So, for all you VJ'ers who live on this side of the US...where would be a good central location for us to meet? I really would like to see a huge get together sometime in the future. Somewhere that wouldn't take a long time getting there...know what I mean? Maybe this summer...maybe plan something long range...I'd really love to meet y'all...all of y'all!

Cool! Another VJ couple gets to meet!





I don't mind travelling. If it's in your area we can combine it with a visit to my SIL, who lives in Atlanta. Emancipation's stepkids are there, too, so it might work out for her too.

Good morning! Really everyone should come to Florida!

I think we need to do 6 degrees of separation for Derekkj. It would require to him to reveal lots of personal info, I'm sure he wouldn't mind.

Atlanta would be a nice and central gathering point for a number of us scattered here around the south. Any suggestions for a meet-up location? The Zoo or the Botanical Gardens might be fun - although they are pricey. I don't know if the Canadian Consulate is planning another Canada Day event or not - they didn't do one last year - but if they do, then that might be a natural since it would be around Canada Day and a natural time to 'celebrate' our bi-national cultures.

derekkj is a a female!!!! Well she is the one that does the majority of the posting,lol

Oh wow. We could actually have our own Canada Day celebration if we can't find one anywhere!

Well, this will be my last post for a week. My girlfriend is flying in tonight and then we're off to Melbourne. Her daughter is on the Ontario provincial soccer team and is in town playing in a tournament there. Or, rather, she would have been playing in a tournament had she not been taken to the hospital this morning with an enlarged appendix. (They did a CT scan.) So, now, instead of me picking my friend up and heading back to my house, I am picking my friend up and heading to the hospital. Hopefully, Marlee (her daughter) will make a quick recovery and can join her team on the field this week.

We won't get to the hospital until the wee hours of the morning, though. Arlene's flight has been seriously delayed due to the weather conditions. She was supposed to depart an hour ago and change planes in Chicago but it hasn't even left the gate yet. The new arrival time is now 11:45pm. Hopefully, it doesn't get any later than that.

I am sorry to hear about Marlee - I hope she makes a quick recovery. I hope that Arlene's flight takes off soon and that her travel is uneventful. Have a good time together! See you when you get back.

Here's a cup of hot stuff for your morning!



So sorry to hear about your friends daughter Crikey! You're going to Melbourne? As in Austrailia?? *takes another sip of coffee* *wake UP Carla!* Enjoy your time away, and hope Marlee is doing a lot better today.

Great idea about a meet up...but Atlanta in the summer?? I don't mind the idea of going to Atlanta, but could we plan on another time?

I'm glad so many people have had good experiences meeting people. I've been meeting people I've chatted with on the internet (and I married one too!) for over 10 years and I've always enjoyed the people I've met. Never a bad or scary experience. I organized a meetup of VJ'ers from the St. Louis area in November and we had a meet up and dinner out. Would have been nice spending more than an evening though...so maybe a weekend get-together for us?

I'm off to my first day of training for my new volunteer position as a Patient Advocate with the Long Term Care Ombudsman's Dept. Wish me luck!

ooo coffee

My husband made our first BIG purchase together this weekend...we just got a new car. Its a 2008 yaris...and its SO CUTE!

As soon as I saw it, I knew we'd be driving it off the lot and we did.

Wow that's big Sprailenes! Hope your new car gives you many many miles of happy travels

Crickey! That's too bad about your friends daughter, I also hope she make a speedy recovery and that you all end up just having a lot of fun together!

Carla, let us know how the volunteering goes.

Well, today we are supposed to start planning our trip - however we have decided to take a long weekend instead . Husband is meeting a friend for lunch and taking our car in to the dealer for a maintenance thing and to have the cruise control disconnected (recall) and get some new wipers. No, normally we don't take our car in for new wipers - however! they have a special on at the moment so why not.

We want to make sure we don't have any major repairs to do on the car, once that is established we will also request the letter to import it to the U.S..

Fun and games, fun and gamesss

we are seriously considering trading in our current two cars for two Yaris -- keep me updated on how good your car runs!

IR5 has a Yaris!

Morning peepz! I{m here enjoying my latest creation: whole wheat peach muffins!!! They ARE good!!!!

