Complete this sentence: If my life were a movie . . .
Our heroine would be a smart, strong, capable woman who has to save the world by being smart, strong, and capable.
It would most definitley NOT be a love story
It would most likely be either sci-fi or fanstasy.
There would be dragons. Lots of dragons to fight and overcome. And everytime the heroine thinks she's getting close to her goal, turns out there are more dragons.
In the end she does reach her goal, right before she dies. From saving the world. Again.
If my life movie had a sountrack, the songs would include (20 song maximum):
California Girls (Beach boys--this is my theme song)
Walking on sunshine (katrina and the waves)
Everybody Hurts (R.E.M.)
Shiny Happy People (R.E.M)
Here I stand and face the rain (A-Ha)
Changes (David Bowie)
Heavenly Father Loves me (no particular artist)
Wild Wild West (The Escape Club)
I'll Walk with God (from "The Student Prince")
Don't Cry Out Loud (can't remember the artist, mostly I just play this one on the piano)
I think it's going to rain today (Bette Middler, "Beaches" soundtrack)
The actors who would play the roles in my life would be:
Me: Barbara Stanwyck (from the 30's--hey, the rules don't state that they have to still be living!)
Parents: Rosalin Russel and Danny Kaye
Siblings: David Cassidy, Susan Dey, Danny Bonaduci, Greg from the Brady Bunch, Marsha from the Brady Bunch, Bobby from the Brady bunch, Cindy from the Brady Bunch, and the little girl from the Partridge Family (Tina?)--and yes, this is in order, leaving me out because I'm being played by Barbary Stanwyck.
Friends: you can be played by whoever you prefer, leave me a comment!
Love interest: Robert Urich (from Spencer for Hire, not SWAT)
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Memories...
Stolen from Jann, borrowed from others (trying to locate it in the other's blogs...)
Okay, as a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember! Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty cool (and funny) to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you :) If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.
Okay, as a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember! Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty cool (and funny) to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you :) If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.
Monday, May 21, 2007
A sad tail
I really wanted a dog.
Or dogs.
I wanted a friend to greet me when I come home from work.
I wanted someone who would encourage me to exercize and eat properly
I wanted someone to take care of.
In return for affection I would exercise, feed, and play with my new friend or friends.
So I adopted two year-old beagles.
(Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan)
Or dogs.
I wanted a friend to greet me when I come home from work.
I wanted someone who would encourage me to exercize and eat properly
I wanted someone to take care of.
In return for affection I would exercise, feed, and play with my new friend or friends.
So I adopted two year-old beagles.
(Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan)I didn't really realize just how much time I spend outside of my home.
I didn't sit down and figure out that 3-4 times per week, sometimes more, I come home to eat only to leave for another couple of hours.
I expected to crate the dogs whenever I couldn't be with them.
I didn't realize this meant they were in their crate 20-22 hours per day.
When I did, it broke my heart.
So I called the woman from the rescue I've been working with, and told her my problem and concerns.
She agreed that it wasn't healthy for the dogs to be crated so much.
Better than being in a kennel, but not better than being with a family, which is what they really need.
They need a place where they can run and play.
They need a place where they are not in their crates so much of the time.
They need someone who can work with them on their chewing issues.
They need someone who can be with them more often.
So my little beagles will be moving to new families.
They'll be with me until a new family or families are found, but they will be leaving.
My poor little guys will probably not even realize why they have to go.
I hope they will be happy.
For now I will concentrate on my garden and my house.
Maybe some day I won't be gone so much.
Maybe some day I won't have to go to all the single adult activities (80% of why I'm gone so much)
Maybe next time I will get a cat.
At least a cat won't need to be crated while I'm gone.
I hope.
