i'm ok

I'll be ok. Right now, I'm in a haze. I'm at work, having been off since Wednesday afternoon. My co-workers have been so supportive.

Joe's been working too much, and has been sleeping poorly. I don't know whether he's told his work. I hope so.

Maddy's been talking about Uncle Steven dying again - her way of dealing with death. This morning, as we were getting ready for our day, I said I was still pretty sad. She said she was too. I told her that it's always ok to talk about feelings. We talked a little bit about the two babies who died and I told her that we really didn't know why they died. She looked at me and smiled and said "Isn't it great that I didn't die!" .

Wow. She hit it on the head. She is such a special kid. She is definitely someone who is helping me keep it together.

even as we go about our daily lives....

What craziness is this world!

life is (or how I describe life right now)

• crazy busy
• snowy and windy and blustery
• wintery
• sinus cruddy
• fun politically
  
• stressful
  
• never boring!
  

Presidential candidates ... who really represents your beliefs the best?

Very impressive. I was a bit shocked about who matched my beliefs. Check it out!



"Glassbooth connects you to the presidential candidate that represents your beliefs the best."

Glassbooth is a nonprofit organization that is creating innovative ways to access political information. An informed and interested democracy is a powerful thing. As an organization acting in the public’s interest, we are very serious about our core principles:

• Integrity

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Park(ing) Day 2007

Happy Park(ing) Day!

What? You don't know about this holiday? Go here! It explains a lot that it has originated from San Francisco, but it truly is great idea.

Why PARK(ing)?

More than 70% of most cities' outdoor space is dedicated to the private vehicle while only a fraction of that land is allocated to open space for people. Around the nation, inexpensive curbside parking results in increased traffic, wasted fuel, and more pollution. It’s time to rethink the way streets are used!

A metered parking spot is an inexpensive short-term lease for a 10'x20' plot of land. Imagine what you can do in a space usually dedicated to private vehicle storage. Parking Day began in a single metered parking spot in San Francisco and then spread around the world. People who want more open space, less traffic, and safer streets have joined together.

RIP

too true

Without Prejudice?

Are you WITHOUT PREJUDICE?

Watch what happens on this new Game Show Network interesting series. You'll be surprised. I was.

HP#7

When Tracy called to tell me my copy of book 7 arrived, I did the happy dance! I pictured myself at a Potterhead self-help session, " Hello, my name is Karen and I'm a Potterhead.".

Oh well, I'm in good company.

Yes, I prepared sufficiently for the release date by re-reading each book yet again. I've done that before - so I've actually read #1 6 times, #2 5 times, etc... At least I don't have different publication versions like some people I know. Don't you think that would be excessive?

hah!

The longest day

I've always loved the solstices (or is it solstici?) . Today, June 21, is the Summer Solstice. Here are some random links. I love the sunrise picture.

Great Lake Michigan Sunrise #2
Scientific
Pagan

Rethinking How Title IX Is Applied

Morning Edition, May 2, 2007 · As more young women go to college funding for some men's sports will be reduced to comply with Title IX. That's the federal law requiring schools to offer athletic programs in proportion to gender population. Should the law be tweaked to address inconsistencies?

Listen to Frank Deford's take on Title IX. I was never an athlete, but I am a musician. As I was driving down to work, listening to his very thoughtful commentary, I found myself applauding his suggestions.

Of course it is!

The full moon, that is. Craziness seems to be running rampant in our household.

The carpet removal was successful (thanks to Jodi, Gavin, Teresa, Jason, Terri, and Julie!). The result - something that looks like a brand new house! Getting all of our house back in some semblance of order is the tricky part. But I'm pleased it looks as good as it does.

Of course, however, the Jetta has decided to caput. SOOO...off to the used car lots with the little $ we have to find a replacement.

Maddy has decided that she wants to see the moon while she goes to bed. The moon, however, has not been cooperating, ending in tears and frustration for all.

*sigh* Life is crazy, but I wouldn't know what do with myself if it were any other way!

Happy May Day everyone!

I should be happy...

As a lifelong Democrat supporter, I should be ecstatic about the key wins for the party. I should be happy that our governor has been re-elected, the senate race was won by a Democrat, and other key races were won by Democrats. So why am I so sad? I suspect two reasons:

1. The two-party system seems to have melted into a choice for the better of two evils. I suspect Republicans feel the same way about their party's nominees. I have reservations about the Democrat winner, and I did consider voting Independent, but I didn't want it to be a "wasted-vote".
   
