Casey Anthony Case

Defense team smothers Casey with hugs after the NOT GUILTY verdict
From www.dailymail.co.uk

I know you're exhausted by the constant coverage that is making this case more of a circus and less of a murder, but I'm gonna have to put in my two cents about the Casy Anthony verdict.

First of all, I am PISSED that her parents were obviously in on the "my father and brother molested me so I keep all my pain buried deep inside" defense.  Why else would they not fucking disown their daughter for saying such a horrible thing?  How else could Cindy Anthony sit there and accept the accusations that make her husband a pedophile?  Plus, the defense team actually suggested the reason no father was listed on little Caylee's birth certificate is because George Anthony or his son Lee could have fathered her!

Speaking of inappropriate behavior: here's defense lawyer
George Mason flipping off paparazzi at the post-verdict party.
Also from www.dailymail.co.uk

That is such a travesty of justice for everyone who has been sexually abused by a family member and puts her right up there with the filth that is the Menendez Brothers.  Which, of course we should have known based on the fact Cindy Anthony claimed she, not Casey, looked up "chloroform" on her home computer even though she was signed in and working on her computer at her office at the same time.

Second of all, her behavior post "accidental" death of her only child is pretty much proof of some kind of guilt.  Getting wasted with friends, stealing checks from them and spending their money, entering "hot body" contests at bars, getting "Bella Vita" tatooed on her shoulder?  That doesn't say "I'm devasted," that says, "Finally, I'm free."

Third of all, I'm in absolute dread of whatever reality show, dating show, tell-all tome or porn she's going to end up in.  There's a rule about not profiting for your crimes, but it doesn't apply when you're acquitted.  Ask Mr. O.J. Simpson.

However, the jury really can't be faulted for their decision.  Prosecutors have to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and even with the cartoon characters that are the Anthonys and the defense team they obviously didn't.  It's a crappy situation, but hopefully the jury won't face too much static for actually following the letter of the law.

Coming soon to a crappy TV channel or bookstore near you!

Vent Central

I'm taking a little time for myself to vent about some recent technological issues.

First: Cox Communications

The only reason we signed up for Cox Cable is because there were no other cable providers servicing our area.  We had to.  AT&T is starting to get its tentacles in around here, but unless you want satellite (yeah right...I can see our dish flying away in the latest windstorm now...) Cox is your only option.

We have phone, Internet and special HD service (since they stopped offering HD with their basic cable package and demanded you upgrade in order to keep it last year).  For some reason, our universal remote does everything except change the INPUT setting on the TV.  So in order to switch the Source Setting (Video for DVD, Component 1 for the Wii, etc.) you have to press the INPUT button on the television.  The input button DOES work on the old Insignia remote, which I'm glad now I didn't toss.

Anyway, I contacted Cox's Live Agent Chat to deal with the problem.  Some guy named Leo came on after about 10 minutes and after I explained my issue, told me to reset the setup codes for both the TV and the Cable Box.  When I couldn't find the setup code for the cable box he sent me four links to the Cox website to "help" me locate it.  Then, before I could type that I'd found the right code and I was still having a problem, he sent me some kind of standard "Thanks for choosing Cox" bullshit and logged off the session!

I think that is the equivalent to a telephone operator hanging up on me mid sentence, and I told Cox so on the email I sent immediately afterward.  What the Hell?  The only reasons I used the Stupid Live Chat are 1) I'm decently computer-savvy and I'd rather save the telephone help for people who need it and 2) The issue seems relatively simple and not worth wasting some poor repairman's time to fix.

And of course I feel incredibly stupid because I can't get a lousy button on my remote to work.

Second: Verizon Wireless

Besides that, Verizon ended its $29.99 per month unlimited data plan.  Now, I've been seriously considering signing up for that since I'd love to be able to check my email from my phone like everyone else does, but spending $1 per day for 2GB of data with a $1 per GB overcharge after that is ridiculous!

