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Archive for February, 2008

Feb 28 2008

Our blog has 3 authors…

Published by Bridge under bridge

***Edit***

I should mention that in some cases I copy/pasted and made mistakes on this post which Jess and Al later edited (Al’s hair color and such). HAHA. And I totally was wrong on my friends heights. I guess it is because they look nice, tall, and skinny to me.

Many of you already know this, but I need to inform a few need readers who may not know. There are three authors on this blog. Yep, it’s a group blog.

Our names are Bridge, Jess and Al. (pictured below from left to right)

The Three Monkeys140 retouched 2

The main reason we have this group blog is so that the three of us can stay in contact without having to actually talk to each other. I am serious kidding. The real reason is that we are all three very busy individuals and this blog allows us to tell each other what is happening on a week to week basis. Sometimes it is sad and other times it can be funny as hell.

My nickname is Bridge. I’ve been friends with Jess since I was 5 years old. A long ass time considering I am almost turning 32. I’ve been friends with Al since I was around 12. Again, a long ass time. The three of us got into a lot of trouble growing up. Luckily we didn’t get caught. **Al edit: the truth of the matter is, we used to tell Bridge’s parents exactly what we were doing and they never believed us. My parents were easily fooled and Jess’s parents, we flat out lied to.**

Now here is some nice generic information about us so you can learn to identify us.

Bridge: (me again in case you forgot)

Description:
Height: 5′3 (really short)
Weight: 155 (hopefully lower soon)
Hair: Brown (sometimes other colors, but not naturally)
Eyes: Brown (shit brown I’ve been told)

Family:
1 husband (I do live in Utah…)
2 kids (M is a boy and is 8, N is a girl and is 6)
0 Pets (RIP Kitty)

Interests:
Photography
Beer
Sci Fi
Fantasy
Computers
Skiing (both water and downhill)
Movies
Games
Gambling
HGTV

Jess

Description:
Height: 5′9/10ish (I should know this) **edits from jess in bold - LOL** i’m really about 5′8″.
Weight: She mentioned this somewhere… i’ve lost 7 pounds…so i’m down to 154
Hair: Blonde (I haven’t seen her real hair color in 16 years) when i figure this out, i’ll let you know.
Eyes: Blue thanks, acuvue colors!

Family:
1 soon to be husband (she also lives in Utah…) no sister wives…
2 kids (Jacob is a boy and is almost 9, Jenna is a girl and turned 7 on Monday) plus two stepdaughters. i’d love to hear more from the step parents out there…
1,000,000 Pets (maybe not that many, but give her time) ha ha ha!! two dogs, two cats. and a bissell little green pet carpet cleaner.

Interests:
(definitely NOT in this order - lol)
Nascar
Beer
Golf
Computers (WOW you are a geek now…) WOW as in WOW? or WOW as in World of Warcraft? bwahahahahaha
Soccer, Volleyball, Softball (she is a sporty mom!)
The Girls Next Door
HGTV
Poker

Al

Description:
Height: 5′7/8ish (I should ALSO know this) ** Al edit: Thanks B- but I am NOT nearly that tall. I am a mere 5′4″**
Weight: Not near as much as me.
Hair: Brown (I haven’t seen her real hair color in 16 years) **Al edit: Dude, are you serious? The last time I dyed my hair was when my madre got re-married. That was like 5 years ago. I don’t have the time or the patience to keep up a hair dye regimen. Plus, I’m really trying HARD to grow old gracefully (is it working?)**
Eyes: Green

Family:
El Gordo Gator (did I spell this right Al?) **Al edit: Nope. el gordo gato (not his real name. have to protect the innocent felines of the world.)**

Interests:
Running
Biking
Beer
Getting her shit stolen (apparently)
The Environment
Reading (real books that are NOT fantasy like me) **Al edit: Please note that Al would like to move the “getting her shit stolen” off of the list but, sadly, cannot. Also, Al would like to add a blanket statement that most outdoor activities are fun for her, especially if they include beer. Does anyone else see a trend here? Beer is in the top three activities for each of us. Weird.**

Now we all have different writing styles and write on different topics.

