We're booked!

Yes, The Husband and I are on our way back to Mexico!

Now that I am employed again... and the dog does not appear to require surgery for anything, we are heading back to the Yucatan Peninsula. This time, we're going to stay in a town called Akumal, about one hour south of Cancún.

Our plan is to spend some quality time snorkeling and to take a day trip to Coba to see the Mayan ruins. We will probably also take a small trip to the town of Tulum (we visited the Tulum ruins at our last trip to Mexico) or back to Playa del Carmen (where we stayed at our last trip). Oh - the trip we're planning to Coba will also include visiting a cenote and lunch.

The Yucatan Peninsula is riddled with underground freshwater rivers. Cenotes are sinkholes in those rivers in which you can swim, snorkel and—if you're brave—scuba dive throughout the underground rivers (no thanks!). The Husband and I have enjoyed snorkeling in cenotes before, and we are looking forward to the experience again!

When we're not in the water or at the ruins, we'll be relaxing in the Caribbean sun (with SPF 45, of course!).

This is why I had to get a job!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Hanukah (yes, I know it ended almost two weeks ago), Happy Rohatsu (yes, I know that was over before Hanukah ended), Happy Solstice, Happy Yule, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Boxing Day, and Happy Anything Else That I May Have Missed!

My wish for anyone who reads this is a peaceful 2008. As the song goes, war is good for absolutely nothing, so I hope it ends... not just in Iraq, but Afghanistan, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Washington, your neighborhood, my neighborhood, and in all of our hearts.

An update on the job front

Sorry I haven't been blogging much lately, but at least I have good news. Last week (12/10 - 12/14) was my first week at my new "real" job! Better yet, Monday I was at my office, but Tuesday through Friday were spent in sunny San Francisco!

I have flown into San Fran, but never got to hang around and see the city. I didn't get to see much this time because of work, but I did check out Chinatown and got plenty of exercise just walking a few blocks (up and down severe hills). It also was much warmer than it was in the Twin Cities (and no snow!).

I am so glad that I got to go to SF, because it really helped me learn more about my new work world. It's a bit complicated... once I figure it out I will share the details. Long story short, I work with Licensed Bankers (i.e., personal bankers who have their securities licences). The only concern I have about the job (besides the almost hour-long commute) is that I too will have to get my Series 7 and Series 66 licences. I have heard that getting those licenses is not easy. Fortunately, I will actually get one day off a week to study (once I start the study program in April). I am not sure if that one day off a week helps me or makes the tests that much more intimidating!

Anyway, I am happy to be employed again! Income is a nice thing.

So hire me already!

News from the job search front: It appears that three companies want me... I think... because two contacts have checked in on me to say hello and that they are still "in the process" of filling openings, and the third contact has me on a phone interview today (with a would-be colleague in San Francisco) and an in-person interview tomorrow.

Now why would they call to let me know they are still "working on filling the position" without informing me that they are not interested in me... unless they are interested in me. The problem is that I may not be the only one in whom they are interested.

Here's what I want: Would someone just buckle down and hire me already?!? All jobs are within my expertise and interest (some more than others), and none of them are a good commute (so it doesn't really matter).

All I want for Christmas is a job!

Who's got your vote?

Yes, I believe it's way too early for all of the 2008 Presidential election crap going on right now (my gosh - how many debates have there already been???).

However, I found something that may help me determine who deserves my vote - by gauging how close a candidate is to me on issues I find important.

You can use it too! Check this out: Select A Candidate(TM), courtesy of Minnesota Public Radio. Simply enter your leanings on certain issues, and how much the issue matters to you, and you will get a list of the candidates in the order of your preference!

I will check this online tool again when it's actually election year...

Get Organized!

Do you have too much "stuff" around the house?

Do you avoid having people over to your home because of the mess?

Do you park your car outside because it won't fit inside the garage?

Have I got a solution for you!



Contact A Place for Everything... and Everything in its Place. Don't be embarrased... you won't be judged, nor will you be forced to toss anything you're not ready to toss!

The Web site for this great service is not impressive, but check it out anyway. You'll be happier when your home is more livable.

