Always the Critic

I find it easy to criticize others as well as myself. I also feel bad if I don't have something good to say to balance the bad. There are some people in my life that deserve no good spoken of them, although those numbers are few and I tend to not bother myself with speaking ill of those that are not good enough to lick the dirt off my shoe.

Currently I am troubled by the fact that I have no roots. Whatever roots I may have had were ripped out years ago when I left Massachusetts and since then I've been bouncing from spot to spot. I admit I like bouncing from spot to spot - new experiences, people, and scenery excite me. I dare say they are part of my lifeblood. Blame the Sagittarius Moon, the Pisces Sun, both and/or the gypsy heritage, but staying in one place for too long starts to suffocate me.

I have been in the same town AND the same house for one year and eight months and I feel like I can't BREATHE. I'll never be able to thrust any roots into the ground here as the area will never suit me - mostly conservative, Christians and Mormons swarming the place, the ocean is four+ hours away, the climate is unbearably dry, we have a winter, and the gene pool here seems pretty shallow. There are too many rednecks and Jesus freaks harshing my mellow around here. I just want to be left alone, have intelligent conversation when desired and to not fear being found out as an agnostic. I think when you have to live in fear of your beliefs or lack of beliefs, you are in the wrong place.

I need to see new things and try new foods, new sports, new people. Is it possible I have been with the same man for too long? Three years is a record for me and I am starting to forget what it's like experience the new, unfamiliar passion of a first sexual encounter or the rush of adrenaline you get just thinking about your loved one. These things fade and take away the very roots I think I desire. Do I really want to settle down somewhere? Is wanting to breed just something to do to make things "new" and "exciting" again or could I handle it? Do I want to handle it or should I see what I can accomplish without the burden of rearing a child? Or could having children open me up to a whole new world of possibilities I haven't considered?

To take a vacation would be my biggest wish right now. I haven't had a real vacation since October of 2007. Wouldn't it be lovely to get paid to take time off? And yet I know the pain I suffer when I sacrifice a dream for money ...

Leave me here to contemplate all that which is beyond my control.

Snap Into a Slim Jim

Is anyone inquiring as to the whereabouts of "Macho Man" Randy Savage during the time of this blast?

--------------------------------

2 killed, dozens hurt in NC Slim Jim plant blast

AP – A Slim Jim meat products plant in Garner, N.C. is pictured after an explosion Tuesday, June 9, 2009. …

• Slideshow:Explosion at N.C. Slim Jim Plant
• Play Video Video:Three missing after Slim Jim plant explosion AP

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By ALYSIA PATTERSON, Associated Press Writer Alysia Patterson, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 53 mins ago

GARNER, N.C. – Two workers died when an explosion tore through a Slim Jim meat products plant in North Carolina Tuesday, punching holes in the building's roof and blowing employees off their feet.

The explosion critically burned four people and one worker was still unaccounted for Tuesday night. More than 40 others were taken to hospitals, including three firefighters who needed medical attention after inhaling ammonia gases that left a distinct scent around the sprawling ConAgra Foods Inc. plant just south of Raleigh.

The blast collapsed an exterior wall, smashing cars parked next to the 500,000-square-foot building.

Authorities could not say where in the plant the blast happened or what caused it, but some of the more 300 workers on duty said it chaos and panic followed.

"I was getting ready to pick up a piece of meat off the line and I felt it — the percussion. And you could feel it in my chest and my ears popped," said worker Chris Woods. "One of the guys I was working with got blown back — his hat flew backwards."

Crews searched for three missing workers through the day. Earlier, authorities said searchers had spotted one person but weren't sure if the worker was alive. One of the bodies found in the rubble was of that person.

Wake County Emergency Medical Services district chief Jeffrey Hammerstein couldn't explain how the second body was discovered. He also said one of the dead was a woman.

Searchers were in part relying on cameras and listening equipment. They were also concerned because the building was unstable, and the bodies were not immediately removed.

Frank McLaurin, a battalion chief with North Carolina Task Force 8 Urban Search-and-Rescue, said search teams crawling through spaces no higher than 30 inches would work until the last person was found. He said ammonia fumes were at acceptable levels but the area was still hazardous.

Janelle Lynch, who has worked at the plant for eight years, said she saw flames and ran. She planned to leave through the cutting department, but the roof started to collapse, so she went in the other direction and escaped through a warehouse.

"I saw a fire and things just started exploding," she said.

ConAgra spokesman Dave Jackson said someone called the plant over the weekend and threatened to start a fire. He said company officials don't believe the threat was connected to the explosion, but Garner Police Sgt. Joe Binns would not say whether police think there is a link.

"I don't want to go in that direction right now," Binns said. "We're focused on the rescue, not the investigation."

Four people were in critical condition at UNC Hospitals with burns covering between 40 percent and 60 percent of their bodies, said Dr. Charles Cairns, professor and chairman of the department of emergency medicine at the University of North Carolina.

