(insert "I'm not making $$ off this website" disclaimer here):
Date Set In Cockman Murder Trial
Trial To Begin Feb. 13
POSTED: 10:26 am EDT September 30, 2005
UPDATED: 11:38 am EDT September 30, 2005
GREENVILLE -- A date has been set for the trial of two people accused of killing a well-known Greenville businessman.
The death penalty trial for David Edens and Jennifer Holloway is set for Feb. 13.
Edens and Holloway are accused of kidnapping and killing retired business executive Jim Cockman in September of last year.
Investigators said the couple stole Cockman's SUV and later hid his body in a storage center in Tennessee.
My notes on this: Jim Cockman was a friend of my mother-in-law. What they didn't tell everybody on the news was that they bound this poor man's entire head in duck tape and he suffocated before they even got him to that storage center in Tennessee and put him in a freezer. All b/c he was trying to sell his SUV and they wanted it. They called him and told him they were interested, and when he got to the place he'd put it (sometimes people down here will put cars close to the end of a busy intersection with contact info), they bound him up. I hope these people get what's coming to them.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Darn
I guess I'm going to have to redo the Latest Kitty section, b/c I didn't get enough hits on the site that was hosting the pics, imagekafe.com, and they pulled down the pics. So, I'll have to post them here first and then put them on my template. Anyone know an easier way to do that?
Actually, I don't think I know how. They gave me a ready-made html code for those, and I don't know html. Uh-oh.
Double darn.
Actually, I don't think I know how. They gave me a ready-made html code for those, and I don't know html. Uh-oh.
Double darn.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
I'm not inventive enough for a title today
Songs of the day:
- Hello, Evanescence
- Light in Your Eyes, Blessid Union of Souls
- If We Could Remember, Yolanda Adams
I guess I'm in a melancholy mood, or it seems so by looking at the music!
The Greenville temperatures are FINALLY getting lower. This is my favorite time of year, so I'm glad it's here. Instead of beautiful red, yellow, & orange leaves, though, we have crunchy brown leaves. We haven't had any rain since the beginning on September (Oh wait, my fault - we had .004 inches the other day). The weather guys here said that the lack of rain is supposed to make the colors even brighter later on in the leaf season.
My only problem with the temperatures falling is that the temperatures at my job are staying the same, so I'm starting to get cold in here. In fact, my fingertips are quite cold at the moment LOL. It's pretty bad when I'm savoring the heat from a freshly printed 8.5x11 sheet of paper. If only I could put a stack of new reports on my cold toes. :)
Cool - we're getting rain clouds - note clouds, not rain yet. I've pulled the blinds up on our floor to ceiling windows at work to watch the clouds come in (I love looking out, even if it's at the parking lot. I don't see how people can stare at those blinds all day). I hate metal 1-inch blinds. When we finally get the chance to get our own house, I'll have wooden 2 inch blinds (or faux wood if I'm poor like I think I'll be by the time we get a house) like I had in my room at my parent's house.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
New profile pic (ignore post)
.jpg)
Well, it's not like I'm trying to show off a pic or anything, but this is the only way I can figure out to get a URL for it!
Am I really that bored?
.jpg)
Isn't this the saddest little Macy picture you've ever seen? I love it. I had to pick him up and hug him after this!
I'm writing despite the fact that I have nothing to write about (Doesn't that annoy you? Yeah well - it's my site!! Muhaha) in the hopes that, eventually, something write-worthy will speed past my mind and I'll catch a few words of it.
It's pathetic that the best topic I have to talk about tonight is my new lip glosses (bet you thought my grammar sucked on this huh? Nope! Check it out if you want! I have an obsession with correct grammar, though you'd never prove it here - LOL). Which, by the way, are absolutely awesome. :) I don't wear makeup (reasons: I hate my face when it is applied, I feel like my skin can't breathe, and I'm allergic to just about everything, including the so-called 'hypo-allergenic' crapola), so lip gloss and the occasional blue shine powder is all about I can handle. Blue powder JUST for the simple fact that it was blue and doesn't look blue on my face LOL, and lip gloss b/c it tastes SO good... which brings me to my new flavors: Cotton Candy Rush and Sugar Splash. I could literally chew my lips off b/c they taste so good.
Ok - funny image of me trying to talk without lips just popped into my head.
Oven getting dirty again: just need to start using a pan for flaky crust items.
Laundry: done by Josh as a surprise! AWESOME surprise as far as Carri is concerned LOL
I spent two hours scanning and two hours 'quick-fixing' my hard-copy pics from my old 35mm camera last night. That was only the favorites I'd picked out from just one box of pics. This is going to be a LONG project, but the good thing is that I can finally edit my bad pics.
Funny kitty observation: When Josh holds his arms out to Macy for a hug, Macy now pitifully meows at him, like he needs a hug! We have a seriously co-dependent kitty! We haven't really taught Lucy to vocalize - she does it on her own, but not for the same reasons as Macy. Macy does it when he's pissed at Josh for egging him on (he lightly meows when he bites Josh's hand after Josh tries to steamroll him) or when he's been reprimanded (SO pitiful), but Lucy does it any other time Macy doesn't LOL.
Yeah ok - that's it for me.
Night!
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Weekend wrap-up
Well, it's less than an hour now before I hit the hay. Presently, I'm chowing down on some Ben & Jerry's Brownie Batter. I don't even like chocolate ice cream, but this stuff could turn me into a fan yet.
I played flute during part of our church's 110th anniversary celebration this morning. I have played in front of 10,000-15,000 people before, but I got nervous playing in front of 200 people (I knew about 100 of them, though, which I think made it harder for me). I'll post the pictures here sometime soon... no time tonight.
My Stats: :)
I played flute during part of our church's 110th anniversary celebration this morning. I have played in front of 10,000-15,000 people before, but I got nervous playing in front of 200 people (I knew about 100 of them, though, which I think made it harder for me). I'll post the pictures here sometime soon... no time tonight.
My Stats: :)
- Laundry: 1/2 done
- dishes: clean, but not put away
- kitties: fed
- computer desk: messy
- oven: FINALLY clean!
- carpet: should really be called crapet right now (shudder)
I'm not EVEN doing the rest of that list tonight.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Dream Journal - Volume 2
Dream Journal, Part 2 (warning: Mushy kitty stuff ahead - don't read it if you don't like that)
I’ve had this recurring thought ever since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf cities (disclaimer: I was not victimized by Hurricane Katrina, so please remember that this is not a true story, and I am not making $$ off this… this is just my dream journal – you can choose to read this or not):
Our house has flooded, so Josh and I have taken to wading through chest-deep water to find higher ground. We put Macy and Lucy in Lucy’s red carrier (which is fabric, making it easier to carry, narrower, and lighter than Macy’s hard plastic carrier). We're holding them as high above the water as we can. Then, we came upon a boat. The people on board were willing to take us, but not the pids (I don’t care what anyone says, they’re our babies – they might have fur, but they’re just as dear to my heart as any child would be). They said they don’t have room for them, even though I’ve insisted on carrying them in my lap. They flat-out refuse and threaten to leave without us. It turns into a match between me pleading, half-crying, half-screaming and the boat-people still not willing to help us. Finally, Josh (which is WAY out of character for him, by the way, he’d be even more adamant than me) softly told me, “Honey, we have to go. You have to let them go.” I am crying even harder at this point (actually, just writing it down now is making all those horrible feelings come back – my dreams are SO vivid most of the time – I usually don’t know that what I am remembering while awake is actually part of my dreams). So, eventually, I pull open the zipper on the peek-your-furry-head-out side of the carrier, kiss them both, hug them tight, and sit them on top of the water, where they swiftly float away. I wake up before I know whether it sinks or whether they’ve escaped.
