You've Got Me Under Your Skin

Well, it appears that I have gotten under the skin of a certain Internet Radio Host for a Conservative Ethnic Group (lol).

Yesterday, I posted the copies of comments and replies about how poorly my candidate was treated during his phone interview earlier this week. Today, I find that said internet radio host responded to my letter (not Jeff Daiells'??) wherein he calls me a liar (huh??), suggests that I don't know details of my candidate or his campaign, and then attempts to twist reality around by stating that I owe him an apology!

Ya...I don't think so, "Larry". But, nice try.

Check out the hilarious post from him below, atrocious grammar and all, followed by my final comments to him!

Thanks for the admission

Mrs. Cole~Pearson, thank you for your commentary here and your admission of numerous idealogical points which Mr. Daiell tried very hard to avoid. As for rudeness, I was polite & Mr. Daiell called me despicable & contemptable as I recollect. Furthermore, while I'm sure you don't know this, it was Mr. Daiell who asked to be on my show and commented afterward that he was actually glad (my conclusion...I don't know if he was actually glad, happy or simply satisfied) he appeared. So, I believe it is you, he or both of you who owe me an apology for both his and your dishonesty. I suspect; however, that like the huge percentage of votes you all were counting on, I doubt that will be arriving anytime soon either. Have a nice day.

• Posted By Lauro Garza at 2010-03-11 19:22

The following are my Final Comments to Mr. Garza:

Not to split hairs, Mr. Garza, but it was you that called me on the afternoon of Thursday, February 4, 2010 and requested for Jeff Daiell to be on your show. You explained to me personally that you had attempted to contact Jeff once on your own, but were unsuccessful. You also stated to me that you would “love to have (Jeff) on your show, but (you) needed to speak with Jeff first because you won't go in blindly on an interview.”

I will agree that you and Jeff were both equally polite and engaged in common courtesies in the beginning of the show, to include Jeff stating that he was glad to be on your show to share his message with your listeners when you welcomed him. After exchanging these pleasantries, your line of questioning became more aggressive toward the break, and by the end of your show, you were completely out of line. You may call these tactics “hard-hitting”, but the reality of it, sir, is that when you personally (not politically) offend someone, it is your responsibility to rectify the problem, unless you intentionally meant to insult the person. There is certainly a difference between a “lively conversation” between two educated, passionate adults, and engaging in a contemptuous, slanderous partisan scheme of baiting and provoking.

...as far as dishonesty is concerned, Mr. Garza, perhaps it would be wise for you to take a step back and re-evaluate your own words and actions. Further, had you provided either myself or Jeff with the full-disclosure that your radio show was nothing more than a set up for you to attack Jeff Daiell and the Libertarian philosophy, we would have never have agreed to have Jeff be a guest on your show, plain and simple.

I will end this now by letting you know that I wish you well in your efforts to reintroduce Latinos to the Republican Party. I’m sure that we will all continue to do our best in fighting the good fight to ensure that the rights and freedoms of our citizens are not trampled on by Big-Government while also advocating Lower Taxes, and Fiscal Conservatism.

Respectfully,

Christie Cole-Pearson

I do suppose Lauro was right about one thing... On his website, he's a self-described "funny guy". Turns out he's right about that!

Conservative Latino Talk radio hosts Libertarian candidate for Governor Jeff Daiell

I realize I haven't posted anything in a while... It's honestly a good thing because I've been very busy lately! However, at the moment I want just want to rant about something.

Recently, and man contacted me about having my candidate for Governor of Texas, Jeff Daiell, on his Conservative Latino Talk Show entitled, "Latino Talk Texas". We, of course, were very happy to have been invited to be a guest on the radio, and the host, Lauro Garza, seemed to be as well...

Jeff Daiell was on this show on March 8, 2010, and can be heard at the following link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/conservative-latino/2010/03/08/0042-2010-conservative-latino-talk-radio
Have a listen, and see what you think.

I won't go into detail, other than by posting what Mr. Garza had to write on his blog after the hour-long interview with Jeff, followed by what Jeff Daiell and I both wrote in response to Mr. Garza.

"Libertarian Candidate for Texas Governor, Jeff Daiell, discusses Libertarianism, his history with it and his campaign for Texas governor. Mr. Daiell, not surprisingly, avoids answering questions with regard to religious principles and governance but was willing to discuss his advocacy regarding the dangers of illegal drugs.

He advocates for legalization of dangerous drugs and cessation of the effort in what he calls "Lifestyle" laws. Arguing that although he recognizes dangerous drugs "damage people" he still prefers they be legal so that people on drugs can and will seek treatment.