Call or e-mail A Place for Everything... and Everything in its Place today!

Okay, it's getting old now...

When I was laid off, the first thing many people told me was "enjoy yourself!" I was told to take some "me" time and relax.

While this may come to a surprise to those who know me (and how lazy I can be), I really want to re-join the job force SOON! I am not enjoying this time off as much as I think I should... probably because I cannot relax when it's the only thing to do!

Yes, I have had interviews, sent resumes left and right, and we are surviving financially, but I am ready to go back to the office now, thank you very much. Perhaps I have been too long in Corporate Land and it has impacted my brain (is it too late for de-programming?).

It just occurred to me -- this could be all about Mexico! You see, I have not been to the warm, sandy beaches of the Yucatan Peninsula since 2005, and it does not feel right to plan on returing anytime soon when I am still unemployed. Yes, that's it! I need to feel the tropical breeze, feel the waves of the Carribean, and watch where I am going lest I step on an iguana. I want to again speak those magic words, "¡Una cervesa, por favor!"

(Sigh.)

Well, at least Mexico isn't going anywhere... and I can't stay unemployed too much longer. Maybe I should run to Target and grab some sunscreen... just to make sure I am prepared!

¡Adios!

Sweet Beau

Is this Heaven? No, it's Woodbury.

Okay, the last thing I need right now is a new place to spend money, but I must give free advertising space to Trader Joe's.

The grocery store part is cool - organic and creative foods, decent produce, and foods made with minimal processing. But the wine store has made me a very happy person. Yes, I am talking about the famous Three Buck Chuck.

Charles Shaw's winery in California produces a fine Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Shiraz (I havn't tried the Sauvignon Blanc yet). These are wines I could see serving to company (if I have any left... wine that is, not people to invite over). Each fine Charles Shaw wine sold at Trader Joe's retails for $2.99 (+ tax). That may be less than the price of Boone's Farm (and Chuck's wine is so much, much better!).

This reminds me of what my Uncle Myron said to me once, "Get into the alcohol business, because when times are good, people drink. When times are bad, people drink." Smart man (he made a few bucks in his career too... selling booze!).

Times are not great nor bad for me right now... just odd. I could add to Myron by saying, "When times are strange, people drink." Me thinks I will crack open a bottle tonight (or at least after I walk the Pep this afternoon). Cheers!

Want to get organized?

I am looking into becoming a Professional Organizer. Not a cleaning lady, not a decorator, but someone who goes into messy houses and puts stuff in its place (whatever place that may be... including the garbage or the Goodwill).


Now my own house is not exactly spotless, but I do manage to have things where I can find them. When we lived in our first house, I took a couple of classes on Feng Shui that opened my eyes to the perils of clutter and keeping things just "because I may need it someday." I went through and got rid of a bunch of stuff that was taking up space (and energy) and I will never forget how liberating it was!


Anyway, I am going to a seminar in a few weeks to learn more about the PO industry. I will keep this blog posted on my progress, should I decide to actually take the dive (perhaps this blog will evolve into an organizational tips blog?).

What do I want to do when I grow up?

Now that I am free to give this a little thought, I have pondered what it really is that I should do with myself (job-wise).

Do I want to return to the world of cube farms, corporate-speak, and pointless meetings? Sure, there are the good points, such as steady income, co-workers, and benefits, but is this what I am meant to do?

Confession - I printed out a job posting for TV and movie extras. Now I am not thinking that I am going to become a star, but it could be fun to hang around a set and act like a (fill-in-the-blank). The odds of being "discovered" are as low as my winning the lottery (especially since I don't buy tickets), but it could be fun being a professional background person. Who knows? Maybe I could get an opportunity to actually say something!

Let's go back to reality. Do I really have the guts to leave the comfort of the corporate world? I would have to change my spending habits... and break away from what I thought I would do for the rest of my working years... could it be done? To be sure, my corporate experience has not been that bad. I enjoyed many aspects of writing, presenting and creating that I have done in my previous work life.

What other possibilities lie outside the corporate box? And do I have the guts to go for it?

