TOO MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE...& THEY'RE ALL SMOKIN'!!!

Do you ever find yourself in a major funk???? I'm talking about what I like to refer to as 'burn-out funk'. This results when one has too many irons in the fire or too many projects going at once & yet, feeling as though none of them are getting done. And then as a result, lack of motivation sets in & then its difficult getting started again.

I've just described myself to a tee!!!! I'm the world's largest proponent of having so many projects going on at the same time & finding there's never enough time to complete them all. My biggest problem is I have too many hobbies. Unlike most folks who can be completely content with just one hobby, I find the busier I am the more content I tend to be. I don't like being idle and yet when faced with everything I'd like to accomplish versus what I am actually able to accomplish, I almost drive myself completely nuts. You see, I'm a perfectionist and I strive to do many things. My life is full of hobbies & projects which I all equally love! I haven't managed to find that perfect balance (if there is such a thing) between all my projects so I at least feel like I'm getting somewhere.

I'm convinced that this must be some form of mental illness. First of all, if you love cross-stitching as much as I do, then it can safely be assumed that you have to be a little bit on the insane side. We start projects that progress nicely and then all of a sudden we hit a brick wall. No...I'm not talking about the project becomes too difficult to finish. Rather we get distracted. We visit our LNS, Michaels or Hobby Lobby and we see new stash that we convince ourselves that we just have to have. We are constantly finding new patterns to stitch. So what do we do...instead of finishing the current project we're working on, we start the new project that we lie to ourselves once more that we will stitch 'this one' until we finish. The same is true of crocheters & knitters. (I'm in this group of people too!!!) We buy yarn like its going out of style. You let Michaels downsize one of their yarn brands, and we knitters & crocheters will think we've died & gone to heaven when we can purchase skeins of yarn for $1/skein!!!!

I'd like to think I'm no different than the next person when it comes to my hobbies, but I'll let you be the judge. Besides cross-stitching & crocheting, you may have read in earlier posts or on my other blog that I am also writing a book. This is yet another favorite past-time that I've dabbled in since I was about 9 or 10 yrs old. Last August I decided I'd try my hand at writing my 1st fiction novel....a romance/suspense novel. I'm down to my last 5 chapters and all of a sudden I just feel like I have no clue what to write. The entire book has flowed from start to finish and it isn't like I don't know what I'm going to write in those last 5 chapters. But the urge to write has left me. I'm anxious to get the book finished by the end of the year so I can begin pitching it to agents & publishers early in 2009. And thus far, the entire book has been written in spurts of writing urges that have hit me here & there for the past year. I don't think its writer's block as much as it is the simple fact that up until now I've been relaxed about the whole thing. There's been no deadlines to meet, and now that I've set a goal for myself to try and be done with it by the end of the year, I've just locked up. I keep telling myself that time is running out.

Another hobby that I have is my internet radio station called Jukebox Junction Radio. Now of all the hobbies I partake in, this keeps me the least busy. Outside of keeping the station updated with all the latest hits & rotating out my playlist from the thousands of songs I have in my music library, it basically just runs itself. Recently I spent an entire afternoon uploading my Christmas library of songs to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. It was quite time consuming and I thought I would NEVER get done, but am glad now that I took the time to get it taken care of. Now when the time comes to begin playing all that Christmas music, I'll be one step ahead of the game.

And then on top of that, I had mentioned in an earlier post that I'm currently working on my daughter's Christmas stocking as well as 2 crocheted afghans and a set of crocheted placemats for my stepmom. Everything is coming along, but I'm feeling the pressure & keep telling myself that I'll never be done in time for the holidays! I honestly don't know why I work so hard to put so much pressure on myself!!! I've always been this way. I'm an overachiever in the worst way!!! Hobbies are supposed to be enjoyable...otherwise, why in the world would we ever engage in them??? I have to admit I'm just a little bit stressed!!!!

I need a schedule & I need one bad!!! I tend to work well when my life is all planned out. Hey, don't laugh!!! Who says kids are the only ones who need structure in their lives????? One thing is for certain, no one can ever accuse me when I'm gone one day of not having lived life to the fullest!!! Now whether I will have accomplished half of what I've set out to do remains to be seen....

