Monday, October 30, 2006

Ghosts

So do you believe........in ghosts? Or are you a skeptic when it comes to all things metaphysical and ghoulish?

I must say I do believe in ghosts. Have I ever seen one? Nope. Do I want to have a ghostly experience? You bet!

Much to the chagrin of "TC" I watch most of the ghost shows on cable. "Most Haunted" is one of my favorites. I am not talking about the movie of the week here. I like the true life stories of haunted houses and ghostly apparitions. TC won't have any of it. The thought of watching Ghost Whisperer sends her into momentary panic. She scares a bit easily so she can only handle it in small doses. Needlesstosay, we won't be watching The Exorcist tomorrow evening.

Did you know that you can "catch" ghostly voices on digital recording devices? Yep. If you are in a house which has a ghost, you can turn the recorder on and actually try to have a conversation with the ghost. When you playback the digital recording, you may pick up something you didn't hear when you thought you were talking to yourself. Yeah ok..........I may have sounded a bit techno-geekish there for a minute but I am determined to try that out myself one day. All the ghost hunters use them.

Perhaps I will have an encounter one day with a ghost. I am hoping that it is a friendly one and not one that means to wreak complete havoc with my life. Until then, I will continue to watch my television shows and live vicariously through the real life ghost hunters.

On a lighter note.........before I end my post this evening..........I have finally reached my 101st Blog entry. The magical 100 has been broken without any pomp and circumstance. What fun this has been for the last 14 months!

Happy Halloween!!

Monday, October 23, 2006

Musical interlude

I cannot remember if I have posted about this or not.........in any case.....the new Pink CD is divine. Yes yes......so I am 40 and I listen to Pink. Honestly.....I have been a fan since her very first CD. This one however, this one is really solid. Pink has really matured with her latest release and it is worth a listen.

I am enclosing a couple of her videos from her latest CD. Unfortunately, she has not released a video of "Dear Mr. President" but I am hopeful she will throw something out there for that fabulous song! There are quite a few folks who have made their own video montage to the song so maybe she will just let it ride that way.

Anyway.......view away and if you get a chance........listen to the whole CD once to give me your honest opinion.

Nobody Knows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDLZI36JdWY&eurl=

Who Knew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R6vBHmO4-0&mode=related&search=



Sunday, October 22, 2006

Electoral counts

Here is a pretty cool site I found recently that researches and analyzes the Congressional Senate and House seats up for grabs in the upcoming election.

http://www.electoral-vote.com/index.html

I have also added two new graphs to the right of this post that automatically updates the "projected" seat wins on a day by day basis up until election time. -------------------->

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Independence Day draws near

This is the time. I've been chattin it up off and on throughout the last year and we are finally here. It is election time and it is time for you to go and vote.

I don't need to talk about the issues. We have heard them played and replayed over television broadcasts, news reports, TV and radio talk shows for the last six years.

It is time for a change. A vote for a Republican is a vote for George Bush.....again. The Republicans are trying to separate themselves from him but they cannot. We all know that if we have a Republican led House and Senate we are giving Bush two more years of spending cash to buy whatever he likes.

It is time for the madness to stop. The carousel ride must come to a screeching halt. Do your duty and go to the polls on November 7th. There has never been a more important time to exercise your right to vote.

Monday, October 16, 2006

News story - Unmarried households reign

Interesting story since my last blog..............


For first time, unmarried households reign in US
by Maxim Kniazkov

It is by no means dead, but for the first time, a new survey has shown that traditional marriage has ceased to be the preferred living arrangement in the majority of US households.
The shift, reported by the US Census Bureau in its 2005 American Community Survey, could herald a sea change in every facet of American life -- from family law to national politics and its current emphasis on family values.
The findings, which were released in August but largely escaped public attention until now because of the large volume of data, indicated that marriage did not figure in nearly 55.8 million American family households, or 50.2 percent.


More than 14 million of them were headed by single women, another five million by single men, while 36.7 million belonged to a category described as "nonfamily households," a term that experts said referred primarily to gay or heterosexual couples cohabiting out of formal wedlock.

In addition, there were more than 30 million unmarried men and women living alone, who are not categorized as families, the Census Bureau reported.

By comparison, the number of traditional households with married couples at their core stood at slightly more than 55.2 million, or 49.8 percent of the total.

Unmarried couples gravitated toward big cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, while the farm states in the Great Plains and rural communities of the Midwest and West remained bastions of traditionalism, according to the survey.

