People watching at the polls

I noticed that our public library was holding early voting this morning so I stopped in so I could avoid the rush when they open the primaries.

The line wasn't very long but the lady sitting at the registration table really loved her job and had to berate everyone that didn't have their orange card. This silly bitch had an inane comment for whoever came up to the table. After 15 minutes she had only processed 5 people. I was about to walk out, but another person showed up to help.

I noticed that the people in line were more diverse than I expected. Everyone was sneaking glances trying to figure out whether the guy next to them was a Democrat or Republican.

There was an old lady dressed like a beach comber, An old man in a fishing hat, A black lady in a Che Guevara shirt and other various folks with differing degrees of weirdness.

I noticed people were trying to figure me out as well. Black combat boots, jeans, and a T-shirt beard and ponytail. From previous experience people usually assume Democrat. Oh well.

I got up to the registration lady and when she asked me for my Orange card I told her my dog ate it and handed her my drivers license. She was about to warn me that I may not be able to vote but the computer beeped it's approval just before she could finish her sentence.

She asked me "what party?" I told her "Republican" She shouted "OH GOOOOD!"

What the fuck is it with people. She didn't comment on the party choice of the 30 people in front of me... Maybe she thought I was that lost sheep that finally came home to the GOP..whatever.

When I got up to the machine I noticed that there wasn't really much point in the ballot because there was only one candidate to pick from for 80% of the offices.

I just had to go vote in the primaries just so I could blog about it.

November will be the important one.

I'll be making my rounds to everyone's blog today and tomorrow.

Have a good weekend!

Ted Kennedy makes a gaffe or does he?

Thank you

I wanted to thank everyone for their kind and thoughtful comments regarding my Grandmother. Your words made things a little easier to deal with.

Right now I'm busy dealing with plumbing contractors who are doing some long overdue repairs on my house. I'm also caring for my dad's property while he is away. I should be able to get back to regular blogging by Friday.

Here's a quick funny

Monday morning

It's been a weird weekend. My Grandmother suddenly took ill and passed away on Saturday. Luckily my dad thought to drive up when they said her condition was serious. She had some form of meningitis and her kidneys shut down. The doctors said it was hopeless so they sent her home to die on her birthday. My dad called and said that she actually had a nice party and she seemed happy right before she passed away.

I'm glad I got to at least talk to her on the phone last week.

Dad asked me if there was anything I wanted of hers since he was executor of the will. I told him just to bring me a photo album or something. I'm not really into inheriting stuff. It feels like looting..at least to me anyways. I've seen too many families tear themselves apart over stupid stuff like lamps and silverware.

My Grandmother lived very simply and frugally in the same house since 1966. My Grandfather passed away in 1990 and since then she has worked preparing meals at a day care center for at risk kids. Her only complaint was that she wanted to see all her great grandkids more often.

She had the last laugh though. Grandma had told everyone that she had dropped out of school in the 7th grade and always remarked that she was not very smart. She had also led everyone to believe that she was flat broke.

My dad was going through a steamer trunk and found her diploma...she had graduated high school at age 16 with honors. Also to every one's surprise she had been hiding money all over her house and had left instructions for each relative to get a certain substantial amount.

To me this is really funny because her grandkids who lived up there were a mess and constantly getting into all kinds of legal and financial trouble. If they had known she had money they would have bled her dry and not learned any lessons.

I didn't get to spend as much time with her as I wanted due to problems between my dad and his siblings but luckily I was able to get reacquainted with her in recent years and let her meet her great grand kids.

I don't know how how to grieve in the traditional way so this post is my way of getting my thoughts out.

A fun survey

Someone asked me to put this survey on my blog. It's actually a pretty good one.

Check it out of you want to:

SURVEY HERE

Comments are disabled for this one by request.

Short break.

I'll be back on Monday.

Everyone have a good weekend.

I'll leave you with this New Red State update.

It's a good one!

lolcats 13

I've been trying to search out old eclectic music for these videos and either create or pick the funniest lolcat pictures I come across... So, even if you aren't into the pictures you may be interested in the songs. Hope you enjoy.

Tagged for a meme

Aprilwine tagged me for a Tag You’re It Meme. I’m supposed to write 5 facts about myself. ALL true this time.

Alcohol makes me smarter and more philosphical than I normally am.

