Teacher Tori

I'm bringing blogging back....

2009-07-14T12:42:00.003-05:00

....or shouldn't I? I don't really know what I'd talk about since every day consists of me trying not to kill my baby. Probably the same as before....dabble in politics, talk about teaching and throw in some baby spammage. I'd have to gussy up the look though b/c I'm a bit tired of the pink. Thoughts? Oh wait, nobody comes here anymore, haaaa.

Anti-gun Obama

2008-04-12T21:21:00.002-05:00

I knew this yahoo was going to run for President since the Democratic Convention a few years back. FYI:

Obama to Get the Dems 'Barack' into the Business of Gun Control

by Erich PrattDirector of Communications

It sounded like a report from the National Enquirer. Dick Cheney and Barack Obama... cousins?
Say it ain't so, Mrs. Cheney.
But in fact, the Vice-President's wife revealed this bombshell in her recent book, Blue Skies, No Fences. According to Lynne Cheney, the current veep and the Illinois Democrat Senator, who wants to be the next president, are distant cousins -- eighth cousins, to be exact.1
When hit with this revelation, the Obama campaign took the news in stride, saying that, "Every family has a black sheep."2

All kidding aside, it's too bad that Dick Cheney and Barack Obama didn't do more shooting and target practice together in their youth, because today, they couldn't be more polar opposites when it comes to the Second Amendment.

Whereas one would be hard-pressed to find an anti-gun vote on Cheney's House record -- as he served the state of Wyoming for many years -- Obama's gun record is just simply atrocious.
Oh sure, Obama told Iowa radio listeners last year that he is a "strong believer" in the rights of hunters and sportsmen, and that homeowners should have a firearm "to protect their home and their family." But then in the next breath, he says, "It's hard for me to find a rationale for having a 17-clip semiautomatic [sic]."3

Good thing the ban on magazines that Obama supports was not in effect during the Los Angeles riots of 1992. That's when Korean merchants successfully used their semi-autos -- with large magazines containing multiple rounds -- to keep looters away from their stores. Their businesses remained standing, even while many others (which were left unprotected) burned to the ground.

Obama supports the existing gun control laws on the books. Nowhere in his literature or in his campaign speeches does he stake out a position in favor of repealing any gun control measure that has passed into law.

Not surprisingly, Obama supports the gun ban in the nation's capital, saying the "DC handgun law is constitutional."4 And he is opposed to people using guns for self-defense, when those guns are owned in localities like Washington, DC and Chicago where firearms are banned.
Illinois resident Hale DeMar was prosecuted by the town of Wilmette for using a handgun in his home to defend his family in 2003. Because Wilmette had imposed a ban on the possession of handguns, several Illinois state legislators introduced SB 2165 to protect the right of self-defense for residents like DeMar. True to form, Obama voted against the pro-gun legislation.

It is very telling that Obama moved further to the left than most of the liberal legislators in his state. The self-defense bill protecting gun owners like DeMar passed the state senate 41-16 and was later enacted into law over the governor's veto (and over Obama's opposition).

The concealed carry of firearms is another important issue for gun owners, and yet Obama is not only opposed to citizens carrying guns, he supports using federal laws to override those states which currently allow the practice.

In 2004, Obama said he supports a national ban on concealed carry because the states that allow it are "threatening the safety of Illinois residents."6 Never mind the fact that concealed carry laws have improved the safety of citizens in the states that have enacted such laws.7
Obama has also taken a strong position in favor of the Clinton semi-auto ban which sunset in 2004. "I believe we need to renew -- not roll back -- this common sense gun law," Obama said.8
Well, there's nothing that's "common sense" about the Clinton ban. Not only did it outlaw almost 200 types of firearms, legislators like Senator Chuck Schumer of New York tried to amend the law (before it sunset) to include additional types of semi-autos -- even banning classic (wood-stock) long guns such as the Remington shotgun which Senator John Kerry received as a gift during his 2004 presidential bid.

Bottom line: Senator Obama may not be as gun ban-crazed as the infamous Chuck Schumer. He may not lay awake at night dreaming of ways to disarm honest gun owners. But sure enough, Obama is a committed anti-gunner.

Checking in

2007-12-21T15:19:00.000-06:00

Wow, it has been forever since I've blogged and so much has changed. That guy I met and talked about...well I married him last summer. Life is good. I think I'll start blogging again regularly when we get pregnant. Our family might find that interesting.

What else is going on? Well, I'm still a republican, I still love our military, my Packers are finally good again, the Bears still suck, and it's Christmas!

I wish everyone out there a wonderful holiday season and a very happy New Year!

Living in Illinois Sucks

2006-11-29T19:47:00.000-06:00

Look at the email I got recently from our teacher's union addressed to the entire staff:

Dear Friend,

I'd like to invite you to join me in urging Senator Barack Obama to run for president in 2008. Not only does Senator Obama do a wonderful job representing the people of Illinois, in just a few short years he has proven himself to be an incredibly inspirational national leader. From his memorable and unifying speech at the Democratic National Convention to his new book Audacity of Hope, Barack has shown that he has the best interests of all Americans at heart.

That is why I want to see Barack run for President in 2008. I believe that he is the right man to lead our country at a time of such turmoil around the globe, bringing Americans together at a time in our nation's history when we need unity more than ever.

Barack has said publicly that he is considering a run, and part of his consideration will doubtlessly include measuring the level of his support from Democrats across the country. So I hope you'll join me and Senator Dick Durbin in sending a message to Barack, urging him to run for President!

Do you think this is acceptable email to be sending at work? Besides not liking Obama at all, HE LACKS EXPERIENCE. He makes my skin crawl and living in Illinois he is shoved in our faces all the time. Ick.

Happy Birthday to me???

2006-11-07T22:48:00.000-06:00

Well, it's my birthday and I'm watching my fellow Republicans getting beaten like a red-headed stepchild tonight. Virtually every candidate I volunteered for have lost and I loathe the fact I live in a Blue State.....stupid City of Chicago, they ruin everything.

And you know what, since other blogs are already doing this, I'll follow.....I am calling Virginia for George Allen.

Yeah we apparently gave up the House but at least we have the Senate. Let's see if the Commie bastards will do anything besides repeal my tax cut b/c according to them I'm rich!! If I'm so rich, how come I struggle to pay my mortgage every month???? Bastards.

Lord only knows what the hell President Georgie can do now for his last 2 years. Even hearing or seeing Nancy Pelosi makes me want to kill puppies and now she'll be the House leader......{{I think I just puked in my mouth}}

Oh well, thank god for the first time in my life, my beloved is a Republican and we can lick each other's wounds (don't get perverted on me people.)

My birthday started out great......got a trip to Texas from the BF, a necklace from sis and got a donkey kick in the teeth to end it.

Now I'm all fired up......more to come.

alright, alright, I'm posting

2006-10-17T20:24:00.000-05:00

haaaa, haaaaa, it's funny even though I hate cats. I'll be better about posting but I'm so damn boring these days.

Kidney Infections suck

2006-09-19T09:58:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I've been laid up now for 4 days with a bad kidney infection. Definitely not fun and I hope to never have one again.

Faster than a speeding...umm...car

2006-09-07T22:31:00.000-05:00

So my beloved and I were taking a walk around the block to get some air.....my nose is stuffy and I couldnt sit still and focus on our Ultimate Fighting show. Anythewho, there was one of those Police Radar signs that tells you how fast you are driving was on the side of our street. I thought to myself "I wonder if it would pick up me on it's radar". So, being my quirky and stuffy nosed self, I took off running in my white tank top, pj shorts and Ugg pink slip ons as fast as I could. Yeah, I'm fast, it clocked me at 27mph. Thats right, 27mph baby! My better half witnessed it but refuses to recognize the skills. That's right, Teacher Tori has Skillz That Killz (to quote the movie Dodgeball). Time to go drug myself with Nyquil PM.

Touche

2006-08-29T22:07:00.000-05:00

Well, I know it's been a while since I've blogged. I was in the Cayman Islands for a couple weeks and then I've started teaching again. The school I teach at installed a really, really strict firewall that prohibits me from posting or even reading comments. I can only view about a third of my webpage b/c everything else has that "red x in a white rectangle" thing.

I've also found a home on Myspace....yes, myspace. I took a page from my students and have found it to be quite enjoyable! I will post more frequently on here.

So today I was teaching PE and making my kids jog the straight-aways and walk the curves out on the track for 20 minutes. Not THAT unreasonable, wouldn't you agree?

Well there were a few kids saying "there are bees flying around"

ME: "well just jog faster and outrun them."

KIDS: "arent you scared of bees?"

ME: "no way. No bee is taking me down. If a bee stings me, I'll sting that bee right baaaaOOOH MYY GOOOD, I JUST GOT STUNG!!!"

Yeah, I was talking smack and sure enough, I got stung for the first time in my life!!!! And you know what my sympathetic students said?????????? "THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR MAKING US RUN."

It's still hurting like a biatch.

Girls....

2006-07-12T22:35:00.000-05:00

I was just at my friend's house and I asked one of the girls if I could take off the wrapping of her August Glamour and take a look at it (b/c some people are weird about that) and she said "No, you can't. It's something I like to do when I lay out."

I'M NOT GOING TO UNWRAP IT AND SHIT ALL OVER IT!!!! I just wanted to flip through it for a few minutes to kill time before we left, that's all. I wouldn't have marked it all up and taken the quizzes like "Am I a party animal?" or "Am I cute or sexy?". At first I thought she was kidding but she was totally serious....so I just tossed the magazine at her and took a nappiepoo. Women. She is probably that girl who wouldn't let you borrow something that she herself hasn't worn yet. Who cares, life is too short to be anal like that. Guys, be glad you're guys.

The 10 Manliest Video Games of All Time

2006-07-11T19:25:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon this website and found it quite nostalgic and interesting.

The 10 Manliest Video Games of All Time

The video game to your left is called Custer's Revenge and was ranked #3. The entire point of the game is to rape a helpless Indian woman tied to a stake!!!

Check out the list and take a trip down memory lane. (Yes, I am a girl but loved some of these games!!!)

I love Cheney

2006-06-27T11:59:00.000-05:00

I was invited to a luncheon supporting a wonderful local candidate and Vice President Dick Cheney was the guest speaker.

Look how close I was! Cheney spoke a lot about the terrorist's plot to take out Chicago's Sears Tower. He said it's proof that we need to continue our fight against terrorists abroad.

I'll tell you what, I've seen President Bush and now VP Cheney talk and I am WAY more terrified of Cheney. He's got that crazy look in his eye and I think he'd make an amazing President!

Atlanta here we come

2006-06-13T21:21:00.000-05:00

I have my annual Athletic Training conference in Atlanta this weekend. If any of you know of anything fun to do there, leave me a comment! So far we are going out with friends from Ohio U, going to the aquarium, a cadaver Body exhibit, Boston Red Sox vs. Atlanta Braves and Olympic Park....and I think there's some underground mall that supposed to be cool. We will be back on Sunday!

6.6.06

2006-06-06T11:19:00.001-05:00

Eh, not too worried about it. There are people specifically scheduleing C-sections for today as well as having weddings today. I would assume these are more of the "gothy" people. Then there are others who are completely freaked out at the thought of their babies being born today. I don't blame them. While I don't think today is any big deal, I've watched enough scary Satan movies and would try my best to hold that baby in!

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER!!!!

2006-05-25T12:20:00.000-05:00

Awwwwww

2006-05-23T08:33:00.000-05:00

So I am administering the first of five final exams for my health class right now. One girl who I have talked with at length and have written about on my blog before comes in with a card for me that says the following:

Thank you so much for helping me with my problems this year. You have made a huge impact on my life. You are a great teacher, person and friend. Thanks to you and my best friend I'm getting special help for my bulimia disorder. Thanks for helping me get through it. It was nice to know I had someone to talk to.

It's nice to know all my students aren't buttheads :)

Take that Barry!!!

2006-05-11T09:46:00.000-05:00

No tying Babe Ruth's record of 714 home runs against my Cubbies!!! HA! Bet you thought it would be easy considering we were on an 8 game losing streak and Carlos Zambrano has yet to get a win. Barry Bonds went 0-3 and was even retired on a call third strike. It's about time we won a game!

Maybe this can be a turning point for the Cubs. We have sucked so badly this year and it doesn't help that Derrick Lee, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood have been out with injuries.

Now I'm sure there will be some cocky ass White Sox fans that will come on here and say "whoopie, you won one game, big deal." Well, first of all, shutup. Secondly, we know you won the pennant and we have to deal with all the stupid johnny-come-lately Sox fans every day......since we suck so badly, we have to celebrate every win.

2006-05-08T17:25:00.000-05:00

Friendly skies.......

2006-05-08T14:56:00.000-05:00

Don't seem so friendly anymore.........my boyfriend and I just paid $223 each (total with taxes) to fly to Atlanta for my annual medical conference! And that was the cheapest by far and had to go to Orbitz.com to get that rate. American Airlines and United were in the $300-$400 range! We are taking Trans Air out of Milwaukee since O'Hare is at least $100 bucks more expensive. I assume higher oil prices are to blame for the high rates. You know it's bad when I actually contemplate driving there!!!

Cinco de Mayo

2006-05-05T09:40:00.000-05:00

So no sooner do I put my laptop bag down in my office do I hear a rumble outside......yep, it was a fight directly related to Cinco de Mayo. There are a bunch of Mexican students roaming around with flags but they are being confiscated because of an incident we had last year.

One kid had a flag draped over his backpack while walking up the stairs...it fell....some Puerto Rican kid stepped on it and all hell broke loose.

In addition to that, it's improper Mexican flag etiquette (see below):

The Mexican flag should never be allowed to drag along the ground

The Mexican flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit the Flag to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way

I asked one of my students last period who was covered in Mexican clothing and got his flag taken "What is Cinco de Mayo?" His reply "I actually don't really know, there was some battle or something." Interesting eh?

FYI: May 5th, aka Cinco de Mayo for the Spanish speakers commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862.

My question is, why does the United States even celebrate Cinco de Mayo? It is a way to make our Mexican population feel a little more at home? Is it a marketing ploy to sell more cervezas and margaritas? I asked my student who moved here from Mexico about it and he said that it's not a big holiday at all and is barely even celebrated outside of Puebla.

I noticed the beginning of an illegal alien backlash. There are many students today wearing red, white and blue and even carrying little American flags to show love for our country. They aren't being "in your face" or even saying anything, unlike the Mexicans who are screaming "vive el mexico" down the halls. As long as these things don't disrupt my classroom, I really don't care....but at least one of my kids left a little America flag in the hand of my plastic skeleton before they left :) I love the USA.

interesting forward

2006-05-03T14:43:00.000-05:00

TWENTY ONE reasons why English is hard to learn.

1. The bandage was wound around the wound.
2. The farm was used to produce produce.
3. The dump was so full it had to refuse more refuse.
4. We must polish the Polish furniture.
5. He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7. Since there was no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10. I did not object to the object.
11. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12. There was a row among the oarsmen on how to row.
13. They were too close to the door to close it.
14. The buck does funny things when does are present.
15. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18. After a number of injections my jaw got number.
19. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
20. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
21. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

English is a Crazy Language

Mr. President, I'm heading to Mexico

2006-05-02T10:31:00.000-05:00

I thought this was absolutely hilarious!!!

Dear President Bush:
I'm about to plan a little trip with my family and extended family, and I would like to ask you to assist me. I'm going to walk across the border from the U.S. into Mexico, and I need to make a few arrangements. I know you can help with this.

I plan to skip all the legal stuff like visas, passports, immigration quotas and laws. I'm sure they handle those things the same way you do here.

So, would you mind telling your buddy, President Vicente Fox, that I'm on my way over? Please let him know that I will be expecting the following:

1. Free medical care for my entire family.

2. English-speaking government bureaucrats for all services I might need, whether I use them or not.

3. All government forms need to be printed in English.

4. I want my kids to be taught by English-speaking teachers.

5. Schools need to include classes on American culture and history.

6. I want my kids to see the American flag flying on the top of the flag pole at their school with the Mexican flag flying lower down.

