Thursday, February 26, 2004

Enamored by It All

We are probably the only people in the world who have recently watched the royal wedding of Prince Andrew and Fergie. Lance has been loaning us his Sherlock Holmes videos. We have been enjoying them very much. Last night Kev, Meredith and I were in the mood to relax. Especially Meredith, after battling through her second day of the bar exam. I popped in the latest video I’d received from Lance. We expected to watch another episode of the great detective and Dr. Watson. Low and behold, the first item on the video was the royal wedding, taped from television, by Lance, in July of 1986. At that precise time in the history of the world, Kevin was eight, I was seven, and Meredith was six years old. So neither of us remembered seeing it. It was great! We laughed hysterics at the 80’s-style clothing and outdated fashion. We marveled at the royal decadence. And we were intrigued by the personalities on the screen - knowing their twisted and mysterious fates, before they had experienced them. We also speculated on who was the mastermind behind the Diana murder. We have it all figured out, by the way. ;) After the wedding, two reporters interviewed Fergie and Andrew. They seemed very much not in love. And also very different from each other. Kevin said, "Go figure. His name is ‘Andrew Albert Christian Edward’ and he goes by ‘Prince Andrew.’ Her name is ‘Sarah Margaret Ferguson,’ and she goes by ‘Fergie.’"
__________________________________

In honor of Merf, and my other law school friends taking the bar today, I post this true story received from my desk calendar: When her husband failed the bar exam, one California lawyer decided to come to his aid. She dressed up like a man and took the exam under her husband’s name. Unfortunately, the wife’s score was so much higher than her husband’s that it tipped off bar examiners. After discovering the fraud, the wife was disbarred and the couple divorced soon after. – Explaining the Inexplicable: The Rodent’s Guide to Lawyers

Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Poppins

This morning was a Mary Poppins moment. The wind nearly carried me away as I walked to my office in the thick of a storm. In fact, the lady walking in front of me had her umbrella turned inside out in the fierce wind. Kevin said he tossed and turned all night because of the loud noises of the storm, banging against our sliding glass door. I, of course, slept like a baby throughout the whole ordeal. But this morning I certainly felt the affects of it. I love storms with powerful wind and rain because it reminds me of the power of the Creator. But, anyway, it was fun to be reminded of the enchanting Mary Poppins and how much I really liked that movie as a child. Especially the spoonful-of-sugar part. :)

Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Skip to the Loo

I love innovative ideas and creativity. I love people who dare to go where no person has ever gone before. (No pun intended.)

Things I Learned Today

1. Mapquest is not always "to scale."
2. Mapquest does not give you little warning signs when you are entering the ghetto.
3. God answers the prayers of desperate women who pray that they will not die via drive-by shootings or car hijackings.

All I can say is that Meredith better appreciate me getting lost in the Hood trying to find her a hamburger. But that’s what friends are for.
__________________________

Karen's quote of the day: "Get with the future!" (Referring to someone who was spouting off out-of-date info. I love that woman!)

Monday, February 23, 2004

Kidnapped

Kevin squealed. I’m now a quarter of a century. For my birthday, Kevin told me he had dinner plans. As far as what kind of dinner plans, I had no clue.

So that’s why I was surprised to find that when Kevin picked me up from work, several hours early, he had packed my bags and was planning on taking me for a weekend getaway to Napa Valley. (He didn’t know what shoes I wanted to wear the next day so he brought four pairs! Very cute.) We stayed at a gorgeous bed and breakfast in the middle of a vineyard just outside the small town of Calistoga, famous for its hotsprings. The B&B, called Chateau de Vie, was incredible. It was nestled in the heart of the valley with mountains and rolling vineyards all around it. It truly was a serene getaway.

Napa in the spring is one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. Right now the bright yellow mustard flowers are starting to take over the valley. Everything was so amazingly green and lush. It was indescribably beautiful. It constantly took my breath away.

After dinner in Calistoga, Kevin had scheduled a trip to the spa - for both of us. The fact that he was willing to do it with me is evidence that he truly loves me. The first thing we did was a mud bath. Kevin said his idea of playing in mud always involved a soccer field, or something similar. So, I know it was a sacrifice for him. But, actually, we both really enjoyed it. Our attendant in the mud bath informed us about the contents of the mud. After she left, neither of us could decide if she had said "mineral" or "manure." Oh well. The mud was very hot at first but soon became very calming. The whole treatment also included a spa and a "wrap" in a room that smelled like peppermint. We ended our evening with full massages. The whole experience was very fun, relaxing, and romantic. I told Kevin I will never forget seeing him all covered with mud.

