Twelve Days (Or Less) To Go!

Just popping really quickly, instead of reading about St. Thomas Aquinas, because WOW! Boring!

I am taking "International Conflicts" and "Medieval Europe" this term. I am enjoying conflicts, although the textbook author is a bit, shall we say, Pompous? But the other students are great and we have had some very interesting discussions. I have ONE more discussion board post in that class and I am DONE!

"Medieval Europe"? NOT my favorite class ever. I just don't care. All sorts of Catholic... stuff. I mean really, it wasn't like the average joe had books written about him in the 3rd through 13th centuries, just the Kings and the Popes. I think it would be a decent class if I took it in a real classroom with real discussion with other students, but I am not. So... I am struggling! I have a paper due Sunday, 2 more discussion board posts AND the final.

I am so READY!

In other news, BabyBoy and I (with another friend) marched in Tallahassee on 28 April in the Unite Women March against the War on Women. There were some really great speakers there and BabyBoy came home with a better understanding of what we are facing. (Because he tunes me out when I try to talk to him. He knew there were issues but not how widespread they are!)

Two days before that I turned 45!

We had a lovely visit with DSD's daughter in mid-April and the precious grandson and I am hoping that they will be back in July.

And we have a 10 day vacation planned to California in June where we may or may not see the LittleMan graduate... another entire post!

But George Zimmerman was arrested (step 1) although I am not a lawyer (wish I played one on TV), I am not completely comfortable with the Murder 2 charge. I think manslaughter would almost guarantee a conviction. It will be quite a while, of course, before it comes to trial.

My garden is covered with weeds, but my parents' is producing and we are hoping to pickle some green beans over Memorial Day weekend (when I will be relaxing without worrrying about HOMEWORK!) and pick, shell, and freeze black-eyed peas!

I cannot comment on your lovely posts due to the fact that here at work I still have Internet Explorer 7. Sigh. But I will be around to see how everyone is!

The Death of a Child....

Is there anything more horrific than the thought of burying your child? I cannot even breathe at the thought as I sit here putting off icing the cupcakes I have lovingly prepared for BabyBoy's 23rd birthday tomorrow. (How did that happen so FAST?)

DSD and I went to visit his parents last weekend - about an hour from Sanford, FL. We arrived on Thursday afternoon and there was a large rally being held requesting justice for Trayvon Martin. Thousands were shown on the news. Thousands of mostly black people. (Y'all know I really wanted to be there, right?) I was dumbfounded by the comments of my completely non-racist in-laws. Things like "There's going to be trouble there." "That is so not a good idea." "They are just asking for trouble." WHAT?!?!? A child is dead. Justice should be sought!

Then there is the girl who I befriended when we were in class together about a year and a half ago, who seems to think it is her duty to remind us all that jumping to conclusions is not a good idea. She has gone from someone I thought was a card carrying Democrat to some crazy gun-toting, planning to vote for any Republican who runs because she hates Mexicans. (I have Republican friends, I just like to know what I am getting myself into.) The thing that makes me the MOST nuts (and she is a blog post all by herself) is that she keeps telling ME that she understands these things because she is majoring in Political Science. HELLOOOO! She is also more than a year away from graduation. I am (in case I forgot to mention it today) 6 weeks and 6 days away!

Trayvon Martin was a typical 17 year old - obsessed with girls and getting by. But also by the overwhelming thought of college, the future, and life. And all of that is now gone. Justice has NOT been done in this case. A child is dead and someone should be charged in that death. Preferably the man who followed him and then pulled the trigger.

I have more... but I have cupcakes to ice. I am very thankful that I can celebrate my child's birthday tomorrow. RIP Trayvon.

Happy Independence Day!

This is me standing outside the National Archives last October. No pictures may be taken inside, of course, because the flash is not a good idea for the precious documents stored there. It was a pretty thrilling day for me, seeing the Delcaration of Independence, the Magna Carta, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights... handwritten by those who are long gone, but who did so much for this country, and who have inspired me for years!

It's going to be a quiet day here in the LeftLeaning house since both DSD and BabyBoy have to work. I am going to work on my book review and continue to prepare for the company due in next weekend.

I hope your day is wonderful and blessed with laughter, love, and some great food!

The Rapture Deserves a New Harley!

My plan for tomorrow 21 May 2011 is to station DSD outside of the Harley dealership at 5:45 CDT and BabyBoy at the local Publix while I stand outside of a ritzy jewelry store! Plenty of food, a new bike, and JEWELS.. for free!!

