The man who played Walter Mashburn in the Mentalist episode Redline this week was the man who played Mark Warner, Stacy Warner's husband, on House. I *knew* I'd seen him before!

Now if I could just get HOME so I could watch House tonight.
:(

I bought a chair! Just for me! Mine mine mine. Nobody else's. Just mine. Me me me. Bwahahahahaha.

All of us--the whole family--had gone up to the north of town to drop Kasia at a Girl Scout thing last October. And we went by the World Market while we were there, and bought way too many folding shelves because they were on sale and we are chronically in need of shelf space. And I was tired and sat in this chair. It was awesome--like it was made for me, because I'm not the tallest stalk in the sheaf. Usually it's too high so my feet dangle slightly, or the seat depth is just a bit too much so I have to pick being fully back in the chair, or being able to bend my knees. Not this one. This one was perfect.

We went back a couple of times to get more shelves, and each time I visited my chair. And my evil daughter kept urging me to buy it, but the cost seemed too much just to spend on me, but she kept urging Christmas, or how much I deserved something for me when I work so hard, and how I need to put my feet up, etc., etc. This had a cumulative effect. Late December I caved. I went to the store...and IT WAS GONE. I had the person call around to the other World Markets in town, and they were ALL gone. *wails*

Oh, well. Fate telling me my self-denying instincts were right, right? Pbbbttthhh. I had gotten on the World Market mailing list, and I got a notice that they were on sale, and got an additional discount for first purchase. It covered shipping. Yea, verily, mighty was the waffling; should I? I mean, I probably spend that on Diet Coke over six months, but it's the all-at-once of it.

It took a couple of days. Then I did it, I hit "Submit Order." Oooh, the guilt. See, I hadn't told Jan I was doing this. I tried to cancel the order and the shipping process had already begun: too late. So I told Jan, and got the combination of eye-rolling at my waffling and complete support that I usually get but never expect.

It took over two weeks to get here--they must make them walk or something--but it's HERE! I got home yesterday late--about 11:00--from work and THERE WAS A BIG EMPTY CHAIR-SHAPED BOX IN THE DRIVEWAY! YAAAAYYYY!

Jan had left the protective cover on it so that I would be the first to be enthroned. And I sat in the chair, and saw that it was good.

The "Harold" part came from nowhere. For some reason every time I looked at the chair last night and this morning--even passing glances when my mind was on something else--I thought "Harold." No clue. So his name's Harold.

I told my kids they could sit in it if they could guess the name. My daughter asks, "Is it a guy or a girl?" I looked at her. "What do you think? A good-looking, well-built thing that cuddles me at the end of the day?" 'Nuff said.

So join me in welcoming Harold to the family!! I'll try to get home in enough time that I can actually USE him before I have to crash and burn.

~A

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I really, really like my boss; but I had a bit of a difference of opinion with him yesterday. We resolved it today; and to be honest, it was my fault, I hadn't made a deadline (read: I chose to let other urgent priorities push *his* deadline, which he did not appreciate finding out after the fact). His point: let him know. My point: not always time to do that before a decision must be made. And so other things were touched on in our conversation, such as the level of autonomy I should exercise in making those decisions, what I should look to him for as my supervisor, etc. I overreacted somewhat because I felt guilty for missing the deadline.

So, anyway, I followed up with him today and we worked out the plan to finish the assignment I let slip, and I did, and gave it to him today. The following is the email conversation that followed:

My email to boss: Here's the e-version of the document I just gave you, as an insurance copy. Computer might fall in the river. I might get hit by a bus.

Boss's reply: I don't drive a bus.

Did I mention he has a strong sense of humor? Needs it, working with me.

~Amanda

They're calling it for Brown!!!

~Amanda

Just when I thought Pat Robertson couldn't get any weirder. If there were ever someone I really thought was just screwing with the public to see what level of bizarre they'd accept, it would be him, but the scary part is I think he's serious.

I hope God is gentle with him when he ultimately meets him. I hope he's gentle with himself, for that matter, if he gets a clue and realizes how he's messed with millions of people's minds.

~Amanda

Maybe a better mom would tell you this isn't true...or a more deluded one.


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Hey, you people in New York and the environs! Go see Wicked! My cousin Katie Rose, who was so awesome in the touring company, will be opening as Glinda on Broadway next week!

She's also going to be on Good Morning America on Thursday. And I, of course, will be at work, but possibly the spousal unit could be programmed to tape it. If not, youtube, I'm sure...

Go Katie!

