Things Overheard...

...in the newsroom:

"Yeah, they had one of them civil rivalry things. You know. Where brothers and sisters don't get along."

"I axed them to do it."

"I lost all respect for Harrison Ford when he started sleeping with Calista Flockhart. That would be like making love to a green bean!"

Anchor: "You missed the poopin' and pukin'."
Sports: "Poopin' and pukin'?"
Anchor: "Yeah, I was sick." (pause) "I prefer the poop to the puke."

In reaction to the story about Kobe Bryant being suspended for using his elbow to stop an opponents nose in a game Thursday:

"This is the NBA. The National Battery Association? The National Battery and Assault?"

Yes, these are the people who bring you the news!

As heard by the radio announcers at Thursday's Iowa State Women's Basketball game as Coach Fennelly was putting in walk-on player Kandice Beenken:

"If you get the ball just jack it up!" ISU won 77 to 28 tying a record for least points scored by an opponent.

Like Father, Like Son

More so every day. This picture is from our trip to Europe, during the rush from one plane to another in Heathrow Airport.

Nimitz' Lady

E.R.

I'm not generally someone who schedules their life around the TV schedule. But I do have a few shows I like to watch. Usually ones with good characters.

One show I do enjoy is E.R. on NBC. I began watching this show when I was home on maternity leave with JBP five years ago.

I fell in love with Abby and Dr. Kovac. Since then the writers have split the two of them up and paired them with others. Then split them up again.

Now, they're finally back together. And in the last episode before "Christmas Reruns" Abby told Kovac she was pregnant. Right at the end of the episode. Then left us hanging for his reaction (although if they remain true to the character, I could tell you right now what the reaction will be) for three whole weeks! Three weeks!

The next new episode is a week from tomorrow. I'm already setting my VCR. Yes, I still use a VCR. I haven't convinced myself to spring for the extra money for digital cable and a DVR, yet. It's coming soon though, I can feel it.

Nimitz' Lady

We Forgot!

This evening, while I was home for supper, Grammy sent JBP upstairs to search for his shoes. I don't know why.

He muttered about not being able to find them and then disappeared into his room. At first all was quiet. Then I heard ripping and tearing sounds.

I grew concerned and went to investigate.

Turns out, apparently while looking for his shoes, he'd rediscovered some toys from his Opa we'd brought back from Europe and stashed in his closet.

He was busy tearing open the box to the race cars & track so he could get all the pieces out. Half of them were already strewn across the floor.

He looked up at me solemnly and said, "I can't believe we forgot to open some of my Christmas presents."

I wanted to double over laughing. He was soooo serious about it.

Instead I somehow maintained a serious facade and made him put the pieces back into what remained of the box and put the box back into the closet.

I told him it was because he hadn't asked. If he behaved himself, Mama and Dada would help him put the racetrack together sometime in the next few days.

He took the delay with rather good grace, I must say. He can be such a good boy. When he wants to.

Nimitz' Lady

Cameo

I made a cameo appearance in the 6pm news tonight. And I wasn't looking my best, to say the least.

The story? A piece on how local gyms are so busy with folks trying to lose that Christmas weight. Not very original. In fact, we do the same story every year around this time. But still the truth none-the-less.

Anyway, I happened to be at the gym the photog(rapher) went to to get the story. I was running the track as part of my Boot Camp class when he showed up. The first shot he got was a nice long one of me running right at the camera!

Needless to say the @#^#%^&*^ used it in the 6pm story.

It was bad enough they had to use a shot of big-ol'-lug me running. Not elegant at the best of times.

But today I'd barely made it to the gym and was wearing some ratty old workout clothes (as opposed to a couple of relatively cute workout outfits I've got).

Then, the photog had to go and shoot the video more than halfway through the class, so I was all sweaty and beet-red in the face.

Not a pretty picture. But I guess it was news 'cause it made the air.

At least I now have proof I actually do exercise, despite my girth.
Nimitz' Lady

Breaking News

No rest for we weary souls in the newsroom. Instead, we have been abundantly blessed by the 'breaking news gods'. Over-abundantly!

Normally, on a holiday week such as this, we would struggle to come up with enough stories like, "How to keep your Christmas leftovers from making you sick" and "Losing those Christmas inches", etc.

Instead, we've had a steady diet of what we refer to as "breaking news". These are events that constitute news but are *not planned on or expected.

We've had fatal car crashes galore, bank robberies, bomb threats that evacuate the local mall, 4-alarm business fires (only the 2nd such fire since I moved here four years ago!), domestic violence incidents that end with a self-defense murder by bb gun!, etc.

The types of stories that on a normal week we'd sometimes devote two or three reporters to are now only getting one reporter. We've simply run out of people due to vacations.

Those of us left are getting very brain-weary and starting to make mistakes. We need someone to come off the bench and give us a time-out! Soon.

Oh, and while you're at it, could you call off the 'breaking news gods'? I'd love a good old-fashioned week-between-christmas-and-new-year's type story about now.

Nimitz' Lady

Favorites

Here are a few of my favorite things:

Favorite Color
Red

Favorite Animal
Cat (Tiger if I must be more specific)

Favorite Music
This one completely depends on my mood. Overall favorite? Perhaps Native American & Celtic Instrumental music.

Favorite Genre (for TV/Books, etc)
Science Fiction/Alternative History

Favorite Author
David Weber. And Eric Flint. And David Drake. And Mercedes Lackey. And Anne McCaffrey. And John Ringo. And, and, and. Get the picture?

Favorite Book (not including the Bible)
Science Fiction: At All Costs
Other: The Hiding Place

Favorite Comic Book
X-Men

Favorite TV Shows
On Air: E.R., Grey's Anatomy, Commander & Chief, West Wing, Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica
Re-Runs: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, any Star Trek series, Babylon 5, The Young Riders

Favorite Movie
Born Free & Casablanca

Favorite Actor/Actress
Orlando Bloom/Janeane Garofalo

Favorite Language
Spanish

Favorite Sport
Basketball

Favorite Team
Iowa State Cyclones, duh!

Favorite Form of Exercise
Tae Kwon Do/Kickboxing

Favorite Food
Thai and Japanese (Asian?)

Favorite Hobby
Uh? Reading? Maybe?

Favorite Place to Travel
Anywhere overseas that I haven't been yet!

Nimitz' Lady

Daddy Time

The last few days have been so nice out, mid 50's!, that Der Deutscher and JBP have spent a lot of time outdoors. Usually playing baseball.

Today, they were out back when I noticed the neighbor boys out front playing basketball. I passed the information on.

Now usually this would be enough to have JBP racing for the front door. This time he paused, thought about it, then said, "I think I'll just stay back here and play baseball." The last two unsaid words would've been, 'with Dada.'

I'm so glad for both of them. Even if I am insanely jealous of the time off they're getting. I must go to work every afternoon. I don't want to work! I want to play too!!!

Nimitz' Lady

Weigh In

As promised here is the result of my weekly weigh-in.

Today: 204.5 lbs
Last Tuesday: 201.5 lbs
Difference: +3 lbs
Amt to Goal Weight: 44.5 lbs

The bad news? I'm up from last week in a point in my body's cycle that I should be automatically down. The good news? Almost all of the Christmas goodies in the house have now been consumed.

I am currently drinking water and munching carrots for supper.

Here's hoping I can keep it up.
Nimitz' Lady

Exhausted

I am tired. I mean exhausted, bone deep. In my rush to get everything done in the last week I have subsisted on four to five hours of sleep a night.

To put this in perspective, I'm someone who needs 7.5 to eight hours a night in order to function properly.

All that lost sleep is catching up with me. And now it's all I can do to drag myself to work. Thank goodness I actually have to produce newscasts this week. It's the only thing preventing me from getting keyboard-face.

Nimitz' Lady

Exhausted

I am tired. I mean exhausted, bone deep. In my rush to get everything done in the last week I have subsisted on four to five hours of sleep a night.

To put this in perspective, I'm someone who needs 7.5 to eight hours a night in order to function properly.

All that lost sleep is catching up with me. And now it's all I can do to drag myself to work. Thank goodness I actually have to produce newscasts this week. It's the only thing preventing me from getting keyboard-face.

Nimitz' Lady

Exhausted

I am tired. I mean exhausted, bone deep. In my rush to get everything done in the last week I have subsisted on four to five hours of sleep a night.

To put this in perspective, I'm someone who needs 7.5 to eight hours a night in order to function properly.

All that lost sleep is catching up with me. And now it's all I can do to drag myself to work. Thank goodness I actually have to produce newscasts this week. It's the only thing preventing me from getting keyboard-face.

Nimitz' Lady

Christmas Day

So, despite all my forbodings, Christmas Day wasn't a complete wash.

I began the day just as tense as I'd been most of the week, ready to explode at the slightest nudging. But a church service filled with praise and thanksgiving songs went a long way toward soothing this savage beast.

Although not enough to keep my from nearly biting my lip in two to keep from verbally ripping a woman's head off in Sabbath School and stomping on it. We're studying the book The Five Love Languages on relationships. She kept trying to make it into a Man vs Woman power struggle thing. It's not. It's gender neutral. It's about how to recognize what your mate needs to feel loved and give it to them. (A very good book. I'd definitely recommend it.)

