Miscellaney Soup

I've got a lot of things to throw at ya~

I LOVE THIS~~



We need to come together~

One of my favorite movies of all time -- JUNO~

After a lot of thought, I think I like it because Juno is SO self-confident, strong and makes unpredicted and out of stereotype choices. YOU MUST WATCH THIS MOVIE.

I'm STILL waiting to exhale~ WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? And God help ME, if I'm ever judged on the ministers and visiting ministers of the churches that I've attended!

What's with the plastic water bottle, Barack? You can do better than that!

And Finally~~

Separated at birth? Tom Denney - Keith Olbermann. . .you decide. Intelligent, handsome - salt and pepper hair, witty, and left - far left - of center. . .politically. . . .of course. . . . . .no wonder I have a crush on. . . . .Keith . . . . .and LUV Tom Denney.

Campaign Champagne

The College of Architecture, Design and Construction at Auburn University - where I work - had a Champagne Celebration on April 25 at Fountainview Mansion in Auburn. Our capital campaign was a huge success and we had a fun time celebrating it. Pictured above are Tara, the Director of Development for CADC, Leslie the development coordinator, and me, the development and grant officer for Rural Studio. CADC is a great place to work.

State Champions~

YAY! Finally, a tournament win~ and the one that counts the most. Go Auburn Thunder.

Votre guide touristique de Paris

Soccer Chauffeur is cracking me up~

He'll be there until May 18 - follow along.

MY HEAD HURTS

I'm not kidding - it realio and trulio HURTS! I had another full blown migraine with aura today. I'm just now able to look into the computer screen and it started around noon. I won't look at this screen for long.

The last time after I had one, I collected these images to write about them. The following image describes it well. It starts in my eye like a black spot or wavy spot - like heat waves. Then it starts to spread like a backwards jagged bright C. It gets larger and larger until it completely blocks my field of vision. This is usually in my right eye and my right arm goes to sleep with the needle prick feeling. It lasts about 20 minutes. I know that I have those 20 minutes (which I can't see through it to walk or drive) plus 15 more before I get a brain crushing headache that is totally and completely debilitating.

This image shows the color of it better. It is like a bright light. Twice it has been very colorful like a rainbow.

My headaches can last from a few hours to three days. I never know. I must get to a quiet dark place. There are some days when this is impossible.

If I take Imetrex (which I ALWAYS have with me) during the first onset of aura, I can cut the time drastically. After four hours, I take two Excedrin every six hours until it's gone.

I mostly know what my triggers are, but I don't have a clue what caused it today. Red wine, peanuts or peanut butter, too much chocolate will usually do it.

I'm not writing this to get sympathy, but to explain how they look and feel. I know a lot of people with much worse illnesses or that get these more frequently than I do, so don't waste your sympathy on me. I'm thankful that I don't get them very often, maybe once every quarter or 90 days.

Here some really cool Migraine Art - Isn't it interesting how pain, sorrow and other strong feelings bring out the beauty in artists and musicians?

Migraine Art - The New York Times > Opinion > Slide Show > Slide 9 of 11

Where's My Pant Suit?

Someone asked me today if I can support Clinton if she beats Obama for the Democratic nomination. Even though the polls are showing that she is gaining ground and that Obama can’t seem to crack the “Bubba” vote (well – DUH!! We ALL know what that’s about), I still believe that he will pull out this nomination. The Democratic Party’s super delegates are fools if they ignore the surge of young, enthusiastic and absolutely – idealistic -- voters just because the party thinks it can win in November. It’s about our future, stupid! Not necessarily about the next four years. We’ve not been forward thinking in the past, maybe I’m the idealistic one thinking that we are now.

However, the question is still in the air . . . .can you support Clinton if she is the democratic nominee for President of the United States?...?

You can bet your burnt orange pant suit I can! and here’s why –

Affordable Healthcare for all Americans is her #1 issue – I grew up with a self-employed father with a modest to low income, and a part-time working mom. When it came time for me to go to college – they had $23,000 in medical debt. That’s a lot of money in 1980 terms, when tuition was $2,500 a year and I even qualified for Pell Grants and couldn’t afford it.

Ending the Iraq War. She vows a phased redeployment within her first days in office and actually has a very well thought out and sustainable policy.

Energy and Environmental Concerns. “Hillary would transform our economy from carbon-based to clean and energy efficient, jumpstarting research and development through a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund and doubling investment in basic energy research. She would also spur the green building industry by funding the retrofitting and modernization of 20 million low-income homes and take concrete steps to reduce electricity consumption, including enacting strict appliance efficiency standards and phasing out incandescent light bulbs.” Those of you who know me well – know this is paramount with me.

