Aloha Again!

Waterfall on the road to Hana; Maui, HI

With a little luck and a lot of advice we have recovered some of our Hawai'i honeymoon pictures! After trying some computer recovery systems to no avail, my new uncle-in-law suggested trying to get the lost pictures from the memory card itself. I contacted my old photography professor who referred me to a friend of his in Hingham who runs a camera shop, and for a mere $25 he recovered 400 pictures that had been previously deleted from our memory card. About 150 of those were Hawai'i pictures (yes, I take a lot of pictures, but you have to remember that after I got back from the honeymoon it was playoff baseball at Fenway, our friends had a baby, and then hiking beneath the fall foliage of Walden Pond...)

This means:

1. I get to share some island aloha.
2. I still have to go back there and take some more =)

Mahalo to the many of you who offered us help!

All You Need is Love

V-Day is nearly upon us. I'm not big on this holiday, but someone I love left this little picture for me and I thought I'd share.

Love,
Me

It's All About the Benjamins Baby

This song has found it's way to my iPod, and believe it or not, was voted "Class Song" when I graduated high school. Good ol' Springfield...

My blog is worth $4,516.32.
How much is your blog worth?

I'm not too sure how accurate this figure is so, uh, can I cash in now?

Happy Year of Bin Xu

It's the Year of the Dog!

And I'm taking it as a sign that I will finally get that long awaited, much hoped for, dog that I've always wanted. I've grown up with cats and they're cool in their feline way, but a dog is what I've always wanted. The Chinese say that a dog represents loyalty and honesty, not what you think of when you think of a cat, they tend to be crafty, aloof, and more independent. When I was 9 I even made a list to my parents of pros and cons of getting a dog. It wasn't just a list, it was more like a detailed poster campaign--it didn't work.

So this is the year! The Hub is all for it too, but we're going to wait until we buy a house first, or at least until after we go to Vegas for a week. I think we can fit a puppy in this apt. as long as we're certain it's short term and we'll be moving into a house shortly thereafter. I can't wait!

My cats will be thrilled, I'm sure. This was Simba's reaction to a stuffed panda bear I got in the mail from the World Wildlife Federation. He hissed and growled at baby Darla when we first brought her home. We actually had to separate them for about 3 weeks until he got used to her and she grew a little bit. She was so tiny... Simba only tolerated her when he was stealing her high calorie kitten food It'll be interesting to see how he reacts to a puppy...

Wang wang to you all!

I am Jason Varitek.

It's a little known fact that Tek wears a "C" in honor of me!

You scored as Jason Varitek. You are Jason Varitek. You are a natural leader and are highly respected by many. You are tough and will duke it out with any purple-lipped princess when it comes to defending your buddies, which makes you a very loyal friend. Oh Captain, my captain!

Jason Varitek 90% Johnny Damon 77% Curt Schilling 73% Kevin Millar 63% David Ortiz 60% Theo Epstein 50% Manny Ramirez 47% Mark Bellhorn 33% Which Red Sox Player Are You? created with QuizFarm.com

Is Someone Getting the Best of You?

Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
The life, the love
You die to heal
The hope that starts
The broken hearts
You trust, you must
Confess

I've seen more than my fair share of horrible people this last year, but I've also seen an even brighter side of humanity this past year, and that brightness could never be diminished by those few unjust and miserable people. I could be angry with them, but I don't feel that; I pity them, and I've learned that pity bleeds into forgiveness. Perhaps it's one of the hardest things I've had to reconcile, but with that forgivenss I have let go of the turmoil that they created. The lies and misery are no longer haunting to anyone but the perpetrator.

"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."
Mahatma Gandhi

Were you born to resist?

I’ve got another confession to make
I’m your fool
Everyone’s got their chains to break
Holdin’ you

Were you born to resist or be abused?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?

Are you gone and onto someone new?
I needed somewhere to hang my head
Without your noose
You gave me something that I didn’t have
But had no use
I was too weak to give in
Too strong to lose
My heart is under arrest again
But I break loose
My head is giving me life or death
But I can’t choose
I swear I’ll never give in
I refuse

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?

Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
The life, the love
You die to heal
The hope that starts
The broken hearts
You trust, you must
Confess

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?

I’ve got another confession my friend
I’m no fool
I’m getting tired of starting again
Somewhere new

Were you born to resist or be abused?
I swear I’ll never give in
I refuse

Lazy Sunday

SNL has lost its spark, but every now and then they get it back, if only for a fleeting moment. For those of you like me who no longer even care to watch it and missed the funniest skit of the year it's worth checking out.

Woof!

I really really want a puppy. I've always wanted a dog, but our house grew up with a bevy of felines. Perhaps this article is a sign...

If you are interested in adopting a dog take a look at the MS and LA region where Katrina affected not only its people, but its pets.

As Bob Barker always says, "Please get your pet spayed or neutered!"

