The Year in Review - 2011

The last six months have been so stressful for me, that I can't really even remember the first six! But it's been some kind of year!

I don't believe I was anywhere special for New Year's 2011. I think I recorded the Times Square Ball Drop and didn't stay up much longer than that. I had two classes in Winter Quarter, started this blog as an assignment, and got A's in both. I Skyped with my youngest son while he was on a Rotary Youth Exchange to Sweden. The big earthquake hit Japan on March 11th and created a tsunami that crossed the Pacific Ocean. We all watched the scramble to contain the nuclear power plant at Fukashima. Had a fun Spring Break with my oldest son on a trip to the Oregon coast, and at home, we discovered Cinnamon had mammary cancer.

Spring Quarter I took 11 credits, was only working three days a week at the Forest Service and Saturdays with the post office, and was dealing with Cinnamon's surgery, so it's no wonder I don't remember much else. I ended with three A's, but not before Cinnamon passed after having a good romp for 2 1/2 months after her surgery, and a month of quiet. It was very difficult for my son. There was too much snow in the mountains still to bury her up in the forest, and we decided she would rather be close to us, so we had her cremated and gave her a place of honor on a shelf on the living room wall. Not 24 hours after my last final test, looking forward to a fun, carefree summer, I was left a message from a police officer, and have had that hanging over my head ever since. My youngest returned from Sweden to a newly decorated room, and a shopping spree for new clothes.

Started Fall Quarter with two computer classes, making preparations for a vacation to Hawaii with my best friend, and a phone call from a police officer. My van threw a rod and 9 days later my Taurus blew a water pump and croaked. A good friend in town offered me a Ford Tempo to borrow which I eventually decided to buy and paid off. High school football season was great and the team went into the state finals but lost the second round. I went back to working full time hours though still a temporary at the Forest Service because of my boss' pregnancy and a co-worker's sickness. Then I had a fabulous 9 days in Maui with Carol and we covered that island from head to toe! Cannot wait to get back there again! A week later the boys made a 4 layer cake for my birthday, and just as I was posting in FaceBook about a wonderful day, my youngest and his friend came in the front door, soaking wet in 31* weather and told me they had rolled my car! We spent the night talking about "what if" and thanking God they were OK, but the car was totalled. Fell behind with my classes but ended with an A and a B-. I wanted an incomplete, but my teacher said, "Take the B and move on." Had the boys' friend kinda moved in with us when he lost his job and couldn't afford to keep his place heated. Early December we watched the last lunar eclipse until 2014, went to Crater Lake to snowshoe on a Ranger Tour, and celebrated Christmas Eve and Morning on the 21st so the boys could head up to their dad's on the 24th.

Lots of world events happened this year also: Osama bin Laden was finally found and killed, several Middle Eastern countries had uprisings by the people against their governments, Italy and Greece had economic crises which impacted the whole world, Gadahfi was killed in the streets of Libya, and the weather around the country went crazy! Killer tornadoes in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Joplin, Missouri; hundreds of homes destroyed in wildfires in Texas; Hurricane Irene flooded the East Coast; and for us here in Lake County... no snow to speak of at all so far this winter, although it does happen to be dark, gloomy, and raining at this very moment.

So it's been quite the year. It's gone quickly. And here we are, on the brink of 2012! What will it hold for me? Will it be the catastrophic year as predicted?

Making plans to pick up my youngest from the train station on New Year's Eve, while the oldest is staying in Washington to work with his dad at a refinery. School starts again for me on the 9th, and I'll be taking 7, possibly 8 credits.

Life continues to carry on, and we put one foot in front of the other no matter what the circumstance or emotion, knowing that Jesus is walking with us each step of the way! And AMEN, AMEN! to that!!

Sue :)

always, "Look forward, anxiously"

Take on the Day

I love these Florida Orange Juice commercials!!

Dad:


and Mom:


Wouldn't it be great if you knew ahead of time what the day was going to hold and you had your orange juice and were ready for it? If you could keep this type of good attitude, it would be terrific.

Or would it? I really am not so sure. Is it better to be surprised?

Best Ever

It was the best ever "Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning All in One Night" ever, last night!! Ben had the ham in the oven when I arrived home after work to start the salad. Gabe ran to the store for the last few ingredients I had forgotten earlier, and we waited for Jon to arrive after his work.

We enjoyed the salad - recipe to follow - and since it was "Christmas Eve" everyone got to open one present - and I let them open the Dot-to-dot books I had ordered for all of us. They thot they were cool.

While the sides were cooking in the oven, I read the Christmas story from the Bible while the boys unwrapped the pieces of our Nativity set (minus Jesus - he hadn't got borned-eded yet!) Then it was time to top the green beans with the french-fried onions, and the yams with the marshmallows - and guess what!? no marshmallows! So Gabe and Jon ran to the store.

I took this time to tidy up a few loose ends for Christmas morning. Ben was on the internet. The boys returned, we topped the sides, the marshmallows overflowed, and dinner was served:

Ham
Green Bean Casserole
Yams with Brown Sugar and Marshmallows
Black Olives
King's Hawaiian Rolls with Butter

It was wonderful and we all ate our fill. The ham was not salty and had a hint of the apple juice we had steamed it in. The marshmallows were gooey, and who doesn't love black olives?

After cleaing off the table, the boys took a little drive while I prepared for "Christmas morning." I put tinsel on our Christmas tree which has always represented the magic of Christmas, placed Baby Jesus in the stable scene, put the stockings under the tree and texted the boys that they could return.

We should have been in our jammies to make the scene complete, but we weren't... ah well. We ooo-d and ahhhh-d over the Baby, the boys enjoyed their candy-filled stockings, and Ben played Santa, digging under the tree for presents for each of us to open. Everyone got really cool stuff: Gabe got car seat covers, rainbow suspenders, an argyle sweater vest and a magic wallet. Ben got a hunter green chamois shirt, a magic wallet and a fuzzy Crater Lake blankie. Jon got a penguin mug with hot chocolate, car seat covers, an ice scraper, and a fuzzy blankie from his Grandma. I got socks, gloves, two winter hats, a scarf, a fuzzy steering wheel cover, an ice scraper, candy, and the best... a Nutcraker on a rocking horse!! for my collection :)

It was a long evening, but so enjoyable. I hope everyone I know and love has an equally wonderful "Christmas Eve" and "Christmas Morning."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS !!