She has been a champion for women for decades. “Today, despite the progress women have made, they earn only 77 cents for every dollar men earn -- and women of color earn even less. Hillary is leading the charge in the Senate to strengthen equal pay laws and end pay disparities between men and women. She introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act to strengthen the penalties associated with wage discrimination, to ensure that the federal government sets a higher standard, and to increase oversight of employers. Hillary has also worked to increase access to capital and other support for women-owned businesses.

When it comes to each woman's ability to make the most personal of life decisions, Hillary has stood firm as an advocate for a woman's right to choose. She has expanded access to family planning services, including for low-income women. She spoke out forcefully against the Supreme Court's April 2007 decision that -- for the first time in decades -- failed to recognize the importance of women's health.”

I could go on and on. . . .I can’t believe I didn’t put her vision for rural American up top, or her well thought out economic plan (which I hope Obama adopts once elected) . . .all her issues are up top for me. . . .

So why am I supporting Obama . . .it’s simple. . .he is grassroots America, he’s new, his policies are not that much different from Clinton – but he brings with him energetic supporters and he is not accepting money from lobbyists in the healthcare industry, the oil industry or the weapons industry. . . .unlike Clinton. AND he is a new hope for our American youth - our young people LOVE HIM. We should listen to our young people. And, of course, there's that whole divisive issue - which I can't understand - WHY do people hate her so ?

McCain will bolster troops in Iraq, has vowed to overturn Roe v. Wade, and will stop all stem cell research – not to mention his immigration (anti-Mexican) policy, and openly admits that he knows nothing about the economy. There are many other issues too numerous to mention here.

At the end of the day. . . . .even if McCain is palatable to some democrats - it's those few issues that turn me away. Let's concede that he has the Bubba vote. We woman, young people, people of color and traditional working-class Regan democrats can make a majority and win in November with Obama or Clinton - if we stick together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All quotes and facts are from the candidate’s web sites:

HillaryClinton.com
BarackObama.com
JohnMcCain.com

Postscript - I referred to Senator Hillary Clinton as "Clinton" in this blog just as I referred to Senators Barack Obama and John McCain and "Obama" and "McCain" - it was her own web site that referred to her by her first name - Hillary - a fact that I find highly irritating. She should be shown the same respect as the men she's up against - and not referred to by her first name thus lowering her rank.

And. . .He Drives

My son, Trey, turned 15 yesterday. He spent his day doing community service work for National Honor Society. He waited until the last minute to do his service - so he had no choice but to get his remaining eight hours in on his birthday. He came with me to the annual Auburn University Rural Studio Pig Roast.

Of course I didn't take many pictures - I never have time to do that. I am disappointed and hope that some of our students or staff did.

Trey had a day he will not soon forget, I know I won't.

It started out with him helping get the lunch ready, carrying boxes, etc. Then he had to help set up for the celebration in the evening - which included cleaning out the SubRosa~~ It had a lot of water in it from the storm the night before. He helped set up tables, spread hay over the wet spots on the ground, sell t-shirts = they kept him VERY busy.

He was helping to take loads of stuff from one venue to another when. . . . Johnny Parker, our construction supervisor and man who knows and does all! threw him the keys to the truck and said, "here drive this over to Chantilly." Trey told Johnny that his parents didn't let him drive, yet, that he just turned 15 today. To which Johnny replied in only a way Johnny can. . . DRIVE THE DAMN TRUCK!! Trey did.

Turns out I had gotten back from the tour by then and was sitting out front of Chantilly only to see my son, BY HIMSELF, driving down Highway 61! He pulled up with the biggest grin on his face and said please don't be angry - Johnny made me, and I knew he was telling the truth. Trey was scared to death. He has only driven a few times before with me or his dad.
Johnny scolded me up and down. . . A 15 year old BOY who has not ever driven a car? What the hell is that about woman? You better get with it or I'm gonna have to take him away from you!

Johnny took Trey under his wing for the rest of the evening - Trey helped him fix the electrical wiring to the stage, got to shoot real big boy fireworks, Johnny took him for another long drive and a few other things that will remain our little secret for now.

But the best present of all - Johnny went to the Piggly Wiggly in Greensboro (the only grocery for miles and miles) and bought Trey a birthday cake - asked Pam Dorr to decorate it and had about six or so Auburn University Sophomore women sing happy birthday and present the cake to Trey in front of 200+ Pig Roast guest. . . .

A birthday to remember for sure! Thank you Johnny.