Have a great weekend, all!
(Again, this layout was made with the digital scrapbooking kit from Songbird Avenue, de-lovely, February 2009. It's too cute!)
Friday, February 27, 2009
At It Again
I came across this picture yesterday when I was going through some old e-mail. This is my girlfriend's husband holding their new baby girl, Skye, just after they arrived in China to pick her up. Isn't she beautiful?
Have a great weekend, all!
(Again, this layout was made with the digital scrapbooking kit from Songbird Avenue, de-lovely, February 2009. It's too cute!)
Have a great weekend, all!
(Again, this layout was made with the digital scrapbooking kit from Songbird Avenue, de-lovely, February 2009. It's too cute!)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Week Ten
February 1st-7th
Ugh. I really need to be better about keeping up with this more regularly. I write notes to myself but that doesn't help someone with little to no memory recall events of things that happened two weeks ago. Almost three now. When will I learn?
So...Sunday was basically getting hyped up for the Superbowl. We went to our friend Allie's for a little party. We were excited because we were going to be watching the game on a larger television with an actual clear picture! She has cable, not rabbit ears like us! :) And we were really excited that the Cardinals were in the Superbowl. I don't care what anybody says, I like
Kurt Warner and I'm very happy that he had another opportunity to experience such an awesome event again. Now, I think the officiating stunk and I think he was robbed of some excellent opportunities. I don't know if the Cardinals would have won if the officiating had been more fair but I certainly wish they had the chance to try. It was a good game but frustrating for Cardinal fans. There were a few people at the party who were rooting for "the other team" and it made me upset. At one point our friend Dani ended up sitting next to me and she kept cheering and making comments about how well the Steelers were playing. I told Kevin that he'd better keep an eye on me because I just may get into my very first fight! Nah, not really, but I was annoyed that not everyone was rooting for the underdog. Pittsburg always wins everything. Them and New England. Stupid Patriots. Anyhoo, disappointed in the game but had a good time nonetheless.
For whatever reason I woke up cranky on Monday morning and that carried on throughout the day. I took Kevin to school that morning, went to work that afternoon and when I arrived home I found Kevin already at home and he had done laundry, washed dishes and made the bed. That made me very happy! We also got to watch House and 24 that evening which is always good. One thing that was NOT good was that I did not receive any new mail from the state of North Carolina. In this state, an interpreter can only work 20 days without a NC interpreting license. Well, apparently processing my papers was taking longer than expected or something because I was not licensed yet. A small part of me was happy about that (I had a legitimate reason to not be at work) but mostly I was frustrated because I sent in my paperwork in PLENTY of time for them to process everything.
Tuesday was "fashion model" day - I had order some clothes because somehow I was down to
two pair of pants and two shirts that are suitable for work. It was really exciting when most of the clothes fit but what's more exciting is that most of them were on clearance! That's always a plus! Very exciting. Oh, and I didn't have to go to work today. Hoorah! This was shaping up to be an excellent day! Kevin doesn't have class on Tuesdays so he was home, too. He worked a little, I watched some episodes of Frasier and during dinner we watched Battlestar. A rather excellent day if I do say so myself. I did manage to hurt my knee at some point during the day but other than that, not a bad day at all. Oh, except I had to wash dishes. Pooey.
By Wednesday I managed to get myself a headache, achy body and sore throat. Kevin had class so I didn't have him to wait on me but that's okay. I mostly didn't do much but lie around in hopes of feeling better but I was not succeeding. I did manage to watch James and the Giant Peach and Chocolat (Juliet Binoche, Johnny Depp, 2000). To quote Kevin, "Thank goodness for iconoclasts!" It really was an excellent movie.
Monday evening I left a message for the gal at the NC interpreting office asking what the holdup was. I didn't get a reply so I sent an e-mail and called again asking what the problem was. Wednesday she sent me a reply stating they were still waiting for my transcripts. Wha??? I ordered them rush delivery WEEKS ago! So I called the school to figure out what the problem was and the gal there said they were delivered and signed for. As I was on the phone with school, the NC gal sent me an e-mail stating that she received the transcripts. Not knowing this, I immediately called NC explaining what was told to me. She mentioned the e-mail she just sent. Oh. Damn. I'm going to have to go to work tomorrow. And just as I was starting to feel poorly...
