Winehouse? You've got to be F*N kidding me...

Amy Winehouse dominated the 2008 Grammy Awards...

"...in five of the six categories in which she was nominated, including three of the big four general categories: record of the year, song of the year (both for "Rehab") and best new artist." - CNN

What class...huh?!

Either this generation truly sucks the big one or there just isn't enough competition in today's music wasteland! She's trash, ignorant, talentless, and crude. How does she DOMINATE the Grammy's? I can see throwing her a bone for catchy (if not annoying) single but Best New Artist? Record of the Year? Where is everybody?! WAKE UP!!! I know the music today is lousy and without very much talent but Winehouse?

It's hard to leave any radio station (of current music) on for more than a half hour without listening to endless, mindless banter, or endless, mindless music, or the two or three decent songs played every couple of hours.

Cars are being made with MP3 options as standard; why do you think? HD Radio and Satellite Radio purchases are on the rise...why do you think? People like to listen to their CDs but they get old. New music, change is craved and when the public radio and the blitzed (bought) media can't provide unbiased, objective new sounds, we turn to alternatives. Satellite offers Alternative stations, Independent stations, and classic (50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s) stations. MP3s offer alternative/indy downloads with mass storage options for endless days' worth of music.

It's no wonder kids are still walking around in Hendrix and Floyd T-shirts. Granted these musicians and those among them were no angels but they were TALENTED! They had more than one song!!!

Who do they have to aspire to now? Winehouse? Geez, I certainly hope not!

Growing ...

I was doing my routine check in on the baby boards and was catching up on the TTC boards as well. One woman I sent some left over med/supplies to was in her second round of IVF. She has been updating the boards and her blog of her stats. For the past several weeks she was testing as pregnant but the numbers were low and not promising at all. Finally, after an early ultra sound, she has been told she's pregnant with twins!

Elated, to say the least, she updated everyone on the wonderful news and stated how she was so happy there were two as it bettered her odds that she's hopefully make it to term with at least one of the babies. This brought me right back to our situation at 7 weeks.

We were sitting in doc's office doing the vag-cam u/s and he said, "it's twins!" My first thought was, we have twice as good a chance to have a baby. "A" baby...wow. I think I felt this way for at least the first three months. Now that we've seen their heart beats and pictures over the past five months, they are different to me. I've been petrified to think of any future until we got past 20 weeks. "Friends" from the board as well as in real life have had the difficulty of dealing with a miscarriage at 20 weeks. Some losing one of twins/triplets at 20 weeks. So 20 WEEKS was a milestone for me, personally.

I voiced my concern with hon and she knew where it came from and we've both grown quite attached to BOTH babies. Women on the boards have described losing one twin and grieving while trying to stay positive and happy for the surviving, still growing twin. I can't imagine the split of emotion that comes with that.

Now that we're looking at 22 weeks I'm beginning to feel the future, scary as hell as that might be at times. We've discussed, online, that pregnancies are generally viable after 24 weeks but better at 28 + weeks. Obviously, beyond that is choice! We're feeling movement, mostly in my ribs (OUCH) and they have definitely made their presence known with the ever-expanding belly I can no longer get comfortable sleeping with. Everyone is excitingly and not-so-patienly waiting for them to arrive.

As I explained to "new mom to twins to be" it's understandable to think of this in a numbers game sort of way...it's all statistics, and odds, and science, after all. It keeps your spirits high and positive and optimistic and everything you need to be to get that little bean to stick! But something does happen as they grow and become more real and personable and significant. It's no longer a numbers game but they are your babies and that's it! Good luck, Bleu!

Check it out!

Go here, it will take 20 minutes, and perhaps change or re-affirm your perspective.

GO GREEN!

Super Fat Tuesday...

...over and out!

Well, it was an uneventful night in that the conclusions (thus far) are pretty much what was expected. Hon and I went to the polling place this afternoon before I came into work to place our vote in the 2008 primaries. It was great; each time it still feels wonderful. We took the little ones with us to get a feel for the process. Mostly they were bored, at least the boy was. But they were in awe that the church rec room had rock band (elec. guitar/drums not the video game) in the room along with a foos ball table, PS2, XBOX, AND a Wii. Guess now they are "believers" in going to church, lol!

After coming into work and actually having a very nice and cordial discussion on the race and those involved and the process I did come to one conclusion about it all. I like to go in person. Several people mailed in their ballots, others were on line for two hours today to mark that line; we lucked out at just around 40 minutes or so, I think...

...but overall, I like the vibe of actually taking time out of my day to vote in person, awaiting the lines, signing my name on the registrar, and taking my form into the little mock cubical provided. There's a sense of history, power, right in all of it.

Regardless if my chosen candidate makes it to the finish (although it is nice), my voice was heard, counted, and I particpated. I made a stand on what I believe and who I felt could follow up on those beliefs and I didn't sit back in apathy and let it all be decided for me. That's what voters do; they take responsibility even if in the seemingly most smallest form.

Congratulations for all those that got out to vote and/or registered to be sure to vote this November. It's important, it's your right, and it's time we stop taking that for granted.

(okay, soap box down)