This is a painting I did for my sister, I think it came out great. I spent two days precariously perched upon a ladder, while painting this mural on my sisters house. It was hot and windy, but I did get to go out on their boat as a treat. It makes me miss living in the Keys. I wish that I could actually make money from my artistic skills. Who knows what the future has in store for me. 
I have been called! Well, I have a problem with our legal system. I have only been called three times in my life and the last two I was excused. I again took the form that was mailed and wrote in my excuse.
Today I received a phone call telling me that my excuse is not acceptable. I explained to the caller that instead of wasting both our time, it would be best to let it go. I explained that I don't believe in our legal system, it is corrupt and worthless. I would not be selected to serve and what a waste of time and money. My excuse was that I don't have the funds to get to Downtown and waste my time sitting in a chair. I made it very clear to the caller that I will not be there.
The caller then told me it would be up to the judge to decide my fate. I told her she can have me arrested, at least I will get three meals a day.
I have heard that it is a privilege to serve, but I don't see it that way. I don't think I would even be living here if I wasn't born here, I reject my American citizenship, if I was an alien I would get so much more out of our government. I have no duty to anyone. Just to let my readers know, I am scheduled to report on June 8Th, so give me call and you can visit me in Jail. Don't forget to let the news know how they put a little old lady on food stamps and limited income in jail.
This has always been an accurate statement from my shopping experience. I use two Publix groceries in my area on a regular basis. It seems like a usual day, it was a Wednesday and I was in need of just a couple of items. Some toilet paper, macaroni salad and coffee. I made my purchase and even donated money to the March of Dimes.
I headed toward the exit and out into the parking lot, it was about 3pm on a normal sunny afternoon.
There wasn't a lot of people in the lot, so it was easy to notice someone seemed to be following me. A tall man, dressed in a normal way, as I got closer to my truck, I noticed that he was looking directly at me and had picked up his pace. I was only a few feet from my truck, I jumped in and tossed my groceries across the seat. Suddenly the man was there, right outside my truck, I yelled "Back Off", he did not. I grabbed my truck door and tried to close it, my heart was racing when he grabbed the door and was forcefully opening it. We played a tug of war with the door, I then began yelling and beeping my horn. The man still did not say anything and I feared for my life. He finally said to me "I need to see your receipt", I replied with "what the hell for", "if you are accusing me of stealing you better call the police". At least I would have felt safe, still pulling on my door and demanding my receipt, I focused more on him and noticed he had a manager name tag, this still didn't make me feel better. I thought that a Publix employee would never do this, he had to be an amateur. I grabbed the receipt and passed it to him, he still would not let go of my door. He simply said at this point "very good", while looking at the sales receipt and then walked away.
I was completely shocked and could not even function. I watched the man, grab a shopping cart and enter the store. I dialed the police and made my report, they wanted me to stay there and wait, but I wanted out of there as fast as I could, to a place where I felt safe.
As soon as I got home, I emailed Publix corporate and told my story. I didn't hear anything on Thursday, and still nothing Friday morning. I thought that I should stop by my house pick up my camera and take some photos of this guy in the store, tell my story to the news. It always seems to get a rise when the news team is involved. I checked my answering machine before going out the door on my way to Publix. The messages were from the corporate office of Publix, which seems very urgent and concerned, I returned the message to the private cell phone of one of the big guys.
Our conversation was very concerning and he apologized several times, offering me a gift card of $100 to get me to come back. I was also told the the Assistant manager who forced my car door open has since been removed from his position. I asked if he thought I was some kind of thief or threat and that is why the man chased me through the parking lot. The man on the phone replied with "I don't care what his excuse was", he was pleased that both the manager and my stories matched.
I was told to go to the Publix the following Monday to pick up my gift card and he asked if I would sign a "Hold harmless" release. I agreed, to hold Publix not responsible, but I think that they cannot guarantee that this man won't try to retaliate against me. Besides that, wouldn't it be great if everyday until the Statue of limitation was up that he thought about the little lady he forcefully detained in the Publix Parking Lot!
Tell me what you think, should I sign the release for a couple of bags of groceries?
Do you ever wonder how drugs get on the market, well they do lots of research and then begin human trials. I have been fighting with getting older but it doesn't matter how hard I try because it comes, like it or not. I am at the age where menopause is hitting me hard, with all the horrible side effects of hormonal changes. I went from a happy, kind of normal person, to a sad, recluse, with more emotional and physical symptoms that I could imagine.
