The weather is awful today and there's some flooding. Pastor cancelled church for the first time ever that I remember. I think what may be going on is our speaker today, Brent, lives in the North Bay where the worst of the flooding was. He may not have been able to make it. But it's sad. I was dressed and everything when I got the call from Oscar.
Happy New Year anyway, everyone.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
2005 book list
Here's a list of all the books I read this year. All of them were good except the last one.
The Rising by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins (book 13 in the Left Behind series)
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Bible - one year reading program (.pdf file)
Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer
The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel by Felicitas D. Goodman
The Regime: Evil Advances by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins (book 14 in the Left Behind series)
Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution by Dr. Robert Atkins (1972 edition)
Babylon Rising by Tim LaHaye [Note: It was an awful book and I gave up almost halfway through. I couldn't get past the implausible storyline.]
The Rising by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins (book 13 in the Left Behind series)
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Bible - one year reading program (.pdf file)
Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer
The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel by Felicitas D. Goodman
The Regime: Evil Advances by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins (book 14 in the Left Behind series)
Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution by Dr. Robert Atkins (1972 edition)
Babylon Rising by Tim LaHaye [Note: It was an awful book and I gave up almost halfway through. I couldn't get past the implausible storyline.]
Friday, December 30, 2005
Lemmings suck...
And I always run into them.
What is it that makes otherwise rational people to start believing the PETA and PCRM propaganda when it comes to the Atkins diet? You can quote studies until you are blue in the face, and they will still cite PETA as a "scientific" source. And if PETA says it's bad, then it must be. The only answer I can think of is that PETA feeds into their preconceived ideas. Those ideas cannot be challenged, and they will grasp at straws to prove Atkins unhealthy, no matter how crazy the source they cling to.
I too once had questions about Atkins. I had question about the diet and how Dr. Atkins died and everything. I had heard the PETA propaganda, too.
But I didn't stop there. I asked questions, looked at other sources, read the book and demanded answers to all my questions.
Lemmings don't ask. They listen to someone saying what they want to hear, and they stop. It must be right. They blindly follow a vegan nut group. They've lost their curiosity.
But hey, if they're right, then time will tell and I will die from this way of life or at least have a zillion health problems related to my high fat intake. The proof is in the low carb pudding, so we will see how unhealthy this way of living is.
In the meantime, the lemmings still drive me crazy. Jesus was despised by most people in his time, and is still hated by many today. So was Dr. Atkins with his groundbreaking nutritional advice. So I guess when people jump on me I'm in good company. It just sucks being a minority who it's okay to hate. Thankfully though, I'm too strong willed to ever be a lemming.
I have Dr. A to thank for giving me my life back, and giving me a diet I can sustain as a way of life. I will never back down from that.
If you still think the Atkins diet is unhealthy, I urge you not to be a lemming. Read and research the whole story. Don't blindly believe what PETA tells you. Here's some research abstracts to get you started, including two from the American Heart Association.
What is it that makes otherwise rational people to start believing the PETA and PCRM propaganda when it comes to the Atkins diet? You can quote studies until you are blue in the face, and they will still cite PETA as a "scientific" source. And if PETA says it's bad, then it must be. The only answer I can think of is that PETA feeds into their preconceived ideas. Those ideas cannot be challenged, and they will grasp at straws to prove Atkins unhealthy, no matter how crazy the source they cling to.
I too once had questions about Atkins. I had question about the diet and how Dr. Atkins died and everything. I had heard the PETA propaganda, too.
But I didn't stop there. I asked questions, looked at other sources, read the book and demanded answers to all my questions.
Lemmings don't ask. They listen to someone saying what they want to hear, and they stop. It must be right. They blindly follow a vegan nut group. They've lost their curiosity.
But hey, if they're right, then time will tell and I will die from this way of life or at least have a zillion health problems related to my high fat intake. The proof is in the low carb pudding, so we will see how unhealthy this way of living is.
In the meantime, the lemmings still drive me crazy. Jesus was despised by most people in his time, and is still hated by many today. So was Dr. Atkins with his groundbreaking nutritional advice. So I guess when people jump on me I'm in good company. It just sucks being a minority who it's okay to hate. Thankfully though, I'm too strong willed to ever be a lemming.
I have Dr. A to thank for giving me my life back, and giving me a diet I can sustain as a way of life. I will never back down from that.
If you still think the Atkins diet is unhealthy, I urge you not to be a lemming. Read and research the whole story. Don't blindly believe what PETA tells you. Here's some research abstracts to get you started, including two from the American Heart Association.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
A Look Back at 2005: Blessed Stability
A Look Back at 2005: Blessed Stability
This year continued my bad co-modding luck. In January I was booted as a co-mod at About.com’s Depression forum because I’m "homophobic." I’m not, but Nancy has to label me something to salve her conscience. Oh well. Her loss.
Official starting weight for 2005 was 166. I'm hovering about 145 as I write this, so that’s about 20 pounds gone. Yippee! But my weight loss did come to a screeching halt in May this year; I was doing well before then. Since May I've only lost about a pound a month. I gained 2.4 pounds in November, and lost 2.2 in December! Right back where I started! This year I hit my one year anniversary for both starting exercising (February) and starting Atkins (March). I am now just barely within a "normal" weight range for my height, gender, and bone structure.
I continued writing the devotions for The Helping Hand this year. I love this "side job."
In March I spoke at church, giving the long version of my testimony. It was pastor's week off, so I volunteered to be the speaker.
In April I bleached my hair and then dyed it blue. I have been growing my hair out and letting the blue fade to green in preparation for bleaching it again and dying it pink this time (I got tired of the blue). The chlorine in the pool wrecked my long dyed hair, so shortly after dying it I had to have it cut short. I figured I could swim and have short hair, hidden under a cap, or not swim and have long hair. I like swimming sometimes so I had the hairdresser cut it short.
Also in April I started blogging on Blogspot rather than the simple blog I'd set up at home. This enables me to post from any computer, anywhere, and lets people add their comments to my entries. Way cool!
The mandatory overtime (that no one is really complaining about) started in April and now we’re in December and it hasn't stopped. My overtime consists of one 12 hour shift a week. One week that will be Sunday, and the next Monday, and so on. One person was hired, but let go after they didn't "work out." It was stupid. We all mess up, sometimes big, but they let him go. Anyway, it works out to 44 hours a week, 8 extra hours per paycheck. I can't say I don't need it.
In May Abby disappeared and was gone for four days before showing up across the street meowing at me for food. Stupid cat. It's the only time she’s ever gotten out since I moved to the new apartment in 2003.
Also in May was the Bay To Breakers race. I equaled my best time ever – 1:37 – by carbing up the night before, the morning of, and during the race. I felt so different from last year when I didn't. Definitely need more carbs when doing something this intense.
Since I had lost my state ID card during the race, and they take time to be replaced, I had to get a passport so I could go on the cruise to Alaska in May. Things were dicey for a while, but I managed to get a rush passport the day before I left.
The cruise ran from late May to early June, one week. We left from Seattle, sailed to Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, then turned south again to Victoria, BC. It was cool. Dad paid for my sister and I and him and his girlfriend to go to Alaska. I'd prefer the Caribbean, but hey, it was a free trip.
I became an aunt in July when my brother Rob and his wife Julie adopted baby Jebadiah. I know Rob is not legally related to me, and baby Jebadiah is not blood related to Rob, but I don't care. I'm still an aunt. :)
I also started an Atkins forum in July. In was short lived on Delphi when Gunter played God one too many times and delisted both my active forums. The Atkins forum moved to Forumer, and the Sabbath keeping forum was swallowed up in the already existing Seventh Day Baptist Yahoo group.
In August I went to General Conference in Michigan. It was really awesome like always. I love getting out of my little ghetto here and meeting people from all over the world. As Conference was starting, John Conrod, who has helped me moderate my Sabbath keepers' forum, died from complications related to MS. Rest in peace, John.
At the end of August I served as Maid of Honor at my sister's wedding. April finally married Renato.
In October I finished the "Bible in the year" project a full 2 ½ months early.
April made her TV debut in November on Move This House on A&E TV. My sister on TV. So exciting! She did great, but there was a lot of nervous laughter on her part.
