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New Blog

2004-11-05T20:30:00.000-05:00

I have created a new blog. Please visit me here!

A few thoughts on smoking

2004-10-25T21:32:00.000-04:00

I noticed on the menu at J. Alexander's earlier this afternoon that they ask their patrons to not smoke cigars or pipes while inside the restaurant. Yet they freely allow billows of odorous cigarette smoke to come floating out from the bar area. They might as well put a note on their menu - "Please do not ignite anything that smells good or that might not kill you in 20 years."

I am a big-time opponent of cigarette smoking. Besides being utterly disgusting, it has been proven over and over to be very unhealthy for both the smoker and those around them. My father smokes. I wish, with everything within me, that he could quit. But he is at least courteous enough to limit his smoking to outside homes, restaurants, and other public places. I personally feel that anyone who cannot go 30 minutes without a cigarette, just long enough to eat a meal, has a really serious problem. But that is the culture these days, isn't it? The "who cares what anyone else thinks or needs, as long as I'm happy" mentality is one of the sad realities of our society.

Recently, the office building where I work had to re-enact a smoking policy that asks all smokers to get 50 feet away from the building before lighting up. Not two hours after that reminder email came out, smokers were looking for a loophole. They found their loophole in the fact that the city owns the sidewalk, so according to them, our office building managers cannot tell them to put out their cigarettes if they are on the sidewalk. Which is, of course, right in the way of the entrance of our building. So we're back to square one with that issue. Some days I get so frustrated that I want to walk up to them, pick my nose, and wipe it on their face. That's just as repulsive as having to breathe their cigarette smoke, in my opinion.

I don't mean to offend any of my readers who happen to be smokers. I don't mean to put anyone down for being addicted to something that probably makes their lives a little easier and less stressful. I'd soon be coming at you with a knife if you took my morning coffee away from me. I just wish that many smokers would be a little more polite when it comes to indulging in their habit.

Monsters!

2004-10-25T13:04:00.000-04:00

My monster has:

Eyes like a tempest-tossed storm
Teeth like ragged-edged knives
Hair like Medusa with a perm
Face like a rottweiler

But no matter how scary my monster is, I love her anyway...Just the way she is!

...Monday Madness...

What I did yesterday

2004-10-24T10:19:00.000-04:00

Price Breakdown:

1 Spruce Tree - $12.99
1 flat of pansies - $12.99
3 small pots of ivy - $8.97
1 planter - $24.96
1 bag of potting soil - $5.96
Total: $65.87

I did get to use the rest of the pansies in other planters and beds, so the whole $65.87 wasn't spent on the planter. But at least $55 was. Expensive, but I think it turned out well. I'm quite proud of it, actually.

Feast 22

2004-10-22T08:49:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
Name 3 things that you are wearing today.
A coral-colored blouse, blue jeans, and my regular jewelry (wedding rings, watch, tourmaline ring, earrings).

Soup
Who was the last person you hugged?
My wonderful hubby (who brought me flowers yesterday, by the way).

Salad
What do you like to order from your favorite fast food place?
Hmm...It would probably be the BMT on Honey Oat bread from Subway.

Main Course
What time of day do you usually feel most energized?
Anytime of the day that I'm not at work. Seriously. It's like I have an aversion to work. Some might call that lazy. They're probably right.

Dessert
Using the letters in your first name, write a sentence.
Sugary unbelievable souffles are neat.

...Friday's Feast...

Too little time

2004-10-21T12:29:00.000-04:00

I am looking forward to my vacation next week. I can hardly stand it. I've got a lot of work to do today and tomorrow. I'd like to be able to wrap up everything before I leave, but unfortunately there's no way on earth I can get it all finished. I'll have some of the same stuff waiting for me when I return on November 1st. (Gosh, I cannot believe it's almost November!)

There is so much I'd like to get accomplished while on vacation. Here's a list:

1) Clean out my closet.
2) Iron several of Jeff's shirts.
3) Plant several trees in our yard.
4) Make a large flower bed beside the house.
5) Lose 10 pounds.
6) Read 3-4 books.
7) Finish and mail all due ATCs on Nervousness.
8) Get copies made and atlases sent out for my Marvelous Maps project.
9) Straighten up my craft room.

And there are more; I just can't think of them right now.

I got a philly cheese steak sandwich for lunch. It wasn't as good as they usually are - too underdone or something. But I did get a Banana Colada Fuze beverage, and it is quite nice.

