This is the time of the month when I get worried about rent. This morning I got up and went over to WISE Place for their weekly job search meeting. Being there as a non-resident is so different. I guess it’s the experience of being independent and on my own again, that makes me feel so resentful listening to how the women there carry on in meetings. I don’t think I’ll do that again. But nevertheless I did use the fax to send my resume all over, to all of the job agencies that I have on a list that I was given last year. Lots of the numbers were no longer connected. I bet those agencies went out of business I think. I wonder if any of them will even call me.

I was feeling stressed out when I arrived home. So I actually checked my checking account, remembering that I had money in savings. And I transferred it to my checking account. And there was more in there than I even knew of. So now I feel a little better too. I made an egg McMuffin. I love those. And I took a handful of vitamins afterwards.

My little baby Nala wanted out, meowing her sweet little meow. She lays back on her patio that is her domain. I’ve noticed that she’s getting a little tummy. So I call her chubs now. I fed the bunnies, letting Pinkie out to run around. And I tore up clean newspaper and threw it into Priti’s cage. It makes me feel content and calm to care for my babies.

I want to go to the social services office and apply for food stamps. I should, I really should. I just hate being there. I feel poor when I am there. And it’s a huge waste of time when I get turned down for them. But maybe I’ll go on Wednesday just for good measure. I need to use my money for my rent and bills.

I called my friend Linda who still works at my old job. She’s again talking about searching for a new job. She really hates it there at that awful place where the management is so bad.

Last night I watched my favorite show Desperate Housewives. I love that show and it’s satire. I took Priti out of her cage and cuddled her. She’s getting more used to me touching and holding her little body. Her body is so much more hard than Pinkie’s. Pinkie is all soft and cuddly. Priti is a hard body bunny. It’s funny how different they are. While I held Priti I could feel and hear her teeth grinding noise that they make when they’re happy. And then I let her down in the carpet in the living room where she ran around for a bit. And then she actually jumped right up into the couch with me, plopping down in her tummy. I’m amazed every day by the cute things that they do. The couch is Priti’s neutral place where she likes to hang out with me. And when I put her back into her cage, she didn’t get upset. I noticed this morning, that they ate almost all of their food during the night. I now drape a long blue towel over their cages. So they can have privacy and more of a dark place to sleep. And maybe they like that. Nala sleeps on top of the cages. She slept there all night too. She didn’t even come in to wake my up even once.

Oh and I sent sister an email with a CC to Sharon, about that awful Katherine person and her behavior. I want to be away from there for good now. I think that I don’t belong there any more, with all of the crazies that for some reason are attracted to that place. I went back and re-read the email and it didn’t sound as mean as I felt when I wrote it. But I have a feeling that neither sister Louise, nor Sharon will care about all of that. They just won’t like that it’s going on at all.

I talked to Nancy Jo, Bernie’s live in house person. They live up in Idlewylde Wilderness. I heard from her that she’d heard that the State is talking about extending unemployment until the end of 2010. That would be fine with me. WE talked about other issues too, namely the aforementioned thing.

It’s warm out today. Again I am surprised by the warm weather. It’s like there’s no winter. Not that I am complaining, but I’d like to see a little rain here.
Proverbs 28; 25: He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife; but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat.

Last night I dreamed a few dreams. The last dream I recall was that I was in another State, walking along a deserted street, and saw a kind of low priced clothes store. The place was in some State like Arizona or where ever there aren’t very many people living. I think they were Indians. There was a sign on the window saying $8 for really really nice dresses, that looked like they were either rayon or cotton. They were the kind of dresses that I like. There were the long flowery feminine looking styles. The particular one I saw in the window had light blue and cream colored flowered print on it. And a tie to tie it in back. So I went inside and inquired about the dresses. The store was almost empty. And the owner and clerk inside said, in broken English, that yes they did have those in stock, but that we’d have to climb down into the basement and take those dresses out. They hadn’t placed them out yet because they were so low on staff. So I and another woman climbed down an almost straight angled ladder, down into the warehouse. Where there were lots and lots of boxes full of new clothes not yet placed on the floor. So as I was down there and pulling boxes up and handing them to the person upstairs, someone ran out and crossed off the $8 and wrote $40. By the time I found the dresses that looked like the one in the window, they’d decided that I’d have to pay more for anything there.

I don’t remember how it ended or if I even bought anything. But then I remember walking in another large area where there were other low-priced stores, looking for clothes like those.

I think that the reason that there were Indians in this dream is that lately there have been a lot of programs on the PBS channel about Indians and their plight. It seems the channel’s owned by Indians. I’ve seen several shows about it now. And I don’t think it has anything to do with Thanksgiving either.

Yesterday I got a good workout at the gym. I feel a little stiff today. But I seriously have to begin that regime again, of going to the gym.

