G's race

I went to the hoodtocoast.com site, and I must say the team names are worth reading. I have not picked a favorite yet. This is a great example of human creativity. It is good to see an event like this with such a large and diversified following. Way to go GeeGuy!

Same old rant

Well, it's the third day of school. The drop off zones are marked. They put out cones to mark where to drive over orange cones. Huh, do they have another purpose? Maybe protect OUR KIDS getting on and off the bus!! Dropping my son off, he asked why I didn't pull in the lot. Because the school asked us not to, that's for teachers and the busses. "Oh, but everyone else does Mom. " "We'll they shouldn't. I try to set a good example for you, don't do things your not supposed to." Like all the other freakin' morons out there! (We already had the talk about not repeating the words mom sometimes uses when the morons stop in the crosswalk.)

This rant is directed at a select number of morons. Most people are courteous, polite and law abiding.

This is a letter to the editor in Mondays paper:

"Its not that "Boy George" can't afford to face Mrs. Sheehan. It's more that he is a coward.
Having displayed his "lemon tinge" when he had the opportunity to defend freedom in Vietnam, I'm sure he finds it easy to evade confrontation.
After all, Mrs. Sheehan has truth, honor and honesty on her side, while "Baby Bush" has lies, deceit, and deception (quintessential Republican qualities) on his.
Coupled with the reality that our "CINC" (Coward in Command) isn't equipped with the capabilities to speak coherently, Karl Rove would never allow Bush to be put in any situation where he was not provided with the answers to planted questions and handpicked audiences!"

I have been wondering for some time now why this woman thinks she has the right to speak with the president again. If I decided I wanted to give him a piece of my mind, do you think he would talk to me? The President seems to be a fairly busy man, but she has nothing better to do than sit outside his ranch? It also seems to me she is degrading what her son died for. She may not agree with it, many of us don't but it was not her decision for him to join the military. If he died golfing would she be doing this?
And Mr. Bush did manage to speak well enough to Get Elected President of The United States!

A friend just asked if I knew anyone with extra Zuccini. I told her No, That stuff is nasty, but she wants some anyway. Some people just don't listen.

question of the day

Martha Stewart - Are your bedsheets still ugly when the lights go out?

Procrastination

I am an excellent procrastinator. This is why I did most of our school shopping yesterday, which leads me to the question - Why can't people show a little courtesy in WalMart? I hate that store, but the boy digs it. After trying to find wide lined loose-leaf paper for 20 minutes I was informed THEY WERE OUT! Shopping sucks.

PETA

Back when I had a real job a co-worker/friend with an evil sense of humor signed me up for PETA. I love to fish and hunt, which he knew of course. He ran about the office snickering when I received my first information packet, and on many other occassions when I would arrive at work disgruntled. After four years, I still receive letters begging me to help save assorted critters, and every time I wish I had had a chance to do something to my friend. Getting a closer look inside this organization has not changed my views on them for the better. I can understand wanting the circus elephants treated well, but is sitting on the street in your underwear in Great Falls Mt really going to change much?

Voting

You know, we see all the time about how we need to get out and vote. I agree, but with one minor condition - be an informed voter!
We recently had a conversation with a young friend, who is a good kid, but it ended with my other half and I saying Please don' t vote! You are going to cancel out someone who has a clue!
Find out who you are voting for!

Wow

The conversation could go something like this:
(the 4 year old girl)

"Mom, why doesn't that lady have a shirt on?"
"Well, she is protesting the treatment of circus elephants."
"Don't elephants get shirts?"

(or the 11 year old boy)

"Cool, that lady doesn't have a shirt on! Drive around the block!"

(Both kids)

"Mom, you told us if we run around naked the cops would come give us a ticket!"

Ever notice how good jokes go in spells? You hear a bunch of good ones and then none for weeks.

