Jennifer Lebreque is having a little posting giveaway at her blog.
Go on over and post for a free book from Jennifer! She has 5 or 6 more to give!
http://jenniferlabrecque.com/wp/334/reader-appreciation-day/#comments

You will love her!

A Day of Remembrance September 11, 2006

Five years ago today, we lost 13 of our close associates, thousands of neighbors, and our offices at 1 World Trade Center.

On the second anniversary of September 11, a four-by-four-foot stone memorial plaque was dedicated to the memory of those lost in the tragedy. Located in the lobby wall in the MetroTech Center in Brooklyn, New York, the memorial honors those we lost and celebrates the ingenuity and adaptability of our workforce. Etched into the plaque are the names of each colleague lost and a phrase that reads,
"Together we will show the world that the things that comprise the American Spirit, our hope and humanity, our dreams and our love, are not kept in buildings, but in ourselves."
Following are the names of those recognized on the memorial plaque:
Edward Beyea
Vivian Casalduc
Brenda Conway
Elvira Granitto
Winston Grant
Ramon Grijalvo
Cynthia Giugliano
Lorraine Lee
Jerome Lohez
Alexander Ortiz
Andgela Scheinberg
Ayleen Santiago
Abraham Zelmanowitz

This is part of an article from our company intranet site. I don't think anyone will mind that I have quoted it here. This was just one of the many Blues under our corporate umbrella, but we are all family. I did not know any of these individuals personally, but their loss is still felt, today more than most days. I pray peace and strength to their families and to the families of all who lost a loved one on this date five years ago.

If paranormal is your thing and you want a sneak peek at Diane Whitesides Texas Vampires series click here:

http://www.dianewhiteside.com/bondofblood_excerpt.html

Oh look! Exactly 2 months since my last post!! Blogspot is Satan's playtoy. Or maybe it is just my computer. As stated earlier, we all know that I am the world's spottiest (is that a word??) blog updater. But lately, everytime I have even thought about posting a new entry, blogspot freaks on me. It won't upload my pictures or it will only let me post one picture or it flat just doesn't post my entry.Now granted I am not the most computer-savvy (savvy :P I love that word.. makes me think of Jack Sparrow!) person that ever sat at a keyboard, but come on! It can't always be me! Can it?? Although, I did have an IT techo-geek refer to my PC issues at work as a PEBCAK.(Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard). Luckily I have a sense of humor or he'd still be walking with a limp. I have been trying since July to upload a few pictures of our last beach adventure, but BS is just NOT cooperating.
And look!! Another rainbow at the beach! See how special I am? Most people just get sunburned at the beach..I get rainbows. It sucks to be you. :)
Seriously, we had a really good (read childless) time with 2 of our best friends. See how much fun we had? Check out my good buddy below!


Personally, I would have waited for one of the rolling valet racks. But I guess you take what you can get....

We just returned on Friday afternoon from the first week-long vacation we have had in YEARS!!
One whole week at the beach...it was so lovely. I love the Gulf Coast beaches...Panama City Beach has the softest, whitest sand. And for once, the ocean was perfect. The only really bad day was Monday when Tropical Storm Alberto made its presence known. It was really quite fascinating to watch the resort make "hurricane preparations". A few people actually left, but all we got was 20 minutes of rain, overcast skies, and mondo big waves. And around 5:00 PM, check out the picture...a rainbow!
I also got to read three excellent books...
"Aussie Rules" by Jill Shalvis (it was my favorite...lurrrved Bo Black!) Jill is one of my favorite authors...you really should check her out. Seriously.
"Hot Item" by Carly Phillips ( a satisfying end to the "Hot Trilogy") and
"The Good, The Bad and the Undead" by Kim Harrison ( I love her series just about as much as I love Sookie Stackhouse and Merry Gentry!)
Back to the real world on Tuesday. *sigh*
It was nice while it lasted.....

Yes. It's that lovely time of the month when all the males in the house are walking on eggshells and shooting each other sideways looks, rolling their eyes when they think I'm not looking.

It ain't easy being the only female in a house full of testosterone. Was one girl-child too much to ask for? At least I'd have an ally.
Even half the canines in this house are male, so I'm still outnumbered!

I need me some serious beach time.
Ahhh, well. Nothing a Xanax and tequila shooter won't cure......
Instant vacation!

Which Level of Hell is This?

I saw this and immediately thought of Jill Shalvis! This is for you, Jill....

Rock and Roll is Here to Stay!
I finally got my hands on a few pictures of my son as Johnny Casino from the Middle School production of "Grease" That's him with the red guitar. I have to admit, for a middle school musical, it was quite good! He was excited because it was the first time he ever got to play with a real band. And he got to play and sing three songs. This was the song right before the big "Hand Jive" dance contest. It was wild watching these kids playing these characters. Most of them I have known since they were in Pre-K and now they are looking and acting so grown up.

This is what happens when bird flu hits the trailer park

Well, It is all over but the partying. My first born has graduated from High School! The ceremony was at 9:00 AM at Harris County Tiger Stadium. We got there at 8:00 AM and let me tell you...buddy, it was hotter than nine miles of paved Hell by the time that graduation was over. That was my first experience with graduation at the high school. Two hours in the hot,Georgia sun. I really felt bad for the seniors. Black pants or dresses, black gowns, black caps, and 91 degree weather. Next year, I'm, wearing sunblock!
BTW, Ain't brotherly love grand? They are such goof-balls.....

These are my angels! So far I have had a very nice Mother's Day. Beautiful, touching cards (I even got the Hallmark Card that sings "I Feel Good" like on the commercial!) And I got a new digital camera and accessory pack! That was unexpected....and no, these are not pictures from the camera. I haven't really had the chance to use it yet.

