I miss my sister.

After a three year absence, I saw her today. She pulled into the driveway right after I returned from a garden shopping excursionn (I love my jungle-garden).

I hugged her and didn't want to let go.

No time to really talk, as my bro in law, two other nieces and his parents werent far behind (admittedly a bit overwhelming) but thats fine for now.. I think her and I will be ok, from here on out...

((we seem to be ready to work on being sisters))

I hope my mom and sister can work things out. I am not sure if my mom will be around this evening to see any of them. My mom is terribly stubborn. She is awesome, intelligent, capable of fixing and building anything, but stubborn.

Anyhow, I hope to get a few pics before my sister leaves. We will meet up this evening at Art Park for the graduation of my oldest neice, Ashley. Then they are heading back to NC; wish they could stay longer. I plan to visit for a weekend in the fall-- after school is over for me.

Yep, gonna keep positive about this..

Just finished watching C-Span's coverage of the US-European Union Summit (held at Hofburg Palace in Vienna Austria). On the agenda: Irans nuclear program.
I am not sure what I enjoy more- the answers or the questions. I am fascinated with Presidnet Bush, Chancellor Shussel and President Barrosso's responses and reactions to audience questioning; both verbal and non-verbal.

And I will leave it at that, for now.

well, and this..

Check out the Summit in written form:


Wolfgang Shussel:

Chancellor of Austria, President of European Council

Jose Manuel Barosso:

President of European Commision

You know the other guy, the Bushmeister:



hehe, now my mental voice has a french accent. My spoken words have an accent and I am interjecting a few french words. Monsieur Shussel brings out the french in moi. I could listen to him for hours.

So, I must brush up on my foreign languages. A true Marquis will have a better grasp of the french language. I have been slacking severely on this.. I miss conversing in (broken) french and polish.

a bientot, mon amies!

I just viewed a ritualistic animal sacrifice...

I wasn't expecting to see it, and now I feel ill. Not sure what to make of the lump in my throat.

I understand plenty..I am not ignorant to the various world religion rituals and practices--but I didn't expect them to *show* it-- the horse being held on the ground.. blinking its eyes, looking around. The sharpening of the blade..

I spare you the rest.

You can see it for yourself on the History Channel, Voodoo Secrets

Show description:

A cult of magic spells, diabolical curses, satanic worship, human sacrifice, zombies, and dolls stuck with pins? Experts explain how, over the past few centuries, the ancient religion of Voodoo has been systematically maligned, persecuted, and nearly wiped out. To uncover the truth behind Voodoo, we travel to where it began at least 5,000 years ago on the central west coast of Africa. In the tiny nation of Benin, Voodoo is practiced today as it has been for thousands of years. Our cameras captured a rarely-seen event--an African Voodoo ceremony with animal sacrifice. We also investigate grisly events blamed on Voodoo, such as: the sinking of a ferry in Haiti that killed 200 people and was blamed on a Voodoo curse; death of Robert Tallant, author of the 1947 bestseller Voodoo in New Orleans; and how Marie Laveau, the "Queen of Voodoo" in New Orleans, saved two men from the gallows in 1850. Could these tales be true? Michael Dorn narrates

I had it in my head to make mojitos today. I havent had a drink in quite some time, as it hasn't been of interest to me in the least for a few months now. I am not much of a drinker, but I have had my fair share this year, and that isn't like me.

However, a refreshing mojito sounded nice. I invited (e:pyrcedgrrl) to come over and have one with me.

I made sure that I had everything I needed: Bacardi, limes, sugar, club soda, ice and mint.

I grow mint in my garden, so ofcourse I choose to use those fresh leaves instead of a store bought variety ( or syrup, gasp!)

As I am mashing the mint, I begin to wonder if my sense of smell is off today. It smells minty.. yet it doesn't.

Asking (e:pyrcedgrrl) what she thinks is not fruitful, as she is just coming off a cold and can't smell much.

So I proceed to make the drink and everything appears fine. It even tastes fine.. but not quite like the mojitos I made in the past.

