Christmas Eve: Friend calls the morn of christmas eve while on her way to a shopping center. She decides at the last minute that she's going to buy hubby a few christmas presents. Her original plan was to say screw him; i'm not buying him jack; he doesn't deserve anything. I made light of her sudden, yet not unexpected, change of heart. All of friend's last minute shopping needed to be completed in less than 2 hours before she was scheduled to work and pick the baby up from the sitter. I had to suffer through at least 10 mini phone conservations about this item or that item that she was going to buy for him and offer my opinion. At the end of her shopping excursion she tells me that she won't be wrapping the gifts or putting them out in plain sight until she sees what hubby has purchased for her. Chuckle..hehehehe!!!
Christmas Morning: Friend calls to wish me a Merry Christmas then launches into her tirade about hubby. Apparently he left out of the house fairly early, like 6:30 am-ish, and from the looks of things he didn't have a present for her. I can't remember if I shared this already but friend was already on edge because hubby had shared with her on dec 23, I think, that he had run out of money and couldn't afford to buy her anything...this, of couse, is after he's bought gifts for their daughter, his other child, and most of his relatives - distant or close. He explained to her something about their account being frozen because of a stop payment she had issued recently. Whatever the reason, she wasn't having it. Friend tells me that all his gifts are going back to the stores. She went over her original budget of $90 and that fact really had her upset. She spent about 250 on him and thought of receiving nothing really had her peeved. She went on and on and on....and on about his lack of thoughtfulness. All I wanted was a Digital Camera. How hard is that Shawn? I tried to encourage her to at least give him the $15 Borders giftcard but she wasn't having it.
Christmas Night: Friend calls me around 8:15 pm but I don't answer because I am still out visiting and I know if she's calling me at that late hour (she's east coast; i'm west coast) something must be going on because hubby is usually home at that time of night.
26th: I leave 2 voice mail messages early in the morning and send 3 text messages throughout the day but don't hear back from her....her cell phone is automatically forwarding to VM. I wait for her to get off work then call again but get forwarded to VM yet again. Later that evening I get reply to one of my text messages and she explains that she has a new cell phone, a Sidekick II, that she needs to let charge then she'll call with all the details.
27th: Friend calls bright and early sounding awfully perky. Hi Shawn pronounced She-in! Immediately I quiz, How the crap did you end up with Sidekick II? You just got a new replacement phone 2 weeks ago? She chuckles. You're gonna love this one! She says.
Christmas night friend and hubby get into it. Friend goes through hubby's pockets looking for a lost receipt. Instead of a receipt she finds $600 dollars. When she questions hubby about the money he gets an attitude and tells her that the money was going to be used to purchase a Christmas present for her - a Dell Laptop. He tells her she won't be getting the present now that she's gone through his stuff. He tells her he doesn't appreciate her habit of looking through his belongings. They argue for a quick minute then he calls his mom to get her advice.
After the call, hubby wants to pick up the argument up where they left off. Friend is no longer in the mood to fight so she starts ignoring him (with much attitude I am sure) scrolling through the phone book on her cell phone. Hubby is livid. He grabs friend's cell phone and throughs it against the wall; it smashes into pieces. Friend then says When are you leaving? He replies Right now if that's what you want.
Friend sits on the couch and begins channel surfing while hubby packs his belongings. When hubby's done gathering his things he tells friend he's getting ready to leave But I don't want to go. He apologizes for breaking friend's phone and tells her he'll replace it (that's how she got the Sidekick II). Friend and hubby then have a long discussion about marriage and what's not working. She tells him she'd like him to explain what marriage means to him. He can't! He doesn't really have a definition. He also tells her that if his definition is not what she wants to hear then he'll be penalized in her eyes. Friend explains what she wants their marriage to look like. She then tells him about her frustrations in the marriage like providing 90% of the care for their child and never having time for herself like he gets. He apologizes for a few of his shortcomings then tells her she should be a bit more sympathetic to his situation. He works for full time and he's a full time student so his hands are tied when it comes to his time.
According to friend, they talked until they were too tired to talk any longer. They went to bed with everything laid on the table but nothing necessarily resolved.
