Sunday, September 30, 2007

A Midnight Conversation

In a previous post about my dog, I mentioned how Sydney likes to sleep in our bed at night...with us in it. Never mind the fact that I bought her a nice and cozy bed online from Drs. Foster and Smith. We've tried different methods of trying to get her to sleep in her own bed at night, but no avail. Usually Sydney starts out in our bed and then I move her to her bed on the floor when I get into bed (she usually tries to occupy my side on the bed). If only that were the end of the story.

Me: Goodnight honey. I hope you sleep okay.
Husband: Goodnight sweetie. Sleep good too. Where's Sydney?
Me: Oh, I think she's in the other room. No, she's in her bed!
Husband: Good girl, Sydney!
Me: Good girl! You're such a good girl!

Several peaceful hours of sleep later...

Thump! Sniff, sniff! Lick! Wag, wag!

Me: Yawn....Sydddnnney...what are you doing?
Sydney: sniff
Me: Sydney, please don't lay on my head.
Sydney: sniff
Me: OK, let's go. Get back in your bed.

Sydney back in bed, asleep. Husband and me, back asleep.

An hour later....

Thump! Sniff, sniff! Lick! Wag, wag! Shake, shake!

Me: Sydney....please go lay in your bed.
Sydney: shake, shake
Me: Sydney, please don't...ow! Don't claw my back!
Sydney: stretch....strreeeeettttcccchhhh....
Me: OK, let's go. Get back in your bed.

Sydney back in bed, asleep. Husband and me, somewhat back asleep.

Twenty minutes before alarm goes off...

Thump! Sniff, sniff! Wag, wag! Shake, shake, shake! Lick! Lick! Lick! Lick!

Me: Sydney! Yik...My face is all wet!
Sydney: lick! lick!
Me: Huuuuuhhh...sigh....
Sydney: Yaaawwn....
Me: Sigh...I give up. Goodnight Sydney. I hope you sleep okay.
Sydney: sniff!

BRRRIINNG! BRRRIINNG! BRRRIINNG!

Me: Stupid alarm.
Sydney: sniff!

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Seriously...Seriously!


I am a HUGE fan of Grey's Anatomy. Tonight is the season premiere. Thus, I am one happy camper. I just love how realistic the story line is and watching an accurate portrayal of how real-life surgeons and surgical interns perform their job.

Yeah, right.

Grey's Anatomy is tantamount to a sophisticated soap opera. Granted the acting is extremely good, the writing is wonderful, the story lines are fascinating, so in that regard, it is nothing at all like a soap opera. However, it has the interpersonal drama of the soap opera that gives house wives and nursing home patients an addiction spanning decades.

And yes, I am addicted to Grey's Anatomy.

I don't watch soaps. They are cheezy! But I do admit to LOVING Grey's Anatomy, The O.C., Sex in the City and Felicity (that's right, I wrote Felicity. What?). I love dramas. I love watching the characters interact with each other and the mess the usually end up getting in. The human drama - I love it. I love the story lines, the romantic drama, who will end up with who. It's a great escape! But I am sad that Dr. Burke will no longer be on the show. Man, Isiah Washington got the shaft but that is another post for another day.


And I'm not afraid to admit that I would kick ass on this board game. That's right...and take names too.

A Girl and Her Dog


This is my dog Sydney. She is a 15 month old lab-boxer mix that we adopted from the Franklin County Humane Society. Family members will remember when we first adopted Sydney about a year ago this month. She was a mere sixteen pounds and barley stood as high as my knees. Now some 64 pounds later, she is almost fully grown but still has the heart and mind of a puppy (that would be the lab influence in her).

As you can plainly see from the picture, Sydney also has an extremely long tongue. I'm not sure if this is boxer or lab, but in any case, I receive comments on it almost every time we take a walk. I imagine her tong rolling up in her mouth like one of those old window shades that snap and roll up to the top when you pull the bottom. Honestly, I don't know where she puts it all - it's a really long tongue.

