I'm off to meet my new nephew, Chaz Allen! I'm pretty stoked to hang with his big brother Kadean too! The entire Leusink family is to gather in Yankton, SD for the weekend. This was one last wish of grandma's and I'm pleased to be making my part.

I'll be back Tuesday with pictures!

Love,
meli

I am home and mostly settled in. The trip supplies have been unpacked and stowed and laundry washed, folded, and put away and dishes washed and food prepared or eaten or just put away. I even spent a little time catching up on my note taking from the weekend. It seems I've forgotten how to link to photos to I'll have to share those later. I'm pooped again already :-) and I've a precalculus exam tomorrow! TTFN my lovelies!

Hello my lovelies!
I'm off to the above and will return sunday! Cell service likely nonexistent and you'll have to call the visitor center down there if you need me. Probably you won't but in case you, text me and I'll respond with the number from the road... already packed things up :-)

xoxoxox
m

More plans to return to the plains of my homeland occupy my mind rather than the strict disciplines of microorganisms and genetic recombination and functional transformations and trigonometric derivations.

Querulous masculine characters mask inferiority with growled commands against and in disregard of applied experience. Overly mothered perceptions of "what is" attempt to overthrow my quest for knowledge of my own accord in voluminous story-telling sessions.

Lest I be thoroughly charred; I must soon escape these vacuums of male ego and set out to learn afresh through eyes of curiosity and paths of exploration. The droll tones of masculine ego, threaded like a petroleum leak, lubricate not the quest for knowledge, but rather, asphyxiate the strains of pure inquiry and unadulterated meli-mischief that fuel my appetite for knowledge.

How dare anyone tell me what is worthwhile and not worthwhile to learn? What does any man know of my interest, my concern, my quest, my path? Certainly nothing at all when his time with me is spent dithering on about his experience with this and that and his opinion of this and that! As interesting, applicable, and useful as all that may be; I shall not abandon my own zeal.

NEVER will I succumb to the idea of my own perceptions as the only one! NEVER shall I recommend "just memorize it don't bother trying to understand it" as learning method! NEVER will I teach only from my own compendium of filtered knowledge!

Yet, I become more like them everyday; tossing about my assertions as if they were well tried seed to be sown for mass enlightenment. Oh, this is grave my friends. This is grave indeed. The time is past for mischief. It is time to RUN AMOK!

The trip was pretty great overall; I'm home and well and Kadean misses everyone, but he's adjusting to life in Orange City, IA. I determined to update here as a means of processing days and tracking life as things have gotten rather lacking in excitement lately. I'll be chasing missed calls and opportunities the next few days, but I do get to attend a wedding this weekend! Kadean is well and growing and talking even more, if you can believe that possible!

Updates and pictures will come...
m

Date:	2008-02-20 23:16
Subject:	life and times
Security:	Public
Mood:	tired

by the way....this frog suites me so well. when i think of myself as that dichotomy in and of my selves.....sigh

Sure, I'm tired. Who isn't. I somehow, unjustifiably feel that I can speak of a "we" when meaning those who work and school and raise and tend and mend and adjust and ever constantly dynamically interact with and modulate the world as it is and is experienced for....any one and those around said any one.

I'm taking pre-calculus and I've begun working out regularly. Either of those is enough to cause the esoteric and lackadaisical melimae frantic panic. The result? A determination to rise early and effect productivity in personal goals and the explosion of rebellious anarchistic thoughts.

I work hard and I play hard and I think hard and I digest fast and I devour experience and I learn by practice ad nauseam. So, give me an inverse function composed of ln, sin, and x minus the cubic root of pi minus x squared plus 13 all over 1/2-7. Then ask me to define the s of x in terms of r when applies to a right cylinder cone.

No actually, please don't. This brain is primarily wired for language so the whole Science focus is a thrilling challenge, but Math..... who the hell thought this was a good idea???

