My Life as Zaina Marie

Vote For Us Please

2010-02-11T13:35:00.002-05:00

Matt and I have entered a contest to win a $100,000 wedding and we need your help. Please follow this link:
Crate & Barrel Ultimate Wedding Contest - Zaina & Matt

Once you are there, vote for our entry. It will ask for your email address and then ask you to create a password. Then, it will send a link to that email address just to validate the vote. You can only vote for us once per email address so please, enlist the help of your family and friends to vote for us as well. The process takes about a minute and you would truly be making a huge difference. Every little vote counts, I hope we can count on yours!!!!

So...

2010-02-02T21:55:00.003-05:00

It's already February.
There is already so much that has happened and so much that is going to happen this year. Please, just keep it happy.
I'm going to pray every day for that happiness.
I'll be back soon.

Z

A New Plan

2010-01-14T22:54:00.006-05:00

So, in 2006 and 2008, I co-ran a contest called Harwick's Biggest Loser. A group of us at work shared stories and weighed-in together and helped each other lose weight. I was going to do it again this year, but alas, we all know that ain't happening!

So, I've got a new plan. I started an online forum, http://fitagainin2010.freeforums.org, and anyone, near or far, is welcome to join. We will have weekly weigh-ins, a place to share diet advice, tips, battles.

So, if you made a resolution to get in shape this year, please join us!!

http://fitagainin2010.freeforums.org

JW

2010-01-04T12:25:00.003-05:00

JW is Matt's 12 year old son. Last night, 1/3/10, he was walking past a propane tank and somehow caught fire. He lives in WV and was rushed up to the burn unit at West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. He seems to be doing much better than he was when we originally arrived last night, even got in so air hockey today. He will need skin graft surgery but we won't know until tomorrow whether he will have surgery Wednesday or Thursday. Here's a photo:

Looks pretty bad, eh? He seems to be feeling well so thats a good thing so I'm hoping the grafting won't be too invasive.

So, 2010 is kinda off to a sucky start.
Not cool.

Birth & Death

2010-01-03T08:12:00.002-05:00

On January 1, Jennifer Meade gave birth to a little girl, Alleen Stallings. This morning, the father, Allen Stallings, who'd been in a medically induced coma, passed away.

I know, there are questions in life that we shall never know the answer to. Situations that will never make sense. We shouldn't doubt You but I'm perplexed. If this is a sign of things to come, You have scared me.

I was hoping for happy. Please, please tell me there is still hope. Three days in and it's looking a bit shaky to me.

Happy 2nd Day of 2010

2010-01-02T19:54:00.002-05:00

I did nothing of importance today except win some badges on Pogo. I also managed to complete the fourth season of Criminal Minds. Brandon was over for a day and opened all of his presents.

Really, there is nothing of great significance about today but I thought if I challenged myself to write more often, even if it's just a little bit, I'd be on the right path.

I'll be back soon.

I Don't Eat Pork and Saurkraut...

2010-01-01T13:39:00.002-05:00

...but I hope that doesn't make 2010 unlucky.
2009 was painful in so many ways, some public, some private. There were days in 2009 that I wish had never happened, nights I thought I'd never make it, moments I could have easily given up. It's been a complete rollercoaster, very few happy hills, most of the ride hovered in a deep, dark valley that I wish I could forget.

It was bad, I just hope this year, it brings me a little bit of happiness.
Just a little...

I LOVE it

2009-07-25T21:52:00.000-04:00

So, I never told you but...

2009-07-11T13:42:00.003-04:00

I'm Getting Married!!!
Yes, I meant to write this beautiful, detailed post of our trip to Canada, the Proposal and and everything but time and procrastination has got the better of me and I haven't been able to.
But I will, just not right now. I have a ton of cleaning to get to but I thought it was about time I at least put something about it here.
So there, I'm getting married!

Speechless....

2009-06-25T22:26:00.004-04:00

..oddly, Speechless is a song I love by Michael Jackson.
How can you measure this man? I don't think you can. Millions and millions of people are mourning the loss of a man who broke barriers, entertained and will live forever through an amazing musical talent that will never be duplicated.

Also, passing after a long battle with anal cancer, Farrah Fawcett. I wasn't a Charlie's Angel person, nor was I around when she first became famous, but many people are also mourning her passing.

This week also claimed the life of Ed McMahon. He was always the Star Search guy to me but to many, he was so much more, including the voice behind Johnny Carson and the Tonight Show.

Too often we take for granted life and all it has to offer. While we've experienced great losses, all of us, we sometimes forget how precious life is. Hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight.

A Song I Like

2009-06-03T13:55:00.001-04:00

Eh....

2009-05-31T00:51:00.002-04:00

I really don't have much to say, honestly, my life is quite boring.
I am taking a quick trip to Canada with the boyfriend in, uh, three weeks. Hopefully, he will come up with something quite nice for me since I went and planned this nice trip for us.
I attended the calling hours/funeral of my cousin's grandmother yesterday. I hadn't seen Marylene Thompson since one day back at a Chinese restaurant in 2002 or 2003 maybe. I'm not sure exactly, but far too long. Anyway, I saw people who no longer remembered who I was and it was awful. When my mother got with Rodney, we drifted from everyone except his friends. And when my Uncle J left his wife, my cousins also drifted away. I try to send emails, Facebook and MySpace with them, but it's not the same. I miss them, I wish they were still a part of my daily life. I wish we could be family again but I'm not sure that will ever come true.

I also listened to many of the memories people had about Marylene and I started to feel guilty, slightly. We women, most of us, aren't the women our grandmothers were. Especially black women, 44% of us will never get married. We aren't the wives our grandmothers were, we aren't the God-fearing women our grandmothers were, we aren't the mothers our grandmothers were. In some ways, we have become a bit stronger, mostly in the workplace, but our households are broken. As much as we have progressed, I'm not sure how much of it really has been in our best interest.

When it comes to God, I'm on the fence. I've lost faith, thought I regained it, only to realize it's just not there. Sometimes, I think there is a guy up there who has control of all these people walking around here. Other days, I don't believe he exists. I've tried to study "His" word and it's not yet found meaning to me. So, I'm a heathen, eh, okay. And when I attend the funerals of women who breathed God, who lived God and who have died God, I can't help but wonder why they do and I don't. Would I be a better woman and have a better life if I could find a way to believe? Why don't I believe?

Eh, I got sick yesterday after the funeral and have spent the entire day lying around and doing nothing. Missed two parties and got a few texts about how disappointing Cleveland sports teams are. I'm heading back to bed. I'll be back another day.

What Would Jesus Say About Miss California?

2009-05-21T15:16:00.000-04:00

What Would Jesus Say About Miss California?
by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

Miss California, Carrie Prejean, has vented her righteous indignation. She should not be penalized for her public opposition to gay marriage. America is a place for freedom of speech. There should be no politically correct litmus test to be a beauty queen. Indeed, she is right. Big Brother is not our leader; we do not live in a 1984 America.

But what puzzled me was how adamant Ms. Prejean was that her Christianity prevented her from supporting gay marriage but did not prevent her from posing topless for men or having the Miss Universe pageant pay for her breast implants. It seems that some of our Christian brothers and sisters have arrived at the curious conclusion that the only qualification for being religious these days is battling gays. Similarly, well-meaning Christians like Ms. Prejean hold gays accountable for undermining the institution of marriage when, in truth, we straight people have done a fine job destroying it ourselves. (Indeed, gays seem to be the only men in this country who still want to get married. While the straight guys are dating their girlfriends for a millennium and hyperventilate whenever she brings up the subject of marriage, the gay guys are petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court for the right to get hitched.)

Time for a reality check. Whether one opposes or supports gay marriage, one thing is certain: The heterosexual divorce rate is more than 50 percent, and it has been so well before gay rights ever came to the fore in this country. Sure, we can search for scapegoats to blame for the loss of love in our time. But we heterosexuals have seen the enemy and it is us.

The greatest danger to marriage in our time stems from the wholesale degradation of women in the popular culture. In magazines, on television, and especially on Internet porn, women are continually portrayed as the libidinous man’s plaything, not an equal to be taken seriously but a subordinate who is a means to salacious male ends. On college campuses rampant male womanizing is an expected right of passage. On ridiculous shows like “The Bachelor,” men start to believe that it’s the woman who has to impress the guy and get his attention. Women who engage in pornographic offerings, like Miss California, become complicit in their own degradation and further the male view that a woman exists for the satiation of their erotic needs.

Miss California also reportedly accepted breast implants from the Miss Universe pageant. Now, aside from the fact that beauty pageants are an asinine and primitive relic that is out of place in a post-feminist age where men are rightly expected to appreciate a woman for her mind and not just her legs, surely modeling dissatisfaction with one’s body and implanting foreign objects to enhance one’s perceived physical shortcomings totally negates the Christian spiritual message that beauty is something more than skin deep. Surely, if asked, Jesus would have said that a woman is more than male eye-candy. Is Miss Prejean really saving marriages by doing topless photo spreads that married men drool over in neglect of their wives? Is Miss California being a proper role model for young girls who are already riddled with perilously low body image by being exploited in a bikini on Donald Trump’s Miss Universe contest? And how is any of this congruent with Christian values?

Look, I’m not here to condemn this young woman when I can at times be just as religiously inconsistent. But crying out against gays when there are bigger and more toxic fish to fry is what makes religion ineffective and irrelevant.

My friend Patti Stanger, of Bravo’s “Millionaire Matchmaker,” whom I recently debated in Los Angeles in front of 1,100 young people, believes that women should marry a guy who is bursting with cash. But how could someone as authentically kindhearted, compassionate and brilliant as Patti be guilty of perpetuating the stereotype of women as greedy gold diggers and parasitical prostitutes who are prepared to exchange their beauty as a commodity to snare a rich man? Does she not realize that this caters to the most misogynistic stereotypes that men have of women? And the less men respect women, the worse they will treat them. And the worse they treat them, the more women will simply abandon empty and loveless marriages, or choose not to marry in the first place. Therein lies the real reason that marriage is dying in our time.

Right now in the United States, three-quarters of all divorces are initiated by women. Many of these wives are prepared to jettison a marriage where they feel neglected even though divorce will often leave them in dire financial straits, or, as studies show, alone for the rest of their lives. But it’s a heck of a lot better than picking up after a guy who doesn’t give you the time of day. The most influential television show over the past decade was “Sex and the City,” where four female friends are, in essence, married to each other and have nearly given up on men. As for married women in America, approximately 30 percent are on an anti-depressant and no less an authority than Maureen Dowd of The New York Times published a book just a few years back essentially arguing that men are superfluous in a woman’s life.

All this has resulted from a culture that has reduced women, through nude photo spreads and childish beauty contests, into male masturbatory material. And Miss California should use her crown to condemn these assaults on spirituality and marriage even more loudly than she did gay marriage.

