Living Reflections from a Dream: December 2002 Archives

World Aids Day

According to the UNAIDS Aids Epidemic Update (12/02):

42 million people live with Aids - 38.6 mil. adults, 19.2 mil. women, 3.2 mil. children
5 million new cases of Aids in 2002 - 4.2 mil adults, 2 mil. women, 800k children
3.1 million deaths as a result of Aids in 2002 - 2.5 mil. adults, 1.2 mil. women, 610k children

(read this report if you get the chance, it's interesting how the disease spreads in different areas of the world and how culture aftects the spread or prevention efforts).

> AIDS Is Not a Death Sentence (NYT Editorial by some guy named William Jefferson Clinton)
> Linking, Thinking on AIDS Day

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Posted by amy on December 1, 2002 9:12 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by amy on December 1, 2002 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Kerry Embarks on Presidential Bid

Check out John Kerry, distinguished senator from the great of Massachusetts. Read his views, become informed about the people who may run against Bush in 2004 (because there is no time off from elections anymore).

Posted by amy on December 1, 2002 7:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I am the Playful Pinup

What Type Of Retro Gal Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

link spotted at Jen's

Posted by amy on December 2, 2002 8:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I am never retiring

today I made the mistake of looking at my IRA statement (this is a rollover IRA representing my 401K money from a previous job, which I rolled over into Fidelity because my current employers 401K plan options pretty much suck chunks). Year to date, this IRA has earned.... drum roll please... $11.36. I suppose I should be happy it hasn't lost money (as my current 401K does), but damn: $11.36! I think I'm going to calculate whether it would be better to take it out, pay whatever fee for early withdrawal and put it in an ING saving account (2.75% interest) would work out better for me. On second thought, I don't think I will do that, it will be too depressing.

I can see it all now, I will like that older woman in the Walmart commercial - who says it's so much fun to work there because there is always something going on. That is going to me! Maybe by then we'll at least have a good prescription drug program for seniors and I'll be dosing up on prozac.

Posted by amy on December 2, 2002 8:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by amy on December 2, 2002 10:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Posted on December 2, 2002 11:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

Flipping channels this weekend, I briefly came across the movie 'She's Having a Baby' staring Kevin Bacon. This morning as I was getting ready for work, this is what was going through my mind:
- Hmnm?Kevin Bacon
- I always get 'She's Having a Baby' confused with "He Said, She Said'
- But I love Footloose
- In 2 years it will be the 20th anniversary of Footloose
- Oh my God, I'm so old
- Maybe they will re-release Footloose in theatres for it's 20th anniversary! That would be wicked awesome..

Posted by amy on December 3, 2002 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Top 5 Tues: Movies you can watch again, again and again...

Star Wars.. and thus The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi
Almost Famous
Titanic
When Harry Met Sally
Say Anything

honorable mentions: Grease, Office Space, Spinal Tap, Breakfast Club, Footloose, Singles, Gone With the Wind... oh it's endless.

Posted by amy on December 3, 2002 8:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted on December 3, 2002 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by amy on December 3, 2002 11:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

