Happy New Year!

Happy new year to all! I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful night! Here's to a new year!!! Woooooo-hooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Note From A US Navy Sailor

I received this email today from our friend Jason who is currently serving in the US Navy. I think it has a wonderful message. Jason: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, as well! I can't thank you enough for serving our country! Hope to see you next year! And so this is Christmas……. As I sit here off the coast of Somalia on this Christmas Eve, my thoughts are on home, of course. I miss you all and am thinking about each and every one of you and hoping that you’re all well and having the very best Christmas possible. If anyone had told me 10 years ago that I would be in the Navy someday and spending my Christmas Eve 2008 in The Indian Ocean off of Somalia watching a vessel full of pirates with hostages, I’m sure I would have gotten great amusement out of that thought and wondered how much drugs they had taken to come up with such a thought. But here I am all the same, floating half the world away from all the people that I love. I have to believe that there is a reason I joined the Military. So many people have asked me that question, over the past 9 years that I have served, and I really don’t ever have a straight forward answer. It was really just something that occurred to me one night and so I did it. I know that many bets were placed at the time about how long I would actually last! But I did! And I think it may have been the best decision I have ever made…Even in my first enlistment I didn’t think I would stay in any longer than that first contract but for some reason I keep re-enlisting and all I can say now is God wants me here and someday maybe that answer will be clear to me. After all “Life is what happens when your busy making other plans” I have learned so much about myself and so much about people and the world it would be impossible to even explain these things to someone who has never served….. But the general idea, as once told to me by my mother, as was told to her by her Aunt Leila “Everyone shits on a pot”. Something I try to keep in mind everyday. I thank every one of you for the support and encouragement you give me and want you to know that’s what keeps me going on days like this (Christmas). It’s also what keeps the thousands of other Military men and women who are fighting for this country going whether or not we agree with the decisions the politicians in Washington make or not we are all here to support and defend the USA. I never had a love of country before I joined but I do now know what it means and have great pride in our nation and the young Men and Women who give their lives on foreign soil, far away from their family and friends, every day. Please think of those military personnel who are away from home on Christmas today, for their very first time as well as the families and friends of those who will never get to see their son or daughter, brother or sister, friend or partner ever again. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers, (if praying is your thing). And give them the encouragement and strength they need to get through it all and for those who can, to come home safe and healthy and much wiser about the world than they ever new could be possible! Thanks again for your love and support and know that although I am sad about being away from home today I did choose this life for myself and am happy to know that I am in one way or another helping to protect each of you, your children and their children’s freedom! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

So Glad I'm Not Back East

This is a picture I took from one of the local news sites back in Massachusetts. This was taken after the ice storm they had back on 12/12 or 12/13. Thousands of people lost their power after that ice storm, and some still didn't have it restored as of Sunday, 12/21. During the time they didn't have power, 1-2 feet of snow was dumped on them. Do you think these trees are bowing down to Mother Nature? It's gonna be a long, cold winter back there. It will be 60° here on Christmas day, unless that nasty cold front comes through, and then it will be 53° and rainy. I'm the first to admit that I hate the rain and nasty cold weather, but I'm so glad I'm not back east! A special Merry Christmas to our family and friends in the east! We love you and miss you!

A Very Special Birthday Shout-Out

Happy birthday to the man I love. He's a wonderful husband, brother and father. He's a brillant writer and a loyal friend. He keeps me sane, and keeps me going. When things get tough and I'm ready to throw in the towel, he makes me take a second look and reorganize.

He's a scary-looking biker to some, a dirty old biker to others, but to me he's the best man in the world. Happy birthday, Babe. I love you with all my heart.

Birthday Shout-Out!

Happy birthday to my friend Kim! Kim is a hot IT chick and a good friend. She's also the one who convinced me to start blogging!

I hope you have a great birthday, Champ!

BACA Clothing Drive - Pictures

Last night we had a great time at the BACA clothing drive benefitting the West Valley Child Crisis Center. Here are some of the pics I took.

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Just in case you were wondering...yes, we rode the bike. And when we left to go home at 2:30 a.m. it was a brisk 39°F outside. I was bundled up from head to toe in leather, flannel and fleece...and I still froze my ass off!

Navy v. Air Force

My son Rex, who just happens to be in the Navy sent me this picture yesterday. I think it's a riot. The caption reads: "America's Air Force -- No one comes close. 4 different uniforms, 5 different pieces of headgear, and one fat Colonel with her hands in her pockets." My reply to him was as follows: "Hey chickenshit, I noticed that of all the people you sent this to, your brother's email was suspiciously missing." His brother Eric is in the Air Force. I haven't gotten a reply yet. (I just love to stir the pot!) :)

BACA Clothing Drive

If you happen to be in Phoenix on December 19th or 20th, BACA is holding a clothing drive to benefit the West Valley Child Crisis Center. It's a great center that provides shelter for children who have been removed from their homes by Child Protective Services.

