Is anything truly random?

Time passes

2011-04-04T20:56:00.003-04:00

very quickly. i've said many times that i feel like i live in a time warp. Or that i don't have a sense of time. At all.

Didn't realize that it had been more than year since i blogged. i kinda miss blogging, but doubt that i'd be doing much of it, even if facebook hadn't taken over the world.

i don't have much energy. Depression wears me out. It's all i can do to get myself to work (and once i couldn't do that, either - slept right thru my two alarms).

Rabbit Rabbit

2010-03-31T22:57:00.003-04:00

Hope everyone has a Hoppy April!

Grrr-r-i-p-p-i-n-g

2010-03-07T16:38:00.002-05:00

I discovered a few days ago that HE closed our business account and changed the business website. Without telling me first. Sure, he gave me a check for half of the funds left in the account, which wasn't much, anyway.

He didn't remove my webpages, but the homepage with the links to them is gone, so how would anyone find me (not that I'm looking to be found, mind you). He directs people to where HIS photos can be found, but only gave my email address.

When I confronted him, He told me that he HAD to close the business, that he was only following IRS guidelines. I reminded him that last year he didn't know what he wanted to do with the business. He countered with "since our marriage ended in May...". Good GRIEF! The IRS doesn't know about it, and they would point out that we still live in the same house and have joint accounts. He just repeated himself.

When I pointed out that the business homepage only pointed to his info, he said that he hadn't removed my pages. I said that the homepage used to have links to the different pages on the site, and w/o the links, what was the use of having them there at all? He apologized for not thinking about that.

When I asked him if I had done all that if he would have been upset, he said he would not have. I could see that he wasn't to see it my way, or admit to it. I didn't bother letting him know that I had put this question to others and they said that they would have been upset, too.

While I was at it, I let him know that I was upset about what he had said about there not being a house for the Girls to come home to (see below)...

Guess what? He said that I took it the wrong way! EXXXxxx-cuuuussse me?! If you tell someone that if they move out then you won't be able to afford the house on your own salary alone and that the Girls wouldn't have a home to come home to, then just WHAT are you trying to say?! And he's full of bullshit, anyway. He clears enough to afford it, even with a new mortgage.

okay. Done complaining. For the moment.
btw, if a blogger-friend lets you guys know that they can't get to my blog, let me know. I sent out invites to a small number of youse. I can add those who are interested.

Rabbit Rabbit

2010-03-01T09:18:00.002-05:00

Rabbit Rabbit everyone!

Well, this garsh-darn windy-grey-ugly winter is REALLY getting me down. Cold i can usually deal with. But grey day after grey day after grey day after grey day .... And everyone seems to agree that this is the windiest winter anyone can remember.

GRRRrrrrr

On the homefront, things are about the same. I'm getting fed up being housemate of undear ol' not-ex-husband. Almost no use talking to him about his behavior because i just get psycho-babble back. NOT that his behavior is awful, but the "vibes" and moodiness he emits just gets to me. i try to not let it bother me, but day in and day out. So i try to minimize contact, but it ain't easy sometimes.

i look forward to living on my own. Last December, after staying w/ Dad for ten days while Mom was away, i realized what a relief it was to be out of my own house. i told DH that i would acquiesce to his desire for me to move out (i was staying for financial reasons and because it's still the home our daughters come home to). He then said that it wasn't fair of him to ask me to leave.

At first i thought very well of him for this. Then i realized that our Girls would be home soon for winter break from college. He was, i thought, avoiding to have to explain why i wasn't living at home.

Well, okay. It would have made for a horrible month home for them. i can deal with that.

DH was pretty good during their time home. He wasn't emitting moodiness, etc (he spent alot of time upstairs in his room...) But it was a strain on him by the end of the month. i could tell.

So, a couple of weeks ago i realized that the combination of this horrible grey depressing winter and living under the same roof as DH was a strain that i would rather not have. So i told him that i would move out - that it would take months for me to get my shit together, but that i had gotten a few tubs, would rent storage space and start the process.

i told him that he would/could/should keep the house for the Girls to have a home to come to. THEN he said that he didn't think that he would be able to keep the house with just his salary, so if i left, there wouldn't be a house for the Girls to come home to.

WOW what a guilt trip. i hadn't even said anything about the financial part of me leaving. Hadn't even worked that out in my own head yet. But clearly DH had been thinking beforehand.

i have felt manipulated for years. Clearly this is not just a feeling, but a fact.

i know, i know. i just have to wait for a few years, until our Girls finish college ... But i'm not sure that i can stand it that long...