"Anything that covers more than 50 percent of the body surface area is a very major burn and can be complex to take care of and can result in major complications, including death," Cairns said. "So these people are very severely burned."

Marilyn Eddinger, a spokeswoman for WakeMed, said its hospital in Raleigh saw 24 patients, with 16 discharged, six admitted and two sent to other hospitals. They were treated for broken bones, bruises and burns consistent with blast injuries. Dozens more were taken to other area hospitals.

The Environmental Protection Agency was on scene to monitor the air but officials said there was no threat to people who live near the plant, which is located between Interstate 40 and a subdivision but mostly surrounded by large buffers of trees.

Crews kept people away from the site as smoke puffed through holes in the damaged roof early in the day.

About 900 people cover four shifts at the plant, one of ConAgra's largest, Jackson said. The ammonia is used to refrigerate meat before it's turned into Slim Jims.

ConAgra spokeswoman Stephanie Childs said the company will continue to pay its Garner employees indefinitely.

The company, which has 25,000 employees worldwide, makes brands like Chef Boyardee, Hunt's tomato sauce, ACT II popcorn and Hebrew National hot dogs.

The plant last was inspected by the North Carolina Department of Labor for workplace safety last July and no violations were found, said Labor Department spokeswoman Dolores Quesenberry. The plant had violations in previous years, including a fine in 2007 for problems with eye and face protection equipment.

___

Associated Press Writers Mike Baker, Estes Thompson and Martha Waggoner in Raleigh, Barbara Rodriguez in Garner and AP Business Emily Fredrix in Milwaukee contributed to this report.

Piper 12/5/08 - 6/1/09

It could be true that only the good die young - Piper would have been a fitting example in the canine world.

For me it's akin to losing a child - and since I haven't any of my own, it's the closest I've gotten.

I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything more to help you grow up to be an adult and live a long life, Piper. You will always be special to me.

Delineated Paralegals

I never want to see people swing dancing to Judas Priest ever again.

What is something you'd like never to see again?

It's about Time

Someone should re-write the Bible. Anyone want to collaborate?

(I think Part Three is the best of what I have in my archives).

How do you get your dog to stop eating the Ottoman Empire?

Bible Re-write Part One: Styx (something I did over ten years ago - unedited)

In the beginning ...

... there was nothing. And nothing there was. Canst thou imagine nothing? It is as impossible as riding a horse with one leg. Yet, something beganst from nothing. And so the story begins ...

This is the book of Styx.

The Sky was created on the first day, and the Clouds formed as though nothing before them had ever formed (what coincidence) and they travelled among the sky, making shapes and forms that were used to create everything else from the first day on ...

On this first day, there was also a Sun, and Grass, and together the Sky, Sun, and Grass worked in tandem to make more Grass grow, and to make more Clouds form, and to make the Sun hotter, and this was good. The Creator was so pleased, that It decided to rename the Grass "Earth", and the name of the Grass was then Earth.

On the second day, The Creator made an Ocean, filled with little grains of Salt, often used to enhance the flavor of The Creator's food. When the economy-sized container of salt fell from Its' table, the Ocean was then filled with the millions of grains of Salt. The Creator looked down, cursed silently, and then declared, "Let it be so!" And it was.

It also created the Moon, which would change shapes as the days passed, to keep track of such things as business appointments and massages. And lastly, It created fire, which burned all of the lovely shrubberies and trees that were produced the first day, and since Rain was not yet invented, it ran rampant throughout the land and It had to start all over again, using the next two days to re-create It's world in the proper order to ensure longevity.

So, we shall now skip to the fifth day, where Rain was now invented and was set to fall every seven Moon changes. Fire was used sparingly.

The Creator proceeded to invent the first animal: Seagulls. And the Seagulls were good. It found them to be very noisy, and often these Seagulls got into The Creator's trash and he had to "Shoo" them away, as It called it. The Creator, deciding he could improve this creation, proceeded to make Lions, Tigers, and Bears. These creatures were more fierce, and minded their own business. On this day, over 100 animals were made, and they rejoiced at their creation in a series of grunts, howls, screeches, and chirps. And It was good.

On the Sixth Day, pastry treats were made and scattered about the land in a haphazardly fashion. These pastry treats included: Muffins, Scones, Donuts, Canolis, Creme Puffs, Tarts, and Danish. Although seemingly unthinking and unfeeling, these Treats were able to think for themselves and were secretly devising a malicious plan for a mutiny. They would strike on the 10th day, when the Sun was halfway through the sky. They would show the Creator that they were more than just tasty delicacies that It could eat at its' whims and fancies.

On the Seventh Day, Nuts and Berries were made for the various herbivoric animals, and they all sighed in animalistic relief. The Creator sat back, enjoyed Its' latte, and longed for Love and Companionship. And It was sad.

