Holiday Reason!!

There's been much buzz regarding Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season. Mostly the talk has been about how ridiculous or silly it is that we take only one day out of the year to say or realize what we are thankful for. Christmas is the only time we make to be kind to others and are charitable (as a whole) and "good will toward men" - minded.

That may be true - I'm sure it is for the majority of us...we only act with conscious effort to be thankful and kind during this latter time of year. Is that a shame? Sure is. Is it likely to change? Not yet. Is that a horrible thing? There are much worse crimes we are committing.

Now, I am sure if I were to do a historic journey of this blog I'd find my very own words stating something quite similar! As we grow and we learn, our perceptions alter and we evolve. Not that the evolution is necessarily progressive but nonetheless the change is inevitable and - I belive - usually, a positive thing.

Here's the thing...time, like money, is spent recklessly and when you look back, it's very difficult to realize where it all went. Days go by so fast, especially as we get older, it's Thanksgiving again - and it wast JUST HERE!!! We get bogged down in day to day and week to week with work, with kids, pets, friends, grocery shopping, getting water jugs filled and oil changes done! We're on lines for gas, for stamps, for tickets, for a soda at the local Kwik Mart of your choice. Time keeps on slippin...you know the rest. If we actually get to take that day - that ONE day to stop and reflect and appreciate and acknowledge, extend, and feel something - that's awesome. That is what I would call a miracle. Because in our bluetoothed-cell, WiFi-booked, Tweet-facebook mentality - that's a lot of time!
We get in our "good" clothes, sit around a table together (which for some is the only time of year), and take pictures that in our later years we will truly appreciate. We make phone calls, or shout outs on FaceBook or Twitter or MySpace, to those we don't see or even think of often. We take an extra few minutes to hold the doors for people, to help them pick up their dropped packages, load their cars, or let them ahead of us in line. It would be nice if we behaved like this daily (and some do) - but that's not reality and that's not likely to change. The idea that we can see this and take six weeks to do the right thing and be the people we want to be and breathe and look inside from out, makes this time of year a great couple of months.

Of course, after the New Year and resolutions are in, so is the self-loathing (and all that comes with it) but hey, that's not til next year so we'll worry about that then. Hope everyone takes the time alotted (hurry...tick tock -lol) to appreciate themselves and those special in their lives. Happy Holidays!

Glenn Beck Humor

Funny stuff! Found this clip and thought it quite funny - since I've been a bit negative in my writing lately thought I'd lighten up a bit.

Sherrif Joe Schmo!

Not that this is new to anyone in the know but Joe has publicly declared he and his posse are above the law they are hired and voted upon to enforce. How nice! What a perk!!

After the media blasted the footage of a MCSO deputy STEALING priveledged documents from a defense table and making copies the judge held the hearing that was currently in progress and the deputy was held in contempt. Charges still seem up in the air on what the final infraction will be as far as tampering with evidence, etc. but the judge did make one demand.

The officer was ordered by a judge to hold a press conference to apologize for his actions. Judge Donahoe determined Stoddard should hold a news conference outside the Central Court Building by Nov. 30 and offer Cuccia (the defense attorney) "a sincere verbal and written apology for invading her defense file and for the damage that his conduct may have caused to her professional reputation." I personally think he owes the defendent an apology as well for trampeling his rights and rights of others he wasn't caught for but that's just me.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio immediately said this order would be defied.

“My officer was doing his job and I will not stand by and allow him to be thrown to the wolves by the courts because they feel pressure from the media on this situation,” Arpaio said in a press release. "I decide who holds press conferences and when they are held regarding this Sheriff’s Office.” 'Cause you the man, JOE!!

I know personally how the system sucks and the MCSO is a joke - they run over a lot of rights, abuse their power, and are incredibly arrogant and feel, as shown here, above the rest. Just because someone wears a badge it doesn't make them above lying - they're still just as human as everyone else despite their own god-complexes.

If Stoddard refuses, or Cuccia is not satisfied with the apology, Donahoe ordered Stoddard to report to jail on Dec. 1 - where I'm sure he'll be given real food, a mattressed cot, security from the other inmates, blah blah blah...whatever.

Joe, it's not the media that's fed up with your bullshit - it's the public that voted and mostly DIDN'T vote you into office that's tired of it. There's not a single viable reason in the universe for that officer to steal and copy those pages. Did you think they were laced with something??? Really, contraband issues???? C'mon - you got caught - just like some of the guys that you've cuffed. Sherrif Joe and his department lack serious ethics...ya think?!

For the video and full details go here.

DUDE!

Chloe learned a new word from her Uncle Nicky! Came home after work yesterday and she just kept saying it...over and over and over with such enthusiasm. Grayson insisted going to nap with his baseball glove. Yes, I've been grooming him to play since birth but he really does have a knack...throwing both left and right handed very well and wanting the glove to fit both hands too. Guess I know what his Christmas gift will be this year...a right mitt?

