Ha! Yesterday and Today I made my valentines cupcakes. Yes, it's a bit early but I have two events this weekend that I wanted to make them for and it was just natural to do them all at the same time. The small trays are for family and friends and the large tray is for a kids program at work tomorrow.

Check em out! Four Dozen beauties. They are devils food and 3/4 of them have cherry pie filling in the middle. I tried some new decorating methods and they all worked great. I had a lot of fun decorating. I really enjoy the outcomes of time well spent on a project.

So far, I've only at one to check my cooking time. I hate to not eat something that I'm giving to other people to eat. lol

I did save three for at home. Maybe my other half will eat one or two. lol

Here they are:

I thought I'd share some of my favorite book related sites cuz I'm geeky like that.

These I currently use:

Library Thing
http://www.librarything.com/home/dreamqueen
A book cataloging site. It's super fantastic.

Good Reads
http://www.goodreads.com/
A book tracking and cataloging site.

Project Gutenberg
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
A free book website of all kinds of books in e-text format.

Libravox
http://librivox.org/
An audio book website, all free!

These look promising for 2009:

Book Mooch
http://bookmooch.com/
A book sharing and exchange site.

Anyone else shopping? I did both in the stores and on-line and got some excellent deals for my gadget obsessed mind. lol I also got some good Christmas presents for my family. My own goodies included a 4.3 inch GPS system for my car (christmas present from Curtis) and a Dell Inspirion Mini-Laptop (my own splurge) for me to carry to school and work or wherever. The mini laptop technology is so awesome! This one is 8.9 inches and boots in 20 seconds! Wow! You would not believe the deep discounts available today!

Hi Friends!

I'm not on a soapbox but I thought I'd share something that was really cool. I went to a lecture yesterday at college. It was given by a member of the Gandhi family and was about non-violence. I am putting my notes here because I think they are really interesting and in the world we live in today- perhaps useful depending on how you interpret them. Enjoy!

Arun Gandhi – fifth grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and world renounced conflict resolution scholar.

The forgotten woman: Gandhi’s wife biography

Giraffe project: website lists constructive positive projects for peace

Non violence as Grandfather practiced is not a (temporary) strategy- it is a long term way of living life as to minimize the impact of violence to others.

You must be the change you want to see in the rest of the world. Mahatma Gandhi

Personal Talent and Skill – Everyone has an individual talent or skill and we usually use it to better ourselves or our own lives but instead of using it for your own gain you should use it to help others and serve.

It always seems impossible until you are done. Nelson Mandela: Example

Aung su ki – Burmese political prisoner (non violent): Example

Share and help people out of compassion not pity. Do not take the easy way out of a situation- how can you really make a difference? IE: Giving money to the poor as a handout is an example of the easy way out. What can you really do to make that person happier, healthier or even get them out of the situation they are in?

Peace work is not anti war work- peace work should help peace prevail all of the time everywhere and it must be done constructively not just through protests.

Form good relationships with other people using Respect, Understanding, Acceptance, and Appreciation. Too often we form relationships only because of some benefit they give us.

We are not really individual people; we are interrelated and interpersonal beings as humans. Do not label people – learn to know who a person is from the inside out.

Anger management – you must not react to anger by using violence. Instead you must channel and control anger and use it in a more positive light. Keep an anger journal. What makes you mad and what did you do about it? Find solutions to your anger instead of acting out on it. 85% of all violence against both nature and humans is caused by anger. You must use mental exercises to teach your mind control so you can then use that control over your own anger.

Violence against humanity and nature are often done unintentionally. Such as when you throw away an old pencil that still has use you are committing acts of violence against both first by wasting natural resources and secondly by denying other humans their necessary life source by ruining that natural resource in wasting it.

Passive violence is unintended or unknown violence. Everyday your actions may affect other people and cause physical violence because of anger. Do you really think about other people as you go about your daily life? What impact do you leave on others?

Physical violence in reproach (war). The only way to stop physical violence is to end the passive violence against others that causes physical violence.

