« July 2004 | Main | September 2004 »
August 31, 2004
Will Dick Cheney Please Stand Up?
Jennifer pointed out last night to me that Dick Cheney isn't looking so well. I dismissed her claim, but now I'm not so sure. I guess I ought to listen to my wife more often.
Cheney has been looking really weak lately, and apparently other people are noticing, too.
Laura Bush just gave a shout-out to Dick Cheney, who seemed to be visibly straining even to wave. Has anybody seen this guy standing under his own power lately? Is he like a brontosaurus, only capable of standing in water? Did he lose the use of his legs in some sort of super-secret Halliburton doublecross? Is he just getting lazy?
Yikes! It's true though, Cheney often remains seated while others stand up around him, even his wife! The end result is that Cheney looks less like "Mr. Vice President" and more like "Ailing Pope."
Update 9-1-04
Wow! Dick Cheney walked to the podium! They must have injected him with something before the speech.
Cheney just told the crowd that he was mindful that he has an opponent now, whereupon someone in the crowd screamed "no you don't!" Huh? It made me laugh, but I'm not sure why.
Posted by March at 09:28 PM | TrackBack
August 30, 2004
Violent Liberal Watch 3
Violent Liberal Watch, Part 3: The NYC RNC protests have gotten off to a violent start, with an angry protestor beating on a NYPD officer. In fairness, I don't know if he was a violent liberal, or just a rioter who decided he wanted to join in.
Regardless, violent liberals at the convention will be associated with Kerry, however unfair that might be, and he will be the one who suffers.
Which brings up a good point... the protestors aren't really interested in defeating Bush... they're interested in dressing up like loons and getting attention and picking fights with innocent photographers. It's actually pretty selfish.
Meanwhile, on a bus with Matt Lauer, Bush claims we can't win the war on terror. The media is loving this. The Democrats too. He needs to clarify what he meant... because I agree with what he's saying, just not how he said it. That's what happens when you speak candidly. It's a refreshing change from another candidate, who I won't mention. (But I mean, there is only one other candidate.)
Posted by March at 11:30 PM | TrackBack
My First Day of Volunteering
I never realized how great it would feel to actually be involved in the hospital. My first day of volunteering was last Sunday and the pride I feel from my (I'll admit it, small) contribution to the hospital team has me feeling very confident in my decision to pursue nursing.
Of course, I felt much interest in the nurses I was around, but I was surprised by how energized I felt by the patient contact. I loved helping them out in the ways that I could, whether it be helping them find their family's hospital room, locating their nurse for them, or pushing them and their new bundles of joy to their car. (Although I admit it was a bit difficult for me, being only 5"2 and barely 100 pounds, to push a recently pregnant woman and her baby in a wheelchair, but I mananged.)
For the most part, I was answering phones and helping the secretary. This is due to the fact that I am volunteering in a rather slow unit that doesn't get much action. But the few shining moments I actually had patient contact made me feel even stronger in my desire to pursue nursing. The hospital I volunteer at also does a great job of making volunteers feel useful. You end up feeling like part of the team and the staff treats you with a level of respect that you wouldn't expect. I also noticed that the patient's looked up to me and treated me with high regard, despite the fact that I was only a volunteer.
At the end of the day, I left with my head high. I can't think of any other job where I would feel so rewarded. I know I only have four hours of work behind me, but I'm very proud of it and I've been sharing it with everyone! I hope next week is just as rewarding.
Posted by December at 09:00 PM | TrackBack
Moore Kerry
Did you see Michael Moore at the RNC? Why is he so happy? Maybe because he has so much support from the left, that he doesn't care when those on the right are booing him. I don't know... maybe ignorance is bliss, but I think Moore is smarter than that. It has to bug him that his biggest supporters are kooks and wackos. Then again, maybe not. If his goal is so-called "regime" change, he's been preaching to the choir. If his goal was to make $100 million, well, I'd be smiling too.
Meanwhile, Kerry's slipping even more in the polls. Once again, I don't think this has anything to do with the Swift Vets charges... it has everything to do with his reaction. In this post 9/11 era, Americans are looking for leadership. Kerry has claimed that Bush lacks the kind of leadership needed... yet when faced with charges from a poorly funded group of veterans, his response has been weak, and dare I say pathetic. Americans haven't been impressed.