I begin to rebel. So, I take time away and spend time with friends and have such good times that I schedule more good times. "We have to do this again, Soon!" Sound familiar? And how much time passes? We are tooo busy. And so I rebel and stay up late and drink wine and light incense and have sex and dance and eat out and read lj and talk on the phone and do laundry and pay bills... Well, I get to those even tually.

Well, last week or so I decided to commit to a regimen of consistent wake-up times. I made it a week (not counting Saturday and Sunday, so really Wed,Thurs,Fri,Mon and I slept in until 8am on Tuesday. Today was 30 minutes late. I'm still up way past my bedtime...2 hours in fact. This is tough for me, but I'm working on it.

Next, I'll learn to take time for myself.

Read kinda scattered does it? Welcome, come in, have a seat, can I get you a drink?......

Date:	2007-12-21 22:46
Subject:	CH Ch Ch Changes
Security:	Public
Mood:	melancholy

I'll be her another year; postponing graduation in order to tack on another 15 creds in Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Diffy Q. Yippe for me.
But, this actually works out pretty well because:
1) I have learned a lot about graduate school for the Env. Scientist and it requires a lot of thinking and plotting. So I need the extra time before committing to a path.
2) Denver is closer to Chelle and Kadean and Amanda and Maliya and Marius than NC and I'm not ready to be without all of them.
3) My business's contract was not automatically renewed and the approved 2008 budget does not cover our activities so I need to put some time and energy into business development.

SO, never fear Denver Lady Runs Amok is still here....for at least another year ;-)

God I miss the little man.

Date:	2007-10-23 13:37
Subject:	Today's Activities
Security:	Public
Mood:	dorky

You might appreciate the events I'll be attending today. 3:00 - 6:00 Big Head Todd & the Monsters followed by Hillary Clinton at Auraria Campus Check for tickets etc. here: http://www.mscd.edu/newsroom/

Then Dr. Benjamin Barber at DU Campus at 7pm; part of the Bridges to the Future program. More info here: www.du.edu/bridges

See and hear some of Benjamin Barber's interviews here: http://www.benjaminbarber.org/

language
obscure and sedate
sometimes ubiquitous
often obtuse
far be it for me to complain
obsequious and sanguine
linguistics
a tiempo
fine

Date:	2007-10-03 09:25
Subject:	Ah October! How do I love thee?
Security:	Public
Mood:	chipper

Ah October! How do I love thee?

Let me count the ways...

Birthdays! Becky, and Wendy, and Autumn, and Teresa, and surely I'm missing some.. oh yeah, and my dad and Anita Roddick too.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Race for the Cure and Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Changing of Leaves and Seasons Oh My!

Oh yes, and how can I forget Midterms!?

Ah Halloween and Dia de los Muertos

Such Crunchy Autumn Goodness!

Pumpkin pies and squash and Jack-o-lanterns!

Good Good Good

Date:	2007-09-25 16:17
Subject:	Body Shop At Home -- My Side Biz Buzz
Security:	Public
Mood:	cheerful

I've been hesitant to post about my new endeavor because I've been so hectic-busy that I knew I couldn't do the subject justice. Rather than continue to put it off....I'm writing out the bones for you all to at least have knowledge of and access to what I'm doing.

I was introduced to the concepts behind The Body Shop a number of years ago and then again back in August at a Girls Nite Out party I attended with friends and fellow lj users: fire2furniture and lambentmoonbeam. We had such a good time and I was so enthusiastic about getting involved with Anita Roddick's baby that I signed right up! (Ok, not immediately, but the next day!) By the way, I recommend that you learn about Anita Roddick -may she rest in peace - she was a way cool Dame.

My long term goal is not exceptional; I wish to keep my status active with the business. A moderate amount in sales per month will accomplish this first goal. The more important goal is to extend my sense of community both globally -through community trade and consultant meet-ups- and locally -through Girls Nite Out shows and local consultant meet-ups.

Well, the month of August had me involved with starting school and finding an internship and life in general that I did nothing with the company! I'm not in a particularly bad spot all in all, but a little attention could go a long way.