Funny Things

2009-05-12T09:12:00.000-04:00

Quickie....

2009-05-06T09:55:00.002-04:00

Ah, another day in my life...what's new, nothing at all. I was able to squeeze out an A- in English class. I really have no idea how I did it. I must have done a spectacular job on my Portfolio cause I got B papers this semester. My last in class essay scored me a perfect 20/20. Whatever, I'm just happy. Now tonight, I have my Algebra exam and hopefully, I'll keep my A. I have a 96% in there right now. While I can't imagine I'll totally blow this exam, I do know stranger things have happened. I'll be studying today, just to be sure.

As for the rest of life, oh, it's going well. I can't complain, or rather I could but who wants to hear it. I've become a Facebook fanatic, I'm on there way too much. I signed up for Twitter but I don't know how to use that service yet. I just started reading Twilight but I'm not as in to it as some other folks I know. I bought a bunch of cool scrapbooking things cause I need to really do a good job on my books. I'm hoping to take a trip to Vegas next month but we haven't booked anything yet which reminds me that I need to look at deals and see what they are going for right now. I still have a job so I've got to be thankful for that. I just bought my Kia in February and I already want a Jeep Compass but I know it's not possible. I'm doing well with taking photos since that is one of my 30 things before 30. So long as I get that A in math, I'll be on Dean's list again and that's another one of my 30 things. My little sister will be starting school this fall for nursing. I'm excited for her, this will make her grow so much, just like it is doing for me. I very desperately want to move into a new apartment that has a utility room for a washer and a dryer and a dining room that I can still afford but it seems like I'm asking for way too much when I search apartments.

Okay, that's enough for now.
Peace out...

2009-04-28T09:14:00.000-04:00

I know, it's been a while. I get on here almost daily to check other Blogs but never have much to write myself.

Well, here I am. Almost done with my second semester of college and ready for the summer!! I'm glad I've started this endeavor and I'm lucky to have lots of people in my life who are so supportive of it. Next semester will be quite a challenge as I will be taking four classes for a total of 13 credit hours. It's a lot to take on, hopefully I'll be able to keep my grades up but if not, Spring 2010 will be less credits.

In other news, my mom has recovered completely from her hysterectomy in February. My sister will be starting school this fall at the U of A and my brother, well, he's just moving along just fine!

I've decided to become a Creative Memories consultant. I don't expect to get rich from this, I'm not going to be this super crazy sales girl. I really just think my mom and I will be able to save money. She is going to host my first party, unless I get another one booked in May so that gives me plenty of time to prepare an excellent showcase of the products. I've got a link on the sidebar to my product site, just click the square and it takes you directly there. Feel free to look around or order or pass on to someone you think might want to order or whatever!

There's a few other things I hope to be able to share with you in the near future so keep your fingers crossed.

Well, I'm going to get some work done, I'll be back...soon, I promise.

Deadly Week

2009-03-19T10:34:00.002-04:00

So, my great aunt was put into the hospital last week. I went and spent a little time with her on Saturday. She had pnuemonia and a kidney infection and passed away today. She was 94 years old.

I'm slighly addicted to reading the tragic stories on www.caringbridge.org and one of the pages I was following, a gentleman in Iowa, passed away on Tuesday (http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/markcosens). A few weeks ago, another guy, Chris, passed away. He was more local and the reason I'm cyberstalking other people on Caring Bridge is because he was a friend of a friend.

My co-worker, Becky, her mom passed away on Tuesday also, after being ill for the last two weeks or so. She was 81.

My dance instructors mother, Martha Fritz of Akron, my gradfather, James Mitchell, and another close co-workers mom and a different coworkers aunt have all passed in the last 4 months.

Minus the Caring Bridge people, all of them have lived a nice long life, but still....
I've kinda had enough of the dying thing for right now.

Tough Punishment

2009-03-16T16:06:00.002-04:00

I know that scamming people via the Internet is bad but 19 years seems a bit extreme, especially since the woman was stupid to send money to someone she didn't know in the first place.

LAGOS (Reuters) – A Nigerian undergraduate has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for obtaining $47,000 (33,382 pounds) from an Australian woman by convincing her over the Internet that he was 57 years old, white, and madly in love with her.

Lawal Adekunle Nurudeen met his victim on the Internet in 2007 and convinced her that he was a British widower called Benson Lawson. He said he was an engineer working in Lagos whose wife and only child had been killed in a car accident.

"The victim, a 56-year-old woman from Australia, told the convict that she wanted a husband and all the men she had met always disappointed her," said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria's anti-corruption police.

"The convict, who is married with three children, instantly replied and told the victim she had met her Mr Right ... He sent the picture of a white man to foreclose any suspicions."

The woman sent Nurudeen money for medical treatment and travel costs to visit Australia. He spent the funds on two plots of land and a Honda Prelude car.

Nigerian confidence tricksters have a long history of extorting money via the Internet through "419" scams, named after the clause that outlaws them in Nigeria's penal code. Many are never caught.

The EFCC said Nurudeen was ordered to pay around $10,000 immediately and a further $250 a month to his victim until the full amount stolen was returned. She would also receive the proceeds of the sale of his land and car.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!!

2009-03-16T13:22:00.003-04:00

Well, today I enter my last year of being in my 20's but I'm really looking forward to the big 3-0 next year!!! The morning started with a serious family issue, it's not completely resolved but I'm not spending anymore of my day worrying about it. I can't do anything about it now. Today is MY BIRTHDAY!!!!! Whoo hooo! Everything else can wait until another day to get fixed and sorted out!

The pictures above are from lunch at Azteca. They sang to me!
Off to Wasabi for dinner tonight. See ya!

AIG

2009-03-15T19:24:00.002-04:00

Seriously, would the USA fall apart had we let this company collaspe because I can't see that it's okay to give a failing company's employees MILLIONS in bonus pay from my freaking pockets....
This is bullshit!

Chorus of outrage over millions in AIG bonuses
WASHINGTON – Leaders of the White House economic team and the Senate's top Republican bellowed about bonuses at a bailed-out insurance giant and pledged to prevent such payments in the future.

From one Sunday talk show to the next, they tore into the contracts that American International Group asserted had to be honored, to the tune of about $165 million and payable to executives by Sunday — part of a larger total payout reportedly valued at $450 million. The company has benefited from more than $170 billion in a federal rescue.

AIG has agreed to Obama administration requests to restrain future payments. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner pressed the president's case with AIG's chairman, Edward Liddy, last week.

"He stepped in and berated them, got them to reduce the bonuses following every legal means he has to do this," said Austan Goolsbee, staff director of President Barack Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board.

"I don't know why they would follow a policy that's really not sensible, is obviously going to ignite the ire of millions of people, and we've done exactly what we can do to prevent this kind of thing from happening again," Goolsbee said.

Added Lawrence Summers, Obama's top economic adviser: "The easy thing would be to just say ... off with their heads, violate the contracts. But you have to think about the consequences of breaking contracts for the overall system of law, for the overall financial system."

Summers said Geithner used all his power, "both legal and moral, to reduce the level of these bonus payments."

The Democratic administration's argument about the sanctity of contracts was more than Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky could bear.

"For them to simply sit there and blame it on the previous administration or claim contract — we all know that contracts are valid in this country, but they need to be looked at," McConnell said. "Did they enter into these contracts knowing full well that, as a practical matter, the taxpayers of the United States were going to be reimbursing their employees? Particularly employees who got them into this mess in the first place? I think it's an outrage."

In an interview that aired Sunday on CBS' "60 Minutes," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke did not address the bonuses but expressed his frustration with the AIG intervention.

"It makes me angry. I slammed the phone more than a few times on discussing AIG," Bernanke said. "It's — it's just absolutely — I understand why the American people are angry. It's absolutely unfair that taxpayer dollars are going to prop up a company that made these terrible bets — that was operating out of the sight of regulators, but which we have no choice but to stabilize, or else risk enormous impact, not just in the financial system, but on the whole U.S. economy."

AIG reported this month that it had lost $61.7 billion for the fourth quarter of last year, the largest corporate loss in history.

In a letter to Geithner dated Saturday, Liddy said outside lawyers had informed the company that AIG had contractual obligations to make the bonus payments and could face lawsuits if it did not do so.

Liddy said in his letter that "quite frankly, AIG's hands are tied," although he said that in light of the company's current situation he found it "distasteful and difficult" to recommend going forward with the payments.

Liddy said the company had entered into the bonus agreements in early 2008 before AIG got into severe financial straits and was forced to obtain a government bailout last fall.

The bulk of the payments at issue cover AIG Financial Products, the unit of the company that sold credit default swaps, the risky contracts that caused massive losses for the insurer.

Goolsbee acknowledged the AIG example could make it harder to sell the administration's financial plan to Congress.

"Yes, you worry about that backlash. But you're also angry that this would happen at an institution that has been so troubled and you're trying to save. So I think that's perfectly fair," he said.

Goolsbee appeared on "Fox News Sunday," and Summers was on CBS' "Face the Nation" and ABC's "This Week," where McConnell also was interviewed.

Attn: Anyone with a credit card

2009-03-15T19:17:00.001-04:00

The following article is a must read:
http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/106716/How-to-Blow-Your-Credit-Limit-Without-Spending

These credit card companies are trying to rape us!!

30 Things to do Before I Turn 30

2009-03-13T08:34:00.001-04:00

Here's my list:

1. Travel to a foreign land
I've always wanted to get back to London, hopefully, while I'm 29!!
2. Donate Blood
This is something everyone who is able to should be doing and I've never made the time to do it!
3. Volunteer 100 hours
Also something everyone who is able to should do. Volunteering is an activity we are obligated to perform.
4. Get to a size 10.
Well, this is just a size I think will be healthy for me.
5. Learn to play an instrument
I do have a guitar at home that isn’t getting any use and I believe I've had it for 4 years.
6. Tap dance in front of an audience
I'm a decent tap dancer and would love to dance with the Tap Kats.
7. Ride a motorcycle
I've never been on one!
8. Buy a very nice suit
I haven't purchased a good suit for a few year and I think everyone should own one.
9. Become a friend to someone new
Who couldn't use a new friend?
10. Start and finish a scrapbook
I've got all the supplies, just need to make the time!
11. Go swimming at a beach
Another thing I've just never done!
12. Take at least 20 activity photos a month
I take plenty photos of myself but in order to make a cool scrapbook, I should actually have photos of me with other people or doing something fun!
13. Go Rock/Wall Climbing
Again, something I've never done!
14. Start to learn Sign Language
I've always wanted to learn this.
15. Go to an Amusement Park
Haven't been to one for a few years, I'm going to Kennywood!
16. Run a 5K
Because I know I can do it if I put a little effort into it!
17. Do a complete Spa Day
I love the thought of getting pampered all day.
18. Take up a new hobby
Picking up a new hobby could lead to making that new friend!
19. Get a new tattoo
I've wanted to do this for a while; I do love getting them.
20. Go to Vegas
Everyone should go to Vegas at least once, right?
21. Take a weekend trip to a B&B
A nice relaxing weekend away from home sounds nice, doesn't it?
22. Achieve Dean’s List status for Spring 2009 and Fall 2009 semesters
I need to keep my scholarly self in line.
23. Host a party (Creative Memories, Party Lite, Slumber Party, etc.)
Just because I've never done it before.
24. Go Raw for 21 days
For my overall health.
25. Go to Niagara Falls
Somewhere I've never been but would love to see.
26. Take a photo with someone famous
Since the Rachael Ray show never sent the Promo photo (or the stuff they borrowed from us) to us since they are are bunch of LOSERS, I still don't have a photo with someone famous!
27. Go to a Drag Show/Pageant
This just seems like a ton of fun!
28. Go see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra
They come to Cleveland every year and every year I say I'm going to see them and I don't!
29. Take a train ride
It’s just something to do when I get a chance.
30. Go horseback riding
And finally, another activity I've never done that I've really wanted to do!