7. Please plan to feed my kids at school for both breakfast and lunch.

8. I will need a local Mexican driver's license so I can get easy access to government services.

9. I do not plan to have any car insurance, and I won't make any effort to learn local traffic laws.

10. In case one of the Mexican police officers does not get the memo from Pres. Fox to leave me alone, please be sure that all police officers speak English.

11. I plan to fly the U.S. flag from my house top, put flag decals on my car, and have a gigantic celebration on July 4th. I do not want any complaints or negative comments from the locals.

12. I would also like to have a nice job without paying any taxes, and don’t enforce any labor laws or tax laws.

13. Please tell all the people in the country to be extremely nice and never say a critical word about me, or about the strain I might place on the economy.

I know this is an easy request because you already do all these things for all the people who come to the U.S. from Mexico. I am sure that Pres. Fox won't mind returning the favor if you ask him nicely.

However, if he gives you any trouble, just invite him to go quail hunting with your V.P.
Thank you so much for your kind help.
Sincerely,
David M. Bresnahan (www.newswithviews.com)

"Immigrant" Protests

2006-05-01T11:34:00.000-05:00

I just don't get it. I have many hispanic students that are ditching today to head downtown for the "Immigration Protest." I just had one of my mexican students say to me "aren't you impressed that I'm here today?" Ummmmm.....no, you should be here today. I went on to ask him "Are the kids that are missing today going to the rally b/c they feel strongly about the cause or do they simply want an excuse to miss school?" He replies "Oh, just a reason to ditch!!"

I was watching the Today Show (yeah, I know, only watching to hear details about a soldier that was killed in Iraq, but what do you know, they didn't cover it at all)....anythewho, they were calling today "Immigration Protest".

THAT TERM IS INCORRECT. It has nothing to do with immigration. This should be called "ILLEGAL ALIEN PROTEST" but I guess that doesn't sound all warm and fuzzy to the commie media. This is nothing more than millions of people bitching about consequences of their illegal actions. That would be like me getting drunk and running over a 3 year old on a tricycle.....and then protesting that I might get in trouble for it. IT'S ILLEGAL.

I guess by walking out of school and not going to work, they are showing us what it's like to be without illegal aliens and mexicans for a day. Well, I'll tell you what, my classes sizes are much smaller and it's nice! I have an idea, why don't all of us US Citizens do a "day without the United States" and see how they like it. What the hell has Mexico done for these people anyways? Precisely Jack. My students carry around their Mexican flags and refuse to stand for the Pledge.....is this any way to treat the country you so desperately want to be a part of? NO.....NO BECAUSE THESE ILLEGALS DO NOT WANT TO BE A UNITED STATES CITIZEN.

Immigration to me means people from other countries coming to the United States for a better life. They want to become Americans, assimilate into our culture but they do not forget their heritage. They don't come illegally and then have the balls to make the "Star-Spangled Banner in Spanish." UNLIKE CANADA, WHO HAS TWO RECOGNIZED NATIONAL LANGUAGES.....WE HAVE ONE, ENGLISH. I'm fed up when taking money out of an ATM or calling customer service numbers and being asked "For English press one, para espanol prece (?) dos".

Rush Limbaugh really said exactly what I was thinking: "Americans, which means assimilating and acculturating into the great American culture. They have not come here just for jobs, to send the money home. They have come here to become Americans. The problem here is that, as these protests indicate, and as the Star-Spangled Banner indicates in Spanish and there's a number of other indications that are obvious, this aspect, this wave of illegal immigrants do not really indicate they want to become Americans. They don't want to be immigrants; they want to be legal so they can get jobs. The country is just a job market to them. It's a big distinction, because without the acculturation and the assimilation, we're just going to end up Balkanizing the society. And when they choose May 1, Soviet May Day, to go out and protest and basically shout and get in our faces and then purposely try to cause a backlash and demand to be exempted from our laws, this is not immigration that's going on here. I think we do this a disservice by referring to it as an immigration issue. It's not that."

All the United States is asking is that you follow the laws of the land, is that too much to ask? What about the countless numbers of people all over the world who are on a wait list to become American citizens??? Should all these illegals get rewarded for their actions and penalize those who are going through the right channels? Don't you think that would encourage more border jumping? It's simply not safe. I say, reform the Immigration and Nationality Act and make illegal residency a felony. It sure as hell is in Mexico....your butt will be in jail!!!

In conclusion, I hope that our government stands firm and passes these laws. In this day and age of terrorism, we cannot just let thouseands of people walk into our country every day, it's not safe. I say a real quick way to curb the problem, granted not the nicest, is put the military on the border with a "shoot-to-kill" order. If you attempt to cross the border anywhere besides the designated checkpoints, you will be considered a national security threat and will be shot on the spot. Will there be women and children gunned down, yes, will it be a deterrant, yes. Does it make me sound like a heartless person and a "typical republican" denying innocent people of the "America Dream", sure. But you know what, they don't deserve the American Dream. You get in line alone with everyone else, get your citizenship, and then you'll get my respect. Until then, quit bitching in our streets about what you deserve and are entitled to and get back to that low-paying job you came here for.

Day of Silence = quieter classes

2006-04-26T15:09:00.000-05:00

Several students are either walking around with the following message taped to their chest or have handed it to me at the beginning of class. Apparently 4/26 is the Day of Silence:

"Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by harrassment, prejudice and discrimination. I believe that ending the silence is the first step towards fighting these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO END THE SILENCE?"

Ummmmmm, nothing, it's been a bit quieter in my classes today.....tasteless, I know. Do I think that GLBT people should be harrassed, nope. Do I think this day of silence is wrong, nope, I'm indifferent really. I may be Republican but as far as all this goes, I really don't care who loves who...just be happy. I get a little sketchy when it comes the marriage and the perks that come with it and have a few concens about adoption, but I'm not nuts about it.

BRETT IS BACK

2006-04-26T14:19:00.000-05:00

BRETT FAVRE WILL BE BACK....SUPERBOWL XLI 2007 HERE WE COME

Things that are annoying me

2006-04-25T12:05:00.000-05:00

#1 PARENTS!!!!! Not mine, my student's parents...specifically ones that with 3 weeks left are emailing me "my child's grade isn't good. what can they do? can they make up work they didn't do before. is there any extra credit they can do? why is my child failing? Seriously, it would be a good idea to track your child's progress before the last minute. And I'm sorry but if your child has missed school 28 times, excused or unexcused, they aren't going to be getting an A!!!!! I'm getting a crapload of emails and phone calls and they make me want to kill puppies.

#2 MY STUDENT'S SLUTTY CLOTHING!!!! Seriously, can these jean skirts get any shorter? It's up to the butt pockets. Teachers get arrested for seeing teenagers private parts.....I feel like I have to close my eyes while walking up the stairs! Oh and apparently the 80's are back. There are tons of girls wearing "leggings" with lace on the bottom, with plastic earrings and shirts hanging off the shoulder Flashdance style. I even saw one girl with a "T-shirt clip!" Seriously kids, it was an awful trend the first time, please keep it dead. Too bad I tossed my Hypercolor shirt, I would have fit right in!!!

#3 IEP's (aka Individualized Education Program)!!! This is for special ed kids. It's a list of limitations and accomdations to help facilitate their learning. Every other kid has an IEP and it's getting ridiculous. Try studying some of you. Sure there are kids that have learning disabilities, are emotionally disturbed or have a behavioral disorder but it's getting out of hand. For one kid, who just isn't a good test taker, I have to take my test, chop off 1 of the 4 multiple choice answers for each question, then take the staple out and give him page by page so it's less intimidating looking. He has to come up to my desk, drop one sheet off and pick up the next one. COME ON.

#4 LOST!!! That show is just annoying the hell out of me. There is no logical way to explain everything that has happened. I think I might stop watching.

#5 AUDREY RAINES!!! The coolest thing I have seen all season on 24 was when Christopher Henderson sliced Audrey's brachial artery to get Jack Bauer to give him the evidence. Too bad Jack has such a big heart and couldn't let her bleed out and now the evidence is gone.

#6 IMMIGRANTS THAT PROTEST IMMIGRATION LAWS!!! YOU CAME HERE ILLEGALLY, THATS RIGHT, ILLEGALLY. How can you bitch and complain about how you are getting the shaft when you shouldn't be here in the first place? You are sucking off the American teet, flooding my school and paying JACK. And how hypocritical is it that Mexico has such strong penalties for illegals trying to come into THEIR country??? I know our country rules and who wouldn't want to live in America but come here the right way or stay the hell out, that's all I ask. Put the military on the border with a shoot-to-kill order (or my brother and dad) and illegal immigration will stop real fast. Is that a PC response, heck no, will it work, heck yes.

#7 DEMOCRATS.....enough said. Thank the dear lord I'm dating a Republican who's entire family is Republican as well.

I'm not sure why I'm in a crabby mood today but at least I get to eat lunch with my boyfriend in the faculty cafeteria next period so that should help :)

The Ridges

2006-04-12T12:06:00.000-05:00

In health class today we were talking about mental institutions, lobotomys and I started telling my students about "The Ridges" at my alma mater, Ohio University. It was a mental health center to treat patients with severe psychiatric disorders until it finally closed in 1993 and currently is being used by the University.

Click here and you will be able to read all about it...it's fascinating, trust me.

In 2000, when I was a Senior, the school set up a haunted tour. It was a full moon on Friday the 13th....just too good to pass up, you know? We went there and there were thousands of people there so they cancelled it. Did that stop us? NOPE. We went to one of the only abandoned buildings....."The Tuberculosis Ward". If you click on that link it shows the exact places we saw too! I still get goosebumps when thinking about how a few of us bunched up together with one flashlight and creeped around it. In the children's TB ward part there were these tiny rooms with tiny doors with shackles on the walls...terrifying. The stickers on the windows you'll see in the pics had the eyes either ripped out or colored in black. The piano had all the black keys removed. One of the classrooms had a chalkboard with nailmarks sliding all the way down it!

If you have some spare time, just surf about that whole site, whoever that was did a great job with it. There is a true story, found here, about a patient who died and her body rotted into the floor. Now my students are all creeped out and want to go to Ohio University!!!

ick

2006-04-07T21:44:00.000-05:00

I have been M.I.A for the past few days b/c I was stricken with strep throat and a fever.....not fun. Apparently it's going around so take your vitamins everyone!

Deep in the heart of Texas

2006-04-04T10:56:00.000-05:00

Well, back to the daily grind here at school. I had a great spring break and am ready for the school year to be over! A fellow teacher and I went to Ft. Worth, TX to visit my sister Ranting Republican for a few days.

We drank a decent amount (did you know you can get a public intox ticket IN a bar in Texas?)...not that any of us did, but our sobriety was questioned. We went to Austin for a night and went to the Dizzy Rooster....the bar the Real World Austin cast frequently visited. 6th street is a blast, full of great rooftop bars, music, restaurants and they even close the street off to cars to give it that Mardi Gras feel. No, you cannot drink in the street as far as I know.

(Pictures from left to right: Austin sign at Dizzy Rooster, "Coyotes" at Coyote Ugly, and my hand in Johnny Cash's handprint at Billy Bob's in Ft. Worth.)

We also went to see Willie Nelson at Billy Bob's in Ft. Worth...well, only saw a couple songs b/c we wanted to bar hop. I did two step with a guy but he creeped me out. I spent a lot of time text messaging and calling my new boyfriend.....and yes, I was that girl for a bit of the trip!

The trip home was a real biatch. We were first delayed 2 hours at DFW airport b/c of bad inclimate weather at O'Hare, then once we did get up they closed O'Hare so we had to circle Omaha, Nebraska for a while....but couldn't land there to refuel for a while b/c there were storms at that airport as well. We finally landed and sat in a hot un-airconditioned plane for a while until a gate opened up and they let us off for a while. I breached security to get some food for us and then, luckily, our plane took off and we got home over 8 hours late! To top it off I had some jackass in front of me who had the seat reclined before we even left the runway. When a flight attendant walked by he put it up until she passed....to make matters worse, my seat was broken and I couldn't recline at all!! I even stated that fact loudly so he would hear but apparently he didn't care. Whatever, I'm just happy we got home in one piece!

My friend said she was at a Chicago country bar we all go to with him and some other people on Thursday night. He told me he was at another bar so I was confused. I called him and he said she ruined the surprise for me. He went to take lessons that night so he could suprise me and dance the two step and other couple dances so we didn't suck out there. How cute is that? I'm such a smitten kitten!

Well today is our one month anniversary! Feels like MUCH longer and I think that's the case because we see each other every day. My last boyfriend lived 35 miles away from me and with my crazy work shedule, it made it difficult to see him more than once a week. This guy works with me, lives with my best guy friends, and its only 10 miles away. I can tell this is a good, healthy relationship b/c we do cute little things for each other. I know that he likes tomato juice, so I keep that in my house and I Tivo shows he might enjoy like "Flip That House", "Kitchen Renovation" and anything soccer-related. Since he's a St. Louis Cardinals fan I don't allow him to use my Cubs blanket, so I'm making him either a soccer one (played college soccer and coaches at our high school) or a Bears one (and I'm a Packer fan!). He knows how much I hate the bright light in my bathroom so he brought over a dimmer switch and put it in. He took out my garbage yesterday, burned me a country cd full of great songs and we leave notes for each other in random places. Today I arranged it so I will be the one providing medical coverage for his game today so I can watch him coach :) I know, Ranting Republican is probably puking right now b/c she doesn't like all this kind of stuff!

He asked me to go to his grandpa's birthday party on Sunday to meet his parents and entire extended family! It's a good thing I'm so damn charming and parents love me otherwise I'd be totally freaked out...but instead I'm totally excited!!! I have to figure out what to wear that says "I'm cute and trendy but nice and Catholic" b/c I am being looked at as "possible daughter-in-law" material, as any family would do when a significant other is brought into a family occasion. So far I've gotten the okay from his 2 sisters and their husbands so I'm doing alright so far!

Now if only I can get rid of these swollen tonsils of mine, I'd be good to go!

The luck of the Irish

2006-03-22T14:51:00.000-06:00

I think the luck of the Irish is starting to rub off on me. For the past couple months I have stressed over many things, mainly being overworked, guys and fear of losing my job. Well, things are all starting to fall into place and I couldn't be happier.

First off, I found out I will be asked back next year to teach at my high school....so that is a huge load off my mind. I have more bills that I can possibly pay right now so knowing I will continue to be paid is a big relief. That and my sister moving in with me in May will help as well.

Perhaps the biggest change in my life lately is that I've met someone and become a "smitten kitten". He is a 24 year old student teacher in the Industrial Technology Dept. at my high school. Yeah, I know. I graduated high school in 1997 and he did in 2000. I talked this big game on here how I will only date older men because they are established, have their lives together and are not in transition.....which I always seem to find. Well when I met this guy he had a girlfriend for 3 years, was living with her brother, and had no idea where he would end up jobwise (his family lives hours away down south). I was dating the guy from Chicago who is moving to USC.

Next thing I know, he's broken up with his girlfriend, I said goodbye to my guy, and we started hanging out. It started off as just talking at lunch, then attending sporting events together, then building a friendship. Now it has taken on a life of it's own and we are dating. I did not expect this and was not looking for it, but it happened anyways. He's moved out from his ex's brother's place and in with a couple fellow teachers only 10 miles away, and has basically been offered a full-time teaching position and coaching position here at my school for next year. It's a lot easier dating someone who lives nearby and works with you than 50 miles away in Chicago! I work an ungodly amount of hours and it makes it more bearable knowing I get to see him 3rd hour, 6th hour for lunch and then sometimes at practice after school!

It's funny how life works, I go from being a complete wreck to being completely happy in a matter of a month. Everything is coming together and I'm truly enjoying the ride for fear that it will end, as it usually does. This teacher and I are such a good fit, it's scary....not to mention he's gorgeous and 100% Irish Catholic Republican (finally, a Republican for me!!!!!). Our first date was breakfast, then church. Good sign maybe? I've already met 2 of his siblings, he's met my parents and I'm going to meet his next week when the come into town.

