New things, new adventures

So many things are still going on and cropping up in my world. Uncle Billy's still living with us, I've lost nearly 100 lbs, work is crazy busy. I've helped to start Dale Carnegie for our students, we're working on to get driver's ed, and I'm pushing really hard to have an Air Force JROTC program started for next year. Today we had the 914th in and made all the right connections. Now it's a matter of getting it started. Oh! And I'm going to the Lew-Port JROTC's first military ball next weekend. Folks this is hardly anything, I just can't type it all.

Exploring a new me

I've been blessed that I haven't had trouble with my gastric bypass. The new found freedom I have from losing almost 100lbs over these past 8mos is that I can explore me. I'm taking a stand in and for myself. One love I'm learning to embrace and explore is art and all things arty. I've been fortunate enough to meet Simon Griffis of the Essex St Studio and can't wait to go to his Sculpture Park.

Last Saturday, my most arty friend and I took a trip to the new Burchfield Penney Art Gallery. What a total treat. We got to see the art, bounce off ideas on what we liked / didn't like and why. Basically we got to catch up. It's so great to see her blossoming and embracing her future as a mom. She looks so cute preggers to!! LOL

So Sad

Yesterday was an emotional roller coaster. I found out a friend was being falsely accused of something and sent home. Only to find out that afternoon that they were fired. I hope this friend fights back, I hope those around him who know the truth step forward. I hope I find a job with a company who has morals.

I cheated

I know I said I would only get on the scale at the doctor's office but everyone's been asking lately how much I'm down. I went shopping last night and got to buy pants in a size 18 and shirts in an XL (notice the lack of a number before that XL). So just now I cheated. I got on the scale and have discovered a milestone. I'm down 88 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Doing More

In an effort to clean up at home and get more organized, I cut out coupons from the phone book I knew we'd use and then recycled the book. Like I ever use it anyway. I came across a list of Things to Do and See. Well, now doesn't that just fit into my new year's resolution to do more?!?!? Yup!! So I'll be crossing off each thing on the list (some are seasonal so will have to wait) and will chronicle it here on my blog. I'll also be tracking my adventures in my family newsletter that last year was monthly but due to budge will become quarterly in 2009. Hopefully it'll be even better this way!
Off we go!!!!!

RIP Todd's Youth

Todd, beloved principal at mom's school turned 40 today. As we had off from school we'll be celebrating the demise of his youth tomorrow. Above is the celebration cake. Damn cute if I do say so myself. hehehe

Bandits 2009

(Kari & Denise)

The Bandits are off to a GREAT start winning the season opener this past weekend. We all got together at Pearl Street for the pre-game party then headed over. Since we'd stuffed ourselves on the buffet, we didn't need to get anything at the arena and saved ourselves a ton of money. I can't wait for the next game!!

So long!

I hate to see anyone lose their job, but from experience, she wasn't the right person for this job.

J

Kaukus steps down as United Way chief
Board names an interim president as national search for leader begins
By Jay Tokasz
NEWS STAFF REPORTER