The only other thing that I did yesterday was cuddle with my bunnies and watch another flick. It was “The Reader”. I read that novel years ago. It was a good movie, but the ending was sad. I had Pinkie with me on the bed. But she was hungry I figured out, because she kept nipping me. That’s what she does when she’s hungry I realized. As soon as I put her into her cage she went for the alfalfa and began gobbling it. Poor little bunny was hungry.

Right now Priti’s hopping around the living room loose. She plops down on her tummy to rest. It’s the cutest things I’ve seen ever. I call her “little plopper”, because of her plopping over, and her plopping little round poops on the floor all of the time. I totally love that bunny. Right this minute Priti is laying on her tummy with her legs out, looking right at me. As if she’s taking a rest from her morning escapades of running around the living room. They both have their own little personalities. And then Nala likes to chase Priti. But the other bunny Pinkie prefers to chase Nala. She follow Nala around the place, hopping right behind her. Sometimes Nala turns around and takes a swipe at her, but she doesn’t run away. She just stands there and then steps forward another inch. Nala isn’t used to being bothered by a persistent bunny. Pinkie doesn’t have a fear of cats.

I made coffee and have no cream or soy milk. I can’t stand it when I run out of soy milk and other food. I want to go to the social services office and get some food stamps. But they turned me down months ago. Seriously, what the hell?

I’m going to go over and have another huge Thanksgiving dinner with Bernie at Bethany. Even though I can’t stand some of the women who are also there, I don’t need to talk to them. I’ll just bring some chips and dip and try to hold my tongue. I am sure that I’ll have something to write about tomorrow, about tonight. Oh and I told Bernie about the possible interview at the women’s shelter. She said it’s got lots of children in it, and that I have to put up with kids crying. I won’t be liking that at all. But so far the woman hasn’t sent me the email she said she’d send me, so maybe they won’t.

Today or tomorrow I really want to buy some new fabric for a new pattern I bought. And I so want to do some sewing. For some reason, I loose interest in the garments that I start, sometime after I’ve started putting them together. It’s like I get to the point where I am almost done, and then I find another pattern that I like better.

Well that’s all for now. Just me in my little apartment with my bunnies, kitty and t.v. and of course my computer.

I actually cleaned today. I cleaned some of my apartment. I cleaned the bathroom and did some vacuuming too. For some reason, I always feel as if I accomplished something whenever I clean. It makes me feel good, weird.

I made a trip to Big Lots too. After my brother called and talked with me this morning. I got a new antenna for my t.v. and found some Chantilly perfume and lotion and just had to have that for myself. I saw a few toys I’d love to have too. But I had to put them back.

I put in one of my DVD’s, “There Will Be Blood”. It’s got Daniel Day Lewis as the main actor. So I brought Pinkie into the bedroom with me and put the big blue comfy blanket on the bed. She spent the movie with me, cuddling. She’s such a cuddler that bunny. She even made little squeeky noises before she fell asleep, all cute. I’ve never heard a bunny do that. I petted her a lot, and every time I’d stop petting her for even a second, she’d look at me as if to say “hey”. And I’d have to keep my hand on her. She grinds her teeth when she’s content. It was funny when Nala came into the bedroom to see what we were doing. She stood in the doorway and mewed a little. Pinkie sat up and looked at her. And the went back to cuddling. And Nala seemed okay with it all, laying down in the doorway until the movie was over.

My mother just called me too. She made a big meal over at her place. My brother and his kids and family went over there and had a dinner. I miss that about my mother, her great cooking.

It was hot today, the weather that is. I even put on my air conditioner for a little while. And I just realized that I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten but a salad and some coffee cake today. But I haven’t got much food.

I’m thinking about going to Bethany this Saturday for dinner. Since Sharon told me that Bernie is having a Thanksgiving dinner there on Saturday. I’ll make something or bring some chips. Ah, now I am craving chips.

Last night I was watching California’s Gold with Huell Howser on the PBS channel. I can’t stand his Arkansas hick accent. It was like watching more of the “good-ole-boys club”. He was at the Hearst Castle, taking a tour. It’s an 80,000 acre ranch. Okay, I just want to say that yes, it’s very impressive. But hey look, there were buildings and houses and living quarters that didn’t even have anyone living in them. And guess what I began to think? It went something like this……Why don’t those rich people give some of that space to homeless people? I bet they could even use it as a tax write-off. Maybe I should write the Hearst family a scathing letter about it. These days, it’s not even normal (to me) to be so ostentatiously wealthy, and not give to charities. Who knows, maybe they do give to homeless organizations. But they don’t allow any people to live in those buildings do they?

I’m up kinda early, doing a load of laundry.

