Life on the Road

I love this.  I didn’t write it, but I submit it here for your contemplation:

——

I’m against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG. Instead, I’m in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a “We Deserve It Dividend.”

To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200 million bona fide U.S. Citizens 18+. Our population is about 301 million +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200 million might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up. Divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billion, which equals $425,000.00 per person. That’s $425,000 to every person 18+ as a “We Deserve It Dividend.”

Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let’s assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25.5 billion right back to Uncle Sam.

Now every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife have $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 or $595,000.00 in your family?

• Pay off your mortgage? Housing crisis solved.
• Repay college loans? What a great boost to new grads.
• Put away money for college? It’ll actually be there.
• Save in a bank? Create money to legitimately loan to entrepreneurs.
• Buy a new car? Create jobs.
• Invest in the market? Capital drives growth.
• Pay for your parent’s medical insurance? Health care improves.
• Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else.

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

As for AIG - liquidate it. Sell off its parts. Let American General go back to being American General. Sell off the real estate. Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Sure this is a crazy idea that can “never work.” But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party! How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.

And remember, the plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

Call your congressional leaders today!

Okay, this came to me in email, but I thought I could use the distraction from worrying about hurricanes…

My Nine Names (and I left in the previous few, for additional flavor and entertainment value):

1. YOUR REAL NAME:

Tammy
Karen

Tiffany

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 3 letters of real name plus izzle.)
 
Tamizzle
Karizzle

Tifizzle (nah!)

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color and favorite animal)
 
Green Dog
Purple Dog

Green Cat (Green Horse?)

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME:( your middle name and street name you live on (or
neighborhood/ township, if it’s a numbered street)

Wilson Tolliver
Denise Mount Hermon

Susan Redland

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2
letters of your first name)
 
Hilta
Dooka

Holti (LOL!)

6. YOUR SUPERHERO/CRIMINAL NAME: (Your 2nd favorite color, and favorite
drink):

Red Sweet Tea
Red Dr. Pepper

Brown Dew (’Mountain Dew’ seems too long there, eh?)

7. YOUR IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your
last name, 1st letter of your last name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden
name, 3rd letter of your dads name, 1st letter of a siblings first name,
and last letter of your moms first name).

Alhanka
Aodanta

Ilhabtn (huh?)

8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (parents middle names):

Leveda Elmer 
Louise Eugene

Jeanne Alstrand

9. YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one of your pets or favorite pets
name if you don’t have one):

Black Pebbles
Black Heidi

Black Loki (yeah, that’s definately better than Black Pig)

Okay, there’s our fun break for today.  Back to worrying! 

Lori from The Simple Life at Home tagged me for this (and blessed me with the accompanying award).  Thanks, Lori!

Then I was for a nearly identical meme by Mylinda at The Buggy Crew!  Small world, this infinite internet universe…

Here are the RULES:

• Link to the person that tagged you.
• Post the rules on your blog.
• Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog.
• Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
• Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

And, just because it was so funny, I’m including Lori’s vow that she made you take when reading the post.  I guess at this point it’s quickly bcoming a legacy of the “7 Random Things” meme!  ;) 

Before I get started, everyone raise your right hand and repeat after me:

I, ________, solemnly swear to not laugh at, be shocked by, nor hold against Tiffany, any of the below stated facts. I promise to continue to visit and support her despite any awkward vibes I may feel after reading her facts. I will not remove her from my Google Reader as a way of punishing her for her random weirdness.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, here are 7 weird and/or random facts about me:

1.  I was horse-crazy as a pre-teen.  Not all that uncommon in girls, as I understand it, but hey - you didn’t know that about me until just now, did you?

2.  I love playing computer “RPG” games.  Might & Magic, that type of thing.  I even like playing Dungeons & Dragons, but that requires a bunch of people to coordinate their schedules.  Blah!

3.  My middle name is Susan, which is my mom’s name.  Dad wanted to name me Susan, but Mom was opposed to the confusion that that would cause, so this was their compromise.

4.  I am really, really shy.  No, really.  I’m pretty good at faking it, so even most people who know me casually would never guess.

5.  I have six cats.  Two are ancient (about 15 years old), and four are babes (6 months old).  How did that happen?  I dunno, really, but the kitten story is around here somewhere…

Wow, this is harder than I thought…

6.  I spent most of my adult life essentially never wearing skirts.  Now I only wear skirts.  When they say, “The Lord works in mysterious ways,” who knew they meant stuff like that?

7.  One of my favorite things to look back on and chuckle about, which is totally representative of me, is the time I got a moving company to give me a binding quote for a move.  It took them about 1.5 times as long to move me as they’d anticipated, so they took a bath on the cost.  You see, they looked and saw a 2 bedroom apartment without too much furniture.  What they failed to realize was that I had (and have) bookcases all over the place, and rather than a handful of knick-knacks and houseplants, they are actually packed full of…  yeah…  books. 

Imagine my surprise when I was also tagged for this meme:

By Ecclectically Yours!

So, those of you I’m about to tag, you may consider yourself both “An Amazing Blogger” and also “Loved” … and as far as I’m concerned you can pick one or the other to do. 

