between the end and where we lie

we've moved!

2008-05-18T23:14:00.002-04:00

I now have a new blog site...for many reasons.

Here's the link:

http://emkaysteele.wordpress.com/

where is the love...

2008-04-28T23:28:00.003-04:00

An interesting quote from a podcast I was listening to last week: "It just can't be a good thing when anytime you hear about Christians in the news they're boycotting or promoting some sort of negative activity. You know, Jesus said, 'They should know us by our love.'"

That phrase really struck me. I was pondering it...how often do you hear about Christians doing good? Now, I know that there's media bias (yadda yadda yadda)and I know that Christians do DO good... But so many live their Christian lives by the bumper sticker on their car or their cd in the cd player...but how often do they live their Christian lives so that people would know they were Christians by their love? Some talk so much about abstaining from things...parties, circles of people, companies that don't support "Merry Christmas"...because they're called to be "in the world but not of the world." But...I really think that we're called to be in the world and not of the world by our love that we show others. THAT'S the difference. It's a whole lot easier to show we're Christians by putting a fish on the back of our car than to get dirty in dealing with people's lives. Too bad Jesus didn't say, "They should know us by our bumper stickers or the parties we don't go to or the people we DON'T hang around."

Just an interesting thing to think about. Not that I'm saying we should just love and disregard all other Biblical teaching...and not that I didn't already know that we were supposed to be different by our love. It's just interesting to think from a "world" perspective...how do they "tell" Christians from non-Christians. Is it BY our love? Or is it solely by what we boycott/support?

Thoughts?

i am an arteeeest!

2008-04-16T23:20:00.009-04:00

As many of you know...my job isn't really what I would call challenging or time consuming. I get my work done and then surf the internet. When I finish the internet, what most of you all don't know is that I dabble in painting. MS paint, that is. I've been meaning to post some of my work on here for quite some time, but I just keep forgetting. Here are some of my more recent works.

The title of this piece is:

Chances my parents will get back together: The story of a snowball in hell.

The inspiration behind this one comes from the season finale of Rock of Love. I missed it coming on at it's normal time and I ended up watching it at 12. I got to bed by 2am and had to get up at 5:30am for work. (I credit The [other] Bec[k] for that. Thank you. But at least he didn't pick Daisy...right!?]

I call that one: Brett's redeemed.

This is another self portrait I drew of me walking into work every morning. Clearly, the sun isn't out at 6:45 am...as no one else should be either. I pray every morning for strength to continue to put one foot in front of the other. ::sigh::

This one is titled: Dear God, It's me...Katie.

Lastly, this is the one I finished yesterday. The story behind this is that yesterday, I rid my life of a freaking HUGE pink elephant that had been annoying the crap out of me for months now. I was finally given permission to deal with it (another story for another time) and so I did. The comment I made in the email with the person giving me the permission said this:
What am I going to do now that the PINK ELEPHANT isn't taking up all my floor space?! I might by an ottoman to kick my heels up on. Or I might just rekindle my love for the game "Twister." I love the options this crusade for self purification gives me.

I title this one: The Finale.

(Left to right: Aunt Mabes, Auntie Em, Me, Pink Elephant.)

So yes...enjoy these pictures. Feel free to reproduce them as you wish. (Mother's Day IS just around the corner.)

...expect to see more soon!

epiphany.

2008-04-14T16:38:00.003-04:00

I had a personal epiphany today. It's taken a load off my mind because I have trouble when I can't identify the root of my issue to figure out feelings within myself. Oh sweet [partial] relief.

[...I seriously love this band.]

we dream of ways to break these iron bars
we dream of black nights without moon or stars
we dream of tunnels and of sleeping guards
we dream of blackouts in the prison yard

heartbroken, we found
(a gleam of hope)
harken to the sound,
(a whistle blows)
heaven sent reply,
(however small)
evidence of life
(beyond these walls)
born and bred
(in this machine)
wardens dread
(to see us dream)
we hold tight
(to legends of)
real life,
(the way it was before)

we dream of jailers throwing down their arms
we dream of open gates and no alarms

we dream of ways to break these iron bars
we dream of black nights without moon or stars

heartbroken, we found
(a gleam of hope)
harken to the sound,
(a whistle blows)
heaven sent reply,
(however small)
evidence of life
(beyond these walls)
born and bred
(in this machine)
wardens dread
(to see us dream)
we hold tight
(to legends of)
real life,
(the way it was before)

look to the day the earth will shake
these weathered walls will fall away.

to continue the video theme...

2008-04-13T17:02:00.001-04:00

a new favorite group.

Punch Brothers.

kobe, you daredevil you...

2008-04-12T11:46:00.000-04:00

Kobe Bryant Jumps over Aston Martin! from Hypebeast on Vimeo.

i thought my sister worked at belk?

2008-04-10T22:56:00.002-04:00

"i've had better days bon qui qui."

ahahahahhaha.

Increasingly glad I hitched my wagon to HIS train…

2008-04-02T16:13:00.002-04:00

The Husband is plugging along on his coursework for a Master in Fine Arts in Graphic Design. He will finish in March of 2009 and right now he’s looking for an internship that will fulfill the school’s internship requirement. In the beginning, he was concerned that he was not going to be able to find one. He applied to like 12 different places last Tuesday. Since then, he’s been offered 3. It’s so funny to me…he gets so worked up and worried over things like this…worried that he won’t even be able to get ONE internship.

This past weekend he had an interview at the NC Zoo for a Graphic Design internship there. They don’t normally do internships, but after the interview, they were able to offer him a huge project that they would let him be in charge of because they are opening a huge new exhibit this year and are in need of the help. It’s quite a huge task…I think he was a tad overwhelmed by their offer. He said, “I mean…just let me do a brochure to start off with or..SOMEthing!” But I think the challenge is something that’s exciting to him.

The other main contender for this summer is an internship that he was offered yesterday with Fossil. Now, apparently, Fossil is in the business of making quality accessories and getting design awards. The way The Husband talks about it, I feel like angels should sing whenever the name Fossil is mentioned. ☺ He was on cloud 9 last night…really honored that they’d offer him a position.

So now here’s the dilemma. Which one does he pick? I think there’s a decent chance that whichever one he picks will offer him a full time job when it’s over…so that has to be considered. Either place would be great place to work. But one is in Richardson, TX and one is in Asheboro, NC. My entire family lives in Asheboro…which is both good and bad. hahaha. Of course, taking a job with Fossil this early in his game would be highly beneficial when looking for other work in the future. But then considering what my family is getting ready to go through with the possible divorce trial coming up in October…it would be difficult for me not to be able to go home if I needed to. Difficult, but not impossible. Overall, I have told him that knowing how much it SUCKS to be in a job that you hate going to every day, I really want him to go where he will be happy. And as cliché as it is, I’ll be happy if he is happy. I really cannot wait for the day that we’re both out of school. I can’t even imagine.

So anyway…such is life. Decisions decisions. I had to spill my thoughts here because Billy, so true to his nature, doesn’t want to discuss it until after his 45 hour review on Friday. Saturday I’m heading back to Rose Hill to HOPEFULLY finish whatever needs to be finished there. More on that Monday. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers on Sunday. But that means we won’t be able to have a conversation about it until Monday and anyone who knows me knows you might as well ask me to hold my breath until Monday. Nevertheless, I guess I’ll have to try.

So there’s your update, all who have been asking for one. ☺

Here's my earworm for the week:

[and they came BACK ta tha mic.]

the best geico commercial i've seen yet...

2008-03-16T15:30:00.001-04:00

job security.

2008-03-14T09:38:00.005-04:00

What flies 700 mph and costs $58M? New private jet

By Marilyn Adams, USA TODAY

Gulfstream Aerospace on Thursday unveiled plans to build the largest, fastest and most expensive private jet for delivery starting in 2012.
Gulfstream said its new G650 will be capable of flying nearly 700 mph, faster than a Boeing 747. It will seat 18, have a full kitchen and bar, and offer individualized entertainment, satellite phone service and wireless Internet access during the flight.

Passengers will be able to sip a cocktail at 51,000 feet, its maximum altitude, the company says.

"The G650 is in a brand new market by itself," said Gulfstream President Joe Lombardo.

At a base price of $58 million, it will cost about $10 million more than its predecessor, Gulfstream's G550. With a flying range of more than 8,000 miles, it will be capable of whisking heads of state, CEOs and other VIPs from New York to Tokyo or Buenos Aires non-stop.

"Gulfstream is staking out the top end," said aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group. "There's always a part of the market that is willing to pay for the best and the biggest."

The new jet's cabin will be the largest ever — 8½ feet wide and 6-feet-5 high — but of relatively traditional metal construction, not man-made composite. The cabin will accommodate 18 passengers seated or eight sleeping in lie-flat beds.

The G650 will be powered by two new Rolls-Royce engines that will take the jet from Dubai to Chicago almost 90 minutes faster than existing long-range jets, Gulfstream says.

Yet because the jet will weigh less than 100,000 pounds, it will be able to land at small airports such as Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, near New York City, and avoid delay-plagued major airports such as New York John F. Kennedy and Chicago O'Hare.

The G650 will be built at Gulfstream's plant in Savannah, Ga. It is expected to make its first flight in 2009.

Gulfstream spokesman Robert Baugniet said 80% of Gulfstream's clients are companies, 12% are governments and 7% are high-worth individuals.

"These jets are no longer the purview of the CEO," he said.

Gulfstream, owned by General Dynamics (GD), commands about a quarter of the $24 billion business jet market, but it accounts for more than half of the market for large-cabin, long-range corporate jets.

______________________________________________________
we never steal cars, but we deal hard
whip it real hard, whip it [whip it] real hard

...everyday we hustlin.

crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-o...

2008-03-13T08:02:00.008-04:00

Today is St. Patrick's Day [sort of]. The official day of St. Patrick is Monday, but the official part-ay for St. Patrick is today.

St. Patrick's Day in Savannah can only be described as insanity. Yesterday driving in to work, they already had squares along the parade route blocked off and I counted 36 port-a-potties (not to mention I was behind a truck that was carrying 9 more...) They used to dye the entire river green. (They didn't last year, maybe they will this year?) I think for many, this might be considered a spiritual mecca.

Yesterday I was feeling pretty bitter toward St. Patrick and his day. I have to work today while 300,000 drunk people make it impossible for me to take my normal route, adding a good 30 minutes on my commute home. But what I didn't know about this day was that Corona, in order to commerate Patrick, made specialty light up rings in the shape of shamrocks. [Thank you waiter at Sticky Fingers for giving me one!] So today, as I sit here while everyone's out having a good time, I will hit my ring and make it light up to spread some Patrick cheer in my own way. I saw another one laying on the bar as we were paying and I used MY sticky fingers to get it for The Yankee. The power is ours. :)

Today, on this fake St. Patrick's Day, I leave you with this Irish wish...

May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.

dancing prisoners...

2008-03-11T00:36:00.001-04:00

...it never gets old.

Thanks Yankee. :)

well, you can cancel the Amber alert...

2008-03-10T07:27:00.003-04:00

I arrived at work today to find quite the chaotic scene. Police, firefighters and some parts of the National Guard were all around my desk with snarling, drooling dogs. They had fax machines and copiers set up around the swath of laptops with maps on the screen of Georgia, the United States, and the world. One uniformed man had just hit send on the fax machine...faxing my security badge picture to all the local hotspots, newspapers and news stations. They were holding up papers that I had touched and the pens I have written with to the noses of bloodhounds, trying to get them to pick up my scent. Right before the police chief "ok'd" the picture for the back of the milk cartons, I walked around the corner. They all proceeded to shout huzzah before they returned to their daily duties and fed the bloodhounds their breakfast.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I was 10 minutes late to work this morning.

I didn't sleep well last night (couldn't go to sleep until 2, had to get up at [what my body felt like] was 4:15.) So I felt like crap this morning. My work cell phone died yesterday, so I didn't have it on for people to call. I had 5 missed phone calls on my desk phone, one being my supervisor, and they were all trying to find me.

I hate this god forsaken place.

peach fuzz buzz but beard on the verge...

2008-03-07T00:08:00.004-05:00

a new favorite...Lupe Fiasco.

excellent cd.

riot.