Sydney loves to walk. She would probably be most happy if we walked twice a day, but alas her momma doesn't have the time or energy to do two walks in a single day. We do however try to get outside at least 3-4 times per week. This summer has been brutally hot, so we've taken up to walking in the morning before work. I'm still amazed at how she can go from dead asleep, snoring in my ear (don't get me started on how we can't get her out of our bed) to full on wide awake, tail wagging and ready to hit the sidewalk. Meanwhile, her blurry-eyed momma is stumbling to the bathroom to put on whatever T-shirt and shorts she can find and scrape her hair back into a ponytail. If I had a tail, it would certainly not be wagging at 6:15 in the morning.

This morning we had a great walk. It was actually pretty cool outside and that made Sydney and me very happy. When it finally starts to cool down here in North Carolina (today's high is suppose to be around 90 degrees), we'll switch to walking after work. At either time of day, Sydney is still very excited to get out an walk, tongue flapping in the breeze and tail wagging all the way.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Putting The Smack Down

By now, most of you know about yesterday's visit to Columbia University by President Ahmadinejad. Amid tens of thousands of protesters, Ahmadinejad was given a platform by the University to speak about current events in Iran, and not so current events such as the Holocaust (or, in his mind, the "theory" of the Holocaust). While I am thoroughly disgusted that an American university gave this man a platform and a podium, I couldn't help but smile a little when Columbia University Lee Bollinger put the smack down on Ahmadinejad by launching personal attacks his way. Bollinger called him a petty man, and a dictator. He questioned Ahmadinejad's statements on wiping Israel off the map and about the Holocaust. While I don't agree with Columbia's decision to bring this man onto US soil, it really shouldn't surprise me that they did. After all, Columbia invited one of Hitler's top men to come speak back in the 1930's.

Columbia wasn't President Ahmadinejad's only stop in America. Earlier on Monday he spoke to the National Press Club via satellite from New York.

Between Columbia University (housing the top journalism school in the country) and the National Press Club, is it any wonder why our media is so left focused? Hello?

Even if you are the most liberal journalist out there, even if you are the biggest Bush hater among them all, why in the world would a journalist want to listen to a man who's country has EXECUTED journalists. I know the very nature of journalism is to seek out the truth and report the facts, to get both sides of the story, but sadly traditional journalism has fallen to the wayside of grossly opinionated op-ed pieces and stories so skewed with liberal bias that is hard to know what the truth is anymore.

But I digress.

After speaking to the National Press Club and Columbia University yesterday, President Ahmadinejad is speaking to the UN General Assembly today. President Bush is slated to speak some two hours before Ahmadinejad takes the podium. Will Bush lay some smack down on Ahmadinejad? Let's hope so.

When the day is done, I hope that Ahmadinejad will swiftly find his way back to Iran. Columbia and the National Press Club may have welcomed you to America, but I certainly did not, and neither did thousands and thousands of others.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Is This Really News?

Most mornings I flip on The Today Show to get a brief update of what is going on in the world today. This morning I had the fortunate timing to tune in right as they began yet another story about Britney and K-Fed (or Fed-Ex, personally my favorite moniker). This time, Meredith Vieira had an exclusive interview with Federline's divorce attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan.

As I watched this interview (with the graphic "Exclusive Interview" up at the top of the screen), I couldn't help but ask myself outloud, "Is this really news?" The interview focused on the heated custody battle between Brit and Fed-Ex and which parent (and I use the term parent very loosly) would have primary custody of the two boys. There was a recent court order that stated that Brit had to have eight hours of parental counseling per week, could not use drugs or alcohol at least 12 hour prior to a visit with the kids, and Brit was subject to random drug testing.

Are you freakin' kidding me?

The fact that the court had to order that Brit take classes on how to be a parent and to not use drugs before being with her kids is proof that Brit doesn't need to be around her kids at all. Is it really hard to decide for yourself that one lay off the crack pipe before you watch your own children? Come on!

Kaplan went on to say that Federline was seeking primary custody and was concerned about the welfare of his two young children. Riiiiigghhht.....Fed-Ex is obviously the best choice in this scenario. Again, are you freakin' kidding me? Why not take the children away? We've all seen their track record played out on national television. What a sad, sad world we live in.