Also in November Jean-Luc started a private Yahoo group for survivors of Kathi's ExWitch to discuss how to start a forum for ex-Witches, the original purpose of EW before it became primarily evangelism. The Yahoo group is now mostly dead, the forum is up and running, and we'll just see how things go from here. I suggested "The Moon and the Son" for a name, and they ended up naming it "The Son and the Moon." Jesus should get prominence in the name.
All in all, a fairly stable year. I'm in the same job, same apartment, with the same cats. :) This will be my third Christmas (just over two full years) of living in the same place. And it's my own apartment, not shared with anybody except my two cats, so it's doubly cool. Anyone who knows me well know how important (and elusive) stability has been to me. I even get stressed out when my daily routines get disrupted.
{primarily written December 21, 2005, with various edits}
This year continued my bad co-modding luck. In January I was booted as a co-mod at About.com’s Depression forum because I’m "homophobic." I’m not, but Nancy has to label me something to salve her conscience. Oh well. Her loss.
Official starting weight for 2005 was 166. I'm hovering about 145 as I write this, so that’s about 20 pounds gone. Yippee! But my weight loss did come to a screeching halt in May this year; I was doing well before then. Since May I've only lost about a pound a month. I gained 2.4 pounds in November, and lost 2.2 in December! Right back where I started! This year I hit my one year anniversary for both starting exercising (February) and starting Atkins (March). I am now just barely within a "normal" weight range for my height, gender, and bone structure.
I continued writing the devotions for The Helping Hand this year. I love this "side job."
In March I spoke at church, giving the long version of my testimony. It was pastor's week off, so I volunteered to be the speaker.
In April I bleached my hair and then dyed it blue. I have been growing my hair out and letting the blue fade to green in preparation for bleaching it again and dying it pink this time (I got tired of the blue). The chlorine in the pool wrecked my long dyed hair, so shortly after dying it I had to have it cut short. I figured I could swim and have short hair, hidden under a cap, or not swim and have long hair. I like swimming sometimes so I had the hairdresser cut it short.
Also in April I started blogging on Blogspot rather than the simple blog I'd set up at home. This enables me to post from any computer, anywhere, and lets people add their comments to my entries. Way cool!
The mandatory overtime (that no one is really complaining about) started in April and now we’re in December and it hasn't stopped. My overtime consists of one 12 hour shift a week. One week that will be Sunday, and the next Monday, and so on. One person was hired, but let go after they didn't "work out." It was stupid. We all mess up, sometimes big, but they let him go. Anyway, it works out to 44 hours a week, 8 extra hours per paycheck. I can't say I don't need it.
In May Abby disappeared and was gone for four days before showing up across the street meowing at me for food. Stupid cat. It's the only time she’s ever gotten out since I moved to the new apartment in 2003.
Also in May was the Bay To Breakers race. I equaled my best time ever – 1:37 – by carbing up the night before, the morning of, and during the race. I felt so different from last year when I didn't. Definitely need more carbs when doing something this intense.
Since I had lost my state ID card during the race, and they take time to be replaced, I had to get a passport so I could go on the cruise to Alaska in May. Things were dicey for a while, but I managed to get a rush passport the day before I left.
The cruise ran from late May to early June, one week. We left from Seattle, sailed to Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, then turned south again to Victoria, BC. It was cool. Dad paid for my sister and I and him and his girlfriend to go to Alaska. I'd prefer the Caribbean, but hey, it was a free trip.
I became an aunt in July when my brother Rob and his wife Julie adopted baby Jebadiah. I know Rob is not legally related to me, and baby Jebadiah is not blood related to Rob, but I don't care. I'm still an aunt. :)
I also started an Atkins forum in July. In was short lived on Delphi when Gunter played God one too many times and delisted both my active forums. The Atkins forum moved to Forumer, and the Sabbath keeping forum was swallowed up in the already existing Seventh Day Baptist Yahoo group.
In August I went to General Conference in Michigan. It was really awesome like always. I love getting out of my little ghetto here and meeting people from all over the world. As Conference was starting, John Conrod, who has helped me moderate my Sabbath keepers' forum, died from complications related to MS. Rest in peace, John.
At the end of August I served as Maid of Honor at my sister's wedding. April finally married Renato.
In October I finished the "Bible in the year" project a full 2 ½ months early.
April made her TV debut in November on Move This House on A&E TV. My sister on TV. So exciting! She did great, but there was a lot of nervous laughter on her part.
Also in November Jean-Luc started a private Yahoo group for survivors of Kathi's ExWitch to discuss how to start a forum for ex-Witches, the original purpose of EW before it became primarily evangelism. The Yahoo group is now mostly dead, the forum is up and running, and we'll just see how things go from here. I suggested "The Moon and the Son" for a name, and they ended up naming it "The Son and the Moon." Jesus should get prominence in the name.
All in all, a fairly stable year. I'm in the same job, same apartment, with the same cats. :) This will be my third Christmas (just over two full years) of living in the same place. And it's my own apartment, not shared with anybody except my two cats, so it's doubly cool. Anyone who knows me well know how important (and elusive) stability has been to me. I even get stressed out when my daily routines get disrupted.
{primarily written December 21, 2005, with various edits}
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Could you pass 8th grade science?
Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...
The Waffling Anglican tells us about NBC's newest attempt to portray Christians in a bad light. If this is a representative of Christianity, I got really lucky with the church I wound up in! The priest is addicted to painkillers, his wife is addicted to martinis, and his son is gay. Does NBC think this is "normal"?
The Waffling Anglican's post
send an e-mail to NBC
NBC's official site
The Waffling Anglican's post
send an e-mail to NBC
NBC's official site
RMR test
I had this test at the gym today. It costs $50 and stands for "Resting Metabolic Rate." It's how many calories your body burns at rest - if you are just sitting around like a bump on a log, not eating or exercising or doing anything. It's how many calories your body needs to keep you breathing and your heart beating, etc. Eating raises metabolism because it takes calories to digest food (I think I read that about 10% of what you eat is burned this way), and exercise raises metabolism. So this is a fasting test. I couldn't have my morning coffee, vitamins, or protein shake until after the test, nor could I exercise.
Anyway, all that to say my results were 1610 calories, down from 1870 a year ago. I knew it would be lower because I've lost weight, but I was hoping it wouldn't be too much lower. 260 calories lower...bleh.
Anyway, all that to say my results were 1610 calories, down from 1870 a year ago. I knew it would be lower because I've lost weight, but I was hoping it wouldn't be too much lower. 260 calories lower...bleh.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Dumbbells!
My Mom sent me dumbbells for Christmas and they arrived today! Yay! They are 10 lb. orange ones, like these, only orange and 10 lbs. :)
I am so thrilled! Now I can do weights at home while watching TV. :) Woohoo!
I am so thrilled! Now I can do weights at home while watching TV. :) Woohoo!
New Year's Resolutions, 2006
1) To get down to 142.
2) To maintain my weight at no higher than 147. When I do go above, to get stricter with carbs again and get back on track.
3) Do more work with weights to increase muscle mass
OR
Get my body fat down to 23%.
Or both. :)
4) Continue eating low carb, but play with my carb and fat grams to better fuel my time at the gym.
5) To do daily devotions using Our Daily Bread at least 5 days a week. To use the Web site until they start sending me the printed version.
2) To maintain my weight at no higher than 147. When I do go above, to get stricter with carbs again and get back on track.
3) Do more work with weights to increase muscle mass
OR
Get my body fat down to 23%.
Or both. :)
4) Continue eating low carb, but play with my carb and fat grams to better fuel my time at the gym.
5) To do daily devotions using Our Daily Bread at least 5 days a week. To use the Web site until they start sending me the printed version.
Monday, December 26, 2005
New Year's Resolutions check, final check
Here's the resolutions I made for 2005.
The full post is in italics below.
To do one of two things:
1) Either get down to 155 pounds OR Get my body fat down into a "normal" range for my age.
Or both. :)
I made 155 easily. I'm currently hovering around 145, so that goal was met.
As for body fat, I think I was shooting for 23% (need to be more specific in the future), which I didn't make. My last two times being tested for body fat were 26% and 24.5%, down from 29.3% at the beginning of the year.
Still, I only had to make one to fulfill the resolution, so I'm calling it met.
2) Run the first two miles of the Bay To Breakers race before slowing down to a walk.
