Hmm, Should have posted this on Saturday
Good Morning, This is me … I thought I’d try something different and write in the blog directly this morning. We’ve been up for a bit just catching up on things … and yes a little drifting and I think we’re about up to here.
We’ve as you noticed been writing to Thom lately so there hasn’t been much direct writing to the blog. There hasn’t been much direct work done either. If we are not writing there; we are reading the Marineparents.com message board. Yes and we write on that probably more than we should. We tell ourselves we are going to scale back and then we don’t seem able to do that because we want to respond to someone.
Thom’s by now waking up and he’s going to have a very hard day. I think they call this a housekeeping day because they’ll be working around their new barracks getting everything in ship shape and they will be learning to follow their drill instructors and do drills. It’s going to be a very busy day. I hope he got a good set of DIs.
I don’t think the Marines have bad ones. I sure hope he is doing good today … he has to know how to handle that frustration of his and I think the DI is going to know how to deal with that … MORE training! They really do work it out of them until they are ready to work on the same page as everyone else … Thom’s got a long ways to go there I think … we’ll see. I sure do hope he does good. Maybe later we’ll post some of the posts we’ve been putting up on the boards to get an idea where we’re at with the parent group. We’re a little jumbly right now though and PART of that is that we’re still in the stage of typing with the weight of Chief on our arms. CHEEEEEEEESE!
Whoo … finally, we have our ways … we breath on his fur too closely then after a while (we fall asleep) he gets up and moves. Hehehe it has to be done to save the arms and fingers!
We are not very sharp yet … maybe we should take our medicine? We’re nibbling at the pineapple slices too … who whispered in that birdies ear?! But, then we ate our leftover omelet from last night’s dinner so we think Sweetie is going to be grumpy cuz he said to save it for lunch, but we didn’t wait that long. One thing at a time, right? Hmm, first meds and washroom AND coffee refill AND pineapple? HMM??
AHA! Got all that done … feelin better! Oh we weren’t feelin bad? It’s ok feelin better!
Sooo, maybe not so sleepy now … let’s see how far we’ve gotten … not quite a page and it’s already 7:30 am … sheesh where’s the time go?
Ok, not so much then this morning. Sleepy bear will be in bed for about another hour. He had a very late night … he was picking up his daughter at about 12:30 am.
Terrible time to be coming in. He put me to bed about 8 or 8:30 pm and the said he was going to watch a movie, but then I think we convinced him to put on some music instead. Before he could adjust the station, we’d already fallen asleep so we cannot attest to what happened. It was our original theory that if he just rested on the couch listening to music for a bit, he wouldn’t be so tired coming back from dropping off his daughter way out west. I worry to pieces over him – although if he can get us in the sleeping position we’re out and there’s not much to be said about nuthin. We harassed him in the car all the way the home though about getting a nap in. He was giving us a hard time about not being a little boy anymore … and we were like … you’re an old man and that’s much worse! I know being terrible. BUT, the thing is … we don’t want him getting hurt. I think sometimes when he does stuff like this that he is tempting fate. Hmpf!
I know he loves it that his daughter comes home and he says that she is also coming home in May. He’s not sure why she’s coming home THIS often, but it is good that she is willing. He will be seeing her on Monday. It seemed like a long ways a way, but I guess that just means she’s tied up somewhere else for two days. I don’t know if she plans on seeing more of her Aunt than her Mom and Dad, but the Aunt just had her in Hawaii for the last week or so. I think … no, I’m not going to think … that would seem to be the safer way to go. Rich, of course, will be glad to see his daughter. Period. I think he’s going to try taking off a half day and seeing her into the evening … I would think he’d try to get another day in too, beside taking her back to the airport. More is always better in these cases.
I never know too much, but things in general going on with the rest of the family.
I think that part of what I learned last night was that Rich’s Mom and Stepfather were going to spend the weekend in town somewhere, I forget, but it was at a fancy hotel. I thought WOOHOOO!!! My first thought was that Rich should get his mother some nice and fancy nightgown. But, he didn’t think he should do that. I argued, but what if Bud couldn’t walk into a Fredericks …. And Rich was like … and you think I could?? SHEESH Men! They are soooo difficult. He could have borrowed Jillian for a moment … SHE would have known what to get Grandma! Sometimes girls are much more reasonable! Guys get over sexualized and then that stumbles them up. Girls are certainly thinking sexual thoughts, but they can be more coy … I think. Of course, we are making this up off the top of our head, and most likely that is showing.
So anything else in the news? Not much … you heard the part of Maury wanting to go
all of a sudden to Texas?
I think I wrote about it in one of Thom’s letters, though briefly. Basically, Lauren got a job offer, so for some extra thousands, which Maury believes will get them out of debt, they are willing to drop everything they know – especially home and family – friends and leave. I’m going to be ok with this when I have to be, but at this very moment I’m feeling a little bad about it. I know it is their choice so I won’t interfere … It’s just that I don’t think they are thinking it through as to how much they rely on Lauren’s mother and how much Maury relies on his family. Not me as much, but on his Dad. I think he’s over there several times a week. Me … he spends more time with on the phone … and my relationship with the granddaughters is good, but secondary to the one I have with Maury and way behind the relationship that the girls have with their other grandmothers.
I know should probably stop thinking that way … just feel it. ANY way…
Think Maury is going to get down there and find that Lauren just as easily makes good surface friends with her new store buddies and Maury is going to be left in isolation without family or friends. He talked about working maybe at UPS at night, but that gets him out of sync with his family for sleeping and with people in general. I would hope he make friends … he usually finds just a few special friends at work, but then he’s not getting any closer to Lauren if they are on split shifts. The thought was presented that if they were going to rely on each other more, they would have to work things through better, but that could work either way as to helping or hurting them more. I don’t know. Maury is optimistic in the part that it is just a 3-5 years commitment, but he is downplaying how long that is. The only way that would work is if she would back off him enough and he would self motivate himself to get the degree while he was there. That’s the only way I think it would be worthwhile. AND, he’d have to learn to pay off that debt instead of thinking they had more to spend.
Ok, so that is that. You can be sure I’d get the phone where I could talk all times of the day. And, they would have to get a webcam. HMPF!
Ahh, do you know what we just did? We did a load of clothes – at least brought one down and started the washer so lover bunny could sleep in some more . We’ll see how that works. We figure we can get one more load in too … we’ll see how long he sleeps naturally. It’s 8:11 now … he said wake him up at 8:30 cuz of the clothes, but we’ll let him sleep, then next load at 8:50 … so if he’s still sleepin we’ll start that load too. He’ll be SOOO surprised an happy! It was hard on our numb feet at back coming up, but it’s tolerable … just have to sit and rest. The next load going down would be the hardest cause we’re carrying a basket too, but the third trip at 9:35 be easiest because then just switching loads? Hmm. Nope gotta bring a load up … better Rich do that one … Pretty sure he’d be up by THAT time!
Anyway … so far so good.
So, what’s next worker woman!??
Fresh coffee yup yup got that … medicines good … mood great! Don’t think there’s much to add on the medical. I think on Tuesday we have to do something on the arthritis, and there is a meeting down toward UIC for South Chicago Providers …
We’ll have to see if the times coordinate to make both, but I think the parking is prohibitive. I’m not able to walk across the street – distance is too great. *Sigh*
Hopefully by Tuesday we’ll find out something on the new glasses because it will have been 10 business days. They are taking a long time, which is not appreciated for the amount of money spent on them – though it WILL be nice to have the better prescription. I’m looking forward to that. We’re still going to be using the same old frames. I think we’ve used the same frames for about 12 years now, but they were good and passed the test – just they won’t take responsibility for them if they break.
I’m not up for getting the small square one’s after so many years having big ones to look out from. My eyes aren’t good enough to peer out from in back of my glasses as if I were reading beyond someone’s mind intelligently. I think that’s just a mental game anyway and don’t want to be caught dead using it. The other problem going smaller is that I’d have to still fit in the tri-focal part and I’m thinking I’ll take it the way it is now … I don’t want things all squinchy. Plus if I were to choose again … I’d just get the same tortoise shell. I’m pretty old fashioned about that – AND since we’re borrowing the money seemed to make sense to stay as low in cost as we could … Just made sense all around. I think we got the Rich nod of approval on that.
WooHooo! 8:31 am and sleepy bear is still sleeping … so far so good! Hope that light outside his window doesn’t wake him. He got up around 5 am to use washroom … think he’s good to go there hehehe.
As to work. We’re not getting too much done there … see first couple of paragraphs. We’re obsessing with Thom’s stuff. Have to get head out of cloud there. There’s been some pain in the neck stuff going around mostly with the newer staff clique. Theresa, Candice and Stephanie have banned together and have been making themselves into a group outside the group, which has been getting harder on the rest of them because they’ve been so camp’ish about it. I guess a couple of weeks ago they started a new thing where they’ve been bringing in and eating salads together – so Maria saw they were having corned beef and cabbage, etc as a package meal at her grocery store and asked around who wanted to go in for it … turned out the old staff was game and it came out as an anti new group thing to do.
I don’t know how that will turn out, but it’s what’s going to go down on Monday anyway. I think the old group is tired of having the tryst thrown in their face as if we are not good enough for them. There’s a lot of attention, because it was ok for a while that Candice be allowed to go into Theresa’s room to work on outfits for Spring Fling, but now she’s brought in her computer and calculator and is working there during the day. I will just wait it out, because I don’t believe that Sister is going to put up with that for long. The first several days it happened this week I thought bleh … and just left without her because she was staying overtime with Theresa. She didn’t show yesterday because she stated she was up all night with a friend in emergency, and she came in late on Thursday, but …
She was out of the office most of the day with the exception she had a late lunch in the office – to avoid I believe coming to the 1 pm meeting on time, and when she came in she blasted her music instead of wearing her ear phones. Then she left again. Later 15 minutes before time to leave she came in and started as if she worked there. But, she put on this terrible smelling bath water. I was so taken back I asked what that was and then responded – oh it smells strongly. I was most frustrated because I didn’t want to take her home after being disregarded for a complete day/week- and I thought that’s why she had come back. I was playing it out to wait her out.
But, then Rich called and I knew I had to go home, so I stood up and put on my coat … and then she put on her coat. So I really felt compelled to have to ask her if she wanted the ride home which of course she did. Bleh, Bleh … I felt dirty and used. Plus, I had to deal with that scent was going to permeate my car. I couldn’t stop but to think that the noise on the radio and the body wash had both been done to irritate me. It was like a piddle-shit war game I didn’t want to play.
