You know, there are days where you just need to jabber. I think today is one of those days. Do you realize that my blog has been viewed 5571 times as of this moment. This is blog number 154. I swear the topics cover everything from A to Z and loop around to the middle again.

So I admit it. I can be a scatterbrain at times. I will start off on one train of thought and somehow end up in a complete different place. Its part of my charm I guess. I guess it represents the many layer that creates my personality. The problem is I think to much. I just dont know how to shut off my mind.

So let's take a trip back in time.
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978 ~ This is as good of place as any. After all this is where life stopped being so simple.

I lived in Mar Dan Trailer Ct. Lot 2A Mt. Pleasant Iowa. first drive 2nd trailer to the right. Out trailer had a small tilt out. We were probably about a mile south of city limits. I was old enough to ride my bike into town from time to time. I had never been away from home buch outside of the last summer when I went to go visit Aunt Iris for 2 weeks in that summer. She had moved from Burlington to Jefferson in mid 76. I spent the next summer visiting her for 2 weeks, and I was going to go visit her again this summer.
I was turning 13, but was so much still a naive child. See I was raised by my great grand parents. They kept me close, never letting me venture to far away. I was not allowed to be friends with boys and no boys were allowed in my yard. My walls were covered with teen heart throbs. Donny Osmond, Leif Garret, Scott Baio. You get the picture. I had just gotten my hair cut for the 1st time in many years. My hair was down to my butt and it was very wavy. But all that hair was gone.

The summer was spent hanging out at Ace Pizza, Ridding my skateboard out in front of the Bell Tower, Swimming, And going to the movie. The only people I really met were people in the resturant. I made a couple of friends at that time. Polly Ann Borst and Paulette Stampe.  I spent a lot of time helping with washing dishes. Then after returning home to Mt Pleasant I would go to day camp for a week. I attendend the 1st baptist churh. We would go to camp goldenvalley near lockridge every year. It was always fun.

The school year started I was in 8th grade. I didnt have a clue that I would not finish 8th grade with the only classmates I ever knew.

December came my mom (great grandmother) was sick. She ended up in the hospital for a few days. To this day I dont know what was going on. Everyone was trying to protect me like they had my entire life. So no one was telling me anything. I have always believed they were keeping it from me, because that year was the 1st Christmas I spent away from home. I was excited to spend Christmas with Aunt Iris. Christmas eve we would gather at Aunt Iris' house and open presents, then Christmas day we had this huge dinner at the resturant, there were like 100 people there.

3 days later we were celebrating Uncle Deano's birthday after the resturant closed for the night. The phone rang and my life changed forever. My mom (great grandmother) had just died. I had never felt a pain so deep. At midnight we drove the 5 hours back home to Mt. Pleasant. I cried all the way. The trailer seemed so empty when I walked in. Funeral services were at Weir Cook funeral home in Mt Pleasant at 2pm on Sunday December 31st 1978. Dispite the huge snow storm the place was packed. My mom was well loved. We were not able to bury her that day because of the snow. She was buried a week later. at the Grant Cemetry outside of Rome Iowa.



I think I may just add to this blog from time to time and fill in the rest of the years. who knows maybe I will just do a different one each time.

Until later ~

Once upon a rainy night
I became a big part of your life
You brightened up each and everyday
Now the years slowly fade away
You were my sunshine
You were my rain
Your love for me always remained
Through times of sorrow
Through times of joy
You even test drove my shiney new red toy
You held my hand as I gave birth
Now I give you back to the earth
Your body may have now failed
But my love for you shall always prevail


©Cuba Cerene Lane 2009

*note* This is a poem I wrote for my aunt after she passed away, I read it at her funeral

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK0DjYE-GVA

Jennifer Lopez If You Had My Love (C) 1999 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twSYGWn3Co4

Today things are a little clearer, I just need to stop believing in people thats all. I have to remember that the only person I can count on is myself. And I just need to starting writing people off as a lesson learned, and not let it happen again.