The Bones:

In order to fulfill the first goal of my endeavor, I must sell $400.00 in product by Sept. 30th. This should be no hard feat considering the popularity of the product; therefore, I bring you my webpage:
http://www.thebodyshopathome.com/web/melissatoering.

You can order product -day or night, at your convenience- and have it shipped directly to you! Please note that lambentmoonbeam is also a consultant so please do not feel bad if you'd rather (or are already established to) buy through her.

Holiday products have just been unveiled! Now is a great time to think about special pampering treats for friends, family, neighbors, and all the lovely people in your life! You can also email me to order and to schedule your own Girls' Night Out! I'm looking forward to pampering you!
girlsnightmel@gmail.com

**This concludes this public service announcement.**

Date:	2007-09-18 08:17
Subject:	House vote NEXT WEEK on ENDA!
Security:	Public
Mood:	awake

Excerpt from a newsletter I received today from the Human Rights Campaign follows. My comments are in italics:

Our opponents are grasping at straws. They're handing out "fact sheets" on Capitol Hill with titles like "ENDA Protects Mental Disorders and Seeks to Silence People of Faith."

Their absurd argument? Being GLBT is a mental disorder.

But don't forget that the right wing holds major sway in Washington; that's why there's still not a single Federal law protecting gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people from discrimination.
(this statement is a little bit of a factual stretch in my opinion; i think that it is not only the "right wing" but also the perceptions of much of the public)

That could all change very soon. The House will likely vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) as early as NEXT MONDAY. Your support has been tremendous – nearly $30,000 in donations poured in on the day of the ENDA hearings. But to push this campaign through to victory, we need to more than double that. So we're aiming to raise another $45,000 by the end of the week.

Help us reach our goal of $75,000 to bolster our efforts before the vote next week.
(we need to double the "tremendous [support]" yet, "we're in a position to win")
As of today, we're in position to win this critical legislation. Key lawmakers have pledged their support. You have done so much already, and we are truly appreciative. Now, we need your help to step up our efforts over the coming week – because the radical right is stepping up theirs. Here's what we'll be doing:
(ah... "because the radical right is stepping up theirs." It bothers me that words like this (radical right) must be used, yet it is only the more minimal sort of marketing eh?")
* Meeting with members of Congress. We're making sure the votes we're counting on stay strong, and helping sway the few members who are still on the fence.
* Running ads in key outlets. Targeted online ads – the most effective kind for a short timeframe like this – are helping spread awareness and pressure lawmakers.
* Producing compelling videos. We're putting first-person stories of anti-GLBT job discrimination onto the internet, where thousands can watch them and take action.
* Getting our message out in the media. Our communications staff is working overtime, from editorial board meetings to calls with reporters to letter-to-the-editor campaigns.
* Preparing for rapid-response. Last spring, right-wing groups launched a full-page ad in USA Today just before the House hate crimes vote. We responded with our own ad, and we won the vote. We need to be ready for another last-minute challenge.

People like Brooke Waits, in Austin, Texas, who lost her job the morning after her boss saw a picture of her and her girlfriend sharing a New Year's Eve kiss, deserve protection under the law. They deserve our toughest efforts to pass this bill. We can make sure Congress hears the truth – if we have the necessary resources.

Don't wait to give – help push us through to our $75,000 goal, and push ENDA over the top!

We've come so far, and we're so close. But a lot can happen between now and Monday.

Your contribution now helps ensure we have the muscle to defend our progress and win this vote. Thank you for helping us reach our goal. We can do this – together.

Warmly,
Joe Solmonese
Joe Solmonese
President

Having trouble clicking on the links above? Simply copy and paste this URL into your browser's address bar to take action today: https://secure.ga3.org/03/enda_a

© 2007 The Human Rights Campaign. All rights reserved.
Human Rights Campaign | www.hrc.org
1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-3278
Phone: 202/628-4160 TTY: 202/216-1572 Fax: 202/347-5323


SO, there it is; the content (excluding the header) from yesterday's Human Rights Campaign newsletter. Now, I'm more of a believer in spreading the word than the $ (that surely has a lot to do with my poor living conditions and little to do with the progress of my chosen ideals) so I'm sharing with you the status, as seen by HRC, of ENDA legislation.