Okay, we got SNOW

2010-02-07T11:28:00.000-05:00

Yup, we got about 20 inches.

It's a-Coming

2010-02-04T19:10:00.002-05:00

We're supposed to get a big snowstorm tomorrow. Estimates range from 7 to 18 inches. We'll probably not get much. ha ha.

Anyway, having ANY amount of snow in the weather forecast results with a rush to the grocery stores to get milk and bread.

My question is - why do people wait until a snowfall to want french toast?

But seriously, folks, this is Pennsylvania. Snow does fall here. Why all the panic? Even when we last had a real blizzard in 1994 and 1996, we were able to get out and around (if you wanted to) within a few hours. And that was without the town plow coming to our street. This was everyone who was able to pitching in to get everyone dug out. At that time all the old folk on my block seemed to have a snowblower, even if they were to frail to get out and actually use one. So the younger folk just borrowed 'em and got all the sidewalks and driveways cleared.

G r r r r

2010-02-03T06:24:00.003-05:00

We got a couple of inches of snow overnight. No big deal.

However . . .

I had come to the realization yesterday (or it had finally dawned on me) that my UO was only doing his own laundry. I've been washing - and will continue - whatever is in the hampers in the basement.

This morning I see that UO shoveled the front walkway around to the side and cleared the deck outside the kitchen door, the sidewalk and the driveway behind my van. Of course he would've cleared his car in order to get to work. But he left my van untouched.

wow. what an @$$

Rabbit Rabbit for February

2010-02-01T06:11:00.002-05:00

Time is still fleeting along.

I'm still a housemate of Unsignificant Other. This damn too-cold-too-windy-uglygrey-winter is really getting me down. And almost everyone I know, too,, even those that LIKE winter.

UO almost acted normal while our Girls were home for winter break (btw, they both got straight A's for their first semester!!). However, he did retreat to his room more and more as the days progressed. Now that they're back at school, he mostly only speaks to me when absolutely necessary. Seems to only do his own laundry (I wash whatever is in the hampers in the basement). In the beginning of our in-house separation, he would make enough food for two for dinner (he gets home first); then he started going straight to the YMCA from work w/o telling me. Or elsewhere, I'm not sure and I don't care. However, months ago he had made a point of telling me that I should let him know if I wouldn't be home to feed Salem - and he doesn't do it himself!

More imporatantly, I'm bugged by the bad vibes, the wierd faces, tones, etc. I'm relieved that I don't have the burden of the marriage anymore, but this ain't fun, either.

Rabbit Rabbit

2009-12-31T23:12:00.002-05:00

I hope that 2010 proves to be a happy, healthful and peaceful year for everyone.

I haven't been posting much, but y'all have been on my mind. I guess that I've not done much here because of what's been going on with my life ... Since my Girls don't blog anymore (they're on Facebook, along with lots of their friends), I guess it's pretty safe to post almost anything on my mind.

ALMOST. I'm not going to go into detail, but I will share this with you, my blogging friends and family: my spouse of 24 years and I are calling it quits.

More accurately, I finally said that I was done. I'd been asking for years for him to go to counseling, which he refused (ironically, now he goes frequently). After years of depression that just got worse and worse, I came to realize that I just couldn't go on with this marriage.

Our Girls aren't happy, naturally. But they weren't especially surprised. They're now freshman in college (oh, where did the years fly off to?) at a university three hours away. They're doing very well - they both got straight A's their first semester.

So, for now Husband and I are still living in the same ol' house. Upstairs/Downstairs housemates. Doing this for the Girls, keeping the house for them to come home to. We'll see how long this can last.

Not sure what I'll do once the divorce is finalized. I have long had a longing to go back west, to where there are real mountains. Don't get me wrong, Pennsylvania is beautiful and has been a good place to live. But I'm just ready to go, go, go west. I'm thinking southern Colorado or northern New Mexico or Arizona, but haven't made any decisions.

So, that's my news. Hope you all are doing well.
later,
ddd

Rabbit Rabbit

2009-12-01T05:19:00.002-05:00

Can't believe that this year is almost over ... I feel like I'm in a time warp sometimes!

Yesterday was Mom's birthday, and I drove her and her friend Leah to the AAA bus that took them to a cruise ship -- their first cruise. Mom was SO nervous, was almost afraid that something would keep her from getting to the ship.

I'm staying at the old homestead to keep an eye on my Dad. Just to keep him out of trouble, eh?

