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Main | January 2005 »

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE

I hope 2005 is even better for you than 2004! I wish you the best of luck in the new year!
-Chewie-

2004 in Review

2004 in Review
Via Shawn Allison

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before? Taught sixth graders. It wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be (6th graders being rather active) :o)

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Never make any...

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? The wife of one of the guys at work, as well as my cousin. I had several friends who got pregnant, but aren't due til 2005.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Nope. everyone survived another year.

5. What countries did you visit? None. I didn't even have time for a vacation in my own state, much less out of country!

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? A teaching job.

7. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? June 26...my best friend got married on that day. I'd better remember :o)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Managing to work and attend grad school full-time.

9. What was your biggest failure? Becoming frustrated with the people at work, rather than letting their offenses roll off my shoulders.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Just a cold.

11. What was the best thing you bought? My bird feeders. Even if I can't enjoy them now, at least I got to enjoy them for a month. and I'll get to use them again when we get a house.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? My mom. She's lightened up and is a ton of fun to be around now.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? One of my fellow students. I don't know why he wants to be a teacher when he hardly seems to care about the kids...or anyone besides himself.

14. Where did most of your money go? To pay for grad school!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Moving back to hburg & starting grad school.

16. What song will always remind you of 2004? War is Over as sung by Neil Diamond. Just seems appropriate this Christmas season.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder? happier
older and wiser? yes on both counts.
thinner or fatter? A few pounds heavier...but considering I got so thin my period stopped and my hair and nails stopped growing, this is probably a good thing.
richer or poorer? Much richer...not necessarily monetarily, but just in life.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Spending time with my husband.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Worrying.

20. How will you be spending Christmas? Just hanging out with my husband & cats on the big day.

21. Question 21, Question 21, Where art thou Question 21? Missing.

22. Did you fall in love in 2004? Yes, everyday I fall in love with Don again :o)

23. How many one-night stands? None, since its not a one-night stand with my husband ;o)

24. What was your favorite TV program? Sunday afternoon football & COPS.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Nope.

26. What was the best book you read? Toss-up between F. Herbert's Dune & Crichton's The Great Train Robbery

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? William Shatner's Has Been.

28. What did you want and get? To get into the MAT graduate program

29. What did you want and not get? Can't think of anything...

30. What was your favorite film of this year? I can't even answer this one, I've seen so few films.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 26. Actually just worked on the birthday. I did go out to eat the Sunday before hand, and celebrated with Dad on the 23rd (of December), which is his birthday.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? To have a bit more money, so as not to worry.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? Casual & comfy...the standard.

34. What kept you sane? Don.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Keith Urban...shut up, Don ;o)

36. What political issue stirred you the most? The election.

37. Who did you miss? Muffy.

38. Who was the best new person you met? Steve, a friend in the MAT program.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004: 6th graders aren't that bad.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: "I'm in a hurry to get things done/oh I rush and rush til life's no fun/All I gotta do is live and die/but I'm in a hurry and don't know why" -Alabama
&
"Yes, I'll make a resolution/Then I'll never make another one/Just enjoy this ride on my trip around the sun/Just enjoy this ride .../Until it's done." -Jimmy Buffett & Martina McBride

Intruder Apologies, Goodbye to Milk Cartons, & Top Random News Stories of 2004

Intruders Break into Wrong House: Leads to Apology
Two armed men surprised a woman and her children when they broke into her house in Swinton, Yorkshire, in England. They broke through her back door with a knife and a plank of wood. Once in the house, they realized that the person they intended to beat up did not live there. Therefore, they apologized to the woman, and headed to the next house where their target lived. They beat up the man next door, however, he was not seriously hurt. The woman, though unhurt, was left in a distressed state.

Footprints in the Snow
Brownsville, Texas, got its first snow in 109 years. A luckless thief chose the morning of the snow to break into the Treviño Funeral Home in Brownsville. All the police had to do was follow the footprints in the snow to the mobile home where Jose Guadalupe Facundo had taken himself and the stolen goods from the funeral home. He was high on gold paint when they arrested him. His shoe prints matched the muddy prints in the snow. Police are sure that they would not have caught him without the help of the footprints in the snow.

The Year of the Boob
ABC news presents the top stories from 2004, which they have labeled as the "Year of the Boob." Britney's five-minute marriage came in first, just ahead of the infamous wardrobe malfunction. Other stories making the list: news that skinny people are better at competitive eating than fat people, the $28,000 grilled cheese sandwich, polls that determined the kissability of presidential candidates (ewww), and cell phones that will tell you when you've got bad breath.

Proof Schoolkids are Getting Dumber
Many schools are scrapping the milk carton for plastic bottles, because children can't get the milk cartons open. In studies by the dairy industry, children drink more milk when it comes in plastic bottles rather than cartons. In addition, the plastic bottles more closely resemble soda and fruit drink bottles, thus giving milk a more competitive edge when competing with soda & fruit drinks.

Missouri Makes Fishing with Hand Legal
After years of hand fishing being a misdemeanor crime, the Missouri legislature has decided to make the summer of 2005 an experimental summer for allowing hand fishing for catfish. Hand fishing has had many enthusiasts for years, and it is legal in some states. While catching fish with ones bare hands is exciting, it is also a bit dangerous. You might just come up with a handfull of snake or a snapping turtle. Hand fishing has been illegal, because the legislature felt that it depleted the fish source too much. Therefore, 2005 will be a summer of testing to see how the fishermen and the fish handle a summer of hand fishing.

Seen Elsewhere
*Celebrate the holidays with chocolate beer. It'll cost you $15 per bottle of the 7% alcohol chocolate brew.

Thursday = Work Friday
For myself, and hopefully all of you, today is the last day of work for this week. It will be a busy one, with it being not only the end of the month, but also the end of the year. However, I have helped reduce the workload by processing those other documents that I mentioned yesterday. It took me over half my day to process all these documents...that's without a break even to go to the bathroom. I went into a trance and just entered information. They're all done, though, which is nice. That frees us up to focus on other things, which makes all the other clients happy. Even they were amazed by the amount of work this one client laid on us. I'm really not sure how we managed to get them all done yesterday, though the one employee who had been sick returned yesterday. So we did have extra manpower that I wasn't expecting. After I make it through today, I will be home free...until Monday ;o) I hope everyone is preparing for a fun New Year's Eve! I know we are.

Cheers!
-Chewie-

Odd News, Linkage, & Unconcious Muttering Fun

Unconcious Mutterings

1. holiday:: party
   
2. fault:: line
   
3. beep:: beep (roadrunner)
   
4. bubble:: gum
   
5. needle:: in a haystack
   
6. fare:: money
   
7. treat:: trick
   
8. express:: Roanoke
   
9. webcam:: small
   
10. capital:: records
    

Steam Engines: The Past. Our Future?
Glynne Bowsher and team have almost finished building a super-fast steam-powered vehicle. Steam engines are often thought of as a power-source from the past, but Bowsher has designed a car that might lead us into the future. Bowsher helped work on Thrust 2, the first car to break the sound barrier on land. The team hopes that their car will not only break the long-standing steam car speed record, but will also inspire thinking about alternative fuels for the future. The new design is so innovative, that the team is considering applying for a patent for the design. Very cool. I love reading about alternative fuel sources, and using those from the past in a new way is really inventive.

Astronomy Picture of the Day
One of the coolest sites on the 'net, you oughta stop by and check out the photograph of the day. A new photo is featured daily, along with an explanation of what is pictured. I'm sure most of you have seen this, but its always good to be reminded of cool things on the web.

Don't Like Regis?
Then, thankfully for you, you don't have to watch him this New Year's Eve. Fox is hosting its own show, led by Ryan Secrest, while Carson Daly will lead the show for NBC. Even CNN is in the act, with Anderson Cooper leading the show featuring Green Day. Daly and Secrest are jockying for top position in the New Year's Eve show. Though Dick Clark, health permitting, plans to host Rockin' Eve until he can no longer lead the festivities. At least we get a reprieve from Regis this year, though. I can't stand that man.