But that was the worst of my day. I managed not to turn Sabbath School class into World War III and moved on.

We had a light lunch, cold sandwiches, and began cooking for the elaborate dinner which just kept growing in size every time I turned around. We're still finishing off the leftovers two whole days later! Leftovers never last that long in my family.

Dinner was yummy. But we couldn't linger over it due to JBP's eagerness to get to the presents. He got lots of wonderful boy things. A Power Ranger (which I detest for it's campiness), matchbox cars with a DVD video, a Rescue Hero with snowmobile & two dogs to pull it, a couple of lego sets to build two different kinds of fire engines, etc. Enough to send any little boy into bliss.

Der Deutscher loved the Iowa State blanket I made him, even though he pretty much knew it was coming. I had to buy the material while we were in Ames and I couldn't shake him loose long enough to buy it without him. Oh well, he still liked it.

In fact, everyone liked my offerings. Thank goodness. I spent enough time making them. In the last two weeks I have made a total of three blankets, 12 pillows, 1 crocheted poncho and several dozen cookies.

At this point if I don't see another piece of fuzzy fleecy fabric for six months I would be perfectly happy. Okay, three months. By summer I'll be back at it, I'm sure.

Overall, things went swimmingly despite my scroogy mood. I hope your Christmas was the Merry Day you wished for.

Nimitz' Lady

P.S. I'll try to get some pictures up by the end of the week. I haven't even seen what Der Deutscher shot yet. =)

The Dump

When JBP and I go to the gym we always park in the corner of the lot farthest from the building. I figure we're going to get exercise, why not start with a warm-up walk across the parking lot.

JBP likes it, cause he can travel completely solo--first on grass then on the sidewalk. No need to wait for slow old momma.

What he doesn't like is that someone, or someones, has chosen to use this back corner of the lot as a dumping ground.

He always has to pick his way around piles of trash: old pop bottles, candy wrappers, etc. He always comments on the "rudeness" of whoever is doing the dumping.

Today he said, "Momma, who thinks this is a landfill?"

He also worries every time we throw something in the trash. His constant comment, "Momma, you should recycle that. Recycling is good for the 'vironment."

My environmentally concious young man.
Nimitz' Lady

Cool Gifts

I'm a sucker for neat little toys that fit on your keychain. This year I've already gotten a couple cool such gifts.

The first came at the end of our Women's Bible Study for the year. The leader had found these neat little miniature (yes, Ma, I know that's redundant!) Bibles on a keychain. It's so small you need a magnifying glass to read it. Mine has the blue stone.

Later the same day, CNN sent us (at my TV station) a bunch of miniature flashlights that, again, are on a key chain. I was lucky enough to get one. As I'm a manager I usually pass up these affiliate "gifts" but I just couldn't resist the keychain flashlights.

Anyway, when you shine the flashlight on the wall, in the middle of the circle of light is a red CNN logo. It's "toool!" in the words of my 5.75 year old. (Hey that .75 of a year makes a huge difference at his age!)

In fact, I've had to fight him over it. He's at the stage where he's fascinated with any flashlight and he has regular access to this one.

Two years ago, while in Ames, I bought a key chain that played the Iowa State Fight Song. JBP and I played it so much during away games that after two seasons it died on us.

I'm such a key chain collector that once in high school I had a key chain that was over a foot long! I had to get rid of it because it was so heavy I was afraid it would damage the car's ignition.

Since then I've learned to rotate what's on my keychain so it doesn't get out of hand.

Nimitz' Lady

Poor Kitty

Sa the Chicken Cat, henceforth referred to as Chicken, isn't such a wuss after all. She may be skittish as all get out but when it comes to defending her territory and fighting off attacks from her own kind she's got feline guts.

Last night when I came home from work, Chicken greeted me. At first I didn't notice anything wrong. But then I noticed she was limping.

Upon further inspection I discovered a half-inch gash in her right forepaw. She must've gotten it defending her territory from the interloper cat that's sprayed our front doorstep the last two nights.

She still hasn't shown any signs of fever or infection so the vet says just keep her leg disinfected and let it heal on its own (or we could come in and pay $100+ to have him disinfect it and give her an antibiotic she probably won't need).

Der Deutscher has this Healing Herb Oil he brought from Germany. It works really well as a disinfectant for animals of all shapes and sizes, except perhaps fish. =)

The problem? It smells very strongly, even to my poor, stunted human nose. I can't even begin to imagine what it smells like to someone with a real sniffer, like Chicken.

So, in order to use it on her (or any of the other pets for that matter) I've had to sneak up on her and simply douse it. No time for finesse.

It only takes a few drops to do the job. But, since there's no time to aim there's no way to know exactly how much will land on its intended target.

So far, I've done this twice. I'll keep it up until the wound completely dries up, stops oozing, whatever you want to call it.

Once she's doused she takes off. She'll then spend the next half hour or so trying to escape the smell attached to her front paw. Occasionally she'll lift the paw to her face, like she's going to lick it clean, get a whiff of the disinfectant, shake the paw and take off again.

It's hilarious, in a sad way. Hopefully the rest of Chicken's Christmas will go better than this.

Nimitz' Lady

Closed for Christmas

The recent controversy raging over some Sunday churches closing this week for Christmas absolutely puzzles me.

While I'm not one to say, you can't do that, it's wrong! I also simply can't imagine foregoing the opportunity to attend church services on this most Holy of holidays.

I think many people have forgotten that the term 'holiday' is a contraction of Holy Day, with capital letters.

For me, at least, Christmas is (should be) about remembering the sacrifice Christ made for us. First, in coming to this earth in human form and suffering through a human life for 33 years. Then, in dying to save us from our own sins.

That's one thing I admire about the Catholic Church (I disagree with them on many, many points of theology), they hold special services, or masses, on every holiday. They've remembered the meaning of the term.

So, for most of my life, I've eagerly anticipated years when Christmas falls on the weekend. Since we celebrate on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day I get a double whammy.

Last year Christmas Day fell on Sabbath (the 7th day of the week). This year CHristmas Eve falls on Sabbath.

Despite all my troubles this Christmas season, I can't wait to attend church services tomorrow and simply can't imagine deciding to forego a celebration of the greatest gift of all in order to open earthly presents.

Just my thoughts.
Nimitz' Lady

P.S. Here's a great essay on the theological reasons to attend/hold services this weekend.

Back to Work

And to top it all off, after the last two weeks of non-stop activity, by rights I should be able to relax on Christmas Day.

Instead I have to head BACK TO WORK! That's right, I'm paying for my extra-long Thanksgiving Vacation in Europe by working Christmas Day.

Yay me! Not. Sometimes I am so beyond ready to get out of the news business.

Nimitz' Lady

The Menu

Here's what we're planning on for the BIG MEAL tomorrow.
------------------

1. Special K Loaf (for the vegetarians)
2. Turkey Breast (for the carnivores)
3. Rot Kraut (a red cabbage dish that's traditional Christmas food in Germany)
4. Knudeln (a stuffing type dish that's also traditional Christmas food in Germany)
5. Homemade applesauce
6. Steamed Broccoli
7. Stir-fried Green Beans
8. Au Gratin Potatoes
9. Corn Bread
10. European-type Bread
11. Jelly Bellies (JBP's addition)
12. Petit Fours
13. Maple Sugar candies
14. Belgian Chocolates
15. Macadamia Fruit Cake

Numbers 10 through 14 are pre-made items we bought online from Swiss Colony (great store, BTW). Numbers one through nine must be cooked tomorrow. Of course Oma/MIL is making numbers two, three and four. And Aunty Wowis is bringing #8, the potatoes. But that leaves me with the Special K Loaf, applesauce, broccoli, green beans and corn bread.

Nimitz' Lady

Almost Done

After a little help, okay a lot of help, from Grammy and JBP this morning I am almost done with the pre-Christmas requirements.

I only have one gift left to make, for JBP. I can do that when I get home from work tonight.

The house is clean, at least as clean as it's going to get.

All the gifts that are finished are wrapped and labeled.

The tree is up (sort of) with presents beneath it.

The shopping is done for tomorrow's big event.

I even rented movies to keep everyone entertained on Sunday.

Now, all I have to worry about is cooking Christmas Eve dinner. I ran out of time this morning, so will have to begin cooking tomorrow morning instead. Hopefully I can get it done.

Even if I don't there'll be plenty to eat. It's just a matter of how high a percentage of the food is actually good for us and how much of it is junk. Yummy junk, true, but junk all the same.

Nimitz' Lady

Broken Christmas (Tree)

In another sign of just how awful this whole Christmas season has been for me, our Christmas tree broke this morning.

This, after I got home last night to discover Grammy (JBP's, who also happens to be my mother) and JBP had put the tree up and decorated it for me. What a blessing not to have to worry about at least that chore.

Well, this morning, while we were cleaning house, JBP was playing around downstairs near the tree. The little toy he was playing with went flying, straight under the tree. So, he wiggled under to get it out.

While wiggling, he managed to damage part of the base, permanently crippling the poor tree.

He was quite upset, telling Grammy, "It's my fault."

As she told him, it would've happened anyway because eventually he'd have been back under there at our behest to plug in the tree lights.