Humane Society of South Mississippi:

In a perfect world, every orphaned pet would have a good home. We, along with the help of our community, work hard to provide homes for as many of the orphaned pets we receive as possible, but for many animals this is not enough.
Although the numbers may seem a bit overwhelming, the Humane Society of South Mississippi will not be discouraged and is making great progress in reducing the overpopulation of unwanted cats and dogs and increasing the number of adoptions. In 2004 alone, the HSSM has increased adoptions 14.5% and spay/neuter surgeries 27.6%, resulting in a decrease in euthanasia rates of 14%, growing ever closer to reaching our goal to STOP euthanasia!

As difficult as it may be to read, please bear in mind that only 25% of the animals that come to us are either claimed or adopted. It is important that there be a facility where homeless animals receive a second chance of finding a loving home…

Pet Overpopulation Estimates
-Number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year: 8 to 10 million
-Number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year: 4 to 5 million
-Number of cats and dogs adopted from shelters each year: 3 to 5 million
-Number of Animal Shelters in the United States: Between 4 and 6 thousand
-Percentage of dogs in shelters who are purebred: 25 percent
-Average number of litters a fertile cat can produce in one year: 3
-Average number of animals in an average feline litter: 4 to 6
-In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can produce: 420,000 cats
-Average number of litters a fertile dog can produce in one year: 2
-Average number of animals in an average canine litter: 6 to 10
-In six years, one female dog and her offspring can produce: 67,000 dogs

Some more stats:
-There are approximately 68,000,000 owned dogs in the U.S.
-Four in ten (or 40,000,000) households own at least one dog
-Twenty percent of owned dogs were adopted from an animal shelter
-Seven out of ten owned dogs were spayed or neutered
-There are approximately 73,000,000 owned cats in the U.S.
-Three in ten (or 34,700,000) households own at least one cat
-Twenty percent of owned cats were adopted from an animal shelter
-Nine in ten (89%) owned cats are mixed breeds
-Eight in ten owned cats are spayed or neutered

[Office] (228) 863-4394 - [Shelter] (228) 863-3354 | 13756 Washington Ave Gulfport, MS 39503

It's a Wonderful Life

Although they play this movie over and over again around Christmas I have never actually seen it in its entirety, but I get the gist.

I am looking forward to 2006 like a child's excitement on the first day of school! I can't wait to see how much fun we're all going to have this year. So much good has happened lately with weddings, babies, more engagements, new jobs, and acceptances to grad school, it's left me beaming. Soon the Hub and I will start the serious house hunt and I can't wait to buy our first place together =)

Happy New Year everyone!

Clarence: Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends.

If I Had One Wish...

Blowing out the candles on my "birthday cake" forced me to be reflective and think about what I'd really really like. I couldn't wish for the perfect house or a cute puppy or those new pair of shoes I've been admiring for some time...

For me it has to be important and meaningful. Some years I forget or don't care and just blow out the candles quickly to avoid getting wax on the frosting, but this year I did it right. I wished big...

We'll see.

The 26th

Tomorrow is the big 2-6. It reminds me of turning 22, kinda boring. 21 is all exciting and comes with obvious privileges, then 22 just doesn't live up. A quarter of a century is a turning point of sorts...then you have to celebrate the next year and it just doesn't seem as special. The Hub is planning a major party for me though since he is the best guy I know so keep Saturday, January 7th free on your calendar and head on over to Boston!

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Day!

The Long and Winding Road...

After a long and tiring day a girl stepped off the T into the crisp winter air. Trudging up the hills to her apartment she walks in the road to avoid the icy sidewalk. The wind strikes her face one last time as she escapes into the warmth of the vestibule. Once inside she spots an arrangement of flowers. She picks them up to bring them into the secureness of the foyer for her neighbor.

As she fumbles for her keys she realizes her name is on the card! To what does she deserve this thoughtful treat? she wonders...Immediately she thinks of her husband and searches her brain for some special reason she may have forgotten like an anniversary or early birthday present. Then she thinks, "I wonder why he would have them delivered to our place when he could just deliver them himself?" While she juggles the vase in one hand and the mail and keys in the other she attempts to open the card to reveal the sender.

Her concentration is broken when she feels a drip of water flowing down her inner thigh. She looks down to see a dark wet spot on her khakis. The tilted vase spilled over on her jacket and leg at just the right spot that it looks like she peed her pants. She sheepishly glances down the hall to see if anyone is there to bear witness to this accident and with newfound determination she balances the vase as straight as can be and opens the envelope.

Here is an early Christmas present to bring a smile to your face!
Love,
Lisa

And I did smile.

On the First Day of Winter

My True Love Gave to Me...

A reason to visit NYC.
The deal is all but done: Johnny will be trading his sexy Red Sox for ugly pajama-like stripes. Already this great centerfielder's sexiness factor has gone down a notch. I never really thought Johnny was superstar hot until he seemed to not care what he looked like--and suddenly that was hot, hot, hot! He stopped shaving and said idiotic things, but he was still a good, lovable guy shaving his beard in Copley for charity. Now he'll be shaving his beard for Georgy Boy and his $52 million purse for 4 years (12 more than what Boston was going to give him). I always enjoyed watching him slam into the Green Monster to make that Web Gem catch, but when he grew his hair out he became something more--he elevated to rock star status.

