Testing my Flip

Please let me know what you think. This video was taken with my Flip. This is what we do when it is too hot outside (or too wet) to walk the dogs. We have them chase the laser light. Can you hear them? Ok, you can hear them but you need to pause the music on the playlist first. How cool!!!

My New Toy

I got a new toy today. I am still trying to figure out how to get the video's to upload to the blog. Maybe because I am on a MAC right now. I will try the PC tomorrow. Mine is the orange and white one. It is really simple to use. Turn it on, point and shoot. You can zoom in and out and it has sound. Then you flip the button and a usb plug pops out that you plug into the computer. Can't get much easier than that. I got mine from Amazon.com and it was much cheaper than what this picture indicates.

I'll let you know if I run into any prolems.

More of the little lady

I had so much going through all of the pictures that I wanted to share some more with you.



She was a really happy baby!



We used to go to a place called Enchanted Village. They had rides and a kiddie pool.
I blame my best friends mother for Shay being a shopaholic. Look what she was wearing at 6 months. It shays "Born to Shop" on the top and "and shop and shop" on the leg.
I encouraged her to read at a young age.

And who does not have the butt shot?
Oops, almost had to make this R rated.
Can you find the baby?
I have more to share on another day.

The greatest day of my life

happened on May 31, 1987. That is the day that this little beauty came into my world.

I was scanning photos into the computer this weekend and decided I wanted to share some of them with you all.

3 days old and getting ready to leave the hospital.This was a normal site at the house after my mom would come home from work.

You know it is the 80's because of the big glasses.

You have to see the next 2 in order.

I love this girl!!

I leave you with sloppy kisses.

The moment before pain

For your viewing pleasure on this lovely Sunday morning.

Do you feel the pain in your joints when you look at these? I know I sure do.

Rock the Boat, Don't Rock the Boat ((baby))

Are you singing the song yet? I was as soon as I thought of the title. My post today is going to be about my opinion. My opinion is just that, mine. I may not be right in your world but I am in mine.

I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing right. That means it is worth fighting for. If you truly believe in what you are doing then fight for it. In the long run you will get the respect for having the passion.

Passion! You have to have passion about something in order to make it worth doing. If you are not passionate about it then you won't fight to do it. I am passionate about many things. First and most importantly is my family. My husband, my daughter (especially my daughter) and my brother are my only living direct family members. They are important to me and they are my passion. Karate is another passion. It is a recently acquired passion (1998) but it is deep in my heart. And I can't leave out my puppies. French Bulldogs Brutus, Molly and Binde.

Sometimes we get caught in a catch 22 situation. You want something to happen but the rules or regulations say something else. The people around you may want the same thing as you but their hands are tied by these rules and regulations. Because not everything is black and white you have to have someone that will look into the grey area to get the right answers.

Let me give you an example. I work for the Veterans Administration Homeless Grant and Per Diem Program. When we have a grant round sometimes an agency does not meet the deadline. One such agency did this in April for our deadline. We have to be fair to every other agency who met the deadline. This agency obviously was passionate about what they wanted and they contacted their congressman. Long story short, this agencies application was reviewed by the panel. I won't say if they were funded or not because those results have not been completed. But the thing is, they fought for what they wanted. They used the political clout that every one of us has access to. Our Elected Officials. The people in these positions (I believe it is actually the people who work for them) have the ability to open doors that the average citizen does not. Do we the agency hold this against them? Nope. Will it effect how we respond to them if they get funded and want to draw down on their grant? Nope.

This post is dedicated to a special young man out there. I hope he fights for what he wants and for what is right and does not worry about "what others will think" because trust me, in the long run, they won't remember, won't care. In the big picture we are just one pea in the bag of life. Do you know how many peas that is? You can even tell your supervisor that this is what you want to do and I bet you will find that they support you. Just be able to detail what it is exactly that you want.

If you read this, and I hope you do, and you want to talk in person please do not hesitate to call me. Your mom has my number. My thoughts are with you as you continue through this journey.

Well, today is the first day of the next 10 months. That means the first day that hubby is gone away to military school. He is attending the US Air Force War College at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, AL. The next couple of weeks will be hard. My exchange student, Anna, arrives on Aug 10th and then I will be too busy to feel sorry for myself. I also know that there are too many others out there whose loved ones are not as close (8 hours) as mine and don't get to see their loved ones once in awhile or talk to them numerous times per day. I am lucky beyond measure.

Have a great weekend!!

Want to know what our soldiers think about being in Iraq?

It appears that some people believe in what they are doing.

This is great. It's hard to believe that the general media hasn't pickedthis up!!!This was a joint reenlistment of 1215 American Service men and women. Great example of service and how our Military feels about the task at hand.

Want to know how the war is going? Here is a reenlistment ceremony from Baghdad on the 4th of July. It seems to say that all of the young men and women in these photos think that what they are doing is important and they want to be continue to be part of it. Somehow this did not make it onto network news broadcasts. The ceremony was held July 4, 2008 at Al Faw Palace, Baghdad, Iraq. General Petraeus officiated . A pizzeria in Chicago donated 2000 pizzas that were made last weekend, shipped on Sunday, arrived in Baghdad Wednesday and were fed to the enlistees on the 4th.

Status Update

I am so sorry that I have not posted in a week. But it is nice to know I was missed. Thanks for the comments. As I said, we have been extremely busy at work with this years grants and then I went to Houston to referee at the USA National Karate Championships and was gone Wed to Sun. Now I have to catch up with personal emails (275) and work emails (125).