Done. Two miles is technically the first water stop. I was hoping to make it to the bottom of the Hayes Street Hill - just over two miles in - and that was what I did.
So goal met. :)
3) Do more work with weights to increase muscle mass.
A resolution that anticipated maintenance. But it is my resolution for 2006 as I work to maintain.
4) Continue going to the gym at least 3 days a week.
I was doing great until overtime got in the way. After that, I made Thursdays into grocery day. I make it to the gym 1-2 times a week now and I really hate that. I really thought this one would be easy.
5) Continue eating low carb, but play with my carb and fat grams to better fuel my time at the gym.
Another resolution that anticipated maintenance. So this is something to tweak in 2006.
6) Let go of those who hurt me this past year and give them wholly over to God for HIM to deal with as He best sees fit, and not as human justice desires.
I don't think I will ever make this one. Why even bother to try? *sigh* Only God Himself can take away that bitterness.
7) To read the Bible cover to cover this year. I have a "Bible in a year plan" already printed out.
Done. Finished October 11.
So #1 made, #2 made, #3 not applicable, #4 failed, #5 not applicable, #6 failed, and #7 made. That's 5 resolutions - 3 accomplished and 2 not accomplished. That's 60% which pretty much sucks. I need to focus on making more resolutions I can accomplish, lol.
The full post is in italics below.
To do one of two things:
1) Either get down to 155 pounds OR Get my body fat down into a "normal" range for my age.
Or both. :)
I made 155 easily. I'm currently hovering around 145, so that goal was met.
As for body fat, I think I was shooting for 23% (need to be more specific in the future), which I didn't make. My last two times being tested for body fat were 26% and 24.5%, down from 29.3% at the beginning of the year.
Still, I only had to make one to fulfill the resolution, so I'm calling it met.
2) Run the first two miles of the Bay To Breakers race before slowing down to a walk.
Done. Two miles is technically the first water stop. I was hoping to make it to the bottom of the Hayes Street Hill - just over two miles in - and that was what I did.
So goal met. :)
3) Do more work with weights to increase muscle mass.
A resolution that anticipated maintenance. But it is my resolution for 2006 as I work to maintain.
4) Continue going to the gym at least 3 days a week.
I was doing great until overtime got in the way. After that, I made Thursdays into grocery day. I make it to the gym 1-2 times a week now and I really hate that. I really thought this one would be easy.
5) Continue eating low carb, but play with my carb and fat grams to better fuel my time at the gym.
Another resolution that anticipated maintenance. So this is something to tweak in 2006.
6) Let go of those who hurt me this past year and give them wholly over to God for HIM to deal with as He best sees fit, and not as human justice desires.
I don't think I will ever make this one. Why even bother to try? *sigh* Only God Himself can take away that bitterness.
7) To read the Bible cover to cover this year. I have a "Bible in a year plan" already printed out.
Done. Finished October 11.
So #1 made, #2 made, #3 not applicable, #4 failed, #5 not applicable, #6 failed, and #7 made. That's 5 resolutions - 3 accomplished and 2 not accomplished. That's 60% which pretty much sucks. I need to focus on making more resolutions I can accomplish, lol.
How Christmas went...
A little more detail about my time at Doug and Jane's. Dinner Christmas Eve was sandwich stuff. Jane had regular and low carb tortillas and we loaded them up with mayo and roast beef and cheese and I had tomatoes, too. I had two large ones. Yum!
The next morning I had about a cup of egg nog (about 50g carbs - yikes!) and everyone had breakfast together - scrambled eggs mixed with sausage and bell peppers. Atkins-friendly and yummy. I had one bite of Jane's muffin to get the taste without all the carbs.
Then we opened presents. I had three presents from Doug and Jane, but only the skirt fit. The white hoody was too tight under the armpits, and I already have the Atkins For Life kit, though I really appreciate the thought. If I didn't have it I would have been thrilled.
On my way to work I stopped at Carrow's and they were closed, so I got no special dinner. Today I want my special dinner instead of the lunch I brought. But I will be good.
I'm wearing the skirt Jane gave me today. I left the other two items with her, and I forgot my stocking that had several little things. She had even put sugar free candy in mine instead of regular!
Still planning Christmas at home tomorrow morning.
Oh, speaking of home, the two bowls of cat food were completely empty when I got home last night. I was only gone 36 hours! What a couple chow hounds I have!
I gave the kitties Trader Joe's "Tuna For Cats" last night as a little treat. Their Christmas treat of tuna will be tomorrow when I open my prezzies.
My Vicki box still isn't here. I guess I was the one to get the box that was held up by weather and will be arriving at work tomorrow, while I'm home celebrating. Bleh. Oh well. Who cares?
The next morning I had about a cup of egg nog (about 50g carbs - yikes!) and everyone had breakfast together - scrambled eggs mixed with sausage and bell peppers. Atkins-friendly and yummy. I had one bite of Jane's muffin to get the taste without all the carbs.
Then we opened presents. I had three presents from Doug and Jane, but only the skirt fit. The white hoody was too tight under the armpits, and I already have the Atkins For Life kit, though I really appreciate the thought. If I didn't have it I would have been thrilled.
On my way to work I stopped at Carrow's and they were closed, so I got no special dinner. Today I want my special dinner instead of the lunch I brought. But I will be good.
I'm wearing the skirt Jane gave me today. I left the other two items with her, and I forgot my stocking that had several little things. She had even put sugar free candy in mine instead of regular!
Still planning Christmas at home tomorrow morning.
Oh, speaking of home, the two bowls of cat food were completely empty when I got home last night. I was only gone 36 hours! What a couple chow hounds I have!
I gave the kitties Trader Joe's "Tuna For Cats" last night as a little treat. Their Christmas treat of tuna will be tomorrow when I open my prezzies.
My Vicki box still isn't here. I guess I was the one to get the box that was held up by weather and will be arriving at work tomorrow, while I'm home celebrating. Bleh. Oh well. Who cares?
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Excuse me while I scream
Well this has been a sucky Christmas day.
So I arrive at Doug and Jane's house yesterday. Within a few minutes of arriving my eyes are itching and I'm sniffling and sneezing. Everybody (including me) assumes I'm allergic to something in the house, which is weird because I've been to their house lots of times before. Everything in that house is something I've been exposed to with no problem. Jane gives me her last Claritin tablet, which helps a little. We have wraps for dinner - cheese, meat, and tomatoes for me on a low carb wrap.
I get up this morning still sneezing and sniffling. I try some daytime cold medicines, but none of them can target my main problem - the runny nose.
I stop at Carrow's on my way to work. Who ever heard of a restaurant closing Christmas Day? That's a prime time for people to go out. I don't have the energy to hike over to Denny's, so I decide to make do with what I can scrounge here at work. What a lovely Christmas dinner! :-p
I run across the street to the gas station and get coffee and cold medicine. The cold medicine is working all right, but it has the same effect as the Benadryl, even though I don't see diphenhydramine listed in the ingredients. So now my symptoms are mostly under control, but I can barely stay awake as a type this.
I'm trying to get tomorrow off, or at least partially off, even though it will mean losing 4 hours of overtime pay since I'm slated to work 12 hours.
I am so hating life right now.
Well, Merry Christmas anyway, people.
So I arrive at Doug and Jane's house yesterday. Within a few minutes of arriving my eyes are itching and I'm sniffling and sneezing. Everybody (including me) assumes I'm allergic to something in the house, which is weird because I've been to their house lots of times before. Everything in that house is something I've been exposed to with no problem. Jane gives me her last Claritin tablet, which helps a little. We have wraps for dinner - cheese, meat, and tomatoes for me on a low carb wrap.
I get up this morning still sneezing and sniffling. I try some daytime cold medicines, but none of them can target my main problem - the runny nose.
I stop at Carrow's on my way to work. Who ever heard of a restaurant closing Christmas Day? That's a prime time for people to go out. I don't have the energy to hike over to Denny's, so I decide to make do with what I can scrounge here at work. What a lovely Christmas dinner! :-p
I run across the street to the gas station and get coffee and cold medicine. The cold medicine is working all right, but it has the same effect as the Benadryl, even though I don't see diphenhydramine listed in the ingredients. So now my symptoms are mostly under control, but I can barely stay awake as a type this.
I'm trying to get tomorrow off, or at least partially off, even though it will mean losing 4 hours of overtime pay since I'm slated to work 12 hours.