My Husband and I have been with Verizon for 7 years now and I'm slightly wary of breaking up with them.  We're both due for a phone upgrade but there's like, no choice in handsets unless you get a data plan.  And of course I'm the one who has to deal with all these issues since My Husband is 100% hands off when it comes to household details.

These are the times I want to say "Fuck it," go completely off the grid and do nothing but read books and raise alfalfa in the Montana wilderness.

Canine Kitteh Gets His Cover Blown

In this hilarious edition to Youtube.com, a Russian cat revels in barking out his window...until his owner catches him on camera.

Vegas Vacation

Apologies for the radio silence.  I spent last weekend rocking out in Las Vegas with a friend from Major Metropolitan University and a bunch of her friends from the MBA program she attended afterward.

It was my very first trip to Vegas and officially the furthest West I've ever been.  I had a really good time...the trip started out with more of our friends from college, but they dropped out during the planning stages.  So it turned out to be just me with a bunch of these young professional, MBA, high stakes kind of people.

Don't get me wrong, all of them were exceptionally nice to me.  They asked a number of times where My Husband was and why I didn't bring him (as I said before, when I booked it it was supposed to be a girls-weekend thing) and asking me about myself and my life.  In fact, for most of the first day I was without the mutual buffer that is my college friend.

The only real issue we came up against was money.  Everyone there had been working for years...and we're talking actual PROFESSIONS...Adidas Corporate, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Bank of America, etc.  They've got money.  I don't.  I never really have.

But they never ever, let me feel left out.  Between airfare and food and clubbing and all that, though, I'm still dealing with a trip that cost more than $500 a day.  Even if it was an amazing trip (at LAVO, we had our own table with our own security guard.  How cool is that?).

On another note, it was pretty illuminating to see my friend from college and how easy she was with this group, almost all of which was men.  I've never been able to have long-lasting, affectionate and platonic relationships with men.  I've tried.  For some reason, it just doesn't work for me.

I'm assuming it's my fault.  Until I went to college I thought it was unacceptable to share a bed with a guy when you weren't planning to sleep with him.  I hadn't the slightest clue what "cuddling" was.  Frankly, all my interactions with straight men had to do with them trying to get my clothes off (and before you sneer at my overconfidence, it was less because of the way I looked and more because I was a well-known virgin and a worthwhile conquest).

I had two major attempts to have male friends in college.  The first was from junior to senior year...a guy I worked with at the university's sports arena and I became close enough to hang out together outside the office.  We saw movies, we went to parties, we had fun at events.  We had a bunch of mutual friends, so that helped.  The last Tuesday before graduation, he got drunk at a bar we were at and told me I was the biggest tease he'd ever met and he wondered aloud why I needed everyone to be in love with me.  I haven't spoken to him since.

After that, I made friends with the graduate student speaker at our commencement (I was the undergrad speaker).  As we were going our separate ways, we stayed in touch via email for months.  That is until I sent him an email about my boyfriend (now My Husband) and he simply stopped contacting me.  Just like that.

So I haven't tried since.  I know guys...most of them are dating female friends of mine or they're friends of the guys dating female friends of mine.  But that's it.  And I always used to tell myself men and women couldn't be real friends without wanting to hook up with one another or already having hooked up with one another.  Seeing the goings on in Las Vegas, that's just not true.

My sisters have had male friends.  Like, real male friends they can call and talk to...ones who buy them birthday presents and send them Facebook messages.  And they grew up the exact same way I did.

But not me.  What's wrong with me?

Kids' Summer Reading List

In honor of the long days of summer, I’ve compiled a short list of books (along with a personal opinion of ages they'd appeal to) to help chase away boredom and enrich your kids until school starts again.

