Friday, November 30, 2007

I have always been a sky gazer, in the South the sky is beautiful no matter what, but up here in Maine it seems the sky is so crisp and full even more of stars. Sometimes I feel I can reach up and touch them. Living in Maine is giving me a whole new perspective on what is important in the world.



I am getting excited for the first snow fall of the season. Now, I know that in January I will hate the snow, and if it continues through March I will not be a happy camper. But I am still like a child and love the First snow fall, to me it is "Magic", and now that we are in our little house in the woods, I am really looking forward to it.


Thursday, November 29, 2007


I have decided to start a new blog for anyone who needs some guidance for weddings. I will put the link on when I have it up and running. I love planning weddings, no matter if it is like the above picture of the fun loving bride and groom, or as the below picture shows, interesting!!

I handled the wedding with this cake in 2002, I always called this the Alice and Wonderland cake, the Bride who called herself "Puff" was very dramatic, and she was making a statement. This cake is from "Cakes by Donna" in Cheshire, CT, one of the premier wedding makers in CT.
Just a taste of what is upcoming.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Do you still believe in Santa Claus? I remember how wonderfu it was when my mom would take us all dressed up to sit on Santa's lap. As a child, it was the biggest thrill of the whole year, to get to tell Santa in person what you wanted for Christmas. I did try to figure out why there were so many Santa's in different stores, mom always said," They are Santa's helpers and they tell him what you are asking for, he really can not be everywhere can he? It is Christmas time and he is busy working."

As we get older and our beliefs are shattered, to me it is sad, because for me Christmas was more special when I would try to stay awake to hear Santa and leave out the Cookies. My husband and I may never have children but we still act like children on Christmas morning. We wake up open our stockings (my family tradition) and relax before we open presents and then this year we will be visiting family. Last year, after I hit a deer on Christmas Eve, we had to drive back on Christmas day to North Carolina, it stunk. The only high point is when we hit PA it actually started to snow for a few minutes.

I do still believe in the Magic of Christmas, and the little girl in me will always believe in Santa Claus- it doesn't cost anything to keep your dreams alive now does it? Santa, I do believe in you even if I can't see or touch you, I can't do that with love, friendship either but I truly believe in them too.

So Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus.
My High School, HUGE!!
Norwich, industrial city, New London County, southeastern Connecticut, located where the Yantic and Shetucket rivers join to form the Thames River; incorporated as a city 1784. Major manufactures include textiles, furniture, metal and paper goods, medical supplies, copper tubing, and electronic equipment. Norwich is the site of the Slater Memorial Museum, with a diverse collection including paintings and sculpture, and the Leffingwell Inn (begun 1675), which houses a historical museum. The settlement, established in 1659, grew as a shipbuilding and shipping center during the 18th century. It is the birthplace of the American Revolution general Benedict Arnold. In 1952 the town and the city of Norwich were consolidated. Population 38,074 (1980); 37,391 (1990); 36,117 (2000).


My hometown, and where I first lived when I got married in 2005.





Reality Check:

ILYNY2- Give me a break, she actually thought of bringing Chase back, I had missed that episode but last night due to sleep would not happen I turned on the tv and watched her make a fool of herself again over Chase. I wish Punk'd or Buddha whipped his butt, he is a scum of the world. I am now leaning toward Punk'd for her, he is strong but not violent like Buddha has shown. Why is this girl famous? And give me a break with your new fake boobs, mine are real and so much better.


Tila Tequila: Made a good choice getting rid of Ryan, I liked him alot but the family would have a hard time accepting her, and no matter what people say, you have to deal with families when you are with someone. I think Dani still has a chance, and for some reason I like this girl, she seems to most real of anyone on the show.

Beauty and the Geek: Now, they are letting us the public vote for who we think should win. I did love watching Sam and Nicole interact and loved how far Nicole came and opened up and started to have fun, but lets be real Dave and Jasmine deserve to win. They started out as the worse team and pulled it together, which seemed to happen in Mexico after Jasmine kissed Dave, his confidence esculated, he finally told Nicole how he felt about her, and come to find out they both live in Boston YEAH!! There is a match I would love to see, at first I thought her and John but I like Dave and think he and Jasmine have come the farthest and deserve to win. I voted this morning on CWTV.COM did you?

I do not watch Real World Sydney but love the Trailers shocker someone is getting kicked out of th house that has been happening since LA when I used to watch the show.

Housewives of OC: First off, good for Lydnsey for modeling and working due to her dad's death, and she bought her first car, she is growing up and I love Tammy and how she is raising her daughters. Vicki, I believe your marriage is in trouble, you need to let him in and help you relax. Stop hitting too. Tamara, you and your son Ryan have too weird of a relationship to mention. What else happened in Mexico? Besides the tattoos what other trouble did the girls get into?

Project Runway 4: Marion what were you thinking 1980's? I can see why you went home, I did like you and still think Elise is wierd, Christian is so full of himself. It is going to be an interesting year, I can not wait to see this weeks episode. Sarah Jessica, I love to see, so I love that she was a guest judge last week.

