I while back on Facebook I created a group called B's Honey Nights. I hope to get together with ladies and hopefully have cheesecake and maybe some drinks and dancing or whatever at the events. Maybe even take in a night of Beefcake. I honestly haven't had the time to do anything with it, and the last minute plans are never really more than me and a friend managing to get together. I just don't have the inclination to plan something and really push people to go.
Speaking of Beefcake... I googled Playgirl I love the sexy little movies of men "adjusting" their packages in their briefs. Yum. But I am not paying 25 a month to view that stuff. Get real. I have a package at home I can adjust.
Excuse me a moment...
There it has been adjusted.
*smile of satisfaction*
Speaking of porn... all the news about Paris Hilton is sick.
For one, isn't it a shame that we can't focus on the real story without having to stick her in it.
For two, Barron Hilton's donation isn't all that surprising as the man is probably haunted by the ghost of his father. Given that the charity is the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation... History lesson... Conrad's estate founded the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize. He left US$250,000 to each of his surviving siblings and US$10,000 to each of his nieces and nephews. Most of his assets were willed to the Roman Catholic Church and charities. However, Conrad's son, Barron, contested the will and won in 1988. The net worth of Barron and his descendants then jumped to over US$335 million.
Guilty of contesting the will... now he gives it back? Maybe that is it? Something in me highly highly doubts it has a lot to do with Paris or her public snatch.
It is the media hungry population that thrive on these stories of the rich and famous. Without you the envious masses they would be nothing more than regular people, it is you that put them on pedestals and in headlines above the real news of the world.
As further example of such things one only has to look at how Lynne Spears is profiting off of her 16 year old daughter getting knocked up.
It is your sickness that feeds theirs.
But whatever.
People like me can have cheesecake.
And you can ask but I don't have to answer. And you can call and I will see your number.
I love that fact we have call display at work. So when people call I always know who it is. My co-worker has fun with the regulars and often answer as the company they are calling from. They stumble on that one, for a moment thinking they called their own office. HAHAHA. I love the wrong numbers. Got a "wrong number" call all the way from some place called Harris County in Spring, Texas on Friday. How they dial such a wrong number is unknown to me. I almost called it back and said, "You called?".
I also love my blog tracker, some of the things people search for and are directed to my blog from are priceless. Friday night, aside from a very interested searcher from Montreal digging around in the archives, someone else landed on my blog after searching in yahoo for "what can you do to get peoples mind off of beer" and also recently came to my blog when searching "how long it takes for a human to run out of tears".
Finally I have often wondered about the occasionally odd email I will get from someone, like recently getting an email from someone acting like they met me and gave me their phone number. I wonder if they are accidental wrong emails, like accidentally phoning the wrong number, or if they are some silly childish game. Like children prank making prank calls. One afternoon at work somebody called the office repeatedly asking for some woman, while using silly voices. After a couple of times we stopped answering the number. Again call display is a blessing when you are dealing with immature people.
Anyway, what am I doing online before bed... time to go re-adjust that package again... and again.
Hell it is fun to try.
pre-written & posted by Barbara Doduk & scheduled to publish @
1:33 AM 2 comments
Oh and I say the same thing all the time that these people would be nothing without the masses. Its sick how the news is not really news at all anymore.
And we WILL have a cheesecake night sometime soon. I dont have the energy either. But it will happen. I will be calling you in the new year for a meet up. I miss you sweets!! Oh and thanks for the Christmas card :o)
[I heard this song yesterday while listening to iTunes 80s radio... it inspired this post. I saved it to post today.]
As a little girl, I grew up not far from where I live now. I was born in Grace Hospital, just blocks from my family home, which was located at 767 West 28th between Willow & Heather (red mark on map). It was a weird feeling when my dad sold that house and moved a few years ago. As well my grandmother (dad's mom) lived all my life at 791 West King Edward (second red mark on map) and I lived in that house for a time from 95-97 when the house was sold.
(Dad's house in the background behind my aunt & her cats)
Not far from there is Queen Elizabeth Park. Where in the winter when it snowed we'd take inner tubes up and slide down the hill sides, trying not to end up on the frozen ponds. In the summer we'd go for picnics, bike rides around the park and play Pitch & Putt.
(Grandma's old house...)
The top of this beautifully maintained 52 hectare (130 acre) park is the highest point in the city, at 167m (505 ft) above sea level. From the lookouts, visitors have a 360 degree view of the Vancouver skyline. The park receives nearly 6 million visitors a year who marvel at its superior standard of garden plantings.
A former stone quarry, the park was developed in the 1950s to include a pitch & putt golf course, paths and display gardens, and a large arboretum. The Bloedel Conservatory geodesic dome was added in 1969.
The Celebration Pavilion at Queen Elizabeth Park is now available for booking. This stunning covered facility is a perfect spot for wedding ceremonies, renewal of vows, memorials, baptisms, reunions, receptions, corporate events, meetings and more.
Right beside the park is Nat Bailey Stadium, where as a kid I saw many baseball games and ate hot dogs.
And right next to that is Riley Park. Where as a child we went ice skating all the time. I remember skating around listening to my favorite rock songs like the Queen song above (released in August 1980). There is also a swimming pool so when our pool wasn't heated we'd swim there sometimes.
I learned to ride my bike around Braemar Park. I spent many hours on the playgrounds of Douglas Park.
tolerance, that was what i was thinking about. how, true family will tolerate your weaknesses. take you in and watch over you while you stitch yourself back into one piece after you've allowed yourself to come apart. real friends will tolerate your frivolous behavior because they understand you are going through that sewing stage. eventually though you have to be the one to put yourself right. no one else can.
and if you don't want to put yourself back together again, eventually even true family and real friends' tolerance will run out. no one wants to be an enabler of the drifter who wallows in self-pity for the past. we all have a past. we all know it is hard to get over, but we do, we get over and move on. some people want to cling on to that pain, and some how make it a part of them. those people can not be saved, they are lost, and even true family and real friends can not rescue them, no matter how much love, understanding and tolerance they have to give.
sometimes you have to let a drowning man die, or he'll drown you with him.
How was I to know, that would be a prediction of my life for 2007. So here is a sum up of 2007:
1. January was spent wondering why I had fallen in love with a man still trying to hard too get over the woman who so ruthlessly dumped him, struggling to get by and find my own identity again. Wondering why I thought struggling like that to survive was a good idea. Cut my hair fairly short and funky.
2. February I finally met Paul's parents. Redesigned the Love Blog theme. Then on my brother's birthday my dad (at age 60) fell out of a tree (in the middle of the night) and broke his neck, nearly killing himself. The rest of the year has been a major adjustment for him and my brother (they live together) dealing with that event.
3. March I turned 34 and realized I was NOT at all where I wanted to be in life and started to think about how to get back on my feet the right way. Re-designed the Pepper Sands (the band) web site.
4. April Paul turned 31 and we celebrated. Spent Easter with family. Then I hit yet another cross road, and my life went through another change and upheaval. Moved again at month end. Changed my life again.
5. May my dad is still having problems and getting calls in the middle of the night from my brother all stressed out at the hospital is not fun. But I found a new job, and started the best thing that happened to me all year. I couldn't be happier about the situation. Brother gave me the Mazda car. Got out more and more with great friends. Paul became a student and started a year long program at PAVI.
6. June I began looking for a place to live, to hopefully call home base for a while, as I am tired of all the moving I have done in the last years. Paul's dad got into the Jack FM's Look A Like Contest. He didn't win. Cut my hair WAY short. Spent more time with good friends. Got barbaradoduk.com online.
7. July I found a place to move to in Vancouver, close to work, close enough to everything. My car almost died. Enjoyed time in the sun with family and new friends (Kelowna) and thought for a moment that life would finally work itself out for me. Did some used auto shopping. Didn't buy a car but came this close to getting a Ford Focus.
8. August I moved into my apartment and Paul decided to move in with me. I took the month off of blogging after all the bullshit that Paul's ex caused in the blog world. It sucks having someone invade the world you have lived in for a decade. The only things I blogged about were that my ex husband was attacked and my mom turned 60. We did however enjoy celebrating Ben's birthday.
9. September I got back into blogging even though it was the worst month ever. Police incident. Lawyer fees. Stress. Personal matters that never were written into this blog, because yup, I can actually keep personal things private. Imagine that. Did more car shopping. Almost bought a Pontiac Wave.
10. October my Lydia starts to show signs of being sick. Adding more stress to my life. Reconnected with more old friends online and a few in person. Celebrated 15 years since my car accident and my second chance at life. Did another blog theme. And my niece turned 8.
11. November I spent time reaching out to the blog world, deciding to spend more time on this blog thing and connected with a lot of cool new people online. Did a lovely blog design for the wonderful Mimzie. Spent time with Paul's family and with friends.
12. December my cat Lydia dies. It is a sad loss. We are still adjusting. I start the Spreader of Love Blog Award. We see The Fab Four Beatles Tribute. Spend Christmas with my family. Low key.
13. Here's hoping 2008 is an even better year. Let's hope I finally get a car. Finally get more secure. Finally find happiness. Let's hope the International Year of Planet Earth will be a good one.
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
I spent the first year of my blog talking about the past. It was a very cathartic year for me, and like you, on and off the blog. I let go of a lot of baggage and things have been much better ever since.
(Stereophonics - Don't Let Me Down [Beatles Cover])
Was going to go see that Waterhorse movie today with my brother and niece but my car wouldn't start. So my brother (he's a heavy duty mechanic) came here with my niece grumpy in tow. He jumped my car and fiddled about to figure out what is draining the NEW battery. No clue. Might be in need of an alternator.
SIGH
I really just have to bite it and buy a car. I wanted to be a little more stable in the budget department, too many other things that are costing me money that I had not counted on having to pay for.
BIGGER SIGH
Such is life I suppose. Such is life.
I will check into the option of newer wheels tomorrow. I don't see sense in throwing money into the Mazda. I want something nicer. I deserve nice things. I deserve happiness. I plan to get it in 2008, one way or another.
Hey Naomi, yes well I could afford it, I just wish I was a little more secure in the budget. I can do it, just leaves little for anything else. :( But it would be nice to have a reliable car again.
Got my niece a copy of The Simpsons movie, saw she had it all ready, so pull a switcheroo on the gift front with my brother. Then Christmas Eve my niece suggests we watch the movie... so we did. It is very funny. So I say to my brother in passing, well now I have my own copy. Christmas morning comes and I open a present from my niece and yup, it is The Simpsons movie. HAHAHAHA She got the game for Xbox too so that was played a lot Christmas day.
Doh.
Great minds think alike.
Soaked in the hot tub and had a good long chat with my brother.
Cold is still lingering in my sinus. Nice cough. Ummm phlegm.
