April 15, 2009
April 12, 2009
April 10, 2009
April 9, 2009
Turbulent Sea
Darkness lives inside me
A secret that I hide
The light that comes from all the rest
Is lost upon the tide
A touch of lightning – magic
Has left me marked and cold
I want…I need…I crave for me
A love that sells my soul
Like a turbulent sea
Pulling at me
I’m drowning in passion and fear
With all that I am – or ever will be
I must fight for what I hold dear
And I fight
For what is right
But shadows follow…
Me into the night
I sing and I cry and I scream at the night
To change an unchangeable fate
The wave crashes
In my heart
Darkness follows
Light departs
Like a turbulent sea
Pulling at me
I’m drowning
-Sheila Clover English
A secret that I hide
The light that comes from all the rest
Is lost upon the tide
A touch of lightning – magic
Has left me marked and cold
I want…I need…I crave for me
A love that sells my soul
Like a turbulent sea
Pulling at me
I’m drowning in passion and fear
With all that I am – or ever will be
I must fight for what I hold dear
And I fight
For what is right
But shadows follow…
Me into the night
I sing and I cry and I scream at the night
To change an unchangeable fate
The wave crashes
In my heart
Darkness follows
Light departs
Like a turbulent sea
Pulling at me
I’m drowning
-Sheila Clover English
April 1, 2009
Happy April Fool's Day!
Best prank ever! My girl officemates and I pranked the dude in our office today. We stole his badge and ransomed it back to him for food. It would have been fantastic but he was already pranked out because it was our third one for the morning. See the pictures below and you'll understand it a bit better. :)
March 22, 2009
Undo send
Thank you Gmail! It's obvious why Microsoft Outlook has the recall message function. In the business sector sometimes emails go out that are no longer pertinent, sent by mistake or whatever the millions of reasons are for wanting to retrieve that mistake of a message. The problem is that the mistake also happens in the private sector too. As in, yeah I send angry messages to my ex-boyfriend because I want to rant but I don't really want him to read it. Unfortunately I can't take it back once I've sent it and then it requires another email explaining why I sent it and that it should be disregarded. Why oh why can't I just recall the message?!?! Thank you for listening Google!!!!!!
Google's Undo Send, I can tell we're going to become very close and intimate friends. I'll use you often but know that I have only your best interests at heart and we'll be together forever as long as you're around. :)
Google's Undo Send, I can tell we're going to become very close and intimate friends. I'll use you often but know that I have only your best interests at heart and we'll be together forever as long as you're around. :)
Once again I've changed my mind about what I want to do with my life.
At first I was doing biology and going for medicine because my parents wanted that. Then I changed my mind to and decided to do law. Inever felt passionate or excited about that and decided to put it off for the time being. Maybe in a couple of years I'll think about it again. Then I decided to pursue a MA in History and Museum Studies and it's something I was quite happy about but I always had my reservations. Where would I get a job, how much would it pay, would I be secure, were all questions that plagued my mind.
This weekend I spoke with a friend of mine who told me that a MA is Public Health or a MPH might be a great path for me to take. I want to help the health care system but I know that I would not be able to cut bodies up, inject people, touch dead bodies, etc and therefore medical school is not the place for me.
It's not only the health care system but it's the way people are educated about diseases and the way to protect themselves and the millions of little things that plague our society and our world and the little ways one person can make a difference. I know that if I can help one person that'll make all the difference in the world. Hopefully I'll be able to accomplish this.
At first I was doing biology and going for medicine because my parents wanted that. Then I changed my mind to and decided to do law. Inever felt passionate or excited about that and decided to put it off for the time being. Maybe in a couple of years I'll think about it again. Then I decided to pursue a MA in History and Museum Studies and it's something I was quite happy about but I always had my reservations. Where would I get a job, how much would it pay, would I be secure, were all questions that plagued my mind.
This weekend I spoke with a friend of mine who told me that a MA is Public Health or a MPH might be a great path for me to take. I want to help the health care system but I know that I would not be able to cut bodies up, inject people, touch dead bodies, etc and therefore medical school is not the place for me.
It's not only the health care system but it's the way people are educated about diseases and the way to protect themselves and the millions of little things that plague our society and our world and the little ways one person can make a difference. I know that if I can help one person that'll make all the difference in the world. Hopefully I'll be able to accomplish this.
March 10, 2009
Myself
I have to live with myself, and so
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able, as days go by,
Always to look myself straight in the eye.