I got my mail like any other day and there was a letter asking for volunteers for a Menopause Drug Study. I read about it and I determined that if anything I could get some much needed tests for free. And, perhaps some relief from the way I feel, that had come on so suddenly. So far I have had bone density scans, mammograms and tons of blood tests, pap smears and biopsy's. Through all the testing I wait to see if I qualify for the trials. Some of my test results have come back and so far I am healthy. The best part is I got a check for my participation. There is one draw back that stunned me, but didn't shock me. I have been diagnosed with hypertension, this means I have to take a pill a day for the rest of my life. I always hoped that this would never happen to me. Yet according to the doctor I have just increased my life span, and this is good, I guess. Would you believe it, I feel better and I am sleeping longer at night, perhaps that was one of my problems. Duh! I now know that what I have been feeling is not my fault, as I continue through the drug trail I will be able to continue feeling better and getting back to Crazy Mary.
I spent a fun weekend doing a yard sale and enjoyed the company of my daughter who without fail, cheered me up. As my days go by I look forward to having life as I once knew it restored, even with a bad economy.
I don't know how much more we can take as Americans. Personally, I am running out of energy to get upset with all the government spending and corruption. I did my taxes recently and found some changes that were extreme. First let me start with that stimulus we got last year, some Americans are paying it back and I don't think they even realize it. One of the questions on the tax form is "How much was your stimulus check?", or course you can't lie about it, because the IRS is all knowing. But, just for kicks put a zero in the box and see if your final tax isn't a bit different. Like the exact amount of your stimulus. This my fellow Americana's is what I call Bush's last word.
Next, what about those guys who got the giant bonuses on our backs. The government can never get that money back legally. Now, how much more corruption has to happen to get the money back to the American citizen? These guys took their millions and left the country.
First it was the Banks that lead us into the horrible economy, but now the government has given more of our money to the people who put us here in the first place. Does it sound to you that we will live to see the recovery of this country. I don't think it will happen.
I have decided that I too, will now become part of the problem, I will take what is mine before there is nothing left of our once beautiful country. Our country has taught us that lies, corruption and slipping through loop holes is the American way. My fellow Americans it is time for us to become like our leaders. In fact it is time to say "I don't give a shit anymore".
I was watching the news and today is the vote to see if the city of Miami, will donate over three million dollars for a baseball stadium. Is this a no brainier or what? Yes there will be jobs generated and get some people to work, but since when is it the responsibility of the taxpayer to do this? Let me get this right, we are struggling to pay our mortgages and make ends meet, but for no profit at all, we are going to give 300 million dollars to a baseball stadium. The sports industry makes plenty of money as we pay for tickets and buy souvenirs and buy overpriced beer. If they want a place to play baseball, then they should pay for it. Seems to me that a state in such a crisis should not throw away money that belongs to the state, not even making an investment, because there is no return for the states donation. Correct me if I am wrong but does this sound like a good business decision?
There is plenty of money in this state, and something with a price tag this high should not be funded on the backs of the taxpayer. It should be funded in the private sector or by the team who is going to be profiting and playing at this site. We can't afford to give this kind of money away, the federal government has taken more money from the schools, now we want to give money to something that can sustain itself. This sounds like another corporate bail out to me.
I recently got my credit card bill and noticed that the interest rate had jumped from 7 percent to 18 percent. Are you kidding! Didn't they just get a bail-out? Didn't the American public pay for this?
Well, this is an outrage, I got on the phone to my Visa provider and asked to speak to a manager. First I told them that I couldn't believe that this was their contribution to helping Americans out of this financial slump. I asked if they were enjoying their bonuses, the representative that I spoke to did not get one, but I mentioned that their boss probably did. There was a moment of silence on the phone. I began the negotiations, first I mentioned that I make my payments on time, but will find it impossible to pay off this amount at the rate they are now charging me. I then told them that I will be forced to disburse my debt by filling bankruptcy and they will get nothing. I now have the attention of the representative. He asked me a few questions, one of the most important was my income, I responded by telling him that my income is half of what I made last year. Even if its not, this is an important answer. Don't feel bad if you have to lie to them, they don't care about you at all, and we should not be penalized any further for their poor management skills. I worked hard to achieve a low interest rate and they claimed that their costs had increased, and that was the reason for the jump in my interest rate.
Check out your credit card bills, don't tolerate the increase, get on the phone and demand your rights. Don't pay and pay for their incompetence, this is not the way to help the American people. The credit card companies made it so easy for us to go into debt, but now it is time for us to climb out of this hole, this is our first step. They did ask me not to use my card until my debt was reduced, I am more than happy to accommodate. I don't need anymore bills anyway.