Gay Marriage/Unions

Call them whatever you like.......gay marriage, civil union, gay union, etc etc......they all symbolize a level of stabilization and legal protection.

On my way home this morning I was listening to our rather conservative AM station here in Cincinnati (700 WLW) and the host was discussing gay marriage. He was actually on the "pro" side of this issue since he was of the opinion that it didn't matter if it was legalized the lesbians and gays he has talked to would not opt for a legal union.

He only spoke on this topic for 30 minutes and asked for gays/lesbians to call in and voice their opinions. Well.....not one woman did but we had a few stupid gay men call in to discuss how gay marriage/unions were something they wanted so that they could have the stabilized life that straight couples were afforded. One guy said it was about riding one health insurance policy rather than two. (Hello! There are many health care providers who already cover domestic partners!) One went to the extent to say that it would somehow afford us all "acceptance".

I was sooooo tempted to call in because not one of the callers talked about legal rights protections. The right to make a decision for our loved ones without the family members overruling our decisions because we have no legal rights to make a decision. If my partner is in the hospital on death's door........no matter what conversations we may have had.....her parents can intervene and overrule. In fact, I could be legally escorted out of the hospital and banned from my partners room. Or how about the hoops we have to jump through to make out our last will and testament? How about one tax form instead of two? Now the federal and state governments have to see an advantage with that one!

In my opinion, this is what gay marriage/unions are about! I can already commit myself to a partner for the rest of my life without a legal document. What makes gay unions so important is that with approved legislation it is legally binding with all of the rights and priviliges that are afforded to everyone else.

The WLW host might be right. If it were legal, an increased rate of gay marriages/unions may not happen. I know people who do not want to be "married". Not everyone is the marrying kind.

Haven't we seen that with the rising divorce rates in this country?

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Lesbian generation gap questions

So my question is today.......do you think there is a generation gap between lesbians or is it simply a question of maturity? Do women who are 40+ act any differently than women who are 25? Do we all make the same mistakes or bad choices despite the age difference?

Does one's age signify levelheadedness and maturity?

Friday, October 13, 2006

Women

Does anyone really remember what your first couple of dates were like with women?

I was reading a few lesbian blogs this morning and I had to remember what it was like for me and my first couple of serious and non-serious relationships. Looking back.......it is very much like shopping for shoes. You try some on....looking for the right size and style. Something that fits your own personality. Some of the "shoes" look promising............you take them home and in two weeks you end up taking them back because they don't fit exactly right.

But seriously..........the twenty/thirtysomethings of today should not be troubled over the dates of today. I guess in hindsight it is easy for me to say "dont' worry about it". I remember how I felt when dates didn't go well or when my head wasn't on straight and I completely blew it. Been there done that. It is all part of the maturation process.

I think the most important thing to know is that all of those past experiences will one day lead you to something grand. Don't lose faith in your future. I have several close friends who have been in long term relationships for some time and I know that the road to getting to those relationships was not easy for them. They all have their own stories to tell.

So for those lesbian twenty/thirtysomethings who happen to read my blog today, keep the faith and continue to shop!

Ta Ta!

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Katie vs. Meredith vs. Rosie

Ok..........I have had a couple of opportunities to see each of these ladies in their new positions. I have to say......I am not surprised by the outcomes. I have given each of them a letter grade on how I think they are doing at this point.
  • Katie Couric - Wow! What an improvement to the CBS Evening News! She has managed to carry over some of her bubbly personality while maintaining a composed professional delivery of national and world events. I have found her to be almost humble in her overall presentation of the news. I think having Walter Cronkite perform the opening monologue of the program was a stroke of genius. She is more than ready to carry on this legacy. B+
  • Meredith Viera - Hmmm......I wish I could carry over the Wow! here too but I just can't. She has been on the Today Show for about a month a half. I saw her again this morning and even with the crew all around her (Matt, Ann and the weather guy) she lacks the bubbly, full of life persona needed to keep up with Matt, Ann and the weather guy. (what is his name!) Don't tell me that when Katie left she took all the excitement with her! Now granted, Meredith is great with the core news stories and she can put on a serious face with the best of them, but she lacks the laughter, amusement and quick witted jabs that her predecessor wielded daily. This is an entertainment morning show - Not 20/20, Dateline or 60 Minutes. Lighten up Meredith! C-
  • Rosie O'Donnell - Wow........Rosie has had a lot of things bottled up since she had her own show! She is talking non-stop! While I find Rosie to be very funny and highly entertaining, it appears that she is having difficulty sharing the stage with three other women. I enjoyed Rosie more when she was a one-woman show. The other gals on The View seem to have a hard time getting a word in edgewise. Meredith was able to balance things out and had a bit more reserve when the other ladies were talking. I can just imagine if Star Jones had stayed around with Rosie on the program. Clearly, that would have been a nightmare because Star likes the camera as much as Rosie. Despite the non-stop talking, Rosie is hugely entertaining on The View and she has made the show more popular and entertaining. B

Monday, October 09, 2006

To cut or not to cut?