What reality do you watch?

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

We have found our own "Starrs Hollow" with a Gazebo and all!!
This is what it looked like this fall here in Maine. It was incredible.


I truly believe that I live in one of the prettiest places in the United States. This is the beach 5 minutes from the house we live in, on the Coast of Maine. The other night, I could of sworn I could hear the surf. It could of been in my dreams but it is truly beautiful here.
We are settling in to being 30 minutes from shops, restaurants but look what we have? Maine is so wonderful with so much to offer people, we are going to start doing our searching and getting to know our new state this weekend. I will put up more pictures when I have them.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. My oldest sister Lynne had it at her house. My whole family was there, my 2nd older sister and my baby brother. My nieces and nephews who range from 20-2 years of age. It was so much fun, we laughed, ate, played music way too loud, danced and drank alot of wine. My husband and I drove down from Maine on Thanksgiving, and did not get there until 2pm, due to traffic. We stayed over and drove back and got home at 2pm, but this time no traffic just stops along the way.

I enjoy my family so much, and luckily so does my husband. He got a bit tipsy, which makes him even funnier. I am sure my nieces and nephews beside the two oldest who have seen us together are embarrassed. My sister Gwynne has a 12 year old girl, and at this time in her life my sister is an embarrassment to her no matter what she does. Do you remember being that age? In my mind at that age, my mom purposely tried to embarrass me so I would not have any friends. As I listen to my sister regale us with the stories, I realize my mom was just doing her best and she had no idea what would set me off. Pretty much, from 12 - 15 years of age, I was a sullen teenage girl, who can be driven to tears over nothing. Nothing seemed bigger than something.

My hair which to me was "CRAP", and always in my face because I felt so ugly, I figured if my hair was in my face I was invisible. After another blow out with my stepfather and sisters on my hair in my face, I ran upstairs and cut my hair. Now seriously, who did that hurt? I came downstairs all determined to say "SEE, are you satisfied? Instead, I got laughed at, which in retrospect I deserved. For a 13 year old girl it just made the whole situation worse and feeling as if no one understands me.

I would never want to go through that age ever again, to me everyone else did it with so much more grace than I did, you are insecure, having feelings that make no sense to you, and hair is growing where you not used to it. I see my neice now 20 and remember her puberty years, now her and Lynne are so close, like the Gilmore Girls close. Back then, they would fight over everything, and never seem to get along or actually talk. So my 12 year old neice Sarah, believe me you will get through these years with Gwynne and it may not seem it now but you will be friends when it is over. Being 12 is hard enough, but now watching my sister and thinking back, it must of been so much harder for my mom. One minute you are her sweet loving little girl and the next moment, she hates you and you will never understand what I am going through, because of course you were never a 12 year old girl now were you?

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

We all know my guilty pleasure of Reality TV, so here is a new update:

Tia Teguila- yes, I have gotten sucked in again, loved the Girl Fight. I was amazed at how fast the men just did nothing in Dani (girl) Jumped in and stopped it, what is with the tears from Brandi? It was so stupid. If you don't watch it, it is a show about a Bi-sexual woman trying to find love, with 16 men and 16 women who will she choose? Personally, I am hetrosexual but I feel she should pick Dani, she seemed the best of both worlds and the most sincere.

Beauty and The Geek: The final (2) couples are Sam and Nicole, and Dave and Jasmine. I can not wait for next week, personally, my favorite team went home in Mexico. I love this show and all the new surprises at the end of each season. Ashton Kutcher is incredible to come up with this show.

Project Runway 4: All I can say, is this season seems to be even stranger people than last season, so far, I love Chris Marsh - he seems to be my person to watch. What the heck is up with the flower child? She needs to go quickly, so weird!!! Christian shut UP!! You are "21" and are not all that.

Housewives of OC: Tammy is my favorite ( brunette) it was Jeana until she went blond, go back to Brunette we rock!! Tammy is teaching her daughters what it is like to actually work for a living and I think she is incredible. Tamara cut the apron strings with Ryan he will never grow up and become an active memember of society if you keep cuddling him he is 21. Lauri I can not wait to see your wedding, where is Josh by the way? Vicki I am a hitter too, but never had a good explanation loved yours and am so going to use that in the future. By the way where is Jo and Slade?

In the Actors Guild: I just love James Lipton, I would love to see an interview with Marlo Thomas, I just love her and always wonder what people do when they are out of the lime light.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Every year at this time I do some reflections and look inside myself to see what if anything I regret. This year, after everything one of my biggest regrets is losing a good friend. When I was in High School, there was a group of us, Tom, John, Dacia and myself who over the years kept in touch. Dacia had moved to Idaho after graduation for school and Tom traveled around the US and then ended up in Panama City, Fl for the next 20 years.

John married his high school sweetheart and moved to Canterbury, CT and I moved up to the Hartford area, went to London for a year and basically just lived. Every New Years we would come home and spend it together. Sometimes at the most boring parties but it was tradition.

