Make Someone Smile & Good News

Puppy Bowl VIII on Animal Plant Feb. 05, 2012 at 3pm e/p

2012-02-03T21:47:00.000-08:00

Adopt a puppy with the help of Petfinder.com and Animal Planet.
http://www.petfinder.com/index.html

Happy New Year 2012

2011-12-31T17:14:00.001-08:00

New Year 2012 Pictures Comments - Photobucket

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2011-12-14T13:28:00.001-08:00

Pearl Harbor Remeberance! December 7, 2011

2011-12-08T11:18:00.000-08:00

70th Anniversary Rememberance!

A Story of Divine Providence

2011-11-25T18:45:00.000-08:00

http://floppingaces.net/most_wanted/a-story-of-divine-providence/

One Person Can Make a Difference

2011-11-21T09:19:00.000-08:00

A man on the beach where thousands of starfish lay dying in the sun saw a girl tossing them into the sea, one by one. "Why bother?" he asked. "You won't make much of a difference." Tossing yet another starfish into the sea, the girl said, "I made a difference to that one." Author Unknown

Veteran's Day November 11, 2011

2011-11-11T13:19:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all the past, present, and future Military Heroes for fighting for the United States of America.

Happy 235 Birthday U.S. Marines November 10, 1775

2011-11-11T12:56:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-11T06:47:00.000-08:00

Passion

2011-11-11T06:19:00.000-08:00

There are qualities which one must possess to win...definiteness of purpose, knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.

Bloom Box Energy

2011-11-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

9/11 Tribute

2011-09-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

D Day Ohio 2011

2011-09-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

Truman Thomas WWII Hero

2011-08-23T21:35:00.000-07:00

Team World Vision Marathon

2011-08-23T09:29:00.001-07:00

Carrie - I ran 13.1 miles this morning for Team World Vision. My official time was 2:53:26. Nope. Not proud of that time but so proud that I finished and raised the funds to help almost 15 people receive cleaning drinking water for life in Africa. As a team, Team Mercy raised enough for 30 people!!!! So proud of that! Thanks to everyone for all your encouragement, prayers, gifts & donations.

http://support.worldvision.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TWV_Home

Great Dane Welcomes his Soldier Daddy Home from Iraq

2011-08-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.godvine.com/Great-Dane-Welcomes-his-Soldier-Daddy-Home-from-Iraq-633.html

Time Bandit

2011-08-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

Neal & Scott Hillstrand from the Time Bandit July 2011
Deadliest Catch on the Discovery Channel

Hello

2011-08-18T14:44:00.001-07:00

I updated my blog today! Hope u enjoy!

Job Search

2010-03-31T18:35:00.000-07:00

Went to a teacher's job fair yesterday in Akron,OH. 800 teachers go to this annually. :( I feel that this year I got more of a positive feedback. Maybe this year I will get lucky.

Happy Easter 2010

2010-03-31T18:02:00.001-07:00

Graphics for Easter Comments

2010-02-13T19:44:00.001-08:00

Build your own Blingee

Happy New Year !!! 2010

2010-01-03T09:04:00.001-08:00

Robin Hood 702

2009-12-28T10:02:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!!!

2009-12-28T09:19:00.000-08:00

May 2010 bring you many blessings and much happiness!!!

The Christmas Story & Breath Of Heaven & Amy Grant & Nativity Story

2009-12-28T09:01:00.000-08:00

Zwani

2009-12-24T08:34:00.001-08:00

Myspace Religious Chistmas Comments & Graphics

Autism : A Journey of Recovery

2009-12-19T16:56:00.001-08:00

To Get Everyone Into the Christmas Spirit

2009-12-07T18:38:00.000-08:00

The greatest STORY ever told.
The greatest TRUTH you'll ever hold.
The greatest JOY you've ever felt.
The greatest HOPE for which you've knelt.
The greatest PEACE the world has know-
A Christmas GIFT for all to own.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11

Source: American Greetings

Zwani

2009-11-24T08:59:00.001-08:00

Custom Twitter Backgrounds

To Get Everyone Into The Thanksgiving Day Mood

2009-11-15T19:49:00.000-08:00

A Thanksgiving Day tribute to our U.S. Military and their families.

Hero: Jamyn Peterson Source: CNN Added October 2, 2009

2009-10-05T10:42:00.001-07:00

Youth activist helps poor kids Source: CNN Added October 5, 2009

2009-10-05T10:29:00.001-07:00

Logan & Sasha spent the afternoon at the river.

2009-09-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

Caroline's Birthday

2009-09-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

I went to Put-in-Bay, Ohio for my birthday.

Happy Birthday To Me (September 5th)

2009-09-07T10:04:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Graphic Comments

Happy Labor Day Everyone !!!

2009-09-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

US kidnap survivor 'doing great'

2009-08-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

Page last updated at 14:55 GMT, Friday, 28 August 2009 15:55 UK by the BBC News

A woman freed in California 18 years after being kidnapped at the age of 11 is said to have had a happy reunion with her mother.

Jaycee Lee Dugard was found living in her alleged kidnapper's home in a suburb of San Francisco after her abduction 200 miles (322km) away.

She and the two children he allegedly fathered with her are "doing great", stepfather Carl Probyn said.

Mr Probyn said his ex-wife had been struck by how young Jaycee looked.

He and Jaycee's mother divorced after the abduction and he told US media how he had endured years of "hell", under suspicion of having played a part in his stepdaughter's kidnapping.

Jaycee Dugard was forced into a car on her way to school in front of his eyes. He had tried in vain to give chase on a bicycle.

Ms Dugard's alleged abductor and his wife have both been arrested as police search their home in Antioch, El Dorado County.

Phillip Garrido, 58, is being held on suspicion of various kidnapping and sex charges. He is already a convicted rapist and kidnapper.

His wife Nancy, 54, was allegedly with him during the kidnapping in South Lake Tahoe and has also been arrested.

'Guilt over bonding'

Jaycee Dugard, her two daughters, her sister, her mother and another relative were at the reunion on Thursday, Mr Probyn said.

"I think they're pretty happy," he added.

In interviews on NBC, ABC and CBS on Friday morning, Mr Probyn said the most surprising thing to his wife had been that Jaycee still looked very young.

