Strengthen The Good (STG), is now officially a Not-for-Profit organanization! STG was founded by The Command Post's Alan Thomas. in an effort to unite bloggers and help others. It's received a bit of good press lately. In an article in today's New York Times, Nathan Schactman writes how STG member bloggers (like me and some of you) have made a difference in real time, not just in the virtual world. It's really a great article and I encourage you all to read it. In the extended entry you can read an excerpt of it.

If you want to know more about Strengthen The Good, visit their website.
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Posted by: Michele at 07:37 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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Dealing with a flare up of Carpel Tunnel and colleagues so obnoxious they defy the norms of social behavior. So today my mood is reflective of the character Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh stories.

I'm hoping my mood improves and I'm able to see Bridget Jones/Colin Firth movie this weekend!

It just dawned on me that the only reason that quiz thought I was interesting was because I speak several languages and I've lived overseas half my life. That doesn't make me interesting! Those are aspects of my personality which make me worldly not interesting.

I was so drained by the antics of several petulant children at work, that when I went to meet a former co-worker for lunch, at one point I became amazed by the intelligent conversation we were having. We were discussing Christian monasticism and Indian mysticism's influence on Sufism. That really made my day.

Posted by: Michele at 09:02 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 I thought the quiz hit you spot on! :-) Feel better soon, and my the "children" take a time out!

Posted by: Tammi at November 10, 2004 08:43 AM (UOdfZ)

2 I like kitties!

Posted by: Ted at November 10, 2004 01:01 PM (blNMI)

3 I find worldly VERY interesting :-)

Posted by: Harvey at November 14, 2004 11:23 AM (ubhj8)

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According to Rum and Monkey - Personality Test Creators: "I'm the Most Interesting Person in the World!" Although you wouldn't know it by all the simple, dull things I have to do this weekend. Today I went to the Supermarket, dry cleaners, post office, drug store, card store, and picked up a new computer keyboard. This entry was me testing it out to see if it's truly a soft-touch keyboard. It's not. Sigh!

About the only interesting thing that happened today was that I finished all my Christmas shopping. That's right all the presents for all my family members and my best friend have been purchased. All that's left for me to do to get ready for Christmas is to buy the tree. That what I'll be doing on December 18th. Or maybe I'll just order it on the internet. I haven't decided yet.

Anyway, if you're in doubt as to how fabulously interesting you are take the "Just How Interesting Are You?" quiz today!

Posted by: Michele at 09:22 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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1 *Groan* I'm so jealous. I haven't even started my shopping. Except for the crappy free gift I got when I bought a hard drive. That's what my useless brother in law is getting ;-)

Posted by: Sally at November 07, 2004 06:58 AM (a1D32)

2 Well, I'll be .... I just found out I'm more boring than a slug! Guess that explains a few things!

Posted by: That 1 Guy at November 09, 2004 03:03 AM (PRpf7)

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Bloggers are a force to be contended with, and we are here to stay!

I have to admit, bloggers like Wonkette and her leftists ilk, did a great disservice to the credibility of bloggers everywhere on election night. They created a damaging situation by releasing unverified, speculative poll numbers prematurely on the web. In doing so they spun things out of control.

Had the margin of victory been narrower, the would have created a situation that would have been worse than Florida in 2000. In the eagerness to scope the media, they hurt Kerry campaigners and volunteers, by leading them to believe a false victory.

I found, that honest, self-respecting bloggers on the right, did not engage in spin. Instead, they stated the facts as facts, and their hopes as personal opinions and were up front about it all.

In this past year, five things made it clear for me that the internet, as a political tool and medium, was here to stay:

1. Howard's Dean's online fundraising efforts made it clear that the internet is not only a viable information tool, but also a grassroots campaign fundraising tool. Dean's fundraising began explosively and increased exponentially the moment after he went online.

2. Kerry's "Plans" were laid out in detail on his website, which garnered many hits from people on both sides of the aisle. People on the opposite side of the aisle (like me) used it as ammunition to deconstruct his policies and show the plain truth behind them.

