Staying safe on the internet
January 31st, 2010 at 4:29 pm by Barrett Andrews under Uncategorized
I can’t think of anything to write this week. Here’s something important, courtesy to Lisa Renee of GlassCityJungle.com:
January, 2010
January 31st, 2010 at 4:29 pm by Barrett Andrews under Uncategorized
Torn Continuation
January 28th, 2010 at 11:18 pm by Sharia Davis under Uncategorized
Page 12
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I couldn’t say anything I wanted more. God help me, I repeated over and over. But Gray didn’t stop.
What Do You Mean you Paid for It…
“Lee sweetie, what do you mean you paid for me?” Sam asked me as we laid on our backs at the Kaanapali Beach in West Maui. “Lee are you there, hello?” he leaned over on his elbows and looked at me.
“What Sam,” I said as I jumped back to reality.
“What do you mean you paid for our first date?” he asked me again.
“Hahahah, you’re still on that,” I hugged him and laughed.
“Recently you’ve been in outer space,” Sam said. “I mean I have to ask you things not once but twice. What are you thinking about baby?” he finally asked as he kissed me on the forehead.
“Life Sam, the wonderful world of life,” I answered and sat right up at the same time.
I can’t tell him about Gray, I couldn’t or my life would be completely over.
“Do you love me Lee?” he asked seriously.
“Of course I do, you’re everything to me,” I replied and kissed him long and hard on the lips. I love this man he’s everything I wished Gray would have been. What am I doing? I don’t love Gray, I love Sam Shine, my husband, my life, my companion, from this day forward till death do us part. What I was holding on to is dead. It had been dead for a long time, but seeing Gray at the wedding and talking to him brought back memories best left buried.
Chapter 7: Why Me?
I just got off the phone with Paula and told her about the first night Gray and I made love, but it was hard to tell her about the second time. But I had to tell her. I can’t tell my mother because she wouldn’t understand, and my sister, well let’s just say she would’ve tried to cast out every demon in me. Paula was the only one I felt I could go to and I also had to find out what the two of them really talked about that day when he called looking for me. But as I guessed it turned out to be a lie it was all a lie. Gray called Paula looking for her brother. Paula mentioned to Gray that I was a law clerk dating a doctor by the name of Larry Figment. That’s how he got the name, I thought to myself.
I sat in my room and cried for almost three hours. “I’m completely crazy,” I said out loud with six pills in one hand and a glass of water in the other. “This is it, I wont have to feel this pain anymore.” That’s the last thing I remember.
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“Lee, are you ok?” a hushed voice that sounded like my mother.
I couldn’t open my eyes just yet. My body felt heavy and sore surrounded by a hum.
“Mom here’s some water for Lee…” my sister said.
“Lee sweetie, you need some water, raise up and drink some,” my mother said.
I tried, but had a hard time doing so. As I tried to open one eye, the other one opened instead.
“There you go baby, you can do it,” my mother said as she helped me up.
My mother and my sister were there to support me. I was unsure what had happened. Looking around the room I noticed that I was hooked up to machines and realized that’s where the sound was coming from.
Now drink the water Lee,” my mother said with tears in her eyes as she put the glass to my lips.
Why was she crying, what happened? I needed to know what was going on.
“Where am I?” my voice was a croak.
“You’re at the hospital silly,” Joi shouted in a voice thick with tears. “You tried to kill yourself you idiot.”
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Tune in next week
I did it
January 28th, 2010 at 7:21 pm by Michelle Zepeda under Uncategorized
I figured the logical thing to write about this week was how I did with my cake-venture I took on last week. If you remember my daughter, Mazie, was turning three and having a princess birthday party. For that party I decided to not make just one but 4 Disney Princess cakes.
I can say they turned out great, but it was a much larger undertaking then I expected. Thankfully I had the help of my grandparents, and parents. My Grandpa made homemade butter cream frosting for several hours, while my grandpa frosted. My mom and I made 12 boxes worth of cake and my dad had the important job of keeping Mazie occupied.
