One week until baseball starts

One week from today I will be sitting at U.S. Cellular Field, next to Mike, waiting for the first pitch of the 2010 White Sox season to start, just like we have done for the previous 6 seasons since we have been together, and for Mike it’s the 10th year in his season seats. This is a day that we have waited for since baseball ended in October.


To start, Mike and I have what many would see as a very strange relationship. We have been dating for almost 6 ½ years, with pretty much no pressure or pitfalls of most normal relationships. We are just happy being us, while we think about the future we don’t have deadlines and dates set, we just live our lives, and let things progress however they do, there is no pressure. Also many of our likes/dislikes, political, religious, and life views are completely opposite each other, including things we like to do. There are three major items (Major Items) that we have in common, our love of TV and movies, baseball, and the decision to agree that most things in life we will not agree on. It really is something unique, that I don’t think that anyone outside of us gets. On that note, while we spend most of our time together, we both still have friends who are close to us that we spend vast amounts of time with that have never met each other. I have friends, whom I spend a good amount of time with, who have never met Mike, and vice versa, but that’s just because we don’t force each other on our friends or to do things that we might not be particularly comfortable, or like doing. I like to say that our lives are separate but together. It’s a rare occasion where either of us feels forced to do anything. While we don’t spend a lot of time talking to each other about our future plans during the course of a normal day, week or month, there is one place where most of our life decisions have been made. That is in Section 158 of Sox Park.

It seems like in our relationship, opening day is like a fresh start to a new year, finally getting back to our summer home. So much of what makes us, US happens when we are sitting at the ballpark. We get to talk with old friends, laugh about long time "inside jokes" and make new memories every year. This year will be different since one of the old friends has moved away, and we do hope that we get to see him at least at a game or two this year, but even if he can't make it back to Chicago, we will be thinking about him.

Sox Park has become a place of refuge, and a summer home that we look forward to all winter. Finally breaking us out of our shells and sometimes mundane day to day life, forcing us once or twice a week to get out and enjoy the outdoors and the greatest sport ever played, together.

The White Sox have had a huge impact on our individual lives as well as our relationship.

I was a Sox fan before Mike was a part of my life, my grandfather used to watch or listen to every game while I was growing up. I remember being downstairs with them, playing while the game was on in the background. Thinking back now, it seemed that the Sox games were the background noise of most memories with my Gramps. My grandmother, who is an inspiration to us all, still watches all of the games, and she yells and the players and the umps with as much passion now at 95 that she did when I was a kid.

I always enjoyed going to games, and would pay a small amount of attention to what the White Sox each day, I’d crack a smile when they’d win, but not get too upset when they lost, I paid attention their record and players before Mike, but he is what made me truly love the game, not just the team.

With Mike we have shared many highs and lows. Being a fan of a particular baseball team is not about winning the World Series every year, it’s about being happy when your team does well, being ecstatic when your team does better than even you expected. 2005 was truly a memorable year, I will forever remember the feeling I had watching each game of that playoff run, and the conversations that were had sitting in the park at game 1, Paul Konerko’s Grand slam and Pod’s walk off to end game 2, the most unexpected home run I can ever remember. I remember the announcers talking about Huston pitcher Brad Lidge giving up a walk off in his last appearance, and that the chances were slim to none of that happening again, but it did. I remember sitting with my cousins in the garage in game 3, Geoff Blum’s homer to score 2 runs in the top of the 14th inning, another unlikely at bat. I remember being with Mike at Healy’s in Forest Park watching game 4, just counting down the outs and when it happened being filled with so much relief followed by happiness. Yes 2005 was a great year, but not the only one.

