Write your own response/post in the comments if you want. I simply needed to post this pic to admire the view.

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1 Beautiful photograph.

Posted by: Tink at August 30, 2006 04:00 PM (wi/sM)

2 Yeah, that picture, sure is purty... Kinda reminds me of an "outdoor" hooters, all the lights and stuff. It could only be better if there was a little fella in there somewhere with a fishin' pole, and a fish on... Check Oddy... She and her little fella have that fishin' thing goin' on now.

Posted by: RedNeck at August 30, 2006 05:05 PM (a6pA8)

3 That is a lovely picture. Do you get to see that view often?

Posted by: Teresa at August 31, 2006 10:02 AM (o4pJS)

4 Absolutely stunning picture!

Posted by: Dazd at September 06, 2006 08:11 AM (Pn992)

5 WOW!.... found your blog through Straight White Guy.....your last post about the Towers had me in serious tears.....wishing you peace.

Posted by: Jean at September 07, 2006 10:12 PM (GIL7z)

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"A fondness for power is implanted, in most men, and it is natural to abuse it, when acquired."

-- Alexander Hamilton (The Farmer Refuted, 23 February 1775) - Founder of the NY Post - the oldest continuingly published newspaper in the country.

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IÂ’ve been quiet for the last few days because it was easier.

It was easier not to sit in front of a blank screen and have the truth seep into my consciousness and torture my brain. Well, it seems that the more I tried to push things out of my consciousness, the more it would come to haunt me. As a result this past week has been nothing but torture. Torture from my son; torture by my house guests (Bro & Sister in Law - BIL & SIL), and self-torture from my subconscious dogging me constantly at my heals. All the while, struggling with not wanting to look at the truth, which IÂ’ve been trying so hard to deny or delay facing.

It all started by me reading this post on BouÂ’s blog. It finally brought everything to before me, making it impossible for me to continue to avert or deny the truth any longer. As a result, IÂ’ve finally realized that my son has taken after me in more ways than one. This past week, while getting phone calls at work from my SIL, BIL & son, all complaining about each other with stories on how they were torturing each other over my son's book reports, I told them I'd listen in through speaker phone and intervene when necessary. While trying to get my son to write 1 single book report, it was painfully apparent to me (as I listened to them silently) that my son processes information differently than most. Well, they all gave up on each other and I was faced with doing much damage control before my son starts school next Monday.

This morning, I finally cried UNCLE, as we lagged further behind on my sonÂ’s assigned summer reading/writing/book report schedule. There was nothing else I could do but finally google what the symptoms were for someone in his age group. IÂ’ve posted these below so you all can get an inkling of what IÂ’m going through with him. HeÂ’s luckier than most though, IÂ’ve been trained in different methodologies that have enabled me to learn on my own once I was diagnosed with a mild form of dyslexia. IÂ’ve been using a few of these techniques with him for the math and it's worked great. Unfortunately where I fail and have no experience is in helping him with his hand writing. ItÂ’s not only illegible, to get him to write barely neatly is worse than pulling teeth and it has finally brought me to my knees. Below is part of an email I received from an expert, whom I contacted via their website, inquiring about classifying my sonÂ’s issues, has enlightened me quite a bit. Now I begin the work phase.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The difficulties noted below are often associated with your sonÂ’s age group. A qualified diagnostician (see attached list for the centers in your area) can test your son to determine if he is truly experiencing one of the many forms of dyslexia, and to what extent.

- May be unable to follow multi-step directions or routines.
- May have poor "fine motor" coordination.
- Has difficulty spelling phonetically.
- Makes consistent reading and spelling errors in common words
- Relies on guessing and context.
- May have difficulty learning new vocabulary.
- May transpose number sequences and confuse arithmetic signs (+ - x / =).
- May have trouble remembering facts.
- May be slow to learn new skills; relies heavily on memorizing without understanding.
- May have difficulty planning, organizing and managing time, materials and tasks.
- Often uses an awkward pencil grip.

Finally, I read this today and it literally broke my heart because I remember being the one sitting at the kitchen table going through this myself:

"The frustration of children with dyslexia often centers on their inability to meet expectations. Their parents and teachers see a bright, enthusiastic child who is not learning to read and write correctly. Time and again, dyslexics and their parents hear, “He’s such a bright child; if only he would try harder.” Ironically, no one knows exactly how hard the dyslexic is trying."

