QOTD

Kindness should become the natural way of life, not the exception.

-Buddha

QOTD

I like this. I agree with it. However if ridding the world of evil
people committig evil acts meant that I loose a part of myself to do
so, then so be it.

If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil
deeds and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us
and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the
heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of
his own heart?

-Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License!

Another perez Hilton find- and I'm astonished!! This makes me sick! When I was 17 I had a huge crush on a football player at my college who was black. When I told my mom (I use the word lightly) she gave me that tight lipped "mmmhmmm" and I asked why the change in attitude? She had been very excited when I told her I had a crush on some one named "Jason" and flipped he attitude when I showed her a picture of him. She said " I just worry about you having interracial children, they get treated differently". Well, the last time I checked I was just crushing on the guy and I wasn't planning on having children at the time- let alon the fact that I was a virgin still!! People make me SICK especially racist people!!! 

http://perezhilton.com/2009-10-16-interracial-couple-denied-marriage-license

This is unacceptable! It's 2009!

An interracial couple was denied a marriage license from the justice of the peace of Tangipahoa Parish Louisiana. Now there is a demand that Keith Bardwell step down from the position. Patricia Morris of the local NAACAP chapter says:

"He's an elected public official and one of his duties is to marry people. He doesn't have the right to say he doesn't believe in it. If he doesn't do what his position calls for him to do, he should resign from that position."

Apparently Bardwell's reasoning for refusing to issue the marriage license to Terrence McKay and Beth Humphrey was that in his experience interracial marriages do not last and he worries about the couple's future children. He insists that he's not racist:

"I'm not a racist. I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house. My main concern is for the children."

We call BS and his behavior is completely racist!

Morris has said that she has forwarded the case to the statewide and nationwide levels of the NAACP. Good!

Love is love, people! Marriage should be for everyone!

[Image via WENN.]

Balloon Boy Spawns Criminal Investigation!

I found this tidbit on Perez Hiltons website (which I love!!) and I think this is awesome! I remember that douchebag of a "father" from wife swap-- he needs to be taught a thing or two and I hope one of those things is do NOT use your children for publicity!!

http://perezhilton.com/2009-10-16-balloon-boy-spawns-criminal-investigation

The Larimer County Sheriff's Department will conduct interviews with Balloon Boy and his family, which may lead to a criminal investigation due to filing a false report.

According to a Sheriff's official, the interviews will begin tomorrow because "their physical and emotional state as of this morning is not well."

Considering the on-camera barfing and back-to-back shameless interviews, they could probably use a breather before they're taken for all they're worth!

Make it RAIN baby!!!!

http://www.blackra1n.com is the location of the 3.1.2 3GS jailbreak and is rumored to be able to jailbreak EVERY upcoming update apple has to throw out there! Let me say now...GeoHot is a GOD!!!!

If you donate and it works for you---please donate! This guy has done something that it seems the DevTeam gave up on for us Windows users.

Mattel Introduces African American Barbies With Realistic Features

Good idea however- white girls are rarely as thin as Barbie, and not to be racist, but I haven't seen very many African American women that thin either. And "sassy attitude" and "makeup"---really? Are we marketing this for children, or is this designer projecting what she wishes she looked like?? 

http://cocoperez.com/2009-10-09-mattel-introduces-african-american-barbies-with-realistic-features

It's about time!

Mattel is releasing a new line of African American Barbie dolls, called Barbie So In Style, in which the dolls' facial features more realistically reflect those of African American women.

Head Barbie designer, Stacey McBride-Irby, said "I wanted to create a beautiful line of dolls that [my daughter] can look at and be proud of. I wanted to create dolls with fuller lips, the makeup, the sassy attitude, that little girls will want to actually continue to play with or even 12 year olds might want to just have them on their shelves in their bedrooms that they can collect and say 'Oh that doll looks like me!'"