The question is, how fast is too fast? I was concerned that we were rebounding but I don't think that's it at all. It just feels right to both of us and we can't explain it. The pace seems natural and while we feel like we aren't going too fast....are we? We've been dating for only a few weeks and have met family, made plans for the summer, have talked about things like kids, religion and families, and basically haven't left each other's side......which is a lot easier when you work and coach with the person! We talk a lot about our last relationships....what worked, what didn't work, why things ended, etc. My mom says that we need to be careful so it doesn't get "boring" too early. What do I do? Do I cool things a bit when neither of us wants to or do I just go on doing what feels comfortable? Has anyone else out there experienced this? I'm just soooo happy for the first time in soooo long :)

wooooo hoooooo

2006-03-21T10:55:00.001-06:00

I just had my summative evaluation meeting with the Principal and I was asked to return to my high school to teach the 2006-2007 school year, wooo hooo. I am so relieved and thankful that I have a job next year. Man it's stressful not being tenured!

Thanks to all of you who listened to me freak out during this long process. Now I'm just praying for an Industrial Technology vacancy to be posted.........I'll explain later.

TIME FOR A HAPPY DANCE!!!!

Can Muslims be Good Americans?

2006-03-20T08:42:00.000-06:00

I received this forward from a coworker. Let me know what you think:

Good question-food for thought:

Can a devout Muslim be an American patriot and a loyal citizen?

Consider this:
Theologically, no. Because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of
Arabia.

Scripturally, no. Because his allegiance is to the five pillars of
Islam and the Quran (Koran).

Geographically, no. Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he
turns in prayer five times a day.

Socially, no. Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make
friends with Christians or Jews.

Politically, no. Because he must submit to the mullah (spiritual
leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America,
the great Satan.

Domestically, no, be cause he is instructed to marry four women and beat
and scourge his wife when she disobeys him.
(Quran 4:34).

Religiously, no. Because no other religion is accepted by his Allah
except Islam (Quran, 2:256)

Intellectually, no, because he cannot accept the American Constitution
since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to
be corrupt.

Philosophically, no, because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran do not
allow freedom of religion and expression.

Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either
dictatorial or autocratic.

Spiritually, no, because when we declare "one nation under God," the
Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as
our heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in the Quran's 99
excellent names.

Therefore after much study and deliberation....perhaps we should be
very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot
be both good Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish...it's
still the truth.

More fire!

2006-03-16T18:02:00.000-06:00

More fire!
Originally uploaded by seanhorgan.

Poor Wrigley!

2006-03-09T14:15:00.000-06:00

My sister's pug Wrigley had an allergic reaction to his vaccinations this morning and had to be hooked up to monitors, have his paw shaved and have a catheter put in. He has an oxygen mask on there that's meant for dogs with snouts, not squishy-faced puggies! Say a prayer for the little guy. Thanks from Teacher Tori, Ranting Republican and Crossingguard69!

Would you rather Part 2

2006-03-07T12:03:00.000-06:00

Would you rather......

#1 have sex with Bert OR Ernie?

#2 have a website broadcast of all your showers OR all of your bowel movements?

#3 have the power of invincibility OR the power to produce sparks from your fingertips?

#4 every time you entered a room, Darth Vader's theme song played from your crotch OR have genitals that glow like E.T.'s heart whenever you are attracted to someone?

24 and The Apprentice...you're driving me nuts!

2006-03-06T20:42:00.000-06:00

2 of my favorite shows: 24 and The Apprentice both have my Sprint phone (shown below). The people on The Apprentice even have the red one like I do! What is driving me nuts is that they both have the same ringer on their phones that I use so every time it goes off on the show I grab for my cell phone! Sure the logical answer is to change my ringer, but I like it...it says "Incoming call from -----" and says the name. I love that and I refuse to change it

And why the hell do they have to be on at the same time? Donald Trump, Jack Bauer, Donald, Jack.......Jack Bauer wins!!!!

Would you rather?

2006-03-04T09:14:00.000-06:00

I was playing this on one of those trivia games last night at Buffalo Wild Wings and would like to know your thoughts on a few of these:

#1. Would you rather.......have the ability to fly or the ability be invisible?

#2 Would you rather.......talk like Yoda or breathe like Darth Vader for the rest of your life?

#3 Would you rather.......walk in on your parents having sex or have your parents walk in on you having sex?

#4 Would you rather.......cheat on your partner or have your partner cheat on you?

I think I may make this a regular occurance and post these frequently.

Passion Lives Here

2006-02-26T20:54:00.000-06:00

I always get sad when watching the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics......they are taking down the Olympic flag right now. For the past 2 weeks I have filled my Tivo with all my favorite shows, which have taken a back seat to Torino. I love any excuse to cheer for the USA. As I'm watching this my family and I decided something......WILL ARE GOING TO VANCOUVER FOR THE 2010 WINTER GAMES. I want a ticket to the Opening Ceremonies and would like to see few events as well. Ideally it would be figure skating and USA hockey, but hells bells, I'll cheeron USA Curling, bobsleding, downhill skiing, anything that the USA is participating in.

There were so many great moments in these games I don't even know where to begin. Oh, I do, Chad Hedrick is not only a gold medalist for the USA, but the most beautiful man at the Games. Apollo Anton Ohno won the 500m, the gold medal winning snowboarded "The Flying Tomato", our silver medal in ice dancing, the list goes on. Sasha Cohen skating quite possibly the most beautiful programs I have ever seen (minus the 2 falls in the long program.) She gave me chills and made me want to grab my 3 size too small ice skates and find the closest rink.

I think more than anything I use the Olympics to mark milestones in my life. When I was only weeks old my mom lifted me out of my crib and brought me into their room so I could witness the "Miracle on Ice" as the USA hockey team beat Russia in the 1980 Lake Placid Games. I remember telling my parents after the 1988 games in Calgary that I wanted to be a figure skater like Katerina Witt.....sure enough I was practicing axels and toe loops in my living room for the Albertville and Lillehamer games in '92 and '94. It was so exciting having 2 winter games in 3 years! I like to gage how my life has improved/changed and look at the people who matter most to me and how much they actually change.

You know you've been in college too long when you see 3 Olympics go by! I remember watching the 1998 Nagano games in my dorm room and thinking to myself "I hope I don't drink myself to death and get kicked out of school before the Salt Lake games in 2002!" Luckily, I made it through and I can remember watching the Figure Skating long program with my boyfriend at the time at Buffalo Wild Wings in Athens, Ohio. We drank 32 oz glasses of Miller Lite and screamed and cheered for Michelle Kwan, Sarah Hughes and Sasha Cohen. I remember thinking as the the 2002 games came to an end "my god, where the hell will I be for the 2006 Torino games?"

And to be honest, if you would've told me I'd be watching the 2006 Olympics in my very own home and teaching and athletic training like I've always wanted to, I'd be pretty happy with that. What I wouldn't have guessed is that I'd be doing all of this alone. And here I am again, another Olympics gone by and I can't help but think to myself "where the hell will I be in 4 years for the 2010 games in Vancouver?"(hopefully physically there!!) I will be 30 years old. Will I still be living in this townhome? Will I still be teaching at the same school? Will I fall in love? Who is he? Where/when will I meet him? Will I be married? Will I have children? Obviously only time will tell and its amazing how time goes by in a flash. I'm sure before I know it will be time once again to raise the Olympic flag and I'll look back on this post and have a good laugh.

If my past Olympic memories have taught me anything, it's that my life has been moving forward in a positive direction. 1988, I wanted to figure skate, 4 years later I had a solo in the ice show and was on a national championship precision team. 2 years later, I was getting straight A's at one of Illinois' best high schools, 4 years later I was majoring in exactly what I wanted to at the college of my choice, 4 years later I was about to graduate with 2 bachelor degrees and a lifetime worth of fun college memories, and now 4 years later I'm all grown up, working my tail off and living life to the fullest. Am I doing it alone, yes, but I am an independant woman and until someone leaves me no choice but to marry them, I will continue to go it alone.

Most of my friends laugh at me when I tell them how much I love the Olympics and how I watch it for hours every day....but I don't care. It's about having a dream and going for it at all costs. While I'm not racing down a bobsled track at 80mph or doing 360's on a half pipe to win gold, I am reminded of my own hopes and dreams and that I should never give up on them....and neither should any of you who are actually still reading this. (note: I sound like Bob Costas in his Olympic farewell coverage!)

So be proud of our great American athletes, for we won 25 medals, only second to Germany...and now I can get back to my regularly scheduled programming!!!

Any Given Sunday

2006-02-23T09:54:00.000-06:00

Thanks to one of my favorite blogs, One Marines View, for putting up this amazing poem on Superbowl Sunday. Kinda puts things in perspective.

For all the free people that still protest, you’re welcome, We protect you and you are protected by the best. Your voice is strong and loud, but who will fight for you? No one standing in your crowd.

We are your fathers, brothers, and sons, wearing the boots and carrying the guns. We are the ones that leave all we own, to make sure your future is carved in stone.

We are the ones who fight and die. We might not be able to save the world , well at least we try. We walked the paths to where we are at and we want no choice other than that.

So when you rally your group to complain, take a look in the back of your brain. In order for that flag you love to fly, wars must be fought and young men must die.

We came here to fight for the ones we hold dear, if that’s not respected we would rather stay here. So please stop yelling and put down your signs, and pray for those behind enemy lines.

When the conflict is over and all is well, be thankful that we chose to go through hell.

It’s an early Sunday morning. The anticipation builds along with excitement. Nerves twinge and fears and worries race through your head this morning. It’s the big event, the Super Bowl. I’m not talking the football game I’m talking about your next convoy.

But wait everyday is the Super Bowl here. That’s the mind set. You get your “gear” on, have a pre game (order & rehearsal) and you’re always practicing. Sure there are some big time pressures in a Super Bowl football game and I’m sure they seem grand with high stakes. A lot at stake, trophy, money, fame, victory but it’s still a game and not your life at stake. If it comes down to the last few seconds of the game and you begin to see teammates holding hands like they did in their college days on a knee as the kicker lines up to kick the winning field goal and the kicker misses, you aren’t going to have to begin first aid treatment for a sucking chest wound…….well usually you wont have to but the fans may wish otherwise. If they don’t get to the first down hash mark on third down during the fourth quarter, you’re not going to have to go to physical therapy for six months to learn how to use your prosthetic. But if you catch a glimpse of a Marine taking a knee, do us a favor and keep your pie hole shut and respect em while they do it.

Sure the coaches and players on Sunday will have plans and plays for their strategy. But will they be reading the surrounding citizens in the stands to see if they are pulling their kids off the streets because of an immanent attack? Will they see a piece of press trash blow towards them on the side lines and flinch because of a past IED experience? Will the game be interrupted by incoming mortars??……..not while were at work.

It may not be fair to compare the Super Bowl with combat action in Iraq and Afghanistan but if you want to talk about the “Big Show”, all the marbles, what you’ve been training for your entire life then, yes you can compare the two.You can compare the stresses, fear, anxieties, joy and sadness.

However, we are 10,000 miles from anyone who really likes us and do it everyday not just on one particular Sunday. No autographs, few positive interviews, no contracts for endorsements or rolling around in expensive cars or nice houses. But I do have a sweet cot they can borrow…….when I don’t need it and I’ll take my scratched armed to the teeth hummer over their new Mercedes here any day.

The game comes on around 0300 for us, not that it will be any different from any other day heck, Christmas wasn’t different why would the Super Bowl create a special day? We won’t see the two million dollar commercials as the government station that shows the game will only produce safety commercials and weather reports for the region instead. The standard day’s events will take place and we will have our own game to fight.

As you watch the game this Sunday, having a cold one with your cigar, chips and dip and family and friends, take a couple seconds and remember we are out here for you and proud to do it.
Some on their third tour, some here for a year, some just getting here. As you watch the game, know that that somewhere a young Marine is walking the streets of a foreign land, driving the armored hummer on their billionth convoy or standing a post to keep the wolf at bay while the game is on. When they play and sing the National Anthem, listen to the words carefully because we are making those words actions here taking care of business during our Super Bowl. The super stars on the field will play their game but regardless don’t believe the rumors, your Marines are human.

This Super Bowl Sunday the players will don their battle gear, conduct their press days, living with excitement and fame. Enjoy their moment to shine and they will do everything in their power conquer and seize the moment for when they will make a difference. Your Marines, well we will be doing the same thing here.

Semper Fidelis

Olympics ratings boost idea.........

2006-02-21T22:08:00.000-06:00

I have an idea to help boost Olympic ratings..........make every athlete as gorgeous as Chad Hedrick. My god he's beautiful. And those quads, they could crush steel. I actually know his old roommate, who is pretty hot too. I'll tell you what, after looking at all these foreigners for the past 2 weeks....AMERICANS ARE SO MUCH BETTER LOOKING. God bless Texas and God Bless the United States of America.

A better pic

2006-02-21T14:20:00.000-06:00

Ranting Republican was not happy with the picture I put up of my nephew Wrigley (meatball) so here's another one.

I left one pug out

2006-02-20T15:19:00.000-06:00

This is my other nephew...his nickname is "Meatball". His lip looks funny, he's wrinkly and crinkles his ears :)

Gotta love pugs

2006-02-20T13:07:00.000-06:00

My nephew...We call him "mini".

Torino Olympics 2006

2006-02-17T23:31:00.000-06:00

I am NOT one of those millions of people who are choosing to watch "American Idol" instead of the Olympics. I LOVE THE OLYMPICS, always have, especially the Winter Games. I remember watching Katerina Witt and Kristy Yamaguchi skate for the gold as I jumped around my family room. 15 years later and I'm still doing the same thing, only practicing axels and toe loops in my own family room!

The Olympics have everything.....the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat and how could I not love listening to our national anthem over and over again?

My favorite events to watch are figure skating, speed skating, hockey, skiing, curling (yes curling), freestyle skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping, luge...wait, I'm listing every event! I'll seriously watch anything, I even wake up a few minutes earlier to watch the coverage on USA. It's usually the less popular sports but how could you not love curling, biathlons, and the skeleton? Curling looks like the ultimate bar game. Do I think it should be an Olympic sport, eh.

I'm disappointed in Lindsey Jacobellis. She was leaps and bounds ahead of her competitors in the snowboard cross finals and decided to "hot dog" it at the very end and fell and as a result lost the gold medal. Do I feel bad for her, not really. I feel bad for her parents who probably sacrificed a lot to get her here. And she let our country down. This was the first time snowboard cross has been an Olympic event and it would have been quite a coo to have both our men and women take the gold (USA's Seth Wescott won the men's cross.) I'm sure this will haunt her for years to come.

All and all its been a great first 7 days. I've gotten to oogle the sexy speed skater Chad Hedrick and watch them women's hockey fall short in their quest for gold against a weather Swedish team. I cannot wait till womens figure skating starts!!!!

Teacher Tori does NOT like limbo

2006-02-15T10:50:00.000-06:00

Well I just had my observation meeting with the principal. He said I did a good job and I had good marks on my evalation. Then he says that "I've left him on the fence" as to what he's going to do about me next year. So yeah, basically NOTHING was answered and I'm still going to be in limbo for the next couple weeks. I have had 3 awesome evaluations by the Principal and the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, I don't know how they could possibly let me go. The principal's concerns centered around if I am strict enough in PE, but I was observed in Health b/c I'm not teaching PE this semester. He said he would talk to the lady who DID evaluate me in PE and look at that evaluation further. Thats a good thing but I have a very good relationship with that lady and her write-up was awesome! So, yeah my eye twitch will be around for another couple weeks and I've started to have pain and a little bit of tingling and numbness in my left arm. Is this school giving me a heart attack? Can a 26 year old have a heart attack?