Seen Elsewhere...
*Scientists map key brain genes, which could help in neurological research.
*Steinbeck's Hometown to close their libraries due to a cash shortage.
*Man scams millions with his "web-controlled" Christmas lights.
*Country doctors are the focus of many medical programs around the nation. Many programs are creating tracks just for those who plan to practice medicine in very rural and under-served areas. This is for you, Bell ;o)

Wednesday Fun
Another day of work, which I already know will be overloaded (since we had to leave it that way yesterday). Some of our "clients" are not overly friendly and really don't care that its probably going to be physically impossible to process all of their documents by Thursday evening. It would be one thing if our machine wasn't broken, but the machine is broken, which triples the time it takes to process these documents. We're all keeping our fingers crossed that the machine will be returned today, though that's looking less and less likely. With school coming upon me faster than I'd like, the stress is building up. Working over 20 hours per week, plus carrying 12 credits in grad school, took its toll on me last semester. I'm really not eager to begin another, which is completely the opposite of when I was an undergrad (at another university). Part of the fear comes from the practicum, where we have to complete certain assignments by certain time periods. What makes me nervous is not the teaching, but having a cooperative teacher that will provide me with enough time to carry out these assignments. Plus, I am a bit nervous about teaching at the high school level. I wish we could've started out with the grade level we wish to teach, rather than forcing all of us into the middle school. Sixth graders are a lot less intimidating than eleventh graders, and I actually felt that I could help them understand material for their SOLs. I'm worried that I won't be able to teach the important SOL material to the eleventh graders in a way that they can understand. Not that their SOL scores depend on me, but I would like to be a help rather than a hinderance. So, as the school year rushes upon me, please bare with my fears coming through as stress in other areas, such as work.

Until tomorrow...
Cheers!
-Chewie-

A little odd news, some cow art, & other nonsense

Inmate Donates Long Locks to Children
"To change my life completely means I need to sacrifice everything and anything that could stand in my way to a better life, so even though cutting hair may not seem to have the slightest thing to do with recovery, for me it has," stated the inmate in a letter with his gift. He sent his hair to Salon Bobbi N' Guy, which is a collection center for Locks of Love. The inmate's donation is the largest received at one time; the donation included enough black hair for five wigs. I hope this guy can get his life turned around. What a kind gift.

Top Searches (from Lycos) of 2004
Winning for most requested search is Janet Jackson, no doubt boosted by her so-called wardrobe malfunction. Users found 560 different ways to search for her Super Bowl incident. Following close behind are Paris Hilton & Britney Spears. The War in Iraq was the top searched news request; the searches became more sophisticated over time to include photos and video. Clay Aiken was the most-searched male, and both he and Paris receive more constant search requests than the boom generated by the half-time show. Poker made its first appearance on the top search requests list, joining scrap-booking and crocheting. Ah, the things people search for...maybe I need to write more about Paris Hilton & Clay Aiken to get more hits ;o)

Cow ASCII Art

Here's a series of ASCII Art pictures featuring cows. In case you don't know, ASCII Art concerns making pictures using only the standard ASCII symbols found on most computer keyboards.

Tuesday Madness
Another day of work...woo. Hopefully the crew will be in a better mood than they were yesterday. Work is so much better with everyone in a good mood. After work, I'll lift weights, and then hang out with my mom for a bit (she's coming over to visit the cats). After she visits the cats for a while, we're heading over to a bridal shower for one of my friends who will be getting married January 8th. Then I'm back to crash, hopefully early, since I didn't sleep so well last night. I tossed and turned from about 2am on...I hate when that happens. The loud purring in my ear at 4am did nothing to help. I love loud purrs, just not in the middle of the night. I'm so glad this is only a four day week...today is like Wednesday on a regular week. I get to see some good friends on Friday, so I'm ready to move on with the week so I can get there :o)

I hope everyone out there has a wonderful Tuesday!
Cheers!
-Chewie-

Odd News & Stuff

Memories of Reggie White
Football star, Reggie White, died this weekend at the young age of 43. Fellow teammates share memories of him on and off the field. My condolences go out to his family and friends.

Florida Officials: These Tomatos are too Ugly to be Sold Out of State
They might be tasty, but they sure aren't pretty. UglyRipes is the name that Joe Procacci has given to his tomatos. Right now, Uglyripes are selling quickly at supermarkets all across America; but they are due to be removed from store shelves. The ridges and such adoring the tomatos "don't meet the grade standards because of these ridges," Procacci says. "That's a perfectly good tomato. But it doesn't meet the grade standards." The Florida Tomato Committee regulates which tomatos go out of state; they declared that taste is not a factor, but the tomatos must be round and smooth. Most of the tomatos sold during the winter come from Florida and officials are afraid the ugly nature of these tomatos will turn customers away. Instead, it looks like they plan to sell us attractive, but nasty tasting tomatos. Taste is not a factor...great. I'd rather have a tasty ugly tomato than a round, smooth and untasty tomato.

2004's Worst Inventions
From Sony's attempt to compete with the iPod (the idiots did not include MP3 support for their player) to the Sushi disk, which was meant to replace the floppy, and on to the iBeam and the ScentStories. Some are good ideas gone bad, and some were just bad to begin with. No matter what, all of them failed to gain much support in 2004. Even worse, some hyped-up ideas never materialized into being. Check this link to see some interesting promises that were never fulfilled.

Seen Elsewhere...
*Ambulances may get virtual doctors to help paramedics in transit.
*Scientists find baby galaxies. Studying these growing galaxies may increase our understanding of the Milky Way.

Christmas Loot
I had a great Christmas this year. I got chickadee earrings, three Pratchett books (hardbacks), socks, & a Keith Urban cd from Don. From my parents I got some socks, two shirts, money, a cat sculpture, and a different Keith Urband cd. The money has gone to fund some new earrings and clothes, and possibly books. I still have a little left. I think I did pretty good. I'll certainly enjoy everything I got this year. Hope you guys enjoy what you got, too!

Sunday Fun
Don and I got to hang out with several friends yesterday afternoon. We all went to lunch together, and ended up a Panera. Only one of the group had been to a Panera...the food was good, though a bit expensive. The service was terrible (if someone wants just turkey on their sandwich, then adding mayo, tomatos, etc, is probably a bad thing). The company was great. Bell & Heidi, and myself, plus Hi-D's husband and Don, all went to lunch. Heidi is pregnant and due in April, while Bell is busy with med school. It was good to hang out with my friends. After lunch, Don took me to the Wild Bird Center to pick out some new earrings with some of my Christmas money. I got black & white cats and a pair of goldfinches, these go with my titmice and chickadee earrings. Then we headed to BMoss so I could take advantage of the sales with my two $50 giftcards that I got for my birthday. I got some great deals and saved $88. Mom hemmed my pants last night (I got three new pairs), while we hung out with them. We got home around 7pm, and watched America's Home Videos and then switched to COPS. We had to tape Naked COPS, because we were tired and wanted to go to bed. It was a good, but very busy day. I can say, I'm not quite ready to head back to work today...especially since its 25 degrees outside and not supposed to get much warmer.

Hope all of you are ready for another Monday! At least its only a four day week for me!
Cheers!
-Chewie-

Some Odd News & A Christmas Review

The Avitor
When hoping to ensure one's new movie is a hit, I think I would attempt to spell everything correctly on the webpage. Apparently those in charge of the Aviator don't feel this is necessary. Check out the title bar of the site...wonder how long it takes 'em to catch the mistake.
Via the Presurfer who got it via Brykmantra

Two Brothers Recycling Same Card for 29 Years
Earl first sent the card to his brother in 1975 to celebrate his birthday. The card suggested that the receiver recycle it. Earl took the advice, and sent it back to his brother for his birthday. Not to be outdone, Floyd sent the card back the next year, and so on for 29 years. Each time the brothers adds a new short message. Almost all the free space has been taken up with messages and the card is getting a bit worn with age, but after 29 years, who wants to give up such a newsworthy tradition ;o)

Stay Safe this Holiday Season
Avoid the dangers of the season, such as exploding gravy, by reading the warning put out in England. Thousands of people get hurt putting up decorations & trees, while making Christmas dinner, while celebrating at parties, and while trying out new toys. Thousands are injured in Christmas tree accidents, while quite a few are injured after having a bit too much to drink, thus causing a misstep. You'd be amazed at the ways people can hurt themselves...

"If I'm going to die, it's gonna be at momma's house...hey, wait! Where is momma?!?"
37 year-old Larry Taylor was approached by a man on Wednesday night. The man asked to use his phone, and then said he was going to take the phone when Taylor refused to let him borrow it. Taylor said he wasn't going to take the phone, when the guy pulled out a gun and shot him in the head. When Taylor felt blood running down his face, he began to walk to his mother's house. Saying he wanted to die in the presence of family, if that was to be his fate. He found his mother's house only to find out that she'd moved to a nursing home. When Taylor couldn't walk any farther, he finally called police. Taylor is now recuperating at his sister's house, and the man that shot him has been arrested and charged.