Rabbit Rabbit (can't post more from iTouch)

2009-11-01T07:07:00.001-05:00

Rabbit Rabbit

2009-10-01T07:04:00.002-04:00

Well, how time flies! And it's time again to say ...

Rabbit Rabbit!!

Rabbit Rabbit

2009-09-01T09:06:00.001-04:00

I hope that everyone has a lucky September!

(I could use some.)

I'm 50 years old now ...

2009-08-29T12:10:00.001-04:00

... and my Girls are at college.

Where's my ticket to Disneyland?

(btw, Michael Jackson would've been 51 today.)

Multimedia message

2009-08-11T14:04:00.000-04:00

Two Kissmobiles!

Rabbit Rabbit

2009-08-01T08:21:00.002-04:00

Rabbit Rabbit
Back surgery yesterday, lucky you gets to see the photo.

FW: The Naked Cowboy

2009-07-12T14:53:00.000-04:00

The Naked Cowboy of NYC

Seeing "Wicked"

2009-07-11T17:59:00.000-04:00

Rabbit Rabbit

2009-07-01T07:30:00.005-04:00

Rabbit Rabbit everybody and I hope y'all have a great and safe July - not just the 4th.

There's trouble brewing here ... it's the battle of the Big Red M's.

A local bank recently changed their name and logo.

Local residents are confused - members of the Credit Union have been going to the Bank. Customers of the Bank have been going to the Credit Union.

The Credit Union who had the Big Red M first is suing the Bank. Stay tuned for the Drama.

Or not.

lol

My Babies Have Graduated

2009-06-06T21:55:00.003-04:00

Well, some how, some way, the time has flown and my Babies have graduated from high school. They're off to the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the fall.

Rabbit Rabbit

2009-06-01T05:58:00.003-04:00

My Babies graduate from high school next Saturday! And my niece Deva will graduate from college the same day.

Congrats and Rabbit! Rabbit! to all graduates!

Multimedia message

2009-05-05T12:58:00.000-04:00

"If you can read this, please roll me over." lol

Multimedia message

2009-05-03T13:21:00.000-04:00

WTF!

Multimedia message

2009-04-28T20:36:00.000-04:00

Pot Luck

Multimedia message

2009-04-17T10:08:00.000-04:00

Dog made of balls @ York Univ, Toronto.

Multimedia message

2009-04-11T17:10:00.000-04:00

Trees are blooming

Multimedia message

2009-03-17T14:09:00.000-04:00

Kewl

Multimedia message

2009-03-01T11:34:00.000-05:00

Rabbit Rabbit

Multimedia message

2009-01-29T16:42:00.000-05:00

The snow/ice slid forward while i was @ work.

Multimedia message

2009-01-04T07:05:00.000-05:00

No, Salem, that's not your reflection!

Multimedia message

2009-01-01T21:59:00.000-05:00

Ouch. I fell a week ago & it still hurts! The bruises are ugly, too.

Rabbit New Rabbit

2008-12-31T23:31:00.003-05:00

Rabbit Rabbit!

i hope that everyone has a safe, healthy and fun 2009!!

Multimedia message

2008-12-21T15:29:00.000-05:00

We're @ Red Robin YUMMM!

Multimedia message

2008-12-13T19:54:00.000-05:00

Not my favorite activity.

Lunch at Panera

2008-12-07T13:35:00.002-05:00

Inside with warm soup.
Outside cold wind, grey skies.
Cars covered by road-salt fill the parking lots
And crowd the roads.
I enjoy my lunch and
Listen to people around me.
Glancing outside again
I see a deer.
Lifeless.
It is strapped to the top of an SUV.
I stare until traffic takes the sight away.
The bright holiday chatter continues around me.

Multimedia message

2008-12-01T20:11:00.000-05:00

Current work

Happy Birthday Mom!

2008-11-30T09:07:00.002-05:00

Hey Everybody! It's TLP's birthday!!

Woo HoooOOOOOOO!!

Multimedia message

2008-11-22T09:37:00.000-05:00

It's band fudge weekend!

Multimedia message

2008-11-15T16:42:00.000-05:00

After the storm.

Hiding

2008-11-03T16:05:00.001-05:00

RW is hiding because KK and I are shooting rubberbands.

hee hee!!

Multimedia message

2008-10-30T07:38:00.000-04:00

Multimedia message

2008-10-23T09:55:00.000-04:00

2008-10-15T17:42:00.000-04:00

Butterfly on cigarette butt

Rabbit Rabbit

2008-10-01T07:06:00.002-04:00

I almost let this get away from me ... again.