I hate feeling up in the air about things. Maybe I should just leave it alone. Maybe it dont really matter anyway. I dont know why it bothers me so much but it does. Yeah, I do know why it bothers me, it feels like history repeating itself. Its like an endless cycle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3Ls52O4zjI

My youngest has decided to go to his Junior Prom, he is going by him self, I am scared he will be embarrassing himself. He wants to wear the $20 gangster suite Halloween costume he wore Trick or Treating this last year. I am telling him no. The tickets were $25 for just one person. He had to borrow that from me.

Think thats bad? Next year both of the boys are going cuz it will be their last year. They plan on renting an old fashion hearse. I never went to prom. I never have been the kind of person that went places alone. Plus I had a 2 month old baby.

So hey I need some advice here. What do kids wear to prom these days, do they still wear tux's?

How many of you out here has checked to see what their state plans on doing with their stimulus money. It was my understanding that this money was intended to stimulate our economy. Do you think beautification projects should be included in ways to spend this money? I dont think that with the problems people are having finacialy, they really care how pretty something looks. Am I right?

I live in Iowa as many of you already know. This is how Iowa plans on spending the money.
........

Description	City	State	Jobs	Cost	Program Type	Vote Ratio
ADA Sidewalk Ramps	Davenport	IA	56	$5,200,000	Streets/Roads	-46
Alley Reconsrtuction	Davenport	IA	29	$2,900,000	Streets/Roads	-89
Davenport Sewer Projects, Including West Diversion Tunnel	Davenport	IA	606	$56,100,000	Water	41
Urban Waterfront Floodplain Management Demonstration Project	Davenport	IA	99	$9,200,000	Water	2
Lagoon Restoration	Davenport	IA	7	$650,000	Water	-35
Transit Garage	Davenport	IA	55	$5,100,000	Transit	-49
Street Resurfacing	Des Moines	IA	30	$2,000,000	Streets/Roads	6
Riverpoint West Street Improvements, non-rise portion	Des Moines	IA	25	$1,500,000	Streets/Roads	-23
McKinley Avenue Widening from South Union to S.E. 5th	Des Moines	IA	25	$1,400,000	Streets/Roads	-16
Curb & Median Replacement	Des Moines	IA	20	$750,000	Streets/Roads	-27
Pleasant Drive Bridge over Cummins Creek	Des Moines	IA	25	$700,000	Streets/Roads	-28
Southwest Area Diversion Facility, Phase 22, Segment 3	Des Moines	IA	25	$8,000,000	Water	-13
Flow Monitoring	Des Moines	IA	25	$6,000,000	Water	-30
West Des Moines Outfall, Phase 13, Segment 6	Des Moines	IA	25	$6,000,000	Water	-26
Lower Union Park Sewer Separation	Des Moines	IA	25	$5,000,000	Water	-12
Southern Tier Pump Station Improvements	Des Moines	IA	25	$5,000,000	Water	-8
Lining Sanitary Trunk and Laterals	Des Moines	IA	25	$3,000,000	Water	-7
Riverpoint Trunk Separation	Des Moines	IA	25	$2,500,000	Water	-12
Southeast Ridge Trunk	Des Moines	IA	25	$2,000,000	Water	-14
West Des Moines Outfall, Phase 13, Segment 5	Des Moines	IA	25	$1,750,000	Water	-15
East Army Post Road Trunk	Des Moines	IA	25	$1,500,000	Water	-18
Little Four Mile Trunk	Des Moines	IA	25	$1,500,000	Water	-19
Twelfth Street Sewer Separation	Des Moines	IA	25	$1,000,000	Water	1
Southwest Area Diversion Facility, Phase 22, Segment 7	Des Moines	IA	25	$750,000	Water	-11
Terminal Modifications for EDS Deployment	Des Moines	IA	30	$6,200,000	Airport	-28
Consolidated Rental Car Service Facility	Des Moines	IA	40	$6,000,000	Airport	-129
Terminal Concourse Enhancements	Des Moines	IA	40	$3,500,000	Airport	-47
Wetlands Mitigation	Des Moines	IA	25	$1,300,000	Airport	-38
Access Control Field Equipment Purchase/Installation	Des Moines	IA	10	$800,080	Airport	-22
Franklin Library Renovation and Expansion	Des Moines	IA	71	$6,100,000	CDBG	-53
Recreation Trails	Des Moines	IA	6	$2,000,000	CDBG	-97
New Sidewalks	Des Moines	IA	6	$1,200,000	CDBG	-37
Parks Improvements to playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, skate parks & shelters	Des Moines	IA	6	$1,000,000	CDBG	-42
LEED Certified Construction of Fire Station 1	Des Moines	IA	40	$8,000,000	Energy	-11
Grandview Golf Course Clubhouse built to LEED standards	Des Moines	IA	50	$1,300,000	Energy	-187
Expand Trail System to provide alternative transportation options.	Des Moines	IA	25	$1,300,000	Energy	-29
Retrofit Parking Garages with LED lighting and Motion Sensors.	Des Moines	IA	5	$1,000,000	Energy	-25
Citywide interconnection of all Traffic Lights.	Des Moines	IA	25	$500,000	Energy	-17
Energy Conservation Program	Des Moines	IA	6	$100,000	Energy	-2
Forensic DNA Laboratory	Des Moines	IA	3	$2,100,000	Public Safety	15
HLS Support Equipment - EOD/WMD/CBRNE	Des Moines	IA	0	$1,800,000	Public Safety	-26
Communications Interoperability Efforts	Des Moines	IA	0	$1,500,000	Public Safety	-29
Narcotics Complaint Response Team	Des Moines	IA	9	$1,200,000	Public Safety	-34
HLS Response Team	Des Moines	IA	9	$1,200,000	Public Safety	-15
Intelligence Driven Street Crimes Unit	Des Moines	IA	9	$1,200,000	Public Safety	-15
Fugitive Task Force	Des Moines	IA	9	$1,200,000	Public Safety	-16
Mobile Data System Enhancements	Des Moines	IA	0	$1,000,000	Public Safety	-28
Automated Field Reporting System	Des Moines	IA	1	$650,000	Public Safety	-27
Wireless LAN in all DMPS school buildings	Des Moines	IA	10	$2,370,000	Schools	-86
Installation of security cameras and electronic card keys on all DMPS buildings	Des Moines	IA	10	$1,580,000	Schools	-47
Metronet Shared Fiber Optic Wide Network	Des Moines	IA	10	$215,000	Schools	-42