2008, the Sox had come off of a dismal 2007 season with a record of under .500, still splattered with some greatness (Bobby Jenks tying the record for batters out, Buehrle’s no hitter) they were not expected to do much of anything that year, but when it came down to it a young inexperienced pitcher wound up being our savior. They were faced with winning three games in three days to get into the playoffs, the last one of which was a playoff game with our longtime rivals, the Minnesota Twins. They dubbed the game a “black out” every Sox fan in the place wore black, and it was a site to behold, and Ozzie put everything into John Danks’ hands that day, and it paid off, and we went to the playoffs. Of course Tampa Bay was having a great year that year and knocked us out in the first round, but at least we won 1 of those games. Still the Black Out game was one of the greatest games we ever experienced, and made 2008 another great and memorable year. 2009 of course as another dismal year, that had its greatness, Mark Buehrle’s perfect game, Jim Thome hitting his 600th home run, Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko getting there 300th home runs back-to-back. Through all of this, the good and the bad, it has made us a better couple. And I have to than the White Sox for their part of that.

Some say hope springs eternal. Opening day is hope, and home.

GO WHITE SOX!

Health care for all Americans. This is CHANGE I do belive in.

I've been working on this post for the past week. I think I am ready for the final draft.

The health care bill has finally passed through the House and signed by the president. The Reconciliation bill has been passed through the Senate and the final fixes are in place. I have two points to make about this:

1. it’s about time

2. It hasn't gone far enough, but it's a great start.

This is one of my three major issues for voting for a candidate. We have needed health care reform for a long, long time. The system has been bad and has gotten progressively worse as time has gone by. The government needs to regulate it. I have so many stories and experiences that I will go into here.

My first out of college/ real job was at a major insurance company, I worked as an admin in the life sales division. I would work regularly with the underwriters, negotiating prices and payment plans for our sales reps and their clients. I saw upfront and personal how these rates were created, I saw how people were sold into purchasing these policies, and I felt dirty going to work and dealing with this. Pressuring people to buy more insurance that was actually needed, because they could afford it, not because it was needed. Selling short term policies with high rates to young people instead of policies that would cover them for their whole life and used when needed at a lower rate that it would cost when they were more at risk of needing a payout. It was a horrible system.

I also had friend who worked in the health care claims department, they were given strict guidelines and rules to deny coverage for most procedures until the customer came back and fought the denial. That would be when they would use the "Dr. Office or hospital used the wrong code, go back to them" line. After much back and forth on the client side they finally would approve the claim, in the hopes that most people would just give up and pay out of pocket.

My most recent experience with the health care system was 2 years ago. To anyone that might not know I had stage 4 melanoma when I was 25 had a few surgeries and all of the cancer was removed. Yes I was very lucky that it didn't spread, and I am very lucky that I did not need further invasive procedures. I am thankful everyday for that.

A little over two years ago I lost my job, didn't have any savings, and could not afford the COBRA payments. I decided to try to get private health insurance. I was looking for emergency only coverage, you know the just in case coverage, so that if something happened, like I broke a leg or something like that I would not lose everything and owe tens of thousands of dollars in the process. Because I had cancer three years earlier I was tagged as uninsurable, even if I tried to add a rider that melanoma or even any cancer would not be covered by the policy, I could not get coverage. So here I was 28 years old, fairly healthy, and not able to have insurance. I did not find a full time position for almost six months, during that time I was scared to death that something would happen and I would not be able to pay for it, and therefore not be able to get help. That was not the first time that healthcare got personal.

That happened on August 9, 2001 when my cousin Diane Alaimo passed away. That was the first time that I realized that health care is only for the privileged few, it's not a right that is open to anybody.

Diane was a wonderful, caring, loving person. She was a standup comic by profession; she did not have access to employer sponsored health care. She had some minor issues which after that she was dropped and marked uninsurable. By the time that she found corporate employment with local radio station, and had access to healthcare it was already too late. She had major heart surgery on August 6, and was on machines for three days, after which her heart gave out, she was 46 years old. Had she had insurance and access to health care she could have still been with us. We would have still been laughing with her instead of crying and remembering the wonderful person she was. I still think about my cousin every day.

