New Beginnings

Abby Loves Hillary
Originally uploaded by rustykeller.

Abby, my mom, my grandma and I went to see Hillary Clinton speak last week. My 5 year old daughter loves the idea that a woman (and mother) might be president…she insisted on seeing Hillary when she was in town even though it was way past her bedtime and she had to wait for quite awhile. The real icing on the cake was when the Senator made eye contact with Abby, smiled and waved. She will remember this night forever.

This past weekend was truly a New Beginning for me. I took refuge with my new Sangha and my teachers Lama Yeshe and Lama Pema. Not only did I find my spiritual home, but I went from a student of Buddhism to a Buddhist student by going for refuge. And, though I’m not a Christian, my family donned their Easter duds and went to church for a lovely hour of fellowship. In this time of global war and hate mongering, it was a joy to spend some time sharing positive ideas and discussing the concept and reality of love in today’s world. I found it refreshing and inspiring.

I was able to get 3 tickets to see Obama on Saturday, but because of my Sangha commitments I gave them to my 10 year old son, my grandma and my mom. And although my family is strongly pro-Hillary, I think it was an amazing experience for Max to participate in.

So I start this work week refreshed and trying to ignore Mr. It’s Not My Fault and his overwhelming negativity in the office. And, for the record, you can call me Karma Yeshe Khandro or Dakini of Primordial Awareness!

As the protests in Tibet turn violent, we should do our best as citizens of the world to understand what this all means. I’ve compiled some current links for you to review and come to your own conclusions. Later this weekend, I will also put together some information to provide you with the background for the unrest in Tibet.

• His Holiness the 14thd Dalai Lama’s Official Statement
• AFP
• CNN Article #1 - CNN Article #2 - CNN Video
• New York Times -Photos
• YouTube: Tibet Protest on Mt. Everest
• LA Times
• Newsvine/AP
• Bjork is not crazy
• Buddhist Monks in Burma:
  Burma, Buddhism and Power (Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippet

Well, well, look who decided to show up at her own blog. I haven’t had much time to blog lately, because I’ve been living life and all that entails.

• I celebrated my 3rd sober birthday on Sunday, March 9. Can you believe it? Three years with no alcohol. Still in the program and attending meetings. Need to kickstart my step work, but, otherwise I’m doing well.
• Abby turned 5 on February 27. No little babies anymore, only big kids. the most exciting thing about being 5, according to Abby, is that she’s graduated to a booster seat.
• My FIL was diagnosed with Leukemic Lymphoma is now undergoing chemo treatment. Despite tumors in his lung and spleen, he is doing well and fighting like a mutha.
• I started knitting again. A “chemo cap” for George in a lovely merino wool, ruby red. My slump is over now that I have a purpose. No more knitting ADD!
• Got myself a new cell phone, the very cool LG Voyager. If it’s possible to love a phone, then I love my phone.
• Our whole family has been on a bit of a health kick. Jeff has even kicked his soda habit and is eating a low carb diet (along with my dad). Mom and I are opting for the healthier and more satisfying South Beach route. The kids are even making an effort to choose healthier snacks and more active and engaging activities.
• I finally got ever losing T to the disease. I see her occasionally stumbling through school functions or trying to hitchhike up the hill. Sometimes she calls me and then forgets she called. I miss her, but she’s not herself when she’s drinking. I’m working on keeping my family and good friends a priority in my life. I flew to Texas to spend time with MoMo and her family. I did my very best to be the ultimate BFF and help her welcome her new daughter into the world. I’m also working on keeping it simple and real. My new friend S is wonderful and our families’ have grown very close.
• I’m working on cleaning up some financial wreckage and getting my taxes in order. All in all, I’m moving forward. Progress not perfection.

