Day in Review - Speachless and Sickened....

Before I begin today's blog post, I have a few announcements to make.

1. I have finally figured out how to allow people to comment directly to the blog (Please use it!  I would love to see feedback)  You should be able to click the comment button directly below the post. You can remain nameless if you like. 

2. If you have a chance, I am still pimping this website - http://libetisocial.com/. Check it out, join the discussion.

3. Do you use Twitter?  Follow me there!  christamarie123 

Now on to our regularly scheduled blog post....


Though I am an avid CNN watcher, I have to admit I have been tuning in more the past few days. Though my mornings are generally spent with the Golden Girls and Saved By The Bell, my afternoons belong to Ali Velshi, Brooke Baldwin and Wolf Blitzer. Don't get the wrong idea...the TV is on in the background while I work, and I usually only listen to it, as opposed to watching it. If something airs I want to see, I will flip around in my chair and check it out.  Today, I did a huge turn around...as I heard Brooke Baldwin utter the words "Westboro Baptist Church".


Though I am sure most of you know who they are, this is the group that protests funerals of service members, other churches, funerals of those who have died from AIDS, funerals of gay people, football games, concerts, etc, etc.  They are, in my opinion, a group that stands for and promotes hate, negativity, hostility, poison and all that inspires odious acts. They recently showed up to protest the funeral of Elizabeth Edwards and now have plans to protest the funeral of 9-year old Christina Green, killed in the massacre in Tuscon, which is scheduled for tomorrow.The church said in a statement "God sent the shooter! "Praise God for ALL his works, and BE YE THANKFUL!."

I support Freedom of Speech...I believe it is an important part of our United States laws. HOWEVER, protesting the funeral ANYONE, including a 9-year old girl is sickening to me. The evil it must take to stand at any funeral and hold up signs that say "God Hates Fags" and "God Hates America" is beyond me, and luckily beyond 99% of the population. It is totally inappropriate, wrong and indecent. I could care less if they want to walk up and down the street promoting their grotesque and nonsensical messages, that is their right...but not at a funeral. Not for an innocent 9-year olds memorial service. Not for anyone.

Though I am usually not a fan of the state of Arizona nor Governor Jan Brewer, the actions the state made today concerning passing a law that bars protests within 300 feet of a funeral and within an hour from its beginning or end is commendable. Sending this message is the right thing to do.

I also want to commend the "angel action" that will be taking place tomorrow, shielding the mourners from the Church with large angel wings. Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers in Arizona also plan on asking the community to line the procession route to shield the mourning family and friends. Sending this message is the right thing to do.

I said this once and will say it again...to the members of the Westboro Baptist Church - God is watching you...and he is mad.

Weekend in Review - Arizona Shooting

I have not blogged about the weekend shooting and assassination attempt yet for two reasons: 1) I was angry and 2) I wanted to find out more information and see if any motive was established. As of today, 1/10/11, 1:25 EST, there has been none. Through I am still angry and confused about what happened, I am calm enough at this point not to point fingers and though I have my own ideas, theories, and beliefs on what prompted this heinous act, I am going to keep those ideas out of this posting. At this point in time, people are dead, some injured and some fighting for their lives. 20 people, in fact. 20 people shot in cold blood. Six are dead.

A 9-year old girl, Christina Taylor Green, interested in politics, newly elected to her schools student council.

A 30-year old man, Gabe Zimmerman, engaged to be married, community outreach coordinator for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

A 63-year old man, John Roll, U.S. District Judge in Arizona, husband, father, grandfather.

A 76-year old man, Dorwin Stoddard, shielding his wife from the bullets.

A 76-year old woman, Dorothy Morris, homemaker from Reno, Arizona resident of 10 years, wife, mother and grandmother.

A 79-year old woman, Phyllis Schneck, a New Jersey native, wintered in Tuscon, wife, mother, grandmother, active in her church.



I think it is human nature to ask why....why would a 22-year old man attempt assassination on a member of Congress. Why were Gabe Zimmerman, Dorwin Stoddard, Dorothy Morris, Phyllis Schneck, Christina Taylor Green and John Roll killed? Why were 14 others injured? What was the shooters motivation? What was going through his head? All of us want to know. All of us have asked the questions. Many have pointed fingers...thinking they know. No one knows at this point. We may not know. As of today he has been uncooperative according to Pima County Sheriff, Clarence Dupnik.

Pointing fingers will not help the situation today, or tomorrow, nor did it help yesterday. I admit, I placed blame quickly...again, it is human nature to do that. Was I right to place blame without knowing the facts? No. I wasn't. I was wrong. I can admit that. My blame could be in the right place, or it could not. It doesn't matter today. What matters is the 20 people who were shot. Their friends, their families, this country as a whole...not Republicans, not Democrats, not those in the middle. People matter today no matter what their affiliation.

When you find yourself pointing a finger, stop for a second. Stop until the truth is out, we are absolutely sure of the motivation and judgment is beginning to be served, take a step back...remember those fighting for life...remember the 6 Americans who were shot...and take a moment to reflect on them.