Please excuse me while I go do a little stitching. Or wait, did I mean to say crocheting? No, that's not it, I meant that I have a chapter waiting to be written. No, scratch that...I've got some more new music to upload to my radio station. Oh, heck, I think I'll just go workout instead!!!

Until next time....Happy Stitching! :)

OH THE HORRORS OF EXERCISE....

There is no way to describe how much I loathe (and I do mean loathe) exercise of any kind! Call me lazy or call me unmotivated, I just hate it!! I'm sure there are many like myself that would do anything BUT exercise, especially if it meant being able to avoid it altogether.

Okay...so maybe it is a mental thing. I tell myself I am too overweight for my height. I stand a mere 5' 2" so I'm at a disadvantage when it comes to my weight. I'm not tall enough to allow for extra weight to be evenly distributed throughout my body without it landing in places where I'd rather not have extra weight...boobs aside. Granted I don't weigh as much as some and have never had to resign myself to heading to the Plus size section in a department store to purchase my clothes. I've always managed to stay within (barely) the confines of the 'original sized' women's clothing...you know the size range from Sz. 2-16. I've never reached Sz. 16 and quite frankly have never seen a Sz. 2 on my body. The days of wearing a Sz 6, 8 or 10 even, have been apart from me for quite a few years. I guess I've just settled for being a Sz 12 or 14 and yet have continually thought about my weight & how I look through the years.

*me in Summer of 2007

I was never so discontent with myself before. I figured if I could still wear a pair of 'normal' sized jeans then I was good. But being the perfectionist that I am, good is never good enough. I'm my own worst critic.

*me Fall of 2007

I've always been in this back & forth struggle with myself; you know the one that convinces you that your current size & weight are perfectly okay & then there's the one that gives you a major guilt trip every time you eat something that you shouldn't & see other women you wished you looked like. It's a vicious cycle that never ends.

All the pictures that have been snapped of me in recent years never thrilled me but yet again, I would succumb to the notion that I didn't look 'that' bad in them. Until a recent pic was taken of me and I knew it was time to finally do something besides sit around wishing I would do something, I realized I had run out of excuses. I had to take action.

*closeup of me taken in August, 2008

(I hate closeups!!)

*another pic taken at same time in August, 2008

(Even though pictures don't lie, I look completely different in this pic.)

After seeing the above pics, I knew I couldn't make myself believe any longer that I looked okay. It was time to do something. It was time to get real. If I wanted to be healthier, stronger, and look better so I'd stop beating myself up about how I looked or my weight, I needed to just get up off my lazy behind and DO something about it for a change. I mean after all, merely thinking about it was not going to enable me to think my way thin.

So..I suppose you wonder if I've acted on my thoughts. Well..the answer is "Yes, I have!" I just started an exercise program at home last evening. I purchased these DVD's that help tone & sculpt the body called, "Turbo Jam". There are different levels to the DVD's to enable someone to follow the exercise level that best suits them according to whether they are beginner, advanced or intermediate. I must say I had forgotten just how long it had been since I did aerobic exercise. Thinking back it was well before Megan (my oldest, who will soon be 18) was ever conceived and after she was born. I haven't so much as done a lunge, crunch, or stretch since that time unless it was absolutely necessary or part of my normal daily movement. But surprisingly the exercise wasn't that bad & needless to say, I knew just how out of shape I was at the end of the routine by the amount of sweat that had excreted from my pores and was running amuck upon my face and rolling down my back.

As much as I have dreaded even hearing the word 'exercise', it was actually a lot of fun. And the sense of accomplishment I felt at the end of the routine far outweighed all the negative thoughts I've had about myself or my weight over all this time. What a great feeling!

So...over the coming weeks, I'll be recording my progress right here on my blog (and pics) once I have something to show for my efforts! LOL So, wish me luck! I'm gonna need it! Hey...and prayers are good too that I don't collaspe during this first week of working out!

Well..gotta run...I've got a workout to do! Until next time....Happy Stitching! :)

THE DOCTOR IS IN!

