Archive for May, 2005
May 28, 2005 at 1:26 pm · Filed under General
My son recently wanted to go to the movies with his friends to see the new Star Wars movie. We made plans to have the boys here overnight and then I would take the boys to a local mall to see it the next day.
As we organized, my friend Debbie said, “Gee, I hope you manage to get in, should be a crowd there.”
I never thought to order tickets in advance, and worried the whole way there, that the boys might have a long line and wait, only to find it sold out.
It was quite the opposite; no lines, no wait, nothing. I left them there to do my shopping, pleased that my lack of forsight hadn’t caused a problem.
All this week, the news has been ringing how the ticket sales are down, down, down.
Not much of a movie goer myself, and having little taste for the likes of Hollywood, I didn’t find the news that surprising. They just don’t make movies that thrill me so much. I don’t rent, go to, nor watch many at all.
However, the news has been going on and on about this that I had to wonder…hmmm…what was the last movie people really got excited about? It came to me, The Passion of Christ.
One has to wonder, with Hollywood snubbing that movie the way it did, perhaps people are just snubbing back?
May 26, 2005 at 7:36 pm · Filed under General
The following made more than sense to me…
The Drug Problem in America
The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a
methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining
county and he asked me a rhetorical question, ”Why didn’t we have a
drug problem when you and I were growing up?”
I replied: I had a drug problem when I was young:
I was drug to church on Sunday morning.
I was drug to church for weddings and funerals.
I was drug to family reunions and community socials no
matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults.
I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my
parents, told a lie,
brought home a bad report card, did
not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the
preacher, or if I
didn’t put forth my best effort in everything that was
asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out
with soap if I uttered a profane four-letter word.
I was drug out to pull weeds in mom’s garden and flower
beds.
I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors
to help out some
poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the
clothesline, or chop
some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I
took a single dime
as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to
the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my
behavior in
everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than
cocaine, crack, or
heroin; and, if today’s children had this kind of drug
problem, America would be a better place.
~author unknown~
May 26, 2005 at 6:25 pm · Filed under General
Even though I rarely watch television, one new show I wanted to watch this season was LOST.
Last night was the two hour season finale. Now I realize that these types of shows want their viewing audience to come back the next season, and I was sure there might be a small cliffhanger, but I couldn’t forsee that at every turn there would be more questions than answers after an entire television year of constant mystery.
LOST left us with:
~Locke, Jack, Kate and Hurley looking into a hole staring at something beyond their belief
~ Charlie with Claire and baby Aaron with a head from one of the statues containing drugs in Charlie’s pack, as Sayid and Shannon embrace in reunion
~Sawyer shot and in the water, Michael’s son kidnapped, with Jin jumping in after him trying to help, and their raft explodes.
…and last Locke, claiming all that happened was their destiny…
May 24, 2005 at 3:39 pm · Filed under Personal
Music to fit my mood…
1. 12 Stones - Photograph
2. Bette Midler - In My Life
3. Bono / Brian Eno / Passengers / The Edge - One
4. Cranberries - Linger
5. Dave Matthews Band - Pink Floyd cover - Wish You Were Here
6. Sarah Brightman - Who Wants To Live Forever
7. Foreigner - You’re All I Am
8. Evanescence - Hello
9. Evanescence - Breathe no more
10. Peter Frampton - While My Guitar Gently Weeps
11. Paul Simon - Slip Slidin’ Away
12. Evanescence - Thoughtless
13. Lenny Kravitz - I Belong To You.mp3
14. Evanescence - Missing
May 20, 2005 at 2:15 pm · Filed under Personal
With the rain pouring, the winds howling, forcing small limbs to fall to the ground and all around, my son packed all his worldly goods in a what seemed like just a few boxes and left home this morning to start his new life near a thousand miles away.
While it makes me sad to see him go, I am also very happy for him too. In the eyes of the world, his future looks quite uncertain, to those with more vision and faith, it looks extremely bright. He is happy, he will marry Miranda in almost a month, and together they be more than OK.
