CANDY GIRL'S RANDOM BABBLE

That's Disturbing...

2005-10-17T05:28:00.000-10:00

I recently saw a video that shows how dogs and cats are being slaughtered for the fur trade. It was really disturbing to see how these poor animals are crammed into cages and then skinned. These dogs and cats are literallly stuffed into cages where they can't move. All you can see are these little faces sticking out, and maybe you'll see a random body part sticking out too. I already have a problem with people who buy pets and treat them like dispensable pieces of trash. But this, this video is just pure evil. You almost want to cram the people who are doing this into a cage and then drop them off of the Empire State building. These people will drop the cages off of the delivery trucks which are about 15 -20 feet high. When the cages hit the ground, a lot of the legs of the animals will just shatter. The cutting block is placed right in front of the cages where the other animals are waiting until it's there turn. It really is a pitiful thing to see.

As I watched the video, my dogs were sleeping quitely next to my feet. I couldn't imagine someone taking my dogs and slaughtering them. Some people may not look at their pets as part of their family, but for me they are. I love my dogs like they are my kids. Ernesto has been gone a lot and my dogs are really protective of me when he leaves. The little one is the guard dog and the big one is the one that will bite you in the ass if you pose the slightest threat.

It really is unbelievable of the lengths that some people will go to to just to be able to wear a dead animal.

Here's a pic of my dogs. It's a little blurry because I took the pic with my cell phone and the dogs were sitting behind a screen door.

Believing In Something...

2005-10-14T05:07:00.000-10:00

I think I've come a long way, I'm pretty proud of myself. Ernesto and I went out to a nice dinner tonight and I told him about my thoughts of who I want to be. I don't want to leave this world not having done anything productive. Three weeks of school and I'm already tired of it...good luck. Nah, I've actually been really on top of my studies. I'm a great college student! So far I've gotten full points and A's for all of my assignments. I'm trying to attain a 4.0 the whole way. My father was always hard on me to keep up my good grades, I thank him for that. My academic and enrollment counselors are pretty pleased with my progress. They haven't had to get on me about meeting participation requirements in class discussions. DUH, I talk and write a lot, it's not hard to get me involved. The hard part is getting me to shut up!

So I'm going to University of Phoenix Online and they're pretty good. I was really apprehensive about this whole online thing, but it's not half bad. Progressively, the courses have been getting harder every week. I have an assignment due today on thesis statements for my Persuasive Essay. This assignment is killing me! I've written over a dozen different thesis statements, none that I'll ever use. I've been working on this particular assigment for the last two weeks, and still nothing.

The first four courses are considered to be "foundation courses". I think of them as remedial, but it's really catered to help college entry level students that have no writing skills whatsoever. I'm not the brightest crayon in the box or the best writer, but I am pretty up to par on my grammar skills. (This blog does not count, this is LAZY free-thinking writing). During my sophmore year of high school, I was the only student in the district to rate a perfect score on a writing test. (Ha ha ha and Ms. Berman thought I didn't deserve to be in her English class. Bet she felt pretty stupid when she had to tell the class what my results were. I will cherish that moment forever!) Wow, pretty fun to gloat sometimes! Let me wipe the sheepish grin off my face before it gets stuck there. JUST KIDDING! Sheesh!

Oh yeah, school. Going back to school has been motivating. I actually feel like I'm doing something that will give me the sense of gratification that I have been so desperately longing for. Getting a master's degree in Mental Health or Family/Marriage/Child Counseling will be my long-term goal. I don't think there will be any other profession out there for me that can be as rewarding. I love doing makeup and that will always be my passion, but I need to do something more. (Blind leading the blind? Pffft, I'll be crazy leading the crazy. Poor souls, they never had a chance. J/K!) I think it's hard for people to believe that I can actually be an objective thinker. I'm so emotional, I had to ask myself if I could really be qualified to help others. Why not? I'm a stubborn fool. I see something I want, I go for it. I'm actually leaning more towards social work. I've always had a soft spot for children in the system. A spot soft enough to make Ernesto and I want to adopt through Social Services.