So now, the tree is tipped back into the corner of the room, with presents still spilling out around it. Monday we may try to get a new base, if that's possible. But for now we're just going to let it sit. There's nothing I can conceive of that would get me to go to a store between now and Monday. No way, no how.

So, for me, (the) Christmas (tree) will simply remain broken.
Nimitz' Lady

One Good Deed

American Humane Association Urges Congress, Air Force, to Grant Wish of Wounded Soldier and Her Bomb-Sniffing Dog

DENVER, Dec. 22 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A wounded Colorado-based soldier and Rex, the dog that has been her military partner and nearly inseparable companion, may have extra cause for
celebration this holiday, according to the American Humane Association.

A Defense bill passed by Congress this week contains a provision that allows exceptions to the law prohibiting the adoption of military working dogs before the end of their useful life, and will make it possible for Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jamie Dana to adopt Rex.

Coverage of the injuries Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jamie Dana received while serving in Iraq, indicated that her last thoughts before falling into a coma were of Rex, the bomb-sniffing dog that had trained and served by her side for three years.

Throughout Sgt. Dana's recovery Rex has remained her constant companion. When she asked permission from the military to adopt Rex into her family, Sgt. Dana was told the request
would take an Act of Congress.

Rex is a military dog with several years of useful services remaining on his enlistment. There was no authority in the law for exceptions, even in extraordinary circumstances.

"The American Humane Association, lawmakers from both parties, and thousands of Americans have come out in support of keeping the bond between these two soldiers unbroken," says Marie Belew Wheatley, CEO and president of the American Humane Association.

Already approved by both the House and Congress, the bill awaits the Presidents signature before the Secretary of the Air Force can grant permission for the adoption to go forward.

"We urge Air Force officials to act quickly and use this new authority to preserve the relationship Sgt. Dana and Rex built through their brave service," says Wheatley. "The story of Sgt. Dana and Rex affirms the power of the bond between humans and animals, and serves as a fitting tribute to the many contributions animals make in our lives."

At least they, Congress, got one thing right this year. Now, can Pres. Bush follow through?
Nimitz' Lady

Puerto Rican plebiscite

A presidential task force thinks it's time for a new plebiscite in Puerto Rico.

For those in the know, that's a territory-wide vote to learn what the people of Puerto Rico want to happen. Do they want to remain a U.S. Territory? Do they want to become the 51st state? Do they want to become their own country?

Puerto Rico became a U.S. Territory following the Spanish American War in 1896. Since then residents have regularly voted in plebiscites.

The most recent plebiscite was held in 1998 when "none of the above" (essentially remain a territory) won by just over 50%.

If the answer remains the same this time around, the task force says regular votes should be held to inform Congress of what Puerto Ricans want.

Especially important, seeing as how, like Washington, D.C., they have no voting representation in Congress but must follow any laws passed there. Sound familiar, anyone?

Pres. Clinton convened the task force in 2000.

All I can say is, "51! 51! 51!"

Nimitz' Lady

Oops!

At least I haven't done this, as reported by the Associated Press:

Dead State Tree

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Rhode Island's official Christmas tree is dead. Statehouse workers unwittingly killed the 18-foot Colorado blue spruce by drying it with commercial fans and spraying it with a fire-retardant chemical.

The workers were following a stringent new fire code that was enacted after a nightclub blaze in West Warwick killed 100 people two years ago. But it turned out that the requirement to douse Christmas trees in public buildings with fire retardant was lifted earlier this month.

Growers are rushing to get a replacement tree for the statehouse. And a spokesman for overnor Donald Carcieri promises "This one will not be sprayed."

The governor is suggesting the state might get an artificial replacement next year.

--Nimitz' Lady

Online Basketball

After missing Tuesday's game and three days of trying I've finally figured out how to access the free online broadcast of Iowa State's women's basketball games.

At least one thing is going right, today. Now, if the ladies can just defeat their first ranked opponent of the season.

Nimitz' Lady

Pet Peeves

There are a few things that just really get me. They happen with regularity and annoy me every single time.

Such as: computers that think they're smarter than you are. i.e. I put in two spaces after a period. Computer decides it should be just one space and changes it.

Such as: weather people who talk about the "border" between states (or counties). Look it up in a dictionary folks. Borders are between countries. Lines are between states and counties.

Such as: otherwise knowledgeable people using the made-up word "efforting". Effort is a noun. It is not a verb! Go back to English Class.

Such as: those who deliberately mispronounce someone's name because they don't like them. e.g. Pres. Bush, Sr always calling Saddam Hussein Sad-Damn. (This may have something to do with my having an unusual hispanic first name that many people have trouble pronouncing and even more like to deliberately mispronounce.)

Such as: people who can't admit when they're wrong, or they just don't know. (I admit occasionally I am one of these people and I piss me off too when I do it.)

Such as: those of the male persuasion who go on and on about how logical men are and illogical women are. These same people usually go on to prove just the opposite, in my experience.

Such as: those who can't admit that maybe, just maybe, there's more than one way to skin a cat. Figuratively, folks, figuratively. I would never consider actually skinning a cat!

What are your pet peeves?
Nimitz' Lady

Busy Morning

7:45 a.m. JBP crawls into bed with me. Pesters me until alarm goes off and it's time to get up.

8:00 a.m. Alarm goes off. I crawl out of bed, blearily put in my contacts and collect items needed to make, another, pillow for Christmas gift.

9:15 a.m. Get dressed. Swallow two slices of apple cinnamon Christmas bread. Pick up odds and ends around the house. Write shopping list.

10:00 a.m. Go grocery shopping for Christmas Eve dinner. Realize JBP hasn't bought any gifts for Der Deutscher, Grammy or Aunty Wowis. Help him pick out gifts and end up doubling our time at the store.

11:30 a.m. Bake cookies for JBP's day care. He promised them on Tuesday, when I took cookies to work for the food fest.

12:30 p.m. Between batches of cookies, wrap presents and clean kitchen.

1:00 p.m. Try to teach JBP words to Away in A Manger for church Christmas program. Am an abysmal failure. He fights. End up sending him in to time out.

1:20 p.m. Realize I've forgotten to pack my gym back and am running out of time. Pack gym bag and turn on drier while in laundry room.

1:25 p.m. Hustle JBP, clutching plate of cookies to his chest, into car. Drop him off at day care and head to work.

The good news: I got a lot done this morning. The bad news: There's still a lot left to do.

Nimitz' Lady

500 and Counting

Yeah, I've hit the half a millenia mark for page hits. That must mean someone (besides my friends and family) is reading what I have to say.

Nimitz' Lady

Trauma and the Fury

Over the last few days I have been bombarded with co-workers oh-so-cute photos of their young, barely out of infanthood, children screaming their heads off while forced to sit on Santa's lap.


(This is not one of them. It's from another blog I read. But it's a good example of what I'm ranting about.)

Everyone is cooing over them. Meanwhile I sit in my corner of the newsroom silently fuming over the trauma these otherwise loving parents are inflicting on their trusting offspring.

I take some pride in the fact I've been able to keep my mouth shut, so far. But I don't know how much longer my fury can be silenced. If I see one more child screaming for rescue from the scary man with the beard I may just lose it. Again.

Nimitz' Lady

Egg-prize

When she visits, my MIL(aka Oma) gives JBP a little egg. It's got a thin chocolate shell and inside it has a toy he has to put together. He adores these little egg-prizes.

Today, he got a little prize on a rope (we're not exactly sure what it's supposed to be) and he's been running around all day with it around his wrist/elbow/upper arm. He calls it his "Lucky Charm" (no relation to the cereal).

After my breakdown during my supper break this evening JBP came up and gave me his prize from today's egg to keep with me. The admonishment not to lose it accompanied the gift.

He's so sweet. I have it safely tucked away in a zippered coat pocket. He makes life worth living even at the worst of times.

Nimitz' Lady

Losing It

I am losing it. I haven't said anything on the blog about what's been going on with me yet because I set this up to be an update for family and friends. But some things need to be said, somewhere, somehow.

This is my place.

I have been PMS'ing in a way I haven't since I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in college and got it properly treated.

Last week, I found myself literally yelling and screaming at JBP for just being a kid. The poor boy was so confused. He hadn't done anything wrong. Inside I was scrambling desperately to shut my mouth, but seemed to have no control over it.

And I've been taking everything so personally. Last night when I came to bed Der Deutscher rolled over facing away from me. I was upset. This morning, JBP was excited to go see his Oma who's visiting. I was insulted he didn't want to play with me.

Then there's been my inability to connect with what is usually my favorite season of the year. This year all I want to do is crawl into bed with a pile of books, lose myself in someone else's exciting life and get lots of sleep.

Tonight at supper things came to a head in the completely unpredictable and illogical way they tend to.

Der Deutscher and I were discussing Christmas Eve dinner, as I am planning on doing the shopping tomorrow morning. He said his mother (Oma) was taking the day off and I didn't need to pick her up from the hotel. All she would need for her part of the dinner was turkey.

This is where things started to get weird. He said something about the kind of turkey you put in a pan and fry, not the big frozen bowling ball type turkeys. I (raised a vegetarian) was completely lost.

As I told him, I know frozen turkey breasts you defrost and bake in the oven and I know deli cut turkey slices you can eat out of the package. I have no idea what you're talking about.