2008-03-06T22:03:00.002-05:00

i've watched this city burn twice
in my lifetime
and the most notable thing
was the arrival of the
politicians in the
aftermath
proclaiming the wrongs of
the system
and demanding new
policies toward and for the
poor.

nothing was corrected last
time.
nothing will be corrected this
time.

the poor will remain poor.
the unemployed will remain
so.
the homeless will remain
homeless

and the politicians,
fat upon the land, will live
very well.

~ charles bukowski
_______________________

thanks boyce.

the student becomes the master...

2008-03-03T20:51:00.005-05:00

Let me just begin by saying, today has been a terrible day. I mean, horrible...rough...and every synonym in between. Bad day at work, bad day with my family, just...bad.

But tonight, things took a turn for the best. And when I say best, I mean, tonight I experienced something that I never thought I would live to see. It happened, and like a comet, it may be another 75 years before I experience this again...IF it ever happens again in my lifetime.

Drumroll please.

Tonight, I told The Husband something about the Boston Red Sox that he didn't know. It was a news related article, not some obscure fact about the team.

Red Sox Unveil 'Coca-Cola Corner'

I have never been prouder in my life.

As in true Red Sox Nation fashion, I turned up Dropkick Murphys and did this victory dance around my apartment:

another day, another struggle..

2008-03-03T07:21:00.004-05:00

Survey: One-third of workers catching zzz's on jobStory Highlights
Survey suggest workers not getting enough sleep
NEW YORK (AP) -- A survey released Monday by the National Sleep

Foundation says more people on the job should wake up, go home and get more sleep.

The survey of 1,000 people found participants average six hours and 40 minutes of sleep a night on weeknights, even though they estimated they'd need roughly another 40 minutes of sleep to be at their best.

Roughly one-third of those surveyed said they had fallen asleep or become very sleepy at work in the past month.

Just how big a deal that is depends, of course, on your job. Last week, the chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission acknowledged it should have done more to investigate a tip that security guards routinely took naps while on the job at a Pennsylvania nuclear plant.

It wasn't until a videotape of guards sleeping in a "ready room" at the Peach Bottom plant in south-central Pennsylvania surfaced several months after it got the tip that the NRC announced in September a special investigation.

While sleepy workers know they're not performing as well as they could during the day, work is what's keeping them up nights, according to the survey, which found workdays are getting longer and time spent working from home averages close to four-and-a-half hours each week.

It seems people are also trying to squeeze in more time for themselves and their families, even if it means less sleep. According to the survey, the average time to wake up is at 5:35 a.m. and it's followed by about two hours and 15 minutes at home before heading out to work.
___________________________________________
I find it interesting that this number isn't higher than it is. Not to mention, why would people wake up at 5:30 if they don't have to leave for another 2 hours?! I have to wake up at 5:30 because I have to leave before 6:30. C'mon now...

[throwback]thursday...

2008-02-28T19:31:00.003-05:00

.:The Sugarhill Gang:.

.:De La Soul:.

.:Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five:.

...feel free to get up and dance.

killer wit the beat, i know killers in the street...

2008-02-26T12:36:00.007-05:00

I meant to tell this story earlier, but I forgot.

To give you some background, this is a story about the Yankee. She's a quiet person, especially in groups of people. She's reserved and pretty straight laced.

This weekend, we all got together and watched American Gangster (really interesting movie.) We were discussing it over a game of Apples to Apples. If you've never played that game, you really should. It's entertaining.

Basically, I had to choose between two cards: Denzel Washington and South Africa. I don't even remember what the green card was...it rarely matters with me. I pick the funniest card or card comparison...(like, when the green card said friendly, I laid down Jack the Ripper and proceeded to snicker at the cruel joke.) So, I had Denzel and South Africa. Naturally, I picked the more gangster of the two and went with Denzel, the American Gangster. Well, the Yankee's card was South Africa, so she lost and proceeded to say, "You picked Denzel over South Africa?! Which is more important!?"

I said, "Yes, the AMERICAN GANGSTER? Of course I picked that one." (you all should know, I will always choose gangsta.)

She said, "He wasn't even gangster."

I said, "Um...he covered a man in gas and lit him on fire with the FIRST 10 SECONDS."

She said, "Okay, so is that all you have to do to be gangster?!"

I said, "uh...yeah. Not to mention the other guy he shot in broad daylight at that cafe..."

She said in her sore loser voice, "Oh, right...All you have to do is kill 2 men and you're gangsta?! Geez, then I'm half way there."

I busted out into fits of laughter. This is so not someone who would ever say or do anything like that. She said it with the straightest face ever. I was like, "So, one down one to go?! or...what?!?!?!"

I laughed and laughed and laughed.

Don't be fooled when you meet her for the first time. Just remember, she's already killed once. She's on the hunt for number two.

we dream of ways to break these iron bars...

2008-02-25T13:41:00.008-05:00

I had a really rough week last week dealing with things related to my job. In summation: I'm miserable. But who isn't...right? Well, I was super miserable...to the point that I seriously think I'm allergic to the place I work.

I have been looking for other jobs, but last week, I realized that I'm approaching [at double light speed] a time when it would be pointless for me to change jobs. The Husband graduates in May 2009, so, it really would be pointless for me to change jobs just for a year. Not to mention, the fact that it would be hard to get around [in a job interview]the fact that we're going to leave in a year. No one's going to hire someone who's husband is graduating in a year...and the reason they're where they are is because he is in school. SO. Realizing that I am most likely going to be at the job I'm at for another year is something that makes me want to pull my eyeballs out with an olive fork and fill the sockets with glass shards and lemon juice. It's very depressing to me.

At this point, I being my usual introspection..."Why am I so depressed about this situation? What is it about my job that I really don't like." Because...I normally reserve the glass near my eyes metaphor for really bad situations. And yes, my manager is an idiot...but that shouldn't make me feel like I want to claw all my skin off from 7-3:30 every day.

So I began thinking about all these things. What really is at the root of my depression about this job...why am I so unhappy? These are the conclusions that I came up with...and if you're one of the friends who listened to me rant about this situation last week, I really appreciate it. It's good to have people you can just talk things through with.

These are my conclusions:

I do not want to live with regret. This is a very important thing to me, I've come to realize. It's why I hate making decisions. I CAN make decisions, I'm just afraid I'm going to wish I had chosen another option and regret the decision I made. One way that I evaluate regret in my life is by comparing myself to my peers. If I feel like everything's going alright, comparably, then I feel pretty good about whatever the situation is...relationships, jobs, life, etc. Right now, in my job, I feel like I'm way behind my peers/friends by what I'm doing. I didn't walk off the stage at graduation into a job that I like. (Which I know, most of you are probably rolling your eyes, but a LOT of the friends I had in the program I was in in college walked into really good jobs. BUT, they didn't have stipulations on their physical location. So comparably...you get the picture.) I feel like for the degree program I was in, I'm way behind the average...and I hate that.
I value achievement very highly. I can't just be in the club, I have to be the president. I'm very much driven by the achievements of my life and feel that I need to be constantly working toward a new goal/new achievement in order to be "successful" in what I'm doing. I've lived my life very purposefully until now, and I think that's pretty evident if you know me. Now, I just feel like I'm floating around...not working toward anything...not getting experience in a field I want to be in (finance). This may be harsh on myself and I'm not being dramatic, but I basically feel that I'm a failure in the area of life titled "career." There's nothing about my work situation that I am proud of. Looking back, I know now that this is because my father instilled a very strong, "If you're not first, you're last..." mentality into my brain. Right now, this job is making me feel last. That is depressing.

In a conversation with A Cooke, I really began to understand what my problem is. She's really good at helping me realize these things. :) I realized and told her that when I look back on my life, I want to be at the top of the pyramid, whether that's career wise or family wise. (Whether I stay in the career world or I quit and be a Mom...) I want to know that I've worked as hard as I could and was successful. (Not just IN the PTA...but president of it.) I would then have no regret. She told me that when she views the end of her life, she just wants to have been a good mom and a good wife. I told her that to me, that is so ambiguous! How do you define success in that desire? She told me that I sound just like my dad. The thing is, she's right. I have this tiny voice in my head constantly reinforcing the fact that if you're not first...you are last. No one remembers number two. And if anyone says something along the lines of, "Well, achievement isn't all that matters..." like, college isn't just about grades, then it's just because they couldn't achieve. So for me to agree that there are things in life that are more important than achievement, I feel like I'm just copping out.

The funny thing is, if you look at where my dad is right now, since the separation, he's definitely not first. He's up to nothing goal-oriented.

I just have to realize that in life, there are things that are more important than achievement. Achievement doesn't equal success. It's just REALLY hard for me to believe that in my heart.

The other thing that I've realized is that since I've always hung out with people who are older than I am (by at least 3-5 years) I feel like I have the pressure on me that a 25 or 27 year old would have. The thing is, I'm just 22. The things that I've achieved in my life by now are good. And even if I'm just working in a job to stay busy and bring in money until The Husband graduates, I'm somewhat in my field...I mean, I'm working within the Business field, at least.

I just need to not be so intense, critical and analytical of my life. The hard thing is, that's like telling a fish to survive and live on land.

i saw the sign [and it opened up my eyes...]

2008-02-23T01:40:00.003-05:00

At first I was surprised. But now, I think I, along with the rest of America simply ignored the warning signs. Here's your wake up call, America.

So that's when I had this bright idea
Throw the party of the month
Nah, the party of the year

All the fine girls couldn't turn it down
Now all I gotta do is get my parents out
Should I send them to a movie
Nah, send'em to a show
Let me think, hmmmmmm
It's gotta be long though...

Aaron, we hear you. We see the signs and we're here to help.

strike up the klezmer and start acting like a man...

2008-02-22T13:46:00.003-05:00

...you're about to have a Truth Mitzvah.

Can someone please tell me why this show has been in reruns all week??

story of my freaking life...

2008-02-20T07:22:00.001-05:00

Cartoon by Dave Walker.

CLASSIC tunes on the work playlist earlier today...

2008-02-19T20:39:00.003-05:00

make a sound/fake it enough.

like the devil's in your hands.

you wanna take take take it to the parking lot?

these knuckles break before they bleed.

and he wished he could be anywhere/be anywhere but here.

just slit the throat of all I know/about myself in this life/this silhouette lie..

i'm okay with that..

2008-02-15T23:51:00.001-05:00

bored?

Which 24 Character Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

a blast from the past...

2008-02-07T17:24:00.001-05:00

I decided to read back through some old xanga posts (back when I was on xanga) and I found some really funny pictures and thought I'd share.

I think this was Nick's birthday party maybe 3 years ago? Me, The (Future) Husband, and the BFF.

Me and The Cooke at an election party in 2004.

My cousin, Benny with a Cowlick, as Ace Ventura for Halloween a few years ago.

Me and The Husband at a show, I think at Cat's Cradle..

Me and the sisters, playing all of Carrie's cellos. Yes, violinists can play cellos. hahaha.

Me and Auntie Em, from the summer I lived with her...

and lastly...

The Husband's alterations to his Johnny D. shirt when the big trade went down.

...oh the memories.

just check the word...

2008-02-07T09:14:00.000-05:00

I think this is hilarious. I laughed and laughed when The Husband and I were watching this the other night.

Conan, Stewart, Colbert unite in TV feud
NEW YORK - With teleprompters emptied by the writers strike, Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have been transformed into a bloodthirsty, if well-dressed mob.

The trio appeared on each other's late-night TV shows Monday in a mock feud over who "made" Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.

The fight began weeks ago, when O'Brien claimed responsibility for any success of Huckabee's campaign after the former Arkansas governor appeared on his "Late Night" show. Colbert took offense, having frequently touted the effect of the "Colbert bump" in the polls.

Debating — as Colbert called it — the "transitive property of Huckabee," Stewart was eventually roped in, having hosted O'Brien on his MTV program "The Jon Stewart Show" in 1994.

And after too many slights (O'Brien called Colbert the "temporary host" of "The Colbert Report"), the trio congregated Monday, roaming across three shows and two networks.

Eventually, blowtorches, bricks, stunt doubles and even a little dancing were employed.

"My favorite comedy is comedy where nothing is achieved and there is no point," O'Brien said in a phone interview Tuesday. [ME TOO O'BRIEN, ME TOO...] "That this whole Huckabee fight turned into an insane Marx brothers dance was fitting somehow."

Pooling the hosts' combined talents had the intended upshot of filling time. NBC's "Late Night" and Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" are working without writers because of the strike.