Ms Dugard also felt guilty for bonding with her captor and her family felt troubled by learning the facts of how she had been forced to live for 18 years, Mr Probyn added.

DNA tests are being taken to confirm Ms Dugard's identity as the police investigation progresses.

Police have removed a car from the suspects' home in Antioch.

They said they had found a vehicle which matched a description of the car originally described at the time of the abduction.

'A disgusting thing'

El Dorado County Undersheriff Fred Kollar described finding a makeshift compound in the backyard consisting of sheds, tents and outbuildings.

Phillip Garrido
Phillip Garrido allegedly fathered two children with Ms Dugard, police say

The true identity of the backyard's inhabitants only emerged after Garrido was called in along with his "family" for a parole office hearing on Wednesday.

Diane Doty, a neighbour, has said she often heard children playing in the backyard.

"I asked my husband, 'Why is he [Garrido] living in tents?'" she said on Thursday.

"And he said, 'Maybe that is how they like to live.'"

The alleged abductor has himself told a US TV channel that Ms Dugard's ordeal was a "heart-warming" story.

"It's a disgusting thing that took place with me at the beginning, but I turned my life completely around," Garrido told KCRA television from El Dorado County jail.

Court records show that Garrido was convicted of kidnapping and raping a 25-year-old woman in South Lake Tahoe in 1976.

Angle Food Ministries

2009-08-26T11:54:00.000-07:00

We have been getting our food once a month at our local church from The Angle Food Ministries. I am so happy with the food and the price. Once a month you can pay like $30 dollars and that will feed a family of 4 for one week or feed a single senior citizen for almost a month. Check out the link in the Cool Links menu bar.

SC retiree: $260M Powerball prize won't change me

2009-08-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

By MEG KINNARD, Associated Press Writer Meg Kinnard, Associated Press Writer – Tue Aug 25, 7:59 pm ET

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A retired South Carolina state employee who spent two bucks on the lottery was all smiles Tuesday as he claimed a $260 million Powerball jackpot. "For once in my life, I really experienced the old saying, pinch me to see if I'm still alive, or if this is real," Solomon Jackson Jr. said.

South Carolina Education Lottery officials say the Powerball jackpot is the largest ever won with a ticket bought in the state, which has the nation's fifth-highest unemployment rate. Powerball is played in 30 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Jackson, a lifelong Columbia resident, shared few details about himself or his plans for the money. He did say he is married and has 10 siblings, though he would not say how many children he has or give his age.

He also did not say whether he will take his winnings in yearly payments over three decades or in a $129 million lump sum, which would work out to about $88 million after taxes.

He did reveal he had been an assistant supervisor for the state Revenue Department until taking early retirement in 2000 and using his free time to return to school to get a degree from Midlands Technical College.

"It is a beautiful day for education," Jackson said. "I said, 'Well, why can't I throw $2 at the lottery, to help education?' Come to find out, I did not need $2 to win, so I wasted a dollar. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God."

Jackson, who said he has played the lottery before, appeared at a claims center in Columbia on Tuesday with I.S. Leevy Johnson, an attorney whose wife taught Jackson in high school and said he has known the man for years. But Johnson said he was still somewhat taken aback when he fielded Jackson's call Monday.

"He said to me, Mr. Johnson, I want to talk to you about something. And being a criminal defense lawyer, I said, 'Oh Lord,'" Johnson said. "We matched the numbers up, and we learned that truly he was a winner."

Jackson picked up the only ticket that matched all the winning numbers for the Aug. 19 drawing — 14, 24, 31, 43 and 51, with a Powerball of 27 and a multiplier of 5 — at a Columbia gas station after shopping at a nearby Walmart. He says he won't let his winnings affect who he is, only dropping hints that eventually someone else will benefit from his good fortune.

"I'm already retired, I've already got a good income, and God has blessed me, so I won't do a bunch with it," Jackson said with a smile. "But somebody's going to be blessed."

Lottery officials say Jackson's chances of winning were one in 195 million.

"That's a lot of people," he said. "And yet, little ole me, of all the people."

Taco Bell's New Green Menu Takes No Ingredients from Nature

2009-08-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

Make someone laugh....
scroll down to watch the video....
find more funny videos at The Onion News Network.

White Folks Will Riot: Pastor Manning

2009-08-06T06:35:00.001-07:00

I thought this was interesting. If Obama's goal is to reunite America by pissing people off...than Obama is doing a great job!!

White Folks Will Riot: Pastor Manning

Shared via AddThis

Mission Accomplished: Clinton Leaves North Korea With Pardoned Journalists

2009-08-06T06:22:00.000-07:00

A spokesman for Bill Clinton says the former president and the two journalists have left North Korea en route to Los Angeles.

FOXNews.com
Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Bill Clinton has left North Korea with the two pardoned American journalists, a spokesman for the former president said Tuesday.

"President Clinton has safely left North Korea with Laura Ling and Euna Lee," Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna said in a statement. "They are en route to Los Angeles where Laura and Euna will be reunited with their families."

The women, dressed in short-sleeved shirts and jeans, appeared healthy as they climbed the steps to the plane and shook hands with Clinton before getting into the jet, APTN footage in Pyongyang showed. Clinton waved, put his hand over his heart and then saluted.

North Korean officials waved as the plane took off.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il issued a "special pardon" for the reporters after Clinton made a surprise visit to the communist nation to negotiate their release Tuesday morning. The release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee was a sign of North Korea's "humanitarian and peaceloving policy," the Korean Central News Agency reported.

The White House has not been commenting on any aspect of the trip.

During the visit, Clinton met with Kim as well as the two reporters, who were sentenced in June to 12 years of hard labor after North Korea accused them of sneaking into the country illegally and engaging in "hostile acts."

The public breakthrough in talks was reached in the course of a day. But sources said the framework for the journalists' release had been negotiated ahead of time.

Through a representative, the families of the reporters released a statement saying they were "overjoyed" at the news.

"We are so grateful to our government: President Obama, Secretary Clinton and the U.S. State Department for their dedication to and hard work on behalf of American citizens," the statement said. "We especially want to thank President Bill Clinton for taking on such an arduous mission and Vice President Al Gore for his tireless efforts to bring Laura and Euna home. We must also thank all the people who have supported our families through this ordeal, it has meant the world to us. We are counting the seconds to hold Laura and Euna in our arms."

