myJaxonIf we don’t go crazy once in a while, we’ll all go crazy. - Hawkeye

Felt the need to write something since I really haven’t in awhile.  At the moment, I’m waiting on some bread to finish baking so I can go to bed, but I still have another 15 minutes.  So what’s been going on with me.  So I’ve started scanning in the family photos.  It’s amazing what you’ll find when you go back 30 years and see what was going on.  Yes, I said 30 years.  I know I am no where near that, but we have some really old photos and I was starting with all the photos that weren’t dated.  I have pictures of my grandparents from the fifties when they were young and as old as I am.  It’s also scary to see how much I look like my mother when she was a baby.  I was able to finish all of the undated ones yesterday, but in order to do that, I had to get a laptop that had Windows on it.  For some reason, the software for my scanner wasn’t working in Linux and it was driving me batty.  The plus side is now I have a laptop out in the living room and I can work on this while Ian plays on the floor.  The down side is we can’t get the stupid wireless card working, so I can’t play in the chat rooms during the day.  I’m sure Jesse loves that though.

This week is Thanksgiving and it’s the first year we aren’t going to be staying with the family.  Usually, Jesse and I drive down to his parents Wednesday night since we leave early the next morning to drive upstate for dinner at his aunt and uncles and we have to be at my mothers the next day anyway.  Now that we have Ian, we’re not doing that (plus I think we’re close to his aunts from here than from his parents).  That means we have two days of driving and it’s going to be exhausting.  I’m not sure how far it is to his aunts, but it’s 2.5 hours to my mother’s.  Ian will get to sleep teh entire way, but I know I’ll end up driving it.

Christmas is going to be easy to shop for this year.  My mom’s side isn’t doing teh huge family christmas gathering since everyone are adults now, so we drew names.  I’m not really crazy about giving up the huge gathering, but I understand why.  Besides, we’re nto going anymore.  Now tha twe have Ian, we’re going to have Christmas here.  I’m not going to take away his Christmas morning enjoyment (I’m thinking about future Christmas obviously) because we have to drive 2.5 hours.  Besides, it really wouldn’t be fair to spend the holiday with one parent and not the other.  I think I only have to get 10 gifts this year.  Plus Jesse and Ian, but they’ll probably have 10 gifts between the two of them.  Now I just need to go shopping for the gifts.  There is no way you’re going to get me out in the malls on Friday.  Aside from the fact that I have a thanksgiving dinner to go to, it’s Black Friday.  The malls are going to be nuts.  Hell, Kohls is opening at 4am.  I’ve worked retail on that day and it is shear hell.  I’m thinking of ordering everything online and having it shipped.  Overstock.com has a flat $2.99 shipping charge.  I may take advantage of that.

Well, the bread is done and I”m exhausted.  I’m going to bed.  Although, curiosity point, does anyone else type down when they mean done?  I’m not sure why, but I notice I do that a lot. I’ll mean to type done, but it comes out down.  It’s strange.  Anyway…..

It’s that time of year again…Child’s Play is up and running. I am pretty sure this is my favorite charity. Every year I try and promote it, because it’s such a great idea.

The Child’s Play Organization was founded by the Penny Arcade creators as a way for gamers to give back to the community. This year, they have 45 different children’s hospital that have put together wish lists through Amazon and they are trying to beat last year’s total (which was over a million dollars). The wish lists on Amazon have everything under the sun - priced as low as $1 to as high as the cost of an Xbox 360. Everything on the lists is something that the hospital needs, something their children will use and will bring smiles to their faces during difficult times.

Even if it’s something small, pick a hospital and donate something. It’s the Christmas season after all. It’s the perfect time to help.

