The Drinker

Pictures and Words

You can read about the St Bernard Dog shootings here. If you do not know what happened I will be brief. St Bernard Parish police officers allegedly slaughtered 33 helpless dogs located in schools around St Bernard Parish. These dogs were left behind by their owners during Hurricane Katrina. The owners of these animals had no choice and I don't think I can stress this enough. They left notes written in black permanent sharpie begging people not to shoot their pets as they would return and rescue them or one of the animal rescue crews like Pasado's would rescue them and give them shelter. Many witnesses saw police officers shooting dogs in the streets. These defenseless animals were gunned down and not in any sort of humane way. They were shot in the torso which prolonged their suffering and some dogs were gunned down trying to escape. These were peoples pets. I am so hopeful Pasado's can get the photos they need to put these monsters behind bars. Their tortured corpses were found in schools by Pasado's volunteers and the case continues.

Thank you to the National Guard for taking care of the pets they could.

When You're Not Strong...

There is something amazing about old music. It can be so soothing and uplifting, but it's interesting to consider what was going on at the time it was recorded. I just finished watching Ray (Jamie Foxx was phenomenal and if you haven't seen it, rent it!), and he walked out on his own show because African Americans were forced to watch his show from the balcony. He was banned from Georgia for life in 1959. It wasn't until 1979 that he was welcomed back with an apology, and Georgia On My Mind became the official state song of Georgia. I also think it's amusing to think of the awful reaction when Ray Charles started to mix gospel with R&B! Funny what it takes to get people up in arms nowadays...

The Wickedly Wonderful Stepmother

I finally got to see my friend Andria. For right now, we live in the same country, and we can never seem to find ten minutes for a phone conversation let alone dinner so tonight was fantastic. I ate too much and since my stomach has been bothering me lately I was a little quiet. After our two hour dinner we drove to Squires and met up with Andria's ex-boyfriend Andrew. I have never been to Squires before and I have never met Andrew so tonight was something new! Our 'quick' drink turned into two and a half hours of conversation and catching up. Andrew seems like a really great guy, but he needs to eat more vegetables. I sat back for a bit of the conversation at the end because the discussion had turned to their common friends (by common I mean mutual and not... well... common) and how they were all buying new houses or getting married, and I realized I am twenty-five years old. I am not saying I suddenly put a lot of pressure on myself to find Mr Right and get married, but it is interesting to me that so many people my own age are already thinking about their mortgage payments. Andria whipped out pictures of Joe and Jake at the dinner table and those are a couple of the cutest kids I have ever seen! Andria says they have taken to her nicely and they missed her the instant she drove away from them after dropping them off at home. I looked up at her and said 'You are going to be a stepmother!'. She didn't freak out or go pale, she just smiled and said with the confidence that could only come from Andria - "Yup! I know!" She truly is excited about this amazing new life in England with Jeff and his boys and I know they can only benefit from having her in their lives.

I am a slightly selfish person at heart and therefore am allowed to say I don't want her to move away.

Buyer's Remorse and the changing of the guard

I hate buyers remorse. I am a buyer. I am a good person to shop with as I tend to be able to say to other people "Don't you already have a pair of shorts very similar?" or "Yeah, it's cute, but how many times are really going to wear it?" This seems to be something I cannot accomplish for myself. I try. I hold up the little green sun hat and think "hmmmm... when will I ever wear this?" but the truth is I will wear it. In the summer. I got my scrubs today and I must say... I make a pretty cute nurse! Once I get a picture of myself playing nurse I will post it ASAP.

Curves changed the leg press and it really is terrible. I absolutely hate it, but tried really hard not say anything out loud. I tried looking at the stepper to see where it was apparently leaking from, but then I remembered, I don't work there anymore, and squeaky machines are not my problem. So I stood up and smiled at Sandy and said as much. She laughed. Funny how things take time to change.
I also have to say this has been the most unproductive reading week ever. The most research I have done (besides applying for 6 more jobs) is to find out who is going on strike and when. Apparently Mohawk is only 68% in favour of striking, but overall, OPSEU is 80.4% in favour. The strike deadline is March 8th and I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I don't want them to strike for obvious reasons - I don't want to miss school, they should get what they want because they deserve it, etc. On the other hand however, if they strike March 8th I will miss no school while I am in Las Vegas... So yes, part of me is horribly selfish... I certainly don't want the strike to last longer than 6 days!! That would really suck!

Ahhhhhh Las Vegas. Seems to be getting closer now... Maybe that whole lottery thingy I complain about will happen right before then...

