Oh goodness. One post in 2008 and here it is. Nearly July and only one post in 2009. Someone should put this blog out of it's misery. Haha. Perhaps it will rise from the ashes and become a great and powerful blog! Mwahaha! Oh, who am I kidding. I'm going to bed.

Really?

Three posts in 2007.  I really outdid myself, eh?  I'm the world's most horrible blogger.  We took the family to the driving range and hit a bucket of balls tonight.  We really suck at golf.  Paul was doing a one handed swing and muttering something about being Happy Gilmore.  Aleigha threw her golf club on to the range and let out a primative cave woman yell slash grunt.  

We really should get out more.

Ugh.

The longer I am out of school, the more fuzzier my brain gets.


Need.......
..............some
...intellectual....
stimulation................................NOW

and for the

WFYI Pledge Drive to be OVER!

Is it just me or does Alberto Gonzales have the voice of a pre-pubescent school boy?


What's new with Emilie?

~Tonight I sent friend requests to people I went to elementary school with. I'm such a loser.
~I found the surface area of a cylindar. (Gotta love 6th grade math homework)
~I promised my 6th grader that I would hug her more often. (especially in front of her friends!)

What else is new?

~I feel that I REALLY need to travel far away on vacation some where.....not sure where though...
~I've watched lots of news coverage of the VT shooter...borderline obsessing with my thirst for new news. I'm a CNN loser news junkie.
~I let my house get really messy because I had been keeping it picked up since we had some friends staying with us for a few days. I'll be hitting the bleach and dirt devil this weekend.

I'm restless....in sleep this evening and in life in general. Not sure why.

Spring Fever!

I am so ready for SPRING! I need some green buds on trees and for the tulips to rear their lovely heads. I got a wild hair and decided to grow my plants from seed this year instead of paying for flats at the store. We're growing Cosmos, which are really taking off! We're also growing watermelon, cantelope, and green peppers, which have all started to grow into seedlings. The petunias and lavendar aren't doing so hot, but I keep watering them hoping that something will sprout!

I really enjoy living in a cul-de-sac, although it seems that all our neighbors kids have those power jeeps and when I come home after a long day and just want to buzz into my garage and take a nice hour long nap in the car.....I have to wait for ten minutes for ALL the power jeeps to pull onto the side walks. Seriously, there are like ten of them in our cul-de-sac.

Just a couple days ago, Aleigha (our two year old) was riding on her generic Barbie pedel powered trike, when the four year old neighbor boy pulls up to the end of our driveway in his SUV-type battery powered "Grave Digger". It took about three seconds for Aleigha to look at me (like....is it ok, mom?), ditch her wheels, run over to him, and jump into the passengers seat with Mr. Hot Stuff. She checked out his sweet ride and did a lap around the cul-de-sac, while her foster mom (soon to be adopted mom) just stood there and shook her head.

I will predict that exact scene in about 13 years. Only it probably won't be for a spin around the cul-de-sac! Scary Larry!

The story ends when the boy jumped the curb and they both almost flew out of the "Grave Digger". Aleigha is waving her arms and yelling, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" The neighbors are also standing out in their driveway laughing about our children's first date and shaking their heads. Luckily the boy delievered her safely back to our driveway (after almost taking out our mailbox). It's a good thing too, or he'd better have started digging his OWN grave!

Wow.

No, I'm not talking about Microsoft Windows Vista. It's been a really long time since I have blogged. SO long that Google has taken over! Since I can access the blog from my Gmail account, here's hoping I will be more consistent at blogging! No guarantees though!

beauty brands

who pays $120 for a blow dryer? i bought the cheapest one they had at it was $40. beauty brands on east 96th street, close to panera bread....expensive!! i was revolting against big box stores, so paul and i stopped here on a whim. i was looking for origins hair care products for my itchy scalp and a blow dryer to replace my current one that could double as a flame thrower. anyone ever use paul mitchell tea tree products? i hope it is soothing on my head. speaking of which, i have three small gray hairs sprouting from my head! i found them today on my way back to the office from lunch. i was mortified.

so many apologies for not blogging hardly at all. here's the life update. started a new job. like it thus far. sold the house. building a new house. can move into new house november 16th. need help painting new house. going shopping for household items tomorrow. gabby goes home to her papi's in a week and a half. she's been with us over 16 months. crazy. shopping for the house seems to dull the pain. it's quiet without her around. the dogs seem to enjoy being walked more often though!

hopefully i will blog more often too.

You may recall...

my post from back in November where I outed the library director and his gay mobile. Well, last monday when Paul, Gabby, and I were at the library, I noticed that in the "New Arrivals" section there was "The Joy of Gay Sex". I pictured the director sitting in his office ordering books that would make most Hamilton County housewives flip their lids.

In other news, we've had Gabby for almost nine months. How time flies! She's growing up so fast. Last friday, Paul and I took Gabby and four of her little friends to the Fishers Y for a Silly Safari. Good times with some crazy kids.

Our house is on the market. We've only had one showing, but I'm hoping that once the weather gets warmer, it will start to pick up. Paul found out that they won't actually start on our home until we sell our existing home...which kind of sucks. But we qualify for the amount of the two mortgages, so in theory...we should be able to afford some big house payment. I'm not trying to get in over my head though and pay $3000 a month. That'd be nuts.

I really suck at blogging

So I took a personal day today. Paul is off and Gabby didn't have school. I thought that we might go to the Art Museum, but they are closed on Mondays. I was thinking about the Indiana State Museum. It's 10am and I still haven't taken a shower. Not good. We've had Gabby for over 8 months now. That blows my mind. Anyways, we leave for the Bahamas in less than three weeks and I can't wait! I really am planning on taking about three outfits and just laying on the beach all week with some books I've been dying to read, the iBook and some DVD's. Paul is going to be doing homework the whole time....so he says. We'll I'm going to hop in the shower and head downtown.

Ho Ho Ho!

We made it through our first Christmas with a child. It was so neat to see her little face light up when she saw all the presents under the tree! Good times. I still haven't cleaned up the mess, but who cares. When I figure out how to post pictures, I'll put the one up where she's rocking out on her Barbie guitar, miniskirt, and hot pink cowgirl boots. It rocks my world.

Does it ever seem like everyone else's life is more exciting than your own? I'm fighting the urge to keep up with the Jones. It's crap really. Consumerism. Materialism. Competition. Power. Ambition. People really tick me off sometimes. Perhaps I'm just feeling the angst after reading some friends blogs that are ticked off at the world. Anyways, I really do have alot to be thankful for. A great husband. A roof over my head and food on my table. Job security. A kickin' supervisor and a good co-worker who calls me out on my crap. An adorable kid that looks up to me and depends on me for her well-being(scary!). Two cute weiner dogs. So why do I feel like I need more? I think I know the answer but I'm running from it. And why the heck do I spend so much time on this freaking computer instead of living my life?

I'm going to Disney World!