Our new tradition:

Christmas Salad

Salad Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup tarragon white wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon poppy seed (if you have them)

Combine all dressing ingredients in jar and shake, or a bowl and whisk. Refrigerate.

Almonds
1 tablespoon Land O Lakes® Butter
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons sugar

Melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until sizzling; add almonds and 2 tablespoons sugar. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and nuts are golden brown (4 to 5 minutes). Remove from heat; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Quickly spread onto waxed paper-lined baking sheet; cool completely.

Salad
2 (10-ounce) packages European salad blend or your favorite salad blend
1 medium (1 cup) yellow bell pepper, cut into small bite-size pieces
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained well
4 ounces (1/2 cup) crumbled feta cheese

Just before serving, toss together all salad ingredients and dressing in 5 to 6-quart bowl. Portion into bowls and top with caramelized almonds. Serve immediately.

Way yum! Hope you enjoy! :)

Snowshoes

Last week I took my boys and one of their friends to a snowshoe tour of Crater Lake in Oregon.

It was free, and the Ranger talks along the route were very informative: the development of snowshoes, how winter helped create Crater Lake, the big and little plants in the park, and the big and little animals in the park.

The weather was way better than I had expected from the reports and we stayed warm and comfortable :) It was a wonderful adventure!

Merry Christmas !!

I cannot believe that Christmas is just about to arrive for 2011. Where has this year gone? Except for a few bright spots, and a couple of quiet times, the past 6 months have been fairly overwhelming to me with kids, cars and school. I am hoping for a nice Christmas and a calm New Year!

Wishing you and yours a Very Merry Christmas as you celebrate the birth of Our Savior, Jesus Christ!

xoxo

MAUI ! ! !

My body may have returned to Oregon, but my brain definitely still wants to be in Maui, and I feel as though I have surely left a of piece of my heart in Hana.

I had the most wonderful vacation with my bestest buddy in the whole wide world! I plan to post my entire trip on another blog, with all my pictures and videos. My friend will be sending me her pics also, so there will be a bunch to look at :)

I will put the address of that blog

HERE

when I've got it up and going.

ALOHA

Defining

A defining moment is a point at which the essential nature or character of a person, group, etc., is revealed or identified.

Allowing a single moment to define us is differnt, and totally manangable by our own person.

9/11 is characterized as a defining moment for our country. It revealed our collective nature as a whole. A defining moment might happen at the grocery store when you are given back too much change - how you handle the situation at that moment, may define your character. These might be similar but not totally the same as "aha" moments when you discover something about yourself or a situation... when you finally get it.

However, there are moments... &$@# happens... we make mistakes...

But do we allow that moment to define us, our year, our lifetime? We can make that choice... it doesn't just happen to us. An event may happen to us, but how we handle ourselves after that event - we choose.

Do we feel bad? Come to a place of forgiveness of self.

Did we hurt someone else? or their property? Apologize, perform restitution.

Anything else we can do? If so, do it. If not, apply one or both of the above, and then move yourself along.

Most importantly, contemplate what you can learn from the situation... change the way we do things, make new and different friends, try something else in a similar situation. Become a better person because of it.

Older folks have had several situations like this so far in their lives; younger folks may experience this for the first time and feel unsure as to how to handle themselves.

The best thing is to forgive, and do better.

:)

Catching Up

I feel like I need to catch up before school starts next week, so I thot I would jot down a few happenings.

After my two vehicles blew engines, my son got a new car (new to him,) and he is jazzed.

And I got a new car (new to me,) and it gets me back and forth to work.

We walked through the Gate of Honor on a Memorial 5k for our town's 9/11 Rememberance gathering.

High school team has played two football games so far: 1 loss (slightly expected) - 1 win (phenominal against local rival)

Other son is about to come home from a 2 1/2 week job of feeding firefighter crews up north on the High Cascades Comples fire. Good money.

Both have changed their previous life plans in the last week (sheesh)

I need to register both new cars, check to see why my school doesn't have my online class schedule, make the last payment on my Treehouse accommodations for Hawaii (end of October) along with making the car rental reservations. Lots to do, always.

:)

Monday

Today has been a monday with Capital "M" !!

Normally I am not dissuaded with this day of the week, just as I am not paralyzed by Friday the 13ths. But after relating my morning to a friend, she suggested I go back to bed and try again tomorrow!

I was awakened at 5:25 by my son, who needed to use the little blue borrowed car to take his friend to work. Since this car is a blessing from friends to get me to work while my other TWO vehicles have blown up (within a week of each other) and I am awaiting the bad news on them, I am not allowing anyone else to drive it, as promised. He actually just wanted to use it to help jump another friend's little truck that was not starting. (Both of these friends stayed over here last night.)

So, I went back to bed and they tried to jump the truck. At 20 to 6, they woke me up again because the truck still wouldn't start and the friend needed to get to work. So I drove him to his house to get his stuff, and drove him to work.

I went back to bed, and when my alarm went off, I set it for snooze and went right back asleep. When it went off again, I dismissed it and fell asleep again, and woke up at the time I had planned to be at work! So I called and someone was able to cover while I got ready and got to work late.

Today I was working at the prison, and you can't take a cell phone in with you, and I hate to leave it in a hot car so I left it at home. I also try to take a minimum of things with me, so I only take a car door key in.

When I got out of work, I was trying to get to an appointment and discovered I did not have the car door key... I had the trunk key! So I had to go back in and call a friend - they were busy and wouldn't be available for 45 minutes. I would have called my kids, but I figured they were somewhere where they couldn't get a call, so I started walking! Hey it's only 4.5 miles to town!

Luckily, someone from the prison, a mom of one of high school girls my kids know, stopped when she recognized it was me, and took me into town. I had missed the appointment, and then used another person's cell phone to call my kids. They were getting food at a place, and made it by in a short while.

At home, I couldn't find the correct key until about an hour later. Geez.

Got a ride back from the friend whose little truck didn't start in the morning, but did start later, and went to get a second set of keys made!

Now I'm going to take a cool shower, and go back to bed before anything else goes wrong! Tuesday is bound to be way better!

:)

A special thank you to all my friends that helped me out today... you are truly appreciated!

My Mind's Eye

Back when my son left for his year abroad, I had the brilliant idea to lose some weight. "He would really notice" I thought, his having not seen the transformation over the year.