Later today I’m going over to the WISE Place. I think I want to use their computers to send some resumes out. And I just like being there. And of course go into the closet where they have lots of clothes for free to look in. Last night I went over to the graduation at their home. There were 4 women, who I didn’t really know, graduating that program. Again, I am surprised by all of the “12 steppers”, addicts. There weren’t any women there who were living at WISE Place when I was there. Nobody of the “old crowd”. Not that I’m old, it’s just been a while since I’ve moved from there. And I still like going back and seeing the staff. It’s nice, makes me feel good, and gives me hope like nothing else, that there are caring and supportive women in my life. It’s something I’ve never had before, ever.

Nala slept in my bedroom with me again last night. I’m wondering if she is fed up with the bunnies and how much attention I give them. The attention that she used to get. I try to hug her as much as I can. I was thinking now, that maybe I shouldn’t have bought that second bunny. But it’s too late, I love her now. And soon she’ll have her own cage to live in. Last night she was having fun running all around the living room. I gave them both lots of carrots, lettuce and apples. Goldie ate everything and then some. She’s sleeping under the couch now. The last thing I remember as I was falling asleep last night was seeing her laying on her side in back of the couch, and then hearing her scratching at my bedroom door. I got up for a second and then she ran back into the living room. So cute.

I took my little bunny Priti to the vet for her re-check. She’ such a cutie. The vet technician was a nice woman about my age. She weighed Priti. She weighs 3 pounds. She said that she’s beautiful and she’d never seen a bunny this color. And that she’s an “alpha” female. I asked how could she tell this. She says it’s because of her attitude. She showed me where I’m supposed to clean her around her little butt. I didn’t know this. And she also said to buy hay for her to eat. I told her Priti’s story of how she followed my cat home. She said I’ve done really well with her. She’s doing well she said. So I’m happy that she’s such a healthy bunny. I asked her what breed she is, she’s a dwarf.

I slept in today. Even though Nala woke me at about 4:30, meowing from the living room to get up. Seriously, this cat of mine does not like being the only one awake at night. So she wakes me up. I was sound asleep, in the middle of a dream/nightmare about my old job. And then…..meow!, meow! meeeeoooow!. I tried going back to sleep by taking 2 Ibuprofins and getting back into bed after giving her some crunchies. But she woke me again hours later to go out. And then I went back to sleep until around 9 a.m. And then after I finished my bubble bath this early afternoon, I gave Nala her flea bath. She was really good. She’s used to getting bubble baths, I think she actually likes them. Right now she’s licking herself dry.

I managed to get much work done today, so far. I did most of the invoices for Keith, and then he sent me more. So I think that’ll be some extra cash for me, to offset the vet bill for Priti.

Oh I gave Priti her pink antibiotics today. She of course tried to get away from me. But I did get her to take some. I hope it helps her, she’s so precious to me. I hate to think of her being sick or uncomfortable. Last night the other bunny Goldie came out, she’s been sleeping all day under the couch. She loves to play at night. I’m waiting for the pet sitter lady to call me about the cage. She needs to be in a cage.

And right now I’m baking my new recipe from Trader Joes. It’s Vodka sauce, with crushed olives and goat cheese, spread on a garlic Indian Naan bread. It’s so good, as good as an expensive pizza.

School was fun last night. It seemed that quite a lot of students have either not shown up for the class, or just dropped out. There are only a few of us left in the class. So we all did our brochure projects last night. We had to get two other students to critique our work. 6 of us finished earlier, but I had to wait around for the other students to finish their’s so I could get another critique. There are a couple of other women who I think are my age. And they have kids and all of that. And they’re in the class, have been through all of the lower level or prerequisite design classes, but still seem slow and unexperienced. I know this sounds critical, but they’re fat too. They look like they’re all worn out. As if raising kids has taken everything out of them, and they can barely keep up in class. Maybe they spend their younger years being moms and nothing much else. And now they’re single moms. I guess now I feel lucky that I didn’t have to do that. I got out of the whole motherhood thing, and I am so glad too. I’d now rather be a mommy to my precious pets.

I think that having children is optional. A woman does hot have to produce babies in order to be a woman. Having a female anatomy does not just automatically mean that we must have babies.It should be a choice.

Oprah is on right now. She had a woman on the show who’d been attacked my a monkey. She has her face all eaten off and most of her hands. This is just awful.

I was up super early today. I’d planned on going to work for the few hours. But after I thought about my bunny Priti, I thought that I’d better take her in for a doctor’s appointment. I called around to a few places but only got recorders. So I looked in the Yellow Pages and found an ad for a pet sitter. I called the number and a woman who owned the business gave me a referral to a rabbit or small animal veterinarian nearby. So I had an appointment at 1 today.