"Nonsense! That was never, ever the point!" contradicted O'Brien before relenting. "Certainly it was a source of inspiration. The fight itself is three people with a box full of props playing for about an hour."

First, they got together on "The Daily Show," which airs earliest at 11 p.m. (EST), followed by "Colbert" 30 minutes later and "Late Night" at 12:35 a.m.

"You want to tangle, Red?" Colbert snarled at O'Brien.

Arranging it so they could make guest appearances and still host their own shows took some slight fiddling, O'Brien said. All the shows tape around the same time in various locations in Manhattan — though on Monday night's shows, the studios were shown as being down a single hallway.

The trio put off the tussle until Stewart finished his show, only to reunite on "Colbert." Again, the fight needed to be postponed while interviews were attended to by the TV hosts.

Later, across town at "Late Night," the feud culminated in an elaborate fight that ended only when the trio appeared to simultaneously knock each other out — the image frozen in a LeRoy Neiman-like painting.

"Conan's claims on Mike Huckabee could not go unanswered," Stewart and Colbert said in a joint statement Tuesday. "We just hope the kids out there learned that sometimes the best way to resolve a conflict is with violence."

For anyone watching, it was clear the three hosts share a certain comedic sensibility. Such playfulness would seem impossible with other late-night talk-show hosts; CBS' David Letterman and NBC's Jay Leno, for instance, have long had icy relations.

"The three of us have come along in the same comedic environment," said O'Brien. "Our shows all probably have their distinct flavor, but this happened because the three of us knew we would like doing this with each other."

While the rubble settled, Huckabee appeared by satellite to have the last word.

"Let's be clear: None of these guys made me. This great nation made me," declared Huckabee. "So vote for me. God bless America and forget these three idiots."

_____________________________________________

You can find clips of this on Comedy Central and on here.

if you remember [remember], i've been trying to get back to the center...

2008-02-06T08:01:00.000-05:00

I stand here, looking over the waters of the Emergent movement in the Evangelical world with my toes on the edge. I pause with hesitation, because I haven't yet decided if I'm going to jump in or if I'm going remain in my perch from the banks a tad longer.

I really appreciate what the movement is about. Social justice is an issue that Christians in general need to take more seriously. Clearly, it was an integral part of Jesus' ministry, but for some reason, has been left out of the forefront of the issues that Christians are to be concerned about...it's been replaced with abortion and homosexuality. I kinda feel like we've been focusing on a section of the picture and not seeing the whole thing. It shouldn't be an either/or type deal either. There's enough attention to go around.

As this movement grows and is getting more publicity (if that's the right word) or notice, I've had more opportunity to hear people like Tony Jones, Brian McLaren, and Tony Campolo speak on issues that are core to this movement. I listened to a podcast yesterday from the Emergent Village website where Tony Jones interviewed Brian McLaren and they discussed his latest book that has been published.

While I was listening to the interview, there were a few comments that I noticed myself bristling to...comments he made that I didn't totally agree with. I have had this bad habit of not listening to people who say things I don't agree with but working on a rebuttal to their comment. I have a hard time listening to understand. But I am working on that and have made significant process over the past few years. I know that it's okay if we don't agree on everything (which goes against a lot of what I was raised to believe.) WHICH I will say is easier to say I believe than actually work toward believing.

That said...I am very encouraged by the work that is being done through this movement. One of the excellent points that Brian made in the interview was that the people who are criticizing this movement for "watering down" the Bible for the Pomo culture are not looking at how the Bible was "watered down" for the Modern culture. Which is very true. I wonder why, instead of looking at the Bible as a whole, we tend to only be concerned about Hell and saving people's eternal life? CLEARLY this IS important...which Brian said. However, there is a lot that the church as a whole has been neglecting. He said that at the root of these issues are theological problems. He quoted a man that said that the biggest problem in this world is the way we think about all the problems in the world. He said that there are people under the Evangelical banner who say that Jesus has nothing to say about poverty, war, or the environment. Jesus only talks about souls and how we can save them so they can go to Heaven after they die. They view THAT as the Gospel. But I just for a while have been conflicted between that world view and the world view that says, "Right...I understand that, but why must we let our motivator be 'saving' people? Why can we not act in Christian love and kindness? Why can we not act without asking people where they're going to go when they die?" I get the feeling that it's this Christian rat race to see who can "build" a bigger "mansion in heaven" and have more "jewels in their crown" when they die...instead of being motivated to action because of our CONCERN for those that are around us. To me, Jesus was all about bringing the Kingdom of God through that genuine kindness. I just don't understand why it has to be about two or three key issues. Jesus was about so much more than standing out in front of an abortion clinic, shouting Baby Killer and trying to outlaw abortion. Sometimes I wonder if Jesus wouldn't be the one working in the clinic so that he could be there to give the girl a hug and tell her that he still loves her when it's all over. I may be out of a few wills now that I've said that, but I guess I'll just have to rely on my jewels in my crown to take care of me. I'm not saying that we should just stand by and let things happen and then pick up the pieces...but I'm saying we need to be more focused on the HEARTS of people rather than enforcing the law. If we can change the HEARTS, then who cares what the law says? But that's only going to happen through engaging others. Engaging is messy. Messy isn't clear cut. If it isn't clear cut, how do you know who comes in first and who comes in last? If you don't know that, then how do you know who's better than who? Idk...I'm just questioning a few things (like usual) and I think that's okay.

Conceptually, this may have been really scattered...I'm just trying to blog this journey as I travel it...look back in a year and reflect.

I will say, the only thing I am concerned about is that they continue to place an emphasis on salvation, because that is important...which I will say, Brian did say he agreed with and supported. I don't want to embrace parts...I want to embrace the whole. There was one other thing, but now I can't remember what it was. Apparently it's not that important. lol...

I did buy Brian's latest book. I don't think that it will be anything that makes me go, "I've NEVER thought about that before!" I do think that I will be encouraged about the work that he is trying to accomplish. I think it will aid me in working toward more clearly defining my thoughts on all this. I'll blog as I read it...

classic...

2008-02-06T00:14:00.000-05:00

Here's a friend's away message I saw tonight, on this Super Tuesday evening.

ACOSTA '08
Because there might as well be an asian guy too.......

hahahahaha...

my pic...

2008-02-05T20:15:00.002-05:00

My favorite Superbowl commercial:

Probably because it reminds me of this HILARIOUSLY funny one (for some reason):

some days i hate living here..

2008-02-04T23:40:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is Tuesday, Feb. 5th and my local weather is:

ann without an e.

2008-02-04T16:22:00.000-05:00

the hunt continues...

2008-02-04T12:22:00.000-05:00

So, the Soulmate and I have been searching lately for new jobs. She is relocating and I am in purgatory, so, we've both been exploring our options. One thing we've frequently said (and not found an answer to) is how to convey how REALLY good we would be for any job on paper. For example, I was an RD at the Camel School and so was a girl by the name of...oh let's just call her Tony. Now, I know that I was a better RD than Tony any day of the week, but how do I convey that on a resume or cover letter?

I found the solution to our problem today while listening to talk radio about Super Tuesday (which I am SUPER excited about.) I realized that the United States of America doesn't put an ad in Career Builder. They don't go to a temp agency for their candidates. They don't get to supply a cover letter and resume and hope to "hear back" from America. The President of the United States has to fight for his job. They campaign. They get out and meet people. They get to tell why they're right for the job...because let's face it - who HASN'T served on the Senate? So I say, there should be more campaigning for jobs in our current job market. It's the American way! If I want to apply for a job as say, Assistant Director of Events at a university, I can go to all the other departments I'd be working with...share my experience...my background...then they will see the clear differences. Campaigning for jobs in general would also show initiative as to how much candidates want the job.

So that's my solution. Hi, my name is Kate, and I'm running for ....

if you're bored...

2008-01-31T13:28:00.000-05:00

[or interested...]

I have been listening to old Relevant podcasts because I can't find my iPod cord to update my iPod and I heard a really interesting one today. 08/10/2007, minute 21:10 to minute 26:55. The rest of the podcast is really funny (as usual) but this conversation really voiced how I feel about the church "scene" right now. Interesting thoughts.

shameless..

2008-01-31T08:20:00.000-05:00

Last night was The Husband's 24th birthday. He said, "I'm an old man!" in a whiney, childish voice when I told him happy birthday yesterday morning. I joked that yes, in fact he is getting old and balding. He didn't appreciate that very much. I can't wait for the year he turns 40 and I'm still 38. That'll be a good time.

So last night, we went out for his birthday, just me and him. We had such a good time...he's been really busy with school work and I've been wrapped up in dealing with the never ending family drama that we were excited about getting dressed and going out. We went to this restaurant downtown and just enjoyed being together. The Husband loved it, since he loves to try new and different foods. I was skeptical (as I enjoy specific types of food) but I really had a good time as well.

This is a gushy entry and I never do this, because I know how I hate people who do this all the time, but I thoroughly enjoy being married. I have always been a person who enjoyed deep relationships with a few people, rather than shallow relationships with several people. When I was younger, in my teens, I always looked forward to getting married because it would be the existence of the ultimate deep relationship in my life. It makes my life feel complete to know that someone knows everything about me, insecurities and all, and still chooses to love me every day. It's great to be able to give him back that same feeling. NOT that we haven't had our ups and downs, but I definitely feel like it was the right step for my life. I really do look forward to the years to come - birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and whatnot - to see where we will be when we're in our 60's...hopefully with a few grandchildren that we can spoil. It's shamelessly exciting. :)

...such is life.

2008-01-30T13:45:00.000-05:00

slices..

2008-01-29T08:59:00.000-05:00

oh, the humor.

Last June during a panel discussion in Ottawa about terrorism and the use of torture, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia stood up for the TV torturer extraordinaire and hero of Fox Broadcasting's "24." Scalia insisted that the fictional spy had "saved hundreds of thousands of lives" using tough interrogation tactics to stop a terrorist from nuking Los Angeles.

"Is any jury going to convict Jack Bauer?" Scalia scoffed. He went on to argue that when it comes to torture, "the question is really whether we believe in these absolutes. And ought we believe in these absolutes."

Is any jury going to convict Jack Bauer? I THINK NOT!

attention, attention, may i have all your eyes and ears to the front of the room...

2008-01-28T12:41:00.000-05:00

I have shaved off about 2.5 minutes off of my 2 mile run since I began running in December. This is huge for me considering where I started at and also considering that I'm WILLINGLY PARTICIPATING IN PHYSICAL EXERCISE. (huge huge huge huge)

30 seconds more and I will have reached my first goal. Time to set a new one, I suppose.

PS - Tonight...round two with Hellga. I may post tomorrow, if my arms aren't too numb to move. Keep me in your prayers.

aaaaaand that's a rant!

2008-01-25T23:26:00.000-05:00

I know that this great government of ours has done some really stupid things in its brief history, however, I think that the seatbelt law is the cherry on top. Even the first law that was enacted in 1968 was unnecessary. As with a long list of other things, that should have been left up to the markets to decide. With all the other things that this country should be worrying about, I do not see how or why it is important for police to be enforcing this law. I think it is a time waster and completely unimportant. I don't see how it's any of our government's business whether or not I decide to buckle up when I get behind the wheel. Now, I'm NOT saying that you shouldn't...or I don't (I always wear it Mom, I promise)...I'm just saying, there is no reason that I should get a ticket for not wearing my seatbelt. "It's my body, I'll do what I want."

You may be wondering what set me over the edge about this inane regulation. Well, I have realized that this wonderful new car I have is now equipped with a bell that goes off when I don't wear it. There is no way to turn it off and The Husband refuses to ask when he takes it to the dealer on Monday (for another thing.) I just hate to wear my seat belt. I always have. I think that there is some link to that and the fact that I hate to wear clothes. (Most people who know me know that.) I am just annoyed by them.

I know also that the government is just "looking out for me." The problem is that I don't want the government to look out for me. So stop. Put my tax dollars to ANY other use. It will be more productive, I promise.

Big brother, just PLEASE let the markets do their job. Thank you.

productivity is down.

2008-01-25T15:15:00.000-05:00

This is me...as a South Park character.
[Thanks Soulmate for the link.]

this road..

2008-01-24T13:17:00.000-05:00

A recent post on the Ludwig von Mises blog brilliantly cautions the reader to think about where we are economically heading as a country.
The March.