Helped my brother set up his new iMac. It's sweet.
Over all a pretty laid back holiday. Now I'm trying to relax with some wine.
This was the first Christmas for Paul and I together. He really doesn't like Christmas.
pre-written & posted by Barbara Doduk & scheduled to publish @
11:18 PM 1 comments
I've been sick these last days. Head cold in my sinus. Sleeping lots.
This is actually my favourite Christmas song - has been since the 80s:
The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
"Bah, humbug!" No, that's too strong 'Cause it is my favorite holiday But all this year's been a busy blur Don't think I have the energy
To add to my already mad rush Just 'cause it's 'tis the season. The perfect gift for me would be Completions and connections left from
Last year, ski shop, Encounter, most interesting. Had his number but never the time Most of '81 passed along those lines.
So deck those halls, trim those trees Raise up cups of Christmas cheer, I just need to catch my breath, Christmas by myself this year.
Calendar picture, frozen landscape, Chilled this room for twenty-four days, Evergreens, sparkling snow Get this winter over with!
Flashback to springtime, saw him again, Would've been good to go for lunch, Couldn't agree when we were both free, We tried, we said we'd keep in touch.
Didn't, of course, 'til summertime, Out to the beach to his boat could I join him? No, this time it was me, Sunburn in the third degree.
Now the calendar's just one page And, of course, I am excited Tonight's the night, but I've set my mind Not to do too much about it.
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! But I think I'll miss this one this year. Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! But I think I'll miss this one this year. Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! But I think I'll miss this one this year. Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! But I think I'll miss this one this year.
Hardly dashing through the snow Cause I bundled up too tight Last minute have-to-do's A few cards a few calls 'Cause it's r-s-v-p No thanks, no party lights It's Christmas Eve, gonna relax Turned down all of my invites. Last fall I had a night to myself, Same guy called, halloween party, Waited all night for him to show, This time his car wouldn't go,
Forget it, it's cold, it's getting late, Trudge on home to celebrate In a quiet way, unwind Doing Christmas right this time.
A&P has provided me With the world's smallest turkey Already in the oven, nice and hot Oh damn! Guess what I forgot?
So on with the boots, back out in the snow To the only all-night grocery, When what to my wondering eyes should appear In the line is that guy I've been chasing all year!
"I'm spending this one alone," he said. "Need a break; this year's been crazy." I said, "Me too, but why are you? You mean you forgot cranberries too?"
Then suddenly we laughed and laughed Caught on to what was happening That Christmas magic's brought this tale To a very happy ending! "
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Couldn't miss this one this year! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Couldn't miss this one this year!
It's been snowing a bit here and there... nothing sticking around though.
Had my Christmas lunch with the guys from work on Friday. Korean food. Saki. Wanted to take a picture of the menu, but the light was wrong... they had the option of having a plate of Toast and Fries. Crazy. Got a nice Christmas Bonus. I got each of the guys a bottle of Crown Royal. The lady at the liquer store asked if I needed gift bags for them, I said no, they're guys they just need the bottle. We laughed. It's true.
Paul is enjoying his new computer. He's doing homework as I type.
Attepted to do something different last night, even though I am sick, we went to Signal Saturday at Lotus. I sooooo wanted to just spend the night dancing. I wore my dancing shoes (hi-top sneakers).
When we got there the dude in line ahead of us tried to pick up the ticket door girl. I laughed and asked her if that happens often. She was amused.
It was dead in there when we arrived. Sausage Fest as I put it. Paul felt territotrial or something, couldn't relax. So I said it was okay to leave. We ended up in what I would suggest is the opposite of Sausage Fest... what would you call it...
Tittie Fest? Hooter Party? Muffin Jamboree? Whores R Us?
Anyway, yes I am a hypocrite. I said I never would go again but Paul seems to love that whore shop. Ummm wonder why? He claims, of course, that it isn't the tits on display, but come on! WHAT STRAIGHT GUY WOULDN'T DIG ALL THE TRAMPY CHICKS with their boobs on parade? I am not naive. I said next time at least let me be able to dress appropriately. Let me have the opportunity to let my boobs out and put on my FM shoes. What is the saying...
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do"
New Years objectives... get back to tanning at the salon, grow out my hair long, get in shape, drop about 15 pounds, get some hot clothing and become the ultimate 35 year old cougar. Oh ya baby.
On a blogging related comment, somehow I don't believe this is accurate:
I don't think Technorati counts all the links to your blog, only ones that are in "their" system. But It is amusing. I have never looked at blogging as a means of making money. I don't need money.
Naomi Joy who recently got engaged and is showing off her beautiful ring (love the hearts) on her blog, asked me why I don't do Christmas.
Well, let's start at the beginning...
(Me and Santa)
As a child I loved Christmas. What child wouldn't? My mom went all out all the time, she got into holidays. This is a woman who on Easter would leave powdered bunny paw prints around the house to make us believe in the Easter Bunny. Christmas was her major deal. Decorations, tree set up ritual... I was always excited for that time of year.
My parents divorced when I was 6. So because of that, I had two Christmas dinner every year. One at my Mom's parents place and one at my Dad's mother's place. At first that was cool, as a kid it rocked getting double turkey, double fun.
But once I got older and my dad and I drifted apart, I hardly saw him or his side of the family much, his sister moved away. They only time I saw them was on mandatory holidays.
(My Cousins)
And sadly even though I saw my Mom's parents more, the same could be said of them, my mother's sister has never been around much, her children were raised by my mom's parents. Since I was a weirdo when I was a teenager I wasn't allowed to be around my cousins, because I was a bad influence in my grandmother's opinion. So again, as the years wore on I only ever saw my relatives on mandatory holidays. The joy of the holiday was sucked out of it.
(Christmas at My Dad's Mom's)
My grandpa died in 1993. He was the one I really had fun with, he always made jokes and tried to have fun. Christmas was even less interesting without him. My grandma on my dad's side became ill, and after years of living in a care home, she died in December 1996. The dinners had long since ended at her place.
Further to all that my mom has been with my step dad since I was 15 (that is when they met). My grandmother, my only living grandparent left, hates my step dad. And no I am not exaggerating. He knows how she feels, she has made it clear. So when we try to do family things my mom is always torn because my step dad has his family to see too. So for her she gets pulled by both sides.
For years no one in the family had children. I think Christmas is more for kids. Without kids to go all out to Christmas for it seems pointless.
On top of all that, my brother has a daughter who is 8 now. My niece some times spends Christmas with her mother's parents (her mom died in 2002). He lives with my dad, and my dad and I don't get along.
(Christmas Dinner 2006)
So somewhere over the years my Christmas spirit just stopped. I did however send out cards this year. I will go spend Christmas dinner with my brother, niece, dad and mom and grandmother. My cousins are spending Christmas this year with their new families.
But the whole experience of Christmas has become more a "buy BUY buy" consumerism thing to me. I asked my niece what she wanted for Christmas and she said she didn't know, so I asked if that was because she has everything all ready and she said yes.
I think our world has changed and waiting until Christmas to get that special gift no longer applies. We get what we want anytime we want it. There is no surprise.
Anyway... Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates, or whatever holiday you religiously celebrate.
pre-written & posted by Barbara Doduk & scheduled to publish @
7:12 PM 4 comments
hey I just read this post! Thanks for posting it for me. I can totally see why Christmas has become unimportant for you! Even me I don't really care about it anymore. It is too commercial. What I like is the family time spent together and the delicious food. hehe. This year I only bought 2 gifts one for secret santa and one for my mom. I hate the commercialism but i still love Christmas. I hope one day when you have your own family (perhaps) you will begin to celebrate Christmas again.
Billy Warhol tagged me for this X-Mas MeMe. Oh lord eh. I'm the anti-Christmas chick... but here goes nothing. (Remember I am being as silly as I can be with this because I don't do Christmas anymore.)
1. Wrapping or gift bags? I think everyone should wrap it up.
2. Real or artificial tree? Real is always best.
3. When do you put up the tree? Whenever I can.
4. When do you take the tree down? As soon as it's over.
5. Do you like egg nog? Not so much.
6. Favourite gift received as a child? Honestly don't recall.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? A naked scene.
8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Anything you get for free is good.
9. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail/email... it's the thought that counts.
10. Favourite Christmas Movie? The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Never.
12. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas? Chocolate.
13. Clear lights or coloured on the tree? Whatever color it is has to all be the same.
14. Favourite Christmas song(s)? UGH! Bob & Doug's 12 Days of Christmas Eh.
15. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Wish I could travel far far away.
16. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Probably but I am not going to try.
17. Angel on the tree top or a star? Stars baby.
18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning? On EVE then get drunk & sleep in.
19. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Christmas. HAHAHA
20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or colour? No tree.
21. What do you leave for Santa? Nothing.
22. Least favourite holiday song? All of them.
23. Favourite ornament? A broken one.
24. Family tradition? What is family?
25. Ever been to Midnight Mass or late-night Christmas Eve services? Jesus H Christ, NO!
If anyone reading this wants to do this MeMe do it... I am not going to tag folks and inflict any holiday horror.
We all have arguments, some times misunderstandings lead to hurt feelings. Some times we mistakenly carry around baggage from the past mistakes we've made and force them on the current situation, when they don't belong. We are all human and bound to err now and again. It is vital we all learn how to be humble, to admit our mistakes, and to truly, honestly feel sorry for them and to make sure we give a heartfelt apology to the people we have wronged. So today's Thursday 13 is:
13 Tips to Say "I'm Sorry"
1. The verbal apology is the best. Allowing some one to hear your voice, to hear your feelings is very important. No matter the situation, whether it is a romantic partner, a co-worker, a family member, or anyone, I think everyone would like to "hear" the apology.
2. A written apology can work too. Often times we feel we need to write out our explanations for the mistake, and what we will do to make up for it. Some times it helps ourselves understand what we have done and come to terms with it. Writing out an apology also gives you the opportunity to add a little something extra, like maybe a poem or quotation to help express our feelings.
3. Say it with flowers (even if she says she hates flowers), or a gift or anything that your partner loves. Adding that extra bit of something can show you really took the time to make it up to them. If you really hurt someone, a gift can be a means of showing that you want to make them happy not sad. Clearly this wouldn't be something that would be applied in a business type of situation, you don't want to bribe someone into forgiveness, but for a romantic partner or good friend, the extra gesture could go miles.
4. "Allow the person time to think about your apology—the time they take may vary but the offended person has the right to determine how much time that should be." I couldn't agree with that statement more, depending on what you have done, and the situation, although you have apologized, it does not mean the wronged individual(s) have to accept it, or even forgive you for your actions. Never force someone to forgive you, say your peace and give them time.
