Scrapbooking my life...one page at a time

Laid Off & Counting ...

We are still looking ...

We are not alone ....

I am wondering when it will end ...

The numbers are staggering ...

Here is just a random sample of the (mostly US) layoff's I've read about in the news (Announced today) lately ...

• NEC - Globally
  
  • 20,000
• Caterpillar
  • 2,110 (announced today - on top of the 20,000 previously reported)
• Eddie Bauer
  • 173 
    
• Ashland
  • 1,300
• Corning
  • 3,500                              
• Delta Air Lines                  
  
  • 2,000
• Advanced Micro Devices
  • 1,700
• Alcoa
  • 13,500   
    
• Hertz Global Holdings       
  
  • 4,000
• ConocoPhillips                   
  
  • 1,300
• Huntsman
  
  • 1,665
• Burlington Santa Fe
  
  • 2,500
• Time Warner
  
  • 1,500
• Target
  
  • 1000
• Cigna
  • 1,100
    
• Starbucks
  
  • 6,700
• Ford Motor Credit
  
  • 1,200
• Kodak
  
  • 4,500
• ESPN
  
  • 200
• Cessna
  
  • 4,600
• Hertz
  • 4,000
    
• Macy's
  
  • 850
• Copper Industry
  
  • 2,500
• ING
  
  • 7,000
• Toshiba
  
  • 4,500
• Bank of America
  
  • 35,000
• KB Toys - Bankrupt
  
  • 6,515
• Citigroup
  
  • 75,000
• Astrazeneca
  
  • 13,000
• GE Capital
  
  • 11,000
• Boeing
  
  • 10,000
• Bon-Ton Stores
  
  • 1,150
• Chico's
  
  • 200
• Disney - ABC TV
  
  • 400
• Black & Decker
  
  • 1,200
• Citrix Systems
  
  • 462
• Pfizer Inc.
  
  • 26,000
• mywaves.com
  • 5 
    
• Sprint Nextel
  
  • 8,000
• Home Depot
  
  • 7,000
• Harley Davidson
  
  • 1,100
• Cox Communications
  • 500
• Redfin
  • 20
• Land America
  • 120
• Ford
  
  • 2,600
• Mattel
  
  • 1,000
• Morgan Stanley
  
  • 2,000
• GM
  
  • 9,750
• Caterpillar Inc
  
  • 20,000
• Microsoft
  
  • 5,000- US
  • 15,000 - Global
• Intel
  
  • 6,000
• United Airlines
  
  • 1,000
• Applied Materials
  
  • 1,800
• JP Chase
  
  • 9,200
• AOL
  
  • 700
• Philips *** Mike's last employer
  
  • 6,000
• SAP
  
  • 3,000
• IBM
  
  • 2,850
• Texas Instrument
  
  • 3,400
• Fox Interactive Media
  
  • 100
• Unisys
  
  • 1,300
• Sun Microsystems
  
  • 1,300
• Nokia - US
  
  • 1,000
• Intel
  
  • 7,000
• F5 Networks
  
  • 85
• Ericsson
  
  • 5,000
• Bose
  
  • 1,000
• Intel
  
  • 6,000
• Clear Channel Radio
  
  • 1,850
• Warner Brothers
  
  • 800
• Fairpoint Communications
  
  • 56
• SEGA
  
  • 30
• Circuit City - Bankrupt
  • 34,000
• AMD
  
  • 1,100
• Autodesk
  
  • 750
• Google
  
  • 100
• Oracle
  
  • 500
• Plantronics
  
  • 900
• Motorola
  
  • 4,000
• Seagate
  •  800
• Attachmate
  
  • 120
• EMC
  • 2,400
• Logitech
  • 500

• Western Digital
  
  • 2,500
• Dow Chemical
  
  • 5,000
• Anheuser-Busch Co.
  
