The perfect man

Saw this in an ad on craigslist, and thought I'd showcase it here. My own editorial comments are in bold or red. :)

My fantasy man
He would be tall. At least 6'1 (I can deal with shorter) He would work out and have really sexy arms. He would be extremely smart. Own his own home or at least rent a nice home. His car would be clean, and he would have a good stereo. He would have good taste in music, new music, not just the shit he used to listen to when he was in high school and make me mix cds. He would have a dog..(a big one-not a little yappy thing) I'll be able to love him without worrying that I'm being too clingy (and he'll be secure in that love). He'll be very affectionate and love to cuddle. He'll be strong and make me feel safe no matter where we are. He'll be passionate about his job, and if not, passionate about one of his hobbies (passionate about anything is okay...hopefully many things). He'll have lots of books for me to read (and have read at least some of them). He'll love camping and hiking and swimming. (But also love hanging out in the city) He'll smell good. He won't have numerous tattoos or piercings. And if he does have some, he won't think they make him hella cool. He'll be good to his mom and have a good relationship with his family. He'll want to get married and have kids one day. He'll make me laugh. We'll read the paper together over breakfast, and read books in the living room at night. He won't be on stupid weird diets, but he will be healthy. He will make me want to be successful and guide me in the direction I need to go in. He'll pay for everything, and in return, I'll always look great, notice things he needs and buy them for him, clean and cook and swallow. He'll appreciate the finer things in life and know that you get what you pay for, but he won't be superficial or think you can buy taste, or love. He'll enjoy taking care of me, and letting me take care of him. He'll be past the stage where impressing his friends is more important than treating his girlfriend well. He won't be intimidated by tall or assertive girls (i.e. me).

Okay, boys, there ya go.

NY Times Thimerosal Article

Safe Minds Action Alert on New York Times Thimerosal-Autism Article

The June 25 publication of the New York Times contained a front page article titled "On Autism's Cause, It's Parents vs. Research" by Gardiner Harris and Anahad O’Connor. The article includes several references to SafeMinds.

Although directors of SafeMinds were interviewed for the story, information we presented to the reporters, such as peer-reviewed research papers on the harmful effects of thimerosal, was not included in the published article. In addition, the article contains numerous disturbing errors of fact, omissions of fact, and a consistent bias which call into question the credibility and motivation of the authors.

The primary responsibility of the media in gathering and distributing news and opinion is to serve the general welfare of the public by providing accurate information which enables the public to make informed judgments on issues that impact their lives. The Times authors acknowledge the critical importance of the thimerosal issue to public health. The requirement for a balanced portrayal of the issue is not trivial.

Therefore, SafeMinds is asking the New York Times to immediately publish corrections to and investigate the journalistic process surrounding this article in an effort to fulfill their service obligation to the American public and adhere to their historically high journalistic standards.

The New York Times has a clear channel through which readers can express their dissatisfaction with the reporting process and editorial choices made by the current staff. This is the office of the Public Editor. The Public Editor has three obligations:

Making sure the concerns of readers and the public about the paper are heard -- and heeded when they are valid.

Monitoring The Time’s journalistic integrity -- which means accuracy and fairness in both reality and perception.

Publicly assessing the newsroom's performance in these areas to enhance readers' understanding of the journalistic process and to remind editors and reporters to do their best.

SafeMinds asks those of you who have concerns about the Times article to email The Public Editor, Byron Calame, at public@nytimes.com. Communications are taken more seriously if they are short and factual.

SafeMinds will be issuing a letter to the editor of the Times listing the factual errors in the article and the corrections needed. SafeMinds will also be sending the Public Editor a letter on concerns over the journalistic process, and we will issue this publicly once it is sent.

things that motivate me to walk, no. 1

I'm standing on the Muni, and this guy slides his hand along the bar up next to mine until it almost covers my hand. He pushes himself up behind me, says excuse me, and then uses his other hand to push me over to the direction he came.

At home, definitely would have decked the guy. But here, I understand there's less room, people are a bit more on top of each other, maybe he didn't mean to...so I excuse it.

But then his hand, now on the other side of me, finds mine again. I move away a bit. He moves into me. I move again, he moves again...and it goes on. Finally, a seat opens and I take it as quickly as I can. He moves so that he is standing directly in front of me and his knees keep resting on mine. Please note that the bus is NOT crowded. I keep moving, he keeps moving...and so on. He then takes the seat next to me and continues to lean on me for the rest of the bus ride. I make eye contact several times and pull away. Finally, I just get off and walk the 12 or 13 blocks home b/c I can't deal with his slimey self anymore.

