Black Ribbon

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. Jerome C. Bell Jr., 29, of Auburn, N.Y., died Sept. 19 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Today, I am wearing a black ribbon over my heart.

Late last week, my friend Melissa, lost her dear husband Jerry in Afghanistan.

My heart breaks for her and their three children.

I cannot even fathom.

I cannot even put into words and explain to you the devestation of his loss.

TAPS

Day is done,
Gone the sun,
From the hills,
From the lake,
From the sky,
All is well,
Safely rest,
God is nigh.

Rest In Peace Marine.

Shattered

With every tear that falls.
With every breath I take
My heart beats slower.
Crushing the life out of me

Who are you?
How could I have been so wrong?

Your apologies are meaningless to me.
In a matter of moments
You became everything I despise.

There are no excuses.
None.

****To borrow a few words from Gretchen Wilson****

I don't feel like loving you today
So don't you even try to change my mind
The best thing you can do right now is just go away
Cause I don't feel like loving you today
I don't want to talk about last night
I'm angry and haven't had much sleep
And I'm so tired and bloodshot, there ain't no telling what I'd say
Cause I don't feel like loving you today...

Four Years

Marine Sgt. Edgar E. Lopez

27, of Los Angeles, California.Lopez died due to enemy action in Babil Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Died on August 28, 2004.

We still miss you.

:o(

I just wrote the date for today as 08-08-08. Yeah...I'm a little slower because I generally write the date in military format. 8 Aug 08.

Anyway...I had a little "ah cool" moment UNTIL...

I had a memory flash before me.

Back in 1988 (the year before my Dad died) I was a whole 14...

My Dad took me out to celebrate 8-8-88 because he says days like that only come along every so often.

Back then I only saw my Dad twice a year. Christmas and my birthday. So that dinner was like winning the lottery.

My Dad died 9 months later.

:o(

OH NO

So I used to joke all the time that Wii needed to make a Beer Pong game.

I discovered today they do make one.

It's called Pong Toss. They removed the drinking reference after many complaints.

Now, if they would just make Flip Cup life would be complete.

***FYI -- I am allergic to hops. GASP. No beer for me. But I can kick someone's ass in beer pong and flip cup. Since my partner doesn't really ever have to drink that much if they join me they don't care that I can't drink beer.

Bring it on.

The Word Game

This will prove to drive you a little crazy. See if you can figure it all out.

FOR EACH PAIR OF CLUES BELOW, FIGURE OUT THE TWO WORDS, THEN ADD THE TOGETHER TO FORM ANOTHER WORD.


EXAMPLE: NOT ON + FROZEN WATER = OFFICE



1. PORTABLE BED + A MEASURE OF WEIGHT =

2. A RODENT + AN OBJECTIVE PRONOUN =

3. A GREETING + A TALE =

4. BLACK SUBSTANCE + TO OBTAIN=

5. LOWER LIMB + FINISH =

6. TO EXIST + TO POSSESS =

7. A VEHICLE + TO DECAY =

8. OBJECTIVE PRONOUN + A SMALL INSECT =

9. A NEGATIVE + ANGRY =

10. BODY PART + CONTAINER =

11. SHORT SLEEP + RELATIVES =

12. IN FAVOR OF + MELODY =

13. SUBJECT PRONOUN + SKILL =

14. ACHIEVE VICTORY + ROYAL FIGURE =

15. RIDE THE WAVES + A PLAYING CARD =

The Drunken Bell

So...somehow a bell found a new home in my car. Not a little bell either, one of those round Christmas type bells.

For the last few days every time I turned a corner all I would hear is ''jingle, jingle, jingle."

How annoying.

I kept forgetting to take it out. Even though it would make me mad on a daily basis, numerous times.

Well...last night my friend C and I had a few cocktails (aka tasty beverages). We walked outside of the bar to get something out of my car and I saw the bell. I immediately drunkenly grabbed the evil bell and threw it across the parking lot. *WOO*

While I am rooting around my back seat for my red bull, my friend unbeknownst to me, goes after the bell. She comes back with it and tries to throw it back in my car. NNNOOOOOOO...

I wrestled the bell from her and turned around to run from her so that I could throw it in the woods.

Oh wait...what is that? A shiny red convertible WITH IT'S TOP DOWN, sitting in the parking lot.

Oh yes...I did. I placed that evil little bell in the back floor board of that car.