I know working in child advocacy will be a grueling and mentally straining profession. There are so many children out there that need a voice to speak for them or an ear just to listen. I've seen so many neglected kids, it's criminal. I look forward to the challenge of being some sort of positve impact on a child. Whether that be as a parent or as a part of my career, time will only tell. I don't want to just sit back and do nothing. One person may not be able to change the world for the better, but the world would be a better place if more people tried. I can be unwavering when it comes to a good cause. Hopefully someday I can live up to that statement.

The Iraqi Sand & Sun...

2005-09-23T12:39:00.000-10:00

I've been really worried about Ernesto, his vision isn't quite the same. There have been a few times that he's been driving where he would go temporarily blind from light reflections hitting his eyes. He's been constantly complaining about how sensitive his eyes are and how he can't see. I try to be calm when he tells me these things because I don't want him to worry about me...worrying about him.

So, he just called me from the optometrist's office and I tried to sound nonchalant. I tried to mask my concern as much as I could. Apparently, there is extensive sun damage to his eyes and they are scratched from the sand...all from Iraq. He has to wear sunglasses and glasses 24 hours a day. Someone is picking him up, everything will be blurry for the next four hours or so.

I guess one of my biggest fears right now is him having to go back to Iraq with his eye condition. Ernesto has never really had anything wrong with him (he only gets sick once every 2 years). The sun is blaring over there, what if someone starts shooting at him and he can't see? Sunglasses...what happens if they break? He won't be able to see! He can't even drive at night because headlights make him go blind. What's really sad is that he had exceptional vision.

Well, I hope the Marine Corps takes care of him. I'm just glad he went to the Dr.'s before anything got worse. Glasses aren't that bad, I'm just sad about how sensitive his eyes are to light. We walk outside and he's literally holding his head in pain. I hate seeing my husband like that. Hopefully now they'll be monitoring his progress and everything will be alright...

Back to School...

2005-09-18T04:05:00.000-10:00

It's been eight years since I graduated from high school. I graduated early in hopes that I would start college sooner. Needless to say, it took eight years to finally get the motivation to finally go back to school again. I did go to a community college in 1999 and received my Medical Coding and Billing Certificate; but that's basically been the extent of my college life. Ernesto and I just enrolled in school this last week, so we're both really excited.

Our first block of classes start on the 26th of this month. Each block is nine weeks, two classes, and six credits. So all I have to do is complete 10 blocks in order to get my degree in Health Administration. I haven't quite decided how far I want to go, but getting my master's degree is my minimum goal. The college bug has officially bit me.

Our first assignment is an autobiography that we have to post on the first day of class. Mine was pretty easy to write, but poor Ernesto had a hard time getting ideas. After reading my bio, I've concluded that I live a very uneventful life. Oh well...

Remember...

2005-09-11T23:47:00.000-10:00

I couldn't change the channel tonight without seeing something about 9/11. Ernesto and I sat and watched "The Flight That Fought Back" on the Discovery Channel. He was supposed to go to bed early tonight because he has to leave for work at 5 a.m., but after the first few minutes of the show...he couldn't take his eyes from the tv. I think I cried for atleast 99% of the program, it's one of the saddest things I think I've ever seen. It showed a minute-by-minute account of the events leading to the crash of United Flight 93. It really hits you, especially when they play actual voice recordings of the people that were on the plane. Their families shared their thoughts and give their interpretations of what they believed happened on the flight.

United Flight 93 crashed on a field in Shanksville, PA...only a 15 minute flight from Washington D.C.. It is the only flight that didn't carry out the planned attack on either the Capitol or the White House. The official 9/11 commision report stated that the terrorists crashed the plane into the field as the passengers tried to breach the cockpit. These brave people not only fought back, but they potentially saved the lives of countless others.

Today was the first day that I had seen several programs that gave in-depth accounts of 9/11. It's been four years since this tragedy occured, and I think the American public is just now ready to deal with the harsh facts that led up to that unforgettable day. I sobbed and cried with every program. Every station loops the footage of the Towers collapsing, the Pentagon in flames, and the Pennsylvania field. In my honest opinion, if you can watch any of these programs and not feel a smidge of saddnes, you probably shouldn't be living in America.

