excuses....excuses...excuses....

Okay …in the past six weeks I blew up the hard drive of my laptop….decided to look for a new job….had connectivity unavailability due to technical difficulties beyond my control…spent an inordinate amount of time riding the ACE Train….and then (no kidding) blew up the hard drive of a SECOND laptop…

I have become alarmingly familiar with the Blue Screen of Death which in my mind is accompanied by Darth Vader’s theme score …
(hum along with me... dun-dun-dun duh-duh-dun duh-duh-dun…)

Thankfully I know of a talented and wonderful man who managed to retrieve all of my files…including my pictures….for a not so small fee....now all I have to do is buy a new laptop. Not the best time financially to be laying out this kind of bank. Being the technosnob that I am…I want a really good laptop with some of the bells and whistles…and I want to research-adnauseum the entire process.

Since Thanksgiving my three kids (SugarCookie, LittleMissy, and the BearCub) and my Mama have all gotten new HP Laptops…not the same one…but all HP. I had a hand in all but SugarCookie’s acquisition (she is by far a bigger geek than I…her father and BOTH her grandfather’s are engineers…and her J-Boy is rather brilliant as well.) So chances are pretty good I’m gonna go HP.

Whatdayathink…?????

I want the Intel Centrino….
(trust me….I know what I’m talkin’ about)

15 inch? 17 inch?
(size really does matter)

Do I want something I can easily slip into my bag?
(or is this a really good excuse to get a new bag?)

2-gig HD or 3-gig HD?
(they both have the 250 memory)

Do I really want the ten-key on the keyboard?
(numbers girl that I am)

Why the e-ph can’t I get one WITHOUT the webcam?
(there is no way I am chatting with the Teamster at 4am via webcam)

What about blue-ray capability?
(J-boy says Blue Ray is the only way)

Black keys? Silver Keys?
(I have light vision issues…so probably black….)

Do I really want the AT&T Smart Card?
(I do….but can I afford it?)

Anybody want to weigh in with an opinion of two???

Thursday Thirteen ~ Forty Niners

this was SUPPOSE to post on Thursday 24 January....however....due to technical and logistical difficulties beyond my control....et cetera...
smile

Thirteen Random Facts about the Forty-Niners....

1. The San Francisco Forty Niners Football Team was named in homage to the prospectors of the great California Gold Rush of 1849.

2. On 24 January, 1848 gold was discovered by James Marshall. Marshall was foreman building a lumber mill for pioneer John Sutter. They kept the find quiet for some time. Sutter knew his plans to build an agricultural empire in Northern California would be overrun by gold crazed prospectors.

3. Another young owner of a Northern California lumberjack business....Anthony Morabito...campaigned tirelessly for years to be given permission to form the first professional sport team franchise to be based in San Francisco. The Forty-Niners were originally part of the All American Football Conference in 1946. In 1950 when the AAFC folded the Forty Niners were awarded the NFL franchise.

4. Gold rumors were first confirmed by San Francisco newspaper publisher and big mouth Samuel Brannan in March of 1848. In August of 1848, the New York Herald was the first major east coast newspaper to report the California Gold Rush.

5. In an address to Congress on 08 December 1848, President James Polk confirmed the discovery of Gold in California.

6. Approximately 90,000 people arrived in California in 1849....50,000 to 60,000 were Americans...although California was not yet a state of the United States of America. Ultimately over 300,000 people would rush to California to find their gold.

7. San Francisco....home of the Forty-Niners...had a full time resident population of approximately 1,000 people in 1848. By 1850 it would be over 25,000.

8. The San Francisco Forty Niners Football Team scored a measly 24 touchdowns in the past 2007 season. (yeah...that sorta sucks)

9. The gold rush of '49 did indeed ruin John Sutter....his workforce deserted in search of gold...the prospectors trashed his land, his crops and cattle were stolen.

10. On 24 January 1848...when gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, California was still technically part of Mexico, under American military occupation. On 02 February 1848 the war ended and California became a possession of the United States as a territory, and did not become a state until 09 September 1850. California existed in the unusual condition of a region under military control. There was no civil legislature, executive or judicial body for the entire region. Local residents operated under a changing mixture of Mexican rules, American principles, and personal dictates. (kinda like now)

11. Historian H W Brands wrote:
"The old American Dream . . . was the dream of the Puritans of Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard. . . of men and women content to accumulate their modest fortunes a little at a time, year by year by year. The new dream was the dream of instant wealth, won in a twinkling by audacity and good luck. This golden dream . . . became a prominent part of the American psyche only after Sutter's Mill."

