Because....it's interestin to see it in written form...
Lynx
my_blue_phoenix
Native American Code of Ethics

Each morning upon rising, and each evening before sleeping, give thanks for the life within you and for all life, for the good things the Creator has given you and for the opportunity to grow a little more each day. Consider your thoughts and actions of the past day and seek for the courage and strengthto be a better person. Seek for the things that will benefit others (everyone).


Respect. Respect means "To feel or show honor or esteem for someone or something; to consider the well being of, or to treat someone or somethin with deference or courtesy". Showing respect is a basic law of life.

a. Treat every person from the tiniest child to the oldest elder with respect at all times.

b. Special respect should be given to Elders, Parents, Teachers, and Community Leaders.

c. No person should be made to feel "put down" by you; avoid hurting other hearts as you would avoid a deadly poison.

d. Touch nothing that belongs to someone else (especially Sacred Objects) without permission, or an understanding between you.

e. Respect the privacy of every person, never intrude on a person's quiet moment or personal space.

f. Never walk between people that are conversing.

g. Never interrupt people who are conversing.

h. Speak in a soft voice, especially when you are in the presence of Elders, strangers or others to whom special respect is due.

i. Do not speak unless invited to do so at gatherings where Elders are present (except to ask what is expected of you, should you be in doubt).

j. Never speak about others in a negative way, whether they are present or not.

k. Treat the earth and all of her aspects as your mother. Show deep respect for the mineral world, the plant world, and the animal world. Do nothing to pollute our Mother, rise up with wisdom to defend her.

l. Show deep respect for the beliefs and religion of others.

m. Listen with courtesy to what others say, even if you feel that what they are saying is worthless. Listen with your heart.

n. Respect the wisdom of the people in council. Once you give an idea to a council meeting it no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the people. Respect demands that you listen intently to the ideas of others in council and that you do not insist that your idea prevail. Indeed you should freely support the ideas of others if they are true and good, even if those ideas ideas are quite different from the ones you have contributed. The clash of ideas brings forth the Spark of Truth.


Once a council has decided something in unity, respect demands that no one speak secretly against what has been decided. If the council has made an error, that error will become apparent to everyone in its own time.


Be truthful at all times, and under all conditions.


Always treat your guests with honor and consideration. Give of your best food, your best blankets, the best part of your house, and your best service to your guests.


The hurt of one is the hurt of all, the honor of one is the honor of all.


Receive strangers and outsiders with a loving heart and as members of the human family.


All the races and tribes in the world are like the different colored flowers of one meadow. All are beautiful. As children of the Creator they must all be respected.


To serve others, to be of some use to family, community, nation, and the world is one of the main purposes for which human beings have been created. Do not fill yourself with your own affairs and forget your most important talks. True happiness comes only to those who dedicate their lives to the service of others.


Observe moderation and balance in all things.


Know those things that lead to your well-being, and those things that lead to your destruction.


Listen to and follow the guidance given to your heart. Expect guidance to come in many forms; in prayer, in dreams, in times of quiet solitude, and in the words and deeds of wise Elders and friends.

And one for me.
angel
my_blue_phoenix
"The Creation of Peace Officers"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the Lord was creating peace officers, he was into his sixth day of
overtime when an angel appeared and said,
"You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one."
And the Lord said, "Have you read the spec on this order? A peace officer has
to be able to run five miles through alleys in the dark, scale walls, enter
homes the health inspector wouldn't touch, and not wrinkle his uniform.

"He has to be able to sit in an undercover car all day on a stakeout, cover a
homicide scene that night, canvass the neighborhood for witnesses,
and testify in court the next day.

"He has to be in top physical condition at all times, running on black coffee
and half-eaten meals. And he has to have six pairs of hands."

The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands... no way."

"It's not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord, "it's the
three pairs of eyes an officer has to have."

"That's on the standard model?" asked the angel.

The Lord nodded. One pair that sees through a bulge in a pocket before he asks,
"May I see what's in there, sir?" (When he already knows and wishes he'd taken
that accounting job.) "Another pair here in the side of his head for his
partners' safety. And another pair of eyes here in front that can look
reassuringly at a bleeding victim and say, 'You'll be all right ma'am, when he knows it isn't so."

"Lord," said the angel, touching his sleeve, "rest and work on this tomorrow."

"I can't," said the Lord, "I already have a model that can talk a 250 pound
drunk into a patrol car without incident and feed a family of five on a civil service paycheck."

The angel circled the model of the peace officer very slowly, "Can it think?" she asked.

"You bet," said the Lord. "It can tell you the elements of a hundred crimes;
recite Miranda warnings in its sleep; detain, investigate, search, and arrest
a gang member on the street in less time than it takes five learned judges to
debate the legality of the stop... and still it keeps its sense of humor.

This officer also has phenomenal personal control. He can deal with crime
scenes painted in hell, coax a confession from a child abuser, comfort a murder
victim's family, and then read in the daily paper how law enforcement isn't
sensitive to the rights of criminal suspects."

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the peace
officer. "There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told you that you were trying to
put too much into this model."

"That's not a leak," said the lord, "it's a tear."

"What's the tear for?" asked the angel.

"It's for bottled-up emotions, for fallen comrades, for commitment to that
funny piece of cloth called the American flag, for justice."

"You're a genius," said the angel.

The Lord looked somber. "I didn't put it there," he said.

Anonymous

A Shield Against The Knight, by John K.
heroes
my_blue_phoenix
A couple of poems for our fallen in Washington.

A uniform, a gun, a badge upon your chest.
These things make not super beings ...
just men and women, human like the rest.
Though sometimes taken for granted,
or even viewed with scorn or spite ...
Some eyes see you for what you truly are ...
A shield against the night.

At times your job is thankless.
Another shift has gone by,
and not a kind word is spoken,
not a single word at all.
Those endless hours spent filling out
reports bring nothing but boredom.
A headache rages in your skull.

You may ask yourself if it is really worth it?
There are many risks, no progress in sight.
The answer is a simple yes my friend,
for you are a cop, an officer ...
A shield against the night.

An car overturned, a robbery, a chase,
consoling a victim, whispering all will be well.
A frightened child's hand is held,
he is lost and out of place.
The call of duty is answered
no hesitation, no question.
A champion to those who can not fight.
You stand alone sometimes,
the only thing between the darkness
and the light.

