See's Candy Discount!!

Who doesn't love getting See's Candy for Christmas??? Matthew is thinking about getting a few boxes for some of his clients. We'd like to get an additional discount, but we need everyone's help.

You see, if we order $100,000 from See's, we can get an additional 10% off.

If everyone I know, you know, and they know orders together, maybe we can qualify for the discount.

Order away people!!

Self Portrait times 72

In my photography class, one of the assignments was to take self portraits---not just one, not just two....but TWO rolls of film. That would be 72 total pictures that somehow show YOURSELF. At first, I didn't like the thought of the assignment at all. I'm so used to taking pictures of others. I have so much more control of it all. How was I going to get 72 pictures of me that somehow come out correctly and how would I take these pictures of me AND press the camera shutter at the same time?

Plus, why would I want to look at myself 72 times?

Well, it actually turned out to be one of the most interesting assignments of the semester. I didn't want to just take a bunch of headshots----so I had to think creatively. That was the fun part. Then I had to figure out how to get myself in focus without being able to see if I was in focus before I took the picture. I had to figure out how to set up the camera and hopefully hop in the picture in the right place and end up in the picture. And then there was lighting to consider....so much to think about at once. I found once I got started actually taking the pictures and coming up with different ideas, it was fun.

With that being said, here are some of my "self" portraits....





P.S. Taylor wants to know why I didn't post all 72......I'll think about it.

Mother ALWAYS knows best!!

When your mother tells you to wear a coat and hat when it is cold, listen!!!

William Henry Harrison should have listened!!

William Henry Harrison was our 9th President. Do you remember what he did? What he accomplished in his presidency?

Hmmmmm......Maybe that's because he was only President for 30 days.

But why did he serve only 30 days????? He DIDN'T wear a coat and hat in the cold!!

Yes, it's true.

He gave the longest inaugural address in Presidential history---a whopping 2.5 hours. BUT he didn't wear a coat or hat. Unfortunately, he died an untimely death being out in the cold that long. He caught pneumonia and hypothermia from being in the cold that long and died shortly thereafter.

How do I know such a Jeopardy-like factoid? Michael.

For your listening pleasure

Listen to these girls sing the National Anthem....amazing!!

Life is Good

One of the pictures I recently took of Kristen for my photography class.

Yes, life IS good....

1. It is the middle of November and still NO SNOW!!

2. Gas is selling for $1.94 locally today.

3. Found out today after reading www.cjanerun.blogspot.com that Stephanie should be out of the burn unit and into a rehab hospital soon.

4. Taylor had his first wrestling meet Monday. Present day uniforms are better than the ones my brothers wore in high school. (Still NOT great; but better.)

I hope life is good wherever you are today.

Yes, it IS a historic day here in Chicago!

Okay, I'll admit it---the election results from yesterday are in

and....today is a historical day in Chicago.

Definitely one for the record books!

My kids are wearing SHORTS to school in November in Chicago!!

I NEVER thought I would see the day....

Now, off to school for me too. No, I am not wearing shorts!

AND lest my last post wasn't convincing enough....

Do you REALLY want to know what it is like living in a place where the government pays for everything----like your housing, and your salary, and your higher education?

Well, having living in mainland China for two years (12 years ago--before all the recent changes) I can tell you what it is like for the average citizen.

IF the government pays for all of that, THEN the government also decides WHAT you will study in school, and then HOW much you should be paid for your job, and WHERE you will live and WHAT is suitable housing for you. Don't like it? T.O.U.G.H.

Want to know what it is like to shop in government run stores?

Imagine doing grocery shopping (or any other shopping for that matter) at the U.S. Department of Motor Vehicles....the hours....the LINES....the inefficiencies....it's FUN, FUN, FUN.!!

Here was my experience shopping at government run stores in China:

First you stand in line to look at what you want to possibly buy. (And there aren't that many choices....)

Then you stand in line to tell them what you want to buy.

Then you stand in another line to pay for the item.

And then you get to stand in ANOTHER line to pick up your item.

JUST like our local D.M.V.s. And horror of horrors should you pick the wrong line to stand in---too bad---start back in line one. Your last hour in the wrong line doesn't count!! And don't complain about the customer service. You can call the 1-800-number they give you and wait on that line for an hour to voice your complaint!

