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Date: 31 August, 2005 I went out yesterday to get gas after Scott warned me that prices were starting to jump. At the Hess in Disney, gas was $2.52 when I went home from work Monday night. On Scott's way home yesterday it was $2.57 (so I topped off my tank at BP for $2.55). Today, the same Hess is up to $2.62. Beth's wedding plans have been canned. She was supposed to be getting married in New Orleans in October. Her fiance Brian's dad and other family members decided to ride out the storm at home and no one has heard from them since. Everyone is hoping that it's the obvious communication problems and not anything worse. I read a quote a few days ago that went something along the lines of, "this is our tsunami - I wonder if people around the world are going to send money and relief to us." It's an interesting thought. What happens when an entire city - a major port city - has to be evacuated? In a lot of ways, this is worse than the tsunami. How long before the residents are allowed to go home? How long before businesses reopen? How long before these people get their lives back? UPDATE: Maybe this guy isn't so bad. Hugo Chavez has offered to place Venezuela's resources at the United States' disposal. (thanks to Patrick) Another UPDATE: Gas on Disney property, which was $2.52 yesterday at 8am, is now up to $2.79. Is this real? jlm, 8.31.05, 3:04pm | 
Date: 30 August, 2005 Time: 12:37pm Subject: You're blaming the MEDIA?  I was catching up on Katrina news this morning on AOL News, and came across an AOL member's comments that were so beyond ridiculous I had to share them and rant about them: "[The media] cried 'wolf' too often. The news channels doing 'continuous coverage' of the storm have done a lot of hand-wringing about people not heeding the warnings to evacuate. I have yet to hear one of them realize that they bear much of the blame. People know that they always over-hype the story to attract viewers and so their warnings get discounted as hot air ... which is usually correct." - Rgtomlct I'm sorry, but did this yutz actually have the nerve to blame the media? On what grounds? Did the media issue mandatory evacuation orders? No...that was the local and state governments. Did the media fail to stress the severity of a Category 5 hurricane? Hardly! Last year when I was locked in a room answering stupid hurricane-related phone calls as Central Florida was pelted by multiple hurricanes, I watched a lot of coverage. Never never never did they refer to Charley, Frances, Ivan, or Jeanne as "potentially catastrophic." Of course, the media always stresses that residents should heed evacuation orders. Sometimes the evacuation orders are a little extreme. But blame the local and state governments for erring on the side of caution. Frankly, how can anyone place blame? The last huge storm to hit that area was over 30 years ago. Had the same storm hit us (again) I doubt it would have tumbled brick buildings or broken out every window in a high-rise. Our building codes were drastically changed after Hurricane Andrew, as I'm sure will happen in Louisiana and Mississippi now. Besides, Floridians are pro's at hurricane preparation. Those people aren't. Although next year, when their houses are rebuilt according to stricter codes and their levee system is improved, if another storm of this magnitude comes their way, they'll be more prepared...and I guarantee there would be less damage. jlm, 8.30.05, 12:50pm |
Date: 30 August, 2005 Time: 12:15am Subject: School Daze  This picture was taken in 1985. For the longest time, I thought it was me (on the right.) and my two best friends, Kristy and Jennifer, on the first day of first grade at Our Lady of Ransom (not a typo...the school really does share names with a terrorist/kidnapper ploy. if you had been there, you would understand!). Recently, my mom informed me that this was actually the last day of school. She says that somewhere there is a remarkably similar photo that was taken on the first day. The difference? Our uniforms were all below the knee. jlm, 8.30.05, 12:21am |
Date: 29 August, 2005 Time: 12:34am Subject: Be Careful... And by the way, Hurricane Katrina is not headed towards Central Florida. In fact, I seem to live in the only 200 sq. mi. in the eastern half of the country that isn't going to be flooded by it. I got at least 5 calls today from people who were seriously concerned about the safety of their family members currently vacationing here. My stock answer became, (without any hint of understanding or humor) "the hurricane is going to hit LOUISIANA, not FLORIDA." We even had some idiot employees calling around looking to work extra hours on the hurricane ride-out crews. Despite this, I don't hate my job. After all, what would I have to talk about if I didn't have my daily dumb@$$? I'm still torn... jlm, 8.29.05, 12:41am |
Date: 28 August, 2005 Time: 11:30am Subject: Which is Worse? Scott and I were talking about it on the phone on my way home. Really, is it worse to be bored all the time or be yelled at all the time? Is the devil you know really better than the devil you don't know? I'm still waiting for a sign. Perhaps I shouldn't say that - a sign could very well be a HORRIBLE day at work. As it stands now, I'm still on the fence, leaning toward the new job. I guess we'll see where today goes. jlm, 8.28.05, 11:44am |