Pshwoo… It’s 9 am and sleepy bear still in his cave sleeeeepin away. We got the second load of clothes downstairs. The next switch – going to only do 2 loads – comes up in 45 minutes so that means if sleep bear doesn’t wake up we should gear ourselves to bring up the clothes. That be really hard, but then we’ve got to talk ourselves into the knowledge that we can rest as much as we want coming up right? This last trip we had to rest between the 2nd and 3rd landing. I’m pretty determined though not to wake up sexy … I mean sleepy until he does it on his own natural accord. Hmpf! We just gave Missy a bunch of extra petting so she wouldn’t meow and wake him up. She can be that way ya know! So far so good about not running into neighbors while you’re wearing your flannel pjs. Pshwoo.
As to the other stuff. I think sister is letting things ride until after the Spring Fling … by now Candice is thinking she designed it. Yeeks! Ok, no more of that stuff … enough said. You about got the idea.
Thinking group was pretty average. We were working of the chart for making your own selections and community so we let the group choose a room – they chose a bedroom.
And, we talked about putting furniture in the bedroom. We asked them what they
would put in first … They as a group decided that a television was first priority.
So we had them draw a TV. After the TV was drawn – Many of them wanted to show us … hehehe they are so cool! Then we wanted them to decide where they would shop for their TV. They came up with 3-4 choices and we had volunteers write the choices up on the blackboard, so they could be copied next to the picture.
Then we went on … the next item was the bed, but some of the group decided they would rather have a couch in their bedroom that way they could sit up and watch TV and then sleep on the couch at night. So we said of course, ok to that. Pictures were drawn, labels of stores added. I was thinking next toward a lamp or light, but one of the guys decided they needed shampoo … so people drew in shampoo and shopped for that. The light came after that. They decided on hanging, table or floor light. All the time they were showing the pictures to each other and staff. There was quite a bit of fluidity in that people were getting up and down to get a better view of the board. Others could get it from their chair. One of the guys decided he would draw in Jewels and then we said out loud ok, that’s good … is it ok that you can have food in your bedroom … they all agreed to that so they started naming off grocery stores. It didn’t take soon after that that they decided they’d shopped long enough they needed to stop at BK or McDonald’s, pizza or something. Hehehe The last item added was a closet full of clothes for the people that were still there.
Most of the people shopped at Walmart, Target, or K-mart for their clothes.
Pshwoo … lot of packages!
Whoops sweeties up!
Ok back for just a minute … sugar is in the shower. WOOHOO~!! He’s umm the non-dissolving kind hehehe
We’ve been up talking for about 75 minutes and doing stuff … Like he went down and got that first load of clothes, and we both hung stuff up and he checked his email … and we drank coffee and just talked. It was very nice. He’s going to be away most of the day so we had to get in some good listening time especially. He’s leaving in about 45 minutes or less (after the 2nd load of laundry) and he’s only coming home for a quick pork chop dinner about 4:30 – 5:00 pm, and, then he’s most likely going to leave again to meet his brother over at his mother’s. His brother is an over-the-road truck driver and he drives from coast-to-coast and isn’t in that often so its kind of a big deal when he is here. They have to be careful though not to interrupt plans for the mother’s and Bud’s anniversary at the hotel.
Rich commented older people do things one at a time … hehehe like ME! Whoops speaking of … I sense a naked man about to cross my periphery vision. You know I’m going to be all for that!
Wow! That was intense … we spent another ½ hour with Rich, but now he is gone. He left a $10 bill in case something happens. I’m thinking he’s thinking that he might go straight from the game to his brothers, because he was waffling on being here and maybe cooking the pork chop anyway at 9 pm just to get it cooked. It’s 11:15 am now already and there’s a good chance I might not be up at 9 pm, but we’ll try. It’s harder though to think he won’t be in for that intermission time. Had kind of hoped for that. Long day of writing and reading I’m thinking. I wish that we’d have open the military chat room on Saturday’s. But, at least the Board is open and if nothing else, we could go back to figuring out about that other chat room … I forgot how to get there though. How was it??
Mom Letter #13 - March 9, 2008 - Reporting weather from Chicago to be 23 F.
Dear Thom,
Hey Dear one – how are you doing? I’m thinking now in that double view way I have of doing things. This morning you are waking up if you aren’t up already and it is the day to go. I mean to really go. It’s going to happen today. You’re finally leaving and I’m pretty sure you’re happy about it though you might have a knot in the bottom of your stomach. Most likely you have the day planned out. And, there’s probably space between things to do some slow enough reflections to make sure everything gets done right … like saying good-bye to some of the people you are very close to. I have to tell you though … I’m going to have a hard time not giving you one more call. I’m not sure when though you are going to disconnect your cell phone. Maybe you are letting it continue … I think that point you were going to check out.
I have to tell you that as much grief as you gave for getting your pictures it was about the nicest thing you could have ever done for me at this point except for the part where you came up and gave me my good-bye smooches and hugs. Shoot crying again. I’ve been staring at these pictures for about 6 hours … I had to sleep the other hours
I have too many thoughts now to go over the progression of thoughts I have as the pictures were taken, but there’s someone in our system that is telling over and over again about how brave she was for facing up against the Thom tiger in getting off all those Thom-thom shots while he was putting on his growing growly crinkly-nose face! WooHOOO!! Danger! Danger!! We’re living on the wild side now!!!
Umm, you might have to live in our world to understand. But – we did good! There are others that might say we were actually “playing” with the Thom and for those few seconds … we were on his board! Well the picture victory dances have been going on all night you can see. Mostly then we end with the last picture – where you are just walking toward us. It’s the last picture. There’s two I really love … this last one with primarily you and the one of the three of you where even Joe is smiling – the three of you look so happy – like you’ve just had a good time.
Oh … shoot … a dozen letters without a picture … you are going to need shooting me – but, let’s not use your standard service rifle, ok? Cuz, I think they are going to give you real bullets for that thing. YEEKS! The following are the two pictures that we keep talking about that we love so much. But, of course we’ve got them on the slideshow version so they show up paused on our 22” widescreen and we just are in awe that the three of you are part of us, cuz we’re so gosh darn proud how you all turned up. We get real excited thinking that in each of these pictures you are looking at us and you it makes us happy for those few seconds that we’re in your attention and you got those gosh darn nice smiles on. Wow. You guys are just so cool!
Hmmm, Just one more picture …. We like to think of this as the before and after shot … remember to keep your eye on the prize, k??
Ok, no more pictures now til you say it’s ok, but … just saying is all. Thought you might appreciate what we’re looking at. Thinking you’re a pretty big deal around here this morning.
Ok, this is it for just a little bit. It’s almost 10 am now. Rich woke up about 8:20 am and we’ve been watching his Sunday morning news show with him. Now it’s over and it’s been decided that we’re going to go to the zoo in a couple of hours, but he wanted to make omelets first … I’m going to need jumping in the shower, so I’m ready. I just tell him to tell me when he wants me at the back door *giggle* otherwise he’d hen-peck me to pieces … “are you going to take your shower, did you take your medicine, are you going to get dressed?” Sheesh. He Shoulda been born the mother! Poor Rich never knows when the responsible parts are going to be out verses the more umm lthe more ess responsible. So, the time part works for all … just tell us when to be at the back door coat on back! We can handle it from there.
It’s a little harder if time isn’t made for us to be at our computer on the weekend. But, we know that it’s really a woman’s place, well at least an Ann’s place to stand by her man while he’s making the omelets! It’s our way of letting him know … well one of the ways we let him know how much we appreciate the gazillion things he does for us. Plus … sometimes we squeeze more “talk” from him … an Lord knows women LOVE to talk! Hehehe.
Ok, so we’ll be back in a bit … but, I’m not sure before or after the zoo. You can better believe it … we’ll be bringing the new camera! BBL
Hey there … just back for a moment. We’re waiting our turn in the bathroom … about to take that shower. We’ve been pushed back in time … it’s already 11:30 pm, but that’s fine … Zoo’s open til 5 pm. Rich was going out to one of the card games after the zoo – he plays money poker with I don’t know big groups with his friends that are around … who knows. But, anyway, decided not to so he can get his son’s taxes done and fix his reels, AND get us to the zoo hehehe. Good Rich. We had a really, really nice time at the brunch. Rich reads a lot – almost every night – especially after he tucks me in and he likes to read spy stuff and science fiction and medieval mysteries and stuff like that. But, he told me a little about how the FBI and the CIA work and how they now both fuel Homeland Security and how deep Intelligence is … but, I’m sure he’s just scratching the top. Bottom line was that I think he is very proud of what you are getting into. I know that you have to start at the very bottom, but dependent on your own level of motivation you could do a lot of things.
Just need to stay motivated Thom … and that kind of thing starts right now with the very next thing you do … and that goes for me too. So, with that … I’m going to take a very good shower, get dressed and set up my camera to “Go!”
See you in a bit!
Love Ya Lots and Lots Mom!
(News Joke Break today …)
Mom Letter #12 - March 7, 2008 - Reporting weather from Chicago to be 27 F.
Dear Thom,
Hey there recruit Thom!! How’s my son?? Are they treating you well? Ok, working you hard, but you are safe and sound each night, right? I think it would look bad on a DI’s records if they kept sending you to the docs. I’m not sure if by now you are in the stages of being out in the field doing things with the Rifles and such, or if you are even past that stage. Because my letters aren’t timed right … we’re trying to bypass those thoughts. If you’d like to write and tell me where you are at, I’ll send more current letters right away. And, just let some of these older letters filter in. That’s right double letters! Just until they run their course.
Shoot, by the time it’s ok to be writing to you … I could have almost 30 letters – shoo! Maybe we’ll miss a day or two … don’t even want to think of that – trying to build discipline alongside you.
I don’t know what you think of your DI’s by now. I know in yesterday’s letter I had sent something stating stages of thinking about things in boot camp – especially of the DI’s. I could see what it had said as being true for many – but, maybe not all. People would be coming in at all different stages. I’m thinking that guys don’t talk about their feelings as much as girls, but you’ve had a chance to hear some of the guys’ grief – if not adding your own. That’s probably a healthy thing to go through. Just so you keep in mind it’s a stage in this process – it won’t last throughout the whole process. You are like a recruit evolving. It’ll get more positive. I know, I know … you’re not in the mood for Mom psychology, right?