Spring 2008

• Home from work. Fed family: prawn salad for grown ups and noodles and Swedish meatballs for kids. Everyone behaved. #
• DD’s 5th birthday today. No more babies. Processing inboxes, conference call later, cupcakes to pre-k at 3pm. #
• Tuned in for debate commentary. Had to change the channel. When did the news media turn into sports announcers? Geez. #
• updated changes to API, pdf’d, and uploaded to support section of GC website http://tinyurl.com/3×82z8 #
• off to hand out cupcakes to 5/6 year olds… #

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• Outta here. Leaving work to pick up Max’s prescription, get gas for the tractor (what of it!), and get home to make dinner for la familia. #
• More prep for tradeshows. EHX in 2 weeks. Booth needs a major friggin’ overhaul. Press kits. Need to buy presents for Abby’s bday tomorrow. #
• Virgin launches biofuel jet http://tinyurl.com/39g8hz #
• off to lunch with work peeps…2nd day of south beach. #
• fantastic lunch. back to web redesign and tradeshow planning. #
• calling local stores looking for Dance Dance Revolution for the Wii. Toys R Us: negative #
• Circuit City: no DDR for Wii in stock (after getting stuck in an endless phone loop). #
• Target: no DDR for the Wii. If I didn’t live in Podunk, Or I’d have a Fry’s or BestBuy I could go to. Or I could have planned ahead, right? #
• Fred Meyer had DDR for Wii and is holding it for me. Score! Now grandpa will be able to give Abby exactly what she wants for her bday. #

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• Back to work. Day 1 of South Beach Diet and Habit 1 & 2 of Leo’s ZTD. We’ll see…. #
• @GeekMommy I really liked Twhirl…until it stopped working. It won’t let me log on any longer. Might have something to do w/ Adobe AIR. #
• Just signed up for a CEA webinar on consumer electronics trends on Feb. 27 (my baby’s 5th bday). #
• @kayray Sorry to hear that. I have one at home sick today, too (thank goodness for grandma). Hope your kiddo feels better soon. #
• off to Costco and run lunchtime errands… #
• @Cartwright That’s a shocker….well, no, not really. #
• I think I’m going through a Ben Harper/Cas Haley phase. Is that my generation’s version of easy listening? Eek. Better put on some Misfits. #
• @Cartwright In a way, it’s the equivalent of Jerry Springer’s support of Hillary. #

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• @jxpx777 @michaelramm pointed her out to me…and you. I love her designs, they’re very clean and funky. #
• Off to clean out my disgusting car with the kids. In the rain. Fun, fun, fun. #
• @zuzu OMG. I am so sorry for your friend. Sickening that those responsible would just run like that. He seems like an amazing person. #

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• Am I a geek because I’m excited about Cas Haley’s new album on itunes? I am. Frick. #
• @jaffejuice That’s him. My son got me hooked on that show because of Cas. Very talented guy. We’ll be listening to him on the way home… #
• Taking the boy home and listening to Cas Haley. Am I cool or am I old? Hm. Don’t care. #
• Making cookies (from frozen dough) and shopping for new mobile phone online. Good times. #
• Whew. Baby Alive found, tragedy and DD meltdown averted. #
• @eMom Did you read this WiseBread post on super stealthy Target shopping? http://tinyurl.com/2uwm4h #
• @ShanZan @eMom Thanks! I think I got it from another Twitterer. I had no idea markdowns were so complex (retail mkting is not my forte). #
• @inkedmn Loved your RTM v Sandy post. Thanks for illustrating some of the features and how you use them. Still on the fence, though. #
• @inkedmn Ha! Also, Sandy is free. I actually paid for an RTM pro acct…can’t remember why. #
• @inkedmn @jxpx777 You guys are killing me! #
• @annez that’s the perfect present! I think my husband, Jeff, will be getting the same thing for Father’s Day. #
• @annez Or maybe Max, who turns 11 in June. Seriously, thanks for the idea. BTW, I turn forty the year Max turns 12, too. I feel your pain. #
• Taking care of business and emailing distributors while DD plays with horses and DS cleans his room. There is peace for the moment. #
• Put pesto/veggie pizza in the oven for kiddos lunch. Picky girl child will hate it (odd pizza-hating girl) and not picky boy will love it. #
• Don’t tell my husband, but I’m still in my PJs. I so love Fridays. #
• @ShanZan Thanks for the welcome! Right back at you. #
• @eMom Great insight on your Twitter article. You nailed it when you highlighted the conversation. 2way dialogue is lacking in blogosphere. #
• @eMom Hmmmm, would need to think on that and how it would work. #
• @eMom That would be cool. I think that’s what IntenseDebate is trying do, but falling short…way short. Or I’m missing the goal completely. #
• Rubber chickens that scream when you squeeze them are evil. As are daughter’s that insist on playing with them. So much for work… #
• @mediaphyter You could have this one if I could get it away from Abby. That and the screaming monkey with the blue laser eyes (my son’s). #
• @MarketingProfs @phillymac thanks for the welcome! #
• @zuzu I’m so sorry about your friend. My husband was hit head on just before Christmas. We were luck and only lost the truck. Very scary. #
• http://www.MailerMailer.com just suspended our acct again for uploading tradeshow leads (uh, opt-in only). Happens after every tradeshow! Argh. #

