New Orleans

Live from Nawlings!!! Dan and I are in the big easy for NADA.  Not one of my favorite trips since hubby is in meetings most of the day.  I'm not complaining though because it gives me time alone from the headaches of home.  There's a difference in being at home alone and being in a hotel room alone.   At home, I know there is laundry waiting or right now Christmas decorations waiting.. But here, the only thing waiting on me is my book that I'm dying to read or my knitting that I brought along. Also.. all the movies on Pay Per View that I can't wait to catch up on.  

We arrived this morning so it's been a long day.  Sheree and I had lunch and then we..whoops I mean I (she never showed) went to work out.   I didn't work out long because the tv screen was making me mad.  I was on the eliptical and when my head would go up and down, the tv had a terrible glare.  Maybe tomorrow I will just walk around the French Market.

Driving here from the airport, you could see several water marks on homes. Also you could see where they took spray paint and marked the homes.  The markings show if bodies were found inside.  It's really an erie feeling.   I know for many people that live here, it was a terrible struggle.  Just imagine having your house destroyed by water.  Everything has to be thrown out.  Pictures, furniture, clothes.  It's truly starting over!!!

Ok.. I'm going to try and take a nap. I was up at 6am and didn't go to bed until 1am.  I'm just a little tired. 

Still Searching!!!

OK..so I've yet to find the perfect NY's Resolution but I want to share something else with you.   Two Years ago on a plane trip back from Italy I read a book called "Chew on This"  It's a story about McDonalds and how it started and how the corporation was run.  I have not been there since May 2007.  WHY you may ask??  Basically, the way I see it, is that McDonalds is a huge Corporation with a lot of money and since they have so much money they can control how other things are produced or handled.  For Example: Eggs.  Because they are the largest buyer for eggs, they wanted to buy eggs at the cheapest amount possible. But in doing so, it meant that the chickens were not in the cleanest environment.  Or the chickens were treated inhuman.   Sometimes for something to improve, money musts be spent.  Since McDonalds was the largest buyer and could practically go anywhere else to buy eggs they basically said look.."if you increase the price-we'll just buy elsewhere."   So the Chicken Company continued with their old practices because they didn't want to lose their largest buyer.   This also happened with the Apple Farmers.  Anyway.. I will give McDonalds some credit by saying.. things have changed.  I recently saw a show about McDonalds and what good it is doing for charities.    But for me-I'm ANTI MCDONALDS!!!  So why did I tell you this??? It just goes to show that you don't have to have a NY's resolution January 1st. You can start Feb. 1st.  or on Monday...Or even everyday when you rise from bed. Just remember that everyday is a new day.  

New Year!!

Yeah.. It's 2009!!  I pray 2009 will really bring change like our new president has promised.   I didn't vote for Obama but I'm ready to stand behind him and pray for him as he leads our country for the next four years.   I wish him the best!!!

I've yet to make a new years resolution.  I used to make big resolutions until last year.  Last year.. I decided to make a small one and that was to give up splenda in my coffee.  Well..let me start from about 4 years ago.  Four years ago, Dan bought a really fancy coffee machine. At the time NOONE drank coffee in our family.  Dan's excuse was for when his family visited. (they live in Canada and come maybe 3 times a year).  Ok.. so you have to know Dan and he enjoys buying expensive gadgets.  But at least he tried to justify.  So, that's when I decided that the machine needed to be used and I started drinking coffee.  I hated the taste but endured it.  I added milk and sugar. Then another new year went by and I switched to splenda because it's ZERO calories. Ok..that's another blog in it's self but I'll save it.   So then I started reading more about splenda and although there isn't scientific data- I thought the hell with it..I better give this up!! So.. I gave up Splenda!!   After all that...I'm back to coffee with just milk in it.  Back to coffee that I don't even like, so that's when I switched to Green Tea... And I love it!!!  And you may ask "what do you add to it".. and the answer is absolutely NOTHING!!!!   Ok.. so I added honey when I was in Asia but that's only because I was on vacation.  Oh.. last year I also made a New year's resolution to walk my dog at least three times a week.  Unfortunately, that didn't happen.   I honestly feel like I should give up facebook or tell myself that I'm only allowed on it once a day.. but that's just too hard.  Hmmmm what can it be!! I do need to lose 5-10lbs, but I want to make a resolution that I know I can obtain.. something small.    Right now.. i should stick to mini goals.. #1. Put Christmas Decorations away!! #2. Clean out drawer beside bed.  #3. Clean out garage...You get the idea. I basically need a bulldozer.  

Better run.. I'll let you know when I come up with the perfect NY resolution. 

Julie