I Was One of the Crazies

No, not on Black Friday. I slept in, ate leftovers, did laundry. Why isn't the laundry ever finished?

But yesterday, DSD and I were out of the house by 9. (We live in the Central time zone). We made our way 2 hours to the NE and arrived in Tallahassee by 12 (now in Eastern time). We parked at the Tallahassee/Leon County Civic Center because there are buses every few minutes between there and Doak Campbell Stadium and we had a pass. But it was probably less than a mile walk, so we walked it. We had plenty of time.

We called our friends, who were supposed to there EARLY to tailgate, but they didn't answer. We saw A LOT of people dressed in blue and orange. We found a little bar right off campus. Only beer was served, so DSD had a couple and we visited with the other gator fans who were sitting around there. I was starving, but the food didn't look really great, so I decided to wait. Eventually our friends wandered by (of all the luck that we would just run into them) and we made our way over to their tent. We weren't there long, though, because it was starting to rain and the stadium was open. So we headed in, found a couple of hot dogs and then just looked at each other, because it was starting to pour!

Apparently the YouTube crowd has not had time to upload any portion of the game and MSNBC has it fixed so that you can't get the code, but I did find this video from the Gainesville Sun



Ok, it starts off with Florida State stuff, but it doesn't seem to show any of the Seminoles big plays, but what can you expect from the Gainesville Sun?

So normally I watch the games on TV and I am incredibly smug about how warm or dry I am. Yesterday I was one of those nuts sitting there in the rain. Soaked to the toes. We did have ponchos, so shoulders to knees were dry, but I am not certain that my shoes will ever be dry. Our heads were fairly dry, but the hoods kept slipping.

I had a blast. DSD was a great sport.

I was sadly disapointed in a couple of the FSU fans who were near us. Most of them were fabulous, but one guy and his girlfriend kept talking smack and they wouldn't stop standing in their seats. So I had no choice but to stand in mine, because I am short. I couldn't see anything.
I was very apologetic to those behind me who were very gracious and understanding and kept glaring at that guy. He also kept bitching about the calls. Which stunk. It was a really poorly called ball game. But the bad calls went both ways. There was one point where a Florida player held an FSU D player and allowed Tebow to throw a touchdown. There was on FSU player who could be seen CHOKING a Florida player (that is probably a personal foul, at the least it is holding). But the crappy calls didn't help (or really hurt) either team, so it was probably as fairly called as any team gets.

We left with four minutes to go in the ball game. The score was 45-15 and even though FSU was driving, I didn't think they were going to make up the 30 point difference (they fumbled the ball shortly after we left, so the final was 45 - 15). And DSD was only there to make me happy and I figured I would be nice to him.

As we made our way to our bus for the ride back to the Civic Center (it was still raining, our shoes were wet and we were tired so we didn't want to walk) I was APPALLED at the state of the stadium. There were beer bottles all over the place right outside the gate. There was trash everywhere. I almost stepped on half of a chicken while in line for the bus. GROSS. Apparently Florida State fans are not concerned by the cleaniness of their stadium after a game.

We made it home safe and sound though and now the sun is trying to peek out. I had wonderful time, but we will enjoy the rest of Florida's season (SEC Championship next week in Atlanta) from the comfort and dryness of our living room.

Go Gators!

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone

I was reading what I wrote last year on Thanksgiving and realized that (with a few minor changes) everything still applies. So here is last year's list of the things I am thankful for, slightly updated.

An awesome 19 year old son
A wonderful husband
Great parents, Ozzie and Harriet had nothing on my Mom and Dad (although I would bet money that my dad is louder than Ozzie ever thought of being).
Fabulous friends (you really find out who your friends are when the tent is late on your wedding day)
Super In-laws... at least the ones I have met.
A job I thoroughly enjoy.
A lot of great co-workers (not all, but then life can't be perfect)
A nice house
The fact that the elections are over!
Great blogs
Hope, that my son will continue to grow as a man, that my husband and I have many years to be together, that anyone reading this feels as blessed in life as I do right this minute, that the newly elected President of this country will do as great a job as we all expect, that peace will happen in my lifetime.

Happy Thanksgiving. Let's all remember that not everyone is as lucky as we are.

