November 30, 2004
Smoking Update
I am going to confess that my break from cigarette smoking hasn't been 100% clean. On Saturday night, I smoked a cigarette with one of our party guests. And maybe a week before that I had smoked with the same person. Before that, it was months that I went without.
The cravings and mood swings have disappeared. The only bad thing I that's come from the smoking is some weight gain. But I don't mind because I generally feel better all around. It's a pleasure to experience breathing through non-irritated sinuses. My complexion has improved in that I look healthier. I don't cough up gunk every time I go into the shower.
It's hard to quit. The way I did it, cold turkey, is the hardest way to quit physically, but psychologically it is the best was to do it.
Here is why. I started thinking that people are not naturally smokers. So therefore, it is unnatural for me to be smoking. I put myself in the mindset that I am not a smoker, so it would be silly to smoke. Eventually, my body started to believe it as well. And when I catch a whiff of someone else's cigarette now, with an occassional exception, the smell makes me sick to my stomach.
My advice is to quit. There is never a good time to do it, you just have to do it.
The cravings and mood swings have disappeared. The only bad thing I that's come from the smoking is some weight gain. But I don't mind because I generally feel better all around. It's a pleasure to experience breathing through non-irritated sinuses. My complexion has improved in that I look healthier. I don't cough up gunk every time I go into the shower.
It's hard to quit. The way I did it, cold turkey, is the hardest way to quit physically, but psychologically it is the best was to do it.
Here is why. I started thinking that people are not naturally smokers. So therefore, it is unnatural for me to be smoking. I put myself in the mindset that I am not a smoker, so it would be silly to smoke. Eventually, my body started to believe it as well. And when I catch a whiff of someone else's cigarette now, with an occassional exception, the smell makes me sick to my stomach.
My advice is to quit. There is never a good time to do it, you just have to do it.
November 29, 2004
The Game
So, we had people over on Saturday night to play The Game (not this game). The Game was not invented by us so we don't take any credit for it. I'm not sure who was the creator but we had been planning to throw a gathering in honor of The Game for quite some time. Finally, we did.
We have the space and we have the friends.
The Game combines elements of Charades, The $20,000 Pyramid and Password. We had enough people to break up into three teams, but perhaps too many people for the game to be thoroughly enjoyable. Our party broke up about midnight which isn't bad for a Saturday night theme party.
Some of the evening's highlights include: the locust style consumption of the meat I roasted for the party as well as the the rest of the food and drink (it is good and endlessly satisfying to feed people completely); Jon and I spending 1/2 an hour explaining the rules to our friends; one of our guests doing his best impersonation of Mick Jagger for the entire minute of his turn while his team guessed every answer but the correct one; another guest performing a clue for the movie The Incredibles by pantomiming sitting and staring; my use of the word SCRUNGER to elicit the answer PLUNGER from my team (called foul by Jon) during the Password style round; various guests performing clues having to do with crack, Uranus, atrophy, President Jimmy Carter, and shitzus.
Some of our guests included LFROS, akaChris, Caren, Phil from Phil's Entertainment Spot; Sarah from Sarah's Entertainment Spot; Vidiot and a cameo by Evil Twin Theory. Those weren't are only guests either; it's just that our other friends don't have websites or journals.
If you were our guest, thank you so much for coming. If you couldn't make it, I'm sorry we missed you. If you weren't invited and feel left out, I apologize.
We have the space and we have the friends.
The Game combines elements of Charades, The $20,000 Pyramid and Password. We had enough people to break up into three teams, but perhaps too many people for the game to be thoroughly enjoyable. Our party broke up about midnight which isn't bad for a Saturday night theme party.
Some of the evening's highlights include: the locust style consumption of the meat I roasted for the party as well as the the rest of the food and drink (it is good and endlessly satisfying to feed people completely); Jon and I spending 1/2 an hour explaining the rules to our friends; one of our guests doing his best impersonation of Mick Jagger for the entire minute of his turn while his team guessed every answer but the correct one; another guest performing a clue for the movie The Incredibles by pantomiming sitting and staring; my use of the word SCRUNGER to elicit the answer PLUNGER from my team (called foul by Jon) during the Password style round; various guests performing clues having to do with crack, Uranus, atrophy, President Jimmy Carter, and shitzus.
Some of our guests included LFROS, akaChris, Caren, Phil from Phil's Entertainment Spot; Sarah from Sarah's Entertainment Spot; Vidiot and a cameo by Evil Twin Theory. Those weren't are only guests either; it's just that our other friends don't have websites or journals.
If you were our guest, thank you so much for coming. If you couldn't make it, I'm sorry we missed you. If you weren't invited and feel left out, I apologize.
Monday Again
Yes it's Monday again. Wahoo!!!
We should have 1 four day weekend every month. I feel great. Jon and I had a great and wonderful weekend.
Thursday, Friday and part of Saturday were spent in Cortland with Jon's family. Saturday night we had friends over to play The Game.
Sunday afternoon, we went to Central Park to play with our new digital camera. We're practicing shooting digital pictures for our trip to London. We picked a good afternoon for it because the sunset was beautiful. If you look at the pictures below, you'll see for yourself. The picture, under the below heading of pretty, was taken at Tavern on the Green. We were both enchanted by the magical effect of the small white lights on the tree. When combined with yesterday's sunset, the effect is surreal.
This first picture to the right was also taken near Tavern on the Green. I was trying to capture the animal topiaries behind this lamp but I discovered that if I tipped up the camera, I could make this eerie photo. There are many interesting street lamps in Central Park. That's another photo essay I started yesterday but for now, let's focus on yesterday's magical sky. The second photograph to the right was taken about 1/2 an hour before sunset, just when the light was beginning to turn.
We should have 1 four day weekend every month. I feel great. Jon and I had a great and wonderful weekend.
Thursday, Friday and part of Saturday were spent in Cortland with Jon's family. Saturday night we had friends over to play The Game.