Happy Birthday to me

2008-08-29T07:30:00.003-04:00

Sister Actonbell left multiple e-messages wishing me a happy bday, and I see that fellow bloggers doug and ariel left theirs, too. Plus dear ol' mom, TanLucyPez.

thx! I am, alas, off to work today. I'm one of the tellers closing the branch tonight, so I'm working until 7:30 tonight. I'm missing the first band performance at a football game tonight and it's grey and rainy, to boot.

boo hoo. Now I must go eat cake (actually, there's none in the house, I would have to go buy one).

wait, I forgot to say what my family gave me this morning: The Rocky Horror Picture Show cd (since the LP hasn't seen the light of day in a looooooooong time) and a gift certificate for a massage (yippee!!).

things are looking up.

Multimedia message

2008-08-06T20:12:00.000-04:00

Rabbit Rabbit

2008-08-01T08:02:00.001-04:00

I really need to get more sleep.

Multimedia message

2008-07-25T16:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, upside-down trees

My Babies are 18 . . .

2008-07-20T04:26:00.001-04:00

. . . how can this be?

Multimedia message

2008-07-17T08:18:00.001-04:00

OK you silly cat, what are you doing?

Multimedia message

2008-07-14T20:55:00.001-04:00

Band never stops

Fwd:

2008-07-09T13:23:00.000-04:00

How many lollipops CAN dddragon stuff into her mouth?

Multimedia message

2008-07-01T06:48:00.001-04:00

Rabbit Rabbit

Multimedia message

2008-06-27T07:10:00.001-04:00

Goa'uld gets a new Tbone.

Multimedia message

2008-06-23T12:24:00.001-04:00

Does Salem measure up?

Multimedia message

2008-06-11T14:24:00.001-04:00

HaHaHa!

OMG it's RABBIT RABBIT!

2008-06-01T07:38:00.002-04:00

I can't believe that another month has gone by already!

Multimedia message

2008-05-24T17:29:00.001-04:00

Al's legs

Multimedia message

2008-05-24T17:18:00.001-04:00

ArtsFest in Harrisburg = FOOD!

Multimedia message

2008-05-01T10:49:00.001-04:00

Rabbit Rabbit - money really IS dirty!

Multimedia message

2008-04-28T23:19:00.001-04:00

Visited U of Maryland on Saturday.

Multimedia message

2008-04-23T10:43:00.001-04:00

Yippee

Multimedia message

2008-04-22T14:15:00.001-04:00

Happy Earth Day!

Rabbit Rabbit

2008-03-01T08:05:00.003-05:00

It snowed overnight. When I looked out our second floor window, I could see dozens of rabbit tracks lacing our backyard. I haven't seen a rabbit in quite a while, but obviously they are still there!

The Girls are at a local high school taking the SATs. Nod'll take them out to lunch afterwards.

got to go to work now . . . oh, btw, the daughter of one of my co-workers works with my sister Actonbell. what a small world!!

visit

2008-02-25T14:31:00.001-05:00

go visit my new friend Rob @ http://cafeconrob.blogspot.com/

Day Off

2008-02-21T13:36:00.003-05:00

This is how I spent my day off yesterday:

drop my girls off at school
Coffee with my posse
@ church to finish the newsletter
Looked in a couple of shops for needed items
Lunch @ the Vietnamese Garden (yum)
To FastSigns to order a sign for the Band Boosters’ Jazz Fest sign
Went to the physical therapy place to set up an appointment
Pick up my girls at school

Monday was another day off, because of President's Day. Boy, it's nice working for a business that closes for federal holidays! Anyway, I spent a bit of Monday morning at the dentist office.

I used to joke that I was responsible for funding my dentist's family trip to Disneyworld every year. I've had a mouthful of fillings ever since I was about four years old. I did recently have a streak of cavity-less check ups. Alas, the streak has ended. A molar, already mostly metal, had a small cavity that needed to be attended to.

I loved visits to the dentist when I was young. Dr. Wong was a WONDERFUL dentist. I even made up toothaches to go see him and his nurse. I didn't realize as a preschooler that the visits cost money. And my teeth weren't so good, anyway. I remember Dr. Wong talking non-stop, and telling me that I could watch what he was doing in the reflection of his eyeglasses. I went to Dr. Wong for years.

I had a new dentist when we moved to Pennsylvania from California. Dr. H lived in our town and his kids were classmates of my younger siblings.

