While on the Hobbs News-Sun :: Serving Lea County and West Texas since 1928 website, I humored myself by taking the "online tour" of Hobbs, NM. Below is one of the pictures they have posted.
Now, I'm aware that this is probably in the Hobbs vicinity and that it is a pretty picture. But this is SO false advertisement. This picture might entice someone to take a trip, a vacation even, to Hobbs. I actually like to go there, but it's for the people...not the sites or neat attractions.
I did save this picture as my desktop. It makes me happy.
Friday, April 29, 2005
Thursday, April 28, 2005
So I just got home from taking Mandy to Jared and Toby's house. They are going to a funeral tomorrow in Lubbock for a friend of ours. He was not a good friend of mine, but he was a beer drinking buddy. I saw him last at Jason Goff's wedding about 1.5 years ago. He was doing really well, I was really proud of him. He had gotten himself together and had become a fireman in Amarillo. He died in the line of duty. I'm going to link the article, but post it and his picture here too. The article doesn't use the name that I know him as, Mustang, but the goofy smile in the picture is all him.
amarillo.com | Local News: City firefighter dies after fall from truck 04/26/05
Amarillo firefighters striped their badges with black mourning ribbons, and flags at city fire stations flew at half-staff in tribute to a fallen comrade who died Monday after suffering critical injuries in the line of duty Saturday. With wreaths of flowers hanging underneath the low-flying American flag at the Amarillo Fire Department's Central Fire Station, firefighters remained in a state of shock and grief after learning the news that firefighter Christopher Brian Hunton, 27, died Monday morning at Northwest Texas Hospital, said Amarillo Fire Chief Steve Ross.
"They are just devastated," Ross said. "He (Hunton) has his own family, but he was also a part of our family."
Hunton, who was an AFD firefighter since March 6, 2003, died at Northwest Texas Hospital at 9:53 a.m. after suffering serious injuries when he fell from a firetruck Saturday night, Ross said.
Hunton had surgery soon after the accident and was placed in the intensive care unit at the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries early Monday, Ross said.
According to an Amarillo Police Department report of the accident, a defective door handle may have been a contributing factor in Hunton's fall from the firetruck.
The department's fire marshal, Terry McKinney, said officials are waiting on the arrival of the Texas State Fire Marshal's Office, which will begin its own investigation into the accident.
"I am just convinced that once the investigation is completed, we will have a very clear picture," McKinney said. "Right now, all we have are assumptions."
McKinney said the department is also expecting an autopsy.
Hunton is the first Amarillo firefighter to die in the line of duty since Kenneth Albert Caldwell, 29, died Aug. 16, 1982, while searching for residents inside a burning Amarillo apartment building. Two other Amarillo firefighters have died in the line of duty since 1936.
The accident occurred about 10 p.m. when Ladder Truck No. 3 was responding to a fire in the 2600 block of South Polk Street. The firetruck, a 1998 Freightliner, left the Central Fire Station at Fourth Avenue and Van Buren Street and went north before turning right on Southwest Third Avenue.
While the truck was turning, Hunton, who was in the left-rear passenger side of the truck, fell out after the passenger side door came open, according to an Amarillo Police Department accident report.
The truck was traveling at a relatively slow speed at the time of the accident, according to police reports.
The fire department has set up a fund in Hunton's name at Amarillo National Bank, and fire officials are in contact with Hunton's family to plan his funeral service, Ross said.
Hunton, who was not married and had no children, will be buried in Lubbock, where his parents live, but a funeral date had not been set late Monday, said AFD Capt. Bob Johnson.
Ross said members of the department will continue to wear the mourning badges and keep their flags at half-staff for the next 30 days to honor Hunton.
"It is out of respect for a fallen brother," Ross said.
amarillo.com | Local News: City firefighter dies after fall from truck 04/26/05
Amarillo firefighters striped their badges with black mourning ribbons, and flags at city fire stations flew at half-staff in tribute to a fallen comrade who died Monday after suffering critical injuries in the line of duty Saturday. With wreaths of flowers hanging underneath the low-flying American flag at the Amarillo Fire Department's Central Fire Station, firefighters remained in a state of shock and grief after learning the news that firefighter Christopher Brian Hunton, 27, died Monday morning at Northwest Texas Hospital, said Amarillo Fire Chief Steve Ross.
"They are just devastated," Ross said. "He (Hunton) has his own family, but he was also a part of our family."