Make the call! Don't be shy, get on the phone and help yourself out of the credit card mess. Be certain to monitor those interest rates, the banks are sneaky and may not even tell you they are going to stick it to you. Good luck. I got my interest rate reduced back to the original rate and credited the overcharged interest amount.
I have been hiding in my house for months, ignoring my life outside these walls for months. I am getting back to my very busy routine. June called me and forced me to go out with friends, that was my first step. Shelah called and took me to spinning class, that was another step.
My TaeKwonDo school called and they missed me, so we made a barter, so that I could return. Last night was my first night back, boy did I forget everything I learned. I was feeling great when I arrived, after an hour of spinning I was warmed up and ready to go. We were have a great time, kicking, working a little bit with weapons, its always fun to whap yourself in the head with a numb-chuck, (that's how it feels anyway). Then it was time to put on the sparring gear, I am totally out of shape, so I took it slow, with hardly any contact. Things were going well, and then a freak accident occurred. I was pulling back and my partner was lifting his knee, what is the odds of a direct shot to the Charley horse bone. I landed on the ground in pain, my instructor tried to pick me up, but ended up carrying me off the floor instead. My calf swelled up like a football that was over inflated. I had to be carried to my car, Shelah drove me home, put an ice pack on me and took care of me.
This morning, it is still swollen, but I am walking and soon to be on my way to work. My first day back at class and now I am hobbling around on one leg. Makes me feel kind of normal again.
A magic moment in history, the day after Martin Luther King holiday, we inaugurate the first African American president. I now realize where women stand in the scheme of things!
Our new president has a huge job to accomplish, like fixing a sinking ship with a band aide. That scenario is impossible, to show his intentions he could have saved the American public millions just in the costs of the inaugural ball and parties. I understand that the American public probably needed all the hoopla, but I would have seen it as his first intentions to make the reality of his words come true.
Perhaps, I am much more practical, I do have more faith in our new president, than our last, he has a job that no one would want. Today is a new day and I hope that the budget can be put back where our fellow citizens can stop drowning. So many citizens have lost their jobs, homes and life as they once knew it. The American dream right now is a nightmare.
Obama has lifted our spirits and hopes, but those are only words, we do have to step up as Americans and stand our ground to make the changes that count. The war is costing billions, there are people getting rich, but it is not me or you. This is what started our down fall and it has to be the first thing to change in order for our recovery to begin.
History has changed this day and I hope this is the opportunity to give America a chance to be great again.
Haven't written in awhile and I think the more time I spend at home the more things go wrong. I am getting back to my routine and looking for more work. I need to get back to my spinning class and my Karate class.
I take a look back at the passing year and have found so many good things, which always out weigh the bad ones.
There is so much more, but these are some of the important things that I can look back on and say I made it through another year. Like the good things I have a list of bad things, but I can't seem to recall them. Because, they have made me realise that looking at the positive and ignoring the negative gets me through each day with a smile on my face.
I love the holidays and the travel, I find peace in the drive and love to travel. I had a wonderful Thanksgiving, had a great time with family and friends. I spent some wonderful time with my niece and nephew, who I miss being close. My sister and her employee (Joe, her husband), prepared a meal fit for royalty and I couldn't get enough of it. I gained the standard 5 pounds and now it is time to get it off for the next holiday.
Anyway, that was all fantastic until I got home. I gave myself a day to get back to the routine and rest before the week of work began again. I left my zoo behind and my temporary zoo keepers did a fantastic job. Everyone was waiting by the door when I got home, all 12 cats lined up with my dog, Baby in the middle. I opened the door and they all came in, things were great for awhile and then they decided to let me know that they were pissed off at me. My cats began marking everything in the house, the floors, the walls, my luggage, my computer, the counter tops, the freezer, any place and every place. I found myself spraying and disinfecting everything in sight. Thus leading me to throw every cat outside. Well if that wasn't enough, I went to check on my marine fish and found the tank was leaking all over the floor, as I was repairing that problem I had some laundry going. With wet towels in hand I make my way back to the laundry room only to find it was flooded, now it was time to clean up that mess and find out what was wrong there. After some time I ascertained that the drain was clogged, now I had to clean up the floor that was soaked into my storage room. Finishing the laundry by draining it out the back door I find the sink in the kitchen had also backed up onto the floor and the shower had backed up. Well, now exhausted and frustrated I sit back and ponder, what the hell! I think today I will get back to work and not worry about the little things, I got my work-out for the week.
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