It really hits me hard when Ernesto gives his opinions on what's going on with the war. It's kind of a humbling experience when your Marine husband who has been to Iraq, says that the true heroes are people like those of Flight 93. "I'm not a hero, I just did my job." He sat down with me tonight and talked about why he has such a strong desire to stay in the Marine Corps. It frightens me when tells me that he would volunteer to go back to Iraq and will if they ask him. He lost 51 people in his unit, but it still doesn't sway his decision to fight for his country. I think by him watching the program about Flight 93 only helped verify his convictions.

Again, I know there are many people opposed to the war. People see the number of lives lost, and they grow angry at the fact that our troops are still over there. I can't give my opinion because I am torn between the thoughts as an individual American and a military wife. But, I can say that I feel a lot safer with them fighting over there than instead of in our own backyard.

We recently found out that several Marines are being pulled from Quantico to serve in Iraq. Just because we're here now, it doesn't mean that Ernesto will be safe from having to go again. If anything, they would want an experienced Marine to go back out. In the military, not everyone is guaranteed a non-deployable ticket. Unfortunately, Ernesto just happens to be one of them...

Sad...

2005-08-31T20:36:00.000-10:00

MSN - Clifford, Douglas R/epa/sipa / Sipa Press

Everything that could possibly go wrong, has gone wrong since we've been in Virginia. I've pretty much done nothing but bitch about it all of this last month. I can't help but feel like an ass, especially after I've been glued to the tv watching the news. I'm an ass. Hurricane Katrina was devastating, I can't believe that I bitched about sleeping on the floor for a month...at least I had somewhere to sleep. These poor people down south had their homes destroyed and their lives shattered. I watched a man cry about how his wife's hand slipped out of his while the water took her away. All his wife could say to him was to take care of the children before she let go.

I bitch about not having enough in savings when some of those people don't even have a cent to their name. The hurricane took everything, even the people that they loved. I can't believe how petty I've been when there are so many people out there with absolutely nothing. It's terrible that this had to happen. A lot of people were stuck in their homes and tried to ride out the hurricane because they didn't have enough money to put gas in their tanks. They paid a price, and for many...it was with their lives.

A news reporter said that the Mayor of New Orleans was stopping 1500 police officers from their search and rescue efforts to relocate them downtown to stop the looting. There are thousands of people stranded that still need help, but it's more important to stop the others from taking stuff from WalMart? I saw a bonehead stealing a tv, but the majority of the other people were taking diapers, clothes, bottled water, shoes, and blankets. The damn store is in shreds anyways and there were even police offers with shopping carts walking down the aisles. What do you want these people to do, put money in the cash register as it floats on by? 1500 people is a lot of man power, it would be more beneficial for them to aid in the search and rescue. At least that's my opinion... (Ironically, there is a WalMart advertisement on an MSN article about the looting of WalMart...go figure.)

My Beef With The USMC...

2005-08-23T04:33:00.000-10:00

I have usually had a sense of appreciation whenever I think of the Marine Corps. Even with all of Ernesto's long deployments, the shitty healthcare, our adventures in the crappy ghetto housing, and their endless paycheck screw-ups...I have always been thankful for what the Marine Corps has given us and what they have done for us. But, I do have some beef with them and it may be caused by the fact that I've been sitting in an empty apartment for a month with nothing better to do. I might just be mad because my comfort level sucks right now!

People move and change duty stations everyday. It's nothing new, even my grandmothers like to tell me their stories of the old days when both of my grandfathers served in the Navy. Luckily this wasn't our first move, I was better prepared and I knew what to expect this time around. The move to Hawaii wasn't easy. In retrospect, the Hawaii move may have been harder than this move. Right now it's just hard to tell because my stress level is to the max. Maybe after we settle in, I'll realize that things aren't as bad. But for now...BITCH FEST 2005!!!

This move was a whirlwind move just like the move to Hawaii. The Hawaii move sucked in that we were young and stupid then. We were not well-informed of anything. When we first got there, no one even knew we were coming. We had no where to stay, nothing to drive, and not one person even offered to give us some insight of what we had to do. I'm sure everyone at his work thought I was a total bitch, but they also knew where they were going to be sleeping that night. The first month there was hell, but it eventually got easier and everything fell into place.