The next day, after a great breakfast, we went hiking. After that, we drove through some beautiful green hills, through some giant redwood forests, and then on to the coast. We visited "one of the most dangerous beaches in California," as the warning sign stated. Apparently there are a lot of "sleeper waves" at this beach and many people have died. We spent a while watching the powerful waves crash into the sand and then recede back into the ocean. It was a perfect way to end a perfect weekend.
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Yesterday we picked up Meredith from the airport. She and many of our other friends are here in Sac to take the bar exam. A host of them came over last night for dinner, good ol’ conversation, and, of course, Cranium! We had fun and much laughter. I was impressed that everyone was so jovial, considering the fact that they are bar candidates this week.

Just one year ago, Kevin and I were in the shoes of these dear friends . . . stressin’ out about the bar exam. Amazing. There are many wonderful memories I have about that whole experience . . . and many other memories I don’t care to rehash.

But, anyway, I am VERY glad that my good friend, Merf, is here. We are planning on having a jolly good time this week, despite that incidental, pesty little thing, called the "bar exam." Blah.

Friday, February 20, 2004

Happy Birthday, Amy!

A - Adventuresome spirit
M - My best friend
Y - Youthful and full of energy

Happy b-day, Amy!

The Law is King, the Mayor is Not

The anarchist mayor of San Francisco continues to belligerently issue sham "marriage" licenses to same-sex couples in his city.

Newly elected governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, seems to have no back bone to utilize his authority to stop this anarchy. Or maybe he is more concerned with his political career than upholding the law and doing what is right.

California’s attorney general, Bill Lockyer, who has a duty to execute and uphold California law, is also noticeably absent from this spectacle. Could it be that his own personal political views on "gay marriage" have kept him from fulfilling his duty to uphold the law?

The truth is plain and simple. We need honorable statesmen in our day who are not afraid to support the law when it comes to things that are not "politically correct."

Here is a prime illustration: Try to imagine if the mayor of Bakersfield suddenly outlawed abortion and used his police powers to shut down all of the abortion clinics in his city. How quickly would Bill Lockyer be down in Bakersfield to put up a fight? How many press conferences would he hold citing that he must righteously "maintain law and order"? If the mayor of Bakersfield outlawed abortion, I can also guarantee you that Arnold Schwarzenegger would instantly take action as well.

Why is it a different matter when it comes to the mayor of San Francisco and the issue of "gay marriage"?

Unfortunately I did not attend public school, so I actually had to study American History and Government. My government teacher spent an entire lesson discussing the principles of "LEX REX." In Latin, "LEX" means "law" and "REX" means "king." If you put the "REX" before the "LEX" ("REX LEX"), the phrase means that "The King is the Law." Many modern politicians and judges believe that they are above the law. This is not a new phenomenon. History shows us that many despots and dictators in every era have believed themselves to be superior to the law. If you put the words in the opposite order ("LEX REX"), the phrase means that "The Law is King." "LEX REX" is the principle that declares every person has a responsibility to live under the law, in an organized and civil society. Throughout history, there has been a conflict between these two contrasting philosophies: those who would rule despotically and those who believe that "kings" (all rulers) are subject to the same laws that they would impose upon the common people.

The mayor of San Francisco needs a lesson in basic history and government. The people of this nation need to stand up and demand that the rulers in this nation desist from their reckless anarchy and restore the principles of "LEX REX." The Law is King.

Revolution

I’ve decided I’d like to go back to the Revolutionary time period in this country when the churches were willing to take a stand on the moral and political issues of the day. When the churches were catalysts of thought rather than impotent, little, lukewarm wusses.

Churches who are willing to speak out on political issues are practically nonexistent. Have you noticed? It’s because they don’t want to alienate people. It’s more important to many modern pastors for them to fill up their sanctuary every Sunday than to speak the truth. Because, heaven forbid, someone might be offended. Honestly, the gospel itself is offensive to people who are unsaved. It tells people that they are sinful and incapable of good apart from Christ. How uncool is that?

Recently I learned of one church in the Bay Area who gave up its tax exempt status so it could be more proactive politically and actually endorse candidates. Heaven bless them.

I realize that many pastors have really tough jobs. I’ve never been a pastor. And, much to Kevin’s relief, I do not ever plan on being one. But when pastors don’t take a stand, their parishioners won’t. I’ve heard it said that talk radio has replaced the jobs of pastors. People used to form their opinions on policy based on what they heard from the pulpit. Since they don’t get political guidance from their pastors anymore, they turn to the radio.