"We are going down the road to statism. Where we will end up, no one can state. But if some of these new programs, seriously proposed, should be adopted, there is danger that the individual, whether farmer, worker, manufacturer, lawyer, or doctor, will soon be an economic slave pulling an oar in the galley of the state." - James F. Byrnes

welcome to the family...

2008-01-24T08:12:00.000-05:00

R.I.P...you were a good car.

Welcome...

she is here to pump [CLAP] YOU up..

2008-01-22T09:31:00.000-05:00

I would like to introduce to you a woman I met last night.

Since I haven't done a paint rendering in a while, I thought I would. Her real name is Jodie, but I now refer to her as Hellga. She teaches kick boxing at the Y on the Islands. When she isn't doing that, she enjoys playing the role of Hellga, a gladiator on American Gladiators. Her hobbies include swinging cats around by their tails and making her glass shard smoothies. The sun sets because she stares it down.

I went last night to kick boxing because I loved doing Tae-bo during it's peak of popularity. I was looking for a new class because my Zumba class has been packed out to the point of unenjoyment. So I chose to go to kick boxing with Hellga. Bad idea.

I walk into kick boxing and see this crazy woman standing up at the front of the room. She was like bouncing around, yelling. Now, energy is important. But...this woman had been leading classes since 5:30 and it was 6:30. She had already led body sculpting and "amazing abs." Then she was stading in front jumping around and yelling like someone just gave her a shot of epi. The Yankee and I stare at each other, both thinking, "What have we done. If we run, she will chase us...," feeling much like most contestants on American Gladiators.

We started out and I was hurting before the "warm up" song was over. I have never sweated so hard in my life. Muscles hurt on me that I don't even know how to target to rub. After the class was over last night, she came outside the class and said, "Well, I hope I didn't go too slow for you all." The Yankee was passed out on the floor. I was leaning on the wall, lacking the strength to stand on my own. We all summoned what energy we had left to force a weak laugh from our throats. It sounded more like a cough.

Last night, The Husband had to drag me up the stairs by my hands while my legs flapped on each stair in order to get me in the apartment.

I just have this to say to you, Hellga. I hurt. I cry. But I am not a quitter.

YO i'll tell you what i want, what i really really want...

2008-01-17T08:09:00.000-05:00

Seriously. Amazing.

ride or die.

2008-01-15T13:19:00.000-05:00

Today I came back from lunch and Debbie and I were talking. I asked her, because of the story she was telling me, about the rate of domestic violence within black relationships. Not so surprisingly, but VERY unfortunately, she told me that it was pretty high. She said that if she had ever been in a relationship that was abusive, that her brothers would have taken care of that for her. She made this comment, "They'd grease their face down and go at it."

Now, Debbie has made this comment to me before about the imperative "greasing" of the face that has to happen before a brawl. I asked her today, "Debbie, can you explain that to me? Why do I need to grease my face down before I fight?"

Come to find out, there are two benefits to this. First of all, if someone goes to punch/claw you in the face, their hand will slip right off because of the grease. Second, if you do get injured, there is something to help the injury immediately. So, the next time you go to fight someone, you need to grease your neck and face down with Vaseline, which, Debbie says, you can buy at the Dollar Tree.

The other important things to know about going in to a fight are as follows:

1. You must wear a long sleeve shirt. This will protect your arms against injury.
2. You must wear jogging pants. The jogging pants allow flexibility (not given by jeans or other pants) but also will provide protection to your legs.
3. You must wear old "raggedy" sneakers. These will allow you to run, if needed, through anything, and you won't be concerned about what you're stepping in, you'll just be concerned about dodging the bullets.

But the most important thing is to grease down. Buy it at the Dollar Tree.

you are not alone, I am here with you...

2008-01-14T12:35:00.000-05:00

Survey Highlights Managers' Roles in Job Satisfaction
By Tom Musbach, Yahoo! HotJobs

Is your boss driving you to consider looking for a different job? If so, you're not alone, as 43% of workers in a recent survey said a dislike of their boss' performance would be a main reason for taking a new job in 2008.

According to the Yahoo! HotJobs annual job satisfaction survey, more than 7 in 10 workers are open to landing a new job in 2008. After discontent with a supervisor, the next two reasons cited for making a move are higher salary (36%) and more growth potential (34%).

"It's clear from the survey that employers need to pay attention to the boss-employee dynamic if they want to retain talented workers," said Susan Vobejda, vice president of marketing for Yahoo! HotJobs. "In addition to factors like salary, competitive benefits, and good work-life balance, employees equate job satisfaction with knowing that their contributions are recognized and valued by their managers."

In fact, 55% of the survey respondents agreed with the statement, "People don't leave companies; they leave managers."

Better Boss Relations in Three Steps
If you are unhappy with a boss, quitting your job may not be necessary. Experts recommend that you first try a strategy that involves self-reflection and discussion.

Examine the situation. "Try hard to determine the reason for your unhappiness with the boss," says career coach Julie Jansen, author of "You Want Me to Work with Who?" The difficulty, for example, may be due to differences in expectations, communication style, or values.

Talk it over. Meet with your boss to discuss your concerns and how they may be affecting your productivity. "Be wary of saying things such as, 'You always do this,'" Jansen says. "Instead say, 'When you dump a group of folders on my desk and tell me that you need the work done by 5 p.m., I feel discounted and that you aren't aware of the other projects that I'm working on. May we try to prioritize my work more regularly?'"

Allow time for change. Jansen adds, "Realize that you always have to try harder than your boss does to get along. It's not fair, but neither is life!"

You Are the Driver
The important thing to remember is that you are in the driver's seat when it comes to your job satisfaction, reminds J.T. O'Donnell, career development specialist and author of "Find Your Career Path." She recommends challenging yourself with the following questions before confronting a bad manager:

What have you done to effectively "manage up" and create a relationship that is strong and effective?

While you are frustrated and critical of your manager, are you also prepared to step up and show how it should be done?

Change Could Do You Good
If you decide you'll be happier changing jobs, Richard Phillips of Advantage Career Solutions advises a three-step plan.

Be clear about the reasons. "Vague generalizations about 'satisfaction' won't provide enough motivation to carry you through the work of actually making a change," he says.

Develop a vision. Your vision should be what you want your work life to look like in the future. "This will serve as a guide and inspiration after you've made the change."

Identify a step you can take. "Getting started is the hardest part," Phillips concludes. "After that, take small steps toward your goal; change seldom happens overnight."

_________________________________________

I feel like this is a little optimistic...the "talk it over" section is a little hopeful. But it's good to know that I'm in good company. :0)

http://hotjobs.promotions.yahoo.com/careercheckin/survey_article.html

the m&m's are in the mail.

2008-01-14T10:50:00.000-05:00

hahaha.

FOUND by Amanda in North Carolina
"I found this note by a computer in the library. I thought it was very strange."

sheer genius.

2008-01-13T22:38:00.000-05:00

I don't know who created this picture, but it made me laugh hysterically. Thank you, Soulmatey, for putting that up as your profile pic on Facebook.

[for those who don't know...]

ughhhh.

2008-01-13T09:22:00.001-05:00

I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate trying to find a new church.

Hate it.

earworm.

2008-01-11T20:30:00.000-05:00

ilovethissong.

I'm shippin off...to find my wooden LEG.

lostANDfound

2008-01-11T07:23:00.000-05:00

Found this website, c/o howaboutorange. It's pretty interesting.

So, what's this all about?
We collect found stuff: love letters, birthday cards, kids' homework, to-do lists, ticket stubs, poetry on napkins, doodles-- anything that gives a glimpse into someone else's life. Anything goes.

[*caution - some occasional language...just depends on the find.]

let me just say this...

2008-01-10T09:48:00.000-05:00

In a phone call with my mom, I had an epiphany. In all this that is going on with my family right now, I have never questioned God one time. My faith in him is as strong or stronger as it ever has been. He truly TRULY is my rock.

But I will say, in all this, it really has made me question the church. Strongly. Some of the actions of a few "Christians" following the separation of my parents has completely amazed me. I wrote a few posts back that...

...when bad things happen around non-Christians, from my observations, they tend to acknowledge the situation for what it is. They aren't afraid to "feel their feelings", as I like to call it. If they're angry, then they are...When bad things happen around Christians, I feel like they do damage control. For example, if someone gets separated from their husband, the non-Christian would sit around and play Independence Day by Martina McBride, eat ice cream and just laugh/cry as the emotion in the situation changed. A Christian would respond by immediately trying to get the two back together, regardless of what that takes and regardless of the issues that are within the marriage.

I went on to discuss why there is that compulsion to do damage control...what that view of God must be...and then I talked about this:

If God is in control and people are living in "His will", then everything will be in line. If everything is in line, then it will look this way or that way. If pastors' wives leave their husbands because their pastor husbands are being emotionally and verbally abusive to their family, then what does that do to their perception of God? Instead of working to truly allow the family to heal, they do damage control. They cannot look into the face of a God who would allow a Pastor's family to undergo such pain. The problem is that we live in a world of pain. It comes to each of us in different ways. As Christians, we are not exempt from this. The only thing we are guaranteed is that God is in control and with us, regardless of the situation. I'm not quite sure where Christians get the idea that nothing bad is going to happen to them, or should happen to them, but it is not Biblically supported.

I was checking The Pastor's blog and I feel like this recent post he made really ties in to what I'm trying to convey.

But, what of the suffering we experience that is not a result of our faith? What about the sickness and the loss of loved ones and job losses and the relational pain we have experienced as a church this past year? Does that not count as real suffering in our relationship with the Lord? As I have said several times, if that is true, throw the book of Job out the window! The level of suffering that has visited us this year has led our elders to believe that we have been called to suffer as a church, and we also believe that suffering has been brought upon us in order to increase our intimacy with Jesus.

But let’s face it, all humanity experiences some of the difficulties we have encountered this past year. Suffering, after all, is a universal experience. Groaning is a universal language.

He went on to say:

Linda and I had just begun really enjoying our empty nest years when her tumor changed everything. The last few years we have been planning our retirement, serving the Lord in Europe or in Asia while teaching English as a Second Language. Those plans are in serious jeopardy. “But, those were godly plans, spiritual plans!”

Lastly...

Everything that happens to us is part of God’s grand design, and don’t go trying to figure His design out, just trust Him. It does not mean that there is no pain – we suffer, for sure, but we can trust that God is not only working for His glory, but also for our good.

ALL humanity experiences suffering. The Christian and the non-Christian. We are ALL on the same playing field. Groaning IS a universal language. Even plans that seem to be laid out as godly or spiritual can be gone in an instant. It's not that these things were not good, it's that God has a different plan sometimes than what we plan for ourselves. Is this bad? No. Does this mean that there will be no pain? No. It means that we must trust him for these answers. As Christians, to come in to save the day with a plan that puts those suffering back on the "right track" is completely ridiculous to me.

First of all, it implies that those suffering are not in the complete middle of God's will. Second of all, it implies that someone ELSE can interpret and know God's will for the person suffering. Both of these things are ridiculous to me, that's the only word I can think of. I think that the true meaning of verses like Galatians 6:2 are to say that in this life we ALL are going to suffer. Christian, non-Christian, whatever...we're all going to suffer in this life. No one knows the direct reason, and anyone assuming that they do is completely off base and out of line. And, the next logical step is that if you don't know why, then you can't fix it. If a doctor doesn't know why someone is sick, they can't just start perscribing medicine or else it might kill someone. Only the person who completely knows the sickness can make it better. So, Christians coming in with their "Here to Save the Day" plans is completely out of line. We should just bear with one another, as we are called to do.
Uphold, remain firm, and be patient with one another.

As Job told his friends in chapter 13,

What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God. You, however, smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians, all of you! If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom.

All I have to say is, oh snap.

Job, blamless before God, endured suffering that I cannot even fathom. But his friends were quick to share the magical plan...if only he were to search his heart to find why God is punishing him, that will end his suffering. But there was no reason. There was no thing that God was punishing Job for. He was right in telling his friends, "I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all! Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing? I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you."

All we are called to do is bear with each other. And these days, I'm not seeing it from those I should be seeing it from.

for your reading pleasure.

2008-01-09T23:45:00.000-05:00

An interesting article from Relevant mag.

The thing about Christians, though, is that we should be aware, more so than anyone else, that we are deeply, deeply flawed. We know our flesh is out for us and that no one can work their way through their sin. We must bow in a culture that likes to stand on stilts.

