11/30/06 This is profound November 30, 2006

I got this from The Slate at http://www.slate.com/id/2154567/nav/tap1/

“The relevance of Third Reich Germany to today’s America is not that Bush equals Hitler or that the United States government is a death machine. It’s that it provides a rather spectacular example of the insidious process by which decent people come to regard the unthinkable as not only thinkable but doable, justifiable. Of the way freethinkers and speakers become compliant and self-censoring. Of the mechanism by which moral or humanistic categories are converted into bureaucratic ones. And finally, of the willingness with which we hand control over to the state and convince ourselves that we are the masters of our destiny.”

11/29/06 Anyone want to buy a house? November 29, 2006

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The following Virtual Home Tour was sent to you by annk@barnhartassociates.com.
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Tour ID #: 796861
Tour Description: Kevington – living room
City: Eugene
Beds: 3
Baths: 2
SF: 1684
Price: $277,000

Click here to view: http://www.visualtour.com/shownp.asp?t=796861

For more information, please contact:

Ann Kieran
BARNHART ASSOCIATES REAL ESTATE
186 East 14th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97401
annk@barnhartassociates.com
541-284-4126

11/28/06 It snowed yesterday and today November 28, 2006

You can see the snow on the right side of the picture. It looked better on the camera. I was home sick yesterday with Christopher’s cold. We went to the doctor yesterday and he has an ear infection. Good thing he loves antibiotics … unlike the cat who does projectile spit up with it.

So I salted the drive this evening. That is really strange. It’s sort of like feeding chickens … not that I’ve ever done that. But I’ve seen it done on TV. I can deal with snow, but ice is kind of scary.

11/25/06 You Tube Addict November 25, 2006

It’s bad enough that Christopher wants to watch Elmo on Sesame Street during every waking moment. But today Thomas got him addicted to You Tube. ARGH!!! There are these puppets (Fluff & Stuff) singing popular songs and the videos are quite good. We watched Major Tom (The Who) and Million Dollars (Bare Naked Ladies). But now everytime Christopher comes in the office that’s all he wants to do.

11/24/06 Black Friday 2006 November 24, 2006

People are just freakin’ crazy! And we’re not the only ones. Thomas actually got up at 4:30am to go to Best Buy. It was the only store that had anything that we were willing to get up early for. When he got there the parking lot was overflowing and there was a line around the building. The first people in line had tents set up. Needless to say they were out of what we wanted. So he came home. I have decided that NOTHING is worth camping out in front of a store and missing your Thanksgiving dinner. Next year we’re sleeping in. The rest of the world may have cheaper Christmas presents but we’ll get sleep!

 

11/23/06 Happy Thanksgiving 2006! November 23, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! It’s a typical rainy November day here in Oregon. No surprises there. The stepsons are at their mom’s this year, so it’s just Thomas, Christopher, and me. Christopher is down for his second nap of the day … his first one being from 6 – 7am. The little bugger woke up at 4:20am … oy!!! We’re going to my in-laws for an early dinner. It’s the usual; turkey, stuffing, asparagus, rolls, salad, cranberry sauce, and my mom’s candied yams. It’s just not the holidays without those.

Christopher watched part of the Macy’s parade. He likes Barry Manilow! Well, I think he liked mommy singing with Barry. Since the kid is sleeping I think I am going to read the paper.

Enjoy your day!

11/22/06 Four Days off!!! November 22, 2006

Oh thank goodness for long weekends! I even got to come home early from work. Unfortunately Christopher is napping. So here I sit at the computer, like I don’t sit at one all day normally.

I started Auditing II yesterday. It’s the last of my ‘core’ classes!!! Hooray!!! The end is near!!! I got a B or a B+ in Auditing I. I had an A- going in to the last week, but I toasted the final exam. I hate multiple choice tests, especially when their sole purpose is to trick you. Is it tomato or tomahto? Well f**k, I don’t really know, it could be both.

Is anyone going to brave the Black Friday sales??? I perused the Wal-Mart and Target Friday ads on-line today. There is nothing I absolutely have to have at either store. Who knows what the big boys want. Christopher will be happy with a couple of wooden spoons. Thomas & I just want our old house to sell.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

11/16/06 The holidays are fast approaching November 16, 2006

Holy cow, how did it get to be the middle of November? Christopher will be 16 months old on Monday. He’s becoming quite the little boy! He had a bath this evening and he just chattered away. Who knows what he’s saying but he sounds like he’s having a bonafide conversation. This will be the first Thanksgiving where he can eat the food. He’ll trash grandma and grandpa’s house I’m sure! We don’t know what we’re going to do about a tree. Cats are nothing compared to what a toddler can do!

Thank goodness the only thing I have to do for Thanksgiving is show up with a pumpkin pie from Costco.

11/11/06 The real Veteran’s Day November 11, 2006

Why do we celebrate days on days that aren’t really the day? The kids were off from school and they didn’t even know why. This is sad. The banks were closed. Did those people know why?

I think people do a lot of things without knowing why. It’s like that story I read in Reader’s Digest about the woman who trimmed the end off of the roast she was about to put in the oven. She didn’t know why she did it, she just did it because her mother did. When her mother was questioned about it she said she never had a pan large enough to fit a roast, so she’d cut off the end. Clearly the daughter should have asked questions.

Then there’s the scene in the movie Black Widow (with Debra Winger and Theresa Russel http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090738/) where Debra Winger’s character told some fabulous tale to her boss as to why she did what she did. The boss bought it hook, line, and sinker. She then said it was all a lie, but he was willing to buy it. Her final comment was something to the effect that ‘who knows why we do what we do’.

So do you know why you do some of the things you do?

11/06/06 Other Peoples’ Blogs November 6, 2006

I snagged two things from two other people’s blogs …

The first thing is from Rosie O’Donnell’s 11/4/06 blog entry 

its about adjusting
to where u r
no matter the place
stay present
participate
even when it is scary
or somehow perfect
moment by moment
always

I don’t always understand Rosie’s style of writing, but this stanza really resonated with me. I don’t think we do enough of this. You need to adjust to the place where you are because where you are won’t adjust to you.

The second is from Tim Goodman’s blog post from today …

Here at The Bastard Machine we have a pretty clear set of rules when it comes to actors: We only care about actors as they appear in Our Favorite Shows. We do not care about their private lives. We do not care what others think of them. We do not want to interview them. We do not care about their sexuality, their political or religious beliefs – up to and including Scientology – who they adopt, sleep with or what they wear. We only care about how they service the story and how well they can act or, short of that, how freakin’ hot they are. Period.

Tim said what a lot of people think and what those stupid rag magazines don’t understand … what they print isn’t news and I don’t care about it. The fact that the guy who played Doogie Howser is gay is completely irrelevant. He’s one, if not the, funniest guy on How I Met Your Mother. What else should I care about?