"The Challenger..."

Twenty-Five years ago this morning, a historic shuttle mission was to begin.  The mission was going to include the first teacher to go into space...

The Challenger Lift Off

January 28, 1986

I had always been interested in Space Travel... To allow oneself to be sealed into a capsule/shuttle and hurled into the sky at such break neck speed sounds scary... but I would love to do it.


Success breeds boredom... the launch of this mission wasn't televised by any of the major networks...

STS-51-L

We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and "slipped the surly bonds of earth" to "touch the face of God." - Ronald Reagan

~shoes~

"I'm Callin' Bullshit On This One..."

We are concluding the 3rd week of classes here at Alluvial Flood Plain State University... classes have much settled in... there are some "no shows" that have been reported... students who register for classes, and then don't show up...

This is an email exchange that I have had today with one...

------------------------------------------------------------

From yesterday:
Time Stamp:  January 26, 2.31 PM

Hey Mr. ~Shoes~,

    My name is Bull Shiznitter and I am in your ECO 211 class at 2:30 today. I play basketball for Alluvial Flood Plain State. I got entered into your class late because my coaches had to change my schedule and then we have been gone for basketball so I really havent gotten a chance to talk to you. I just wanted to make sure to let you know that I am still in your class and I will be there today. If there is anything I need to do or makeup because of the day that I was gone for basketball please email me back and let me know.

Thanks,

Bull Shiznitter

------------------------------------------------------------

From yesterday:

Time Stamp:  January 26, 2.38 PM

Mr ~Shoes~, I went to your class in Broom 114 at 2:30 and the door was locked. I have a class from 1-2:15 right before it and I tried to get to your class as fast as possible but my teacher let us out a little late so by the time I walked over to your classroom it was locked. What do I need to do?? I dont want to get dropped. Im willing to do whatever I have to do to pass your class this year.

Thanks, 

Bull Shiznitter

------------------------------------------------------------

From This Morning:
Time Stamp:  January 27, 9:21 AM

Mr. Shiznitter:

You didn’t come by BR 114 yesterday and find the door locked.  I was in the room at 2.15 preparing power point.  Furthermore, I work with the class  room door open.

You need to decide if you want to be in this class.

My records indicate you haven’t attended any classes.

You need to decide what you are going to do.

You are far behind in class.

Mr. ~Shoes~

------------------------------------------------------------

From This Morning:  Time Stamp:  

Mr. ~Shoes~,

    I am very sorry I promise I went by your classroom and thought that the door was locked. I had planned on coming to your class yesterday, I even told my coach I would be a little late to practice because I was going to be in your class. I dont know why I thought that the door was locked if it wasnt, but I am sorry. I know that is my fault though and I do want to be in your class still. I will be there on Monday. Would you like me to come by your office to talk to you today or tomorrow before then? I will do whatever I need to do to catch up. 

Bull Shiznitter

------------------------------------------------------------

When I was a student, I would have contacted my profs face-to-face if I knew I was going to miss some classes early on in the semester.  I don't have a great deal of faith with people like this.  My non-athletic team students are doing great!  

So he plays basketball at a Division II school... big deal...

Bless his heart!!

~shoes~

"Economic Stimulation..."

Another Public Service Announcement from ~Shoes~

Sometime this year, we tax payers will receive another 'Economic Stimulus' payment.

This is, indeed, a very exciting program, and I'll try to explain it by using a 'Q & A' Format.

________

Q.  What is an 'Economic Stimulus' payment?

A.  It is money that the Federal Government will send to taxpayers. 

Q.  Where will the Federal Government get this money?

A.  From Taxpayers.

Q.  So Government is giving me back my own money?

A.  Only a smidgen of it.

Q.  What is the purpose of this 'Stimulus Payment?'

A.  The plan is for you to use the money to purchase a  high-definition television set, thus, stimulating the Economy.

Q.  But... isn't that stimulating the economy of China?

A.  Shut up.

________

Below is some advice on how best to help the U.S. economy by spending the money wisely.

