Real adults use real solutions.

I’m frustrated. No I don’t think frustrated is a strong enough word. Pissed off might be though.
This morning started like many others: I got up, had coffee, fed the cats, rushed around getting ready for work, and finally went outside to go to work.

Now I live across the street from an elementary school, so I try VERY hard to stay VERY far away from MY OWN HOUSE during school hours. This includes both pick-up and drop-off times. I believe it is ridiculous the way parents are with their kids. They tend to try and park in my driveway, they move my trashcans, and today of all days, they blocked my driveway. ARRRGGGGGG!!!

I walked outside opened my gate and was rewarded with a car blocking MY ENTIRE DRIVEWAY. So I did what I believe was rationale. I ran inside told my mother that I wanted to smash the car, and then we called the police. I also ran across the street to the school and asked them to page the owner of the car. I was so mad I was shaking.
The owner of the Mazda did not show up. We called the police again. They finally showed up. I had to call in late to work. She finally showed up around 9:15 saying she didn’t realize it was a driveway. How can you NOT realize it’s a driveway? There is a huge dip in my fence and includes a gate! Granted my driveway is not the prettiest around, and we are truly working on it. I just couldn’t believe it!

On top of it all, the cop who showed up, did not even tow the vehicle. He did not even want to write her a ticket until my mom said a couple of really bad things to the lady.
Real adults use real solutions to problems. She asked me if that was in her conflict book. I said maybe, or maybe I just thought it up. She said “if it’s not in my book, then would you mind if I put it in my book?” I laughed and said of course.
My question is, can I please bill her for my time that was supposed to be at work, plus medical, dental and vision and my 401k? That is the deductions that are removed from my paycheck, so I would like those back! What is your opinion?

I included pictures for your "enjoyment."
PS If you see this car, with the same license plate, I almost wish I could tell you to feel free to block her in.

9/11 Tribute

"Where were you when it happened?" That question was asked a the first year or so after the twin towers were attacked.
I was getting ready for my second day of freshman year of college. I had turned on the news while getting ready. Channel 7 was broadcasting footage of the twin towers under attack. I called my mother into my room and asked, "Is this some kind of sick joke?" I remember her answer all too clearly, "I do not think it is. God in Heaven, help us. Start praying." I looked at her and asked if I still had to go to class. Of course I did. I believe most of the campus spent the next two days in chapel.

10 years later, we have barely executed a man who supposedly create this tragedy. I don't know if I believe all the conspiracies theories-did the government have any idea that we might be attacked, etc. All I know is, our nation has poured billions of dollars into another country, a country where we are not wanted and some would say not needed. 10 years later, can we honestly say we are any safer now than we were then?

Many, many questions. Will there ever be helpful answers?

Time for school already?

I simply cannot believe the summer is over already. It really does not seem possible. I could swear it was just yesterday that it was my birthday, which to me starts the beginning of summer, and now it is already almost Labor Day. Ho hum.

Well I did get to go on vacation this summer. Nick and I went to Seattle, WA. Originally we went to visit my good friend Bethany, but we wound up spending most of our time by ourselves and his family. It was a nice and relaxing trip. Since I am STILL working in the retail industry, it was nice to go on vacation before the major holiday rush starts.


This was taken as we were hiking down to a trail.


The water looked really close, but it was actually 2.5 miles away...


Nick on the trail.


We finally made it down to the water...



We took a little breather... And then we headed straight back up the hill...


I laid down in protest about 3/4 of the way back. After we got to the top I demanded some water, a shower and then a beer. Overall, a great day!!!!!

Been over a month?

I am having trouble believing it has been more than a month since I have blogged. I blame school. Or Nick.

I guess I should introduce Nick. He is pretty much awesome! I met him through ok cupid. He is everything a girl could want in a man. Kind, caring, generous, sweet, giving, courageous, goofy and totally has the same sense of humor as I do. In other words, he is perfect for me. I am a pretty firm believer in the whole, the person is not perfect, but is perfect for the person they are with philosophy. Makes sense for me anywho. So for now here are some pictures. Enjoy!

Am I a Christian or a Democrat?

