G*d's Love

2009 in Review

2010-01-30T12:07:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it's already 2010.
What happened to 2009?

This stuff:
rang in the new year
met 2 Canadian mounties while on vacation in Mazatlan
got sucked into Facebook
started knitting again; got sucked into Ravelry
reconnected with someone I hadn't seen since 1990
my maternal grandmother died; she was well over 100 years old
moved to NYC
went to Atlantic City for the first time
went on my second cruise
got sea sick for the second time
25th high school reunion
got a great deal on a KitchenAid mixer
enjoyed a quiet Christmas
prepared to ring in the new year

2010-01-10T23:00:00.000-05:00

You know that new McDonald's commercial? The one with the young woman rapping in a van? If not, here it is:

She's a violinist and lives in my new neighborhood; there was a story about her and the making of the commercial in today's paper. Nice to see fun, inspiring articles for a change!

Happy New Year

2010-01-03T12:06:00.002-05:00

And what a lovely way to ring it in:
an Alvin Ailey performance, followed by dinner at this place. Stayed away from the Times Square mele.

Welcome 2010.

Happy, Grateful Tears

2009-02-22T15:11:00.013-05:00

I did not go to church this morning. Wait, that's not true. I went to church, but I spent the hour sitting in the kitchen, in the basement, on my mobile phone. And on this, Transfiguration Sunday, that was the absolute right thing for me to be doing.

Why?

Because I was talking to someone I have not seen since May 1, 1990.

I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia; I was there December 29, 1988 - May 1, 1990. On May 1, I was evacuated with other PCVs. On December 24, 1989 rebel troops had crossed into Liberia starting a war that would last over a decade. On May 1st, I was on a plane- because the US Ambassador declared the situation unsafe and ordered the evacuation of all PCVs and other "non-essential" US employees.

So, one minute I was en route to the airport in Monrovia. Less than 12 hours later, I was in a holding room at JFK airport. After spending 18 months without running water or electricity, I found myself back in the US, staring at a neon sign advertising personal pan pizzas. Talk about abrupt.

Anyway, in Liberia, I lived in a small community not far from the capital (Monrovia)and while there, I became very close to a young girl who lived across the street from me. She was my constant companion and it broke my heart to leave her when I was evacuated.

I lost track of her as her family fled the fighting and I never knew if what happened to her. Awful, terrible things happened in my community after I left, and I knew some had not survived. Had her family made it to Ghana to a refugee camp? Had she made it to the US where I knew she had family?

I have looked for her off and on since 1990, and several months ago found information that lead me to Sunday. When I heard her voice on my message machine earlier that week, I cried. She now lives in Asia and didn't leave a phone number; her message said she'd call again over the weekend. My phone rang as I was pulling into the parking lot at church. Not only did she survive the war, but she is well, happily married, and pregnant!

We talked for nearly an hour. We have since emailed and I'm sending her all the photos I have of her and her community. They remind me of my Peace Corps experience and make me smile. Now they are the only photos she has of her childhood.

It was wonderful to talk to her, to know that she is well, to hear about her family. I look forward to rebuilding our friendship.

But she said something during our conversation that I found startling. She talked about doing short mission trips with her church, hoping to have an influence on someone young- just as I had had on her. Holy cow!

A boy I did Peace Corps with recently shared this quotation with me. I'd seen it before, but it took on a whole new meaning after reconnecting with my Liberian friend: "To the world you are just one person, but to one person, you are the world!"

It's Starting!

2008-11-11T18:30:00.003-05:00

The days are getting shorter. I've already turned the heat on in my house. I sitting in my living room wearing fleece. Know what that all means?

College basketball is starting!!!!

And this is the perfect way to kick off the season, I think.

Oh yeah, and men's early and women's preseason rankings aren't so bad, either.

A New Day

2008-11-05T16:20:00.009-05:00

I am the the daughter of folks raised in the segregated South.

And now a Black man is the President-elect.

Look what G*d can do!

2008-11-04T10:30:00.004-05:00

From a friend:

This was sent to me from a friend.

Apparently, there's an ad campaign down in NYC trying to voters focused on policies and not race. The text reads "Let the issues be the issue" (italics mine). Click here for the campaign poster itself.

Red or Blue? Which are You?

2008-11-03T13:27:00.001-05:00

Guess it's time to move back home.

You Should Live in a Purple State

Your preferences are 60% Blue, 40% Red

You may not be a swing voter, but you feel comfortable around moderate people.

You tend to do best in states with a red and blue mix - like Nevada and North Carolina.

You are adaptable. You can converse with a church crowd as easily as with grad students.

Should You Live in a Red State or a Blue State?

Last Minute Voting Info

2008-11-02T22:55:00.005-05:00

Ok, so you've made your choice for President. But what about your representative for State Assembly? Or State Supreme Court? Or Judge? And how do you feel about
that question/amendment/proposal?

Click here to see what will be on your ballot on Tuesday. If that doesn't give info on your state, try this.

Happy voting!

Scary Hallowe'en

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

Ok, so what do you do when the politician of your choice is behind in the polls and you want to make an impact? Just watch this video below for an idea.

That'll teach all those 10 year olds to choose the right candidate!

2008-09-10T19:49:00.003-05:00

BiblioDiva introduced me to this website . Too funny. Be sure to check out "Some Fan Favorites" on the far right, especially this one.

So Much Fun!

2008-08-10T16:50:00.003-05:00

The article was in today's paper. Yay me!

OMG!

2008-08-08T15:13:00.006-05:00

Remember the whole "I'm gonna have Carl Kassel's voice on my answering machine" issue? Well, I'm still waiting for the CD to come back from Wait, Wait, but guess who called me today?

A reporter from my local newspaper. I guess they wanna do a story! How cool is that?

2008-07-17T02:06:00.004-05:00

The gf and I just got back (to Queens) from the "Last Play at Shea"-

Billy Joel in concert, at Shea Stadium.

But since there's another concert on Friday, I guess it was the next to last play at Shea.

So now I can say I made it to Shea Stadium. And I saw Billy Joel perform there. AMAZING.

2008-07-06T16:47:00.003-05:00

Jesse Helms is dead.

Someone in my life suggested that he couldn't bear the thought of a Black man as a viable candidate for the US Presidency.

An Only Child with Siblings

2008-06-24T21:41:00.001-05:00

That's me.

I am my mother's only child, and was raised as such.

I am the oldest of my father's 3 children, and spent some of my vacation time with him and his family.

Not uncommon, I'm sure, but still- a paradox:

I am an only child. And yet I have 2 siblings (whom I love oodles and oodles).

'splains a lot, huh?

2008-06-24T17:13:00.003-05:00

During our lunchtime phone conversation today, the gf told me that George Carlin died. Then she repeated one of his jokes.

"Is it true that cannibals don't eat clowns because they taste funny?"