5. If you have done something specifically wrong, make sure you acknowledge what it was, and offer an explanation of why you do it (not excuses, but honest reasons), and tell the person how you intend to NOT do it again. This will show that you understand your actions, and the hurt they cause, and that you are thinking of ways to make yourself act better in the future.
6. Take full blame for your actions. Don't make those excuses for your behavior, excuses imply that you don't feel you could help but act that way. Which means you don't actually feel sorry because you "can't help" being that way, excuses remove the blame. Never say you are sorry BUT you couldn't help it. That is not an apology, it is an excuse, and anyone can see right through it. Never say but or if, they remove the sense that feel some form of regret.
7. Apologize as soon as you possibly can for the incident. The more time you allow to go by the more resentful the person you have wronged will be. It will show the person you may not care enough to apologize to them. Time can make the hurt even worse. As soon as you know that you need to say sorry, offer it, even if the person is so mad they don't want to hear it, offer it. You may have to then give them time to calm down, before you can really talk it over, but the first apology will be noted and known that you immediately felt sorry and wanted to fix things.
8. If necessary you may need to make a public apology as well. If you have publicly made someone feel hurt or embarrassed by your actions, you may need to make sure other people who witnessed the events also see you apologize for the situation. If you could publicly hurt someone you can publicly apologize, and should.
9. Even if you know that the person will never forgive you for what you have done, if you truly feel regret, offer the apology. Just because they will not forgive you, they will accept an apology, hear your words and know why the situation happened. They may not allow you the opportunity to ever make the mistake again, and end your friendship, but at least you have ended it with an apology.
10. Don't over apologize. Say you are sorry once, make sure you are clear and offer your explanations and resolutions to the situation. Saying sorry over and over is not very effective without offering your reasons for your actions and the things you can do to prevent the same things from happening again. Once you have made you apology repeating it over and over becomes begging to be forgiven. Allow the person time to absorb your apology and move on.
11. Don't apologize for something if you don't feel you're in the wrong. Saying "I'm sorry" for things you are not to blame for serves no purpose, and often can lead someone to pass blame on to you for things you didn't do.
12. There are three keys to a successful apology: regretting your actions, taking responsibility for them and being willing to remedy the situation. I think we have covered all the ins and outs of them, but I wanted to remind you one more time that those three points must be presented in your apology.
13. No matter who it is, don't make a big deal out of saying you are sorry. You don't want to make it appear like you don't want to say sorry but are because you know you have to. People can tell when an apology is sincere or not. A fake apology can do more damage than good.
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
This is great.... so often I hear "my bad" which means nothing really, at least to me. I know eventually I'll be in the dog house for something... I'll have to remember these.
that post is really good! I will have to remember these when I feel the need to apologize to someone for something. I am sucha chicken I hate confrontation and I'm also terrible at expressing my feelings even if I do want to say sorry :S
On Friday night's commute home, the news was all a flutter because an airplane was making an emergency landing at the Vancouver Airport. A faulty light caused emergency landing at Vancouver airport: Cathay officials told the news. Traffic was a bit snarly as I live near the airport bridges and the radio was issuing warnings that the bridges to the airport (Richmond) could be closed if required for emergency purposes. Thankfully it turned out to be nothing.
Paul got me my birthday present... which yes my birthday (the big 35) isn't until the beginning of March but when I saw the tickets were on sale for this I said "I want to go." And go we shall.
I know, Styx... most of you are probably going "Who?" but they are most known for that song Mr. Roboto. I want to go because although I really don't mind Styx music, I think it would be very cool to see Gowan dancing around on that stage. Gowan was my first big teenager girl crush. I hear he does Criminal Mind. That alone is worth it.
We watched The Bourne Ultimatum , which frankly was a bit dull and not as action packed and thrilling as the first two movies in the series. Bummer.
(SuperBad - Dick drawings)
We also watched the movie Super Bad (Uncut Version). I have to say this is probably one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. EVER! I was in tears and my stomach in stitches from laughter. (The penis art was to die for.) Seth Rogen wrote this, and he is from Vancouver. He is one of my favorite new comedians around.
Mark - Although I was secretly in love with Gowan for many many years, I have never seen the man perform live. I would rather (of course) see him do his own work, but I will take seeing him do Styx.
I just did a Blog Post on Walk With a Hard On! The Dewey Cocks Story!! ;))
Which i guess is by the same dudes that did Superbad*
& I GOT MAIL!!
Thank U so much for yer Beautiful Christmas Card Miss B!! It's really Nice + I love the Design very c0ol - Modern yet still maintaining the Magic Sparkles of Christmas Past*
Have a Great Christmas + Happy New Year + All the Best in 2008!!
the husband and i watched Superbad the other night and loved it we also loved that it had NO stupid boobs in it. all the penis stuff was great we are also huge seth fans.
Even more snow - 25 to 35 centimetres - was predicted for Montreal by late Monday. As much as 50 centimetres could be dumped across Quebec by today.
Environment Canada predicted gusts could reach 90 km/h around Nova Scotia's southwestern coast and winds gusting to 140 km/h were forecast for overnight. Around 20 centimetres of snow plus heavy rain and ice pellets was to hit the Atlantic coast by late day today.
Strong winds were also expected to develop throughout the day Sunday in parts of British Columbia.
Environment Canada issued wind warnings for parts of Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and the southern Gulf Islands. Whistler was issued a snow warning with about 15 to 20 centimetres expected to fall.
Thankfully Vancouver rarely gets snow. We are wet and rainy.
i love being buried in the snow, now we have almost a one foot and one half of snow, in the boston area. :) the snow cover makes things brighter in the winter darkness. last year we had very little snow, therefore the winter was a total bust, love those snowflake pics :)
Further to my recent posts regarding the declining condition of our oceans...
A study, led by Martin Krkosek of the University of Alberta and published in the current edition of the prestigious journal Science, focused on the Broughton Archipelago, where most of British Columbia's 100 active salmon farms are clustered in sheltered inlets fed by wild salmon rivers.
The researchers found 80 per cent of the pink salmon returning yearly to the area are being killed by sea lice, which drift out of the farms and attach to wild, juvenile salmon.
He estimated the stocks will be locally extinct within four years.
The researchers say the findings are applicable to any area in the world where young salmon have to swim past net pens containing densely packed schools of farmed fish that are shedding sea lice.
And in 2007 Alex Morton was a researcher on a study that found that 80% of the fish in the Broughton did NOT have sea lice. It's important to look at ALL the research, not just a select few studies that are biased in one direction or the other. The media does it's best to sensationalize issue such as this, we should weigh ALL the evidence on both sides of the fence before we make judgments.
Think you should do some more research for yourself. IN fact Alexandra Morton is the one that has been bringing the salmon lice problem to the attention of the government.
"So now we have 18 independent scientists all supporting what Alexandra Morton has been saying all along." See thetyee.ca
Actually, I'm very familiar with the research on both sides, I interviewed Ms. Morton last year and am peripherally involved with many of the researchers doing the current Broughton work.
The Pacific Salmon Forum, who has provided funding to both Morton and Krkosek recently posted some interesting articles that provide evidence that the lice loads seen in 2004 (the year the pinks suffered a crash due to, as yet, unknown reasons) seem to have been an anomaly. http://www.pacificsalmonforum.ca/
We need to remember that of the millions of salmon that exit the river systems, under normal circumstances, with no farms around, 95-97% will not return as adults. That means that it is normal for 95-97% of fry to die. That's just a biological fact and the reason on fish produces several thousand eggs. It's primary purpose it to replace itself and its mate.
As far as those whales, they came back so she stopped chasing that argument. The escaped salmon were predicted by her and John Volpe to be the coming plague, even though 40 years prior DFO actively released millions of Atlantic salmon in an attempt to start a sport fishery on BC's coast. Neither took and the supposed destruction of our native stocks due to escapements has not occurred.
I used to be against Atlantic salmon farming in BC, I thought our own Pacific species would be better. But then I started thinking about those escapees. Obviously they weren't surviving, John Volpe himself showed in his PhD research that they could replace, but not displace Pacific salmon...so if a system was already devoid of natural salmon stocks, or they occupied a different niche, they could potentially gain a foothold. However, in the natural environment that doesn't seem to be the case and it is hypothesized that it has to do with the Pacific freshwater sculpin which occupies the same niche as the Atlantics and preys on them. End result, we have not seen any Atlantic runs and they have been escaping now for over 20 years. But wouldn't farming Pacific salmon still be better? But what if they escaped...they would be bred to be fast growing, lazy "cows" and would I want to see them interbreed with the natural stocks? That could be disastrous! Outbreeding depression could destroy already fragile stocks. Aquaculture isn't going away, so I guess it's better to culture an animal that is not adapted to our waters and is susceptible to the parasites and pathogens that our fish have co-evolved with and are resistant to.
Sea lice are a natural parasite, they have always latched on to juvenile salmon, well before salmon farms existed on our coast. When salinities and temperatures rise, the environment is conducive for sea lice, while at the same time it is hard on food supplies for fish. So the overall fitness of the juvenile fish goes down and makes them more susceptible to disease. There is a regime shift going on in our oceans, world renowned scientists have solid evidence that there are problems that we still don't fully comprehend. As a result, plankton levels have dropped in formerly productive areas, fish have lost food supplies, birds are starving and whole colonies have collapsed off the BC coast. This is not due to salmon farms, this is due to global climate change.
That antibiotic resistance issue is an interesting one. It is true that farms have used antibiotics int eh past, but they are now the most tightly regulated industry in that respect and only very broad spectrum (weak) antibiotics are permitted, and only under the prescription of a veterinarian following a positive laboratory diagnosis. Compare that with the poultry industry which feeds antibiotics on a daily preventative basis. I find that far more frightening. The most devastating diseases currently faced by Atlantic salmon aquaculture in BC are BKD (a bacterial disease) and IHN (a viral disease). BKD is not treatable with antibiotics or vaccines since it is an intracellular bacteria. It is not a threat to natural stocks since it is endemic...pretty much ever Pacific salmon carries it, it is only an issue if the fish is weakened, otherwise it causes no major problems to most fish. IHN is also not a particular threat to the Pacific salmon who have co-evolved along with it. Sockeye salmon carry the virus, one of the reasons culture of this species has been unsuccessful. Viral diseases are not treatable by antibiotics, and there is not yet a vaccine against it. So, no antibiotics there at all. BKD is managed by hygiene and good husbandry, IHN is managed by depopulation of a site.
Also, a vast amount of antibiotic residues that enter the aquatic ecosystem actually come from human toilets. When we ingest antibiotics, not all of it is metabolized, we urinate much of it and flush it into the waterways. And then there are the unfinished prescriptions that people flush away as well....