(A) If you spend the money at Walmart, the money will go to China or Sri Lanka.

(B) If you spend the money on gasoline, the money will go to the Arabs.

(C) If you purchase a computer, the money will go to India, Taiwan, or China.

(D) If you purchase fruit and vegetables, the money will go to Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.

(E) If you buy an efficient automobile, the money will go to Japan or Korea.

(F) If you purchase useless stuff, the money will go to Taiwan.

(G) If you pay your credit cards off or purchase stock, the money will go to management bonuses and they will hide it off-shore.

Instead...

Keep the money in American by:

(01) Spending it at yard sales... or...

(02) Going to Ball games... or...

(03) Spending it on prostitutes... or...

(04) Beer... or...

(05) Tattoos.

These are the only American businesses still operating in the United States.

Conclusion

Go to a ballgame with a tattooed prostitute that you met at a yard sale and drink beer all day.

No need to thank me... I'm just glad I could be of help.

~shoes~

"Life Insurance..."

O.K...
  
This is going to be boring... I apologize for doing this to you...


But...


I posted in July about my friend, Robert's sudden and unexpected death... Robert was 47... married... two children (Daughter starting college in the Fall / Son is a high school senior)... Stay At Home wife... a mortgage on their house.


After the shock of Robert having died was starting to settle in, the conversation among us became on of whether or not Robert had life insurance.  As employees of the university, we get a base amount of life insurance with the option to purchase additional amounts at our expense.


Robert had no life insurance. Nothing. Nada. Nil. Zip.  He hadn't even bothered to go by HR and enroll in the basic life insurance program that is available to employees.


His wife didn't have a job, so her household income went from what Robert earned to nothing. In addition, since their health insurance was an employment benefit through the university, there went their health care.


His wife was able to find a job netting about $1,200 per month.  From that you can deduct the mortgage of about $800 monthly... she was able to continue their health insurance from the university through COBRA... but at a cost of a bit over $600 monthly.. She is now $200 in a hole and hasn't even gone to the grocery store, paid utilities or anything.


I have been told that Robert's family is helping them... How sad.

___________

I was blog hopping a while back... many times when reading your writings, I check out who you are following and go read some of them... 


One of the links broke my heart... I wish I had remembered to follow her... one or more of you may know her...  if so, email me the link to her blog, please...


She is in her early thirties... has two children and a third on the way... and some time back in November, her husband went deer hunting.  Based on what I read of her blog, they seemed to truly love and care about each other...


Anyway, he didn't come home from the woods when he said he would be home... he didn't answer his cell phone... she contacted some of his friends... they knew where he hunted, and they went out to look for him... and they found him.  This young fellow, also in his early 30's, had a heart attack in the woods... and died.


After recovering from the shock of the loss of her husband, her blog turned to how she was going to do everything she needed to do for her two children, and the little one yet to be born...


My thoughts turned to whether or not he had life insurance...


No, I'm not a life insurance agent, but I do teach financial planning courses...


Whatever grief and stress one experiences at the sudden loss of a loved one, I can't even begin to imagine the exponential levels it must accelerate to when there isn't enough / any money...

____________

O.K... it's this simple...


If you are single... with no responsibilities for the well being of others, you need no life insurance.


If you are single, own a home with a mortgage and you die, the house will simply be sold, the amount necessary to retire the mortgage will be paid, and the balance will go into the estate... no need for life insurance.


If you are single and are the caretaker for someone (child, parent, for example) then you do need life insurance...


If you are married, you have at least  have the need for discussion with your spouse as to whether or not you need life insurance...  if the two of you own a home, that need for the discussion becomes even more important... if you have a home and children, the conversation MUST take place...


Contrary to popular belief/misconception, life insurance is NOT expensive.  Robert could have taken care of his family's financial future for the cost of a pizza or two a month...  Talk about an opportunity cost...

