Friday, August 29, 2008

No thank you, we're full

Obama's campaign training seminar for this weekend is full. I guess they don't need anymore help to harass the Republicans while they are in town next week. So there goes this 'volunteer idea' from last night's falling-asleep-fest.

But as a previous Hillary supporter, I am aware the campaign will still gladly take my money. Or so says the past 5 emails I have received since the DNC convention started.

I think we have settled on being charitable - time and money, but time mostly - to our church (which is still yet to be decided) and the Red Cross, with small support to the SDSM&T Alumna Association. Oh, and the Ronald McDonald House (for ADPi). Oh, and MPR, because I love it.

A little cliche to support to the Red Cross, I know, but Jeff pointed out that they are freaking everywhere and all over the place when there is a crisis, as well as super-reputable organization. Plus, we both like the fact that they help both overseas and in our neighborhoods.

I love the idea of an emergency readiness kit. We kind of do it at our house already, by prepackaging our meds weekly, keeping water, lighting, batteries, flame, etc in the same place, having our important docs all in one grabbable fire-proof box. I will find out what else we need to do and get back to everyone.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Happy Birthday Mom & Dad!

A quick shout-out to the most awesome parents around! Can't wait to see you this weekend (cyberworld, look for coming posts about that)!

Finding the time

Almost every night before I fall asleep, I have a laundry list of things that float through my mind, things that I want to do.

Every night it begins the same - Tomorrow I will...
Wake up early
Then work out
And eat breakfast at home
Go to bed earlier than I did tonight
Get a new piano or voice student student
Practice voice which is long-neglected
Look for a new church to join
Consider joining a volunteer organization
Look for said volunteer organization
Remember to get quotes to remove the stupid bushes
Not bite my nails
Straighten my hair instead of being lazy in a headband
Cook supper at home, what should we have?

Normally these also go off in tangents of sorts (ok they always do) but these are the main themes that happen seriously, almost every night.

It's annoying - especially since I rarely get even one of these things done.

PS - I didn't get into the Oratorio Society (Boo). Apparently they already had enough ladies (Double Boo).

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Job Perks Rule

Finally, I land a job with awesome perks (can you believe it gets better than discounted hand soap?) - I get to travel anywhere in the world on NWA, for free, as long as it is standby. Let me tell you about the illustrious bustling metropolises (metropoli?) where I have been as a leisure traveler:

Sioux Falls, SD
Waterloo, IA
Rapid City, SD (twice)
Chicago, IL

My passport is defunct due to my married name change and Jeff's expires in September. What do you think our chances are of us going to some cool places before the company merges (ie, NWA does not exist anymore)?

Ok, I will probably eventually bite the bullet and cough up the $150 to get new passports so we can do a World Business Class flight direct to Amsterdam, and another direct to Paris or London. Because seriously, how lame would I be if I worked for an airline and only went places I could technically drive to?

Everybody, keep bugging us to do this! Encouragement is key!! Since we might not get it done on our own!!!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Offsetting the bad mojo

YAHOO! I am IN - as in, IN the Edina Chorale.

I am so excited - our first meeting is a long Saturday rehearsal/retreat coming up in a couple weeks and I am psyched to be singing again! Church choir wasn't doing it for me, and I remembered how much I missed challenging music during the Oratorio Society's Summer Choir performance of Durufle's Requiem.

And the best part - Austria in July 2009 for Haydn's Death Celebration (or something like that)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check it out:
http://www.edinachorale.org/

Now if only I would hear back from the Oratorio Society sometime soon...

You make me sick!

"In Ashland, OR, nearly 30% of kindergartners are exempt from immunizations because their parents object."

Read the article which got me fired up: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26291109/

WHAT? 30% of parents have an illogical brain??

"At its peak in 1958, before a vaccine was introduced, measles caused more than 763,000 infections and 552 deaths in the U.S. in single year, the CDC said."