The problem is, before God takes us anywhere near were we need to be, we have to give up the pride and talk to him. We have to know it will happen again, and that we cannot change our mindsets and views of God to justify what we have done.

Also, the hilariously funny Relevant podcast is now available for download from their website. So, for all those people who need something to do at work...here you go. :)

go big or go home..

2008-01-09T12:29:00.001-05:00

To those who know me, or at least have access to my Facebook account, you know that I am rooting for Ron Paul in this election. I support his viewpoints on several issues (not all though..) and he was my top answer in the "candidate matching" quiz I posted a couple of days ago.

Now, down here where I live, there is a curiously strong support of him. I say curiously strong, because I have yet to see any campaign material littering our highways for any other candidate except him. I think I saw a Barak bumpersticker one time. Maybe.

So anyway, I was shocked and not so shocked when I saw this thing coming back from lunch.

I was walking across the tarmac back to the hangar when I noticed two guys that work on my floor staring up with their hands blocking the sun. They were looking over toward the airport airstrip, so I thought that maybe another aircraft was landing that maybe had a more original and noticable paint job than the one that landed for this operator the other day. So I looked over where they were looking and I saw the strangest thing.

Now, some of you may have heard of this already, but I have not. I was like, "Good LORD." It was flying pretty low to the ground (compared to the other aircraft that fly around here) and it had a freaking Ron Paul message on the side. (I thought Goodyear had the monopoly on that? lol) One of the guys said he heard on the news that it cost him $400k to get that up and running. I hope someone has crunched the numbers on that and the payoff is greater than the cost. That's a load of moolah.

Anyway, I stood there for a minute and stared, then thought, "Blog."

http://www.ronpaulblimp.com/

Coming to an airspace near you.

story of my life.

2008-01-07T17:46:00.000-05:00

seriously...story of my life.

p(olitical) harmony.com

2008-01-07T07:55:00.000-05:00

"Polls suggest Americans are concerned primarily with a few key issues in the 2008 presidential election. USA TODAY researched candidate positions on those top issues — Iraq, immigration and health care — as well as a few others that may influence the election. We then came up with 11 multiple-choice questions that would help differentiate the candidates and their stances.

As you answer the questions, you can roll over each color bar below the candidates' heads to find background on their positions. Your answers are matched with the positions of the presidential hopefuls to reveal the candidate (or candidates) closest to your views. The sliders on the right allow you to assign relative weights to match the importance that you place on each issue."

If you take this, post a comment and tell who your top three are. I think it's pretty interesting. I was surprised by a couple.

**If you post as an anonymous person, please include your name. Thanks :)

what goes up, must come down.

2008-01-04T10:40:00.000-05:00

Savannah-Chatham police make several New Year's arrests
By Amanda Granger

Savannah-Chatham police made two gun-related arrests and responded to more than 100 reports of gunfire over New Year’s.

Metro police had deployed 70 extra officers for the holiday as part of a newly launched campaign to reduce celebratory gunfire in the city.

“It went well,” said Sgt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the department. “We were able to educate the public and we had a soft-handed approach to enforcement. We were visibly present throughout the city”

Officers made 19 total arrests – ranging from parole violations to drunken driving – and responded 104 reports of gunfire between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m., Wilson said.

There were 84 such reports a year ago.

“We really wanted to get the word out to the community that firing guns into the air is unacceptable, and there were a number of incidents where we will be doing follow-up investigations,” Wilson said.

Patrolmen did seize two shotguns, 73 rounds of ammunition and a small amount of marijuana in responding to gunfire reports this New Year’s.

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Source URL:
http://savannahnow.com//node/424729

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"Main street isn't main street anymore
Lights don't shine as brightly as they shone before
Tell the truth, lights don't shine at all
In our town..."

They don't shine because they've all been shot out.

"But it's our town, Love it anyway, Come what may, it's our town..."

praise to the lord, hallelujah...

2008-01-03T13:19:00.000-05:00

Today, I set Debbie up with her own blog.

http://babygirl1966.blogspot.com

YESSSSSSSS.

merry christmas and happy new year!

2008-01-02T14:43:00.000-05:00

Christmas this year was surely different, but it went as well as possible considering the circumstances. As I expected, my favorite thing was the Christmas Eve service at the Episcopal church. Since my aunt is the choir director there now, lots of my [very musical] family was participating in the service. On Sunday, before the service Monday night, Auntie Mabel asked me to sing with Mom on her solo. I told her I would, and I enjoyed that. [Hopefully everyone else did too! lol]

The message that Big E brought that night was so great. I told Mom leaving the service that I felt like I could have just cried and cried. For the record, I'm not a crier. But sometimes things hit you where you wonder if you are going to make it out without one loud sob. And of course his sermon was before the song. It was one of those where you have to remove yourself mentally and force your brain to think about that time when you were playing with My Little Pony after your 6th birthday party and you got icing in the glittering mane of the poor purplish pink pony.

His message was talking about Christ's birth resulting in the name Emmanuel, or "God with us." I think that this holiday, I needed to hear that comforting message. He talked about how God is present in everything, and that night, he was with the shephards, the angels, he was in the cries of the new baby and the bright star that shown above. But he brought that further to what that means in the lives of humans, that God is constantly "with us." That means that everything we are going through or feel like no one knows how we feel, God does. Which, of course I knew that. But there are so many emotions that are hard to verbally express in this whole situation. To be reminded that there is someone who knows me so intimately that he knows my hurt and pain before I verbalize it, is such a huge wave of relief to me.

In this whole situation, everyone has such a hard time understanding the specifics, (and several are wanting to know them, especially when it's none of their particular freaking business...) so I have spent so much time explaining things...but I need not explain anything to Him. He already knows. As basic as that is, what a powerfully comforting feeling of relief for me.

But Christmas all in all was really great. The absence of my father's issues from the whole Christmas event was really wonderful. The absence of my father's positive things was really missed. It was really bittersweet. And of course, Dear Jewel rocked it out with food that would make Paula Deen slink away in shame. The Lady Baltimore did not disappoint.

New Year's was a blast too. The Twin and The Chef came and visited and a wonderful time was had by all. I miss living closer to good friends like that.

Pics of the new puppy Sadie will follow soon. She is precious and quite the wonderful addition to the apartment.

Okay...the closing bell is about to ring. Gotta get out of here.

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

man vs. south carolina

2007-12-30T19:02:00.001-05:00

For those of you who have not seen the new show on Discovery, Man vs Wild, Bear Grylls hosts a show that conveys to the viewer how to survive in nature, especially in dangerous and life threatening situations. He goes all over the world to shoot these episodes.

The Husband just clicked our TiVo to one and he said, "Hey babe, this one is in Florida." The conversation proceeded to go as follows:

Me: "aaaahahahaha, Florida?! Not the Outback or the Sahara Desert? Yeah, I guess it is the worst state in the union!"
The Husband: "No, what he needs to do is do one showing how to survive in South Carolina on I-95 in the middle of the night."
Me: "haaaaahahahaha."

- for anyone who has come to visit us, you know how INCREDIBLY scary SC is. -

Me: "How would that go?"
The Husband: "It would involve showing how to disinfect and cook roadkill...how to make shelter out of tire tread from 18 wheelers...how to use metal shards to keep away the locals..."
Me: "aaaaahahahahah that would be so great."

Just another day in the life...

completely random.

2007-12-27T14:17:00.000-05:00

This is not my Christmas update...I will do that later.

I just had this thought. I'm sitting here, waiting for the 2:30 mtg. to start and I am exhausted. The Husband and I got in around 1:15-1:30 last night and I was up again at 5:20 to get ready for work. I feel like my eyelids have anvils hanging on them.

So I was sitting here thinking about how tired my Mom's family is right now, with all they've gone through this fall...renovating the house for Mom and in general dealing with what is going on. Christmas was wonderful, but everyone was so exhausted. I was thinking about Auntie Em - running around with her two young children, "Auntie Mabel" - dealing with her health problems and bad job situation, my Mom - 'nuff said, and "Dear Jewel" who is my aging grandmother but refuses to accept her limitations and goes like a train. We were all so drained and I was wondering who really was the most tired, when it hit me.

How awesome would it be if humans had the ability to focus their ... whatever (thoughts, mental picture), and instantly switch emotions with another person. How many times have you heard one person say, "Man, I had a rough night last night." Then...another person chimes in, "Dude, me too. It was SO rough!" If you had the ability to completely take on the feelings and emotions of another person, then it could not only settle who had the roughest night, but also be able to enable people to really "feel" for each other. It would increase the level of compassion that we have on our fellow brother and remind us that there may be times when things really could be worse. (I was sitting here earlier thinking, "I could not be more tired. There's no way.")

I guess as Christians we are called to be compassionate on faith, reaching outside ourselves to look at another person's situation and trust that what they are saying is truth. "This is the hardest thing I've ever done." If someone said that to you, you have to trust that it is in fact the hardest thing they've ever done. But if you are sitting there thinking to yourself, "Oh yeah? Well, I don't believe that...he didn't go through _________ that I went through a few years ago," then you would be able to switch feelings and the person would be able to feel that there may or may not be things worse than what they are dealing with. I just think it would be a very interesting ability to have...to completely be able to be in another person's shoes.

I guess too, I just so enjoy "picking someone's brain" about things...if I had that ability, I could completely see where they were coming from. I would hear their statements, but also understand the passion with which they felt them.

Or...maybe this whole randomly written post proves that I really am the most tired and am not thinking clearly at all. Who knows. :0)

simply having a wonderful christmas time...

2007-12-20T07:52:00.000-05:00

To shift gears a tad from the last post...

As has been expressed in previous posts, I love Christmas. Everything about it. I love the specials that come on TV. I love spending time with my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. I love the feeling of walking into my grandmother's dining room and counting the hundreds of cakes, paying special attention to be sure that the Lady Baltimore cake (my ABSOLUTE favorite) is right where it should be. I love putting up decorations, especially the lights, while listening to the classic Christmas tunes on the iPod. It's funny how you can take one song and have 7 different people sing it, and I still want all 7 versions.

Christmas time this year has been different...it's my first Christmas being married and it's also the first Christmas we will have without my father present. Even with all the drama that has been completely surrounding me the past couple of months, I have found time to thoroughly enjoy time spent doing Christmasey things that bring joy in a time of pain.

This year, The [wonderful] Husband and I have decorated a tree, gone to see White Christmas (the play...the movie is 100x better), ice skated, and shopped. Last night, we had our own Christmas time before we leave to go to my family's house(s). The Husband surprised me with some beautiful earrings, going WAY over the budget limit we had set, officially making all my gifts look laaaaaame, but I'm willing to take one for the team when necessary. We had cooked a delicious dinner and ended the evening by wrapping presents and baking. The Husband really knows how to crank out those gingerbread cookies! I'm beaming with pride. It was such a wonderful night, just being able to relax and savor the season.

Also, last night, we got a call from my sister, The Artsy One, notifying us that a new member of our family had arrived. You see, when we went home a couple of weekends ago, we picked out a new little critter to join the family. Her name is Sadie and she looks something like this:

We are getting her from a breeder near my Mom's house. We knew she would be ready sometime this week and we were hoping it wouldn't be until Friday (the breeder said she'd hold her until she sold the other puppies), but she came last night. Currently, she is awaiting our arrival. The Husband is so excited...he's wanted a puppy ever since he was a wee little boy. I'm very happy that he's going to be getting something he's wanted for a while.

We're also going to the Christmas Eve service at Good Shephard again this year. I'm VERY much looking forward to going this year (long story for another time). Maybe I'll just link to the posts that Auntie Em writes, if she ever will.

As it stands right now, the long and the short of it is this: I have grown up in the Southern Baptist church - and by two amazingly consistent and Godly parents. They have truly lived their faith before me every day of my existence. However I have increasingly been feeling the leading of the Lord to step out of that and spend a season seeking Him about how He sees His world - His children - His Church. It has led me to places I didn't know were there. It has been a road of seeking, weeping, searching, praying, reading, laughing, writing, begging for answers, finding those answers, and mostly it has been a season of true growth and revival for my soul.

It's awesome what God has been teaching her in her life, and subsequently in the lives of other family members, this past year. It's been so wonderful to be able to talk to someone close to me who is going through much of the same thing I am, in that way. That's another post for another time. Suffice it to say, it's going to be a very wonderful service. I feel it in my bones, and I am so excited about going.