I'm going to get off of my soap box now... 

~shoes~

"Scrap Man... Part II"

Hi there...

I'm feeling marginally better... When I went to the doctor last week, it was for some throat issues... I had mentioned before about getting sick back in October and the mess associated with that just lingered... lost my voice... had some nodules removed from my vocal cords...  


Anyhoo, I went back to the doctor last Friday just to try to get some relief from a nagging cough and all that just wouldn't relent... the first thing the nurse did was check my blood pressure, and then look at me, and asked...  ' you ARE here about your blood pressure aren't you?'


Hmmm... no.. I was here because I was coughing lung chunks having difficulty talking and my bad cough... I asked her what my blood pressure was and she said... 

180/110

oh Fuck... I knew that wasn't good... the time spent with the doctor had little to do with coughing and stuff and about how I was in stroke/heart attack territory with that blood pressure... my heart was racing at around 100 BMP...

He prescribed some stuff for me... and it really hasn't helped a great deal... the night before last, when I was trying to go to sleep, I could hear/feel my heart rate against the pillow... it sounded like the drum solo from Iron Butterfly's 'Inna Gadda Da Vida'...  I went back yesterday... very little change in anything... he changed the medication... 

Anyhooters...

I owe you all some answers...

Wishing On A Star asked about where I would like to live and why...  I think I would like to live either in the Santa Fe area... or maybe even Sedona... I think I wanna be a cowboy... would it be politically incorrect if I wore my Mattel Fanner 50s?  I just like how I "feel" out there...

Zoey didn't have a question, but I do appreciate your comment.. thank you so...

Jen Fooled Around asked if there was anyone, dead or alive, I would like to spend 30 minutes with... Yes, My Mom...  that shouldn't surprise anyone...

Gobbles Red.Neck.Chic asked about a greatest dream... heart's desire... Hmmm... I don't know, the events of the last week have made me realize how fragile Life and Good Health is... Not that I was about to keel over and die, but... nothing else is attainable if you aren't healthy enough... well enough... to appreciate it...

Catch Her In The Wry asked if I have found anyone special... or have I given up... I've had some horrible experience with Love and Relationships.. that's for sure... as I stated in my previous post...  Yes...  we have a lot of fun together...

Kurt wants to know what's for dinner... It's probably going to be yogurt and granola...

Jessica, the world Traveler wants to know my number one travel destination...  I adored your photos of Iceland! It would either be there, or may Patagonia... have you ever seen photos of that place??

AnyThing Fits... asked about my favorite Christmas present... I think it would have been the Christmas that Santa brought me a bicycle... when we came out that morning, presents were everywhere... Mom always made it SO magical... anyway, the pantry door to the kitchen was closed... and I never thought about why... at some point, Mom asked me to go open the door to the kitchen to let some air circulate... and there was this GREAT bicycle!!! I will NEVER forget that...

Charlene asked about whether I wear a hat... what size... etc... From time to time I do... I saw a cowboy hat out in Santa Fe I wish I had bought last year... at the time, it seemed expensive, but I wish I had bought it... I wear a 7 3/4...  I tend to wear hats properly... I don't think that there is a 'hood way' to wear a cowboy hat...  

Robin... LOL... I knew what you meant... if you are a musician, you know that playing/jamming is so much fun... You know... I think George Harrison... he was the rather quiet, deep thinking BeaTle who came up with a few of their songs, yet, some of the most amazing...

K. didn't have a question, but I do appreciate your comment.. thank you...

France asked about my weekend activities (which would have been last weekend)... I was trying to get over feelings of impending doom... seriously... I was some depressed.

Danielle asked about what got me into blogging...  you know, I don't recall... I know I had entertained the idea of creating a blog, even selected the name... I've journaled since the week my Dad had his stroke... I knew he wasn't going to survive and I wanted to document some things... my Dad's Death Journal turned into my divorce journal just about five months later... it's amazing how things happen like that...