The discussion was lively and Mr. Daiell became annoyed with me when I pointed out the weakness in his argument that he did not wish to admit. Although he felt he won his argument, legalizing dangerous drugs, in his mind, does not, still, make them "okay" but he was glad for his appearance on my show.

Despite his assertions otherwise, Libertarianism is not the purer Republican faith nor is Republicanism a type of libertarian lite. They are fundamentally different and when confronted, crypto-libertarians and, apparently, real Libertarians attack. Among other things, he called me a "Republican". I can handle that.

- Lauro "Larry" Garza

This is Jeff's response:

Mr. Garza's inaccuracies

I'm not sure I can count them, but I will try:

I never said that using drugs was "OK", and Mr. Garza knows full well that I did not. What I said was that drug use was not a matter for the government, and that it was more important to punish murderers, child molesters, car thieves, etc., than those who smoke marijuana. Mr. Garza is entitled to put imposing his views on drugs ahead of safe streets, schools, and homes; as the father of twin daughters who were both molested by a man already convicted of child molestation, who had been given probation after that first offense because the prisons were too full of drug offenders, I put the safety of Texas's citizens, especially the children, first.

I answered his questions, to the extent he would allow me to without interrupting, so any claim that I did not is nonsense.

Rather than avoid discussion of morality and religion, I made it clear that the Republican Party had no monopoly on either, and that many Libertarians, like many Republicans, came to their respective viewpoints because of religious principles.

I never claimed that libertarianism is a form of Republicanism - indeed, I pointed out that the Republican Party is not consistent on ideology, bragging about its "big tent" approach that includes both conservatives and liberals.

For Texas, Liberty, and public safety,

Jeff Daiell

And finally, here is my response:

I must admit that I am quite surprised that you would request (multiple times) for Jeff Daiell to be on your show, only to treat him the way that you did on the air. I was simply floored that you “dribbled on” (your words) for approximately 6 minutes during the introduction of your show before you introduced your guest. One would think that as a host, especially a host with your credentials, you would know more about radio host/guest etiquette.

In the beginning of your show, Lauro, you boast about Jeff and the Libertarian Party - stating that you "respect and admire (Jeff), and want his message to be heard". Unfortunately for your listening audience, they didn’t get the opportunity to hear his message because you were too busy talking about yourself and interrupting him! As a matter of fact, you rudely spoke over my candidate on more than eighteen occasions and twisted his message many times! Although this behavior is rather typical of uber conservative folks like yourself, I expected more professionalism from you.

For whatever reason, you refused to accept the Libertarian point of view when you asked for Jeff Daiell's position on Anti-Prohibition (Is it really too much to ask that individuals should be free to make choices for themselves and to accept responsibility for the consequences of the choices they make?), of Separation of Church and State (In order to govern a body of people effectively, religion has to be removed from laws in order to “level the playing field”, if you will, because we all do not share the same faith.), and regarding positions on Nullification (Do you really have an argument about the U.S. or the State having the right to invalidate any federal law that is deemed to be unconstitutional??).

These ideas of Common Sense may not coincide with your definition of Republicanism, and that is fine. As we Libertarians say, “Live and Let Live”, but to have the audacity to charge that my candidate “can not distinguish between arguments” when you make a claim that Lifestyle Crimes and Child Molestation go hand-in-hand is outrageous! If this was your attempt at playing the Devils Advocate, Mr. Garza, you failed.

You may not make any apologies for being a Conservative Republican (no one is asking you to), but you certainly do owe an apology to Jeff Daiell for misleading him when you asked for this interview, and also for your ill-mannered behavior during this “show”.

--
Christie Cole-Pearson
Campaign Manager
Jeff Daiell for Governor
www.jeffdaiell.com
"Because We're Texans"

Hmm. I'm glad I got that off my chest.

Snow in Texas!!

Yes, that's right. I said snow! I heard on the weather station all week long that Houston was going to get snow last Friday. I was hopeful, but a little skeptical. I mean, one, it isn't even technically Winter yet, and two, it's HOUSTON! We are known for our strange weather and ungodly humidity... but snow just isn't a word you hear much in Houston.

Well, by 10:00 am last Friday, THIS was the view from my window here at work!


And, THIS is what it looked like outside at lunch-time! Isn't it just beautiful?!



I couldn't resist...I just HAD to go outside and play in the snow! It's sad, I know, but I haven't seen snow (that actually sticks to the ground) since we lived in Germany! That was over 15 years ago!!

