New Year's Eve Plans

I finally have plans for New Year's eve this year. Last year I didn't do anything because Sanctuary, a local praise & worship group, didn't perform their concert like they had the previous three years. At first I was told they broke up and then a few weeks later I was told that they had just reduced the size of the group. I haven't heard any more about them so I don't know what their status is know. This year a friend from church is having some people from church over. I don't know what we will be doing but time spent with my friend is fun. I will most details later. Stay tuned.

Merry Christmas!

Once again it is the Christmas season, My church has a Christmas eve service every year and I went to it this year. Pastor Alan had a short message based on Revelation 22. He said that just like the people were supposed to be alert, ready, and watching for the messiah to come so we should be alert, ready, and watching for the messiah to return. When Jesus returns, if we are not ready, we will be left and face the tribulation.

Twas the Night before Christmas (Egghead style)

'Twas the nocturnal segment of the diurnal period preceding the annual Yuletide celebration, and throughout our place of residence, kinetic activity was not in evidence among the possessors of this potential, including that species of domestic rodent known as Mus musculus. Hosiery was meticulously suspended from the forward edge of the wood burning caloric apparatus, pursuant to our anticipatory pleasure regarding an imminent visitation from an eccentric philanthropist among whose folkloric appellations is the honorific title of St. Nicholas.

The prepubescent siblings, comfortably ensconced in their respective accommodations of repose, were experiencing subconscious visual hallucinations of variegated fruit confections moving rhythmically through their cerebrums. My conjugal partner and I, attired in our nocturnal head coverings, were about to take slumberous advantage of the hibernal darkness when upon the avenaceous exterior portion of the grounds there ascended such a cacophony of dissonance that I felt compelled to arise with alacrity from my place of repose for the purpose of ascertaining the precise source thereof.
Hastening to the casement, I forthwith opened the barriers sealing this fenestration, noting thereupon that the lunar brilliance without, reflected as it was on the surface of a recent crystalline precipitation, might be said to rival that of the solar meridian itself - thus permitting my incredulous optical sensory organs to behold a miniature airborne runnered conveyance drawn by eight diminutive specimens of the genus Rangifer, piloted by a minuscule, aged chauffeur so ebullient and nimble that it became instantly apparent to me that he was indeed our anticipated caller. With his ungulate motive power travelling at what may possibly have been more vertiginous velocity than patriotic alar predators, he vociferated loudly, expelled breath musically through contracted labia, and addressed each of the octet by his or her respective co! gnomen - "Now Dasher, now Dancer..." et al. - guiding them to the uppermost exterior level of our abode, through which structure I could readily distinguish the concatenations of each of the 32 cloven pedal extremities.

As I retracted my cranium from its erstwhile location, and was performing a 180-degree pivot, our distinguished visitant achieved - with utmost celerity and via a downward leap - entry by way of the smoke passage. He was clad entirely in animal pelts soiled by the ebony residue from oxidations of carboniferous fuels which had accumulated on the walls thereof. His resemblance to a street vendor I attributed largely to the plethora of assorted playthings which he bore dorsally in a commodious cloth receptacle. His orbs were scintillant with reflected luminosity, while his submaxillary dermal indentations gave every evidence of engaging amiability. The capillaries of his malar regions and nasal appurtenance were engorged with blood which suffused the subcutaneous layers, the former approximating the coloration of Albion's floral emblem, the latter that of the Prunus avium, or sweet cherry. His amusing sub- and supralabials resembled nothing so much as a common loop knot, and their ambient hirsute facial adornment appeared like small, tabular and columnar crystals of frozen water. Clenched firmly between his incisors was a smoking piece whose grey fumes, forming a tenuous ellipse about his occiput, were suggestive of a decorative seasonal circlet of holly. His visage was wider than it was high, and when he waxed audibly mirthful, his corpulent abdominal region undulated in the manner of impectinated fruit syrup in a hemispherical container. He was, in short, neither more nor less than an obese, jocund, multigenarian gnome, the
optical perception of whom rendered me visibly frolicsome despite every effort to
refrain from so being. By rapidly lowering and then elevating one eyelid and rotating his head slightly to one side, he indicated that trepidation on my part was groundless.

Without utterance and with dispatch, he commenced filling the aforementioned appended hosiery with various of the aforementioned articles of merchandise extracted from his aforementioned previously dorsally transported cloth receptacle. Upon completion of this task, he executed an abrupt about-face, placed a single manual digit in lateral juxtaposition to his olfactory organ, inclined his cranium forward in a gesture of leave-taking, and forthwith effected his egress by renegotiating (in reverse) the smoke passage. He then propelled himself in a short vector onto his conveyance, directed a musical expulsion of air through his contracted oral sphincter to the antlered quadrupeds of burden, and proceeded to soar aloft in a movement hitherto observable chiefly among the seed-bearing portions of a common weed. But I overheard his parting exclamation, a! udible immediately prior to his vehiculation beyond the limits of visibility: "Ecstatic Yuletide to the planetary constituency, and to that self same assemblage, my sincerest wishes for a salubriously beneficial and gratifyingly pleasurable period between sunset and dawn."

Christmas Program

Our church Christmas program was Sunday night. After the total chaos of the dress rehearsal on Sunday morning, I think the program came off pretty well. The first time I saw the script was Saturday, I'm just glad I didn't have a speaking part in it this year. The choir sang throughout the play and since I'm half the alto section I had to be there. The program was mostly for the Sunday School classes. I think we had some where between 25 and 30 kids involved. That is a big change from when I started attending this church 5 years ago. I think we had 6 or 8 kids in all classes.

Dad's Cancer Part 3

Let me start by saying, Praise God!!

"Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!"
-Thomas Ken

"God is still on the throne and prayer changes things..." - Pastor Noah Hutchings

Dad had an appointment with his oncologist Tuesday to go over the results from Friday's CT scan and blood tests. Apparently the chemo he has been going through has done it's job. The doctor said that on the CT scan it looks like the center of the tumor is dead. The center is what causes the tumor to grow. The plan now is for Dad to do one more round of chemo in January. After that I'm not sure what the plan is for him. I'm sure they will keep checking it at regular intervals.

Visited Countries

create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands


The two European countries I have visited are Poland and Ukraine. I went on a missions trip in July 2001 with a group from my church. We flew from Chicago to Warsaw, Poland then took a smaller jet to Odessa, Ukraine where we spent a week teaching Vacation Bible School at a church there.

Visited States

create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.

BillOReilly.com: Bill's Current Column

BillOReilly.com: Bill's Current Column

Quiz :: Which of the Greek Muses are you?

You scored as Polyhymnia. You are Polyhymnia, the muse of sacred poetry. Religion is the biggest part of your life, and you're not afraid to let everyone else know. You are kind of shy and not great at letting people know who you really are. Polyhymnia 88% Melpomene 75% Clio 69% Euterpe 62% Urania 50% Calliope 44% Thalia 19% Erato 19% Terpischore 0% Which of the Greek Muses are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Evil Test

I am 5% evil.

I am an Angel. I rarely sin which makes my life pretty boring. But if there is a god he will likely reward me in the afterlife.

