Why is it ok for teenagers to get pregant and then become economic wards of the state? This is NORMAL around here! And NORMAL is the irritating part. It’s like a rite-of-passage. I’m irresponsible. I get pregant. Now the taxpayers of Minnesota get to support me and my kids. I don’t think the word irresponsible even enters into their heads. No, it’s more like, good I’m pregnant now I can get some money.
Heaven forbid the state gives them expectations regarding their choices — like if you want welfare you must stay in school, stay SOBER, and not get pregnant again. These kind of expectations would interfere with their freedom!!
I have another neighbor on Social Security. Remember back in the day when Social Security was given to people in their golden years who had spent their lives working and paying into Social Security? Well this guy gets Social Security because he’s 18-years-old and disabled. His disability? He is a behavior problem. No, he’s not ADD, ADHD, mentally retarded or anything like that. He deals drugs, drinks, smokes, hangs out with his friends. He goes to school once every three weeks so he can stay on the school roster and continue to receive Social Security. Ditto for his friend. He just got out of jail and yes the Social Security rolls on. Minnesota Nice. Taxpayers pay for his incarceration and his Social Security all at the same time.
I guess it really doesn’t matter to us taxpayers does it? I mean if we aren’t paying for pregnant teenagers or criminal “disabled” drug-dealers, we’d be giving more money to Pakistan, Afghanistan, the pathetic Palestinians, Somalia, Egypt, Iraq, etc., so they will be our friends. Or maybe paying for another trillion dollar “stimulus”. After all we know that money solves all problems.
I think Jailhouse Nachos are going to turn into a house favorite. Here’s how they are made — all with ingredients purchased from the commisary or bought from kitchen workers. I was laughing at Calvin and Mike as they were making it, but dang, jailhouse nachos are great — spicy, crunchy, cheesy, good!! Here’s how they are made. First, cut up the summer sausage and microwave it to get rid of the grease. Add cut up chicken breast and microwave until done. Cut up onion, green pepper, tomato (hopefully for sale from the kitchen workers). Microwave pepperoni until crispy. Break up into bits. Microwave velveta cheese with milk until melted. Poor doritos into a bowel. Put summer sausage, chicken breast over the doritos. Pour velveta cheese over meat. Add veggies. Add pepperoni bits. Top with shredded mozzerela cheese.
Here’s the kicker. The ingredients for jailhouse nachos cost $20.00 for three bowls. But in prison it cost $40.00 for the same ingredients!!!
Kevin was looking for something on an old hard drive and he came across this picture. This is from nine years ago when Andy was a puppy and Little Man was seven.
Move over Little Ceasar’s and Punch. I’m getting pizza figured out. For years I’ve wanted to perfect my pizza making skills. Last year I bought a book to help me learn the science of pizza making. It was written by an engineer and it’s very technical. My eyes would glaze over trying to sort out the complexities of each aspect of creating the perfect pizza.
Yesterday I decided to tackle pizza perfection again. Within minutes of deciding to make homemade pizza Curt called about getting together. I told him I was making pizza. He called more friends and we had a pizza and movie party. Plus we met Curt’s sailing friend Scott who owns a sailboat on Lake Superior.
This is the best homemade pizza I’ve ever made. Look closely at the pizza and it’s puffy crust! Look at the perfect golden color of the toppings. It was delicious. I just need a pizza peel. Plastic cutting boards don’t work to transfer my pizza masterpieces to the hot pizza stone.
This is Andy in his full BAD DOG glory. He got into the turkey carcass and chowed down on a bunch of cooked turkey bones. We caught him red handed. Do you see the squinty eyes? Do you see the laid back ears? Do you see the front leg cocked up? This is his classic BAD DOG pose. And who do you you think will clean up diarrhea for a week as the turkey bones work their way through his sensitive digestive system?
I didn’t want one. I didn’t ask for one. After I got it I wasn’t sure how much I was going to like it considering I have to pay a hefty price for the latest published books. I don’t mind paying for books but I like to get good deals — Half Price Books, especially the downstairs discount $1.00 books, or used books from Amazon, or I go to the public library. I almost never pay full Amazon price for a book. The Kindle doesn’t come with any books or any coupons.