On the Eight Day, The Creator made another It like Itself. They laughed, they cried, they danced, and frolicked among the fields of Grass, and It was good.

On the Ninth Day, It decided It must gettith his asseth in gear. In the course of this one Day, It created: Apples, Aardvarks, Asparagus, Balloons, Bananas, Cars, Christmas, Divans, Divas, Elephants, French Fries, Giraffes, Harvest Gold Toilets, Iodine, Jacko'lanterns, Kibbles and Bits, Linen, Marigolds, Nirvana, Opium, Pot, Queludes, Rufies, Speed, Testicles, Underwear, Venerial Disease, Wet Dreams, Xylophones, Yellow Fever, and Zigga-Zag-Ha.

And all during this, the Treats had put closure on their elaborate plans to take over the world with a Wet Dream and Rufies. And The Creator was in trouble.

On the Tenth Day, The Creator did not awake until the Sun was three-quarters through the sky and the Moon was peeking out from its' blinding heat. Whenst It did awake, It was tied up with Rope, something the Treats had created themselves, and It was lying in a puddle of its' own fluids.

"What hast thou doneth to me?" It asked of the Treats in It's booming voice.

The leader of the Treats, a Blueberry Muffin, emerged from within the crowd and declared, "We have taken you hostage, oh great Creator, and you will do as we say."

Just then, a crash was heard and the Treats scattered to the Four Winds (created on the Third Day as a fluke). Suddenly, The Mighty Walnut came crashing down, flattening all the Treats and the Creator, as well. It was from this day that The Mighty Walnut began to rule the lands. The Mighty Walnut banished many items the Creator had created, such as: Opium, Wet Dreams, Xylophones, and Divas. These were to be re-invented later, by Its' lesser creations.

And The Mighty Walnut decided to make "Genders", and have two types on Its' land. These would be "Male" and "Female", and It decided to be Male, and therefore be referred to as "He," and it was good.

Note: Later found in the Dead Dog Scrolls, The Mighty Walnut was actually one of the many creations that did not meet The Creator's 99 percent standard of quality. This Walnut came out so big, that nobody could crack it and it was therefore useless. However, The Walnut was also created much like the Creator Itself! Yes, the first nuts were made as living creatures, until it was realized that they were better made as tasty treats filled with protein than a living, breathing creature. And so, The Mighty Walnut got His revenge on His Creator, and the world rejoiced into the light upon His arrival, and no living thing has been able to transpire a plan to overtake this clever nut.

Bible Re-Write Part Two: Genisex

The Dawn of a New Age

And so, The Mighty Walnut surveyed his land and thought it would be good to make two people of each gender. And so, Alouicious and Francene were made and He placed them in the Valley of Ramming. There they engaged in endless anal sex until the Moon fell, when they dined on roasted Yack and Apples. The Mighty Walnut warned them to not use the "other" hole for pleasure - this would only cause problems, grave problems that would stop them from having this pleasure for the rest of their lives. They nodded and vowed to obey, and all was good.

The Mighty Walnut decided that it would be a good idea to invent Time. And so he divided the day into 24 increments called "hours", measured by the path of the Sun. He made Clocks, and they ran by the power of the Sun light. Every animal had one, and the two People shared one. This is when The Might Walnut realized that Sharing was something he would have to invent, as they seemed relatively inept at this seemingly simple task.

And so, Sharing was introduced to the Land, and it took many a day for the living folk to fully comprehend this process. Some of them were very adept at it, while others had problem enough that they would KILL other living things so they would not HAVE to share! Disgruntled, the Mighty Walnut decided to invent Lightning and Thunder, and ravaged the land with a storm for 40 days and 40 nights. Only one animal of each Gender was preserved by one of the smarter of the Treats, a Cheese Danish. He built an arc so vast and mighty that nothing could penetrate the sturdy wood structure.

The Cheese Danish, whose name was Larry, navigated this arc for these treacherous 40 days and nights, until at the very last hour he found himself at the top of a Mountain, something that was formed due to the heavy Rain and Storm. It was here that the Sun came out and warmed the faces of he and the other animals, and he saw something flying towards him from high up in the sky.

It was an ACME Piano, freshly invented by The Mighty Walnut. It fell square onto Larry's face, and he was instantly crushed to death. When the animals looked unto him with wonder, The Mighty Walnut explained that Larry was experiencing Pride and Arrogance inside, and he would have no one who thought so highly of themselves on this Land. Surely no one could think as highly of themselves as He.

Meanwhile, back at the Ranch, Alouicious and Francene thought that their Mighty Walnut had forsaken them and decided to try the "other hole", as the one normally used was growing red and inflamed.

At the end of the forty days, they discovered that Francene had not bled her Moon cycle, and her Hips and Stomach had gotten a bit bigger. She was also expelling food she had eaten not hours before out of her mouth, and always complaining that she did not want to engage in the "hole activity" again.

