Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Sweeping And Cleaning

I "saw" two old bloggy friends yesterday and one promised to come and visit my bloggy home!

OH MY!!!!!

I'D BETTER WASH THE WINDOWS AND CLEAN OUT THE COBWEBS!

With Facebook being where I spend most social time, I forgot just how much I missed my dear bloggy friends!

There's so much that I want to talk about, but it's a little jumbled right now, so I'll just leave that one pretty cobweb for Cheryl!

Have a great day everyone!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Women (for my friends)

One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men....

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,

but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy

and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in..

They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer

when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel

and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about

a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member,

yet they are strong when they

think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss

can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you

to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what

makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their

family and friends.

Women have vital things to say

and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

THEY'RE IN!

And they did better than anyone expected!

Ashley and the FWBHS Chorus will be singing at Epcot Center in the Candlelight Processional on NEW YEARS EVE!

Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance will be narrating.

I won't be able to be there, but her Grandmother will be (if she has to move Heaven and Earth).

They were so AWESOME they got one of the top slots.

Pray that they do well, this trip means so much to them all.

GO VIKINGS!

Monday, September 14, 2009

Voices Exultant

FWBHS Chorus is going to Disney this December!!!

They will participate in The Candlelight Processional at Epcot Center Dec 15-17.

They auditioned for the privilege just last week.

This is their audition tape:

PRESENTING THE FWBHS 2009 CHORUS!

You will have to click the link, but these kids are worth it.

If you are looking to eye-spy Ashley, she's the ultimate blond on the upper right tier!

These kids had 2 weeks of practice you guys!

PAM (special note to you), make it to Disney in December baby!

Smooches!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Sometimes...

In this world of utter chaos, the simplest thing happens that just puts everything right.

Ashley went to the Choctaw Scrimmage game tonight.

While she was there she ran into some old friends. Some from middle school, some from Elementary school and one very special someone. Not to her yet.......

ALRIGHT STOP REWIND,........

It's Valentines. Ash who is now a sophomore in HS was a 7th grader and wanted to date this boy Ryan OVER MY DEAD BODY.

But she asked me.....she said "Mom, he says he has a gift for me and his mom is driving him and if he meets you and Allen, can he PLEASE??????"

I told her it would be ok as long as he acted like a gentleman and met her parents.

He was sweet. He brought her a dozen roses that he had saved for, a stuffed monkey that still resides in the house and the poor boy's knees were knocking so hard you could have heard them in Canada!

But he was such a good kid! There were endless discussions between his (divorced) parents and I, Is this right? Should we allow this at their age........

They ended up breaking up over the phone. Ash had too much on her plate, Ryan played football, Both at different schools.

And yet this very sweet kid keeps appearing in her life.

Tonight, he didn't think she should walk home from the game by herself.

Ash opened the door and said "Mom, I have a surprise for you" Poor kid was hiding to see if it was ok! I couldn't wait to get this poor boy in the house. He had grown so TALL! He'd cut the surfer hair and ..........damn was he cute (not for me you pervs...for HER). All Advanced placement classes, HS Football....just as cute as can be.

I told him how proud I was of him, hugged him about to death and let them have the living room for just a few minutes.

I talked to Ash after and she said........"he's cute, but Mom, I just have too much going on in my life for a B/F"

I am so proud of my daughter but I will tell you my bloggy friends..........MARK MY WORDS..........

Some day Mr Ryan is going to be my son-in law! It will just have to wait until after college.

Friday, August 21, 2009

THE Post.

Where to start............

My bloggy friends have been asking where I've been, what I've been up to and I haven't had the heart to talk about it, but I think it might be cathartic if I do. So here goes.

When most of you think about India, you think Taj Mahal or even Slumdog Millionaire. I think something entirely different.

I think DAMN.

I work in an industry that is outsourcing. I also work for a company that is a small part of a much larger corporation.