I remember almost not being able to graduate 2nd in my class in high school because my Math teacher couldn't decipher how on earth I always got the right answers on my tests, yet I couldn't logically prove my work via complete algebraic and linear equations. It was only when my State Exams were challenged, and I had to go before their Exam Board and take the exam while 3 testers stood over me, that everyone realized something was wrong. One of the tester's asked me a few questions about my work after I completed doing a formula and asked me to solve the problem outloud. It was then they realized that not everything that was in my head made it on paper, and thus I was identified as possibly dyslexic. Further testing proved it, and I was able to keep my honor's/salutatorian status at graduation. The diagnosis was liberating in many ways, but this is when the experience with my curse first began to change.

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In a recent decision, the members of the International Astronomical Union's (IAU), have reclassified what is considered a planet. In doing this, they reduced Pluto and 50 other celestial bodies that have recently been discovered to the status of a dwarf planet. In Pluto's case he receives dual classification as a dwarf and icy planet.

In one swift move they have saved millions of school children from having to learn 50+ more planets in our solar sytem. I say Hooraaaay for Astronomers! In an effort to help said students, I am listing below the new criteria for a celestial body to be considered a planet:

- it must be in circular (not elliptical) orbit around the Sun
- it must be large enough that it takes on a nearly round shape
- it has cleared its orbit of other objects

One more argument used by scientists to demote Pluto: if it were any closer to the sun, it would simply be a chunk of ice as the sun's heat would melt and evaporate the ice.

So there you have it folks, even the biggest of guys gets demoted.

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People who I think should take this test? Mr. Helpful, RSM, Jon, Ted & Tuning Spork. Why? 'Cause I'm a curious cat and I want to know how THEY see themselves.

You Are 24% Control Freak

You have achieved the perfect balance of control and letting go. You tend to roll with whatever life brings, but you never get complacent.

Thanks to blog-sis Tammi and Quality Weenie for posting this!

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In the extended entry there is a very, very long post of my side of a conversation that would have taken place had I not had lots of committments going on yesterday, which prevented me from calling and thanking you personally. We did not get home till very late and I didn't call at 10:30pm because I know you had an equally long day and needed as much rest as I did. I really hope you understand. more...

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"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value."

-- Thomas Paine (The American Crisis, No. 1, 19 December 1776)
Reference: Paine, Collected Writings, Library of America p.91

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This evening, I was brought back to a gentler time and a sweeter place that I often long to revisit. A time when the sound of crickets and soft lapping waves lulled me to sleep every night, and in the mornings, I'd be awakened by the calling of sweet song birds. Barely awake, I'd jump out of bed, and while still in my pajamas, and without even stopping to put on my shoes, I'd run barefoot out of the house and cross the road. Without slowing down I continued running full speed onto the beach all the way almost to the waterÂ’s edge. I was anxious to see if any of my make shift crab traps had caught anything the night before. To my amazement, and my motherÂ’s horror, I would often arrive at breakfast with a bucketful of live crabs.

On nights like tonight, when I was restless or worried and thinking too much about all the unknown's in my life, I'd slowly walk across that same road to the beach, picking up a few wild flowers along the way, hoping that in my hand IÂ’d have the right flower that would divine and secure my happy destiny.

I would usually sit in the same spot of sand, leaning my back on a low coconut tree that had grown sideways and in which someone had conveniently carved out a back rest. As I sat there, taking in the flowerÂ’s features, I'd pray to God in the sky for my heart's deepest desire to come true, and for a sign to somehow tell me to be patient for it was so. I'd sit there for what seemed like an eternity in a meditative trance, hoping that by staring at the flower I could pick the right moment for my destiny to unfold. I was afraid that one impetuous move or premature moment might wreak havoc with the rest of my life. At twelve, 60 years loomed over me like a huge gray wall of water just waiting for the right moment to crash over me and begin the unbearably long sentence of living a life of discontented quietness and unfulfilled dreams.

So I’d sit and wait for the right time... the right moment to begin. Then, and only when I felt it was the right, divine moment, did my sweaty trembling hands begin the rituals as I whispered to God: “Il m'aime... un peu, beaucoup, passionnément, à la folie, pas du tou.t” (He loves me... a little, a lot, passionately, passionately, not at all.) If I was successful during the first flower I’d stop then and there having achieved the fate I had wanted. If I didn’t I’d move on the next flower, holding it interminably longer than the first, all in an effort to manipulate the desired outcome.