Posted by March at 02:45 PM | TrackBack
August 27, 2004
Violent Liberal Watch 2
I love the idea of anti-war protestors who vandalize, threaten, and generally bully those who disagree with them. Then they complain about a lack of civil discourse.
Today from John Kerry's trip to Seattle, a Kerry supporter suddenly gets violent with a man holding a Bush-Cheney sign.
Posted by March at 07:57 PM | TrackBack
Bring it On!!!
What can I say about all this John Kerry nonsense? The guy really had it coming to him. He kept saying "Bring It On" and then what would you know, people did.
Now he's hurting. Polls that have been showing a slight Kerry lead are now reversed, showing a slight Bush one. Whether the charges against him are true or false are irrelevant. It's Kerry's response to the situation which has hurt him in the minds of voters. Instead of answering the charges by releasing his records, and proving that they are wrong, he threatens lawsuits, badgers the (apparently uninvolved) Bush camp, and cries foul to anybody who will listen. This isn't who the American people want to cast their vote for. I don't know if he doesn't get that, or if he just doesn't have any other options.
All of this is happening because of his OWN actions back in 1971. For someone who is supposed to be nuanced and complex, how is it he didn't even bother to consider what angry veterans might say when he ran for President? Either he really screwed up on this one, or the truth is he is neither nuanced nor complex... the truth might just be that he lives in his own little world; a world where John Kerry has already won the election, and just has to go through the motions to get there.
Voters like confidence in their Presidents. But they don't like overconfidence, especially when it isn't deserved. Kerry is oozing overconfidence, and he looks particularly undeserved right now.
I have to wonder, when the debates come, will Kerry still remind us of his service in Vietnam, will he still boast about his "ability" to restore the broken bonds with France and Germany, will he still compare himself to "this President" without any proof to back his claims up? Because I think all these things are tired... I think undecided voters are unmoved by this kind of rhetoric, and if Kerry doesn't change game plans quick, he's in deep.
Kerry now asks to "bring it on" once more, challenging Bush to a series of weekly debates, yet the conventional wisdom is that Kerry will not perform well against the warm, common-man style of Bush. One has to wonder if he's serious... or maybe he just never thought about the possibility that Bush might call his bluff.
So what we have here, to sum this up, is a man whose entire platform rests on four months of his life, almost four decades ago. He challenges those who oppose him, but when they respond he runs away. And he has demonstratibly made several choices without either thinking about the consequences, or understanding them. (Which is worse?) The more I see of this guy, the more scared I get that he might become President.
No wonder they're still campaigning for LaRouche on the streets of the U District. No wonder so many are willing to vote for Ralph Nader.
Spin isn't going to save Kerry's butt, and ignoring the issue obviously was the wrong decision. If Kerry wants to win, he needs to take dramatic, decisive action. If you're going to claim you're a war hero, you need to play the part.
Kerry needs to release his records, to show that the allegations against him are without merit.
Then he needs to call together his former Swift Boat veterans, and he needs to be frank and honest. He needs to apologize for what he said in 1971. His choices after the war were divisive. He needs to look like a uniter. He needs to get John O'Neill on stage with him, and he needs to tell him he's sorry, that he was young and made mistakes.
It's okay to make mistakes. The Republicans won't jump on this... they're too smart for that. The American people forgive dumb, young mistakes. They don't care if Clinton inhaled. They don't mind if Bush did a bit of Coke back in the day. Nobody really cares about Gennifer Flowers or what happened in the National Guard.
John Kerry needs to acknowledge (whether he believes it or not) that his were the mistakes of youth and inexperience. He needs a photo of him and O'Neill standing together, hugging, bonding, forgiving, and forgetting. (Well, the forgetting part is what voters are supposed to do.) If he can do this with France and Germany, and all those other countries, his old war buddies shouldn't be a problem. I know it's a tall order, but it's his own jam he's gotten himself into, and if he can't get out of it, he really doesn't deserve to be President.
But what if the Swift Boat veterans are right? What if Kerry really did trump up his medals? What if he really submitted himself for a Purple Heart?
Well, then yeah, he did. He thought the war was wrong, and he wanted to get out of there as soon as he could. Americans voted for Clinton and Bush, and neither spent time in Vietnam. This isn't a big deal. If it's true, admit it, and get it over with.