When I started working for this company, I thought HOW COOL IS THIS! I work in an industry that I LOVE AND ADORE. I had finally landed the corporate job in a business that I followed so closely.

The people were so great! You walked into the building and there was almost a feeling of vitality and expectancy! We made a difference, in our community, in the nation and occasionally even on Fark. When we put our thoughts out there, we were respected and followed.

Then jut a few months later, 6 people were laid off, a few months after that 20 more. We went from a company of 200 local employees to a company of 60 in less than a year. Our entire corporation was shrinking. Not because we weren't making money, we just weren't making enough to keep going the way we were and still keep our heads above water in this shrinking economy.

Being ever the optimist, I kept my nose to the grindstone, did my job, and prayed for the people who I would not see every day again.

Then one morning, we were told to go into a teleconference. The hit was finally in my department. From five bookkeepers, we would now be two. The company had made the decision to outsource it's accounting reporting to India. The bookkeepers that were there would all stay through the transition or they would forfeit their severance. They couldn't tell us back in April who would be the ones to stay, we would be told in June, the whole change would be complete by September.

We were on pins and needles. Would I go since I was the most expensive out of the five? Would one go because she was the last hired, would the other go because she had almost 25 years? No one knew, and no one could tell us. They had to have meetings and they would get back to us.

I will say this, I have worked with some of the most professional women in the world. Knowing this, and fearing for ourselves and each other, we kept our morale up, never let our performance slip and plugged on. Our pride in what we did came first.

June came and went and no word. Many sleepless nights for all of us later, they finally told us. I would stay, the new hire would stay because we were the most adaptable. We were the two.

You would think I would have breathed a sigh of relief and for just 5 minutes, I did. After all, I was the supervisor with the largest skill set, they needed me!

Then, I took my head out of my smug butt and looked around at the women I had spent so much time with. We weren't social friends (in accounting you are rarely social with others in the company, it's ethically frowned upon), but we had shared laughs, irritations, sadness, stress.

We had suffered through the last months together, as a team. Each one worked at her strengths and we each helped with each others weaknesses.

The women who had been laid off, couldn't leave, they had to work thru the remaining time, with the two of us that were left and we ALL had to learn the new processes together and share our selective knowledge with each other. The stress level rose.

A few weeks later, we were told, company wide, that we would all take a 5% paycut AFTER being forced to take a week of furlough (vacation without pay and MANDATORY).

The company foisted the interlopers on us, and we had to remain professional and courteous.

I can't begin to tell you dear bloggy friends how hard that is.

How do you train someone overseas to do your job KNOWING they are putting you out of work.

I hear a lot of sighs, and I have found I sigh more than I ever have. I haven't slept between 2 AM and 5 AM (my thinking time) in so long!

You can't show pity, these are strong women and would resent it. You can just do one thing, plug on and move forward.

The latest blow? The ladies have been told they have to work thru the end of the year because the company poorly planned and they will not be ready to go live yet. More waiting, more stress.

We have endless meetings, e-mails and conference calls with people who we have a hard time understanding. The resentment is palpable and they (the Indians) just take it in stride.

And then.............

Our new President refuses to even aknowledge the many people who are out of work and the hundreds of thousands that are losing their jobs every single day. Passing his pet project is more important. It makes me so very ANGRY!

And that brings us to the point my friends. I haven't written or shared because I am PISSED OFF.

I am so tired of watching my friends and family suffer. I am so tired of worrying if I may be next. I am so WORRIED!

I am so tired of watching our jobs going overseas because our president REFUSES to not only fix the problem of American joblessness, he won't even discuss it.

I am a single mom, raising two children. I am one paycheck short of abject poverty. And HE thinks I should either pay taxes on the medical benefits I receive, or he wants to tax me some more to FORCE me to buy into this plan of his and MAKE me pay for it.

There is seriously a problem in this country and it isn't healthcare.

Fix it AFTER you put American people back to work!

Why am the only one who gets that?