OK, the day has gotten better

Because there is at least one judge in Florida who has realized that it is the children who matter in an adoption:

A Florida circuit judge Tuesday struck down a 31-year-old state law
that prevents gays and lesbians from adopting children, allowing a North Miami
man to adopt two half-brothers he and his partner have raised as foster children
since 2004.

[...]

Lederman said the ban violated children's right to permanency provided
under the Florida statute and under the federal Adoption and Safe Families Act
of 1997. Whether the ban violated the state's equal protection clause by
singling out gays and lesbians should be considered, she said.

Of course the Florida Dept of Children and Family Services (DCF) is going to appeal the decision, but until then, these precious children will be with their parents. And, hopefully, the Florida Supreme Court will see reason and allow this adoption to remain.

Thank you to Mustang Bobby for posting this early this morning while I was still having a pity party about my car.

I Hope Your Morning is Going Better Than Mine

I was actually running early this morning. I was happy. My hours are flexible, so the earlier I get to work, the earlier I go home! So, I left my house with my purse, my lunchbox and my sode. I parked in the front yard last night, because we have 3 cars and 3 drivers and occassionally the logistics of who has to go back out in the evening, or who has to leave first in the morning means that someone does not get to park in the driveway. So I crossed the front yard, came around the back of my car and came to a dead stop. My drivers side mirror had been destroyed!

The black part of the back of the mirror was just hanging there. The colored part was under the front bumper. Most of the glass was gone. I called the police and got my camera out of the house. I took pictures. It looked to me like someone took a baseball bat to the mirror and I told the police officer that when he arrived. He pointed out the white paint on the drivers side back quarter panel. And the proximity of my trash can. And the dual tire marks headed straight toward my car. He thought it was probably the trash truck or its arm, that thing that actually picks up the can and dumps it into the truck.

Of course he can't put that down on the police report. The police report reads "unknown vehicle" it also reads "Unoccupied/properly parked" for my car though.

I called the trash company after I got to work. I spoke with the receptionist and explained the problem and she immediately transferred me to the owner. The owner said her driver said he had hit nothing. She then took my information, looked over her truck and swore there was no damage to the truck. So they are doing nothing for me. Nice, huh?

I called Nissan. I will take the car in this afternoon for a firmer estimate, but the rough one the man gave me was around $300. Well, of course I have a $500 deductible on my insurance, so I am not even going to talk to them. He will order the part and should be able to have it installed on Monday.

And I am going to look for someone else to pick up my trash.

Rested up and working on the laundry

As Carl pointed out in the comments, I said I made it home safe, but didn't really go into details about the trip. He is correct. I was going to say something about more details later, but just forgot, or something. I was exhausted and yesterday was very busy (had to go see BabyBoy's play last night) so I really just didn't have time.

I had a wonderful time, but it wore me out. The conference started Sunday morning and ran through Wednesday. Most mornings the first session started at 8:00 and the last one got out anywhere from 4:00-6:00, then there were parks to enjoy at night! I managed to fit in most of the thrill rides: the Rock'nRoller Coaster starring Aerosmith, Expedition Everest, Dino, Mission:Space, Test Track, and Space Mountain. I skipped Splash Mountain (it was cold!) and the Tower of Terror, because I didn't like it the first time I rode it. And I managed some of the old favorites, It's a Small World and The Haunted Mansion. I even managed to get a picture of Susan Lucci on Sunday night, because it was Soap Weekend at Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM). I didn't have time for many of my old favorites though, like "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" or Journey into Imagination, but I will next time (maybe).

I did manage to learn quite a bit at the conference also. Of course 90% of the information was on procedures that we are not performing correctly, so guess who has her work cut out for her in the next couple of months? Unfortunately many of these adjustments are not mine to make, they are going to include most of the people I work with and it is going to take dynamite to make them change their ways. I will be busy.

I also do not have any pictures to post. When I was showing the pictures I took to DSD, I realized that ALL of them include P's children. I have a strict policy not to post pictures of other people's children on this blog. I can choose to post pictures of my family even if they are underage, but not of others. My personal choice.

