Ramblin' about dis and dat......

- Apparently I got a writeup in the newspaper about being National Board Certified. I'll have to get a copy from someone and take a look. I went to a fancy dinner last Friday to receive my award from our county.... I even got my "brag badge (a special nametag that touts our achievement for all to see).
- Played paintball Saturday. I was pretty sure I was recruited as an easy target but I did a lot better that I thought I would. Ended up taking out some snipers and getting into the enemy territories before going down (and then only because I thought the guy who shot me was already out so I didn't shoot him first). I did get to shoot my principal..... I know it's buggin' him, but he hasn't said anything (hee hee)
- Went a hypnotist Sunday evening. It was amazing! He had complete control over 6 or 7 people, and partial control over many others. He almost had me but my eyes were twitching and I thought about them too much and woke myself up. I later learned that the eye twitch is the biggest/last hurdle before you're down for the count. He got my friend up there (total control) as well as partial control of my assistant principal (who doesn't remember anything before he told her to "sleep"). It was so interesting to watch.... I'd love to go back again. The mind is capable of so many things..
- In the news, a man is not allowed on an airplane because his Tshirt says that President Bush is a terrorist. This is completely a violation of free speech. Boy the government can sure dish it out, but they can't take it.
- I started an after-school video club today. It was so much fun. We make a commercial for our poetry contest coming up! Can't wait for next week's club meeting.
- Congrats to da'Bearsh and da'Colts for gettin to da Supa Bowl. That's about as excited as I can get about this game. Pro ball has NOTHING on college sports.... GO GATORS!
- Washed my BrainAge Nintendo DS game in the laundry. Still works like new. Even the sticker stayed on "like new".
- That's about all I can think of right now..... Goodnight all.... it's bedtime

India does it Better......

My Bestbuy.com purchases have slowly found their way back to the sender after being shipped to the wrong address. This has put me on the phone with customer service several times to find out what I need to do to get a refund. Today I got an email that my items had been received back at Bestbuy.com and my accounts would be credited. The problem is that some of those items were for ME and I used giftcards to buy them.....then threw away the giftcards.

So anways, I called again today to see about getting a replacement giftcard sent. After the dispatcher patched my call to bestbuy.com call center I got the kookiest service rep I've ever heard. He picked up the phone and didn't say anything. After several seconds I said "Hello?" and he replied back, "Hello! What do you need?" I explained my story (again) to him. He replied "What am I supposed to do about it". After explaining that I expected him to help me, he started huffing and puffing into the receiver. It was really kinda funny.

Now here's the kicker..... after everything I said, he would reply "Thank you, Thank you very much" (Just like Elvis). It was too funny. After telling him my order number that had a 1-6-0-0 in it, he replied "That's a big Sixteen hundred on my SAT..... Thank you, Thank you very much"! I was beside myself. I can't believe people actually get away with doing this to customers in the USA. No wonder India has the corner on this market!!!

Let Freedom Ring

I've always been against our "specialty" license plates in Florida. Support the Arts, Save the Manatees, Support Education, etc. The one that I can't believe they put out has been the "Choose Life" plate for anti-abortion. It's not that I've chosen a side on this issue, it's that I feel strongly that you state license plate shouldn't reflect your views. I've always said, "if you're going to have a "Choose Life" plate, you've got to be equally respectful if somebody wants to put a "Choose Death" plate on their car.

I'm reading in the paper this morning about the new "Pro Choice" plates that are proposed. These new plates will be debated I'm sure, but it's not about what the message says..... it's about EQUAL opportunity to see both sides of an issue. I can't believe those STUPID IDIOTS in our state legislature didn't see this coming when they proposed such polarizing plates to begin with... Now it's time to live with the results of their decisions.

Stop Being Homeless

HAPPY NEW YEAR ever-body! This time of year is marked by self-reflection and resolutions for personal improvement. While most resolutions include a healthier lifestyle, few of them are ever realized because they are either too ambitious or the motivation to change ebbs quickly.

The homeless, however, have resolutions too. You would think improving yourself would be easy when your in the gutter, but it's harder than it appears. This video highlights some of the struggles homeless people face in keeping their resolutions.

Take Care and God Bless.

And the great swami says:

It's already happened: Weather types are already predicting and super-sized hurricane season for next year. Since when have they ever nailed down a good prediction? More importantly, who cares what the prediction is.... when you see a hurricane pop up on radar and it's coming close to your house.... RUN FOREST RUN! If it's not coming (or doesn't form), who the heck cares.

It's amazing that we have such little comprehension of mother nature. I think we should do away with the titles of weather forecasting, and meteorologist and just call them what they are: Radar watchers. Any dang fool can see a cold front coming. Any dang fool can see a line of showers, or a big storm coming. But much more than that....it's all a guess.

Dear Phone Company

I don't want your stinkin' phonebooks so PLEASE STOP SENDING THEM!

I haven't owned a home phone for 8 years.... I rarely ever use my cellphone for anything except family calls, and if I ever wanted to call a business or resident I'd use the internet. Yet every year I get 8 new phonebooks delivered to my doorstep that I'm never going to use. I usually have to make a special trip to the dumpster because that many phonebooks fills up a garbage can in one shot. We've got a national "Do Not Call" list.... can't we make a "Do Not Solicit" list. Anytime I get unsolicited ads (or phonebooks), I consider it a form of vandalism. If you stop and thing about it... they are throwing something that I would never pick up myself (ie: trash) and forcing me to take responsibility for it's disposal. I don't want that kind of responsibility. If I find a flyer on my windshield wiper and throw it on the ground, am I littering?.... I think not. I would merely be removing the vandalism from my vehicle.

NO MORE PHONEBOOKS! GOT IT!!!!!..... GOOD!

GO GATORS

TWO BITS, FOUR BITS

SIX BITS, A DOLLAR.....

ALL FOR THE GATORS.... STAND UP AND HOLLA!!!!!!!!

Libraries Rock

There's nothing quite like a good library..... I just wish I had a good one. After boycotting the Osceola County Public libraries for a good 7 years I decided to give them another try. To their credit the place looks much more like a Borders or Barns/Nobles. The staff is much friendlier and willing to help.... a HUGE change from years ago. My disappointment is in their actual collection... they have very few CDs, DVDs, Audio books, and BOOKS! I went their hoping to score an audiobook version of one of the Sunshine State Young Readers books. My first couple searches turned up only 1 print copy at the MAIN BRANCH! Are you kidding me?... ONE stinkin' copy? I guess an audiobook version is WAY out of the question then.

Don't get me wrong, I still love a good library. It's one of the only institutions in this world set up to serve the public for FREE!! In fact, as a school media specialist/librarian I love to provide these same services to my school. A library without materials, however, is not worth going to very often.

I WIN!

December 1st... and no snow in NYC this year (even though it snowed in Buffalo NY the weekend I was there in October).

Do you know this address?

PO Box 540040
EL PASO, TX 88554-0040


If you don't know it... you better get started on those mail-in-rebates soon.