PS I do know this whole dilemma was created because I wasn't listening to the Spirit. I prayed about getting dogs, about getting these dogs, and I couldn't really make up my mind. I had so many doubts and concerns but I decided to go ahead with it anyway. Every day with the dogs I seemed to revisit whether or not I should keep them. The stress was undoing all the good the exercise was doing. Once I decided to give them back, all the doubts and questioning and concerns just stopped. I grew depressed thinking that I was so unfit as a mom I couldn't even take care of dogs, but then I realized that I had it backwards. If I was a bad mommy I would selfishly keep them. Or I wouldn't care that they have to be confined so much of the time. I need to give them up, and hope that they are better for the experience.
I didn't sit down and figure out that 3-4 times per week, sometimes more, I come home to eat only to leave for another couple of hours.
I expected to crate the dogs whenever I couldn't be with them.
I didn't realize this meant they were in their crate 20-22 hours per day.
When I did, it broke my heart.
So I called the woman from the rescue I've been working with, and told her my problem and concerns.
She agreed that it wasn't healthy for the dogs to be crated so much.
Better than being in a kennel, but not better than being with a family, which is what they really need.
They need a place where they can run and play.
They need a place where they are not in their crates so much of the time.
They need someone who can work with them on their chewing issues.
They need someone who can be with them more often.
So my little beagles will be moving to new families.
They'll be with me until a new family or families are found, but they will be leaving.
My poor little guys will probably not even realize why they have to go.
I hope they will be happy.
For now I will concentrate on my garden and my house.
Maybe some day I won't be gone so much.
Maybe some day I won't have to go to all the single adult activities (80% of why I'm gone so much)
Maybe next time I will get a cat.
At least a cat won't need to be crated while I'm gone.
I hope.
PS I do know this whole dilemma was created because I wasn't listening to the Spirit. I prayed about getting dogs, about getting these dogs, and I couldn't really make up my mind. I had so many doubts and concerns but I decided to go ahead with it anyway. Every day with the dogs I seemed to revisit whether or not I should keep them. The stress was undoing all the good the exercise was doing. Once I decided to give them back, all the doubts and questioning and concerns just stopped. I grew depressed thinking that I was so unfit as a mom I couldn't even take care of dogs, but then I realized that I had it backwards. If I was a bad mommy I would selfishly keep them. Or I wouldn't care that they have to be confined so much of the time. I need to give them up, and hope that they are better for the experience.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Huge sigh of relief!
I checked with PetSmart/PetsHotel and with my vet, and both were fully booked for Memorial Day. My vet gave me two references, and the first one had space for my boys! What a relief! I may end up paying an extra day to give me time to get home and settled (and because I know I won't be back in time to pick them up when the place wants me to pick them up), but I think that's ok.
Yes, I am going away Memorial Day weekend, to once again go to the Liberty Single Adult conference in New Jersey (just across the river from Philadelphia). I am so crazy. My friend Tess is coming with me, so this will be better than the last two years when I went by myself and stayed by myself but at least was able to get some sleep. This should be fun. And I don't have to worry about my dogs.
Who are still in their crate most of the time. I tried letting them out and they chewed up my couch in the basement. I think they may be ready for some more freedom, though. I'll be borrowing a baby gate from a friend and see how they do in the kitchen with food and water and a place to snuggle. If they're really good I'll only take them down to be in the crate for night time.
I can't believe it's been almost two weeks! I hope they forgive me for putting them in a kennel next weekend!
Yes, I am going away Memorial Day weekend, to once again go to the Liberty Single Adult conference in New Jersey (just across the river from Philadelphia). I am so crazy. My friend Tess is coming with me, so this will be better than the last two years when I went by myself and stayed by myself but at least was able to get some sleep. This should be fun. And I don't have to worry about my dogs.
Who are still in their crate most of the time. I tried letting them out and they chewed up my couch in the basement. I think they may be ready for some more freedom, though. I'll be borrowing a baby gate from a friend and see how they do in the kitchen with food and water and a place to snuggle. If they're really good I'll only take them down to be in the crate for night time.
I can't believe it's been almost two weeks! I hope they forgive me for putting them in a kennel next weekend!