And lo, the Sky opened and The Mighty Walnut appeared, and he spake unto the two sinners:

"You have gone against my orders and used the "other" hole. Why hast thou done this?"

Alouicious looked up at The Mighty Walnut's face in shame, and said, "We thought you had forsaken us! Where didst thou go for 40 days and 40 nights when we were ravaged with rain?"

The Mighty Walnut struck Alouicious with a tiny bolt of Thunder in retort. "Capitalize Rain when you say that to me, boy!" He boomed at them. "How could you think I had forsaken you? And YOU, Francene, what do YOU have to say about this?

"The other hole felt better!" she spat out at him, narrowing her eyes in anger. "You were denying us pleasure! You have no right to stop us from enjoying ourselves in our Valley of Ramming!"

The Mighty Walnut, instead of reacting out of anger, looked at them calmly and stated, "Then thoust shall see what thou have reaped," and disappeared as the clouds enshrouded his face.

And so, after what The Mighty Walnut had invented as "nine months", Francene's stomach had grown so large she was sure it would burst. Finally, she went through a full day's worth of pain and bleeding until a tiny creature, much like a smaller version of them, came out of the "other" hole.

"I shall name her - Pauline!" the new Mother cried out, and after a full year Pauline's growth was tremendous. When Francene had finally begun to fell better and stronger again, she realized the wonder of this creature she and Alouicious had produced. She asked him if they could have fun with the "other" hole again.

"My Francene," he answered, taking her hands in his. "I have gone through everything with you and our little Pauline for a year now. I have seen the tremendous changes in your body, and how well you handled the pain and agony. I have seen the ravages done to your body, and how well you recovered. You are truly a strong woman.

"However, not everything has mended back to the way it was. The Mighty Walnut was right. I don't want to engage in anything with that "other" hole again."

At this comment, Francene thus stood up, and with tears in her eyes, took Alouicious' throat in her hands and squeezed and squeezed with all her might until he stopped struggling, and then stopped breathing.

The Mighty Walnut heaved a great sigh, and thus realized that he needed to create another Man, or else these would be the only two people on his Land, and they would both be Female. This could not happen, so he thus created another Man - the last Person he was allowed to create ever. He had used all his power. If this Man did not live and love this woman, his Earth would surely not prosper.

Note: This Man's name was Curtis, and he and the woman lived to have seventeen more children, who all engaged in "other" hole activity with each other. Some of them created people that did not look quite right - some came out without arms, or with odd, droopy eyes. Others did not live, or lived to be very frail individuals. However, during the course of a hundred years, there were over 100 People in this land, and The Mighty Walnut was happy. This is also when the invention of the House came in handy, and so he introduced this to His People, and they rejoiced.

Bible Re-Write Part Three: Hexodus

And lo, The Mighty Walnut came upon a woman so fair and so strong. He cleaned up; there was much rejoicing. He also made sure she was to have a son. One day, he would lead people to freedom and manna would fall from the sky, and all would be good.

A baby would flow down the river ... the daughter of the Pharaoh would find him ... he would be named: Hoses.

From an early age, Hoses was a kind boy with a strong sense of leadership. He was often picked captain of his Kickball teams and his "father" was always proud of his strong, man-like stature and voice.

One day, he lost his temper and disemboweled an Egyptian because he called all Jews "dreidel-making manna-pinchers". Hoses was forced to run away from his land. However, The Mighty Walnut spoke to Hoses through a burning Yak, and the Yak spoke unto Hoses:

"Hoses, you must go back to your land and save the Jews. Without Jews, we will never have Kosher Delis, and Matzo Bread, and - ARGH this fire hurts!" As the Yak fell to his death, Hoses was filled with a new sense of determination. He WOULD save his Jewish people!

When Hoses brazenly asked the Pharaoh to free the Jews, the Pharaoh articulately replied, "Then who in the Nine Hells is going to build all of my huge freakin' Pyramids???" Hoses then warned him that ten plagues would ravage the land for this, and the Pharaoh pointed and laughed at Hoses and ordered him out with a tightly-fitting white coat.

It was then that the ten plagues hit: First, everyone's muffins went stale. Then, millions of frogs came out of the waters and started dancing and singing all over the place! One of the worst ones was when the river turned into fruit punch, and Egyptians everywhere were forced to bath in the sticky sweet substance, but the Jews certainly enjoyed the refreshing beverage after hours of working on the Pyramids.

The last plague, however, killed the eldest son of all the Egyptians - this, of course, killed the Pharaoh's son! Finally, he said the Jews could leave.

However, the Pharaoh was much like a woman - he had a tendency to change his mind after making decisions. He sent his army after the Jews, who had left in a haste.

