M.A.M.

5 Weird Things about Me

2006-07-31T22:21:00.000-04:00

I’ve been tagged by my dear online and offline friend Heidi. It’s the “5 weird things/habits about yourself” meme!

To play the cybergame, list 5 weird things/habits about yourself. Then, choose 5 more people to be tagged and list their names. If you link to the post of the person who tagged you, and also link to the blogs of people you tagged, you can create a little navigation system for the idea virus. The people who get tagged do the same, rinse and repeat. Leave each of your viral victims a comment that says “you’re tagged!” and direct them to the post in which they are named. No threats, now - some folks just don’t like to play.

1. I talk to dead people -
when I go to the cemetery to my parents grave, I talk to the dead people I am passing. I lived near most of them growing up, or know them from church, or they are related. I picture a scene like that play "Our Town" where they are all sitting around on chairs up in heaven and Mr. Plant might say as I drive up, "Hey Paul and Betty, one of your kids is here, it is the next to youngest, I forget her name, you know, the chubby one" and Mr. Zuba is saying "stay off my plot of grass" and my parents are all happy to see me and as I pass each grave I say "excuse me, sorry to step on you as I get to my parents spot" Then I get there and I say hello to Uncle Sonny who is buried next door (in the ground) and hello to all the other neighbors buried in that area. I picture them all sitting around talking about me and saying how big the kids have gotten and "yes, your namesake looks just like his mother and the "baby" has your eyes Paul!" It's weird. But it has gotten me thru the last 20 years this August 25th, since my Dad died. and the 2 1/2 already since my Mom died. Besides, my parents always taught me to respect your elders. I guess I can't stop even if they are dead!

2. I still fantasize about meeting my idols -
OK, this is from my Shaun Cassidy years where I used to dream about meeting him on my street. (! in Attleboro? LOL). But it did come true when I met Henry Winkler (AKA Fonzie) outside the WARA building in 7th grade, and I touched his elbow ( I still have not washed that hand lol)! I think I will be driving in my car on my 32 mile drive to and from work each day, and a limo will go by with oh, lets say Jon Bon Jovi in it, and I will be singing my heart out to one of their toons, and they will have me pull over and I can meet them. (Does this fantasy mean I have a really pathetic life?)

3. I clip my toenails wicked short -
to the point of almost not have any on the shorter toes, this is bad because once I cut them so short, I got some dirt in it, and I got blood poisoning. Of course, when I went to Sturdy a week later, they said it was a broken toe (even though it did not show up on the xray) and they taped it together. A few days later, when the red streak was about half way up my calf, I saw my real doctor, who admitted me (to Sturdy! ) and I was in there for 5 days on IV antibiotics! Of course, they had me in my room for 3 hours before anyone came to check on me, and I was in such pain at that point (red line up to the knee) and the surgeon consult came to see me and when he lifted the sheet and looked at my foot ran out to the hallway and shouted" I want a nurse in here STAT" that I realized how incompetent they really were! he then proceeded to slice my toe open (no pain meds, nothing , by this time my foot was numb) But I recovered and knowing now, I should have sued, but whatever!

4. I think i am a Dr. -
My friend Heidi who sent me this assignment really is one. She wrote a long paper and spent years studying and getting smart. I barely passed High School and some junior college classes! But, I feel (having worked at that incompetent hospital Sturdy for 5 years in medical records) that I am qualified to be a Dr. (looking back at that last paragraph, maybe I am qualified to work there at the ER!) But for 5 long years I looked at every ER report and test I filed, read the M & M reports (the monthly meeting about who died there and why and how can we stop the family from suing us) My father was a doctor too. When we were sick, he was the one who knew what was wrong. When we got hurt, we went to him and he determined if we needed the ER (usually not) He had some training, he was "Safety Officer" at his work! LOL I think he took some course at the Red Cross to do that! But he knew alot of home remedys his parents used, and I still use today. Every time someone tells me they are sick, I ask their symptoms and usually I tell them what is wrong. They first go to their local doctor, but my diagnosis is usually correct! When my son Paul was having trouble with his knee, I researched, and researched and finally found what I thought was wrong. I went to three doctors before one found out that I was correct! He ended up needing a pin in his hip. When the doctor finally got the problem to present when they took an xray, as he showed his intern and asked "what do you see" the intern same some lame ass medical sounding thing and the doctor turned to me and said "Mom, what do you see?" to which I replied, "a slipped capital femur epiphysis!" and the doctor said "see, you need to research like his mother did"! Therefore, I am a doctor!

5. I bought my 16 year old son a subscription to Playboy -
OK, I was tired of finding that my son (being a red blooded american male) was looking at porn (disgusting stuff actually) on my computer, I freaked out. Then I found out he did it again and I had enough. I was not going to have my computer crash or get raided by some government official who tracked my son looking at porn online! So being the control freak I am, I had my husband get him a subscription to Playboy. The girls are pretty normal looking (as normal as an airbrushed model can be) and there are some really good articles in there! Yes, I looked! lol But seriously, I told him to read the articles too! lots of tips on grooming, relationships and some really great political stuff. (really)

Who can I send this too? The only person I know personally who blogs is Heidi, and she sent it to me. So if you read this, feel free to add a comment on your five weird things!