Are you evil? find out at Hilowitz.com

Turkey Holocaust

Tomorrow my family and I will be partaking in the annual turkey holocaust. That is what PETA has labeled Thanksgiving. They say we shouldn't eat anything that is alive, but plants are alive, so what are we left to eat? Water? I don't know, I figure if God told us in the Bible that we can eat meat, I'm going to eat meat when and what I want.

So, we shouldn't eat turkey and a Maryland school district is saying that we can't thank God on Thanksgiving. If we can't thank God for our blessings what is the point of Thanksgiving? Believe it or not Thanksgiving is a religious holiday, just like Christmas and Easter.

Farewell Dan!

Dan Rather announced he is stepping down from the CBS Evening News anchor desk. All I can say is YAAAY!!!!! He is so biased it's a wonder he can walk upright. Check it out at RatherBiased.com where they have documented Dan's leftward slant. Check out the bizarre section too.

Church Dinner

My church had our annual Thanksgiving potluck dinner tonight. I took a 9x12 pan of pumpkin pie cake. It was still pretty warm when I got there so it was put in the freezer to cool off. Unfortunately it stayed there until everyone was done eating. I ended up leaving it there for tomorrow. We always have sweets for whoever wants them to eat between services. I'm hoping it all gets eaten tomorrow because we still have some left from the pan I made for the food day at work on Thursday. Most of the food was pretty good. We were only there for 2 hours though. It felt to me like everyone was in a hurry to leave. I don't know if they all had somewhere else to be or what.

Another Cold

I had 2 appointments this afternoon, one was to give blood and the other was for a hair cut. I canceled my appointment to give blood last night because I have a cold. I hadn't had a cold in four years and this year I am dealing with my second one. I forgot how miserable they are. Hopefully I can get back to none for several years like before my surgery. My other appointment I kept because my cold doesn't affect a hair cut unless I sneeze and Bev cuts a big hunk out of my hair (which she didn't by the way).

Complication From Surgery

I went to see my doctor today because I have had pain beside my surgery scar for about a week. He thinks I might have an incisional hernia. He wants me to wait two weeks and see how I'm doing. If it isn't any better I'll have to see a surgeon to see if it needs to be fixed surgically. I would have to have this complication. Dr. Vermilion, my doctor, said it isn't that uncommon for hernias to develop, especially when the scar is as big as mine. I don't have insurance yet so I'm not sure what I am going to do. I'll have to hope that I keep working and that Adecco's insurance will cover it. That won't be until after the first of the year.

We Are The Red States

This opinion piece was originally posted on Chattanoogan.com and read on Sean Hannity's radio show today. Now if only the liberals could understand this.

We Are The Red States . . .
Published on: 11/07/04

We are the red states.
We listen to talk shows and Fox News.
We tear up when we hear the national anthem.
We drive SUVS and fly business class.
We go through drive-thrus, have mortgages, and shop at Wal-Mart.
We attend BBQs, football games, fire hall meetings, and places of faith.
We believe life is precious and marriage is sacred.
We believe there are some things worth dying for.
We have the utmost respect for those who lay their life on the line defending our freedom and protecting our streets.
We believe religion is not a philosophy but a way of life.
We raise our children as best we can.
We’ll help anyone who really needs it, and not blame others for our own bad choices.
We read our Holy Books.
We pray because we know wisdom comes from God, not man.
We go about our lives quietly as we care for our families.
We might not have time to demonstrate, but we make time to vote.
We expect the values we teach our children to be respected in our schools.
We expect people to say what they mean and mean what they say.
We expect to work hard and earn the just rewards of that labor.
We expect to be able to watch a football game with our kids and not have to worry about the content of the half-time show.
We expect terrorists and those who harm the innocent to be punished.
We are farms, ranches, small businesses, and town squares.
We are BBQs, baseball games, fishing holes, and civic clubs.
We are little league games, piano recitals, Bible Studies, and car pools.
We are grandfathers in Iwo Jima, fathers in Vietnam, and sons and daughters in Iraq.
We are fly-over country.
We are the red states.

Cindy Tucker
LaFayette, Ga

Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead!

The announcement was made today that Yasser Arafat died early this morning. A lot of media people and world leaders are giving tributes to him say he was a great leader. They all seem to forget the fact that HE WAS A TERRORIST!!!!! He was responsible for the deaths of the Israeli Olympic team in Munich in 1972. He has a lot of innocent blood on his hands for which he has to answer. He was the father of the modern terrorist. He started hijackings and suicide bombers. If he were a great leader he would have accepted the settlement deal made in 1990. The man wasn't even a Palestinian, he was Egyptian. He was born in Cairo. I can't shed an tears for his passing. Maybe now there will be peace. I doubt if it will happen though, at least not until the treaty made with Israel by the Ant-Christ.

More Job News

I found out today that this assignment may go on for quite a bit longer. The list of work doesn't seem to go done much these days. I was told that there were at least a thousand new Home Depot credit card applications we will have to process. They are very boring to do but they are job security.

Michael Moore Is At It Again

The story is from NewsMax.com:

Sunday, Nov. 7, 2004 10:03 a.m. EST

Moore Predicts Impeachable Bush Blunder

In a bid to encourage demoralized Democrats, left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore is predicting that President Bush will become so "cocky and arrogant" that he'll commit an impeachable offense that will end in his removal from office.Moore was silent on the crushing defeat of John Kerry for 48 hours after the election. Then, on Thursday he posted a list of all the Iraq war dead along with a terse statement that he hoped they would "forgive" America for re-electing Bush.

On Friday he elaborated with a list of 17 reasons Democrats need not despair.
"Bush is now a lame duck president," Moore reminded. "It's all downhill for him from here on out."
One likely possibility, says the celluloid conspiracy monger, is that the White House will alienate the GOP base by abandoning Christian conservatives - since he no longer needs them for re-election.
Another is that Bush "will become so cocky and arrogant -- and thus, reckless -- that he will commit a blunder of such major proportions that even his own party will have to remove him from office."
Adds Moore: "This is such a wonderful country -- it doesn't even need a president!"

Joseph Taranto contributed to this report.

Way to go Michael, keep looking for the bright side! Doesn't mean it'll happen but keep those spirits up!

Scott Peterson Question

The jury in the Scott Peterson trial has been deliberating since Wednesday, November 3. My question is concerning the charges he is facing. He is charged with two counts of first degree murder, one count is for his unborn baby. Okay I'm confused, it's murder if the mother wants it and abortion if she doesn't? How does that work? What if a woman is killed on her way to an abortion clinic. Would it still be two counts of murder or only one because she was on her way to kill her baby herself? Who decides these thing? What if she hadn't told anyone if she wanted the baby yet? I'm just so confused!! It was just so much easier when a baby was a baby from conception to birth every time. I don't know, maybe I'm just too old fashioned.

Still Working

I am still on my temp assignment. It has gone twice as long as originally planned which is fine by me. It is still pretty boring but it does pay pretty well.

It's Official

Iowa has a winner and it's George W. Bush!!! Secretary of State Chet Culver said less than one-half of 1 percent separated Bush and Kerry.
As of Friday, Bush had 745,980 votes to 732,764 for Kerry, with the number of outstanding ballots too few to change the outcome.
Culver said part of the reason it took so long to count the ballots is that there was a record voter turnout in Iowa. The results won't be certified until November 29. There are absentee ballots and provisional ballots still being checked. Iowa is now officially a red state!

