NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

It’s time once again for the annual swearing of the New Year’s resolution - that time honored tradition where we solemnly make all kinds of wonderful pledges to both ourselves & our loved ones. But all the good intentions and big plans mean naught because deep down in our pudgy little cholesterol laden hearts we know that we’ll never follow through on any them. Those extra 10, 20, (hell admit it) 50 pounds aren’t going anywhere any time soon and even the thought of giving up smoking has you fumbling in your pocket for a light like a drowning man grabbing for a life preserver.

Big business is well aware of all this. January is the prime month of the year for gym memberships while sales of athletic wear and home fitness equipment are higher than at Christmas. Health food stores tout the latest cure all and TV informational push the latest diet/patch/pill that makes the fat melt away and somehow magically makes you look 15 years in the process. Who knew that losing weight would make your gray hair, wrinkles & eye baggage go away?

Get real people. If you DID lose all that weight you’d look like a Shar-Pei with all that excess skin drooping down - although you could save on underwear because that floppy skin apron where your gut used to be is going’a hang down & hide your punanny/pecker from view. Which won’t be an issue because you KNOW that you are not gonna give up Big Macs & Snickers and the only time you’ll lace up your Nike’s will be to go buy goodies at the store.

Loose skin, jingly butt cheeks, drooping jowls, chicken wing upper arms. Wait I’ve got all those already! Damn it all, I’m gonna have to do it, make a resolution and count on y’all to keep me honest.

RESOLUTIONS:

1. Get Healthy

2.....

'Heck, one is enough for me',

NEW TEMPLATE

I've been trying to work with the new Blogger templates, and I'm having trouble doing everything that I want. At least I got the new header going. Now if I can just widen the printed area & do away with all that open space on the sides!

RELEASE AND RENEW! RITUALS TO ENTER THE NEW YEAR

Snagged from I don't remember where.

"Each New Year millions of people make resolutions to do things differently. Because cultures from around the world understand that the New Year is an opportunity to spiritually turn the wheel of the year and begin anew this is the perfect time to look at areas that need adjustment.

Take the time to do rituals of purification and closure to prepare for a new vision to manifest. As we move into the year 2005, more than ever, it is crucial to take the time to acknowledge our experiences with joy and grief. We must strive to bring balance and harmony into our lives so we can imbue the coming year with the qualities that we most desire."

Spend the day on December 31st by taking some time to be quiet and reflect on the year that is drawing to a close. Think about the people that mattered most to you, your greatest accomplishment, challenging difficulties and the lessons you learned.

Take a purification bath. Scrub yourself with sea salt and wash yourself thoroughly in the water. Feel free to anoint yourself with your favorite oil or perfume.

Contemplate the patterns in your life that keep you stuck. Write down the limiting beliefs or habits that you wish to leave behind with the old year. In a fireproof bowl or fireplace, safely burn the paper. As the paper burns, be aware that you have just made space for new ideas people, and opportunities to enter your life. Carefully, throw out the ashes when they cool. Light a candle for those who have passed on to spirit.

Light a candle for your new potential in the coming year.
Light a candle to acknowledge the earth.
Contribute to your community by planting a tree, helping a homeless family or baking cookies for your local nursing home.
Dance, sing and celebrate life!!
Forgive, forgive, forgive- end the old year by opening your heart to yourself and others.

Holiday Sage and Smudge Tips

These ideas are not new-fangled nor are they airy-fairy New Age waffle. Native American tradition dates back millennia and most traditional cultures, from the Zulus to the Maoris, from the Chinese to the Balinese, have age-old forms of cleansing and blessing ritual

The burning of herbs or incense is a practice held sacred by many indigenous cultures. It is a ritual for cleansing, purifying and protecting the physical and spiritual bodies. The effect of the smoke is to banish negative energies.

Many differing cultures and peoples have their own methods and herbal mixtures for this purpose. Smudging, done correctly, can bring physical, spiritual and emotional balance.
The term Smudging originated in the Native American culture. Native American Indians use a variety of smudging mixtures. In olden times, the end of the smudge stick or braid was lit from the central or cooking fire.

Not everyone views the practice of smudging in the same way and different herbs may be used for different purposes. Smudging is the burning of certain herbs to create a cleansing smoke bath, which is used to purify people, homes, ceremonial and ritual space, and ceremonial tools and objects.There are different ceremonies and rituals that can be done.