I also had added inspiration, after new years, when I decided to meet my best bud in Hawaii for a "getaway from it all."

Ah yes, the dropping of about 20 to 40 pounds. 20, minimum, and fairly realistic... 40, gallantly idealistic, but probably needed.

Well, you know, life just gets in the way, and it's always something! Changes in situation and routine, stress, the blahs and "who cares", other things that just take more attention. Needless to say, it's now about 2 months before my Hawaiian takeoff, and guess what!? I haven't lost a single pound! Probably have even gained a few... too scared to find out! And I will probably hate myself when I get there that I didn't put forth better effort.

In my mind's eye though, I am slimmer and healthier. I'm still young looking, and basically in decent shape. I think I can bike and hike endlessly into the sunset, but in reality, a 1/4 mile down the path, I'm huffing and puffing.

Now that we've hung the mirrors in my son's room across the hallway, I catch a glimpse of myself every time I walk into my own room, and think... Ack! Is that really me?

I know I need to quit wasting my 50's !! Too soon I'll be in my 60's and hopefully 70's and I will be really old and on a half dozen medications, and I'll have lost the opportunity to ever really be in shape.

But it's difficult to consistently keep that point of view so that you turn away from the ice cream, eat better foods, turn off the TV, get off the couch, and go outside for a walk, even if you are going to get a little sweaty in the warm weather, or need to bundle up for the cooler weather.

Why, why, why, is it so difficult?

Since my high schooler will be having a hectic schedule and we're not too sure about meal times, we have decided that making casserole and crockpot dishes would be best, so that he can come in at any time, warm up a dish and eat decently. Although I have a list of recipes that I already make, I am now in search of healthier alternates so all of us will eat better.

Got any good ones to share? Please comment and leave me a recipe!

Thank you! :)

Another New Word

co·gent [koh-juhnt]
adjective
1. convincing or believable by virtue of forcible, clear, or incisive presentation; telling.
2. to the point; relevant; pertinent.

There were perfectly cogent reasons why he should be told of the mayor's impending return.

Origin:
1650–60; < Latin cōgent- (stem of cōgēns, present participle of cōgere to drive together, collect, compel), equivalent to cōg- ( co- co- + ag-, stem of agere to drive) + -ent- -ent Related forms

co·gent·ly, adverb
The film makes its point cogently.

co·gen·cy, adverb
The film makes its point with cogency and force.

non·co·gent, adjective

non·co·gent·ly, adverb

un·co·gent, adjective

un·co·gent·ly, adverb



I've been reading lately... can you tell? :)

Inspired

I get all inspired to write in my blog, and then I can't remember the correct user name and password!! I have so many accounts with school, work, and bill paying, I'm surprised I can get any of them correct... not to mention FB and the various entity accounts I have there! (so I can work the facilities on my farm... but nevermind!)

Whatever my difficulties, I am inspired today to babble and share, so here goes...

I have been greatly inspired by a guest room I saw on this past season of The Bachlorette with Ashlee. There was a big line drawing of a flower. After actually emailing a wonderful guest manager at one of the Figian resorts, we managed to track down what I was looking for at the Sheraton Figi resort.

The art is actually in more than one guest room, so I think it's a wallpaper pattern. Anyway, I have the terrific idea to free-hand paint this design on my bedroom walls. It would actually be on the wall opposite of the window but it would wrap onto the wall with the headboard, about a quarter of the flower would. I need to make it a little smaller, and change the angle of the leaf more to my liking, and maybe add a bud, but I think this is what I want to do.

Of course, I have to muster up the self-confidence that I can actually succeed in this endeavor. Free-hand drawing with paint is a big deal!

I'll let you know how it goes :)

New Word

I am sure this word has been around for a while, but it is a new word for me.

im·pinge (m-pnj)
v. im·pinged, im·ping·ing, im·ping·es
v.intr.
1. To collide or strike: Sound waves impinge on the eardrum.
2. To encroach; trespass: Do not impinge on my privacy.
v.tr.
To encroach upon: "One of a democratic government's continuing challenges is finding a way to protect . . . secrets without impinging the liberties that democracy exists to protect" (Christian Science Monitor).

im·pingement n.
im·pinger n.

I am now going to have to find wonderful and amazing ways to use it!! :)

Don't Know

Well, there are a lot of things I don't know...

but I would sure like to know what the people in the Midwest did to get God so PO'd at them! Floods, Tornadoes and now record breaking heat!

Here's today Heat Index (that's heat with humidity temps) map with breaking records across 15 states per Weather.com:

Praise God I live in Oregon !! :)

Implosion

Sad

Elated

Disappointed

Relieved

Anxious

Human emotions are great... just not all at the same time! Geez!!

Inside

Never Ending

it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because it is the song that never ends...

Just kinda the way I feel right at this moment.

What's in the Food?

I finally caught up with Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. I think I was trying to catch it all last year and could never find it. Season 2 has opened with a bang as the Los Angeles Unified School District would not allow him into their schools, and when one charter school allowed him in, he wasn't able to even look through the windows into the cafeteria, let alone the actual kitchen area. What's the deal!!?

If I were a parent in those schools, I would be livid... what are they serving my child in his school lunch or snack that can't be shared with a chef or the media?

I guess LAUSD had their feathers ruffled after the Season 2 premier so they finally invited the media for a first hand look...

The article says: Chef Mark Baida has 77 cents per plate to put together a good tasting, good for you meal, although you'll still see pizza and burgers on the menu.

The food is baked not fried and served in proper portions.

"We've eliminated all the palm oils, we've eliminated MSG, we've eliminated a lot of trans fats. Everything that we serve is whole grain or whole wheat at least 51 percent," said Barrett.

Uh, so why wouldn't you let Jamie view this in the first place?

Ought be and interesting season... Catch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on ABC on either Tuesday nights or Friday nights, I'm unsure.

We all might learn a thing or two about nutrition, or the "system".

Overwhelmed

I'm not allowed to use the word "stressed"...

But here's a snapshot of my life this week:

I work three days a week in a government agency. I like it, but enough said about that.

I work 6 hours every Saturday delivering mail. It's the longest job I've held in this town - probably because it's pretty much straight forward and there's nothing to improve, and also because I don't have to deal much with anyone else, and the world won't stop turning if a little mistake is made. Thank God!