As I walked through what seemed like a very empty house, I couldn’t help and reflect the prayer I wrote in his baby book 23 years ago…
Help me dear Lord, as a mother I pray,
And bless these hands folded in prayer today:
May they be ever strong as they guide, as they teach,
Being never to far for a child to reach.
May they never, with selfishness, try to dissuade,
Nor too quickly punish, nor too slowly aid.
May they point out the pleasures in laughter and song,
And may they show wisely the right from the wrong.
So that one day I’ll know that I’ve helped all I can,
To make my sweet Enric Ramon a man…”
I am so proud of you, son, and so thankful. As, now reading this, my prayer then, was completely and fully answered.
“““““`
I sipped my coffee in the quiet house, looking at the empty spaces where his things were. As I went into the bathroom to wash my face, I noticed, his soapdish, bought for college life…
I don’t suppose he’d come back to pick it up….?
May 17, 2005 at 1:50 pm · Filed under General
Miquel and Laura selected a kitty each. Miquel named his Dante, and Laura named hers Yuna.
Now Dante is sweet, timid, and cuddly. Yuna on the other hand, is crazy like a bullet. She is all over the place, attacking our feet, chasing everything, generally wreaking havoc with the household.
It should have come to little surprise that Yuna upset the whole household today by running away afraid from a bigger cat in the yard, and climbing up a tree…..and getting stuck up there.
Yuna was so afraid, and all Laura’s calling and mine, didn’t help.
Enric climbed up on a stool and tried to entice Yuna down…
…with no success. The cat nervously chewed on bark and limbs, and make entire twigs full of leaves fall to below. Then it paced. Looking for an easy way off that tree.
Enric then lifted a box up high, thinking the cat would feel safe jumping into the box, but that didn’t work.
Next idea was to get the pool skimmer and reach up to it, but it was too afraid of that new object.
Enric thought of the the tree limb cutter to pull the tree limb down, but that didn’t work either.
Finally, Enric at my suggestion climbed to the roof and took the pool skimmer. After many persistant tries along with Miranda, Enric captured the petrified kitten.
May 15, 2005 at 5:07 pm · Filed under General
Almost every Sunday morning in church, either the pastor or one of the other speakers will say something quite funny. It’s always nice to know that during very sacred worship time, there is room for fun and laughter.
Today, the pastor was having a go at children always asking “why”, and he did it in such a funny way, that a child in the congregation literally cracked up in a full, spontaneous, belly laugh. Which of course tickled all the rest of us, including our pastor.
Any time, I feel, you have a group of people assembled, funny things are going to happen. Even when written down.
You know the papers handed out in most protestant churches? Bulletins, they are called. Take a look at some honest, yet funny mistakes.
Bulletin Bloopers
The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, “Break Forth Into Joy.”
A songfest was hell at the Methodist church Wednesday.
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.
The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The Congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
Thursday night Potluck Supper. Prayer and medication to follow.
Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
Tuesday at 4 PM there will be an ice cream social. All ladies giving milk will please come early.
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What Is Hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice.
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It is a good chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
The sermon this morning: Jesus Walks on the Water. The sermon tonight: Searching for Jesus.
Barbara C. remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and requests tapes of Pastor Jack’s sermons.
May 12, 2005 at 3:47 pm · Filed under Personal
For my birthday, I treated myself to an outing to Maryland’s Catoctin Mountains. I wanted to see Cunningham Falls, but we only got a limited view of it.
I did get some photos, please have a look HERE
May 11, 2005 at 5:35 pm · Filed under Personal
Today was my birthday, and I spent it taking a hiking outing with my children.
Thanks to all for the cards, gifts, calls, and well wishes. I cherish them all.
Speaking of what I cherish, there is one gift that my mom gave me a few years back, I truly cherish, and guard it in my wallet to read again and again…It has always meant so much to me.
