Photos taken in my backyard 10/15

I took these today and then came in and loaded them onto my laptop immediately.  I messed around in Aperture for awhile - I really need to actually learn how to use the program!!  I think there's a new book that just came out about Aperture 2- maybe I can find it cheap on Amazon.com or something.  

Poverty

I read on Lindsey's blog that today is "Blog Action Day" and the topic is poverty.

I don't have enough time or energy to think out a good post (but you can read Lindsey's awesome post if you click on "The Fine Art of Me" link on my sidebar!)

I will tell a good story though.  

On Monday we had some family come up to Wilmington to visit my mom.  Her parents and brother (my Uncle Donnie) came up and we drove them into Philly so that they could see Mom at the hospital.  When we got there, we were told that she would be going home that day!  Anyways, to give the family some time with Mom, Kelsey and I decided to walk to Starbucks, which was right across from the hospital, about a half a block away.  While we were walking, we passed a homeless man sitting on the street.  He didn't have a sign or anything, just a little canvas bag for people to put money into.  As we passed him, Kelsey gave him a dollar.  When we got into Starbucks, Kelsey came up with a great idea - we could get him a sandwich and a coffee- that way, we would know that he was getting some food and not using that money for anything else.  So, we got him a Turkey, Cheese, and Pesto sandwich and a small cup of coffee.  We took it back to him, and when Kelsey handed it to him, his big brown eyes widened and he thanked us.  As we walked away, we felt so good about what we had done.  

There really is no real solution for the poverty problem... unless it became a top priority, but in some peoples' minds, there will always be more pressing issues than poverty.  (Which is sad.)

Here is a video that I posted over a year ago... it's one of my favorites.  It just shows how one person can do something to change the world, even in a little way.  I wish I had enough money to do this as well.

A note to cancer-

When I checked PostSecret today, this was one of the posted secrets. I was shocked, because I woke up this morning, and this EXACT thought ran through my head. Amazing.

We brought my mom home today...she was discharged early because she's doing so well. She's here now, snoozing in her bed. When she got here, I read her every single guestbook entry from her Caringbridge site. She loved it!!

I am so exhausted...never in my life have I been this exhausted. Not during finals week, not during PACAA or at camp. I guess it's just because this is not only physically draining, but somewhat emotionally and mentally draining as well.

Alright, I'm off to figure out what we are going to do for dinner. We have like, no groceries because I wasn't expecting her to come home until later in the week!!

Mello Man

This is my cousin's dog, Mello. (Or Melo, I can't remember...) He's the sweetest chocolate lab I've ever met, and he's super loving and excitable. He also is a big ham, and will pose for picture after picture (if you're holding a treat!)

Well, in 24 hours my mom will be in surgery, having her kidney removed. I feel nervous, of course, but also just anxious at the thought of all of the family being there, and me having to relay and interpret information for my grandparents. Luckily, my good friend Meg will be there to make things not so crazy. Most of my friends have been incredibly supportive and I am so lucky!

Here is a link to my mom's caringbridge site again- she should update tonight with some more information, but send her some good thoughts!! www.caringbridge.org/visit/judysmith2

You're My Home

Tonight I went to Boston Market to pick up dinner to take to my mom at work. Today was Tuesday, and it was 6:30 on the dot when I turned onto Concord Pike, and my mind immediately went to when I used to go drive that exact route to go to Teen Leaders meetings at the Brandywine YMCA at that exact time on Tuesdays. I couldn't help myself, and I found my car turning into the YMCA right next door the Boston Market, to see if leaders was still held at the same time. It was - and when I walked into the room, it was like I was 13 again, walking into my very first meeting. I was flooded with memories - I attended hundreds of leaders meetings from the age of 13-18, most of them at the Brandywine Y. I know the new advisor for the leaders club at Bwine, actually he finally attended his first PACAA this year and was in my values group. He was happy - but surprised - to see me. We talked for a few minutes, and it was great to see a few leaders who were at PACAA this year. (Mainly one adorable, curly red haired little girl who I carried on my back to the dorm after she fell asleep after a long vesper on night at PACAA).

I think I'm going to start going to meeting and helping out this semester, while I'm here. It's only 2 hours a week, and I haven't been really involved in an actual leaders club in years. (Because there isn't one in Greensboro!)

It made me really happy to be back inside of the Y - to be hit by the smell of chlorine when I walked through the sliding glass door at the front. It felt like home... and I liked it :)

Photos from Giving Blood

(I added that last photo because my mom took it, and I the lighting was perfect)

A Day with Vance

While I was in Greensboro, I e-mailed the family that I used to babysit for regularly. I really, really miss those kids. When I started babysitting for them, Macy was only 2 months old, and Vance was only 20 months old. Now, Macy is 2 and Vance is about to turn 4!! It's been so much fun to watch them grow up, and I really do love spending time with them.

