Recently, I have had some opportunities presented to me that I would have absolutely enjoyed, but I passed up because I felt like it was the right choice to make. The momentary happiness it would've brought would've risked something even greater…one of the most precious things to me: a beautiful friendship. But that wasn't a guarantee, and now that the moment has passed, and the fog has cleared my head…I regret the choice I made. Sometimes doing the right thing is so painful. I wonder if I could've changed the direction my life is headed by making this choice. The ripple effect would've changed other's lives too...

Well, now, I have to stand by the decision I made, and move on. This is the part I'm struggling so much with right now. Moving on. Why is it so hard to let go? This moment keeps replaying in my mind, and I see the possibilities…the ones I know now, bitterly, will never happen. Is it best to move on and just learn from it, or try to recapture that moment?

This "opportunity" was involving a dear friend. One who is now many miles away. I know with time, my heart will heal…and yet still, friendship means everything in the world to me. I've always heard the saying "If you love something set it free, if it comes back, it was meant to be" Well, this is one of those situations where I can be comfortable saying that I know it will never be. And yet, the friendship remains. I now have to just wipe my tears, keep going, and hope that the friendship never fades, and I will find another golden opportunity…the right one.

Well, I decided to put this here instead of a bulletin. Back in January, my Uncle Cleve passed away in his sleep of a diabetic crash. Well, last Saturday night, my cousin (his son) Jerry...was pistol-whipped and shot in the back of the head during a robbery of a gas station. This morning, he passed away. He was only 20 years old....please keep his mom and remaining brother in your prayers! She just lost my uncle, and now this. Here's an article regarding the incident. This is Jerry, with his baby brother, and older half-siblings....I took this pic when I went down for my uncle's funeral.

Perhaps for some of you, this is old news....but I just recently found out about this, and to be honest with you~I'm alarmed. As most of you know, I rarely blog anymore and even more rarely, post blogs of a political nature. But I thought I'd bring this up, share it with you....and get your thoughts. I'm not sure if I have all the information, or what to think about it...but I'd appreciate your opinion and thoughts on this. Just humor me, because this is pretty controversial stuff.

In case you didn't know about the Real ID Act of 2005, it was passed on May 11, 2005....attached to a bill for Tsunami Relief. What one has to do with the other is beyond me, unless it was being snuck through. Or, maybe Congress does things like that all the time. The Real ID is reportedly set to replace our state driver's licenses with a federal-issued license. I think the idea behind it was meant to tighten security for terrorists and illegal immigrants. If someone knows about all this, I invite your information and insight. But alot of the standards being set up for this seem a little creepy.....like something out of the Book of Revelation! For instance, it would require a "common machine-readable technology with defined data elements." In other words, they could theoretically require identification of fingerprints or retinal eye scans to be imput into the data of one of these cards! Is it me or am I being paranoid??!!

If you'd like to check this out for yourself, just click here! I did find some information stating that Congress is trying to back down from this on CNET News.com, but I'm not sure how reliable or objective these sources are. This seems to be headed for us in the near future. Not sure if there's any way to get out of it. Maybe I don't have all the facts on this, but if you know more about it, I'd love for you to share it here, along with your opinions!

Well, I hope everyone has plans for the weekend. I'm still job hunting, and I'm trying to remain positive. However, this is an interactive blog if you wish to play along. I started craving cupcakes last night....and decided to share some with you! Chocolate, vanilla, pretty icing and sprinkles...yum! I can't remember the last time we had cupcakes...maybe Valentines Day? So, in celebration of cupcakes...have a cupcake on me. If you like, you can share some with me, if you don't care for the flavor I'm serving, lol!

Hope your weekend is yummy!

Just a random blog about things I love and hate....feel free to add your own. You might learn a few surprising things about me. Then again, I might drive you crazy! =)

Things I LOVE

singing in the car

snuggling with my son

going to the beach

the smell of coffee

online bill paying

driving fast around tight curves

camping

Strawberry Twizzlers

the smell of a pipe

being left-handed

sleeping late on a Sunday morning

Myspace

tango

Obsession for Men

finding a great quote

the right side of my bed

being able to change my own tire or spark plugs

touching plush soft material

meaning the world to someone

Aquafina bottled water

my independence

Hi-tech gadgets

the number 108

finding the perfect sanddollar

my iPod Shuffle

tall, clipper ships

silver jewelry

the F word, yeah, "fuck"

the infinity symbol

liquid creamer

dark chocolate

long hugs

feng shui

solitude

James Bond

when the scale tells me I've lost another pound

dimples...when they're attached to a smile

leather

secrets and keeping them

listening to Jack Johnson or Sade on the beach

popping my knuckles or my bubble gum

being bitten on the neck

the architechural style of Frank Lloyd Wright

trying new things, activities, or food

Christina Aguilera's voice

crotch rockets and the boys who ride 'em

perfection

people who can whistle

Things I HATE

pennies (I think my carpet is breeding them)

people that drive for miles down the road with their turn signal on!

