Am I Cold-Hearted?

I just saw this article in the AZ Republic. You'll have to do a quick read through to understand this post.

John Cherry, spokesman for the Florida Division of Emergency Management said, "We've made it clear that (the cost) is an issue we'll deal with down the road." Seriously John???

This statement bothered me. This is the kind of backwards thinking that gets our country into DEEP shit. We're already in DEEP shit, aren't we? WTF is he thinking?!

I feel for the people in Haiti, I really do. But for the love of God, STOP THE MADNESS!!!!! The problem here, John, is that the good ol' US of A will end up picking up the tab "down the road"!!!! We cannot afford this! Should we just print up some more money, John? Maybe you'd like to take a stab at the cost issue NOW.

This just really burned my ass. Am I cold-hearted?

You've Got A Friend...

I just found out today that a very dear friend is beginning the fight of her life, literally. She just got the news she has liver cancer. The liver cancer is the secondary cancer, and they are trying to find the primary cancer now. She has several tumors on her liver, and that's really all we know right now.

I talked to her today (cell phones are great). What struck me was her amazing attitude. She's going to fight it, but realizes it will be a tough one. She does not live in a fantasy land. She knows the odds. But she is forever positive...the glass is always half full for her. This is part of the reason I love her so much. I'm withholding her name because that's the way she wants it, and I respect that. Just please send your prayers to my dear friend in AZ to help her fight this tough fight.

Thanks. The video is for her, to remind her that she always has a friend in me. :)

The Power of a Badge

A DEA officer stops at a ranch in Texas, and talks with an old rancher. He tells the rancher, "I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs." The rancher says, "Okay, but do not go in that field over there," as he points out the location.

The DEA officer verbally explodes saying, "Mister, I have the authority of the federal government with me." Reaching into his rear pants pocket, he removes his badge and proudly displays it to the rancher. "See this badge? This badge means I am allowed to go wherever I wish...on any land. No questions asked or answers given. Have I made myself clear? Do you understand? "

The rancher nods politely, apologizes, and goes about his chores.

A short time later, the old rancher hears loud screams and sees the DEA officer running for his life chased by the rancher's big Santa Gertrudis bull.......

With every step the bull is gaining ground on the officer, and it seems likely that he'll get gored before he reaches safety. The officer is clearly terrified. The rancher throws down his tools, runs to the fence and yells at the top of his lungs.....

"Your badge! Show him your BADGE ! "



Thanks to Cowboy for sending this to me...I really needed the laugh!

BACA International Conference 2010 Edited

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Quick Update

I had my surgery on Tuesday morning, as scheduled. Everything seemed to go fine, according to the surgeon. They gave me inadequate painkillers, so Big D had to make a trip for me. But now they work. Still feeling some pain, but went to the store with Big D today. Was out for less than 1 hour and needed a nap to recover from it. Not sure exactly how I'm supposed to return to work on Monday, but I'll give it a go!

I'll update you all later. Ride safe!

Just a Quickie

Big D and I went to St. Louis, MO last Thursday for the Annual BACA International Conference. We returned home safe and sound last night, and we are exhausted. We learned a lot, met a lot of kick-ass peeps, drank a lot of moonshine, and had a great time! I will post pictures soon.

I can't promise the pics will be up today, though. I have two homework assignments that need to be posted tonight. I am going to miss the first day of my new class tomorrow night because I'm having some minor gallbladder surgery tomorrow. They're telling me that I'll be down for about a week, so as soon as I'm feeling better, I will have the pics up.

I hope everyone has a great week.

Ride safe.

Did Someone Say Beer? I'm In!!!!!!

I think my next trip will be here.

The 2009 Recap

I got this from Jane. I thought it would be an interesting way to recap 2009.

1.What did you do in 2009 that you’ve never done before? March 2009 - 3:10 to Yuma with Joker, Rumble on Rt 66 in Williams, Too Broke for Sturgis in Mormon Lake, got my motorcycle endorsement and started riding my own

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? No, no.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, Molly.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Mom

5. What countries did you visit? Stayed in the USA last year. Almost went to Mexico for cigarettes while in Yuma, but ran out of time.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Peace of mind, my sanity.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? March 2009 - 3:10 to Yuma with Joker; Joker came out to visit us for a spell and we had a GREAT time! June 2009 - the Rumble on Rt 66. Got to meet Dave, BB and Willy D; got to ride wild animal statues. October 2009 - my rider's course. November 2009 - my first ride on my own. :)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Definitely getting my motorcycle license.

9. What was your biggest failure? Too few road trips

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Yes, my gallbladder illness.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Big D's '99 Dyna

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Certainly not mine! LOL

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Kanye West....what a jackass.

