LubbockOnline.com - Hostage victim hit by eight shots; two officers narrowly escape bullet wounds 11/25/03

Here's the most recent article, including pictures. This is the saddest thing. I haven't been able to get it out of my head. For the few of you who read and don't know about this, the "boyfriend" she was in bed with was a good friend of mine. He was held hostage for 4 hours before being let go. He's not doing well at all. Yall keep him in your prayers please.

The Way to Erase

If you girls have not tried this badboy, you are SO missing out! This is the most amazing thing I've ever tried...My mom had told me she loved them, but I just finally bought a box of two (about 2$) and tried it tonight. I never take off my watch or bracelet so underneath most of our light switches are little black scuff lines from me feeling for the switch in the dark...gone w/ like 2 swipes. It also fixed one of the most annoying things in my house. Not until after we moved in and sat down on the toilet did we notice that they got dry wall stuff on the frame of the doorway into our little toilet room (you know, not the bathroom...the shower, sinks, etc are there...but we have another door that goes into the the tiny toilet room). I mean, that's not something I thought to do...sit on the toilets and inspect things from that eye-level...but now, everytime I'm there, I stare at on spot: for a good 18 inches there were lots of thick splatters of dried dry wall on the smooth painted door frame. I have tried to scrub and scrape it off only to make the test areas look worse. Mr. Clean Eraser came to my rescue. I didn't really think it was going to work on that part, but I had just done the marks under the light switch and thought I'd give it a shot...wowzers. I went through the whole house, but am going to do it again tomorrow in the natural light...not to mention it was so fun!

I love to clean IF I can see dramatic results. Maybe that's why I wait so long in between cleanings. There something so exciting about dusting/cleaning and looking at the rag/paper towel and seeing what you've accomplished.

I often feel like I'm slacking in the wife department when I look around my house and there is sheer chaos. But tonight I reminded myself why it is NOT me. We spent 4 hours "organizing" our office. It doesn't look like anything has been done. Why???

Because there was so much frickin mail that we had to go through that nothing WAS done. There was a box that I thought was just stuff he hadn't unpacked (from when he moved in 19 months ago!!!) but tonight we went though it and it was mail that was UNOPENED from 1995-2000. HOLY HELL. He has every bank statement he's ever possessed. He has every receipt from every college he's attended (a good dozen, btw).

Also in this box was a collection of patches and pins. I assumed they were military related and ignored them. When he finally got to them he held them up and said "What should I do with my bowling awards?" Um. Let me think...we could put them on the mantle above the fireplace, or frame them next to my diploma...or ohhhh, I KNOW! Let's put these nifty bowling awards in this big white TRASH sack here so they can go out with the rest of the crap! He looked like I slapped him. But he won, they are still here...for now.

But tomorrow I will try again, to clean clean and clean some more. Maybe things will start to shape up, or I may have to ship out. Ha ha, right.

What I would not have given to have been a fly on the wall!!!!! This is the email (subject: Killer Kitty) that I got from my mom this morning:

"Bob saw a mouse in the sunroom while we were watching tv, then I saw it and screamed. It made me feel creepy. I went and woke up the cat and brought him into the sunroom. He sat at the door meowing to get out. Bob showed him the mouse for quite a long time before kitty saw it, chased it, caught it. He had it in his mouth carrying it around. I said "Pick him up and shake him" Bob wouldn't. Kitty dropped the mouse to play with it and it started to move again...Brave kitty caught it again. He was slobbering holding the mouse. Bob went and got a broom and hit the cat to make him drop the mouse, then Bob beat the mouse to death. Brave Bob. I was trying to climb in the chair. I didn't want the mouse to run over my feet or touch me at all. Kitty can't drink after me anymore. Toilets I could ignore but mouse slobber..yuck..probley poison.

Got to go pour out my water because the cat did get a drink. I will go wash it in HOT water.

It is 1:08 in the morning. Where are you?"

Holiday Hooligans -- Share the Fun of the Holidays with Strangers!