Hunton, who was an AFD firefighter since March 6, 2003, died at Northwest Texas Hospital at 9:53 a.m. after suffering serious injuries when he fell from a firetruck Saturday night, Ross said.
Hunton had surgery soon after the accident and was placed in the intensive care unit at the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries early Monday, Ross said.
According to an Amarillo Police Department report of the accident, a defective door handle may have been a contributing factor in Hunton's fall from the firetruck.
The department's fire marshal, Terry McKinney, said officials are waiting on the arrival of the Texas State Fire Marshal's Office, which will begin its own investigation into the accident.
"I am just convinced that once the investigation is completed, we will have a very clear picture," McKinney said. "Right now, all we have are assumptions."
McKinney said the department is also expecting an autopsy.
Hunton is the first Amarillo firefighter to die in the line of duty since Kenneth Albert Caldwell, 29, died Aug. 16, 1982, while searching for residents inside a burning Amarillo apartment building. Two other Amarillo firefighters have died in the line of duty since 1936.
The accident occurred about 10 p.m. when Ladder Truck No. 3 was responding to a fire in the 2600 block of South Polk Street. The firetruck, a 1998 Freightliner, left the Central Fire Station at Fourth Avenue and Van Buren Street and went north before turning right on Southwest Third Avenue.
While the truck was turning, Hunton, who was in the left-rear passenger side of the truck, fell out after the passenger side door came open, according to an Amarillo Police Department accident report.
The truck was traveling at a relatively slow speed at the time of the accident, according to police reports.
The fire department has set up a fund in Hunton's name at Amarillo National Bank, and fire officials are in contact with Hunton's family to plan his funeral service, Ross said.
Hunton, who was not married and had no children, will be buried in Lubbock, where his parents live, but a funeral date had not been set late Monday, said AFD Capt. Bob Johnson.
Ross said members of the department will continue to wear the mourning badges and keep their flags at half-staff for the next 30 days to honor Hunton.
"It is out of respect for a fallen brother," Ross said.
Monday, April 25, 2005
A have a small bitch that I just can't help and must voice.
I'm sure that everyone in my father's family has heard that I'm getting a divorce. They are rather gossipy. I mean, my aunt mentioned to someone that I had filled a "restraining order" against Vic. Um, TX doesn't even HAVE such a thing, and even if they did...I don't need or want one. Not being mean...just stating the facts about the fam.
SO today I'm looking through the mail that has arrived in the past few days. There is a nice envelope addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Napoleon." I open it to find a wedding invitation to my cousin's wedding. Why would it be addressed that way? Do they honestly think that, in the slight chance in hell that I came to the wedding, that I would bring my husband that I'm divorcing?
Did I mention that this particular cousin's parents, who would be my aunt and uncle, did not acknowledge that I even got married? Not a card. Not even the RSVP card back from them.
And while I'm at it, enclosed in the invite was directions to the locations of the event. At the bottom it gave their "website" address. It is really just a page w/ a single picture of them, a small amount of info on the wedding (including that they really want giftcards because they just bought a house and are remodeling it), and then links to their registries. So not something that should be included in the formal wedding invitation!
Did I mention that they registered for PINK luggage and a $180 kitchen trash can?
Ok, I'm taking my bitch ass to bed, but not before another dose of Midol.
I'm sure that everyone in my father's family has heard that I'm getting a divorce. They are rather gossipy. I mean, my aunt mentioned to someone that I had filled a "restraining order" against Vic. Um, TX doesn't even HAVE such a thing, and even if they did...I don't need or want one. Not being mean...just stating the facts about the fam.
SO today I'm looking through the mail that has arrived in the past few days. There is a nice envelope addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Napoleon." I open it to find a wedding invitation to my cousin's wedding. Why would it be addressed that way? Do they honestly think that, in the slight chance in hell that I came to the wedding, that I would bring my husband that I'm divorcing?
Did I mention that this particular cousin's parents, who would be my aunt and uncle, did not acknowledge that I even got married? Not a card. Not even the RSVP card back from them.
And while I'm at it, enclosed in the invite was directions to the locations of the event. At the bottom it gave their "website" address. It is really just a page w/ a single picture of them, a small amount of info on the wedding (including that they really want giftcards because they just bought a house and are remodeling it), and then links to their registries. So not something that should be included in the formal wedding invitation!
Did I mention that they registered for PINK luggage and a $180 kitchen trash can?
