Amen!

Can I get an 'Amen!'? How about a 'Hallelujah!'? Or maybe even just an exasperated 'Well, it's about time.' from all the ladies in the house?

It's finally here. The Male Pill. There are so many reasons that this is a good thing.

For one, it will let men have some control over fertility. No more 'Oops, I forgot to take my pill, guess you'll have to marry me.' All of these workaphobic, manipulative women will lose their power. Less children will grow up in broken homes. I think that this aspect will be great for society and the well-being of the next generation.

Something else that makes this so wonderful is the effect it will have on women's health. Birth control really messes with a woman's body. Increased risk of blood clots, hormonal fluxuations, sexual dysfunction, unhealthy weight gain, possible infertility, severe depression, and anxiety attacks are just some of the side effects that get mumbled under the breath when Doc writes the Rx. It's about time Modern Medicine came out with a medical alternative to the Pill.

I think it is also great because it puts some of the responsibilty on the man. It takes two to create life, but women get the blame when it happens accidentally. Now men will have no excuse. No more 'That #$#@% tricked me! I'm not paying child support... blah blah blah.' Men will have to take responsibilty for their own actions and the role that they play in conception.

While this could lead to more infidelities, more VD transmissions, and other negative things; I still think it is wonderful. People that are going to do things they shouldn't will do them whether or not they have less of a chance of reprecussions.

In conclusion.... AMEN!

Heat

My adorable, innocent little Sasha has hit puberty. Do to a cabbage blight at my bank, I can't afford to get her fixed. So she now hangs upside down on the side of my mattress, annoys the hell out of Chloe and rips through the apartment breaking all kitty land speed records. To make matters worse, some mangy tom has parked his noisy self outside my bedroom window. How dare he think he is good enough for my Sasha?
Oh the horrors of womanhood...

If I wasn't so skinny...

If I wasn't so skinny, I would be fat. Hee hee.

I made this last night:

Devil's Food Cake

Yield: 12 servings.

Ingredients

2 cups (400 g) sugar
½ cup + 2 tablespoons (150 g) butter, softened
2 eggs
2 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup espresso or very strong coffee

Ingredients for frosting

½ cup butter
14 oz (400 g) semisweet dark chocolate (40-50% cocoa)
3 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 tablespoon hot espresso or very strong coffee

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C) and grease two 9 in (23 cm) cake tins.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, approximately 5 minutes.
3. Add one egg at a time, mix well between each.
4. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract and mix well. Then add coffee and mix well.
5. Divide into two equal portions and transfer to the cake tins.
6. Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 35-45 minutes. Let the cakes cool.
7. Slice each cake through the middle to make altogether four layers; if necessary remove the top of the cake by using a knife.
8. For the frosting, mix butter, chopped chocolate, syrup and coffee and heat in a double boiler until melted. Stir until smooth. Let it cool somewhat in the fridge. Use approximately one fifth of the frosting between each layer of the cake, coat the cake with the remaining two fifths of the frosting.
9. Cool the cake in the fridge to harden the frosting. Place the cake at room temperature 1-2 hours before it is served.

And I am making these today:

Nestle’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

YUMMY!! I hope the family likes them.

Big Oil, busted.

I was looking at google maps satallite earlier. I was curious about the fact that the MS river doesn't just spit out at the Gulf by New Orleans, where I think it should. Instead it is this very straight canal that goes probably about another 90 miles down the bayou. I was curious as to what was down there. I didn't see many homes or hovercrafts. Instead I found huge plants and lots of boats.

What really got me, was the photo of one boat that was dumping oil into the water. It was prolific enough for me to see it without being zoomed in very far. Disgusting. Check it out for yourself. If you look a little to the North, there is another boat that is almost just as filthy. Shame on them.

Uber-nerd with super-human procrastination skills

It looks like I will really be getting braces soon and my teeth are really going to be fixed now.

Being the uber-nerd that I am, with super-human procastination skills; I have done some research on braces. I think it's pretty cool how they work.