Knowing what I had to do for this move, made things not as hectic as they possibly could have been. We had less than 3 months to prepare and to get our things in order. Even with careful planning and knowledge, it still sucks! If we had kids, I would be raising hell right now. I feel bad for the families that have to move with children. The one good thing about the base in Hawaii is that they have mandatory classes on the transition and what to expect from your move. They give you the highs and lows, and I appreciate their honesty. The classes are a pain in the ass if you have a busy schedule, but they are informative. They even made sure that you were still living in a minimum amount of comfort while your stuff was being shipped. But the minute you board the plane leaving Hawaii, is where the headaches will ensue.

Most of my bitching is not directly about the current situation that we are in. It's more on the basis of principle. If the Marine Corps wants to move you, they should make sure that you are taken care of...especially if it involves families. I know the Marine Corps isn't paying for anyone to have a family, but you can't expect everyone in the military to be single. I think it's funny that they promote being single in the early stages of your career, but promote family once you start getting higher in the ranks. Aesthetically it looks better when you back up good ole' family values. Military families are the major backbone of support for those serving in the Armed Forces. The average person fighting overseas does it because they feel an added duty to their family as well as their country. So that whole argument isn't going to sit well for me. I can argue and debate my side for days.

Financially we all know that if you are enlisted, you get paid shit. Ernesto never stayed in the Marine Corps for a big paycheck, he would get paid way more as a civilian. They give you just enough to be comfortable, and I am ok with that. If you're expecting to live in the lap of luxury, a military paycheck won't be enough. Military pay is steady and secure. Your health benefits are adequate if you're ok with second rate care. They also have the Commissary and MCX that is usually cheaper than the "civilian world"...it's also tax free. I would have to say that the average family with children will have the non-military parent serving as the primary caregiver to their kids. It can be costly to have two parents working when it comes to the price of daycare. Besides, I think it's admirable for a parent to be a "stay-at-home" when they can afford to do so.

So my complaint really has to do with the financial burden and hardships of moving when you have a family. If you know that you are moving in advance, you might be able to save. In many cases, there are a lot of families that don't have that that luxury. We fortunately were able to be financially secure before our move. Even though we are ok, it still is costly for us. If you're moving from Hawaii, be prepared to adjust to the pay cut of losing your COLA (cost of living allowance). Most places in the states will not have COLA available to you. The only source of money you are given when you move is your Dislocation Allowance. It's great if you're going to take military housing at your new duty station, but the dislocation allowance will hardly be enough if you're going to live off base. You can take an interest free loan against your paycheck (Advance Pay) if you're willing to have it deducted from your future paychecks over the span of a year. But why should a family have to borrow money for a move that the Marine Corps should be paying for? Like I had previously mentioned, military pay is shit.

We didn't take military housing on Quantico because their housing is currently being renovated. Trust in that I would have rather lived on base for free than living off base and having to pay rent and utilites again. But moving 3-4 times in the next 4 years while they are renovating, hardly seems tempting. Ernesto works, I'll be working and going to school, and we're planning on adopting next year...we're not going to have the time to keep moving around. If I knew we were going to be sedentary and we wouldn't have to move more than once, we would have gladly taken base housing.

I'm not bitching for the people who live beyond their means. There are many of those in the Marine Corps. I've seen too many families buy things they couldn't afford and spend what they didn't have in their bank accounts. If they have a problem with pay, I guarantee my complaint is entirely different from theirs. For instances where families don't want to live on base because of renovations or other circumstances (better schools for their kids, etc.), the dislocation allowance isn't enough. If you have to stay in a hotel while you are house hunting, the Marine Corps will reimburse you for your expenses. But, you have to pay upfront for your hotel fees and food consumption on top of security deposits (also including deposits for utilities), first and last months rent, and all the other crap you have to pay for. I think it's terrible that they expect you to live off of the little amount they give you for dislocation. I know there are many people complaining about the very same thing I am bitching about. Hopefully, the military will take a closer look at making sure that what they're paying out is sufficient.