There are many, many reports, by world class scientists who are classically trained in scientific methodology and bring rigour to studies, that demonstrate conflicting evidence, yet we all seem ready and willing to jump on the bandwagon with the extremists, who often (and in the case of Ms. Morton)do not have the same degree of training. I believe there is a place for extreme views, they can help to bring attention and focus to a subject and provide impetus for high quality research, but we also have to pay attention to what the other side is showing and not entrench ourselves in biased opinions put forward by questionable media sources...I appreciate that you have examined the web sources you listed, but once again, the sources have agendas. Ms. Morton has an agenda, she doesn't like salmon farming and if this attempt to destroy the industry fails, she will be back with a new argument that will result in more funding for more research... I think this is great!
Back to the numbers game, an escapement of 3% is considered normal, and escapement of 5% is considered excellent. Those data go back as far as we have records. The thing to think about though, is that that is 3-5% of what is coming in, and that is getting smaller and smaller which is worrisome. Modeling to say that all the fish will be extinct in that region in 4 generations is interesting, but the data in that particular paper is not complete, and there is evidence that the oceanic temperature shifts may be the more likely reason. Salmon like to follow particular temperature isotherms...and the cool ones are moving North. At a talk I saw several years ago on the issue of carbon doubling and temperature increases int eh Pacific, a fellow made an interesting comment...he said, if anyone is thinking about going into salmon fisheries management in BC, have a backup career, because by 2050 all the Pacific salmon will have moved into the Bering sea where the cooler waters will be..."
Are sea lice really to blame for declining fisheries? They may be a part of the equation in years where temperatures and salinities provide optimal conditions....and certainly farms can provide a reservoir under some conditions....but there is a much larger problem than a natural parasite that has coexisted alongside (and on) pink and chum salmon fry for millenia.
It is impossible to say that sea lice will destroy salmon stocks based on current findings. Science cannot prove that since we cannot replicate the ecosystem reliably. And an ethical scientist will not make absolute claims...they can't because they know that science is always changing.
All in all, it's a complicated and highly polarized issue because emotion has gotten into the mixture, and that's never good for coming to conclusions.
I, in no way think that sea lice is the reason for our declining fish stock.
In fact, the links on my post note further topics on the conditon of our oceans, showing all the various reasons our oceans are in such bad shape. The story on Sea Lice was just one of many I posted about.
Even upon reviewing the information available at the sites I listed above it is easy to see how easy it is to get the wrong idea. I would appreciate it if you could tell me if you know where the best current information can be located online?
Also I would be very happy to add your interview to my collection of information, if you would provide me with a site online where I can access it. I think we all need to be aware of the state of the oceans on which we rely.
And yet billboards and newspaper ads would have the public believe that sea lice from salmon farms are the direct link to disappearing salmon in that region. Some people do actually add the two together and assume the direct linkage is a reality.
Regrettably, the interview was a telephone interview during a contract in which I was assisting in collating research priorities identified by a very large number of researchers and scientists (including Ms. Morton) several years ago.
One of the biggest problems in environmental issues is that the NGO's are extremely well trained in dealing with the media and scientists are not. In many cases (Federal government) the scientists are restrained by their own employer and all media releases must go through a central conduit. It's frustrating since there are volumes of data and those who generated it are gagged and not allowed to speak freely, regardless of which side of the fence the data comes down on. It's just the way our government (and most) work. This is one of the reasons that most of the media is spun negatively. The other half often doesn't get to talk, or doesn't know how to.. Here is a good article published several years ago on the very topic. (Is scientific inquiry incompatible with government control? The full article may be downloaded as a pdf in the left hand sidebar. While this article shows the negative aspect of governmental decisions not considering, fully, its own scientific force and how devastating the consequences can be, the reverse is also true and needs to be considered. Lobbyists are very effective at pushing the government to make decisions that do not consider evidence that does not support NGO claims. Much of it comes down to fear of losing votes.
The Pacific Salmon Forum was funded by the Provincial Government to investigate sustainability of aquaculture in BC. Somehow or other, mainly because of all the hype around sea lice, their funding went predominantly towards sea lice research in the Broughton Archipelago. There are some interesting documents to be found on their site, particularly the 2007 research status report and the report by Brian Harvey – Science and Sea Lice: What do we know? It does a very good job of stepping back and examining the literature from an unbiased perspective and also provides a listing of some of the major papers out there that examine sea lice and salmon farming in BC. Well worth a read.
Ms. Morton reports fish dying from as little as one louse (although he collection methods are suspect...she caught her sample fish using a dip net and then held them in pens....have you ever caught a healthy wild fish using just a dip net?) Interestingly though, a DFO study showed (back in 2001 before we all started fighting about this) that there was a high prevalence of lice, but that there was no apparent damage from them. Other studies have shown that lice seem to drop off after 1-2 weeks without killing their host or overly damaging it. It again, suggests an evolutionary relationship. In a normal situation, pathogens become less pathogenic the longer the relationship has been going on...in a nutshell, it doesn't pay to kill your host because then you'll need to find another one.
The Pacific Salmon Forum is doing some very good things, and it has received some harsh criticisms from the likes of Stephen Hume and Craig Orr, but I don’t think the press has been entirely fair, particularly in light of the fact that this is the first body to have managed to get NGO’s Industry, government and academics all in the same room discussing data and out in the field working together. That is something to be impressed with considering where all of this was several years ago.
Although I had erased the history of this blog before April 2006... for personal reasons I didn't want all the posts about my life from prior to that time online... I do however now and again dig up an old post. I thought I would see what I was writing about on September 22 2005, since it was a year later on that date I met Paul. Amazing how quickly your world can change if you have the courage to change it.
Anyway, On September 22, 2005 I posted two blog entries:
posted by B | 6:13 PM THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2005 Chris Cziborr
i was sorting through the last box of my collected-things. i used to horde every little keep sake. i got rid of so much when i got rid of the house in 2003. i did however keep a small box of things. a stack of letters from Cziborr from Saigon included.
he's writing down in OC now a-days.
back then though he was a friend of Jo and David's and therefore mine. this is him (and Jolayne Marsh) dancing at the wedding in 1995.
i've never been a good writer. i have good ideas but i lack the umf to get it all into one start to end. Cziborr always inspired me with his consent ability to seek happiness even in hell. and then write it.
i thought i'd share snippet of something he wrote to us all back in 1996.
"1 February 1996 - Well I just arrived in Saigon. Saigon's nice. It's more interesting than Hanoi or Phnom Penh and far more laid back than Bangkok."
...
"One of the few solutions is just simply "hanging out". In western society, this is considered by many to be a kind of dark evil, when it's really just less obvious, less dramatic and less romanticized form of meditation. Leave people alone. Give them peace, quiet and relaxation time. This is one of the few ways in which insane asylums were actually effective: they put disorientated people in situations where there was really nothing to do. There were no pressing matters or urgencies, thus creating at least the potential for a meditative state.
I loved hanging out on Commercial Drive in Vancouver's east end for these obvious reasons. But I grew to loathe the place. I guess one of the biggest problems I had with living there is that one is literally forced to deal with too many people with too many problems. The lifeboats end up being overloaded, and then it's you that's dragged under. You don't help or dave others, it's they who eventually wind up sinking you. It's a vicious circle that I've come to know all to well, from both sides of the equation.
Why am I HERE versus BACK IN CANADA? I can never really come up with any real concrete answers to this and thinking about it doesn't lead anywhere. There isn't really any one place that's any better than any other place anywhere else. Yet I'm driven to be here and I'm never really sure why. There's plenty of bullshit everywhere. Living in Canada is hard; living here is hard. Living in a Communist country is TOUGH. Anyone who's ever had any romantic allusions about leftism would toss em out almost immediately here."
posted by B | 7:27 PM THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2005 The Cheerio Effect from livescience.com:
Place a single Cheerio in a bowl of milk and its weight will cause the milk beneath it to dip slightly, forming a dent in the once smooth surface of the milk. A second Cheerio placed into the bowl will form its own dent on the surface of the milk, and if the two Cheerios drift close enough to each other, they will appear to "fall into" one another, as if pulled together by an attractive force.
Cheerios near the edge of the bowl float upwards along the curve of the meniscus to look like they're clinging the edge of the bowl.
In both cases, the movements of the Cheerios are determined more by the geometry of the surface of the milk than by any attractive force acting between them.
A better understanding of the Cheerio Effect could give scientists a clearer insight into how certain insects walk on water and could lead to the creation of micro-structures that use surface tension to assemble themselves.
Last night I went to see The Fab Four at the QE Theatre. They are AMAZING ! It was a brilliant Beatles tribute. They even had some Ed Sullivan impersonator MCing the show. It was funny, entertaining and the music was incredibly well performed. They all had the accents of the four Beatles down pat, it really sounded like them when they were being silly and telling stories and jokes in between songs. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend that if given the chance you go see these fellows. They are Fab.
A friend of mine was dumped by his wife just a bit before I left K in 2006. To this day, this man has yet to get over his ex. Recently he, once again, on his blog, insulted her and the man she left him for.
Okay I may occassionally mention K, talk openly about the bad situation, which admittedly is nothing like his, but still, how long does it take some people to get over their ex?
And how long can your friends stand to hear about the ex-asshole or ex-bitch of your life?
Make a list of all the things about your ex-partner that you did not like. It may start off small, but if you pin it up in your kitchen so that you see it daily, you will be amazed at how it will grow.
Remember how he or she always told the same jokes? Or got drunk at parties? Or put you down in company? Or could not be bothered to get involved in your job or hobbies?
Write it all down and start realising that maybe your lost relationship was not so great after all.
E is for EXPERIENCE
After a relationship is finished, we tend to think that we can never be loved again. This is not true, of course, but it is what we believe at the time.
The fact is that there is every probability you will be loved again. Not by your ex-partner, of course: you will never again share exactly what you had in that relationship, but you can have just as important feelings with someone else.
A stands for APPRECIATION
Appreciation of yourself, that is.
You need to look at yourself in the mirror and focus on your best features and congratulate yourself on them. Do this often.
Another helpful task is to write a list of 50 things that you like about yourself. This might take some doing, but it is a rewarding exercise.
You see, when we are dumped we tend to take the blame on our own shoulders. We mentally beat ourselves up for not being more fun or more intelligent, or more attractive, or much better in bed.
Try to stop this destructive thinking and - just for a change - allow yourself to feel your own goodness. So, deliberately recall times when you have helped someone, or been kind to a stranger, or put yourself out for a neighbour.
Learning to accept and value your own kindness, beauty and talent is very healing.
R is for RE-ORGANISING
Unfortunately, when you have been half of a couple for a while, many of your friends will be other couples who knew you and your ex.
Sadly, some of these people are probably avoiding you like the plague now, fearful, in some cranky way, that having you around will make their own relationship more vulnerable.