It was a lot more time consuming then I expected, but all that mattered that my daughter loved them!
Groundhog Day Explained
January 28th, 2010 at 5:44 pm by Doug Moats under Weather
Shadow or no Shadow what does it all mean??? Each year mid-winter the groundhog comes out to give us some indication as to what to expect for the remainder of the winter. While this is more superstition or folklore it is still a fascinating story. Have you ever wondered how he makes his predictions? Well, here is the simplified explanation.
According to legend if it is a sunny day and the groundhog comes out of his burrow and sees his shadow he gets scared. He then scurries back to his secure burrow and goes back to sleep. This means there will be six more weeks of winter. Now, if the day is cloudy and no shadow is seen, the groundhog will remain outside and that means spring is on its way.
It has been a very mild winter here in northern Ohio. Next Tuesday’s forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies and a slight chance of snow. If the groundhog lived here in Toledo, I would say our chances of an early spring is pretty good. Since that is not the case we’ll have to wait to see how this all plays out next Tuesday. Keep your fingers crossed and I hope your winter weather forecast is exactly what you want it to be…
Groundhog Day is Next Week
January 28th, 2010 at 5:29 pm by Doug Moats under Weather
Groundhog Day is next week. How about a trip to Chattanooga, Tennesee??? I received this press release the other day from Thom Benson and wanted to share it with you.
The winter of 2009-2010 has been etched into the record books. Extreme weather events like the December blizzard, January cold snap and headline-making rainfall on the west coast have many people wondering what the rest of winter will bring. So perhaps there’s added interest to see what the Tennessee Aquarium’s groundhog, Chattanooga Chuck, will predict on February 2nd. No shadow portending an early spring? Or will a dark, woodchuck silhouette foreshadow six more weeks of winter?
Whether they join in the fun or not, most Americans are familiar with the groundhog’s story. But woodchucks aren’t the only animals with forecasting proverbs touting their prediction prowess. Throughout the month of February, the Tennessee Aquarium will spotlight “The Wild Side of Weather.” Aquarium visitors will have fun learning some folklore facts and folklore fun by meeting many of these fabled forecasters face-to-face during animal encounter programs and special keeper talks.
Tales about groundhogs, birds, fish and other “beasts” were among hundreds of weather proverbs published in the 1883 book, Signal Service Notes IX – Weather Proverbs. Brigadier General William B. Hazen, then Chief Signal Officer of the U.S. Army, put out a national call for weather folklore writing, “The study of popular weather prognostics has been considered of such interest that much attention has been given this subject by European meteorologists.”
Responses came back from all over the United States, many from Tennessee, and included species ranging from bears – “If the tracks of bear are seen after the first fall of snow, an open, mild winter may be expected.” – to glow-worms – “Before rain: Glow-worms numerous, clear and bright, illuminate the dewy hills at night.”
With more than 10,000 animals living in two buildings, the Tennessee Aquarium in downtown Chattanooga is home to many of the animal forecasters mentioned in the 1883 War Department report. So Aquarium experts have taken a look at the proverbs that apply to Aquarium “beasts” to see which ones hold water 127 years later.
According to senior aquarist Rob Mottice, several of the old sayings relating to fish are behavioral responses to weather changes. “Barometric pressure changes create havoc for fishermen,” said Mottice. So the adage;
“Fishermen in anger froth
When the wind is in the north;
For fish bite the best
When the wind is in the west“
makes sense as does, “When fish bite readily and swim near the surface, rain may be expected.” Mottice says fish tend to feed on insects and other critters when the barometer is falling. “They feel better because there is less pressure on them. Atmospheric pressure is felt in the water, not just above it,” Mottice said.
