OMG, the Government's Invading Our Lives. Damned Socialists!

This is so brillian and funny, I had to post. Thanks to a friend on Facebook.

"This morning I was awoken by my alarm clock powered by electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the US Department of Energy. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the municipal water utility. After that, I turned on the TV ...to one of the FCC regulated channels to see what the National Weather Service of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration determined the weather was going to be like using satellites designed, built, and launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I watched this while eating breakfast of US Department of Agriculture inspected food and taking the drugs which have been determined as safe by the Food and Drug Administration.

At the appropriate time as regulated by the US Congress and kept accurate by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the US Naval Observatory. I get into my National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approved automobile and set out to work on the roads built by the local, state, and federal departments of transportation, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the Environmental Protection Agency, using legal tender issued by the Federal Reserve bank. On the way out the door I deposit any mail I have to send via the US Postal Service and drop the kids off at the public school.

After work, I drive my NHTSA car back home on the DOT roads, to a house which has not burned down in my absence because of the state and local building codes and fire marshal's inspection, and which has not been plundered of all it's valuables thanks to the local police department.I then log on to the internet which was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration and post on http://www.facebook.com/l/d9770;freerepublic.com and Fox News forums about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the government can't do anything right."

Get a grip people!

STOP Screaming Against Health Care Reform

I normally don't post political conversations on the blog. Not that my political views are unknown, I think I make it pretty clear where I stand. But this ridiculousness related to health care reform in this country is driving me nuts. I am baffled by all those who oppose it - but not so much by the FACT that they are opposing it, but rather by HOW they are doing it.

Health care reform is not easy to do. If it was, another President would have taken it on earlier. We all know that it made President Clinton (not to mention Hillary Clinton) highly unpopular when they tried it. President Bush...well, he had another agenda (can you spell O.I.L and W.A.R?). Candidate Obama ran for President on the platform that he would take on these unpopular issues that no one wants to deal with because they are HARD and divisive - like health care reform, climate change, financial reform. And because they are hard to deal with and have been postponed for generations, we are now living in a country where even though we SPEND the most on health care, we have a VERY bad record of services and care; even though we are the "most powerful country in the world", the financial system is so corrupt, we might as well be living in Russia; and even though 95 percent of scientists agree that humans are impacting our world in a negative way, politicians close their eyes and are ok with not taking action because their constituents are ignorant.

As far as Republicans, well...I think they have been called the PARTY OF NO. And I have to give it to them - a TRULY brilliant PR approach to the upcoming November elections. We OPPOSED everything will be their slogan. But if people were smarter and better informed, they would know that DOING NOTHING will not change a thing. How long do they think they can last on this legacy of doing nothing?

I, for one, I am ready for this change. I don't want to be cut off by my insurance because of pre-existing conditions. I don't want to pay higher and higher premiums because the insurance company CEO wants a yacht in the Bahamas. I don't want to pay the health bill of all those who cannot get health insurance. I don't want children to not have access to doctors. Does that make me a socialist? Or a COMMUNIST?? Well, having grown up in a communist country, let me make it clear. Do some reading on what that really means people before you go out screaming that we are becoming a communist/socialist nation. You don't know what you are talking about.

So here's to health care reform. Get a real opposing platform or SHUT UP! I hope this current bill passes through Congress and makes a positive difference in this country. We deserve it!

The Blind Side

Dear Hollywood,

With everything going so wrong all around the world (wars, global warming, crazy people killing other people) I want to thank you for producing movies such as "The Blind Side". Not only is it a feel-good movie, but it is a real story of a man who endured a tough life, encountered people who could not have been more different than him who took him in and loved him for who he is, and then made it BIG! It is truly amazing to see that those good people are still out there.

Favorite moments: when Sandra Bullock's character does a smack down of the "country-club, I am so much better than you because I have a fake tan and pearls" women. Ohhhhh...how many times have we all wanted to do that??? I know I have!

Sandra's performance was indeed wonderful. I am not sure it was Oscar-worthy, but what the heck. I've enjoyed her in really bad movies too so this was definitely a best-in-career role for her.

So thank you Hollywood for making me feel better about the world.

PS: A shout out is necessary for Arlington Drafthouse, where you can watch a movie for $2 on Tuesdays and order beer and burgers at your own discretion. You rock and definitely add to the feel goodness of it all!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

Update

We found the kitty's owner. All is right in the world again...It was surprising to all that I almost took this cat in, even though I am allergic. I guess I am not that tough with my animal policies when there is a bond:). That kitty knows she can always come back to my door for some yummy tuna fish!

