Last July? Seriously?? How time flies!
SO, what have I been up to? Too much to be recounted all at once, it seems...
I've gone full throttle on my soldier project. Back in November, I recruited friends, and we spent six hours in a Hobby Lobby classroom making cards for the troops. We wound up sending 63 handmade Christmas cards to the soldiers last holiday season! And another workshop is up and coming this Saturday! I hope for equal success this time around. :)
In addition to that, one of said friends has begun another project... crocheting and knitting blankets, scarves and hats for soldiers and veterans. I've already churned out and turned in three scarves, a hat, and my very first ever blanket! I was so proud of it... shell stitch design, though you couldn't really tell because I used a camouflage variegated yarn. Bummer... but it still looked nice! Another blanket and scarf coming down the pike.
And on top of ALL of that, there are five new additions to our family of furry friends... meet the doglets. Barbie, the 2 year-old terrier mix rescue. And then the pups... 10-month-old Griffin the Pekingese, and 9-week-old Mason the Sheltie.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paperbouquet/4443667872/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paperbouquet/4375034826/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paperbouquet/4443668018/
Also, two guinea pigs... Mocha and Miette. Both of whom are too spazzy to photograph. ;)
Other than that... I've been to New York twice, stepped on a broken lightbulb and wound up on crutches for two weeks, come upon a dream job opportunity on which I've yet to hear further, successfully photographed a slice of cheese for 365 days, and developed precisely 8 new fantabulous recipes.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
A Flipside to Every Coin...
Whoever first said this was a wise one indeed. Friends and family could testify to the fact that this is one of my favourite sayings, and I make frequent use of it.
This is about trade offs. Every pro comes with a con, and vice versa. Sometimes we tend to look at things through rose-coloured glass... as the pot of gold at the other end of the rainbow. But rarely is this the case.
As I sit here with one eye squeezed shut, and the other peering intently at my monitor, I'm taken back to the day my mother finally let me turn in my glasses for contact lenses. Then, it seemed the greatest accomplishment. But now, in this very moment, with one contact lens dried and shriveled on the desk after randomly flopping out, as I wait for the bathroom to be vacated so I can replace said lens... I'm acknowledging the cons.
Hey, I'm not complaining or anything! Contact lenses don't steam up in humid weather, or get caught in my earrings. But they do have their own issues, especially late at night with dry eyes.
And as I continue to sit here with my one-eyed, rabbit-trailing self... I've been pondering and mulling over the pros and cons of Obama's healthcare package.
He sure made it sound fine, didn't he? Healthcare for all the poor lost lambs in America who don't have insurance to cover even their most basic medical needs. Is this not the deal of a lifetime? Nationalized healthcare! Healthcare for everyone! BUT, anybody who likes their plan and their doctor... gets to keep it?? This is too good to be true!
Unfortunately, it really is too good to be true. Time to get real!
Administration is failing to acknowledge, several important points here. Some of which I intend to address...
Firstly, let's look at Canada. The only reason nationalized healthcare is even remotely functional there is because the majority of Canadians come over the border into the U.S. for their most urgent medical needs. This is common knowledge to anyone with Canadian acquaintances. If you don't have any, I'll be glad to hook you up so you can hear it for yourself.
Why doesn't it work? First, there aren't enough medical workers to give each and every citizen in need their full attention and assistance. They can only take care of so many per day. So to FORCE it to work, what do they have to do?
Overbook- Too many patients and not enough time means that your appointment could be booked weeks, or even MONTHS away from when you need it.
Secondly, it's too expensive. The government is already way in debt... how can they cover the costs of 40 some-odd million more uninsured Americans? And it's not just going to be those 40-something millions of Americans, either! You'll have millions more transitioning, because this nationalized plan looks sooooo much better.
There was a story sometime back about a woman who had terminal cancer. Because it was terminal, and her chances of survival were supposedly slim, it was decided that it would be a waste of money to treat her for it.
What to do? Come to the U.S. and get treated here. And... if this should happen once the U.S. healthcare is nationalized? Oh, poot... same problem. You're terminal, it would be a waste of our money to treat you. Sorry.