It's that time of year! (No...I'm not referring to the wonderful season of Fall that is just right around the corner.) Rather, I'm speaking of that time of year when school has now been in session for a mere four weeks and my kids have already begun to get sick!

The very first week of school, my son, Cameron, came down with a bad case of strep throat. He missed three days. (You know he was sick! After all, he's a big 8th grader this year, and no 8th grader alive would want to miss their first & easiest week of the school year!!) But it happened to him.

Then the following week I was sick. I blogged about it in a previous post! I NEVER get sick! So this bug was NOT nice. The ever living nerve of it making ME sick of all people!!! I guess the little critter didn't get the memo that moms are exempt from being sick!!!

And as if that wasn't a heck of a way to kick off a new school year, then my daughter, Hannah, started complaining of her throat hurting on Friday. By Saturday she was coughing, had fever, fatigue and runny nose, and off to the walk-in we went only to find out that she had a sinus infection. Being that she had her tonsils out a little over a year ago, I knew it couldn't be strep. But shouldn't having surgery to remove her tonsils & adnoids also make her exempt from any future germs that might come her way??? Guess, those germs didn't get the memo on that either!!!

And yet again, this past Sunday, Cameron told me his throat felt scratchy. Now mind you, he just had been off antibiotics for strep a little over a week. Low & behold, he awoke this morning, coughing his head off!!

Oh while I'm on my soapbox, I guess its only fair to share the part of this story about how both my kids have asthma and when school resumes they begin to endure various sicknesses throughout the fall & winter months. Oh, we do all the necessary things to prevent their asthma from flaring, including the hand washing thing to ward off germs. And we've been dealing with 'seasonal sickness' for pretty much all of their school life to date, but if I could figure out a way to keep them well during this time of year, I think I'd have a lot of parents buying into the formula & I'd be one rich cookie!!

So now, the school year has officially begun! Yea, I know it technically started four weeks ago, but not by my standards. Until the kids have begun to sniff, sneeze, & cough, things are not in full swing! If it weren't for this one little issue that crops up every year for my kids, Fall would be my favorite time of the year. Okay...looking on the bright side, I suppose it is my favorite time of the year because it leads into the holiday season which I am a huge fan of! There is always the hope that this year won't be quite as brutal as the last! Who has time to be sick? There's too much to do this time of year! Now if I can only get those little germy bugs to understand that!!!

9/11...THE DAY AMERICA CHANGED FOREVER!

When I awoke this morning and thought about what today signifies, it's still so hard to believe that 7 years ago today, our Nation was attacked by terrorists. Today is Patriot's Day or the anniversary of 9/11...however you like to remember it!



It's a sad day of rememberance for Americans and yet a somewhat triumphant day when you think about what lengths our Nation has exhausted since that fateful day in order to make us a safer & more secure country.


So in thinking about what today means to me, I think about where I was that day. I was working for a local sawmill and remember someone coming into the office from our yard to tell us to turn our television on. Work was immediately halted. The scenes were surreal and we all stood in disbelief as we watched our country being attacked.

Each one of us has a connection to that day in someway, because we each have our own story to tell. And each one of us will forever remember this day as being the one in which America was changed forever.

(This post is dedicated to all the many men & women who lost their lives on 9/11/01. May God continue to be with the families who still grieve, give them peace and provide hope & understanding to us all who will forever remember this day & mourn its loss of life from now until eternity. May God Bless America!)

LIPSTICK ANYONE?????

I was humored greatly on my drive into work this morning as I listened to one of the local talk radio stations discussing the 'lipstick' comment that Barrack Obama made yesterday and how the McCain campaign has reacted to it. Aside from being humored, I also quickly became aggravated once again at the antics of this political campaign season.

While it has been assumed that Obama had an underlying motive behind making the statement 'lipstick on a pig', the reality is no one but Obama, himself knew what he meant behind the comment. Had he uttered the phrase a mere few days prior to the now famous speech made by Sarah Palin at the Republican National Convention, no one would have given his analogy any thought, especially since John McCain, himself, used the same phrase less than 6 months before.