  • 1,400
• Bristol-Myers Squibb
  
  • 3,700
• International Paper
  •  2,050
• United States Steel
  
  • 4,225
• Las Vegas Sands
  
  • 11,500
• Electronic Arts
  
  • 1,000
• At&T
  
  • 12,000
• Sun Mircosystems
  
  • 5,000
• Qwest
  
  • 1,200
• Gannett
  
  • 3,000
• Dell
  
  • 8,900
• Yahoo
  
  • 1,500
• eBay
  
  • 1,500
• Micron Technology
  
  • 1,500
• International Paper
  • 1,500
• US Steel
  • 3,500
• Electrolux
  • 3,000
• Adobe
  • 600
• United
  
  • 1,800
• Viacom
  • 850
• Credit Suisse
  • 5,300
• DuPont
  
  • 6,500
• National Semiconductor
  • 330
• Entellium
  • 100
• daptiv
  • 21
• IBM
  
  • 2,800
• Candence
  • 650
• Washington Mutual
  • 9,200
• Seattle Times
  • 145
• Kenworth Truck Co.
  • 430
    
    

Canadian Specific Companies:

• Mosaic
  • 1000
• Canadian Pacific Railroad
  • 600
• Air Canada
  • 435
• AMEC
  • 20
• Sun Media
  • 600
• GM - Canada
  • 2,000
• Nexon Games
  • 90
• Electronic Arts - Canada
  • 600
• Nokia - Canada
  • 1,000
• CanWest
  • 560
• Infor Global Solutions
  • 60+
• Magna
  • 850
• Invista
  
  • 100
• Strangeloop Networks
  • 18
• FNX
  
  • 407
• Catalyst Paper's
• • 440
• EQO Communications
  • 20
    

Well, at least we don't have to wait in the unemployment lines anymore - you can just sit at home in your jammies and do it on the internet these days ...

I guess - there's always a bright spot shining somewhere

Have some fun today!
- N -

PS:  Whoo Hoo - apparently we had a 4.6 earthquake this morning I woke up about then and maybe that's why.  I didn't feel the shaking though ..

PSS:  I just read that amid our Global Financial Meltdown that King County is set to raise our property taxes by 6.16%!!!

PSSS:  Our Northwest Flower & Garden Show (2nd biggest in the nation) is on the verge of closing it's doors.  Boo Hoo - I love that show and have been a regular attendee for many years ...

Off To The Mall ...

After we got back from Jo & Bill's beach house we moved over to Mike's Mom's so we could spend the rest of our trip with her at her place.  She lives in a really nice retirement village with 6 large apartment buildings and an assisted living complex.  In her complex they have 2 beauty salons, a bank, church, 2 small convenience stores, a pub,  movie theater, classrooms, meeting rooms, laundry facilities, several dining halls and restaurant and a bus that will drive the residents almost anywhere they need / want to go.  I told Mike - it is like living on a cruise ship ...

Mike's Mom's Apartment - her's is on the top floor on the left

On Tuesday - Inauguration Day - we decided NOT to go down to the Mall.  It was so cold & so crowded - unbelievably so.  We ended up watching the Inauguration at the pub in Mike's Mom's complex.  It was warm, cozy and not too crowded.

The next day we went down to the Mall to wander around and check things out and here's what we found ...

 

Mike & his Mom in front of the US National Archives


Washington, DC. is such an interesting place to visit ...




Inauguration Leftovers ...


The US Capital where President Obama was Inaugurated ...

Mike & I on the Mall ...

Smithsonian Museum of American Art ...

Old Smithsonian Castle ...

Jefferson Memorial ...

Washington Monument ...

Flags at the base of the Washington Monument ...

Much of the City down around the Mall was still festooned with flags & banners ...
ps: the flag in front of the American flag is the DC flag





AND GUESS WHO I RAN INTO AT THE MALL ...

White House ...

The US Government Printing Office where Mike's Dad worked all his life ...

I Love, Love, love all the old Row-houses in the DC area ...