Sunday afternoon, we went to Central Park to play with our new digital camera. We're practicing shooting digital pictures for our trip to London. We picked a good afternoon for it because the sunset was beautiful. If you look at the pictures below, you'll see for yourself. The picture, under the below heading of pretty, was taken at Tavern on the Green. We were both enchanted by the magical effect of the small white lights on the tree. When combined with yesterday's sunset, the effect is surreal.
This first picture to the right was also taken near Tavern on the Green. I was trying to capture the animal topiaries behind this lamp but I discovered that if I tipped up the camera, I could make this eerie photo. There are many interesting street lamps in Central Park. That's another photo essay I started yesterday but for now, let's focus on yesterday's magical sky. The second photograph to the right was taken about 1/2 an hour before sunset, just when the light was beginning to turn.
November 28, 2004
November 26, 2004
Happy Day After!!
Happy Day After Thanksgiving!!
I am in Cortland, NY and there is snow on the ground. Yes. Actual snow. We are visiting Jon's parents and the weather is closer to winter than I've seen in some time this time of year.
Last night we had turkey for dinner. Also on the table one could find baked sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans and salad. For dessert we had pumpkin pie.
Our trip up was blessfully quick and easy. I am thankful for that. We awoke at 6am and were at Port Authority by 7:25 for our Greyhound upstate. Our bus left at 8 and we were in Cortland by noon. Our busdriver skipped the rest stop outside of Binghamton shaving 30 minutes off our trip. I am also thankful that the bus was half empty.
We aren't the only guests this weekend. Jon's aunt and uncle brought two of their grandsons (children of Jon's cousins). I am very impressed at their behavior. The children are sweet and loving and I am reminded yet again how holidays can be ruined or improved by the behavior children. Had they been on their worst behavior, last night would not have been as enjoyable.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was reading over my Thanksgiving entries from last year. Do you remember how I was thankful to be employed at my current job because it meant that I didn't have to move home to my parents in shame.
Well, one full year later, the opposite is true. I haven't been happy in my job. Clearly, it's been showing because I was given a month's notice to find another job. Granted, this is a gentle firing, but it is a firing none the less.
And do you know what? I am thankful for it. I was getting stagnant in my dead end job. I needed it last year and was grateful at the time to have it. Yes. I still need a job. Now, I have to find something else; something more interesting. I had already lined up a job interview before it happened.
I'm not quite sure how it went. The person who interviewed me didn't give me much of a chance to talk. Nor did he ask me any questions about myself. It's my feeling that he made a spot judgement upon seeing me and just decided outright to phone the interview in.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Any suggestions?
I am in Cortland, NY and there is snow on the ground. Yes. Actual snow. We are visiting Jon's parents and the weather is closer to winter than I've seen in some time this time of year.
Last night we had turkey for dinner. Also on the table one could find baked sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans and salad. For dessert we had pumpkin pie.
Our trip up was blessfully quick and easy. I am thankful for that. We awoke at 6am and were at Port Authority by 7:25 for our Greyhound upstate. Our bus left at 8 and we were in Cortland by noon. Our busdriver skipped the rest stop outside of Binghamton shaving 30 minutes off our trip. I am also thankful that the bus was half empty.
We aren't the only guests this weekend. Jon's aunt and uncle brought two of their grandsons (children of Jon's cousins). I am very impressed at their behavior. The children are sweet and loving and I am reminded yet again how holidays can be ruined or improved by the behavior children. Had they been on their worst behavior, last night would not have been as enjoyable.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was reading over my Thanksgiving entries from last year. Do you remember how I was thankful to be employed at my current job because it meant that I didn't have to move home to my parents in shame.
Well, one full year later, the opposite is true. I haven't been happy in my job. Clearly, it's been showing because I was given a month's notice to find another job. Granted, this is a gentle firing, but it is a firing none the less.
And do you know what? I am thankful for it. I was getting stagnant in my dead end job. I needed it last year and was grateful at the time to have it. Yes. I still need a job. Now, I have to find something else; something more interesting. I had already lined up a job interview before it happened.
I'm not quite sure how it went. The person who interviewed me didn't give me much of a chance to talk. Nor did he ask me any questions about myself. It's my feeling that he made a spot judgement upon seeing me and just decided outright to phone the interview in.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Any suggestions?
November 24, 2004
Jewish Woman Gets Desperate
This woman's approach sounds like trouble. I personally have likened the process of finding a mate to initiating a marketing campaign, but this lady is actually doing it.
Marry Blaire
I'm scared of this approach and what precedent this is setting. Why? Because it's hard enough to be competing on the bar/temple/social activities/jdate/match.com level. Now, Jewish women, it would seem, have to actually go as far as starting there own websites.
What's next?
Ech!
Marry Blaire
I'm scared of this approach and what precedent this is setting. Why? Because it's hard enough to be competing on the bar/temple/social activities/jdate/match.com level. Now, Jewish women, it would seem, have to actually go as far as starting there own websites.
What's next?
- Direct mail campaigns?
- Full page ads in the Sunday Times?
- Full scale infomercials?
Ech!
Tuesday Night Trivia
Last night, I went to Tuesday Night Trivia, for the first time in weeks. Our team name was Now playing Center for the Pistons, Sponge Bob Square Pants. We finished in fourth place. Our prize was getting to play as a team.
My team consisted of Bob plus 3 friends who for now shall remain nameless, Sarah and Mr. and Mrs. A. We had fun when we could hear each other. As nice as it was to play with my team I was very uncomfortable because the bar was uncharacteristically loud - so freakin' loud. We couldn't hear each other before, between rounds or afterwards. It was also very hot. Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of being in a very crowded, small space. Most people aren't. So, the crowd, the heat, the noise all produced a very uncomfortable Val.