Last week and this week, I'm subbing in the Education Dept. of a minimum security prison that houses 400 men. Now there is a position where you always need to be on guard, be aware of how you dress, and be careful what and how you say things. Oh yeah, and the big, heavy door makes a very loud Click when you walk through to the yard. But hey - I'm carrying a radio!

I'm finishing up 11 credits of college classes this week. I'm pretty sure I'll end with an average of over 94% in all three. No easy piece of cake there.

This Saturday afternoon is graduation at our local high school. I've been invited by several kids - friends of my sons. Then I'm making brownies and bringing chips to an all-night-grad-party, and chaperoning from 1am to 3am.

I have a type of fund-raising Skype Party going on at the local pizza hangout this Thursday for my youngest son who is currently in Sweden. He's been there 10 months and will be coming home in July. I got some of the flyers out, but not all. I hope to get some smaller ones to his friend to pass around at school tomorrow. I should have gotten an article written up for the local newspaper about it, but it's too late now for Wednesday's edition. Rats! Should be fun though for friends to see and talk with him on the computer.

This past month our family dog took a turn for the worse with her cancer, and I watched my older son deal with it in a type of withdrawing manner. She passed away this past Saturday night, we were with her, but I feel a physical heaviness with the guilt of not finding her sickness sooner, and maybe not petting her as often as she wanted... which was like, ALL the time. She was only 6, about half the time we expected her to be in our family. The house feels empty and I am still watching/worrying about my son.

My mother wants to know why I haven't taken the checks she sent in the Easter cards to the bank yet, and tomorrow is the first of June, and it's currently hailing outside.

Welcome to my neck of the woods :)

Contemplation

Of a life lived.

Was it good? Could it have been better? Or maybe worse. Could I have made it any different?

Did I make the most of every moment? Do I have regrets?

Did I show the ones I loved how much they meant to me? Did they, in return, feel they could show me how much they cared?

Did I play enough? Laugh often? Did I just let loose and go for the gusto?

Am I ready to move on? Do I wonder why I couldn't have just a little more time...


Cinnamon sat under the pine tree almost all day on Saturday, May 28th. I tried to coax her in, but she wasn't having any of it, despite the wind and snow flurries. I tried to give her some space. She seemed to be Looking Forward, yet still contemplating what was being left behind.

I have learned a lot watching her the past three weeks. She took a turn for the worse, and was never quite up to snuff as she had been. Getting up was difficult, her walking labored, yet her heart wanted to go out for a walk. We went out - but just two houses up and back - it was enough.

Growing old, or being sick, sucks. The heart still yearns to soar, but the body does not cooperate. How many years do I have left before I am feeling as she was Saturday afternoon, and asking those questions of myself?


Rest in Peace
Cinnamon Taffy Twist
born January 31, 2005
passed May 29, 2011
May there be lots of bunnies to chase,
and bunches of snacks to snarf
wherever you may be.
You were loved,
You will be remembered,
and you are very much missed already.

Happy Trails, Girlfriend!

Get Ready

OK, so there's been this guy, Harold Camping,

who evidently has been preaching for many years on his Family Radio that the world is going to end on May 21, 2011. (Honestly, it's the first time I've heard of it, so I don't think they got the word out very well. They didn't give me much time to make preparations!) He claims this day is exactly 7,000 years from the day the animals stepped onto Noah's Ark. He says Jesus will return to Earth and save his believers. The unrepentant sinners among us will be the victims of a massive earthquake that will start in New Zealand and spread across the world until it reaches the United States about 6 p.m. Unlucky survivors will perish six months later on October 21, when God destroys the Earth with fire.

Really?

Well, if this is the end of the world, I have just enough time to meet it with a shower, squeaky clean hair, and we're going out for Mexican food tonight!

I'm ready - how about you?

Yep

indeed-a-reenie...

THIS is what "head-butting with someone in PE where you get your cheekbone broken and your eye socket shattered" looks like!

It's also "I get to miss the State Finals track meet this weekend!"

Surgery is scheduled for Monday. Poor kid! ;(

Now we know

We're having weird weather here - snow in the middle of May and cold than usual air temps. Are you having weird weather? I think everyone is having weird weather! Those poor people in the south now have to be wary of thunder storms! Glad we don't live in Denham Springs anymore.

Anyway, Betty, a character in our town (side note: You know that kind of person? Every town has at least a couple. Someone just a little different. Interesting enough though.) came knocking on my door on Sunday afternoon, and asked if I had any cans. I did, so I gave her a couple of cans. She didn't say thank-you. It was cold with a strong wind coming from the South, and Betty had a hat and gloves but I asked her if she was warm enough, and she said yes. Then I commented that it sure was a cold Spring, and she told me, "Ever since they found that crack in the glacier." I asked, "Really? I hadn't heard about that." She said, "They found a crack in the glacier and it's been colder ever since," and then she walked away.

So there you have it. If you were wondering what was going on with your weather, now we know!

I did google "crack in glacier" and found two very interesting articles:

A huge island of ice, 4 times the size of Manhattan broke off of the Petermann Glacier in Greenland last year in August.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/08/petermann-glacier.php

and last year a 60-mile-long iceberg collided with the Mertz Glacier in East Antarctica, causing a section of the glacier to crack off into the Southern Ocean. They found a very interesting ecosystem and explain the problem of desalizination.

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/hidden-ecosystem-discovered-after-huge-crack-forms-in-ant

I don't know if Betty is right or not, but it looks like we're getting it on both ends from Mother Nature!

:)

The New Robfather?

Could Boston Rob possibly be replaced in Survivor history? By the Beninator?

Stayed tuned: Same Bat time, same Bat channel !!

ASB Update

Gabe is on ASB!! (Associated Student Body) Marissa is President, so he is serving along with Jolee and Marisol to make up the four person cabinet. GO HONKERS!!

Vote GABE for ASB !!

To Release, or Not to Release... that is the question.

What does this whole deal about whether to release the photos of bin Laden say about our society today?  I'm not a sociology major, but I bet there will be a ton of term papers written about this situation at the end of this quarter in that discipline.

First, I find that no one seems to believe the government anymore.  No matter what they say, people don't believe them.  Have we ever believed them?  I think there may have once been a time in our history when we did.  But not anymore.  I think there have been too many various cover-ups over the years, where then some truth pops out and exposes the whole foray.