They are almost ... story book !

I hope everyone has a great Day!!!
- N -

Happy 53rd Anniversary Mom & Dad ...

 

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad

 

Love always
- N -

Rehoboth Beach, DE ...

 

 
 Rehoboth Beach

Mike's sister & brother-in-law (Jo & Bill) own a beach house in nearby Delaware at Rehoboth Beach.  It is about a 2 hour drive from where they live in Maryland and they generously invited invited us to go and spend a few days there - so the day after Ron & YuPing's wedding we all (Jo, Bill, Mike's Mom, Mike & I) drove out there.

I had never been to Delaware and it was such a beautiful drive - we crossed the Chesapeake Bay and although I didn't get to see much of it - what I did see was beautiful.  The Eastern Shore of Maryland is very different than the PNW & very, very beautiful.  Different ecosystems, landscape, architecture and different beaches - their beaches are covered in beautiful sand (not rocks like ours) ...       

 
Jo, Bill, Lois (Mike's Mom) & Nancy

Jo & Bill's house is so nice!  They bought their townhouse it last summer and Jo is decorating it a very 'coastal' beach way - plenty of comfy furniture, fish and beachy colors!   It is very charming and so welcoming ...

It has 4 bedrooms (plenty for guests), 3 floors although their basement is unfinished and a screened in sun porch out back.  Gorgeous!  They drive out to the beach almost every weekend with their 2 dogs - Bandit & Smoky!

 

It is a perfect vacation home because it is within 2 hours of their home so driving out on the weekends is not a big deal, it is a townhouse so all the grounds work (mowing, watering, snow removal etc) is done for them and is within minutes of an incredible beach!  It is also nice because Bill's parents only live about 20 minutes from it so that makes visiting handy ...

After we arrived & unpacked Jo & Bill took us into town (which is super cute) and we also strolled out to the beach for a look around.  It is breathtaking ... 

 

 Mike & Bill wandering ...


Miles & Miles of endless sandy beaches ... with no houses!!!

Rohoboth Beach is a small but oh-so-charming town.  It was small but not too small and was filled with interesting shops, restaurants and brew pubs.

Later that day we went over to an old WWII military base which was long ago decommissioned and turned into a park / museum. 

 



 

Ya - that's ice along the ocean shore.  It was COLD!
Bandit!  What a funny dog -she is so cute.

Smokey - he is such a sweet laid back dog - reminds me of Sneakers


We woke up the next morning to a wee bit of blizzard so after puttering around for a while we went out to breakfast / lunch at a nearby sports pub and then headed home.

Hope everyone is having a great week
- N -

A Beautiful Wedding ...

Mike & I had a wonderful trip back East to visit his family, attend his brother's wedding and celebrate the Inauguration of President Obama in the Nation's capital.  Our flight out there was very long (actual flying time was 6 hours but we had a 4.5 hour lay-over in Atlanta so it made for a long day).

The day, while uneventful,  was not without it's humor or small blessings -

US Airways floating on the Hudson

1st (Blessing) - we didn't hear about the US Airways plane's emergency crash-landing in the Hudson River until after we'd landed in Baltimore and Mike's sister Jo told us about it.  I think I'd have been a bit nervous if we'd heard about it sooner and it's just luck we didn't because our plane out to Atlanta was a big one and we each had a DVD/TV inserted in the headrest of the seat in front of us where we could watch movies or TV during the flight. and I watched CNN almost the entire flight (luckily the landing hadn't happened yet).  I didn't catch any news in the Atlanta airport and by the time it had happened we were on our flight to Baltimore which is much shorter so we flew in a much smaller, older plane that  didn't have TV's.   I was saved from knowing about it mid-flight ...

Jet-bridge

2nd (Humor)- when we arrived in Baltimore (tired, hungry & stinky I'm sure) we were anxious to deplane and get to Jo's house (she picked us up at the airport).  So we finallllly landed (safely) and the plane coasted up to the gate and everyone jumped up  & started gathering their stuff and climbing into the aisle way ... we waited ... nothing happened! 