A hero every minute, no matter how mundane the day.
Take pride in what you do.
Although very human,
You my friend....are
A shield against the night.
*******************************************************

How I sometimes wonder, how brave he must be,
He lays his life on the line to protect you and me.

I wish sometimes I could just understand,
Why people don’t reach out more, or lend a hand.

I could never imagine to face what he does everyday,
A child abused and crying to not be taken away.

A drug dealer on the streets again,
Knowing he sold drugs to his friend.

A drunk hits the side of another car while running a light,
The drunk was fine, but that family saw their last night.

There’s a shoot out, his partner and friend is down, after many years,
He just says, “You’ll be OK!” Knowing he sees the truth in his tears.

Then his day finally comes to an end,
And he goes home to family and friends.

How was your day, they always want to know,
He just always smiles, and says same ole, same ole.

He knows they really care and want to know,
But, it’s not a place many people could go.

He knows the job has to be done,
He fights the fight that must be won.

He takes pride in what he chose to do,
To serve and protect me and you.

So, next time you get mad or feel he earns his pay,
Ask yourself, “Could I be as brave as him for a day?”

Author Unknown

**************************************************************

"I am the Officer"

I have been where you fear to be,
I have seen what you fear to see,
I have done what you fear to do -
All these things I have done for you.

I am the person you lean upon,
The one you cast your scorn upon,
The one you bring your troubles to -
All these people I've been for you.

The one you ask to stand apart,
The one you feel should have no heart,
The one you call "The Officer in Blue,"
But I'm just a person, just like you.

And through the years I've come to see,
That I am not always what you ask of me;
So, take this badge ... take this gun ...
Will you take it ... will anyone?

And when you watch a person die
And hear a battered baby cry,
Then do you think that you can be
All these things you ask of me?

(Author unknown)

***********************************************

It's 3am and were in bed, as I look over to watch her sleep, "Oh how peaceful she looks". I reach on over to hold her tight, hoping the night would never come to an end.

Fast asleep were suddenly awoke, the alarm clock went off and startled us both. I watched her roll out of our bed, knowing she has a new day to start, hoping everything will turn out alright.

She slips out the bedroom and into the shower, I lay in bed praying to God "Please God take care of this wonderful woman and please make sure she comes home, for I would not know what I would do."

Moments later she reappears, as I watch her gallantly putting on her blues. Her badge is shining bright today, reminding her of the oath she took that day. Gun strapped on her side, reminding her and me who is not on our sides.

It's time for her to report to duty as she bends down, she tells me she loves me and gives me a kiss, she tells me she will see me later after her shift. I tell her to be safe and love her too, as she walks out the door, I find myself praying to the lord above

"Oh Lord, Please watch over the love of my life, help her through the bad and good, and Lord, I hope she knows just how much I love her."

As the day goes by I start to think of this woman in blue, thinking of just how unselfish this person is. This woman is willing to die, just to protect and serve the community she works.

The woman is just not an ordinary person if you haven't figured it out, she is my Policewoman who I love so dear.

By

Unknown

Another coward. And I'll bet we won't see Huckabee in 2012.
angel
my_blue_phoenix
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/30/washington.police.shooting/index.html

I try to have respect for all people, regardless of circumstance and regardless of status, but people like this.....I have only disgust and contempt for. A coward's way is to attack in ambush and then run. Fuck that. Stand and face the music, coward.

T-Day
calvin dance
my_blue_phoenix

I worked yesterday. Not much at all going on, nobody really about the area, so we kinda played firemen, roaming around until someone called. (Not much of that either, really.)

After work, I trekked up to Mel's aunt and sorta uncle's place where Mel and the roomie were already waitin' on me. It was nice to get up the mountain with almost no traffic at all! They were watching the weirdest, grossest movie I could ever imagine on T-day. It was just wrong. In Blu-ray no less. Ugh. I was grateful I only saw the last 15 minutes or so. After that we put on the Macy's Day parade for a little bit and dinner was ready shortly after. Dinner was awesome! I made it through 2 helpings and a piece of key lime AND a piece of pumpkin pie before the food coma hit. We couldn't stay long since we all had to be up for work today, but it was nice and the food was great. Turkey, mashed red potatoes, yams, stuffing (which I don't like but I assume was good), asparagus, homemade gravy, apple pie, cherry pie, key lime pie and pumpkin pie. I'm surprised my gut didn't bust.

Today was much busier at work and I find it interesting how people think my job is "Let's Make A Deal." Off to home after picking up the pooch and now I have one pooch behind me snoozing, another on the floor passed out, and a big ol' fluffy kitty watching me type from my lap. He's a little upset with me due to being smooshed and smooched.


Plumber Suck
vulcan, motorcycle
my_blue_phoenix
Ok, I'm not entirely pleased with the plumbing company.  The Plumber was fine, when he got here. I was supposed to have one out here yesterday by 2pm, then by 5pm, then by 9pm, then by 7am this morning.  Finally, this morning at 8:45, I had a plumber. It's a national company, so I don't know what the issue was.  On the other hand, the guy fixed my issue. Now I can wash clothes and everything else again.

The raccoon was released to a park area over 5 miles away. Now I just need to get that fascia board nailed back up.  Furry McBanditPants has a new home and it's gonna stay that way.

Sooooo much to do.  I got the tv situation taken care of since we have about 1.5 channels on the OTA channels.  So.  :sigh: I had to pay for a service. Don't like it, but 1.5 is just not enough.

I cleaned the gutters, which were....well....sludgy. Kinda gross and my poor fingers were frozen by the time I pulled bars of ice out of them, scooped the mud, decomposing plants and icy water out.

Also changed all the bulbs to CFLs, so that should help. Changed at least 36 bulbs. Oy. And found out that some doofus had placed 75 watt bulbs in fixtures that had 60 watts MAX written right on them.  Can we say fire hazard?  

Shoveled overgrown grass and dirt off of the concrete slab in the front of the garage.

Next is probably laundry, more attic insulating, calling a handyman, etc.




Gotcha!
Cylon
my_blue_phoenix
WOOOT!  Finally trapped the raccoon that sounded like a damn elephant in our attic!  He's a lot smaller than he sounded, that's for sure. I'm hopin' it's not actually a mama raccoon, but in either case, I think we got it before it could make a home and have baby elephants....er, raccoons.