Middle of the Night

2009-03-12T02:31:00.002-04:00

I just woke, decided to check the net and found out that Bristol Palin and hockey boy have broken up, something I'm sure we all knew was going to happen. Also, that Octomom was on Dr. Phil and received items she has no business having that will help out babies she shouldn't be allowed to ever take home.

Also, this had been a freaking bloody week - murders in AL and Germany, totaling, what 30?

I'm growing increasingly discouraged that no one can be trusted and that I must try to be super nice to everyone I come in contact with in hopes that when they go crazy and want to shoot up the establishment, I'm spared my life.

This world has become insane, I don't want to go down on this sinking ship but I can't change it by myself.

Just Swingin' Thru

2009-03-11T11:06:00.000-04:00

Hello.
Today is my Intermediate Algebra midterm, 15 questions worth 150 points...scary!!!!! Anyway, right now, I'm carrying an A so let's hope it stays that way. I've got an A- in English right now. Looks like I'll end up with the same grades from last semester except my English class is only 3 credits so that might change what the GPA is. Oh well...

My birthday is in a few days!! Yippie! I'll be going to Wasabi immediately after work to enjoy some 1/2 price Maki rolls, feel free to come along! I've decided to find 30 activities to do before I turn 30. Some simple, some a little more complex but hopefully I will accomplish everything. I'll post it on Monday!

Well, back to work. Talk to you all later.
Zaina Marie

2009-03-04T10:21:00.001-05:00

So, I was supposed to come back weeks ago to discuss the ChRihanna situation but seeing as though it appears they may be back together, I really can't even feel bad for anyone right now. My original thought is, and I still feel this way for the most part, innocent until proven guilty. I have to admit, the photo leaked of her battered face was disturbing, to say the least.

So, my life is going fairly well. I purchased a brand new Kia Spectra around the middle of the month and have since put over a thousand miles on it, most of it since we took it down to WV the weekend I purchased it! Mom had a hysterectomy and is recovering very well from it. I'm surprised she is doing so well, I was expecting a much slower return to normal but she's well on her way to being normal Mom again.

School is going well. I got some invitation to be inducted into the National Society of College Scholars but they want you to pay $75. It's a one-time fee and you will be a member for life but do I really need to spend the money, I don't know. My uncle said it helped get his daughters some scholarship money so I'll research it some more. There's a ceremony on campus for that but I don't think it's all fancy or anything. Eh, we shall see.

Matt has been doing pretty well minus the fact that he got a ticket for someone else running him off the road. He ended up in a ditch, police never showed up, he went down to file a report and they cited him for Failure to Control his vehicle. Sucks, right? Other than that, he is doing well. We've been discussing wedding stuff a lot lately, mostly because I watch lots of wedding shows. He's talked about everything from a beach wedding to having a Chinese themed reception. I'd just love to get engaged so I can make real plans and it seems soon. I'm patient but anxious.
:-)

Well, not much more to say. I will try to write again soon.
Zaina Marie

Really Quick

2009-02-11T15:15:00.002-05:00

I've got a few things to say about some current events (Chris Brown/Rihanna, Jessica Simpson) but I need to study for an Intermediate Algebra Test so I'll try to write later.

But in regular life, all is well.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful February thus far....

Zaina Marie

Drunken Negro Face Cookies?

2009-01-24T15:59:00.001-05:00

And then when people called and threatened him, he because sorry, says it was an innocent mistake...lol

Funny Commercial

2009-01-14T08:34:00.001-05:00

So...

2008-12-28T10:44:00.003-05:00

A few quick things and then I'm on the move, gotta get some things done.
First, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas...I was expecting a nice time, kinda sorta got it but it wasn't what it should have been. Matt and I went to Shanni's for Christmas Eve as I have for many, many years. Then he went home as he had to work on Christmas Day. I drove down in the afternoon and we had dinner as Denny's. He got me a beautiful necklace.

The day after I Christmas, I hit up Walmart, all the holiday stuff is 50% off...got some bags and wrapping paper and boxes for next year. Can't remember doing anything else...I was lazy...

Saturday it was absolutely lovely outside. I barely needed a jacket. I drove over to Zanesville to go to Bath & Body Works. Their semi-annual sale is always full of deals and bargains. I walked around the mall for a bit, got suckered into buying some minerals of the Dead Sea for $40, I just couldn't walk away from these people....at dinner at a Chinese Buffet and headed back to Matt's place to wait for him to get off work.

Now, it's Sunday and I'm supposed to start my raw food diet but I'm totally off track since I'm down in Cambridge and possibly heading down to WV later this week, or maybe, if they aren't too busy, they may be coming to Akron. Either way, diet isn't starting this week. Still working on the details of what I want to do and although my dear friend feels very strongly about the version she did last year, I'm not so sure it will be right for me. As someone who feels very deprived when I start a diet, I know that it will be much easier for me to fall right off if I'm not in the mindset that I should be. I'm not giving up, just postponing until I find the right thing for me.

Today, I think I'll head over to Super K, it's across the street from Walmart. I like to look at things, don't always buy, but I'm kind of bored and who knows what time Matt will get out of work today. He's got a meeting for work tomorrow that was supposed to happen last week so it's messing up his week of vacation so we shall have to see how everything goes. I'm headed back to Akron tomorrow and going straight over to the Tire Depot. They put the wrong size tire on my car, I had a flat last week and I didn't realize what they had done until after the fact. Gotta get that fixed.

See ya later...
Zaina Marie

Never too old...

2008-12-24T14:52:00.001-05:00

....to take a photo with Santa!
Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Drinking & Driving: It Shouldn't Take an Innocent Life

2008-12-17T18:39:00.002-05:00

Woman faces prison time
Aggravated vehicular homicide plea could result in an eight-year sentence

By Ed Meyer
Beacon Journal staff writer

Published on Wednesday, Dec 17, 2008

A repeat drunken-driving offender is facing up to eight years in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to aggravated vehicular homicide for striking an Akron man in October as he was walking across Vernon Odom Boulevard, authorities said.

Prosecutors said the driver, Dominique A. Nolen, 23, of Oberlin Street in Akron, is the first person in Summit County to be convicted under the new Ohio law requiring repeat drunken drivers to submit to a blood-alcohol test.

The victim, Billy Owens, 43, of Eastwood Avenue, was crossing Vernon Odom near Raymond Street, walking to a friend's car, when he was struck by Nolen's vehicle early Oct. 18, police said.

''It's a tragedy, and her heart goes out to the victim's family,'' lawyer Joseph F. Gorman said, adding that Nolen has made no excuses for her actions during court proceedings.

''From the moment of my involvement in this case, she has taken full responsibility and has shown true remorse,'' Gorman said.

According to Akron police reports, the victim was thrown 185 feet by the impact of the crash and was dead at the scene.

The crash was reported at 2:46 a.m., police said.

Nolen was driving with a female friend, exceeding 50 mph in a marked 25-mph zone without her headlights on, prosecutors said.

She fled the scene but stopped minutes later and called 911, claiming her vehicle had been hit by a truck.

When police arrived, prosecutors said, Nolen initially told officers somebody else was behind the wheel, but later admitted she was the driver.

Mandatory test

Nolen refused to submit to a breath-analysis test at police headquarters, prosecutors said. She then was taken to Akron City Hospital, where she was required to submit to a blood draw.

Prosecutors said the test showed her blood-alcohol content was 0.225 percent, nearly three times the limit of 0.08 percent deemed by the state to be intoxicated.

Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh and state Sen. Timothy Grendell, R-Chesterland, were co-sponsors of the so-called ''No Refusal'' law, which went into effect Sept. 30.

The law requires drunken drivers — with two DUI convictions in the last six years, five DUI convictions in the last 20 years, or a felony DUI conviction — to submit to the mandatory testing.

Previous convictions

Prosecutors said Nolen had two previous DUI convictions within the last 18 months.

Nolen pleaded guilty to the vehicular homicide charge and a misdemeanor OVI charge during an appearance before retired Common Pleas Judge James R. Williams.

She faces a mandatory prison term of two to eight years for the most serious charge, Gorman said.

In exchange for the guilty plea, Gorman said prosecutors agreed to dismiss a third-degree felony charge of hit-skip, which carries a potential prison term of one to five years.

''I think this case should be a lesson for all of us,'' Gorman said. ''A lot of people have gotten behind the wheel after having too much to drink, but were fortunate enough by the grace of God to get home. She wasn't, and she's going to pay the price for it.''

Nolen is free on a $500 bond. She is scheduled to be sentenced by Common Pleas Judge Judy Hunter on Jan. 20.

Single Ladies II - Too Cute

2008-12-17T11:46:00.000-05:00

Adolph Hitler Campbell....

2008-12-16T21:02:00.002-05:00

EASTON, Pa. – The father of 3-year-old Adolf Hitler Campbell, denied a birthday cake with the child's full name on it by one New Jersey supermarket, is asking for a little tolerance. Heath Campbell and his wife, Deborah, are upset not only with the decision made by the Greenwich ShopRite, but with an outpouring of angry Internet postings in response to a local newspaper article over the weekend on their flare-up over frosting.

"I think people need to take their heads out of the cloud they've been in and start focusing on the future and not on the past," Heath Campbell said Tuesday in an interview conducted in Easton, on the other side of the Delaware River from where the family lives in Hunterdon County, N.J.

"There's a new president and he says it's time for a change; well, then it's time for a change," the 35-year-old continued. "They need to accept a name. A name's a name. The kid isn't going to grow up and do what (Hitler) did."

Deborah Campbell, 25, said she phoned in her order last week to the ShopRite. When she told the bakery department she wanted her son's name spelled out, she was told to talk to a supervisor, who denied the request.

A store manager at ShopRite referred questions to a corporate spokeswoman who did not immediately return a phone message Tuesday. But spokeswoman Karen Meleta told The Easton Express-Times for Sunday's editions that the store considered Campbell's request inappropriate.