We waited longer ... started grumbling ... waited .... waited ... nothing.  Grumbling grew louder ... 15 minutes passed ... still waiting!  We were in the front of the plane and so we could see out the window that they were experiencing some trouble with the jet-bridge ... Oh dear!  Still waiting - then the bridge starts to move and everyone is excited and begin to regather their stuff ... then we see that the jet-bridge can't reach the plane and so the pilot has to back the plane up ... hysterical - I've never been on a plane that had such a hard time trying to 'parallel park' as it were - back up and then inch forward ... crazy but after about 20 minutes they finally got the plane in place and we were able to get off and our vacation began ...

Stained glass window of the church

I have been very blessed to attend two beautiful weddings in the past few months - Trista & Charlie's and now Ron & Yuping's.  Congratulations & Best Wishes to both couples!

 
I love Wedding, I treasure them because for me they are one of the few events in life that can even rival the birth of a new baby.  They are just as magical and fill us with the same contagious promise of hope, love, joy & innocence.  They are, in fact, the birth of a new family ... 

 

Ron & YuPing got married in Washington, DC in a magnificant old stone church. - so charming and beautiful.  It is the church they both attend regularly and is only a couple of blocks from their house. 

They day was made even more special because Ron's new wife, YuPing , is from China  (she has only been in the USA for about 3 years) and she was  fortunate enough to have  her parents come from China to attend the wedding.   

This was her parents first trip out of China (or anywhere in China  really for that matter) -  they are from a very small village  & do not speak any English so traveling here would have been almost impossible but fortunately they were escorted to the US by American friends  (Martha & Mike) whom YuPing had met while in university in China. 

YuPing's Father & Mother

YuPing met Martha & Mike when she was employed as an interpreter while attending university in China.  They are the nicest people -  who live and work in China and both she and her family over the years have become life long friends, in fact , Martha & Mike  have  unofficially adopted YuPing and it was they who encouraged & arranged for her to come to the USA to continue her education.

Ron & YuPing

The wedding was small, very intimate and it was a very happy event.  Mike & I were so happy to be able to attend and share the day with them.  YuPing's parents & friends are staying in the States until the end of January so they will be not be honeymooning until sometime in the future.

Here are some more photo's from the wedding & reception.

Bridal Bouquet

YuPing

Kevin, Jo, Bill, YuPing, Ron, Mike's Mom, Me & Mike

Mike's sister Jo & her husband Bill

Mike & I

Cutting the Cake

Congratulations Ron & YuPing!

Have a good day
- N -

Home Sweet Home ...

We made it home from DC last night safe & sound (as in - we landed on the 3rd runway - not on the Pacific)!!

I have so many great pictures to post & stories to tell but today I need to unpack, open mail, Pay Bills, Do Laundry & send out some Resumes ... so I will post my tales tomorrow! 

In the mean time - Uncle Frank sent this to me and it is HYSTERICAL (I must admit that while most of the rules make a certain amount of sense - most of them will probably never  really apply in MY world !!!  

Enjoy ...

The Man Rules

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down

Finally , the guys' side of the story.
( I must admit, it's pretty good.)
We always hear about

" the Rules "

From the female side.

Now here are the rules from the male side.

 

These are our rules!
Please note.. These are all numbered "1 "
ON PURPOSE!

1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat.
You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down.
We need it up, you need it down.
You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports It's like the full moon
Or the changing of the tides.
Let it be.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want.
Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work!
Strong hints do not work!
Obvious hints do not work!
Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do.
Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.


1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.
In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.


1. If you think you're fat, you probably are.
Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one

1. You can either ask us to do something
Or tell us how you want it done.
Not both.
If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials..

1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.
Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no IDEA WHAT MAUVE IS!