Prayer violates D.M. mandate

This story from the Des Moines Register is another example of "tolerance" from the liberal left. Religion is fine as long as it isn't Christianity. You have to wonder, if it had been a Muslim or some othe non-Christian religous leader, would anything have been said about a reading from their sacred text? Would a passage from the Koran stir controversy? I think not. One thing the article doesn't say is that the invocation before council meetings is open to all religions.

A reading of the Lord's Prayer before a City Council meeting sparks controversy.
By JASON CLAYWORTH
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
November 4, 2004

A Catholic priest's reading of the Lord's Prayer at a Des Moines City Council meeting last month violated a mandate to avoid endorsements of specific religions, the city attorney said Wednesday. City Attorney Bruce Bergman said Mayor Frank Cownie asked him to explore the issue after the Rev. Jim Kiernan of St. Ambrose Cathedral led an audience of about 60 through a recital of the Lord's Prayer before the Oct. 25 meeting. Bergman determined that the prayer violated a city standard that invocations use God's name in only a generic sense to maintain a separation of church and state. Cownie, a Presbyterian, said the prayer could be deemed offensive to non-Christians and result in a lawsuit or a court order to end all invocations. "We want to do the right thing for all the people in the city of Des Moines," he said. Kiernan declined to comment. His nephew is Councilman Michael Kiernan, who said Cownie used the prayer issue to grind a political ax. The two were on opposite sides of Tuesday's vote to merge Des Moines and Polk County governments. "You have got to wonder about the connection here," Michael Kiernan said. "I feel bad for my uncle that he's being pulled into this. "Most Iowa cities start meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance, said Tom Bredeweg, executive director of the Iowa League of Cities. Bergman said religious leaders invited to open future meetings will be apprised of the rules. Meanwhile, Councilman Archie Brooks said he isn't bothered by the Lord's Prayer. "That's the prayer the Lord taught us," he said.

Election Aftermath

With the stunning win by President Bush the opposition is starting to realize that we, in the majority, don't like them. We don't like what they stand for or how they try to attain it. Now we have to hope they can figure out how to work together with us.

It looks, right now, like Iowa will end up going with Bush. We have not backed a Republican for president since Reagan in 1984. I'm just disappointed Leonard Boswell was re-elected to the Senate. I have objections to many of his views.

Four More Years!!!

Morality has won the day!

It's up to you: 20 reasons to vote

I thought this was an excellent list from the Des Moines Register.

Here are 20 reasons why you should vote:
By KEN FUSON
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
November 2, 2004

1. Because you're for somebody.
2. Because you're against somebody.
3. Because you'll make your sixth-grade social studies teacher happy.
4. Because Iowans may never again wield this much power. Iowa is one of a handful of swing states in what's expected to be a close election. It's why President Bush and Sen. John Kerry campaigned here what seemed like every other day.
5. Because the next time you read abumper sticker that says, "If you don't vote, don't complain," you can stop the driver and gripe to your heart's content.
6. Because sometimes a single vote does count. Four years ago, Al Gore defeated Bush by 4,144 votes in Iowa. That's two votes per precinct.
7. Because there are no television sets in the voting booth, which means the odds are great you will not hear the phrase, ". . . and I approved this message."
8. Because millions of people around the world don't have the chance.
9. Because Americans have died so you can.
10. Because, for some strange reason, it just makes you feel good.
11. Because you'll balance out somebody you really, really disagree with.
12. Because, despite all their wealth, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Donald Trump get to vote only once. Just like you.
13. Because the experts can poll you and spin you and spend millions of dollars trying to influence you, but they still can't tell you what to do behind that curtain.
14. Because even if it's only an illusion to think you are making your voice heard, that's still better than knowing with absolute certainty that you remained silent.
15. Because your neighbor will. And you don't want HIM choosing your leaders, do you? Hmmm?
16. Because it's free.
17. Because your children will notice.
18. Because you'd stand in line that long for good concert tickets.
19. Because our soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and other dangerous places deserve to know you cared enough about them to help choose their commander in chief.
20. Because of United Airlines Flight 93. An amazing thing happened on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, on that hijacked airplane. The 33 passengers knew, from cell phone calls to loved ones, that two other hijacked planes had struck the World Trade Center. Unless they acted, they realized that they, too, were doomed. And do you know what those strangers did?

From the 9/11 report: "According to one call, they voted on whether to rush the terrorists in an attempt to retake the plane. They decided, and acted."

What a remarkable act. With their lives at stake, with their country facing peril, these 33 men and women of diverse backgrounds did a most American thing: They took a vote. They decided to rush the cockpit. And a plane that might have destroyed the White House or U.S. Capitol crashed instead in a Pennsylvania field.

Why vote? Choose your reason.

Honoring their sacrifice will do just fine

Election Results

No one is saying it right now but it looks like President Bush is going to win re-election. Yay!! I guess I can sleep easier tonight.

Election Determines Fate of Nation

Election determines fate of nation
written by Mathew Manweller...
Central Washington University political science professor..
"In that this will be my last column before the presidentia lelection, there will be no sarcasm, no attempts at witty repartee. The topic is too serious, and the stakes are too high. This November we will vote in the onlyelection during our lifetime that will truly matter. Because America is at a once-in-a-generation crossroads, more than an election hangs in the balance. Down one path lies retreat, abdication and a reign of ambivalence. Down the other lies a nation that is aware of its past and accepts the daunting obligation its future demands. If we choose poorly, the consequences will echo through the next 50 years of history. If we, in a spasm of frustration, turn out the current occupant of the White House, the message to the world and ourselves will be two-fold. First, we will reject the notion that America can do big things. Once a nation that tamed a frontier, stood down the Nazis and stood upon the moon, we will announce to the world that bringing democracy to the Middle East is too big of a task for us. But more significantly, we will signal to future presidents that as voters, we are unwilling to tackle difficult challenges, preferring caution to boldness, embracing the mediocrity that has characterized other civilizations. The defeat of President Bush will send a chilling message to future presidents who may need to make difficult, yet unpopular decisions. America has always been a nation that rises to the demands of history regardless of the costs or appeal. If we turn away from that legacy, we turn away from who we are. Second, we inform every terrorist organization on the globe that the lesson of Somalia was well learned. In Somalia we showed terrorists that you don't need to defeat America on the battlefield when you can defeat them in the newsroom. They learned that a wounded America can become a defeated America. Twenty-four-hour news stations and daily tracing polls will do the heavy lifting, turning a cut into a fatal blow. Except that Iraq is Somalia times 10. The election of John Kerry will serve notice to every terrorist in every cave that the soft underbelly of American power is the timidity of American voters. Terrorists will know that a steady stream of grizzly photos for CNN is all you need to break the will of the American people. Our own self-doubt will take it from there. Bin Laden will recognize that he can topple any American administration without setting foot on the homeland. It is said that America's W.W.II generation is its 'greatest generation'. But my greatest fear is that it will become known as America's 'last generation.' Born in the bleakness of the Great Depression and hardened in the fire of WW II, they may be the last American generation that understands the meaning of duty, honor and sacrifice. It is difficult to admit, but I know these terms are spoken with only hollow detachment by many (but not all) in my generation. Too many citizens today mistake'living in America' as 'being an American.' But America has always been more of an idea than a place. When you sign on, you do more than buy real estate. You accept a set of values and responsibilities. This November, my generation, which has been absent too long, must grasp the obligation that comes with being an American, or fade into the oblivion they may deserve. I believe that 100 years from now historians will look back at the election of 2004 and see it as the decisive election of our century Depending on the outcome, they will describe it as the moment America joined the ranks of ordinary nations; or they will describe it as the moment the prodigal sons and daughters of the greatest generation accepted their burden as caretakers of the City on the Hill."
Mathew Manweller

