ScooterMac

vent of the day:

I have the flu. This is the second day I've been feeling really miserable, getting sick, and running a fever. Yesterday, I had to make over an hour's worth of phone calls to close the youth center. Today, I don't have that option (we can't be closed two days in a row). I've tried calling every member of the board, to no avail. The one I could get ahold of won't run it on his own, he wants someone else there. While I appreciate that, I also do this job BY MYSELF EVERY FREAKING DAY.

Yay for working with teenagers while running a fever and running to a trashcan. What the hell good am I doing anyone today?!

In 06-07ish I lost about 100lbs. Haven't put any of it back on, really, but have another 100+lbs to go before I'll be happy with the way I look. Even after losing another 100, I'll still be about 20lbs over my "ideal" weight.

Unfortunately, exercising and eating right didn't do anything all last year when I was trying to lose weight. I'm doubtful it will now. I have an appt. to get bloodwork done to test my thyroid (mom had thyroid cancer, and treatments, while pregnant with me) and to get tested for pre-diabetes, but I don't have the $ to afford the co-pay. I also don't "really" have time to exercise - 12 hour workdays, with meetings and church stuff and family committments after work. I'll have to find some time somewhere though.

So, short term: 5lbs (within a week or two - I'm giving up pop for Lent)

Long term: 100lbs (within the next year or two)

Yup that was Joni singing Both Sides Now.

good stuff

I'm pretty sure Spoom and I would be up for this.....as long as it's on the US side. He doesn't have his AP/GC yet.

"Did you bring this snow with you?"

-Yes I've lived here for two years now and have kept this storm hidden in my closet with my beaver pelts and mukluks.

Oh Scooter Sorry to hear that. Sometimes people are just so unreasonable. And what do they think will happen if the youth center closes, huh? *HUGS*

I think they're hoping that if we close, the kids will all disappear. Like, suddenly their home lives will improve and mom will be home baking cookies after school everyday and everything will be perfect and happy. Their major complaint is that the youth center "draws local kids into town". I wasn't aware that was a BAD thing, per se...but the kids would be in town anyway. On middle school nights, I see high schoolers roaming all over town and vice versa.

What they seem to forget is that about 3 years ago - just before we opened - NO ONE from the neighborhood was able to use the local laundramat because the teenagers had adopted it as their hangout. They harassed the older people, cussed out young mothers, stole clothes, food, etc. from people who tried to interrupt their fun. The owner finally called the police because he lost so much business. What exactly do they think they're going to improve by closing down the ONE place the kids have to hang out?

That's horrible ScooterMac! I think it's time for a community meeting...whether it be at the school board meeting, an open meeting...better yet, call the local paper and have them do "human interest" article for the local paper outlining all the good the Centre does? Bet those doing the dissing, will have egg on their face....

All of the outspokenness by the "group" has happened either via letters to the editor in the local paper or at public school board meetings. When I went in to renew my service contract with the school at a meeting, I had to sit there and listen to 4 or 5 different people stand up during the public comments and rail against the youth center and what we do. They insist their tax money shouldn't support it, that the school should have nothing to do with it, and that it should be closed. They also say that I'm misrepresenting our numbers, both daily and overall amt. of students registered. The local paper has done many articles (Our two-week elementary summer park program, our cereal collection drive, the health kits for Haiti, our Youth Council group, etc), but they're right alongside letters to the editor from this group and generally get shoved to the back pages. I've asked for space for a weekly youth center column, and they won't give it to me.

I'm just frustrated by all of it.

Vent of the day:

There's apparently a "group" of people set out to get the youth center de-funded and closed. It started with one or two people who had a problem with us, and they keep spreading lies and rumors and half-truths to get more people into their "group". This crew includes our district superintendent's secretary, the head of the teacher's union, a former school board member, the police chief's wife, etc....WHAT THE F#*$& PEOPLE?! It's a freakin youth center, not a bomb silo! The kids come in, do homework, eat, play games, and hang out. We're almost always in the middle of some outreach program (making health kits for Haiti atm) and do community service projects when it's warm out.

and some guy I've never met stood up at the last school board meeting and announced he has a "spy" who is one of the students, who comes in every day and reports to him how many kids are there and how many students are new vs. returning students (Gosh, I bet if you go to band practice, they have the same kids everyday too! *duh*) and that I was being closely monitored.