Drug advertising

Now I am a civil libertarian. I believe in the Bill of Rights (along with the rest of the Constitution) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I believe in freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of peaceful assembly, and so on...

However, there is one thing I could do without - drug advertising.

I actually just saw an ad on TV for some prescription medication, and the entire ad was nothing but legal disclaimers. I could not even catch what condition the medication was supposed to treat!

Now, I do not want the government to ban advertising for legal products (this would fly in the face of the whole civil liberties thing, wouldn't it?). Also, I am well aware that I am a beneficiary of the pharmaceutical industry and the research and development they do with all the money they get from their sales.

How do you get sales? Advertising. I know, I know.

I just don't feel comfortable having the drug companies push their wares on people who cannot legally purchase the products without 10+ years of college and training. I am also not particually thrilled when I learn how drug companies market their products to doctors (but that may be a topic for another post).

There's just so much one should know before just jumping into a course of prescription therapy, and no matter how fast those actors speak, there's no way they could possibly describe everything (including alternative therapies and effective diagnoses, besides just some possible side effects) in 30 to 60 seconds.

So, how do I balance the rights of companies to advertise with my unease with those very advertisements? It would help if the ad would at least indicate what the medical condition is that the drug treats!

Memories...

I learned today that my great aunt Elizabeth had a stroke and is now at Fairview Ridges Hospital. I do not know her prognosis, but since she's 93 years old, I am not completely optimistic.

I remember spending the night at her house in Virginia, MN, where she lived with her father, my great grandfather Olaf. Olaf was born in Sweden, and by the time I was old enough to have memories of him, his hearing was almost gone. He would shout at me in Swedish, and I would reply in English, and somehow, we understood each other (or at least that's what my memory is telling me now).

Elizabeth still worked back then, so she hired a woman from Greece to watch over my great grandpa. The Greek woman's name escapes me, but I remember she made these great potato dish (okay, the name of the dish also escapes me), and she was thrilled that I liked it.

I haven't seen my great aunt in a while, and the last time I did, it was clear that she was getting older. I am comforted knowing that if Elizabeth does pass, she will join her sister, my beloved Grandma Fran. My memories of G'ma Fran (as she abbreviated it) would fill many Web pages. For now, I will just sum it up: She was one cool grandma!

Life is good

(With apologies to Jugglernaut for stealing her post title.)

Last Saturday, I assembled our new entertainment center. This Tuesday, the Husband will pick up a new area rug for our family room. When Ikea is restocked, I will pick up our new coffee table (that matches the entertainment center).

But do you know what's really good?

Yesterday evening, the Husband and I simply sat on our deck with Pepper and soaked in the beauty of a late summer evening. There was a nice breeze and the temperature and humidity were in check. Pepper noticed some deer in the field bordering our back yard, but (somehow) managed to keep himself from charging (behavior we quickly rewarded with some treats).

Before long, the leaves will start changing (and it'll be time to get out the rakes). Raking aside, I love Fall. The coolness, the colors, the reduced dew points... (sigh). Is August over yet?

Any online shoppers out there?

I figure that if you're reading a blog, you may well be the type of person who may also engage in a little commerce online too. (Is that too much of an assumption?)

Here's a little something that may be of use: retailmenot.com.

You know how there's a space on the online order form for a coupon code so you can save a little moola? Well, if you're ordering online, check this site first to see if there's a coupon code for your online merchant (if you don't already have one).

Online merchants put their codes everywhere (like Coldwater Creek, which puts the codes on those annoying cards you find in magazines). The problem that I have is that I never have a code handy when I am actually ordering.

Hope you find this useful!

Camping 2007

We (the husband, the dog and I) went camping on Big Sandy Lake north of McGregor, MN this past week (for two nights). The weather was beautiful and we had a nice time. Pepper had a great time -- he got to go swimming a bunch of times and he even tried his hand (paw?) at duck hunting (the duck got away).

The week of Independence Day we went camping at a place near Lanesboro, MN (down south). We did not have as much fun since it was so unbearably HOT. The pool was wonderful... and badly needed. Someday we may venture south again, but not in July!

