In transition

US economic growth Roars Ahead

The US economy roared ahead by 5.3% in the first quarter of 2006, its fastest growth rate in two-and-a-half years, revised official data has shown

My husband works in the steel industry. I tend to pay attention to their numbers when I’m listening to financial news. I hear the proclamations of doom and gloom, but I see “Help Wanted” signs in windows around town. I hear of the mill running at full capacity. I am aware that things can change quickly, but I have a hard time swallowing the story that the economy is about to tank. I think certain sectors have got to adapt and quickly or they may suffer in the long term, but what do I know?

I know I should have left you alone, but you were so cute with the box of tampons in your hand. You were avoiding eye contact and shifting from foot to foot. It probably didn’t help that the only cashier available was a cute highschooler. So, I apologize for making the situation worse.

We finally rolled into Moncks Corner about five this evening. I am exhausted and I am ready for some time away from the kidlets. Aside from that, is there ever a better feeling than walking into your own home after being away for a few days? My friends cannot be beat for their hospitality, but there are some things that just can’t be provided. Apparently we are extremely spoiled by our good tasting tap water, funny how that matters so much.

Ivy, thanks for putting up with the boys and I. I am looking forward to your visit in July.

It was so nice to meet the Nashville Bloggers. Even though I had seen some pictures, it is always an experience meeting the whole person. I am still waiting for Big Orange Michael to post the podcast to This is Smyrna so I can really get snarky about the gubernatorial candidate. (ha, I got to use the word gubernatorial). I’d like to announce my son’s blogging debut. It seems he took full advantage of my being distracted to show off.

Finally, I’d like to apologize about the hotdogs. I warned you people. I was supposed to be manning minding the grill when the baby went bonkers. I fed him and forgot all about those hot dogs. I put them in a dish and set them aside so Ivy could save them for dog treats, they were not fit for human consumption. Yet, someone ate them anyhow.

Carye, thank you for opening up your home. It is always such a treat to visit you.

Tennessee and North Carolina areabsolutely gorgeous right now. With all the rain they’ve had all the little waterfalls along the I-40 and I-26 were flowing and the flowers were in full bloom. Oh and finally this is for the psuedo hippy riding my tail in the construction zone past Spartanburg, and enjoy the scenery, at least I was saving gas. The posted speed limit was 45 and apparently wasn’t fast enough for her bumperstickered Element, sorry lady, but your impatience isn’t worth my getting a ticket.

I was attempting to hold a conversation yesterday, but at the next table a verbal train wreck occured. I really tried to hold up my end of the conversation, but it ground to a halt and we both gave up all pretenses and listened in unabashedly.

It almost felt dirty, but I think it will be available on podcast, so technically they intended to have an audience, right? I will share a link as soon as it is.

Today, I’m taking the boys to the beach, it’s all a part of my plan. They love the beach, but it wears them out. I’ll be keeping them up a little late, too. You see, this sick puppy, is driving unassisted to Nashville. Tomorrow, we’ll be leaving at o’dark thirty (4:30ish). The husband has strict orders to work on his car and I am tempted to take the router(?) so he can’t waste time playing World of Warcrap. (I used to like it… really.)

I’m not a socialite, but after the local blogger meet-up this week and the Nashville blogger meet and BBQ to follow, I’ll feel like one.

Yes, the camera, charger, and extra memory card are packed.

Husband has all the parts for the mustang on order and is 99% sure he can get the car all but tuned this weekend. That will be acceptable.

The other day he casually mentioned something about converting my Jeep to diesel so it could run biodiesel. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Bad Bad Ivy, ready or not, here I come.

I had a wonderful time. It was so nice to get out of the house and enjoy some company. I’d like to apologize to anyone whose ear I talked off; let me blame it on being over excited.

Dan, at one point you asked me if I always wanted to be a writer. I answered no, but I wasn’t satisfied. Consequently, I thought about it on the drive home. I think that question is the equivalent of asking if I always wanted to be a redhead. It’s just something I’ve always been, not something I’ve pursued. Only now*, writing is becoming more of a creative outlet.

I’d like to thank everyone who put the evening together. I enjoyed myself immensly.

*I discount those angsty teen years as being typical.

I was doing the blog round-up on Friday and I ran across an entry by Shadow of Diogenes* where he wondered

What is the one curse word, swear word or bad word that you find yourself using over and over ? Perhaps you have attempted to remove it from your vocabulary, but you haven’t been successful as of yet.

I answered with the swear word that had given me the most trouble over the years. However, I began to think, “Was that really the hardest?” No, not really. I’m almost ashamed to say the word that has given me the most trouble. OK, it’s “dude.”

I told you it was bad. I had only said it jokingly until I met Mike**. He was another server where I worked and the word had firmly entrenched itself in his vocabulary. I thought at first it was a joke, no educated person could possibly say dude so often without being aware. And then, dude, it happened. The more I talked with Mike, the more the word snuck out of my mouth.
“Hey, did you see that dude at table 104?”
“No, which dude?”
“The old dude with the moustache.”
It starts off innocent enough, where it actually refers to a person. Then, one day dude, you just start randomly inserting dude into your sentences.

I have a bad feeling, that I just reinserted the word back into daily use.

I have a problem; I pick up the language of those I associate with.
Crap.

*What is the pronunciation of Diogenes? I’ve got about three possibilities rattling around in my head and they won’t go away until I figure it out.

**Not our Notoriously Nice Mike, this was a not-so-nice-Mike, but he was an amusing co-worker.

A good friend of mine has a new radio show on The Jock 950AM.

House Divided hosted by Mike Mizell and Brandon Lowman. It runs for 6:00pm – 7:00pm and is a call-in show. The show is for both Clemson and Carolina fans. It seems to run the gamut from discussing strategy and players to reminiscing about past victories and defeats.

The number for the greater Charleston Area is 866-483-JOCK and the Moncks Corner number is 761-JOCK.

Enjoy.

First baby in Britain designed cancer-free

I understand the motive, but I am speechless as to the consequences.

So, Kat Coble brings up

There’s a new PAY channel debuting. Baby TV. Round the clock videos for infants and toddlers.
A 2003 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 68 percent of children under 2 watch TV or videos daily and 26 percent have a TV in their bedroom.

For a short time before my second pregnancy I had a small cooking and cleaning business. I saw many homes packed to the gills with televisions. One house stood out in my mind, as they had a very small child. I counted six TVs throughout the house, including the child’s room and the play room.

I hate this on so many levels. I firmly believe that children who are spoonfed entertainment will grow up lacking in some manner. When children passively ingest a flow of information there isn’t a chance for them to discover or pursue interests of their own. Television trains your body and mind to experience life in a passive state. Am I saying my overuse of the Internet is any better? No.

I believe shows may be educational, but reading to a child is far more beneficial. I don’t like that they watch TV in the nursery at the Y. Thankfully, they don’t use it every morning and most days I finish exercising to see my son coloring or involved in play. When I see him staring open-mouthed at Sesame Street it bothers me.

I have a feeling early television exposure probably helps mold individuals into quiet, passive citizens. “What Tax Hike? Can I still afford cable? Good, I’m Tivoing American Idol.”

I wish I were more eloquent. I’d elaborate on how I hate that televison shows raise expectations of what life should be. How beautiful women in their late twenties portray high schoolers and kill the esteem of awkward girls in their teens. I think so many young people fail to understand that TV is fiction. A person doesn’t graduate college and have everything their parents did and more. I have a feeling television adds fuel to the consumerism fire that is sweeping the nation.

We’ve opted out of the game. It has done wonders for my own case of “the gimmies.”