I'm usually passive but will attack when cornered, usually with overwhelming force.

I feel very different than everyone else around me.

I love old junky cars and the smell of oil and grease.

My musical tastes are stuck in the late 60's

Thinking out loud

There are many things in this world that we need to come to grips with one way or the other.


Our gut may tell us one thing and our brain another. Some of the critters up in congress don't bother to consult their brain before they legislate morality for the rest of us.


I can think of some examples.. see if you agree or not.


Drugs: I've seen first hand what drug abuse can do to people, it's horrible. I wish we could put the evil genie back in the bottle. However I've also seen how the war on drugs has made the drug trade phenomenonaly profitable. We read about the gangs, turf wars plus all the property crimes and killings commited by drug addicts who are trying to get money for their next fix.

I wonder how many of our nations problems would go away if we just let people buy their crack and meth at the pharmacy...


Abortion: It's ugly. I've seen the videos. I think it's disgusting. Except in cases of rape, incest and major illness I don't agree with it... BUT if abortion is made illegal then it will be driven to the back alleys and butchers once again. I can't decide which is worse. Plus there are already hundreds of thousands of unwanted kids in this country. Are we on the right track with legal abortion in this country? I guess I'll leave that one to a higher power.


The war on terror: The spy agencies and our national security teams have gained sweeping new powers for wire tapping, monitoring websites, arrest and detention without explanation or bail and of course, warrantless searches. These changes have helped us catch terrorists but what will happen when some future administration uses these powers to attack political rivals and harass ordinary citizens? (If they haven't already)


I'm thinking there needs to be a limit to how far we can go with spying on our own people. If they want to spy on people outside our borders, foreign nationals in this country or illegal aliens I really have no problem with it.


Illegal immigration: You can't help but feel sorry for these people that come over, wanting to escape the shithole just to the south of us. I've seen how hard working and honorable many of these people are. However, they are here illegally, they broke the law and must be deported. Our national soverignty is at stake.


Maybe we could ease the process somewhat and get these people over here legally and properly documented. I also think all social services for non Americans should be cut off without exception. Mexico says that is inhumane..but what are they doing for their poor besides encouraging them to come over and leech off of our already overloaded system.

Well I guess that's enough pondering for today.

Another good one

Eureka

I was checking out La Cremiere's blog where she was talking about making cookies. Since I hadn't baked anything for a long time I thought what the hell...

Me and the daughters headed up to Walmart and picked up the ingredients. I was going to get a couple of DVDs as well but rude ass people park their asses in front of the selections like there couldn't be anyone else on the planet besides themselves... God I hate people.

I didn't have a recipe so I bought anything that could possibly go into a cookie. Plus I bought out their complete stock of vegetarian burgers and hotdogs. For all of Walmarts faults they happen to carry some bizarre shit that nobody else will.

Anyhow, I got home and found out that I didn't have a recipe that quite fit so I took a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe and modified it.

Hammer's Chocolate chip cookies:

2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup crushed walnuts (look for shell pieces carefully)
1 large egg
1 cup butter (2 sticks) I use salted

In a large bowl mix both sugars, the egg, butter, salt and baking soda until smooth
add flour, chocolate chips and walnuts stir until it's all one consistency. The dough will be really thick at this point.

Preheat oven to 375

Roll the cookie dough into golfball sized pieces and place them on a non-stick cookie sheet. Place the dough about 1 & 1/2 inches apart. Each standard cookie sheet should make 9 cookies.

Bake for 12 to 13 minutes. Each cookie should be an even light carmel brown on top.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before moving cookies to a plate.

My wife says I'm not allowed to make them anymore because she has already substituted 3 meals this weekend with a cookie and milk.

Thinking about stuff

Well it's time to update my blogroll again. I've noticed a bunch of new readers coming around...not sure how they found me but I'm always glad to see new names in the comments.

Everytime someone new posts a comment or if I see them visiting on a regular basis I add them to my feeds list and check out their blog as well. If I have something witty or semi pertinent to say I'll comment, otherwise I'll just lurk. I've been lurking more lately because sometimes I'm just at a loss for words...

I've noticed lately some folks don't come around anymore. I can't help but think I may have inadvertently pissed them off with my off the cuff remarks and crude attempts at humor. I know people disappear for a variety of reasons but hopefully I didn't drive anyone off.