Date: 28 August, 2005 Time: 12:04am Subject: Saturday Six  2. A close friend who you consider to be up to date on fashion suggests that you should update your look and offers to pay for a session with an experienced hairstylist you've never dealt with before. Knowing that it's free, would you go? to quote my urban friends (if I had any urban friends), hell to the yes! After all, I currently trust my hair to the nice ladies at Wal Mart...how bad could it be? 3. When you do look in a mirror, what is the first thing you usually look at? my hair, followed by my teeth. no one wants to walk around with broccoli in their smile! 4. Take this quiz: Which Bugs Bunny character are you? Pepe Le Pew!  Laid-back, lewd, obnoxious, with likely an over inflated sense of self-worth, you can at times be either the bad-boy (or girl) charmer, or someone simply to avoid altogether. Your relaxed attitude coupled with your upbeat personality and taste for the seedy-side of life can make you a very compelling individual to be around. You should learn, however, that no means no. Not everyone will find that you are someone they wish to spend time with -- and that's ok. As a side note: you may gain a little more success in life if you'd pay more attention to your personal hygiene, and perhaps bathed more frequently. 5. What label seems to describe you the best as a whole? I'd really rather not have a label, but if I had a label, it would be machine wash/tumble dry. I *try* not to be high maintenance. ;o) 6. Is there a specific person that you credit with your successes? and HOW did they help you? Nope. This question reminds me of the question that threw me off at my job interview yesterday - "what accomplishment are you most proud of?" I couldn't think of a darn thing! I rallied back with some b.s. about planning my wedding almost completely on my own. Right now I can't think of any successes worth crediting to anyone but myself. (sorry mom!) jlm, 8.28.05, 12:15am |
Date: 27 August, 2005 Time: 1:30pm Subject: Back to the Grind Anyway, I'm back to work today after my one-day vacation. As I was falling asleep last night, I think I had made up my mind to not accept a job offer if I get one. I'm scheduled for an annual raise some time in the next month or two, which most likely won't transfer to the new job. Really, doing to same thing with no variety for 8 hours a day doesn't thrill me. It harkens back to the days of "I need you to open up all the pockets and zippers on your bags please." Unless they offer me a pay raise, the only benefits would be the location (only 20 minutes to work? sweet!), my own desk, and a company e-mail address. Hardly seems worth it. I guess we'll see which way the wind blows me if I get a call next week. jlm, 8.27.05, 1:34pm |
Date: 26 August, 2005 Time: 10:47am Subject: Ooh...shiny!  I want a Kitchen Aid stand mixer soooo bad! I am genuinely convinced that this baby is all that's standing in the way of me becoming a TV cooking show host. OK, maybe that and my lack of knowledge of all things cooking-related! Anyway, this particular model is the Cook for the Cure Limited Edition Artisan® Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer - The Pink Stand Mixer represents the pink ribbon that serves as a symbol of the fight against breast cancer. KitchenAid will donate $50* from the purchase of this mixer to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Of course, the price is $299.99. And it takes up a lot of counter space. But some day we'll have this baby (or one in another color) in our home. And on that day, I shall create muffins and cookies in such quantities the world has never seen! Extra Credit: Do you really think getting that toy would make you happier? Yes!!! How could a stand mixer not make baking a more pleasant experience? jlm, 8.26.05, 10:57am |
Date: 26 August, 2005 Time: 12:03am Subject: Happy Happy Birthday Scott!  And now, the mildly amusing Wal Mart story. (and if you are Scott and reading this, I sincerely hope you've unwrapped that "gift" sitting in front of you already!) Scott and I sat down last week and picked out some pictures of the two of us to print out and put in one of my old photo cubes for his desk at work. (In case you were wondering, we went with this, this, this, and this...obviously, *I* didn't pick them!) Unfortunately, our printer isn't quite set up correctly, and the color printing turns out very striped. So I decided to finish off the photo cube for Scott's birthday. Enter walmart.com. WalMart has a great feature on their website where you can upload digital images and pick them up at the store. This works out great for me. So I need 3"x3" squares, but they don't sell 3"x3" prints. I cropped all my pictures to the correct size, and then floated them in an empty 4"x6" image. When I got to WalMart and gave the girl my name, she says "oh" and has a really worried look on her face. "You'll want to look at those. I couldn't enlarge them to the proper size." So I open up the envelope and there are my four perfect 3x3 images. "Yes, that's exactly how they should look." She seemed genuinely confused that I wanted the mini pictures. So I explained that they were for a photo cube. I think she accepted the explanation. Hey - I did say mildly amusing. Really - I'd have been really miffed if she had messed with my perfect images. Anyway, I'm off to watch the Daily Show and then to bed. Big plans tomorrow. I'm just sorry that Scott's Birthday Weekend-o-Fun has been shortened to Scott's Birthday smattering-o-fun. I guess we'll make it work. jlm, 8.26.05, 12:17am |
Date: 25 August, 2005 Time: 12:11pm Subject: Productivity Anyway, I have a mildly amusing story about my trip to Wal Mart, but it's going to have to wait until tomorrow...or at least tonight when I get home from work if Scott is already asleep. I still have to hang up the clothes that are currently in the dryer. Other than that, I think I've been plenty productive today and have earned a half hour of TV time before getting ready for work. jlm, 8.25.05, 12:16pm |