But the kids were soooo much fun. Especially D. Today is her 5th birthday, but we celebrated on Wednesday with lunch at the castle with the princesses. This is not something that BabyBoy would allow when I took him, so it was very exciting for me to have a little girl to go with. And she was so sweet and appreciative. She was dressed as Snow White and everyone kept calling her Snow White. She also had a button that said "Today is my birthday." She had her pictures taken over and over and asked for autographs from all those that she didn't already have. The best part, however, was as we were leaving the park. I needed to get back to the conference and they needed to go back to the hotel to change D's clothes into something warmer. One of Disney's cast members stopped us and asked for D's autograph. She was absolutely overwhelmed and touched. She really was a little princess.

So, I am out of touch and behind on everything, here at home and at work and in the news. But I had a great time and can't wait to go back. Hopefully next time I won't have a conference to worry about!

Home safe with a lovely vision of the future!

My dad forwards all sorts of crap to the entire family via email, but this one he sent only to me, because he probably knew I was the only one who would truly appreciate it. I can't wait until this happens!


A Sunny Day in 2009

One sunny day in 2009, an old man approached the White House from across Pennsylvania Avenue where he'd been sitting on a park bench. He spoke to the U. S. Marine standing guard and said, "I would like to go in and meet with President Bush."The Marine looked at the man and said, "Sir, Mr. Bush is no longer president and no longer resides here."The old man said, "Okay" and walked away.

The following day, the same man approached the White House and said to the same Marine, "I would like to go in and meet with President Bush."The Marine again told the man, "Sir, Mr. Bush is no longer president andNo longer resides here." The man thanked him and, again, just walkedaway.

The third day, the same man approached the White House and spoke to the very same U. S. Marine, saying, "I would like to go in and meet with President Bush."The Marine, understandably agitated at this point, looked at the man and said, "Sir, this is the third day in a row you have been here asking to speak to Mr. Bush. I have told you already that Mr. Bush is no longerthe president and no longer resides here. Don't you understand?"

The old man looked at the Marine and said, "Oh, I understand. I just love hearing it."

The Marine snapped to attention, saluted, and said, "See you tomorrow."

On the Road Again

As you may (or may not) remember, last December I went to a conference for work in Boston . This is a yearly conference and, while my job is not a travelling one, this conference is full of information and I plan to go every year that my company will pay for it. This year's conference starts Sunday and is being held in the Most Magical Place on Earth. I am being forced (yea, right) to stay at the Swan and Dolphin where the conference is being held. I am figuring it is going to be a rough, rough week.

But I will not have a lot of computer access. And I will not really have much time for blogging. There really is a conference to attend. And theme parks to enjoy. And my bff, P, and her husband and children have planned their family vacation to coincide with my trip so I will be enjoying seeing them for the first time in over a year.

So I will miss you all, but I will be back next Friday or Saturday. Hopefully I will have happy stories and pictures and not come home sick like I did last year.

And a quick shout out to Jill for the award she gave me on her blog. I will do more to acknowledge and pass it on as soon as I have time.

Have a great weekend and a great week!

Broadway's Next Big Star

BabyBoy is playing Acaste in Moliere's "Le Misanthrope" opening tomorrow night at the local community college. I am very proud.

Isn't he lovely?

Thank you

To those who have served in whatever capacity to allow our country to remain free.

To those who have supported them, you are heroes also.

To those who are working so hard to protect our men and women in uniform by bringing them home.

Barack Obama Makes the Tough Decisions

I know we are in the middle of the worst economic crisis in almost a hundred years. I know that we are in an illegal war where men, women and children are dying and are hemorrhaging money like there is no tomorrow. But President-elect Obama knows how to guarantee my vote in his NEXT election, if he can just get this done!*



This was apparently part of his Monday Night Football interview on 3 November, which I missed, but it was replayed this morning on ESPN's GameDay with Chris, Kirk and Lee.

*Really, I am joking. I can live with the BCS throughout his entire FIRST term if the can get us out of Iraq and turn the economy around. I expect playoffs in his second term though!