Other sayings related to fish forecasters have scientific explanations according to Mottice. One saying attributed to Chippewa Indians could be one of the better long-range predictions: “In the northern lakes of the United States white-fish and lake trout leave reefs for deep water one month earlier in stormy falls than in mild, calm falls, with little winds.” Mottice said the conditions mentioned could easily trigger the observed behavior. “Temperature changes and turbidity, or visibility changes, upset the daily routines of the fish. They might find it harder to locate prey or change locations to avoid being preyed upon in murky waters.”
Other species seen at the Tennessee Aquarium like cuttlefish, crabs, catfish and sharks were also mentioned as watery weather wizards. However, Mottice said some sayings like, “Skate jump in the direction that the next wind will come from” were rather fishy. “Skates and stingrays don’t jump. They are bottom dwellers,” he said.
Senior educator Susie Grant says visitors really enjoy the Aquarium’s new animal encounters. But guests shouldn’t plan their day according to the proverbs related to many of these species. “It’s unlikely that a barking gecko’s call means a storm,” said Grant. ”And flying squirrels vocalize to establish territories and find a mate. They don’t vocalize to broadcast a weather report.” So place, “When lizards chirrup, it is a sure indication of rain” and “When flying-squirrels sing in mid-winter, it indicates an early spring” into the “not likely” category.
Grant also disputes the saying about another Aquarium crowd favorite – screech owls. “A screeching owl indicates cold or storm.”
According to Kevin Calhoon, the Aquarium’s assistant curator of forests, many of the avian proverbs are ‘for the birds.’ If for example, you’re aboard the River Gorge Explorer and see “Blackbirds flocking in the fall, it indicates a spell of cold weather” don’t break out the heavy jackets. “Blackbirds always flock together in the fall, so that one has a 50/50 chance of being accurate,” said Calhoon. However, you might pay attention to the hyacinth macaws while you’re in Ocean Journey. According to folklore, “Parrots and canaries dress their feathers and are wakeful the evening before a storm.” Calhoon said that one may have some merit. “All birds, whether macaws or penguins preen to care for their feathers. But parrots might remain a bit uneasy before a storm in response to wind or pressure changes.”
While observing various frogs in Discovery Hall, Aquarium visitors also might want to listen for a forecast. Dave Collins, the Aquarium’s curator of forests, says there’s a grain of truth to a couple of proverbs related to these amphibians. “Frogs are stimulated to call and become more active during periods of high humidity and rain,” said Collins. “While individual frogs don’t call more loudly, more rain can stimulate more frogs to call, making for a louder overall chorus.” So place two more proverbs into the “weather fact” category: “Frogs croak more noisily, and come abroad in the evening in large numbers, before rain,” and “The louder the frogs, the more’s the rain.”
We’ll have to wait and see whether Chattanooga Chuck’s first Groundhog Day forecast will turn out to be correct or not. In the meantime, Tennessee Aquarium visitors will have the entire month of February to meet fascinating folklore forecasters from, “The Wild Side of Weather.”
Rules are rules, but they can still be BS
January 28th, 2010 at 5:15 pm by Howard Chen under Sports
It was a historic night on Tuesday when the South Carolina men’s basketball team knocked off a #1 ranked team for the first time EVER when they beat Kentucky. Watching the highlights, I thought it was pretty cool when the fans stormed the court. Pure jubilation – it’s something that’s beautiful in sports, right?
According to the SEC, not really.
They have a rule in place, for well-founded safety reasons, that fans can’t storm the court and since this was a second violation for the Gamecock program, the SEC fined South Carolina $25,000. That’s certainly not chump change.
I can see where the SEC is coming from, because there have been some injuries caused in the storming of different courts/fields, and I’m trying not to offend those who have been hurt in those incidents by writing this blog, but $25,000 for storming the court? THAT’S LAME.
Just last night, I was watching the highlights again for another game, and again the fans stormed the court. It was a different conference though, so I haven’t seen any big-time fines come down in the sports headlines just yet.
