I've finally posted a few, I mean a few, pictures from Christmas and New Year's Day. Check them out via the link on the right side of the website.
Nimitz' Lady
Monday, January 30, 2006
I'm Back
Sorry so long with no updates. Between the new work schedule and my resulting semi-depression I just didn't feel like being jolly for all you internets. Sorry. I'll try harder next time. If I feel like it. (Notice the dripping sarcasm yet?)
Anyway, I've completed two whole morning shows and it doesn't suck as bad as I thought it would but it does suck worse. The shows are relatively easy, 90% cut and paste. The problem is A) I'm constantly exhausted from working overnights and never getting a decent night's (day's, whatever) sleep and B) everyone else insists on doing things in the most difficult way possible.
This is a two hour show. Generally for a newscast you have one rundown that shows what you're putting in the show, in which order, from beginning to end. However, our computer system won't let us have a big enough rundown to fit an entire two hour show in it. So we have to have two run downs, or find a way to jury-rig the single rundown.
Rather than go with the simplest format of just using two rundowns everyone else on the shift insists on the jury-rigged version that only half works. Like I said, gotta do things the hard way!
I did have all sorts of things I wanted to write about our trip weekend before last to Colorado but by now most of it has faded into the nether realms of my memory (never the most reliable at the best of times).
So, here's the short version:
Sick
I got way bad sick on the way out there. I'm talking halfway there I'm making Der Deutscher stop at every way station we can find so I can puke my guts out. This lasted through game day. Der Deutscher then proceeded to get the same sort of sick as soon as I started getting better. The good news is that JBP never caught "it", whatever "it" was.
The Game
It was a great game. Good offense, solid defense. A good road win. Now if we could just start winning at home this could be a great season. Due to being sick, I pretty much just cheered the first half of the game. Once it was obvious they were going to win (you know, a 20 point lead) I kind of just sat there in a stupor for the rest of the game.
Swimming, Sledding & Cousins
Whenever we travel overnight and stay in a hotel I must make sure the hotel has a swimming pool or JBP would disown me! He loves swimming. Despite not feeling so hot we did manage to take him to the pool once in the afternoon and then again the next morning. Mostly he plays in the hot tub. The pools are usually too cool for him.
After the game we headed south to visit his Three Cousins. They're actually my cousin's three boys, ages 5, 6 and 7! JBP adores visiting them. The last time we dropped in was nearly two years ago. He was just three and a half at the time and was still talking about it when we planned this trip!
Anyway, since they live in Colorado and Colorado usually has snow and JBP has been dying/begging/demanding to go sledding since the leaves started changing colors we brought his sled along.
My Cousin, her husband and I took the four boys out sledding and they, strike that, we all had a blast. I haven't gone sledding since I was in college. But JBP was a little frightened by the speed and steepness of the hill so I was commanded to "go with" him.
All was well until his sled busted on a particularly bumpy ride down the hill. You've never seen such a broken hearted little boy. Now all he asks is when are we going to get him a new sled. Nevermind that there's nowhere to use it near home!
Olympics
While in Colorado we stopped by the Olympic Training Center, learned a little bit about how U.S. athletes train for the games and spent waaaaay too much money in the gift shop.
That's about it. I'm sure I'll think of more sooner or later but right now my brain is just a bowl of sleep-deprived mush.
Nimitz' Lady
Anyway, I've completed two whole morning shows and it doesn't suck as bad as I thought it would but it does suck worse. The shows are relatively easy, 90% cut and paste. The problem is A) I'm constantly exhausted from working overnights and never getting a decent night's (day's, whatever) sleep and B) everyone else insists on doing things in the most difficult way possible.
This is a two hour show. Generally for a newscast you have one rundown that shows what you're putting in the show, in which order, from beginning to end. However, our computer system won't let us have a big enough rundown to fit an entire two hour show in it. So we have to have two run downs, or find a way to jury-rig the single rundown.
Rather than go with the simplest format of just using two rundowns everyone else on the shift insists on the jury-rigged version that only half works. Like I said, gotta do things the hard way!
I did have all sorts of things I wanted to write about our trip weekend before last to Colorado but by now most of it has faded into the nether realms of my memory (never the most reliable at the best of times).
So, here's the short version:
Sick
I got way bad sick on the way out there. I'm talking halfway there I'm making Der Deutscher stop at every way station we can find so I can puke my guts out. This lasted through game day. Der Deutscher then proceeded to get the same sort of sick as soon as I started getting better. The good news is that JBP never caught "it", whatever "it" was.
The Game
It was a great game. Good offense, solid defense. A good road win. Now if we could just start winning at home this could be a great season. Due to being sick, I pretty much just cheered the first half of the game. Once it was obvious they were going to win (you know, a 20 point lead) I kind of just sat there in a stupor for the rest of the game.
Swimming, Sledding & Cousins
Whenever we travel overnight and stay in a hotel I must make sure the hotel has a swimming pool or JBP would disown me! He loves swimming. Despite not feeling so hot we did manage to take him to the pool once in the afternoon and then again the next morning. Mostly he plays in the hot tub. The pools are usually too cool for him.
After the game we headed south to visit his Three Cousins. They're actually my cousin's three boys, ages 5, 6 and 7! JBP adores visiting them. The last time we dropped in was nearly two years ago. He was just three and a half at the time and was still talking about it when we planned this trip!
Anyway, since they live in Colorado and Colorado usually has snow and JBP has been dying/begging/demanding to go sledding since the leaves started changing colors we brought his sled along.
My Cousin, her husband and I took the four boys out sledding and they, strike that, we all had a blast. I haven't gone sledding since I was in college. But JBP was a little frightened by the speed and steepness of the hill so I was commanded to "go with" him.
All was well until his sled busted on a particularly bumpy ride down the hill. You've never seen such a broken hearted little boy. Now all he asks is when are we going to get him a new sled. Nevermind that there's nowhere to use it near home!
Olympics
While in Colorado we stopped by the Olympic Training Center, learned a little bit about how U.S. athletes train for the games and spent waaaaay too much money in the gift shop.
That's about it. I'm sure I'll think of more sooner or later but right now my brain is just a bowl of sleep-deprived mush.
Nimitz' Lady
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Odds and Ends
Sorry I've been a bit absent this week. The station's sale is final at 12:01 a.m. Friday, which means all our shifts change then and those who are laid-off will be gone. Needless to say, I've not been in the mood to "chatter" much.
We did have an interesting trip to Colorado this last weekend which I promise to tell you all about later. For now, check out the pictures I've already posted from the trip. They're linked on the right side of the page, but down a little because the web page formatting is messed up right now. Hopefully I'll get that fixed soon.
In other news, we now have internet access at home. Which is a good thing because once the sale goes through I won't be updating my blog from work anymore. I had no fears doing it under my current company, but I've already learned I can't trust a thing the new company says and refuse to give them the least excuse to fire me without buying out my contract.
Yes, that's exactly how paranoid we all are right now!
Last note: the job search is moving ahead in fits and starts. I've sent out resumes to 13 companies. So far I've heard from four of them in one format or another.
One dropped me as soon as I wouldn't interview on Sabbath. One was a mutual drop. They were very interested in me, but it's a non-profit that can only pay $26,000 a year. I'm willing to take a pay cut, but not quite that big a cut. I've still got to pay my bills, after all. One asked for two reference letters, which I turned in yesterday. The last, and most depressing, just sent me a postcard saying they were moving ahead with other applicants. In otherwords, thanks but no thanks.
Ugh!
Time to go home and try to sleep this off, or something. I promise more details from our Colorado trip later.
Love you all.
Nimitz' Lady
We did have an interesting trip to Colorado this last weekend which I promise to tell you all about later. For now, check out the pictures I've already posted from the trip. They're linked on the right side of the page, but down a little because the web page formatting is messed up right now. Hopefully I'll get that fixed soon.
In other news, we now have internet access at home. Which is a good thing because once the sale goes through I won't be updating my blog from work anymore. I had no fears doing it under my current company, but I've already learned I can't trust a thing the new company says and refuse to give them the least excuse to fire me without buying out my contract.
Yes, that's exactly how paranoid we all are right now!
Last note: the job search is moving ahead in fits and starts. I've sent out resumes to 13 companies. So far I've heard from four of them in one format or another.
One dropped me as soon as I wouldn't interview on Sabbath. One was a mutual drop. They were very interested in me, but it's a non-profit that can only pay $26,000 a year. I'm willing to take a pay cut, but not quite that big a cut. I've still got to pay my bills, after all. One asked for two reference letters, which I turned in yesterday. The last, and most depressing, just sent me a postcard saying they were moving ahead with other applicants. In otherwords, thanks but no thanks.
Ugh!
Time to go home and try to sleep this off, or something. I promise more details from our Colorado trip later.
Love you all.
Nimitz' Lady
Thursday, January 19, 2006
One Hour at a Time
Another tough day, but filled with small blessings.
Last night I accompanied a bunch of folks from the newsroom to a local bar, where most proceeded to attempt drowning their sorrows. Can't say that it really worked.
So, today began with a severe deficit of sleep. JBP couldn't have been better behaved however. He came in, quietly, and snuggled next to me until I fully woke up (not that I'd say I've truly achieved that status, even now!).
Then proceeded to spend most of the morning glued to my side. This kid can be snuggly when the mood hits him and he's very responsive to other's moods. He knew something was upsetting Mama so he stuck by me.
It was a wonderful morning, a balm to my troubled soul. Then I messed up the cookies. We were making cookies for to give to the ISU Women's Basketball team after their game in Colorado this weekend. Unfortunately, I screwed them up somehow, half of them were undercooked and had to be tossed.
I needed this morning's calm to come into work and actually try to accomplish something.