What most people fail to realize is the root of all these problems goes back to parenting and personal responsibility. I'll say it again to make myself clear:

Parenting and personal responsibility

No one gets those two concepts anymore. And I'm not just talking about celebrities. Everyday people in the communities we live in are plagued with bad parenting skills and a sense of entitlement. That's right - if more parents actually disciplined their children, I serious doubt our society would be plagued with the problems that we are facing today. Take responsibility for your children, and your own life. No one owes you anything. Take personal responsibility for your actions. No one owes me a driver's license. I earned that by passing an eye exam, passing a written test, paying the fees and not getting DUIs or accumulating speeding tickets. I earned my driver's license.

Now, I am not a parent. I hope to be one someday, and when I am, I can guarantee you that my children are going to understand the concept of personal responsibility. And I can guarantee you that my husband and I will lay down the firm hand of discipline whenever necessary. I can also say with fair certainity that I will be screening everything they watch on television, including the so-called "news."

Thursday, September 20, 2007

The Wonder Pets!


When life gets you down, I would suggest tuning into Nick Jr. and watching The Wonder Pets! I promise you will feel much better afterwards.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Ace of Cakes


No, you haven't stumbled upon the Food Network's Web site - this cake is from the kitchen de la Bostic. For several days I've had the urge to make a cake. Why you ask? Yeah, I have no idea. I just wanted to make one. I didn't even really want to eat it. I just wanted to make it.

Right...sure you just wanted to "make" one and not dig into it the minute it was frosted with a large spatula and a glass of milk in hand...

It's true! I just had the need to bake! Actually, I must confess that I did have a modest piece of cake to taste my skills. Not too bad. I've made a few cakes in my day, and a few from scratch. I really prefer to bake from scratch - cakes, brownies, cookies. Mixes are great, and easy, and predictable. But the "old fashion" way is the best.

What's up with the blue dots?


They're not blue dots. They are cobalt blue polka dots, and I find it makes my cake fun with a touch of whimsy. Retro meets edgy. Blue meets white. Oh, who am I kidding. I had leftover blue icing from a cake I made a couple months ago. At least I am a resouceful cake baker!

Monday, September 17, 2007

Constitution Day


Hey kids! Today is Constitution Day, a day set aside to honor and celebrate the document that gives the American people life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If you have never heard of Constitution Day, then shame on you - you may no longer call yourself an American. Just kidding. Congress just created Constitution Day in 2004.

Of all the things that Congress has (or hasn't) done in the past few years, creating a day to celebrate this legal document is something I can stand behind. Lest you end up on a Jaywalking segment sometime in the future, I would advise you to check out the list of factoids about the Constitution written in this St. Cloud Times news article. Enjoy - I will be quizzing each of you at the end of the semester.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Windy Wedding Day


Periodically I will post wedding pictures on the blog so friends and family can take a look. Now a days, a couple receives their wedding pictures back on a DVD, so it is a little hard to show the pictures to people who are interested in seeing them. This captures exactly how windy it was after our ceremony! Do I look like a bride or The Flying Nun? Take your pick.

The Greek Zone

Our friends Kelly and Champ invited Jason and me to a UNC football game yesterday. The opponet was UVA, and though we were pretty evenly matched, we lost by two points. Our seats were not that great, so we decided to sit in the open seating student section. Five rows up from the field, we thought we had found the perfect spot to enjoy the game. Unfortunately, we got trapped in the Greek zone...

For those of you not familiar with the Greek scene on any given college campus, let me first address their attire. Now, I can only speak from a UNC perspective, but at every game, the guys and gals come dressed as if attendeing a summer wedding in Cape Cod. Decked out in their Rainbow flip flops, Vineyard Vines khaki pants, J.Crew sundresses and Alexander Julian bow ties, these guys and gals are dressed to impress. With airplane bottles of liquor strapped to their upper thighs (gals) and a strategically placed cigarette above their ear (guys), the brothers and sisters are there to drink, yell, flirt and fall down concrete steps. Hey, at least they look good doing it.