Speaking of that, Thursday I managed to make it to work but had to come home early. I had
been interpreting a call but I was really not feeling well which was evident in my interpreting. Not only was I not on my game but I was only confusing the callers, not helping. That's when I knew it was time to go home. If you've made the situation worse, call it quits. I have to say that's the first time that's ever happened to me. Hopefully that's the last. Now, I'm not saying I had been a perfect interpreter up to that point. By far! But I can catch my mistakes and make the situation clear again and have the situation end successfully. Today was not one of those days. I managed to end the call and I think the callers were okay with what happened but I wasn't. I was going home. And I did. And I slept.
And that's about what I did on Friday, too. Slept and read. I finished Twilight.
I was still sick on Saturday but I like being sick on Saturdays because Saturdays always feel like old movie days to me. Mom, did we do that often when we were growing up? I'm not sure exactly why Saturdays feel that way to me. Either way I watched three movies today. In the Good Ol' Summertime (Judy Garland, 1949) was a fun little movie. I rather got a kick out of one of the lines: "I was making a good salary. Fifteen dollars a week." My, how things have changed. I also watched Bye, Bye Birdie (Janet Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Ann-Margaret, 1963) which I mostly liked but the "Bye, Bye Birdie" song is really annoying. Of course, some of the songs are rather catchy which annoys Kevin which is fun. Here it is, just for you, honey:
And there are other songs that most of you are probably more familiar with like "Put on a Happy Face":
And let's not forget "Kids!" which I LOVE just because the lyrics are so true. I'm actually going to include quite a few lyrics so you can get where I'm coming from:
Too true....too true...
I also got to watch Shall We Dance (Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, 1937). I always love to watch them dance but this movie takes the cake. They danced in roller-skates! Amazing. Roller skating was big in my day - everyone was doing it - and doing amazing moves. I was always afraid to lift my foot just to go around the bend in the rink. Oh, and forget stopping. That's what walls were for! I was just amazed at their grace and skill AND they were wearing skates. Impressive.
Hope you all had a fabulous first week of February. One month down already. Can't believe it. Well, have a great week. Until next time!
Ugh. I really need to be better about keeping up with this more regularly. I write notes to myself but that doesn't help someone with little to no memory recall events of things that happened two weeks ago. Almost three now. When will I learn?
So...Sunday was basically getting hyped up for the Superbowl. We went to our friend Allie's for a little party. We were excited because we were going to be watching the game on a larger television with an actual clear picture! She has cable, not rabbit ears like us! :) And we were really excited that the Cardinals were in the Superbowl. I don't care what anybody says, I like
Kurt Warner and I'm very happy that he had another opportunity to experience such an awesome event again. Now, I think the officiating stunk and I think he was robbed of some excellent opportunities. I don't know if the Cardinals would have won if the officiating had been more fair but I certainly wish they had the chance to try. It was a good game but frustrating for Cardinal fans. There were a few people at the party who were rooting for "the other team" and it made me upset. At one point our friend Dani ended up sitting next to me and she kept cheering and making comments about how well the Steelers were playing. I told Kevin that he'd better keep an eye on me because I just may get into my very first fight! Nah, not really, but I was annoyed that not everyone was rooting for the underdog. Pittsburg always wins everything. Them and New England. Stupid Patriots. Anyhoo, disappointed in the game but had a good time nonetheless.For whatever reason I woke up cranky on Monday morning and that carried on throughout the day. I took Kevin to school that morning, went to work that afternoon and when I arrived home I found Kevin already at home and he had done laundry, washed dishes and made the bed. That made me very happy! We also got to watch House and 24 that evening which is always good. One thing that was NOT good was that I did not receive any new mail from the state of North Carolina. In this state, an interpreter can only work 20 days without a NC interpreting license. Well, apparently processing my papers was taking longer than expected or something because I was not licensed yet. A small part of me was happy about that (I had a legitimate reason to not be at work) but mostly I was frustrated because I sent in my paperwork in PLENTY of time for them to process everything.