Now that within the next four years, every American will have access to affordable healthcare, hopefully less people will be saying goodbye to people they love because they can't see a doctor, and get the care that they need. Because in the next 6 months the insurance companies will not be able to drop its clients because they get sick, and they cannot deny a client because they happened to have ever been sick.

So how's that hopy changy thing working out?

Well because of this CHANGE, I have HOPE for our future.

Thank you President Obama, and Madame Speaker Pelosi, Thank you for helping to make America a country that I can be proud of again.

76 days and counting

Can't believe that I haven't posted in over 20 days, I really need to get back on track. So much to talk about right now. First of all I am now 76 days into quitting and I am doing great! Had a few close to weak moments, but have still not given in. Just need to make to it 100 days. I don't know what happens then, but I have convinced myself that it'll be better by then. I have been off the gum for over a month as well, so I'm nicotine free. I feel normal now. The first few weeks I noticed everything tasting and smelling better, but now it just feels normal. I am enjoying my life a lot more now that I am not taking smoke breaks from it. Now to work on losing weight.

55 days, and it's finally spring

Today is 55 days! Also I've given up the gum for quite a while already too, so I am finally completely 100% nicotine free!


Today I really thought was going to be a challenge. The first quazi warm sunny day in Chicago, the first sign that spring is coming. It was 40 degrees, and beautiful, no coat, no scarf, gloves or hat, just wonderfulness of melting snow. Usually my favorite thing to do on a day like this is to get in my car, put on some warm summery music and drive to an outdoor mall. This drive entails having the windows down and smoking; it was something I looked forward to all winter. So today I had to go to the mall anyway to take back some of the massive amount of clothing I bought for myself with my tax return. I got in my car, turned the radio up, rolled the windows down, and drove, and didn't smoke and it was still as wonderful as it always is, maybe even better.

Actually it did get better because on my way home I was able to turn on the radio and listen to the White Sox spring training game, nothing says warm and sunny like listening to Ed Farmer and DJ. This is going to be a good year for the Sox, and I can't wait for the real season to start and be at opening day. Summer is almost here!

42, the answer to the life the universe and everything

I have come up with another possibility to the answer 42. How many days have I given up smoking? 42! Most who know me, know that I have a slight obsession with the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. If you have not read Douglas Adams' collected works the first sentence will make little to no sense, but if you did understand, the probability that you walk around wishing you were on Beatleguise IV, with a Babel Fish in your ear, sipping a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, while waiting to board the Heart of Gold is pretty high. Of course I use probable, knowing that while anything is possible, the game of Cricket being one of the most evilly conceived games in the universe is highly probable.


Don't panic, most people after reading that last paragraph would likely rather listen to Vogon poetry instead of re-reading, but there will always be a few of us that would rather raise our thumbs in the air, and hope for a more entertaining bunch to pick us up on our way to Alpha Centrui.

So Long and Thanks for all the fish!

40 days

Made it to day 40! It's all very exciting, and if this were Lent I would be able to smoke again, which I don't even want to. I still think about it, but not as often as I did in the beginning, maybe once a day, if that. I have conquered most of my triggers, there are still a couple of situations that I have yet to be in that might make me want to smoke, or at least that would normally be my first reaction. Being that I was able to get through the bigger and more common ones, I should be ok. I still do not want to let my guard down though.


Now onto the next challenge, I'm going to lose some weight. My first goal is to drop the 25 lbs. that I've gained in the past year, after that who knows, but just to be able to get where I was a year ago is a good start, any tips other than eating better and exercising? The second part which will be easier once it's nice out, since I can go walk at lunch. Let me know your success stories, and also what has tripped you up in the past. Maybe we can all learn from each other’s mistakes.

One last note, had a great time with the cousins last night at my mom’s Bunco party. It was great seeing everyone, and meeting new people, and the game was a good time too!

38 days, and I'm back to work!

