Friday, November 30, 2007

Updation

Nothing going on here, just thought I would give you something new to look at. Well,typing is not so fun to look at but at least you will think I have a witty new post here for a second when you first surf over here. Sorry to let you down....

Friday, November 16, 2007

My new friend




I won this awesome photo printer off of eBay a couple days ago. It prints 4x6 and 5x7 and can also do panoramic pics--basically I can print anything up to 5 inches wide. I can also use cardstock in it if it is cut to the correct size. I have been using Mom's printer (4x6 only) to do some scrappiness--mostly I type out text for my layouts and print it onto cardstock. I don't like the look of my handwriting, so this is a total upgrade!! Now I just have to figure out where to buy 5x7 photo paper!!!

AND...I only paid $40 for it (including shipping). It looks like a little boombox when it is not in use. The sides pop open when you turn it on. It even has a remote control. Which is dumb. But it has one!! And I can get refill ink on eBay for only $8.99!!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Years ago, when I knew I was home alone and no one would hear me, I would sing in the shower. I sang patriotic songs. The Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful, My Country 'tis of Thee. After 9/11 I added in God Bless America as a new favorite.

I have always liked those songs.

I remember once at a Sonics game, the singer was singing the national anthem and the microphone died. It totally brought tears to my eyes when, without missing a beat, the entire stadium joined in and sang the rest of the anthem with the singer we could no longer hear.

Shortly after 9/11, things started to change. Patriotism took on a new meaning. A meaning now associated with exclusion and mistrust; with a holier than though attitude, a 'might is right' philosophy. The wave of violence and fear and stereotyping and racial profiling that spread through this country was appalling. Patriotism and love for country was no longer the pure, 'clean' thing it seemed in the past. It changed.

Patriotism no longer works for me, and that really irks me. In Sydney for the IDBF world championships with mom, the Canadians won about two thirds of the gold medals. Which means we heard their anthem played numerous times. Once, the speakers cut out. Without missing a beat, the Canadians in attendance, along with people from other countries who by now knew that anthem, started singing the song. It was beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. But when the US supporters started chanting U-S-A later on to cheer on a paddling team during a race, I couldn't join in. It is totally against what I stand for, what I believe. I wanted to support the team and Mom, but I just couldn't yell out that chant without feeling just wrong. And that totally pisses me off.

I didn't wear any USA clothing during the races, don't OWN any USA clothing, wouldn't wear the jacket that mom got for me. I felt bad, but not as bad as I would have felt by actually wearing it. Wearing that stuff no longer is just showing pride for your country, it is being smug and discriminatory and looking down on people and feeling superior.

During Sonics and Seahawks games and other places where they sing the national anthem, I turn my back towards the flag, or at least turn myself sideways away from it. I don't applaud, I don't yell out when the singer inevitably holds out that long note on 'free' at the end of the song. I respectfully stand and listen, but I think about what this stands for and what this country is doing in my name and against my will.

I look forward to the day when a new face is in power in this country. I look forward to the rebuilding of international relations that have all but been destroyed these past 7 years. I look forward to the day when I can once again feel respect and pride for this country, and not just shame for what we do around the world. I look forward to vacationing around the world and not hoping that people assume I am Canadian. I want to be proud to be an American again.

I look forward to singing in the shower again.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

I concede

I went bra shopping this weekend at Victoria's Secret (they sent me a coupon AND a voucher for free panties. Who can resist free panties??), and the bra I purchased was not the size I thought I was. I tried on two different cup sizes and two different band sizes. Lets just say the band size did not need to be increased, but the cup size did. I think the old bra I was wearing was just so stretched out that it still worked for me.
Fancy fruity drink with a heart shaped watermelon. So pretty!!



Thursday, November 08, 2007

Does Alyca have big boobs??

Here is a question that has come up today. I have always thought of myself of having sort of average size boobs. I make sure to wear nice, 'cleavage' sort of bras with good support which I suppose makes them look a bit bigger than they are. But I still see so many bigger boobs I think I am average. At work, I am told that I am a big boobed person. Am I?? Yes, compared to some family members (Poor Aunt Bobbi Jo....), I am larger, but I still think I am average.

Am I??

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Seeing how I was vacationing on an island that was hit by a tropical storm that killed over 150 people, it is nice to see that my friends and family are so concerned for my welfare.

Ethan and I had messages all on our phones and email from concerned coworkers who were convinced that we had been killed. It was kinda funny--we had to call in to work and notify the engineering department that Ethan wasn't dead.

Tropical storm Noel was not particularly big or violent, it just decided that it liked Hispaniola and sat there for 7 days swirling. Imagine sitting beneath a giant toilet that is flushing for a solid week! We were on the north part of the island so we just got a ton of rain, minor flooding and some wind. The southern part of the island was hard hit and had massive flooding and mudslides and damage and destruction. The worst thing that happened for us was that our snorkelling trip was cancelled and we never got to go. Other than that, it was a good trip.

THe one tour we were able to do despite the rain was the city tour--we got to go to the Brugal rum factory and watch the bottling process. Pretty cool! It is the third largest rum factory in the world, and a cool experience. We also went to the Amber museum where they have the chunk of amber from Jurassic Park with a mosquito trapped in it (you know, the amber on the staff of the kooky guy who made the park??). Pretty neat. We learned a bit about the history of the DR and Puerto Plata, toured around town a bit, had a nice lunch and headed back to our hotel.

Most of our time was spent in and around the pool nearest our room--the one with a swim up bar. If you are in a pool, does it matter when it is raining?? The rain wasn't all nonstop, and often was pretty light so we toughed it out. After all, we ARE from Seattle.......