10 Books Your Kids Should be Reading But Probably Aren’t: 

Beautiful Joe by Marshall Saunders: A charming chapter book where a dog narrates the story of his life in turn-of-the-century Maine.  It does have a decidedly Christian feel but it advocates kindness to all creatures.  This story is a must-read for animal lovers.  SUGGESTED AGE: 7-TWEEN 

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde: In this short story by the famed humorist, an American family rents a haunted English manor and locks horns with its 400-year-old ghost.  It’s full of commentary on stuffy British society and rampant American consumerism, but the message is surprisingly sweet.  SUGGESTED AGE: 6-TEEN 

The Talking Eggs by Robert D. San Souci, Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney: This adaptation of a Creole folktale does a wonderful job of conveying an important lesson on kindness amidst the magic that is rural Louisiana.  SUGGESTED AGE: 3-10 

The Red Room Riddle by Scott Corbett, Illustrated by Geff Gerlach: If your older child likes a good scare, this clever ghost story is the best.  A slightly bloody plot involving the biblical Slaughter of the Innocents, most of the action takes place in a small town in 1920s America.  Two boys trespass into a local haunted house on Halloween night and get the scare of their lives.  SUGGESTED AGE: 8-TEEN 

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros: Another great book for a slightly older set or a young advanced reader is this collection of short stories about a girl growing up in a rough Chicago neighborhood.  Slightly stream-of-consciousness and gorgeously poetic, this sad yet hopeful book will make your child want to be a writer.  SUGGESTED AGE: 8-TEEN 

D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths Written & Illustrated by Edgar and Ingri D’Aulaire: I spent many happy hours wandering through the pages of this book, engaged again and again by the colorful illustrations and classic stories.  Full of heroes, villains, gods and goddesses, it’s a necessary addition to any child’s bookshelf.  SUGGESTED AGE: 6-TWEEN 

Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm Written & Illustrated by Martin and Alice Provensen: Based on the authors’ experiences at their upstate New York farm, this book is a delightful respite for any city kid.  Including dogs, cats, horses, chickens, cows, sheep and goats as well as some touching commentary on animals that’ve passed on, this picture book feels like an idyllic day in the country.  SUGGESTED AGE: 3-10 

King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry, Drawings by Wesley Dennis: Marguerite Henry is the quintessential horse-story writer and this tale about the Godolphin Arabian (the ancestor of all champion Thoroughbred racehorses) is both suspenseful and heart-warming.  If your child loved Black Beauty, he’ll love the friendship between the stallion Sham and his stable boy Agba.  SUGGESTED AGE: 7-TWEEN 

The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo by Judy Blume: Most people know the coming-of-age tale Are You There, God: It’s Me, Margaret, but Judy Blume has a ton of other stories just as poignant and funny.  If you have a middle child, she NEEDS to read about how second-grader Freddy Dissel makes himself stand out when he’s normally overshadowed by his older brother and little sister.  SUGGESTED AGE: 3-7 

The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo, Illustrated by Ruth Heller: Every culture has a Cinderella story, and this is one of the best.  Based on the true tale of the Greek slave Rhodopis, a contemporary of the famous bard Aesop, its bright colors and lyrical writing pack quite a punch.  I loved it because Rhodopis’ pale skin and blonde hair made her an outcast among the dark eyes and caramel-colored skin of her Egyptian peers, a feeling I knew all too well growing up.  SUGGESTED AGE: 3-7

A Short Story

And now, a short story: 

Generally speaking, Dale James avoided the PX the day after payday.  Fighting the crowds, the baby carriages and the wayward carts was a mistake most army wives only made once.  But with FRG co-leadership thrust into her hands just days before, Dale had no choice but to brave the post-paycheck multitude to pick up some necessities for the next meeting.

She was poring over printer ink prices when she heard the sharp, hushed tones that signaled the beginnings of a public argument.  Turning slightly, she was surprised to see Specialist Forrest, one of her husband’s soldiers.  As a lieutenant’s wife, Dale made an effort to learn the faces and names of everyone in Charlie Troop.  Forrest’s cart butted up against that of a woman Dale didn’t know, pinning her into the office supply aisle.

The stranger was covered from head to toe in swaths of some kind of silky fabric patterned with red and gold flowers.  Her red headscarf was pulled low on her forehead, almost to her eyebrows, so that not a hair peeked under its hem.  Her eyes darted from the tired tile floor to Forrest’s face, whose breathless voice was starting to become loud enough to hear from where Dale stood.