The game itself was well planned. Caren hosted with Barry. Barry's general knowledge round centered on turn of the century trivia, 8 out of 10. Instead of a top ten list, Barry had us match famous sex quotes with their owners. That was quite challenging. Barry's audio round consisted of songs that he thought were weird. I think we scored about five out of 10 on that one. My favorite round was the visual one, designed by Caren. In honor of Thanksgiving, she produced copies of a Chinese Restaurant menu with 10 words blacked out from either the name of the dish or the dish's description. We scored about 8 out of 10 on that.
In spite of our best efforts, we still only placed fourth, but that's okay. My teams have had pretty good winning streak there for a while. I guess it's only fair to spread the joy. And any opportunity to hang out with friends should be taken advantage of.
I'd like to send a public thank you to the hosts of the dinner I attended late last night. You know who you are. It was a pleasure to see both of you and I hope you have a good time watching the Thanksgiving Day parade with your beloved from the office of our mutual friend.
My team consisted of Bob plus 3 friends who for now shall remain nameless, Sarah and Mr. and Mrs. A. We had fun when we could hear each other. As nice as it was to play with my team I was very uncomfortable because the bar was uncharacteristically loud - so freakin' loud. We couldn't hear each other before, between rounds or afterwards. It was also very hot. Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of being in a very crowded, small space. Most people aren't. So, the crowd, the heat, the noise all produced a very uncomfortable Val.
The game itself was well planned. Caren hosted with Barry. Barry's general knowledge round centered on turn of the century trivia, 8 out of 10. Instead of a top ten list, Barry had us match famous sex quotes with their owners. That was quite challenging. Barry's audio round consisted of songs that he thought were weird. I think we scored about five out of 10 on that one. My favorite round was the visual one, designed by Caren. In honor of Thanksgiving, she produced copies of a Chinese Restaurant menu with 10 words blacked out from either the name of the dish or the dish's description. We scored about 8 out of 10 on that.
In spite of our best efforts, we still only placed fourth, but that's okay. My teams have had pretty good winning streak there for a while. I guess it's only fair to spread the joy. And any opportunity to hang out with friends should be taken advantage of.
I'd like to send a public thank you to the hosts of the dinner I attended late last night. You know who you are. It was a pleasure to see both of you and I hope you have a good time watching the Thanksgiving Day parade with your beloved from the office of our mutual friend.
November 23, 2004
Spartner
Last night, Jon and I went to the Russian Turkish baths. We arrived around 6:30. There weren't too many people there, which was nice. When I came down from my massage at 8 it was very, very crowded. This bothered me because I couldn't find a place to sit in the Russian sauna which is their hottest one. From there, it's nice to jump into the ice cold pool and people seemed to be in the way everywhere. But I did manage to get a nice sweat in two of the four different rooms they have.
This time, I went to P. for my massage. She didn't talk too much (bonus) and when she did talk it was to explain what she was doing. Using a combination of Reiki, Shiatsu and Swedish, her approach was a little bit different. We started the massage on my back. She worked on my neck first and then on a spot in front of my armpits where all the muscles join up. Then after a while she asked me turn over, to do work on my back. She found a lot of tender spots.
Lower back, ouch. Left hip, ouch. Shoulder blades, ouch. Shoulders, ouch.
She definitely made progress, gradually working out my knots but due to the time constraints of my 45 minute massage, there was only so much she could do. She really could have worked an hour on each of the above spots. But it's not good to get that much work done at once anyway.
As soon as we got home, I turned on The Swan. Last night, the plastic surgeon found cancer on a contestant's nose. It was pretty serious. A specialist removed it and the contestant was thankful for the right reasons. This season, the transformations are a little more natural. Last season, everyone looked like they'd been through a conveyor belt. This season, the surgeons seem to be keeping more with the contestants' natural looks. Don't get me wrong. They don't look that natural but they look more like themselves than the ladies from last season.
This time, I went to P. for my massage. She didn't talk too much (bonus) and when she did talk it was to explain what she was doing. Using a combination of Reiki, Shiatsu and Swedish, her approach was a little bit different. We started the massage on my back. She worked on my neck first and then on a spot in front of my armpits where all the muscles join up. Then after a while she asked me turn over, to do work on my back. She found a lot of tender spots.
Lower back, ouch. Left hip, ouch. Shoulder blades, ouch. Shoulders, ouch.
She definitely made progress, gradually working out my knots but due to the time constraints of my 45 minute massage, there was only so much she could do. She really could have worked an hour on each of the above spots. But it's not good to get that much work done at once anyway.
As soon as we got home, I turned on The Swan. Last night, the plastic surgeon found cancer on a contestant's nose. It was pretty serious. A specialist removed it and the contestant was thankful for the right reasons. This season, the transformations are a little more natural. Last season, everyone looked like they'd been through a conveyor belt. This season, the surgeons seem to be keeping more with the contestants' natural looks. Don't get me wrong. They don't look that natural but they look more like themselves than the ladies from last season.
Saddest Story in the World
This sad story comes to us from Texas. A mother, suffering from postpartum depression, cut the arms off of her 11 month old daughter, resulting in the baby's death. Covered in blood, she called the police and waited for them to arrive.
My heart goes out to the family and the police and paramedics who were called to the scene. The person who will receive the least sympathy is the mom and that's too bad.
I don't know what happens to a woman when she is suffering from post-natal depression. I don't know what goes on in her head. When this woman snaps out of it, if she was sane to begin with, she is going to feel so guilty, we'll probably hear about her suicide in days to come.
It's a sad story all around.
My heart goes out to the family and the police and paramedics who were called to the scene. The person who will receive the least sympathy is the mom and that's too bad.
I don't know what happens to a woman when she is suffering from post-natal depression. I don't know what goes on in her head. When this woman snaps out of it, if she was sane to begin with, she is going to feel so guilty, we'll probably hear about her suicide in days to come.
It's a sad story all around.