Then I wonder what exactly I picked from my garden...

and I wonder.. did I make a mojito using spearamint?

or catnip??? hahaha

It still tasted good whatever it was I used.

I haven't seen this before as a weather alert in my Yahoo! weather (or that annoying aol weather bug)

Anyway, be careful of breathing during the hours of 5am and 11pm tomorrow..

btw, I missed An Unconvenient Truth (e:theecarey,166) it slipped my mind, then I dozed off.. Anyone get out to see it?
I think the Buffalo Zoo field trip may have kicked my butt?? The day was very enjoyable-- gorgeous weather, noted progress in my autistic student ("Care, was it the grisly bear or the polar bear he tried to join last year?" heh, the bear may be ferocious, but my money is on the kid!) -- oh, and lots of fun with my co worker/friends.

I am still groggy from my nap. I have residual effects of the dream that I had. It was so real... whats going on?

Now the moment you have been waiting for: onto the official lung pollution report..

...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM TO 11 PM
EDT SATURDAY...

AN AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM TO 11 PM
SATURDAY.

MONROE...WAYNE...OSWEGO...JEFFERSON...ONTARIO...LIVINGSTON...
ALLEGANY...CATTARAUGUS...CHAUTAUQUA...WYOMING...ERIE...GENESEE...
ORLEANS... NIAGARA AND CAYUGA

AIR QUALITY LEVELS IN OUTDOOR AIR ARE PREDICTED TO BE GREATER
THAN AN AIR QUALITY INDEX VALUE OF 100. THE AIR QUALITY INDEX...
OR AQI...WAS CREATED AS AN EASY WAY TO CORRELATE LEVELS OF
DIFFERENT POLLUTANTS TO ONE SCALE. THE HIGHER THE AQI VALUE...
THE GREATER THE HEALTH CONCERN.

WHEN POLLUTION LEVELS ARE ELEVATED...THE NEW YORK STATE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RECOMMENDS THAT INDIVIDUALS CONSIDER
LIMITING STRENUOUS OUTDOOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TO REDUCE THE RISK
OF ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS. PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ESPECIALLY SENSITIVE
TO THE EFFECTS OF ELEVATED LEVELS OF POLLUTANTS INCLUDE THE VERY
YOUNG... AND THOSE WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS SUCH AS ASTHMA OR
HEART DISEASE.

A TOLL FREE AIR QUALITY HOTLINE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED SO NEW YORK
RESIDENTS CAN STAY INFORMED ON THE AIR QUALITY SITUATION.

THE TOLL FREE NUMBER IS: 1 800 5 3 5 1 3 4 5.

Have a great night. Breathe now while you can!

a little bit of this that and the other..

• feeling a strong sense of deja vous- or something to that effect. Not sure what to make of the feeling. Not sure where it is coming from, or why.. weird.

• field trip to the Buffalo Zoo tomorrow. Maybe I can find out about those scultptures, (e:shawnr,272) posted about.

Wish me luck, there is a certain amount of dread that accompanies field trips. I do well with the challenges that come about taking the kiddos into the community.. so it isn't *that* dreadful--but I know I have to be on my game, be prepared and ready for anything..

• newest class rocks. Professor intrigues me. Seems pretty intense and thought provoking; just what I needed. yipee! I've been a little bored lately.. so this has really sparked my interest and makes me a little giddy.

• (for my notes)- increasing the output pertaining to a personal challenge. I am data and fact driven..adjustments have been made and I will be sure to follow through on them. darn tenacity..sometimes it get me moving on something, sometimes in gets me in trouble, haha.

• (e:pyrcedgrrl) sent me the link to Consumer Freedom home page:

I have been reading through some of the articles...You may find it of interest. I provide no feedback at this time.

From the "about us" link:

What is the Center for Consumer Freedom? (excerpt)

The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit coalition of restaurants, food companies, and consumers working together to promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices.

The growing cabal of "food cops," health care enforcers, militant activists, meddling bureaucrats, and violent radicals who think they know "what's best for you" are pushing against our basic freedoms. We're here to push back.

• It supposed to be toasty this weekend. Maybe sitting on my porch, sipping a home made mojito with fresh gown mint shall be on my to do list ;)

• still looking for a car..

and thats about it.. hope all is well!

