Perspective Of Yet Another Night Owl


Merry Tossmas, anyone?
December 23, 2008, 2:34 am
Filed under: Christmas | Tags:

Is anyone else tired of people being offended by saying Merry Christmas?  It’s so bad that hardly anyone including  schools and stores will use the word “Christmas” without fear of reprisal.  However both schools and stores will mention all other holidays by name.  I am not offended when others celebrate their holidays and am more than happy to wish them a “Happy Hanukka, Kwanzaa, Yule, Winter Solstice, Ramadan, etc.” depending on what they celebrate.   I think this guy says it right.  Just wish me a Merry Christmas and if you like, come and celebrate with me.  If you agree….sign the petition at http://www.citizenlink.org/Stoplight/A000008654.cfm.

2007 Merry Tossmas Video

2008 Merry Tossmas Video



Merry Christmas!!
December 22, 2008, 2:03 pm
Filed under: Merry Christmas!!

 

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year from our family to yours. 

I don’t get on wordpress as often as I should.  I am addicted to Facebook (crackbook) and tend to do most of my updates on there.  Feel free to come over to facebook and say hello if I miss you here.



ULYFL GIANTS ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!
December 22, 2008, 1:55 pm
Filed under: Family, Football

It’s been a while since I have posted and it’s because we have been super busy.  Football season has come to an end and Zachary’s team won the Championships!  I finally got the DVD finished and it seems that the kids and parents were pretty happy with it.  I know I was happy with the end result, and am glad about that because I had been working on it since August.

The Giants had two playoff games in Purcellville Giants v. Titans (11/1/08) and Viking v. Giants (11/8/08).  The husband and I had to miss the Titans game as we were in Florida at a friends wedding. (I had such a blast there, but that is another post, with photos….soon.)  The Giants won both games and were off to the Championship game (11/15/08) LLBFL Cowboys v. ULYFL Giants. 

The boys won the Championship game in Sterling, 22 to 0, and was it ever an exciting game!!  The Giants family then had their end of the year party the following morning.  I don’t think anyone lost the smile from their face from the day before either.  Actually, I think some of them are still smiling.

ULYFL 2008 CHAMPION GIANTS

ULYFL 2008 CHAMPION GIANTS



Over $100,000 to redecorate the Whitehouse?
November 11, 2008, 3:29 am
Filed under: Economics, Hot Topics, Obama, Politics, Shopping, Taxes, Thoughts | Tags: , , , ,

Mrs. Obama is going to receive OVER $100,000 to redecorate the Whitehouse??  Really?? Why is it that our government hemmorrhages cash?  There are so many things wrong with this. 

cash1280x9601

First, in the scheme of things $100,000 might not seem like much.  But to you and me, that’s a lot of money.  Second, does the Government really need to spend our tax dollars redecorating the whitehouse?  The President and First Lady live there for free on our dime already.  Don’t you think the Obama’s can afford their own redecorating costs? Wouldn’t it be nice if when you and I got a new house, it came with $100,000 redecorating fund??  Third, If Obama’s plan is to decrease national debt, maybe he should do the right thing and not spend money needlessly.  Lord knows his wife makes enough money and he is not hurting financially either.  (He just took his wife out on a date for about $1,000 dinner!) 

This kind of spending is exactly where this country needs to start saving pennies. Then maybe review the medical programs in place that the government pays for.  Did you know a single aspirin at the hospital costs you about $15?  If you are ever in the hospital, look closely at the charges for disposable items (bed pans, pillows, etc.) that you are charged for.   And guess what government health care programs pay for those items?  You guessed it, highly inflated prices.  With $15 you and I could go to the grocery store and buy a bottle of aspirin and have money left over, even after paying sales tax!!  Again, our government needs to look into a lot of programs and revamp a lot of things.  If they would do that, we would have the money we need to pay the debts, keep our country safe and not raise taxes.



The results are in….Let’s do our part.

It’s 2 AM here and I am not surprised, but I am still nervous about the election results.  My historically Republican state (Virginia) has voted Democratic for the first time in a long while.  It’s only the northern few counties that made that happen (population per capita).  

Regardless of how I voted, however, I am American.  I was born and raised in the U.S.A. and I stand by and behind my country first and foremost.  Even when I don’t agree with the majority.  Why, because that is the freedom of democracy.  The election and the privilege to vote is our right as citizens of this great country.  The democratic process that is in place is what we, as Americans, have come to expect and accept.  Even if we don’t always agree. And if you don’t expect and accept the democratic process by now, you had better learn to do so. And quickly.  It is what our free society has always been. Majority rules.