Total amount submitted by Iowa is $185,815,080

All I see is a bunch of short term work for our construction companies, while yes they need the work, But I just dont see how these projects are going help in the long run. I think this money need to be used to help keep our factories operating, to create long term jobs to keep people from losing their homes and everything they have worked for their entire lives.
These projects are centered around Des Moines and Davenport, What about the rest of the state. While statistics say that Iowa is amoung the top 10 states that has the lowest unemployment rates, we are slowly slipping. People are scared, they are not traveling as much, many have already lost their jobs, you know what that effects my job. People dont travel we dont have motel guests, Which mean cut in hours for us. Currently its so bad that I am lucky if I get to work 2 days a week and I am use to working 5 or 6 days a week.

Check out this link  http://www.stimuluswatch.org/project/by_state

Click on your state and see what they plan on doing with the money that is suppose to help our econamy. On this site you can voice your opinion on the projects and vote whether or not each project is really nessessary.
2 million for recreational trails, Give me a break, $650,000 could of saved The Echo/Traco factory here in Red Oak and could of saved approx 140 jobs. We need to save the places that are closing and leaving the people without jobs. Do you think they are thinking well I may not have a job but hey whats my job compared to recreational trails. We need to speak up and do something about this.

Let your voice be heard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHVL-M3pL_Y

After months of writters block, I finally wrote something new.