In my estimate, everything is well in friendhubbyland for the moment. But believe me, there will be more episodes of this soap opera...it never ends!
Friday, December 30
Thursday, December 29
Birthday Wishes
Thanks all for the birthday wishes!
Berry: Yes I did enjoy my day. Highlights: Indulging in Dulce de Leche Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory with a a little Banana Cream Cheesecake thrown in for good measure.
Chele: You always make me chuckle. Still getting details from friend.
ShellyP: Each friend would describe me differently but there would be common variables e.g. smart ass, funny, always thinks he's right, great listener, not judgemental, supportive, good communicator. Thanks for the wish.
lj: Don't know how you gathered you were late but I appreciate the sentiment none the less.
kathi: Pain in the butt, what? mmm mmm mmmmm! Where is the love? I tell ya! :-D Thank you for celebrating me. You always say the nicest things...please stop it...it might rub off on me.
Trent: Triflin' indeed! I waited and waited for your call or your text. SMH! Gingeroos? I thought we were doing Soy Lattes? LOL!!!
BEG: Thank you, thank you! Where have you and Lampchop been hiding? Miss your comments. :-)
SP: You're not new anymore. Thanks for the birthday wish
Berry: Yes I did enjoy my day. Highlights: Indulging in Dulce de Leche Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory with a a little Banana Cream Cheesecake thrown in for good measure.
Chele: You always make me chuckle. Still getting details from friend.
ShellyP: Each friend would describe me differently but there would be common variables e.g. smart ass, funny, always thinks he's right, great listener, not judgemental, supportive, good communicator. Thanks for the wish.
lj: Don't know how you gathered you were late but I appreciate the sentiment none the less.
kathi: Pain in the butt, what? mmm mmm mmmmm! Where is the love? I tell ya! :-D Thank you for celebrating me. You always say the nicest things...please stop it...it might rub off on me.
Trent: Triflin' indeed! I waited and waited for your call or your text. SMH! Gingeroos? I thought we were doing Soy Lattes? LOL!!!
BEG: Thank you, thank you! Where have you and Lampchop been hiding? Miss your comments. :-)
SP: You're not new anymore. Thanks for the birthday wish
Wednesday, December 28
On This Special Day
a very determined, opinionated, stubborn, loyal, selfish, giving (in moderation), supportive, introspective man was set free to roam the earth - me!
I'll be back tomorrow with an update on friend and hubby.
I'll be back tomorrow with an update on friend and hubby.
Monday, December 26
Makes Sense To Me
Really, I don't see why there is a debate. I am riled up about this immigration issue man. I am heated enough to cuss somebody out right now. We need to make changes immediately that really address the immigration problem. I started reading the following article "Bitter Debate..." then I start reading a few other articles in regards to the law that the House just passed. The more I read, the more upset I got. I know there's no easy solution that will solve illegal migration but the Mexican gov'ts attitude really sucks. How dare they point the finger at the US for actually thinking about it's citizens before it's illegal visitors?
Bitter Debate Over 'Birthright Citizenship'
By DAVID CRARY, AP National Writer Mon Dec 26, 1:21 PM ET
NEW YORK - A proposal to change long-standing federal policy and deny citizenship to babies born to illegal immigrants on U.S. soil ran aground this month in Congress, but it is sure to resurface — kindling bitter debate even if it fails to become law.
At issue is "birthright citizenship" — provided for since the Constitution's 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868.
Section 1 of that amendment, drafted with freed slaves in mind, says: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."
Some conservatives in Congress, as well as advocacy groups seeking to crack down on illegal immigration, say the amendment has been misapplied over the years, that it was never intended to grant citizenship automatically to babies of illegal immigrants. Thus they contend that federal legislation, rather than a difficult-to-achieve constitutional amendment, would be sufficient to end birthright citizenship.
With more than 70 co-sponsors, Georgia Republican Rep. Nathan Deal tried to include a revocation of birthright citizenship in an immigration bill passed by the House in mid-December. GOP House leaders did not let the proposal come to a vote.