She laughed. Hard. Guffawed, even. In the words of BiblioDiva, she BUSTED OUT laughing (and BiblioDiva knows a thing or two about that). And while the gf is laughing, I am silent. Stone silent.

It took me a full minute to get it.

Stop laughing at me!

November's Siren Song, revisited

2008-06-22T22:15:00.000-05:00

Purchased a few days ago, from a local discount/closeout clothing store (think TJ Maxx, only better):

1 lightweight windbreaker/rain jacket, in Carolina blue
1 reversible trench coat, with matching hat

Both (all 3?) for under $40. Woo-hoo!

The gf will be so impressed! After buying new shoes several months ago, I've moved on to coats. Ok, I've moved back to coats (remember this post or even this one?) I now have a reasonable winter coat, a casual rain jacket, and a "grown up" 3 season rain coat. So long 20 year old coats! My wardrobe is moving into the 21st Century.

Yay me!

2008-06-18T21:55:00.000-05:00

Go read what BiblioDiva posted on her blog today.

Now explain to me again why I shouldn't want to shoot someone.

The Road Well Travelled

2008-06-17T18:20:00.001-05:00

En route to Queens Saturday afternoon, I got run off the road on the Hutchinson Parkway. Off the shoulder. Into a ditch. Lucky for me, the young men in the car behind me stopped and pushed my car out of the ditch. Both Marianne-the-car and I are fine, if a bit shaken up.

En route from Queens yesterday, I got caught in a lovely hour long thunderstorm on the Taconic Parkway, a beautifully scenic highway with no shoulder and a tendency to "hold water" where the shoulder should be.

Talk about bad carma...

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Of course, our NY Liberty won Saturday night, defeating Candice Wiggins and the Minnesota Lynx and (almost) making being tossed in a ditch worth the effort. The gf has season tickets and I tag along as often as I'm in town. It's a great time.

Ravelry, Part II

2008-06-14T22:10:00.001-05:00

Another cool think about ravelry is that there are 8 Sheree's.

Here's where we live:
California (3 of 'em!)
Pennsylvania
Upstate NY (that's me!)
Georgia (she's a peach, not a former Soviet)
Germany
New Zealand

Pretty amazing.

FYI: there are over 15 Cherie's!

2008-06-13T05:28:00.001-05:00

My new favorite way to procrastinate is Ravelry. The knitting thing is making me think about returning to crochet, and the possibilities on ravelry are (seemingly) endless.

I mean, really, how cute is this baby afghan?

Of course, I'm knee-deep (ok, ankle-deep) into a blanket for Idara, who's due next month. Here's the pattern, although I'm making it in yellow.
Simple, but a good way to get back into knitting.

But back to Ravelry:
One of the coolest things is that there are affinity groups, which is fun. I've reconnected with many women I went to college with.
AND there's a Hello Kitty group. Woo-hoo! Just think, I could make this:

Oops!

2008-06-10T17:21:00.003-05:00

I wasn't sure before now, but my back is definitively feeling better.

I've been seeing a chiropractor twice a week for a nearly a month and yeah, it's working.

How do I know?
1. I'm not in pain at work
2. I forgot my appointment this afternoon.

Friendly Knitting, Part I

2008-06-08T14:06:00.006-05:00

Today I went to my office to catch up on paper- and lab-work. I was excited to finish, because I wanted to go to a local yarn shop which I learned about on Ravelry. The shop has a lovely website and I was eager to check it out, and perhaps even to pick up a nice pattern book or novelty item.

HOWEVER (and you knew this was coming, right?), that didn't happen. Oh, I made it to the shop with no problem. Mapquest was accurate, for once.

It was a small, homey shop just as I'd expected. It was even busy- full of women sitting in comfy chairs and on sofas, knitting. 2 young women entered the shop just before me, full of purpose: one of them needed help with a project.

I strolled in, and began looking around. The shop has adorable buttons and some metal needles I hope to get in the not-too-distant future. But not one of those women spoke to me. And no, I didn't sit down and try to engage anyone in conversation. I did loiter a bit, hoping to be noticed. Alas, everyone was too busy with their own project/conversation.

I didn't find yarn I felt compelled to buy. I'm not ready for the metal needles. I don't need buttons. So, I left.

There are a couple of other yarn shops in the area. I'll check them out too, just to see what other my other options are. Maybe I'll find someplace a little less busy and less, well, intimidating.

Hat Gone Wrong

2008-06-06T17:45:00.002-05:00

This is for Cass, who isn't surprised that I lost my first hat. I even stuck to the pattern and it was lovely hat. The only problem was that it was too long in the front. Below are photos of my second attempt. And now I know that increasing (or decreasing) too quickly makes for a notsoattractive look.

Here's how I "designed" it, increasing at the crown to make it more fitted and decreasing in the front to prevent it from hanging in my face.

Note the resemblence to a helmet.

Now, notice how if I wear it backwards, it looks so much better. But now it oddly resembles a bonnet. Not the most attractive look, but it's amusing and it keeps my head warm.

Oh, and notice the lovely crocheted straps. I was afraid my ears would get cold if I couldn't cinch the hat closed.

Dishcloth, Part II

2008-06-04T17:32:00.003-05:00

Ok, NO ONE at work has claimed responsibility for leaving this in my purse. Not only was my guess about who left it wrong, I spent the better part of the day on a wild goose chase asking folk if they'd left something in my purse last night!

The cloth was not in my bag Monday evening.

I went to work Tuesday and left my purse where I always do. I share an office with 2 other dentists; neither of them works on Tuesdays.

I left work Tuesday evening and did not see the dishcloth in my purse. The purse is a bucket-type bag with a thin strap/hook mechanism to "close" it. Something placed on top could easily slip to the bottom. I left work, stopped at a drive-through, then went to my chiropractic appointment. I stopped at the supermarket on my way home and discovered the dishcloth then.

Maybe someone left it in my purse at my chiropractic appointment? But it was with me the whole time.

Maybe someone left it at the supermarket. But again, it was with me. And I didn't see anyone I knew at the supermarket. Why would a stranger drop a handmade dishcloth into my purse?

Odd. Odd, odd, odd.

===========

So, to the person who gave me the dishcloth, I say thank you!
I will use it and smile.

How'd She Know?

2008-06-03T19:54:00.013-05:00

Found in my purse this evening:

I think a young woman in my office left it for me. A lovely cotton knitted dishcloth.

Now, how'd she know I left dishes in the sink this morning?

No Waaaay!

2008-05-09T12:22:00.010-05:00

My sister is visiting from Atlanta, for my birthday.

Last night we went to a taping of Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!, one of our favorite NPR shows.

And guess who won Carl Kassell's voice on her answering machine?!

Adam Savage from Myth Busters played "Not My Job" and he got all the answers right.

He was playing for me! Woo HOO!

Gigantic thanks to my sister for getting them to put my name as the potential winner.

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Happy Birthday to Me!

Fond and Happy Memories

2008-04-15T09:02:00.012-05:00

My friend Mary passed away this morning.

Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever. -Margaret Cho

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And just for the record, my nose bled last night too.

Make it Stop

2008-04-14T17:41:00.004-05:00

I woke up in the middle of the night (early Sunday morning) with a nosebleed. I had another one Sunday early evening. And then another one in the middle of the night last night.

The gf's sister insisted I call my PCP (who's also her PCP). So far, no response. But let's hope tonight is better. I don't think my room is particularly dry, but I'll sleep with the humidifier on tonight.

April Showers

2008-04-11T20:27:00.003-05:00

bring May flowers. At least, that's what I'm gonna tell myself this rainy weekend.

It's been nearly a month:

March Madness (boys and girls) got the best of me

My friend Mary is so very sick and it breaks my heart. As a mutual friend said tonight, "it's hard to know what to pray for."

The gf and I went to see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Wonderful. All black cast. No James Earl Jones but still worth seeing.

The comic strip Mother Goose and Grimm has been doggin' my girl Hello Kitty for the last 2 days. It's just not right...

Ok, it IS funny, but that don't make it right!

Good Friday

2008-03-21T22:31:00.001-05:00

My friend was both lucid and responsive today. God is Good.

Scary

2008-03-19T20:52:00.004-05:00

A good friend of mine is very, very ill. Less than a year ago she was diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma. In December she had a bone marrow transplant. Apparently, the cancer is "back." Less than a week ago, she was told that she has "weeks" to live.

Here's what is scary.
On Saturday we visited for a long time. She was lucid and responsive and we talked at length.
On Sunday she was clearly less responsive but certainly lucid and aware of her surroundings.
On Monday she was none of those things. At all. None.
Yesterday she was sleeping when I saw her.
Today she was more responsive, but I honestly fear that days like Saturday are gone.

I'm heartbroken. For her. For her family. For those of us who are her friends.

2008-03-16T20:00:00.000-05:00

Guess who's the over-all Number 1 seed in the men's NCAA tourney?

The semifinals (Final 4) and finals (Championship game) are in San Antonio, but our seeding means we'll be in our own backyards until then (first Raleigh, then Charlotte).

Go Tarheels!

2008-03-12T05:27:00.000-05:00

How come Lisa gets to be Breakfasty? I wanna be pancakes with the perfect amount of syrup!

Instead, this is what I am:

I am the time when being awake feels forbidden. Huh? What does that even mean?!

democrats running for President

2008-03-11T19:09:00.001-05:00

My first choice for President withdrew from the race.

I voted on Super Tuesday and feel good about who I chose, but I am watching the race closely as we decide who will be the Democratic nominee.

I did not start out this process being antiClinton. After all, she is one of my senators. However, I am disturbed by much of the antiObama rhetoric I hear. For example, as a Christian, I am disturbed and offended by the notion that Obama's Christianity necessarily means he is homophobic and anti-choice. He's not, incidentally. Here's some proof. And here's even more proof.

In general, I'm pretty annoyed with Mrs. Clinton and her "I have more experience than he does because I was First Lady" campaign. Does anyone else remember her insistence of the use of her birth name, Rodham, to make it clear that she was not "just" a wife and mother. And what of her contempt for Barbara Bush's decision to be a political spouse and parent?

So now that it suits her, she'll use that her husband was President? How is HIS presidency HER experience?

Tarheel Pride

2008-03-03T15:24:00.007-05:00

Check this out!

Cable Delight

2008-03-03T11:31:00.002-05:00

Today a nice man from my local cable company came and added phone to my "all-in-one" package. Even though he was amused when I asked for a photo ID before I let him in.

He even came on the early side, so I've spent the last few hours getting acquainted with Windows Vista on my new laptop. So far, I am NOT a fan. So much so that I'm tempted to have XP put on this new computer, but I probably need to learn Vista, if only to be able to help guide the gf on her own OMGwhatismycomputerdoing journey.

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Much thought of late about Clinton, Obama, evangelical Christians, why folks insist on making Obama Muslim, and the kidnapping of all things Christian by the Republicans. Watching the Texas and Ohio primaries with interest. Learning that even today, even with folks I know and respect, I should continue to refrain from discussing issues of race with white folk. Most of you, anyway.

82-51

2008-03-02T22:39:00.001-05:00

My Carolina women walked all over Duke today.

Beautiful.

Go, Carla!

2008-03-01T09:13:00.017-05:00

Carla Richardson and I were roommates our first year in college. Now she's family physician Dr. Carla Lambert and today is the grand opening of her private practice, Truly Blessed Health and Wellness Center in Beltsville, Maryland.

Congratulations,
Dr. Lambert!

2008-02-27T22:04:00.002-05:00

My auto insurance rocks!

Not only did they work quickly to expedite my claim, my filing the claim will not make my premium go up because I wasn't at fault. At least, that's what the nice lady at my insurance agent's office told me. I get a rental car too, which is good since I have a 25-30 minute commute to work each way.

So now I have to find someplace to DO the work!

He Has a Name

2008-02-26T06:19:00.000-05:00

More from the young man mentioned on February 22nd. His name is Derrick Ashong, BTW.

2008-02-25T17:28:00.006-05:00

I was in Queens this weekend. The gf and I got up early yesterday and went into Manhattan to her favorite store, Macy's at Herald Square (That's the one on 34th street). We had a blast, and even got me a purse I've been looking at for 6 months- on sale, no less.

And she wasn't even frustrated while shopping with me, the kid who isn't a huge fan.

So, it was a good trip.

Until we got back to Queens and saw that someone had hit Marianne (my car). HARD. The passenger side front panel is dented in so far I was concerned that the wheel well was damaged. It drives ok and I made it back Upstate with no problems, but now I have to get my car fixed.

And NO, the person who hit my car did not leave a note.

Boo Hiss

2008-02-24T13:47:00.000-05:00

I'm annoyed. I mean, really annoyed.

Last Saturday morning the gf and I were on separate websites to get tickets for The Last Play at Shea, scheduled for July 16th (a Wednesday). Not exactly the easiest time for me to go downstate to Shea Stadium, you know? BUT, we were excited about the show and happy to have gotten tickets.

Then, I found out that another show was added . The added show is on Friday, July 18th so now we have tickets for the Next to the Last Play at Shea.

So guess what did we did this past Saturday morning? Yep, try for tickets to the Friday show. And not only couldn't we score tickets, we couldn't even get to the site or an operator.

So, we'll go to the Wednesday night show, but just for the record, I think it stinks that they added a show on a better day (and later) than the original show.
Couldn't the original show have been on Friday night, then the added show on Wednesday?

Surely Shea Stadium and Billy Joel knew they were going to add a show. How could the first show NOT sell out? He always sells out in NYC, and for Pete's Sake, it's the LAST SHOW before Shea is shut down.

2008-02-22T19:09:00.004-05:00

My friend Jocelyn sent me the link to this video.