Back to work after just over a week, and happy to be here! Really, I am! I couldn't take sitting at home unable to do much of anything much longer. My back really started to feel better on Saturday, and after Angelina's birthday party on Sunday was a little sore, but Monday I felt great, but was off for President's day, and had yesterday scheduled off to take my nephew to the Auto show. It was really a great time. They had quite a few things for the kids to do, he was in a push up contest at the Army site, and won, and got "real" dog tags with his name on them. Also won a water bottle from State Farm, and generally just had a great time getting in and out of cars. I wanted to go mostly because my lease is up in a few months and wanted to look at what was out there, already knowing that I am going to get the Nissan Cube, it's small and strange looking and completely fitting of me.


The biggest surprise for me, was a Mercedes Hybrid Crossover. I don't know what it was called, but I really liked it. Now I am usually against high end cars, and don't really see the point in spending so much money to simply go from one place to another. I also dislike trucks, vans, and SUV's and prefer compact cars due to size, mileage, emissions, and the cost of building. So needless to say that I was shocked at how much I liked this car. What I was really impressed with is was the amount of fully electric cars that were shown, and I simply cannot wait for them to be on the market. My dream of someday being completely off of foreign and domestic oil is in reach, and it's an exciting time to be around.

37 days

I am going into my 37th day of not smoking. I realized today that it is still a struggle, sometimes it would be so much easier to just have a cigerette than not too, then I realize that I would have to go buy them, and that seems like more of a pain and waste of time, so I don't.
I haven't posted much this week, due to my back problems I haven't been online all that much, but I am feeling almost 100% and can't wait to go back to work on Wednesday. I already had tomorrow schedulded off so that Mike and I can take my nephew to the auto show, should be a lot of fun. We went last year and he had a great time, so can't wait to do it again.

31 days, Yogi Bear, and a little Socialism

31 days, feeling great, all the normal stuff. Very excited to be through with the first month, and it went by so much faster that I thought it would have and doesn't seem like it was so bad. I know it was but those memories are becoming distant.


My back is still killing me. I did not go into work today, and had my second chiropractor appointment. I am actually in more pain now then I was this morning. It's not the sharp shooting pain, but more of soreness in my upper back, next and left arm and hand. I'll tell him about it when I go back on Friday.

I haven't been off of work for this long in a very long time. Other than the times I've been out of a job that is. It's very strange. I did not go in on Monday, and left early yesterday and no work today. I am going in tomorrow and going to try for the full day, we'll see how it goes.

Being home from work, there are some very interesting things on TV. I didn't know about the Boomerang channel, it's awesome! All classic cartoons like The Flintstones, Woody Woodpecker, Yogi Bear, and Huckleberry Hound. I watched for quite a while.

I also tuned into Fox news. I know I know bad idea. I am a totally left bleeding heart liberal, and I do in my daily life talk smack about the right wing, crazy christian, T-bagger, W, and moose hunter lovers. (I will not say their names in my blog; they do not deserve the mention). I also preach equality and treating each other with kindness and understandings, so I decided why not give it a shot to attempt to see the other side of things.

I decided to tune into Glen Beck, with all intentions of watching the full show. I will say right now that I was only able to get half way through before I only had three choices. 1. Change the channel and put on some Comedy Central, or MSNBC, 2. Throw the remote control through the TV, 3. Purchase a gun and go on a bloody rampage. My back hurt too much to throw anything with force, I am a strong supporter of gun control and refuse to ever hold one, let alone purchase one, so I was left with the rational channel change.

I sat on my couch unable to keep my jaw from hitting the floor, his banter just got more and more ridicules, moronic, and plain old dumb.

First thing, to anyone that supports and actually listens to these people. Communism and Socialism are not interchangeable terms they are completely different ideologies. If you are interested in knowing the difference, mentalfloss.com defines it well: http://www.mentalfloss.com/difference/communism-vs-socialism/

He also referred numerous times to the fact that "we don't want what happened in (insert random European country) to happen here" with ABSOLUTLY NO EXPLINATION OR REFERNCE to what event he was talking about. He also refers to himself as a patriot and claims he loves this country, in an quick attempt to find out more information on this person, I came across this quote from his then radio show in 2005 "When I see a 9/11 victim family on television, or whatever, I'm just like, 'Oh shut up' I'm so sick of them because they're always complaining."