"Most Americans feel it doesn't make any sense for people to come into the country illegally, give birth and have a new U.S. citizen," said Ira Mehlman of the Federation of American
Immigration Reform, which backs Deal's proposal. "But the advocates for illegal immigrants will make a fuss; they'll claim you're punishing the children, and I suspect the leadership doesn't want to deal with that."
Deal has said he will continue pushing the issue, describing birthright citizenship as "a huge magnet" attracting illegal immigrants. He cited estimates — challenged by immigrant advocates — that roughly 10 percent of births in the United States, or close to 400,000 a year, are babies born to illegal immigrants.
"It's an issue that we are very concerned about," said Michele Waslin, director of immigration policy research for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy organization that opposes any effort to revoke birthright citizenship.
Continue Reading
Mexicans incensed by new US border fence plans
By Monica Medel and Kieran Murray
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Few things unite Mexicans more than perceived U.S. insults and plans to build a high-tech fence to stop migrants crossing the border have incensed people here, regardless of their social class or political stripes.
Mexicans are almost universally offended by the U.S. Congress' proposal to build the new fence with security cameras on parts of the border and make illegal immigration a felony offense
President Vicente Fox's top foreign policy goal when he took office five years ago was to win sweeping U.S. immigration reform in favor of millions of Mexicans living and working illegally in the United States.
U.S. President George W. Bush pledged to work with him but they have so far failed to win reform and Fox said the new bill, approved last week in the House of Representatives, showed the United States was going backward on the issue.
He has called the proposal "shameful," opposition parties say it is racist, and most ordinary Mexicans interpret it as another insult to their country and to their relatives working in the United States.
Mexico's relationship with the United States has for long been contradictory. Thousands of people cross the border every day in search of a better life and the money they send home keeps their families and entire towns financially afloat.
But there is resentment at the way Mexicans are treated in the United States, and the new proposal for tighter security on the border is widely seen as further proof of U.S. racism.
Fox is trying to drum up support from other Latin American nations to increase pressure on the Senate, and he was given unexpected support from Venezuela's left-wing President Hugo Chavez, who recently assailed him for his close ties to the Bush administration.
Complete Article
Fox Turns to Texas PR Firm to Shape Mexico's Image in U.S.
By Sam Enriquez, Times Staff Writer
MEXICO CITY — President Vicente Fox has rehired the Texas PR man and political consultant who quietly helped engineer his election victory in 2000. This time, though, he wants Rob Allyn & Co. to put the brakes on what many Mexicans see as growing anti-immigration, anti-Mexican sentiment in the United States.
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would add 700 miles of border fencing and make illegal immigration a felony.
Fox denounced the measure as shameful. His foreign minister called it stupid and underhanded.
"How many of us don't have a relative in the United States, working and trying to make a living?" said Rodrigo Ivan Cortes Jimenez, an elected deputy in Mexico's lower house and a member of its commission on foreign affairs.
"It's about image, and they have a distorted image," he said of U.S. lawmakers. "The contributions of Mexicans in the United States, who are making their best effort, generating lots of wealth, are not known.
"The immigration bill, which is expected to reach the Senate in February, has no provision for allowing temporary Mexican workers — a further slap, in Fox's view. He and President Bush agree on the need for a so-called guest worker program.
Fox cannot seek reelection next year, and his legacy may rest in part on his pledges to secure an agreement with the United States to grant legal status to the millions of Mexicans now living and working north of the border illegally.So last week he turned to the political operative who helped him topple Mexico's longtime ruling party to win the presidency.
Rob Allyn helped George W. Bush defeat Ann Richards for the governorship of Texas in 1994. Three years later, he saw another potential winner in Fox, then governor of Guanajuato state.
Allyn agreed to join Fox's fledgling presidential campaign, but only in secret.
Continue Reading
Fears over criminalisations of Irish immigrants in US
New anti-immigration legislation going through the US Congress could create criminals out of illegal Irish people, it was claimed tonight.
Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte said the Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act (2005) may have disastrous consequences for tens of thousands of undocumented Irish.
“The Bill has now passed through the House of Representatives and if it is passed by the Senate in its current form, its impact will be to criminalise the estimated tens of thousands of Irish people resident in the US without proper documentation,” Mr Rabbitte said.