When I first started blogging almost two years ago I wasn't sure if I was going to let it all hang out and just write whatever popped into my head or keep the topics under tight control. I eventually decided just to be myself which can fluctuate with my varied mental states.

Anyhow, I thank all of you guys for coming around and taking the time to look at my little piece of the blogosphere. I'll keep this thing going for as long as my imagination and two index fingers will allow.

Cheers!

I'll leave you with this...

lolcats12

My favorite song from the 4th grade.

Weekend WTF

Yale students treated to sex week

I would be pissed if my $50,000 per year tuition went towards this shit.

A quote from the article says it best: Call me a curmudgeon, but I find that my daily ritual of waking up with a cup of coffee, a cigarette, and a copy of the YD"N" (Yale Daily News) is a little less pleasant when a smiling freshman holding a string of anal beads is staring back at me from the front page,"

Ooops! Man slips and smashes 1 million dollar violin.

What do you say after you destroy a priceless instrument.."uh huh huh my bad"
Apparently after the incident someone lent this bozo a 3 million dollar Stradivarius as a temporary replacement. I hope he had it insured...

Friday funny

Valentines day

Nothing big going on today. I bought flowers and a card for the wife and I'm making Chalupas for dinner. It's too tough to go out, deal with a sitter, the crowds, rotten food and shitty service so I figure we will relax at home and open a bottle of champagne.

Chalupas: Family style

Deep fried corn tortillas drained on a paper towel

.

A bowl of seasoned refried beans

.

Chopped tomatoes, onions, jalepenos, shedded lettuce, and grated cheddar cheese all in separate bowls

Fresh Guacamole

Cilantro for garnish.

The great thing is everyone builds their own at the table just the way they like it.

Guacamole:

Smash three large hass avocados into a small bowl adding 1/2 tsp of garlic powder 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper. Mix well but leave it a little chunky. You can also add a tablespoon or so of your favorite salsa to the avocados for an additional kick.

Hope everyone has a nice evening.

Happy Valentines day

Daily musings

Does anyone know what Barack Obama stands for besides "Change"? I have no idea what he wants to do besides move into the White House. I wonder what that would do to the property values on Pennsylvania Avenue...

I haven't seen Al Gore on the news in a couple months. Maybe he's snowed in.

GuyK reminds us that congress is having hearings over the baseball steroid scandal. Is this important enough to waste our tax dollars on? Well maybe if they are busy doing shit like this they have less time to pass stupid laws.

Some lady called me on the phone today saying she was a nurse who worked through my insurance company and she needed to discuss my medical history and personal health habits.

I told her first of all "I don't know who the fuck you are and secondly I don't discuss my personal information with anyone but my doctor." She started sputtering.. "but sir this is program to help us improve your health management.." I told her that I manage just fine and hung up the phone. Who the hell do these people think they are?

Here's a word of advice...be careful buying health supplements over the internet. I had researched some medicinal herbs and decided to order some. They sent me the herbs I ordered plus 100 Viagra that I didn't order or pay for. I noticed the return adddress was Bombay India. So I put the blue pills up on a shelf over a year ago and forgot about them.

Yesterday I got a call from a guy with a heavy Indian accent asking me how I liked the Viagra. I started yelling at the guy telling him I didn't take any fucking Viagra and never to call my number again. He hung up on me before I could disparage his ancestors. Then I remembered the pills up on the shelf. Oh well.

Fear

I've been trying to have frank discussions with my kids about fear. Fear can be useful, but when it prevents you from living a normal life, it becomes debilitating.

As a child I was afraid of nearly everything. I was like a rabbit. The stupidest things would send me off the deep end. Afraid of heights, the dark, bugs, snakes, the boogyman, people with afros, you name it..

Extreme unreasonable fear borders on mental illness. I've seen people go into full fledged panic attacks at the worst possible times. I know the panic response is probably left over from when lions and tigers used to jump out and eat people on a daily basis but it really doesn't do a fella any good while driving 70mph down the freeway.

I've felt panic creeping in a couple times during my adulthood, usually during very stressful dangerous situations but luckily the logical side of my brain took over and reminded me that panic would be suicidal at that place and time.

Then all of the sudden everything changed and I didn't even realize it.

