It has been a very long few weeks. As I said before, my father died suddenly and unexpectedly. He died at home peacefully, which is just the way he would have wanted it. It has been hard for all of us but I don’t think it has entirely sunk in yet. Like today, something happened and I thought, “I should call dad…” Then it hits me that I can’t.

Anyway, the funeral was beautiful, a lot of people showed up and said a lot of beautiful things about my father. It really shows how much one person can be loved by the people around them and what a good man my father was.

So, I guess I just want to take this moment to say thank you to those around me. The out poring of love I have felt over the past weeks has been tremendous. My friends and family have been amazing, and I need to say a special thank you to Jessica and Brian. But I want to say that to not just them, but to everyone who has been so wonderful: friends, family and co-workers and you all mean an incredible amount to me.

I know it will get easier with time and I won’t cry every time I think of him. But for now, I know that I still have to morn. I am canceling my vacation and going home at the end of this week and the beginning of next to take care of more business. I will get back to normal postings eventually…

This post has been a bit jumbled, but I guess I will just leave everyone with this: Tell your parents and those you care about that you love them, I should have told my daddy more often.

My father passed away suddenly last week.


The funeral is tomorrow...


I don't have the words to express what I feel right now.

Me??

Co-worker to me...

"You don't have a mean bone in your body do you?"

I sure do have them fooled don't I? ;-)

Ready to Move

I had a great time in NYC with Jason, dispite the sore feet and blisters. Going to cities always makes me realize how much I hate being in a small town. I need to get my ass in gear and start putting out resumes. Anyway... here are some highlights from the trip:

• Hanging out with Jason's family... always a hoot.
  
• Going to the MoMa
  
• Having lunch in Central Park
  
• Walking around SoHo, Chelsea, and Greenwich Village
  
• Buying a necklace from a street vendor
  
• Seeing an old work buddy
  
• Eating great Indian food
  
• Seeing Times Square at night
  
• Watching the Belmont in a bar full of crazy New Yorkers
  
• And of course, spending time with Jason... always a good time.

I love NYC...

My favorite Jackson Pollock at the MoMa...

An Apple a day...

Off to the Big Apple for the weekend with my favorite uber-tall person. Be back on Sunday with stories and pictures...

Today was the Nanticoke Music Festival..

There was a polka band...

It is PA after all...

The Chicken Dance...

And Funnel Cake!! MMMMMMMM....

All Female Office Perks

So even though there are only two of us up here to work, there are some perks. Such as…

Our air conditioning is out in our office, and it was in the 90’s today. So I took off my shirt and just worked in a tank top with my pants rolled up and my co-worker hiked up her skirt. It’s kinda nice having no guys around. We would have just had to sweat it out if the boys were still around.

You can’t do stuff like that with male co-workers ogling your boobs.

I bought sexy red heels today.

Even Marty likes them�
 

Why I really have my job...

Co-worker to me:

"Our arbitrator is here. So be really nice to him, smile big... and ummmm.... show a bit more cleavage."

Sunday

I miss Sundays. Growing up in a fairly religious family, Sundays were always held sacred. Sunday school, Church, brunch, relaxing with friends and family and then Youth group. Sundays were peaceful, a day of rest, a time for fun. I miss that; not all the religious activity, but the time to relax and spend time with family and friends. Now I work. I sit in my office or drive around all day in my car. I see others going to church, having brunch with friends and family, relaxing.

I miss Sundays.

The Cops and You

So today we were about to leave the office and I was standing near the window when I heard sirens. Turning, I saw a pickup truck being chased by two police cars. They pulled right into the lawn in front of me and the cops leapt out of there cruisers, guns blazing, yelling at the driver of the pick-up to get out, get on the ground and put his hands on his head. By this point my co-worker had jumped up as well, flipped out the lights and joined me at the window. So, we watched the cops frisk the guy and scream at him, “Where’s the Gun!” The guy apparently told him, because they looked in the back seat and pulled a gun out, unload it, and take the bullet out of the chamber. The cops proceeded to put the driver into the police car, after stating that driver was not under arrest, and question him.

