tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-363297122024-03-07T14:09:13.057-06:00Writing AspirationsRashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.comBlogger273125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-69827821564530305562008-11-06T17:30:00.003-06:002008-11-06T17:46:21.285-06:00A year.. a year... a yearHow much has happened in a year, so much that I don't even know where to start. So, I shall just start afresh and say that I am participating in the NaNoWriMo once more. Something very fun and always exciting. I suppose I will update my lovely little blog here and remove some of old sidebar addons, that will be a good activity for me.<br /><br />Hello again to you all :)Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com188tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-45991316237419856172007-11-30T17:58:00.001-06:002007-11-30T17:58:07.683-06:00The evil puppet that makes me laugh.<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/1uwOL4rB-go' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/1uwOL4rB-go'/></object></p><p>Hehehe, this just makes me crack up.</p></div>Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-87544938673594736502007-11-28T12:58:00.000-06:002007-11-28T13:01:03.591-06:00Hail to the SagittariansI am a Sagittarian and I love being a Sag. I feel that quite a few of the traits common to Sag's fit my own personality. Today I saw a first though... I've never read health concerns for people by their astrological sign....<br /><br />Here's an excerpt I found:<br /><br />"Sagittarius governs the hips, thighs and sacral area; subjects suffer from ailments of the hips and thighs and are liable to sciatica and rheumatism. An alleged deficiency of silicon in their physiques can give them poor skin, nails and hair.<br /><br />As they are often sportsmen indulging in dangerous pursuits, they are prone to accidents which arise from these. The ancient <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink3" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,3);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,3);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,3);" href="http://www.astrology-online.com/#" target="_top">astrologers</a> mention falls from horses and hurts from them and other four-footed beasts. The taking of risks in other sports is a danger to the modern Sagittarian, and he is also liable to accidents with fire and heat."<br /><br />Hmmm, is it telling me I have a big butt! What do you think? Health concerns by sign? Make sense or no?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.astrology-online.com/sagittar.htm">Here's the site where I got the excerpt.</a>Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-76315094867578921722007-11-27T10:47:00.000-06:002007-11-27T10:50:34.613-06:00Giant Bugs have so much potential!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xMiq22q8IUKeOP3tb9RbZWo3-8UEY3e7rRwcwxhLCsS4ggW1GFD-rI5BFxCMFSfxwxwbjp25UsgiJIC-ZUe3Asw6vtQypRUPoL-K7lvpDnDXa1HMQqnJg5kBtm4tWNeZ9hva/s1600-h/giant+bug.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137563147660391922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xMiq22q8IUKeOP3tb9RbZWo3-8UEY3e7rRwcwxhLCsS4ggW1GFD-rI5BFxCMFSfxwxwbjp25UsgiJIC-ZUe3Asw6vtQypRUPoL-K7lvpDnDXa1HMQqnJg5kBtm4tWNeZ9hva/s320/giant+bug.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Ok, as a writer who digs those adventure stories and strangely mutated creature stories, this news article just gets my brain buzzing. This is soooo cool. <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21906979/?GT1=10547">Read the giant bug article.</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-63783787674084763842007-11-09T12:47:00.001-06:002007-11-09T12:47:04.651-06:00The Office is Closed<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/b6hqP0c0_gw' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/b6hqP0c0_gw'/></object></p><p>Kudos to the writers. They don't see nearly the benefit that the actors see. I wish em luck.... but secretly hope they resolve things soon!</p></div>Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-89107448291639951622007-11-09T09:12:00.000-06:002007-11-09T09:13:37.288-06:00SNOW!Oh good grief the snow has arrived already.<br /><br />Le SighRashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-61068599035066214882007-11-05T11:58:00.000-06:002007-11-05T12:02:42.375-06:00Happy Monday to All!You know, Monday's come and go! I found the old nursery rhyme about the children of the days. I thought it might be interesting to see how folks think they match up to this little nursery rhyme.