A young man at a Barrack Obama rally is being interviewed on his views. I guess the interviewer is fairly aggressive, which is what made Jocelyn forward the link to me.

And so I pass it on:

President's Day

2008-02-18T19:20:00.001-05:00

I was listening to NPR this evening as I was cooking, and heard this quiz in tribute to today being President's Day. I got half of them right. Can you beat me?

Who was the first US President...

1. to visit a foreign country?
2. to visit the West Coast?
3. born West of the Mississippi River?
4. born in a hospital?
5. who was a bachelor? (not a widower, a bachelor)
6. who was divorced?
7. to resign?
8. to die while in office?
9. to wear pants regularly (as opposed to wearing knee breeches)?
10. to own a radio?

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And I just saw this on the NPR website. I found it oddly amusing.

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Oh, you want the answers to the quiz? Click here.

Surviving Lent

2008-02-16T17:30:00.002-05:00

It is possible to smile so much your face gets sore. I realized last week at work. One of the folks I work with nearly laughed their head off when I told them what my goal for Lent is. The response was, "You'll never make it!"

Not exactly encouraging, huh?

Well, it's been nearly a week, and so far, so good.

Pig Uterus, Anyone?

2008-02-15T22:36:00.008-05:00

On Colvin Avenue in Albany is the Asian grocery store (called "Asian Grocery") I like. It's where I get nori and rice for sushi, the ginger drink I often have with breakfast, and inexpensive veggies.

On my last visit, I ventured past the tanks of live fish (and lobsters and turtles) to the fresh meat. Lots of pork, including fresh neck bones. Since I've only been able to find frozen ones here, I was thrilled. Southerner that I am, what's a pot of black-eyed peas without neck bones?

Tonight I actually bought some. Yippee! I also looked at some of the other offerings. No chitterlings but they did have pork stomachs (hog maws) whole ducks, chicken feet, pork hearts (2 to a pack) and packages of pig uterus.

I've eaten (and enjoyed) my fair share of porcine large intestines, but the uterus? Oh my. And can I tell you it was white and gelatinous looking? It looked, well, "springy."

So curious was I about pig uterus that I did an on-line search and found this. Scroll down to "Number 1 Scariest Food to be had at Ranch 99." It had me laughing out loud.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T19:58:00.010-05:00

Recipes

2008-02-12T15:15:00.000-05:00

I received BiblioDiva's recipes in the mail yesterday. The idea was that the loser of the wager would send 20 recipes to the winner. Recipes that the winner would likely enjoy. So, what'd she send? More than 20 recipes, for starters, including a couple for biscuits, several for desserts (including a few chocolate chip cookies and a pound cake), and a few main dishes.

The most memorable, however, are from the same cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens Junior Cook Book for Beginning Cooks of All Ages (published before I was born, I'm sure).

Recipe #1: According to the cookbook, "Individual meat loaves made with ground beef are shaped around wooden skewers and called Everyday Drumsticks. The whole family will enjoy this new and different mealtime idea."

Recipe #2: Here's the list of ingredients for Strawberry Pineapple Freeze.

1-10oz package frozen strawberries, thawed
1-8.75oz can crushed pineapple
1 cup strawberry-flavored yogurt
0.25 cup sifted powdered sugar
3 pineapple rings
lettuce

And here's the photo:

Yes, folks, it seems that BiblioDiva really is trying to kill chubby little me. Miniature meat loaves on sticks? And where's the cool whip for the strawberry pineapple thingy? And do I really have to cut it into wedges like that and serve it on iceberg lettuce?

Next time you're in metroDC, call BiblioDiva and ask her to cook you a meal...

2008-02-10T12:37:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been a part of something small you were quite proud of? So small that it won't change most lives around you, but still big enough that you think "Woo Hoo!"

I think that about having helped get an amazing group of my college classmates to want to be class officers for the next 5 years. We will celebrate our 20th anniversary in May and these women will usher us to our 25th reunion. A small thing in the big scheme of things but honestly, these are amazing women!

I'm soooo excited.

We went to Mount Holyoke, incidentally-

2008-02-09T10:57:00.001-05:00

The gf bought me a Giants SuperBowl t-shirt. Complete with team roster on the back. Only not so complete since Jeremy Shockey isn't listed.

I know he's been out most of the season with a broken leg, but he broke his leg during a game!

Does this mean he didn't get a ring? That he's not coming back next season?

What's going on??!

"Clean" Glasses

2008-02-08T06:18:00.000-05:00

Last weekend when I was in Boston, I stayed at the lovely Seaport Hotel.

However, I didn't use the glasses in the bathroom because my friend Gwen had sent me this clip and I couldn't get it out of mind.

Ash Wednesday

2008-02-06T18:48:00.000-05:00

I think of the 40 days of Lent as a time to be reflective and repentant as way of preparing for Easter, the holiest day in the Christian calendar. For me, it's a time that, in some small way, parallels the 40 days Jesus spent wandering in the wildness being tempted by Satan.

Lots of people "give up" something as a means of sacrifice during Lent. Because I didn't grow up doing that, I've often tried to "take something on," usually something that will require more of me than I usually give.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and I haven't decided what to take on. Certainly, I could be more "chipper" at work and nicer to folks I don't particularly care for, but I think I want to reach higher this year.

So here's what I've decided:
I want to be able to go to bed each evening knowing that I've lived a good day- that I've strived, honestly and sincerely, to be a better person than I've ever been.

Personally, it's not practical to think about being "the best person I can be" because that'll set me up to feel like a failure for 40 days, especially since I'm not even sure I know what my "best" is. But I do know when I've done "better" than before, which means that I'll have a means of self-reflective and evaluation.

I want to wake up on Easter morning knowing that I've spent this time constantly striving to be a better person, with the intent that it'll put me closer to the person G*d intended me to be.

Odds and Ends

2008-02-05T11:46:00.000-05:00

I just got home. I left work early since my schedule bombed out. "All is not lost," I thought. "I can go vote." Imagine my surprise when I wasn't listed in the official books, and I had to vote by affidavit, on paper. The poll volunteers were very nice and quite helpful, but still, I wanted to use the machine! I got to use it in 2006. I even have my little post card from the Voting Commissioners verifying my registration.

===== ===== =====

I spent this past weekend in Boston at the Yankee Dental Congress, one of the largest dental conventions in the US. And lest you think I was there with only 30 or 40 other folks, here's an article BiblioDiva sent me about it.

Can you imagine? 28,000 dentists all in one place?

It was a blast!

===== ===== =====

SuperBowl Champs!

2008-02-04T13:12:00.000-05:00

Once again, my Jeremy Shockey jersey and I propelled our NY Giants to a win. And this time, it was the ultimate win. Despite the nay-sayers. 17-14.

And BiblioDiva owes me 20 recipes. So remember darling, I don't like raspberries (in any form!), and I'm not a big dairy eater so no recipes full of heavy cream, cheese and the like.

Go Giants!