Broken

Shattered and broken
A heart on the mend
Not at all sure
If I can do it again
Years of suffering
Beaten and abused
Tortured by the ones
Who's love was not true
Longing to feel safe
Protected and new
Can I place my trust
In loving you

© Cuba Cerene Lane 2009

For years I have dreamed of writing. All I seem to be able to squeak out is poems. I have all these ideas for stories, but I am clueless on where or how to begin. I have tried many times to write it all down. once the thoughts hit the paper. I am like where do I go. When i write letters they are always very long and expressive. I want to be able to put that in to a book. I feel that if I could ever get those thought put together and written down. It would be totally awesome. I feel I am capable of producing a timeless work of art. I just havent been able to figure out how to go about it.
Its in my bloodline to write. The famous relative link on ancestry.com shows that I have these people in my treee.

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	Stephen Crane (1871-1900)
	American Author Stephen Crane began writing at the age of 8. His most famous novel, The Red Badge of Courage, was about the American Civil War. He died at the age of 28 of tuberculosis
	Relationship: 4th Cousin 7 times removed

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	Edgar Lee Masters (1868-1950)
	American Writer Edgar Lee Masters is the author of several biographies, books of poetry, plays and novels. His most famous work is "Spoon River Anthology" which was inspired by his experiences growing up in Illinois.
	Relationship: 7th Cousin 3 times removed ..tr height="12">..table> ..tr>..table>..tr height="12">..table> Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American Author American author, poet, and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson first formulated the philosophy of Transcendentalism. His essay "Nature" expresses this philosophy. He also wrote "The Concord Hymn" and coined the phrase "the shot heard round the world." Relationship: 5th Cousin 7 times removed ..tr>..table>..tr height="12">..table> William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) Newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst was a newspaper mogul who was responsible for inventing yellow journalism. His reporters often invented scandalous stories to sell papers. Relationship: 8th Cousin 2 times removed ..tr>..table>..tr height="12">..table> Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) American Author Nathaniel Hawthorne was a key figure in the development of American literature. He wrote such classics as The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables. Relationship: 6th Cousin 6 times removed ..tr>..table>..tr height="12">..table> Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) Anglo-Irish Priest and Writer Jonathan Swift is well known for his satirical prose such as Gulliver's Travels and A Modest Proposal. Swift, was also an ordained minister in the Church of Ireland. Relationship: 3rd Cousin 12 times removed ..tr>..table>..tr height="12">..table> Emily Dickenson (1830-1886) American Poet Emily Dickenson is considered one of the most influential poets in American history. During her lifetime she published only a few poems, though her writing career produced over 1700 poems (all published posthumously). Relationship: 6th Cousin 6 times removed ..tr>..table>..tr height="12">..table> Truman Capote (1924-1984) American Author His works have become film legends, such as Breakfast at Tiffany's. Born Truman Persons, he wrote the screenplays of many films, as well as creating the short story "Miriam" which won an O. Henry Award. Relationship: 9th Cousin 5 times removed ..tr>..table>..tr height="12">..table> ..table> Elizabeth Browning (1806-1861) English Author and poet How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. These famous words were penned by English poet and author Elizabeth Barrett Browning, one of the most respected writers of the Victorian era. Relationship: 11th Cousin 3 times removed ..tr>..table>..tr height="12">..table> Jane Austen (1775-1817) English Author Jane Austin was well educated and began writing at a young age. Though she wrote with a man's alias, many of her novels, which include Pride and Prejudice and Emma, have become widely popular. Relationship: 7th Cousin 7 times removed ..tr>..table>..table> 9:11 PM  0 Comments (Add Comment) | 0 Kudos Translate These are just a few of the many people that show up for my relatives. Powered by English Albanian Arabic Bulgarian Catalan Chinese Croatian Czech Danish Dutch Estonian Filipino Finnish French Galician German Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Indonesian Italian Japanese Korean Latvian Lithuanian Maltese Norwegian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Slovak Slovenian Spanish Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Vietnamese