I usually write about what I am doing and I usually have misspelled words in my post. Thankfully Jess usually can’t stand my typos and goes and changes them for me. Thanks Jess(Al would like to take this opportunity to thank Jess for her grammar vigilance as well)! I also tend to post a lot of pictures with me and my kids. I own my own business (artist/service industry) and tend to work from home. I also edit the template and maintain this blog. I also create our banners every month. (jess edit - bridge says she “tends” to work from home. interesting. because i’d say she exclusively works from home, although her clients do require strange and exotic travels at times…)

Jess typically is the funniest of all of us. Considering she went to school to be a journalist so she better be good at writing! She also likes to write about political stuff. She is a working professional, and until the end of this month a single divorced (as dr. laura would say) mother. I am very proud of her(**Al edit: DITTO!!!). She has raised two kids on her own, put herself through school, got a great job, and is still a great friend. She also edits our sidebars on our template. (and i’m really, really, lazy…and thanks, ladies. i’m surprised i’m still alive, actually. and the sidebars are the WORST. they have spacing issues.)

Al, on the other hand, writes about pretty much everything. She is a little more technical then either Jess or I. I still can’t get over the picture of her eyes the other day. Ouch. I would call her a scientist(**and she likes to call herself a psuedo-scientist). She is the only one of us that has her Masters. I am proud of you too! She also exercises all the freaking time and it shows. Way to go Al! (jess edit - she’s smart and what i would normally refer to as a crazy hippie environmentalist if i didn’t know her…)

Well there you have it. If you have any questions for any of please let us know. We appreciate all of you reading our blog, and hope you enjoy it. If you ever have anything you want to know just ask. (in fact, jess would like to steal and idea from mrs. g and ask you to leave your questions in the comments…we’ll answer them when we get around to it…)

9 responses so far

Feb 26 2008

HR 676 (a note on health care)

Published by Al under al, my two cents

We’re sitting at dinner on during my visit to CV over the winter holidays and my brother starts talking about how he was up late the previous evening writing to his House of Representative Caucus members. He wants them to support HR 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act. So my siblings and I proceed to ruin any attempt at cheerful holiday conversation by instead talking about this bill and it’s greater implications on US citizens and, closer to home, those family members who may not be able to afford, or even have the option to afford, the coverage that I pay for (and hardly ever use, btw). Yes, we’re LAME and mayhap we pride ourselves on being family gathering downers. These are the things we have to resort to when booze is NOT involved.

One morning, in the not to distant past, I took it upon myself to find and read this bill. The following are excerpts from the text followed by my meager thoughts in italics. You can download the .pdf from this page as well as find out if your Representative(s) has joined on as a co-sponsor. This bill was brought before a variety of committees when it was introduced in 2005 and looks to have been stalled in all of them. What a crock. At least bring it out so OUR elected Representatives can vote on it!

IN GENERAL.—The health insurance benefits under this Act cover all medically necessary services, including—
primary care and prevention; inpatient care; outpatient care; emergency care; prescription drugs; durable medical equipment; long term care; mental health services; the full scope of dental services (other than cosmetic dentistry); substance abuse treatment services; chiropractic services; and basic vision care and vision correction (other than laser vision correction for cosmetic purposes).
PORTABILITY.—Such benefits are available through any licensed health care clinician anywhere in the United States that is legally qualified to provide the benefits.
This act basically covers everyone with the basics necessary to maintain good general health and well-being (crap, I just used basically and basics in the same sentence. Sorry Jess). Whether one chooses to use it or not are two totally different things. Further, it does not allow for you to use the services to get a boob job or your stomach stapled (unless, of course, you’re life is in danger…Doc, I’ll just die of embarrassment if you don’t enhance my breast size to a DD!)

No institution may be a participating provider unless it is a public or not-for profit institution.
CONVERSION OF INVESTOR-OWNED PROVIDERS.—Investor-owned providers of care opting to participate shall be required to convert to not-for profit status.
While I am fully in support of doctors, nurses and hospitals making money (hey, they’re a business, too) I think this plan’s plan to not qualify for-profit institutions will make many of those institutions think twice. When the hospital or doctor’s office to which you go is owned by investors who want to make money, it stands to reason that you may get mediocre care while paying for premium care. When your health care provider is in the business to make a bunch of money, they want to funnel as many patients through their office, etc. as possible, in a short amount of time (it’s like a restaurant), which does NOT lend itself to premium time with your doctor. I’ll liken it to the proverbial (or not) bending over without the lube.