Let the Healing Begin

We were watching the local 6 o'clock news last night (as we do most nights) and they were doing 'man on the street' interviews with people in a parking lot about the results of the election.* I don't know how many people were actually interviewed, but the first three who were shown had supported and voted for John McCain on Tuesday. I was astounded and touched by their graciousness in their loss. They spoke of hope, for our country and for our new president. They spoke of how much they respected the office of the President and how they were giving their allegiance to the man who would be taking over in January. One of them (an elderly man) said, "I will be praying for President Obama and that he takes our country in a new, better way."

WOW! How awesome is that?

You have to understand that my county is solidly red. I think the final count was 72% for McCain and 27% for Obama. The voters turned out and they were quite vocal in the support for McCain. So it was really great that (at least) these three people are classy enough to understand that Barack Obama will be our new president and that they need to support him.

Of course, they only spoke to one Obama supporter, but he was very gracious in victory.

So this gives me more hope that maybe, just once, without some sort of terrorist attack, we really can just all get along. **

*Why am I NEVER on the street for these interviews? Do I just shop on the wrong days? Or get gas?

** This isn't going to happen and I know it. There have been some joking comments from some I work with about the fact that I voted for Obama and they didn't (was told I couldn't have cake at one point yesterday). But there have been several very snarky, under the breath, but I can still hear you comments also. I can be gracious also.

A Great Day to be Alive

I don't even know where to start this post. I am still so emotional I practically can't stand myself. Not to mention just a wee bit hungover. So if I appear to be slightly mad and just babbling, well, I probably am.

If you'd like to shed a couple (more?) tears of joy, head over to Bird's Blog. She is an excellant writer and I really felt like I was celebrating right beside her.

I watched the election returns on my computer last night. Poor DSD cared about what was going on, but does not like to get bogged down in the minute to minute details. I just brought up every news page I could remember and rotated through them, constantly hitting the refresh button. President-elect Obama only seemed to gain numbers when I wasn't looking though.

I was talking to my bff, P, at 10:00 CST. BabyBoy was at play rehearsal and called in on my cell phone to check on the progress. I had a phone in each ear and I was trying to give BabyBoy the latest numbers when CNN refreshed and there they were! Winning amounts of electoral votes. I couldn't even speak for a moment. Then I began yelling into both phones and into the living room at the same time. "He won. He won. It's over! Barack Obama is our new president." They were all talking to me at the same time. DSD turned the channel over to CNN, BabyBoy was repeating numbers to the other cast members, P was yelling for her husband. It was a moment I will treasure.

It wasn't all good news, of course, although Glen Hess did win for State Attorney. But Amendment 2 passed. BabyBoy was upset. He spent yesterday afternoon waving signs for people to vote No! He said he even spoke to several people who were undecided on how to vote and felt he had convinced them it was the wrong thing to do. But it passed anyway. In California also. Now when the law (in Florida) is declared unconstitutional, we will have to spend tax dollars for another election to have it removed. Does anyone remember the Bullet Train?

After the West Coast was declared for Obama, I switched from the computer to the TV. I saw John McCain's concession speech. Very classy. Did anyone else notice that he appeared more comfortable, more at ease, than he has in MONTHS? I wonder if he isn't just a little relieved? Why would have picked Palin if he actually wanted to win?

Then the moment we had been waiting for, the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. What a great moment for our country, what a great moment for us, and what a great moment even for the portions of this country who did not support him, did not vote for him, because I believe he is the one who will get things done. (I hope!)

I haven't watched him a lot. I didn't have to. I researched his beliefs on the 'net. I looked up his past, his present, his voting record, I didn't have to listen to him speak to know what he stood for. So it was just a huge bonus that I understood, while watching him last night, that while this country had elected an intelligent, caring, active man to be our next president that we had also elected an elegant, articulate one. (Nice change from the last 8 years, isn't it?)

After his speech was over, I got up to go to bed. DSD congratulated me that I had voted for the winner (he didnt' vote for McCain or Obama) and I began to try to explain that by casting my vote for Barack Obama I wasn't voting for Barack Obama, I was voting for AMERICA. The country that I have loved and served and yelled about and I promptly burst into tears! Poor DSD was horrified. Had he done something? Why was I crying?

I then tried to explain the surge of hope, the feelings of relief, the terror of this somehow going wrong. But I botched it all.

So I went to bed.

And woke up to the beginning of a new era.

Ladies and Gentlemen: The President of the United States of America

Barack Obama is the next President of the United States of America.


