She had all four of her wisdom teeth pulled on Monday and will be getting braces in mid-December.  She was pretty miserable Monday afternoon and evening, and pretty out of it from the anesthesia… and frustrated because she was thirsty and couldn’t open her mouth very far, let alone swallow. But she managed to get a few sips of milk, and take her pain pills, and antibiotic. We made sure she took a pain pill every four hours and even woke her up in the middle of the night. They pretty much knocked her out… and made her dizzy and she needed help walking. The fact that she barely had anything to eat in more than 24 hours (except for a few bites of apple sauce) didn’t help matters either and left her feeling weak.
But, as Tuesday wore on, she started feeling a little better, even ate some soup and a slice of cheese. She was still in some pain, but Advil took care of that, and by evening she was back on the computer, IM’ing her friend Lexi. Her face is still pretty swollen and I’m sure she’s happy that there’s no school this week. The bright side about a swollen face is that mom isn’t mean enough to take pictures for the Christmas card!

Sara was very concerned about Melissa when she came home late Monday afternoon, and drew this picture. She would love nothing more than snuggle with sissy and make her feel better, but of course that only annoys Melissa. Although I’m sure that Melissa knows how much Sara loves her… she just doesn’t want to admit it.

(Art work by Sara)

Ach ja, der November. Immer eine merkwürdige Zeit. Es ist doch irgendwie die Phase zwischen Leben und Tod. Der November ist überhaupt nicht mein Monat. Ich mag es nicht, dass es manchmal kalt ist und leider manchmal warm wie im Frühling. Das ist ja mittlerweile anscheinend der Klimaerwärmung geschuldet. Aber der November hat doch noch mehr. Da sind die Blätter, die absterben und auf den Straßen ziemlich viel Unordnung hinterlassen. Erst werden sie welk und dann sausen sie, getrieben von den ersten Herbststürmen durch die Gegend, bis sie fast sanft auf den Boden, der meistens nass ist, segeln. Es ist zwar am Anfang nett anzuschauen, wie die Färbung sich fast stündlich ändert. Aber das verwelke Braun ist immer ein bisschen Tod, der vom Himmel fällt. Die Äste, den dann übrig bleiben, symbolisieren für mich immer sehr stark die Natürlichkeit des Todes. Es muss etwas vernichtet bzw. abgeworfen werden damit etwas Neues entstehen kann. Jemand aus meiner Familie pflegte immer zu sagen, dass der November der Totenmonat ist. Irgendwie ist da schon was dran. Schließlich gibt es die krichenlichen Feiertag wie Allerseelen oder die weltlichen wie Volkstrauertag. Ja, in der Tat, der November hat schon was vom Ende der Welt kündendes. Die Nebelschleier. Oder der dröge Nieselregen. Alles Dinge, die schon mal ein wenig trübsal aufgekommen lassen. Da ist es doch angenehm, wenn man in solchen Zeiten dagegen arbeitet. Zum Beispiel, in dem man sich gute Freunde einlädt, um etwas zu kochen oder Gesellschaftsspieler mal wieder herausholt. Das wirklich schöne am November finde ich jedoch, dass es endlich die Zeit ist, in der man Kerzen anzünden kann und es sich mit einem guten Buch oder Hörbuch richtig gemütlichen macht zu Hause in den eigenen Vier Wänden.

Today is our town’s fiesta so i was very very happy because my relatives will come in our house. I’m so excited that i woke up at around 7:OO am, mom prepared lots of food for them but as time passed no one went in then my phone rung it was my aunt saying that they cannot come, my mom was so frustated that she said, we’ll never visit them i totally understand her because what she felt that time would be my feeling if my friends will not come to my birthday.

About 1:00 pm i got bored in my house so i decided to go out and take a look at those vendors who sell dress, phones, girly stuffs, it was like a little mall without aircon, it was really really hot, the smell of the people was combined up to the best perfume to your own odor, i was just okay Ariana cover your nose. While walking those guys are starting to look at me, trying to “flirt” with me i guess, hey i don’t speak guy language right? I tried to ignore them and kept on walking, i just hate those people staring at me because i hate to be on the spot light, you know what i mean right? I’m not the person who loves to be in the spot light, coz I’m a very shy person.