One thing all this has taught me is that it's time for me to get out of this business. I've talked about leaving television news for years. This is the kick in the booty I needed to actually put actions to words.
In the last week I've sent out cover letters and resumes to 12 different employers with open positions, everything from Public Relations Director to Newspaper Managing Editor to Public Educator at a local museum.
I'm doing my part, now God needs to step in and get the right people to notice me and offer me a job.
Hopefully it happens soon, because after the sale of our station is complete I will no longer be the Nightside Manager. Instead I'll be the morning producer. The shift is midnight to 8 a.m.
I don't know how long I'll be able to keep that sort of schedule up, physically. I'm just not as young as I used to be and I can't recover as well as I used to. I've been noticing that more and more the last couple of years.
I just pray I can keep it up until I find a new job, doing something outside of TV News!!!! And soon.
Nimitz' Lady
Last night I accompanied a bunch of folks from the newsroom to a local bar, where most proceeded to attempt drowning their sorrows. Can't say that it really worked.
So, today began with a severe deficit of sleep. JBP couldn't have been better behaved however. He came in, quietly, and snuggled next to me until I fully woke up (not that I'd say I've truly achieved that status, even now!).
Then proceeded to spend most of the morning glued to my side. This kid can be snuggly when the mood hits him and he's very responsive to other's moods. He knew something was upsetting Mama so he stuck by me.
It was a wonderful morning, a balm to my troubled soul. Then I messed up the cookies. We were making cookies for to give to the ISU Women's Basketball team after their game in Colorado this weekend. Unfortunately, I screwed them up somehow, half of them were undercooked and had to be tossed.
I needed this morning's calm to come into work and actually try to accomplish something.
One thing all this has taught me is that it's time for me to get out of this business. I've talked about leaving television news for years. This is the kick in the booty I needed to actually put actions to words.
In the last week I've sent out cover letters and resumes to 12 different employers with open positions, everything from Public Relations Director to Newspaper Managing Editor to Public Educator at a local museum.
I'm doing my part, now God needs to step in and get the right people to notice me and offer me a job.
Hopefully it happens soon, because after the sale of our station is complete I will no longer be the Nightside Manager. Instead I'll be the morning producer. The shift is midnight to 8 a.m.
I don't know how long I'll be able to keep that sort of schedule up, physically. I'm just not as young as I used to be and I can't recover as well as I used to. I've been noticing that more and more the last couple of years.
I just pray I can keep it up until I find a new job, doing something outside of TV News!!!! And soon.
Nimitz' Lady
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
The Hard Part
This afternoon I thought the hard part (for me) out of these layoffs was my feelings of guilt for still having a job.
Now I know it's not the worst.
The true hard part is knowing who else is getting the ax but not being able to tell them.
The hardest part of all is holding a sobbing production assistant in your arms, with just five months experience in the business, and knowing there's not a dang thing I can do about her lost job.
Signing off with a very heavy heart tonight.
Nimitz' Lady
Now I know it's not the worst.
The true hard part is knowing who else is getting the ax but not being able to tell them.
The hardest part of all is holding a sobbing production assistant in your arms, with just five months experience in the business, and knowing there's not a dang thing I can do about her lost job.
Signing off with a very heavy heart tonight.
Nimitz' Lady
Shift Change
I've been putting this post off for about two hours now. I've talked occasionally about the pending sale of my TV station.
Well, the second shoe fell today and it fell hard. Layoffs have begun.
No, I did not lose my job. I did however officially lose my job title as Nightside Manager.
Although I'm keeping my pay and benefits (at least until my contract runs out in July) my new job is the Morning Show Producer. This is the show usually given to the least experience producer in the cadre because it requires the last amount of work. It's mostly a matter of re-writing stories from the night before and re-cueing tapes.
Our show is longer than any other morning show I've ever filled in on but it's mostly a repeat-every-half-hour-type-deal.
I'm not really too worried about the actual execution, at least after the first show or two.
Actually, my first response to the news was an impulse to wail, "But I wanted to be bought out!"
The new company could've chosen to pay off my contract and dispense with my services. Hey, I could handle that. Paid to stay home for a month or two, then to job search for three or four months. Sounded good to me.
Instead I'm going to have to drag my butt out of bed at 11pm and work a midnight to 8 a.m. shift.
See this rambling? That's why I've been avoiding this post. I figured out exactly how I feel about all this, or what all it's going to do to my life, so it's tough to write coherently about it.
The ultimate topper? We still don't know exactly when all these changes will take place. Whenever the sale is final. That could be next Friday, it could be two weeks from now. We just don't know.
Nimitz' Lady
Well, the second shoe fell today and it fell hard. Layoffs have begun.
No, I did not lose my job. I did however officially lose my job title as Nightside Manager.
Although I'm keeping my pay and benefits (at least until my contract runs out in July) my new job is the Morning Show Producer. This is the show usually given to the least experience producer in the cadre because it requires the last amount of work. It's mostly a matter of re-writing stories from the night before and re-cueing tapes.
Our show is longer than any other morning show I've ever filled in on but it's mostly a repeat-every-half-hour-type-deal.
I'm not really too worried about the actual execution, at least after the first show or two.
Actually, my first response to the news was an impulse to wail, "But I wanted to be bought out!"
The new company could've chosen to pay off my contract and dispense with my services. Hey, I could handle that. Paid to stay home for a month or two, then to job search for three or four months. Sounded good to me.
Instead I'm going to have to drag my butt out of bed at 11pm and work a midnight to 8 a.m. shift.
See this rambling? That's why I've been avoiding this post. I figured out exactly how I feel about all this, or what all it's going to do to my life, so it's tough to write coherently about it.
The ultimate topper? We still don't know exactly when all these changes will take place. Whenever the sale is final. That could be next Friday, it could be two weeks from now. We just don't know.
Nimitz' Lady
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Weigh In
.... or not.
Today's Tuesday, the day I check in on how my diet/exercise plan is going. So, on my way to the shower after my workout this evening I stopped by the scales. Broken.
Guess I don't have to torture myself, ahem, weigh myself tonight. I'll check again on Thursday, mostly because I should not because I necessarily want to.
On side note: why is it whenever I manage to get in a weekend workout one of my regularly scheduled weekday workouts goes out the window?
Nimitz' Lady
Today's Tuesday, the day I check in on how my diet/exercise plan is going. So, on my way to the shower after my workout this evening I stopped by the scales. Broken.
Guess I don't have to torture myself, ahem, weigh myself tonight. I'll check again on Thursday, mostly because I should not because I necessarily want to.
On side note: why is it whenever I manage to get in a weekend workout one of my regularly scheduled weekday workouts goes out the window?
Nimitz' Lady
Bruised and Bleeding
I don't know what it is lately but I've been extremely injury prone.
From slashing my left forefinger open with a bread knife last week to scraping off the top of my right foot with a razor over the weekend to impaling my right palm on a two inch splinter yesterday.
Oh, and then there's the chunk I gouged out of my right ring finger knuckle with, get this, my right pinkie finger.
I have no idea how I managed it. I've tried and I simply can't, normally, bend the pinkie finger far enough without using my other hand to help. But manage it I did.
With all these cuts and scrapes dunking myself in a pool of chlorine this weekend will NOT be a party.
Nimitz' Lady
From slashing my left forefinger open with a bread knife last week to scraping off the top of my right foot with a razor over the weekend to impaling my right palm on a two inch splinter yesterday.
Oh, and then there's the chunk I gouged out of my right ring finger knuckle with, get this, my right pinkie finger.
I have no idea how I managed it. I've tried and I simply can't, normally, bend the pinkie finger far enough without using my other hand to help. But manage it I did.
With all these cuts and scrapes dunking myself in a pool of chlorine this weekend will NOT be a party.
Nimitz' Lady
Monday, January 16, 2006
Game Time & Weather
I am spitting mad at Colorado University right now. We're heading to Boulder next weekend to catch the ISU vs CU women's basketball game. Then we'll visit some relatives who live in Colorado.
But, last Friday CU announced it was changing the tip off time from 2pm to 7pm. This means we're going to have to spend the night in Boulder and lose almost an entire day's worth of visiting time!
The only upside is that JBP will get to go swimming in the hotel pool.
Of course, that meant I had to get a new swimsuit. Der Deutscher does too, he just hasn't done it yet. Both our suits developed irreparable holes last summer and must be replaced.
I got mine today at Target. The good news is it covers all the essentials. The bad news, although it looks almost stylish it's still a fat lady swimsuit and there's nothing I can do about it. Highly depressing.
Nimitz' Lady
But, last Friday CU announced it was changing the tip off time from 2pm to 7pm. This means we're going to have to spend the night in Boulder and lose almost an entire day's worth of visiting time!
The only upside is that JBP will get to go swimming in the hotel pool.
Of course, that meant I had to get a new swimsuit. Der Deutscher does too, he just hasn't done it yet. Both our suits developed irreparable holes last summer and must be replaced.
I got mine today at Target. The good news is it covers all the essentials. The bad news, although it looks almost stylish it's still a fat lady swimsuit and there's nothing I can do about it. Highly depressing.
Nimitz' Lady
Loose Tooth
On our way back home from the concert JBP called me on my cell to let me know he has a loose tooth.
This is his very first loose tooth and he's extremely excited about it.
It's the first thing he tells everyone he sees. He wanted to make sure we knew about it immediately 'cause "I know who the tooth fairy really is!"
He's already informed me he wants four nickels for his tooth. It's only been loose for two days. It'll probably be a week or more before he loses it.
He's also informed me that since the dentist said he'd probably start losing his baby teeth at age six when this tooth comes out he'll be six years old! He's been trying to advance that birthday all year long!
Nimitz' Lady
This is his very first loose tooth and he's extremely excited about it.