I am so frustrated by Christians who are not grounded in the word of God and willing to take a stand on issues like homosexuality and abortion. Christians have bought into the "tolerance" psychobabble - hook, line and sinker. (By the way, I think the moment a person brings up "tolerance" that signifies that they are probably an intolerant, hateful, prejudiced person. It means that their views have to be tolerated, and yours have to be disregarded.) Last night, I spoke up on the issue of homosexuality at our bible study and stated that the bible condemns it. One woman looked at me and said, "But we have to love people." Yeah, we do. I didn’t say anything about not loving. I just said that the bible says it’s wrong. She then said that, last time we talked about the issue of homosexuality, her husband didn’t want to come back to bible study because he thought this issue was divisive. At that instant I felt the blood rush to my face. I was so outraged, I started shaking in my seat. With much conviction, I replied, "The issue may be controversial but the bible is controversial. If I can’t talk about the issue of homosexuality with my brothers and sisters in Christ, where else can I talk about it?!" Yes, "love" should be the overarching principle of every Christian’s life. I firmly believe that. But truth is SO important. God is Truth. And if we truly love people, we will want them to find truth and know it.

We will never win the fight against abortion and for traditional marriage until the church wakes up.

Thursday, February 19, 2004

Enjoying All of God’s Creation

K: Here, try some of these fish sticks.
A: Eck. Kevin, you know how much I loathe fish.
K: I firmly believe that you should enjoy ALL of God’s creatures.
A: So does that mean that you enjoy licking the bottom of an escargo platter? Does that also mean that I should become a cannibal? Huh?
K: We should eat all things that God has ordained as "good" for us to eat.
A: How about locust? God ordained that. Why don’t you go out and eat a bunch of grasshoppers today.
K: No, because that type of food is not "readily available."
A: Well, let’s just pretend that fish is not readily available either.

The Problem of Cutting Hair

I am Kevin’s barber. Don’t scrutinize his hair too carefully because it ain’t perfect. But, at least I try. Someday I would love to branch out and cut other people’s hair. When I cut hair, it’s a rather cathartic and relaxing activity for me. (Amy’s monthly therapy!) I also consider it an art. (Hair art. Ha! I should try to get an NEA grant.) I like challenging myself to make every haircut better than the one before.

The problem is . . . I have several really bad habits when I cut Kevin’s hair. If ever I wanted to branch out and take other clientele, I might have difficulty with the bad habits I’ve formed. For instance, whenever I cut the sides and front of his hair, I can’t do it without sitting in his lap. (Other people might find this an invasion of their personal space.) I also sometimes can’t manage holding the comb and the scissors at the same time and put the comb in my mouth. (I don’t think I trust other people’s hair germs.) Another bad habit I have: every 4th or 5th time I cut his hair, I inevitably end up cutting part of my finger. Last night, for instance, I sliced it pretty good. Now I have a U-shaped wound on the knuckle of my left middle finger. Blood and little hairs mixed together are not a pretty sight.

So, I guess I won’t be going into the barber shop business any time soon. Sigh.

Wednesday, February 18, 2004

Agreeing In the End

Our bible study has announced that, after studying Purpose Driven Life, it will do a six-week study on the movie, Passion, contemplating certain questions the movie has raised. Several of us have, again, queried as to when we will study the actual bible in our "bible study." This is yet to be determined. Apparently, to some, it is more advantageous to study pop-Christian books and movies. Sigh. BIG sigh.

A: I have an idea.
K: What?
A: Both of us will go to the theater next week and buy tickets for Passion. I think we probably should support Mel Gibson and his noble ambitions. But, here’s the plan . . . after we’ve bought our tickets, we’ll enter the theater and . . . You will go see Passion (so you can tell me about it) and I’ll go see something else.
K: What do you mean?
A: If the ticket guy says, go two doors to the right, that’s where you go! But I’ll go three doors to the left, and see what else is playing.
K: Why?!
A: The more I hear about it, the less I want to see it.
K: Because?
A: It sounds so gory and violent. I’m sure it’s all realistic but I think I already appreciate that aspect of the crucifixion. I hate bloody movies. Saving Private Ryan was my limit.
K: Well, I don’t think I want to see it for other reasons. (He then told me his reasons. If he wants his view represented, he’ll have to blog for himself because I know I won’t do his view the justice it deserves.) :)
A: Hmmm . . . (pause)
K: I’m very relieved, you know.
A: Why?
K: I was preparing for a fight.
A: What do you mean?
K: I had already decided I didn’t want to see it and was getting ready to have to defend myself because I thought, for sure, you’d want to see it.
A: Well, I guess everything worked out, then. But how else are we going to prepare for our bible study discussions?
K: We will read the bible.
. . .

And now we are 18 bucks richer!

