Run Run Run

Everyone knows I'm a little busy. Why do I keep doing this to myself? Well, because I eat it up. On toast.

I worked on two local campaigns this fall in addition to running the election. One of them won. One of them is in a runoff set for mid-December. So there's still more work to do. At a "war room" meeting for the second campaign, I was asked by a former party leader to run for a leadership position in the party in 2010. Woah, I didn't expect that! It means some travel locally and meeting lots of people between now and then, and keeping my name and my face in front of them. I could actually get this position, and it would mean a seat at the table for the state party.

I'm also back to teaching drama, a big fun job which is as good as ever. Fewer classes but bigger ones. That's really good. Productions are easier to put together when the cast is large enough to have choices.

One bad thing, I'm now addicted to Facebook. Like I needed that.

And I'm still studying my parliamentary procedure.

But for now, the coolest thing I can think of that I'm doing these days is that I've become a columnist!

Conservative Oasis

It's a small site, but who knows where this ends up?

Free!

Love this from my friend Murphy's blog, whom I am totally ripping off:

Free is not always better.

Top Ten Reasons Hurricane Season Is Like Christmas

• Number Ten: Decorating the house (with plywood).
• Number Nine: Dragging out boxes that haven’t been used since last season.
• Number Eight: Last minute shopping in crowded stores.
• Number Seven: Regular TV shows pre-empted for ‘Specials’.
• Number Six: Family coming to stay with you.
• Number Five: Family and friends from out of state calling you.
• Number Four: Buying food you don’t normally buy . . . and in large quantities.
• Number Three: Days off from work.
• Number Two: Candles.
• Number One reason Hurricane Season is like Christmas: At some point you’re probably going to have a tree in your house!

Dog Day

Just for fun, I occasionally take the pooches to the Bark Park. The Millie Bush Bark Park, to be precise, which certainly cracks me up. But sometimes when I go, the poochinis don't want to play nice. If there are men around, Cowgirl goes a little nuts protecting me, and sometimes Spot thinks he's Big and Bad and tries to chase dogs three times his size.

It's easier not to go there.

So I stumbled on a little soccer field bordered by woods, and I've begin taking them there. I keep them off the fields, don't worry. We go straight to the edge of the woods. They love this place so much, all I have to do is say the word "RIDE?" and they are in the car. Witness:

Lately they've been tracking down squirrels and birds and they even surprised a rabbit out of some underbrush by a lone tree and sent it back into the woods for cover. They treed a squirrel recently, and the squirrel sat on the branch teasing and scolding them. They are far too slow to catch these critters, but they love the chase. By the time they notice a varmint, the varmint is already long gone.

There are deer who live in those woods and occasionally come out to wander on the edge of the fields. I wonder if that's what they smell when they dash to the edge of the woods.

Good thing they're too chicken to go find out.

FEMA - your tax dollars at work

Now, I'm usually a fan of self-reliance. But then, I haven't been two weeks without power and ice and water and work. After a while, that has to get to you. But FEMA, this federal agency with a gazillion dollars to pour into communities in an emergency, just can't seem to get anything right.

Three neighbors. Same street, same answers to questions, same EVERYTHING. One denied, one pending, one approved.

And now this story, where FEMA sent trucks full of ice to Seguin, outside of San Antonio, in order to dump them on the runway of an airport out of view of reporters. Heh heh, reporters caught them anyway.

When some truckers consented to an interview, a man wearing a FEMA shirt arrived on a golf cart within moments and threatened to have the truckers fired.
"This conversation is over," he told the truckers. "Or you guys will not be here any longer."

And this is a part of the agency charged with keeping the country safe? Of patrolling the border?

Mailbag:

No bills today. That's good. We're pounding away on the credit mess we're in, so we're in high gear. It helps that several credit card companies gave us a month or so free ride due to hurricane expenses. That never sucks. We're using that money to build up the emergency fund ala Dave Ramsey. And get everyone glasses or contacts. Poor Little Critter needs glasses. I was hoping we could have ONE child who didn't. Nope. Plus braces are also an impending necessity, so we're working towards that as well.

Also, I got the new Texas Association of Parliamentarians roster today, and lo, my name is on there as an actual listed at-large member. Coolness! There are less than 400 of us in the state. Pretty exclusive, eh?

When Fish have a bad day

Here are more pictures around the area.