Here is the flyer:

If you want an actual copy of the flyer, I'll be happy to send one to you. :)

BACA State Picnic

The BACA State Picnic was on Saturday, 11/8/08. We had an absolutely fabulous time. I think the kids did, too. :) Sorry the pics took so long...I didn't have my camera and had to use Joker's (our AZ Joker) camera and then I had to wait until he gave me the cord for it! And Big D wrote an article about the picnic for Quick Throttle Magazine. It should be in next month's edition. When BACA submitted his story, the editor said, "Hey, that's really good...want a job?" She said, "I didn't write it, but I know who did!" Picture this, Big D's fantasy job: going to bike rallies to write about wet t-shirt contests for a living! :) We haven't heard anything from them, but we're hopeful.

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And today, Big D was with the BACA crew filming a TV ad for Meineke. So if you see any dirty bikers in a Meineke ad in the coming months, look closely! :)

It Is COLD!

Yes, it will be 73° later today, and yes, I have turned into a total wimp, but it's 46° right now (5:30 a.m.) and I am freezing! I have not turned on the heat yet, though. Everyone has blankets and sweats. I pay too damned much for my electric in the summer for having the a/c on, I'm not about to turn on the heat yet! :)

But there is one member of my family who is especially cold this morning. Well, two, but I only got a picture of the one.

Rascal, who is affectionately known here as "Fat Boy" is very cold! He's got really short fur. So, this morning Big D put a blanket over his head to get him out of the recliner. Usually, he will scramble out of the chair once this is done. Today, not so much. He just snuggled into it an popped his head out! Guess we're gonna have to buy him a sweater!

Big D is also very cold at this moment, as he's riding to work. And he's in a lot of pain with his shoulder and his ankle. But that's another story.

Hope all you mid-westerners and folks back east and up north don't jab me too hard for saying I'm cold! I admitted that I'm now a wimp! I'm adjusted to 113° in the summer!

Stay warm everyone!

A Christmas Story

Today, I asked Big D to get our Christmas tree out of the shed. That's where we store it. It's in these big rubbermaid containers. Sealed. No prob, right? Well, it hasn't been for the last 8 years...until now.

He did like a good hubby and got it out for me. After dinner, I cleared 'the spot' for the tree. Then I opened the first container. No issues, just metal branches with plastic greenery. All grouped together by letter.

Then I opened the large container, which has the base in it. I started taking out the larger groups of branches that are on top of everything....no issue. Then, I smell something weird. Then I pull out the base, and notice that it's wet. Condensation? Maybe. It did rain a few days ago.

Then I take out more groups of branches...and they are soaked. Big issue. There is about 2-3 inches of water in the bottom of the container. Rusty, smelly water. WTF???

I have put the tree in the back yard to dry out tomorrow. (God bless living in Arizona!) If the smell doesn't go away, we will be forced to buy a new tree. Just when I didn't need to spend any more money, I have to spend more money.

The upside to this is that we've had this tree for 10 years. It's not exactly a Charlie Brown tree, but it has definitely seen better days. I would be more upset if I bought the tree last year.

Anyone know where I can get a good deal on a fake tree?

A Cheery Little Post

Over the last few weeks, I have had nothing but bad news. I won't get into all the drama here, but no good has come out of the last few weeks, other than turkey. And to be perfectly honest, I'm already tired of turkey. Joker is missing, Big D hasn't been writing, Willy D has taken over as resident author. WTF? (BTW...Willy D has a great story going over there, too!) Anyway, Big D decided that we were going dancing. Yes, dancing. I have a little video of it. Click here to see it. Did you watch it....are you rolling on the floor yet? If not, watch again. Check the look on Big D's face. Can you say priceless? Yes, I'm bored. Yes, I actually have better things to do. But I haven't blogged in a while, and I have been doing schoolwork so long that I can't see straight right now. Hope you all enjoyed! ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Thanksgiving, no make that: MY Thanksgiving started last night. I was up until 2:00 a.m. baking. I baked 2 pumpkin pies, brownies, made fudge, and boiled eggs for the deviled eggs today. I also had to color my hair before I went to bed. No grays on turkey day! :) We're having 12 people over for dinner today, and we're going to have lots of food. I'll update the blog later with a picture of our feast. I hope everyone has a very happy Thanksgiving, and remember to give thanks!

Just A Quickie

I have been extremely busy between work and school and preparing for Thanksgiving. Here's a great quote I saw on my iGoogle yesterday: Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it. - Jane Wagner I hope everyone is living the dream, just like me! ;)

A Night Out

Yesterday, Big D finished working on Ken's bike. Please notice the empty lift in the garage. This meant that we had some $$ to go out. :) It also meant that Ken, being the great customer that he is, brought me some Blue Moon beer to get the night started off right. We met our friends Aaron & Vikky at a bar in the 'hood. And I mean really "in the hood". The top of the trash container was chained to the bottom part. I'm guessing people steal these? Big D says they're chained because people use them to beat the crap out of each other. See, I told you we were in the 'hood! Anyway, we played pool for a while. Then I had to start covering one eye to line up my shot...so we stopped. Gotta love draft beer. :) Here are a few more pics of the night.

Why We Live In Arizona

For all my friends who live in cold-weather areas, I feel for you. It gets cold, rainy, snowy, and nasty in the winter.

