Happy Father's Day to all the Father's I love.

When I was a junior in High School, I tried out for Homecoming Queen. Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I have no musical talent, I'm totally uncoordinated, and lacking all stageworthy talents. I memorized a poem and dressed up like a grubby little kid. The poem was all about the scary things that go bump in the night and how I wasn't scared because I could always climb in bed with dad. I looked for it and I can't find it. I didn't even place, but my dad was in the audience cheering for me and that was enough. I wore my prom dress for the formal part of the contest. It was before my prom so I was a little bummed out to have to debut my prom dress early but my dad died before my prom. I chose to sit out the traditional father/daughter dance. Sometimes I think back at the courage it took for me to try out for homecoming queen when I was certain I didn't stand a snowball's chance in Hades. I searched my dad's eyes for some sign of disappointment that I'd lost but I never saw it. I think he was truly proud of me that I tried. I remember little things like that about him. I remember what he smelled like and what his hands looked like. I think how hard it was to lose him when I hadn't really had a chance to know him yet. But there came a time that I watched people age and suffer to various degrees and I am grateful I never saw him like that. In my mind and my heart he looks just like he does in that picture. I have learned to treasure the moments I had and not resent the ones I never did. I miss you, dad. You'd love the girls so much. And they would love you. I wonder what horrendous nickname they'd each be called by. Happy Father's Day Hockenshnocker! I love you.

Oh, this could be so horrific!!!!

The initial report was that Evanescence replaced lead singer Amy Lee, which would totally suck!!! But it is apparently 3 former band members including Ben Moody who formed the band with Amy. He's an awesome songwriter but they were in a relationship and as that went bad Ben left the band. The guitar player was fired and the drummer quit. They have all reunited to form a band called The Fallen. One of our very favorite Idol finalists from last season (I think), Carly Smithson will be the new lead singer. I look forward to that, but not at the expense of Amy Lee. I can't find any definite answers as to what will become of Amy, but so far it looks like she will go forward and keep Evanescence together. I truly hope so, because she can't be replaced. Ever. Ever, ever.

The search for a name for the weirdest cat ever...

The naming of the cat that was dropped on me to foster until he was weaned and then I paid $40 to keep him has been a hard thing. Most everyone has seen the Youtube video of the two little English boys where the bigger boy sticks his finger in the baby's mouth. The older boy starts out pretty brave, but he starts panicking when "Charlie" doesn't let go. So I heard my daughter mimicking the little boy while this baby kitty was gnawing on her. "Ouch Charlie, OOOOOOUCH! Charlie bit me at it really hurt!"

So the name is Charlie and here are some baby pics. He's grown a lot since but he's even more insane.

This is a serious question...

And I doubt anyone will answer me, but if a gay couple live in a state that denies them the right to a same sex union, what if one of them get's a sex change? Is it legal then?

I just read that Chastity Bono is getting a sex change, it made me wonder. Do they consider it acceptable as long as the plumbing is right at the time the couple applies for the marriage it's cool beans?

Happy Birthday Hottie McHotness!!!

The Titanic Exhibit

When I was first married there was an exhibit that had come to northern Utah of Tutankhamen and various things that had been unearthed in his tomb. I wanted to go so bad, but I didn't take a stand to make my husband see how important it was to me. I've always wanted a career in Science, but I realize I lack patience and intelligence to be an archeologist. I did apply to Scripps because most of all I wanted to be a marine biologist. The finding of the Titanic was like the best of both. I am so interested in every aspect of it's sinking (actually other ships as well but mostly the Titanic). So while we were in Vegas I insisted we go to the Titanic exhibit. As we went in we were given tickets with the info of a specific passenger. Mine was in first class and recovering from a divorce. One of my daughters was given a name that was also a first class passenger. She was 19 and expecting. My oldest was given a second class passenger and not as much was known about her. My husband was given a first class man who is actually mentioned in the movie, Cosmo something or other. The display items were recovered from the debris field. Nothing from the ship itself. The preservation is astounding and like all things I do like this I feel an overwhelming sadness and sickness of the waste.