Monday, May 14, 2007
Another Mother's Day survived
I have a really hard time with Mother's Day. I used to be somewhat ok with it, but ever since my Mom passed away I just can't seem to deal with it appropriately. Some years I avoid church altogether, one year I went to my sister's for the weekend, a couple of years I had responsibilities so I went but tried to avoid the treat the women get handed--sometimes successfully, sometimes not. It seems to be the little gift we get that tips me overboard, not sure why that's such an issue for me. Probably didn't help that we sang funereal hymns in Sacrament Meeting, either.
This year I thought i would be ok--I have my doggies, I have more friends than I have had in the past, and I was substituting in Primary, so I thought I'd be distracted enough I'd be ok. Alas, I still found myself out in my car sobbing. It's not Christmas, it's not Thanksgiving, it's not even on her birthday or the day she died, but it's Mother's Day that I miss my mom the very most.
I'm thinking next year I go back to hiding under my covers until the day is over. I really don't enjoy being honored for something I'm not, and reminded of something I no longer have. Both on the same day is just too much.
So I went home after church, carried my dogs upstairs (they are scared of stairs), and we watched a sappy girl movie (In Her Shoes). My dogs will bark at other dogs, even if they're on the TV. Silly dogs, can't tell a real dog from a pretend dog. Or maybe it confuses them that they see a dog but can't smell one?
This year I thought i would be ok--I have my doggies, I have more friends than I have had in the past, and I was substituting in Primary, so I thought I'd be distracted enough I'd be ok. Alas, I still found myself out in my car sobbing. It's not Christmas, it's not Thanksgiving, it's not even on her birthday or the day she died, but it's Mother's Day that I miss my mom the very most.
I'm thinking next year I go back to hiding under my covers until the day is over. I really don't enjoy being honored for something I'm not, and reminded of something I no longer have. Both on the same day is just too much.
So I went home after church, carried my dogs upstairs (they are scared of stairs), and we watched a sappy girl movie (In Her Shoes). My dogs will bark at other dogs, even if they're on the TV. Silly dogs, can't tell a real dog from a pretend dog. Or maybe it confuses them that they see a dog but can't smell one?
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Alas! Poor FUSE, I knew it well...
I got some saddening news today. Some of you may remember that I used to work on the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) program. FUSE had a hard life, losing three of four reaction wheels, failing gyros, and torquer rods that weren't built to do the job of three reaction wheels. It was managing, when I left, but it was hard, and stressful for the systems engineers. And the planners. And the RT controllers. You know, everyone who was needed to make it work. The science was still very good, though.
Today I found out that it's fourth and final reaction wheel got stuck on Tuesday. They're not throwing in the towel, they're going to do everything they can to save the satellite, but quite honestly, the 8-year old spacecraft may have reached the end of its life. NASA already put an end date on its funding (Sept '08), although they were trying to appeal that decision. However, with this new development, NASA may decide to pull funding now--a few people will be needed to clean up and turn off the lights, but after that the bird is target practice (re: satellite folklore where the Air Force took out a science satellite they thought wasn't being used anymore).
It's sad to think FUSE might be ending--after all, XTE, my first mission, is still going, not strong, but functional. I'm also quite glad I no longer work there. It's a shame for the guys they just hired out of school, though. I don't know what will happen with them, they haven't been there long enough to even be trained properly.
In other news, my dogs have decided they like the taste of my futon in the basement. So they don't get to be on it while I'm not home anymore. They knew I wasn't happy, although I didn't yell or even say anything. I just cleaned up the mess, and they hid in their crate. If they're bad today I'll move them back into the laundry room. I would love to give them free reign of the house, but I just can't. Not yet. Too much too soon makes doggies think they're in charge. I'm just glad they know not to potty in the house.