~A

Okay? Serious Mentalist love. Bought Jan Season 1 on DVD so we could catch up the backstory--he's started to really like that series this season--and ended up me and Kasia doing a Mentalist marathon over the Christmas break. Love Patrick Jane. Love the character interaction. Love how Cho can do that Sergeant Friday thing without being cheesy. Mentalist love!! Mentalist love!!

Yeah, I know.

Oh, Sheryll? Evidently the eye-friendly Simon Baker (plays Patrick) was in Judas Kiss. Now I have to go rewatch *that*. Such burdens I have to bear.

~Amanda, the happily infatuated

Senator Jim DeMint, Republican, South Carolina, last night on the Senate floor.

DEMINT: There's one provision that I found particularly troubling, and it's under Section C titled, "Limitation on changes to this subsection." And I quote: "It shall not be in order in the Senate or the House of Representatives to consider any bill, resolution, amendment, or conference report that would repeal or otherwise change this subsection." This is not legislation, it's not law. This is a rule change. It's a pretty big deal. We will be passing a new law and at the same time creating a Senate rule that makes it out of order to amend or even repeal the law.

DEMINT: I'm not even sure that it's constitutional, but if it is, it most certainly is a Senate rule. I don't see why the majority part wouldn't put this in every bill. If you like your law, you most certainly would want it to have force for future Senates. I mean we want to bind future Congresses. This goes to the fundamental purpose of Senate rules, to prevent a tyrannical majority from trampling the rights of the minority or of future Congresses.


I find it troubling as hell, too.

I need to find out more--who frickin doesn't--but this is interesting, on Rush's website today:

Along these lines, I have read some of the bill now. There are exemptions. There are religious exemptions for American native Indians. There are exemptions for people experiencing financial hardship. I kid you not. Now, I have a question because I have a naturally inquisitive mind. If people who are experiencing financial hardship are exempt from having to buy insurance, then how does this bill cover the uninsured? Aren't we told that most people are uninsured 'cause they can't afford it, and doesn't this bill really only make people buy insurance? That's what this is all about. So if we except the very people we're trying to force into insurance, what exactly is being accomplished here?

..and emailing, and calling, and working with the Tea Party, and I hope this is true:

It could still go down.

Yesterday:
6 a.m. to 9 a.m. - do Christmas prep stuff
9 a.m. to 11 a.m. - assembly line of cleaning and dressing children (and husband; and self) for church
11 to 11:30 - drive to church
11:30-12:30 - church
12:30-2:00 - change clothes at the church and then drive **48 miles** from SE of San Antonio to NW, for Girl Scout thing
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. - shop a little while Kasia does Girl Scout thing
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. - drive back home, another 40 miles or so; pick up food on way (me and Kasia eat in car)
5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. - Me & Kasia: change clothes; Jan and boys: eat real fast
5:30 to 6 p.m. - drive to Lion King
6:30 to 9:45 - Lion King at the Majestic
9:45 to 10:15 - drive home
Shortly after 10:15 - collapse

Today--same song, different lyrics. Up at 5, in to work at 8, and the fun just keeps coming.

I saw a post by Ali Wildgoose where she made an LJ card--and she had her user number on it. I clicked, hoping it would go find it for you, but no, you have to fill it in. So where do you find it?

~Amanda, the stupid

My brother passed this along. And for those of you who will tell me to consider the source and that it's misinterpreted? I say that any legislation where such radically different interpretations are possible is deeply flawed, and we need to go back to the drawing board.
*********

We need to be vigilant in investigating the ramifications of the Pelosi Health Care Bill. Some provisions sound so outrageous as to be considered impossible to fathom, but they’re right there in the bill in black and white. For instance, page 297 of the bill explains the punishment for not purchasing government mandated health insurance. If you don’t buy what the government considers “acceptable health care coverage,” you’re going to be hit with a tax of at least 2.5% of your income. And if you don’t pay that new tax, you could be fined as much as $250,000 and sentenced to up to five years in prison.

But here’s the thing: they have to make the penalty for opting out very harsh in order to force us to buy coverage. The only way to keep this government run health care plan afloat is for everyone to buy into it – especially young and healthy people. That means that they will have to penalize citizens if we choose not to buy a plan that will cost a minimum of about $15,000 per family per year.

The bill that came out of the Senate last month – the Baucus Bill – does just the opposite. It calls for a much lighter penalty ($750 maximum) for people who don’t buy government approved health coverage, making it cheaper to pay the fine than to pay for the coverage. (And with a recession on, who can blame families for not wanting to pay $15,000 for a government mandated health care plan?)