So, I guess I'll say, even with the overcast of deep sadness and pain that me and my family are dealing with, it is good to be able to experience these wonderful other things in my life. I hope that whatever you readers are experiencing in your lives that you find joy in Christ and Christmas this season.

"Comfort, Comfort my people," says your God. Isaiah 40:1

well, it's about time.

2007-12-18T08:18:00.000-05:00

I realize that it has been quite a while since I have posted something to the musings section of my blog. This has not been because I haven't been musing, but because there has been so much else going on in my life that I haven't had time to really put together a good post. For those who don't know, my parents separated about a month (give or take) after our wedding. If you are reading this for the first time and are thinking, "WHAT? WHY didn't she tell me?" it's because there's just hardly a good time for that kind of news. I always feel like the conversation is going to go like this:

Me: Hey! It's good to hear from you? How are you doing?
You: I'm good, I'm good. Went ______ the other day, had a really great time. So life is good! How are you??
Me: Well, I've been better. My parents just separated.
You: Oh...

I just feel like regardless of when or how I tell people, it's going to be awkward. So I've just avoided it. But I don't mind talking about it, so if you have questions, just ask.

But this post is about something I have been thinking about for a long time now. Years, in fact. I was talking to The Twin about this last night. Here it is:

I think that non-Christians are more honest than Christians.

Now, maybe I should say that non-Christians are more honest than Southern Baptists, since when I say Christians, that's mainly been my experience. However, I still have been pondering this for a while. This thought has been thrust to the forefront of my mind lately in dealing with my parents' separation.

I told The Twin last night...when bad things happen around non-Christians, from my observations, they tend to acknowledge the situation for what it is. They aren't afraid to "feel their feelings", as I like to call it. If they're angry, then they are. If they're happy, then they are. If someone has been mean, then they are not afraid to tell it like it is...mean people are jerks.

When bad things happen around Christians, I feel like they do damage control. For example, if someone gets separated from their husband, the non-Christian would sit around and play Independence Day by Martina McBride, eat ice cream and just laugh/cry as the emotion in the situation changed. A Christian would respond by immediately trying to get the two back together, regardless of what that takes and regardless of the issues that are within the marriage. Sometimes there is a need for a break. That's okay. I think that's what the world sees and wants. They don't want someone to come in and say, "Here's the answer and we need to be working toward that as hard as we can." There needs to be time for rest. I think they want someone to sit beside them for a period of time with a carton of Ben & Jerry's and say, "This REALLY sucks..." and mean it.

And there may be a deeper issue at stake here. I don't know if Christians think, "If there is failure, then that means that God isn't in control." Failure isn't in "God's will". The words "failure" and "in control" are so subjective. I was telling the Twin last night, the only thing I know about God's will is that he strongly desires a personal relationship with each and every person. That is abundantly clear through the merciful and loving sacrifice of Jesus. However, the manifestations of the relationship are very different for each person. You cannot say that just because someone teaches Sunday School and is on 3 committees within the church and they are a Deacon, that they are in a good place personally with God. And isn't that all that matters? Where they are personally? Are they having an affair? Are they abusive to their children? All that matters is what is in the heart.

...He [Christ] will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears..." - Isaiah 11:3b

I think however, that there is a school of thought that says if you ARE a Christian, then you will act this way, dress this way...and that is simply not true. The subsequent judgement from "Christians" is ridiculous. But, I wonder if the clenched fist that surrounds this check list is somehow related to their perception of God. If God is in control and people are living in "His will", then everything will be in line. If everything is in line, then it will look this way or that way. If pastors' wives leave their husbands because their pastor husbands are being emotionally and verbally abusive to their family, then what does that do to their perception of God? Instead of working to truly allow the family to heal, they do damage control. They cannot look into the face of a God who would allow a Pastor's family to undergo such pain. The problem is that we live in a world of pain. It comes to each of us in different ways. As Christians, we are not exempt from this. The only thing we are guaranteed is that God is in control and with us, regardless of the situation. I'm not quite sure where Christians get the idea that nothing bad is going to happen to them, or should happen to them, but it is not Biblically supported.

When these bad things happen, we need to respond in love and deep concern for the well being of the person in the situation. Sometimes, this is very grey. I like to say it allows God to be God. After all, he is all powerful. I feel like Christians lose focus of that and force God to be in their image, many times. When things go outside of that image, then they do all they can to fit it back into something they can believe in because it makes sense. Well, there's LOTS to God that doesn't make sense. But that's not bad, it's awesome. And that doesn't make for a weaker "case."

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. - Galations 6:2

Basically, what I'm saying is, someone needs to buy me ice cream. Thanks. :)

Holiday mystery amuses police..[and me.]

2007-12-13T09:02:00.000-05:00

LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (AP) -- -- Deck the Parkway? Someone is hanging Christmas ornaments with care, not by the chimney but on trees along one of New Jersey's busiest highways.

It started before Thanksgiving with two glass ornaments -- a shiny red ball about the size of a cantaloupe and a smaller red oblong with gold glitter swirls -- tied to branches of two large pines along the Garden State Parkway.

They were easily visible to motorists blasting down the southbound lanes on a stretch of highway in the Pinelands where there are no nearby houses.

Then more decorations popped up. One week it was a glitter-enhanced green ball the same size as the original red one. Next came a smaller gourd-shaped ornament with red and gold glitter.

After that, a smaller red ball with white glitter snowflakes appeared.

This Monday, a large silver bell appeared on a tree on the other side of the road. On Tuesday, it was a burgundy apple-shaped ornament about the size of a medium pumpkin.

There are no notes or any other indications of who is responsible for the roadside ornaments.

"It's a mystery to us," said state police Capt. Al Della Fave.

Joseph Orlando, a spokesman for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which operates the parkway, wondered if the phantom decorator might be some frustrated husband whose wife won't let him cover the house with any more lights or ornaments.

"This is probably some guy whose wife finally said 'Enough!"' he said.

[cnn.com]

vote or DIE.

2007-12-10T20:22:00.000-05:00

watch out for the third fist.

If I had a big candy cane, I'd let the judicial system suck on it.

2007-12-10T14:02:00.000-05:00

Late Wednesday night, I got an email from Dad saying that I had been sent a letter summon-ing me to jury duty in the county where I used to live. He called the county and told them that I had moved and they told him that I had to send them proof. Since we went out of town, the first time I was able to take care of this was today...also the day I'm supposed to show up in court. So...I call the courthouse and tell them the deal and ask them if it's okay to send them a bank statement. The conversation went as follows:

Me: So, I'm wondering if it would be okay for me to send a bank statement to prove that my address has changed.
Condescending Clerk: Well, do you have a driver's license or a light bill?
Me: No...I haven't gotten a new license yet and all the bills are in my husband's name since I moved in with him after we got married.
Condescending Clerk: Oh...well, okay. Just fax a copy of your bank statement attn: Witch to 666-6666.
Me: Okay, thanks so much. I really appreciate this.
Concescending Clerk: Well, I mean, it's not up to me. The judge (or whoever does that) will have to approve this. I mean, I think he will, but who knows.
Me: ::LAUGHING:: Are you serious? I mean, I guess if he doesn't I'll see you in 6 HOURS.
Condescending Clerk: Okay...well, have a nice day.
Me: Yeah. You too.

UGRHHHHHHHH. Not what I need right now. The next post may be from jail...if they come to arrest me for not showing up!

...that's what she said.

2007-12-10T11:10:00.000-05:00

Christmas lights found with potentially unsafe levels of lead
CNN analysis: Common brands show levels high enough to be dangerous to kids

Company: "Lights are not toys, should not be handled by children"

CPSC: No danger to kids; applying standard for toys to lights "rotten to the core"

Experts: Wear gloves, hang lights out of children's reach, wash hands after use

From Ronni Berke and Greg Hunter
CNN

(CNN) -- A CNN analysis of four common brands of Christmas lights shows levels of lead experts say are high enough to be dangerous to children.

Manufacturers do not hide the fact that lead is part of the PVC insulation that insulates Christmas light wiring. Lead is used legally to stabilize polyvinyl chloride so it does not crack or crumble with age. The lead also acts as a fire retardant.

But the levels of surface lead surprised Dr. Leo Trasande, a specialist in children's environmental health at New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

"There is no level at which lead exposure is safe," Dr. Trasande said. "Even at one microgram/deciliter -- the lowest level in a person's blood stream that we can detect -- that level has been associated with cognitive impairment in children."

CNN's "American Morning" purchased samples of four common brands of Christmas lights and asked an independent New Jersey-based testing organization, Quantex Laboratories, to check for surface lead. Quantex analyzed three strings of lights from each brand.

The lab followed the Consumer Product Safety Commission's standard wipe test for lead in polyvinyl chloride products, including mini blinds and toys, to see how much lead in the cords' PVC coating would come off on someone's hands.

"You don't realize there's lead in it, you eat a cookie, you eat something without washing your hands, that exposure builds up in your body over time," said Dr. James Menoutis, who runs the lab at Quantex.

In the four brands of lights tested, Quantex found surface lead levels far exceeding the CPSC's recommended children's limit of 15 micrograms.

Wal-Mart brand lights had the highest levels of surface lead, with levels ranging from 86.6 to 132.7 micrograms. GE lights showed surface lead levels from 68 to 109.1 micrograms. Sylvania had surface lead levels from 59 to 70.3 micrograms. Levels of surface lead in the lights made by Philips ranged from a low of 3.2 -- well under the 15 microgram limit -- to 107.2 in another sample.

For Trasande, the high levels of surface lead in the lights are a real concern.

"I wouldn't needlessly expose [children] to a lead-based hazard that could have significant lifelong consequences for that child's cognitive capacity or their attention or other health problems," Trasande said. He recommended leaving lights off trees entirely.

In written statements, the four companies whose lights were tested all expressed concern about safety.

"The special coating around electrical wires on the light sets is necessary to pass the stringent UL safety and quality regulations," Wal-Mart wrote. "We are in full compliance with UL regulations which set the standards for electrical coatings."

Sylvania said its lights are "tested rigorously for safety and have been used safely by millions of Americans for many years."

"Holiday lights are electrical appliances. We encourage consumers to exercise common sense by keeping holiday lights and other electrical products away from the hands and mouths of children," the company wrote.

"We can make a fairly obvious common sense observation: Lights are not toys, should not be handled by children, and are not subject to the same standards for lead," wrote GE. "The CPSC guidelines you refer to are for products that would regularly be handled by children."

Philips pointed out that while the CPSC swipe test "is not a mandated measurement for our industry (it is a test to be applied to children's items and not electrical products), Philips takes matters concerning lead content very seriously. As such, the company and the industry are currently working on technologies to reduce the amount of lead in these products."

The Consumer Product Safety Commission insists Christmas lights do not pose an elevated danger of lead exposure to children. A spokeswoman vigorously criticized the CNN tests, saying that using the CPSC's methods for testing lead on blinds and toys "is like comparing apples to oranges and is rotten to the core."

But in a prior interview, not a response to CNN's tests, the Consumer Product Safety Commission advised children should still keep away from lights because they are electrical products, not toys.

"There are plenty of other things kids can do to help decorate the tree," said Julie Vallese, the CPSC spokesperson. "Lights are something that should be the responsibility of the parent."

Underwriters Laboratories, which inspects tree lights for electrical and fire hazards, said there are substitutes for lead in the insulation, such as calcium and zinc, but those options would be more expensive to manufacture.

So what's the best way to minimize lead exposure from Christmas lights? Experts say only adults should handle the lights. Wear gloves. The lights should be hung out of children's reach. And follow the instructions on the box: "Wash hands after use."

______________________________________

Attention world: Everything has lead in it. Don't put it in your mouth.

it feels like home to me...

2007-12-07T09:26:00.000-05:00

As I sit here, barely able to keep my eyelids propped open with the toothpicks I grabbed on the way out the door this morning, I can barely contain my excitement about this weekend. The Husband and I are packing our little Element up and heading up I-95 to visit my mom and sisters this weekend. My grandmother started baking yesterday. :)

I'm very excited to get this reprieve from the hot hot heat down here and maybe have to wear a coat for once. Oh...and we're going to look for one of these while we're up there:

[yay!]

don't stop till you get enough.

