The Heat Beat

Every Girl's Crazy bout a Sharped Dressed Man....

2007-01-06T14:13:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Christmas and New Years has been very hectic for me. Our office was planning and preparing for the opening of a new office in Sacramento, there was the normal work and then the year end stuff that had to be done, Christmas (of course) and, because my husband is Japanese, New Years, which is a lot of work for our family (its their big holiday here). To make matters a little more hectic, my husband's beloved grandma (Bachan) passed away suddenly on December 20, 2006. She was 98, in great health, happy and looking forward to New Years. God Bless her soul. And, because she lived such a wonderful life and because she didn't suffer a bit, we were sad but grateful for her time here with us; but no one was deeply depressed by her passing. I think she would have wanted it that way.

My guys all had to have new suits for the funeral. They looked so handsome and I was so proud, that I wanted to share their picture with my online friends.

God bless everyone and I pray for everyones safe, healthy, happy and sane 2007 Year!

Vice Grips

2006-12-26T18:47:00.000-08:00

I am quitting smoking. Yes I know, bad habit, get over it I am quitting.

One of the many duties I now have is making SURE I have a patch on.

Last night I took a bath and forgot my patch. Woke up in a panic and ran to the bathroom, zipped open a patch and slapped it on my arm. Went back to bed.

This morning, when I got up and rolled over, I noticed I couldn't feel my patch. I looked and it was gone. What the hell???

I threw back the covers and looked for my freaking patch. It was no where. I pushed the covers down further nothing.

My cat is protesting because she sleeps beside me and I pulled the covers off her and there, stuck on her head...was my nicotine patch....Kitty has quit too.

Joyeux Noel!

2006-12-22T11:46:00.000-08:00

I apologize for not being around. Tis the season....!

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! This day reminds us that Christ was born for us...and without His birth we would be lost!

What Cross Do You Bear?

2006-12-01T14:53:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been bearing a personal cross. Right now its a little cross, it may become bigger....anywhoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The following is an email from my sister who has been blind since birth. It it regarding her parent teacher conference for her youngest daughter, Eilish, who was born with Down's Syndrome:

HI everybody,
We had Eilish's parent/teacher conference today. It was a lot better than last year's, which as some of you might remember, made me cry afterwords because of the teacher's complaints about Eilish's hair, the refusal to read Eilish's report card to me, etc.
What a difference a kindhearted, loving teacher makes.
WE talked a lot about Eilish,the teacher and I, and laughed about her too helpful attitude towards others, her stubbornness, her eagerness and flamboyance as she shows snacks, supplies and other things for her room to her teacher Karen and the class, her willingness to work, even to the point of starting off ahead of the others on a worksheet before hearing all of the instructions, how she doesn't like to be helped and wants to do things on her own, (does this sound like someone you happen to love, Mother, Daddy and the rest of the family?). WE talked about how occasionally Eilish gets tired or overwhelmed and will simply refuse to work for a while, until she can get it together.
Eilish got all F's this trimester, and Karen told me she hated doing it, that the principal of the school insists that the teachers give students who aren't working at their grade level failing grades. i.e., F's, even if the students are in self contained rooms. Evidently, the W's that Eilish got last year from that awful teacher can be given if the principal of the school agrees, but if the principal doesn't, it's F's, which is this district's idiotic law.
But here's one for me. I did not cry when I heard the grades like I did last year. I wasn't even sad. I told Karen that F stood for fabulous and she agreed. I told her that I thought she was wonderful, but every time she sent a progress report home I shredded it. She said, "Good for you!" She reitterated many many times that Eilish was improving on everything, that she was meeting her IEP goals, that she was identifying by sight words such as onions, tomatoes and popcorn. Eilish is the only one in class who can write her entire name, first, two middle names and last name. She scores 40 to 80% weekly on her spelling tests. Karen says she's a joy to have in class and that every day Eilish does something to make her laugh out loud. It was a very good conference, and it was fun to watch her teach. WE scheduled the conference in the morning while the class was at PE, so I came in with Eilish on her morning bus, observed the class doing their morning worksheets and routines, then we had the conference, then the kids went to lunch and went home at 12:10, so I just stayed and went back with Eilish on her afternoon bus.
Again, what a difference a teacher makes.

Shannon
You can be upset because rosebushes have thorns,
Or you can rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.
- Author Unknown

I'm thinking my cross just got smaller...

Do you know? Answers!

2006-11-17T11:47:00.000-08:00

ANSWERS

1. On a standard traffic light, is the green on the top or bottom? BOTTOM

2. How many states are there in the USA? (Don't laugh, some people don't know) 50

3. In which hand is the Statue of Liberty's torch? RIGHT

4. What six colors are on the classic Campbell's soup label? BLUE, RED, WHITE, YELLOW, BLACK & GOLD

5. What two numbers on the telephone dial don't have letters by them? 1, 0

6. When you walk does your left arm swing with your right or left leg? RIGHT

7. How many matches are in a standard pack? 20

8. On the United States flag is the top stripe red or white? RED

9. What is the lowest number on the FM dial? 88

10. Which way does water go down the drain, counter or clockwise? CLOCKWISE (NORTH OF THE EQUATOR)

11. Which way does a "no smoking" sign's slash run?
TOWARDS BOTTOM RIGHT

12. How many channels on a VHF TV dial? 12 (no #1)

13 On which side of a women's blouse are the buttons? LEFT

14. Which way do fans rotate? CLOCKWISE AS YOU LOOK AT IT

15 How many sides does a stop sign have? 8

16. Do books have even-numbered pages on the right or left side? LEFT

17 How many lug nuts are on a standard car wheel? 5

18. How many sides are there on a standard pencil? 6

19. Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey, Doc. Who's missing? BASHFUL

20. How many hot dog buns are in a standard package? 8

21 On which playing card is the card maker's trademark? ACE OF SPADES

22 On which side of a Venetian blind is the cord that adjusts the opening between the slats? LEFT

23. There are 12 buttons on a touch tone phone. What 2 symbols bear no digits? * , #

24 How many curves are there in the standard paper clip? 3

25. Does a merry-go-round turn counter or clockwise? COUNTER

Nerdy?