God, I just need to find SOME stability in my life right now (besides parents). At least last year when I was going through this I had a loving boyfriend who was my rock and I felt like I could get through anything. I would call him terrified and he would tell me everything is going to be okay. Now, since he's gone and I had to end things with the new guy so I have to learn to rely on myself for strength. As soon as I know I will be here next year, I will be able to scrape my life back together and chill out. I thought that was going to be resolved today but I guess I've waited a long time to find out and I can suffer through another couple weeks.

Thanks to all of you out there that have been so supportive of me and taking the time to read these personal posts. I normally don't sit around and feel sorry for myself, but hopefully this rough patch is going to smooth out soon and I can get back to being "happy teacher tori!!!"

Happy Valentine's Day

2006-02-14T22:29:00.000-06:00

Well, its my first Valentine's Day single in 5 years and I'm getting drunk. I covered our girls basketball regionals where I popped a girl's patella (kneecap) back into place, came home, made dinner and am polishing off a great Santa Margharita Pinot Grigio and watching Sex and the City episodes and The Birdcage is starting soon. I basically find out tomorrow if I am getting canned or not. I figured he wants to meet with me at the beginning of the day in the middle of the week so maybe I'm not getting canned. If I do I will go home sick immediately and pop the cork on some other various beverages I have in my possession.

In honor of this holiday that I normally love, here are my favorite Sex and the City quotes and some comments of mine afterwards. Oooo, I need to fill up again......damn it, bottle is empty now but I've added some Cheez-its to the mix to help prevent a hangover:

"Sometimes its hard walking in a single woman's shoes, that's why we need really special ones now and then to make the walk a little more fun." (maybe this is my cue to stop wearing gym shoes every day)

Carrie: Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous. (so basically if I don't love myself, how can I love anyone else? I think I'm pretty freaking cool....cute, smart, successful, love sports and a high sex drive, what's not to love??? haa haa)

I'm looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love. (heck yes I am. No settling for me baby!)

Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they're supposed to run wild until they find someone -- just as wild -- to run with. (I don't think I'm that wild, this is definitely more Ranting Republican's style)

After a while, you just want to be with the one who makes you laugh. (I cannot tell you how important this is to me.)

Think about it. If you are single, after graduation there isn't one occasion where people celebrate you ... Hallmark doesn't make a "congratulations, you didn't marry the wrong guy" card. And where's the flatware for going on vacation alone? (yeah, damn it, I'm single again and fabulous! Celebrate me!)

I mean, don't you ever really wanna' be pounded hard, you know, like when the bed is moving all around and it's all sweaty and your head is knocking up against the headboard and you feel like it might just blow off. Dammit', I just really wanna' be fucked, you know just really fucked! (ummmm, there's no need for commentary here, this quote says it all.)

How we are in bed is how we are in life. I've never met a man who was bad in bed but good at life. (wow, truer words were never spoken)

I've done the merry-go-round. I've been through the revolving doors. I feel like I've met somebody I can stand still with for a minute. And don't you want to stand still with me? (I thought I found someone I could stand still with but he'll be standing 2,000 miles away at USC for the next several years.)

I don't believe in the Republican party or the Democratic party. I just believe in parties. (haaaa haaaa, I do believe in the Republican party, but always end up dating Democrats!)

From my experience, honey, if he seems too good to be true—he probably is. (I tried for weeks to find out what was wrong with this guy.....and could not find a damn thing....oh wait, he's too career oriented so he's moving!)

Later that night I got to thinking about the x-factor. In mathmatics, we learn that x stands for the unknown, a+b=x, but what's really unknown is what plus what equals friendship with an x. Is this an unsolvable equation? Or is it possible to transform a once passionate love into something that fits nice and easily onto the friendship shelf? I couldnt help but wonder... can you be friends with an x? (the age old question I have been pondering. It's worked with everyone I have ever dated except my last boyfriend. This new guy, who the hell knows.)

Maybe we just obsess over relationships that feel un-finished. (ain't that the truth)

Sex with an ex can be depressing. If it's good, you don't have it anymore. If it's bad, you just had sex with an ex. (my memories are tough enough to get out of my head, I can't handle any fresh ones!)

It's slim pickins out there, you can't swing a Fendi purse without knocking out five losers. (aka Wrigleyville bars)

"Some people are settling down, some people are settling and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies." (I see friends who continue to date guys in hopes that they'll feel the butterflies. I got news for you honey, if you don't feel them, you don't feel them.)

"When a relationship dies do we ever really give up the ghost or are we forever haunted by the spirits of relationships past." (I think its our past relationships that make us who we are today)

"As we drive along this road called life, occasionally a gal will find herself a little lost. And when that happens, I guess she has to let go of the coulda, shoulda, woulda, buckle up and just keep going." (USC boy, coulda, shoulda, woulda. He's all but gone, so I'm buckling up, moving on and will keep on going!)

Well, now that I've gotten way too sappy for my own liking, I'm going to throw myself in the shower and get the heck to bed. Happy Valentine's Day!

Jack Bauer is a God

2006-02-14T14:11:00.000-06:00

> If Jack Bauer was in a room with Hitler, Stalin, and Nina Meyers, and he had a gun with 2 bullets, he'd shoot Nina twice.

> If you wake up in the morning, it's because Jack Bauer spared your life.

> Upon hearing that he was played by Kiefer Sutherland, Jack Bauer killed Sutherland. Jack Bauer gets played by no man.

> Osama bin Laden's recent proposal for truce is a direct result of him finding out that Jack Bauer is, in fact, still alive.

> Jack Bauer once forgot where he put his keys. He then spent the next half-hour torturing himself until he gave up the location of the keys.

> You can lead a horse to water. Jack Bauer can make him drink.

> Superman wears Jack Bauer pajamas.

> Jack Bauer played Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun and won.

> Jack Bauer is the leading cause of death in Middle Eastern men.

> Jack Bauer was never addicted to heroin. Heroin was addicted to Jack Bauer.

> 1.6 billion Chinese are angry with Jack Bauer. Sounds like a fair fight.

> Lets get one thing straight, the only reason you are conscious right now is because Jack Bauer does not feel like carrying you.

> Jack Bauer doesn't miss. If he didn't hit you it's because he was shooting at another terrorist twelve miles away.

> Jack Bauer killed 93 people in just 4 days time. Wait, that is a real fact.

> When life gave Jack Bauer lemons, he used them to kill terrorists. Jack Bauer fucking hates lemonade.

> Jack Bauer's favorite color is severe terror alert red. His second favorite color is violet, but just because it sounds like violent.

> Jack Bauer once won a game of Connect 4 in 3 moves.

> Jack Bauer can get McDonald's breakfast after 10:30.

> Simon Says should be renamed to Jack Bauer Says because if Jack Bauer says something then you better fucking do it.

> Killing Jack Bauer doesn't make him dead. It just makes him angry.

> When you open a can of whoop-ass, Jack Bauer jumps out.

> If Jack and MacGyver were locked in a room together, Jack would make a bomb out of MacGyver and get out.

> Jack Bauer was conceived by torturing the other sperm until they gave up the location of the egg.

> Jack Bauer got Hellen Keller to talk.

> Jack Bauer has been to Mars. Thats why there's no life on Mars.

> In 96 hours, Jack Bauer has killed 93 people and saved the world 4 times. What the fuck have you done with your life?

> In kindergarten, Jack Bauer killed a terrorist for Show and Tell.

> When Google can't find something, it asks Jack Bauer for help.

> It would only take 1 bullet for Jack Bauer to kill 50 Cent.

(note: I know this sounds like the Chuck Norris list circulating around but I still love it!)

I also stumbled upon this...check it out: JACK BAUER VS. JASON BOURNE

one hurdle down....

2006-02-13T16:52:00.000-06:00

Well, I said goodbye....well my version of it anyways. We were supposed to meet at a "halfway" point at the Cheesecake Factory but he got a flat tire so I drove down to see him in the city. As soon as I got there, we plopped down on the couch I said straight out "this is kinda akward, don't you think?" And he said that he was a bit nervous and it felt like we were high school sweethearts moving away...which made me laugh. We said we've never ended something because we were happy!

So we just spent some time together talking and laughing and discussing how this is going to work. We decided that we cannot see each other for a while because it would be too hard but we'd check in from time to time. I said I was going to email him to find out how breaking the big news of his move to USC to his mom went and he wants to know the outcome of my job situation. So I guess we email once in a while? My friend asked me "do you think you'll ever see him ever again?" Honestly, not sure. I think we will, but it obviously won't be in the same capacity as its been the couple months. I'd like to think that we'll end up being friends but if you never start off being friends, how can you get back to it? Does anyone have the answer to that?

One ex-boyfriend and I were best friends since high school before we started dating....we dated for a little while 6 years ago, things didn't work out, but we were able to maintain our great friendship. Will it ever be the same, nope, but was it worth the shot to know, absolutely. My last boyfriend and I met at a club so we were never friends before. Its been like 9 months but its still too painful to be friends. He was my first real love and maybe someday we can be but I am nowhere near close to that. I still read his blog and will comment from time to time...its just nice to know what's going on in his life. (in case you can't tell, I have real issues with completely severing ties with people I care about.)

So I gave him his USC sweatshirt and a card and he really liked it. He kept saying "You really didn't have to do this." and I said "I know, but I did it because I wanted to and I wanted to give you your first piece of USC clothing." I think he was really touched. He walked me to my car, we said our goodbyes and I drove away, blowing him a kiss as I left for the last time. I did not cry in front of him at all but I did get teary eyed on the way back (which is not a good idea driving in downtown Chicago with cabs, CTA buses and thugs darting out in front of my car). Our last date was exactly what I needed it to be and I have the closure I so sorely needed. Sure it would've been better if he said "I changed my mind, I'm staying!" but that did not happen so c-ya!

I've noticed my blog has taken a turn from politics to more personal lately. I'm sorry if this bugs some readers but its a way for me to release some of my stress and to make my eye twitch a little less. When my life has stablized a tiny bit more (aka job situation), I will be back to writing about politics, I promise. But until then my heart is not into it so if you want to take a hiatus and come back in a few weeks, by all means, do it!

putting things in perspective

2006-02-11T22:19:00.000-06:00

One month ago, I couldn't have been happier. My job was going well, I started working out, I had a little down time in athletic training and I met a really nice guy.....and then one by one, things started going downhill. First I got a 3rd observation (which isn't a good thing), then the Athletic Director is pissed at all of us trainers so we have a meeting coming up, and tomorrow I have to say goodbye to a great guy. One could say this is a bit of a rough patch. I've been a HUGE stressball until something else happened today that put it all in perspective.

My best friend at my high school (I'm the only non-family bridesmaid in her wedding) told me on Wednesday that her dad had to go into the hospital. He has diabetes so they figured it was something to do with that. On Friday they got some test results that possibly indicated some kind of blood cancer or lymphatic cancer....which is not good so he was transferred to a research hospital in downtown Chicago. I spoke with her around lunchtime today while chaperoning a ski trip in Wisconsin and she said he was doing alright. She planned on going to see him later in the afternoon and she would let me know his condition as soon as they got the test results back. One hour later her fiance called me and told me he had just died. She did not get a chance to see him today or to say goodbye. I believe he was around 50 years old.

It's funny, just when you think your life sucks, life throws you a curveball and your troubles seem so small. 4 days ago, her dad seemed just fine, and little did we know cancer was silently killing him. She and her family are completely devestated. He was supposed to walk her down the isle for her wedding in July. This just breaks my heart and I'm scrambling to figure out how I can help. Does she want to hear from her friends? Does she just want to be left alone with her fiance and family? We are taking care of her classes so she doesn't have to worry. I'll probably stop by her house tomorrow and simply be there if she needs me.

Suddenly, my last date tomorrow and my precarious job situation doesn't seem so awful. I called my parents (who are on a Valentine's Day weekend vacation) and told them I loved them. What you can take out of my friend's tragedy.......and in the spirit of Valentine's Day.......you can never say "I love you" enough to the people you care about. If you love someone, say it, shout it out to the world. I'm sure it's understood by our loved ones how we feel but you never know what is around the corner. I'm sure my friend would give anything to be able to tell her daddy that she loves him so much. I believe that god doesn't give me more than I can handle so I'll take one hurdle at a time and do my very best to stay positive and appreciate all the good I have in my life.

silly silly kids

2006-02-09T14:50:00.000-06:00

Some weird things my students have said/written today while talking about food, nutrition and the digestive system:

"Is the tartar on your teeth the same thing that tartar sauce is made up of?"

"You said that rinsing with water is better than nothing after a meal, can I rinse with Coke instead, I don't drink water."

"Do the fallopian tubes carry your urine from your bladder to the toilet?"

"When people die, can the abominable fluid leak out?" (I think she meant embalming)

-Bad spellings:

VEGETABLE= vedjdiboles
LOSE= looze
ANY= eney
HEALTH= helth
PHASES= fazes
FRUIT= froot

Dear god, what's with kids these days?

I guess it's my turn.......

2006-02-07T09:28:00.000-06:00

(more of a personal post to get my thoughts out and make sense if it all, so read on if you'd like)

.......to be the one getting "broken-up" with. The guy that I have been recently dating will be moving 2,000 miles away to pursue a Ph.D in higher education at USC for the next 4+ years. He will be going for free....damn he's smart! He found out on Friday but didn't tell me until last night b/c he didn't know how exactly to break the news. He said he thought a lot about us over the weekend but couldn't come up with a solid answer on what to do. Lots of long silences on the phone and frustrated sighs. He hasn't even told his mom yet b/c she's going to flip. I knew that he applied and this was a possiblity but we decided to cross that bridge when/if we get to it. Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly happy and proud of him for getting into such a prestigous program, its just bittersweet, that's all.

The question of the hour is.......what do we do? He'll be moving in July, so what's the point in talking anymore? It's not fair to continue something that has a "deadline" and I'm not built for long distance. Neither one of us wanted to admit that we have to end it, even though we both know it's the best thing before any more feelings develop. It's not like we've been dating for that long at all, but it was progressing well and I was a "smitten kitten" ....I had forgotten what that felt like and its fun! He apologized and feels horrible for the bad timing in all of this. Maybe if we had met at a different time.....who knows.

What bothers me the most is that I'm not in control. This is the first time in my life that I have not been able to control the outcome of a relationship. Every guy I have ever dated, we ended on my terms so there was a tiny bit of comfort in that (on my side anyways!) In this situation, we have not known each other long enough for me to be a factor, since he applied way before ever meeting me and I won't leave Chicago. And while I wish he would reevaluate his options in Chicago, I don't blame him for taking this opportunity!

Oh well, that's how the cookie crumbles I guess. People come in and out of our lives for different reasons. Why I met him out that night in December? (he was randomly standing next to be at a bar called Sluggers next to Wrigley Field. I elbowed him and said "can you tell which one is the birthday girl? She had her face down on the table. He laughed, we started talking, fought about the Bears and Packers, laughed and then he asked if he could walk me to my car. I was like "no, its okay, there are like 8 of us here." Then he said "no, I'd like to walk you to your car....no, its seriously fine, don't worry about it!. Finally he said, I WOULD LIKE TO WALK YOU TO YOUR CAR.......oooooooh, I get it! So he walked with us and asked me for my phone number and the rest was history.) Maybe I met him to get me back in the dating game after a 2 year relationship and the 7 months afterwards which have been very painful. That there are other fish in the sea after my last loving boyfriend......(ones that even will pull out the chair for me at dinner and open car doors.) If nothing else, at least I have made a new friend....and one that I can visit in California!!!

I think we are going to go on one last great date, possibly on Valentine's Day....how morbid, eh? I know, I know. I am trying to bounce back in style......Friday night I am going to a Republican party with a "denim and diamonds" theme as the date of a politician, Saturday skiing all day up in Wisconsin, and Sunday a date with a guy from Racine, WI. Will all of this make me immediately forget this amazing guy I have to stay goodbye to? Probably not, but will it help, heck yes!

yes yes yes yes yes

2006-02-05T19:29:00.000-06:00

I just won $25 bucks in one pool and $75 in another for my 7 and 3 squares for the second quarter score!!!!!! I hope it stays this for the rest of the game......I could use more $$$. Money aside, I'm pulling for the Steelers!

people who should die

2006-02-03T12:06:00.000-06:00

Narcs nab drug-smuggling puppies
DEA: Dogs' bellies were cut open, heroin was placed inside

Friday, February 3, 2006 (CNN) -- A two-year investigation into a Colombian heroin ring netted more than 65 pounds of drugs, resulted in the arrests of more than 20 people and saved the lives of some drug-smuggling Labrador retrievers, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said Wednesday.