Hogmanay (Scotland)
The birthplace of "Auld Lang Syne" is also the home of Hogmanay (hog-mah-NAY), the rousing Scottish New Year's celebration (the origins of the name are obscure). One of the traditions is "first-footing." Shortly after midnight on New Year's eve, neighbors pay visits to each other and impart New Year's wishes. Traditionally, First foots used to bring along a gift of coal for the fire, or shortbread. It is considered especially lucky if a tall, dark, and handsome man is the first to enter your house after the new year is rung in. The Edinburgh Hogmanay celebration is the largest in the country, and consists of an all-night street party (visit their Hagmanay website here).
Oshogatsu (Japan)
The new year is the most important holiday in Japan, and is a symbol of renewal. In December, various Bonenkai or "forget-the-year parties" are held to bid farewell to the problems and concerns of the past year and prepare for a new beginning. Misunderstandings and grudges are forgiven and houses are scrubbed. At midnight on Dec. 31, Buddhist temples strike their gongs 108 times, in a effort to expel 108 types of human weakness. New Year's day itself is a day of joy and no work is to be done. Children receive otoshidamas, small gifts with money inside. Sending New Year's cards is a popular tradition—if postmarked by a certain date, the Japanese post office guarantees delivery of all New Year's cards on Jan.1.
Spain
The Spanish ritual on New Year's eve is to eat twelve grapes at midnight. The tradition is meant to secure twelve happy months in the coming year.
The Netherlands
The Dutch burn bonfires of Christmas trees on the street and launch fireworks. The fires are meant to purge the old and welcome the new.
Greece
In Greece, New Year's day is also the Festival of St. Basil, one of the founders of the Greek Orthodox Church. One of the traditional foods served is Vassilopitta, or St Basil's cake. A silver or gold coin is baked inside the cake. Whoever finds the coin in their piece of cake will be especially lucky during the coming year.
United States
Probably the most famous tradition in the United States is the dropping of the New Year ball in Times Square, New York City, at 11:59 P.M. Thousands gather to watch the ball make its one-minute descent, arriving exactly at midnight. The tradition first began in 1907. The original ball was made of iron and wood; the current ball is made of Waterford Crystal, weighs 1,070 pounds, and is six feet in diameter.
A traditional southern New Year's dish is Hoppin' John—black eyed peas and ham hocks. An old saying goes, "Eat peas on New Year's day to have plenty of everything the rest of the year."
Another American tradition is the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Tournament of Roses parade that precedes the football game on New Year's day is made up of elaborate and inventive floats. The first parade was held in 1886.

Widely Observed New Year Symbols and Traditions
Resolutions:
Fireworks:
For more New Year's features see the Noisemaking and fireworks on New Year's eve is believed to have originated in ancient times, when noise and fire were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck. The Chinese are credited with inventing fireworks and use them to spectacular effect in their New Year's celebrations. History of New Year and Saying "Happy New Year!" Around the World. It is believed that the Babylonians were the first to make New Year's resolutions, and people all over the world have been breaking them ever since. The early Christians believed the first day of the new year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself in the new year.

What ever your belief and however you plan to celebrate:
HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'ALL

WHITE TRASH CHRISTMAS

You gotta watch this video. It's one of my all time favorite Christmas parodies. Warning: not for kids

FW: joke

A redneck with a bucket full of live fish was approached by a game warden in Central Mississippi as he started to drive his boat away from a lake.

The game warden asked the man, "May I see your fishing license please?"

"Naw, sir," replied the redneck. "I don't need none of them there papers. These here are my pet fish."

"Pet fish??"

"Yep. Once a week, I bring these here fish o'mine down to the lake and let 'em swim 'round for a while. Then when I whistle, they swim right back into my net and I take 'em home."

"What a line of horse sh-t....you're under arrest."

The redneck said, "It's the truth, Mr. Gov'ment Man. I'll show ya! We do this all the time!!"

"WE do, now, do WE?" smirked the warden. "PROVE it!"

The redneck released the fish into the lake and stood and waited. After a few minutes, the warden said, "Well?"

"Well, WHUT?" said the redneck.

The warden asked, "When are you going to call them back?"

"Call who back?"

"The FISH," replied the warden!

"Whut fish?" asked the redneck.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

We may not be as smart as some city slickers, but we ain't as dumb as some government employees.