Then C and I burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter.

Once we composed ourselves, we walked back into the bar.

The first person I saw was a friend of mine. I asked her inquisitively, "hey Sue, do you know whose pretty red convertible that is outside." And she replied, "it's MINE, isnt it beautiful?"

I had no idea. The fact that I put the bell in someone I knows car makes it even more fun because I can see what happens when it drives someone else crazy.

I cannot wait to see her tonight and ask her husband if Sue was complaining about a strange ringing noise coming from the car.

It's the little things in life.

A Thousand Words

All of them bad. If a picture is worth a thousand words then a picture like the one below is worth what?

This is a picture of my 14 ----yes I said FOURTEEN year old niece.
AND she just turned 14 in July.

YES that is a bag of weed in her hand. And cigarettes and a bottle of Tequila.

I live almost 1,000 miles away from her. If I lived closer, you can guarandamntee this would NOT be happening.

I'm disgusted.

You Deserve You

My dearest best friend,

You have NOT lost your purpose. Being a wife to someone who does not appreciate you, support you and does not love you the way you should and need to be loved is NOT your purpose in life.

I agree, you have lost your direction, because you believe that he is your purpose.

Your beautiful daughter is your purpose.

You are your purpose.

You deserve to smile, to be loved, to be cared for, believed in, needed and wanted.

NOT discarded like you are in the way.

I love you and I want for you to be happy. You stood by me once and watched me destroy myself for a man. We even almost lost our friendship because of it. You were right. From the very beginning.

Regardless of what you are trying to tell yourself right now, I do not believe that he is what makes you happy and I do not believe that he will ever be able to make you happy again. Those days that you used to share are gone. They have been for quite some time.

He is what you are used to and what as you say have worked so hard for. He betrayed you. AGAIN.

Fighting for him is going to crush your spirit even more. You will try to hang on to anything you can and that's not what it's about.

How many chances has he been given? How many times have you fought and settled because he gave in to you? He did that because he is a coward.

You have to be strong. Believe me, I know it's hard. I know that you think that I am some superwoman. But remember, I have put on a good front many times. I don't always smile through my pain.

It hurts. It's going to hurt. It will take a long time to get past the hurt and trust issues but it will happen.

You are better than him and deserve better than him.

You deserve you.

Maybe You Should

Go away.

I've disliked you from the first time I ever met you. But my best friend was in love with you.

I even stood beside her when she married you.

I've been there through it all and as each day passes I hate you more and more.

You are damned lucky that you don't like even closer. But remember, 4 hours is close enough for me to drive there and kick your ass.

You have broken her heart, destroyed her spirit and ruined her thrill for life.

You're a bastard. A lying, cheating piece of filth. You disgust me in every sense.

You are not worthy of her and you never have been.

The only thing that makes me completely sad is that you have a daughter who worships the ground you walk on. HOW dare you treat her mother that way? Is that the way you want your daugther to think that men should treat women?

Maybe you should just go the F*uck away. If murder were legal I would be changing your name to Earl.

Mother Dearest

You know what, I don't know what your problem is lately but I am sick of your attitude.

I cannot believe you had the audacity to write me what you did. Have you lost your entire mind?

Your lack of concern or respect for me lately saddens me and infuriates me at the same time.

Today is not the day. I tried to refrain from responding to you, but the lack of caffeine, nicotine, good food, and the lack of sleep topped off by your horrific monthly timing, makes today a bad day for most people, you are no exception.

What have you done with my Mother? I want her back. Unless I have been blind for the last 34 years and this is who you really are? If so, I feel like I have no idea who raised me, it wasn't you.

I Need It

I need a Dr. Pepper like I need a computer to do my job.

I don't drink coffee or diet drinks. I can't stand the taste of them. I don't have a headache from the lack of caffeine, I am just going through withdrawals.

I think about Dr. Pepper every second. I crave the taste. I try to convince myself that just a little taste will do. I know it will not, I will want the whole bottle.

I drink 96+ ounces of water day. I should be able to have just one little ole Dr. Pepper.

At this point, I am willing to without food for a Dr. Pepper. It has been almost 3 days since I have tasted the sweet nectar of the Gods.

I need it.

