Gory Details

#1 question asked by people who read my blog but have resorted to email because I don't post enough: My surgery is now scheduled for 2/11, I'll be off of work 4-6 weeks. Putting off the surgery has had some drawbacks in the form of fatigue and pain, and the endometriosis perhaps has spread to other organs, but that wasn't the fault of the few extra months. The Dr. possibly will have me not take any hormones after surgery for a while, so I'll go into instant full-blown menopause (for the third time) to kill off all the rogue endometrial cells in random places in my body. I'm scared about that because it made me (more of a) screaming, crying, hot-flashing psychopath.

I watched the inauguration at work on some TVs they hooked up for the employees in the warehouse. I was happy and do hope as a nation we do begin to take more responsibility for the wide-ranging impact of our actions, but try to I'll spare you my thoughts beyond that. Shauna sent me Dr. Laura's comments, I can't say I've heard her (ever), but I saw some things I agreed with. I tried really hard today to avoid the sour grapes of people and bloggers and journalists who didn't vote for him. I know if today was McCain's day, I would have watched and been proud of our country and can't understand why that's so hard for some. But, I've really tried to let go of such thinking.

Anyway, I'm very tired, but we are very blessed. Strangely, I'm looking forward to surgery because it means I can lie down.

(PS, sorry if my image grosses you out, I offer it only in the spirit of amusement)

One New Year's Resolution Down, 9 to go

I finally finished the arrangement of "In Humility Our Savior" for my cousin. She wanted to overcome her fear of singing in public and asked if we could do a duet together in Church. I asked her what songs she liked and she named two, of which this was one. I couldn't find good arrangements for either, so I told her (last September) that I'd arrange In Humility for us. I used to do some slapped-together arranging back when I was the UCLA Ward choir director and was particularly fond of what today would be called "mashups" meaning I'd shove two hymns together musically and lyrically (Lead Kindly Light and I Need Thee work really well, for instance). The choir had fun with it and was patient, even when we'd discover one measure was missing a beat entirely.

So this was an exciting thing for me to do my first full arrangement and put it in composing software (rather than just use copies of the hymnbook, scissors, paste and white-out, as with the UCLA days ;) ). I don't know how to put it in a PDF format, and I haven't heard real people sing it (just the "choir" bots in the software), but I'm happy with it nonetheless.

Work is fine, I'm in one of my "missing my kids" phases right now and hoping for a deus de machina to make that possible, although the reduced schedule helps. I do have trouble doing much work from home, though, because the kids demand attention sometimes until almost 9 and then I often crash. But I honestly feel my productivity is higher than it was before I changed my schedule. Something about working in 4-hour blocks makes me rush to get things accomplished, rather than the "hare" mentality I often have at the beginning of an 8-hour work day.

Ben is doing well in school and seems pretty happy overall. Sophie is having some struggles feeling left out at Church and school, but I'm arranging for her to go play with her cousins more often. Noah is happy at Lucy's daycare, but he still seems sad about my absence and really acts out a lot. Lucy is cute, talking more and more, opinionated, and possibly gaining weight. I'm doing some things with diet and herbs and gradually weaning them off the sugar binge they've been on since Halloween, motivated by a book I've owned but avoided reading for some time, "Little Sugar Addicts." Since I was praying about these issues the day before my eye fell on that book, buried in the shelf, I felt it must be a prompting.

I am not exactly sure where David is, although on his occasional calls he tells me he is "in the East" or "in the West" (because he is crossing the Mississippi in his travels). I know he'll be back in a few days, though.

My January probably looks like many people's January--dieting, going to the gym, writing that book, organizing that room, completing this and that project. Hopefully I'll get over all this ambition soon and get some real sleep.

My stock guy says "cataclysmic collapse" is coming after inauguration, and some people seem to think that the Gaza/Israel thing is going to develop into Armageddon, but I'm holding out that 2009 will turn out to be a good year anyway.

Love to all--(by which I mean YOU those sweet friends and family who read my blog, not a love for all man--baby steps, you know)

Valerie

Blessings

Today I was sitting at the piano in primary and looking at Noah. He isn't on the front row anymore, my little Sunbeam is now in the CTR 5 class. How did that happen? I think about what a sweet, sweet blessing he is in my life, so free with his hugs and kisses and "I love yous."