Trying our best not to upset you, but still feel like a mother hen watching out for her chick! Yes Thom, I know you can take care of yourself, AND I know you are in a MAN CAMP. Sheesh, ok, ok … BUT … you’re still my Thom-Thom k?? Hmpf!
Ok, ok we’re going to be taking off in a minute because we have our big monthly meeting – first Friday of the month. It’s the Administrative meeting.
Ok, now it’s after.
The St. Rose admin team is Sister Theresa, Rich, the 3 Q’s, and this time an extra sister Mary Patricia. She’s helping in group II. The basic pecking order here is the Administrator – Sister Theresa, Consultant and Workshop – Rich, Q’s Holly and I with our own specialties – my specialties are staff trainer, program developer, group trainer and accreditation specialist and I have a case load of 10 clients– Holly’s got financial assistance with the state and a special sub-set home-base program (also a matter of adjusting state funding), and a case load of 17, plus a group, and the new Q Candace has a caseload of 17, she does Group 1 on Mondays, and she does a small choir group. Q or QMRP stands for Qualified Mental Retardation Professional. It’s a BA degree job in a social/psychology orientated field. (I’ve got the hardest job – Holly’s just routine paperwork BLAH! Fill-in the blanks) umm … we’re a little competitive.
The DSPs -Direct Support Persons are under us with high school degrees. There are eight of them Brandy – Leadership Group, Sue – Group 1, Theresa – Group 2, Maria – Group 3, and Theresa & Stephanie – Group 4. Plus there is Margarita who roams around subbing in, driving and doing housekeeping. Imelda has been doing a lot of maternity leave, but she’s supposed to be doing art and trips, and Rosa is the secretary interpreter. Maria, Stephanie, Margarita, and Imelda also speak Spanish.
Hmm, I guess that’s it … you got the whole St. Rose.
Ok, don’t lose those last paragraphs … save them for a time when you’re not so tired. Then you can imagine it like a small play and these are the characters.
It’s going to make the next 20 or more years of you being away a lot easier to do.
It’s easier if you think – umm EVERY one thinks they are the boss hehehe. There are other things going on like committee’s and boards, but this is the core of St. Rose. We have about 46 clients or adults with Developmental disabilities (mental retardation) come for 6 hours a day to go through general life training and job coaching. They are from 21 through about 48 years and their range of achievement is from mild to severe/profound, but 75% are moderate which means they talk, and think and do stuff like you’d expect well I don’t know I’ve been around them so long I think they seem normal. 49% of the clients are Spanish, 30% are Black, 17% are White, and 4% are Asian.
The people who are moderate don’t write – though many copy well, do math or money well, or tell time, but they care and share and love purely and they try harder than anything! About 20% also have some kind of mental disability, but then again so do I. So we’ll let that go. To them I’m Ms. Ann and they know me as a counselor/teacher/friend or authority when they need one. The only one that trumps me hehehe is Sr. Theresa. Yup, yup they know it.
Sr. Theresa is a very strong 80’s year old nun and she likes to trump people … I think you could easily compare her to a drill sergeant. First you think she’s horrible, and then you get to loving and admiring her and hoping she’ll stay forever. Believe me … she’s not planning to go anywhere. She shovels the front walk before anyone gets here, leads the place, takes charge of everything, but still likes to retire about 2:30 pm for a nap. We think that’s reasonable. By then the clients are gone and we can wake her, but everyone tries to avoid it like the dickens! She’d be like you couldn’t take care of that? Yeeks!
Ok, I’ll stop for the time being … but just so you know the team players. I’m probably not ever going to talk about many more people. I’m not part of any organization, don’t go to church or nuthin. OH there is one thing! I’m a part of the zoo! I’m a regular member. On my better weekends (closes too early on weekdays), I like to go to the zoo with or without Rich to take pictures and walk.
I take my wheel chair and go as long as I can walk and then I sit. It’s pretty cool. It’s my “other” thing. Shoot just a chatty Cathy today. Ok, ok I can stop.
Shhhhh.
Anyway … the meeting went well. Everyone was nice. Rich got scolded a little by Sr. because Rosa’s computer is down and Sr. wants to blame him. Rich has a program on there to use for client payroll – they do workshop work – and it wasn’t working … Rosa – the secretary called the software company 20 times and now they say they’ll have to start charging her, but Sr. says WHY? You haven’t fixed anything, but the question remains – is it a hardware or a software problem – and Sr. should have called in our computer Geek person instead of Rosa, but she didn’t want to pay His cost. So Rich got blamed. Umm cuz he installed the program 6 years ago. Yup, yup justice sometimes works like that. Nothin to do except to say ok, what’s next on the agenda … then sister forgets for the time being and we all move on and everyone’s happy – except Rich will have a bruised feeling which will deserve extra backrubbing. Yup yup that’s the way life works around here. Problems are followed by solutions, and if we ran out of problems, well why then would we need back rubs?
Hmpf I’d be put out of commission! That wouldn’t do at all?!!
Funny … thinking again of you DI … you wouldn’t want his negative attention too.
Sr. would just give you the evil eye and might talk to one of your co-workers about you … that’s the worse. I don’t know what I’d do if the Lord gave her the option of saying drop and do 50 push-ups! That be umm un-earthly?
It seems harder today to think of what you are doing. I’m not sure why that is.
There were a few other things that happened that I wanted to tell you about then I promise I will stop. The first one was about that car loan thing we talked about yesterday or last letter. We got Rich on the phone with us to talk to the next guy … and basically what they are saying is that they are giving us a car loan – they call it a Turbo-check we can take to any franchised car dealer and the check we get is blank and can be written for any amount between $5,000 and 29,216. The interest rate is 11.19% for 60 months. Right now my interest rate is 15.something. But, I don’t know how the deal would work out, because I paid a lot of over-expense on the Scion … I think it’s only worth $10,000 even though it’s 2006, and we owe $16,000 on it. So, that’s the deal, but Rich seems interested in trying to do something with it. So we’ll see where he goes with it. I really don’t mind the car. I’ve kept it nice and clean and it fits the chair and is nice and scooty. Wouldn’t mind taking down the payments though. We’ll see. We’ve got a month to make a deal.
The other deal was with the surgery … it’s an all going forward.
Pshwoo … we just got out of the second meeting for the day. The second is the staff meeting – not to be confused with the staff training meeting. Staff training is my meeting … staff meeting is on first Friday’s too – I switch off every other month attending this meeting with Holly on the opposite meeting one or the other of us has to watch the extra 46 clients. It’s just like holding a Thinking Group. So, basically this second meeting of the day is the meeting where mostly everything gets repeated to the DSPs after its been smoothed over by admin. Plus we get their input. I like this meeting best of all the meetings, because its pretty light.
There’s a problem now between the new Q and the newest DSP – they have formed an anti-government to Sr. and the rest. Yeeks. Well you can imagine how that’s going to go. Sr. is going through the processes she does before she releases someone.
She keeps repeating I made a mistake on that one. We keep saying uh huh, uh huh.
Ok, nuf of that. Except to say the couple of negative people actually 3 of them went down negative on the speaker when it was reviewed … couldn’t figure out why, except to make a statement. I think Candice the new Q is thinking she could do the job better because she came up with someone who could do the next presentation. Sr. looked at me during admin … and I looked back and said … sure why not? But, Candice doesn’t understand this is not going to save her … she’s still too close to being fired for anything this small to save her. She’s got to talk to the boss - Sr. She tries to ignore the boss … wrong way to go. As much as someone with an ego might not like taking orders from authority – it’s got to be respected otherwise there would be chaos and danger. They are just too young to see it.
Hmm …. Funny thing we just thought of too. The negative things these people are bringing up … don’t come up until they are in a public forum. Nothing is said one to one. Then there is a lot of going back to small groups to count the score. I know I’m going on an on here Thom and I apologize for it. I guess the only way to do it is to double image it. See how or if it applies to any situation you are or have been in. I don’t know if this is something everyone does … or if its more just women. I know that Rich and us – not to the same extent, but do talk over experiences between staff … but, he’s much quicker at blowing them off as non-important. I think you would be that way too. But, I see Rich get in relationship squabbles with others that he works with more with his Production coordinators and shipping/receivers, and upper-ups.
Maybe you watch the way your fellow recruits relate? Are there patterns of how people treat each other. Do some guys group up and others get left out? That’s one of the things I read about first as how you guys are supposed to work as teams. I would like some of that kind of training. I’d like people to work together. But, I’m most apt not to want to work with people that are negative … Sister is like we have to work with what we get, but I don’t like to be hurt. I know this small group is afraid of me because of my intelligence, directness, and authority, but as a group they try to “nit-pick” me which is irritating. I know my boss would as soon fire them and keep me … so that’s not the question. But, I’d like to have more respect than that. But, on the other side … I just don’t want to deal with them.
Rich would say just do your work. So, with that thought, I know he’s right … should be moving on.
I think I’m being a very confusing Mom right now. This is what happens maybe when I write in the middle of a first Friday.
I’m really sorry. I just stopped and did what I should have this morning. I made the next step arrangements for the surgery. I could only leave messages, but I let the RN’s from the Surgeon’s office know that everything was in that I knew of and they should or could probably start the insurance paperwork. Again this could be a month process waiting for them to say yes. One day at a time.
Hmm, you are thinking page 4 and what … no joke yet?? Wow she’s letting me down … Oh no Thom, I wouldn’t do that. Hold on we’ve got one coming up now … Hold on!
• Q. How did all the daytraders manage to fit under the limbo bar at their party?
A. They had all gone short.
• Q. How come the congo line kept breaking up at the daytrader's party?
A. Not many of them were willing to go long.
• Q. Why couldn't the Daytraders agree where they meet to get together?
A. They all wanted to keep their Options open until the last minute.
Shoot … those didn’t go over your head or nuthin, right? Hehehe just teasin smart man!
The Admiral
One night in a bar, sits a marine general, an army general, and a navy admiral. Each of them is claiming how brave their soldiers are. So they decide to have a test and see who has the bravest soldiers. The marine general goes first, so they all go the marine base, and the general calls out a private.
