Posted on by Laura Jinkins · 3 Comments

Here’s another Texas funny for your enjoyment.  Bear with me, I enjoy these things and it is  my blog, after all. 

Things All Texans Know

Armadillos sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air.
Roadrunners don’t say “Beep Beep.”
There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 live in Texas.
There are 10,000 types of spiders and a All 10,000 live in Texas, plus a couple no one’s seen before.
Possums will eat anything.
Armadillos love to dig holes under tomato plants.
If it grows…it sticks. If it crawls…it bites.
Nothing will kill a mesquite tree!

Texas has 5 seasons:
Spring: Feb 16 to April 15 (temp less than 90 degrees)
Summer: April 16 to July 15 (temp 90 to 99 degrees)
Super Summer: July 16 to Sept 10 (temp 100 to 115 degrees)
Summer: Sept. 11 to Oct 1 (temp 90 to 99 degrees)
Fall: Oct 2 to Dec. 1 (temp less than 90 degrees)
Winter: Dec. 2 to Feb 15 (temp less than 70 degrees)

“Onced” and “Twiced” are words.
Fireants consider your flesh a picnic.
“Coldbeer” is one word.
People actually grow and eat okra…
When the world ends, only cockroaches and mesquite trees will survive.
When you live in the country, you don’t have to buy a dog. People drop them off at your gate in the middle of the night!
The sound of coyotes howling at night only sounds good for the first couple of weeks.
When a buzzard sits on the fence and stares at you, it’s time to go the doctor.
A chicken crosses the road, just to prove to the Possum that it can actually be done.
“Di-rectly”, simply means sooner, or later.
“Fixinto” is one word, as is “goan”- go on, or “comon” – come on.

The word dinner is confusing. There’s only lunch and then there’s supper.
“Backards and forards” means I know everything about you.
“Jeet?” is actually a phrase meaning “Did you eat?”
You don’t have to wear a watch because it doesn’t matter what time it is. You work until you’re done or it’s too dark to see.
You’ve had to switch from “heat” to “A/C” in the same day.
Stores don’t have bags; they have sacks.

All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.
You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked!
You carry jumper cables in your car … for your OWN car.
You know what “cow tipping” and “snipe hunting” is.

You know whether another Texan is from east, west, north, or south Texas as soon as they open their mouth.

There is a Dairy Queen in every town with a population of 1000 or more.
Going to Wal-Mart is a favorite past-time.
You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good chili weather.
A carbonated soft drink isn’t a soda, cola, or pop it’s a “Coke”, regardless of brand or flavor.

You understand these jokes and forward them to your friends from Texas…

Posted on by Laura Jinkins · 1 Comment

The day after and three days before . . .


I think the little miss enjoyed her day yesterday.  She wanted Chicken McNuggets from you-know-where for lunch, so I went by the drive-thru and brought her lunch at school.  That’s always fun, although I get amused.  I go to the school to have lunch with my daughter, but I’m practically attacked by all her classmates, so I get very little time to actually visit with my girl.  That’s okay — I think the main point for her is “My mom took time to come have lunch with me . . . “


After school, her daddy and I took her by the bank to cash her birthday checks and then to do a little shopping.  She chose to go to Book Ends first, where she purchased a Hank the Cowdog mystery, and two other titles that escape me at the moment.  Then she wanted to go to Waldenbooks to get some more Trixie Belden mysteries.  Afterwards, we went to dinner at Red Lobster (not nearly as good as I remembered it being — it’s been several years since we’ve eaten there, and it probably will be a long time before we do, again). 


One more stop before home:  The Children’s Place, where she purchased a pair of decorated jeans, a t-shirt, and poncho to match.  Apparently, this season’s colors are orange and green!  Not normally the colors I would see my girl in, but she looked really cute in this outfit!  I need to let her start choosing more of her own clothes (within reason), as she’s starting to take an interest in that now.  Fortunately, she’s got a good handle on the modesty thing — no exposed belly buttons, etc.  She doesn’t like that kind of thing at all! 


And then we went home.  She wanted to stay awake until 9:35 p.m., when she would officially turn 9, so I told her she could read in her bed until then.  Just as I suspected, when her daddy went in to sing a couple of songs and say goodnight, she fell asleep almost immediately.  So sweet!


People often ask why we only have one child.  To tell you the truth, I don’t know.  We decided to see what happened when Jami was a couple of years old, but nothing.  I guess she’s the one we’re supposed to have and maybe the only one.  I’m 41 and I can’t imagine having a baby at this age, although I’m sure we’d “survive” the experience in our “old age”!    But if that never happens, well, we hit the jackpot with her.  She’s truly an awesome blessing and I can’t imagine loving anyone else more, except maybe her daddy . . . and then it’s really close!