Today I caught myself staring at the phone, hoping he would call. Looking down at the number I had for him I vowed not to call until the appointed time. I kept peeking at the card through the corner of my eye, then back up at the phone wishing, praying and hoping it would ring and that I'd be successful in seeing him. All my hopes hinged on that one call. I had no one else to turn to. Once again I prayed, hoped and pleaded with God for destiny to give me a positive outcome.

Picking up the receiver I hesitated before dialing. Upon hearing the receptionistÂ’s greeting I took a deep breath and quickly exhaling said: Good morning, my name is ME and IÂ’m calling at Dr. MiddleÂ’s suggestion. SheÂ’s referring my son to Dr. Stout for a surgical consultation. Dr. Middle believes that dental surgery needs to be performed on him as soon as possible and spoke to Dr. Stout about my sonÂ’s case this morningÂ….

While put on hold I once again held my breath hoping that I could somehow hold time still, long enough for my racing heart to slow down, and for even the possibility that this was all somehow a dream tied to an errant petal I forgot to pluck from so long ago. After a few minutes, I had no choice but to let go and inhale once again in the hope that in doing so, I could secure composure and decisiveness with my next breath.

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After a busy and grueling week IÂ’m looking forward to some weekend fun starting today. Summer to me means sun, sand, surf, and turf in the form of soccer and baseball fields. I got my World Cup soccer fix in July and tonight IÂ’m getting my baseball monkey off my back by seeing my AMAZINÂ’ Mets live (as opposed to sitting on the couch)! In case you didnÂ’t know, the Mets have the best record in the NL and leads Philadelphia by 13 games in the East. WOOOOOOHOOOOOO!

Mets, how much do I love thee? In college I got my first C for thee! During class my professor caught me on several occasions listening to the game via my walkman's earpiece. Sigh!

Anyway, I wanted to leave you all with some laughter and a smile so IÂ’m going to point you a bit north for a story that has a Spew Alert Rating of 4. Hey, canÂ’t say I didnÂ’t warn ya!

May you all have an incredibly wonderful and life affirming weekend!

Posted by: Michele at 12:26 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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In a recent post DC asked how our tributes are going. IÂ’ve been sorta working on mine for a week now. Rick, Nancy, Mike and the others will be covered by other bloggers. I've written about them before in the past so I was glad to see they are being memorialized by others. IÂ’ve corresponded with 2 of these bloggers to offer them personal intimate anecdotes of my beloved friends that would help give them a different perspective than the brief profile done by the New York Times.

Through the 2996 project I asked to be given 2 people to post tributes for, because so far they only have 63% of people covered. My first assignment, Allison Horstmann Jones, was a random assignment by the program developed for this project. Her tribute was easy to do, then again, I really donÂ’t know her and all I had to do is research her info and pick the items I thought were important to share with everyone. IÂ’ve already completed the first draft of my tribute and just need to do clean it up before posting hers.

The second tribute is for someone I asked DC if he would assign to me. Its for one of my dearest and closest friends, Larry. Ironically, when I checked the list he hadnÂ’t been assigned to anyone. IÂ’ve written about all the others at various times but never about Larry. DonÂ’t know what the mental or spiritual block is but IÂ’ve just never been able to. Just even writing this has made me break down in tears. At his funeral service I turned down his girlfriendÂ’s request to go up and eulogize him. How do you encampsulate over 15years of friendship in just a few minutes. My excuse back then was that by the time his service came around I had already participated in 4 others services and I just couldnÂ’t do another. But somehow I knew there was more to it because I barely made it to the church in time for the service.

That morning I laid in bed unable to move. My spirit and body remained frozen in the same position for hours even after my PDA reminder kept going off. Eventually, Larry’s famous catch phrase and the last words he said to me after I pleaded with him not to go up the tower immediately came back to me: “I’ve got to go, duty calls.” and with that example and reminder in my head I rolled out of bed and onto the floor on all 4 limbs. I kept talking to myself to get up off the floor, much like he did when I had fallen at the hospital during my endless Rehab sessions as he pushed my brain to send messages to my leg muscles to begin to move again.