When we lived in Massachusetts, I can remember waking up in the winter after a night of snow to see if the landlord had plowed the driveway yet, or if I was going to have to just drive through the snow to get out and go to work.

I drove a '68 Chevy for a few years, and I remember sliding around on the ice in the winter...not fun.

Slush makes everything look dirty. It's always COLD. The kids get all bundled up to play in the snow; it takes about 20 minutes to get them all bundled up and as soon as they hit that cold air, they have to pee. So the undressing, and then the re-bundling begins. It's a nasty cycle.

And most importantly: no riding the motorcycle in the winter. Ugh!

So, this morning when I saw the 7-day forecast, I just had to take a picture for my cold-weather friends.

Yes, we live in paradise! ;)

Happy Veteran's Day

Otherwise known as Armistice Day, this is a day to remember all our veterans and thank them for their selfless service to our country. Here are my thank you's: To those that are still with us: Rex, Eric, Sam, Deja, Toshia, Jason, Zapata, Mike, Mark, John, Leif, Walt, Gene, Pops, and others too numerous to list here. To those that have passed but will never be forgotten: Dad, Uncle Bob, Uncle Hal, Uncle Russell, and Mark. I love and thank you all for your service!

Happy Anniversary Babe!

Saturday was our 11 year anniversary. Since a weekend in Lake Havasu wasn't in the budget this year, I decided we should do a day trip up north. What a gorgeous day it was! We went up through Wickenburg, Congress, Peeples Valley, and up to Kirkland, Prescott and Mayer. Our good friends Pops and 4-11 came with us, and I'm glad they did. We all had a great time. Thank you, Babe for a wonderful anniversary! It couldn't have been more perfect! I need more days like this...

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Election '08

I have found a website that I just love. No matter who you're voting for, this website is funny! Click on the door multiple times. :) Here is the link. Enjoy!

All About My Big D

I got this from Queen B's blog, and thought it was cute. Since I haven't blogged in a while, I thought I should post SOMETHING! :) Tonight was the last of my SOC/105 class from hell, so maybe I'll be able to blog a bit this week. I have a paper due for my next class starting next Tuesday, though, so I'll see what I can do. All About My Husband He’s sitting in front of the TV: what is on the screen? CSI (Miami, NY or Las Vegas), or something on the History Channel You’re out to eat. What kind of dressing does he get on his salad? Ranch What is one food he doesn’t like? Broccoli You go out to the bar. What does he order? Diet Coke, no ice. Where did he go to high school? Bristol Plymouth Regional Technical School, Taunton, MA What size shoe does he wear? 9 1/2 Triple E If he was to collect anything, what would it be? motorcycles (oh wait! he's collecting them already!) What is his favorite type of sandwich? Tuna What would the Husband eat every day if he could? Buffalo wings with bleu cheese dressing What is his favorite cereal? Captain Crunch What would he never wear? pink leather What is his favorite sports team? Doesn't watch sports Who will he vote for? he's undecided Who is his best friend? ME! What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn’t do? cry How many states has he lived in? I lost count after 3 What is his heritage? Norwegian and British You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind? doesn't matter, as long as it's orange and black and has a Harley logo on it. :) Did he play sports in high school? Ummmm, no. What could he spend hours doing? wouldn't you like to know? ;)

Belated Birthday Shout-Out

Boy, am I a crappy aunt, or what? My wonderful niece Jen, who often comments on my blog just celebrated her birthday on the 10th. We're all very proud of Jenny because she's a lawyer in Washington DC. She's a very smart and beautiful gal, and I love her very much. I wanted to find a picture of us when we were kids, but I couldn't. I'm sure she'll be quite happy! :) Happy birthday Jenny! I hope your day was great...and I hope you're not mad at me!