New CYOA!

Part II... did you make the right choice?? Click here!

Survivors

Life can always be worse. Perhaps not for these people, but we definitely don't have it bad. I can say with all honesty I would go South again if they needed me to. No one would even have to ask. It's what people do. We help eachother. It does not matter how anyone feels about a particular country, it is always the people who count. If the US Marines can help find survivors then more power to them.

Inflation

Inflation: a persistent increase in the level of consumer prices or a consistent decline in the purchasing power of money, caused by an increase in available currency and credit beyond the proportion of available goods and services.

I typed "Inflation made easy" into Google. I don't think there is a way to make it easy. I couldn't find a website that clearly stated what Canada's inflation rate was/is. One said 1.6% and another said 2.9%. I genuinely don't know what that means. Is that good? Is it bad? We are not a poor country. I think infact, we are a decidedly rich and wasteful nation in some ways. But I still don't understand inflation. I guess an inflation rate under... what? like 25% may not be all bad...

I read the cause of inflation is an excess of money. This means more people will spend that extra money, and some retailers will be forced to raise their prices to compensate for product now flying off the shelf. If they don't, the manufacturer needs to create more product to meet demand and that means hiring more workers who will make more money and the cycle continues. This is obviously a horribly easy definition, but it helps.

Sort of...

My reasoning for this sudden need to understand inflation does not come from my unquenchable desire to learn despite the arrival of reading week rather from reading a story about Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe is between Southern Africa and Zambia. It is slightly larger than the state of Montana and has a population of 12,776,990. The median age for men is 19.28 years and for females it is 19.24. Most of us would be dead by now. Only 3.6% of the population lives past the age of 65. Between 1998 and 2002 Zimbabwe became involved in the war in the Congo. During that time inflation rose from 32% in 1998 to 246.7% in 2005. The article I read stated that percentage is now at 613%. In 1998 one US dollar was 24 Zimbabwe dollars. In 2005 it was 15,200. I wonder what it would be worth now.

Part two!

Part two has been added to our Once Upon a Time! Feel free to get caught up!

Bess & Mandy

One great dog and one great hero of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Good bye Bess, I am glad you spent your last days with people who cared for you deeply!

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All those animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong and again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and pray together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together...

...Author Unknown

Extreme Circling

It seems extremely circular. The constant in and out of the media of Katrina victims, FEMA, and the complete lack of regard for American citizens, but when one constantly travels in a circle how do you get anything done? 11,000 FEMA trailers are sitting in Arkansas while evacuees are struggling to find housing now that FEMA has begun to phase out their hotel rooms for victims. You may be asking yourself why there are 11,000 empty trailers sitting in a field, and I would love to tell you they will get to where they are needed most in mere hours. The truth of the matter is, FEMA, in its necessity to drag itself out of the disgusting sinkhole of a mockery it threw itself into, ordered trailers that cannot be used in a flood plain. Now, I get that perhaps they were thinking they don't want to move people back there, but it isn't their choice really is it? There are trailers down there. St Bernard Parish has trailers. I think about 30% of what it is needed for the thousands who plan to remain in NOLA, but these trailers can obviously be parked on a flood plain. Fine, FEMA is just trying to get their act together. Trying to deliver something that can be seen as aid to people who are still missing children and loved ones. My question is this-

How could FEMA not return these trailers for ones that are acceptable to use in a flood plain? Why are 11,000 trailers sitting in a field in Arkansas? Why can't FEMA get their asses in gear and figure out what the hell is going on!?!


I have to admit, this helps a bit.

Creativity at it's finest?

http://adventures4u.blogspot.com/

ENJOY! and make sure you comment often!

Bliss

Ahhhh winter. Everything outside is white and clean looking. Well, okay so the plow ruined some of that... but I had commented to my dad yesterday we needed to see a little winter and we are! Perhaps more than a little. I think it is hilarious listening to Nonnie snore! My big fat cat has a big fat snore! It almost sounds like a little air leaking from a big balloon! Still... she looks so happy and peaceful! Pippin is actually leaving her alone! Maybe it's the winter weather...

The doomed tour bus

OKAY WOW!

Remember how I mentioned I loved Alan Doyle's blog because it was so light and full of humour? It is apparently also full of amazing tales of narrowly avoiding death!

Click here to read the tale of the tour bus accident!

Love and Life

Funny thing about love.

It really doesn't have any boundaries, or rules, or discretion.

You can love your pet just as much if not more than your significant other.