Then, JBP started trying to climb into my lap and say something to me and I just lost it. I could tell I was going, so I quickly got up and headed into the other room where I bawled my eyes out for about 15 minutes. I did not want my son to see me in this condition.

Unfortunately he followed me and started to get a little upset. Der Deutscher, understanding I wouldn't want JPB to witness my meltdown, took him back into the bedroom to play. I got even more upset that he (Der Deutscher) didn't stay with me!

Hey, I did say this was illogical. I don't know what's going on with me. I just wish it would pass, so I could get my life back. Thanks for letting me pour it all out on your cyber shoulders. Please don't hold this against me. =)

Nimitz' Lady

Fighting Back

In my years battling the bulge one thing I've learned is not to make it the be all-end all of your day. That being said, I only weigh in once a week, no matter how tempting it is to hop on the scales before and after every morsel I put in my mouth.

I have managed to hit the gym three times already this week. I'm aiming for five times a week until I get back down to my goal weight. Four I can manage with ease, it's the fifth day I seem to struggle with.

The other way I'm fighting back right now is by writing down everything I eat through the day. History has shown a couple weeks of food diary-ing (is that a word?) should get me back on the nutritional track.

At the same time I'm seriously battling myself to keep from hitting the break room still full of delicious goodies from yesterday's food fest.

Nimitz' Lady

Weighty Matters

Eight years ago when Der Deutscher and I got engaged, I hit the gym, started dieting and starting turning my life around physically and emotionally. Over the next two years I lost over 20 pounds and kept losing until I got pregnant. Not good to lose weight while pregnant.

When I finally dropped under 200 lbs I swore I would never top that mark again.

Promise to self broken today. I weighed in this evening at 201.5 lbs.

Starting now I'm going to post my weekly weigh in on this site. Maybe that will help me stick with the diet/exercise plan I know I need to stay healthy.

It's no wonder my joints ache lately. I'm carrying around an extra excess poundage. Time to slough it off!

Nimitz' Lady

Oh!

Did I mention I have to clean house, too?

Again?

Nimitz' Lady

Reward: Foooooood!

For the last several days I've been running around in a frenetic frenzy trying to get everything DONE. But everytime I think I'm over the hump, a new to-do list springs out to slap me in the face!

This morning I arose at the un-holy hour of 8 a.m. (remember I'm at work until 11pm or midnight) and started wrapping presents.

Once JBP got up, it was off to UPS to ship presents. Shipping costs at least as much as worth of gifts!

Then shopping for baking that needed to be done for the office party this afternoon.

Then, off to drop off some rental movies. Halfway to the movie store I realize I've forgotten baking items. So we stop at the *other grocery store near the movie store and shop some more.

Drop off the movies and head home to start baking.

Pick up Oma/MIL from the hotel. More baking.

Pack my gym bag (I am trying), finish baking, pack the cookies up, pack the boy up and head off to day care and work in a daze.

My reward for this morning's marathon? A spread like I haven't seen in forever. I've been stuffing my face since I walked in. Ironically (or not so) I'm not the least interested in the baked goods. I want the crackers, cheese, carrots, cider. And I'm having it! Diet rules be damned. I need some comfort!

Just take a look at what's still on the to-do list:

• Put up Christmas tree & decorate house
• Make Der Deutscher's, JBP's and Grammy's gifts
• Make cookies for JBP's day care class
• Shop for items for Christmas dinner
• Balance checkbook and pull $$$ out of bodily crevices to pay for all this
• Make Christmas dinner
• Find the Christmas spirit, somewhere!

Nimitz' Lady

Christmas Meme

Since I'm just plain too exhausted to come up with anything to write about, since I've been just too... well... exhausted... to think, I'm taking a leaf from Cubbiegirl's book and doing this Christmas meme. BTW, what's a %^*$^#%#@ meme? Can anyone tell me? Please!!!!!

Okay, I put Sybill back in her cage. Now on to answer some Christmassy questions:


Colored Lights or White?
White, all the way. It just seems more Christmassy and less neon-y to me.

Real tree or fake tree?
Fake. I actually prefer a real tree but bought a fake one last year because it's supposed to be better for JBP's and Der Deutcher's allergies. The things I do for love. At least there're no needles to vaccuum up everyday.

What is your least favorite thing about the holidays?
Shopping. The crowds, the long lines, the un-ending, desperate search for the perfect gift that doesn't exist. Which is why this year I'm making all my gifts.

What is the one thing that you would like to see under the tree this year?
A big fat check that would mean I didn't have to spend the next two to three years saving up to even get Der Deutscher to begin discussing adoption.

What is your favorite thing to do/build in the snow?
Then: snowforts, with tunnels!
Now: snow angels

What is your favorite holiday drink?
Peppermint cocoa, closely followed by Starbuck's peppermint mocha!

What is your favorite holiday smell?
Christmassy baking. The vanilla, the cinnamon, the chocolate. I'm gaining weight just thinking about it!

Who is your favorite reindeer?
Hunh? What do reindeer have to do with Christmas?

What is your Christmas Eve ritual?
We usually invite a bunch of people over, folks who live too far away to go home for Christmas, have a big family dinner, read the Christmas story in the Bible then open presents. This is, mostly, a tradition from Der Deutscher's family. The guests are added from my family's traditions.

Are you a Friday after Thanksgiving shopper?
No way! You wouldn't catch me buying a stick of butter the day after Thanksgiving! Well, unless we're in Europe, where they don't have such foolishness.

What is your favorite holiday food?
Any of it! All of it! Especially if it includes chocolate. And peppermint. Maybe that explains my ever-expanding waistline. Must. Get. Back. To. The. Gym.

How did you find out that Santa wasn't real?
Santa? Who's Santa?

Who do you want to be under the mistletoe with?
Der Deutscher, who else?

Have you bought all your presents yet?
Yes. Unfortunately, I decided to make all my presents this year. So I've bought the fixings and must now get to the fixin' part! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Do you spend Christmas with a lot of family?
Actually, not really. Although Der Deutscher and I both have quite large extended families we don't live near most of them. Perhaps that's why I have a tendency to invite strays over to celebrate with. Usually it's just me, Der Deutscher, JBP, Grammy & Aunty Wowis. This year Oma/MIL is joining us as well.

Do you still make snowmen and snow angels?
Rarely. It doesn't snow often enough or stick around long enough here for me to get the time off work to just go out and play in the snow.

What's your favorite Christmas movie?
The Gift of the Magi

What do you plan to do for New Year's Eve?
Sleep.

What's the weirdest thing you've ever gotten for Christmas?
A used book. It was a nice gesture from a college friend who couldn't afford much and knew I liked to read. So he gave me a book he'd read. Unfortunately, not my taste (and really torn up book, too).

What's the most expensive thing you've gotten for Christmas?
I'm sure it's something from Der Deutscher. He's always buying me jewelry. But, for much of it I have no idea on the cost, cause I suck at that type of thing and could really care less how much something cost, anyway.

How early do you wake up on Christmas morning?
I sleep in. The advantages of celebrating/opening gifts on Christmas Eve. Nothing to get up early for and a kid with lots of new toys to keep him occupied!

What do you usually get in your stocking?
Stocking? What do stockings have to do with Christmas? Actually, we do sort of do the stocking thing. We've got to use our fireplace for something after all. It's usually little candies, perfumes, lotions, that sort of thing. Not much.

What about you?
Nimitz' Lady

Pictures!!!!

I did it! I did it! (Picture me doing the happy dance, a la Dora the Explorer, while singing this) I did it!

Actually, Der Deutscher came up with the solution. He re-burned the picture cd and voila! Instant uploadability! Yeah.

So head on over to flickr to check out the (not so) latest pictures of JBP and family on our recent trips to Europe and Ames.

The bad news, I've used up my upload capacity for the month. So you're going to have to wait awhile for any Christmas pictures. =(

Nimitz' Lady

A Sad Farewell

Less than 10 minutes ago, I learned that the West Wing's John Spencer died today of a heart attack in a Los Angeles hospital.

Spencer portrayed Leo McGarry on the West Wing, currently the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee on the show.

Spencer has been with the show since it's beginning in 1999. His work on the West Wing capped a long TV and film career that dates back to the 1960's, including the portrayal of Henry Anderson on the Patty Duke Show.

Spencer won numerous awards throughout his career, including a Best Supporting Actor Emmy for his role as Leo McGarry.

Spencer was an acknowledged alcoholic, who remained sober ever since getting therapy. He also recently (1999) quit smoking, which he described as "hell on earth".

John Spencer was 58 years old. He died four days before his 59th birthday. Rest in Peace.

Nimitz' Lady

German

Since our european trip, and even a little before it, JBP has gotten quite sensitive to foreign languages. Meaning he's identifying when something isn't English and asking how to say things in other languages, notably Spanish and German.

This is a far cry from his reaction as an infant when Der Deutscher and I tried to speak to him in Spanish and German. Then he would just wail, non-stop, until we gave up and spoke English to him again. (The one exception being when I sang Frey Felipe to him. He calls it his Sleepy Song.)

Anyway, back to my story. This morning, on our way back from the grocery store, the radio announcer was telling us the name of the next Christmas Carol they were going to play. It was a German carol. Sorry, I can't remember what it was. Can't say I was really paying any attention.