Date: 24 August, 2005 Time: 9:00pm Subject: My Date with Cat...and other odds & ends  If you get the chance to go and see this movie, GO! I really thought I was going to go and be mildly amused and think I was being nice by supporting "the little movie that could." Cat offered to go with me, and I jumped at the chance, even though it meant giving up a few hours of time with Scott. And I'm so glad I went. My face still hurts from smiling. Granted, there were only six people in the theater, but every single one of us laughed out loud at some point (ok, maybe not the two people who got up and left...I don't know what their issue was!) and it's hard to not be self-conscious in an audience that...intimate. It was sweet and inspirational (go after your dreams...who wouldn't support that??) and just fun to watch. My only complaint is that all of the footage was hand-held and was sometimes out of focus or shaky. I guess really that's what documentaries are all about. I told Scott that if he wanted to go, I would gladly go see it again. And I'll definitely support "the little movie that could" when it comes out on DVD. In other news, I'm happy to report that the NCAA realized just how ridiculous it was being... The NCAA removed the Florida State Seminoles today from a list of 18 college and university nicknames subjected to restrictions because of their hostility to American Indians. The NCAA said it was recognizing the relationship Florida State has long enjoyed with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which assists the university with its pageantry and celebration of its culture and supports the school's use of its name. The NCAA said it would handle reviews from other schools on a case-by-case basis. The Illinois Illini, Utah Utes and North Dakota Fighting Sioux are among other prominent school nicknames that remain affected by the edict. In other words, "oops...we went a little too P.C. this time, but we're going to save face and review the other schools on a case by case basis. But there's no hope at all for the University of Utah Drunken Scalpers." (article courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel...and thanks to Scott for e-mailing it to me.) And Pat Robertson is an idiot. If you didn't see last night's Daily Show, you missed a great one - Jon Stewart's take on this supposed "man of God" loving his neighbor by advocating his assassination! And after two days of phone tag, I finally got a hold of Freida from Casting today. And had a phone interview. And am scheduled for a real face-to-face interview with a manager on Friday over at the office complex. Here's the details: Well, that's enough for one entry. Is it too early for bed? jlm, 8.24.05, 9:24pm |
Date: 23 August, 2005 Time: 8:39pm Subject: I'm a Winner!  Of course, only the jar-o-candy was the prize. I dumped the contents out on the floor so that I could put the taffy into the candy bowl for easier access. See, I have a major sweet tooth for saltwater taffy, and have been eating it ever since. The best ones are the orange. I've learned to beware of the white & pink ones (peppermint) and the red & pink ones (cinnamon). Sweet, sweet victory! jlm, 8.23.05, 8:44pm |
Date: 23 August, 2005 Time: 9:41am Subject: And off I go... In other news, I put in an application for a new job. This isn't a promotion - it's probably the type of lateral move that they give you a tiny pay bump. And I'm not even 100% sure that I *want* the job. It's in Celebration, which would shave about 4 miles off my commute (one way). Anyway, the application period for the job closed at 5pm yesterday, so imagine my surprise when I go on break and see that I have a voicemail from HR time-stamped at 5:15. Anyway, I called the lady back and left a message last night. I'm expecting to hear back from her some time today. Anyway, like I said, it's definitely not a promotion. We'll see how it pans out over the next few days. UPDATE: I just got a call from the labor people at work. They were at my name, so I ended up bidding over the phone. I took a day shift (goodbye, fair Daily Show) with the same days off. While it'll suck for Scott and me for a while, it'll make my life easier in some other respects. And we'll muddle through. After all, at least neither of us is working grave shift! jlm, 8.23.05, 9:55am |
Date: 22 August, 2005 Time: 11:41pm Subject: I I Love Love Double Double Chex Chex  These two adorable "Siamese Twin" kittens were named Chuckie and Daisy. We had them for a very short period when I was in the second grade. Dad was working up in Philly and Mom and I were alone in the house in Florida and we got these two kittens. Unfortunately, Dad came down and erupted into a sneeze volcano. The kitties left shortly thereafter. And, like other pets I had to give up, they hold a special warm place in my memory...probably because we only had them during their cute & innocent stage. jlm, 8.22.05, 11:46pm |
Date: 21 August, 2005 Time: 1:23pm Subject: mmm...southern-fried goodness... But alas, all good things must come to an end. I have 20 minutes to get ready for work and get out the door. Two more days...then I get two days off, work a day, have a day off, and then work three more days before my weekend. I love having time off!! jlm, 8.21.05, 1:27pm |