Even though I am not thrilled with the outcome, I am going to take John McCain’s concession speech to heart and support President Obama as best as I morally can.  I will still fight against some issues. I will support our country as it faces the challenges about to be put to us. I will support President Obama as best I can to make America what it should be. I will take seriously President Obama’s request for the entire country to work together and I will do my part to make America continue to be the best country in the world.

In the meantime, a little prayer wouldn’t hurt.

God Bless Everyone.



I voted, did you? Take these (fun) polls!

I voted today and thought it would be fun to see if you did too. Please take the following polls. It’s all for fun, and your opinions and comments are always welcome. Happy Polling!

Thanks for your votes. Come back and check the results. I will check results and comments later tonight and just maybe I will write a new post.



Go out and vote! McCain has mine!
November 3, 2008, 8:49 pm
Filed under: Biden, Democrat, Hot Topics, McCain, Obama, Opinions, Palin, Politics, Republican, Thoughts | Tags: , , , ,

Don’t forget to go out and vote tomorrow!  Voting is a right and a privilege and should not be disregarded.  Regardless of who you plan to vote for, if you don’t exercise your right to do so, you have no right to complain later.  Get out and vote!!!

Tomorrow I am voting for John McCain.  You can agree or disagree, but that is my choice. After long and careful thought as to which candidate is better for our country, McCain/Palin is the way to go. 

 I do not want socialized medicine in our country.  It does not work!! Without competition in health care, health care doesn’t improve.  Ask anyone you know from Canada, England or any other country that uses a socialized health care system and who has lived through it before.  It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

I have made previous posts regarding the issues that matter to me, and while I do not agree with everything on the McCain side, I believe he is the better man for the job.  I believe in America and I believe John McCain is the man to lead us towards a better future. Why should Obama redistribute my wealth? Money that I earn?  If I want to donate (and I do a lot), I will give it to who I think is in need of it.  I don’t want the government taking my money and giving it away.  The damn Government spends wastefully and you know what, the money Obama plans to use is MINE.  I earned it.

I received the following email and I like what it has to say, so I am passing it on to blog world.  Please read on:

Subject: Change – What Change – We must keep this email circulating

My name is Joe Porter. I live in  Champaign ,  Illinois . I’m 46 years old, a born-again Christian, a husband, a father, a small business owner, a veteran, and a homeowner. I don’t consider myself to be either conservative or liberal, and I vote for the person, not Republican or Democrat. I don’t believe there are ‘two Americas ‘ – but that every person in this country can be whom ever and what ever they want to be if they’ll just work to get there – and nowhere else on earth can they find such opportunities. I believe our government should help those who are legitimately downtrodden, and should always put the interests of America  first. (more…)



Back in Virginia with the family and the cold!
October 22, 2008, 4:36 pm
Filed under: Family, Football, Kids, Life, Thoughts | Tags: , , ,

I am back in Virginia and wow, how cold the weather has gotten since I left.  I am so not ready for the winter cold, as I love Spring and early summer weather.  Guess I better get started and break out the sweat pants and warm coats.  It looks like this winter is going to be a very cold one.  I miss the warm of Dallas, that’s for sure.

The kids had football games on October 18, and both teams won.  Although I did not see them, I got the play by play in photos and some video.  It really was an awesome game.  Zach’s team won 29 to 0!! Yup, that’s right, they slaughtered the other team.  So much so that the league invoked the “mercy” rule and gave the other team an extra 10 yards towards the goal line whenever they were on offense.  Zach has again proven he is good in a different position and is being utilized all over the field.  Bethany’s team won as well, and for her, all she has left to do this season is perform at the games.  Her team has suspended the practices because of the cold weather.  (I guess our little girls are not geared to be outside in this frigid air.)  The boys, however, seem immune to the cold and are practicing still 3 nights a week.

I haven’t been back to work since I returned from Texas. The schedule goes up today, so maybe I will have some hours.  I could use some cash, that’s for sure.  I spent a bit more than I should have in Texas, but I had a blast.  I bought my first pair of Lucky Brand Jeans, and let me tell you, I love them!!!  I also bought gifts for the family and my nephews, as well as a few for some friend’s kids.

Homecoming is Saturday and we are getting all ready.  Nails, Hair, Shoes, Dress, etc. etc.   I wish it were over already. (My daughter’s boyfriend is probably thinking the same thing.)  Zach has his last regular season game this Saturday against the Giants rivals, the Vikings.  I can’t wait to see the game, then we will see if we are still in first place as playoffs are about to begin.  Bethany’s last game is this Saturday too.  I think my mom is taking her as she will be spending the weekend at her house and the game is in Sterling.

Well, I hear the washing machine calling to me (”come switch it over and start a new load”) so I had better run.



