Aug 29, 2008

The Best Political move All Week!!! - Washington, DC - August 2008

Note to Reader: I try to keep my political feelings out of the public arena so as not to offend, but this morning there is cause to say a little something.

This morning John McCain announced his running mate in the 2008 presidential election as Sarah Palin, current Gov. of Alaska. To date, outside of my political opinion, I think that this is the strongest and best political move of this election season, and possibly, it remains to be seen, one of the greatest moves in political history. Here are two that are good profile articles about her, one from BBC News and one from My Fox. These are about both her as a person and where she stands. But some of her highlights are that she’s a Hunter, she loves sports, she’s a mother of 5, she’s a former beauty queen, she has fought corruption all of her political career (details in the above articles), she’s a fierce debater, and her nick name is “Sarah Barracuda”! LOVE IT!!! LOVE IT!!! LOVE IT!!!

Regardless of where you stand politically, one thing can me said… There is change in the air, and one day, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this is the election that changed the face of politics.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

Aug 27, 2008

Encore – August 2008

I consider myself to be a reasonably tech savvy person. I like computers and electronics, but this afternoon at about 3:00pm Central Daylight savings time, I met my match. The CS3 Adobe Production Premium Suite masks it’s self as a mild mannered suite of software that can do anything from take out the red eye on your family photos to… hummmmm… lets see… I don’t know… maybe… AUTHOR THE DVD’s FOR YOUR NATIONAL SALES MEETING (which happens to be in 5 weeks and they still have to go to duplication) with the stroke of a few keys.

Note to Self: I do love my job! I do love my job! I do love my job! I do love my job! I do love my job!

All was going smoothly, (well as smoothly as can be expected without any formal training on the software) when I open my project in Adobe Encore and began placing menus, slides, and end actions. I was trucking right along when all of the sudden, while attempting to add a song called Spare Parts by a band called BluesPower, my progress came to a screeching halt.

Note to Reader: I know, catchy car songs for Automotive training is cheesy, but hey what are you gonna do. We call it the “cool aide”.

An hour later, after much internal (and some external) huffing and puffing, I had tried every tutorial and still had gotten nowhere. I called or personally went to see three of my most valued Adobe experts, two of which had never even herd of Encore and the third was just as perplexed as I was. I called my dear husband, who on the rare occasion was off work and he immediately began downloading a free trial version on our home computer so that he could try to help me. I took a walk with squeezable stress balls in each hand to avoid throwing my computer into the trash, (because out the window wasn’t an option). If I were a smoker, well… you get the picture!

Additional Note to Reader: In all seriousness, if you know and can teach this program there is a pretty penny in it for you!

After my internal temper tantrum and my external separation from the said offending computer, I returned with a resolve to make this dang thing work… and I did. I don’t know what I did, or how I did it, but I made my DVD and even better, it has a soundtrack!

So regardless of the fact that I have a TON of stuff to do, I decided that I was going to end the day on a good note. So I headed home, leaving the rest of my battles to fight tomorrow.

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

Aug 25, 2008

Beijing 2008 - A look back at the sports I just don’t get… – August 2008

Note to Reader: I want to preface this blog by saying I LOVE sports!!! Even more so I LOVE the Olympics!!! I love the intensity and the passion I love the sap stories on the athletes that make me cry (the ones the Jeremy tries to fast forward through!). I love the Joy of winning and I love watching how gracefully the athletes accept a less than perfect performance. (This does not include the Cuban Taekwando fighter, Angel Matos, that kicked the Ref in the face because he got disqualified. It also doesn’t include the Swedish weightlifter that acted like a big baby because he got a bronze medal and not gold.)

As I watched the closing ceremonies with a bit of a tear in my eye, I mentally, (and with my completely to capacity 100 hr DVR box) took a look back at the last two weeks of competition. As a country we did an awesome job. It is noteworthy that just under 1/4th of our medals were earned by one, Michael Phelps, who the USA basketball team (“The Redeem Team” I think is what they called themselves) swears sleeps under water.

But looking back as the events as a whole, there were some that I began to question. I mean should some of these really be on the Olympic stage.

Additional Note to Reader: If you participate in any of the following sports… well… I’m sorry! Please remember that these are MY opinions. It doesn’t make them correct.

First and foremost, Olympic Synchronized Trampoline Jumping – Okay I love jumping on a Trampoline just as much as the next person, but really. I think the object is to stay in the box, (which hardly anyone does) and jump as high as you can and do as many flips and twists as you can together with your partner. I can totally live with the gymnastics with the gigantic ribbon and hula hoop and even that baton thing they throw up really really high, but jumping on a trampoline… I know its hard work because they are sweating like a pig when they’re done, but, it’s just not screaming OLYMPIC GAMES. Ya know.