This phenomenon makes no sense to me. First of all, why would you NOT immunize your child against the terrible diseases that killed millions of kids over the first part of the last century. Did the parents FORGET why families had 10 kids in the early 1900s - epidemics spread so fast and hit so hard that in order to keep the farm work under control, parents had to ensure enough kids would survive outbreaks.

Secondly, I have seen no scientific evidence where the risks are greater than the benefits of vaccinations. There is unproven anecdotal evidence that vaccines could be linked to autism, asthma, learning disabilities, etc. Until these links can be scientifically proven, an unvaccinated child is putting other people at risk. People are forgetting how terrible and destructive the actual disease can be, and focusing only on the risks.

A vaccine not only protects the individual, but a group that is vaccinated is more protected at fighting off the disease as well - the 'herd effect'. When a number approaches 30% unvaccinated, some of that herd immunity is lost and puts everyone at risk.

GRRRR. Just wait till I have my own kids.

Monday, August 25, 2008

The Great MN Get-Together

I love the fair. When we were kids we went every year to the Brown County Fair, and even stayed in the motor home for a few years. Over the course of time, I saw some seriously great country music acts, won my share of purple ribbons (and one white - still pissed about that one), and covered every cotton-candy soaked asphalt inch of ground on the midway. There was seriously nothing better than an Indian fry bread taco followed up by mini-donuts. YUM!

You would think that I would be an automatic shoo-in for attending the Minnesota State Fair. But I'm not going. Again. For the 4th year in a row of living in Minnesota.

Here's why:
REASON 1: It's expensive! $73, plus ouchy feet
$22 admission (for 2)
$10 bus fare (for 2)
$12 tacos (for 2) - and not of the fry bread variety
$5 soda (for 2 sodas)
$10 mini-donuts (for 2 bags)
$5 fresh lemonade
$4 Snickers on a Stick
$5 Sno Cone

REASON 2: I refuse to admit summer is over and winter is coming.

REASON 3: The sheer size and magnitude of the event is intimidating.

REASON 4: The locals can sniff out the newbies. Minnesota Nice does not always exist to those who did not grow up here.

In summary: I will continue to get my mini-donuts at Como Park.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Why is my house the cleanest when we have company?

As many of you know, we moved into our first home in May. Since then we have had my family stay in May (for closing), Jeff's mom-dad-brother stay in May, my mom and dad again in May (after graduation), my mom and sister in June (way point to and from Chicago), Jeff's mom, aunt and 2nd cousin in July, Jeff's dad in July, my mom and sister in July, and this weekend Jeff's sister-hubby-2 kids.

Which leads me to realize - the only time we have gotten the house super clean - and all at the same time - is when people visit.

I randomly dust maybe every couple weeks, and Jeff faithfully vacuums weekly and touches up bathrooms regularly, but the house looks GOOD when people visit because it all gets done in like, a day.

Anywho, we cleaned Saturday morning in preparation to have the family come and we had a blast seeing Nick (2) and Ben (4 months)! All together now, awwwww!

Friday, August 22, 2008

My first post!

HEL-LO WORLD! I am online!

I am guessing my cyber-cool points just went up again, the most since registering for Facebook a few weeks ago. Which also means I am now years ahead of Jeff, who remains stuck on Myspace (c'mon, DO IT honey, everybody else is).

First of all, thanks to my family who I am sure are the only ones reading this. Secondly, I decided to start blogging mostly because I want to, and also because I think my mom would dig it (not Digg...she has no idea about that). As long as one of us can talk her through getting to this site, I am pretty sure she will love it.

I am sorry, I still have to talk about the Olympics although I know they are almost over...why do I love them so much? I really do not like to watch sports on TV, but I am seriously addicted to Olympics coverage. Of course I watched the gymnastics, beach volleyball, team volleyball, 100M/200M/hurdles/etc, but I have also watched archery, badminton, ping pong, horse jumping, water polo, canoeing, rowing, rhythmic gymnastics...and on and on. My [male] coworkers gave this explanation - women love the Olympics, and men love sports. I guess I will go with that.