Now with some the stories that are popping up about people being threatened with guns, the dream has turned into a more violent one, where I have a gun pointed in my face. The boat-people scream at me that I HAVE to get onto the boat and that I HAVE to leave my pets no matter what.
One earlier part of the dream has me not opening the zipper before they touch the water. That is the worst part of my memory.
With seeing the pictures of the poor babies still waiting on their mommies and daddies to come home and get them, this dream has become flashes in my head in the daytime.
Funny, I couldn’t stand kitties before. That all changed the first time I laid eyes on all 12 ½ ounces of Macy looking up at me with the most needful baby blue eyes I have ever seen (he was the runt). He was meowing so pitifully, and when I picked him up, he stopped and started purring. From then on, he was in my heart. :)
I’ll tell the full Macy story later. It’s actually quite a funny story.
I’ve had this recurring thought ever since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf cities (disclaimer: I was not victimized by Hurricane Katrina, so please remember that this is not a true story, and I am not making $$ off this… this is just my dream journal – you can choose to read this or not):
Our house has flooded, so Josh and I have taken to wading through chest-deep water to find higher ground. We put Macy and Lucy in Lucy’s red carrier (which is fabric, making it easier to carry, narrower, and lighter than Macy’s hard plastic carrier). We're holding them as high above the water as we can. Then, we came upon a boat. The people on board were willing to take us, but not the pids (I don’t care what anyone says, they’re our babies – they might have fur, but they’re just as dear to my heart as any child would be). They said they don’t have room for them, even though I’ve insisted on carrying them in my lap. They flat-out refuse and threaten to leave without us. It turns into a match between me pleading, half-crying, half-screaming and the boat-people still not willing to help us. Finally, Josh (which is WAY out of character for him, by the way, he’d be even more adamant than me) softly told me, “Honey, we have to go. You have to let them go.” I am crying even harder at this point (actually, just writing it down now is making all those horrible feelings come back – my dreams are SO vivid most of the time – I usually don’t know that what I am remembering while awake is actually part of my dreams). So, eventually, I pull open the zipper on the peek-your-furry-head-out side of the carrier, kiss them both, hug them tight, and sit them on top of the water, where they swiftly float away. I wake up before I know whether it sinks or whether they’ve escaped.
Now with some the stories that are popping up about people being threatened with guns, the dream has turned into a more violent one, where I have a gun pointed in my face. The boat-people scream at me that I HAVE to get onto the boat and that I HAVE to leave my pets no matter what.
One earlier part of the dream has me not opening the zipper before they touch the water. That is the worst part of my memory.
With seeing the pictures of the poor babies still waiting on their mommies and daddies to come home and get them, this dream has become flashes in my head in the daytime.
Funny, I couldn’t stand kitties before. That all changed the first time I laid eyes on all 12 ½ ounces of Macy looking up at me with the most needful baby blue eyes I have ever seen (he was the runt). He was meowing so pitifully, and when I picked him up, he stopped and started purring. From then on, he was in my heart. :)
I’ll tell the full Macy story later. It’s actually quite a funny story.
Work Rant 3
This is work rant 3 (even though you think it's part 1) b/c I haven't posted the first two - they're only drafts. I did that b/c they're mostly fragmented in composition and would REALLY incriminate me!
Part 3 (relative to part 1 since it's about the same carbon-based life form):
Part 3 (relative to part 1 since it's about the same carbon-based life form):
- CBLF is really pissing me off, as is normal at least once a month or so. My section of the dept. created a signature form for paperwork that we give up b/c CBLF and a couple of others kept losing the work and blaming it on us, saying that we never even freakin' gave it to them. Therefore, it's their fault that they have to sign a form and create more paperwork for me. Thanks! So CBLF, despite having signed our form, claims time and time again that they didn't receive it even though they signed for it and we can pull up the form and show it to them.
- Today, CBLF comes to my desk and claims, once again, they they didn't receive paperwork. Same story!! I pulled the form, showed them where they signed, and bascially went back to my job. They came back and said they 'really don't have the paperwork.' I wanted to say "Well, you really did sign for it." My co-worker is off today, so it was even harder to convince CBLF that co-worker submitted it.
- What ticked me off is that CBLF acted like it was our fault that they lost the paperwork.
- Geez... talk about being unorganized!
Name
Ok - the new name is funny, but I don't talk about the kitties during EVERY post, but the first name was boring.
I'll keep this one for awhile to see how it fits.
I'll keep this one for awhile to see how it fits.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Forensics Word-A-Day (2)
Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC Mass-Spec or GCMS)
The gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer is a combination instrument used to separate the components of some mixtures. In the forensic laboratory the most common mixture contains drugs.
The gas chromatograph consists of an injector, a column in an oven, and a detector. The vaporised mixture is applied by the injector to the column. The column is a long (25m), thin (0.25mm) tube coated with an inert material to which the components of the mixture bind with varying degrees of tenacity. The oven is gradually heated to make the components leave the column in sequence. As the separated components leave the column the detector sends a signal to a computer which produces a graph of the detected components in the form of a series of peaks representing the quantity of component and the time that the component left the column.
Info from the following website: http://www.lbp.police.uk/forensicscience/technique/index.asp#gas
The gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer is a combination instrument used to separate the components of some mixtures. In the forensic laboratory the most common mixture contains drugs.
The gas chromatograph consists of an injector, a column in an oven, and a detector. The vaporised mixture is applied by the injector to the column. The column is a long (25m), thin (0.25mm) tube coated with an inert material to which the components of the mixture bind with varying degrees of tenacity. The oven is gradually heated to make the components leave the column in sequence. As the separated components leave the column the detector sends a signal to a computer which produces a graph of the detected components in the form of a series of peaks representing the quantity of component and the time that the component left the column.
Info from the following website: http://www.lbp.police.uk/forensicscience/technique/index.asp#gas
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Name Change!
Ok, part of my job at work is to make customer master file changes (Mu-hahaha - I have ze power!), and I have to log and archive EVERY SINGLE ONE. So, here is my log file for my official blog-name change.
DEW, if you read this yet, you'll understand - LOL! :)
Name change:
changed name from "Ramblings By the Phantom Piccolo" to "Strange Adventures of the Q-Tip Kitties" per main contact on 9-21-2005 // filed
Kitten Macy says: "Mommy, did you have permission to do this? Don't be showing my bid-niss e'rywhere!"