Ok, I'm taking my bitch ass to bed, but not before another dose of Midol.
Friday, April 22, 2005
My dear cousin Allison got a blog! Yeah for another blog to read!
Knowledge_of_Spring's Xanga Site
So today she did these quiz things and insisted that I visit (well, I took "I insist you visit..." as speaking to me personally). So I took the same ones and this is what Jung and Enneagram think about me today.
Take Free Jung Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com
Take Free Enneagram Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com
Knowledge_of_Spring's Xanga Site
So today she did these quiz things and insisted that I visit (well, I took "I insist you visit..." as speaking to me personally). So I took the same ones and this is what Jung and Enneagram think about me today.
| ESTP - "Promotor". Action! When present, things begin to happen. Fiercely competitive. Entrepreneur. Often uses shock effect to get attention. Negotiator par excellence. 4.3% of total population. |
personality tests by similarminds.com
| Enneagram Test Results
Your variant is social |
personality tests by similarminds.com
Monday, April 11, 2005
So I just had lunch with my friend, Dayana. She and I worked together at Friends of the Family the first time I worked there a few years ago. She left there to work for CPS so now we see each other a lot again since I'm always at the CPS office. Dayana is from Colombia, but is married to a U.S. Citizen. She was telling me that she applied in Jan 05 to take her citizenship test and they told her it would be about a year before she would actually be scheduled for a test date. She just got a letter telling her that she is taking the test on April 21st. She has not studied and was freaking out a little. So we were talking and I told her I knew you could get info for free online and that I would ask Allison if she would be willing to help her since Allison is a high school government teacher. So just out of curiosity, I was just looking around online and found this sample test, Naturalization Self Test.
Now, I'm pretty savvy on politics/history. I mean, it's not my specialty like it is Misti and Allison; but I'm generally interested in this stuff so I remember it. So given that, I thought that I would know pretty much all of the answers...and I do know a good 90% of them...but still! Shouldn't we as "natural born citizens" be required to know the same information? Here are a few questions that I did NOT know and their answers, just in case you guys are bad citizens like me.
*How many representatives are there in Congress? (435)
*How many changes or amendments are there to the Constitution? (27)
*Who said, "Give me liberty or give me death"? (Patrick Henry)
So now, my question is this: Who in the heck is Patrick Henry? And if I don't know, then is it really fair to deny Dayana citizenship because she doesn't know trivial information like that? I know, I know. Immigrants are a sensitive subject, but she is just such a smart, wonderful person that it makes me look at my thoughts on immigration differently when I have a face to put on the term. Anyway, I'm off to look up ol' Patty H. and see exactly WHO and WHY he was.
Now, I'm pretty savvy on politics/history. I mean, it's not my specialty like it is Misti and Allison; but I'm generally interested in this stuff so I remember it. So given that, I thought that I would know pretty much all of the answers...and I do know a good 90% of them...but still! Shouldn't we as "natural born citizens" be required to know the same information? Here are a few questions that I did NOT know and their answers, just in case you guys are bad citizens like me.
*How many representatives are there in Congress? (435)
*How many changes or amendments are there to the Constitution? (27)
*Who said, "Give me liberty or give me death"? (Patrick Henry)
So now, my question is this: Who in the heck is Patrick Henry? And if I don't know, then is it really fair to deny Dayana citizenship because she doesn't know trivial information like that? I know, I know. Immigrants are a sensitive subject, but she is just such a smart, wonderful person that it makes me look at my thoughts on immigration differently when I have a face to put on the term. Anyway, I'm off to look up ol' Patty H. and see exactly WHO and WHY he was.
Saturday, April 02, 2005
I know this is tacky, but I can't help myself...
Medical Announcement
Pfizer Corp. announced today that VIAGRA will soon be available in liquid form and will be marketed by Pepsi Cola as a power beverage suitable for use as a mixer. It will now be possible for a man to literally "pour himself a stiff one."
Obviously we can no longer call this a soft drink, and it gives
new meaning to the names "cocktails," "highballs," and just a good old fashioned "stiff drink." Pepsi will market the new concoction by the name if...yep, you guessed it...
"MOUNT & DO."
Medical Announcement
Pfizer Corp. announced today that VIAGRA will soon be available in liquid form and will be marketed by Pepsi Cola as a power beverage suitable for use as a mixer. It will now be possible for a man to literally "pour himself a stiff one."