Tuesday, February 17, 2004

Words of the Weekend

We took a trip to L.A. to see the folks. My dad, Christy, and Betsy (together with Melissa) are enough to make me laugh for hours on end. Here are two comments I distinctly remember at the time of this writing . . .

Dad: There’s this old lady at church who has a really worn-out bible. I told her how much I appreciate seeing a worn out bible, because that means it’s been well-read.
Christy: Or it could mean that she throws it around in the car a lot, like I do.
Dad: Or maybe she got it at the Goodwill.
. . .

Christy: You know that handicapped lady? Wasn’t she nice? I’ve decided to knit her a scarf. I think that will make her feel happy. I mean, since she’s handicapped, she can’t do much, but, hey, she can wear a scarf!
. . .

We went swing dancing with Christy on Valentine’s evening. I’ve been trying to convince Kevin to dance with me for some time now. My main argument: "It’s great exercise, but you’re having so much fun, you don’t realize it!" After taking a brief lesson, we sat down to watch the pros for a while.

Kevin: (observing all the fat people dancing) I thought you said dancing was good exercise.
Amy: You’re approaching it wrong. Think of how fat they would be if they never danced at all.
. . .

Before we left, David asked us when we were coming back. When he didn’t get a quick answer from us, he and Melissa ran to the kitchen calendar, picked some random date in April (I guess they figure that they can’t demand we come more than every two months) and decided that’s when we should come back to see them. When my mom mentioned that maybe they could come to Sacramento to see us, David moaned, "No, it’s such a long drive!"

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Two Valentine’s ago, Kevin proposed marriage to me at the lovely National Cathedral gardens’ gazebo, in the pitch black solitude of the night. From that moment, we knew that Valentine’s would always be an extra special day for us. We just knew that every Valentine’s would be so romantic. So, in pursuit of that goal, last year we went to dinner with Kev’s parents and this year we had dinner with mine!

But it was fun, in its own way. Next year, though, I’m pretty determined to do a twosome.

Illogic

Over Valentine's Day weekend, the mayor of San Francisco declared that the city would begin issuing marriage licenses to homosexual couples, despite a state law that limits marriage exclusively as between one man and one woman. When the city was accused of anarchy due to flagrant disregard for the state law, I was outraged to hear this response from a spokesman (I'm not sure from what entity) on the radio last night:

"It's not about anarchy; it's about the City of San Francisco doing what it wants to do."

Hello! That's what anarchy is, you bone-head! I am SO SICK of people who have no desire to honestly address the logic of their argument or to honestly seek the truth. I have absolutely NO respect for such people.

Friday, February 13, 2004

Valentine Confessions

A friend at work has a "Single Female Awareness Day" sign posted on her calendar for tomorrow. This made me reminisce on Valentine's gone by. Long before I had a sweetheart in my life, I celebrated Valentine’s Day wholeheartedly. My girlfriends and I would totally whoop it up, celebrating our singlehood. It wasn’t that we didn’t want boyfriends and husbands, it’s just that we saw the merits of both states of being (to be single or not). And, of course, we welcomed, with open arms, any excuse to celebrate anything. Usually our celebrations would involve everything from glittery nail polish, to chick flicks, to chocolate. After all, we would say, "Romance is a pallid substitute for good chocolate." Now that I do have a sweetheart, I’m not asking to go back to those good ol’ days. But they were fun, in their own way. However you celebrate Valentine’s day this year, have a good one!

Thursday, February 12, 2004

It's Splitsville for Barbie and Ken

The times, as reflected in our toys.

Your Life is a Tapestry

Everyone needs a little dose of sappy sentimentalism now and then. (That goes for you too, Mark Bigger!) Here ya go.

Recently I was reflecting on an acquaintance I had in Virginia. "She is such a great person," I thought. Yet I only knew her for a short interlude and only saw her probably five times in my life! As my thoughts continued to wander, I remembered an elderly lady I stayed with when I was visiting the Bay Area, a long time ago. She was such a dear woman. Exuberant. Full of sweetness and love. As I was leaving her home, after a delightful stay, she patted me on the shoulder and said, "Well, I’ll probably never see you again here on earth, but that’s okay. As Francis Schaeffer said, ‘Our lives are like a tapestry.’" What she meant by this statement: There are a lot of people in life that we only meet for a second. Or we only know them for a short time. But our lives are not only influenced by those we know for years but also by those we know for mere moments. Every life touches other lives and leaves impressions - whether good or bad. Even though I only knew this acquaintance in Virginia for a short time, she left a "thread" in the tapestry of my life. It will be there forever. The more we experience life and meet people, read books, etc., the more colorful and intricate our tapestries will become.

Thank you to all of you out there who are part of My Life Tapestry.