Christmas
The Christmas celebration for us began at 4:30pm on Christmas Eve. We went to mom & dad's to eat the annual Christmas Eve dinner with them, and the family of my best friend. After dinner, we all went to church, where we had to fight the crowds to get a seat. My best friend's family, plus Don & I, piled into one pew (amazingly we fit). I noticed that a lot of families now take up an entire pew, because all of us "kids" have gotten married and added to the family. The service was ok, but the new pastor seems to have a knack for messing nice things up (at least, in my opinion, but I don't really like him) - thank goodness, Don & I have left that church. I might've grown up there, but I no longer fit in there. After church, Don wanted some more of my mom's chicken casserole; so we drove back to their house. We didn't get to see them after the service and both them and us had wanted to see each other. We got to their house just as they arrived back home. Mom was delighted to feed Don more food...though she overfed him. We hung out there until 9:30 pm and then came back home to spend a little time with each other and our cats. We went to bed early, as the day had left us both tired. On Christmas day, I woke up and worked out and showered. I then made a huge breakfast for Don and woke him up around 9:30am. However, he was still full from the previous night, so he didn't eat much. We opened presents together and then hung out for a little while and checked out Madden 2005, which my parents got for Don. Amazing graphics. Around 1:00pm we went to visit my in-laws. It is nice that we live so close to our parents we can spend time with both at holidays. We stayed there and had some more food, and got back home around 6pm. We played a game of Madden, in which I slaughtered Don (typical of our first football game for each version). Then we watched some Barney Millers (we just got the first season on DVD). I again went to bed early, because it had been another busy day. It was a fun Christmas, filled with lots of family and friends and fun. This will definitely be marked down as one of the best Christmases since we've been married. Its nice to be able to celebrate with family again.

I hope all of you had an excellent Christmas, too!

Cheers!
-Chewie-

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has an excellent Christmas filled with joy and good times! Best wishes from Chewie to all of you!

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! I hope you all have plans to enjoy friends and family. Don and I will be spending the morning decorating cookies and making gingerbread for friends. Tonight we will go to my mom & dad's for their annual Christmas Eve dinner. My best friend, her husband, & her family will be there, as they always have since I can remember. After dinner, we'll go to the Christmas Eve service at mom & dad's church. After the service, I'm not sure if we'll go look at lights, or just come home and snuggle with our lovies. I'd like to see lights, but it'd be nice to spend some time with our little ones. They might be cats to most people, but they're family to me & Don.

Have a great Christmas Eve!
-Chewie-

Christmas Eve Linkage

Houseblinger.com
Dedicated to those who (over) decorate their houses for Christmas. The site hasn't been up long, so help it grow by submitting pics of your favorite house decorations. The more lights, the better...I've got one in mind to add...I wonder if apartments count...
Via The Presurfer

Man Sells Childrens' Gifts on eBay as Punishment
Three boys who were fighting, gesturing obscenely, and using filthy language are soon to regret their actions. Their parents had tried and failed to correct their ways. In a last ditch effort, the father & mother announced that the boys had to mend their ways or their gifts would be auctioned off on eBay. The oldest boy responded with a dare to his father to do just that. So, the nintendo systems, plus a few games, are up for auction on ebay. There are three boys and it seems each was to get his own new nintendo system...I think I might be able to guess why they aren't the most well-behaved of children (spoiled, might we say?).

New Yorkers: Looking for a Date? Go to the Bookstore
Bookstores have been rated as New York's top pick-up spot. According to a survey, Barnes & Noble is the best scene in the city when looking for a date. "We've actually had requests from people who have met in our stores ... asking if they could be married in our stores," states Mary Ellen Keating, spokesman for the chain. Apparently B&N has hosted several weddings. Well, at least you're getting someone who (presumably) can read...that's always a good jumping off point. Since I'm married, I guess I'll just to go to bookstores for the books... ;o)

Signing off for the day, since its Christmas Eve and I plan to spend the day with family & friends.
-Chewie-

Happy Christmas-Eve Eve!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

"I Blog because..."
Check out the reasons for which people blog...from entertaining themselves to sharing their writing with the world. Me, I blog because its fun (and the comments are nice...of course, I'm still rebuilding my reader/commenter-ship since I just restarted the site).

TIME Shares 10 Things They Learned About Blogs
From the fact that bogging can, indeed, get you fired to the fact that more women than men run their own blogs, and even the fact that pets can have their own blogs, as well. TIME is a bit behind, if you ask me, but it is interesting to see what they just learned (that the rest of us have known about for years).

A Sure-fire Way to Get Coal in Your Stocking
Several French teenagers attacked a Santa who was handing out candy. When Santa refused to give additional candy to one of the boys, they attacked him in an attempt to steal the candy in his bag. Eventually the boys, all around the age of 15, were scared off by passers-by. Santa received several bruises and has lodged a criminal complaint, as well as put the boys on his naughty list.

Lawyers...The Same No Matter Where You Go
A French prosecutor had just given a speech on ethics when he was arrested for paying a prostitute with a stolen credit card. The prosecutor may be suspended and/or face disciplinary procedures. The credit card appears to have been stolen from a colleague who attended the speech on ethics. Oops.

Another Way to Make it to the Naughty List
You could use the technique of beating up Santa, as the boys above, or you could just shoot him. The volunteer Santa was riding atop a fire truck in hopes of bring cheer to the spectators. A little after 9pm, Santa was shot with a pellet gun for an unknown reason. The volunteer Santa was shot in the leg, which caused a minor injury, but did not require hospitalization. The man has been playing Santa for a couple of years now, and has no plans to quit just because he got shot. The boy who shot him was quickly apprehended and has confessed to his crime. He faces several charges and has been left pondering whether or not Santa visits jail cells on Christmas Eve night.

Where's the Best Place to Keep a Pet Alligator? The Trunk of Your Car, Of Course.
34 year-old Anthony Quinn was arrested when police and SSPCA officers found an alligator in the trunk of his car. Quinn had bought the animal when he was looking for a pet; but he hadn't expected it to be quite so large. The alligator was four feet long; and Quinn had to keep it in his bathtub, while he looked for a way to build a pond for it in his livingroom. When he realized the trouble that keeping an alligator was going to be, he decided to sell her for a profit. SSPCA officers spotted the ad and responded with police officers. Quinn faces charges of animal cruelty and endangerment. Who would think that alligators are good pets? I mean, I love animals and my pets, but I think I would stop from getting one that could eat me. But maybe that's just me...

Night People Unite

"Do you find yourselves at the mercy of morning people?

Have you ever been awoken by roofers or garbage trucks at 8am (or earlier)?

Are you often scheduled for important meetings before you're fully awake?

Do you get to work long after all the parking spaces are gone?

If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, then you're probably like us:
You're a late sleeper. And you've almost certainly been discriminated against because of it.

This, friends, is the dirty truth that no one will admit:
The world is biased in favor of early risers.

Via The Presurfer

Christmas Cards
I was thinking about Christmas cards, as I taped the most recent arrivals to my wall yesterday. Earlier this season when Don was sitting their sealing envelopes as I folded the Christmas letters, he said "You love this whole Christmas Card thing, don't you?" Of course, I replied yes. I love the whole process, from the designing of the address labels...which is a big deal...to the writing of the letter to picking out the cards and paper to writing personal messages; I love everything. Why do I love this little symbol of the season so much? It is a way to communicate with a large amount of people, with whom we have little contact throughout the year. Not only do I love to send cards, I love to receive them. This is one of my most favorite parts of the season. Maybe because you get a few each day, and its like presents everyday. You get to see what card and message others have chosen and written. I love the variety and how the cards seem to match with the personality of the senders. I continue to enjoy mine through the season, as I tape them to the wall. I also save them each year, when I punch holes in the top corner of each card and tie them together. Perhaps I take the whole card thing a bit overboard, but you know what...I'm going to continue to do so for as long as I live, because Christmas cards are such a pleasant gift to send and receive each season.