Nice isn't it? It makes me physically ill that there are people that I know personally, and once thought were normal people, whom I still care about and love watch this guy and believe in the lies that he spouts.

I do just wish that someone like Jon Stewart, or really anyone out there with a loud enough voice will call these people what they are, sore losers and racists. Plain and simple if you supported the democratic cause and voted democratic before Obama was elected and all of a sudden have joined the Tea Party movement stop saying that you have become a conservative overnight and be honest and say that you don't like him because he's black and you are a raciest pig, I'll have more respect for you if you just admit it, than if you say that you really think that Moose Hunter should be our next president.

One Month

Today is one full month since my last cigarette! My initial goal was to get to this point, and I made it. It seemed almost like a finish line way back at day one, but I now know that it's not. There is no finish line it's just the rest of my life. I still want to smoke every so often, but much less than I did in the first couple of weeks. Every situation brings different challenges, and old habit return to memory. I just have to keep pushing past those memories and create new ones. Always knowing that I have a better and healthier future ahead of me now. Life is better, smells better, tastes better, in feels better.


I am going to try to post every day, but may miss every so often. I missed yesterday because my back still hurts and I did not feel up to sitting up and typing. I am getting this post out of the way before the pain starts to come back. I went to see a chiropractor yesterday and I do indeed have a pinched nerve in my back, so I'm going to be taking it easy for a while. Just a constant shooting pain, a whole lot better than Saturday, but not anywhere near normal.

Tonight is Tuesday, and that means another new episode of LOST! Which is awesome, but also means another episode closer to the end, which sucks. Either way, can't wait to watch and I'm sure I will be praising and condemning Darlton tomorrow morning. See you then!

28 days later

I did not forget to post yesterday, just wasn't in the mood to write. If I did, it would have been a whole lot of bitching and venting. You see I hurt my back at work on Thursday, didn't feel any better on Friday, by the time I got home from work, I pretty much thought I was going to die. Saturday was worse than Friday. I was not able to do anything that requred lifting my left arm, bending down or basically moving. Needless to say I was not in a good mood, and did not feel like taking it out on the few readerst that I have.
Today I'm still in pain, but much less than yesterday, which is great!
Had an interesting night last night. My little cousin Teresamarie got engaged to her boyfriend Tony! I couldn't be happier for them, they make a great pair.
Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not a huge fan of marriage, and don't really like weddings, but this month with first one of my best friends getting engaged and now my cousin, I am actaully excited for them.
Why am I not a big fan of marriage? Well putting aside my horriable first marriage, I feel that marriage should be an equal right. I do not like the "Crazy Christian" right stating that marriage is only between a man and a woman. I feel that any 2 people who love eachother and want to spend their lives together should have the right to get married, if that is what they want. Along with the benefits that go along with it, tax breaks, spousal rights, etc. It is not up to us to say what is right and wrong, and do not bring God into the mix. I can go on about the fear and the bigotry that goes along with being a christian, they do go hand in hand. But I'm not going to do that today. I will just say that I don't want to get married again until marrige is seen as an equal right. It's my small way of taking a stand.
On that note, congratulations Teresamarie and Tony! Live Long and Prosper.

Twenty Six Days and counting

Day Twenty Six, and once again, nothing new to report. Walking through the alleys to and from work don't really bother me anymore. Especially after this morning, I saw a woman, couldn't have been older than 40 or so smoking and hacking at the same time. You could hear her cough half way down the street. If any of you know me well enough, you know that the sound of people coughing, especially that deep flemmy cough makes me gag. I cannot stand it. I have moved seats on the train and shot people dirty looks if they are sitting behind me coughing. I tell my co-workers to go home, I can't stand the sound. So this really bothered me to see her still smoking after sounding like that. I'm sure I've done the same thing, and I'm happy and lucky that was only when I was sick and I never had that smokers cough and have had enough sense to attempt quitting before I did.