That day would be filled with memories of him and how he touched my life through the years in a thousand different ways. It has been no different than the 1799 days that have followed. Once again thereÂ’s a thousand small reminders of you dear friend. As I made dinner for my son and house guests last night I recalled how many times you must have stopped by after your shift just to see what I had cooked and whether or not it merited you sitting down with me for dinner or whether it merely would be a quick snack for your drive home. At one point last night I could have sworn I caught a glimpse of you over my eyeglasses, plate in hand, mouth full and chewing while making loud sounds meant to indicate how good it tasted. When I refocused my vision through my eyeglasses I saw it was my brother in law who just wanted to let me know he loved what he was eating so much he wanted to check and see if there were leftovers.

Larry, this morning you may see tears on my face but they are not just tears of sadness and of lossÂ… they are also tears of gratitude and thankfulness that you were there for me every time I fell or faltered and helped nudge me, move me, even push me along my path. And yes, I finally do agreeÂ… failure (even in this) is not an option!

Thanks for being part of my heart in tears and joy!

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On the plane ride out my son became friendly with the young girl sitting behind him on the plane. I didn’t care for her as she was mouthing off to her parents whenever they corrected her behavior. When we got to the baggage claim area my son saw she had her cell phone in hand and immediately said to her: “I should get your number so we can maybe get together for lunch or dinner while we’re here.” The little girl eagerly began to rattle off her cell phone number which he promptly wrote down on the back of his coloring book with a crayon. All the parents stared at each other silently and in utter disbelief at what they’ve just witnessed. He’s 6 and making dates with a 10 year old, what am I to expect when he's 14. GASP!

Disney has an incredible interactive exhibit called Turtle Talk with Crush (the surfer’ turtle dude character in the movie Nemo) where children can learn more about turtles. During the exhibit a staffer (hidden from view) assumes the voice of Crush while a computerized moving image interacts with the audience. During our session, Crush showed the kids something he had found at the bottom of the ocean and asked the children in the audience what it was. After about 5 seconds of silence my son, who was sitting in front of the aquarium glass surrounded by other kids, stood up and said: “Crush, I can’t believe that a turtle like you, that’s 111 years old doesn’t know you’re holding a bra. I’m 6 and I know that.” At which point the audience broke into loud laughter while I , red-faced looked down at the floor, while Crush just swam with his turtle mouth wide open with a shocked expression on his face. Crush eventually said, after the laughter died down: “Dude, I’ve got nothing in response… I’m just speechless.” It truly was a funny priceless moment. The good thing was that my son was far enough from me that I didn’t have to claim him as my spawn. Sigh!

On my sonÂ’s birthday we had dinner reservations at one of DisneyÂ’s theme restaurants where we were to do a brief meet & greet with Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore & Piglet. I told my son in advance that they would not be able to sit and eat dinner with us because they had to be good hosts and welcome all their guests.

“Surely they can at least have dessert with us,” my son said to me. I could already see his little mind working at concocting a plan to entice one of the characters to sit for dinner with us. The character handlers were very good at keeping them moving and guiding the characters around the restaurant to each table. When Tigger came to our table for the third time my son lost no time in giving up his seat and asking Tigger politely if he would sit with us for a minute because he had something to tell him. Tigger quickly obliged him and sat down as my son said to him: “Tigger, I just wanted you to be able to sit down for a few minutes and rest, and if you don’t mind I’d like to ask you some questions.” He quickly began chatting away telling Tigger it was his birthday and how glad he was able to meet him and have cake with him, but wanted to know how he too could learn how to bounce as high as Tigger. He proceeded to show Tigger his jumping height/moves and before I knew it Tigger and he began bouncing around to the music being played over the loudspeakers. Suddenly a conga bouncing line was formed by kids of all ages that weaved in and out between tables and all through the restaurant. Tigger and my son had taken over the restaurant and there was little any of us could do but laugh and watch the ever-growing kid’s conga line as it snaked away.

HereÂ’s a funny t-shirt MAC slogan I saw at Magic Kingdom on Saturday:
Never underestimate the power of a stupid person ability to lead a large group into total chaos.

When I lived in Asia I learned to develop patience which still serves me well to this day. While on vacation, we ended each day by watching my brother in law trying to remember where he had parked the car. It didnÂ’t matter that I had written it down in my PDA. Nope, I was a non-driving girl so he never listened to me. After the 3rd time of his not remembering where he parked and not listening to the women folk, his sister and I would sit on the curb and watch a sort of blind manÂ’s bluff as he went around the parking lot pointing his key fob at every maroon car in sight, whether it was our make and model or not, hoping to hear the alarm for his car being disabled and the lights momentarily flashing.