I look for Sophie--where is she? She's not there. This is Jr. Primary, and she is now a Valiant 8, will be baptized this year. Where is time going? She sat on my lap during Sacrament Meeting--way too big for that now, but it makes her happy--and I petted her long hair. It's getting darker--all my kids' hair is--my four little blondes will end up dark like David and me.

Lucy moved to a big-girl bed on New Year's Day. What's the point of a crib when she can pop out of it at will? When she's having a fit over something and I mimick her crying by saying "Waaa!" she laughs and stops.

Ben bore his testimony today--he's growing up and learning how to get nervous speaking in front of others. He testified of the Church and of Jesus Christ. We spent the evening together making a tin-foil covered cardboard stag as his Patronius visual aid for his book report on Harry Potter 3 tomorrow.

I remembered it was Fast Day for once and maybe that is why I felt a little more soft hearted today, just overwhelmed with gratititude for what the Lord has given me--this beautiful family, a husband I love dearly, the gospel, wonderful friends and family, this warm, safe home and the amazing gardening adventure. I think about how he has held us in His hands through so many tricky situations that only He could navigate, and how there are more ahead this year, but I know He will take care of us.

It seems so much of life is spent thinking about what we want--what we want from loved ones, what we want with our careers/finances, what we want to have happen today, tomorrow, next year. But when I'm thinking about what I want, I am not thinking about what I have--it is constantly looking at the empty part of the glass.

There is something to the zen concept of eliminating expectations. Expectations kill relationships, and kill happiness—they keep us always focused on what we lack, not what we have. In marriage, for instance. If I expect David to act like David I will never be disappointed, and can just love him. But to not expect at all--that is a divine state--to just take what comes, experience it, observe it, accept it in faith. That's not to say we don't proactively engage in things, but that we don't tie our happiness to specific outcomes.

Despite rationalizations, expectations are not hope (trust that God is in control and will take care of us), they are not faith (the hope for things which are not seen, which are true), expectations are wanting things to be done a certain way, to go a certain way, for certain things to happen--and they put me on the path of ingratitude.

These were my thoughts today as I looked at the four amazing individuals I've been entrusted with--here when I didn't even think I could have children ten years ago. My cup runneth over, yet sometimes I still see it as half full.

Today Noah trimmed off both cat's whiskers. Sophie sang in the tub tonight for an hour. When I was getting dressed and hadn't gotten to the pants part, Lucy helpfully suggested that I "put on a pull-up." Benjamin just came down sleepwalking, went into the laundry room and came out with a bottle of Shout and Lucy's snowpants and, when questioned, said frustratedly, "What, you can't expect me to go around without any pants!"

Life really is good.

New Years Resolutions & Organized Religion

What, I have a blog? 

 

Well, the blog is meant to record the activities of one’s life, but the activities of this blogger’s life are pushing out time for blogging or even email these days.  Still, I will try to get back to my Sunday habit.  There’s my first New Year’s resolution. 

 

My other one is the same one I’ve had most of the past 20 years—this year I will become a happy, thin, rich, motherly spiritual giant. 

 

It seems so simple, ironic, mutually exclusive and so, so familiar every January, but in the spirit of simplicity, it’s nice to get it all boiled down in writing.  Some omens say that the odds of reaching this goal at least in part are a bit more in my favor this year than in past years, but let’s give this same tired goal another 365 days and see what happens.  I’ll keep you posted.

 

I found this article interesting, and relevant to this discussion.  It is annoying to have scientists study Believers and why religion “evolved,” but it is funny to see them scratch their heads over why religiosity helps people so much.

 

Findings: For Good Self-Control, Try Getting Religious About It

 

Happy New Year!  I predict that—at least for me—2009 will be an interesting one, that good will come of it, but that it may not be a very comfortable ride. 

Belated Christmas Card

It is rare that I have the luxury to have my own designer and someone else footing the bill to create my own Christmas card. But, I was the lucky writer and Kim, my pal, was the selected designer, and here's what we came up with. Although none of our clients will likely appreciate it, we took great effort to have many layers of meaning, real melodies instead of decorative notes, etc. The managers and company employees totally loved it, and it was really fun to do.

Anyway, since I'm not like all you together people that sent me (lovely!) Christmas cards, I'll just go ahead and share it with you in lieu of the normal way. Of course, the company logo has been conveniently removed, but it's not for commercial purposes, so I'm fine with it.

I had a wonderful Christmas, I hope you all did, too!