The Day from Hell

Today I woke up extremely late, rushed about throwing all my stuff together, and practically ran to the train. Not that it mattered that I ran because I waited for half an hour for the train to come and by that time the train was packed and there was a crowd waiting on the platform. Because I happened to be standing right where the door opened, I managed to squish on the train when it arrived. So at the next stop, I get off so others can exit the train (unlike most people who refuse to give up their spot and block the door so it takes infinitely longer for people to get on and off). Since I was already on the train, I consider me to be first in line to get back on. No.. this huge, overweight, beast-like woman literally pushed me out of the way and back into the crowd so she could get on. I struggled to get back to the train just to have the door close in my face. When I finally get to work, I've had caffeine and no breakfast and there is an enormous line for coffee at the store in the lobby, so I forge ahead to my desk. There I can read in my email about the latest catastrophe that has befallen the project I am on. We are coming down to the wire for our launch and finger pointing season is in full swing (note: anytime you receive, are cc:ed on or are forwarded more than 20 emails in one day with any of the following phrases: "I don't appreciate the tone of your last email", "I think you should take some responsibility for this misunderstanding", "how did you think I was going to react when you sent such an accusatory email?", "I think it's so and so's fault for making that decision on their own and not telling anyone", etc. - not to mention all the time spent when people come by your desk to say "did you see what they wrote to/about me! How dare they? They are smoking crack" - it's going to be a draining day). This is not even to mention that there is a general opinion that some of our business partners may actually be trying to sabotage the project because they fear that they will be laid off once it launches. It's so fucking ridiculous. Mercifully, the end of the day comes. I had wanted to go shopping to the big sale at Filene's and then go to my step class, but of course I didn't leave in time to do both. So I decided it would be better for me just to go to step and work out some frustration. So I rush all the way to the gym so I'll get there in time and class in cancelled. And the place is packed, no available machines. I go in to the locker room anyway to change. As I go through my bag, I discover I forgot to pack my workout shorts, so I can't workout anyway. Grrrr... So I leave. And I'm really annoyed because I could have shopped. I get home and decide to have chips & salsa for dinner, which isn't a good dinner, but I don't care. I pour some chips into a bowl, douse them with salsa (because I don't like to dip the chips). I pick up the dish and in a move defying all laws of physics I loose control of the dish. Half the salsa lands on my clothes, the other half lands with the chips in my bottom kitchen drawer, which was open. So I'm covered in salsa and I now have to clean most of a drawer full of kitchen doo dads. Excellent. I decided perhaps all was not lost. I received 'The Sweetest Thing' today from Netflix. I've always wanted to see it. I thought it looked funny and couldn't figure out why it left the theaters so quickly. Well, now I know: it's possibly the worst movie ever made. My mouth was agape for most of it - I couldn't for the life of me figure out what Cameron Diaz and Christina Applegate were thinking. AND West Wing is a repeat. I think I'm just going to give up on today and go to bed.

Posted by amy on December 4, 2002 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted on December 5, 2002 12:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

My Work Email is Full

and maybe I just won't clean it out. Eventually, they will start bouncing emails and that might not be a bad thing...

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Posted by amy on December 5, 2002 9:12 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

And the beat goes on

now my work phone isn't working and it tells incoming callers that my phone extension (which for some reason it thinks is 0000) isn't valid. HA.. no one can call me! Even better is our internal network is down, so I can't even get to the intranet which is where I need to go in order to report my phone problem.

Posted by amy on December 5, 2002 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted on December 5, 2002 1:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The insanity never ends

Today of all days, my building has decided to have a practice fire drill. This might be ok if we weren't have a freakin' snow storm.. as if I want to stand outside right now. Even better is half my group just said: that's it, we're outta here. We can't take it no mo'

Posted by amy on December 5, 2002 4:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted on December 5, 2002 5:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

a couple of days ago I bought a box of Junior Mints. But by the time I got home, I didn't really feel like Junior Mints, so I threw them in a cabinet and promptly forgot about them. I just opened the cabinet and there they were and I was SO happy. Sometimes the little things make all the difference.

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Posted by amy on December 5, 2002 6:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Love Test - Animal Test

1. You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free.

2. In the process of courtship, the approach that would make you feel irresistable is creative, never let you feel bored.

3. The impression you would like to give to your lover is loyal, faithful, never change.

4. You don't like it when your partner is emotional and/or too moody; and you don't know how to please him/her.

5. The kind of relationship you would like to build with your partner is one which make you feel warmth and in-love always.

6. You care about the society and morality, you won't do anything wrong after marriage.

7. You are afraid of marriage, you think it would take away your freedom.

8. At this moment, you don't have the thirst for love, you can't do anything for it, you won't fall for it easily.

Take the Love Test - Animal Test

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Posted by amy on December 6, 2002 4:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

It's not that big a secret

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Posted by amy on December 7, 2002 9:12 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Is there a Santa Clause?

David M attempts to find out, with a little help from FedEx. Ha!

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Posted by amy on December 7, 2002 4:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The News & Snow do mix

Today I went out to my car (which is still snow covered, of course).. and I noticed that someone had written words in the snow on most of the snow covered cars... they were all things like Enron, Iraq, Osama... my car said: Chandra.

Posted by amy on December 7, 2002 4:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

You know the father is from Boston when..

you get the new baby announcement and photo email... the text of the email starts with: She arrived on Dec. 7 - Larry Bird's birthday.

