Well, it's official now! I'm a volunteer at the local aquarium and I'm going to be preparing the seals' food, so in an indirect way I'm responsible for the livelihood of the seals. Well, at least twice a month anyways. I'm stoked!

After my orientation last week I roamed the aquarium for awhile (I woulda roamed longer, but I was:
a.) sleep deprived
b.) going to be late for horseback riding
c.) there were waaaaay too many people visiting the aquarium that day)
So THE coolest things I saw there (besides being up close with two seal pups) were the Leafy Sea Dragons and the short-nose batfish. Friggin awesome! Also, the jellyfish were very beautiful! I have to remember to bring my camera next time.

Well, super CONGRATULATIONS to Shizuka Arakawa!!! She was absolutely flawless in the women's free skate program! And her outfit was kickin! It was like a cross between Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Star Trek! I felt really bad for Sasha Cohen. I knew if she fell on that first jump (which she did), then it was all over! She had no confidence going into the program because of her flawed practice session, so one fall during the program was all it took to undermine her and cause a second fall. It's a shame because the rest of her performance was beautiful. Very nice choreography. I also loved Emily Hughes' passion. It's funny but I never expected so many skaters to fall during their programs, since they're cream of the crop, but I guess the pressure is just too immense.

Well, my girls and I are all set to go to Punta Cana in May! WOOoeOoeOEOO!!! Here I come sunny, white beaches!!! Unfortunately, I don't think any of my friends will want to do my preferred water activity: snorkeling with sting rays and nurse sharks! I'm going to have to do some serious campaigning; however, my husband is concerned I might come home with only one arm.

Oh, and, as if people didn't already know,....the Bush administration is selling our ports to a foreign country, a foreign country known for terrorist activity. This administration never ceases to amaze me with its screw-ups! I truly believe that Bush could literally walk out of his white house with an AK-47, take aim, and mow down a touring kindergarten class of 50 kids and a pregnant teacher, write it off as a regrettable accident and both the media and the public wouldn't so much as bat an eyelash. I'm beginning to suspect brainwashing chemicals in our water supplies.

Ok, so I'm particularly morbid and negative in most of my postings. I thought today I'd try something upbeat. My Best Things in Life List:

1.) My husband
2.) Mom, Dad & bro
3.) The thought of making a human being (or two, or three) with my husband.
4.) Spending time with my friends
5.) Cuddling with my cat
6.) Sunny beaches with white sand and clear, turquoise-blue water
7.) Sunny days & warm temperatures
8.) Cantering on a horse
9.) Snorkeling with tropical fish
10.) Sleeping in late
11.) Cheesecake
12.) sour cream & onion potato chips
13.) Dancing to a good song
14.) Ziplining through the treetops
15.) Spending time in nature
16.) Zombie movies
17.) Travelling to new places
18.) Massages
19.) Hiking

Cheney Apologizes

I have to admit when I first heard that the Vice President shot someone I laughed. Not that it's really funny, but it just sounded so bizzare. And while I'm no fan of the emotionless robot who apologized yesterday to the public for doing so, he shouldn't have had to do it. The only people Cheney should be apologizing to are Whittington and his family. This matter has absolutely N-O-T-H-I-N-G to do with the country. This is a private matter and Cheney shouldn't have had to make a public speech about it. The public's "right to know" isn't so completely encompassing that I need to know everytime Cheney picks his ass or everytime Bush makes up a new word.

I'm soo hungry!!! I can't stop eating...PMS sucks!

What is human life worth?

Ok, I wasn't going to write about this because I just didn't want to get involved, but everywhere I look I see this issue about the cartoons depicting Muhammed popping up. It's driving me friggin nuts!!!! Ok, let me preface this with the usual blather, because even though all this is true I'm sure some of you will see it as just some pitiful attempt at comaraderie on my part. I realize that not all Muslims are terrorists. In fact, the majority are not terrorists. I have several Muslim friends. I've been in relationships with Muslim men in the past. I respect everyone's religion and everyone's right to religion. I really admire Persian culture. I love Islamic art and Middle Eastern food. I think Israel is occupying Palestinian land and it's unfair. I think the Iraq war was a bad idea (hopefully I'll be proven wrong). But the Western world just doesn't get this controversy! And, I'll tell you why:

First of all, the cartoons were satirical, meaning not to be taken too seriously.

Second, the cartoons were published in free societies with freedom of press and expression.

Third, because of the latter, people who hate the cartoons can express their outrage and either boycott or sue the paper(s) that printed them or even take the higher ground and count them off as idiots or whatever.

Fourth, Westerners don't understand the importance of not depicting Muhammed. We have pictures of Jesus everywhere. We just don't understand it. It's a cultural problem and even though we can acknowledge that people find the depiction appalling, we still don't entirely get it. It's kinda like Bush or some other super rich and privileged person trying to understand the life of a homeless person. Maybe that's our fault, but it's not done out of maliciousness it's done because we don't get it.

Fifth, Muhammed was depicted with a missile on his head and denying suicide bombers into heaven because of a lack of virgins because terrorists have hijacked your religion and used it so well to their murderous agenda that the rest of the world will always connect Islam to terrorism and death no matter how hard we try not to. Even though we know it's the horrible actions of a few, it's impossible to get rid of that image. But that's not really our fault. It's the fault of those few terrorists and, maybe, the fault of those good Muslims who aren't working hard enough to take back their religion.

Sixth, while there are some of us who believe that religion supercedes everything, most of us still don't understand the swelling of outrage over some cartoons drawn by some obscure guy at an obscure newspaper when there are hundreds of people dying each day on your side and our side. Regardless of sides, I think we should be most outraged at all the killing. How are you burning flags and calling for death to an entire country because of this??? Where's the outrage at the deaths? People are being beheaded, gunned down, and blown up. If you have to be mad, be mad at this! We just don't understand!

Six more weeks of HELL!!!

That damn groundhog saw his shadow!!!