Good day!

143 years ago today the slaves were freed (Happy Juneteenth!)
Today my SIL got the job she really wanted, congrats!

And Nephew was born! His name is Justin Andrew and he was born at 7:35 p.m., 7 pounds, 7 ounces and 19" long. Woo!

I'll post pics when I get them.

Happy day!

Gas guzzling protests

While discussing gas prices and "supply and demand" which is supposedly affecting the price (don't get me started on that-if it were true then how are the big 3 recording record profit?!) I started thinking about gas guzzlers. Just for the sake of argument, though, I'll suspend disbelief.

It's the attitude of "It's my RIGHT as an American to drive a truck and besides, I have to pay for the gas so STFU!" that is driving me nuts. Individually, no, 1 SUV or truck with 10-16 mpg will not drive up the price. However, the number of them on the road does nothing positive for the "supply and demand" argument. If A and B, then C, If C then D; If (A) you have a 10-16 mpg vehicle and (B) you commute in traffic then (C) you use a shit-ton of gas. If (C), then (D) the supply of gas goes DOWN and the demand for gas goes UP. Which drives the price up...

Anyway, for those of us who either have a good mpg vehicle or carpool, we should be rather pissed about the ones who are driving down supply and driving up price.

What would happen if we were to picket and yell at people who have gas guzzling vehicles that are NOT used for something like, perhaps, farm work as they were intended (great big trucks like F-250 which can haul a ton, literally, of whatever you want).

There are some people who are morally against abortion who will picket a clinic and tell the mothers that they are horrible people and going to hell and that they're killing babies...what would happen if we did the same to people who are wasting gas? How about I take out a billboard that shows a picture of a gas guzzler and a child starving to death because his/her parent can't afford the gas to work?

First, it wouldn't be well received because "It's my RIGHT as an American...." and that's infringing on my rights! "You can't tell me what to do with MY OWN LIFE!" Sorry, that kinda falls on deaf ears here since that's not a mother's right. And of course there's no profit motive to promote abortion...

Anyway, I don't really have anywhere else to go with this right now. Just wanted to put it out there!

Plimpie, this one's for you

So I've been reading an old friend's blog, which covers (so far, I started at the beginning) a lot about the war in Iraq. How we've been lied to, etc., since the beginning.

I can't help but think about 9/11 and what has happened since then. We as Americans have glibly-or fearfully, even-stood by and let our freedoms be taken away. Some of us, like me, are enraged but don't know what to do about it. Others, which seems like 90% of Americans (but I'm probably really wrong-that's my hope) to be honest here, seem to happily hand off freedom to be "safe." "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." -Ben Franklin, or perhaps Richard Jackson as is theorized in this entry: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin

THAT IS ABSURD!! How many years did we operate as a country, relatively free of terrorist successes, before we were told that we needed to be treated as enemies in our own country so that we can be "safe?" Heightened "security" in airports, wiretapping, search/seizure/arrest without a warrant-these are just the beginning. I don't read enough to know what all has been taken away. I do know that as a result of this posting I am likely to end up on a watch list. If I do something "terrorist"-like (such as talking to others about my discontent, perhaps?) my home can be searched, evidence removed without my consent or even my knowledge, and I could disappear from the face of the Earth. No trial by jury of my peers or any of those "minor" rights I enjoy as a citizen of The Greatest Nation On Earth. I would be erased, and that's about it. And, if my neighbors so happened to notice some odd occurrence (like my house is being searched), they are not allowed to say a single word.

I hate to be a conspiracy theorist or anything, but this is sounding eerily like 1984. Our 2 minutes Hate is watching the news, which seems to forever contain things like "The War on Terror" and "Another recall in China." True, we're not (yet) required to direct our hate at set intervals while being watched continuously through the television and observed for ANY sign of disagreement. We're not quite required to wear clothing chosen for us by the government, and we still have the lottery throughout most of society. Unfortunately, though, I think at some point our government just may have read 1984 and various blurbs from successful dictators and/or their advisors.

"Communism and fascism or nazism, although poles apart in their intellectual content, are similar in this, that both have emotional appeal to the type of personality that takes pleasure in being submerged in a mass movement and submitting to superior authority." James A. C. Brown (http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quotes_about/nazi)

Sounds a bit like the push for a Christian America, doesn't it? For a country that was founded-for the most part-based on religious freedom, I have trouble agreeing with this push. Besides that, we see what wonders a religion-based government has done for other countries. It's no good and I want no part of it.

"Not every item of news should be published. Rather must those who control news policies endeavor to make every item of news serve a certain purpose." Joseph Paul Goebbels, same site

Look up Blacklisted News. http://www.blacklistednews.com/

"The war made possible for us the solution of a whole series of problems that could never have been solved in normal times." Joseph Paul Goebbels, same site

Sounds familiar. How did we come to be in Iraq? A convenient 9/11 attack, as a knee-jerk reaction, although the current administration will deny to their graves that they used it as an excuse.

"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country." Hermann Goering, same site

Wow, this was followed pretty much word for word. They improvised a bit too though because those of us who oppose the war also do not support our troops. On the contrary, it is my support of the troops which causes me to oppose the war. We're fighting a war without a clear focus (to the American public, anyway, terror is such a broad concept and who doesn't want us to rot at this point?!) and with no feasible end. There is no benefit to us and only hurt to others, so why should we send our most valuable commodity-true patriots willing to give Life for Country-to die as pawns in a twisted game of power? We've spread our troops to the winds such that we can't recruit enough people to protect the country (how many fronts are we fighting on at this point?), and who would want to join at this point anyhow! Let's stop spending so much damn money on a war we won't win and BRING OUR BOYS (and girls) HOME!

Anyway, I guess that's about all the ranting I have in me right now. My acid reflux/heartburn BS has gone away and I'm getting tired. I'll be back though, as I am still a disgruntled American with (so far) the freedom to air my grievances. Even if I haven't done all my research. :)

I hate Antibiotic

So, I got bitten by a dog last week. I have been on 2 different antibiotics since Monday, and one of them is horrible. I have to take it 4 times a day and it's so strong, or whatever, that you're not allowed to lie down or bend over or, apparently, lean forward the slightest bit, for 30 mins after taking it. If you do, it's the worst case of acid reflux/heartburn you've ever had. But rest assured, you can drink a little water which does absolutely nothing or heartburn meds which do absolutely nothing. Instead, you can sit around for about 20 mins praying for your life to end and eventually it will fade.