"Yes, Sir," says the private. The general says, "You see that tank out there. I want you to run at it, and don't turn back." He gets killed, and the marine general says, "My soldiers are the bravest."
The army general interjects and says, "No, no, no, my soldiers are the bravest." So they then go to the army base. The army general calls out a private. "Private!" "Yes, Sir." "You see that firing squad out there. I want you to run at it, and don't come back." He gets shot and killed, and the army general says, "My soldiers are the bravest."
The navy admiral interjects and says, "No, no, no, my soldiers are the bravest." So they then get on a navy ship. The admiral calls up to the guy in the Crow's Nest. He says, "Private." "Yes, Sir." "Jump." "Screw You!!!" "My soldiers are the bravest," exclaims the admiral.
OK, we’re going to jump lighter ….
Teacher: If I give you two rabbits and two rabbits and another two rabbits, how many rabbits have you got?
Paddy: Seven!
Teacher: No, listen carefully again. If I give you two rabbits and two rabbits and another two rabbits, how many rabbits have you got?
Paddy: Seven!
Teacher: Let's try this another way. If I give you two apples and two apples and another two apples, how many apples have you got?
Paddy: Six.
Teacher: Good. Now if I give you two rabbits and two rabbits and another two rabbits, how many rabbits have you got?
Paddy: Seven!
Teacher: How on earth do you work out that three lots of two rabbits is seven?
Paddy: I've already got one rabbit at home now!
See lighter?! Less fluffy?
Computer novices may feel like they're alone these days, but some of the following calls to IBM's help center show there are plenty of people out there who still are inching onto the information superhighway. After a caller gave a technician her PC's serial number, he scanned a database of registered users and responded, "I see you have an Aptiva" desktop unit. Before he could say another word, the caller shrieked and said she'd be right back. When the customer returned, the technician asked if she was all right. The caller responded: "Had I realized you could see me, I never would have telephoned in my bathrobe."
A customer who had just received a laptop computer asked about the power-saving feature known as "hibernate." Would this hibernate device work in the spring and summer, the caller asked.
Another caller explained she had received a gift of software on 5.25-inch diskettes, but she had only a 3.5-inch disk drive on her computer. The technician said she had two options: Get a second disk drive, or use 3.5-inch diskettes. The customer called back later, now complaining that her disk drive was making a terrible noise. And this despite the fact that she was using a 3.5-inch diskette, she said. After a bunch of questions, the technician determined the caller had used a pair of scissors to trim the 5.25-inch diskettes to fit the 3.5-inch drive.
A caller, perplexed that his new desktop computer - the one that was supposed to do everything short of bringing on world peace - was doing nothing, cried out for help.
No problem, the IBM technician said. First, open a "window" to launch a specific program. The conversation continued, and the caller asked a few moments later if it might be all right to close the window. Why, the IBM technician asked. Because, the caller responded, it was getting very chilly.
See Thom there are reasons why your country is calling you!
Hmm, as to news. Clinton is refusing to tell about the people he’s pardoned back when he was a principle. We’ll want to know your philosophy about super sneaky things.
Wow! I didn’t know this was happening … just speaking of sneaky things….
Goodell Seeks Harsher Spying Penalties
By DAVE GOLDBERG,
Associated Press
Posted: 2008-03-07 14:49:38
NEW YORK (AP) - NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants to crack down on spying next season with more inspections and harsher penalties, steps that follow the disciplining of the New England Patriots for taping opponents' signals.
Goodell is urging tougher action on teams and employees that would include unannounced inspections of locker rooms and coaches' areas in press boxes and a lower standard of proof for imposing discipline on those who violate rules. Loss of draft choices would be a possible punishment.
Hmm, this is news it follows something saying that Bush may be admitting a recession…
Fed Takes New Steps on Credit Crisis
By JEANNINE AVERSA,
AP
Posted: 2008-03-07 10:44:23
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Reserve is taking bigger steps to ease the nation's credit crisis, including increasing the amount of loans it plans to make available to banks this month to $100 billion.
The Federal Reserve announced Friday that it will boost the size of auctions planned for March 10 and March 24 to $50 billion each. That is up from the $30 billion limits it had previously announced. The auctions serve as short-term loans to get banks the cash they need to keep lending to their customers.
The Fed, in a statement, said it planned to continue the auctions for at least six months, and would move to even larger auction amounts if needed.
In a second step, the Fed said it will make $100 billion available to a broad range of financial players through a series of separate transactions starting on Friday.
The Fed has been working to pump billions of dollars into the banking system to aid an economy rocked by the subprime mortgage crisis and the severe tightening of credit. The central bank started its new type of auction in December to provide short-term loans to cash-strapped banks in hopes of keeping them lending. So far, the Fed has made available a total of $160 billion in short-term loans to banks through six auctions.
Hmm, this seems very suspicious.
CEOs Tied to Loan Crisis Made Millions
Posted: Friday 03/07/08 02:32 PM EST
Filed Under: Business News
AP / Getty Images
Lawmakers grill the current and former heads of three financial companies who collected millions of dollars as their companies lost huge amounts of money in the subprime mortgage crisis. "It seems that CEOs hit the lottery when their companies collapse," says one irate congressman.
This is a guy we can appreciate though …
23-Year Old Facebook CEO Is World's Youngest Billionaire
Posted Mar 7th 2008 1:22PM by Tim Stevens Filed under: Computers
The times they are a-changing. Back in the day, you needed to be a mogul perched high atop an industry that you helped create to to get a spot on the Forbes list of richest folks (either that or be the heir of one of those fortunes). These days, though, all it really takes is a good idea, some technical know-how, and a bit of luck. Those are things that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has in spades, which is why he's now the youngest self-made billionaire to appear on Forbes list of richest people in the world.
ACK SPACE ….
SQUEEZING IN LOVE YOU LOVE YOU MOM!!!!! THOM TAKE CARE!!!!
Mom Letter #11 - March 6, 2008 - Reporting weather from Chicago to be 27 F.
Dear Thom,
Just me again. How are you doing? I’m hoping that if you’re reading this that it is the end of the day and the day though hard is coming to a close. Still hoping you are falling asleep with no problems. I’m also hoping that SD weather is going well with you. I’m glad that you are not there during the real hot months … that might have been overly hard. Lord knows they are putting enough stress on you all even without the weather complications. I’m not sure – haven’t heard, but is there a chance that the barracks are air conditioned? Just a thought – I know Mom thought…
It’s Thursday now so there are only a few more days here now as I am writing the letter before you are shipping off. Three days to be exact. I’m counting your day leaving as to Sunday the day you go to the hotel. I’m wondering if you’ll be sharing a room with others and how your travel arrangements went. Still worrying about how they have you getting to SD in the middle of the night. I heard from one of the mothers that they suggest making sure you have a $20 in your pocket in case you are delayed and need something to eat at one of the airports. I like that idea a lot. And, if you don’t want to get there with money – just give it away, K?
We’ll talk about that maybe on Saturday when we meet.
This morning I got back a response letter from the first set of letters I sent in to Marineparents.com. I was really excited. I brought the brochure and letter to Sue the instructor (DSP) from Group I. There are 5 groups at St. Rose Leadership, and then Groups I, II, III, & IV. More on that later, but Sue picked up on the Cue and is having her group write to you and to a Marine for the support packages. I’m not sure what to expect, but I’m looking forward to seeing their letters. I hope you don’t mind. They don’t know much about you know, but according to their questions or statements I will help fill in their information – if you ever wanted to write them a short note they would be very excited. We’ll check that out later though. I am going to wait and see what kind of letters they write. I don’t know if they are going to do individual letters, or group letters, or if they will print them out themselves, or if they will do pictures. We’ll see.
If that goes over well, we could have three of the other groups do something – four groups really … Cathy could do something nice with group four. They say the more mail the better, but I know you don’t want to stick out … so I know we have to do a balance. I want people to be aware of you and that you are doing something this hard. I was crushed to see in the news today that someone had attacked the recruiter’s office in NY at Times square … that’s about the most terrible thing.
They said that office recruits about 10,000 military people a year. I think it’s going to be a developing story, but the military is going to take it as a direct attack. I’d hate to see them stationing people at the offices just to make sure they were protected - couldn’t do copycatting though that would be non-permissible. Ok, that’s a negative story slipping through didn’t mean to do that … just it’s a big deal – even if it cowardly.
Ok let’s go somewhere else. Shhh…
We were saying with the letters – the groups here … they just want to love someone.
That’s all … and they want to know people out there in real life. To them … before you even step onto the plane – you were a hero to them … you are just going to be getting bigger and bigger. You also went on their prayer list today. Just thought you should know that there were strong forces over this way praying for you – AND hoping that you get through boot camp and beyond! I told them that you were going to be a super sneaky spy … that part may have to be corrected. But, impulsively that’s what comes to our mind to explain what you are going to do … like the joke the other day where the response ends as a “spyder” to explain an “undercover” animal.
Hmm, maybe it’s time for a new joke … let’s see. Ahh Perhaps a story … I went through a few, but this one stuck out as particularly good. It’s about your experience seen through the eyes of a Marine as he looked back on boot camp. Does this make sense to wherever you are Thom?
Boot Camp. . . through the eyes of a recruit
Submitted by: Don J. Flickinger Sgt. USMC
Sgt Grit Marine Specialties
Recruit Training, United States Marine Corps, officially comprises three definitive phases. First Phase concentrates on orientation, study of military subjects and physical training. Second Phase includes marksmanship training, combat exercises and long hikes. Third Phase is service week, final polishing and, finally, graduation.
Three phases also exist in the mind of the recruit. These are not, however, the same three phases measured by exact dates in the drill instructor's schedule.
Phase one begins in the small, dark hours of the morning. The former happy civilian steps off the bus into a world of disorientation. His mind is snapped into abject shock. Cardiac arrest is a distinct possibility.
The drill instructor is absolutely the most sadistic, maniacal tyrant he has ever encountered. It is beyond comprehension that one human being could treat another in such fashion. In his daily struggle to survive, the recruit becomes psychoneurotic wondering if the psychopath in charge will allow him to live another day.
The days pass. The crying in the sack at night subsides as the mind becomes numb and the spent, weary body literally dies. Forgotten are the lofty principles and goals that fired enlistment. Graduation is not a word in the vocabulary. The recruit lives in limbo, a lethean existence.