The first African American Barbie doll, "Christie," was introduced in the 1960s and was basically just Barbie dyed brown. In 1980, "Black Barbie," debuted, but was still essentially the white doll with a generic darker skin tone, which has been the pattern with nearly every African American Barbie that has been released since, until now.

McBride-Irby's line of dolls features 3 grown up dolls, "Grace," "Trichelle," and "Kara," and the "Little Sisters," they mentor, "Courtney," "Janessa," and "Kianna," respectively. The dolls exhibit a range of more realistic features, with varying skin tones and hairstyles, fuller lips, and fuller noses. McBride-Irby said, "I want them to be examples to real girls, so I wanted to put that together in the play pattern that big sisters are mentoring little girls. They can be real sisters, or they can be part of the mentor program."

Each doll comes with an inspirational background story. For instance, Grace is a cheerleader who's favorite subject is science. Trichelle is an artsy journalist, and Kara loves to play music and do math.

"I wanted to make sure I had an aspirational component to these dolls… that moms will hone in on and let little girls know that you can play music, but you also need to enjoy math too, or science, or journalism writing," said McBride-Irby.

Despite McBride-Irby's efforts to "make sure it was what we see on the outside world," some critics are saying that the dolls are still not "black enough," particulary when it comes to the the hair. Only one grown up doll, Trichelle, has curly hair, which some find troubling. One customer asked, "Why are we always pushing this standard of long hair on our girls? Why couldn't one of the dolls have a little short afro, or braids or something?"

Another complaint transcends race and is really just an issue with Barbie in general: concerns have been voiced about the doll's impossibly thin frame.

Still, the general response has been positive, with women praising the variety of skin tones and physical features.

"I just wanted to make sure that I was answering my community's needs with different skin tones, the hairstyles, the fashion," said McBride-Irby. "I would love for little girls - first of all, I know that they're growing up really fast right now, so I wanted to bring back that wholesome little girl, and I know that creating a happy, inspired childhood creates happy, inspired, powerful women…. I want little girls to be able to say 'I have an African American Barbie that I love.'"

The Barbie So In Style collection is in stores now.

[Images courtesy of Mattel.

My morbid kids

My children are definately mine- they are so morbid!! I love it! They love vampires and mummies and werewolves!!! The girl wants to be a cleopatra vampire and the boy wants to be a mummy cop fo Halloween! It's great! We re on our way to the fair right now- so there will be more pics and stories tonight or tomorrow. Here's today's awesome morbidity!!














-- Posted from my iPhone

Hanging out

My dad has been here for 3 days now an it's awesome. The kids are happy, I'm happy, John is happy! Here's a video of my dad on the way from Arizona.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Zen quite of the day

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what
they sought.

-Basho

Epic fails

Thought I'd share the laughs



-- Posted from my iPhone

Nap time--

My boogers. They are 5 and 6 and still need naps. Now, I'm not complaining at all, however I have tried to end naps since school started in the begining of September. The girl doesn't really need them, but I think they are a luxury she loves and is trying to cling to. The boy on the other hand desperately needs them!!! Here he is at 8:45 pm knocked out!




The girl and her friend are watching Coraline in her room (trying to blast the volume so they can stay awake) and the plan was that the boy and I were gonna watch Hulk- a plan that lasted for maybe 20 minutes before he knocked out. I love when he and I can cuddle, even when he's asleep for it.

Today was a piddle day. We were supposed to have someone visit, however despite all their shit storming, they didn't make sure their plans went through. No fault of mine- they didn't dot their "i's" or cross their "t's". Which meant I was able to stay home and clean and organize. Here's the new layout.












That last one is complete with little man knocked right out.

Time to settle the girls- they are being loud again.


-- Posted from my iPhone

It's been a while again

I need to get better at posting to this thing. I was on a roll, but life has taken over!! The girl has soccer Tuesdays then both girl and boy have gymnastics on wednesday and the boy has karate on Thursday and then soccer games on Saturday!! We are busy!!! I've been managing to run at least 5 miles a day for the last week- the week before that was 4.5...I've been stepping up over the last month and I weighed in at the dr at 123lbs yesterday!!!!


