Category Archives: holidays + events

Relating to holidays, events, vacations, short trips or maybe just big get-togethers.

One more week..

It’s been crazy the last few weeks. Lot’s of late nights at work, I’ve been doing 6-8 sessions with teachers, graduation and the end of the year get together is tonight and tomorrow I have a doctor’s appointment and then I had a 12-2 session with more teachers. Most of the staff will be gone for the summer in a week but it’ll still be busy. Lots of end of the year stuff (our fiscal year starts July 1) and then stuff to start the new year. Hopefully a vacation in July! :)

The get together tonight will be nice, it’s like a wedding reception but instead of a Bride & Groom, we have retiree’s. And we’ve got a great band, L’usa whom I normally go to see when they play at the local restaurants/bars/clubs.

Movies and oil – saturday-8

These questions are from Laura at the saturday-8.

1. today i am going to see the movie “troy,” as it stars my favourite actor of all time, the british sex god sean bean (says laura). are you planning on seeing it? why or why not?
Not really. It looks really long. I’d like to see the Trojan Horse scene though (duh!).
2. the other day i purchased gas for $2.07 per gallon. i about threw up. what is the current gas price in your area? (please specify grade)
I put in 87 octane. It’s just gone over the $2.00 mark, which just kills me. I’m thinking I was seeing $2.03 and $2.07, this was the Deaborn (Detroit, MI) area.
3. sean bean is my lust, and the german actor thomas kretschmann comes in at a close second. who are your first and second actor/actress “loves”?
Liv Tyler: ever since Stealing Beauty and Mary Louise Parker: ever since Fried Green Tomatoes. I’ll add Julia Stiles (but I don’t know what I first saw her in) to that list too, since #5 just made me think of her too…
4. i am going to canada via syracuse, ny in july, and had to purchase my tickets WAAAAAAY early because we’re afraid the ticket prices will go up dramatically due to the rising oil prices. are you travelling this summer on a vacation?
I keep thinking I need to make some plans. Chicago? Toranto? London?
5. is there any movie this summer that you’re looking to see this summer, or any books you want to read that are going to be printed & released this summer? tell us about them…
I’m looking forward to Spiderman 2, which is funny since I wasn’t looking that forward to the first and it wasn’t that incredible. I’ve been liking Will Smith’s movies so maybe I, Robot will be good. I just saw a preview for The Borne Identity sequel (Borne Supremacy?) looks fun too.
6. what is your favourite vacation destination, and why?
Costa Rica! It’s warm, relaxed and it’s got two oceans! It’s really enjoyable, the not knowing Spanish is a little troublesome sometimes but dealable. The people are friendly and it’s warm.
7. have you heard about netflix.com? if so, have you joined/are you planning to join, and why/why not?
I’ve tried it a few times before. It’s excellent if you watch a lot of movies, I should give it a try again, it’s been a while. I liked it better when it was just individual rentals. (For those who don’t know what it is: $20 a month gets you three DVD rentals as soon as you return one, they send out the next on your list. Postage is included).
8. are you a good flier? i have problems on takeoff, but landing and flying are no problem.
Flying is generally no problem (a little air sick, but rarely). It’s dealing with the airports and security that makes me crazy, showing up two hours early for a ninety minute flight is counter-productive. I love the train, just show up a few minutes before, no parking problems, lots of room, very relaxinf.

Baker’s Dozen

The idea is to come up with twelve thoughts and one pic to describe your weekend. easter04b

  1. Chocolate.
  2. “Yes Mom, I have the ham”
  3. Lots of stairs (I’m on the third and fourth floors).
  4. “Gary! Watch me Gary!”
  5. Lots of Ordevores and Desserts.
  6. “Why do you have so many remotes?”
  7. ’13 Going on 30′ was really fun.
  8. Lots of Cleaning needed to be done. (Now I need to sort the piles I hid in the closet.)
  9. Four kids and eleven adults at my condo. That might be a new record.
  10. Lots of Coca-Cola
  11. Spilt Milk, down a flight of carpeted stairs and all over the wall.
  12. Chocolate.

From Baker’s Dozen.

Easter

It was a blast today, I had everyone over for Easter Dinner. Seven households from one to four people in each, fifteen total, four were kids. They were a blast and they liked all my computerized toys and remotes and such.easter04

After we ate, I took the kids down the street by city hall and they went nutty with me taking pictures. What a bunch of hams. Speaking of… we had a really good ham from the Dearborn Meat Company (or something like that).