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Pink Slip Boogey
I have my annual review at work today.
Ok, ok - no one gets fired on an annual review day here, but I'm still nervous. I know I haven;t done anything wrong other than surfing the web too much, maybe, but I'm nervous all the same.
Wish me luck!
Ok, ok - no one gets fired on an annual review day here, but I'm still nervous. I know I haven;t done anything wrong other than surfing the web too much, maybe, but I'm nervous all the same.
Wish me luck!
Monday, September 19, 2005
Tom Welling
I just HAVE to post cute pics of Tom Welling - the guy who plays Clark Kent in Smallville.
Here are the places I found these pics:
http://boys.blogs.sapo.pt/arquivo/Tom.Welling.jpg
http://www.tomwelling.com
He kind of reminds me of Josh, so I have to like him! Josh even has eyes close to Tom's color. :)
Besides, Josh loves this show. Due to his birthday and a couple more purchases, he now has all four available season of the show LOL.
Forensics Word-A-Day / Fact-of-the-Day
Hopefully, I'll be able to keep this fun section going. I am online pretty much every day.
- tetrahydrocannabinol: active ingredient in marijuana, also known as TCH
Which, by the way, is the one word I will NEVER forget as long as I live.
Take it and run with it!
Forensics Disappointment
I just found out that news I got is false.
I was told that you don't have to be a street cop prior to being a SC crime scene tech.
Actually, you have to have two years experience to do it.
I see their reasoning, which I'm not discounting. The experience you'd get as a cop would only be beneficial to you as a CST.
However, it's a blow to my plans.
I'll still take the classes because they're a lot of fun, but I won't go for the job. I don't want to be a cop.
I'll let you all know which class is next for me. I'd love to share my future knowledge. :)
I was told that you don't have to be a street cop prior to being a SC crime scene tech.
Actually, you have to have two years experience to do it.
I see their reasoning, which I'm not discounting. The experience you'd get as a cop would only be beneficial to you as a CST.
However, it's a blow to my plans.
I'll still take the classes because they're a lot of fun, but I won't go for the job. I don't want to be a cop.
I'll let you all know which class is next for me. I'd love to share my future knowledge. :)
Name Change
Ok - those of you who know my actual name - consider yourselves lucky. If you don't know, ask and I'll probably tell you (email or chat or something), but I won't put it on my blog anywhere. Two reasons:
- It's probably not the smartest thing for me to do.
- I'm starting to incriminate myself people-wise. If someone knows me and looks me up, it'd be pretty obvious who I'm talking about in certain situations.
Sound good enough? :)
Sunday, September 18, 2005
My Band Kids
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
I tried to get good pics of the kids on the field from Friday night, but the fact remains that if the lighting is different (such as huge stadium lights behind them), I act like a dummy with my digital camera. So, here is my best attempt at pics.
For those of you who watch the kids' website as well, these will also be posted there.
XML/RSS
.jpg)
Ok - I'm busy trying to make my blog better looking as time goes by. Two things I don't understand are XML and RSS. I pretty much understand what they are, and wanted to put an XML feed from my local news channel website onto mine. I got to the part where it basically said "click on this to put our XML headlines onto your site", but then it said that I have to have an RSS reader, I think? So, now I know that I need some kind of software, right?
If it makes anyone happy, I found a book online called "XML for Dummies" - ROFL! That's appropriate.
(note: Lucy says "RSS and XML are hard to understand! I'm just a little 5-month-old piddy - we need help!")
I'm digging "Blogger Images"! I didn't realize I could play with the placement of the pics. With Hello, I can only (so far, at least) post them and write something at the top. This is much better, I think.
By the way, this pic is from the first day we had Lucy. Isn't she adorable? Her eyes were already turning slightly yellow by then (she was 2 days shy of being 6 weeks old), but in this pic, you can see the blue she had left. She was so tiny!
I just finished watching Miss Evers' Boys. I always thought that was a movie about a mother and her sons, but it's actually about Alfre Woodard as a nurse treating black syphillis patients. Actually, they weren't even being treated. They were being lied to, and not getting any treatment at all. There was one man that sticks out in my mind - Willie Johnson. He was a dancer whose only big dream was to dance at the Cotton Club. Eventually, without the treatment he though he was getting, he became weak, and later could hardly dance at all. At the end, he was dancing with a cane at good as he could on the graves of some of the other men while Miss Evers testified at what I thought was a senate subcommittee? It ended up being such a sad and frustrating story. I didn't know until the end that it was actually a true story.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Putting a Stop to the Spam
Ok- that's it - I've had it with the anonymous spam comments here. Sorry for the people here who do actually comment, but I'm switching to that word verification thing. Those few small letters will make my life easier. I get excited when I see that there are comments on my page, and then to find out they're not real? Grr.
Oh yeah - there's a huge spike in my page hits on Wednesday - almost 60 hits! If it's not spam-worthy, then I'm happy!
Oh yeah - there's a huge spike in my page hits on Wednesday - almost 60 hits! If it's not spam-worthy, then I'm happy!
LA troops come home
This was written by my co-worker's adult son.
If you can't find a reason to smile today, consider your blessings...
I watched the news tonight. There was a story about a National Guard
Troop that returned from a years service in Iraq. They were from the State of
Louisiana. The military jet landed, and they were formed into a group of
soldiers at attention as they were commended, recognized and dismissed...
obviously a moment they had anticipated for a long time. At the dismissal, the
camera panned around to catch many sons and daughters showered with hugs and
kisses. Most of the interviews were what you would expect - "It's great to be
home, finally," and "it was this moment that kept me going everyday, ready to
get back home." But as reality sunk in, you knew that many of these 100+
soldiers were returning to nothing. A mother said, "I have nothing to cook my
son a home-cooked meal on..." and "I don't have the heart to tell her that we
have nothing left." But the part that struck me the hardest was the image of
soldiers that had no one to hug. They simply said goodbye to their fellow
soldiers and walked off... there was no one there to greet them.
Please remember in your prayers tonight the people that are not in
the forefront of this tragedy. The relief workers, the policemen, the families
abroad... and most importantly - the ones that just have nothing. Nothing is a
powerful lack of existence that most of us can not even comprehend. When you sit
in traffic today, or complain about the quality of a meal, or just feel too
tired to attack an everyday task, remember that we are blessed. Some of those
soldiers just picked up their bags and walked off camera...
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Thursday
9-15-2005 @ 10:38PM
I'm watching random DVDs and typing on Notepad b/c my cable and internet are both down (comes from same company). Thing is, I doubt my bill-paying memory when that type of thing happens. i come home and think "Did I pay that bill? I'd better check before I report an outage and embarrass myself!" This time, though, I couldn't do that, b/c we are billed electronically instead of by mail. Since I can't get onto the internet, I have to take a wild guess. Luckily, my memory is not that bad, since they said there is a "local outage" and the problem has already been reported. 2nd thing is, it has been four hours or more now LOL. I'm bound by technology!