Ten wayward pups were found during a raid on a Colombian farm in 2005, and six of them were carrying more than 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) of liquid heroin in their stomachs, said DEA spokesman Rusty Payne.

Puppy smuggling is another take on the human "mule," or "swallower" in DEA parlance -- someone who ingests packets of drugs and transport them in their stomachs.
In the case of the puppies found during the 2005 raid, the dogs' bellies had been cut open, and heroin packets were stitched into their stomachs, Payne said. The pups, mostly purebred Labrador retrievers, were sewn back up and prepared for shipment to the United States, he added.
"The organization's outrageous and heinous smuggling method of implanting heroin inside puppies is a true indication of the extent that drug dealers go to make their profit," said Special Agent in Charge John Gilbride in a written statement.

Though the 10 dogs were rescued before being shipped, it wasn't enough to save all of their lives.

"Three of the six died of infection when the drugs were removed," Payne said, adding that four other puppies "were going to be used and obviously were saved."

Silly Putty

2006-02-03T09:04:00.000-06:00

The Top 50 Silliest Uses for Silly Putty

On a positive note......

2006-02-01T18:14:00.000-06:00

All this stress from my impending 3rd observation for teaching (if I suck, I get fired)......has caused me to virtually stop eating, toss and turn and be just downright grumpy for the past week. There have been a couple bright spots but overall all this madness has caused me to lose 10 pounds in the past week!!!! My pants are almost falling off, woo hoo! Time for parent open house.....

seriously....

2006-01-31T13:21:00.000-06:00

Why do I keep finding guys who need to go back to school? Last boyfriend, starting law school at 27, new guy I'm "talking to", 30, just had his PhD application pass the first hurdle at a top school 2,000 miles away. I give up!!!! I get that they are trying to better their careers and I admire that but, Grrrrrrrrr. Do I have to start looking at mid/late 30s to find someone done completely with full-time schooling?

thoughts and prayers

2006-01-26T14:50:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine's relatives were killed in a horrible car crash last night. My heart goes out to them.

MARION, IL - A deadly crash on Interstate 57 in southern Illinois has left three adults and three children dead.

Illinois State Police Commander Scott Rice says a semi-truck hit the end of a guardrail at a bridge Wednesday night, and veered into oncoming traffic near Marion. "The information IDOT has was that he was speeding and driving erratically, and that he crossed over and struck two vehicles head-on."

Authorities say the crash killed trucker Jimmy Joe Storm of Union City, Tennessee. Storm's rig struck two other semis and a pick-up, killing all five occupants of the smaller vehicle.
Those killed were identified as 43-year-old Raymond Ruzich, 43, of West Frankfort and his daughters Jessica, 8, and Ashley, 11; and Shelly Bonney, 29, of West Frankfort and her daughter, Kaylynn, 10.

The accident investigation is continuing. An autopsy is planned on the truck driver.

I need some work!

2006-01-24T10:25:00.000-06:00

I went shooting a few weeks ago and here are a couple of my targets. The first one was done with an SP-89.....my god I love that gun. The second was my little 32 cal Beretta Tomcat. I didn't get a bullsye but at least I killed the guy! Looks like I'm shooting a bit right so if I compensate for that I should be good to go. Suprising considering I'm a lefty!

my apologies.....

2006-01-24T08:54:00.000-06:00

I have been quite busy lately and have not been posting as much as I'd like....well posting anything of substance anyways. Typical of the beginning of a semester for me. Until I get a post up in the next couple of days, play these annoying games.......thanks to the Conservative UAW Guy.

Falling Sand Game- look at the bottom at what all the different colors mean and experiment!

Paper Toss Game- for those people in corporate America stuck in cubicles like a veal.

24 has taken over my family

2006-01-21T14:00:00.000-06:00

I LOVE the show 24 on Fox. 24 took my family hostage a couple years ago when my brother had knee surgery and Season 1 DVD was given to us. We watched 8 hours straight the first night. We finished season 1 in a few days, rented Season 2 and finished just in time to watch Season 3 on TV. Now Season 5 has started and it still gets my heart racing! My sister, Ranting Republican has resisted Jack Bauer for years but last week....WE GOT HER!

Her biggest fear is coming true.....she watched the first 4 hours of Season 5 and now has gone back and rented Hours 1-8 of Season 4 and watched them all in less than 15 hours....and is at the video store as we speak renting the next 8 hours. I tell you people, JACK BAUER IS IRRESTIBLE. This show is so damn good that I went looking for 24 blogs and found this one: Blogs4bauer. Its hilarious and I strongly suggest you check it out if you love this show as much as I do. They had a great spoof of it made by some kids......check it out here.

2006-01-20T12:01:00.000-06:00

Just because.........

2006-01-18T21:56:00.000-06:00

....the holidays are over, lets not forget about our men and women overseas. They were flooded with cards and care packages in December but this should be happening 365 days a year. Even just one card means so very much. I did stumble upon this horrible story tonight that happened last month. If reading this doesn't make you want to send a card to Iraq or to an injured soldier at Walter Reed Medical Center, I don't know what will. Makes me sick and breaks my heart.

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/004021.htm

The "Black National Anthem" ???

2006-01-13T12:05:00.000-06:00

As Martin Luther King Day approaches, I have been hearing more and more about the song "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" by James Weldon Johnson.....aka the "Black National Anthem." What nation are they these black people from? We are all citizens of the United States and should all stand together for the "Star Spangled Banner." As the Olympics approach we will see Americans of every ethnicity proudly wearing gold medals, with their hand over their heart and crying while watching our flag raised. We have no "Korean American National Anthem", "Italian American National Anthem," or "German American National Anthem"....why a black one? We are not in segregated times anymore, and the majority of Americans alive today do not remember those horrible times so many years ago.

I guess my beef is calling it the "Black National Anthem." I understand its purpose during the years when blacks were not given the same rights as other Americans, but the Civil Rights Act remedied that. I understand there will always be racists out there, but no need to add fuel to the fire. I think "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" is a beautiful name.

If you'd like to see the lyrics, click here

Another story:

2006-01-11T20:33:00.000-06:00

Today in Health class we were talking about different types of families (i.e nuclear, single-parent, blended, extended, foster). They had to research it, then draw their own immediate families and label what type it falls under. Its good for them to see they aren't so different and it gives me a chance to see what's going on at their home, so yes I do have alterior motives.

This one blonde cheerleader comes up to me and says "How do I draw my family? I don't know how to label my family." So I sit down next to her on the floor and say "who do you live with?". She says "I'm adopted." I say "Then you are a nuclear family, you live with your mom and dad and your brother." She says "Well, they're my grandparents. My mom had me when she was really young, 17, and then she had my brother who has cerebral palsy and my dad left because he didn't want to deal with a handicapped kid. Then my mom got a boyfriend, got pregnant, I got a new baby sister, then he killed my sister when she was 4 months old. He went to jail for a few years, mom couldn't take care of us anymore so my grandparents adopted us." I ask "Do you still talk to your mom?" She says "I'm really mad at her right now, the ex-boyfriend who killed my sister just got out of prison and she's friends with him and that really hurts. So now my brother, who I take care of a lot, and my grandparents live together."

GOOD LORD, damn these parents are messing their kids up so badly. I have one kid who's cutting herself and another girl who has been through more than any 14 year old should. I know kids have a flair for the dramatics and much of what they say can be made up but, in general, it breaks my heart and pisses me off.

THIS is why I need to make sure I find the perfect man to marry and spend my life with. Everything has to be right, in my mind and heart, because I refuse to be one of these parents I see ruining my student's innocence and childhood.

Student update:

2006-01-11T09:04:00.000-06:00

I just spoke with my student who admitted to self-mutilation in a worksheet yesterday. She says she has not "cut" in a couple weeks and has been doing better. Her family is divorced and puts the kids inbetween their fighting and they are being pulled from one house to the other. She says she's happy at school but is upset at home. She also admitted to bulimia and said her parents would be mad if they know she was discussing this at school. They also said they don't want to hear about her problems (according to her, of course.) I asked her if she'd be willing to go see the school psychologist and that I would go with her......she agreed, so thats really good!!!!

I really think that comment on the worksheet is a cry for help and as soon as I asked her about it, that opened the floodgates and I got all sorts of info in a matter of minutes. Now she'll be getting the help she needs and I'm so relieved.

Goal setting activity.....

2006-01-10T11:26:00.000-06:00

In my Health classes I am having the kids think about and write down some of their short-term and long-term goals. Many freshman have not even begun to think about the future so this forces them to do so.

I gave them a worksheet and it says: In the next week, one of my goals is to........ (insert goal here). I will reach this goal by taking these steps: (steps listed here). They have to fill this out for a week, next month, 6 months, a year, 5 years and 10 years. I had some kids that raised their hand and said "I can't think of any goals.".......thats not good!!

I was just grading this kid's paper and her goal in the next 6 months is to "stop cutting." She will reach this goal by: "taking my frustration out by writing, its been working so far." WOW. I wasn't expecting that on a goals worksheet!!! Now I have to speak with her, see who she's talked to and then if I have to, report it to the proper people. I hate narking on kids but I will always tell them first and if they tell me things like they have eating disorders, are abused at home, or engage in self-mutilation, I have to tell.

you gotta see/read this

2006-01-09T13:43:00.000-06:00

A thanks to my fellow blogger Fetching Jen for posting this story.

There was a town hall meeting in Virginia with Democrat Reps. Jim Moran and John Murtha.

This first clip is of Sgt Mark Seavey, an infantry squad leader who recently returned from Afhganistan. This is so great.

http://media.michellemalkin.com/videos/seaveyvideo.wmv

If you are at work and can't listen, here is the transcript:

"Yes sir my name is Mark Seavey and I just want to thank you for coming up here. Until about a month ago I was Sgt Mark Seavey infantry squad leader, I returned from Afghanistan. My question to you, (applause)

"Like yourself I dropped out of college two years ago to volunteer to go to Afghanistan, and I went and I came back. If I didn't have a herniated disk now I would volunteer to go to Iraq in a second with my troops, three of which have already volunteered to go to Iraq. I keep hearing you say how you talk to the troops and the troops are demoralized, and I really resent that characterization. (applause) The morale of the troops that I talk to is phenomenal, which is why my troops are volunteering to go back, despite the hardships they had to endure in Afghanistan.

"And Congressman Moran, 200 of your constituents just returned from Afghanistan. We never got a letter from you; we never got a visit from you. You didn't come to our homecoming. The only thing we got from any of our elected officials was one letter from the governor of this state thanking us for our service in Iraq, when we were in Afghanistan. That's reprehensible. I don't know who you two are talking to but the morale of the troops is very high."

Moran - who is one of the few congressmen supporting Charlie Rangel's call to restore the draft - responded quickly: "That wasn't in the form of a question, it was in the form of a statement. But, uhh... let's go over here." And he took the next question.

"Near the end of the marathon session, a Vietnam veteran, General Wagner, stepped up to the microphone to deliver a message from the mother of an Iraqi war vet who gave his life for his country and for the mission. After reading a scathing letter addressed to Murtha, Wagner talked about his own experience in Vietnam:"

http://media.michellemalkin.com/videos/wagnervideo.wmv

Transcript:

Hello Mr Moran I'm General Wagner. I'm here tonight, I decided to come at 7:30. And I'll tell you the reason I came at 7:30 is because I want an answer to a letter, to a friend of ours. She wrote this letter to Mr. Murtha, where she pointed out to him that he was causing the insurgents to bring more activity against the soldiers in Iraq, just as the traitors did during the Vietnam war. I was fighting in 1972 with the Vietnamese when people were cavorting with the North Vietnamese.

Her son was killed today.

I got the message at 7:30 tonight, and I'll tell you, I wasn't going to waste my time coming here because I knew the trash that was going to be put out. But I'm really mad. Because what is being put out is being used to incite the insurgents to continue this war, just as it incited General Giap to consider the Vietnam war.
He hasn't answered her letter, Mr Moran, but I want to read a paragraph to you. I think its a little instructive:
"I have faith in our military leaders and believe that they are making the necessary steps to train the Iraqi forces and provide for our eventual withdrawal.

I also have faith in our executive branch, that they are taking the necessary steps to help the new Iraqi government to get a democratic style government in place and to give them at least a chance of success. Although mistakes were made in the execution of the war and its aftermath, the goal itself is worthy, and in spite of all the negativity that we are constantly bombarded with I believe that there have been some remarkable successes.

"Although my son would surely" - and this, incidentally, this is the one that was killed today - "would surely prefer to stay home with his wife and four young children" - from 10 to 2, I'm adding that - "he is both a soldier and a scholar, he understands that we are in a vital long term struggle against a dangerous ideology, and he is willing to make the necessary sacrifices to defeat it. It is a difficult struggle and will require patience and fortitude both on and off the battlefield. If we lose our will at home, it makes the task for our soldiers all the more difficult. I believe your comments were irresponsible and are contributing to the loss of national will. If they were made to obtain political advantages I would find that abhorrent and unworthy of a former Marine."

Sir, I'm mad. Because that is happening every day when I read the newspapers. I visit Walter Reed, and talk to the young soldiers with their legs blown off. I know you do too.I can't find one in a dozen that don't believe that they are fighting for a noble cause and are fighting to go back. And I think it's a disgrace when members of our congress, just as they did in 1975 when they sold out the South Vietnamese, are selling out our soldiers today in Iraq.
Thank you sir. (no applause)

Rep. Moran's reply:

Well... uh... Ge.. General... uh.. uh.. we're not gonna end... uh... I'll respond.
But..., um... I.. I do respect your point of view, I know it is widely shared. Uhh... and, um..., and I respect your service in the military.

Uhhh.. I do support the troops, and I do believe that the best way for me to support the troops is to make sure that when they do go to war its a war that needs to be fought. Uh... I... (applause) I... In response to the first two... I don't want the applause, because its going to be interpreted that I'm appealing to the audience. But the, uh... with regard to having faith in the troops I do have faith in our troops, and... uh... but with regard to having faith in uhh... the government that sent them, I don't, and the reason I don't is because they deliberately... is because the reasons that we were giving... given to go to war in Iraq were not accurate, uhhh, and, um, uh, and uh we have now found that Saddam didn't have weapons of mass destruction, there wasn't reliable evidence that he did.

He was not a threat to the United States despite any number of attempts in any number of speeches to uhhh... tie Saddam Hussein to the attacks of 9/11 he had nothing to do with it. So our going into Iraq was not in response to any attack, or even real threat to the United States, and it seems to me it uhh... it failed on that and any number of other reasons for being a war that was of necessity

Please make a note that I used Republican Red for the good guys and Commie blue for these idiots. Wow, I would've loved to have been at this town hall meeting!!! Those two morons disgust me, are bumbling idiots, and fire off the same talking points for every damn question.

Because of you.....

2006-01-08T22:28:00.000-06:00

I have been following this Marine's adventures in Iraq through the link for anysoldier on the right. His post today brought me to tears. I would definitely advise all of you do go to this website, read through their posts, and pick a Marine, soldier, airmen or sailor and send a care package to them. They write exactly what they need so you can send a package tailor made for them...its really fun!!

Here is one man's entry and if this doesn't make you want to send a package, I don't know what will:

Because of you we are able to take showers with body wash, use shampoo and have deodorant and enjoy the basic necessities of life. Because of you we are able to have late night snacks and plenty of coffee to keep us alert and to help us wake up. Because of you, we enjoy current publications and magazines and continue to educate ourselves with current books. We are able to slip away for a few seconds to listen to a CD, DVD or write a letter. Because of you we have made acquaintances, pen pals, supporters and most importantly, friends. We were shown how our country supports us through thick and thin, how selfless actions of mothers, fathers single moms and churches send care packages easily worth $50-$60 and then pay another $40 for shipping.