Governments will never end wars using these methods because they are not compassionate and unselfish. Governments can only be bureaucratic and cold because it is the nature of their reason for creation. Violence can only be solved by individual people following a non violent lifestyle and using constructive methods.

Don't you all love the mac vs. pc commercials on T.V.? They are so entertaining that they even get non techie people talking about them. Recently one asked me, why the reference to Microsoft spending so much money on Vista advertising? lol I was so surprised because this person uses a pc but doesn't understand any of the concepts behind it or the buzzwords of the industry!

I have my on mac vs. pc debate. It's come time to upgrade my personal pc again and I'm totally leaning in a mac direction.

I have been to stores and tried both out by hand and I'm really impressed with the new 13" titanium shell the mac has. I think I'll scheduled myself to go to a mac workshop and learn more about macs in general. I'm pretty clueless but I like to be informed.

All my mac friends love their macs so I guess that's saying something. You can't beat their overall) product innovations thats for sure.

I'll let you know when I actually get something!
Heather

So I finally changed my major in college. I had debated over and over about my computer science major and I just wasn't happy with it. Now, I'm an International Studies major. WOOT! This will also fit better with my minor, which is Spanish Language.

Next spring I take my first international class called International Relations. I am really looking forward to it.

I was able to get a decent schedule. I have to go to classes all five days during the week but everything is early in the day so I can still work at night and do other things.

I am actually enjoying daytime classes. Being on campus full time in the day is a lot different but I'm into my groove now and all is well.

Hopefully next year I can get some financial aid. The only negative out of all this is the loans I will be racking up.

:-)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/13/tina-fey-as-sarah-palin-o_n_126249.html

I am sure you heard about this and if not, where have you been?

Tina Fey (from SNL) covered a skit acting as Sarah Palin. If you have ever watched a Palin speech you will die laughing at her dead on imitation.

One of my favorite book series lately is a paranormal series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I am so far behind on the series! The brand new novel just came out and it is the penultimate! It's about the head guy of the dark hunters that all the previous twenty four books are written about. I am dying to read it. It is about four times the size of her other books and I hear it's chocked full of goodness!

Notice that the author is now adding a Dream Hunter to the series as well. I like them but they are clouding up my path to Acheron the big bad leader who I am dying to read about!

Here is what I have to read first:

# Dark Side of the Moon (St. Martin's Press, 2006, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2007)(HB ISBN 0-31235-743-5, PB ISBN 0-31293-434-3) IN TRANSIT TO ME

# "Fear the Darkness", free ebook (St. Martin's Press, 2007) I OWN THIS

# The Dream-Hunter (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2007) (ISBN 0-31293-881-0) ORDERED

# Devil May Cry (St. Martin's Press, 2007, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2008) (HB ISBN 0-31236-950-6, PB ISBN 0-31294-686-4) IN TRANSIT TO ME

# Upon the Midnight Clear (St. Martin's Paperback, 2007) (ISBN 0-31294-705-4)

# Dream Chaser (St. Martin's Paperback, 2008) (ISBN 0-31293-882-9)

# Acheron (St. Martin's Press, 2008) (ISBN 0-312-36215-3) I HAVE CHECKED THIS OUT FOR MY MOM TO READ.

As you can see my mother has voraciously read this series and is ready for the brand new novel. I delivered it to her today.

*goes back to dreaming about when her next DH book will deliver* Oh, the pressures of our hobbies! LOL

Can you believe summer is almost over? Labor day is in a matter of weeks, two to be exact. WOW.

I had a decent summer considering I lost my job in April. Thankfully I was blessed with already having a second job and still am able to bring in income. Severance has helped also but I will be tightening my money belt going into next year.

I'm moving forward with my education and am very excited about a full semester this fall. I had to take loans to do so but at least it is possible.

My classes are Mon-Fri and in the daytime from nine a.m. to one p.m. This is very different for me. I haven't been in day college since I was nineteen and I'm thirty four now- almost thirty five!

