Friday Five - Firsts

1. First Clear Memory- I can distinctly remember being lost when I was about five. I wandered off at a bazaar in western Germany where my family was shopping. I ended up crying myself to sleep in a bundle of blankets and someone found me and took me back to my parents but I was so freaked out I wouldn't let go of a pink and grey elephant wool blanket. I still have that blanket. It's my dog, Bella's, blanky now.

2. First Time Meeting Your Spouse- We went to high school together. He hated me. I was perky and a cheerleader, the seminary president, and in three different choirs. He was in the band, a punk, angry at the world, and it didn't help that his little sister was my "little sister" at school. I was definitely every thing unholy in his world. We re-met our sophomore year of college when my friend wanted to date his friend but needed a wingman for his wingman. I promised if she kept making me daiquiris I would talk to his friend. His friend and I talked for seven hours that night, made out a little too, and we've been together eleven years now.

3. First Job- My very first job was as a pie girl at Marie Callendar's for a month and a half, then my mom made me quit because I dropped out of honor roll and she thought the hours were too long while I was in school. The next job was at a day care center with less hours but I was a lot more work. It was a lot of fun though and now I'm a teacher, so I guess it molded me :) I stayed at that job from 15 to 19, the longest I've ever had a job.

4. First Time in an Airplane- My parents moved us from Texas to Germany when I was three. So my first flight was 16 hours to Frankfurt. My parents were saints.

5. First Lie- I remember at six or seven, not exactly sure, but my brother was being awful to me and he kept punching me to get me away from him and his Gameboy, we'd been in the car on the Autobahn for hours on end and my parents were so done with us, but they wouldn't yell at him for being a jerk, just kept saying "Don't make me come back there!" kind of stuff. So when we stopped at a gas station he throttled me and I went to the bathroom and punched myself in the arm over and over until it purpled up really dark and angry and then ran to my dad and cried about my brother beating me up. Needless to say, he was taught to pick on people his own size and I felt ridiculously guitly, but I did get to play with the Gameboy for a few hours.

In Which I Squee Like a Little Girl on a Monday.

So you guys probably know by now that I'm really excited about Snow White and the Huntsman... today we got a new trailer and I am EVEN MORE EXCITED NOW!!!!!!

Take a look at this movie!

How awesome does this movie look?! I want it to be June now :D

What do you think? And what movies are you looking forward to this year?

In Which I Respond to Senator McCain of Arizona

I sent my senator, John McCain, a letter asking him to help vote against the House Bill 2625 that would allow employers to deny their employees health care if they do not, for religious reasons, believe in birth control. He responded with a very long email, sent by some secretary, stating he wanted to aid the Catholic population who were being denied their religious freedom by the Obama administration and protecting the right of employers to have their own beliefs. I was SHOCKED.

Here's how I replied to my dear senator:

In response to your email regarding birth control regulations and employers. I am appalled at your reasons for voting against the needs and wants of those who voted for you. You are not representing your constituents. You are representing your own self-serving beliefs and your own desires. That is not what a public servant does. Health care is not a choice, it's a right and access to birth control should not be dictated by employers or senators. Your job is to represent Arizona, all of Arizona, not just the Catholic conservatives as you stated in your email. With all due respect, you are not representing me or the women of your state. Ask your constituents what they want rather than just doing what you want. Shame on you, Mr. McCain.

Please contact your senators and protect your right to health care ladies, it seems to be open season on our vaginas.

Friday Five

I decided since I was in such a bad mood I'd vent via five, then do a positive five to end on a good note.

The cons:
1- I'm not feeling well, inside and out.
2- Someone ate my lunch on Thursday and it made me feel like Red Ross. (If you get that, you get me.)
3- My husband has volunteered for a very scary job and has to do a lot of tests and it's been challenging.
4- I'm tired of hearing all the name-calling and angry words from people, especially women, or political leaders. It's ridiculous we're trying to stamp out bullying yet the grown ups around the world are incessantly doing it!
5- My puppy, Bella, has to have surgery on Thursday of this week. I'm pretty terrified. If you have extra good thoughts and heathen juju for her, we would appreciate it immensely.

And the Pros:
5- I've been reading like mad- lots of fun, brain candy. And I finished Larissa Ione's Demonica series and found out she has a new series that I can start on. Reviews soon.
4- I am lucky because I have a roof over my head and a job that pays the bills. No matter how hard it gets in my head, I know I can at least feed my family and take care of my pets.
3- My iPhone has me completely smitten and addicted. It's sad really.
2- I'm incredibly proud of my husband even if I'm scared for him. He's my hero.
1- My novel is officially finished at 43,000 words written in three weeks. Time for editing by my betas then submitting to publishers.

How was your week?