It think the first time it happened was about 10 years ago,

There was a particularly bad fight one night in my friend's drinking establishment. Some punk was beating on the pregnant bartender because she stopped serving him. Everyone freaked and the customers were running in circles, yelling and screaming. One patron actually smashed his own wife's head into a brick wall because he got confused during the ruckus. (or he was just looney )

I picked up the phone, dialed 911 and set it down on the bar. I then grabbed the punk who was beating on the pregnant lady by the collar and belt and threw him out the front door onto the asphalt and locked it behind him. I grabbed the guy who was smashing his his old lady's head and threw him out the door as well and locked it again.

The cops showed up just as these two freaks were doing flying jumpkicks into the front window of the bar trying to get back in.(Not sure what they hoped to accomplish)

The whole time this was happening I felt perfectly calm and serene like I had just taken out the trash or something.

From that point on It's almost like the part of my brain that is supposed to feel fear is broken. I'm able to handle any freaky shit that comes my way like it's no big deal. The worst part is dealing with everyone elses post traumatic stress over the situation. Who knows? Maybe I'm storing up all my negative emotions and one day my head will just explode.

These days I try to stay away from trouble. I figure it's best to let the excitement find me... and it usually does.

Bucket list meme

Just John over at Write on the right has tagged me for the bucket list meme.

If you had only a short time to live and money was no object what would you do?

This is a tough one for me because my tastes are pretty simple and I did enough crazy stuff when I was younger... but here goes:

1. Bull Riding. I ain't afraid of no stupid cow and I haven't eaten any of his brothers and sisters for 30 years so I figure he might cut me some slack.

2. Skydiving. I've been meaning to go but it's just one of those I haven't gotten around to. I'm figuring it would be kind of like the dog with the head out the window thing.

3. Demolition derby. It's always been a dream of mine to slam some giant 1970's jalopy into another car without my insurance premiums going up.

4. Be completely brutally honest for one whole day. (I would probably save that for my last day.)

5. Go scuba diving. I'm not a great swimmer but what the hell is there to fear at this point?

That's about all I can think of.

If you want to do this one let me know and I'll go look at your list.

Separated at birth?

Today's WTF

When I first saw this, I thought it was a joke.

I was wrong

Cheney bucks Bush administration

Source


WASHINGTON — Vice President Cheney took the unusual step Friday of joining with lawmakers in signing a Supreme Court brief that goes further in support of gun rights than the one submitted by the Bush administration.

The filings were made in a case that challenges the District of Columbia's ban on handguns. It was scheduled to be argued on March 18.

Both briefs argue that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to own guns. However, the administration contends that too categorical a ruling could threaten other federal gun restrictions and wants the justices to send the case back to lower courts without deciding whether the handgun ban should fall.

Cheney joined more than 300 senators and representatives, led by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, who want the court to rule that Washington's ban is unconstitutional.

"The vice president believes strongly in Second Amendment rights," Cheney spokeswoman Megan Mitchell said.

Seventeen Democratic lawmakers and District of Columbia Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton urged the court to uphold the ban.

Lawyers with long experience at the court could not recall another case in which a vice president took a position different from that of his own administration.


I'm really dissapointed that Bush will not do the right thing for the people of Washington DC and support their right to bear arms. I've always thought Cheney was a good statesman and now I have reason to respect his courage in taking a stand against his own administration.

my newest video (parental warning)

Some Friday fun

The year I was born

In 1969 (the year you were born)

Richard Nixon becomes president of the US (After seeing what's on the ballot I'd like to dig that sombitch up, do some voodoo and vote for his rotten zombie corpse )

Mary Jo Kopechne is killed when Senator Edward Kennedy veers off a narrow bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, crashing into a pond (Teddy, The fact that you have been repeatedly re-elected for the last 30 odd years after that disgusting behavior truely shows the idiocy of your constituents.

US astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to set foot on the moon while commanding the Apollo 11 mission (Good thing Ted Kennedy wasn't driving)

Breathtaking pictures of Mars are transmitted to earth from NASA's Mariner 7 as it passes within 2,200 miles of the Red Planet (Apparently looking for intelligent life because there is none here on earth)

Woodstock music festival begins in upstate NY, featuring performances by Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and many more artists (Also known as the biggest deoderant and bathing boycott rally of 1969)

250,000 Vietnam War protestors gather in Washington for the largest anti-war rally in US history (The second biggest bathing and deoderant boycott rally of 1969)

The first draft lottery since WWII is held in New York City (That's one way to make the hippies leave after woodstock...)