2006-11-15T09:16:00.000-08:00

O.K. I can't resist these things!

Saw it on Dane Bramage's page (lol love the name). I also loved the Latin posted in his Happy Birthday message to his friend. I cannot not personally speak Latin, but I could sit around and listen to it all day. To me its like classical music, I know nothing about it but am captivated when I hear it.

Enjoy the Nerd test. Post your scores for me!

Do you know?

2006-11-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

There are 25 questions about things we see every day or have known about all our lives. How many can you get right? These little simple questions are harder than you think-- it just shows you how little we pay attention to the commonplace things of life.

Put your thinking caps on. No cheating! No looking around! No getting out of your chair! No using anything on or in your desk or computer!

Here we go!

1. On a standard traffic light, is the green on the top or bottom?

2. How many states are there in the USA? (Don't laugh, some people don't know)

3. In which hand is the Statue of Liberty's torch?

4. What six colors are on the classic Campbell's soup label?

5. What two numbers on the telephone dial don't have letters by them?

6. When you walk does your left arm swing with your right or left leg? (Don't you dare get up to see!)

7. How many matches are in a standard pack?

8. On the United States flag is the top stripe red or white?

9. What is the lowest number on the FM dial?

10. Which way does water go down the drain, counter or clockwise?

11 Which way does a "no smoking" sign's slash run?

12. How many channels on a VHF TV dial?

13 On which side of a women's blouse are the buttons?

14. Which way do fans rotate?

15 How many sides does a stop sign have?

16. Do books have even-numbered pages on the right or left side?
17 How many lug nuts are on a standard car wheel?

18. How many sides are there on a standard pencil?

19. Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey, Doc. Who's missing?
20. How many hot dog buns are in a standard package?

21 On which playing card is the card maker's trademark?

22 On which side of a Venetian blind is the cord that adjusts the opening between the slats?

23. There are 12 buttons on a touch tone phone. What 2 symbols bear no digits?

24. How many curves are there in the standard paper clip?

25. Does a merry-go-round turn counter or clockwise?

I will post the answers Friday and announce the winner.

Post your answers in comments!

(I got 14 out of 25)

That 80's Feeling...

2006-11-14T00:36:00.000-08:00

On Great Lakes State of Mind, "The Mind" posted about her road trip with her grandma that was PRICELESS and she mentioned Dexy's Midnight Riders, which caused 80's flashbacks.

I had a little insomnia tonight and was flipping through channels (which is ultra rare for me, I hate television) and happened across Purple Rain. I came upon it just has Prince (or the person who formally had a name and now is a Symbol and thus, has made himself, or itself, obsolete) was singing "Let's Go Crazy" and then followed by Morris Day and the Time singing "Jungle Love."

The scene was a club scene. The people were wearing all kinds of stuff, bleached hair, hats, pearls, ruffled pirate shirts, black velvet gloves, sunglasses, shiny zoot suits.

If you really look at it, and I know there will be protest here, it was almost a type of Goth. The look was too shiny for what we now know as Goth, but the velvets and the laces were reaching back, they were just too shiny and new. And when it was in, and since I was there, I was in it then too.

It is funny to think of then and now. It is strange to look at my wardrobe today and remember, vividly, my wardrobe then. I must have had a full net skirt in every color of the rainbow, enough elbow gloves to fill a drawer and so many strings of pearls that they covered the end of my bed post.

Admissions late at night. I have nothing of that now. I don't even have pictures of it, it wasn't a time for taking pictures in my life. It wasn't going to end, I wasn't going to change, there was no need to mark it.

And its gone... :) and good riddance, but sometimes a movie comes on, or a video on a channel, or Purple Rain is played late at night...and I am twirling in the skirt and listening the the pearls crash into eachother and the beat is good and I am dancing.

Play with me....Idiots!

2006-11-13T16:46:00.000-08:00

Click on the picture, take the test:

I am 21% Idiot.

I am not annoying at all. In fact most people come to me for advice. Of course they annoy the hell out of me. But what can I do? I am smarter than most people.

Take the
Idiot Test
@ FualiDotCom

My Score!

Then post your scores for me!

Found this on Did You Ever Get The Feeling... loved the web page and the wit!

What the H. E. (double toothpicks)!

2006-11-13T00:45:00.000-08:00

I got blog spammed? Someone is spamming a mommy blog? What the H.E. DOUBLE TOOTHPICKS!!!

It isn't enough that my mail box is filled with male enhancement drug ads, or if I am looking up breast cancer awareness the first 99 pages listed are porn sites...no now I have to have an auto blogger come dump crap on my page!

Askinstoo said...
Hi, i was looking over your blog and didn't
quite find what I was looking for. I'm looking for
different ways to earn money... I did find this though...
a place where you can make some nice extra cash secret shopping.
I made over $900 last month having fun!
make extra money

I have children to pick up after Mr/Ms Spammer, I don't need to spend housework time on a web site!!!

