Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Movie Preview: Star Trek XI

Finally we have high quality computer graphics that can give us realistic looking special effects to do Star Trek justice. In the past, the Star Trek label has produced movies & shows that left the younger generations bored. The visual effects did not live up to that topic of space in which we expect over the top special effects. Granted, the original series's did the best they could with what they had back then but finally I am excited about a Star Trek film. Star Trek XI was set to come out on Christmas Day but it has been pushed back to May 8, 2009



Mission Organization: Day 2: Not quite as productive, but not a waste


Ok, so today I wasn't as good at getting in there & getting at it but I did get a lot accomplished. I got all my clothes that go in my dresser put away, washed two loads of laundry, & packed for my weekend at my parents. I also finished packing up all the clothes that don't fit me any longer (aka, went through the clothes in the living room).

Unfortunately, I did not finish getting my clean clothes hung up in the closet. But that's okay I do that when I get back from Thanksgiving. It won't take but a few minutes. I did get my towels folded, though. Since I don't have any decent storage in my apartment, I have to keep most of my towels & stuff in a laundry basket. Very annoying.

I am very happy to have my laundry baskets back so they can perform the job they were created to rather than being used as storage for the clothes that didn't fit in my drawers & closet. Hehe.

I finally got energized to finish packing away everything about an hour after my bed time. What is with that? :P

Monday, November 24, 2008

Day One...Mission Accomplished...well....kind of

I spent at least two hours going through the clothes on the floor in my closet & on my bed & on the floor in my bed room. I ended up with a huge box & one Old Navy shopping bag full of clothes to take to mom, plus two winter coats & a rain coat. Most of these clothes are too big for her but she knows other people who might want them too. Now my closet looks quite bare & I have a plethora of hangers. I didn't get all of my clothes hung back up but I'm getting there. I did put them in a clothes basket so at least I'll be able to spread out in the bed today. Yay.

I also got the kitchen straightened up a bit. I still need to wipe down the cabinets & find a place for some of my stuff but at least all the dishes are cleaned & the trash was taken out. I really need to go through my cabinets & get rid of the stuff I don't use, but I'll save that for a later date.

Tomorrow I plan on finishing putting away the clothes that are in the laundry basket & attack the clothes in my living room. I also want to change the sheets on my bed. There is nothing like sliding into a made bed with fresh sheets. It feels so luxurious. Obviously I'm not a high maintenance girl. hehe

This is going to take me a long time but a little bit everyday will start to show a big difference soon.

Chaos has taken over


I know I've been away a bit. Last week, for part of the week I was on vacation & the rest of the week, I just didn't pay any attention to what I was doing. I know I probably didn't go over on calories (until this weekend, oops) but I didn't do any exercise either. I'm really not sure how much "exercise" I'm going to get this week either. My house is a wreck & I'm getting sick of it. It is completely ridiculous for someone to live like this. So, I aim to start cleaning it up before I end up on television. So, house cleaning my have to be considered my "exercise" this week. I know this isn't a very good excuse or form but it has reached a point that something must be done. A clean environment usually makes you feel more inspired & relaxed.

Whenever I do finally get my place clean & organized, it tends to stay that way for a month or two. Then, all of a sudden, BANG! It's a mess again. I swear someone is sneaking into my place & messing it up on purpose. I blame gnomes.

My closet has virtually no clothes hanging up in it any more. Most are either on my bed, on the floor in the living room, on the floor of the closet, on my bedroom floor, on my couch, or still in the dryer. And even most of those don't fit me anymore. I have given two loads of clothes to my mom & who ever else she knows might need them, so now I have very few clothes that actually fit me. This is great, however, there is no excuse for me not hanging up what does fit in the closet now. That is what I am aiming for this week. Get the clothes off the bed so I can once again sleep all sprawled out like I like. Sort the clothes in the living room into what fits & what doesn't, then rewash them, take the ones that don't fit to my mom & put the others away. Go through the clothes at the bottom of the closet & pack them up for my mom (I'm pretty sure none of those fit me anymore). I have to do all of this by Tuesday night since I'll be going home for Thanksgiving on Wednesday morning, hopefully. I want to take this last load of my old clothes to my mom then.

I also have to clean my kitchen today. I don't care how small & inconvenient my kitchen is, it is inexcusable to let it get to this condition.