Election Thoughts

This Web site has an excellent post about why Christians should vote for George W. Bush. I am voting for Bush because he is pro-life and not afraid to stand firm in his convictions. It seems that Kerry will say whatever his audience wants to hear. He'll sat wherever it take to get their vote. It also seems that all Kerry ever does is point out Bush's errors instead of giving real answers of what he plans to do if elected. It seems he has no vision of the future. We need a strong leader who has a plan for the future and not one who just reacts to outside actions. We someone with strong convictions who will stand by them and act upon them when needed.

I just pray that the person the country needs at this point in history is elected. This brings to mind Esther 4:14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

My biggest fear is that there will be a repeat of 2000 and the Florida recount fiasco.

I have heard a lot of the talking heads on television talking about how bitter the rhetoric is this election. I think the reason is that we have drifted, or in some cases run, so far from God in this country that society has become less civil and therefore the election commercials have too.

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Current Electoral Vote Predictor 2004

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Another Friday

Dad's in the hospital getting his first dose of chemo infusion. He will have to do this every two weeks for two months. So far he says he hasn't had any side effects. Praise God for that!

The weather today was very warm, it reached 80 degrees. I don't know if that set a record but I think it had to close.

New Plan for Chemo

Dad has to go into the hospital tomorrow until Sunday for his chemo because Medicare is not paying for the home health care aide to do the chemo at home like they had originally planned. I still don't understand why they can't start the chemo at the hospital send him home and then go back to the hospital to disconnect the pump. It doesn't make sense and seems like a waste of money to keep him in the hospital for 3 days.

Lunar Eclipse

Last night's lunar eclipse was not visible from my location due to rain. I had to watch it on the Web from Switzerland. Ya gotta love the Internet!

Politics

First off I just have to say, I am so sick of these political ads! If you were to believe everything they say neither candidate should be in office, and probably should be in prison. I am voting Republican because of many issues, among them taxes, pro-life, social security, and defence. I actually think we should have a national sales tax. If it were an accross-the-board 1 cent tax we would have more money for the government because everyone, regardless of income or loopholes, would pay the tax.

I agree with President Bush and his stance on stem cell research. Fetal stem cells are not needed for research. Adult stem cells have proven to be more effective at treating disease than embryonic cells. This is a link to a Web site called Do No Harm: The Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics http://www.stemcellresearch.org/

This is from Forbes.com:

Steve Forbes, 09.06.04, 12:00 AM ET

Celling Out the Truth

John Kerry is making a big issue of stem cell research, claiming the Bush Administration's restrictions are cruelly delaying cures for Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries and other afflictions. This is misleading and dishonest. No one questions the use of adult, or nonembryonic, stem cells for medical research and cures. There is no moral issue here. Stem cells are relatively easy to obtain, one of the biggest sources being umbilical cords. The debate is over those harvested by killing embryos. Three years ago the President rightly banned the destruction of new embryos for stem cell research, believing that creating a life for the purpose of destroying it for therapeutic ends is profoundly wrong. But he opened the door for federal funding to projects using already harvested stem cells. And there is no ban on privately funded efforts. It is an unquestionable scientific fact that human beings begin life as embryos; that's the first stage in our development. From there, we grow to fetus, to infant, to child, to adolescent, to adult. We wouldn't tolerate the idea of killing children or adults to obtain various body parts for medical purposes. So--morally, philosophically--why should a human at the very start of life be treated like a pig raised for insulin? (Listening to his opponents, you'd never know that the President already crossed that line.) While Britain is now granting licenses to use cloning techniques to create embryos for "harvesting," other nations, including France, Germany, Austria and Ireland, have totally banned the creation of embryos for stem cell research. Stem cells derived from nonembryonic sources have already produced heartening medical advances and have saved thousands of lives. So why the focus on embryonic stem cells? Good question. Results from embryonic stem cell experiments have often been disastrous, which is why private research money is overwhelmingly going to areas involving nonembryonic stem cells. It may be that embryonic researchers want to use a little demagoguery to get their hands on more federal funds. Or perhaps certain pro-choice advocates figure their cause would be buttressed if someday we became dependent on harvesting stem cells from embryos for medical purposes. No matter the rationale, the issue, as advanced by the Democrats, is disquietingly, ethically off-base.

Weekend Plans

Tomorrow a group of ladies from church are going to the tearoom in Perry to celebrate Cheryl's birthday. Cheryl is the pastor's wife and her birthday is September 11. We normally celebrate her birthday closer to the actual day but this year September had too many events planned. We went to the tearom last year and it was fun. When I get home I plan on baking a cake for Dad's birthday on Sunday. If I feel like it I also will bake chocolate chip cookies. I might just make them as bars, that would be the easiest way to go. I'll have to see how I feel tomorrow. My belly and lower back have been really sore the last couple of days and I'm not sure why.

New Job?

Yesterday afternoon I had a job interview at Jordan Creek Mall with The Three Dog Bakery. They have a kiosk there. I was offered the job if I wanted it. The pay is not very good, they are only offering $8 an hour. That is $2 less an hour than I have been making. I came home and discussed it with my parents. I went to work today and found out my assignment was originally for at least a month which means there are two weeks left. All day I was thinking I should take the job and then thinking it would be too expensive to get out there for $8 an hour. When I got home today I called Adecco and told them that the assignment was for another two weeks and that I was staying there. I called the 3 Dog Bakery and told them that i was not going to take the job and she said that if I changed my mind to let her know. So the door there is not totally shut.

Dad's Cancer Part 2

Dad had his surgery this morning. He seems to be doing fine tonight. He will have to wait until next Tuesday for the first chemo treatment.

Today at work all of the temps in the area were I am working were fingerprinted. I really don't know why they did it now, my assignment is supposed to end on Friday. I hope it does get extended though. The work is boring but it is a paycheck I'm sorely needing. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Dad's Cancer

After the CT scan and blood work, Dad's oncologist told him that the chemo isn't working anymore and the cancer is growing again. Monday morning Dad will have a port implanted for chemo infusion directly into his liver. A nurse will have to come and do the chemo and it will be there for 48 hours. I just pray that this chemo will work.

Good news on the job front!

When I got home this afternoon my mom told me to call Adecco, so I called and they just wanted to know if I could go to full-time hours starting tomorrow! Now I just have to pray that it will go longer than a couple of weeks. Several months would be nice.

What the? . . .

I got a recruitment letter the other day from a group called End-of-Life Choices. This group used to go by the name of The Hemlock Society. They advocate human euthanasia and assisted suicide. I was appalled when I opened it and ssaw what it was about. I am a strong pro-life supporter. As far as I am concerned no one has the right to decide when a life is over. I firmly believe that while there's breathe there's life. I am not sure what my response should be to this letter. Should i ignore it, write to them and ask them to take my name off their mailing list, or just what. They call the right to kill ones self the next civil rights struggle. I think they are just using buzz words to stir up emotions.