Sunday Morning

2006-02-26T09:16:00.000-05:00

Again, it's been a while since I posted. Not alot going on. The day to day routine that becomes so mundane during February in New England. Coming up on a birthday Just another day to me. Not one for big celebrations. Which is funny, since I make such a big deal of everyone elses! We have recently lost another hampster (down to 5 now from 9 at New Years) Gave two away, the others died of "natural causes" The hampster graveyard is getting full. Good thing we have alot of land !LOL There are signs of spring, birds have been coming back for a while. This morning when I got up and hobbled to the bathroom (the old, have to stand up, but from lying still all night bones wont move! LOL) and sat upon the throne, trying to open my eyes to adjust to the sunlight streaming in, I heard it...... tweep, tweep, tweep. After my usual "SHUT UP"(just not a morning person) I thought, OH! spring is soon! LOL

Well, have to be off, need to get this house clean. Kids had a weeks vacation and it is a mess!!!! Ta Ta hope to write more soon.

New Group (LOL)

2006-02-15T22:03:00.000-05:00

MAYPO takes stand against A.F.A.

MAYPO (menopausal activist yankees protecting opinions) has spoken out against the American Family Association ( a southern "christian" group of zealots led by a Pat Robinson type leader). MAYPO's groups leader, (an early menopausal victim) has been quite vocal in her complaints against the group. "They take off the best shows, they put their values on me, they try to tell ME what to do!" I am the Mommy in my house, I say what is watched on TV! Not only am I an early menopause sufferer, I am also an orphan. I am my own boss, no one can tell me what to do!" The group is distraught over the cancellation of their favorite show on NBC (nothing but crap) "The Book of Daniel". MAYPO states: "The AFA is afraid of anything different than them. This show contained homosexuality, drug use and a message of forgiveness, love and tolerance. They could not stand that" The minister Daniel (played by a super sexy Aiden Quinn) saw Jesus everyday and had conversations with him. Jesus (played by The Savior) was hysterical. "Who knew he was so funny? stated MAYPO's leader. I personally look for Jesus every day now, it is like getting the joke a day sent to me on my cell phone or email!" The group says this was the last straw in their already full pack (starting with the election of GWB in 2000) A visit to a recent "religious" website showed a post written by a "christian" who celebrated the cancellation of The Book of Daniel by saying "Great, what's our next target?" to which Jesus (writing under the screen name "Lord 01" replied "Pat Robertson". Another group also has emerged, calling themselves: "Americans P.I.E. " (americans protesting idiotic extremists) saying they will do all they can to help their mother group MAYPO achieve their goal - to wipe out the AFA and take back the airwaves for ALL americans (not just the menopausal ones).

Save my favorite show

2006-01-25T22:17:00.000-05:00

Ok, I know, seems like every week I have a new "cruisade" But this one is VERY Important! My new most favorite show is being cancelled after just a few weeks. We need to stop this injustice! Please read all the reasons and then see the link (http://www.PetitionOnline.com/bod35/petition.html) at the end of this email. Many, Many thanks!

Top 10 Reasons I love this show and it cannot be cancelled:

10) I actually have started to stay awake past 9pm on a Friday night for the first time in
about 10 years

9) I can watch it with my kids and learn something (kids are into japanese cartoon
caricatures of real life events they call "manga") ps I thought manga meant eat in italian

8) It actually made me think about going back to church (if my priest looked like Aiden Quinn)

7) Aiden Quinn is dreamy!!!

6) I Love Jesus - he is funny - (feel free to quote me) see if you watched the show you would
know how funny that was!!!!!

5) Shows us that even as dysfunctional as your family is, there is always a more dysfunctial
one out there.

4) It has a Catholic Priest who is not involved in a sex scandal! (although I have to admit the
first show all I could think was "it's Carla's ex husband from Cheers and he is married
to Casey Casem's wife)

3) Makes me glad I am not rich (boy they have alot of problems and they have to worry
about appearances! Being "not rich" and menapausal - I say who gives a f*&(*!!!)

2) I am sick of the red states telling me what to do, say, watch, have as president and how
to raise my kids.

and the #1 reason they cannot cancel this show:

1) NO MORE FREAKIN COP/CSI/LAW & ORDER TYPE SHOWS!!!!!!!! Isn't like 105 versions of
them enough?