Date: 20 August, 2005 Time: 11:41pm Subject: Saturday Six 2. If you could look back at photos you know of that were taken during your childhood, from your first school pictures to snapshots taken ten years ago, which one do you think would be the most embarrassing and why? This one. Two words: hair and hat. Thanks mom!  3. What was the last thing you made yourself do, even though you really didn't want to? I went to work today, even though Scott had the day off. 4. Take this quiz: How do you live your life? You tend to avoid confrontation and stay away from sticky situations. You prefer a variety of friends and tend to change friends quickly. You have one big dream in your life, and you never lose sight of it. 5. What was the last book you started but never finished (aside from any you're currently reading)? Why did you stop reading it? Gee...I'm pretty anal retentive about finishing books. I guess that last one I didn't finish was the complete Chronicles of Narnia. I started the sixth(?) book, but then Harry Potter #7 came out and I've been engrossed in Potter Mania ever since. Sadly the Narnians had to go back to the library...although I have a standing offer from Chuck to borrow his if I ever want to finish. 6. Are you named after anyone? Has anyone ever been named after anyone? I'm not named after anyone. As for the second question, could you rephrase? Is that 'anyone I know' or 'anyone in my family' or 'anyone anywhere'?? Well, my Dad is a junior. My mom is (or possibly not really) named for a famous swimmer...which makes her very popular with the geriatric set. Scott was named so his initials would be the same as his mom's. But not me - I'm all original. :o) jlm, 8.20.05, 11:55pm |
Date: 19 August, 2005 Time: 10:23pm Subject: blah ...plus I'm having another one of those 'look at all the people around me excelling in their lives and careers...whilst I sit here and smell the flowers' pity parties. Before now, at least I contributed more money to our household than Scott. What do I do now? I've had to start helping with the laundry and the dishes to keep from feeling like a freeloader in my own house. This sucks. And all I want to do is sleep. So I think I'll go sleep. This pity party has been brought to you by the letters M and E, and by the number 0. jlm, 8.19.05, 10:28pm no comments invited today. it turns out I have the right to be depressed without anyone judging me for it. thanks everyone for your support and understanding.
Date: 18 August, 2005 Time: 11:06pm Subject: Blast from the Past Upon great amounts of reflection, I have chosen to spotlight Friday, October 15, 2004. Why? More than being an amazing entry (it's really not), it is a little bit of each of the ingredients I love about my journal - stupid people at work, (liberal) politics, and a touch of random musing. But enough about me...what do you think of me? ;o) ...and on a completely unrelated note, it feels like just two days ago when I could fill my tank for $2.49/gallon. Oh wait - it was. Explain to me then why gas is now $2.57 at the same station! aaaarrrrrghhhh! jlm, 8.18.05, 11:13pm |
Date: 17 August, 2005 Time: 8:10pm Subject: Creativity   This evening, Scott was forced to drink today's creative endeavor: the smoothie. I found a recipe for chocolate raspberry smoothies. The recipes called for chocolate syrup and raspberries, which I replaced with chocolate powder and blackberries. The resulting smoothie looked like something you'd be served at a halloween party...which I shall dub the "blood clot." The smoothie was a ridiculously deep purple, with accompanying dark seeds. Really...not pretty! Sadly, it didn't taste much better. It turns out you really can't substitute cocoa for syrup. Oh well...now we know! Actually, I rather enjoyed the smoothie. And it must not have gagged Scott *too* much - he drank his whole glass. Well, tomorrow I'm back on my regular night shift. Perhaps that will be enough to squash my new-found creativity! jlm, 8.17.05, 8:18pm |
Date: 16 August, 2005 Time: 8:11pm Subject: 1,000 Words  I've decided that I need to fill up my tank more frequently than normal. The last time I filled up, gas was $2.32/gallon. Today, it was $2.49 (at Disney. across the street from the apartment it's already $2.52). If gas is going to go up up up, I have no choice but to fill up more frequently to do so at a "cheaper" rate. Yes, I was at Disney on my day off. Why? I had a typing test scheduled. Of course, I didn't get to take the typing test. There was some sort of network meltdown that precluded my attempts. So I wasted gas and did nothing but buy more gas. Tomorrow, I'm working a day shift (traded with Wendy so I could have Friday off) so Scott and I get to carpool. He's low on gas. If anyone out there wants to work for Disney, let me know. I get a $50 Visa gift card for anyone who gets hired with my referral. Last quarter, the promotion was a $50 Hess gift card. It's amazing they still need to hire at all! jlm, 8.16.05, 8:18pm |
Date: 15 August, 2005 Time: 11:26am Subject: mmm...muffins (take 2) I've gotten some e-mail from Scott today. He's way overwhelmed...in a good way...I think. Well, I'm off to move my muffins to a rack to cool. Let's hope they're edible this time! Update (1:20pm): The muffins are edible, but lack the depth of flavor from Mom's banana bread recipe. Still, 150% better than the last attempt! jlm, 8.15.05, 11:38am |
Date: 14 August, 2005 Time: 11:57pm Subject: Yay Women! I'm not really bitter. Really! I just think the irony is too ripe to ignore. jlm, 8.15.05, 12:04am |