This is the second time now, and I've been pretty conscious about not bending over. It's 5:30 in the morning and I got up, on a holiday, to be tortured. I'm tired and I want to go to bed, my esophagus/chest burn (it's rather like the whole area from the neck to the top of my breasts is on fire), and I probably won't be able to sleep after I've been awake the obligatory 30 mins to avoid exactly what I am feeling now.

I'm just about ready to throw in the towel and do what I lecture others about - skip the rest of the pills. The bite is healing and WHY THE HELL do I have to torture myself by staying up late and getting up early to take a pill? This isn't fair.

I'll talk to Kyle before I make any decisions since this is a bad idea, but it really hurts. And chances are that since I went 2 days without it that I never had an infection anyway.

Trivia 4-23-08

OK, so I am bad about updates. Oh well.

There are more cars in Southern California than there are cows in India.

Eric Clapton did not play the very famous first riff on the song "Layla". That was Duane Allman. Clapton comes in later.

The two-foot long bird called a Kea that lives in New Zealand likes to eat the strips of rubber around car windows.

The province of Alberta, Canada is completely free of rats.

As you age, your eye color gets lighter.

The blue whale can produce sounds up to 188 decibels. This is the loudest sound produced by a living animal and has been detected as far away as 530 miles.

It takes approximately 12 hours for food to entirely digest.

I'm an ENTJ

These are my personality test results

Trivia 4-15-08

And we know this guy probably needed Biggest Loser...except that fat at that time probably was linked to wealth/prosperity and was therefore desirable:

Louis XIV (1638-1715), was recorded to eat "four soups, a pheasant, a partridge, a plate of salad, sliced mutton with garlic, two lumps of ham, a plate of pastries, fruits and preserves" at one sitting.

Biggest Loser: Couples, Season 5

OK, I am typically not one to watch "new" shows (I did have a brief stint where I did, and most of them have since been canceled*). So, it's not terribly surprising that it's taken 5 seasons for me to succumb to the wonders of Biggest Loser (or as my brother-in-law has named it, World's Fattest Asshole). I saw one challenge early in with the see-saw challenge, but I didn't really start watching it religiously until after Mark and Ali came back. I guess that means I watched it for 4 episodes or so?

Anyway, it's been really good. And the best part?

ALI WAS THE FIRST GIRL BIGGEST LOSER!! I was kinda rooting for Kelli, but I didn't think she'd beat Roger, and she didn't. But AWESOME ALI!!

I can relate to a lot of what Ali has said about her fat being a security blanket. And, losing weight IS difficult so it's a lot easier to stay fat and "safe." But, as she said, if it wasn't hard it wouldn't feel that good.

I've been there, I've lost weight, and I've looked really great. Right now I can't remember how much weight I lost...well, I can if I do the math. But it's not really important because that was the past and I've got a bigger goal now than I did then. I am currently the heaviest I've ever been. It's unhealthy and I think it's the same problem I've had with my debt. It's not like I put on 10 pounds a week or add $1000 a month to my debt bill. It comes in (relatively) small amounts and the attitude I've had is, "well it's only 2 pounds, I'll get rid of it later with the rest of it." Yes, now it's only 2 pounds...but then I look at a quick meal (Ramen, frozen pizza, etc.) and think, "Well, with this much (I'd like to lose about 100 at this point in time) to lose, what the hell difference will 2 pounds make?" But the problem is I do this day after day, week after week.

And eventually it's another 10 pounds and I'm more depressed and I'm even harder on myself...which makes me think "screw it, it's only another pound what the hell difference will it make..."

Well, it can make a lot of difference.

It's time to make a change, though. I have a new Gazelle and (sort of) space to use it. I know that when I exercise, I pay much closer attention to my diet - "Why am I eating an 8 point item now when I just worked my ass off for 45 mins to burn that shit off?"

I have no more good excuses. It takes a lot of time, yes. But it's healthier and more cost effective if I would eat the way I know I should.

In the past I have felt like Ali - if someone doesn't like me, it was because I was fat. If I'm not fat, then it's me they don't like...but if they like me skinny and reject me fat - THAT'S NOT COOL!! I don't want those people in my life anyway.

So, it's time to cast off my security blanket and get healthy. No more excuses.







*There are a few exceptions - so far Chuck is on the air and I have watched My Name is Earl since the beginning. I think I was a Season 1 watcher of Scrubs when they put it on the air as a hopeful replacement for Friends, but I believe that is all.

Trivia 4-13-08

Here are several tidbits since I missed a few days.

A baby is born without kneecaps. They appear between age 2 and 6.

The microwave oven was invented by mistake when an engineer testing a magnetron tube noticed that the radiation from it melted the chocolate bar he had in his pocket.

The Olympic flag's colors are always red, black, blue, green and yellow rings on a field of white. This is because at least one of those colors appears on the flag of every nation on the planet.

The arteries and veins surrounding the brain stem called the "circle of Willis" looks like a stick person with a large head.

23% of employees say they have had sex in the office.

Trivia 4-9-08

Homing pigeons use roads where possible to help find their way home. In fact, some pigeons followed roads so closely that they actually flew around traffic circles before choosing the exit that led them home.

Trivia tidbit

I found a great source of trivia. If I remember, I'm going to post something new every day that I'm on the computer.

Here's today:

Richard Versalle, a tenor performing at New York's Metropolitan Opera House, suffered a heart attack and fell 10 feet from a ladder to the stage just after singing the line "You can only live so long."

I speak dog!

So it's been raining, and it's a little wet outside...puddles and mud and such. We took our dog Gavin to the door and asked if he wanted to go out. We clipped on his tether, he walked out a step, turned around and came back. I am pretty sure that's dog for "fuck that."

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Lets101 Quizzes - Fun Quiz

Catch-22s and the people who are screwed by them

Hi. My name is Angie, and I'm a debtor.

(Hi Angie!)

So, we're in debt, like the other 85% of Americans our age. There's the "easy" temporarily-kill-your-credit solution of debt consolidation, or the not-so-easy snowball solution. For those who have equity in their homes, there's the HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit). We don't own a house, so that's out. We would like to own one soon, though, so debt consolidation is kind of out (unless we settle on buying land/a house in 4-6 years). Snowballing is not quick or easy.

I've thought a lot about debt consolidation. It potentially lowers the monthly payment by locking interest rates and cutting other magical deals with the lenders. The unfortunate part is that for us, it's probably a 4-5 year fix. In that time we are allowed to have 1 open credit card for emergencies and we are not allowed to take out loans. I know this means small loans, and I wager it means big ones too like houses and/or land.

The rental house we are in is an utter piece of shit and moving into another rental feels like throwing money in a hole. I mean, sure, I don't have to worry about holes in the roof or water in the basement (4" of it, it sucked), but at the same time I could be building equity. The market is soft and it's a good time to buy, right? The problem is we're not technically able to commit to more than we're paying now in rent and that wouldn't cover a proper house with taxes and insurance.