I still feel bad about being gone so much, though. I've had something every night this week, including tonight. Tomorrow I want to try to take them to the pet store to find some better chew toys (they don't seem to like the ones I already bought them), and maybe car harnesses so I don't have to take the crate everywhere we go, but we'll see. Maybe we should just stay home and try grooming (they've been shedding a lot!).
Today I found out that it's fourth and final reaction wheel got stuck on Tuesday. They're not throwing in the towel, they're going to do everything they can to save the satellite, but quite honestly, the 8-year old spacecraft may have reached the end of its life. NASA already put an end date on its funding (Sept '08), although they were trying to appeal that decision. However, with this new development, NASA may decide to pull funding now--a few people will be needed to clean up and turn off the lights, but after that the bird is target practice (re: satellite folklore where the Air Force took out a science satellite they thought wasn't being used anymore).
It's sad to think FUSE might be ending--after all, XTE, my first mission, is still going, not strong, but functional. I'm also quite glad I no longer work there. It's a shame for the guys they just hired out of school, though. I don't know what will happen with them, they haven't been there long enough to even be trained properly.
In other news, my dogs have decided they like the taste of my futon in the basement. So they don't get to be on it while I'm not home anymore. They knew I wasn't happy, although I didn't yell or even say anything. I just cleaned up the mess, and they hid in their crate. If they're bad today I'll move them back into the laundry room. I would love to give them free reign of the house, but I just can't. Not yet. Too much too soon makes doggies think they're in charge. I'm just glad they know not to potty in the house.
I still feel bad about being gone so much, though. I've had something every night this week, including tonight. Tomorrow I want to try to take them to the pet store to find some better chew toys (they don't seem to like the ones I already bought them), and maybe car harnesses so I don't have to take the crate everywhere we go, but we'll see. Maybe we should just stay home and try grooming (they've been shedding a lot!).
Monday, May 7, 2007
I'm a mommy!
Well, I did it. I'm not too sure about this still, but I have a brace of beagles. They're not too happy yet, having lived most of their lives in a kennel (they're only a year old), but I'm hoping they warm up to me soon. Pictures, you ask? Why, yes!
go here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/julia0925/
I also have pics of my house in winter and early spring. I need to take another picture before all the flowers on my tree fall off.
Wish me luck! (with the dogs)
go here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/julia0925/
I also have pics of my house in winter and early spring. I need to take another picture before all the flowers on my tree fall off.
Wish me luck! (with the dogs)
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Huzzah!!
I'm going to get my doggies this weekend!!! I'm getting a brace of beagles, and I'm naming them Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. We are going to have so much fun! It's still a little scarey, when I think of how much my life is going to change, but all the changes are good ones. It will be good for me to take care of something other than myself all the time, and it will be good for me to excersize more.
In the meantime, I've been on my diet for three weeks and I've lost FOUR POUNDS. Yay for me!!!
And I'm totally--what's the word?--jonesing about Faire. I've started planning out what I want to do and who I want to do it with. Which is really crazy since they don't even have the schedule up on the MDRF website yet!!! Me and two friends are going to VARF in June, though, so that should help. Too bad I can't bring my dogs, though. I've been reading up on beagles, and apparently Queen Elizabeth had beagles (or at least small hunting dogs with melodious voices), so they're 'period' :D
Happy day to all of you!
MDRF: Maryland Renaissance Festival (see link ->)
VARF: Virginia Renaissance Faire
In the meantime, I've been on my diet for three weeks and I've lost FOUR POUNDS. Yay for me!!!
And I'm totally--what's the word?--jonesing about Faire. I've started planning out what I want to do and who I want to do it with. Which is really crazy since they don't even have the schedule up on the MDRF website yet!!! Me and two friends are going to VARF in June, though, so that should help. Too bad I can't bring my dogs, though. I've been reading up on beagles, and apparently Queen Elizabeth had beagles (or at least small hunting dogs with melodious voices), so they're 'period' :D
Happy day to all of you!
MDRF: Maryland Renaissance Festival (see link ->)
VARF: Virginia Renaissance Faire
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