One night after lights out, the recruit lies on his rack contemplating "the worst mistake I ever made in my life." The body and the mind have reached the limits of endurance. Slowly, he begins to make a decision.
Initially, his thoughts are that he cannot continue another day. If that is the end of the thinking process, he sinks into despair will soon be released to return home.
Continued thinking, however, brings the drill instructor into focus. Anger begins to rage within the recruit. Further thought heightens the wrath within to a frenzy. The irrevocable decision is made, "I will not let that son-of-a bitch defeat me."
Second phase begins the next morning at roll call. The recruit responds in a voice that is sharp and quick, loud and distinct, and permeated with a tone of defiance. On the parade deck his movements suddenly become snappy, displaying a newly found arrogance. Despite the aching body, his physical training scores shoot upwardly.
The recruit has engaged the drill instructor in a mental duel. He is determined that he will excel and that the drill instructor will never again single him out. Yet, as he struggles it seems that the drill instructor is answering the challenge and singles him out with continuously accelerating the demands ever increasing expectations. With grim determination, the recruit rises to the challenge.
One day the recruit is astonished with the sudden realization that he has executed a command, perfectly and with relative ease. His mind engages in further introspection. He notices the transformation of mind and body. Gone is the deep-seated defiance, replaced with absolute confidence. He has achieved the "can do!" attitude, which he will have for the rest of his life.
Third Phase has begun. The recruit now struts, proud and tall. Graduation, wearing the Eagle, Globe and Anchor, and being awarded the title "Marine" are realities.
He minimizes his own participation. All credit is given to the drill instructor. All earlier attitudes give way to one of genuine deep respect and hero worship. "If I ever go into combat, I want him as the leader."
The former civilian will be forever a Marine and the drill instructor will live within his mind.
On 16 April 1954, I proudly strutted across the Parade Deck, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, having earned the title, "United States Marine." Again, on 20 May 1994, I strutted, with even greater pride, across the Parade Deck, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California, coming from the reviewing stand, in uniform, after the ceremonies, to welcome my son to the "Band of Brothers."
The mental phases of training as perceived in the mind of the recruit are based upon my own impressions and reflections from the time. They were confirmed by my son's Senior Drill Instructor. He further indicated that the phases are imposed by design and that the drill instructor is acutely aware of the current mental phase of each recruit.
Makes me want to understand better, but thinking I should now transition with a few jokes …
Comfortable
Two sisters, one blonde and one brunette, inherit the family ranch. Unfortunately, after just a few years, they are in financial trouble. In order to keep the bank from repossessing the ranch, they need to purchase a bull so that they can breed their own stock. Upon leaving, the brunette tells her sister, "When I get there, if I decide to buy the bull, I'll contact you to drive out after me and haul it home." The brunette arrives at the man's ranch, inspects the bull, and decides she wants to buy it. The man tells her that he will sell it for $599, no less.
After buying him, she drives to the nearest town to send her sister a telegram to tell her the news. She walks into the telegraph office, and says, "I want to send a telegram to my sister telling her that I've bought a bull for our ranch. I need her to hitch the trailer to our pickup truck and drive out here so we can haul it home."
The telegraph operator explains that he'll be glad to help her, then adds, "It's just 99 cents a word."
Well, after paying for the bull, the brunette only has $1 left. She realizes that she'll only be able to send her sister one word.
After thinking for a few minutes, she nods, and says, "I want you to send her the word "comfortable". The telegraph operator shakes his head. "How is she ever going to know that you want her to hitch the trailer to your pickup truck and drive out here to haul that bull back to your ranch if you send her the word, "comfortable?'"
The brunette explains, "My sister's blonde. The word's big. She'll read it slow. - - - -
("com-for-da-bul" )
For Those Who Take Life Too Seriously
1. Save the whales. Collect the whole set
2. A day without sunshine is like, night.
3. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
4. I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
5. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
6. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
7. I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
8. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.
9. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges
10. Honk if you love peace and quiet.
11. Remember half the people you know are below average.
12. Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it remains?
13. Nothing is fool-proof to a talented fool.
14. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.
15. He who laughs last thinks slowest.
16. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
17. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
18. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
19. I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.
20. I intend to live forever - so far so good.
21. Borrow money from a pessimist - they don't expect it back.
22. If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
23. My mind is like a steel trap - rusty and illegal in 37 states.
24. Quantum mechanics: The dreams stuff is made of.
25. The only substitute for good manners is fast reflexes.
26. Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have.
27. When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane and going the wrong way.
(Finish the list next letter)
*Sigh* There we go again we usually get lost in thought and not sure where we are any more … probably because our thoughts are deep … yup yup that’s it! I think we spent too much time today with the silly stuff. I feel I’ve got to do a few newstories, but I have to search my mind for a sec to see if there isn’t anything going on that we could communicate on a personal note. By now you know that Maury got the job at Comcast, but he’s going to have to wait it out as to starting the training. I think it was only conditional on drug testing and we know he’ll do that fine. We’re still trying to tell him he should be working on the officiating, but don’t know where that is at he seems sluggish … I think he’s working on it, but haven’t heard from him in a few days – I think I have to let him be, but I’m also thinking he could use some confidence and advise from Rich. *sigh*
Today is a make or break day for the surgery. Just have to get past this psychologist – I HOPE it’s our last appointment. Shoot … I have to listen to this guys tape … One’s called a day away from Stress and the other is something about seasons. I don’t want someone to be leading my brain anywhere. The Dr. at the wellness and nutrition clinic says the psychologist is a real nut about these CDs.
I’ve talked to Dr. Marvin about it – he’s the psychiatrist, but basically it’s all about just getting past this one last session. So I have to say I like the CD’s … just in case he tries to check me out need to listen to them so … well you know.
Hmm, as to last night … anything happen? Not much I think. I stayed about a half hour late because the camera had come in and we were still examining it. We often drop off our co-worker if she wants a ride home … did that last night … we get her to the L-station and she takes it from there … she lives on the North side and we work on the south side. The camera is going to be very neat. I got the short lived battery charged – that took 5 hours, and then I plugged in the one that takes 10 hours – first time before I left work. I figured it enough to get two pictures of the kitties. But, we weren’t up enough to experiment proper. Rich had left a Subway sandwich for me, but he had a meeting. I stayed up looking at the Internet until about 8 pm, but I couldn’t stay up the hour it took him to get home. I saw this morning he’d been on my computer after I went to bed. I can’t figure out why I can’t even hear him and wake up for my smooches! Shoot! We try… I’m a really good smooc… shoot you probably don’t want to know that … shhhh
Ok, that was my night … I know what about the news?
Oh Lordy … they are saying Do-over in Michigan and Florida. I guess their initial primary didn’t count because both states violated the national party rules. Don’t really want to know more about that.
It states in the paper that home equities fall below 50 percent that seems to mean that as a group we owe more than we own on our houses … kind of scary … since 1945? When we get back to 1927 then maybe we’ll be able to say clearly we’re in a depression, but lower than 50% is pretty bad. I won’t ever contribute to that number, but Rich might. Have to watch out for that. I wonder who owns the most of our mortgages.
Ahh another sister story – Home foreclosures hit record high underscoring suffering, distressed homeowners. This is not good – especially for people with subprime adjustable-rate loans. They are saying that 20% of 46 million homes are affected that’s like 9 million 2 hundred homes. That’s just too huge. That’s all the people paying late or just “entering the foreclosure process.”
Hmm, that reminded me to pay my rent, which reminded me that I had to talk to my car loan people. When I did that I found they had some promotional loan thing they were asking if I was interested in, so we listened and let them run our credit. I usually don’t get good credit rating, but now that I’ve been paying on the car for a year and it was MY car loan people I though why not. Basically, they are saying that they can lower my payment, and my interest rate, and hand me a check to go get a new car. It was like ok, I’m listening. But, we’ll have to wait an hour … I’ll call them back at 2:10 pm. I also called Rich because he was a little upset last time we made a big decision without him. I’m learning. Meanwhile someone is screaming inside TAKE DOOR NUMBER #3!!! *Sigh*
Ok, that moved along, but so now have I … late for Doctor Appointment YEEKS!!!
But, not late enough to say Thom … I love you to pieces!
Do what’s right!
Mom
Mom's Letter #10 - March 4, 2008 - Reporting weather from Chicago to be 31 mid-afternoon
Dear Thom,
Hey Thom! You get another letter from me today, because we have a little more time to spend. It’s about 2:30 pm on Tuesday afternoon. We meaning Rich and us just got back from the Doctor’s and doing some errands. He said a nice check had come in that he didn’t expect, so that if I let him work a couple hours he’d take me to the Italian place for dinner. I figure that’s fair. We put him through the ringer today.
Rich has been to the nutrionalist doctor and other with me this morning and afternoon and he had a lot of information about what we would and would not be eating after the surgery and what would be done in the surgery with my stomach and intestines. We offered to show him a video through You Tube, but he’s really sure he doesn’t want to see it. *Sigh*.
Pretty much though the visits went fine and I’m looking great. I made weight! I had to be at 15-20 pound loss and I was at 19 plus 7 more gained and lost when we went over that. We are being real steady with the weight now. Good job! Just gotta get through one more doc visit on Thursday and I should be set. He’s the goofy one though and I’m not sure what he’ll say after reading Dr. Marvin’s appointment last Thursday. We might want to check on that … think I’ll write Dr. Marvin a note.
Ok, that’s done … nothing to do, but wait … anyway … I think Rich is taking me out now as a means to talk me out of the surgery … see you really like food so much you don’t want to be surgically removed from it? But, unfortunately that’s the problem I’m not in control of my eating, so I’m going to accept this tool. It’s permanent, but that’s ok … it’s got to be. Dr. Berger today told Rich that there’s a good chance that within about a month’s time there’s a chance that the weight loss in the first month could be significant enough to cure the diabetes and sleep apnea. I’m not hoping for that much … but, it’s reason enough. I think with that I could add several years to my life … and the years would be more enjoyable. So, I’m looking forward. Hopefully surgery at the beginning of May.
We’ll see. Rich wants me to schedule it around fishing … He says if I plan right my 3 days in the hospital will coincide with his 3 day trip out and he won’t have to worry about taking care of me during that time. I think that be lonely at the hospital, but even that we’ll consider – just as long as we’re good to go by the time of your graduation. We’re looking so forward! I never imagined a Marine son.
You know this is the gushing proud Mom again.