Now.....um....I don't quite know where to put it.  I called the local vet hospital, but they only handle domesticated beasties. So, I'm guessing I am gonna have to drive to one of the local mountain parks and rehome the furry little bastard. 

And I'm gonna have to call a handyman to get on my roof and nail the fascia board back up so we don't get any other furry visitors.

I'm just happy we got it trapped. I was about to shoot holes in my ceiling to get it outta there.  Holes are bad. And, this way, the little bugger gets to live out his furry little life elsewhere.

Why are they surprised?
headdesk
my_blue_phoenix
The whole Balloon Boy saga is just one big exercise in societal stupidity.  Why are they surprised that it was a hoax?  This guy has attempted to be on reality shows many times, succeeding, in fact.  He's using his children, his family to gain some weird shot to the ego.

He should pay the tab.  I don't know about prison time, but I do think he should pay for the massive rescue effort launched when his wife first called the media. Not 911. The friggin' media. Hello alarm bells. I think he should be required to attend counseling not only in regards to his parenting, but his narcissism as well.

And then it would be awesome if tv execs actually took a solid, ethical look at whether or not each of their little 'reality' shows should even get made.  People crave it because it's attention, it's money, it's fame. But for all the 'reality', it's fake. 

And I would rather see tv shows that someone's talent and creativity went into.  I don't want this false reality crap. I want to see something that makes me think, that makes me see a story that isn't someone's life on camera.  I love the completely different, the fantastical or even simply whimsical. I think this is why I'm a sci fi buff. 

"Reality TV" needs to take a hike.  Rarely is it helpful, never is it truth.  Very little of it is even entertaining.  

Jet Plane
angel
my_blue_phoenix
So, we got Mel off on her plane early this morning at a brisk jog, since we woke up late and had to scramble.  She arrived safe and sound and has seen her new niece. 

I, on the other hand, have been moving all day.  The movers were ok, not as fast as I'd hoped, but still, they did so much that I didn't have to do and couldn't do alone.  So, money well spent!  They were nice and polite.  Only one real casualty, a mirror, that snapped it's wood base, so it'll have to be completely replaced. No worries, it was the only thing they broke. 

I did a great deal of unpacking and moving as well. I'm probably about 20 percent unpacked. However, the bed is set up, the tv is in place, the dining room table is on coasters and the dining room chairs on felt pads. I also managed to fix a toilet and figure out why the ice maker doesn't work.  I may also be able to fix the dishwasher....we will see.  I shopped for things we needed as well.  I had a scare for a moment when I smelled something hot.  The overhead light in the bedroom was overheating.  I turned it off and waited for it to cool down and took the cover off. I regret that. Something gross dripped on me and smelled like cat pee. I still have no idea what it was. I cleaned up the fixture and put in some CFL's that didn't touch the center pole of the fixture, which the old style bulbs did. So far, no overheating that I can smell.  The shade for it may be down for the count though, whatever that sticky shit is is on it.

S & S came up and brought me some kick ass jambalaya and kept me company for a while.  They love the house. :)  The view is incredible.

Holy schmoly.  I don't know what the hell I just heard but it was freaky. Animal of some sort. Really hoping it was an elk...but kinda doubting it.  Guns are good teddy bears. 

Movin' on up....to the mountainside
white buffalo
my_blue_phoenix
Ok, we're in the final stretch. Closing is on Friday, we're packing and shifting today to get ready for the movers.  I am stressing, Mel is stressing, but I've been doing lots of research and a lot of those little things that will need work at the new house.....I can do.  It's more a matter of time limitations rather than actual ability limitations.  Add to the mix that Mel will be gone for a week shortly after our move (welcoming our new niece!) and a longer commute....well, I'm a little overwhelmed.

:laughs: Just like last time. 

So, nothing new about this, and I have help, and the beasties and Mel.  Oh, and I have six days off starting the day of closing.  Those are the good things.

I owe KC big. :)  He's been a tremendous help and very sweet, even when things didn't quite go as planned.  And he adores the puppy we rescued and he adopted. 

A lot is already packed, so part of my stress is simply the stupid worry about not having enough done soon enough. I even numbered the boxes and wrote a general inventory for each box.  (Ok, Type A much?)  I am not certain that diligence won't deteriorate from here on out, but so far, we're ahead of the game.  

Otherwise, Mel's travel arrangements are set.  I FedEx'd my dad's travel info for his visit to his dying sibling.  I love my dad and my mom, but they have no internet savvy whatsoever.  My parents are paying for high speed internet....that they aren't using because my mom wrote her password down, but doesn't remember where it is or what it was.  *facepalm*  I told her she couldn't break the internet and she told me not to be so sure of that.  :grins:  I spent about 2 and a half hours with her teaching her to email about 3 years ago....and now she plays majjhong (sp?) on her $1200 computer.  At least her monitor is pretty nice.

Elsewhere, our dogs are recovering from the flu.  The beasties are pretty much done hacking up a lung and generally feeling miserable.  The other furballs are getting bolder and pretty much daring the dogs to mess with 'em.  The new house will at least give them more space to hang around. 

And now, on to laundry, cleaning, packing, stressing and etc.

Crunch Time
mike
my_blue_phoenix
Oooookay. Inspection done. Nothing terribly wrong with the place, but I have a list of projects I will have to start on immediately following move in.  A couple are truly urgent.  Gotta blow in insulation in the attic ( I can do this myself with a helper), build a wall around some copper pipes in the attic and create a vent from the bathroom to where the pipes are, get a new hot water heater installed and a bunch of little things that I don't necessarily possess the acumen to complete by myself.  That's the start of my 35 item list of TO DO.  I'm trying not to panic. Really trying.  And we're not sure how Mel is gonna make it to work since she doesn't drive and apparently there's not one single, damn carpooler in that area. (I think there are, but they aren't signed up on the matching sites.) 

I'm really trying not to panic.  I swear. Maybe.  

Shoopshoopshoop
pacman
my_blue_phoenix
Oh boy.  We're on the move!

So, so far, the well test is set up, the inspection is set up, the packing has begun with a vengeance, we hopefully have a tenant to rent-to-own our old place and I have to get movers, a trailer and HELP! 

*pantpantpant*

I'm currently taking a very short break and watching the pup we're poodle-sitting snooze the afternoon away.