Obviously we can no longer call this a soft drink, and it gives
new meaning to the names "cocktails," "highballs," and just a good old fashioned "stiff drink." Pepsi will market the new concoction by the name if...yep, you guessed it...
"MOUNT & DO."
Friday, April 01, 2005
I've been cleaning my room and bathroom and I'm hot so I'm takin a break. My parents will be here in a bit and they are staying in my room since we no longer have a guest bedroom and there are two of them and one of me and it makes sense that they get my king size bed. But I still hate trying to make my room acceptable to them. All my mother does is clean stuff and so my once a month or so cleaning is not so bueno to her. But beggers can't be choosers!
I called back on March 7th to change the utilities into my name. After lots of beggin and tears, everyone just did it over the phone except for shitass Centurytel, our local phone provider. Might I also add, the ONLY local phone provider us Corinthians can get! SO, they sent me a form and "Vic" and I both signed it...right...and I sent it back. So yesterday I got our new bill addressed to me. This bill has been $28.01 for three years since we got a phone line, so imagine my surprise when the total is 40something! There is a $13.50 "service charge" on March 13th. So I call and the lady proceeds to tell me that since I made changes to my account, they charged me a service fee. She said that it was because SOME changes require a technician to work on the line. Hell no. I explained that they deleted 4 letters and retyped 6 and that if the fee wasn't removed that I was canceling the phoneline because not only did my change not require a tech. dude but noone informed me of the charge because if they had I wouldn't have changed it! So after a manager looked over it, he got on the line and told me that "since the original callnotes do not say they informed you of the fee we will credit it off the account, but just for future notice be aware that all changes to the account are accompanied by a service charge." Grrrr. SO they deleted it, but that is so so so stupid. How is this it that I only have ONE local provider to choose from? That is unAmerican, I say!
I've been thinking about making my hair really blonde. Like the color it was back before it turned brown. But I don't know if I can handle the upkeep on it and I just couldn't live with nasty roots. Any thoughts?
I don't think I mentioned this and I so should have because it makes me happy! At Big As Texas a couple of weekends ago, I bought a WideBodies Chair! It's extra sturdy furniture for fat chicks like myself. Mine is red and it's beautiful. It has a lifetime warranty on the frame and springs and whatnot. It's so comfy and sassy AND I got it on sale because they just brought one example from their store in the San Marcos area and did not want to haul it back! Oh yeah, and if you go to the website...the picture of the two cute fat chicks on the loveseat are Elizabeth and Frannie and that was at Big as Texas last year!
Ok, enough procrastination. That toilet won't scrub itself.
I called back on March 7th to change the utilities into my name. After lots of beggin and tears, everyone just did it over the phone except for shitass Centurytel, our local phone provider. Might I also add, the ONLY local phone provider us Corinthians can get! SO, they sent me a form and "Vic" and I both signed it...right...and I sent it back. So yesterday I got our new bill addressed to me. This bill has been $28.01 for three years since we got a phone line, so imagine my surprise when the total is 40something! There is a $13.50 "service charge" on March 13th. So I call and the lady proceeds to tell me that since I made changes to my account, they charged me a service fee. She said that it was because SOME changes require a technician to work on the line. Hell no. I explained that they deleted 4 letters and retyped 6 and that if the fee wasn't removed that I was canceling the phoneline because not only did my change not require a tech. dude but noone informed me of the charge because if they had I wouldn't have changed it! So after a manager looked over it, he got on the line and told me that "since the original callnotes do not say they informed you of the fee we will credit it off the account, but just for future notice be aware that all changes to the account are accompanied by a service charge." Grrrr. SO they deleted it, but that is so so so stupid. How is this it that I only have ONE local provider to choose from? That is unAmerican, I say!
I've been thinking about making my hair really blonde. Like the color it was back before it turned brown. But I don't know if I can handle the upkeep on it and I just couldn't live with nasty roots. Any thoughts?
I don't think I mentioned this and I so should have because it makes me happy! At Big As Texas a couple of weekends ago, I bought a WideBodies Chair! It's extra sturdy furniture for fat chicks like myself. Mine is red and it's beautiful. It has a lifetime warranty on the frame and springs and whatnot. It's so comfy and sassy AND I got it on sale because they just brought one example from their store in the San Marcos area and did not want to haul it back! Oh yeah, and if you go to the website...the picture of the two cute fat chicks on the loveseat are Elizabeth and Frannie and that was at Big as Texas last year!
Ok, enough procrastination. That toilet won't scrub itself.
