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| This would be what everyone asprired to look like....  Andromeda
 The Union of Earth and Water
 The Judgement of Paris
 Venus Pudica
 The Three Graces
 Angelica and the Hermit
 Venus at the Mirror
 Nereid and Triton
Who else is proud to be Rubenesque? | | |
| Do you know how much the president makes? I didn't until today when a friend of mine posted on their facebook wall one of those "re post if you agree" messages that pointedly talked about one of many possible reasons for the downward spiral the economy has taken as of late. $400,000 is an awful lot of money for someone who on top of that receives, in excess, of a million dollars in various expense accounts to cover a number of things that he could need. On top of that, the big cheese, also has unlimited use of 5 full time chefs, the massive expanse that is the White House and the Camp David retreat (oh, what I would give for a week in the wooded haven that is Camp David, that is without all of the dignitaries and politicians) use of the presidential limo that gets replaced every 4 years. The President has at his disposal an almost unlimited number of staff, 100 assistants for work in the WH office, 3 outside people to work at the private residence, a seperate 34 people to work in the domestic service and administration, an unlimited number of outside consultants and experts and none of this even begins to cover the maintenance on the grounds and property all of which is covered at no cost to the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. On top of that he also receives a $50,000 general expense account, an account for office expenses, an entertainment expense, a SEPERATE entertainment account for "official" presidential functions and a travel account for him and anyone traveling with him. Retirement, a time of uncertainty for many, not so much for the president. After his term is over, the executive pension is pretty hefty, over $150,000/ yr hefty. To put some perspective on that, former president Clinton is expected to average out at around $6 million. In addition to the pension he also receives free office space for his post presidential ventures and $96,000/yr to pay for office help and is eligible for up to 150,000/yr for the first 2.5 yrs post presidency to hire staff to help with the transition. All of this on the tax payer dime and none of this includes any money that he may make from any royalties or business ventures he may participate in outside of polital office at any time. Not a bad payday when you consider that the median household pay for us commoners was around $50,000/yr in 2006. Now, I realize the vast responsibility that comes with being the leader of the free world and while I am not saying that the president does not deserve to make more than anyone else I also don't agree that we should be footing the bill, especially in times of such economic turbulence. There is a possibility, although remote as it may be, that we will not be able to pay our bills as of the beginning of August and that is a frightening concept for a country that has always been the richest country in the world. So many of us don't know just exactly how much or why we owe what we do. It seems to me that most of the "pay" of being leader comes from the joy of being able to help our country in a time of need and if the truth be known, the only reason that the president even got a pay raise was because the leaders of Congress and the House wanted to vote themselves a new pay raise and couldn't do so until they did the same for the big guy since their pay was getting dangerously close to his. Now, there's a reason to get a raise! All I am saying is that it seems slightly skewed that the president makes $400,000/yr while our soldiers in combat bring in a measly $20,000/yr and they put their lives on the line every day, are on call 24/7, have absolutely no personal life, are away from their families for months on end, are some of the most loved and most hated people in the world, and while the president may have to make the call to declare war and worry about the consequences of his decision our soldiers are on the front line enforcing his decisions and they are the ones who see first hand the results of those decisions. Oh, did I mention that should the country go belly up and not be able to pay our bills, the president gets paid, our soldiers don't. | | |
| Are we so disenchanted with the ever after notion of marriage that we are willing to write it off completely? A new article on HuffingtonPost.com seems to think so, according to Dr. Neil Clark Warren, an increasing number of Americans are leaning toward the notion that institute of marriage is becoming obsolete. Take a look around you and you may tend to agree with him, after all in the last decade the number of unmarried couples choosing cohabitation as an option has increased more than 25% and 45% to 50% of marriages end in divorce with the number only rising with each marriage. With such staggering data to choose from it makes you wonder why the GLBT community is fighting so hard for the right to marry when they too are surely doomed to the same fate. I suspect that the problem lies in the definition of what a marriage really is. I saw so many of my classmates graduate high school and jump into marriage with unreasonable expectations only to end up living in a miserable situation or eventually divorcing. I realize you may be wondering what a single girl knows about what makes a successful marriage and while I have never been married I have learned quite a bit from trial and error and just simply by watching the best example a person can have for what makes a lasting marriage, my parents, whose 50th wedding anniversary is coming up this next year. 1. Practice Common Sense: Chances are that that person that you thought you just couldn't live without in high school is not the one. I know it sounds cliche and when I was younger I refused to believe when people told me that I was too young to really understand what love was but as I grew older I realized that I really didn't. By the grace of God I dodged so many bullets but I know where I could be right now. physical appearance, similar tastes those things are not what make a marriage last, sure similar taste will give you something to talk about but if you don't RESPECT each other then you will never want to talk to each other. Just a reminder, respect means to show consideration for someone, you may have 100 things in common but if you can't respect that person for the 1000 things you don't have in common then you probably shouldn't be getting married. 