The fact that the photos haven't been leaked already does say something very significant about the people in charge of the mission:  they evidently don't have a Facebook account.

There are plenty of photos around the internet of the innocent dead: the Killing Fields, Jones Town, Dauchau.  And plenty of the notorious dead:  the guys at the OK Corral, Baby Face Nelson and even the viral video of Saddam Hussein's hanging.  So it's not like the public hasn't seen death.

At one time, a picture was proof, it was "worth a thousand words"... but not since the Average Joe became proficient in PhotoShop.  (Who doesn't recall of pic of the smiling tourist on the top of the Twin Tower with a plane headed right toward him?)  No, no one even believes a photograph anymore.  In fact, a fake pic of bin Laden was virally circulated just hours after the world received the news.

So really, what would be the point to release it?  I think none.  Because it would not be believed by the skeptics anyway.

And not to release it?  A government official familiar with intelligence matters said deliberations are leaning toward a release, but emphasized that the decision "isn't unanimous and everyone has understandable hesitation."  Yes, I would lean more toward these hesitations, assuming that a photo would only incite his devoted followers to more atrocities.

I believe the real truth of Usama bin Laden's death will be realized when we don't hear from him ever again.  He is too egotistical to allow the United States to get away with such a claim that he'd been killed, even if it meant putting his own life and his family's in the greater jepardy of being found.  If he were around, he would still want to wield what power he had because he still has followers, unlike Edi Amin whose supporters and associates had mutineed, and he exiled from Uganda, defeated, in 1979, never really to be heard from again in global proportion. He later died in Saudia Arabia in 2003 from liver failure. 

Bin Laden will certainly make his presense known if he is still alive.

So, we shall see, one way or another.

S.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/05/03/bin.laden.photo/index.html


Later in this day, it was reported that President Obama has decided NOT to release bin Laden's death photo.

"It is important for us to make sure that very graphic photos of somebody who was shot in the head are not floating around as an incitement to additional violence or as a propaganda tool. That's not who we are. We don’t trot out this stuff as trophies," Obama told CBS News, according to White House spokesman Jay Carney.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42900991/ns/world_news-death_of_bin_laden/?GT1=43001

I believe it is a good decision.  S.

Buried

I am discovering that school is an emotional thing for me.  I guess most things in my life are: the dishes, housecleaning, scrapbooking.  I have to "feel it" to get it done.  If I don't feel emotionally into it, then I can't get into it and I put it off.  Unless I'm up against a deadline, then I can stay up all night if I have to, to accomplish the project.

I am currently behind on my stuff for my classes, but am also battling emotions at home because our dog has taken a turn for the worse.  I'm so overwhelmed that I just want to sleep.  But I'm not sleeping well, so I'm always tired and my brain is a jumble and I can't concentrate on the reading I need to do...  and it's just a vicious circle because then that drains me emotionally and I don't want to do anything!  Can't wait for this quarter to be done with!  Am not sure I'm going to survive.  Never again am I taking three classes!

Spontaneous

This really surprised me, that people would come out and congregate together in celebration.

In front of the White House, chants of "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" filled the night air, and the quickly growing group spontaneously broke into an off-key rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

In New York, a cheering crowd gathered at Ground Zero -- the site where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center once stood. Strains of "God Bless America" could be heard intermittently trickling through the crowd.

I was on the West Coast in September 2011, and somehow, even though the shock of 9/11 hit us, I think we were a little protected from it.

Let us never forget.

 It has defined a generation.



Royalty

Wills and Kate - married !!!

And they are now...

Princess William of Wales and Princess William of Wales

His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge

Earl of Strathearn and Countess of Strathearn

Baron Carrickfergus and Baroness Carrickfergus 

but as reported... it is likely that in the eyes of the media and public, she could always be known as Princess Catherine or Princess Kate.

I just need to remember

When things seem so overwhelming and I'm feeling really frazzed...
I just need to remember...

to put on my Happy Hat!

Life is just too short - so we need to find joy in every moment :)

Amazing 2011

We had a quiet, regular Sunday for Easter... how about you? We went to church, remembered what Jesus did for us, and that "He is Risen!", Amen!, watched the little kids hunt for eggs, came home and were too hungry to wait for the ham to cook so we had a pizza we had in the freezer. We remembered that last year, the three of us went to the Mexican restaurant, and besides us, only one other couple was there, someone from our church :) Guess we aren't all that traditional for this holiday.

However, we did carry out the Amazing tradition. When he first got up, son found a carrot shaped plastic "egg" sitting on top of the TV and I said, "Happy Easter! Better get out there before any other little bunnies find all the carrots!" Inside was a GPS coordinate to lead him to another clue...

Well, I'll let him tell you all about it!


[insert son's youtube here]
(he journaled his adventures on his Droid and said he was going to put it together for a video)

Hope you made some special memories also :) GBY!

Shift

Count me crazy, but I have a theory. A theory about the weather patterns.

People have been commenting for years about how the expected weather is not appearing, but instead, strange and unusual things are happening. True? Now everywhere I have ever lived, people will tell you, “oh, if you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes and it will change.” I finally did actually experience that in Oregon a few years back. I think it was sunny one minute, and literally five minutes later it was all dark and raining like crazy (or was it the other way around? I’m not sure, but it definitely was weird.)

Back to my theory - Remember the earthquake in the Indian Ocean and the resulting tsunami in December of, what, 2004, or was it 2005? I recall hearing that the event was large enough to throw the earth’s axis off by, I thought they said, “a quarter of an inch.” I know that doesn’t sound like much, but I started to think that it was enough to shift things a bit. I am not a weather person, and I think that some weather is created by topography, but that the majority is created way high in the sky. I’m being real technical here, aren’t I?

Now the earthquake in New Zealand in February, and the one in Japan in March, supposedly together threw the earth’s axis off by 18cm… that’s around 7 inches! Goodness gracious, the island of Japan moved a purported 8 feet!

So is anyone else noticing that the tornadoes that usually occur in Oklahoma and Texas, ended up in Virginia and the Carolinas last weekend? And the dry weather that turned Arizona and New Mexico into deserts over time now seems to be the cause of the huge wildfires in Texas for the past two weeks?*

We had the most beautiful spring day yesterday… sunny, cool air, slight breeze… and today it is snowing like a son-of-gun! Are we getting the moisture that usually falls on the west side of the Cascades? Hmmm

At least one of my fellow workers is happy… he is like way into cross-country skiing :)

* from a CNN article today:
Fire-friendly conditions are expected to return Thursday in various parts of the state, the National Weather Service said.