But JBP was. He piped up, "That was German, wasn't it Mommy?" He'd managed to identify one sentence of German in a barrage of English! My smart little boy.

Nimitz' Lady

Sharing

JBP is really into sharing recently. It appears despite my lackadaisical attitude this year, he's really caught the spirit of the season.

Yesterday, he tried to give me all the bills out of his piggy bank (actually a heartshaped tin he keeps his money in), "'Cause that's what Jesus would want me to do."

Today, he wanted to put money in the Salvation Army bucket. I told him we'd have to wait until we left because mommy didn't have any cash on her.

We had a horrible, hectic, awful shopping trip and I'd totally forgotten about his desires by the time we checked out. What this means is I didn't get any cash for him to put in the bucket.

He knew what a bad time I'd had and never said a word. He just took all the dollar bills (four, I think) he had in his coat pocket and stuffed them into the bucket.

That's my sweetheart.
Nimitz' Lady

Good, Bad & Ugly

The Good: I (thought I) managed to keep Fu, aka Nimitz, from puking on our bed in the middle of the night last night.

The Bad: I did it by sticking my hand under his mouth when I heard him gagging and, literally, catching the throw-up, mostly bile, in my hand (which I immediately ran to the bathroom and washed off).

The Ugly: I got up this morning to notice that that hadn't been his first gagging incident of the night and there was dried up vomit on the sheet at the foot of the bed.

At least I never stuck my foot in it!

Nimitz' Lady

WHERE IS SHE NOW?

Ex-Cyclone, Katie Robinette

PLAYED: at Iowa State, 2002-05

OF NOTE: Second-team all-Big 12 last season.

NOW: Her college career is over, but Robinette is not only still at Iowa State, but also at Hilton Coliseum. She practices with the Cyclones' scout team.

"I missed it," she said. "I wanted to be around and stay in shape. I thought maybe I could help out since they only have a couple seniors. This is fun. I don't get yelled at."

Robinette has three credits remaining next semester in liberal studies. She plans to go into real estate or coaching once she gets her degree.

Courtesy of the Des Moines Register
Nimitz' Lady

First Story

During a discussion of what's a newspaper story and what's a TV story this evening we got onto the topic of What Was Your First Story On-Air.

For me it was a whopper. I started on-air the weekend both Princess Diana and Mother Teresa died. My assignment: How are people handling the double-whammy of both deaths at once?

It had never taken me so long to write a 1:15 package (an encapsulated story with reporter sound over video and interview soundbites, maybe a short on camera presence from the reporter).

One of my Nightside Reporters said her first story was a convoluted murder trial. She felt totally out of her depth.

I would've killed (figuratively!) for a murder case right out of the shoot. The difference? Her first story was straight out of J-School. Mine came after I'd been a news photographer for nearly a year, teamed with the crime beat reporter. I could've covered a murder trial in my sleep.

That got me to thinking about the crime beat reporter. She knew I wanted to be a reporter too and was very encouraging. So, when we'd come back from a story, I'd write my own version while she was writing the official one. We thought so much alike I'd almost invariable use exactly the same soundbites as she had, in the same order.

I cried on her shoulder more than once, as novice after novice got hired as a reporter over me. And she was there to celebrate with me when I finally got the longed for chance to report.

Thanks for joining me on this trip down memory lane.
Nimitz' Lady
Thanks for joining

Frosting

So just what is commercial bakery frosting made of? It certainly doesn't look like any of the stuff I, or anyone I know, makes. It doesn't even resemble the stuff you buy at the store.

What it most looks like to me is that paste they use to seal down the edges of vinyl flooring. It just comes in more colors.

My 2 cents worth anyway.

Nimitz' Lady

More Funnies

We're just all busting it up in the newsroom today. Here are a couple more "funny" incidents in the last few minutes.

This first one took place between me, the News Director (ND) and Jake, our youngest, most inexperienced and babyfaced reporter.

ND: Do we have any interns?
Nimitz' Lady: Not right now. I'm working on it.
ND: It's just I've got one of those fun, intern-projects.
Nimitz' Lady: Maybe in a few weeks.
ND: Well, since we don't have any interns... Jake (our youngest, most inexperienced and babyfaced reporter) I've got a project for you!

This second conversation included the ND, our Executive Producer (EP) , Jake and myself.

ND: So, are you still thinking 2 to 3 inches of snow this weekend?
EP: Yeah, looks like it.
ND: What about Middling Big City?
EP: I haven't really looked that far (on the compass).
Jake: Are you really a meteorologist?
EP: Yeeaah (long and drawled out, slightly sarcastic)
Nimitz' Lady: No! We just think a complete novice has a better chance of predicting the weather than the experts.
EP: (Digging in his pocket) The most useful tool in predicting the weather... (holds up a quarter and flips it.)

Okay, so maybe they were funnier in person. Or maybe we're all just in that mood.
Nimitz' Lady

Paul's Letter

Yesterday was the final day of my Women's Bible Study session. This session we were studying the life of Paul. One of the last assignments was to write what we think Paul might have said in one of his final prayers in prison before being executed.

Since I do my lessons at work, I chose not to complete that assignment at the time. I was afraid I'd end up bawling, as I tend to be rather emotional, about some things.

Anyway, this morning in the shower, this poem came to me as something he might've said.


Thank You

Thank you, Lord, for the fleas, the muck, the damp, the cold.
Thank you Lord for your presence, long foretold.

Thank you Lord for your gift of salvation.
Thank you Lord for all the beatings, cuts and contusions.

Thank you Lord for letting me travel the nations, spreading your word.
Thank you Lord for the thousands who've already heard.

Thank you Lord for the example you've taught me to be.
Thank you Lord for the crown you've set aside for me.

Thank you Lord for helping me finish the course.
Thank you Lord for lifting Satan's curse.

Amen.

Nimitz' Lady

Chuckle, Gasp, Guffaw!

The most hilarious half a phone conversation I've heard in a long time. Shortly after getting a news release announcing a case of meningitis at a local high school our Assistant News Director (AND), a known prankster, phoned his daughter, who attends said school.

This is what I heard:

AND: Have you heard of the stabbing at XXX High?

(pause)

AND: The stabbing?

(pause)

AND: That's cause there was none. But there's meningitis. So we're instituting a new rule. There will be no kissing of any other XXX high student for the next two weeks.

(pause)

AND: I'm serious. Absolutely no kissing of any other XXX high student.

(pause)

AND: I'm serious. I've got the health department news release right here.

(pause)

AND: Janie? Janie?

Ten minutes later I'm still chuckling.
Nimitz' Lady

Santa Claus

This recent AP story got me up on my soap box:

Parents outraged after teacher says there's no Santa Claus

RICHARDSON, Texas (AP) - Guess what, kids? There's no such thing as Santa Claus! That's what a suburban Dallas music teacher told first-graders on Monday - and the school's been hearing from parents ever since.

The angry phone calls prompted the Richardson school district to issue a pro-Santa statement.
The district announced that the offending teacher had heard from Santa Claus himself -- who assurred the teacher that "the spirit of the holidays is alive and well." And Santa asked the teacher to pass that message along to students.

A district spokesman says the teacher won't face any disciplinary action.

I'm sorry, but forcing a teacher to lie to students in order to cover up for parents' lies is just plain wrong in my book.

There is no Santa Claus in our household. It's not a religious thing, it's a truth thing.

I watch friends of mine go to such efforts to hide gifts from Santa and lying to their kids left, right and center.

I've seen kids seriously emotionally damaged by learning the truth, Santa Claus is just a story. I'm talking unable or unwilling to ever trust another word that comes out of the lying parent's mouth.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying it's wrong for everyone to allow children to believe in Santa. Some parents do it quite well and there's no trauma when the children simply outgrow Santa.

But then there are the parents who don't carry it off well or children who are so gullible they don't catch the subtle "hints" that Santa's just pretend. When these kids find out they've been lied to, the trauma may never quite go away.

That's why, long before I ever had kids I knew I would tell them from the beginning, "Santa's just pretend. He's a nice story, but he's not real."

As a parent there are so many things I've done wrong. But I can safely say, I have never lied to my child. I've avoided the truth, exaggerated, spoken in code, simply told him he's too young. But I have never lied to him and he knows it.

This brings me to my new dilemma, JBP is old enough to have friends with parents who have raised their kids to believe in Santa. He has already told some of them there is no Santa, to much wailing and weeping (okay, mainly a little wimpering).

And you should see some of the accusatory looks I get from other parents when they learn I've never misled my son into believing in Santa. As if I'm depriving him of some childhood luxury. Yeah, the luxury of betrayal and distrust of a parental unit!

The thing is, JBP loves Santa stories just as much as the next kid. He just knows they're stories and accepts them as such.

Nimitz' Lady

Christmas - a - holic

I admit it, I am addicted to the Christmas Season. Normally. Most years I can't get enough of the decorations, the parties, the shopping/gifting, the foooood.

I'm not sure why but this year just doesn't feel like Christmas.

Maybe it's because I'm trying to cut down on the commercialism of the holiday in our lives. I'm not one of those crying out against the use of Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas (another post for another day) but I am one of those who feels like the Holy Day (which is what holiday really means) has become too much of a buying/me me me event.