And I just love how snow turns adults into children again! I saw this one man at a red light who pulled his entire upper body out of his driver's side window to catch snowflakes with his tongue! (I will admit that I too caught snowflakes with my tongue, however, I refrained from doing so while I was driving.)


Because of the hazardous road conditions, my work let us off early. I immediately went to scoop my Scooty from school so we could go play! He was so happy that he got to leave early! I asked him what he wanted to do, and he said that he wanted to go visit Daddy at work, so that's what we did!


This is Daddy having a snowball fight with Jackson at his work. I was lucky enough to take this picture just as he had thrown the snowball...Can you see it?!


On Sunday, we went to Crosby to visit Jack's Grandmother, Nanny Windham, for her 80th Birthday Party. After we ate lunch and visited for a bit, we went to the front of her neighborhood to play in the snow. Unfortunately, it wasn't real snow (you know, the kind that really falls from the sky), but here in Texas, this is the kind of snow we are accustomed to.

Just look at the size of the snowball Jackson has aimed Daddy. I think it's about as big as his entire head!

After we played in the snow in Nanny's neighborhood, we stopped to visit Santa and Mrs. Clause so Jackson could tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas.

As we were walking back to our car, Jackson says to us, "Mommy, I know that wasn't the real Santa Clause." I asked him how he knew that, and he says, "Because there's no sleigh and no reindeer!"

DAIELL CAMPAIGN PROMOTES COLE-PEARSON TO CAMPAIGN MANAGER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR CONFIRMATION, CALL:

Jeff Daiell, (713) 777-1776

Stephanie Zachary, (713) 777-1776

Christie Cole-Pearson, (832) 298-8887

http://www.jeffdaiell.com/

JeffDaiell@Yahoo.com

ChristiePearson03@gmail.com

DAIELL CAMPAIGN PROMOTES COLE-PEARSON TO CAMPAIGN MANAGER

(Houston) - Jeff Daiell, a candidate for the 2010 Libertarian nomination for Governor of Texas, has appointed Christie Cole-Pearson as his Campaign Manager. Ms. Pearson will be responsible for developing a multidimensional field strategy, mobilizing and coordinating volunteer efforts and activities.

"The Jeff Daiell campaign will provide a vehicle for voters who respect both civil liberties and the free market, reaching across party lines and the political spectrum. We are not conceding a single constituency or a single county to the two tax-subsidized parties." explains Ms. Pearson.

As a Libertarian, Jeff Daiell’s positions allow for an advantage on the gubernatorial playing field. Daiell’s platform includes the Texas Affordable School Choice plan; refocusing of law-enforcement resources away from lifestyle crimes to concentrate instead exclusively against violence, theft, and fraud; and respect for The Tenth Amendment. Complemented with a campaign manager who fosters the importance of Responsibility of Self as well as a dedication to Civil Liberties and Personal Freedoms, this combination is a reflection of efforts that are hard at work to provide Texans with the progressive leadership they deserve. The candidate welcomed Ms. Pearson into her new position stating, “I'm confident that Ms. Pearson's leadership ability to lead our campaign efforts will speak volumes. Her leadership experience is matched only by her commitment to serving the community and helping those in need of assistance."

As the founder of Luggage for Kids, Ms. Pearson has lead grassroots involvement activities to coordinate and provide donated luggage to Children's Protective Service for children in foster homes. She also hosts the quarterly blood drives at Gulf Interstate Engineering. Ms. Pearson has successfully transitioned her leadership skills from pageantry to public service.

To learn more about Jeff Daiell or to become a volunteer, visit the website at http://www.jeffdaiell.com/. Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook (Jeff Daiell For Governor) and Twitter (WeAreTexans)!

http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/News/Texas_News/DAIELL_CAMPAIGN_PROMOTES_COLEPEARSON_TO_CAMPAIGN_MANAGER/25492

FROM PAGEANTS TO PRECINCTS:

FROM PAGEANTS TO PRECINCTS:

FORMER MISS TEXAS TEEN USA

NAMED DAIELL CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR

FOR STATE SENATE DISTRICT 7

(Houston) - Jeff Daiell, a candidate for the 2010 Libertarian nomination for Governor of Texas, has appointed Christie Cole-Pearson his campaign coordinator in State Senate District 7.

Now employed with Gulf Interstate Engineering, a Top 100 petroleum pipeline design and engineering firm, Ms. Pearson was Miss Texas Teen USA in 1998. She is married; she and her husband Jack have one son, Jackson Alexander.