Plus, you can still choose to continue paying for your private insurance and opt out of the national health care coverage.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE.—Patients shall have free choice of participating physicians and other clinicians, hospitals, and inpatient care facilities.
Hmmmm. Freedom of choice. Interesting concept and one that I, personally, don’t currently have with my insurance plan. Sure, I have a wide variety of choices available to me but my plan does not have any holistic or natural healers as providers. I would definitely like to have that option available to me, as long as the healer in question was licensed. I just don’t see why not. Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?

OVERVIEW: FUNDING THE USNHI PROGRAM.
IN GENERAL…Sums appropriated pursuant to subsection (b) shall be paid for— by vastly reducing paperwork; by requiring a rational bulk procurement of medications; from existing sources of Federal government revenues for health care; by increasing personal income taxes on the top 5 percent income earners; by instituting a modest payroll tax; and by instituting a small tax on stock and bond transactions
at first I was a bit put off by the ‘modest payroll tax.’ I was thinking that I already pay quite a bit o’ my scrilla to the US Government for benefits that I don’t receive (which I’m fine with, except when dickwads abuse them…). Then I realized that I would no longer be paying that monthly fee for my health insurance. My guess is that modest payroll tax would be similar, if not less, than my monthly insurance cost (which is not costly since it’s just moi. But still…)

I’m not saying this is the only solution, nor even the best solution. I don’t know what the best solution is and I sure as shit don’t know how to fix our current system but someone does and at least there are ideas floating around out there. Moreover, people are actually talking about it and it’s become a HUGE issue in the upcoming election cycle. I guess our governing bodies finally realized that our system dysfunctional and can’t be fixed by convincing some small child (or a large mass of the underpaid populace) that sticking a finger in the hole will stop the dam from bursting.

14 responses so far

Feb 25 2008

allegedly guilty of wha?

Published by jess under humor, jess

it’s high time i owned a couple of things. by sharing them with you, i give you permission to berate, agree, chortle, whatever.

1. i listen to hannah montana/miley cyrus in my car. when i’m alone. as in the kids are NOT IN THE CAR WITH ME.

2. i sing out loud to “see you again.” yes, i know the lyrics. i don’t just sing out loud, i rock out. (yeah, this is related to item #1)

3. sometimes a kleenex just doesn’t get the job done. know what i mean?

4. i throw my cigarette butts out the window and i feel guilty every. single. time. but i can’t have them in the car. (berate away…i expect it on this one.)

5. i stole two doughnuts from wal*mart last week. my kids ate them while we were shopping and i forgot to pay for them at the register.

6. once, i filled up my 32 oz. refill cup with the tiger’s blood frazil, even the the sign clearly says “no refills.” and i paid the soda refill price. (there goes my hopes of running for president. i stole baked goods and a slushie.)

7. i paid for the doughnuts this week when i stopped by wally world for some wedding supplies.

8. i wax my eyebrows.

9. i watch rock of love 2 with bret michaels on vh1. shamelessly. it’s dirty, it’s disgusting…it’s wrong. and i can’t stand to miss it.

10. i have drank milk (and orange juice) right out of the carton, then totally yelled at my kids for doing the same thing.

11. i cheated on a math test when i was in the 11th grade. it was really damn hard, ok? and i didn’t steal the answer…just the formula.

12. i have used being a woman to my advantage when i’ve been pulled over. it’s gotten me out of a ticket or two. :)

13. i’m not nearly as smart as anyone else thinks i am.

14. i believe in karma.

13 responses so far

Feb 22 2008

go sign this petition

Published by jess under jess, my two cents, utah blogsphere

if you oppose chris buttars, you need to sign this petition.

while i’m not one of his constituents, i AM a utahn. and he represents not only the people in his district, but our state, too. and his comments are embarrassing. at best, he’s a very stupid man…and at worst, he’s a racist. and a homophobe. this man doesn’t have the right (no one does) to define what’s normal and what isn’t.

either way, he’s not someone who should be voting on any legislations. join me and other bloggers, listed below, by signing the petition “we don’t support chris buttars.”

the world, according to me (petition starter)
kvnu’s for the people (includes a link for the pro-buttars petition if you’re interested…)
the sidetrack
saintless
the utah amicus

there are probably others, but i think you get the point.