Please sign the petition I started to save this show "The Book of Daniel" on NBC! It is one of the most funny, inspiring, true to life shows I have seen in years. (no, Desperate Housewives isn't, I live in the suburbs, that show is garbage!) and Lost - doesn't that have to do with some satanic cult that crashed a plane on a dessert island? they have some kind of a weird symbol on everything? come on, sign my petition! and feel free to pass this to your friends and family! Those religious freaks who think they can control this county need to be taught that every TV comes with an off button!
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/bod35/petition.html
Thanks Everyone!
Love and Peace
Mary : )

Friday the 13th

2006-01-13T16:58:00.000-05:00

Today is Friday the 13th. More importantly, it is my Mom's birthday. Or would have been. She would have been 72 today. Instead, I am remembering her last birthday on this earth, 2 years ago today, when we had to put her into a "nursing facility" after her cancer sugery, I mean her cancer murder. The doctor who performed the surgery on a 70 year old patient with a history of heart problems, with a stage 4 uterine cancer tumor which was literaly falling out of her body (you would think that a doctor would know the difference between a tumor and a prolapsed uterus) i consider a murderer. I wanted to sue, but did not want to put us all through the trauma of a long drawn out trial, and for what? She would not come back. She would still be gone. Instead, I am left with a memory of her last birthday putting her into a nursing home. She never came back out. She never got out of bed again. She spent the next 3 months in bed then she died. Happy Birthday Mom. I miss you.

Patrick

2005-12-21T22:08:00.000-05:00

I sent a letter to my Congressman, Patrick Kennedy and got a great response. He is awesome. Love him

Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns about the war in Iraq. I greatly appreciate hearing your views on this difficult and important issue.

I share your concerns about Iraq and believe that our troops deserve leadership that is worthy of the commitment and sacrifice they are making. I strongly believe all Americans are united in their commitment to supporting our troops, to protecting this country, and to defeating the terrorists. But like you and a growing number of Americans, I believe our troops deserve better than the course the Administration has charted for the past two and a half years. A majority of Americans have grown frustrated with President Bush=s lack of leadership. They understand the stakes in Iraq, but they have never been given a clear and honest answer on how long our soldiers will be in Iraq. They want the truth: a spin-free and unvarnished assessment of the progress we are making towards fulfilling the Administration=s ambitious goals. Furthermore, the American people want accountability for the mistakes that have been made. It has been deeply disappointing that this Congress has abdicated its oversight responsibilities for the past five years; a responsibility that was exercised with great relish during the Lewinsky scandal of the Clinton Administration. In Congress, I have joined with several of my colleagues in calling for Congressional committee hearings, similar to the ones used to investigate the 1980s Iran-Contra scandal, that would investigate the misuse of pre-war intelligence by the Administration, the abuse scandals at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere, and the disclosure of CIA operative Valerie Plame's covert status.

In Iraq, I believe that it is imperative that we accelerate the training of Iraqi troops as quickly as possible, so as our country begins to reduce and ultimately withdraw all troops, we do not leave behind a failed Iraq that will be a haven for terrorists and destabilize the Middle East. While I understand the concerns many have raised about whether our military presence in Iraq fuels the insurgency, I am also deeply troubled by the potential consequences for the Middle East region if instability in Iraq metastasizes into a civil war that engulfs the Arab Gulf states, and other countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt. A widespread civil war in the Middle East region would have direct consequences for our nation's and the international community's long-term security.

But President Bush's assertion that he will "settle for nothing less than complete and total victory" leaves our U.S. troops and their families trapped in an open-ended commitment. Americans have been given goals to achieve in Iraq, but not the standards by which to measure progress. And the only assurance Americans have been given that we can reach those goals is to trust the President and his Administration at their word. Like so many Americans, I need more than just that.

What I, and so many Americans, are looking for is a set of criteria and some honest and reality-based information to measure the progress by which we meet certain benchmarks. I want to know how many troops will be coming home as each of those benchmarks are met. And if those benchmarks are not met, I want to know why. I want to see an acknowledgment by the Administration that the war in Iraq cannot be won solely through military force. I want some accountability for mistakes that have been made: the use of pre-war intelligence, the abuse of prisoners and detainees at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere, the failure to provide our troops with enough body armor and HUMVEES, the reports of reconstruction corruption and graft, and the overall failure to properly plan for post-invasion Iraq.

I want to know what happens if this Administration cannot achieve its ambitious goals, because I will not support an open-ended commitment of U.S. forces in Iraq predicated on goals that grow more elusive with the Administration's mismanagement. A true strategy for victory would give us a clear picture for when and how we bring our troops home as soon as possible leaving Iraq stable and secure. We need more from this Administration. And our troops and the American people deserve better.

Thank you again for contacting me regarding your concerns. Please feel free to contact me on any other issues of importance to you.

If you would like to receive information on this and other issues pending before the Congress on a regular basis, I would like to invite you to sign up for my e-newsletter. This newsletter is distributed by my congressional office and covers events going on in Congress and in our district that may be of interest to you. To sign up, please visit my website: http://patrickkennedy.house.gov.
Sincerely,