So we're taking the Gab-ster to Disney World on Wednesday. It's a little short notice, but I'm sure we'll have a blast. I'm not looking forward to work tomorrow, since I wasn't planning on taking so much time off. I have tons of visitations to schedule. And with the holidays coming up, families want to be together, which makes my job hard coordinating visitation and psuedo-counseling and explaining that not spending holidays together is a consequence of their poor decision making and inability to keep their kids safe. Anyways, that's all for now. Paul hates it when I type loudly while he's trying to sleep. :)

The calm before the storm...

Next week will be crazy busy. Nevermind the fact that I haven't blogged in, oh, two months. Drama. Anyways, Mondays are Paul's night to complete classes for his MBA until 10pm. Ugh. Tuesday, Gabby's teacher is coming over. Wednesdays Gab has swim and dance lessons at the local YMCA and I have a dentist appointment and Gabby's WIC appointment. I can't even remember what's going on on Thursday and Friday, but I'm on-call this week, so here's hoping that it's a calm week with child abusers in Hancock County.

In other news, I checked out the LSAT study guide from the library. I would like to take it next year....like say...close to my birthday. There, I've given myself a goal to work towards. By July 2006, I'll take the LSAT. I've also checked out some schools and their median LSAT scores. I usually do well on standardized tests and I'm a Mexican-American female, so I'm hoping that helps me get my foot in the door at a good school (not in Indiana, thank you.) Paul will be done with his MBA in 2007 and has to work another year as payback for them paying for it. So we're looking a couple years down the road, but it is apparently a long process and I would like to make a valient effort and get above a 169. We shall see.

I'm also trying to book a vacation for Paul and I close to the holidays. I'm thinking the Poconos. Day trip to Philly. Day trips to NYC. I'm dying to see Avenue Q on Broadway. I've heard good reviews about it! Speaking of which...and witch....Paul and I saw Wicked in Chicago a couple weeks ago. Very cute. Although the entire weekend was shadowed by an unfortunate occurence on a rainy dark night between my Saturn and a Chicago CURB. Of course the Saturn dealership in Lincolnshire, IL was right next to the Ferrari dealership, so our bill was $1700. Yes, it was one hell of a curb. Highland Park is a most lovely suburb of Chicago though. We didn't want to drive downtown again, so we ventured here one day. Lovely, lovely, lovely.

I thought we were going to win the Powerball this evening. We did happen to hit three numbers...but not the PB. Bummer. At least it wasn't a total loss. All is well on this side of the iBook G4. Much love to my four readers. :)

Even longer time....no blog!

So Paul and I went to the Coldplay concert last night and it was awesome. They are such an amazing band to perform LIVE! I especially liked their little tribute to Johnny Cash, Ring of Fire. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. ALSO, Miss Gabriela has been with us for over two months now! Also awesome. She's so cute. Today we're headed to beautiful Marion for a wedding shower and so Paul can fix my granny's computer. Good times.

Long time....no blog....

Since the last time I blogged, Paul and I have become parents (albeit for eight days) and bought (practically) all new furniture for our home. First things first, I'm officially done with training at work. I only have about four cases thus far, but I'm positive that will change on Monday. I've already got a list of things to do that about 20 things deep. Job security, I suppose. Who would have ever thought I would find fullfilment in child welfare? Exciting, I tell you! Especially with all the changes taking place in Indiana! Tied in with that, Paul and I took in our first set of foster children. We were blessed with a 4 year old boy and a 15 month old girl. So cute. And so well-behaved too....for the most part. :) I have a whole new respect for parenting. For eight days, it was all about "the kids". My needs came only after theirs. And it was a great experience for me to see how Paul was with them also. He's so amazing. This experience has brought us closer as we've seen things in each other that solidify our feelings for each other and our committment to our marriage and household. Being a foster parent is truly the Lord's work, as my dear friend and co-worker Tiffany says. It is, it is.

So anyways, today was our neighborhood's garage sale day. Paul and I threw our loveseats on the front yard along with our headboard/night stand, fish tank, oodles of CD's, and housewares. We raised enough money for a nice down payment on a new microfiber sectional sofa with a chaise lounger thingee on the end. It will arrive on Tuesday. Only three days of sitting on the floor in our great room. Not so bad! I'm sad to admit that this purchase contributed, indirectly, to the Indiana Republican Party. It's from Kittle's. I'm filled with shame. :) I'm resolved that no matter what I do, I'm contributing to some sort of injustice in the world. At least it didn't come from Wal-Mart. I wouldn't buy anything that store if the whole world was on fire and it was a giant bucket of water. Ok, maybe I would if it were life or death situation, but my skin would be crawling the whole time. Enough about the evil empire though......

Tomorrow, Paul and I are hitting up a friend's graduation open house. I'm not sure what the evening holds. Perhaps the James Dean Fest? Supporting the hometown economy....I'm down with that. Word up....

24 hours....

from now, my husband and his buddies will be standing in line to see Star Wars III: Return of the Sith.

I will be snug as a bug in a rug in my warm and toasty bed.

Did I mention that he's taking Friday off work to do this crazy stunt? What a nut! :)

The Fabulous LIfe....

So I was watching the Fabulous Life of Britney and Kevin tonight on VH1 and it was like the biggest waste of my time, yet strangely addicting. Judging from my observations, Kev and Brit thrive on papparazzi. I've typed and retyped about eight different times.....they dress like homeless people. Meaning, wife beaters, junked up blue jeans, and anything else that one could find in the local mobile home community. What amazes me though, is that this show totalled up the amount of cheese Kev and Brit paid to achieve this look. Let's just say it's about 10 times my annual salary....which is public knowledge because I'm a state employee. Madness, I tell ya. I mean really, with all the hunger in the world, Brit is buying a $20,000 watch for her trailer park husband. Hey, flaunt it if you've got it....that must be their motto, fa shizzle.

In other news, after tomorrow I only have two more days of training for work, I think. Paul and I also found out that we should be having our foster home study scheduled any day now. Hurrah! Talk about a major adjustment! I think were up for the challenge though. I'm certainly looking forward to positively affecting a little life and I know Paul is too!

I've also been thinking about my career and my future. I am really enjoying the challenge of working in child welfare. I've committed to a minimum of three years, God willing. I'm thinking that I would really enjoy growing into a leadership position with "The Department" for about 10 years. How to get from point A to point B is the question. My goal at this point is to NOT get my name on the front page of the local newspaper, by doing my job to the best of my ability, utilizing my support network of professional collegues and supervision. After 10 years, I'll be vested in my retirement plan. I'll have some practical, real life experience working in the field and hopefully in a leadership position. I'll be 35. That sounds really old. Anyways, after all that, I'm planning on headed back to school to get a Ph.D. Add 6-7 years to 35 and that will make me about 41-42. Sounds reasonable and achievable. Paul will have obtained his MBA by then (35). Hopefully we will have paid off some school debt, built some equity in our home (although not necessarily the one we're in now!), and our little pooches will be at the end of their life span, thus making it easier to move to.....say Hawaii. U of H has an excellent Social Welfare program and great married student housing...that doesn't accept doggies. Hmmm....who knows, really! Wishful thinking.

Anyways, I'm just thinking out loud really....trying not to wish my life away! It's a tough job. We'll enough of all the planning. It's bedtime. Luvies to all my faithful readers. :)

A lazy Sunday

Nothing exciting to report today. Church this morning. Headed over to lovely Greenfield to organize the office a bit. Took a two hour cat nap this afternoon. Made some snazzy labels on my new label maker. Not having any grande thoughts to share with my faithful readers this evening.

they're here....they're queer!

