A Laugh (for me at least)

I don't have anything exciting to say, but I did just see this and it made me laugh.

It's a birthday kinda day

Today is my favorite little baby giraffe's first birthday. And lucky for me, I get to go feed him today.

Today is also my cat Cady's birthday (according to her ARL papers). She's two. Not that she acts any less like a kitten. She still claws and plays and claws. I thought cats slept like 20 hours a day. Not this one. Luckily, I found out today that one of my favorite little cat cartoons (Simon's Cat) released a new video. And it just perfectly depicts Cady. Enjoy!

Yummy, yummy produce

Today's take was kale, onions, potatoes (!!), cucumbers galore, and zucchini. Very happy with this week's CSA take. I got quite a bunch of everything.

I'm really looking forward to the potatoes and zucchini most of all. I plan to incorporate the onions and kale into some turkey burgers this weekend. I got some awesome recipes to work from this week and I'm really looking forward to it.

I tried some of the cucumber tonight. I've never really liked them, but I could tolerate it for the sake of eating veggies. I need to remember I eat for fuel and not for fun. And cukes are probably the best way to remind myself of that.

Ugh

I feel fat today. Oh yeah...I AM fat. Time to get up off this lazy butt again.

A Sad Day for Iowa

So Iowa is in the thralls of a controversy. Yes....it's critically important, so stop the presses and send in all the TV reporters. Stop all the food-on-a-stick reports. No, wait, they can't stop that.

The Iowa State Fair plans to honor Michael Jackson with a butter sculpture along-side the already scheduled main-event sculpture honoring the anniversary of the moon landing. But wait...apparently "people" are in an uproar over this and now it's being put to a vote.

A vote over a butter sculpture.

Let me repeat that for emphasis.... A vote over a butter sculpture.

Yes, some Iowans are all in a tizzy that someone DARE honor the King of Pop at the Iowa State Fair. How DARE we honor a man who changed music, dance, and arguably, the world?

Since when are the butter sculptures up to general Iowans? Would they similarly protest a butter Elvis (for his doing drugs, or dating a minor) or a butter Garth Brooks (for obvious reasons)? No. MJ is apparently evil incarnate . As my previous blog stated, let those without sin (drug doing, a 14 year old dating a 24 year old, divorce, horrible music) cast the first stone. I find this particular "issue" laughable and sickening.

Who should really care if the sculptor decides to honor a musician, dance, humanitarian? Oh wait, the red-neck idiots of my state do. And since I listen almost exclusivley to a Christian music station, they are of the same judgemental persuasion. And that saddens me to no end. Jesus did not ask us to judge those among us. He LOVED those among us. So to listen to a Christian radio station judge with such ease gives me pause. And further saddens me for their hipocrasy.

I know I likely have some people reading this who will disagree with me (and likely strongly so). But I choose to follow the path of love, not judgment. And the path of love seems to be ignored lately, in favor of judgment and hate. And that is something I will NOT abide by.

RIP Michael Jackson

I've watched pieces of today's memorial service for Michael Jackson. What really got to me was his daughter, Paris. I can't help but feel horrible for his children. I think people forget that Michael Jackson was a PERSON. He had feelings, loves, hates, pains, and yes, faults. But he's a human. In the ultimate spotlight. How would you fare?

I posted the following comment to someone's blog a few minutes ago. They are as good as a blog to me:
______________________________

I LOVED MJ back in the day. And I respect his talent to this day. And I enjoy the memories I have of listening to his music, watching his videos and dance moves.

I find the hatin' tired. This man had an impact. More than most of the haters will ever have. His talent is indisputable, no matter what. He was a father, son, friend, brother. And that seemed to be important to him beyond most things. He may have had questionable moments. But don't we all? Let those without sin cast the first stone.

RIP MJ. You WILL be missed.

Who says you can't fight...

Who says you can't fight city hall...er...the county assessor's office?!

Recently I argued that my home's assessment wasn't accurate. They'd increased it again, despite the fact that properties are selling for MUCH less in my area than when I bought. (Ugh.)

I decided to file a protest against that. I provided data about current sales and listing prices in my townhome development. And after checking my mail today, I found a letter that said, I'd won! Woohoo! I dropped my assessment $10K.

While it sucks that I can't sell near for the price where I bought this "lovely" place. At least I don't have to pay completely unrealistic property taxes.

And here's hoping the prices rebound....