Maybe it's because of all the traveling we've been doing, which means we haven't decorated yet.

I don't know. It just doesn't feel like Christmas to me right now, even as I rush to finish gifts that need to be mailed (by this weekend! ahhhhhh!).

I find myself not even interested in listening to the local radio station that plays nothing but Christmas Carols between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Unless it's a religious carol, I'm just not interested. (Go figure that one!)

Hoping to find the spirit soon...
Nimitz' Lady

A Moment of Silence

I'm holding a cyber-moment of silence on my blog for the loss of Stanley "Tookie" Williams. The convicted and reformed gang leader will be executed in just a couple hours. All legal appeals have been exhausted.

This is one case that just highlights why I oppose the death penalty. Even if you discount the obscenely high percentage of false convictions, there is always the possibilty of reform.

Wasn't it Jesus who said, "for the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost," (Luke 19:10) and many other similar things. Such as forgiving seventy-times seven?

In this season of celebrating the birth of our Savior, let us also celebrate the life of one of his lost sheep, found and returned to the fold.

Despite his rough beginnings, Stanley "Tookie" Williams turned his life around and devoted whatever remained to him to trying to save others from his own fate. God keep him and have mercy on those who could not find it in them to forgive. -- Nimitz' Lady


SAN QUENTIN, Calif. (AP) - Demonstrators for and against a scheduled execution have gathered outside California's San Quentin prison.

At a minute past midnight, Pacific time, former gang leader Stanley "Tookie" Williams is set to die by lethal injection.

The Supreme Court, an appeals court and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger have all refused to halt the execution. Williams was convicted of the 1979 deaths of four people killed in two robberies.

He insists he is innocent. And supporters say he's a changed man who has renounced gang violence in a series of books. His supporters include actor Mike Farrell and TV judge Greg Mathis. Supporters of the victims say Williams' death is long overdue.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

R&R

This afternoon I told Der Deutscher, "All this Rest and Relaxation is exhuasting."

I am so tired I could sleep for a week and almost be caught up. Unfortunately, I also need six to eight weeks of strict dieting and exercise to remove the extra poundage I've packed on the last week or two.

And the house is now full of yummy fudge, pumpkin bread (courtesy of Grammy) and european chocolate. With more goodies on the way for Christmas?

Oh what is a food-a-holic to do?

Nimitz' Lady

Work?

What's that? Evidently, even though I'm a manager, I do still occasionally have to do this thing called work. That's why the last few days worth of posts are so late. If that pesky work thing hadn't gotten in the way, I'd have had them up eight hours ago!

Nimitz' Lady

Sunday 12-11-05

Late Start
We had planned to get an early start, so we could make it home early. Needless to say, that didn't happen.

We finally hit the road around 10 a.m. That put us at our halfway point, The Middling Big City (not to be confused with our home in The Big Middling City) around 1:30.

We stopped there to meet some friends at the local watering hole. Okay, it was a mall. Give me a break. I'm trying to make this interesting.

Anyway, we me them there for lunch. For us. Turns out they'd already eaten. But we only get to see each other a couple times a year so we try to get together any time we come through town.

The mall had a special 'play place' set up for kids. JBP had had great fun running through the obstacle course, complete with ball pit and slides, on our lunch break while heading to Ames. He wanted to play again.

Only problem, a mile long line. Turns out the play place was part of the mall's set-up for Santa. The line was kids waiting to see Santa. It was at least an hour long. We didn't have that long to waste. Especially when JBP, quite properly, could give a flying ^%%$$#^^ about Santa.

To help calm the disappointed tears, I told him he could pick out something from the candy store. His pick? A sucker designed so when you put it in your mouth you're showing off wide redlips with crooked teeth. He adored it.

I trashed it as soon as the candy was gone and he wasn't looking. He still hasn't noticed.


Home
We arrived home around 6:30 p.m. only to discover we had a visitor. Turns out our escape artist canine friend Chance had shown up for a visit again.

He was excited to see us. JBP was excited to see him. Ja and Se weren't so sure. After all, we'd been gone for four days and now that we were back they had to share our attention.

There was a little more growling and snapping at poor Chance than he's used to. Poor puppy was just a touch confused.

Nimitz' Lady

Sabbath 12-10-05

Church
JBP and I got up early and headed to church this morning. It was the church I was attending when I was pregnant and until we moved out of Iowa.

It's a small church, maybe 20 members on the books. Today there were only about 10 people in attendance, half of whom knew us.

We arrived a little late, right during prayer requests. Needless to say, we were a show stopper.

Members spent a good five minutes or so oohing and aahing over JBP and how much he'd grown. He was just 16 months old the last time they saw him. Now he's a rambunctious 5.75 year old.


Game #2
We attended our second game this afternoon. JBP had a blast. During the first game he'd asked for cotton candy. Since that was a night game I'd told him he had to wait until today.

So, at half-time he and Der Deutscher headed out to get 'something to eat'. They came back with Kettle Korn (popcorn popped with a touch of sugar & salt, delish!) and JBP in tears.

Der Deutscher didn't know about my promise. So, when he asked JBP what he wanted to get, he meant the *only* thing. JBP thought that was on top of the promised cotton candy.

And Der Deutscher was out of cash. The good news, JBP still had some money on him, left over from our grand european vacation. So, JBP got his cotton candy, all on his own.


Little
As always, after the game we stuck around to greet the players. Many recognize us, and especially JBP, from the away games we attend.

Brittany Wilkins and Megan Ronhovde are two of JBP's favorites, especially Britt. They're also a couple of the tallest players on the team at 6'3" and 6'1" respectively.

Today, he met one of the new ladies, 5'9" and quite muscular freshman Heather Ezell. She was headed across the court to the radio guys to do an interview. But, she stopped to say 'Hi!' to JBP.

After she went on her way, he came running back to me, shouting, "Mama, she's little!" Der Deutscher and I are still giggling over the concept that our 46" tall son finds a 5'9" tall woman little.

It looks like Heather is going to be a new favorite. After this excited pronouncement, JBP scurried around the court (as non-players are not banned from the hardwood) to where Heather had taken a seat on the bench, waiting for her turn on the air.

JBP promptly crawled over the back of the bench and sat down next to her. He didn't say anything, just sat there, satisfied to be next to her.

She quickly noticed his presence and started playing a tickle game with him. Like I said, I think he's found a new favorite.

Nimitz' Lady

Friday 12-09-05

No Sleep
I got next to no sleep last night. All three of us were camped out at a friends house. Plenty of warm blankets, a comfy mattress. My problem? I was stuck between the two snoring monsters!!!!

Between JBP and Der Deutscher a dead man couldn't remain asleep! I certainly couldn't.


Shopping
Der Deutscher and I had a couple 'free' hours this morning, as our friend Miss Science agreed to babysit JBP for us. He had a blast and we got all sorts of stuff.

I'm not sure how much of it we really needed, but the trip was fun. We spent more money than we should've, but much less than we could've so I guess that equals out.

The big buy: ISU fleece panels for blankets. We bought three. I'll use two, placed back to back, to make one blanket for us. And the third one will be matched with a Wildcats panel for JBP, as he loves both teams. I'll probably give it to him for Christmas.


Doubleheader
Well, sort of. The ISU men played Iowa tonight. Just like the women, they won. Good game. We watched most of it at Applebees, where we went for a late supper.

This means ISU has beaten Iowa in Football, Mens and Womens Basketball. The trifecta. This means Iowa is officially Cyclone Country for the next year!


Old Friends
When we got home both yesterday and today we checked out the local newscasts for reports on the game.

I also spent time looking for folks I used to work with at my station in Des Moines. There were quite a few of them, but only two are still at my station. The rest have jumped ship and headed across town. It was interesting. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to look any of them up.

Maybe next time.

Nimitz' Lady

Thursday 12-08-05

Perfect Day

JBP couldn't have been a better little traveler today. The little guy continues to amaze me.

On the road, we all listened to a taped version of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (about 4 hours long) and just about every time we made a pit stop he was eager to get back in the car so he could hear more of the 'story'.

Shortly after departure I'd tried to call Grammy to check on something. She wasn't in her office. She called back a couple hours later. (The entire trip.. not counting pit stops... was about 6 hours.)

JBP wanted to talk to her. During their conversation he very politely asked her to tape E.R. for me, at 9 p.m. He'd heard me discussing it earlier with Der Deutscher and remembered! Such a little sweetie.

We got to Ames just in time to drop our stuff off and head to Hilton for some Basketball.

Great game! I can't say much more than that. We beat our instate rivals by double digits! With incredible performances from our five starters, who combined played 185 minutes out of a possible 200. All five had double digit scoring. It was great.

JBP continued to work his 'magic' and talked a mini-bullhorn (or whatever you call those cones male cheerleaders yell into) out of a college student sitting in Cyclone Alley. By the time we'd left Ames, JBP had gotten two of the ladies to sign his bullhorn.

All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better day.

Nimitz' Lady

Pictures

I have figured out the problem with the Pictures From Europe cd, too many pictures. The good news I can get them posted, in a round about way.

What this means is what normally consists of just sticking the cd into my work computer and uploading the pictures to the website will now take about five more steps!