Easton's Run

I know I haven't posted in a while, but this will be worth it. Saturday, we rode with BACA on The First Annual Easton's Run. Easton was an 8-month-old baby who was badly beaten and killed and then put in the bathtub to make it look like an accidental drowning. The perpetrator was the father. Yes, he's in jail. BACA and it's supporters had agreed to help set up the run stops, registration and the end-party at the last stop. The plan was for Jeff and Jenn and Austin and his woman of the day to meet at our house at 6:00 a.m. (It's a long ride to the east valley from here). I had just gotten out of the shower at 5:10 a.m., and heard a knock on our front door. WTF? It was Austin and Missy. Apparently Jeff told Austin the meet time was 5:00 a.m. So I told him to make some coffee and sit tight. I can never remember Austin's name, but I knew it had something to do with Texas, so all day I called him Dallas...good thing he's got a sense of humor! :) After the coffee hour, we get bundled up (yes, it's cold at 6:00 a.m.) and hit the road. We got out to Mesa pretty quickly. No real traffic at that hour on a Saturday. We did stop once on the side of the freeway because our bike was acting up a bit, but Caveman saw no issues, so we kept on. Once we got to Smokey's in Mesa, it was all about the bloody mary's and registration. Signing people up for the run, selling t-shirts, getting everyone settled with breakfast (included in the cost of the run). Then we finally get to go on the run! The first stop was Victory of Mesa. When we stopped, one of the BACA members (I think it was the state VP) bikes was leaking fuel. They all just kind of stood around saying, "Yup, that's fuel." So Caveman stepped in and started tearing the bike apart. He fixed the fuel leak and he was my hero. I heard someone say, "Man, I'd ride with him any day!" Second stop was a Mexican restaurant and bar somewhere out in the Superstition Mountains. It was a gorgeous ride. But this is when we noticed that the bike was really starting to run shitty. Caveman topped off at the gas station, and did a quick once-over. He was thinking that he just needed a new carb, which he does. So, we thought nothing of it and kept on. It was not a pleasant ride to stop 3. Our group got lost. Nobody had any idea where the fuck we were going. And our bike was close to dying. We finally found stop 3. Captains Food and Fun. Fun? Not so much. Caveman pulled up and said, "Get off." So I did. He said he'd be right back and took off. I figured he was going to the HD dealership we passed about a half-mile back. But then I remembered that we're broke, so I had no clue where he went! I went inside and had a beer and waited. We got there so late that the people with the cards had already left! DAMN! I had a good hand, too! Caveman returned and we could all hear the bike was still not right. He had bought an L-shaped bracket. Apparently his bracket broke, and the carb had wiggled itself out of the sleeve. (I'm not very saavy, but I'm sure you guys can figure it out!) So there's Caveman with a huge hammer, banging on this bracket on a cement parking block! Some guy walked out of the bar to see what the noise was and he said, "Man, I love old Harleys! The only bikes in the world you can still fix with a damn hammer!" I didn't have the heart to tell him that Caveman has also fixed his old Triumph in this manner. He was so happy! :) There were some more issues after the bracket was in and I won't bore you with all the details, because I don't remember a lot of them. By this point in the run, I was pretty numb. The beer was tasting good! I do recall Jeff holding the spark plug wire, and Dallas (aka Austin) pushing the start button. That was pretty comical. I don't think Jeff thought so, though. :) When the bike finally started, Caveman got a standing ovation from our BACA group. We had been at this stop for approximately 1.5 hours. It was getting cold again. We decided to skip stop 4 and head straight to the last stop and end party at Chuy's. They had 6 bands playing, raffles, food (included in the registration fee) and lots of cold beer. The bike ran great all the way there, and no issues after that. Even with all the issues, it was a great day, and a great run. Now I'm taking up a collection for Caveman's new Super E carb. If I don't get him one, I'll never stop hearing about it! Enjoy the slideshow!

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Today's Funny

I got this via email from my daughter-in-law Deja who's in Japan. Thanks, Deja! Three women friends, one in a casual relationship, one engaged to be married and one a long-time wife, met for drinks after work. The conversation eventually drifted towards how best to spice up their sex lives. After much discussion, they decided to surprise their men by engaging in some S&M role playing. They met up again to compare notes. Sipping her drink, the single girl said, 'Last Friday I went to my boyfriend's office wearing a leather coat. I slipped out of it and all I had on was a leather bodice, black stockings and stiletto heels. He was so aroused that we made mad passionate love on his desk right then and there!' The engaged woman giggled and said, 'That's pretty much my story! When my fiancé got home last Friday, he found me waiting for him in a black mask, leather bodice, black hose and stiletto pumps. He was so turned on that we not only made love all night, he wants to move up our wedding date! The married woman put her glass down and said, 'I did a lot of planning. I made arrangements for the kids to stay over at Grandma's. I took a long scented-oil bath and then put on my best perfume. I slipped into a tight leather bodice, a black garter belt, black stockings and six-inch stilettos. I finished it off with a black mask, ready for action. When my husband got home from work, he grabbed a beer and the remote, sat down and yelled, "Hey, Batman, what's for dinner?"

Our Little Bitty

Yes, I love Alan Jackson, and I love my little Jayden! He just had his 6-month pictures taken, so I put those in here, too. Isn't he adorable? Next up...our grandson Christian. :)

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Live By It

Just a little something I found on youtube. With the weather being so nice this weekend here in the desert, I just wanna ride!

Shameless Quest

On Sunday October 12th, I will be walking again in The ALS Association Arizona Chapter's Tempe Walk to Defeat ALS. Once again, I am walking in memory of my father, George Studley, who lost his courageous battle with this horrid disease in January of 2005, just three short days after my first Walk to Defeat ALS. During his struggle with the debilitating effects of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Dad forever inspired us with his bravery and determination. It is this inspiration that leads me to continue the fight against ALS in his memory, knowing that we have the ability to help others with ALS. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a fatal neuromuscular disease that can strike anyone without warning. Every 90 minutes someone in this country will be diagnosed with ALS and every 90 minutes someone will lose their battle against this devastating disease. The Walk to Defeat ALS® is The ALS Association's national signature event. Each year, nearly 100,000 patients, men, women, children and corporations join together to raise funds in support of internationally driven cutting-edge ALS research and community-based patient services programs. Now in its ninth year, approximately 150 Walks will be held around the country in 2008. As a participant of the Tempe Walk, I am asking for your support by making a gift to The ALS Association or by joining me as a participant on Walk Day. Supporting and joining the Walk to Defeat ALS® is very easy! Simply click on this link to visit my personal fundraising page and donate directly online or join me as a Walk participant. Unfortunately, Sunday October 12th is also the day of the Phoenix, AZ Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Walk. This was obviously overlooked by the good folks at the ALS Association. Sadly, this is why I am having trouble getting donations and walkers for this event. Most people I ask tell me they are already involved in some way with the Komen walk. As my Dad was an old-school biker, and proudly rode his Indians and Harleys for years, I thought I would appeal to my B/C for some help. Even if you can only give a few dollars, it would make a difference. I wish you all could come to AZ to walk with me, but with the distance between all of us, that would be near impossible. Thank you again for supporting me in the fight against ALS. I appreciate your generosity and I will update you with my progress as Walk Day nears.