Sheesh (thinks filth and bad words)....alright sorry, just buggered me!

2006-11-09T18:29:00.000-08:00

Today I decided to put my 13 favorite places to shop online! With the holdiays approaching, I found a long time ago that online shopping was the way to go!

1. Avon
2. Target
3. Newport
4. Overstock
5. Amazon
6. Coldwater Creek
7. Montery Bay Clothing
8. Walmart (yes Walmart!)
9. Kohl's
10. Pier One
11. Bath and Body Works
12. Home Decorators
13. PacSun
14. Victoria Secrets
15. See's Candy (particular online favorite because they are always busy at the holidays!

Wordless Wednesday

2006-11-08T16:04:00.000-08:00

Obsessed .... (warning...sad content involved)

2006-11-06T16:31:00.000-08:00

I cannot stop thinking about a recent newstory. The Fresno Bee reported last week regarding the death of a 14 year old boy who was involved in a fist fight.

Even more disturbing is the fact that a witness has reported that the whole incident took less than 20 seconds. 20 seconds. No weapon was used, apparently the boys were not involved in a gang, this is just two boys who got mad and had a fist fight.

I have a 17 year old son and a 14 year old son. I have very passive, lovely boys. I have worried most of their school life that they would be victims of bullys, or targeted by a gang or something. And pretty much I can make these thoughts go away, but every since this story I am somehow obsessed with talking to my boys about this story and I think they are tired of hearing about it now.

I think about the mothers. Both mothers. Both have lost their children. One is charged with murder and one is no longer alive.

I have sat here for 15 minutes wondering if I should even post this.

My 10 Names

2006-11-06T15:35:00.000-08:00

This is from Family Jules, and is a cute name challenge:

If you would like to post your names to your page and then let me know (and let Jules know too).

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current street name)
Jamie Sunset
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav icecream flavor, favorite cookie)
Chocolate chip Chocolate chip
3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
T-Sak
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Purple Monkey
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Colleen Patterson
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
Saktr
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink, put "The"in front)
The Green Coke
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
Darrell Avis
9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume, favorite candy) (I switched them)
Design Almond Joy
10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother & father's middle name )
Sue Arthur

Happy Halloween

2006-10-31T15:24:00.000-08:00

Henry Cho Yee Haw

2006-10-20T20:30:00.000-07:00


stand-up comedy

Milestones

2006-10-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

Today, at work, we hit a milestone. I work in a law office. I used to be a legal secretary, for the past 8 years I have done the billing. We defend insurance companies, so we send out regular invoices. Today the invoice number flipped and, by my calculations, we have sent out over 15,000 invoices since we opened this office in 1999.

Mind you, I worked for two years before 1999 at another location, with this office, as a legal secretary...and the years before that as a legal secretary with this firm and others; however, when I thought 15,000 bills I was speechless. All of our entries are hand entered. One bill can be as little as two pages of entries or as many as ten depending on the type of case. That's a lot of typing.

Its a strange milestone, I know, but it really hits home to me how much of my life has been spent "on the job."

Wordless Wednesday

2006-10-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

Avoiding Home

2006-10-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

I have pre-empty nest syndrome. My sons are 17 and 14 and pretty independent. Most of the time they are at home. That's their choice, not mine. I think I have the type of sons that actually prefer being home to running around all the time.

The point of this is, that's what I prefer also. I love having my kids around. I have always hated the nights they spent the night at some friend's home, or taken off to church camp, or spent the weekend with a relative. When they come home, I almost giddy.

Tonight was an "alone" night. My husband is working a swing shift (3p.m. to 11:00p.m.), and the boys called at 5:00 and said that they would be going to their cousin's house for a paintball practice and wouldn't be home until 8:00.

I stare at the phone. Now what do I do? (I live 45 minutes from my work in a small country town). I just didn't want to go home to an empty house (by the way, the cat is scandalized that I am typing this and excluding her from being adequate company). I visited a friend in the hospital and then I wandered from this store to that store browsing. This is an amazing feat for me. I don't like shopping.

On the drive home, I wondered 'What the heck are you going to do when the boys leave?' And I want the boys to leave. I want them to grow up and start their own lives and to prosper and not be "mommy dependent." Or do I? (
I do wonder what it will be like to have an empty nest. You are a unit, a family, for so long. When kids are tiny you don't think about them ever leaving you, having their own lives, matching their own socks. But they will...then what?

Obviously I need more hobbies. Any suggestions?

Blogger's Block

2006-10-09T16:52:00.000-07:00

I am very new to blogging. 10:15 on a Saturday Night got me started one day when she was showing me pictures of her kids that she had posted. I have enjoyed it so far, but I am blocked. I've looked at my blog every couple of hours for the whole day and somehow nothing comes to mind to post.

I'VE LOST IT. My brain used to function but now it won't. I guess I should have registered to be a Jeopardy participant while I was still sharp as a tack. I guess right this minute I just feel like a toe with a tack in it (if I couldn't have worked a clock in there I would have had tic, tac, toe).

These past two months of moving my parents in, cleaning up their house, living with them in my house, packing them up, driving them across country and setting them up have been a little much. I am NOT looking for the sympathy card, please! But I feel ... well dull. Nothing sounds interesting, not even food (gasp!) I am thinking I should just settle in and sleep until this passes.

But there is this blog...

