Farm Life

Just a short few years back, some little boy I'm related to (and won't name names) drew this for his class. And no, it was not my grandson.

This little guy is smart and his family farms (obvious from the picture). His mother posted this on our family website with the description:

I about CRIED with PRIDE when he brought this home from school today. It is supposed to read, "A cow standing on another cow's back." I just hope his teacher remembers this picture for parent-teacher conferences!


His aunt added this as a comment:

OH MY GOD!!! He told me about this the other day when I picked him up. I was trying to figure out what he was trying to tell me. He just kept saying that this kid in his class told him that it wasn't possible for a cow to stand on another cows back. And he told the kid it was possible and that he saw a cow on another cows back before!!! I was kinda cracking up then, but then he said "... what would you say if I told you that a cow can stand on another cows back whould you believe me?" I was just trying so hard not to laugh and I said yes I would believe you. I had no idea he was going to draw a picture of it!!!!!:-O

I dredged this story up again tonight because I needed a good laugh. How 'bout you?

A Feel Good Movie

I few years back we joined one of those DVD clubs. We don't buy alot, just enough to get the 5 or 6 for a penny and then enough to fulfull the obligation and then quit.

Anyway, I had ordered several movies. One that got good reviews and had one of the most amazing kid actors and was recommended by my sister.

I put the DVD in and Bob asks, "What kind of movie is this?"

I said, "I don't know, I think it's one of those 'feel good' movies."

It caught our interest right away.

Excellent movie.

But.

Feel good?

By the end I was literally sobbing out loud like a little girl.

One of best movies ever, but Pay It Forward is NOT a feel good movie. But then again, I have to admit, I'm a sucker for a movie that makes me cry.

Wait. I have to stop now. It's on TV now and I need to find a heavy duty Kleenex.

I don't get my heroes from Hollywood

I'm having to avoid all the normal tv channels tonight because I have no interest in watching hundreds of people stand outside of a hospital where a pathetically sick, but talented man died today.

Michael Jackson is not a hero. But I've found a story where there is one (or two).

A Soldier's Salute

I "stole" this video from The Bronze Blog. I cannot add any words, none are sufficient. Except what I noticed at 9:32 and 10:25. I wish all of America would appreciate our soldiers sacrifices like these good people in Georgia.

Don't Call Me Bill

Years and years ago, my sister and her husband went to buy a new car. They live in a very small town, so normally everyone would know who they are.

My brother-in-law, like my mother, has never gone by his first name. It just sounds weird when someone calls them by their first names and we never really think about it.

We still laugh about the time when they were looking at the cars and the salesguy didn't know them. He sees the name William on something and starts saying, "Bill, blah blah blah."

My brother-in-law was trying to explain to the guy he went by Leroy, his middle name, but it didn't come out right. Instead he said, "Don't call me Bill." The guy thought he should then call him by Mr. Surname.

So we still laugh about "Don't call me Bill". Leroy meant only to explain to the guy what to call him.

And I was only reminded of this story tonight when I read that some Congressional Staffer went Psycho crazy because some lobbyist was trying to set up a meeting and called her "Liz" and not "Elizabeth".

The poor lobbyist apologized SIX times, but Psycho Liz would not let it go.

And I'm pretty certain I have worked with Psycho Liz. However I was never as nice as the guy that tried to apologize. I remember working with a Psycho Liz at Bank One years ago. I could not for the life of me understand why she would get psycho over normal conversation and remember the morning that she "had to go home" because, although we knew we were going to be moving offices for weeks, no one had told her that it would be THAT DAY. She was so upset she left the office. I swear, it has to be the same crazy woman. Especially since the lobbyist was from JP Morgan Chase, who bought out Bank One. It's HER. I swear it's HER, she's out to get her revenge because Bank One made her move her office one morning.

You've worked with a Psycho Liz, haven't you? We all have.

Below is the hilarious exchange of emails:

From: XXX Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 11:38 AM
To: Becton, Elizabeth
Subject: JPMC Meeting Request Elizabeth,

Attached is a meeting request for JP Morgan Chase who will be in DC June 3rd-4th and would like to request a brief meeting with the Congressman. Let me know if you need any additional information. Thank you! Best, XXX

From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:05 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Hi Liz, just checking in on whether the Congressman is available next week. [REDACTED] can confirm a meeting time for you - she is available at [REDACTED]. Thank you! Best, XXX

From: Becton, Elizabeth
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:07 PM
To: XXX Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request Importance: High

Who is Liz?

Elizabeth Becton Executive Assistant/Office Manager Office of Congressman Jim McDermott XXXX Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515

From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:07 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Hi Elizabeth, I thought you went by Liz - apologies if that is incorrect. Best, XXX

From: Becton, Elizabeth
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:08 PM
To: XXX Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

I do not go by Liz. Where did you get your information?


Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:10 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Hi Elizabeth,
I'm so sorry if I offended you! I thought you had gone by Liz at Potlatch, this was my mistake. Best, XXX

From: Becton, Elizabeth Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:11 PM
To: XXX Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request

NEVER. I hate that name.