At Kevin’s prompting, and after getting a $25.00 gift certificate, I bought Mistaken Identity for $13.99. The Kindle makes it hideously easy to buy books. The books download via the cell phone network right onto the Kindle. I can buy and download books anywhere there is cell phone coverage. Plus the Kindle has a built-in dictionary and wikipedia access included. It also allows me to bookmark, highlight, and add notes to books.
Since Mistaken Identity I’ve downloaded the compete works of Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Uncle Remus, 1001 Arabian Nights, and Jane Austin. I also bought Treasure Island. Most we’re less than a dollar. The most expensive was $5.00. I’ll be able to build an impressive library of cheap classics.
I LOVE MY KINDLE. It is a joy to read in bed. I can read a couple stories from Uncle Remus or 1001 Nights, and then switch to another book. The Kindle keeps track of where I left off. I used to believe that it was more satisfying to have an actual book in my hand than to read a book via a machine. But I’ve changed my mind entirely. I found out quickly that the Kindle allows me to lose myself in the story more quickly than a printed book. I’m sold. The Kindle is the future. Now I’m anxiously awaiting the day when you can go to the library and rent books for your Kindle.
Today I took two neighbor kids to the YWCA to go swimming. We had a good time. I swam 40/80 laps. The boys played with the rings and rockets and the mask and snorkel. We dove together in the deep end chasing the submarine rocket.
When I was getting dressed in the locker room I overheard two black women making racist comments about white people. They were talking between themselves but they were talking loud enough for me and anyone else in the locker room to hear them 15 feet away. Then they started laughing about their comments and then they left. When I was finished in the locker room, I went to the front desk and asked what to do when you hear racist comments that make you uncomfortable. After all, one of goals of the YWCA is to eliminate racism. They told me to call the building manager. Ok, next time I’ll do that.
I’ve lost my patience with this type of crap. I’ve had it with do-gooders that think that only white people can be racist. No doubt there are racist people of ever color. But the only time I’ve ever heard outright racist comments, they were made by either Indians or Blacks. I’m really tempted to tell these women what disgusting human being they are if they ever make comments like that around me again. And I hope they get their sorry asses kicked out of the YWCA.
Driving home from the WYCA I started thinking about how mad I am at Mark for stealing my computer and for all the racist, disgusting, lying comments he made about me. I decided I wasn’t going to care about people any more. I was going to lock my door and tell anybody that comes around to go find some other idiot to abuse — I’m done. I want to be left alone. I want everyone to take their problems and go elsewhere.
But as I was driving up to the house there were three kids at the door who I haven’t seen in about three years. They have had a sorry life — both parents are big-time druggies. They were happy to see me and they wanted me to take them bike riding. Seeing them kind of softened my anger, but I didn’t give them my bikes to use.
I’m also ticked off at the police officer who is investigating the theft of Graeme’s computer. I was upset with him on Friday because of his rotten attitude towards me. He had talked to the thief and the thief told the officer that I had reported this computer stolen three times in the past, hinting that I was scamming the insurance company and falsely claiming theft. I asked the officer if he had checked to see if I had ever reported this, or any other computer stolen. Yes he had and I had never reported any computers stolen. I told him the thief is a liar. Then he tells me that the thief insinuated that my son Graeme had stolen the computer from Brown College and he didn’t really own the computer. Another bald faced lie!! So I had to go to the police station and get a copy of the police report to fax to Brown College so they will release the serial number and ownership information for the computer to the police department. I was really mad the whole day. I felt the police officer was forgetting that I’m the VICTIM in this case and the thief is a known thief and liar.
The thief even had the nerve to spread around town that I’m narking people out when HE is the one who has been narking on people for years. For him it’s an easy way to put $20.00 in his sorry pocket rather than to actually have a job and work for the money.
According to Leah Popo was the BEST most wonderful pet EVER! And now he is free and rolling in the grass and chasing mice all the time. He was very loved and will be missed a lot. Popo was one Midnight’s kitties. He was born in 1996. We called him Panic because he got an eye infection in both eyes and would meow like crazy every time I picked him up because he was scared of his eye medicine. He was a very sweet cat.
I consumed a quart of ice cream in 24 hours. Then Shirs sent two big containers of homemade chocolate chip and M&M cookies for us with Matthias as thanks for letting him spend the night at our house. THEN Kevin came home yesterday with a big, juicy blueberry pie for me from my favorite bakery up in Clearwater.
I must be eating about 10,000 calories a day — all desserts. No veggies. Just dessert and a little rice.
