Baby Makenna Is Born

Your Gift From God has finally arrived. Congrats to you, new Mom and Dad. We can't wait to meet her.

Fun Had By All

This past weekend was the 52nd Urbanna Oyster Festival. Since the Hub and I keep the new Mrs. R II in Deltaville, we decided to join some old boating buddies and some new boating buddies for the weekend. We headed up the rivah Friday afternoon and pulled into the creek around 2pm. We docked, got settled and had a great time. Sunday came way too quickly. Only 360 days for next year's festival...can't wait!!

Me & the Hub on Mrs. R II.

Some of our new boating buddies.

The Sniper

In the fall of 2002, the Monday night employee bowling league already had a few weeks under its belt. It was teams of two, mostly women. It was a fun league, some competition, but mostly a bunch of women socializing and having a couple beers. It was a fun way to start the week.

In the fall of 2002, the Sniper was on the loose and had already killed 10 people. He made an appearance in Ashland, VA that fall. He decided to sit outside the local Ponderosa steak house and play his sick little game. Luckily, he did not kill this victim, but panic and terror plagued Central Virginia. Every white van with ladder racks was a potential sniper. We were terrified.

At that time, all of my immediate family was in the DC metro area. This was the playground for the Sniper. He had killed 10 people in the DC area and remained at large. I was scared for them and worried for me.

It was the Monday night after the Ponderosa shooting. There had been multiple "sniper sightings" in the Richmond area, the city was on edge, and it was bowling night. We arrived at the bowling center at 5:30. It was dark outside, so the small group of women all walked in together. We had a great night, bowled like the Sniper didn't exist. What we were all anticipating was the walk out to our cars. The league was usually over by 8:00 and I was usually home by 8:30. We all put our bowling balls away, changed our shoes and put on our coats. We all stood by the doors and inspected the parking lot.

On a normal night, the next league of bowlers would be coming in. This league was a large league. It took up half the center, which is 30 lanes. The parking lot was usually full by the time we would leave. However, on this night, the parking lot was half full. The Richmond area was terrified to be out and about.

It was a cool and windy evening. Lots of leaves whirled around the parking lot. We pulled our coats around us and stood inside the bowling center and looked out the doors into the parking lot. Immediately, we all noticed the white van with the ladder rack parked in the back side of the parking lot. Instant fear consumed us. We must have stood there for 10 minutes, trying to decide how to get to our cars. Luckily, we all parked near one another.

I don't remember who was the first one out the door, but we all joined arms and and walked out. As soon as we reached the end of the sidewalk, we released arms and ran to our respective cars. I had my roller bowling bag, which I pulled behind me. One of the wheels got stuck by a rock or something and stopped rolling. I reached down to pull it up and carry it when I felt something strike my head. I thought the Sniper had got me. I saw white and screamed bloody murder. Next thing I remember is being at my car with my keys and getting in the driver's side with my bowling bag sitting outside the car. I sat in the driver's seat looking around and feeling my head. I felt nothing on my head but hair and saw nothing but a whirlwind of leaves flying around. It must have been the leaves that hit my head.

I sat in my car and relived the past 20 seconds; the white van, the area Sniper sightings, the darkness and my fear all added up to a small leaf that hit my head and I thought I was dead. I was glad it was only a leaf, but the terror and panic was real. I instantly hated the Sniper and wished him the pain and fear I felt.

The pain he caused the 13 victims' families is unthinkable. The fear and terror he caused 100s of thousands of people is unforgivable. John Allen Muhammad, aka the Sniper, lost his Supreme Court appeal yesterday. Only Tim Kaine, governor of Virginia can save him. If the governor does not stay his execution, John Allen Muhammad will die tonight for his crimes and terror against humanity. I have no pity for him.

H1N1

A co-worker came into the office earlier this week wearing a surgical mask. She had the flu but needed finish a project. She thought coming into work and wearing a mask was OK.....HR thought differently and sent her home and then issued a memo about staying home if you have the flu/H1N1. Pretty sad that a memo has to be issued for people to stay home if they are sick.