I've made these goals before & either did a minimal job or just looked at the entire scene & became so overwhelmed that I jumped back on the computer to escape the chaos around me. Some things are just going to have to be sacrificed until I get this under control. This situation is much like the whole weight loss task. When looking at the whole picture, I had to loose 100 lbs. That seemed impossible. Why even try? I've failed every other time, how will this time be any different? This task is not different. I must focus on one room at a time, one task at a time. It may take longer than I would like but I can't look at this as "get it clean the it's over" just like I can't look at my weight as "get it off then you don't have to worry about it anymore" or like reading the Bible can't be seen as "get it read then you don't have to pick it up again." That is how bad habits sneak back in & the apartment becomes a mess again, I get fat & unfit again, & I start to fall away from God again. These are things I must stay on top of every day for the rest of my life. I have to watch my calorie intake, exercise, straighten up the house/apartment, read my Bible, & pray every day. I had a friend who suggested setting a timer for 15 min every day & clean during that time. It think this is a great idea & I plan to implement it once I get the place to a point of livability. Sort of a maintenance plan, I guess.

I don't want to be this person. I want to be healthy, athletic, clean, organized, and as close to God as I can be. I want my place to be a place where people feel comfortable & I feel comfortable having them. I don't want it to become one of those places that people feel uptight in but I don't want them worried that they may get lost under a pile of clothes either.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Movie Preview: Angels & Demons

By now, most of the world has read The Da Vinci Code. Even with all the controversy, I loved the book. No, I don't agree with what some of the characters believed but, as a story, it was exciting & well written. The movie was also quite enjoyable. Granted, they left out many bits & controversial things that were in the book were watered down a bit for the movie but still it was well made.

In the book world, Angels & Demons was actually the prequel to The Da Vinci Code but in the movie industry it is the sequel. It is almost here & I can't wait. If you have not read the book, I highly recommend it. It was even better than The Da Vinci Code. Anyway, here is the first trailer for the new movie. I'm so excited.

My trip to Fayetteville

I went to Fayetteville last weekend. It was great. I hadn't been there in like 6 years. It was so great to see April, Vanessa, & Tara. We had a blast.

I arrived in Fayetteville on Friday night & with in 30 min, Lance & I were sitting at the basketball stadium. I had never been to a basketball game even in the 2 years that I lived there. Here are some clips of that game.



On Saturday, I spent most of the day with my old college buddies. We're not old!!! We still act like kids. Just watch.

April thought that the university had left her off the sidewalk. Vanessa wouldn't have it. So off we went into the 29 degree night with some coffee (for Vanessa & me) & cocoa (for Tara & April), a flash light, & determination to discover the long lost name in the pavement.



Later that night, we went & picked up Lance & Kaylee & headed to Rogers for a bit of bowling. Lance & Kaylee kicked all of our booties, of course, while Kaylee & Vanessa tried "awkward bowling." It was so much fun. I can't wait to see all of them again. I hadn't talked to some of them in almost 8 years & all 4 of us certainly hadn't hung out together in all that time, but it was as if we had only been away from each other for no more than a few days. I love all of them so much.



I may be posting another video of random pics from the trip later. Look for them if you are interested. I know most of you couldn't care less about all of this but I thought those involved might like to look back on them & laugh. :)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Great Video: Interesting...Do you know the answers to these questions?

This is great. I personally was against Obama, myself, but I thoroughly believe that most Americans don't know anything about politics or their politicians. I, regretfully, include myself in that, but, I am trying. During this election, I realized how little I really know & I have decided to become more aware & to study it more. It may not be the most exciting subject to study but it is our duty as Americans in order to protect our nation, belief systems, rights, & freedoms.

clipped from www.moonbattery.com

Watch and weep:

November 17, 2008

Their votes counted as much as yours.

The interviews above are backed up by a multiple-choice Zogby poll. Some of the results, via How Obama Got Elected:

57.4% could NOT correctly say which party controls congress (50/50 shot just by guessing).
81.8% could NOT correctly say Joe Biden quit a previous campaign because of plagiarism (25% chance by guessing).
82.6% could NOT correctly say that Barack Obama won his first election by getting opponents kicked off the ballot (25% chance by guessing).
88.4% could NOT correctly say that Obama said his policies would likely bankrupt the coal industry and make energy rates skyrocket (25% chance by guessing).
56.1% could NOT correctly say Obama started his political career at the home of two former members of the Weather Underground (25% chance by guessing).
Only 13.7% failed to identify Sarah Palin as the person on which their party spent $150,000 in clothes.
 blog it

Monday, November 10, 2008

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Before & After: 50 lbs



The long awaited Before & After video.