Annnnnnnd, back to work!

Update!
saturn rising
my_blue_phoenix
The very first house we put an offer on and missed.....the deal fell through for the other people, so we are back in the game for it.  I told Mel I thought the deal was going to fall a couple weeks ago.  It's bank-owned and they are willing to fix any problems to sell this place. It's valued at about double what the selling cost is to boot.  When the market rises....nowhere to go but up.

Funky Puppy
wolfeyes
my_blue_phoenix
Rascal has found a home, and her new moniker is "Mia".  She appears to play well with other dogs her size and isn't sure what grass is for.  (Hint: It's for what you did on my carpet several times, stinkbutt.) 

We still haven't found a house in the new town we wanna live in, but there is one that's a possibility.  It's just in the wrong county. Dammit.  It would be a lot of elbow grease, but doable elbow grease.  One house would've been perfect.....if it were about 1500 feet lower in elevation, wasn't on a dirt road and was remotely close to a bus route.  Dammit.

Work is good, busy and learning a lot.  I dig that. Bought a new gun that will serve me better off duty than the honkin' big one I have for on duty. 

Mel's school is truckin' along and she got her financial aid squared away. :) 

I have no motivation whatsoever to clean the house, but I must get to it soon or it'll be too late in the day to get anything done.

Ok, off to try to do laundry and clean.  I said 'try', dammit.

Ok one more of Rascal snoozing on me about 5 ago
vulcan, motorcycle
my_blue_phoenix


May I Present.....Rascal
calvin dance
my_blue_phoenix


Puppy Love
calvin dance
my_blue_phoenix
Well, somehow, we ended up with a foster puppy.  Rascal is a 2 or 3 month old chihuahua mix of some sort. Tons of personality, has gotten her first shots, and appears entirely healthy at about 4 pounds.  If you have a home for a sweet, rambunctious bundle of love, lemme know.  She needs a forever home.  She has two speeds so far, full go and out like a light.  She has ears big enough to glide on, sort of like Gizmo the Gremlin.

Roullette
pacman
my_blue_phoenix
Well, we finally have broadband. More or less.  We had an outage (provider's fault, not ours) for almost an entire day on the second day we had it.  Hmmmm.  Don't like that.  The other thing I haven't figured out yet either is that I can connect to the internet, open up AOL Desktop, but can't sign in.  I mean, I can surf, I can post on LJ, etc, but I can't get my AOL mail. So AOLD acts as a browser, essentially.  I don't understand what the help menu is telling me to do for AOL and the broadband menu has no help menu that addresses AOL.  *Bangs head on laptop* 

Mel is a college woman!  She started her online university classes this week so she can finish her degree.  She has been studying and posting etc.  I don't know how she does it.  I was so glad to be done with school and academy was enough school for me for a long time.

We have some martial arts gloves and punching mitts. :D  I suppose it should worry me that Mel said "It'll be fun to hit you." ;)  I actually like it for the fitness aspect. Plus, at this age, my muscles won't stay without some impact exercise. 

We're looking at possibly trying to move to a small town in the foothills that we both like a lot.  Right now would be a great time to buy, but the prices are still pretty high overall.  We saw a great house that would've been perfect in terms of setup, but it was already under contract.  Plus, since this is kinda out of the blue, we hadn't been planning on saving for a down payment.  We are going up again to look this weekend.  The town is the kind that has concerts in the park, skating on the lake, and looks awesome dressed in Xmas.  This is one of those things where we're kinda hoping for something to just fall in our laps.  Things like that happen! You don't know! ;)  (Can't get something if you aren't open to it, right?)

Jessie is a bedhog.  And she groans all the time. Bud is a pillow hog.  I woke up this morning in a position I wasn't entirely sure I could get out of to accomodate the woman and the pets. Oy. 

I like the himalyan crystal bowl I bought a lot. I like how it looks and I like it the calm it brings. 

I still like my job. :)  This week has been busier than most and I have been learning a great deal.  My team is great and very helpful, my direct supervisor is supportive.  Some morale issues in general have cropped up, though change is always difficult for the type of people I work with.  Hopefully, things will settle back down soon.  Overall, things are good.

I'm off to find more caffeine now, so I hope everyone enjoys their Sunday!

I need to cleannnnnnn the house today.  I'm getting that itchy feel. 

(no subject)
vulcan, motorcycle
my_blue_phoenix
* Deciding not to play into work drama.
* Having someone at work who listens and offers a different perspective.
* Sunny day.
* Overtime.
* Some cool finds in Morrison, more insulators and a nifty flag for our wall.
* Mel starting college so she can finish her degree.

(no subject)
grumpy calvin
my_blue_phoenix

Currently sneezing, sniffling, watery eyes, itchy sore throat, achy, etc.  Haven't gotten sick like this in a loooooong time. Probably didn't help that I worked a 20 hour shift yesterday. 

Much thanks to my sweet girl who played nurse this morning. :)  And my kitty who has kept me company while I snorfled and snuffled my way through the day.

I am now off to eat chicken noodle soup, drink gatorade and perhaps eat a popsicle.

 

 


Grats
vulcan, motorcycle
my_blue_phoenix
* Lots of overtime.
* Decent weather even with the heat
* Most of my coworkers, sans one.
* Watching Transformers with my kitty on my lap (Ok, a little sadness about Bernie Mac)
* Watching Monsters, Inc. this morning (favorite Pixar so far)
* Improving  my skills with the help of PA (Pretty Awesome) coworkers
* VNS, fish oil....possibilities with promise for my baby
* Kinda cool OT yesterday, lots of activity, great working relationship
* Ten days in a row off.

Random Confluence
white buffalo
my_blue_phoenix
* The appearances of Monarch butterflies lately.  One landed on me at Pride and stayed on my back for over 20 minutes, until I had to place it in a tree because I was worried it'd get crushed or injured.  Saw one yesterday flying around and one today. Several butterfly pins on persons at MJ's memorial.

* Ballgame tonight(Rockies vs. Nationals)!  It's the 2nd anniversary since I asked Mel to marry me(Rockies vs. Padres).  Since it's not yet legal for us here, this is a day we celebrate.  We will, however, since the new law in this state was passed, be able to be "Designated Beneficiaries".   As soon as we are legally married, the few rights we are guaranteed by this law will be covered and this will be unnecessary.