I put her into the carrying case and drove over to this close-by office. Little Priti was not wanting to come out of the carrier. And the doctor didn’t do a very good job of taking her out of it. He tried to tip it over on it’s side. I was not okay with that. So I told him to let me do it. And I pulled her out with my hands. She didn’t try to bite me. He looked her over and said she’s a “fat bunny” and she looks really good. Her teeth have an overbite too. He gave me some pink antibiotic liquid and vitamin C tablets to crush into her water. That’ll be hard to do, since so won’t drink out of the bottles any more. I was relieved that it only costed $57. And I got a discount. As I was checking out in front, the doctor came out and talked about the tablets. I got to ask him how old he thought that she was. He thinks she’s about 2 or 3. I am so surprised. I thought that she was a baby still.

At least I’m taking care of my animals I think. This morning and yesterday I fed her some herb lettuce. She loves it. I’m surprised by how fast she gobbles it up. I’ve already given her 3 or 4 big handfuls. She liked it better than apples or carrots.

Early thing morning, Nala climbed right up on top of me while I was laying in the couch, and she made herself comfortable sleeping on top of me. The other bunny, Goldie is under the couch. She was looking happy and healthy today the last time I saw her. I think I’ll ask around for another cage for her.

So I’m really tired today too. After walking all that way to the downtown courthouse, I was exhausted today. I just think I’ll rest as much as possible until school tonight. So I watched the DVD called “The Duchess.” It was a real good movies. Some parts were tear jerking. Like when the Duchess had to give her son away to the father’s family, because of her affair. Back then women didn’t have many rights. They had to do what their husbands said. And they were lucky if they had a wealthy husband. The Duke in the movie, who was her husband, just wanted an heir, a son. So she gave him a son. But he’d already started an affair with her best friend.

I really love the beautiful costumes and the huge estates that they lived in back then. It was such a pretty place to see in the movies. But I also think it would be very uncomfortable to wear those clothes all of the time, especially for women. And the hairdos, way over the top.

It’s warm out today too. The weather is just right.

I have school tonight too. I hope that I can get a little rest before I go. I think I’ll just do the project and go home.

Uneventful day, but there’s always lots to write about. My cats for instance:) Obsessions and music, too.

Ninjai just came around the corner carrying in her mouth a toy mouse by the tail (carrying by the tail a toy mouse in her mouth? Kitten – mouth – toy mouse – hanging by the tail). She looks like such a hunter, and she is rather convincing as one while playing with this particular mouse, a favourite toy of hers. But that’s in the flat; once outside she is the prissiest of kittens, and I don’t think she’ll ever bring me anything living, like a bird. Not even a worm or fly. Not my Ninjai. She once caught a leaf outside though, I witnessed her attacking it as it lay defenseless on the ground, and she was conflicted when she saw me trying to herd her and Nala inside. Stay and finish offing the leaf or go inside with my human? She dropped the leaf, ran to me, then ran back to the leaf and frantically tried to pick it up again, then came running again to go inside. Playfully frantic and over excited was she. So cute!

And while I’ve been listening to music and watching some shows off the internet, Nala has been circling my very nice speakers, trying to figure out what’s going on inside there. She does that whenever the speakers are on, and I am amased at how good her hearing is, or rather I am amased that she can distinguish between sounds from the telly, from me, from the road outside, and the ones coming from the speakers. She will push the wee speakers around sometimes in an attempt to unlock the mystery. Tonight she left them alone though. I am not sure how much more falling on the floor they can handle.

I’m in the middle of listening to uncountable versions of Beyoncé’s Halo on YouTube. I get obsessed about things, especially music, and I like it that way:) Only when my mental health is off kilter do I view this obsessive repetition of songs or behaviour as negative. I don’t sit and rock back & forth for hours, though, thankfully, in case you wondered! It’s more like if I am ‘mid-mania’ or somewhat depressed I spend a lot of money on excessive amounts of things like shoes, bedding, make-up, books, whatever I feel I need. I try to buy things in bulk, huge quantities which will last me a lifetime:) Gotta get all colours, shades, types, etc. You never know what tomorrow brings, you never know when you’re gonna need these items, and you never know when you’ll have the money next to buy them.

On the positive side, I credit my tendency to obsess with my quick acquisition of the English language when I was little, as I read and listened to English every opportunity, and this obsessive interest in music also seared onto my brain an endless amount of tunes and lyrics, and that’s only good.

One of my nephews is like me, the obsessive type; his mum and I see a lot of me in him. I try to look at is as a positive thing, like above, since I’ve never suffered much from playing the same song over and over again countless times. Only my purse suffers when the repetitiveness manifests itself in extended shopping sprees. My nephew hasn’t suffered from a music overdose either, and he is ridiculously good with money for a 15 yr old, so it’s all good.

When it comes to listening to a particular song on repeat for, ehm, a loooong time it is simply a way of purging feelings, of learning new things (new English words, song lyrics, vocal techniques etc), and just really getting what it is I am interested in under my skin.