Yaris's a re a cool car!! You may want to check out the SCion XA and XB!! We have a 2005 XB and wife loves it!! lots of room and good gas mileage!! The newer models look a bit better and more power and features, and very well priced!! With regards to their look, you sort of either like it, or hate it!! My wife didnt care for the look at first, but grew on her!! We have like 50,000 miles on it, and have yet to have a problem!! Just regular oil changes.

Last day in RI, then back to VA tomorrow!! our chilling has come to an end!! Wife goes back to wor on Wed, and I hit the books again, but no classes until Monday!!

The Yaris is cool! Congrats on the new car Sprailenes!!

My husband and I bought a 2008 Scion xB and I LOVE it! It's my car but we both drive it. He convinced me to get a stick shift so I had to learn how to drive stick - Very interesting thing for newlyweds

We almost bought the 2008 XB!! Nothign wrong with our 2005, but wife likes the looks of the 2008 better,lol But we decided better to keep the 2005 and let it have the dings!! Our condo is just outside parking!! Will be selling /renting it next yr and hopefully move to a house with a garage The scions, are great little cars and more room than what one orginally thinks!! I live a manual transmission, but with DC traffic, there is no way!! Automatic all the way,lol

Looks quite aerodynamic.



Enjoy your new ones rhymes and flames....and spraileness.

BTW stick is the only way to drive. Hee, hee.

Normally I would agree stick is the way to go!! But if your in stop and go traffic, which quite often is the case on the beltway, stick drives me crazy!! prior to moving down here my Nissan Spec V was a stick, and it drove me nutz with all the shifting!! Luckily I dont have to drive that much, my wife on the other hand drives around 50 miles to work!!! and thats only 1 way,lol She is soo sick of driving.

PS:

HI ALL YOU WONDERFULL VJers.

What's shakin'??

I TRIED to explain this to my husband. Traffic around DC is probably the worst I've driven in and it drives me nuts in a stick. He really wanted me to learn and I'm glad I did but it'll be so much better when we move away from all the traffic!

The 2008 is amazing and apparently more powerful than the 05. You're right about loving or hating the look of it. I totally love it but I know a lot of people really hate it.

So I got a bill in the mail from some hospital visit I had about two months back and I get on the phone to call and inquire why I recieved a bill when I have insurance. She was asking all these questions and I had no idea what she was on about so I said:
"I am really sorry but this is all really confusing, I just moved to this country"


And she says: "Well you sure do speak very good English ma'am" in a stern tone.

I replied: "BUT IN CANADA WE HAVE THIS STUFF COVERED FOR US!!!"

She apologized quite a bit.

ya the 2008 is a much nicer vehicle than the 2005!! And my wife still wants it,lol normally it is her saying NO,this time it is me,lol I rather see our 2005 get banged up, until we get a garage.

I hear you sister

aye. I just got a bill for stuff dating back three months ago that up until this point was covered by my insurance. It's this kind of crap that makes me hate the US healthcare system.

ah yes, the wonderful 'dealing with the insurance company' calls!

I seriously debated about sending both the insurance company and the doctor's offices invoices for the time I spent on the phone correcting their mistakes or doing their jobs! I acted as in-between so many times getting the doctor to correct the wrong codes that they used when they submitted their claims, then getting them re-submitted - and then getting the insurance company to look at the bill again after they re-denied it because they had already denied the claim on that date - and they didnt' bother to check that it was a different code! Geesh - and all of this was new to me as well.

Since then I have scrupulously examined each and every invoice from the doctors or the hospital and made sure I matched each and every one up with the insurance statements - and I think they both run at about a 60% accuracy rate. If I wasn't taking this care they would have got nearly another $1000 out of us each year that we did not owe.

Welcome to the USA!

It was a rental and it did OK. I'm used to something a bit bigger but for zipping around town, why not. A stick in traffic is a fun but I'd go with the slushbox. Powerbraking is much more fun than powershifting. Not that I'd know anything about street racing.
Forget what I said above, just get a Corvette.

It was a rental! Oh.

Just waiting for my Husband to come home from the Ford dealership so we can view the listing of all the things they probably think we should have repaired

I had it for almost two months but it was OK. Don't worry, your Ford GT will be ready in no time.