having cramps

country music

cigarette smoke

styrofoam cups

depression

the cost of gas

when friends move away

deadlines

wearing socks

odd numbers

rainy weekends

being an only child

humidity

routines

solitude

fake profiles

an overgrown yard

sand in my bathing suit

bad tippers

strangers who invade my personal air space

injustice

needing to pee during a great movie at the theatre

changing the litter box, hehe

surprises

long hair on guys (unless you're Bono)

racists, bigots, and homophobes...yeah!

mosquito bites

perfection

really long fingernails

the word, "phlegm"

using public bathrooms

hairy spiders

people who belch or pass gas in public

my fear of commitment

how the media portrays all Southerners as uncultured, ignorant rednecks

biting into a fuzzy peach

when somebody calls me "hun" or "sweetie"

hearing nail clippers

sarcasm

kids who are ungrateful and/or disrespectful

window shopping

Need to add a few?

I hope everybody is having a great summer and had a great Independence Day! We've had alot of rain here, but some friends and I decided to chance it and go camping. It was a blast. I thought I'd share a few pictures....this campground is on the state line of Florida and Alabama, right on the beach. It is easy to imagine that the place has not changed in a thousand years. The land is mostly marsh and grass....but breathtaking. I was surprised to learn there were alligators...because we were again, right on the beach. Imagine how fun it was to actually run into the gator and be able to take his picture. I must say, I can't wait to make this a regular habit. We went hiking, fishing, shot off fireworks (outside the grounds), and practically stayed up all night. Here's a few pics I took...

Setting up the tent in the rain was tedious, but essential...

A tower we climbed...it had a great view!

Looking over at Perdido Key....what a view. The fish were jumping!

Do they really have to post a sign asking people to NOT "molest" the alligators??!!

Here he is....I kept hoping he would swim around, but he was content to just sunbathe.

Another angle...

Thomas cooking the dogs and ribeyes...(it was really hot and humid).

We had to go somewhere else to shoot off fireworks...

Jeremy sittin' pretty.....

Caleb, after a long night of camping....

Well, for "roughing it" I recommend an air mattress, and if you're camping in Florida....a fan in the tent. It did wonders. Anyway, I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Just thought I'd share some pics of the local beach.....it was a beautiful day. The water was perhaps a little too cold still, unless you're a lifeguard or a surfer, and the wind made it even chillier. I will post these, and then I have to get to the kitchen because I promised my son tacos for supper tonight. Have a great night.

Sandpiper

Building sandcastles

Seashells

The sun shimmered on the waves today....

Word to the wise: If you see someone fishing, do NOT go swimming! This attracts sharks, and many tourists forget about that.

Why do boys like to dig holes?

Another shell washed up...

No makeup! (Yikes!)

A seagull....

Have a great weekend, everybody!

A friend of mine posts news reports in his blogs, and I enjoyed this one in particular. If you'd like to check him out, click on the picture.

A Nation of Nincompoops
by Linda Chavez
Posted 04/13/2007 ET
Updated 04/13/2007 ET

I am sick to death of Don Imus, and I'm tired of hearing his disgusting rant against the Rutgers women's basketball team. I don't care who fathered the daughter of trampy Anna Nicole Smith, nor was I interested in what killed the blowsy blonde or where she would be buried.

I don't need to know that the nutty astronaut who drove cross-country to confront her lover's other girlfriend wore diapers to cut down on her pit stops. I can't understand why the sight of police vehicles chasing speeding cars down interstates holds hypnotic power over millions of television viewers. Nor do I wait breathlessly for word on the latest missing coed who disappeared while on spring break or the hapless wife whose cheating husband dumped her body in San Francisco Bay.

Don't get me wrong. For those people who want to know who's sleeping -- or feuding -- with whom in Hollywood, or have an endless appetite for the macabre or just plain weird, there are plenty of resources available to get their fix, from the relatively respectable People magazine to the myriad pulp tabloids at the checkout stand, not to mention shows like "Access Hollywood" or cable channels like E! and Fox Reality.

But why must network news shows and serious newspapers, not to mention cable news stations, cover these insignificant stories ad nauseam? Blame it on the 24-hour "news" cycle. Admit it: There just isn't enough real news to fill 24 hours of programming a day. On some days, there's not even two or three hours' worth.

It used to be that television news followed the lead of the big, prestigious print media. If a story appeared on the front page of The New York Times or Washington Post, it led the nightly network newscast. But cable news changed that. A breaking story could be instantly covered and was old news by the time the paper came out the next morning. So, newspapers increasingly followed television's lead on some stories.

In the past, however, the print media could usually be counted on to provide more depth than a two-minute TV story. Even more importantly, newspapers could discriminate between legitimate news and fluff, relegating the latter to the style and entertainment pages in the back of the paper.

No more. Now, in the rush to attract readers, the silliest stories appear alongside the latest news from the Iraq war or the reversal of a longstanding Supreme Court precedent.

And the vicious cycle got worse as cable news increasingly turned to sensational stories with little substance in the search for more and more viewers. A fire in a warehouse in Duluth? Send in the cameras so millions can watch it burn. A raunchy pop singer forgets her underwear when she goes partying? Flash the pictures every 20 minutes -- making sure her private parts are blurred just enough to satisfy the Federal Communications Commission while still titillating viewers.