Date: 14 August, 2005 Time: 11:11am Subject: 9-11 Archives Anyway, the New York Times has published the transcripts of interviews with over 500 NYC emergency workers regarding their experiences on Sept. 11, 2001. I understand that Mayor Bloomberg and others fought against the release of these archives. I'm assuming this is because most of the workers recollected that they had little, if any, direction from supervisors, and the day was based more on improvisation than on plans. OK, well I think this is to be expected. The worst FDNY probably ever planned for was another bombing like the one in '93. Who among us thought the towers would both be attacked - hit by airplanes - or that they would collapse? The transcripts that I've read, along with the actual story in the NYT (the first link above), may show gaps in planning, but they are a testament to the amazing training the firefighters and paramedics go through. These people, in absence of leadership, set up tons of triage areas on their own - in lobbies of buildings and on street corners - rather than look around for someone in charge. I think that's really great. And while this stuff is painful to read through, it's a good thing that it has been made available to those out there who need closure or, like me, crave details. jlm, 8.14.05, 11:25am |
Date: 14 August, 2005 Time: 12:22am Subject: Saturday Six 1. A reader to "Men's Journal" recently wrote about technological innovations, stating that there isn't any gadget he couldn't live without: "To see how vital technology is, spend a few days in the backcountry without your phone, pager, PDA, laptop, cappuccino machine, or MP3 player. You'll emerge cleansed and refreshed." Could you go a whole week really roughing it with no modern conveniences? Would you want to? I could. And I would enjoy it...as long as Scott was with me. I bet he wouldn't enjoy it as much as I would though! 2. What is the most you've ever paid for a: A) Shirt less than my mom has paid for my clothes. I'll say $30 or $40, although I truly love my $7 and $10 clearance clothing I've found lately. B) Pair of Shoes see above. I had an $80 pair of boots in high school. they were so beyond cool! I buy my own shoes at Payless. C) CD or Album $20? Columbia House is a beautiful thing! D) DVD $25? Columbia House is a beautiful thing! E) Book over $100...damn those college texts! F) Vacation once again, paying with my own money, I would have to say $300 for my half of a Disney Cruise with my mom. 3. Looking back at the answers to #2, which one was the most foolish? I really don't think any of those were foolish. I defend the cruise as a mental health vacation! 4. Take this quiz: Which snack food are you?  5. There are three wells: Love, Beauty and Creativity. If you could only drink from one of them, which would you choose and why? Creativity. After all, I have love, and who needs beauty? 6. If you were another person, do you think you would be friends with the person you know as yourself? I sincerely doubt it. I doubt I'd even talk to me, since I'm not usually one to strike up a conversation with a random stranger. jlm, 8.14.05, 12:37am |
Date: 13 August, 2005 Time: 11:25am Subject: A Cruel Joke? nah Despite the enjoyable articles, I came away with one overriding feeling from the magazine: disgust. Nope...not because of the super-skinny models in $5,000 dresses. It was a full page ad featuring a woman in a beautiful white dress surrounded by clear blue water. The text: Beguile your senses. Succumb to the freshness. And it had a fold-over flap like the numerous perfume strips in the magazine. This, however, was an ad for a scented tampon. Why oh why would anyone want to smell a scented tampon? OK, I did it...but only because Jaclyn did it first. And you know what? It smells just like every other scented tampon I've ever smelled - like stinky old lady perfume that isn't going to mask the odor the wearer is trying to mask. Why? Why? Why? Perhaps this is a good example of why I don't subscribe to "women's" magazines. Scott's guy magazines never have scratch-n-sniff samples of jock itch medicine. Well...not yet at least. jlm, 8.13.05, 11:35am |
Date: 12 August, 2005 Time: 12:00am Subject: Battle: Dessert My love of pie truly has nothing to do with South Park. I've always been a fan. In my opinion, cake has one place: the birthday party. Otherwise, my dessert of choice is pie. On Thanksgiving, there is a veritable cornucopia of pies: pumpkin, apple, and mincemeat (not on my plate!) to name a few. In the winter, there is cherry pie. In summer, peach pie with ice cream is the dessert of champions. And, while it has 'cake' in its name, the cheesecake is really a pie. After all, you can combine cheesecake with almost any pie filling - cherry, pumpkin, blueberry, etc. Extra Credit: Having chosen cake or pie, now admit your favorite variety of the dessert you did not choose. To truly understand great cake, you must purchase said cake from a Publix bakery. The Publix white cake with buttercream frosting is truly a heavenly dessert. And it cleans up nicely for special occasions...  jlm, 8.12.05, 12:14am |
Date: 11 August, 2005 Time: 11:46pm Subject: Without Using Names... Skip to present-day (ok, yesterday). While blog-hopping, I came across a blog written by the very same s.o. It turns out that this person has a lot of feelings to express about life and certain aspects of it, but was concerned about the possibility of nasty comments from people who disagreed. I decided that it was in my best interest not to write the comment I yearned to write: "gee...it really sucks that you feel compelled to self-edit because you're worried about people being judgemental. What goes around really does come around, doesn't it?" Alas, I closed the window and went about my day. I went to the blog just now to get a direct quote, but it was gone. Apparently S.O. found the "make private" button. Oh well...no big loss. ;o) Sometimes being petty feels so good I'm ashamed! jlm, 8.11.05, 11:53pm |