I don't want to stand, with the setting sun,
and hate myself for the things I've done.
I want to go out with my head erect;
I want to deserve all men's respect.
For here in the struggle for fame and self
I want to be able to like myself.
I don't want to look at myself and know
I'm bluster, a bluff and an empty show.
I never can hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see.
I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself, and so,
Whatever happens, I want to be
Self-respecting and conscience free.
-"Author Unknown"
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able, as days go by,
Always to look myself straight in the eye.
I don't want to stand, with the setting sun,
and hate myself for the things I've done.
I want to go out with my head erect;
I want to deserve all men's respect.
For here in the struggle for fame and self
I want to be able to like myself.
I don't want to look at myself and know
I'm bluster, a bluff and an empty show.
I never can hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see.
I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself, and so,
Whatever happens, I want to be
Self-respecting and conscience free.
-"Author Unknown"
March 9, 2009
Lunch aka Operation Stalk Angie
Ang and Liev Schreiber are filming a new movie called Salt and I walked by all the action today. This is a little blow by blow:
1) My friend Megan and I walked out to "lunch" which was just codename for Operation Stalk Angie.
2) We turned left and walked down to 18th St (which is how I came to work this morning) and were told by a crew member that there was shooting going on at that moment on that street and that we couldn’t walk down that way at the moment. I was bummed because I really wanted Sbarros today but I couldn’t get to it.
3) We turned and walked back down D St and decided to cut through the Red Cross building because they’re filming on the other side. I took two pictures (for you) with my camera but couldn’t do much because 1) my camera is so jacked up right now and 2) there wasn’t much to take pictures of. I took them of the people milling around and of the cameras but that’s it.
4) We watched some of what was going on around us on E St between 17th and 18th but we couldn’t really see anything.
5) We left to go to lunch at Cosi’s and sat there for a while.
6) When we came back there was still a lot of filming going on but they were meaner and stricter than before. We couldn’t even stand on street to watch what was going on. It’s not like a car would have hit us because the streets are all blocked off!
7) I’ll try to leave early just in case they block off all the streets and I can’t get to where I’m going.
8) Ang will be back in June to film more at Memorial Continental Hall. I’ll be EVEN closer to her because that is right downstairs!
9) She is supposedly filming in the wind tunnel at Constitution Hall today but there is no possible way to get over there without me potentially losing my job. I love her but she’s not worth it.
xoxo,
Nadine
1) My friend Megan and I walked out to "lunch" which was just codename for Operation Stalk Angie.
2) We turned left and walked down to 18th St (which is how I came to work this morning) and were told by a crew member that there was shooting going on at that moment on that street and that we couldn’t walk down that way at the moment. I was bummed because I really wanted Sbarros today but I couldn’t get to it.
3) We turned and walked back down D St and decided to cut through the Red Cross building because they’re filming on the other side. I took two pictures (for you) with my camera but couldn’t do much because 1) my camera is so jacked up right now and 2) there wasn’t much to take pictures of. I took them of the people milling around and of the cameras but that’s it.
4) We watched some of what was going on around us on E St between 17th and 18th but we couldn’t really see anything.
5) We left to go to lunch at Cosi’s and sat there for a while.
6) When we came back there was still a lot of filming going on but they were meaner and stricter than before. We couldn’t even stand on street to watch what was going on. It’s not like a car would have hit us because the streets are all blocked off!
7) I’ll try to leave early just in case they block off all the streets and I can’t get to where I’m going.
8) Ang will be back in June to film more at Memorial Continental Hall. I’ll be EVEN closer to her because that is right downstairs!
9) She is supposedly filming in the wind tunnel at Constitution Hall today but there is no possible way to get over there without me potentially losing my job. I love her but she’s not worth it.
xoxo,
Nadine
March 4, 2009
10 Charities Overpaying their For-Profit Fundraisers
These 10 charities are not living up to their missions. Each spends more than 50% of its budget paying for-profit fundraising professionals to solicit your hard-earned money. They are ranked by the percentage of their total functional expenses spent on professional fundraising fees. As a result, very little of the charity's spending is directed towards its programs and services.