So to make this work, they'd have to lower the quality of treatment, skimp and deprive many people of the treatments and operations they need. They'd also have to hike taxes to make ends meet... and even then that wouldn't be enough.
And the part about keeping your private plan and doctor if you want to? A load of bunk... with the government plan, there will soon be no room for the private plan.
And what does all this have to do with my contact lens? Nothing. I'm just rabbit-trailing, as I said before. Speaking of which, the bathroom is now available. I'm sure, given more time, I could have pointed out a few more flaws... but I think that's a pretty good starter. Ciao!
This is about trade offs. Every pro comes with a con, and vice versa. Sometimes we tend to look at things through rose-coloured glass... as the pot of gold at the other end of the rainbow. But rarely is this the case.
As I sit here with one eye squeezed shut, and the other peering intently at my monitor, I'm taken back to the day my mother finally let me turn in my glasses for contact lenses. Then, it seemed the greatest accomplishment. But now, in this very moment, with one contact lens dried and shriveled on the desk after randomly flopping out, as I wait for the bathroom to be vacated so I can replace said lens... I'm acknowledging the cons.
Hey, I'm not complaining or anything! Contact lenses don't steam up in humid weather, or get caught in my earrings. But they do have their own issues, especially late at night with dry eyes.
And as I continue to sit here with my one-eyed, rabbit-trailing self... I've been pondering and mulling over the pros and cons of Obama's healthcare package.
He sure made it sound fine, didn't he? Healthcare for all the poor lost lambs in America who don't have insurance to cover even their most basic medical needs. Is this not the deal of a lifetime? Nationalized healthcare! Healthcare for everyone! BUT, anybody who likes their plan and their doctor... gets to keep it?? This is too good to be true!
Unfortunately, it really is too good to be true. Time to get real!
Administration is failing to acknowledge, several important points here. Some of which I intend to address...
Firstly, let's look at Canada. The only reason nationalized healthcare is even remotely functional there is because the majority of Canadians come over the border into the U.S. for their most urgent medical needs. This is common knowledge to anyone with Canadian acquaintances. If you don't have any, I'll be glad to hook you up so you can hear it for yourself.
Why doesn't it work? First, there aren't enough medical workers to give each and every citizen in need their full attention and assistance. They can only take care of so many per day. So to FORCE it to work, what do they have to do?
Overbook- Too many patients and not enough time means that your appointment could be booked weeks, or even MONTHS away from when you need it.
Secondly, it's too expensive. The government is already way in debt... how can they cover the costs of 40 some-odd million more uninsured Americans? And it's not just going to be those 40-something millions of Americans, either! You'll have millions more transitioning, because this nationalized plan looks sooooo much better.
There was a story sometime back about a woman who had terminal cancer. Because it was terminal, and her chances of survival were supposedly slim, it was decided that it would be a waste of money to treat her for it.
What to do? Come to the U.S. and get treated here. And... if this should happen once the U.S. healthcare is nationalized? Oh, poot... same problem. You're terminal, it would be a waste of our money to treat you. Sorry.
So to make this work, they'd have to lower the quality of treatment, skimp and deprive many people of the treatments and operations they need. They'd also have to hike taxes to make ends meet... and even then that wouldn't be enough.
And the part about keeping your private plan and doctor if you want to? A load of bunk... with the government plan, there will soon be no room for the private plan.
And what does all this have to do with my contact lens? Nothing. I'm just rabbit-trailing, as I said before. Speaking of which, the bathroom is now available. I'm sure, given more time, I could have pointed out a few more flaws... but I think that's a pretty good starter. Ciao!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
I am angry...
What is it this time, you ask? :P
I am extremely miffed with this proposed tax on "unhealthy" foods. This plan is riddled with erroneous assumptions (and presumptiions)... and I would like to explore a few right here.
What are you... my MOTHER?