Hmm, we’re asking now for Rich’s April and May fishing dates. Ok, this is it
April 24, 25, 26 & 27th
May 15, 16, 17 & 18th
June 12, 13, 14 & 15th
Those are the dates I shouldn’t have surgery. We’ll again shoot for the first week in May just to make sure. *Sigh* We can do this … just gotta be patient.
I continued reading on in your Chevron newspaper. One of the articles was about, “Commandant holds depot town hall meeting. This was Commandant General James T. Conway on February 7th. He spoke on Global War and Terrorism including progress, troop movement and deployment lengths. He said the Marines are dedicated to 7 month deployments not like the army’s 15-month shots. He said that their goal is to get
an additional 27,000 Marines without lowering standards – this would take place through the recruiters efforts. They were real sure of not losing their elite identity of holding top standards. This effort was so they could deploy a rotation for seven months and have Marines stateside then for 14 months before the next deployment. Heheh he talked something about tattoos – not sure what’s going on there and it seems they are talking about GI bill going toward dependents as well as the enlistee. In general … excuse the pun … it was a big morale booster.
Ahh this is cool there is going to be an upcoming Western Division Rifle and Pistol Match at Wilcox Range, Camp Pendleton march 13 to 28th … maybe you will have heard of it after you get there. Hopefully by then letters will start going through. The Marines from your depot were involved in a competition to see who would represent them at the match. I guess on the day it was held it was cold, windy and rainy so that was messing with people. While some thought it was awful others thought it was awesome – saying that’s what it’s all about.
To be continued from work...
Mom Letter #9 - March 4, 2008 - Reporting weather from Chicago to be 30 still early in morning
Dear Thom,
Good morning! Or, maybe good evening to you. How are you doing today? At the time of writing this letter, it is Tuesday, or 5 days from the recruiter picking you up. Time is going quickly.
I talked to Maury by IM yesterday. He said that it was arranged with you and Joe and maybe even Alex that we’d go out on Saturday to a place called Flattop Grill.
He wasn’t sure of the time … he said we’d play that part by ear. I think he was just making that suggestion. He said it was an all you can eat place so that everyone could eat as much as he wanted. That be good considering 4 possibly hungry males. Today we’ll be seeing the nutritionalist and the Nutritionalist Doctor for the surgery so I’m thinking I’ll have to be eating lite *sigh* As long as everyone is happy, we’re happy.
By this time – the time you get this letter – you’ll have known what we did so maybe it will provide you with a good memory. Let’s remember how happy everyone was and how excited you were because tomorrow was the big day! By now you are a well experienced recruit. Kind of know more what to expect. You’ve gotten past those first few weeks, and you’ll know who your DI is and who some of your buddies are AND you know that you’ll just be getting stronger and stronger! This is the good part.
I think they call the depot “The Man Factory” or something close to that. I’m hoping and praying that you are in good health and are staying strong physically and mentally. Cuz, you know that’s what’s gotta happen, right!??
As to around here? Things have been going pretty easy. We had a doctor appointment yesterday that went pretty well and ruled out some things that seemed a little on the scary side. That was good news! All full-forward! University of IL – UIC is very careful to check everything preventively. I have a very good doctor who stays on top of the diabetes. She also had me in for the eye tests, which can also be a problem for diabetes – and, I passed that with flying colors – although I had to order a slightly stronger prescription. That part is natural as you grow older. It had been two years.
Rich had come with me because they had to dilate my eyes and then we had a nice taco salad for dinner. I only ate half – woohoo!!! I fell asleep giving him a back rub and then woke up about 8:30 pm to go to bed proper. We’ve got a part that is adamant about getting a fudgical (sp?) before bed. It’s kind of a deal since they are only 40 calories. It takes us about 2 ½ minutes to fall asleep afterward.
Maybe you too?
I can imagine they work you very hard. I’m thinking there must be a sense of security going to bed with all those people in that you are not alone … plenty of company? I’ve seen pictures of people trying to scramble quickly out of bed to be lined up quickly and mostly dressed when the DI comes in very noisily. I’m pretty sure that happens. I don’t know if you are used to that happening yet. But, we’re hoping for the best. They say a little toward the beginning people feel like “why did I do this?” But, that part wears off and after a while, it is something that you again feel very excited to be a part of … I hope that the excitement part takes over pretty quick. This could be something that would be like the time of your life!
Especially the camaraderie part of doing this with others that you get to be very close to. We’re also keeping those leadership skills of yours in the back of our mind. We’re hoping you get an opportunity to use them. Keep steady with all that, k? We believe in you Thom!
Hmm, what else as to home front … Our lives are pretty cozy. Mostly just what goes on with Rich and us and the two kitties. Rich is all good. Let me see any particular Rich story for the day? Hmm, he’s looking forward to fishing season starting … he says that’s 7 days away. He’s still tossing and turning over whether or not to get a boat … I think his common sense says to wait until after the divorce, but he sure would like one sooner. He’s still trying to work out a lot of the divorce agreement stuff out of court, but it is a slow process. He said though that he might let me meet his other best friend coming up this spring. He’s known Bob since high school and they fish, golf, and play cards together. I’ve known about Bob since the beginning, but Bob just learned about me a year ago. It would be a pretty big deal to meet him. As it turned out … he lives only about a block or two away from us. So, we’re hoping to finally meet him.
Hmm, anything on work? I don’t remember if we told you, but we had our State inspection. Maybe I told you already. We passed with 99% … good stuff. Now I’ll have more time to work on our accreditation stuff. I’m looking forward to getting that more in order. Everything at work otherwise is in order, because we worked so hard to make sure it was good for this last inspection - Feeling pretty good about all that. The thing now is to not get behind. If everything goes well with this surgery … and it comes through in April or May – I will be off work from 2-4 weeks … maybe I will bring work home so I won’t be totally out of sorts. One thing is for sure. I will be ready for your graduation in June. That’s like a done deal.
I’m still active in the Marineparents.com site. That’s a very cool place. There is a lot to keep up with. I’m so happy to have found the site. We’re having a little problem staying up to do the chat though … we’re trying. Hehehe it seems the nights we do stay up … we’ve napped beforehand, but we fall asleep while watching things scroll past. Seems this has been a pattern for a long time. *Sigh*
I’m not sure what you are doing at this point, but we’re hoping that by the time this letter reaches you that we’ve received a letter from you. It doesn’t matter though even if we don’t because we’d like to continue writing to you anyway. It helps us feel connected to you.
I think the most curious on our mind always is the question – “how are you doing?” We’d like to make sure you are safe, but from everything we read it states that if something happens to you, we’ll know right away, so that no news is good news. But, the part where we know that you are ok emotionally is very important to us. We’d like to know that you are having good success with the program, but even if it was harder than that – we’d like to hear that too. Anything that we could do for you … we’d do in an instant. Just feel this incredible love for you Thom. It’s been that way since the very beginning, no matter what. And, because of that we always want the very best for you. From what I read – the Marines have an incredible program.
I’m very proud you chose something that was so difficult and worthwhile.
Maybe though you are thinking yes Mom … but, what about my joke for the day. Aren’t we going to get to that soon? Ok, ok … sorry … nuf of the mushy stuff let’s get down to business … today we meet up with the Lone Ranger and Tonto …
The Lone Ranger and Tonto went camping in the desert. After they got their tent all set up, both men fell sound asleep.
Some hours later, Tonto wakes the Lone Ranger and says, "Kemosabe, look towards sky; what you see?"
The Lone Ranger replies, "I see millions of stars"
"What that tell you?" asked Tonto.
The Lone Ranger ponders for a minute then says, "Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning. Theologically, the Lord is all powerful, and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you, Tonto?"
"It tell me you dumber than buffalo chips. Someone stole tent."
Hehehe … I know I keep you rolling over in laugher in your bunk. What you say - go on?? Well, maybe one more …
A man was driving along one day and he hit a rabbit. Feeling terrible he stopped and got out of the car to see if it was badly hurt. To his dismay, the rabbit was dead. Unsure what to do, the man runs to the nearest building, which happens to be a salon.
He says to the hairdresser, "I've just hit and killed a rabbit in the middle of the road! What should I do?"
The hairstylist thinks a moment, and then says "I think I have just the thing." He grabs a few bottles from a shelf and runs out to the rabbit. Opening the bottles, he poured the contents onto the rabbit.
Miraculously, the rabbit jumps up, shakes itself, looks around, and then hops of. It went a few feet, then turned and waved, went a few more feet, then turned and waved again. This odd behavior continued until the rabbit was out of sight.
The man looked and the Hairdresser in amazement and says, "Wow! What did you do?" "Oh," the stylist responded, “I gave it a hair revivalist with a wave!"
I know, I know too much, too much … I’m way overboard in the humor department … let me slow down and take it easy on your funny bone with a bit of news.
Hmm big news story is that today is the day of the voting in Texas and Ohio – so we’ll see what’s going to happen between Obama and Clinton. We’ll have to wait for the next letter to see who squeaked out on top … but we’re going with Obama – and we’re thinking you’re going the same direction.
Yeeks … front page news … Moms allegedly brawl at Chuck E. Cheese – have to be in Massachusetts. Happened at a 9 year’s birthday party when one mom thought the other’s kid was “hogging an arcade machine.” Yup, yup … they are heading for court. Just can’t imagine the memories that 9 year old and his friends are going to have … let alone the kid reportedly who was “hogging the machine.” Yeeks! I’d hate to wonder what happened when they were slicing the cake – to see who got the bigger slice.
Pats Re-Sign Randy Moss to 3-Year Deal
By JIMMY GOLEN,
Associated Press
Posted: 2008-03-03 19:17:02
BOSTON (AP) - Randy Moss is staying with the New England Patriots. The defending AFC champions re-signed the record-breaking receiver on Monday to a three-year deal worth $27 million, his agent said. The signing was confirmed by the team shortly after Moss posted a message to fans on his Web site.
"I want to take time out to thank all of the fans for their support and for wishing me well in my return to New England," therealrandymoss.com quotes him as saying. "I'm ready to get back. We have some unfinished business to take care of."
Moss' agent, Tim DiPiero, said the deal included guarantees of $15 million, including a $12 million signing bonus to the receiver who set an NFL record with 23 touchdown catches and helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl in his first season with the team.