Properly attired for the game, the guys and gals set forth to flirt, gossip and socialize.

Oh, are we suppose to be paying attention to the game? No? OK, did you hear about Mary Beth's new Range Rover and how it has NO built in GPS? Ohmygod, what were her parents thinking buying her that piece of crap?

As everyone knows, most of the Greeks live either in a frat or sorority house. At UNC, we have Frat Row and Frat Court. Living together, one might assume that when you meet up with you friends later, you wouldn't act so surprised to see them. But no, these Greeks (especially the gals) greet each other with the energy and volume of shrieking hyenas.

Ohmygod!!! Where the [bleep] have you been? I have been, like, texting you for like, an hour!

Nevermind that these gals saw each other just hours before at the sorority house. No, there are more important things to consider

OK - Thad and Britt went to go grab us a couple Diet Cokes so we can totally put some Captain Morgans in them. Ohmygod...I'm going to get so [bleep] wasted today! Do you think Thad likes me?

OK, by now I'm sure that you are thinking that I'm making fun of my University. No, I have great love for UNC. I'm only making fun of the crazy Greeks that we were around. In the course of one football game, my husband and I watched as a gal flashed us, bow tie clad guys got drunk, some other gal got hit in the head with a plastic cup, and a guy tried to give his drunk gal pal a piggy back ride up the concrete steps of Kenan stadium (and thus holding up everyone else trying to exit the game).

Despite the rowdy Greeks (who may read this and think I'm just a boring old thud), my husband and I had a good time and we were glad to spend our afternoon with our friends. We'll definitely head back to Chapel Hill for another game, but we'll make sure to sit far away from the Greek zone.

Friday, September 14, 2007

The Final Goodbye

Today was Tony Snow's last day as White House Press Secretary. After 16 months on the job, Snow is leaving his post because he has run out of money (wait. government jobs don't pay well? get outta here). Snow brought humor and quick wit back to the Press Secretary's office, and made himself a household name in the process. Journalist on both sides of the political table seemed to always enjoy press briefings as much as Snow. We've watched as his cancer came back and he endured another round of chemotherapy. We've watched as he gracefully and candidly acknowledged he struggle with cancer and the toll it has taken on his body. And on NBC Nightly News, I watched footage of Snow leaving the office (the White House), brief case and bags in hand, with dozens of people clapping in his honor. A man with respect, with honor, kept the American people informed and entertained for 16 months. Best wishes, Tony.

Through The Eyes Of Coca-Cola



Apparently this is what the Coca-Cola Company thinks I look like based on a Vanilla Coke quiz. Try the quiz for yourself! It's a whole lotta caffinated fun!

A Grey Day

When I got home from work yesterday, I was pleased to find that my package from Amazon had arrived. In it was the third season of Grey's Anatomy.

Hurrah! Happiness is a box in the mail from Amazon!

Though I have seen every episode of season three (and two and one), I couldn't help but fall for the teaser email I received in my inbox about three weeks ago:

"Pre-order your copy of Grey's Anatomy: Season Three, the Seriously Extended edition!"

Pre-order? Of course! Free shipping? Fabulous! I immediately pulled out the 'ole VISA and keyed in my credit card number. Amazon is wonderful, and dangerous all at once. On any given day, one can visit Amazon's Web site, type in oh, I don't know, lets say the first and only season of My So-Called Life, and in the words of Emeril, BAM! You have Claire Daines and her red hair coming to you in DVD format in just a matter of days! Any whim can be catered to. And need (aka want) can be satisfied with the click of your mouse and the keying in of credit card digits. And don't even get me started on how you can purchase shoes and clothes through Amazon. Will its wonders ever cease to amaze me?

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Number Eight

Tonight President Bush addressed the nation in what was his eighth address to the nation specifically on Iraq. Speaking only for about 15 minutes, President Bush commented on the state of affairs in Iraq, his agreement with General Petraeus' recommendations on reducing troop numbers overseas and the call for Iraqi citizens to make a plea to their leaders about the future of their nation and its democracy.