Quick Note

I'm alive, I've just been sick with a cold, or dealing with sick kids, for a week or so.  Things are good overall. 

I've been meaning to tell you that Doris discovered, and I have since personally confirmed, that most Christmas lights, particularly new ones, have lead all over them, so go ahead and have young kids NOT handle them at all or wash thoroughly afterward.  Also, I read this article and wish I had the clout to get Obama to read and agree with it.  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/opinion/11kristof.html?_r=1

Also, if you know a good web designer/programmer with solid ASP experience who is willing to freelance for cheap, let me know.  I need advice on a personal project.

Third, the stock guy I get emails from thinks that we are entering a "Grand Supercycle Degree wave depression {IV}, with cataclysmic, nation changing potential."  You probably already figured that out, though. 

On a related or unrelated note—you decide—it's time to start planning your garden—Jan/Feb is seed-buying time.

Lastly, I found this great recipe for fancy restaurant bread-basket-quality bread that is SO fast and easy—and pretty much no kneading!  It's from Mother Earth News, just about the only other newsletter I still get and haven't unsubscribed from (my email inbox is so empty now).  Give it a try!  (You don't really need a pizza peel—or even cornmeal.  I used a ton of flour, and just shoved it off the pizza peel with a spatula, which you could do off any flat surface, like a cutting board.)

Artisan Bread in 5-minutes a day

3 cups lukewarm water

1 1⁄2 tbsp granulated yeast (1 1⁄2 packets)

1 1⁄2 tbsp coarse kosher or sea salt

6 1⁄2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour

Cornmeal for pizza peel

1. Heat the water to just a little warmer than body temperature (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit).

2. Add yeast and salt to the water in a 5-quart bowl or, preferably, in a resealable, lidded container (not airtight — use container with gasket or lift a corner). Don't worry about getting it all to dissolve.

3. Mix in the flour by gently scooping it up, then leveling the top of the measuring cup with a knife; don't pat down. Mix with a wooden spoon, a high-capacity food processor with dough attachment, or a heavy-duty stand mixer with dough hook, until uniformly moist. If hand-mixing becomes too difficult, use very wet hands to press it together. Don't knead! This step is done in a matter of minutes, and yields a wet dough loose enough to conform to the container.

4. Cover loosely. Do not use screw-topped jars, which could explode from trapped gases. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse (or at least flatten on top), approximately two hours, depending on temperature. Longer rising times, up to about five hours, will not harm the result. You can use a portion of the dough any time after this period. Refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and easier to work with than room-temperature dough. We recommend refrigerating the dough at least three hours before shaping a loaf. And relax! You don't need to monitor doubling or tripling of volume as in traditional recipes.

5. Prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal to prevent the loaf from sticking to it when you slide it into the oven.

Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour, then cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-sized) piece with a serrated knife. Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won't stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on four "sides," rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go, until the bottom is a collection of four bunched ends. Most of the dusting flour will fall off; it doesn't need to be incorporated. The bottom of the loaf will flatten out during resting and baking.

6. Place the ball on the pizza peel. Let it rest uncovered for about 40 minutes. Depending on the dough's age, you may see little rise during this period; more rising will occur during baking.

7. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on another shelf.

8. Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour, which will allow the slashing, serrated knife to pass without sticking. Slash a 1⁄4-inch-deep cross, scallop or tick-tack-toe pattern into the top. (This helps the bread expand during baking.)

9. With a forward jerking motion of the wrist, slide the loaf off the pizza peel and onto the baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour about a cup of hot water into the broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is browned and firm to the touch. With wet dough, there's little risk of drying out the interior, despite the dark crust. When you remove the loaf from the oven, it will audibly crackle, or "sing," when initially exposed to room temperature air. Allow to cool completely, preferably on a wire rack, for best flavor, texture and slicing. The perfect crust may initially soften, but will firm up again when cooled.

10. Refrigerate the remaining dough in your lidded (not airtight) container and use it over the next two weeks: You'll find that even one day's storage improves the flavor and texture of your bread. This maturation continues over the two-week period. Cut off and shape loaves as you need them. The dough can also be frozen in 1-pound portions in an airtight container and defrosted overnight in the refrigerator prior to baking day.

 

 

 

 

Hail the nap!