Work at Last

I finally got an assignment! It is only part-time but it is better than nothing. There is possibility of more hours from day to day but I only worked 4 today because I was hungry and didn't bring anything for lunch. I am getting $10 an hour for this assignment. I think it is for 2 weeks. Maybe it will go longer.

BBC - Science & Nature - Human Body and Mind - Mind - What Am I Like?

BBC - Science & Nature - Human Body and Mind - Mind - What Am I Like?

SpaceShipOne

History was made this morning when SpaceShipOne flew for the second time in four days, it also won the ten million dollar Ansari X prize. The maximum altitude, or apogee, was measured at 368,000 feet, 11,000 feet greater than the record of 357,00 feet set in the 1960s for a plane launched craft. I watched it on TV live and felt just like I did in 1969 when the US landed on the moon. My first thought today was "We have got to keep doing this!" The whole purpose of the Ansari X prize is to encourage further development of civilian space flight. NASA has become too cautious because society has become too cautious. We gain nothing when we risk nothing. The old adage of "nothing ventured, nothing gained" really does apply in this case. During the 1960s when NASA was working to reach the moon everyone involved knew there was a chance someone could die and accepted the risk. Nowadays it seems the last thing the general public wants is any risk. It almost seem they think the knowledge we would gain from space exploration is not worth the risk to anyone. I guess it all depends on ones perspective.

Mount St. Helens VolcanoCam - Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

This is a Web site run by the USDA. Pretty cool site.

Winter's Coming

Today's weather was crappy! The sun shone for about five minutes this afternoon. Late this afternoon it rained like it was coming out of a bucket. The low temperature tonight is going to be below freezing.

We had some excitement at the local newspaper this morning. Apparently someone mailed an envelope full of some kind of powder to the paper with a three or four page letter. The latest reports claim the brown granular substance is metaldehyde, a component of snail poison. The Iowa Department of Health said late Friday that metaldehyde is not dangerous "if handled properly". The substance can be dangerous if inhaled or ingested, which did not happen at the Register. It also could cause skin irritation if left on the skin for a long enough time. A hazardous materials crew, FBI agents, Iowa National Guard troops, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, a Secret Service agent and U.S. Postal Inspectors responded to the scene. The Secret Service was involved because President Bush will be in town on Monday to campaign and they checked to make sure there was no threat to the president.

In other news, Mount St. Helens erupted after 24 years of silence. It was a very mild eruption, there were no lava flows and ash only drifted a few miles down range. The ash plume reached 16,000 feet. Compared to the 1980 eruption this time was mostly steam. There might be more in the coming days but for now that all.

It's Fall All Right!

Well, we had to turn on the furnace today. I finally had to wear a long sleeved shirt today. I think the high temperature today was about 68 degrees. I am not sure I am ready for fall or winter yet.

I feel like this whole year has been a waste of time. This whole year I have worked about 6 weeks. I worked for Wells Fargo until January 27 and then I worked for three weeks as a temp in April. I am totally fed up with Adecco and Office Team. Last time I called Office Team they didn't have a copy of my resume so they couldn't do anything until they got that. I replied to the e-mail that I was sent to me from the person I spoke with on the phone. I haven't heard anything since. I have applied to four or five position advertised with Office Team. Adecco has been the agency with which I have had the most assignments in the past. All I get when I call any more is that they will keep my name on the list for assignments. I am almost to the point of "what's the point of calling, it won't make a difference.", but I keep calling, just in case I guess.

Fall In the Air?

There was a definite chill in the air today. This evening when I was walking Fawn there were a couple of time when we were in the shade it was almost cold. It is supposed to get down to 44 degrees tonight. It won't be long until we are looking forward to the temperature getting up to that level. And then I can start to look forward to snow.

My belly is still hurting from my surgery. I am starting to think maybe I should call the doctor and see what he says about it. I just wish I could get a job! I am sick of not having a job!

Sunday's Sermons

Yesterday's sermons were about God's judgment on his people. The morning sermon was from Malachi 2:1-9, titled "Taking God Seriously". The main points are that we, as God's people, need to study the bible and then apply that knowledge in our everyday life. God has guidelines for ministers also. they are

1. Stand in awe of God.
2. Study God's word.
3. Give biblical advice.
4. Pray for the people.
5. Turn people from sin to righteousness.

God's top 3 activities for for ministers are

1. study
2. teaching and preaching
3. praying

Here is link to read the passage for yourself. http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=malachi+2%3A1-9&NKJV_version=yes&language=english&x=22&y=4

The evening sermon was Ezekiel 19-21. These chapters are a lamentation over the judgment coming to Israel. God is judging them for their disobedience. Ezekiel has been preaching repentance and the people have been ignoring it. God can tolerate only so much sin before He says "Enough already!". Judgment is coming to America soon too. How long can we ignore God before He has the same reaction? We are killing 3,000 unborn children every day by abortion. The holocaust must stop now.

Evil Wal-Mart

For the 28th time in my life I have donated blood. I am working on my 4th gallon. One of the questions they ask in the pre-screening is if I have been pregnant in the last 4 weeks. Seeing as how I am almost 11 weeks post-op from my hysterectomy it would be tough to have been pregnant in the last 4 weeks.

In other news, I am finally free of the evilness of Wal-Mart!! I received 26 $5 gift cards to Wal-Mart from Wells Fargo for working overtime during November and December last year. I used the last 2 cards today. I never have to step foot in that evil place again. You might ask why I am calling it evil and I would answer that by saying it is because of their attitude toward other businesses and their customers. They have the attitude that because we are so big we can do anything we want. When I worked for them from 1986 to 1988 we used to laugh when "we" drove a small store out of a town. I remember being glad when Pamida left Indianola after the store opened there. When I worked for Place's the store that was in Indianola closed before Wal-Mart ever opened because we knew we couldn't compete. As far as I'm concerned Wal-Mart is trying to monopolize the market and that is why I say they are evil. They also don't care about their employees. I worked part-time as a cashier and gave breaks to the outlying registers and the snack bar. When I asked the Manager to work in a department he told me "As long as you work for me you will never work the floor because you are too slow." What a way to boost morale! Not long after that I gave my notice and quit.

AB FAQ

AB FAQ

My favorite cooking show is "Good Eats". I just love Alton Brown, the host. I think we have similar senses of humor. His show is on Food Network weeknights at 6 and every Wednesday at 9 and 9:30. For more info about the show check out www.altonbrown.com

The Woes of a Temp

So I called my temp agency on Monday and got the same answer as the last 5 months, "We'll keep your name on file and let you know." I am starting to think that they aren't even considering me for any jobs they have. I have told them numerous times that I will do anything, file , stuff envelopes, or anything.

In other news, sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning my belly has started hurting again. Today it has been hurting as much as it did yesterday. I am thinking that if it is still hurting like this on Friday, I will call my doctor and see what he has to say about it.

Great Site

I found this site when I was looking for information to help my sister in New York. This site has a lot of information for pre- and post-op hysterectomy.