Before And After

Here is my post for the HCBC Competition. I still can't believe I'm posting these! Before: After:

Photos taken 9/30/08.

Just For Joker

Joker, I was thinking of your last post, and how you were thinking of cell phones at an inopportune time...so I found this leather cell phone case that might interest you. :)

I thought twice about posting this, but I know you can take a joke...that's why you're Joker! ;)

Saturday Ride to Cave Creek, AZ

On Saturday we decided to get the hell out of the house for a while with our friends Jeff & Jen. We decided to catch the monthly 'Hogs & Dogs' event at Buddy Stubbs HD in Phoenix first. We had a great free lunch and did some shopping around. Big D, whose road name is now Caveman, wanted to get his bike washed by the Miller Lite girls, but we just didn't have enough time! Jeff had some plate issues, as you will see in the slideshow, and we attempted a quick fix, but it was no-go. Hope he gets that issue solved soon! Then it was on to The Hideaway in Cave Creek. The ride up to Cave Creek took us through parts of the beautiful Sonoran Desert. I feel so lucky to live here, and to be able to ride through beautiful scenery like this. The Hideaway is a great place to hang out and have a beer with other like-minded souls. It's largely a biker hangout, and full of friendly faces. We really enjoyed it there this time. Last time, not so much. Maybe we were there on the wrong day last time, whatever. We ran into a bit of trouble on the way home with a white Jeep full of bitches. That's the only way I can explain it...they cut us off, and I was not happy...but I did get their picture. :) Hope you enjoy the show!

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Update

I may have mentioned that I had to give a presentation in class on Tuesday night. I was really worked up about it because I really hate public speaking. Really. Hate. It. So I had to ask the professor about expectations. This is how the conversation went: Me: So, what happens if I get up in front of the class and pass out? Mr. H: Pass out dramatically and I'll give you points. Me: OK, I'll work on that. Well, I'm happy to tell you that I didn't pass out. In fact, I kicked ass...but I only had to speak for 3 minutes. In 5 weeks, I will have to give a presentation and speak for at least 10 minutes. I hope I make it through this school thing. :) I guess it's a good thing I'm not a road whore like some of my blogger friends admit to being! LOL! I will post a slideshow of our visit with Samantha, Rodrigo and baby Jayden this weekend. What a great visit! I was really sad to see them go. I miss rocking my grandson at night. :(

My Baby Jayden

Just a quick post and a few pics of my sweet grandson Jayden. It's been so nice having him here, I just wish he could stay!

I will make a slideshow of pics later. Gotta go to work and school today, so maybe later in the week! Happy Tuesday!!

Celebrity Bartending Night at Famous Sams - Updated Slideshow With More Pics

You know when you have one of those nights that just turns out perfect? That's how last night went. It was awesome! While I didn't tend bar for too long, I did have fun! I was anxious to let the drinking commence (my drinking, that is)! I hope you enjoy the slideshow. Warning: there is music. I want to apologize in advance for the quality of some of these pics...my camera was on the wrong setting and Big D didn't notice and I was too drunk to care! :)

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And I just want to say kudos to Jeff, Spaz and Joker for dressing up in women's clothes for the cause! You all looked GREAT in drag! LOL!

College Days

Well, my college days are now. Yes, I have my wild parties, and I know how to have fun, too. But I don't believe I'm the 'typical college student'. I just finished the final draft of my first paper. The title: Motorcycle Helmet Laws: The Great Debate. It's a subject I'm passionate about, so it should've been easy. However, throw in some APA formatting, in-text citations and references, and suddenly it's terrifying! I felt like I should've been wearing a helmet to write the damned paper! But at least I still can make that choice in Arizona! :) Hope I get an 'A'!