So I decided to check out the new and improved Hamilton-East Public Library today. What a marvel of modern architechure and design. I was highly impressed. I parked in my usual parking spot around the back of the building and noticed that there was some sort of writing on all the parking places. When I got out of the car, I noticed that I had parked in the "Library Staff" parking space. Oops. Since I also noticed numerous parking places dedicated to "Library Staff", I decided to risk parking there. Then I realized that the back entrance is now the "Library Staff Only" entrance. Fabulous. So I walk around to the front of the building.

Being an enlightened social worker, always on the look out for diversity, celebrating it in its many forms, in my last five trips to the library I've noticed a beige Ford Focus basically covered in rainbow stickers, equality signs, and the like. My first thought is always, "right on!" I'm not typically one to wear my sexuality on my sleeve, but I have a special empathy for my homosexual brethren. Anyways, the beige gay-mobile was parked back in the "Library Staff" parking space. Upon closer inspection, the owner of the gay-mobile is the DIRECTOR of the library and apparently has his own special parking space.

You're asking yourself...how does she know the director is a male...well, he stepped out of the gay-mobile when I realized the back door is now the "Library Only" entrance. Which means....he saw me park in the "Library Staff" parking space. Ooops.

So I'm in the library checking out the new arrivals in the non-fiction department and what to my wandering eyes do appear, but a vast collection of gay, bi, queer, transgender books, videos, and DVD's! It certainly makes sense given that the director drives the gay-mobile! I've always noticed the abundance of queer materials in our library in the heartland of conservative Indiana. So if you're looking for the Whole Lesbian Sex Book or the first three seasons of Queer as Folk (both US and UK versions), head on over to the Hamilton East Public Library. Keep an eye out for the gay-moblie too!

Freshy Freshington

I had a delightful shopping experience this evening. I made the journey to Carmel and went to the Fresh Market. The selection of organic foods in my hometown left much to be desired. However, the Fresh Market in Carmel has an awesome assortment of organic fruits and vegetables, as well as gourmet foods. I spent way more money than I probably should have, but hey, you can't put a price tag on health. Who know spirulina was a SUPERFOOD? Seriously! Google it! One teaspoon is the equivalent of like 2-3 servings of fruits and vegetables. Did I mention it's a sea algae? Yeah, it smells like it too! I had a recipe for a fruit smoothie that called for it, so I went on a hunt. I found some at Wild Oats at Clay Terrace. If you buy it by the pound, it's only $64.99. Maybe you can put a price tag on health! I'll let you know how it is.

I've been busy...

buying crap on the internet! Now wait just a minute....I have one of the hardest jobs on the planet, Child Protective Services. So I haven't actually been BUYING crap....just tickets to community events....and it will contribute to me living a more active lifestyle. I, Emilie A. Moore, just purchased tickets to the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. I've never really understood the NASCAR culture, but I have a feeling that I'm going to be thrown into it come August 7th. I mean, I've lived in Indiana my whole life and only visited the track once.

In addition to NASCAR tickets, I purchased tickets to see another Hoosier, John Mellencamp at Verizon Wireless Music Center on June 25th. He will be accompanied by John Fogerty, which I haven't really heard of, but I'm sure I'll recognize some of his songs once I get there. Perhaps I'll go to the library and get a CD and rip them onto my iPod. Right on...

I'm debating about buying tickets to Jon Stewart this weekend. I think he's hilarious and handsome. A sharp witted hottie, fashizzle. Hey, it's all about my self-care. :) I keep telling myself that.

Looking forward to this weekend, getting out and about. Spending some QT with the hubby and pups. Life is good.

Sucky blogger

That's me...a sucky blogger. Does any one really read this anyway? I've been in training almost all week. I'll be done at the end of May and then I can finally take cases. I think I'm really going to like child welfare. It's been reiterated that I need to find a way to take care of myself....so last night, Paul and I enjoyed a cinco de mayo dinner and I took care of myself with a big ol' margarita. Yum. Too bad we drove seperately or else I would have ordered about three more and got tanked.

This weekend, Paul and I are headed downtown to watch my sister run in the Mini Marathon, hanging out the the Sherman-ator and his fam, and hitting up the brand new Indianapolis Museum of Art. I'll try to take some photos and post them on here for my many fans. Ha.

Bride and Prejudice

What a cute movie this was! (Click on the above name to watch the trailer.) I've been curious about Bollywood ever since watching a documentary about it on HBO. As it turns out, the actress interviewed on HBO is the starring actress in this movie! Aishwarya Rai is the classic Indian beauty, although she could use a little more work in actual "acting". I loved the Indian music and dancing! I can't wait until there are Bollywood dance classes in Fishers! Bring it on, I say! Paul, on the other hand, would have much rather gouged his eyes out than miss Survivor for almost two hours of cross cultural song and dance. He was redeemed by a scantly clad Ashanti shaking her groove thang during a wedding reception (He denies this redemption factor though!) Overall, a much welcomed cross over into the Western hemisphere! Bollywood has arrived!

A synopsis

In a modest Indian village, the determined Mrs. Bakshi sets out to find marriage matches for her four beautiful daughters. Right away, the smart and headstrong Lalita (Aishwarya Rai) announces she will only marry for love, giving her mother nightmares. Then Lalita meets the wealthy American Will Darcy (Martin Henderson) and sparks immediately fly. But is it love or hate? Darcy seems to Lalita to be an arrogant California snob. Darcy believes Lalita to be a small-town Indian beauty who knows nothing of the world. Alternately enchanted by and suspicious of one another, Lalita and Darcy nearly fall prey to assumptions, gossip and a comedy of errors . . . until pride is humbled and prejudice overcome.

In other news, Stephanie Stout and I will be attending an evening performance of Beauty and the Beast at Beef and Boards next week! I can't wait! Ms. Stout is fun, funky, and fabulous!

All over the place!

I just asked my husband what I should blog about....and he said....how much you love your husband. Uh, well....er....since you've twisted my arm....I love my husband! No really....he's a great guy and he's laughing now reading over my shoulder as I type this! And he just asked me if anyone reads this blog?! What nerve!

ANYWAYS....It was a good day in Emilie's world. This morning, I received an e-mail from my dear Scottish friend, Ian. His father was appointed as the Director of the Center on Theological Inquiry in Princeton, NJ. His family will be selling their Edinburgh home and moving to NJ. I knew his father was on sabbatical last year from Edinburgh University and did research at Princeton University, but apparently this position is a BIG deal. Ian's mother is from the US, so it will be a homecoming of sorts. Ian worked on HIlary's campaign in 2001 and will be looking for some campaign work in the US. He would be a catch, folks. Republicans need not apply though....this Scottish lad is unabashedly liberal.