Firstly, the government has no right to stick it's nose in my pantry. No right to tell me what I can and can not eat. If I want to engorge myself on foods I know aren't good for me, or partake of said foods in such excesses that the bathroom scale shows it is to my detriment... what BUSINESS is it of the federal government? We are not babies, we are not children... they are NOT our parents, and we don't need to be babysat! This is stupid!
The Socialist Slant
Secondly, if this insulting and invasive tax is to help America to keep it's weight down... then shouldn't the skinny folks get a reimbursement? LOL! I mean seriously... I know they've got this whole fair and equal thing going on, but how is it right that because a part of our nation is overweight, the portion of our nation that is not has to pay extra for a little snack now and then?
It's like the one pupil in the classroom that misbehaves, and the teacher then announces that the entire class is to be deprived of recess. Except for one thing... no one here is doing anything WRONG. People's eating habits are up to them... which brings us back to this: it's none of the government's business!!!
I'm Not Buying This. Literally.
Thirdly... has Obama given any thought to exactly how overweight persons versus average weight persons are going to receive this? Overweight persons aren't going to be deterred by a tax... a few might hold out, but many are just going to carry on as usual. Snacking is evidently a a habit to some folks... and to them, the temptation of all the snacky foods out there is a bit overwhelming. What more is a tax to them than a nuisance?
Average weight persons, however, will be the one who are pulled up short by the tax. They never did a whole lot of snacking in the first place... now that they have to pay EXTRA, what's the point in throwing away the money? Maybe a few snacks here and there... but I guarantee you it will be the average weight persons cutting back on the snacks and junk food!
Super Obama Tries to Save the Economy
Umm... taxing sweet foods to cut back on expenditure on such products and therefore discourage the populace from eating them is going to do more harm than good for SURE in this department. Mr. President, if you DO succeed in getting America to file it's sweet-tooth... that's going to be hard on a lot of businesses. Have you even thought of that?
Define "Unhealthy"...
Last but not least... who's deciding what is and is not taxable? There is a fine line here... cereal is a breakfast item, and most of it is sugary. Is that taxable as a whole? Or are they divvying it up, so sugary cereals are taxable, and "healthy" cereals are not? Does that mean we have to pay taxes on Lucky Charms, Cookie Crisps, and Cocoa Puffs, but not on Honey Bunches of Oats, Raisin Bran, and Cheerios?
What about pies? An apple pie for example... would that be taxable? And if so, what about the ingredients required to make an apple pie? Will we have to pay taxes on apple pie filling? What if we make our own apple pie filling? Will Granny Smith Apples now be taxable? Then what... we have to use sweeteners to make it... is sugar taxable? What's the difference between buying a pie, and buying the ingredients to MAKE a pie? Will it become an issue of Tax Evasion to purchase apples for the baking of apple pies and other sugary goods? Or is Washington's next step to illegalize the abuse of Granny Smith Apples to create illegal substances such as apple pie, apple fritters, and my renowned apple banana nut muffins?
Have I made myself clear yet? This plan has a few holes in it!
This has to be one of the most asinine plans that Washington has cooked up in a long time...
I am extremely miffed with this proposed tax on "unhealthy" foods. This plan is riddled with erroneous assumptions (and presumptiions)... and I would like to explore a few right here.
What are you... my MOTHER?
Firstly, the government has no right to stick it's nose in my pantry. No right to tell me what I can and can not eat. If I want to engorge myself on foods I know aren't good for me, or partake of said foods in such excesses that the bathroom scale shows it is to my detriment... what BUSINESS is it of the federal government? We are not babies, we are not children... they are NOT our parents, and we don't need to be babysat! This is stupid!
The Socialist Slant
Secondly, if this insulting and invasive tax is to help America to keep it's weight down... then shouldn't the skinny folks get a reimbursement? LOL! I mean seriously... I know they've got this whole fair and equal thing going on, but how is it right that because a part of our nation is overweight, the portion of our nation that is not has to pay extra for a little snack now and then?
It's like the one pupil in the classroom that misbehaves, and the teacher then announces that the entire class is to be deprived of recess. Except for one thing... no one here is doing anything WRONG. People's eating habits are up to them... which brings us back to this: it's none of the government's business!!!