This was one of the best impulse buys I’ve made recently. Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost is great. I was reading it and thinking “great the ending is so going to be predictable” and it wasn’t. I so didn’t see it coming. The heart throb in the story is English/Australian and he has the speech to go with it. Every time I heard him talking in my head, I kept hearing Spike’s voice from Buffy and for some reason, it worked. If you don’t hear the story in your head as you read, then it’s not a great book. Simply reading a book and just seeing the words doesn’t make a great experience. You have to be involved with the characters; you have to feel their pain, wallow in their emotions, you HAVE to be there in order to truly appreciate a book. I’ve read a few authors that I’ve been able to do this with (L. Hamilton, K. Harrison, JR Ward, K Armstrong, K MacAlister) and it’s exciting that I’ve found a new one. Unfortunately, her next book - One Foot in the Grave - doesn’t come out until April. Oh the agony of waiting to see if a threat is fulfilled.
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Upcoming Releases:

• Lord John and the Hand of Devils - by Diana Gabaldon - Nov 27th
• Elijah - by Jacquelyn Frank - Dec 18th (Nightwalkers #3)
• Mona Lisa Craving - by Sunny - Jan 2nd (Monere #3)
• Night Season - by Eileen Wilks - Jan 2nd (World of the Lupi #4)
• Guilty Pleasures #7 -by Laurell K Hamilton - Jan 2nd (Anita Blake Comic)
• Iron Kissed - by Patricia Briggs - Jan 2nd (Mercy Thompson #3)
• Dream Chaser - by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Feb 5th (Dream Hunter #3)
• The Outlaw Demon Wails - by Kim Harrison - Feb 26th
• Personal Demon - by Kelley Armstrong - Mar 25th (Otherworld #8)
• Embrace the Night - by Karen Chance - Apr 1st (Cassandra Palmer #3)
• Rogue - by Rachel Vincent - Apr 1st
• One Foot in the Grave - by Jeaniene Frost - Apr 22nd (Night Huntress #2)
• The Darkest Kiss - by Keri Arthur - Apr 29th (Riley Jensen #6)
• Blood Noir - by Laurell K Hamilton - Jun 3rd (Anita #16)
• Title Unknown - by Charlaine Harris - May 2008 (Sookie Stackhouse #8)
• All Souls Night - by Jennifer Armintrout - Jun 2008 (Blood Ties #4)
• Damien - by Jacquelyn Frank - Jun 2008 (Nightwalkers #4)
• Lover Enshrined - by JR Ward - Jun 3rd (Black Dagger #6 - Phury)
• Acheron - by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Aug 4th (Dark-Hunter #16)
• Noah - by Jacquelyn Frank - Sept 2008 (Nightwalkers #5)

Click here to view the petition.

Contrary to popular belief, Stephen Colbert IS running for president. The Democratic “leadership” of South Carolina chose not to let his name be put on the ballot, and in doing so they have taken away an important part of the democratic process: choice. By removing his name, they are deciding FOR us who they think should be president. Last time I checked, that was not how democracy worked.

The American democracy is a farce. With voter fraud running rampant, the archaic electoral process distorting our desires, the inexorable scourge of voter apathy, and dozens of sub-par candidates, it’s clear that our system can no longer be taken seriously. So, why not have some fun with this year’s election AND make a statement to the people in charge?

Sign this petition and pledge to write-in Stephen Tyrone Colbert for president. It is legal, constitutional, and a perfectly legitimate way to take our electoral process in your own hands. Think of it less as a vote for a comedian and more of a message to those in power that you’re not going to play their game this year. If ever there was a time for truthiness in voting, this is it!

–from the Stewart/Colbert 2008 mySpace bulletin

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (pet & current car)
Toby Corolla

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie),
Mint Chocolate Chip Oreo

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
JMar

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Green Tiger

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, st. you live on)
Marie Norfolk

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
Morja

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (your 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)
Orange Sprite

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
Harold Harold

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ),
Lynne Arnold

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)
Brown Boston

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season, flower)
Autumn Astromeria

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)
Peach Jammies

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)
Bagel Willow -OR- Muffin Willow