12. The San Francisco Forty-Niners are the ONLY football team to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy five times....say what you will...it is still FIVE times baby....

1982 (26 Forty-Niners ~ 21 Bengals)
1985 (38 Forty-Niners ~ 16 Dolphins)
1989 (20 Forty-Niners ~ 16 Bengals)
1990 (55 Forty-Niners ~ 10 Broncos)
1995 (49 Forty-Niners ~ 26 Chargers)

13. One hundred and sixty years after gold was discovered on January 24, I turned Forty-Nine years of age.

Hat Trick

we're back...and I'm exhausted...

we completely enjoyed the Star Trek Experience

had the best time at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar

and was totally blown away by the Beatles' Love show

I'm post more....but everyone keeps telling me...."what happens in Vegas...stays in Vegas...."
(just kidding....I'll post more later....)

Thursday Thirteen ~ distractions

I intended to post another political Thursday Thirteen…but canNOT seem to concentrate on making it happen…I promise…next week. I’ve got too much else pinballing around in my brain.

Thirteen Things Distracting Me
(aside from the dozens of posts in my Reader)

1. Printout and review the full color version of our hotel/casino map. I like to know where I am, where I am going, and how to get there...without standing around looking at an e-phn map. I study up in advance.

2. Decide what to wear to “LOVE”. It has to be an outfit that packs well. I don’t want to iron when we get there. Ironing would cut into my Star Trek Museum time.

3. Trim the Japanese Maple tree. Every time I get out of the car at night I get poked in the eye. During the day I have sunglasses on…so the branches just get caught up in my hair.

4. Do I pack my little federation pin?...or should I just wear it on my coat and on the plane?

5. Did anything in the freezer defrost enough during the power outages to require throwing it away?

6. mani/pedi.

7. Apparently The Teamster increased his cell phone texting plan to unlimited text messages.

8. Take my knife out of my purse. Were there any significant changes to the TSA carryon rules in the past sixty days? Praise God I can carry on coffee now…although damn…I still can’t take my snow-globes...even though they have all been fully documented. Have you ever read this website? This is a post in of itself. Sheesh.

9. Need to borrow my Mama’s black leather jacket. Her’s has a burgundy lining…mine is blue. Her’s goes better with my skirt.

10. I should lay the fire in case the power goes out again. It is more difficult to do in the dark.

11. Since I refuse to be limited to 3oz of everything…I will have to check a bag. Since I have to check a bag…I might as well take a suitcase. Since I have to take a suitcase…I can pack more. If I pack too much more I’ll have to climb up and get the bigger suitcase. (I'm spiraling here...I admit it)

12. Surf for an affordable method to convert 35mm slides to digital. Should I just have selected ones done professionally? If I buy the equipment would I do all of them? And then everyone elses....hmmm...

13. Can I get by on two books…or should I pack a third?

wordless wednesday ~ surfer bike

manic monday with mo ~ one

One summer day in July when I was ten years old, the nation...perhaps the world...gathered in front of the television. Not drawn by death and destruction…rather united as one in awe and hope….and with great national pride.

The grainy, shaky, black and white shape of one man…his slow, backward decent down the ladder…in a bulky suit…as he stepped off the Lunar Module, Eagle from Apollo One One (smile)

“… that’s one small step for man
…one giant leap for mankind.”




It was one amazing feat of courage and science. Reading the Wiki article I learned a lot of details which were not originally reported…and a whole bunch I had forgotten. I’m feeling a little spacey this week…cause I’m getting ready to go to the Star Trek Museum….

More manic monday with mo minions and their posts of the theme one can be found at It's a Blog Eat Blog World.

getting the last word

"Oh and I don't want to die for you, but if dying's asked of me;
I'll bear that cross with honor, 'cause freedom don't come free."
American Soldier, Toby Keith
quoted by Andrew Olmstead in his final post

The world wide weblogging world…where we feel like we know people we never have met…people who we never will meet. This is one of those things I hesitate to post. However it is very important to me that I do not overlook the contribution of the man…or the sacrifice he …and his loved ones…have made for me and mine.

A number of you who read this weblog have a close family member currently serving our country in military service. Several of you have a son or daughter on active duty deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. I am cognizant of how this may impact your heart.

In addition to the fun and frivolity you all provide...I also read quite a few serious blogs…including a few written from the front lines so to speak.