But even if you keep plenty of old friends, this is a time when you need a whole new circle of mates of both genders.
N is for NO SEX WITH YOUR EX!
Often when you have been apart for several months, your ex may suddenly decide that the grass was not greener outside the relationship after all.
Or perhaps he or she will sense that you are getting your life in order and may feel jealous that you are now in a position to find someone else. Maybe he or she will just fancy a quick snog for old time's sake.
The trouble is that sex and closeness might make you feel loved and wanted temporarily, but it will leave you with more sorrow and confusion afterwards.
pre-written & posted by Barbara Doduk & scheduled to publish @
11:11 AM 0 comments
2. When I turned 13 I was in grade 7, the last year of elementary school. I was too school for school. I wrote a story for a school writing competition which was voted best in the class and had to read it to the entire school. Our class then attempted to make it into an actual movie.
3. Due to the acceptance of my creative writing I starting sharing my poetry with people, it seemed to be a success and thus in my mind was the age I really started to think one day I would/could be a great writer.
4. That summer was one of the best summers ever. My best friend Carrie and I went camping, water skiing, water sliding and we snuck out of the house a lot. I remember at the end of the summer, sitting with her at the end of the driveway talking about how we wished the summer would never end.
5. My mom bought us a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Many many nights were spent playing Super Mario Bros and Tetris. Nothing brings you closer together as a family as competing against one another in video games!
6. July 14, 1986 I attended my first rock concert ever. I wasn't a fan of the band, I was invited along by some girls from Grade 7 who had an extra ticket and as the last days of school wrapped up asked if I'd like to go along. The concert was Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet Tour. I totally remember the people in the row in front of us smoked pot and we got a contact high. (Bon Jovi is playing Vancouver this weekend December 15 & 16th.)
7. MuchMusic (Canada's version of MTV) launched in August 1984, and not long after my mom added it to our cable. I spent most of 1985 recorded videos on VHS and being obsessed with music, videos and being a total 80s music freak. I spent far too many hours dancing around my living room pretending to be various music acts singing my heart out.
8. Due to the influence of MuchMusic and my love of music, I became a fashion freak. I cut my air in all odd shapes. I bought this colored Mousse product to put chunks of color in it. My life changed the moment I saw the video for Depeche Mode's People Are People
9. My favorite albums of the year became: Black Celebration - Depeche Mode True Colors - Cyndi Lauper Licensed to Ill - The Beastie Boys Staring at the Sea: the Singles - The Cure The Colour of Spring - Talk Talk The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths Wonderland - Erasure
10. I started Grade 8 as a total freak and a brief sad attempt to fit in, I wore acid wash jeans and hung out with my old best friend Wendy Evans and the "popular girls". After a sleepover night with them all and them doing a silly Ouija Board trick and talking about giving boys blowjobs and barfing after they eat, I decided my original path was the correct one and immediately began wearing my black again. It was then and there I decided never to NOT be myself ever again.
11. Not only was I a music lover, but my mom also got us SuperChannel which played recent movies on it. My brother and I recorded a lot of movies off it is onto VHS tapes and it spawned my addition to watching movies... which related to my creative writing... movies inspired me to write more. Some of the great movies from 1986 were Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Top Gun, and Stand By Me.
12. I gave up the guitar lessons
13. But in grade 8 I joined Choir. I was the only A in the class. My teacher asked me to sing solo in the concert.
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
My mom had gone to the Expo in 84. She left me camping on Knights Beach over in Ontario while she went to it. I was so mad when she got back. I would have rather gone to the Expo. I remember MuchMusic from my trips up there. Wow! I haven't been back to Canada in ages.
Wow - great year for you! When I was thirteen, I was continually molested and dealing with the trauma of that. That was the year I started high school, started drinking, started smoking and may have even taken a toke or two but resisted other drugs. I was fortunate to hold on to my virginity for another year. We wore Lee jeans (or Levi's) (they didn't fit because girl's cut hadn't been invented yet) and adidas running shoes. My girlfriend cut my hair. I plucked my eyebrows. Funny, we listened to music as constantly as we could but I don't have any firm memories...Perhaps Stairway to Heaven...
Jeannie, I was molested at 9-10 years old. I think my adoration of the darkness of the music of the mid-80s came out of that darkness that those events caused inside my soul.
"I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you." - Friedrich Nietzsche
As I woman I am puzzled as the why men lie. I did some reading up on the subject. I thought this article was pretty good:
"Actions speak louder than words," and they also speak more honestly. When you first meet a man, he'll show you his best side, describe his accomplishments (sometimes borrowed from others), and shower you with attention, or even gifts. This slowly fades the longer you know him, and sooner or later he'll show you his shabby, under-the-rock side. This is the time when you'll make the decision whether to go on or not. With some men, it will take a year, with others, a few months will do it.
I have to say that is pretty bang on for most men. Recently a friend of mine quipped to me that once they have you, or think they do, they turn into their true asshole selves. Sad really.
I know we all put on our best front at the beginning but making yourself out to be someone completely different than who you are actually? Do men really believe this is wise? Women can fall out of love as fast as they do into love, given the right push in that wrong direction.
I also read this article that had this wise info to share:
When men are disinterested or distant it sends the distinct message that well... they’re not interested. Most women in this situation will assume that he has gone off her, that she may have done something wrong, that the relationship is doomed. But it may not be - Some guys can become preoccupied with another issue and instead of discussing it, retreat into their own little world, trying to conquer everything on their own. And some guys can be just plain self-absorbed, making the woman feel that she is solo.
Nothing is worse than feeling like suddenly you aren't attractive anymore. When a man begins to ignore his woman suddenly he might start to hear her saying things like, "I'm fat", "I'm ugly" and frankly this won't help matters, she knows this but she's at a loss and figures it must be her. He'll be even more annoyed with her but the reason she feels that way is his rejections of her all ready. Men need to learn how to talk to women.
Of course, some men are just self-absorbed. If they don't put in any effort or planning to the relationship, how do they expect it to work? Everything in life that you want to have success in REQUIRES planning, specially relationships.
Here are some tips men should understand.
Don't tell me the person you work with is ugly and looks like a lesbian. For one, why even mention her? You didn't mention all the men you work with or how they look, and now you have singled out this woman making it appear as if she is worth singling out.
Don't tell me you get that guilty feeling when you go out without me merely because of some past girlfriends getting jealous. You feel guilty because you ARE guilty. You can't be honest and just say I want to go out alone so I can flirt with women and make myself feel good. Just because you are so insecure with yourself that you need to feel like every woman out there wants you, don't blame your ex or me.
Lies are always exposed in the end. When I find out you have lied to me, it erodes my trust in you. The more you erode that trust, the less likely I am to want to be with you. Forgiveness is easy, I can forgive lies, I can forgive being hurt, but there is no reason to continue on being repeatedly lied to and hurt.
“You may forgive someone for hurting you, but you will never forget.”
AND OKAY before you go off on me, I know women lie too. And most men will say that it was a woman that made him lie. I know women can be sneaky. Women can go out an cheat. Women can do all those things men do. The difference is usually though, that a woman has decide the man she is with has done too much to her, lied to her, made her feel unloved, made her unwanted, made her the last thing he wants to do... it is when a woman has been pushed aside that she will start to run around behind that man's back. It is then that a woman will start to lie to her man.
Men lie about everything automatically. Women are generally pushed to the point of it.
As you might recall Lydia has been sick the last couple of months. She lost all her weight and muscle. She stopped eating and drinking on the weekend. So this morning at 10:30 I did the hardest part of saying goodbye.
(Lydia had the most expressive face)
(Lydia's favorite pass time - sleeping)
Lydia came into my life on my birthday in 1996. Iggy had adopted her from the SPCA for me as a gift. She was my orange kitty. I had always wanted an orange kitty. I couldn't have got a better gift. She was a stray, she had got lost after having kittens. She was probably about 9 months or so at the time making her born sometime in mid-1995.
(Lydia inspired The Kitten McCuddles Song)
She turned out to be the most adorable kitty. She had the best temperament. So gentle. So sweet. She preferred men but she loved me. These cats have been my life and she was a big part of it for 12 years. I will miss her dearly.
(1997 Lydia cuddles with a baby Bear)
RIP Princess Lydia Kitten McCuddles. 1995 - December 11, 2007
(The vet said it felt like she had a tumor in her tummy area.)
This last spring my old bassett (12 years) gave me that look one day, after he hadn't been eating.
I took him in, and we put him down. The vet said he had a c antelope sized tumor in his tummy, and it had torn something loose and he was bleeding internally, so it was for the best.
awww so sorry, they really do become full fledged members of the family don't they! I cringe at the thought of losing my little fur babies and will give my old senior cat, Jake, who was not much younger than Lydia an extra squeeze and snuggle tonight.
so sorry and i almost can feel the sadness in yr writing...i knw it bcos last time i got myself a white cat i named her snow...since she died i vowed myself not to get another one bcos it hurt me so much when she died...
Thank you all for you loving thoughts. I do miss her greatly. It was an odd feeling tonight to not have her there. Bear and Jessa were very concerned when I returned home with an empty carrying case and no Lydia. They had each given her licks on the head before she left yesterday. They knew she was dying, but they are extra mushy right now. I am extra mushy right now too. They are my family. My children. My love. *sigh*
I am passing thru- blog hopping via TK. Just wanted to say how sorry I am on your loss. I still grieve over the two losses I sustained in my cat family over the past two years. Your Lydia looks and sounds like a special kitty. You took good care of her and she loved you! Im finding your blog fascinating and I'm hoping to stop by more!
On the weekend Canned Hamm (definitely an acquired taste) did a Christmas show... we didn't go, but earlier this year I passed on mentioning it but on July 18th Paul took me to see Canned Hamm @ The Railway Club. (Other things were going on at the time that took up the blog topics.)
Paul's old friend Trevor Hargreaves filmed the Canned Hamm video for Seafood Taco. It was featured at The 6th Annual INDIE MUSIC VIDEO FESTIVAL (http://www.imvf.com) with very xtra special guests themselves - CANNED HAMM performing Xmas in July!
Canned Hamm was an experience. I have often wondered if the video taken of the Christmas in July performance made it out.
Robert "Willie" Pickton was convicted on Sunday of the serial killings of six women whose bodies were butchered like animals in his farm's slaughterhouse.
But the jury convicted Pickton of a lesser charge of second degree murder, not the first degree murder charge he originally faced. The verdict still carries a sentence of life in prison, but the lesser charge makes it easier to get parole. He will be sentenced on Tuesday.
The jury's failure to convict Pickton of first degree murder meant it did not agree with prosecutors that he planned the murders in advance.