Well, Thursday has arrived. A half day of work, lots of cookie baking, and then a birthday celebration with dad (to whom I apologize for waking up this morning with a birthday phonecall...sorry). The cake has his name and mine this year, after mine was left off last year because I don't eat cake. No reason not to have my name on a cake, though, for everyone else to enjoy. (Yes, folks, I'm not a big fan of cake, so?). I've already mixed up my cookie dough (sugar cookies & homemade gingerbread), which is chilling so that I can cut out fun shapes after work and bake them. Tomorrow I will decorate them and hand them out as gifts. At least my workout is done, and the cookies are mixed, so its just baking and getting some stuff done around the house left for this afternoon. Its going to be a busy day!

Hope you all have an excellent Thursday!
-Chewie-

HP Release Date, Kid Quotes, & Other Odd News...

JULY 16th - 2005 - HARRY POTTER VI IS OUT
HP fans, get ready, because at 12:01 on July 16th, book six will be available to buy. Hmmm...do I attend a release party this year or do I order it via Amazon like the last one?

"I have a life, but it's stupid."
Ah the things children say.... One of the threads on my RP bookforum is dedicated to the things that children say. The above quote comes from a child who was angry with his sister. He said this after telling her to get a life. The quote is too cute. The others in the thread are amusing as well...its worth checking out if you need a smile or just want a laugh.

When Developing Film, Its Best to Remove the Cocaine from the Canister
Unless, of course, you want to be caught by the cops. A Rhode Island juvenile gave a few canisters of film to a relative to be developed. She dropped them off a the processing center. An employee spotted a white powder in one canister and called police, who identified it as cocaine with a field testing kit. Police waited around until the suspect showed up to retrieve the film. An adult male came in and said he was getting the film for a relative. The suspect apparently made it easy for the police, as there were photographs of him on the other real roll of film. Wouldn't it be nice if all criminals were so dumb...?

Twin Helps Twin Escape Prison
We've all seen identical twins carry out the clothes-switching to get out of math class and such, but this is the first I've heard about using this technique to evade prison. Identical twins were left together alone in a detention cell after one had been sentenced to 10 months in prison. After one of the twins had walked out, the other informed police they had the wrong man, which was confirmed via fingerprinting. The second twin was arrested for aiding a felon, while the other continued to walk free. The second twin was released, but may face further charges. The original felonous twin is still on the loose.

Male Fish Growing Eggs
Some odd type of pollutant has hit the waters in Maryland and Virginia, which is causing male fish in the Potomac to grow eggs. The pollution is spreading downstream from West Virginia (well, there was bound to be something wrong with that water anyway...all the inbreeding and such should be proof that this pollutant has been around for years). Nine male smallmouth had eggs in their sexual organs. This is the result of the pollutant interfering with the hormones that affect sexual reproduction. The findings "certainly indicates something's going on," Vicki Blazer, of the U.S. Geological Survey, said of the new findings in Maryland. "But what, we don't know." Doesn't it make those of you getting your drinking water from the Potomac feel all warm and fuzzy inside...its probably the eggs growing...you might wanna get that checked out.

Sri lankan's You Might Wanna Avoid Committing an Horendous Crimes
Sri Lanka has decided to reinstate the death penalty, after a 30 year lull, to counteract a rise in violent crimes; the only problem: the hangman has no experience. The first three years of the newest hang-man's job were spent pushing papers, now he must start hanging sandbags to prepare for the criminals that are to pass through the gallows. He has yet to receive training in the art of hanging someone, which is actually more difficult than you might think. You need a rope and a few calculations...I'd hate to see my dad be a hangman, he can't do math at all. We'd probably end up with several decapitations, and the unfortunate case of not dying quite immediately. The hangman did not give his name, as his girlfriend is embarrassed by his occupation and has yet to inform her parents of his job. The President now holds the fate of those serving life prison terms in his hands, as he decides whether or not to sign their life over to this novice hangman. Knowing he is a novice, I would think twice before committing a heinous crime....yeoch!

AP Poll Withdraws from BCS
On December 21st, the AP poll told the BCS that they can no longer use the AP standings in determining rankings. Considering that the AP poll was one third of the determining factors, this will have a pretty big impact on the BCS, who will now look for alternatives to determine rankings. The AP poll was afraid that the negative view of the BCS would be transferred to the poll, because it is used in the formula. In addition, some of the writers involved in the poll were considering pulling out if the AP remained a part of the BCS formula. Is this the first step to taking down the BCS? Probably not, but its nice to hope....

Van Thief Accuses 71 year-old Grandma of Stealing His Stolen Van
A 23 year-old man came up to a van that was leaving a Wal-mart parking lot. He stood in front of the van, causing it to halt, and then came to an open driver's side window and started yelling at the 71 y/o grandmother driving the van filled with her great-nieces and great-nephews. He was shouting "You got my car! You got my car!" and attempted to force his way into the van. The children were screaming and the little old lady started honking her horn and driving away. Eventually he fell off the van, and then found the van he was looking for. An officer working the security shift had been alerted by the honking horn and stopped the driver nearby where he was arrested on the misdemeanor charge of driving without a license. It was later discovered that the van that was his ride was actually a stolen vehicle, itself.

My Birthday
Well, I worked the entire day. Actually, I'd forgotten it was my birthday until I was working out before work. Mom called me early to wish me a happy birthday. I went to work where I proceeded to keep busy for most of the day, because everything "needs" to be processed before the new year. I came home and ate a little dinner and then just waited for Don to get home. He finally got in about 8pm. We'd received a B&N giftcard to share (for Christmas, not the birthday), so we went out and got the first season of Barney Miller. It was between that, Reno 911 & The Jeffersons. Then we came home, and Don made himself some bacon and we just hung out until we went to bed. Overall, not the best of birthdays and it didn't end on the best note. Don wasn't really in a very good mood, so the best part of the day wasn't so great. Oh well. at least we had fun on Sunday when we truly celebrated. Birthdays are no fun once you become an adult.

Well, I'm off to work another day. woo. I hope I can just make it until tomorrow afternoon...we only have a half day tomorrow. Thank goodness. Maybe after that I can finally get in the Christmas spirit.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!
-Chewie-

Homestar, Excuses, and Telephones, Oh My!

A Homestar Christmas
Here's your Christmas link of the day...celebrate the season with Homestar.

Want to Live Somewhere Safe?
Check out this list of the safest and least safe cities. You can see the overall safest places, or chose from the safest cities in certain size ranges. What's so funny, in the "metropolitan area" category, my hometown came in as the 7th safest place! I was searching down the categories and was half-heartedly looking for my hometown, as a joke. I didn't really think I'd find it! Too funny. How does your town rank?

Lame Excuses for Speeding
We've all heard how to get out of a speeding ticket, from crying to claiming illness and so on. The Mid and South Wales Safety Camera Partnership staff have put together the lamest excuses for people having been caught speeding. Some of the winners:

*A guy claimed to have picked up a hitchiker who liked his car so much that he had let the guy drive his car when it was caught speeding.
*Some guy claims his ex-wife has keys to his car and keeps taking it out without his permission.
*"As I entered onto the motorway, my car was dragged along in the slip-stream of a truck. My brakes aren't very good, so I had to keep pace with it."

Odd News Stories of 2004
Since I was not blogging for four months, this newspaper was fine enough to compile some of the best odd news from 2004. One couple raised their child as a girl for 13 years, when all of the sudden, something weird started happening in the netherregions whenever the child saw a hot woman. It was then determined that he had underdeveloped sexual organs. I expect he has a major gender-identity problem right about now. In another story, a train was sent barreling down the tracks without a driver, when the driver leaned out the window and then promptly fell out of that window. The train was derailed and crashed before it came to a halt. In Jerusalem, several thousand cans of dog food were seized after they had been relabeled as liver pate meeting kosher requirements. A Romanian man was forced to move from his apartment when his mastiff's snores not only kept neighbors awake, but set off their burglar alarms. Apparently the man is so used to the snoring that he does not hear it anymore. Visit the website for more stories, such as the woman who breast-fed her dog and drunken priests.

3-11 Miami Gets a WIN over the Patriots
I was watching the first quarter last night, when Don asked why Miami even showed up with such a bad season. I could see they were playing like they had nothing to lose, though, and just had a feeling they might take the game. However, I have seen the Pats suck in the first half and then totally slaughter their opponents in the second. Not last night, staging an 11 point comeback in the last two minutes of the game, the Dolphins stunned the Pats by winning the game. How embarrassing that must be, to lose to this years Dolphins.