I got off early today to go to BHS for their practice. It went really well... we got another movement finished today. Only one left and we'll be ready to perfect the little things - it's just in time for our first competition.
However, I started having heat exhaustion or something! My heart was racing, my head was pounding horribly, I couldn't breathe, and I felt dizzy and neauseated. I thought I was going to pass out! I didn't really feel much better by the time practice was over, so I decided to skip out. I had my music with me, of course, so I had to show up anyway and bring it. I apologized over and over... I really did feel bad about leaving the 2nd practice of the year. I tried to redeem myself by dividing up the new music for the night. My conductor kept asking me if I was ok (I think my face was still flustered), and I said yes, but I really didn't feel a change at all by then.
I came home and tried to clean up the apartment a little (ongoing struggle here), but that didn't work out very well. I chilled on the couch for awhile, prompting the non-working cable discovery. Blah.
So, I've been watching girly-girl movies - Mean Girls first, then 13 Going on 30. What am I, 13 years old too? Geez.
Josh finally has all four available seasons of Smallville. I can't keep him from the DVD player when we're home together - LOL!
I'm bored - that's pretty sad considering all of the distractions we have around here. Especially considering I need to be practicing the clarinet/sax parts for the high school show. Since my primary instrument is flute/piccolo, I have to really work at the others... what we musicians call "taking it to the woodshed."
I could still be cleaning as well. I plan on inviting the woodwind kids over to our apartment before the first competition, so I'd better get started!
10:55PM
I'm watching random DVDs and typing on Notepad b/c my cable and internet are both down (comes from same company). Thing is, I doubt my bill-paying memory when that type of thing happens. i come home and think "Did I pay that bill? I'd better check before I report an outage and embarrass myself!" This time, though, I couldn't do that, b/c we are billed electronically instead of by mail. Since I can't get onto the internet, I have to take a wild guess. Luckily, my memory is not that bad, since they said there is a "local outage" and the problem has already been reported. 2nd thing is, it has been four hours or more now LOL. I'm bound by technology!
I got off early today to go to BHS for their practice. It went really well... we got another movement finished today. Only one left and we'll be ready to perfect the little things - it's just in time for our first competition.
However, I started having heat exhaustion or something! My heart was racing, my head was pounding horribly, I couldn't breathe, and I felt dizzy and neauseated. I thought I was going to pass out! I didn't really feel much better by the time practice was over, so I decided to skip out. I had my music with me, of course, so I had to show up anyway and bring it. I apologized over and over... I really did feel bad about leaving the 2nd practice of the year. I tried to redeem myself by dividing up the new music for the night. My conductor kept asking me if I was ok (I think my face was still flustered), and I said yes, but I really didn't feel a change at all by then.
I came home and tried to clean up the apartment a little (ongoing struggle here), but that didn't work out very well. I chilled on the couch for awhile, prompting the non-working cable discovery. Blah.
So, I've been watching girly-girl movies - Mean Girls first, then 13 Going on 30. What am I, 13 years old too? Geez.
Josh finally has all four available seasons of Smallville. I can't keep him from the DVD player when we're home together - LOL!
I'm bored - that's pretty sad considering all of the distractions we have around here. Especially considering I need to be practicing the clarinet/sax parts for the high school show. Since my primary instrument is flute/piccolo, I have to really work at the others... what we musicians call "taking it to the woodshed."
I could still be cleaning as well. I plan on inviting the woodwind kids over to our apartment before the first competition, so I'd better get started!
10:55PM
New fun-stuff
Ok - so far, I've added Babelfish, another cute clock (can you resist a beagle puppy?!?), and the extreme tracker, though I may not keep it - It didn't look like what I thought it would.
Might add more later!
Update - added piddy pictures to the sidebar also! I'll update whenever I get a more recent pic, but those on right now are from two weeks ago. :)
Goodnight!
Might add more later!
Update - added piddy pictures to the sidebar also! I'll update whenever I get a more recent pic, but those on right now are from two weeks ago. :)
Goodnight!
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Fluency Overnight!
Yeah right - babelfish is cool, though.
Check out RbtPP in what I think is Italian?? LOL!
Siamo andato alla parte dell'aeroporto di Greenville/Spartanburg (funzione di FedEx) offrirsi volontariamente al fundraiser speciale di Olimpiadi che la mia azienda stava contribuendo a patrocinare (il motivo che era @ l'aeroporto era b/c FedEx stava patrocinando inoltre ed hanno avuti aereo-tirano... la gente pazzesca di aka che tira un aereo con le corde enormi. Risulta che hanno deciso spostare in su la nostra parte appena un piccolo dopo che abbiamo ottenuto là , in modo da anziché le cabine correnti di kiddie, abbiamo aiutato il pacchetto esso dentro per il giorno. In seguito, abbiamo camminato intorno al resto delle cabine, Josh abbiamo mangiato un leg(enorme del tacchino!) (TURKEY LEG - LOL), Ho avuto rad-ghiaccio della ciliegia, allora noi a sinistra.
Check out RbtPP in what I think is Italian?? LOL!
Siamo andato alla parte dell'aeroporto di Greenville/Spartanburg (funzione di FedEx) offrirsi volontariamente al fundraiser speciale di Olimpiadi che la mia azienda stava contribuendo a patrocinare (il motivo che era @ l'aeroporto era b/c FedEx stava patrocinando inoltre ed hanno avuti aereo-tirano... la gente pazzesca di aka che tira un aereo con le corde enormi. Risulta che hanno deciso spostare in su la nostra parte appena un piccolo dopo che abbiamo ottenuto là , in modo da anziché le cabine correnti di kiddie, abbiamo aiutato il pacchetto esso dentro per il giorno. In seguito, abbiamo camminato intorno al resto delle cabine, Josh abbiamo mangiato un leg(enorme del tacchino!) (TURKEY LEG - LOL), Ho avuto rad-ghiaccio della ciliegia, allora noi a sinistra.
Apples & Apples
I love Granny Smith apples. Though, I don't really have a Granny Smith. They should really be called PaPa Shirley apples. PaPa and Grandma Shirley (last name, of course... first names = James & Ruth) used to have Granny Smith apple trees and a pear tree in their backyard along with their vegetable garden. That's the whole reason I even like apples now. Every time I smell a PaPa Shirley apple, it takes me back to when I was a kid. I would go to their house and PaPa would let me pick as many apples as I wanted. I even picked the ones that fell from the branches too early and ate them (that's back when you could actually do that... despite the occasional worm - eww - LOL).
Of course, that's the whole reason I DON'T like okra. Slimy vegetables are not my friend.
Wow, I miss PaPa. He had alzheimer's in his later years, and he barely knew us before he died. In fact, he was introducing Grandma as his sister by the end. That really broke her heart. We could all tell that he probably didn't know us, but didn't want to let on that he was having a hard time with it.
It's funny what we remember about people.
Of course, that's the whole reason I DON'T like okra. Slimy vegetables are not my friend.
Wow, I miss PaPa. He had alzheimer's in his later years, and he barely knew us before he died. In fact, he was introducing Grandma as his sister by the end. That really broke her heart. We could all tell that he probably didn't know us, but didn't want to let on that he was having a hard time with it.