****Can I get a hell yeah? Not for the redneck women, but for the $200.00 mistake (in my favor) I found in my check book. I balance my check book EVERYDAY, yet somehow missed this. That's what I get for paying a ton of crap off. ****

Well That Settles That

So I just read "The vice presidential buzz is circling around Gov. Tim Kaine, but the Virginia Democrat refused to address the speculation Tuesday."

Ughhh...I am a registered Republican. I have long since voted issue not party. I have been very, very torn this election season. I'm not a McCain fan, nor am I an Obama fan.


I've found it very hard hard to agree with the platforms of people these days because there are some major issues that I feel very strongly about.

One of my major issues now is, I think the Governor of Virginia Tim Kaine sucks out loud.

Word of the Day:

Pusillanimous: \pyoo-suh-LAN-uh-muhs\, adjective : Lacking in courage and resolution; contemptibly fearful; cowardly.

I've known many pusillanimous men in my lifetime.

Oh yeah, Bennigan's, Steak & Ale filed for bankruptcy. I used to work at a Bennigan's back in the day. I loved that place. I miss those people sometimes. I met LOTS of celebs there. What a sad day! RIP Bennigan's.

Do You Even Know Me?

Hear Ye, Hear Ye...

I do not believe in abortion. If you want to do it, whatever. Don't expect me to talk to you or be your friend afterwards. Sounds harsh. Oh effing well. That's just who I am.

I am not going to stand on a street corner and scream obscenities at you and I am not going to lecture you. I will simply state that I do not agree with your decision (*extreme circumstances are different*).

Just because you are not "where you want to be in life" and "don't want to be a single mother", or whatever the effing excuse is, it doesn't give you the right to spread your legs and create a child. Protection. Use it. For the love of everything holy or even unholy.

Yes, I know that certain people get pregnant on birth control and condoms break. I am not an idiot. My philosophy is, "if you are grown up enough to have sex, then you are grown up enough to pay the consequences."

This isn't even for the young teenagers. It's for the woman who have edcuations, careers and many other things and choose not to keep their child and use statements such as "there is NO WAY I could have this baby."

There is a way. There are plenty of ways.

*Stepping off of soapbox*

Priceless

Winery Adventures…..

1. Driving in circles….check!

2. Stopping at the Redneck Macy's AKA Wal-Mart to buy a GPS…..check!

3. Making it to the winery….check!

4. Wine tasting….check!

5. Buying 7 bottles of wine….check!

6. Buying Brie, proscuitto, bread, water, and ANOTHER cutting board and knife….check!

7. Meeting old couple that wants to set up V with 25 year old, hot son….check!

8. Having old couple buy us wine….check!

9. Making fun of wanna be "Hills" stars at Vineyard….check! (Dude, take off your sunglasses inside…really!!)

10. Pictures of old places….check!

11. Shopping at Amish store…buying Hug Heinie wine….check!

12. Shopping at British Pantry…more pictures….check!

13. Falling in love with the taste of warm crotch water….check!

14. Putting on fresh deodorant on Rte. 28…check!!

15. Drunk dialing Mario….check!

16. Calling C because she's our Internet whore, but she doesn't answer….check!

17. Driving and starving….check!

18. Eating crustaceans and rehydrating….check!

19. Shopping at Target at 2100….check!2

0. Driving home and passing out….check!

21. A winery day with Mel & V-dog….PRICELESS!!

There's Rice In My Bra

I'm glad that I am the only one in my office right now. It seems that my stomach was starting to turn on me and I needed food quick like. So what do I do??? I order Chinese.

I have been craving Chinese food lately like it's my job. I almost kissed that little man when he handed me my food.

I rushed up the stairs and became angry that I work in a place we have to scan through doors. I lost precious food bonding moments.

Once at my desk, I ripped the bag open to find my order of crab rangoon. AKA heaven to me. Then I opened the styrofoam container and it almost had a light beaming from it as if I had hit the mother load. Orange chicken and fried rice. DROOL.

Let's not forget the sugar donuts. Those little fried sugar coasted drops of heaven speak for themselves.

I had to stop halfway between my chowdown fest, again, losing precious moments of food bonding. It seems that my fork wasn't a big enough shovel and along the way I lost all kinds of manners and was leaned over the container shoveling food in my mouth. Rice fell down my shirt and into my bra WHAT? I had to stand up and shake it out.

Classy.

Golf Shoes and Tylenol

Yeah so, V and I went to drink Blueberry Martinis last night. I had two.

We then left to go to another place where I drank something called a push pop and a Raspberry Lemonade.