We are not living outside of our means. Our rent is even cheaper than what they allot (BAH/Housing allowance) to us. Our credit was good enough in that we didn't have to pay any deposits on our utilities and we only had to pay the minimum security deposit for our apartment. But we still had to pay those deposits on top of all of our added expenses. We have to pay for a rental car while we are waiting for our car enroute from Hawaii. The rental was even discounted at $600 a month. They have a Lending Locker (transitional temporay household goods) at Quantico, but they don't have anything in stock. So no bed, no furniture, no microwave, no pots and pans, dishes, or anything else. Thank God our apartment is furnished with a washer and dryer for our clothes. So we have been sleeping on the floor, sitting on the floor, and using throw away utensils and plates while patiently waiting for our household goods. It's not as if I'm bitching like we shipped our stuff last week. We shipped our stuff 2 months ago...2 frickin months ago!!! We shipped our car less than a month ago, it'll be here roughly the same time as the household goods.

So what are we supposed to do while we are in transition? Who are we, right? They can care less about how long we've been waiting for our stuff and for how much the burden of moving is. If the Marine Corps screws up your pay (which they frequently do) they'll take the money back right away. But if they underpay you, they'll give you your money whenever they feel like it. Ernesto's Career Planner (guy in charge of his renlistment) was incompetent and messed up his renlistment paperwork. As of today, it still looks like Ernesto is getting out of the Marines in September of this year instead of 2009. He serves his country just like the next guy...hell, he's staying in even longer than they guys that just serve 4 years. 3 damn enlistments in the Marine Corps and he still gets screwed by them on a daily basis. Poor guy.

Ugh, so maybe all of my bitching is stemming from the fact that my back and ass hurt from sitting and sleeping on the floor. We have been so uncomfortable this last month...THANK GOD all of our stuff is coming next week. If anyone thinks my bitching is pathetic, I'll be glad to give you my bank account to buy us an air mattress... ;)

Paramount's Kings Dominion

2005-08-09T05:32:00.000-10:00

<---- Click on this picture to see the whole view...

We've been trying to find things to do, so we decided to hit King's Dominion near Richmond. I timed our drive...it only took 30 minutes. King's Dominion is an amusement park owned by Paramount (think Universal Studios). We decided to buy season passes because they were really cheap. Plus it's really close...why not. We got there pretty early, so we hit the biggest rollercoasters first. The wait wasn't bad at all...4 rides in less than 1 1/2 hours. I think I felt my stomach in my throat a few times. One of the drop rides is 330 ft. tall and is said to be the highest of it's kind in North America. All in all, we had a pretty good time...

Here are some pics we took when we went to the top of the replica of the Eiffel Tower...

Welcome To Virginia...

2005-08-05T06:13:00.000-10:00

12 hours, 2 layovers, 1 lost baggage, and 3 rental cars later...we're finally in Virginia. The flights seemed like they took forever! It was 104 degrees when we stopped for our layover in Dallas. The baggage claim lady at the airport was a bitch. The lady at the front desk of our hotel tried to charge me $1800 for a one night stay. The rental car lady gave us a car with expired tags. It has been an interesting 3 days so far.

We have never been to the East Coast, we are West Coast people. The sun rises at 6 and sets at 8. It is hot here, we are baking. I thought Hawaii was hot, but it is a zillion times hotter here. There is no breeze, just hot stagnant air. It's not exactly the melting pot that I am used to either. I think I might be one of the 10 flips that actually lives in Virginia. For the most part, the people here have been ok.

Our apartment is nice and I'm pretty happy with what we're paying for. It's a lot nicer than the first apartment we lived in 7 years ago. It's in the center of everything, but hidden in a place where you wouldn't think there was anything there. I think we may actually be living in the quietest community in America. I love our garden tub and I'm convinced that I have had the greatest shower of my life. We're surronded by trees and I can almost swear that I'm going to see a ghost of a Confederate soldier walking around. It's beautiful in the daytime, but totally creepy at night.

I absolutely love the location. We live 7 miles away from endless shopping. We've agreed that it's going to be pretty hard to get bored over here. At least we can drive around and we're not stuck on a damn island anymore. Washington D.C. was really nice and Quantico has to be the most beautiful base I've ever seen. I'm not really the country type, but the scenery is just breath-taking. I'm sitting on our deck right now watching the sunrise and listening to the birds. It's about the only time I'll sit outside...a few more hours and I'll start melting.

Our furniture should be coming soon and our car should be here the beginning of September. Sleeping on the floor is killing our backs and I hate being without our things. 2 freaking months without your household goods really sucks. This move was a major pain and I'm happy that it's almost over. We went out and bought the basics to get us through till our stuff arrives. We bought a flat screen tv and the cable was connected yesterday. Thank goodness, I couldn't live without my internet!