Posted by amy on December 9, 2002 1:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted on December 9, 2002 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Frosty the Snowman - in Arizona?

is on ABC Family right now (for those in the Northeast U.S., anyway). As I'm watching it, something I've never thought of before, yet is incredibly obvious came to mind: all these Christmas specials, Christmas carols, commercials, etc. all feature snow and cold climates as if that is the only way to enjoy the Christmas season. I've never been in a warm place for the Christmas season in my life and it would be extremely weird for me. It wouldn't seem like Christmas. So I started thinking: what do all the people from warm climates think of all this... Do they feel left out because there isn't any Santa at the Beach special? Do they long for White Christmas's? Or do they think us people from the cold climates are just nuts dealing with all the snow. Hmm... I'm thinking Jen, at least, will have something to say about this.

Posted by amy on December 9, 2002 8:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted on December 9, 2002 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Things the annoy me about people - Vol. 2137

There is a guy from another department that I deal with at work. I find him extremely annoying. We see each other most mornings at the train station on the way to work. We have one of those mutual silent agreements whereby we do not acknowledge each other on the train. The thing that annoys me is that yesterday I had the misfortune to walk out of the office at the same time as him and so we had to talk all the way to the train. He pulls one of those: where do you live? Oh so do you take such and such line? What stop do you get off at? Really? That stop.. me too! I hate that? he knows full well that we see each other everyday and he is just doing it to see my reaction, which is: go figure. All this does is confirm my impression that he is annoying.

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Posted by amy on December 11, 2002 12:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Santa's Got a Brand New Jag

(The worst ad on TV, and what to give every rich yuppie Bush-ite on your gift list). This guy is so great...

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Posted by amy on December 11, 2002 12:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I am a Cute Flirt!

What Kind of FLIRT are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

link spotted at Maddy's

Posted by amy on December 12, 2002 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I KNEW it!

I subscribe to the Dilbert newsletter and you can submit ideas to him. Check it out:

Dilbert Fodder

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Posted by amy on December 12, 2002 12:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by amy on December 12, 2002 4:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Welcome..

to Living Reflections - the Holiday/Winter Edition.

Also, I've had a few new visitors lately complimenting me on the site and I'd like to say: THANKS. Sorry if I haven't responded to each of you individually - things have been a bit frantic, but I do appreciate it.

Posted by amy on December 12, 2002 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted on December 14, 2002 2:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The Mind Whirls

glitter

with the possible uses of such a product. yee-haw!

Posted by amy on December 14, 2002 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted on December 15, 2002 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

How Great was SNL Last Night?

Oh my God.. I loved it. Al Gore was on (though some people seemed more excited about Phish). I did miss the first 15 minutes, the first thing I saw was Al pretending to be Trent Lott saying that Strom Thurmond was a genius because he had other ideas than just segregation.. like making interracial marriages illegal. It was so excellent. Trent Lott really got slammed thoughout the show.. (and for those of you who can't believe I've had nothing to say all week about Trent: I've have just been sitting back laughing my ass off at him. What a stupid thing to say.. the only suprising thing to me is that anyone is surprised that he thinks that way. I think someone should ask him to define what exactly "these problem" are that we wouldn't have had. I would love to see him squirm out of that one. Prediction: Don Nickels will be Senate Majority leader.. when.. depends when the senate decided to vote on this. The only interesting thing left to this story is the rumor that Lott has threated to resign from the senate if he is forced out. Because the governor of Mississippi is a Democrat, you can assume he will appoint a Democrat as a replacement, thus making the Senate evenly split. I would SO love that). Anyway, I thought Al was really good for someone who isn't an actor and who tends to be a little uncomfortable in situations like this. And I loved that Stewart Smalley (Al Franken) was back.. Oh and Phish was good (and was even in a skit - with Al), though they really should just start calling themselves The Grateful Dead II.

Posted by amy on December 15, 2002 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted on December 15, 2002 11:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

So Gore isn't running..

how fortunate for Lott that he announced it yesterday, now Lott won't be the headline for a whole day. I think it was the right thing for Gore to do and it certainly will make the race for the Democratic nomination more interesting. Go Kerry Go.