Then in 1998, John's marriage broke up, and my relationship had ended, we started hanging out together. Not as a couple just good friends. He dated alot of women especially Donna (Beautiful) she hated me, but our friendship endured. Then Tom Moved back home 2003/4 not sure, and again we all started hanging out. Then John met Sarah and Glenn came out more so it was the 5 of us every weekend, we were at someone's house, or out on the boat in the summer, down at the bar playing pool listening to music.

Then it all fell apart, Sarah made a pass at Tom, and Tom was obsessed with Sarah. I was caught in the middle. Instead of going to John, I let it play out. Then Sarah being the B**** that she is turned John around and basically blamed Tom and I for wanting to break them up and wanting them for ourselves. So not the case. I have not spokend to John since he got married to Sarah July 4, 2004. We were not included in the festivities. I got married in March 2005, I always send them Christmas Cards, and John's birthday is Dec. 16 always a card, and an invitation to my wedding. NOPE never heard from them.

It still hurts all these years later, a 20+ year relationship and now nothing. His first wife hated me too, but she had reason I was John's ex-girlfriend before her, I was 15 he was 17 when we dated. A few months of wonderful dating but then he met Deb and I was history. Our Friendship was better for it, and we were better friends then anything else.

So, this Holiday season I will again make an effort but do not figure I will ever talk to John again, but I want him to know he will always be in my heart.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Do we all remember kickball in Grade School? Or the worst "Dodgeball", I was not good at either, so pretty much I was the last one picked, and picked on. I have read that so many schools have banned both of these recess games. Even though, I hated both, I know it was a good way for kids to play together and become a team. (NOW anyway). Here is what (1) School did in Southeastern CT.

FROM THE NEW LONDON DAY PAPER:


Norwich — While schools across the state and the nation have banned kickball in an effort to cut down on recess injuries and aggressive behavior, Uncas Elementary School Principal Christie Gilluly had a different solution to the problem.

She turned it over to the fledgling student council last year to find a way to save the game and promote sportsmanship on the playing field. A former physical education teacher, Gilluly knew kickball could be played safely and didn't want to ban it — as the Oakdale Elementary School in Montville did this year with kickball and all competitive sports at recess.

Her students proved her right. They wrote rules to contain aggressive behavior, ensure fair play and equal competition.

Uncas is the only one of the city's nine elementary schools with a student council. Gilluly and reading specialist Tiffany Cannella, who serves as council adviser, launched the council last school year using the Connecticut Vanguard Initiative student leadership model as a guide. One of the goals in the statewide program for school reform calls for student leadership to “take responsibility for helping to establish a school climate that is safe, efficient, respectful and promotes the joy of learning.”

With no campaigning, elections were held among all students in grades four and five to elect one girl and one boy from each classroom. Third-grade teachers appointed a boy and a girl from each third-grade classroom.

Many of those elected admitted they were surprised, but they love serving their school and really making a difference.

“I want to be a leader, not a follower,” said fourth-grader Gregory Worthy, 9.
The incumbents from last year will serve again this year, and elections started Nov. 13 to add new members this year. This time, interested students had to declare their candidacy, write essays on why they wanted to serve and win their classmates' votes. Before the election, Cannella said she wasn't sure whether third-grade members would run for election or be chosen again by the teachers. Current members already had slogans planned to help encourage people to run for election.

The student council last year tackled more than just kickball. Fifth-grader Ashley Fontanez, 10, said she wanted to make school “more fun.” Fourth-grader Macpherson Eghianruwa, 10, said he wanted to end bullying. Alvardo said he wanted to help students solve problems.

The group worked on all those issues. The student council wrote and performed a play on bullying members titled “Children Take a Stand.”

Kaylie Peterson, now 9 and in fourth grade, played a bully. As the smallest student in her class, Peterson said she was picked on a lot, so she knew how it felt. Eghianruwa, one of the bigger students, played a victim. Peterson and other students said the play seems to have worked throughout the school, although they still hear about fellow students being picked on.
“We'll have to take care of that,” Gilluly said.

To promote the growing diversity at Uncas — and in all Norwich schools — the student council held a multicultural day. Alvardo came to school with Puerto Rican flags drawn on her face.
As for fun, the student council established theme days. There's hat and hoody day, backwards day, crazy hair day and friends day, when friends dress alike. Gilluly's favorite theme is slippers day.

The returning members have some ideas to present to the council. They want to expand the multicultural day into an international food festival for the Uncas PTO.

And because Uncas always has a lot of new students each year, Worthy wants the group to do a play on how to make friends with new people. Gilluly loved the idea.

“I'm just so proud of these kids,” she said after the group left the room to return to lunch and classes. “They really do take a leadership role. They feel like they can speak up, and they do it eloquently.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

My family has decided to do Thanksgiving in CT, which is fine. I do hate that we will be on the road for 8 hours on Thanksgiving day, but the fact my whole family has not been together on a holiday in such a long time. Due to in-laws, work, living out of the area etc.

