Lux Permanet

Ewwww

When I saw David Hasselhoff's latest video, for some reason I thought of a bride's drunk uncle embarrassing her at her wedding reception.

On the upside for David, his video was nominated for an award.

Ambassador Hasselhoff

So you might have heard that David Hasselhoff's divorce from Catherine Bach was finalized yesterday.   Congratulations or condolences, whichever feels more appropriate, David.

Apparently getting a divorce makes one introspective.  In an interview, David indicated that he is rethinking his life.  America's Got Talent may now be a little too cheesy for Mr. Hasselhoff.

"I don't know," Hasselhoff says in Newsweek's July 31 issue. "This is not my cup of tea. I signed on for one season, and Simon Cowell conned me into it: "Here's a lot of money," and it's like The Gong Show."

Let's hope David will also rethink his singing career and calendars if he's cutting out dairy products.

But more importantly, David is writing his memoirs.  It seems that he has a deeper side that I, for one, knew nothing about.

"It's about growing up since I was 7 and realizing a dream," Hasselhoff said. "But when I was out trying to save the world, I forgot to save myself."

Out saving the world?  Let's send that man to the Middle East!  Ms. Rice could sure use a little help these days.

Irritated... definitely irritated...

This is just too funny not to share, via Scalzi via WWdN:

In the circles I run in, Journey is looked on with something less than regard, which means that the band's cultural persistence irritates and terrifies most people I know. I remember ten years ago, when the Escape-era line-up reteamed for the Trial By Fire, Ted Rall declared that the reunion album would debut to massive indifference, so I bet him a fiver that the album would enter the charts in top five. In fact, it debuted at #3, and Ted still owes me $5. Look, people like Journey. It's like the multivitamin of rock: It's got the rockers for the boys, the ballads for the girls, Neal Schon's technically impressive fret work, Steve Perry's swoopingly expressive voice, Jonathan Cain's major-chord bell ringing keyboards, Steve Smith's thundering drums, and whatever the hell it was Ross Valory brought to the party (mostly, a droopy 'stache). Maybe it's not in the best taste, but name a multivitamin that tastes good. No, Flintstones don't count. So chalky.

The other thing, which is what I told Ted at the time, is that for the vast majority of Suburban Americans between the age of 14 and 24 in the early 80s, when it was time to make out and you put Escape on the turntable, you were automatically spotted two bases. Honestly, if you didn't have a hand under a bra or massaging a button fly by the end of "Who's Crying Now," Steve Perry would stop what he was doing, fly to your house and then beat the crap out of you for blowing a sure thing.

I still don't get the appeal of Journey, but there you go.

 

Anderson Cooper

is a total hottie.  I mean, if I were young(er), single, gorgeous and slightly  mentally unstable, I'd totally obsess over him.

Just thought I'd start off this post on a light note.  As it is, I just appreciate his reporting on Anderson Cooper 360.   His reporting - as objective as journalism can get - on the war between Hezebollah and Israel has me riveted to the television tonight.

Sam, Jamie and I were discussing this situation yesterday, and I was discussing it some more with my pastor this morning.   Between Iraq, Afghanistan and now this, I feel like knocking some heads around.  The problem is, whose? 

We're wrong for being in Iraq.   Saddam Hussein was an abomination who needed to be stopped.  Al Quaida needs to be stopped.  We're not accomplishing anything in Afghanistan.  Israel is wrong.  Hezebollah is wrong.  Syria and Iran are in the wrong. 

It makes you want to throw up your hands, and say "Let God sort them out."  But you can't really do that, can you, when children are caught in the crossfire.  As Reverand Wood said today, can you really sit by when children are being bombed? 

God help us all.

Happy Dance

We're doing the happy dance here.  Sophia and I just got back from her latest checkup with the rheumatologist.   She's doing so well right now that he suggested we could reduce the dosage on her twice-daily naproxen.  Yay!

Ever better, because her arthritis seems to be relatively limited, he thinks she has a 75-85% chance of outgrowing it by the age or 13 or 14.   

We're hoping and praying.

No matter what I think of his politics, I will admit that President Bush has a great sense of humor.  Love this photo.

Photo by Jim Bourg/Reuters.

One turtle, two turtles, yellow turtle, black turtle

With apologies to Dr. Seuss, I seem to be seeing turtles everywhere this week.  Since the rains have kicked in, it's mating season for turtles here.  I've rescued three in the last three days from certain death on our roadways.

On Wednesday, there was this guy crossing the road:

Florida box turtle

On Friday, Sophia and I rescued one of these:

River cooter turtle

This morning, on our way to a rainbarrel workshop, Jamie and I rescued one of these:

Loggerhead musk turtle

Which reminded us of several months back when we rescued a monster one of these (very cautiously):

Florida snapping turtle

In case you ever come across a turtle in the road, be kind enough to help them across.  I've seen so many smushed turtles lately that it saddens me.  Some advice:  always put the turtle on the side he's crossing to, not coming from.  Turtles have a terrific sense of direction, and they will simply head off again into the roadway if you don't help them across in their direction of intended travel.   And if the turtle has a hooked beak nose and a ridged back, be very careful.  That is a species of snapping turtle, and the larger ones can easily help you lose a digit.  No kidding.

P.S.  These pictures are courtesy of the Empire of the Turtle website.  I couldn't take such great pictures if I tried (and remembered to carry a camera). 