The neatest thing out of journaling is that I've "met" you all... I enjoy reading what all you have to say... and I continue to be amazed that anyone reads my nonsense... especially when it comes to clown sex...

I will pass this forward to:

Danielle

Just Another Girl

Carol The Gardener

Amethyst Anne

Ubermouth

I sure hope I get to feeling better... blah...

~shoes~

"Tagged By Carol..."

Carol has tagged me to answer a series of questions... I am running behind in my blogging... I still owe you answers to the questions you all previously asked of me...   The answers will follow soon.


Carol and I seem to be kindred spirits... 


Anyhooters... on to the questions...


1. if you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family?


I don't have any pets at this time.  Once upon a time when I was married, I would argue that I had a dog, Thumper, and a cat.  Thumper was an idiot, and I am sure that's why I loved him so.  When the former-Mrs RedShoes seemed to realize that I was allergic to cats, our cat population took off exponentially... Thumper was a member of the family.  He came along before our kids did.   I haven't said anything to anyone about this, I don't believe, but one day just before Christmas when I came home and entered the house, I swear I heard him bark... barking from inside my house.  I simply spoke to him, 'Hey Thumper!'


2. if you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?


Hmmm... any dream? To spend time with Mom and Dad again... but for now, after the doctor's visit the other day, I need to get to work on some things.... they are reversible.


3. what is the one thing most hated by you?


I don't use the word, 'hate...'  so I will answer about something I most dislike.  I dislike conniving people... this would include people who are dishonest... I tend to distance myself from people like this.


4. what would you do with a billion dollars?


Hmmm... I would establish some 'special' accounts for my kids, so they would have money for the difficult times to come.  I think the economic times ahead will not be corrected by any political party...


I would fund a scholarship at Alluvial Flood Plain State University in the name of my friend, Robert, who died back in July.


I would imagine that I would still have a huge chunk left, so I would probably want to fund some childrens' hospitals... the need is great.


5. what helps to pull you out of a bad mood?


Who can stay in a bad moon listening to this!?!?!





6. which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?


Hmmm... it's not much of a blessing to love someone, and not have them love you in return. Nor is it much of a blessing to be loved by someone and you aren't able to reciprocate the feeling.


I think the blessing occurs when two people find each other... and there is a great expression of love between the two. I know from just what I've read here in blogland, much less what I have seen in real life, relationships are difficult. Does... or can one love the other more than the other returns those emotions/feelings? Yes... it's quite possible. Then what does that spell for the relationship??  Sometimes, the attraction is there, but maybe the timing is wrong.  Maybe there is distance.  Maybe there are other extrenuating circumstances.  If love can then prevail, then it is indeed something special.


7. what is your bedtime routine?  


Sometimes, I will have a cup of coffee... sometimes I will read a magazine... sometimes, I will watch some TV with the timer set to switch the set off at some point.  Not really a fancy routine at all...


8. if you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner?


I met this fire cracker of a young lady on my trip out West in August... in Oklahoma City... I think I first mentioned her HERE.  


9. if you could watch a creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be?


I would like to spend some time with Paul McCartney and get some insight as to how he constructed some of the greatest bass guitar lines ever recorded...  I would have also enjoyed spending some time with Walter Anderson... and just watched him create his work...


10. what kinds of books do you read?


I'm all over the place when it comes to books... currently, I am reading books on spiritual awareness, sex, theology, sex, Keith Richards, and sex...


11. how would you see yourself in ten years time?


I hope I'm alive and kicking... that I got my 25 years in at Alluvial Flood Plain State University, and that I am out and kicking in another career...


12. what’s your fear?


I fear that maybe my kids will have a more difficult time ahead in their lives. I am not sure of what the future holds for our country, and that neither political party can seem to get beyond their own realms of self interest to take care of us...


I would guess that my greatest fear would be dying alone... that would suck...


13. would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to visit outer space?