I need to learn when it's okay here to just shove him off me. I'm afraid I'd get mobbed here for not being a pacifist, though. We'll see.

It was a nice walk home. :)

Even Montel Gets the Autism Link

http://www.montelshow.com/show/past_detail_5_21_2005.htm

HOME

I can now say, while standing in the middle of San Francisco, that I am home.

Good things do happen once in a while :)

Who has time to blog? I'm moving. Please review the previous post and take action accordingly. :)

Charitable Giving

On June 4, 2005, a young midwestern gal will embark upon a journey that will mark the beginning of a new phase in her life. You have the ability to help send her on this journey. Contributions are recognized according to the sponsorship levels below.

Muscle (Moving Help on Either End):
Mention on "Entertain A Mandy"
Sincere Thank You
Pictures of Recipient's New Home
Drink of donor's choice

Supplier (Household Item or Grocery Donation):
Mention on "Entertain A Mandy"
Sincere Thank You
Pictures of Recipient's New Home

Envelope Licker (Good Wishes or Happy Thoughts):
Sincere Thank You
Pictures of Recipient's New Home

Mail Carrier ($10-$99):
Mention on "Entertain A Mandy"
Sincere Thank You
Pictures of Recipient's New Home

UPS Guy ($100-$499):
Mention on "Entertain A Mandy"
Sincere Thank You
Pictures of Recipient's New Home
Drink of Donor's Choice
Invitation to Housewarming

Fed Ex Guy ($500-$999):
Mention on "Entertain A Mandy"
Sincere Thank You
Pictures of Recipient's New Home
Drink of Donor's Choice
Invitation to Housewarming
Invitation to select events
Home-Cooked Dinner

Mover ($1,000-$999,999):
Mention on "Entertain A Mandy"
Sincere Thank You
Pictures of Recipient's New Home
Drink of Donor's Choice
Outstanding invitation
Home-Cooked Dinner of Donor's Choice

Home Buyer ($1,000,000 and up, or a San Francisco home):
Mention on "Entertain A Mandy"
Sincere Thank You
Pictures of Donor and Recipient Together in New Home
Drink of Donor's Choice
Outstanding Invitation
Monthly Home-Cooked Dinner of Donor's Choice
Prompt Proposal of Marriage
Beautiful Wealthy Children (Custody Shared with Recipient)

Contributions accepted via check, money order, cash, and paypal. In special cases, food or alcohol will be considered.

Janet is a ROCK STAR

www.ktts.com

look down the page for the picture of the cute short-haired chick with Josh Gracin

Tribute to Aging Gracefully

Alias made a fantastic decision to bring back my favorite character.

So I think I developed a tiny bit of a girl crush on Lena Olin when I first saw her in Unbearable Lightness of Being (which is sexier by far than any porn flick).


I can only hope to be so sexy when I'm fifty.

I Didn't Sign Up For This

When did I become an accountant?

Life in Missouri

"It is as if we somehow need to constantly create a group who is other than ourselves. Life here in the Midwest is so different from life in most parts of the world in that we have very little diversity. I was amazed to learn when I arrived here in 1991 that there had very recently been a Klu Klux Klan meeting at a local park. How, I wondered, can you manage to become a racist when you hardly ever meet anyone of another race around here?" -Dr. Roger Ray

Open Minds

"In the mid 1980's when Tibet’s Dalai Lama first began coming to the United States to speak he was being questioned by a group of reporters and the issue of homosexuality came up. In answer to their question the Dalai Lama began to repeat Buddhist condemnations of same sex relationships and then, right in the middle of a sentence, he stopped, thought for a moment and then began speaking again, 'If the two people have taken no vows of chastity, and neither is harmed, why should it not be acceptable?'

In one sentence he reversed a thousand years of Buddhist teaching and tradition. This is such an important thing to be able to do. He was able to see that an old prejudice which may have served to strengthen society in one age was a threat to spiritual health, to justice, to kindness in this age. " -Dr. Roger Ray

Literal Interpretations

"If you are settling in for an evening of TV viewing this evening, and you watch, say, for example, a football game (Raiders by 6), then the evening news and end up your evening watching an old re-run of Andy Griffeth show you would know automatically that you would not watch these three programs in exactly the same way. The evening news at least attempts to be an objective telling of what actually happened in the world today. The football game, while it is broadcast live and it is really taking place somewhere, you know that it is not the same as news about the conflict in Afghanistan.... they are chasing and hitting each other but you know that it is all a game.