Typepad hiccups

I've been unable to post lately because Typepad apparently ate a lot of posts.  Not like I had any profound thoughts, or anything; it's mostly been a whirlwind of housework and paperwork.  Didn't ya miss those posts?

The kids just came back from a week with Jamie's parents in Illinois.  They like to go visit both grandparents, but they especially like to visit their only three first cousins in the whole wide world.  It's nice when you actually like your extended family, isn't it?

Jamie and I used the time to finish some house-related things.  Jamie hung fans in our bedroom and Sophia's bedroom.   He also hung a metal decorative thingy in one of the art niches facing the kitchen.  I hadn't had a clue what to put there, and I had resisted those metal decorations because they just seemed too popular.  I figured that the minute I put one up, they would immediately become passe, like maple cabinets with hunter green countertops.  (My apologies if any readers have those.)   It probably is, but I liked this particular one anyway. 

Our drapes finally arrived.  They really set off the dining room.  I had never had custom drapes done, but now I'm glad we spent the money. 

Next week we get concrete landscape curbing installed, and we'll be changing out the mulch for river rock in the beds.   New sod after that should bring our front lawn back to respectable status, and keep the HOA off our backs!

I've been busily filling out loads and loads of paperwork for the new teaching job, and Sophia's enrollment.  We've also been making those quick-before-school-starts doctor and dentist appointments.    Took Joey, the Great Dane, to get his teeth cleaned and he refused to speak to me for a whole day afterwards.

Oh, and I've rescued three turtles from certain death on the roadways.  Yup, that's it.

Barak Obama

I'm looking forward to the day when Barak Obama runs for a national office.  Every time I hear him speak, or read his words, I am deeply impressed.

AAHHHHHHHHHH!

Sorry about that.  Just needed a little primal scream therapy.

A little background to my problem:  way back in September, I sent in my online application for my Florida teaching certificate.  No problem, I thought, since Florida has a reciprocity agreement with Virginia, where I held a valid teaching certificate.

Months go by and I hear nothing from the state, until all of a sudden they decide they can't process it because they don't have my transcripts.  They did, of course, but whatever... I contacted the two institutions where I have studied and asked for another set of official transcripts to be sent.

More time passes.  Seasons change.

Then I get another letter from FLDOE saying they still can't process my application because they don't have my transcripts.  Now I'm getting a little steamed.    It takes me three days to get through on the phone because every time I dial the number, listen to the mandatory three different menus and finally get to press 0 to speak to a "certification specialist" I get a message essentially telling me that they're way too busy to answer the phone and I should try again later. 

What follows is a transcript of my conversation when I finally got through:

CS: "Florida Dept of Education, Bureau of Certification.  May I help you?"

Me:  "I'm calling about my application for certification.   [Give name and application number] I received a letter saying that your office hasn't received my transcripts.  I requested a second set be sent to you months ago, and I received my copies promptly.  Can you verify if you haven't received them, or if you have received them but haven't processed them?"

CS:  "Oh, we have them."

Me:  "... You do?  Then why did the letter say you don't?"

CS:  "That's just a computer-generated letter to get you to call us."

Me (not mentioning the three DAYS it took to get through): "Wouldn't a computer-generated letter asking me to call your office be more effective?"

CS:  ....

Me:  "So if you have my transcripts, what seems to be the problem?"

CS:  "Your transcripts do not show that you have a degree."

Me:  "Excuse me?"

CS:  "There's no degree or date of graduation on your transcripts."

Me:  "I'm sorry, but it does show my degree.  I have my copies right here, and if you'll look at the one from Tennessee Tech, you'll see on page 3 that I did receive my B.S. in _________ on _____________." 

CS:  "Well, they didn't put that on our copy." 

Me:  "I'm sure they did.  I earned that degree 18 years ago, and it's been on every transcript I've requested since."

CS:  "Then you can just send us your copy."

Me:  "But the application clearly states that it must be an official copy sent directly from the university."

CS:  "Oh, don't pay attention to that.  Just send them."

WTF????? So I copied my copy, circled the degree in a big bold stroke and highlighted it.  Then I went straight down to the post office and overnighted it.   Then I called the TTU Records office, just to be sure.  When I explained to the clerk what the FLDOE claimed, she said,  "That's stupid."   I know!  I gave it another day, then called again:

Different CS:  "Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Certification.  May I help you?"

Me:  [Recounts why I am calling and synopsis of previous call]  "So, I'm calling to see if you've received my transcripts."

CS:  "I see your degree right here."

Me:  "You do?  On the original copy?"

CS:  "Yes, it says you received a B.S. in _________ on ___________."

Me:  "Then why didn't anyone else see it before?"

CS:  "Basically, because I went looking for it.  It's on page 3, and most universities put that on page 1." 

Me:  "Are you telling me that I've waited MONTHS because someone..."

CS (hurriedly):  "I'm emailing them [the administrators who make the decision, I guess?] right now to tell them that you have the degree."

Me (trying really, really hard to remain calm and polite):  "Okay, so from this point, how long until I receive my certificate?"

CS:  "Twenty-five to thirty business days."

Me:  "WHAT????"

CS:  "That's how long the process takes."

At this point, I felt veins bulging so I decided to end the call.    The people who are deciding whether I'm qualified to teach CAN"T READ A TRANSCRIPT?   

I called the Diocese and was assured that the delay is no problem.   I think I'm going to lie down now.