More Chemo

My dad had another oncology check up yesterday and he is back on chemo for another two weeks. He was off for two weeks this time in stead of the month like last time.

Doggy Boo Boo

I had to take my dog to the veterinarian yesterday because she was limping and wouldn't put any weight on her rear left leg. I was afraid she had hurt her knee but the vet said her knees and hips are fine. She thinks it was a bee or wasp sting because there was a red spot on her rear left foot and her temperature was elevated a little bit. Dr. Nelson, the vet, gave her an injection of cortisone to counteract the effects of the venom in the sting. She said the effects should last for 24 hours. She said if the limping returned after that she probably strained or sprained something in her leg. If Fawn does start limping again I need to keep as quiet as I can for 2 weeks and hope she heals. Right now she seems fine but the cortisone hasn't worn off yet.

Pet Peeves

I was watching television when a commercial for a local Italian restaurant came on, throughout the entire ad the announcer pronounce it "I-talian" with a long i instead of a short i. My first thought when I heard that was "Do they come from I-taly?" I don't know if this is a local thing or if other areas pronounce it that way too.

Another pet peeve of mine is when people will say "There's 5 people waiting." When it should be "There are 5 people waiting." I guess it's laziness. I have caught myself doing it, I mentally kick myself and swear to not do again.

Hinterlands?

Yesterday, when he was in Iowa, President Bush said "I tell you, the crowds we're seeing out here are really big. I believe something is going on here in the hinterlands, in the heartland, that is going to mean a victory come November." Some of the Democratic bigwigs in Iowa are asking for an apology from the president for his comment.

This is the definition from the Merriam-Webster dictionary Web site:
Main Entry: hin·ter·land Pronunciation: 'hin-t&r-"land, -l&nd
Function: noun
Etymology: German, from hinter hinder + Land
1 : a region lying inland from a coast
2 a : a region remote from urban areas b : a region lying beyond major metropolitan or cultural centers

If you look at the first definition, "hinterland" is appropriate for Iowa. We are in the middle of the country, a thousand miles from any ocean. Definition 2a isn't accurate for the whole state but it is for parts of the state. Definition 2b can be viewed from two different perspectives. The first is that since we do have some large cities it is not accurate. The second view is that the whole state is in the hinterlands because we are not a major cultural center. Chicago is 340 miles away from Des Moines and it is the closest "cultural center" and we are over a thousand miles from either coast. While we do have cultural events here we are not a trend setter like LA or New York.

Boredom

It's been a while since I posted anything because not much has been happening. I have been filling out job applications every time I find something I think I have the necessary qualifications, sometimes even if I don't. You have to take a chance, right? Anyway, I applied a Nebraska Furniture Mart and got a phone interview yesterday. They do a credit check so I probably won't get this job because of bad credit. I think I could do this job with my eyes closed because it sounds like the same job I had the last time I worked in retail.

Thursday the 26th -- I went to the dentist for my six month check and cleaning. No cavities, YAY!!

Friday the 27th -- I had an appointment to give blood but my hematocrit was too low so they deferred me for 28 days. My next appointment is September 24th. Hopefully next time!

Monday the 30th -- I finally got my hair cut. It had been three months since my last hair cut. I normally get my hair cut every six weeks. My last scheduled appointment was on July 5th. That was the day I was in the emergency room figuring out what was causing the pain in my abdomen.

Sad News

Monday night, while I was taking a shower, a friend from Wells Fargo called to tell me that another lady I worked with had died late Sunday or early Monday. I still don't know how she died. The last I knew they were going to do an autopsy to find out. The funeral is Friday at 10:30 am. The old wive's tale says that deaths happen in threes. Ruby was one and Donna was two. Who knows who three will be.

Visiting Family

Sunday afternoon my sister and her husband and eldest son got here from New York. They had planned to leave at noon on Friday and arrive here Saturday afternoon but Jeff didn't get away from work until 6:30 pm Friday. They decided instead to leave early on Saturday and get here Sunday.

Saturday I started getting a sore throat and now I have a full blown cold. This is the first cold or flu I have had in four and a half years so I figure I am doing pretty well overall.

The whole bunch of us went to the fair today. It was my little sister Linda, her husband Jeff, their oldest son Cory, my older sister Marsha, Both nieces Kate and Steph. Because of my cold I only made it to about 4:30. We got there around 10 am.

Iowa State Fair

Yesterday was the opening day of the 150th Iowa State Fair. It was also the one month anniversary of my surgery. I went to the fair with my sister and niece, Marsha and Steph. I normally go to the first day of the fair by myself but this year I wasn't sure I could make it by myself so I asked them to come with me. We got there about 9 am and left about 9 pm so I made it about 12 hours. Last year I was there for about 14 hours.

We watched the opening ceremonies and dedication of the new fountain outside the Agriculture Building. We also got to watch a concert at the free KCCI stage. I saw the group Vocal Trash last year and was glad to see they were returning this year. Marsha seemed to enjoy them also.

which rejected character are you?

You are a banana! Good job, captain obvious.

which rejected character are you?
brought to you by

The Year I Was Born

In 1960 (the year you were born)

-Dwight Eisenhower is president of the US
-Sit-ins begin after 4 black college students in North Carolina refuse to move from a deli counter when denied service
-A U-2 reconnaissance plane belonging to the US is shot down in the Soviet Union
-Hurricane "Donna" strikes the East Coast causing over 100 deaths in the US and the Antilles
-John F. Kennedy defeats Vice President Richard Nixon in the presidential race
-Cassius Clay (who later took the name Muhammad Ali) wins his first professional fight
-Michael Stipe, Tony Robbins, Bono, John F. Kennedy, Jr., and Jeffrey Dahmer are born
-Pittsburgh Pirates win the World Series
-Philadelphia Eagles win the NFL championship
-Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup
-Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is the top grossing film
-To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is published
-The Beatles make their debut in Hamburg, Germany
-The Flintstones debut

New Mouse

For my first big outing since my surgery I went to Best Buy to buy a new mouse for my computer. I went with the intention of just getting the same kind of mouse that I had. What I got was a cordless optical mouse. It seems to work pretty well.

Ruby Is Gone

One of my favorite Sunday School teachers just died. She was 87. She moved to Arkansas several years ago when she retired because her daughter lives there. The grave side service is tomorrow, Friday. I would like to go except for the fact that I know people from my former church will be there and I just don't want to have to deal with them and their garbage. I haven't talked to most of them since I left and most of them haven't even tried to contact me. The obit didn't give a cause of death. I don't remember her having any health problems.

Church Attendance

I went to church this morning for the first time since the end of June. Everyone was surprised to see me. It was nice to be back in church. The message was really good too. The scripture text was Romans 8:28-31. Alan talked about how everything works together for good for the believer, even the things that we might think of as bad or evil. God doesn't force us to obey Him, He leaves it totally up to us. Disobedience causes sin and that is why we have evil things in our lives. But God is able to make things turn out for the best for us.

Dad's Good News

My dad has been fighting liver cancer for over a year and today he had an appointment with his oncologist.  The doctor said his numbers were up a little bit but he wasn't going to put him back on chemo this time.  Dad has another appointment next month and will probably  have to do another round of chemo then.  The cancer doc said the cancer is not going to go away, but they could keep it under control.  Dad will be 80 this October, both his parent lived into their 80's so he has a few more years left, statistically anyway.