Postsecret

If you have never visited Postsecret, I need to ask: Where have you been? It's a unique site to which people send their secrets (written on postcards). Some are sad, some hit close to home, some are scary and some are kinda funny.

The site gets refreshed every Sunday. This week is a treat -- instead of postcards, Frank (the Postsecret guy) has a mini movie. Cool stuff.

35W

First things first: my heart aches for those who died, were injured, or were at all impacted by yesterday's awful tragedy in Minneapolis. My thoughts are with the victims and their families, as well as the emergency workers who are risking their safety to rescue and recover people.

Growing up in Roseville, I had plenty of opportunities to cross the 35W bridge on my way to Minneapolis. I did not like that bridge. When I was a younger driver, I was never thrilled to go over any bridge (an irrational fear, I know), but that particular bridge was bad because the exit I typically took (Washington Avenue) required me to merge to the far right hand lane while driving over the Mississippi. I preferred to stay to the middle lane on bridges so I wouldn't accidentally go off the side (I said this was irrational, didn't I?).

I thought that I was past my fear of bridges until now.

This morning as I drove to work, I had to cross the Minnesota River from Eagan to Bloomington. Even with my exit approaching, I found myself in the inner-most lane -- just like old times! Man, that bridge is longer than I thought! It seemed like it took forever to cross.

I can't begin to imagine what the survivors of this terrible collapse must feel. I truly hope they all get whatever help they need (I see a lot of post-traumatic stress syndrome coming to Minneapolis). May their hearts be calmed and bodies be healed.

No End In Sight

I really don't know if I want to see this movie, but I am very glad it was made.

The next draft pick for the Minnesota Twins

This is my nephew Cody. He'll be 14 this fall, but he already is showing major league form.

This is getting really old...

Many of you know that I have been seeing doctors for a "mystery illness" that I have had since January. Well, it's almost July and while we know that I don't have a bunch of things (including lymphoma, leukemia, Lyme's disease, fibromyalgia, etc.), we do not yet know what exactly I do have.

My symptoms come and go, with no rhyme or reason. Basically, I feel as if I have the flu with body aches (bordering on pain) and occasional chills. Last night, around 11:40 p.m., my body woke me up (grrrrr...) with incredible chills and aches. It felt like I had ice water going through my veins instead of blood. I could not stop shivering! I went to my bathroom and took my temperature (per my latest doctor's instructions) and found that I was at 98.2°. For all that shivering I figured that I would at least have a lousy fever!

Fine. I put on pajamas over my night shirt, take two codeine, get another blanket and go back to bed... where I tossed and turned and shivered for another hour before falling back asleep. Almost three hours later I woke up again, took off the additional pajamas, tossed off the blanket and went back to sleep (now feeling a little better). Did I mention that this is getting old?

I see my latest doctor (a rheumatologist) again in mid-July. If he does not have any answers by then I want to see another specialist. Hematologist, gastroenterologist, immunologist, neurologist, shaman, veterinarian, I don't care!

Does anyone have any ideas? Home remedies? Harder drugs? Help!

6/28/07

2:15 PM

In memoriam

RIP - My home air conditioner (1986-2007)

After a long, warm illness (i.e., running all the time and the interior temperature would still be 83°), we had our AC checked this morning. The news was not good.

Well, we have only purchased two houses and both needed new units. Next time we buy a house, you know the first thing I will check is the AC! (Fortunately, we are not going to be house-shopping for many years.)

Bah!

A new post! (summer plans)

Could it be??

Am I actually posting to my glob?

It's true! I even have a topic... what I am going to do over the summer.

Our first little vacation will be to southern Minnesota, camping with some friends. We'll be at the Old Barn Resort, but we will slumber in our tent (complete with our dog, Pepper).

Our next little vacation will be up to McGregor, Minnesota -- again for some camping. This time it's at a US Forest Service campground on Big Sandy Lake (again, we will be joined by The Pep). After a few nights in the tent, we will go to lovely Proctor, MN for a family wedding reception. The good news is that my family knows how to have a good time!

