Garbage Revolution...

If your questioning individual like myself you often ask why when faced with the numerous wierd and annoying habits and happenings in your world...maybe you can empathesize with...I recently received a letter in the mail from Waste Management the company who hauls the garbage in my neighborhood...the letter nicely stated "Dear Ma'am or Sir..." and continued with a chorus of we are going to raise your waste collection rates by 20 dollars. There goes my Starbucks money!

This is outrageous...it can't possibly cost them 20 dollars more to collect my garbage than it use to...can it? The most hilarious part was still to come with the end of the letter.... this devilish proposition listed a greivance process in which we could object to the increase in rates. The letter suggested we raise a petition and goto the City Council Meeting.

So...at this personal challenge...the civil activist in me started a peition and am planning on galvinizing my neighborhood into a hotbed of revolutionaries...My comrades in arms and I will storm the council meeting and atest to the higher rates.

If this doesn't work...I will just cancel my service and that could...be a very huge stinky problem.

Wish me luck Cyberspace!

I don't have the summertime blues...

I have the summertime highs...I am so glad that summer is on its way. I am exhausted...I have begun to find seeing double normal and sleeping a rare occurence. But on the upside I am half done with my Master Degree. I have only one more year to go. I may starve this summer if I don't find a summer job...but I will starve an educated semi-professional...and that should count for something.

Shouldn't It...

America is the best country in the world?

I will give it to Mother America with your robes of red, white, and blue you have beautiful beaches, beautiful mountains and beautiful deserts, but so do other countries around the world...you have a rich history of independent historic figures...the U.S. Constitution..but does that really qualify for us for such an award...that we make food bigger, people bigger, and problems bigger than anywhere esle in the world, but...does that really mean we deserve this distinction?

I love America dearly, she is my Mother country and I wouldn't leave her embrace lightly...except to travel abroad, but I am occassionally suprised by the ingenuity of her people. I attend one of her Higher Learning Institutes two times a week for 8 to 10 hours each of those days. Today when I was on campus, I began across the crosswalk two cars stopped in the middle of it and wouldn't move. I preceded to slowly make my way around these two cars and another passed them on the right and almost removed one potential life from the embrace of Mother America. These individuals driving these vehicles are our future American Doctors, Lawyers, Social Workers and Burger flippers...and they can't even obey remedial traffic laws on a University campus?

Scary...yes...Mother America maybe you should sit down with your children and have a little discussion about how we might want to think about our future rather than continue to roll the dice...we might just roll snake eyes nex time...

Silver 25th Nightmare

I try not to complain when I put myself into situations that turn out bad, because I believe in talking responsibility for myself. I am a proponent of the "buck stops here" philosophy. So, It becomes really hard occassionally when others don't exactly hold up their side of the bargain. What do I mean exactly?

Well, I have been planning a 25th anniversary party for my parents for the last 6 months. At first all was going well. That is until I started to try and get my younger sister to do her part. Seriously, how much work is it to put stamps on envelopes and put them in the mail? How much work is it to make a list of groceries, especially when the menu is already planned? Is it really too much to ask to have her look at me and say something other than...my name isn't on it. What age is it that siblings stop havin rivalry and pick up the banner of peace? I am stuck...I can't fire her because she is my sister and my parents want her involved. Yet, its my money, my time, and my irritation.

I've been dreaming in silver lately trying to finish up last minute preparations. I'm just curious what do you think RSVP by the 18th means? I was under the silly assumption that this meant reserve a spot by 18th. Yet, most of the guests didn't start RSVPing until the 18th and I am still currently recieveing calls. And people get angry when you don't confirm their RSVP. GRRR...I had no idea that middle aged people could be so picky.

Yet, when I assess the overall experience and I look at how happy this party had better make my parents...its all worth it. They have through my whole life from kindergarten to Grad School supported me emotionally, financially to the best of their ability no matter how small, and with an occassional swift kick. So heres to you Mom and Dad, your 25th anniversary party, even if it drives me slightly insane.

KOA puts the S.O.S in Camping

What is camping? Reuniting, Reconnecting with nature. Refreshing and Rejoining the community of our industrous ancestors. Roasting hot dogs, marshmellows, BBQ and popcorn. Beer, Juice, bottled water. Owls, wolves, coyotes, trees...and WIFI, movie night, arcade, pool, pancake breakfast and ice cream social? I don't think so. I had never been to a KOA campground before, but we went to one this weekend for a family reconnect weekend.

And boy was I confused, it was kinda like camping in your backyard. With individuals ranging from men who think second home means the camper on their truck to women who play drink expensive wine and sun by the pool. It was sorta like a tourista cheapo resort. You can dine in the Kampers kitchen or catch a cocktail in the evening, but there was no wildlife, no native bushes, grasses or trees. I did however one night think I might have heard coyotes, but realized it was the dog lovers in site 23's German Shepherds.

Schedule was: Friday ice cream social, Saturday balloon race, balloon toss, water tag, and movie in the park, Sunday pancake and sausage breakfast....no nature walks, hikes or survival training...lol

Yet, the KOA was an international experience we had peoples of all colors and diversities. While we were camping I meet people from the Bavarian state in Germany, other parts of Germany, Europe, India, Mexico, and numerous places throughout the United States.

Tack this trip up to Gobalization, Consumerism, and Americans love for convenience. Its like staying in a hotel where you sleep under the sky...that is if you don't have a RV, House Trailer, Motor Home or tent trailer.

Goodbye Cyberspace!

Dinner Anyone?

Empanadas Espana

Delicious & Easy! I've developed this recipe over a couple of tries. I tried this a couple of nights ago. Friends, Family and I enjoyed them very much and they were very easy.

Part 1:

Filling:

1. 1 1lb ground meat, tofu, cream cheese

For ground meat:

1 medium bell pepper diced

1 small onion diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery

1 small boiled potato or 1/2 bag of precooked frozen chopped potatoes

1 can of ortega peppers or two small jalapeños

2-3 cloves of garlic smashed, crushed

1 tsp. chili powder, cumin, & paprika

1 small bunch of finely chopped cilantro

pinch of salt & pepper

Directions:

Toss together ingredients into skillet, cook till meat is throughly cooked and veggies tender. Drain and set aside till ready to used. When adding filling to crust, you can add a little grated cheese.

For Non-meat:

2 pkgs. cream cheese or 1 pkg. or tofu

1 cup grated cheese (sharp cheddar, jack cheese)

1 medium bell pepper diced

1 small onion diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

1 can of ortega peppers or two small jalapenos

2-3 cloves of garlic smashed, crushed

1 tsp. chili powder, cumin, & paprika

1 small bunch of finely chopped cilantro

pinch of salt & pepper

Directions:

Toss together ingredients. Cover & refrigerate until used.

Part 2:

Crust:

1. Two refrigerator pie crusts (pillsbury or flat rolled up kind)

2. cold water

3. melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven 350. Unfold dough, press the top of a cup or jar into the dough and use a knife to cut out small circles. Drop a tablespoon of preferred filling on half, fold dough over and dab water on the edges. Use a fork to press edge closed. Brush with butter. Cook for 8-15 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Where do I get off saying being Married wouldn't Rock...

FOR MEN

weight: 26 grams or 3 quarters and a penny

how many diamonds? : 12.21 ctw

How much? : $15,000

FOR WOMEN

weight: it will make your finger ache ladies

how many diamonds? : 9 ctw

How much?: $2 million