It has gotten rather cold here in Maine, no snow where we are as of yet. We are settling into our Little House in the woods and getting ready for the winter months ahead. Part of me, is rather nervous as if I have made a horrible mistake moving us so far north after North Carolina. I do not really believe it was a mistake but since I doubt my mind most of the time, it is what I stress about.

Work is slow, this past week, I did some networking and a trade show in Portland, ME, so you have to wonder if any of this will bring us business. I like to hope for the best.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

It is 1 week before Thanksgiving. I thought this was a good time to list some of the things I am thankful for this year. It has been a very tough year for me, starting with the end of last year, I lost an ex-boyfriend to liver disease. Then in February, lost a friend to a car accident and then in August 2007, I lost my best friend Thomas. I had always known I wanted to come back to New England, and I made it my mission after Thomas's passing to make it happen.

We are now in Phippsburg, Maine in our little house in the woods. If any of the women out there have read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books this house would be their first house, it is what I imagined it would be after reading those books as a little girl. "Little House in the Big Woods" was the First Story. The Values that the Ingalls family had, is still very much part of our life no matter what changes, family values should never change.

Family is very important to me, my mom was in the hospital this week getting knee replacement, I saw her yesterday she looked great. The last few times I saw her she looked stressed out. I knew she was worried about this operation, but now she is doing fine and going home today. My mom really is my best friend, we laugh about the stupidest things together, my sisters I don't think compeletly understand the my mom's and mine relationship.

My older sister Lynne is so close to her daughter Lauren who is in her 3rd year at University of Maryland, I believe she does understand but might be a bit jealous, when she is so fortunate to have such a great relationship with her own daughter. I will never have that, and I am sad about it.

I am thankful to finally be home for Thanksgiving, it will be the first time in years, we were all together for this holiday. I believe everyone is coming up to Maine for it, and that makes me smile.

I will always have a piece of my heart gone since Thomas has walked out of my life, but he loved my family and loved to hang out with us, so I will toast him this year.

What I am most thankful for this year, is my husband, who follows me no matter what interesting decisions I have made of where we live, he supports me emotionally and wants me to be happy. I love and cherish him so much and so happy he and I are still together for another adventure.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

We finally have furniture in our house. We are "in" the basement is still full of boxes to be unpacked but as long as we are in I am happy. Besides, it will be a LONG WINTER without something to do, we can finish unpacking all winter long. We are in Maine after all, and to go into town takes 25 minutes, due to the price of gas we have to watch out for when we go, and make sure we get everything done, going back is a waste of gas. We were so used to running out when we forgot something and being back in 10 minutes at the most. It is an adjustment for us. The Husband is now focusing on getting a job, not a career he is really working on his Blog and web sight business, until it takes off he needs to make an income.

I admire him very much, and told him whatever he wants to do, is fine. I know his business will become a success but we have to be patient and that is not one of my virtues. My mom is in the hospital for knee surgery, she wants to host Thanksgiving, we have tried to explain to her, "NO" or that we (her kids) would do it as long as she sits still, her husband does not want us there, but I believe it is going to happen without his blessing. That means it will be 16 people for dinner, and it has been such a long time since, we were all together for a holiday.

We will be hosting one family to stay over at our house, which is fine, our house is small but it just makes it cozier with more people. Yesterday, we put up our pictures on the walls, to me it makes it more of a home. When I watch "HOUSE HUNTERS" and the after they are moved in and see no pictures I am appalled, it makes it more personal to me anyway. It is always fun deciding where to put pictures our bedroom is my favorite room in the house, we have been acquiring pictures that makes us think of Tuscany (not that we have ever been there), an have decorated along that theme.

Work is there, my boss is making me feel like an idiot most of the time, yeah so glad we moved to Maine, I could of stayed in Charlotte, NC for that and it is warmer there.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

What is the saying, " The man who chooses to represent themselves in court, have a fool for a client."

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Washington-area sniper John Allen Muhammad does not deserve a new trial in Maryland, a state appeals court ruled Monday in a sharply worded unanimous decision that compared Muhammad to Jack the Ripper.
The state Court of Special Appeals said Muhammad terrorized the Washington region in a rampage similar to that of the notorious Victorian serial killer who murdered at least five East London prostitutes in 1888.
But the three-judge panel noted one distinction: "Jack the Ripper has never yet been brought to justice. The Beltway snipers have been."
Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo were convicted last year on six counts of first-degree murder in Montgomery County in the October 2002 shootings that terrorized the area. Ten people were killed and three were wounded in the shootings in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia.
"The sense of dread that hovered over the entire community was immeasurable. The six lives that were taken were but a part of an incalculable toll," Judge Charles Moylan wrote in the 152-page opinion.
Muhammad, 46, and Malvo are in prison in Virginia, where Muhammad was sentenced to death and Malvo to life without parole. Malvo - a teenager at the time of the shootings whom Muhammad manipulated, authorities said - pleaded guilty to the Maryland charges.
Muhammad claimed he should get a new trial because he was wrongly allowed to represent himself and was wrongly deemed mentally fit to stand trial.
The judges wrote that Muhammad "freely and intelligently" waived his right to a lawyer and that the trial judge didn't err in letting him represent himself.
Attorney J. Wyndal Gordon, who served as Muhammad's standby counsel during the trial but did not represent him, called the ruling "a real travesty of justice."
Gordon did not participate in the appeal and did not know if Muhammad planned to appeal the decision.
Lawyers for the state did not immediately respond to calls for comment.
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Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Reality Television:

Beauty and the Geek- Last night, was a great episode but so disappointed in the outcome of which team went home. John and Natalie did not deserve to go without defending themselves. Sam was worried about them being their last team to go to the end because of how strong they are together. It should of been William and Jenn do you seriously think in the next 4 weeks they can pull it together? They basically hate each other and are not even getting anything out of the whole point of the show. I was glad Nicole voiced what I was feeling, too bad she was out voted. It was nice to see Dave and Jasmine pull it together as a team, she should of kissed him earlier to give him confidence.


The Hills: Poor Heidi and Spencer, it looked so depressing her "21" birthday with just each other because neither of them has any friends left they have alinenated everyone. Karma sucks doesnt it? Whitney and Lauren worked really well together for "Teen Vogue" great job on the Fashion show, since I am an event planner/Wedding Coordinator love to see what they can do, it is nice to see them work as a team and be successful. Audrina DITCH THE BAD BOY~~ He could not even tell that other guy you were taken.

Real Housewives of Orange County Season 3: I was very offended by Lyndsey attitude that she couldn't have the life she was used to because her parents divorced and then her dad dies unexpectly and leaves "NO WILL" so his last wife gets everything. Oh, you poor baby, you are 18 years old get over it. Your mother has worked hard to succeed when her marriage fell apart, take some responsibility and learn how to actually work for a living and pay your own bills. I can not wait to see Lori and George's wedding, her dress looked beautiful in the previews. Jeanna dumped Matt you are a beautiful woman in your prime, find someone who will make you happy, and not just a "roommate" for a husband. Where is Jo? Tamara have not quite figured her out as of yet, if she is so worried about her son Ryan, with the money you are making selling real estate instead of buying something for yourself, buy a condo (investment) and let Ryan live there, so him and your husband do not have all the tension by putting them in a house together.

What happened after the Rock of Love Reunion Show? Did Brett go with Heather,like he should of all along?
If anyone actually reads my blog, I will most likely get alot of nasty comments on this next statement but it has to be said. Why is Rosie O'Donnell getting her own show on MSNBC? Does she have a background in Journalism, is she an expert on anything? Or is it just because she is so nice?

Seriously, I remember watching Rosie on VH1 Comedy, she was a stand up comedic who became a VJ on VH1. I like Rosie O'Donnell I was a big fan of her talk show, especially her obsession with Tom Cruise (who I can not personally stand). It was fun and entertaining so I was just wondering what type of show is MSNBC putting her on? Entertaining type or News show?

If you need no real qualifications to be a newscaster on MSNBC, then maybe anyone can apply right? I am a Fox News fan, but do watch CNN, and MSNBC sometimes just to make sure I have all the facts from different news categories, but this little stunt by Zucker, is it because ratings are slipping and you need someone to bring them back up? What kind of news are you actually informing the general public?



Tuesday, November 06, 2007

There are a few writers that I will read no matter what, but two hit close to home because when they write it usally takes place in Southeastern CT even when they change names of places I enjoy figuring out where exactly they are talking about, they are Luann Rice, who I am reading Seacastles by her at the moment. When I worked as a bartender in Old Lyme, at the "Elephant Walk" she would come in for lunch once or twice a month. Pleasant woman, so interesting it is nice to see how far she has come.

The 2nd is Wally Lamb, when I was in high school at NFA he was everyone's favorite English teacher, I never had the pleasure of actually having him as my teacher, but have met him on numerous social occassions. I love him, so down to earth, caring an funny. His 3rd Book is coming out soon, but here is an article from 1998 on Oprah's books webpage. He is the only writer to appear twice on her show for both his books how very cool. Maybe, with the 3rd he can make another appearance.


"Wally Lamb is a nationally honored teacher, critically acclaimed writer and bestselling author. His new book, I Know This Much Is True (ReganBooks) was released in June 1998. His work also includes the #1 New York Times bestseller, She's Come Undone (Pocket Books;1992) which also hit USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Publishers Weekly and other national bestseller lists; published fiction, and non-fiction in The Missouri Review, Allure, USA Weekend, Northeast, The New York Times Magazine, and editor of the poetry collection, Always Begin Where You Are (McGraw Hill, 1979). She's Come Undone was chosen as a finalist for the 1992 Los Angeles Times Book Awards' Art Seidenbaum Prize for first fiction. It was named a notable book of the year by numerous publications, including The New York Times Book Review and People. The book was also chosen by The Oprah Winfrey Show as a "Book Club" selection in early 1997, and is one of the bestselling titles chosen for that honor. Lamb is the recipient of the 1998 Governor's Arts Award, State of Connecticut, a past recipient of the NEA grant for fiction and is a Missouri Review William Peden fiction prize winner. He was the director of the Writing Center at the Norwich Free Academy, Norwich, Connecticut from 1989–1998, and is currently an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Connecticut's English Department. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Education from the University of Connecticut and an M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College. Lamb lives in Connecticut with his wife and three sons. Lamb, who is in the midst of a national book tour for I Know This Much Is True, has the remaining book store appearances upcoming on his schedule. k coming out soon, I can not wait to get it. I have attached an article by Oprah on Wally Lamb."