This was indeed an opportunity for the McCain campaign to jump all over Obama's misstep in words and relate it to Palin's off the cuff joke during the RNC. What we must realize is those in the campaign who have taken the liberty of bringing to the world's attention, are speaking on behalf of the McCain campaign itself. Nowhere has it been reported that John McCain or Sarah Palin are offended and I highly doubt they have spent much time putting a whole lot of thought into Obama and what he is or isn't saying on the campaign trail. They pay people to create the chatter that evolves just as much as Obama does for his respective campaign.

Regardless of whether Obama meant what he said as an belittlement of Sarah Palin or not, remains to be seen. It was a bold choice of words and the timing of stating them could not have been worse. Will this hurt him? I think it could. Before the RNC and the arrival of Sarah Palin to the McCain campaign, I doubt anyone would have cared one way or the other what was said or not said about McCain. Obama was the man to beat and he undoubtedly had the momentum. The tides have changed somewhat in McCain's favor. There are those diehard Republicans who would have voted for Obama before Sarah Palin came along because they disliked John McCain that much. The difference in then and now is they happen to like Palin more and that is enough reason in itself to bring them together to now come to McCain's defense no matter how petty & enough to vote for him in November. Obama can't afford to say anything now that could be a bad reflection of him that bounces off of McCain in a positive way.

Even though we, as Americans strive to make our decision for who we will vote for come Election Day based on the issues of our country alone, the waters tend to become muddied to distract and disillusion us from the task at hand when silly, gregarious things such as this crop up. It's unnecessary and unfortunate that our country as a whole has to be subjected to this to take our focus off of where it truly needs to be. Maybe moving forward when these type stories are presented to us, we need to stop and pull back and try to glean something from the outrageousness of the story itself. So in this instance, it does make one think...if only choosing the man best suited for the job as President of the United States were as easy as choosing a shade of lipstick.

MY OTHER PASSION & HOBBY!!!

With my recent fascination with the Olympics, politics, and never-ending preoccupation with working on my first novel, stitching and crocheting, it occured to me that I had let my other 'passion hobby' (as I like to call it), fall by the wayside. But I guess with everything I have going on almost all the time, I wouldn't be human if one of these things didn't get neglected.




So on Saturday I decided since Tropical Storm Hanna pretty much rained everything out & forced me to stay inside for the day, that I would dedicate some time to updating my internet radio station, Jukebox Junction Radio. You know how plans NEVER unfold the way we intend for them to. Mine were no exception. MY plan was to dedicate the morning to this project so that I would have the afternoon to resume my stitching on that dang Christmas stocking (that is going to be the stitching death of me yet!!!). Little did I know that time would turn into all day and move on into the evening. (I had more work to do than I thought. LOL) My initial intention was to update my station with new music and remove some songs that had run their course with the listening audience. It seemed easy enough and actually it was for the most part. And it didn't take all that long. But then....
THEN...I started thinking ahead to my programming for the upcoming holiday season. BIG MISTAKE!!!! I pulled out my library of holiday music and playlists from last year. I started uploading the music to the station (thinking it would only take me a little extra time to get it on the station!!!). HARDLY!!!! Somewhere between the end of the holiday season last year and yesterday, I had forgotten just how much holiday music I have!!! It's absolutely insane. I think I have every single song ever heard on the radio during the holiday season! (That's a GREAT thing if you are a listener, but not so great thing if you are a radio station owner!!!)



At about 9pm EST last night, I finally decided to stop fighting with my heavy eyelids, (especially since my eyes had formed a somewhat impressive glazed over appearance as I looked into the computer screen), and resume this larger than I had anticipated project for another day.

I'm in total holiday mode and have been since late July I think!! Last year I began playing continuous Christmas music from the 2nd weekend in November until just a few days after Christmas. For the most part, I was able to upload just about all of my Christmas music library to the station on Saturday and only have about 1-2 more hours of music to upload to be completely finished. Now that it's on the station, I'm so tempted to start playing hints of it here and there until the time comes. However, I'm reluctant to do so for fear of committing the ultimate betrayal to Halloween and Thanksgiving that occur BEFORE the Christmas music season is supposed to kick in officially! That's the great thing about internet radio, I'm in control without having to worry about the FCC breathing down my neck dictating what I need to play when.