Ms. Pearson is the founder of Luggage For Kids, a non-profit that provides donated luggage to Children's Protective Service. She also hosts quarterly blood drives at her workplace.

Ms. Pearson's responsibilities will include seeking volunteers within the district, arranging campaign events (including speaking engagements), and serving as the campaign's contact person within the district.

Accepting the position, Ms. Pearson said, "The Jeff Daiell campaign will provide a vehicle for voters who respect civil liberties and who know that compassion requires 'Sunsetting' the statutes, regulations, and agencies that either burden the less fortunate or make it difficult for the private sector to relieve suffering. I look forward to competing with other State Senate District coordinators in making District 7 Jeff's best district on General Election Day, 2010 -- and I have experience with competition!"

Daiell added, "This is further evidence that the Jeff Daiell campaign will set a new standard in organization and infrastructure for Texas Libertarian campaigns."

Those wishing more information on the campaign can visit its website, www.JeffDaiell.com.

Our Busy Weekend

I will start with yesterday, and work my way back through the weekend. I am most proud of this one anyway!

Jackson can now ride a bike without training wheels!!!

I was milling around the house picking up and folding laundry (towels) in the living room yesterday after I came from from the Bridal Extravaganza when Jackson returned from the movies with Mimi and Pappy - they went to go watch G-Force. Jackson said the movie was "really awesome!". Jackson asked if it was okay if he rode his bike in our cul-de-sac while I finished the towels, and I said that would be fine. I started to go outside to help him open up the garage door, but he insisted that he didn't need my help, and that he could do it all by himself. Jackson waited for me to get completely inside the house before he opened the garage door to bring his tricycle out.

I had just about finished the towels when he comes back into the house telling me that I NEEDED to come outside right away and watch him because he could ride without using his training wheels. To be honest, I thought he meant that he finally found his balance on his bike and didn't need the assistance of his training wheels...boy was I wrong.

I go outside, not to find his tricycle, but rather his BIG bike that looks like a dirt bike that we were saving for him for when he got a bit bigger. The bike is easily 40 pounds, and he wants to show me that he can ride it. (It was then that I realized why he insisted on him getting his bike out by himself.) My heart must have been beating 90 to nothing as I was steadying the bike for him. Once he got situated, he began pedaling and made two circles around our cul-de-sac, and then went straight to the last mailbox without falling at all!

Giant tears filled in my eyes, and I ran over to him telling him that he was the Coolest Boy I knew, and how happy and proud of him I was! We ran inside and got Daddy so he could see too! Jack was so proud of him, and he went straight out to remove the training wheels off of his other bikes so we could put the other heavy bike up. I think it's too much bike for Jackson to be safe on...especially since he's just figured out how to ride without training wheels.

We are soo happy for him! He said that he's going to practice every single day until he doesn't have to wear his safety pads...I told him that it's going to take a lot of practice before that happens.

(I just wanted to note that once he came out and told me that he could ride, I immediately put his pads and helmet on. He fussed and whined and cried until Daddy, yes Daddy, said that he didn't need to use them. We explained that they protected him in case he fell, and he still insisted that he didn't want or need them, so he took everything off except for his elbow pads.)

Congratulations Jackson! You're getting to be such a BIG BOY!!!

The Bridal Extravaganza - July 2009

On July 25th and 26th, I was a model in the Bridal Extravaganza for Ventura's Bridal. I'm the second from the left. There were several fashion shows over the weekend for different bridal shops and designers. The gowns that I got to model were so beautiful! MUCH more expensive than my own wedding gown cost! My Mother came with me to help out backstage, and I was so happy that she was there. It's not very often that she and I get to do something together - just the two of us.

I got five blisters on my feet the very first day (Saturday) because Mom and I didn't know where to park, so of course we chose the parking lot furthest away from where we actually needed to be. By the time we walked to the Convention Center, I was limping (and complaining). I had to suck it up for the show, and if I do say so my self, I did pretty well. I didn't trip, or wince in agony while on stage. When I got home that night, I could barely move!

The next morning, I drained my blisters, and they felt a million times better!!! I could actually walk again! For the Sunday show, Mom and I certainly learned our lesson and parked right across the street of the Convention Center. This time, our fashion show was earlier, so we were able to find a close spot in the parking garage. The Ventura fashion show was a HUGE hit! The crowd was really into the models, the dresses, and the music!