I love Southeastern CT even though I no longer live there, my heart is there and will always have a soft spot for me, its nice to hear the good things out of CT instead of the bad.

Monday, November 05, 2007

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hdbizblog/sets/72157602940777487/

Here is our new place in the Woods of Maine. We are moving in on Thursday and will post more pictures once we move in an make it our own.

What do you think? We will be ready for the snow, which seems or feels like it coming sooner rather than January.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Anyone from Southeastern CT, knows about 95 North after exit 74 and before Exit 72 is horrible. In the summer time there is so much traffic you can not get through or the tractor trailer trucks that are on 95 all hours of the day. Yesterday, there was a terrible accident, as reported below by the New London Day:

When are the powers that be in CT going to realize this is a dangerous stretch of road and nothing ever happens after every accident how many more people have to die?

East Lyme — Phyllis Martino saw it coming.
The tanker truck in front of her had been swerving in and out of lanes and riding the bumper of a minivan. Martino, driving Interstate 95 north on her way to a job interview at Foxwoods Resort Casino, hung back in her Kia Optima.
Martino's decision to keep her distance from the tanker might have saved her life. At about 10:20 a.m. Friday, the tanker hit a guardrail, causing a six-vehicle accident that left three people dead, closed the highway for hours and sent thousands of gallons of diesel fuel into a nearby brook.
Martino said she saw a tractor-trailer pass the tanker truck on the right. The two trucks had been taking turns passing each other.
Suddenly, Martino saw the tanker truck, about 100 feet ahead of her and still in the left lane, start to drift. It ran onto the left-hand shoulder and hit a guardrail, kicking up dirt and dust, she said.
Martino said she thought the driver tried to recover but, in overcorrecting, he lost control.
Through a cloudburst of dirt and debris — mud flaps, metal and lights — Martino saw the tanker truck bounce and swerve. She saw the cab twist off the tanker before both parts of the truck crashed through the center median and into southbound traffic.
A tractor-trailer driving south went “flying on top of everywhere,” Martino said. The body of that truck wound up on an embankment, part of its side peeled open, while its cab broke off and traveled another 30 yards south.
The cab slammed into the right-hand guardrail. Its back end wound up in the air, the right rear wheels atop the hood of a gray sedan wedged underneath.
In the aftermath, when everything had stopped, Martino saw the tractor-trailer driver yelling, “Get me out of here!” A dog popped up from behind the console of the cab, she said, and the driver of the gray sedan regained consciousness.
The driver of the tanker truck was killed.
As diesel fuel gushed from a hole punctured in the side of the tanker, Martino, fearing an explosion, didn't cross the highway. She said she called to the dog, a pit bull later identified as Tiny, to jump out and come down. The dog stayed put.
Martino hollered at the driver of the car, which she said was smoking, to get out. He managed to open the driver's side door and escape. His face was slightly bloodied. People at the scene helped the driver of the tractor-trailer out of his cab.
“I knew something bad was gonna happen,” Martino said. “I thought he was carrying gas. ... I thought, 'Oh my God, it's gonna explode and I'm gonna be right in it.' So I was just hitting my brakes.”
•••••
Three people were pronounced dead and three others were injured and sent to local hospitals as a result of the accident, said Lt. J. Paul Vance, spokesman for the Connecticut State Police. He said police would not release the identities of the dead until today, after their families could be informed.
The Connecticut State Police Truck Squad, Accident Reconstruction Squad and Major Crime Squad are investigating the crash. Fire departments and hazmat teams from as far away as Willington, Norwich and the Naval Submarine Base in Groton responded to the scene, and portable toilets were trucked in from Lyme. Public works departments from several towns arrived with the sand necessary to contain the diesel spill.
Vance said the driver of the tanker, which was traveling northbound, lost control, crossed the center median and entered ongoing traffic in the southbound lane, striking a tractor-trailer and four cars.
The state police are asking anyone who observed the crash to call Troop E at (860) 848-6500.
Both sides of I-95 were closed for most of the day, clogging secondary roads in East Lyme and Waterford and lengthening the ride home for commuters.
One northbound lane opened Friday night. At 10 p.m., a southbound bypass around the accident site was delaying traffic for only about five minutes. The highway was expected to be partially open today as well, as environmental mitigation continues.
For much of the day, fire crews with pumper trucks took turns traveling back and forth to Flanders Road to collect water from the nearest fire hydrant, pouring hundreds of gallons of water into portable pools and filling their tanks with water in case of a fire.
East Lyme First Selectman Beth Hogan said many of the same emergency workers who were on the scene of Friday's accident were scheduled to be at an emergency management meeting in East Lyme at 11 a.m. to discuss strategies in light of today's weather forecast, which includes rain and high winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 55 mph.