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• @inkedmn that was super helpful. Thanks so much! Trying to figure out how to use both great services was starting to make my brain hurt! #
• @jhaggard Funny. I think I know why my Canadian friend is always wearing that "Canada, not just America’s hat" all the time! #
• Home. Going out to try and see the eclipse with the kids. #
• Home. Going out to try and see the eclipse with the kids. #
• Man oh man, clear beautiful sky in Southern Oregon, but we can’t see the eclipse anywhere! Too many mountains and trees…damn nature. #
• @girlkate Totally sweet! It’s clear and beautiful here, but I think the eclipse is hiding behind a mountain. My kiddos are bummed. #
• @Cartwright Well, there’s us, right? Plus my husband, mother, gma, in-laws…on and on. #
• Whew! Kids in bed, last minute ad changes made and sent, getting ready to start some knitting (after 3 mo drought) and watch Project Runway. #
• @inkedmn Will do. I’m really looking forward to reading your post. #
• Because I’m a dork, I’m looking for bolts of fabric to use with my kimono pattern, can’t decide…http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list/010/ #
• For the record, I really dislike spreadsheets, ACT, and processing tradeshow leads. Just sayin’… #
• My husband is ordering a Verizon Voyager for me right now…I’m kind of excited. http://tinyurl.com/2sbpxp #
• 3rd revision of catalog ad sent to printer…hopefully, this version sticks! #
• Ordering Oregon crab cakes from the Jville Inn for lunch. A little treat for me…because I’m such a good person. And I work so hard. #
• @Cartwright Yes, well, he is the new thinking person’s candidate…wait, that doesn’t make sense. #
• Dog is sick…off to take her home and pick up older kid. Then an errand, then back to work. I am so glamorous. #