Feels good at any rate. Unless it’s a manic phase, like I said.

Generally, for me, this obsession has to do with music, and today it’s that Halo song. I know, it’s juvenile, and it’s mass-market pop. What can I say?

Scores of amateur singers have uploaded their versions on to YouTube; many are not too bad, either. I like the irregularities and complexities of this song, and I recognise which parts are tough for me to sing – basically all of Beyoncé’s rapid sliding is beyond my capabilities – so now I am seriously thinking that I should take those singing lessons I’ve always wanted. I love singing, and I’ve enjoyed being in various choirs over the years, but I confess that I don’t like rehearsals as much as I do just belting it out, so perhaps I am more of a social / party / karaoke singer. I am eager to learn techniques, so perhaps I will look into that and not just think about it!

I think the world is lucky that YouTube wasn’t around when I was a teenager. I got a record player when I was 14 and I spent years in my room listening to 10,000 Maniacs, Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, Michelle, Wham!, and yes Roger Whitaker; I wasn’t just listening though, I sang along as well and tried as I could to mimic the voices and all of the singers’ intonations etc. I sometimes recorded myself singing, and I would certainly rather likely have posted vids of myself singing on YouTube had it existed at the time:) My older sister and her friends once got a hold of a tape with me on it and they were gonna send it to this talk show, and get me on it as one of their amateur performers. Thankfully they didn’t! The show was crap, the host is this big Icelandic celeb who’s had a very sad and rough life and is very nice, but I didn’t particularly like him, though when after decades of boozing he was forced to move to Thailand where he died pool side and was brought back to life, I started liking him:)

I don’t get what this Halo song is about, I keep thinking someone is dead, but it don’t much matter to me. I just like the melody. So did these folks below; there are sooooooooooooo many truly gifted singers who’ve posted their own versions, so much talent in the world:)

But here are the ones I’ve listened to and who stand out:

Sam Tsui (i like him v much)

Lisa Lavie (don’t watch her too closely, just listen … okay, watch and you’ll see why i said not to watch)

Usually when 3 day weekends come along, I get some sewing done here at home. This is a 3 day weekend. Really it’s a 4 day weekend for me. Because I didn’t work yesterday. Let’s see if I get to my sewing projects.

I just let Priti out of her cage. She’s sitting right next to me. And I can’t get Nala to stop chasing her around the place. So I put her into the bedroom for a time out. That works for a few minutes, but then her kitty instincts take over again. I know that she won’t hurt the bunny, but it makes me feel bad for the bunny. sometimes the bunny hops right up to her, within 2 feet and they just look at each other. And nothing happens. Nala woke me up before the sun came up, to go out. I’m sure she goes and pees outside. She always comes back inside with her white mittens all dirty. Priti is trying to burrow under the couch, like always. I read that female bunnies like to burrow under things.

I’m up now early, having tea and oatmeal. It’s a Saturday. I don’t even feel like going anywhere today. The nearby Catholic church is having a crafts sale today and tomorrow. I feel like going, but I really don’t have the money to be spending there.

Judy called me yesterday to tell me that she’s crocheting a scarf for me. I have lots of knitted scarfs, but I’m looking forward to getting this one. Since it’s been made by my friend by hand. What else? Oh I did a load of laundry yesterday. There was a woman in the laundry room with a seeing eye dog. It’s the lab that goes outside sometimes. The dog that Nala gets so upset about. She was using all 3 washers. She asked me how many minutes were left on one of the washers. “It says zero”, I told her. It seems to me, that people who are disablef with blindness, are much more together than some people I know who aren’t. And I need to do another load of laundry this weekend too.

I called my brother yesterday. He said he’s been having a stressful 3 days. And he compared it to having a period.

There’s been a shooting at one of the military bases. What I wonder is….if these people can’t handle being in the military, they shouldn’t make a career out of it.

Yep, that’s what the news is sayin’, the nation’s unemployment rate is over ten percent. Obama is on the t.v. now, talking about it. I’m doing what I need to do while not working full-time. I’m in school working on bettering my skills. As the lab aide woman at school said, “your honing your skills instead of sitting home.” Yeah, school is always a best bet for me. But the idea that I may not even be able to find a job as a graphic designer when I’m done with my schooling isn’t very appealing. And while I was at my little part-time job yesterday, listening to the news in the car radio, the news said that Obama signed another bill extending the unemployment another 24 weeks. That’s good I think. Because without that, I’d be in some trouble financially.