Sunday, July 26, 2009

The Pastor's Wife

Pastor's wife's letter: how’s this for apocalyptic literature. This was written by a pastor's wife in biblical prose as a commentary of current events. It is Brilliant.


And it came to pass in the Age of Insanity that the people of the land called America, having lost their morals, their initiative, and their will to defend their liberties, chose as their Supreme Leader that person known as "The One".

He emerged from the vapors with a message that had no meaning; but He hypnotized the people telling them, "I am sent to save you. My lack of experience, my questionable ethics, my monstrous ego, and my association with evil doers are of no consequence. For I shall save you with Hope and Change.

Go, therefore, and proclaim throughout the land that he who preceded me is evil, that he has defiled the nation, and that all he has built must be destroyed." And the people rejoiced, for even though they knew not what "The One" would do, he had promised that it was good; and they believed.

And "The One" said "We live in the greatest country in the world. Help me change everything about it!" And the people said, "Hallelujah! Change is good!"

Then He said, "We are going to tax the rich fat-cats." And the people said "Sock it to them!" "And redistribute their wealth." And the people said, "Show us the money!" And then He said, "Redistribution of wealth is good for everybody"

And Joe the plumber asked, "Are you kidding me? You're going to steal my money and give it to the deadbeats??" And "The One" ridiculed and taunted him, and Joe's personal records were hacked and publicized.

One lone reporter asked, "Isn't that Marxist policy?" And she was banished from the kingdom!

Then a citizen asked, "With no foreign relations experience and having zero military experience or knowledge, how will you deal with radical terrorists?"

And "The One" said, "Simple. I shall sit with them and talk with them and show them how nice we really are; and they will forget that they ever wanted to kill us all!"

And the people said, "Hallelujah!! We are safe at last, and we can beat our weapons into free cars for the people!"

Then "The One" said, "I shall give 95% of you lower taxes."

And one, lone voice said, "But 40% of us don't pay ANY taxes."

So "The One" said, "Then I shall give you some of the taxes the fat-cats pay!"

And the people said, "Hallelujah!! Show us the money!"

Then "The One" said, "I shall tax your Capital Gains when you sell your homes!"


And the people yawned and the slumping housing market collapsed.

And He said, "I shall mandate employer-funded health care for EVERY worker and raise the minimum wage. And I shall give every person unlimited health care and medicine and transportation to the clinics."

And the people said, "Give me some of that!"

Then he said, "I shall penalize employers who ship jobs overseas."

And the people said, "Where's my rebate check?"

Then "The One" said, "I shall bankrupt the coal industry and electricity rates will skyrocket!"

And the people said, "Coal is dirty, coal is evil, no more coal! But we don't care for that part about higher electric rates."

So "The One" said, "Not to worry. If your rebate isn't enough to cover your expenses, we shall bail you out. Just sign up with ACORN and your troubles are over!"

Then He said, "Illegal immigrants feel scorned and slighted. Let's grant them amnesty, Social Security, free education, free lunches, free medical care, bilingual signs and guaranteed housing..."

And the people said, "Hallelujah!!" And they made him King!

And so it came to pass that employers, facing spiraling costs and ever-higher taxes, raised their prices and laid off workers. Others simply gave up and went out of business and the economy sank like unto a rock dropped from a cliff. The banking industry was destroyed. Manufacturing slowed to a crawl. And more of the people were without a means of support.

Then "The One" said, "I am the "The One" - The Messiah - and I'm here to save you! We shall just print more money so everyone will have enough!"

But our foreign trading partners said unto Him, "Wait a minute. Your dollar is not worth a pile of camel dung! You will have to pay more..."

And the people said, "Wait a minute. That is unfair!!"

And the world said, "Neither are these other idiotic programs you have embraced. Lo, you have become a Socialist state and a second-rate power. Now you shall play by our rules!"

And the people cried out, "Alas, alas!! What have we done?"