I am so hating life right now.
Well, Merry Christmas anyway, people.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Merry Christmas Eve!
Just a quick note to wish everyone a merry Christmas eve! I'll be at church this morning, and then straight to Doug and Jane's house to spend the night. In the morning they said they'd feed me breakfast and stick me on the train to work. My personal Christmas celebration will be December 27. The 26th is out because that's a 12 hour day for me. So I'm skipping the gym on the 27th and sleeping in and opening prezzies!
I'm leaving the kitties two full bowls of food this morning so they won't go hungry.
Bye all! Have a great Christmas, and I'll be back with an entry on Christmas Day night.
I'm leaving the kitties two full bowls of food this morning so they won't go hungry.
Bye all! Have a great Christmas, and I'll be back with an entry on Christmas Day night.
Friday, December 23, 2005
PC Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.
We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Jews Against Anti-Christian Defamation
No, I'm not joking. This organization really exists...
From their Web site:
Jews Against Anti-Christian Defamation was organized because we recognize that Christians are the last remaining obstacle to the moral deconstruction of America, because attacks on Christians are motivated by hatred for the values they espouse.
http://www.jews4fairness.org/
Thanks to ALa for pointing me there.
From their Web site:
Jews Against Anti-Christian Defamation was organized because we recognize that Christians are the last remaining obstacle to the moral deconstruction of America, because attacks on Christians are motivated by hatred for the values they espouse.
http://www.jews4fairness.org/
Thanks to ALa for pointing me there.
Shortest day of the year
Yep, it's the shortest day of the year, and the actual minute of the solstice, just about as I type this (around 10:30 a.m. Pacific). The good news is the days start getting longer from here!
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Haven't been posting as much...
I know I haven't been posting as much. I've been updating the archives with old journal entries, especially the first half of 1996, during which a ton of stuff happened. I've just got part of April left to do, but April was a busy month! I'm not typing all of my journal up, just certain select parts of certain select entries - the things I want to remember, and want you to know. Hence, my relative silence with new postings. To access the entries, there is a drop-down list. Please remember that April isn't finished yet.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
"Christmas" vs. "Holiday"
The annual war is on again, with schools and liberals all over the nation banning Christmas in favor of a joyless "Happy Holidays" while singing rewritten carols under the "holiday tree."
Get over it people. I grew up in a fairly non-religious family (we didn't even go to church Christmas and Easter), and we said Merry Christmas, and put up a Christmas tree, and listened to traditional carols. It was just part of growing up in America and had no religious overtone to it. "Merry Christmas" was just what you said, and my sister and I woke up Christmas morning and got lots of presents.
Well, I found the coolest post from an atheist (linked from ALa's blog). He says to keep Christmas; "holiday" is what offends him because it's original meaning is "holy day," and he doesn't believe in the concept of "holy."
Read his post here:
Weighing in on the "War on Christmas"...
Get over it people. I grew up in a fairly non-religious family (we didn't even go to church Christmas and Easter), and we said Merry Christmas, and put up a Christmas tree, and listened to traditional carols. It was just part of growing up in America and had no religious overtone to it. "Merry Christmas" was just what you said, and my sister and I woke up Christmas morning and got lots of presents.
Well, I found the coolest post from an atheist (linked from ALa's blog). He says to keep Christmas; "holiday" is what offends him because it's original meaning is "holy day," and he doesn't believe in the concept of "holy."
Read his post here:
Weighing in on the "War on Christmas"...
Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?
| You Are Prancer |
 You are the perfect reindeer, with perfect hooves and perfect flying form. Why You're Naughty: Because you're Santa's pet, and you won't let anyone show you up. Why You're Nice: You have the softest fur and the sweetest carrot breath. |
Thanks to ALa for the quiz!
Friday, December 16, 2005
Productivity
What a crazy busy day! The church Christmas party is tomorrow AND I'm trying to make lunches. I cooked a 5 pounds leg of lamb in the oven, cut it and portioned it for lunches next week, fried up tofu and added that, and then threw frozen veggies on top of it all.
And I made that cottage cheese dessert. I had whipping cream and unflavored gelatin. So I added one packet of flavored Jello and three packets of unflavored gelatin to the whipped cream, then added the cottage cheese. I took a finger dip and it tastes good. We'll see how well the gelatin holds the whipped cream together. It will be my dessert while everyone else is eating sugary stuff. There's can't be more than 30 or so carbs in the entire bowl, and I won't be eating the whole thing, lol.
I also tried to make mashed potatoes out of cauliflower. Even after using an electric beater, it still has the consistency of rice. Oh well. I put it in a baking dish and put slices of cheese on top, and will bake it tomorrow at church during the Bible study before lunch. Hope it comes out okay.
I'm having a light beer now. I'm soooo stressed out. I hate cooking.
And I made that cottage cheese dessert. I had whipping cream and unflavored gelatin. So I added one packet of flavored Jello and three packets of unflavored gelatin to the whipped cream, then added the cottage cheese. I took a finger dip and it tastes good. We'll see how well the gelatin holds the whipped cream together. It will be my dessert while everyone else is eating sugary stuff. There's can't be more than 30 or so carbs in the entire bowl, and I won't be eating the whole thing, lol.
I also tried to make mashed potatoes out of cauliflower. Even after using an electric beater, it still has the consistency of rice. Oh well. I put it in a baking dish and put slices of cheese on top, and will bake it tomorrow at church during the Bible study before lunch. Hope it comes out okay.
I'm having a light beer now. I'm soooo stressed out. I hate cooking.
Unexpected exercise
Got some unexpected exercise when I missed my bus stop on the way home from the grocery store, got off when I noticed my error, and then proceeded to get lost. :-p Don't know how much I wondered around before I found my apartment building dragging $77 worth of groceries behind me in my Pullman bag.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Christmas Cake Recipe
This was sent to me by e-mail and too good not to pass on. You'll LOVE this cake!
Thought you might enjoy a copy of my favorite Christmas cake recipe:
1 cup of water
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup of brown sugar
lemon juice
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila
Sample the Cuervo to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality. Pour one level cup and drink. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still OK, Try another cup...just in case.
Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the frigging fruit off floor. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who giveshz a sheet. Check the Jose Cuervo. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven.
Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the Cose Juervo and make sure to put the stove in the dishwasher.
CHERRY MISTMAS (I might have sent you this recipe before, but if I did I don't remember)
Thought you might enjoy a copy of my favorite Christmas cake recipe:
1 cup of water
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup of brown sugar
lemon juice
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila
Sample the Cuervo to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality. Pour one level cup and drink. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still OK, Try another cup...just in case.
Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the frigging fruit off floor. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who giveshz a sheet. Check the Jose Cuervo. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven.
Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the Cose Juervo and make sure to put the stove in the dishwasher.
CHERRY MISTMAS (I might have sent you this recipe before, but if I did I don't remember)
The NEED to SPEED my loss
Cutting out the Atkins' bars for the rest of the month. I'll make due with watered down protein shakes since I can't afford the RTD ones and I have plenty of the powdered kind. Today I mixed one scoop of Atkins chocolate with 2 scoops of Keto banana. Guess I need to switch back to eggs and bacon, too. *sigh* I so much prefer the bars.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Still 145
145 for 3 days in a row, no fluctuation. I'm hoping these higher readings will head down. I know the new scale weighs me heavier, so my current goal is to get down another pound so I'll be where the old scale used to weigh me.
I'm serious when I asked for prayer. I want to lose something after TOM! For once. I've been a really good girl!
So far 3 weigh-ins on the new scale. The first weigh-in was under 145. The next two were over. Tomorrow is my official day, so everyone pray it's under 145! Well, I'd like it to say 135, but I'll settle for "under 145," lol.
I was a good girl and worked out today! 20 minutes of weights, and 40 on the elliptical. I should have gone for 45 since I missed my train by mere seconds and ended up waiting 15 minutes for the next one.
Carbs are shaping up to about 37g today.
I'm serious when I asked for prayer. I want to lose something after TOM! For once. I've been a really good girl!
So far 3 weigh-ins on the new scale. The first weigh-in was under 145. The next two were over. Tomorrow is my official day, so everyone pray it's under 145! Well, I'd like it to say 135, but I'll settle for "under 145," lol.