The official Korean Central News Agency earlier said in a brief dispatch that Clinton left North Korea with his party early Wednesday by plane after he negotiated for the release of two jailed American journalists.

But the news agency withdrew the report without citing a reason.

The White House is not yet offering details on the mission.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, who was peppered with questions about the matter at the daily press briefing, said the main concern was for the safety of the journalists.

"I think we're obviously talking about something that's extremely sensitive," he said earlier. "We will have more to say on this hopefully later on."

Gibbs revealed little beyond the terse written statement his office put out Tuesday morning. The statement called Clinton's visit a "solely private mission" to secure the journalists' release and said the White House would not "jeopardize" his success by commenting.

Though analysts said Clinton must have coordinated closely with the administration, Gibbs denied a report in state media that said Clinton conveyed a verbal message to Kim from President Obama.

"That's not true," Gibbs said.

North Korea's state media said Kim and Clinton held "exhaustive" talks on a wide range of topics. Kim expressed his thanks, and engaged Clinton in a "wide-ranging exchange of views on matters of common concern," the official Korean Central News Agency said in a report from Pyongyang.

Clinton landed Tuesday morning in the North Korean capital in an unmarked jet. After greeting North Korea's chief nuclear negotiator and a high-ranking parliamentary official, he bowed and smiled as a young girl presented him with flowers, a red scarf tied around her neck, according to footage aired by television news agency APTN.

The unusually warm exchange Tuesday between officials from communist North Korea and the ex-leader of a wartime foe came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Pyongyang over the regime's nuclear program. In recent months, North Korea has abandoned a disarmament pact, launched a long-range rocket, conducted a nuclear test and test-fired a barrage of ballistic missiles in defiance of the U.N. Security Council.

Clinton made the trip to secure the release of two reporters for former Vice President Al Gore's California-based Current TV media venture who were arrested along the North Korean-Chinese border in March.

Speaking out for the first time since their capture, Gore said in a joint statement with Current co-founder Joel Hyatt that everyone at the media outlet was overjoyed by the prospect of their safe return. "Our hearts go out to them and to their families for persevering through this horrible experience," it said.

The U.S. and North Korea do not have diplomatic relations, but officials were believed to be working behind the scenes to negotiate their release.

Clinton, whose administration had relatively good relations with Pyongyang; Gore, his vice president; and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who in the 1990s traveled twice to North Korea to secure the freedom of detained Americans, had all been floated as possible envoys to bring back Lee and Ling.

However, the decision to send Clinton was kept quiet. A senior U.S. official later confirmed to reporters traveling to Africa with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the former president was in North Korea.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency announced Clinton's visit with a brief dispatch but did not say who he would be meeting during his trip.

But analysts said Kim Jong Il was eager to smooth over relations with Washington as he prepares to name a successor.

Kim, 67, reportedly is in ill health, suffering a stroke a year ago on top of chronic diabetes and heart disease. He rules the impoverished communist nation of 24 million with absolute authority, but has not publicly named the next leader. He is believed, however, to be grooming his third son, 26-year-old Jong Un, to take over.

Internal stability is key to a smooth transition, and establishing relations with Washington would be one way to rule out a threat from a superpower that has 28,500 troops stationed just on the other side of the border with South Korea, analysts said. The two Koreas remain technically at war because their three-year conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, in 1953.

Releasing the journalists would serve as a face-saving segue into talks, analysts said.

During a nuclear standoff with North Korean in 1994, former President Jimmy Carter went to Pyongyang and met with leader Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il's late father. That visit, during Clinton's presidency, led to a breakthrough accord months later.

The last high-ranking U.S. official to meet with Kim Jong Il was Madeleine Albright, Clinton's secretary of state, who visited Pyongyang in 2000 at a time of warming relations. Ties turned frosty when George W. Bush took office in the White House in 2001.

Since Obama took office, Pyongyang has expressed interest in one-on-one negotiations with Washington. The latest provocations were seen in part as a way to draw a concerned U.S. into bilateral talks.

Washington says it is willing to hold such talks with the North, but only within the framework of international disarmament negotiations in place since 2003. Those talks involve China, Japan, the two Koreas, Russia and the United States. North Korea has said it will never return to the six-nation disarmament process.

Lee and Ling were captured in North Korea's far northeast in the midst of the nuclear standoff. They had traveled to the border region in China to report on women and children defectors from North Korea.

Their families and U.S. officials had pushed for their release, noting that Ling has a medical condition and that Lee has a 4-year-old daughter.

Hillary Clinton had urged North Korea to grant them amnesty, saying the women were remorseful and their families anguished.

FOX News' Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Good News from the Washington, DC Area

2009-08-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

Pioneering ‘domino transplant’ doctor changes lives
Posted: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 3:52 PM
By Jay Blackman, NBC News Producer

Scroll down to watch the video.

Deadliest Catch

2009-07-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had the chance to meet Johnathan Hillstrand and his son Scott from the Time Bandit crab boat from Discovery's "Deadliest Catch" TV show. They were both so nice and cool! I had fun meeting them.

Donald Trump

2009-07-04T09:55:00.001-07:00

http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=6406895&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/ontherecord/index.html

Thanks for speaking up on Obam's stimulus package and its effects on the economy.

Zwani

2009-07-04T05:47:00.001-07:00

Myspace 4th of July Comments

Zwani

2009-06-21T09:30:00.001-07:00

Myspace Fathers Day Comments

Pay It Forward

2009-06-05T16:36:00.001-07:00

My friend Michelle was selected by FOX 8 News in Cleveland to...Pay It Forward...because of her and her families personal sacrifice in order to run an inn for several homeless woman of Cleveland. Scroll down and check out her story right here.

2009-05-25T04:50:00.001-07:00

My Greenhouse

2009-05-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

I have a little bit of a green thumb.

Abducted Calif. boy reunited with mom

2009-05-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- A 3-year-old California boy kidnapped nearly two weeks ago is said to be in good spirits after being reunited with his mother.

Officials say Briant Rodriguez appears to be unharmed, though his long, curly locks have been shaved off.

San Bernardino County Sheriff Rod Hoops says the odds that Briant would be found safe had been going down every day, but he says his detectives "never gave up.