<br /><br />Monday's Child (Nursery Rhyme)<br />Author: Unknown<br />Monday's child is fair of face,<br />Tuesday's child is full of grace,<br />Wednesday's child is full of woe,<br />Thursday's child has far to go,<br />Friday's child is loving and giving,<br />Saturday's child must work for a living,<br />But the child that's born on the Sabbath day,<br />Is fair and wise and good and gay.<br /><br />Can't remember what day you were born on... <a href="http://www.fi.edu/time/Journey/OnceUponATime/dayofweekbirth.htm">This Site </a>will give you the day!<br /><br />I was born on a Monday. Well, I have no grace... and I'm pretty positive so I knew I wasn't a Tuesday or Wednesday. And who wants to be a Saturday?Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-32725646157644592362007-11-04T23:56:00.000-06:002007-11-05T11:57:53.486-06:00Shoot!Don't you hate it when you get busy and you forget to do something you meant to do?Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-89336116513575359822007-11-03T21:40:00.000-05:002007-11-03T21:42:28.893-05:00This time last year...I made the decision to review every letter of the alphabet of the entrants for the NaBloPoMo event. This year, I think I won't try that again! Instead. I think I'll just randomly surf through the great blogs participating and just share my favorites for that day.<br /><br />So stay tuned and I'll bring you some of the blogging highlights from Nablopomo! And maybe share some of my lovely designs that I've made in photoshop... why? Because I'm always goofing off in photoshop these days and am a bit addicted to it! :)Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-37481232770107352102007-11-02T13:15:00.000-05:002007-11-02T13:19:20.580-05:00I've still got it! Oh Yah!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfF5EZIy6Q7g3JsDakrJdkv83jwpql5pQlK27tWyc7YGobEVFMFSCUR9AxYYrNA-dtY9qCl2P7Rs0Jgt0GV9Lq7iJhp8c4YAaNdgWanbjlgFSgmWkukW5-ChR-it2gszx-lH_i/s1600-h/Blog+IQ.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5128308667064762258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfF5EZIy6Q7g3JsDakrJdkv83jwpql5pQlK27tWyc7YGobEVFMFSCUR9AxYYrNA-dtY9qCl2P7Rs0Jgt0GV9Lq7iJhp8c4YAaNdgWanbjlgFSgmWkukW5-ChR-it2gszx-lH_i/s320/Blog+IQ.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I may have been out of the game but I haven't lost it all yet! I took the <a href="http://www.chatterbean.com/blogiq/">What's Your Blog IQ quiz </a>and got the following:<br /><br />"Blogs are nothing new to you – you've weathered your share of blogstorms and maybe even started a couple yourself. You may remember reading "weblogs" in 1997, when Jorn Barger started "logging the web" in Robot Wisdom. Since then, the "blogosphere," the total of blog-related websites, has exploded. As a blog guru, you've probably encountered blog novelties out such as the milblog, a soldier's military chronicle. "Dark blogs" are no mystery to you either – you might even be a member of these hidden, invitation-only websites."Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-45615511867982203142007-11-01T13:41:00.000-05:002007-11-01T13:43:44.679-05:00To Nano or Not To Nano, That is the Question.So... it's been WEEKS since I've blogged and the last couple of weeks I find myself thinking more and more about it. Here it is the first day of Nablopomo AND nanowrimo and I find myself wondering if I have it in my to give both of them a whirl. <br /><br />I think I can do it. Well, I hope I can do it... I should say. I do know one thing. I've missed being in the blogosphere and the nablopomo is just the thing to get me back in the groove!Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-64725640530297684352007-09-04T10:28:00.000-05:002007-09-04T10:29:22.462-05:00When Mom's HIT ebay!Hehehe, this lady is a riot. If you've not seen <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130144061675&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm37%26satitle%3D130144061675%26category0%3D%26fvi%3D1">her listing</a>, you should! You've got to read her story!Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-58206051227886208752007-08-20T12:47:00.001-05:002007-08-20T12:47:51.945-05:00A little funny on public restrooms.Yes, I'm shamelessly forwarding a funny one of my friends emailed to me!<br /><br />When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied. <br /><br /> Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall. <br /><br /> You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants! The dispenser for the modern "seat covers" (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one, but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume " The Stance." <br /><br /> <br /><br /> In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance." <br /><br /> To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, "Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWNthere was no toilet paper!" Your thighs shake more. <br /><br /> You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It's still smaller