Brit Humme and the panelists on FOX News generally all agreed that the speech was a little repetitive of speeches in the past, and that President Bush paled slightly in comparison with General Petraeus and John McCain in terms of war expertise and assessment. I do agree that Bush's speech was a little "speechy" and I'm certain that Petraeus and McCain should be considered the experts on war compared to Bush. But then again, that's why they have Petraeus in the first place. The General's job is to carefully and strategically examine our efforts in Iraq and make the best recommendation to the President he can possibly make. The Bush administration does not want or expect failure. This is something the left doesn't understand. No one wants to lose in Iraq. No one wants more people die - whether it be American soldiers or Iraqi citizens - than are absolutely necessary. And yes, death is necessary in a war. It's a fact. As President Bush stated tonight, freedom is not free.

Iraq is unstable. Iran is a scary place. And the Middle East as a whole seems to be in peril. But just as our own country was so fragile some 250 plus years ago, so is the infant democracy in Iraq. We fought hard for our freedom. Colonist died on the soil we live on today so that we could enjoy every last single freedom promised to us in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. Think how wonderful it will be when the Iraqi people can enjoy such freedoms. When a woman's testimony in court won't be considered half that of a man's testimony. When the children of Iraqi can carve out a future for themselves, without having a government tell them what they will become. The sweet taste of freedom is on their lips - and we as America have had a hand in that. How proud would our forefathers be of us now? The surge that began in Iraq back in January worked (much to the dismay of the liberals who wished its failure). Our efforts worked. And it's never too late to champion freedom. It's never too little too late when people's lives and freedom are at stake. The surge worked, and now we are bringing home more of our brave men and women. How sweet is that? Pretty awesome. And one thing is for certain - our world will be safer for the next generation, both American and Iraqi.

Life Is Good

American Elephant

Do you welcome open political debate in public and possibly an angry liberal or two whispering about you the next time you visit your local coffee shop? Then I have the perfect Web site for you: American Elephant. God bless Al Gore for inventing the Internet so that Web sites such as American Elephant can exist and prosper in this digital world that we live in.

The Web site features conservative quips and slogans emblazoned on everything from T-shirts, hats, buttons, bags, underwear and dog shirts. Why hold that wonderful conservative sentiment in when you can literally wear it on your sleeve? I have a couple T-shirts myself, and I love them! Browse around when you have a moment and pick up a few items for yourself and family. And remember kids, free speech rocks! And so does the American flag.

America the Beautiful

As you many know, The Today Show is doing a series called America the Beautiful which profiles ten natural wonders throughout the country. The number one spot was revealed today, and it is no surprise (at least to me) that the show chose the Grand Canyon. I have yet to see this natural beauty in the flesh, but I can only imagine how breath taking it is in person. The layers of sediment etched inside the canyon, the water twisting and turning down below, the birds soaring above the vast openess - a sight that one can only hope to view by helicopter. Amid all the CRAP that is shown on television these days, it is refreshing to have a series that reminds us all of what a beautiful country we are fortunate enough to live in, and what a wonder God has created. God Bless America

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

A Coffee To Go

Hello World! I want to welcome you all to my new blog, A Coffee To Go. The reason for the title you may ask? Well, in the life of a twenty-something year old, one is always on the go. At least that is how I feel. And I might as well tackle the world with my favorite coffee drink in hand, a soy latte from Starbucks.

The reason for the blog you may ask? There is so much going on in the world around us today that I felt the need to jump in and voice my opinions and beliefs! Hey, everyone else is - why shouldn't I? Also, I have a lot of close friends and family (including my husband) who are blogging and I wanted to participate in the dialogue. My friends and family have so many wonderful things to write about, and one of the reasons for creating this blog was to promote their writings, musings and ponderings as well! So, take a look around at the blogroll I have. You've already stumbled upon A Coffee To Go, so you might as well take a look at who I keep company with. Enjoy!