Except two tiny problems.
One: Kerry has built his candidacy on the claim that he volunteered for duty, that he willingly put his life on the line because it was the right thing to do. Americans may not very much care about this, they may be shocked for a few days and then forget all about it. But without Vietnam, the candidacy is hollow. It has to undergo a complete overhaul (which might not be a bad thing.)
Two: The Republican convention is next week, which leaves no time.
Either way, Kerry isn't likely to take any of these suggestions. (And why should he? I'm voting for Bush!) Unless something truly unexpected happens, Democrats better start considering their options for 2008. I'd suggest they try harder next time. Either that or amend the constitution. Clinton vs. Bush might be an interesting race.
Posted by March at 02:18 PM | TrackBack
August 26, 2004
Volunteer Orientation Update 2
Michael and I went to get my volunteer badge today! I start this Sunday and I'm very excited! Michael also walked me to the unit I'm volunteering in (Obstetrics), which is on the fifth floor, and it's really nice! The people were very friendly and I've been in contact with the head nurse of the unit for about a month now, so I'm really not that nervous.
Anyway, here's a shot of me outside the hospital with my ultra-cool, super prestigious badge!
Posted by December at 10:19 PM | TrackBack
August 24, 2004
Where is Winco Foods?
WinCo Foods has opened up a new store in our area. Problem is the local ad announcing the opening is erroneous. Rather that announcing it's at the corner of 212th and SR167, it says it's at the corner of 212th and 167th, which places it in the middle of a lake. I don't understand how it can be at the corner of 212th and SR167 either, given that "corner" is actually an overpass, but I guess I'll have to go see myself sometime.
Update: A little research revealed the new WinCo's location... on a former golfing range. But the choice of location seems a little baffling. It's across the freeway from a valley full of industrial parks and warehouses, completely out of the way for anyone in nearby residential neighborhoods. I guess they're hoping their great prices will do the trick. As somebody who can't be moved to shop anywhere other than the supermarket he lives behind, I'm not so sure.
Update 2: Why am I using this "update" thing. Honestly, it's not like anybody even read the first one.
Posted by March at 11:00 PM | TrackBack
Olympic Controversy
At the Olympics, last night's men's gymnastics was interrupted when the crowd went wild after some pretty bad scoring by the judges. Russian Alexei Nemov performed one of the most incredible gymnastic routines ever seen on the high bar. His score... a 9.725, which placed him in third with three gymnasts left to compete. The crowd was right in booing the officials, and they did so for over ten minutes. But the officials responded by changing the score, to 9.762. The score was still too low, as it left Alexei in third, and ultimately the remaining performances took him out of medal contention. But audience reaction should not affect judging, and Olympic officials let it do just that last night. In fairness, the Russian was graceful, pleading for the audience to calm down. He deserved the gold medal, in my mind, for both his performance, and his graceful response.
Finally, where were the chairs and tables in tonight's wrestling match? I was highly disappointed. I guess The Rock decided not to compete this year or something.
Posted by March at 08:56 PM | TrackBack
August 19, 2004
My Take on Jennifer's Volunteering
Jennifer went to the Medical Center today for her volunteering orientation. I dropped her off and then drove around trying to get to the parking lot. I park there all the time, but I got turned around and had to make a few u-turns. I guess she's getting a free parking pass... since I pay $2.50 to park there every day, I'll have to see if I can use it!
But I digress... I was sitting outside watching patients and it really struck me how she's going to be able to help these people. There was this very large woman trying to roll her wheelchair up a very slight hill, and while I probably should have gotten up and helped her, I was instead lost in thought about Jennifer, imagining her rushing to the patient in need, helping her up the hill because that's just the kind of person she is. This is really the perfect job for her. I am so proud of her, and she's going to rock the volunteer office, not to mention nursing school.
She's a great wife.
Posted by March at 10:52 PM | TrackBack
Volunteer Orientation Update
While walking down the halls of the hospital today, I was struck by how envigorating and exciting I found the environment, and once again it sealed my resolve for pursuing nursing.
I'm not going to be starting as soon as I'd like. Once again, the volunteer procedures and orientation are taking longer than I'd like, but I should be able to start before this month is up.