It's the first thing he tells everyone he sees. He wanted to make sure we knew about it immediately 'cause "I know who the tooth fairy really is!"
He's already informed me he wants four nickels for his tooth. It's only been loose for two days. It'll probably be a week or more before he loses it.
He's also informed me that since the dentist said he'd probably start losing his baby teeth at age six when this tooth comes out he'll be six years old! He's been trying to advance that birthday all year long!
Nimitz' Lady
Hair Band
One other thing I noticed? Jon's letting his hair go natural again. He's had this really straight look for the last few years.
But now he's letting it get fluffy, curly, whatever you want to call it, natural, like he had it back in the good ol' Hair Band Days!
Nimitz' Lady
But now he's letting it get fluffy, curly, whatever you want to call it, natural, like he had it back in the good ol' Hair Band Days!
Nimitz' Lady
The Concert
As you may remember I went to a Bon Jovi concert this weekend. What a blast!
Here's a recap of events:
The band may have been at this for more than 20 years, but they obviously love what they do! It shows in everything from the way they play (instruments) to the way they play (with the audience).
Twice Jon Bon Jovi disappeared from stage to reappear in the middle of the crowd for a song or two. Both times making his way back to the stage by walking through the crowd.
The second time a woman handed him a rose. He grabbed her by the cheeks and planted a big one on her lips. She looked like she was about to faint.
They (the bouncers) would also occasionally allow a couple dozen folks up onto the stage wings to dance and cheer and Jon and Richie (Sambora) would come over and make sure they shook hands with everyone there.
Several times as they would turn around to head back to center stage some intrepid young fan would grab a handful of "star". It never faced them. Although I'm willing to bet at least a couple of those girls will never wash their hands again! =)
And the acting! As Der Deutscher said, it's no wonder Jon's been able to make a movie career on the side. He is one heck of an actor. His second song was one of the old favorites, Shot Through the Heart. His look of surprise when the audience drowned him out singing along was priceless. And you know by now he knows the audience knows these old standbyes.
One thing I found sooooo cool about the concert was the extreme range of ages among the fans. There were folks in their 40s and 50s all the way down to an 8 year old boy sitting (okay, standing) front and center. Jon took about five minutes out of the concert to single this kid out and talk to him from the stage.
The only down side to the whole thing, other than the night having to end of course, was my shoes. I wore these really cool heels I bought in Europe. They're actually very comfortable for heels. I can walk all the way downtown and back in them without wincing. What I discovered I can't do is stand in one small area dancing for two hours in them. By the time we got back to the hotel room I swear both of my little toes were bruised and numb!
Overall it was a great weekend and well worth the money.
Nimitz' Lady
P.S. Bon Jovi is soooo cooll they even allow fans to bring cameras to the concert. I can't remember the last time a performance of any sort allowed cameras. I'm just p.o.'d Der Deutscher and I never even conceived of the notion of taking a camera into the show!
Sales Blues
As I've mentioned in previous posts, my TV station is about to change owners.
So far the new owners haven't done much to endear themselves to the folks who actually operate this place. Namely, us!
First our benefits took a major dive. Come on, $550 a month for insurance coverage?!?! That's what each employee will have to pay. And lots of things our outgoing company covered/provided are not even under consideration with the new guys.
Then, on Friday came the news they're laying off 35% of the employees at the Hawaii station (being bought along with us). That station is number on in its market.
Of course, this means everybody now expects major layoffs here as well. So, everyone's rushing to get a decent resume tape together and putting out feelers.
Needless to say we've all got the Sales Blues. Hopefully we should know later this week whether we'll be seeing any layoffs (and how many).
Ironically, despite all of this I'm in a peaceful spot about all this. I've adopted a rather fatalistic attitude. Whatever's going to happen is out of my hands and whatever does happen God will provide for me and mine.
Nimitz' Lady
So far the new owners haven't done much to endear themselves to the folks who actually operate this place. Namely, us!
First our benefits took a major dive. Come on, $550 a month for insurance coverage?!?! That's what each employee will have to pay. And lots of things our outgoing company covered/provided are not even under consideration with the new guys.
Then, on Friday came the news they're laying off 35% of the employees at the Hawaii station (being bought along with us). That station is number on in its market.
Of course, this means everybody now expects major layoffs here as well. So, everyone's rushing to get a decent resume tape together and putting out feelers.
Needless to say we've all got the Sales Blues. Hopefully we should know later this week whether we'll be seeing any layoffs (and how many).
Ironically, despite all of this I'm in a peaceful spot about all this. I've adopted a rather fatalistic attitude. Whatever's going to happen is out of my hands and whatever does happen God will provide for me and mine.
Nimitz' Lady
Ball Chair
In my efforts to get back in shape I bought an exer-ball to use as my office chair in the newsroom.
I took it to work, got it out and pumped it up.
Then I sat on it.
It's toooooooo short.
When I sit on it the keyboard is about level with my chin!
So for now, the ball is tucked under my desk serving as a glorified footstool and I've headed back to the drawing board in my efforts to force more activity and strength training into my day.
Nimitz' Lady
I took it to work, got it out and pumped it up.
Then I sat on it.
It's toooooooo short.
When I sit on it the keyboard is about level with my chin!
So for now, the ball is tucked under my desk serving as a glorified footstool and I've headed back to the drawing board in my efforts to force more activity and strength training into my day.
Nimitz' Lady
Blonde Moments
Friday our anchor had a severe blonde moment. She's a natural platinum blonde. Her hair is so light the station actually makes her darken it! But she rarely shows her roots.
Friday we were running light (in other words, not enough news to fill the newscast) so she and the sports guy started adlibbing about the new Girl Scout cookies this year (we'd just done a story on the cookie sales kick-off).
As she was wrapping up the adlib and saying goodbye she said, "I'll see you on Monday," then put her finger to her lips and added, "Oops! I'm off on Monday. See you Tuesday!" and giggled maniacally.
It was hilarious and it was a totally blonde moment.
On a side bar: this is the same anchor who grew up on a farm yet had an hour long argument with me over whether mutton and lamb was the same meat! She insisted they were different animals. Given, she grew up on a wheat farm, not a livestock farm. But I grew up in orchard country and I knew the definition of mutton!
Nimitz' Lady
Friday we were running light (in other words, not enough news to fill the newscast) so she and the sports guy started adlibbing about the new Girl Scout cookies this year (we'd just done a story on the cookie sales kick-off).
As she was wrapping up the adlib and saying goodbye she said, "I'll see you on Monday," then put her finger to her lips and added, "Oops! I'm off on Monday. See you Tuesday!" and giggled maniacally.
It was hilarious and it was a totally blonde moment.
On a side bar: this is the same anchor who grew up on a farm yet had an hour long argument with me over whether mutton and lamb was the same meat! She insisted they were different animals. Given, she grew up on a wheat farm, not a livestock farm. But I grew up in orchard country and I knew the definition of mutton!
Nimitz' Lady
Friday, January 13, 2006
Bon Jovi
OKC here we come! Der Deutscher and I will be leaving after church tomorrow (Sabbath) for Oklahoma City and a romantic evening filled with great music from just about the only band the two of us agree on.
We'll even get to spend the night in a hotel. All by ourselves. What a concept.
I can't wait! Alone time with my husband! Doing something other than sleeping! What an exciting prospect.
Nimitz' Lady
Moving Day
Our neighbors are moving across town and JBP's not taking it well.
They moved into our cul-de-sac just months after we did. Their three kids have been nearly constant companions for JBP ever since. By the end of the weekend they'll be gone for good.
Today they began loading up and moving out. JBP said a tearful goodbye to the kids and then came home sobbing. After about 15 minutes crying his eyes out in my arms he sniffed himself quiet. Then he went to his bedroom window, crossed his arms on the sill, placed his chin on his hands and just stared out the window at the proceedings.
He drifted back and forth between his window and our bedroom window for about half an hour or so before noticing the kids had come outside to play. He went flying out the door to join them, for whatever time remains.
JBP has had friends move away before. But never ones who lived on his street and he saw on a nearly daily basis. This is hitting him much harder and for the first time he's realizing what it means to have friends move away. Poor little bugger. It's hitting him hard.
Nimitz' Lady
They moved into our cul-de-sac just months after we did. Their three kids have been nearly constant companions for JBP ever since. By the end of the weekend they'll be gone for good.
Today they began loading up and moving out. JBP said a tearful goodbye to the kids and then came home sobbing. After about 15 minutes crying his eyes out in my arms he sniffed himself quiet. Then he went to his bedroom window, crossed his arms on the sill, placed his chin on his hands and just stared out the window at the proceedings.
He drifted back and forth between his window and our bedroom window for about half an hour or so before noticing the kids had come outside to play. He went flying out the door to join them, for whatever time remains.
JBP has had friends move away before. But never ones who lived on his street and he saw on a nearly daily basis. This is hitting him much harder and for the first time he's realizing what it means to have friends move away. Poor little bugger. It's hitting him hard.
Nimitz' Lady
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Big Surprise. Not.
E-mail from my News Director:
PUBLICITY DOESN'T BOOST BOOK OF DANIEL - The publicity generated following the decision of a handful of NBC affiliates decided not to air the new limited-run drama The Book Of Daniel didn't give the premiere a ratings boost.
Back-to-back episodes averaged 9 million total viewers and a 2.7/8 among adults 18-49 Friday from 9-11 pm ET.
While that was better than the network's Friday season average, the show came in third behind CBS's Close To Home (11.5 million viewers, 2.9/8 in adults 18-49) and Numb3rs (13.6 million, 3.6/10) and ABC's new drama In Justice (9.2 million, 2.8/8) and 20/20 (9.2 million, 3.0/9).
I don't know about you, but his didn't really shock me to the roots.