Last Visit to Iowa City

I had my first post-op check up in Iowa City today.  My staples were removed and I was given the final pathology report on what they found from my surgery.  Everything was benign.  There was a fibroid in my uterus and the cysts were 15 cm around and 8 cm around.  I lost 14 pounds from pre-op to post-op today.  I think most of it was from the cysts that were removed.

I asked about the driving restriction of 6 weeks and Dr. Maasen said I could drive when I can step on the brakes hard and not worry about pain.  Hopefully that will be in about 2 weeks.   Right now I can't even sneeze all the way because of the pain.  I'm figuring that when I can sneeze all the way I can drive.  I also asked about going to the state fair next month and she said I should be fine; just pay attention to my body and rest when I need to and stay hydrated.  I do that already so it shouldn't be too hard.

Dr. Maasen said that because I was doing so well I don't need to come back for any more follow-up appointments.  Whoo-hoo!

Home From Iowa City

I had surgery on Monday to remove my ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and uterus; a total hysterectomy.  The cysts on my ovaries were as big as a cantaloupe and a grapefruit.  I was released from the hospital this afternoon and got home around 5:40 after a 2 hour trip home.  I have a follow-up appointment  next Friday, July 23 at 1:15 pm.  My sister has agreed to drive me to this appointment to have my staples removed.  The doctors say it doesn't hurt to take them out, but my dad has had 2 abdominal surgeries and he says "oh, yes they do hurt."
 
The last couple of mornings I have been dizzy and nauseous while I was in the hospital.  Yesterday they even did a CT scan on my chest to check for a possible blood clot in my lungs, the scan showed nothing, Praise God!

I am not allowed to drive for 6 weeks and especially while taking oxycodone which is a narcotic pain killer.

Starfleet Promotion

My promotion came through yesterday. I am now a lieutenant, junior grade in Starfleet.

Iowa City Details

My ovarian masses are 16 and 8 centimeters across. That is about 6 and 3 inches. Yesterday I got 3 new prescription, the pain killer they gave me is morphine, I got something for nausea, a stool softener because they used barium for contrast for the CT scan and they say it can be constipating. So far all of my bowel movements have been very loose so I don't know about it. But, I figure it's better to be safe than sorry.

The Continuing Adventures

After spending 10 hours at the hospital in Iowa City I am having surgery on Monday, July 12 at 8 am. The Surgeon said it would be in the afternoon. He said it would be either early or late afternoon because mine was an add on surgery. I just called to get my arrival and surgery times and, after double checking, she said it's 8 am.

This whole thing has been a circus. The only reason I am going to Iowa City is because I don't have any health insurance and the state has program that will pay for everything, assuming I qualify. Knowing my luck I won't and I'll end up having to pay for it just like if I had stayed in Des Moines, like I originally wanted. If I had stayed here the surgery would have been done already. Dr. Sager said on Wednesday that he could do it on Thursday or Friday.

With Iowa City being 2 hours away, I'll be sitting up there for a week by myself with no visitors or anything. It's even long distance to call home so I won't be doing that either. But this is what my parents wanted and, by God, what they want is the most important thing in anything that happens to me. My opinion has never meant anything about anything. As long as it doesn't cost my dad any money he doesn't care what I do but as soon as it might cost him a cent it's his way or the highway.

At this point I really don't care what happens to me. If I died from this it would certainly solve my problems and save my dad some money too. My mom isn't even coming on Monday because, apparently, we said something to hurt her feelings yesterday. Her feelings are the most important thing after all, you know.

I am just so fed up with the whole situation. My parents haven't even acknowledged the fact that this might be ovarian cancer. The doctors don't think it is but they can't rule it out yet either.

Whatever happens will happen, nothing I do can change it. Worry is just a waste of time and energy. God doesn't give us more than we can handle.

Stay tuned for more.

Hospital Stay

I finally returned home this evening after being in the hospital since Monday morning. Around 4:30 Saturday morning I had pain in my abdomen that I, once again, assumed was a UTI. I called my doctor for an antibiotic prescription. I took it for two days and Monday morning the pain was almost as bad as it was on Saturday so I went to the emergency room. They did x-rays and an ultrasound to diagnose the problem. Turns out I have bi-lateral ovarian masses that are fairly huge. I don't know exact sizes. Tomorrow I have an appointment in Iowa City for a consultation and CT scan. Surgery will be scheduled after that for, probably, a complete hysterectomy; which is not a big deal because I have already gone through menopause.

Stay tuned for the continuing saga.

Shopping

I gave blood today and because they had their annual "Blood Donor Day" yesterday and had T-shirts left over I got one.

I went shopping this afternoon hoping to find a top with a flag but found nothing. I also got my jewelry cleaned. It's all sparkly again. The mall is really not doing well. It seems like half the stores are empty. I think the biggest problem is that the housing developments in the area are not as big as expected and they are smaller than those on the west side of town. With the new mall being built on the west side that gives them two and the south side one and the east side none.

Memory Lane

I washed my car this afternoon. It's all bright and shiny again. I did notice that the insides of the windows need to be cleaned. I'll have to do that tomorrow. I should vacuum it out too. Since today was sunny I washed my bed and hung it on the clothes line. I just love that smell. During the summer, when I was little, bedding was always hung on the line to dry. When we first moved in we didn't even have a clothes dryer. Everything had to be hung on the line. During the winter it was hung up in the basement.

I got a phone call this afternoon from one of the stores I had interviewed with at last week's job fair. The short version is that I didn't get the job. I didn't really think I would. I had to give it a shot though, maybe one of the others will come through.

Life Lessons

This morning's sermon on Romans 8:17-18 was titled "Surprised by Suffering". Verse 17 reads, "For I consider that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Pastor Alan said that this doesn't mean we, as believers, get a "get out of jail free card" as far as suffering is concerned. Many verses say that we will have suffering and persecution as we live a Godly life. The fact is that no matter how much suffering we have in this life the glory we will inherit in the next life will far out weigh anything here.

Weather Woes?

Our low temperature missed tying the record low by one degree. It got down to 46 degrees last night. The high today was 72 degrees. The normal high is 84 degrees. The temperature was definitely better today. The sun was shining and the temperature was perfect!

Weather Woes

It is supposed to be early summer here in Iowa but it was so cold today we had the to turn on the furnace! The normal high for today is 84 degrees. Today's high was 67 degrees. The current temperature is 53 degrees. The record low for today is 45 degrees. It only has to drop 9 degrees to break it. The forecast high for today was 78 degrees. It was cloudy and rainy all day too. Corn and soybeans don't grow very well in cold weather.

Cookies, Part 2

The verdict is in on my cookies. My sister came over this afternoon and ate 3 cookies while she was here. She thought they were good. My dad thinks they are too hard. My mom ate two cookies yesterday. She must have thought they were good to eat two of them.

The Eye of God 

This is picture from the Hubble Space Telescope of an exploding star. I think this alone is reason enough to save the Hubble.

Mmmmm . . Cookies!

I made chocolate chip cookies this afternoon. They are very good! The recipe said it would make 6 dozen cookies. I made them bigger than the recipe called for so I got fewer. While I was making them I got the spatula caught in the beaters and bent them all out of shape. They were even stuck in the mixer for a while. All is fixed now though.

