Thursday, November 23, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Or at least you who are Americans :). I hope you all had a good day surrounded by family with lots of good food to eat.

When I think of my blessings I can hardly count them all. I am so grateful for my husband, my babies/kitties, my family, my friends, my job, my home, my health, and everything in my life.

I am thankful for the bad, as well as the good, because sometimes the lessons I have to learn require me to go through some tough times. The bad times also help me appreciate the good times.

Peace and love,

Jamie

"If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough." -- Meister Eckhart"

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Showcase West Virginia

I do not have any connection to this; I just think it's a great thing and a great place to buy Christmas gifts!

From the site:

"The Center for Economic Options (CEO) is a nonprofit organization working throughout the mountains of beautiful West Virginia to help small-scale manufacturers and artists reach markets for their products and become economically self reliant.

That's why we created Showcase West Virginia in 2000. Through this social purpose enterprise, CEO is serving over 300 business owners by operating a retail store that features locally made products. Through Showcase West Virginia, shoppers can choose local over global, hand made over mass-made, sustainable over exploitative and quality over commodity.

But you don't have to visit the store to find great hand-made, really cool products. Click here to shop, to be involved in the mountain economy, and to find gifts with a human touch."

http://showcasewestvirginia.com/

Friday, November 17, 2006

Perception/Optimism

"The universe is often an unpredictable and chaotic place, and the human tendency is to focus on the negative and assume the positive will care for itself. But life can be no more or no less than what you make of it. If you are working in a job you dislike, you can concentrate on the positive aspects of the position and approach your work with gusto. What can you do with this job that can turn it around so you do love it. When faced with the prospect of undertaking a task you fear, you can view it as an opportunity to discover what you are truly capable of doing. Similarly, unexpected events, when viewed as surprises, can add flavor to your existence. By choosing to love life no matter what crosses your path, you can create an atmosphere of jubilance that is wonderfully infectious. A change in perspective is all it takes to change your world, but you must be willing to adopt an optimistic, hopeful mind-set."

More here: http://www.dailyom.com/articles/2006/5350.html

Hammer time

Yay for Emmitt for winning Dancing with the Stars!

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Sims2 Pets for GBA!

"The Sims 2 Pets Now Available on Handheld!

Rush to your nearest retailer because The Sims 2 Pets is now available on the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance! Pamper, preen, and nurse the neighborhood pets as you grow your business. Create and customize your own pets or choose from popular designer cat and dog breeds. Teach your pet cool and amazing tricks and show them off in stylish pet accessories!"

Black Friday Ads/Deals

I don't shop on Black Friday (it would be like a punishment for me if I had to) but if you do, you might want to check out this site, which has some of the deals and ad scans for that day:

http://bfads.net/

Monday, November 13, 2006

Stories

"Stories are medicine, small doses of what matters, and it is the telling that releases the medicine, the telling that soothes our pain and shares our joy."

-- Mark Nepo in The Exquisite Risk

Jeanne K: "DJ Couple Shares Story"

I meant to post this before. It's such a touching story, and Ric and Jeanne are amazing people. I am honored to be acquainted with them. She has been fighting breast cancer and is currently cancer free, but in my constant prayers.

DJ Couple Shares Story

Sweet Monkey Love

"The Kissing Prank"

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Arts & Crafts Fair

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Come to St. Albans High School and do some Christmas Shopping at the show choir's Third Annual Fall Auction and Arts & Crafts Fair!

Arts & Crafts from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm

Auction from 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
(items donated by vendors and area businesses)

St. Albans High School's show choir, "The Classix", is the reigning State Champion show choir. They will perform at 11:30, 12:00 and 12:30.

(I will be there selling jewelry such as that found on www.yellowrosegifts.com)

A woman should be anything she wants

"A woman should be anything she wants, no matter how much it annoys her husband."

-- Lisa Douglas, Green Acres

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Faith Hill

Faith Hill doesn't look too happy that Carrie Underwood won Female Vocalist of the Year hehe

Paula Poundstone

OMG Paula Poundstone has a comedy special on tonight!!!

"10-11PM Paula Poundstone: Look What the Cat Dragged In (Bravo, TV-MA) Poundstone's sober and her delivery's as dry as ever in this long-awaited stand-up special. ''I often wish that I had a degenerative disease,'' she says, reclining on stage. ''I'm tired and achy all the time anyways.... If I had a degenerative disease, the exact same behavior I have now would be considered courageous.'' B+"
Source: http://www.ew.com/ew/listing/tv/wtw/0,6115,tue_3__,00.html

Her website: http://www.paulapoundstone.com/

I was a huge fan of Paula's back in the late 80's/early 90's. I watched her comedy specials, I read her column in Mother Jones magazine (weird, just last night I thought about MJ Mag and Paula). Then she had a short-lived show on ABC. When it wasn't getting good ratings I wrote to the network (the only time I've ever written to a tv network or to save a show. She had a horrible time slot and I was sure if they moved it everyone would love the show and it would succeed. Of course, they ignored my advice.