And believe it or not, there are stations on Live 365.com that are strictly all Christmas music that play 24/7, 365 days a year. You wouldn't believe the folks that listen year round. I don't know if the listening audience for those stations are from outside the US or if the audience is made up solely of diehard Christmas music fans from the US. All I do know is when I played Christmas music exclusively for those 6 weeks during the holiday season last year, I had more listeners and listening hours on my station than I'd had at any other time during the entire year.

I'm not sure yet, what my decision will be regarding when I will begin playing holiday music 'officially'. Rest assured you'll be the first to know. I may sneak in a 'taste of Christmas music' weekend or afternoon here and there between now and then. But the one thing I do know, is getting the station ready for the upcoming season is a lot of preparation and hard work and at least once it gets here I'll have the work behind me and can enjoy listening right along with everyone else!!

(**Yours truly above manning Jukebox Junction Radio!**)

So onward to the holiday season!!! Feel free to check out my station, Jukebox Junction Radio any time & offer your feedback or make a song request. I love hearing from listeners! And remember my slogan, "Jukebox Junction Radio, where we feed your musical soul!"

Until next time...Happy Stitching! :)

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM!!!

Tropical Storm Hanna is on her way to the coast of North Carolina. I happen to live in NC and although I live about 3 hours inland from the coastal area, each time we get wind (no pun intended...LOL) that a hurricane or tropical storm is headed to our coast it still makes those of us inland pretty nervous.

It goes without saying that hurricanes of the past are responsible for us being on high alert when new storms are forecast to hit our coast and work inland. The last big hurricane that slammed the Triangle & Central regions of North Carolina occurred about 10 or so years ago when Hurricane Fran decided she wanted to pay us a little visit. I have to say her visit was not only unwelcomed but she overstayed her welcome. The aftermath was days of no power & water for some and lots of clean up for all! Outside of the fact it gave those who work a few days off, its no doubt everyone worked harder doing clean up and just dealing with the post-hurricane mess than they would have had they been at work on a normal day.

The last few days, our weather has been absolutely beautiful. North Carolina is notorious during the summer months for its formidable humidity that lingers until early October. This week has been indicative of what looms ahead this weekend as there has been virtually no humidity in the air, the skies have been that bright Carolina blue that we all love here in the Tarheel state, and yesterday looking outside, everything just looked so crystal clear unlike the normal hazy view that is so evident this time of year. So, no doubt we, North Carolinians have definitely been experiencing the proverbial 'calm before the storm'!!

Even with the unavoidable fears and concerns each time a 'new' hurricane or tropical storm threatens to visit our state, I'm still a firm believer that North Carolina is one of the best places in the country to live than anywhere else! With living in Central NC, I'm only 3 hours either way from the mountains or the coast which allows for a great day trip when the mood strikes.

So..I guess I'll get ready to hunker down for a Saturday of rain and wind all day as Hanna moves through. Sounds like its gonna be a good day for doing a little stitching!!

Until next time...Happy Stitching!

BEING UNDER THE WEATHER IS NO FUN!!!

I always thought one of the cardinal rules for any mom is that a mom can't get sick under any circumstances whatsoever. Well...as a mom I would like to know when the rules changed!

You see, I've been sick all this week with a sore throat that started as one of those annoying scratchy sore throats on Sunday over Labor Day weekend. At first, I just thought I had my annual scratchy sore throat that I always get this time of year when the weather starts to change. But by Monday, I soon realized that this was not my typical sore throat. My throat's scratchiness had increased to the point on Monday that I thought a cat had been turned loose on me during the night before.

Then on Tuesday, I arrived home from work with a fever, aches and chills. Normal body temp for me is below 98.6 degrees. My temp was 100.2 degrees, which to most folks feels like 102-103 degree range. My throat had turned from scratchy to just plain sore.

Next came Wednesday. I actually felt better overall on Wednesday...no chills, aches or fever, but the sore throat continued to persist. When I awoke on Wednesday morning I noticed that my throat felt swollen, so I took a look inside and the entire back of my throat had swelled up overnight. Because I felt okay outside of the whole throat thing that was going on, I went on to work and worked all day. By the time I got home, my throat was really giving me a fit.

