Night of Joy

You would think after growing up in Orlando I would have attended at least this at least one year! So deprived.

Stupid Surveys from Myspace

A is for Age of first Kiss: 15- It was on lunch break between classes.

B is for booze of choice: Long Island Ice Tea.

C is for career: Slave? Oh no, bridal consultant.

D is for your dad's name: Tom

E is for essential items to bring to a party: a sense of humor.

F is for favorite song at the moment: When the Saints by Sara Groves

G is for favorite game: Alissa's "telephone" game. Does it even have a name?

H is for hometown: Orlando, FL.

I is for instruments you play: Piano. I used to be able to play clarinet.

J is for jam or jelly you like: Eh.

K is for kids?: Yup.

L is for last text message?: "Possibly. When would you have to know by?" -Amber.

M is for mom's name: Jean.

N is for name of your crush: My crush? I have a crush on Jim.

O is for overnight hospital stays: Once when I was 5 because I had a kidney infection.

P is for phobias: Frogs.

Q is for quotes you like: "If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don't, they never were". - Kahlil Gibran

R is for relationship that lasted the longest: I think Jim is in the lead.

S is for sexual preference: I like men.

T is for time you wake up: Depends. Today I woke up at 10am.

U is for underwear: Yup. Always.

V is for vegetable you love: I'm beginning to enjoy a variety of them.

W is for worst habit: Assuming.

X is for x-rays you've had: Dental and MRI.

Y is for yummy food you make: I loooove chocolate chip cookies! Great comfort food.

Z is for zodiac sign: Scorpio... determined and forceful. Emotional and intuitive. Powerful and passionate. Exciting and magnetic.

PMDD

I've been diagnosed with it. The medicine that I did take for it continuously gave me migraines. So I just have to deal with it. I don't normally advertise this, but it might explain my actions in the past two days even though it's a lame excuse. Sorry.

Alex's 1st Birthday

I can't believe it's actually been a full year since our nephew has been born. Jim and I went up to VT this weekend to attend his birthday party. It was descent. Knowing how to plan events and party techniques I could've elaborated a little bit more, but this isn't my kid so I kept my mouth shut and just observed and enjoyed. Whenever I go to a wedding or a birthday party, I always try to collect mental tips that I can use in the future. Later that night, when the kid was asleep we watched Dejavu on demand. On demand is super cool. You just click on the movie and you can watch it anytime. Hence the name "demand." Imagine that! Oh, and the movie was super cool too.

On that note, off to work I go tomorrow!

When The Saints

Lord I have a heavy burden of all I've seen and know
It's more than I can handle
But your word is burning like a fire shut up in my bones
and I cannot let it go

And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

Lord it's all that I can't carry and cannot leave behind
it often overwhelms me
but when I think of all who've gone before and lived the faithful life
their courage compells me
And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I see the shepherd Moses in the Pharohs court
I hear his call for freedom for the people of the Lord

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awakening to the value of her soul

I see the young missionary and the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear

I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sisters standing by the dying man's side

I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down the door

I see the man of sorrows and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy load

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
and when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

It' Been Awhile

What's the last thing you put in your mouth?
Water

Have you ever kissed anyone named Dave?
Yes.

Where was your default picture taken?
At Sheetz last summer in VA.

Last person you rode in a car with under the age of 20?
Kristen

Can you play guitar hero?
I'm sure I can.

Last time you walked further than a block?
This weekend in Boston.

Name someone that made you laugh today?
Jim

When was the last time you saw number 1 on your top friends?
Tonight

How late did you stay up last night and why?
12.30- because we got home late from seeing The Dark Knight.

If you could move somewhere else, would you?
I'm quite content.

Ever been kissed under fireworks?
Yes.

Which of your friends lives closest to you?
Alissa.

Do you believe ex's can be friends?
If they have to.

Do you prefer to call or text?
I like texting. It's fun to do at work. :)

How do you feel about Diet Dr Pepper?
I don't drink it.

When was the last time you cried really hard?
About a week ago when I became really stressed with work.

Where are you at right now?
In my bedroom.

What bed did you sleep in last night?
My own.

What was the last thing someone bought for you?
Jim bought me dinner. haha.

When is your birthday?
October 28th

Who took your profile picture?
I think Jim?

Who was the last person you took a picture of?
My sister asleep in the car going to the airport.

Was yesterday better than today?
Yes!

Can you live a day without TV?
Yup.

Are you mad about anything?
No :)

Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
Sure why not. Just as long as you both agree they are.

Last time you spent the night at someone's house?
Friday night I spend the night at my mom and sister's hotel if that counts.

When was the last time you were extremely disappointed?
The other day.

Are you a bad influence?
I hope not.

Night out or night in?
Depending on the weather.

Are you more of a quiet individual or an outgoing person?
I'm the social butterfly.