Her OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY PARTY is Saturday.  She has 12 little friends coming over (including her two cousins) for cake and ice cream.  I have all the decorations and party favors together.  A little house cleaning, a little crepe paper, balloons, etc. and we’re set.  My sister is making her birthday cake — Ang is exceptionally talented when it comes to that kind of stuff.  Here’s a picture of the cake she made for AJ’s 40th birthday:



Too cute, huh?  I’m sure Jami’s will be adorable, as well.


I’ve got work to do, so I’m saying “adios” for now.  Have a great day!

Posted on by Laura Jinkins · 4 Comments

This is a most awesome, incredible day!  Nine years ago today (at 9:35 p.m., to be precise), my ever so wonderful, brilliantly gifted, beautiful blue-eyed Jami entered this world! 


Can you tell I’m a wee bit smitten with my baby girl? 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY GIRL!

Posted on by Laura Jinkins

What Age Are You?


 








You Are 33 Years Old

33
Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view – and you look at the world with awe.

13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what’s to come… love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You’ve had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You’ve been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

Posted on by Laura Jinkins · 6 Comments

Scanning the net for points of interest . . .


Charles Krauthammer’s column makes me proud to be an American under the leadership of President Bush.  He explains so beautifully why our involvement in Iraq has been worth the sacrifice.  Give it a read.


And following up on my recent post regarding Indian River Community College’s discrimination against students that wanted to show The Passion of the Christ on campus, Dr. Mike Adams informs us that “sunlight can often be the best disinfectant” and “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of humiliation.”  Congratulations to Dr. Adams for a victory in the battle for freedom of speech!


On a personal note, the munchkin and I are both sick.  We’ve got a few things to take care of, but for the most part, we are going to rest today.  She’s sitting on the futon next to me, reading a Trixie Belden mystery.  (I loved these books when I was a kid.)  She’s such a fast reader, she’ll be done with it by noon (or earlier) and then she’s moving on to Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.  I am so proud of her reading ability and her love of books!  I’m not sure that I read at such a high level when I was 9, and I was a reader, too.


One thing I do want to do today is transfer last year’s client files over to CD’s and free up some space on my hard drive.  Tedious and time-consuming, but I’m hoping it will speed things up a little bit once some of the “clutter” is gone. 


Catch ya’ later —

Posted on by Laura Jinkins · 3 Comments

I gave this book to my husband for Christmas and he really enjoyed it.  He encouraged me to read it, and while I’ve not had as much time to read as I’d like, the first few chapters have been very interesting.  Suzanne Fields’ column addresses Michael Crichton’s book and beliefs regarding “political science,” but not the “political science” one might major in at university.  I’ve copied the entire column for your convenience because I feel it’s well worth the time to read:


The green ‘state of fear’
Suzanne Fields (archive)

February 3, 2005 | printer friendly version Print | email to a friend Send


Michael Crichton is a high-tech, science-savvy Renaissance man in the 21st century. He has sold more than a hundred million books, which have been translated into 30 languages. Twelve became high-grossing movies. Children everywhere have “Jurassic Park” nightmares.


His books are so popular in China that when the calcified remains of a species of dinosaur was discovered there, the Chinese named it Bienosauraus crichtoni in his honor. In 1992, People magazine named him one of the “Fifty Most Beautiful People.”


Now a new kind of fame brings Michael Crichton to Washington to speak to policy wonks. He’s promoting his new book, “State of Fear,” which zoomed to the top of the bestseller lists, but he doesn’t come to Washington to talk about the novel.


Not long ago his speech, “Science Policy in the 21st Century,” was sponsored by two think tanks, the American Enterprise Institute and Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, and it’s about what he thinks about environmentalists in general, and climate change in particular. He has a lot of thoughts about the way science influences public policy.


He minces no words. What passes for science by so-called experts in the debate over “global warming,” he says, influences policy that is based on faulty data and ideological considerations. This does considerably more damage than good.


Ideology drives the scientists who get the grants to conduct research; the government agency that gives grants is driven by politics. In the novel, a page-turning action thriller, major characters, including a scientist, a lawyer, a philanthropist and two gorgeous women, are superheroes who foil the devices of environmental extremists, evil missionaries with messianic drives, pushing policies born of their own egos.


In a novel twist on the novel, the author appends footnotes and a bibliography to document scientific reports, and two hard-hitting essays explaining how and why politicized science is dangerous.


He compares the science of the environmentalists as similar to that of the study of eugenics a century ago. The study of eugenics, the idea that the human race could be “improved” by selective breeding, was at first supported by presidents, Nobel laureates, major universities, the Carnegie and Rockefeller Foundations, and together they molded public opinion. The science was insidious, pseudo-, and wrong.


Eugenics, recognized nearly everywhere now as both morally and criminally wrong, led directly to the Holocaust, with the Nazis killing first the feeble-minded, and ultimately extended to include Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals. Those who opposed eugenics were reactionary, ignorant or both. Research motivated by racism, fear of immigrants and “keeping the wrong people out of the neighborhood,” drew few protests.