Hmm, nothing really grabs me on the electronics section, but I found that I could subscribe to the Switched show … so I did that. I’m listening to it now. I wonder if it’s a daily or weekly show. I like their information usually. Seems lately they’ve been onto smaller and cheaper computers. We’ll see.
Hmm, here’s something interesting in the Green department …
Fuel Cells Make Power for Homes in Japan
AP
Posted: 2008-03-03 15:44:17
The technology - which draws energy from the chemical reaction when hydrogen combines with oxygen to form water - is more commonly seen in futuristic cars with tanks of hydrogen instead of gasoline, whose combustion is a key culprit in pollution and global warming.
Developers say fuel cells for homes produce one-third less of the pollution that causes global warming than conventional electricity generation does. Their plain gray fuel cell is about the size of a suitcase and sits just outside their door next to a tank that turns out to be a water heater. In the process of producing electricity, the fuel cell gives off enough warmth to heat water for the home.
The oxygen that the fuel cell uses comes from the air. The hydrogen is extracted from natural gas by a device called a reformer in the same box as the fuel cell. But a byproduct of that process is poisonous carbon monoxide. So another machine in the gray box adds oxygen to the carbon monoxide to create carbon dioxide, which - though it contributes to global warming - is not poisonous.
The entire process produces less greenhouse gas per watt than traditional generation. And no energy is wasted transporting the electricity where it's actually going to be used.
Hmm. Gang allegedly plotted to kill Mick Jagger. This is a story that could have been news almost 40 years ago and is just coming out now. Basically … Jagger used the Hells Angels for security during a concert and a fan was killed, so Jagger vowed never to use the Angels for security again. The Angels got mad and planned an assassination. Umm, it didn’t work. Umm, I guess that’s it .. Jagger is 40 years older now. But, it seemed more interesting than Kid Rock pleading innocent to battery from the pancake house incident. *sigh*
Hmm, not sure if you watch family guy, but it seems that “Cleveland” is getting his own show. It seems that he’s the henpecked husband and hmm “bathtub-accident-prone?” I guess you gotta be there. Well congrats to him!! Seems otherwise he’s pretty level headed. I hope he’s a big success.
Well, I guess you could say that it was a light news day. I know … let’s take a peek over at the Chevron News paper … that’s the news from MCRD-SD the last one was Friday 2-29-08. The lead story is “Symposium held to discuss integration of armed forces.” Hmm, they discuss first the story of the Tuskegee airmen. If you don’t know of them yet, you’ll learn of them in your training. It was a pretty big deal, but a bad note for psychology profession. Psychology at the time screwed up.
Ahh, they say that the US Marine Corp Battle Color Detachment will perform on the depot March 8 – you’ll just miss that. It featured the US Marine drum and Bugle Corp, the silent drill platoon, and the Marine Corps Color Guard all of which are attached to the Marine Barracks, Washington, DC.
Hmm, they show a big picture of Company K evacuating with a wounded training dummy named Fred. Maybe you’ll meet Fred too. It has to do with an Infiltration course up at Camp Pendleton. Something called Copeland’s Assault. The recruits’ faces are camouflaged and they are in full Marine gear including the guns. Man is it going to be a transformation. And its happening quick. You might be looking like this already. They also have pictures of recruits going under the barb wire while being yelled at by the DI
Wow. Read an article calle “Crucible obstacle reinforces recruits’ battle drills.” It starts out “Hungry, tired and soaked from the rain, Company K recruits rushed out of disabled amphibious assault vehicles and began the day Infiltration Course at Edson Range, Camp Pendleton, Calif.” The article ends, “We train for war every hour of the day,” said Hoyt. “no matter what (military occupational specialty) they are, this course is important because these recruits will become Marines, and all Marines are riflemen first.”
I hear that a lot – about being riflemen. The part of that I like the most is the sense of you protecting yourselves and others.
Ok, Better go take my shower. I’ll be back in a few to finish up.
Back. Just looking at the pictures again … Trying to imagine you holding those same guns and facing the same barbed and concertina wire and having the same DI’s overhead making sure you are low and fast enough. I like to think they are attuning you to the safety necessary so you will remain safe on any battle field – even though I hope you are never placed on one.
They also have pictures of a graduating platoon – the Kilo Company. It seems the Leadership roles honored are the company honor man, the series honor man, platoon honor men, high shooter, and high pft. I’m not sure all of what that means, but I’m pretty sure you’ll be aiming that high … I hope for you that you’ll gain the strength and aptitude you’ll need to conquer each of your goals as you set them day by day. Remember to plan for the future, but work on the goals one at a time – the ones before you whether it means getting into your boots faster, scrubbing the toilet more efficiently, thinking more broadly – about why it’s important to know, or simply sweeping the other guys leg more quickly in karate. Remember, I believe in you and so do others!!!
That’s about it for this time Thom. I still look forward to writing you more than anything else in my day. Not to say I don’t like the other things I do, just I think anything I can do to help you is very, very important. Even if it’s only for the value of hearing your name called again, “Garvey, Mail!” Hehehe. You are pretty damn important in my book. Here … let me do it … Garvey, Garvey, Garvey!!!
Ok, I know stop being silly. It’s just the end of the letter and I have a whole 2-3 inches left and its hard to say ok, that’s enough. I hope that you are getting other letters. I know that you have a lot of family. Maybe I’ll send my extra letters two at a time and spread them out a bit until they catch up with my real-time writing. I always hope to have more, but know I have to pace it just as they come up. I’d still like to send pictures on the letter if its ok, please let me know.
Ok, I know have to stop … ANYTHING else?? Did we say the part over and over again how much I love you??
I do, I do!!! And, I love this exciting life you’ve gotten yourself into. It might be a little labor intensive now, but that’s just how they teach you how to become a Marine. It’s worth a little effort. Marines have it harder than any of the other services. We like to think that’s because you all are the best #1!!!!!
I love you Thom-thom,
Mom!
Mom Letter #8 - March 2, 2008 - Reporting weather from Chicago to be 54 SUMMER!
Dear Thom,
How are you today? What new things are you learning now? All things lead to a brighter future, because you are more knowledgeable and more useful to those you serve, right? Well, something like that. Pretty close at least.
Today is the day after the day you were just over here. I think you are being overwhelmed at this point of conversation surrounding the Marines, because you told us not to talk about it yesterday and next week. I’m thinking then what or where are you now in real time – because you are there. Maybe too you will need a mental break from it so I will try not to mention it directly. I will say that just in case someone should accept having a few pictures taken … we bought a new camera.
Our old one stopped working about two months ago. I’ve been fretting over it since. The new camera should get here within 2-3 working days – so it should be here by the time you are going somewhere that we will not mention by name.
I still think also that we need to figure out next week. Hmm, I just got off the
phone with Maury. We only talked for a few moments. He’s over at your father’s party now. He says people are talking about the Marines today. So maybe it’s ok if I think it today too. My best plan is to get together at about 3-4 pm next Sunday before you leave. Maybe for a last dinner with Maury and Joe, Alex if he’s available, and Lauren and the girls.
Basically, I want to give you a good send off that day. Maybe we could plan a simple Chinese dinner over at Maury’s or anything else you would like to eat. I just want family to be together and my family isn’t the Garvey’s. If we were going until 5-6 pm, then it would give Alex, and Joe, and maybe Maury an hour or two to goof around too with you before the recruiter came to pick you up … you know release some tension. I don’t need to stay up to the last moment just so I can cry. Just want you to start your new life having been surrounded by a lotta people who love the dickens out of you. You need a proper send off. Hope you can do this one too!
Anyway I called Maury and then Joe … hopefully they will square away the details with you today yet. Maury said he’d call back tonight or tomorrow to let me know how it’s coming along. We sure are proud of you Thom. This isn’t the sort of thing one does every day. It’s going to be something you remember for the rest of your life. They say that the first day you get to the depot is the most memorable. I think you will like the airplane ride and will most likely find yourself talking to the people around you. I think it’s about a 4 ½ hour trip, but I’m not sure and I’m not sure if there are going to be layovers. I do know they like to receive recruits after 8 pm to like 3 pm during the dark hours so they can disorient you. I’ve heard them say that that way they get everyone to get up and sleep at the same time.
I’ve heard from the moment the bus stops in SD that someone gets on the bus and starts yelling at you and they keep you hungry and tired and they put you on the yellow footprints. I don’t know what all of that feels like. I don’t know how you think of all that or if you are trained not to think at all – in that you just learn to obey. It seems very hard to give up so much of your free will, but then maybe its more like you are directing your free will more toward them than you’ve ever directed at anything solid before. Every bit of concentration has to go toward where it is supposed to be going because inevitably lives will be depending on you and your ability to focus. I know you can do this because you are so intent.
I think they are going to be putting the pinch on you nonetheless during times like when they say hurry up and then they make you wait. All that is going to be psychological – to tempt you to move out of your comfort zone. I will hope and pray for the best in you Thom. Do as you are told and do it well. There is going to be plenty of time to sparkle and shine! I know grunt, grunt, grunt. I don’t think there will be much room for you to say … don’t make me think of the Marines – cuz it makes me cranky. They are going to be on your back like syrup on a pancake. Your directive is to withstand!
Ok, enough, enough of the Mom stuff … I know you can do it. Just go with the flow – don’t buck up against it, k?
As to anything else going on around here. We had a nice lazy day … I was sneakily buying the camera. It’s my money, but Rich will complain – think that’s like a guy thing to do. BUT, until the day he signs up for joint checking … MY money is MY money! Just have to make sure we have nuf to go around and WE WILL! We do that pretty good! Rich was supposed to do three games today, but the person he booked with double booked, so Rich got the day off. He took care of some personal things earlier and now he’s doing some personal items that need some running around “out there.” He has to go to a couple of stores. It still slows him down to take me with and it’s hard for me to leave the computer so we say umm, ok, pass. The one exception is the grocery store. We’re learning to do the electric cart thing there. We have great fun.
Rich is supposed to be home in about 45 minutes and then he’ll make steak and omelets. He does it GREAT!!! Afterward we’ll talk and play around for a bit, but I asked him that we not see a movie tonight because I want to stay up until 8:30 pm and go to the recruit chat room while he reads. We’ll see … I have a habit of falling asleep real early.