* Finally got all caught up on our bills. Ugh. I put it off too much.  One of my credit cards had the nerve to send me a notice saying "...to maintain profitability", they are raising my interest rate.  Not because I have ever been late, or charged too much or any other reason that might bring a penalty, but only to "maintain profitibility".  Assholes.  I will be paying this one off and dumping it.

* Cleaning the house and purging a lot of junk.  Mostly papers.  But there are a ton of clothes I just need to get out of the house.  I have clothes I haven't worn in 5 years sitting in my closet, taking up space. Bleh. I keep thinking if I pitch something, that is exactly when I'll need it.  That's just plain packratish. Unless it's a uniform, I won't /need/ any of the stuff I should pitch.

* Starting to cook a lot more, finally, and get my eating under control.  We've been eating a lot of junk for no particular reason, lots of eating out.  Now I'm starting to get a taste for the healthy stuff again.  Although, tonight will be an exception. :D  Gotta have a Rocky Dog, probably half a Philly sandwich, a Tornado Twist and Dippin' Dots! 


*

Vroooooomchuggachugga
vulcan, motorcycle
my_blue_phoenix
Finally started up the bike today!  Well, after I tried to start it, realized the battery was dead, went to buy a battery at Interstate, found out they don't carry my battery in stock, tried the dealerships until I remembered they were all closed on Mondays, drove to work, checked out the yellow pages, called a Batteries Plus, found out my battery was in stock, drove to the Batteries Plus, bought the battery and installed it in the bike.  PHEW!  You learn lots about your bike when you have to tear it apart to get to the battery, try to get the dead one out and install a new one.  My back isn't happy with the weird position I had to be in to accomplish this feat.  I got a nice little spasm outta that.

So, anyway, started up the bike today!  I took it out for a spin and quickly realized that people still don't watch for you when you ride.  I am a little worried about the gas that has been in the bike all winter being spoiled.  I'm just hoping it hasn't degraded too much.  

I haven't ridden without the armored jacket in forever.  It was actually pretty nice in the heat.  I need one that fits better though.

Nothing too exciting lately.  We're both mostly working and not much else.  Mel's still going through medication changes trying to get the right one.  I'm hoping this transition will prove to be the smoother one.   We've got tickets to the ballgame on the anniversary of our engagement, so we'll finally get to a game this year!    Craigslist is still my favorite place to get tickets for that kind of stuff.  The season ticket holders are often trying to get rid of tickets for games they can't attend at a much-reduced price.  We're just to the right of home plate.  :D   Mel's got a couple of concerts she wants to hit, so those are next on the list to find tickets for.  I'd also like to get us out camping sometime this summer. (Ok, our idea of camping...a yurt or a cabin so we can bring the girls.)   I'd love to grill, but the stinkin' HOA won't let us have anything over a one pound canister for propane.  Can't grill much with that.  Gonna have to scout the local parks for charcoal grills.  I also need to go home for a visit at some point too.  I'm hoping to get to a couple of powwows, but most of them are either in the spring or fall.  I don't know what else we're going to get to this year.  

Ok. Off to look for a set of crash bars and passenger foot boards (So Mel doesn't end up with melted shoes again.) for the bike.  Probably just going to window shop for now, but I'd like to start getting those priced so I don't have to pick my jaw up off the ground.

Random, again.
vulcan, motorcycle
my_blue_phoenix
The weather is finally letting up.  Of course, now it's going to get quite warm.  Ok, for the most part, I'm kind of a lizard.  However, at work, with the vest....well, I'm trying to figure out how I'm gonna get ice packs into various spots without looking like I have several odd tumors.

Also finally getting back into the gym.  Had a great workout yesterday, but I'm sore.  Thinking about a martial arts class to help with flexibility and strength in the smaller, harder to work muscles.  Carrying the extra 20 to 30 pounds of equipment has hampered the flexibility and I've not compensated yet.

I'm hoping to get tickets for a baseball game soon so Mel and I can go.  We missed all the games last year.  Granted, they had a crappy season, but now there's a new coach, so we'll see.

Starting to clean the house again. For real.  We have so much crap that we just don't need but it's hard to get rid of some of it.  It's rather daunting.  Just feeling a bit overwhelmed by the 'stuff'.  Also starting to cook more often again.  It's far more healthy and cheaper than what we get at restaurants. 

(no subject)
angel
my_blue_phoenix

Playing with my cellphone. Finally finished the training program!  I will be solo starting this week. 

Otherwise, things are finally settling down.  Currently, dogs are sleeping, kitties are snoozing, Mel is watching TV and I am goofing around here instead of going to the gym or doing laundry. 

 


Oooh, dream house
Lynx
my_blue_phoenix
Someone on my friend's list answered the Writer's Block (I think that's what it is) deal where you describe your dream house, so....me too!

We'll start with 10 acres of land, of which most is left wild and has a wooded area, perhaps even a pond.

The house itself would be one story, made with double insulation to increase it's energy efficiency.  Outside materials would be durable, long-lasting and hopefully recycled without looking ugly.  Lots of windows, well-sealed, of course.  Light-enhancing skylights that would lower our dependence on electricity.  Outside somewhere a compost pile that wouldn't be too close to the house, but close enough to get to and use.  Solar panels on the roof to get us off the grid, maybe a windmill that would generate what the panels wouldn't.  Some way to recycle most of the used water.  Smart power strips to shut off vampire energy sinks. Solar curtains to collect from the window areas.

The kitchen!  I want a big kitchen with a six burner stove with a grill built in. Double sink.  Large prep area in the center with a smaller sink there.  Area to eat on that too.  Large fridge. Bamboo floor.   Big round kitchen table.  LED lighting throughout the house.  Doors to outside patio.  Patio would have a large grill, seating area, retractable cover. 

Open area from kitchen/dining area to living room.  Fireplace that would heat the room, if we wanted it too.  Flat panel HD tv, furniture that will stand up to the beasties.  Throw blankets in the storage portion of the ottoman.  Carpets here.

Large master bedroom with patio.  Reading area with comfy couches or chairs.  Book shelves and small tables for snacks. Good stereo system throughout the house with hidden speakers.   Big bathroom attached to master with soaking tub for sore muscles.  Big ass closet.  Office area attached. 