You can love new friends more than you love old friends, and you can love old friends more every day.

You can love yourself like you love a good glass of wine or a cold bottle of beer.

There is always the chance love sucks, and those that you love the most don't love you back.

You can love your car like you love plants and animals.

Many times the love isn't returned the way it's given. It can be more or less then whatever it is you were looking for.

Even when love isn't what you expect you learn from it.

Such is life I suppose.

Did you eat everything on your plate tonight?

Read this.

Un+rEaL=LiFe BaBy

IF Farley had not turned my computer off by accident this would have been the second blog in two days. Instead, it is my first in just a little while.

What did you miss? How about a 95% on my psychology test! My landlord gave me a huge hug when she heard that... She was showing me the basement apartment of the house I live in. It is quite a bit bigger than mine. The bathroom is easily two, if not three times the size of mine and there is a bathtub. I don't remember what it is like to sit while shaving my legs... Anyway, she had offered it to me, and I really did think about it, but it would be more money (rightly so), and I would have to move all my shite down two narrow (one rickety) flights of stairs. Also, I do love my windows. I don't have huge beautiful ones, but they open at the top and the bottom so the air really flows through my place. Plus, this is the first apartment I have ever had on my own. May sound bad, but would going to a basement apartment be downgrading? Not to mention the fact that the three mice Pippin (mouse-killer extraordinaire) assassinated in my apartment had to come from somewhere.

I had my first biology test today, and I know I passed. It was no 95%, but I got by. I also got out of school at 10am! With my free time I went to get blood taken, then off to visit Meagan. I really do enjoy her parents house. There are these two great chairs in the livingroom (pink, but whatever) that are so wickedly comfortable to sit in! Meagan made tea in this tea pot trying to be a coffee pot thing. It was pretty cool, but Meagan was a little disappointed in the tea. Now I am home and should be doing homework, but I need to see if Luke dies and if Jason can rescue Lucky. Lucky has, in my opinion, the most ironic name ever. In the past few months he has been shot, in a train wreck (pieces of the tunnel actually crushed him), and now he has a particularly nasty tropical virus that may or may not lead to his death. You'll have to ask the masked men that kidnapped him and whisked him off to their secret lab to experiment.

Speaking of the completely unreal...

www.ramblingsbyrandoms.blogspot.com will lead any of you to the very exciting world of... well, there is no name for it I guess, but Meagan and I tend to procrastinate a lot. These numerous bouts of procrastination led to the creation of a great story that continues to this day. For over a year we have been emailing parts of the story back and forth (I said we procrastinated! A lot!) and now we have posted it on-line. Well, okay so we are getting to that point. We have the address and the blog spot ready, but there is no story yet. Just stay tuned!

My concluding point of todays blog is that I love blogs. I have three fantastic blogs I read everyday. (Meagan's is on a list of its own, as she is my best friend and I am always updated daily on her life as she is on mine.) The three I never miss are
Mandy Speers
Anderson Cooper
and Alan Doyle.
Mandy leads such an exciting life (sorry Mandy, but you really really do!). I met her in NOLA, and she has some incredible pictures of our time there. I have spoken about Anderson in another posting, but my favourite thing about that blog is that other correspondents from CNN post there as well. People who are reporting on stories all over the world. And Alan. What can I say about Alan. His blogs are always full of humour and honesty. Everyday before I check out my email I check these four blogs.

A Lesson in Flashing Truckers

A strange lesson I know, but I feel it necessary to make sure those of you reading this blog, regardless of race or ethnicity, do this in the correct way.

You can flash anytime, but it is best done at night.

Truckers everywhere really do appreciate it, and many will flash you back to show how grateful they really are.

When a truck is over-taking you (passing on the left or drivers side), remember he is bigger then you and will be watching to make sure you flash him.

Let the truck pass you, because we all know it is just completely rude to speed up so they can't pass right???, and when you feel the truck is a safe distance ahead flash him. It's alright, he can see you.

If you have completed this move in the correct and safe way he will move in front and flash you back.

Feel free to ooooooh and ahhhhhh over it. It's alright, everyone does it.

Make sure you teach this to your kids and friends... they should all know the importance of flashing truckers.

And for those of you out there who do not flash... SHAME ON YOU! Driving a big rig is tough work and these guys and girls deserve a 'way to go man here's your flash' moment!

Nothing makes a long drive home on the highway fun like trying to get truckers to flash you back. Make it a game for the kids!

It's not like flashing your headlights will kill your battery anyway!