====

Oh, and today, my UNC women beat Duke at home: 93-76. Woo-hoo!

21st Century

2008-01-29T12:25:00.000-05:00

Welcome to it!

I have cable! Woo-Hoo!

NFC Champs!

2008-01-21T18:48:00.000-05:00

The Giants are going to the SuperBowl! I even wore my new Jeremy Shockey jersey.

The gf and I watched and celebrated with wine and popcorn.

Woo-hoo!

Shiny Red Shoes

2008-01-17T19:56:00.000-05:00

I shook things up at work today. I usually wear my black clogs but today I wore the red patent leather ones.

It's amazing how many more smiles I saw today. I guess shiny, fire engine red shoes'll do that.

ET, Phone Home!

2008-01-14T15:39:00.000-05:00

The dial tone on my landline ran away. And before that, there was so much static on the line it was impossible to talk.

Read: I was paying for a phone that, intially, I could barely use (and recently, couldn't use at all). I didn't even know about the dial tone problem until someone told me they'd called me and not gotten an answer. When I tried to call out, there was no dial tone and when I called in, it didn't ring.

Today, after 3 trips to the basement and 2 trips down the road, a Verizon repair guy has corrected the problem. Woo-hoo!

Call me! A phone with a dial tone is standing by.

2008-01-10T11:35:00.000-05:00

My friend BiblioDiva makes me laugh so hard it hurts.

She posted one of our email conversations on her blog this week. Even though I was a part of the conversation, reading it still made me laugh.

Church Ladies Unite!

2008-01-10T08:45:00.000-05:00

Last night I went to Alice's first "let's get together to knit" gathering. Alice is a friend from church; her daughter is close to my age. Two others joined: one my age; one Alice's. We had a blast! And I even did some knitting!

I'm looking forward to next week.

Highway Robbery

2008-01-09T10:03:00.000-05:00

The gf and I have a membership to one of those giant wholesale clubs. The one near my house Upstate has a gas station. This is nice since gas for members is cheaper than for nonmembers.

I bought gas last night. Pump #1 told me that my card is expired so the pump defaulted to market price (#3.36/gallon). My card expires in March of 2009. This same pump did the same thing 2 weeks ago. I pumped nearly 2 gallons befored it occurred to me to try a different pump.

Last night, pump #8 accepted my card just fine and charged me the member price of $3.25. The nice young male attendant indicated to me that the store knew about the problem with that pump (and one other, incidentally), but that they didn't do anything about it.

I called the store this morning, because, frankly, this is tantamount to stealing. The manager didn't seem to know anything about the problem and promised he'd look into it. Honestly, if it happened to me twice, how long has it been a problem? And how many people have been erroneously overcharged?

2008-01-08T12:37:00.000-05:00

I emailed my local ABC station (WTEN) to ask my question. And whaddaya know, they responded!

Apparently, I caught their broadcast of RetroTV on its very first day. They are still in testing mode. If they decide to keep it, they will not only advertise, but also include in on cable.

I feel like I've hit the jackpot.

And to all you "glass half-empty" folks out there: it's NOT the same as Nick at Night. It's better, if only because I don't have to stay up past 9pm to watch the shows.

To Cable or Not to Cable

2008-01-07T18:19:00.000-05:00

So I've finally signed up for cablevision. I'm still waiting to arrange for installation. I called twice today, but was on hold so long I gave up both times. I'll call back, but here's my dilemma:

The new TV gets HDTV and low and behold, many of my local stations have "extra" HD channels. For example, my local ABC affiliate has its regular programming station** as well as "Retro TV," the Retro Television Network. Guess who watched "John Boy" from The Waltons on an episode of Marcus Welby, MD. Guess who also saw an episode of The Rockford Files.

So the question begs, will I still get Retro TV once I have cable? And what about the cool "extra" PBS stations I get, including CreateTV and PBS World?

**My local ABC station, WTEN, is channel 10. The HD programming is on 10.1 and RetroTV is 10.3. Interesting enough, 10.2 is local weather, 24/7.

Zappo's Joke of the Day

2007-12-13T14:25:00.000-05:00

Q: What did the alien say to the gardener?
A: Take me to your weeder!

It is so funny!

====

Ok, who even knew Zappo's had such a thing? I called ask about the order I returned, and when listening to the phone tree, I couldn't resist listening to the "joke of the day."

HELP! I've Run Out of Windex and Can't See!

2007-12-10T21:33:00.000-05:00

Today, at Sears Auto:
I am waiting at the counter for the nice man to finish putting my information into his computer so they can take care of my car.

A woman in a Benz drives in, parks, and tells the nice man that she has run out of washer fluid. Only she calls it "car windex." She has run out and doesn't know how to put it into her car (her words). He tells her to go inside the store area (we are in the garage area), purchase it, and he will put it in for her. When she comes back, she is waiting for him to finish with me, and is a bit impatient. I remark to her that if she pops her hood, she can probably figure out where the fluid goes.

She looks at me and with a straight face, says, "I don't know how to pop the hood either."

Are you kidding me?! You drive the frickin' car and don't know how to open the hood?! Is it just me, or does that seem insane?

Ok, maybe that's harsh, but honestly. "Helpless" women get on my nerves.

Woo-hoo!

2007-12-04T13:31:00.000-05:00

My biopsy results are in: BENIGN!

And my sister continues to recuperate. She has her ups and downs, but is doing well medically. She enjoyed hearing me read all the well wishes.

So even though it's freezing outside and my little feet are cold, it's a good day. Celebrate!

Surgery Update

2007-11-27T16:50:00.000-05:00

First and foremost, huge thank yous to everyone who sent comments and well wishes. I was able to read the first few to my sister before she went into surgery this morning. Late this afternoon my stepmother called and left the message that while the surgery was difficult and had taken longer than expected, my sister came through it and will be fine. She's in recovery and will be kept sedated overnight. So, I'll read her the rest of your well wishes tomorrow, when I expect I'll be able to talk to her.

Thank you!

Prayer Request

2007-11-26T19:34:00.000-05:00

My sister has been in and out of the hospital over the last few weeks. She went back over the weekend, and is having surgery tomorrow morning. The surgery is considered "routine" but still, it's scary and the decision to actually have it was not an easy one for her to make.

So, please, think of her tomorrow morning at 9.30am EST, the surgery start time. BTW, she's in Atlanta, and has been known to identify herself on blogs as "Sheree's sister."

Send her good wishes via the comments section, and I'll read them to her tomorrow evening when I talk to her.

Thanks!

I is Educated

2007-11-25T23:12:00.000-05:00

The other day, I bought a few things at the grocery store. My bill was $10.22. I gave the cute little cashier one ten dollar bill, one quarter and two pennies. When she tried to return the pennies to me, I replied: "I don't want the pennies. That's why I gave them to you."

She stood there for upwards of 15 seconds counting the money, then finally punched "$10.27" into the cash registered. For a moment, I thought I'd have to tell her how much it was.