I clearly remember the first time that I was in to get yet another cavity filled. I was 13 years old. He turned from his intruments towards me, a hypo in hand with the longest needle that I had ever seen.

"What are you going to do with THAT?!" I just about jumped up from the chair.

He looked both annoyed and puzzled. "I have to numb you before I start drilling." He sat back a bit. "You've had this done plenty of times before!"

Yeah, but I had NEVER seen or known that a needle was involved. Dr. Wong was THAT good.

Dr. H had to double-dose me for years because I was so keyed up that I would still feel the drilling after just one shot.

So, while I am better about the dentist - well, I was never bad about it, just really didn't like it anymore - drilling still just about ruins my day. So there I am on Monday to get another filling. The dentist's office was full of people, apparently they were all booked up. I sat in the chair, waiting for Dr. N (Dr. H retired years ago), trying not to get nervous. okay, trying not to get more nervous.

I could hear people talking from all over the office - it was actually quite loud. There were all sort of other noises, too: the whine of a drill, the strong swoosh of that air contraption, some other machinery that I don't know, and under it all, soft pop/rock music coming from the overhead speakers.

Dr. N came in and told me that this cavity was a small one in a molar that already had a large filling in it. He was hoping to just fill the cavity, but said that the tooth might crack because of the thinness of the tooth wall. He's skillful and was able to drill just right.

People Annoying People

2008-02-13T14:23:00.002-05:00

Let me start by saying that I don’t have a good sense of how old I am. I rarely can answer the question about my chronological age without thinking about it and doing some arithmetic. Mentally/emotionally I think that I’m pretty darn immature often … just ask my offspring! I am painfully aware of my shortcomings, which would fill a notebook. I have tried to better myself and learn from my mistakes.

I have tried to keep my mouth shut and not respond too quickly (speaking before thinking!). I’ve had some success, but still manage to pull some doozies (to the amusement of those around me, I think).

I noticed some time ago that I tend to play the devil’s advocate. There have been plenty of bestselling books or blockbuster movies that I never read or saw just out of orneriness or a desire to not be one of the lemmings.

Part of this devil’s advocate-ness is my tendency to act and think the opposite of those around me when they are displaying traits that I’m annoyed with or alarmed by. For example, when my Nod freaks about some minor emergency (we’ve not had any major ones at home), then I’m ultra-calm.

So this has definite benefits.

I don’t know what fuels this behavior, but it has helped me to see how, to put it bluntly, stupid people can act. Not that these people are dumb, mind you, but they do act dumb.

I really, really enjoy my new job. Great people to work with. However… (you knew it was coming, didn’t you?) the newest associate here (yea, I’m not THE newbie anymore) is driving me a little nuts. I can sympathize only so much before the umpteenth “I’m sorry” or “can you tell that I’m new?” or “I’m bored!” sets my teeth to grinding.

Hey, I just went thru all this stuff for the first time, so I know what she’s up against. I guess if Newbie was twenty years my junior, then I wouldn’t be so negative in my attitude. However, this gal is five years older than I am. And I guess that perhaps I’m unfairly irritated that she lives nearby and many of our customers know her - which leads to another annoyance: she gets really chatty with some of them and the rest of us will take up the slack. And ya know how it is when something about someone bugs ya … you find more things about them that are irritating, too. She has three sons, teen to 30s, and she thinks that girlfriends and wives are the bane of her existence. Excuse me, but it takes two to tango, eh?

... I just re-read this. boy, ain't I the bitch?

Multimedia message

2008-02-07T07:26:00.001-05:00

Multimedia message

2008-02-05T06:17:00.001-05:00

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Rabbit Rabbit on Groundhog Day

2008-01-31T16:57:00.000-05:00

Rabbit Rabbit!

This photo was taken last year when TLP, Actonbelle and I went to Punxsutawney for the Groundhog celebration.

We had a great time.

Saw some great sights.

And saw some great cracks.

Remembering Brother

2008-01-23T09:14:00.001-05:00

Today is my brother's birthday.

He was SO unimpressed by this "big hole in the ground".

lol

Multimedia message

2008-01-18T09:15:00.001-05:00

This is my uiew today

Happy New Year (rabbit rabbit)

2008-01-01T08:33:00.000-05:00

Peace

2007-12-24T23:54:00.000-05:00

And good presents to all!

(Doug, we got our good present early! THXOX)

Shopping

2007-12-22T17:24:00.001-05:00

Photo opportunity!
(hard to see, but Bookworm as her cellphone/camera in hand.)

Tok'ra, secret agent.