The meeting was canceled and emergency workers were diverted to the crash site.
•••••
Northeast Carriers LLC, the owner of the tanker, was incorporated in 2004, according to filings with the secretary of the state. Since then, the Danielson company has apparently maintained a good safety record, according to state officials and federal filings.
Several attempts to reach the company's president, David A. Scott, who lives in Pomfret Center, were unsuccessful.
The company was given a rating of “satisfactory” as recently as July by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, according to agency records and its division administrator for Connecticut, Jeff Cimahosky. That is the highest of the agency's three safety ratings.
Federal and state records for the last three years show the company's vehicles were involved in only three accidents, with no fatalities, said William Seymour, a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. One of those accidents, a four-car crash in Rhode Island in 2005, did cause injuries, Seymour said, though the extent of the injuries and the parties at fault could not be determined Friday.
“The company has a very good safety rating,” Seymour said, adding that the state had inspected Northeast Carriers vehicles 16 times since 2004 and found “nothing that makes them stand out as a bad carrier.”
Low levels of wear-and-tear and minor equipment irregularities are a fact of life in major trucking operations, Seymour said.
Federal filings show the company's vehicles were inspected 22 times over the past 24 months, while receiving citations only five times. That is a violation average of 22.7 percent, the federal agency records show, slightly below the national average of 23.1 percent.
None of its drivers were cited for violations over the past two years, according to the same records.
The one blemish apparent on Northeast Carriers' record is the revocation of the company's operating authority status by the Motor Carrier Safety Administration in May 2006. But the authority was reinstated just seven days later, suggesting the revocation was for a relatively routine and benign violation, said Cimahosky, the agency's chief official in Connecticut. Such revocations can be triggered by as little as late-filed paperwork, he said.
Northeast Carriers owns nine tractors, 11 trailers and eight tanker trucks, according to Seymour and federal filings.
The company employs 14 drivers, according to the federal filings, and has logged more than 500,000 miles so far this year. The company has transported liquids, gases and pool water, the agency records show.
•••••
Vincent Gagliardi of Deep River was several hundred yards behind the northbound tanker truck and a few cars behind Martino, fiddling with the radio in his Honda Civic when he saw what he described as a flash of metal.
Drivers everywhere slammed on their brakes, said Gagliardi, who pulled off the highway and ran to the southbound side, rushing through debris to the cars and trucks strewn around the roadway.
“I walked right down the line and I checked everybody, and everybody was dead,” he said.
Gagliardi arrived at the tractor-trailer, peered through a small hole torn open in the driver's side of the cab, and saw Tiny.
“I went to the passenger side and got him out,” Gagliardi said of the dog. “I wasn't sure if it was diesel fuel or home fuel. I couldn't see this guy get burned.”
Gagliardi walked the northbound entrance ramp and surrounding area with Tiny on a leash for the next couple of hours. The dog appeared unscathed and upbeat, wagging his tail and greeting strangers while searching for James Clock, his owner.
Around 12:30 p.m., Gagliardi received word that Clock had survived. He was in the hospital and wanted to see his dog.
When Gagliardi brought Tiny to the emergency room at The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, he said, hospital workers weren't willing to let him in to the emergency room with the pit bull. But when he told them whose dog it was, they wheeled Clock into a part of the emergency room on a gurney so that he could be reunited with his dog.
Gagliardi said Clock thanked him profusely for caring for his dog, and hospital staff allowed Clock to keep Tiny with him until a friend from Long Island could come to pick him up.
Clock was ultimately treated and released Friday afternoon, a hospital spokesman said.

Friday, November 02, 2007

This article below was on Fox News Today, with a so called Clergy man telling men the best way to "abuse"their wives because obviously, if you are going to do it, do it properly.

I am appalled by this behavior and my heart goes out to the women of these men. I have a history of abuse and someday I may reveal it, but for now what do you think?


On Fox News Webpage today:
Move over, Dr. Phil, there's a new relationship expert in town.
He's Saudi author and cleric, "Dr." Muhammad Al-'Arifi, who in a remarkable segment broadcast on Saudi and Kuwaiti television in September, counseled young Muslim men on how to treat their wives.
"Admonish them – once, twice, three times, four times, ten times," he advised. "If this doesn't help, refuse to share their beds."
And if that doesn't work?
"Beat them," one of his three young advisees responded.
"That's right," Al-'Arifi said.
He goes on to calmly explain to the young men that hitting their future wives in the face is a no-no.
"Beating in the face is forbidden, even when it comes to animals," he explained. "Even if you want your camel or donkey to start walking, you are not allowed to beat it in the face. If this is true for animals, it is all the more true when it comes to humans. So beatings should be light and not in the face."