I'm so excited that there is a possibility I could go to my job interviews with a great smile when I graduate school. There is also a possibility that I could go to my interviews with a metal-mouth, but that's still infinitely better than having these awful, rotten, crooked teeth for the rest of my life.

I am, I have to admit, a little self-concious about having braces as an adult. I'm not too stoked about looking like I'm 15 again. I hated being 15. I've been looking online for hairstyles that will be a little more mature and flattering; maybe that will help. I asked for gift certificates for Christmas, so maybe I can spruce up my wardrobe with some DKNY or Express. I'd love to add some more 'woman clothes' to my closet (as I sit here in my college sweatshirt and a ponytail).

Braces could be a good thing for my image. I think that maybe it will make me work harder to look like a lady in order to counter-act the childishness of how braces look. Time will tell.

Anyone out there ever had braces as an adult?

Turkey and Teeth

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!

This is my favorite holiday of the year. Good food, no stress about gifts, and fun times with the family. I can't wait for the day when I can have Thanksgiving in my own home. I'm going to have Everyone. Aunts, uncles, mom, dad, steps, all of them from all sides. And they're all going to get along. How is that possible, you ask? Because this is MY fantasy, that's how!

I'm having minor oral surgery tomorrow. Dad is coming down to babysit me in my drug-induced haze. I just hope that my mouth is healed up enough to eat my weight in turkey on Thursday. Man! I love Turkey Day. :-D



hee hee.

Mamaw

My grandmother turns 33 tomorrow, according to her anyways.

She and my grandfather will always be my example for how to have a healthy marriage. Their love never died, and they showed me that it IS possible to have a successful marriage. I spent hours asking them about their relationship, how they met, any advice they had- anything that could help me achieve what they have.

My grandfather died almost two years ago and Mamaw moved to a retirement community not long after that. When Papaw died, I became much closer to Mamaw than I had ever been. I learned to see what a strong, intelligent woman she is.

I now talk to her more than anyone else in my family. She is my rock. She also has a wicked sense of humor and a love for her family that I've never seen exhibited in anyone else I know.

It's things great and small that make Mamaw so wonderful. For instance, I called her a little while ago to chat. She kept interrupting our conversation to tell me how the Saints were doing. She told me that they had gotten a first down, but they were behind. She read me the score and then told me how 'one of the other ones is being taken off the feild; maybe we can win now.' For an 86 year old woman, she's a sharp as a tack.

I could gush and gush about how much I love my Mamaw, but I guess I'll just leave it at that.

Republican Jesus

As an equal opportunity offender, I present... Republican Jesus. Dun dun DUN!

Thump thump

I had to listen to vulgar, awful thump-thump music at work today. It's hard to make sandwiches (yes, that's what I do now) when someone is gasping for air and talking about puttin' it 'tween the legs of shorties. What the hell is a shorty? Most black women I know are tall and beautiful and should be insulted by that. I consider myself pretty well-rounded and cultured, but Damn does R&B get on my nerves. The males sing about screwing and the females sing about heartbreak. That should tell you something right there.

And on another note, I found something pretty funny when I googled my name today (hey, it's better than doing math homework). Eryn

Oh, and I should have Raleigh pictures on The Gallery soon.

Clouds and Babies

I woke up in Raleigh this morning (Cary to be exact) at 5:45 EST. I did not want to get out of bed. It feels so right to be there and to be loved, and it feels so wrong to be here where it is cold and all of my hugs are hundreds of miles away.