Tuesday was "fashion model" day - I had order some clothes because somehow I was down to
two pair of pants and two shirts that are suitable for work. It was really exciting when most of the clothes fit but what's more exciting is that most of them were on clearance! That's always a plus! Very exciting. Oh, and I didn't have to go to work today. Hoorah! This was shaping up to be an excellent day! Kevin doesn't have class on Tuesdays so he was home, too. He worked a little, I watched some episodes of Frasier and during dinner we watched Battlestar. A rather excellent day if I do say so myself. I did manage to hurt my knee at some point during the day but other than that, not a bad day at all. Oh, except I had to wash dishes. Pooey.By Wednesday I managed to get myself a headache, achy body and sore throat. Kevin had class so I didn't have him to wait on me but that's okay. I mostly didn't do much but lie around in hopes of feeling better but I was not succeeding. I did manage to watch James and the Giant Peach and Chocolat (Juliet Binoche, Johnny Depp, 2000). To quote Kevin, "Thank goodness for iconoclasts!" It really was an excellent movie.
Monday evening I left a message for the gal at the NC interpreting office asking what the holdup was. I didn't get a reply so I sent an e-mail and called again asking what the problem was. Wednesday she sent me a reply stating they were still waiting for my transcripts. Wha??? I ordered them rush delivery WEEKS ago! So I called the school to figure out what the problem was and the gal there said they were delivered and signed for. As I was on the phone with school, the NC gal sent me an e-mail stating that she received the transcripts. Not knowing this, I immediately called NC explaining what was told to me. She mentioned the e-mail she just sent. Oh. Damn. I'm going to have to go to work tomorrow. And just as I was starting to feel poorly...Speaking of that, Thursday I managed to make it to work but had to come home early. I had
been interpreting a call but I was really not feeling well which was evident in my interpreting. Not only was I not on my game but I was only confusing the callers, not helping. That's when I knew it was time to go home. If you've made the situation worse, call it quits. I have to say that's the first time that's ever happened to me. Hopefully that's the last. Now, I'm not saying I had been a perfect interpreter up to that point. By far! But I can catch my mistakes and make the situation clear again and have the situation end successfully. Today was not one of those days. I managed to end the call and I think the callers were okay with what happened but I wasn't. I was going home. And I did. And I slept.And that's about what I did on Friday, too. Slept and read. I finished Twilight.
I was still sick on Saturday but I like being sick on Saturdays because Saturdays always feel like old movie days to me. Mom, did we do that often when we were growing up? I'm not sure exactly why Saturdays feel that way to me. Either way I watched three movies today. In the Good Ol' Summertime (Judy Garland, 1949) was a fun little movie. I rather got a kick out of one of the lines: "I was making a good salary. Fifteen dollars a week." My, how things have changed. I also watched Bye, Bye Birdie (Janet Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Ann-Margaret, 1963) which I mostly liked but the "Bye, Bye Birdie" song is really annoying. Of course, some of the songs are rather catchy which annoys Kevin which is fun. Here it is, just for you, honey:
We love you Conrad
Oh yes we do!
We love you Conrad
And we'll be true
When you're not near us
We're blue
Oh, Conrad, we love you!
Oh yes we do!
We love you Conrad
And we'll be true
When you're not near us
We're blue
Oh, Conrad, we love you!
And there are other songs that most of you are probably more familiar with like "Put on a Happy Face":
Grey skies are gonna clear up
Put on a happy face
Brush off the clouds and cheer up
Put on a happy face...
Put on a happy face
Brush off the clouds and cheer up
Put on a happy face...
And let's not forget "Kids!" which I LOVE just because the lyrics are so true. I'm actually going to include quite a few lyrics so you can get where I'm coming from:
Kids!
I don't know what's wrong with these kids today!
Kids!
Who can understand anything they say?
Kids!
They a disobedient, disrespectful oafs!
Noisy, crazy, dirty, lazy, loafers!
While we're on the subject:
Kids!
You can talk and talk till your face is blue!
Kids!
But they still just do what they want to do!
Why can't they be like we were?
Perfect in every way?
What's the matter with kids today?
Kids!
I've tried to raise him the best I could
Kids!
Kids!