I was a good girl and worked out today! 20 minutes of weights, and 40 on the elliptical. I should have gone for 45 since I missed my train by mere seconds and ended up waiting 15 minutes for the next one.
Carbs are shaping up to about 37g today.
Headcovering
This was mentioned in the comments section of the post below by somebody and should be addressed. First, the reason for headcovering comes from 1 Corinthians 11:3-16.
There are four main strains of thought in Christianity regarding headcovering.
1) Christian women should cover all the time. (We are to "pray without ceasing.")
2) Christian women should cover only in church (since the passage refers to a church service).
3) Christian women's covering is their hair.
4) Only married women should cover (since it denotes submission to one's husband).
I tend to fall under option #1 as I am single and cover pretty much all the time. (Not that I am fastidious about it, and perhaps I should be.) I believe the covering denotes submission not just to one's husband, but to any male authority. In my case, that would be my pastor and any man functioning as an elder in my church. This isn't a bad thing, since we are Baptists and tend to be fiercely independent. People generally don't care what you do as long as you aren't blatantly involved in a grievous sin.
I believe the passage refers to two coverings - a natural covering of hair, and a second covering that the woman chooses to put on. Verses 6 and 10 seem to indicate that there is a second covering in addition to the hair.
"If a woman be not covered, let her also be shorn" (v. 6). The use of the word "also" indicates something other than hair. Otherwise it reads, "If a woman be not covered with hair, let her also be shorn." How can she be shorn if she doesn't have any hair to sheer? It only makes sense if it is talking about a second covering. It is saying that if a woman fails to wear a covering, it is as disgraceful as if she shaved her head.
I did some Googling and found the following links about it:
http://www.muhajabah.com/christianveil.htm
This is a Muslim site, but the person seems to have a fairly good grip on the topic.
http://covenanter.org/JCalvin/commentaryonheadcoverings.htm
John Calvin's commentary on 1 Corinthians 11
http://wendysmodestdress.com/id27.htm
Wendy's testimony. Scroll about 1/4 way down past the links. The links are excellent, too! Wendy takes things a step further by only wearing dresses.
[Edit: Here's another post on headcovering.]
There are four main strains of thought in Christianity regarding headcovering.
1) Christian women should cover all the time. (We are to "pray without ceasing.")
2) Christian women should cover only in church (since the passage refers to a church service).
3) Christian women's covering is their hair.
4) Only married women should cover (since it denotes submission to one's husband).
I tend to fall under option #1 as I am single and cover pretty much all the time. (Not that I am fastidious about it, and perhaps I should be.) I believe the covering denotes submission not just to one's husband, but to any male authority. In my case, that would be my pastor and any man functioning as an elder in my church. This isn't a bad thing, since we are Baptists and tend to be fiercely independent. People generally don't care what you do as long as you aren't blatantly involved in a grievous sin.
I believe the passage refers to two coverings - a natural covering of hair, and a second covering that the woman chooses to put on. Verses 6 and 10 seem to indicate that there is a second covering in addition to the hair.
"If a woman be not covered, let her also be shorn" (v. 6). The use of the word "also" indicates something other than hair. Otherwise it reads, "If a woman be not covered with hair, let her also be shorn." How can she be shorn if she doesn't have any hair to sheer? It only makes sense if it is talking about a second covering. It is saying that if a woman fails to wear a covering, it is as disgraceful as if she shaved her head.
I did some Googling and found the following links about it:
http://www.muhajabah.com/christianveil.htm
This is a Muslim site, but the person seems to have a fairly good grip on the topic.
http://covenanter.org/JCalvin/commentaryonheadcoverings.htm
John Calvin's commentary on 1 Corinthians 11
http://wendysmodestdress.com/id27.htm
Wendy's testimony. Scroll about 1/4 way down past the links. The links are excellent, too! Wendy takes things a step further by only wearing dresses.
[Edit: Here's another post on headcovering.]
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
I need chocolate
TOM came for a visit last night so today was the typical I-need-chocolate day. I tweaked around with FitDay to try to work in a MiniCarb bar and still not go over 40 carbs. I'll have to have the pot roast. I wanted the chicken. Oh well. My calories are sky high because the bar is 185 calories (12g of fat,but only 5g net carbs), but darnit - it's TOM. I need chocolate.
PC Christmas in the Workplace
This makes the rounds every year. :) If it isn't a sad commentary on the state of America today, I don't know what is.
---
Subject: Christmas Party
FROM: Pauline Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: 4th November
RE: Christmas Party
I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23rd, starting at noon in the private function room at the Grill House. There will be a cash bar and plenty of drinks! We'll have a small band playing traditional carols...please feel free to sing along.
And don't be surprised if the Managing Director shows up dressed as Santa Claus! A Christmas tree will be lit at 1.00p.m.
Exchange of gifts among employees can be done at that time; however, no gift should be over $10.00 to make the giving of gifts easy for everyone's pockets.
This gathering is only for employees! The Managing Director will make a special announcement at the Party.
Merry Christmas to you and your Family.
Pauline
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: Pauline Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: 5th November
RE: Holiday Party
In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that Chanukah is an important holiday, which often coincides with Christmas, though unfortunately not this year. However, from now on we're calling it our 'Holiday Party'.. The same policy applies to any other employees who are not Christians. There will be no Christmas tree or Christmas carols sung. We will have other types of music for your enjoyment.
Happy now?
Happy Holidays to you and your family,
Pauline.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: Pauline Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: 6th November
RE: Holiday Party
Regarding the note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table...you didn't sign your name. I'm happy to accommodate this request, but if I put a sign on a table that reads, "AA Only", you wouldn't be anonymous anymore!!!! How am I supposed to handle this? Somebody?
Forget about the gift exchange, no gift exchange allowed now since the Union Officials feel that $10.00 is too much money and Management believe $10.00 is a little cheap.
NO GIFT EXCHANGE WILL BE ALLOWED.
Pauline.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: Pauline Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: 7th November
RE: Holiday Party
What a diverse group we are! I had no idea that December 20th begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating and drinking during daylight hours. There goes the party! Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon at this time of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees' beliefs, perhaps the Grill House can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party - or else package everything up for you to take home in a little foil doggy bag. Will that work?
Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Weight Watchers to sit farthest from the dessert buffet and pregnant women will get the table closest to the toilets, Gays are allowed to sit with each other, Lesbians do not have to sit with gay men, each will have their own table.
Yes, there will be flower arrangements for the gay men's table, too.
To the person asking permission to cross dress - no cross dressing allowed.
We will have booster seats for short people. Low fat food will be available for those on a diet. We cannot control the salt used in the food. We suggest those people with high blood pressure taste the food first. There will be fresh fruits as dessert for Diabetics, the restaurant cannot supply "No Sugar" desserts. Sorry!
Did I miss anything?!?!?!?!?!
Pauline.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: Pauline Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All F****** Employees
DATE: 8 November
RE: The &^%$(*^$ Holiday Party
Vegetarian pri*ks!! I've had it with you people!!! We're going to keep this party at the Grill House whether you like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the "grill of death", as you so quaintly put it. You'll get your f&^#% salad bar, including organic tomatoes, but you know tomatoes have feeling, too. They scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream. I'm hearing them scream right NOW!!
Hope you all have a rotten holiday * drink, drive, and die!
The Bitch from HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: John Bishop - Acting Human Resources Director
DATE: 9th November
RE: Pauline Lewis and Party
I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Pauline Lewis a speedy recovery, and I'll continue to forward your cards to her.
In the meantime, Management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and instead, give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd December off with full pay.
{Later note: Here's Snopes' article on it.}
---
Subject: Christmas Party
FROM: Pauline Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: 4th November
RE: Christmas Party
I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23rd, starting at noon in the private function room at the Grill House. There will be a cash bar and plenty of drinks! We'll have a small band playing traditional carols...please feel free to sing along.
And don't be surprised if the Managing Director shows up dressed as Santa Claus! A Christmas tree will be lit at 1.00p.m.
Exchange of gifts among employees can be done at that time; however, no gift should be over $10.00 to make the giving of gifts easy for everyone's pockets.
This gathering is only for employees! The Managing Director will make a special announcement at the Party.
Merry Christmas to you and your Family.