So, in review: we're in debt, which makes it more difficult to get a loan. If we had a house, eventually we could get a HELOC to pay off high-interest debts, but it's difficult to get a house. Because of how much we're paying to credit cards, we can't afford a mortgage payment. And, to lower that quickly we could do debt consolidation...but then we couldn't get a house...

*sigh*

Do we commit to something that makes me supremely uncomfortable for as much as 5 years (no safety net of going to the bank and getting a small loan)? Do we put it off and try for a house anyway? Do we move into a different rental that can be more long term, but where we still can't do any mods and have to worry about what our pets might ruin? Do we try to get some land so we can build our dream house in cob?

I really don't know what to do. I wish I knew the answer.

If I sit too long, I risk lengthening the time we're in debt with "bad" debt (credit cards, not student loans). If I move too hastily, I could put us out of building equity for several years, and might miss the opportunity to buy in a soft market.

Then, if we did go for a house, there's the question of where. I want to move to Mount Vernon because that's where we want to move to build the cob. If we own a home, we can always rent it or sell it when we're done with the cob. It keeps us in a home, where we build equity and potentially stand to make money. If we're in Mount Vernon, it's easier to commit to building on the weekends to the exclusion of anything else (during optimal building season).

However, my friend tells me this evening that there are houses that her in-laws are renting out, brand new, that will be rent-to-buy. That would be nice - something that we could move into fairly quick, and that would essentially be ours. Plus, the rent is close to what we pay now, I'm just not sure how the insurance thing would work since we wouldn't actually own it. They're in Springfield, which is nice, but divorces us from the cob. We'd be committing to building 30 miles away and driving an awful lot.

Ideally I think I would like to buy something in Mount Vernon (or nearby) with an acre or two of land. That would give us space to experiment and ultimately it would be near our build site.

My husband is worried that buying a home would delay or cancel the cob, though, since we would have comfortable quarters. He may be right, but if we were building equity it would make the cob easier to manifest in the future. Once we had $40k in the house we could take it out, no questions asked, and buy our land and fund the project.

I like the last idea best, but I don't really know how to make it work out. I guess I could meditate. I have a hard time with it though, so perhaps I need to just get off my butt and read Chop Wood, Carry Water. It might help!

I suppose that's about it for now. More to come soon, I'm sure.

2008 candidates

I took this quiz and here's what it said...apparently I'm in agreement with the main democratic candidates and they seem to have a similar platform. I guess I "win" either way. *shrug*

	Hillary Clinton Score: 58	Agree Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Abortion Social Security Line-Item Veto Energy Marriage Death Penalty	Disagree Iraq
	Barack Obama Score: 58	Agree Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Abortion Social Security Line-Item Veto Energy Marriage Death Penalty	Disagree Iraq
-- Take the Quiz! --

I love this article!

California's Secession Letter to Bush

Awesome picture

Awesome

"Lawl"

As in, oh my gosh you're so funny "lawl" - known to most of us online, simply, as LOL. A cute abbreviation that indicates amusement to the point of laughing out loud (usually - sometimes it's a blatant lie, but a white one).

I am just fine with abbreviations - especially if it's in an online game where you may be doing 4 things at once.

Let's leave that stuff online, though. I see no reason for anyone to say "lawl" in person, and it's 100x (see, I <3 teh abbv.) more ridiculous because it's the TYPED form for the pronunciation of an abbreviation that is used in ONLINE CHAT! Essentially it's just translating from Online to Spoken to Online.

WTF PPL!

I move for sterilization

Because this girl is quite obviously too stupid to reproduce. Like ever.

Summary: 18 year old babysitter drops a 2 year old out of a second story window on purpose, allegedly because 2 of the kids she was babysitting (of 5 total) told her to. Kid is ok, some other boys saw and were able to catch him.

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070905/NEWS01/709050360


I guess she'd jump off a bridge too if they told her to!

Bunnies

These are the baby bunnies we rescued! They are coming along well.

Movie list

OK, I copied this from my sister-in-law's blog. I am searching for movies to add to my Q (Blockbuster Online) and I am highly deficient in classic movies. Here's a good start though! I have seen 12.

The list

1. Citizen Kane (1941)
2. Casablanca (1942)
3. The Godfather (1972)
4. Gone with the Wind (1939)
5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
6. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
7. The Graduate (1967)
8. On the Waterfront (1954)
9. Schindler's List (1993)
10. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
11. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
12. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
13. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
14. Some Like It Hot (1959)
15. Star Wars (1977)
16. All About Eve (1950)
17. The African Queen (1951)
18. Psycho (1960)
19. Chinatown (1974)
20. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
21. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
22. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
23. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
24. Raging Bull (1980)
25. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
26. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
27. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
28. Apocalypse Now (1979)
29. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
30. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
31. Annie Hall (1977)
32. The Godfather Part II (1974)
33. High Noon (1952)
34. To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
35. It Happened One Night (1934)
36. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
37. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
38. Double Indemnity (1944)
39. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
40. North by Northwest (1959)
41. West Side Story (1961)
42. Rear Window (1954)
43. King Kong (1933)
44. The Birth of a Nation (1915)
45. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
46. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
47. Taxi Driver (1976)
48. Jaws (1975)
49. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
50. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
51. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
52. From Here to Eternity (1953)
53. Amadeus (1984)
54. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
55. The Sound of Music (1965)
56. M*A*S*H (1970)
57. The Third Man (1949)
58. Fantasia (1940)
59. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
60. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
61. Vertigo (1958)
62. Tootsie (1982)
63. Stagecoach (1939)
64. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
65. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
66. Network (1976)
67. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
68. An American in Paris (1951)
69. Shane (1953)
70. The French Connection (1971)
71. Forrest Gump (1994)
72. Ben-Hur (1959)
73. Wuthering Heights (1939)
74. The Gold Rush (1925)
75. Dances with Wolves (1990)
76. City Lights (1931)
77. American Graffiti (1973)
78. Rocky (1976)
79. The Deer Hunter (1978)
80. The Wild Bunch (1969)
81. Modern Times (1936)
82. Giant (1956)
83. Platoon (1986)
84. Fargo (1996)
85. Duck Soup (1933)
86. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
87. Frankenstein (1931)
88. Easy Rider (1969)
89. Patton (1970)
90. The Jazz Singer (1927)
91. My Fair Lady (1964)
92. A Place in the Sun (1951)
93. The Apartment (1960)
94. Goodfellas (1990)
95. Pulp Fiction (1994)
96. The Searchers (1956)
97. Bringing up Baby (1938)
98. Unforgiven (1992)
99. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
100. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

Job satisfaction

Lately I've been considering how satisfied I am with my job(s). I'm not, really. They're both boring and barely challenging and I don't so much care for either. The finance job is tedious for the most part, and the retail job is typically brainless but at least offers me an opportunity to chat with people (sometimes). And the pay isn't very good at either one, either. Well, the finance one has benefits that can't necessarily be measured such as security and medical, but still - I need the $$ right now!