It's funny what we remember about people.
Saturday Anti-Old-Fogeyness
Josh and I finally stopped being homebodies for one night (well, we attempted at a whole day, actually)!
We went to part of Greenville/Spartanburg airport (FedEx Facility) to volunteer at the Special Olympics fundraiser that my company was helping to sponsor (the reason it was @ the airport was b/c FedEx was sponsoring also, and they had a plane-pull... aka crazy people pulling a plane with huge ropes. Turns out that they decided to wrap up our part just a little after we got there, so instead of running kiddie booths, we helped pack it in for the day. Afterward, we walked around to the rest of the booths, Josh ate a huge turkey leg(!), I had cherry shaved-ice, then we left.
Next, we went to Niki's first house (sister-in-law) that she is trying to sell and checked out the outside. We couldn't get in yet, but I love the outside. Though, we can't have a pool unless we get a small one! :( The yard is sloped, had a huge tree in the middle (like twice the size of the psychotic tree in Poltergeist), and it doesn't seem large enough to me. That really is a factor for me for house hunting... whether or not we can have a pool, b/c I REALLY want one. But, just the fact that Niki is willing to sell it to us for what she owes on it is weighing heavier on me than a pool. I can blow up a four footer pool with an air compressor, you know?!?
The reason we couldn't get inside the house was b/c Niki was hanging out with friends. She invited us out downtown Saturday night, and neither one of us could really pass that up. It has been quite awhile since we'd done anything like that, so we were pretty gung-ho about it. We went home, got ready, and waited on Niki's call, which was about 20 minutes after we got home - perfect timing, truthfully. We went out to Wild Wings, where the music kind of blew that time... and then on to Sharkie's Pub, which all of us liked much better. We met a lot of Niki's co-workers - Melissa 1, Melissa 2, Sherry, Darryl, Angie - nice to meet all of you/see you again (Angie)!! Hey, also - Darryl and Niki - thanks for the shot rounds! It was a good night, but Josh had to get up early on Sunday, so we had to call it a night quicker than we wanted. :( All in all - good times!
Geez - 1AM - I switched to 8:30 schedule at work from now on instead of my regular 10AM - I only work @10 on Mondays so my other guy can go to class in NC. What a drive at 5:30 anyway! It's bad enough getting through downtown G'ville during rush hour, much less across the SC/NC border.
I've got to get used to this early-bird schedule quickly - I almost fell asleep @ work today. That would seriously blow goats though - someone at work got fired yesterday, and @%#*& had been there over 5 years - I guess no one is exempt - sometimes you just need a wake-up call like that to get your act together, right?
Speaking of which - goodnight!
We went to part of Greenville/Spartanburg airport (FedEx Facility) to volunteer at the Special Olympics fundraiser that my company was helping to sponsor (the reason it was @ the airport was b/c FedEx was sponsoring also, and they had a plane-pull... aka crazy people pulling a plane with huge ropes. Turns out that they decided to wrap up our part just a little after we got there, so instead of running kiddie booths, we helped pack it in for the day. Afterward, we walked around to the rest of the booths, Josh ate a huge turkey leg(!), I had cherry shaved-ice, then we left.
Next, we went to Niki's first house (sister-in-law) that she is trying to sell and checked out the outside. We couldn't get in yet, but I love the outside. Though, we can't have a pool unless we get a small one! :( The yard is sloped, had a huge tree in the middle (like twice the size of the psychotic tree in Poltergeist), and it doesn't seem large enough to me. That really is a factor for me for house hunting... whether or not we can have a pool, b/c I REALLY want one. But, just the fact that Niki is willing to sell it to us for what she owes on it is weighing heavier on me than a pool. I can blow up a four footer pool with an air compressor, you know?!?
The reason we couldn't get inside the house was b/c Niki was hanging out with friends. She invited us out downtown Saturday night, and neither one of us could really pass that up. It has been quite awhile since we'd done anything like that, so we were pretty gung-ho about it. We went home, got ready, and waited on Niki's call, which was about 20 minutes after we got home - perfect timing, truthfully. We went out to Wild Wings, where the music kind of blew that time... and then on to Sharkie's Pub, which all of us liked much better. We met a lot of Niki's co-workers - Melissa 1, Melissa 2, Sherry, Darryl, Angie - nice to meet all of you/see you again (Angie)!! Hey, also - Darryl and Niki - thanks for the shot rounds! It was a good night, but Josh had to get up early on Sunday, so we had to call it a night quicker than we wanted. :( All in all - good times!
Geez - 1AM - I switched to 8:30 schedule at work from now on instead of my regular 10AM - I only work @10 on Mondays so my other guy can go to class in NC. What a drive at 5:30 anyway! It's bad enough getting through downtown G'ville during rush hour, much less across the SC/NC border.
I've got to get used to this early-bird schedule quickly - I almost fell asleep @ work today. That would seriously blow goats though - someone at work got fired yesterday, and @%#*& had been there over 5 years - I guess no one is exempt - sometimes you just need a wake-up call like that to get your act together, right?
Speaking of which - goodnight!
Friday, September 09, 2005
Rival Dread
Quick note: "Next blog" button is not recommended at work!! I don't think I need to explain.
Woo-hoo! My hit counter crossed the 200 mark! I think about 20 were me reloading the page on my remote access site, but who cares!
The band must travel tonight. We go to our rival team's school, Travelers Rest (TR for short, of course). I, as a band member in high school and college, loved it. However, I, as a pseudo-chaperone, hate going to rival school games in general, not just that away ones.
Just to give you an example of how bad I dislike it, here's a past scenario:
Last year, the Berea/TR game was at Berea (FYI: pronounced Ba-ree-ah, not Bear-ee-ay!). When we have home games, our band officers travel to the opposing side and meet with the other band's officers. You know... just so our kids can actually meet someone outside the Berea world. To get to the band, you have to walk past the entire opposing crowd. While doing that, we got cussed out, things thrown at us, and someone picking a fight with our drum major... and that was a HOME game! That being said, I am not looking forward to going to TR's home field. Good thing: at least their officers come to us tonight. And, by the way, TR and Berea's bands are not rivals, just the sports teams. We can't really be rivals when they're about 75 people larger than us!
Wish me luck.
Oh yeah, you can check our team out (and maybe a glimpse of the band) on the "Friday Night Hits" videos on www.thecarolinachannel.com!
Green font in honor of the football game!
Woo-hoo! My hit counter crossed the 200 mark! I think about 20 were me reloading the page on my remote access site, but who cares!
The band must travel tonight. We go to our rival team's school, Travelers Rest (TR for short, of course). I, as a band member in high school and college, loved it. However, I, as a pseudo-chaperone, hate going to rival school games in general, not just that away ones.