The Beatles' performance in public for the last time, on the roof of Apple Records (Ticketmaster was pissed)

The Stonewall riots mark the start of the modern gay rights movement in the US (What did they do....throw dildos and feather boas at the police?)

Marilyn Manson, Jennifer Aniston, Renee Zellweger, Edward Norton, Christian Slater, and Linus Torvalds are born (Who in a rotting goats ass is Linus Torvalds?)

New York Mets win the World Series (meh)

New York Jets win Superbowl III (they thought it was cute that jets rhymed with mets)

Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup (Who?)

Sesame Street premieres (Yay big bird)

Midnight Cowboy wins the Oscar for best picture (The brokeback mountain of 1969... go figure)

David Bowie's debut single, "Space Oddity", becomes a huge hit - in part due to the US landing on the moon (...and I'm shitting in a tin can..... far above the world...)

Sharon Tate & the LaBiancas are found murdered by Charles Manson & "family" (Ok.. who invited the Mansons?)

What happened the year you were born?

a meme

A meme from Goldbloom

Ten signs a book has been writtten by me.

1. The first word in the the book is Fuck.

2. Lots of unnecessary profanity and double entendres used for no particular reason

3. A scene with a really bad shitting experience.

4. Gun play done corectly with cool guns and the characters running out of ammo at the proper times.

5. It would feature a mild mannered hero kicking ass right and left.

6. Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad getting bad rusty things impaled into their rectums

7. Lots of Heinlein references.

8. Bill and Hillary caught in a sex for votes scheme.

9. Lots of poop and fart jokes.

10. A total lack of political correctness regarding any minority group including muslims, commies, sheep fuckers and bum diddlers.

I'll tag whoever wants to do this one.

It's tax time again.

My newest video.

Perceptions

Last time I voted, during the 2004 primaries I walked into my kid's school and was beckoned over to the table by an Ann Landers looking lady in a plaid suit. She asked my name and searched all up and down the list of registered voters and then declared that my name wasn't there and I must not be registered to vote.

I assured her that I was registered. She looked again and asked "Well you are a Democrat aren't you?" I was kind of taken aback at that question. It was almost as if she was asking if I had a giant alien penis growing out of my forehead.

I answered the lady with a question of my own " Why? Do I look like a Democrat?"

She stammered back with 'Well I uh just assumed" 'You need to talk to him" and she pointed to the fellow sitting right next to her. He looked just like Archie Bunker and he was leaning back in his chair watching my little exchange with the Ann Landers lady.

He removed the half chewed cigar out of his mouth, looked me in the eye and asked wryly: "You're a Republican?" I told him I damn sure wasn't a democrat.

He checked me off the roster, took me over to the Diebold machine and told me what to do. Since us Texans don't get to vote in the Primaries till March there really weren't any choices left.

When I turned around to leave, I saw an older black lady walking in and leaning heavily on a cane. She had on a heavy coat and one of those little round old lady hats perched on her coiffure. Ann Landers lady jumped up to escort her over to her table and started the same spiel as she had done with me.

Just as I was heading out the door I heard the old black lady ask: "WHY? Do I look like a Democrat?"

Overdue rant

My local grocery is usually ok but recently they've been hiring these punk ass kids to run the checkout lanes. These unshaven multi facial pierced greasy ass fucks are usually too busy playing grab-ass to even recognize that I'm standing there with all my groceries loaded onto the belt. Last week I was standing there waiting while the cashier was yelling past my face to the kid at the next register about lending him beer money. The bagger seemed to do his job ok but then as I'm about to leave he says "Later dude man"

Maybe I'm getting old and crotchety but I've had about enough of these punks calling me "bro" "Chief" "Dude" "Sport" etc...

I went home and called the store manager and let him have it. I told him I didn't appreciate him putting a bunch of drunk monkeys in positions where they can piss me off. He apologized profusely and said he would take care of it. That remains to be seen.

I went to take out the trash this morning and right in front of my driveway some little bastards smashed about a dozen glass bottles and jars all over the ground. They also took a partial can of paint out of my neighbors trash and painted shit all over their driveway and sidewalk. So I'm out there at 5am sweeping up about 5 pounds of glass planning on what I'm going to do when I catch those little sons of bitches.