Pickton, 58, was tried for the killings of Mona Wilson, Sereena Abotsway, Marnie Frey, Brenda Wolfe, Andrea Joesbury and Georgina Papin. Their remains were found on his pig farm outside Vancouver and one witness testified that she saw him in a slaughterhouse, covered in blood, butchering one of the women.
Prosecutors argued during the trial that Pickton, acting alone, killed the women, butchered them, then disposed of their body parts by feeding them to pigs or taking them to a rendering plant. Parts of two of the women’s bodies were found in five-gallon buckets in Pickton’s freezer, others were discovered in a dustbin, a pig pen and buried in manure on the farm.
But defence lawyers claimed that he was not solely responsible for their deaths. They said that Pickton was not intelligent enough to carry out and conceal the murders. They suggested he had been taken advantage of by sophisticated police techniques and that someone else may have committed the murders – pointing to a number of unsavoury characters who frequented the Pickton farm.
The prosecution’s case was hampered by contradictory witness testimony, uncertain DNA evidence and the lack of a so-called “smoking gun” directly linking Pickton to the killings.
But Pickton had appeared to admit his guilt several times during the police interrogation and jail cell conversations with an undercover agent.
More than once, he said that he was “so close” to reaching his goal of killing 50 women but got sloppy and was caught. He later complained to police: “You’re making me out to be more of a mass murderer than I am.”
Thank God this is all finally coming to an end...those poor families.
(How was the cheesecake night?...sorry I couldn't make it - had to stay home and spread my germs to my family, who now also are sick. Merry Christmas?)
Anyhow, I don't know how to put the badge into my sidebar, so haven't done it yet. Will keep working on it. I'm so lame.
hello i would like too comment on the picton murders ! willy picton is just the fall guy other killers envolved ?killings and dissaperances still ongoing ???...david, diana,casanova,hiscox ,others where all on that hell on earth(picton farm) why do they walk free among us ????...(POLICE IN COMPLETE INSENCITIVE DENIAL ???..) i knew three of the victems Georgina Papin,Sarah De Vrise,an my lost childhood sweetheart Andrea Borhaven who i still embrace in my dreams,(SO MANY TEARS)THERE IS NO JUSTICE !!!!!!!!!..........
Let us not forget the fact Megan Meier killed herself at the tender age of 13 due to cyberbullying.
Further to my recent post called Lori Drew - Most Hated Woman in America... In today's news: The full text version of the Drew family statement issued (today) by their attorney Jim Briscoe is posted below:
This week, Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas issued his report concerning the death of Megan Meier. His investigation included a review of all reports of law enforcement agencies involved with this case and interviews with several of the individuals involved. During this investigation, the Drew family has not commented to the media. Now that the investigation is concluded, we wish to issue this statement.
First and foremost, the Drew family mourns the death of Megan every day. They previously expressed their sympathies to the Meier family, but the Meiers have made it clear that they do not wish to speak to the Drews, and they have honored the Meier's request.
Contrary to statements reported in various news media around the nation in recent weeks, Lori Drew did not create or direct anyone to create the Josh Evans MySpace account. Although she was aware of the account, Lori Drew never sent any messages to Megan or to anyone else using this MySpace account. The MySpace account was in place for approximately 29 days. It is undisputed that all messages sent were positive until the last 24 hours.
Lori Drew was not aware of any mean, nasty or negative comments made by anyone against Megan until after Megan took her own life. In fact, the first negative message was sent by a teenager from another residence, and several other negative comments were made by other teenagers at different locations. The negative comments that were sent by the teenage girl at the Drew's residence occurred when Lori was not home.
Lori Drew has been a high-profile target of extreme criticism for things she did not do. This has caused considerable damage to the reputation of the Drew family, both in our community and across the nation. The avalanche of criticism forced Lori to discontinue the advertising business she has had in the St. Charles County area for the past nine years. Lori is saddened that businesses that advertised with her company have been harassed in ways that have impacted them both professionally and personally.
The Drew family is also sorry that their family, friends and neighbors have had to endure the stresses associated with the harassment directed toward the Drews.
There are many accusations that various members of the Drew family have created websites or are participating in internet blogs regarding this matter. The Drews have not and will not participate in any website or blog regarding this matter. Any internet message that purports to be a member of the Drew family is being managed by an imposter and undoubtedly is being done for the purpose of further damaging the Drew's reputation.
Back pedalling? I don't know. The public has spoken out.
Further interesting things to ponder...
The blog entitled “Megan Had It Coming” surfaced more than two weeks ago. Earlier this week, the person writing the blog claimed the messages were being written by Lori Drew. The detailed blog lays out Drew’s would-be motives for getting involved with the MySpace hoax against Megan.
“We have contacted Google, telling them that was an impostor,” Briscoe said. Blogger.com, where the messages have been appearing, is a property of Google Inc. A Google spokesman said the company is currently reviewing the impersonation allegation.
A statement from the Drew family released Friday said the Drews “have not and will not participate in any Web site or blog regarding this matter. Any Internet message that purports to be a member of the Drew family is being managed by an impostor and undoubtedly is being done for the purpose of further damaging the Drews’ reputation.”
The St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating who is behind the “Megan Had It Coming” blog postings and if a crime has been committed, a spokesman said.
Fogarty said Dardenne Prairie (Meier's hometown)’s measure will be used to fight Internet harassment, regardless of who in the community is being victimized.
“If we are called upon to use this law in their favor, we’d have to do that,” Fogarty said of the Drews. “Sometimes I have to make decisions and take my personal feelings out of it.” Briscoe said the Drews have not requested such action.
Alderman Scott Kolbe said, “The Drews created this situation on themselves,” and their lives are “probably pretty much destroyed.”
But, he said, “My belief is harassment is harassment, and two wrongs don’t make a right. We passed this ordinance to protect everyone.”
St. Charles County Prosecutor Jack Banas said he had no idea if someone might be charged under the Dardenne Prairie measure. He explained any charges he brings are under state law, not under local ordinances.
Sadly ironic isn't it.
But the most important lesson all of us can grasp from this ongoing case was summed up nicely by Governor Matt Blunt:
“Megan Meier’s senseless death is a tragic lesson that social networking sites and technology have opened a new door for criminals and bullies to prey on their victims.”
I am not hoping to fuel the Lori Drew hatred that is out there. Yes, I have my opinion, as many out there do too. Bottomline is that I am just shocked that this event happened, that a child killed herself over it. Having been actively online now for over 10 years, I have personally witnessed the rapid changes of the www community. I have seen and witnessed and even experienced the ongoing "fine line" of what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior online. This story intrigues me and I hope it helps shed light on the some times fragile, risky and even life threatening existence of "living" online.
That's priceless. Looks to me like she was planning to carry on her insane rambling post mortem until someone still tethered to reality (the lawyer) had a chance to say something.
The Weekly Vice Offers This Open Letter To St. Charles County Prosecutor Jack Banas.
Jan 9, 2008 (The Weekly Vice )
Dear Jack Banas,
The nation has been horrified as an adult mother, her daughter and an employee of the adult stalked, harassed and bullied a 13 year old minor child continually until that minor child committed suicide.
When you reviewed the case, the nation watched as you willfully ignored a sworn statement by Lori Drew stipulating her involvement in this process. We watched when you willfully adopted Lori Drew’s new account of what happened - while failing to address Lori Drew’s previous, sworn statements. We are now watching as you willfully and neglectfully ignore the legal implications that go along with falsifying a police report.
Jack Banas, you have claimed repeatedly that Lori Drew violated no state law or statute. You have gone on the record with these statements multiple times. What you have not done is explain why some citizens of your county are required to follow the laws of the land while others are not. Why some citizens are prosecuted for filing false reports with Missouri authorities, while others seemingly are not required to be accountable for such acts.
On November 11th, 2006, the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department responded to a complaint that Lori Drew wished to file. The authorities in your county arrived and took Lori Drew’s detailed statement.
The officer carefully accounted word for word Lori Drew’s statements using quotes to accurately record her words, and in this statement Lori Drew stipulated to several key facts that she now disputes. Among those key statements, Lori Drew stipulated the following:
“Drew stated she, her daughter and Ashley all typed, read and monitored the communication between the fake male profile and Megan. Drew went on to say, the communication became “sexual for a thirteen year old. Drew stated she continued the fake male profile despite this development.”
This statement is the exact text as stipulated by Lori Drew in the Incident Report she willfully filed. In this Incident report, Lori Drew detailed in clear language her active involvement in the shameful activities that cascaded into tragedy for Megan Meier.
Jack Banas, Lori Drew’s current statements dramatically and compellingly disagrees with the statements she rendered as true testimony in the November 11th report. She now has stated through her attorney Jim Briscoe, the following:
“Everything, as far as Mrs. Drew knew, was that all the communication was nice and polite and there was no harassing going on,” Briscoe said. “She did not create the MySpace account. She did not instruct anybody to create the MySpace account. She never made any communications through the MySpace account.”
Lori Drew has also given public statements, denying that the report she filed on November 11th is accurate. In doing so, she herself calls into question the accuracy of the statement she submitted to St. Charles Deputies in her November 11th complaint.
You Cannot Have It Both Ways:
Jack Banas, Missouri Law demands that when a citizen files an Incident Report in the State Of Missouri, the citizen has an obligation to tell the truth.
Jack Banas, the citizens of Missouri would like to know why some citizens of your county are expected to abide by the law and play by the rules, while others are allowed to thumb their nose at these requirements.
Jack Banas, the citizens of Missouri would like to know why an elected county prosecutor personally reviewed this case and willfully ignored the obvious reversal Lori Drew has made in her statements between the November 11th incident report and her statements now.
Jack Banas, since you have stated that Lori Drew did not break the law, we have no other choice but to assume that filing a false statement and/or false police/incident report with St. Charles County authorities is acceptable under the laws of your county.
Jack Banas, you can no longer have it both ways. Either Lori Drew (and the St. Charles County Prosecutor’s office) has been untruthful with the citizens of Missouri on November 11th, 2008, or you are being untruthful with us now.
Tax paying Missourians demand that you enforce the laws you have been sworn to uphold.
We await your reply with voting card in hand.
Danny Vice The Weekly Vice http://weeklyvice.blogspot.com
I read a lot of blogs in GoogleReader. It is an RSS reader. If I want to comment on a blog I will go to the post and comment. I would like to suggest that anyone who enjoys reading this blog should add it to their RSS Reader of choice. I have several feedlinks provided on the sidebar at all times.
You could also subscribe via email:
I guess I am going to have to add another section to the side bar of my blog for awards now. The ever amazing Mimi Lenox has awarded me the following:
Blogging Buddies Global Community Award. Colin is the originator of this award. He states, "Having received many awards I have decided that it was time I created one for ALL my Blogging Buddies. You are ALL awesome and contribute to the wonderful global communities that we have all created. Thank you. Feel free to pass this along, all I ask is that all recipients link back to here as the original point of reference."