Laughing, singing, dancing, grinning, morons!
And while we're on the subject!
Kids!
They are just impossible to control!
Kids!
With their awful clothes and their rock an' roll!
Why can't they dance like we did?
What's wrong with Sammy Kaye?
What's the matter with kids today!
I don't know what's wrong with these kids today!
Kids!
Who can understand anything they say?
Kids!
They a disobedient, disrespectful oafs!
Noisy, crazy, dirty, lazy, loafers!
While we're on the subject:
Kids!
You can talk and talk till your face is blue!
Kids!
But they still just do what they want to do!
Why can't they be like we were?
Perfect in every way?
What's the matter with kids today?
Kids!
I've tried to raise him the best I could
Kids!
Kids!
Laughing, singing, dancing, grinning, morons!
And while we're on the subject!
Kids!
They are just impossible to control!
Kids!
With their awful clothes and their rock an' roll!
Why can't they dance like we did?
What's wrong with Sammy Kaye?
What's the matter with kids today!
Too true....too true...
I also got to watch Shall We Dance (Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, 1937). I always love to watch them dance but this movie takes the cake. They danced in roller-skates! Amazing. Roller skating was big in my day - everyone was doing it - and doing amazing moves. I was always afraid to lift my foot just to go around the bend in the rink. Oh, and forget stopping. That's what walls were for! I was just amazed at their grace and skill AND they were wearing skates. Impressive.Hope you all had a fabulous first week of February. One month down already. Can't believe it. Well, have a great week. Until next time!
Spinning Card
Just came across this video in a blog. All of you card makers out there may want to try this. I know I do. I *really* need to get my house suitable for card making!
Enjoy the video: http://monicas-passions.blogspot.com/2008/04/are-you-spinning.html
Enjoy the video: http://monicas-passions.blogspot.com/2008/04/are-you-spinning.html
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
My Nephew
I'm still not feeling the greatest so I played on the computer a little bit today. I made a scrapbook layout with a picture of my nephew. I used this month's kit, De-love-ly, from Songbird Avenue. They have an amazing new kit every month and all of the profits go to whichever charity they pick for the month. It's pretty neat. And don't forget, these files can also be printed to use as paper projects as well. I love the digital world! :)
Have a great rest of the week, everyone! :)
Without further ado, I give you my nephew:
Have a great rest of the week, everyone! :)
Friday, February 6, 2009
Please Vote
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Week Nine
Let me just apologize in advance for any non-coherence of the following post. I am ill right now and not making much sense.
Well, for the most part this is just another week where we watched tv and movies and that's about all we did for excitement; we're rather pathetic.
I had a migraine on Sunday so I didn't do much at all. Kevin didn't sleep well on Monday so he missed his AM class which cut in to my "me" time (which means "cleaning" time) but since I was still recovering from my migraine that was fine. I watched Charade (Cary Grant & Audry Hepburn) and Dance With Me Henry (Abbott & Costello) and then did some housework once Kevin was finally at school. And because Kevin missed some prime working time on Monday, I dropped him off at school on Tuesday before I went to work which actually rendered a little excitement. I took a new route to work. I actually like it better because I don't have to worry so much about stoplights but unless I'm taking him to class, it's out of my way. I am thankful, though, I have options. At work my brain was in a fog which made my shift difficult and my migraine was returning. During one of my breaks, one of my co-workers engaged in conversation with me. She asked me, "What do you like to do for fun?" And do you know I had a very hard time coming up with something to say? I told her in theory I like to scrapbook but I haven't been able to in a while. She asked what else I like to do and, honestly, I couldn't think of anything. I was going to blame it on my brain fog/migraine but I don't think that I can. What *DO* I like to do for fun? Am I really that boring? How sad.
Wednesday I still had a doozie of a headache but that didn't prevent me from reading my cousin Kellie's "25 Random Things" post on Facebook. One of her posts said she loves Little House on the Prairie. I absolutely cannot stand that show and I really think it links back to having to watch it growing up because my little sister, Karen, wanted to watch it. And at the moment I analyzed my feelings about the show, I realized that's probably why I love television so much now - because I am in control of what I watch. Well, if nothing else, Durham has been a place and time for reflectivity and self realization.