I've been taking my girls to their ballet class on Saturdays because the wife has been too busy or tired to do it lately. The girls really enjoy the class and take their lessons very seriously. It costs quite a bit of money to send them but I think it's good exercise and important for their self esteem. Saturday morning, I took them in and ended up having to wait 15 minutes while the teacher finished up with another class. I asked if they were going to make up the lost fifteen minutes at the end. The teacher said "No, today is just a play day I'm going to let them color and watch videos"

I said "nuh uh" and put the girls back in the car. I don't fucking write a check to them for $200 bucks a month so they can color and watch goddamn cartoons. I wonder if the other parents let them get away with that shit.

My wife lost her phone charger Friday night and her work cell was about dead so I rushed out to the Sprint store to get her a new one. There were three people working the counter and three people waiting in front of me. The fucked up thing about the Sprint store is that you can't just walk in and grab what you need, check out and leave.

.

You have to wait for a customer service representative to assist you. Needless to say, all the employees were selling cell phones, plans, fixing numbers for lost phones and other bull shit. So I end up standing there for 45 minutes to buy a fucking plug for the goddamn phone. Once I walked up to he counter the girl looked embarassed that I had to wait so long for 30 second transaction.

Turns out they didn't have what I needed. So I paid $37 for a car charger so the wife wouldn't miss her work calls that night. Luckily Sprint called the next morning to ask us about our shopping experience...

lolcats 11

Sunday thoughts

These folks in Berkley who voted to dissallow Marines from recruiting boggles my mind. Is it some kind of symbolic protest? Do they think this law will prevent someone from joining the Marines? These folks who cry for peace at any cost should be doomed to reap the logical outcome of that mindset. When has this country ever convinced our enemies to stop their aggression by negotiations, payouts and an unwillingness to use force?

These folks I'm seeing all over the TV killing babies in microwaves, murdering pregnant women and complete strangers for no particular reason should be paraded into town square and flogged to death.

You cannot make me believe these people didn't show antisocial tendencies their entire life! It's really not that hard to tell who the baby stompers are going to be, because as kids they stomp kittens. Maybe public humiliation and or execution will serve as a warning to others to keep their psychopathic tendencies in the closet.

As for this current election cycle:

Obama: was voted the most liberal senator in 2007. That means he opposes the military, second amendment rights, promotes socialistic programs and robbing producers to bribe non producers.

Hillary: Crooked lawyer, barely dodged scandal after scandal, constantly associated with known felons, withheld incrimating evidence and has been caught in lie after lie. Has no leadership experience and no real policies other than the basic socialist dogma extolled by the far left.

Romney: Another tax and spend Republican, a fake conservative from one of the most liberal and highest taxed states in the union.

McCain: A phony, a liar and panderer to illegal aliens. Doesn't know what he stands for from one moment to the next and consistently votes against freedom and the constitution.

Something tells me that no matter who is elected we are in deep shit.

Proud pop

I went to my daughters school conference where we heard from her teacher, speech therapist and special eductation instructor. Luckily, this time the news was very positive. Her test shows she is in the 90th percentile intellectually. She is making straight A's and is excelling in all of her subjects. Her teacher last year tried to hold her back and told us she would never suceed.

The only thing that is holding her back is her verbal skills. She is measured under 1% ablity compared to other kids her age. This was a little disheartening even though she has made huge strides in her speaking ability. When we first adopted her 3 years ago at 5 years old she could only speak gibberish. Now she can hold complete conversations although her usage and verb agreement is a little off.

I'm not too worried about it. I have a feeling she is going to be just fine.

One of the teachers told me that she was concerned because my daughter didn't have any friends and was basically shunned by the other girls in her class. I'm afraid there isn't much we can do about it. I know how cruel 8 year olds can be. The one good thing is that since kindergarten she has been best friends with a little handcapped boy named Tony who has sight, hearing and mobility problems. Apparently my daughter is his only friend and the only one who will talk to him and eat lunch with him.

Seeing the anger and and acting out behavior my daughter has shown in the past I never thought she had this kind and nurturing side. I was especially surprised and pleased yesterday when she brought home an award for achivement in behavior and citizenship.

I've noticed a big change in her recently; less cussing, writing on walls and beating up on her brother and sister. I guess she's finally feeling more secure and comfortable living here with us.

It's good to see this finally happening.

This is awesome