I think this is so super cool. After I get my shopping done (including my "Angel" from the kid list at the domestic violence shelter), I'm hopeing to have an extra 20$ish and send someone something.

When I was a kid I used to put quarters in people's mailboxes so they would have a surprize. I now know it's breaking a federal law to open another person's mailbox, so I stay outta there.

Have I mentioned that I love to buy things?

Dallas Christmas Festival 2003

This was the most awesome thing last year and I'm excited that it's time'o the year for it again! I was not excited about it last year, I mean, I wanted to go...but I just figured that it would be a run of the mill Christmas show.

You see, in Hobbs, every year we went to the "Singing Christmas Tree" at Taylor Baptist. It, too, was in the sanctuary and took up the whole stage. It was a giant tree with people standing in it and they sang Christmas songs. Sure, there were plenty of lights and glitter and glam by Hobbs standards. But this pales in comparison to the Prestonwood Baptist Chruch of Plano, TX's Christmas production.

You see, Prestonwood has about the same number of members as Hobbs does residents in the WHOLE town. The first time I walked into this church I was like a deer in headlights. It was the Sunday after THE Sept 11th and I went w/ Mandy and her mom. We parked so far away that we had to ride a bus to get to the door and once inside...stores, maps, and more people than at TTU & Texas football game!!!

And this Christmas Festival? THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL? Wowzers. It started off with a traditional Norman Rockwell Christmas scene...ice skaters (on real ice!), horse drawn buggies, carolers, the whole schabang. Then Christmas Rocketts. And if that wasn't enough...there was half time and then the Christmas Story. Complete with Joseph and Mary and Inns Keepers and Camels w/ Wisemen walking through the aisles of the church...ohh, and donkeys and sheeps! And a real baby...not just a doll wrapped in a blanket! OHHHHHH...and how could I forget! ANGLES from the ceiling came swooping in. Un-be-leave-able.

SO am I excited about going this year? Yes I am. I hope to go more than once. I hope to be razzle-dazzled again at this Vegas-style Christmas Show right here in DFW, TX!

I volunteer with the Corinth Civic League and last week I signed up to work at the city halloween carnival. Somehow I ended up being the photographer at the JUNIOR HIGH DANCE. I have to say, before this experience there was very little doubt in my mind that I was at least semi-ly cool. I listen to popular music, watch MTV, stay kind of on top of trends, etc.

I new 3 damn songs the whole night: the chicken dance, the macarena, and the YMCA. What the hell? I also could tell by the way they addressed me and stopped misbehaving when they realized I was watching...that I must look old. I was also a tad horrified at the dancing. I know, I know, that is exactly what my dad said upon my first jr. high dance...he was referring the what we called "freaking." I was horrified by lots and lots of pelvic thrusts over and over and over AND groups of BOYS dancing alone, even slow type dancing AND all kinds of middriffs showin'. What happened to the dress code?

I was also amazed at my ability to just look around the room and in the brief 2 hour time span know pretty much how most of the kids would turn out. Like who would live in government housing, who would have 4 different STD's & 6 kids w/ 6 baby daddies, who would be the drunks, future mental patients (I saw LOTS of those!), as well as, future politicians, teachers, computer gurus, etc. I never believed my mom when she would say she could "just tell" about someone and that would be the reason I couldn't hang out with them...and she's been right about them all...and now I know how she did it.

In other news, I gave two weeks notice to my job from hell. I can say that I gave it my best shot but that I definitely majored in the wrong thing in college and that I will never again work at any job that requires me to take a self-defense class before starting. I have learned SO much about myself and about people and about the world. I know that's a lot of learnin' in just four short months, but state run mental health clinics are a whole world outside of anything that the general population can even fathom. Sooo, I have applied for several jobs OUTSIDE of the mental health arena and am crossing my fingers that I get one soon.

I bought a Christmas present today for someone. Can yall believe it's already that time? Target had Christmas music playing! That was weird as I was sifting through the halloween stuff (I needed some socks for next year).

Off to watch a movie. I <3 Netflicks.