I almost feel like I have to post something! Do you ever feel like your blog is an extra thing on your To Do list? Let me know!

United Nations Summit at the Tsang Dynesty Restaurant

2006-10-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

Last night was a wonderful experience. As you may, or may not know, my hubby is an American of Japanese descent.

About 20 years ago when we first got married, a young man came over from Japan. He was a very distant relative that we did not know. His Grandfather had come to the United States with hubby's Grandfather and started farming. His Grandfather decided to return to Japan and our family lost contact with his family. Then Masataro showed up and wanted to see the things his Grandfather spoke of and we had to hustle to put together a tour for him of the Fresno Valley.

Last night Masataro came back and this time he was with his father and mother and a very sweet interpreter from Los Angeles, Yasuko.

We spent a lot of time catching up. This time we had things to talk about. He had questions regarding the babies he had seen 20 years ago, he now had a wife and a son, and his parents had questions regarding our livestyles and things that we did on a normal daily basis. We were interested in his wife and child (who could not come on this visit), what he did for a living, where he lived, how much it cost to live in Japan as opposed to the San Joaquin Valley of California, and so forth.

I wish everyone had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with a family over a dinner table to discuss life. There was a lot of laughing, attempts on both sides at a new language, and a bond was formed (again) that will, hopefully, last a long time.

THIS JUST WAS TOO MUCH

2006-10-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

Check out his his birthday dare posts. He invited bloggers to invent four tasks that he would perform on camera and upload. They are hilarious and well done.

Secondhand Tryptophan

Is it Wrong to Feel Happy at Someone Else's Bad News?

2006-10-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

I was at the Bank today doing what one does at the Bank and I ran into the boyfriend of my best girlfriend. I greeted him warmly and then he told me that my girlfriend had "kicked him out last week" because "he had some growing up to do."

Don't get me wrong I don't hate this man, but I can't say how my heart jumped for joy with the thought that he wasn't involved with my girlfriend anymore.

She has been my best friend since 8th grade. We can go months and months and not speak to eachother (because of being busy) and pick up right where we left off. No problem! When I have a problem she's there, if she called me in the middle of the night, no matter what, I would be there. It is a friendship without limitations, it is Agape love.

When she started dating this man red flags went off for me. Then, as the years passed, whenever we saw eachother something she would say would confirm that maybe this guy wasn't really a good choice on her part. I am a verbal person and I did tell her my concerns based on knowing her, not blasting him, but based on what I knew about her...and then of course we agreed to disagree and she continued with him and I remained both of their friends.

But I am just sooooo happy to hear this news. Am I wrong????

Home!

2006-10-01T22:10:00.000-07:00

Today I got back from my trip to Missouri.

I am grateful to everyone for their prayers, both for our safe journey and for my aunt and uncle; who, I am happy to say, finalized the sale of their home and landed in Missouri today, just as I touched down in Fresno for my return.

Last week was an adventure. We drove from Fresno, California to Flagstaff, Arizona, the first night. The next day we wound our way through the beauty of Arizona and New Mexico and ended the night in Amarillo, Texas. On the third day, we arrived in Springfield Missouri.

Upon arriving at my father's new house, we discovered that the previous occupants had been heavy smokers and the walls were nicotine stained. My family has never been accused of being lazy, so we headed out to Lowe's purchased Kilz and paint and painted the living room, dining room, kitchen, front entry and hallway. On Wednesday the truck arrived and, with the help of a new friend in Missouri, we unloaded and set up the kitchen.

The rest of the week we tried to get some rest and some sight seeing in. We went to the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum in Mansfield, Missouri. Anyone who grew up loving those books would appreciate this museum. When Mrs. Wilder died, her daughter donated every single thing to the museum including: clothing, linen, dishes, furniture, and personal pictures and letters. It was well worth the $8.00 admission and the staff was friendly and informative.

I am glad to be back. I missed my "house" family dreadfully. The rest of my family is happily set up in Missouri and ready to enjoy the fruits of their retirment.

One Last Post Before I Go

2006-09-20T22:57:00.000-07:00

If you ever watch Dog the Bounty Hunter, you will know that Duane "Dog" Chapman has been arrested for not making a court appearance in Mexico. Also arrested were his son, Leland, and his brother, Tim. They were arrested in Mexico for bringing a rapist back to the United States to serve 123 year sentence.

First let me say, they should have made their appearance (period).

With that being said, now I would like to state my feelings about Dog. I have watched his show and have debated his merits with my peers. But I have lived with my own Dog, my beloved brother. When I see Dog on television, I see what might have been if someone like Dog had gotten to my brother first. Only someone like Dog might have been able to get through to my brother because they spoke the same language. I see my brother when I see Dog. I also see someone who gives God the glory, who language is blue but whose heart is red and thumping with love for people and I see a good man.

My prayers are with Dog and I wish him and his family the best.

In loving memory of my beloved brother, C. Scott C.

Out of Office Assistant

2006-09-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

Thank you for visiting my blog. I will be unavailable to post from September 21, 2006, through October 2, 2006. I will be on the road to Missouri! People who have traveled through my blog know that I am moving my parents to Missouri this next week. Unfortunately the home sale has not gone through for my aunt and uncle and they are delayed. Prayers are asked for them because my uncle has been a pastor for 40 years and needs to retire. They need this house sale so that they may retire to Missouri, which has a much more reasonable economy than California.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!