| Rank | Charity | Program Expenses | Professional Fundraising Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disabled Veterans Associations | 2.3% | 96.4% |
| 2 | The Committee for Missing Children | 10.2% | 88.1% |
| 3 | Children's Charitable Foundation | 10.3% | 87.8% |
| 4 | Disabled Police Officers of America | 11.4% | 85.9% |
| 5 | American Veterans Relief Foundation | 7.1% | 83.6% |
| 6 | Children's Charity Fund, Inc. | 5.4% | 82.9% |
| 7 | Firefighters Charitable Foundation | 11.0% | 82.8% |
| 8 | Coalition Against Breast Cancer | 12.7% | 80.6% |
| 9 | Disabled Police Officers Counseling Center | 18.2% | 78.0% |
| 10 | Foundation for Children with Cancer | 17.0% | 77.9% |
March 3, 2009
Weeki Wachee
There are moments in life that take you by surprise. While perusing my favorite website I usually run across an image or two that for whatever reason takes my breath away. You know that moment when you see a picture and wish that you had taken it, wonder about the moment, who the people are, what the situation was? I don't know why I love this picture so much since others find it scary and depressing but I hope it does something good for you like it did for me.
February 20, 2009
What I wish I could say to you...
It's been the longest winter without you. I didn't know where to turn to. See, somehow I can't forget you after all that we've been through.
Who's there? No one. I thought that I deserve it but now I realize that I really didn't know. If you didn't notice you mean everything to me. Quickly I'm learning to love again. All I know is I'm going be ok. I thought I couldn't live without you. It's going to hurt when it heals too but it'll all get better in time. Even though I really love you I'm going to smile because I deserve to. It'll all get better in time. I couldn't turn on the TV without something there to remind me. Was it all that easy to just put aside your feelings? Since there's no more you and me it's time I let you go so I can be free and live my life how it should be. No matter how hard it is I'll be fine without you. Yes I will.
I learned the hard way that they all say things you want to hear. You are not what I thought you were. Hello to high and dry! Make me think that I need you. I’m trying to make you hear me as I am. I believe there’s a way because I say.
I love you but I got to stay true. My morals got me on my knees. I’m begging please stop playing games. I don’t know what this is but you got me good just like you would. I don’t know what you do but you do it well. You got me begging you for mercy, why won’t release me? I said release me. Now you think that I will be something on the side but you got to understand that I need a man who can take my hand, yes I do.
In the night, I hear them talk about the coldest story ever told. Somewhere far along this road, she lost her soul to a man so heartless...How could you be so heartless? You need to watch the way you talking' to me. I mean after all the things that we've been through. I mean after all the things we got into. I know a lot of the things that you ain't told me and I did some things, but that’s the old me
I've been awake for a while now. You've got me feeling' like a child now because every time I see your bubbly face I get the tingles in a silly place. You make me smile please stay for a while now. Just take your time wherever you go. Every time you hold me in your arms I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth. It starts in my soul and I lose all control. When you kiss my nose, the feeling shows, because you make me smile. Baby, just take your time now holding me tight. Wherever you go be safe.
L is for the way you look at me
Who's there? No one. I thought that I deserve it but now I realize that I really didn't know. If you didn't notice you mean everything to me. Quickly I'm learning to love again. All I know is I'm going be ok. I thought I couldn't live without you. It's going to hurt when it heals too but it'll all get better in time. Even though I really love you I'm going to smile because I deserve to. It'll all get better in time. I couldn't turn on the TV without something there to remind me. Was it all that easy to just put aside your feelings? Since there's no more you and me it's time I let you go so I can be free and live my life how it should be. No matter how hard it is I'll be fine without you. Yes I will.
I learned the hard way that they all say things you want to hear. You are not what I thought you were. Hello to high and dry! Make me think that I need you. I’m trying to make you hear me as I am. I believe there’s a way because I say.
I love you but I got to stay true. My morals got me on my knees. I’m begging please stop playing games. I don’t know what this is but you got me good just like you would. I don’t know what you do but you do it well. You got me begging you for mercy, why won’t release me? I said release me. Now you think that I will be something on the side but you got to understand that I need a man who can take my hand, yes I do.
In the night, I hear them talk about the coldest story ever told. Somewhere far along this road, she lost her soul to a man so heartless...How could you be so heartless? You need to watch the way you talking' to me. I mean after all the things that we've been through. I mean after all the things we got into. I know a lot of the things that you ain't told me and I did some things, but that’s the old me
I've been awake for a while now. You've got me feeling' like a child now because every time I see your bubbly face I get the tingles in a silly place. You make me smile please stay for a while now. Just take your time wherever you go. Every time you hold me in your arms I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth. It starts in my soul and I lose all control. When you kiss my nose, the feeling shows, because you make me smile. Baby, just take your time now holding me tight. Wherever you go be safe.