It's been less than a week and we haven't decided if this was a bad decision, it's way too early to tell. No matter what, Ernesto won't be deploying to Iraq again this enlistment. That in itself is the greatest thing that I could have ever hoped for. We have the dogs and each other, life is still pretty sweet. Some of my family live about an hour away, so holidays won't be to depressing. I'm giving Virginia a fair chance...

Here's pics of the outside of our place...

Pain In The Ass...

2005-07-24T01:25:00.000-10:00

AGHHHHHHH! Never ever travel with pets in the summer...it will be a major pain in the ass! Unfortunately we have to leave on government orders, so we don't have the luxury of leaving whenever we feel like it. We can't take our dogs on our flight because we have a layover in Texas. Texas isn't taking any pets do to their heat restrictions. It's good on one hand because there should be safety requirements for all pets, but it sucks for us because now we have to ship them separate at a later date. It's over quadruple the amount to do it this way, better luck to anyone that doesn't have the finances. Luckily I'm a worry-wart and we've planned in advance for something like this.

Continental Airlines has a great pet program that keeps all pets in an air-conditioned cabin during the summer. All the other airlines are subject to heat restrictions because they keep pets under the plane with the luggage. They must adhere to a 85 degree heat maximum, therefore declining pets from traveling most of the summer. Because Continental has air conditioning, they can ship pets anytime on their planes, and are not limited to the heat restrictions. Thank God for them, otherwise we would have to give our dogs away, or pay thousands of dollars on other alternatives.

I know it's a pain in the ass because we're making them a priority. I've met quite a few people who don't give a crap about their pets. In their eyes, pets are dispensable...they can just be given away or neglected if you don't want them anymore. To me, they are living creatures that you choose to take care of. If you don't want them, don't get them. There are some people out there that should be banned from ever being able to have pets. We can't have kids...at the moment, these little brats are all that we have. We've had both of them since they were puppies, and now one is 7 years old and the other is 4. Pathetic I know, but you can't say we're not responsible or neglectful. Anyone who thinks otherwise...BITE ME!

Poker Night...

2005-07-17T01:58:00.000-10:00

We got invited by Ernesto's co-worker to join him at his friend's house for some poker. There were about 14 people playing and 3 different tables to accommodate everyone. I learned some new games and played some of my old faves (3-5-7 and Follow the Bitch). About every hour and a half, you had to pick a number to see what table you'd be rotating to. (The number system ensures that you don't play the same people all night.) Ernesto was broke and done at his first table, he decided to just sit out and watch me play. He lost more than what his buy-in was, so I had to give him some of my chips to pay off his debt that he owed another player.

The people there were really nice and really patient at teaching me some of the games that I didn't know. These were some hard-core poker enthusiasts, they don't mess around. I like them because there was no drama or bullshit, it was all about having fun and playing the game. In the last hour I had lost almost all of my "chips", so I bought-in again just to have enough to play with confidence. My hands were pretty shitty and I also played some hands that I probably shoudn't have. I'm a cheapass and I can't stand taking a loss in my pocket...but it was all in fun. Luckily in the last 20 minutes, I won a big pot...recouped my loss and a lil bit extra. So in the end, we walked away with a little more than what we came in with. I would have been happy with just breaking even...

They play poker every Friday night, and they invited us to come back. We're only going to be here for 2 more weeks, so maybe we can get more playtime before we leave. I love love love poker!

Proud...

2005-07-15T13:49:00.000-10:00

Ernesto had his Reenlistment ceremony today, it was held in front of the miniature statue of Iwo Jima. It was a good choice for him to pick that location, it suits him. Another 4 years to add to his 8...12 more left to be eligible for retirement. He never thought he would stay any longer than his first enlistment...ha ha ha and now he's on his 3rd. I've seen him go through hard times and struggles in the last 8 years. He's given blood, sweat, and tears to the Marine Corps. The long hours, the field ops, the deployments (oh God the deployments!). He's seen more countries now then most people see in their lifetimes. I'm proud of his courage, his strength, and whatever will he has in him to go to work every morning.