Just to give you an example of how bad I dislike it, here's a past scenario:
Last year, the Berea/TR game was at Berea (FYI: pronounced Ba-ree-ah, not Bear-ee-ay!). When we have home games, our band officers travel to the opposing side and meet with the other band's officers. You know... just so our kids can actually meet someone outside the Berea world. To get to the band, you have to walk past the entire opposing crowd. While doing that, we got cussed out, things thrown at us, and someone picking a fight with our drum major... and that was a HOME game! That being said, I am not looking forward to going to TR's home field. Good thing: at least their officers come to us tonight. And, by the way, TR and Berea's bands are not rivals, just the sports teams. We can't really be rivals when they're about 75 people larger than us!
Wish me luck.
Oh yeah, you can check our team out (and maybe a glimpse of the band) on the "Friday Night Hits" videos on www.thecarolinachannel.com!
Green font in honor of the football game!
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Full Day
Oh wow - I have a hella day today. Here's the syllabus:
- This morning while getting ready for work with wet hair: Finished sorting 1/2 of the old music for tonight's 1st GCB practice (I'm the librarian)
- Try to dry my long hair!
- Load up entire car w/ music
- Grab quickie breakfast at Chick-Fil-A
- Make it to work on time, thank you very much!
- Sort music at work
- try to fit work in there somewhere!
- off @ 4 (early today)
- make it to high school practice late, finish @ 6
- haul butt to GCB practice with heavy tub of music
- FINALLY - go home
- sort rest of music for next week (Friday update: this one did NOT get done)
Geez!
Katrina Reaches Greenville Part 3
It seems I'll keep tracking this story.
First Evacuees Arrive At Expo Center
More Than 100 Arrive From New Orleans
POSTED: 8:14 pm EDT September 7, 2005
UPDATED: 11:43 pm EDT September 7, 2005
GREENVILLE -- After two days of waiting, the Hurricane Katrina evacuee shelter at the Palmetto Expo Center has its first residents.
A plane carrying 108 people from New Orleans touched down at the Greenville-Spartanburg airport just before 8 p.m. Wednesday, where they boarded buses to the Expo Center.
Many Upstate residents were on hand to welcome the evacuees.
"Just the word welcome means so much to them," said Claudette Neeley. "They don't have anything ... We really do welcome them. We love them."
"It could have just as well been us. You don't never know. We need each other," Terri Cooper said.
New Orleans evacuees Betty Doyle and her husband were rescued by helicopter when their house disappeared under water.
"We walked over dead people," Doyle said. "We had to sit on a bridge for three days before we got a ride to where we were going."
Once they arrived, they were given a shower and registered into the shelter.
The Expo Center can hold as many as 1,200 people. Volunteers and workers have been setting up cots and inflatable beds at the shelter for the past two days. The Salvation Army is prepared to feed the evacuees.
Greenville City Manager Jim Bourey said the city is expecting another planeload of evacuees Thursday evening.
Copyright 2005 (Carri's Disclaimer - I am not trying to profit from this article (as you can see, I don't have any ads on this page!), I'm only trying to get the word out - don't sue me, please!)
First Evacuees Arrive At Expo Center
More Than 100 Arrive From New Orleans
POSTED: 8:14 pm EDT September 7, 2005
UPDATED: 11:43 pm EDT September 7, 2005
GREENVILLE -- After two days of waiting, the Hurricane Katrina evacuee shelter at the Palmetto Expo Center has its first residents.
A plane carrying 108 people from New Orleans touched down at the Greenville-Spartanburg airport just before 8 p.m. Wednesday, where they boarded buses to the Expo Center.
Many Upstate residents were on hand to welcome the evacuees.
"Just the word welcome means so much to them," said Claudette Neeley. "They don't have anything ... We really do welcome them. We love them."
"It could have just as well been us. You don't never know. We need each other," Terri Cooper said.
New Orleans evacuees Betty Doyle and her husband were rescued by helicopter when their house disappeared under water.
"We walked over dead people," Doyle said. "We had to sit on a bridge for three days before we got a ride to where we were going."
Once they arrived, they were given a shower and registered into the shelter.
The Expo Center can hold as many as 1,200 people. Volunteers and workers have been setting up cots and inflatable beds at the shelter for the past two days. The Salvation Army is prepared to feed the evacuees.
Greenville City Manager Jim Bourey said the city is expecting another planeload of evacuees Thursday evening.
Copyright 2005 (Carri's Disclaimer - I am not trying to profit from this article (as you can see, I don't have any ads on this page!), I'm only trying to get the word out - don't sue me, please!)
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Wedding Pics, Part 2
Josh's Groomscake - White knight takes the queen! (Well, it was supposed to, but someone put the white knight in the wrong spot!)
Lauren caught it legitimately!
This one looks like I'm hugging a cardboard copy of Josh - LOL!
Me, Lisa Belt (family friend), Barbara and Cyndi Manire (Heather's Mom and sister)
My poor car! Some of that stuff is still on my paint!
Lauren caught it legitimately!
This one looks like I'm hugging a cardboard copy of Josh - LOL!
Me, Lisa Belt (family friend), Barbara and Cyndi Manire (Heather's Mom and sister)
My poor car! Some of that stuff is still on my paint!
Wedding Pics, Part 1
I promised I'd post wedding pictures as soon as I could get them all scanned! Here's me and my girls - (left-right) Niki (Josh's sister, now my sister-in-law), Jennifer (cousin), Heather (flute student), Wanda (sister-in-law), me, Dani (best friend) and Lauren (niece).
I love this picture!
Niki, Josh, and Beau (brother)
The boys! (left-right): David (my favorite cousin), Adam (brother), Rusty (Josh's best friend), Greg (Niki's husband), Beau (Josh's brother), Tristan and Tyler (Dani's boys, ring bearers)
My fellow flautists - Jane and Connie. Thanks to both of you!
Dad walking me down the aisle!
Our cake - if you look closely, it has kind of a lacy effect.
I love this picture!
Niki, Josh, and Beau (brother)
The boys! (left-right): David (my favorite cousin), Adam (brother), Rusty (Josh's best friend), Greg (Niki's husband), Beau (Josh's brother), Tristan and Tyler (Dani's boys, ring bearers)
My fellow flautists - Jane and Connie. Thanks to both of you!
Dad walking me down the aisle!
Our cake - if you look closely, it has kind of a lacy effect.
Cadets!
Cadets won! 99.15!! Woo-hoo!
My favorite part was when the d-line actually sang part of their drum break. I've never heard anything like it!
My favorite part was when the d-line actually sang part of their drum break. I've never heard anything like it!
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Katrina Reaches Greenville Part 2
This is the center where my company has its Christmas party. I'm glad it's being put to good use for these people who need help.
Preparations For Katrina Evacuees Continue
Up To 1,500 People Expected At Expo Center
POSTED: 8:08 pm EDT September 5, 2005
UPDATED: 11:08 am EDT September 6, 2005
GREENVILLE -- The city of Greenville is about to grow by several hundred temporary citizens.
As many as 1,500 people are expected to arrive in the Upstate beginning Tuesday afternoon.
Many will be transferred Gulf Coast medical patients and their families, while others will be evacuees.
Red Cross volunteers were setting up cots and preparing plans to house hundreds of people at the Palmetto Expo Center Monday night.