Now, Discuss!

Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) 2007 is the current iteration of legislation built upon the precepts of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The 2007 version of the bill is the first time the bill has included protection based on sexual oientation as well as gender identity.

Check out some history and background here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_Non-Discrimination_Act
http://www.hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Press_Room&CONTENTID=36462&TEMPLATE=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm

i'm off to brush the aging calcium and rub the ragged brush

Date:	2007-06-18 20:24
Subject:	learning about contentment
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused

This week I have learned...

that we are ALL a bunch of assholes left to our own devices.
Without human interaction, we all suck.

Join us together upon a common human thread and we are beautiful!

I want nothing more than to be among other humans consumed with a similar goal/interest/intent! But for those moments of discontent spent with those completely oblivious to the interest of those with whom I love and covort...I might be truly and frivolously, nay... deliriously happy and content!

Date:	2007-06-09 10:03
Subject:	From elkabong
Security:	Public
Mood:	chipper

What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Literature Nerd   Does sitting by a nice cozy fire, with a cup of hot tea/chocolate, and a book you can read for hours even when your eyes grow red and dry and you look sort of scary sitting there with your insomniac appearance? Then you fit this category perfectly! You love the power of the written word and it's eloquence; and you may like to read/write poetry or novels. You contribute to the smart people of today's society, however you can probably be overly-critical of works. It's okay. I understand.
Drama Nerd
Social Nerd
Science/Math Nerd
Artistic Nerd
Musician
Gamer/Computer Nerd
Anime Nerd
What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes

Today is my brother Jason's 31st birthday! Yay!

Yesterday, my newest grandbaby was born! Marius Amadeus Iron Horn was born at 8:20 pm May 16, 2007! He is 7lb 8.9oz and 20.25 in.!

Whooot Whoot!

ARBITRARY DEADLINES


To those who insist on applying arbitrary deadlines....

STOP THAT!
It is simply asinine to uphold a completely arbitrary deadline as a benchmark to achievement when the actions required by said deadline are severely compromised to the point of POOR EXECUTION!

TBM has once again waited until the last possible moment (2 days) to draft, produce, design, and distribute this month's invoice. Then, as he is unfamiliar with all aspects of the process beyond the draft and distribution (hard copy hand-off only), he leaves all other aspects to me while he runs off with the bare minimum in order to make the arbitrary deadline set by himself.

Gahhh this makes me crazy! Why do I allow this to bother me? Because it is MY department (manned solely by ME) credited with all works drafted, produced, designed, and distributed. My department is the communications, reports, and administration portion of the company.


Ok, so a resolution is needed....
I cannot make him change
I can only change my beliefs attitudes and actions
I do not accept poor execution as a viable option with or without my name on the results
.
.
.
.
I can change my expectations...
do the invoices really have to be uniform each month?
do the invoices really have to be digitally stored for later retrieval?
do I really have to include or provide direction to every document referenced in the invoice?
do I really have to read what is submitted to me prior to incorporation in the final combined
product?

I'll think about this some more!

How I managed this week (what with the chest-head cold and the back-stabbing, followed by the cheek-turning) without a massive breakdown, yet a regular old nothing-going-on week can so easily get me down in the dumps; must have some connection to the greater Why's of the universe.

How is it that challenges bring out the fight, the bite, and the wisdom; but good times and general all's well days are greeted with lethargy and blank stares?

I do not wonder why people choose to be super-heros. I do not wonder that super-heros hide their un-super personas. The challenge is a greater part of the valor.

There was a meeting today. The mutineers and their spouses, TBM, and myself were present. Spouse of TBM's daughter presided. It was determined that the job cannot be done with the company split. The mutineers spoke directly to me about some of their concerns which I generally conceded. They stated that they do want to work with me.

Good Grief