Pauline
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: Pauline Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: 5th November
RE: Holiday Party
In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that Chanukah is an important holiday, which often coincides with Christmas, though unfortunately not this year. However, from now on we're calling it our 'Holiday Party'.. The same policy applies to any other employees who are not Christians. There will be no Christmas tree or Christmas carols sung. We will have other types of music for your enjoyment.
Happy now?
Happy Holidays to you and your family,
Pauline.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: Pauline Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: 6th November
RE: Holiday Party
Regarding the note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table...you didn't sign your name. I'm happy to accommodate this request, but if I put a sign on a table that reads, "AA Only", you wouldn't be anonymous anymore!!!! How am I supposed to handle this? Somebody?
Forget about the gift exchange, no gift exchange allowed now since the Union Officials feel that $10.00 is too much money and Management believe $10.00 is a little cheap.
NO GIFT EXCHANGE WILL BE ALLOWED.
Pauline.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: Pauline Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: 7th November
RE: Holiday Party
What a diverse group we are! I had no idea that December 20th begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating and drinking during daylight hours. There goes the party! Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon at this time of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees' beliefs, perhaps the Grill House can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party - or else package everything up for you to take home in a little foil doggy bag. Will that work?
Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Weight Watchers to sit farthest from the dessert buffet and pregnant women will get the table closest to the toilets, Gays are allowed to sit with each other, Lesbians do not have to sit with gay men, each will have their own table.
Yes, there will be flower arrangements for the gay men's table, too.
To the person asking permission to cross dress - no cross dressing allowed.
We will have booster seats for short people. Low fat food will be available for those on a diet. We cannot control the salt used in the food. We suggest those people with high blood pressure taste the food first. There will be fresh fruits as dessert for Diabetics, the restaurant cannot supply "No Sugar" desserts. Sorry!
Did I miss anything?!?!?!?!?!
Pauline.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: Pauline Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All F****** Employees
DATE: 8 November
RE: The &^%$(*^$ Holiday Party
Vegetarian pri*ks!! I've had it with you people!!! We're going to keep this party at the Grill House whether you like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the "grill of death", as you so quaintly put it. You'll get your f&^#% salad bar, including organic tomatoes, but you know tomatoes have feeling, too. They scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream. I'm hearing them scream right NOW!!
Hope you all have a rotten holiday * drink, drive, and die!
The Bitch from HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: John Bishop - Acting Human Resources Director
DATE: 9th November
RE: Pauline Lewis and Party
I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Pauline Lewis a speedy recovery, and I'll continue to forward your cards to her.
In the meantime, Management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and instead, give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd December off with full pay.
{Later note: Here's Snopes' article on it.}
Monday, December 12, 2005
Kathi in a wheelchair?
I have a policy of pretty much not mentioning or writing about Kathi because God said not to say anything bad about her. But...this entry isn't badmouthing her so I think it's okay.
I heard today that Kathi was in a wheelchair because of that joint disease she has. If this is true, it's very sad, and the sort of thing I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. My Dad is in a wheelchair and has been since before I was born. So I know how much it can limit one's activity (and in some cases, give an excuse for not doing something - but that's another post).
Anyway, I hope it's not true, but my source was reliable and knew Kathi up until fairly recently, so I suspect it is. :(
{Later edit: Here's the proof.}
I heard today that Kathi was in a wheelchair because of that joint disease she has. If this is true, it's very sad, and the sort of thing I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. My Dad is in a wheelchair and has been since before I was born. So I know how much it can limit one's activity (and in some cases, give an excuse for not doing something - but that's another post).
Anyway, I hope it's not true, but my source was reliable and knew Kathi up until fairly recently, so I suspect it is. :(
{Later edit: Here's the proof.}
Got mentioned in another blog!
Blonde Sagacity mentioned me when she took the Narnia quiz. :) Anyone know what "H/T" means?
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Church youth group publishes nude calendar
Just when I'd thought I'd seen it all. First there were the ladies of the Women's Institute posing nude. Now it's German Christians!
Youths reveal racy Bible calendar
A German Protestant youth group has put together a 2006 calendar illustrated with erotic scenes from the Bible.
Full story here.
Related stories:
Curate is defrocked for calendar
Vicar's support for nude calendar
TV priest backed over calendar
Cathedral choir strips for calendar
Youths reveal racy Bible calendar
A German Protestant youth group has put together a 2006 calendar illustrated with erotic scenes from the Bible.
Full story here.
Related stories:
Curate is defrocked for calendar
Vicar's support for nude calendar
TV priest backed over calendar
Cathedral choir strips for calendar
Exercise and Carbohydrates
At church about a week ago, Rachel was there and we talked a little about carbohydrates and exercise and how low carb eating effects exercise. I admit I am not eating enough carbs to run long distances. But now I think I understand things better.
See, I can, very easily, walk for an hour on the treadmill or do an hour on the elliptical. That's not a huge deal, even at under 50g a day. So I think it's how fast a body can turn what's available into fuel that matters. Carbs are easy fuel and easy to turn into energy. For long, hard exercise, they are essential to doing well. This is why I "carbed up" before the Bay To Breakers race this last May. On low carb my body can't make the conversion of fat to energy fast enough to keep up with the energy demanded.
But at a lower intensity (such as walking), it's much easier for my body to make the conversion fast enough to deliver the energy I need. And that's why I can do a lower intensity exercise for an hour or more.
See, I can, very easily, walk for an hour on the treadmill or do an hour on the elliptical. That's not a huge deal, even at under 50g a day. So I think it's how fast a body can turn what's available into fuel that matters. Carbs are easy fuel and easy to turn into energy. For long, hard exercise, they are essential to doing well. This is why I "carbed up" before the Bay To Breakers race this last May. On low carb my body can't make the conversion of fat to energy fast enough to keep up with the energy demanded.
But at a lower intensity (such as walking), it's much easier for my body to make the conversion fast enough to deliver the energy I need. And that's why I can do a lower intensity exercise for an hour or more.
Friday, December 09, 2005
The Chronicles of Narnia, the movie opens!
The Chronicles of Narnia, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" opened today and I was there! It was a good movie. My biggest complaint is the same as my complaint with Lord of the Rings - they departed from the book when there was no reason to except to make the movie more exciting. Frankly, I'd rather have a more boring movie that stayed closer to the book. The one change I did like is when the Queen returns the day after killing Aslan (and having his mane shaved), she's wearing his mane hair around her shoulders. That was a nice touch.
The movie also practically skimmed over the "deeper magic" aspect when it was so big in the book. I felt this took away from the Christian meaning of the film, and the true meaning of the book. Lewis was writing Christian alagory.
All this said, the movie is worth seeing, and worth seeing on the big screen. It's PG, but don't take little kids. Some of the monsters would be really scary to them, and probably the big battle scene, too.
I hope Disney does more movies like this.
Here's my previous posts on the matter (will not open new window):
Narnia Quiz, May 3, 2005
brings explanation of my results on the Narnia Quiz, May 4, 2005
Two Pre-Screening Reviews, September 12, 2005
Moviefone web site with movie trailers, October 27, 2005
Official movie site and first sighting of commercials, November 21, 2005
The movie also practically skimmed over the "deeper magic" aspect when it was so big in the book. I felt this took away from the Christian meaning of the film, and the true meaning of the book. Lewis was writing Christian alagory.
All this said, the movie is worth seeing, and worth seeing on the big screen. It's PG, but don't take little kids. Some of the monsters would be really scary to them, and probably the big battle scene, too.
I hope Disney does more movies like this.
Here's my previous posts on the matter (will not open new window):
Narnia Quiz, May 3, 2005
brings explanation of my results on the Narnia Quiz, May 4, 2005
Two Pre-Screening Reviews, September 12, 2005
Moviefone web site with movie trailers, October 27, 2005
Official movie site and first sighting of commercials, November 21, 2005
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Gift card!, take 2 (the pictures)
Here's some pictures taken last night at the dinner.
Left to right: Jon (supervisor), Brad (daytime network control operator), Davina (Saturday evening operator), Lisa (overnight operator), Victoria (evening operator)
Lisa, Jon, Brad, Davina, Victoria
Brad, Lisa, Davina, Victoria
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Gift card!
We had our annual staff dinner for my department at Applebee's tonight. Jon outlined some of the stuff that happened the past year, including current and future changes. I wish I would have had a notebook. I've had a hard time keeping up with all the changes lately.