You can say what you want about the South, but you never hear of anyone retiring and moving north.

FW: Ettiquette Guide for Redneck's

Ettiquette Guide for Redneck's

1. Never take a beer to a job interview.
2. Always identify people in your yard before shooting at them.
3. It's considered tacky to take a cooler to church.
4. If you have to vacuum the bed, it is time to change the sheets.
5. Even if you're certain that you are included in the will, it is still considered tacky to drive a U-Haul to the funeral home.
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DINING OUT

1. When decanting wine, make sure that you tilt the paper cup,and pour slowly so as not to "bruise" the fruit of the vine.
2. If drinking directly from the bottle, always hold it with your fingers covering the label.
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ENTERTAINING IN YOUR HOME

1. A centerpiece for the table should never be anything prepared by a taxidermist.
2. Do not allow the dog to eat at the table...no matter how good his manners are.
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PERSONAL HYGIENE

1. While ears need to be cleaned regularly, this is a job that should be done in private using one's OWN truck keys.
2. Proper use of toiletries can forestall bathing for several days. However, if you live alone, deodorant is a waste of good money.
3. Dirt and grease under the fingernails is a social no-no, as they tend to detract from a woman's jewelry and alter the taste of finger foods.
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DATING (Outside the Family)

1. Always offer to bait your date's hook, especially on the first date.
2. Be aggressive. Let her know you're interested: "I've been wanting to go out with you since I read that stuff on the bathroom wall two years ago."
3. Establish with her parents what time she is expected back.Some will say 10:00 PM; Others might say "Monday." If the latter is the answer, it is the man's responsibility to get her to school on time.
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THEATER ETIQUETTE

1. Crying babies should be taken to the lobby and picked up immediately after the movie has ended.
2. Refrain from talking to characters on the screen. Tests have proven they can't hear you.
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WEDDINGS

1. Livestock, usually, is a poor choice for a wedding gift.
2. Kissing the bride for more than 5 seconds may get you shot.
3. For the groom, at least, rent a tux. A leisure suit with a cummerbund and a clean bowling shirt can create a tacky appearance.
4. Though uncomfortable, say "yes" to socks and shoes for this special occasion.
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DRIVING ETIQUETTE

1. Dim your headlights for approaching vehicles; Even if the gun is loaded, and the deer is in sight.
2. When approaching a four-way stop, the vehicle with the largest tires always has the right of way.
3. Never tow another car using panty hose and duct tape.
4. When sending your wife down the road with a gas can, it is impolite to ask her to bring back beer.
5. Do not lay rubber while traveling in a funeral procession.

Captured in America: Phots from Our Past

These picstures were taken from color slides found at the Library of Congress. They are dated between 1939-1943. The pictures are so clear and the color is so vibrant, it looks as though they were taken just yesterday. The were shot by photographers of the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information & are some of the only color photographs taken of the effects of the Depression on America’s rural and small town populations. The photographs are the property of the Library of Congress and were included in a 2006 exhibit Bound for Glory: America in Color. Captured: America in Color from 1939-1943 – Plog Photo Blog

EMERGENCY FUND

There is now an emergency fund set up for my sister Teresa's family who lost everything to a fire last Friday.

If you would like to help the info is:

The Finely Family Fund
Renasant Bank

Thanks so much to all of you for the kind words, prayers and helping hands

MY SISTER'S HOME BURNED TO THE GROUND

Last Friday my sister Teresa’s home burned to the ground. They lost everything, including both dogs that were sleeping in the back bedroom. Luckily Teresa, Randy, and their son Quin got out OK; but it was a close call.

Randy (who is self employed and works at home) was working in his office located in the front of their trailer while Teresa and Quin were in the living room, when Teresa heard the smoke alarm go off. Thinking the battery had gotten low she walked down the hall to check when she noticed smoke next to the ceiling. She heard a clicking noise in her son’s bedroom and just as she looked in the door the bedding and curtains burst into flames.

She ran back down the hall yelling fire; grabbing her purse and fleeing out in the freezing cold with Quin, both of them with no shoes or coats. Randy is self employed and managed to grab his hard drive with all his business records but nothing else. Thank goodness they also had their phone and were able to dial 911 for help.