Since April of this year I have lost over 50 lbs. Here are some pictures of how I have changed.

Thanks everyone.

You have no idea how many problems I have run into making this video from software failure to using new software to uploading issues. Oh well, here it is. :)

Song: "Sunshine" by John Reuben

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Mike Huckabee's thoughts on Election '08


Here is a message update that Mike Huckabee posted on Facebook today. I really like this man. I really wanted him to be our President but, alas, this was not to be. :)

We Will Be Back in Strength

Today at 11:23am
by Mike Huckabee

I'm very proud to have supported Senator McCain and the only regret is that more Americans didn't share my conviction that he would have made an outstanding President. I not only recognize, but respect that we are a nation in which the people choose and tonight they have chosen Senator Obama. He was not my choice, but he will be my President and I will pray for him to lead this great nation with God's help and grace. He will face serious challenges to lead our country and he will need all Americans to give him a chance.

The campaign is over and now is the time for governing and leading. The Republican Party must now reassess where it is and where it is going. Our problem is not that our views aren't acceptable, it is that many in our party have abandoned the very principles that once drew Americans to trust us. Our party will be back with strength, but tonight we should all celebrate the historic nature of this election and put our country ahead of our party.

As disappointed as I am that we have lost the election, I can't help but feel that many courageous leaders of the civil rights movement look down from heaven tonight with a smile that the day has come when a man is elected without regard to his color. I salute President-elect Obama for his discipline and tenacity that has given our country the opportunity to witness this significant event.

Politics is not an event but a process. We sometimes lose the events but it never gives us the right to stop being faithful to our principles that enlisted us in the process. We shall live to fight another day.

The people have spoken


So, Obama is now the President-elect.

What the heck does that mean? Well, commonly "President-elect" refers to a person who has won the Presidency but has yet taken office & the current President is finishing out his/her term. Wikipedia explains this much better. "In the United States, the members of the U.S. Electoral College are elected by the people in November once every four years; in December, they are in session and in turn elect the President of the United States; finally, the President of the United States assumes office in January. One is officially the president-elect only after being chosen by the Electoral College, but unofficially the person chosen in the November general election is called the President-elect even before the Electoral College meets; more accurately he is the president-designate until the electoral college meets and votes."

I know, if you aren't familiar with American politics then the practice of an "Electoral College" seems very strange & a bit redundant. To be honest, it is. Even those who make politics a hobby are a bit confused as to the purpose. According to Wikipedia, "The Electoral College consists of the popularly elected representatives who formally select the President and Vice President of the United States; since 1964 the electoral college has had 538 electors." This will happen on Dec. 15 this year.

"Rather than directly voting for the President and Vice President, United States citizens cast votes for electors. Electors are technically free to vote for anyone eligible to be President, but in practice pledge to vote for specific candidates[2] and voters cast ballots for favored presidential and vice presidential candidates by voting for correspondingly pledged electors.[3] Most states allow voters to choose between statewide slates of electors pledged to vote for the presidential and vice presidential tickets of various parties; the ticket that receives the most votes statewide 'wins' all of the votes cast by electors from that state. U.S. presidential campaigns concentrate on winning the popular vote in a combination of states that choose a majority of the electors, rather than campaigning to win the most votes nationally."

"Each state has a number of electors equal to the number of its Senators and Representatives in the United States Congress." "Each elector casts one vote for President and one vote for Vice President. In order to be elected, a candidate must have a majority (since 1964, at least 270) of the electoral votes cast for that office. Should no candidate for President win a majority of the electoral votes, the choice is referred to the House of Representatives.[5] Should no candidate for Vice President possess a majority of the electoral votes, the choice is given to the Senate.[6]"

Here is some even more interesting information: "An example of the practical effect of the official status is found in the U.S. Constitution's provision that if the President-elect dies, then the Vice President-elect becomes president on Inauguration Day. That rule takes effect only after the meeting of the Electoral College. If the person unofficially called the President-elect dies before that meeting, then the Electoral College would have broad discretion to choose some other person."