Vital Signs: Regimens: For the Best Pick-Me-Up, Lie Down

 

 

More on a Christ-massy Christ-mas

http://www.redefine-christmas.org/

Surgery

Apparently many of you are wondering why I'm having surgery. I had a lot of baby-factory problems, which is why it took me 7 years to get pregnant with Ben. When by some miracle I did finally get pregnant, they said "Stay pregnant, because when you're done, this stuff (endometriosis) is so bad it will come back with a vengeance and you'll have to have it all out." So, I was pregnant or nursing for 9 years, but over the past two years that I wasn't pregnant, I started having a lot of discomfort, like there's a rock garden in there or something. I finally remembered this last ominous warning my OB had given me long ago and I went into my doctor here and he said, "Yep, it's a mess in there, endometrial cysts, fibroids, who knows what else, you've got to have it all out." This also means ovaries, which are a source and implant place for a lot of the problems, so that means pills for 15 years, and it also means that David likes to refer to my surgery as a "gender reassignment."

I am uncomfortable enough now that I am sad about waiting another month, but it's for the best.

There's your TMI for the day. Hope you enjoyed it.

A Good Day

Today I found out that my work is changing insurance providers in January to Aetna, which will have better coverage, so I am switching my surgery date to be in January to save myself some money.

My boss told me I could start my new schedule on Monday (8-12:30 everyday except Tuesday 8-6).

I was also really wanting something I thought was important but I couldn't figure out how to pay for it, but then a way to pay for it magically fell out of the sky, so I decided God wanted me to have it.

Also the Christmas cards came in at work, which I and a designer I work with were assigned to this year (one writer and one designer is assigned each Christmas). Anyway, we got lots of kudos from the company because it is unique and fun. I'll try to put it on the blog here if I can.

I was really productive today at work and then finally, just before I left, I found out that a guy I work with has been asked to contribute to a monthly industry publication because the publication likes how "his" blog "reads" and they love "his" style. As the real writer of his blog, this technically means I just got a gig writing in a monthly publication. No extra money, no extra credit (except from my boss, who always leaps up and has me wiggle fingers with him anytime I score like this), but still it was cool.

David's gone, but I've been given the ok to come and go as needed this week at work and just make up my time at home. So, we should be good.

David had an appearance in court this morning before he left, and even though the judge was set on giving his client the max, the judge did concede a point that David made (although he went ahead and ignored it for sentencing) and this made David feel like at least he accomplished something. He also wrote a brief for another attorney that was well received, so he's feeling good, although you can't tell because of the ever-present, thick layer of grumpiness my husband wears. I grounded him from the house for a few days for excessive grumpiness, but I fear it didn't have a deterrent effect since he was already traveling... either way, the net result is that I can love my husband from afar with less grumpiness in the house for the next few days.

So, a good day.

Grateful Thoughts

Lucy’s labs came back normal, which is great.  The next steps will be allergies, intolerances and other digestion issues.

My boss approved my alternate schedule, which will start not this week but next (unless my surgery remains on the 9^th, in which case it will start when I get back).  My surgery date is up in the air again until I my next doctor’s appointment on Thursday AM. 

Thanksgiving was nice, it has been a good weekend.  I’ve been sluggish, but got a lot of kid time and housecleaning in.  Poor Noah got a really bad stomach flu the last 2 days, with fever and absolutely nothing staying down.  Last night was a rough one.

Aside from that, I’m feeling very grateful for a lot of things—it is clear the Lord has really taken care of us this year—always has, really, but all those years I felt a little out blown in the wind I can now better see what He was teaching us and that he was arranging things for our better good through all that.  It’s good to feel God’s love in that way. 

David will be out of town this coming week, it’s going to be a hard one, but I have a lot of family and friend support.  We went out this past weekend and I decided that even though I see him less often than ever, I really like him still, and I’m really proud of the work he is doing at the Federal Defender, and particularly proud of why he does it. 

We went to see a much-awaited vampire movie Friday that was very sweet and intense.  And I although I’m sure it goes without saying which one it was, I will clarify that it was the new Swedish indie film “Let the Right One In.”   I broke my rated R movie rules to spend time with David, who was already going with other friends.  Then I got a talking to today from a youth speaker who explained that it is not just about the rating, but about any content which makes it so you can’t feel the Spirit.  And since this particular much-awaited vampire movie was about a real vampire who—although only 12 and lonely and sad—actually has to reluctantly but desperately feed off random people to survive, and who takes bloody (and I must say gratifying) vengeance  to defend her only friend in the end—it was still a real vampire movie.  Anyway, the youth speaker’s point is taken. 