Last Thursday, I picked Vance up at 9am and we headed out for a day of fun! His mom told me that he would LOVE the one-on-one attention. Vance is the second youngest of four children, so it's hard to give each child special time where all of the attention is focused on them. First, Vance and I went to the Greensboro Natural Science Center. It's huge!! There is a huge building full of really awesome displays and fun play rooms. Outside, there is a good sized zoo, with a petting area (sheep, goats, pigs, etc.). Plus tigers, monkeys, lemurs, horses, wallabies, turtles, alligators, snakes, porcupines, meerkats, and lots more.




















After spending about 3 hours at the Science Center, we had a picnic at Country Park, and watched the squirrels and geese. After lunch, we picked up Sydney and headed to the bark park, which is located in Country Park. Vance loved all of the dogs, and I was super impressed that he wasn't scared around any of them! He did have a slight meltdown because I wouldn't let him run around inside of the Bark Park (I've seen WAYY too many children who start running in there and then dogs start to chase them and jump on them and knock them down) Poor guy - it was like 2pm by then, and I know he was getting pretty tired! So, I took him home and talked with his mom for awhile. I really miss those guys when I'm not in Greensboro :)

10/4

This week has been such an escape from reality. It's been full of rugby, lounging, playing with my dog, movies with my roommates, Wednesday Wine nights, sleeping in, snuggling, smiling, and laughing a whole lot.

I'm ready to go back home to take care of my mom- after all, this was my decision- but I still feel like tomorrow when my plane takes off, I'll be leaving my life behind. And, I have missed my life.

Vice Presidential Debate

Things I liked:

• Joe Biden is extremely well spoken, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to his answers and rebuttals.
• We played "Palin Bingo" with funny things in every space on a bingo board. (examples include "hockey mom" and "umm" and "main street USA" and "maverick" ) and every time Sarah said something on the board, you got to check it off. We had 4 different boards, so everyone got to play! (Suzi won)
• How Joe mentioned his "hometown" a lot and made lots of shout-outs about Wilmington, Claymont, Union St., etc. :-)

Things I didn't like:

• Sarah Palin never really answered most of the questions posed to her. She was constantly back-tracking and changing the subject and she rarely just addressed the actual question at hand. It annoyed me. At one point, during Palin Bingo, I had "Pakistan" in one of my boxes, and Palin was directly asked a question about Pakistan, yet she NEVER ONCE actually said the word "Pakistan" !!
  
• Palin and her stupid little sayings. Lady, they're not helpin' you, they're making you sound like an idiot who does not belong anywhere NEAR the white house. There is a reason that not just ANYONE can be Vice President of the United States of America.
  
• People are already saying that the moment that Biden choked up about his wife and daughter's accident and death was completely contrived. This pisses me off! He did not weep openly at the podium- his voice broke, he teared up for a slight moment, and he paused for 1.5 seconds to let it pass, and then he was fine.
  
• At the end of the debate, in her closing statement, Palin took a very obvious dig at Michele Obama by stating, "And I have ALWAYS been proud to be an American!"  (huge emphasis on the ALWAYS).  Well, I love Michele Obama and I will back her til the end.  She is one of my heroes.  

Radio Talk

So, one thing I've really missed about Greensboro is The Murphy in the Morning Show on 107.5 KZL. They are absolutely hilarious, and have the funniest conversations/people who call in. This morning, I drove Em to class since she's going to be there all day, so that I could use the car. While Em ran into Starbucks, I decided to see what was going on with Murph and the crew. They were having a conversation about lesbian relationships, and asking people to call in with their thoughts.

Here is the question they were posing. One of the guys on the show was looking at a photo of Lindsay Lohan and her girlfriend (or whatever they're calling each other). His question was, why is it that a hot lesbian always dates a girl who looks like a guy, and isn't as hot as her. If you are a lesbian and are dating a girl who looks like a guy, why not just get the real thing?

What!?!

A lot of callers called in and I was actually surprised by the responses. I totally expected a bunch of gender-issue educated people to call in, but that wasn't the case. The first woman said that she didn't know why hot girls dated "butch" girls, (actually "bulldyke butch" was the term she used), and she stated that she didn't associate with any of those kinds of girls, because that wasn't the image she wanted to portray to anyone. Then, another girl called in and said that she thought that the "ugly lesbians" were the ones who were best in bed and were the best at relationships, because they had to "work harder to make their hot girl happy" (direct quote right there).

What!?!

FINALLY, a girl called in and said that what really matters to most lesbians is what is on the inside. She disagreed with the other callers and said that she didn't understand why society is so hung up on how lesbians dress or who they choose as partners, or who is the "man in the relationship", etc. Em and I cheered - because honestly, who cares about all that stuff? All that really matters is that both parties are happy, in love, and having a healthy relationship.