Last night, I had a lovely IM conversation with Miss Nicole Love. While it certainly sounds like a porn star's name, Miss Love is in her final months of studying for a Master of Public Policy at Georgetown University. We worked together, along with Ian (above), at Common Cause last summer. Good times. She's a superstar because she was completing her undergrad at Stanford University while Chelsea Clinton was there! She's got a new beau who happens to work for the FBI. That'd be a fun gig. Looking up everyone's background information. Maybe that's why I don't work at the FBI. I know I'd be looking up everyone I know. Haha!

During training today, I received a phone call from Elizabeth. She's such a good friend. She's on Spring Break this week and flew home to Lubbock, TX. I only need about 1000 frequent flyer miles to fly her to Indianapolis for a long weekend. It'll probably be when the Indianapolis Museum of Art opens back up. Not soon enough, lemme tell ya. :)

Three day weekend! Paul and I are helping my sister and brother in law move to Bloomington. We have no plans for Easter this year. Actually, I think last year, we went to a little Chinese restaurant after church. I love memories like this. :)

We start foster parent training on April 8th. Woo hoo! Should be an interesting adventrue, for sure!

zoom, zoom, zoom....

I forgot to mention that while in San Francisco, Paul and I rented a lovely Mazda 6. The whole day, I was singing the zoom, zoom, zoom song and the Beatles song, Drive My Car. I'm sure Paul was thoroughly annoyed, but I entertained myself. :) And can I just say that my blog looks great on my new iBook and I'm listening to my new iPod. Ugh. I'm quite disgusted by my gross materialism and consumerism, but glad that at least it's Apple merchandise (for whatever it's worth). Um, what else....Since I've last posted, Paul and I have enjoyed the company of quite a few folk. We joined our neo-con friends, Kurt and Kristin (I only call them neo-cons because I'm their "left wing" friend!) for dinner last weekend. After that we crashed at Matt and Deanna Myers home and hung out with them, Marty and Jaclyn Reiswig, Kevin Brown, and some other people whose names I couldn't remember. Good times. Saturday, we attended the evening show of Hairspray. Very entertaining! I loved the desegregation/social justice message and the dancing was fantabulous! Sunday, I went to lunch with the Myers, Terri Staley, and Steve and Debbie Newcomer. What great people and great friends! Paul and I are blessed to be surrounded by such great and fun people!

In other news, this week in training, I learned how to interview for sexual abuse and how to "be safe and smart" at work. I was very interested in the sexual abuse training, interviewing the child, witnesses, non-offending parent, and the alleged perpetrator. I have no doubt that I will be doing difficult and emotional work, this training solidified that! The second training, Working Safe and Smart definitely heightened my awareness of the dangers involved in Child Protective Services. Apparently there was a recent fatality of a worker in Ohio that has prompted an influx in safety training, and rightly so. I'm thankful to be working in Hancock County, a suburban/rural county. It's interesting, because people ask me how I like working for Child Protective Services. How am I supposed to answer that? I love it! It's great taking children from their parents/imposing services on parents to teach/help them parent their child(ren)! (sarcasm!) While I am finding the work thus far to be challenging, complex, rewarding, and worthy of my time and talents, the fact remains that my clients are likely going to hate my guts.

I've been thinking about my future lately. Where I see myself in five years...ten years... What type of social work I find gives me a greater sense of purpose and worthwhile.... Academia? Administration? Child Protective Services? Law School? PhD? I've got the GRE Study Guide off the shelf and into my book bag. It's a start.

Congrats to Betsy! She got accepted to American University - Masters of Public Policy Program! 15th in the country! Go Betsy! I can't wait to come visit you when you move to DC! I love Tenleytown. Ah, what a fun summer it was last year...

Taxes...

So last year, Paul and I owed the Federal government close to $2,000. This year, we're getting close to $1,700 back from the Federal government. To commemorate my impending tax check, I bought a lovely blue and purple striped pair of rubber galoshes and got a pair of round toed pink tweed flats for half off - for a grande total of $33.00. Doesn't it feel good to Payless? What an excellent motto and it's so true.

I'm also considering purchasing an ipod. I'm a little hesitant though on this purchase. I mean, everywhere we went in Cali, it seemed like everyone had an ipod. Everyone! Paul and I shot each other a look, like WTF?!, everytime we saw one, which was like every 20 seconds or something stupid like that. I'm hesitant because it would really be a frivolous purchase for us. We could pay off debt, give it to a needy charity, get cable... Who knows.

Paul just looked over my shoulder and was like....you bought galoshes?

Beautiful Stanford University. Palo Alto here I come! Did I mention there is an IKEA about 5 miles away? It was so meant to be.  

Al Capone's prison cell 

Alcatraz Island from afar. It's really foggy in SF.  

A horrible photo of me in a prison cell at Alcatraz. Grody, fashizzle. 

Beautiful San Francisco Bay 

We also hit the University of California - Berkeley and Stanford University in Palo Alto. Berkeley is very dense and a very urban school. We were far more impressed with Stanford U. and will be sending all of our children to Stanford, just so we can visit them. I'm also trying to convence Paul to get an MBA at Stanford. Maybe I'll try to get into law school or the PhD program there. It's just that beautiful, folks. Here's a picture of the palm tree lined streets. 

On the side of the road somewhere between Sonoma and Napa, California. 

Paul and I rented a car and drove along the Pacific Coast Highway, north of San Francisco. We stopped in various points along the way to enjoy the scenery and ponder the meaning of life. :) 

Paul and I hiking a trail in Muir Woods National Forest. Huge redwoods and beautiful foilage! 

Here's me in front of the lovely Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco in the background.  

A Taste of Persia...

My husband indulged me this afternoon and accompanied me on a fine dining experience at "A Taste of Persia" Restaurant. While I was expecting and craving Persian food, apparently they have a special Sunday Brunch. Paul had the four cheese omlet and I had the strawberry and raspberry crepes. Delicious! We were the only patrons in the entire restaurant, so I was able to speak at length with the restaurant owner regarding the niceties of Persian cuisine and the history of the restaurant (which has only been open for four weeks). My previous experience with Persian food is at Reza's in Chicago, which I thought was quite tasty. Daniel, the owner of "A Taste of Persia", says that his cuisine is of a much higher quality and maintains the authenticity of Persian flavor, that he says Reza's lacks. I'm looking forward to authenitic Persian flavor! Paul loved his omlet (thank God...) and discussed returning on Valentine's Day to treat me to some Persian cuisine that I have been craving for quite some time! For the last, oh, five to six months, I have been bugging him to accompany me for some Persian food. So I'm glad he finally did so and had a pleasureable experience. :) I'm going to brush up on my Turkish vocabulary for when we return!

Two jobs...and a large tangent...

So I've started TWO new jobs this week. One with the Hancock Office of Family and Children (or Department of Child Services, depending on who you talk to). We're in the middle of a shake up in the organizational structure of FSSA. What we know so far, is that FSSA has been divided into Family Resources (TANF, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Div. of MH & Addicitons, etc) and Child Services (Child Protective Services, Family Preservation, etc). It's confusing (at least from my vantage point having been on the job for four days), but I have full faith and confidence that once the dust settles, we will be fully empowered to do all we can to protect the innocent and often vulnerable children of Indiana. I won't be posting most of my thoughts about my new job due to ethical concerns, but feel free to ask me about it sometime. I'll sure I'll give you an earful!