I had breakfast in Memphis at around 8:30 CST after having a short but fruitful nap on the plane. Once in Memphis I was told there would be an hour delay, told there would not be an hour delay, told to go to another gate and finally put in the air at around 9:40.
The clouds were amazing today. We flew low for a while and skimmed the top of the cloud cover. I could see no ground and the clouds made a spectacular geography of canyons and cliffs. It was like being lost in a fantasy world; esoteric, if you will. I half expected to see angels resting on the shelves beside us.
I arrived in New Orleans and drove through nasty rain to get to the Burg. I went straight to class, only getting there about five minutes after one; much better than I thought I would do. After class I had enough time to change shirts, eat a meal and clock in at 5:00. I worked until about 7:30; it was a slow night thank goodness.
I then drove across the street to meet my neighbor Hillaire's new son Julian. He is a gentle and sweet little boy with long, dark hair and long legs. Hillaire was in labor for 23 hours and had Julian at 2:00 today. I know she has to be tired, but she looks beautiful and is doing well. She was so proud to tell me that Ricky was very helpful during the labor and hasn't taken his eyes off Julian since. I hope that this is a sign of things to come for the three of them.
I only got to hold Julian for about 30 seconds. Ricky's dad handed him to me and almost immediately he started trying to nurse on me. Apparently Hillaire had been trying to get him to nurse since 2:00 and he wouldn't. So I handed him over and he had his first meal. I have to admit, it gave me the baby-bug a little bit for him to reach for me like that and it's a good thing my visit to NC is over.
So now I'm home and I've got chapters to read. I wonder how long I will last.

Eso, Eso!

I finally started packing for my flight tomorrow at around 9:30 tonight. It has been a busy week and I had no motivation to be productive when I got home from work. The packing didn't last long however.

I stepped outside to get something from my car and saw that Fernando and all of the ELI kids were having a party upstairs. I went up with intentions of saying 'hello.' Fernando turned 27 at midnight so I hung out for a while. They are such a great bunch. They are from Venezuela and Japan. And of course, there are the gringo groupies. It is always a very jovial, relaxed atmosphere with this group. It really is a different feel than one would get at a gathering of Americans, where everyone is networking, gossiping, seeing how drunk they can get, and flirting.
I tried sake for the first time while I was there. I was surprised by how much I liked it. I was expecting it to have that sharp bite that you get when you drink cheap vodka. It was quite the opposite. In fact, it was about the smoothest alchohol that I could ever imagine drinking neat. I look forward to trying it the next time I have sushi (which will be soon, I hope).

Fernando gave a very endearing speech at midnight in three languages. He talked about how glad he was to have so many friends here and how much we all meant to him. He said that it was his best birthday ever. His broad smile said more than any of the languages could have told.

Good time all around.

Roses

It was beautiful weather today. I ignored my splitting headache for a little while and went to USM's rose garden to take some pictures. My favorite ones are torwards the end, so start from the back if you are curious but impatient.

My Roses

hit the nail on the head

Why Can't I Own a Canadian?
October 2002

Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,
Jim

found here: http://www.humanistsofutah.org/2002/WhyCantIOwnACanadian_10-02.html

back off, little man!

I just had a first. I got asked out on a date on myspace. Ick. That's worse than the aroma coming from the litter box right now.
I'm not good at telling people "Hell no, I won't go to lunch with you, you strange little man." Especially when it's not face to face. It's much less abrasive, I think, when I let my body language give the F. off vibe. Don't you agree? Oy ve.
To anybody that reads this, I need advice on how to tactfully turn people away. And telling people I'm in a relationship doesn't do the trick because no one in this awful town respects long distance relationships. Help.

tabla rosa?

I've never really seen fall foilage; all we have here are pine trees and live oaks- on flat ground. So it was a real treat to see the trees turning in the Appalachian mountains. Wesley and I found an amazing arboreteum with walking trails and gardens. I snapped a few other pictures too. You can check them out Here.

It's a strange feeling to create a 'new beginning' where the very thing you are starting has been there for years. I don't believe it's possible to really wipe the slate clean, but I do think that it is possible to refresh the hope that has always been present. Our love has proven that it has staying power over and over again.

But it's not perfect. There is no fairy godmother with a wand to smooth everything over. As much as I want us to just go back to being 100% head-over-heels in loved Right NOW, it's not possible. The love is there, but it is wounded. Only time and patience can coax her out of the corner. I just hope that I am able sit back and trust nature to take it's course, giving us all of the things we need to succed in our new promises to each other.