Patrick J. Kennedy
Member of Congress

Polital Correctness and the Christmas Season

2005-12-18T22:09:00.000-05:00

This "War on Christmas" the right wing has dreamt up is killing me. For the first 25 years of my life I lived in a town where we had one black family - the town was all white , except this family and then the Loneycut Section which was all portagues (I know I spelled that wrong sorry) and mostly Catholic. I grew up not knowing I had racist tendacies. Then one day I was at work (being that I was 23 years old) and I was telling a story about how I had gone to the flea market the day before and paid less than they wanted for an item. During my story, the attorney across the hall had come into my office and joined our conversation. He kept asking me the same question over and over ("you did what?) and it was not until after he left, I found out what I had said that made him so upset. When I was talking about how I paid less, I used a term I had always heard, and not knowning, it was an ethic slur. I used the phrase " I jewed them down". Now to me, this was a good thing, I got a bargain, I was clever, I thought I was wonderful. Well, the attorney was jewish! He took offense to my "jewing down" this vender at the flea market! I did not know! I apologized and from that day forward, have thought before I speak! But to me- if I wish you "Happy Holidays" it could be Thanksgiving, Christmas, Channakah, New Years, Kwanza, and any of the other upteen holidays celebrated during this time of the year! I mean what if I say "Happy Holidays" and the person is an athiest? I give up. I wish everyone joy and peace and happiness this year - not just the "holidays" - all 365 days : ) and to my Catholic peers: Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays etc etc

2005-12-18T21:50:00.000-05:00

Well, thought it had not been that long since I last logged on to blog, but it has been almost an entire month! Where has the time gone? Answer: to the mall. I have been shopping till I dropped (keeping up my part to expand the economy). Friday night me and Russ went out (he dragged me actually). Let me give you a word of advise, the worst place to be on the next to last Friday before Christmas at 10:45 pm is the electronics department of Wal-Mart! Oh, I did not want to go there. I went to several other stores, however, each one did not have what I needed. We finally decided what to get our y oungest son, his own digital camera. He is forever borrowing his brothers. I started at BJ's Wholesale club - I found the one I wanted, filled out the slip, waited 20 min in line, paid and went to stand in line to get it from the "pick up desk", waited another 20 min, then the employee punched the number in and said "oh we are out of those" to which I replied (this is a direct quote now) "You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Now, bear in mind, it was 9:00 at night, I had worked an entire day, been up since 5:30; I am nursing a sore back (pulled a muscle somehow - probably getting out of bed) and my hormones this week are WAY out of wack! Not to mention, I was in the beginning of a hot flash - the poor guy never saw it coming! I let loose with how I REALLY felt! To make matters worse, I had paid by check (gasp, yes, I cut up the cards a few years ago!) so the words I dreaded were coming "since you paid by check, we cannot give you cash, we have to give you a store credit" To which I replied, "oh no, I want cash, I want it now, you f*&(^ up, I want my money, I am leaving this store!" Just then, Russ walked up (seeing what was going down from the soda counter) and saved this poor soul from my rath! Needless to say, I walked out with cash and a cold Diet Coke to calm my nerves! But all is well that ends well, I ended up at Wal-Mart (a story for another day lol ) and got a better camera for less money with an entire accessorie kit too! : )
Merry Freakin Christmas!

Time's Person of the Year

2005-11-25T16:09:00.000-05:00

Nominate Cindy Sheehan for Time's Person of the Year Here - Pass It On !

TIME.com - Person of the Year Preview 2005 - Send Your Nominees
Address:http://www.time.com/time/personoftheyear/2005/walkup/talkback.html

What a great idea. This woman personafies Patriotism - willing to sacrifice herself for the good of our county and our future generations.

I'm Back

2005-11-24T20:13:00.000-05:00

Wow, has it really been 2 months since I posted? What a fall this has been! We finally had the roof done on the house - looks great. Then began the paint job. We had such a wet fall that it took us about 4 weeks to paint the house! but it is done and looks great. Last weekend the new windows went in (even better) so now we can decorate for Christmas! YAY!

Today we hooked up the old turntable (yes, still have one) up for my oldest son. He spent the morning going thru our record collection (yup, still have one of them too!) He was in his glory, he found Rolling Stones, AC/DC (loved his exact quote"WOW you have "Back in Black" this is a classic"!) Triumph, Led Zepplin, among many others! The ones that cracked me up though were the "Ronco Hits of the Day"! Talk about flashbacks!

A letter from Halliburton

2005-09-14T17:14:00.000-04:00

Here is an actual email I sent to Halliburton from their website. I think it stands for itself! below is the response I got back. Love the ambigious nature of the "help" enjoy. I have removed my email address and the name of the person who responded.

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 7:45 AM
To: DL_COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Subject: The least you can do...

"Time to give back to "the community". You made HUGE profits from this
war, not to mention what you are making now that gas in my neighborhood
is almost $4 a gallon, money which should have been put into our
country, but your friend Dubba ya found ways for you to keep. I think
from a public relations standpoint, we should be hearing on the news how
this company gave a few million to help the Katrina victims. It is the
least you can do."

The Response:

Thank you for your input as to how Halliburton may assist with relief
efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina. We continue to work closely
with those leading the disaster relief efforts to find out how we can be
of the most assistance.

With approximately 3,000 employees in the affected region, Halliburton
has implemented several initiatives to assist with relief efforts for
residents of areas hit hardest by the storm as well as our affected
employees in the region. From food, clothing and supply drives at
multiple locations to an online donation program where global employees
may contribute to relief efforts with a dollar-for-dollar match from the
company, Halliburton is deeply committed to assist those affected by the
storm in an effort to restore a sense of normalcy.

Additional relief efforts are currently being evaluated and Halliburton
will implement additional programs to provide relief as may be warranted
to assist Hurricane Katrina victims.