Optical Fiber!

Information has been popping up more and more within Computer World, one of my favorite ezines. The intriguing research, feasibility studies and the financial projection of switching to optical fiber from copper cable has left me in nerdy anticipation-for a few years now.

Initial investment is mad expensive- but we all like new, fast stuff, so the return on investment should be pleasing to the compnay who decides to install it. However, it has to be a company who is able to strategically plan for such a grand scale venture. Money, labor, materials, knowledge management, IT, marketing.. are just a few facets of what goes into making this happen. I have been waiting for a company (other than AOL, Time Warner) to jump on this medium, for this area..and atlast, Verizon steps up.

Anyone using fiOS now?? How is it in comparison to DSL or cable?


excerpt from Buffalo News article, Verizon Replacing Copper Phone Lines with Strands of Glass" written by Peter Svensson.

Optical fiber - strands of glass 15 times thinner than a human hair - have been used by telecommunications companies over long-haul routes since the 1980s.

Now, Verizon Communications Inc., is making a big and expensive bet on replacing the network of copper wires that has provided phone service since the 19th century with fiber, giving it the capability to carry TV and super-fast Internet service in the bargain.

In the Buffalo area, phone company crew have begun installing fiber optic cables to homes in Hamburg, Orchard Park and West Seneca.

Lisa Donohue is happy with the service Verizon calls FiOS.

"With cable, the picture would stop. Or we'd have those digital things going," she says, gesturing to mimic the picture breaking up.

The family pays about $220 a month for TV, phone, high-speed Internet service and two cell phones, which she says is cheaper than what they were paying before, when they had cable.

"It comes as one bill, which is nice because I don't have to remember to pay four times," Donohue says.

Factors like that have made Verizon's FiOS TV a success in the few areas where it's available, judging by Verizon's data. It has said that 6.5 percent of households in Massapequa Park signed up for TV in the first three months after its launch on Jan. 24. That figure is disputed by Cablevision Systems Corp., the incumbent cable company, which said it had a net loss of less than 2 percent in the area.

Verizon has permission to sell TV service in about 80 communities in New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland and Virginia. It has fiber available for phone and Internet service in many more - 3 million homes. Verizon doesn't say how many homes are connected, but analysis of a tally by research firm RVA LLC indicates that Verizon had about 400,000 homes connected as of April.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime project," said Paul Lacouture, Verizon's vice president of engineering and technology.

Chief among fiber's advantages is its almost unlimited capacity to carry information, which Verizon only nibbles at with its current system: It lights fiber to the home with just three laser beams, though the fiber can carry many more.

The single beam that carries video (the others carry data and telephone calls to and from the home) has more capacity than an entire coaxial cable of the kind used by cable companies.

In practical terms, that means better image quality, because the digital TV channels don't need to be degraded to save bandwidth.

Fiber provides almost limitless Internet connection speeds. With current technology, Verizon could provide download speeds of 644 megabits per second, a bigger step up from DSL at 1.5 mbps than DSL is a step up from dial-up.

But for now, the maximum speed Verizon sells is 30 mbps for small businesses, or 20 mbps for homes.

"Right now there are not a lot of applications online that demand 100 megabits," Lacouture said. That's true, but probably in large part due to the lack of home connections at that speed - a chicken and egg situation.

Verizon expects to cut costs for its outside equipment by 40 percent by switching to fiber. But to get there, it has to spend big.

Verizon's average cost of pulling fiber down a street was $1,400 per home at the beginning of last year, not including the cost of actually connecting the homes. The target cost this year is $890 per home, reflecting improvements in materials and techniques. If it reaches its target of laying fiber by another 3 million homes by the end of the year, that's a cost of $2.7 billion - about half of Verizon's annual earnings.

A large part of the cost, however, is labor, which doesn't get cheaper by the month. Drawing fiber along a street involves putting it underground or putting up plastic tubes on the utility poles, then pulling the fiber through the tubes.

Home installation is another cost: the target here is $715 this year, but Verizon has acknowledged that costs are running above that target. It's a big job, at least if TV service is involved. It took the installer all day to get the Donohues up and running, for instance.