I had forgotten how much I loved the runway from my old modeling days... It was a really good feeling. I did, however, get tangled up in one of the wedding gowns..my last one to be exact. The changing area backstage is so chaotic that we don't typically get to see what we are putting on next...we just grab and go. I didn't pay attention to the length of my train, and when I made a full turn in the middle of the runway, the train wrapped all the way around my feet! Some women in the audience gasped and their eyes were HUGE! I guess they really thought I was going to fall! I didn't though (THANK GOD!). As a matter of fact, I walked right out of my little predicament. It took about three good steps, and then my feet were free, and the train was trailing off like it was supposed to behind me, and I played it off so well! When I got to the end of the runway, I grabbed the side of the train and fanned it out so that the audience could see how pretty the back was. It got lots of "Oooh's" and "Ahhh's". When I walked back up the runway, I made another full turn in the center, sort of to make up for my first mishap, and it was perfect! The audience cheered loudly, and I very coyly looked over my shoulder, gave a wink, and exited the stage!

After the show was over, the owner of the store gave me a very nice hand-written note thanking me, and telling me how much she and the audience liked my performance, and she asked if I would like to be a permanent member of the "Ventura's Bridal Dream Team".

Going to the Mall for Earrings, Hair Combs, and Trampolines?? Oh My!

I had to run to the mall this weekend to grab some last minute items for the upcoming fashion show for the Bridal Extravaganza. While we were there, Jackson and I saw this set up in one of the wings in our mall. It's some kind of "Euro-Bounce" thing. They hook you up to a harness that it attached to bungee cords. They raise the cords, and then you begin jumping - higher, and higher, and higher until it makes every 'rider' squeal like a girl! It was very funny!

I told Jackson to do a back-flip, and he told me that he didn't know how so I explained that he needed to tilt his head back and look behind him, and then swing his legs over his head. He nailed it the second time he tried! In all, he did five back flips, and one flip going forward. The man working the trampoline told me that front flips are much more difficult to do than back flips, and he was impressed that Jackson was able to do it!

It was so nice that this was set up in the mall when we went. I normally don't go shopping at the mall, but it was nice for me to be able to go to a few shops, and then let Jackson do his thing. Then I was able to go to a few more of my stores, and then we went to get some cookies. Breaking up shopping trips like this makes it so much easier when little ones are with you, especially when they don't like "long stores". Helps to keep every one's sanity, that's for sure!

Now, THAT'S talent!

Now, I know that I am horribly biased as a Mother, but I must say that I am so impressed by Jackson's talent. He has such a great imagination!

Just check out the tower he made! Have you ever seen anything like this? And the swirling turnpike...these are just wooden train tracks that he attached to his top drawer in his dresser. The entire thing is suspended by one simple attachment (his drawer) and somehow, the weight of itself didn't bring the whole thing crashing down! You can even see the two tiny rail cars he has positioned on the top of the track, ready to take off. Oh-ya...it worked, too!

I swear, if he doesn't grow up to be a politician or an engineer...

Miss USA 2009

I know there is a lot of controversy about the outcome of this pageant. There are quite a few people, Miss Prejean included, who believe that she was "robbed of the crown" because of her honesty and personal convictions as stated in her response to the Final Question at this years Miss USA pageant.

Miss California chose a card out of a fish bowl that had the name of a judge on it. The judge she chose was judge number 8, Perez Hilton, a Hollywood gossip blogger.

Mr. Hilton asked of Miss Prejean, "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think that every state should follow suit, why or why not?"

Now, before I reveal her answer, please realize that this question was cleared in advance by the Miss Universe Organization. All twelve judges submit questions, six were chosen to be used during the telecast. This was NOT "a jaded gay man with an agenda" to corner Miss California because of the passing of Prop. 8 in the state where both Miss Prejean AND Mr. Hilton reside. If any of the other girls chose judge #8's card, they would have received that very same question!

Anyway, on to her answer of: "Well, I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. Umm, we live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. And you know what, I think in my country, and in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised, and that's how that I think it should be; between a man and a woman. Thank you."

Okay, most of you who read this blog know that I am a former state title holder within this very system, and also have been asked to be a judge on numerous times for local pageants. I am fully aware of how this system judges and scores it's contestants.

Delegates are required to compete in Swimsuit, Evening Gown, and Personal Interview. Based on the scoring by the preliminary judges, and Mr. Trump, the 15 semifinalists are chosen to compete in the Finals. The fifteen ladies then compete in swimsuit, and the ladies with the ten highest scores, based on their confidence and fitness, advance to the Top 10, where they all compete in Evening Wear. Then, the ladies with the 5 highest scores will advance to the Top 5. They will then compete in the On-Stage Interview portion of the competition. The ladies are asked personal questions about themselves first, and then draw cards out of a bowl and answer the Final Question from the judge they choose. Based on their individual answers, their articulation, and presentation, each judge will rank the final contestants 1-5, 1 being the winner, followed by the consecutive runner-ups.