He's been to Iraq... and has had to live with the pain of losing his friends, and the guilt of coming back home without them. It's been almost 3 months now since they've been back, none of them are the same. I still hear about their war stories and their memories. All of them looked older when they returned, the desert had aged their faces by 10 years. But now, they all look healthier with laugh lines indented in their cheeks. Slowly but surely, I know it's still going to take some time...

More pics I took from the ceremony...

Quirky...

2005-07-14T13:57:00.000-10:00

Do you ever catch yourself doing something quirky? I sat and thought about some of the things I do that might make people think I'm weird:

When I cough, people say..."Bless You". When I sneeze, I get offered a glass of water for my throat. Apparently, a sneeze sounds like a cough and a cough sounds like a sneeze.
Sneezing makes me flitter my hands like I'm trying to fly.
On my birthday, whenever someone says..."Happy Birthday Candace"...I say "Happy Birthday" back.
I hide my underwear in my pants at the gynecologist. 2 minutes later, he looks at my crotch. You explain that one to me?
If someone on the phone whispers to me, I whisper back. (I know you do it too!)
If I'm driving and I smell smoke (or anything that could indicate my car is about to take a dump), I have to turn the radio down to sniff the air?
I always flip or say words backwards. I don't mean to do it, I've deemed it as speech dyslexia. I still can't say "Pack rat" on the first try.
Everything is a make-shift microphone. I seem to like hairbrushes and remote controls the best...SUPERSTAR! (My best Mary Katherine Gallager impression..)
I don't have to go to the bathroom to do the Pee Pee Dance, but I'm better at it when I have to.
I love the "Double Chex" song and still sing it with great pride. "I I love love double double chex chex...better better than than the the rest rest...corn corn rice rice sweet sweet crunch crunch...double double crisp crisp bite bite munch munch."
I can flip my eyelids and hyper extend my knees backwards.
When I'm dead tired and the phone rings, I'll answer my remote.
Absent-minded. I've put the ice cream in the pantry and the keys in the fridge.
I saw a POW-MIA sticker on the back of a car and asked..."What's powmia?" Uhhh, my husband's in the military!
Mountains are sleeping dinosaurs. I will debate that with anyone.
I still laugh whenever I'm at the grocery store and see "Poppycock".
I'm a 25 year old with "footsies" (full body pajamas with plastic feet, the ones that babies wear).
I miss: Popples, Cabbage Patch Kids, Ewoks and Gizmo dolls, GEM, Snorkels, Fraggle Rock, Glow worms, Lightbrite, Don't Break The Ice, Don't Spill The Beans, and Skip It.
I will sing along to all jingles, commercial ads, and tv show themes. "Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down..." Oh, and I will hum to the beginning of every Law & Order.
Say "Toy Boat" 5 times as fast as you can. Can't do it can ya?

Sometimes people are too uptight. They live with a stick up their ass and not a smidge of humor in them. Sometimes you just gotta lighten up and live a little...

What are your quirks?

Kitty & The Geckos...

2005-07-13T01:13:00.000-10:00

My mom lived in Maui when I was a little kid, so seeing a gecko every now and then wasn't a big deal. Thing is, now I see them all over the place, all the time. I'm not just talking about seeing them outside...No, they're all over my house. In this last week, I have seen about 5 different ones crawling in the kitchen, the bathroom, the ceiling, the dining room, and the living room. Now that we're all packed up, they have no where to hide. I am finding them everywhere! I know that they like to eat bugs and that they won't really hurt us...but I'm still not a big fan. I reached for the door and one jumped on my arm. I picked up a towel that dropped on the floor, and another one ran across my foot. Here's a pic of a gecko I found hiding in the kitchen. Aghhh, this is probably one thing I won't miss about Hawaii...

For maybe the last year or so, there's been a stray cat that's been roaming around the neighborhood. She makes out, because I know that everyone always feeds and takes good care of her. I don't know what happened, but she's taken a sudden liking in me. Whenever I open the door, she'll run to me and follow me wherever I go outside. Last week she left a dead mouse on my lawn, and a dead rat on my doorstep. If I sit outside, she'll jump on my lap and lay down. We feel really bad because she's a really sweet kitty, but I've already got 2 dogs. At this point, there are way to many animals trying to inhabit our house. This is a pic of her waiting on my porch.