than your thumbnail . <br /><br /> Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet. "Occupied!" you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try. You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, "You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get." <br /><br /> By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes. The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too. <br /><br /> At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. <br /><br /> You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting. <br /><br /> You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly, "Here, you just might need this." <br /><br /> As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, "What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?" <br /><br /> This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restrooms (rest??? you've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door! <br /><br /> This HAD to be written by a woman! No one else could describe it so accurately! <br /><br />Send this to all women that need a good laugh AND, don't forget to have a mammogram!!!!!! It could save your life! <br /><br />A Friend Is Like A Good Bra...<br /><br />Hard to Find <br /><br />Supportive<br /><br />Comfortable<br /><br />Always Lifts You Up<br /><br />Never Lets You Down or Leaves You Hanging<br /><br />And Is Always Close To Your Heart!!! <br /><br />Share this with a friend!<br /><br />I Just DidRashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-68323595877695833132007-08-02T09:01:00.000-05:002007-08-02T09:06:00.836-05:00My heart goes out to all impacted by HWY 35 Collapse!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SdrrOUtT9kWjMwLRbDo-MvaJbsfusdyUxwizNXj8UHD7liXcqWvSBE4uw9u7pTNSqsS5jCDS2-QuWFpnK3w0p3dinITZvVxWE7SOUmunQCCHHIYgEgO3MTbwIypbcBFwKwr_/s1600-h/HWY35w.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SdrrOUtT9kWjMwLRbDo-MvaJbsfusdyUxwizNXj8UHD7liXcqWvSBE4uw9u7pTNSqsS5jCDS2-QuWFpnK3w0p3dinITZvVxWE7SOUmunQCCHHIYgEgO3MTbwIypbcBFwKwr_/s320/HWY35w.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094104106972151266" /></a><br /><br /><br />I've called my friends and they are all well. Thank goodness. A few of my friends I was unable to reach until this morning and I was worried. The Twin Cities is a huge metro... but I can't tell you how many times I've driven across that bridge... and this morning, as I crossed the bridges on 494, I admit to having moments of concern. <br /><br />My friends and family have also been calling me to make sure we are all well.... and we are, thank goodness. I can't tell you how much of a tragedy this is for all of us here in Minnesota. <br /><br /><br /><br />by Robert Frost<br /><br />Out through the fields and the woods<br />And over the walls I have wended;<br />I have climbed the hills of view<br />And looked at the world and descended;<br />I have come by the highway home,<br />And lo, it is ended.<br /><br />The leaves are all dead on the ground,<br />Save those that the oak is keeping<br />To ravel them one by one<br />And let them go scraping and creeping<br />Out over the crusted snow,<br />When others are sleeping.<br /><br />And the dead leaves lie huddled and still,<br />No longer blown hither and thither;<br />The last lone aster is gone;<br />The flowers of the witch-hazel wither;<br />The heart is still aching to seek,<br />But the feet question 'Whither?'<br /><br />Ah, when to the heart of man<br />Was it ever less than a treason<br />To go with the drift of things,<br />To yield with a grace to reason,<br />And bow and accept the end<br />Of a love or a season?Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-81449711256825614652007-08-01T19:30:00.000-05:002007-08-01T19:34:01.417-05:00Major HWY Bridge collapses into Mississippi River... OMG<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Q0cUORKLZg2hLjp17975HaA-g2ZDz4Ws_c7uL2H9YSkAQXfZy51H11shKo7q3Vu92l-2N7PXjxs9PK83udNv08r-NBO2dRasUEiMqAz056jGdBM9lMG5JfNhAGMXbcXnMMwF/s1600-h/bridge+collapse.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Q0cUORKLZg2hLjp17975HaA-g2ZDz4Ws_c7uL2H9YSkAQXfZy51H11shKo7q3Vu92l-2N7PXjxs9PK83udNv08r-NBO2dRasUEiMqAz056jGdBM9lMG5JfNhAGMXbcXnMMwF/s320/bridge+collapse.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093894881935293906" /></a><br /><br /><br />Oh man.... I live in the Twin Cities and cross over HWY35 to work every day. The bridge collapsed, part of it covering a train, several children in school buses... cars just dropping beneath them. <br /><br />Simply unbelievable. For all my neighbors here in the Twin Cities... I hope you are well.