Multimedia message

2007-12-18T07:17:00.001-05:00

No cable TV - No internet connection . . . THX for nothing, Comcast! I've been stuck @ home 'cause of the abscess, cannot drive due to taking Vicodin. ARGH . . . TLP & Dad haven't had electricity in all this times . . .

Multimedia message

2007-12-16T10:42:00.001-05:00

Abcesses are hell. Vicoden is not.

Hmmmm ... Good Pumpkin

2007-12-14T04:58:00.001-05:00

At work, the pumpkins that were used as fall decorations were going to be thrown into the dumpster. So I took five or so home to feed the critters (this was after watching the squirrels @ my in-laws eat their pumpkin, right outside their front door).

Didn't take long for them to discover food! I think that the chipmunks might have gotten to one of them, because the hole is smaller and eaten away differently.

btw, the face is a caricature of our CEO. He's a fun guy.

Multimedia message

2007-12-05T11:38:00.001-05:00

This is the scene outside right now

Happ Birthday TLP!

2007-11-30T06:32:00.000-05:00

wooHOO, it's my mom's birthday!

Multimedia message

2007-11-17T15:18:00.001-05:00

Multimedia message

2007-11-15T20:45:00.001-05:00

Gecko tree outside girl scout meeting place.

and I thought that I was busy before!

2007-11-13T17:54:00.000-05:00

Started my new job last week. After 17 years of part time employment, full time motherhood and nearly full time volunteerism, I am now working full time. I had no idea how tired that would make me!

Band competition is over for another year. Our marching band went into the championships seeded 16th and came out 11th - I think that this is the highest that our band has ever placed. My Girls are ready to go for 10th or higher next year.

This weekend is Band Fudge weekend. Of course I'm in charge. Trying to delegate as best I can. Unfortunately, our football team made it into the playoffs - the band has to play at the game this Friday night and that's the night that we need to prep the Home Ec. suite for the fudge making the next day.

I'm also working on our church's newsletter right now. Because of the upcoming holiday, I should get it done as soon as I can.

I let Doug and Ekim's birthdays go by w/o wishing them Happy! (I was thinking of you, really I was ...). Sorry 'bout that. I did send a gift along with TanLucyPez to AP3, but didn't send a card or post a bday greeting, either.

Things are Looking UP

2007-10-26T17:40:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday I got an offer to be a quarter-time assistant to our church secretary AND an offer to work part-time at a local florist.

That afternoon I got a call for a second interview for a teller's position with a local federal credit union for a full-time job. Today they called to offer that job!! (I had actually applied for a part time job, but they asked me to work full time.)

I am looking forward to resigning from the Call Center. My supervisor gave his own notice two weeks ago, so it's a good time to go.

Band Competition

2007-10-21T10:33:00.001-04:00

Only it wasn't really. This weekend's competition at a nearby school was very small - many other schools had their homecoming yesterday, so only seven bands entered. And one ended up not being able to come*. Our Marching Band was the only one of its group size there. So the first place trophy isn't quite as sweet for the kids. However, we adults are always telling them that it's the SCORES that we're after, because it's the scores that will get them into the championships. So each our score needs to increase with each competition.

Then they weren't satisfied with that, either. At least, my two bandies aren't. The previous score was 81.25, this week's is 85.55. Goa'uld said that they really kicked butt and their score should reflect that.

My Girls. Never satisfied!

* This band from Lower Bucks, two + hours to our east, wasn't permitted to come. Their football game on Friday night had been cancelled due to the bad weather, and it was made up on Saturday. The school admin told the band that they had to stay for the game, and there was no way that they could've made it to the competition in time.

Multimedia message

2007-10-20T13:19:00.001-04:00

Windy here today

Multimedia message

2007-10-19T10:15:00.001-04:00

On my way to work

Whining About THIS Week

2007-10-15T13:21:00.001-04:00

Monday: Band Boosters Executive Meeting.

Tuesday: going as moral support for a new leader of a 1st Grade Brownie Troop.

Wednesday: water duty for the evening band practice.

Thursday: my Girl Scout troop meeting.

Friday: omigosh no football game!

Saturday: killer day - band practice, football game far away, band competition back home-way.

Got the Girls new cell phones yesterday. Nod and I get aggravated because they rarely use their cells - when we want to get a hold of them we can't, and we're paying $9.99 x2 each month. Argh.

Anyway, we're hoping that these cool new phones will make it easier to get the Girls when we need to (or when they need to call us w/o borrowing someone else's phone).