Nimitz' Lady
PUBLICITY DOESN'T BOOST BOOK OF DANIEL - The publicity generated following the decision of a handful of NBC affiliates decided not to air the new limited-run drama The Book Of Daniel didn't give the premiere a ratings boost.
Back-to-back episodes averaged 9 million total viewers and a 2.7/8 among adults 18-49 Friday from 9-11 pm ET.
While that was better than the network's Friday season average, the show came in third behind CBS's Close To Home (11.5 million viewers, 2.9/8 in adults 18-49) and Numb3rs (13.6 million, 3.6/10) and ABC's new drama In Justice (9.2 million, 2.8/8) and 20/20 (9.2 million, 3.0/9).
I don't know about you, but his didn't really shock me to the roots.
Nimitz' Lady
Ooooohhhh-kay ?
I'm not quite sure what to make of this story from the AP. What do you think? --Nimitz' Lady
Judge: Fetuses do not count in carpool lanes
PHOENIX (AP) - A judge says an Arizona woman's argument that she was carrying a passenger in her womb doesn't hold up.
Candace Dickinson was fined 367 dollars for improperly using a carpool lane. But she said because she was carrying a fetus, she should be allowed to use the lane.
Motorists who use the lanes around Phoenix must carry at least one passenger during weekday rush hours.
A municipal judge says, "The law is meant to fill empty space in a vehicle."
The police sergeant who pulled her over says Dickinson's theory would force officers "to carry guns, radios and pregnancy testers."
Judge: Fetuses do not count in carpool lanes
PHOENIX (AP) - A judge says an Arizona woman's argument that she was carrying a passenger in her womb doesn't hold up.
Candace Dickinson was fined 367 dollars for improperly using a carpool lane. But she said because she was carrying a fetus, she should be allowed to use the lane.
Motorists who use the lanes around Phoenix must carry at least one passenger during weekday rush hours.
A municipal judge says, "The law is meant to fill empty space in a vehicle."
The police sergeant who pulled her over says Dickinson's theory would force officers "to carry guns, radios and pregnancy testers."
Weigh In
Today: 203.25 lbs
Last Tuesday: 201 lbs
Difference: +2.25 lbs
Start: 204.5 lbs
Total Lost: -1.25 lbs
Amt to Goal Weight: 43.25 lbs
The Good: I managed to get in that fifth workout day last week. Overall the eating seems to be going pretty well now.
The Bad: I missed yesterday due to JBP spiking a fever around noon and keeping me home the rest of the day. (He's fine now.)
*****WARNING***** Stop reading now if you don't want to know anymore about my internal female workings. Move on to the next post. *****WARNING*****
The Ugly: Last Tuesday and then again today I started spotting after my workout. I've never had this problem before and I don't know what the &*%$# is going on but I wish it'd stop. I'm waiting until the end of this cycle to see how my period goes before calling the doctor.
Nimitz' Lady
Last Tuesday: 201 lbs
Difference: +2.25 lbs
Start: 204.5 lbs
Total Lost: -1.25 lbs
Amt to Goal Weight: 43.25 lbs
The Good: I managed to get in that fifth workout day last week. Overall the eating seems to be going pretty well now.
The Bad: I missed yesterday due to JBP spiking a fever around noon and keeping me home the rest of the day. (He's fine now.)
*****WARNING***** Stop reading now if you don't want to know anymore about my internal female workings. Move on to the next post. *****WARNING*****
The Ugly: Last Tuesday and then again today I started spotting after my workout. I've never had this problem before and I don't know what the &*%$# is going on but I wish it'd stop. I'm waiting until the end of this cycle to see how my period goes before calling the doctor.
Nimitz' Lady
Narnia III
Ok, maybe I'm beginning to sound like a broken record with all these Narnia posts, but it's something near and dear to my heart.
The latest news from Empire is that producers are already working on the next movie based off the next book in the series.
The only problem? They're working on Prince Caspian while The Horse and His Boy is the next book!!!!!
Learning about this left me, literally, sputtering at the top of my lungs in the middle of the newsroom and left the newsroom laughing at me. I still maintain it's an outrage to skip the next book!!!!!!
Nimitz' Lady
The latest news from Empire is that producers are already working on the next movie based off the next book in the series.
The only problem? They're working on Prince Caspian while The Horse and His Boy is the next book!!!!!
Learning about this left me, literally, sputtering at the top of my lungs in the middle of the newsroom and left the newsroom laughing at me. I still maintain it's an outrage to skip the next book!!!!!!
Nimitz' Lady
Hyperquandriac
The proof is in that JBP has inherited Der Deutscher's and my talents with languages.
Today, we were discussing how we should live life as if Jesus were returning in the next 10 minutes. Yet, at the same time, we can't count on his returning in our lifetime.
I said, "And there's your quandary." (We've never babied him when it comes to vocabulary, which probably explains why my five year old has a better vocabulary than many of today's college students!)
Anyway, he started playing around with the word. Then he combined it with "hypochondriac", which he's heard a lot of lately due to his propensity for playing sick in order to watch more TV.
Yes, my little Shakespeare developed his very own, brand new word today, "hyperquandriac", and is unabashed about using it in every sentence out of his mouth.
Of course, I have yet to figure out what it means!
Nimitz' Lady
Today, we were discussing how we should live life as if Jesus were returning in the next 10 minutes. Yet, at the same time, we can't count on his returning in our lifetime.
I said, "And there's your quandary." (We've never babied him when it comes to vocabulary, which probably explains why my five year old has a better vocabulary than many of today's college students!)
Anyway, he started playing around with the word. Then he combined it with "hypochondriac", which he's heard a lot of lately due to his propensity for playing sick in order to watch more TV.
Yes, my little Shakespeare developed his very own, brand new word today, "hyperquandriac", and is unabashed about using it in every sentence out of his mouth.
Of course, I have yet to figure out what it means!
Nimitz' Lady
Monday, January 09, 2006
Winter's Return
What the h-e-double-hockey sticks?!?!
Sabbath JBP was in a Basketball jersey, and nothing else, and perfectly comfortable. I was on the verge of sweating even, Ms. Perpetually Cold. I mean, we're talking mid-70's!
Yesterday it was still nice enough to wander around at the zoo without a coat on. (Given, I should've taken a sweater, but still!)
This morning I left the house for the gym in my normal gym clothes plus sweater jacket. And FROZE!
Tonight they're talking snow! What the ^%^#$^^&*? You'd think it was actually winter around here or something. What's up with that? Nobody said winter could come back. He had his chance and blew it, now SCRAM!
Someone bring me some hot chocolate. Please. Pretty please.
Nimitz' Lady
Sabbath JBP was in a Basketball jersey, and nothing else, and perfectly comfortable. I was on the verge of sweating even, Ms. Perpetually Cold. I mean, we're talking mid-70's!
Yesterday it was still nice enough to wander around at the zoo without a coat on. (Given, I should've taken a sweater, but still!)
This morning I left the house for the gym in my normal gym clothes plus sweater jacket. And FROZE!
Tonight they're talking snow! What the ^%^#$^^&*? You'd think it was actually winter around here or something. What's up with that? Nobody said winter could come back. He had his chance and blew it, now SCRAM!
Someone bring me some hot chocolate. Please. Pretty please.
Nimitz' Lady
TV Notes
Some thoughts on the last few days of TV:
The Book of Daniel: I don't get what all the fuss was about. Ok, given, I only saw a few scenes in between incessant phone calls from outraged right-wing viewers, but still. It looked like your normal, average family-angst drama to me. No better and no worse than 90% of all the other network TV shows out there.
West Wing: It was sooooo weird watching this Sunday's episode, which centered around Vice Presidential candidate Leo McGarry's preps for the Vice Presidential Debate, knowing all the time that John Spencer who plays McGarry died nearly a month ago. The entire time I was waiting for them to suddenly announce the character had died. I still don't know how they're going to write him out of the show, but they have no choice.
Grey's Anatomy: Ok, I have seem some pretty poor excuses of an episode before - plots filled with "flashbacks" so they can just cut in scenes from old episodes and only spend a day or so taping the new stuff. But this was a completely new one on me. Sunday's show as all one long flashback. It very neatly brought viewers up to date on everything that's happened in the last season and a half of the series. But not one NEW scene in the whole thing. Very frustrating!
The Young Riders: The website TV Shows on DVD today announced this 1990's western is set to be released on DVD beginning with Season #1 on March 21st! Yeee-Haaw! I loved this show then and can still quote you some of the best lines! I can't wait to buy the first copy and share the series with JBP and Der Deutscher.
Nimitz' Lady
The Book of Daniel: I don't get what all the fuss was about. Ok, given, I only saw a few scenes in between incessant phone calls from outraged right-wing viewers, but still. It looked like your normal, average family-angst drama to me. No better and no worse than 90% of all the other network TV shows out there.
West Wing: It was sooooo weird watching this Sunday's episode, which centered around Vice Presidential candidate Leo McGarry's preps for the Vice Presidential Debate, knowing all the time that John Spencer who plays McGarry died nearly a month ago. The entire time I was waiting for them to suddenly announce the character had died. I still don't know how they're going to write him out of the show, but they have no choice.
Grey's Anatomy: Ok, I have seem some pretty poor excuses of an episode before - plots filled with "flashbacks" so they can just cut in scenes from old episodes and only spend a day or so taping the new stuff. But this was a completely new one on me. Sunday's show as all one long flashback. It very neatly brought viewers up to date on everything that's happened in the last season and a half of the series. But not one NEW scene in the whole thing. Very frustrating!
The Young Riders: The website TV Shows on DVD today announced this 1990's western is set to be released on DVD beginning with Season #1 on March 21st! Yeee-Haaw! I loved this show then and can still quote you some of the best lines! I can't wait to buy the first copy and share the series with JBP and Der Deutscher.