(And might I take this moment to also acknowledge you strangers out there who may have found me through a Google search. Actually, someone came up to me the other day at a business meeting and told me they found my blog through Google. Better be careful what incriminating things I say on here!) ;-)

Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Passion

No, not that kind of passion! Silly rabbit. (I hope you’re not disappointed.) ;-) I’m talking about The Passion of the Christ.

It’s fascinating to read secular points of view pertaining to Passion.

"But the Bible can be a problematic source." If you disagree with it, I guess it really can be problematic for you.

"Who killed Christ?" is the question of the day. Answer: Mankind. Period. We all killed Christ. The whole issue is not about race. If you are truly a Christian, you won’t be anti-semitic. Your savior Himself was a Jew. I just don’t get how anyone can be anti-semitic because of the crucifixion of Christ. It wasn’t about Jews killing a gentile. (If it was, I can see how some freaks might be anti-semitic about it.) But they killed one of their own. (e.g., If a group of black people killed a black man, it wouldn't be a "racial issue.") The killers were Jews and so was Christ. And we would have killed Him too, if we were there, because we, also, would be hopelessly lost and entrenched in the ugliness and despair of sin. No one should think that they would have been "good enough" to have refrained from killing Christ themselves. Thank God that He came to save us, traitors though we were.

The funny part of about the Passion mania is that so many churches are canceling their services the weekend it opens and encouraging their congregation to go see Passion instead. "Mel Gibson gets to give the sermon this week - in full color drama!!" Many more churches have bought out entire theaters for the first several showings. This is probably the first time in the history of the church that pastors are openly encouraging their congregations to go see a Rated "R" movie.

Home Alone

Last night I was home alone. My darling spent the night at a hotel in the Bay Area. (Tonight he will come back to me, thank heavens.) This morning he has his first contested hearing. Other hearings have been administrative. This hearing is dispositive and could determine the whole case. Eeeek. The poor guy was reasonably tense about it.

The coolest part is that the hearing is in the same courthouse as Scott Peterson’s trial. And at the same time as Peterson’s lawyers will be making their preliminary motions. I told Kevin he should try to sneak in to see it. That’s what I would do if I were him!

On being home alone . . . Before Kev left, I was in self-pity mode. He told me, "Yeah, it’s creepy to be home by yourself." Thanks for the warning, Kev! Seriously, though . . . Every shadow was the boogeyman. Every creaking noise was a burglar. It’s horrible. I think I’ve read too many mystery novels and seen too many jump-scene movies. (And can I convince you that generally I’m NOT a paranoid person?!) Several times in our young marriage, I’ve left Kevin home alone for the night and have gone off gallivanting. So, I guess I finally got what was coming to me. And I am proud to say that, as I finally drifted off to sleep, I only left two lights on, and only checked the locks on the doors and windows three times.

Tuesday, February 10, 2004

Insomnia

Kevin accidentally woke me up at some ungodly hour this morning. He was experiencing trouble sleeping.

A: Try counting sheep. It always works for me. (I was serious about this.)
K: How do you count sheep?
A: I envision a flock of them in a field. And then I imagine them, one by one, hopping over a fence.

Ten minutes later, Kevin stirs again.

A: What’s wrong?
K: Sheep don’t jump high enough to hop a fence. (Why must he never cease to be logical?!!)
A: Just use your imagination and pretend they do.
K: I’m trying! But every time I imagine it, I see little cartoon sheep.
A: Well, that’s no good. Cartoon sheep don’t put you to sleep. Only real sheep do the trick.
K: Maybe I’ll imagine them climbing on a rock and hopping over, instead.
A: (tired and yawning) Whatever floats your boat, dear.

A Desperate Girl Will Go to Desperate Measures

Okay, I realize that I talk about food a lot in my blogs. I’m really not as obsessed with food as it may seem. But, despite my many other food recitations, I couldn’t resist posting this little saga.

Several days ago I saw a commercial for a caramel milkshake. And being a consumer with average, understandable cravings (Kevin does not fall into this category - he’s the guy who’s happy with an apple slice, if you remember), I determined that I must have it. The problem was, I didn’t remember which fast food chain advertised for it. Last night was Kevin’s rehearsal so I had some free time to find that milkshake!