November 22, 2004
Literer-Arabs
I'm confused. Very confused. Saudis and other Arab nations contributed lots and lots of money to the new Clinton Library. Doesn't that mean that Clinton has an unscrupulous connection like the one Michael Moore accused the Bushes of having in his inflammatory cockumentary film (pun intended) Fahrenheit 911?
The Clinton Library
The Clinton Library
(Looks a little too much like a trailer from a trailer park if you ask me.)
Video Game in Bad Taste
There is something inherently distateful about a video game that allows players to reenact the assassination of President Kennedy.
But still probably oodles of fun.
But still probably oodles of fun.
MONDAY. . . AGAIN?!?!
Wasn't it Monday just last week?
It was a cool and rainy weekend. Perfect for the likes of me.
I did my ritualistic food shopping on Saturday at the local supermarket that used to employ me. I talked to one of the young women I used to work with - nice person, very bright, degree in nutrition and food preperation. "Why are you still here?", I asked her. "Because I can't find anything else and besides, I'm starting full time next week", she replied. I encourage to get out of there as soon as possible. She's worked with them through most of her adolescence and early 20's.
Shopping was as satisfying as it always is except I spent more than I usually do. The idea is that spending more money on food for the house, will save us from spending money outside of the house. I celebrated my food shopping spree by preparing a huge meal. I roasted chicken with my famous stuffing, using pita bread for the starch this time around. I made a scrumptious potato-leek soup, variation on mom's recipe and I made pasta with a sauce made from 3 different kinds of mushroom and cream. I also made a pound of pasta. Everything was so rich we couldn't possibly eat seconds.
We did spend a quiet weekend at home. Although some of it was spent out on Sunday afternoon as we cavorted at an arcade/pool hall on Steinway Street. Shoot 'em up games and driving games are a great way to play with your mate. We found one driving game that linked two machines so we could race each other through a fictitious New York City landscape. That was fun, way fun, too much fun.
We also tried a new eatery near the Astoria/Kaufman Studios called CUP. I had an GINORMOUS portobella mushroom burger which was a pile of delicious veggies on a roll accompanied by some regular ole fries and an EMONGOUS cup of coffee. A real bonus was the actual cream in the cream dispenser. It's very stylish and a nice place to go on a rainy, Sunday afternoon.
It was a cool and rainy weekend. Perfect for the likes of me.
I did my ritualistic food shopping on Saturday at the local supermarket that used to employ me. I talked to one of the young women I used to work with - nice person, very bright, degree in nutrition and food preperation. "Why are you still here?", I asked her. "Because I can't find anything else and besides, I'm starting full time next week", she replied. I encourage to get out of there as soon as possible. She's worked with them through most of her adolescence and early 20's.
Shopping was as satisfying as it always is except I spent more than I usually do. The idea is that spending more money on food for the house, will save us from spending money outside of the house. I celebrated my food shopping spree by preparing a huge meal. I roasted chicken with my famous stuffing, using pita bread for the starch this time around. I made a scrumptious potato-leek soup, variation on mom's recipe and I made pasta with a sauce made from 3 different kinds of mushroom and cream. I also made a pound of pasta. Everything was so rich we couldn't possibly eat seconds.
We did spend a quiet weekend at home. Although some of it was spent out on Sunday afternoon as we cavorted at an arcade/pool hall on Steinway Street. Shoot 'em up games and driving games are a great way to play with your mate. We found one driving game that linked two machines so we could race each other through a fictitious New York City landscape. That was fun, way fun, too much fun.
We also tried a new eatery near the Astoria/Kaufman Studios called CUP. I had an GINORMOUS portobella mushroom burger which was a pile of delicious veggies on a roll accompanied by some regular ole fries and an EMONGOUS cup of coffee. A real bonus was the actual cream in the cream dispenser. It's very stylish and a nice place to go on a rainy, Sunday afternoon.
November 19, 2004
Friday stuff
I read recently that cows are becoming very angry in Canada and that this is a big problem for their beef industry. This is becoming an American problem because the cows from Canada are encouraging the American cows to become angry as well.
---------------------------------------------------
Here is an example of a prosthetic with a porpoise in mind. The story presents the heartwarming "tail" of a tire manufacturing company that came to the aid of a dolphin that lost of part of its tailfin to necrosis.
----------------------------------------------------
In other animal news, rats everywhere are getting relief from their constipation through the miracle of rat enemas via Vidiot via someone else)
----------------------------------------------------
Cynics are made, not born.
- Max
---------------------------------------------------
Here is an example of a prosthetic with a porpoise in mind. The story presents the heartwarming "tail" of a tire manufacturing company that came to the aid of a dolphin that lost of part of its tailfin to necrosis.
----------------------------------------------------
In other animal news, rats everywhere are getting relief from their constipation through the miracle of rat enemas via Vidiot via someone else)
----------------------------------------------------
Cynics are made, not born.
- Max
You're Fired! You're Fired!
Trump fired two people from the Apprentice last night, but I had to read about it online this morning. I was watching the show when all of a sudden NBC just cut out as well as most of the other channels. I'm guessing TWC was having some trouble with their digital output or whatever. No bother. I read about this morning. I have to say I kind of saw it coming. There was so much buildup this past week on NBC about last night's episode having the most exciting boardroom scene ever.
Who was fired? Maria and Wes.
Who was fired? Maria and Wes.
November 18, 2004
November 16, 2004
Rice for Lunch
President Announces Nomination of Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State
The Roosevelt Room
12:33 P.M. EST
DR. RICE: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. It has been an honor and a privilege to work for you these past four years, in times of crisis, decision and opportunity for our nation. Under your leadership, America is fighting and winning the war on terror. You have marshaled great coalitions that have liberated millions from tyranny, coalitions that are now helping the Iraqi and Afghan people build democracies in the heart of the Muslim world. And you have worked to widen the circle of prosperity and progress in every corner of the world.