HE HE HE

2006-09-19T21:01:00.000-07:00

I can see this happening to me

Post #2, THE DEATH OF NASCAR

2006-09-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

Oh race fans, yesterday's race was something. The caution came out with about 6 laps left in the race. The racers stacked up for the green flag start and off they went. Harvick first, Gordon second, and TONY third. Zoooooom..................Tony flashed by Gordon but wasn't fast enough to catch Harvick who won the race. Harvick stands a good chance of sweeping NASCAR and the BUSCH series this year and is the points leader in both.

Then came Monday. A reporter reported that there were some questions regarding the set up with Harvick and Burton's cars (they race for the same team). Gordon complained during the race about his teammate, Vickers, passing "too aggressively," I am sorry I don't even know what this means. And, finally, several races back Martin asked the race leaders to let some people on the bubble have some lead laps to secure their spot in the race for the chase.

Am I missing something? I racing going to become politically correct now? The set up on Harvick's car falls into a "gray" area, it was not against regulations. Passing aggressively is ...um let me see....RACING, and asking for a turn at the lead just makes me laugh.

Sports aren't fun because they get overly regulated now. Review of plays in football, designated hitters in baseball and golf! Don't make me start with golf. When the sport began it had like 14 rules on how to hit the ball with a stick into the hole, I think there is something like 4000 rules now.

NASCAR looks to be heading in that direction also. As the sport's popularity increases, so do the rules and regulations and whining.

Why do we have to take something simple (going around in circles for a set number of laps and the first guy across the finish line after the checkered flag wins) to make it complicated?

Obviously the Saga Continues

2006-09-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

I cleared up the ATM business and thought the day was going good. At about 4:00 today that ended. I can't really say in this blog why, but I can say I am happy that Thursday I leave for Missouri for two weeks to take my folks back and settle them in.

Working in an office environment is never easy. I have worked at the same place for ten years straight now (a total of 15 years, I had worked there previously), and with time there is "always this and always that." Everyone who works in an office knows what the" this" and "that" is. Right now I am in the middle of some of "this" evidently and I don't even know how I got there.

But as the proctologist said, ""This" too shall pass." Sorry bad pun, but its been a rather bad day. At least I get two weeks to let the dust settle (and hopefully it does) and then life in the office can go on as normal.

Mama said there'd be days like this...

2006-09-16T17:36:00.000-07:00

I feel like I am under a cloud lately. Its a weird feeling and a true feeling. I feel very unlucky. Lately everything I try to do just crumbles to dust in my hands.

Here is a perfect example of a 24 hour "cursed" period:

I get a new ATM/Debit card and while I am shoppingon my lunch hour I decide to use it for my purchase. I swipe it and use the pin, they reject it. I try again, they reject it again, and third time is the charm...rejected. So I check my purse for my check book and, of course, I don't have it. So I have to leave my purchases and leave the store.

While driving back to work, I notice I don't have much gas. Hmmm I don't use a credit card, I don't have an ATM that works and I can't write a check at a store and obtain any cash. The bank will close before I get off work and I live out in the country...this is going to be better than the final laps of a NASCAR race, only I don't have a crew chief to blame.

Somehow I make it home that night. I pick up my check book and go to the grocery store near my home. I purchase three packages of butterhorns (breakfast rolls) for work the next day (It is my snack day and people are vicious if you forget)and get some cash back for gas. I go to the gas station, their pumps are down. I go to the other gas station in town, they are awaiting a shipment of gas, it was delayed. I have one more chance at a gas station...luckily they had gas but it was of course much higher than the other two place.

The next morning I run the boys to high school and take off. I am doing good, plenty of time to get to work (takes me 45 minutes to an hour to get there) and half way there I remember the snacks. They are on the counter at home. A quick check of the purse indicates I don't have the check book yet again. I know the ATM doesn't work, so I turn around and run home to get the breakfast rolls. One of the three packages are gone, the kids and my father ate them. Apparently I forgot to tell them they were for work.

I speed to work (45 minutes late)and plan a trip to the bank during my lunch hour. At 12:00 I zoom to the bank...their computers are down, they can't help me with my pin number. I have to wait until Monday.

Let me know your wonderful 24 hour periods. I would like to know I am not the only one walking under a cloud right now.

Picturesque Tagging 101a

2006-09-14T23:44:00.000-07:00

Ms. April tagged me with her picture art tag. I accept the challenge...

Spooky

Classic

Cold

Noisy

Refreshing

And now I will hit up the fab four:
Ms. Maya
Mr. Hale-Yeah
Missy T
Jule Tones

Get ready to Google...here are your words

FREE
MINT
PARK
STAMP
SHINE

Miss Maya's Post - via email
I am posting for Ms. Maya who emailed me hers.

FREE

MINT

PARK

STAMP

SHINE

Ding Dong? or DingaLing?

2006-09-12T23:39:00.000-07:00

The last couple of years have been rough for my husband and myself financially and things are finally turning around for us...but, of course, not soon enough for me.

I WANT IT NOW DADDY (Veruca Salts, "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory")

I work, I've always worked and Gary is working so what do we do? We, of course, trust in the Lord and his provision.

My aunt sold Avon. When she decided to move to Missouri I thought "well I have helped her sell Avon for years now, why can't I do it myself." And with that I launch myself into the Avon business.

I went to meet with the representative tonight, she was slightly confusing, but I am a smart girl and know how to sell things so I don't think she confused me enough to scare me off.