Rural Towns are Finally Receiving Telephones
Several small areas in Louisiana & Mississippi have never received telephone service. Typically starting off as trapping communities, these small towns were never big enough to receive landlines back in the 1970's when their neighboring communities were getting them. The residents of these towns have had to rely on "bag phones," which is a type of analog phone that isn't overly reliable. The small town of Mink will finally get landline service starting in about March, while a few other communities will get cell towers, because the geography prevents installation of landlines. I don't know, these people may soon regret the installation of telephone lines and dream of the days when they had bag phones.

Tuesday Fun
Tuesday brings more of the same. Wake up, work out, get ready for work, blog, go to work (where I do all the work), run errands/come home, eat some dinner, chill, sleep, rinse, repeat. I only have to make it til Thursday afternoon, when we have a half day...just til thursday. Our machine is still out of commission at work, thus causing everything to take twice the time it usually takes; and we're busy because everyone wants their stuff done before Christmas. They rarely ever consider that all of them are doing the exact same thing to us, and we're overloaded. oh well...at least it makes the days go by quickly, but I've always felt bad about wishing days to go by quickly. Seems like such a waste.

Anyway, I hope everyone has an excellent Tuesday!

Cheers,
Chewie

iPods, FoxBlocker, & Dumb Criminals, Oh My!

iPod Madness
I've been wanting an iPod since they came out. I'm too cheap to get one, but it'd be nice to have. I'm not sure how many of you have seen the Special U2 edition of the iPod, but it got me wondering why U2? Then I came across this site featuring other iPod special editions. Apparently, I wasn't the only one wondering why U2... Very amusing site. I especially like the P Diddy & Toby Keith editions. :o)

Fox News Blocker

"FOXBlocker is an innovative new product that filters out the FOX News network. Simply screw the filter into the back of your TV and never be exposed to right wing propaganda again (at least through FOX News). Using a proprietary technology, the FOXBlocker works to filter out FOX News from your cable lineup.

Protect yourself and your family, or send one to a misguided right wing friend.

For only $8.95, you can help join the fight against Fox News :o)
Via Easy Bake Coven

50 Foods to Try Before You Die
I've tried 26 of the 50...not too shabby. Some of those things I refuse to try, though (one being caviar). Four of these I ate yesterday (crab, lobster, ice cream, & chocolate). An interesting list containing everything from pizza and ice cream to squid and octopus. The most interesting thing I've tried...alligator. It tastes like chicken.

Japan's Dumbest Criminals of 2004
Several thieves (in 3 separate incidences) asked for help from the cops; they helped them alright...right into a jail cells. Another criminal was caught mugging an old woman to get the money to pay for CDs that he had been caught shoplifting. Another man was caught when he returned to the place where he had knicked a woman's pants, because he had left his slippers there. One thing to be learned by the criminals featured in this column: DO NOT GO BACK TO THE SITE OF THE CRIME. More than half were caught when they returned to the scene of the crime for one reason or another.

So Many Stories...So Little Time
*NY Restaurant uses beds instead of tables & chairs. The restaurant also features bathroom stalls with one-way mirrors, so you can see out of the stall as you relieve yourself.
*Are Americans Getting Healthier? One doctor proposes that, while Americans are getting fatter, they are getting healthier, because so many have quit smoking. There may be a correlation between declining smoking rates and an increasing waistline. But no hard evidence has yet been provided.
*The Newest Food Oddity is an apple that has a smiley face rotting on its skin. Its to be auctioned off by the couple who found it. Am I the only person not looking for symbols and faces in my food?
*Someone is attempting to build his own hobbit hole. Donations are welcome.
*Car Talk Confessions: What is your craziest car moment? Some of these are really cute, all are really amusing.

Food Fun to Disaster
Don took me out to Red Lobster for my birthday lunch yesterday. We'll both be working on the actual day, so we went out when we would have time to enjoy ourselves. I got a fresh lobster, while Don got king crab legs. I tore into my lobster with finesse, and also enjoyed my share of crab leg meat. Don ended up getting a chocolate cake with ice cream to finish the meal, of which I took a minute portion. I ate much more than normal, but probably would've been fine; except for the fact that I came home and had peanut M&M's later on. About 7:30pm, I started feeling terrible from all the food. I took some Pepto Bismol, that my husband so lovingly went out and bought for me; drank some ginger ale, and went to bed early. Last year I ruined my birthday lunch by getting my ears pierced and almost tossing my cookies. This year, I ate too much and combined things that ought not be combined. Next year: chicken and rice.

Well, I'm off to start Monday. What a disappointment. For some reason, I woke up thinking it was Christmas Eve. You can imagine how sad I was to realize that I was dead wrong. I think too much of my mind has been on planning for this coming Friday, so my tired mind must've figured it was already here. Argh.

I hope everyone has an excellent (non-Christmas Eve) Monday!
Cheers,
-Chewie-

Odd News

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Perfect Gift:: Books
   
2. Santa:: Claus
   
3. Lucy:: in the Sky with Diamonds
   
4. Buckets:: of Joy
   
5. Recital:: Piano (ugh)
   
6. Stamp:: Letter
   
7. Teacher:: Me!
   
8. Matchbox:: 20
   
9. Spit:: Yeck
   
10. Feeling:: Cold
    

The Top 10 Hoaxes of 2004
From the breaking of jelly bracelets for sexual favors to terrorists buying uniforms on eBay to camel spiders, see the top ten hoaxes of the year. Some started years ago, but are still going strong today; such as the rumor that Bill Gates is giving up his fortune (whoever would believe that must be truly stupid). Others just started this year, but have caused quite a stir; such as the rumor that high school boys break the jelly bracelets on a girl's arm in order to obtain a sexual favor. Rumor had it that certain colors meant certain favors. Parents and educators everywhere freaked out at this news. And how can we forget the pictures of the camel spiders that ate people alive. Unattractive, yes, but huge man-eaters, they are not.

Cool Picture of Lenticular Clouds Near the Ross Ice Shelf
The US Coast Guard photograph of Mount Erebus shows lenticular clouds about the volcano in the same sound that is clogged up by the Ross Ice Shelf. Very neat photo.

Kentucky Paper Apologizes for Printing Vulgar Santa Jokes
The Lawrence County Storm apologized for printing vulgar jokes about Santa in the weekly newspaper. Some of the jokes portrayed Santa in sexual situations, while others insulted the religious side of Christmas. Some were just lame, but all left readers highly offended and upset. The paper not only apologized, but managed to retrieve unsold copies. Paper management said that the jokes were printed by mistake. Someone had been reading them on the internet, and they apparently made their way into the paper; they were not caught prior to the paper being sent out for printing. Oops. How do you miss a list of dirty jokes? C'mon people.

Fans of Game Music Rejoice
Do you have a favorite game theme song from the 1980's on? Chances are you'll find it here, at OverClocked Remix. They look to have a pretty darn big list...go and find your favorite.

School Hands Out Peanuts to Improve Student Achievement
NCLB has certainly led to some interesting developments. Some of the most interesting developments come in the form of improving student achievement. At Imogene Garner Hook Junior High School, students recieve a bag of peanuts during their first period class, because the principle has read research that peanuts improve academic performance. Principal Julie Millard noted that peanuts contain glucose, which gets the brain moving; as well as lecithin, which improves memory. Some students believe that the see improvement in their achievement, while others say that they're at least good to munch on. Many students don't eat breakfast before heading out to school; so teachers find this to be a good way to prevent them from being distracted by hungry stomachs.

Hangin' with the Fam
Don & I had a lot of fun yesterday visiting my family. My mother's side of the family is big, with her having four siblings. Most of my aunts & uncle had multiple children, so there are a ton of us cousins. It wasn't too crowded yesterday, because many were working and couldn't make it, which was sad. However, I did get to meet the newest baby addition. Bailey Addison was born 7 weeks ago, and the only problem I had with her, was the fact that she sparked the un-ending conversation about when Don and I are planning on having kids. Never was not an acceptable answer. No one seemed to believe us; and my mother is getting out of hand with this whole grandchild thing. For one, I'm working and in grad school...how would I have time/money for a baby; for two, I don't want children...I'd probably be a horrible mother. Cats are good enough for me. You people who don't want children, but have siblings who do...you don't know how lucky you are. Its a terrible burden to be an only child who doesn't want children, when you're parents are dying to be grandparents (at least, your mother is). Besides that, though, we had a good time. For a time, my cousin Willie, Don & I were sitting on the couch. All of the sudden, we got bombared with paper balls from my cousin Vanessa. The thing is, grandma is insane about kids not messing up her house. So were all sitting on the couch with our eyes on grandma, throwing these balls back and forth. Everytime grandma would look at us, we'd stop and smile. It was a great reminder of our younger years where we used to do the same thing. I got to meet the newest wife of my cousin, Scotty...she's really nice. I also got to meet the girlfriend & mother of my other cousin's child. She was too sweet and her child is just like his father. Looks like him and acts like him. It was a good day, I just wish more of my family could've been there.