I look forward, with the consent of the Senate, to pursuing your hopeful and ambitious agenda as Secretary of State. Mr. President, it is an honor to be asked to serve your administration and my country once again.
And it is humbling to imagine succeeding my dear friend and mentor, Colin Powell. He is one of the finest public servants our nation has ever produced. Colin Powell has been a great and inspirational Secretary of State. It was my honor to serve alongside him, and he will be missed.
It will, of course, be hard to leave the White House, and especially to leave behind the terrific NSC staff who have served their President and their country so ably in this most challenging of times. Yet, I can leave confident in the knowledge that they will be led by the consummate professional, a man I know and admire, my colleague and friend, Steve Hadley.
Finally, let me say that in my 25 years of experience in foreign affairs, both in and out of government, I have come to know the men and women of the Department of State. I have the utmost admiration and respect for their skill, their professionalism and their dedication. If I am confirmed by the Senate, I look forward to working with the great people of the Foreign Service and the Civil Service. And one of my highest priorities as Secretary will be to ensure that they have all the tools necessary to carry American diplomacy forward in the 21st century.
Mr. President, thank you again for this great opportunity, and for your continued confidence in me.
THE PRESIDENT: Good job. Thank you all.
The Roosevelt Room
12:33 P.M. EST
DR. RICE: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. It has been an honor and a privilege to work for you these past four years, in times of crisis, decision and opportunity for our nation. Under your leadership, America is fighting and winning the war on terror. You have marshaled great coalitions that have liberated millions from tyranny, coalitions that are now helping the Iraqi and Afghan people build democracies in the heart of the Muslim world. And you have worked to widen the circle of prosperity and progress in every corner of the world.
I look forward, with the consent of the Senate, to pursuing your hopeful and ambitious agenda as Secretary of State. Mr. President, it is an honor to be asked to serve your administration and my country once again.
And it is humbling to imagine succeeding my dear friend and mentor, Colin Powell. He is one of the finest public servants our nation has ever produced. Colin Powell has been a great and inspirational Secretary of State. It was my honor to serve alongside him, and he will be missed.
It will, of course, be hard to leave the White House, and especially to leave behind the terrific NSC staff who have served their President and their country so ably in this most challenging of times. Yet, I can leave confident in the knowledge that they will be led by the consummate professional, a man I know and admire, my colleague and friend, Steve Hadley.
Finally, let me say that in my 25 years of experience in foreign affairs, both in and out of government, I have come to know the men and women of the Department of State. I have the utmost admiration and respect for their skill, their professionalism and their dedication. If I am confirmed by the Senate, I look forward to working with the great people of the Foreign Service and the Civil Service. And one of my highest priorities as Secretary will be to ensure that they have all the tools necessary to carry American diplomacy forward in the 21st century.
Mr. President, thank you again for this great opportunity, and for your continued confidence in me.
THE PRESIDENT: Good job. Thank you all.
November 13, 2004
Friday Night
So, yeah. I had a bad week at work. What of it? Haven't we all? What did I do last night? I cleaned our house more than it needed to be. (What's frustrating is that I know it's clean but it still looks cluttered but att least I know it's clean). What's amazing is that I felt 2000 times better after cleaning the house. I channelled all of my anger and aggression from the week into the cleaning of the toiilet, scrubbing of the tub, repairing of the vaccuum cleaner, preparation of dinner, straightening out of the kitchen (finally putting away the plates from our party), etc. Then after an exhausting two hours of non-stop cleaning, I vegged in front of the television to watch WHAT NOT TOWEAR (extra good last night) for two hours.
Now, it's Saturday morning and the house is clean. All that remains is making the bed, cleaning last night's dishes and I no longer have a reason to procrasinate instead of looking for a new job. This Saturday belongs to me.
The most fun part of Saturday is that tonight, Jon and I are finally going to see The Incredibles. YAY!!!
November 12, 2004
November 10, 2004
Anonymous Bloggette
Oh great and nameless friend. Why hast thou forsaken us?
We have not heard from you since September.
I look everyday to see if you have wise words to share with us but alas I am always disappointed by the permanence of your September 29th post.
Will we ever hear from you again?
We have not heard from you since September.
I look everyday to see if you have wise words to share with us but alas I am always disappointed by the permanence of your September 29th post.
Will we ever hear from you again?
November 09, 2004
Sunday
We slept late. We went to Long Beach for dinner. Some friends of the family are visiting from France. My brother, sister-in-law and nephew were there and my parents' neighbors.
Did you know that my cherubic nephew can cry loudly for long stretches? My poor brother and sister-in-law . . .they had to leave early. My nephew just couldn't get comfortable.
After they left we visited for a little while, had dessert and we got an early start home where we watched the season premier of the Simpsons on tape and of course, played more Scrabble. I lost but to a worthy opponent. Jon is truly a master SCRABBLE player - utterly the best I've ever played.
Did you know that my cherubic nephew can cry loudly for long stretches? My poor brother and sister-in-law . . .they had to leave early. My nephew just couldn't get comfortable.
After they left we visited for a little while, had dessert and we got an early start home where we watched the season premier of the Simpsons on tape and of course, played more Scrabble. I lost but to a worthy opponent. Jon is truly a master SCRABBLE player - utterly the best I've ever played.
Weekend
Brad aka The Anonymous Blogger wrote about his delightful weekend.
And now, I'd like to tell you about mine.
It started sometime after 5pm Friday night when I went home and puttered around the house until What Not To Wear's new episode at 9 pm. I honestly don't remember anything specific that I did. I could have read a book, done a facial, bathed, cooked, cleaned and I just can't remember. But I do remember the show. Afterwards, I think I hitched a ride on the Internet Super Highway until I couldn't stay awake any longer. Pretty exciting, huh. But that's okay. You guys know how I feel about downtime. It's completely necessary and restorative. If you go, go, go all the time you either get physically ill or soul sick.