I also just signed a contract with Capstone Physical Therapy in Fishers. I'll be there a couple hours a day for a couple days a week. I'm really looking forward to this exciting new opportunity as well! And the pay! Let's just say I'm making more than 4X the $ than I was at the Martin Luther King Jr. Multi-Service Center. Not that I went into social work to profit from the inequities of society, but if I can help people AND afford a new Kate Spade purse.....all is well in Emilie's world.

I can't believe the weekend is almost here! I'm planning on taking the pooches to the spa (aka...getting their nails done) and picking out some paint for my new office! I also planning on moving my 30 gallon fish tank into my office! I love my new job! Granted, I won't be in the office much, as I'll be doing alot of in-home visits. I hope to turn my office into an oasis and I'm so glad I have awesome bosses that will allow me to put to use my knowledge and skills I've learned from Trading Spaces and Extreme Home Makeover. Lord knows, I could use a makeover in my wood paneled office. And the lighthouse wallpaper! Ugh! I much prefer modern decor. My time is coming....it's a work in progress.

In other news, I comissioned a State Librarian to do research regarding my great great great great grandfather, CC Lyons. (Not sure if that's enough "greats" but you get the picture. This is what the Librarian found...

Charles C. Lyons was member of the Indiana State Senate in 1903 and in 1905. (The legislature met only every two years at that time) He represented Grant County. He was a Republican and lived in Fairmount, Indiana in Grant County while he was a senator. Lyons was born on December 22nd, 1861 in Gallipolis Ohio. He moved to Parkersburg, West Virginia in 1863, and then to Indiana in 1880 and to Fairmount in 1892. He attended Parkersburg public schools and was a tailor's apprentice. He Married Rachel V. Worlland in 1883 and had 9 children. He operated a tailor shop in Fairmount and was the president of the Dividend Oil Company in 1903, he was the Fairmount postmaster 1906-10. He died October 10th 1910. This information came from the "Biographical Directory fo the Indiana General Assembly, Volume 2 1900-1984."Senator Lyons introduced Senate Bills in 1903 to prohibit the sale of goods in second-hand bottles or jars and an act to fix the compesation and prescribe the duties of certain state and county officers. "Senate Journal, Indiana, 1903"In 1905 he introduced senate bills to give preference to United States soldiers, sailors, and marines in matters of appointment where salary does not exceed ninety dollars per month, an act concerning the drilling, operating, maintaining and abandoning gas and oil wells, an concerning the election of the cheif of the Bureau of Statistics, and an act concerning proceedings in civil cases. "Senate Journal, Indiana, 1905"

My grandmother has a very old and very beautful large wooden armoir that used to belong to Mr. Lyons, which was my grandfather's great....grandfather. How do we know it's his? Because there is a beautiful wooden carving across the top of the piece that reads "CC Lyons". Now, I've already mentioned my penchant for modern decor, yet my mother would like for me to have this family heirloom. I'm not sure where it would fit in my current home either.... So I'm thinking about loaning to to the Indiana State Museum (along with a large monetary donation, I'm sure...), at least until I buy a larger home with a parlor or a library. The museum could have it restored and keep it in it's historical furnishing collections until I decide I want it back. I think it's a win-win situation.

OK, it's time for bed. As Garrison Keillor says at the end of The Writers Almanac....Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.

Here's a shout out to my handsome, intelligent, hard working husband! He's the one in the black pants! My sister's husband, Jon, is in the blue jeans. This is an old picture that I just found and thought I'd throw on here!

This was the view from Elizabeth's window. I could have looked out it all weekend! You can even see the Washington Monument in the background!  

Here are some pics from my recent trip to DC. From L to R: DJ, Elizabeth, Taylor, and Me! This was at the Asian Bistro in lovely Old Town Alexandria, VA. I lived with Elizabeth at 202 E. Capitol NE and I worked with DJ at Common Cause. Taylor is a good friend of Elizabeth's who moved into 202 after I moved out. Good times.  

While I was in DC, my dear friend Elizabeth and I attended a showing of "Turn Left at the End of the World", the highest grossing Isreali film ever made.

Here's the synopsis from the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival: "Turn Left at the End of the World takes us back to 1969, where two immigrant families become unlikely neighbors in a tiny village in the middle of the Israeli desert. One family is from Morocco, the other from India. Apart from the dream of a new life and the raw deal given them by the Israeli government, they have nothing in common. Obliged to live side by side, they become embroiled in a culture war, flexing their muscles and trying to assert their identity. Both cling to their imperial traditions and try to impose them on the other. Only Sara (Liraz Charhi) and Nicole (Garti Netta) break through the resentments to forge a bond of friendship. Charming, sexy, and comical, Turn Left at the End of the World is the first Israeli film in nearly two decades from director, scriptwriter and producer, Avi Nesher. An international cast from France, India and Israel includes standout performances by striking newcomers Liraz Charhi and Garti Netta.

I was intrigued by this film. It was an interesting look at cultural differences/clashes, as well as viewing the timultuous 60s through the lenses of Indian-Moroccan-Isreali cultures. Again, not for those easily offended by sexuality or nudity. Humorous, poignant, historical. An overall good film.

In other news, I'm thinking about having a Fat Tuesday Party. I welcome ideas. :)

Weekly Wrap Up

Let's see... Paul and I went to see the Georgia O'Keefe exhibit at the Eiteljorg Museum. It was well done. I enjoy the fine arts. I'm glad Paul and tolerate the arts! We then enjoyed a lovely meal together across the street at TGIFridays. Good quality time with the hubby. :)

Sunday, we drove around and priced some new homes in between both our jobs. While we would love more space than the 1200 sq. ft. we currently have, we enjoy having some extra $ at the end of the month to entertain ourselves. We'll see what the next year holds regarding "moving on up" Jefferson style!

I start my new job in the child welfare field on Monday and I'm really looking forward to it! I also turned in the required documentation for another part time job. I'll be reviewing cases for a physical therapy office. I'm looking forward to the $35-40/hour they'll be paying me. :)

Paul and I are headed to San Francisco in two weeks! One day we're going to rent a car and head for the hills and the coast! Muir Woods, Napa Valley, Palo Alto, and Berkeley....Bring it on! I can't wait! I hope US Airways is still in business so we can use our free vouchers!

Also this week, I used the bundt pan that I got for christmas. It made a lovely Danish looking cake. I'm not sure what kind of pattern it is, but it looked lovely with my double chocolate cake sprinkled with powdered sugar. :) Thanks mom.

I have a job!

It's true. I was offered a position with the Hancock County Office of Family and Children as an on-going Family Case Manager. Basically, I'll maintain a caseload of families with CHINS (CHildren In Need of Services), foster families, children who are wards of the state, testify in court, and things of the like. I'm surprisingly really looking forward to the challenge of working in this field. My position is directly affected by all the changes that "My Man Mitch" is proposing. Perhaps I can explain more of that in a later post. I'm working for the State...I'm hanging on for the ride!

Also, I spent a long weekend in lovely Washington DC partaking of some pre-inaugeral festivities with my dear friend Elizabeth. We had a lovely time at the National Museum of Women in the Arts and I am now a full fledged member...which means I can go to the museum any time I want for free. It's a lovely place really and an excellent cause.