They are growing so fast - totally looking forward to the holidays this year. Wasn't really a big thing last season but they understand and appreciate things now. Here are a couple pics Hon took the other day - the play house wall thing was just the funniest thing ever to them; opening and closing the shutters was the bomb!

She so has my cheeks...I apologize nearly daily for them. They're good during the younger years; saves makeup and all, but when you get older they just blaze showing any and all emotion. UGH!

For your reading pleasure

Here is the website created to tackling this Temple issue for anyone who wants to know what's going on and why.

Appeal to whom?

So the city council voted 10-0 in FAVOR of rezoning the neighborhood where 96% of the homeowners do not agree. Hmm? Is there something wrong with this picture? Why would city council, who obviously doesn't live in the area or give a RAT's ASS what those living there want, piss off the neighborhood who vote for them? Could it be money? Were people given an incentive to look another way?

For those not involved directly - here's what the media doesn't let you know:

Two homes were bought by the church where the back half of the 1 acre properties were made part of the PUD rezoning request - how was this accomplished? The city has been arbitrary in grating special privileges in the zoning process:

· Although the ground floor has open air view from the ground floor to the ceiling 65 feet above, the height is being interpreted by the planning staff to be only 40 feet. The opening to 65 feet is through circular holes that the chandelier suspension passes through.

· Although the building has almost 30,000 square feet, they are only providing an additional 100 spaces, and “sharing 197 spaces with the adjacent meeting house. The application calculates the parking requirement based on 7,000 square feet.

· Although the largest traffic component comes from the Temple Visitors , these traffic numbers are not included in the applicant’s traffic report.

· Although a General Plan Amendment is required for a rezoning over 10 acres, the applicant is not being required to file and amendment.

· Instead of the application listing the intended uses and activities on the site, they are being allowed to define their uses as “just like the Mesa Temple ”. Questionable considering that is in a different municipality.

· Does the fact that 96% of the neighbors in a one square mile, (centered on the site) have signed petitions in opposition, carry any legal weight?

· Thelda Williams stated at a neighborhood meeting, that the other council members will all vote for this and one of them will make the motion to approve, so she avoids angering her district.

It's interesting how people online keep trying to slant this against the Mormon religion when any building by another name would be equally as fought against. It's an eyesore because it stands over 100 feet tall including the illuminated (lit up/glowing/whatever) spire! Stop trying to make this about your religious persecution and realize it's those who LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD that are being ignored and persecuted. We live here, we chose to live here for a reason, and any building that blocks the skies and diminishes our way of life is oppressing - build it across the street near the water park or in Surprise, as I understand a location was already approved there in case this doesn't work out.

Those representing the church and the church themselves continue to talk about making concessions and being good neighbors when it's just lipspeak because if they really gave a shit they'd move it elsewhere. No one is saying you can't build it but it doesn't suit the area which is why you are left forcing it down our throats. LDS made this about their religion; their members made this about their religion - not the neighborhood.

This is my home; I don't care if my home values increase as I plan to retire here. I'm not looking to regain what I've lost - break even - and look at this eyesore. And YES, there will be an increase in traffic - blowing through my neighborhood streets with no sidewalks, for our children to be in jeopardy of those bypassing church traffic.

How city council can simply ignore the letters, protests, and outcrys during meetings is beyond me. Is their dollar that powerful they can override an entire community who actually LIVES there? It's so infuriating - the system doesn't work - it's bought and paid for.

So we have hired a lawyer, contributed time, work, and money to the cause to file an appeal. Only the lawyers win...Living in America!

What weekend?

Busy busy weekend...scalped and reseeded the lawn, replanted a couple of trees, sanded-stained-stripped-sanded-stained the new dining table, rehomed (and then rehomed some more guinea pigs), and Grayson got his first official haircut!

To begin with, the kids had six GPs at their dad's that once belonged to a cousing who went to college and could no longer keep them. We rehomed them from their dad's to our house and then a friend of a friend who had just lost their's to pneumonia after being under Vets care took two of them home.

We now have a mother, father, 5 day-old baby, and a 4-month old sibling. I have no idea of the sex of the newborn or the 4-month old but mom and newbie are in one cage and dad and the teen are in another. I'll have to get pics-they are pretty cool.

Looking for a home for dad asap but plan on keeping the newbie. I am in the process of litter training Mellow, newbie's name, and the bogos just get such a kick out them. Granted they can't handle them, especially Gray, he's very excited. The kids want to keep mom and the teen so we'll see how it goes and just take it day at a time.

Grayson had his haircut this weekend...his hair was getting lengthy and Hon felt it was time to set him down and trim it proper. She did a nice job - although I wasn't a huge fan of spiky-do. After bathtime we combed it out and I was happier with the result. They are growing so fast...she had a house trim which still took two of us wrestling with her to get done. Nope, no salon treatment for her for a while yet...what a pistol!