Two guest bedrooms with bathrooms.  Small fridges, microwaves and coffee makers in rooms.  Showers with recycled rock floors, recycled glass doors, bamboo floors and carpets to insulate.  

Laundry room with highly efficient washer and dryer, but also a clothesline outside for stuff that doesn't need to be dried by machine.

Two car attached garage/storage shed.

One area that has durable, easily cleanable floors.  Low, circulating water troughs.  Bathing room with tubs. Doors that will close off the area when necessary.  Storage area inside.  Doggy doors to outside penned area.  Outside area will open to dog runs for the pups that don't do well with other dogs.  Capacity for maybe 30 rescue pups.  Doggy pools for summer. (Smaller, separated area for a few rescue kitties too. Organic litter.)  Trees in the outdoor area.

A garden large enough to supply most of our summer veggies, some to can for the winter.  I miss tomatoes that taste like tomatoes.  


Ok, that's all I can think of for now.

WordPower
wolfeyes
my_blue_phoenix
We've forgotten the power of our words.  We have forgotten the rule of "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all."  We have forgotten small kindnesses as "Thank you," "Please" and "May I?"  We don't ask for anything anymore.  We demand, we whine, we cajole, we beg, we pout.  We call people we've never met names we would never say in public.  We wish harm upon those same people.  We type it, we read it and we spew it.
 
We've all read and heard the vitriol about the presidential/vice presidential candidates.  How Obama is the 'AntiChrist'.  How Palin is, in her own words, a lip stick wearing pit bull. We've heard stories about each of the candidates that were exaggerated, negated or patently false.  We've heard about their children in ways I would never want someone to speak about me. 

Man, what about just everything else?  Here on LJ there's "Die in a fire".  What if someone took that seriously?  (I wouldn't discount it too quickly, you never know.)  Some pro-lifers call abortion docs 'murderers'.  Regardless of which side you come down on, when you here the word 'murderer', you want that person to pay the price for that particular crime.  Unfortunately, someone took that into their own hands and became a 'murderer' themselves.  Did that guy that killed the abortion doc hear the rhetoric so many times that he felt he had to take action?   What about the Oklahoma City Bomber?   What about the 14 year old boy who killed his gay classmate because the classmate thought he was 'cute'.  He executed that boy.  Why?   Because his parents told him how disgusting gays were and should be killed?  Or because his other classmates teased him about being gay?   There are countless examples of how words, written or spoken, have inflamed someone to take an action that resulted in someone's undeserved, senseless death.

We hurt each other daily with our words, thoughtlessly said or thrown back because we feel attacked.  We take offense to light teasing.  We take offense to horrible references to our color, religion, education, sexuality, nationality....hell, anything. It's become impossible to talk to each other without saying something regrettable or offensive.  We're manipulated emotionally by the media, by campaigning candidates, by our friends and family. 

I can deal with people with views in direct opposition to mine.  I can deal with passionate discourse.  I can deal with arguments.  I can deal with people making pleas for things I can't stand or support.  I am as guilty of the careless word tossing as the next person.  I have much to correct in my own behavior.  And today, reading the newspaper, it's come to my attention that it's time for me to put my money where my mouth is. 

Stop.

Think about what you're saying, whether you're writing it on an internet blog, or whether you're saying it to a person.  Say what you feel, but remember that who you're saying it to will feel something too. What happened to communicating in a manner of respect for someone who has an opposing opinion?  What happened to humor?  What happened to impassioned debate about the actual ISSUES?  Why wish harm on someone you don't even know?  Why do we believe everything we read? 

Stop.

Think about it twice before you put it into words for someone else's perusal or consideration.  Think about it again.  I am in absolute agreement that sometimes growth is painful and things need to be said, regardless of initial harm so long as it is the truth and necessary.   If it would do nothing but harm someone or if it would hurt you or someone else without doing any good whatsoever, shut up. Keep it to yourself. 

Danke
Calvin
my_blue_phoenix
** Saw Star Trek!  Holy moly I loved it. Just enough cheese to satisfy long time fans, but updated to be modern and take advantage of current special effects abilities.
** Guy that lets his gf (who I've heard in a less than discreet situation, unfortunately. Ugh.) park in the fire lane behind my Jeep is moving out!!!
** Slept hard last night, even if I'm not quite awake yet.
** Mel's meds are so far so good, even if it's only been two days. *crosses fingers*
** Shorts weather! 
** Most of June's bills are already paid.
** I am digging our new phones.
** Budzilla hates me for 2 minutes after I give him his medications, then he purrs and quivers like a kitten when I give him the wet food.
** Dayshift for the rest of this year.

Gratitudes
panther
my_blue_phoenix
*Days off to get prepared for the real test, to work out and to get things done.
*Relaxed day at work.
*Mel getting an earlier than expected doc appt.
*Finding phone accessories I thought I'd lost.
*Cleaning the house a bit.
*Happy puppies.
*Beautiful weather.
*Baseball season.
*One less med for Budzilla.

(no subject)
neverending
my_blue_phoenix
The ducklings have arrived in our pond!  Mama was swimming around with ten babies!

Bush must be terribly upset....GOOD
calvin dance
my_blue_phoenix
Holy moly, go, go Secretary of State Clinton!  There's a notice that is circulating regarding a memo she is preparing.  It proposes that same-sex partners of Diplomats get the same benefits and opportunities that heterosexual partners get.  This means they can have educational opportunities, job opportunities, medical benefits, access to medical facilities abroad, and be eligible for emergency evacuations....none of which they have now.  This means DOMA will finally go the fuck away! 

Granted, the memo is not public yet and the State Department still has to get the policies changed, but it's a damn good start to have marriage benefits for same-sex partners on the Federal level.

(no subject)
Lynx
my_blue_phoenix
We had a great long weekend at Ojo Caliente.  It's a mineral spring & spa thingy.  We got the room with the private outdoor soaking tub, which rocked.  We spent more time in our tub than in the other 4 main springs.  My only concern was after I saw one of the staff members carrying a rather large snake out to let it loose in the wooded area.  I don't like snakes.  Anything that can raise itself to look you in the eye without legs.....*shudder*, I just don't do snakes. Indy had it right.   Other than being paranoid about the snakes, we had a pretty good time.  We even ended up in the gay district of Santa Fe, quite by accident.  But, any place that is on San Francisco St and has a business name of Glory Hole Glass Co. and Rainbow Glass.....well, can't miss teh gay.  