Everything went well today. Just thought I'd mention that, since I posted yesterday about the orientation. I actually can't wait for school to start, so I can get my first pre-requisites done!
Posted by December at 10:46 PM | TrackBack
It's Called the Daily Press
Kerry has gone on the offensive against the Swift Vets, and Thomas Oliphant was on the Newshour rebutting Swift Vet John O'Neill's claims. The whole thing can be read right here. But most interesting was the final comment... asked for an alternative to O'Neill's swiftvets.com, Oliphant stated "Yes, it's called the daily press, which is the most difficult thing for these guys to deal with." Yeah, it is pretty difficult to deal with a biased pressed whose journalistic standards are vastly different depending on the message they want to get across today.
Posted by March at 06:54 PM | TrackBack
Is Sex Within a Marriage a Sin?
Is it a sin to have sex with your husband? That's the question one girl asks on a Christian message board.
Is sex withen a married couple sinful, if your just having it; because it feels good? I mean, if your not trying to reproduce. See here is the truth of the matter. My Father works with the man I am promised to; and that man is a virgin. Shhh..... He's 30 years old, yet he was in Satan's bondage of a homosexual lifestyle for 25 years. Well, two birds of a feather flock together. I was an exotic dancer for several years, & I dabbled in bi-sexuality for several years also. But, anyways we will be married sometime soon....However, can someone give me scriptures to back up that God gave us sex as a gift, not only intended for having children. If the Lord did in fact intend for us to have sex, without the intention of having children.
Thank you so much, I need to know how to back up my claims if he trys to get out of the sack with me on those basis. It is foreign to him, & it's not his fault.
Ah, I love born again Christians, because they've always got to get in that part about their former sinful life. Oh, but anyway, back to the topic at hand, I thought this was very odd. She needs scripture to make sure her future husband won't try to get out of the sack? Huh, does the thought ever occur that maybe he just doesn't want to have sex... maybe due to his 25 year homosexual lifestyle? (He was gay since he was 5? Whatever.)
So, I responded:
Look, let's get real here. The guy obviously doesn't want to have sex with you, if you have to CONVINCE him to have sex with his wife!Either he's not attracted to you (because he's still gay) or he has serious issues about sex. Either way, you need to seriously reconsider your marriage to him. I'm telling you right now, you will be extremely unhappy in life if you don't sort this out now.
This seemed sensible enough! Hopefully she'd take it to heart. But she responded:
I'm sorry your opinion is so negative; & biased. Yes, biased by the world. This is a strong man of God, & BTW you need to seriousely reconsider your hair-cut, buddy.
Ouch! Apparently she didn't like my little avatar, stolen directly from the first version of marchdecember. So check out this response.
No, it is not biased by the world, but rather biased by the truth....I was not saying you needed to end your relationship with this man, simply that you seriously need to RECONSIDER. Questioning where you are in life, why you are there, and where you are going, can only strengthen yourself. Sometimes it strengthens your resolve to continue down the path you are on. Sometimes it reveals mistakes and fallacies, and allows us to correct for them.
It is my belief that you need to question whether or not this man is who God wants you to be with. If, in your opinion, God wishes for us to be physically intimate with our spouse, and this man needs to be prodded to engage in sex, then you need to question whether or not it is God's plan for you to marry him.
I listed one possible reason (homosexuality) for his lack of interest. There are others. It is possible that he equates sexual activity with his "dirty" past, that is homosexual tendencies. If he was sexually attracted to men, he could be put off by the very idea of sexual attraction. I am not a psychologist, and I can only speculate and guess even if I was.
I am simply saying be WARY and consider all possibilities. Sex is a beautiful thing, meant to be enjoyed within the confines of marital bliss. Regardless of why he does not want to participate, it's my belief that you will be very unhappy if you do not resolve this issue now. That's true for any issues during the engagement period. Often couples don't seriously discuss and resolve important issues only to have them wreak havoc on the marriage at a later time.
You can call me negative and biased. Or you can seriously consider what I've said, and use it to better yourself and perhaps your partner as well.
Best wishes to you and your future,
TuxP.S. My wife loves my hairstyle!