"The best expectation we have is a week to two weeks, maybe as long as a month," Greenville City Manager Jim Bourey said. "FEMA and the federal agencies want to provide more permanent housing, rather than stay in the convention center on the floor."
Bourey said that the city has set up a toll-free hotline for people wishing to get information or volunteer: (866) 313-0081. Bourey said the shelter has sufficient volunteers for this week, but needs more people for the following weeks.
The shelter will be a combined effort by the Upstate chapter of the American Red Cross, the city of Greenville and the Salvation Army, though the city will be in overall charge.
Bourey said that the shelter does not need any items yet, but that the city will compile a list of needed items, then release that list and drop-off locations to the public.
Costs of running the shelter will be reimbursed by FEMA.
The Greenville County School District said that any child that comes to the shelter will be assigned to a school and bused from the Expo Center to that school each day for classes.
Greenville Memorial Hospital is also preparing for the medical cases it will receive.
"Dysentery, and cholera, and typhoid, and those could be conditions we will see. But we anticipate seeing a lot of chronic illnesses, diabetes, high blood pressure, maybe in need of dialysis," nurse Suzanne White said.
"We really want to do what we can, play our part in what really is a national disaster, a national tragedy," Bourey said.
The first non-medical evacuees are expected at Greenville-Spartanburg airport sometime Wednesday.
Medical evacuees and their families will arrive separately after flying to Columbia for evaluation and assignment, and could arrive Tuesday.
While no one knows how many evacuees will come to South Carolina, officials say it could be as
many as 18,000 over the next few weeks.
Officials said most will be housed in the Midlands and Upstate because of the potential for hurricanes in the Lowcountry and Pee Dee.
Officials said it's likely that at least some of the evacuees will become permanent Upstate residents.
Preparations For Katrina Evacuees Continue
Up To 1,500 People Expected At Expo Center
POSTED: 8:08 pm EDT September 5, 2005
UPDATED: 11:08 am EDT September 6, 2005
GREENVILLE -- The city of Greenville is about to grow by several hundred temporary citizens.
As many as 1,500 people are expected to arrive in the Upstate beginning Tuesday afternoon.
Many will be transferred Gulf Coast medical patients and their families, while others will be evacuees.
Red Cross volunteers were setting up cots and preparing plans to house hundreds of people at the Palmetto Expo Center Monday night.
"The best expectation we have is a week to two weeks, maybe as long as a month," Greenville City Manager Jim Bourey said. "FEMA and the federal agencies want to provide more permanent housing, rather than stay in the convention center on the floor."
Bourey said that the city has set up a toll-free hotline for people wishing to get information or volunteer: (866) 313-0081. Bourey said the shelter has sufficient volunteers for this week, but needs more people for the following weeks.
The shelter will be a combined effort by the Upstate chapter of the American Red Cross, the city of Greenville and the Salvation Army, though the city will be in overall charge.
Bourey said that the shelter does not need any items yet, but that the city will compile a list of needed items, then release that list and drop-off locations to the public.
Costs of running the shelter will be reimbursed by FEMA.
The Greenville County School District said that any child that comes to the shelter will be assigned to a school and bused from the Expo Center to that school each day for classes.
Greenville Memorial Hospital is also preparing for the medical cases it will receive.
"Dysentery, and cholera, and typhoid, and those could be conditions we will see. But we anticipate seeing a lot of chronic illnesses, diabetes, high blood pressure, maybe in need of dialysis," nurse Suzanne White said.
"We really want to do what we can, play our part in what really is a national disaster, a national tragedy," Bourey said.
The first non-medical evacuees are expected at Greenville-Spartanburg airport sometime Wednesday.
Medical evacuees and their families will arrive separately after flying to Columbia for evaluation and assignment, and could arrive Tuesday.
While no one knows how many evacuees will come to South Carolina, officials say it could be as
many as 18,000 over the next few weeks.
Officials said most will be housed in the Midlands and Upstate because of the potential for hurricanes in the Lowcountry and Pee Dee.
Officials said it's likely that at least some of the evacuees will become permanent Upstate residents.
Katrina Reaches Greenville Part 1
These people work with my uncle, who works alarm billing at the sheriff's office and used to work 911 dispatch with them. Please wish them a safe journey.
South Carolina Search Team Sent To Louisiana
More Than 20 Greenville Firefighters Part Of Team
POSTED: 10:42 am EDT September 6, 2005
UPDATED: 10:51 am EDT September 6, 2005
COLUMBIA -- A South Carolina team specializing in urban search and rescue has been called to Louisiana.
Also heading to the Gulf Coast are 22 Greenville firefighters and paramedics.
Officials say the 36 searchers were called to duty Monday to spend 14 days in St. Bernard Parish, looking for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The search unit will use equipment ranging from hydraulic jacks to high-tech listening devices to specially trained dogs.
The Greenville paramedics and firefighters are experts in handling hazardous materials, decontamination and rescues from water and confined spaces.
South Carolina Search Team Sent To Louisiana
More Than 20 Greenville Firefighters Part Of Team
POSTED: 10:42 am EDT September 6, 2005
UPDATED: 10:51 am EDT September 6, 2005
COLUMBIA -- A South Carolina team specializing in urban search and rescue has been called to Louisiana.
Also heading to the Gulf Coast are 22 Greenville firefighters and paramedics.
Officials say the 36 searchers were called to duty Monday to spend 14 days in St. Bernard Parish, looking for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The search unit will use equipment ranging from hydraulic jacks to high-tech listening devices to specially trained dogs.
The Greenville paramedics and firefighters are experts in handling hazardous materials, decontamination and rescues from water and confined spaces.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Football update
Hey, our team actually won Friday night! 28-21. The band did really well also. Some of the rookies finally started getting it together - I was so excited!!
Just got rid of a bunch of junk comments - I didn't even know people tried to advertise there as well. What a waste of internet space!
Josh rented "Flight of the Phoenix" and "Sin City". We've seen Sin City before, but it was good enough to rent again. We're watching FotP right now. It seems to be pretty good.
More later, I don't want to miss the movie!
Just got rid of a bunch of junk comments - I didn't even know people tried to advertise there as well. What a waste of internet space!
Josh rented "Flight of the Phoenix" and "Sin City". We've seen Sin City before, but it was good enough to rent again. We're watching FotP right now. It seems to be pretty good.
More later, I don't want to miss the movie!
Friday, September 02, 2005
Believe it or not
5:17PM:
I'm actually working my tail off today!
6:04PM: Ok this is pitiful - I was only able to write one sentence in 45 minutes! We have another football game tonight, so I have to haul butt from here to there. I'm already late when I get off work, so it's a serious time crunch from 7-7:30. Since we have a good computer at home now, Josh has finally learned how to email back and forth. Since I can't chat at work and he has a few days off, he's been emailing me like crazy LOL.
ok... gotta go...
I'm actually working my tail off today!