Back to the food stuffs, YEAY! My mom was so happy because my schoolbus mates will go here since no one visited us : ) i just made my mom happy. I did great today

Listening to: Boys Like Girls – She’s got Boyfriend now

Miss Nine-Channel Nine – November 2009

Mirror

Mirror


Mirror

Än blommar det, även om det börjar bli tufft för eftersläntrarna i diken och på tun.

Amidst of  all the fuss over USA involvement in Pakistani affairs and the presence of their security agencies in Pakistan we see denials from Pakistani officials for any such presence and interference but still people are not satisfied with government lies.

Below is an article written by Jeremy Scahill of The Nation on the issue of Blackwater presence in Pakistan.

————————————————————————————————————————
Blackwater’s Secret War in Pakistan
By Jeremy Scahill

At a covert forward operating base run by the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, members of an elite division of Blackwater are at the center of a secret program in which they plan targeted assassinations of suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives, “snatch and grabs” of high-value targets and other sensitive action inside and outside Pakistan, an investigation by The Nation has found. The Blackwater operatives also assist in gathering intelligence and help direct a secret US military drone bombing campaign that runs parallel to the well-documented CIA predator strikes, according to a well-placed source within the US military intelligence apparatus.

Click here to read the whole article

Jo då, vi fick uppleva lite blå himmel under november. Enbärsbusken har en massa bär, även om det inte syns på just den här bilden.

I survived. The five exams I’d been dreading for such a long time are gone. What a week.

Not only did I study like crazy – I had New Moon on the mind. Did Summit Entertainment sit around a table and decide “Hey, we should release The Twilight Saga: New Moon the week before Ezra’s exams! That’s sounds about right – then she could do her exams after!”

No.

I would have preferred if it came out Term 3 holidays or after the exams. Anyway, I think I did okay – besides the fact that a math question was asking me to find the numbers that corresponded to the letters n and m – new moon, what else?!

But I really want to work harder next year. VCE will be tough. Eclipse (2010) and Breaking Dawn (2011) will NOT distract this hard-working student.

Hmmm…I haven’t blogged for ages, but when I do it makes me feel better. I’ll do this more often – even if no one reads it but me.

P.S.  New Moon was 7/10 – but I loved it anyway.

Preliminary Data 19 Events 1.614ML and 5.323ML
(updated 25.11.2009 NZDT)
REF, LAT, LONG, TIME, DEPTH, MAG, FELT
3187837, -40.2399, 176.4844, 2009/11/23 00:24:22.1, 25, 2.162
3187843, -40.1857, 176.5179, 2009/11/23 00:39:29.2, 42, 2.72
3187853, -42.5678, 172.806, 2009/11/23 01:13:17.2, 11, 3.314
3187888, -46.024, 166.3051, 2009/11/23 03:00:32.0, 12, 2.53
3187915, -39.1929, 174.4393, 2009/11/23 04:16:13.2, 25, 2.215
3187918, -38.5399, 178.079, 2009/11/23 04:27:35.5, 33, 3.17
3187999, -39.1466, 175.3702, 2009/11/23 08:30:50.9, 10, 2.687
3188005, -39.1676, 175.3844, 2009/11/23 08:42:25.4, 16, 1.614
3188013, -38.7861, 175.9221, 2009/11/23 09:02:23.7, 91, 2.689
3188026, -45.8742, 166.6637, 2009/11/23 09:48:42.9, 12, 2.846
3188057, -39.1598, 175.3705, 2009/11/23 11:23:42.6, 15, 1.869
3188066, -46.481, 165.2861, 2009/11/23 11:53:34.5, 12, 5.323
3188070, -46.4759, 165.1902, 2009/11/23 12:07:08.9, 5, 3.484
3188088, -46.4876, 166.5108, 2009/11/23 13:12:09.6, 57, 2.954
3188089, -38.046, 176.597, 2009/11/23 13:13:18.1, 123, 2.86
3188091, -39.1548, 175.3676, 2009/11/23 13:17:18.8, 12, 2.18
3188092, -43.5483, 169.5667, 2009/11/23 13:22:10.2, 5, 2.416
3188276, -45.391, 166.6743, 2009/11/23 14:44:04.2, 20, 2.758
3188123, -37.8588, 176.629, 2009/11/23 14:50:30.3, 4, 2.259

data by geonet. maps by google maps. plots by highace using GPS Visualizer

note: moon phase view is as seen from the southern hemisphere

Yep – I’m running a sale too – just like everyone else. Good for 3 days from Friday November 27, 2009 to Sunday November 29, 2009 save 30% off your purchase (excludes Hidden Treasure, AEF & S&H).