I'm Not Buying This. Literally.
Thirdly... has Obama given any thought to exactly how overweight persons versus average weight persons are going to receive this? Overweight persons aren't going to be deterred by a tax... a few might hold out, but many are just going to carry on as usual. Snacking is evidently a a habit to some folks... and to them, the temptation of all the snacky foods out there is a bit overwhelming. What more is a tax to them than a nuisance?
Average weight persons, however, will be the one who are pulled up short by the tax. They never did a whole lot of snacking in the first place... now that they have to pay EXTRA, what's the point in throwing away the money? Maybe a few snacks here and there... but I guarantee you it will be the average weight persons cutting back on the snacks and junk food!
Super Obama Tries to Save the Economy
Umm... taxing sweet foods to cut back on expenditure on such products and therefore discourage the populace from eating them is going to do more harm than good for SURE in this department. Mr. President, if you DO succeed in getting America to file it's sweet-tooth... that's going to be hard on a lot of businesses. Have you even thought of that?
Define "Unhealthy"...
Last but not least... who's deciding what is and is not taxable? There is a fine line here... cereal is a breakfast item, and most of it is sugary. Is that taxable as a whole? Or are they divvying it up, so sugary cereals are taxable, and "healthy" cereals are not? Does that mean we have to pay taxes on Lucky Charms, Cookie Crisps, and Cocoa Puffs, but not on Honey Bunches of Oats, Raisin Bran, and Cheerios?
What about pies? An apple pie for example... would that be taxable? And if so, what about the ingredients required to make an apple pie? Will we have to pay taxes on apple pie filling? What if we make our own apple pie filling? Will Granny Smith Apples now be taxable? Then what... we have to use sweeteners to make it... is sugar taxable? What's the difference between buying a pie, and buying the ingredients to MAKE a pie? Will it become an issue of Tax Evasion to purchase apples for the baking of apple pies and other sugary goods? Or is Washington's next step to illegalize the abuse of Granny Smith Apples to create illegal substances such as apple pie, apple fritters, and my renowned apple banana nut muffins?
Have I made myself clear yet? This plan has a few holes in it!
This has to be one of the most asinine plans that Washington has cooked up in a long time...
Friday, June 5, 2009
Score Me! Pet Peeve (Part 1): Rulebreakers
A lengthy complaint in installments.
OK, a quick run up on my history with Score Me!
I have been a member for a year as of this June. A moderator from August to December 2008. In December of 2008, following an angry but effective tirade (which can still be found in our group forum, page 5), I was promoted to group Administrator. Finally, this past March, the lone remaining active administrator demoted, and I was promoted to the position of Chief Administrator.
The concept of the group is fairly simple... you post one of your photos to the pool, then use our copy-and-paste tagline to score the five photos directly preceding your own. Once you have posted, you may not post again until another five photos (by five other members) have been added to the pool. Via this pattern, every photo gets five scores. Doesn't that sound lovely, and brilliantly well thought out? Well, it isn't. Sadly, there is always *someone* to rain on the parade. : )
Don't get me wrong, , this is an excellent way to work on technical skill. This was my jump-off point as an amateur... a learning process for me.
But we have pool-flooders, and non-scorers, score deleters, photo-deleters, whiners, and all sorts of other folks to help make sure it is the precise antitheses of "fun" for the administrative team.
Firstly are the flooders. Prior to switching the group to Invite Only, we got 10-20 of these per day. They come in, they dump a bunch of photos in the pool, and they don't score... thus breaking up our Post 1, Score 5 sequence, and causing a hoot of a lot of confusion for the regulars.
Secondly are the non-scorers. These do just that... they post 1 photo (in accordance with rules) and score zilch. This means the five people after them all miss out on 1 score. We get anywhere from 50-100 of these per day.
Thirdly are the score deleters! This offense is the least troublesome, and yet the perpetrators are the most belligerent and precarious to deal with. Exerting all my diplomatic skill, I still get burned badly when negotiating with them. Why's that? Wounded vanity.