Mr Rabbitte said there had been a long history of emigration from Ireland to the US but there have always been those who operated outside of the system.
“The US authorities were often prepared to turn a blind eye, but in the new post September 11 climate, hardworking, honest people now find themselves regarded as potential criminals. (<---lol...sorry but the wording makes me laugh. Illegal but honest...)
Continue Reading
I just want to pull my hair out.
Bitter Debate Over 'Birthright Citizenship'
By DAVID CRARY, AP National Writer Mon Dec 26, 1:21 PM ET
NEW YORK - A proposal to change long-standing federal policy and deny citizenship to babies born to illegal immigrants on U.S. soil ran aground this month in Congress, but it is sure to resurface — kindling bitter debate even if it fails to become law.
At issue is "birthright citizenship" — provided for since the Constitution's 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868.
Section 1 of that amendment, drafted with freed slaves in mind, says: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."
Some conservatives in Congress, as well as advocacy groups seeking to crack down on illegal immigration, say the amendment has been misapplied over the years, that it was never intended to grant citizenship automatically to babies of illegal immigrants. Thus they contend that federal legislation, rather than a difficult-to-achieve constitutional amendment, would be sufficient to end birthright citizenship.
With more than 70 co-sponsors, Georgia Republican Rep. Nathan Deal tried to include a revocation of birthright citizenship in an immigration bill passed by the House in mid-December. GOP House leaders did not let the proposal come to a vote.
"Most Americans feel it doesn't make any sense for people to come into the country illegally, give birth and have a new U.S. citizen," said Ira Mehlman of the Federation of American
Immigration Reform, which backs Deal's proposal. "But the advocates for illegal immigrants will make a fuss; they'll claim you're punishing the children, and I suspect the leadership doesn't want to deal with that."
Deal has said he will continue pushing the issue, describing birthright citizenship as "a huge magnet" attracting illegal immigrants. He cited estimates — challenged by immigrant advocates — that roughly 10 percent of births in the United States, or close to 400,000 a year, are babies born to illegal immigrants.
"It's an issue that we are very concerned about," said Michele Waslin, director of immigration policy research for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy organization that opposes any effort to revoke birthright citizenship.
Continue Reading
Mexicans incensed by new US border fence plans
By Monica Medel and Kieran Murray
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Few things unite Mexicans more than perceived U.S. insults and plans to build a high-tech fence to stop migrants crossing the border have incensed people here, regardless of their social class or political stripes.
Mexicans are almost universally offended by the U.S. Congress' proposal to build the new fence with security cameras on parts of the border and make illegal immigration a felony offense
President Vicente Fox's top foreign policy goal when he took office five years ago was to win sweeping U.S. immigration reform in favor of millions of Mexicans living and working illegally in the United States.
U.S. President George W. Bush pledged to work with him but they have so far failed to win reform and Fox said the new bill, approved last week in the House of Representatives, showed the United States was going backward on the issue.
He has called the proposal "shameful," opposition parties say it is racist, and most ordinary Mexicans interpret it as another insult to their country and to their relatives working in the United States.
Mexico's relationship with the United States has for long been contradictory. Thousands of people cross the border every day in search of a better life and the money they send home keeps their families and entire towns financially afloat.
But there is resentment at the way Mexicans are treated in the United States, and the new proposal for tighter security on the border is widely seen as further proof of U.S. racism.
Fox is trying to drum up support from other Latin American nations to increase pressure on the Senate, and he was given unexpected support from Venezuela's left-wing President Hugo Chavez, who recently assailed him for his close ties to the Bush administration.
Complete Article
Fox Turns to Texas PR Firm to Shape Mexico's Image in U.S.
By Sam Enriquez, Times Staff Writer
MEXICO CITY — President Vicente Fox has rehired the Texas PR man and political consultant who quietly helped engineer his election victory in 2000. This time, though, he wants Rob Allyn & Co. to put the brakes on what many Mexicans see as growing anti-immigration, anti-Mexican sentiment in the United States.
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would add 700 miles of border fencing and make illegal immigration a felony.
Fox denounced the measure as shameful. His foreign minister called it stupid and underhanded.