Texas….It’s been fun so far and Uncle’s surgery went great!
October 15, 2008, 11:05 am
Filed under: Family, Kids, Life, Mary Kay, Travel, Vacation | Tags: , , ,

Hey all!  I thought I would  take a few minutes and let you know how the vacation/family help has been going.  My uncle’s back surgery went off without any hitches.  The doctor says he has the bones of a much younger man, even though he is in his 70’s.  He was able to come home from the hospital the following morning and has been doing really well with his recovery.  Now, if we could just get this workaholic to just relax without trying to work from home.  My uncle and I have been doing the restaurant row thing for dinner nightly, except the night he stayed over in the hospital.  For those of you familiar with Dallas, I am talking about Beltline Road/Restaurant Row.  Let me tell you, there are soooo many restaurants, it’s hard to decide where to eat.  I think we will be doing leftovers for the next day or two, just so we can empty the refrigerator.  The one night he was not home to eat with us, we got a pizza from Whole Foods which was pretty darn good.  My aunt and I have decided that cooking this week is overrated.

My cousin’s kids have been a lot of fun to hang around with.  They are so cute!!  Their little boy is so full of energy and just a complete image of his father when he was young.  Such a great little man to play with and so loving.  I just love getting him on the bus in the morning and retrieving him in the afternoon.  His little eyes light up whenever he sees me.  Makes me miss my kids a bunch.  Their little girl, the princess, is as sweet as can be and so very smart.  She and I have been doing homework together and having a lot of fun watching girly movies together and cuddling on the couch. 

Last night, when we went to pick up dinner at PF Changs (YUM) my aunt actually sat at the bar with me while I had a cocktail. Since the restaurants here are non-smoking, she was able to hang out inside with me.  This was a much needed cocktail, as we are actually in a dry county here in North Dallas.  Not to mention, my aunt and uncle are not drinkers (at all) so there is no alcohol in the house.  I was about to go nuts, so that vodka (Stholis) rocks, was a good and strong one.  I could buy some a bring it home, but as you all know, I am not really an “at home” drinker.  I much prefer the bar and socialization that comes with it.

I may swing by the Mary Kay building and check it out today.  Even though I am not doing Mary Kay anymore, I think it would be cool to see it while I am here.  I also am hoping to get a chance to stop by the State Fair.  I am not huge into rides that leave the ground, but I hear there are some pretty cool things to see there.  Not to mention, any fair that requires school holidays (and yes, you heard that right, they get out of school for this around here) has got to be seen!  Anyway, we are off to do a bit of shopping.  I have some souvenirs to get for friends and want to get some gifts for my kids.



Headed to Dallas, Texas and other news….
October 9, 2008, 11:24 am
Filed under: Family, Football, Kids, Travel | Tags: , , , ,

It’s been a long time (17 years), but I am headed to Dallas, TX this coming Sunday for a whole week!! I can’t wait to see my aunt, uncle, cousin and my cousin’s 2 kids.  I am going to down to help out for a week after my uncle’s back surgery this coming Monday, but it’s a visit just the same.  I hope the weather is nice as I am looking forward to breaking out some shorts again.

My kids have been doing fantastic in their respective sports.  Zachary’s team, the Giants, have been on a winning streak lately.  Last night they beat the Bucs, 12-8.  Zach has proved himself to be a very versatile player this year.  He played center last night for quite a few plays, apparently having the best long snap on the team.  Here is me, in the stands, saying to myself, “What is going on?? What are they doing?” because Moms are always the last to know.  My hubby, Jim, neglected to tell me that they had been practicing this play all week.  We have another game this coming Saturday and I expect that the boys will continue their winning streak.  (Ok, enough on that because I don’t want to jinx it.)

Bethany is doing quite well with her cheer squad.  They recently took 2nd place in the cheer off competition held at LVHS.  They came in 2nd only because their dance routine was 15 seconds too long.  Yes, they are extremely strict about the rules.  Was a shame because honestly, they gave a better performance than the team that took first place.  Then again, I could be a bit biased. :)

Alyssa has been working hard with the marching band. They did very well in their last competition in Charlottesville.  I believe they came in 2nd place, but as she is a teenager, pulling information from her is like pulling teeth. I was unable to attend this competition because of the younger two kids needing to be in two different places at the same time.  Alyssa has another competition this coming Saturday at Oakton HS, but again, I am unable to attend because of the younger kids.  Sometimes I wonder if Alyssa thinks we ignore her activities.  I hope she knows it’s not because we don’t want to see her perform, just that she is capable of going by herself with her team whereas the younger kids can’t go by themselves.  I know Alyssa is in good hands because she is always with another family here that has been fantastic to us in helping her get where she needs to be.  I do buy all the DVD’s of the competitions so that I can watch the ones I don’t get to attend. 

