Wednesday, May 28, 2008

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Just as the caption puts it "checking in" ~ I've had the cold flu the last few days and have been feeling utterly crappy, still am ~ tried going to work yesterday and wound up going home and I called in today, been running a fever, coughing a lung out, head stuffy, aching, sneezing etc. etc.  I just had gotten over a stomach flu a few days before this ughhhhhhhh I hate it.  Anyway, I wanted to let you know what I'm doing or NOT doing and that sooner or later I'll be back to write a entry.  Cindy is probably tired of my ass being sick all the time lately.  Toodles.

 

Sunday, May 25, 2008

I've been meandering about You Tube again ~ and found a couple of video's/song's that appeal to me, rather strongly in fact...I'm one of those people that listens to the words, the meaning or what I perceive the meaning to be for me, myself and I... life's lessons are a good basis for expression when people write these songs.  In the medieval times they had troubadours and bards that spread the news of the time, that spoke of life lessons ~ they've merely been replaced with the life and time's of today.  I find that with these thoughts that others express thru music and ballads, I find strength, humility and compassion yet also conviction thru anger etc.
 
Following is a video/song by Rascal Flatts called  "Stand" ~~ enjoy.
 
 
 
 
Stand
 
You feel like a candle in a hurricane
Just like a picture with a broken frame
Alone and helpless like you've lost your fight
But you'll be alright
You'll be alright

Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend, till you break
Cause it's all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad you get strong
Wipe your hands shake it off
Then you stand
Then you stand

Life's like a novel with the end ripped out
The edge of a canyon with only one way down
Take what you're given before its gone
Start holding on, keep holding on

Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend, till you break
Cause it's all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad you get strong
Wipe your hands shake it off
Then you stand (then you stand)
Yea, then you stand (then you stand)

Everytime you get up
And get back in the race
One more small piece of you
Starts to fall into place, yea
Ooohhh

Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend, till you break
Cause it's all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad you get strong
Wipe your hands shake it off
Then you stand (then you stand)
Then you stand (then you stand)
Yea, then you stand (then you stand)
Yea (then you stand)
Ohhh (then you stand)
Ohhh (then you stand)
Ohhh (then you stand)
Ohhh (then you stand)
Then you stand

Monday, May 19, 2008

 
 
Well, we had a good weekend Cindy and I.
Cindy's nephew had a good b'day party...we had hotdog's and sandwiches, chips, soda and cupcakes (he had already had his birthday cake the weekend before) now, C's nephew is handicapped (has a bad left arm and leg) and he can't hold a softball bat with two hands, he can only use one ~ well, one of his cousins (a little girl about 8 yrs old) she plays a lot of softball (it's in the blood in Texas girls I swear) wouldn't give C's nephew the bat when it came to his turn and it upset me because she was deliberately ignoring B. and it was hurting B's feelings and he was getting mad, he deals with this at school with kid's picking on him etc. because of his handicaps ~ not to mention the mean things they say to him because he can't do what they can (like run, play on the monkey bars etc.) and it ticks B. off because he's picked on and because he get's frustrated he can't do what the other kid's can.  Children can be cruel and the thing is? the majority of parents and school faculty (when he's at school) don't do a thing about it (it's the oh, isn't that cute <referring to their own children>)  With B.? He can't come to your world, he's incapable because of his handicap, you have to go to HIS.  Anyway I was eying that little girl and getting ready to go grab her by the ear if she didn't quit messing with B.  C's father nor her stepmother were doing a damned thing about it, C's Mom wasn't looking or there would have been hell to pay believe me, you don't mess with Mama Bear's cub... the little girl caught me giving her "the look" and she dropped the bat and wondered off with her eyes downcast because she knew she was WRONG.  B. went over and picked up the bat which is hard for him one handed...and he was up there swinging his little heart out.  He's such a FIGHTER and it's wonderful.  One day I will go into a  little more detail about B's handicap's and how they came about (he was born with a tumor in the arachnid level of his brain <the deepest level, there are 3 levels of the brain>).  He is such a lover but he's spunky to LOL. 
The rest of the weekend C and I did things around the house, the yard etc. All in all I guess it was a nice weekend.
Going to go for now, hope everyone has a good week.
 
    

 
 
I was reading a journal of a friend of mine and she posted this clip from You Tube, I loved it, Bethe has some really interesting entries if you want to go check her journal "Palm Harbor".  The reason I'm posting this clip is simply because I really liked it and I never seem to find these kind of clips on You Tube ~ (insert sigh here) lol. 
 