Usually the score-deleters are the self-proclaimed "victims" of a low score. They blame it on retaliatory scorers, biased opinion, amateur skill in the scorer... ANYTHING to divert the possibility that there very well could be something technically wrong with their photo. Probably about 20-40 per day.
Last but not least, pool deleters! I'm a strong advocate of loving my neighbours as I do myself, but I will admit that I am not very fond of these critters.
They make administrative duties for our group very complex... complex doesn't even cover it! By non-scoring, then deleting their photos from the pool, they make it impossible to figure out what went wrong, and where. This occurs about 15-30 times per day.
Our solutions? Strict administration, with a Report Thread (for members to report rulebreakers) and a Missing Scores thread (where members can collect scores to make up for the ones they missed due to rulebreakers).
Stay tuned for Part II.
OK, a quick run up on my history with Score Me!
I have been a member for a year as of this June. A moderator from August to December 2008. In December of 2008, following an angry but effective tirade (which can still be found in our group forum, page 5), I was promoted to group Administrator. Finally, this past March, the lone remaining active administrator demoted, and I was promoted to the position of Chief Administrator.
The concept of the group is fairly simple... you post one of your photos to the pool, then use our copy-and-paste tagline to score the five photos directly preceding your own. Once you have posted, you may not post again until another five photos (by five other members) have been added to the pool. Via this pattern, every photo gets five scores. Doesn't that sound lovely, and brilliantly well thought out? Well, it isn't. Sadly, there is always *someone* to rain on the parade. : )
Don't get me wrong, , this is an excellent way to work on technical skill. This was my jump-off point as an amateur... a learning process for me.
But we have pool-flooders, and non-scorers, score deleters, photo-deleters, whiners, and all sorts of other folks to help make sure it is the precise antitheses of "fun" for the administrative team.
Firstly are the flooders. Prior to switching the group to Invite Only, we got 10-20 of these per day. They come in, they dump a bunch of photos in the pool, and they don't score... thus breaking up our Post 1, Score 5 sequence, and causing a hoot of a lot of confusion for the regulars.
Secondly are the non-scorers. These do just that... they post 1 photo (in accordance with rules) and score zilch. This means the five people after them all miss out on 1 score. We get anywhere from 50-100 of these per day.
Thirdly are the score deleters! This offense is the least troublesome, and yet the perpetrators are the most belligerent and precarious to deal with. Exerting all my diplomatic skill, I still get burned badly when negotiating with them. Why's that? Wounded vanity.
Usually the score-deleters are the self-proclaimed "victims" of a low score. They blame it on retaliatory scorers, biased opinion, amateur skill in the scorer... ANYTHING to divert the possibility that there very well could be something technically wrong with their photo. Probably about 20-40 per day.
Last but not least, pool deleters! I'm a strong advocate of loving my neighbours as I do myself, but I will admit that I am not very fond of these critters.
They make administrative duties for our group very complex... complex doesn't even cover it! By non-scoring, then deleting their photos from the pool, they make it impossible to figure out what went wrong, and where. This occurs about 15-30 times per day.
Our solutions? Strict administration, with a Report Thread (for members to report rulebreakers) and a Missing Scores thread (where members can collect scores to make up for the ones they missed due to rulebreakers).
Stay tuned for Part II.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Creek
I feel like I've been run, run, running since Saturday... so much going on, one day after another, lol!
Getting up too early and staying up too late are taking their toll on me and I'm looking forward to a day of rest tomorrow! : )
Maybe catch up on some reading, and putter around editing photos or something. This is a newish shot, and there are plenty more from this session still to come. Stay tuned!
Getting up too early and staying up too late are taking their toll on me and I'm looking forward to a day of rest tomorrow! : )
Maybe catch up on some reading, and putter around editing photos or something. This is a newish shot, and there are plenty more from this session still to come. Stay tuned!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Tadge Repotted
Erm... kind of lost part of him in the repotting process.
I am pretending he's *supposed* to be all brown and limp like that. (So don't contradict me.)
I am pretending he's *supposed* to be all brown and limp like that. (So don't contradict me.)
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