What items could you not go without during the day?
My cell phone.

Would you share a drink with a stranger?
Maybe? Probably not.

Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
I have no clue.

Last hug?
Jim.


Do you think its right for straight guys to get their tongue pierced?
I don't like it.


Are you more of a coffee or alcohol drinker?
I can go for coffee liquor.

Have you ever thrown shoes on a telephone wire?
Nope.

What does the last text message in your inbox say?
"Hi Erin- we made it back to Orlando and got home around 11pm. Love you and miss you!"-mom.

How do you feel about your life right now?
Itching.

How many times have you been pulled over by the police?
To get a ticket? Once.

Do you hate anyone?
Nope.

Did you have a Valentine?
Yup. Forever and for always.

Anyone upset you lately?
Yes.

Last person you talked to on the phone?
Some bride.

Can you easily tell if someone is fake?
Absolutely.

How's your heart?
Beating at a steady pace.

Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?
Yes.

Wild Wild West

I have to compliment the stockroom people at work. Each morning when I arrive at work, they're working hard...with the best music ever! Whoever makes their mix CDs really needs to make me a copy for me. I mean, we all need some pumped up music if we're going to be in the dark for an hour before the store opens. Maybe not, I already get distracted by dancing with them while getting ready for the day anyway. Here's a prime example of one of their great picks. I haven't heard this song in ten years and immediately it was stuck in my head all day. The video is a little strange, and the context of the lyrics are a little vulgar, but it has a great beat!!!

School Answering Machine

This is hilarious - no wonder some people were offended! This is the message that the Pacific Palisades High School California staff voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine.

This is the actual answering machine message for the school. This came about because they implemented a policy requiring students and parents to be responsible for their children's absences and missing homework.

The school and teachers are being sued by parents who want their children's failing grades changed to passing grades - even though those children were absent 15-30 times during the semester and did not complete enough school work to pass their classes.

The outgoing message:

Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all the options before making a selection:

To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1
To make excuses for why your child did not do
his work -Press 2
To complain about what we do - Press 3
To swear at staff members - Press 4
To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5
If you want us to raise your child - Press 6
If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7
To request another teacher, for the third time this year - Press 8
To complain about bus transportation - Press 9
To complain about school lunches - Press 0
If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!
If you want this in Spanish, move to a country that speaks it

Humanly Hate

I'll admit it: I'm stubborn. Too independent. Has to finish what I start. Perfectionist. Put all that together in a typical A personality and let the emotions run wild. So when something irks me, it irks me for a long time.

God tells us not to hate. Love our neighbor. Keep our friends close, and our enemies closer. Blah blah blah. However, when it comes to one person in particular, I will always hatred towards him. I have tried to like him. I've even tried to welcome him into the family in the beginning. I have tried to the 5th degree but it just didn't work. My grandmother's second husband came into our lives like a huge whirlwind and took over our family before we could even introduce ourselves. He was manipulative from the gecko, and didn't stop there with the possessiveness he had for her. For everyone that doesn't know him will never understand how I feel. I'm not the hating type. I dislike people. Everyone does. And when you do, you just try to avoid them. You can't avoid someone when they're married into your family with that I will never call him family.

He controlled her. Spit on us. Manipulated others. Told lies about me and my sister. Talked about how great his first wife was all the time. Shall I go on? He passed away in the summer of 1999 and we sighed with relief that we might be able to put this chapter behind us. Not so fast. His children also hated my grandmother and wanted to make her life a living hell.

Almost ten years after his death, this battle is still going strong. His daughter has deserted an elderly lady of her spendings by not supporting her with the money her father left behind. How cruel, selfish, bitchy, and self centered can one person be? It hurts me to see my grandmother living this way. She tells me not to worry, but I do. "It's called faith, Erin." my she said to me yesterday afternoon. "I've lived 85 years. Through wars, deaths and other unfortunate times, but everything seems to work out in the end." Ok, so tell me: When does it end with him? He passed away a decade ago but his children are still abusing her. When will they go away?

I've tried to ask God to heal my heart about the hate I have for him. I even tried to forgive him. After all, everyone deserves a second chance. I can't. I've come to the conclusion that as long as I am living I will hate him more and more each day. I'm not going to make it my goal, but that is how my feelings for him will grow. For the past 12 years, since I was introduced to him my skin has always crawled with discuss whenever someone has mentioned his name, or worse, when I come across a picture of the two of them. My grandmother will always be right. We all need faith. We all need love. We all need hope. Hope that his children will be punished for their actions.

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

Home of the Brave

Take a minute to visulize Freancis Scott Key writing this legandary song, (that became our official anthem in 1931) out on a boat looking over the battles of Fort Henry during the war of 1812.

When I was in grade school we had to memorize the whole song. Read the lyrics. They're pretty deep. What a genius.


Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

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