Because of you we have "junkies" asking us what do you need and although we don't ask for much we receive what we ask for without hesitation with extras thrown in. Because of you Lance Corporal Smith does his 50th patrol but does it with hand warmers in his pockets and is able to concentrate on the enemy instead of the cold. We have something to add to the water in the 130 degree temperatures so that we actually drink water instead of getting dehydrated.

Because of you we have the 7 ton truck driver who although is advised by his mother not to dip had his Copenhagen dip and although he is on a crappie road in a crappie place is at least happy for a little while. Because of you many many Marines have enjoyed a nice cigar and wound down built cohesion in a time that others may have fell apart. Because of you, we have the simple words of "Thank you", "Stay Tuff" and "We support you" sent to us. So few words however words that carry a big punch.

Because of you we won't let some terrorist come to our country and tell our children what to do or threaten their way of life. Because of you WE will protect life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every single one of you who have supported a service member and sent them a letter or package while they were in the fight against terrorism either in Afghanistan or in Iraq have made a difference. Your Marines continue to take the fight to the insurgents. Young Marines, women Marines, continue to excel beyond the expectations of their leaders and stand tall against terrorism and simply say "NO" your not doing that while we are here. Because of you we can do that. Thank you all for making a difference to your service members.

Simply put, because of you, we are winning!
Semper Fidelis and remember its all because of you!

Family loses son in Iraq, then house to fire

2006-01-06T11:37:00.000-06:00

Vietnam War veteran Jesse Alcozer isn’t used to asking for help. But a series of traumas — the death of his son in Iraq, protests by a hate group at the funeral and a fire that left the Alcozer family homeless — proved too much to endure. “We just need a little bit of help,” said Alcozer, his voice breaking during a news conference Monday afternoon. We've tried to be a good family and good people," said Alcozer Jr., 33, Christopher's half-brother, as tears built and slowly fell. "Hopefully there's karma, and it all comes back to you."

The Alcozers’ rental house went up in flames Dec. 27 when a candle burning in a shrine for U.S. Army Pfc. Christopher Alcozer set his picture on fire. The only spot of good news was that firefighters rescued medals belonging to Christopher and the flag that had draped his coffin. “It’s a part of my son. It means a lot,” Alcozer said.

The family is temporarily staying at a hotel, but money is tight. Jesse Alcozer is a disabled Vietnam Marine veteran who was shot 7 times in Vietnam. He was listed as Missing in Action until he was able to make his way back to his unit after they thought he was dead. He lost his job some months ago when his company moved overseas, and his veterans benefits were cut 20 percent just before Christopher’s death Nov. 19. Firefighters estimated the damage to the 1880s frame house on North Michigan Avenue in eastern Elmhurst at $100,000.

Members of the Alcozer family, including two young grandchildren, were relaxing and watching "Toy Story" together around 9 p.m. Dec. 27 when the fire struck. “The next thing we knew, the fire alarm went off,” said Judy Alcozer, Jesse’s wife. She tried to extinguish the flames, but the fire spread too rapidly. “I prayed that we all got out alive,” Jesse Alcozer said.

While watching the destruction, the couple told emergency workers about the flag and medals. Firefighters Eric Burmeister and Kevin Cwirla, who is a retired National Guard staff sergeant, hurried to salvage them. Also untouched was a Gold Star banner hanging in the front window. Flames burned the window trim and the wall, but snaked around Christopher's star. "We saw it as a sign from Christopher," Judy Alcozer said.

“His son gave the ultimate sacrifice, and we hoped we could alleviate the pain,” Cwirla said.
“The good Lord has a way of doing things,” Alcozer said. The family is steeped in military history. Jesse’s father and grandfather served, and he has two sons enlisted.

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who spoke at Christopher Alcozer's funeral in November, was so horrified by the protesters, who have appeared at about six other military funerals in the state, that he is proposing a new law. The Let Them Rest In Peace Act would prohibit any protesting within 300 feet of any military or civilian funeral and would ban protests during funeral services, and 30 minutes before and after.

Christopher grew up hoping to follow in his dad’s footsteps.
“My son always believed in America,” Jesse said.

He died at age 21 during a skirmish in the town of Mosul, Iraq, while his unit was looking for suspected terrorists holed up in a house, Jesse said. Christopher was fatally shot while covering other soldiers as they removed the wounded. “He couldn’t walk away. He stood his ground. He wanted to make sure his Army friends got out alive,” Alcozer said. “At the last minute he was killed.” He had proposed to his girlfriend just weeks ago on his leave from Iraq.

Adding to the family’s grief were protesters who demonstrated outside the funeral with signs saying, “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.” The group has targeted military burials, contending that the deaths of soldiers are divine retribution for society’s toleration of homosexuals. The experience was unbelievably hurtful, Alcozer said. “Can’t people just stay away?” he said. “For someone to come and protest … it’s just too painful.”

Whenever you're having one of "those days" where you think life sucks, think about this family. I saw this story on the news and it just broke my heart. How much can a family endure??? My thoughts and prayers go out to them and I am truly grateful for their family's dedication to our country and our military.

With that being said, I am LIVID at the thought of people protesting funerals. What kind of sick, twisted, demented loons do something like that????? "THANK GOD FOR DEAD SOLDIERS".......I'm sorry but those protesters deserve to go to hell. Sure they are exercising their freedom of speech, (which the military fought to give us), saying its diving retribution for society's toleration of homosexuals???? Who are these people? Are they religious fanatics? So its justice for America not shunning gays? I hope they are not registered Republicans because they will give us a bad name!! I know they are many out there who do not agree with the morality of homosexuals, and thats their right, but I can't imagine them cheering at slain soldier's funerals. Its horrifying and disgraceful. I'm suprised that group wasn't back to throw gasoline on the home as it was burning.

God bless this family and may their son rest in peace.

Congrats Longhorns!

2006-01-05T09:15:00.000-06:00

CONGRATS TO THE TEXAS LONGHORNS

2006 NCAA CHAMPIONS

(don't you think Young would look great in a Green Bay Packer uniform???)

woah boy

2006-01-04T09:32:00.000-06:00

This second hour class is going to be a doozy, I can already tell. My first hour class was dead quiet, I was up at the front of the classroom pulling on my collar saying "tough crowd."

This one has a mixture of smartasses and straight up thugs. I'm going to have to get all up in their face like Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds!!!!

Here we go again

2006-01-03T23:11:00.000-06:00

I get another 150 new students tomorrow morning....unless a few that failed have me again! I'm teaching 5 freshman Health classes, no PE this time around. I know I've been on a political hiatus but once I get settled with teaching again, I'll jump back into it. Until then, check out this adorable blog: Everybody Loves Riley

NYE...from what I can remember :)

2006-01-02T12:12:00.000-06:00

Well, I must say New Years Eve was a blast! A bunch of us checked into a hotel in Schaumburg and started drinking Champagne around 5pm.......got all sexied up and went to Durty Nellies to see Modern Day Romeos and Sixteen Candles. We had $55 cover and all you can drink for 3 hours, and drink I did! 4 out of the last 5 New Years I had a significant other so it was weird being out with the girls...but fun!! My tummy was a little rumbly after having lots of champagne, then 2 vodka cranberrys, then a double vodka lemonade, then several tequila shots, then some beer. Blah, just thinking about it makes me cringe!

We danced a lot, beer was constantly spilled down my lacey black halter top and my once curly hair was drenched! Our one friend got beer spilled down her butt, ewwwww. 16 Candles is an 80's cover band so we danced to songs ranging from Bon Jovi to New Kids on the Block and everything else inbetween. I started drunk dialing my Ohio friends at 11pm central b/c they were already in the new year....but around that time we all realized we needed to sew up "our midnights".....next thing we know we hear the countdown "8,7,6......" and then everyone starts kissing everyone! I kissed boys, girls, who knows. Then I started drunk dialing again and probably called some people I shouldn't have and after looking at my "outgoing calls" list, yeah, bad idea. But, hey, its New Years and I wanted to wish everyone I called a "Happy New Year!"

Then it all started going down hill.......I all of a sudden got way more hammered and then got sad, then just mentally checked out and started spacing out, aka, get Teacher Tori out of the bar. We were back to the hotel by around 1:00am and started eating everything that didn't eat us first! I ate some chicken salad that had been floating around in a garbage can full of ice-turned-water. The container wasn't airtight so my drunk ass opens it, drains the nasty water and ate the whole thing!! Ewwwww, but damn it was good...along with some pizza bialis and cheetos. So yeah, my evening was done pretty early and I still don't feel quite right but it was fun and I'm so excited for 2006!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2005-12-31T13:43:00.000-06:00

This is always that time of year where I sit back and reflect on the past 365 days. It was quite a year for me filled with laughter, tears, joys, heartache, and anticipation for 2006. I am thankful for so much in my life....for my family and friends. I am thankful for our great President and especially for all of our men and women overseas who will ring in the new year listening to RPGs and mortars instead of noisemakers and fireworks. Without them I doubt I'd be here today and I thank God for them every day.

This is more of a personal post so feel free to stop reading if you'd like.

Major events for me in 2005:

-I was told I was getting a 3rd observation for my teaching job. It terrified me but I took the bull by the horns and took my teaching to the next level.

-The principal told me I did an outstanding job and invited me to come back next year.

-I found my perfect townhouse and bought it! In January I didn't even know if I had a job, let alone be able to move out on my own.......by May I was signing my life away and have a beautiful home I can be proud of!

-On a sadder note, I broke up with the only man I have ever loved after a happy 2 year relationship. I have never been so miserable and the worst part was breaking his heart. Its hard to do that to someone you love, but I think it was the right decision for us at that time. That was definitely the worst part of 2005.

-After the breakup, I renewed some amazing friendships with people who held my hand through the tough times, took me out and helped me smile, laugh and party again. They are the best friends I could ever have.

-I lost my best friend, another low point that makes me sad every day. I was a bridesmaid in her wedding and couldn't be happier for her! But for some reason she stopped talking to me completely after the wedding and after dozens of phone calls and emails I find out she's furious with me. Apparently at her wedding I was talking crap about her, her husband and her wedding. Of course this is absurd because I love her, love her husband and loved her wedding. I know that whomever told her this misheard but she chose to believe them instead of simply calling and asking me. She was my second half for so long and while it looks like she's made her choice to end our friendship, I am a doormat and still hold out hope that she digs deep and knows in her heart that I would never say or do anything to hurt her.

-I had quite a scare when I found out my Marine friend/old flame in Iraq's platoon was attacked and suffered many casualties. I watched the news every second I could, surfed the internet and talked with mutual friends to find out if he survived. When the news finally released the names of Marines KIA, my heart was in my throat but as each picture flashed on the screen, I was relieved yet upset knowing those terrorist bastards killed such amazing men. My friend was slightly injured but was okay. Emailing with him in Iraq was wonderful and I am so glad he was okay.

-I had a tough school year with athletic training....it was stressful, clashes with my coworkers and ridiculous hours really tried my patience...but when it comes down to it, its about the kids and taking good care of them so as long as I focus on that, it will be alright.

-I had quite possibly the BEST WEEKEND of my life when I went back to my alma mater, Ohio University for Homecoming this year. I spent time with my old crush/great friend in Columbus, partied it up in Athens, saw all my old friends and just walked around campus remembering some of the best times of my life. The best part, by far, was the Marine coming down to see us the very week he returned from Iraq. His stories were upsetting and seeing the saddness in his eyes was difficult but just the fact he was back with us was the best thing I could have asked for. I used to be so smitten with him back in college, and its just too bad he lives in Ohio....a gorgeous, gun-loving, Republican, sarcastic, fellow Bobcat, Marine, war veteran, does it get any better than that? :) Oh well, thats how the cookie crumbles!

-I had my 2 observations for my job this semester and I did a great job, so my career is intact for another year, which is great news and a load off my mind!

Soo all and all its been an eventful year! I have high hopes for 2006 and I will do everything in my power to make it the best year ever! I know many people's lives have been tougher by leaps and bounds so I feel very lucky in the grand scheme of things.

I hope each and every one of you....yes even Democrats, a wonderful New Years and a 2006 full of prosperity and love. I'm off to party, later!

Titanic Survivors

2005-12-29T17:24:00.000-06:00

I have had a little free time over this Christmas break and some of that has been spent flipping back and forth between 2 movies: Phantom of the Opera and Titanic. There are certain movies that I simply cannot turn off if they are on and these are 2 of them. I got to thinking if there are any Titanic survivors still alive and here's what I found:

3 known Titanic Survivors:

Lillian Gertrude Asplund: she was 5 1/2 on The Titanic in third class. she is 91 now.
Barbara West: she was 3 1/2 on The Titanic in second class. she is 89 now.
Eliza Gladys Milvina Dean: she was 10 weeks old on The Titanic in third class. she is 85 now.

If you would like to read more about these three survivors, click here. You never know, maybe you'll end up on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and need this random piece of info.

Sacrifices for our country

2005-12-29T02:03:00.000-06:00

So Ranting Republican and I are putting care packages together for the troops and took a trip up north to an adult video store. No military porn, sorry to say....but we did get 3 DVD's and some magazines for the troops. We went incognito....I was in a Marines Sweatshirt and a cowboy hat and she wore huge movie star sunglasses. I giggled a lot...suprising for a health teacher, I know!
In the back of the store there were these rooms where people could view movies and um, well, take care of business......we could hear all the movies, complete with moaning and screaming...it was like surround sound in there! Then we'd see a guy walk out and leave, it was hilarious. One dude was like 80, I swear.

I never realized how expensive and adult movie is...DVDs ranging from $25-$75. The real expensive ones were even interactive. Fascinating. I had some friends over and we previewed the movies......my sister picked out a funny one, I picked out a horrible amateur one, and the other I picked up was totally hardcore, I had no idea! Instead of turning us all on, we don't want to see a breast or penis for a while!!! 3 or 4 hours of watching that stuff will do that to you! I'm sure we'll all be back to our normal selves tomorrow though.

What sacrifices we'll do to keep the Marines morale high in Iraq, I tell ya!

Merry Christmas

2005-12-23T23:55:00.000-06:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

THANK A SOLDIER WEEK!!!

2005-12-22T20:42:00.000-06:00

I urge everyone who visits my site to CLICK HERE and send a quick message out to our men a women overseas. While we are sitting around a fireplace opening presents and laughing with our family, they are in the desert manning their posts and hunting down the very people who want to vaporize every American (there are some I wouldn't mind vanishing into thin air, but that's another story.)

I, personally, have my own way I thanked a soldier (and I recommend it highly) but by either sending a care package or even writing an email, we are letting the troops know we love and support them every minute of every day.

Ranting Republican and I are putting together care packages for several Marines in Iraq....filled with video games, DVDs, magazines, fleece blankets I made, pillow, cigarettes, dip, food, and even some adult entertainment.....I know thats what they want!!!

THANK YOU AIRMEN, SEAMEN, GUARDSMEN, SOLDIERS AND MARINES!

A Commie's Christmas email to me

2005-12-22T20:31:00.000-06:00

So I get this email from a fellow teacher (notice the quote he uses at the end of his emails):

For My REPUBLICAN Friends:

> "Please accept with no obligation, implied or
> implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally
> conscious, socially responsible, low-stress,
> non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the
> winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most
> enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of
> your choice, or secular practices of your choice,
> with respect for the religious/secular persuasion
> and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to
> practice religious or secular traditions at all. We
> also wish you a fiscally successful, personally
> fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition
> of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year
> 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars
> of choice of other cultures whose contributions to
> society have helped make America great. Not to imply
> that America is necessarily greater than any other
> country nor the only America in the Western
> Hemisphere. And without re gard to the race, creed,
> color, age, physical ability, religious faith or
> sexual preference of the wishee. By accepting these
> greetings you are accepting these terms. This
> greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal.
> It is freely transferable with no alteration to the
> original greeting. It implies no promise by the
> wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for
> herself or himself or others, and is void where
> prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole
> discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to
> perform as expected within the usual application of
> good tidings for a period of one year or until the
> issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever
> comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement
> of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole
> discretion of the wisher."