*Warning I am still pretty peeved that someone would say this to me, but it just shows how ignorant he is.*

On Saturday May 7th, against my better judgement, I went on a hiking date with a very conservative man. Now I have been on dates with conservatives in the past, and usually they are a little rude to women. I do not think it is all conservative men, just the ones I happen to date that are this way.
One major thing, he did not believe he had to follow the rules. So his huge 105 pound German Shepard, he refused to put on a leash, even when he was asked by several other people with dogs and riding horses, he still refused to leash his dog or hold onto his dog when others approached.
When crossing one of the parts to the creek I almost fell in and made a comment about it. His response "Oh yeah I guess I should have helped you across that part..." Basically it was not the worst date I have been on, but pretty damn close to it!

We have been texting back and forth for the last couple of days. Every time he has had a conversation with me I have been dreading them. On Wednesday night he tells me that he is ready to move out of Pomona because the "homeless" keep rifling through his garbage "causing the trash collectors to no longer pick up my trash." So because of that he took his trash and "just dumped it somewhere." Now I am in shock over this, I am thinking that he is just joking and just threw it into a random dumpster. Nope he threw it into a random street because "I pay city taxes therefore its the cities problem with the homeless so they can clean up the mess." At this point I told him to loose my number. Which he goes off into this long tirade to the point where I thought I was going to have to call my cell phone company and block his number. The last thing that he said to me really hurt more than anything else any man or woman has said to me in a while. "How can you call yourself a Christian and be a liberal." Because I believe in a woman's right to choose what happens to her body, and because I believe that no matter what your gender or orientation you should have the right to marry whom you please, I am not a Christian.
Now I wish I had a better response for him, but I do have a better response now. The response I gave him is "Christ loves everyone no matter their race, creed, sexual orientation, gender, job, or beliefs. I try and model my life after Christ. Therefore I must love everyone! I wish I could say that I have spent hours pouring over my Bible to have Biblical answers, but I don't. What I know is that Christ didn't believe in discrimination, so why should I? That is the only answer I can give. Sometimes it is the simplest answet that is the best answer. Alright I think I am done harping on that.

The best part of the date? I got to see baby hummingbirds in their nest. So cute!
EDIT:
My political/spiritual beliefs
1. I believe God is bigger than ANY ONE person can begin to imagine or describe.
2. I believe that without a personal relationship with Christ and accepting him into your heart, there is no "life" after this life.
3. I believe that one must nurture and grow with said relationship. Some growing can take place on your own, but being around like-minded people helps you maintain and grow your relationship. And yes reading the Bible as well. The Bible was written for ALL generations prior to this one as well as ALL after this.
4. I believe the welfare/food stamps needs to have an overhaul audit take place. Anyone who has been on the system for longer than 5 years AND has had at least once child while in the system can afford to be out of the system.
5. I believe many people in our congress women/men are over paid. Seriously, if I have to pay for gas to get to work and for my car, as well as pay for my own transportation to vacations, so can you.
6. I believe that all persons, regardless of who they love are entitled to marriage.
7. I believe I have no right to tell another person what to do. That being said I don't like abortion and I would never have one, but it is not my place to make your decisions.
8. I believe humans are quickly killing our planet. My part is remember to not only recycle but to also purchase local, fair trade and recycled products. Every little bit helps!
9. I believe that the best way to see God's wondrous miracles is to go into nature, and often.
10. I believe everything and everyone deserves respect. (I am personally working more and more on this one.)
11. I believe in many more things, and I sure this list will continue to grow every year.

School Again?