Teaching would still be pretty nice - from the time I was a small child all the way through high school with some (not much) wavering I wanted to teach. I was "friends" with my teachers, and I would play school by myself with outdated workbooks they gave me, first doing work and then grading it. Before I moved to California I thought I was getting a degree in Elementary Ed - I had even already taken the Elem Ed math course. When it finally came time to finish the degree while living in California, though, teachers in Fremont weren't making much more than I was so I couldn't justify the outlay of cash to GET a degree. Here, however, the teachers make close to the same salary as Fremont. A starting teacher makes about $10k on me, and that's very tempting since it's something I wanted to do and would still like to be able to do. It's also something I could use later if by some stroke of luck I chose (and was able) to be a stay-at-home mom.

Some things I still need to consider are the cost of additional education for certification and the pros/cons of being a teacher - does the pay scale up reasonably for experience, what kind of benefits are offered (paid holidays, vacation, sick pay, etc), and practical things like that.

In the meantime, I'll just trust the powers that be to guide me in the right direction, even if it doesn't include teaching.

Busy busy busy

Hi,

I've been really busy lately - I started a second job working part-time at Wal-mart as a cashier. I've been there for about a month and they're working me anywhere from 22-31 hours a week, which is in addition to my 40-hour job numero uno. It sucks, but sometimes it's fun.

Hopefully it won't be forever but it will probably be at least a year - less if our incomes jump enough to make up for the income loss after moving from Fremont. I lost about 47-49% of my pay instead of the equivalent adjustment of 30%. That's because I left at the top of a payscale and I'm currently at the bottom. Unfortunately most of our bills didn't change - the credit card companies, surprisingly, don't give a rip where I live and how much I can afford to pay them. :) And, now the student loans have kicked in so for a little while we're up the creek without a paddle. Anyone have a couple paddles they want to donate to a good cause? :D

So, it's probably a short-term job but we're unsure at this point how short. Just keep us in your thoughts, please :)

Now I must retire - I have to be awake and moving in about 6.5 hours. Yuck.

Done with school...

...but busier than ever. I swear, I think I had more time when I was going to school! *laugh*

But, I'm having fun so that's a good thing.

Daylight Savings

We talked about this in our staff meeting today - about how it would affect our PCs and the server and the many other things that access one of the two aforementioned wonders of technology. Previously Kyle and I were talking about this also - why? Well, in case no one noticed, it's MINI Y2K !!!! STORE THE FOOD AND WATER, HIDE THE MONEY UNDER THE MATTRESS!! Or, at least, that's what I've taken from the media.

In all seriousness, it's really nothing to be worried about. For the common user, you'll be off an hour for 3 weeks. I've known people who don't change their timekeeping devices at all, and believe it or not they've been known to continue functioning. For the business user, it's a little more complicated but overall no one should be in a dither.

And, why is everyone suddenly so panicked anyhow? I remember hearing about this before I left California last year, which puts that around about 1 year ago, possibly longer. There was so much notice, in fact, that the calendar you have on your wall/desk/wherever probably has it noted as the magical date of March 11. Since these things go out around...oh I'll say as late as November to be fair (although I think you can order as early as October), that means that the calendar publisher knew this well in advance of that date.

In short, WHY IS THIS ONLY JUST NOW A BIG FRIGGIN' DEAL?!

Oh, right. Hackers live for procrastination and deadlines. And they probably didn't view it as the catastrophe the media is making it into.

Here's to Vince

September 2, 1951 - February 17, 2007

May he be forever happy in Musician's Valhalla (since I am sure something like that must exist) where the party never ends.

Urinetown: The Musical

I'm working on a show as a follow spot operator - I'm not sure how long this article will be available, but here we are!

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007702090340

Power!

We finally have power again!

Unless you've been through it, you don't realize how crummy it is to live without power when the outside temperature is anywhere from 8 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

It sucks. A lot.

But we have power now!! *cartwheels*

Storms and more storms

We've so far survived the first of what is supposed to be a 3-wave storm through Sunday. We lost power around 9:30 last night and there is no telling when it will be back. The good news is that there will be about 113 crews working to get the power back - the bad news is that with another wave tomorrow we might get it back only to lose it again.

Anyway, let's hope that everything stays pretty much OK. :)

New Year's Prayer

"In the New Year may we remember
Today's decisions shape tomorrow's outcomes
That living each moment the best we can
Creates a harmonious life.

May we remember
By holding fast to integrity
Others see we are trustworthy.

When times are rough
May we remember to turn in
To our close and ready Source of comfort.

On New Year's and every day
May we remember that each new moment
Can be a fresh beginning.

And may we especially remember that
Personal peace preserved leads to
World peace, well deserved."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer - Susan Kramer
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art15740.asp

Rock on Chicks

Shut Up & Sing

If you have an opportunity, give this movie a chance. I enjoyed it and it's a good reminder that they are human, they err, and they have a right to their opinions too.


Not Ready to Make Nice
Dixie Chicks (c)2006


Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I'm not sure I could.
They say time heals everything,
But I'm still waiting

I'm through, with doubt,
There's nothing left for me to figure out,
I've paid a price, and i'll keep paying

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

I know you said
Why can't you just get over it,
It turned my whole world around
and I kind of like it

I made my bed, and I sleep like a baby,
With no regrets and I don't mind saying,
It's a sad sad story
That a mother will teach her daughter
that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.
And how in the world
Can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I'm not sure I could.
They say time heals everything,
But I'm still waiting

Things & Stuff

I haven't posted anything for a while so I thought I should probably do something about that.

School is done - hooray! It's been a nice break. I'm very much enjoying the free time. But...it's back to looking to the future. I've been thinking about a Master's and the new job pays for tuition starting in April, 100% if I get As. If I start in the summer then I could span 2 calendar years and potentially get most of the Master's paid for - provided I have the funding up front. I sent a request to the local university for info about Administrative Studies, Public Administration, and Accountancy. I doubt I really want the accountancy, but hey it's worth looking into. I anticipate one of the first two winning.

