro!" by the National Theatre of the Deaf. It was amazing! I strongly encourage anyone (Deaf or hearing) to go to an NToD performance if you ever have a chance.

Just in case anyone is wondering I'm hearing, but I do know ASL and have worked as an interpreter various times. Actually of the languages I know (English obviously, French, a little bit of German, and ASL) I think ASL is my favorite. It just makes so much sense!

There was actually a girl sitting behind me at the play tonight at whom I was very tempted to begin yelling.

Two little things...

First: I'm wearing my very first pair of jeans ever that didn't have to be hemed! Not a big deal for most people, but very cool for a short person.

Second: There's a new picture in the PhotoBlog.

See, I told you. Two little things.

7:15 - Yeah women!! I just hope they do that well on the immunity challenge. Becuase it's nice to have food, but if you have to vote someone off that sucks more. They really need to get their shelter figured out too. That platform they've got isn't worth squat.

7:30 - OK I have something to say on that whole homosexuality thing that the guys were having issues with, but it'll take me forever so I'm going to relegate that to it's own post later on.

And I'm a Christian, and yes idol worship is wrong. But Joanna was going just a tad overboard on that one. She needs to take a serious chill pill.

7:43 - Crap! The guys won immunity. I wonder how many of us are supporting our own gender in this thing? Is there anyone out there supporting the "other team?"

7:58 - I just want to give Christy a great big hug! They're being so nasty to her, and for no reason. Maybe things will change now that the rest of them are aware of how she's feeling, at least I hope so.

I'm already disliking Jenna (mostly for stuff she said last week) and Joanna for flying off the handle. I really liked Janet, she seemed very nice. I'm sorry she's leaving.

Click here it's funny!

Well, I met with a bankruptcy lawyer this morning. It definately sounds like something I want to consider, pretty seriously too. The lawyer was kinda odd, but he was nice.

I'm going to have to think about this for a little bit.

My boss and his wife have finally adopted a baby!!! This has been in the works for quite some time and this was the third child they were told they'd be able to adopt. But the birth moms kept changing their minds.

But after lots of roller-coaster hopes, they've got a little baby boy. Woot!!!!!

I can't believe this drivel we're airing! I want to reach through my television set (or the stations television set more accurately) and slap them all silly. What a bunch of pathetic whiny "famous" (read=washed up) people they've found for this show.

They can't even last 3 days before they're threatening to walk out. Gah!

At least I don't have to watch it this weekend, since I'm not working.

Syn went to visit Hannah and her mommy yesterday and took a few pictures. I posted one already over in the PhotoBlog. There are more that will be on her main page later today. I just need to finish up the code.

Also, I'm thinking about adding smilies to this here blog. I've found a few good tutoriols (thank you scriptygoddess) and it doesn't look too difficult. I'm going to have to investigate as soon as I finish with the Hannah pics.

And Keva! If it works I found alien head smilies we could add to your site if you want!

Michele started it, and Solonor got all the comments organized in one place. It's very cool so go pick a state and tell everyone what's great about it!

Which Sesame Street Muppet Are You?

Link from Diane

New Hannah pictures are up! Go check 'em out. She's a cutie.

:yes:

I'm hoping that worked!

Is there a switch in a Blogger's head that makes us think differently? I find my thought processes changing the longer I blog.

When I started blogging, I'd sometimes go a week without posting. Now, if I don't put something out there at least once a day I feel like something is missing. A lot of times its more frequent than that. Instead of searching for something to write about, now something happens and I can't wait to get to a computer. I start composing posts in my head, thinking of word combinations to use, what to say.

If I see something in the news, my first instinct is to go on-line and see what everyone is thinking about it. Or if I have an opinion right off the bat, I want to share it.

I'm lusting over a Sidekick, I don't want it to surf the net or buy things on Amazon. I want one so that I can post about anything, whenever I want.

My blogging switch is definately flipped to on!

I have smilies in my comments now! There's a link in the comments form that launches a smilie window. Just click and the code magically ends up in the comments! Thank you to scriptygoddess for an amazingly simple smilie interface!

Now can I hack it to work in my entries too...

It sounds awfully darn funny!

Having had a cat claw it's way up my bare skin and onto my back I can understand the appeal.

Link from Diane

I'm getting very close to my 4000 visitors mark, woot!

Yeah, I know, I'm a dork.

I can't believe someone has done this to a person as wonderful as this one is. That just makes me all pissy!

Different people react to different things (get ready for it...) differently!

Robyn & Todd: I am very sorry this has happened to you. You will stay on my prayer list until further notice!

That the internet is back up at work today! It was down ALL DAY yesterday. Very annoying.

Warning: nasty woman issues post ahead. If you don't want to think/read about it, don't click the "more" button.

This is an Update to the icky post below. Again, if you don't want to hear about it, don't hit the "more" thing.

I just filled the gas tank on my car all the way up! Very exciting, lame, but exciting. For the past couple of months I've only been able to put $5 here and $10 there into the thing. Today there was $20 in my "gasoline" envelope (I'm on a budget, I use envelopes) so I was able to fill my tank all the way up, until the the pump stopped pumping. Not just until my money ran out. Very good feeling.

On a completely unrelated note... I've had so much fun blogging Survivor live that I think I'm going to do it again tomorrow!

I just found out that Mr. Rogers has died from cancer. He will forever be a part of my childhood memories. I still catch myself watching an episode now and then when I'm flipping through the channels. Very sad news.

There are a couple new Polar Plunge pictures up in the Photoblog.

Michele has an excellent post about the anti-Bush/Blair protestors and their true feelings about the people they say they're protecting. They say they're trying to prevent the civilians of Iraq from being hurt by us, but when Iraqis ask to speak they are shut down. Very well written.

Therefore I will not be blogging Survivor live. I'm sure I'll be back again next week, but not this one. I'll watch it later tonight or maybe tomorrow and post all my commentary then.

I'm just feeling really crappy, granted compared to people who are dealing with this kind of stuff my pidly problems aren't that big...

So if you came here for my lovely commentary (a girl can dream!) you'll have to wait until I actually watch the thing. Make yourselves at home! Just don't drink all the Coke, I'm going to want some of it later.