All orders placed during this sale will be shipped on Tuesday December 1, 2009.

Use code GOBBLE when you check out.

And as always, you get a free sample of one of my products with each order.

This year we are having Thanksgiving at our house. We were going to have it at my uncles, but that had changed about 3 weeks ago. We’re actually having a little more family coming in to town than usual which is pretty nice.

The only problem is that since it’s at our house, that means to my mother that its got to be the most cleanest house ever!!!!! so tomorrow is going to be one busy day cleaning, cooking and getting last-minute things before Thursday. Also, tomorrow is the day when all the family start to come in so yea they’re staying at our house too, like I said busy day. I just hope it’s not too crazy.

The more I can tell myself and actually believe it, the happier, more carefree and open I’ll be.  See!  It’s happening already.  I’m rhyming.  Yuck!

In the hopes that you’ll forgive me again, I bring good news. Tomorrow is finally ‘Day of Reflection’ so I don’t have to do homework except that I’m leaving after IT so that project will have to be done tonight and some Spanish work is due whether I want to do it or not. -_-

Feeling better from Sunday, I suppose. A friend told me something very insightful so I’m glad for that, and her. I don’t have much to say right now, mostly because I have homework doing, and I feel like hiding, or something. I suppose it’s because I’m excited for tomorrow, yet really worried because it’s a new class, and I don’t know whether I can trust them truly but being how I am, I’m going to say whatever I want. I’ll need to think before I speak but that’s no good. I’ll never end up sharing that way.

Other art homework after the cut.

That’s 1 out of 4 logos that was due last week. >_>

This is after ‘borrowing’ some of my neighbour’s gel ink pens. They were so shiny, and there were 84 of them, why I didn’t steal them, I don’t know. Okay, maybe it’s because it would have been obvious it as e, I like my neighbours and I’m NOT a juvenile delinquent so yeah, maybe. I blurred out stuff with good reason. Though either way, it wouldn’t of mattered and it’s kinda obvious? Kinda.

And odd fact, my hair grew an inch after about 3 weeks so I’m at 24 inches of hair, just where is that haircut?

As to yesterday, I got locked out of the house as well as everyone else so my little sister squeezed through a grill gate and into the house. That was at 7. Then I showered, ate then slept, frequently waking up with the intention of doing homework. Pfft. As if, I just walked around then went back to sleep. If anyone feels up to it, the one person that visited me yesterday in the stats was me, on my neighbour’s computer. Couldn’t bother post then though. Well, that homework doing isn’t done or started so I’ll be off now.

At the beginning of the year, you were sent home a newsletter containing your student’s login and password for our new math curriculum’s website. You can find a link to this website on the toolbar on the right of the blog (Investigations Website). Students can be “assigned” practice activities online as a class or individually. As we begin to take unit tests on paper and online, I can assign students extra practice for areas they may need more guidance in. Currently, I have assigned three activities to each student, so check them out if you get a chance! They are actually really fun! Yes, I played all of them =). For those of you who don’t remember your child’s login/password, just e-mail, and I can give you that information again on Monday. Your child will also have time to work on some of these activities during their computer time on Wednesdays.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend! Know that I am thankful for each of YOU and your student!

Jacksonville, Florida. ©Calvin Palmer 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Zeiss Planar T* 1,4/50, ISO 400, 1/125 sec, f/2, Canon 40D

Last year for the first and only time during my quarter century on this earth I didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving. The fourth Thursday in November came and went without any turkey consumed or football watched. As far as I was concerned Thanksgiving never took place in 2008.