Second on my list is Women’s Sabre Fencing. We did sweep the medals in this event. So I must say that the reason I don’t understand this one, is because it is really scary to me. For example, take the gold medal bout (that’s what they call a match) between Zagunis and Jacobson. They start with their sward things and one girl pretty much runs at the other and pokes her in her electrically charged super sensitive suit that has a GIGANTIC battery pack on it. Then when the girl that is doing the poking gets the point, she turns around, rips off her helmet, and screams at the top of her lungs, like she was the one that got poked. THAT'S SCARY!!!

Third is badminton. I think people look silly enough playing this when it’s not on the Olympics. Why put them on a national stage. To me it’s like walking up to someone and asking them if they want to be on the Olympic Beer Pong team. I mean really!!! Plus the US didn’t get any medals in badminton so I am all for taking it away all together.

OK I know this has already gone on too long, so I’ll open up the floor. Please tell me, what do you think are the best and worst Olympic summer games sports?

Till Next time,
Bon Voyage!

Aug 22, 2008

Gone Baby Gone! - Tallahassee, FL - August 2008

My sweet sweet baby sister started a new chapter in her life last week! She moved to a land far far away called Florida to go to nursing school. YAHOO!!! to her, but boo for me! She is now like four gazillion miles away and that's equal to like 7 or 8 states!!!

Note to Reader: This part may get a little mushy!

So it goes without saying that I'm sad that she is gone, but it must be said that I am SUPER proud of her! She is, I think, one of the bravest people I know.

FOR EXAMPLE: If you had told her 6 months ago "Suze - in 6 months you will be starting nursing school and just two short years after that you will be poking people and cleaning up poop and wiping slobber and cleaning up pee pee and all that jazz, I honestly think she would have thrown up on your shoes.

You see, my baby sister is STRONG in heart and mind, but was more than slightly weak of stomach! I love referring to her as a "DO GOODER" who is most happy when helping people and making them laugh. So the choice to become a nurse really was just a matter of time.

So even with this fear of blood and guts she took a job as a tech in Vampire heaven... i.e. THE BLOOD BANK!!! (What were you thinking!!!) Throughout her time there she convinced the people there to help her overcome her fears and get her on her way to the career that she'd set her heart and mind upon.

Now I don't know the exact details of the path to the destruction of the fear, but if I know my sister, there was a lot of crying, and shaking, and eye closing, and changing of the mind, and then changing it back, but finally, as I understand it, the people at that blood bank yanked that fear right out of her. She was doing blood draws left and right. Now I don't know about the guts and poop and other stuff, but DUDE!!! To overcome a fear of blood... just talking about it makes me light headed... WOW!!! I am SOOOO proud to say she is mine!

Now, aside from a rockin' job she's going to get at the end of these two LONG
years, the good part about her being gone is that she has started BLOGGING on a regular basis!!! YAHOO!!! SO here's where you come in. Every new blogger needs encouragement, sooooo...

THE CHARGE!!!! - Please please please READ HER BLOG!!! And leave comments. You know how good you feel when people comment on yours.

Her Blog is
http://inresponsetotheeverydaymundane.blogspot.com/

Check it out!! And a BIG thank you in advance!!!

Till Next Time,
Bon Voyage!

Aug 21, 2008

I'm Still here - August 2008

I PROMISE I am still Alive and Kickin'... And Screemin' too I guess! I actually have about 6 blogs that I've started but not been able to finish. Work has been well...you get the picture...

Things should get better Friday... I HOPE!!! Plus, we have a Sushi double date Friday woth S. and E. Dime so it HAS to get better!!!

A BIG Thank you to all of you that have been writing on your blogs. They have been much needed relief from my crazy 16+ hour days.
Till Next Time,
Bon Voyage!

Aug 6, 2008

Pick your Battles! - July 2008

Note To Reader: On the grounds that I might have tainted our case, I have had to exercise every ounce of restraint to keep from blogging about this, but now that we have our settlement check in hand, here goes!!!

Early in July Jeremy and I made our weekly grocery run to XXX-Mart (you know who I mean!). As with many of the super centers, this one was paired with a XXX’s Club. (Man I just realized that all those X’s make it look like we are doing our grocery shopping at the adult book store.

Anyhow, when these two establishments share the same property, there is often an adjoining parking lot (See Google Earth diagram for the visual)… I LOVE GOOGLE EARTH!!!

As you can see, we were parked in said adjoining parking lot which was on the lower side of a slight incline, and headed in to get the goods. About 40 min later we returned to the truck with a full cart of groceries and all was well until we rounded the corner and were stopped in our tracks.