I was pretty sure that Jack in the Box was the culprit. But on my way to JITB, I passed Arby’s. "Maybe it was Arby’s," I thought. So I walked into Arby’s. The manager stood behind the cash register, ready to assist me. "Do you have caramel milkshakes?" I asked. "We can make anything combo," he said. "No, you don’t understand me. I said carAmel - not combo." [Manager responds with blank stare.] Thanks, anyway! The next stop was JITB and I decided to drive through. I scanned the menu. "Well, I don’t see any caramel milkshake, but it won’t hurt to ask. "Do you have caramel milkshakes here?" The young adolescent (I find they’re getting younger and younger every day) said "No, we don’t." Thanks, anyway! And I drove on in pursuit of my milkshake. (It was kinda weird because I’d never gone through a drive-thru without ordering anything before. Although I have driven through one in reverse/backwards. That was fun.) Low and behold, there was a Carls Jr. across the street. The ladies at the register were really nice but they informed me that they didn’t have caramel milkshakes either. "Well," I told them, as I left, "No offense - I really like your food too - but right now all I want is my caramel milkshake." (Kevin later asked me if I really told them that. Yes, I did, actually.) It was sad that I never was able to satisfy my craving. But sometimes it’s obvious what God’s will is . . . and who am I to question that?

Monday, February 09, 2004

Bein' Lazy

Kevin told me this weekend that I was as light as a feather. Then he immediately modified it to "as light as an Ostrich feather." I wasn’t sure how to take this but at least he strives to be honest.
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The movies that have impacted Kevin’s life the most . . . Sound of Music and Robin Hood (the cartoon version). How do I know this? Because he randomly quotes these movies more often than any other!
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Did any of you watch the Grammys last night? We were watching an episode of Sherlock Holmes and happened to see a few minutes of it. Before changing the channel, I identified a few celebrities in the front row. "How do you know all those people?" Kevin asked me, seeming incredulous and surprised. What can I say? "It helps when you scan People magazine while waiting in the check-out line."
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I’m ashamed to admit that, besides cleaning the house from top to bottom, I was an utter lazy bum this weekend. We were invited to go skiing, again, but declined. Cash doesn’t sprout on bushes, you know. ;) Instead, I invited some girls over to watch Pride and Prejudice . . . again. All six hours of it. My rationale: I thought I should get my money’s worth while I have it in my possession. "But you didn’t pay for it," Kevin said. "That’s besides the point," I replied.

So, anyway, because of my indoctrination of Kevin to P&P, he now crinkles up his face and randomly quotes the line, "Oh Mistuh Bennett!" Very cute.

The funny (sad) part is that I spent six hours watching TV on the most GORGEOUS and BEAUTIFUL Saturday that we’ve had in three months. The weather has been awesome. Kevin even put his sun roof down on Sunday after church.

Now I am consumed with a new resolve to get off my lazy duff and make better use of myself on future sun-shiney Saturdays.
________________________________

P.S. The whole Martha Stewart trial is interesting to me. I’ve always been fascinated with white collar crime. (This may be a "nerd" thing but, I probably am a nerd when it comes to certain things.) In a lot of respects, I think white collar crime is worse than other forms of crime. It’s all about filthy lucre. I hope there is justice in this case, whatever happens. Martha is an amazingly talented woman and an inspiration to many. On the other hand, I secretly wonder how many domestically-frustrated American women out there hate Martha and want to see her fried. (The tension builds.) It will be interesting as things develop.

Friday, February 06, 2004

Happy Birthday to the Gipper!

Blogging on Reagan’s birthday wouldn’t be appropriate without extending him wishes for a happy birthday and remembering his wonderful contributions, inspiring patriotism, and enduring spirit. We love you Ronnie!

Charity Dinner

Tonight we are off to a charity dinner. Our friends Matt and Lori invited us to attend as their guests. Here are my thoughts when Kevin e-mailed me to ask if I wanted to go: "FOOD! I love food! Oh, and yes, of course, I also love Matt and Lori. But, WHAT shall I WEAR?" I had to instantly ask that last question, you see, because . . . I am female.

Idiotic Quote of the Day

I couldn’t believe my eyes this morning when I read this article on MSN.

"When I was a kid, I'd watch every episode of ‘Leave It to Beaver.’ I thought the Cleavers had the perfect home life. Ward would come home from work to a clean home, supper in the oven and a loving wife who had his paper, pipe and slippers waiting in her freshly manicured hands, while Wally was upstairs with the Beav, helping him through the grade school crisis of the week.

"As an adult, I now wonder how couples of that era, like my parents, who married at a time when husbands worked and wives stayed home with the children, could have possibly made a marriage work. (Perhaps that's why the divorce rate began its climb.) What did they possibly have to talk about at the end of the day? Did June Cleaver really relate to Ward's head-splitting day at the office? Did Ward really give a hoot about June's pot roast dilemma at the market?"