What he managed to do instead was set off several car alarms, which caused the Disney police to show up. I swear they looked a bit like Keystone Kops they did! And as we sat there in the distance she and I would make up dialogue for the men that would make all of us crack up as we watched the directionally challenged and blind lead the funny Kops around the parking lot. Every night there was a bet as to how long it would take him to find the car and whether or not the Kops would show up. By the last night my sister in law and I were so tired and punchy we couldnÂ’t stop laughing all the way back to our hotel as we continued to make up dialogue for a scene that was now only taking place in our heads. Hmmm, I wonder what really was in those soda fountain drinks.

ThereÂ’s more funny anecdotes, but thatÂ’s all I have the energy for at this late hour. Today will be another long day of lots to do, deadlines and a few meetings I could easily do without. But I have vowed that nothing will change my cheery disposition now that I finally reclaimed it after many delays and problems at the airport.

More fun tales tomorrow!

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During lunch 2 weeks ago, I brought up the idea of harnessing solar energy via photo-voltaic cells so they could be used to run air conditioning units. At first there was dead silence at the table; that was followed shortly thereafter by the guys at the table shaking their heads and a brief discussion as to why it wouldn't work. Only one colleague thought about it and by the end of lunch hesitatingly agreed there might be a small, remote possibility that it could work.

I emailed the same idea to Rocket Jonessome weeks ago, but he's been too busy building rockets, going to the Opera and writing programs to even respond to my idea. Humph!

Well, since VW asked me to keep her posted on what I find I went forth and searched. It seems that Matteran Energy has worked through the idea and has built a working model. By using a far-cheaper thermal-collection technology to heat a synthetic fluid, with a very low boiling point (around 58°F), they are able to create enough steam to drive a specially designed turbine in a fluid-circuit system, which converts heat into electricity.

Go and check out their animated design for the visual of how they do it. See, I'm not crazy after all!

Posted by: Michele at 04:42 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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No matter where I go
No matter what I do
No mater what I see
my heart's still with you.
~ Michele 8/2/06

There's no place like home!

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Well, it seems I'm not the only one that finds that date significant. On that day, Iran, who for the last 6 weeks has repeatedly said to the UN and to the world they will not abide by the UN resolution, have insisted they will give their formal answer to the UN on August 22nd.

Why does Iran wait till 8/22 to give it's answer? Truly no one knows, but I have my own ideas. Surprisingly, I'm not alone in my conclusions. It seems that Bernard Lewis believes the same as I do, that a direct attack in the middle-east by Iran is a strong possibility.

Unfortunately, I've accumulated a lot more information than this author publishes, so for me it's not a question any longer. Its now a matter of how extensively they will act in order to get their intentions across.

Till then, my best defense is to stay focused on my life and live it well & to its fullest. Care to join me?

Posted by: Michele at 07:11 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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Whenever I'm unable to make a decision because there's too many things to consider, I use this method as a decision making process.

Of course this doesn't work with travel companions on vacation who each want to do a different thing at any given moment. Nope!

Instead what works is Kermit & Fozzie Bear's rule of priorities. I'll explain that one when I get back from vacation. But just in case you have a better way of dealing with these family situations I appeal to you dear reader for advice.

What do you do?

Posted by: Michele at 07:54 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Whenever a vacation starts off on a crappy note, there's no where to go but up!

Day 2 was a good day in my book, but day 3 was even better. An amazingly fun & magical day, that's how I'd describe today. After only a few hours sleep (my inlaws who were sleeping in a seperate bedroom across from the living room/dining area, Could be heard snoring @ alarming decibels even through 2 sets of closed doors), I rejuvinated with an incredible breakfast at our hotel. By 9:30am we were inside Magic Kingdom heading out on a lovely short ferry ride for Disney's main land. Upon arriving we decided to take train tour to see what appealed to us most. Having identified the areas where we wanted visit & decided on the order we were off for a day of pleasure. Thanks to the incredible Tips & Ride Suggestions I got from Bou of Boudicca.mu.nu & VW of onehappydogspeaks.mu.nu I was able to tackle that park with a relaxed attitude & with ease.