Mostly because my computer just doesn't have the capacity. Maybe I'll find some sort of super computer at the university that'll work better. Maybe not.

The long and the short of it is... I will get pictures posted, sometime. I'm just not sure when!

Nimitz' Lady

Here we go, Cyclones!

Let's go State! You may or may not hear from me the next few days. We're hitting the road tomorrow for our annual pilgrimage back to Ames for some ISU Women's Basketball. I'll try to find a place to get online, but no promises.

We'll be catching the annual in-state rivalry with Iowa tomorrow night, then a game with Akron over the weekend.

We'll also be catching up with old friends, checking out how things have changed on campus and buying up all the ISU gear we just can't find here.

Well, Der Deutscher still plans on buying stuff. Not quite sure how much I'll be spending this year. I usually drop about $200 or so in Ames but I'm pretty tapped out now.

It'll be fun anyway.

I-S-U! I-S-U! I-S-U!
Nimitz' Lady

Minimalism

After the fantastic(ally fun & expensive) trip to europe we've decided this will be a very minimal Christmas for us.

No cards, no presents mailed to out-of-towners (except of course my Father and Brother Cowboy), mainly handmade gifts at home, church service and Christmas Dinner.

My main "talent" is needleworking, crocheting and no-sew fleece blankets. So you can guess what everyone is getting.

The last few weeks I've been crocheting like crazy. Mostly scarves, cause they're easy (these have already been gifted to relaties in europe). But, as I don't want to give everyone the same thing, I am trying to branch out.

Today I started work on what I hope will end up being a fashion poncho. I don't do well with official patterns. I can never understand what they're trying to tell you to do. So, I'm sort of making it up as I go along, based on a poncho I got for Christmas (I think, or was it my birthday?) last year.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Nimitz' Lady

Not that cold!

I can't believe how nuts we (the local media) are going over the weather. We got a dusting of snow and, get this, it's cold! This is the midwest and it's winter. What did we (the media) expect?

I mean maybe we cracked the two inch mark in snow. And the temps? They're talking lows of 1 degree tonight. Whoop-de-frickin'-do. Where I grew up that was a nice spring day! Okay, so maybe I'm joking. A bit.

But really folks, sub-zero temps in the midwest should not be that surprising. We're in the middle of a freaking prairie here. There are no trees, no hills, nothing to slow the wind down or hold the heat in.

Of course it's going to get cold. Dress in layers. Cover your skin. You'll survive. It's winter. Happens every year.

Nimitz' Lady

More Quizzes

Here are some more quizzes I stumbled across on Aardvark Alley. (Can you tell I like quizzes?) The results show, despite Der Deutscher's reports to the contrary, I am NOT a nerd and more. -- Nimitz' Lady

Ruined

Der Deutscher managed to ruin my work day just as it was starting. He did this by sending me an e-mail informing me he does not believe the next David Weber book, In Fury Born, due out in April is about Honor Harrington.

Ahhhhhhhhh! Ohhhhhhh! Wailing and gnashing of teeth! Such pain and consternation. However shall I last the normal two whole years between Honor installments? At All Costs (the latest Honor novel) has only been out four and a half weeks and I've already read it 2.5 times!

This calls for some serious chocolate!
Nimitz' Lady

Shakespeare

"It is sometimes better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."

'Nuff said.
Nimitz' Lady

Quiz-ling

Here are some fun internet quizzes I took. They're actually pretty right on, although I was rather scared about the Math Quiz. Check them out. -- Nimitz' Lady

Brainy Kid

In high school, you were acing AP classes or hanging out in the computer lab. You may have been a bit of a geek back then, but now you're a total success!

Who Were You In High School?

You Are 30% Weird

Not enough to scare other people... But sometimes you scare yourself.

How Weird Are You?

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 9/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

Visiting

Yesterday, we headed to the next town over, sort of, to visit some friends.

I attended middle school with Oklahoma when I lived next door to her. I lost contact with her after moving back up north. Then met her again when Der Deutscher and I moved here.

In fact, we ran into each other in Wal-Mart. Der Deutscher and I had been around maybe six weeks, she had just come to town. At the time, they lived maybe 10 minutes from our house and we got together often.

Then they bought a home in the country, near a town about half an hour east of us. Now we rarely get to see each other.

We keep trying to co-ordinate times to get together when we can spend several hours playing/partying (depending on age). But it never works. One of us can't get time off work, or we're too tired, or someone's out of town.

So, this weekend I said, we've got an afternoon with nothing to do, let's go. We don't need a special occasion to visit. Let's just head out. So we spent a nice afternoon just hanging out and catching up with some old friends.

Nimitz' Lady

P.S. Oklahoma's eldest daughter, Cheerleader, got a dachshund puppy. Der Deutscher was enchanted. He'd had a dachshund as a kid. I think I know what our next sort of pet will be.

First Loss

JBP lost his first game of the season. Some of it was the other team was just better. Some was the ref didn't call the other team when it blatantly bent and broke the rules. Some of it was that all nine members of JBP's team showed up for this game, which meant he and the Coach's daughter (the only two good players) had to spend some time on the bench. League rules: All kids have to get some playing time.

Final score: 14 to 20

On a side note: Since when are there skirts in basketball? Two of JBP's teammates showed up wearing mini-skirts! First of all, I take issue with putting 4 and 5 year old little girls in mini-skirts. Second, such clothing has no place in and is completely impractical in sports.

To paraphrase A League of Their Own: There are no skirts in basketball!

Nimitz' Lady

Eating Me

There are many things I've been meaning to/planning on blogging about the last few days. However, one issue appears to be trumping them all.

I'm not even sure whether to post this at all. Maybe it's too personal for a blog where many readers actually know the real person behind the pen name. But right now, everything seems to be bringing me back to the same topic.

I've mentioned before my age-old battle with my weight and self-esteem. Overall, I've won the war. Unfortunately, there are still a few guerilla fighters who haven't surrendered yet.

During our trip I gained weight. I knew I would. I had a finite number of days in Europe to taste as much of its delicious food as I could. I mean, I could've spent the entire time imbibing chocolate and not gotten through the whole list.

I did my best to pace myself, prioritize, admit what I simply wouldn't get to. But I still overate.

Then we came home. Loaded with chocolate. And too tired to do much other than lie in bed and occasionally head off to work.

I keep trying to tell myself this is just a natural occurrence and once I get back on track I'll start feeling better.

But myself isn't buying that. I feel like I'm sliding back into the hole I laboriously pulled myself out of eight years ago. And I don't know if I've got the energy to repeat the feat.

I took the first step today. I went back to the gym. It worked. While I was there. Tonight is worse.

What really *()*^&^%$ is that when I get this way I eat. And I don't mean some piddly little diet meal. I eat everything in the house. That just makes the problem worse.

Plus, I'm trying to raise my son not to have any of my personal issues. Unfortunately, he can tell something's eating me. And, the way I feel right now, I find myself making derogatory comments about myself I haven't even thought in years. Believe me, he's noticed.

I'm just praying, non-stop, God will give me the strength to haul myself back to my feet, give those guerilla warriors the boot they deserve and get myself back on track.

I mean, I'm not asking to be J-Lo or Heidi Klum. I couldn't be that skinny if I starved myself (not to mention Der Deutscher would probably leave me if I managed it). My skeleton weighs more than the two of them put together. I just want to be healthy and, more important, feel healthy. Which I don't right now.

Nimitz' Lady

Sleepy, much?

JBP will never admit when he's sleepy. He can be yawning, rubbing his eyes, literally falling asleep at your feet and he'll deny he's the least bit tired.

However, he will admit he's ready to go to bed, sort of.

This is a conversation we had last night, after I read him his bedtime story.

JBP: Do we have time for another story?

Nimitz' Lady: (Silence, raised eyebrows)

JBP: 'Cause it's okay with me if we don't.

Nimitz' Lady: Are you sleepy?

JBP: (In horror) NO!

The joys of motherhood.
Nimitz' Lady

Dorm Demolition

They're tearing down my dorm! I can't believe it.

I got a notice from the ISU Alumni Association two weeks ago of a special reunion being held this summer for Fisher Nickell residents.

This dorm holds a special place in my heart. It wasn't like the huge impersonal dorms you usually find on college campuses. It only housed about 40 people. It was co-ed, so we had both men and women. We were more like a co-ed fraternity, or an extended family, than a dorm.

This is the building where I met Der Deutscher. It was the International House. We had folks from all over the world... Greece, Lebanon, Panama, Japan, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Singapore, South Korea, etc.

And it was unique. No two rooms were the same and most had some unique feature. Mine was actually slated for three roomates (as opposed to the normal two) but probably could've housed five or six under most dorm room size standards. It also had an attached, screened in back porch. And a fireplace (which they closed off between my freshman and sophomore years).

This summer I'll get the chance to re-connect with some of those old friends from Fisher-Nickell, grab one last glimpse of the room that saw so many changes in my life, and say good-bye to it all.

NImitz' Lady

Borrowed Fund$

I have finally committed one of parenting's cardinal sins. I 'borrowed' money from my 5 year old son.

Remember that coffee I bought on my way into work today? Well, it only cost 95 cents. I didn't want to write a check so small, or put such a piddling amount on my credit card. I also had no cash... or my own. I did have $10 that belongs to JBP in my wallet.