No incidents, no broken bones, scrapes, fights, etc. Until they were leaving and one of the kids had a cup (with a lid and straw) of milk and dropped it down the stairs. I had splash marks 6 feet up the walls! My ‘little green machine’ wasn’t enough to have it, I dug out the rug shampoo machine I bought a few months back (but never used) and clean the stairs (and the walls) that probably needed it anyways. Can’t complain too much, last time they were over I accidentally rolled Kendall’s head up in the electric window in the car. I still feel pretty bad about that one.

Daylight Savings Time – Bah Humbug!

My body has a natural rhythm or at least it’s supposed to. Messing around with my internal clock doesn’t help. Here I am knowing I need to sleep but my body is really telling me it’s an hour earlier (because it is). I think the daylight savings time thing is just a money making scheme made up by Hallmark and all the other greeting card companies! And it’s the people who have to suffer because of it!

More This and That – Sunday Brunch

  1. Are you organized or disorganized? Hmm… I keep my life more organized than my office(s) and my computer desktop. I usually have a plan as a move through life although people don’t think so.
  2. How well can you swim? I can tread water long enough (that’s long enough for any reason that I’eve ever had to or expect to).
  3. How often do you fill your gas tank? About once a week. It pleases me to fill it up and reset my little mileage counter. It’s like crossing an item off a list. I never pass up gas if it’s a really good deal (and then I brag about it!).
  4. Where is your favorite vacation spot? Jaco, on the west coast of Costa Rica. It’s nice and out of the way and it’s beautiful and warm. I like to stay at the Balcon Del Mar, it’s right by the water and all the rooms have a view of the ocean.
  5. What is you favorite animal to have as a pet? Fish. They’re quiet, peaceful and you get the nice gurgling and humming sounds from the aquarium :)

From Sunday Brunch.

Gay Marriage in Michigan

So this topic has been bugging me. So I’ll whine for my longest time ever here (have I ever whined here?). If insanity is ‘doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’ and ‘those who don’t pay attention to history are doomed to repeat it’. Aren’t the people against this going to lose against the couples fighting for their rights? Are they insane expecting different results!?!

I’ve read a few times that Michigan already has a law that bans gay marriage (here and here) but I personally don’t understand why Michigan was/is also trying to add it to the constitution. I’m not sure if I’ve read this in a reliable news source though, I’ve been obsessed with blogs lately so it might have been there. FYI: Michigan does allow public universities and other entities to provide benefits for same-sex couples that are the same as if the couple was married. (I’ve modified this paragraph a few times since the original post).

Same-sex couples are going to get married in non-official weddings regardless of the law, right? They’ve been doing it for years, even on the steps of the state capitol. So as far as they are concerned, they are married and others will continue to do so. If same-sex couples are getting the same benefits at work (even state/public universities) then what is the difference?!?

I have a real question. If a couple goes and gets married somewhere legal and comes back to Michigan, does their job have to give both members benefits?

This final thought:
“A heterosexual woman who abuses her infant in the womb with drugs and alcohol, and who later fails to provide food or shelter, is granted greater privilege before the law than a lesbian couple who wishes to adopt and properly care for that same child.” This caught my eye while I was looking for a Monday meme and led me to this article which (re)started this thought process while I was in the middle of blogging, hence this entry.

Please feel free to polietly correct me on any incorrect legalisms.

What Happens at the Equinox (at your house)? – Sunday Brunch

The calendar says it’s officially spring –

  1. Do you get a spring break? No. But most of the teachers and staff leave so it’s a nice time at work to get things done.
  2. Some of us are pretty casual about spring cleaning. Others go to it with a lot of gusto. Which are you? I’m due. My house is the absolute worst it’s every been! (It’s messy not dirty)
  3. Is planting flowers or a vegetable garden on the agenda? I’ll hang some on the railing of my condo (maybe). They better not need any water!
  4. Do you suffer from allergies and do they get worse in the spring? Yes I do. They generally do, but the seasons in Michigan haven’t been very cut and dry lately which doesn’t help any.
  5. How will you celebrate Easter this year? The family will get together most likely, generally a smaller gathering but many will be there. Maybe kidnap some kids to color some eggs and do the regular “stuff”.

These questions are from Sunday Brunch.

If you really want to know what happens at the equinox