 

Saturday, May 17, 2008

                                

 

Good Morning everyone,
Hope this entry finds everyone fine as can be.
 
Sorry I haven't written much in the last couple of weeks for the exception of my rant and then my rave.  I had a few comments for those two and thank you very much to the one's that did comment ~ it was appreciated.  Probably offended some others that may usually read my journal, but? it's my journal and I'm so tired of apologizing for things I write or even don't write that I'm over it.  Silence speaks the most volumes at times doesn't it? Truth.
 
 
On with what else has been going on in my life for the last couple weeks!
The week before this (Monday) Cindy had to go in and have what may have turned into a carcinoma removed on her back so she was off of work that day ~ we wound up driving over to Louisiana (Shreveport) and having a wonderful day there at the Boardwalk, we shopped around, didn't buy much but I couldn't resist the kitchen gadget store ROFL.  We ate early dinner there at the Saltgrass Steakhouse sitting on the river that goes through Shreveport there (the casino's are just down the river).  We also got a couple of ice cream cakes from ColdStone Creamery (I think  it's ColdStone  LOL) One was for her Nephew's b'day and one was just for us.  All in all it was such a nice trip to be able to get out on our own with no distractions (phone ringing constantly etc.) and we were able to have "Cindy and Teresa" time.  I wish we could have taken more time but it's always rush, rush, rush.  One day maybe we won't have to rush, rush, rush.
 
 
Work has been hectic and for all the hectic the tips have been absolutely crappy.  People in this area of Texas have NO NO NO idea how to tip!!  Frankly, I'm getting really tired of paying for someone else to go out to eat and that's what server's do when their "guests" don't tip appropriately.  We wind up paying the taxes NO MATTER WHAT that the tips help pay with the minimum wage...here in Texas (which will ONE day catch up with the real world as far as minimum wage is concerned ~ don't see those freaking fat cats of the oil industry or other "fat cats from other areas" worrying about changing the laws raising the minimum wage bothering them, it doesn't ~ is us that has to suffer. (insert sigh here) let's see who else doesn't comment today with THAT statement.  Anyway, Server's in Texas and a few other states make $2.13 a hour and have to make the difference up in tips ~ okay on with the other countdowns of our paychecks...we have to report at least 15% of our tips (whether we make it or not) or lose our jobs; we have to tip out the busser, the bartender & the hostess ~ another 10 to 15 dollars per shift (whether we use them or not).  okay, when diner's do not tip at least 15% that means in a sense that I am paying for a part of your dining experience.  I can understand when people don't tip because of crappy service, but when you receive crappy service please make sure it's the Server's fault and not the fault of the kitchen, the cook or management before you "chose" to be an a**hole and stiff someone.  Those Server's still have to pay for your temper tantrum.  For myself?  when service is bad (which rarely happens because I do my utmost to make sure your dining experience is a very good one ~ sometimes though things beyond my control can change your dining experience and though it is not my fault, I expect a stiff or close to it). Server's work their literally "asses" off ~ don't forget that, it's not a easy job at all, it's very hard on one physically and mentally.  Not to mention all the work we do when the guests aren't watching, the cleaning, the scrubbing, rolling hundreds of rolls of silverware ~ all for $2.13 a hour.  Just think about it the next time you dine out ~ if you can't afford a tip because you didn't factor that in when you went into the place to dine?  go to McDonald's or somesuch where you don't have to tip.  Also ~ when you are adding up your debit or credit card charge?  pleeeeze don't add enough of a tip to just make your adding better for your checkbook?   don't take something and make it a even $25 or $30 just because you are too lazy to want to go to the effort in your checkbook to balance it, that's also not our fault, tip appropriately for the service you receive ~ 15% for good ~ if you think it was a little better than good? 20% is great...if you want to leave more? excellent.  For the one's that don't tip, or tip badly ~ believe me, we Server's do remember you and it get's spread around that you are a bad tipper and are hard to deal with.  That's not a good thing for YOU as a guest...we aren't going to bust our butt's for someone that doesn't appreciate it.  You tip well, we remember that also...and you get the service accordingly.
My least favorite type of guest that comes in the place I work?? The "lovely" ladies that work in offices on their lunch breaks...they want this, this and this... they demand everything ~ they run up a tab ~ upwards of maybe $15 dollars? where I've run my ass off for you? where I've made sure your drink was never empty, that your bread is kept full, where your food arrived hot and correct as you wanted it?  you leave me $1.00. or somesuch ~ believe me ladies WE as servers remember you and you can be sure you won't receive as good a service as you did on this visit.  As I said, you can't afford a place where you are supposed to leave a tip?  go to McDonald's or a gas station store and grab you a sandwich there. (shrug)
 
