I didn't have a chance to blog about the Democratic National Convention this week. I think Hillary Clinton did just about everything she could to rally her more die-hard supporters to get behind Barack. She summed it up when she asked people to think about whether they were voting simply for her or for the beliefs of the party.
McCain is more of the same: tax cuts for big businesses and the excessively rich and higher taxes for the average folks like all of us. Failed economic policies, more jobs shipped abroad...the list goes on.
No way. No how. No McCain. Barack Obama not only presents the hope, unity and change we need in America--he and his team can make it happen.
Tax cuts for middle class Americans. Governmental support to help people send their kids to college. Incentives for companies to keep their jobs in America. Universal health care. Better public schools...the list goes on.
Off my political soapbox...
We spent the Saturday with Anna, Andrew, Ann and Willard. I made homemade mac-n-cheese, BBQ and bean salad for a hearty lunch and then we headed to the Newport Aquarium. After we dropped the GPs off at the hotel, Anna, Andrew, Brandon and I sat around drinking wine, looking at old pictures and playing games. This morning we slept in a little then had a breakfast at Daybreak before they hit the road.
I'm insanely short at the shelter tonight, so I'm going t spent about an hour reading then go in to to take care of my 600 kitty friends.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Freaky Allergic Reactions
I had a freakish allergic reaction--not sure to what--over the weekend, which has left my upper lip and nose swollen. It's ridiculous. I look like a cross between the elephant man and a platapus.
It's happened in the past, but never lasted this long so I'm going in this afternoon to see my doctor. I need to solve the mystery.
In the meantime, I'm hiding my face at home with a sick day. The positive side to this is that I finally get to start my 4th vampire novel: Breaking Dawn. Whoo hoo!
It's happened in the past, but never lasted this long so I'm going in this afternoon to see my doctor. I need to solve the mystery.
In the meantime, I'm hiding my face at home with a sick day. The positive side to this is that I finally get to start my 4th vampire novel: Breaking Dawn. Whoo hoo!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Thank Goodness It's Friday!
I’ve decided I’m a bit obsessed with working out. I look forward to it every day—especially my spinning classes, which unfortunately will end soon. Our small medical campus fitness center is being taken over by the main Campus Recreation Center. Unfortunately, that means all the fitness instructors got fired and—big surprise—the new management will be much more corporate. I get grandfathered in at my low rate ($29/mo.) but it will go up after one year to $36. The will also have students and contracted instructors teaching…blah.
Thank goodness it’s Friday! I’m pooped—and I’m sick of writing this week, but still have a ton to complete, including a 1,500 word feature on lead research. I have to work on a news release about a basic science paper tying bisphenol A to obesity today, too. I think I’ll have to hit the elliptical machine at lunch time to get reenergized after that.
We’re headed to Ft. Fun (otherwise known as Ft. Wayne, Ind.) for Ben Pearson-Nelson’s 30th birthday. It should be fun—they are having “Olympic” games. Ben’s already talking trash about beating us at cornhole. Less than four more months until D-day for Brandon and I, too. Ugh. 30. I think I’ll stay 29.
Thank goodness it’s Friday! I’m pooped—and I’m sick of writing this week, but still have a ton to complete, including a 1,500 word feature on lead research. I have to work on a news release about a basic science paper tying bisphenol A to obesity today, too. I think I’ll have to hit the elliptical machine at lunch time to get reenergized after that.
We’re headed to Ft. Fun (otherwise known as Ft. Wayne, Ind.) for Ben Pearson-Nelson’s 30th birthday. It should be fun—they are having “Olympic” games. Ben’s already talking trash about beating us at cornhole. Less than four more months until D-day for Brandon and I, too. Ugh. 30. I think I’ll stay 29.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Caesar Creek State Park
Brandon and I spent Sunday afternoon exploring the trails at Caesar Creek State Park again. We went back specifically to get some photos of the amazing water lilies we discovered on our last hiking trip.
We were rewarded greatly because not only were they in much fuller bloom, but we now have the benefit of owning a DIGITAL version of our old Canon Rebel. Jane sold us her old camera--which isn't old at all--so now we can enjoy taking photos even more!