We seem to be losing the ability to distinguish what is noteworthy from what is simply notorious. And in the process, we are creating greater celebrity for people who don't deserve it.

Don Imus is a crank. But his bigoted remarks have made him more famous than anything he's done in the past and will probably attract more listeners when he returns to his ornery morning show than he has ever had. MSNBC and CBS may have cancelled him for now, but he'll be back, and when he returns, ratings will go up. And we can thank the "news" coverage Imus has received when they do.

Is it any wonder that more people can probably identify Sanjaya than their own senator? We are becoming a nation of nincompoops. And in a democracy, that's a worrisome thing.

We live in a dangerous and complicated world in which we're asked to make difficult decisions with too little information. The news media have always played an important role in getting us the facts to inform those choices. But they are quickly abdicating that role in lieu of entertaining us.

It almost makes me hanker for the 15-minute news broadcasts of my youth. At least Chet Huntley and David Brinkley could be counted on to report real news and leave the entertainment to Ed Sullivan and Sid Caesar.

Lately, I feel a burden on my shoulders about America's children. They are lost, angry, and often alone. We need to stand up and show them we love them even if its tough love. I received this long ago, when the incident at Columbine High School happened. My son was in kindergarten at the time, and I've kept it on my fridge ever since. I hope you will be inspired by these words as much as I am.

A Promise to My Children~The Parent's Pledge 

1.     Effective immediately, I will take responsibility for the messages that are related to my child through TV, movies music, video games and the Internet. It is not censorship. I am doing my job as a parent.

2.     Effective immediately, I will make spirituality a stronger presence in our home.

3.     Effective immediately, I will volunteer with a youth program in my community to help children whose parents aren't providing the necessary love and guidance. These kids are part of my child's world. By helping them, I am helping my child.

4.     Effective immediately, I will educate my children so their decisions are based on fact and not peer pressure.

5.     Effective immediately, I will teach my children morals, values, truth and respect for all living things and show their importance through my example.

6.     Effective immediately, I will get involved in my child's school through PTA or other parenting organizations. By meeting with other parents and teachers, I can make sure appropriate actions are being taken daily to protect my children.

7.     Effective immediately, I will support and nurture my child's extracurricular activities, monitoring their sports and introducing them to the arts and reading.

8.     Effective immediately, I will teach proper communication skills and manners to my children and show their importance through my example.

9.     Effective immediately, I will spend as much time as possible with my child. There is no substitute for a loving parent.

10.   Effective immediately, I will teach my children that every action carries a consequence. I will not be afraid to discipline my child as long as my emotions are in check and love is in my heart. If I can't control my child, I will seek outside help.

A friend of mine, Wonder Woman, wrote about a special little girl who touched her life many years ago. Would you mind taking a few moments to go read about it? You'll be glad you did. Her tribute was special, and I believe what she wrote will touch your heart...so without further adieu, here's Wonder Woman's blog.

Today was a blustery day here and we are under tornado warnings. The rumor at work was that the local schools had closed and sent kids home early. So when I got out of work today, I decided to call home and see if my munchkin made it home early.

Normally, I pick up my cell phone and press the call button to scroll down to who I want to call, highlight that number, and then call them. My cell displays the last number dialed. So I press the call button to highlight "home" and discover, unbeknownst to me....that my cell phone has called somebody on my call history! Oooops! How embarrassing! Not only that, but my phone isn't supposed to be on when I'm on calls, so I'm not sure when it was turned on.... What's worse, is that I don't know when the call took place or how long it lasted. I suppose I could review my account online and review my call history.

I thought back to everything I did today and who and what I talked about. I took calls today, went on break, took more calls, went to lunch AND the restroom.....yikes! Oh, and between calls today, we chatted and gossipped about the incoming storms and some girl getting married on her day off.

A few years back, a friend of mine went out with her boyfriend and her cell phone called me right in the middle of their frisky session! I was mortified! But later, I told her about it, and now she double checks to make sure her phone is off before anything else!

Have any of your friends' cell phones called you without their knowledge?

I normally try to steer clear of conflict. But one of the things I find interesting about this year's election is that we have such a diversity of possible candidates. It makes me proud to know that the US has come this far.....I'm heading out for the evening, but I just wanted to get your honest opinion here. This has nothing really to do with your desires or wishes regarding your political affiliation. But this year, so far the possible candidates standing out (and two of them will be trying for the Democratic nomination)...which one do you think has the most successful chance of winning? I am removing all my opinions here. This is strictly conjecture here, but I think a black man has a better chance of winning than a white woman. Maybe it comes down to a battle of the sexes. Or maybe race, although I hope that America has evolved regarding that issue. What I find interesting so far is that we have a black man, a white woman, and a man of Italian heritage. This isn't about what they represent, merely the way I see things happening. So I decided to conduct a non-scientific poll. Voting is anonymous.....feel free to leave your opinion and/or prediction regarding this year's election.