That was that. There have been no responses in days, which has frustrated me, because I obviously wrote that for nothing... or she read it and couldn't disagree with me. I'm not interested in arguing this further with her, but I just think her relationship sounds very strange and perverted in it's own way. Plus, uh, why is she attacking my hairstyle? No comment on the picture she uses. Ick. (Oops, that was a comment!)
Posted by March at 11:05 AM | TrackBack
August 18, 2004
Volunteer Orientation
Tomorrow I have my volunteer orientation at the hospital. I'll be volunteering Sundays in a nursing unit at the Obstetrics ward. I'm so excited to get some experience watching nurses at work. There's so much I want to before applying to nursing school, in terms of volunteering (and there's so much I need to do to be accepted in the nursing program).
I've actually been stressed out lately about getting everything I need done to be accepted in the nursing school I have my heart set on. I want to impress them so much that there's no doubt that I get in. And I'm worried about not being able to get into the pre-requisites I need next quarter. The Chemistry one has me most concerned, since it was closed this quarter (and I registered very early on for classes) and if I don't take it next quarter, I won't be able to get my pre-requisites done in time.
I've considered going to a different college if it's not open. I have to take summer classes too, because that's the only time Anatomy is offered where I'd be able to get it done in time. I'm also worried about not getting enough challenging, diverse volunteering in. I also need to have a few certifications (such as CPR), but I feel I should have some other certification that shows my dedication and passion for nursing. I looked into doula training and it's much too expensive. Certified Nursing Assistant programs are all booked up for the most part and they carry quite the price tag too.
Maybe I'm just needlessly worried. But it's always better to be vigilant about these sorts of things than just sit around and expect them to happen, I suppose.
Posted by December at 05:21 PM | TrackBack
This Ad Paid For By...
Next time you see a DNC commercial for John Kerry, note the very end of it, when the narrator lowers his voice and says "This ad paid for by the Democratic National Committee." If you have the volume down low enough, or if there is some background noise, or even if there isn't, it's so low as to be almost inaudible. Very, very sneaky.
Posted by March at 12:32 PM | TrackBack
August 17, 2004
Christianity and the Dinosaurs
What do Christians do about Dinosaurs? These Christians are trying to come up with all sorts of theories. I kind of feel bad for them, because their theories look like sheer lunacy to me. Dinosaurs and man co-existing is a ridiculous idea supported only by the unwillingness to admit the world was created billions of years ago. I understand the need to refute evolution. I believe God was behind the creation of the Earth and the human race. But I also recognize that if that is true, than science will bear his mark. If science says the Earth is billions of years in age, and God created the Earth, then we can only assume that God created the Earth billions of years ago. The only other alternatives are to assume that God is not real, or science is not real. Either way, you look ignorant to me.
The sad thing is the "creationists" who insist on a young earth are making people choose between God and science, and most intelligent people choose science. I thought they were supposed to be BRINGING people to Christ, not chasing them away. Oh well!
Posted by March at 01:36 PM | TrackBack
August 12, 2004
Lost Childhood Department
Toys 'R' Us may sell or shut down it's toy store operations. It is no longer profitable for them to compete against Wal-Mart, whose deep discounts make it impossible for the toy-only chain to compete.
When I was a kid, Toys 'R' Us was like heaven for us kids. I remember my parents in line for a Cabbage Patch Kid. I remember going there in awe of all the cool Transformers and G.I. Joes. Toys 'R' Us was simply THE greatest store in the world when I was a kid. You can't replicate that at Wal-Mart. I think it'll be sad if my kids aren't able to experience that. Instead of being surrounded by aisle upon aisle of toys, they'll get to be surrounded by aisle upon aisle of white trash.
I can't say it's entirely our fault. If we want toy superstores, we ought to shop there. But at the same time, some of their stores are downright pathetic. The Redding Toys 'R' Us is full of aging or obsolete toys that are still being prominently displayed on the shelves. Some stores put old toys in the back on clearance, but when I was there in 2003, they had Alex Rodriguez toys at the front of the store... A-Rod in a Mariners uniform!
P.S. On a completely unrelated note... what's with the new Verizon commercial where the guy is looking for his dad on his phone? He's scrolling through all his names, and no, wait, that's not his dad, and he keeps scrolling. Huh? Who was it? Dud? Dod? Don't you keep your mom or dad under "Mom" or "Dad"? You gotta love the guys expression though.