Have you ever herd that old adage that S%*t rolls down hill? Well so do shopping carts. At some point while we were inside shopping, a gigantic, double barreled, tank of a shopping cart slammed into the back end of Moose leaving a pretty big dent and chipped paint everywhere!!!. (See photos.) Lets just say, it would be an under statement to say that we were upset. I calmly removed the cart from Moose’s tail gate and silently made my way across the parking lot to the buggy return to find it over flowing and I snapped, not in a crazy mail man sort of way, but in a smart decisive sort of way. I'd decided we were going to fight this battle. I marched back to the truck where Jeremy had just finished loading the groceries and announced to his agreement that we were "Filing a damage report."

After 30 min of searching for a manager, giving our information and statement of what happened, and then returning to the scene of the crime to take pictures, not to mention that we had to endure jerky comments about our situation from the cart boys that were leaning against the wall instead of DOING THEIR JOB, we finally left and headed for home.

Note to Sue: Thanks for letting me barrow you camera Sue! BIG HELP!!!

Over the next couple of hours, we contacted our insurance company and discovered that a cart hitting your car does not fall under comprehensive property damage, which has a much lower deductible. It would actually be covered under collision because it is considered a "wind powered unoccupied vehicle. We also discovered that our milk jug was leaking and had leaked all over Moose’s cargo area. Needless to say we stayed in for the rest of the day and plotted our next move.

Three days later the claims agent called us to take our statement. And surprise surprise, our statement and the store statement conflicted. They said that the cart return was only half full and we said that it was full to the point of overflowing. She was really nice and explained that the next steps would be that they would go back to the store and see if they wanted to change their minds about the status of the cart return. If they didn’t, which they didn’t, then she would request the video to find out what actually happened. I just have one thing to say, thank the LORD for surveillance cameras!!!

Four min. before we exited the store, a gentleman attempted to put his cart in the return and couldn’t because it was full and overflowing into the driving lane, so he placed the cart beside the return pointing down the hill. Well it shouldn’t take much to figure out what happened next. Moments later the incredible hulk card had begun making his way quickly down the hill aimed straight at moose’s behind, and the rest is history.

The tape proved that we were telling the truth!!! Due to the inattentive cart boys, the store was negligent and there fore liable for our damages. Late last week, we received a check for the full amount of the repair!

The moral of this story is that some battles are worth picking especially when you know you’re right!

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

Aug 3, 2008

A Bag and Two Men - Cincinnati, OH. - August 2008

Note to Reader: Okay, traveling as much as I do, I honestly see some crazy stuff, and although this may not be the strangest of all, it is definitely in the top ten.

So there I was, successfully checked in and passed through security, (where I should mention that it only took me one try to clear) and after purchasing a coke and a bag of chips (yep as much as I hate to admit it, most mornings this is my breakfast… what can I say, I’m not much of an eggs with biscuits and gravy kind of girl…)

Anyway, so there I was making my way to my gate, A29, when I pass two men, sharing the load of a two handled black leather duffel bag. With one handle in each of their inside hands, they made their way through the terminal. Both of these men looked well built, as though either of them could handle the weight of the bag on their own, so now I am ULTRA curious.

Note to Reader: I really had to use all my restraint to keep from whipping out my digital camera and snapping a covert picture of this strange site, but my better judgment and my desire to get to Cincinnati prevailed. So you will have to accept this fine artist rendering of the gentlemen and duffle in question. I must repeat… I love Snag-IT!!!

From head to foot I assess their appearance. I notice that they are dressed remarkably similar, with black shoes, socks, pants and jackets. They are both wearing white button down dress shirts. One is wearing a narrow, solid black neck tie with a small tight knot at his neck and the other has his top button undone so that his white tee-shirt was just visible. Nothing abnormal about their dress, I think to myself as my gaze moves down their inside arms to the duffle between them, and that’s when I notice it. They are both married, I presume, not to each other, but in this day and age you never know, and then, something shiny under the cuffs of their coat sleeves catches my eye. Bracelets, I think to myself, “Why on earth would they be wearing matching bracelets?

Then it hits me, like walking into a brick wall at full speed. They aren’t matching bracelets, they are hand cuffs!!! These men are hand cuffed to this black leather duffle bag!!! And then I notice that this bag has a small, yet secure looking lock connected to the super duty zipper clasps. What the heck is in that bag!?

To this day I have no idea, it’s not like you can go up to the two Secret Service looking dudes and say “Hey Dudes! What’s in the bag?” My first thought was that it may be money, but then I remembered that that is normally transported in some sort of mettle box… unless you are a robber then you transport the money in white canvas bags with dollar signs on them. Ha ha!!) Then I thought, maybe it was a valued piece of art, or maybe an organ, but, wait… no… don’t those normally come in little Igloo coolers, not duffle bags. What about some sort of super secret super computer?

This is really driving me CRAZY!!! Any thoughts?

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!.