She seemed surprised when "$0.05" came up as change.

Pitiful, I Know

2007-11-20T13:03:00.000-05:00

Oh, I need new coats too. Notice the plural, as in more than one.

My coat inventory includes:
*a London Fog trench coat I bought at Good Will last year for $10
*an LL Bean field coat I bought when I moved to Boston in 1997
*an LL Bean parka I bought when I lived Western Mass and was playing in the snows of New Hampshire (circa 1995)
*a Peacoat I bought my first year of college. Yeah, in 1984.

I guess I've gotten my money's worth, but it's really time- ok past time- to buy a coat or 2.

Oh, I forgot about my current "dress coat:"
*a wool Herringbone coat that belonged to my paternal grandfather who passed away when I was in 6th grade (c.1978). And it had belonged to one of his sons before that.

And as sad as it is, that really is my coat inventory. I have 2 fleece cardigans and a fleece anorak (won at a raffle in my Western Mass days) as well as 2 or 3 cotton jackets for Spring and Summer. I know, pitiful.

But, I figured out that I can squeeze another year out of the field coat if I cut the cuffs off and reattach them because they are so frayed. And I've ordered a nice wool coat from LL Bean. It will serve as my new "dress coat" and since I'm trying to look like a grown-up these days, I'll probably wear it several times a week. I haven't had much luck looking in brick and mortar stores, so I'm doing the mail order thing.

Once I have the coat, I'll take a picture. I've ordered red!

A Sad Shoe Story

2007-11-04T20:16:00.000-05:00

In the last few months, 3 pairs of my shoes have bitten the dust.

As in: the gf and I are walking on Bradford Street in Ptown when I feel a certain breeziness on my right foot. The sole was separating from the rest of the shoe! And by the time we walked to our friend's house, the left shoe had joined in. So, there went my brown Rockport Mary Jane's. Luckily, friend Rena had a pair of shoes to loan.

2 weeks before the Rockport separation, my beloved Dankso Professionals died. The soles split in half. In half! As for the first pair to die, they were the newest. My cute little brown Ecco mules simply gave up the ghost. The stitching became unstitched, and the leather frayed too much to have them re-sewn. And I bought those shoes in Richmond! They weren't that old.

History: I moved to Upstate NY in 2004 and lived in Richmond from 2001 until then. So the Eccos were only 5 or 6 years old- NOT LONG in Sheree's shoe life. Both the Rockports and Danskos were bought in Boston (1997-2001).

I don't get it- why don't shoes last longer?

And should I mention that the brown loafers I bought at Target my first year here are already starting to show signs of thisismylastseasonwithyou? The heel is starting to separate from the rest of the shoe. And no, I can't get them re-heeled because the sole and heel are all one single rubber piece. I know, what'd I want for $24.99?

So now I need shoes. And since I just love (can you hear the sarcasm?) to shop, Zappo's is my new favorite website. Free shipping!

I Hate It!

2007-10-30T21:08:00.000-05:00

I was duped.
I bought the hype.

UGH!

My old palm pilot died, and I got a Centro SmartPhone to replace it. Good thing it has a 30 day return policy because I hate it. Hate it. Hate it. Hate it.

So much so that I bought a "regular" Palm- a Tungsten E2 instead. I'm taking the Centro back tomorrow.

My top 5 reasons for hating the Centro:
1. No graffiti ("writing" on the palm, which allows one to use sticky notes and jot notes)
2. The only way to input text is via a keyboard that's the size of my thumb. Yep, the WHOLE keyboard. Gimme a break!
3. Every time I talked on the phone, my ear touching the screen turned the damn thing off. Yeah, I disabled that feature, but what a stupid feature!
4. It lost nearly all of its charge overnight. And no, I wasn't on the phone. I charged it to 100% and the next morning, the stupid thing wouldn't turn on the charge was so low.
5. I *still* don't know what the ON button does, since the END button turns the thing off and on.

Of course, if you're really into having email and the web at your fingertips 24/7, in addition to having your address book and a phone, then the Centro may be for you. I'm more interested in the other features, like being able to make notations quickly and easily. In my world, typing on a thumb-sized keyboard is neither quick nor easy. True, I have gotten faster in the week that I've used the Centro, but graffiti/writing lets you have shortcuts so I can type in CAB for Community Accountability Board- a board I'm on that meets bimonthly, etc.

So now I'm back to having a mobile phone and palm pilot separately. Not as tiny, but infinitely more satisfying.

Dancing like White Birds

2007-10-28T12:30:00.000-05:00

So the gf has her new computer all hooked and is she's online. She just saw my last post. Her response?

"Baby, I don't know if you're better than that."

Stop laughing!

Dance Like No One is Watching

2007-10-25T17:58:00.000-05:00

I love to dance.

True confessions: I'm a terrible dancer. Ok, not terrible. But...
Well, I dance like, hmm....

Ok! I dance like a white girl. There I said it! I confess.

Luckily for me, some of my best friends are white girls (hehe) and the gf hasn't been too horrified while dancing with me.

Besides, at least I dance better than Snowball, although we have similar problems with rhythm. We're ok for a while, but then, we get into the music and get, well, lost.

Meghan Update

2007-10-22T13:16:00.000-05:00

If you've been reading Grayson's blog, read it now.

Not only did Meghan get to read the new Harry Potter book, JK Rowlings herself even contacted her. So cool!

NotSoSmart Questions (even if you don't know the answers)

2007-10-19T18:11:00.001-05:00

Who is LeBron James?
What's the Kremlin?
Why are they doing this at the Pentagon? (asked about a 9/11 commemoration being held there)

"WHO asked these questions?," you wonder.
A 10 year old? Someone from a teeny tiny island off the coast of Isle of NoWhere?

Nope. These questions were asked of my cousin, a news producer, by someone she works with.

the good news
Fortunately, that someone doesn't work with her all the time.

the bad news
That person is a journalist. Really.
An honest-to-goodness ontheTVnews journalist.

Sad, sad, sad.

=====

And while you may or may not know that the Moscow Kremlin is the Russian equivalent of our White House (it's where the Russian President lives), you knew it had something to do with Russian politics, right?

Right?

Replacing Your Salary

2007-10-17T18:16:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thought about how you're going to survive financially if you get sick or disabled for an extended period of time? As in- several months? years?

Consider long term disability insurance.

I'm serious.

=====

Imagine:

You haven't worked in 4 months. And, you're seeing a different specialist every week, have PT twice a week and bloodwork every month, not to mention the monthly "check-in" with your PCP, who's being wonderful by keeping up with all the paperwork from the insurance folks.

the bad news:
The long-term disability insurance your company provides only kicks in if you're disabled for more than 6 months.

the good news:
No, wait. You got a better policy. It kicked in at 2 months. Yippee!

the bad news:
It only pays 50% of your salary.

the good news:
Your employer has graciously agreed to "finagle" things so that your health insurance continues uninterrupted, and without an increase in the premium because they value you and your health.

the bad news:
All those appointments are gonna cost you an extra $350 per month.