I am hoping that the next little vacation will involve walls and a real bed... perhaps in Mexico!

Six Months to Live

No, this is not my prognosis!


It's a music project my bro is involved with. Check out their site. If you click on Members, you can get a look at one of the most talented rock/prog/punk percussionists the Twin Cities has ever seen (i.e., my bro). I will let you guess which one he is... but he's not in the Dead Judds (that's your hint).


Anyway, they have a gig a week from tomorrow - Friday, June 1 at Club Underground. Just go already! It's only $5... I know you can handle that and score a beverage to boot!



Did you go to the site to find my brother? I will give you another hint:

Mon Dieu! Il y a de plus??

Yes, there's more!

Not only am I going to see The Police, Spamalot, and Rush, my Better Half and I are going to see Kooza by Cirque du Soleil. Ça sera merveilleux!

What is your quest?

This is my summer of big events! I have tickets for The Police on July 3 and Rush on September 9... but I will also be attending Spamalot in late July.



This should help me deal with the question that has plagued me for years. What is the air-speed velocity of the laden swallow???

Did you guess?

The thing that I have in common with the other people listed is that we are all ordained ministers in the Universal Life Church.

I became ordained last year to help a friend who needed an officiant for her upcoming wedding (her and her fiancé are different religions). As it turns out, another friend needed an officiant too, so I ended up performing two weddings last August!

So there you have it!

Interesting!

What do the following people have in common?

• Me
• The Beatles (all four of them)
• Johnny Carson
• Hunter S. Thompson
• Tony Danza
• Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)
• Carson Kressley (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy)
• Courtney Love
• Alanis Morisette
• Jeff Probst (Survivor)
• Orville Redenbacher
• Jerry Reinsdorf (owner of the Chicago White Sox)
• Sharon Stone
• John Waters
• Wolfman Jack

If you know, don't give it away! I will give the answer on a future post.

My virtual puppy!

adopt your own virtual pet!

Go ahead and play with her! She's a lot of fun.

Cute movie

Stranger Than Fiction. A good way to spend 113 minutes.

April is...

Alcohol Awareness Month

National Autism Awareness Month

National Occupational Therapy Month

National Parkinson's Awareness Month

What does this mean???

Okay - here's the scoop on what we know: My C-reactive protein reading is 5.7. Normal readings are 1.0 or less. My sedimentation rate reading was 39 on 2/28 and 47 on 3/20. Normal readings for a woman under age 50 is 20 or less. The problem is that neither of these tests is very specific. They both indicate some sort of inflammation or infection. Whatever. All of my other tests are normal. I would love a specific test that gave a specific result that would help us take specific action toward a specific treatment. Can I be more specific? These tests were re-done on 3/27. I am awaiting news that they are both decreasing. Otherwise, it's off to see another doctor! (Yippee.)

More music!

On Monday it was announced that Rush will return to the Twin Cities on their upcoming tour to promote their latest disk, Snakes and Arrows.

While I don't have tickets in hand just yet (they go on pre-sale on April 10), I do plan on attending. The good news is that I don't have to fly to Vegas to see them -- like the last two times I saw them in concert! The bad news is that I don't have a good excuse to go to Vegas now...

If you go to their website, you can hear the first release Far Cry. Sounds like good stuff (yeah, I may be biased, but too bad!).

Welcome back to the Cities, Rush!

In other news...

Yes, I know people want an update on my mystery medical condition, but I am going to take a moment to promote two local bands instead.

Modern Day Tragedy's music is powerful yet melodic -- check it out for yourself on their MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/1moderndaytragedy.

If you're more into fast-moving punk (like from back in the day), take a listen to the Virgin Whores. Get an earful at http://www.myspace.com/virginwhores.

Enjoy.

An update

The good news: I did not have a heart attack.

The not-so-good news: They don't know what's going on.

I have been, shall we say, a little "off" since mid-January. Two chest X-rays, three urine samples, one stress test (including ultrasounds of my heart), many EKGs, a fun-filled night at the cardiac ward of Regions Hospital, and too many vials of blood to count later, and we don't know what's wrong with me. It's stressful enough to give one a... oh, never mind.