The house was engulfed in flames in minutes, a total loss. Later the fire department said it was an electrical fire that had started inside the wall. That’s why it spread so fast. The fire was in the walls of several rooms before ever breaking out into the open where it was noticeable.

Lucky it happened in the daytime. If it had happened at night, Quin would have died for sure and probably the entire family would have perished. They lost everything. We’ve been digging through the rubble and found a few things. It’s amazing what will survive a total burn down. Teresa had an antique chest that was totally charred, but everything inside only suffered smoke damage. We managed to find some heirloom silver and it appears that lots of her family pictures might be salvageable. Also, several of our Mom’s old Christmas ornaments survived with only some blackening and might be restorable.

The extended Waters & Finely families and our wonderful friends have been rallying around. Teresa’s family is staying with my youngest sister Lana, who inherited our old family home after our parent’s deaths, and are regrouping. They didn’t have a penny of insurance and it’s going to be an uphill battle to replace their loss.

This is to thank everyone for their help and to remind each and every one of you to check the batteries in your smoke detectors; they can truly save your life. I just went and bought two brand new ones, mine are old and it’s been a wake up call for all of us.

WTF!!!!!!!!!!

Last March, three American evangelical Christians, whose teachings about “curing” homosexuals have been widely discredited in the United States, arrived here in Uganda’s capital to give a series of talks ....... a previously unknown Ugandan politician, who boasts of having evangelical friends in the American government, introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009, which threatens to hang homosexuals, and, as a result, has put Uganda on a collision course with Western nations.

Like we don't have enough trouble here, now we got to go stir up bigotry somewhere else!

CHRISTMAS SURVEY

Stolen from Jackie Sue: The Christmas Survey

1. Have you started your Christmas shopping? All except stocking stuffers. What do you get a 10 year old boy who only hunts & fishes?
2. Tell me about one of your special traditions. Both the son & grandson get tack Christmas boxer shorts in their stockings

3. When do you put up your tree? haven't had a tree in years, too much trouble to take it down. Last time I put one up it stays till July 4th. However I do have Christmas Weebles on the bookshelves
4. Are you a Black Friday shopper?

Hell No

5. Do you travel at Christmas or stay home? I always have to work

6. What is your funniest Christmas memory? The year I got a chemistry set & made a stink bomb

7. What is your favourite Christmas movie of all time? Animal House's Christmas Vacation.

8. Do you do your own Christmas baking and what's your favourite treat?I never have much time but I do love all the "failed" stuff we get at work. If the cake falls or the cookies scorch all the wives send the results to the plant. Put it on the table & it'll get ate, no matter how sad it looks

9. Fake or real tree? I've had both. Love the real tree but not the mess

10. What day does the actual panic set in to get it all done? Panic?...you'd have to give a shit to panic..and I don't give a shit. Ditto for me Jackie

11. Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve? I use bags if at all possible!

12. What is your favourite family fun time at Christmas? Watching the present unwrapping & the smiles if I get it right

13. What Christmas craft do you like the best? I don't craft.

14. Christmas music, yes or no? If yes, what is your favourite song? Only in small doses.

5 When do you plan on finishing your shopping. I'm done...

HALLOWEEN RANT (I DON'T NEED NO STINKING COSTUME!)

Who needs a store-bought Halloween costume? I look in the mirror at all the ravages that Father Time has done to this tired old body and I’m about as scary as I can get without putting on a mask or wig.

What were once freckles are now fast spreading age spots, and beauty marks have turned into moles that seem to pop up in weird places and make me worry about skin cancer, something that I never thought about a few years ago.

I have lumps and bumps and rolls where once there was an hourglass figure. My skin now drinks in lotion like a camel at an oasis, no longer the texture of a baby’s bottom; rough where it should be smooth and sagging like the shoulders of the exhausted elderly woman I’m fast becoming.

The boobs are heading South of the border and my feet are getting bigger; but not near as fast as my ass is spreading out. The gray is fast taking over my once reddish brown curls and my hairdresser is losing the battle to camouflage the iron colored strands with streaks and highlights.

So I’m not going to dress up tonight. Instead I’m gonna so without makeup, let my hair go wild and stop trying to suck in my gut. I’m wearing sweats, a t-shirt and no bra. I’m letting it all hang out (picture the grandma on the Klumps running in the dream sequence with boobs bouncing all over the place!) and scare all the tick or treaters who show up at the door with my natural hideous self.

