I wanted to bring some attention to an act that Obama has said he will pass if he gets elected into office. He has stated he will pass this bill on his website. I just wanted everyone to realize what exactly this act will mean. Of course, the general idea is that women will be have the right to choose to have an abortion. Now, I am pro-life but this is not the part that bothers me.
There are two parts that really, really bother me about this bill. The first is that there will not be limitations on when a woman can have an abortion. This means that if a woman wants to have an abortion a week before the baby is due, she can. Partial birth abortion will be legal. If you guys are unaware of what exactly partial birth abortion mean, I urge you to look it up. I will not describe it here because it makes me sick.
The part that bothers me the most is that this bill will lift the ban on federally funding abortions. That means that my tax dollars may go toward abortions and I have no say in that at all. Even pro-choicers cannot argue that this is ok. To be pro-choice means that you believe that every woman has the right to choose for herself if abortion is an option. This also means that I can CHOOSE to not support abortion. How can taking my money to fund abortions that I very, very strongly disagree with fair or right? It is not.
I think this is an issue people need to understand. This goes way beyond pro-choice. Please do your research into this act and decide if you think this is a good idea.
Sources: http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=29839
http://www.frc.org/insight/focusing-on-foca-freedom-of-choice-act-would-harm-women-and-remove-protections
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Boots and Hip-Hop
I bought the most amazing boots yesterday (in black). I have always wanted a pair of knee-high boots. However, I have freakishly tiny calves. I try to workout and gain more muscle in my calves but I just can't seem to do it. So I usually give up on finding boots that fit me after a day or two of searching. Yesterday, I went to DSW and thought I would try again, and I found some! I was so excited. They are amazing!
I also want to Maurices (awesome store!) and bought some black pants for work and two really cute sweaters. I love fall/winter shopping! It is so exciting.
In other news, me and JJ's one year anniversary is coming up next week. I can't believe we have been together for an entire year! We are planning on going to Gatlinburg and spending the weekend in little cabin in the mountains. I am so looking forward to a weekend of doing NOTHING!
Tonight I am taking a hip-hop dance class. It will be my second time and this time I have two friends coming along too. Last time I laughed the entire class because I (and every other girl in the class) looked absolutely ridiculous. The instructor is an amazing break dancer and I have no idea how he kept a straight face. I can't wait until tonight!
I also want to Maurices (awesome store!) and bought some black pants for work and two really cute sweaters. I love fall/winter shopping! It is so exciting.
In other news, me and JJ's one year anniversary is coming up next week. I can't believe we have been together for an entire year! We are planning on going to Gatlinburg and spending the weekend in little cabin in the mountains. I am so looking forward to a weekend of doing NOTHING!
Tonight I am taking a hip-hop dance class. It will be my second time and this time I have two friends coming along too. Last time I laughed the entire class because I (and every other girl in the class) looked absolutely ridiculous. The instructor is an amazing break dancer and I have no idea how he kept a straight face. I can't wait until tonight!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Emergency Room
Today I woke up with a wierd pain in my upper leg area (above the thigh but below the hip). It was annoying but not unbearable. I went to work and throughout the morning it kept getting worse and worse and it moved to my thigh. I started to get a little scared. My dad's best friend recently lost his 17-year-old son due to a blood clot and I couldn't get that out of my head.
I struggled to decide what to do. Stay at work and worry? Or go to the ER and make sure everything was ok? I decided to go to the ER. We got in pretty quickly and they ruled out a blood clot. They did some blood work and said everything looked ok. They decided it was just a muscle cramp. I was so embarrassed that I went to the ER for a dang muscle cramp that I started crying. I mean, now that I think about it, it was the best option for me. If I hadn't gone and it was a blood clot, I could have died. I guess a little embarrassment isn't that bad.
The doctor gave me pain meds (which I am not going to take. why is medicine always the answer?) and told me to rest. Too bad. Now I can't work out tonight. :)
I struggled to decide what to do. Stay at work and worry? Or go to the ER and make sure everything was ok? I decided to go to the ER. We got in pretty quickly and they ruled out a blood clot. They did some blood work and said everything looked ok. They decided it was just a muscle cramp. I was so embarrassed that I went to the ER for a dang muscle cramp that I started crying. I mean, now that I think about it, it was the best option for me. If I hadn't gone and it was a blood clot, I could have died. I guess a little embarrassment isn't that bad.
The doctor gave me pain meds (which I am not going to take. why is medicine always the answer?) and told me to rest. Too bad. Now I can't work out tonight. :)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Sixteen Candles
Backpacking Dad is having the coolest blog contest I have ever seen. Check it out to see what you have to do to win his sweet prize.
I would have to say I am closest to Sam Baker (if you don't know, she is a character in Sixteen Candles).