Tomorrow for FHE we start advent.  David picked up the required advent calendars from Trader Joes on his last visit.  I’m going to try to sing Christmas songs each night as a family this month and for our lesson tomorrow ask my family to participate in giving the gift of more regular and fervent prayers through the advent season to see if we can have the spirit of the Savior more strongly felt in our home.

Well, that’s my update.  Hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving.

Your Favorite Alternate (and Derisive) FDA Acronym Here

Subject: Did you hear about this yet?

 

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/INFANT_FORMULA?SITE=MABOC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-11-25-19-57-30

FDA wins again. The only way we know about this is some reporter filed a freedom of information request? This is sad.

Jen

The most CHRISTmasy Christmas ever

Most people are pulling back this Christmas—one study I saw today said people expect to spend 50% less than last year!  Retailers are petrified that Black Friday will be red after all.  Our family is definitely being more conservative this Christmas in an attempt to save and in a realization that we (and our kids) just don’t need more stuff. 

 

While people are spending less on Christmas, people are also spending less on charitable giving.  And while charities’ budgets are shrinking, the need is growing, with more families out of work and money stretched tight.  Here in SLC, Sub For Santa and several other organizations that help needy families at Christmas have already stopped taking new families entirely, having reached capacity and the limits of their budgets.  They say this hasn’t happened before so early in the season. 

 

There is a growing movement to encourage people who are still above water to still cut back some and give instead to charity—and by replacing gifts to friends and family with a card or a letter that explains that a donation has been made in their name.   For our normal family gift exchange this year, I was going to suggest that instead we all put a $10 toward a donation to the local shelter to increase the spirit of the season not just for us, but for families—and especially children—who are really having a hard time. 

 

We’ve been reading in the Book of Mormon lately King Benjamin’s service about our responsibility to care for the poor, and these ten short verses really hit me hard and made me commit to a different plan for this Christmas, and I hope you’ll join me in encouraging others to sacrifice more stuff this Christmas to help our fellow brothers & sisters.  “Are we not all beggars?”

God’s plan is not that we should be forced to give our excess substance to the poor, but that we will CHOOSE to give it.   He says, “It is not given that one man should ^apossess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in sin.”  (D&C 49: 20).  In Morm. 8: 37  and  2 Ne. 28: 13 the prophets go so far as to say that when get excess or fancy stuff, we are actually robbing the poor.

Ben, Sophie and I just read in Little House on the Prairie about their Christmas, and how thrilled the girls were to find in their stockings their very own tin cup (so they wouldn’t have to share at the table anymore), a big stick of candy, a cake made out of (gasp!) both white flour AND white sugar and a shiny penny.  They were overflowing with tears and gratitude—and that was their whole Christmas.  My kids were simply horrified. 

It’s not that I haven’t thought about these things before, it’s just that as I was getting ready to put together our list, and I have felt that I need to show my kids how to enjoy Christmas beyond the presents.  Sure, they’ll still get presents, but I’ve seen in years past that too much in that arena doesn’t help anybody.  I want to work on this in a way that doesn’t make them resentful or feel deprived, and I think there is a way to be more modest this year and still do that.  At the same time, I want to show them that the needs out there are great, and we need to do what we can to help the uncomfortable become more comfortable, rather than just add to our own comforts.

That’s what’s on my mind today and I wanted to pass it a long in my own lame way of trying to help the sad cause of charities right now—pass along the thought if you feel so inclined.

Your "Fear Factor" Cred Just Went Up

Apparently you probably have been eating insects for quite some time now, among some other things, thanks to a food industry that values pretty colors over the healthy food. 

 

Thanks to Doris for passing on . . . she says:

 

Time for another “that’s not food Thursday”…  http://money.aol.com/bw/general/canvas3/_a/whats-in-my-food/20060808141909990001

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

www.dorisandsam.blogspot.com

 

 

 

TV study

Thought this was interesting:

 

What Happy People Don’t Do

 

Lucy is still not growing and we’re starting another round of testing—she was tested for cystic fibrosis yesterday—let’s just pray it’s not that.  I just put in my request for a schedule change last night, please pray they’ll do it for me.  Things are amazingly intense and busy, but not bad.