I am a little past due for my eight week hair appointment. I had it on my schedule today as a matter of fact and I pushed it off to the end of the week so I could re-evaluate my normal hair cutting routine.

Since I have yet to post a picture on my blog I should tell you that I am a redhead with no signs of gray. Ok......maybe one or two hiding in there but that is it. A couple of months ago I saw on the Today Show (pre-Meredith) about a charity that donates hair to children who are recovering from cancer. The charity is called Locks of Love. All you have to do is let your hair grow, cut it off and send it off. The charity then has the hair created into wigs for children. It is a real self-esteem boost for a child who dreads looking into a mirror after months of chemo and radiation.

I checked the website myself this evening and I think I meet the basic criteria. I don't color my hair and I am not graying. All I would have to do is let it grow at least 10 inches. Yeah I know what you must be thinking. Ten inches! Good gawd......you could be retired by then! Funny thought I know, but it isn't likely that it would take me that long! My hair grows fairly quickly and once it grows to a decent length I could actually have it permed so it looks managable and well kept. Ball caps would be a great cover on those days when I don't want to do anything with it.

Although I have had short hair for some time now.......long hair is not a strange concept to me. Been there done that! I just dread the "ugly period" as it grows. The ugly period is the phase where it isn't long enough to put up and it isn't short enough to where down without it flipping all over the place in kooky waves.

So.....I am seriously giving it consideration. I haven't told TC yet, but I would expect that she would be supportive of my decision to go "glamourama" for awhile. It is for a good cause and the thought of some child getting a little bit of a lift during a painful period in their life just makes me feel good.

www.locksoflove.com

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

South Beach update

Ok.......so after two more weeks......I have lost another 5 1/2 pounds. Not bad. I can handle 3 pounds a week. No sweat. I even had multiple bowls of my homemade chili during this timeframe! Yeah......can't live without my chili. :)

I have introduced more carbs in my diet but I am more conscious than ever about the carb/fat/sugar ratios that I am ingesting. This can be expected. When I finally make up my mind to lose weight, I don't go about it half-way. I go all out to ensure that I am eating the most healthy items possible.

"TC" asked me today how I thought this compared to Weight Watchers. As some of you may know, I had huge success on WW. I think its a great plan. The problem is.......real life is not about counting points. While you are living in the WW world you are tracking numbers..... you are still eating very healthy but everything you push into your mouth has a point attached to it. Once you have reached your goal......you have to continue to rely on attending WW meetings and staying with the program. ( A program which has changed several times since it was originally founded)

I think SB allows you to make normal healthy food choices......same as WW........but without sacrificing. It is direct in telling you.......you don't need dessert. WW says......go ahead and have it when you want it.......but oh by the way that scoop of ice cream means you only have 10 points out of 25 for the rest of the day. Eeeek! I would gladly sacrifice ice cream for a full meal.......anyday.

So anyway.......progress is being made. I think TC and I are doing a fabulous job at this point and by Christmas should be looking and feeling fabulous!

Ho Ho Ho!

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Bengals defeat!

Yes yes.......in case you missed it........the Bengals went down mightily to the Patsies this past Sunday. I admit.....I didn't see that coming because we were favored to win. End result - Patsies 38 - Bengals 13.

To my friends in New England, I will happily keep up my side of the bet. I will even send you the brands that you requested - that's just the type of gal I am.

Onward and upward.............the Bengals begin their two week bye. Hopefully with a little rest and a little extra coaching with Marvin, we will be back on the road to recovery. We currently sit in 2nd place of the AFC East at 3-1 behind the extremely hot Baltimore Ravens. They sit alone at the top of the AFC kingdom with the Colts as both teams are still undefeated.

After the bye, our next opponent is Tampa Bay. TB is currently winless this season but it is the winless teams that can cause the most damage with a surprise win here and there.

Rest up Bengals..........the road to the Super Bowl is not lost with your first loss.......but hopefully you learned some bitter lessons and can overcome them.

Ta Ta!