I'm not worried about our team's record for 2006, even without Theo's genius (OK I'm a little worried!) but I am concerned about losing 25% of the fan population--the female factor. Theo and Damon were the two best looking guys on the team (and my Nomar back in the day). Lucky for me I understand the game and how complex and intricate moves can be, but not all girls are like that. There are the girls who sit in front of you in the grandstand and gossip the whole game, the ones who don't even have the courtesy to stand up and pretend to care if Big Papi hit the ball off the Coke bottles again. You know the ones, they're easy to spot in their pretty in pink Damon baby doll tee. The pink shirt girls (Sox hoochies as my friend Steve calls them) are usually single and man-hungry. They wear the shirts as bait for a fun loving baseball guy and then they ring him in like a fish on a hook. The gossip girls usually dress in witch-toed heels and gucci pants and redo their make-up after every inning (a hard thing to maintain on those sweaty summer days in the sun-drenched bleacher seats).

I always liked Jason Giambi even when he went to the Yankees, but he was so much better looking (and a better player!) before he went to the Yankees. For those of you who don't know George Steinbrenner has a strict no facial hair policy, except mustaches but those are kinda creepy. Seinfeld would say he's The Hair Nazi. Poor Giambi looked whipped and neutered after he became a Yankee, and I fear Johnny will suffer the same fate.

I hope our beloved caveman enjoys his last World Series ring since everyone knows that the Yankees, no matter how much money they throw around, are suffering from the curse of the A-Rod! I'm sure they'll still win 95 games, but the post-season drought may just last the next 86 years...

Good luck JD! We'll miss you, still love you, and wish you well!

Help the Home for Little Wanderers

If you're in love with Theo Epstein AND want to donate a good chunk of change to help the Home for Little Wanderers then I've found the perfect match for you!

If you click here you will see just one of many auctions currently going on that will benefit this noble cause. You can bid on a lunch date with Theo and an autographed baseball. Or if you like Grey's Anatomy you could win autographed scrubs.

Personally, I've always pictured Theo paying to have dinner with ME but now that I'm married the chances of that have drastically gone down, much to my dismay, my husband's delight, and Theo's unbeknownst loss.

So single girls and guys (who knows) grab your checkbook, buy a new dress and pucker up those lips cause you never know what Theo will do next!

T'was the Week Before Christmas

The More the Merrier--
I love children. These newbies are a fresh break from the adult world. They are so honest and fun it's almost like being on vacation from the "real" world when I'm around them. Nothing else matters except for building the coolest fort or finding the best spot for hide-and-go-seek.

With the popularity of cubicles at work I think it would boost overall morale and, in turn, productivity if we took one day out of the week to build the best cubicle fort or find the best hiding spot in the office (and perhaps take a much needed nap). Unless you are a pre-school teacher this probably isn't going to happen at work; that's why I love to spend time with kids. My friend Tanya and I went over to A Woman's Concern yesterday and the children we met there were so much fun. We met a little girl named Amy who loved to sit on my lap and was brave enough to go up and sing Christmas carols with us since we were the only two to show up to sing (and Harvard's choir sang before us and, go figure, just happened to be really good).

It was a fun time. For me holding other people's babies is very good. They bring this sense of peace just by holding them, and since they're not mine I can hand them over when my arm feels like I did too many bench presses and the muscles ache (I've been slacking on lifting weights). It's fulfilling to spend time with these kids who were unplanned yet still wanted. It satisfies this biological desire to have one already and makes me realize that I shouldn't take the freedom I have for granted right now. I was watching Anastazia (my confirmation name, but spelled differently) for her mother while she ate some food and "Nae-Nae" kept crawling all over the place getting into everything and almost getting trampled. Life as a mother must change you a lot and I don't feel quite ready for that yet. I suppose when it does happen I'll have 9 months to prepare for it. I'm very much enjoying the Newlywed life and don't plan on having kids just yet. We hope to get a house, then a dog, then a baby, but you know life never goes exactly as you planned, so we'll see.

Whole Lotta Love

Now if I aspire to have 17 kids like the largest family in America I'm going to have to get started soon! This couple must have a whole lot of love and energy and smarts to make it all work correctly and not be driven insane by now.

"Our goal is to raise the children so when they grow up they will not be afraid of anything in life," Zynaida said. "I think if every family approaches it that way, we will have a very healthy society."

The siblings do not squabble about portion sizes, television channels or other matters because their dad has driven home the importance of putting aside selfishness in order to survive as a family, 17-year-old Anatoliy said.

"We sit all together, put out the food and eat like a regular family," said 16-year-old Lyudmila "Sometimes we wait for each other to finish, and then feed the little kids."

Hopefully Santa helps them out again this year.