On a happier note, my little furry animals make me so happy. Last night after I arrived home from school, Nala got into the bunny’s cage and laid down. She just walked right into it and laid down next to the bunny. Priti didn’t know what to do. She just sat there right next to Nala, close to her. The cage isn’t a large cage, it’s a ferret cage. Nala just wanted to get into it for some reason. It was so cute. Priti tried to move around her a few times, but Nala stayed where she was. I was watching to see what they’d do. I saw Nala turn her face and sniff Priti as she was sitting right next to her face. She was touching her fur with her nose.

And then this morning I was climbing out of bed and little Nala came hopping right into the door of the bedroom from outside. I guess she was sitting on the patio, waiting for me to get up. She’s so happy to see me in the morning. And last night she got into the bed with me and she was laying next to me and she meowed loud while she purred. I guess the weather makes her more cuddly now. Right now she’s laying on top of the little plastic drawers that I have next to the table.

I look forward to my weekends now for some reason, more than before. Last night was a good night in class. I pretty much finished my project. The teacher is Gary Graves. He’s pretty helpful with everything. This class is 5 hours, 2 night a week. We’re in class until 10 p.m. 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. I love those iMac computers. They’re fast and really easy to use. I know this isn’t possible, but I wish that I could just go to school every day and not have to worry about paying bills and everything. Because school is so fun and relaxing to me. It feels like I’m getting to the point that I’m pretty knowledgeable and experienced with the software programs and my skills are getting good. And it feels good. I have only 2 more design courses and then an algebra class and I’ll have my AA.

Well I’m tired today too. It’s because my Thursdays and Tuesdays are long days. Amber left me a message that she wants me to go there to her place in Monday instead of today. What a relief too. I can just stay home and work and do laundry today.

NON-PROFIT ‘THE WORLD IS JUST A BOOK AWAY’ APPOINTS LEADING BUSINESSMAN EMILIO DIEZ BARROSO AS NEW CHAIR

TWIJABA WILL END INAUGURAL YEAR PROVIDING OVER 10,000 CHILDREN WITH BOOKS AND LIBRARIES

Los Angeles, CA, USA (November 2009) – Non-profit organization The World Is Just A Book Away (TWIJABA)—which supplies books, and builds libraries and schools for children in developing countries—is honored to announce Emilio Diez Barroso as its new Chairman.  Overseeing an impressive Board gathered over the organization’s successful inaugural year and a half by Founder James J. Owens, Diez Barroso’s impressive resume, business acumen and contacts make him a premiere choice to lead the next phase. Chairman and Founder of NALA Investments, LLC, Diez Barroso is recognized as one of the most powerful Latinos by Poder Magazine (2009) and The Hollywood Reporter (2007).

“It is an honor and pleasure to be involved with The World is Just a Book Away,” says Diez Barroso, who is also an avid reader. “I believe in the vision of its founder, James Owens, and what the organization stands for. This is an opportunity to leverage my resources and collaborate with a great group of people with the intention of bringing value through books to the lives of children.”

Diez Barroso’s company is a private investment holding company with operations across various industries including communications, transportation, energy, consumer products, real estate, IT infrastructure, media and entertainment. He has held senior level positions and sat on the board of most NALA owned businesses including most recently NALA Films, a production company that produces and finances feature films, television content, and new media.  Diez Barroso was raised in a highly successful business world:  his family created the two largest Spanish-language media companies in the world, Televisa (NYSE:TV) and Univision (NYSE:UVN),

He has been recognized with multiple awards in Latin America and currently sits on the board of directors of Summit Entertainment, a worldwide theatrical motion picture production and distribution studio; of MLA Partner Schools, a non-profit organization working to improve schools and empower neighborhoods in some of the most disenfranchised communities in Los Angeles; and Affinity Mobile, LLC, a telecommunications solutions provider, to name a few.

The continued mission of The World Is Just A Book Away (www.JustABookAway.com) is to bring hope—in the form of books, libraries, and schools—to thousands of children in developing countries. The program was launched in Sidoarjo, Indonesia, site of the mudflow disaster that displaced more than 60,000 people and destroyed many schools.  By the end of 2009, TWIJABA’s first year: 10,000-plus children will have access to books, 20,000-plus books will be provided, 22 school libraries will be built, and one Mobile library will serve an additional 28 schools.

Diez Barroso, who reads two to four books each month and calls The Alchemist “one of the most impactful books for me”, is looking forward to picking up on Owens’ momentum and accomplishments. “I want to have a positive impact in everything we do, from our internal meetings to our outreach to the communities we touch. I want to help grow the organization into a self-sustained entity with a qualified team executing on every front and secure stable funding sources that allow us to implement long term strategies.”