But yea verily, it was too late. The people set upon "The One" and spat upon him and stoned him, and his name was dung. And the once mighty nation was no more; and the once proud people were without sustenance or shelter or hope. And the Change "The One" had given them was as like unto a poison that had destroyed them and like a whirlwind that consumed all that they had built.

And the people beat their chests in despair and cried out in anguish, “Give us back our nation and our pride and our hope!!" But it was too late, and their homeland was no more.

You may think this is a fairy tale, but it's not. It's happening RIGHT NOW!!!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Sometimes!

Kids say, or feel, the damnedest truths.

Taylor fell in love with this little tune and decided to share it with me.

Now I share it with you.



Sometimes little ones, they just KNOW.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

I am DOOMED!

I used to think addictions were just to drugs, or to smoking, or to overeating! I was so wrong.

I have a new addiction.

It is so bad that sometimes I wake up in the morning dreaming about having it. It interferes with my thought processes at work until I get it. I even know that I can't even call my supplier before 11:00 AM! They absolutely REFUSE to answer the phone until 11:05, and they VACATION in the summer (OH THE NERVE!)!

I watch the clock!

What time do they open! I start going through DT's at EXACTLY ten! An hour too early.

I (hangs head in utter shame) am addicted to this:

YES! (weeping) Thai !

Specifically Panang Chicken........... (Weeping in sorrow at my utter fall from Steak and French Fries).............

UGH (the shame)

THAI HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, how it tantalizes the taste buds, how it livens the senses. The scent of Thai Basil and Kaffir lime mixed with fragrant coconut milk.

The pea pods...........I LONG! I DESIRE!

The tender chicken. I am DOOMED!

Looking for recipes is hopeless, everyone is different and I cannot find ONE that has ingredients I recognize or even know where to buy, or how to ask for (some, I can't even pronounce). Is it Red Curry, or yellow or green, and then HOW MUCH to get it just right?

I am doomed. For the rest of my life I will be a slave to the Thai Hut. Or the Thai House (don't care for them much, expensive and no veggies) or Pad Thai.........(NEVER open when they are supposed to be!). Then there is a new one opening up the street.......Thai CHEF!

There is my secret place, Thai Orchid, the do a LUNCH BUFFET! But..........It's delicious, not HOT!

Oh, woe is me!

The Monkey on my back (hey, are there monkeys in Thailand?)

Anyone know a 12 step for Panang Chicken rehab?

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

What Was Your First Job?

It's official. Ashley-Anne has landed her first job!

She's a summer counselor and office helper. She was given a choice. Use scholarship money that she'd earned to pay for her Elite Chorus trip to Disney this year, or work for the Boys and Girls Club and earn it.

She chose the job.

My BABY! Has her first job. We spent this afternoon filling out applications, W-4's and I-9s! MY BABY FILLED OUT AN I-9!

She is officially employed.

Going to cry now!

Seriously.

I lied on a job application (about my age) so that I could work at her age......for Mrs Fields Cookies.

What was YOUR first job?

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Makeup, Hair and Little Girls

My heart stopper this week:



Ok, that's it! I am so over this whole "growing up" thing.

STOP IT NOW! Both of you!

Love,

Mom.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Monday, May 25, 2009

Isn't She beautiful?





Never thought We'd make it here. FIFTEEN!

And such a beautiful young lady you have become. Inside, outside and upside down

HAPPY QuinceaƱera MY ANGEL!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

"Ghetto" Tour Guides

This is just too funny not to share. My girls giving you a tour of where they live. (and, NO, we do NOT live in the ghetto, Ash is just a wanna-be snob)



When she is more interested in the mailbox than what her VERY SERIOUS (read cute) Sister is saying.........HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

Anyone else see a TV star in the making?

BTW, Yes, there is a foster home in the neighborhood, that isn't it. And the white building is NOT their school, it's someone else's house.

Wait! THIS is the one of Tay telling her sister.....YOU'RE the cameraman, YOU don't talk unless I TELL YOU TO!



Cut, cut................CUT!

Hah............what can I say? HAMS!