School starting

Well school is about to start. Once again I get to drive the boy up to school, park in the drop off zone and drop him off with a hug, then sit there for fifteen minutes while other parents park in the crosswalk to drop off their little darlings. It always stumps me. My child is important, but I believe ALL kids should be protected, especially at school. This is why I sit there and allow them to cross the street, no matter how much of a hurry the lady behind me is in. O.K., sometimes I sit there longer than needed, but come on, these are kids!
I feel a sense of pride when my son holds the door for others, or stops to help a smaller child. Are our days so full we cannot take a few moments to ensure the safety and well being of those around us? A smile and a helping hand from a stranger can make your whole outlook change. We live in a community, only we can make it better.

Sad News

I was looking at the Cool Beans site yesterday and saw they have pulled their sandwich board. This is a shame, but I would just like to make clear a couple things.

1. The old sign code was written about the same in relation to sandwich boards on public property-you pay a fee, you put it up, In the Central Business District. Sandwich boards OUTSIDE the CBD have never been legal on public property. This is a result of inforcement of the code.

HOWEVER
Nowhere does it state why you can only have a sandwich board downtown. It says"Encourage signage of a scale and character consistent with building, site, streetscape, and neighborhood"
and "Ensure protection of pedestrians and motorists from injury and/or damages attributable to distractions and obstructions caused by improperly placed signs" but nowhere does it say why sandwichboards are safer or more asthetically pleasing downtown than say, Central Ave West.

Now I agree with the enforcement part. Your permit $$ is going to enforce the code, so every time someone puts up a sign without a permit, you are paying a city guy to go tell them to take it down. UNLESS it is a construction site sign, government sign, real estate sign, political sign, idealogical sign, or a very gray area defined as flags, emblems, crest or insignia of any nation, political subdivision, corporation or any other entity or business. (Ms. Patton confirmed "a logo could be considered an emblem and then it would not require a permit however if it was placed on a wall it would count against the wall sign allowance")

If you see a sign that is not complying with the code, let the city know, you are paying someone $50,000 a year to enforce this!

Tribune

I have lived in GF most of my adult life and the newspaper options have been a continual subject, first with my Father and now with my Other Half. The online version doesn't have the parts I want to read, and my searches always end on a page that says it couldn't find those keywords. When we bought our house five years ago a retired fellow down the street was the delivery guy. He gave us free papers untill he talked us into subscribing, and our news was on the door when we got up, sometimes 4:00 or 4:30 if we were going fishing or hunting. We didn't always read the thing, but it was there. When he died suddenly and we got a new delivery person, things changed. No longer was the paper tucked inside the screen door to keep the snow off, but tossed on the lower step, or not there at all. Getting the paper before leaving for work became a long shot, and sometimes it didn't appear at all. After several calls to an automated voice mail, the subscription was cancelled. If I see something I feel like reading I will buy the paper. On Thursday (Outdoors section) and Sundays we always purchase a paper, usually at a store, since we have lost money in the convienent box around the corner an untold number of times. (Complaints to the nice voice mail again.) Now we get an average of 3-4 calls per month from them trying to get us to subscribe. They stand at the exit of the grocery store trying to get me to subscribe. They send us "We miss you" letters in the mail. Hey, I said NO! Don' t telemarket me, harrass me at the store and try to talk me into reading your opinion on something I saw on the news last night - sometimes from both points of view!

Kids fishing derby

There was a kids fishing derby on Willow Creek Reservoir Saturday, and I just wanted to say Great Job! All the kids got prizes, had fun fishing and playing in the water. The organizers did a wonderful job and thanks to all the sponsors. It was a great day for the kids, and totally free.

I hope the guy in the Jeep has learned to drive across roads, not mud. That tow truck from Augusta can't have been cheap!

News

Looking through other blogs I was struck by how many have political viewpoints on the national level, but not at the city level. I am not affiliated with any political party, I vote for what seems right and I am dismayed by some of the choices we have to make. The City Commission needs an overhaul. I can honestly tell you right now I don't know much about the candidates but I would vote for about anyone to get the current commissioners/Mayor out.
I would also like to know how the Staff is chosen, or hired or whatever?