My New Job

I've had a lot of people asking me about my new job, and I promised to post about it, so here it is. I work for SCF Arizona supporting the Manager of Legal Compliance and Risk Management. I'm sure my niece will be happy to hear that my boss is an attorney. You see, my niece is also an attorney, and when I was out of work, she asked if I had thought about being a paralegal. I then told her that I hated all things legal. :) So now I'm supporting an attorney, but she's really down-to-earth, and very laid back...I love her. But, I digress. Even though I've only been there one week, I am totally loving it. The people are great...and they're all genuinely happy there. When I was interviewing with my boss, I told her that I attend class every Tuesday night, and asked if that would be a problem, to which she said it would not. Then, when I started on Monday, she asked what hours I wanted to work (she's really flexible), and after I told her, she said, "And on Tuesdays you're leaving early for class, right?" Very cool. The benefits are outstanding. We have an on-site fitness center for employees. The health insurance (which starts on October 1st) is better than what I had at the last job, and it's 1/2 the cost, too. They also have some great perks like on-site mammography screenings twice a year (company paid), and health screenings, flu shots, and pnuemonia shots for the whole family each year, also company-paid. And the best part is, I have a free bus pass. Now, you may be questioning why this is the best part. Let me tell you, driving a Buick into downtown Phoenix every day really eats into my budget. And an Express bus pass costs $68/month. So, now, I just drive to the park and ride, hop on the bus, and read my book all the way to work! No stress, free bus pass, only driving my car 11 miles/day and I get some exercise every day, too, as I walk a few blocks from the bus stop to work. It's very funny, and Veronnica will really get this: my boss reminds me of an old boss, Marcie. Marcie was the boss from hell. She hated me on sight...not sure why. But my new boss really looks a lot like her, and I was very afraid. But now that I know she's cool, it's all good. But she totally looks like Marcie. I usually win the bad boss lottery at every job I have. Last year being the worst one in the history of bad bosses! :) In summary, the new job is great, I love my boss, the benefits kick ass, and I'm very happy. Now, I just have to get through school. That's every Tuesday night for the next 3 years. Wish me luck!

I Just Couldn't Resist

Is this poor, misguided crotch-rocket guy (it has to be a crotch-rocket guy, right?) having the time of his life, a mid-life crisis, or his 19th nervous breakdown?

I'm sad for him, really.

Celebrity Bartending

In support of BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse), I will be a celebrity bartender at Famous Sam's next Friday night, 9/19. I'm really excited about this, because it's going to be a fun night. And all our tips go to BACA. I'm hoping to learn to make some really cool drinks, too! :) So, if you are going to be in the Phoenix Metro area that night, email me, and I'll let you know where to go for the best drinks in town! Pictures will be posted the following day!

The Other Side

I recently received the following email from one of my nieces. I was smiling the whole time I read it. I figured since we're getting so much of one side on Ms. Palin, I would air out the 'other' side. I'm wondering if people are forgetting about these things, or maybe they just don't know. Dear Friends, compatriots, fellow-lamenters, We are writing to you because of the fury and dread we have felt since the announcement of Sarah Palin as the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Republican Party. We believe that this terrible decision has surpassed mere partisanship, and that it is a dangerous farce on the part of a pandering and rudderless Presidential candidate that has a real possibility of becoming fact. Perhaps like us, as American women, you share the fear of what Ms.Palin and her professed beliefs and proven record could lead to for ourselves and for our present or future daughters. To date, she is against sex education, birth control, the pro-choice platform, environmental protection, alternative energy development, freedom of speech (as mayor she wanted to ban books and attempted to fire the librarian who stood against her), gun control, the separation of church and state, and polar bears. To say nothing of her complete lack of real preparation to become the second-most-powerful person on the planet. We want to clarify that we are not against Sarah Palin as a woman, a mother, or, for that matter, a parent of a pregnant teenager, but solely as a rash, incompetent, and all together devastating choice for Vice President. Ms. Palin's political views are in every way a slap in the face to the accomplishments that our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers so fiercely fought for, and that we've so demonstrably benefited from. First and foremost, Ms. Palin does not represent us. She does not demonstrate or uphold our interests as American women. It is presumed that the inclusion of a woman on the Republican ticket could win over women voters. We want to disagree, publicly. Therefore, we invite you to reply here<<mailto:womensaynopalin@gmail.com > > with a short, succinct message about why you, as a woman living in this country, do not support this candidate as second-in-command for our nation. Please include your name (last initial is fine), age, and place of residence. We will post your responses on a blog called 'Women Against Sarah Palin,' which we intend to publicize as widely as possible. Please send us your reply at your earliest convenience. The greater the volume of responses we receive, the stronger our message will be. Thank you for your time and action. I think that pretty much sums it up! Thanks Jen!

No Time To Blog!

I have been so busy starting my new job, and attending school that I haven't had time to blog lately! I'm so sorry I haven't been posting or commenting! I promise to spend some time catching up this week! I have a great weekend update coming! :)

Memories

Have you ever had a memory so strong that it literally took over all of your thoughts? This memory of mine has invaded my dreams, seeped into my subconciousness, and taken over every last thought in my head. I figured maybe if I post about it here, I'll be able to clear my thoughts before I start my new job on Monday. I'm 5 or 6 years old. It's a weeknight. We had just finished dinner, and were in the den watching the telly. I can remember being in my pajamas and sitting with my Dad in the recliner. The anticipation is absolutely killing me. It's just 5 minutes away, and I cannot stand it anymore. "Please, Daddy, make it start!" Dad answers, "Just a few more minutes, now. Why don't you go get us a cookie?" I run into the kitchen as fast as my little feet can take me to get us each a cookie. I climb up onto the counter, to get to the high shelf in the cabinet, where Mom hides the cookies. I eat one as I'm getting down, and bring two into the den; one for me and one for Dad. As I'm climbing back into the recliner with Dad, it finally starts! I'm so excited, I can't sit still and then I squeal with delight! Here is what I was waiting for: This memory has been extremely strong over the last few days. So strong that I had to find this on youtube, so I could get it out of my system. But when I saw it, it just made it stronger! Funny how a 53 second introduction to a television show can absolutely invade your every thought. But I don't think it's just the show. We watched that show every week when I was a kid. It was a big deal, because back then, there was no cable or satellite dish, you just had 13 channels of crap, and kids didn't watch a whole lot of TV. I was outside all day, running around and playing with friends. So watching this one show each week with Dad was very special to me. It makes me wonder what our kids will remember about us when we're gone. Will they have some special memories like this? Certainly not like this one, as TV was not and is not a special treat for them these days. I'm sure they'll remember some special times, as we've had quite a life together. I just hope they are strong enough memories to carry them through the tougher times when we're not around anymore.