 
Needless to say this past week has been nuts as hell, work has been slow, steady and at times frantic.
The boys are doing nicely ~ we think that Lares may have accidentally hurt Draco in the dog run, because Draco has become very leery about going out there without Cindy or I...he's lost confidence and he used to me the most mischievous one!  Hopefully we can train Lares to stay off of his brother when they are out there alone... Lares tries to "herd" Draco all the time when they are out there and like I mentioned I think Lares may have hurt Draco recently in doing so...Lares has this habit of going after the back of Draco's leg's in order to "herd" him and think he may have bit too hard one time. Poor Baby :(
 
 
I'm off for 3 whole days!!!!!  It's Saturday and I'm not working :)  Today is Cindy's nephew's b'day party at the park, so we (about 10 to 15 of us) are going to have a little picnic for him.  It should be fun and it's supposed to be a beautiful day... no rain.  And gosh have we had a lot of rain lately...storm after storm after storm.  I love it... lol.
 
 
Okay, I guess I'll go... I need to get some things done.  Will try to write again either today or within the next couple.
 
Bright Blessings*
 

Monday, May 12, 2008

Okay now that I've ranted (& WILL again I'm sure) I'll rave :)

Okay on with my Raves  not a Rant ~
 
I love this Country, it is one of the most diverse and beautiful places on the entire planet, you can go to Tropical Beaches, to Mountains of excruciating beauty, to the deserts, to Forests that are so old that our great, great, great grandparents could have seen them...(what stories could be told by these most ancient of trees?  what have they seen? heard?) It's beyond comprehension at times I think to even imagine the bounty that is here.
 
There are people that are truly wonderful people, people that help others in their time of need or even in times of abundance.  There are people that give everything they have and of themselves (at time at the price of their lives) to be helpful.  People that are open minded, not caring if one happens to go "against the grain" in society.  People that suffer from illnesses that are incurable yet they still try to bolster others in their own times of tribulation... people whose hearts are full of love, compassion.
 
We have one of the best educational systems in the world (though yes, it does need some help), we have one of the best medical programs in the world here (yes, that could use some help also..and yes, at times you can only use it if you have the $$$). The government isn't ALL bad, though the majority of it is. I just can't get past the word politician without feeling ucky about it LOL.
 
I'm free ~ I'm free to eat what I want, read what I want, say what I want, (though that really isn't the truth in some situations...if I said outwardly in some areas of this country that I was a lesbian, better yet if I mentioned that I was Pagan...I could be shot, murdered, ostracized by society because they are ignorant little cretins) For the most part it's a good thing, a great thing...yes, I'm PROUD to be an American...
I just wish things were better for all of us (the one's that don't all in the "rich" category, those people can afford to pay for their "better") ::yes, I had to get my little slam in there:: LOL.
 
Below are pictures that I've found on the internet, places from all over the Continental U.S. of A.  to show the richness of diversity that our land holds... from Alaska, to the Pacific Northwest, to the Deserts in the Southwest, the Central U.S. of A., the Dakota's, the Northeast, the Southeast ~ it's all beautiful in it's very special way.
 
A Fishing Village in Alaska
 
 
 
A beach in Florida
 
 
A Buffalo in North Dakota
 
 
Deserts & Canyons from the Southwest
 
Cowboy doing the "real thing" in Texas
 
 
A beautiful lake in Massachusetts
 
 
The Cascade Mountain Range that runs from Oregon down into Northern California
 
Multnomah Falls in Oregon
 
 
 
Old Growth Forest in the Pacific Northwest
 
 
Sea Turtle in the Pacific Ocean off of the Coast of Hawaii
 
 
Beautiful Sunflowers from Kansas in the Central part of the U.S.
 
 
 
A Tornado and a Storm that precedes one in Kansas
 
 
 
 

Aggravated and yes, I'm ranting...