If you would like to take a look at what I was doing there are pictures already posted on the website. Just go to WWW.USANKF.ORG and check it out.

Later

Storm Season

It is huricane season in Florida. How would you like living in an area where the seasons are Summer, Autumn, Winter and Huricane? Just about every afternoon the storms roll in. Of course it is at the time when I am driving home from work. You know what that means? Traffic.

Last night the storm did not hit until around 7pm but it was a doozy. Here is a video clip from my camera. I hope it comes through.

My poor Brutus. He hates thunder and this storm brought some loud thunder that rocked the house. He was actually shaking. I hate to think of him suffering alone when a storm comes through while we are at work.

Speaking of work. I have been so busy that I have not even been able to read the bogs I like to read let alone post something. I hope you all will understand.

If Red Touches Yellow

It can kill a fellow

If Red touches black, it is friend of Jacks (the snake).

This is a picture I got off the website that lists all the snakes found in Florida. This is an Eastern Coral Snake

This is the snake that got caught in the ant trap that was in OUR garage. You be the judge!

I took these pictures on Saturday. Finally looked up snakes on Sunday. That is hubbies hand holding the trap that the snake got caught in. I told him to get more traps.

2nd Posting Today

I just wanted to share Anna's Blog. Anna is my exchange student from Sweden. She will arrive sometime in August in time to start school on the 18th. She will need about a week before because there are things to do. I sent her some pictures and she posted about her room and bathroom that she will have while she is here. She is happy to have her own bathroom. Not sure if she is happy that the room is decorated in Americana because I can't read Swedish. Drop by and give her a shout out if you have time. Tell her how wonderful I am and how lucky she is to be coming to my house. Go ahead, lie for me!!

Skywatch Friday

My very first post to Skywatch. What do you think? This is a sunset from Mallory Square in Key West. This was taken On June 21, 2008.



Happy 4th of July everyone!!

Continuation of my Karate experience

I got a couple of comments yesterday from some very nice ladies who seemed to be impressed about my karate. Thank you, I am humbled.

My brother has done martial arts since he was 13. Back then I didn't even think about doing it. That was his thing. When Shay and I moved back to Seattle from Chicago I thought it would be good for her. Went to watch and she did not really want to. A couple years later we went back and there were girls her age and they embraced her into the fold. I suspect that it had something to do with who her uncle was, but I learned that "we" welcome all new students like that to a certain degree. I sat watching for 3 months, reading my newspaper, getting to know the adults in the class. And I would watch and say "I can do that. If she can do that, I can do that". So after my foot healed from surgery I started class. In the beginning it is something you do and after awhile it becomes something that you are. I love my karate-ka (fellow students) and they are all a big part of my life. It has been especially joyful in that it is something that I do with Shay AND my brother. At the 30th Anniversary Banquet he gave a speech and got choked up when he said how proud he was that his sister and niece were in it with him.

I have been lost for the past year because I have not been able to work out very much. I am hoping that this dojo in New Port Richey is what I am looking for.

As a side note I wanted to let you all know who the head Sensei of my organization is. Have you ever heard of Yoshida Sauce? Well, that is him. We call him Sensei Yoshida and he is an awesome karate-ka.

Here is a picture of some of my favorite black belts. My brother, Jay. Sensei Yoshida, Sensei Yamizaki (from California), Sensei James and Sensei Mark. As you can probably tell, I did not get my brother height or dark complexion.

I can hardly walk today

So I finally got off my butt and went and trained last night. I swear I felt like this guy must have felt after this kick to the face.
Or maybe after one of these guys kicked my butt.

Seriously, I am a little sore today. I worked out for 2 hours last night. Just working on the basics and some Kata's but I worked up a good sweat. I started Karate late in life but my single most (personal) proud moment in my karate career has to have been this day. On this day in November 2004 I received my black belt.
This is a group shot of the folks from my dojo (school) that were there to cheer us on. Man, I miss those guys.

Pictures from Key West

Finally, I have pictures from Key West to post. Aren't you excited? I know I am.

This is the Southernmost Point in the US.

This is a sunset looking out from Mallory Square.
This is looking out the bottom of the glass bottom boat. Hubby had to take these.
Same
Because I was up top not feeling so well. Hubby was not feeling well after he took this!

This is a cat sleeping on Hemingways bed. There are over 70 cats that live at this place. Don't they believe in the spay and neuter program?

And chickens and roosters are a protected animal so they wonder around wherever they want. They even walk in the restuarants.

On another note, I have a rant. I have a friend in Denver who rescues Deaf French Bulldogs. She had contacted me earlier to see if I could pick up a puppy in St. Cloud, FL and since it is only 90 miles away I told her sure. Well, then they ladies husband said no. Well, yesterday the lady wrote to my friend and said "he is available. I need to find him a new home before this weekend. We were out of town and he did not do well. And I am going out of town this weekend and again the next weekend". So my friend contacts me and I say sure. Hubby and I are planning to go out to pick up this deaf puppy (I think he is 4 months old). Then she calls me and tells me that the lady already has someone coming over. WTF! Why would you write to someone and tell them he is available if you already have someone else coming over to pick him up. Some people should not be pet owners! Having a deaf dog is very hard and especialy if you are not trained in having them. I just hope who ever she sold him to takes care of him. I ended up contacting the lady and told her that if for whatever reason it did not work out to please, please contact me. It is important just to get them out of a situation and worry about the other stuff later.

Don't venting. 2 more days and Shay will be here for the weekend. What to do?