So the dumbass starts singing like a bird. From what we could hear from our window perch apparently the guy got into a fight with this girlfriend and she told him to leave. So he starts packing up his stuff, and I guess continue to fight with the girl, because her father comes in and starts screaming at him, “I’m going to kill you!” So the guy did the only logical thing; he pulled his gun on the father and his girlfriend. Smart.

That’s about all we heard. This guy is one stupid mother fucker. First off, I just need to say, he should go to jail, what a dumbass. ANYWAY, this guy’s first mistake (besides pulling a gun on someone) is to not ask for a lawyer. Just thought being nice to the cops and telling them everything would keep him out of trouble. Ummm… no. He could possibly be charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Again, stupid mother fucker.

I guess what I am getting to is that people really don’t know how to deal with cops. And people should. So, I am here to lend some advice… or at least direct people in the right direction. Here is the ACLU’s Know Your Rights: What to do if You're Stopped by the Police. Because I know, if there are any people who need it, it’s my friends. Love ya!

And Then There was One...

Today was a co-worker’s last day on the job. He has been working on this campaign in NEPA since November and he misses his home state of Texas. So home he goes. And I'll actually miss the guy, despite his screaming at me ;-) . When you work with the same person everyday, live down the hall from them, as well as being one of the only people that you actually know in an area, you get comfortable with them. Somewhere along the way, the group up here turned into a sort of fucked up dysfunctional family and now we are losing a member. It makes me a little sad… Actually, I think I will miss his dog, Floyd, more than him. Seriously, it’s a great dog and we bonded.

With him leaving, I will be the only one left on the campaign I am currently working on. In January, there were 5 of us. Now it’s only me to hold down the fort. There is one other women working up here, but she is on a different campaign. So yep, just me… A little scary, huh?

Also leaving today is the guy I am supposedly having an affair with (see the 2/19/05 entry). He was one of my first friends when I started here, bonding over feminism and porn, and is really an amazing guy. We would always sit next to each other at staff meetings, where I would whisper obscene things into his ear to get him to laugh at inappropriate times. Come to think of it, no wonder they thought we were having an affair…

I’ll really miss him.

I knew staff turnover here was insane. The section of the staff I work in turns over about every year. That sounds about right. Some of my favorite people have already left and more are leaving soon. By the end of July, I will be about 4th or 5th in line of seniority of about 30 people. And I haven’t even hit my year yet. Crazy…

Send in the Clowns! Or not

The circus is in town!!

Yesterday, I saw elephants walking around a parking lot. (I got so excited I almost wrecked my car)

Maybe I will run away and join them, I guess if I have ever had the opportunity it is now.

I always wanted to be a lion tamer…

However, I do have an irrational fear of clowns and I think that could be a problem.

White House refuses to state position on contraception

From Feministing.com


In a press briefing last week, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan completely refused to answer a pretty goddamn important question: is Bush opposed to contraception?
Q There are news reports this morning that parents and children who were guests of the President, when they visited Congress, wore stickers with the wording, "I was an embryo." And my question is, since all of us were once embryos, and all of us were once part sperm and egg, is the President also opposed to contraception, which stops this union and kills both sperm and egg?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think the President has made his views known on these issues, and his views known --
Q You know, but what I asked, is he opposed -- he's not opposed to contraception, is he?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, and you've made your views known, as well. The President --
Q No, no, but is he opposed to contraception, Scott? Could you just tell us yes or no?
MR. McCLELLAN: Les, I think that this question is --
Q Well, is he? Does he oppose contraception?
MR. McCLELLAN: Les, I think the President's views are very clear when it comes to building a culture of life --
Q If they were clear, I wouldn't have asked.
MR. McCLELLAN: -- and if you want to ask those questions, that's fine. I'm just not going to dignify them with a response.
Hmmm…I wonder why no answer? That’s a head-scratcher...