Heavy Sigh…one of those has been Andrew Olmsted. Tragically his unit was ambushed and Andrew Olmsted has been killed. In his typical smartass manner he acknowledged that he wanted to have the last word on his blog…so he left a final post to be made in the event of his death.

You can read it on Obsidian Wings…and if you want to read some of his more recent posts check out Rocky Mountain News. There are several comments on his final post from his family and friends on the Rocky Mountain site. (he previously posted on Andrew Olmstead)

Damn.

stormin'

Apparently we don't usually get "Tropical Storms" here on the central coast. We're getting hit with the beginning of a three tier set of 'em. I tried to take more pictures at the beach but the wind was sandblasting my face...seriously. My jeans and windbreaker were coated with sand.

Power is on and off. Trees are down everywhere. The wind is so strong they are closing bridges and leaving the bigrigs on the bridges. The brunt of the first wave of the storm is to hit in about two hours.

Thursday Thirteen ~ Iowa

Thirteen Things about the Iowa Caucus that are on my mind.
(with all love and respect for Mel…)

1. Democrats and Republicans have a total of 15 candidates in play…not including the other party candidates…(Giuliani, Huckabee, Hunter, McCain, Paul, Romney, Thompson, Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Gravel, Kucinich, Obama, Richardson) Why does Iowa get to be the ones to narrow it down?

2. In 1972 the McGovern Campaign aided by a series of articles in the New York Times engineered media and national voter attention on the arcane Iowa Caucus. While I am sure it brings an incredible amount of revenue to the state….it seems to be more of a media circus than an accurate barometer of who the voters support...yet may determine who proceeds.

3. The election of the President of the United States of America is made by the Electoral College. There are 538 electors. Iowa has SEVEN (by the way…California has 55) The number of electors are determined by number of senators (2 per state) plus the number of representatives (435 divided by percentage of population) plus three for the District of Columbia.

4. Iowa keeps moving their Caucus up earlier on the calendar…not sure this seems right somehow.
2004 - January 19
2000 – January 24
1996 – February 12
1992 – February 10
1988 – February 8
1984 – February 20

On Tuesday, 05 February 2008 there will be “primary” or “caucus” elections in 24 states. This represents almost 50% of the electoral votes.

5. Iowa has 2.3 million eligible voters. The Iowa Caucus is held by Precinct. There are 1,781 Precincts in Iowa. The results go on to both parties’ County Conventions…although by a completely different set of procedures. (see below) They have 99 counties in Iowa. California has 58 counties. (Why does Iowa have so many counties?)

6. The Democrats count the number of people actually standing in the area of a room (in a church, school or library) which is designated for a specific candidate. For half an hour you get to try and convince your neighbor (friend or family member) to come stand with you. Then they count who is standing where.

7. The Democrats then determine which of the eight candidates are “viable.” If your candidate did not reach the “viability threshold” of 15% you gotta go find someplace else to stand. This is referred to as “persuasion time.” Those who were standing for candidates who are now not viable….either go stand with their “second choice” candidate….or may abstain. (and yes…everyone is trying to get you to stand with them…it’s kinda like “Red Rover Red Rover” with arm twisting and smokey backroom dealing…)

8. This Democratic head count dictates the delegates’ vote at yet ANOTHER Caucus, then the County Convention, the District Convention and the State Convention. Although they can switch their vote…apparently they do not. This may have something to do with the media declaring the winning Iowa Democratic candidate tonight.

9. The Republicans get to set down and listen to a bit of campaigning from each candidate. They don’t really care…cause last August there was some sort of Straw Poll taken in Ames (which is the center of Iowa) …and that apparently is more important than the Caucus.

10. The Republicans get a blank piece of paper to write down their one choice. (does spelling count? If they just jot down Rudy or Mitt…is that a valid vote? What if their penmanship sucks…and Huckabee look like Hunter?) Not that it matters cause the real Republican decision is made at the Republican State Convention (following District and County Conventions) and is NOT determined at the Caucus.

11. Ties are resolved by tossing a coin…or by drawing a name from a hat. Probably some hat with an e-phn buckeye on it. If you are only 17…but will be 18 by the election date…you get to participate in the Caucus. There is no absentee voting in the Iowa Caucus. If you are too ill to get there…need to work…or military stationed outside of the state…you are SOL.