Lights, Camera, Action!

2004-10-21T08:07:00.000-04:00

Onesome: Lights!- What do you think of the trend to light up houses for *every* holiday? It used to be just Christmas and maybe Halloween, but lately the stores have been full of Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day lights. Oh, and Thanksgiving/Autumn and...
I personally feel like Christmas should be the only holiday where we decorate our homes with lights and wreaths and things. If we start going all out for every single holiday (and who can afford that anyway?) it will eventually take away from the specialness that Christmas is celebrated for.

Twosome: Camera!- What's your preference? Digital or film, black and white or color, portraits, candids, or just whatever catches your eye?
If we had a better digital camera, I would probably be taking pictures constantly. Right now, Jeff just uses our digital for his eBay stuff. I like color mostly, but black & white is sometimes interesting for the effect. However, I hate having my own picture made. I am not photogenic at all.

Threesome: Action!- Do you have a favorite sport? Do you follow the local high school or college team, trek to the kids' games each weekend or are you all about the pros?
I'm not really into sports at all. I do like to watch a basketball game on television every now and then, and I love the Utah Jazz. But honestly, I think the world is much too concerned with sports.

...Thursday Threesome...

It must be a sad life

2004-10-19T21:49:00.000-04:00

Why do Democrats want something, anything, bad to happen? It really must be a hard, depressing life to make someone be a Dem.

They foam at the mouth when talking about the "bad economy." When I go to the mall and have to wait in a long line of traffic just to get out of the parking lot when it's not even time for Christmas shopping - here in little ol' Chattanooga - you know what that tells me? The economy is just fine.

And I sincerely believe that they want a terrorist attack to happen sometime in the next few weeks. It wouldn't even surprise me if George Soros paid Osama millions in cold, hard cash to help him carry out a pre-election attack. It's gone that far, and the Dems have sunk that low.

They make me so sick.

As if we need more reasons...

2004-10-18T09:47:00.000-04:00

Here's 3 more good ones to not vote for John "Effin" Kerry:

1. Palestinian Authority endorses John Kerry
(These are the people that enjoy blowing up Israelis.)

2. Republicans have better sex than Democrats
('nuff said.)

3. The man is just plain ugly.

(Hat tip to Lucianne for this Very Skerry picture.)

Time for a work rant

2004-10-18T09:08:00.000-04:00

On Friday afternoon, I made a list of things I would need to do this morning when I arrived at work. It's 9:10, and I have completed 8 out of the 10 things on my list. Granted, only 2 or 3 were significant things, but I'm 80% finished with my day's work already.

One of my co-workers, however, dragged in at about 8:30. As of now, she hasn't even turned her computer on. She's been far too busy making her social rounds. This would not be inexcusable if it was the exception. But it is something that happens day after day after day. And I'm sick of it. She is supposed to go on maternity leave sometime in December, and I hope and pray that she is able to become a full-time mom. That may sound mean on my part, but I would just feel so much better if we could get rid of her and hire someone who would actually put forth some effort. I'm not saying that I'm perfect (hey, I took a break to specifically write in my blog). I goof off plenty. But when there's work to be done, I sit down and do it. It seems like, with her, the more work there is, the less she contributes. I guess I should be thankful that she even shows up - she has been absent at least 30 days this year, if not more like 40. And that's not an exaggeration by any means.

Ah well...looks like she's got her breakfast now. It's 9:15. Let's see if she can muster up the energy to lift a finger sometime in the next hour or so. I would sadly be surprised.

Eight is Great!

2004-10-17T13:57:00.000-04:00

Bush Leads by 8 in Latest Gallup Poll

Broken glass, broken glass!

God, please let us keep this up. We need at least 8 points to counteract the illegal voting tactics that will undoubtedly be used by the libs this year.

UM

2004-10-17T10:37:00.000-04:00

Dimension:: 3D
Roger:: who framed him?
CSI:: TV show
Passenger:: seat
Thankful:: Thanksgiving
Has-been:: loser
Bambino:: baby
Wrinkles:: John Kerry before botox
Cable TV:: Fox News
Voicemail:: work

...Unconscious Mutterings...

Sunday Brunch on Saturday Night

2004-10-16T23:34:00.000-04:00

1) What size is your bed?
It's a queen size. But I wish I had a king size.