For today...I've already done my grocery shopping (hadn't gotten a chance to do it)...I might go back later, though, and stock up for this week. I forgot that Friday is Christmas Eve - Friday is our usual grocery day. I also cleaned the bathroom, and plan to finish cleaning the house when we get in from church. I've started the laundry, worked out, and now need to get Don up to get ready for church. We might go out for lunch to celebrate my birthday, b/c both of us will be working on the actual day, so there will be no time to celebrate then.

Until later...cheers...
Chewie

Odd News & Such

The Umbrella People
A gallery of people and their umbrellas...most in some state of distress (the umbrellas, that is). Ah, the photographs he could take in Blacksburg; especially on the drillfield. Or even better, right in outside the Tower door that opened onto the drillfield. Opening your umbrella there could be classified as umbrella murder.
Link via The Presurfer

NORAD Tracks Santa
For kids of all ages...watch Santa as he traverses the world handing out presents to the good and coal to the bad. And its good to know that Santa will have a jet fighter escort to support him during his journey. While you're waiting for the big night, check out the declassified photos of Santa and see how he's changed over the years. Also check out the Christmas music to get yourself in the Christmas spirit.

The 2004 Bad Science Awards
Gotta love turning bad data into some fantastic research-find. Winners include the Daily Express, for declaring Tumeric to have anti-cancer properties, despite the unclear tests in animals and the total lack of testing in humans. Also check out the winners for pretending to a doctor, the bad science product of the year, fake cosmetic claim of the year, & the bad science celebrity of the year. Man, it really irks me when people screw with science...leave it to the experts, people.

Its a Good Thing I'm Going Out of Town Today...
Because the a$$hat downstairs is blasting his blue grass again. Mind you, we had to take down our bird feeders because they bothered him (only after we called the cops, because his music played non-stop for 24 hours); but the apartment management continues to let him play his loud music. Even though they can be sued and held responsible for his noise violations. Just because he's old doesn't mean he is quiet. At least his drug-dealing male lover isn't around...he blasts the music even louder. Of course, that might be a good thing to cover the sounds otherwise emanating from downstairs. Can I just say that I hate apartments...seriously. And its not like we want to say anything too much, because the guy seriously looks like a muderer. I swear that we have no luck. I wish we lived across the hall, the guy downstairs from that apartment is the nicest man you could ever meet. But no, we get to live above the psychopath. Typical. I bet we have sucky neighbors when we buy a house. Maybe I should move out to the middle of nowhere...

Speaking of leaving today, we're going up to my maternal grandma's house to celebrate Christmas with the fam. We were supposed to be leaving now, but Don is making us late (as usual - he's in the shower). I told him we were going to leave a 9am, but he just sits around until 8:54am to take his shower...and he takes 25-30 minute showers. Men. Can't live with 'em and can't take them anywhere, because they're never ready. Argh.

Hope everyone else enjoys their last Saturday before Christmas!
Cheers,
-Chewie-

A Cup of Joe Odd News

Quote of the Day
"I'm not picky. I only want one thing." -One of my co-workers who has been given everything and anything. His "needs" are more than most of us want.

I'm Saturn!
*You're steady, organizes, and determined to achieve your dreams.
*You tend to play it conservative, going by the rules (at least the practical ones).
*You'll likely reach the top. And when you do, you'll be honorable and responsible.
*Focus on happiness. Don't let your goals distract you from fun!
*Don't be too set in your ways, and you'll be more of a success than you ever dreamed of.

Has Been
I don't know how many of you realized that William Shatner was releasing a new album...with the help of Ben Folds. On October 5, 2004, Has Been was released to stores. Both Don & I were interested to hear Shatner's new musical exploits, as his former album was hilariously bad. Not so with this album. Its actually good. Seriously. There are some funny songs, but they're supposed to be funny. However, there are also some heart-felt songs that are excellent and tender. "That's Me Trying" is a real stand-out on this album, I swear I didn't know Shatner had it in him. He's does talk in his Shatner-like way, but it fits the music, better than say "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." Definitely worth the purchase...at least listen to clips (though the iTunes clips don't do it justice). You'll most likely be pleasantly surprised.

"Hey, You Took My Letter!"
Funny little game that has letters laying around the screen. Use them to spell a word...the catch: other people are using these same letters to spell their words. Its actually rather amusing.
Via Brykmantra

Christmas Link of the Day: 2004's Best Light Displays
Show off your lights or just check out the creations of others. Some are phenomenal...all of them make me glad I'm not paying their electric bills. Definitely worth a look-see.

Firefox Users Less Likely to Click Ads than IE Users
Well, duh. As an avid Firefox fan, myself, I can tell you that the users of FirefFox tend to be a bit more technologically-smart than the average IE user. Many of us chose Firefox for the stability, safety, and pop-up blocker. We, in part, chose Firefox to prevent ads from attacking us. We're not ad-fans. If you're still stuck in the IE rut, let me recommend switching to Firefox & take back the web.

Only in NY...Fake Engagement Rings = Guy Repellent
No, the girls wearing these rings aren't lesbians...they're just not interested in the weird guys hitting on them. The author of the article spotted fake engagement rings one day as she walked past a store with a friend. Before she realized they were fake, she'd fallen in love with one...when she found out they weren't real, she decided to put one to good use: man repellent. Now all she has to do to ward off unwanted interest is to flash the ring, and watch the man fade away. Apparently angry tirades and being a b*tch just wasn't working, according to the author of the story. When asked what happens when she spots a guy she's interested in, her answer was that the fake rings are great conversation starters. I'd be afraid the right guy would pass me buy because of the ring...but maybe that's just me. And even real ones don't work for some guys.

Microshaft Shafting Customers Again
I am so glad I use a Mac; especially when reading about the newest schemes from microshaft. This one: to start charging customers extra for security software. When the new software is introduced, it will be free; but after that, micro$oft will start charging money. They can't build a safer OS, oh no. They have to fill up your computer with even more software and charge you for it at the same time. Isn't Bill Gates rich enough?

Not Much to Report on in Chew's Life
Today kicks-off the beginning of holiday parties. I skipped my own work party; but I've been roped into attending the Christmas party at Don's work. Woo. That's tonight. Tomorrow, we go up to my maternal grandmother's house to spend our annual Saturday-before-Christmas get-together with the fam. I'm hoping to see some cousins I haven't seen in years. They came to Thanksgiving, but I missed that to spend the day with my in-laws. The 23rd brings a half-day at work and a birthday celebration for Dad and I. We'll be getting together and eating some good food and sharing a cake. Its the first birthday get together that I'll be sharing with dad since I got married, so I'm quite excited about this. The 24th is our annual Christmas Eve dinner at mom & dad's, followed by the church service at the church where I grew up (I've since left this church for somewhere else that is more open-minded). Of course, then there is Christmas. I'm actually not entirely sure of our plans for that day. Who knows what we'll come up with this year, last year we saw ROTK in the theater. That was weird for someone who had only spent Christmas day with family or in the car during the 6 hours of driving. We will then celebrate New Years with some friends, which we've been doing since I was a baby. I think we'll have one more Christmas get-together after that, and then we should be finished for the season. I hope your holidays are fun and you get to spend time with family and friends. I know I'll probably be tired of Christmas come the 27th of December, but I think that's just from the overload of stuff to do and events to attend.

Happy Friday!
-Chewie-

'Cause Everybody's Doin' it...

Three Things...
Three names you go by:
Rebecca
Chewie
Bec

...read the extended entry for more...