" The child was found alone Thursday, wandering the streets of the border town of Mexicali, Mexico.

The boy is being checked over at a southern California hospital.

The reunion between Briant and his mother ended an ordeal that began May 3 when authorities say two armed men burst into the family's San Bernardino home.

Authorities say they may be closing in on at least two suspects.
© 2009 The Associated Press

Posted By:Channel 5 News Updated: 5/17/2009 5:48:36 AM Posted: 5/17/2009 5:48:15 AM

Hundreds of volunteers 'Give Back to America'

2009-05-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

EAST CLEVELAND -- There's no ulterior motive here. Hundreds of volunteers gave up part of their Saturday to help out their neighbors.

Home builder Michael Audrick came up with the concept of "Give Back America Day" and members of the Concord Baptist Church got the ball rolling with the project.

Volunteers went around to the homes of senior citizens in East Cleveland, offering to do repair projects.

Organizers hope the idea will catch on with other communities.

Posted By: Channel 3 News Updated: 5/16/2009 7:21:21 PM Posted: 5/16/2009 7:12:49 PM

Water Chestnuts Wrapped in Bacon

2009-05-11T07:43:00.001-07:00

Water Chestnuts Wrapped in Bacon
Recipe for one pound package of bacon.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

1. Drain bacon. Regular or Turkey bacon is good to use.
2. Use round pan and cover bottom & sides with aluminum foil.
Spray foil with Pam.
3. Open up can of water chestnuts and drain out the water.
4. Wrap one piece of bacon around one water chestnut and stick a toothpick through them to hold everything together.
5. Place in pan. Do this until all these ingredients are used up.
6. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
7. Drain grease!
8. Add sauce. Sauce = ¼ cup ketchup & ¼ cup brown sugar. Mix well. Dunk water chestnuts wrapped in bacon into sauce. Try to avoid getting sauce on toothpicks.
9. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 more minutes.
10. Eat and enjoy!

Supplies & Ingredients
Ketchup
Brown Sugar
Bacon
Water Chestnuts -8 oz can
Aluminum Foil
Round Pan – 9” at least
Pam Cooking Spray (very important)
¼ Measuring Cup
Bowl to Mix Sauce In

Total Cooking Time: 1 hour & 15 minutes
Prep Time:15-20 minutes

Zwani

2009-05-10T09:29:00.001-07:00

Myspace Graphic Codes

24 Randsom Things about Myself

2009-05-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

25 Random Things about Myself

1. I am an only child. I do not like iit.
2. I was in the Oval Office at the White House during the Reagan Administration.
3. I drove from California to Ohio on Route 66 once.
4. I would love to have at least one child.
5. My goal is to become independently wealthy. I am working on a few crazy ideas.
6. In elementary school I played the violin.
7. I was on the swim team at the West End YMCA in high school.
8. 2 years ago this February I totaled my sexy car, a 1998 gold Chrysler Sebring convertible, on the freeway, on my way home from the chemical plant.
9. I use to party hardy. I still have my moments sometimes.
10. I was named after the Neil Diamond song Sweet Caroline!
11. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats.
12. In high school, I was a member of the Drama Club.
13. I love God!
14. I love to travel.
15. I love to teach.
16. I love to have fun.
17. I have 6 best friends.
18. My favorite memories so far are when I rafted down the Colorado River from the base of Hoover Dam, saw my best friend Kulwant for the first time in like 13 years and my Hawaii trip.
19. My saddest moment was when my best friend Carrie moved away to IL when I was in Jr. High School.
20. I went to Hawaii when I was 16.
21. I went to my senior high school prom with the chicken pox.
22. Last year (2008) was our 75 McPherson Family reunion (on my Grandma's side of the family). Our family reunion is on every Fourth of July.
23. My dad was on the team that built the first CAT scan at the Cleveland Clinic.
24. I have been to 34 out of the 50 states.

Kindness

2009-04-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

Kind hearts are the garden.
Kind thoughts are the roots.
Kind words are the blossom.
Kind deeds are the fruit.

Greenhouse 101

2009-04-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took advantage of the nice weather and did all the prep work for getting my greenhouse ready to plant for this season. Last year was my first year growing fruits and veggies and I was very happy with the results. I must have a little bit of a green thumb. This is all what I learned from last year......
1. Put down a weed blanket on the floor of the greenhouse to prevent grass and weeds from growing. If you can afford it, add river stone on top of your blanket for a nice greenhouse floor.
2. Bug intervention: Make a homemade soap red pepper cayenne spray.
3. Bug prevention: Grow garlic and marigolds too.
4. Bigger surface space is needed to grow bigger fruits and veggies.
4. Layer the dirt : stones, sand, and then good soil.
5. Veggies- Flowers grow after the veggies are picked
6. Fruit- Flowers grow first and that is how you know where your fruit will grow.
7. Water at lease every other day.
8. Apply plant food once a week. I use Jack's Classic All Purpose 20-20-20 with micronutrients water soluble plant food.
9. Purchased a rich blend of Potting Mix composed of composted cow manure, peat moss, aged pine bark and perlite....in hopes to provide more nutrients and prevent weeds from growing.
Last year I grew strawberries, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, bell peppers, sweet banana peppers, spinach, lettuce, onions, oregano, cilantro, parsley, scallions, sweet basil, and cucumbers. This year I hope to try blueberries, raspberries, scallions, and garlic.

Spreading the Good Word

2009-04-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

April 2, 2009, 2:01 pm
Spreading the Good Word
By Catherine Rampell Published in the Economy and the Economics of Everyday Life-Economix Blog- NYTimes.com

Attitude is (almost) everything.
That’s the message Paul Ganshert is mailing to hundreds of friends, family and business associates, inside an envelope containing the button pictured at left.
( I Choose Not To Participate in the Recession)

Mr. Ganshert owns a landscaping company in Madison, Wis. He said in a phone interview that he started the button campaign about two months ago because he was tired of hearing bad news all the time.

Given his positive nature, he said, he has chosen “not to participate” in the recession. For him, that means discounting the media’s barrage of negative economic news, working hard and being optimistic about his company’s future.

“You could pull all your money out of stock market, put what little’s left under your mattress, and cry, but that’s not going to do anybody any good,” he said. The current economic troubles are a crisis of confidence, he reasons, and he says he believes his “grass-root” efforts to bolster local optimism can help restore that confidence.