It's Christmas again, and that means money is tight - again. I hate it. I wish I had money to pay bills and buy gifts that perfectly fit the person, not gifts that mostly fit the person and perfectly fit the budget.

Anyway, it's time to go get ready for Christmas - buffet to be set up, pictures to take, etc. Tata!

Work is going well. I like the different tasks I am doing now rather than the one boring task all day. Now they may all be boring tasks, but they aren't that bad when you don't have to do any one of them for 40 hours a week. I'm very happy for the 3 day weekends, though :D

Enhanced Shopping Experience

The new supermarket, near our house has an automatic water mister to keep

the produce fresh. Just before it goes on, you hear the sound of

distant thunder and the smell of fresh rain.

When you approach the milk cases, you hear cows mooing and smell the scent

of fresh hay.

When you approach the egg case, you hear hens cluck and cackle and the air

is filled with the pleasing aroma of bacon and eggs frying.

The veggie department features the sound of a gentle breeze and the smell of

fresh buttered corn.

I don't buy toilet paper there any more.

ONLY 5 MORE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*CARTWHEELS AROUND THE ROOM LAUGHING MANIACALLY*

If Outlook would work.......

I would be able to post my last couple of tiny things for my last week of my last class! Still a big project for the team, but I am personally done except for the summary, which I can't really do until Sunday.

7 more days!

Hilarious Steve Irwin video with Ross the Intern

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa_7P5AbUww

LITTLE JOHNNY ON ENGLISH

Little JOHNNY goes to school, and the teacher says, "Today we are going
to learn multi-syllable words, class . Does anybody have an example of a
multi-syllable word?"

JOHNNY says "Mas-tur-bate."

Miss Rogers smiles and says, "Wow, little JOHNNY, that's a mouthful."


Little JOHNNY says, "No, Miss Rogers, you're thinking of a blow job."

Car of the future

Weird...

http://www.youtube.com/v/ry6w3mRm-FM

Nice story

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a
hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who
was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only
chance of recovery appeared to be a blood
transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had
miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the
illness.. The doctor explained the situation to her
little brother, and asked the little boy if he would
be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a
deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will
save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in
bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did,
seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his
face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at t he doctor and asked with a
trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the
doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his
sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Book report

Students were assigned to read 2 books, "Titanic", & "My Life" by Bill Clinton. One smart ass student turned in the following book report, with the proposition that they were nearly identical stories! His cool professor gave him an A+ for this report:

Titanic... $29.99
Clinton... $29.99
Titanic... Over 3 hours to read
Clinton... Over 3 hours to read
Titanic... The story of Jack and Rose, their forbidden love and subsequent catastrophe
Clinton... The story of Bill and Monica, their forbidden love, and subsequent catastrophe
Titanic... Jack is a starving artist
Clinton... Bill is a bullshit artist.
Titanic... In one scene, Jack enjoys a good cigar.
Clinton... Ditto for Bill.
Titanic... During ordeal, Rose's dress gets ruined.
Clinton... Ditto for Monica.
Titanic... Jack teaches Rose to spit.
Clinton... Let's not go there.
Titanic... Rose gets to keep her jewelry.
Clinton... Monica's forced to return her gifts.
Titanic... Rose remembers Jack for the rest of her life.
Clinton... Clinton doesn't remember Jack.
Titanic . Rose goes down on a vessel full of seamen.
Clinton... Monica...ooh, let's not go there, either.
Titanic... Jack surrenders to an icy death.
Clinton... Bill goes home to Hilary...basically the same.

Carve your own pumpkin online!

http://www.cubpack81.com/images/carve_pumpkin.swf

Halloween Hangman

Make sure you have your speakers on!

Greaser Babies

http://i.euniverse.com/funpages/cms_content/12925/greaserbabies.swf

Last individual assignment!

8 more days of class! And I am writing my VERY LAST bachelor's degree paper! I still have team stuff to work on but this is it! THE END IS NEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE

TEN MORE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

School is going well...only 10 more days! I am so stoked :D

Work is going well. So far we've been really busy - or maybe it's just me because I am new. In any case, I hope it stays that way. I like being really busy because the day goes faster. :) Oh yeah...I recently got a new job. I am working for the city out at the airport in the finance department. Yes, the airport is owned by the city. When you think about it that makes sense. It's a complex business with lots of vendors, etc. so who did you think ran it? Honestly I never thought about it before. *shrug* Anyway, I've learned to process purchase orders, "receive" invoices, pay invoices, enter cash and checks, data enter fuel usage, handle petty cash...I think there is more but I can't think of it right now.

One thing that I am not used to is a staff meeting every Monday where the managers present talk about real business. In my last job the managers had a meeting on Monday, but we peons weren't part of that. Since I still feel like a peon, it's weird to me to have a meeting with everyone including the Director of Aviation. And I had to go to a bored meeting to be approved as the petty cash custodian. So far I really like it and I'm starting to feel like I am NOT a peon. It's pretty nice, actually.

Well, it's late and I don't have time to write anything else.

Except maybe TEN MORE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wedding and babies (not my own)

Long time no update.

Well, I’m married now.  To address some questions that I keep getting asked:

“How was the wedding?”  It was really nice.  Some small things went wrong but overall I think it went well.  Hopefully the guests feel the same.

“Do you feel different?”  No, it’s not different except that my last name is all weird and not the same.  It’s going to take some getting used to, that’s for sure.

“When are you having kids?”  I’ll address this after I talk about babysitting.

---

My brother and sister-in-law have been out of town since Thursday and I’ve been taking care of my niece, Sam.  It’s been fun, but really different.  I started out wondering how I was going to keep a 2 year old entertained.  As it turns out, they’re pretty easy to keep busy.  

Still, though, there are a lot of hours in her waking day so I spent the first day wondering how to fill them and today wondering how to get her to bed on time.  I’d say I’ve progressed. :) There were a couple times I was feeling a little lost, but overall it was a pretty good day.

On to the “when are you having kids” question, though.  I have very much enjoyed my time with Sam, but I am also glad that I can give her back.  I don’t think I could keep this up for 18 years. :)  Kids are a lot of work and I don’t think I’m quite ready.  Granted, I spent a lot more time with her than I could normally spend with my own kids on a daily basis because I didn’t do anything but play.  Normally there would be house cleaning or laundry or something that didn’t involve reading Beauty and the Beast for the 15th time.  But there is still that huge demand on time, and I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet.  I’m just getting out of school and there’s still some stuff I want to do with my husband – like travel if we ever have money – that will be difficult or impossible to do with children.

I guess it works out in the end though – we don’t have money or space for a kid yet.  