From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:13 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Hi Elizabeth, I'm so sorry if I offended you! I must have mis-heard. My mistake! Best, XX

From: Becton, Elizabeth Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:20 PM
To: XXX Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request Importance: High

XXX: If I wanted you to call me by any other name, I would have offered that to you. I think it's rude when people don't even ask permission and take all sorts of liberties with your name. This is a real sore spot with me. My name has a lot of "nicknames" which I don't use. I use either my first name or my last name because I row with a lot of other women who share the same first name. Now, please do not ever call me by a nickname again. As for your meeting request, who is the point of contact for this meeting? If it's not you, then I need to know who because it's very time-consuming to deal with a lot of people for one meeting. Thanks,

From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:23 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Hi Elizabeth, I'm so sorry I offended you! My mistake! XXX can confirm a meeting time for you - she is available at XXX XXXX. Thank you! Best, XXX

From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:33 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Of course! Again, I am sincerely sorry for offending you. I must have mis-heard and it was in no way my intention to make you upset. I always enjoy working with you and seeing you at the WSS events J Best, XXX

From: Becton, Elizabeth Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:37 PM
To: XXX Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Sounds like you got played by someone who KNOWS I hate that name and that it's a fast way to TICK me off. Who told you that I go by that name? They are not your friend...

From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:38 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Hi Elizabeth, Again, I am sincerely sorry for offending you. I don't want to cause trouble as I clearly must have mis-heard the person at Potlatch. It was in no way my intention to make you upset. Best, XXX

From: Becton, Elizabeth Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:41 PM
To: XXX Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request Importance: High

I REALLY want to know who told you to call me that.

From:XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:44 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Hi Elizabeth,
Again, I am sincerely sorry for offending you. I don't recall who I overheard. It was in no way my intention to make you upset. Best, XXX

From: Becton, Elizabeth Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 6:04 PM To: XXX Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Let me put it this way, they don't know me and perhaps they were PRETENDING to know me better than they do and pretended that I go by Liz. They did YOU a disservice. In the future, you should be VERY careful about such things. People like to brag about their connections in DC. It's a past time for some. It's also dangerous to eaves drop, as you have just found out. Quit apologizing and never call me anything but Elizabeth again. Also, make sure you correct anyone who attempts to call me by any other name but Elizabeth. Are we clear on this? Like I said, it's a hot button for me. And please don't call the office and not leave a message. My colleague told me you called while I was away at the Ladies' room. I do sometimes leave my desk.


And if you think that's funny, you should read the comments left on the blogs. OMG. Liz will have to go in hiding now. Maybe she'll hide in the Ladies Room.

Life Lesson: Sometimes it's best just to say, "Don't call me Bill" and go on with your life.

Who Wears Short Shorts

I thought I heard him wrong. Surely I heard him wrong. I am 50 years old, no one would ask me this question, would they?

He asked, "Do you have a pair of booty shorts?" My head swung around and I said, "What?" I was sure he had said something else.

He said, "Do you have a pair of booty shorts?" I laughed, hard. I did not even want to imagine me in booty shorts, not even when I was young enough to wear them.

I said, "Do you know what booty shorts are?"

He said, "Yeah, they're the really short shorts" while he moved his hand to demonstrate how short they would be.

I laughed again.

I told him that no, I did not have any booty shorts.

But I was surprised by the question, especially since it came from my 7-year-old grandson.

Where do they pick that stuff up at that age?

My only comment here is that I cried when I read this.

Melissa's Ramblings: Etched In Stone

Courage in your beliefs

Twenty years ago today.

I'd like to believe that I would have this much courage, but for the life of me I cannot imagine what this guy was feeling at this point.

And I've always wondered what happened with the driver of the tank. I wonder what fate he suffered at the hands of his government because he refused to mow down one courageous dissident.

Families come in all shapes, sizes, colors and places - Updated

Over the course of my life I have learned each year how incredibly blessed I am to have such a wonderful family.

As a kid, you just simply can't appreciate the things that make it wonderful, but as I've been exposed to other family situations, I have found that we are actually very unique.

Growing up, we were like ordinary kids, arguing, fighting, etc. My brother Mark hated me. Took me until I was 13 to figure out that it was only because I took the "baby" title away from him when he was 4. Sorry Mark, I didn't have a whole lot of input in that, blame Mom and Dad.

Anyway each year we get closer and closer. I suppose we got all of our fighting and arguing out as kids.

And over the years our family keeps growing. Some are born into it, some are married into it, a couple of girls started out as my co-workers but have developed into daughters of my heart. I have a nephew that our family "married" when his mother married my brother, I have another "nephew" that my sister "adopted" when he was here from India getting his masters at Purdue. He and his wife have truely become family although he lives on the other side of the earth.

We are about to get two new members to our family. Most of us has not yet seen them, but a precious little miracle is about to occur in the lives of two little girls who were not as blessed as we were with growing up with loving caring parents. The oldest one is so excited she left a message for her new "mom". The message here has only been edited to leave my new niece's name private.

What I love most about my family is that none of us put restrictions on who we consider family. We don't bother with who has the actual family gene because we realize that those that don't have our "gene" have been given to us by God, not biology.

Congratulations to the new mom and dad. I can't wait to see my new two nieces. Go easy, it will be a big and wonderful adjustment which will enrich two little girls lives in ways that they cannot yet imagine.

UPDATED: The girls have been having "visits" this week with their new mom and dad. Looks like they will be moved permanently this weekend and they'll get their first visit from their new Grandma and Grandpa!!!!

Can't wait till Aunt Rita gets to see them. And I know I'll be their favorite aunt!!!!