A Job, You Say?

I'm not sure if it was because I looked so nice today, or if it was because I wore my 'good' perfume. Maybe it was because it was my birthday. It might have been because I had three interviews with these people. Or quite possibly, it was just the odds. Whatever it was, I really don't care. I got the job!! :)

Happy Birthday Ann.

A lot of our concepts of beauty, art and form come from the classic Greece.

Our sense of democracy was born in Greece.

Greek architecture still prevails our way of building homes and buildings with class.

Many of our greatest story's,myths and history come from that illustrious country.

And Greek women's features are still the standard of which we judge beauty.

Classic statues and legends.

I understand how a face could launch a thousand ships.

I know why men dreamed of Aphrodite's and Venus.

I watched as the sun playfully danced through your hair as you stepped out to view the sunrise.

I could see the rays shout in joy as they caressed your lovely features.

For this illuminating of your radiance is surely why the sun makes it's long journey to the earth.

When it finds such a treasure it coaches flowers to bloom in tribute.

Early morning birds sing to herald your entrance to the day.

Trees bend in the wind just to catch a peek.

A famous quoter's author surely had you in mind when his pen was put to paper, To love is to admire with the heart; to admire is to love with the mind.

I do both easily and with gratitude.

You make it impossible to do otherwise.

Your greatest gift is to allow those around you to be who they are.

I am nurtured and guided by the example you set.

And humbled by your support.

Once a joke was told of now being able to trade you for two eighteen year olds, It would be a fool's bargain.

For in that I would surely be selling a diamond for two pieces of coal.

Happy Birthday Love. I look forward to being there for many, many more

BIG DADDY Daryl Nelson

My Birthday Party

Last night, some friends came over for our annual Labor Day/Birthday party. A good time was had by all, as usual. Here are some pics. This was my gift from Big D. He made it for me at work. I can't wait to get some candles on it!

I was on the counter getting the picture above, and tossed the camera to Big D for some double eagle action! Then he made me pose for this pic. He thinks its the perfect pic. Later on, we couldn't remember if it was the double-eagle or the double-owl club, so we did a little of both, just for Joker! :) Jeff is wearing Vikky's wide brimmed straw hat...doesn't he look cute? LOL Thank God it wasn't too hot out yesterday. We were actually able to sit outside while the sun was still up!

Jenn, Veronnica and me in the pool. I think this was taken pretty early, as we all still had something on. ;) Those are really the only pictures I can post here for you. For those who didn't/couldn't come: you missed one hell of a party! No worries, though, we'll do it again next year!

Big D's New Hardware

With a sprained ankle, Big D is hobbling around on crutches. He wants to chrome them. This afternoon, while I was at a job interview (which went south really fast), Big D was hobbling down the hallway on his crutches. Vicki said, "Run Forest, run!" I nearly fell out of my chair when I heard this! Run, Big D, run!!! :)

Update: Broken Mirror Identified

Well, we figured it out. A mirror broke on Tuesday. The side-view mirror on D's work truck broke Tuesday while he was driving. A rock was kicked up from the road, and hit the mirror. Mystery solved. I hope we don't have 7 more years of this shit!

Did Someone Break A Frickin' Mirror Around Here?!