Today when I awoke, my throat felt like a combination of the week's different levels of pain and soreness were all combined into one! I promptly called my doctor when they opened and went in to see him. He confirmed my suspicions that I have strep throat. It comes as no surprise given my son, Cameron, had the same thing last week for several days. But I thought I had worked hard to keep the germs away. I washed my hands and sanitized everything because strep is so highly contagious until it has been treated with antibiotics for 24 hrs. And besides that, I'm a mom for crying out loud and I've done a terrific job of following the mom's cardinal rules for not getting sick!!! So, I just have to wonder what germ I missed & where????

Anyhow...its the end of the day and I have taken 2 full doses of my antibiotics as prescribed to me by my doctor earlier today and you would think that with over 1700mg of antibiotic in my system that I would be feeling instantly better!!! NOT!!! I don't feel much better and am just before hitting the sack for the evening with the hope that when I awake tomorrow I will feel tons better!

Now you know I have to be feeling poorly to risk missing John McCain's acceptance speech later on this evening. I don't know if I'll make it until then, but I'm gonna try!

So...hurry and click off of here before you catch all my germs that are rapidly working their way into the world wide web atmosphere (quicker than I can type this) & contaminating everyone through my computer screen!!! But thanks for stopping by to visit!!

Until next time & Happy Stitching!!

THE VOTES ARE IN...WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

During this entire campaign season...(all 18 months of it now)...I've been reluctant to get on board with either candidate running for our country's highest office. Like many Americans, I have been undecided. With both Obama & McCain, there are things to like and dislike about both candidates, so much so, that it has kept me straddling the fence. For quite awhile I'd begin to wonder if in fact America would be able to make a decision, myself included. In fact, I'd even contemplated briefly, not voting in this election. So many factors have played into this year's election. This has undoubtedly been the most controversial and bizarre (and perhaps longest) election year in the history of America.

When John McCain announced he had chosen a woman as his running mate less than a week ago, again, like many Americans I had never heard of Sarah Palin, nor could I have told you who she was if asked. My first thought was this was a political 'in your face' maneuver backlash at Obama as if to say, "If you won't pick a woman running mate, then I will."

Once the world was introduced to Sarah Palin, as the week unfolded, the media had their heyday with Governor Palin when she announced that her 17 year old daughter, Bristol, was 5 months pregnant. The media could not take Mrs. Palin at her word and leave it at that. They attempted to not only sensationalize the story in every possible way, but also spent countless hours working round the clock to try and uncover any possible spec of dirt on her and expose it for all the world to see. The entire media storm was enough to leave Americans thinking, "What was Senator McCain thinking?" Not me, because you see, I was simply amazed at how quickly once again Louisiana was forgotten because there was 'some other story' making headlines. The media once again proved that taking the low road was the way to go. I guess once the Louisiana storm was 'over', the media decided it needed to create a little storm of its own.

All these previous months of wondering and mulling over the facts, the smut, and the inbetween on both these candidates, finally led me to the realization that the tides were beginning to turn in one candidate's favor. At last!!

Last weekend when Hurricane Gustav hit LA, I saw leadership being exhibited. One thing that Americans want most in a candidate is proof that he can lead our country in crisis. If there was ever a better opportunity to show our country who could be the best leader, Hurricane Gustav provided such a chance. John McCain wasted no time in appearing on television before millions of viewers and announcing that the opening to the Republican National Convention would be suspended until further notice so the country could 'take off their political hats & put on their American hats'. He put our country first before any other order of business. And he got down to business. He had his campaign staffers organize a huge phone bank that was manned by numerous volunteers asking for and receiving donations for the hurricane victims. He moved quickly to go to Louisiana to see the aftermath and spent time, despite his busy schedule to help prepare care packages for those in need. John McCain acted like a leader and he also acted like a fellow citizen. He took charge and took the liberty to do whatever it took to ensure America was well taken care of. He understood what was more important and didn't mind rolling his sleeves up and getting his hands dirty. He acted in a manner in which Americans want in a President. We want someone in office that isn't afraid to get their hands dirty if that's what it takes to do what is right and just for our country.