12. If this does not make you sick at heart it should….
The candidates have spent over $40 million in political television ads. Not including travel…and other related expenses. CNN says that works out roughly to about $17 per voter, between $150 and $200 per expected caucus-goer. (Don’t get me started on the difference between those who are voters and those who actually participate in the Caucus…cause I will go ballistic) Yep…$40 million dollars on television advertising which you KNOW everyone in Iowa has been sick of for weeks now. Do you think ANYone learned ANYthing new about any of the candidates? (my previous rant on candidate spending and voter turnout can be found here)

13. To quote Josiah Bartlett (who is the candidate of choice for Desert Songbird):

You know we forget sometimes…
in all the talk about democracy
We forget it is NOT a democracy…
It’s a Republic.

People don’t make the decisions.
They choose the people who make the decisions.

Could they do a better job choosing?
Yea….but when you consider the alternatives…

not a teenager anymore....

Happy 20th Birthday

I Love You Little Missy
~ you will always be a child of my heart ~

manic monday with mo ~ key

The Manic Monday with Mo word is “key”

Is the key to keep your mouth shut…or is the key to just put it out there and own it? To paraphrase ILTV...what is the value of something destroyed by honesty?

“wading thru my stream of consciousness…” is (one of) my guilty little secrets. “Hello my name is katherine…and I am a blogger” **rolling my eyes**

Last night on the New Year’s Adam edition of the award winning blogtalk radio show Turnbaby Talks…I pondered the age old question…”at what point do you let ‘him’ read your blog?”

Until now…just about no one (let alone The Teamster) from my brick and mortar life reads my weblog. Why? I dunno. My little weblog periodically serves as a destination point for the rants that swirl around in my head. It is my virtual scrapbook. My blog captures stories I tell over and over…and stories I’ve never ever told. I am selfish. I certainly don’t want to defend or debate what I throw up here.

I’ll admit I conducted a bit of a test.
A test for The Teamster in two parts.

Part one:
“How’s his sense of humor?”
(aka Will he be offended by mine?)
While listening to the latest MattMan offering “Free Rice” I figured the entire YouTube offering of Bagwine Man would be the perfect way to judge. If he thinks Mateo is funny….and doesn’t freak out over the content…he’ll pass.

Part two:
“Let’s just see how clever The Teamster really is”
After all he DID inadvertently send me not only his rafting pictures…but access to a whole bunch of OTHER pictures he surely did not intend for me to see. And when asked…he blurted out the name of his Mother’s blog…which of course resulted in my reading vignettes I’m fairly certain were for family consumption only.

So I sent The Teamster to Bagwine Man on YouTube to listen to Free Rice. I mentioned he might enjoy some of Mateo’s other songs. I didn’t mention anyone’s blog. And I waited to see how it would all play out. Sure enough…he noted I’m one of Bagwine’s subscribers…then he found Matt’s blog…and then he found mine. In no time at all…he showed up on my weblog site meter. (and he thinks Mateo is a funny boy)

Apparently I have a new lurker on my weblog…
everyone say hello to The Teamster.

perhaps honesty is key.

my greatest blessing

The first time you looked at me…
twenty six years ago today…
you changed my life forever.

I thank God for you everyday of my life.

I love you SugarCookie
Happy Birthday

lil bro....

28 December 1962
I actually remember the day you were born

William Charles

we miss you Billy

Thursday Thirteen ~ just dwelling

Over the hills and through the woods to daughter’s house we did go. Thirteen random thoughts on a whole new Christmas Experience.

1. For all my concerns, anxiety and complaining…we are very blessed indeed. I do not want to lose track of the fact that our lives have so much more than many others on this planet. I never want to forget to be grateful for all we have…especially for each other.

2. Sweetest moment: When asked what he wanted for Christmas dinner the boyfriend said he wanted a Cherry Pie. So on Christmas eve my Mama taught my daughter how to make a Cherry Pie. After Christmas dinner everyone was raving how delicious it was….when the boy realized she wasn’t eating…and asked if she wanted some of his. He didn’t know until then my daughter doesn’t even like Cherry Pie.


3. In an effort to accommodate everyone who came for Christmas the following choices were available for adding to your coffee: half and half, whole milk, lowfat 2%milk, lactaid non-fat milk, lactose free 2% milk, original coffee mate powder, eggnog, bourbon and brandy.

4. My daughter really is a great cook. She used recipes from her Mama….her Gammer Kay…and a couple of her Great Grammas…and added some of her own.


5. The Wii games are really kinda fun….as long as you are playing up against someone of equal experience. Playing with the 17 year old can be rather depressing.