We weren't done yet. We ended up at old faithful and had another push pop from Shot Boy Robbie (this guy always buys shots) and another drink.

I'm not feeling bad this morning I just need a little sleep and water. The tylenol that I discovered in my first aid kit I keep in my desk drawer was a savior. Hope no one really needs tylenol anytime soon.

At 8am E called me and asked me if he could spend $90.00 on golf shoes. 1) He really doesn't golf. He's just out of town for a tournament for something else and all of the guys are playing golf today. 2) Golf shoes??? Really. Are you going to use them? 3) Are golf shoes necessary? And why do they cost $90.00?

I need a nap.

I Live In A Pineapple Above The Sea

Why? How? When? What? Who? Where?


Why Is It That:

*Every time a Cop gets behind you or in front of you for that fact, knowing how to drive is no longer an option, and you automatically assume the, I’m going to get pulled over position?

*You never have just ONE lighter? You either can't find one to save your life, OR you have enough to supply the entire neighborhood.

How?

*Do FEMALES pee on a toilet seat? When they hover.. DON’T move before you wipe…Seriously.

*Did some people graduate High School, and to this day, not be able to pass a second grade spelling test?

*Do I miss a section on my knee, every time? Dry shaving after the fact sucks.

* Do I lose a million strands of hair each day, and still manage to have a FULL head of hair?

When?

*Did guys start thinking that it was ok to go to the bathroom together?

*Did the Seasons in Virginia all start meshing together? 80 degrees in December and 40 degrees in May.

*Did I start being able to function properly off of 15 hours of sleep... FOR the WEEK?

*Did fake breasts, fake nails, fake hair, fake personalities become hot?

*Did it become ok to wear socks during sex? Seriously?

What?

*Is REALLY in a Slim Jim? Furthermore, how the do you 'snap into one’?

*Difference does it make, if you have 4 channels, or 500? Regardless, nothing is EVER on TV.

*Did drama become a hobby? Better yet… when did it become a necessity?

Who?

*Came up with the idea to put rice in salt shakers? What could of made someone be like.. ' DUDE!!! I bet if you put rice in the salt, it won’t clump together!!

*Decided to make Spongebob live in a damn pineapple? There are no PINEAPPLES in the sea! What if he didn't want the smell of fruit all up in his nostrils every morning? You know fruit juice makes a sponge SWELL up… and above and beyond that.. Who decided that having a SPONGE live in water was a good idea? It’s a SPONGE! Don’t you think he might need to decrease his water intake ???

Where?

* Did I leave My Sanity- *Reward If Found*

Someone Should

Seems to be the theme of the day.

I drove my dear dog to pet care this morning and no one was there. To say that I was livid is quite an understatement. Especially when I had to drive all the way back home to drop her off which made me late for work. SOMEONE SHOULD have been there. SOMEONE SHOULD have answered the phone. SOMEONE SHOULD have posted something if they weren't going to be there.

Yesterday at 3:30 it was 89 degrees in my office. WTF? There was a heat index of stupid and the temperature was hell like. SOMEONE SHOULD fix our damned air conditioning.

The parking situation where I work is horrendous. I shouldn't have to walk 1/2 of a mile in 100 degree heat to get to my office. Give us more parking. SOMEONE SHOULD.

That woman that lives in CA. She needs to get off of her stupid whorish, ignorant bitch kick and sign the effing papers before I fly to CA and kick her nasty ass. Atleast SOMEONE SHOULD.

E is out of town all weekend. I've already convinced all of my friends to have a girls weekend. SOMEONE SHOULD thank me.

I didn't know this man, but he was a great friend and brother in arms of my fiances best friend. Staff Sgt. Danny P. Dupre, 28, of Lockport, La., died July 15 from wounds sustained while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Thank a Veteran for your freedom. SOMEONE SHOULD.

Quote of the day: However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results. - Winston Churchill SOMEONE SHOULD.

Little Drummer Boys

Please stop having band practice in my head. I'm sorry that I woke you up on a Monday night. I know that it was completely inappropriate of me to drink those drinks.

Could you please go back to sleep just for a few more days?

I have too many things to make sure I take care of to have you banging away. I gave you food, water, caffeine and medicine.

What more you want from me? Sleep is not an option right now. PLEASE I beg you.

*On a side note* I read this today on a friends e-mail: "If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?"