One thing is for sure - I have to reorganize my life because I work nights right now and stay up very very late in the evenings.

I guess I'll be cutting back on my hobbies in order to sleep earlier. That part will suck but you do what you have to! I'm ready to get my degree so I'll do what it takes.

My classes this time around:

Calculus 1 + Lab
C++ programming + Lab
Spanish 3
Nature in Literature

Wish me Luck!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dreamqueen5/sets/72157606771429811/

Check out that album UNLESS museums bore you to death. LOL We went up to DC last week for some touring! We did no less than five museums and went into Chinatown for dinner. Boy were we tired the next day!

http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/2008/08/10-geeky-webcom.html

From a WIRED magazine article. Great stuff here. :-)

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/08/the-worlds-weir.html

Check out that link about some crazy vending machines located all around the world. I admit I haven't seen any of them but they are cool (well some are)! lol

Hey, me again. So I got some questions and interest in a band I like from some friends and thought I'd put it up here. It's kind of an obscure band but very popular within their own fan group. You won't hear it on the radio at least not on this coast. Its a summertime thing and is always cranking in my Jeep.



Here is their wiki entry header:

American band based in Ocean Beach, California, who describe their music as "a fusion of acoustic rock and blues with reggae, hip-hop, and punk". As a band, they have released seven albums (2 live) with their fifth studio album, entitled Chronchitis, released on August 7, 2007. The band was originally signed by Bradley Nowell from the band Sublime to his label Skunk Records while still in high school.

Here is their myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/stoopid

I have their last three albums. I think Closer to the Sun is my favorite.

Here is one of my favorite songs on you tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J7PQsy-XM8

Enjoy!

This movie is one of the most simple movies I have ever seen as far as theme or plot goes but it worked so well because of how the actors told the story. They show what it is like to be normal people in a normal word with hopes and dreams even though their daily lives are not really what they want them to be. I am sorry that I waited so long to see it. I will never forget the acting and music of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová



It has been two months since I saw this movie but I am still thinking about it and listening to the music from it. I wanted to re-recommend it to everyone. I am going to buy it as soon as I can find it on sale.

The actor Glen Hansard is in a band called "The Frames". You might like to check them out too. The songs are so emotional and heartfelt not to mention beautifully haunting.

Also the actress is a singer too. Here is one of the biggest songs from the movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=938XY6DX02w

Last week my family and I went to the national aquarium in baltimore for a family day. We had a great lunch and dinner together and went downtown to have some fun there. I think we spent four or five hours in the aquarium!

The dolphin show was the best part. The trainer interaction is just awesome! I enjoyed the whole trip except for the traffic and backups in Baltimore. It was also a very long day but we don't get too many family days together anymore so it was nice.

You can check out my pictures here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dreamqueen5/

YAY I LOVE SUMMER! LOL

Activities Activities!

So we have this movie thing going on this summer with some co-workers and friends. I love it and wish I could do it year round! lol We see a new movie every week. I loved them all so far. Last week was Wanted and this week Hancock. Both were great!

Last weekend I went to Dover with my brother and his girlfriend. That was fun too although expensive. We stayed in a fancy hotel and gambled a lot.

Next week my mother and niece are on vacation and we are all going to Baltimore to the harbor one day with my brother, his g/f and her daughter. I think were getting aquarium tickets.

Also next week Mom, Destiny and I are going to Assateague. This will be fun because Destiny has her first boogie board this year!

In August some friends (and Curtis this time!) are going to DC to visit the National Mall.

It's to bad I'm not rich and whatnot. I sure love to do stuff. lol I could flit around all day and night if I had the time and money!

Well here are some pictures from 4th of July at my house. There is Destiny and Rachael, my friends little girl. The fireworks were at Hebron about 11 PM at night. I used my new Kodak Z712 IS camera. I would have had more pictures if I was not hopping around with the kids while trying to take pictures. lol I did use the "night" SCENE setting.