What a complete bimbo. Does the author know nothing of logic? When moms stayed at home to take care of their families, divorce rates were low. (Okay, I realize there may have been a social stigma against divorce, and that’s why many bad marriages stayed intact - but that’s a different topic for a different time.) Now that moms dump their kids in daycare and don’t give their husbands the time of day, divorce rates are high. I cannot even believe the author of this article thinks people NOW get divorced because of what happened THEN. Um, no. People now get divorced because of what they do now (because their lives are a chaotic mess, they don’t have TIME to talk to each other, and their lives are spent making things besides their spouses and kids a priority!), not because of what happened in the 50’s. Good grief! Okay, sorry for the tirade, but that was enough to make my blood boil.

While we’re on the topic of marriage . . .

The End of Marriage in Scandinavia

Do you guys realize what a drastically different world we’ll be raising our kids in? And when they fall in love, will marriage be extinct? This is such an insightful and powerful article. I highly recommend you take the time to read it.

Okay, now I feel that my duty has been accomplished: I have loaded you up with reading material for the weekend. Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

Thursday, February 05, 2004

I'm not the only one . . .

One of the best side effects of having a blog is that you find out there really are other people in the world who think like you do!! (Amy loves to be validated.) Our friend Darren, from Virginia, writes: "Of course popcorn is a vegetable! And if you put enough butter on it, you get your dairy quota too! Yay buttered popcorn!!"

You the man, Darren!

Delectable Moments

She sat there, minding her own business, consumed with the thought of eating her next bite of chocolate cake. She slowly placed a piece of moist, delicious, creamy chocolate cake on her tongue. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the rich flavors swirling in her mouth. She not only enjoyed the pleasant taste of the cake, she also enjoyed the rich chocolatey smells. As she continued to savor the affects on her senses, Melvin entered the room and came to her side. He proceeded to brush his hair on her leg. The savory odors of the chocolate were shortly replaced with . . . dog smells. Dog breath, dog fur, everything bad that you can smell on a dog. She smelled it right then. Suddenly, the dessert in her hand became a mere sponge of more dog odor to ingest in her system.

To all you dog lovers (or dog perfume lovers) out there, I have this question for you: WHY?

Inner Child

I’m happy to discover that I’m still in touch with my inner child. I’m relieved that law school didn’t strip me of all notions of childhood and humor! ( I was worried at times. In fact I distinctly remember telling my mom in my second year that I thought I’d lost my sense of humor.) The precise reason for my jubilation last night was that I successfully picked out a birthday gift for a two-year-old. It was a Barbie princess coloring book and glitter paints set. And she liked it! What relief. Whew!

It was very fun to attend a child’s birthday party. We watched Emily (the birthday girl) open her presents (well, actually, her older cousin opened most of them with another cousin helping out too!). The kids were so excited by the sight of presents. It took them all of three seconds to have the entire pile unwrapped!! We then watched as Emily looked at the "two-shaped" candle on her cake with a most bewildered stare. "What is that weird thing on my cake?" Finally, dad blew it out for her. But she loved it when we sang "Happy Birthday." She laughed and clapped gleefully and wanted us to sing again . . . and again.

Kids are fun because, to them, everything is new.

Wednesday, February 04, 2004

"When I was your age . . ."

My sister just sent me a link to this cool website. Check it out!

Flood of memories. Do you remember what you were doing during the tragedy of 9-11? I was helping Kevin tape a popsicle stick to his finger 'cuz he had just dislocated it the week before! And, Desert Storm! I think I wore a yellow ribbon every day to support the troops. And don't even remind me about Y2K! I think half my friends moved to the mountains 'cuz they were afraid the world was coming to an end. Wow.

Of Sugar and Lifelong Love

Mmmmm. I was just preparing my daily "double chocolate meltdown" hot chocolate by Nestle. That’s when I turned over the package and discovered a recipe for "cocoa cola floats." My appetite abruptly withered at the very thought. And I’m the sugar queen.
___________________________

Why is everyone advertising for e-harmony? All my favorite radio talk show hosts are advertising for it. If I wasn’t married already, maybe I’d try it just to see what would happen. If Dr. Laura recommends it, well then! (Of course, I’m sure she’s being handily paid for her endorsement.) Anyway, several years ago, just out of sheer curiosity (honestly, being married was the furthest thing from my mind at the time!), I registered with christiancourtship.com. I think I did it because I wanted to read all of the portfolios on their database - and you have to register in order to do that! With the ultra-conservative christiancourtship.com, you actually have to be the FATHER of the young person desiring (or maybe not desiring) courtship. I pretended I was my dad (am I bad or what?) and registered myself. (Hey, I’m my daddy’s girl. That’s what he gets for raising me the way he did.) And I got two inquiries within one week! One guy’s portfolio said that he didn’t believe women should work outside the home. (I guess he wouldn’t like me too well, then.) The other guy’s first e-mail said: "I am black. Does race matter to you?" I swear, cross my heart, that I would totally have married Kevin if he were African-American. Race really isn’t an issue for me. Kevin would still be the incredible man that he is regardless of the color of his skin, his height, his shoe size, etc. :-) I just thought that "Alfred" from North Carolina’s e-mail was very interesting. Maybe he’d gone through the process with a girl somewhere else and his heart was broken in the end over the race issue. You never know!