Growing up, I was never extremely popular. I wasn't extremely nerdy either for that matter. I had a great group of friends but always wistfully watched the popular girls and wondered what I had done wrong. How can girls my same age be so pretty, outgoing, funny and cool while I was way to tall, gangly, awkward and had a nose that was just way too large for my face? I tried to be like them but of course the more I did, the farther I got to from their group. It felt like I was a different species than them. I used to watch them during lunch and try to memorize everything they did. I would stare as they flipped their hair or flirted with the boys. I would try to remember what they wore and how they fixed their makeup. No matter how long I practiced I could never quite achieve the same results.
I, of course, always lusted after the popular guys. They were always older than me and usually had gorgeous girlfriends. They didn't know I existed. I was just the quiet, plain girl that sat in the front of the class. I had a large nose and was extremely self-conscious. I would go to dances (without a date of course) and watch these amazing guys dance with their friends and girlfriends. I would go home and cry because I just didn't understand how life could be so unfair. I did have a couple of guys ask me to a dance or two but they were always the nerdy, quiet guys that I was embarrassed to be seen with. I look back on this with shame but I was young and stupid (sometimes I still am).
One time, a guy asked me out and his name was Chris. I was definately not interested in Chris but I was so desperate to go on a date that I said yes. He wore a fake leather jacket and smelled funny. He took me to see a movie called Big Fat Liar. We were sophomores in high school and it was a G movie. It was a kid movie and I was bored out of my mind. He kept trying to be sweet and rub my arm but he kept rubbing in the same spot. After about 30 minutes I was getting ready to jump out of my seat. Have you ever had someone rub the same spot of skin for a while? It actually begins to HURT.
Anyway, I never spoke to the kid again. I was never interested and would never be interested. He was not cool enough for me. I was so stupid but I wanted to be with one of those popular guys! Even though I was not good enough for any of them, I still wanted to give it a shot. So I did.
His name was Jake (seriously, that was his name). He was a god. He was the most beautiful thing I ever laid eyes on. I really liked him. A LOT. He was a senior and waaaay out of my league. I still tried though. Turnabout dance was coming up and I decided to ask him to the dance. Was I going to just walk up to him and ask him? Oh noooo. I had to be creative about it. So I made him a card. Not just any ordinary card. I took a bunch of those little candy hearts with messages on them (you know, the ones you give out on Valentine's Day) and incorporated them into my card. I actually glued the hearts onto the card. So it had stuff like, "HOT STUFF, will you go to the dance with me?" where the HOT STUFF would be written on a candy heart. I actually gave it to him. I freakin gave it to him. That day at lunch I saw him showing all of his friends while they laughed their asses off. Yes. He was showing my lame ass card to all of the amazingly beautiful popular guys. I wanted to die.
He never answered me and we obviously never went to the dance together. I want to find the girls who were my friends at that time and ask them what they were thinking. How the hell could they let me do that????
I guess I could say that I am similar to Sam Baker except for the happy ending. I didn't get my popular boy. He didn't show up and sweep me off my feet. My life wasn't a movie, but who's is?
However, my boyfriend JJ is the greatest man alive. He was that popular guy in school and all the girls loved him. He played sports and was and still is gorgeous. I guess if you look at it that way, I did get my fairy tale, happy ending after all!
I would have to say I am closest to Sam Baker (if you don't know, she is a character in Sixteen Candles).
Growing up, I was never extremely popular. I wasn't extremely nerdy either for that matter. I had a great group of friends but always wistfully watched the popular girls and wondered what I had done wrong. How can girls my same age be so pretty, outgoing, funny and cool while I was way to tall, gangly, awkward and had a nose that was just way too large for my face? I tried to be like them but of course the more I did, the farther I got to from their group. It felt like I was a different species than them. I used to watch them during lunch and try to memorize everything they did. I would stare as they flipped their hair or flirted with the boys. I would try to remember what they wore and how they fixed their makeup. No matter how long I practiced I could never quite achieve the same results.
I, of course, always lusted after the popular guys. They were always older than me and usually had gorgeous girlfriends. They didn't know I existed. I was just the quiet, plain girl that sat in the front of the class. I had a large nose and was extremely self-conscious. I would go to dances (without a date of course) and watch these amazing guys dance with their friends and girlfriends. I would go home and cry because I just didn't understand how life could be so unfair. I did have a couple of guys ask me to a dance or two but they were always the nerdy, quiet guys that I was embarrassed to be seen with. I look back on this with shame but I was young and stupid (sometimes I still am).