This has inspired me to create my own Award.
THE SPREADER OF LOVE AWARD from The Love Blog
I great way to spread love and happiness around the blog world and just maybe get a little link love in return.
So here is my Badge for my Award: All I ask in return for presenting this award to anyone blogging out there, is that you include the following information in the blog post along with the image below:
This blog has been awarded The Spreader of Love Award created by The Love Blog (http://iamlove.blogspot.com), for an outstanding demonstration of blogging love.
Nominate as many or as few as you feel you need to !
[EDIT:
Cut and paste the text above, and download/copy the image above and up load it to your site, or you can use the following code to link to the image from my Flickr page:
{a title="Spreader of Love Award" href="http://iamlove.blogspot.com"} {img height="240" alt="Spreader of Love Award" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2349/2089294199_2783d8f015_m.jpg" width="200" /} {/a}
Replace the { & } with the proper < & > symbols. THANKS! ]
I nominate the following 10 people:
Mimi Lenox for her outstanding work with Peace Globes and for just be such a great spirit.
Ev Nucci (AKA One Wacky Mom) @ My Life is Murphy's Law because no matter what life throws her way, she has a bright smile on her face and laughter in her heart.
Mimzie Muzings for always being so full of joy and happiness... and sending me funny emails and making my days fun.
Trace Beagley @ Mew.nubecause she was one of the first lovely chickapoos I met online and I can't hardly believe that 10 years have gone by!
Miss 604's Rebecca Bolwitt because she always has a smile and great story to tell about something. I love her blog and read it daily in GoogleReader.
My beautiful friend Ophelia Mourne is always inspiring and real.
Billy Warhol @ Billion Dollar Baloney because he always makes me chuckle out loud and is always showing love and support to bloggers.
Mauro @ 1 Million Love Messages because that site is purely love. I was the first message of the 1 Million, and many more, and hope to be the last! when he reaches his goal.
The infamous Tony Pierce because he lead by example and look what he has accomplished by blogging.
Finally, Deb @ The Box because no matter what life throws her way she always shares love and joy with the people in her life.
Now, my love blog award children, go forth and multiply the love.
Barbara - I am so honored to be among the first recipients of this beautiful award. I will proudly display it on my blog and pass it on. I humbly thank you.
Hello Barbara, I followed through a pingback...congratulations on your award from Mimi. It is nice to follow it around and see the link love being spread :)
What an awesome award you have created too, congrats to all of the recipients.
Ophelia, you know I adore you darling, cheesecake sooner rather than later.
Billy, well I hope this helps in your quest to get laid ahahahaa.
Ev, no thank you for always being so inspiring.
Colin, thank you for coming by to chekc me out, cute kitty award you have going around, honored to get it.
Miss604, you rule. I don't ski/board or really like hockey so I am not entering your rocking contest but anyone who reads this and does should go to your site.
Tony, you are the blogfather.
Burfica, awards being such joy. I hope the Spreader of Love Award comes your way. I will give it out to another group of people soon.
If you are not aware of who she is, she is the woman who created a fake myspace account and for 6 weeks pretended to be a 16 year old boy to lure a 13 year old girl Megan Meier (the beautiful girl pictured below) into talking to her so she could unleash hatred on her, because her daughter Sarah Drew claimed Megan was "mean" to her.
Read the story linked above, Megan was on anti-depressants, in therapy since grade 3 and the events created by Lori Drew pushed the little girl Megan to hang herself in her bedroom.
The ever wonderful website The Smoking Gun has posted the Lori Drew police reports she filed since Megan's suicide in October 2006. It also includes a report of the suicide incident.
The police have recently decided to NOT charge Lori Drew for her part the fake myspace account that harassed Megan, or for recruiting other people into the plan and giving them access to the fake account to help further the harassment...
The sickest part is Lori Drew has a blog now called (get this) Megan Had It Comingin which she states "I cannot count on any media organization to fairly represent my story, as they have grossly misrepresented and sensationalized the story so far. So, I must present my case here, on the blog that has been my only outlet."
Right. Nice title, that should gain you some extra support. Calling Megan's parents "unbalanced people" for smashing Lori Drew's foosball table (these families were close enough to store a foosball table for them) and then dumping the busted table in Lori Drew's driveway... oh that is priceless.
OMG if I was the parents I would give her an express ticket to hell. Shit like that pisses me off.
We had a young 17 year old boy here. He hit and killed a 2 1/2 year old girl. Not his fault. Her mother was not watching her and let her run out from behind her car into the street. He tried to brake. He has undergone 5 breakdowns, and tried to commit suicide a number of times. He is so remorseful.
On christmas the little girls mother sent him a package with her obituary in it. Then she blew one up poster size, and on Christmas eve night put it in his front yard. and wrote Killer all over it.
I can see her being distraught, but it was her fault for not watching her kid. How dare she do that to another child.
Okay I'm passionate on things against children and elderly.
Megan's mother did what she could to monitor her child's activities online, she was even aware of the myspace account "Evan" and watched the events unfold. It is shocking to know it was a mother, a full grown woman who should know better that faked the whole thing just to attack and harass a 13 year old child. Lori Drew is mentally ill to act the way she did, and the way she still is.
Barbara, I read this article in People and I gotta tell you this is evidence of the kind of ugliness certain women are capable of...and these women used to be little girls and that scares me to death.
Imagine the things that were going on in this ladies head. HOw could she ever think about doing this stuff...but what makes me sad is that WOMEN ARE CAPABLE of ugliness that is beyond comprehension sometimes.
Course I should say just people are capable of ugliness...but I see it in women...and what their actions.
Maybe I should clarify further and make that mothers. Mothers are lions in a den when it comes to their children and especially when it comes to their daughters. What is it about that?
Who's prettiest, most popular, has the nicest figure? It is just beyond my comprehension.
I was a kid, who as a teen was massively picked on by other girls at school because I was not in their opinion "cool". I however got along and loved everyone for who they were, not for their clothing, or their hair or face or body. I was friends with every race of people and every group of people, jocks, nerds, punks, whatever, as long as you were nice to me I was friends with you too.
But there were certain girls who thought themselves better than others and would say as much to your face.
Sadly I thought that it would change as I grew older. It did not. There are still so many women out there that act all catty and hateful. What is worse is they know now how to mask it, to be totally mean and attack those they dislike while pretending to the rest of the world to be the nicest person you'll ever met. It is sick.
I am not a mother but I know what you mean. I don't understand the undue pressure mothers put on their daughters to be popular, other than the fact they have gone through what I have and feel it necessary to do (but that is no excuse).
Lori Drew went beyond any of that though, what she is not normal in any shape or form, nor is her continued position of "she did nothing wrong".
Since this isn’t a “prosecutable” “crime”…Megan’s family SHOULD and CAN destroy the Drew family financially. The suffering of a “self absorbed, “helicopter Mom” should equal the reality of the loss of a child by the Meier family.
Take the Drew’s house, take their car, take their privacy, strip them of their “dignity” (as if they ever had any)…follow them where ever they go for the next tens years…and treat them like ” a sex offender”…INFORM their NEW neighbors and friends WHO they are and what Laurie has done..
I smile when I think of the Drews having to shut down their business and move away because EVERYBODY HATES THEM. I guess that is the terrible inconvenience one suffers when they push a young girl to suicide by extreme cruelty. Oh well, Lori, better luck next time in moving on with your life. Actually wait, no, you'll never have any luck whatsoever, YOU ARE HATED WORLDWIDE!
This fat, lardass is a poor excuse for life. She is hardly anything to look at and yet posted crap against someone who didn't need her need this. There is a God and she will pay for this. Nothing we post here can hurt this bimbo the way she will pay the rest of her life and beyond. What a loser!
Mark Dykeman asked me to help him spruce up his blog banner... No problem Mark. Hope you like the Superman feel. After all you were the one that hooked me up with the wonderful Mimzie.
It has been raining like crazy here. Depending where you were in the West you got anywhere between 3 to 10 inches of rain.
It was wet here but nothing like in other places. In the mountains of BC there were big floods, and over on Vancouver Island. Lucky for us the city here wasn't as bad.
Who is building the Ark? What is a cubit again?
Mimzie's wonderful Painting arrived in the mail. I went to the post office to collect it tonight on my drive home.
Look at it - isn't it wonderful. I feel so, ummm, blessed. I have tacked it up above the TV for the time being. Now I have to buy a frame for it. I think it would look great in a thick black frame. Thank you, thank you, thank you M.
I also stopped on the way home and got the kitties a Christmas present. Because I spoil everyone. They seem to love it.
I also did up my 30 Christmas cards today. Addressed, signed and all I have to do now is get some stamps and send those suckers. If you didn't send me your address and still want to get a Christmas card from me, just email me.
I know I am a big Grinch about Christmas. I don't do it now, on principle and for other reasons but there was a time I really enjoyed the holiday season. I looked forward to pulling out the tree, and going all out to decorate it. To decorating the house with Christmas stuff. When my dad's mom was still alive and kicking she was the master of Christmas cards. Her house was overflowing with cards she'd received. I remember they would be lined all around the living room ceiling. I don't know, but to me that was always cool. That all those people took the time to send her a card... somehow that was so cool.
pre-written & posted by Barbara Doduk & scheduled to publish @
11:11 PM 5 comments
Mark, my pleasure. Thanks for all the love on your blog.
Captian Corky, I will be back for more Captian's Log *hehe* and I hope one day I can get joy out of the Christmas season again.
Mimzie, You silly, of course I LOVE IT !!! I was so excited, I hung it up right away. It is wonderful and colourful and fits my place perfectly. Thank you again.
Howdy!!1 Thanks for visiting my blog. I bookmarked you, so now you can start to be afraid. hehehehe I love the kitty present. I always get my animals pressies.
I do around 80 christmas cards I mail and an additional 20 or so I hand out to customers and other things.
I tape mine on the inside of my front door that I have all decorated around. Of course they bleed over to the wall some years, and really string out. I love looking at them.
Wait wait, back track time... in case you are new here...
I was married at 22. Yes for a time I was actually really known as Barbara Doll. No kidding. That was my married name. I was young, I've covered the story before. We divorced.
After that I was in a common law type of situation for nearly 7 years. That ended on (no joke) April 1st 2006. I have discussed that to death here too.
On September 22nd 2006 I met my best friend, my Paul. We live together now after a crazy ride getting here.
And IF (THE BIG BIG IF)
I were to get married for a second time I would do it one of two ways...