I enjoyed the time that you were over yesterday. I’m sorry if I gave you a hard time with the TV. I just don’t by choice like to watch it. BUT, then I realized it was giving me a chance to sit next to you doing the same thing you were doing and I thought there were worse things. I work real hard though with Rich to listen to old time radio, or a bass fishing show, or some relax trax as I give him a massage or we talk so it’s not all about just coming in and watching some show. Or, that we are either reading or writing with the computers or otherwise. I just want to see the minds more engaged. It’s my understanding we’ll live longer if we use our minds.
I’d like to give that a shot at least!
One of my favorite things is to see order or patterns in the ideals that cross my mind. So it would be easy for me to spend time writing a formal paragraph until things fell into place. Or like when I watch the Marine commercial I have over at my blog … my eyes go over the fine detail of every space between every Marine and every rifle and every facial movement looking for the perfect synchronicity my mind seems to require. I think that’s why you get so frustrated so often is that there is some kind of discord an it is literally jarring you to put up with it. One of our most profound lessons at the center has been to teach the individuals tolerance for one another. And, I’m no great expert of it. While I can appreciate it – I’d much rather see things in alignment – things that I can order rather than to put up with confusions – especially the kind made from others. Co-workers are the worst – it is easier with that of the clients, because they have a bye with their intellectual limitations. I guess in many aspects so would the co-workers, but they seem to make up for it with petty meanness and spite and I don’t seem to tolerate that well. I can also get frustrated or intolerant of things that are out of place by auditory – so the sound of someone eating carelessly, or like smacking gum can drive me bonkers. The only way I can figure around it is to make a study of it. I will look for the pattern within their chewing or other percussion like sounds like the additional slurping of their tongue, or speech.
As to you being here. I think you like making rules. It’s one of the things you like to do. I don’t know how that is going to work out in the Marines because I don’t think they are going to want you to out right respond. Now if you could turn your rules into better self-engagement with their obstacles they want you to conquer … that might be ok. Maybe use it like energy or fuel. Hmm? Sometimes also I think we try to make it so hard for people to be around us, that we think we can force them to go away, thus proving a low self-esteem idea that we are not worth while, or that the other really didn’t love us. Ok, mind you I see the world as a psychologist might … just saying there are reasons why we push and pull other relationships towards us or away and this usually has to do with attachments made earlier. For however I didn’t do well … I apologize, but I’m hear to say Thom I’d be willing to spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you.
I sort of have half a bended ear with you here on the other side of a written letter. You could stop reading, but that’s not what I’m trying to “push” on you.
Just wanted to take a moment of your time to say something important. I’m realizing sometimes I’m too much though … so I’m backing my speech up. BUT, I’m still going to be here, k? Actually, I think I was going to look just over there For a bit of a joke. Let’s see what I can find.
Breakfast at any time.
I went to a restaurant with a sign that said they served breakfast at any time. So I ordered French toast during Rifle training. No?
Why did the tomato turn red? It saw the salad dressing!
Two army guys rent a rowboat, row out a way, throw their lines in and try fishing.
Nothing happens. One fellow says to the other, we have to row out away from shore into deep water. They row and row offshore about one mile out, try fishing again.
Same thing nothing.
The same fellow says we have to go really far out that's where the fish are. They row for an hour. They are so far out they can not see land. They try again. Low and behold they hit a bonanza.
There is no rest. Fish after fish is caught one fellow says to the other. You know we can come back tomorrow catch another load of fish and make some money selling it. His friend says that's a great idea but how are we going to find this same spot. His friend thinks about it a moment then says we could mark an X on the side of the boat. His friend looks at him a moment says OK.
As they are rowing back toward shore his friend gives him a dirty look and says that wasn't such a good idea marking an X on the side of the boat. How do you know if we'll get the same boat tomorrow?
10 signs your an Internet geek
10. When filling out your driver's license application you give your IP address.
9. You no longer ask prospective dates what their sign is, instead your line is "Hi, what's your URL?"
8. Instead of calling you to dinner, your friends and family send e-mail.
7. You're amazed to find out spam is a food.
6. You "ping" people to see if they're awake
5. You search the Net endlessly hoping to win every silly free T-shirt contest.
4. You introduce your girl as "my lady@home.wife" and refer to your child as "client applications".
3. At social functions you introduce your brother as "my domain server".
2. After winning the office super bowl pool you blurt out, "I feel so colon-right parentheses!"
And the number one sign you are an Internet Geek:
1. Two Words: "Pizza's Here!"
Enough Jokes??? How about news?!!
Hmm, they are saying that Obama slammed Clinton on the Homestretch using her commercial against him against her by asking “So what makes her qualified to answer the question at 3 am in the morning what precise foreign-policy experience does SHE have?” AND, he has in his advantage Africa is complaining, because she planted seeds against Obama for wearing his ancestrual African dress. That one is not going to go well with the people. Meanwhile Obama repeats simply I’m an ordinary Christian.
With some calling it an illegitimate transfer of power, Russian leader Vladimir Putin's hand-picked successor wins the country's presidential election by a landslide. Dmitry Medvedev faced no real opposition, and has tapped Putin to become prime minister -- the second highest post in Russia.
Hmm … seems like there is a law coming up in the Senate on eavesdropping. This would seem to be in your new area. Actually it’s the House intelligence Committee that is hoping for a renewal of a new law pushed by Bush on eavesdropping on calls and emails on US computers and phone lines after 911. They say without it we as a people are at greater risk, and those against the eavesdropping state that our civil liberties are being eroded and accuse the President of fear-mongering. I’d say this is an issue at large being debated across the country – and I’m guessing that we have opposing viewpoints. We’ll let it go.
Hmm, it says here that they now have unveiled to the public letters by Abraham Lincoln stating he’d tossed around a couple other versions of ending the civil war. One of them was to spend 20 years buying back slaves from southerners at $400 apiece. Instead he issued the emancipation proclamation that put an end to slavery two months later than the letter was written putting an end to slavery. It was signed the day he was shot.
Michigan State Pummels Indiana 103-74
By LARRY LAGE,
Associated Press
Posted: 2008-03-02 17:02:00
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Raymar Morgan scored 12 of his 20 points early to help No. 19 Michigan State build a big lead and beat No. 12 Indiana 103-74 Sunday, allowing the Spartans to finish undefeated at home and hand Dan Dakich his first loss as interim coach.
Michigan State (23-6, 11-5 Big Ten) led 59-31 at halftime after making 78 percent of its shots, including nine 3-pointers.
Eric Gordon scored 22 and D.J. White had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Hoosiers (24-5, 13-3) who had a chance to pull into a three-way tie with Big Ten leaders Wisconsin and Purdue.
Indiana won its first two games with Dakich in charge following Kelvin Sampson's resignation amid NCAA allegations of major rule infractions.
Drew Neitzel scored 17 points in his final home game, Goran Suton had 17 points, Kalin Lucas scored 14 and Chris Allen added 11 for the Spartans, who won all 17 of their games this season at the Breslin Center, where Indiana has lost 14 straight.
The Hoosiers - who had won four straight and seven of eight - were handed their most lopsided defeat losing to Wisconsin 79-45 in 2004.
Weak Dollar Hurts Smaller European Firms
By SHAWN POGATCHNIK,
AP
Posted: 2008-03-02 16:23:22
DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - Hugh Quinn has seen the ever-weakening dollar shatter his ability to sell hand-cut Irish lead crystal to American customers.
Ingolf Haas says profit at his family-run cuckoo clock business in Germany has dropped at least 10 percent since the U.S. currency's latest decline began. Roberto Anselmi now sells more of his Italian white wine to Canada than to the United States.
Times are tough for small and artisanal businesses across Europe that traditionally target Americans as their No. 1 buyers, since the swooning dollar shrinks their revenues from U.S. sales but their costs remain in expensive euros.
The problem is compounded by economic worries that may make Americans think twice about buying the products they coveted and consumed in more prosperous days.
With the euro topping $1.52 this week - up from $1.18 when it was introduced in 1999, and from 82 cents at its lowest in 2000 - economists say all euro-denominated exporters have reason to be worried. But tourism-oriented producers of luxury goods are hurting the most.
These niche manufacturers are often too small to engage in the complex, risky hedging that protects larger companies from shifts in the value of different currencies.
"They can get into trouble if they have their eggs in one basket, particularly these days if it's an American basket," said Alan McQuaid, chief economist of Bloxham Stockbrokers in Dublin. "They have to broaden their horizons."
They say that in Microsoft’s last ditch effort to save the floundering Vista they have reduced prices on the premium versions, but the price cuts only apply to the boxed version of the product for people who are making upgrades – and usually those computers aren’t even fast enough to run Vista properly. So the response from the public? Will it help get those Vistas out the door any faster? Probably not, but it’s nice to see Microsoft scale back some of their absurd prices. I’ll tell you about the one day Microsoft umm nailed me for $120 in “help” charges not to help me. YEEKS their customer service … smells!
Hmm, did you hear about this one? The guy who won $5.15 Million Jackpot, and some other guy unplugs the slot machine? It was an IL attorney that won… go figure (playing with $20 bills while on vacation in the Virgin Islands). Hehehe, but it was a casino worker (probably well coached) who pulled the cord saying it was a malfunction. Bet you he got a raise! End result … the hotel offered the guy $100 and a free meal and in return the attorney is suing the hotel. Go figure!
AHA! They are saying that after 19 years that the new ‘Indiana Jones’ Trailer is a smash hit – even though people have to wait until May to see it. Its release date is May 22nd! Maybe that’ one of the things you can put on your agenda for after you become a marine. I can’t believe it’s been so long. This one appears to be “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Caught MY attention! They are estimating in the first week alone that 200 million people watched the trailer … wow! Last movie brought in a total of 1.2 billion.
Wow! I didn’t know that Nicole Ritchie just had a baby girl named Harlow with Joel Madden, well everyone knew that, but apparently the guy that Paris Hilton is seeing is Benji Madden is Joel’s twin brother … that’s pretty cool Paris and Nicole Sister-in-laws … stranger things have happened! No one knows for sure if Paris is engaged, but she is reported to have one nice size ring on appropriate finger…
So much news to report so little time. But, if you’ve followed along your mind isn’t so much on the Marines for the time being while we’re digressing, right?
Well that’s it for the moment Thom except to be wishing you the very bestest day.
We hope for many breaths of fresh air, good food, good company, and good memories as each day passes. You’ve got it in you to do whatever you want – make the most of your experiences!
I love you,
Mom!