2007-12-06T16:31:00.001-05:00

classic.

i'm a pimp by blood, not relation..

2007-12-05T15:18:00.000-05:00

Is it any wonder that my father and Jigga share the same birthdate? If only I can have a kid on the 4th of December as well...continue the tradition.

Happy late birthday to both my father and Hova.

another overheard in the office quote...

2007-11-30T17:26:00.000-05:00

You Call Your Mom by Her First Name?

Voice mail, on speakerphone: Hi, you've reached the voice mail of Linda Stevens*. I am away from...
Manager: I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you...
Voice mail: [Beeps.]
Manager: Linda! Will you give me a call when you get a chance? Thanks!

175 5th Avenue
New York, New York

____________________________________

So funny.

but you know, bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired...

2007-11-29T09:54:00.000-05:00

I feel like Michael Bolton from Office Space. I'm sitting here listening to the new Jay-Z cd American Gangster. I'm unsuccessfully fighting the strong urges to bob my head with the beat. At least I always turn it down with the phone rings...

Brushin off my 3-piece/I make this look too easy/so tall and lanky/my suit, it should thank me..."

what is unseen...

2007-11-29T08:38:00.000-05:00

Frédéric Bastiat, a political economist in France during the 1800's, wrote an excellent (and somewhat lengthy) article titled What Is Seen and What Is Not Seen that describes well the multiple effects of enacted laws. Some of the topics discussed in this article are the effects, both seen and unseen, of the broken window fallacy, demobilization, taxes, theaters and fine arts subsidy, and public services. It's a great article if you find topics like this interesting. It was linked from this Mises Institute blog post.

I'll leave you with a quote:

Is there not something shameful in the role that the protectionist makes society play? He says to society: "You must give me work, and, what is more, lucrative work. I have foolishly chosen an industry that leaves me with a loss of ten per cent. If you slap a tax of twenty francs on my fellow citizens and excuse me from paying it, my loss will be converted into a profit. Now, profit is a right; you owe it to me."

The society that listens to this sophist, that will levy taxes on itself to satisfy him, that does not perceive that the loss wiped out in one industry is no less a loss because others are forced to shoulder it—this society, I say, deserves the burden placed upon it.

Thus, we see, from the many subjects I have dealt with, that not to know political economy is to allow oneself to be dazzled by the immediate effect of a phenomenon; to know political economy is to take into account the sum total of all effects, both immediate and future.

crap-tastic.

2007-11-28T15:04:00.000-05:00

These past two days have been crap-tastic. Basically, I feel like my brain is FRIED. I feel like it's the end of exam week or something.

Yesterday at lunch, Billy told me that I had a package that I needed to go pick up at the post office. I asked him if he could run the ticket out to me from our apartment when I get home to work so that I could run quickly and pick it up before they closed. He said he would. I followed that conversation up by asking him which post office was closest to our apt because I didn't want to be gone for too long. "Should I go downtown or...the one on Eisenhower?" He just stared at me. I said, "What?" He said, "MAYBE you should go to the one that HAS your package?"

[Duh.]

Then, later in the afternoon, I proceeded to dial into a conference call that I have once a week at 2pm. I sat waiting for the host to arrive and conference everyone. I listened to the same 10 seconds of elevator music for about 6 minutes before I realized that the host wasn't coming because the call isn't on Tuesdays. It's on Wednesdays.

[Great.]

THEN, today, I was getting ready to use the bathroom and my glasses fell INTO THE TOILET. I'm standing there thinking, "Seriously. I am staring at my glasses in the BOTTOM OF THE TOILET." I then thought, "Dear God, PLEASE don't let this thing randomly auto flush and push my glasses into the pipes." Luckily it didn't flush before I had time to REACH my hand INTO the toilet bowl and get them out.

[SICK.]

I'm concerned about driving home. It's days of having luck like this when I end up in the air conditioning vent of the car in front of me.

Ugggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg.

bleep BLEEP bleep BLEEP

2007-11-27T23:37:00.000-05:00

me: tony hurts me. i don't want him to be bad!
nick: i know. but seriously...do you think he'll stay that way?
me: idk...i hope not.
nick: basically, either jack will kill him...or...he'll turn good
me: hahahahaha, yeah...but aren't those anyone's options on the show? you either do what he says or die?
nick: hahaha, true.

My husband doesn't wish he was Jack Bauer. He wishes I was Jack Bauer.

[.]

2007-11-26T13:06:00.001-05:00

that peaceful, easy feeling...

2007-11-26T07:25:00.000-05:00

This morning as I was going through my reader, I saw a link to this old article written on The Simple Dollar site. The points Trent makes in this article are quite valuable.

Recently, the husband and I have started sitting down on Sunday afternoons and planning what we want to eat the week ahead and writing a grocery list of what we need. This keeps us from buying a bunch of random stuff ("I'll do something with this ground turkey...") and it also keeps us from buying things we don't need. Even though it takes more time, we shaved a good $50.00 off our grocery bill by making the list and sticking to it. This is especially good for my husband, since he is the world's WORST for impulse buying and always enjoys accompanying me to the grocery store. He writes down a few things he has cravings for and we get those things, but it eliminates those wandering eyes. :) I have also noticed that it has reduced the amount of money we spend eating out if we're looking forward to the meal we're going to cook at home. For example, "I'm going to cook bbq chicken tonight with baked potato and slaw.." rather than, "Well, I've got some chicken...and some cabbage...oh I'm too tired for this...it's been TOO long of a day, let's just go out."

The points that Trent makes that I think are exceptionally noteworthy are as follows:

1. Cut your visits down to once or twice a week. I usually do one main visit per week (on Saturdays) and one smaller visit (usually on my way home from work on Tuesdays). This reduces the opportunities to buy frivolous things.

4. Before you go, consider what you’ll probably eat at home in the next week. You don’t need to sketch out every meal, but have ideas for several meals before you go and make sure you have the ingredients for all of those, plus any additional foods you might want.

The real key, though, is to stick to your list once you’re in the store. It feels like a real accomplishment the first time you see a smaller bill at the checkout and you look through your sacks and don’t see anything silly.

Amen.

if you love rap and economics...

2007-11-25T23:02:00.000-05:00

I got a few of these from a link the twin emailed me. I laughed and laughed....

[if you click on the individual graph, it will open it and make it bigger.]

holiday spirit...

2007-11-21T10:29:00.000-05:00

If this doesn't get you in the merry mood, I don't know what will. [yes, that's my two aunts, me and my grandmother.]

[c/o rotten tomatoes]

it's more than I dare to think about...

2007-11-18T10:03:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting here watching the Forbes 20 Billionaire Heiresses show on E! and the top spot has been taken by Indian heiress Vanisha Mittal. Her father is worth 51 billion dollars. $51,000,000,000. If you're curious as to her father's career path...well, he's in the steel business. He was nice enough to throw her a wedding with a price tag of 60 million dollars.

The wedding invitations were 20 pages long, sent out in silver boxes. Her father flew in about 1,000 people to Paris (the location of the wedding) and he put them all up in various 5 star hotels for the 5 day celebration. He spent almost 2 million on wine itself. The highlight of the reception was a private performance by Kylie Minogue.

Her wedding gift from her father? A house in Deli worth 3 million for when she wasn't at her 55 million dollar house in London.

I just cannot even wrap my mind around that. I was thinking to myself..."What would I do with that kind of money?" I mean, that's not even like what would you do if you had a million dollars....pay off loans, buy a car, set the [potential] kids up with education funds. But 51 BILLION dollars? You need a good plan for 51 billion dollars. How to invest...how to most wisely use it...that's a ton of money. The only answer I came up with was quit my job.

...so it goes.

...the rest of the story.

2007-11-16T21:48:00.000-05:00

I want you to be in MY club!

spellr.

2007-11-15T17:45:00.000-05:00

another cool site I found today...spell with flickr. :0)

it's snowing in GA.

2007-11-15T16:27:00.000-05:00

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas...

seriously.

2007-11-14T22:55:00.000-05:00

Dear Network Money Decider People,

Please give the writers the money they are asking for.

If this writer's strike doesn't end and Private Practice leaves off in the middle of the season right now, I'm going to be ILL. Seriously...just give them the money so that I can have resolution on Addison and Pete, Sam and Naomi. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Kate.

ohhhhhh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay...

2007-11-14T07:44:00.000-05:00

This morning, I grabbed my coffee and started the trek down from the third floor to the first floor video conferencing room to start getting things set up for the morning meeting and I noticed that something was different. Yes, folks, the hard hearts here at my job have decided it's time to decorate for Christmas. Now, we all know that's fine with me...I'm trying to hold back my Christmas spirit at least for another weekend until after Thanksgiving, but it's still seeping through. But these decorations are not normal. It's all Christmas decor...garland, wreaths, trees...but they're covered in white and blue decorations. And here I was thinking that Chrismukkah was something Adam Brody thought up.

I fully expect to see my boss walk in wearing this:

It's Christmas time and time for a carol
Time to sing about the little King
To fill the bowl and roll out the barrel
Have ourselves a fling

We greet a friend or welcome a stranger
Let him sing and cheer him on his way
And celebrate the child in the manger
Born on Christmas day

Good cheer for you and for me
With pleasure and glee to share
Oh, we're so happy to be together
On yuletide square

It looks like snow
And falls like snow
Take a moment
Take a look about and say
As snowflakes fall
Merry Christmas to one and all...

brilliant.

2007-11-12T07:36:00.001-05:00

Doing hospital rounds with dad could have been boring. But for Matthew and Emily Leinwald, the experience was inspirational. They wanted to cheer up the kids at the hospital with something simple: crayons.

From that idea and an empty box on their front porch in 2001, Matthew and Emily started Crayons4Kids. Since then, they have collected more than 100,000 new crayons and 7,000 coloring books as well as nearly 1,000 baby rattles and 2,500 new toys and games.

Now, Matthew, 11, and Emily, 12, want to deliver gifts beyond their local pediatric hospital. They've seen the smiles and felt the hugs. These siblings are hoping to deliver that happiness to more hospital beds across America.

______________________________________________

I love reading stories like this. What an encouragement their actions are to those who are in such a lonely place. I also love to see kids be passionate and follow through with an idea like this. Makes me wonder why I'm not doing more of that kind of thing. Who among us doesn't know someone that needs to be cheered up?

that right there's funny, i don't care who you are.

2007-11-11T12:38:00.000-05:00

Hilarious...and so true.

eisley.

2007-11-10T22:34:00.000-05:00

you would take the breath from my throat and you would take the cherished people that i hold.

not gainbyrisk.

2007-11-09T09:59:00.000-05:00

raspberry m&m's. bad. do not try them.

pictures for you.

2007-11-08T10:49:00.000-05:00

a picture of the whole church...

sisters: youngest sister, me, oldest sister...

they guys getting ready: friend from back home, a twin, the husband...

stairwell: errybody say cheese!

goofy guys...

family #2...

the str8 gangsta ringbearer...

preeetty flowers...

the program...

the great escape...

love.

happily ever after...

that right there could drive a sane man bizzerk.

2007-11-08T10:47:00.000-05:00

[Note: This post has been in "draft" mode for a while. I started it on 10/25/07. The past week discussed has turned into a month.]

This past week has been one of the most trying weeks of my life. I don't really want to go into it here, but these are some thoughts I have wanted to share from during that time.

Even since before this past week, something I have been thinking a lot about is God's view of the post-fall human life. Ever since Adam and Eve were booted out of the garden, the human race has been subject to a world infused with sin. The effects of humans acting within their sinful human nature are pervasive in every aspect of life. Just go to cnn.com and you can see articles informing you that teachers are having sex with students, students are being shot at school events, or people are smuggling young girls into prostitution rings. These are things that I think would make anyone cringe and I know that my grandmother would chime up to point out the moral depravity of our world. But as the old saying goes, nothing's new under the sun. All it takes is a look back to Exodus to read about God's feelings toward Sodom and Gomorrah because of the actions of the people to realize that the sinful nature isn't evolving to become more sinful...sin, if you give in to its false promises, will take you to a place you never thought you'd be. All that to say, God has had patience and grace with humans for a long time. Good thing his grace is unending, or we all would have been done for a long time ago.

That being said, when you see the effects of the fall personally...first hand..., it tends to smack you in the face. The sorrow and the immense pain that follows when you see the effects of what we humans call "life" are hard to handle.