Ok, this post is taking me hours to write!! We are now waiting at the park for Micks soccer to start!! Let's hope they win today!!





And ending with some comedy!!!



-- Posted from my iPhone

Seems fitting

Holding on to anger is like holding on to a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burn.

-Buddha

**This quote was sent to you by a friend using the iPhone app Zen Daily. Click Here to download it.**

So so much to catch up on!!!

I've been neglectful of my blog and I'm sorry! Here's the last few weeks in a nutshell! My dad was here visiting and we hung out and had fun...he bought the kids bikes which they LOVE and have been riding like maniacs! I have started running and loosing weight. I went from 135 lbs to 130 lbs. I went from a 29in waist to a 27 1/2 inch waist. I just finished another run this morning at 4.28 miles in 48 minutes. I am currently doing a 2/2 and 3/2 interval run (walk/run) and building up to being able to run straight. It's been a while since I've ran, so it's taking some building but in 3 weeks I've gone from running on a treadmill for 30 minutes to running good distance on the road in great time!

Mick has been doing Soccer and had her first game ever Saturday. She did great! I am so proud of her and I will post a slide show for that in a bit. Alex is still in karate and gymnastics (as is Mick)...so we have BUSY weeks. The kids started school last week and I now have time to run and clean and all that jazz.

Mugshot Hall Of Fame Shame

http://perezhilton.com/2009-09-04-mugshot-hall-of-fame-30

This makes us sick!

Klingon look-alike Robie Lynn Jenkins and her boyfriend, Tremayne Spillman, are facing felony abuse charges after their pitbull chewed off the toes of their 4-month old son.

Disgusting!

The North Carolina couple claim that they were taking care of the child on Monday during the attack.

The follicly challenged, mother-of-the year was taking medication and allegedly did not the hear the baby's cries, despite sleeping in the same room.

Apparently, they only discovered the missing appendages when changing their son's diaper the next morning. The child may lose the rest of his foot.

So sad!

Sent from my iPhone with Pro RSS Reader

Hatemonger Sally Kern Faces Off Against Transgender Opponent!

http://perezhilton.com/2009-09-05-hatemonger-sally-kern-faces-off-against-transgender-opponent

The devil never sleeps!

Our favorite homophobic, redneck Oklahoma representative is back, but with any luck, her days are numbered.

Sally "Satan" Kern, who once claimed that "gays are infiltrating city councils" and "winning elections" will have quite the surprise come 2010.

Kern's potential opponent, Brittany Novotny, is not one of those pesky gay or lesbian folk, but - even better - transgender!

That'll do!

She began a private law practice in 2007 specializing in civil rights and employment law after graduating from University of California Hastings College of the Law in 2005. Not to mention, Novotny is legal adviser and vice chair of the women's caucus, a division of the Young Democrats of Oklahoma.

"I'm exploring a run," said the qualified candidate, who has not officially announced her political ambitions. "We're doing everything we can to run a credible campaign."

And for Kern, who stated that "[homosexuality] is the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam," we hope she has her ass handed to her by Novotny.

Bring on the Kernian downfall of America!

Sent from my iPhone with Pro RSS Reader

Sept 5th QOTD

"If you aren't afraid to fail, then you probably don't care enough
about success."

-Mark McCormack

I will admit, before I left my parents house- they had done something
that made me so afraid of success, that I was afraid to try all the
way. Now that I'm older and in a healthy functional relationship, I am
learning to crave success. I have a parter who is fully backing me!!!
No judging or mocking. Just encouragement. If I wanted to be a
professional dog walker he'd fully support me. Thanks to John, I'm
afrai of failure and driving hard toward success!!!