Getting a "drop cable" with fiber to the home from the nearest utility pole is the small part. The installer then attaches a large box, called an Optical Networking Terminal, to the side of the house. On the other side of the wall, he installs a backup battery, which should keep the ONT running for six hours if there is a blackout.

Then he strings coaxial cable from the box to the TV sets (Verizon will use existing coax if it's not substandard), Ethernet cable to an Internet router, and a phone line to handsets.

In addition, a small box called a Network Interface Module is installed inside that needs to connect both to the coaxial and Ethernet cables.

"People talk about the risks of doing this," says Michael Render, who tracks fiber buildouts for RVA, the research firm. What they should be talking about, he says, is the risk of not building out fiber. "The world is changing very rapidly."

about Verizon fiOS:

Computer World article (2000), "Users: Optical Fiber Gives Copper a Run for the Money"

"..Verizon could provide download speeds of 644 megabits per second...Right now there are not a lot of applications online that demand 100 megabits...for now, the maximum speed Verizon sells is 30 mbps for small businesses, or 20 mbps for homes..."

ofcourse, I want it all!! Give me the whole 644mbps.. I am sure to have some fun with it. I need it, right?? Limit me to 20-30mbps? as if.

hmmm 644mbps--global domination, here I come. Who's with me? haha :)

I am not sure if I know how to use a paper journal anymore! I seem to have lost the ability to write. I mean, literally- how do I use this thing called a pen?? (heh, and does it have a back space?)

Anyone else have this problem??

How long have you been writing, in any means??

I sit here with a pen and a plain, lined notebook. It is about a quarter full, with the last entry dating back a month. Entries for the past year are scant, although some things needed to be written there as opposed to here or even over at Live Journal.

I used to supplement my paper writing with an occasional post to my LiveJournal, which I have maintained for five or six years now. I have been writing consistently in a paper journals for fifteen years, and not so regularly for over twenty years. I still have almost all of it. I also have a collection of bad poetry, story lines and other writing attempts beyond my personal opinion/thoughts of everything.

It is wild to look back over the years. I havent pulled out the old journals in quite awhile, although I have been meaning to. It is fascinating to see where I have been, as I have been writing since I was 8 years old, atleast. Ha, imagine the stuff you would (or have?) come up with at eight years of age. What would you have written about??

I called my notebook a "diary" (although hated that word and looked for something else) until I was 14, then switched to the term, "journal" and have stuck with that ever since. Now I have to keep myself from calling it a blog, haha.

Anyway, I was in an off mood for awhile earlier. I wrote a semi rant, which turned out to be really pathetic, as my "bad moods" are really nothing notable. I concluded that I am destined to be mentally stable and lovable 363 days out of the year. Forgive me ;)

I had decided to write this so-called rant in another location, such as my paper journal, but suddenly couldn't function with the blank lines and pen in hand. I used to write all of the time. I think I need to walk into a deserted forest and sit down on the mossy earth and re acquaint myself with the pen. I figured that in this past year (ten months, two weeks-if anyone is counting), I have averaged less than one paper entry per month; albeit that when I do write, it is a locquacious entry, but those who have been on the receiving end, know that my electronic posts, comments and emails tend to run on the lengthy side :)

So here I am, writing in (e:strip) and all is right with my world again. Ahh, backspace, you are my friend.

(e:Paul) , what have you done? ;)

...and whatever it is, thank you very much for doing it, your efforts are much appreciated!

I made my annual appearance at the artfest with (e:pyrcedgrrl)


Other than last minute Christmas shopping, it is one of the few times that I purposely set out to be amongst hordes of people. I don't go to eat, drink or buy anthing that the vendors* are selling. In the past, I have enjoyed looking at and thoughtfully thinking about some of the art on display. This year, the creative offerings were scant and the amount of people meandering about were high.

If I wanted a large wooden sign that told me which direction Parrot Bay and Margaritaville were located, then I was in business. For anything else, I had to work my way into the tents and quickly get my visual fill before being edged out back into the masses.