The fun continues -- I see a new doctor tomorrow and my regular doctor Wednesday. I am sure more vials of blood are in my future. At least we know I don't have mono or malaria!

Stay tuned...

My other children

If you've read this blog, you know about Pepper, my Chesapeake Bay retriever mix, but we also have two cats to fill our home with love, purrs and more fur.

Beaujolais (a.k.a. Beau, Bosie, Bobolina, Bozalinch, etc.) is our girl. Isn't she beautiful?

She's our "cool kitty" because she prefers being in the basement where it's nice and cool. That's where the Kitty Condo is (see Beau peeking out from inside?).

Amontillado (a.k.a. Monti, Mont, Monster, Fuzzy Puck, etc.) is our "sun kitty" because he prefers warmth and can be found laying in the sun soaking up the rays. He got the nickname Fuzzy Puck by sleeping all rolled up like a big hockey puck with fur.

The cats tolerate each other somewhat... Monti is more of a bully and needs our attention more (I think he's just more insecure). Yet Beau is the one who can handle Pepper -- Monti rarely goes anywhere near the dog.

March is...

Deaf History Month

Greek-American Heritage Month

Irish-American Heritage Month

Mental Retardation Awareness Month

National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Month

National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month

National Womens' History Month

Spiritual Wellness Month

The Bremen Town Musicians

This is a statue in Bremen, Germany of the world-famous Bremen Town Musicians. Yes, they are a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster (what did you expect?).

To learn about these incredible musicians, read their story.

An Update on Pepper

My baby Pepper had knee surgery yesterday (March 5) and got back home today. He does not look happy!

The band on his front leg covers the trans-dermal pain medicine patch. Hopefully it's working!

RRRRRRrrrrroxxxxxaaaannnne!

I am going to see the Police! I got tickets yesterday... just before they sold out. Whooo hooo! I get to re-live the 80s (my formative years!).

My Watch

The watch I am wearing today is special to me. I purchased it in Toulouse, France in 1989. It has a phrase on it that expresses my core belief about people.

Tous les êtres humains naissent libres et égaux en dignité et en droits.

Translation: All people are born free and equal in dignity and in rights. This is from Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ratified by the United Nations on December 10, 1948.

To me, this means that the manner in which you are born (e.g, male, female, white, black, Jew, gay, Peruvian, Bushman, etc.) should have no bearing on the dignity and rights you have.

Does this mean that I think everyone should be treated equally? No. But the important part is that how we are born is not the determining factor in how society regards us. It should be how we choose to act. Dr. King put it best when he said, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." In other words, what we choose to do with ourselves should seperate us -- the content of our character.

There are good people and bad people of every color, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, etc. Goodness or badness has nothing to do with how one is born. Is this the way the world works? Yeah, right. Not even close. But it is an ideal for which we can all strive, can't we?

Who needs Mexico?

Since my wonderful Pepper is having surgery on his right back knee (torn ACL - poor baby!), we are not going to Mexico this winter (just like last winter, when Pepper had surgery on his left back knee).

We still wanted a getaway of some sort, so we headed Up North. No, it did not compensate me for missing out on waiter service under a palapa on the beach, wearing SPF 45 while the waves of the Caribbean tickled my toes. We stayed in a cabin at a resort in Grand Rapids, MN (average temperature: 10° F). The cabin was on Lake Prairie, so Dave managed to get some ice fishing in. Pepper enjoyed romping around, only slipping on the ice a few times (if he didn't have a torn ACL already, he'd have one now!).

Some highlights:

So, since Pepper does not have any more anterior cruciate ligaments to tear, we just might make it back to Mexico in February, 2008.