Bahahaha!
OMG I'm crying, tears of sheer laughter.
Thanks for this Sprailenes.


I was thinking that a great reply would have been to say, "I'm a quick study."
or
"English? Bah, I taught myself over-night. So simple."

Hee, hee.

Good morning! My training yesterday was incredible. I was "high" most of the day, and night! I'm SO excited. I've found my second calling!!!!!!! I have training next week as well. The position is really highly stressful and full of conflicts and problem solving, but I've found the perfect challenge!

yummy coffee! today is new dvd day, no country for old men is out today.

Let us know if you like it. Can't believe it's on DVD already.

Bonjour all.

Hey Carlawarla, what kind of position?
Sorry, my ADD does not permit me to go back and read too much too often.

It's funny about such things like ADD; it comes on super strong when I am surrounded by much stimuli, and it seems that life is like that for me 24/7.
Ha!

I turned on the news this morning (yes the junky TV news: CNN) and guess what? Scandals in the government, The Fed lends more money to look like heroes (lends, not gives), Barack/Hillary, on and on....
Does anything ever change?
Is there such as thing as news?
Am I in the right thread?

Bahahaha!

So, I must turn the thingie off and try to get on top of my life and list of things to do.
Number one priority: coffee!
Number two: rest of life.

Is life really always going to remain this messy?

I've heard great things about that one.
I don't see too many movies, and I would like to highly recommend, "There Will Be Blood" with Daniel Day Lewis.
Excellent.
Intense.
I never want to experience it again.

Okay, one more, hee hee:

Please do look up Naomi Wolf's new book.
Here is a long video/lecture for those who are interested:
Clicky here.
There are shorter more concise video clips on YouTube if you are mildly curious.

Brace thyselves.

"You want the TRUTH?! You CAN'T handle the truth."

Going to the SSN office today to get my name changed...

then to the DMV to get ID in my new name..

Do you think I need anything to take with me other than the obvious...?

The obvious being:
-cdn passport
-birth certificate
-comcast bill in my name
-bank account statement with both our names on it
-lease (both names on it)
-marriage certified license
-3 NOA1's from AOS & biometrics appt letter

Sounds like you've got it covered.

And I will be going to take my Illinois driver's written tests (both car and motorcycle).
It is nerve-wracking.
I drive by instinct!
Ha!

Seems like enough to me, hun. You'll do fine. Just bat those eyelashes if needed he he

i should have a report sometime tomorrow

Sounds wonderful Carla! Glad it went so well and that you can have such a positive approach to something that sounds - so challenging also sounds like they need you.

IR5 i'll have you know that the Ford is a Crown Victoria - circa 1994!

So the car is still at the dealership - guy who was working on it had to go home because his wife isn't well - I don't understand why businesses feel the need to give you this information. They said the car would only be 2 hours (although they did have to install new reverse lights) - but the thing is, I am sorry the guys wife is not well, but we don't need to know this personal information. Whatever happened to - sorry, your car won't be ready until tomorrow. << full stop.

My Sister in Nebraska has this neurotic contractor, she has been trying to get him to finish the job for 4 months - she knows everything about his finances, his family, she has even sat in his living room.

I know they are trying to evoke sympathy, but it's not working - it's a business transaction and should be treated as such.

Going to get this book pronto!

Thanks Spirit

I'll get you started, Red means gun the throttle. Sorry, I thought you were studying for the Quebec driver's test.


I tried that once, I ended up with a black eye (at least I didn't end up with a boyfriend ).


Mumsie knows a bit about street racing Crown Vics. I wish you did drive a Ford GT, after all you sometimes you really need to get to the grocery store at 205 mph.

I hear there's a whale killer on the loose in here....

Is it just me or the idea of my brother giving someone a sexy eyelash swipe is well, in between hilarious and disturbing????

From Hell's heart I stab at thee. I once had a car as big as a whale which I drove into the ground, does that count?

I don't know what handsome is, but I'm fairly certain that I'm not it. Your brother and the word sexy are mutually exclusive. As for batting my eyelashes, that would just keep people from seeing my psycho eyes.

but... but... but... your psycho eyes are your best asset brother!!!!

Only if there was a seal pup between the aforementioned car and ground.