Again, thank you for your note and your concern. Please join us in
keeping the Hurricane Katrina victims in your thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,

Halliburton Public Relations

Criminal Acts

2005-09-08T06:32:00.000-04:00

This disgusted me. This is a True story. I found this out yesterday

HOW DUBBA U IS KILLING SOUTHERNERS
A friend of mine has a son in law who is a doctor in upper New England. He is involved in a non-profit organization of other doctors who, in their spare time, run a search and rescue helicopter. They have done this for over 10 years. He called FEMA to offer his help, and his helicopter for search and rescue in Louisiana. This is what he was told:

1) They were not accepting help from any "non-profit organizations", only
companies that were for profit. (side note, Haliburton has a huge contract to
bring in large equipment at these type of emergencies)

2) He could not volunteer, he would have to go thru a 3 day search and rescue
seminar before he would be allowed to go in and rescue anyone. Oh, but the
federal government would pay him to do this.

3) They were interested in his helicoper, but only if they could pay him
$1800/week for it's use.

This man is a fully trained doctor and was told don't bother coming unless we can pay you. His helicoper is sitting, ready to go, but they want him to attend a seminar! THIS IS WORSE THAN HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE!!!!!! WE NEED TO GET THIS WORD OUT, TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS - I HAVE HEARD ALSO OF VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAVE ALSO BEEN TURNED TOWN, SINCE THEY WOULD NEED TO BE "TRAINED". WE ARE LETTING DOWN THESE PEOPLE, THESE AMERICANS. These "leaders" need to be held accountable. This to me is a crime - they should be held accountable. Charges need to be brought. I cannot fathom that Clinton was impeached for an affair, yet this "president" is not accountable for anything he has done. Not to mention Cheney (Haliburton, Haliburton,Haliburton), or Carl Rove. They are right, now is not the time to point fingers and place blame, rescue as many of these people as we can, get them into a safe place, THEN we need to point and point hard!!! We need to demand action over this one. Which US city will be next? Please pass this on. Thanks

Katrina Relief Concert on NBC

2005-09-03T09:08:00.000-04:00

Wow, was I the only one dissapointed in this? They had what, five, six, "stars". Nothing like 9/11 or the Tsunami. The high point for me was when Mike Myers and Kanye West got up to speak, and Kanye went off script. OMG! he was excellent. When he got to the part when he said "Bush does not care about black people" I stood up and applauded in my living room!!!! Then he got cut off and was not in the "finale" lol , my husband said Bush probably already had him arrested. Imagine speaking out against the so called president on national tv!!! Used to be a time when we as americans could do that. Not in the last 8 years though. Scripts and rehearsed people only when talking about Bush. I am sure even the survivors you saw him with on TV yesterday were pre-screened as well.

Happy Anniversary..........

2005-09-03T08:53:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my wedding anniversary. Me and Russ have been together for 23 years now, 16 of them married. WOW! Where has the time gone? As my co-worker said "OMG! that is an entire driving age person"! LOL she is a hoot. We did not do much, not feeling like celebrating with everything in the news. I bought him a lobster and some steamers, and had them ready when he got home from work. Me and the kids had take out chinese (which I am paying for today, with swollen ankles! LOL age and MSG= swollen ankles) I am a lucky woman, I have a wonderful husband who is going to help me clean the house today. That is the best present I could ask for, I dont need diamonds, he shows me how much he loves me by doing things like this. A candy bar on his way home when I am pms'ing, etc that is love!!!!!

I propose a new Presidential Candidate.....

2005-09-02T13:08:00.000-04:00

The Mayor of New Orleans. Read this transcript of his interview. I love this man. I hope he stays in politics. He says it as it is:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/nagin.transcript/index.html

Circle of Life goes on.......

2005-09-01T08:04:00.000-04:00

Well, I was up most of the night. Husband out of town for business, sleepless over the images on the news and thoughts of how we are going to survive this winter with heating and gas prices, so at 2 a.m. got up to check the kids, went over to the hampster cage, and thought the girl was acting a little funny, all hunkered down when she is usaually very active at night. Went back to bed, slept off and on. Woke up at the alarm (5:30) and got one kid into shower, then I got in after he finished and when I got out I heard Robbie "SHE HAD HER BABIES!!!!!!!!" I dried off, went over to the cage and sure enough, little babies! We counted maybe 10-12 (hard to tell). Mother nature goes on, life continues, gives you hope. Anyone want a baby hampster in 6 weeks?????

Bad Times Coming

2005-08-31T19:56:00.000-04:00

As I sit here in my nice dry house with air conditioning, I feel horrible. I have so much while the poor people in the south are suffering. I made my donation to the Red Cross, but I wish I could drive down there, pick up a family and bring them to my home. I have no way of knowing the horror they are going thru, while I sit here and complain how it is going to cost me more to heat my home and fill my gas tank. $3.11 today my friend paid, after it was only $2.91 this morning at the same station. I think they are raping us, gouging us, taking advantage of the situation. I hope not. I pray for them, for all of us. I see bad times ahead.