And I have what feels like a pinched nerve near my left shoulder blade, it has been killing me since yesterday afternoon. Any tips for dealing with it, other than going to a chiropractor?

1/4 of 100 days

I am a quarter the way through my first 100 days. I have no idea why 100 days is significant. I know that the media always take a close look at the first 100 days of a presidency, so I just decided as I was writing that these 100 days are just as important.

In being 1/4th the way there, I would take a deeper look into this journey, but 25 days doesn't seem long enough to really look into, maybe at 50 or 75 but for sure 100.
I have nothing else to write about this morning. I am back at work feeling a whole lot better than yesterday. I woke up and wasn't tempted to go back to bed. The day of rest paid off.

If I think of anything important or inspiring to talk about I'll post it later, but most likely, I'll see you tomorrow.

24 days, sick day, and LOST!

I took a sick day today, that's why I'm blogging so late. Nothing serious just a scratchy throat and stuffy nose. Figured that I'd take a day to rest and try to keep it from becoming a full blown cold, plus I've been extremely tired the past two days.


Onto Lost! Let me tell you the first episode LAX was crazy awesome! Have a couple of answers like the black smoke can't cross the white powder that's why it was surrounding the cabin, so that makes no more sense than it did before. I am very upset that I had to watch Juliet die twice in the same episode! I mean I was crying at the last scene of the recap with Sawyer yelling at her to not let go, and you do it 2 more times, Damon and Carlton, what in the world were you thinking! At least you didn't kill Charlie again, it was close, but alt timeline Charlie made it, even though he was promptly arrested and won't become the Charlie we loved on the island and will most likely OD soon, he's still alive, because if you killed Charlie again I'd have to fly on down to Hawaii and do some damage!

So basically that is my theory. If you believe in string theory, there are millions of alternative universes out there. Basically every decision that you make, there is a universe that you made the opposite choice. So now the show is dealing with two separate universes, one where the plane crashed and the bomb put them all into the current timeline, and one where the plane didn't crash and none of them ever met. I think I like it, well done Darlton! Well done!

So the quitting is going great, I feel more like myself than ever before, I just feel normal.

Day 23, Elections, and LOST!

Twenty-three days smoke free! I'm really running out of things to talk about on this subject, so I decided that after 30 days I will update on this venture weekly instead of daily.




Today is primary election day here in Illinois! I know a lot of you don't vote in primaries because you don't want to declare a party or don't think they really matter. They do matter, this is the time when you get to decide who will be in the general election. I don't want to hear anyone in the general election that didn't vote in the primary complain that they don't like any of the candidates. Now is the time to have your say. I don't care if your Democratic, Republican or independent. Although in Illinois it's pretty much a waste of time to pull an Independent party ticket, since there is usually no opposition. Me, I'm pulling a democratic ticket, I know that won't surprise anyone. I'm still undecided on who I've voting for governor, I've always liked Quinn, seems like a normal guy who pulls for the little guy, but Hynes doesn't seem so bad either. I have to do some research and most likely won't make up my mind until I'm in the booth. I support Alexi Giannoulias for senate, I've liked him since the Obama election when I first noticed him, and think he is the right person to fill Obama's seat. Cook County board is a no win election I don't like anyone, but I really don't like Stroger, so it's choosing who is the least evil out of the group. We shall see.



On a more exciting note, tonight is the premier of the final season of Lost! I can't wait to see what happened after Juliet set off the bomb last season. I have been a huge fan of the show since it premiered, so am very excited to have it back, and also sad that this is the last season. I'll try to post a recap tomorrow.