Here is something I wanted to share.. I don't know where it came from or who wrote it, but it kind of got to me.
Happy Mother's Day to all of my favorite women!!

This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here." Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse. For all the mothers who run car pools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.

For all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words. This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.

For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time." This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and theirdaughters to sink a jump shot. This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home-or even away at college.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there,only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up Right Away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them. For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.

For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home fromschool, safely. This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it in her heart?Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?

The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you justwant to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again inyour home? Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug yourchild when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying? The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation... And mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers. Single mothers and married mothers. Mothers with money, mothers without. This is for you all. For all of us. Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best wecan. Tell them every day that we love them. And pray.

My first born will be graduating from High School in 16 days! I’m thinking I'm not ready for this. Armed forces recruiters keep calling the house asking to speak to him. I still see him playing Super Mario Brothers, riding his skateboard, playing soccer, drinking Capri Sun, and watching Ren and Stimpy. I have a hard time reconciling the young man in the cap and gown with the child I walked down the hall to his first day of kindergarten (which I vividly recall with startling clarity although I have trouble remembering what I cooked for dinner last night!). *sigh* I am so proud of him , but at the same time wish they didn’t grow up so fast! And they do grow up waaay to quickly.
This is Prom Night. Yes. I did ask him what he was thinking with that arm thrown over her shoulder! They are a cute couple. She is by far the sweetest girl he has dated. We like her.

This is my son the actor. Some day he will support his mother who scrimped and saved and sacrificed so he could carry that stupid hobby horse and put the squeeze on Arabian chicks with jewels in their navels.

Coming soon, my son as Johnny Casino from "Grease".

Oh, By the way. This is the kind of day I had...

I did this online handwriting analysis thing. Some of it was waaay off base. Some of it was pretty accurate, though.

Angela has a healthy imagination and displays a fair amount of trust. She lets new people into her circle of friends. She uses her imagination to understand new ideas, things, and people. Angela is a practical person whose goals are planned, practical, and down to earth. This is typical of people with normal healthy self-esteem. She needs to visualize the end of a project before she starts. she finds joy in anticipation and planning. Notice that I said she plans everything she is going to do, that doesn't necessarily mean things go as planned. Angela basically feels good about herself. She has a positive self-esteem which contributes to her success. She feels she has the ability to achieve anything she sets her mind to. However, she sets her goals using practicality-- not too "out of reach." She has enough self-confidence to leave a bad situation, yet, she will not take great risks, as they relate to her goals. A good esteem is one key to a happy life. Although there is room for improvement in the confidence catagery, her self-perception is better than average. Because Angela has zigzag'ed shaped 'm' and 'n' hump, Angela is an analytical thinker. Her mind sifts and examines facts. She interprets all facts by separating them, breaking them down, and organizing them from a critical point of view. This pattern of clarifying facts contributes to her strong reasoning ability. Angela mind is constantly analyzing all situations that she encounters. Angela will be candid and direct when expressing her opinion. She will tell them what she thinks if they ask for it, whether they like it or not. So, if they don't really want her opinion, don't ask for it! Angela uses judgment to make decisions. She is ruled by her head, not her heart. She is a cool, collected person who is usually unexpressive emotionally. Some may see her as unemotional. She does have emotions but has no need to express them. She is withdrawn into herself and enjoys being alone. The circumstances when Angela does express emotions include: extreme anger, extreme passion, and tremendous stress. If someone gets her mad enough to tell her off, she will not be sorry about it later. She puts a mark in her mind when someone angers her. She keeps track of these marks and when she hits that last mark she will let them know they have gone too far. She is ruled somewhat by self-interest. All her conclusions are made without outside emotional influence. She is very level-headed and will remain calm in an emergency situation. In a situation where other people might get hysterical, she has poise. Angela will work more efficiently if given space and time to be alone. She would rather not be surrounded by people constantly. In a relationship, she will show her love by the things she does rather than by the things she says. Saying "I love you" is not a needed routine because she feels her mate should already know. The only exception to this is if she has logically concluded that it is best for her mate to hear her express her love verbally. Angela is not subject to emotional appeals. If someone is selling a product to her, they will need to present only the facts. They should present them from a standpoint of her sound judgment. She will not be taken in by an emotional story about someone else. She will meet emergencies without getting hysterical and she will always ask "Is this best for me?"
People that write their letters in an average height and average size are moderate in their ability to interact socially. According to the data input, Angela doesn't write too large or too small, indicating a balanced ability to be social and interact with others. Read more about her emotional expressiveness in the section on emotions and slant.

I always start these things with the intention of posting at least once or twice a week. I'm doing good to even look at this thing once a week. I cant ever think of anything witty or clever to post about. I've decided. I am a much better reader than I am a writer. While I love reading other people's blogs, I find it is just too hard for me to remember to keep one of my own! Lets face it. I suck.

9 PM. Lost is a re-run. Damn. If they are going to show repeats, how about showing the last two new episodes that I missed? Ot at least show more Sawyer. :0)

I am tired of working overtime. I am tired of meetings. I am tired of commitees. I need a vacation.

I am v.v. pissed at Toni. Jimmy Buffett tix went on sale Monday for his June show at Lakewood and biotch a.) did not get me a pair or 2.) did not call to remind me to get my own.
Boo. You 'ho!

The silent auction and spaghetti dinner is coming along nicely. The invitations went out Monday. Started getting calls today. Some genius forgot to put the address for the event on the invites. bwaaaaahahahahaha!!! Thank God we at least remembered the phone number.

Deborah Smith has a new book coming out in August. She is awesome. You must read her.
Check out the excerpt at this website www.bellebooks.com. I cannot wait.