Thursday and Friday happened and then along came Saturday. Saturday was a very special day this week because I got to spend the day with one of my dear friends from St. Louis. My friend, Robin, and her husband came to North Carolina to visit their daughter who was performing in an opera this weekend in Winston-Salem. I was able to travel to Winston-Salem because it was only a little over an hour from Durham. Oh, how good it was to see a familiar face. We didn't do anything terribly exciting but it was the best day because I was with
her and her family. We all met at the hotel then we ran errands the rest of the day. Robin and Jim were very gracious to me as they treated me to my first meal at an Indian restaurant called Nawab. It was good but just being with them was better. After lunch was more errands one of which meant seeing the apartment in which her daughter, Allison, would soon be moving. It was very nice. A little too nice. For the price we are paying for our one bedroom broken down house she is getting a nice three bedroom townhome. She has a nice sized kitchen and dining room. I don't even have a table at which to eat unless you count my desk as a table. And in her kitchen, she isn't going to have to use her washer and dryer as places to prepare food like I do. I'm so jealous. But I'm not moving to W-S as it would take me 2 hours to travel to work. It doesn't make my desire to move any less. Hopefully in the spring. After running several errands, Jim, Robin and I headed back to the hotel so they could change clothes because we were all going out to dinner with Allison's voice teacher and her husband and Allison's boyfriend and his parents. We went to a place called Noma which is in downtown Winston-Salem. It was good and the company was good. I really did enjoy myself. Everyone was having such a good time that most of them went to a local bar afterward but as it was getting late, I decided to head home. And may I say not a moment too soon. Once I sat down and let my brain relax, I realized just how tired I was. That hour drive home was rough but I made it. I got in the door at like 11:02PM, changed clothes and was in bed asleep by 11:05PM. Kevin tried to talk to me but I wasn't making any sense so I told him I'd tell him about my day another time. I think I was asleep before he left the room (which for him is about three steps). It was a very good time and I wished it could have gone on longer. I know that Allison is going to be in another opera in April so I'm looking forward to seeing the Chickering family again. :) Now, what's wrong with the rest of you? I'd love to see you all, too, ya know! Hopefully I'll be seeing my St. Louis peeps in May when I come to town for a wedding. It's going to be on Mother's Day. Not sure why they picked that day but they did so plan accordingly! Rachel, I'll be expecting cookies! *wink*Love to you all!
Movies of the Week:
Books of the Week:
KEVIN
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Week Eight
January 18-24, 2009
So, we all know that our economy is in the tanker and I am really sorry that so many companies are going out of business but it does benefit me some. Kevin and I went to Walden Books which is another store going out of business in our mall. Kevin and I bought 42 new books at 4o-75% off cover price. Kevin got one hard cover book for 74 cents! I have to admit that I bought most of the books that day but you'd never know it looking at our living room. I'm going to have to buy another bookcase just to house the books we bought today. While at Walden Books, I came across some maps of North Carolina and the Durham area. Since I didn't get any for Christmas like I asked, I went ahead and picked them up.
Aside from shopping, Kevin and I watched some football today. We watched the Arizona Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Eagles. (Pittsburg also beat the Ravens today but I didn't watch that game.) I'm so excited for Kurt Warner! He's going to the Superbowl again! He seems like such a nice man and I like when good things happen to nice people. You can bet I'll be wearing my red on Superbowl Sunday to support the Cardinals. I was actually fortunate enough to see the team play when they were still in St. Louis playing at Busch Stadium. Good times.
Even though Monday was a holiday to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Kevin still had a 
class so I got up and took him to school. While he was gone I cleaned and while I was putting the slip cover on my couch (btw I *hate* slip covers!), I hurt my right knee. This is what I've gathered from my experience here in Durham: cleaning = bad! It seems every time I try to make my house more livable, I injure myself. Maybe I should stop trying. But cleaning the house is always a good opportunity to listen to the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack. Have you had the pleasure? I *love* it. I never tire of it. You should give it a try sometime. Along with Pirates, I listened to my newly acquired Bread CD and that was good. At least I got some things accomplished.