Much love to Samantha, and ta-ta to baby fever -- for now.

"At least he died doing what he loved"

While that phrase (see title) sounds pretty good, it has really annoyed me since someone made me think about it. If someone is doing something they love, especially as a professional, they shouldn't die while doing it. To die that way means they screwed up and did something stupid. I'd rather not be remembered for that!

The reason this comes up is because I've heard/read/seen several comments that people had expected Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, to die by a croc. First, let me say that I am greatly saddened that he's gone and I feel for his poor family who had to lose him so young. From everything I viewed and read, what you saw on TV was what you got in life. What I saw was an intelligent, passionate, and good-hearted man who was fighting to make people care enough to protect the environment. I hope his message has been heard by enough people, and those who are willing to carry on the cause.

Now, back to his dying by a croc. I find that an insult! Everything that I saw about him says that he read and understood animals, especially crocs, better than humans. I really doubt that he would have died by a croc because it would have meant that he did something stupid. I think he was safer on land, and with all the variables and unpredictability of the ocean I am not terribly surpised now that it's mostly sunk in that he's gone.

I hope his family can find peace and the strength to carry on his cause. :'(

Updates

I was just thinking the other day that I haven't been updating this as I had originally intended. My plans for this blog were to post what's going on so that people who don't talk to me regularly can at least know the happenings. I do a lot, it just doesn't seem worthy of documentation.

So, here's some stuff I never mentioned but I guess is worth saying!

We moved...I never finished trip details. Oops. We're adjusting; I get homesick (for the Bay Area) sometimes but since we still want a house we won't be going back to live there (99.99999999% chance against it, but I don't want to say never).

Job...is boring. Lots of the same stuff every day. Sometimes I make mistakes because I wasn't trained properly, which results in brief excitement while I try to internalize the "fix" but then it's more monotony. Currently I'm temping for an unnamed BROWN company where I data enter information pertaining to shipment and billing information for ocean freight coming out of Asia. I like the people and it pays the bills, but I doubt I'll stick around to be offered a permanent position.

Wedding is coming along. 14 days to go and YES I know how close that is. Beeeeeliiiiiieeeeeeeve me, I know how close - I'm planning the damn thing, and several of the details are last minute. I know very well how much time I don't have, and thank you kindly for not reminding me. Sorry Kristen, I know I did the same to you.

School is coming along also. Had a bitch of a time getting an answer out of my financial aid counselor because apparently I speak English and she speaks....?? Not-English, I guess. About 10 more days left in my VERY LAST marketing class, woohoo! I'll be degreed in no time if all goes well. We have to settle my debts there and pay the grad app fee, so once my grade posts for the final course I can get started and hopefully have my degree before Christmas. That would be swell!

Other work - I am a Creative Memories consultant now. If you want to know just what that is, you can go to my website: http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/argturpin

That's about it for now - I'm tired and my stomach hurts.

'Til next time!

Dee-dee-dee, Carlos Mencia-style

I caught this on my phone while waiting in a turn lane back in July - I just never retrieved the photo. Can you tell what's wrong?










The single car in the far left lane is NOT in a legal turn lane - notice the pretty double yellow lines. :) I guess they thought we were all dumbasses to wait in a long line to turn left when there was an open lane. Too bad they're color blind, or just plain blind...double lines usually mean "DO NOT CROSS". *rolls her eyes* Dee-dee-dee!

Did I mention I'm tired of school?

One more week in this class...then one more marketing class and a capstone course. One more week in this class...then one more marketing class and a capstone course. One more week in this class...then one more marketing class and a capstone course. One more week in this class...then one more marketing class and a capstone course. One more week in this class...then one more marketing class and a capstone course. One more week in this class...then one more marketing class and a capstone course.

Well, I'm still sick of school but it makes it easier to think about.

Double major?

Well, I made a decision on the double major question (adding communications to Bus/Marketing). I decided....no. While it sounds like a good idea, I won't actually GET the degree until I finish communications, which could be next year sometime. I'm already VERY ready to be done and have a degree in-hand to get a better paying job, so I don't think the double major is worth it. It might look good on paper but it's still just *a* degree and if it takes me another year to earn it, I'll miss out on a year's-worth of income. I really don't think I'd be offered $10k more a year, and I don't want to burn myself out before I get the MBA where the real money is....besides, Kyle needs an opportunity to go to school too.

So, yay! I will be done in November!

Excitement!

This is the thing I've been using to keep me going...any time I've talked about "ripping off another popsicle stick," this is what I was talking about.

Look how EMPTY it is!! And yeah, the dates are off - I've had my schedule changed a couple times since then, but the classes were still in the same order.

Oh, and that's my super-awesome bulletin board in the background - isn't it pretty? :D

TWO MORE CLASSES! And only ONE more marketing class, WOO WOO WOO WOO WOO!!!

I graduated

Now I just have to finish classes...yuck.

Busy busy

Invitations and enclosures are coming along...still need some addresses, though. School is busy. I go to the gym when I can. And of course work is designated from 8-5 every freaking day, taking up the most of my time. Stupid work!

I wish I had time to do things other than the above activities! Room needs cleaning, there are a hundred things to do for the wedding, and I could do with some entertainment too - seems like for the last week I've been doing a lot of invitation work. I will be very glad when the toiling is done. Granted, I've been slacking in the school department in lieu of entertainment, but it's guilt-laden entertainment (might as well not do it at all then).

Graduation is this coming weekend, so nothing gets done then either.

I guess I'll get through this one way or another, I'm just wondering what condition I'll be in on the other side!

Centerpiece

Here's a pic of the centerpiece I'm probably going to use...it's a silk California poppy "rooted" in cobalt colored marbles.

The dogs

These are pictures of our dogs.


This is Gavin...cheering himself up with a balloon.



And this is all of them...playing their favorite game: Tug-a-hump.

Moving

Well, we didn't get started as early as we wanted to because moving sucks and it took forever. On Thursday we worked on getting things out of our little storage unit at the apartment (4x4) into the bigger family unit (10x10) so that we'd have a centralized area of stuff. We also did a bit of packing, but I gave up around 3 a.m. to take a 1 hour nap...and then didn't wake up until 5:30, leaving me only about 2 hours to accomplish the impossible feat of finishing before Kyle's dad showed up. Ick. So as you might guess, I didn't finish. After that I found out that much of what I had I didn't care a lot about, so we started chunking things that we thought we could just re-buy. We liked them, but they weren't worth packing.