Y'know what? They don't pay me enough for any of this #######.

5 inches or so of snow this morning, mostly since I've been at work. Brushed another few inches off this morning before I went to work, and cleaned a few inches off last night leaving work. Doesn't look like it's letting up anytime soon!

Oh, and since we're in the snow belt, all schools are in session and workplaces are open. No rest for the....well, whatever we are here in Erie

Our wedding pictures are up

http://jcp.photobiz.com/cart/event_login.cfm?eventID=356595

e-mail is jsembower@gmail.com

......when begging for volunteers to help with ANYTHING at the youth center finally pays off, even for a day. I had a retired couple show up yesterday at opening with a whole bunch of food, and they proceeded to stay and clean for an hour or so. They're coming back on Saturday, which is our work day to finish the new basketball court and clean the place well with the kids not there. I also had a mom stop by for a couple hours to help supervise the kids and help me clean (cleaning is a large part of working with teens, I've found ).

It wasn't an easy day, but it would've been a hell of a lot harder without help. Now, if I can just start getting people to come on a consistent basis.

We did the furniture shopping thing before spoom moved down, but we weighed in pretty evenly on it.

When it comes to technology, it's allllll him

My vent is mainly that my honeymoon is over and I'm back at my 12-hour workday.

<--needs moar jacuzzi.

If you were one of the lucky first few in line, you should be nearly out by now! Good luck!!

Thanks everyone!!!

We haven't really been online since the wedding - we got a cabin in Hocking Hills, OH for a week with no cell reception, phone line, or internets. It did, however, have a freaking amazing jacuzzi and a fireplace. Good stuff

The wedding was perfect. The day was warmer than usual for the area, sunny with just a few clouds and a pretty blue sky. My bridesmaids all got along really well, and my hairdresser told us we were the most interesting group she'd spoken with in awhile, and took some off our bill. The lady that did my nails did them for free The florist did an amazing job with the flowers at the church - very simple and elegant, but they looked great (and my flowers were beautiful). Our pastor cried a few times, and so did most of our friends (my dad bawled like a little girl ), as did the choir. We had 200-210 people at the wedding and reception, and it was great to have all the people who cared about us there with us to celebrate.

The reception was really pretty - I have pictures of the centerpieces I'll have to put up later. Our DJ did a great job balancing music we actually wanted to hear and my "politely drunk" (as my parents put it) friends' requests. The food and the cake were both excellent, and I loved getting to dance with Spoom.

I'll put up more pictures soon - still waiting for the photographer to get our formal ones online - but in the meantime, please enjoy this unstaged shot of my hubby and I waiting for our photographer to tell us what to do.

My daughter just called to tell me it's official with the church. She's pretty excited. They have a 3:00pm wedding and a 5:45pm rehearsal the day before. Now they just have to make a decision about the choir. It's pretty pricey. They've got the bell-ringer, though. lol

I luck out on this....I was a member of our choir for 6 years in high school, and I'm a member of the church - our choir wouldn't accept payment if I TRIED! Oh, and my aunt's the choir director The choir is singing three songs - "The Lord's Prayer" (lighting the unity candle), "Love Is" (during the seating of the mothers), and "In the Hands of the Lord" (right after we're both at the altar). They've already distributed programs - and tissue boxes - for the choir loft, and the entire choir will be joining us at the rehersal and rehersal dinner tomorrow!

I think at this point everything is done (except our house being clean, but we're working on that), except decorating the hall tomorrow!

Today is my last day at work as a "single" lady

Oh, and we picked up our rings the other night! Preeeeettttttty!

So it's... *counts* four days to the wedding, and everyone keeps asking me if I'm "nervous" yet. For the fiftieth time, no.

I mean, I've dealt with the United States government and survived. I don't think I'll be scared of anything else again

I keep telling people...."I was nervous when we went to Montreal because I wasn't sure they were going to say yes. Saturday will be easy, I KNOW Spoom will say yes!"