One thing I do want to mention about today happened after Kevin arrived home and after we watched House and 24. I left the television on after 24 and the news reporter said something about possible snow coming. I tuned in to see what else the weather reporter had to say: there was a chance of snow in the Triangle area. Not even five minutes later we saw what had to be the name of every last school in the area showing that they were closed or going to open at a later time. All for a chance of snow! I thought it was funny and it brought back memories of how just a year ago I drove 23 miles to school in an ice storm. I wonder if the state of NC would even know what to do with a situation like that.
Tuesday I awoke to a nice blanket of snow on the ground. That chance of snow actually produced six inches (and up to 8+ in other areas) of the fluffy stuff. I had the television on that morning and the news report said that the state had declared a state of emergency. All for six inches of snow! A state of emergency??? Maybe I'm crazy but I think that's hilarious! It's snow for cryin' out loud! Oy. And even though it was "dangerous" out, I managed to get to work just fine that afternoon. I noticed not very many people managed to make it in to work for their shifts. It appeared to be only non-Carolinians who ventured out which I found interesting. That afternoon I was working with people who really know snow--one from Ohio and the other from Maryland. We all found it ridiculous that people were all out of sorts today. Although, one of my sources told me that the roads in Wake County especially are iffy and that was the reason for all the cancellations. Still funny nonetheless.
And as you all know, today was inauguration day. And may I say, politics aside, congratulations to the people who have managed to overcome racial prejudice and vote for a black American to be the next leader of our country. I know we still have a LONG way to go but I'm proud of all who can see past the color of skin and instead see an eloquent, passionate man who has dreams and desires to change the country for the better.
As an aside, as I was searching for pictures of President Obama, one of the first three pictures that popped up was this picture of David Hasselhoff:
Ummm...what? What does that have to do with Presidnet Obama? I thought it was funny so I thought I'd share.
Wedneday was the day I amended the bookcase shortage in our home. We now have eight (8) bookcases in our living room and only 1 1/2 are housing any of my books. Now, that eight does not include the two free standing cabinets I have in my kitchen which are currently housing my obscene amount of cookbooks. We have issues and I'm not just talkin' periodicals.
Not much else to report today. As I was assembling the bookcase, I watched Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train which was good. (I'd never make it as a movie critic, would I?) Wednesday is Kevin's long day at school so while I was eating dinner alone, I watched Surf's Up.
Thursday and Friday didn't yeild much more than work. Kevin and I watched a little more Wonder Falls but that was about it.
Saturday felt like a curl-up-on-the-couch-and-watch-old-movies kind of day so that's what I did.
The day was dreary and cold (that morning, anyway) so I went to my handy dandy Netflix and found An American in Paris which I absolutely adored. I guess anything with Gene Kelly in it is good in my book. If you've never seen it, after a short narration and various sites in Paris, the movie opens with Gene Kelly in a very tiny apartment getting ready to start his day. This is how it goes:
Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) is lying in bed when he hears a knock on the door. From his bed he reaches up to open the door which only opens enough for the delivery person to shove in a bag with Jerry's breakfast inside. Jerry takes the bag, rolls over and stand up out of bed. He turns to his left where he grabs a rope and hoists the bed up toward the ceiling via a pulley system. He ties the rope, turns 180 degrees and walks under the bed as pushes one set of bed legs closed. From the bar of the second set of bed legs, he grabs a hand towel and flings it over his shoulder. He takes one step to his right and kicks open a collapsable table which is attached to the wall (it's more like half a table) and sets down his breakfast which is really the only thing that will fit on this table. He then turns to his left and with his left foot scoots a chair out of the way of a closet door. He opens the door and removes a small collapsable table which has a chair stacked on top of it, takes down the chair, puts it on the floor and opens the table. He turns back to his right and grabs a metal coffee pot and bowl from the top of a small dresser which is attached to the closet door. He places the coffee pot and bowl on the table, goes back to the closet and with his left hand opens the top dresser drawer and pulls out a brush at the same time with his right hand he grabs his shirt from inside the closet. He turns around and puts the brush on the table, shirt on the chair at the same time he closes the closet door with his foot.