TWIJABA has attracted a strong and varied list of supporters across business, entertainment and academia. Advisory Board members include Jenny Ming, former President of Old Navy and one of Fortune magazine’s “50 Most Powerful Women in American Business”; Jim Ellis, Dean of the USC Marshall School of Business; and Tim Monich, highly-respected dialect coach of Hollywood.  Prominent non-Board supporters include Queen Noor Al-Hussein, Desmond Tutu, Jane Goodall, Lois and Buzz Aldrin, Shirin Ebadi (2003 Nobel Peace Prize), Yo-Yo Ma, Muhammad Yunus, and the late Natasha Richardson.

The non-profit also enjoys the enthusiastic support of students and young professionals, dispelling the idea that being on a Board is restricted to the over 40 age group.  TWIJABA’s Board has members in their 30s, and Owens created the “Ambassadors” program as a stepping stone for the younger participants.

With Diez Barroso taking on the day-to-day Chairmanship, Owens is able to focus on the overriding mission of TWIJABA and attend significant events where he is invited to participate, and spread the word about his organization. The first weekend in November, he will attend “Festival of Thinkers” in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which brings thinkers together from across the world to share ideas, foster thinking, and inspire college-age men and women in the region.  In March, he attended Education Without Borders 2009 Conference in Dubai, UAE, as a Distinguished Guest and Mentor. Owens, who is assistant professor of clinical management communication at the USC Marshall School of Business Center for Management Communication, is also focused on the completion of his book featuring submissions from more than 70 of the world’s most prominent people about their love of reading and books that inspired them.  He plans to donate all the profits from the future book sales to non-profits, including TWIJABA.

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Every time I play with my baby bunny I notice how much she acts like a little tiny dog. It’s the way she growls and jumps forward with her front paws, acting like a little dog. She climbs up on top of the back of the couch and then jumps off, running down the arm of the couch and jumps at me, growling and puts her ears back and her tail sticks straight out. It’s so cute. I am sure that she thinks she looks mean, but she doesn’t. It’s cute cute cute. I laugh at her and she just runs back and forth and does it again. After a while of that play attacking, she climbs up onto the back of the couch again and lays down on her tummy, stretching her little hind legs out behind her and breathing fast. If I stop playing with her she jumps off the couch and runs around the living room, ending up under the couch. Yesterday she ate a chopped up apple that I put under the couch for her.

Whenever I tell people of how she growls they act so surprised. I am too. This morning I got out of bed before the sun came up like I usually do when Nala meows to get me up. As I was laying on the couch with the blanket over me, Priti my bunny jumped up on top of me. She just hopped right up from the floor. She weighed minus a few pounds. She was so light, I could barely feel her little body on top of me. She just stood there and looked around, and then jumped back onto the floor, so cute.

Last night I took Advil PM and tried to go to bed too early. I couldn’t sleep even though I felt sick with an awful headache. So I got out of bed and watched a good PBS program. And then I went to sleep after that.

I got sick again yesterday. This virus that I have (if that’s what it is), really sucks. Because it has been coming back for 3 weeks. IT goes away and I begin to feel good again. And then I am down for the count for 2 days. It’s very weird. So again I went to work sick today and worked the whole day. I came home and made an appointment with the health office at school, this Thursday at 4 p.m. I wonder what it is.

Amber called me to go and help her type another paper this Friday. That’s an easy $50 I think. And it’s a nice area to be in. She’s the woman who lives in the Surfside Colony in Seal Beach that I love so much. Maybe this time I’ll go and sit on the beach. I was going to make a flyer for roommate searching there. There is an actual bulletin board for that community. And there is a post office too.

I canceled with Mike today. He wanted to come over, but I called him and said another day maybe. I really don’t want to be around people when I’m sick.

“The only escape from the miseries of life are music and cats…”

— Albert Schweitzer

Please help Midnight and Nala!

Our mom is joining the Peace Corps and can’t take us with her (boo, hiss, Peace Corps! >^..^<).  So, we need a new home.

Please check out our page:

Help Midnight and Nala Find a New Home!

http://stacyforsythe.com/help-midnight-and-nala-find-a-new-home/

Our mom’s email address is on our webpage (we’ve hit the big time now!).  However, here it is again:

knjoneslaw@hotmail.com

Thank you so much for your love and consideration!

Purrs, head butts, and love!

xoxo,

Midnight & Nala

It’s cute when I open my bedroom door in the morning to find two wee kittens sitting there and waiting patiently for their caregiver to wake up. They look up into my eyes and then proceed to greet me lovingly by meowing, and one tends to bite my toes affectionately. If it’s only Nala sitting there she will generally meow and try to open the door by scratching at it to get me out of bed. It’s just so cute that when they wake up they go to the door which leads them to me, sit down and wait for me!

It’s adorable how the kittens seem to want to help me when I am busy doing stuff, other than cooking. They of course think I am playing with them when I am emptying their litter box or dusting, but their little paws trying to reach the scooper and cloth or whatever I am using are just too adorable. They don’t consider vacuuming a game; they scamper when I turn it on, and today Nala escaped outside.