So the day started out on a sour note; Mr. Coffee shit the bed. Damn. That's ok, though, because I saved our old P.O.S. coffee-maker when we purchased Mr. Coffee. However, I didn't wake up until 8:00 a.m. This means that Big D had no coffee at 4:30 a.m. before he left for work. Oh joy. I wonder if that had anything to do with the events of the day? 10:30 a.m. I get a call from Big D. He sprained his ankle at work. Oh joy. He's on his way home. Have the ice pack and a cold Diet Coke ready...it's hot out today. 11:00 a.m. I get a call from Big D. He's on the Loop 101 and has run out of gas. Oh joy. Now please keep in mind, we are broke as a joke. Big D tells me to get the hose and the gas can from the garage. Apparently I'm going to siphon gas from my car to put in his bike. OK...I've actually done this before (don't ask) so no big deal. I put the hose into my tank, but my lovely Buick has some kind of anti-siphon deal in there so it's no-go on the siphon. 11:15 a.m. I call our friend Kramer, who lives 2 doors down. He usually has a gallon of gas lying around somewhere. He says he'll check and let me know. 11:20 a.m. Kramer, who's probably more broke than us, if that's possible, comes over with $4 in change and his gas can. After thanking him profusely, I grab our gas can and head to the gas station. (Thank you, Kramer!) 11:45 a.m. I finally get to Big D after the scenic tour on Loop 101...oh joy. He puts the gas in his tank and heads off toward home. I was behind him, and noticed something was amiss. Here's what he failed to mention: he sprained his left ankle. For all of you non-motorcycle riders, this means that his shifting ankle was inoperable. So he's moving his whole leg to shift, but when he does this, he keeps shutting the bike down, because his ignition switch is right at his left knee. It's a custom toggle switch. (long story for another time) So he finally makes it home and I take his boot off, with much pain. His ankle swells to the size of a football as soon as the boot is off. I have never seen anything like this before, and I am the queen of crutches. I tell him we need to go get an xray. He fights me on this, as I expected. He asks for Tylenol or Motrin. "We don't have any," I tell him. Once he realizes that I'm going to be the xray Nazi, he agrees to go to the ER. After 3.5 hours at Banner Thunderbird Hospital, Big D is at home, in bed, doped-up on Percosets, and has a sprained ankle. No riding, no working at least for a few days. Now what is it with hospitals??? I understand that this is a workman's comp claim, and we won't have to pay the hospital bill, but we don't have any health insurance right now and they wanted to write prescriptions! Hello??? Did I not just say we don't have any insurance? WTF? Did you not hear me? So, there will be no cigarettes or gas this weekend. Big D and everyone he works with was expecting to get paid tomorrow, but the boss broke the news this morning, that they won't get paid until Tuesday. Isn't that special? OK, so anyway, that's the story for today. When it rains it pours. I swear Big D broke an f'ing mirror and didn't tell me.

Random Thoughts

It's been a crazy week, and we're only 1/2 way through it! Here are some Random Thoughts for you tonight:

• My first college class at University of Phoenix was last night. I sat in a classroom for 4 hours for the first time in 18 years...ouch. Only 3 years to go! It was interesting. There were some great folks there, and some deadbeats as well. I think all the deadbeats are on my learning team...go figure.
• The weekend sucked royal ass. My yard sale on Saturday netted $16. Not good. I closed shop about Noon as it was heading up toward 110 on Saturday.
• Today, I cleaned my house from top to bottom, except the office. That may or may not be on the agenda tomorrow. We shall see.
• I've been home and out of work for more than 6 weeks now, and I'm going out of my fucking mind.
• My birthday is next Tuesday and I told my Mom not to send money...I told her to send a gift card to a restaurant, that way I won't spend my birthday gift on a bill. Seriously.
• I'm keeping Vicki home from school tomorrow because she is coughing up a storm tonight. I'm hoping a day of rest will help, as we have no health insurance right now.
• Our daughter Samantha will be here with her husband Rodrigo, and my grandson Jayden in 24 more days. I can't wait to see them. It's been too long.
• Big D's newphew is moving himself and his family out this way in October, and they'll be staying with us until they get on their feet. I hope we're back on our feet by then.
• A friend of mine heard my cry for help right here on this blog, and got me a copy of MS Office, and I paid him with my good looks. :) Thanks to all who offered me assistance. You cannot know how much it was appreciated. Paula: OpenOffice is really cool, and I thank you for turning me on to that.
• It's been weeks since I've been out with Big D on the bike. I think I'm jonesing. Maybe he'll take me for a ride on my birthday. I need to go for a ride!
• We're having a party on Sunday, like we do every year. We're not crazy. We've asked everyone to bring their own alcohol, and something to throw on the grill. We're supplying the grill and the pool. Broke people can have fun too, can't they? I hope people show up. :)
• I really want that 'M' endorsement on my license this year. I really want my bike up and running, too. I'm a little jealous of BB's bike, but I'm so happy for her, it kind of out-weighs the jealousy thing.
• I'm also jealous of Dean and Joker for going to HD's 105th Anniversary Celebration in Milwaukee. But I'm hoping they post some great stories and pics when they get back.
• And Dave, I still have to get to the damned post office. I just hate those people...they're not very happy people over there.

OK...I think that's enough of my twisted, random thoughts for tonight. I hope I didn't offend anyone. This was like free-flow typing for me. No editing involved.

I hope everyone has a great day tomorrow. In the words of the eternally happy Dave Palm, "Happy Thursday!"

Got Xanax?

Belated Birthday Shout-Out

I'm a bad Mom. I'm posting late for Sammy's 20th birthday. Sorry, Sammy. After the hellacious week I had, and the totally horrible Saturday, I never even looked at my blog at all. Never even gave it a thought!

Anyway, Saturday, 8/23 was Sammy's 20th birthday. Sammy (Samantha) is serving our country in the US Navy in Norfolk, VA. She has a wonderful husband, Rodrigo, and a beautiful baby boy, my grandson Jayden. They'll be visiting us in late September. I cannot wait to see them! :)

Happy belated birthday, Sammy! We love you very much, and we're very proud of you. You had some rough times starting out, but you made some very good decisions, and you have a wonderful life to show for it. Here's to you, honey! :)