Selena Gomez Named The Youngest Ambassador For UNICEF

http://perezhilton.com/2009-09-04-selena-gomez-named-the-youngest-ambassador-for-unicef

After being the spokesperson for their Trick-or-Treat campaign last October, Selena Gomez has now been officially appointed the youngest Ambassador for UNICEF!

What an honor!

Selenita says of her new charitable role:

"Every day 25,000 children die from preventable causes. I stand with UNICEF in the belief that we can change that number from 25,000 to zero. I know we can achieve this because every moment, UNICEF is on the ground providing children with the lifesaving assistance needed to ensure zero becomes a reality."

The Wizards of Waverly Place actress is heading off to Ghana this week on her first official field-mission as an Ambassador.

Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, is happy with their choice, stating:

"We're very pleased to have Selena join the UNICEF family, as a long time supporter, she will continue to capture and engage and audience of millions of young people to help ensure the health, education, equality and protection of every child."

And this is why she is one of our absolute favorite Disney stars!

Good for you, bb!

You're a real pole role model!

[Image via WENN.]

Sent from my iPhone with Pro RSS Reader

Sept 4th QOTD

After 8 years in the military there are several people that I wish
understood this quote. They would have been better leaders and their
troops would have performed greatly.

"The most effective leader is the one who satisfies the psychological
needs of his followers."

-David Ogilvy

Sept 3rd QOTD

In theory this sounds great, however I have to disagree today.
Sometimes you need those miracle drugs to pull out of the pit.
However, If you think the medication won't work, then no matter how
great it is, it probably won't.

A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any
wonder drug.

-Patricia Neal

Sept 2nd QOTD

This one is definately a keeper! Goodness I wish more people would read this and remember it!!!

"Solve the problem yourself or accept a fate you may not like...from this perspective, the ethic of personal responsibility gains appeal."

-Noel M. Tichy


**This quote was sent to you by a friend using the iPhone app Zen Daily. Click Here to download it.**

Sept 2nd app review

Couch to 5k- a phenominal running app for the begining runner! I hate to run, cant stand it, however to loose weight I know I have to run...enter C-5k!!



This program runs voice instruction over whatever songs are playing on your phone. You set your iPod to play, start the program, lock the screen and get running!!!

-- Post From My iPhone

QOTD Sep 1st

It's important that people should know what you stand for. It's equally important that they know what you won't stand for.

-Mary H. Waldrip

**This quote was sent to you by a friend using the iPhone app Zen Daily. Click Here to download it.**

An app a day- Sep 1st

So, now that I'm back in iPhone world I have 9 pages of apps. Guess I better start critiqing them, huh? Along with the near daily quotes I will also be doing "an app a day" where I talk about the apps on my phone.

Let me begin by sayig that my phone is jailbroken- because we all know that the best apps are in cydia!! A jailbroken phone is like a Ferrari with all the benefits and no traffic!

Todays app is phone zap.




Like Twitter there are a million and one morons on this thing, but for every moron there are a few good people. You take a pic an upload it to this app with a comment. You have the option to geo-tag it, add friends to follow, block the horny teens who post pics of their clevage and tiny little boy abbs. You can get this app for free from the App store, or you can get it from cydia. If you get it from
Cydia you can get their beta app which has the ability to make ringtones from your iPod songs- great option!




No matter where you get it from it's free! An awesome app for some good laughs even if you never post anything. If you wanna follow me, please do! My screen name is "itsnowornevr2".

-- Post From My iPhone

Busy weekend

It's been a busy weekend!! Gymnastics yesterday morning along with a birthday party in the evening, bike riding this mornin before it gets too hot and a visit this afternoon (which I was kind enough to adjust times- poor monitor has enough to deal with).

Here's some pics of this weekend!!!




Alex, Lani, and Samantha




A little dark, but here's the boy




Messy kid





Samantha and Mick




Headstand!!!




Early morning bike riding!!!!