Saturday was the day to get things done. Grocery shopping, cooking and clean were all high on the list as well as playing several hours of Roller Coaster Tycoon 2. If I don't pay attention to the time, I lose hours playing that game. Does that sound sad to you? Well it shouldn't. After typing mindlessly for a week, processing stupid bills and running errands for the owner of the company which he wouldn't even ask his mother to do I need some serious decompression time on the weekends. I did get the girly stuff done early, like preparing food for dinner and cleaning. My only regret is that I didn't nap because I was cooking and I didn't feel comfortable going to sleep while my chicken soup was simmering. When Jon get home, there was dining, Scrabble Playing, Simpsons watching and hours of quality time staring deeply into each other's eyes.
Sunday. Well that's a horse of a different color.
And now, I'd like to tell you about mine.
It started sometime after 5pm Friday night when I went home and puttered around the house until What Not To Wear's new episode at 9 pm. I honestly don't remember anything specific that I did. I could have read a book, done a facial, bathed, cooked, cleaned and I just can't remember. But I do remember the show. Afterwards, I think I hitched a ride on the Internet Super Highway until I couldn't stay awake any longer. Pretty exciting, huh. But that's okay. You guys know how I feel about downtime. It's completely necessary and restorative. If you go, go, go all the time you either get physically ill or soul sick.
Saturday was the day to get things done. Grocery shopping, cooking and clean were all high on the list as well as playing several hours of Roller Coaster Tycoon 2. If I don't pay attention to the time, I lose hours playing that game. Does that sound sad to you? Well it shouldn't. After typing mindlessly for a week, processing stupid bills and running errands for the owner of the company which he wouldn't even ask his mother to do I need some serious decompression time on the weekends. I did get the girly stuff done early, like preparing food for dinner and cleaning. My only regret is that I didn't nap because I was cooking and I didn't feel comfortable going to sleep while my chicken soup was simmering. When Jon get home, there was dining, Scrabble Playing, Simpsons watching and hours of quality time staring deeply into each other's eyes.
Sunday. Well that's a horse of a different color.
November 08, 2004
What Not to Operate On
There are several reality TV shows on this season that make ignoring television virtually impossible. I've spoken about two of the shows I'm thoroughly enjoying, "The Apprentice" and "Survivor", in previous posts. Both shows are very similar in that once a week a contestant is eliminated. Both shows are very similar in that the players have to ultimately betray people they are teamed up with. Both shows are entertaining because it's endlessly interesting to see how far people will go to make it to the top of the heap. But that's not what this post is about.
The two shows I'd like to discuss here are also very similar in that they encourage the participants to improve their innerselves by making changes to the outside. The two shows up for discussion are "The Swan" and "What Not to Wear".
"What Not To Wear" on the The Learning Channel (TLC) is quickly becoming my favorite of the four programs mentioned. Here, two fashion experts encourage someone to improve their lives and their look by helping them to revamp their wardrobe, hair and makeup. The recipient of this service is secretly videotaped by their family and friends. Then the friends and family send in the tape to show the producers of the program what dreadful taste their friends have and beg for help. The two fashion experts then surprise the soon-to-be recipient with a $5,000 credit card for a new wardrobe that can be theirs if the fashion criminal is willing to turn himself or herself over to the show, body, soul and wardrobe.
There are several good and positive elements to the show. Not only does one get a $5,000 gift card but the fashion victim is flown to New York City for a week where the hosts of the show give the person tips on what clothing looks good on them specifically, treats them to a hair consultation and hair cut above and beyond the $5K, and then given a lesson on how to apply makeup properly or to groom themselves properly in the case of men. Everyone I've seen on that show has come out the other end a happier person. They all say same thing. . .that knowing how to take care of themselves and shop for themselves ultimately makes them feel a little bit better and a little more confident. I love this show and understand why it is on The Learning Channel. I learn a lot about fashion and makeup etcetera and I enjoy the social psychological aspect of the show that secondarily allows you into the process of improving one's self esteem. Good stuff.
The other show that I'm fascinated with and horrified by at the same time is "The Swan" on FOX. As in "What Not To Wear", the viewer is learning that by making changes to one's outer appearance one can feel better on the inside. Unlike "What Not To Wear", almost every contestant has to undergo radical plastic surgery, compete with other women all suffering from the same, very sad self-esteem and depression issues, to get into a beauty pageant at the end of the show where they will compete once again to be win the title THE SWAN. Every week, the stories get sadder and the Dr's get more cocky. Generally I watch in horror as the experts on the show end up looking like a bunch of Dr. Frankensteins because of the amount of plastic surgery they insist the contestant get. Tonight one of the contestants was bullied into receiving dental work she didn't necessarily want although she really needed it. Another plastic surgeon expressed his interest in this poor woman's snake like and twisted nose which he then broke to correct. These women undergo serious plastic surgery, to the point where they are no longer recognizable. I don't this a good lesson.
Yes. This show has the same socio psycho aspect to it as "What Not To Wear" except it is a mean spirited show. Yes. Producers of both shows are creating entertainment as a commodity. But "The Swan" seems to have a more exploitative angle. They are giving the women who participate thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of physical training, psychotherapy and counseling and mucho plastic surgery. This is all good, but I would respect these people more if they did it without my ever knowing about it. They pretend to be doing these women some kind of favor while simultaneously exploiting them. The lessons are mixed and bad. It teaches us that it's good to be a victim, because victims get rewarded. It teaches us that beauty is the most important thing in life to get ahead.
What do we learn from "What Not To Wear"? That with a little advice, a good haircut and $5,000 shopping spree one can learn how to make the decision to look the best they can look with what GOD has given them.
I will continue to watch both and keep you updated.
The two shows I'd like to discuss here are also very similar in that they encourage the participants to improve their innerselves by making changes to the outside. The two shows up for discussion are "The Swan" and "What Not to Wear".