Twenty Two

I want to start this week off by tell you that Mike has now not smoked in 1 week! I am so happy that he is doing this with me!
I made it through three weeks now, and every day I feel more and more normal. I am still snippy every so often, but less than last week.
Anyway, another Monday another week back to work. I had an amazing weekend, Friday with friends, and helping my friend Gina with all of the wedding planning, so exciting! Saturday my niece Angelina's birthday and with family and yesterday I got to hang out with the kids, and then with Mike later.
He says that I am more arguementitave and preachy lately, I have to agree, but don't think that it's because of the smoking.
I have kept my mouth shut on topics like politics and religion, espically around people who do not share the same beliefs as I do, like my family and friends. I have stopped doing that. I feel more confident in my beliefs than I ever have before. I do not expect everyone or anyone for that matter to agree with me, just respect that this is my opinion, as I respect yours. Some people think that the only opinion that is correct is their own and if you don't agree you are wrong. That's not the way the world works. I have spent way too long holding back, but not anymore.
On that note, tomorrow is election day! I know that many people don't vote in the primarys, but I think it's just as important, maybe even more so, than the general election. This is the time when you get to decide who represents you and your party. I am and always have declared myself a Democrat, I have a general idea who I am voting for in the bigger races, but have to so a little more reseach on the smaller ones. I have voted in every election since I turned 18, and always look forward to casting my vote.

21 days

Somebody told me the the beginning of this journey that it takes 21 days to form a habit. Today is my 21st day of not smoking, and it's true. Smoking is no longer the first thing I think of when I get in my car, when I am stressed, and when I am bored. It no longer consumes my life. Thanks for the guidence Suzy, the first couple of weeks I kept telling myself 21 days, and I'll be ok, and I am. Next goal is 30 days, it'll be here before I know it.

20 days,

Can't believe that it has been 20 days already! Time has flown by. I really am getting used to my new life as a non smoker. I don't reach for a pack when I get into my car, I'm able to go out with Mike for dinner, and go out with my friends, and be just fine. I am even able to sit in a room with other smokers and not want to smoke. That is what happened last night, we were at my friends house and a couple of my other friends smoke, and asked me repediatly if it was alright for them to smoke around me. I kept telling them it was, and they finally did, and I was perfectly fine with it. Could have been the fact that they smoke menthol cigeretts, which I hate, and if I was going to slip up and have one, I wouldn't waste the opportunity on menthol!
Two other exciting happenings in my life.
My friend Gina is getting married in November, and asked me to stand up in her wedding last night! I can't wait and am so competely excited!
And best of all today my wonderful niece, Angelina turns 2! Happy Birthday little munchkin! I can't wait to celebrate with her tonight and again in two weeks at her bowling/puppy party. (no we are not going to bowl with or at puppies)
Oh and as a side note, Mike has quit for 5 days now. See honey I'm mentioning you because I'm proud.

Nineteen Days

Happy Friday everyone! Today is nineteen days that means if I know how to count correctly tomorrow is 20 days. I've got to tell you, I feel better and better every day. I'm in a great mood today, I mean how can I not be it's the third day in a row that the sun is out, and it's going to be all the way up to 25 this weekend, and it's Friday, and it's jeans day at work, I mean the perfect storm of wonderful things!


Seriously though, I have been exceptionally crabby and snappy (read a MAJOR bitch) since quitting, at least at home. I think it takes all of the energy that I have to be pleasant at work, especially days like yesterday, that I have no patience left when I get home. I'm trying to work on it though, any tips appreciated. I try the deep breathing, but that's usually after I snap to calm down. I need to figure out something before I give that icy glare or yell about non-important. As an example I was talking to Mike this morning on my way to the train, and he was telling me his plans for the night, and I interrupted him and yelled "Well I'm going to Target and Toys R Us as soon as I get off of work" in the meanest bitchiest way, and I have no idea why or where it came from, and why I had to just cut him off mid sentence to tell him that. I go from happy to crazy in a spit second, I think quitting smoking has given me Tourette's syndrome!

Day Eighteen, plus my take on the State of the union

Today is day 18 for me and I am proud to say day 3 for Mike, congrats Honey!