Finally, Hoses and the Jews came to the Red Sea, where the Fruit Punch plague still ravaged the water - they were trapped, until The Mighty Walnut emerged from the clouds above and spoke unto Hoses:

"Lo, it is I, The Mighty Walnut. If thou lifteth thine rod, this Sea of Fruit Punch shall part and thine shall pass without fear of being caught.

And so, Hoses parted this sea of punch, picking up a few gallons for the road. They crossed safely, and the Jews were free! As for the Egyptians, they drowned in a sea of delicious fruit beverage.

The Jews were fed Manna from The Mighty Walnut, and all was good. Hoses struck a walk and out of it came water! It completely invalidated the saying "You can't draw water from a stone." Finally, the Jews made it to Mt. Analsex. Hoses was called upon the mountain so The Mighty Walnut could give him 9 laws for His people to live by:

Thou shalt not kill.

Thou shalt not masturbate.

Thou shalt not burn thine muffins whenst thou baketh.

Thou shalt not use "the other hole" until thou hast vowed to the Ball and Chain.

Thou shalt not wear pants that are worn below thine waist and that draggeth onto the ground and that could fit up to 5 people in them at once.

Thou shalt not use any other paper towel but Bounty: The Quicker-Picker-Upper.

Thous shalt not drink Orange Juice after thine brusheth thine teeth.

Thou shalt not eat any other Nut before Me.

Thou shalt not lie.

Thou shalt not inventeth Capri Pants.

I lied; there's 10.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the mountain, the Jews had decided to do the unthinkable - they started worshipping - the Golden Peanut! This plebeian of all nuts was now revered on a pedestal, and all the Jews were laughing, and dancing, and using the "other hole" in various scattered tents, and were BURNING THE MUFFINS THEY BAKED!!! When Hoses came down to see this, he crashed the tablets where the Laws were written right onto the Golden Peanut.

After many apologies and hugs, Hoses forgave them and they lived happily ever after, until over three thousand years later where they were put in concentration camps and often wished they HAD been wiped out and that Hoses had never been born ...

Note: It has been studied for some time that Hoses was actually the first Biblical Homosexual. Observe the picture here, found in the early 1800's on a shroud in Egypt. There is much speculation that this is where the quote from the book of Toto comes from "Would Hoses take this piece of bread up his anus? Indeed, but only in the name of Love!"

Manasseh/Rope Teacher

Has anyone found his online re-incarnation yet?

This is My Last Incarnation

I swear. At least, it will be until someone I work with finds me and stalks me in hopes of finding a means with which to fire me.

Oh, the exciting world of vagina!

More of Me

I think I'm getting a little sick of me, but I suppose that's normal.

Isn't it?

Wet Animals

Everyone has had a bath. One of them is still mad at me. The other one realized I wasn't mad at her after I served her favorite meal for lunch.

Life is tough for the furry, four-legged ones, isn't it?

Weekend's Breath

Does the weekend ever get a chance to breathe? We seem to spend all our time exhaling on Saturdays and Sundays. I often wonder if the weekend would like to be the weekday sometimes, when everyone is quiet and holding their breath.

Doing anything cool and exciting tomorrow and Sunday?

No Issue is More Important than Protecting Our Children * eye rolling*

The carlet letter? NJ tags new drivers with decal

AP – Four year old Lyllie Weeks looks at family photographs of her 16 year old sister Kyleigh D'Alessio as …

By BETH DeFALCO, Associated Press Writer Beth Defalco, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 40 mins ago

TRENTON, N.J. – Would you drive any differently if you knew there was a teenager behind the wheel of the car in front of you?

You might find out soon. A first-in-the-nation law in New Jersey will require new drivers ages 21 and younger to display identifying decals on their vehicles.

Gov. Jon Corzine signed the law Wednesday; it takes effect next year.

The decals will probably be a small reflective rectangle attached to the front and rear license plates to help police enforce restrictions on probationary drivers, motor vehicle officials said.

Police will use them to determine whether teens are violating the state driving curfew and passenger restrictions, said Pam Fischer, director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Safety.

Authorities will not use the decals to target young drivers or pull them over for no reason, she said.

The decals are long overdue and will save lives, said Ron Gesualdo, owner of Gene's Driving School in Matawan.

"The parents are for it," he said. "The kids don't say anything, but you know what they're thinking."

One of those kids thinks the decals will only mean more trouble for teenagers.

"That's going to mean police are going to be bothering us even more," said Tebvon Mcneil, 18, of Paterson. "They see that sticker on the car, they're just going to be pulling us over for no reason. Are there drugs in the car? That's the first thing they're going to think, because we're teenagers."

And not everyone thinks the new law will improve driver safety. Jennifer Collins, a 29-year-old Hamilton resident, wondered whether the stickers will distract other drivers who are looking for them in traffic.

"That really doesn't make any sense to me, honestly," she said.