P.P.S. Jennifer thinks it's "Daddio!"
Posted by March at 08:51 AM | TrackBack
August 11, 2004
Quit While You're Ahead Department
Apparently they are making an American Pie 4. The new film does not feature any of the major characters from the previous movies.
Of course, AP4 isn't the only unnecessary sequel in development. Reportedly the losers behind the Star Trek franchise are planning yet another movie. But this time, instead of focusing on the original cast, or Picard and company, the movie will be set during the early years of the Federation, much like the much-ignored Enterprise show on UPN. Like AP4, we will not see any characters we love and know.
Do they really think the Star Trek name will sell this movie? It didn't sell ST: Nemesis, which featured some of the best-loved characters of all-time. I thought it was the final nail, but I guess they just don't know when to quit.
Posted by March at 12:45 PM | TrackBack
August 10, 2004
Violent Liberal Watch
Several Seattle business were vandalized last night. In each case, rocks were thrown through store windows, and the message "Out of Iraq" was added in red spray paint. Worse yet, there was no particular political motivation for targeting the individual stores. Breaking windows and spraying graffiti never solved anything, but I guess that is lost on the violent liberal types. Or was it war never solved anything? I always forget. More at KING 5 News (Registration unfortunately required.)
In the interest of being fair and balanced, here's some conservative vandalism as well. This is the very reason I don't stick political stickers on my car... I know it will get keyed every time I park at school. (I did try putting one on my laptop... but it gets so hot it turned out it pretty much just melted it's way off.)
Posted by March at 08:08 PM | TrackBack
August 05, 2004
Nurse Jenny
If all goes as planned, in about four years, that'll be my title (well, technically it'll be Jennifer Kent, RN BSN.) I start classes for my nursing school pre-requisites at the end of September and I couldn't be more excited and motivated.
I have yet to attend college up until this point. Most of that was due to the fact that the state didn't consider me a resident and out-of-state tuition is outrageous, but part of that also had to do with the fact that I didn't know what I really wanted to do. I flirted with a few ideas and considered getting an AA and just transferring when the time came, but that didn't sit well with me. And I'm glad I didn't. If I had gone that route, I would have spent two years getting an AA and then had to go back to get my nursing pre-requisites done.
One day, after realizing at the doctors office I felt the need to (once again) chime in to Michael and our doctor my own diagnoses, questions, and other miscellaneous medical information, I once again realized my passion for the medical field that I had possessed in high school.
I thought for a while about what I could best contribute to, and exactly where my passion was, and realized the caring aspect of nursing very much appealed to me and fulfilled my desire to have an impact on someone's life through my career.
There were times in my childhood where my father was in the hospital more often than not. Being a little girl in that unfamiliar, cold, and scary place made me grow up with an appreciation for those people who did go out of their way to make that time at the hospital a little more comfortable. I remember nurses bringing my sister and I treats and snacks, blankets and books. They would let my family stay past visiting hours so we could spend more time with dad. Although the gestures weren’t much, the impact they had shaped me to be a much more sensitive, conscientious, caring person in that area of life.
And health and medicine is something I've always been very interested in. In my chemistry class, my teacher was going to be teaching a health class for the first time in her career. She printed up a health test and had us chemistry students be her guinea pig to see how easy the format of the test was. The test didn't count for a grade (obviously since we had no preparation for it and no knowledge we would be taking it) but we did grade them for fun. I got a 100% on it. I was the only person in the class to get above a 50%.
It made me proud that I was able to ace a test for a class that I never took up until that point, just because it was something I had interest in on the side.
I'm also excited by the variety in nursing. I plan on getting my master's at some point in my life and after that I can do anything from diagnosing and treating patients much like a doctor (Nurse Practitioner) to becoming a nursing teacher. Or I can go into researching, management, and midwifery. There's so much out there beyond doctor's offices and hospitals.
I plan on updating my progress monthly. I have so much to do to just get into the nursing school that I want (including volunteering hundreds of hours, training and becoming certified in certain things, and keeping my grades above 3.0) that I want to document my progress for myself, and maybe for other's who are interested in taking the same journey into the nursing field. So stay tuned for the exciting updates I'll have in store with you after I start volunteering (I start the 22nd of this month) and actually start my classes!