So, how do I feel about the whole situation? I have mixed feelings. I'm disappointed but not surprised. I'm a bit concerned but excited & interested to see what the out come will be. Regardless, this is an exciting, historic moment in our country's history. No, I don't believe our country will cease to be a free country or will turn into some God-hating, Marxist nation because Obama has been chosen. I don't expect to agree with most of his decisions but he will probably not even try to implement many of his ideas just because of the controversies over many of them.

I expect that foreign policy & health care may be adjusted a bit. I doubt some issues will even be approached such as pro-life/pro-choice issues & gun control. I do hope he does something about environmental issues. That is one area that I actually agree with Democrats on & worry about Republican's stance.

Regardless of who I think should or should not be President, this is an exciting time in our country's history & I am grateful for being given the opportunity to experience it.

I hope McCain isn't too disappointed. His story is an amazing one. To go from being a POW for several years in Vietnam to almost becoming the President of the United States of America is is amazing.

As for Obama, I do not envy him. I cannot imagine the burden, stress, anxiety, doubt, fear, & excitement he must be feeling. Don't try to tell me he isn't experiencing any doubt. Anyone who has ever taken a job or any other responsibility always has doubt. "Am I really right for this? Have I made a mistake? Am I really ready for this? Will I be able to do what I promised? What if I make a mistake?" I'm sure all of these questions are running through his mind right now. I'm sure antacids are his best friend right now. Good luck, Mr. Obama.

Now, comes an important part of our job as Christians (if you are reading this & are a Christian, otherwise you may think this is a bunch of dribble & you can find something else to read, it won't hurt my feelings), prayer. Regardless of whether you voted for him or not, as a Christian we are called to respect those in authority over us & to pray for them & those who advise them. We should pray every day that he surrounds himself with wise counsel & considers their advice. We should also pray for the other politicians who actually wield more power than the President; Congress, Senate, the Supreme Court.

Before you start to complain about some politician, ask yourself if you have been doing your part, have you been praying for that man or woman? If you haven't, what else would expect? I am personally going to do better about this. I have a prayer list on my mirror in my bathroom so that I can see it as I get ready. Obama & the rest of our leaders have been added. I may not be able to list everyone of their names but God knows who needs what, He just asks me to pray for them. Trust me, I think I got the easiest part of the job. :)

For another great blog about this topic (also much shorter) see Linda Williams' blog entitled "And now we pray..." on her blog site Life as a Christian Woman.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Weigh In #30

Week loss: 1 lb
Total loss: 55 lbs

Obviously, I have not changed the burned out light in my living room, hence the extremely tan look. Hehe


Sunday, November 2, 2008

Great Video: Uncle Jay -- 11/3

4000 Questions: Question #45: Can you describe your first time left alone at home?


I really don't remember the first time I was left alone. When I was a kid & left for short amounts of time alone, I was usually scared. As I got older, I loved being home alone but my imagination would still run away with me at times. I would start hearing noises & just knew someone was in the house with me. I would usually run outside & sit. I really don't know why I would think I was safer outside but I guess I always thought I could run to a neighbors house if someone tried to "get" me.

The first time I remember being left alone over night by myself was when I was in college & still living with my parents. I had lived on my own in the dorm for about 2 years but being alone, out in the country where no one would hear you if you screamed was a bit different. I was fine all night until it was bed time. Then I locked my bedroom door & slept with our B.B. gun next to my bed. I think I also had a baseball bat too, but I know the gun was there. I really don't know how much damage a B.B. gun would inflict. Not much I'm guessing. And, I probably wouldn't be able to figure the stupid thing out in crisis anyway. I would probably turn it into some sort club. No, in reality, I would probably pass out in fear.

A while after that I spent another night or two by myself. Late that night I decided to watch Resident Evil. As far as scary/horror/monster/zombie movies go, I actually thought this one was quite decent. However, that night, all I could think about was zombies. I'm not one to freak out over movies but there have been some that caused me to loose a little sleep, not because they are super scary or anything but because my imagination dwells on them & then takes off like a speeding train. Really, I can only think of 4 that really caused me a few moments of uneasiness if not an entire night of panic. They are (in chronological order): Jurassic Park, Vampires (which has to be the dumbest & grossest vampire movie ever), Resident Evil, & The Exorcism of Emily Rose (which has to be one of the scariest, most disturbing movies ever...don't get me wrong, I thought it was very good but it is about something quite real versus monsters, which probably aren't that real). And, believe me, if you watch Emily Rose, you will wake up every night at 3 am for the next week. Trust me.