L is for the way you look at me
O is for the only one I see
V is very, very extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore
Love is more than just a game for two and two in love can make it.
Love is more than just a game for two and two in love can make it.
February 19, 2009
"Getting older isn't optional but growing up is."
Why does it seem that every guy I've ever dated subscribes to this philosophy? They also seem to all hide it so well right up until it jumps out at you and punches you in the gut. Even the guy who seems so confident in himself and ready for marriage and you think "wow, you're different" really isn't. It's lurking deep down in him and somehow I'm the one that manages to make it manifest itself. Great job Nadine!
February 6, 2009
Wall Street greed...
Last Friday, Sen. Claire McCaskill took to the Senate floor and said what I imagine (I hope) a lot of us have been thinking about Wall Street lately: "They don't get it. These people are idiots. You can't use taxpayer money to pay out $18 billion in bonuses...What planet are these people on?"1
Sen. McCaskill was reacting, and rightly so, to the $18.4 billion in bonuses that Wall Street bankers took home in 2008. $18.4 billion going to the people who crippled our economy with their recklessness and greed and then took $700 billion of our money.2
Yesterday, President Obama took an important first step, limiting pay at companies taking bailouts going forward.3 But Congress is considering going even further, applying the limits retroactively and even taking back some of the most extravagant bonuses at firms that took taxpayer money.4
Wall Street's defenders make all kinds of excuses about why the bonuses were justified. They say that bonuses are an accepted part of compensation packages on Wall Street, that those receiving bonuses weren't the ones who lost their firms billions of dollars, and that they need to pay bonuses to retain top talent.6 Those arguments are outrageous. If automatic bonuses are a part of Wall Street culture, that culture has to change—a firm that's still afloat only because of huge taxpayer bailouts shouldn't be paying bonuses. And while tens of thousands of Wall Street employees are losing their jobs, it's hard to believe that those still employed will go looking for new positions because they didn't get a bonus. Sen. McCaskill showed courage standing up to the status quo.
A huge public outcry will give them momentum and push them to real action and one of my favorites sites, MoveOn.org is sponsoring a petition and by signing it you can add your name and urge Congress to act now to rein in Wall Street greed.5
http://pol.moveon.org/bonus/o.pl?id=15503-10017720-TzPCyZx&t=3
Sources:
1. "McCaskill Proposes Compensation Cap For Private Companies Getting Federal Dollars," Senate Newsroom, January 30, 2009 http://mccaskill.senate.gov/newsroom/vid_013009.cfm
2. "What Red Ink? Wall St. Paid Fat Bonuses," The New York Times, January 28, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/business/29bonus.html
3. "Obama Outlines Limits on Executive Pay," The Washington Post, February 5, 2009 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51145&id=15503-10017720-TzPCyZx&t=5
4. "Despite Treasury's New Rule, Senators Aren't Giving Up Their Push to Cap CEO Pay," TPMDC, February 4, 2009 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51146&id=15503-10017720-TzPCyZx&t=6
5. Daniel Mintz, MoveOn.org Political Action
6."'Meet the Press' transcript for Feb. 1, 2009," MSNBC.com, February 1, 2009 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28964188/page/5/
Sen. McCaskill was reacting, and rightly so, to the $18.4 billion in bonuses that Wall Street bankers took home in 2008. $18.4 billion going to the people who crippled our economy with their recklessness and greed and then took $700 billion of our money.2
Yesterday, President Obama took an important first step, limiting pay at companies taking bailouts going forward.3 But Congress is considering going even further, applying the limits retroactively and even taking back some of the most extravagant bonuses at firms that took taxpayer money.4
Wall Street's defenders make all kinds of excuses about why the bonuses were justified. They say that bonuses are an accepted part of compensation packages on Wall Street, that those receiving bonuses weren't the ones who lost their firms billions of dollars, and that they need to pay bonuses to retain top talent.6 Those arguments are outrageous. If automatic bonuses are a part of Wall Street culture, that culture has to change—a firm that's still afloat only because of huge taxpayer bailouts shouldn't be paying bonuses. And while tens of thousands of Wall Street employees are losing their jobs, it's hard to believe that those still employed will go looking for new positions because they didn't get a bonus. Sen. McCaskill showed courage standing up to the status quo.