Three screennames you have:
VTChEwbecca
VTChE2001
Chewbecca

Three things you like about yourself:
My hair...finally
My love for cats
My tenacity

Three things you hate/dislike about yourself:
My stomach...it will never be flat enough
My fear of failure
The fact that I get mad when I feel other people are burdening me unnecessarily (I wish I could just get over it)

Three parts of your heritage:
English
Scottish
Virginian

Three things that scare you:
Failure
Being fat, or rather, not being thin
The amount of work I'm facing in the coming semester

Three of your everyday essentials:
Cats & Husband
Food
Work outs

Three things you are wearing right now:
Jeans
Nike tennis shoes
My tan jersey shirt

Three of your favorite bands/artists (at the moment):
Keith Urban
Sherrie Austin
Martina McBride

Three of your favorite songs at present:
Song for Dad - Keith Urban
Electric Avenue - Tait
Wave on Wave - Pat Green

Three new things you want to try in the next 12 months:
Teaching chemistry (I'm gonna have to try this ;o))
Finding & reading some new authors
Find even more inventive meals to make for Don

Three things you want in a relationship (love is a given):
Honesty
Loyalty
Humor

Two truths and a lie:
I love cats
I don't eat meat
I was a Blue Streak

Three physical things about the opposite sex (or same) that appeal to you:
Rugged handsomness
Long, blonde hair (well-kept)
A nice smile

Three things you just can't do:
Be a patent examiner
Chill out every once in a while
Get into movies

Three of your favorite hobbies:
Reading
Daydreaming
Hanging out with my husband & kitays

Three things you want to do really badly right now:
Graduate already with my MAT
Be teaching
See my husband

Three careers you're considering:
Teacher
From the past: Chemical Engineer, Biotech researcher

Three places you want to go on vacation:
Some place quiet and remote
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Six Flags (A good one)

Three kids names:
William Don
Virginia Olivette
Corynn MacCargo

Three things you want to do before you die:
Improve someone's life
Show much husband just how much I really love him
Share my love with more kitays

Odd News Postage

You Know...Chew's Birthday and Christmas are Coming Up...
Wouldn't you just love to buy her the perfect gift? Too cute. I love this set! Check out the details on the hat & scarf...too funny!

"You gotta play the field..."
According the the United Church of Christ-affilated Doane University, who sent out 13,500 postcards to prospective applicants in California stating Doane gave them the opportunity to "play the field." The postcard featured a football player and the caption "Finally, a place where he could work toward the career of his choice. And also play the field." This wouldn't be so bad, until you look at the next frame featuring the same guy surrounded by a group of attractive women with the caption "And play the field some more." Many were offended by the postcard saying it objectified women. University officials first said there was nothing wrong with the card, but later stated they were no longer going to issue the card, as it might attract the wrong kind of student and repel the right kind of student. You think? That is just the way I would think to appeal to
prospective students for a Christian college. I can't see why they might think they'll attract the wrong kind of student. Geez.

A Christmas Classic in 30 Seconds
...the only catch: its performed by bunnies. See Its a Wonderful Life in 30 seconds, as performed by bunnies, to get yourself in the holiday spirit.
Seen...everywhere.

Sweet Beginnings for Ex-Cons
With the economy in not-so-great of shape, many people have had trouble landing and/or keeping jobs. Especially ex-cons. One city is attempting to help these ex-cons readjust to life outside of the bars. The mayor of North Lawndale has given over $200,000 to help the North Lawndale Employment Program implement new programs aimed at getting ex-cons back into the job market. One of the initiatives has ex-cons working as bee-keepers in a honey processing plant. "Sweet Beginnings" is the name of the company that sells honey processed by the former inmates. The people employed by this program are quite pleased with the fact that they have a job. Most say that the job has kept them from wandering around without anything to do, which has helped keep them from returning to crime. Two other programs are used in this city where 57% of the population is in jail or on probation; both have seen a great deal of success from these ventures. My grandaddy used to raise bees...not the occupation I'd want, but when its that or nothing, I expect I'd take it. Its nice to see someone taking an interest in helping these people back into normal life, as that is a hard adjustment, especially when jobs are scarce.

McDonald's. Clinic Renown for Cardiac Care. Not Exactly a Match Made in Heaven
A Cleveland Clinic known for treating cardiac problems, has long had Pizza Hut & McDonald's in the downstairs lobby to serve nurses, doctors, and visitors. One doctor, however, has decreed that the fast food joints, often accused of being responsible for growing waistlines, have to go. Pizza Hut went quietly into the night. Not so for the fast-food giant, McDonald's. Micky D's is halfway through a 20-year lease and has no plans on moving out. "Our menu is something we're all proud of," said Marty Ranft, a McDonald's vice president. "We've got a great relationship with the Cleveland Clinic. We are not interested in closing [the restaurant]." Somehow, I don't really see the McDonald's menu complementing the work of the clinic. How much would it suck for your doctor to tell you that you need to cut back on fat and cholesterol; as you trudge towards the door with your new menu in hand, the smells of hamburgers and french fries waft towards you...and your menu features nothing from the McDonald's menu. Now I don't blame fast food entirely for making Americans fat...after all, they don't force any of us to eat at their restaurants. But placing themselves in a hospital clinic? Geez.

PSA: When Dealing Drugs, Its Best to Stay Away from the Sherrif's House
Phil Steen, Sheriff-elect of Lewis County, had been living in his new house for almost three weeks when he decided to take in some fresh night air. When he got onto his porch, he spotted two suspicious characters out in his front lawn. He was told to "look away" when the two noticed him. Instead, he ran their license plates, which lead to a search of two houses and a vehicle, as well as the arrest of James MacArthur. Though the invesitagation continues, MacArthur has already been charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia. I think we have just found a lucky candidate for the bee-keeping operation...at least, in a few years.

Twins have Twins on Same Day
Two twin sisters were six months pregnant when they both learned they were to have twin boys due the same day. Twins run in the families of all four parents, but the chances of having twins expecting twins on the same day are about 1 in a million. Ashlee Spinks of IN and Andrea Springer of Conyers, Ga ended up delivering their babies by caesarean sections only an hour apart. The two had come together to spend the latter part of their pregnancy together, so they even delivered in the same hospital. I have a couple of friends who have been pregnant at the same time as their sisters, but this must've been extra cool. Many congrats to the parents of the babies!

Fun on the Job
Work has been a bit stressful the past two days, because a machine broke, which makes our job much more difficult. However, we got some stress relief yesterday when an alarm started sounding. We all thought it was a fire alarm of some type. The deputies stationed outside, came in the office to see what was up, as we all pointed to the ceiling and said we thought the loud sound was coming from their. Just then, one of my co-workers realized that the sound was actually the alarm on a clock we sat up to take the place of our broken time machine. The deputies thought the four of us were fools, while we all just laughed. It was the loudest alarm I've ever heard...and it was only on HALF volume. Mind you, it was loud enough to be mistaken for a fire alarm. If any of you have trouble waking up...get one of these things. Wow! It did provide us with a good amount of amusement in what has otherwise been a rough week.

Two Years Gone..
I was thinking the other day when I came to the realization that I've been gone from the USPTO for two years. TWO years already. Its hard to believe so much time has passed and so many things have changed in my life. After leaving the USPTO, it took me about a year and a half to recover from the intense stress I had suffered. Emotionally, I was a wreck. To compound the pressures of the USPTO, I'd lost my very best friend in the October before I started the job...and I couldn't let her go, so I shut down. When I left the patent office for Blacksburg and a degree in biochemistry, I will admit that I was running. I was running from a job that I feared would take my life. So I ran as fast as I could back to my alma mater. It took me a while to actually think about my goals and what I truly wanted out of life. Back in January of 2004, I submitted my application to graduate school to get my Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT). I started grad school in August of 2004 and have successfully completed my first semester. And realized that I am finally where I need to be. I have also, finally, managed to let go of the loss of my best friend. It may seem odd to many to hold on to a friend that long after they've been lost, but she was my soul mate and she was there with me when I felt no one loved me at all. Our bond was as close as any two people, or in this case, cat and person could be. Looking back, it is almost hard to believe that I've survived the last 3 1/2 years and all the stress, changes, and experiences that came with them. Soon, I will be closer to 30 than to 20...and I can finally say that I've found the path my life is supposed to take.