Arlene F. Kaukus, who steered the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County through dramatic changes and worked to overcome waning donor interest in its annual campaign, is leaving the organization she has headed since 2001.
Kaukus will be succeeded by an interim chief executive officer until a search for a new president is completed.
James Tilley, former president of Evans Bank, will begin Friday as interim United Way president. A national search is expected to take three to six months.
“It was Arlene’s decision to step down, and the board respects it,” said Robert Zak, chairman-elect of the United Way board. “We’re going to miss her.”
The board has been discussing the transition with Kaukus for several weeks, and Zak added that it was “probably as good a time as any for change in the organization.”
Kaukus, 55, started with United Way 29 years ago and was promoted to president following the retirement of Robert M. Bennett, who now serves as chancellor of the state Board of Regents.
Her tenure was marked by major shifts in the way the United Way operates and the launching of several initiatives, including 211 Western New York, a regional call center for questions about human services, and the Family Justice Center, a one-stop shop for legal, financial and counseling aid for victims of domestic violence and their families.
“She’s the one who got the Family Justice Center going, and she was the push behind 211. It wouldn’t have happened without Arlene,” said Trudy Mollenberg, current chairwoman of the board.
The United Way moved ahead with those efforts despite disappointing returns for its annual campaign, which peaked in Kaukus’ first year as president, with $19.7 million in donations.
Campaign tallies fell each year after that, to $14.78 million last year. The current campaign is still short of its $14.8 million goal with three months remaining in the organization’s fiscal year.
Donor participation has fallen even more dramatically, from about 100,000 in 2002 to fewer than 50,000 so far in the current campaign.
As fewer campaign gifts come in, the United Way had to cut back on its grants for area human service programs, and, in 2008, the organization laid off eight employees.
Kaukus, who was paid $160,417 in 2007, according to United Way tax returns, was known for her optimism and for her responsiveness to donors and social service providers. She also was lauded for pursuing collaborative opportunities with other organizations in pushing projects to fruition.
In an interview Wednesday, she said she had accomplished what she could and was ready to move on.
“I’m proud of my 29-year career and my eight years as CEO. I believe the organization is well positioned to be even more successful now than ever before,” she said. “I believe this organization has the right people doing the right things in the right ways. So Jim’s going to have great support.”
Tilley, 66, is a former United Way board member and was president of Evans Bank from 2001 to 2007. He will not be a candidate for the permanent job but plans to stay in an interim capacity “as long as it takes,” he said. “The projection right now is five to six months.”
Kaukus’ departure was viewed as a surprise among local nonprofit agency leaders.
“She has demonstrated really thoughtful leadership in turbulent times,” said Bonnie Glazer, executive director of Child & Adolescent Treatment Services, which receives about $260,000 in United Way funding.
Sylvia Nadler, executive director of Compass House, a home for runaway teens, said Kaukus “did a good job with what she had.”
“When you hit times like these, the job is unbelievable,” Nadler said. “Arlene deserves a break. She’s worked hard, and she’s had to make very difficult decisions.”

2009, A YEAR OF HOPE

So we're about 14hrs into the new year and I've already got my hopes and dream. Normally I'd say I want to lose weight but I think I got that covered in 2008. LOL
No, in 2009 I want to travel more, spend more time with family & friends in FUN settings and I want my bakery to become a reality. I know someone who's agreed to do my books, I know someone to head my cake division, I have a location, I just need to do it. So when asked my new year's resolution, here's what it is:

I resove to do more and be happier, whatever form that takes.

HAPPY 2009!!!!!!!!!