I woke up this morning with a little bit of a headache. I’m guessing it’s from consuming two pints of Haagan Dazs Chocolate Chocolate Chip ice cream in 24 hours. I had a rough day on Friday. I went to bed. Kevin, bless his heart, went to Cub and bought me some ice cream. We sat in bed eating ice cream and reading together. Last night our friend Curt came over with another pint of ice cream for me. I ate the whole pint!! Gosh it’s just so tasty it’s hard to stop eating — oh, I’ll just have one more bite, one more bite, one more bite. First is the thick creamy ice cream, then the crunchy chunks of chocolate. It’s so good. But I’m not going to have any ice cream today. I’m going over to the University of Minnesota and watching the NCAA platform diving finals. I’m even going to ride my bike since it’s going to be 48 degrees today.
My character improvement strategy has been working. Since returning from Brazil I have been busy putting together my swimming program and have been detached from the news for the most part. Sure I’ve been reading it briefly, but I’ve refrained from getting in an uproar.
That is until this morning. The OIC (Organization of Islamic Conference) is pushing the “Defamation of Religion” proposal through the UN. It’s a scary, Orwellian document. It would criminialize any honest criticism of religion, Islam in particular. Islam is the only religion mentioned by name in this document. Who is the WORST OFFENDER of human rights in the world? Islamic countries. Who is the worst persecutor of Christians in the world? Islamic countries. Yet they are trying to get a resolution passed to make it universally illegal to honestly criticize Islam. This must not pass!!
Here is the document: http://www.unwatch.org/site/c.bdKKISNqEmG/b.1289203/apps/s/content.asp?ct=6831061
Here is the Hall of Shame of persecution of Christians: http://persecution.org/suffering/pdfs/ICC_Hall_of_Shame_2009.pdf
Please stand up for free speech.
Carnival in Brazil is quite the event. Four, five, six days of constant partying before Lent begins. We were in Pitimbu which is in the extreme northeastern part of Brazil right on the coast. Pitimbu is a little village but they still celebrated Carnival for five days. It was pouring rain the last day of Carnival but that didn’t slow them down one bit.
Mr. Lieder with his Carnival hat
Monster truck carrying band
See the rain?
See the girl under the waterspout?
Dancing in the streets
Vacation is here. Eleven hours of flying — all night long. I don’t really like airplanes but they are a necessity to change from the single digit temperatures to the mid-80s in a matter of hours. I’m anxious to see if the toilets swirl counterclockwise. I’m anxious to check out the southern sky. Will I be able to see the Southern Cross? Will we celebrate when the plane crosses the equator? It’s my first time in South America. Last week I showed a movie about Bill Pinkney, the first black person that sailed singlehandedly around the world. His first stop was Brazil. Wow. The architecture looked so European. The music was cool — drumming. We arrive on the first day of Carnival. That should be wild.
Everyone is driving me out of my ever-loving mind. Can you believe the stupidity of the British? Or the Dutch? If you report on what the Muslims holy book says and what the Muslim believers do, you are accused of hate speech. What is this world coming to? It’s just too stunning to even process.
I’m mad. I’m mad at the US government for the 3 trillion dollars spent on bailouts and “stimulus” plans. Who is getting that money? Not your company. Not Kevin’s. It’s not going into us taxpayers pockets. Who is getting all this money?
I’m mad at all the Christian persecution in the world. I’m mad that a Christian convert in Somalia was beheaded recently and the gruesome act was videotaped and posted online. I’m mad that Saudi Arabia just arrested another Christian convert.
And I’m mad that the founder of a tv station to promote the peaceful, tolerant, pc version of Islam beheads his wife and CNN doesn’t even report it until today? He beheaded his wife. How many wife-beaters behead their wives? Only islamic ones.
I’m mad at the mainstream media who act like Obama can do no wrong and Bush could do no right. CNN is still finding reasons to trash Bush.
I have issues with Islam. And I hate all the idiotic western apologists that are defending it. If the world doesn’t wake up and start fighting the OIC we can kiss western civilization goodbye piece by painful piece. If we would have fought back and unanimously defended free speech when the Mohammed cartoons were first published we wouldn’t be in the mess we are today.