North Carolina, the eventual winner of the pageant led the entire competition that night! She scored a 9.198 placing her first in the swimsuit competition, while Miss California scored a 9.033, placing third. During the Evening Gown Competition, Miss North Carolina again came in first with a score of 9.470. Miss California, this time placing second, scored a 9.275.

It absolutely enrages me to hear people, especially Miss California, say that she lost the crown because of her beliefs on same-sex marriage. NO MA'AM! Miss Prejean was NEVER winning the pageant to begin with, and her scores prove it! ONE JUDGE cannot make or break a contestants placement, and there were twelve that night! Not only that, but if people were all that offended by what she said, she would have placed last out of the Top 5, NOT as the winner's 1st Runner Up!

Although Carrie Prejean was honest with her answer (and YES that is very much appreciated!), she wasn't very politically correct or articulate. Miss USA is supposed to be savvy, goal-oriented and aware. The delegates who become part of the Miss Universe Organization display those characteristics in their everyday lives, both as individuals, who compete with hope of advancing their careers, personal and humanitarian goals, and as women who see to improve the lives of others.

Someone, please tell me what the heck "Opposite Marriage" is?! Surely, she meant to say TRADITIONAL marriage. Also, when someone says that "they THINK they believe" something, well, it comes across as being soft on an issue. The point also needs to be made that Americans are NOT free to choose their respective partners for marriage because only 4 states recognize same-sex marriages...which is why this is such a "hot-button" topic facing our nation right now.

Seriously, ALL she had to say is: "While I personally believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman, we, as a nation are given the freedom to vote on issues that are important to us. This is not a federal issue, but rather a state issue, and I think it's best to let the people decide." BAM! She stays true to her beliefs, AND she doesn't offend the masses.

The point of my post? Her beliefs did not cost her her crown...she didn't win because she was never in the lead, and because she answered the question from the judge she chose badly. Are her 15 minutes of fame over yet?!?

Congratulations to Kristen Dalton, Miss USA 2009!

Just The Facts, Ma'am

Okay, so I haven't written in quite a while because...well, because the stuff that I really want to write about, the stuff that is really beginning to get under my skin, isn't pretty. It's not pretty at all, and quite frankly, I think, scratch that... I KNOW my husband is tired of listening to me...umm...'complain'.

So, what better place to vent my frustrations than here in Blog-Land?! (Insert sarcastic smile here)
In my lamest attempt at humor (it's really all I have left...) I am going to use "Dragnet" as my inspiration for this post...err...story line.

( "Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent." Cue instrumental music..."Duuun du-dun-dun. Duuuun du-dun-dun duuuuuuuuuuuuun")

"The Accidental House Guest"

(The premise of this story: The adventures of a young wife (Michelle), her husband (Quincy), and child (Alexander) as they deal and cope with a friends sudden change in status, both financially and figuratively.

It was Summertime in Houston, 2008. Hot. Humid. Always.

Michelle and Quincy had just celebrated their 5th Wedding Anniversary. A few months later, Quincy was made aware of some troubles his friend, T.J. , was going through. See, T.J. was an attorney who had a private law practice in Beaumont. Some may have called him a 'smooth talker'. You know the type...a charmer. He had a way about him that most people just fell in love with him instantly. You wanted to like him.

T.J. found himself tangled in what seemed to be a real web of deceit. He was gripping to hold on to everything he worked so hard for his entire life, but the tighter he held on, the faster everything seemed to slip away.

He lost his girl, his home, his car, and eventually had no other choice but to dissolve his practice and move to another city. T.J. was breaking down.

Quincy and Michelle saw what this was doing to T.J., and they wanted to help him. They bought T.J. a car...nothing fancy, but it got him from point A to point B just fine. They gave him thousands of dollars over the next few months, and even allowed T.J. to stay in their home with them from time to time.

And then it happened. T.J. got comfortable. Too comfortable.

He began to overstay his welcome. He'd stay one or two nights...then three, then four. Before Michelle knew it, it had been a week. She became worried, and asked her husband what was going on with T.J., as she felt like she was being left out of the details of his stay. Quincy assured her that T.J. wouldn't be staying for long, and he reminded her of the friendship he and T.J. had. They had pretty much known one another since Quincy was born, so Quincy felt a little obligated to help his friend who was in need. Michelle nodded with understanding, and tried to put her best face forward while her new house guest was with them.