======

Can you live on half of your salary now, nevermind after increased bills?

Happy Birthday, Cass!

2007-10-16T18:48:00.000-05:00

And yes, I do know how old you are. I was 12 when you were born. So there!

Congrats!

2007-10-07T06:10:00.000-05:00

to Lisa K and Phiance, who get hitched in less than 8 hours.

Will Lisa K become Lisa Another Letter?

Zoo, anyone?

2007-10-06T19:52:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was a wonder. The gf's birthday was Sunday, and to celebrate, we went to the Bronx Zoo. In any case, I hadn't been to the Bronx Zoo since I was 4 or 5; what a riot. Of course, if my back had not been bothering me it would've been even more fun.

The biggest thing I learned at the zoo is that the gf reads every (every!) sign on the displays. And looks at me like I'm a nimrod when I ask things that I could've read- like "Why is that animal sitting like that?" Hmm, clearly the sign told us that it's hind legs have evolved, blah, blah, blah. And yes, she actually reads the Sunday paper while I go straight for the comic strips and circulars...

In addition to learning that I'm a lazy reader at the zoo, I took some pictures:

Hephalumps! The gf's favorite.
(Taken while we were on the monorail. Cool, huh?)

And a sleeping polar bear. I should mention that it was 85F that day. At the end of September. In the Bronx. Poor Polar Bear.

This guy cracked me up. Just stood there, patiently (and majestically, I might add) waited while the clumsy papparazzi got what they needed.

These turtles were a riot. The middle one kept pushing the turtle in front - like it was angry at him or something. And yes, I found that funny to watch. I tried to catch it mid-push, but no luck.

In the butterfly garden

More turtles. This time, in a pond (well, running away from the pond)

Some cousins of the deer.

And last, but not least, the Okapi. I'm fascinated by these animals. I'd never seen one before. Striped legs like a zebra. Dark body like a horse or donkey. But actually related to the girrafe.

I know it's hard to see the photos. Here's a better image.

Humor, My Style

2007-09-10T11:14:00.000-05:00

I'm a geek, I know. But tell me this isn't funny. It was in yesterday's paper.

Catching Up

2007-09-09T22:52:00.001-05:00

For the last month, I have been, well, in a funk.

Ok, not a funk. But struggling. Emotionally. The hours at the "new" job are kicking my behind. But mostly, I've felt distant.

It has reminded me of when Mother Theresa died and an NPR commentator mentioned that she continued her good works even as she struggled in her inability to feel G*d. That even in her decades of feeling removed and untouched by G*d, she continued to do G*d's work.

Perhaps it's a sign (to me) that this very issue has come up in the last few weeks as her diaries are being published. This notion that those of us who identify as "religious" struggle in our ability to "feel" G*d. That we struggle in the "absence" of G*d.

Of course, we all know the piece "Footprints" and how G*d says that in those times of our deepest struggle is when G*d carries us, but that doesn't change how we felt in that moment.

I have hesitated to share in this forum- for all kinds of reasons. But the simple truth is that I miss the connection of having my friends (all 5 of you) read my rantings.

So there you have it.

Books about Dogs?!

2007-09-09T22:44:00.000-05:00

Remember this?
"...I also read "wilderness/adventure" books written by a man whose name I cannot remember. It starts with a K and is likely German or Scandinavian...I think the second letter in his name is a j..."

Thanks, Bibliodiva for supplying the missing letters: Kjelgaard. As in James Arthur (Jim) Kjelgaard.

Ring any bells?

How about books like Big Red, Irish Red: Son of Big Red, Kalak of the Ice?

What's frightening is that when I read the list of his books, I don't actually remember a single one. Did I really read a bunch of adventure books (most of which were about dogs)?!

Not only didn't I have a dog, as a kid I wasn't really an "animal lover" or especially inclined toward dogs. Besides Curly, the neighborhood stray my uncle fed, I'm not even sure I knew any dogs.

No wonder my mother thought I was odd...

not in high school (or in college)

2007-07-27T14:41:00.001-05:00

What I'm reading now: Lady Chatterley's Lover. I've never read it and It was on the bookshelf in the gf's bedroom. Besides, DH Lawrence wrote one of my favorite short stories: The Rocking-Horse Winner.

BTW, the gf is a voracious reader. Eclectic too. Oh, and have I mentioned that she thinks I'm adorable?

oh, and

2007-07-27T14:38:00.000-05:00

this too. Take note my liBERRYan friends. It was a Blog of Note, even.

Good, Bad, Fabulous

2007-07-20T18:56:00.001-05:00

The good news is that the long anticipated Harry Potter book is coming out at midnight tonight.

The bad news is that I was a dismal failure at getting an early copy of the manuscript for Grayson's daughter.

The fabulous news is that she's around to read it along with everyone else. Woo-Hoo!

How Many of Me?

2007-07-18T18:56:00.000-05:00

Have you ever googled your own name, only to find someone (of several someones) besides yourself? I know this may frighten those who know and love me, but there are 18 people in the US who share my first and last name, including an (apparently) famous make-up artist.

How do I know? Click here to find out.

Of how many are you?

Montana and Idaho?

2007-07-16T19:37:00.000-05:00

In a recent phone conversation, my sister commented that she'd never read a Pultizer-prize winning book. Once establishing that this is untrue, we began discussing books we read as children. Being avid readers, we thought we'd read many Caldecott and Newberry medal winning books.

Well, it turns out that Caldecott is an illustration award (and I certainly didn't read "picture books" past age 7). And as for the Newberry list, boy were we surprised! Sure, some of our books were there, but the list that really resonated for us was the Pacific Northwest Library Association's Young Reader's Choice Award.
According to Powells.com, this award was established "in 1940 to promote reading for enjoyment."

Good, good. We liked (ok, loved) to read.

Wanna know how these books were chosen?

"Children and young adults of Alberta, Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington select the winners from nominees submitted by librarians, teachers, students and others."

Alaska? Idaho? Montana?

Are you kidding? Me, nice little black (ok, I started out Negro, according to my birth certificate, and since 1989 I've been African-American) girl is reading a bunch of books selected by the loads of loads of readers out in Montana?

Yeah, yeah- you can talk about the universality of children and reading and all that, but really, what MUST my mother have thought? Yeah, I read Mildred Taylor and even Alice Childress, but I also read nearly every book published by Scott O'Dell, and let me tell you, there are a ton of 'em! I loved Island of the Blue Dolphins!

Montana? No disrespect, but really, how many children were even in Montana in the 1970s?

Aside: I also read "wilderness/adventure" books written by a man whose name I cannot remember. It starts with a K and is likely German or Scandinavian. My mouth keeps saying "Kierkegaard" but I know that's not right. Actually, I think the second letter in his name is a j. Anyone? Bibliodiva? Lisa K? Mellanye?