So come and get some candy kids. Don’t be afraid, this too will happen to you in a hundred years or so. Happy Halloween y’all.

KINKY SEX LIFE

I found these and other strange but true facts at The Oyster's Garter. Who knew that the animal kingdom was so erotic/kinky? This shit is too weird to be made up but still strangely fascinating.

Samantha Henig just reported on the Museum of Sex exhibit on the Sex Lives of Animals. I like gay giraffes and well-endowed lady hyenas as much as the next person (OK, probably more), but the list struck me as shockingly mammal-biased.
Vertebrates—and that includes non-fuzzy critters like fish—comprise a mere 5 percent of the world's species. The spineless have kinky sex, too! Here's a list of a few of my personal favorites:
- As I wrote on the original Oyster's Garter blog, barnacles have the most impressive penises in the sea. A barnacle’s penis can be 8 times longer than the barnacle’s entire body. Barnacles are well-endowed because they’re cemented in place—in order to advance the species, they need to, um, “visit” their neighbors. (That’s also why barnacles are simultaneous hermaphrodites that both give and receive the glorious gift of crustacean life. Separate sexes wouldn’t work, since the only neighbor in reach could be the same sex.)
- Marine flatworms, also simultaneous hermaphrodites, fence with razor-sharp penises. Since they lack a female orifice, sex occurs when the loser gets stabbed right through their body wall. The technical term? Hypodermic impregnation. Some spiders do it too. Ow.
- From horrifying spiked beetle penises to earwig penises that occasionally snap right off in the midst of sex, insects have all kinds of bizarre sexual practices. But you don't have to take my word for it—check out Season 1 of Isabella Rossellini's Green Porno series, where she dramatizes doin' it as all kinds of bug.

-And from a different article in the same blog "that is far worse than the Wired list's No. 8, having your sluggy sweetie gnaw off your penis. (Ok, maybe not.)" Wow, I'm becoming a fountain of usless but interesting trivia. Go check out The Garter.

35 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

From Jackie Sue at Yellowdog Granny.
The official meme rules are:
Copy and change the answers to suit you and pass it on.Answers may be one word only. Once you have filled it out be sure to pass it on to 6 of your favorite bloggers. Alert them that they have been awarded! Have fun!And this is the award you'll get if you get tagged to answer questions and pass the award and duties that go with it on to six of your blog buddies:

1. Where is your cell phone? on the charger
2. Your hair? is cut in a new 'do which I hate. Oh well, it'll grow
3. Your mother? was my best friend and I miss her every day
4. Your father? Daddy was the king of the house, with 6 women to look after him. In other words, he was spoiled rotten
5. Your favorite food? anything that doesn't include innards
6. Your dream last night? I never dream, or at least I don't remember dreaming
7. Your favorite drink? I'm Southern, so iced tea of course.Diew Dew runs a close second
8. Your dream/goal? I'm a simple woman, my goal is just to be happy
9. What room are you in? my living room which is packed wall to wall with books
10. Your hobby? reading, see #9
11. Your fear? Being helpless, a family history of Alzheimer's makes it worse as I get older.
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Alive.
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something that you aren’t? Tactful (Jackie Sue & I have this in common)
15. Muffins? rather have cupcakes, love that sinful icing
16. Wish list item? does good health and my 25 year old body count?
17. Where did you grow up? Moulton, AL
18. Last thing you did? Washed dishes
19. What are you wearing? PJ pants & white T shirt
20. Your TV? on
21. Your pets? 2 indoor kitties & which ever stray shows up at the door
22. Friends? lots, and I love all of em
23. Your life? work, sleep and waiting for Prince Charming who I think dropped dead from a heart attack on the way over
24. Your mood? usually upbeat, if I got my nap out that is
25. Missing someone? Mom, Dad & my sanity
26. Vehicle? Silver 2004 OZ Rally Racer
27. Something you’re not wearing? a bra and shoes.
28. Your favorite store? any and all of my local stores.
29. Your favorite color? green
30. When was the last time you laughed? Talking to one of my girlfriends
31. Last time you cried? reading the book I finished at 3 AM this morning
33. One place that I go to over and over? work & WallMart
34. One person who emails me regularly? Phyllis Wallace
35. Favorite place to eat? Moulton Steak House

And now for the award and duty bestowing:
I don't have 6 favorite bloggers. So sign yourselves up if you're interested

BRA THAT TURNS INTO A GAS MASK

Who said that there's nothing new under the sun? Folks, I give you a bra that morphs into 2, that's right, 2 lifesaving gas masks. No, it's not a joke. And no, it wasn't invented by a man. Since each breathable bra converts into 2 rebreathers, I guess they plan on we females of the species to share with one of our male coworkers. See guys, we're good for something besides getting coffee.