Work for me has been a blast.  I love bartending and have decided to stick with it after my “help-out” month.  I will probably reduce the hours I am putting in to about 3 shifts per week instead of the 5+ I have been pulling.  The money is fantastic and it really is a lot of fun, fun, fun!!! 

Well, this was meant to be a quickie update, as I have lots to do before heading out of town.  I hope everyone is well, and MKRules, if you see this, shout at me.  I will be in your area!



Football, Homecoming, Parades & the Kids

Zachary had a couple of great games this past week.  Wednesday night the ULYFL Giants played against the ULYFL Bandits.  The Giants won 20-6.  It was a fantastic game and gave the boys a sense of “we CAN do this” which was needed after their first game loss to the LLFBL Rams.  Saturday night the Giants played against the ULYFL Titans and won again, 8-0.  The score would have been 20-0, but we had two touchdowns called back for some pretty stupid penalties.  One was recalled for blocking from behind, a silly mistake.  The second was recalled for holding, an even sillier mistake but it happens.  The coaches were not too pleased about the penalties, but I think the boys were actually feeling worse about them.  

Zachary on the move!

(Zachary is on the left of the photo with the long blue sleeves.)

Zachary was moved to a different position in this game and had quite a few important tackles.  He was hurt during one of them in the second quarter.  (more…)



Having too much fun, but oh my feet….
September 16, 2008, 11:52 pm
Filed under: Jobs, Kids, Life, Thoughts | Tags: ,

Recently I mentioned that I would be helping out for a month at my favorite restaurant and hang out.  Tonight was my second night and I love it!  I am learning how to make all kinds of shots/cocktails beyond the basics, which is fun.  My feet hurt, but I guess that’s normal.  I haven’t really been on them (my poor heels) in a while.  Tending bar, you are on your feet the whole time.  I have cute black tennis shoes but, I think my feetmay require cute black naturalizers. I love how they do things in teams, it makes it easier. We get our tips the next day and the first night I did pretty darn good and that was an “in-training” cut.  I have got a long day tomorrow starting here at home getting things done.  Then Zach’s football game and my first closing shift at the Grille. Wish Zach luck at his game, me luck at work and for my feet. :)



Political Issue: Sex Education, Birth Control & Abortion
September 10, 2008, 8:01 pm
Filed under: Democrat, Family, Hot Topics, Kids, Life, Politics, Republican | Tags: ,

This issue is where I happen to somewhat disagree with the Republican party.  I have said before and will again, I am socially liberal and fiscally conservative.  Where does that leave me on the party lines? Primarily still on the Republican side.  This is a touchy subject, so click to read on if you want. (more…)



Temporary Bar Tender
September 10, 2008, 2:44 pm
Filed under: Exciting, Jobs, Life, Random | Tags:

Exciting news for me!  I have been asked by my local favorite watering hole’s owner to tend bar for a month.  One of the full-time bar gals is going on a well deserved month long trip.  Rather than hire someone that they really don’t need on staff, they have asked me, one of their favorite patrons.  I cannot tell you how excited I am about this.  I already have a posse who plans to come and hang out while I am there.  Look at that, I have already increased business.  :)  

 

So, I went up today for lunch to learn the POS system they use.  That took about 10 minutes and I have it down, no problem.  I already know the menu, although they recently hired a new chef who plans to change things up a bit.  I can already mix most drinks being that I have experience drinking said mixed drinks, so I foresee no real problems with this temporary position.  Who knows?  Maybe I will love it and stick around a bit after all is said and done.   Wish me luck and if you are in the area, come and have a drink!



Kitchen Gadgets ~ Gotta Have It
September 8, 2008, 12:04 am
Filed under: Random | Tags: , ,
Bored with the same old tap water? Want to make your midnight potty trips more exciting? Are you asking “What have they thought of now?”  Apparently, you can turn any ordinary faucet into a fantasy faucet.  These new gadgets attach to the end of your current faucet and when the water flows, your rainbow appears!  There are two to choose from.  One stays LED Blue all the time.  The second, changes color from LED Blue to LED Red once the water temperature hits 89 degrees.  That is cool and I think I am going to have to try one of these bad boys out.  If nothing else, I can tell myself I bought it so that my 9 year old doesn’t burn herself!  These attachments apparently work on most US faucets and come with two adapters.  They are only $12.99 to $19.99!!  Now that’s cheap fun!  Check it out:
  
HOT!

HOT!

Price: $12.99 – $19.99 Available at thinkgeek.com

 photo from: http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/kitchen/8122/