Some days passed, and then T.J. was gone. Luckily, T.J. remained on good terms with his ex-wife, Carrie, and she offered her house as a place for T.J. to stay until he got on his feet. Little did Carrie know that this would come to bite her in the end...

(Three months later)

On the other side of town, Michelle was busy planning for their son's birthday party...an Astronaut-themed party. Alexander was very interested in Space, and Michelle wanted to give her son a great party to celebrate his milestone birthday.

The winds of change began to turn, and before Michelle knew it, T.J. was back...the same weekend of Alexander's party.

By this time, Michelle, had little patience left. She was focused on her son, and the party, that she didn't have time to deal with the demands of a house guest on top of everything else that was going on.

T.J. seemed to sense that Michelle was displeased with his current situation, and wanted to help. Though Michelle graciously thanked him for his efforts, she made it quite clear they were unnecessary. Well, she thought she was clear.

The day before Alexander's party, T.J. thought he would 'help' Michelle with a few dreaded household chores by taking all the clothes in the house to the dry cleaners, even though Michelle told him specifically NOT to touch the laundry, and to stop 'cleaning' her house. Michelle left to go run some errands, and when she returned home, everything was clean. Too clean. A wave of fear washed over Michelle because she sensed that something wasn't right. She asked T.J. where everything was, dreading the answer.

T.J. explained that he didn't listen to Michelle's pleas to leave the clothing alone, and how he paid no mind to the boundaries of the house to gather clothes and take them to the cleaners once Michelle left. He said it was to help Michelle so she could focus on the party.

One week, and $638.00 later (a bill that was NOT footed by T.J., and was quite a set-back for Quincy as he and Michelle had still not quite fully recovered after the purchase of T.J.'s vehicle...), Michelle got every one's clothing back.

Michelle was fuming! At this point, she couldn't even look at T.J. without nasty thoughts filling her head! Michelle would complain to Quincy about her frustrations, and Quincy would relay Michelle's frustrations to T.J.

Eventually, T.J. began staying at some local places in the city. Unfortunately, those places didn't work out well for T.J.

Three months later, T.J. was back.

Things were hard for T.J. He was out of work, and had no place to call home. He was a drifter that was falling into a depression that Quincy was afraid T.J. wouldn't going to come out of. T.J.'s behavior became more unpredictable and erratic. He was drinking, crashing cars, and doing God knows what else. T.J.'s attitude toward Quincy and Michelle's son grew tense. He began yelling at Alexander, and trying to excuse him to his room to watch a movie or play with his toys so that T.J. wouldn't have to deal with a young, curious child.

This angered Michelle, and her animosity toward T.J. surged.

Quincy and Michelle tried to explain to T.J. that his actions were out of line, but their words fell on deaf ears. It seemed like nothing they said to T.J. clicked in his head. They would tell him to stay out of their bedroom, T.J. would still rifle through their things when they were gone. They would tell T.J. to stop cleaning/re-arranging/re-organizing their house, he would spend all day on it, stating that he "needed to earn his keep". He would walk around their house in his underwear (or no underwear at all!), or feel free to throw things in the garbage that didn't belong to him because HE felt there wasn't the need for them. Quite simply, T.J. wouldn't take NO for an answer, and was absolutely clueless when it came to "house guest etiquette". T.J. was quickly becoming a nuisance, and there seemed to be little that could be done about it.

Quincy established a deadline for T.J.'s departure - March 31st. This gave T.J. more than enough time to get his affairs in order so he could get out of their house. Michelle thought this time frame was fair, but she wanted to make sure that Quincy meant what he said.

"So, what happens at the end of these 30 days, and T.J. hypothetically doesn't have everything in order?" probed Michelle.

"That isn't our problem, Michelle! We've been more than generous with T.J., and quite honestly, that is why there is a Star of Hope!" exclaimed Quincy.

For some reason, Quincy's words reassured her. She felt confident that soon, every ones troubles would be over. She just needed to focus on the goal...the goal of the 31st, and bite her tongue when necessary.

That wouldn't be to hard, would it??

As the weeks passed by, Quincy's attitude became more hostile. The little stresses of 'everyday' became mountains. Michelle grew more bitter and resentful , and Alexander would simply withdraw to his bedroom to be "out of the way". The couples bills were mounting due to the added expense of another person in their home. Quincy and Michelle began fighting for no reason at all, using one another as their personal whipping-post. Sometimes these spats would happen in front of T.J., and it didn't even seem to phase him! The once happy family was now falling apart, and all T.J. would do is scratch his head, shrug his shoulders, and say, "Hmm...wonder what's eating them?"