-- Post From My iPhone

Aug 29 QOTD

"Don't borrow someone else's spectacles to view yourself with."

-Simon Travaglia

**This quote was sent to you by a friend using the iPhone app Zen Daily. Click Here to download it.**

Finally!!!

The girl finally has training wheels that work, and has already managed to fall a few times!! She has the grace of a bull frog!!!


-- Post From My iPhone

August 28 quote of the day

The more a man knows, the more he forgives.

-Confucius

**This quote was sent to you by a friend using the iPhone app Zen Daily. Click Here to download it.**

Bike ridding!!!

Grandpa getting the training wheels ready.


Alex the tool man!!!



Daddy, alex, grandpa and Mick- how many men does it take to help a 6yr old ride her bike???


The proud transformer rider!!!


Still trying to help the little girl- she will getvit yes she will


-- Post From My iPhone

This zen quote is for you

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.

-Confucius

**This quote was sent to you by a friend using the iPhone app Zen Daily. Click Here to download it.**

Bike rider number one

Here's the boy with his bike that grandpa Randy bought. He loves it!!!
We have pads and helmets the while nine yards. The girl is waiting for
daddy and grandpa to get the training wheels on her bike...they are
off to the tool store to get a wrench or something.

This zen quote is for you

When the heart grieves over what it has lost, the spirit rejoices over what it has left.

-Sufi epigram

**This quote was sent to you by a friend using the iPhone app Zen Daily. Click Here to download it.**

This zen quote is for you

Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.

-Maurice Setter

**This quote was sent to you by a friend using the iPhone app Zen Daily. Click Here to download it.**

This zen quote is for you

Self-discipline is when your conscience tells you to do something and you don't talk back.

-W.K. Hope

**This quote was sent to you by a friend using the iPhone app Zen Daily. Click Here to download it.**

Darn cat

He is definately a dork. He climbed up on the couch, circled several times like a dog ad then dared me to move him once he laid down. Gotta love my Brian.

Monday...ughh

It's Monday. What else can I say. I'm posting from my phone draining the battery despite the fact that I'm right next to the computer but I'm too lazy to get up. I was woken up 30 min earlier than normal by (1) the dog whining (2) the kids playing Barbie (3) the darn cat chewing a plastic bag next to my bed. My son still has pnemonia. To add insult to injury my uterus is painfully squezing out my endometrium. My friend got her car stollen and now has no car, no car seat and no stroller. And I've only been awake an hour.

Anyone else care to chime in on what might happen today? Whatever happens I must not take it out on a poor innocent bystander. Lol. Repeat after me: it's not a store clerks problem if a price doesn't come up right today, the driver next to you doesn't have to drive according to your rules and midol is my best friend for the next seven days. Oohhmm. Oohhmm.

Today will turn into a good day, because it has started out great. I may be tired and in pain but my children are with me, I woke up, and my husband has a day off from work!!! It will be a good day because it already is!!


-- Post From My iPhone

I'm a bad blogger

I have neglected this blog for three days- with reason!!! My poor boy has pnemonia! I've been trying to keep him busy at home while trying to entertain Mick and her friend (who I have yet to take back to her parents cause she's been keeping Mick busy). The doc said his pnemonia wasn't bad he just had to be calm, so we went to the zoo yesterday. He couldn't walk around so I rented him a stroller and got a million weird look because a seemingly healthy 5 year old was sitting in a stroller lol. Oh well. I'll be back when he's feeling better and blogging as usual!

-- Post From My iPhone

My silly kitties

Really, what's the point of buying them kitty beds when all I have to do is leave out rolls of papertowels?


And this one? Don't get me started. He will let the girl put him anywhere and will let her play with him for hours on end!

-- Post From My iPhone

August 10th

On a withered branch
the crow is perched
every evening.

Just a plain pretty poem.

My two buggers

I'm testing out a new app from my iPhone. Seems to be working, guess we will see how this posts.