"Finally, you watch the characters in the black and white world of Mayberry in quite a different way. You know that there is no and never has been a Sheriff Andy and Deputy Barney, just like there was never a sweet little southern town where everyone was white and no real crimes were ever committed. But you don’t get upset and yell at the TV that it is all lies! You understand that even though it is a fictional story that it still often has a moral point and that in fact you have known people in law enforcement who acted an awful lot like Barney and we all long for that widowed relative who cooks, cleans and runs the house for you like Aunt Bea to come live with you.

"TV belongs to our culture and we know how to watch different programs with an appropriate understanding and appreciation of what a sit com has to offer, which news stations are the most believable and what the difference between sci fi and docudrama is.

"Understanding the Bible requires that we read its different books in the way that the culture which created those books meant for them to be read. If someone watches Mayberry re-runs a thousand years from now and insists that everyone either see them as film documentation of real life in an American small town then we would call that person..... a fundamentalist. I trust that you understand what I am saying.The Bible contains, songs, poetry, philosophy, sermons, history and it contains stories.... stories which are intended to teach a moral lesson. These teaching stories, parables, are among the richest and most helpful passages we find in the sacred writings." - Dr. Roger Ray

Galileo had an interesting theory about how the Bible should be read. He believed the Bible was a book meant to explain the soul. God gave us our senses and our mental capacities to observe and understand science. He gave us the Bible to understand the soul. Therefore, things in the Bible that refer to science, such as the day the sun stopped in the middle of the sky, or references to the sun orbiting the Earth, are all to be taken metaphorically. God gave us senses to observe these, therefore when He talks of them in the Bible he is simply using them as demonstration. Because our senses can't observe the soul, though, everything God says about the soul and salvation in the Bible should be taken literally. Interesting thought.

I don't know if that's clear cut, but I agree with Dr. Ray. Every book of the Bible had a particular context in which it was meant to be read. Given that we're coming in way after the fact (much as someone a hundred years from now might be coming on Andy Griffith), we have to look back and learn how to read those books. We can't just read them all the same way. So really, in the whole Literal vs. Metaphorical interpretation of the Bible, both sides are wrong. I like that idea :)

Exes

Why can't a break-up just be because two people couldn't make it work? Why, after all the analysis and all the post break-up talk, do guys have to go back and decide that it's all a big angry fiasco? Why do they have to come back, after admitting all the awful things they did, and blame it all on you to make themselves feel better? Why do they have to continue to cast blame and delude themselves about what happened? Why can't it just be okay?

I thought the heartbreak was over. I thought we could move on. Why does it have to get ugly? Why now?

A wise person recently pointed out to me that if you care enough about someone, and get along well enough to date for some time, you should at least be able to be friends if it doesn't work out. Why would you limit that person to just dating? Why can't you take that caring relationship to friends? Why do you have to hate someone just because they don't belong to you? Why do you have to start hating them the second you can't control them? Why must you KEEP trying to control them?

You think someone loves you, and then you find that their love only extends so far as their possession of you.

I love you, darlin, I always will. I'd love to be friends with you. But guess what...no man has ever owned me. No man ever will. And most of those who've tried to control me have gotten hurt. I'm sure you can attest to that.

The Wisdom of Karaoke Hosts

On the desire to make a moment last forever:

It's like a song:
I can hold a note forever,
but eventually that's just noise.
It's the change we're listening for--
the note coming after,
and the one after that.
That's what makes the music.

~Lorne, from Angel

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

But who wants a gentleman, really?

I'm a brunette now! Pictures will follow when I can get them. :)

This is one of the main colors the stylist used: http://www.mothernature.com/shop/detail.cfm/sku/88523

"Autism is a World"-CNN 1 Hour Film
http://blogs.indiewire.com/steve.rosenbaum/archives/003769.html

Life Cycles

We lost a little one today.
We were told he always wanted an apple tree.



This one's for you, Connor.

Tiger Baby!

I Wish to go to Disneyland

My future employer just informed me that I will be going to Disneyland from June 15th-June 19th. She hopes that's a good thing. :)

Heck ya!

:)