I ordered an Atkins-freindly dinner, subbing the potatos for a second helping of veggies, and giving Brad my garlic bread.
At the end of the dinner, Jon (our direct supervisor) did something he has never done before. He handed little pouch gifts to each of us. When we opened them we found Starbucks gift cards! He had neglected to write in the amount of the card on the enclosed gift tag, so we asked him. He said $15. :-D I have never gotten any kind of bonus working here before. This is so cool!
I ordered an Atkins-freindly dinner, subbing the potatos for a second helping of veggies, and giving Brad my garlic bread.
At the end of the dinner, Jon (our direct supervisor) did something he has never done before. He handed little pouch gifts to each of us. When we opened them we found Starbucks gift cards! He had neglected to write in the amount of the card on the enclosed gift tag, so we asked him. He said $15. :-D I have never gotten any kind of bonus working here before. This is so cool!
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Staff dinner
No exercise today. I had to run into San Francisco to get my mail and mail a Christmas package for a secret Santa thing. Now I have to get my sister's package finished and mailed.
I remembered that Wednesday I have a staff dinner so I can't count that day (having no idea of calories and carb count at the restaurant). I will give away my garlic bread and sub the potatoes for more veggies. Also will get shirmp and/or steak and eat clean.
I remembered that Wednesday I have a staff dinner so I can't count that day (having no idea of calories and carb count at the restaurant). I will give away my garlic bread and sub the potatoes for more veggies. Also will get shirmp and/or steak and eat clean.
Monday, December 05, 2005
If you think YOUR church is bad..., take 2
Another abomination, this time at a Catholic church, and one near me. (Now that scares me.) This was much longer ago, though. Hopefully they have not repeated this travesty. Why do these things always happen in either New York or California?
Clown Mass
Clown Mass
Archives are in correct order...finally!
I finally found someone with the correct javascript code to get my archives not just in a dropdown, but also in reverse order, newest to oldest. So no more having to go to the bottom of the list to find more recent posts. The year 1990 can sit at the bottom, where it belongs.
Thanks for Brent Roos for the code.
Thanks for Brent Roos for the code.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
I've been slammed...
Recently, this was posted on another blog regarding me.
---
Listen, I find intra-Christian politics boring as can be, but I have noticed a slight change in my visitor statistics lately, so I thought I would clear a few things up before the next inquisition.
The nasty emails were annoying enough last time; this time, I would like to make sure my nasty emails are at least for the right reasons.
I was recently invited to join a "support group" for "survivors" of a certain online ministry. The mission statement talks about a place "where these survivors can heal and can begin to grow again."
Let's get some facts straight:
1. I didn't leave active participation in that ministry because of corruption or some such nonsense. Actually, I think they are a pretty nice bunch of people. I pray for them regularly, and wish a few would keep in touch.
2. If you are letting an online ministry dominate your life to the point where you need an online support group to deal with your online quibbles, then you need to start spending more time with your "real life" flesh and blood community, and a lot less time online.
3. If you left that online ministry over two years ago, and are still spending nearly every waking moment obsessing over how ill-treated you think you were, then something gone seriously wrong.
The internet is a wonderful thing, but the moment it starts consuming you and superseding face-to-face relationships, you need to take a step back and reevaluate. It's dangerous ground.
---
I tried to reply with the truth of the matter. My comments were summarily hidden to prevent others from reading the truth.
I will post them here now, where they will get an ever wider audience than if the original comment had been allowed to stand. She was kind enough to send me my comments back, along with a nasty e-mail telling me to "back off." *sigh* Oh well.
---
Ok, let's do get a few things straight. I didn't start the "support group," Jean-Luc did and he invited me.
The group is focusing not on griping about the past, but looking forward to the future. Almost every post from every participant is either generally chit chat of the "getting to know you" type, or has to do with planning Jean-Luc's new forum. We're currently at the point of voting on a name, since the forum can't be set up without one.
You wouldn't know this unless you could READ the messages of course, which you can't because you opted not to join the group, so you really have no right to gripe about something you have never seen and know nothing about.
For your information, we asked you to join because we wanted a Catholic's input into how the forum should be run, to avoid what happened at EW. We were trying to be more inclusive. Instead, we only get slammed.
And I reiterate, every time we have IMed about EW is because YOU brought it up, not me. Who's the one obsessing here?
---
She called this "offensive" and hid it, but people need to know the truth - her post is nothing but assumptions about a person she has never met (me) and a forum she had never seen or read. She is going totally by the description of what is on the front page, which is very different from what the forum very quickly became. It is made up of people who have left or been made to leave EW; it is not a forum to gripe about those experiences. She needs to stick to writing about what she knows about, not what she thinks she knows.
There were no nasty e-mails from me so I have no idea what she is talking about there. I did e-mail her after she hid my comments, but not before.
She later deleted the entire post, but not before I had copied it here. She got really pissed and told me her post was her intellectual property and I had no right copying it. Still, her post was up a few days for all the world to see before I found it and told the truth and forced her to take it down.
And let me add that she really doesn't know the first thing about Jean-Luc or the group if she doesn't know that we have been exhorted by J-L (publicly) to pray for EW. It's right in his very public blog. It was also posted to the group.
She'll blame me for this little spat. I simply point out that she was the first to publicly accuse me of these things. I am merely defending myself against her baseless accusations.
---
Listen, I find intra-Christian politics boring as can be, but I have noticed a slight change in my visitor statistics lately, so I thought I would clear a few things up before the next inquisition.
The nasty emails were annoying enough last time; this time, I would like to make sure my nasty emails are at least for the right reasons.
I was recently invited to join a "support group" for "survivors" of a certain online ministry. The mission statement talks about a place "where these survivors can heal and can begin to grow again."
Let's get some facts straight:
1. I didn't leave active participation in that ministry because of corruption or some such nonsense. Actually, I think they are a pretty nice bunch of people. I pray for them regularly, and wish a few would keep in touch.
2. If you are letting an online ministry dominate your life to the point where you need an online support group to deal with your online quibbles, then you need to start spending more time with your "real life" flesh and blood community, and a lot less time online.
3. If you left that online ministry over two years ago, and are still spending nearly every waking moment obsessing over how ill-treated you think you were, then something gone seriously wrong.
The internet is a wonderful thing, but the moment it starts consuming you and superseding face-to-face relationships, you need to take a step back and reevaluate. It's dangerous ground.
---
I tried to reply with the truth of the matter. My comments were summarily hidden to prevent others from reading the truth.
I will post them here now, where they will get an ever wider audience than if the original comment had been allowed to stand. She was kind enough to send me my comments back, along with a nasty e-mail telling me to "back off." *sigh* Oh well.
---
Ok, let's do get a few things straight. I didn't start the "support group," Jean-Luc did and he invited me.
The group is focusing not on griping about the past, but looking forward to the future. Almost every post from every participant is either generally chit chat of the "getting to know you" type, or has to do with planning Jean-Luc's new forum. We're currently at the point of voting on a name, since the forum can't be set up without one.
You wouldn't know this unless you could READ the messages of course, which you can't because you opted not to join the group, so you really have no right to gripe about something you have never seen and know nothing about.
For your information, we asked you to join because we wanted a Catholic's input into how the forum should be run, to avoid what happened at EW. We were trying to be more inclusive. Instead, we only get slammed.
And I reiterate, every time we have IMed about EW is because YOU brought it up, not me. Who's the one obsessing here?
---
She called this "offensive" and hid it, but people need to know the truth - her post is nothing but assumptions about a person she has never met (me) and a forum she had never seen or read. She is going totally by the description of what is on the front page, which is very different from what the forum very quickly became. It is made up of people who have left or been made to leave EW; it is not a forum to gripe about those experiences. She needs to stick to writing about what she knows about, not what she thinks she knows.
There were no nasty e-mails from me so I have no idea what she is talking about there. I did e-mail her after she hid my comments, but not before.
She later deleted the entire post, but not before I had copied it here. She got really pissed and told me her post was her intellectual property and I had no right copying it. Still, her post was up a few days for all the world to see before I found it and told the truth and forced her to take it down.
And let me add that she really doesn't know the first thing about Jean-Luc or the group if she doesn't know that we have been exhorted by J-L (publicly) to pray for EW. It's right in his very public blog. It was also posted to the group.