Morning

2005-08-30T06:20:00.000-04:00

cloudy today. rainy. yuck. kids last day before school starts. freedom ends! lol they have chores, clean the animal's cages, wash dishes, pick up parlor. then they can play. Paul is going into 10th grade! OMG where has this time gone? so fast, just watched videos this weekend, he was in pre-school. still the same, but different. his looks are the same,but over the summer he has started to become more adult looking. can't explain it. but the litle boy is gone. he gets the sex jokes on tv now (scary) i feel old! LOL love my kids so much.

Work

2005-08-29T20:49:00.000-04:00

Today at work we ordered pizza. It was different, pesto with grilled chicken, mozarella cheese and ricotta cheese, with sliced tomato on top. I took off the tomatoes, dont care for them. It was good. But I felt kinda sick after, could have been because I ate a huge handfull of sunflower kernels after!!! LOL I was craving salt (no chocolate OMG!) Today I felt bloated. This menopause shit sucks!!!! I know, I am young, but lucky me has hit it early. Even my dr. was suprised! oh well, I need to make an appt, I want to have the old uterus ripped out. Not using it anymore (two is more than enough!) and after seeing what my Mom went thru, NO THANK YOU. She died of uterine cancer on April 7, 2004, the day before Robbie's 10th birthday. I miss her, more than I thought I would. You are never too old to need your mommy! Now when my friends complain about theirs calling and saying "you never come over, take me to the store", I feel jealous. I would love to go to her apartment, one more time, take out the trash to the dumpster, listen to her complain about the old people in her building, lol listen to the gossip of the building! We watched some old videos this weekend of the kids when they were babies. She was in them. It felt good to hear her voice. Thank God for video!!! I only have a few short moments of my Dad on tape, he died right after I got my first video camera. He thought it was great. My Mom hated being taped. The last video I made of her was at my brother Dave's wedding. She looked beautiful. She danced with him (he was always her favorite!) She was so proud! She loved his new wife (his first was a real bitch...sorry neices, if you read this) I do too, she is a sweetie. Feels like I have known her forever. Well, I am rambling. Not that anyone is reading this!!! oh well. nothing on TV but coverage of the storm. I cannot watch anymore. I will go to bed.

Katrina

2005-08-28T21:37:00.000-04:00

I have been watching the coverage on Fox, CNN, Weather Channel, MSNBC, thanking God I am not in that path. I pray for those who are. Hope that big cereal bowl they are staying in holds up against the storm. God is taking out the Big Easy, he must be pretty pissed. Notice how only the red states are getting slammed (last year Florida, now this) I think God is a Democrat.

Our two new hampsters

2005-08-28T18:55:00.000-04:00

We have new editions. New hampsters. My husband took Robbie to the local store and we got a boy AND a girl, and guess what? our girl maybe having babies already! (oh joy) I cannot express the level of love I showed my husband! (LOL) the kids love them. Names have been given and changed several times, not sure what they are any more. The boy is lazy and fat. The girl is a whirlwind, she must travel 4 miles a day on her wheel! I will keep you posted as to any babies!

Exactly what I feel

2005-08-27T14:09:00.000-04:00

I have been searching for a way to make my feelings known. This "president" of ours, this arrogant little man, who dares to say he speaks for me, in a war this is a fake, a sham, a disgusting display of "I'm rich, you're poor, tough" this is a long read for some, but well worth it. What an interesting article. I give kudo's to Rosie, I borrowed it from her website.

GUESTWORDS: By E.L. Doctorow

The Unfeeling President

I fault this president for not knowing what death is. He does not suffer the death of our 21-year-olds who wanted to be what they could be. On the eve of D-Day in 1944 General Eisenhower prayed to God for the lives of the young soldiers he knew were going to die. He knew what death was. Even in a justifiable war, a war not of choice but of necessity, a war of survival, the cost was almost more than Eisenhower could bear.
But this president does not know what death is. He hasn’t the mind for it. You see him joking with the press, peering under the table for the weapons of mass destruction he can’t seem to find, you see him at rallies strutting up to the stage in shirt sleeves to the roar of the carefully screened crowd, smiling and waving, triumphal, a he-man.

He does not mourn. He doesn’t understand why he should mourn. He is satisfied during the course of a speech written for him to look solemn for a moment and speak of the brave young Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

But you study him, you look into his eyes and know he dissembles an emotion which he does not feel in the depths of his being because he has no capacity for it. He does not feel a personal responsibility for the 1,000 dead young men and women who wanted to be what they could be.

They come to his desk not as youngsters with mothers and fathers or wives and children who will suffer to the end of their days a terribly torn fabric of familial relationships and the inconsolable remembrance of aborted life . . . they come to his desk as a political liability, which is why the press is not permitted to photograph the arrival of their coffins from Iraq.

How then can he mourn? To mourn is to express regret and he regrets nothing. He does not regret that his reason for going to war was, as he knew, unsubstantiated by the facts. He does not regret that his bungled plan for the war’s aftermath has made of his mission-accomplished a disaster. He does not regret that, rather than controlling terrorism, his war in Iraq has licensed it. So he never mourns for the dead and crippled youngsters who have fought this war of his choice.