Here is the amazing close-up shot Brandon got of the water lily flower:
Unfortunately, he had to walk through mud to get that close, so his feet looked like this afterward:
On Friday and Saturday night we went to Great American Ballpark to watch the Reds lose. That's OK though--it was good to catch up with friends (Sara and Steve on Friday, Paula and Kirk on Saturday) and enjoy a cool August night outside!
We were rewarded greatly because not only were they in much fuller bloom, but we now have the benefit of owning a DIGITAL version of our old Canon Rebel. Jane sold us her old camera--which isn't old at all--so now we can enjoy taking photos even more!
Here is the amazing close-up shot Brandon got of the water lily flower:
Unfortunately, he had to walk through mud to get that close, so his feet looked like this afterward:
On Friday and Saturday night we went to Great American Ballpark to watch the Reds lose. That's OK though--it was good to catch up with friends (Sara and Steve on Friday, Paula and Kirk on Saturday) and enjoy a cool August night outside!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Busy Weekends
We have a fun weekend up at Cedar Point with DuWayne and Danielle, but it sure was a whirlwind.
We left Friday night and drove up to Cleveland to take advantage of a discounted hotel room before hitting the park Saturday morning. We got to the park--after eating breakfast at Bob Evans--at 11 a.m. and went full force until about 8 p.m. We would have stayed later, but it started storming like crazy and we had to make a run for it.
My favorite ride was by far the Maverick. If you've haven't been on it, you have to try it. My second favorite was Dragster. It's only 17 seconds long, but you literally go 125 miles per hour. Nuts!
The bottom line, though, is I'm worn out. Work seems uninteresting to me and the gorgeous weather isn't helping me focus. Hopefully the rest of the work week will go by quickly so I can get some rest this weekend. We're going two see the Reds play on Friday and Saturday, but that will be pretty low key.
In other exciting news, Jane and I booked our girl's trip. I can't wait to show her Key West--I love that place!
We left Friday night and drove up to Cleveland to take advantage of a discounted hotel room before hitting the park Saturday morning. We got to the park--after eating breakfast at Bob Evans--at 11 a.m. and went full force until about 8 p.m. We would have stayed later, but it started storming like crazy and we had to make a run for it.
My favorite ride was by far the Maverick. If you've haven't been on it, you have to try it. My second favorite was Dragster. It's only 17 seconds long, but you literally go 125 miles per hour. Nuts!
The bottom line, though, is I'm worn out. Work seems uninteresting to me and the gorgeous weather isn't helping me focus. Hopefully the rest of the work week will go by quickly so I can get some rest this weekend. We're going two see the Reds play on Friday and Saturday, but that will be pretty low key.
In other exciting news, Jane and I booked our girl's trip. I can't wait to show her Key West--I love that place!
Monday, August 4, 2008
Relaxing at Home
Brandon and I had this past weekend unexpectedly open up, so we were able to relax. It was nice to not be on a schedule for the first time in quite a while!
Saturday we slept in as much as the cats would allow and then went hiking at Caesar Creek State Park in Waynesville where I grew up. It always amazes me just how little of the park I explored while living there. We started at our normal spot--Flat Fork--but continued on to Fifty Springs. (We estimate the hike was about 9 or 10 miles round trip.) It was fabulous! We found an off-shoot of the lake that was covered for about 300 yards with giant lilypads. They had gorgeous yellow flowers on them that looked like a cross between a dahlia and a mum. I didn't take my camera though (DOH!), so hopefully we'll get to go back soon so I can snap a few shots.
Sunday went spent most of the day in our backyard taming the beast that is the hedge around our back patio. Brandon slept on him shoulder funny so--for once--he reliquished a bit of control and let me us the hedge trimmer for the ground work. Whoo hoo! All appendages are still accounted for, so I'd say I didn't do half bad. It does give me a renewed respect for the work. My arm is sore today!
Today I got home to find my copy of the fourth vampire book--Breaking Dawn--had arrived. I decided to reread the first three books to get fully back into the story, but I am VERY tempted to crack open the last book. Patience is a virtue I have never fully mastered.