Members of a national landscaping group he belongs to have also been taking the message, and buttons, to their own communities. Marty Grunder in Dayton, Ohio, for example, has started a radio show called “Good News in Dayton.” The show’s goal is “to communicate the good things going on in and around the Dayton area that we may not have heard about,” according to its Web site. Mr. Ganshert is contemplating starting a similar show in Madison.

And in the meantime, his button has become quite the conversation piece. When he meets with clients, he said, they generally spend 10 to 30 minutes talking about their landscaping needs, and then another half-hour talking about his unusual pin. He says he has distributed “a couple hundred” buttons so far, and is hoping the next batch will total 500.

“You’ve got to start somewhere,” he said.

Hanging In There

2009-04-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

I had a rough few weeks and now I am just beginning to get things done around the house and cook again. I miss my Grandpa already. It is going to be rough adjusting to life without my Grandpa because we were very close. The following Monday I go back to the doctor to get another x-ray to see how my foot is doing. I have been following the news a bit and can't believe 1/2 the stuff.

I am going to miss you Grandpa

2009-04-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

My Grandpa passed away around 3 am Monday morning. My broken foot turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He had a massive stroke last Saturday afternoon. He was a fighter. He fought for a whole week. If I didn't break my foot, I would be on a cruise and would not be able to say good bye to my Grandpa. I would rather be by my Grandpa's bedside than be on a cruise.

Zwani

2009-04-11T19:28:00.001-07:00

Myspace Easter Graphics

Zwani

2009-04-11T19:19:00.001-07:00

Free Myspace Comments

Zwani

2009-04-01T08:20:00.001-07:00

Myspace April Fools Day Graphics

Zwani

2009-03-26T20:27:00.001-07:00

Myspace Weekend Comments

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

2009-03-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

Key Points
1. Presence = consciousness without thought, focusing on all your senses at one time
2. If the means does not make you happy, than neither will the end goal or result
3. "No matter how active we are, how much effort we make, our state of consciousness creates our world, and if there is no change on that inner level, no amount of action will make any difference. We would only re-create modified versions of the same world again and again, a world that is an external reflection of the ego". I can relate to this. I feel this way about finding a job. I am running out of things to do and it seems like I am just banging my head up against the wall for nothing. Nothing keeps changing no matter what I do to find a job.

Man ignores friends, wins $26M on Friday the 13th

2009-03-24T08:06:00.001-07:00

NEW YORK -- Ignoring his friends has paid off big for a New York man.

He won $26 million in a Friday the 13th lottery draw.

New York state lottery officials said Monday the winner is from
Wyandanch, on Long Island. The identity of the El Salvador native was not revealed.

Officials said the man didn't heed the warnings of well-meaning friends who told him to stay away from the lottery on Friday the 13th.
© 2009 The Associated Press From the channel 3 Cleveland News Room

10 Day Caribbean Cruise

2009-03-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to go on a 10 day Caribbean Cruise this Friday. My Dad's treat but I am not going now because he doesn't want a broken Caroline to slow him down on "his" vacation. :(

Redecorating The Living Room

2009-03-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

We are redecorating our living room. My theme is "Tropical Bungalow"

Ouch! I broke my foot!

2009-03-23T10:28:00.001-07:00

I tried to walk after my foot feel asleep and my leg gave out at the knee level and I twisted my knee and rolled my ankle and my foot. OUCH!! I go to the orthopedic specialist today.

School

2009-03-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

Yeah! I don't need to take classes right away. I have 9 credit hours that I took after the issue date on my teaching license. But I will need to take courses later so, I decided to work towards my Special Education License. I noticed there are a lot of jobs in that field that are available.

'Ashamed' Madoff Pleads Guilty, Goes To Jail

2009-03-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

'Ashamed' Madoff Pleads Guilty, Goes To Jail
Sentencing Set For June 16 From newsnet5.com out of Cleveland, OH

NEW YORK -- A New York judge had to rein in a courtroom packed with seething fraud victims Thursday during the hearing in which Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty to what may be Wall Street's biggest ever scam.

Spectators cheered when the disgraced financier was led off to jail immediately following his guilty pleas. He had spent the past three months under house arrest in his $7 million Manhattan penthouse.

When his lawyer described the bail conditions and how Madoff had, "at his wife's own expense," paid for private security, loud laughter erupted. The judge warned the crowd to remain silent.

Madoff said he is "deeply sorry and ashamed" for the Ponzi scheme that wiped out savings accounts worldwide.

"I am painfully aware that I have deeply hurt many, many people, including the members of my family, my closest friends, business associates and the thousands of clients who gave me their money," Madoff said.

He said that as he engaged in his fraud, he knew what he was doing was wrong but that he believed "it would end shortly and I would be able to extricate myself and my clients from the scheme."

"However, this proved difficult, and ultimately impossible, and as the years went by I realized that my arrest and this day would inevitably come," Madoff said.

The judge revoked bail Thursday after Madoff pleaded guilty to all 11 charges against him, including securities fraud and perjury. He was accused of engineering one of the largest investment scams in U.S. history.

The judge said the 70-year-old former Nasdaq chairman has the means to flee and an incentive to do so because of his age.

A sentencing date of June 16 has been set. He could face up to 150 years in prison.

Madoff told the judge in U.S. District Court in New York that his Ponzi scheme began in the early 1990s in response to that era's recession.

Madoff's plea came three months after he admitted that his once-revered investment fund was all a big lie -- a Ponzi scheme that defrauded billions of dollars worldwide from retirees, charities, school trusts and even Holocaust survivors.

The scam quickly turned Madoff into one of the most vilified men in the world, as thousands of investors came forward to say they were defrauded.

Madoff Avoids Victims' Eyes

Three victims of the fraud confronted him in court, one trying to address Madoff directly saying, "I don't know if you had a chance to turn around and look at the victims."

Madoff avoided eye contact with the three investors who spoke. The judge directed him to speak directly to the bench.

Two investors said they opposed the guilty plea. One said she wanted it to wait until the lost money is found.

At least 25 Madoff investors asked to speak under provisions allowing victims of crime to appear at a plea hearing.