7 responses so far

Feb 20 2008

stop the hate

Published by jess under jess, my two cents

for all four of you who read our blog OUTSIDE of utah, a little background: recent UT news includes arguing over rights for domestic partners. and recent racist comments by DA (and that doesn’t mean district attorney) chris buttars, a utah state representative.

there’s nothing but a bunch of hate being cast around…and jess doesn’t like it. not one little bit. i’m seriously flabbergasted by how many people ACTUALLY believe that gay people are LESS HUMAN than straight people. that they SHOULD NOT HAVE THE same rights straight people have. and i cannot believe they think that anyone who is truly homosexual would actually CHOOSE it. in the past week, i’ve heard being gay called “perverted,” i’ve heard them be called “diseased,” and “dirty and immoral.”

i know it’s unrealistic to hope that we could all just get along and play nice. but it’s my hope and dream nonetheless. why should there be no domestic partner rights? give me ONE good reason that’s NOT biblically sourced. it’s not that i don’t believe in the bible (wait…maybe it IS), but have you ever played that game “gossip?” that is how the bible was written. so i’m not sure the end result is 100 percent true. is there a hierarchy on your worth as a human that is based on being in a marriage??? a marriage “between a man and a woman?”

in a chat room last week, someone said that gays have more diseases than straight people. NEWSFLASH: straight people get the panty crickets, the drip -drip - drip and the herpes, too. in LARGER numbers than the gay population. ( source: google ((an inside joke. actual source: CDC website)) )

it’s a sad day in america, my friends, when people define their self worth by their sexuality (”because i’m STRAIGHT i’m SOOO much better than YOU”). when people hide behind the bible and use it as an excuse to defend their “beliefs.” if there IS a god, (the jury is still out for jess on that one, my friends) AND being gay is wrong, what choice does that leave them? a lifetime of unhappiness. why would god put anyone on earth with the intention of them having to live unhappily ever after?? do you haters HONESTLY believe that a person would choose to be ostracized by their immediate family and friends?

haters: fuck off. get a clue. i wonder what you’ve got in your OWN closet. quit acting superior and try to act more like the God you claim to worship so faithfully.

and chris buttars? you are one of the biggest reasons utah is, again, the laughingstock of the nation. i may have to start telling people i’m from idaho.

18 responses so far

Feb 13 2008

overeating: when do YOU eat the most?

Published by jess under jess

cricket posted a few days ago about combating overeating triggers. it really got me thinking about my own triggers…

i tend to eat when i’m alone. NOT because i’m lonely, but because i am alone. i don’t like people watching me when i eat, and i don’t like people to know WHAT i eat, or how MUCH i eat. paul works nights, so when he leaves, i start to feel…like i should eat, because he’s gone. and if no one sees me eat it…then the calories really don’t count, right?

and typically, because no one is around to see exactly what i’m stuffing my face with, i’ll eat potato chips if they are in the house. i’ll eat candy. i LOVE those cherry cordial hershey’s kisses. no gross squishy cherry, just cherry-flavored creamy goodness in the center. and i don’t even like cherries! i’ll eat a piece of cheese. or maybe 4 of them. i’ll have a beer if i can’t fall asleep. or a glass of wine. or two. after all…no one is watching!

i do fairly well during the business week, although i have a really hard time eating breakfast. turns out coffee or diet dew is NOT breakfast. i wish someone had told me this a long time ago. saturdays are usually ok, but i like to drink on saturday evenings. sundays are the worst. i’ll make cookies and brownies “for the kids” and i’ll make chip dip “for paul and the kids” and i’ll eat everything in sight.

all day long.

and then i beat myself up for it. and spend a week vowing THIS WEEKEND WILL BE DIFFERENT.

and then it’s not.

and i’m mad at myself again. and then it starts all over again.

and you thought i was perfect. :)

15 responses so far

Feb 12 2008

I am thankful that you comment on our blog!

Published by Bridge under bridge

Anyone that has a blog knows the feeling at seeing comments on a post you have written. It validates your writing. I could write a post about scary clowns, orange juice, and shopping at Walmart and someone may agree.

It is fun.

It makes you smile.

It let’s you point a finger at… let’s say Jess for this example, and mention that you got more comments on your post then she did on hers.

HAHA. Um, I have NEVER done that, but maybe I should start.

Thank you dear readers… THANK YOU!

13 responses so far

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