The Campbells ultimately got their cake decorated at a Wal-Mart in Pennsylvania, Deborah Campbell said. About 12 people attended the birthday party on Sunday, including several children who were of mixed race, according to Heath Campbell.

"If we're so racist, then why would I have them come into my home?" he asked.

The Campbells' other two children also have unusual names: JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell turns 2 in a few months and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell will be 1 in April.

Heath Campbell said he named his son after Adolf Hitler because he liked the name and because "no one else in the world would have that name." He sounded surprised by all the controversy the dispute had generated.

Campbell said his ancestors are German and that he has lived his entire life in Hunterdon County. On Tuesday he wore a pair of black boots he said were worn by a German soldier during World War II.

He said he was raised not to avoid people of other races but not to mix with them socially or romantically. But he said he would try to raise his children differently.

"Say he grows up and hangs out with black people. That's fine, I don't really care," he said. "That's his choice."

12/16

2008-12-16T15:32:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone!
I'm excited to begin a new journey in my life to help improve my overall health and well being. Starting December 28th and commencing January 24th, I will be detoxifyng my body through some form of a raw food diet. I say some form because as I've been researching, I've found a few different ways to do this diet without completely eliminating all cooked food, so I've got to decide exactly which way I would like to go. There's a totally raw diet where not a single thing you eat is cooked. Right now, I'm reading a book by Natalia Rose which recommends a 75%-90% raw diet for someone like me instead of completely jumping into the raw only life. Whichever I choose, come January 24th, I plan to be a little bit happier with my body!

This past weekend, Matt and I did almost nothing and it was wonderful! We watched movies, lots of them, watched the Steelers win and just enjoyed each others company like no other time before. It was such an amazing time for us. He even surprised me at work with a big fluffy teddy bear and a sweet card. Gosh, I love that guy!

I got a wonderful card in the mail at work today from my sales rep. A gift card and a nice little check! Yippie! I hope to use it towards my little adventure to New Orleans.

Well, not much else and I need to get to the mailroom to get the mail out for the day! Talk to you later.

I'm Going to New Orleans....

2008-12-12T14:55:00.001-05:00

...at least I'm going to apply with the U of Akron to go on the trip!!!
I was reading today's Zipmail and there was an extension to the deadline of a trip I didn't know existed!!! I think it's a sign!! I'm applying next week.

http://www.uakron.edu/colleges/univcoll/docs/AlternativeSpringBreakNewOrleans.pdf

Heyonce

2008-12-11T03:32:00.001-05:00

Files this in the "Things I Find When I Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night and Go Blog Surfing" catergory....

I Love Lilo & Stitch

2008-12-09T23:11:00.001-05:00

Tuesday

2008-12-09T10:00:00.002-05:00

So, new goals, new strategy for my life.
1. I will work harder in English next semester to hopefully pull off an A. A solid A with no - at the end!
2. I've been able to have Mondays and Fridays without meat for a week now and I'd like to keep that up for a while.
3. I've also went a week without any type of fast food and for me, that is very good, especially when I've probably eaten out at least once a day since school started.
4. Back to Zumba and Jillian's 30-day Shred, I need to do at least one of these discs each day.
5. I must write a little more, maybe one non-school related paper each week, just to work on improving my writing skills.
6. Continue to read and start practicing my sign language.
7. Work on finding a volunteer project for Spring Break.
8. Find another organization to volunteer for on a regular basis. Right now, I have Soldier's Angels, Junior Achievement, Day of Caring/Action and Read-to-Me but the latter three are kinda once a year things. I have time for something a little more frequent.

Ok, that's all for right now. Chat with ya lata.
Zaina Marie

92% = A-

2008-12-08T17:44:00.004-05:00

So English Comp I - A-
Effective Oral - A
Projected GPA for Zaina's first semester back to school - 3.83

It's still good!

Warning to my friends and loved ones

2008-12-08T11:17:00.003-05:00

There will come a day where some of you may have to attend my funeral, sad but true. As the pastor said at the one I attended over the weekend, death is an appointment that you can not reschedule or skip. I don't expect my service to last a long while, I hope that an hour-long service will be fine.

My warning to you - If you can't turn your effing cell phone off for one hour during my funeral, don't bother coming!!! If your calypso-type ringtone goes off while my pastor is explaining what a wonderful woman I was, I will haunt you...every day, every night until you lose your mind!

Thanks, carry on now!

Zaina Marie

Well...

2008-12-07T19:58:00.002-05:00

I've not written like I should have but I'm here now, that is what counts, right?

Oh, these past few months have been quite an adventure and I'm very happy with where I am in life! I've just completed my first semester back to college since my first experience in the Spring of 1998. Being a non-traditional student is quite a big difference than it was at 17. While many days, I'm disappointed that I didn't finish the first time around, because it's so different when you're young and going from high school straight to college, I'm very enthusiastic about where my life will be once this journey is complete. Granted, it may not be done until 2014 or maybe longer but it's a battle worth fighting for so I'll continue to give it my all. I'll receive my English Comp grade tomorrow evening, I got an A in Effective Oral. My goal was to make Dean's List and I'm positive I have achieved that but I was really hoping to pull off an A in English, but I'm not sure where I stand after the grading of my portfolio, I don't really think I did so wonderfully on that. When I added all my papers/in-class writings up, I was at a 93% so I'm hoping I have enough class participation points to keep that 93%. I've never had a 4.0 before.

I've finally gotten into my scrapbooking, A LOT. I have a major project to get completed by the end of the year that involves about 12 different books and now that classes are out, I think I've got a much better chance to really pull this off. If not, that's fine too. Just wishful thinking!

So, on to family. My mom is dating a guy she went to high school with. I'm glad she is dating, however, he isn't a positive influence and she's back to frequent drinking and she is having other medical issues that are keeping me a little freaked out. I just wish she would take better care of herself. She's not old but the damage you do to your body catches up to you and I'd rather that happen later and no sooner!!

The brother and sister, niece and nephew are all doing well. I should probably schedule a family photo, I swear, we have to get one. I'm not kidding this time. Maybe after the holidays or something but we must get one taken!!

As for Matt, we're doing well. I must say that I truly am happier than I have ever been in my life, ever! He's a great guy and he makes me feel like my world is complete. There's been relationships in my life where I just knew that was "The One" and then I met Matt and he made me realize just how wrong I was about those previous guys. Oh, we're not always perfect. I could tell you some stories, lol, but we are great for each other, to each other and with each other. I'll admit that I wasn't sure that he would work out, there are a lot of situations I just didn't think I could handle but those are all under control. Not only do I have him, he has 4 wonderful children, great parents and other relatives and it will be a joy to be part of the family someday!

I'm still tapping away, dancing has given me something to do on Thursday nights for almost a year. My instructor, Judy Cain, has given me so much confidence this year, I wish I could bottle up her energy and take it with me everywhere! I'm so glad to have learned how to tap this year, for real! I can't wait to perform in front of people again, I'll keep you posted on that!

I've grown so much this year, with the help of my friends and family and everyone who supports me in all that I do. It's been a great year and I can only hope to have an even better 2009. I will be back to post my English grade after I pick up my portfolio in the evening! Wish me luck!

Dropping By - More Later

2008-12-01T12:45:00.002-05:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving!
I'll try to drop by later and talk more about the holiday weekend!

A Dying Wish

2008-11-25T12:30:00.000-05:00

I Wanna Learn to Dance

2008-11-19T02:05:00.002-05:00

WTF - Pro-Abortion?? Says who??

2008-11-13T23:55:00.001-05:00

Priest: No communion for Obama voters
Priest says it's because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion
The Associated Press
updated 6:45 p.m. ET, Thurs., Nov. 13, 2008

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.

"Our nation has chosen for its chief executive the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president," Newman wrote, referring to Obama by his full name, including his middle name of Hussein.

"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exits (should have been exists) constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ's Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation."

Risking their immortal soul
During the 2008 presidential campaign, many bishops spoke out on abortion more boldly than four years earlier, telling Catholic politicians and voters that the issue should be the most important consideration in setting policy and deciding which candidate to back. A few church leaders said parishioners risked their immortal soul by voting for candidates who support abortion rights.

But bishops differ on whether Catholic lawmakers — and voters — should refrain from receiving Communion if they diverge from church teaching on abortion. Each bishop sets policy in his own diocese. In their annual fall meeting, the nation's Catholic bishops vowed Tuesday to forcefully confront the Obama administration over its support for abortion rights.

According to national exit polls, 54 percent of Catholics chose Obama, who is Protestant. In South Carolina, which McCain carried, voters in Greenville County — traditionally seen as among the state's most conservative areas — went 61 percent for the Republican, and 37 percent for Obama.

"It was not an attempt to make a partisan point," Newman said in a telephone interview Thursday. "In fact, in this election, for the sake of argument, if the Republican candidate had been pro-abortion, and the Democratic candidate had been pro-life, everything that I wrote would have been exactly the same."

Conservative Catholics criticized Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004 for supporting abortion rights, with a few Catholic bishops saying Kerry should refrain from receiving Holy Communion because his views were contrary to church teachings.

Some say move is too extreme
Sister Mary Ann Walsh, spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said she had not heard of other churches taking this position in reaction to Obama's win. A Boston-based group that supports Catholic Democrats questioned the move, saying it was too extreme.

"Father Newman is off-base," said Steve Krueger, national director of Catholic Democrats. "He is acting beyond the authority of a parish priest to say what he did. ... Unfortunately, he is doing so in a manner that will be of great cost to those parishioners who did vote for Sens. Obama and Biden. There will be a spiritual cost to them for his words."

A man who has attended St. Mary's for 18 years said he welcomed Newman's message and anticipated it would inspire further discussion at the church.

"I don't understand anyone who would call themselves a Christian, let alone a Catholic, and could vote for someone who's a pro-abortion candidate," said Ted Kelly, 64, who volunteers his time as lector for the church. "You're talking about the murder of innocent beings."

Read-to-Me Day

2008-11-13T15:29:00.002-05:00

Children and Volunteers Enjoy 'Read To Me Day'

The United Way of Summit County, coordinated volunteers from our Corporate Volunteer Council and other local businesses, in cooperation with the Akron Public Schools, to hold the 15th Annual Read To Me Day on November 5, 2008.

In a cooperative effort to promote literacy, 325 volunteers from 28 local companies, read childhood favorite books to students in kindergarten thru 3rd grades in 35 Akron elementary schools. In addition to reading to the children, hundreds of books were also donated to the classrooms in conjunction with this event.