Now my disavowing Thanksgiving last year was completely out of left field since celebrating the fall harvest has always ranked #1 on my list of “Holidays That Rock!” For as long as I can remember I have looked forward to Thanksgiving Day even more than Hanukkah, which may seem hard to believe, but if you put everything wonderful that Thanksgiving has to offer up against Hanukkah it’s no comparison in my book.

I love virtually every aspect of what Thanksgiving has to offer including the delicious abundance of food, the bringing together of family and friends and the tradition of reflecting on what I’m thankful for.

Growing up without much of an extended family meant that Thanksgiving was spent mostly with close friends. My family has hosted many Thanksgiving Days at our house, which is a situation that I enjoy slightly more than the alternative since I feel an extra sense of pride in how everything turns out and the fact that people are enjoying themselves.

However, this satisfaction as well as my ability to spend Turkey Day with family and friends was lost last year when I lived in Hanover, New Hampshire. Since the team was forced to schedule a game in close proximity to the holiday we weren’t able to allow our players to go home. Therefore, the staff arrived at the office on Thanksgiving morning and worked until practice that afternoon before breaking in the early evening to get ready for the team’s Thanksgiving dinner at a nearby restaurant.

However, since Barbara was flying into Boston’s Logan Airport late that night to visit for the weekend, I wouldn’t have been at the dinner very long before I needed to leave and pick her up so I decided not to attend.

This turned out to be an enormous mistake as I spent the evening alone in my apartment. To make matters worse I sat watching the movie “Matchstick Men” on the floor of my bedroom, not consuming turkey or even that Lean Cuisine frozen dinner that is supposed to be a Thanksgiving knock off, but rather eating a California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza.

As if my holiday solitude wasn’t enough I nearly broke down when my parents called to check in on me after their meal. Without knowing the extent of my longing to be there with them I barely held back tears as my Mom joyfully described the events of her day. After we got off the phone I remember sitting in darkness feeling alone and thinking about my family and Thanksgivings past until it was time to leave for the airport.

When Barbara finally got in the car, just after midnight on the fourth Friday in November, Thanksgiving was over and I wouldn’t get to see my favorite holiday for another 364 days. Although I was happy not to be alone anymore thanks to Barbara’s presence, it didn’t alleviate my sadness from not celebrating Thanksgiving.

I was upset about missing Thanksgiving for a number of reasons including not getting to indulge in my Mom’s pumpkin chocolate chip bread, missing my Dad give his customary “special occasion” speech before dinner and watching football with my brother. However, I also knew that there was a larger reason for my disappointment looming in the pit of my stomach.

While I always enjoyed Thanksgiving growing up it took not being able to participate in the day the way I wanted to for me realize exactly why it’s important to me. To me Thanksgiving offers stability. Like clockwork year after year it’s always going to be there on the fourth Thursday of November waiting for you, your family and friends to define and enjoy it in a way that is significant.

You see Thanksgiving is our opportunity to think about everything that is important to us in our lives, and realize all the joy and prosperity around us through quiet or open reflection on what we are thankful for. In my case it took not having this opportunity, and lamenting the consequences, to realize that what I am most thankful for this Thanksgiving is simply that there is a day like Thanksgiving to bring us together.

So hopefully I have learned from last year’s disappointment and this year’s realizations enough to ensure that I never miss Thanksgiving again because a year without celebrating this wonderful holiday was one too many for me.

it’s not often that i feel compelled to write down thoughts or feelings these days. it’s unfortunate since i find myself full of free time…why do i not feel compelled to do the things that really matter?  why do we always seem to run away from the things we know are good for us?  why is it so much easier to watch a movie and escape into someone else’s world then to make our own better?

so you had cookies last night for dinner, what’s on for tonight?  bread and cheese of course!  and wine.  oh, and i threw in some butternut squash soup for good measure.  i guess i have to have some nutrition in there somewhere.

homemade chocolate chip cookies for dinner?  don’t mind if i do.

projects keep me sane.  give me something to work on, an opportunity to be creative for me.  and so i make curtains with fabric i purchased long ago in africa.  i look at them and dream of where i was a year ago.  funny how life can change so dramatically from one year to the next, and yet time just seems to fly past us all.