Now I have ten nice pretty books and a whole lot of hope. All I want to do is to pay off some credit card debt that Gary and I built during the "rough years," so I am not looking to become the next Avon mogul of the country. Then I chide myself because maybe I don't have the right attitude to sell Avon if I am only looking to pay off a credit card. Maybe I shouldn't get into it unless I want to bust out and really make it big....nope I think I am fine.

I like Avon, I don't think it will be horrible to sell it and hey I might make a few dollars in the process. Lord knows with the boys getting older they don't require much of my attention (or do they try to avoid it? lol no my boys are great).

Wish me well in my new endeavor...I just hope I don't scare people off. Oh no she sells Avon RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY!

A Star from Mosul

2006-09-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

A Star from Mosul

I found this site and found it interesting. Reading the links was a very good insight into a world we know little about.

Ten Thoughts

2006-09-11T21:55:00.000-07:00

Geez I loved this so I snatched it!

TEN THOUGHTS TO PONDER

#10 - Life is sexually transmitted.

# 9 - Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

# 8 - Men have two emotions: Hungry and Horny. If you see him without an erection, make him a sandwich.

#7 - Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.

#6- Some people are like a Slinky...not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.

# 5 - Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

# 4 - All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

# 3 - Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut saves you thirty cents?

# 2 - In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

AND THE # 1 THOUGHT FOR 2006 - We know exactly where one cow with mad-cow-disease is located among the millions and millions of cows in America but we haven't got a clue as to where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are located. Maybe we should put the Department of Agriculture in charge of immigration.

Remembering September 11th

2006-09-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

I remember that day clearly. I was driving to work (I have a 45 minute commute) and for some reason my radio wasn't on. I usually drive to work and listen to 10 minutes of news and then to Charles Stanley. But this day my radio was off.

About five minutes before I got to work I turned the radio on as an afterthought and heard that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Tower. When I got to work I turned on the television and watched as the second plane ran into the other tower.

I can't even describe the pain I felt at that time. The fear, the horror, the sadness at the loss of life. My boss and I watched and she said, "Go home." And on that day, she let the office go be with their loved ones.

I picked up my kids from school and took them home and watched all th events unfold. The towers collapsing, the planes being hijaked, the courage of the crews trying to get the people out of the tower. I didn't think about the terrorists, I didn't feel they were important. The people were important. Our people were important. I was very proud of my country that day. Very proud of my people. Very proud that when diaster strikes, we take care of our own. We are blessed enough to help other countries when they have times of need, then are often critized for our attempts, but my country helps itself in time of need.

When the checkered flag isn't for you...

2006-09-09T22:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Tony Stewart:

I am writing you a letter you will never read. Tonight's race in Richmond was the end of your chase for the Nextel Cup. You banged up your first car in practice and the back up car never really hit its groove tonight. Still, you showed your racing spirit, starting in the back of the pack and making an impressive run basically driving the equivalent of a Nascar Dump Truck.

Your after the race interview was gracious and you remembered to congratulate the 10 drivers that made the chase. You can't win them all, but I sure admire how you try.

There are ten more races Smoke, show them your stuff (like you always do) and good luck with the chase next year.

Sincerely,

The Woman Who Doesn't Stalk You

GO TONY!

Ouch Oooch Tagged again

2006-09-09T22:36:00.000-07:00

Master Hale got me this time with five word associations:

First thing that comes to mind with these five words

Biscuit gravy
Football - powderpuff :)
Sawdust - Bojangles
Focus - lens cap
Riviera - 007

Being a new blogger I still don't have anyone to tag, but I'll venture with Norma (and help her get her blog up and running so she can tag too) and ask Ms. Maya to post her tag answer in comments.

Here are the five words

morning
metal
mercury
mineral
moth

Recipe for the Month - 30 minute Tracey Style

2006-09-09T10:39:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs new recipes. I am going to post at least one each month and hope some of my blogger friends post theirs also.

Last night I experimented with Enchilada Casserole. The concept of the original recipe was good, because it was quick and easy, but my kids (all three of them including my husband) really didn't rave over it. The problem was the enchilada sauce. There was a pling (my technical term) to it, the spices, that they really didn't care for. So I have converted it into my own recipe and it was a WINNER. This is also a very good recipe for those church potlucks.

1 pound hamburger
2 10 oz cans of tomato sauce
1 can of Rotel Diced Tomatos and Green Chilis
1 package of Schilling Taco Mix
2 cans of black beans
1 can of olives
Shredded cheese and corn tortillas

Brown your hamburger (I salt and pepper and garlic it up a bit)
In a small frying pan, combine tomato sauce and Rotel Diced Tomatos and Green Chilis with the taco mix. Heat it up to a low bubble.

Lightly grease a 9X13 baking pan. Dip corn tortillas in sauce and layer the bottom of the pan. Then layer meat, beans, cheese and sauce. Start again with the tortillas and layer til top of the pan. Last layer should be cheese and top with olives. Bake at 400 for 35 minutes.

Remember beans are a good source of protein!

I got Tagged!

2006-09-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

10:15 on a Saturday Night tagged me! Unfortunately I don't know anyone else to tag, but I will respond to the questionnaire:

5 Things In My Purse:
1) wallet
2) Tide Stain Remover pen
3) cell phone
4) check book
5) cigarettes

5 Things in my closet:
1) clothes
2) shoes (I’m Imelda II)
3) Barbies and the boys action figure dolls
4) material (where I keep the extra)
5) sweaters

5 Things in my vehicle:
1) Loose change
2) golf shoes
3) Extra Bibles
4) stray jewlery (sometimes I forget to bring it in)
5) Extra ATM deposit envelopes

5 Things in my freezer:
1) Nori (seaweed for sushi)
2) Ice
3) Rice
4) Flour
5) meat from Costco

One book that changed your life:
His Needs, Her Needs by W. F. Harley, Jr.