Senator Obama on the other hand was also shown on television in front of millions of viewers. He was shown being interviewed by the press about his reaction to Hurricane Gustav. He was shown being asked what his plans were to do about it. He was shown telling the press that 'we are going to wait and see what is needed before we act'. (I had to question if our country faced a crisis, would he 'wait & see' before he acted, or would he be courageous enough to make a decision, stick to it, and act on it!). Initially when I heard Obama's remarks I thought to myself, "Okay, I can see & understand that. That makes sense." But then a day later, he was interviewed by Anderson Cooper during Anderson Cooper 360 and was asked if he was planning to go to Louisiana to access the damage and see where his help could be utilized. Obama's answer was he had discussed this with his campaign and they felt that instead of going to Louisiana and running the risk of police & fire personnel being pulled away to aid him with Secret Service duties to ward off possible photo ops, that they would refrain from going to avoid that and allow them to do their jobs during this critical time. I found this to be extremely arrogant. I would think at a time like this , the people of Louisiana have far greater things on their minds to deal with and think about than the possibility of getting a photo op with Senator Obama. I highly doubt many took their cameras with them when they were placed under mandatory evacuation. And again, he eluded to his earlier explanation that his campaign would wait to see what was actually needed and that there was a request on his website for his supporters to donate money towards the cause. What this said to me was instead of Obama being willing to do whatever it took for our country during this crisis, he was relying on his supporters to do the job for him.

And then there was Sarah Palin giving her acceptance speech tonight in the face of the media who has judged her, chastized her, scorned her, and rebuked her these last few days for being a woman, a mother of 5, a mother of a special needs child, a person who holds the highest office in the State of Alaska and has a 17 yr old pregnant daughter. Her morals, values, and convictions have all been critiqued by the media. She's been put on trial, if you will, all because there are those that are appalled at the idea that a woman can hold the next highest office in our country. Despite what she & her family have had to deal with over these last few days, Sarah Palin, showed everyone tonight that she is indeed a force to be reckoned with. She's a gutsy straight talker, a straight shooter and is not intimidated by anyone. She didn't have any problem giving the media a lashing without concern for how it would make her look tomorrow. She showed America why she's America's most popular govenor. She's tough and after hearing what she had to say, I had no doubt that she means business. Maybe its because I'm a woman and understand as only women can when it comes to standing our ground. But then when you think about it, most women do mean business.

I've often been a believer in the fact that the one thing Washington has always lacked is a woman with backbone who wouldn't take any junk and without fail could put all the Washington politicians regardless of their party affiliation in their respective place. Sarah Palin is such a woman. I'm glad she was a virtual unknown less than a week ago, because that is the kind of person we need in Washington. The same ole thing that has existed for decades now has been the result of our country electing the very politicians who have been in Washington and all they know are what they have always known. And that is why it has to stop. So be it if it takes a woman to do it. If elected, Sarah Palin, will make history, and more importantly, she will forever change the way things are handled in Washington.

With that said, John McCain is no pushover either. He's also never been afraid to stand up for what he believes in. I believe he will not only fight for Americans but he will make darn sure that America never has a fight on its hands under his watch.

If we needed a preview of what we can expect from Senator's John McCain and Barrack Obama as our country's top leader, I think we got a real taste of what's to come last weekend. The way I see it, Hurricane Gustav was the 'perfect storm' that didn't allow for any dress rehearsals or time to draft eloquent speeches. It was a real live situation and both Senators showed us how they would handle crisis in our country.

So...I have to admit, in these last few days I can finally say with clarity and certainty that I have made my decision. It was a long time coming and for a moment I began to wonder if I would ever be able to make my choice. As far as I'm concerned, the past 18 months have meant absolutely nothing, because in the course of a brief week, by demonstration of actions over words, I was able to determine who would be the best choice for the United States of America.

And that is why I will throw my support from here on out behind John McCain & Sarah Palin and come November 4th they will most definitely have my vote!!