As the much anticipated "Goal Time" drew near, it became increasingly more obvious that T.J. hadn't done anything to prepare to move out of Quincy and Michelle's home. He saved no money, and he hadn't got a full-time job (he did some work as a substitute teacher, when someone called in). He did, however, manage to find a little shack by a river by the school he taught at. A rent to own (in 10 years) for $500.00 a month. Things were looking up, or so they seemed.

Earlier this week, T.J. dropped the bomb that he couldn't afford this place by the river, that he needed additional time to save money.

Quincy, without talking to Michelle about it first, told T.J. that he would give him an additional 30 days! When Michelle learned about this, she was heartbroken.

"We are at each other's throats as it is, Quincy! Do you really think our relationship can survive an additional 30 days?! What happened to the "Star of Hope??!!?!"

"If you have a better plan, Michelle, we'll use it. But right now, I don't see another option."

TO BE CONTINUED...

Duuun du-dun-dun. Duuuun du-dun-dun duuuuuuuuuuuuun

Skydive Video

So, hopefully this works. It's the video of me and Jack skydiving over Valentine's weekend.



ENJOY!!!

I Jumped Out Of A Perfectly Good Airplane, And I LOVED It!

On Sunday, February 15th, Jack and I went to Skydive Spaceland to go skydiving! It was my first time to jump, and I gotta tell ya...I LOVED IT! It was so incredible, and peaceful! I highly recommend it!

We jumped from 14,000 feet, and literally flipped out of the plane! For a moment, the earth and the sky seem to topple over one another, and then once you level out (just a few seconds) you don't even feel like you are falling anymore!

My instructor let me control the toggles of the chute, and we even got to spiral for a while!

As we were approaching our landing spot, I noted to my instructor that I could see my son, and I began waving like crazy! Jackson saw me, and started yelling, "I love you, Mommy!!!!" and running through the field where we were floating. I really couldn't have asked for a better landing. It was very smooth...just like walking! We were told to lift our feet when we are about to land so the instructor can determine the type of landing to use. There is the "Walk Out" and the "Butt Slide".
Guess who didn't get a dirty butt...

For the BEST-TIME. EVER. CALL 1-800-SKYDIVE!!!

Talk About An Eventful Morning!

So, this is how my morning went today.

I get to work at 7:00 am, and as soon as I open the phone lines I get a phone call from 911 dispatch asking if everything was okay. I noted there was a meeting on the 6th floor (the floor I work on), so I told dispatch that someone may have tried to get an outside line and accidentally dialed 911 by mistake. As soon as I hang the phone up, a man that I work with tells me that there is a FIRE on the 3rd floor of the building, and that we all need to "Get Out!".

Great.

I haven't mentioned that I wear 4" heels... daily, have I?

I had just grabbed a cup of my morning coffee from the kitchen before I sat down at my desk, so when I was told to go, I gathered my things (my coat, purse, keys, and coffee) and began to walk down the hallway that leads to the stairwell. Because I am (obviously) in a hurry, my hot, fresh coffee is spilling with every step I take. For me, that is total Coffee-Abuse! When I reach the stairwell, I realized that it would probably be best that I not bring my coffee on my trip, so I set it down...without even taking my first sip.

Down I go - 6 stories, 12 flights of stairs, wearing 4" heels. YEA! With every passing floor, the herd of people gets increasingly more crowded. I really hate crowds, and this was a bit much to deal with, especially without having any coffee first! (I'll get over that in a little bit, I'm sure...)

The temperature this morning was in the low 30's, and we were told to wait outside in the parking lot until we received direction from the Fire Marshall. I met up with a small group of my girlfriends, and we watched as all the emergency vehicles made their way to our building. In all, there were 9 Ladders (Firetrucks), 4 Boosters, and 2 Ambulances.

Everyone got out of the building okay, and no one got hurt (Thank God!), but everyone was FREEZING from standing out in the cold for over an hour! My toes were so cold, it felt like needles were poking through them!

As it turns out, the fire started in the heating ducts on the third floor.

Once the firemen were through, they told us that all floors could return to work, except the 3rd floor. They needed to wait so the floor could air out before anyone returned.

Now, it's back up the 6 stories, 12 flights of stairs, in my 4" heels. By the time I got back to my desk, my butt hurt soo bad and my legs felt like jello. I'm so out of shape...

Now it's back to work; break-time over! (I got a new cup of coffee, so all is well, lol!!!)