The government not only decides HOW much things should cost, but also HOW many things you are able to buy. AND they are in charge of deciding that TWO cereals are enough to sell. People don't need choice. Three types of cars are ENOUGH choice---and you can have a white one OR a black one. Done deal.

I'm SOOOO excited!! I will probably get to pay for this lady's mortgage AND her gas...and you will too!!

This lovely little video just gives me so much hope for America!



However, lest we all get depressed toooo quickly, let me share with you a thought I had this morning....

Going on the assumption that many NoJobOBAMA supporters are:

1. NOT fans of working for a living, and

2. are like the lady in the video who supports Obama so that she can stay a NoJobMama,

I think we might be able to also assume that although these NoJobAMA supporters are very enthusiastic about the thoughts of an increased welfare check when Obama is elected, it might be TOO MUCH WORK for them to get to the voting booth....

AND being that the media has already crowned Obama our next President, these Obama (NoJoba) supporters might believe that it is already a done deal and thus unnecessary to go to the arduous work to get to the voting booth.....

And thus, because of their lack of initiative and work.....there won't be enough votes for Obama to win......hmmmmm. Something to think about for tomorrow.

And before you go to the polls, look who else we might get to support for generations to come....

SHARON JASPER!!

What a shame. Poor, poor Sharon .
Sharon Jasper has been victimized.

Sharon Jasper has been rabidly wronged.

She has become a Section 8 carcass - the victim of ever changing public housing policies.

Sharon Jasper has spent 57 of her 58 years dedicated to one cause and one cause only, and has nothing to show for her dedicated servitude. She has lived in Section 8housing all but 1 of her 58 years. It was a legacy passed down from her parents who moved into Section 8 housing in 1949 when she was six months old. She has passed the legacy down to her children, but fears they may have to get jobs to pay for the utilities and deposits.

She laments about her one year hiatus from the comfort of her Section 8 nirvana, "I tried it for a year.....you know.....working and all. It's not anything I would want to go through again, or wish on anyone in my family, but I am damn proud of that year."

Sharon was moved out of her St. Bernard housing project after hurricane Katrina and into a new, yet albeit, substandard quarterage. As can be noted from the above photo of her new Section 8 home, it is repugnant and not suitable for someone of Sharon Jasper's seniority status in the system.

"Don't be fooled by them hardwood floors," says Sharon . 'They told me they were putting in scraped wood floors cause it was more expensive and elegant, but I am not a fool - that was just a way to make me take scratched up wood. The 60-inch HD TV? It may look nice but it is not a plasma. It's not a plasma because I'm black. Now they want me to pay a deposit and utilities on this dump.'

She has held her tongue in silence through the years of abuse by the system, but it came to a head at the New Orleans city council meeting where discussions were under way about the tearing down of the St. Bernard projects.

When a near riotous exchange between groups opposing the tearing down of St. Bernard and groups wanting the dilapidated buildings torn down and newer ones built, Sharon unleashed verbal hell with her once silenced tongue. The object of her oratory prowess was an acquiescent poor boy in attendance. The context of her scathing rebuke was, 'Just because you pay for my house, my car, my big screen and my food, I will not be treated like a slave!' (Amen, Sista!!)

Recapping from the mental log of the city council minutes in her head, Sharon repines, 'Our families have been displaced all over the United States. They are being forced to commit crimes in cities they are unfamiliar with. It is a very uncomfortable situation for them. Bring them back, then let's talk about redevelopment."

Sharon directs the reporter's attention across the street to Duncan Plaza where homeless people are living in tents and states that, "I might do better out there with one of these tents.' She further lamented her sentiments about her situation,' I might be poor, but I don't have to live poor."

Don't worry though---remember---it's not a REAL plasma TV.......

Scripture study helps with School Work---Guaranteed!

Tonight after dinner we read a chapter in the Book of Mormon. One of the verses had the word "murmur" in it.

Kristen said murmur was one of her spelling words this last week. She said that when everyone heard the spelling word during the pretest, they made comments like, "What kind of a word is that?" "Where did that come from?" No one but her had heard the word before.

Kristen not only had heard the word before, but knew what it meant so she was able to define it for everyone.

Here's to the scriptures increasing your brain power!!