We only stopped briefly for lunch (as the only fair was crappy food [fried food & ice cream] and I had to be mindful of my pre-arranged dinner date w/a very special, fun & handsome mystery man. But more on him later.

In all, we did not have to wait longer that 15min for any non-fast pass rides and only short wait times (around 30 min) for Fast Pass rides.
We had such an amazing time that I decided we'd all get together to watch the parade & fireworks. It was fun & awesome.

To quote my son: "It was an amazing day! One I'll never forget!" Yes indeed.

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You Are Fozzie Bear

"Wocka! Wocka!" You're the life of the party, and you love making people crack up. If only your routine didn't always bomb! You may find more groans than laughs, but always keep the jokes coming.

One of my favorite Muppets and I think the one that is most misunderstood. Fozzie keeps making jokes whether people get them or not because he thinks life is funny and we should never miss an oppty to laugh at life, ourselves or others, even if we have to do it alone. Hat tip to Mike the Marine.

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One of the statementes of Murphy's Law is that "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."

It started with my car service driver not showing up to take us to the airport, followed by me losing my gold credit card after paying for the wildest car ride ever. This along with my brother in law (BIL) giving me the wrong departure time caused us to be late and miss the plane. This stupendous act was followed by an even kinder act of generosity in which he tried to make things up by taking us for dinner, me (the vegetarian) to his favorite steakhouse. It seems he forgot I was a vegetarian.

This incredibly fabulous day culminated in my son & I sleeping in Kmart specials because @9:30pm on a sunday (when we were done w/dinner), that's all that was open that had clothes,
or that we had directions to (because my wonderfully directionally challenged BOL accidentally threw out all our maps when he cleaned out the car). BTW, what is it that makes men unable to ask for directions or to accept directions from a woman?

Of course, once we got to walmart finding something decent to wear is another matter. If I wanted to wear something that would show off 2/3 of my tits or leave nothing to the imagination because the clothes were either totally see through, or so skin tight people could actually see the outline of my birth canal, then Wal-mart was the place to be, for I have discovered they were hoochie mama central. But since that's not me... in fact, it's the total opposite for this convent educated lady, wal-mart was in fact the wrong place to be. But on a Sunday night at 9:30, it seems IT was the place to be, judging by the hoards of humanity.

So for now, a pair of fetching guys sweat pants will have to be. Because truthfully, I'm holding out for Monday being a much luckier day for me!

A day when I'm finally reunited with my nice, soft, comfortably breathable bras & panties!

I'll keep you posted, so we'll see!

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I am too dead dog tired to compose an honest to goodness, well thought out post (2nd day) or to even begin editing yesterdayÂ’s post (which IÂ’m unhappy with) so IÂ’ll simply copy a page from RPÂ’s blogging style and throw at you some of the things that I learned as I went along today. IÂ’ll start with my first lessons of the day.

- When offering to pick up a pkg. for an out of state co-worker whoÂ’s visiting, donÂ’t let them give you directions to where youÂ’re supposed to go. Instead, get an address and a telephone number so you can be SURE of where the hell youÂ’re going and not wind up 3 miles off. Park Ave is NOT Park Place.

- When drinking water, Gatorade and iced coffee on a hot day in a short time span, make sure you ask a woman where the bathroom is and the key code for the lock BEFORE you sit down in an all male meeting.

- After walking 15.6 miles in 100F+temps, do not schedule to meet up with your mentees as all youÂ’ll manage to do is drink, pee and sit there listlessly. Bou, I think IÂ’m ready for Disney.

- When getting a Pollen alert on your mobile do not ask yourself out loud in front of your son: “Where the hell do they grow enough plantains in the tri-state area to trigger a High Plantain Pollen Index Alert."

- Scheduling a pedicure after walking 60 miles in 4 days makes oneÂ’s feet very happy and tingly all over!

- When dining in a nice restaurant and catching son with one leg raised on the chair while fanning his crotch area, do not ask him what he’s doing, otherwise he’ll be forced to shout over the loud music that he’s “fanning his sweaty balls”.

- Mental note: menÂ’s balls get sweaty and need ventilation and thatÂ’s why they grab their crotch in public sometimes. Who knew!

- Drinking 2 Iced Frappuccinos' and 2 Iced Green Teas, is NOT a good idea when you're only used to caffeine in the form of 1 cup of iced coffee per day. Trying to sleep that evening is futile.