May 10, 2005 at 8:50 am · Filed under News Items
Along the same theme as my blog regarding pork barrel spending, is my confusion over how our Congress are awarded these “Power Trips.”
Wouldn’t we all like a suite in London and to be at Wimbledon watching the finals, dipping our spoons into our strawberries and cream, all for free? Why not? Congress is.
There are laws prohibiting our Congress from accepting gifts over $50, I read, but some loophole seems to regard trips not a gift. So, now we have special interest groups and lobbyists, wooing our members of congress with perks of travel. It’s not done cheaply either.
Who are top of the list? Well, Maryland’s democratic senator, Paul Sarbanes, made the top 25. (I wasn’t surprised). Here are the rest…
Top 100 Trip Takers
John Breaux - Democratic Party - $158,311.92
Robert Wexler - Democratic Party - $155,137.21
Gene Green - Democratic Party - $153,873.02
Maurice Hinchey - Democratic Party - $152,169.25
Cal Dooley - Democratic Party - $148,562.50
Evan Bayh - Democratic Party - $142,884.94
Maxine Waters - Democratic Party - $132,219.23
James Clyburn - Democratic Party - $129,540.79
Philip English - Republican Party - $129,231.54
Jim McDermott - Democratic Party - $128,725.91
Harold Rogers - Republican Party - $126,882.93
Gregory Meeks - Democratic Party - $126,690.08
John Boehner - Republican Party - $126,537.08
F. James Sensenbrenner - Republican Party - $126,424.65
James Greenwood - Republican Party - $121,890.57
George Miller - Democratic Party - $119,368.70
Richard Lugar - Republican Party - $113,279.68
Ed Pastor - Democratic Party - $111,438.89
Philip Crane - Republican Party - $109,994.72
Donald Payne - Democratic Party - $105,503.23
David Price - Democratic Party - $105,047.18
Dana Rohrabacher - Republican Party - $102,982.41
Ander Crenshaw - Republican Party - $102,967.56
Howard Berman - Democratic Party - $97,203.35
Paul Sarbanes - Democratic Party - $93,045.01
How does the congress person in your state fare with the rest of them?
Learn more HERE
May 5, 2005 at 6:06 pm · Filed under News Items
Ok. Granted, I can be easily confused. I have read time after time how we need to clean up the air.
Yet now, I read Earth’s air is cleaner, but this may worsen the greenhouse effect.
I am sure glad I don’t have my faith in scientist, none seem to ever agree.
Read: Clear skies end global dimming
May 5, 2005 at 4:03 pm · Filed under Personal
It happens to me all the time. I get upset how far away many loved ones are from me, and then something happens to make the world feel smaller.
Perth, Australia has to be one of the farthest corners of the globe from my home in Maryland, USA. And in the last years communicating with John and sometimes his family, it has seemed so far away.
Often our conversations go to music, its hard to talk to me at all and not have music come into it. One conversation we were chatting on radio stations on the net. Over time he told me he was listening sometimes SONSHINE.FM. Going to its website, there was a listen over the net feature. How cute, listening to the radio thousand of miles away!
Many months later, and having started this blog, who comments on my blog? One of the DJ personalities from the very same radio station!
The world suddenly felt smaller!
The radio station has a very clever idea, they aim to only have uplifting music, combining contemporary Christian music with music of today, limiting it to uplifting type music.
Oh well, just another one of life’s coincidences, and makes me smile!
May 5, 2005 at 1:07 pm · Filed under Personal
When Miquel gets something into his head, there is no getting it out. I’ve learned that I think, when he was about 2 months old.
After a trip to the Arundel Mills Mall recently, he saw a place to have a customized hat made. He didn’t have the money for it then, but that didn’t stop him from talking about it, making the plans for its design, and finally asking when would we go back to the mall to get it made.
I am begining to think that if Miquel’s tennis plans don’t pan out, he has a real promise in clothing design. This hat isn’t the first thing that he got into his head to design, he’s been doing t-shirts (with Hanes T-shirt Maker) on the computer for awhile now.