Participating companies were: The Akron Beacon Journal, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron Public Schools, Allstate Insurance, Best Buy, Bober, Markey, Fedorovich & Co., Bridgestone Firestone, Brockman, Coats, Gedelian & Co., Exxon Mobile, County of Summit Board of MR/DD, FedEx, FirstEnergy Corp, First Merit Bank, Goodrich Power Systems, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co, GPD Associates, Harwick Standard, Kaiser Permanente, Klais & Co., Lockheed Martin, Meaden & Moore, National City Bank, OMNOVA Solutions, PPG Industries, Sterling Jewelers Inc., Summa Health System, United Way of Summit County, and United Way of Summit County's Women's Leadership Giving Society.

Volunteers reported that the children were very excited to have guest readers in their classes, and the volunteers themselves greatly enjoyed being a part of this community event. Thank you to these area companies for allowing employees to participate!

About 7 of us from my company volunteered for this. I got to read George Washington's Teeth. It was fun because it was the day after Election Day so we were able to discuss that a little bit. I had kindergartners, they are still so cute at that age!

Good for Her

2008-11-06T23:36:00.001-05:00

Ignorance is Bliss

2008-11-06T16:03:00.000-05:00

Well, there is some real ugliness surfacing online and some by people that I was acquaintances with or maybe even friends with. Names have been removed because I think they are just venting however I think their posts are, well, just plain stupid.

Let's start with this comment:
Anonymous thinks that voting should no longer be 18+. Clearly being 18 doesnt mean your educated. Take all the votes away of people without college educations and we'd have a Republican president.

First things first, I want to say that I believe I'm a fair person. I believe in the individuals right to say what they want but I'd like for what they say to have truth behind it. After seeing this post, I decided to take a peek at the Exit Polls displayed on www.cnn.com They showed that 53% of people with college educations voted for Barack Obama while only 45% voted for John McCain. Makes the claim of education a moot point. Also, "clearly being 18 doesnt mean your educated" - should be you're not your. Maybe, before you criticize the majority of America, you know, the majority that voted a candidate into office, you should just make sure what you are saying actually holds some ground. If you are saying the majority is uneducated, maybe you should appear to be educated and not use incorrect grammar.

Anonymous #2 thinks you need should be required to pass an IQ test before voting. Maybe then we wouldn't find ourselves in this mess!
If this were true, I think this poster may be astonished at the landslide the election probably would have been and still, not in their favor. I mean, if what is coming out about Sarah by the McCain camp today is true, I'm not sure she would have been allowed to vote for herself.

Now, I personally don't believe that anyone who is a McCain supporter is stupid for that reason alone. I respect the fact that you believe in your candidate as much as I believed in mine. I respect the fact that you are hurt right now; maybe this is the first time you really believed in someone and you feel a little let down, almost like you lost. I feel your pain, felt it in 2000 and 2004. However, attacking the majority, continuing to spread lies about the President-elect, throwing online tantrums and deleting associates from online networking systems because they don't necessarily let the comments you post fly without a response, well, that just means you are immature and intolerant of others. I don't see how that translates to the basic foundation upon which this country is based, a melting pot of cultures, religions, races and people. In every facet of life, you will be involved with people who are different. You can't just throw out their ideals and concerns and beliefs because they are not the same as yours. If you do, I can't see how your life will be truly happy. If you do reach a level of happiness, I'm going to assume it's because ignorance is bliss.

I wish my lost friends, those who've decided that political beliefs tear us apart, the best of luck. Throwing away a friendship over political beliefs shows way more about your character than mine.

11/6

2008-11-06T12:47:00.002-05:00

2005 - My father is found deceased in his home.

2007 - I appeared on an episode of Rachael Ray about our high school reunion.

Wow - Ralph Nader - Wow

2008-11-05T08:22:00.001-05:00

Dear Jesse Jackson....

2008-11-05T01:57:00.002-05:00

Please find a cabin in the backwoods of a very small town in, lets say a state like South Dakota, and stay there.
I don't like seeing you at all on my TV. I just want you to go away.

Vote - Vote - Vote!!!!

2008-11-04T11:09:00.003-05:00

Today is a Great Day in America

2008-11-04T10:56:00.002-05:00

As Election Day arrives, it's very obvious history will be made. Either a women will be VP or a man of African descent will become President.

These are the dreams that America is built on. America, the melting pot of cultures and people. America, the land of opportunity. America, the foundation of freedom.

No matter which party you've decided to cast your vote for, do you fully comprehend how amazing this is? For women, less than 100 years ago, we were not even permitted to vote and now there is a woman who could become Vice-President.

It wasn't until 1964, yes, only 44 years ago, that Jim Crow laws were overruled. Jim Crow laws were based on a seperate but equal ideal for minorities, promoting racial tensions and discrimination - "Colored Only" water fountains, restrooms, sitting in the back of the bus. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The Voting Rights Act of 1965 were the first steps to making all minorities equal in the law, though still not equal in the minds of many, and honor the words of a country where everyone had the opportunity of liberty, justice, the pursuit of happiness.

Today, I'm very proud. Yes, partly because as a woman, we are making strides. No matter how I feel about Sarah Palin's politics, in a way, she has made it. As an African American, though I know racism still lives in the heart of many, Obama making it this far, win or lose, it's a sign that blacks have overcome major barriers and obstacles and can unite a nation.

It's a good day in America, it's a good day in communities, it's just a good day that will hopefully end in the announcement of a Barack Obama/Joe Biden win.

I'm just so excited - Yes We Can! Yes We Can!!

Did You Vote Today?

2008-11-04T08:17:00.003-05:00

I'm like a big ol' ball of nerves. Vote America...of course, I'd prefer you vote for Barack Obama but if you have real reasons why you don't want to, I respect your diffrences. Just VOTE!! There are many issues across these great United States on the ballots and choosing not to participate in elections is completely unpatriotic! Be informed, get voting and change America.

So Sad - Madelyn Payne Dunham

2008-11-03T21:34:00.001-05:00

Wow, I can't believe she couldn't have had 48 more hours. What a joy that could have been to watch your grandson become President...

Old Ohio / New Ohio

2008-10-31T13:22:00.000-04:00

Nice America, really nice!

2008-10-29T14:10:00.001-04:00

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Authorities at the University of Kentucky are trying to find out who hung an effigy of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on campus.
College spokesman Carl Nathe said it was found hanging from a tree Wednesday morning. Police immediately took it down.
School President Lee Todd says that he plans to personally apologize to the Obama family on behalf of the university and that he is "personally offended and deeply embarrassed by this disgusting episode."
It's the second time an effigy has been found on a college campus recently. Earlier this week, George Fox University in Oregon said it was punishing four students who confessed to hanging a likeness of Obama from a tree.

Down to the final days...

2008-10-28T16:15:00.000-04:00

So, one last week of political madness and then someone can start working on their Inauguration Speech.

I've had the opportunity to become an educated voter this year and I'm sad to see how many people have based their vote on false statements, forwarded emails based on lies and other propoganda that have made this whole process a bitter and ugly battle; both sides have had their share of false attacks and I will be glad when this is all over.

So, a couple white supremacist decided to kill 88 black people and behead 14, one of their targets being Barack Obama. Will situations like this continue to be a reoccurring problem for the next four years should he win the Presidency? I certainly hope not. There are some miserable folks out there who want nothing more than to spread hate so I'm sure this won't be the last plot that will be stopped.

I've already voted so I'm very glad I won't have to stand in these crazy lines on Election Day. I'm satisfied with my decisions, I'm excited for what is going to happen. I should look into people hosting parties and attend one of those. It will be really nice to be in the presence of so many others who are supporting the same cause.

I just pray it leads to a better life for everyone; there's so much going wrong with America right now, no matter who is in office, something has got to change and to continue with the same policies we've had the last eight years, I can't see how that would be the right way to go.

Obama/Biden 2008

Happy 55th Birthday

2008-10-27T15:42:00.002-04:00

Wish you were here...
Miss you so much Dad!

Me and my BIG FAT ASS!!!!!

2008-10-22T10:28:00.003-04:00

So, with my return to school and my lack of working out combined with eating out constantly, my ass has gotten fatter, once again.

Effective immediately, I am to work out at least 3 times a week but should aim for 5 and I'm no longer allowed to eat like a freaking pig.

I will be posting my progress every other week to keep myself in check. Today, my big fat ass weighed 262.8 lbs.
I will not weigh this much in 2 weeks, screw this!

***edit***
I weighed 260.2 lbs. Still a fat ass, just a tad bit closer to being in the 250's.

Can you not support your candidate without wishing death to mine?

2008-10-21T14:21:00.002-04:00

I'm very disappointed in some phrases and chants that are being repeated by non-supporters of Barack Obama. I could care less that you don't agree with him and that you'd rather put McCain/Palin in office however, "Kill Him" and "Death to Obama" are both heinous and filled with hatred that I would believe your whole strategy of "Country First" doesn't stand for and lead me to believe you are a fool. I may not want your candidate to win but to wish death upon anyone is quite, well, pathetic. What saddens me the most, some of these people are well educated and normally human but in times of election madness, they have reverted to beast on a hunt for blood.

By the way, if I were you, I'd start to get used to the term President Obama - Change is coming!

Ignorance and plain stupidity

2008-10-18T10:12:00.000-04:00

No wedding by the water for me

2008-10-16T21:29:00.001-04:00

3.83

2008-10-14T09:00:00.002-04:00

Well, I got my 8th Week grades, A in Speech, A-/A in English so I'll say an A-. That means a 3.83 for right now. Good but not the 4.0 that I really want. I'll have to try much harder on my next two papers so that I can raise that up a little, I really want that 4.0.

Even though school takes up a lot of time and it's going to get harder, it's one of the few things that no one can take away from you. I love my job but I feel under appreciated because I'm not a degree-carrying employee; no advancement, none of the great perks and people with little to no experience in the field can waltz right in and be your boss because that piece of paper confirms they're obviously more qualified than me. Forget that you're smart or how much you are dedicated to the success of the company, in today's world, not having that BA, at the very least, shuts you out of too many places. Is it fair, I don't really think so but it's the way of life.

Anyway, I'll be a lot better off in the long run, at least studies show that, but I'm not sure how much I really believe it.

Well, talk to you all later.
Zaina Marie

The Change I Need

2008-10-10T15:54:00.001-04:00

Thursday SNL Funnies

2008-10-10T12:48:00.003-04:00

I love this...

2008-10-07T23:18:00.000-04:00

WTF???

2008-10-07T23:05:00.002-04:00

AIG execs' retreat after bailout angers lawmakers
By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer

Less than a week after the federal government had to bail out American International Group Inc., the company sent executives on a $440,000 retreat to a posh California resort, lawmakers investigating the company's meltdown said Tuesday.

The tab included $23,380 worth of spa treatments for AIG employees at the coastal St. Regis resort south of Los Angeles even as the company tapped into an $85 billion loan from the government it needed to stave off bankruptcy.

The retreat didn't include anyone from the financial products division that nearly drove AIG under, but lawmakers were still enraged over thousands of dollars spent on catered banquets, golf outings and visits to the resort's spa and salon for executives of AIG's main U.S. life insurance subsidiary.