- I've discovered a new physics rule: on a hot summer's day, the more you drink, the more you have to pee. Output is not directly proportional to intake. In some instances, it is greater than intake. Further study must be done to understand the freekin' correllation and how it's possible to spend more time peeing than drinking.

Posted by: Michele at 10:25 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I started this post a thousand times today in my head. It was something that had been on my mind for some time now. Ever since I saw a guest (who shall remain nameless) on Charlie Rose with a t-shirt that said: No Blood for Oil.

Not only do I believe he was way off the mark, I think he coming at the problem from the wrong angle. The angle, which has come to the crossroads (Once again) is our dependency on oil. It was our Arab suppliers manipulating price and supply that brought the US to their knees in the 1970's so why did we continue in this bad unhealthy relationship. Because Pres. Carter thought it was easy to make nice and maybe think about giving money to people to develop alternative fuel.

Hey Carter, here's a clue, instead of giving money away you should have let investors invest in phenomenal products and solutions. Now that's truly a free
market. Of course, others like The Wall Street Journal are quick to blame (as in today's front page article) states like California for their everincreasing "Oil Addiction". I think this is a very unfair label to throw at Americans. After all, we didn't say to engineers we need most of our products that we use and live on to be made from petroleum. Especially, knowing the supply of oil is limited.

Oh... you didn't know that the world only has about a 60 year supplyb of oil left (that's if current cconsumption stays as is). Well, it's been well documented. In fact, it was one of the reasons the Alaska drilling issue became so important (read the transcript of the hearings - I'll link later I'm wiped out tonight!).

But that's not the point of this post. The point of this post is not to find and lay blame; the point of this post is that if we keep going the way we've been. In one case a woman admitted she left the airconditioner on all day because she wanted to come home to a cold apartment. Another brought in a heater to work because it was too cold. How cold was it? 59F per my Army College weather thingy.

I proved to myself I was over-consuming by easily and successfully cutting down on my own consumption and reducing my monthly charges by 18%. It began by simply turning on lights only in the room I happen to be in. Changing light bulbs to energy efficient lower wattage bulbsl There were a few more, all painless. But being conservative about my use is not the only thing that will keep us free and safe from price rigging, artificial market manipulation, and (perish the thought) being compoletely cut off from oil supply.

Here's some stats you'll find interesting:
- the Middle East produces 76% of the world's consumer grade oil
- their biggest client purchasers are Americans followed by China
- of the remaining non-Arab producers, all but 1 hate our guts
- add government incentives and tax breaks for companies developing petroleum products that are several hundred millon more than funding for alternative fuels and we have an economic mindset based on those who can buy and benefit and not one of a truly free market system.

Why, because as we have seen this summer, we are at the mercy and whims of madmen who don't care if we live or die (they prefer our death) let alone if we're uncomfortable due to a power outage. If our oil supply is ever cut off, my 12 days without power would only be considered a mini-practice.

All which leads me to our men and women in uniform. I don't have time to elaborate on this right now, so I'll make it real simple, if you think our brave members of the armed forces are risking their lives by being in a war zone solely because of oil then I have a backhand that will slap you right into the library for you to do some necessary research.

Part of the reason we are there is because our oil proceeds have fueled the political ambitions of narcissistic men into religious zealots into thinking they are more powerful than they really are.and so they threaten us. And we, turn our focus onto the real feel index and air conditioners that do not blow, when in fact we need to tell our politicians to encourage alternative fuel development by giving ultimatums and tax breaks.

Our reduction in oil consumption would send a clear message to those madmen who wish to exercise power and control over our lives: we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore. We're going to emancipate ourselves from you and lets see how far you get without our money to donate missiles to Hezbollah, and to develop nuclear fission plants that will create bombs. Let's see how far your dependency on our oil money takes you when WE cut you off. Who will you threaten then?

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It's 2:00am, and I ask that you pardon the ramblings of a late night interloper, who enters the foray of economics and politics angered by all the whining that's been going on about the heat. The only people who didn't complain today were the guys being deployed and me. Though I don't know what it's like, knowing they will be patroling in full gear in 110F quashes even the mere whisper of a thought that 102F is hot. In truth, all I can think about is that they're headed for the Middle East where they will try to make sure the madness doesn't spill over all the way here.

Guys, know that you will be in our thoughts and prayers, as will RSM's friends, until you return safely to our shores. Godspeed!

Posted by: Michele at 02:32 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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