Friday came and we (Kyle, his dad, and myself) headed to Uhaul to get the truck. Since the 10x10 was on premise there, we loaded that first. Huge problem - the truck was nearing half full and very well packed. Two questions - 1) Would everything left in the apartment (most of our stuff, meaning Kyle's and mine) fit and 2) were we going to be paying a huge amount over the footage we estimated on the truck? Well, not everything did fit, but we packed the truck as full as possible and headed to San Jose. Thankfully the ABF trailer was a lot bigger than the truck. It took us three hours to unpack the Uhaul and pack the ABF trailer, but we finally emptied the Uhaul. On the way back we picked up our friend and he helped us a lot that night and all day on Saturday. We weren't going to get all of our stuff packed on the ABF trailer before the midnight deadline, so we ended up quitting for the night and waiting until Saturday. We went to breakfast with Kyle's sisters and dad and friend, and then started packing again. We took the truck back Saturday night, and Sunday Kyle and I finished packing. We loaded the truck, put up the wall, and took off. Then we went back to the apartment, packed the car, and left around 5:30. We were both way too wiped to do anything else for the apartment, so we left it in a state of disarray. If we get half our deposit back I'll be happy, and we didn't have the energy or patience to clean so paying someone else was worth it.

Anyway, I'll write more later about the trip. This is already a good deal longer than I intended.

New flash cartoons!

Everything from "Weeeee!" down is new.

You're welcome!

Enjoy.

Traveling

Traveling is something I haven't been able to do a lot of, and I really haven't minded. However, faced with the opportunity to see things I've never seen before...I am REALLY excited about our road trip on the way to Missouri! I'm going to be SO tired afterwards but boy-o-boy is it going to be fun :D We'll be visiting Kyle's grandma, Kyle's dad, Universal Studios, The San Diego Zoo and also the Wildlife Park, the Grand Canyon, San Antonio, Austin, my family...and the silly things along the way like "World's Biggest Ball of Yarn" or "World's Biggest Thermometer." There won't likely be another opportunity like this until we're wrinkly and retired, so I plan to make the most of it. Thanks to the family in Missouri for taking on our animals until we get there...it's very much appreciated and I wish I could send them later, now that it's this week. It's so soon to send them and so soon that you're stuck with them, if only I'd made it 2 weeks later...oh well, it's done.

See ya'll soon.

In other news...

...we have a photographer! He's in Austin, and is quoting a great price which includes everything I want. He'll be there for the duration of the wedding, and at the end he's giving me the "negatives" on a CD at full resolution so I can print as little or as much as I want through Snapfish, Wal-mart, Walgreens, etc...he's about $750-$950 cheaper than the other photographer I'd considered, and seems more casual about it - he's OK with amateurs following him about as long as they don't get in the way, and when he's done with a posed photo they can take the same shot. COOL!!! It also includes a sitting in his studio prior to the wedding and an 11x14 print I can put on the guest book table. I am totally jazzed :) I'll be submitting my deposit tomorrow :D

For anyone in Austin, here's his info:

Corsair Imaging
Eric Robertson
512-695-3813

He has 20 years of experience with weddings, and he's really flexible...based on my conversation today, I'd recommend him to everyone.

Yay!! Another thing I can soon stop worrying about :D

Feeling a little better...

This instructor still sucks, but I feel good that I am actually calling this guy on his flaws instead of staying quiet so I don't fall subject to his wrath and a grading bias. At this point, it can't get much worse - if it does it will be obvious, especially since I will be devoting all my time to the class these last 10 or so days. If I expend that much more effort and still do poorly, this isn't my fault and I still got to say what I needed to say. I spoke up, and I was supported for it and THANKED even for having done so - that makes me feel warm & fuzzy inside :) I'm helping me, and I'm helping others...ahh, it feels like cleric-ing :) Kinda, anyway.

Here's my most recent correspondence:

From: ANGELA
To: BARRY
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 10:58 PM
Subject: Re: Attached WK 2 Evaluations of IP & Simulation Summary
While that may be the case, we as students also have full time jobs, families, and other obligations and are penalized for tardiness, whereas instructors are not. I am paying $1500 for this course which I could be reimbursed for if I gain a C or higher. However, at this point I have a D+ and I have no confidence that I can turn this around to be a C or greater, no matter how many points are still available. Hopefully you can understand my concern, as this is the ONLY course in which I have ever received such poor grades with very little useful feedback - even considering Statistics I & II, which I did not even understand most of the time!!! Buyer Behavior is a social science, and has several similar concepts that I just finished studying in Social Psychology, which had similar concepts that I studied in another previous course. Additionally, I feel cheated that I did not learn sooner that my writing style is not appropriate, and is "too impersonal," a comment I received on all of my papers that have been returned thus far. I remember a guide or instructor from UoP telling me that APA format is a formal style and does not allow first person references, and it is not as if this is the first class in which I have used personal experiences to demonstrate concepts taught in the course. Unfortunately, it IS the only course in which I have been reprimanded and marked down for formal writing. Now that I know your preference, I can alter my style, but I would have appreciated this PRIOR to week 2 deadlines. I really disagree with your assessment that I need to do spelling and grammar checks, and I REALLY disagree with the comments about sentences being too long and complex. I spent countless hours in English classes through junior high and high school editing papers in which we highlighted in two different colors to visually see sentence length. The point of that exercise was to vary short & long sentences to create a flow. I know I write long sentences, but I also add in short ones where appropriate.


Anyway, I and several other students are dissatisfied and as students (and customers of UoP!) - we expect better from our instructors. Up to this point, I have never had a problem. I can appreciate your time crunch, but it's nothing that we as students, spouses, coaches, parents, and employees have not experienced ourselves. I can't speak for Team C's loss, but Team A lost two members directly in relation to the lack of feedback and the poor showing in grades. This left us at an extreme disadvantage, but because of the deadline we had to deal with it as we would in the "real world." This would have been difficult but manageable if you had made your expectations more clear, specifically in regards to questions I asked before the second paper was due (I asked about your highlighting and what it meant).

Please make an effort to get feedback out more quickly as our grades are important to us for reimbursements and scholarships, if not for GPA alone.


Angie
----- Original Message -----
From: BARRY
To: ANGELA
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 12:45 PM
Subject: Re: Attached WK 2 Evaluations of IP & Simulation Summary
Dear Angie

There is still quite a bit of time and points available.

Since the University has changed the size of the classes, it takes longer for those of us who do this as a part-time thing to handle the turn around as fast in an earlier period. This past week was an expensive one for me with a snow storm that disrupted a plan business meeting and then my accident which disrupted another meeting.

I will take your concern under advisement.