So, I 'borrowed' 95 cents. Borrowing money from my child is something I figured wouldn't happen until I at least reached the ripe old age of... say.... 32? But I've already been there, done that.

I will pay it back. I will not tell him I ever borrowed it. Too humiliating!

Nimitz' Lady

Taking Care of Bu$ine$$

I like my company. Too bad it's selling my TV station. But the sale is part of why I like my company so much.

See, the owner is making some big bucks on the sale of the 16 TV stations he owns. (He'll still be a corporate big wig with dozens of radio stations, newspapers and magazines.) And, he's sharing the loot.

We all got an e-mail yesterday morning from the owner saying we would get a special "Sale Bonus". Said bonus will equal, at a minimum!, three months salary for each employee!

Three months salary! Extra! All at once! This is huge for us. I'll finally be able to pay off the credit card bills we stacked up when we moved here and have been slowly chipping away at. I'll also put some down on my school loans and have enough left to get new flooring in our house.

This is a big deal for us. Mainly because Der Deutscher is so appearance conscious he's embarrassed to have anyone in our house until we get the floors fixed. And we haven't been able to afford that. Now we'll be able to.

This is also an answer to prayer. A couple weeks ago I wrote how Der Deutscher and I had agreed to put off discussions of adoption to expand our family until I had set aside enough money to pay for said adoption. The saving officially begins January 1st.

The thing is this was a huge leap of faith for me. How was I ever going to be able to save so much money? I barely have $25 left every month after paying all the bills and feeding my family. I could see it taking me 10 years or more to save up enough money.

Well, now some of my bigger bills will be gone. Poof, no more! This could cut my savings time down to two to three years!

Have I mentioned how God takes care of us? Happy Sabbath!

Nimitz' Lady

Jetlag

I've always had trouble with jetlag on international trips. But, I've never had an international trip that was so short.

Although I managed to function most of the time we were in Europe I didn't really start to adjust to the time change until Friday/Sabbath. Of course, we then turned around and headed home on Monday.

Four days later, I still haven't completely managed to re-adjust to home time. All week I've been waking up around 4:30 - 5 a.m. After working yesterday and not getting to bed until midnight, I actually managed to sleep all the way in to (drumroll please!) ..... 6:00 a.m.!

I'm not sure if my additional troubles are due to the short duration of the trip... or if I'm just getting too old for this s_ _ t.

I've been trying to re-adjust as much as possible without coffee. But today had to give in and get some. I went the cheapo route and picked up some cappucino from QuikTrip (yes, that's the way it's supposed to be written, no typos here!) on my way into work.

They had this really yummy new flavor, Mighty Mocha. Anyone who knows me knows I can't stand plain coffee. Too bitter. I always drench it with milk/cream, sugar and chocolate. The real bonus, the Mighty Mocha has something called Caffeine Plus in it. More wake-up juice!

That should at least keep me going through supper. But I'll still be a walking zombie by the time I get home tonight. And I can't even sleep in tomorrow. I've got to get up and cook for potluck, hit JBP's basketball game then go to church!

Color me Catatonic!

Nimitz' Lady

Bible Study

I belong to a Women's Bible Study at my church. It meets on a weekday morning and is, therefore, all stay-at-home moms. Except for me, of course.

This last week we were discussing how the smaller group and discussions of the bible studies have allowed us to connect in a way none of us does in church. Many of us just go to church, maybe stop to say "Hi", then go home.

The whole thing just drove home to me how important inter-personal communication is to everyone, but especially to women. God urged us to fellowship with other believers for a reason. And when he said fellowship, he didn't mean show up at church for an hour, listen to the pastor and go home.

Nimitz' Lady

p.s. I know there was something more I was going to say about the bible study, but for the life of me can't remember what!

Narnia

During our trip to Europe, JBP and I finished reading The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Now, the movie is coming out a week from today.

My problem: while JBP at 5 yrs 8.5 months old is perfectly capable of handling the plot in the book I don't know if he'll be able to handle the movie.

But he's seen the promos (actually first noticed the poster for it this summer) and really wants to see it.

It is rated only PG, which I usually allow him to see with the appropriate parental unit awake and in place. However, the plot includes a rather scary witch, the death of a main character and a major battle that kills 'people'.

I could of course always go see it myself at the theatre and then decide. Like I'll ever find the time for that one! Or I could just tell him he'll have to wait six more months (after waiting the last six) for it to come out on DVD. Or take him and hope he'll make it through.

He's made it through other movies that surprised me, like Apollo 13 at the age of three. But then other movies I thought would be just fine for him ended up being too much. Just this week, he refused to watch the end of Goonies.

I'm just not sure what to tell him.... and I'm running out of time.

Nimitz' Lady

Arrrggghhh!

Ok, I've just spent the last two hours (off and on) struggling to upload pictures to the internet. But for some reason every time I try to open the cd with the pictures on it my whole computer freezes up. I give up! For now.

I've had a splitting headache most of the day, I'm exhausted (from jet lag and going back to work) and this! I'm too old for this $#$%@!

mutter, mutter, mutter

I can't really think of much to say.

We did manage to get everything packed. But we had to borrow a suitcase from the in-laws. Oh well, I'm sure they'll need it the next time they come to visit us.

JBP did very well on the trip back. Dealt with the long plane rides and interminable waits with remarkable patience for a five year old. Sometimes I got to wondering who was the adult in the party.

While checking in we were discussing his Christmas Moose. It's this moose Ms Gudi gave him that has electronics in it and sings "I Wish You a Merry Chris-moose" while wiggling its ears and wagging its tail.

Needless to say I was quite firm about JBP not turning this thing on during the flight and annoying some 200 already cranky passengers.

He just looked at me with great condescension and said, "I know what to do, Mom. I should keep all electronic stuff off during takeoff and landing. (laughs) That's the rule." He's a great one for rules.

And, on that note, I'm signing off. Maybe I'll have better luck with the pictures tomorrow. If I get up the oopmh to try.

Nimitz' Lady

Tag #9

Lobster (11-27-05)
JBP woke us up early this morning. It all started with the slap, slap, slap of his barefeet on the wood floors. He slapped his way down the (short) hall, into our room and up to our bed.

The following conversation ensued:

JBP: Dada, do you like lobster?

Der Deutscher: I've never had lobster. Why are you up so early?

JBP: I dreamed about lobster.

Der Deutscher: Was it a bad dream? A good dream? An interesting one?

JBP: It was about lobsters..... and spaghetti. (pause) Lobsters. Yuck!

Then he turned around and headed downstairs. It was only 8:30 a.m. (Hey! We've been sleeping until at least 10 since arriving!)


Locked Out
When JBP got downstairs (one flight) he discovered he was locked out of the kitchen.

To put things in perspective, Opa and Ms Gudi's house is a four level home with the laundry in the basement, Mika (Ms Gudi's brother) on the ground floor, the kitchen-dining room, living room and Opa and Ms Gudi's bedroom on the first floor (that would be the second floor for you americans =) and us in the guest rooms w/ bathroom on the top floor.

The stairwell is unheated. Opa and Ms Gudi occasionally close their door (and lock it) to keep the drafts out. It also effectively keeps JBP out.

So, he rang the doorbell. That didn't work. Then he started jiggling the door handle and knocking. Still didn't work.

By then, of course, we were wide awake. Well, at least Der Deutscher was. I was aware.

Der Deutscher called JBP to us and asked him what was up. He explained the door was locked and he was HUNGRY! So Der Deutscher crawled out of bed, got dressed and headed to the bakery just down the street for breakfast. I love Europe!


Snow
Overnight the snow melted. When Der Deutscher left for breakfast there was nothing on the ground and nothing coming from the sky.

After breakfast however, it started snowing again. Big fat flakes. I mean really big. This time I got out the videocamera and got a couple minutes of video (along with a shot of Der Deutscher crawling back into bed.)

I explained to him how I'd tried to take a still photo yesterday of the snow and it didn't work. I said I probably didn't have the camera on the right shutter speed.

However, Der Deutscher took the comment as a slam at his camera, hopped back out of bed, grabbed his camera and proceeded to take a picture of the snow, on the right shutter speed.

Just goes to show him. I got the picture I wanted without having to learn anymore about his danged camera! pflbt!


Packing
Well, with our flight leaving at 7:25 a.m. tomorrow morning and the airport being more than a half hour away, we've already started packing.

When we came, we deliberately came with stuff we could've stuffed into one suitcase spread between two large suitcases with two smaller ones stuffed in as well. I haven't even touched the clothing yet and the two big suitcases are already almost full. I don't know how we're going to make it!


Undone
We have done (and enjoyed) most of the things we'd planned to do while here. However, there are a few things that will simply have to be let undone.

JBP did not get to ride the trains. That'll have to wait for his next trip to Europe. As will a castle with crenellation and towers. We never got around to that either.

I miscalculated and didn't get the last of my chocolate shopping done, oh horrors! But we have hopes of being able to finish that up at the duty free shop at the airport. Wish us luck.

I probably won't get to post again until I go back to work on Thursday, so take care. I'll let you know all about the return trip then (on a proper keyboard). Wish us luck!

Nimitz' Lady