I have much more to say, but I am slightly intoxicated.

God Bless America. We have chosen well.

Watching

I think I am going to throw up.

Obama 174
McCain 64

But there are many, many states who have not yet reported. And MY state is appearing a little wishy, washy.

I thought I had made my peace with the outcome of this election, either way, but I have not.

I honestly feel that this country will never recover from a McCain presidency.

Come on, Florida, show your loyalty to America.

Obama '08

I Voted!

BabyBoy and I got up early to go to the polls together. (Ok, he got up early, but he has school this morning and rehearsal this evening and he didn't want to drive all the way back to the church where we vote. Gas is cheaper, but he is not working right now!). So, I waited for him and we went together.

We waited in line for about 30 minutes. I know that is a relatively short amount of time, but I have been voting in the same place since 2002 and I have never stood in line.

It brought a little thrill when I marked Barack Obama for President.

I also voted for Glenn Hess for State's Attorney. While I probably would have voted for him anyway, because I like what he stands for, I was voting for anyone BUT Steve Meadows. I blame him for the fact that the Bay County Sheriff's Deputies who worked for the Bay County Boot Camp and abused an unconscious child are free and walking the streets.

I also voted NO! on each and every proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution. There has only been 1 amendment that I have voted Yes on and that was the one that raised the percentage required to pass a Constitutional amendment in this state. Thanks to that vote it will take 60% of Floridians to pass Amendment 2 (the one banning gay marriage) and the other 6 or 8 or however many there are. I voted No. I hope my vote counts!

Now I will just settle in for the long, long wait. It has all come down to today.

Obama '08

Whassup?

I have always HATED those Budweiser commercials, with the men screaming, "Whassssuuuup?" into the phone. You know every man I have met since then does the same thing. It makes them look like idiots.

This one, however, brought a lump to my throat, and a little more hope into my heart.

(I hope I do this correctly; this is my first embedded video!)




Twenty three hours until the polls close on the east coast. Please let America vote for America.
Obama '08

Ready for the Finish Line

I seem to spend most of my days swinging between euphoria (at the thought of an Obama Presidency) and nausea (at the thought of McCain in my White House). While the polls have Obama with a comfortable lead, polls have been wrong in the past and this country can not take four more years of Dubya's policies.

I am very proud to see this historic election. It is wonderful that a woman got as close as Hillary did to being on top of the ticket (it won't be many years before a woman leads this country) and it is awesome that Obama is at the top of the ticket. But, really, I am ready for it to be over. I am ready for the polls to be closed. I am ready for Obama to be named President. I am ready for McCain to call Obama and congratulate him. I am ready for Sarah Palin to disappear back under whatever rock she crawled out of. And I am soooo ready for Dubya to move permanently back to Texas (or under a rock next door to Palin's).

This has been the longest campaign in history and it needs to be finished. The healing needs to begin. This country has been without hope for a long time and will (hopefully, with fingers crossed) receive an injection of it in less than 36 hours.

Vote. Vote. Vote.

Tagged!

Mariecel over at Cosmopolites' Kaffeeklatsch tagged me last week and I just found the time to participate. I am supposed to share 7 random things about myself. Hopefully you are not bored to tears.

1. I have read 5 of the 10 books to read before you die list. And a portion of the 6th, but I don't see myself ever reading the entire Bible.

2. I have changed my college major 4 times and will probably never actually graduate.

3. I was in the band in middle school and high school, but I don't play an instrument.

4. I am completely tone deaf.

5. My speech patterns change depending on the people I am speaking with. When I travelled to Canada several years ago, no one could tell that I was American, but when I talk to my family on the phone DSD and BabyBoy can always tell, because my vowel sounds get longer. I can't hear any of it.

6. My sense of humor tends to run to the dark and the sarcastic. Many people don't seem to 'get it.'

7. Many years ago I was a TVaholic. I could quote times and days for almost every show on. Now I watch a couple of hours a week, maybe, plus Gator football on Saturdays.

Now I am supposed to tag 7 people, but I don't think there are 7 people who read this blog regularly. So I am tagging:
Shel
Pete
Andante
If they are interested and feel like it. If they don't it won't hurt my feelings.