We were near the end and there was a tour guide in there that came to talk to us and as my kids love to point out, I can strike up a conversation with anyone and immediately feel that I've made a valuable friend. We were looking at a bottle of champagne still corked and mostly full. I talked to him about it and he said many bottles of champagne were intact but no wine or other bottled beverage. I speculated that it could be the pressure of the bubbles in the champagne. He told us that things that were packed in crates were often found intact because they gradually adjusted to the pressure. Theoretically because the wood was gradually eaten away and so the water got in slowly. I personally think the pressure inside the champagne helped but I don't really know. It had to be brought up so slowly to stay intact. In one room they had an actual iceberg and we were encouraged to touch it. We were told that saltwater freezes at a much colder temperature (which makes sense to me) but icebergs are generally freshwater which I did NOT know. In the last room they have the largest piece of the Titanic that has been brought up. It's huge, but tiny in comparison to the size of the ship. There were lists of survivors and of the lives that were lost. All of the people whose names we brought through survived. It amazes me how many men survived, even second class, and of course Bruce Ismay. We told my husband we weren't speaking to him for the rest of the trip because he took the seat of a woman or child on a life boat. We were teasing, of course, but sometimes I wonder how that must have felt, surviving.

In the end the guide we'd talked to pointed out a picture of a woman in a collage of pictures. Her name was Violet Jessop. I had just watched a documentary about the Brittanic. It was a sister ship to the Titanic and was built improving on the areas they felt the Titanic lacked. The question in the documentary was what had been the cause? It was believed to be hit by a torpedo from a submarine. They found the wreckage and evidence it was an underwater mine. Violet survived tragedy of the three sister ships: The Olympic, Titanic, and the Brittanic. The Olympic had several bad collisions that proved fatal for passengers of the other ships and the Titanic and Brittanic both sunk. She was onboard all three during these tragedies and survived. I also had read the news of the passing of the last Titanic survivor on May 31st. Elizabeth (Millvina)Gladys Dean was about 9 months old, the youngest passenger, when the Titanic sunk. Her mother and brother survived as well, but her father was among the lost. She died in a nursing home at age 97.

Partial Birth or Late Term Abortion

Nothing is ever black or white, so to make a general judgment with no education on the matter is ignorant and pointless. I didn't vote for President Clinton one of his terms BECAUSE of his support of late term abortion. I am ashamed of that vote.
When I was 16, I worked in the hospital lab for my 6 weeks of UB that summer. I saw a woman who had given birth far too soon to a baby that was the length of a dollar bill. She had made the decision (pro-choice, technically) to keep the baby on life support. If this child lived it would be blind and deaf. It's lungs and kidneys would never function without machines. It would be mentally handicapped as well. They had gone through all the insurance they had and could get. They had put themselves in major debt and even family members and the community had donated money on a child that needed to be released from this forced prison. It eventually died despite the monumental efforts. The family will never recover financially and this would affect any children that they had or would have. I also have watched families grow so large that they have been neglected medically.
I don't know what the circumstances are for late term abortion and I've sadly stayed in the dark far too long, but I am intelligent enough to realize that there are times it's necessary. People who decide these things, be they the doctor, or the mother have a heartbreaking choice. I knew that had to be true. I was correct. Read the stories here:
Kansas

Temp post because we've exceeded posting limits..