The day finally came (he broke me down) and I took him back to the mall to get his hat.
Here is Miquel with Allyn of World Hats, helping Miquel to create his vision. Miquel and Allyn hit it off right away.
Here is Miquel back at home, posing with the hat on backwards, “89″ is his birth year. He also is wearing one of the t-shirts he created himself.
Here he is, a view from the back, with his net nickname on the hat.
A view from one side, with one of his nicknames in a video game.
And lastly the other side, with another of his video game nicknames.
I wonder what’s next with that boy.
May 4, 2005 at 6:14 pm · Filed under General
With Mothers Day soon approaching, Georgie sent me this:
1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
“If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.”
2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
“You better pray that will come out of the carpet.”
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
“If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!”
4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
“Because I said so, that’s why.”
5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
“If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.”
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
“Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.”
7. My mother taught me IRONY.
“Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about.”
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
“Shut your mouth and eat your supper.”
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
“Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!”
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
“You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.”
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
“This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.”
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
“If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t exaggerate!”
13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
“I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.”
14. My mother aught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
“Stop acting like your father!”
15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
“There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do.”
16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
“Just wait until we get home.”
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
“You are going to get it when you get home!”
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
“If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.”
19. My mother taught me ESP.
“Put your sweater on; don’t you think I know when you are cold?”
20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
“When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.”
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
“If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.”
22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
“You’re just like your father.”
23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
“Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?”
24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
“When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.”
25. And my favourite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
“One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!”
May 3, 2005 at 7:38 am · Filed under General
I have recently downloaded and installed Skype, and thought to pass on a little information about it.
Skype is a little piece of software that lets you make free calls over the Internet. Users can make superior quality voice calls to other Skype users for free and to landlines and mobiles worldwide for the price of a local call.
It already has over 100 million downloads of the software and every day over 150,000 new users join the 33 million active users.
One of the features that interested me was SkypeIn. For just a few dollars a month, you can get your own, regular phone number. So if your friends who aren’t using Skype want to call you by dialing a regular number, you can still receive the call in Skype. To make it even better, SkypeIn comes with a free Skype Voicemail subscription, so, if you are not online when the call comes in, there is a way for the caller to leave you a message.
You can get up to 10 SkypeIn numbers total from United States, United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Poland, Norway and Sweden. They are continuously working on having numbers available in many more countries around the world. One neat feature is this, say you have a friend or relative far, and you want to let them call you without the long distance fee, if there are area code numbers available, with Skype, they can call that number you acquire, only paying what they normal would for a local call!
This is looking to be a promising service.
Another feature is SkypeOut, a low cost way to make calls from Skype to friends who still use those traditional landlines or mobile phones. That means calling anyone, anywhere in the world at local rates.
Skype – the whole world can talk for free. Download Skype for free and take a look at some of our neat premium services.www.skype.com
May 2, 2005 at 7:52 am · Filed under Personal
Where does a Xerraire live?
Here, nestled amongst the azealeas is my childhood home, and where I now live:
I don’t know how many times I took my toothbrush and threatened to my parents to run away, but, I keep coming back.
May 1, 2005 at 6:36 pm · Filed under General
I am so very tired. Weary in fact.
For the past two Sundays now I have spent the better part of each, trying to get rid of spyware from people’s computers. The first Sunday’s, even though it took the better part of one day, was in the end, successful.
Today’s, I can’t say I have won from the evils of the spyware, it was, and is, a relentless parasite.
I used the usual tools that I normally do:
Hijack This!
Spybot S&D
Ad-aware
I also downloaded and installed some that I don’t usually use.
I have researched, and printed about 40 pages of long (and scary) directions on removals. As fast as these things can be removed from programs, their uninstall programs install more.
Is there an easier way?
What is the parasite? WinTools.exe
Well, I may have lost a battle, but I sure hope to win the war.
Tomorrow, I hope…. after I am rested…..