2) Do you prefer fabric sofas or leather sofas? What do you have?
Fabric sofas, as long as it is a soft fabric, are my preference. But I do like leather sofas, too.

3) What wood stain color is your favorite? (Pine, walnut, cherry, etc.)
Cherry is definitely my favorite wood stain. Almost all of my furniture is cherry.

4) What piece of furniture is at the top of your wish list right now?
Either a new sofa or a loveseat.

5) Do you have a piece of furniture in your home that doesn't seem to fit but that you can't bear to part with?
My grandparents gave us a grandfather clock as a wedding present. It doesn't really match our decor, but my great uncle hand-carved many of the pieces, and I wouldn't sell it or trade it or get rid of it for anything.

...Sunday Brunch...

Home of the Brave

2004-10-16T17:33:00.000-04:00

I was fairly shocked to see a positive story from the war on Yahoo, seeing as they are so obviously liberal.

Anyway - Read this and thank God for this young man.

10-4-W

2004-10-16T17:01:00.000-04:00

I'm on a diet. I don't like it, but I am. My clothes are seriously starting not to fit. So... I will be on a diet from now until Election Day. I'm calling it my 10-4-W diet. What that means, is that I'm losing 10 pounds before the day that Dubya gets re-elected. It's not like it's going to help him, because I won't be able to take my 10 lost pounds of fat and form a little "mini-me" and register her to vote...but at least I'll be able to wear my jeans to the polling booth.

Wish me luck, 'cause I'm gonna need it!

Book Review: Lamb

2004-10-15T11:57:00.000-04:00

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
by Christopher Moore

I made it halfway through this book, and I decided to put it down because it just got too darn strange for my taste. I bought it because I thought it would provide some insight into Jesus's childhood, even if from a humorous perspective. I'm open-minded enough to be able to look past the sacrilege. I forced myself through the part where Jesus and Biff (Levi) meet the first wise man after traveling to Afghanistan and coming face-to-face with some sci-fi-type monster after living with 5 Chinese concubines for years. But then when they had to travel on to China to meet the second supposed wise man, a Buddhist, I just couldn't go any further. Maybe it's the Southern Baptist coming out in me, but I had to put the book down because of it's blatant absurdity.

I will be sticking to what the Bible says from now on. When I get to heaven, I'll just personally ask Jesus about His childhood and adolescence. I can live my entire life without having to read some silly made-up story about how Jesus took lessons from Muslims and Buddhists. And I didn't even get to find out what religion the third wise man practiced.

Feast Twenty-One

2004-10-15T08:08:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
What is your favorite beverage?
Diet A&W Root Beer, probably.

Soup
Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.
My bamboo plant, a picture of Jeff, and my radio/CD player.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?
I wish I could say 10, but that in itself wouldn't be honest. I'd say about a 9.

Main Course
If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?
I would change the name of Jacksonville, Florida to Crooked Road City. Because I've never been so lost than when we were down there looking for a bookstore on our honeymoon.

Dessert
What stresses you out? What calms you down?
Liberals stress me out. Food calms me down.

...Friday's Feast...

Kitchen Gadget Store

2004-10-14T08:25:00.000-04:00

Onesome: Kitchen- What's your favorite room in your place? Do you migrate towards the kitchen, or prefer to cozy up in the living room?
I spend a lot of time in my living room, but I'd have to say that my favorite room is my bedroom. That's where my bed is, and I love my bed. It makes me happy. The way I'm answering this question may have something to do with the fact that I stayed up way too late last night playing Bingo at Gamesville and I didn't get my full 8 hours of required rest.

Twosome: Gadget- What's your favorite gadget type item and why?
Hmm...I'm not big into gadgets, really. Would my laptop count as a gadget?

Threesome: Store- What's your favorite store, even if you never actually buy anything there?
I have lots of favorite stores. Barnes & Noble is my favorite bookstore. Amazon is my favorite online store. Petite Sophisticate is my favorite clothing store. The Bombay Company is my favorite furniture/home decor store. And Wal-Mart is my favorite all-around store.

...The Thursday Threesome...

This is why I love my President

2004-10-13T23:13:00.000-04:00

Well, this is one of the many reasons, actually. If you will indulge me this opportunity to share my political opinion by borrowing a smidgen from tonight's debate:

SCHIEFFER: We've come, gentlemen, to our last question. And it occurred to me as I came to this debate tonight that the three of us share something. All three of us are surrounded by very strong women. We're all married to strong women. Each of us have two daughters that make us very proud.