Nimitz' Lady
The Gym
Well, for the first time in the three weeks since I've been trying to make it to the gym 5 days out of 7 I've actually succeeded. (And if you made it through that sentence, you deserve an award too!!!!)
Sunday I hit the treadmill for a 50 minute run/walk killing off 597 calories! Yay! And who knows, maybe this will set a precedent and I'll make that 5 day a week goal a little more often than 1/3rd of the time!
Nimitz' Lady
Sunday I hit the treadmill for a 50 minute run/walk killing off 597 calories! Yay! And who knows, maybe this will set a precedent and I'll make that 5 day a week goal a little more often than 1/3rd of the time!
Nimitz' Lady
Soccer Stash
Due to a staff meeting on Friday, I didn't get the grocery shopping done then. So we had to do it Sunday.
While at Wal-Mart, I wandered down the book/notions aisle. You know, the aisle with all the 'junk' and 'souvenir' stuff in it?
Anyway, I'd been promising JBP a new piggy bank, because the foot of his plastic one is busted wide open. He has to carry it around at a tilt or lose money.
Well, he spotted this ceramic coin banks and immediately wanted one. I'd actually promised him one last week, so I felt obligated to get it.
The first one he picked was grass green and labeled "Lottery Loot". I said, "Try again!"
Together we picked out a nice black and white bank labeled, "Soccer Stash". Now he goes running around telling everyone he meets about his "Soccer Stash". He's sooooo proud of it.
Nimitz' Lady
While at Wal-Mart, I wandered down the book/notions aisle. You know, the aisle with all the 'junk' and 'souvenir' stuff in it?
Anyway, I'd been promising JBP a new piggy bank, because the foot of his plastic one is busted wide open. He has to carry it around at a tilt or lose money.
Well, he spotted this ceramic coin banks and immediately wanted one. I'd actually promised him one last week, so I felt obligated to get it.
The first one he picked was grass green and labeled "Lottery Loot". I said, "Try again!"
Together we picked out a nice black and white bank labeled, "Soccer Stash". Now he goes running around telling everyone he meets about his "Soccer Stash". He's sooooo proud of it.
Nimitz' Lady
Parents?
After the game we waited around to greet the players.
One couple from Texas had come to cheer their niece on. This was her closest game to them this year (except for the Conference Tournament which is in Dallas this year, but that's a whole 'nother post).
They struck up a conversation with us and before I could blink the wife asked me, "So, which girl is your daughter?"
I was so shocked I could barely keep it together to answer her. All I wanted to do was wail, "I'm not oooooollllllddddd enough to have a daughter on a college basketball team!"
Afterward, on our way home, I figured it out and if I'd reproduced as soon as it was physically possible I could actually have had a 19 year old daughter. Which means I AM old enough. Yikes!
Nimitz' Lady
One couple from Texas had come to cheer their niece on. This was her closest game to them this year (except for the Conference Tournament which is in Dallas this year, but that's a whole 'nother post).
They struck up a conversation with us and before I could blink the wife asked me, "So, which girl is your daughter?"
I was so shocked I could barely keep it together to answer her. All I wanted to do was wail, "I'm not oooooollllllddddd enough to have a daughter on a college basketball team!"
Afterward, on our way home, I figured it out and if I'd reproduced as soon as it was physically possible I could actually have had a 19 year old daughter. Which means I AM old enough. Yikes!
Nimitz' Lady
Bullets!
Overall, the crowd and atmosphere at the game in Stillwater was what I would expect at a Women's Basketball game. In a phrase: Family Friendly. One thing I did not approve of however was their mascot.
His name is something-or-other Pete. Prancing Pete, Pardner Pete, something like that. He's a big cowboy with a giant orange cowboy hat and two six-shooters strapped to his hips. Ok, so far, so good.
The bad part? Those are real pistols. And the mascot runs around shooting them off during timeouts and half-time.
The worst part? He also gives away the blank bullets to the kids as souvenirs. Now, I'm sorry. Even if I weren't a semi-pacifist who didn't believe in allowing kids to play even with toy guns, this would be a problem for me.
Bullets, even blanks, can injure and even kill people under the right circumstances. I don't care how careful you've been to disarm it, a bullet is NOT A TOY!
Out of respect for the home team, and because I didn't want to deal with a temper tantrum, I didn't take the bullet away from JBP until we got home. And even than I had to explain to him he wasn't being punished for anything. But I wouldn't let him play with it. I made him put it in his rear pocket and leave it be..
Bullets! I still can't believe they were giving kids bullets!
Nimitz' Lady
P.S. I just looked it up and it's Pistol Pete. Here's a picture
His name is something-or-other Pete. Prancing Pete, Pardner Pete, something like that. He's a big cowboy with a giant orange cowboy hat and two six-shooters strapped to his hips. Ok, so far, so good.
The bad part? Those are real pistols. And the mascot runs around shooting them off during timeouts and half-time.
The worst part? He also gives away the blank bullets to the kids as souvenirs. Now, I'm sorry. Even if I weren't a semi-pacifist who didn't believe in allowing kids to play even with toy guns, this would be a problem for me.
Bullets, even blanks, can injure and even kill people under the right circumstances. I don't care how careful you've been to disarm it, a bullet is NOT A TOY!
Out of respect for the home team, and because I didn't want to deal with a temper tantrum, I didn't take the bullet away from JBP until we got home. And even than I had to explain to him he wasn't being punished for anything. But I wouldn't let him play with it. I made him put it in his rear pocket and leave it be..
Bullets! I still can't believe they were giving kids bullets!
Nimitz' Lady
P.S. I just looked it up and it's Pistol Pete. Here's a picture
Coach's Voice
Sabbath's ISU vs OSU basketball game was a doozy. Lots of fun.
We arrived at the arena at the same time as a group that had driven in from Texas, about a six hour trip. They were excited to see other Cyclones in town. JBP immediately made friends, as always.
When we got inside, the assistant coaches and a couple of players were sitting on the bench and recognized us right away. Coach Harris greeted him enthusiastically and gave him a high five. Ok, a middle five, but same idea.
It was a great game. Very exciting. Probably more exciting than it should've been. Our ladies built up and then lost no fewer than three double digit leads before finally winning the game on free throws. They had as much as a 17 point lead in the second half which they let dwindle down to a two point lead at about the two minute mark. We did finally win it 71 to 62.
One thing about away games, under the best of circumstances you cheer harder than you would at a home game. Got to make up in quality what you've lost in quantity. With a game like this one, I cheered harder than I had since high school.
By the time the game was over, my already sore throat was down to a very hoarse voice. I was surprised I could still talk on the way home! Now I know how Coach Fennelly feels after a game.
SIDE NOTE: JBP had as much fun playing with a little boy I believe was Coach Easley's son, flirting with a group of teenaged girls from Labette County and sharing peanuts with one of the players' dads as he did watching the game. All told I don't think he spent more than a third of the game actually sitting next to us.
Nimitz' Lady
We arrived at the arena at the same time as a group that had driven in from Texas, about a six hour trip. They were excited to see other Cyclones in town. JBP immediately made friends, as always.
When we got inside, the assistant coaches and a couple of players were sitting on the bench and recognized us right away. Coach Harris greeted him enthusiastically and gave him a high five. Ok, a middle five, but same idea.
It was a great game. Very exciting. Probably more exciting than it should've been. Our ladies built up and then lost no fewer than three double digit leads before finally winning the game on free throws. They had as much as a 17 point lead in the second half which they let dwindle down to a two point lead at about the two minute mark. We did finally win it 71 to 62.
One thing about away games, under the best of circumstances you cheer harder than you would at a home game. Got to make up in quality what you've lost in quantity. With a game like this one, I cheered harder than I had since high school.
By the time the game was over, my already sore throat was down to a very hoarse voice. I was surprised I could still talk on the way home! Now I know how Coach Fennelly feels after a game.
SIDE NOTE: JBP had as much fun playing with a little boy I believe was Coach Easley's son, flirting with a group of teenaged girls from Labette County and sharing peanuts with one of the players' dads as he did watching the game. All told I don't think he spent more than a third of the game actually sitting next to us.
Nimitz' Lady
Narnia, II
Also titled, The Horse and His Boy.
Since we were traveling on Sabbath and we wouldn't be making it to church, I tried to come up with something religiously educational to occupy our time.
On our last road trip, we listened to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe on CD. So,I decided we'd 'read' the next book in the series.
I couldn't find it in audio version so I became the elected reader. By the time we got to Stillwater, my throat was already aching (mostly from doing the voices for the Talking Horses). We'd made it about a third of the way through the book.
Now, every time all three of us are in the car together, JBP demands I read some more 'Narnia'.
Originally, he tried to call it "#2", but I had to explain to him it's actually the third book in the series. That's because the first book is a prequel that gives away way too much about the series. So, IMHO, it shoudl always be read last.
Of course, JBP had to make that into a numbers game. He'll start up, "I think we should read #4, #2, #3, #6, #10....." and just keep going. Never mind that there are only seven books in the series. Funny boy.
Nimitz' Lady
Since we were traveling on Sabbath and we wouldn't be making it to church, I tried to come up with something religiously educational to occupy our time.
On our last road trip, we listened to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe on CD. So,I decided we'd 'read' the next book in the series.
I couldn't find it in audio version so I became the elected reader. By the time we got to Stillwater, my throat was already aching (mostly from doing the voices for the Talking Horses). We'd made it about a third of the way through the book.
Now, every time all three of us are in the car together, JBP demands I read some more 'Narnia'.
Originally, he tried to call it "#2", but I had to explain to him it's actually the third book in the series. That's because the first book is a prequel that gives away way too much about the series. So, IMHO, it shoudl always be read last.