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Poor Piglet!

I know, the Swine Flu is no laughing matter, but with all the media hype and people getting sick, I just had to find a little humor to lighten the mood.

A co-worker's son came down with swine flu last week and I just found about it today. Apparently, I'm the last to know in the office, as usual. My co-worker was literally running to the bathroom as I was walking down the hallway. I jumped out of his way and started to snicker. That's when he explained that his son had the flu, the swine flu. And ever since his son's diagnosis, he has been obsessively washing his hands. I asked how his son was and he said that the swine flu, or at least his son's case of the flu, was mild. In fact, he said that it was not nearly as bad as the regular flu. But, because of the possibility of contamination from his son to others, he was being cautious, very cautious at work.

First A Blackberry, Now Facebook?

Yes, I have a facebook account. Actually, I've had one since last fall. I signed up so I could see photos of my step-sister's new puppy. Once I saw the photos of Pocket, I never logged on again...until today.

A few months ago, I upgraded my Treo to a Blackberry. It was a big adjustment but one that I'm glad I made. With the Blackberry, I have a few aps, and one is a facebook ap. I just downloaded it and posted a comment. But here's the real reason...The Hub set up an account for himself a few weeks ago and has become quite attached. He has reconnected with old co-workers, family and friends. At first, I couldn't understand why he would use this venue. But after seeing all the things and people on his facebook page, I decided to rekindle my login. Now, I just have to accept the 12 friends that have requested my "friendship" and start reconnecting with folks.

Can You Say Ignoramus?

On my short drive to work this morning, I was flipping between radio stations and stopped on the Elliott In The Morning show. This morning's show was a replay, which I had not heard before. I'm not a regular listener to this show, just flip between it and 5 other stations. For some reason, I decided to stay. I don't even know what they were discussing, I think I was daydreaming or something while drinking my coffee...

I really wasn't paying much attention to what the topic was or who was talking, it was just noise. Until I heard a country bumpkin call in and tell Elliott that he just hit a coyote. Hit a coyote? Yep, that's what he just did. Of course, this is a replay, so who knows when this actually happened. But it still stunned me, especially what the country bumpkin said next.

He hit the coyote, backed up to see it, saw that it was still breathing, so he must have broke its back and drove off. Yes, he just drove off. No call to animal control, no call to a local vet, nothing. He actually laughed when he said "I must have broke its back because it was still breathing". And he ended it with "it only damaged my licence plate".

OK, dude, you thought enough about yourself to call into the Elliot radio show and boast about your "kill" and laugh about it, but what about the coyote?

So glad this ignoramus got his 15 seconds of fame. Fame, I don't think so. I think it's more of a flop! Sad that this radio show aired this caller, just sad.

Discrimination?

As I do every morning, I checked the Monster and Career Builder feeds. Yes, I'm looking and have been for a while. Not going at it hard-core, but keeping my eyes open.

Anyway, one job caught my attention so I looked into it a bit further. I won't mention the company name, but it is a major manufacturer of consumer appliances. The job looked interesting, maybe a little over my head but I decided to apply. I came to the end of the job description and it read:

"We do not consider candidates who use tobacco products.

Minorities and females are encouraged to apply."

Interesting, huh? The part about tobacco use, is that discrimination? I don't smoke, so that would be a bonus for me, but still, it seems a little odd to advertise that. Obviously, it got my attention. I haven't worked in a smoking office since 1989, but haven't seen an employer advertise that they won't hire a smoker.

Now about the minority and female thing. I do not believe in affirmative action. Never have and never will. You should be hired because of your abilities and contributions, not because of your skin color or sex. I completely understand that there are some employers that do hire based on skin color and I think that is racist and unethical. But affirmative action exists so I have to deal with it.

When I'm applying for these jobs on-line, most of the employers want you to fill in the equal opportunity information. What's you race, what's your sex, did you serve in the military, etc. Again, I feel this creates prejudice. But that's the world in which we live. Sad, truly sad.