"BRAND NEW VENT"

Seriously...what type of parent assures their child that they will be at the Greyhound Bus Depot to pick them up and drive them back to the town where they both live, which is two hours away and not on said bus route.....AND THEN NOT SHOW UP..OR ANSWER THEIR PHONE, OR RESPOND TO MESSAGES?????????

yup....my Ex-Husband!! unfruckingbeleivable!!!!!

That's horrifying! I hope they were able to get home alright!

The store called last night and my wedding ring is in!!! We're going to pick it up tonight

We booked our mini-honeymoon last night!!! We decided awhile ago that warm sunny places like Hawaii and Florida were beyond our means at the moment, so we're spending the week after the wedding in Hocking Hills (Ohio). We rented a cabin for a week with a hot tub, fireplace, and no 12 hour workdays or screaming teenagers. After the wedding chaos (why did we invite 200 people again?), we just want to kinda hide in the middle of nowhere for awhile. We'll be spending the week in this cabin.

Suuuuuuuper excited!!! We're only about 5 minutes from a place that rents 4-wheelers year round. We're also on state park land, so lots of cool areas to wander through. Close to skiing too

I can't believe the wedding is only 3 days away. I mean, it's awesome, I just can't get over the fact that I'm actually getting married Although tying 200 ribbons on 200 programs for the wedding last night kinda made it a bit more real. We got our programs from the great and mystical internets, and Spoom did the design.

http://www.sss.gov/CONTACT.HTM you can call them, and they might know!

Unfortunately, they're M-F. Today's Saturday, and tomorrow is Spoom's 26th birthday...that's why this is kinda time sensitive.

Here's what we're leaning towards at the moment:

Writing a letting explaining that we were unsure of whether or not Spoom needed to register, and attach it with his selective service registration form. That way, if he still needs to be registered, the letter was sent before his 26th birthday (dated and postmarked), but if he wasn't they understand why he tried.

Any thoughts?

Well, the dude authored his own misery.

So true. For so many reasons.

Dude hasn't had a long-term job for quite a while now because there are classes of jobs he considers "beneath him". He wants to get hired as a supervisor or manager, and nothing less... or at least, that's his excuse for not working.

Well, that....

And, he considers drug testing to be a violation of his rights and refuses to work for an employer that drug tests (and even Wal-Mart and McDonalds drug test in that city).

i thought you couldn't collect food stamps if you were working? or is that a different welfare program?

Not sure about everywhere, but I know out here people are able to be on food stamps while working. I've mostly seen it in single-parent families where the parent is working a minimum-wage job, but I'm sure it happens in other instances.

I'm sure there's a way to give the poor food without giving them money.

How about government-run soup kitchens where they can get three free meals a day

(breakfast, lunch and dinner) if they can demonstrate hardship?

Sounds great...I wish it worked that way! The major issue I'd see with it is that it would only benefit the people in a certain area. For example, the poor people who live in our town wouldn't be able to get to Erie (the nearest "large" city). We get the Erie bus once a week in my town, and a lot of the people who can't afford food can't afford taxis/cars/etc. You'd have to have transportation, housing nearby, or only cater to people within a mile or two.

We have a few soup kitchens/food lines in the city, but most aren't open for 3 meals. In Columbus, where I used to live, there was a church that gave out free lunches everyday...the stuff seemed to mostly be products from vending machines (the refrigerated kind that you find in many large corporate breakrooms) that had gone a day or two past their sell-by date - sandwiches, soups, etc. They always had a huuuuge line out the door, and I don't think I ever saw anyone walk away empty-handed. That was a great program for the people who utilized it.

So only the poor who have enough money to afford both steady electric payments and have access to some form of refrigeration would be able to get food from you. How generous

I don't agree with our current system, to be sure....but excluding the poorest of the poor isn't really helping them, either.

More to the point, dirt poor doesn't just mean hungry - it can also mean lack of shelter, lack of suitable clothing (I have a 6th grader who was coming in with flip flops and no jacket, and we live in the snowbelt), lack of access to sanitation facilities, lack of "necessities" (electric, heat, etc), in some cases lack of education.... There's a lot more to poverty than just being hungry.