J-Land 5 Years!

                  CONGRATULATIONS J-LAND!  5 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG!

There is so much to say about my involvement in J-Land.  My son John Scalzi helped me set up my journal on 9/16/04.  In his journal, he told people to go on to greet me.  A lot of people wrote "Welcome to J-Land"  Egotist that I was, I though that meant John-Land.  Even told my husband that.  Silly mom!

Almost immediately, I began to make friends.  My first were Krissy, Val and Chuck (RIP).  I've made many other friends since then. 

There was always a celebration and chat for anniversary.  We made a big deal of it.  I just missed the first anniversary.  I've not missed any since.

Soon after the anniversary, there was an AOL Journals Awards.  I got in at 2nd year and won a then-calld Vivi Award for:

                        I was thrilled and could hardly wait for the J-Land "Ball"  announcing the winners.  I think the awards stopped in 2006 or 2007 because there was a lot of in-fighting in the committee.  To bad, I really liked the awards and seeing my friends win.  I also got to go read new journals.

J-Land has been a wonderful outlet for me both in public and private journals.  I've shared my poetry, my everyday life and in private my very personal feelings.  I've never found a blog or journal setting where you can mak friends, IM them in the same place and meet new readers and writers.  My alert list somtimes overwhelms me, but I do my best to read, lurk and comment.              

                                           

Every year we have one of this kind of graphic announcing the year anniversary.  There have also been some other very beautiful graphics made.  I'd put them all up, but a lot of you have them saved already. 

I don't know who started J-Land, but since I got on AOL 4 years ago, I have laughed, cried, prayed, felt empathy or sympathy, sadness at the loss of our members.  We are a family here.  Most of us will never meet in person, but the love we have here is every bit as strong as that we hav with our local friends and in some cases stronger.

So here's to you  J-Land!  5 years strong and moving right along!  This is one of the best things to happen to me and you are all responsible.  Thank you all,

    

Thanks to Donna for the animated tags today.  I don't remember who made the Vivi award.

Tags: J-Land Anniversary, celebrations, J-Land awards, friendship, blogplugs

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Cleaning Out the "Attic"

         

I've been looking through my "mental attic" recently.  It's been a bit disturbing for me.  I truly believe one should always look to the current day and forward.  That said, there are ghosts in my "attic" that won't leave me alone.  Some of this I've been sharing in my private journal and hopefully very soon with a therapist.  Also the current me, the one living on this floor, this day is incredibly stressed out.  You guys know I have physical ailments ~ I can handle that because I'm believing for complete healing.  The part that's hard for me to give to God is the everyday stress, strain and depression.  I really don't feel comfortable sharing that stuff in a public journal.  I just wanted you to know how my life is going right now.

I read your journals most every day.  I have a healthy list of favorites.  I tend to be a lurker lately . . . not commenting much.  I do so enjoy your words, poetry or prose and the very valuable (to me) gals who make graphics for us to share.  Donna, Chris, Sugar, Angela (can't remember all the names, sorry) ~ you are so wonderful to put your art, creations, adaptations and tag requests for us.  If there is anyone in J-Land who does not appreciate all the hard work these ladies do and still grabs their snags and tags, shame on you!  A simple thank you goes a long way.

OK ~ off the soapbox.  It has absolutely beautiful here in my part of SoCal.  The skies are overcast in the morning, but the rest of the day is reasonably cool and comfortable.  Lately our temperatures have not gone above the mid-high 70's.  If it reaches 80 degrees, we are complaining of the heat.  Where I stayed for a while and where my daughters live in the northern mountains, temperatures have ranged from 105 to 117 degrees.  Boy do I love being near the ocean.  For those of you suffering from the heat and humidity . . . I am so sorry.  If my home were big enough I'd host you all.

Six weeks or more ago, our landlord told us that new carpet was coming soon.  Rob and I tore out the old carpet in one bedroom and 1/2 the living room (well, he did most of it).  We have been waiting.  I came home in early June and have yet to unpack most of my belongings because we don't want to take it right back out again.  I miss my stuff and now the house is in an uproar to boot.  Unfortunately it's a family member of our landlord who is holding up progress.  Carpet is beautiful, paid for and ready to install.  The installer (family member) just hasn't gotten around to it.  I'm beginning to feel more sorry for our landlord than ourselves.  We have puppies and the training is going well, however "mistakes" happening are better on old flooring than new.

As I said before, I read your journals and think about you, adding you all to my prayers each day.  I pray for your lives to be full and healthy, fruitful and blessed.  I love you all,            

             Tags: Mental attic, stress, journals, commenting, graphics, tags, appreciation, weather, carpet, puppies, prayer, blogplugs

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THINK THIS COULD EVER HAPPEN?

                                        

My sister sent this e-mail last night.  I found it interesting and wanted to find out what you guys think.  I'm getting tired of forwarding and choosing who to send it to.  Got a poll at the bottom.  So here it is in its entirety:

E-Mail of the Year!!

WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S.PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN, GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?
'My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Iraq regime has been completed.
Since Congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now time to begin the reckoning.


Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short . The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains every one not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war. THEN EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER IT'll GO TO OUR SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM SO IT WONT GO BROKE IN 20 YEARS.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hell holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine ? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France or maybe China.

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York.

A special note to our neighbors: Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2. Its president and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple thousand extra tanks and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put 'em? Yep, border security.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty - starting now.

We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska-which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, 'darn tootin.'<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America. To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thank you guys. We owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America.. Thank you and good night. '

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a soldier.

 

Blessings and love to you all,

      

Tags: Forward, could it happen, should it, blogplugs

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Pups 'n Stuff

for your enjoyment . . . Puppies!

;

I hope you all enjoy the show.  This music is perfect for watching them play.  Ginger acts like she owns the world, but Shadow is twice her size and patient.

Last evening, I put them all outside to do their "duty" and play while it was yet a little light.  I told Rob they were outside and went to the kitchen to get something to eat.  While toasting up my second waffle, Rob came in coverd with dirt and dust.  He was shaking.  "I had a fall"  Then of course it all came out while I was checking him over.  One of the puppies (Ginger?) ran to the other side of the yard instead of coming in.  Any of you have kids?  Anyway, we had rolled up old carpet and Rob hit it and went down.  He's pretty much done in for today.  My poor honey! 

The local county fair has started and I really want togo this year.  It may not be in our budget.  I was going to go see my daughter as well, but train rides have jumped from my ususal $120 round trip to over $200.  I need and want to go, but I don't know where we will find the money yet.  I've hit Medicare's "donut hole" where Part D stops paying or helping until you reach $4,000 out of pocket.  Most of my medications are truly spendy.  I got samples for the one that is $293, but it was a starter pack so I used it up in a few days.  Today I called Target to reorder . . . American Express save me! . . . the pharmacist put me on hold for a moment to see if they had it in stack and when she came on the line she spoke a miracle to me.  They now have a generic and my cost will be  $4.00!!!  That is so cool.   When I go in a little, I will ask her to look at my list to see if any more have generics now. 

It's nearly 2:00pm, I've got laundry washing, towels drying, need to go out, come back and cook our monthly steak meal (YUM). Our bills are paid, food shopping done.  We may be broke or nearly so, but our life is good. Yes, there are trials and tribulations, but as long as we have a mustard seed of faith, we will be able to move these things out of the way.

I apologize for not commenting much. I've been distracted a lot lately, spend more time on Pogo than writing comments, e-mails, etc. I am here however. I read your journals and enjoy them. I also think of you throughout the day and pray often for your needs and well-being. I am blessed to be a member of J-Land.

Tags: blogplugs, puppies, falling, money, Medicare, donut hole, good life, faith