1. IF IT ITCHES, IT will be scratched.
We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong.
We know you are lying, but I t is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really .

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball
Or golf.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Thank you for reading this.
Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;


But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

Have a great Saturday
Chat tomorrow
- N -

Finding Lost Loves ...

 
Since it is the beginning of a brand New Year - I have decided that I will call this
 'My Year of Finding Lost Loves'. 

I will try and rediscover some of the things I used to love but let slip away from me in recent years:

• Nature - sitting in it, gardening in it, walking amongst it, journal, scrapbook & photograph it, listening, smelling & touching it.

• Puzzles - I used to do jigsaw puzzles especially when I had trouble sleeping.  I see my Dad working on his puzzles all the time and this Christmas when we were there I saw his again and starting thinking ... I used to really enjoy that.

• Garage Sales - I used to love spending a sunny weekend rambling around several neighborhoods garage-sailing

• Gardening - Believe it or not I haven't done much in the last several years.  This spring I am going to as Mary Engelbreit would say ...'bloom where I'm planted' ...

• Watch Oprah - I used to watch her everyday but I haven't seen her in years ... I think I will put her on my  Tivo list and see if I still even like her.

• Picnics - I hate swimming in the ocean but I do like going on Picnic's at the beach and at nice parks.

• Explore Washington - Mike & I used to go out and explore the neighborhood and go on lots of weekend trips around the state - we are going to start doing that again.

What Loves have you lost lately ...

I hope you have a best day ever!
- N -

Up, Up & Away ...

Early this morning Mike & I left to fly out to Washington, DC to attend his brother Ron's wedding on the January 17th. Ron is marrying his girlfriend of several years.  Her name is Yuping Li and at this time that is about all I know about her.  I will get more details once I get out there ...

We will spend a grueling 10.5 hours to get there - no non-stop flights.  As you can see on the map above we are taking the long way there:

• We had to get up at 2:30am
• Leave house for airport at 3:30am
• Plane takes off at 6:05am

We fly to Atlanta, GA and have a 3.5 hour lay-over and then it on to Baltimore where we get at 7.25pm. 

Luckily, we were able to cash in our Air Miles for the trip and so we are able to fly First Class return with forking out any $$$.  This will be my second First Class voyage and I must admit that we your trip is going to be 5 hours or more it really makes a big difference!  More leg room, cushier seats, real food, private restrooms etc ...

Here is a picture Mike snapped of me just before we left the house ...

Looks like I'll will need LOTS more coffee and a hair stylist!  YIKES - but gosh don't I have some seriously cute slippers on. 

Mike & I will be in DC during President-Elect Obama's Inauguration and we are thinking about attending but Mike's sister (Jo) told Mike that they are telling people to plan on it taking about 10 hours to commute into the city, park and walk over to the mall AND it is supposed to be about 20 degrees out.

Yeah ... I hate crowds, lines, pushy people, traffic jams and spending hours circling around trying to find a parking spot.  Subway will be jammed to I suppose ... 

So do supposed ... watching the Inauguration on a big screen TV at a pub in Silver Spring, MD (right next door to DC) during the event counts as 'attending it'? 

I'll have to get back to you on that one.

I am not sure if we will have internet access so I might not be too chatty again until I get back.

    Chat soon

Have a Great Week

- N -

 

It's Raining Movies ...

OMG - I'm so excited!  There are so many good movies out right now - after what seems like an eternity of crappy movies that were not worth the rental fee's never mind the $12.00/person charge.

Here is a list of the movies I plan on going to see as soon as I get home from Wash. DC.  If anyone has seen any of them let me know if they are worth paying out $$$ for!

You can click on any words in Blue to find out more information.

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Valkyrie:  This movie looks so intense.  