For: My DEMOCRATIC Friends:
>Here's wishing all of You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

"There was no reason for America to go to war when we did, the way we did, and for the false reasons we were given," said Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.)

Congressional Medal of Honor

2005-12-20T21:38:00.000-06:00

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

I know this happened last year but I just heard about it now and wanted to share.

22 year old Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham is being considered for the Medal of Honor. When I heard his story on the radio tonight, it put me in tears. Here is the story:

Jason Dunham stepped into the role of protector long before he ever donned a Marine uniform.
As a teenager, he put himself between a friend and an adversary to protect his buddy during a fight. As a brother, he would warn his little sister to watch out for boys. As a man, he dreamed of becoming a state trooper — so long as work didn’t take him too far from home, where he could keep an eye on those he loved most.

Dunham died as he had lived, said the minister at his burial last May: “Caring more for others than himself.”
He has been nominated for the Medal of Honor, given for extraordinary valor without regard to one’s safety.

On April 14, Dunham, 22, was on a mission with his Marine unit in the Iraqi town of Karabiliah when reports came in of an insurgent attack against another group of Marines nearby. Dunham’s team went in search of the perpetrators in an attempt to stop the attack. When they came upon a line of Iraqi vehicles, the team checked each one. One vehicle’s driver, an Iraqi, lunged out of the driver’s side, grabbed Dunham by the throat and he and Dunham wrestled to the ground. Other Marines at the scene rushed to help, but one heard Dunham yell, “No, no, no—watch his hand!” The Iraqi was holding a hand grenade, which was on a hair trigger. When the insurgent released the grenade, Dunham threw his helmet and his body over the weapon, taking the brunt of the explosion.

He died a week later at a U.S. hospital, his parents by his side. His mother, Deb, held one hand. His father, Dan, clasped the other. “He never opened his eyes,” his mother said.

Dunham is among several Americans in the Iraq war who gave their lives to save another. Marine Sgt. Kirk Straseskie, 23, of Beaver Dam, Wis., drowned after he jumped into a canal to rescue victims of a helicopter crash. Army Sgt. Jaror Puello-Coronado, 36, of Pocono Summit, Pa., was hit by an out-of-control truck after he pushed another soldier out of its path.

Dunham is the first person in this conflict to be recommended for the nation’s highest military honor, according to Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. In a letter asking President Bush to approve the Medal of Honor nomination, Schumer noted that Dunham’s “unbelievable bravery and selflessness” saved the lives of at least two other Marines.

“I can imagine no clearer a case of an individual soldier exhibiting the ideals that the Congressional Medal was established to honor.”

Dunham’s mother says they were ideals her son displayed all his life. “He was a hero before this,” she said. “It didn’t take this for us to find that out.” — Associated Press

I did some homework on the Congressional Medal of Honor:

The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Generally presented to its recipient by the President of the United States of America in the name of Congress, it is often called the Congressional Medal of Honor.

From my research, a Medal of Honor hasn't been awarded since 1993 when Randy Shugart and Gary Gordon received Medals of Honor for their actions in the Blackhawk Down incident. If I am wrong, then please correct me. I have tried to find out if President Bush did award it to Dunham but was unsuccessful.

God Bless our men and women in the Armed Forces who are fighting abroad to keep us safe here at home. Merry Christmas

RAW in Afghanistan

2005-12-19T15:24:00.000-06:00

I use to love WWF wrestling back in the days of the Ultimate Warrior, Hulk Hogan, and Sgt. Slaughter......and then again in college with Stonecold Steve Austin, The Rock, and The Undertaker. Then it got stupid and the WCW and WWF merged so I stopped watching. Vince McMahon took his now WWE RAW show to Afghanistan and its going to be on tonight, 8pm CT on USA. Here is the website with a bunch of pictures: Tribute to the Troops. I think I might tune in.

Semester winding down.....

2005-12-19T10:12:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm in class right now giving final exams...which is way better than taking them I might add! Its been an interesting end to the semester...here are some highlights (or lowlights):

-Since I'm a "madatory reporter" of child abuse I had to tell the police about a former student of mine who came to school in a wheelchair. Her mom has bipolar disorder and is in and out of a mental hospital, her dad works all the time and this poor 15 year old takes care of her younger sister and brother. They all were home schooled, which scares the hell out of me. I had her in summer school 2 years ago and was the first teacher she ever had. She confided a lot in me and thats why when I saw her in a wheelchair, my heart leaped into my throat. I heard her tell her other teachers that she had a growth spurt problem....but when I asked her privately, she told her her dad was "wrestling" with her. She said he was mad and she kept him away from her siblings. He injured her hip and he has a herniated disc in her back. Bastard...this girl is soooo petite and sweet and quiet. The school police liason called her down after I told him and she admitted all to him so its being dealt with.....so sad. Some people do not deserve to be parents!

-I have 2 freshman kids who are dating each other in 2 of my health classes. The girlfriend wrote the boy a note, talking about sexual things (stick figure drawing of sexual positions) and how one teacher is pissing her off so bad she wants to kill her.....and the boy's mother found the note while she was doing the wash. She held the note over her son's head and if he did anything bad, she would turn it into the school. Both of these kids are "A" students and really sweet....but for some reason Mom turned the note into the school authorities and suspended the girl b/c of the threat to the teacher. Yikes!

-THIS ONE IS INSANE!!!!!! I had this student last year in Health class. He's a short white kit with scrappy black hair who does his work but keeps to himself. He got an "A" in my class. This year he's been dressing a little differently, black Anarchy shirts, trenchcoats, baggy cargos, black gloves and pentagrams.....total Columbine style. I saw him at the Homecoming dance sitting by himself the entire time just staring at the crowd...it was creepy.

WELL, he had on one of those wallets with the chain attached to it. We don't allow those b/c it could be used as a weapon. When the dean saw it, he asked the kid to remove it...kid refused. So he escorted the kid to the office and when he removed it, it was attached to a big, sharpened metal stick! Also in his back pocket was an arrowhead. Wait, it gets better. Then the dean asked what else he had on him...to which the kid replied "nuthin". When he checked his cargo pants pockets, he had a butterfly knife in one and a double bladed butterfly knife in the other!! Good lord! Wait, it gets better. The dean then asks him what he's got in his backpack, and of course he says "nuthin." He checks it and finds several real metal sharp ninja stars!!!! Last but not least he finds a disc.....he puts it in the computer to reveal its contents.....how to make a bomb! Doubt he'll be returning to school here! Scary part is that he walked around all day with that stuff, and who knows what he's brought to school other days. Glad I never pissed him off, I could've been shanked to death!

Note from a soldier

2005-12-16T12:29:00.000-06:00

I signed up on this website and my sister, Ranting Republican, and I will be sending troops care packages to show our appreciation. If you would like to do the same, simply pick a guy (or gal) and send away! This was a particular touching story:

"The election went well and they even ran out of ballots at some places. What it must feel like to be able to finally vote after so many years of being under someone’s thumb. Here is something that Communist News Network will never show (not enough of a body count) a woman shows up at our front gate requesting help. The guards are a bit leery because she is big as a house and they were afraid that maybe she had explosives wrapped around her waist. What looked like it could be one thing, turned into another, a cry for help. She was about ready to deliver and had complications. The local hospital turned her away and said “Go to the Americans, they can help you”. So she came to our front gate unannounced and unafraid seeking help. We spun the choppers up in a heartbeat and rushed her away to our main Hospital North of Baghdad, where they were able to help her. Her child lives to see a beautiful Iraqi day due to the Americans. Can’t wait to see that on Al-I’m-a-terrorist T.V., but won’t hold my breath, hey, It’s our job and we do it well."

What my students taught ME in Sex Ed

2005-12-16T09:57:00.000-06:00

I let my students ask anonymous questions and I got a few that I didn't even know:

"What is a nugget porn?" (its apparently a porno involving midgets without limbs)

"If you skeet in someones eye, will they go blind?" (I didn't know skeet was a word for that)

"Is it possible for a guy to urinate during sex? Can a guy urinate if he has an erection?" (I didn't know so I asked some guy friends.....they said you can't if its a "raging one" but if its kinda floppy, you can. Agree?)

Then I got these classic questions:

-"Can you get pregnant from oral sex?"
-"Can a hermaphrodite have sex with themselves?"
-"Why is it so important to wait until marriage to have sex?"
-"If you shave yourself, can you still get pubic lice?"
-"How fast does sperm travel?" (a man ejaculates at approx. 35 mph!)
---follow up to that "then why doesn't the girl get knocked across the room?"

Ahhhhh, gotta love my students.

bye bye Tookie!!!!

2005-12-12T20:27:00.000-06:00

ENJOY THE REST OF ETERNITY IN THE FIERY DEPTHS OF HELL TOOKIE.

Just because you are reformed doesn't mean you get a free pass. Or does it? I'm a Catholic, doesn't God forgive someone who truly is remorseful?

Well, I'm not God, stating the obvious, I know, so I don't have to forgive him for slaughtering 4 innocent people.

But look at this website!!!! SAVE TOOKIE . Here's just a sampling:

"Stan is a peacemaker on death row.
He has been nominated 5 times for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in helping to prevent gang violence.
He has been nominated four times for the Nobel Literature Prize for his children's books that warn young people about the pitfalls of joining a gang and exposes them to alternatives."

I found this to be quite interesting as well (courtesy of Flopping Aces):

While Williams’ celebrity cheerleaders have claimed he has been a model prisoner throughout his sentence and have pointed to this as evidence of his rehabilitation, the DA’s report contains 11 examples of incidents for which he was disciplined, beginning in 1981 and continuing through 1993. They include:

* a violent fight with another inmate June 30, 1981, in which he repeatedly struck the prisoner while kneeling over him;

* a refusal to line up for a return to his cell Jan. 26, 1982, in which he threatened a guard;

* throwing a chemical substance in the eyes of a guard Jan. 28, 1982, in an attack that resulted in chemical burns and emergency treatment;

* a second attack on a guard with a chemical substance Jan. 29, 1982;

* an attack on another inmate Feb. 16, 1984, in which Williams only stopped beating the prisoner when a warning shot was fired;

* a threat to kill a guard June 8, 1984;

* the beating of another inmate July 4, 1986 that only ceased when armed officers arrived on the scene;

* another fight with an inmate that led to his own stabbing, reportedly retaliation for his ordering another inmate to be stabbed;

* his continued association with the Crips street gang led to administrative segregation Oct. 19, 1988;

* the beating of another inmate Dec. 24, 1991, that only stopped after a warning shot was fired;

* another fight with other inmates July 6, 1993, in which a stabbing instrument (shank) was recovered.

The DA’s report also says Williams threatened all of the jurors after they found him guilty.

“Specifically, the defendant looked at the jurors and said he ‘was going to get all’ of them,” said the report.
“After learning of this threat, the trial judge inquired of the jury foreperson. The foreperson confirmed the defendant mouthed the words ‘I’m going to get each and every one of you m—–f——.”

What about the fact he's a killer? You can go to this blog to see the pics of his victims. The liberals are organizing rallies and vigils all over the country tonight. I must say, his passing won't cause me a moments loss of sleep.

"Lets talk about sex baby"

2005-12-12T11:51:00.000-06:00

Today I start teaching Sex Ed in my freshman health classes....stay tuned for some good stories....

Success

2005-12-11T00:20:00.000-06:00

I just got home from our 2nd Annual Young Republican Holiday Party.....and it was a total success! Our VP and I were the ones running it tonight so it was on our shoulders. The place was packed and a ton of candidates stopped by. That was huge...many local candidates, candidates for the US Congress and even candidates for Governor. I have been sick all week long so it took everything I had to put on my black turtleneck, red satin skirt, black leather "f-me" boots and my political face. Whew, load off my mind....man I'd be such a good political wife.

Watching Top Gun in bed......ooooo, sweaty volleyball part, now I know I'll have sweet dreams!

Bad Weather

2005-12-08T16:21:00.000-06:00

Its a blizzard here!!!!!!

"The Day that Shall Live in Infamy"

2005-12-07T10:56:00.000-06:00

Pearl Harbor Raid December 7, 1941.

Saddam for President!

2005-12-06T17:40:00.000-06:00

I've been watching some of the coverage of the Saddam trial and I must say, I'm fascinated. He has some balls, I'll tell you that.

My personal opinion....after his capture I would have tortured the hell out of him until he told us everything we needed to know, including where Bin Laden and Zarqawi are, how he and Bin Laden planned 9/11 together and exactly where the WMD's are (wishful thinking I know). Then I would have killed him, stuck his head on a stick and marched with it at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. (alongside a bunch of hot Marines, of course!)

This entire trial is ridiculous. All he's been doing is bitching how poorly he's being treated. "I had to walk up stairs in handcuffs b/c the elevator was broken." Boo freaking hooo. YOU TORTURED THE IRAQI SOCCER TEAM WHEN THEY LOST!!!

And Ramsey Clark? Can we seriously start prosecuting for treason again? This is even worse than that pinko commie Sean Penn going over to Iraq and badmouthing us. Strung up on the White House lawn I say! How can an American citizen help defend a man who's loyal followers are killing our soldiers every day?? HOW????

I've decided this is all a ploy to make the dems look good, and Saddam is using their words for his defense...thank you Ramsey. Nevermind the thousands of your own people you nerve gassed to death, you were taken out of power in an illegal and unjust war!! Anything to make President Bush look bad. The libs, and many have said this, that Iraq was better when Saddam was in power! John Kerry, when we leave Iraq, should we give Saddam his country back????? Anything to make President Bush look evil.....but make Saddam look like the victim? COME ON. I bet you that if given the choice to put Saddam on trial for all his crimes against humanity or put up President Bush for...umm, lying to the American people.....that they would immediately release Saddam and throw some handcuffs on Georgie!

So my post basically boils down to this question I'd like answered:

The Democrats think Bush lied, that we had no business removing Saddam because he had no WMDs, hence we declared war under false pretenses, so it was unjust and illegal, but the Democrats are supporting the new constitution and the upcoming elections without Saddam?

If everything the Dems are saying is true (and it ALWAYS is, right?) then shouldn't John Kerry, Hillary, Dean, Durbin, Pelosi, Murtha (I could go on forever) be demanding that Saddam Hussein be immediately released and put back in power????? Where is Amnesty International? This is an atrocity!!!

JOHN KERRY: What a piece of dog shit. No, I won't even insult a dog like that.....donkey shit, thats better. He appeared on "Face the Nation" on Sunday and said this:

"And there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children..."

Does he believe that our soldiers are of the same moral relativity as the terrorists? If it were anyone else saying this I would have thought it was a slip, but thinking about Kerry's comments over the last several decades that were put under the microscope during the last election....this leads me to believe he sees our troops to be just as evil as the Viet Cong and Al Qaeda. THANK GOD he is not our President!!!

military ornaments

2005-12-05T19:49:00.001-06:00

military ornaments
Originally uploaded by Toribear5.

Aren't they great??? Now my christmas tree looks ever better!!!

LOL

2005-12-02T17:31:00.000-06:00

CIMG4293
Originally uploaded by seanhorgan.

Haaaa haaa haaaa haa

Are Elephants and Donkeys actually in agreement?