Date: 10 August, 2005 Time: 3:22pm Subject: The Elusive Crustacean   It's hard to read, but "Best Tail in Town" is written across the back bumber Anyway, today was a big spend-spend-spend kind of day. We dropped Frances off at the Hyundai dealership for a brake & check-up...and promptly found out that the warranty ended at 60,000 miles (yes, I'm at 60,380). I let them replace my belts for $150, and declined to have the brake cylinders, front and rear brakes replaced for $600. I'm pretty sure I can go elsewhere for much cheaper. I was rather amused when I checked out that there was a big red stamp that says UNSAFE on all of my paperwork. Unsafe though it may be, they turned off the brake light. And while new brakes are high on my list of things to buy, Scott and I agree that it isn't quite the emergency situation the folks at the dealership would have me believe. While Frances was getting her check-up, Scott and I went on a mini shopping spree at J.C. Penney's, courtesy of my mom. We lucked out and hit a 10-hour sale. We bought 6 shirts and two pairs of pants for $150 (at a $202 savings off of retail!). One of those shirts was for me - a $36 shirt on sale for $10.19! I also got two bras out of the deal (still falls under the "gift for Scott" category, right?). And there's still money left on the gift card, which will probably go towards a new pair of man-shoes at some point. Scott has 3 days of work left in the comm center, then Sunday off, then starts at 8am on Monday. I'm going to miss having lunch together every day, carpooling, and spending more than 2 hours a day together. But I'm so excited for him. It's not every day you reach your career goal. And hopefully I'll get something on the next bid similar to whatever he ends up with. In the meantime, I'll just start rolling into the middle of the bed at 7am. :o) jlm, 8.10.05, 3:38pm |
Date: 9 August, 2005 Time: 6:24pm Subject: Lord help me, I agree with a Bush! Gov. Bush (see? I still don't agree with the one in the White House) actually held a press conference and said, "The folks that make these decisions need to get out more often...You know what they ought to be worried about? The graduation rates of most college athletes." (facts & quotes courtesy of wftv.com) Perhaps this is a touchy issue for me because I am an alum of one of those "offensive" schools. I graduated from Cherokee High School, home of the Chiefs. Our mascot was a girl dressed as an Indian, complete with face paint. We did the "tomahawk chop" at football games. Cherokee, along with Lenape and Shawnee, made up the Lenape School District, named in honor of the natives who once inhabited the land. With the exception of The Chop, what could be less offensive than honoring a group of people? And as much as I dislike FSU, I appreciate the fact that their mascot is a symbol of the once-great people (not that running casinos isn't also great) of Florida. The Seminole Indians actually designed the costume of the FSU mascot. Does that sound like anyone was offended? **shudder** I agree with Jeb Bush. The NCAA needs to take their heads out of their collective @$$E$ and find something more important on which to use their time and money. jlm, 8.9.05, 6:39pm |
Date: 9 August, 2005 Time: 6:10pm Subject: Hey...I KNOW that guy! jlm, 8.9.05, 6:13pm |
Date: 9 August, 2005 Time: 4:19pm Subject: Phone Calls ...and I talked to our resident crazy. He calls about 100 times a night. He went through a "suck my d***" phase last week, and now he calls and says, "I'm going to kill you Jamie." Sometimes I wish I had a different stage name...but mostly I think it's interesting. This man thinks I'm in NYC, so I'm certainly not afraid for my safety. Even if he did know where I was, I still wouldn't be afraid of him. He's crazy. There's another crazy person who calls and says phrases like "sweet potato pie" and then hangs up the phone. At least he always says something different. I also talked to a Polish man once who said he loved me and he was going to send me his boots. I worry that there are crazy people out there who aren't being monitored by someone responsible. And I hope that they are as harmless as they seem from my end of the telephone line. I'd hate to think that someone in NYC who happens to share my name is going to be killed for answering the phone! jlm, 8.9.05, 4:29pm |
Date: 9 August, 2005 Time: 3:46pm Subject: Strange & Unusual  The Jefferson Davis Decanter What looks like an ordinary statue of the President of the Confederacy actually has a removable head and a hollow body. The strangest thing about Mr. Davis is that he is mine. One would look at that and think that my born-n-bred in Central Florida husband probably had it passed down from his daddy and his daddy before that. Or maybe one would think (as I thought until I was corrected) that it was my maternal grandfather's. After all, he was born in the South...and had a wacky sense of humor. Actually, it was my Dad's. Mom says it was given to him as a Christmas gift from his secretary. I'd like to track that woman down and ask her why she bought it. Maybe she didn't know who he was (although the Rebel Flag in the background should've been a tip-off). Maybe she was telling my dad that he was a slave-driver. Who knows? Anyway, in a house full of lava lamps, Happy Meal toys, and a Finding Nemo bathroom, "I do declare" that Jefferson Davis is our most strange & unusual possession! Disclaimer: I proudly display J.D. on the corner of a bookshelf not because I believe in his politics (after all, I voted for Abe Lincoln for "Greatest American") but because he is colorful...and a great conversation piece! jlm, 8.9.05, 4:14pm |