It’s funny and sweet, and clever!, that Nala found a way to sneak out (I still haven’t figure out how she did it) like she did today and when after quite some time I finally realised she was gone and went out go get her, she saw me from where she was sitting up a tree, and heard me calling, and came straight to me. Purring. Good girl. Then struggling when I  picked her up, bc she knew she was being grounded.

It’s adorable that Ninjai and Nala forgo their store-bought toys to play with crumpled up receipts or candy wrappers almost exclusively.

It’s so sweet how Ninjai wants to lick my legs dry after my shower, and how she thinks anytime is a good time to climb up my legs and back to sit on my shoulders, no matter what I am doing. Sometimes I catch her getting ready, and it’s also too sweet – she sits there twitching, her back legs and behind moving from side to side ever so slightly as she gets ready to jump and then climb up.

It’s sweet how the two kittens want to nap with me if I nap, sleep with me at night, sit with me when I am knitting or watching telly, wait in the bathroom when I am showering. I know I feed them and part, yes only part!, of their affection is food related, but it’s all the same. I know they love me, and I love them:)

I am not sure if it’s sweet or cute or pathetic to be amased at the trust and love some little furry creatures show me, but I don’t need to analyse this. It feels nice, that’s all that matters.

Awwwwwwwww

Please help us!

Our mom is joining the Peace Corps and can’t take us with her (mean Peace Corps! >^..^<).  So, we need a new home.

Please check out our page:

Help Midnight and Nala Find a New Home!

http://stacyforsythe.com/help-midnight-and-nala-find-a-new-home/

Our mom’s email address is on our webpage (we’ve hit the big time now!).  However, here it is again:

knjoneslaw@hotmail.com

Thank you so much for your love and consideration!

Purrs, head butts, and love!

xoxo,

Midnight & Nala

Yes, it’s the first Sunday of the month. It’s not that this is a special day or anything. I just noticed that it’s that day, the first of the month. And that means that I pay my rent in 2 days. And guess what? I have the money!

I’m looking at my hands and noticing what my brother noticed when he came here yesterday, that my hands look like my mother’s hands. He said “let me see your hands.” I showed him and he said, “your hands look exactly like mom’s hands.” And they do, I’ve noticed that too.

Yesterday he brought me coffee from Starbucks. I swear I was still feeling the effects of that caffeine last night as I was trying to fall asleep. I’m not used to drinking coffee any more now. I’m back to my tea this morning. As I was falling asleep I was thinking about some things that my brother asked me yesterday at dinner. He said he thought that I told him that I am “bipolar.” I didn’t, I know that I’d never say that about myself, especially to anyone in this family. And he also said that he thought that I told him that I was “on State aid.” I’m not, but I’d like to get my housing, I said. He looked perplexed. And that’s what was on my mind as I fell asleep last night. What or who the hell told him those things about me? It’s crazy stuff like that, which goes around about me in this mean family that hurts me. And they all wonder why I don’t want anything to do with them.

Nevertheless, I just called him and thanked him for the nice day yesterday. He said Carl called him last night and asked him to come back and visit with him again. But Orange county is far from The Valley. I imagine that on a Sunday it wouldn’t take all that long to get there, maybe and hour or so. But my brother said no. Jay said that he slept on a couch with a guy friend last night. And that the friend told him this morning that he is “the fartingest snoringest person he’s ever known.” I was wondering how they both fit on a couch. He assured me that it was an L-shaped couch.

Nala woke me up last night, like a giant meowing tigger cat. She was up way before the sun came up. She’s so funny. She tries to make it light out. I was laying on my couch and she stood on the back of the couch and put her paws up onto the tall lamp and pawed at the switch, just like that. This cat is smart. The sun hadn’t come up yet. She likes it to be light out when she wants me up. I just laid there to see what she’d do. So she knocked a small stuffed kitty off the back of the couch and onto me as I lay there. And then she jumped on top on it, while it was on top of me, and began beating it up and scratching and kicking it with her hind legs. I still didn’t get up. Then she jumps back and forth from the chair to the couch, onto me, off me and she’s meowing the whole time she’s doing all of this. Sometimes she walks right onto me and lays down right on my chest. And she falls fast asleep. And then she’ll roll over onto her back and out her little paws up into the air. It’s comical, almost human. She’s usually purring while she’s doing this. And she likes me to rub her belly while she’s laying there.

Okay, I’d better get going today. I have Mike coming over to hook up my t.v. converter box. I so hope that it works. I haven’t had a t.v. in over a month. I refuse to pay for cable ever again.

I just harvested all my crops in Farm Town and Farmville on Facebook. And I am looking on my crops in Lil Farm Life, and some are not there. Strange. Oh well, I can to and check out my crops in FarmPals.