2. Patience is a Virtue: No matter what you may think, there is no rush, take your time. I am a huge proponent of living with someone before you get married, you never really know someone until you have lived with them for at least a year. This is when you will find out about each others quirks and if you can't find a way to deal with those quirks or to compromise somehow on them during that first year or so living together what really makes you think that you will feel any different 10 years down the road. Just remember, those little things that you thought were cute in the beginning usually end up being what drives a wedge between you in the end. 3. Marriage Does Not Equal Happy: The fact is you will have good and bad days but its how you handle the bad days that will determine how good those good days will be. Just because you believe in fairy tales does not mean that they exist, marriage, or any relationship for that matter, is hard work and it takes that hard work from both people and if both of you are not 100% willing to do the work then you are not 100% ready to be married just yet. 4. Two Heads Are Better Than One: Now, do not misinterpret what I am about to say as I know many probably will but a marriage consists of TWO people but BOTH of those people CAN NOT be the head of house, one of you will have to take the lead. I was raised in a very devout Christian home and my parents taught me that Christ was the head of man, man was the head of woman and God was the head of Christ. Now, however this works out for you someone has to be the head, BUT if the person who is the head of the house is right (with God) then not only will they consult with God then they will also consult with their partner to come to the best decision for all involved. Whether or not you like it I have seen it in action and it works and believe me, if you are with someone who respects you then you will never have anything to worry about. 5. Support Your Spouse: This ties into number 4, support your partner in their decisions, you may not always like them and you don't have to but you put in your two cents and your partner makes the best decision they can with the information that they have available. Now, what I am not saying is this, for example, I had a partner one time who was a wrestling fanatic and would spend our money on gear for him to wrestle in, this included money for bills. I did not support his choice because that was his immaturity showing through. However, if your love is offered a job in another city, a far off city, and the two of you have discussed the pros and cons of the decision, whatever his choice is, support him in it. It may turn out to have been the wrong choice, but it happens and you will make the best of the situation. This was the way that my mom explained it to me many, many years ago, if you fall in love with a man, ask yourself the following, is he a Godly man, when faced with a problem how does he handle it? If he consults with you for your input and then prays about it to the Lord you are indeed a blessed woman. Is he a hard worker, will he do what is necessary to provide for his family or will he squander away your work on useless things? Does he respect you, will he turn to you for advice when he is troubled, will he turn to you for comfort when he is in pain, will he share with you his joys and triumphs, will he be honest with you in all areas of your life together? If you can answer yes to ALL of those then you are a lucky woman. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to relationships, it comes down to this, if you are not able to honestly and openly listen to your gut then be prepared to make huge mistakes and be even more prepared to clean up the mess when it all come tumbling down around you. Marriage is a contract, a union, that is not to be entered into lightly, as my Daddy would say, "measure twice, cut once." | | |
| I love living in Texas!! I hate the heat here but I love living in Texas. You could say I am a Texas girl through and through, they say everything is bigger in Texas and that definitely goes for the pride people from these parts feel for their home. Yet, as much pride as I feel for this wonderful, beautiful place I call home, I feel as much irritation and annoyance toward the stupid people that live here. I know that there are stupid people all over this great land of ours but it just seems that its amplified by the fools that live here. This year, so far, seems to have been a year of natural disasters, from tornadoes to floods it seems that everyone has had their share of mother nature's fury, Texas included. This year has been the worst drought the state has seen in 116 years, since record keeping began here. 2.5 million acres of land have been destroyed by wildfires and approx. 30% of the crops and pastures have been lost across the state. There are 254 counties in Texas, of those counties, as of July 3rd there are only 19 counties not listed under a burn ban, those counties primarily located are centered in the far northeast region that has had recent rains but the rest of us have been severely lacking. Now, if there is one thing that we do big around here its patriotic holidays. Cookouts, family, God and fireworks. Lots of fireworks. Most larger, more populated counties have restrictions on fireworks within city limits byt most of the more rural counties allow fireworks, as long as there is no standing burn ban like there is now. Every year there are people shooting off fireworks in my very populated neighborhood, usually I just shake my head and mutter "idiot" under my breath but this year I feel a certain concern over this act. I am not always the most law abiding, I speed, don't cross at crosswalks all the time but when it comes to the big stuff, the stuff that is life and death important, I pay attention and I just don't get what makes others not use their noggins and practice some common sense. When 238 counties are under burn bans because of such extreme drought conditions why take the chance of starting any kind of fire, after all, out in the country there is mostly land to be destroyed but here in the city its houses....and people who pay a price for your stupidity. Can someone explain to me why people refuse to use their heads when they know better? | | |