I enjoyed this, I really did. I choose to come each year, and even with this years excess volume, I stayed for a good amount of time. Even so, it was a bit insane at times, with the plethora of baby carriages and piles of conversationalists standing in the center of the already overly crowded walking area.

I thought it would be useful to have the set of water gun-oozies that I contemplated buying at BJs the night before. I entertained the idea of taking people out via a really good super-soaking- yet I would tell them first: "You have been targeted for annihilation" - ok, I admit I said this out loud a few times...

(I am a peaceful person, but I have this creative-fun imagination that makes for an odd combination at times.)

Eventually this thought morphed into the creation of a computer game. I envsioned the art festival as a kung fu fighting SIMS game. (I put in a few practice high kicks for authenticity) I have all of the details in my head and did a fairly good job of expaining my thoughts to (e:pyrcedgrrl) while we were wading through the crowd. If I could just get the ideas that are in my head, out. Oh, I can see the details..

I did see a few (e:peeps) today from a far. (e:zobar) and (e:dragonlady7) were so close, yet so far away! I didn't try to make it five feet over to where the both of you were--I am not sure if I would have made it in time! (e:metalpeter) was spotted as well- I don't have a loud enough voice for you to have heard my 'shout'. Other than that and a few non-peep friends, I was surprised that I didn't encounter more friends than I did.

Before leaving the area, we stopped into the co-op. I was in much need of my beloved french indigo lentils- I havent found them anywhere but the co-op so far. I've either been binging on lentils or my last trip was not the stock piling I made it out to be, as I couldn't find any in my cupboards (indigo variety).

Gleefully I made my way to the bulk section. I made sure to double bag before filling it with two pounds of the dark beans. As I tossed the bag into my cart, I hear the sound of two pounds of lentils cascading onto the floor. I quickly grabbed the torn bag and managed to save approximately a pounds worth. A worker came over and cleaned up the carnage, and I wandered off, wondering if they tossed them in the garbage or tossed them back into the lentil bin?

Not sure if I believe that it is Sunday night already. It felt like the weekend just begun!

Just a reminder that "An Inconvenient Truth" is showing this coming Friday-- (e:theecarey,166)

Good night everyone!

• (Please note that the term, "vendor" has replaced "artist", in that over the past year (and more notably this year), that there is much more of the former than of the latter.)

I knew it!!

I rarely answer my phone if I do not recognize the name or number. In the past month or so, I have received numerous phonecalls from a credit agency.This company never leaves messages and I really have no idea what they would be calling for, unless it is a wrong number, or for another reason that I can't wrap my mind around.

I pay all of my bills on time and I have no outstanding debt other than my student loans. I do have a little sitauation with Blockbuster, but correspondance has been through snail mail. I am banned from the Blockbuster in Lewiston for supposedly not returning some lame ass movie I rented months ago. They can't seem to believe that I returned it with the other movies and that one of their employees must have walked off with it. (I pushed it into drop slot and went on my way.. ) So yeh, once I have time I feel like devoting to this matter, I will write them back, or buy a $5 copy of said lame ass movie and shove up their... movie return slot ;)

anyhow, the credit agency call has perplexed me.

Until I began thinking about it..

I began to feel a little paranoid with where my thought process was taking me..

I have mentioned the so-called stalker in prior posts.

I mentioned that he finally made contact a month or so ago. (e:Theecarey,160)

Then he stopped.

But then this credit agency number has been popping up on my caller id.

And this agency never leaves messages, although I know they call.

Just like this guy who calls.

And so today, I was surprised to hear a message from him.

"Hi Carey, its ******; just calling to say how pretty you are.."

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

and

then I thought to check my caller id.

His number didn't show up.

But that credit agency number does.

heh. coincidence?

I think he works for a bill collector now, no?

And bill collectors have fabulous search tools..

k- just thought I would publicly document it while I was thinking about it.


seriously, do you think it is harmless or reason for concern?

I don't feel threatened.. I just think he is infatuated.

Maybe he thinks he is being sweet?

I don't want this to be a reason for concern...

oy.

k- off to watch Office Space for the fifth time this week :)