FYI:  In Norse mythology, a Valkyrie (Old Norse Valkyrie "chooser of the slain" is one of a host of female figures who choose who will win or die in battle. The valkyries bring their chosen who have died bravely in battle to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin, where the deceased warriors become Einherjar. There, when the Einherjar are not preparing for the events of Ragnarök, the valkyries look after their tableware and drinks. Valkyries also appear as lovers of human beings and heroes, where they are sometimes described as the daughters of royalty.

Out in Theaters: Now

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Doubt: This movie also looks intense. 

I really like both Meryl Streep & Philip Seymour Hoffman so they alone make this movie a 'must see'.

Out in Theaters: Now

                 

  **************************************

The Reader: I didn't read the book but I've read good things about this movie 

Out in Theaters : Now

**************************************

 

New in Town: I enjoy a good Chick Flick and I especially like Renee Zellweger so this is a must-see.

Out in Theaters:  January 30, 2009

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Terminator - Salvation:  I love, love, love the Terminator series -  Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - and all the previous movies.  Christan Bale looks OUTSTANDING in this movie - I can't wait.

Out in Theaters:  May 22, 2009

**************************************

The Knowing:  This is one of those movies that looks & sounds good.  The premise is intriguing but ... time will tell.

(Looks like I know what I will doing for my Birthday)

Out in Theaters:  March 20, 2009

**************************************

Seven Pounds:   Love Will Smith so even though I have read bad reviews on this movie I still want to go see it.  Hey, I love Hancock & it got bad reviews ...

Out in Theaters:  Now

**************************************

The Wrestler:  Another intense movie that looks like it has a lot of substance - Mickey Rourke might be one strange dude but there is no doubt he can act!

Out in Theaters:  Now

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Tales of Despereaux: This book was written by Aidan's favorite author, Kate DiCamillo.  She is an award winning author of the cutest children's stories.

Out in Theaters:  Now

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Marley & Me   I've heard nothing but good things about this movie!

Out in Theaters:  Now

**************************************

Slumdog Millionaires:  Again, I've heard nothing but good things about this movie so it's on my hit list

Out in Theaters:  Now

**************************************

 

Angels & Demons:  I actually liked this Dan Brown book better than the the more popular Da Vinci Code.  I am excited for the release of this movie - I'm curious to see how it was shot since much of the book is set in the Vatican and I'm pretty sure they didn't allow any filming there!

Out in Theaters:  May 15, 2009

**************************************

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: I can't wait to see this movie - it looks very interesting.

Out in Theaters:  Now

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Gran Torino:  Clint Eastwood doing what he does best - Bad Ass Tough Guy.  This movie has gotten very good reviews in the Christian Science Monitor.

Out in Theaters:  Now

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Well looks like I'll be busy for a while  

Remember:  if you've seen any let me know if you liked them or if you seen any good ones not mentioned - why don't you share with us!

Entertain yourself:  Go see a movie today!

- N -

Ten on Tuesday ...

What are your Top Ten NEW Year's Resolutions?

I must confess that this year, once again, I am going to make some NEW Year's Resolutions ... but - this year I am going to do something NEW ...

Instead of making the same old traditional resolutions  [which I never e.v.e.r keep ] the lose weight, exercise more, save more - yada yada yada ones I am going make some 'out-of-left ones - resolutions that will challenge me in some NEW ways

-------------------
ONE:

I resolve to Learn & Understand Rules of & Attend at least 2 Football Games ... 

• Why you ask ... well because

1st - tailgating looks like a blast -I've always wanted to pimp my Jetta         trunk out with a BBQ, mini fridge & Stereo
2nd - I am a Husky by Degree & come on - I'm still looking for a                 practical use for it ...
3rd - they play in the snow ... burrrr

4th - so Katy & I can sit on opposite sides of the stadium & growl at             each other ... Go Huskies!
5th - to see if I can understand why so many American's LOVE it!

TWO:
I resolve to honor to the following promises Each & Every month ...

1.  Fulfill One person's Want,  Help Satisfy One person's Need & Gift one Good Deed

THREE
I resolve to Train my dogs to SIT, STAY & COME!