Now if they could just make the damned underwires comfortable.......

Introducing the bra that is meant to be taken off by Elinor Mills
The gas mask bra is one of the winners at the 19th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony.(Credit: Elena Bodnar)

This week the Annals of Improbable Research hosted its 19th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony. As CNET News' Elinor Mills wrote, this year was no less ignoble than the previous 18, with such delightful discoveries as applications for panda poo and observations from a lifetime of knuckle cracking.

Elena Bodnar, who lives in Chicago, got her start as a scientist in Ukraine, when she witnessed the devastating effects of the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster in 1986. She noticed, among other things, that women were wearing bras that may have been lacy but were certainly not life-saving.

Read the article to find out more.

ARMADILLO EGGS

I was looking at stuffed Jalapeno recipes hunting for something different and ran up on this yummy sounding dish. I'm posting it here so I don't forget to try it if I ever get a day off. Found in the comment section of My Wooden Spoon blog.

I keep my peppers whole and make a slit down one side. I pop it open like a coin purse and use a small grapefruit spoon to clean out the seeds. Fill with cream cheese and then enclose the entire pepper with pork sausage about a 1/4 in. thick. I then coat it in Pork Shake & Bake and bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. We call them Armadillo Eggs and I can never seem to make enough when I take them to a cookout.

ELOPEMENT & TRADING HORSES; A BLAST FROM THE PAST

The news wasn’t always bad like it seems to be now now. I'm sorry to say that newspapers just don’t write this kinda story any more. I found this heartwarming romance article in Old Lawrence Reminisces, A journal of Lawrence County, Alabama history and genealogy; September 1993 Volume 7, Number 3 issue. All language and spellings are as written in the article. The Moulton Advertiser is Alabama's oldest existing newspaper. Moulton, I'm proud to say, is my home town.

The Moulton Advertiser Thursday Aug. 30, 1888

Mrs. Julia A Smith was married to Mr. Samuel McCarver in the Evett’s Hotel at this place, on Tuesday of last week Both live near Mt. Home, and both have large families to begin life again with. We learn that how it came to happen was I this wise, which was purely accidental: The groom went over to buy a horse of the bride, and while trading around something was said about matrimony. This one word fired both hearts with an undying love. In an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, two souls had but a single thought and that thought was to have the silken cord tied. In a few moments they were speeding away to Moulton on Wheels, and early in the afternoon Judge Kumpe pronounced them one flesh. “Whom God hath joined together let not man put under.” We forward our congratulations by mail, but shall continue to address the Moulton Advertiser to “Mrs. Julia A. Smith” until further instructions

Lawrence County, Alabama Archives Website

SILVER THREADS & RICHARD LAYMON

I love this quote. Makes me look at my graying hair in a totally different way.

Then he gave his long hair a few flings with his fingers. "You see all this-here silver?"

Both his mustache and his hair were mostly black, but streaked with plenty of shiny strands.

"Know what it is, Willy?"

"Gray hair, is it?"

"Silver, Precious silver. It's the pay you get for staying alive. The longer you go without getting perforated by various rapscallions and Indians - or scalped - the more you collect. All you gotta do is take a gander at a man's head and you can get yourself a fair estimate of his worth. You see much silver up there, you know he ain't easy to kill."

OPEN LETTER TO OUR GOVERMENT

This is an email (long but worth the read) that a cousin sent to me, the lady made some valid points.......

The following letter, read on Glenn Beck's show, is rapidly circulating around the country. Americans everywhere identify with this 53-year-old woman. She has given us a voice. Once you read this, you will want to forward it to all of your friends...

GLENN BECK: I got a letter from a woman in Arizona .. She writes an open letter to our nation's leadership:

"I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the STIMULUS bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal health care. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why -- what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions.. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band-Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try -- please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me..

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some non-politicians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill.. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington . Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic freedom spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when he will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming."

FRIDAY

It's vacation time for all us poor tired souls.