In less than 3 weeks we'll be outta here...they're more than welcome to move in then! Ha ha ha... ;)

Thankful We're Leaving...

2005-07-12T18:39:00.000-10:00

Time is passing...very very slowly. Now that the bulk of the move is almost finished, finding things to do is getting harder and harder. I vowed to not let my brain go to waste, but I think it's starting to turn to mush. I read and watch the news everyday, why not be up to par with current events. I figure the best thing I can do with my time is better educate myself. I could be failing miserably at it, but it never hurts to try. I think we should all be aware of what's going on in our community, our country, and the world. What can I say, I lead a pretty boring uneventful life...

I was watching the news last night and they showed a ceremony for the Navy Seals that died in Afghanistan. I looked at Ernesto and just about lost my breath. I am very lucky to have him safely home...that's an important thing that I have to remind myself. Again, I don't think there's enough emphasis on the fact that these are real people who are dying. The closer we get to leaving Hawaii, the more I start to realize how happy I am that he'll be in a non-deployable unit for a few years. It didn't really hit me until last night, to fully understand how staying here another enlistment could've affected us. Again, I know what it means by him staying in the military. I know this is just be a break, but it's a well deserved one.

Ernesto told me today that his re-enlistment package was approved...it's another official 4 years. He was supposed to have had all his paperwork done months ago, before we even got Quantico. Oh well, the Marine Corps isn't known for getting paperwork done in a timely manner anyways. After this enlistment, just 2 more and he'll hopefully be retired and we'll finally be ready to move on. God, 20 years may not seem like a long time to some...but that's a good chunk of time! I'll admit, even with all the deployments and bullshit...the Marine Corps has been very good to us...

Oh yeah, we had a great quiet anniversary yesterday. I was so overwhelmed with his kindness, I had to ask him if he was going to turn back to a frog at midnight! We lounged around and just enjoyed being in the company of one another. We kept joking about how old we are now and how we don't know what we were thinking to make it last 10 LOOOOOOOOOOONG years. Insanity maybe? Ha ha ha, it was good and fun times honey...THANKS!

Lazy Weekend...

2005-07-10T01:58:00.000-10:00

I have a blog on Xanga (http://www.xanga.com/trucandygirl), but I figured I would give this a try. This site seems pretty simple and less complicated. Yeah, I think I'm becoming a computer nerd...

This weekend has been the laziest weekend ever. All of our stuff is gone, there's nothing to do, and I think our restlessness will turn into madness any day now. I feel like I'm writing a message that's going into a bottle...we need to be rescued...HELP! The only enjoyment we had was baby-sitting the neighbors 2 kids. The loaner furniture is kicking my butt. My neck and back are so sore, this furniture wasn't made for comfort. The mattress is covered with plastic, so everytime you make the slightest move, the plastic makes a little crackle. It's annoying, but it's nice knowing that we're being protected from whatever nasty stuff could have been left behind from past users. Ick.

So, I've been taking a photography course online. I figure Virginia and New York will be great places to hone my skills. I can't wait to take pictures of the season changes. I want to be able to have a mini studio in our place too...I'll be able to do makeup and take pictures of my work. There have been a handful of professional photographers that have been giving me praise for the pics I've been taking with my dinky Kodak camera. I guess that's what I love about photography, you don't have to be good at it to appreciate what you've captured. I'm learning more about lighting, focus, depth perception, shadowing, aperture, lenses, and all the other million things that come along with it. It's actually a lot more complex than most people think.

I'm a sentimental person, so I think capturing memories is what's really important to me. I like being able to look back. It's a hobby, something fun to do to pass the time. I've been asked by some people to take their pictures for money, but I have to explain to them that I have no idea what I'm doing, and I only have a rinky dinky camera. Maybe there will be a day that I'll be good enough, but it's not going to be anytime soon.

I like these 3 pics because it's the epitome of how we spent this weekend. Ernesto doesn't like these because they're of him...I love them because they are. Sorry honey! I was bored and practicing on the crappy camera with soft glow effects.

This little cutie is one the kids we were watching this weekend. It was hard to get her to look at the camera...lol so I just told her to watch Spongbob and ignore me...