 

Let Beer Companies Pay for your Food!

I'm passing along a fun tip from my dear friend of 25 years (how far we've come since 8th grade earth science class!)--A word from Janet--

All,
I hate mass email but I love good food - and a good deal and thought you might too. Beer companies are paying for groceries this holiday in an insane marketing ploy. They should have a disclaimer for Mormons who don't drink, but hey.

I saw this on the news last night (KSL http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=4847389). Beer companies are giving rebates on food. For example, Budweiser is giving you $15 back on a deli tray of ham or turkey. It doesn't say what store (you could go to an grocery store or deli). It just has to be at least $25. This means you'll get about half the cost back. It expires at the end of Christmas.

You have to look at the grocery store to find the rebate forms. They are on displays by beer and on the ends of aisle displays. I found one at Smith's today at the end of the beer isle. You don't have to buy beer to use it. I'm going to look for more...

I couldn't pass up this deal!

Janet

Don't panic--but it's time to panic

I was reviewing my “That’s not food” articles over on mamamelodrama.blogspot.com  the other day and wishing I had time to be more careful with my kids’ diets.  They just are clearly not healthy kids—not really sickly, but I can see they are not vibrant and well.  With the flu season coming on, I’m trying to figure out what I can do to help them build their immunity and be more healthy (besides passing out the chemical-laden Flinstones, which I’ve resorted to in my chaotic life).

 

Then I read this article in the NY Times and realized that it simply needs to happen whether I’m busy or not.  More than ever I need to know exactly where our food comes from, and wherever possible we need to grow and cook it ourselves.  I’ve always known that the essentially pre-digested processed foods we consider normal when we eat out (and in) are now more likely than ever to contain some very, very scary things.  As an example, this article discusses wheat gluten, which is almost ubiquitous in processed and restaurant foods, is almost ALWAYS made in China, and one of the top melamine contaminated concerns over there. 

 

Globalism, my @@$.

 

What’s more—meat, as the top of the food chain, is increasingly where the trace contaminants accumulate—through the feed, air, water and even grazing land if you buy the fancy meat.  Meat is becoming the catch-all for these things to bring them beyond “trace” levels.  And then, our small kids are taking in such a heavy load for their small bodies.  This stuff is just not imaginary or the realm of the paranoid anymore.  Let’s face it—being actively concerned about the growing levels of scary things our kids are consuming under the name of “nutrition” can no longer be written off as the rant of crazy hippie parents, or the luxury of having enough time--it needs to be the mantra of all concerned parents despite our finances and schedules. 

 

Yes, time is scarce.  Time (and money) to plant, grow, prepare, cook and serve food to our families is short.  I’m really, really feeling that.  But this is one very important way I can show them I love them.  And more than ever, I’m grateful for a living prophet and the gospel, which has been telling us to grow and preserve food, save money, eat very little meat, pay down our mortgages, follow the Word of Wisdom and the example of Daniel, and avoid debt—long before these things became an emergency.  This is why ongoing revelation from God for our times is such an expression of God’s love.  Let’s not be afraid, but let’s listen to what we’ve been told.

 

Op-Ed Contributor: Our Home-Grown Melamine Problem

Thought for the day

You know what I like better than diet shakes?

 

EGGNOG.

 

 

Yes, it’s that time of year!  Hail the anti-diet shake! 

Hail the EGGNOG!

reasons to email me

First, because I changed my cell phone number and finally went local.  (To quote Doris, “NOOOOOOOOOO!”).  If you want to have it, email me at hivalerie at g mail dot com.

 

Second, because I work for “the world’s largest discount network,” I can get 8 free one-year discount memberships for my friends.  There are some lame discounts, there are some amazing discounts—like 15% off at Target.com.  (Can I just tell you right now I’ll be ordering Christmas from there this week?)  Other brands include Kohls, Disneyworld, tons of hotels, restaurants, etc.  They tend to be pretty fast turning around cards, so if you want to get one and see if can help you with Christmas, I’m happy to send one your way.  I simply want to give them to the bargain-hunter type people who are inclined to go online and find the places they can save.  Email me your name and address if you want one.  I can’t request them until I have a list of all 8 takers.

 

Email today—and put the power of 250,000 brands behind your family.  At Access, our experience is your advantage. 

 

Hm, I guess that would be my cue to switch over to REAL work now, while the Access “muse” is turned on.  J