One book that you've read more than once:
The Little House Books, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

One book that you’d want on a desert island:
Shogun, by James Clavell

One book that made you laugh:
If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What am I doing in the Pits, Erma Bombeck

One book that made you cry:
The Diary of Anne Frank

One book that you wish had been written:
Go To College Young Graduate of 1981

One book you couldn’t put down:
The Mayfair Witches, by Anne Rice

One book you are currently reading:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

One book you've been meaning to read:
1776 by David McCullough

Halloween is in the Air

2006-09-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

My buddy fell and broke open his chin. We were wondering what to do about it and this was my suggestion. For the scoop on the mishap check out my friend's blog at 10:15 on a Saturday Night .

Golf...or Why do I do this to myself?

2006-09-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

My girlfriend Norma and her husband Tom invited me and the hubby to go golfing. And like a fool I went.

Don't get me wrong. I love to golf, but one must play more than once every six months in order to do anything other than embarrass oneself.

Needless to say, I believe I just embarrassed myself. I COULD NOT MAKE THE BALL GO INTO THE HOLE. I had a meandering ball that day...it meandered to the right and then meandered to the left and sometimes it checked out the sandtraps and meandered in there a bit.

Finally on a Par 3 hole I hit a banger and plopped it on the green. Everyone else was everywhere else, no one hit the green but me. I was sooo happy...until it took six strokes to get it in the hole.

Sigh...

But a bad day of golf is always better than a good day at work. I have to keep telling myself this over and over and over and over.

Paint Yer Wagons

2006-08-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

Well its official. My family is leaving. My Aunt and Uncle received confirmation on the sale of their home and my father received confirmation of the purchase of his home in Missouri and so...
we are going to round the wagons up this month and move them back.

I am very pleased for my family. Retirement is financially better in Missouri than in California. I will miss them but know its for the best. Please pray for safe travel for us all.

Project Runway

2006-08-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

I love Project Runway. I love to sew and a reality based show on sewing is awesome to me; however, last night ack again I have to rant on television.

There is always struggles in competition. Competition means "competitive"; however, last night I was appalled.

At first I was clapping. They were going to do fashion for "the everyday woman," or as I like to say REAL WOMEN, NOT STICKS. They brought out average and different sized women as the models. Then the twist. The models are the designers mothers or sister and THE BIGGER TWIST, the designers cannot choose their own family member but someone else's mother or sister.

What followed was unbearably uncomfortable. The most uncouth of the designers, of course (rolls eyes), gets the mother of the designer he has chosen to scream at through the whole show. He ends up being extremely rude to this person, making her cry, and embarrassing his own mother who is there also. Then the designer of the crying mother coaches her to tell the judges "exactly what she thinks" on the runway. Which, I believe is wrong, they are models. But to make it EVEN worse, the judges as the designer whose mom was humiliated to comment on the dress made for the humiliated mom.

I was so disgusted by the end of the show. It is the only reality based television (and basically the only show on television other than NASCAR of course) that I watch.

Beautiful Child

2006-08-22T22:49:00.000-07:00

Every night I have that "beautiful child" moment. Honestly. Every night.

Tonight there were several moments. One was when the 14 - year old (aka Squid) told me he forgot to do his Spanish assignment. He knows that is major removal of privileges in our home. But he told me, named his punishment and then hugged me anyway.

The second moment was when out of no where the 17 - year old (aka Bull Jr.) hugged me. He doesn't hug, he doesn't touch, he doesn't cuddle...he never has, but tonight he hugged me.

"Mama said there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this my Mama said"

Did T.V. Go Bad All of The Sudden?

2006-08-20T23:32:00.000-07:00

Tonight, after having my car towed to the dealership, I came home and tried to relax and watch some television.

What happened to television? Tonight's choice, unfortunately, was the William Shatner roast. A problem that I have personally had my whole life was my inappropriate use of "blue" language. I am not proud of it, it seems to be a part of me that, though I do try to suppress, comes out at least one or two times a day. My favorite mistake of the English language is of course the the acronym of "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge." Yes I do know the origins of this word.

But tonight watching the Roast for William Shatner I was actually appalled by what I saw. I like cutting humor and sarcasm, but geeze louise, what the heck! Comedy Central pulled out all stops and allowed (with various bleeps that cover nothing) one of the raunchiest things I've ever seen on television. And when that wasn't on they had a plethora of "Girls Gone Wild" commercials, which I personnally believe is the same as having the Porn on television (the censor pixalation doesn't censor anything, my how these girls' parents must be proud).

I sometimes feel I belong to a different time. I liked the broads of the 40's like Kate Heburn and Lauren Bacall who said whatever was on their mind and said it a little blue but STILL KNEW THE BOUNDRY LINES. Where did the damn lines go? Can I go to Walmart and purchase the lines back and draw them somewhere so that people know that there really still are lines and DON'T NEED to be crossed?

What I saw tonight makes my lapses of blue look positively pale.

Humbled and Amazed

2006-08-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

Last night my mother in law called me. I always dread when my mother in law calls me, as I love her very, very much, but it usually means I need to go do something with or for her.