2008, a year in review

Well, 2008 was quite a year my fellow bloggers. I worked at United Way and loved my job. I went through all of the rigermoral and finally got approved for gastric bypass surgery which took place on July 30th. Yeah!! I had some serious troubles as far as I was concerned because you see I couldn't have anything cold. Yup, it was hot tea for me in the hot August air and we don't have central a/c. I also couldn't tolerate sweet things which I still can't really do now. Mom was also approved for surgery and it was during her nutrition class that I had a follow up with Dr. Caruana.... this is also when I got a call saying I'd been laid off. No, I hadn't been back to work yet and the only words I heard from my HR director was "We don't have anything for you." No 'I'm sorry, I wish there was more I could do.' just "We don't have anything for you." Oh well, I did the 7 stages or however many there are and thought F-you. When one door closes another opens and that's how it worked. Mom had surgery the middle of September and followed me when it comes to hot vs cold. She went back to work and not long after I was offered a job on her campus high school as the Business Relations Manager. Since COBRA was going to cost me $400 a month I took the job knowing I would be replacing someone but also under the assumption that this person knew. I also thought this was more of a special events / fundraising position. Wrong.
The Saturday after I started there was a fire at my uncle Billy's house. Jess - my ex-aunt - told him that he needed to find a place to live for now and so he came home with us. Like it was really a question. He's still here. I love my uncle Billy but he's mentally challenged and has a gas problem. We have to drive him to work in N.T. and then pick him up again which is killing us in gas - of the petrol variety. He also eats like crazy and goes through groceries faster than any of us. We love him though and he's still here.
Through all the ups and downs the best thing happened and that's Travis coming back into my life. He disappeared for a while but that was thanks to the military. He's safely resurfaced in Germany and hasn't changed a bit.
Thanksgiving was at my aunt & uncle's house and we got to meet my cousin Rob's new girlfriend. This has happened before but as it turns out, they're living together!! Now THIS is news. We love Wendy because she's so not like the past girlfriends. When he gets smart she gives it right back to him.
December came and gramps turned 77. Donald stopped to check out an accident one more and ended up getting hit twice. Once bya woman who didn't know to slow down in freezing rain and the other who couldn't swirve fast enough. His truck is going to be totaled and he is just waiting for the adjusters from lady #1's insurance company. Her little plastic Saturn no longer has a front end after raming into my brothers steel truck. She took out both of his back lights and ruined the panel which costs $1,000 each. Oh, did I mention she took out his electrica system? We didn't have snow so it wasn't feeling like Christmas yet. The job hasn't gotten better and the holiday spirit just wasn't there. We had Christmas dinner at our house and my grandparents joined us this year. Wendy also stopped by after dinner with her family. We had our secret santa exchange and I got 1/2 sheet cake pans which totally excited me.
New Year's Eve finally came and I was happy for more than one reason. First 2008 was coming to a close (thank God), my friend Jen was coming home to get married on NYE and her birthday was new year's day AND I was going to hang out with some friends I hadn't seen in a while. It was the first time in ages I'd worn a dress to. The ceremony was beautiful, the reception rocked and everyone had a blast. Jen looked amazing to in her antique lace dress. I'm waiting for Smithy to upload the pix she took as my camera took a crapper.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Insanity is.... Buffalo Winter.

(Just a bit of snow from the first storm, not the one that buried us on Sunday)
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Well, that's living in Buffalo really. My brother had the snowblower out yesterday trying to keep a path clear for walkers and then to try and dig out our cars. 20 minutes after he finished it looked like he'd hardly been out there.

Because we have alternate parking, every Wednesday & Sunday we have to switch which side of hte street we're parked on. It took 37 minutes to dig out my brother's truck. That doesn't count trying to put mom's car on the street so dad could have the driveway when he got home at midnight. It also doesn't count getting my car out. It took about 30 minutes to get my car out and that was with 6 people working on it. Thanks to my brother, my neighbors Mr. C, Matt & Lauren and the mystery man who stopped just to lend a hand. My uncle and sister lent a hand where they could as well.

God I love living here!! :)

Fun New Site to Shop At

If you love all things vintage like I do and you love a great deal then this is a great site for you. I was a bit disturbed to see things from my childhood on here and have them called vintage. Hell, I'm still under 30!!! LOL

www.modcloth.com

Christmas Party 2008

(above: my girls)

Had the Annual Abbott Christmas Soiree over the weekend and had a BLAST!!!

(below: our guys)

Plastic PJ's

I'm so excited right now I can hardly keep my fingers on the keyboard. I'm wearing my first pair of plastic pj's!! No, it's not something kinky. Coke has made pj's out of recycled 20 oz bottles. My shirt is made of 6 of them and the pants, 8. They are so soft I can hardly stand it!!! Coke might want to buy the world a bottle of their beverage but I want to but it a pair of these!

Life is hard, harder still when you're stupid!