On our last morning there, our petsitter (who is awesome, btw) called to let us know that Budzilla was in the ICU of the animal hospital.  Budzilla had pancreatitis and his kidneys were abnormal, though he's got kidney disease anyway so that wasn't unexpected.  He's got more meds and is home now.  He was very happy when he got home coz he got wet food and more baby food.  He does drool every time we give him the liquid meds, which makes him look a bit like a rabid kitty. 

Watched Rise of the Lycans and I wasn't all that impressed.  It was ok, but basically a rehash of the legend of Lucian. Eh.  I wanna go see the new Star Trek, Wolverine and a few others coming soon. 

This next week is gonna be a bit hectic for me, but I'm looking forward to it even if I don't really get a normal weekend.

You would think they'd be smarter....
Cylon
my_blue_phoenix
Hey, guess what the newest argument against gay marriage is....

SMALL BUSINESSES WILL SUFFER IF TEH GAYS GET MARRIED.

Come on now.  Seriously???? It's no longer the big OMG sin. Nono. Now it's a financial issue.  You would think that the RNC chief could come up with a much better argument than that.  He's saying that small businesses will now have to be burdened with paying for health benefits for married gays that they didn't have to pay before. 

So, let's examine this one a tad.  The RNC chief is saying that the small businesses can only hire unmarried queers to survive?  Coz that's what I'm hearing.  Otherwise, it's pure bullshit. I don't know of many businesses that only employ gay people. I don't know of any businesses that deliberately hire people who won't get married so they don't have to provide health benefits for spouses.

And, frankly, with group insurance, most people want more in the group because it drops the overall cost of the insurance. 

Sadly, I'm afraid some people will be ignorant enough to buy this particular gambit by Mr. RNC chief.  Ugh.


Doggy Prostitute
vulcan, motorcycle
my_blue_phoenix
Our dog is a whore.  If there is a doggy treat or person who even glances at her like petting is about to commence, her big lashes begin to flutter invitingly, her big ol' booty starts to sway and and the puppy eyes come out.  It's just gross how easily she finds the suckers and swings her butt around to the perfect spot.  So, today, she got to go to the Furry Scurry, a charity event to raise money for the beasties.  She had pettins galore, ate enough treats for several small horses, made friends everywhere, plopped herself down whereever she felt necessary and generally fluttered her lashes in every direction.  She suckered some poor woman out of a turkey leg at Pride last year.  Poor Jessie the nutdog didn't get to go since she's not so great in public.  She got lots of treats when we got home though.  Mel had to work the event, so she passed out when we got home as quick as Addie did.

This week at work was a little more difficult overall.  Not bad, really,  but it got brought home to me very quickly just how intense and serious it can be.  Saw some things this week that definitely affected me and will stick through the rest of my career.  I slept better than I thought I would after something like this, but I'm also letting my head sort through it on its own schedule.

I'm ready for summer.  This back and forth weather is for the birds. Speaking of, I'm waiting for the goslings and ducklings to hatch. Should be somewhat soon now.  The adults have been all over the pond, so I'm thinking we'll get at least 3 sets of goslings and maybe 3 sets of ducklings.  I always feel bad for the ducklings since most of them don't really make it.  I still love watching them run around like little hyper fuzzballs with mom and dad playing the evil-beaked sentinels.

Stuff'nutter
hakuna
my_blue_phoenix
My 2nd vest carrier hasn't been worn yet, and I switched the panels to it so I can wash the 1st carrier.  *grumbles* I can't get it to fit comfortably.  I assume it's because the velcro closures aren't stretched out enough yet, but damn. So, it'll probably be a couple of weeks to get some comfort out of it. 

So far, no sleep meds necessary since I am keeping my sleep schedule on my days off as well as work days.

Poor Mel is exhausted.  My poor girl.  We have a day off together this week though! 

Maverick is pushing his head under my arm at the moment and demanding (loudly) a spot on my lap. He's such a queen.

I need to start cooking again. We eat out too much.

The new Star Trek movie and the Wolverine movie are comin' in May! 

Gonna have to see Watchmen on DVD, however.

Maverick is now licking his privates with the one leg straight up in exactly dead center of the living room. He's a charmer, that one.
 
Gotta do our taxes too.

I'm ready for warmer weather. 

Aggravation
lobotomy
my_blue_phoenix
Ok, this is getting on my nerves.  I read an article today which was part of a quoted interview regarding the recent same-sex marriage wins in Iowa and Washington D.C.  The person stated that "God's best is a man and a woman," in reference to what marriage 'should' be but gosh they weren't putting down those gay people or gay parents(or single parents even).  What a condescending piece of excrement.  God's best.  And how the hell does he know that?  How does he even remotely justify saying that in such a degrading, condescending, better-than-thou tone in God's name?   Would he say that God's best is two persons of the same religion getting married?  Or two persons of the same race?  I think he'd be getting his theological ass kicked if he tried it, yet he doesn't hesitate to say what 'God's Best' is when it involves those 'damn gays'.

I'm tired of people acting like being gay is some sort of unfortunately nuanced disease.  You can't catch Teh Gay.  You don't have to take medication or therapy or rehab to cure it or live with it.  It /is/ chronic, but it won't kill you.   it doesn't cause other diseases, it doesn't make you sterile, and it doesn't give you hives. It's likely genetic, but so is your eye color.  You won't get disability for it at work and I'm certain FMLA doesn't cover it.  (Though that might be really useful!)  Gay people getting married won't cause some social disease and it's not a social experiment. That comment from a different article infuriated me.  If gay marriage is a social experiment, what does that make heterosexual marriage?  It's not an 'experiment', it's a civil contract, just as het marriage is.  Many people choose to involve a sanctification by their associated religion, but it is not a requirement nor even necessary for it to be validated by the government. And frankly, if married hets keep saying that gay marriage is going to ruin traditional marriages, they may want to delve into why the het marriages are so volatile and insecure rather than blaming it on people who aren't responsible for it.

I call bullshit on this and offer up the same challenge I always do.  Prove it.  Show me. Give me the hard evidence that me marrying the person I love will harm anyone else in any possible way.  In this challenge, I refuse to accept circular bullshit, I refuse to accept blame shifting, and I refuse to accept that one's religious belief has any bearing on my civil contractual rights.  So, again, prove it.