14. Where did most of your money go? Food, and the bikes

15. What did you get really excited about? All our motorcycle trips, getting my license

16. What song will always remind you of 2009? Life is a Highway (Tom Cochrane)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- happier or sadder? Happier.- thinner or fatter? Definitely NOT thinner!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Down time with Vicki

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Homework and crying.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Lots of friends over on Christmas Eve, had a wonderful time! Made a perfect prime rib dinner on Christmas day and enjoyed it with some close friends.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009? I fall in love with Big D every day.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Sons of Anarchy

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is such a strong word. I don't waste my energy on hate...do I dislike people? Of course.

24. What was the best book you read? The Twilight series. Yes, really.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
 No musical discoveries, but Vicki got me a Kid Rock CD for my car, and I LOVE it!!!

26. What did you want and get? Got everything I wanted, except for a house. That will be this year.

27. What did you want and not get? See #26

28. What was your favorite film of this year? Here's the funny thing: I watch movies, but don't really remember watching them.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 37 - Had a pool party

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Not losing my mother

32. What kept you sane? My husband

33. Who did you miss? Dad and Mom

34. Who was the best new person you met?

Joker, Dave, BB, Willy D. and Paul

35. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
 Born to be wild!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Photo Blog

If you're interested, I have started a photo blog here. I hope you enjoy it. :)

New Year, New Outlook

I was going to make this post a nice recap of 2009, however, if you read my blog you already know the recap. 2009 was the year of the good, the bad and the ugly for me. On a personal level, it kind of sucked. On a professional level, it was less than eventful. And on a biker level, it was mostly good. I got to meet some great people from the blogs in 2009, which was a lot of fun. Yuma, Williams, Too-Broke; all fun times. April was a shitty month, but I'm not going to dwell on it.

After my mother passed, my sisters and I had her 3-diamond ring split up and each of us took a diamond. Yesterday, I brought my diamond to a jeweler and picked out a beautiful setting. In about two weeks, I will have the ring. To me, this ring is a symbol of my mother's life. She was a bit like a diamond in my mind. She was beautiful, yet very tough when she had to be. She supported my goals, even if she didn't always agree with them.

So, instead of dwelling on the pain of losing her, in this fine new year, I will strive to reach those goals. I will set new goals for myself, and meet or exceed them. 2010 will be a year of successes for me. I will have personal and professional success. I can feel it.

Last night, we went to the store, and as we came out, the moon was on the horizon. It was HUGE. I couldn't get a picture of it, but luckily, the folks at the Arizona Republic got a picture of the previous full moon, and it looks the same.

The full moon got me to thinking about all the possibilities in 2010. I will have my gallbladder removed in the first quarter, Big D will have neck surgery in the first quarter, we think. These are two positives, not negatives. Once these take place, we'll be on the road to recovery and feeling better. Sometime this year, our son Rex, who is stationed in Japan will be coming back stateside with his wife, my grandson and our as yet unborn granddaughter. We don't know where they will be yet, but it doesn't matter, as almost anywhere is closer than Japan! We will finally get to meet our grandson Chris, at age 2. I can't wait! Our other son, Eric, who is stationed in England was originally scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan this March. He called us last week and said his orders were just changed, and instead of Afghanistan, he is going to the Canary Islands! This is wonderful news!! Our daughter Samantha, who is stationed in Virginia is doing just fine. Her son Jayden is growing up to be a big boy. He'll be two in April, and I couldn't be prouder. We will see them sometime this year. Vicki will be 12 this year; yes, it's a downside. 12-year-old girls somehow turn into rabid badger-type creatures, and I'm not looking forward to it. But I'm confident we will get her through the year and into the 7th grade in the fall with little issue.

We have some trips coming up this year, two that we're sure of, and one that is pending. The pending trip is our vacation to a tropical locale. It will happen, but a house must be purchased first. That will also happen this year. Hopefully by June. I'm thinking Thanksgiving in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Yeah, sounds like a plan. Sturgis won't happen this year, but Too-Broke is definitely on. It is tentatively scheduled for 7/23-25, and I can't wait. The other trip is a trip to St. Louis in a few weeks for the Annual BACA National meeting. Definitely looking forward to that!

As you can see, 2010 will be a busy year for us, and I haven't even mentioned BACA (except for the trip) or school, yet. I won't get into it now, but our chapter will have an extremely busy and great 2010. I will continue with school, because it is one of my goals. I will continue to blog, and I'm toying with the idea of starting a photo blog, too. As soon as it's created, I will put a link up for you. Not exactly sure how I'm going to go about it yet, but I'd like to get it running soon.

So, to the bloggers I have met, and to those I have yet to meet, Happy New Year. I hope 2010 finds you all healthy, happy and not as busy as I seem to be. :)

Ride safe!