He wanted to go to war and he did. He had not the mind to perceive the costs of war, or to listen to those who knew those costs. He did not understand that you do not go to war when it is one of the options but when it is the only option; you go not because you want to but because you have to.

Yet this president knew it would be difficult for Americans not to cheer the overthrow of a foreign dictator. He knew that much. This president and his supporters would seem to have a mind for only one thing — to take power, to remain in power, and to use that power for the sake of themselves and their friends.

A war will do that as well as anything. You become a wartime leader. The country gets behind you. Dissent becomes inappropriate. And so he does not drop to his knees, he is not contrite, he does not sit in the church with the grieving parents and wives and children. He is the president who does not feel. He does not feel for the families of the dead, he does not feel for the 35 million of us who live in poverty, he does not feel for the 40 percent who cannot afford health insurance, he does not feel for the miners whose lungs are turning black or for the working people he has deprived of the chance to work overtime at time-and-a-half to pay their bills - it is amazing for how many people in this country this president does not feel.

But he will dissemble feeling. He will say in all sincerity he is relieving the wealthiest 1 percent of the population of their tax burden for the sake of the rest of us, and that he is polluting the air we breathe for the sake of our economy, and that he is decreasing the quality of air in coal mines to save the coal miners’ jobs, and that he is depriving workers of their time-and-a-half benefits for overtime because this is actually a way to honor them by raising them into the professional class.

And this litany of lies he will versify with reverences for God and the flag and democracy, when just what he and his party are doing to our democracy is choking the life out of it.

But there is one more terribly sad thing about all of this. I remember the millions of people here and around the world who marched against the war. It was extraordinary, that spontaneous aroused oversoul of alarm and protest that transcended national borders. Why did it happen? After all, this was not the only war anyone had ever seen coming. There are little wars all over he world most of the time.

But the cry of protest was the appalled understanding of millions of people that America was ceding its role as the last best hope of mankind. It was their perception that the classic archetype of democracy was morphing into a rogue nation. The greatest democratic republic in history was turning its back on the future, using its extraordinary power and standing not to advance the ideal of a concordance of civilizations but to endorse the kind of tribal combat that originated with the Neanderthals, a people, now extinct, who could imagine ensuring their survival by no other means than pre-emptive war.

The president we get is the country we get. With each president the nation is conformed spiritually. He is the artificer of our malleable national soul. He proposes not only the laws but the kinds of lawlessness that govern our lives and invoke our responses. The people he appoints are cast in his image. The trouble they get into and get us into, is his characteristic trouble.

Finally, the media amplify his character into our moral weather report. He becomes the face of our sky, the conditions that prevail. How can we sustain ourselves as the United States of America given the stupid and ineffective warmaking, the constitutionally insensitive lawgiving, and the monarchal economics of this president? He cannot mourn but is a figure of such moral vacancy as to make us mourn for ourselves.

written 9.9.04 for the east hampton star

Dissent and Protest are American...

2005-08-25T20:33:00.000-04:00

new bumper stickers:

Has anone seen my constitutional rights?

If you are not outraged, you have not been paying attention.

November 2, 2004 was NOT the second coming.

Killing one person is murder, killing 1000 people is foreign policy. Think about it.

Dissent and Protest are American.

Friends dont let friends vote republican.

The best thing about Bush being president, you don't feel dumb!

My child is an honor student, but my president is an idiot!

Religious fanatics are scary in any country.

Can you remember when the only red states were in the USSR?

Support our troops, ...donate your Hummer

Clinton and Monica, W and Iraq, which one is easier to swallow?

Compared to Bush, Nixon wasn't so bad.

Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative.

(visual, red flames on black background) I voted for Kerry, what am I doing in this handbasket?

I tried to see from a conservatives point of view, but I could not get my head that far up my butt.

Cindy Sheehan - Woman of the year

2005-08-25T19:47:00.000-04:00

This is a most couragous woman. She has united the anti war movement. I am not really anti war I guess, but anti this war. Bush says this makes me unamerican. What a jerk. Anything but, I think I am being more patriotic than at any time in my life so far. I wish I could travel to Washington DC this weekend to attend the anti war rally. I will find a way to support it. Thank you Cindy for making me aware and making me wake up and giving me the courage to start making a stand for what I believe.

Monday Morning

2005-08-22T07:59:00.000-04:00

I awoke today and thought. wow, this day 19 years ago, I lost my Dad. He had a heart attack. Woke up, started getting ready for work and died, right there at home. 19 years has gone by in a minute it seems. He has missed almost 1/2 my life. I am lucky to have had him as long as I did. I miss him. Love you Daddy : )

Footnote

2005-08-20T21:26:00.000-04:00

Going back over my previous entries made me sad. I was reading what I wrote about Fudgie our cute little teddy bear hampster. Sad news, Fudgie past away this week. It was very sad. Robbie sat with him till the end. It was heartbreaking. We buried him in the yard, in the shoe box we got with the new school shoes, with his wheel. He loved that wheel! We figure he did about 3 miles aday!!! Robbie wants a new hampster. I dont think I am ready. I cannot watch him go thru that kind of heartache. Rest in peace Fudgie. I will close with a poem Robbie wrote for him.