<br /><br /><a href="http://wcco.com/">Local news station </a>Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-3689322290428228012007-08-01T09:20:00.001-05:002007-08-01T09:20:54.499-05:00Question for you writers of erotica and poets on word usage.Some people are deeply connected to anniversaries and spend a lot of time, money and energy on getting the perfect anniversary gift for our beloveds. My husband and I aren't the kind of people you'd describe as deeply connected to our anniversary though.... Nope, last year we both completely forgot our anniversary. It wasn't until a day or two after that we remembered! Anyway, this year I wanted to write an erotic poem for my husband. The only problem is.... I don't write in that genre. I've been reading up and I've found several articles on the difference of erotica and sexual fiction... and much of it seems to me to come down to word usage... glistening folds, heaving bosoms... versus other more... colorful or straight forward language. So, my question to you writers of the "mature"... when you write for men and in the form of poetry, what side of the word usage fence do you stand on? Do you go with words that I can't post here, or do you go with softer, more romantic imagery type of words? <br /><br />I'm sure my husband will read it, say, "yeah that's great".... but it's the thought that counts and I want to get it right :)Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-91666667668851073082007-07-31T14:43:00.000-05:002007-07-31T14:44:35.188-05:00To teenagers, young adults and all you little whiners, here you go from us 30ersIf you are 30 or older you will think this is hilarious!!!!<br /><br />When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious<br />diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning ... uphill BOTH ways.<br />yadda, yadda, yadda<br /><br />And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I<br />had it and how easy they've got it!<br /><br />But now that I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help but look<br />around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean,<br />compared to my childhood, you live in a Utopia! And I hate to say it<br />but you kids today don't know how good you've got it!<br /><br />I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have The Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!<br /><br />There was no email! ! We had to actually write somebody a letter ... with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox and it Would take like a week to get there!<br /><br />There were no MP3's or Napsters! You wanted to steal music, you had to<br />hitchhike to the record store and shoplift it yourself!<br /><br /><br />Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ'd<br />usually talk over the beginning and mess it all up!<br /><br />We didn't have fancy stuff like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it!<br /><br />And we didn't have fancy Caller ID Boxes either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!<br /><br />We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like "Space Invaders" and "asteroids" and the graphics sucked! Your guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died!<br />Just like LIFE!<br /><br />When you went to the movie theater there no such thing as stadium seating! All the seats were the same height! If a tall guy or some old broad with a hat sat in front of you and you couldn't see, you were just screwed!<br /><br />Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only like 15 channels and there was no on screen menu and no remote control! You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on!<br /><br />You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your butt and walk over to the TV to change the channel and there was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled brats!<br /><br />And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up . we had to use the stove or go build a fire ... imagine that! If we wanted<br />popcorn, we had to use that stupid Jiffy Pop thing and shake it over the stove forever like an idiot.<br /><br />That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy.<br />You're spoiled!!!<br /><br />You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980!<br /><br />Regards,<br />The over 30 CrowdRashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-41315378042637753702007-07-30T09:39:00.000-05:002007-07-30T09:42:28.012-05:00Blocking Property of Certain Persons.... WTH is this?<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/22/AR2007072201141_pf.html">Destabilizing Iraq, Broadly Defined</a><br /><br />"President Bush issued an executive order last week titled "Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq." In the extreme, it could be interpreted as targeting the financial assets of any American who directly or indirectly aids someone who has committed or "poses a significant risk of committing" violent acts "threatening the peace or stability of Iraq" or who undermines "efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform" in the war-torn country."