I’m not sure which of these have made itto my Blogroll, which I don’t update much, so hopefully you can all find a new friend in this list as well:

Our Blessed Arrows

The Diaper Diaries

Seeking Rest in the Ancient Paths

Overwhelmed With Joy

A Dusty Frame

Holy Hillbilly Creations

Crazy Adventures in Parenting

Happy Reading! 

I can appreciate it when people aren’t drawn in by a promotion, and realize that if they have to spend extra money to “save” that money, then they aren’t really saving…   But you do have to pay attention to the details to know when this is the case.

We were in a discount shoe store today looking for a new pair of “Church shoes” for Miss J, who is having a growth spurt.

There were two ladies in front of us in the checkout line, and both had issues with their purchases.

The first was a couple of rounds of normal things like, “What do you mean those are $40? The shelf tag says they are on sale for $29.99!”

The second was more entertaining…

She had a pair of shoes marked $49.99, and a purse marked $16.99.  She also had a coupon that would allow her to save $10 on a purchase of $60 or more. 

Well the pure was on sale, it turns out, for $10.99.  But in addition, the store was running a “Buy One, Get One for 50% Off” sale.  So the purse rang up at 50% off, or only $5.49.

Now she was well short of her $60, and could not use the coupon. 

She was frustrated, and told the clerk that in that case she would just take the shoes, and not get the purse.  “I’m not going to go find something else, and spend another $20, just so I can ’save’ $10!” she declared.  So she paid and left.

…Apparently missing entirely the point that the she would have gotten the purse - marked $16.99 but ringing up at $5.49, at a savings of more than $10, even without using the coupon!

BTW, they didn’t “get” us…  We bought J the one pair of shoes that was needful, and went on our way thankful for the few dollars we had saved by shopping there. 

Okay, we’re in the last trimester… How about a Baby Pool, just for fun?

Enter your predictions about Baby Blessing here:

Since I’m sure someone’s going to ask, here’s the back story.  One boy and one girl so far.

Jewel’s info:

• Due 5/3/05, born 5/1/05 at 6:56 pm
• 20″ long
• 8 lbs. 12 oz. 

I don’t have Nick’s baby book handy, but it is VERY similar.  I seem to recall him saying he was a tad longer, but she weighed a few ounces more.  Nick was born on his exact due date, around 2 pm.

We don’t do ultrasound (that’s a story for another post), so the gender really is a mystery.

Happy guessing! 

Ah, the essential truth of gift buying for the infant and toddler years…

I couldn’t improve on it, so let me just direct you without further ado to Thingamababy.

I LOVE it! 

Since I’m hosting this installment of the cool November Contest from Two Moms in a Blog, I thought I’d better get my own entry in, right?  

This week’s challenge was a photo with a “Frame Your Subject” theme.  You can still see and enter this particular challenge here.

And remember, this is the last week of the contest, but you can still get entered to win the cool Kodak printer!  Check out the details on their main contest page.

Here’s mine - the kids playing at a lakeshore in, er, I think we were in North Carolina, naturally framed by the trees around our campsite.

Welcome, Two Moms in a Blog readers! 

I’m excited to be hosting this installment of the cool November Contest.  It’s been so fun participating in these challenges, I figured I should have one all to myself… 

So, without further ado, I bring you:

Challenge #13 - Wednesday Photo Game

Frame It Challenge

This is the last Photo Game Challenge! I can’t believe how fast this month has gone!

For this week’s challenge, you need to take a photo with a “Frame Your Subject” theme. Find a creative way to frame your subject using the surroundings, objects, etc. - and take a picture.

How to Participate

In order to participate, you need to take your “frame it” photo, and post it on your blog with a link back to this post (or email it to twomomsinablog@hotmail.com). Once you have submitted your photo, leave a comment on this post so we know you participated.  Your photo must be posted/emailed by midnight on Thursday, Dec. 6 in order to enter.

THE PRIZES

As with all the challenges this month, by completing this challenge, you will earn another ticket into the draw at the end of the month for a Kodak EasyShare All-In-One Printer.

One participant in THIS challenge will also receive a Tupperware Rock ‘N Serve 2-piece set (over a $20 value).  The winner of the Tupperware will be announced right here next Wednesday.

For more open challenges to earn more tickets for the grand prize, check out the main contest page.

The meme for today is a photo that reminds me of a funny moment or makes me laugh.

Although this is a while back, it’s classic Nick (he’s the one pulling):

This is at LegoLand, and I just get such a kick out of how seriously he (and less so my friend’s boys) are taking their acting at this photo opportunity spot.

Sometimes I wish he was still that uninhibited …  Sometimes I’m sorry he is!  LOL

This was a fun Photo Game challenge:  Stand in one spot, and see how many interesting pictures you can take from there.

I chose Jewel’s room.  Sadly, Jewel and the kittens were all absent at the time, which would have made the assignment much easier!

Here’s my favorite, the reflected oval from her armoire mirror:

The other ones I thought were neat primarily involved color and texture:

(Wow, the floor could use a refinishing, eh?)

Her rag rug is a lot of fun in real life, AND in pictures!

Lego color riot!