Of course, JBP had to make that into a numbers game. He'll start up, "I think we should read #4, #2, #3, #6, #10....." and just keep going. Never mind that there are only seven books in the series. Funny boy.
Nimitz' Lady
California
This Sabbath we hit the road for an ISU basketball game in Stillwater, OK.
JBP was quite excited about the trip and rose early, bursting into our room with a gleefully shouted, "Wake up! It's time to go to California, Stillwater!"
Even in my sleep I cringed.
Once we'd fully awoken, we carefully explained to him the difference between Oklahoma and California. But, he persisted in calling it 'California' for most of the day.
Oy Vay!
Nimitz' Lady
JBP was quite excited about the trip and rose early, bursting into our room with a gleefully shouted, "Wake up! It's time to go to California, Stillwater!"
Even in my sleep I cringed.
Once we'd fully awoken, we carefully explained to him the difference between Oklahoma and California. But, he persisted in calling it 'California' for most of the day.
Oy Vay!
Nimitz' Lady
Friday, January 06, 2006
Latin Flavor
I've dropped a couple of blogs from my "reading list" that haven't updated in a little too long.
I've also added a few Latin flavored blogs to the list.
A Latina Inside has a unique view of hispanic culture as a Gringa who's married a Mexicano.
Howling Latina brings us the view of a progressive Cuban-American with an aggressive social conscience.
Latina Lista is a news blog with stories of interest to Latinas around the country, regardless of political stance.
Finally, Viva La Colombia brings us the perspective of a Gringo couple who've already adopted one Colombiano son and are in the process of adopting a second child from Colombia.
Check them out and Happy Reading!
Nimitz' Lady
I've also added a few Latin flavored blogs to the list.
A Latina Inside has a unique view of hispanic culture as a Gringa who's married a Mexicano.
Howling Latina brings us the view of a progressive Cuban-American with an aggressive social conscience.
Latina Lista is a news blog with stories of interest to Latinas around the country, regardless of political stance.
Finally, Viva La Colombia brings us the perspective of a Gringo couple who've already adopted one Colombiano son and are in the process of adopting a second child from Colombia.
Check them out and Happy Reading!
Nimitz' Lady
Adoption Benefits
So, the new company taking over my TV station won't be offering adoption benefits. Of any sort. They won't even cover pre-natal and labor & delivery costs for the birthmother!
This is neither fair nor moral. If they offer pre-natal care, etc, for an expecting mother, it shouldn't matter who's doing the actual carrying. The 'expectant mother' remains their employee.
Needless to say I'm a little upset with this policy, or lack there-of.
As far as I'm concerned, this is something that should be federally mandated, just like maternity leave. If they'd pay for a woman to have a child "naturally", why shouldn't they pay the same amount for a woman (family) adopting? I just don't get it.
It's not like, as a potential adoptive parent I'm asking for special benefits. Just the benfits due me as an employee!
Maybe it's time to write my state and congressional representatives. Again. Or maybe I'll just bend their ear the next time we have them in for an interview. The advantages of working at a TV station!
The semi-hysterical thing about all of this is by the time I need/want adoption benefits two or three years down the road I may not even work here anymore. And if I am working here, I may have changed their minds about the whole thing, assuming they even still own us by then.
Hey, this is the shape my brain's been in all day, due to lack of sleep!
Nimitz' Lady
This is neither fair nor moral. If they offer pre-natal care, etc, for an expecting mother, it shouldn't matter who's doing the actual carrying. The 'expectant mother' remains their employee.
Needless to say I'm a little upset with this policy, or lack there-of.
As far as I'm concerned, this is something that should be federally mandated, just like maternity leave. If they'd pay for a woman to have a child "naturally", why shouldn't they pay the same amount for a woman (family) adopting? I just don't get it.
It's not like, as a potential adoptive parent I'm asking for special benefits. Just the benfits due me as an employee!
Maybe it's time to write my state and congressional representatives. Again. Or maybe I'll just bend their ear the next time we have them in for an interview. The advantages of working at a TV station!
The semi-hysterical thing about all of this is by the time I need/want adoption benefits two or three years down the road I may not even work here anymore. And if I am working here, I may have changed their minds about the whole thing, assuming they even still own us by then.
Hey, this is the shape my brain's been in all day, due to lack of sleep!
Nimitz' Lady
Pissy Day
I don't know what else to call today. It's just plain sucked. Sorry if I've offended anyone with my language. But sometimes such anglo terms are the only appropriate descriptions.
Just how bad has today sucked? Let me count the ways...
1. I had a horrible night's sleep and had a horrible time waking up.
2. I had to go in to work at 11 a.m. for a staff mtg.
3. At said staff meeting I learned just how bad our benefits will be after the new owneres take over, probably late January. No Flex Spend Accounts, No Adoption benefits (that's a whole 'nother post right there!), No vison insurance, I'll be losing a week's worth of vacation time a year! I could go on and on about what's NOT there.
4. Due to said mtg I got no chance to catch a quick nap before work.
5. In the afternoon meeting I learned management had changed their minds, again, about airing The Book of Daniel. For the record, that means we WILL be airing the show tonight.
6. I've had to deal with pissed off right-wing christian types all day (yes, the lower case c in Christian was deliberate!)
7. Der Deutscher was in a pissy mood when I got home for supper and rather than make things worse I opted to come back to work early. So, I barely got a break AND my husband is in a crappy mood.
8. I still have more pissed off right-wing christian types to deal with on the phone as soon as we hit 8 p.m. and The Book of Daniel hits the air.
In my book, this is not the way to start off the Sabbath!
Nimitz' Lady
Just how bad has today sucked? Let me count the ways...
1. I had a horrible night's sleep and had a horrible time waking up.
2. I had to go in to work at 11 a.m. for a staff mtg.
3. At said staff meeting I learned just how bad our benefits will be after the new owneres take over, probably late January. No Flex Spend Accounts, No Adoption benefits (that's a whole 'nother post right there!), No vison insurance, I'll be losing a week's worth of vacation time a year! I could go on and on about what's NOT there.
4. Due to said mtg I got no chance to catch a quick nap before work.
5. In the afternoon meeting I learned management had changed their minds, again, about airing The Book of Daniel. For the record, that means we WILL be airing the show tonight.
6. I've had to deal with pissed off right-wing christian types all day (yes, the lower case c in Christian was deliberate!)
7. Der Deutscher was in a pissy mood when I got home for supper and rather than make things worse I opted to come back to work early. So, I barely got a break AND my husband is in a crappy mood.
8. I still have more pissed off right-wing christian types to deal with on the phone as soon as we hit 8 p.m. and The Book of Daniel hits the air.
In my book, this is not the way to start off the Sabbath!
Nimitz' Lady
Blonde Joke
Ok, let's break for a little humor before I start ranting, raving and wailing for the day.
This is just about the best Blonde Joke I've ever seen. Enjoy.
Nimitz' Lady
This is just about the best Blonde Joke I've ever seen. Enjoy.
Nimitz' Lady
Thursday, January 05, 2006
More on Daniel
I just learned my station made the decision to pre-empt The Book of Daniel only after advertisers threatened to pull their entire order with us.
Not just, they didn't want their commercials on during the show. But, if we aired the show, they didn't want their commercials on our station.
That's a huge financial would-have-been loss for a show that probably (based solely on the promos I've seen) wouldn't have lasted more than a few weeks anyway.
I can live with that, even if I still don't like it. At least the ultimate decision was made based on economics, not pissed off conservative e-mailers.
On a side note, the show is about an Episcopalian priest and his family. We (the TV station) just got a call from the local Episcopalian bishop, or whatever they call their high muckety-mucks, saying he was deeply disappointed we weren't airing the show and that we would be hearing much more from his church about this decision.
Go figure, you can't please all of the people any of the time!
Calming down now.
Nimitz' Lady
Not just, they didn't want their commercials on during the show. But, if we aired the show, they didn't want their commercials on our station.
That's a huge financial would-have-been loss for a show that probably (based solely on the promos I've seen) wouldn't have lasted more than a few weeks anyway.
I can live with that, even if I still don't like it. At least the ultimate decision was made based on economics, not pissed off conservative e-mailers.
On a side note, the show is about an Episcopalian priest and his family. We (the TV station) just got a call from the local Episcopalian bishop, or whatever they call their high muckety-mucks, saying he was deeply disappointed we weren't airing the show and that we would be hearing much more from his church about this decision.
Go figure, you can't please all of the people any of the time!
Calming down now.
Nimitz' Lady
The Book Of Daniel
Ok, I don't know whether this show will be any good or not. Personally, at this point, I could care less. I'll probably watch the first episode tomorrow night, all the way through, even if it sucks.
But I'll be one of a privileged few in my town who can. Why? Because my TV station's management has decided to cede the right to decide what we broadcast to a small, loudmouthed portion of the population that's more concerned with making sure others can't see some show on TV than with studying the Bible and living by its tenets.
About a week and a half ago, the American Family Association began an organized campaign to keep NBC, or at least it's affiliates, from airing The Book of Daniel because it is "anti-Christian".
Admittedly, the show may be off-color. It may, or may not, I haven't seen it, support Christian ideals. But that's not really the point.
I posit that the entire organized writing/call-in campaign is anti-Christian.
What is it Jesus said? Oh yeah, Matthew 7:1-5, "Judge not, that you be not judged. for with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." (NKJV)
In other words, it's not any individual viewers place to decide whether or not some other viewer should be able to watch this show. They should worry about what they're watching, not what their neighbor may be watching.
If a TV viewer doesn't like a show on TV he or she can change the channel, turn the TV off, throw it out for that matter! Or, go out there and develop, produce and sell what they consider to be more appropriate programming.