Wrinkles

A: So, do you think Kerry did Botox?
K: I don’t know and I don’t really care. I don’t see why it matters?
A: It’s interesting, that’s all. His image consultant probably advised it to make him more marketable in national politics. The before and after pictures are obviously different.
K: And so what? It’s just like dyeing your hair. People do that all the time and there’s no fuss.
A: No, it’s different. Dyeing your hair is just like painting your nails. It’s simply adding color to your life. Botox is, like, um, a significant alteration of your body structure. (At this point, Amy is simply trying to fight for the life of her argument.)

Seriously, Kevin shocks me sometimes. First he wants to celebrate Lent and now he thinks there is nothing wrong with Botox treatment. What is the world coming to?

Tuesday, February 03, 2004

This one from Kev . . .

He told me this funny story about his chorale rehearsal last night. Since he doesn’t blog except to correct my exaggerations (I love you Kevin), I thought I’d do it for him. After all, this is not "Amy’s World," this is "Kevin AND Amy’s World." :)

So . . . the chorale director has been putting a guilt trip on all the members for not doing more fundraising (try to imagine Kevin going door-to-door selling candy bars!). The director was droning on and on about how everyone needs to pitch in and raise money for the cause. Suddenly, in the very back of the room, this big, burly, bearded man (probably a bass, ‘cuz it begins with a "b") stands up and, with great emotion and conviction, yells, "Stop Tryin’ to Make everyone feel BADLY that they don’t ask for freakin’ Money from their Friends! You have No Idea what kind of Circumstances people have. Not everyone here has Rich Friends like Some People!! So Quit That!" And then he sits down. Akward silence fills the room. Many members are probably quietly glad they had this random spokesman. Isn’t that great?

[Kevin later corrected my rendition of his story. Actually, it was an old, wiry, thin man who did the yelling and his exact words were "Cut out the Crap! We have retired people and students in this chorale and some of them can't afford to cut a ten dollar check!" Please note: the authors of this blog do not necessarily endorse language used by the persons mentioned in this respectable blog. We always try to be G-rated when we can. :) ]

Current Controversy

The prevailing dispute in our household: Amy thinks popcorn should be counted toward her daily vegetable intake because it is derived from corn. Kevin thinks . . . not.

Monday, February 02, 2004

The Call

So, my sister Betsy calls me and says, "Guess what?" By the tone of her voice, she was very excited. "What?" I asked. I hadn't heard from her in a while and I wasn't sure what the call was about. My first thought was that she got engaged or something. "Are you going to congratulate me if I tell you?" she asked. "Yes," I said. That's when she insisted I congratulate her. I was still puzzled as to why she was calling me. "Congratulations," I said. "May I ask what I'm congratulating you for?" She burst out: "I'm starting a small business!!!!!" She was incredibly ecstatic about the whole thing. I was almost disappointed she wasn't engaged. It turns out that she has formed a partnership to sell women's dirt biking apparel. (It all seems very random, I know. Leave it to my beloved Betsy.) So, if anyone is interested in women's dirt biking apparel, I have a great contact for you.

Happy Ground Hog Day

The day starts off well. I get an invitation from my 7-year-old sister to attend her tea party. And, don’t I feel lucky, I get to pick the date!

We pretty much killed ourselves this past weekend. We thought we could abuse our bodies with reckless abandon and get away with no consequences. We are slowly but surely discovering that we are not teenagers anymore.

We went to a cabin in the mountains this weekend with three other couples from bible study. The best part of the whole trip was when all eight of us went grocery shopping together! Have you ever tried grocery shopping in a group? It was hysterical. Especially since Kristi, Emily, and Walt are on diets. (I’m sorry but I just don’t get how Crystal Lite can be better for you than 100% orange juice!) We finally compromised. The Atkins people got to choose the breakfast menu for the first day and the rest of us got cinnamon rolls for the second day. Whew!

Other highlights include Walt trying to climb up a steep incline only to slide down the whole mountainside on his hands and knees (seemingly in slow motion!), sledding, late night conversations and movies, lots of Cranium and Guesstures, and, of course, snow ball fights!

Yay for bonding experiences!