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• Home with kids. Older child is torturing younger child. Trying to get a little work done…like that’s gonna happen. #
• Major freaking family meltdown. Recon underway…trying to restore harmony and get back to work. #
• Damn. Damn. Damn. I have so had enough of Obamamania. Have all Democrats’ eyes glazed over? WTF is going on? #
• @dearlazyweb Which online task manager is better: http://www.iwantsandy.com or http://www.rememberthemilk.com…I can’t decide which to use so I use both? #
• @jhaggard and @kayray I have read up on him. A lot. He’ll be a great prez in 8 yrs. Now, I prefer someone who can actually solve problems. #
• @jhaggard well, obviously, a lot of people are feeling the same as you or Obama wouldn’t be so popular. I’m just not seeing it…at all. #
• The + is that the dems have 2 great candidates. The - is that’s why we’ll lose again. We can’t unify under one leader. The right can. Bummer #
• @michaelramm I’m trying to use both (not smart)…let me know which you end up choosing, k? #
• Anyone using RTM or Sandy with Twitter? Love to hear feedback… #
• Thanks @gordonmeyer @michaelramm! #
• @michaelramm Following them both now. #
• @michaelramm the MIL. She’s candy/toy collector…a little obsessive. The kids love it though. #
• Finally received article reprints ordered over 40 days ago. Glad to see the print media is fighting for their place in the market. Geez. #
• @croncast if you’re getting added to her bank acct, doesn’t that mean you’re going to take all *her* money? #
• @croncast OMG. You guys are too funny. Have fun at the bank! #
• Big orders coming in; order guy on jury duty. Small company job desc: Clean toilets, buy ads, process orders, redesign website…ack! #
• Target shopping tip for techie moms: http://snurl.com/201e9 [www.wisebread.com] #
• Husband is insisting on switching to Verizon. Have to pick new phone, kind of like this one http://snurl.com/201ef … any input? #
• Like this one, too, but already have an iPod…http://snurl.com/201ek is it too much for someone that hates cell phones? #
• This one is kinda cool too. Trying to stay under $150…anything more would be silly (for me, not gadget-hungry husband) #
• @michaelramm That’s what my husband says. #
• Giving ACDSeePro2 a try to catalog and edit digital pix. Already tried Corel, Adobe, Picassa, and others…wow, I’m in demo mode 2day. #
• @kayray Lucky girl! I’ve been on a yarn diet for 3 months (except for 2 monthly clubs). I’m a little jealous. #
• Oh, ick. The dog just yacked her whole breakfast all over my office floor. Yuck. #
• Can I just say that I’m thrilled http://www.iwantsandy.com now has a without comic sans opiton. I so despise CS. #
• Uh, I meant option. #
• @jhaggard Will read his book. Don’t get me wrong…I like him, just not for prez in 08. I don’t think he’s ready for the world yet. She is. #
• @jhaggard I worry that we had too many good choice on the dem side. I’m afraid that we won’t be able to rally together when the time comes. #
• @jhaggard choices, not choice. #
• @jhaggard I don’t hate McCain as much as Bush, but my family might seriously consider Canada. I don’t think Obama can beat McCain, anyway. #
• In the Sandy vs. RTM war: I just got an IM/Twitter reminding me to pick up my son from school. Sandy 1 pt. #
• @michaelramm Really? I think I need to figure out how to set up RTM properly. RTFM, right? #
• @inkedmn Are you using both? #
• Running off to pick up older kiddo for school and will be back to the office in a bit. #
• @jhaggard Oh, Canada! It’s lovely in Vancouver and the kids and husband love snowbrding at Whistler. Better health coverage, less drug probs #
• My cousin just called to let me know that he dropped off pot for my FIL who has stage 5 cancer and is sick from chemo. I pray it helps. #
• @jhaggard Ha! @jhaggard, you’re a funny guy! The Canadians love us Americans, don’t they? #

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• Working on the computer, watching my son play Transformers on the Wii, waiting for my little girl to come home from trip w/ my Ps. #
• signing off for the night…off to read "Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings" and cuddle my kiddos. #
• Damn. Finally, got into work after getting Ps off to meet VCs…call from school, son is sick. Frick. What to do… #
• For some sadly pathetic reason, this makes me a little sad: http://snurl.com/1zyr1 [news_yahoo_com] #
• Going to pick up sick kid and stash him under my desk or something equally horrid. Bad mommy. #
• picked up "sick" kid…he’s now laying on my office floor w/ sleeping bag, dog, Lunchables, DVD http://snurl.com/1zyy0 [flickr.com] #
• I hate when ex-employees visit the office and all they (he) can talk about is hunting and eating elk and bears…dude, I’m a veggie! #
• The Industry Standard is back. Not so sure about the whole "prediction" model. http://thestandard.com/ #
• Leaving with the sicko kid, taking some stuff to FedEx, picking up the Princess Monster and making our way home. #

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On the one day that my village isn’t around to help run my life and take care of my kids, my son needs to be picked up from school. Apparently, he’s come down with some kind of horrible stomachache that prevents him from doing school work for a mere 3 more hours. My only option was to quickly pick him up and park him in the corner of my office. I felt terrible about it (bad Mommy!) until I looked over and realized that I might have been duped. He has his portable DVD player (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), the dog (the super sweet Gracie May), his favorite sleeping bag, and some Lunchables (usually forbidden in our house because they are disgusting). Hmmmm. I think I’ve been had.