My character reformation project is an utter failure. I’m madder than ever. But help is on the horizon . . . help is close at hand I say. We are off to Brazil on Friday. Two weeks of no news to irritate me. Plus I ordered Arabic satellite tv to be installed the day after we get back. My plan is to practice my arabic and stop reading the news. Ok I’ll say it: “My name is Hannah and I am an addict.” I should start a NA (news addicts) group to help all the poor logical people like me learn to tolerate stupidity more gracefully. Anyone want to join up?
Before we get to vacation babble it’s time for a character reformation update. This week has been particularly difficult in my attempts to improve my character. I got in an email war with two friends of mine and now we aren’t on speaking terms. I got sick of them talking about Catholic dogma all the time. I told her I didn’t want to talk about Catholic doctrine while we were having a CARD GAME with six people. She got mad and pouted the rest of the game and then left in a huff. We exchanged a few heated email and now neither one of them are talking to me. Sigh. I maybe should have tried to be nicer rather than brutally truthful in my emails but they are like programmed zombies when it comes to Catholicism. It drives me crazy.
And the news is driving me crazy too. I get my morning dose of daily irritation as soon as I read the news. The last few days have been worse than normal. I don’t know why I even read it because it just makes me mad. I’m addicted and it’s got to end. Otherwise my character reformation effort will be a failure. So I just ordered Direct TV to get Arabic TV programming to practice my Arabic instead of spending any time reading the stupid news. I hope this works.
I have a bad case of Spring Fever. It’s the almost 50 degree weather we had earlier in the week that did it. I hauled out my short-sleeved shirts and wore them to work three days in a row. Then cold struck again. Dang. But Brazil should solve my Spring Fever problem. I’m evil – I hope it’s cold while we’re gone. It’s always more fun to be in the hot sunshine when everyone back home is shivering.
Do I have any volunteers to help me escort my English friend around the fun venues of Minneapolis next summer?
I HAVE SPRING FEVER!!! I’M RESTLESS AND I WANT TO GO CAMPING. I opened the window a little and brought my bouquet of flowers upstairs while I’m working. Every time with wind blows the window shade rattles. I like hearing and feeling the wind blowing in February when it’s 30 degrees and feels like spring. And I’ve got my Lake Superior photography book by my side to remind me what is in store for this summer.
The visa to Brazil is going to cost us $170.00 a piece! Dang. They charge Americans a $130.00 surcharge and a $20.00 processing fee in addition to the $20.00 visa fee. Another fine example of highway robbery of a captive audience. It’s a good thing I checked too because I was assuming we didn’t even need a visa.
I’m subbing for the next 10 days. The teacher has a brain tumor and is going to Phoenix next week for surgery with the best surgeon in the country. Her tumor is in the worst possible spot — behind her ear at the base of her skull. They were talking about splitting her face in half to get at it. Then they talked about cutting her jaw apart, pulling it down to get at it. The surgeon in Phoenix thinks he can get at it from the back of her head. She has lost the use of the left side of her tongue. All of the facial, cranial and voice box nerves go through that area. It is a very risky procedure but it must be done because they are suspicious the tumor is cancerous because it is eating away at her ear bones. She hopes to be back in four weeks but it will take many miracles for that to happen. She is a wonderful teacher. Her problems make me grateful for what I have especially after I’ve been feeling sorry for myself all week because of Graeme.
Lake Superior 2008
A girls night out and what fun it was. First we ate sambousas and drank mango and guava juice. I didn’t know you can get sambousas made from fish. Then we found the best henna person in the city to make designs for us. One of the aspects of Egyptian culture I enjoyed the most was the community of women. Sitting together in the henna shop at the Somali mall in Minneapolis felt a bit like a community of women. I’m a little worried that I may be allergic to black henna — my wrists and hands are itchy. That’s bad. But check out the cool designs. If you look closely you can see my red hands. I thought it was from the heater but now I’m not sure.
On Monday a group of us went to the Dakota Jazz Club to see Toby Lightman. Our friend Ron played drums for her. Toby has a fantastic voice and I love her music. I just wish she’d expand her songwriting repertoire beyond bad love relationships. I mean maybe I should give that girl advice on how to find a great guy!!!
Wow, this summer I met Jon Voight. He is so charismatic and so very, very handsome. He made me feel like he was happy to meet me. He is the first famous person I’ve ever met.
On Monday night I got to meet the two hunkiest singers from the group Celtic Thunder at the Target Center. Wow are they good looking and so utterly charming. Even their accent is charming. This is Ryan Kelly and Keith Harkin.