Some victims in the scandal want the accused Wall Street swindler to name any possible accomplices who helped him pull off his multibillion-dollar securities fraud. They also want Madoff to apologize and turn over family assets that might be used to pay bilked investors.

Alexandra Penney said she's furious with Madoff. But she's just as angry with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The 60-year-old artist and former magazine editor said Madoff took everything she had saved from the age of 16.

Penney wasn't in court for the guilty plea. She's in Florida.

In addition to prison time, Madoff faces mandatory restitution to victims, forfeiture of ill-gotten gains and criminal fines.

Investigators are still unraveling how he pulled off the fraud for years without being caught. They suspect that his family and top lieutenants who helped run his operation from its midtown Manhattan headquarters may have been involved.

I finally finished reading my book! Yeah!

2009-03-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

I have been reading the book A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. It took me forever to read this book. I like to read the best when there is nothing to distract me. I thought it was a good book but not an "easy" read. The main idea is to "live" in the moment. Don't think about the past and don't worry about the future. I am good at doing that when I am doing things that I love to do but when there are things that I don't love to do I find it difficult to "live" in the moment. I am good at doing this for example, whenever I am doing anything that involves swimming or the beach etc. I find myself to be the happiest when I "live" in the present. This is something that I have experienced for myself but found it difficult to describe that feeling and thought that I might be a weird-o for being aware of this concept. The book validated those experiences that I had prior to reading it and explained a lot more about how it all works and why. I am a big worry wart and I know that is a very bad habit that I need to work on.

Good News In The Media From Your Neck Of The Woods- Regions Outside the U.S.A

2009-03-12T18:49:00.002-07:00

Good News In The Media From Your Neck Of The Woods- South

2009-03-12T18:49:00.001-07:00

Good News In The Media From Your Neck Of The Woods-- Northeast

2009-03-12T18:48:00.001-07:00

Good News In The Media From Your Neck Of The Woods-- West

2009-03-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

$100,000 Scholoarship Winner

2009-03-09T14:08:00.000-07:00

Solon student wins $100,000 scholarship for 'Stop the Hate' essay
Posted By: Kim Wendel Updated: 3/9/2009 3:49:29 PM Posted: 3/9/2009 8:07:58 AM

BEACHWOOD, OHIO -- The first "Stop The Hate! Youth Speak Out" $100,000 college scholarship was awarded Sunday to Matt Soble, a senior at Solon High School, at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.

Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher and museum co-founder Milton Maltz presided over the program.

More than 1,200 students from the seven eligible Northeast Ohio counties shared their stories by entering the essay contest. Nearly half of them were juniors and seniors eligible for the $100,000 scholarship.

The top ten finalists, who scored 90 percent or higher on the written essays, made up less than 1 percent of the total essays received.

Read Soble's winning essay, other winners

Maltz museum spokesman Adam Teresi said the essays were personal, compelling and powerful, each describing an act of discrimination and the students' suggestions on how to overcome hatred and bigotry.

Judges that included Ohio House Speaker/state Rep. Armond Budish, (D-Beachwood), state Rep. Josh Mandel, (R-Lyndhurst) and Cleveland Indians President Paul Dolan heard the 10 finalists read their essays out loud.

Scholarship finalists who received a $100 U.S. Savings Bond were: Sophie Grodsinsky, a senior at Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls; Sarah Harris, a senior at Electronic Schoolroom of Tomorrow; Chelsa Lewis-Bevel, a senior at Success Tech Academy in Cleveland; Alex Port, a junior at Solon High School; Justina Wong, a senior at Independence High School; and Kelly Yarber, a senior at Strongsville High School.

The museum, opened in 2005, hopes to introduce visitors to the beauty and diversity of the Jewish heritage in the context of the American heritage.

It also promotes an understanding of the Jewish heritage and builds bridges of appreciation, tolerance and understanding with those of other races, religions, cultures and ethnic backgrounds.

Other students receiving awards included the High School Overall winner of a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond was Lauren M. McCafferty, a senior at Olmsted Falls High School.

The 12th Grade Winner of a $500 U.S. Savings Bond was Jane Yiyi Zhang, of Oberlin High School; and the 11th Grade Winner of a $200 U.S. Savings Bond was Cassidy Artz, a junior at Hathaway Brown School.

The Middle School Overall winner of a $500 Savings bond was Divya Thomas of Kenston Middle School in Bainbridge.

Other winners included first place ($200 Savings bond) and second place ($100 Savings bond) for 6th grade: First place, Divya Madhaven of Brecksville/Broadview Heights and second place Dina Rini of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic school; 7th grade first place was Becca Cain of R.B. Chamberlin Middle School and second place winner was Lukash Kowcz of Brecksville/Broadview Heights.

The 8th grade first place winner was Lyssa Collins of St. Paul Lutheran School and second place winner was Jake Amato of Holy Trinity School.

The 9th grade first place winner was Theodore Wilson III of the Arts Academy and second place was Hannah Sellers of Kenston High School.

The 10th grade first place winner was Michelle Hoffman of Kenston High School in Bainbridge and the second place winner was Alexis McNichol of Brush High School in South Euclid.

Wednesday

2009-03-04T07:51:00.000-08:00

I can't wait for the weather to warm up. Yeah! I worked 4 days last week. After I went to the job fair I have been asking myself, "how can those companies be hiring after a lot of them just laid-off a bunch of people?" Well I found out the answer. The job fairs are planned like a year in advance. Almost all of those companies that were there were only looking to hire for one or two job openings.

Career Fair

2009-02-27T17:04:00.000-08:00

Today I went to a career fair. Unfortunately, there were only a few jobs that I would be a good match for. I would love to be the lucky person that gets the opportunity for a paid internship for computer programing. It was soooo crowded and hot. I am just happy my pantie hose stayed up...ha ha. It is a mess because people that are educated and people that are not-educated are all hurting to find jobs. Now is not the time to play "politics". Our economy is not in any shape to be giving all this money to those companies that sponsored Obamas campaign. Those companies/people should have "donated" with the intentions of "giving without getting anything in return". I believe stimulus will only occur if the money goes into the American's pockets to spend or pay bills or to save...all those actions are necessary to a healthy economy. Now is also not the time to have all these "earmarks" or special interest projects...especially when everyone is hurting...and when some of those projects are just plain stupid...even the rich.