"What Not To Wear" on the The Learning Channel (TLC) is quickly becoming my favorite of the four programs mentioned. Here, two fashion experts encourage someone to improve their lives and their look by helping them to revamp their wardrobe, hair and makeup. The recipient of this service is secretly videotaped by their family and friends. Then the friends and family send in the tape to show the producers of the program what dreadful taste their friends have and beg for help. The two fashion experts then surprise the soon-to-be recipient with a $5,000 credit card for a new wardrobe that can be theirs if the fashion criminal is willing to turn himself or herself over to the show, body, soul and wardrobe.
There are several good and positive elements to the show. Not only does one get a $5,000 gift card but the fashion victim is flown to New York City for a week where the hosts of the show give the person tips on what clothing looks good on them specifically, treats them to a hair consultation and hair cut above and beyond the $5K, and then given a lesson on how to apply makeup properly or to groom themselves properly in the case of men. Everyone I've seen on that show has come out the other end a happier person. They all say same thing. . .that knowing how to take care of themselves and shop for themselves ultimately makes them feel a little bit better and a little more confident. I love this show and understand why it is on The Learning Channel. I learn a lot about fashion and makeup etcetera and I enjoy the social psychological aspect of the show that secondarily allows you into the process of improving one's self esteem. Good stuff.
The other show that I'm fascinated with and horrified by at the same time is "The Swan" on FOX. As in "What Not To Wear", the viewer is learning that by making changes to one's outer appearance one can feel better on the inside. Unlike "What Not To Wear", almost every contestant has to undergo radical plastic surgery, compete with other women all suffering from the same, very sad self-esteem and depression issues, to get into a beauty pageant at the end of the show where they will compete once again to be win the title THE SWAN. Every week, the stories get sadder and the Dr's get more cocky. Generally I watch in horror as the experts on the show end up looking like a bunch of Dr. Frankensteins because of the amount of plastic surgery they insist the contestant get. Tonight one of the contestants was bullied into receiving dental work she didn't necessarily want although she really needed it. Another plastic surgeon expressed his interest in this poor woman's snake like and twisted nose which he then broke to correct. These women undergo serious plastic surgery, to the point where they are no longer recognizable. I don't this a good lesson.
Yes. This show has the same socio psycho aspect to it as "What Not To Wear" except it is a mean spirited show. Yes. Producers of both shows are creating entertainment as a commodity. But "The Swan" seems to have a more exploitative angle. They are giving the women who participate thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of physical training, psychotherapy and counseling and mucho plastic surgery. This is all good, but I would respect these people more if they did it without my ever knowing about it. They pretend to be doing these women some kind of favor while simultaneously exploiting them. The lessons are mixed and bad. It teaches us that it's good to be a victim, because victims get rewarded. It teaches us that beauty is the most important thing in life to get ahead.
What do we learn from "What Not To Wear"? That with a little advice, a good haircut and $5,000 shopping spree one can learn how to make the decision to look the best they can look with what GOD has given them.
I will continue to watch both and keep you updated.
November 07, 2004
November 05, 2004
Human Lie Detector
Millions of Cures for Millions of Dollars
America is purchasing 75 million doses of a new anthrax vaccine for almost 900 million dollars. This should be enough to treat 25 million people. Maybe I haven't been paying attention but when did the new ANTHRAX scare arise that would cause my tax dollars to be spent on this? Not that there's anything wrong with having a vaccine but nobody asked my opinion or even mentioned it to me.
The Government is beginning to give me a complex - I'm feeling a left out of the policy making process.
The Government is beginning to give me a complex - I'm feeling a left out of the policy making process.
Dollar Struggles Against the Euro
Not surprisingly, the dollar is at all time low against the Euro. Clearly this reflects the faith Europe instills in our fearless leader.
Hamas
Here is a link that supports the argument that Palestinians are raising their children to be terrorists.
http://www.haganah.us/harchives/003043.html
http://www.haganah.us/harchives/003043.html
November 04, 2004
Trump Fired Raj!
He just made too many mistakes. I guess he'll just have to go back to being the successful real estate developer that he already was, having started a business with family money he inherited. Yeah. He's real salt of the earth kind of people. Clearly, he has struggled (not) to get where he is.
This guy already won life's lottery. I'm glad he got fired. Give someone else a chance. I miss Troy from last season.
Maybe he'll make a cameo appearance.
The task was to renovate two houses. The team that came away with a higher appraisal than the other won. The winning team kept it simple and just cleaned up what was already there. But the other team, led by Rah, complicated matters by ordering too much work be done.
For a real estate developer Raj sure didn't seem to know what he was doing. He turned a four bedroom house into a three bedroom (for which he got fired) and added a second bathroom to the second floor. The contract screwed him by not completing the work on the second floor. Well, if it were me, I would have had the contractor put the bathroom in first. Clearly, installing a bathroom takes a lot of work. Not only do you have to install the hardware but you have to grout and tile the walls. Why he left that until the last day is beyond me? Bad contractor or not, that should have been his first request.
This is why I hate business. You have to stay on top of people's shit all the time to make sure they are doing what you need done. If not, they'll slack off or fuck up. If you're too nice a person, it's just not in you to give someone else a hard time. Raj was too nice a person. It's also interesting to see how the teams set up other members for failure.
Gosh. I love that show!!
This guy already won life's lottery. I'm glad he got fired. Give someone else a chance. I miss Troy from last season.
Maybe he'll make a cameo appearance.
The task was to renovate two houses. The team that came away with a higher appraisal than the other won. The winning team kept it simple and just cleaned up what was already there. But the other team, led by Rah, complicated matters by ordering too much work be done.