Saturday we slept in as much as the cats would allow and then went hiking at Caesar Creek State Park in Waynesville where I grew up. It always amazes me just how little of the park I explored while living there. We started at our normal spot--Flat Fork--but continued on to Fifty Springs. (We estimate the hike was about 9 or 10 miles round trip.) It was fabulous! We found an off-shoot of the lake that was covered for about 300 yards with giant lilypads. They had gorgeous yellow flowers on them that looked like a cross between a dahlia and a mum. I didn't take my camera though (DOH!), so hopefully we'll get to go back soon so I can snap a few shots.
Sunday went spent most of the day in our backyard taming the beast that is the hedge around our back patio. Brandon slept on him shoulder funny so--for once--he reliquished a bit of control and let me us the hedge trimmer for the ground work. Whoo hoo! All appendages are still accounted for, so I'd say I didn't do half bad. It does give me a renewed respect for the work. My arm is sore today!
Today I got home to find my copy of the fourth vampire book--Breaking Dawn--had arrived. I decided to reread the first three books to get fully back into the story, but I am VERY tempted to crack open the last book. Patience is a virtue I have never fully mastered.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
ALOOOOHA!
After much debate, Brandon and I finally broke down and purchased our plane tickets to Hawaii this week. Airfare prices have continued to climb and the flight schedules are getting less desirable. We found a good flight schedule at a decent price, given the current market, so we scooped it up. Although the flight isn't perfect (we're headed though Chicago, which can be a gamble), we are flying out of Cincinnati which is a major perk!
In less than seven months, we'll be celebrating Valentine's Day on Napili Bay in Maui. Ah, Hawaii. Here is a photo from our condo lanai:
It's not the Big Island cottage we rented this past December, but the location is great.
Maui was where my addiction to Hawaii began in 2004 when Brandon and I made our first trip to the islands together. Here a few of my favorite photos from the trip:
Sunrise from Haleakala Crater:
Sunset from our lanai:
The one and only authentic Hawaiian luau, Old Lahaina:
The smooth, clicking black rocks of Waianapana State Park beach on the Hana Highway:
I have many other favorites, but they aren't all loaded on this computer.
In other news, last weekend we spent Saturday doing a psycho-clean of the house and had a nice relaxing evening, enjoying a bottle of summery chardonnay on the back patio and a practically free dinner at Bonefish Grill. (We had a gift certificate.) Sunday I spent a leisurely afternoon with Dad at the dog park while Brandon chipped away on the golf course with Kevin.
The weekend before that we hosted Anna and Andrew at our house. It's always great to have them in town--we played Cranium, went to Ikea and to a Reds game.
This weekend we were supposed to host Anna, Andrew, Willard and Ann but our plans have been postponed due to a death in Andrew's family.
In less than seven months, we'll be celebrating Valentine's Day on Napili Bay in Maui. Ah, Hawaii. Here is a photo from our condo lanai:
It's not the Big Island cottage we rented this past December, but the location is great.
Maui was where my addiction to Hawaii began in 2004 when Brandon and I made our first trip to the islands together. Here a few of my favorite photos from the trip:
Sunrise from Haleakala Crater:
Sunset from our lanai:
The one and only authentic Hawaiian luau, Old Lahaina:
The smooth, clicking black rocks of Waianapana State Park beach on the Hana Highway:
I have many other favorites, but they aren't all loaded on this computer.
In other news, last weekend we spent Saturday doing a psycho-clean of the house and had a nice relaxing evening, enjoying a bottle of summery chardonnay on the back patio and a practically free dinner at Bonefish Grill. (We had a gift certificate.) Sunday I spent a leisurely afternoon with Dad at the dog park while Brandon chipped away on the golf course with Kevin.
The weekend before that we hosted Anna and Andrew at our house. It's always great to have them in town--we played Cranium, went to Ikea and to a Reds game.
This weekend we were supposed to host Anna, Andrew, Willard and Ann but our plans have been postponed due to a death in Andrew's family.
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