The Christian thing to do is "love your enemy" and "do good to those who hate you" (Matt 5:44, NKJV).
Each American, each Christian has the God-given right to make choices about their lives, right or wrong. I believe, as a Christian, it is not my place to deny someone else the right to make their own choice just because it may disagree with mine!
Ok, rant over. For now. Maybe. I've got to say, the blood is still boiling!
Nimitz' Lady
Moms
This absolutely had me rolling on my mental floors with laughter. (Oh, and this is also my 200th post! Can you tell I'm all about milestones?)-- Nimitz' Lady
--------------------
Second-graders answer questions about the women in their lives.
Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home, & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd dye it, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on her back of her head.
--------------------
Second-graders answer questions about the women in their lives.
Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home, & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd dye it, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on her back of her head.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Crazy Calls
Working at a TV station, I've taken my fair share of crazy calls. And the crazies always come out when there's an organized protest, in this case of NBC's new show The Book of Daniel, premiering this Friday.
I've been through this before, when NYPD Blue premiered. The whole 'bare-butt' controversy. The organized protests didn't work then, and they won't work now.
It can even be argued that the protests are getting the show more, free publicity than it would ever get on its own, thereby prolonging it's shelf life.
People get curious about what all the complaining's about and check out the show for themselves.
Anyway, back to my main topic, which is the crazy calls I get.
Today I've answered calls from all four states surrounding the one I live and work in to complain about Daniel. Onlyl thing is, we don't broadcast in those areas. They called the wrong station. But try to convince them of that.
I can remember taking all sorts of weird calls.
Like the lady who called in to complain about a network change and got verbally abusive. We eventually hung up on her, which is actually pretty rare--we usually just let them rant and rave. She called back and kept calling back until we finally threatened to sic the police on her for assault and harrassment. Then she contented herself with leaving dozens of messages on the General Manager's voice mail.
There are the callers who call in wanting to talk to Peter Jennings (ok, dating myself there) or Tom Brokaw, or any of the other numerous national names who *don't work at the local affiliates. They think the national folks are just in the next room and won't believe us when we say they're in New York City! Or Iraq! Or wherever they happen to be that week.
But the call that I think will always stand out in my mind is one I took as an intern in Los Angeles.
Nimitz' Lady: "KABC Eyewitness News. May I help you?"
Caller: "Yes, I have a billion dollars for whoever can bring me Bill Clinton's head in a sack." (totally deadpan, no excitement whatsoever)
Nimitz' Lady: "Can I get your name and number?"
He actually left his name and number with us. Of course we promptly turned it over to the FBI. I have no idea what happened to him, but I'm willing to guess he ended up in a mental hospital, somewhere.
Nimitz' Lady
I've been through this before, when NYPD Blue premiered. The whole 'bare-butt' controversy. The organized protests didn't work then, and they won't work now.
It can even be argued that the protests are getting the show more, free publicity than it would ever get on its own, thereby prolonging it's shelf life.
People get curious about what all the complaining's about and check out the show for themselves.
Anyway, back to my main topic, which is the crazy calls I get.
Today I've answered calls from all four states surrounding the one I live and work in to complain about Daniel. Onlyl thing is, we don't broadcast in those areas. They called the wrong station. But try to convince them of that.
I can remember taking all sorts of weird calls.
Like the lady who called in to complain about a network change and got verbally abusive. We eventually hung up on her, which is actually pretty rare--we usually just let them rant and rave. She called back and kept calling back until we finally threatened to sic the police on her for assault and harrassment. Then she contented herself with leaving dozens of messages on the General Manager's voice mail.
There are the callers who call in wanting to talk to Peter Jennings (ok, dating myself there) or Tom Brokaw, or any of the other numerous national names who *don't work at the local affiliates. They think the national folks are just in the next room and won't believe us when we say they're in New York City! Or Iraq! Or wherever they happen to be that week.
But the call that I think will always stand out in my mind is one I took as an intern in Los Angeles.
Nimitz' Lady: "KABC Eyewitness News. May I help you?"
Caller: "Yes, I have a billion dollars for whoever can bring me Bill Clinton's head in a sack." (totally deadpan, no excitement whatsoever)
Nimitz' Lady: "Can I get your name and number?"
He actually left his name and number with us. Of course we promptly turned it over to the FBI. I have no idea what happened to him, but I'm willing to guess he ended up in a mental hospital, somewhere.
Nimitz' Lady
No Pictures
I had planned to post some Christmas pictures today, but more cd troubles. Turns out the problem is the computer and/or cd can't handle the short video clips.
Der Deutscher's camera takes short video clips, four minutes or less, and we had two of them on the camera this time around. It just totally messes up the system.
So, tomorrow I'll, hopefully, get a cd minus the video and post some new pictures.
Nimitz' Lady
Der Deutscher's camera takes short video clips, four minutes or less, and we had two of them on the camera this time around. It just totally messes up the system.
So, tomorrow I'll, hopefully, get a cd minus the video and post some new pictures.
Nimitz' Lady
Sick Dragon Boy
My baby boy woke me up at 3:50 a.m. to tell me he'd thrown up in his room. Then he rushed to the bathroom to throw up again.
The worst of it was, he didn't have anything to throw up, so it was just dry heaves. The worst.
He finally fell back into an exhausted sleep around 4:30 a.m. and slept until 9.
Upon getting up he was a little lethargic, but by 11:30 was getting back to his normal high energy form.
By the time I left for work he was cavorting around in a dragon costume I'd given him yesterday. It was another Christmas gift I'd stashed in the back of my closet and forgotten about.
It's actually a Halloween costume I picked up at Wal-Mart the week after Halloween for $2. They originally wanted $18!
It's not often I find a bargain that good. And, JBP loves playing dress-up, as evidenced by his run in the Mr. Fantastic costume. What a perfect match.
Nimitz' Lady
The worst of it was, he didn't have anything to throw up, so it was just dry heaves. The worst.
He finally fell back into an exhausted sleep around 4:30 a.m. and slept until 9.
Upon getting up he was a little lethargic, but by 11:30 was getting back to his normal high energy form.
By the time I left for work he was cavorting around in a dragon costume I'd given him yesterday. It was another Christmas gift I'd stashed in the back of my closet and forgotten about.
It's actually a Halloween costume I picked up at Wal-Mart the week after Halloween for $2. They originally wanted $18!
It's not often I find a bargain that good. And, JBP loves playing dress-up, as evidenced by his run in the Mr. Fantastic costume. What a perfect match.
Nimitz' Lady
Weigh In
Today: 201 lbs
Last Tuesday: 204.5 lbs
Difference: -3.5 lbs
Total Lost: 3.5 lbs
Amt to Goal Weight: 41 lbs
The Good: I'm getting the eating under control, mostly, and drinking plenty of water.
The Bad: I'm not getting to the gym all five planned days. I am making it four days.
The Ugly: The sight of me trying to squeeze my holiday-inflated butt into my leather pants. I wanted to wear them to the Bon Jovi concert in a week and a half. Ain't no way I'm losing that much weight that fast. Guess I'll have to come up with a different concert outfit.
Nimitz' Lady
Last Tuesday: 204.5 lbs
Difference: -3.5 lbs
Total Lost: 3.5 lbs
Amt to Goal Weight: 41 lbs
The Good: I'm getting the eating under control, mostly, and drinking plenty of water.
The Bad: I'm not getting to the gym all five planned days. I am making it four days.
The Ugly: The sight of me trying to squeeze my holiday-inflated butt into my leather pants. I wanted to wear them to the Bon Jovi concert in a week and a half. Ain't no way I'm losing that much weight that fast. Guess I'll have to come up with a different concert outfit.
Nimitz' Lady
Monday, January 02, 2006
Movie Ratings
Movie ratings exist for a reason. Despite some claims to the contrary, they do describe the contents of the movie and its appropriate-ness for children of different ages.
What brings this up? Every once in awhile I'm struck by how many parents aren't aware that the ratings mean something.
This happened again last night when Der Deutscher and I went to see The Chronicles of Narnia. Because it's a children's book parents are assuming it's a children's movie.
It has a PG rating everybody. That means parental guidance. That means chances are 3 and 4 year old kids probably won't be able to handle the movie. In all likelihood most 5, 6 and 7 year olds won't either.
During the show last night we saw many children of this age and the inevitable happened.
*****SPOILER*****
There was much crying and wailing when the Lion, Aslan, sacrifices his life to save Edmund from execution by the White Witch for betraying his brother and sisters.
*****END SPOILER*****
And there was this little boy, about JBP's age, sitting next to us. He started in his own seat, perfectly happily watching the movie. By the end battle he was in his mother's lap, cringing at every loud noise and covering his eyes more than 75% of the time. He was just too young for the movie.
I was absolutely furious and wanted to knock those parents heads together. Did they have any ide of the nightmares they would most likely be subjecting their children to by allowing them to see this film?
Der Deutscher and I have seen this time and again, since long before we had a child of our own, and marvel over it every time. The first time I remember really noticing it was when families were bringing 5 and 6 year olds to see Jurassic Park in the theater. Jurassic Park, folks. Not a kids' movie, by any stretch of the imagination.
Part of our purpose for seeing Narnia was because JBP has wanted to see it ever since he noticed the first movie poster for it. But, due to my knowledge of the plot in the book and its PG rating, I wasn't sure if he could handle it.
He can't. It's as simple as that. The ratings system works again.
Nimitz' Lady
P.S. I've been teaching JBP about the ratings system, so he can determine what movies to watch when the opportunity presents itself and I'm not around.
He knows that G means general audiences, or anyone. He knows PG means parental guidance or "With the Parents" only. He knows PG-13 means he has to be 13 years old to watch it and R means it's restricted to adults. NC-17 is simply verboten, period.