Officials are considering using Velcro to attach the decals, so they can be removed by other drivers using the same car.

"It will probably be nondescript and simple, and the public at large is probably not even going to notice it," Fischer said.

The decals were among a slew of new driving restrictions Corzine signed for young adults with probationary licenses, which allow them drive unsupervised under certain conditions.

Other restrictions include changing the driving curfew to 11 p.m. from midnight; allowing only one other teenager in the car; and banning the use of cell phones, even hand-free ones.

"These restrictions are in place because they represent the things we know put teens at risk," Fischer said.

New Jersey is the first state to require the decal, although Delaware and Connecticut have toyed with the idea, said David Weinstein, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic.

The Delaware Department of Transportation is considering offering residents a reflective orange magnet that says, in black, capital letters: "NOVICE DRIVER." The magnets would be voluntary, said Dawn Hopkins, department spokeswoman.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 61 percent of teenage passenger deaths in 2007 occurred in vehicles driven by another teenager. Twenty percent of all passenger deaths occurred when a teenager was driving.

New Jersey's decal law was spurred by the driving death of a 16-year-old honor student in Morris County, Kyleigh D'Alessio, who was killed in 2006 riding in a car driven by a teenager with a probationary license.

"No issue is more important than protecting our children, so these efforts are essential to that," Corzine said. "We don't want to lose the beauty and the gifts that a Kyleigh could bring to all of us, and we need to take every step possible to make it something that doesn't occur in the future."

What Bothers Me

People that have extreme adoration for their children. People that put everything they have into their kids and make them the center of their lives.

It's just a little weird.

I like it when people have realistic adoration for their kids. Hey my kid is ultra cool, they do these cool things, oh holy hell they are being a little shit today. I punish my kids. They have boundaries and sometimes they make me wish I didn't breed. I don't think they are special little bundles of joy and beauty. They are cool because they are mine, maybe they even look a little like me and act a little like me. Maybe we have similar interests. But they aren't my shining center of my life. I have other things I need to focus on, like oh HEY how about the father of my kids? Without him there are no kids, there is no family unit and without a secure relationship with him, the kids lose their feeling of security and their ideas of a healthy relationship.

Kids like being trusted to be independent. They don't really NEED to be the center of your life, and you don't need them to be, either. After all, they grow up and leave and become the center of their own lives, as well they should. I'll be proud of myself if I can make kids that are independent, follow their dreams, but always know there is a safe haven with me during the rough times.

If your ultimate goal in life is to become a mother, then don't have a husband. When the marriage loses value because a kid arrives, things start going south. That is the primary reason marriages go under - I didn't believe it until I saw it numerous times. It manifests in the worst of ways. There needs to be a balance. I hope those of you that are married with children have found it or at least try to find it every day. I hate to see families fall apart because of a lack of balance. I always hope I can create something for my children that my parents were unable to create - balance and stability. And with that, we can weather the changes and upheavals together rather than apart as I had to.

That's what bothers me today.

Smithereen

smith⋅er⋅eens

   /ˌsmɪðəˈrinz/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [smith-uh-reenz] Show IPA

–plural noun

small pieces; bits: broken into smithereens.

Also, smith⋅ers  /ˈsmɪðərz/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [smith-erz] Show IPA .

Origin:
1820–30; dial. smithers (< ?) + Hiberno-E -een dim. suffix (< class="ital-inline">-ín)

Blow You to Smithereens

I would love to know the origin of that expression.

A few things about me:

1) I like polka dots

2) I'm not addicted to anything on a constant basis. I go through phases with certain foods/drinks/activities but those things eventually die out.

3) I don't have allergies.

Happy Ostara

Cheap Travel

1) Stay in hostels, but do your homework. "hostelz.com" is a great place for good, honest reviews. (Some sites only accept positive reviews, which kind of defeats the purpose if you ask me). Most hostels have very good accommodations, have attentive owners that can give you more personal attention than a hotel, and you get to meet cool people if you're feeling social! I have stayed in quite a few hostels and always manage to meet somebody or a group of somebodies that take pity on the lone female traveller and treat me to dinner, drinks, etc.

2) Always travel the city on foot or use public transportation. I never felt truly connected to a place when I travelled as a young lass because the adult with which I travelled always had/rented a car. When you explore the city on foot or use the buses/trams/subway, you get a much better feel for the city, the people, and the energy of it all. It's also a lot cheaper than renting a car and in many big cities, parking costs you a lot of money!

3) Have your biggest meals at breakfast and lunch because those are always the cheapest meals at a restaurant. Most restaurants get the majority of their clientele for dinner, which is why sometimes you can buy the same thing for dinner that you had for lunch and it costs significantly more. Fill up on a good first two meals of the day and then have an appetizer or very light supper. Another good tip about food is if you are staying at a hostel you can buy your own food to prepare and store it in the kitchen. I would prepare two meals a day and go out for one, except for one of my extended stays where I only ate out two or three times a week.