All About Me

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey
Nom de Web:	Collette
Birthplace:	St. Paul, Minnesota
Current Location:	Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
Eye Color:	Blue
Hair Color:	Auburn (for now)
Height:	5' 4"
Right Handed or Left Handed:	Right
Your Heritage:	Italian, German, Swedish, Norwegian, English, Scottish, Irish
The Shoes You Wore Today:	Black flat pirate boots
Your Weakness:	FOOD
Your Fears:	Spelunking
Your Perfect Pizza:	Almost anything
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year:	Not get fired
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger:	BTW
Thoughts First Waking Up:	Man, what a strange dream
Your Bedtime:	9-ish
Pepsi or Coke:	Diet Dr. Pepper or Diet Mountain Dew
MacDonalds or Burger King:	BK
Single or Group Dates:	Either
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:	Lipton
Chocolate or Vanilla:	Depends...
Cappuccino or Coffee:	Coffee
Do you Smoke:	No
Do you Swear:	If necessary
Do you Sing:	In the car, shower, when no one else is around
Do you Shower Daily:	Yes
Have you Been in Love:	Yes
Do you want to go to College:	I did
Do you want to get Married:	I did
Do you belive in yourself:	Yes
Do you get Motion Sickness:	Rarely - when I am in the back seat of a car
Are you a Health Freak:	Yeah, right
Do you get along with your Parents:	Yes
Do you like Thunderstorms:	Yes
Do you play an Instrument:	Define "play" (I have a piano and used to play violin and viola)
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol:	Yes
In the past month have you Smoked:	No
In the past month have you been on Drugs:	Illegal? No.
In the past month have you gone on a Date:	Yes
In the past month have you gone to a Mall:	Yes
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos:	I wish (Double Stuff)
In the past month have you eaten Sushi:	I think it's been more than a month
In the past month have you been on Stage:	In my fantasies
In the past month have you been Dumped:	No
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping:	No
In the past month have you Stolen Anything:	No
Ever been Drunk:	Yes
Ever been called a Tease:	No
Ever been Beaten up:	No
How do you want to Die:	Peacefully at an advanced age
What do you want to be when you Grow Up:	I still don't know
What country would you most like to Visit:	Kenya
In a Boy/Girl..
Favourite Eye Color:	Blue
Favourite Hair Color:	Blond
Short or Long Hair:	Whatever
Height:	Taller than me
Weight:	Appropriate
Number of CDs I own:	No idea (hundreds)
Number of Piercings:	Five
Number of Tattoos:	None
CREATE YOUR OWN! - or - GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS!

They're baaaaaack!

The parental units have returned from Israel. Of course, everything went well and they were perfectly safe. They highly recommended Israel to me (it's on the list, but it's a very long list).

Upon request...

... here is the most bloody national anthem (that I know of anyway...). The French national anthem (a.k.a. La Marseillaise) was written during the French Revolution, when heads were rolling all over the place. It was a bloody mess, complete with real hatred for the royals that made the American Colonies' relationship with King George III seem downright friendly by comparison.

Here are the words en français:
Allons enfants de la Patrie, le jour de gloire est arrivé.
Contre nous, de la tyrannie, l'étandard sanglant est levé, l'étandard sanglant est levé.
Entendez-vous, dans la compagnes, mugir ces farouches soldats?
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras. Egorger vos fils, vos compagnes.
Aux armes citoyens! Formez vos bataillons!
Marchons, marchons! Qu'un sang impur abreuve nos sillons.

Here are the word in English:
Let us go, children of the fatherland, our day of glory has arrived.
Against us stands tyranny, the bloody flag is raised, the bloody flag is raised.
Do you hear in the countryside, the roar of these savage soldiers?
They come right into our arms to cut the throats of your sons, your country.
To arms, citizens! Form up your battalions!
Let us march, let us march! That their impure blood should water our fields.

Good stuff, n'est-ce pas?

Of course, this is the same country that gave us all the guillotine... which reminds me of a small controversy I learned of when I studied in Toulouse. Did the guillotine kill in the first blow, or did it take multiple whacks? One school of thought said that the blades were too dull to completely chop off one's head with only one try... others believed either that the blades were indeed sharp enough or that the weight alone of the blade was enough to do the trick. Lovely.

Dave and I were fortunate enough to visit Paris and the very spot where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette lost their heads (Place de la Révolution, or as it's known today, Place de la Concorde).

A horrible, horrible day

Question: What happened on September 11, 2001?