Barry


Barry, PhD MBAOnline Faculty, University of Phoenix Online
----- Original Message -----
From: ANGELA
To: BARRY
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 10:31 PM
Subject: Re: Attached WK 2 Evaluations of IP & Simulation Summary
Barry,

I really think it is unfair that my grade is suffering because I was not informed my writing style is not what you like until the middle of week 3. I don't want to drop, but I also can't make a D in this course and be reimbursed for it, so I must say I am extremely disappointed with the lack of feedback in the beginning of the course. I will work hard the remainder of the course, but what else can I do?

GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

I am so irritated with my Buyer Behavior instructor!!

He took a course that I was very interested in and poo-pooed the whole thing. I LOVE social science, and the nuances of marketing that persuade people to buy is what got me interested in the first place. Instead of loving it and doing well, I am hating it and pulling a D+ which is the worst (college) grade I've ever gotten. I'm not done yet so I *might* be able to pull a C-, but still...I don't even UNDERSTAND Chaucer's English, and I still managed a C in my British Literature class...I didn't understand Sadistics I or II, and I got Bs in those courses, while moving twice and dealing with someone close to me dying. But this course...UGH!

Apparently my writing style is "too objective" because I don't use I, me, we, our, myself, etc. - it's not permitted in APA format unless specified by the instructor or assignment, and I've never had an instructor require it of me. In fact "[ ] First person (“I”, “we”) generally refers to your own opinion or experience. Use third person unless otherwise indicated by the
assignment or instructor." HELLO!


GAH I AM SO FREAKING ANGRY WITH THIS DOUCHE! He didn't give ANY feedback until the beginning of week 3, which means I had already turned in 3 of 6 personal papers in that style. In week 4 we are finally getting feedback for week 2.

No bullshit, in my week 2 paper he wrote as a comment, "You have a lot of long sentences. These can be broken into several short ones and mare for a more readable paper." "Mare?" How about you proofread you DUMBASS. And WTH? Color me stupid, but I thought a mixture of short and long sentences was the mark of a MATURE paper. Does this guy read at a second grade level?

"You could be more specific" ABOUT WHAT?! And should I be as specific as you, Mr. I-Could-Win-an-Award-For-Dancing-Around-the-Question-and-Never-Answering-Anything? I ask him questions, which he takes his time answering...I asked him on Friday night/Saturday morning about comments on a team paper so that we could improve our paper that was due on Monday. I got a reply, after prodding him, on Monday at 11:45 when normal 40-hours-a-week people are working. I happened to be off on a vacation day, but STILL - my teammates weren't, and the paper was not entirely written but progressing...it's just a 1,450 word POS, it doesn't take THAT long unless you have the pickiest, most asinine, idiotic, should-still-be-working-with-chimps, random, dodgy ASSHOLE-of-a-teacher on the planet, and for all he knows we finished it Sunday and his NON-ANSWERS were no help! I said in the e-mail

"I sincerely do not understand your grading...[specific questions about the assignment]...We'll follow the rubric closely this time, but the above questions aren't really rubric-related"

and HE said (dodging the specific questions entirely):

"As for the grading, the rubrics repeat the basic issues in the syllabus that you are asked to address for the assignment. The scale lets you know what a certain level of work will generate in terms of a gradeon that issue. Complete means that you have covered the topic or answeredthe basic question posed by the issue. Excellent means that you havecompleted the answer and have demonstrated understanding by applying the conceptsto the specific situation in the assignment."

Yeah, I'm pissed. Real pissed. I don't think I would have gotten through my degree this far, with 5 classes to go, without having someone indicate to me that I need to check grammar and spelling, APA format, and oh yeah, my "sentences are too long." I and several other students have complained about his lack of feedback and unfair grading, so he's being evaluated...but it likely won't help our grades. I hope the picky bastard gets stuck at every red light he encounters, for the full cycle. And that he grows boobs and has to deal with period cramps. And has or develops a fat ass. Yeah! That should about do it. Until I think of something else!

Cleaning

I usually hate cleaning...the way it just never goes away...if it's not clutter, then it's dust or grime or clothes on the floor. And cleaning seems unnatural in a way - within minutes of dusting - seconds, perhaps - tiny particles of dust are once again settling themselves comfortably all over everything - making themselves at home, as if they're supposed to be there. Like they're returning to a normal state. Or maybe it is living indoors that is unnatural, not the cleaning...? Outside the wind moves and stirs the dust, such that it won't necessarily settle and stay. Hmm.

Cleaning isn't always so bad, though...sometimes it can be gratifying in an inexlicable way. As I said before, I hate - despise - cleaning. The constancy of it. That it can be satisfying is alien...but also makes sense, if that makes any sense. I guess it is in part the instant gratification, the knowledge that something is shining when it wasn't before, and I'm responsible. One of few things in life that is visible in that way.

I guess that's about all for my midnight ramble - I am probably tired from the cleaning!

Up late again...

Well, it's a work night and I am up late again...part of it was a late start, part of it was procrastination...since I am going to that scrapbooking event this weekend, I wanted to get my homework done. For one paper, it was necessary since it's due Saturday and I am not here...but I also wanted to complete my assignments that are due Monday and I just didn't get to them.

But, now I've done part of my team assignment, finished my assignment due tonight, finished my assignment due Saturday, and I filed my taxes...all in all I guess it's been productive, but I still haven't packed so I still can't go to bed!! Ahhh!

I find it funny that the first part of "analysis" is "anal".

Today was crummy

Well, I started the day by almost hitting an idiotic pedestrian - please, make eye contact with the driver, it's your life at stake!! You can be very right and very DEAD! I was leaving for work this morning, in a hurry, and there was also the factor of limited visibility...as I was looking one way for the traffic, a pedestrian was coming from the other way (and might I add that this was not in a crosswalk, it was a sidewalk crossing a driveway, with a 4-5' wall covered in ivy with trees, etc. in the way to block my view of pedestrians) and decided to walk IN FRONT of my car. With the nose partway in the road. And with my head very firmly and visibly turned the OTHER WAY. What arrogance possesses someone to walk in front of a car without knowing full well that the driver is aware that they are there?!

Then, I get an e-mail that I've been dropped from my class (again). I won't go into the first time I was dropped from the class because that's too much to type. This time I thought it was the other thing, but it was actually that a counselor can't @^#*$% type. >:/ The notes referenced my student ID, but someone else's name, and they requested to drop for personal reasons. Earlier today when it was just going to be a couple hours I was ok because I was glad it wasn't the problem I thought it was....but now I am starting to get pissed because I still don't have access to my class 5 hours later, my team has a project due tonighty that I can't help with, and I am stuck on the phone with tech support.

I need a freaking vacation from this day!

This box was a PITA. I probably won't make any on my own again.