But here’s the kicker: the bill also forces insurance companies to cover everyone, regardless of pre-existing conditions. Think about what that means. A lot of people – especially young and healthy people – will just pay the penalty instead of purchasing coverage because they’ll figure that it’ll always be there if they get sick, as government has promised. That’s what will happen, and when it does it will totally undermine the very concept of “insurance” – which is basically a group of people pooling their resources over time to cover themselves for a rainy day, paying while they’re healthy so that they’re covered when they’re sick. Those who are healthy now pay for those who are sick. If your insurance pool only contains sick people, it’s a bust. And that’s what this government plan will be. Without all of those young and healthy people paying into the pool and defraying the costs, the government will have to pony up more and more money, and who knows how long the whole crazy plan will last before it goes broke – and our country with it!

That’s where we are with this bureaucratic mess: either the government penalizes people so harshly that they could be hit with huge taxes and even possible jail time, or the government makes the penalty a slap on the wrist and undermines the plan from the get-go. Forcing individuals to buy health insurance seems unconstitutional, yet Congress wants to foist it on us anyway. Proponents of government controlled health care will say, “But we’re made to buy car insurance and home insurance, what’s the difference with health insurance?” It’s apples and oranges. Auto insurance is a state law requirement, and people can always choose not to drive. Banks might require you to have home owner’s insurance, but again, you choose to own a home, just as you choose to drive. You have no choice at all when it comes to this federal government health care insurance mandate.

There are other ways to reform health care without violating our Constitution and our personal liberties. Let’s get back to discussing market-driven, patient-centered, result-driven solutions, like, for example, allowing people to purchase insurance across state lines, tackling existing government waste and fraud, and reforming medical malpractice laws (tort reform) to stop unwarranted lawsuits that force doctors to order unnecessary procedures just to cover themselves.

Please let your Senators know that the Pelosi Bill should be dead on arrival. Once we go down this big government path, it will be virtually impossible to reverse course. Let’s fight for the reform that makes sense for Americans before it’s too late.

- Sarah Palin

I figured the House would pass it, but I had been hoping more Democrats might actually listen to their constituents. Alas, it's about the power.

I'll keep fighting the good fight, praying for a miracle now and serious conservative action in 2010, but it still just baffles me how otherwise intelligent people are willing to support this, who even think it's a good thing.

What the Pelosi Health-Care Bill Really Says

~Amanda

I swear, this kid is a constant source of surprises. Most of them are horrible, I grant you--the old food stashed under the bed, the fights at school--but this one was of the more pleasant ones. He had an assignment to write a poem using 18 prepositions, and he wrote this. A love poem. Jan said when he saw what it was turning into, he just ran with the genre.

I just don't expect this sort of thing out of a 10-year-old male hellion who's into Wii combat games and sees everything through a lens of espionage and war.

Transcribed from his paper--all notes and misspellings are his. Prepositions are underlined as he had them.

Michael Poem (weird! I don't know how it turned into a love poem)

Across the sea and over the land,
Seeing you is just grand,
Beyond beauty and above heaven,
Your love is a given.
But when you leave my heart is gone,
Without you, my love is gone off.
Upon my sorrows, you arrive
With your arrival, you make me derive
Into your arms, to wrap around you
From inside my heart, through and through
Toward your arms I go into.
Of all beauty, only you are the most
From east to west, from north to south,
You are my sunshine.

--Michael, October 2009

Saw this picture on a friend's Facebook and I had to have it as an icon. The "microwavable" is the best part, I swear.

No idea where she took this photo--I have to ask her!

~Amanda

In 2007 I registered to walk for the Light the Night Walk in San Antonio; and I have again. My family and I will be walking in memory of my brother Kelley, who died of leukemia in 1968 at age 7.

Light the Night is sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and this Walk is a major fundraiser for their cancer research.

I was four when Kelley died, and he was wonderful. As I put it once in an essay, his smile spared our mother many tears. Kelley would be 46 now; and I've often wondered how my life, and the world, would have been different if he had lived. Fundraising events like this may help other little sisters be able to grow up arguing, tattling, fighting, and wishing their brothers were dead--instead of the other way around.

My site is here, and this year I managed to add a picture of Kelley, taken on July 20, 1968, about a month before he died.

If you are so inclined, you can make a donation online. And my heartfelt thanks for any contribution you care to make.

~Amanda

Michael, currently 10 and in the 5th grade, had an assignment to plan out certain elements of, and then write a story. With a little back-and-forthing, as the story took hold and required the basic elements to be adjusted, he produced this. Unedited by Mom.

( Story elements )

And now, with no further ado, may I present....

( The Killer Radiation Monsters!! )

I thought you'd enjoy this, especially those of you who remember his earlier opus.

~Amanda