There are times in my life when I see clear as a bell why God instructs us as he does. There is no faith in trusting his word. It's obvious. But usually these times come because I have seen the effects of NOT doing as he instructs, first hand. They are painful but I learn a lot. (Not only from my actions, but also from observing and feeling the effects of other's actions.)

The problem is that as the time fades, the pain from the stabs of sin is lessened as the wounds heal. The clarity fades into confusion. It is so hard to remember lessons learned.

However, I will say that with this particular lesson in my life right now, I don't think I will be forgetting any time soon. The effects of deep wounds received from loved ones take a long time to heal.

all smiles.

2007-11-07T13:52:00.000-05:00

This makes me happy. It's good to see loyalty like that. :0)

lessons learned.

2007-11-05T07:16:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I have posted...I've had so much on my mind and so much going on, it's hard to even know where to begin or what to post. But, I wanted to share this lesson I learned in church on Sunday.

Now, as many of you know, my husband and I are still trying to find a church in the area that we live. Previous posts will alert you to the fact that it's incredibly hard to find people our age in church. That is a very frustrating fact...but I'm not going to jump on that soapbox. Anyway...

We went to visit this church on Sunday that is practically right behind our apt. complex...about 2-3 minutes away. As we were driving to the location, I was thinking how great it would be if the church we ended up at was right behind our apt. How convenient.

So we pulled up in the parking lot and got out. There were some very friendly men who handed us bulletins at the front door. I was thinking..."So far, so good..." We walked in and saw that the congregation was somewhat younger...another good sign. We sat down and shortly the service began.

Now, let me pause here to say, I really don't have a problem with the WHOLE music issue that is circulating churches these days. I prefer hymns, but I'm not going to let it make or break a church. But, you haven't been to THIS church.

When the music leader came to the podium and said for everybody to stand to sing, this entire country band tuned up behind him. I am not exaggerating. I felt like I was at church with the Gaithers. And for you who don't know, I don't tolerate country music. Some is okay, but seriously. There was a mandolin. I kid you not. I can handle 10 choruses of "How Great is Our God," but not when it sounds like the country music awards up on stage. AND not to mention, there was a break after every chorus for an ACOUSTIC GUITAR SOLO. ::shudder:: I felt like we were in for a knee slappin', hand clappin' good time. I just do not like that kind of music.

Needless to say, I was sitting there thinking, "Where ARE we. Is there anything I can do to get up and leave and not be obvious? I can't believe what I'm hearing." Shallow as that may be, it was just too much. But then I thought, "God, you know that I do not have a very worshipful spirit right now, but one of critical thoughts and disappointed feelings. I just pray that you'll help me to get past this so that I can see that you can work through all things...even a worship service that I'm having a hard time relating to. Please forgive my feelings and reveal yourself to me through this service." As I continued to look through the bulletin, I noticed that they were having communion during the service, and I breathed a prayer of thanks because I enjoy taking communion. It's become such a wonderful time for me in worship...I think because now I see it as a way that the body of Christ can worship together. We may not all believe in the same things, or even in the same interpretation of communion within protestant denominations, but yet, we can worship together through that act. I continued to look for the good out of the service for the rest of the time and now I am so thankful that we did go there on Sunday.

The church doesn't have a pastor right now, so there was a guest speaker there on Sunday. He was an intern from one of the larger churches in our area, I guess just practicing preaching. His sermon was on the Samaritan woman at the well. One of the illustrations he shared was so powerful. It went as follows:

He has a minister friend named Matt. Matt's a little older than our guest speaker was Sunday (and this guy was probably late 20's, early 30's), but back when Matt was in college, he took an art class. He was in there with another woman, we'll call her Rita, who was a non-traditional student. She was 27 and had 3 children. So, Matt thought he'd reach out to Rita by asking to take her to a concert. He didn't tell her though that the concert followed a True Love Waits rally. Rita agreed to go and during the rally, the speaker shared this illustration. He held up a white rose and said (something like), "Look at this rose. Can you see how beautiful it is? Of course you can...it's breathtaking. The petals are a pure white, the stem is a vivid green, and its leaves are perfectly in place. Who wouldn't want this rose as their own to display? Take it and look at it." He proceeded to send it out into the crowd of people and he talked for about another 45 minutes. At the end of his talk, he asked for the rose back. The rose made its way to the stage row by row. When it got back into the hands of the speaker, it was broken and dirty. The white rose petals were now a dingy brown and the stem had been broken and was barely hanging on. None of the leaves were present anymore. The speaker made the comparison that I know you're thinking...this is what happens to people who are "passed around" from person to person. This is what sexual sin makes you look like. And who would want that? So sign the card, get the ring, make the promise because you are fearful. Well, Matt thought that was an excellent point. He had considered using it in his own sermon in the future. Matt looked over at Rita and she was completely silent. He thought, "Man, this is awesome, she must really be convicted." They rode back together and Rita continued along in her silence. The weeks that followed this concert led to a distance that grew between Rita and Matt. Rita dropped out of the class and didn't return any of Matt's calls. Finally, about 6 weeks later, Matt got a call from Rita's mother. She shared with him the news that Rita was in ICU. Matt flew to the hospital and learned that Rita had been drinking the night away at a bar the night before. She had gotten into a car with a few guys to take her home because she couldn't drive and they tried to take advantage of her. She kept them off, but they weren't going to just let her go. They pushed her out of the moving car on the Texas turnpike. She had developed a blood clot at the base of her brain that was keeping her unconscious. Matt prayed over her day after day and visited with the family when the were there. A few days later, Rita awoke and everyone rejoiced. Her family was so happy. But Rita's first words to Mike were words that stopped his celebrating. Rita turned to Matt and said, "Do you really see me as a dirty rose?" All I have to say to that is, "OH SNAP." Turns out, Matt ended up feeling the same way. I was sitting there the whole time thinking, "I can't believe that guy would say that." Fact of the matter is, most of the time teens make it to "True Love Waits" conferences, it's a little too late to wait for true love. I was thinking, "What a terrible way to go about that. Makes people feel like CRAP! Is that REALLY what Jesus would do?"

The guest speaker at the church on Sunday went on to say that if we hijack the Gospel and remove the grace, love, and mercy from its pages, we don't have anything. If anything, Jesus wants that brown dirty rose. And aren't we all brown dirty roses? That is SIN. Not just sexual, but every other thing that separates us from God. And the beauty of the cross is that it was the ultimate request for those dirty roses. That's the grace and love. So if we discount that, we discount the cross. How could we as Christians look to someone else and say that they are a dirty brown rose. That is NEVER something Jesus would have done. It was such a great message and totally hit home on something that's been on my mind lately.

There are two great problems that come in thinking that as Christians, we are EVER above others:

1-When we do have an issue that is unforeseen (which often happens in life...like you end up having to separate from your husband after you've spent years "feeling sorry for" people who do that) it's a lot harder to deal with because you're also dealing with the perception of your situation to those who are judging, because you used to judge. It's a hard slap in the face to have to learn that we really ARE all sinners, especially during such personal turmoil.

2-Others cannot learn from our past experience if we never share it. If we are paralyzed in portraying this image, then no real connection can occur among Christians. There's a lot I have seen go on among Christian people that reminds me of Desperate Housewives on Wisteria Lane. We pretend to be friends to the face of others, while hiding our secrets so that we can maintain that image of perfection.

It's just so much easier if we are all real about our lives. We all have things that are perceived as embarassing and humiliating in our lives, so why not band together and support each other.

The last interesting thing I will share is the point the speaker made on Sunday that as Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman, she tried to evade his truthful words of her sinful life by switching the conversation to discussing worship. The only thing that is recorded after that is the fact that Jesus said:

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

Jesus didn't say, "Wait woman, we need to resolve this issue of your 5 husbands." His response to her was sharing the nature of God and what he desires out of us. Just an interesting point, I thought.

Yes, long post. However, I haven't posted in a week, so I think it's ok. :0)

Thoughts?

overheard in the office

2007-10-29T07:27:00.001-04:00

If you've never been to the site, it's rather humorous from time to time... Today someone posted:

Employee #1: If you want to send me your resume, I'll see if they're looking to hire designers. I think they are.
Employee #2: Does the place resemble Hell?
Employee #1: You mean like here?
Employee #2: Yeah. Like, if it's a few shades lighter red, and about half the amount of writhing souls, I'd be interested.

That's basically how I feel right now. I'd be interested in anything less hellish. But when I search in the job listings, I have a hard time thinking that any of them would be less hellish. And I don't want to be a truck driver...so...that really limits my options.

Anyone know of any good jobs in my surrounding area?

my prayer for the past week.

2007-10-24T09:08:00.000-04:00

Psalm 71: 12 & 14

Be not far from me, O God;
come quickly, O my God, to help me.
But as for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.

I want to blog more on this later, but for now I just want to say, I am so thankful to God for the hope that he gives me.

chuck norris and walker texas ranger.

2007-10-23T07:12:00.000-04:00

Chuck Norris does not vote for president of the United States. He gives the voting machine a swift roundhouse kick and Mike Huckabee wins.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,304096,00.html

Lol...

Hazlitt's the man.

2007-10-12T15:23:00.001-04:00

A continuation of a previous post.

Read the article. Then read the book.

Debbie on Profound Truths of God

2007-10-12T09:28:00.001-04:00

Debbie was telling me today about how tired she is of helping others. Debbie is the kind of person who would do ANYthing for ANYone, but recently, she has grown tired of helping those who continue to make the same mistakes. Due to some of her own personal issues right now, her wick is gone and she's just done. It's like now she needs someone to take care of her...she just can't emotionally help anyone else right now. In her spiel of her lack of patience with those around her who do "stupid" things, she made the most profound comment. She was saying, "I'm just so tiyad of it! I'm SO tiyad. I just can't DEAL wid it anymo, I just CAN'T! But ya know what? I bet God feels that way. Man, I bet God is just tiyad down to his-a nubs! If I was him, I would NOT help anyone else. No ma'am. Not ever. He's GOT to be tiyad! You know gurlll..."

I was telling a cooke last night...she says things that are so hilarious and off the wall, but then she'll say something that is hilarious and spot on. She's so right.

Praise God for his unfathomable and never ending faithfulness, patience and forgiveness.

Debbie on Close Calls

2007-10-11T14:12:00.000-04:00

I know three posts in one day is excessive. However, I've been waiting for a good Debbie to post, and I have it.

I was sitting here checking airplane stuff (like I do) and Debbie comes back to her desk and starts saying, "Oh Lawad...Oh Lawd...Thank ya Jesus, thank ya..."

I said, "Debbie...what are you doing?"
She said, "Just praisin the lawad."
I said, "Why? What for?"
She said, "Becawaz, I'm SUPPOSTA!"
[ahahahaha...so true]
She said, "I'm just takin ya ta church ova hare-UH."
I busted out laughing.
She said, "Wha had happened was, I had lost a set of aircraft parts, but then I found them...OOOH THAnk ya Jesus! Thank ya JAY-UH-ZUS"

This is right after she can't stop SINGING "Pop, Lock, and Drop It" and "A Bay Bay" all afternoon.

I love her. She makes my LIFE right now. Seriously.

maybe we can werk it ouuuut...

2007-10-11T13:23:00.000-04:00

Paul McCartney, Heather Mills Battle for His Millions in Court
THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2007 11:00 AM EDT

By Simon Perry and Caris Davis (people.com)

McCartney (left) and Mills

Photo by: RICHARD JENNINGS / PN NEWS / LFI; Retna

Can they work it out? Sir Paul McCartney and ex-wife Heather Mills met to thrash out the details of their high-profile divorce in a closed courtroom Thursday.

A settlement reportedly could cost McCartney, 65, up to $120 million in a lump sum payment to Mills, 39, plus annual financial support for their daughter, Beatrice, who turns 4 this month.

Mills arrived at an annex of London's High Court first and McCartney followed shortly after. An eyewitness told PEOPLE, "He seemed relaxed, quite smiley, not at all rattled."

The court is closed to reporters, and, so secret are the proceedings, four chairs block the entrance and the door's peep holes are taped.

The couple split in May 2006 and McCartney filed for divorce two months later. They last met in court in March and are using the same divorce lawyers as Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

____________________________________________

If you ain't no punk, holla we want prenup.

WE WANT PRENUP.