I'd like to ask each of you, what is the most important thing you've learned from these strong women?

BUSH: To listen to them. (LAUGHTER) To stand up straight and not scowl. (LAUGHTER)

I love the strong women around me. I can't tell you how much I love my wife and our daughters.

I am -- you know it's really interesting. I tell the people on the campaign trail, when I asked Laura to marry me, she said, "Fine, just so long as I never have to give a speech." I said, "OK, you've got a deal." Fortunately, she didn't hold me to that deal. And she's out campaigning along with our girls. And she speaks English a lot better than I do. I think people understand what she's saying.

But they see a compassionate, strong, great first lady in Laura Bush. I can't tell you how lucky I am. When I met her in the backyard at Joe and Jan O'Neill's in Midland, Texas, it was the classic backyard barbecue. O'Neill said, "Come on over. I think you'll find somebody who might interest you." So I said all right. I walked over there. There was only four of us there. And not only did she interest me, I guess you would say it was love at first sight.

SCHIEFFER: Senator Kerry?

KERRY: Well, I guess the president and you and I are three examples of lucky people who married up. (LAUGHTER) And some would say maybe me moreso than others. (LAUGHTER) But I can take it. (LAUGHTER)

Can I say, if I could just say a word about a woman that you didn't ask about, but my mom passed away a couple years ago, just before I was deciding to run. And she was in the hospital, and I went in to talk to her and tell her what I was thinking of doing. And she looked at me from her hospital bed and she just looked at me and she said, "Remember: integrity, integrity, integrity." Those are the three words that she left me with.

And my daughters and my wife are people who just are filled with that sense of what's right, what's wrong. They also kick me around. They keep me honest. They don't let me get away with anything. I can sometimes take myself too seriously. They surely don't let me do that.

And I'm blessed, as I think the president is blessed, as I said last time. I've watched him with the first lady, who I admire a great deal, and his daughters. He's a great father. And I think we're both very lucky.

Did you notice what was missing from Kerry's comments? The word love. Now, I'm not going to judge whether or not he loves his wife and family. I just want to point out how obviously strongly Bush cares for his family. And how apparently unimportant love is in Kerry's, well, let's just say different world. I want the leader of my country to think his family is as precious as I think my own is.

Wednesday Weather Wisdom

2004-10-13T14:25:00.000-04:00

This may or may not be a regular feature here at Partly Cloudy, but I thought it would be neat to have a Wednesday Weather Wisdom post every now and then. Since I love weather, and I have a cool blog now, it just seems like the educational thing to do.

Sometimes I like to visit Weather.com and type in random zip codes. It's like taking a mini trip to somewhere, just to see what weather they are enjoying that day. So here's where I went today:

81414 = Cory, Colorado
It's partly cloudy there, and the high/low temperature forecast is 65/30.

01950 = Newburyport, Massachusetts
It's supposed to rain there tomorrow (or wait, maybe those are Kerry's tears after losing the debate tonight), and the high/low temperature forecast is 61/52.

48816 = Cohoctah, Michigan
It's going to rain there tomorrow, too. The high/low temperature forecast is 60/44.

Now. Wasn't that refreshing and instructive?!

Has Shania Twain started smoking?

2004-10-13T09:38:00.000-04:00

I just heard (or rather, endured) Party for Two by Shania Twain and Billy Currington. It sounds like Shania has taken 2 years off to do nothing but smoke 50 Marlboros a day. I'm usually a huge fan of her work - I think she is very talented. But this song gets a big from me.

Wednesday Whatevers

2004-10-12T21:49:00.000-04:00

1. Are exceptions fair?
In most cases, they are. Unless you're talking about where I work. Then no.

2. Do you think teen movies depict the real teenage world?
Definitely not. But that's just my assessment from watching the commercials. It's been a long time since I saw a teenage movie. Well, not that long. I'm only 26, but I am darn glad that I am not a teenager anymore. I mean, seriously...they are weird now, aren't they?!

3. How do you feel about the world's overpopulation?
You mean the world is overpopulated? I thought it was just Catoosa County!

...Wednesday Whatevers...

Happy Birthday to my new blog!

2004-10-12T21:22:00.000-04:00

Today is my new blog's birthday. Yay. I worked on it all day long. I like it and hope you will too.