Move to the one lower shoutbox on the blog for now if you wish to carry one, but I have to say this: I am shocked at the lack of research on what you are up against Matt. It seems completely unprofessional given your public service. I would think you know the process very well and you've used the BDS as a springboard.
I am also a bit lost on your reason for leaving your public service. You were injured? You mention the cancer often, was that something that occurred during that time?
The photobooth picture I am talking about is the one you and Jack claim to be Ed Burns and I call Indiana Jones. One of those photobooth pictures isn't even Beth.
Here's the thing that EdBurnophiles don't seem to comprehend. Indiana Jones was cleared then and now by the LAPD. Steve has met the man and reaffirmed the fact by actually speaking to the man. Carr dislikes Steve so he'd have no reason to confirm that fact unless it IS a fact. Larry confirms that there is no question. It's NOT Ed Burns. Larry and Carr are on good terms. You alienated EVERYONE immediately and when you realized that I am actually on good terms with Larry you wanted me to help you. No one is going to take your theory serious no matter HOW good your map is. Your suspect was totally disproven right from the start.
The suicide note wasn't even worthy of the front page news. It was obviously another lame attention seeking ploy and not even a good one. It wasn't signed by a confessing sam it was signed by melodramatic mary. It lacked the taunting tone of the Avenger letters. It was bogus.
I think you need to learn about Beth and the other suspects. You can't have a legitimate debate without knowing what you are up against.
I suggest reading Avenger, anything you can find that Larry has online, Mary's site and Childhood Shadows. You can't even have an educated debate.

King of the World

How many rulers and dictators have committed mass murder in an attempt to rule the world?

No seriously, I don't know the answer to that, but like, Napolean, Hitler, Mussolini?? Not good people. I saw an interesting picture today:




Obama is visiting the Middle East. I'm sure this has the GOP and Faux News in ecstasy over every hand he shakes and bite he takes, but it kinda looks to me like everywhere he goes he's well respected. Well except for the United States.
Egypt calling him the New Tutankhamun . The have Pyramids, we have Mount Rushmore, they have the Sphinx, we have Rush Limbaugh.

World polls show that he's inspired more confidence than any other world leader. If you watch the news here you can find out where he and Michelle went on date night and listen to idiots say they don't like that restaurant, and how much it's costing the taxpayers. It's not news that the President of the US IS a salary paying job, IS it??? Can we ammend the "freedom of speech" part for stupid people?

Ack! When I have to clear up these Mormon misconceptions it freaks me out.

Mostly because I'm no model example. Quite frankly the opposite. But I don't lie about it. So today I am going to explain the steps of repentance that are always taught early in LDS life, again it starts as children:
1.Feel sorry
2.Ask forgiveness
3 Right the wrong
4.Don’t repeat the wrong

Uhhh Mittster. We were wrong in what we did. So our President is on step two and going after step three. The only way to not achieve step four is if you are the next President. Because the LAST administration thinks like you do, Romney. Do you kiss you wife with that lying mouth? Do you shake your Bishop's hand and look him in the eyes and pretend you know the gospel and live it. Find a new religion Mitt. And Heaven help us if you are our next President. A dishonest pretty boy. We are doomed. However I think that President Obama saw the next real Republican threat for 2012. That would be Mister Huntsman, ambassador to China.

In a speech at the Heritage Foundation Monday, Mitt Romney attempted to define himself as a forceful opponent of President Obama. The former governor of Massachusetts plans to attack the president for his "recent tour of apology" and to call for more defense spending.

Romney claimed Obama has apologized to America's enemies:

I take issue with President Obama's recent tour of apology. It's not because America hasn't made mistakes -- we have -- but because America's mistakes are overwhelmed by what America has meant to the hopes and aspirations of people throughout the world.


The President also claimed on Arabic TV that America has dictated to other nations. No, America has sacrificed to free other nations from dictators. Britain's Guardian newspaper noted that Mr. Obama has been more critical of his own country, while on foreign soil, than any other president in American history. That would be a most unfortunate distinction at any time. But it is particularly so today: with all that is transpiring in the world, in Iran, North Korea, Georgia, Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, this is the time for strength and confidence, not for apologizing to America's critics.

Romney concluded by saying that budget cuts put the country in danger. (In reality, Obama has increased defense spending.)

We cannot allow the economic crisis to conceal the very real threats to our nation's security. We cannot ignore the intentions of competitors who would replace America's leadership with their own, and set back the cause of freedom. Providence has blessed us and trusted us to safeguard liberty; in a time of confusion at home and challenge abroad, let ours be the voice of clarity and good sense--confident in our cause, and faithful in the care of freedom.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/01/big-romney-speech-obama-a_n_209830.html