There's a little more after that but my point is, his apartment is tiny. As I was watching this choreographed scene, I was thinking how much it reminded me of the dance Kevin and I have to do in our apartment. Granted, we have more room than he did but we still have to be cautious of our movements. I'm sure that scene helped make that movie more endearing to me.
After the movie, I went to the kitchen and fought with some spray foam. I bought it to spray into the kitchen cabinets where I think the mouse was getting in. Whoever designed the can must have been high on the fumes from the foam because all I did was struggle with it. I ended up with more on my hands than in the cracks, I think. I did what I could then took a break from the frustration. I went into the living room and watched Stir Crazy--a movie with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor--while the foam on my hands dried. A few hours later Kevin and I ate dinner and finished the final episode of Wonder Falls.
I can't wait until the weather warms up and we can start doing fun things outdoors. I'm sure you are all sick of reading our movie and tv reports. Hopefully we'll soon get to see some things specific to Durham. Until then, have a great week!
(I have to give a shout out to Summer Driggs of Summertime Designs for making the cute (and free!) kit entitled Freedom with which I made this weeks weather reports. Thanks, Summer!)
Movies of the week:
Books of the week:
KEVIN
And for your viewing pleasure, you may watch Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech here via AmericanRhetoric.com. I have also included the speech below:
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
We cannot walk alone.
And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.
We cannot turn back.
There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!
So, we all know that our economy is in the tanker and I am really sorry that so many companies are going out of business but it does benefit me some. Kevin and I went to Walden Books which is another store going out of business in our mall. Kevin and I bought 42 new books at 4o-75% off cover price. Kevin got one hard cover book for 74 cents! I have to admit that I bought most of the books that day but you'd never know it looking at our living room. I'm going to have to buy another bookcase just to house the books we bought today. While at Walden Books, I came across some maps of North Carolina and the Durham area. Since I didn't get any for Christmas like I asked, I went ahead and picked them up.
Aside from shopping, Kevin and I watched some football today. We watched the Arizona Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Eagles. (Pittsburg also beat the Ravens today but I didn't watch that game.) I'm so excited for Kurt Warner! He's going to the Superbowl again! He seems like such a nice man and I like when good things happen to nice people. You can bet I'll be wearing my red on Superbowl Sunday to support the Cardinals. I was actually fortunate enough to see the team play when they were still in St. Louis playing at Busch Stadium. Good times.
class so I got up and took him to school. While he was gone I cleaned and while I was putting the slip cover on my couch (btw I *hate* slip covers!), I hurt my right knee. This is what I've gathered from my experience here in Durham: cleaning = bad! It seems every time I try to make my house more livable, I injure myself. Maybe I should stop trying. But cleaning the house is always a good opportunity to listen to the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack. Have you had the pleasure? I *love* it. I never tire of it. You should give it a try sometime. Along with Pirates, I listened to my newly acquired Bread CD and that was good. At least I got some things accomplished.One thing I do want to mention about today happened after Kevin arrived home and after we watched House and 24. I left the television on after 24 and the news reporter said something about possible snow coming. I tuned in to see what else the weather reporter had to say: there was a chance of snow in the Triangle area. Not even five minutes later we saw what had to be the name of every last school in the area showing that they were closed or going to open at a later time. All for a chance of snow! I thought it was funny and it brought back memories of how just a year ago I drove 23 miles to school in an ice storm. I wonder if the state of NC would even know what to do with a situation like that.
Tuesday I awoke to a nice blanket of snow on the ground. That chance of snow actually produced six inches (and up to 8+ in other areas) of the fluffy stuff. I had the television on that morning and the news report said that the state had declared a state of emergency. All for six inches of snow! A state of emergency??? Maybe I'm crazy but I think that's hilarious! It's snow for cryin' out loud! Oy. And even though it was "dangerous" out, I managed to get to work just fine that afternoon. I noticed not very many people managed to make it in to work for their shifts. It appeared to be only non-Carolinians who ventured out which I found interesting. That afternoon I was working with people who really know snow--one from Ohio and the other from Maryland. We all found it ridiculous that people were all out of sorts today. Although, one of my sources told me that the roads in Wake County especially are iffy and that was the reason for all the cancellations. Still funny nonetheless.