6:04PM: Ok this is pitiful - I was only able to write one sentence in 45 minutes! We have another football game tonight, so I have to haul butt from here to there. I'm already late when I get off work, so it's a serious time crunch from 7-7:30. Since we have a good computer at home now, Josh has finally learned how to email back and forth. Since I can't chat at work and he has a few days off, he's been emailing me like crazy LOL.
ok... gotta go...
The Pink Dress
You might have had this forwarded to you at some point, but I thought it was sweet enough to put here.
The Pink Dress
There was this little girl sitting by herself in the park. Everyone passed by her and never stopped to see why she looked so sad. Dressed in a worn pink dress, barefoot and dirty, the girl just sat and watched the people go by. She never tried to speak. She never said a word. Many people passed by her, but no one would stop. The next day I decided to go back to the park in curiosity to see if the little girl would still be there. Yes, she was there, right in the very spot where she was yesterday, and still with the same sad look in her eyes. Today I was to make my own move and walk over to the little girl. For as we all know, a park full of strange people is not a place for young children to play alone.
As I got closer I could see the back of the little girl's dress. It was grotesquely shaped. I figured that was the reason people just passed by and made no effort to speak to her. Deformities are a low blow to our society and, heaven forbid if you make a step toward assisting someone who is different. As I got closer, the little girl lowered her eyes slightly to avoid my intent stare. As I approached her, I could see the shape of her back more clearly. She was grotesquely shaped in a humped over form. I smiled to let her know it was OK; I was there to help, to talk. I sat down beside her and opened with a simple, "Hello". The little girl acted shocked, and stammered a "hi"; after a long stare, into my eyes. I smiled and she shyly smiled back. We talked until darkness fell and the park was completely empty. I asked the girl why she was so sad. The little girl looked at me with a sad face said, "Because, I'm different".
I immediately said, "That you are!"; and smiled.
The little girl acted even sadder and said, "I know."
"Little girl," I said, "you remind me of an angel, sweet and innocent."
She looked at me and smiled, then slowly she got to her feet and said, "Really?"
"Yes, you're like a little Guardian Angel sent to watch over all people walking by." She nodded her head yes, and smiled.
With that she opened the back of her pink dress and allowed her wings to spread, then she said "I am."
I'm your Guardian Angel, " with a twinkle in her eye. I was speechless -- sure I was seeing things. She said, "For once you thought of someone other than yourself. My job here is done".
I got to my feet and said, "Wait, why did no one stop to help an angel?" She looked at me, smiled, and said, "You're the only one that could see me," and then she was gone.
And with that, my life was changed dramatically.
So, when you think you're all you have, remember, your angel is always watching over you.
The Pink Dress
There was this little girl sitting by herself in the park. Everyone passed by her and never stopped to see why she looked so sad. Dressed in a worn pink dress, barefoot and dirty, the girl just sat and watched the people go by. She never tried to speak. She never said a word. Many people passed by her, but no one would stop. The next day I decided to go back to the park in curiosity to see if the little girl would still be there. Yes, she was there, right in the very spot where she was yesterday, and still with the same sad look in her eyes. Today I was to make my own move and walk over to the little girl. For as we all know, a park full of strange people is not a place for young children to play alone.
As I got closer I could see the back of the little girl's dress. It was grotesquely shaped. I figured that was the reason people just passed by and made no effort to speak to her. Deformities are a low blow to our society and, heaven forbid if you make a step toward assisting someone who is different. As I got closer, the little girl lowered her eyes slightly to avoid my intent stare. As I approached her, I could see the shape of her back more clearly. She was grotesquely shaped in a humped over form. I smiled to let her know it was OK; I was there to help, to talk. I sat down beside her and opened with a simple, "Hello". The little girl acted shocked, and stammered a "hi"; after a long stare, into my eyes. I smiled and she shyly smiled back. We talked until darkness fell and the park was completely empty. I asked the girl why she was so sad. The little girl looked at me with a sad face said, "Because, I'm different".
I immediately said, "That you are!"; and smiled.
The little girl acted even sadder and said, "I know."
"Little girl," I said, "you remind me of an angel, sweet and innocent."
She looked at me and smiled, then slowly she got to her feet and said, "Really?"
"Yes, you're like a little Guardian Angel sent to watch over all people walking by." She nodded her head yes, and smiled.
With that she opened the back of her pink dress and allowed her wings to spread, then she said "I am."
I'm your Guardian Angel, " with a twinkle in her eye. I was speechless -- sure I was seeing things. She said, "For once you thought of someone other than yourself. My job here is done".
I got to my feet and said, "Wait, why did no one stop to help an angel?" She looked at me, smiled, and said, "You're the only one that could see me," and then she was gone.
And with that, my life was changed dramatically.
So, when you think you're all you have, remember, your angel is always watching over you.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
The Lighter Side
I get to go to band practice today! I had to skip on Tuesday due to my glorious scheduling ordeal (which was probably a good thing, b/c I think it rained 1/2 the time anyway). I hope they learned most, if not all of the 2nd movement. We really need to get ahead this week.
On another note, I have come to the realization that I am a domestic micro-manager. I just have to look over poor Josh's shoulder almost every time he does something (like if I ask him to help out with a certain house chore or something like that) to make sure it's done right. I hate admitting this, but it looks to be true. It's not like he does any of it wrong, either! Geez, if this is what I'm doing, why not do it myself?!? Ok, ok, ok, now that I have committed to putting that fact on paper, it is a fact I would like to change to unprovable myth. I'll try for a week to leave him alone (which includes a weekend during which we need to clean, so that'll be a real test of will power). I swear I'll leave him alone.
On another note, I have come to the realization that I am a domestic micro-manager. I just have to look over poor Josh's shoulder almost every time he does something (like if I ask him to help out with a certain house chore or something like that) to make sure it's done right. I hate admitting this, but it looks to be true. It's not like he does any of it wrong, either! Geez, if this is what I'm doing, why not do it myself?!? Ok, ok, ok, now that I have committed to putting that fact on paper, it is a fact I would like to change to unprovable myth. I'll try for a week to leave him alone (which includes a weekend during which we need to clean, so that'll be a real test of will power). I swear I'll leave him alone.
Dream Journal - Volume 1
I had the wierdest dream last night.
I dreamed I was upset for some reason, like I was lost and no one could help me. I came upon two men on a street corner. One looked at me and walked over to me, and I kept thinking that he looked familiar. It was Eddie. I got frantic and told him to stay where he was, that I needed to tell someone that I'd found him. I left to go find help and no one would help me. I came back, exasperated, and Eddie was gone.
I woke up very upset, as you might guess.
I can't even begin to imagine how his family feels, if I was just a friend and I am having all of these feelings.
I dreamed I was upset for some reason, like I was lost and no one could help me. I came upon two men on a street corner. One looked at me and walked over to me, and I kept thinking that he looked familiar. It was Eddie. I got frantic and told him to stay where he was, that I needed to tell someone that I'd found him. I left to go find help and no one would help me. I came back, exasperated, and Eddie was gone.
I woke up very upset, as you might guess.
I can't even begin to imagine how his family feels, if I was just a friend and I am having all of these feelings.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)