Taylor Hicks

2007-10-13T20:50:00.001-04:00

Nod took me to a Taylor Hicks concert at Millersville Univ as a birthday present (from August). It was a great concert - it's obvious that he and the band really enjoy music and performing together.

Whining About My Week

2007-10-13T01:37:00.000-04:00

Monday night: Co-Train new Girl Scout Leaders

Tuesday night: Gold Award Mentors Committee meeting (Girl Scouts, again)

Wednesday night: Regional Trainer meeting (yup)

Thursday night: my Girl Scout Troop meeting

Friday night: get the Girls over to the starting point of the Homecoming Bonfire Parade (which the Marching Band will lead), drive the van to the site several blocks away, leave the van for Goa'uld to bring them home, walk home. Sit and vegetate in front of the television (Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy...)

Saturday: Homecoming Game. help w/ Band practice, get the big water coolers/jugs ready, get Girls to the stadium, stay there until it's over ...

My To-Do List is never done, of course. Laundry always needs to get done. I need to get started on Band Fudge Sale prep. Finish my church's newsletter. Start the Camera Club newsletter. Check emails and answer them (between newsletters, band and Girl Scouts, I get alot). And I don't even clean house ... DH does that. And naturally I'm not getting enough sleep or exercise. Missed Actonbell's annual picnic because I had to recertify for Red Cross (for Girl Scouts, but good for me, too) and then we had a band competition to get to.

BTW, Friday was our 22nd wedding anniversary, Sunday is Nod's birthday.

Next week I'll interview for a quarter-time job @ my church and a part-time job at a local florist's (taking phone orders, not making arrangements, but perhaps I can do that sometime, too).

I miss y'all. Really I do. If I could figure out how to post audio blogs via my cell, I would post as I drive around to my various meetings, errands and Twin-Chauffeuring.

Multimedia message

2007-10-13T01:35:00.000-04:00

Testing mobile blogger

r a b b i t r a b b i t

2007-10-01T06:04:00.000-04:00

too tired ... Girl Scout campfire/songs/crafts Friday night. Kids and Nod at far away football game that night. Saturday morning water duty for band practice. kids had band competition about an hour away in the evening.

YIPPEEE! they took first place for their group, and won the drum major, guard and percussion awards! the percussion section hasn't won the award in FIVE years!

and all because Goa'uld got to rub the nose of a Nobel winning physicist and HE rubbed HER nose, too!

the story behind this is that there is a bronze plaque @ the school for this guy. the bandies rub the nose on the plaque for luck - so there's this brightly shining nose in the middle of this darkened large plaque. He came for a visit, heard about the band's "thing" and good-naturedly let many of them rub his nose. When Goa'uld got to him, he said, "can I rub your nose for luck?" and went ahead and did it! she came out of the school that day convinced that not only did she get luck for life but that she could bestow luck on others.

Job Searching

2007-09-18T17:34:00.000-04:00

I've been workin' mighty few hours @ the Call Center ... because "business needs" didn't need ME. I have put in some applications, but stupidly didn't really start looking until recently. I didn't realize that it would take so long to really find a new job.

Yesterday I took a civil service test for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania - Clerk Typist II. I forgot to practice typing and feared that I would really do poorly. After all, I haven't had a typing test in over 30 years! When I got to the testing room, I found out that we only needed to do 40 words per minute to pass ... geez, surely I could do that!

To be honest, I don't think that I've ever typed for a solid five minutes like that before - for years I've been editing or composing as I typed, which meant pausing and backspacing, etc. The young woman to my left seemed to be typing so fast! But after the first test I had 54 wpm with seven mistakes (I admit to backspacing a good bit to correct mistyping) so I didn't have to take the second typing test. The young woman was shaking her hands as if she'd gotten cramps in them - perhaps she was typing TOO fast, eh?

Then we had the written test - and it was easy. Basically, it was to show that you know how to file in alphabetical and numerical order, basic grammar and math and office behavior. It was 135 questions.

Now, I know that the state doesn't move fast, but it's even slower at the moment ... normally I wouldn't hear for two to four weeks about how I did. But now we've got to add two weeks because the computers are down ...

argh.

a belated Rabbit Rabbit

2007-09-01T15:07:00.001-04:00

I was up 'til 1 am working on the camera club newsletter. Then got up at 6:40 am (tried to get up at 6 am) to get ready for a CPR course at 8 am. I needed to get recertified for Girl Scouts, but it's good to have it. I'm hoping to get recertified for First Aid next month.

