In My Head

The $700 billion financial bailout plan was rejected in The House of Representatives today after a 205-228 vote.  About 60% of Democrats voted for the measure, but less than a third of Republicans backed it (something I found surprising given President Bush’s urge to pass it).

Not sure how I feel… maybe we should let the house of cards fall and rebuild rather than bandaging the leaks….

UPDATE:  Dow suffers biggest point drop in history, falling nearly 778 points in reaction to House vote rejecting economic rescue.

Hubby & I rearranged our office this passed weekend to create more room.  It’s a 100% improvement from what it was.  Now working from home doesn’t = working in the dungeon.  I love the view from the office window (right next to my desk).

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What a beautiful day!  Started out Sunny with a high of 73F.  Now it’s clouding up and cooling down.  The windows are open and a cool breeze flows through reminding me with its gentle caress that there is life beyond the confines of these walls.

Durning my luch break, I took a walk to pick up the mail and run a couple of errands.  Leaving the post office, I guess I had a smile on my face and a construction worker outside said “Nice smile!”, in a nice/non-hitting-on-me way.  I said “Thanks!” 

On my way home, I passed an old gentleman in a suit who smiled warmly and said “Hello.”  I returned the sentiment in kind.

I know I keep saying this, but I love this wonderful city full of variety, where differences are embraced.  I finally feel like I live somewhere that fits.  And while there’s a lot going on, I’m feeling more at ease… more at peace.

Came across this site and found it fascinating.  Thought I’d share…

For those of you who have been patiently waiting, I’ve decided to release some preliminary photos of our kitchen.  (The other rooms still need work.)

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(Below) You enter the kitchen from the hallway.  Off the hallway is our office and off the kitchen is our bedroom.

(Below)  From the kitchen entrance, right side.

(Below)  From the kitchen entrance, left side.

Thanks to Google Maps…

(Below) Our place

(Below) View down our street

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This cool/rainy weekend presented the perfect opportunity to try out my new rain boots and let my hair do it’s naturally curly thing.  Check ‘em out.

(Hubby thinks they look like Stormtrooper boots.)

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On the election front…heh… McCain/Palin.  I will be so embarassed/disappointed in the people of this nation if those two win the election.

Palin… First, a strategic-only move on the part of the Republicans.  If a white male had won the Democratic ticket with a white male running mate, Palin wouldn’t even be a blip on the Republican radar.

I’ll give Palin credit for not being a hypocrit about being pro-life - she kept her Downs Syndrome baby knowing of it’s condition early during the pregnancy.  But that’s where it ends.  How does being mayor of a 5,469 person (at that time) town (Wasilla, AK) and governor of a 670,053 person (at that time) state qualify her to be vice president (with decent probability even president) of a 304,516,000 person super power nation?

What’s more, even with in-her-face evidence that abstinence-only education doesn’t work (a.k.a. her pregnant daughter), she still blindly supports it as the only kind of pregnancy prevention education in schools!  What kinds of decisions would a person with her kind of thought process make while in power?

McCain… Yesterday he pulls the “I think we should postpone this Friday’s debate and focus on the economy” B.S.  His numbers are low.  That’s why he wants to postpone.  Both the debate committee and Obama agree that the debate should go on.

Sen. John McCain was due to tape a “Late Night with David Letterman” yesterday evening, but cancelled the taping after his dramatic announcement that he was suspending his campaign due to the financial crisis and returning to Washington. While taping the show, Letterman learned that McCain had gone to CBS to tape an interview with Katie Couric, however. Letterman’s wit betrayed his feelings at various points during the taping of last night’s show. “Hey Senator, can I give you a ride home? You don’t suspend your campaign. This doesn’t smell right, This isn’t the way a tested hero behaves.” He went on, according to Michael Shear at the Trail, “I think that someone is putting something in his Metamucil.” The coup de grace, however, followed, “What are you going to do if you’re elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We’ve got a guy like that now!”

Skipping out on Letterman to do Katie’s interview did little for his campain.  Check out this article which says it best.

On Tuesday we spent the entire class running through our mid-term presentations (which are formally presented tonight).  Then we practiced yesterday with groups/practice partners.  The professor also offered a 10 minute one-on-one meeting with whoever felt they needed more feedback, so I signed up.

To my surprise, she described me as a “gifted presenter”.  She said that I’ve got great voice, nice posture, open hand gestures (though they could be a little more fluid) and that I just need to find ways to be more comfortable/natural without my notes.  I try to memorize, and I succeeed.  But when it’s time to actually deliver, I also have to focus on open hand/arm gestures, posture, moving with purpose, not shifting weight or fidgeting.  Remembering all of that (in which I succeeded during my practice sessions), I tend to forget some of the words and get stuck.

I need to learn to adlib and go with it when I forget rather than having an awkward pause.  Once I master that, I think I’ll be in good shape.

…but “gifted presenter”… I did not expect that….

I’ve gotten so many compliments on this haircut!  It’s great!!!  Thanks! 

This morning on the subway a lady even thought I look like actress Sela Ward.  I don’t quite see it, but hey, compliment nontheless!

Feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment by all the things I have going on right now (day job, night classes, adjusting to a new home/town/way of life, etc), I felt the need to simplify.  So I did…

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