I don't eat that much junk food any way, but I would give my interest in Hell to ride the Space Shuttle into orbit... What a RUSH that would have to be!!!!!!!


14. would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?


I don't necessarily need to be rich, but I would like to be comfortable.  I think I would like to be married again, but who knows...


15. what’s the first thing you do when you wake up?


Wake up... slowly... I wake up way early on purpose just so I don't have to be rushed in getting ready to get to work in a rush.


16. if you could change one thing about your spouse/partner what would it be?


That we lived closer to each other...


17. if you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?


A new blog name? Or a new name??  I wouldn't change the name of my blog. I had entertained the idea for a while about blogging, and already had the name created... I just like it.


My name name? No... for no other reason than my middle name is my Mom's maiden name... and I have just gone on and on about how much I love her...


18. have you ever been betrayed by a family member to the point it broke your heart?  What did you do to get through it and go on with life?  What made it better?  would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?  


Yes, the sister who was the executor of my Dad's estate when he died... and how she fucked the rest of the family (at least the last three) out of a great deal of money... I eventually forgave her. I am a big believer in karma, and she is being paid back in aces already in this life time for what she did.  It's just too bad she's missing the messages... she doesn't  understand... and I am too nice to spell it out to her.  Surely she remembers.


I've forgiven her... I will never forget. That is the secret... if you allow yourself to forget, you set yourself again for hurt and pain from this person...


I think what most people don't understand is that when you forgive someone, that is something that is undertaken for YOUR best interest;  not that of the person who betrayed you...


19. if you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?


Oh God... I don't know!!! I think eating only one thing would get extremely boring after just a few days!!!!!!!


Now to tag some of you... I think it said four... sooo...


Magnolia @ MAGNOLIA...

Jaime @  RED RED WHINE...


Jessica @ HAVE WE MET?   


France @ SOMETIMES THE WORLD BEGINS...   


And this song is just for me...

~shoes~

"Bad Day Gone Better..."

The past couple of days haven't been nice... went to the doctor today... didn't like what I heard... Quite a wake-up call... 


Anyway...


While reading blogs tonight, I found THIS over at Carol's The Gardener...   


I'm not sure how I can be moved to tears by a video... by a song... but James Taylor can sure do it...





James Taylor... what a voice... what a talent in the way in which he plays his guitars... what gentleness... I've seen quite a few of his interviews, and he will readily tell the viewer that he is very fortunate to be alive.  He has had his own cross to bear.


Maybe this is what spoke to me from Carol's video... the calmness... his demeanor...


That's been missing in the last week... something calm to ground me... to ground us...


And WHAT a back up singer he had in this show with Mr. Arnold McCuller...

Thank you, Carol, for helping me find my ground tonight...

..things are gonna be much better if you only will.

~Namaste~

~shoes~

"Scrap Man... Part I"

I am amazed that any one spends time reading the nonsense that I throw together.  I read what you all write, and it makes so much more sense. I tend to talk about Clown Sex and Pig Copulators and things like that.   In spite of my ramblings, from time to time, some of you think of me when handing out recognition.


Joan, over at Anything Fits A Naked Man has done JUST that!!     Some of you are so focused and have such a plan as to what you write.  I kind of 'shot gun' it... just throw stuff out there and see where it hits... where it lands.


I am to tell you five things about me... and then pass this on to five other bloggers...


Hmmm... five things??  I'm not sure I know five things...  No.. wait... I do know one...


Back in October, I became ill... very ill... I wrote about it HERE  and HERE.  I guess what I didn't share with you was that I had growths develop on my vocal cords... and had to have them removed... The dr sent them to pathology to be studied... he had said that he was doing it just as a precaution... when the results came back negative for cancer, he told me that he was really surprised, that in his opinion, they were 'very nasty looking.'

As for four more things, I can't think of anything... so....


What would you want to know about me? Here is your opportunity... ask me questions... and I will answer them... maybe...   

M'kay??  

~shoes~