2005-12-02T12:16:00.000-06:00

.....Of course the donkeys would never admit to it. Yesterday President Bush outlined his detailed plan for Iraq. (If you missed it, scroll down to my last post, there's a link.) I decided to do some research and it seems that President Bush is doing EXACTLY what the libs have been bitching about, yet they continue to give him no credit. Here are some quotes from our favorite libs:

Sen. Joseph Biden's (D-DE) Op-Ed: "Over The Next Six Months, We Must Forge A Sustainable Political Compromise Between Iraqi Factions, Strengthen The Iraqi Government And Bolster Reconstruction Efforts, And Accelerate The Training Of Iraqi Forces." (Sen. Joseph Biden, Op-Ed, "Time For An Iraq Timetable," The Washington Post, 11/26/05)

Sen. Biden: "The President Must Set A Schedule For Getting Iraqi Forces Trained To The Point That They Can Act On Their Own Or Take The Lead With U.S. Help." (Sen. Joseph Biden, Op-Ed, "Time For An Iraq Timetable," The Washington Post, 11/26/05)

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV): "It Is Time To See A Significant Transition Toward Full Iraqi Sovereignty, With Iraqi Forces Helping To Create The Conditions That Will Eventually Lead To The Phased Redeployment Of The United States Armed Services." (Sen. Harry Reid, Congressional Record, 11/15/05, p. S12796)

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA): "[W]e Need To Shift ... The Responsibility To Iraqis To Begin To Provide Their Own Security." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 11/17/05)

Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI): "[A] Genuine, Broadly Based Political Settlement Among The Iraqis IsEssential To Defeat The Insurgency." (Sen. Carl Levin, Remarks To The Council On Foreign Relations, Washington, D.C., 10/21/05)

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI): "[What] We Should Be Looking For Here Is Some Kind Of Success For The Iraqi People Of Getting Back Their Country And Being Able To Bring Together These Factions And To Have A Country That Actually Functions As A Democracy ..." (ABC's "This Week," 11/27/05)

Sen. Biden: "[W]e Must Build Iraq's Governing Capacity And Overhaul The Reconstruction Program." (Sen. Joseph Biden, Op-Ed, "Time For An Iraq Timetable," The Washington Post, 11/26/05)

Sen. Reid: "We Urged The Administration To Increase International Participation To Secure And Rebuild Iraq, But The Administration Rejected This Call." (Sen. Harry Reid, Congressional Record, 11/15/05, p. S12795)

PRESIDENT BUSH'S SPEECH ON 12/1/05:

President Bush: "To Achieve Victory Over Such Enemies, We Are Pursuing A Comprehensive Strategy In Iraq. ... Our Strategy In Iraq Has Three Elements." (President Bush, Remarks At The U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, 11/30/05)

President Bush: "On The Political Side, We Know That Free Societies Are Peaceful Societies, So We're Helping The Iraqis Build A Free Society With Inclusive Democratic Institutions That Will Protect The Interests Of All Iraqis." (President Bush, Remarks At The U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, 11/30/05)

President Bush: "On The Security Side, Coalition And Iraqi Security Forces Are On The Offensive Against The Enemy, Cleaning Out Areas Controlled By The Terrorists And Saddam Loyalists, Leaving Iraqi Forces To Hold Territory Taken From The Enemy, And Following Up With Targeted Reconstruction To Help Iraqis Rebuild Their Lives." (President Bush, Remarks At The U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, 11/30/05)

President Bush: "And On The Economic Side, We're Helping The Iraqis Rebuild Their Infrastructure, Reform Their Economy, And Build The Prosperity That Will Give All Iraqis A Stake In A Free And Peaceful Iraq." (President Bush, Remarks At The U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, 11/30/05)

IMMEDIATELY, THE DEMS PUT OUT THIS RESPONSE:

"Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid Issued A Statement Claiming That Bush 'Recycled His Tired Rhetoric Of "Stay The Course" And Once Again Missed An Opportunity To Lay Out A Real Strategy For Success In Iraq That Will Bring Our Troops Safely Home.'" (Deb Riechmann, "President Bush Defends His Embattled War Policy," The Associated Press, 11/30/05)

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI): "The President Relied Too Much Upon Rhetoric, Upon A Laundry List Of Tasks Accomplished, Not A Coherent View Of Where We Are Realistically And Where We Must Go To Succeed. It Was More Generalities Than Specifics." (Sen. Jack Reed, Press Conference, 11/30/05)

I DON'T UNDERSTAND, SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS TO ME? WHAT THE #### ELSE THESE DONKEYS WANT FROM HIM?

We will win this war

2005-12-01T12:30:00.000-06:00

Say it with me everyone! President Bush gave a rousing speech yesterday at the US Naval Academy. While I did not have the opportunity to watch it, I did read it and here's the link:

11.30.05 President Bush's speech on the War on Terror

The speech really gave the American people AND Iraqi people a better understand of why we are over there, what exactly we are doing over there and when we can expect our boys home.

"Victory Trumps Withdrawl." We will not cut and run, we will not leave until Iraqi forces are trained and ready to go.

"An Iraqi Army Sergeant named Abbass Abdul Jabar puts it this way: "We have to help the coalition forces as much as we can to give them a chance to go home. These guys have been helping us. [Now] we have to protect our own families."

I also found it fascinating how President Bush outlined the 3 types of people we are fighting:

The enemy in Iraq is a combination of rejectionists, Saddamists and terrorists. The rejectionists are by far the largest group. These are ordinary Iraqis, mostly Sunni Arabs, who miss the privileged status they had under the regime of Saddam Hussein -- and they reject an Iraq in which they are no longer the dominant group.

Not all Sunnis fall into the rejectionist camp. Of those that do, most are not actively fighting us -- but some give aid and comfort to the enemy. Many Sunnis boycotted the January elections -- yet as democracy takes hold in Iraq, they are recognizing that opting out of the democratic process has hurt their interests. And today, those who advocate violent opposition are being increasingly isolated by Sunnis who choose peaceful participation in the democratic process. Sunnis voted in the recent constitutional referendum in large numbers -- and Sunni coalitions have formed to compete in next month's elections -- or, this month's elections. We believe that, over time, most rejectionists will be persuaded to support a democratic Iraq led by a federal government that is a strong enough government to protect minority rights.

The second group that makes up the enemy in Iraq is smaller, but more determined. It contains former regime loyalists who held positions of power under Saddam Hussein -- people who still harbor dreams of returning to power. These hard-core Saddamists are trying to foment anti-democratic sentiment amongst the larger Sunni community. They lack popular support and therefore cannot stop Iraq's democratic progress. And over time, they can be marginalized and defeated by the Iraqi people and the security forces of a free Iraq.

The third group is the smallest, but the most lethal: the terrorists affiliated with or inspired by al Qaeda . Many are foreigners who are coming to fight freedom's progress in Iraq. This group includes terrorists from Saudi Arabia, and Syria, and Iran, and Egypt, and Sudan, and Yemen, and Libya, and other countries. Our commanders believe they're responsible for most of the suicide bombings, and the beheadings, and the other atrocities we see on our television.
They're led by a brutal terrorist named Zarqawi -- al Qaeda's chief of operations in Iraq -- who has pledged his allegiance to Osama bin Laden. Their objective is to drive the United States and coalition forces out of Iraq, and use the vacuum that would be created by an American retreat to gain control of that country. They would then use Iraq as a base from which to launch attacks against America, and overthrow moderate governments in the Middle East, and try to establish a totalitarian Islamic empire that reaches from Indonesia to Spain. That's their stated objective. That's what their leadership has said.

These terrorists have nothing to offer the Iraqi people. All they have is the capacity and the willingness to kill the innocent and create chaos for the cameras. They are trying to shake our will to achieve their stated objectives. They will fail. America's will is strong. And they will fail because the will to power is no match for the universal desire to live in liberty.
The terrorists in Iraq share the same ideology as the terrorists who struck the United States on September the 11th. Those terrorists share the same ideology with those who blew up commuters in London and Madrid, murdered tourists in Bali, workers in Riyadh, and guests at a wedding in Amman, Jordan. Just last week, they massacred Iraqi children and their parents at a toy give-away outside an Iraqi hospital.

This is an enemy without conscience -- and they cannot be appeased. If we were not fighting and destroying this enemy in Iraq, they would not be idle. They would be plotting and killing Americans across the world and within our own borders. By fighting these terrorists in Iraq, Americans in uniform are defeating a direct threat to the American people. Against this adversary, there is only one effective response: We will never back down. We will never give in. And we will never accept anything less than complete victory.

Thank you President Bush for your giving such a great speech. I have always believed in our cause but MAYBE we can sway the public opinion and the left to stand together and we can truly say "United We Stand."

The Sands of Christmas

2005-12-01T10:06:00.000-06:00

As I look outside on the first day of December, there is a steady flow of snow and Christmas is in the air. In this holiday season, we need to remember what truly matters: our families, our Country, our soldiers and our freedom. I will be posting different military poems throughout the season, and will be ranting as usual. I found this great poem here.

"The Sands of Christmas"

I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh, and looked across the table where the bills were piled too high. The laundry wasn't finished and the car I had to fix, My stocks were down another point, the Dolphins lost by six.

And so with only minutes till my son got home from school, I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool. The burdens that I carried were about all I could take, and so I flipped theTV on to catch a little break.

I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust, No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust. And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh, eight hummers ran a column right behind an M1A.

A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens, Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean.They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight, their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night.

Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind, To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again. There wasn't much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease, They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MRE's.

They didn't have a garland or a stocking I could see, They didn't need an ornament-- they lacked a Christmas Tree. They didn't have a present even though it was tradition, The only boxes I could see were labeled "ammunition".

I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side, He asked me what it was I feared, and why it was I cried. I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near and kissed him on the forehead as I whispered in his ear.

There's nothing wrong, my little son, for safe we sleep tonight, our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right, to worry about the things in life that really mean nothing at all, instead of wondering each day if we will be the next to fall.

He looked at me as children do and said it's always right, to thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should write. And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note, to thank the many far from home, and this is what we wrote,

God bless you all and keep you safe, and speed your way back home. Remember that we love you so, and that you're not alone.The gift you give, you share with all, a present every day, You give the gift of liberty and that we can't repay.

I'm back!

2005-11-30T11:53:00.000-06:00

AFTER MY HIATUS FROM POLITICS, I'M FIRED UP......CHECK BACK SOON.

I'd never forgive myself

2005-11-29T10:04:00.000-06:00

Teenager with peanut allergy dies after a kiss

A Quebec teenager with a peanut allergy has died after kissing her boyfriend who had eaten a peanut butter sandwich hours earlier. Fifteen-year-old Christina Desforges died Monday. She went into anaphylactic shock and in spite of being given an adrenalin shot, could not be revived.

(note: that peanut butter sandwich picture was actually used in the article as a visual!!!)

Dear god I'd never forgive myself! I almost killed my last boyfriend a couple times. I used to call him my Bubble Boy b/c after he started dating me he became allergic to everything, especially seafood. One time I kissed him after eating crab legs. I brushed my teeth but did not floss and his lips blew up like Donald Duck. He had to take a bunch of Benadryl and passed out at 10pm on a Friday night so I sat up and watched TV by myself for a few hours.

Another time I had him come with me to my dad's annual office party at Pappadeux Seafood Kitchen. We told the waiter ahead of time about his allergy and they were going to cook his steak and potatoes on another grill. So we were super careful and I had a bowl of crawfish as an appetizer. The key to truly enjoying crawfish is to "pinch the tail and suck the head". Well one FLEW out of my hand and the meat and all its juices landed all over his face! I was mortified and thank god I didn't have to stab him with his Epi Pen! Yeesh.

I can't wait!!!

2005-11-28T09:52:00.000-06:00

2 4
I cannot wait for the 5th season of 24 to start! I saw the trailer on FOX and started jumping up and down and cheering. For those of you who have never watched this show, it its the most addictive, fast-paced and heart-racing program I have ever seen. My family and I watched 8 straight hours of it when we got the first season. For you LOST fanatics, this is much more intense and the cliffhangers are just as frustrating. I suggest you all go to your local video store and start renting Seasons 1-4. Yes, you can watch this new season, starting in January, without having seen prior episodes. A word of advice though: never watch 24 right before bed b/c your blood pressure will be through the roof! If I can find the trailer I will post it.

Weird News

2005-11-27T21:17:00.000-06:00

Here are some weird news headlines I ran across today.

SATANIST:

An 18-year-old self-described Satanist kidnapped two children on the South Side and planned to carve a pentagram into the chest of a 6-year-old girl to win back his ex-girlfriend, prosecutors said Saturday.

OLD LADY MAULED TO DEATH:

THORNDALE, Texas -- A pack of six dogs mauled a 76-year-old woman to death as she worked in her yard, authorities said. Lillian Loraine Stiles was riding on a lawn mower in her front yard Saturday when she was confronted by the dogs, described as pit bull-rottweiler mixed breeds, said Milam County Sheriff Charlie West. Investigators think Stiles was attacked when she got off the mower and headed into her house. Stiles had severe bites over her entire body, and a man who tried to help her was bitten on one leg, authorities said.

DRUNKEN MAN HOPPED INTO POLICE CAR INSTEAD OF TAXI:

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- The man got a ride all right -- just not the one he was expecting.
Police say a 20-year-old man was so disoriented after a night of drinking that he hopped into a police patrol car thinking it was a taxi.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Deputy Esther Beckman was questioning a bicyclist on the street when the suspect, whose name was not released, hopped into her cruiser.
Officers let the bicyclist go. But the man looking to hail a cab was taken to jail on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.

SHOPPERS TRAMPLED IN XBOX SNAFU:

It can be dangerous these days to get between a shopper and an Xbox 360.
It took more than 10 police officers to restore order at a Maryland Wal-Mart when a scuffle broke out as the devices went on sale Monday night.

About 300 people had been waiting -- some as long as 12 hours. And they'd devised their own system, using numbers, to determine who'd get first shot at the new video game players.
The trouble began when a store manager announced they'd be sold on a first-come, first-served basis -- instead of using the numbers.

One customer said the scene that developed "was like a mosh pit." Some people were knocked down and trampled, but nobody was seriously hurt and there were no arrests.
Wal-Mart then decided to cancel the sale, and police told everyone to leave. But a store employee told the Cecil Whig newspaper that some Xboxes were sold later that night.

GIANTS STADIUM OFFERS PRAYER AREA MUSLIM OUTCRY

NEWARK, N.J. -- The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority says it will provide a special area for anyone who wants a place to pray while at Giants Stadium or the Continental Airlines Arena -- a reaction to Muslim groups' outcries after several fans who prayed at a New York Giants game were detained and questioned by the FBI in September.

Sohail Mohammed, the lawyer for the Totowa-based American Muslim Union, met Sunday with officials from the sports authority, the FBI and private companies that work at the Meadowlands to educate them about Islam and the cultural and religious practices of Muslims.
Five Muslim men attending the Sept. 19 Giants game against the New Orleans Saints were detained and questioned for about a half hour by the FBI after they were observed praying at the stadium. The men claimed they were singled out because of their faith, but the FBI said the men were flagged by stadium security because they were in a sensitive area near the stadium's main air intake duct.

Former President George H.W. Bush was on hand that night as part of a fundraising campaign he and former President Bill Clinton were leading for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The men were allowed to return to the stadium, but in different seats, and were escorted to their cars when they left.

George Zoffinger, the sports authority president, said space will be set aside at the stadium and the arena for anyone of any faith who wishes to pray. The exact spots have not yet been designated, he said.

"I think we did this thing exactly right," Zoffinger said. "We took it seriously. We did not like the connotation that we were profiling. We weren't.
"With this agreement, we hope we've created an atmosphere where anyone can come to our facilities and feel comfortable," he said.

Mohammed said anyone who wants to use the prayer areas should approach stadium security, who usually wear yellow jackets emblazoned with the words "Event Staff," who will then direct them to the appropriate areas.

Word of the agreement is to be circulated to mosques and Islamic centers throughout the state this week, he said.
Mohammed said sports authority staff said they also may extend prayer areas to the Meadowlands Racetrack.

"I told them you won't get many Muslims using that area because gambling is forbidden in Islam, but I understand there is quite a bit of praying going on among the track patrons while the horses are running," he joked.

My Saturday Night

2005-11-26T21:07:00.000-06:00

These were two of my projects this evening.....the 7 ft. tree is in my master bedroom and I wrapped my poppy prints for the holidays. I have one more tree to do in my guest bedroom but I'm going to bake up some chocolate chip cookies, pour a large class of milk and watch a movie. What a great Saturday night, and I mean that!!