Politics

2009-02-18T19:05:00.001-08:00

So the stimulus package was signed into law yesterday, I hope everyone is happy with the "Change". I don't get how all this money is supposed to help yet the government is projecting things to get worse. The stimulus package was supposed to help not make things worse. I also don't understand how these car makers are getting more $$$ yet laying off. The point of getting the money was to save jobs. Obama reminds me of a used cars salesman. I believe this blog is really going to gain in popularity if things don't get any better very soon.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

2009-02-14T10:05:00.000-08:00

Tonight I am going out to my favorite winery for dinner. Yummy!

The Y

2009-02-11T07:09:00.000-08:00

My Husband surprised me with an early Valentine's Day present last week. He purchased a 6 month membership to the YMCA for me. Last week I walked 6 miles...that is a lot for me....and yesterday I started going to the pool. My goal is to lose about 5-10 lbs.

Obama's Presidential Limo

2009-02-08T09:07:00.000-08:00

My cousin Tyler with Obama's new Presidential limo. Obama was in my Uncle's and Cousin's hometown in VA the other day. While Obama was delivering his stimulus package speech, they got to chat with the secret service and check-out the new limo.My Uncle has connections. Interesting fact about myself. When I was like 8 or 9 years old, I was in the Oval Office during the Reagan Administration. My Uncle was only allowed to chose one person and he picked me.

Rowdie's Prayer Request

2009-01-31T18:15:00.000-08:00

We are all doing fine. We have received the news today that Jim is laid off from his job. We know that it was Gods will to move here, so our hearts are clear about our call here. We can us prayer though for God to guide us of his plan for Jim. God has blessed our family in this move. I have been offered a job at the school where the boys go to school as an assistant teacher for the two year olds class. It is a new program for the school and they are paying for me to get credited so i can come back next year. I never saw myself as a teacher of any form especially for christian school or two year olds. Everyone of you know that i have no patience. With Gods call to this position he has not only provided patience he has called me to pray with these children and teachers. It is amazing the ladies i work with and i truly love it. But our prayers are for Jim's guidance of Gods plan for him. He is not worried or under any pressure, but wants to be serving his purpose for God it may mean in a few months to go back to work for this company...he maybe lead to something else. Please pray for our family as i know you already do. Love Rowdie

Winter Wonderland

2009-01-29T10:41:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share some photos of our last snow storm in Ohio. We got at least a foot of snow. My dogs love the snow but I think it has even been too cold for them.

Don't be Spoon Feed = Think for Yourself

2009-01-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

Topic 1: "Global Warming" now "Climate Change" get it Right!!
I have been thinking....This is the data information age! Decisions/Conclusions need to be made based on reliable and accurate sources. Al Gore I believe started this "Global Warming" epidemic. Who is Al Gore? A Politician not a scientist so what is his motive...GREED....money....increase taxes...tax the cows? Does that not sound crazy! What would they do to explain all the other "Climate Change" periods of the past...if you believe the Gradualist Theory on why the Dinosaurs became extinct due to "Climate Change" do you tax the Dinosaurs...because their poop gave off methane gas? If you look at the entire history of our plant it has always been "Climate Change" and it has little to do with human activity....and as long as the planet exists there will always be "Climate Change" in our future. Don't get me wrong I am all for taking good care of our planet earth....but to use it as a fear tool to get money....I do not agree with.

I think this is a good web site....it explains a lot...
www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/ice_ages.html

The Sahara Desert Was Once thought to be Lush and Populated....The Industrial Revolution or "Pollution" of CO2 emissions from cars etc. did not cause this "Climate Change" and other planet changes.
www.livescience.com/history/060720_sahara_rains.html

The biggest Hurricane in History occurred in 1900...6,000 to 8,000: Number of people estimated to have died during the storm. The media and politicians like to blame "Global Warning" for our current Hurricane occurrences....like Katrina. Knowing that do you believe that "Global Warming" could have caused the Galveston, Texas Hurricane of 1900?
http://www.1900storm.com/

Think about it! Even recycling ...like paper is not 100% "safe" but it is close...and it is a lot better than not recycling... Not everything can be 100% recycled during/after the recycling process.
http://www.gp.com/EducationalinNature/paper/recycling.html

To My BFFs (Best Friends Forever)

2009-01-27T14:46:00.000-08:00

To my six best friends. I consider them to be my best friends because we have been friends through think and thin...good and bad....and we have overcome the test of time. Thank you all for being there for me....even when I was not myself. I know I have not been myself lately. I am sorry! Please forgive me! I hope to be back to my playful and silly self soon. Thank you for the memories and for taking good care of me. I hope I have done the same for you. I look forward to many more good and fun times together. :)
Carrie & I in our 4th Grade Class
Carrie & I in 7th Grade Before She Moved to Illinois
Carrie Now
Rowdie & I in the summer of 1989.

Rowdie & I New Year's Eve 2009.
Vilma & I at Mentor High School.
Vilma & I After High School
Jackie & I in Florida. I think I met Jackie when I was 13.
Jackie & I (Glamor Shot Photo)
Jackie & I 2007.
Kulwant & I in Canada 2008. We have been friends forever. He now lives overseas.
Noreen & I. We met at my second job when I worked as a waitress at The Mayfield Country Club in like 1994.
I don't have a current picture of her or us together but I do have a current picture of her dogs! :)

Since God knows my heart...he blessed me with good friends.
Thanks again for being my friends! I look forward to more good times and fun times.

Happy Sunday

2009-01-25T15:11:00.000-08:00

Besides searching for work and substituting I decided I am going to start feeling good about being unemployed...no matter what people say or think. I have been feeling kind of hopeless and worthless and down on myself. I started a few household projects that I have been putting on hold for a long time. I went through my closet and drawers and reorganized my wardrobe. I am almost done with my photo project that I have been wanting to organize. I must have organized 600+ photo prints into photo albums and Sterilite plastic storage containers over the last several days. One photo album held 300 pictures alone. I put that project off for so long that it was soooo overwhelming. That is not like me. I like to get things organized and into "it's" proper spot so I know where things are at when I need them. I like to be prepared! Besides I lose a lot of time in a day just searching for things I can't find...and that adds up per week and per year etc. My next big project is to organize my computer files, folders, and photos. That will probably take about 3 weeks. I have stuff from 2000-2009 to organize. I am not looking forward to doing it but I am looking forward to feeling good about it once it is done. It is going to be a lot of work. This photo project inspired me to work on a cool new post. I hope to get time to work on it tomorrow. Since I have been out of work, I am a lot more computer literate. I taught myself how to create a web site and to create a blog....I know I have a lot more to learn though. I am addicted! :) I love learning how all this techy stuff works. I have a lot of good ideas...and I like to think I am pretty good at it too.