"Average Americans are suffering economically. They're losing their jobs, their homes and their health insurance," House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., scolded the company during a lengthy opening statement. "Yet less than one week after the taxpayers rescued AIG, company executives could be found wining and dining at one of the most exclusive resorts in the nation."

The hearing disclosed that AIG executives hid the full range of its risky financial products from auditors as losses mounted, according to documents released Tuesday by a congressional panel examining the chain of events that forced the government to bail out the conglomerate.

The panel sharply criticized AIG's former top executives, who cast blame on each other for the company's financial woes.

"You have cost my constituents and the taxpayers of this country $85 billion and run into the ground one of the most respected insurance companies in the history of our country," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. "You were just gambling billions, possibly trillions of dollars."

AIG, crippled by huge losses linked to mortgage defaults, was forced last month to accept the $85 billion government loan that gives the U.S. the right to an 80 percent stake in the company.

Waxman unveiled documents showing AIG executives hid the full extent of the firm's risky financial products from auditors, both outside and inside the firm, as losses mounted.

For instance, federal regulators at the Office of Thrift Supervision warned in March that "corporate oversight of AIG Financial Products ... lack critical elements of independence." At the same time, Pricewaterhouse Cooper confidentially warned the company that the "root cause" of its mounting problems was denying internal overseers in charge of limiting AIG's exposure access to what was going on in its highly leveraged financial products branch.

Waxman also released testimony from former AIG auditor Joseph St. Denis, who resigned after being blocked from giving his input on how the firm estimated its liabilities.

Three former AIG executives were summoned to appear before the hearing. One of them, Maurice "Hank" Greenberg — who ran AIG for 38 years until 2005 — canceled his appearance citing illness but submitted prepared testimony. In it, he blamed the company's financial woes on his successors, former CEOs Martin Sullivan and Robert Willumstad.

"When I left AIG, the company operated in 130 countries and employed approximately 92,000 people," Greenberg said. "Today, the company we built up over almost four decades has been virtually destroyed."

Sullivan and Willumstad, in turn, cast much of the blame on accounting rules that forced AIG to take tens of billions of dollars in losses stemming from exposure to toxic mortgage-related securities.

Lawmakers also upbraided Sullivan, who ran the firm from 2005 until June of this year, for urging AIG's board of directors to waive pay guidelines to win a $5 million bonus for 2007 — even as the company lost $5 billion in the 4th quarter of that year. Sullivan countered that he was mainly concerned with helping other senior executives.

Sullivan also came under fire for reassuring shareholders about the health of the company last December, just days after its auditor, Pricewaterhouse Cooper, warned of him that AIG was displaying "material weakness" in its huge exposure to potential losses from insuring mortgage-related securities.

AIG's problems did not come from its traditional insurance subsidiaries, which remain healthy, but instead from its financial services operations, primarily its insurance of mortgage-backed securities and other risky debt against default. Government officials feared a panic might occur if AIG couldn't make good on its promise to cover losses on the securities; investors feared the consequences would pose a threat to the U.S. financial system, which led to the government bailout.

AIG suffered huge losses when its credit rating was cut, thanks largely to complex financial transactions known as "credit default swaps." AIG was a major seller of the swaps, which are a form of insurance, though they are not regulated that way.

The swap contracts promise payment to investors in mortgage bonds in the event of a default. AIG has been forced to raise billions of dollars in collateral to back up those guarantees.

Sullivan said many of the firm's problems stemmed from "mark to market" accounting rules mandating that its positions guaranteeing troubled mortgage securities be carried as tens of billions of dollars in losses on its balance sheet.

This in turn, said former AIG chief executive Willumstad, who ran the company for just three months after Sullivan left, forced the firm to raise billions of dollars in capital. The federal rescue came after AIG suffered disastrous liquidity problems after its credit rating was lowered, forcing the company to come up with even more capital.

"AIG was caught in a vicious cycle," Willumstad said in the testimony.

Greenberg said that AIG "wrote as many credit default swaps ... in the nine months following my departure as it had written in the entire previous seven years combined. Moreover, "unlike what had been true during my tenure, the majority of the credit default swaps that AIGFP wrote in the nine months after I retired were reportedly exposed to subprime mortgages."

But Sullivan said the complex swaps had underlying value, even as the market for them froze, sending their book value plummeting and forcing AIG to scramble for collateral.

"When the credit markets seized up, like many other financial institutions, we were forced to mark our swap positions at fire-sale prices as if we owned the underlying bonds, even though we believed that our swap positions had value if held to maturity," Sullivan said.

The hearing is the second in two days into financial excesses and regulatory mistakes that have spooked stock and credit markets and heightened fears about a global recession.

More Hilariousness

2008-10-06T11:58:00.001-04:00

America's Got Talent Winner

2008-10-02T13:10:00.002-04:00

I really love this song, one of my favorites from the opera world. I only heard it a few years ago when a Miss Ohio contestant, Leslie Ondrey, performed it and it was amazing...thinking about it just gives me goosebumps...
Anyway, Neil Boyd, whom I remember from the first auditions of the season won the 3rd season of the show with Nessum Dorma...

My New Shoes

2008-10-01T08:51:00.001-04:00

I had to share because I LOVE them!!!
www.Payless.com

Palin/Couric Part 4

2008-09-28T10:15:00.000-04:00

Oh, Sarah

2008-09-27T22:06:00.002-04:00

So, I was never a fan of Mrs. Palin, I will admit that. It's great she had a background in pageantry, whoo hoo...her speech at the RNC, extremely effective in promoting unity and energizing the party, great...however, she is not ready to become VP of this country. It's not because she is a woman, it's not because she if from Alaska, it's not because she is a mother. It's because she doesn't know enough about the world and there's no way she would be able to cram for this enormous test in time to show anyone she can actually handle the job of VP.

So Sad

2008-09-27T18:05:00.003-04:00

One of my very favorite places to eat has closed down due to illegal business practices. The owner has been convicted of bank fraud.

Duh...

2008-09-24T00:42:00.002-04:00

Clay, we already knew AND everybody loved ya....
Kinda like when Ellen came out...no surprises.....

Plan for Change

2008-09-24T00:05:00.001-04:00

I Agree

2008-09-22T11:02:00.000-04:00

Women voters must send a message: Palin isn't qualified
Robyn BlumnerTribune EditorialSalt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated:09/22/2008 02:34:19 AM MDT

Women will decide this presidential election, so say the political experts. We vote in greater numbers than men and when we even marginally abandon our Democratic-leanings, Republicans win.

The big question is whether Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's two X chromosomes and morning-anchor mien will be the thing that drives women to the McCain-Palin ticket this November.

Palin personifies the overscripted, jab-laden, plasticized rhetoric of the modern presidential campaign. One might even say she was born to the sound bite. But you get the impression that all she's got to offer are about two lines on each issue, parroting what she's been told or what has been written for her.

In Palin's now well dissected interview with Charlie Gibson of ABC News, her answers were shallow and at times barely cogent. On Iran's nuclear ambitions, Palin said three times that she wouldn't ''second-guess'' Israel if it attacks Iran to eliminate its nuclear facilities.

This is probably the most significant national security issue the next administration will face, yet her answer was devoid of the slightest depth.

On our sputtering economy and how she would diverge from President Bush's economic policies, she said: ''We have got to make sure that we reform the oversight also of the agencies, including the quasi-government agencies like Freddie and Fannie, those things that have created an atmosphere here in America where people are fearful of losing their homes.''

Huh?

If she wanted to discuss the foreclosure crisis, Palin could have talked about an end to predatory lending practices or the need to assert regulatory authority over the investment-banking sector.
If she wanted to talk about Freddie and Fannie, Palin could have referred to them properly as ''government-sponsored enterprises'' and described the way they used lobbyists to keep their capital ratios dangerously low.

But what she said instead was nonsensically broad - just a platitude really, and a mangled one at that.

On Iraq, Palin has conflated what happened on 9/11 with going to war there. Is she really still confused about this?

What we have heard from Palin scares me. I want the first woman vice president to be up to the job regardless of her party.

I may not be a fan of anyone in Bush's inner circle, but I know that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is prepared to be vice president. I know that Bush's former EPA chief, Christine Todd Whitman, could do it. There are a number of women on the Republican bench who are able, but Sen. John McCain chose a someone who is - to put it bluntly - not smart enough.

I'm not a school snob. You don't need a Harvard or Yale degree to be qualified as vice president. Bush has an undergraduate degree from Yale and a MBA from Harvard and yet he's one of the dimmest bulbs to live in the White House. But it took Palin six years at six different schools to finally secure an undergraduate degree in journalism at the University of Idaho.

That's indicative of someone who either can't cut it in the academic world or doesn't want to. Either way it's a problem for a potential vice president.

Palin reminds me of Bush's pick of lightweight Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court. Those on the ideological right, such as former Bush speechwriter David Frum and conservative activist Linda Chavez, knew that Miers didn't have the intellectual chops for the job and harangued the administration until she withdrew.

This time, there are no anti-Palin ad campaigns coming from the political right. It apparently cares more about who sits on the Supreme Court than who sits one-malignant-melanoma away from the presidency.

It is not partisan to say that a vice presidential candidate needs to understand this complex, dangerous world with nuance and depth. Palin doesn't. And it is up to women to vote her back to Alaska, where she can see Russia, but thankfully not attack it.

Weekend Update

2008-09-22T10:54:00.001-04:00

I had a pretty crappy weekend. Between fighting with my boyfriend and everything that was involved in that, I'm pretty drained. And the cuss bucket, I probably owe $50 but I'm not paying it....he pissed me off, royally!!

Secondly, I ordered new checks and I'm not happy with how they typed my address and phone number...
Instead of 123 My Avenue, they put 123 my ave. Instead of 123-456-7890, they put 123.456.7890 and instead of Akron, OH, they put AKRON, OH. I know, small things that probably shouldn't matter but it completely irks me.

I did get my laundry done, I haven't done it since the very end of July. I know, one, that's just not cool, two, yes I have too many clothes, three, again, just not cool. I had gotten to the point where I would do laundry once a month but with school and working that other part time job on top of my full-time one and wanting to relax every now and then, I wasn't making time for it. I was getting down to the clothes I really had no desire to wear so it was definitely time!

So what good happened...well, I think I've gotten my boyfriend to realize that he needs to fix a sitution that pertains to the mother of his youngest child. Long story very abbreviated -
Matt's mom ended up in the hospital Tuesday, fell down some steps, broke arm and some vertebrae. Matt lets mother of youngest child (21 mos.) know, I don't think she should have been told, it had nothing to do with her. She drives 3+ hours uninvited and unexpectedly to visit his mother in hospital. I get pissed. I tell him he needs to put her in her place. He says his mom said she should have been called cause she is the mother of her grandson, I say they call all kiss where the sun don't shine, I quit. He shows up at my house, we fight some more about the issues but I think we can work on this a little more and see where it will go.