(I need a 'bullshit' icon.)

Heeheehee
angel
my_blue_phoenix
Ok, I finally am getting around to watching some of the Netflix stuff I put off during academy and training.  I forgot it was Xena:Warrior Princess.  I usually can't deal with stupid stuff but this series is incredibly campy and laughs at itself at every turn.  (Who can forget Xena 'fisting' the fish?)  The gay undercurrent with Xena and Gabrielle and the Jester (fag hag if I ever saw one) always cracked me up.  LOL...."Xena would never let a man close enough to 'do' her....well, not that kind of 'do' her."   I'm not usually a series buff, but this one I think I'm going to enjoy since I haven't watched it in about 7 years.  The landscape is gorgeous, however.  It's terrible acting and deep camp all the way.  Lucy Lawless seems to pull off being utterly serious and quietly amused all at ones.

The med is already making me tired, so I'm going to have to up my workouts and cut my calories a bit. The upside is that my immune system seems to be holding up thus far under the lower dosage, and shouldn't be much affected on the higher one.  I have to watch my caffeine intake because I tend to drink more soda on the higher dosage to try and make up for the energy shortfall.  One upside is that I tend to have better muscle retention.

I am halfway in my field training. As long as I continue to do what I'm doing, I am scheduled to be out on my own in the second week of June.  Not that I'll truly know what I'm doing, but I'm expected to be at about 85 to 90%.  It takes years to become truly independent and they know that. I have to review a couple things that I earned certs on in academy.  I have the certs, but no practical experience yet.

(no subject)
white buffalo
my_blue_phoenix

Doc upped my med.  Not so keen on that.  I have a hard time keeping weight off and energy up on the higher dosage.  I'm hoping it won't be too bad because I'm on nights right now and need more sleep anyway.  :sigh:  I know it's not a big deal, but it makes me have to work harder when I'm already busting my butt in training.

Mel is working too hard.  My poor baby.  She gets Monday and Tuesday off, and I'm hoping she gets a ton of rest and they hire someone soon so she doesn't have so many hours.

We got our big snowstorm, which is already melting off.  That's excellent for our water levels here and the fire danger.

Had lunch with friends yesterday at the wing place.  Asian Zing is the best. :)  We had to leave early due to a tooth incident, but it was still fun.
I have rediscovered Shake 'n Bake and they have different flavors now. :D  I know, disgusting, but it's a weakness.

Not happy with the (lack of) response to my call to maintenance.   We pay a bitchload for our HOA and can't get a callback.  Yes, I know it's a weekend, but when I have a drip of water coming through my light fixture, I want them to help.  I'm curious as to where my money is going since we only had two days this winter where we had to have plows here.  We have minimal landscaping and a pool.  There should be better service. 

If you have some spare good vibes to send, a friend of mine could really use them.

I am waiting for spring to really start. 

I have an extra day off this week. :)  I'm not going to do anything exciting, but I'll be glad for another day that I'm not working the night shift. Although, going to the gym at 0200 is actually pretty nice.  There's usually about 4 other people there, and no fighting for machines.
 


Holy Snowballs!
pacman
my_blue_phoenix
This winter has been the least snowy and warmest I have experienced in CO.  Hell, for most of it, I was in tee shirts, or at most, sweatshirts.  Until today.  When I dropped Mel off at work this morning, there was a light dusting of snow on the grass.  I went back to bed and got up at about 12:30pm and watched the "March Blizzard" newscast.  In about 5 hours, we have several inches of snow, highways at a standstill due to whiteout conditions, the airport cancelling hundreds of flights and our dinner plans with friends cancelled.  They've even set up emergency shelters around the city.

Poor Mel's gotta work all day until close, as does one of the friends we were gonna have dinner with.  I am lucky at the moment as calling me in wouldn't help much since I'm still in training, so I wouldn't be much help without a trainer.  Plus, this is the first day of my days off.  It's a nice day to get out some movies, put on heavy sweats and stay inside. The pups are with Mel at work, so I don't have to go out in the mess to walk 'em.

We need the moisture since our fire season was in the midst of starting about 2 months early and the resorts were measuring the snowpack as being way under normal.  I'm sooooo glad this didn't hit last night while I was outside at the shooting range.  And that we have a 4-wheel drive vehicle. I should be able to drive without an issue to go get Mel  and the pooches when it's time. Our big newfie LOVES this weather, but the other one has a coat and all-weather booties. 

So, off to make some hot tea, throw in a movie and veg out.

Long Day's Night
angel
my_blue_phoenix
I start the night shift this week for the next four weeks of training.  It's going to be an adjustment for certain.  Mel and I are truly on completely opposite schedules now.  :sigh:  So, I gotta think of ways to keep our contact up and still get enough sleep to function.  We went out and got Eclipse curtains last night and I am still trying to decide if I want to use sleep meds for the month.  That may be tricky considering I'm taking something that suppresses my thyroid function right now.  I'm also going to try and remain on this schedule on my days off so I don't get completely turned around.  The best laid plans....who knows, I may end up doing what I did the last time and just staying up on my "Friday", then swapping back on the nights I work.   I don't know yet.  But, it's only for four weeks, then seven days off and then back to a schedule I can actually live by.  I'm hoping I can get days or swings on our bid for next year.  Thankfully, unlike the last time, there are no kids outside my bedroom window kicking balls against my fence.  And we have central air.  And I have a 24 hour gym membership. And a crock pot. And Mel rocks completely.  I hate that she has to walk home late on one of the days I work and can't pick her up.  She now has pepper spray and will be taking the two giant beasties with her on that day. 

And today is a prep day. Took my uniforms in to be pressed, need to clean the house, need to hang the new drapes, do laundry, workout, buy a software tutorial, walk the pups, visit Mel at work, find and balance the checkbook, hang some pictures, go to a dinner thing and stay up late to start adjusting to the new schedule.  Phew!  Domesticated butch, a rare breed. ;)

Gonna  be around 71 degrees here though, so that rocks even though the morning has started out a bit dreary and cold.  The pups were hysterical and hyper at the dog park. 

After all this training and schedule shifting and crapola, I need to take Mel for a well-deserved vacation.  She's been absolutely the best through all of this even while dealing with her own stress at work.  Thank you, baby!

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