<br /><br />Admittedly, I've been out of the news loop lately and definitely out of the blogosphere but... what the hell is this exactly and who thinks it's in anyway a good idea? What is the real motivation of this? That's what I want to know. <br /><br />My aunt sent me a link to <a href="http://stpeteforpeace.org/fascism.html">St. Pete for Peace</a> and I've been reading through it. So... what do you think?Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-49179636681755339002007-07-22T10:52:00.000-05:002007-07-22T11:36:40.470-05:00Book Review Harry Potter Deathly HallowsAt long last people around the world know what ultimately happened to the Boy Who Lived. Many children have grown up with Harry Potter in their lives. They have been stimulated. There is no doubt that Harry Potter has been responsible for a great increase in reading for pleasure among children. <br /><br />And here we are, the end has come. There is no way to properly do this book justice without discussing what occurred in the final installment. If you have not read book seven and do not wish to know what happens, do not continue reading. <br /><br />Book seven brings together many of the players of the previous stories. We see Lee, our favorite announcer, we see the members of the order, we see Hagrid's giant brother, and more. The reunion of characters is satisfying.<br /><br />We travel with Harry one more time to Privet Drive. There is a touching article about Dumbledore that opens the story arch that develops within book seven. Dumbledore's family and his history is a main plot line. At times I found it difficult to believe some of the behavior and actions described of Dumbledore, however, with the conclusion of the story I found myself accepting and comfortable. Many times I have wondered about the history of Albus Dumbledore. With book seven I find many answers to my questions. <br /><br />The Dursley's are moved to a safe place and members of the order appear before Harry with many of his friends. Their plan is to use polyjuice to "duplicate" Harry Potter and escape because they know the Death Eaters are preparing an attack. As soon as they fly to make their escape they are attacked. This attack kicks off the violence and darkness within the story. <br /><br />There is a war going on. It is dark and deadly. In this first encounter two of our beloved characters leave us: Mad Eye Moody and Hedwig the owl. Ron, Hermione and Harry eventually strike out on their own, traveling and hiding, seeking the last of the Horcruxes. In this search we discover the tale of the deathly hallows. Three magical items that when brought together will cheat death: A wand, a robe, and a stone. And as the Harry Potter story began with a stone, so it ends with a stone. <br /><br />Another major item that has always existed with us readers is, what is the story behind Snape. Is he good or is he evil? The less complicated answer is... he is both. J.K. Rowling has done Severus a great justice and even though how he died was a bit of a surprise to me, the result was... well, fantastic if I do say. Snape joined the Death Eaters and a part of him was one of them. If not for Lily Potter, Snape probably would have fully embraced the life of a dark one. However, as we learn, Snaped had one great love and it was his love of Lily that pulled him from Voldemort and brought him to Dumbledore. We readers now know what we need to know about Snape. <br /><br />There were two moments within the story that did make me pause while I battled tears. Dobby was one of my favorite characters and I always enjoyed seeing him. When he died and the subsequent burial, I admit to being quite upset. The second.... Fred. Who has not cheered for the Weasley's? Who has not said those Weasley twins are two of the best characters ever? Who did not stand up and do a little dance at the end of Order of the Phoenix when the twin's make their exciting exit? When Fred Weasley died I simply could not turn the page. I sat there, my finger frozen on the page, while I read and reread the paragraph. <br /><br />Fred is not the last to die and the final chapters of DH are an up and down of bravery, and sadness. The story focuses on death, how does one master death? Using Horcruxes or Hallows... Horcruxes or Hallows. Harry matures as he makes choices that many would be hard pressed to make. Ultimately, Harry makes a sacrifice, a sacrifice as powerful as his mother's. With that sacrifice Harry mastered death. <br /><br />The final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort is tense. The battle between Mrs. Weasley and Bella was well done and I could not help but feel the rush of excitement when her strike landed the killing