Michael Crichton argues that many environmental studies today are similarly flawed, directed by scientists who shape their research to fit the cause, and read by an ill-informed public duped to believe that scientific papers are “objective.”


He cites an editorial in The Washington Post, which suggests adopting a policy change in climate control as “a sign of goodwill” to Europe. He notes, with irony and dismay, that the editorial appeared on the day that a dispatch from Auschwitz detailed the observance of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the infamous death camp. Auschwitz, he says, was a direct descendent of politicized science.


Environmental grants, he argues, should go to several scientists working on a project with opposing points of view. Their work should be subjected to mutual criticism. “We need face-to-face dissent.” The results should be made public: “The people paid for it, the people own it.”


Only ruthless arguments can get to verifiable facts. Congressional hearings on scientific matters, he observes, are mostly dog-and-pony shows where questions are either “soft balls or hand grenades.” Congressmen are eager to show off what their staffs have found for them, and ideologues want to persuade. This is a dangerous way to make policy.


He cites the story of the pesticide DDT, effective against many disease-carrying insects, as an example of environmentalism gone awry. DDT, he argues, was falsely accused of causing cancer, and because it was banned millions, mostly children, have died of disease and their deaths “are directly attributable to a callous, technologically advanced western society that promoted the new cause of environmentalism by pushing a fantasy about a pesticide, and irrevocably harmed the third world.”


Environmentalism, he says, is “the religion of choice for urban atheists.” Such heresy won’t be as popular as his novels and movies, but in the long run, may have the impact of DDT on a mosquito.




©2005 Tribune Media Services

Posted on by Laura Jinkins

Thanks Txman and Intermodal for your get-well wishes.  I really appreciate them! 


While I didn’t get out the door as early as I would have liked, the Tylenol Cold medicine I took and a nice warm shower helped me feel a little bit more human.  After having to get my friend to give Jami a ride to school because the truck wouldn’t keep running long enough to shift into reverse, I was surprised when it started up just fine at 1:45 this afternoon.  Made it to Sears, where the mechanic put the battery through the tests and declared it to be BAD.  Shame, shame, shame you ole’ Diehard!  The wicked thing had enough nerve to wait until AFTER the warranty expired to die, so $104.00 later I’ve got a Diehard Gold 3 year battery under the hood.


While the mechanics did their thing, I strolled along the perimeter of the mall, begging for donations for our school’s silent auction.  For the most part, people are quite generous.  Some of the larger chains aren’t able to donate anything because of corporate policy, but a local furniture store donated a beautiful piece of silk hand-embroidered needlework in a very nice frame and a party supply place donated a certificate for a 16-balloon bouquet.  I also received quite a few promising “Leave me your contact info and I’ll get something together for you to pick up” comments.  So that was encouraging.


Because I was feeling better, I cruised over to the brand-new Tuesday Morning store that opened down our way.  It’s a terrible, terrible thing that this store has opened.  I don’t know what I’m going to do.  I spent $57 there this evening!  Granted, $20 was on $40 worth of throw pillows for our futon and $15.95 was on birthday/late Christmas gifts for Jami and my friend in Ohio (yes, I’m terrible — I still haven’t finished my Christmas shopping . . . who do you think came up with the “Christmas in July” idea????)  I just have to discipline myself to not go in there unless I really need to (for gifts).  Because they have some awesome gifts!


Now that I’m home, though, I’m wishing I’d not pushed so hard because I’m starting to feel a little puny again.  I think I’ll make myself a cup of Bigelow Mint Medley tea.  It’s great for soothing a sore throat and opening up the sinuses.  And it tastes pretty good, too. 


Oh, and wish Moose Max get-well wishes, too.  Apparently he’s under the weather, too . . .

Posted on by Laura Jinkins · 4 Comments

Sigh . . .


I have a cold.  *Sniff*  And so much to do.  I need to pay bills (ugh), do some paperwork, sit out in my truck and try to get the battery charged up enough to go get a new one, and drum up donations for our annual school fundraiser.  And all I really want to do is crawl back in bed and sleep.


Sigh . . .

Posted on by Laura Jinkins · 4 Comments

All things serious should be balanced with a little silliness! 

The Hobbit Name Generator

and

The Elvish Name Generator

If I were a Hobbit, I would be Ruby Boffins of Whitburrow!  And if I were an elf, I would be Nessa Mithrandir.

Interestingly enough, I think I prefer the Hobbit name.  It just seems more . . . jolly!  And I think I’d rather be a jolly Hobbit.  Actually, I think it’s their houses, ahem, hobbit holes that attract me.  I absolutely LOVED Bilbo Baggins’ Hobbit Hole.  Round doors, leaded windows, roaring fireplaces, hallways that twist and turn everywhere.  Rivendell was beautiful, but the Shire was more interesting to me, anyway.

If you’re inclined, let me know what your names are in my comments section!