6. My sister and I managed to get along…tippytoe…tippytoe…not an eggshell was broken…

7. My daughter started saying… “do it my SELF Mommy…do it my SELF” at two. She’s still saying it.
(picture me…my Mama…and the boy’s mother hovering just outside the kitchen…asking…”anything I can do?” “do you want me to do something” “need any help with [fillintheblank]” It is SO hard to relinquish control.)

8. The “kissy face” and “hey baby” slobbering is really cute the first day…and totally nauseating by the third.

9. The amount of orange stuff my daughter has in her kitchen is rather unbelievable.


10. I just realized I didn’t get ANY new paperweights…I’m not sure that has happened in the past twenty years…

11. To see various items...pictures, books, trinkets, et cetera that I have given to my daughter over the past twenty-six years arranged in a home of her own is alarmingly emotional.

12. I can get along with just about anyone if I actually want to. (I’m just so rarely motivated to do so) And I was a tad worried about meeting the boyfriend’s mom…turns out for no good reason. The morning after Christmas we were the only two awake….sitting there on the sofa…drinking coffee….giving syrup laden compliments to each other about the respective offspring. And then she mentions what she had said to her son about me …”I don’t know what you were talking about…she is so normal” (wtf???)

13. The bestest gift…was from my daughter and her beau. A little piece of paper in a great big box. She is taking me to see the cirque du soleil show “Love” with all the Beatles Music AND to the Star Trek Museum. Way cool…but the very Very VERY bestest part is two whole days just the two of us! (it made me cry…just a little…) I have no doubt you will be subjected to a post or two about it all.

one year!

A year ago today…I made my first post. With her wild child wisdom my daughter suggested I start a blog to tell stories on…and to give me a place to put my rants in written form. Mostly so that she…and others who hang with me…don’t have to hear the same stories over and over again…

Who knew there would be people writing weblogs who would make me laugh, who would bring tears to my eyes…and even those who would tick me the hell off? I’ve yet to meet any of you…(with the exception of Rekabek who was once upon a time a work colleague) however I consider many of you my friends. I quote what you say….I laugh with you…sigh with you…and pray for you. I read about some of the most intimate details of your personal lives...and I don't really even know you.

In the last year there have been 230-some posts and 5800-some visits…even though I spent a couple months away last spring. I’ve written about things I rarely speak of. I've found the written word way more comfortable than I ever realized.

I am still new to the weblog world…just a rookie.
My life is so very different now than it was a year ago...
...and the next year holds many more changes.

Thank you for being a presence in my life.
Thank you for engaging me in laughter and debate.
Thank you for giving me things to think about.
Thank you for enriching my daily existence.
Thank you for...

wading through my stream of consciousness…

Merry Christmas...everyone!

Wishing you and yours a joyous Christmas...

and all the blessings of the season.

sunrise or sunset photo tag....

I stole this tag from maremagnum...it originated with MegaMom...and I was looking for a good excuse to post my photographs of last night's sunset

Show me your sunsets! Or your sunrise, whichever the case may be. It has to be a photo you took. Include a brief description of where it was, and how it made you feel watching that sunset/sunrise. Anyone reading this tag may also join. I am hoping that most of you will have something to share. If not, take out that camera and take photos. At least you will be forced to enjoy the fleeting view, even if only for a few moments.

These were taken at my beach in my neighborhood. It was crisp, and clear, and cold. Everytime I sit at the ocean and see the sun set I consider it my own personal gift from God. While it may seem as if I am the only one...in reality there are a couple dozen people....and their dogs...on the sand or surfing.

I tag Turnbaby ~ Linda ~ DesertSongbird ~ Mel ~ David

Thursday Thirteen~The Twelve Days DaVinci Code

Thirteen Things you may not have known about the Twelve Days of Christmas

1. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith. The Twelve Days of Christmas was sorta a secret code song for children studying the catholic catechism

2. The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

3. Two turtledoves were the Old and New Testaments.

4. Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

5. The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

6. The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

7. The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

8. Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit-Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

9.The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

10. Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit…Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

11. The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.

12. The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

13. The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in The Apostles' Creed.

On the flip side…a completely adult version of The Twelve Days by the incomparable Matt-Man can be found at here on YouTube. (this one is NOT for the kids)

drummer boys and girls

Little Drummer Boy was one of my childhood favorites…this clip is from my church’s Christmas Concert "A Night Of Wonder" over the past weekend. I don’t go to a normal church. We don’t mess around. It is kinda long…but what you see at the beginning is not what you see at the end....

makin' a joyful noise unto the Lord - Santa Cruz style

Wordless Wednesday ~ Indiana Blue