I started back at APU in my MLOS degree on Monday night. The professor is a woman who I took a class with before, one of the many I have taken before withdrawing from the program. (I think it is APU sometimes, I love the place, but finishing my education there has been like pulling teeth....)
The people in the class are intelligent, interesting, come from many different backgrounds and quite friendly. We decided on our group project teams and topics on the first night, and when the professor reminded the class the paper had to be in APA citation everyone groaned except for me. I actually think I said "cool." People looked at me puzzled, I responded with "I am a librarian, I teach APA citation, its not a problem. If you need help contact me." They asked me to join their group on facebook. I will admit I haven't done that yet, I have been a little busy with computer issues.
I will also admit it is rather nice to be wanted. The professor even asked me if I would teach a refresher course if anyone needs it. I am more than happy to teach a refresher course, keeps my skills up to date. I also volunteered to help anyone and everyone with research, which seemed to go over quite well.
The only part of the night that was a little out of whack was when the professor introduced the Biblical perspective. Now I understand I go to a Christian school. I love and embrace that fact, most of the time. However I do think there is a time and place for certain elements of the Christian perspective.
This week the perspective was submissive leadership, and the story to go along with it? Jonah! I think we can all agree that Jonah definitely didn't do what the Lord wanted him to do and he paid the price. Now it is not the story that I am little peeved about, but rather the fact the professor showed a DVD of Veggie Tales in class. I am 28 and the youngest student in class, and I am quite offended by the showing of Veggie Tales. I don't appreciate having a cucumber singing at me. I didn't find it that amusing as most people in the class did. There has to be a better way to teach submissive leadership than Veggie Tales, right? Now back to homework...

Where good computers die

From August 28, 2007 until April 25, 2011 I have used the same laptop. I purchased an HP 19 inch laptop when I started grad school in Syracuse, NY. I even argued with HP over whether or not they should replace my motherboard when it died 3 days after the warranty expired on that laptop, I won that argument! I even learned how to back up everything when that happened.
About 4 weeks ago I purchased a new monitor when the screen on my laptop stopped working. And for the first time in a long time, on Monday night I got very excited about making a powerpoint presentation so I could teach and show my fellow master's class how to properly cite APA. And then I woke up on Tuesday morning.

Tuesday morning kind of sucked. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, figuratively and literally. The construction workers were at my house, pounding out the frame for the new shower for my mom's bathroom. The cat was running all around my run, scared from the noise. I went to get a cup of coffee and of course there was nothing left. I went to take the dog for a run, and she was unbelievably annoying as well. I finally came home, went to turn on my computer-it used to take 20 minutes for it to start up before I could actually use it, and the log in screen never came up. I thought "that's odd," powered it off manually and tried again. Three or four times later, I finally got it through my head. The computer was not going to turn on. It finally died for good.

Now I was kind of expecting it. The computer was a PC, and it was 3 1/2 years old. That is a pretty good run for a PC. I had used and abused it for the first two years, so I was pretty happy that it had lasted as long as it had. I was planning on purchasing a new computer this fall when my student loans kicked in.... While I did start class on Monday night, because of the way the school schedule is, I wont be able to pull out money until this fall. I was okay with that. I had come to terms with it. I knew that it was going to be eight weeks of hell and then I could do two jobs for the summer, and throw myself back into school this fall. Little did I know....

Thank goodness for my mother. I really just do not know where I would be without her. She had some money set aside from her last paycheck, we were thinking about purchasing a new washing machine. Lowe's has a sale going on, for a washer that is significantly better than ours as well as more energy efficient. Along with the federal program of a rebate and our water company would give us a rebate it would financially be worth it. However the more we thought about it, the more we wondered. Is it really green to upgrade to a newer model when the one you have already works? Granted we were going to donate the one we have to a family friend who is in need of a washer, but it is still something to think about.
But I digress, my mother and I went to the computer store at Azusa Pacific University mostly to talk her out of purchasing an iPad. When we went in there, we discovered the "last year" models of MacBook Pro's were on sale. Not a huge sale but enough of a sale for my mother to tell me that it was ok for me to get a new computer. So YAY I am officially a Mac.

The past 24 hours have been interesting. I had almost everything I needed saved to my external harddrive, or at least I thought I did. Everything that I didn't have saved that I absolutely needed right away was on my email, so that is a relief. The rest of it my friend can pull off the harddrive of the laptop later on. Not only do I get to learn how to use a Mac, I also get to learn how to use an iPad. My mother decided while in the computer store she very much wanted an iPad for her business, so she got one. We are slowly but surely becoming Mac people. While I was very much against getting an iPad, my mother does need it for her business and gets to write off the expense at the end of the year. Plus we got a free wireless printer for purchasing the Mac. I only use a printer once a month, but its better than not having it, plus ours was about to die.
Up next? Waiting for the T-Mobile and AT&T merger to complete so I can get the newest iPhone!!!! But that wont happen until next year. I can wait!