blow. <br /><br />And in the end, Harry is victorious. Voldemort is finally gone from the wizarding world... The last chapter takes us into the future where we see Harry and his wife, Ginny, with their three children. Once more we see Ron and Hermione, together with their children. We know that Neville is a professor and we see a glimpse of Draco. And as the adults who were once children stand and watch their own children board the train to Hogwarts, we take a deep breath and smile. It has been a long and emotional journey and life continues. We will miss our old friends. We will think of them fondly. And then we will turn ourselves to the future. <br /><br />I know that I will be returning to the world of Harry Potter again, and so will my children. And with that, all I have left to say is, Thank You J.K. Rowling.Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-68350537028299091302007-07-18T11:28:00.001-05:002007-07-18T11:41:34.447-05:00My thoughts on HP Order of the Phoenix movie.I admit to being a Harry Potter fan. I recall when I first saw the first book and picked it up on a whim. I have been to each midnight book release and have read the stories many times. I've been pretty wishy-washy on the movies. I much prefer the detail from the books. So, I read the movie reviews of OthP with caution. I believe it is my favorite of the series and was unsure how the movie could really convey the important points in such a condensed fashion. <br /><br />Some reviews said it wasn't good. Some reviews said it was wonderful. Some said Dolores made the day... and others said Bella was the highlight. Others, still said that Harry's faithful friends drifted to the background. <br /><br />What do I think? I went in to that movie with five years of Harry Potty history floating around my mind. They selected a great actress for Dolores, she did a great job with the role she was given and I enjoyed her presence. Though, I do wish we had seen more of the mayhem caused by those Wonderful W Twins we all know and love! Bellatrix was fantastic. Carter did a great job and I really look forward to seeing more of her in the HBP. I didn't feel that the others were in the background. There was so much to the story of OthP and yes, most of it was transitional. <br /><br />In the end, I did enjoy the movie very much. I think they did a good job with it. My husband who has never read the books (shame on him) said this was his least favorite movie. <br /><br />So, have you reserved your copy of the grand finale?Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-62617155048497815302007-07-12T11:41:00.000-05:002007-07-12T11:45:01.338-05:00TT 13 things I realized while wearing blinders<a href="http://www.thursdaythirteen.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086351816362664594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-OBToC8y01J0QwGwpjKd6Ro_cVpdGitTcQLU3iwYSlzPbTDShIUNTl4wno9rlroz6VMVOc5fUQUWa4k_BW6BLBJG3ryFBZoai6dvgHk7OvGKur-oAZnQZFCquMDCb9ZPT0VM/s320/Thursday+Thirteen.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"></div><div>I took some time off from blogging and even when I did pop on for a quick post. It was brief and I did little surfing among my blogging buddies. I consider this period of time as the time I "put my blinders on". As my first TT after my hiatus, I thought it would be interesting to share 13 things I learned (or was reminded of) when I wore my blinders.<br /><br />1. If you remove the creative stimulation that you are used to and hope to call it on a whim... you will be lucky to find it hiding in the corner of your mind, shivering from disuse.<br /><br />2. If you think that removing some of your small obsessions will allow you to get more accomplished on bigger life matters, like finally cleaning the basement, or organizing the garage; you will just find yourself finding new small obsessions.<br /><br />3. Stepping away from things you enjoy (just for you) to give yourself more time for other things doesn't work. There is no more free time. Ever.<br /><br />4. No matter how quick you are, how smart, or how well you adapt; as you get older it is darn hard to learn new things about crap that doesn't interest you.<br /><br />5. Two words: Semiconductor Industry (see #4)<br /><br />6. I really like playing in photoshop (see #2) except that I feel like a dummy trying to figure it out.<br /><br />7. <a href="http://www.projectplaylist.com/">Project Playlist</a> is awesome.<br /><br />8. If you want to do someting. You need to do it. Stop thinking about it.<br /><br />9. My children are growing up faster than I can keep up with them. So I won't stress about it. (yeah right, delusion #1)<br /><br />10. Delusions and denial are sometimes needed to keep yourself from drowning.<br /><br />11. I really like Last Comic Standing.