Signing off for now...
-Chewie-

The Christmas Train by D. Baldacci

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

ISBN: 0446615757

Chew's Rating:

Synopsis:
Tom Langdon, the former investigative reporter who covered wars and violence and often had put his life on the line for a story, now reports for Ladies Home Journal about various fluff articles. He is alone in his life, as his one true love, another investigative reporter, left him years earlier for some mysterious reason. Eleanor just walked out of his life one day, and he still has no idea why. He knows that his life is missing some important peice, but he hasn't found a way to cork that hole in his heart. When he is banned from flying, due to a misunderstanding, he decides to fullfill his father's wish and write a story about a trainride across country. In the process he hopes to find out what direction he should take in his future. He is going to visit his some-time girlfriend, but isn't really looking forward to the vacation with her. He's only been on the train for a few hours when he bumps into none-other than Eleanor. Both have never stopped loving one another, but can they find a way to swallow their pride and hurt and anger to rediscover the love they've never lost for each other?

Chew's Review:
Ok, I've never read any of Baldacci's other novels, so I wasn't looking for anything in particular when reading this besides a feel-good Christmas story. Around the holidays, I've made it a tradition to read holiday novels; and I must say I'm especially pleased with this one. Instead of seeming like a fluff novel to just fire off a quick Christmas story, Baldacci seems to have put a lot of thought into the characters and the overall novel. Of course, we can all imagine how it ends, since Christmas novels are supposed to be happy and give one a warm feeling inside. I liked the characters, each and every one and found the story of Tom & Eleanor's trip across country to be a lot of fun and engaging. The many characters that you get to meet are all a lot of fun and cute. There is a twist ending, which was neat and unexpected. My only complaint was the storyline about the train robber, which seemed out of place and unnecessary. I'm not sure why Mr. Baldacci included it, but it certainly didn't take away from the story...it just didn't seem to fit. Still, probably the best holiday novel I've read since instituting this tradition. It far outdoes Grisham's Skipping Christmas, which is a decent, quick holiday read, and it even outdoes Fannie Flagg's A Redbird Christmas. I love Fannie Flagg's novels to death, and I loved this one, but the second half seemed rushed. But this isn't a review of those novels...back to The Christmas Train. If you want a good holiday book that will make you smile and give you a good story, get this one. Nothing too deep, but an excellent holiday read. 5 out of 5 books for actually writing a good Christmas story.

First Odd News Post

Quotes of the Day
Heard while watching the Ravens play on Sunday..
"Those guys are your chest peaches." -One of the commentators.
"30 seconds...just enough time for Eli Manning to throw another interception." -Don (Pause) "INTERCEPTED!" -Commentator for the game. Yes, Eli Manning had just thrown yet another interception. He is my new least-favorite person in football...now that good ol' Supurrier is gone.

Parents on Strike
Tired of your kids not helping around the house? Why not follow the example of Cat and Harland Barnard down in Florida, who have gone on strike. The couple are living in a tent outside of their home with signs proclaiming that they are on strike, due to the fact that their children are not helping around the house as much as they should. Mrs. Barnard finally decided to strike when her teenagers did not offer to help her mow the lawn while she was home resting from an operation. They had already tried many tactics to encourage their children to help, such as withholding allowances and visiting a psycologist, but to no end. Police, teachers, and the media have descended upon the home, which the son, Ben, finds to be highly incovienent. The daughter, Kit, says she realizes that she has perhaps not helped as much as she ought, and plans to change. Authorities have not intervened, since they find the children to be in no danger. The children have frozen meals inside the hou!
se to sustain them until their parents end their strike. Personally, I think I would have tried to mend their ways before they became teenagers, but maybe that's just me. I had chores and was expected to do them or suffer the consequences from a young age.

Holiday Yummies
The Holidays...fun, family, friends, and good food. Looking for a little something to spice up your holiday meals and festivities this season? CNN presents their favorite 2004 cookbooks that not only present tasty recipes, but provide only recipes that are easy for everyone to make. Their top-choice is Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris. Garten is the star of "Barefoot Contessa," where one can always find delectable and easy recipes. Don't like CNN's collection? Why not check out the best-selling cookbooks on Amazon or go visit the cookbook selection at Barnes & Noble...you're sure to find something for your fancy there....from good pies to low-carb and back to Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris, which seems to be quite popular. Why not try something new and different this year?

The Christmas Train
Or should I say, Christmas Trains? It seems a new tradition is springing up all over the US, sparked in part by The Polar Express movie. Train companies from North Carolina to Ohio to California are setting up their mini-Polar Express excursions. Kids of all ages ride the trains to the "North Pole" where they can see Santa and even Mrs. Claus. Sometimes Santa & Mrs. Claus come on board and share time and hot chocolate with the passengers. Many parents are choosing to ride a train rather than sit at home and watch holiday movies with their children. They want their children to have a holiday experience they will truly remember and recall fondly. The rides are becoming so popular, some companies had to institute a lottery system, while others are seeing a double in the number of riders. Sounds like a neat idea...even if you don't have kids. Never been on a train myself, but my husband and father-in-law have a definitely fascination with them (they used to ride from time to time). Perhaps some day I'll get to ride on a Christmas Train. In other Christmas Train news, you'll have to check out my review of David Baldacci's The Christmas Train.

"I was training him, Officer...."
Apparently Mount Lee Lacy's idea of "training" his dog involved biting her so hard that he drew blood. Lacy's girlfriend's mother called police about his treatment of his jack russell terrier after hearing stories of his "discipline." Police officers kicked down his apartment door to find him holding his mastiff, named Breaker, on a leash. Lacy was taken without incident, and is being held on $25000 bail. He is charged with two felony counts, one being animal cruelty and the other being resisting arrest without violence. Lacy apparently said that biting the dog was good punishment, because that's what they understand. The little jack russell, however, cowered from police as if they were going to hurt her. Her front paw was bloody from the bite inflicted on her by her owner. Geez, what is that about?!? Hasn't he ever heard of an animal trainer? None that I've seen recommend biting one's animal. I might tell G & E that I'm gonna bite them, but I've never actually meant it. I'd like to see this guy try to bite my mom's cat...she'd take him out in about five seconds and send him home whimpering.

I'm Back!

I'm baaaacccckkkkk. Yes, under a new domain name, but its the same old Chew. I have started spending a bit more time on the internet and have seen far too many good odd news stories to pass up. Just when I thought I'd seen everything, people manage to invent whole new ways of being strange.

I actually took about a four month break from the internet. I used it for email, once in a while, and that was it. This actually worked out well, as my internet went down the last month I was in Blacksburg, so I couldn't have blogged or visited any forums or anything. I only started using the internet regularly at the end of October, and have recently started to realize that I miss blogging. So I'm back. I won't have time for all the fun redesigns...as free time can get severly limited when going to grad school full-time, and working 20+ hours per week. But I hope to be around at least once per day with a post or two. I'm also adding book reviews to my odd news, as I enjoy writing them and I hope people enjoy reading them. Of course, along with less time for the internet, comes less time for free reading. Ugh. The only reason I got to read several books this past semester, was due to an assignment to read 30 children/YA books. 15 had to be in my content area; I decided to go with biology rather than chemistry, because there is no way that I could find 15 ya/childrens books about chemistry, unless I went for ones that were severly out-of-date. There have been many interesting assignments this past semester...

At least the first semester of grad school went well. I got another 4.0 to add to my list. I was wondering if I could get a 4.0 with working & school. Hope I can repeat the performance next semester. I did get to be in my first practicum this semester. I was in a science/social studies class with sixth graders. At first, I was really worried about working with sixth graders, as I want to teach high school chemistry. I was pleasantly surprised, as the kids were great. They were rather rambunctious, but they were a lot of fun to work with. Our supervisory teacher gave us several opportunities to prepare lessons and teach the class, which was lots of fun. The whole experience has solidified my view that I've chosen the correct field (finally). Now if I can just survive the inefficient recording keeping and hoops that this university has in place, which I am sure are just to make things that much more difficult. Virginia Tech never once messed up my records, they've already been screwed up twice here and I've only been here a semester. Argh! Oh well, I'm sure I'll manage to survive it all somehow.

So that's the story. I'm back. I can't wait to get my fingers playing across the keyboard typing out all kinds of odd news stories for you all.

Sending a shout-out to my old weblog friends:
Apropos of Something
Shawn Allison
Bear Left on Unnamed Road
Fishbucket
Easy Bake Coven
Jen Speaks
What Kind of Sick Weirdo Are You?
Critterchick
Brykmantra
Down a Country Road
Just Grahm
-Glad to see you're all still bloggin' - can't wait to get back in the blog game, myself-

Cheers!
Chewie