Day in Review - "Hearts and Butterflies"

A lot of things going on today in the country. Start of the 112th Congress, shooting at a school in Nebraska, hostages held in Arizona, factory explosion in Tennessee...more dead birds falling from the sky. Insanity....all of this can really bring you down, so when I start feeling down I try to focus on other things. Please note I am definitely not making light of any of these things or saying they don't matter. Anyone who knows me well, knows I am a huge news hound. I am always watching or checking the news, but sometimes it does get depressing. I just want to focus on the lighter side of life today...



Still no word on my parking ticket...I will definitely keep everyone posted!

I received another mystery scratch on my arm...I noticed it when I woke up and felt pain on forearm...I remember the dream...scary stuff. I will really need to figure this out. Anyone know any dream experts? This one is smaller than the one on my hand, but deeper it seems. It hurts more too! I surely could have done it myself this time, but I since it was in my dream, I am going with my ghost/psychosis/dreams coming to life theory.





I took the picture above...it always makes me happy. My mother pointed out she grew the flowers, so I want to give a shout out to her and her green thumb.



"Butterflies and Hearts"

Have you ever thought about toilet paper? Now come on...we all use it. There is not one person reading this that has never used toilet paper in one way or the other. Toilet paper actually got me into a lot of trouble in my high school days when I used it to decorate my friend Abby's house...I still may be banned from entering the property in fact. Though I have snuck in a few times, I can't say that the "TP Incident of 1997" was ever really out of all our minds.




This afternoon I was changing the roll of toilet paper in my bathroom and just happened to notice there were little hearts on the paper. Seriously toilet paper manufacturers? What is the point of hearts on toilet paper!?! Just purely decorative?












You can also see, in my new package of toilet paper, this one is printed with beautiful butterflies and swirls of happiness.



Seriously...when I think of toilet paper, the last thing I personally think about are hearts and butterflies moving around in swirls of happiness. How are hearts and butterflies related to toilet paper? Maybe a better question is how are hearts and butterflies related to going to the bathroom? I get the quilted toilet paper...soft, quilted areas that are supposed to bring comfort during your business. I do not understand hearts and butterflies. Do you have the answer? Please let me know!

UPDATE: We may have an answer on the toilet paper conundrum. An old and good friend of mine, Elisha has suggested this: "Well maybe toilet paper companies are owned by tea partiers. Think about it: hearts, butterflies, etc evoke images of everything good: love, nature, tranquility...And what do you do with it: wipe your a**."


I want to shamelessly plug a few things today too.

I need more Twitter followers! If you are on Twitter, give me a follow! Christamarie123. I am constantly tweeting witty remarks (or totally boring/stupid things depending on your opinion)

I also want to plug this great new website I am helping with. http://libetisocial.com/. You can join the discussion here: http://libetisocial.com/question.

Also a HUGE thank you to everyone who reads this blog. It has TRIPLED it's readership in the past month. I am very thankful for you all, for all the messages and tweets (even the ones who accuse me of being mean to the Republicans and Tea Party) and the support of everyone. If you want to hear my opinion on anything, let me know! I will write about it!

Also working on a new article that should be published to Yahoo! soon on Green Jobs in Cleveland...the question...are there Green jobs in the rust belt? Yes!

Day in Review - Festivus For the Rest of Us

It is December 23rd and I would like to wish everyone a Happy and Merry Festivus.

The Festivus pole is up, the meatloaf has been eaten (disguised as a really good hamburger) and now it is time for the Airing of Grievances.

To Congress - Though I will admit I praised you yesterday and earlier in the week, that was really only 5 days out of 365. You have disappointed me greatly. For much of this year, I found myself watching your actions in disgust. The bitching, moaning, fighting, disagreeing and incompetence on many issues was utterly nauseating. You sat there in your cozy, warm offices while millions of unemployed American's counted their dollars....then their pennies...then nothing...You held critical unemployment payments with your arguing while millions lost their homes and had to explain to their children why they couldn't eat tonight. You failed to pass the DREAM Act and could now send millions of children away from the only home and culture they have ever known.

To the cast of Jersey Shore - You have made American's dumb. You have embarrassed the New Jersey Coast and Italian Americans. You have introduced stupid slang words into the lexicon that have no real meaning.

To the Tea Party - Please...just go away.

To Lindsay Lohan - You are a train wreck...get it together so we can stop spending our time wondering when you are going to screw up again. Disappointing....

To Blackberry - You need to make your phones of a higher quality. I am on my third Blackberry since March of 2010 through no fault of my own. I love you, Blackberry, but I am disappointed in your performance this year. Please do better in 2011.

To Oprah - I am disappointed you are taking Discovery Health off of my TV. I still love ya' though! Your new network better be damn good.

To Sarah Palin - I am disappointed in all that comes from you. You have your soap box, you have your influence, yet you use it for evil. Please carry a dictionary around with you in 2011.

To Arizona - Your Immigration Law blows....

To Tiger Woods, Jesse James and allegedly Tony Parker - Cheating on your wife = failed career.

To the Westboro Baptist Church - God is watching you...and he is mad.