"How many of us don't have a relative in the United States, working and trying to make a living?" said Rodrigo Ivan Cortes Jimenez, an elected deputy in Mexico's lower house and a member of its commission on foreign affairs.
"It's about image, and they have a distorted image," he said of U.S. lawmakers. "The contributions of Mexicans in the United States, who are making their best effort, generating lots of wealth, are not known.
"The immigration bill, which is expected to reach the Senate in February, has no provision for allowing temporary Mexican workers — a further slap, in Fox's view. He and President Bush agree on the need for a so-called guest worker program.
Fox cannot seek reelection next year, and his legacy may rest in part on his pledges to secure an agreement with the United States to grant legal status to the millions of Mexicans now living and working north of the border illegally.So last week he turned to the political operative who helped him topple Mexico's longtime ruling party to win the presidency.
Rob Allyn helped George W. Bush defeat Ann Richards for the governorship of Texas in 1994. Three years later, he saw another potential winner in Fox, then governor of Guanajuato state.
Allyn agreed to join Fox's fledgling presidential campaign, but only in secret.
Continue Reading
Fears over criminalisations of Irish immigrants in US
New anti-immigration legislation going through the US Congress could create criminals out of illegal Irish people, it was claimed tonight.
Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte said the Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act (2005) may have disastrous consequences for tens of thousands of undocumented Irish.
“The Bill has now passed through the House of Representatives and if it is passed by the Senate in its current form, its impact will be to criminalise the estimated tens of thousands of Irish people resident in the US without proper documentation,” Mr Rabbitte said.
Mr Rabbitte said there had been a long history of emigration from Ireland to the US but there have always been those who operated outside of the system.
“The US authorities were often prepared to turn a blind eye, but in the new post September 11 climate, hardworking, honest people now find themselves regarded as potential criminals. (<---lol...sorry but the wording makes me laugh. Illegal but honest...)
Continue Reading
I just want to pull my hair out.
Testing Radio Blog
Songs of the week!
1)Grillz: I made fun of the song at first but now it's my joint. Jermaine Dupri is saving careers.
2)I've Changed My Mind: I think the vocal production is seamless. I feel her. She smashed it. The song(melody & track) is a good match with her voice too.
3)Everything - Vocal production is ridiculous. The hook and track make me sing along and dance. The placement of her adlibs are sick like the one @ 2:05 - that came out of nowhere. Are you kidding me? hot! I love the way Joi works her vibrato...she teases you with it.
4)I'll Die - something about this track is moody and dark and works for me. The Floetress', i think that's what she calls herself, phrasing is very unique and like no other. I love it. That syncopated, rhythmic thing she does when she adlibs always takes me in.
5)Love You That Much - This song makes me want to smile for some reason. I love singing this hook.
6)Sirens - Vocal production is flawless. I love the harmonies on the prehook. You have to listen to a Brandy arrangement a gazillion times to really hear everything that's layered in there. Adlib placement is second to none in the game. Her adlibs play against her backgrounds seamlessly. Listen to how she squeezed the one in at about 3:17 to fit between the 2 different background parts. Sick.
1)Grillz: I made fun of the song at first but now it's my joint. Jermaine Dupri is saving careers.
2)I've Changed My Mind: I think the vocal production is seamless. I feel her. She smashed it. The song(melody & track) is a good match with her voice too.
3)Everything - Vocal production is ridiculous. The hook and track make me sing along and dance. The placement of her adlibs are sick like the one @ 2:05 - that came out of nowhere. Are you kidding me? hot! I love the way Joi works her vibrato...she teases you with it.
4)I'll Die - something about this track is moody and dark and works for me. The Floetress', i think that's what she calls herself, phrasing is very unique and like no other. I love it. That syncopated, rhythmic thing she does when she adlibs always takes me in.
5)Love You That Much - This song makes me want to smile for some reason. I love singing this hook.
6)Sirens - Vocal production is flawless. I love the harmonies on the prehook. You have to listen to a Brandy arrangement a gazillion times to really hear everything that's layered in there. Adlib placement is second to none in the game. Her adlibs play against her backgrounds seamlessly. Listen to how she squeezed the one in at about 3:17 to fit between the 2 different background parts. Sick.
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