I wrote my one and only fan letter to Paula at the same time. I've never written to any other celebrity before or since. And she answered my letter! She sent me a postcard that had a picture of her cats on it, and she wrote me a little note referencing what I'd said in my letter so I know she actually read it, and she thanked me for my support.

That made me an even bigger fan. She has had some troubles, but haven't we all? I hope her life is better and I can't wait to see her special.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Horse Whisperer

"It'd be easy to dismiss this guy with his pocket-sized dowsing pendulum and his see-through model horse. It'd be easy to reject outright his "talking" to horses -- whether in person or from a remote locale -- to have them tell him where it hurts.

It'd be downright better, sanity-wise, to skip altogether this foolishness where the horse is said to answer in good ol' American English any question Bill Northern asks in his dulcet Virginia tongue.

And yet there are believers among us, those who do not dismiss or reject but tell long, complicated stories about how their horses explained to Northern that their right leg/stomach/liver was irritated and every vet known to man had missed it but, on more careful study, lo, the reason for the aggravation emerged. And right there where Northern said it would."

Fascinating article! Lots more here: He just knows - Virginian says all he does is 'listen' to horses to learn what's wrong with them, and one is in the Breeders' Cup

His Website: Bill Northern's Website

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Famous Dave's

Yay! Famous Dave's is in Charleston!

 
 

We were in Nashville several years ago and were looking for someplace to have lunch. I said "I wish we knew where we could get some good ribs." I looked up and there was a billboard for Famous Dave's that said something like "Nashville's #1 ribs." It was a sign! So we went, and we tasted, and it was gooooood.

We had lunch at the new Charleston restaurant today and it was excellent! Posted by Picasa

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Freakapalooza!

I am VERY disappointed that this show is in the UK instead of here:

"Channel 4 is to unveil a shocking menagerie of genetically modified animals in a new show revealing the frightening leaps technology has taken. Among the bizarre engineered creatures from around the world is a giant cow, three times the size of ordinary cattle, reared without fat to produce gallons of milk.

But the so-called Belgian Blue - pictured here - is perhaps the least disturbing of the creatures to be shown in the three-part series Channel 4 Farm this winter. There are also glow-inthedark pigs and goats which produce spider's silk.

TV scientist Olivia Judson and journalist Giles Coren travel the world to visit the places where these animals are now being reared. There is even a genuine "allotment" of growing human noses."

More here, including 1 pic:

Supercow and pigs that glow at night - an average day on the GM farm

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Spreading Your Light: How You Affect Others Daily

I think this is so incredibly important!! If we could all just remember it and remind ourselves of it all the time. I am going to try to read this frequently to remind me.

"November 1, 2006
Spreading Your Light
How You Affect Others Daily

As the pace and fullness of modern life serve to isolate us from one another, the contact we do share becomes vastly more significant. We unconsciously absorb each other's energy, adopting the temperament of those with whom we share close quarters, and find ourselves changed after the briefest encounters. Everything we do or say has the potential to affect not only the individuals we live, work, and play with but also those we've just met. Though we may never know the impact we have had or the scope of our influence, accepting and understanding that our attitudes and choices will affect others can help us remember to conduct ourselves with grace at all times. When we seek always to be friendly, helpful, and responsive, we effortlessly create an atmosphere around ourselves that is both uplifting and inspiring.

Most people rarely give thought to the effect they have had or will have on others. When we take a few moments to contemplate how our individual modes of being affect the people we spend time with each day, we come one step closer to seeing ourselves through the eyes of others. By asking ourselves whether those we encounter walk away feeling appreciated, respected, and liked, we can heighten our awareness of the effect we ultimately have. Something as simple as a smile given freely can temporarily brighten a person's entire world. Our value-driven conduct may inspire others to consider whether their own lives are reflective of their values. A word of advice can help others see life in an entirely new fashion. And small gestures of kindness can even prove to those embittered by the world that goodness still exists. By simply being ourselves, we influence other's lives in both subtle and life-altering ways.

To ensure that the effect we have is positive, we must strive to stay true to ourselves while realizing that it is the demeanor we project and not the quality of our wondrous inner landscapes that people see. Thus, as we interact with others, how we behave can be as important as who we are. If we project our passion for life, our warmth, and our tolerance in our facial features, voice, and choice of words, every person who enters our circle of influence will leave our presence feeling at peace with themselves and with us. You never know whose life you are affecting, big or small. Try to remember this as you go out into the world each day. "

www.dailyom.com

Ghosts of Halloween Present

My niece, Maddie




My nephew, Nick!

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Ghosts of Halloweens Past

When I worked at MHM, we had an annual Halloween contest and trick or treating for the kids. Last year I was at JK and of course no one dressed up there (it's more of a fancy schmancy law firm). This year it's not so fancy schmancy, but they don't dress up there either. On top of that, we never have trick or treaters at my house, so it was just an ordinary day.

But here are the costumes from the 3 years I dressed up at MHM. Maybe next year I can rally some folks to dress up with me.

Monster who was raised chained up in the basement with this doll as its only friend 2001




Scary Bag Lady 2002




Vampire 2004







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