"Even if we get two inches of rain the ground's going to eat it up," said David Hennig, a Weather Service meteorologist in Midland, Texas. "We need a pattern shift." (bold mine - interesting comment and use of words)

West Texas averages nearly 15 inches of rain a year, according to Hennig. In the past six months, only 13-hundredths of an inch of rain has been recorded in that part of the state. While October through March is typically the dry season, that amount of rainfall is far below what it should be, Hennig said.

He said weather models show the possibility of more storms this weekend and perhaps next week. While the rain is needed, storms accompanied by lightning pose a fire risk, he said.

Where ever

you are, Happy Birthday B.D. !! :)

Stealth R Us

OK, hands down, Philip has been the strangest contestant on Survivor in all their seasons. And you can believe that from me because I have watched all 21 seasons since the "first ever reality show" aired in 2000.

But we saw a part of Philip tonight that I'm not sure many people realized we saw. He had one interview where he was very much different than we've seen him before... his voice was steady and he even looked different. Could it be?

Can we maybe conceive the possibility that this guy could actually be playing Boston Rob, and he is totally together and just acting crazy? Would that be the best play ever if he could make it to the end (because Rob thinks he can win against him if he takes him to the final three or final two where the voting happens) then prove himself sane... Wouldn't everyone vote for him for his great performance?

Now, I kinda like Boston Rob, but my son thinks that would be hysterical if Rob would lose, again, his fourth season. We actually were on his side until he voted out Matty for no real reason and then sent him back to Redemption Island again!

So, is Philip, the "Federal Agent", playing us all? Even Jeff Probst, who blogged "[Phillip] is everything and I mean everything you could ever ask for from a Survivor contestant. He is so damn sincere, so earnest. I truly can't get enough. I know a lot of you already hate him, save it for the comment section. I'm in Camp Phillip." I guess only time will tell... until we hear that "the tribe has spoken."

:)

Brave New World

I was reading a CNN article today about a children's book, "And Tango Makes Three" that has again topped the American Libriaries Association's list of Challanged Books. It's about two male penguins hatching a baby penguin in the Central Point Zoo in New York. I'm not making any comment on that here, but I clicked over the ALA's website to read more on the subject and found their Top Ten list of Frequently Challenged Books for 2010:

1.“And Tango Makes Three” –– Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.
2.“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” –– Sherman Alexie.
3.“Brave New World” –– Aldous Huxley.
4.“Crank” –– Ellen Hopkins.
5.“The Hunger Games” –– Suzanne Collins.
6.“Lush “–– Natasha Friend.
7.“What My Mother Doesn’t Know” –– Sonya Sones.
8.“Nickel and Dimed” –– Barbara Ehrenreich.
9.“Revolutionary Voices” –– edited by Amy Sonnie.
10.“Twilight” –– Stephenie Meyer

And I'm not going to comment about this list either, but hasn't every American teenaged girl read "Twilight"?

ANYWAY, I was considering "Brave New World", wondering if I had read it. I don't recall. I do remember there being controversy about it "way, back when" so then I checked Wikipedia to see if they could enlighten me as to the reason for upset and what the hoopla is about. You can look that up if the question plagues you.

I DID, however, find this on the Wiki site:

Social critic Neil Postman contrasts the worlds of Nineteen Eighty-Four and Brave New World in the foreword of his 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death. He writes:

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions." In 1984, Orwell added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that our desire will ruin us.


THIS, I find extemely interesting. So, according to where we are now, today, 25 years later... whose point of view of the future was more correct? Comments?

Hmmm... :)

Snow

Woke up to snow this morning, and it's still coming down. Roads are slick. Yeah, I'm excited I had to get my snow tires off on Tuesday because of the legal deadline!!

Thank goodness my regular tires still have good tread left on them.

Treehouse Confirmed !!

So exciting! Sent in the deposit for the Kihei Treehouse Cottage in Maui!

It's not exactly a treehouse, but a small upper rental with a king size bed. We chose it for the fact it was in a neighborhood - not the "touristy" feel of a vacation condo, the hosts are on the property so we have local input if we want it, we can walk to the beach, and it was fairly inexpensive. No pool, but hey, we are in Hawaii, we'll be at the beaches! (looking for those guys with the 'Brella Drinks... lol!) Comments from previous guests spoke highly of the hosts, that they enjoyed the birds while sitting on the lanai for coffee in the mornings, and liked the breeze that flowed through the treehouse.

We are happy with our choice :) Now onto making reservations for the adventures, and a car.

:)

CIS 225 End User Support - Windows 7

OK, from what I can tell so far, this class is going to be the death of me this quarter. I believe I have a handle on my other two classes, but this one has required so much set-up that I feel I am behind already, but the teacher is telling me not to stress. He's seems fairly easy going and willing to work with his students - glory! - cause I need a lot of work!

I will breath in. I will breath out.

I had to set up a new Google site to display my classwork for this class. The site is http://sites.google.com/site/susanstvcc

Here are the instructions:

1) You will create a webpage using resources available to you.
A) The web page will be used to host all CIS final projects.
B) Must have a home page with links to other pages representing other classes and projects. The home page must include an introductory paragraph describing the main purpose of your webpage including the following.
i.A picture of you
ii.A description of your dream job
iii.Your personal interests
iv.Your major accomplishments or something you are proud of.

And here's what I wrote on my Home page:

I hope over time, this website will reflect the journey I have taken in learning about computer information systems at Treasure Valley Community College.

Although I began my relationship with computers in the early 80's, booting up that Apple II with a 5 1/2" disc to do basic secretarial work and accounting, and later discovered the Internet in 1997, I have a lot to learn about the inside workings of a computer, networking, and types of systems and software in general. It already appears the path will be an exciting one from here.

I have had many occupations throughout my working career and then was able to home school my sons for seven years. After that, while they chose to attend public high school, I have worked varied positions (basically whatever was available in our small town) but have planned for some time to attend college for a career that would help me put both of them through college. This career would help me out as well as I don't expect Social Security to do much for me, and I really don't believe I'll ever get the chance to retire.