 
I'm going to write today about things I don't normally write about ~ I'm not "all knowledgeable" in these areas, these are just my thoughts and viewpoints... my opinions based on what I DO know and that isn't a lot LOL.  What I write will be disjointed and jump from place to place but I'm writing as I think of things not with "perfect english "metaphors" or otherwise" it's me writing from being sick to death of the way things are being done here or for the most part NOT done.  I may even put some boxers/panties in a wad but what the hell??

First of all ~ anyone remember Hurricane Katrina???? how New Orleans/Mississippi etc. still haven't been rebuilt after that horrible incident? Discovering that YES, New Orleans Parish's CAN sue the Army Corp of Engineers for being lazy in constructing the levies and cheap in the materials they used to build said levies? I say New Orleans citizens? go for it... the ACOE thought that they were above being able to be sued because they were protected under that big government umbrella, not so ~ yet I still think that the "government" is using the ACOE  as the fall guy to accept blame for not helping/following through with the promised help after the tragedy.  Here we sit watching Bush and his cronies supporting a war in Iraq that has in the last couple years been swiftly losing the support of the people of this Nation, we, The People support unreservedly our Troops that are over there, in fact in ANY part of the world where our presence is needed... we have been steadily losing faith in our Government the ability to know what they hell exactly they are doing.  We as a people watch as our taxes that we  pay (which we work DAMN hard for in this country) be given away in other areas too.  The majority of said money is not even used in this country, it is used in other places ~ when our homelessness, hungry adults & children, our own personal tragedies  i.e. tornadoes/floods/hurricanes, providing health/medical insurance for ALL citizens in this country etc. are taken care of, THEN worry about the rest of this world.  I'm sick to death of politicians being pampered & catered to by the lobbyists of the big corporations paving their pockets with perks, monetarily, gift wise (trips, food, car's etc. etc.) when this country's economy is going to hell in a handbasket.  Frankly?  I think at times that we need to boot the whole bunch out that are in office and put blue collar workers in there to run this country, the one's that are REALLY aware of what is going on.  The one's that have to struggle to pay their mortgages, their rent, put food on their tables, gas in their vehicles, pay Dr's their outlandish fee's, pay insurance companies for something they don't provide, make sure the power stays on so in the winter they don't freeze to death or in summer that people don't die from heat stroke.  Put people in there that REALLY know what the heck is going on and don't pose for photographs showing their "empathy & I SO understand what you are going through" crap that they have no idea what they are talking about or even have a clue as to how the majority of the people in this country live.  Face it, if you aren't rich, if you aren't a politician, the head of a large corporation or something like that ~ you face a struggle throughout your entire life just trying to "make ends meet".  We need to demand absolutely for the government to answer and to MAKE itself accountable to the people. 
:::And no, it's not just Republicans I feel like this about, it's ALL politicians:::
 
Exxon, Chevron, Shell (the three top gasoline/oil providers) here have made huge and I mean HUGE profits for their CEO's and upper management workers the past couple years, there is no reason for this and it is totally unacceptable.  They have NO accountability!!  Why should they when a couple of their biggest supporters reside in the White House?? Bush & Cheney have been having their personal pockets paved with gold ~ all based on riding the back of hard working Americans.  Not to mention that Bush allows his personal beliefs (religiously) to become part of his decisions that he makes while in office, the man is a freaking tyrant and so is Cheney, if not more so.  They've made this Country a laughing stock and absolutely HATED in other parts of the world.  Their arrogance is only matched with their freaking stupidity (and all their cronies that cowtail to his "iron fist" of what I think of as tyranny).  Whatever happened to "separation of Church and State"? Religion and Politics or the running of this Country do NOT mix ~ there was a reason the forefathers of this Country made that stipulation in a little tiny thing they created called "The Constitution" ~ "The Declaration of Independence".
 
oh sheesh, I'm so damned tired of the whole mess...and it is just that, a damned myopic mess... if I haven't made sense to anyone, I'm sorry (or am I?) these are purely things that I was thinking that maybe someone else that reads this journal are thinking, or they don't...whatever ~ it's my views and I have a right to state what those said views are.  After all, this IS the United States of America where FREEDOM OF SPEECH is a privilege my (yours too) founding fathers/mothers fought for... and yes, our wonderful military today and even those NOT in the military.  They may not be right? whatever... it's me venting out of frustration and sick to death of the lies.
 
peace out*
 

Saturday, May 3, 2008