Anyways, Conan is almost over, so I'd better hit the sack for now. Luvies to all my readers!

Rain rain go away....

Will it ever end? Hopefully. I had a lovely time with my dear friend Betsy on Sunday. She is interning with the Indiana House Democrats as the Goddess of Public and Media Relations. I think that's her official title. Anyways, we had a delightful dinner at the Abbey Coffeehouse...well, they were out of what we really wanted, so I ended up with a Dijon Chicken Wrap with Curried Rice and Betsy had the Vegetarian Black Bean Wrap. We then headed north to Broad Ripple. Note to self, freaking everything is closed on Sunday. We really wanted Ben and Jerry's since we would go there alot when we both lived in Washington DC. There was a BJ right around the corner from our office in Dupont Circle. We ended up going to TCBY. Not quite as good as BJ, but it curbed our frozen sweet treat cravings! Good times. I'm looking forward to hanging out with her more often.

I am headed to DC this weekend to hang with Ms.Blackwell and others. It will be nice to break out from the Midwest. Yesterday, I got Paul and I's tickets to Alcatraz Island. I'm really looking forward to hitting the West Coast too. I'm a jet setter, baby! Ok, not really, but I would love a job where I could travel more often.

Anyways, I bought Sophie and Leo matching neon orange plush bones with squeekers in them. Sophie is a little neurotic. She'll sit on the sofa and squeek the dang thing like 100 times right in a row! Normally she rips toys to shreds, but I don't think she can rip this one apart. Leo just loves to thrash the bone around and throw it up in the air. It's very cute.

Also,I have two interviews in the next two days! Exciting stuff, fashizzle.

We met the Fockers today...

Paul and I saw Meet the Fockers today. Very funny! Not recommended for people who are easily offended by sexual humor. We were surprised to see a young child (six or seven) in the theatre with her mother! Can I just say that Barbara Streisand looked fabulous in this movie! Much better looking than when we saw her in the pouring rain at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Grand Opening with her pink rain poncho on!

I love National Public Radio.

I think I listened to 97% of the Senate Confirmation Hearings today for Attorney General Nominee, Alberto Gonzalez. I gotta give it to W....the man isn't afraid to nominate minorities. I also gotta give it to the distinguished Senior Senator from Massachusettes, Edward Kennedy....the man isn't afraid to rip someone a new bunghole. Ol' Teddy was bring up death penalty cases from when Gonzalez was a judge in Texas, grilling him on his opinion about torture and deportation and his time as legal counsel at the White House. Good stuff. What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall in those chambers. That was my favorite part of being in DC was going to hearings and to the balconies of the House and Senate Chambers to listen to speeches and testimonies. That's where it all goes down, where the real action takes place! let the chips fall where they mayYou can lobby all you want in the private offices of Representatives, but where the rubber hits the road is on the House and Senate Floors! Ah, I think someday I'll be back in DC. I'm not sure in what capacity, but I'll be back, fashizzle.

Hi Ho Hi Ho!

I'm at work and busy typing up guidelines for the new interns that will be starting in the very near future. Ah, what a difference a year makes. Now I get to boss around the interns, instead of being one!

I'm going to start studying for the GRE next week. I would eventually like to get a PhD. I'm thinking Social Work or Public Affairs/Policy. I'm leaning towards Social Work, with a strong public affairs tilt. Wanna hear something ironic? There was a exhibit about poverty in the Hamilton County Library. I thought that was funny since it's the wealthiest county in the state. Then I remembered that we are the most educated county as well, so we would probably rather read about poverty rather than experience it through volunteerism or turning our heads and looking at the houses with boarded up windows sprinkled throughout Noblesville, Fishers, and the lesser know Hamilton County towns such as, Cicero, Sheridan, and Atlanta. As much as I would like to start looking at PhD programs...in say, Madison, Ann Arbor, Berkeley, I'm not going to torture myself with something that is easily three years in the future. For now, I'm going to enjoy my Kurt Vonnegut book, kick my feet up and relax.

Wandering...

So I've been getting to work early this week and in return...getting off work early. It's been wonderful to leave work around 2pm on most days. I thought it was nice going in at noon, but I think getting it "over with" early in the day is working out better for me. Today, I spend a good part of the afternoon wandering around Kohl's Department Store. I was reminded why I don't like to shop there. I'm never impressed with what they carry and how much they charge for it.

I'm annoyed by having 75% off signs of EVERYTHING. Here's a thought...how about you mark the ACTUAL prices on things. I mean really, what's the point of having a price on something if that's not really the price. Is anyone esle annoyed by this?

I'm also glad that tonight is a new episode of LOST on ABC. The show is hokey, yes. But I'm finding it to also be addictive. I also like Desperate Housewives too. My good buddy from Bermuda, Alicia, is fond of Bree Van deCamp. I haven't quite decided which housewife is my favorite one yet, but my husband says I have "Bree" tendancies....especially when we're entertaining guests. I think I relate more to Susan (Terri Hatcher), in that I'm kooky and that I feel like I'm always trying to "keep up" with everyone...and it's painfully obvious that I can't keep up! I guess what I mean by "keep up" is that I feel I'm inadequate, even when other people don't think so and there's no evidence of inadeqacy. OK....don't mean to get all deep on you. Just projecting some thoughts. I'm my own harshest critic, simply put.

California Dreamin'....

So I booked another flight today...Paul and I are headed to the beautiful city by the bay--San Francisco!! I had a couple free flight vouchers on US Airways and I figured I'd better hurry up and cash in on them before they tank. So over the President's Day Weekend, we will be spending 4 days and 4 nights in San Francisco!

Now I know things are more expensive on the coasts, so I figured I'd try to get a decent rate on a hotel room. Let me just say that http://www.priceline.com is the BOMB! I've always been afraid of what shady places they would stick us in....but I figured I'd give it a go. We will be staying in the 4-star luxurious Westin St. Francis http://www.westinstfrancis.com. It looks amazing! Did I mention that we're paying $80 a night?! The cheapest I could find a room at the same hotel is $209.00! What a deal! I already booked tickets to go to Alcatraz Island too! I think were going to take a day trip to Napa Valley and drive along the coast. Good times. I can't wait!

I'm headed back....

I booked a flight today to lovely DC. I'll be there over the MLK holiday from January 14th through the 17th. I'm looking forward to going back and hanging with my former housemate, Elizabeth! I'm sure I'll swing by the CC office and hopefully get together with the former intern coordinator, Melissa. Good times. I'm looking forward to it!

Last night, we rang in the new year with Nathan and Michele. Paul and Nathan were too busy discussing the evils of Wal-Mart, the quagmire in Iraq, and the impending economic crisis due to excessive importation.

Tomorrow, I plan on returning some gifts (ones that I bought, not received!), catching a flick, hitting the bookstore and grocery store. Ah, suburban living at it's finest....

Texaribbean?