Well, I have a paper I need to write today so I better get to it...Peace out..
Zaina Marie

Ugh

2008-09-20T07:11:00.004-04:00

This is NOT the kind of article I wanted to see when I logged onto my computer this morning!!!

WASHINGTON (AP) — Deep-seated racial misgivings could cost Barack Obama the White House if the election is close, according to an AP-Yahoo News poll that found one-third of white Democrats harbor negative views toward blacks — many calling them "lazy," "violent," responsible for their own troubles.
The poll, conducted with Stanford University, suggests that the percentage of voters who may turn away from Obama because of his race could easily be larger than the final difference between the candidates in 2004 — about two and one-half percentage points.
Certainly, Republican John McCain has his own obstacles: He's an ally of an unpopular president and would be the nation's oldest first-term president. But Obama faces this: 40 percent of all white Americans hold at least a partly negative view toward blacks, and that includes many Democrats and independents.

More than a third of all white Democrats and independents — voters Obama can't win the White House without — agreed with at least one negative adjective about blacks, according to the survey, and they are significantly less likely to vote for Obama than those who don't have such views.

Such numbers are a harsh dose of reality in a campaign for the history books. Obama, the first black candidate with a serious shot at the presidency, accepted the Democratic nomination on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, a seminal moment for a nation that enshrined slavery in its Constitution.

"There are a lot fewer bigots than there were 50 years ago, but that doesn't mean there's only a few bigots," said Stanford political scientist Paul Sniderman who helped analyze the exhaustive survey.

The pollsters set out to determine why Obama is locked in a close race with McCain even as the political landscape seems to favor Democrats. President Bush's unpopularity, the Iraq war and a national sense of economic hard times cut against GOP candidates, as does that fact that Democratic voters outnumber Republicans.

The findings suggest that Obama's problem is close to home — among his fellow Democrats, particularly non-Hispanic white voters. Just seven in 10 people who call themselves Democrats support Obama, compared to the 85 percent of self-identified Republicans who back McCain.
The survey also focused on the racial attitudes of independent voters because they are likely to decide the election.

Lots of Republicans harbor prejudices, too, but the survey found they weren't voting against Obama because of his race. Most Republicans wouldn't vote for any Democrat for president — white, black or brown.

Not all whites are prejudiced. Indeed, more whites say good things about blacks than say bad things, the poll shows. And many whites who see blacks in a negative light are still willing or even eager to vote for Obama.

On the other side of the racial question, the Illinois Democrat is drawing almost unanimous support from blacks, the poll shows, though that probably wouldn't be enough to counter the negative effect of some whites' views.

Race is not the biggest factor driving Democrats and independents away from Obama. Doubts about his competency loom even larger, the poll indicates. More than a quarter of all Democrats expressed doubt that Obama can bring about the change they want, and they are likely to vote against him because of that.

Three in 10 of those Democrats who don't trust Obama's change-making credentials say they plan to vote for McCain.

Still, the effects of whites' racial views are apparent in the polling.
Statistical models derived from the poll suggest that Obama's support would be as much as 6 percentage points higher if there were no white racial prejudice.

But in an election without precedent, it's hard to know if such models take into account all the possible factors at play.

The AP-Yahoo News poll used the unique methodology of Knowledge Networks, a Menlo Park, Calif., firm that interviews people online after randomly selecting and screening them over telephone. Numerous studies have shown that people are more likely to report embarrassing behavior and unpopular opinions when answering questions on a computer rather than talking to a stranger.

Other techniques used in the poll included recording people's responses to black or white faces flashed on a computer screen, asking participants to rate how well certain adjectives apply to blacks, measuring whether people believe blacks' troubles are their own fault, and simply asking people how much they like or dislike blacks.

"We still don't like black people," said John Clouse, 57, reflecting the sentiments of his pals gathered at a coffee shop in Somerset, Ohio.

Given a choice of several positive and negative adjectives that might describe blacks, 20 percent of all whites said the word "violent" strongly applied. Among other words, 22 percent agreed with "boastful," 29 percent "complaining," 13 percent "lazy" and 11 percent "irresponsible." When asked about positive adjectives, whites were more likely to stay on the fence than give a strongly positive assessment.

Among white Democrats, one third cited a negative adjective and, of those, 58 percent said they planned to back Obama.

The poll sought to measure latent prejudices among whites by asking about factors contributing to the state of black America. One finding: More than a quarter of white Democrats agree that "if blacks would only try harder, they could be just as well off as whites."

Those who agreed with that statement were much less likely to back Obama than those who didn't.

Among white independents, racial stereotyping is not uncommon. For example, while about 20 percent of independent voters called blacks "intelligent" or "smart," more than one third latched on the adjective "complaining" and 24 percent said blacks were "violent."
Nearly four in 10 white independents agreed that blacks would be better off if they "try harder."
The survey broke ground by incorporating images of black and white faces to measure implicit racial attitudes, or prejudices that are so deeply rooted that people may not realize they have them. That test suggested the incidence of racial prejudice is even higher, with more than half of whites revealing more negative feelings toward blacks than whites.

Researchers used mathematical modeling to sort out the relative impact of a huge swath of variables that might have an impact on people's votes — including race, ideology, party identification, the hunger for change and the sentiments of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's backers.

Just 59 percent of her white Democratic supporters said they wanted Obama to be president. Nearly 17 percent of Clinton's white backers plan to vote for McCain.

Among white Democrats, Clinton supporters were nearly twice as likely as Obama backers to say at least one negative adjective described blacks well, a finding that suggests many of her supporters in the primaries — particularly whites with high school education or less — were motivated in part by racial attitudes.

The survey of 2,227 adults was conducted Aug. 27 to Sept. 5. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.
———
Associated Press writers Nancy Benac, Julie Carr Smyth, Philip Elliot, Julie Pace and Sonya Ross contributed to this story.

Please Register to Vote...

2008-09-18T11:45:00.000-04:00

...and vote for the right reasons!!

If you are only voting for Barack Obama because he is black, your voting privileges should be taken away.

If you are only voting for John McCain because he has chosen a female VP, your voting privileges should be taken away.

My wish is that men and women across the country realize just how important a vote for an election is. It's an honor not everyone in the world has, some people have no choice in who leads their country. In the end, your candidate choice may not win however, you voted, you tried to make a difference. No matter who you are voting for, no matter what issues are important to you, please become an educated voter before Nov.4th. Don't vote based on race, celebrity or gender. Vote for who you believe is the best person to lead America during these critical times.

http://www.factcheck.org/
http://www.rockthevote.com/

I Have a Dream

2008-09-18T09:15:00.000-04:00

If you have never watched Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, I'd like to urge you to take 18 minutes of your life, think about the struggle America was experiencing and realize this man was standing in front of a crowd of 250,000 people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk

Yesterday during Effective Oral Communication class was the first time I'd watched the speech in it's entirety. One woman said she didn't like it because he repeated himself too much and it wasn't effective. She said that him being a pastor is the reason people listened and he was able to manipulate the audience.

Besides the fact the man is a doctoral graduate meaning he has a much higher education that most people in America both then and today, I was highly bothered by her comments. I'm usually very fair, very open-minded and tolerant of others views, even when they are completely opposite of mine but I let her know that she had to remember that this was his life and his struggle, this was a HUGE problem America was experiencing and everything he had to overcome to make it to that moment. I mean, speaking in front of 250,000 like-minded people, you have to deliver something spectacular, which he did, and memorable. This speech has been studied over and over and people are still amazed by the way he was able to deliver it, the way he used parallelisms, similes, metaphors and repetition it stress the importance of civil rights.

Watching that speech, I was almost in tears. I can't imagine the pain and torture that was cast down on people just because of the color of their skin. How can you think separate is equal? How can you not read the story of Emmit Till and not be outraged at how America was treating it's own people? How can you think his speech wasn't meaningful? Sure you can have your own opinion and thoughts but to deny him that, I think you're stupid.

I've got a lot more to say over the next few days about this election but I'm going to get some work done and then I'll be back. I've been gone too long and too much has happened!

Wednesday 8-27

2008-08-27T09:15:00.000-04:00

Well, my first day of classes went very well. I think I probably could have added one more class to my work load but I'll take it easy this first year since I hope to have other things going on really soon!

So, I am just completely happy with how everything in my life is going. I really can't ask for anything more. Okay, I could use a little more in my paycheck but who couldn't?

I'm going to send away for a new passport today, I've been meaning to do this for a while. All I have to do is renew my current one, which is expired however, because I got it within the last 15 years (I got it in 1996) and I still have it and my name is still the same and I was at least 16 when I did get it, I should just do it now so that I don't have to go thru all the steps! I'll go at lunch to get my photos (which reminds me I need to get some make up on) and then send it off, finally!!
Well, I do have homework that I didn't get a chance to do yet because I just got my books last night and still have to get 2 more, I spent $130 on two freaking books, ugh! Oh well, I suppose it will all be worth it in the end.
Peace out,
Zaina Marie

Back to School

2008-08-25T12:46:00.000-04:00

So, how's it been everyone?
My life, well, I'd like to say all is well and knock on wood, life just keeps getting better.

I start school today. Yes, Zaina Marie, freshman at the University of Akron. I'm only taking 7 credits this first semester. We shall see how things go in the future but for right now, that's what I'm doing.

Looks like the big M - yeah, the big, huge M as in marriage is going to be finding it's way into my life, in the next year, according to my boyfriend. Isn't that crazy? Just last year, I was having God-awful dates at Eat N'Park and now, I've found a guy who I could spend the rest of my life with. Wowza...

Back to school, like, OMG. I'm excited but really nervous. While I'm not expecting to be the star of the show, I do have high goals of making the part-time Dean's List. Not too hard when you are only taking 2 classes, right? I hope not.
Well, I'm going to go back to reading Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner, I have nothing else to do.

What the...

2008-08-08T12:49:00.000-04:00

http://www.weirdasianews.com/2008/08/07/man-almost-loses-penis-humping-steel-bench/

One Year

2008-08-02T00:51:00.000-04:00

One a year ago today I had to tell the person I loved the most that the man she loved the most was never going to call her again. He would never hold her again, he’d never say her name again. I had to let her know hat the next time she would see him, he’d be a very still, silent shell of a person that used to be alive. That no matter how many tears we all cried, no matter how much we all wished, no matter how much we all prayed, Ronald R. Barnett was no longer with us.

It’s amazing how quickly time flies but from August 1st to August 10th, 2007, I thought every minute of everyday was an hour long. Making funeral plans, trying to be strong for everyone, trying to figure out why God would be punishing us less than two years from the days we lost our real father. Sure, all the evil, awful, hateful mean things, all that stuff, none of it mattered when I found out he was dead. I was crushed because I knew my mom was dying inside.