Kitty Cat

I came home last night and found a lost kitty cat in our parking lot. She started "crying" and followed me to our patio. Now, everyone knows I am allergic to cats and not so much a proponent of indoor animals, unless they live in a cage or a fish tank. So, that makes this story even more surprising. I immediately felt I needed to take her in. So I picked her up (gasp...) and put her in our powder room. She started crying really bad so I fed her tuna fish and milk. She calmed down and was pretty content. However, I realized it might be a neighbor's lost cat. So I ran over to a neighbor's house who has two cats to consult her on my next move. Then I called my OPs (other parents) since they are animal lovers to ask their opinion too. Both Allison and the OPs told me to call the Alexandria Animal Shelter and see what they say. Meanwhile, I put the kitty outside in a cat carrier. She was not happy and scratched me up a storm. Ouch...The animal shelter people were very nice and told me that in VA there is no law that prohibits people from letting their cats out, without a tag. So it might just be a cat that is let out during the day but goes home at night. So, I let the cat out of the carrier and after hanging around the patio a few minutes, she went away. I thought - ok, she went home. 30 min later my neighbor Allison called and said the cat was on HER patio now. But we decided to leave her out for the night and observe.

This morning, as Jason and I were having breakfast at our kitchen island, we noticed the kitty cat at our door..crying, probably cold and hungry. So - here comes more tuna fish and sympathy from me. I am distributing posters today and sending an email out through the association. If no one claims her by tomorrow and she is still at our door tomorrow morning, I am taking her to the animal shelter. For some reason, even though I am allergic and not so much a cat person, I would totally adopt this animal...I'm nuts and a softie...but she is so cuteeeee!!!

Postcrossing

A month ago I decided that I needed to scale back my online communications efforts and focus more on in person/phone contact with my family and friends. I am proud to say that I have not touched Facebook for a month on Thursday. And yes, I will go back to being on Facebook because it is a great and easy way to connect with those with whom I would otherwise not connect with. But I will not let it become my number one means of communications if there is an alternative (phone/in person/even email).

Another step I have taken during this month is to become a Postcrossing member. If you don't know what Postcrossing is, check it out. I heard on the radio today that the US Post Office might scale back its delivery days from 6 a week to 5. It is all due to the fact that people do not write letters anymore. All we get is junk mail and bills (unless you are green like me and get everything via email). People don't even write using a pen anymore.

When I started this reconnection effort last month I had to think for a few seconds to remember the last time I actually WROTE with a pen and not with a keyboard. How ridiculous is that?? I decided right then and there that I will not let my hard work in Caligraphy class go to waste, nor the US Post Office run out of business. So I signed up for Postcrossing, a site that allows me to connect with people all over the world by sending and receiving hand written post cards. This brought back so many memories from childhood when I had pen pals all over in Romania and later in the U.S. It was a thrill to come back from school and find a post card or letter from a friend on my desk.

Yesterday I received my first post card frmo being part of the Postcrossing network. It came from a small town outside of Oxford. I was so happy to have something fun between all the junk in my mail box. I have now sent 4 post cards to Germany/Netherlands/Finland and Slovakia - how cool is that?? And I am slowly getting my caligraphic hand back.

I am thankful for all the things that I have realized during my Facebook-less month. Here's to not losing the art of hand writing and not letting the US Post Office go virtual!!

Mărţişor

Happy spring and more importantly Happy Mărţişor everyone! What, you mean you don't know what that is??? Relax, unless you are from Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania or Italy, you wouldn't know.

Martisor is a beautiful tradition in celebration of spring. The name Mărţişor is the diminutive of the name for March (Martie, in Romanian), and thus literally means "little" or "dear March". It is also the folk name for this month.

Mărţişor is a name for a red and white entertwined string that usually is attached to a small pendant and worn by women during the first 12 days of spring. In today's world the Mărţişor is a sign of friendship and love, while in the past it carried the meaning of a talisman: whoever wears one will be healthy and happy for the year to come.

I am wearing a Mărţişor today - and will wear a different one for the next 12 days - thanks to my mom, who brought a shoebox full of martisoare two years ago. I have about 100 of them - some dating back to my early school years when it was VERY fun and exciting to receive a martisor from the boy you liked in class! I had so much fun going through all of them last night, it brought back a lot of dear memories from home.

So here's to long and beautiful spring and a healthy and happy year to come! Happy Mărţişor !