She'll blame me for this little spat. I simply point out that she was the first to publicly accuse me of these things. I am merely defending myself against her baseless accusations.
If you think YOUR church is bad...
This is why the Episcopal Church in America is dying. The first ever "Clown Eucharist." Trinity Episcopal Church in New York has gone to the dogs.
John at ExPagan has all the info., including links to the Webcast of the service. You can see the whole thing, in mime, from beginning to end (if you can stomach that much). Some people seem to have thought this was a Halloween service rather than a clown service and dressed accordingly.
This is one of the most God-awful things I have ever seen. Do they really consider this worship of the living God?
I disagree with John's discussion of the validity of the Eucharist. He's a staunch Catholic so nothing that isn't Catholic is valid.
But this...this "worship service" is just scary.
More here from an Anglican.
Gina also blogged about it after she saw it here. Check out her comments.
John at ExPagan has all the info., including links to the Webcast of the service. You can see the whole thing, in mime, from beginning to end (if you can stomach that much). Some people seem to have thought this was a Halloween service rather than a clown service and dressed accordingly.
This is one of the most God-awful things I have ever seen. Do they really consider this worship of the living God?
I disagree with John's discussion of the validity of the Eucharist. He's a staunch Catholic so nothing that isn't Catholic is valid.
But this...this "worship service" is just scary.
More here from an Anglican.
Gina also blogged about it after she saw it here. Check out her comments.
Honorable Mention
People are finally making fun of me. Was using keyword search on blogs to see what came up, and I've been mentioned here (link #4). I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
Atkins song, take 2
Here's another Atkins ditty, this one written by Brad and posted in the comments section of the Thanksgiving (2005) entry:
Skinny Mini Slender One
had to lose weight, and got it done.
Now there she sits a slender beauty
keeping weight off a daily duty... =-P
Washboard abs and fat is down
Now that Atkins was no Clown.
The Atkins diet you'll see what it can do.
Naysayers must face your words ain't true.
Scream about it and say it's wrong
Proof is in the pudding. Check the carbs!!
That Atkins, he was right all along.
Skinny Mini Slender One
had to lose weight, and got it done.
Now there she sits a slender beauty
keeping weight off a daily duty... =-P
Washboard abs and fat is down
Now that Atkins was no Clown.
The Atkins diet you'll see what it can do.
Naysayers must face your words ain't true.
Scream about it and say it's wrong
Proof is in the pudding. Check the carbs!!
That Atkins, he was right all along.
Accident Thursday
I was in an accident Thursday night coming home from work. Yuriy drove me from work to the BART station to catch my train. As we were turning onto the main road, another car was coming toward us and didn't stop. He hit the back side of the car, drove around us, and sped off as fast as possible!
Yuriy drove me the rest of the distance to a little drop off spot near the BART station. We both got out and he surveyed the damage. The only damage was a broken side tailight. It was pretty dark, but I couldn't see any other damage. A piece of a car was lying in the street where the accident happened, and we figure it must be from the car that hit us.
Nothing like an accident to start your weekend! :-p
Yuriy drove me the rest of the distance to a little drop off spot near the BART station. We both got out and he surveyed the damage. The only damage was a broken side tailight. It was pretty dark, but I couldn't see any other damage. A piece of a car was lying in the street where the accident happened, and we figure it must be from the car that hit us.
Nothing like an accident to start your weekend! :-p
Forgiveness and Purpose
This was a wonderful little essay posted to a private Listserve I belong to. I asked permission to post it publicly because it speaks of the need to forgive - and the difficulty in forgiving - those who have hurt us. I did not write it and have stripped the author's name in accordance with their wish to remain anonymous. The author is Christian; beyond that I will not say more.
I have left the grammar and spelling as it was originally written.
---
Any one who knows me knows that I left EW with alot of hurt and humiliation. I was so bitter for so long. Like J-L I went back to my former self. I felt that it was the last nail in my "christian" coffin. I had been hurt by christians all of my life. Not just little hurts, but hurts that last a life time. I went out badmouthing EW and christianity in general.
Over the last few months, things have been starting to change for me. It was like lightbulbs flashing in my head. The first was "why should I let them send me to hell with them?" The only person that was getting hurt here was me. OK they hurt me, OK they are pretend christians, why would I allow them to control my spirit and where I am? SO I gave my heart back to God. Once the anger over christianity was gone, there was nothing left to fight against and it was just between me and my God.
I know we have all heard the "forgive as God as forgiven us". I know that I have heard this my entire life, but it never clicked before last week. I know that I have sinned. I have cursed God, I have called on demons, I have lived in ways I know I should not. Are my sins any worse than their's? To me it might seem so, because it is so personal, but in the large scheme of things, no they aren't. It just doesn't seem logical for me to sin because they are.
I have found myself to be as much of a hyprocrite as they are. While I have sat back and spent most of my time judging them as their actions and proving to myself that they arent' real christians, I have failed to act and behave as I know I should. I have not treated people with the same love and respect that I have judged others for not giving to me. To any of those here that I have hurt with my attitude, I am sorry. Just know that I am human, but I will work on it here as I am doing IRL.
That being said, I think that a new forum where everybody is welcomed and shown the love of Christ, reguardless of where their paths are, is what God would want. Honestly, I have been involved with an Ex-christian site. This site is all about anti-christianity. I don't want to be anti anything. That includes EX-EW. Then it would seem as if there is another purpose here as opposed to the purpose God would have us be. The purpose of "showing the world the love of Christ", should be first of formost.
I have left the grammar and spelling as it was originally written.
---
Any one who knows me knows that I left EW with alot of hurt and humiliation. I was so bitter for so long. Like J-L I went back to my former self. I felt that it was the last nail in my "christian" coffin. I had been hurt by christians all of my life. Not just little hurts, but hurts that last a life time. I went out badmouthing EW and christianity in general.
Over the last few months, things have been starting to change for me. It was like lightbulbs flashing in my head. The first was "why should I let them send me to hell with them?" The only person that was getting hurt here was me. OK they hurt me, OK they are pretend christians, why would I allow them to control my spirit and where I am? SO I gave my heart back to God. Once the anger over christianity was gone, there was nothing left to fight against and it was just between me and my God.
I know we have all heard the "forgive as God as forgiven us". I know that I have heard this my entire life, but it never clicked before last week. I know that I have sinned. I have cursed God, I have called on demons, I have lived in ways I know I should not. Are my sins any worse than their's? To me it might seem so, because it is so personal, but in the large scheme of things, no they aren't. It just doesn't seem logical for me to sin because they are.
I have found myself to be as much of a hyprocrite as they are. While I have sat back and spent most of my time judging them as their actions and proving to myself that they arent' real christians, I have failed to act and behave as I know I should. I have not treated people with the same love and respect that I have judged others for not giving to me. To any of those here that I have hurt with my attitude, I am sorry. Just know that I am human, but I will work on it here as I am doing IRL.
That being said, I think that a new forum where everybody is welcomed and shown the love of Christ, reguardless of where their paths are, is what God would want. Honestly, I have been involved with an Ex-christian site. This site is all about anti-christianity. I don't want to be anti anything. That includes EX-EW. Then it would seem as if there is another purpose here as opposed to the purpose God would have us be. The purpose of "showing the world the love of Christ", should be first of formost.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
Numenorean
To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla
38% of people get this result. The next one down is Rohirrim with 19%.
Top Ten Taggings (Tagged, take two)
I'm sitting here wondering how far back this tagging thing goes, so I started following blog links back.
You will remember I was tagged by Gina.
Gina was tagged by Bonovox.
Bonovox was tagged by Laura.
Laura was tagged by Philippa.
Philippa was tagged by David.
David was tagged by Michael, who seems to have originated it.
I tagged Veronica.
Veronica tagged Emily_Nz.
Emily_Nz tagged Audrey.
Audrey tagged Cynthia, who broke the chain. :(
You will remember I was tagged by Gina.
Gina was tagged by Bonovox.
Bonovox was tagged by Laura.
Laura was tagged by Philippa.
Philippa was tagged by David.
David was tagged by Michael, who seems to have originated it.
I tagged Veronica.
Veronica tagged Emily_Nz.
Emily_Nz tagged Audrey.
Audrey tagged Cynthia, who broke the chain. :(
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