3. The DNC was able to use the internet to:

• raise over 5 Million dollars in campaign funds,
  
• mobilize people/protestors during the RNC, and
  
• get out their message and "rapidly respond" or spin statements made by Republicans during their convention.

4. The Swift Vote Vets were able to get their message out, even when the Main Stream Media was supressing it. This caused Kerry's post convention bounce to slow to a dribble.

5. Two words: CBS' Memogate.

I firmly believe that Bush's re-election was directly obtained by those who worked tireless to spread his message, who questioned and relentlessly dogged the opposition and the media medium by holding them accountable for their half-truths.

In the end, the internet has grown up and now has the role as the seeker and vanguard of truth.

Posted by: Michele at 02:02 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Southerners have expressions and a lingo all their own. CBS News Anchor, Dan Rather, uses them more often than most on air personalities. Here's a few quotes from the broadcast on Election Night 2004:

"Do you hear that knocking...President Bush's re-election is at the door."

"This race is hotter than the Devil's anvil."

"His lead is as thin as turnip soup."
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Posted by: Michele at 01:58 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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Here's a sampling of messages I received today in response to my mandate post:

"Why the hell is Kerry conceding and giving up? Why is he letting Bush get away with this."

"This is a blow to democracy... That bastard stole the election once again."

"This constitution will fail, as others have before it, due to the corruption of the people who, once they have become totally corrupt, turn to despotism, because only a despot can govern them. - Benjamin Franklin"

"May [Bush] and his ivy league monied friends suffer miserably before they die and go to hell."

I'm truly amazed at receiving these emails. Haven't the majority of the American people spoken loudly and clearly? Isn't a majority of the popular and electoral votes what matters in the end?

I guess it will take time for some people to let it go. As for me, I am ready to go to work and help in the healing process. I will not gloat, as it could have easily gone the other way. I am just relieved that it went the way of my personal interests.

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Posted by: Michele at 12:52 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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The people have spoken and so will Kerry today, conceding at 1PM.

I am so glad that American citizens taught lawyers, judges, the media and all other vote challenger or nosey bodies a lesson: that local areas can handle voting and tallying if given good reliable equipment and enough personnel to handle the influx. Instead of looking for problems, they need to make sure there's enough staff to make it easy for citizens to vote!!!!

Looking beyond the presidential race, I see that we picked up 5 seats in the House and 4 seats in the Senate. Three senate seats we picked up were: Tom DaschleÂ’s, John Edwards and Zel MillerÂ’s!

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Posted by: Michele at 12:42 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I voted very early this morning (7:30am). I waited in line only 15 minutes while the loving old blind geezers staffing the pols were getting there act together. By the time I left there were close to 50 people in line.

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Posted by: Michele at 01:24 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Although I'm too busy to post, I still want to share something amusing. Here's an item I received in today's email via non-blogger/reader Lisa. But wait, there's a question at the end that I would like to have your thoughts on.

"A man and a woman, who have never met before, find themselves assigned to the same sleeping room on a transcontinental train. Though initially embarrassed and uneasy over sharing a room, the two are tired and fall asleep quickly...he in the upper bunk and she in the lower.

At 1:00 AM, he leans over and gently wakes the woman saying, "Ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you, but would you be willing to reach into the closet to get me a second blanket? I'm awfully cold."

"I have a better idea," she replies. "Just for tonight, let's
pretend that we're married."

"Wow! That's a great idea!!" he exclaims.

"Good," she replies. "Get your own damn blanket!"

After a long moment of silence, he farted."

I thought it was funny. A subliminal social commentary on the quasi-liberated sexes. But then I began to wonder, as I received various interesting responses from my co-workers, how you all would respond. Their answers will be posted later on tonight (I was assured), so in the meantime I want to hear your answers. And now for the questions:

For the men - would you have woken her up and asked, or would you have gotten the blanket yourself?

For the women - would you have gotten up to get the blanket when asked, or would you have answered in a similar fashion?

Posted by: Michele at 12:40 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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