After a home school field trip to a St. Anthony's Hospital in Pendleton, I decided that Radiology would be my endeavor. Where I currently live, I have been limited to online classes as the only opportunity for the higher education prerequisite classes I need. I have not been able to move my family because I must stay here for my youngest son to obtain a substantial scholarship from the high school for going all four years and maintaining his 4.0 GPA. Meanwhile, I became discouraged by the fierce competitiveness of the Radiologic Technology field, finding out that I MIGHT be able to start those classes in 2014.

Our TVCC counselor asked me what interested me in Radiology and I had to admit it was working with the computers. Since then I've found out about digital imagery and am thrilled about how it combines my two interests, so my sights are now set on a CIS degree to work within a hospital environment.

My dream job would entail becoming a PACs Administrator for a medical missionary organization like YWAM's (Youth with a Mission) Medical Ships or something like Doctors Without Borders. Of course, this would be after I've sent my sons through college and am assured they will take care of me in my old age when I return home... lol.

I have a lot of interests: geocaching, scrapbooking, fly fishing, leather work, collecting squished pennies, biking, hiking and camping. I love to travel and see new things. I've recently renewed my adventures into genealogy and have just traced one pedigree back to the 1630's in France!

I have to admit that my two sons are the biggest part of my life, as I believe they should well be at this time, and my ongoing greatest accomplishment. Teenagers! they can drive me crazy but I love them to bits and wouldn't trade them for "all the tea in China." I am most proud of the open relationships I have with each of them and the fact that we talk a lot, and about everything... and not that we agree on much, but at least we can talk about it. I am both proud of the young men they are and at the same time worry about them and some of the choices they make. I pray we'll all survive these teen years and I'll live long enough to truly be proud of the grown men I hope they will become. As you can see on my sidebar, my youngest is currently in Sweden as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student. I expect him home mid-July and he'll go on to experience his Senior year of high school. I miss him terribly, but Skype is great, and I know he is learning life lessons as he is growing up on the other side of the world. I am happy to have my oldest still at home, completing high school and planning to head toward a career in welding.

I look forward to my sons spreading their own wings, heading off to college and other new horizons in the next couple of years, while for myself, I am looking ahead to other adventures like school and moving somewhere new to pursue my classes and a career... and hopefully, finding more time to catch up on all my hobbies!

Sue :)

I sure like to talk, don't I? I really think I need to try my hand at writing a novel or something! haha :)

Said Ted

"The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem." - Theodore Rubin

Something That Made Me Laugh

Wednesdays always carry a sense of trepidation, never knowing if I am going to run into someone I don't care to encounter. So I am sure my face held consternation on my drive to work.

However, the mood was broken when I had to chuckle... upon seeing a man walking his dog on a leash in his own backyard! It just looked funny.

On later contemplation, I am pretty sure he is probably training the dog to do it's thing in a certain area of the yard, so this is commendable.

But it sure struck me as funny this morning... and I needed that :)

Never Again!

Egads! Well, I knew this was going to be a killer quarter with three classes, 11 credits, and last night at the end of the second day, I swore to myself I would NEVER take three classes at the same time ever again!!

I was up until 12:30am just printing out all of the syllibi(?), calendars, and the first couple weekly check off sheets for each class. I now have chapters to read, quizzes to take, and extra activities to complete since I will not be available to attend the labs for one class. Presentations to prepare for two classes and fellow students to connect with by discussion board for my third class. It's all so overwhelming the first week until you can get a handle on the new routine. It still seems like an insurmountable feat even if I do get into a decent routine.

Then I was up for a large portion of the night worrying about these videos we have to produce to teach what we are learning, to post on YouTube. Geez!

But never again! Too much! This is so totally how I am feeling...

Already I can't wait for it to be over in June!

:)

Break 2011

[ this spot reserved for pictures and commentary regarding Break 2011 Adventure ]

Excited !!!

Made my flight reservations for Hawaii in October!! So excited!! Woo-hoo !!

My bestest buddy of 40 years and I are going to Hawaii in October!! We are going to snorkel at Molokini Islet, and Zipline, and ride bikes down Haleakala!! And lay in the sun, and hike, and eat great food! Just spending time together will be special, but in such a beautiful place... it will be fa-bu-lous!! Aloha!!

Home is Where the Heart Is

Well now, I will admit I am not the best housekeeper in the world. In all honestly, it is just not that important to me.

I'm a bit of a collector and that tends to clutter things up.

I have a lot of interests, and every interest comes with it's own pile of "must have" goodies.

I'm a bit of a procrastinator so I put off organizing and throwing things away. It's the decision making that wears me out.

I had a friend once tell me, "If you came to see me, stop by anytime! If you came to see my house, call ahead." I agree 100% :)

My heart is always with me, but my home is also where my heart is...

I tend to believe that one of the reasons I have the relationship I have with my sons is because we all didn't have TVs in our separate bedrooms - we sat on the couch and watched shows together, and we talked about life. We didn't go our separate ways, we always tended to congregate in the living room/dining room of our little house, even though, most times, you can't find the surface of the dining room table.

My sons have come to accept this about me, even though I suspect they don't care for it much. But they also know, that they can come through that front door at any time, in any circumstance, and be safe and secure and accepted by me. That there is always a hug waiting for them, an ear to listen to them, a word of advice for them... that I love them for who they are and where they're at in life, even if I don't always agree.

So, it's a little, ordinary house... it's fairly cluttered, our furniture doesn't match, the floor probably needs vacuuming, and there's dishes in the sink... but it's where my heart is, and it's where LOVE is for my family. Yes, there are plenty of bigger houses, and less cluttered houses, but that's not where my heart is... that's not where real love is... my love, is here.

:)

Now I will address those who might argue, "yes, but if you loved your family, you'd keep a better house." To them I answer, I could have a floor clean enough to eat off of, but I've never met anyone who would actually like to eat off of a floor like that. And, when I could have been scrubbing floors and dusting corners, I chose instead to love my family by spending time with my boys playing games or reading or going to see and do things. I could have spent my energies keeping an immaculate house, but then my sons probably wouldn't have had their art projects up on our walls, or their friends over because they might "mess things up", we wouldn't have the memories of the things we've done and experienced, and we most certainly would not have had the parade of pets we've had. If I were that way, I probably wouldn't be the kind of mom who would allow a stuffed bear on her roof either!! I made my choice for what I believed was for the better... you are free to choose for yourself what you believe is for the better.

