My B.S. is COMPLETE!

It makes me laugh to call it my B.S. (Bachelor of Science) degree.

But this afternoon I turned in my LAST assignment for my undergrad degree in Political Science (with an American history minor) at Troy University.

I cannot even express my excitement about having the entire summer with NO homework! I will be starting my Masters in Poli Sci in the fall.

But, for now, I am going to bask in this lovely feeling of accomplishment.

I returned to school in the spring of 2003, so it has taken me a while (and three different majors) to find my niche. I think this is it!

Now what am I supposed to do?

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.

I Miss You All!!!

I know that I have been a mostly absent blogger for the last, OH! eight to ten months and I hate it. There are a couple of reasons for that. At work they only update our software once every two or three YEARS and we are still running Internet Explorer 7. So this means that I can read your blogs, but I cannot comment on them. I finally got so frustrated that I stopped reading!

But work keeps me busy - and they aren't paying me to blog there. And then there is school! Spring Break started today after I turned in my final paper. It was a fairly impressively written discussion on how the Tuskegee Syphilis Study plays into the federal regulations required today for those attempting to do research with humans involved. Exciting stuff! (It was pretty fun, really, but I am a dork!)

I have the next 9 days of allowing my brain to do nothing more strenuous than watch The Walking Dead (and do you all LOVE that show as I do?), read a couple of lame novels, and, well, work. It does pay the bills. After that I have NINE more weeks of school! NINE! And the lovely graduation! I do not mind telling you, I am so ready!

I am taking the entire summer off to let my brain decay before I start my Masters in the fall! I hope to catch up with all of you either over the next week or over the summer.

And, in case you care, I am paying close attention to the climate in this country and it is UGLY! Headed to Tallahassee on April 28th to march in protest against the Republican war on women. There is a march planned for your state capital also!!

And On Another Note... Happy and Sad..

Mrs. S passed away Wednesday from lung cancer. Thank you all for sending happy thoughts her way. I am certain it was for the best, because the disease was advanced and there wasn't much hope. But I would never tell her family that. And the world is a darker place without her in it.

Last week's family vacation went fairly well. DSD's daughter dotes on Grandson #1 (GS1) and he is precious. I see issues with the way she doesn't dote on Granddaughter #1 (GD1) or Granddaughter #2 (GD2) and I (as well as my mom and DSD's mom) all remarked on it. They are her stepdaughters, but their mother is gone (car accident in 2007) so she is all they have. And they are delightful girls.

Still, the water park, and snorkeling in the Gulf, and swimming in the pool went well. We ate like Kings and Queens, and we were able to visit more than we have before. I do have pictures.. and videos.. as soon as I figure out how to get them off of my phone.

Hug those you love and let them know it, no one is promised tomorrow.

Am I the Voice of Doom?

As I sit here in my lovely ranch style home, Lola eating dinner behind me, tomatoes roasting in the oven in preparation for homemade marina, I feel an overwhelming sense of panic. Of dread. Of fear. Serious sick to my stomach terror.

What the hell is happening in this country? What the hell has happened to those whom we have elected to lead us? In less than two weeks this country is going to run out of money, default on our credit and cause who knows what kind of mayhem, but no one seems to be taking this seriously. Certainly not crazy Michelle Bachman. Certainly not most of the Congressional Republicans. Is our President? Will he swoop in at the last minute, invoking the 14th amendment and saving the day? Will that save the day?  Everything I have read says that without spending cuts and increased revenue the S&P (I think) may still take our credit down from AAA to AA. And the plan by the "Gang of 6" has only promised increased revenue in the future. Why not now?

My tax burden is not large.  A lot of that has to do with tuition, of course, because that is all tax deductible, but I would be willing to pay more, why aren't others?

Let's look at how a default will affect ME, personally, as the Average Jane on the street.
#1. DSD is retired Navy with a military retirement that kept us afloat while he was unemployed. What happens without that?
#2. I am a contract employee with the Federal government. Now my contract has just been extended (again) for another 4 months, which means the contract is paid until Thanksgiving, but if there are no active duty or civilians, will I still be able to go in and get paid?
#3. My parents are retired and living off social security. They paid cash for their house and have savings, 401Ks, etc, but they depend on those monthly checks. What will happen to them?

What will happen to us all?

I firmly believe that if the elderly, military, military retirees, etc do not get paid, we may be in for a revolution. I have a really bad feeling about this... luckily my bad feelings are normally just indigestion, but I've never had indigestion that lasts this long.

Why are those in Washington screwing around with our future?

The End of an Era

I've never been all that fascinated with the idea of space travel. It just grabs the imagination of some and not others and I am one of the others.  I was only about 15 months old when Armstrong took that small step for man, so it was already history by the time I was aware of my surroundings.  I do remember being called to watch a slashdown.. Apollo 13 maybe? I remember my dad was super excited about and I was mildly annoyed with him.

I also remember being summoned from my room to watch the first shuttle land in California. I was 14 by then and was daily mildly annoyed with my father, so this probably produced a serious huff. (And probably some eye-rolling because he pulled me away from the phone or a book.)

The Challenger was my first experience with adult disaster and the thoughts of it can still bring a sick feeling to my stomach and a lump in my throat.

But space never grabbed my imagination.

Today though with the last shuttle launch complete, I'm sad. Not because I never made it to the moon or the space station or orbited Earth (I'd rather go to to Ireland), but because it feels like one more area in which the U.S. is no longer a leader. Space was ours. The moon was ours. And now it's not. Now we are dependent on other nations to get supplies to the space station.  Those four who blasted off a couple of hours ago will be dependent on Russia if the shuttle becomes inoperable.

And that makes me sad.

Comment that I was not allowed to Post on Republic of Giliad

You do us a service by providing this information. I just unfriended someone on FB because I was SICK of everything being about HER beliefs, HER God. Bye bye Boo Boo (as another FB friend nicknamed her).

Sorry, my God loves everyone and appreciates my compassion and understanding towards those whose beliefs and lifestyles are different from mine.

Sign In - Sign Out.. What is Going On?

Blogger seems to be a pain in my backside and has been for the past week or more. I would like to comment on all of your posts, but if I click on your link I am suddenly signed out. I've never had this happen, and I am working around it, but it is rather a pain!

Step-daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren will be here on Saturday afternoon. I have food in the freezer (stuffed shells, beef enchiladas, chicken pot pie) so we shall eat well. Other than that there is a beach, a pool, and a water park to keep us busy!

Hopefully I will have pictures posted soon!

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!