I really did look, and even went to the children's section of my local libe, but the librarians weren't very nice and seemed perturbed that I was interrupting their construction paper craft project (I'm serious). My library isn't staffed by friendly folk, but I go anyway...

Mail for Mom

2007-07-14T18:27:00.000-05:00

Today she got 2 entry packets from Publisher's Clearinghouse, a magazine, and a couple of begging letters.

I got a renewal notice from AAA.

For the 3rd day in a row, my mother got more mail than me. And only one of us is alive.

How pitiful is that?

===

Anyone wanna tell me how to get her name off these blessed mailing lists? And no, she doesn't want to contribute to the American Diabetic Association or renew her subscription to AARP.

New Beginnings - An Update

2007-07-11T19:15:00.000-05:00

3 months into my "new" job and I'm back at my primary site fulltime, loving that I finally have an assistant (as opposed to a string of temps) and well, settling in nicely.

Today I even reconnected with a lab technician I used to work with. I'm excited to go back to working with him (although my current lab is quite good).

Life is good.

LMNOP

2007-06-30T23:01:00.003-05:00

Remember a million years ago when I told you I got a huge box in the mail with a tiny bit of quilt and a boatload (ok, boxload) of batting?

Also in that box was one of the funniest books I've read in a long time: Ella Minnow Pea, by Mark Dunne. Fun!

Creating Traditions

2007-06-26T12:03:00.000-05:00

My brother came to visit over the weekend. He moved to Boston from Florida a few months ago, and made the trip to Upstate New York to hang out with his big sister. We had a lovely time; it was a nice treat as we had not seen each other in over a year.

While he was here, he asked me an interesting question about my blog. He wanted to know why it's called "G*d's Love" instead of "God's Love". Since I frequently write my creator's name as "G*d" or "G-d" in reverance, I was surprised. Funny how you assume everyone knows what you know (or how you forget that everyone doesn't how what you do).

In any case, it's from Jewish tradition. Not writing God's name is a way to honor
God and God's holiness. Kinda like Christians writing God's name with a capital G, versus when we write about one of the Hindu gods (little g) like Shiva.

Tradition is a powerful thing, and my sister has taught me a bit about creating one's own. Having more reverence with G-d is one I created for myself.

In Memoriam

2007-06-20T08:52:00.000-05:00

It's been a year.

Dorothy Macklin Morgan

June 27, 1941 - June 20, 2006

Open wounds stop bleeding but they are often sore for a very long time.

Six Degrees To JK Rowling

2007-06-02T19:55:00.001-05:00

Read this, then come back.

Now that you're back-
Grayson and I went to high school together in North Carolina and now she lives in the Netherlands. Her daughter, Meghan, is a teenager and has brain cancer. She cannot do chemo and has been told that she has only weeks to live. And note that Grayson indicates that Meghan will likely be unable to read the book herself on July 21. She already has double vision nearly all the time now, and well, July 21st is nearly 2 months away.

So, how can we make this happen for Meghan?

And yes, I'm serious.

I'm working on my college contacts. Surely librarians Bibliodiva and Lisa K can help with research? Is there a way to reach Ms. Rollins?

Any ideas?

And again, I couldn't be more serious.

What Kind of Cake Are You?

2007-05-22T21:45:00.000-05:00

I, apparently, am a chocolate one. And I'm not cutting edge. A shocker, I know.

==

You Are a Chocolate Cake

Fun, comforting, and friendly.
You are a true classic, and while you're not super cutting edge, you're high quality.
People love your company - and have even been known to get addicted to you.

What Kind of Cake Are You?

Writer's Almanac

2007-05-18T16:18:00.001-05:00

Yesterday my friend MHCKnitter sent me a link to this website. Read the poem "A Twice Named Family" by Traci Dant.

It starts:
I come from a family that twice names its own.
One name for the world.
One name for home.

Read it. Then come back and share your reaction.

I'll start:
I love how it ends. The ending especially, reminds me of my group of friends, and how they so easily mesh when I throw them all together. It also reminds me of my gf (who comes from a twice named family).

BTW, I tried to get permission to reprint it, it is being formally reprinted in a journal so Ms. Dant wasn't able to give permission for it to be reprinted any place else (including my little blog).

More Goodies

2007-05-11T16:46:00.000-05:00

This is the card that accompanied today's birthday package (#3) from my super-cool, ultra-hip (ok, silly and fun and kind and thoughtful) younger sister. It made me laugh because it's funny in general, and because, hmm, it's so me.

Inside: "There's no one quite like you. Happy Birthday!"

Her written comments included this:
"...your unique perspective on the world makes you fun indeed..."

Unique perspective? Whatever could she mean?
(Did I already confess that when I was a kid,
I wanted to change my name to Jayne Dough?)

And here's what was in today's package:

And because I wanted to show how the Naughty and Nice Ducks flashed when they lit up:

It is real? Or is it Memorex?

2007-05-11T14:31:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I like to look at what other blogspotters are up to. This one made me laugh out loud.

I can hardly talk about what other people find fascinating, but fake wood? Of course, maybe I can talk some of my friends into getting matching track jackets...

G*d's Love

2009 in Review

Happy New Year

Happy, Grateful Tears

It's Starting!

A New Day

Red or Blue? Which are You?

Last Minute Voting Info

Scary Hallowe'en

So Much Fun!

OMG!

An Only Child with Siblings

November's Siren Song, revisited

The Road Well Travelled

Ravelry, Part II

Oops!

Friendly Knitting, Part I

Hat Gone Wrong

Dishcloth, Part II

How'd She Know?

No Waaaay!

Fond and Happy Memories

Make it Stop

April Showers

Good Friday

Scary

democrats running for President

Tarheel Pride

Cable Delight

82-51

Go, Carla!

He Has a Name

Boo Hiss

President's Day

Surviving Lent

Pig Uterus, Anyone?

Happy Valentine's Day

Recipes

"Clean" Glasses

Ash Wednesday

Odds and Ends

SuperBowl Champs!

21st Century

NFC Champs!

Shiny Red Shoes

ET, Phone Home!

Church Ladies Unite!

Highway Robbery

To Cable or Not to Cable

Zappo's Joke of the Day

HELP! I've Run Out of Windex and Can't See!

Woo-hoo!

Surgery Update

Prayer Request

I is Educated

Pitiful, I Know

A Sad Shoe Story

I *Hate* It!

Dancing like White Birds

Dance Like No One is Watching

Meghan Update

NotSoSmart Questions (even if you don't know the answers)

Replacing Your Salary

Happy Birthday, Cass!

Congrats!

Zoo, anyone?

Humor, My Style

Catching Up

Books about Dogs?!

not in high school (or in college)

oh, and

Good, Bad, Fabulous

How Many of Me?

Montana and Idaho?

Mail for Mom

New Beginnings - An Update

LMNOP

Creating Traditions

In Memoriam

Six Degrees To JK Rowling

I Hate It!