Tiny craft takes big step in new space race

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Tiny craft takes big step in new space race

History in the making here.

Job Search

A new mall in the area had a job fair today and tomorrow. I filled out 5 or 6 applications today. I had a short interview with one company and they said they would let all of us know either way on Friday. Fingers are crossed.

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Astronomy Picture of the Day

This site has a new picture every day.

Father's Day

Well, today was fairly uneventful. My mom and sister were in the same room this afternoon and didn't fight! Most of the time if they spend very much time together they get on each other's nerves and the insults start flying. Their biggest problem is that they are too much alike, each of them has to be right and if someone disagrees with them that person is an idiot. Most of the time I am the idiot in their view, especially with my sister.

My Japanese Name

My Japanese name is 浜野 Hamano (seaside field) 明日香 Asuka (fragrance of the bright day).
Take your real japanese name generator! today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Name Generator Generator.

What Star Trek Race Are You?

You're a Vulcan! Cool and collected, you represent
the epitome of self control.


What Star Trek Race Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

This is good because T'Plon is a Vulcan name!

Starfleet

The Region 6 summit is taking place this weekend in Wisconsin. This is when everyone in the region gets together to have fun and take care of regional business. Jess has yet to announce to the ship that I am the new Chief Science Officer, maybe after this weekend she will do it. I posted a message today with my new title on the Yahoo! group. I also wrote my first Departmental Report tonight. I will submit it for the Knightly News, the ship newsletter, also.

And Down Again

Got another call from my temp agency this morning canceling my assignment for Monday. Just when I thought I would get a paycheck I get the rug pulled out from under me.

Work At Last

My temp agency called this morning with an assignment for 2 or 3 days next week. I will be bidding in auction for a company. I have never been to an auction before. I think it will be interesting.

Work & Such

I called my temp agency yesterday and told them I would stuff envelopes if I had to, I just need a job! They said they didn't have anything for me. AAUGHHH!!

Last night I was checking some of the job Web sites and applied for two jobs I found there. One of them has contacted me by e-mail already. My local newspaper had an ad with a Web site that I applied for and was contacted for today. Both of them are part time but any income is better than none!

Starfleet Promotion

Friday afternoon I found out that I had been promoted to Chief Science Officer aboard the St.George. Yesterday I set up a Web page for my department and emailed the information to my Commanding Officer, Jess. I am still waiting for my promotion to be announced to the whole ship. I was hoping Jess would do it yesterday or today but nothing so far. Weekends are usually pretty slow on the lists so I am not really surprised. If she doesn't announce it tomorrow I am going to be really perturbed.

Church Stuff

Last week after the morning service my church had a business meeting to discuss the pros and cons of voluntary annexation into Pleasant Hill. This morning the membership voted on the annexation question. I am not a member so I don't know what the results were yet. This morning when I told someone that I wasn't staying because I wasn't a member he asked me why I wasn't a member. I have been attending this church for 4 or 5 years now. I was a member of the church I grew up in and I was forced to leave after 32 years because my ex-brother-in-law was spreading lies about me. The members chose to believe him instead of me. So, instead of giving him more chances to lie about me, I left.

Stormy Weather

Northern Iowa had tornadoes last night and central Iowa has severe thunderstorms tonight. 'Tis the season I guess. Heat and humidity is the perfect combination for severe weather. Yahoo! :(

St. George Science Department

St. George Science Department

This is the Science Department Web page for the St. George. I was promoted to Chief Science Officer yesterday.

My Web page

I just updated my Web page again tonight.

Yesterday, as I was watching the funeral ceremony for President Reagan, I was struck by how feeble Nancy Reagan looked as she was walking from the rotunda of the Capital building to the stairs to watch the transfer of the coffin from the caisson. I wonder how much longer she will live.

I love strawberries

with cake and cool Whip! We got strawberries from the grocery store this more so I baked a yellow cake and cut up the strawberries. They'll be dessert tonight! MMMMMMMM

Star Trek fan

As you can see by my links I am a Star Trek fan. The links to USS St. George is the ship I am assigned to in Starfleet The International Star Trek Fan Association, Inc. There are over 3000 members in chapters all over the world. Each chapter chooses the type of ship or station they use. Check out their Web site for more information.

Sick Day

I spent all day sick in bed again. Yesterday I thought I had recovered from my latest bout of UTI, apparently I was mistaken. My last prescription was for three days and I took the last dose on Sunday. Today I got another prescription for three days. This time Thursday will be the last day for the meds. Hopefully this round will take care of it.

Temp Life

I called my temp agency again this morning and they still don't have an assignment for me. This is the fifth week I have not had an assignment. No assignment means no paycheck. No paycheck means no money to pay bills. God is really testing my faith right now.

Since I don't have a job to go to right now the old folks and I went to the local zoo. The temperature was in the high 80's to low 90's today so most of the animals were not very active. The "old folks" are my parents, they are in their 70's. Dad is 79 and Mom is 70. Dad has been fighting liver cancer for over a year now. His oncologist says that the cancer will never go away but it can be controlled. Hopefully that is true for a few more years.

World War II memories

Today is the 60th anniversary of D-Day, the invasion of France that was the turning point of World War 2. My dad fought in WW2 and Korea. He was an only son of a farmer so he was exempt from service in the military. I asked him once why he enlisted. He said he was tired of not doing his part in the service. He joined the Army in April of 1945. He said he was sworn in the day of FDR's funeral. Because of the timing he missed the action in Europe and was assigned to be part of the invasion of Japan. Truman dropped the atomic bombs and Dad's assignment was changed to the occupation force of Japan. I think that if it weren't for the atomic bombs being dropped I might not even be here.

Saturday President Ronald Reagan died at the age of 93. He was president while I was in my 20's. I didn't vote for him the first time, but I did the second time. I was a registered Democrat until some time during his first term. I changed parties because I am pro-life and saw the Democrats being anti-life. I couldn't square my religious beliefs with a party that had so little regard for life. I have always believed that if it is a baby when it's born when is it not a baby in it's development? The abortion arguments that it is just a blob of tissue during the first trimester is bogus. There is no logic to that argument.

Well, that is my sermon for today.

Another day, another . . . ?

I hate it when I'm sick. I have another UTI, second one this year. I should be all better by Monday. :)

I had a job interview this afternoon. When I set the appointment I was told it would be a short interview, he was right. It took me longer to get there than the interview lasted, it was only 20 minutes long, and it took me 30 minutes to get there with the traffic and all. If I do get this job I wouldn't start until July because the mall doesn't open until August. Trouble is I need money now!

Candy quiz results

This is totally me! I love chocolate!

Use the link and take the test yourself.


You're chocolate. You're the old soul type, people
feel that they have known you their entire
life. Many often open up to you for they view
you as thoughtful and trustworthy. Although
people trust you, you have a hard time trusting
them. You prefer to keep your feelings bottled
up inside, or display them very quietly. It is
alright to open up every once in a while.

1st post

Today was the same as most days of the last 4 months, watching television and surfing the internet. I got a phone call this afternoon about a job interview tomorrow. At this point I will take just about anything. I have been registered with 2 different temp agencies for over 2 months and have worked for a total of 3 weeks in that time.