For a real estate developer Raj sure didn't seem to know what he was doing. He turned a four bedroom house into a three bedroom (for which he got fired) and added a second bathroom to the second floor. The contract screwed him by not completing the work on the second floor. Well, if it were me, I would have had the contractor put the bathroom in first. Clearly, installing a bathroom takes a lot of work. Not only do you have to install the hardware but you have to grout and tile the walls. Why he left that until the last day is beyond me? Bad contractor or not, that should have been his first request.
This is why I hate business. You have to stay on top of people's shit all the time to make sure they are doing what you need done. If not, they'll slack off or fuck up. If you're too nice a person, it's just not in you to give someone else a hard time. Raj was too nice a person. It's also interesting to see how the teams set up other members for failure.
Gosh. I love that show!!
Open Letter from a Wounded Liberal
This self proclaimed Wounded Liberal sums up for all of Kerry supporters why this loss stings so badly.
I agree Wounded Liberal. I agree.
I agree Wounded Liberal. I agree.
Arafat is in a coma
Yasser Arafat has slipped into a coma leaving hand selected people in charge of the P.L.O. At lease if he's in a coma, no one can blame him for sending teenagers to their self inflicted death in Israeli market places or on Israeli transit. At lease if he's in a coma, no one can blame him for inciting the Palestinians against Jewish settlers. Or can they?
I think the P.L.O., under the leadership of Arafat, made a long and abiding commitment to terrorize Israel for as long as it exists. I think the surrounding Arab countries made an agreement with the P.L.O. to keep the Palestinians living like rats in refugee camps as an army of avenging angels to rid the area of the Jewish scourge.
Perhaps, with Arafat gone, the Palestinians as a nation, will be able to settle in one or all of the surrounding Arab countries which are certainly wealthy enough to give every one of those terrorist homes and jobs. This has been going on too long. A true leader would have found these people homes and work a long time ago, but instead he continued to allow his people to live like dogs in the wilderness.
I invite discussion on this, so don't be scared to link and argue and do what you need to do.
I think the P.L.O., under the leadership of Arafat, made a long and abiding commitment to terrorize Israel for as long as it exists. I think the surrounding Arab countries made an agreement with the P.L.O. to keep the Palestinians living like rats in refugee camps as an army of avenging angels to rid the area of the Jewish scourge.
Perhaps, with Arafat gone, the Palestinians as a nation, will be able to settle in one or all of the surrounding Arab countries which are certainly wealthy enough to give every one of those terrorist homes and jobs. This has been going on too long. A true leader would have found these people homes and work a long time ago, but instead he continued to allow his people to live like dogs in the wilderness.
I invite discussion on this, so don't be scared to link and argue and do what you need to do.
November 03, 2004
Bush won
In case you hadn't heard, President Bush won and John Kerry lost.
It's a sad day for Democrats and their supporters everywhere.
We'll never know what kind of President Kerry would have made, because most likely he will not get renominated by his party to run another campaign. On the bright side though, if there is one, we won't have to deal with John Edwards or Theresa Heinz Kerry.
It's a sad day for Democrats and their supporters everywhere.
We'll never know what kind of President Kerry would have made, because most likely he will not get renominated by his party to run another campaign. On the bright side though, if there is one, we won't have to deal with John Edwards or Theresa Heinz Kerry.
November 02, 2004
VOTE!!
I voted earlier this morning. It took longer than I thought. There were quite a few more people there than I'm accustomed to seeing. I saw my neighbors of the last 11 years; many familiar faces of people I have never spoken to.
All the voting is controlled by local volunteers. Why are those volunteers always 100 years old and hard of hearing? There were a few young faces but they were strategically positioned in places that weren't of help to anybody.
The police presence was a lot heavier than I remember in the past. Police were stationed every 20 feet or so. That made me feel safe even though I didn't really feel threatened. But that Bin Laden video, if you think about it, can be a little unnerving. So far, I haven't seen any reports of terroristic interference. That could be thanks to President Bush, but I still voted Democrat down the line.
Remember that your vote is private. It's the one privacy entitlement I know of that is legally protected in the U.S. I say this because if you don't want to get into a heated discussion at the office or the dinner table, you can quote me and avoid a sticky situation.
All the voting is controlled by local volunteers. Why are those volunteers always 100 years old and hard of hearing? There were a few young faces but they were strategically positioned in places that weren't of help to anybody.
The police presence was a lot heavier than I remember in the past. Police were stationed every 20 feet or so. That made me feel safe even though I didn't really feel threatened. But that Bin Laden video, if you think about it, can be a little unnerving. So far, I haven't seen any reports of terroristic interference. That could be thanks to President Bush, but I still voted Democrat down the line.
Remember that your vote is private. It's the one privacy entitlement I know of that is legally protected in the U.S. I say this because if you don't want to get into a heated discussion at the office or the dinner table, you can quote me and avoid a sticky situation.
"You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss". Your romance is Casablanca. A classic story of love in trying times, chock full of both cynicism and hope. You obviously believe in true love, but you're also constantly aware of practicality and societal expectations. That's not always fun, but at least it's realistic. Try not to let the Nazis get you down too much.
What Romance Movie Best Represents Your Love Life?
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November 01, 2004
Scary Costumes
Matt Drudge has done it again. He found a funny and obsure news site that both comments and amuses at the same time.
This time, he links us to a newspaper, that is offering funny Halloween costumes.
This time, he links us to a newspaper, that is offering funny Halloween costumes.
Here are some interesting facts about November 1, from the Wikipedia. Can you believe only 60 days remain until the end of the year.
Here are three questions for you to answer below or to copy and answer on your blog.
Here are three questions for you to answer below or to copy and answer on your blog.
- Has this year been going by quickly for you?
- Has this been a good or bad year for you to date?
- What would you like to see improved for next year?
Here are my answers:
1. Between 9 and 5 my days have gone by slowly. After 5 pm they have gone by quickly.
2. This has been a good year to date. Many positive things have happened in my life.
3. I would like to improve my work situation.
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