You see, when I got married at 22 I wore red and we did the ceremony in my grandmother's backyard. That was nice. Simple. Practical. Considering we'd known one another only 9 months. My family met his family the night before the wedding when they came over from Vancouver Island. Hell I'll be 35 in 3 months. This time I would do it different. IF I did it at all.
Option A (The Silly):
Considering that I am a Trekkie this is actually really cool so don't mock me. Considering it was Paul flipping open his phone and saying "Beam me up", that actually got me to finally talk to him that night we met... this is a cool idea. It just is too bad it all looks so cheesy and silly.
Option A would be getting married in Las Vegas @ The STAR TREK: The Experience™ - I'd go for the ADMIRAL'S WEDDING ($3,000 US) which would be a "Ceremony on The Bridge of the USS Enterprise 1701-D" with Four STAR TREK: The Experience characters to be present at your wedding. Choice of: Klingon, Ferengi, Andorian, Vulcan, BORG or Starfleet Officers. And if you want to you can even have a Two-hour wedding reception inside Quark’s Bar & Restaurant.
BUT I mean come on... look at that. I would do it for the cheap thrill, the trip to Vegas, and only to go ride roller coasters on top of hotels. Those outfits just look sooooo silly. But I would however throw in a Helicopter ride to see the Grand Canyon.
OPTION B (THE EXPENSIVE):
Do it all out. I would this time. No church but ALL out.
The Gown by Alfred Sung. Like I wanted since I opened those magazines as a wee teen with rose coloured glasses. One mother fucking expensive sucker like one of these:
I'd go all out, Limos, The Tables, The Flowers, The Hall, The Special Location... Blah blah blah.
ALL OUT. Now of course you can tell there are two various costs involved in these options. HAHAHA
Which brings me to the final point...
OPTION C (WHAT I WOULD REALLY DO):
NEVER GET MARRIED EVER AGAIN.
I DON'T THINK EVEN PAUL COULD CONVINCE ME TO EVER GET MARRIED AGAIN.
Maybe if we stay together 10 years. MAYBE then just to get it over with I'd get married, maybe. But truly, I don't really need a wedding ring. I don't need to show off pictures of us in some posed romantic scene to prove the love. I don't want that pressure from society to get hitched.
I just want to be happy AND I AM.
It isn't like it isn't possible to stay together and not be married...
There are many couples out there that have stayed together and never bothered to get that legal contract. Here are some famous folks just to name a few... (and imagine how many there are out there that aren't famous.)
Katharine Hepburn & Spencer Tracy: He was unable to divorce his Catholic wife, so he and Katharine never married in their 27 year relationship that was ended by his death in 1967.
Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell (together since 1984) Oprah Winfrey & Stedman Graham (Engaged since 1992) Sam Shepard & Jessica Lange (together since 1982) Tina Turner & Erwin Bach (together since 1986) Susan Sarandon & Tim Robbins (together since 1988, they have kids) Gene Simmons & Shannon Tweed (together since 1984, they have kids) John Malkovich & Nicoletta Peyran (together since 1991 with 2 children)
I am all for being John Malkovich.
pre-written & posted by Barbara Doduk & scheduled to publish @
11:33 PM 10 comments
I think for me I just don't trust it. I don't know what it would take to convince me that someone actually only wants to marry me for me.
I guess I am jaded.
Besides it isn't as special as it should be these days, anyone goes and gets married and gets divorced if it doesn't work. I am old fashioned in that sense, I admire couples that have been together for their entire lives. I ENVY that... I am a hopeless romantic. Sure, who wouldn't want to be showered in love and proposed to in some romantic way. I just don't count on it ever happening though.
I don't think the men I am usually attracted to, are at all romantic like that. I am not about to force someone to pretend to love me.
I love the Next Generation, but I think a trekkie wedding would be going too far.
I'd much rather do a Fear and Loathing-themed one. Meaning simply that you get loaded up on drugs in LV for a weekend or so.
I think some women place too much emphasis on the wedding, though. They look forward to it their whole lives and when it comes it's just a few hours. The comedown must be a real killer.
I agree with Mimzie. I'd vote for the Trekkie wedding - and I'd DEFINITELY go with the reception in Quark's. If you're going to do something ridiculously fun and silly, you might as well go all the way with it!
I've always imagined myself either doing the traditional big white dress thing, going all out and spending the big bucks or having a costume wedding in Salem, MAS. on Halloween. How much fun would that be, eh?!? I'd of course be the Bride of Frankenstein marrying my dear Frankie. Either that or my groom and I would go with a Munsters theme.
Mimzie - I want to get married pretty badly, too. I think I just want the fantasy of it more than the actual, reality of marriage. But that's probably because I rarely meet the type of man I daydream about marrying. ,o)
Vegas is tacky but tacky can be fun. I would do a Vegas wedding if you were only getting married to have the licence for whatever reason.
The all-out wedding is sooo expensive and so not worth it unless Daddy is paying. I have seen so many many brides totally stressed out and beside themselves nearing the big day. Most of these are the stars in their eyes younger ladies who have dreamt about this day forever and want it perfect - some fairytale thing. I fear for them when reality hits. Mine should have been an all out but because I didn't give a damn -it wasn't. I would have opted to get married in my parents' yard instead. Should have.
If I were to do it again, I'd just elope. Then have a huge informal party to celebrate later.
You know what is funny, I knew the ladies would understand this post, but when I was doing it, Paul was like, why are you looking at wedding dresses? I told him not to worry, that I wouldn't marry him because I'd have to share my millions with him. He laughed and said that was silly.
Mark, Yes well men just go along with whatever the woman wants to do wedding wise don't they?
TraceKitten, Of course that Halloween idea is so you. I love it. Now if only we could find you Mr. Right.
Jeannie, I agree, most young brides are so into the fairytale of weddings. I am not. Never was. But I figure I would look amazing in those Sung dresses though, it would be fun just to go try them on. HEY now that's an idea. I should get a group of gals together and go try on wedding dresses for the hell of it. HAHAHAHAHA
me and wdlove spent $1000 dollars on our wedding and honeymoon, the wedding was private, i did not wear white (pink suit), our wedding luncheon was at an exclusive Italian Restaurant, in our hometown. then we went to Mammoth Cave http://www.nps.gov/maca/ for our honeymoon. We have been married 35+ years, we did not have any children, we are dog owners.
My camera takes crappy little videos. I say crappy because my camera always goes glitchy so the sound and video skips. I bought it in the summer of 2005... I think I should just go get another little camera. They are dirt cheap now.
Yesterday was a Cure day, was listening to them:
That is my favourite Cure song: Disintegration
songs about happiness murmured in dreams
Ah Robert Smith, so full of misery. Songs for the miserable. I am NOT miserable believe me. I
The Cure are coming to Vancouver in the new year. They were supposed to be here sooner (Rescheduled from October 9, 2007 to May 26, 2008). I wouldn't mind going to that show but it is/was pretty well sold out.
I ordered a couple of mugs from my Cafepress store for the Unity Project.
The image is shit. I have taken it off the store. I can't believe how crappy it turned out.
Clearly Cafepress can only do black and white. I am disappointed.
But I drink a lot of tea, so mugs are always handy.
Got to accentuate the positive.
It has been snowing in Vancouver. It doesn't snow here much. It did when I was a kid, but not much now.
Paul's folks made it to LA, they are off on their cruise and then off to Mexico until February. They crashed here and Paul took them to the airport in the wee hours of the morning. Thankfully we have a sofabed.
Sleeping in the living room reminds me of being a teen and having sleep overs and having the sofabed out. Watching movies or playing video games to all hours. Talked to my mommy yesterday, she said there was 2 inches of snow there. No way I was going to make it to my cousin Amber's engagement party in this snow.
Last night we all walked down to White Spot in the snow. The service was crap like usual.
I am having wicked cramps. I hate having periods. I know, sorry guys but 50% of the world suffers this shit, and you have to suffer the agony of putting up with us during those times. I got my first period when I was 11, it was New Years Eve. We had company. I freaked out and later told my mom. She was so proud her baby was changing into a woman. It was just 1985. 22 years later... and I still fucking hate it. All this, 12 times a year for 22 years, and I am not even a breeder. Hardly seems fair. Hardly seems fair at all.
I think the period proves, if there is a God, she is a woman. No man would make a woman this bitchy and miserable to deal with, this is only the wrath of a woman. AHAHAHA
I've only ordered one batch from Cafepress and that was a couple of Initech mugs I made from Office Space (Like the one Bill Lumbergh walks around with all the time). The design is simple and they look pretty great.
Cafepress, you can make your own products and sell them. The image I used didn't show up at all, it was just too dark. I am keeping the mugs for myself. I am vain. I like drinking out of mugs with my name on them HAHAHAHA
We have 6-8 inches of snow so far. I hear it's going to get rainy though, so that's good. Although, I worry a bit about the melting snow flooding the lower mainland.
By the by, I take Micronor which takes away my period - yippy! Now if I could only remember to take the damned medication life would be grand ,o)
sorry about those mugs, you allowed to send them back for a refund, we got snow last night 2-3 inches, now its mostly sleet, i love snow, i hope we get more snow this winter , last winter was a bust. i like to see at least 1-2 blockbuster blizzards per winter up to 2 ft of snow. :)
sonicsweeti from Flickr asked if she could use this photo below of Lydia for a project she was doing:
This was the final result of her work, I love it and have asked if I can have a copy to frame.
Lydia is still hanging in. She is just skin and bone, but she eats now on her own. I was getting stressed by having to force feed her. She is such a good girl though. The sore on her nose is almost all healed. She meows a lot now. She is sleeping on my lap as I type this.
♥ The Love Blog by Vancouver Blogger Barbara Doduk ♥
A personal view of the world from a hopeful human being longing for a world of love, for an earth called Unity. Barbara Doduk was born in and resides in Vancouver British Columbia Canada and writes about her life, her city and her views on the world.
HOMETOWN: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
LIVING IN:
White Rock, BC
ABOUT ME: Barbara Doduk has had a web site since 1997, which included a journal. She started a web site to promote her creative writing, poetry and photography interests. Over the last 10 years the www has evolved and so has web journalling or as it is now known "blogging".
THE LOVE BLOG is her main personal journal.
WIREDSECRET is her poetry weblog.
THE UNITY PROJECT is her world wide photograph collection for unity.
After the last tree has been cut down,
after the last river has been poisoned,
after the last fish has been caught,
then will you find that money cannot be eaten.
♥THE LOVE BLOG♥ presents: ♥THE SPREADER OF LOVE♥ ♥AWARD♥
All I ask in return for presenting this award to anyone blogging out there, is that you include the following information in the blog post along with the image below:
This blog has been awarded The Spreader of Love Award created by The Love Blog, for an outstanding demonstration of blogging love.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
Hope you have a great one.