“…that you’d even show yourself anywhere on post with that, that thing, on your head!  I'm so tired of this shit.  How dare you?  How dare you come into our store, into our country, looking just like the fuckers that are trying to blow us up?”

Clenching her jaw, Dale pushed her own cart toward the fray and interrupted brightly, “Mr. Forrest, how are you?” 

Whirling, Forrest scrutinized the intruder, “Oh, Mrs. James.  Hi.”

“Now, I know that wasn’t you I heard using such foul language in a place crawling with kids.  It must have been someone in the next aisle.”

Forrest colored slightly at being addressed so by the platoon leader’s wife.  “I was just…I was…”

Dale interrupted, “No, of course it wasn’t you.  You’ve got two young kids of your own, right?  And I know you wouldn’t use words like that in front of someone else’s little ones.  Speaking of, I’m sure you need to get right back to them.  I’ll see you at the FRG meeting on Friday evening, won’t I?”

With a fierce look to the woman in the headscarf, Forrest mumbled a reply and shoved his cart quickly away.  Her mouth set in a firm line, Dale watched the fuming young man disappear behind a display.

“I’m sorry about that.”

The stranger turned to Dale.  “It’s the same almost every time we PCS.  People call us traitors, call us spies.  My son gets pushed down on the playground.  My daughter cries about the time she will have to cover her hair.  My husband and I were born here.  We are Americans.  And we are Muslim.  It appears we can’t truly be both at once.”

Tilting her head slightly, she continued, “But you apologize for words that were spewed all over me by someone else.  Why?”

“Do you hate the people who take your faith in God and twist it into a weapon for their own ends?” Dale replied.

“Yes,” the woman said, “It’s one of the reasons my husband enlisted.”

“I hate those who take my skin color and stretch it like a mask over the face of bigotry, claiming to represent an America that I wouldn’t want my husband defending.”

“What is your name?” the woman asked.

“Dale.”

“I’m Selah.”

“Hello, Selah.”

“Hello, Dale.  And so, both of us seek to atone for the sins of strangers.  We feel guilty for their thoughts and responsible for their actions.  How strange.” 

Dale looked into Selah’s eyes and said quietly, “We are women, after all.”

Childhood Celebrity Crushes and other Random Stuff

I came across the movie Summer Catch on MTV yesterday.  It's not a good movie, but it made me remember how much I loved Freddie Prinze Jr. as a teen.  She's All That was the first film I saw in theaters with my friends (sans parents) and I had a huge crush on him for a number of years.  He has this really attractive kind of earnestness that makes me get all gooey inside.
 
He's been married to Sarah Michelle Gellar (who's now Sarah Michelle Prinze) since 2002 and they have one daughter, Charlotte Grace.  So as of right now they appear to be blessedly normal as well as pretty good actors.  That makes me love them even more :)  Dear Prinze family: you're awesome!  I hope you're all happy and healthy. 

I never had a crush on Leonardo DiCaprio, even though he was a favorite among my peers.  I actually didn't appreciate him at all until I saw Blood Diamond and his interviews afterward.  After that his attractiveness level totally shot up.

My older sister Chloë and I had pretty similar taste in celebrity crushes for a few years.  We both liked Prince William (she grew out of that, I never did) and actor Jonathan Brandis who we watched on seaQuest DSV.  Then she kind of went alternative/musician-y and I turned left at athlete/actor/accented.

As for younger sister Sarah, she like athlete/funny/goofy.  She actually had a big crush on Lance Bass from *NSYNC, which we still tease her about (in case you don't know, Bass is gay).

On another random note that only has a slight connection to my childhood in the 90s:
Is it just me or do the Katy Perry song "Last Friday Night" and the Lady Gaga song "The Edge of Glory" make use 90s sitcom-style theme song trumpets? Every time I hear those tunes I wanna go, "Choo-be-doo-bah-baahh-dah..." (that's from the Full House theme, in case you couldn't decode my phonetics).  Take a listen and see if you agree.