Last night, Paul and I ventured over to his parents home to celebrate Christmas (again). Paul was barfing the whole time during our last visit and his brother and sister in law were able to join us this time. Anyways, after Jane and I got spanked by Paul and his dad in Euchre, they told us about their upcoming Western Caribbean cruise to Cancun, Cozumel, Honduras, and Belize. His dad just booked a tubing and caving trip in Belize as one of the shore excursions. Now Jane isn't exactly the caving type and neither am I, but Paul would love to do that kind of thing, so I said, hey, we should go with you so Paul and Steve can do all that adventure crap together and Jane and I can get our nails done and go shopping together. What a great idea and they thought so too! So last night I crunched some numbers and looked at the ol' budget. It's still up in the air pending some employment issues for yours truly, but how fun would that be?!

In other news, Paul's high school buddy and his wife are coming over for the New Year festivities at the Moore household. Nathan and Michelle are expecting their first child in May! We are thrilled for them!

Here is Sophie. She's the best behaved weiner dog ever, except she hates her collar, harness, and leash. She'll to anything for a Pup-peroni!  

This is my little cuddlebug Leo. He loves to curl up in a ball and sleep on our sofa.  

This was taken when I was standing in my front yard in DC. My townhouse was joined to The Florida House and that is the Supreme Court right across the street! 

Here's a blast from the past. I was standing in my front yard when I took this photo. That large building is the Library of Congress - Thomas Building. What an awesome summer it was! 

Google Bomb?

Emilie Moore is trying to google bomb Emilie Moore. :) Emilie Moore is not sure how to google bomb though. Perhaps Emilie Moore http://www.emiliemoore.blogspot.com will do some research about it. Emilie Moore. :) What a dumb post.

Call me crazy...

Is anyone else baffled that Christmas has come and gone? And Friday is New Years Eve?! Geesh. This year has flown by! I'm getting so old. In other news, my quest for full time employment is slugging along. I'm hesitant to put any details on my blog for the sake of my current employment. :) Let's just say, I may have come full circle.

I've also been text messaging my lovely friend Elizabeth from DC. While in DC this summer, I shared a townhouse with her (and eight other "not-so-lovely" individuals). As minority liberals in the house AND the sole people concerned with the hygiene of the domicle, we became instant friends and confidants. As an intern at Common Cause, I worked closely with a beautiful human being named DJ. He basically juggled the implementation of the project I was assigned to and did an excellent job. Now, I've been known to work my mo-jo magic in setting people up. And this case is no exception. At first there was some hype, but now, I'm proud to say that DJ and Elizabeth are happily dating and spending a holiday together with her family in North Carolina! Her last text message said that "DJ is the king of my heart" How super sweet is that!? They are really cute together too! I love both of them and am glad to have facilitated their coming together!

Well, I think that's all the news to report for now. I need to get my digital camera back from my sister's car so I can post some photos of the recent holiday festivities. Stay tuned....

God bless the lady at the library....

So I had an interview today at the Indiana Government Center with the Civil Rights Commission. It went much better than my interview with the Indiana Association for Community Economic Development. I felt really good about it....until I got to my car. I couldn't find the key. Then I realize where I left it....in plain sight on the passenger's seat. I'm an idiot. I also had no more money to put in my expired parking meter AND there was NO parking between 3-6pm (it was 3:15pm when this ordeal started). So I walked to the Indiana State Library and I think the lady behind the desk is a saint. I made phone calls to my husband (no answer), mother-in-law (to get brother in law's phone number), brother-in-law (the cop), the customer service lady at Forum Credit Union (to find my husband, no luck), my husband (last desperation attempt and he was finally there). So I called the roadside assistance number and 25 minutes later, I was on the road again. While I was standing on the street next to my car waiting for the rescue folks, I saw one of the ladies that interviewed me drive by. It kinda looked like I was waiting to cross the street to go to the library, so I'm hoping she doesn't think I'm a weird-o. :)

Greasy spoons...

In DC I had grown accustom to my favorite little mom and pop restaurants.

The 1800 Cafe, Sticks & Bowls, Pete's Diner, Le Bon Cafe.

You know the type, you walk in, the guy or gal behind the counter remembers you from the last time you were there, knows what you like to order. I could count on as soon as I walked through the door at Sticks and Bowls, that the little lady behind the counter was punching in a "236 - BBQ Chicken". I ordered it every time I went in there. On my way into the office, I would pick up an Apple Fritter from the 1800. I walked in, they got it for me without saying a word.

Well ladies and gentlemen, I have found such a restaurant here in Indianapolis. D&C Pizza provides excellent service. (I left my debit card there the first time and the guy offered to bring it back to me at work.) The pizza is killer delicious. The sandwiches are above and beyond the call of duty. The guy remembered me when I went back in today for a Tenderloin Dinner. I even think he recognized my voice when I was calling in the order. If your in the Indianapolis area, check out D&C Pizza on the corner of 40th & Boulevard. While your there, buzz around the corner to Paper Matches,the friendly activist used bookstore. I have found my "Cheers" in the ghetto of Indianapolis. Love it!

I am finally done with the Masters program at Indiana University and it is a fabulous feeling. While I haven't received a diploma just yet (it'll take a week or so to process grades), I have completed all the coursework for a Masters of Social Work. Woo Hoo!

Looking forward to all the Christmas parties coming up as well. Especially the Velasquez party on Christmas Eve. Nothing says Merry Christmas like a fiery hot beef tamale, lukewarm refried beans, and chicken mole! I'm hosting Christmas again this year at my home for whomeever would like to show up. I'm not sure where we're all going to sit since we have a huge tree in our living room.

Woo!

It's official. I'm a grants writer. Although it's not my "official" title, I can now list it under my skills since I have successfully completed my first ever official grant proposal.

I'm also a speed racer, as I attempted to get the proposal turned in before the 5:00 pm deadline. Good times.

Another one bites the dust...

I think it's official. The summer is over. While in Arkansas, Paul and I enjoyed 68 degree weather, which was quite nice. However, back here in Indiana, it's rainy and cold. Blah!

In other news, I graduate in a few short weeks! Huzzah! Emilie Moore, MSW. I'm totally looking forward to that. I'm also enjoying my time at the Martin Luther King Jr. Multi-Service Center. I'm planning on spending some time reading his speeches and books once I'm done with schoolwork, that is. I went to http://www.thekingcenter.org this evening and was inspired by the opening flash animation. What an amazing man he was and I'm honored to be working for a Center devoted to living his legacy. Good stuff.

This evening, I worked on a grant for the MLK Center. I still have a little more to do before it's due tomorrow, so I'm hoping to be in the office early tomorrow, since I have a dermotology appointment later in the day.

Paul and I did some holiday shopping yesterday also. We cranked out Paul's mom and dad, sister-in-law, my grandma, my sister and a hodge-podge or other folks. A couple more people left. Woo hoo! Paul and I are also refinancing our home, so we don't have a mortgage payment til' March AND it's at a lower interest rate. Double woo-hoo!

Friday Night and the living is right...

Ah, married life.

Paul and I killed a Friday night by taking our dachshunds, Sophie and Leo, to the local Petsmart. We treated them to a manicure (aka getting their nails clipped), about six laps around the whole store (they were following the scent of a golden retreiver, also in the store), a 3 foot long rawhide bone, and a rather large tub of "pup" corn doggy treats. Because we have nothing better to do than drop $50 on our dawgs. I won't buy a case of soda if it's more than $3.99, though. I make no friggin' sense.