And as you all know, today was inauguration day. And may I say, politics aside, congratulations to the people who have managed to overcome racial prejudice and vote for a black American to be the next leader of our country. I know we still have a LONG way to go but I'm proud of all who can see past the color of skin and instead see an eloquent, passionate man who has dreams and desires to change the country for the better.As an aside, as I was searching for pictures of President Obama, one of the first three pictures that popped up was this picture of David Hasselhoff:
Ummm...what? What does that have to do with Presidnet Obama? I thought it was funny so I thought I'd share.
Wedneday was the day I amended the bookcase shortage in our home. We now have eight (8) bookcases in our living room and only 1 1/2 are housing any of my books. Now, that eight does not include the two free standing cabinets I have in my kitchen which are currently housing my obscene amount of cookbooks. We have issues and I'm not just talkin' periodicals.
Not much else to report today. As I was assembling the bookcase, I watched Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train which was good. (I'd never make it as a movie critic, would I?) Wednesday is Kevin's long day at school so while I was eating dinner alone, I watched Surf's Up.
Thursday and Friday didn't yeild much more than work. Kevin and I watched a little more Wonder Falls but that was about it.
Saturday felt like a curl-up-on-the-couch-and-watch-old-movies kind of day so that's what I did.
The day was dreary and cold (that morning, anyway) so I went to my handy dandy Netflix and found An American in Paris which I absolutely adored. I guess anything with Gene Kelly in it is good in my book. If you've never seen it, after a short narration and various sites in Paris, the movie opens with Gene Kelly in a very tiny apartment getting ready to start his day. This is how it goes:Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) is lying in bed when he hears a knock on the door. From his bed he reaches up to open the door which only opens enough for the delivery person to shove in a bag with Jerry's breakfast inside. Jerry takes the bag, rolls over and stand up out of bed. He turns to his left where he grabs a rope and hoists the bed up toward the ceiling via a pulley system. He ties the rope, turns 180 degrees and walks under the bed as pushes one set of bed legs closed. From the bar of the second set of bed legs, he grabs a hand towel and flings it over his shoulder. He takes one step to his right and kicks open a collapsable table which is attached to the wall (it's more like half a table) and sets down his breakfast which is really the only thing that will fit on this table. He then turns to his left and with his left foot scoots a chair out of the way of a closet door. He opens the door and removes a small collapsable table which has a chair stacked on top of it, takes down the chair, puts it on the floor and opens the table. He turns back to his right and grabs a metal coffee pot and bowl from the top of a small dresser which is attached to the closet door. He places the coffee pot and bowl on the table, goes back to the closet and with his left hand opens the top dresser drawer and pulls out a brush at the same time with his right hand he grabs his shirt from inside the closet. He turns around and puts the brush on the table, shirt on the chair at the same time he closes the closet door with his foot.
There's a little more after that but my point is, his apartment is tiny. As I was watching this choreographed scene, I was thinking how much it reminded me of the dance Kevin and I have to do in our apartment. Granted, we have more room than he did but we still have to be cautious of our movements. I'm sure that scene helped make that movie more endearing to me.
After the movie, I went to the kitchen and fought with some spray foam. I bought it to spray into the kitchen cabinets where I think the mouse was getting in. Whoever designed the can must have been high on the fumes from the foam because all I did was struggle with it. I ended up with more on my hands than in the cracks, I think. I did what I could then took a break from the frustration. I went into the living room and watched Stir Crazy--a movie with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor--while the foam on my hands dried. A few hours later Kevin and I ate dinner and finished the final episode of Wonder Falls.
I can't wait until the weather warms up and we can start doing fun things outdoors. I'm sure you are all sick of reading our movie and tv reports. Hopefully we'll soon get to see some things specific to Durham. Until then, have a great week!
(I have to give a shout out to Summer Driggs of Summertime Designs for making the cute (and free!) kit entitled Freedom with which I made this weeks weather reports. Thanks, Summer!)
Movies of the week:
Books of the week:
KEVIN
And for your viewing pleasure, you may watch Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech here via AmericanRhetoric.com. I have also included the speech below:
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
We cannot walk alone.
And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.
We cannot turn back.
There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!
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