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Posted by amy on December 16, 2002 9:12 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Last Night I had the Most Amazing Dream

I was dating Ron Livingston (look how cute he is):

ron livingston

Ron, of course, is the guy from Office Space, but he is also in Band of Brothers, which I have recently started working my way through. He is even cute covered in mud in the middle of a war. And in my dream, he was the coolest guy. The most datable guy ever. And then I woke up and it was Monday and I couldn't have been more depressed.

Posted by amy on December 16, 2002 5:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Lott on BET

I don't think this is going to dig him out of the hole he's in.. mostly because you can tell that Ed Gordon (the interviewer) doesn't believe him at all. Plus he doesn't look sorry.. he is sort of stone faced. Also, he asked my question (what are "these problems" we would have avoided) and he weaseled around it. He said he met Strom in the late '70's and admired his anti-communist views and his fiscal conservativism. Seems to me as if the cold war was won without Strom as president. Plus Lott keeps saying some of his previous votes (i.e. against a Martin Luther King holiday) were mistakes.. I've never seen a politicial admit flip floping on so many issues.
I so want him to stay as majority leader because he will be useless after this. You can forget some of these frightening judge nominations (i.e. Pickering) - so good things will come out of this.
And I'm about to go out of my mind because for some reason I'm only getting about half of the stations on cable and I can't watch cnn.

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Posted by amy on December 16, 2002 8:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Top 10

Conservative Idiots - Trent Lott is #'s 1 - 9. I'm really going to stop because it's just too easy.

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Posted by amy on December 16, 2002 8:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

T LO

Ok, I can't stop... a friend of mine has started calling Trent Lott, T Lo. For some reason this strikes me as hilarious and I can't stop laughing.

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Posted by amy on December 17, 2002 10:12 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Aristocracy

The Bush administration love it if the U.S. were one.. so the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor.
New Tax Plan May Bring Shift In Burden

I don't know about you, but I consider Social Security a tax and to say it isn't because you'll get it back... I doubt I'll see a dime from social security, so to say that isn't a tax so you can justify taxing me more? Some kind of logic that only makes sense in the Bush brain.

Posted by amy on December 17, 2002 8:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I Love Amazon.com

I love my wish list, I even love their recommendation of clean underwear... this year everyone in my family made an amazon wish list so that
A. they actually get something they want.
B. they don't get 2 of them.
but the sad thing about this method of gift giving is that I can see everything that people have bought, so the only surprise will be which one of them picked which thing.

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Posted by amy on December 18, 2002 4:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Super Mom

Friends of mine had a baby on 12/7... amazingly, their Christmas cards are A. already out and B. consist of a photo of the baby in a little 'My first Christmas' outfit on Santas lap. How does she do it? As a totally unencumbered regular person I can barely get my Christmas cards out in a reasonable time frame, never mind giving birth and getting something like that together. I'm not feeling like a very together modern woman, I must say.

Posted by amy on December 19, 2002 8:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Living Reflections from a Dream

December 2002 Archives

December 1, 2002

World Aids Day

Kerry Embarks on Presidential Bid

December 2, 2002

I am the Playful Pinup

I am never retiring

December 3, 2002

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

Top 5 Tues: Movies you can watch again, again and again...

December 4, 2002

The Day from Hell

December 5, 2002

My Work Email is Full

And the beat goes on

The insanity never ends

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

December 6, 2002

Love Test - Animal Test

December 7, 2002

It's not that big a secret

Is there a Santa Clause?

The News & Snow do mix

December 9, 2002

You know the father is from Boston when..

Frosty the Snowman - in Arizona?

December 11, 2002

Things the annoy me about people - Vol. 2137

Santa's Got a Brand New Jag

December 12, 2002

I am a Cute Flirt!

I KNEW it!

Welcome..

December 14, 2002

The Mind Whirls

December 15, 2002

How Great was SNL Last Night?

December 16, 2002

So Gore isn't running..

Last Night I had the Most Amazing Dream

Lott on BET

Top 10

December 17, 2002

T LO

Aristocracy

December 18, 2002

I Love Amazon.com

December 19, 2002

Super Mom

I can't resist

December 20, 2002