Fudgey

I love you Fudgey,

Your so cute & fluffy,

Your the cutest hamster ever,

He struggled for me to stay alive for awhile,

He managed to move his paws,

He managed to breathe,

He managed to move his head and look at me,

And he managed for me,

I love you Fudgey,

And you love me.
By Robbie, age 11

Mary becomes an Activist.

2005-08-20T21:14:00.000-04:00

Well, I knew I would start this and then life would take over and I would not post. This has happened! Something more importantly has happened this week. I have become an Activist. More specifically, an anti-war activist. With our troops over there fighting this bogus war for oil, Bush goes on his 5 week vacation, it is sickening. I have felt my outrage spill over into my daily life. Each day I get up, go to work, scrape by an existance and this arrogant little turd of a man gets to relax for 5 freakin weeks while our sons and daughters are being brought home every day in caskets, and drive around being bombed with equipment that is substandard. Yet his croonies at the oil companies are raking in the dough. I am sick. I am outraged. My goal has become to make others outraged too. I am going to start plastering my mini van with bumper stickers against the war. I know, not much. But a start. I am going to start going to anti war vigils and contribute to organizations against the war. I announced this to my friends this week with this email:

" I have always been interested in politics. I have had a quiet interest since I was a teenager, never really been vocal about it. But as I get older, I am becoming more vocal. I fear for my childrens future. At this point in my life I am ready to start affecting change. I have been watching this story unfold on the news about this Mom and her fight to get Washington to listen. This mother has such courage. As a Mom to two boys, I would do the same if I was in her shoes. It is about time all of us moms took a stand to get our sons and daughters home from this useless bloodshed. I barely remember the end of the Vietnam war, only my teachers telling our class how my generation would be spared and would never have to die for a useless war. They were right, we didn't, but our children are. This mom's son died to protect the rights of "freedom and democracy" yet she is being branded by some as a traitor and unamerican. This outrages me and I hope it outrages you. I am sending this out to everyone. Think about it. Talk about it. Learn about it. Don't listen to the rhetoric from the extremists. Learn what this war is really about and I hope you feel outraged too. We need to take back our county and defend ourselves, not trespass in foreign lands to make the Enron's and Dick Cheney's of this country richer. As I write this, I think how I have to fill my gas tank for the week and how it is going to cost me $2.67 a gallon to fill it. Get informed, get outraged. Write letters, attend vigils and protests. We need to make our voices heard and we need to be loud. Those in Washington have turned a deaf ear to everyone who does not share their opinion - from town meetings where people had to sign affidavits, to pre-screening the questions asked at these meetings. I hope not to offend but to elicit a dialogue and make people aware. Feel free to pass these thoughts and websites on to others, and feel free to hit the delete button too, after all, this is still America?

Websites to Visit:

http://johnconyers.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B00BD10CF-C087-4EBD-A7D3-C9EE6B68B214%7D&Design=PrintView

http://www.truthout.org/cindy.shtml

http://www.political.moveon.org/lte/lte_t.html?zip=02864<e_campaign_id=29&posted=1&id=5916-5346652-Sq9gv5b0Crba2MlitZ_dEA&t=15

http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/index.jhtml
(a very funny but informative site)

I hope someone reads this. Talks about it. Does something. We need to take back our county from the extremests who bought this election and brain washed our country on fear. Peace Out.

Saturday August 13 2005

2005-08-13T12:37:00.000-04:00

I woke up to see the meator shower. Foggy and overcast so it was a bust. This weather has been so gross this summer. Hazy, hot and Humid - the 3 H's as we say in New England. "Its not the heat, its the humidity"! School shopping today with my youngest. He can't wait to get new backpack, pencils, etc! 6th grade, OMG! where did the time go? I feel old. I remember 6th grade vividly. Being so nervous.Wow.

Second Post

2005-08-13T01:56:00.000-04:00

Well, it took me a while, but I figured it out. Tonight there is a meator shower. Robbie (my youngest) wants me to wake him up at 2:30 so we can see it. Paul (my oldest) is planning on being up, since he can sleep late tomorrow. Summer camp is over. Only a few weeks till school starts. I am getting tired. but this blog thing is getting addicting. Well, I am sure it will last a few weeks and I will be bored of it!!! LOL I am sitting next to the hampster's house (his name is Fudgy, he is a white teddy bear hampster, soo cute) and he is climbing up his water bottle, trying to get out and drive. Let me explain that one - Robbie got him this car with a wheel in it, you put the hampster in the wheel, click it into the car frame and presto, the hampster is driving around the house in his hot rod! it is very cute. Well goodnite to anyone who finds this. going to bed. Hubby has been sleeping a while. He worked hard today.

My First Blog Entry

2005-08-12T22:41:00.000-04:00

Is this thing on? Anyone out there! My first entry on my blog. Let's see what kind of life this thing takes on. I found this site by accident. I was watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (my favorite show) and he had a guest talking about war blogs. So I kicked the kids offline and got on to investigate. I found this site and said what the heck! so here I am!