• Busy family Sunday. Had Sara and the kids over for penne and garlic bread. Ate by the river. Lovely spring-like day. #
• I bought my 10 yr old son his first pair of black Converse CTs yesterday. Having major flashbacks to Mab shows SF…I can see Joey Ramone.. #
• @kayray I have to agree. A tried and true classic. He loves them, too. Ack, it does make me feel a little old…like I’ve passed the torch. #
• Kitchen cleaned, watched "Bend it Like Beckam" with Sara’s daughters, put the rest of the kids to bed. Nighty night. #
• More kid stuff. I have 2 + friends’ 3=a lot. Looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow. #
• Very sad. GGpa of the kids staying here this weekend is dying in hospital…mom on the way so they can say goodbye. Think I’ll make cocoa. #
• Ok, who’s Twimbling? http://twimbler.com/twimble101 #
• #log: {http://www.popurls.com} {A good place to start} #
• Looking for the perfect kimono style robe pattern. Can’t afford the real thing so I’m gonna get all crafty and make my own. #

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• Great day with my kids, friend and her kids. Walking through downtown shopping, and strolling through the park on a beautiful spring day! #
• Got home and realized son had left door wide open and dog in house…friggin’ kids! Checking for little doggie presents… #
• No kids=date night with hubby. Oh wait. Phone rings. Husband stuck at work for 3 more hours. What’s on TV? #

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• Just got brows and lip waxed. It’s the one girly frou frou thing I do. Other than the shoe thing. Really. #
• Listening to Ben Harpers "Beautiful Boy" from Instant Karma. Turning into sappy gooey mom and thinking about my not so little boy, Max. #
• I’m getting a little pissy: I can’t seem to login to Twitter with twhirl…it’s been 3 or so days now! #
• Just signed a petition to the 2008 presidential candidates to commit to visiting Africa during their first term. http://tinyurl.com/34xjyx #
• Burning CD from iTunes of Green Tara mantras for Sara #
• Why don’t we have a place like this in the backwoods of Southern Oregon: http://www.zenburger.com/index2 ? #
• Updating my sons iPod before I pick him up from his "shadow" day at possible new school. #
• Short work day over, switching into mom-mode. Picking up son from "shadow" day at new school, picking up friend’s kid, taking broods walking #

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• Almost out of Excel/CRM/DB hell. So close, yet so far. #
• headache building…can’t focus on work….feel like embroidering or knitting…anything not work-related. #
• I can see down on the street from my office window…there’s a really cute older guy walking around with flowers looking at addresses…. #
• trying Flock again….it’s been awhile. #

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• Just had coffee with Shields (budding media mogul of http://localsguide.com) to help with biz plan and funding plan. #
• I’m sorry, I’m just not getting the whole Obama thing. WTF am I missing? #
• Updating exhibitor listing for CEDIA….good times. #
• getting ready to fire up some fine silver jewelry this weekend…stocking up on supplies. #
• Damn. What to get the hubby and kids for Valentine’s Day? Better go out at lunch and get something. #
• Signing up for EH webinar…need to get to know the installer side of the industry http://tinyurl.com/2jd3nv #
• More tradeshow work. Prepping team for EHX Spring…not my favorite show, but on the sked, anyway. http://www.ehxweb.com/ #
• Off to spend money I don’t have on silly heart-shaped goodies….or maybe I’ll just get them all video games… #

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• Searching online for a good wax seal… #
• @deziner: Thanks! Great headline. Naps. I miss naps so much…. #
• Having my first much needed latte of the day. Little cup of heaven. #
• For the record: I hate Excel. I hate spreadsheets. And I definitely hate databases. In case you were wondering. #
• Reservations made for Abby’s 5th bday at the roller rink. Bindi theme supplies ordered. http://tinyurl.com/2kxr73 #

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• On deadline for new catalog ad. OMG it’s been years since I’ve done an ad…I’m a little Rusty. Get it? Rusty? I crack myself up. #
• You know why Fox News is pushing Obama? It’s because he can’t win against McCain. Hillary is the only one that can beat the right on e-day. #
• Meeting the husband and daughter for lunch today…I hope they have a good veggie soup. #
• @britne Congratulation! #

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