His final words of wisdom?
"Woman, it has gone too far. I can't bear it anymore," he tells the men to tell their wives. "If he beats her, the beatings must be light and must not make her face ugly.
"He must beat her where it will not leave marks. He should not beat her on the hand... He should beat her in some places where it will not cause any damage. He should not beat her like he would beat an animal or a child -- slapping them right and left.
"Unfortunately, many husbands beat their wives only when they get mad, and when they start beating, it as if they are punching a wall – they beat with their hands, right and left, and sometimes use their feet. Brother, it is a human being you are beating. This is forbidden. He must not do this."
Take that, Match.com!

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Westboro Baptist Church- Is a Hate Crime waiting to happen. I applaud the judge who ruled against this awful group. Here is what happened:

US soldier's father wins payout for church funeral protestFred Attewill and agenciesThursday November 1, 2007Guardian Unlimited Westboro Baptist church members protest outside the federal courthouse in Baltimore. Photograph: Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun/AP

A fundamentalist church that picketed a US soldier's funeral because it believes military deaths in Iraq are punishment for American tolerance of homosexuality has been ordered to pay almost $11m compensation.

Albert Snyder, the father of Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq last March aged 20, sued the Westboro Baptist church claiming that the protests ruined his son's funeral.
The church, based in Kansas, routinely pickets funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs with messages including "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags".

Writing on a website dedicated to the late Lance Cpl Snyder, the family said: "Using innocent children to deliver their twisted message of hatred and fear, the defendants in this suit have sought to attack the memory of our departed heroes, to strip their loved ones of their dignity, and to use abuse and intimidation as a tool for preventing surviving family members from reaching closure over their loss."

Mr Snyder's lawyer, Craig Trebilcock, had urged jurors to award an amount "that says don't do this in Maryland again. Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again."

A Baltimore federal jury awarded Mr Snyder a total of $10.9m (£5.2m) after ruling that the group had violated the family's privacy and intentionally inflicted emotional distress.
The church's leaders reacted defiantly to the verdict, saying it was "an act in futility", and pledged to continue to picket military funerals.

The church's legal team had argued that the burial was a public event and that the protests were protected by the first amendment of the US constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.

Fred Phelps, the church's figurehead, said he was confident the verdict would be overturned on appeal.
"Oh, it will take about five minutes to get that thing reversed," he said. The assets of the church and its three leaders are less than $1 million.
Before the verdict was announced yesterday, Mr Phelps had stood outside the court holding a sign reading "God is your enemy", while his daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, stood on an American flag with a sign proclaiming "God hates fag enablers". Supporters sang "God hates America" to the tune of God Bless America.

The church, whose 75 members are largely composed of Mr Phelps' relatives, is regarded by some as a cult and blames natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the September 11 attacks on lax morality.


About this awful group:
Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is a controversial church, considered by many to be a hate group and a cult, headed by Fred Phelps, and based in Topeka, Kansas, U.S.. It runs the websites GodHatesFags.com,[1] GodHatesAmerica.com and others expressing condemnation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people (LGBT), Roman Catholics, Muslims and Jews, as well as populations it considers to support the forementioned groups, including Swedes, Canadians, Irish and Americans.
The organization is monitored by the Anti-Defamation League,[2] and classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.[3][4] Although well-known in LGBT communities for picketing gay pride events and funerals the group achieved national notoriety due to its picketing of funeral processions for soldiers killed in Iraq war combat,[5] which functions as an extension of the Phelps' anti-United States beliefs.
While its members identify themselves as Baptists, the church is an independent church not affiliated with any known Baptist conventions or associations, nor does any Baptist institution recognize the church as a Bible believing fellowship. The church describes itself as following Primitive Baptist and Calvinist principles. Its first public service was held on the afternoon of Sunday, 27 November 1955.[6]
The church bases its work around the belief expressed by its best known slogan and the address of its primary website, "God hates fags", and expresses the idea, based on its Biblical eisegesis, that nearly every tragedy in the world is linked to homosexuality – specifically society's increasing tolerance and acceptance of the so-called "Homosexual Agenda." The group maintains that God hates homosexuals above all other kinds of "sinners"[7] and that homosexuality should be a capital crime.[8]


What I find the most appalling of all, is they are saying they are a church group, but they have no sense of decency and no sense of loving thy neighbor. The fact that they are teaching their children to "hate" and hold up signs isn't that a form or child abuse? These people need to be stopped.
How very sad, I was a huge Ramones Fan in High School and College, and actually saw them once at "Toad's Place" in New Haven, CT.

"Linda Stein, 62, the punk-music pioneer turned real-estate broker, was found beaten to death in her Manhattan Fifth Avenue penthouse at the night of October 30.
Her body, which had "blunt impact injuries," was found inside of her 18th floor apartment at 965 Fifth Avenue (between 77th and 78th Streets) last night around 11pm.
Police and the medical examiner say an autopsy found that she died from fatal blows to the head and neck.
There was no sign of a forced entry, and the police have no suspects."

If you died suddenly what would they say about you?