I just think the SEC is taking away something that makes the college game unique – that bond the student-athletes have with the student body. The students view the athletes on the court as representative of the school that they go to, so the pride is tremendous when there’s a historic win like South Carolina over Kentucky. Or in the NCAA tournament when there are upsets a-plenty.
I’m hoping the SEC will stay a lone wolf in all of this. I hope they’re not a trendsetter because seriously, what the SEC is doing is essentially taking the “madness” out of “March Madness.”
What? You really enjoy just watching the coaches shake hands at center court?
I know what I’d rather see, and it’s not that.
Packing Lighter– Take 2 That bag is how big?
January 26th, 2010 at 6:09 pm by Laura Emerson under News
The new carry-on suitcase with optional backpack handles has arrived. I admit I was alarmed at its small size.
Now I have to figure out whether it’s really possible to travel with only what will fit in it. In case you missed by previous post, I’m reacting to nearly every airline now charging us for checking not just a second bag but ANY luggage by trying to avoid checking luggage.
I find it a romantic notion that a person can be SO good at planning that very small, well-chosen wardrobe can serve you well for a weekend or even a week if you’re willing to wash a few things, which I am.
How I’m going to pare my various potions and lotions down to a quart size zip bag still has me concerned. Especially when going to places where you need a lot of sunscreen, but I guess there are things that you can buy on the road as you need them.
As long as the comfortable walking shoes are in there, I figure the rest will take care of itself. Dressing in layers seems like a good idea, too, since that way some pieces of clothing can do double duty.
If any of you have tricks and tips for traveling light, I welcome the advice.
The Love sick Pirate of the Caribbean
January 25th, 2010 at 5:13 pm by Heather Miller under News, Uncategorized
I am inspired to tell you the legend of a love sick pirate as I prepare to wing my way to the Caribbean. The Pirate Mundaca was a slave trader who eventually created a beautiful hacienda that eventually covered 40% of the island of Isla Mujeres (off the coast of Cancun) and died broken-hearted.
Fermin Anonio Mundaca y Marecheaga was originally from Spain and roamed the waters of the Caribbean during the mid-1800s. He acquired quite a bit of wealth by selling Mayan Indian slaves to Cuban plantations. (He called himself a pirate, though, because it was considered more “respectable.”) He eventually settled on Isla Mujeres to create his estate called “Vista Alege” which means “Happy View” (and trust me, this place is gorgeous.) The grounds include a unique garden of raised flower beds which served as a sundial. The ruins of “Hacienda Mundaca” are now a park and can be roamed for a small fee.
Mudaca eventually came to fall in love with a woman much younger than he. She was called “La Triguena” – The Brunette. Legend says she was quite beautiful and considered quite a catch. Needless to say, Mundaca was not her only suitor. That did not quell the pirate’s affection. Stone arches in his gardens were inscribed with phrases such as “The Entrance of the Triguena” and “The Pass of the Triguena.”
Mundaca’s expressions of love were in vain. As he was out to seas, La Triguena married a man from the main land of the Yucatan Peninsula. The heart break was too much for Mundaca and he fled to the other side of the Yucatan to Merida where he slowly went insane and died.
Mundaca’s tomb in the cemetery on the North End of Isla Mujeres remains empty to this day. It is embellished with a skull and cross bones and is said to have been carved by Mundaca’s own hand. It is inscribed (in Spanish) with the words “As you are, I was. As I am, you will be”.
And that is the story of the love sick pirate of the Caribbean.
Thinking Out Loud
January 25th, 2010 at 4:31 pm by Ashley Johncola under Face of FOX Toledo
With the start of American Idol and 24 (among other awesome FOX Toledo shows) I am going to start something new too: video blog reviews…aka “Vlog Revs.” I’m going to share my thoughts with you and open the floor for discussion! So stay tuned and be sure to leave your thoughts too!!
January 25th, 2010 at 3:53 pm by