<br /><br />12. If I never hear another word about Britney Spears it will be too soon.<br /><br />13. You are never too old to try new things, and you've never been away too long from the things you love to return to them. </div><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/autolink.php?owner=rashenbo&postid=12Jul2007&meme=tt"></script>Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-36161300216667002792007-07-10T19:33:00.000-05:002007-07-10T19:45:18.531-05:00Gearing up for the Harry Potter movie rush! (another non-title post brought to you by our friends at blogger)<br /><br />I am going to go see HP and the order, regardless of what other critics say... but I thought I'd go ahead and see what preliminary reviews were out and about on the net. If you'd like to see them too, here you go:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.joblo.com/review-harry-potter-and-the-order-of-the-phoenix">A 7/10 Review</a><br /><a href="http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grpress/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-1/1184069710108800.xml&coll=6">Article about Staunton as Umbridge</a><br /><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harry_potter_and_the_order_of_the_phoenix/">A must visit for reviews is the Rotten Tomatoes</a><br /><a href="http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/7/10/more-order-of-the-phoenix-film-reviews">Leaky Cauldron has a good list as well!</a>Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-59686846222513919802007-07-09T19:14:00.000-05:002007-07-09T19:17:00.343-05:00Grrr, for the last three posts I have not been able to enter a title... why on earth is that happening?<br /><br />Anyway, it's been some time since I've been on the train, but I thought I'd go ahead and climb aboard for this week. The <a href="http://creativegoddesses.blogspot.com/">Poetry Train</a> presents:<br /><br />Unseen threads slide upon our palms<br />Gossimer strands shimmer<br />Soft tugs pull at our fingers from time to time,<br />an unexplained tingle<br /><br />The threads glide across our bodies<br />Incorporeal wisps linger upon the strands<br />No beginning or end, only a steady flow<br />toward the hand that weaves the tapestry of fate<br /><br /><br /><script src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/autolink.php?owner=rashenbo&postid=09Jul2007&meme=manic" type="text/javascript"></script>Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-79186515743452974032007-07-07T19:06:00.000-05:002007-07-07T19:11:09.439-05:00Ok, we took the family out to the movies and I have to say that Transformers is totally awesome! Oh man, they did an awesome job on everything. The acting was good, the graphics were sweet, and the story.... just loved it. It made me remember all those days my brother and I watched Transformers.<br /><br />I did pick up Judas Strain. I also picked up the new one by Christine Feehan, Safe Harbor. I also picked up a new hardback by an author I wasn't familiar with. The review on the front described it as "funny, dark, and sexy. One of my favorite books." Then the inside cover gave an interesting blurb... calling it exotic, etc. It wasn't until I got it in the car and looked at the UPC sticker on the back that I saw this book was coded as young adult. Hmmmmmm. The way they've described it doesn't strike me as YA. I'm going to have to read it and see what I think. Here's the cover of it if you are interested, it's City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416914285?ie=UTF8&tag=realmofrashen-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1416914285"><img src="http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n18/rashenbo/cityofbones.jpg" border="0" /></a><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" height="1" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=realmofrashen-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1416914285" width="1" border="0" /></center>Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36329712.post-16122329801073194652007-07-07T10:49:00.000-05:002007-07-07T10:55:54.506-05:00Happy Saturday guys and gals!<br /><br />A new book is out that I just need to run out and get. I think I'll be going today!<br /><center><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060763892?ie=UTF8&tag=realmofrashen-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0060763892"><img src="http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n18/rashenbo/JudasStrain.jpg" border="0" /></a><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" height="1" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=realmofrashen-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0060763892" width="1" border="0" /></center>Rashenbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03495120136277921981noreply@blogger.com3