| The cool, early morning air felt exquisite blowing through my hair. In the distance I could smell the faint whiffs of the animal stalls as the workers mucked them out mixed with the sweet smells of hot cocoa and sausage being sold at the nearby Owens Family stand. The wooden bench was moist beneath me as my feet kicked at the sand and dirt mixture beneath. The early morning sounds of the fair were some of my favorite sounds, the rides swooshing loudly on their test runs, the lyrics of an Alabama song from the speaker of a nearby radio, the game callers shouts as they heckle the passer-bys on the Midway. It was October in Texas, the excitement filled the air around me, I looked forward to this time of year, hay rides and pumpkin patches, sweaters and shorts. This day, however, was fair day, the one day of the year that even the oldest among us could forget about that and feel a little more like a kid again. I started every fair day the same way each year, arriving early, before the crowds arrived to enjoy the peacefulness of the brisk fall morning. In fact, the only thing that had changed after all these years was the absences of my parents and the home made sausage biscuits that mom made each year fresh that morning and carefully wrapped in foil and stored in the cooler to keep them warm until time to eat. A stroll through the farm buildings would bring back memories of Spike, the police horse my mother “adopted” one year. Year after year in the days that led up to fair day, mom would constantly talk about Spike and wonder if he would still be there waiting for her to come see him and each year after year we would stroll through the barns looking at the pigs and Billy goats making our way through the maze of stalls until we would at last reach the horse stalls. The sign at the door way read “authorized
personnel only” but that never stopped mom, she would walk on right through the doors and gaze at the names on each of the stalls until she would find Spike. He knew her, instinctively, each time despite all the weeks apart, she could call his name and he would comeright over and nuzzle his wet nose into her palm. She could stand there for hours and talk to him, I always suspected that they were kindred spirits of sorts, it was the only thing that kept her coming to the fair each year until one year we came
and Spike wasn’t there, no sign of him, no name plate on the stall door, nothing. We managed to track down a worker who gave us the news. We left early that year; mom just couldn’t bear the hurt any longer. That was the last year mom came to the fair. When I was a child the midway was my favorite place to be. It screamed fun and excitement but the only problem was that I was too big of a chicken to ride any of them. It took a couple of years for my dad to talk me into riding more than just the marry-go-round and the go karts. It was the scrambler and it terrified me. I was six with a broken arm when he helped me into the silver and blue streaked car. He settled into the seat next to me and squeezed me close as they secured the bar in place. He looked over at me and explained how to get the most out of the ride, explained how to feel the pull of the ride and just when to shift so that as the ride spins to make it feel like it was going faster. The ride started slowly and I looked up and found mom in the people standing by the riding watching as it began to spin us backward from our starting place. I was laughing while I waved at her, laughing at the freedom of spinning around in a circle, weightless and giddy, I laughed until the tears came. Mixed in with the
joy and exhilaration was trepidation and fear. I was six the day I had my first panic attack but I can still feel my dad’s arm pulling me closer to him, what must have been only a couple of minutes felt like an eternity to me but finally I heard the buzzer sound and the ride begin to slow to a stop. I could feel my dad’s chest heaving up and down as he chuckled at my reaction to the ride. As my dad helped me off the ride suddenly there was a wave of sadness that washed over me, it was a lot like my reaction to the movie Poltergeist, it scared the crap out of me but I didn’t want it to end. In the years that followed the Scrambler would become one of my favorite rides along with the
Tilt-a-Whirl and the Love Bug. I never would conquer my fear of heights but there was something about the thrill of the speed that I never forgot. I miss my dad most now on fair day. Next to Spike my mom loved to walk through the buildings looking at the exhibits and the arts and crafts. I remember the dankness of the exhibition halls crowded with people oohing and ahhing over the colorful quilts and delicate pies, watching as people peddled their wares, demonstrating their amazing knives that can slice through silk with ease, the chopping device that made a perfect red and green Pico de Gallo, Native American artistry, the tapestry of colors and smells and tastes was enough to send your senses into overload. Miles and miles of nooks, a seasonal flea market of sorts that drew sellers from all over the state to set up stand for a couple of weeks a year hoping to sell, sell, sell! As I grew older the midway lost some of its appeal and the buildings and their inhabitants began to appeal to me. I suspect that my country roots began to show more as I grew older; these days there is just something about watching as common people compete to win the blue ribbon for the best apple pie or the best double stitch or walking to the end of the hall to see the statue of Elvis made out of butter. Yes, butter! As the day grew to an end we would make our way slowly back toward the parking lot, via the food court! Cotton Candy and fried everything, fall just wasn’t fall without a Fletchers corny dog, a yellow cornmeal and beef delicacy on a stick. People would stand in line for an hour just to get this small piece of heaven on a stick then make their
way over to the mustard pump to cover the crispy, chewy goodness before sinking their teeth into a state fair favorite. My love of Fletchers came later on but as a child my choice was always for a beautiful, mahogany smoked turkey leg, tender and juicy, the smoke flavor would just explode in my mouth with each bite. I would savor that lone turkey leg all the way home. Home. Sunburned and tired I was always happy to be home, I would run right to my room and sprawl across the bed and catalogue my memoires to be thought of fondly till
the next fair day. | | |
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