For those who just believe that I should be different... all I can say is, you don't understand, and you certainly don't understand that I have been going through a process to understand why I want to have things around me the way I do. I've learned a lot about how to weed through and get rid of, and I have been disposing of a multitude of items. I am understanding what I need for my future and what is not important for my future. I'm ready to parcel things off with my boys as they move out. I am ready to release a lot of the stuff I've moved along with me for years. The actual doing takes time, physically and mentally, so I'm sorry that it just hasn't been fast enough for y'all.

OK, I'm done :)

Buoyed Up by Success.... and a little about Goals

When I started taking college classes again last quarter, I felt overwhelmed, and wondered if my old pea-brain could handle all of this... and I only had ONE class! Then this quarter I took two 4 credit classes, and was willing to settle for a lower grade if I couldn't actually get all of this info into my head. But I have done quite well, and was practically shaking with excitement to take my Intro to Business final this morning... I missed more than I should have, but finished with 94% for the course. My computer class final is on Thursday and I'm feeling pretty confident about it also. I'm just giddy with the thought that I might be smarter than I was thinking I was.

I need to hold onto that feeling as I begin my Spring quarter in two weeks with three classes, 11 credits. What am I thinking!!!? I am SO, TOTALLY terrified! I'm not sure I'll "sail" through, but I will probably do better than I am thinking I will. I mean, I sure hope I do. Keep good thoughts for me please :)

And now... on to Goals.

When I was turning 30, I was blessed to share the event with my best friend, whose birthday is just the day before mine. 30, it's a big number, a turning point in a person's life, especially for a woman. My friend was married, had two small children, was purchasing a home in California, had a nice church family... things were good. My husband and I were traveling through, headed to Louisiana for school. We had plans for school, a family, missionary work... lots of plans and goals. (Things didn't quite work out the way we had planned, but that was the direction we thought we were headed.) While I was excited about my birthday, the future... my friend was having the "I'm turning 30! blues. I admit I could be wrong, but I always felt that she was in the accomplished part of her life. Yes, she had things to look forward to, but a lot of her life, at the moment was "routine." But I had things to look forward to, be excited about...

ooh, the "Look Forward, Anxiously" lesson again...

I now have new goals and plans that I am looking forward to. I must say I've been in a bit of a funk since my divorce three years ago, but now, today, I feel like I have so many things ahead. A plan with my schooling and a vocation, a vacation to coordinate with my same best friend to Hawaii, a business idea, plans to find friends who want to go biking, hiking and fly-fishing. Plans and Goals. All day today, I've felt like a puppy whose tail wags it's whole body! Butterflies in my tummy, which I haven't had in years! I just feel all happy-wiggly!

Then again,

it could just be my medication kicking in finally after three weeks!

:) lol

Week 10: Tsunami

I was just ending my evening and listening to snippets of the local news, when they reported, just in, "Massive earthquake in Japan." I caught a friend on Facebook and asked if she had heard about it, and she said she was watching Fox News as they were covering it. I don't think I've gotten 4 hours of sleep during the past 20 hours, watching the amazing coverage of the Tsunami roll across the Japanese farmlands. Then the warnings for the Hawaiian Islands. I called a friend in California at 12:30am because her dad spends a lot of time at his condo in Maui, and I wanted to make sure she got a hold of him. The tsunami watch for the coast of the US was upgraded to a warning. News of a fire at one nuclear reactor, and another that they couldn't cool down. More videos coming in. I finally laid my head down at about 3:30am, but got up at 5:00am to see what was going on with Hawaii, and stayed up until they started talking about the waves hitting Crescent City, and then I napped again for a short while. I've been watching the news stations all day as videos are coming in, and the sun rose on Japan.

I am just blown away by the beautiful, neat little farms being taken over by this huge, muddy flow. Unbelievable.

And now we just wait and see what is going to happen with the nuclear reactor, and hope they can find all of the missing people. It's overwhelming and difficult to sit back in my seat.

Week 10: Pauline's Grandmother

Another little except from my son's blog about his exchange in Sweden. I am so excited for him and his experiences there.

I had planned to visit Pauline in Kumla and take a fika at her grandmothers house, so that is what I did! It was a very nice day weather wise and so we walked to her grandma's house, I actually like Kumla, I think it's a nice little town! We ate lunch with her grandma and then had a fika and just talked, all in Swedish, it was a lot of fun to meet her and she is like a very, very nice lady, she actually made me a pair of gloves, how sweet is that! I hope to see her again in the future before I leave.

Pauline's grandmother's delicious food, typical swedish actually ;D.

The mittens she made me :D!

Flowers in Pauline's grandmothers house!

Week 10: Letter to Future Students

Dear Future Students of this Class:

Hey! If you know a little bit about some of the programs in the Microsoft Office Suite, you will learn a lot more about them in this class. You’ll also learn about your computer and your work space, more about web pages and game programming. I guess it’s been said before, but keep up with your weekly assignments. Don’t let them pile up. If they are posted early, get going on your blog and exercises.

For newbies who don’t know much at all about computers or software applications, it may all seem a bit overwhelming but you are going to learn so much! Knowing the Office programs will help you a lot through school for assignments and projects. Give yourself enough time (I ended up spending between 10 and 16 hours each week on lessons,) keep up with the assignments and follow the book step by step, making sure you understand each thing you do – the book is very good at this. If you have time, do the extra exercises at the end of each section also. If Tutorials are made available for a project, make sure you watch and follow those – they will help you a lot!

Also, Ms. Bagent has made herself available each week for an Elluminate session which has been great when I’ve had questions. She goes over every part of the assignment, so this is your opportunity to touch base with your instructor. If you can’t make the session, make sure you go back and listen to it, someone may have asked your question, and you’ll find out the answer! The more who participate in the session though, the more questions are answered and the more ideas are tossed around. I am surprised how few of us took part in this valuable part of the class. Use the Discussion Board to ask questions too… often another student will be able to help, or the teacher will answer you. She wants you to learn what you are doing, not just get a grade.

Many parts of this class are actually fun, so enjoy! I will be keeping up my blog… my family gets a kick out of it. Going over HTML coding has inspired me to create a business website, and the gaming part was something that really intrigued me also.

I wish you well! Don’t get overwhelmed, just tick off the steps so you don’t miss anything, have fun and “learn lots of things” as my dad used to say to me :)