Shoes 4 Soles

2009-01-24T12:40:00.000-08:00

While I was at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville, TN, I saw this impressive display of kindness...how people are giving to the needy and helping to put smiles on people's faces. I think this is great because even if I don't have money now I can still help in other ways by helping to make a difference in someone's life today. I wanted to share this link with you all so I added their link to the Good News Links on the side of the page.

New Year's Resolution

2009-01-24T12:15:00.000-08:00

My New Year's Resolution is to find a safe place where I can be myself so I can feel the joy of intellectual excitement, emotional involvement and physical pleasure.

Happy New Year

2009-01-21T08:18:00.000-08:00

Well, how has your New Year been so far? Mine...so far it is just like 08....not good. I had one good opportunity come my way...I thought for sure I was going to get a long-term sub position...I was even at the right place at the right time...and nothing. I find it more and more difficult to keep my spirits up anymore. I did have a good trip to Kentucky to visit one of my best friends. We celebrated the New Year together. Her Husband took us to Nashville, TN for the day. That was a lot of fun. We went shopping at the Opry Mills Mall and went to see the Grinch Ice Exhibit. The entire exhibit was made of ICE!!! That was neat. The temperature was 5 degrees so everyone got an additional blue coat to go over our other coats....burrr!

The Three Wise Men

2008-12-24T09:12:00.001-08:00

Holy Scripture tells this story about the wise men and the child Jesus:

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him."

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, "In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 'And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.'"

Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also."

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."

When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. (Matthew 2:1-15, KJV)

Happy New Year!

2008-12-24T07:59:00.001-08:00

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I hope 2009 brings happiness and blessings to each and everyone!!!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2008-12-22T13:55:00.000-08:00

There is about a foot of snow on the ground and it looks very pretty outside but it is very very cold...... burrr! My Christmas tree!

Caroline's Week

2008-11-30T13:32:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! Mine was a lot of fun but it went by way too fast. I went out and picked out a 4 foot Christmas tree for my Grandparents and we all decorated it and made some handmade ornaments for the tree. We ate a very good meal that my Aunt Kim prepared and played Mexican Train Dominoes. Our family enjoys playing games together. I worked one day last week at UPS. Man did my legs hurt. I hope I get more work from them....I had a very difficult time getting into the truck because I am so short. I couldn't even reach the handle to pull myself up. If not, maybe UPS is not the thing for me. I worked 4 hours and made about 80 delieveries. My legs are still sore. I also went Midnight Madness shopping at the outlet mall in NE Ohio. It was a mad house...but there were a lot of good deals. My favorite deals were the sales that everything in the store was 50 % off or more. I did not like the buy one get one 1/2 off sales.

My Sunday Prayer

2008-11-23T07:41:00.000-08:00

My life is kind of boring so I have been thinking a lot about praying for the unemployed and the leaders of the nations.

Heavenly Father, we remember those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work, especially in these hard economic times. Guide the people (including myself) to use the nations public and private wealth to find suitable and fulfilling employment and earn just payment for their labor....and for the leaders of the local, state, and national governments and the businesses of our world to faithfully serve all the people in their nation in order to positively promote their well-being by making good decisions that will benefit all in order to live in peace among nations and amongst ourselves... through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Monday

2008-11-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

Today I searched jobs and found 5 to apply to. I am running out of jobs that I think that I can do to apply to. I see a lot of accounting, medical, and engineering job positions. I do have two years in a "Jr." engineering field with only on the job training completing government reports and stuff....I believe if I can do that than I can do just about anything. Maybe I can fly the space shuttle or be a surgeon. Ha ha.. I have even tried babysitting but I only received one response back and they believed that I was too "over qualified" to be a babysitter. But then I have to stop thinking about all that not so good stuff and be thankful that I had the chance to work 3 days in a row substituting last week and that I have one day of work this week.

What Are You Thankful For?

2008-11-11T15:55:00.001-08:00

Just two weeks before Thanksgiving and that made me ask myself...what am I thankful for? Thanksgiving Day comes only once a year but I began thinking that being thankful should happen everyday and should come to me just as natural as it is to drive a car. I don't know why it is sooo easy to be negative and sooo hard to stay positive. I sometimes also feel like it is sooo difficult to be thankful in the mist of not too many good things going on...so what am I thankful for? I am thankful for my friends and family, my pets, and my house. I am also thankful that I had a job interview yesterday, for nature, and for the freedom to attend church without persecution. I am also thankful for the hope that better things will come. This Thanksgiving is going to be extra special for me. This is the first time in years that our whole family will be getting together at one place in long time. My Grandparents are usually down south during the holidays but they are unable to travel anymore and some of my family live in Virginia...so this year there will be 15 of us. I am happy. We created a Thanksgiving/Christmas by having a Christmas gift exchange on Thanksgiving.

Who is Your Hero?

2008-11-10T14:06:00.000-08:00

My Hero would be someone that knew me...that knew when I was not myself. That would never be mad at me...that would be patient, respectful, kind, caring, loving, and take good care of me. My Hero would be courageous and strong...strong like a rock...yet sweet and sensitive. My Hero would look out for me...and help out..with out me needing to ask. He could read my mind and sense my feelings and emotions. He would be there for me 24/7 and would not want to share me. My Hero would also be willing to risk his life for me so I wouldn't have to risk my own.

Let it Snow...Let it Snow...Let it Snow

2008-11-10T14:01:00.000-08:00

Last night Madison, OH had its first snow fall. We got about 5 inches of snow in the last 24 hours. Madison, OH is right on Lake Erie. I live about 5 miles south of the lake. I have some good news to share with my readers. I have a job interview tomorrow for a 6-8 week full time teaching assignment. I am really excited. That should at least get me by until Christmas. Wish me luck!