   
2. The referendum results astounded, shocked and dismayed me, not just here in NE Wi, but elsewhere. I'm thrilled that abortion rights were upheld, stem-cell research was legalized and that minimum wages were raised in a few states.
   
   
   YEAH!
   
   
   However, it saddened me that 7 out of 8 states banned same-sex marriage and referendi (I think that's the proper Latin plural) to legalize or allow medical marijuana were rejected.
   
   Wow.
   
   I'm astounded that people are so afraid of people different than themselves and so utterly ignorant of the real reasons why these bills should have been defeated.
   
   I blame it on the insurance and the drug industry and no doubt suspect much money was spent by these companies on making sure same-sex couples (as well as opposite-sex unmarried couples) did not receive benefits. And my take on marijuana is this: for many people who are able to or medically need to, ingesting marijuana in moderation shouldn't be a crime. It's been proven to alleviate pain and nausea. I'd rather do that than finding out the side-effects of pain-medication or anti-nausea medication.
   

Doing the right thing....

This town has been abuzz about the recent arrests and charges against three local teens allegedly planning on committing a Columbine-like attack at Green Bay East High School.

William Cornell, Shawn Sturtz and Bradley Netwal, all of Green Bay, were charged in Brown County court with conspiracy to commit first-degree intentional homicide and conspiracy to commit damage to property by use of explosive.

Source: Green Bay Press Gazette

What's remarkable is how they were arrested. 17 year old Matt Atkinson, a friend of two of the arrested boys, came forward about what he knew and what he suspected. And today, he's been chosen as ABC's Person of the Week:

Atkinson named ABC's person of week for tip about East plot. A crew from ABC News is expected to be in Green Bay today working on a piece about Matt Atkinson, the 17-year-old Green Bay East High School student who told school officials last week about an alleged plot to attack the school.

Atkinson is expected to be featured as Person of the Week on ABC World News, though ABC told WBAY, Channel 2, that he will not be doing an interview for the piece.

Source: Green Bay Press Gazette

Congratulations, Matt. Green Bay is proud of you!

Something you don't see everyday....

Northeast Wisconsin doesn't have much in the way of violent assaults. Murders are (fairly and thankfully) rare. It's not 100% free of violence, but it's a small enough town that violence isn't prevalent.

Last night, however, there was an armed robbery - with a knife. No one was hurt. The suspect was still at large when I drove to work.

As I was driving to work, I noticed two police cars in from of a motel - one marked, the other un-marked - blocking entrance to the motel. It struck me as odd, so I kept looking, and it was then I noticed police surrounding the outside perimeter of the motel with weapons drawn. One of those weapons was a rifle. EEP! Not something you see everyday!!! It turned out to be a false alarm, but oh man, it got my attention!

I remember, and yet....

Everytime I think about 9/11/2001 and where I was and what has happened since that day, my heart grows heavy. Of course I remember where I was, what I was doing, and how I felt. I wonder how many years must pass for all of us to be able to talk about a normal September 11 without somehow remembering that black day.

Even with that horror, I fear my country's government has played us all for fools. I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired with "them" using fear as their primary tactic to gain access to personal, PRIVATE information, to defend their baseless war against the people of Iraq, and to create a society which is less secure than it was before that Tuesday long ago.
I'm hoping to change my attitude and quell my fear by voting in this month's primaries tomorrow for at least one person, Jamie Wall, whose values and beliefs mirror my own. Will you join me in "being the change you want to see in the world" (taught Gandhi).

Namaste

Alas, poor Pluto....

or... And then there were 8 (planets, that is)

My first impression was the use of mnemonics to remember the previous 9:

• Men Very Easily Make Jugs Serve Useful Nocturnal Purpose
• My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas
• My Very Easy Method-Just Set Up Nine Planets
• Mary's Violet Eyes Make John Stay Up Nights Praying
• Mary's Violet Eyes Make John Stay Up Nights, Period.
• My Very Energetic Mother Just Sat Upon (the) North Pole
• My Very Elegant Mother Just Sat Upon Nine Porcupines
• My very educated mother just sent us nine pickles.
• My very educated mother just served us nine peas.
• My very excellent memory just served up nine planets.
• Man very early made jars stand up nearly perpendicular.

(thanks, to Amanda for this list!)

Poor kids, missing out on that pizza! Can't wait to see what the new mnemonics will be!