Ok not really. I actually believe that there may be a Rapture one day with ~ 12 - 14 people disappearing and no one noticing. If anyone does notice though THAT will cause the end of the world because the 'alleged' Christians will their minds and destroy.

How many will kill themselves tomorrow because they've quit their jobs, lost their houses, spent their money on stupid in the run up to this BS? There was a Facebook link where a woman tried to kill herself and her children today because of it. (I didn't read the story).

How much more insanity do we need?


On another note, R.I.P. Randy "Macho Man" Savage. DSD says his heart attack was steroid induced, but he made me laugh when I was younger.

No Sex! No Jobs! No High Speed Rail!

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Little Bits of This and That

I am stuck at work for another half hour, because I went to the going away luncheon of someone I didn't really like and it took TWO hours. It doesn't make a lot of sense for me to be here when the docs are not, but there is so much that does not make sense already, that I do not have time to concern myself with this one.

Coming to the end of Week 2 of Term IV. I am taking my introductary Political Science class, because, I still have one more to go... class that is. And I have to have a certain number of classes actually taken at Troy, so I decided a History minor would go well for me. And I am considering getting the Master's in History instead of Poli Sci, but who knows? I only know that the politics of the world make no sense, and I feel like I need to DO something. But what? With history, people should have DONE something, but I can't change it now.

Why are we bombing the snot out of Libya? It has nothing to do with the people of Libya, because there is mass slaughter all over the globe every day and we do nothing.  Couldn't that money be spent on helping Japan? Or Haiti? Or New Jersey? (That was a joke!)

Did you know that the lungs of healthy, tall, skinny people can just COLLAPSE? Wow. BabyBoy was leaving after work this afternoon to go spend a couple of days visiting Hogwarts (where I was supposed to take him in January, but we went to DC in October instead) and he isn't going because his buddy's lung just collapsed this morning. The friend is at the hospital and will be for a bit. The MDs and PhDs explained it to me but what I retained is that the lining of the lungs of tall, skinny people are very very thin & they always have extra liquid in and around their organs. I've never been tall and skinny, and now I am neither, but that is a little disconcerting.

Why can't Congress pass a budget? Why are they so concerned about women's uteruses? What the hell happened to my precious state? Attempting to get rid of all the teachers, not paying the ones that are left, drug testing welfare recipients? WTF?

My half hour is up. I have to read about 75 pages tonight on how technology has made the world flat.

OH! And DSD is now EMPLOYED! Thank you for all of your happy thoughts! I think he may be working for the same company, in the same department where Fallenmonk works!

Think Happy Thoughts! **UPDATED**

DSD has a job interview in 10 minutes. I really need him to go back to work, even if it is just parttime. He really needs to go back to work also.

I will let you know as soon as I know anything!

**UPDATE**

The interview lasted almost an hour. He and the manager bonded over their Navy experiences, they said they would let him know by the end of the week. We all have our fingers (and toes & eyes) crossed!!!

Let's Face The Facts

I believe that I have posted on my belief that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional before, but I only have a few minutes, so I am not going to hunt it up right now.  There is a long list of reasons that people should be allowed to marry whomever they choose (yea, sorry, even bigamy doesn't freak me out as long as it CONSENSUAL among ADULTS), but I was just reading an article on The Huffington Post and I realized that my reasoning for declaring it unconstitutional is different than that of the author's.

Professor Stone says that DOMA is unconstitutional due to the 14th amendment's Equal Protection Clause which was put into place after the Civil War to try to ensure equality for those who had been slaves.  But I have always felt that Article IV Section 1, aka, the Full Faith and Credit Clause should be called into action first. That article states that each state must give credit to any acts, records, or judicial proceedings of any other state. It is the reason that DSD and I are married everywhere we go. It is also the reason that, if I moved out of Florida, I would still be responsible for paying the mortgage on my house here. Or the mortgage company could come after me. No matter where I live.

So when ONE state made marriage between same sex couples legal, then every other state is LEGALLY bound to recognize that marriage. A same sex couple should be allowed to marry in Hawaii (great place to get married!!) and return home to Montana and set up housekeeping, be covered on each other's health insurance, file taxes, and fight like every other married couple.  They should also be allowed to divorce. In Montana. According to Article IV Section 1.

So between me & Professor Stone, we should have this sorted out in a few hours and we can get back to the issues with the economy.* Sweet.