Last night she needed me to go do something with her. Her mother is 97 years old. She is 75. Her mother is currently residing in Vintage Gardens in East Fresno. We just moved her there from Carrington because the Nisei Center purchased Vintage Gardens (background: My husband is Japanese. The Nisei Center is a association of older Japanese people who plan events for elder Japanese.)

Anywho. Bachan (Grandma in Japanese) had a cut on her foot. The nurses had called and said that her foot was bleeding but it was ok. Well Bachan is diabetic. You can't leave cuts alone on a diabetic they need to be watched closely.

It was 5:00 when my mother in law called. I was driving home from work, in a truck with no air conditioning. To make it worse, its a five-speed and I haven't driven stick in years. I was feeling whiny and complaining in my heart about having to go somewhere after working all day.

I got home and cooled off. Took a bath and called Gary's mom to come pick me up. My husband said he would go with us. We went out to Clovis and to Vintage Gardens. There was a lovely black lady sitting on the bench in front of the building. She greeted us and we stopped for a minute and talked to her.

We then went in and there was Bachan sleeping in her chair with Jeopardy on the T.V. Bachan can't hear, but she likes to watch T. V.

After she woke up for a bit, my mother in law, Agnes got very close to her ear and started to ask her about her foot. Bachan said she didn't know how it got cut. We pulled off her sock and found that there was a very small, very clean bandaid on the heel. The foot looked good, the bandage didn't have any blood on it so we decided it was ok.

Then I noticed that Bachan's feet were very dry and kind of cracked. I went to the bathroom and got some lotion and brought it out and gave her a foot massage.

Then she smiled very big and said: "That feels so good."

Jesus washed the feet of his apostles. The were amazed. Sitting there rubbing lotion into the feet of our Bachan I was amazed I had never done this for anyone before. My day changed then and there. My heart soared. Its is always amazing how God brings himself into my day.

Close! But No Cigar.

2006-08-19T00:49:00.000-07:00

These are my children!

These, however, are not... Dance Fever

NASCAR W/FAN

2006-08-18T16:23:00.000-07:00

This is my second attempt at this post. My first attempt I couldn't get the stupid pictures to post....Anywho!!!

I am, and have always been, a NASCAR fan. Racing is a family thing I got from my father. I am a Team Gibbs fan and root for the 20 car and Tony Stewart.

Its funny but for a long time people just looked at me strange when I asked them about NASCAR. Now everyone's into it. Several of the women I work with (in a law office no less) follow the sport, so we have formed this e-mail ring that discusses NASCAR pretty much all week long. Our lovely Maya bought track pass and keeps us up to date on status. April's children draw pictures of me and the race drivers (in crayon), it gives the sport a homy feeling.

We also joke a lot about the drivers. We have pet names and attributes that we have assigned to them. Some of them are:

Ryan Newman (we always say his name in the Seinfield familiar)
Greg Biffle (given the nick name Rat Boy or his Indian name "Wall Kisser")

Some of the girls like to "argue" or "defend" their favorites. Many times the arguments stem over the Busch brothers and Jeff Gordon (with these three drivers either you love them or you want to go put debris on the track in front of their car).

Anyway, it makes the day go faster and gives us something to all talk about Mondays and Fridays.

Maya and I argue over Mr. Stewart, who she is sure one day will propose; if she can ever get near enough to him that is. And when she showed me a picture of him and some race honey, I couldn't help myself:

Working for a Paycheck

2006-08-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

Do you hate what you do for a living? I have hated what I have done for a living for ten years. Wasn't supposed to be this way, I used to like what I did. What I DID was a legal secretary. I liked that. I liked working cases, talking to clients, putting out files, typing, scheduling, moving the case along. What I DO is bill.

See 10 years ago the person in the office who did the billing quit. I was asked to take her place since I knew how to do it (is very complex because of guidelines). I said no...and then caved. Now I'm stuck. I thought I could do it for awhile and then train someone and then go back to doing what I like. What happened is someone in the office liked me where I was and has kept me there. I hate it.

Just get a new job you say? Easier said then done. The past few years my husband had to recreate his work status in life when our family farming business closed down. After two horrible jobs, he finally has found one that he likes. So he is settled.

And I am unsettled. Unsettled and feeling trapped by a paycheck. That makes me start looking at other things like:

1) Why do we BUY water? When did that happen. I resisted it for awhile, but now I too have bottled water.

2) When did PAYING for television make sense? I grew up on three channels and had a pretty happy childhood, now I have 600 and can't find anything to watch.

3) Do the calls I make on a cell phone warrant the bill for it? Let me think? No. I think I use it once a day for calls and um like 30 times a day to play backgammon. Who do I call? My kids. They have cell phones. They don't call me. Hmmm I need to rethink this.

4) Internet...oh forget that, I'll write the check right now.

Just some grousing, but things aren't any better even though they are more advanced are they?

Moving Daze

2006-08-18T10:08:00.000-07:00

With most of my family getting ready to move to Missouri, I am facing life for the first time without "The Horde" around me. We are like a Monglian tribe, my family and I, we do everything together. We play cards on weekends, we never plan a trip without consulting the whole family to see who would like to caravan along. We schedule our vacations together (in the past that meant camping at Strawberry Lake). So now I have to think more Generation X and individual. I don't really like this idea. I would like to pull up stakes, hitch the wagons, and convey to Missouri too...just because everyone else is going; however, that's not practical right now.

So for now, my prayers are with those that are going. My pod family (Gary and the boys) will remain here and life will go on...only some of the crayons will be missing from my box.