A huge public outcry will give them momentum and push them to real action and one of my favorites sites, MoveOn.org is sponsoring a petition and by signing it you can add your name and urge Congress to act now to rein in Wall Street greed.5
http://pol.moveon.org/bonus/o.pl?id=15503-10017720-TzPCyZx&t=3
Sources:
1. "McCaskill Proposes Compensation Cap For Private Companies Getting Federal Dollars," Senate Newsroom, January 30, 2009 http://mccaskill.senate.gov/newsroom/vid_013009.cfm
2. "What Red Ink? Wall St. Paid Fat Bonuses," The New York Times, January 28, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/business/29bonus.html
3. "Obama Outlines Limits on Executive Pay," The Washington Post, February 5, 2009 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51145&id=15503-10017720-TzPCyZx&t=5
4. "Despite Treasury's New Rule, Senators Aren't Giving Up Their Push to Cap CEO Pay," TPMDC, February 4, 2009 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51146&id=15503-10017720-TzPCyZx&t=6
5. Daniel Mintz, MoveOn.org Political Action
6."'Meet the Press' transcript for Feb. 1, 2009," MSNBC.com, February 1, 2009 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28964188/page/5/
February 4, 2009
I absolutely love shopping and free stuff.
I got these sunglasses for free today. They belong to stuff that's found in Constitution Hall and then every six months or so we have an employee-only auction for the items. I happened to go down there today and was lucky enough to see them setting up and then lady who runs it told me if I saw anything I liked I was welcome to it. Whoo-hoo for me!
Dear New York,
I want to start this letter off on a bright note. I’d love to thank you for a wonderful visit. You reminded me of why I fell in love with you in the first place. 
Last summer was a terrible experience and although I’m forever changed in the way I see you I think I understand why the events transpired. Yes, we broke up 7 years ago and I moved onto a different city but it doesn’t mean that it was better or what we had was forgotten. In fact I always compare the new city and our relationship to what you and I had. I eventually grew to love this one as much as I loved you but I think I never really explained that to you because we did lose touch and for that I apologise. You were always so good to me and always took care of me and I turned my back on that. I can understand if you were angry but to treat me the way you did last summer belittled everything we once had. Wonderful summer vacations together, walks in the snow during amazing winter snowfalls, playing in the rain during beautiful spring showers and enjoying the fall clothes each year are some of my sweetest memories. You mean a lot to me and I thought I meant something to you too but last year could have been considered physical abuse. I felt so violated and I never felt that way before. So although I can’t forgive you for what you did to me I can and will move on. This was a beautiful trip and I have to admit that you made me fall in love with snow falls once again. I thank you for that. I hope my next trip here is just as amazing and I hope we can move forward together and learn to appreciate the new relationship we have. You are and always will be my first love.
Love always,
Nadine
Last summer was a terrible experience and although I’m forever changed in the way I see you I think I understand why the events transpired. Yes, we broke up 7 years ago and I moved onto a different city but it doesn’t mean that it was better or what we had was forgotten. In fact I always compare the new city and our relationship to what you and I had. I eventually grew to love this one as much as I loved you but I think I never really explained that to you because we did lose touch and for that I apologise. You were always so good to me and always took care of me and I turned my back on that. I can understand if you were angry but to treat me the way you did last summer belittled everything we once had. Wonderful summer vacations together, walks in the snow during amazing winter snowfalls, playing in the rain during beautiful spring showers and enjoying the fall clothes each year are some of my sweetest memories. You mean a lot to me and I thought I meant something to you too but last year could have been considered physical abuse. I felt so violated and I never felt that way before. So although I can’t forgive you for what you did to me I can and will move on. This was a beautiful trip and I have to admit that you made me fall in love with snow falls once again. I thank you for that. I hope my next trip here is just as amazing and I hope we can move forward together and learn to appreciate the new relationship we have. You are and always will be my first love.
Love always,
Nadine
My first blog...
...and I'm so excited I and now I have writers block. :/
No one in their right mind will probably read this but as Tim suggested I'd like to see if any of my "readers", and I use the term loosely, can figure out why I named my blog the way I did.
No one in their right mind will probably read this but as Tim suggested I'd like to see if any of my "readers", and I use the term loosely, can figure out why I named my blog the way I did.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)