*Allowing same sex couples to marry would be a HUGE boost to the economy, wouldn't it? One of my friends is getting married in a couple of weeks. Over $22,000. On one day. And I thought the $5,000 we spent was a little over the top!

Completely Ready For Spring

Just a few random things I wanted to share.

**I seem to spend a great deal of time on Facebook arguing with the right.  It makes me tired. Especially when I post a link explaining why I am boycotting Chik-Fil-A and a friend from high school starts posting links to their Valentine's Party.**

**My instructor for my Biology Lab opened up all of the quizzes for the rest of the term, so I have finished that class already. I managed an A by the hair of my chinny chin chin.**

**I have a healthy A in my Administrative Law class. I am Facebook friends with one of the women in the class. We had another class together, back in the fall, and we really hit it off.  She seems to spend a lot more time than I do on her homework and projects.  Don't get me wrong, the class is A LOT of work, but I have never taken 6 hours on a quiz. I am not positive that I spent a full 6 hours on the (take home) mid-term, although DSD did pull me off the computer 2 nights during the week before the Super Bowl and said, "GO TO BED."  Does that make me smarter than she is? Just able to grasp it easier? I don't know. She seems very intelligent. I wonder about these things.**

**I am doing a lot more cooking at home using fresh (well, store bought) ingredients and I can tell a difference in the food. There is a new Farmer's Market here locally and I think I am going to head up there next Saturday.**

**I hope that my garden does better this year. I have everything planned beautifully, from the time to start plants from seed, to when to transplant them, and which ones to start in the ground. Unfortunately, those tomatoes & peppers I started last month didn't do anything. Why? Well, we turn the heat down at night & 60 is a bit too chilly, especially for peppers. Who knew? The onions are not a healthy bunch either. But the peas and the spinach I started in the raised bed two weeks ago are just peeping their little green heads up this afternoon. I almost peed my pants I was so thrilled!**

**I heard my state Representative Marti Coley saying that the Education Committee was not happy with Governor Scott's budget recommendations and that they would have some budget suggestions of their own. (Scott is SLASHING education, prison, and police budgets to name a few while cutting property taxes and corporate taxes). I agreed with her and called her office to tell her staff that. I thought the young man I spoke with was going to cry. "Really? You called to say you were happy with the Representative?" It was funny and sad. If your Senator or Representative has done something you agree with, TELL them.**

**I also called my Senator Bill Nelson to tell him I was NOT impressed with budget coming out of the House and that I did NOT want the budget to public broadcasting cut. And I volunteered to help out on his re-election campaign next year.  The people who are going to run against him are as right wing as they come.**

**There is probably more, but it is time to start the potatoes, make the salad, and then work on the pork loin.  I don't know this Betty Crocker me has come from, but I am loving it!**

Y'all be safe out there and keep up the great work!

The Blame Game

    DSD very stubbornly pays almost 0 attention to politics. I think he probably paid more attention before I was always up in his grill about them, but who knows? We started dating about 10 days after the 2000 election and moved in together less than 6 months before the towers fell, so I have been in his grill about politics since the beginning of our relationship.
    He was napping when Rep Giffords was shot. I ranted and raved on Facebook to my family and friends there. In the last half hour I showed him the map of the SarahPac.com bull that was posted some months ago. I have seen it in several places today, but most recently on the site "The Swash Zone." I did not show him who had posted it or that it was originally a Sarah Palin post, but I asked him if the person who posted this BS with a bullseye should be counted as responsible. He looked at me like I was nuts. And I remembered looking at my dad with the same expression prior to 1985 (the year I graduated) when he asked me (after watching an episode on "Quincy" in which a teen ager killed him or herself) about my music.  And I remembered that at that time, I thought it was not the responsibility of Kiss, or Ozzy, or Twisted Sister if people listened to their music and thought the music was telling them to kill themselves or others.
I remember watching movies/videos/games and thinking that people who listened to them were just a little off from normal.
I think Sarah Palin is poison. I think she is only in ANYTHING for herself and what she can get. I have friends who live in Wasilla who attended church with her who think she is sweet and kind and blah blah blah. But I can't blame the... female dog.. for someone who may have misinterpreted her BS and acted upon it. Maybe this is what she intended. Maybe it isn't. She didn't point the gun or pull the trigger. And she should SHUT UP. But she should not be prosecuted.
YET!

