A Brides REVENGE on her Bridesmaids?

WARNING: This dress will self destruct in T-minus 30 seconds!

NOTE: Don't "Lady-Hate" and NEVER make your "friends" wear this color! This is a crime against women; wait it's so ugly, it's a crime against weddings! It should be out lawed! Why is that fabric color even made? How do you order this color anyway?

Yes, I am thinking of a Sushi theme and the dresses are going to be "wasabi"

google images "wasabi"

The "Hot Seat" - risky business donations

Today someone bought and donated park benches to our department, to be used as “memorial benches”. Benches people buy in memory of someone. We have a memorial tree and bench program. They are placed in one of our parks and a small plaque commemorates the person(s). But our risk management does not allow us to accept them without proper authorization. Because they are placed in our parks, they have to meet strict structural standards. Such as meeting a certain weight tolerance, being made of only certain materials, they must be able to connect to the foundation in a certain way, and they must be fire resistant and retardant – Thus, brings me to the conversation I overheard in my cubical, quote “well, we don't know what they are made of, we do not know if they are just going to catch on fire”. I guess that gives NEW meaning to “being in the hot seat”.


When I heard that, I have not laughed that hard in a long time, and it was hard to get serious again. It's a shame that wasn't caught on tape!

I HATE getting political, but...

AZ PROP 100-

YES or NO?
YES says - YES we NEED money for our schools, our schools are in crisis and the outlook is grim if we don't pass this tax, we'll have nothing. We can't do anything with any less.

NO says - NO, NO new taxes! Stop taxing the poor to give to the rich. There has never been a "temporary tax" in AZ, despite them starting out that way - they become long term and still the government finds a way to spend that money too!
What do I say? I agree that our state is in crisis, and I agree we need more money to go to parks, recreation, school age programs, schools, education, ect. Heck, I work in government, so this is the sort of thing I should support. But, I am also a tax payer. The problem is the people who write these taxes and proposals. They will find a way to write in, or they are forced to write in these "loop holes" for unrepresented circumstances. That allow politicians to take from the that "ear marked" money, and you guessed it, put it in the general fund. Or put it wherever the self propelling politician decides he needs it! NO MORE TAXES!!! Enough is enough! Balance what you have and stop overspending, and STOP pulling funds from important programs. I want to say NO on prop 100 - becuase I want them to start spending a different way and be held responsible! BUT, I also know a few teachers who will could be laid off and even more programs cut if it doesn't pass... so I will voting YES... this time.

 
http://yeson100.com/blog/post/they-get-it--they-really-get-it?action=comment

A Soda Tax?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dean-florez/a-day-of-judgment-for-big_b_482324.html

Well as a Parks and Recreational professional myself, and an active adult person, I have both participated and planned programs that promote health, exercise, outdoor activity and fight obesity. I too, plan or try to plan programs that could potentially fight childhood obesity - however that funding is going away. After school "open gyms" are rare, if not obsolete in some community in AZ, and those help with youth crime rates too. After school programs, pools, parks, facilities for recreation are ALL cutting programs, staff, hours and/or worse closing! So, yes, if a soda tax supported parks and recreation, I could support a small tax. HOWEVER, don't be fooled, I work in government, I see where taxes go and where they don't go! I fear politicians will see this tax as another pay day - they will be so crafty as to write in their own self sustaining loop holes that allow them to pull the funding from parks and recreation whenever they feel like it. Much like they have with State Parks Funding, Heritage Funds, Arts and Cultural Funds, etc. So I proceed with caution!! They may use this "front" of helping childhood obesity and long term health care programs to successfully doop the public into funding their financial problems...again.

Groovy Baby

I love technology. I made this at ImageChef.com, a web page that lets you design and customize your own photos, collages or photo templates! Some designs are kinda cheesy, but some are great for fun photos like this.

Baby Bliss - December 2009

December 2009 and January 2010 – 10 and 11 months old


Well, it hasn’t been long but sooooo much has happened in two months. She started eating “real people” food just before the holidays –– but mostly just the veggie, breads and fruits. But as she progressed, she has begun to want to feed herself more and more. So she started enjoying chunks of stuff – carrots, potatoes and bananas being her favorite – right size, taste and texture I guess. She even had turkey for Thanksgiving and ham for Christmas. Now, we enjoy a “baby” dinner and then she joins us for mashed up/bite size versions of our dinners during our dinner time.

She is making more and more noise – echoing “ut-oh” and “no, no, no”, “da da” and “ma ma”. And she hums along to ABC’s and similar songs like BINGO and Ol’ McDonald. Thanks to the many wonderful gifts she got at Christmas, she has many interactive-talking-learning toys – that sing songs, count and make animals sounds. One in particular is a magnet that is on our kitchen fridge and makes farm animal sounds, plus plays 6 farm songs and she will have a little “hoe down” in the kitchen – just dancing away!

She is getting better at recognizing things by their names – the dogs, a car, a tree, a lamp, buttons, a ball, etc. But has not yet attempted “speaking” those words.

She started walking on Jan. 12 – right at 11 months, she must have decided – this is it!! And, so now she uses her “walking” toys to run with. Luckily, she is a very good baby and comes when she called, follows us around and has learned sign for “stop” and verbally listens to “no”, for the majority of the time.

One of her characteristics, which I personally enjoy, is her “putting away” or collecting mode. Blocks, bath toys and her jumbo legos are typically subject to being “stuffed” back in their “homes” by her, when she decides she is done. It’s very cute!

On of the other things that is so sweet, is she is “in love” with our photos in the hall way. When walking past she will practically turn out of your arms, pointing at the pictures and wanting to touch them. And, when we do look at them, she lights up and touches almost everyone and sometimes kisses them.

Her first birthday is coming up, I can’t believe it but I can’t wait!~

Baby Bliss - November 2009

November 12, 2009 – 10 months old


Is it possible she got faster? Yes, in the blink of an eye she’s moved across the room, or left the room! She is so enamored by her ability to be mobile, it’s sometimes all she does all day, just crawl from one room to another, occasionally stopping to pull herself up on something, and then carry on. She is getting so strong and so confident she is letting go more often and taking more risks. Such as reaching for things future away and standing without holding on for longer periods of time.

She recognizes more and more words every day, like button, lamp, puppy, nose, toes and ears. We practice pointing and looking for things.

She now has 8 teeth; four bottoms and four tops. She can squat and kneel, and is still crawling and “walking” along like a champion. She also enjoys “jumping”, although most of the time it’s on our bed, she dose try to do it while holding onto chairs. Our bed is one of her favorite places now that she has learned to “tumble”, she will sit up and then put her arms up and fall back. Or she will fall to the side and roll over and over again. She is our little monkey jumping on the bed.

The other times she “jumps” is to music. I have a feeling she is going to be a great dancers!

I can’t wait to celebrate the holidays with her!

Love the Worrell’s XOXO

Where's my EJECT button?

Seriously! When I am on the phone with a heated a customer (rarely), or responding to a aggressive e-mail (often, I think people are meaner in e-mails than they would be in person), or "putting out fires" (occasionally), or getting aggervated with a particular program (who here likes budgets?) - I envision the gauge on my cubical cockpit entering the RED danger zone, the dial aggressively shaking over the "EJECT you idiot before it's too late!". And then... I press it. Swooooooosh. Up. Out. Certain death, averted.

Where's my EJECT button?

Calling all nature photographers! Submit your photos now http://bit.ly/4IgFT8 photography

MICHAEL BUBLE tix anyone? I am looking for 2 - 4 tix lower level AZ, Apr 8: Huge fan, please let me know!!

I HATE MUNIS!