One time, a guy asked me out and his name was Chris. I was definately not interested in Chris but I was so desperate to go on a date that I said yes. He wore a fake leather jacket and smelled funny. He took me to see a movie called Big Fat Liar. We were sophomores in high school and it was a G movie. It was a kid movie and I was bored out of my mind. He kept trying to be sweet and rub my arm but he kept rubbing in the same spot. After about 30 minutes I was getting ready to jump out of my seat. Have you ever had someone rub the same spot of skin for a while? It actually begins to HURT.
Anyway, I never spoke to the kid again. I was never interested and would never be interested. He was not cool enough for me. I was so stupid but I wanted to be with one of those popular guys! Even though I was not good enough for any of them, I still wanted to give it a shot. So I did.
His name was Jake (seriously, that was his name). He was a god. He was the most beautiful thing I ever laid eyes on. I really liked him. A LOT. He was a senior and waaaay out of my league. I still tried though. Turnabout dance was coming up and I decided to ask him to the dance. Was I going to just walk up to him and ask him? Oh noooo. I had to be creative about it. So I made him a card. Not just any ordinary card. I took a bunch of those little candy hearts with messages on them (you know, the ones you give out on Valentine's Day) and incorporated them into my card. I actually glued the hearts onto the card. So it had stuff like, "HOT STUFF, will you go to the dance with me?" where the HOT STUFF would be written on a candy heart. I actually gave it to him. I freakin gave it to him. That day at lunch I saw him showing all of his friends while they laughed their asses off. Yes. He was showing my lame ass card to all of the amazingly beautiful popular guys. I wanted to die.
He never answered me and we obviously never went to the dance together. I want to find the girls who were my friends at that time and ask them what they were thinking. How the hell could they let me do that????
I guess I could say that I am similar to Sam Baker except for the happy ending. I didn't get my popular boy. He didn't show up and sweep me off my feet. My life wasn't a movie, but who's is?
However, my boyfriend JJ is the greatest man alive. He was that popular guy in school and all the girls loved him. He played sports and was and still is gorgeous. I guess if you look at it that way, I did get my fairy tale, happy ending after all!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Taxes and Beer
JJ sent me this email yesterday that I thought was really cool. He got it from a coworker that got his masters degree at University of Georgia. One of his old professors sent it to him. It was so cool that I thought I should share it with you.
The Tax System - Explained With Beer
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do.
The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. "Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20."Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.
The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?'
They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 ( 25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 ( 22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.
"I only got a dollar out of the $20,"declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man," but he got $10!"
"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!"
"That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!"
"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"
The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.
The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!
And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.
David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics
University of Georgia
Isn't that a great explanation? I thought so.
The Tax System - Explained With Beer
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do.
The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. "Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20."Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.
The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?'
They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 ( 25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 ( 22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.
"I only got a dollar out of the $20,"declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man," but he got $10!"
"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!"
"That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!"
"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"
The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.
The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!
And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.
David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics
University of Georgia
Isn't that a great explanation? I thought so.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Debate
Even though I support McCain, I am seriously getting tired of politics. I am so tired of hearing the same things. I was pretty fired up for the first presidential debate but by the time this last one came around I couldnt even stand to watch it. I sat down with JJ (who is still fired up and I love hearing his commentary during the debates. He is sooo against Obama and he is so dang smart. I love hearing him get pissed because Obama said something he disagrees with) and after about 5 minutes I left. I just couldnt do it. Everything they said just irritated me. Its all the same crap. I am better than you because blah, blah, blah.
Of course there are also all the empty promises. I mean how many times do the promises made during an election actually get carried through? How many presidents go through a term and leave with Americans thinking they did a good job? Every Democratic president will be hated by the Republicans and vice versa. I am tired of debating with people that have different opinions than me and having my character attacked. I have no problem with people having different opinions but I tend to hold my tounge because I dont like being attacked.
I hate politics.
Of course there are also all the empty promises. I mean how many times do the promises made during an election actually get carried through? How many presidents go through a term and leave with Americans thinking they did a good job? Every Democratic president will be hated by the Republicans and vice versa. I am tired of debating with people that have different opinions than me and having my character attacked. I have no problem with people having different opinions but I tend to hold my tounge because I dont like being attacked.
I hate politics.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Politics
I know a lot of bloggers that I follow regularly try not to mention politics because they don't want any fighting within their comments. I however am going to come right out and say it. I am a McCain/Palin supporter. I have many reasons for this and am completely open to debate. If anyone has a problem with this, comment and let me know. I would love to discuss with you.
I hope this doesn't offend anyone. I know some people that read my blogs are very strong Obama supporters. I have nothing against you and value your opinions.
I just had to get that out there.
I hope this doesn't offend anyone. I know some people that read my blogs are very strong Obama supporters. I have nothing against you and value your opinions.
I just had to get that out there.
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