Getting There and Thankful For It

I am in the last two weeks of this term and ready for it to be completed. I have one last speech to give tomorrow night, which is 99% complete. The Powerpoint is probably only 35% complete, so I have work to do tonight. I am looking forward to it, since it is about college football and (even though I have not blogged about it much this year) I do still love college football AND my Gators... even when they suck!

So, finish the speech and the Powerpoint, write one paper about a speech given by someone else (imagine, I chose Jon Stewart's end of Rally speech) and take two final exams. Hooray! I am ready.

Our Thanksgiving was fun. DSD's oldest boy decided he wasn't coming for dinner if he couldn't bring his dog... who has never met any of us OR Lola. It would have been a nightmare. He wasn't missed. A friend who normally comes brought her mother and her mother's boyfriend. SleepyEd is our nickname for him. They arrived at 2 and he had to be awakened for dinner... at 3. Then he was in the kitchen with BabyBoy demanding dessert before most of us were done with dinner. No offers to help with the cooking or the cleanup. He then proceeded to go BACK to sleep until time to go. WOW!

There was a slight discussion on taxes and how unfair it is to raise taxes on the rich, but it was held outside of my hearing, because they were afraid they weren't going to get dinner if I overheard probably.

Still in a funk, but I am blaming it on hormones and exhaustion (and the exhaustion can be partially blamed on the hormones and the fact that I am not sleeping).

So for the rest of you in a funk. Read this. It is a really beautiful story. It may not help your funk, but it may give you a nice happy tears cry.

AND, I just received an Email from the NewYorkTimes saying that the Senate passed a bill on food safety. 75-25. Huh. Bi-partisan? Must be something wrong.

Voting and Traveling and Being Sick

I am so glad the 'blog world is able to function without me. I have started a dozen posts in my head over the last week, but have not had the opportunity to get them down before, "Poof, they are gone!"

Wednesday (10/20) was our wedding anniversary, but we were inundated by family so we postponed the celebration.

Thursday I woke up with my throat on fire. And people due in from DC for training. So I went to work. And learned quite a bit. And I went out, because it seemed mean to NOT, and I adore these particular people (not something you will hear from me a lot), so dinner and drinks and I steadily felt worse. Fever, chills, aches, pains. Yuck. So not only was I miserable I have probably infected all of Bay County. NOT my brightest move.

Temp was ~ 101 at 8pm when I finally made it home. Nyquil and bed. Still ~ 101 @ 12:30 am. I took some Motrin and the fever broke between 1:30 & 2, but I was exhausted. I'm not sleeping well, even when DSD doesn't snore. I took Friday off and slept all day.

Yesterday there were groceries to buy, homework to finish, and a lovely dinner to celebrate our anniversary.

What does all of this mean? Well, I have not even watched the news in DAYS. Of course when I try to watch actual TV, the political ads make me insane. I would love to say, "I'm not voting for anyone running an ad that contains lies or is just nasty," but I refuse to stay home on election day! I will vote. Then I will bitch.

Thank you to everyone who is managing to post information that the world needs to know. Hopefully I will be back in the swing soon.

BUT, I must be healthy by Friday, because I am headed to DC!!!!

Poor, Pitiful Me

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, and underappreciated. While discussing this weekend's planned trip to the Mississippi St @ Florida game, DSD and I had words. He said he was joking.. about having biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast... fried chicken for lunch... ribeyes for dinner. He probably was, because he has been fabulous about what he is actually eating, but it is stressing me out.

I work full time. I am taking 9 hours of classes this semester (3 hours each term and 3 hours over the semester).  Any way you count it, I am getting 9 hours between August and December (down from the 13 that I took last year this time), I am trying to function working for a %#@@! who barely speaks English (Arkansas) and can NOT write it, but ended up as the boss. I am trying my best to take food with little or no flavor and make it delicious (and doing and excellent job, I might add!!) and I am not sleeping well at night.

I really want a week in a tropical setting with fresh grown food and my Kindle!

Which is not going to happen. I tried that this summer (five days in Destin) and that turned into a nightmare of drunken, crying crap to the point where I no longer speak to the person I thought was my best friend.

DSD's health. Babyboy's lovelife. (He got dumped last week and is sad). Many of my family are exhausting.

I'm just tired. And whining.

Or whining and tired, take your pick.

But, hey, I am going to DC in 17 days. And I am going to be even MORE exhausted when I get home.

But it will so be worth it!!