Behind the Door

There's more here
than ever have my eyes met
but I would rather shut this tight
and bury the key
than face reality

Where Have You Been?

List all the countries to which you have been. Which ones did you like best and which ones would you not care to re-visit?

I've Got a Bone to Pick

I can't talk about work here, but it bugs me to death.

Still, know that I am happy about this past weekend.

Also know that I should be ready to visit St. Petersburg soon. Anyone else want to visit the motherland?

So Far Away From Me

Some Facts About the MassHole:

1) JS refugee, member for almost five years prior to the Big Fubar

2) Grew up in and around Boston but haven't lived there since the tender age of twenty-two

3) I have a penchant for VWs and stick shifts.

Sweetness!

Fenway Park '09 improvements

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Red Sox president Larry Lucchino gave a tour of the stadium to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino on Thursday, four days before the opener against Tampa Bay. Lucchino says a few more years of upgrades will be done and the park should last for another 40 to 50 years. This is the eighth straight year of improvements. There are more seats in the upper right field stands.

(AP Photo)

Far From Away

Sometimes, there is enough silence to hear your own heart beat. In these moments, you must either find peace or wait 'til the sun goes down.

Nice to See Some Familiar Faces

After an almost 5 year stint at JS it's nice to see some familiar faces. I'd rather not mention my name on here because it is highly searchable by those with which I work. Please don't make any guesses in comments; it should become pretty obvious after a while.

I was thinking lately about loyalty and how some people are extremely loyal to certain friends and family members but can't keep their word with strangers, co-workers, or even their spouses. I've known quite a few people that were not well-liked and had a reputation for sabotaging people out of jealousy who had a huge network of friends. They all seemed to have this undying loyalty to each other. Were they really loyal or just scared to be on each others' bad sides?

If I make a promise, before any words are uttered I have to be sure that I am fully capable of carrying out the promise. There have been times that I got myself in deeper than I wanted out of the desire to please a person/people, and have had to severely inconvenience myself to carry out the promise. In some rare cases I have had to come clean and tell the person that I was unable to do what I had promised. In my younger years I'd had run away or have avoided the person altogether, but now I find it very hard to do that unless I feel like I would be in danger otherwise.

What does the word loyalty mean to you?

Some Might Say

I don't know if things like "miracles" exist. There are certain things in this world that I think people believe in to give themselves comfort. Miracles, traditional views of a god, religion, fate, astrology, etc. are just a few examples. I happen to have been studying astrology for 15 years and I think religions and their origins are fascinating. This doesn't mean, however, that I believe in them and cannot criticize certain facets of these subjects.

mir·a·cle

(mĭr'ə-kəl) Pronunciation Key n. An event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God: "Miracles are spontaneous, they cannot be summoned, but come of themselves" (Katherine Anne Porter). One that excites admiring awe. See Synonyms at wonder. A miracle play.

First it appears that in order to believe in miracles you have to believe in "God" (and by this I mean the Judeo Christian version, and perhaps this extends to the Muslim Allah as well). If you don't believe in a god defined by one of the modern day religions then perhaps you believe in a being of your own design or one of the more rudimentary mythological gods. If you don't believe in a god of some design then you must believe in the supernatural. Many people say god, that Jesus dude, and others are supernatural beings so if you don't believe in god but you believe in ghosts and souls that walk the earth that you are contradicting yourself. (That's a topic for another day).

Or, a miracle could simply be something or someone that induces awe. In the case of the article below, I believe two men catching an 18-month old falling three stories without inducing any injuries is fairly lucky. However, I don't think they are "heroes" or that the act is a "miracle".

he·ro

(hîr'ō) Pronunciation Key n. pl. he·roes In mythology and legend, a man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods. A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life: soldiers and nurses who were heroes in an unpopular war. A person noted for special achievement in a particular field: the heroes of medicine. See Synonyms at celebrity. The principal male character in a novel, poem, or dramatic presentation. Chiefly New York City See submarine. See Regional Note at submarine.

I always thought of a hero as someone who risked his or her life to save someone else's. Or, someone who risks their quality of life, their fame, material possessions, or even their dignity in the name of something they deem greater than themselves.

I think these guys were pretty smart and selfless, and obviously had a bit of compassion in their bodies, but they risked very little. If they had caught or hadn't caught the baby, the brunt of the horror would have been directed at the father of the child. If they tried to catch and failed, they may have felt a terrible guilt for a while and it certainly wouldn't fade from their memories in their lifetime, but all in all I would not call these people "heroes" and I don't think the city owes them a debt of gratitude (how does saving a toddler's life in any way support or aid the city)?