Date: 8 August, 2005 Time: 12:53am Subject: Peter Jennings I tried three times to access the article on abcnews.com, but it kept freezing my computer. Instead, I've had to settle for this one on cnn.com (in the entertainment section...grr). Well, that's all I have to say. I'm just very very sad. jlm, 8.8.05, 12:58am |
Date: 7 August, 2005 Time: 1:34pm Subject: GREAT Sex In other neighbor news, the people across the hall from us no longer leave their garbage bags outside the door. Ever since someone (not us...although we talked about it) took one of their week-old garbage bags and put it in front of their door, they haven't left the garbage out at all. And crazy loud aerobics instructor moved out. She was here for only a few months. I wonder if she was evicted. I didn't believe she was really gone until the day we left for work and there was a carpet crew removing all of the current carpets. As you can imagine, it's been quiet recently. ...until 7:45 this morning. ;o) jlm, 8.7.05, 1:39pm |
Date: 6 August, 2005 Time: 7:28pm Subject: Saturday Six 2. Check out this interesting website: Is your hometown newspaper featured? I identify "hometown" as South Jersey. Since the Courier Post and Central Record aren't listed, I have to say no. What is the top headline of that paper or the one closest to you? Today's Philadelphia Inquirer reads, "U.S., Iraqi forces open assault in deadly zone." Althought the below-the-fold headline is more interesting: "Philly's Tours de Force," about ways tourists can see the city, including by Segway! 3. If you knew it was completely tame and there was no danger, what zoo animal would you most like to pet or come into physical contact with? Tiger! That scene in Red Dragon where the blind chick gets to pet the sedated tiger is amazing. Big paws, long sleek body...the tiger beats the shaggy lion hands-down. 4. Take this quiz: How weird are you?
Not enough to scare other people? I don't know about that... 5. Which of the following causes more stress in your life: your spouse, your kids, your boss, your co-workers, your friends, your parents or other relatives? You try spending 40 hours/week locked in a room with the Middle Aged Depressed Society! 6. You find an old lamp containing a genie: the genie decides to give you a single improvement for yourself, mind or body. It must be something to improve within you and no one else. What would you ask the genie to fix? I'd have the genie give me motivation. That way I could want a better body, want to get "educated," want to be a better person, and do something about it! jlm, 8.6.05, 7:43pm |
Date: 6 August, 2005 Time: 1:34pm Subject: Kitten War ...and then play on the site for a while. Rating kittens: it's a great thing to do if you're a little blue. I'd do it myself if I didn't have to leave for work in less than 10 minutes! jlm, 8.6.05, 1:36pm |
Date: 5 August, 2005 Time: 10:45am Subject: Advice One of the journals I read calls unsolicited advice "assvice." I agree. I generally ignore unsolicited advice on principle. Really, I can't think of any memorable unheeded advice, but I can remember some motherly wisdom. When my parents separated, my mom said she wanted to put me in therapy. I said no way. After all, I was the uber-involved high school superstar. In retrospect, getting a grip on things then may have saved me from my eventual downward spiral in college and my brief dependency on anti-depressants to get out of bed in the morning. Of course, if I hadn't been depressed and ended up leaving college without a degree, I doubt I would have come to Florida and taken a $6.50/hour job. And if I hadn't taken the job and decided to stay with the same company, I probably wouldn't have met Scott. I s'pose it's best things happened the way they did. :o) jlm, 8.5.05, 10:56am |
Date: 5 August, 2005 Time: 12:13am Subject: Drug-Induced Soapbox "Performance Enhancers" What is the difference between an actress having cosmetic surgery to make herself beautiful so that she can become famous and an athlete taking performance-enhancing drugs so that he/she can be famous? "Medical Supervision" What is the difference between a cancer patient (in Canada) smoking marijuana under medical supervision to stimulate appetite and ease pain and an athlete under medical supervision using steroids to stimulate muscle growth? And for that matter, what about the middle-aged man using Viagra? "Side Effects - which has the worst?" Thanks to drugs.com for all the useful information! Steroids, like all of the name-brand medicines I have listed, are available from a doctor. They are prescribed every day for a multitude of ailments. Why is Congress in such a tizzy about their use as a performance enhancer? Yes, Palmeiro may have perjured himself in front of Congress (stupid move), but Congress had no reason to call him there in the first place. If individual sporting organizations like Major League Baseball or the International Olympic Committee want to ban steroid use, that is their decision. If the Miss America organization or the Screen Actors Guild want to ban cosmetic surgery, that is their decision. Perhaps Congress should hold some hearings or make laws regarding something of importance instead of wondering whether professional athletes took a short cut in developing their bodies. jlm, 8.5.05, 12:53am |
Date: 4 August, 2005 Time: 11:48am Subject: Zoom In...Zoom Out   Here's my link back to By The Way..., to the update entry. jlm, 8.4.05, 11:53am |