I thought that last night was going to difficult to get through after watching President Obama's speech. I was thinking about it all day, and could not wait to watch it. For those of you who don't know I've been watching the State of the Union every year since my junior year in high school. We had this amazing history/poli sci teacher, Mr. Zdun, who made our assignment Jr. year to watch President Bill Clinton give the state of the union and count how many standing O's he received. Now watching him speak was easy, he was charismatic, believable, and the first president that really cared about me and my family. He wasn't some old man who I couldn't identify with, he was roughly my parents age, and his daughter and I are close in age, so I identified with her and through her him.



I have continued to watch every year, even if I didn't support who was in the office, I felt it was important to know where our elected leader (even if I didn't vote for him) said the direction of the country was going, because it affects us all. So I sat through 8 long years of listening to Bush bully his way through congress and the American people.



There are a few point that I would like to touch on from the President's speech, and a few other things that I noticed. I don't want to argue with anyone, but this is my blog and I can say whatever I want. If your opinions differ and you would like a friendly debate, please comment, but make sure you are respectful, or your comment will get deleted. I don't expect everyone or anyone to agree with me, but you respect me, I'll respect you.



One other quick note, I have voted in every election, general, primary, and special since I turned 18. The first thing I did on the morning of my 18th birthday was register to vote, and I vote democrat! There are three major ideals that I look for in a candidate: 1. Equal rights for EVERYONE including women and homosexuals. 2. Equal rights to healthcare, affordable coverage for lower or no income families, meaning everyone in the country, no matter what have access to healthcare and will not go broke and lose their house if something happens to them. 3. Women’s right to choose, this is SO important to me. Absolutely no one can tell me what to do with my body.



So now my take on the State of the Union.



The first thing I noticed, and haven't heard anyone comment on was all of the color worn on the left side of the house, and how the right looked like a bunch of Mr. Burns' going to a funeral. I even went as far as when the right stood up when the President talked about nuclear power to imagine them all tapping their fingers together saying sinisterly "excellent".



Things the republicans did not stand up for, so I can only assume they hate: Small business, clean air, college education, healthy middle class and poor people, Haiti, fighting AIDS, lowing the number of nuclear weapons, and immigrant, including the legal ones (I would take this to mean they all think they are Native American)



I can't wait until August to be out of Iraq, and for our men and women in the armed forces to finally come home, although I am not naive I do believe that many of them will end up on Afghanistan or Iran (If you watched last night, you would know that Iran is in trouble)



I liked that he took a stand and said if the jobs bill and healthcare do not meet his standards he will veto them. I would like to see him stick to that.

There was a 4 trillion deficit before he walked in the door from the Bush administration not paying for two wars, he's only added 1 trillion and has a plan to pay that back, so stop blaming him for the deficit.



Thank you Mr. President for calling out the Dems for not taking advantage of their majority in both houses, push though the bills that we believe in! Thank you for asking for partnership and for calling out the Republicans for constantly seeking election and not doing their job. Thank you for talking about all of the silly pundents, they are both on the left and right, but mostly right. They are looking for ratings, and the crazier they get, the better the ratings. Please people if you listen to Fox News all day, put on MSNBC for an hour just to hear the other side. I listen to both sides, and can't help but laugh at them all.



Promised again to eliminate don't ask don't tell, it's about damn time! The military leaders don't look happy about that. I don't understand what the problem with this is, what is the difference if a solider is straight or gay, how does that make the person less able to serve their country, especially in a time of war. Someone wants to go out to the desert and fight and defend our freedom, let them. We allow any religion or color, so why not orientation? Will someone please explain this to me!



I was wondering how he would say it, but after all of this I understand, why we may be going through a hard time and recovering from a great loss the state of our union is still good, even though he didn't say it, but I trust its in good hands.



"We don't quit, I DON'T QUIT"



Thank you President Obama for everything that you have done already and will do for the next 3 for sure, but I hope 7 more years. You will always have my support, even if I don't agree with everything (which you have yet given me something to disagree with)