Laugh if you will ... but even though they are both Obedience School Drop-Outs I believe in  them and I know that if we work hard together - Buster & Sneakers can both finally get their long awaited GED's - as in they will finally get a 'Good Educated Dog-owner'

FOUR
I resolve to KEEP my CAR Clean both Inside & Out!

... because if cleanliness is next to Godliness then I don't even want to think about where my car is headed!  Seriously ... not more newspapers, apple cores, junk mail, pens, (all the  broken ones out of my purse so I always think I have lots but really none of them work) or the 75 old half-filled emergency water bottles I keep just in case - in case of what you ask ... just in case I ever drive off a  cliff or hill & went into the bushes and nobody found me for 2 weeks.   You can live without food but not water ... Hey don't laugh - it could happen.) Well, I'll probably keep one old bottle of water just in case - but I vow it will stay in my cup-holder and off the floor. 

My car might be small, stinky & noisy (it's diesel) but it runs GREAT, gets about 40 mpg and is the last car I will hopefully ever own. so it  deserves to be treated with dignity and respect!

FIVE
I resolve to start taking better care of my Reading Glasses.

 For someone who can't see anything without her glasses you'd think I'd take better care of them.  For cryin out loud Nancy - they don't grow on trees !!  They are only reading glasses but without them - Nada, nothing!  So why am I so careless with them ...

At any one given time I usually carry an inventory of about  8 - 10 pairs because I use, lose, or simply abuse them on an ongoing basis!  

Sad but true story - Mike keeps a basket in his office where I place all my broken frames, twisted arms & legs and wayward lenses.  The pile on the left is what is currently in the basket - Mike uses them for parts.  

Katy is always laughing at me because the glasses I'm usually wearing are twisted and won't sit straight on my face.  I am currently down to 4 pair and so I really need to be more careful with them.  Yikes - at $15 - $20 a pair .... ouch!

SIX
I resolve to drink only 1 can of Diet Pepsi per day.
(this is going to be a hard one!)
I'd like to give it up cold turkey but ... gotta save something for next year ... right!

SEVEN
I resolve to quit saving all my old Magazines.

I have stacks - I need to just start pulling out the articles I'm interested in & then take  them over to the YMCA. I

 do love the ease of magazines ... You can always finish what you start with them.   No disappointments ... they are like 'comfort food' for the brain.

I read somewhere that when you have more than 4 piles of them and the piles get higher than your shoulders you have an actual disease.  I have more than 4 piles but they are only about knee high right now so there is still time ...

EIGHT
I resolve to begin wanting what I have - knowing I have all that I want!

NINE
I resolve to Finally Dry Out & Properly Dispose of all my OLD PAINT cans!

It is my belief that OLD PAINT CANS is the largest item 'inherited' in this country.  I mean think about it - unless you bought your house NEW then I'll bet that about half of the old cans of paint you have sitting in the basement or garage were inherited from a previous owner (or 2).  Yah - they always leave them as a "favor" just in case you need to 'touch up' any of the paint.  

Yahhhh ... sure!  You know the only person I've ever known that needed to 'touch up' some of the paint in their house (J) was also probably the only person I know who didn't inherit any ... 
Anyway - my collection contains some of 'yours, mine & ours' and really needs to be taken care and properly.  I know ... it's not rocket science: take the lid off, allow paint to dry, recycle at your local Hazard Waste Center ...  but seriously ... if that can is even 1/4 full  - it has the drying half-life of uranium ...

TEN

I resolve to Gain at least 10 pounds.

• Why you ask ... well because

1st - It's cheaper than Jenny Craig
2nd -It's easier than trying to lose
3rd - 62% of American's can't be wrong
4th - Reverse psychology - nuff said!

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So, what are your plans for the NEW Year? 
Anyone Care to Share ...


Smile: It's free, easy & calorie free
- N -