Sophie looks really funny carrying around this huge 3 foot bone. Look for photos in an upcoming blog. She tried to bring it to bed tonight. She stood at the foot of our bed and looked at the bone and then looked at us (like, please help me bring my bone to bed, mommy.) then looked back at the bone, then back at us (like, any day now would be nice.).

We celebrated Thanksgiving at my sister's home with my mom's sister and her family. We ate too much, lounged on the couch, and watched the Colts kick some serious Lion tail. Later we traveled to Paul's parents home, where we missed the party. We kicked it with his 'rents during Wheel of Fortune and then headed to the Pacers game with my cousin Brent, where we watched them rip the Minnesota Timberwolves. Of course our seats were pretty crappy, but we still had a good time.

Today, I fought the urge to go shopping for Christmas gifts. I'm going to be methodical and purposeful this year, I think. I did buy part of my sister's gift though...when I picked up my Carmel Creme' Frappuchino. Yum.

In other news, Hardees makes a Monster Burger. They aren't kidding, it's a monster. One bite into my Monster Burger, Paul tells me that it has 105 grams of fat and 1440 calories. From then on, my stomach is queezy and I can feel my arteries hardening. So the remaining 2/3's of it is in the fridge until I can forget that it has 105 grams of fat and 1440 calories. I'm feeling ill just thinking about it. Ugh.

Well, since I have a reader (yeah, Nicole S. for leaving me a comment!) I'll try to update this more often. I have such important stuff to report, like getting my dogs nails clipped and getting sick at the thought of a Monster Burger.

I think I'm gonna spew.

The Incredibles

So Paul and I saw The Incredibles this evening and, well, it was pretty good. And I usually only like to see things that are educational/realistic. After the movie, we had a lovely dinner at Yats where we were serenaded by a 16th century rock band. I didn't catch their name, but the guy was playing some instrument that I had never seen before. It was unique. I was just glad to have some live music during dinner. I felt like a civilized human being. It was a great feeling. Paul and I also went to the half-priced bookstore, where I picked up an adventure non-fiction book about a guy climbing Mt. Everest and a book for my dear friend Elizabeth in DC. Good times. Now I'm off to hit the sack. I'm working in the nursery tomorrow at church! Blahzee!

The Late Show

So Al Franken is on Dave Letterman tonight. Al's last book, Lies and the lying liers who tell them, is a quick read and very interesting. The most memorable part is when Al Franken takes one of his researchers (from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government) to Bob Jones University on a college visit day. Now Al is Jewish and Bob Jones U. is like freakishly evangelical (not to mention just recently reversing the university's stance against interracial relationships...) Al prentends to be a family friend assisting a HS senior in chosing a college. Get the book folks. Read it. Give it to your conservative brother-in-law and watch his head explode.

I'm done mourning over the loss of John Kerry. It's sad and I'm disappointed, but you know what? This is my freaking county too and I'm not going to go back into my cave with my tail between my legs. I'm not sure what the next step is, but I'm pretty sure it involves Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barak Obama! :) But really kids, I think the Dems are going to take a long hard look at what happened during this election. Breaking it down from begining to end, top to bottom. In the mean time, I'm saving my pennies to help Hillary when she runs. C'est la vie!

Um, what else... I'm cleaning my house this weekend. Let's get real, that's been my plan since September and it still hasn't gotten done. I would like to hit the International Festival this weekend. Perhaps some St. Elmo's is in my future. A girl can dream, can't she?

Let the fun begin....

I'm busy working on Holiday Assistance applications here at the Martin Luther King Jr. Multi-Service Center. I thought Benjamin and I were going to go to a meeting about FEMA money this afternoon, but he is MIA.

This is a busy week for me! On Wednesday, the student association is showing Outfoxed on campus. Later that evening, there is a Legislative and Public Policy Meeting at the NASW office. On Thursday I have class and there is another movie that I would like to see titled, Black people in White minds. Sounds interesting. Friday, I'm going to a bidder's conference for a grant that I am working on.

I thought I wasn't going to do anything this weekend, except for cleaning. I ended up going out with a friend for most of the day on Saturday and Sunday I went out with the parents and sister to get some new threads for Pops. It was a zoo! Anyways, looks like I'll be playing catch up this week since I didn't get to clean this weekend! Aye aye aye!

Talk about a rocking good time! After Senator Kerry was done speaking, he shook hands and the confetti was all over the place!! 

Here's a pic from the Rally with John Kerry after the St. Louis debate. You can see Teresa and Alex in the background! 

I saw these signs outside the St. Louis Convention Center before the debate. The Rally with John Kerry was great! I'll post more pics later! 

Captions anyone?  

Guess who's going to St. Louis this weekend to catch a Rally with John Kerry after his big debate with GWB at Washington University?! That'd be ME! I'm pumped! Road Trip! 

Here's a fun photo of our dachshund, Sophie, chewing on a squeaky George Bush dog toy. Thanks Elizabeth in DC for sending to us!  

Here's me with Playa Tim and Betsy in the Common Cause Office in DC this summer. Good times. Looking forward to going to the Clinton Presidential Library with them in November and celebrating a Kerry Landslide! 

It's official!

I booked a week at the SunBay Resort Condominiums in Hot Springs, Arkansas for the grand opening of the Bill Clinton Presidential Center!! Paul and I are going for the whole week and Playa Tim Wills and two of his friends will be coming later in the week and maybe Betsy is coming too! I'm looking forward to taking a Hot Springs Mineral Bath in one of the local bathouses. :) We got a fabulous deal! Only $185 for a whole week - seven nights! I'm so pumped! I'll post a picture of me, Playa Tim, and Betsy!

Here is a fun photo of me and some friends waiting in line to meet Bill Clinton. In the front, is Nadmid Osopurev (from Mongonia and working on a Masters in International Policy at Duke University in NC) and Kirsten Ellison (from Virginia and a Senior Government Major at Darthmouth University in NH). In back, Tim Wills (from St. Louis and a senior Communications Major at Southern Illinois University), Me, and Nicole Saidi (from Arizona and a Senior Journalism Major at Arizona State University).  

Blog this!

I'm going to play with this for a couple days. It may end up being my "regular" blog. Enjoy some photos of a recent party that Paul and I hosted in our home a couple weeks ago. Stay tuned for more photos! I think I want to relive my summer through my blog!

Did anyone see John Kerry on Letterman? Loved his top ten!

My cousins at a party at my place. (L to R: Brent Peterson, Shelby Bowen, Ryan Knight) 

Steve, Christen, Susan Knight - squeezed into the loveseat. :) 

Clif, Laurie and Bubba Knight in my kitchen. 

My cousin Justin Bowen, his son, Hale, and my husband, Paul (in the background) 

so i started this blog about 800 years ago and forgot the password.....perhaps i'll start up blogging again. i blogged this summer in DC at www.emiliemoore.com

check it out, yo

i'm procrastinating and don't want to work....lalala. i'd rather be shopping.

can it be true? does emilie really have a web log? will anyone read it?