Date: 3 August, 2005 Time: 8:24pm Subject: Full Day And now - the day. We managed to sleep in until 11ish, and decided to have brunch. We had pancakes (leftovers from dinner last night...guess who cooked!) and "dirty eggs" (scrambled eggs w/ sausage crumbles and a little cheese). Since the cable was out and we had no internet, we got showered and dressed and headed off route 50. First stop: Target. Scott and I both wanted to look at clothes, and I actually got two shirts. One was on the clearance rack in the mens section - a multi-color button down that was $7.50 - and the other was a purple cardigan sweater from the womens clearance rack. We also got a 24-pack of hangers for $2.50 and some new face wash and gum. Total: $24. Second stop: Crispers. We had two $10 gift cards (thanks Mom!) and decided to buy ourselves dinner. I got the Kickin' Krab Chowder and a club sandwich (my old favorite is no longer on the menu :o( ) and Scott got the loaded baked potato soup and the triple-decker. It was all delicious, even though we ended up eating it almost 6 hours after purchase. Total out-of-pocket: $5.12. We then spent the afternoon babysitting for Hunter. He didn't go to daycare today because his kindergarten class was having some sort of getting-to-know-you pizza party today. And when Mike got home from work, he had picked up the other two from daycare. Autumn doesn't know me at all anymore, although she did give me some playing cards...and I got a big hug from Conner. Apparently Mike told his co-workers that he's taking Monday off not because it's Hunter's first day of school but because Reyna will need the emotional support. hahahaha Anyway, today was fairly productive. I'm proud of us. And I'm excited because the prints I ordered from Snapfish came today. jlm, 8.3.05, 8:37pm |
Date: 2 August, 2005 Time: 11:09am Subject: Ice  Paramedics, police and firefighters often waste valuable time trying to figure out which name in a cell phone to call when disaster strikes, according to current and retired members of the emergency services, who said they must look through wallets for clues, or scroll through cell address books and guess. Many people identify their spouse by name in their cell, making them indistinguishable from other entries. There is no simpler way of letting the emergency services know who to contact should you be involved in an accident than by using ICE. Standing for In Case of Emergency, ICE will allow ambulance crews and police officers to quickly contact a nominated person who can be informed of the incident. Seems pretty straightforward to me. Click on their logo above to learn more. The preceding has been an un-paid public service announcement. We now return you to Jamilyn's Journal, already in progress. jlm, 8.2.05, 11:15am |
Date: 2 August, 2005 Time: 1:03am Subject: Fun with Pictures Those of you who know me at all probably know what this is without even thinking about it. But guess as much detail as possible about the picture...without cheating and looking back at the rest of the site!! jlm, 8.2.05, 1:08am |
Date: 2 August, 2005 Time: 12:22am Subject: Happy Happy Joy Joy I do have some mildly good news of my own. I put in my resume last week to be considered as a back-up for the help desk at work. Today I had a pop-interview (you know...like a pop quiz only with a financial aspect), and I'm definitely getting a good vybe. Granted, it's a back-up gig. But if I want the job full-time some day (do I? well, maybe this is a good way to find out) this would definitely be a step in the right direction. And in other news, Scott and I went to Earl of Sandwich for lunch (& dinner take-out) today and ran into Petey and Lisa. Petey's son and nephew were there for lunch and they really made an impression on me. They're both in the 17-19 age range, adorable boys, with the nicest manners I've ever seen. They both shook my hand hello and goodbye, made eye contact, listened to Scott's and my work stories with feigned(?) interest and were just incredible. Plus, Petey's nephew is one of only a handful of guys I've ever seen who can wear a pink polo shirt. The boy was buff! Anyway, we ran into them before the happy portion of the day, and that visit was just what Scott needed to make him smile a little bit. jlm, 8.2.05, 12:34am |
Date: 1 August, 2005 Time: 12:31am Subject: Operation Turtle Drop  Mary tried to pick him up, but he was heavier than she thought and was covered in algae (or something) and was really slippery. He's lucky that she didn't drop him! Salvation came for Senor Turtle in the form of a giant cardboard box. He was loaded up in the box and carried back to the retention pond where (we're assuming) he came from. It was very exciting for a few minutes, and definitely worth being 5 minutes late from my lunch break.  Jaclyn has a heart-to-heart with the turtle And now, some randomness from Janette: Him: Do you charge for wake-up calls? Me: No we don't. Would you like me to set one for you? Him: We have to get up early for a flight, and my wife set the alarm clock. We just want to make sure we're awake. Me: Certainly. What time do you need the wake-up for? Him: Ten-til-six. You know, 5:50 Me: Yes sir. I'm confirming a 5:50 wake up for room ####. Him: That's right. What do you do? Just call the room? Me: Yes sir. We call the room. What was he expecting? I personally think we should go in and tickle their feet, but I guess we don't have the staffing for that. Jaclyn's idea was a good morning kiss...but that's not such a great idea either. Actually, the above conversation represented a theme for me today: gross stupidity. Apparently the rain caused brain leakage or something. Well, maybe they'll be smarter tomorrow. A girl can dream, can't she?? jlm, 8.1.05, 12:49am |
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