Of course, then he had to ask, what about P? Where's the P for parents' movies?
Narnia
Yesterday, Der Deutscher and I finally made it to the theatre to watch The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
Let me preface all of this by saying I looooove the Narnia books. I grew up reading and re-reading them. And have already begun reading them to my five year old son.
That being so, I knew I couldn't love the movie. Any time you translate a written story to a visual medium things must change.
Sometimes, as in the Lord of the Ring series, you can keep the changes quite minor, almost unnoticeable. But for a true lover of the series, it doesn't matter how minor the changes are, they'll be noticeable and annoying, at best.
So I walked into Narnia knowing that, at best, it would be, for me, good. And that's what it was. A good movie.
It will never be great in my book. The writers/ director/ producers made too many changes, several of them completely unnecessary, and left out too many important scenes for my taste. (I won't go into details so as not to ruin the movie for those of you who haven't read the books, or don't remember all the little details from the books.)
However, the movie they produced is a good movie. It's entertaining, it gets the point across (assuming you go in knowing what the point is... cause they've removed all the relevant language. You just have to figure it out from the action.) and it's not too long.
So, my verdict: good but not, never, great.
Nimitz' Lady
Fried Brain
The last few weeks have completely fried my brain. Can't you hear it sizzling in the background?
All day today I've had trouble remembering what day it was. This morning I kept trying to make it Sunday. This afternoon/evening I kept trying to make it Tuesday.
It is Monday, isn't it?
That isn't the only example, just the most prominent. Thank God I don't have to produce tonight. That would be a show for the blooper reel, I guaranTEE it.
Nimitz' Lady
All day today I've had trouble remembering what day it was. This morning I kept trying to make it Sunday. This afternoon/evening I kept trying to make it Tuesday.
It is Monday, isn't it?
That isn't the only example, just the most prominent. Thank God I don't have to produce tonight. That would be a show for the blooper reel, I guaranTEE it.
Nimitz' Lady
Adoption
With the New Year begins my new savings plan. $100 a week in an effort to save up enough mulah to cover an international adoption.
As I've said in previous posts, adoption was always a forgone conclusion for me. Many people in my family have adopted and I've pretty much always wanted to do it.
However, Der Deutscher is not so sure. His main problem is financing a second child (bio or adopted) especially a college education.
Our compromise, I sock away enough money to pay for the adoption before we even begin serious discussions on the topic.
Although I haven't even set aside the first $100 yet (it comes with my paycheck this Friday) God has already shown me that he backs this plan. Although I found it difficult to save $100 a month last year, so far things are looking peachy-keen to set aside the required $100 a month. Who knows, maybe I'll even be able to save more.
In the meantime, I'm busy considering such weighty issues as where we'll adopt from. For us, a domestic adoption is pretty much out. Too uncertain, too costly, children too old (we want to preserve JBP's status as the eldest and we want him to have the experience of a "baby" sister).
So, international it is. But that leaves a lot of room for thought. We could always go for Eastern Europe. But I have concerns about the way they run adoptions in most eastern european countries and the age and emotional and physical health of the children.
I had long assumed, given my own hispanic heritage, that I would eventually adopt from somewhere in Central/South America. But lately many of those programs have been shown to be corrupt, involving allegations of baby snatching/buying, etc.
With Der Deutscher's and my passion for East Asian culture that would seem a given. However, South Korea has a height/weight maximum that Der Deutscher doesn't believe he could meet. I could just barely slide under the line with a strict diet/exercise regiment.
So, I've been thinking China. However, recently stories have been surfacing of rampant baby kidnapping, trafficking and selling there, also. Of course, given China's non-freedom of the press, what stories are surfacing are probably getting blown out of proportion.
Even the U.S. adoption system has its instances of fraud.
But that, combined with a blog I've been reading, Faith's Journey, has been re-directing my eyes toward South America. The couple writing the blog is adopting a 6 year old girl from Guatemala.
Their experience is restoring my faith in the process of adoption from South America. E.g. the birth-mother must sign away her rights to her child four times before an adoption can be completed. And she must undergo a DNA test to prove she is biologically the child's mother. This certainly reassures me as to the legitimacy of adoptions from Guatemala.
So, now I'm back to Central/South America as the probably birth-country of my future daughter.
Of course, Der Deutscher doesn't realize all these thoughts have been going on in my head, as we've agreed to leave such discussions until we've got the money in the bank, and he may have completely different ideas.
But that doesn't stop me from having them. And I've got to share with someone!
Nimitz' Lady
As I've said in previous posts, adoption was always a forgone conclusion for me. Many people in my family have adopted and I've pretty much always wanted to do it.
However, Der Deutscher is not so sure. His main problem is financing a second child (bio or adopted) especially a college education.
Our compromise, I sock away enough money to pay for the adoption before we even begin serious discussions on the topic.
Although I haven't even set aside the first $100 yet (it comes with my paycheck this Friday) God has already shown me that he backs this plan. Although I found it difficult to save $100 a month last year, so far things are looking peachy-keen to set aside the required $100 a month. Who knows, maybe I'll even be able to save more.
In the meantime, I'm busy considering such weighty issues as where we'll adopt from. For us, a domestic adoption is pretty much out. Too uncertain, too costly, children too old (we want to preserve JBP's status as the eldest and we want him to have the experience of a "baby" sister).
So, international it is. But that leaves a lot of room for thought. We could always go for Eastern Europe. But I have concerns about the way they run adoptions in most eastern european countries and the age and emotional and physical health of the children.
I had long assumed, given my own hispanic heritage, that I would eventually adopt from somewhere in Central/South America. But lately many of those programs have been shown to be corrupt, involving allegations of baby snatching/buying, etc.
With Der Deutscher's and my passion for East Asian culture that would seem a given. However, South Korea has a height/weight maximum that Der Deutscher doesn't believe he could meet. I could just barely slide under the line with a strict diet/exercise regiment.
So, I've been thinking China. However, recently stories have been surfacing of rampant baby kidnapping, trafficking and selling there, also. Of course, given China's non-freedom of the press, what stories are surfacing are probably getting blown out of proportion.
Even the U.S. adoption system has its instances of fraud.
But that, combined with a blog I've been reading, Faith's Journey, has been re-directing my eyes toward South America. The couple writing the blog is adopting a 6 year old girl from Guatemala.
Their experience is restoring my faith in the process of adoption from South America. E.g. the birth-mother must sign away her rights to her child four times before an adoption can be completed. And she must undergo a DNA test to prove she is biologically the child's mother. This certainly reassures me as to the legitimacy of adoptions from Guatemala.
So, now I'm back to Central/South America as the probably birth-country of my future daughter.
Of course, Der Deutscher doesn't realize all these thoughts have been going on in my head, as we've agreed to leave such discussions until we've got the money in the bank, and he may have completely different ideas.
But that doesn't stop me from having them. And I've got to share with someone!
Nimitz' Lady
Small Blessings
In my effort to live a life of thanksgiving, here are a few small blessings I've experienced in the last few days.
- Friends like M.H. who not only preach sermons I need to hear but pray with me privately afterward.
- Getting along with my MIL during her extended stay.
- Family who put up the Christmas tree and clean house for me when I'm over-extended.
- Not missing a story on the scanners that, though not a lead, would have been a big deal if I'd missed. I am notorious about "tuning out" the scanners and not hearing anything on them.
- Convenience store clerks who give me a free extra 4 oz of coffee when I realize I've grabbed (and filled) the wrong size cup and don't have enough money to pay for it. It only cost them $.06 and saved me miles of embarrassment.
- Kisses from my little boy. "Just because."
Nimitz' Lady
Thanksliving
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
The leader of my Women's Bible Study gave the message this week at church. It was a message I needed to hear.
The end of '05 was a tough one for me emotionally and physically and the beginning of '06 is shaping up to be more of the same.
Her message was about Thanksliving. That is being thankful for all things in life, even the fleas!
She even used my favorite example of Betsy Ten Boom's prayer thanking God for the fleas in the concentration camp barracks during World War II. At the time Corrie Ten Boom thought Betsy was nuts. But Besty just quoted 1 Thess 5:18 to her.
Later Corrie discovered the camp guards wouldn't enter the barracks due to the fleas. This allowed the Ten Boom sisters to hold Bible studies that literally reached hundreds at a time.
It was a reminder to me to concentrate on the good things in life (I have so many, starting with my husband and son) and to remember that the bad things have a divine purpose, which I may or may not eventually figure out.
All I can say is, "Thank you, God, for inspiring this message I needed so badly."
Nimitz' Lady
P.S. You can read more about the Ten Boom sisters in Corrie's book The Hiding Place or in the ficiontalized account of her story in A Prisoner and Yet.
16 Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
The leader of my Women's Bible Study gave the message this week at church. It was a message I needed to hear.
The end of '05 was a tough one for me emotionally and physically and the beginning of '06 is shaping up to be more of the same.
Her message was about Thanksliving. That is being thankful for all things in life, even the fleas!
She even used my favorite example of Betsy Ten Boom's prayer thanking God for the fleas in the concentration camp barracks during World War II. At the time Corrie Ten Boom thought Betsy was nuts. But Besty just quoted 1 Thess 5:18 to her.
Later Corrie discovered the camp guards wouldn't enter the barracks due to the fleas. This allowed the Ten Boom sisters to hold Bible studies that literally reached hundreds at a time.
It was a reminder to me to concentrate on the good things in life (I have so many, starting with my husband and son) and to remember that the bad things have a divine purpose, which I may or may not eventually figure out.
All I can say is, "Thank you, God, for inspiring this message I needed so badly."
Nimitz' Lady
P.S. You can read more about the Ten Boom sisters in Corrie's book The Hiding Place or in the ficiontalized account of her story in A Prisoner and Yet.
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