No, really. What really happened that awful day? I have checked out a few conspiracy sites here and there, but felt that they were merely made by conspiracy hounds, just like the ones we still have trying to figure out JFK's assassination (40+ years after the fact). I also saw Fahrenheit 9/11 and found President Bush's behavior a little odd in the days and weeks after the attacks (e.g., going golfing while Ground Zero was still smouldering, joking about the attacks, etc.).

Then I found this: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6708190071483512003&pr=goog-sl

The more I watched, the more I felt sick to my stomach (and my heart). Now I REALLY want to know what happened that day. Too many things just don't make sense.

Thomas Jefferson

... was a smart guy.

Here's part of a letter he wrote to Samuel Kercheval on July 12, 1810:

I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.

In other words, laws can and should change with advances in understanding. (I will let you guess what laws I am concerned about!)

My A1c test

Whooooo hooooo! I just got word that my most recent A1c test result is 6.9!

For those of you unfamiliar with this, allow me to explain:

I have Type 1 diabetes. That means that my body does not produce any insulin and I need to inject insulin into my body so my cells can get glucose from the food I eat... so that I can live. I have to manage my blood sugar myself - eating when my blood sugar level is low and taking insulin to keep my blood sugar level from getting too high.

I do periodic checks of my current blood sugar level to help me determine how I am doing (i.e., do I need to eat something or should I take some insulin). Normal blood sugar levels range from 70 to 120. My blood sugar levels have been everywhere from 600 to 22 (neither of which felt very good).

An A1c test gives somewhat of an average of my blood sugar levels for the past two to three months. The goal is to have an A1c result of 7 or less. That means that I am doing a good job of balancing my eating, my exercise level and my food intake so that my blood sugar levels don't get too high (or too low).

After having Type 1 diabetes for over 10 years, I can say that it's not exactly easy to always keep in balance. That's why I am so happy that my result is 6.9! Yippee!

A Bar... with character

In our first home, the Husband and I had a bar in our basement. It came with the house and was a little unique -- it was made out of brick.

Now that we're in our second house, we kinda want a bar again. This house did not come with a bar, but it did come with an ideal spot for one. So ideal that the previous owners actually had plumbing installed so any future bar could have a sink. This does not mean that we have to have a sink if we get a bar, but why not take advantage of the situation? It would be darn handy -- and the only other sink in the basement is in the bathroom.

So - here's the thing... what type of bar do we want, how do we want it set up, and how can we get this done without breaking the bank? Did I mention that we have discussed simply purchasing a bar (from HOM, for example), but we agreed that those types of bars just don't have a lot of "character." We want something unique (but not made of brick this time).

What to do? Any suggestions? Anyone know a handyperson who can make stuff like this?

The Meaning of Life

No, not the Monty Python movie (although I did get some good tips from that flick, such as 1) avoid the salmon mousse, and 2) when in the hospital, you always want to be in the room with the machine that goes "bing!").

Seriously... why are we here? (If I am going to have a blog, I might as well go for the BIG QUESTIONS, right?)

The band Rush has a simple answer for this question in the song Roll The Bones. The song asks, "Why are we here?" and then answers, "Because we're here." Part of me gets that, part of me wants more...

The Pep

This is Pepper Dickey Wonder Dog, the center of my universe. Isn't he beautiful? He'll be four years old on February 23. I think this calls for a party!

Israel

My parents are traveling throughout Israel. They left on January 14 and will return on January 28. Two weeks in the Holy Land -- I am sure they are seeing a lot of OLD ruins (as opposed to "new" ruins) and having a good time.

I would love to head somewhere truly out-of-the-ordinary someday. Here's the list of countries I have visited (so far):

• Canada
• Mexico
• France
• England
• British Virgin Islands (Tortola and the Virgin Gorda)
• The Bahamas
• Andorra

Where have you been?

Hello there, blog world!

I figured that one of these days I would get started on my very own blog, and that day appears to have come.

The full purpose of this site is yet to be determined - but for now it can be a place where I can share my thoughts on life and you can share yours too!

Stay tuned... more to come!
Collette