Because I was the only person @ the class, we finished fairly soon and I was home by 11:00. I promptly took a nap and woke up at 2 pm. And saw mom's email letting me know that it's not my birthday anymore and that it was rabbit rabbit day.

oh, my, my shoulders are sore from doing compressions!

Happy Birthday to Me

2007-08-29T12:33:00.001-04:00

I am 48 years old today.

That means Michael Jackson is one year shy of the big 5-0. ha HA!

Anyway, I wasn't scheduled to work today, so I'm trying to get some cleaning and straightening done. Just got back from lunch w/ Nod - because the Girls have Band and it's my turn to "do the water", we won't be able to go out for a family birthday dinner (which has become the norm for us ....).

Nod presented me with the gift of Taylor Hicks concert tickets at a local college next month. Yippee!! (really ... I'll be wearing my "Soul Patrol" tshirt)

Now, it's back to the closet and desk and to see if I can finish this up this afternoon...

A funny thing happened on the way to ...

2007-08-23T17:02:00.000-04:00

New Hampshire.

well, not really. We visited w/ Nod's aunt, uncle & cousins for a few days. I'll post about it later.

I do have something funny to post, courtesy of mom's friend's husband, who sends/forwards things daily. This one really tickled my funny bone:

Bonus question given on a chemistry exam: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant.

One student, however, wrote the following:

First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.

As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as> >they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially.

Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.

This gives two possibilities:

1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.

2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it? If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, "It will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you," and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number two must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over. The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct......leaving only Heaven, thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why, last night, Teresa kept shouting "Oh my God."

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED AN A+

Halfway Blind & Shaving Legs

2007-08-15T15:52:00.000-04:00

I'm pretty darn nearsighted. This makes shaving my legs in the shower hap-hazard. At best, my legs end up mostly shaved. At worst, not only do I have funny patches of hair, but several cuts to enhance the image.

There is now a product that very helpful for the shaving-challenged: the Gillette Venus Breeze. It has "gel bars" on either side of the multiple blades. They act as a buffer.

So I can swipe away and not worry about cutting myself.

I still have the odd patch of hair here and there.

Hot Rabbit Hot Rabbit

2007-08-01T06:50:00.001-04:00

Well, it's Band Camp Week. Naturally, it's too hot. Fortunately, it's not has hot last year.

I'm Co-V.P. of Band Boosters (woohoo), so I'm over at the camp most of the evening sessions (8:30 -11:30 am; 5:30-8:40 pm). The sections - i.e. low brass, trumpets, drumline, etc., have costume contests for the evenings. Bookworm's trumpet section won group costume and Goa'uld won best individual costume last night. Goa'uld's low brass group won group the night before.

Bloggin' Visit

2007-07-25T20:49:00.000-04:00

We had an absolutely wonderful visit from Doug and Minka. How awful that they live so bloody far away!

The next time any of us visit each other, it must be for MUCH longer! And not at the Lebanese restaurant in our town ... the bellydancer's music was way too loud for conversation and she danced way too long! After our Saturday evening dinner, we headed over to Mom&Dad's for more conversation.

Doug, Monika and I had breakfast (almost at a Waffle House), then Mom and Actonbell joined us. We headed over to Hershey for the simulated chocolate factory tour (that's us in the photo above). Monika did a little shopping, and then she and Doug were off to Baltimore to fly in opposite directions (CA and CT).

I miss you two already!

More This 'N' That

2007-07-09T07:56:00.001-04:00

Took the Girls to music camp yesterday @ a college about 45 minutes away. Another Bandie from their High School is there, too, and Goa'uld is rooming with her. The two room numbers are insteresting ...

123
321

It has been WaaaaaaaaaaaaY too hot, and will be until at least tomorrow. If Wednesday is in the 90's, then we're officially in a Heat Wave. Ugh.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is partially shut down. Museums, State Parks, Driver License offices, the casinos and more won't be open. More than 25,000 employees have been furloughed. However, a judge has ordered that the slot parlors could remain open (something doesn't make sense here, eh?).

Today I start a week of art camp - an hour and a half, Mon-Fri. Usually by this point I've had one or two under my belt, but somehow things haven't worked out - at least one camp was canceled due to lack of registration. Now I'm doing paper mache with 14 kids. Have no idea what age they will be.

Then later this afternoon I'm helping transport a couple of girls from Girl Scout daycamp down to Harrisburg.

Now I'm off to get a coffee, sit a bit and read some of the newspaper, then head out to the Art Center.