Of course, I shouldn’t have blamed God, I mean, he’s the one that knows all, right? He makes no mistakes, he knows exactly how many steps you will take, he knows how many breaths you will inhale, exhale, he knows all that but still, for a very long while, I was very angry with him. What did we do to deserve such large losses in our family in such a short time. I guess I’m tired of being mad at God because I know in the end, he did what was right. Either he decided it was time to relieve them of their pain or suffering or he was releasing us from ours.

I’d like to think that over this past year, we’ve all been able to heal a little, we’ve all been able to slowly bring back a sense of family we lost along the years. We’ve done a little bit better and that may not have happened if Rodney was alive but all that said, I’m still not pleased or happy that he’s no longer here.

I still miss him.

7/29

2008-07-29T12:19:00.000-04:00

I'm just going to accept the fact I don't know my math anymore and quit being so hard on myself. Sure, basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, PEMDAS, square roots, absolute value equations, FOIL. That's about where it ends. I'm not the math whiz kid I was, the one who ranked in the 96th percentile against other kids in the same grade. And instead of being angry with myself, I'm just going to accept whatever score I get on the math placement test and if I have to take remedial math or something, I'm going to just be a-okay with that!

Looks like my English placement test will make me much happier if the practice test is anything like what I'm actually going to get. I'm pretty awesome, if I might say so myself. :-)

I'm rethinking where I want to go in life as well. So many decisions, choices. Not only just in school but in work and love and all those things. Matt and I are doing really well right now. Sure, his job is still driving me nuts but I'm dealing with it much better now. Hopefully in the next few months, we'll be closer, much closer to each other if everything goes as planned. I'm just happy, happier than I've been in a long time, maybe in my whole life. Go Me!

Well, I'm going to look over some more of these things and figure out when I'm going to go fail this math test....
Lata...

Miss Georgia

2008-07-28T22:30:00.000-04:00

Watching the pageant online right now, Their webcast isn't as good as Ohio's was but it's still available for free to anyone across the world which is very nice!

So, I went and did eat the Chicken Gordita supreme but I also got a box of 100-calorie Chocolate covered pretzels which, I did have a bag, and a Coke Zero so dinner was a total 390 calories added to what I had the rest of the day and I've got a total of 1,400 I think. I didn't work out though, I should have.

Oh well...
Lata

7/24

2008-07-24T16:19:00.000-04:00

Sorry, forgive me. I've done an awful job of keeping my blog up-to-date. I'll start doing food and exercise next week. I've not even been writing this down, I'm just tired of doing it and I need a break!

So, what has happened in the past few weeks? Well, I had one episode of Crazy B*^th where I'm sure my boyfriend had second thoughts about me but it was his fault and some of it, he deserved. Hopefully he has learned his lesson. Speaking of the boyfriend, our first date was January 25, 2008 which makes it six months (tomorrow) that we've been dating. I don't know whether time has gone fast or slow. I think it's been a long six months. This weekend we're supposed to do something fun but thanks to the wonderful world of Speedway, I never get all the time I really want, neither do his kids, neither does he. I'd love for him to find a job that has set hours so that plans never get cancelled. Oh well.

So, I planned a family reunion for my best friend that actually went pretty well. There's an issue with the final bill with the hotel but I intend to get that cleared up next week when the manager returns.

Yesterday in the mail I received my Transfer Transition Orientation Confirmation for the University of Akron. Yes, finally, I'm taking my ass back to school. There's really no excuse as to why it's taken me so long but I'm wasting my intelligence in a place where I've got no where to move. So, when I signed up for school, I originally chose Business & Organizational Communications but I've since changed my mind and I'd like to be a Pharmacist so Biology would be a much better path to take. I think I have plenty of time to change that or maybe I'll love Business, I have to take general classes first anyway. However, I'm scared out of mind that I'm not as smart as I used to be. I mean, I scored upper 20's in my Math ACT score however, I'm looking at these Trig/Algebra/Calculus placement test questions and I haven't done this stuff in over 11 years. I'll need to study up some so that I don't feel so stupid. I probably should have been doing that all summer. I know, I'm sure I'll do fine, I actually just wish I could work at Harwick part time and go to school full time, I'd love to enjoy the college life, though I'm 11 years late, lol.

Harwick's Biggest Loser ends on Wednesday. I think my winning team will be a team of women who have done very well with their weight loss, I'm super proud of them. I'm just happy that the "Losers" who didn't really participate will be out!! Good riddance to piss-poor attitudes!

Well, tonight is tap which is one my favorite activities of the week! I hope I don't have a Thursday class, I'll be so sad without my tap dancing!! Talk to you lovely people later!!

Whoo Hoo

2008-07-16T10:22:00.000-04:00

Anyway, today's weigh in...
242.2!!! That means I'm down 15 lbs. since January, 6.4 since last weigh in!! Yippie..

Back Again

2008-07-15T13:32:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a few days since I've posted and more has happened than I care to share with ya but all is well and life is good.

I've not even really kept track of the calories I've consumed but oh well, I've written it down, just not calculated it out yet.

I think I'll take a week off, I've got a lot to do this week with the family reunion I'm planning this weekend.

I will share a little something that made me smile -
Zaina - "So, you think you love me?"
Matt - "I don't think, I know."

Food 7/10

2008-07-10T23:47:00.000-04:00

3 hard boiled egg whites - 51
2 pieces of wheat bread - 120
1 tsp. peanut butter - 31
1 tsp. strawberry jelly - 17
1/2 package spinach - 30
3 twizzlers - 130
3 fudgepops w/tbsp. cool whip lite - 150
can of corn - 315
Wendy's fries - 430
Grilled Chicken Wrap - 260
Grand total - 1534
Completed 45 minutes of Zumba Sculpt/Tone

Pretty good day....
Zaina Marie

Waffle House Wedding

2008-07-10T22:21:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URfuZGIGO8g

Food 7/9

2008-07-10T09:15:00.000-04:00

Well, I've not posted my food for a couple of days so here goes yesterday, at least.
Apple Danish - 320
3 Hard Boiled Egg Whites - 51
2 Servings Baked French Fries - 255
Twizzlers - 260
Sushi @ Wasabi - 600???
Salad @Wasabi - 150???
1 Mussle - 50??
And after Wasabi, they wanted to go to Coldstone, which I've never been to. I couldn't decide what to get so I didn't get anything - just had a bite of Lita's peanut butter ice cream, a bite of Cryshanna's cheesecake ice cream and 4 bites of my Mom's Oreo ice cream. So, I'll go with 100 calories there. I wish I knew exactly what I ate, I'm just guessing by looking everything up on http://www.calorieking.com
Oh well, talk to you later....
Zaina Marie

Hello Hello

2008-07-06T15:53:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm not too sure how many calories I've consumed over the last few days but it wasn't nearly as much as I would have liked as I've passed up cakes, cookies, pies and everything else. Though I've not counted, I do believe I have done well. I got on Matt's moms scale last night and it read 243.8 so just maybe it's going to say something nice when I weigh in at work tomorrow.

Well, I must say I've enjoyed my time down here in WV. I wasn't sure what to expect and how to figure out things but it's all turned out pretty good. Matt's mom has been super nice when it's been coming down to my diet and she's fun to talk to and reaffirms the issues with Matt that I tell him about. Who knows what will happen with that.

Well, I'm going to get out of here, eat my turkey burger - see better than a regular burger. See you later...

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-04T11:15:00.000-04:00

So, I'm going to WV for the weekend, leaving in a little bit and coming back on Sunday. We shall see how this goes!

I was pleasantly surprised by the scale this morning, barely went over 240 and that's the best I've seen that scale since I got it however, I wish I was weighing in on a digital one, so much easier to get an actual number but hey, as long as it keeps going down, I'm doing something right although I didn't work out Twizzlers like I said I was going too...Anyway, I can't wait until Monday to weigh in at work, Whoo hooo...

Well, I've still got to dye my hair and pack. I don't know why I didn't do these things yesterday when I had plenty of time, sometimes I just wonder about myself.

See ya soon...
Zaina Marie

Food 7/3

2008-07-04T01:19:00.000-04:00

I was much lazier today than I should have been, sure it was my day off but I could have gotten a lot more done around the house than I did, oh well....

Donut - 180
Banana - 90
Cheese - 180
Turkey - 160
Package of Chicken - 90
Ice Cream - 300
Chicken Thighs no skin - 280
I really can't remember if I ate anything else...I'm going to grab 3 Twizzlers on my way to bed so I'll add 130 calories for a total today of 1410 or something like that....

I really wish I had of worked out.
Have a happy 4th of July, I won't be back here until Sunday, I'm sure I won't be able to calculate my calories but I will do my best to not eat all the wrong things....
Until later...

Zaina Marie

Food 7/2

2008-07-03T13:30:00.000-04:00

Juicy's - 3(35)
Donut - 2(180)
Banana - 2(90)
Apple - 2(80)
Pretzels - 100
Bread - 120
Cheese - 320
Turkey - 270
Total for the day - 1615
Exercise for the day - 45 minutes of Zumba Sculpt & Tone

And when I checked my scale this morning, I was much closer to 240 than 250 which gives me hope that when I weigh in Monday, I'll see a good number....

Must.Not.Pig.Out.For.Holiday!!!
Zaina Marie

Food 7/1

2008-07-02T10:15:00.000-04:00

Hey ya'll....I got lazy last night and didn't post my food, here it goes....
3 bananas - 270
1 donut - 180
2 Propels - 40
5 servings carrots - 175
1 1/2 servings Ranch dressing - 120
1 package chicken - 90
1 package pretzels - 100
1 donut - 180
2 servings cereal - 380
1 serving milk - 130
1 fudgesicle w/whip cream - 80
On the workout front, I did Zumba Sculpt & Tone (45 minutes) and Zumba Abs (20 minutes). Total calories for the day - 1,745. Okay, with me.
Have a great day - talk to you later.

Hello July

2008-07-01T12:43:00.000-04:00

Happy July!! Today is also the Halfway Point of 2008.
July is:
National Blueberries Month
Cell Phone Courtesy Month
National Ice Cream Month
National Grilling Month
National Hot Dog Month
National Horseradish Month

Food 6/30

2008-07-01T10:24:00.000-04:00

Ok, I was going to post last night BUT I forgot my list of what I ate at work - dumb, dumb....
Anyway, yesterday I had:
3 apples - 240 cal.
3 bananas - 270 cal
3 juices - 105 cal.
1 propel - 20 cal.
1 pretzel pack - 100 cal.
2 servings of salad mix - 30 cal.
1 package chicken - 90 cal.
Lite ranch dressing - 100 cal.
1 whopper jr. - no mayo - 290 cal.
2 donuts - 360 cal.
2 fudgesicles with lite cool whip - 160 cal.
So, yeah, I was over my normal but 1,735 isn't too bad.
Well, gotta get some work done, I'll be back in a little bit.
Zaina Marie