The buggers goofing around.



I'm scared, my girl looks so old, but she's only 6!!!

-- Post From My iPhone

Boogie Boarding at Venice Beach!

Finally Hubby got to come with us to the beach today! The waves were AWESOME for boogie boarding and they were coming in FAST and HIGH! Mick had a blast and Alex was still recovering from getting dunked the last time! So...without further delay...here they are!

Alex learning to jump rope

August 9th

When the followers of Zen fail to go beyond the world of their sense and thoughts, all their doings and movements are of no significance. But when the sense and thoughts are annihilated all the passages to the mind are blocked and no entrance then becomes possible. The original mind is to be recognized along with the working of the senses and thoughts; only it does not belong to them, nor is it independent of them.

Still thinking about this one.

Mick learning to jump rope

We still don't have it down, but she's getting there!

August 7th and 8th

I'm sorry! I was so crazy busy yesterday I completely didn't update with the Zen quotes...updating yesterdays and todays

August 7th (yesterday)

This is the reason why the swordsman is always advised to be free from the thought of death or from anxiety about the outcome of the combat. As long as there is any 'thought' of whatever nature, that will assuredly prove disastrous.

I think that for my family (both married and extended friends that I hold dear) this is a great quote. Coming from a military "family" we all need to keep this in mind. If you go into a fire fight and are so focused on the outcome of the fight, or your mind is so distracted by fear you can't concentrate on the task. Lack of concentration will cause harm. If you are even concentrating on WINNING you can still loose. Empty your mind and focus on the task.

This goes for anything, even home and work tasks. If you are working on a project or cooking dinner and are so focused on the desire for glorification ("This is the best project ever" or "This is the best dinner ever") you are liable to mess it up somewhere. You will make a mistake, of that I have no doubt. Concentrate on the task. Don't do something seeking glory or fearing failure. Just do your best and put everything into whatever it is you are doing!

August 8th (Today)

While Zen teaching consists in grasping the spirit by transcending form, it unfailingly reminds us of the fact the spirit expresses itself only by means of form

This one is a bit more difficult for me and if any one wants to chime in and throw their two cents in the ring I won't rebuff you for it! For me, this means that Zen teaches that to grasp the spirit and realize what it's nature is, you try to do it by transcending (rising above) the form. However, you must also remember that the spirit can ONLY express itself by form. If one seeks to find the spirit and is desperate and frantic about doing so, then one will fail. To transcend the spirit and grasp it, one must practice zazen and let the spirit take it's form naturally.

August 6th

Wind subsiding,
the flowers still fall;
bird crying, the mountain
silence deepens.

Just a pretty poem

Today's Beach Trip!

Today was Venice...me, the girl and my friend Brea! It was a BLAST!

Here's Mick after we buried her!



Waiting to catch a wave!


She caught it!!!


Finishing up with that wave



She was making a sand castle I believe!



She is getting so brave! We are going back to the beach on Friday with my grandparents and hubby, so he will get some way better pics. It's really hard trying to take the pics while not getting the camera wet and at the same time keeping an eye on the girl. She ended the day trying to paddle into the waves like she saw the surfers doing and was doing a great job until she totally got smashed by a wave and swallowed some nasty water...at that point she decided that she wanted to play in the sand! LOL!

August 5th

To train yourself in sitting meditation (zazen) is to train yourself to be a sitting buddah. If you train yourself in zazenyou should know that Zen is never sitting or lying. If you train yourself to be a sitting Buddha you should know that the Buddha is not a fixed form

Pretty forthright I should say.

The Getty Today

My sis had a class meeting at the Getty today so Mick and I tagged along. She's still a bit young to appreciate the finer art however, she did have a blast in the family section playing with masks and drawing bugs and walking around outside. All in all it was a great day. To top it all off, my grandma's in town!!!! So we will be going tonight to meet her and my grandpa for dinner!