The act was not a miracle - we saw how the chid fell, we saw how they were caught. Now if you said to me that the child stopped just a foot off the ground, levitated for a moment, made itself upright, and then floated to its feet safe and sound, I would break out in a chorus of Hallelujahs and would in no way doubt the miraculous nature of the event. What it really comes down to is a lot of luck and the fact that the men had a touch of brains and selflessness. I don't think that makes what they did any less cool or commendable - I just don't like to see things blown out of proportion.

The guys rock, the father owes them a damn near lifetime of gratitude, and the kid should meet them some day when she gets older, maybe have a little picture of them so she can tell the story to her friends and family. That's the long and short of it. And those of you that insist god was involved - well it wasn't very nice of him to make that baby fall out of the window in the first place, was it?

When You Gonna Catch My Baby?

Only in Lawrence, you say?

local news updates

updated
Tuesday, 1:22 AM

From the Metro staff at The Boston Globe

Two men praised after catching falling baby in Lawrence

March 31, 2009 01:22 AM Email| Comments (115)| Text size – +

Alex Day helped catch a baby that fell out of a window in Lawrence Sunday. (Jonathan Wiggs / Globe Staff)

By Brian R. Ballou, Globe Staff

LAWRENCE - It might have ended so differently, if Robert Lemire had not decided on pizza for dinner or if Alex Day had not come to the apartment on Haverhill Street for Bible study.

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Neither might have seen the heart-stopping sight of a girl in a diaper and T-shirt dangling from an apartment window three stories above the ground, and they might not have been waiting to catch her when she finally fell.

Eighteen-month-old Caliah Clark survived a 30-foot plummet Sunday night and probably owes her life to the two men who ran to the spot below the window and caught her, one by the legs, another above the waist, and brought her, unhurt, back to her father in the apartment upstairs.

"When they saved my daughter's life, they saved my own life because if she would have been hurt, I don't know what I'd do," said the father, 28-year-old Randall Clark. "For them to be there to catch my daughter, it's unbelievable. Accidents do happen in a split second."

Clark said he was home alone with his four children and putting his youngest, a 2-month-old, to bed when he heard his older children in another room. He believes the eldest two, ages 3 and 4, wrestled open a window that he normally keeps latched but that "for some reason comes unlocked" and were throwing toys out of it.

Outside, Lemire, a 45-year-old remodeling contractor, was heading to Mano's Pizza across the street, preoccupied with his daughter's softball tryouts earlier in the day. His cellphone rang, and he paced the sidewalk outside the shop while he talked, when something caught his eye: a child's toy falling from an upper window of a large apartment house. A few minutes later, another toy flew out and bounced off the paved walkway below. Then, he heard a cry and looked up.

Shocked at what he saw - a small girl dangling from the window and two children inside desperately clutching her arms - Lemire bolted across the street, dodging a car. His heart pounding, Lemire ran to the front door, yelling "Hello! Hello!" and "There's a baby out the window!" He ran up a flight of stairs to the second floor, then turned and ran back outside.

Day, a 23-year-old trucking manager, heard the yelling while sitting in a first-floor apartment with his wife and about a dozen Sunday Bible study regulars. He jumped to his feet and ran out. "I thought maybe there was a fire," he said. But as soon as he turned the corner, he saw Lemire standing below the window, looking up. He followed the man's gaze to the girl dangling above. She was slipping.

As he rushed to Lemire's side, Lemire spoke: "Here she comes."

The toddler fell with her body tilted toward the ground. "He pretty much got the top and I got the diaper end, or the bottom half, or whatever you call it," said Lemire.

"She looked at me and had a weird look on her face as if to say, 'Wow, all of a sudden I'm down here,' " Day said.

He carried the toddler back upstairs to her home. On the stairs, he said, the baby actually started chuckling.

The incident is being investigated by Lawrence police and the city's Inspectional Services Department. No charges have been filed against the father. Lawrence Police Chief John Romero said, "right now, we're just looking at the circumstances as to how the child was left unattended." Calls to Inspectional Services were not returned yesterday.

"I think that child is alive today because of their quick actions," Romero said yesterday of Day and Lemire. "They're both heroes."

A spokeswoman with the state Department of Children and Families said the incident was the first time the department has had contact with the Clark family. Other residents of the building described Randall Clark and his wife, Rachael, as responsible parents.

"He's a very good father who loves his children," said Adam Lind, 24, who lives on the second floor. "Both he and his wife are hard workers. They're both very upset about what happened."

Day said he spoke with Clark briefly yesterday, and that Clark thanked him again for saving his daughter.

"People who have children know that it's impossible to keep your eye on them all the time," Lemire said, "and all it takes is a second."

This is Old Hat For Me

I've been keeping an online journal for many years, and now it's time to be someone else. It's pretty tiring being the same person all the time.

Everything you read here is true - any embellishments will be labeled. People that are easily offended annoy me. If you are one of those, don't come back - I don't think you'll like this journal very much.