1.) Recently, when I went to McDonald's I saw on the menu that you could have an order of 6, 9 or 12 Chicken McNuggets. I asked for a half dozen nuggets. "We don't have half dozen nuggets," said the teenager atthe counter . "You don't?" I replied. "We only have six, nine, or twelve," was the reply. "So I can't order a half dozen nuggets, but Ican order six?" "That's right." So I shook my head and ordered six McNuggets

2.) I was checking out at the local Wal-Mart with just a few items and the lady behind me put her things on the belt close to mine. I picked upone of those "dividers" that they keep by the cash register and placed it between our things so they wouldn't get mixed. After the girl had scanned all of my items, she picked up the "divider", looking it all over for the bar code so she could scan it. Not finding the bar code she said to me, "Do you know how much this is?" I said to her "I've changed my mind, I don't think I'll buy that today." She said "OK," and I paid her for the things and left. She had no clue to what had just happened.

3.) A lady at work was seen putting a credit card into her floppy drive and pulling it out very quickly. When I inquired as to what she was doing, she said she was shopping on the Internet and they kept asking for a credit card number, so she was using the ATM "thingy."

4.) I recently saw a distraught young lady weeping beside her car. "Do you need some help?" I asked. She replied, "I knew I should have replaced the battery to this remote door unlocked. Now I can't get into my car. Do you think they (pointing to a distant convenience store) would have a battery to fit this?" "Hmmm, I dunno. Do you have an alarm,too?" I asked. "No, just this remote thingy," she answered, handing it and the car keys to me. As I took the key and manually unlocked the door, I replied, "Why don't! you drive over there and check about the batteries. It's a long walk."

5.) Several years ago, we had an Intern who was none too swift. One day she was typing and turned to a secretary and said, "I'm almost outof typing paper. What do I do?" "Just use copier machine paper," the secretary told her. With that, the intern took her last remaining blank piece of paper, put it on the photocopier and proceeded to make five"blank" copies.

6.) A mother calls 911 very worried asking the dispatcher if she needs to take her kid to the emergency room, the kid was eating ants. The dispatcher tells her to give the kid some Benadryl and should be fine,the mother says, I just gave him some ant killer..... Dispatcher: Rush him in to emergency!

Life is tough... it's tougher if you're stupid.

Hockey is Great....... and I'll continue to worship it.

In the middle of a grueling six game road trip where a very young professional hockey team is away from home, the third game of the trip ends late on a cold Canadian Saturday night. This is the only break on the trip and the three days between games allow them the only break to get back home in their own beds for a couple of days before going back on the road. A scheduled commercial flight waits for them at Toronto 's International Airport for the short flight home; they could be home by midnight . This plane departs on schedule, but without a single member of the hockey team.
Back in the locker room a vote is taken after the game was complete, and a unanimous decision is made by this young team to skip this flight and stay one more day. They make arrangements to check back in the hotel and on a frozen Sunday morning charter two buses that have no heat and begin a journey two hours straight north into a sparsely inhabited Canada , but where hockey is its passion.
They arrive at their destination to the surprise of the teams general manager who is there attending his fathers wake. After a few emotional hours, this team boards the buses and head back for a two-hour trip back to Toronto . On the way they ask the drivers to stop in a tiny Canadian town because they are hungry. To the shock of the patrons and workers at this small hockey town McDonald's, a professional team walks out of two rickety buses and into the restaurant, which just happens to have pictures of two members of this team on its wall. The patrons know every single one of these players by sight being fanatic fans of hockey in these parts. One can only imagine their amazement of the locals seeing an entire professional hockey team sit down and have a meal in their tiny little town in the middle of a hockey season.
After a while they board the buses and catch their same flight, 24 hours later, giving one day to their general manager.
Have I made this up? Is this an excerpt from some fictional book? No this a true story of the Blackhawk’s last Saturday night and they decided to attend Dale Talon’s fathers funeral. Its amazing that such a good storycan be found nowhere on the internet, and not even mentioned in the Chicago papers. Had one of the Blackhawk’s got into a fight and punched some drunken loser in a Toronto bar it would be plastered all over papers and the television. This being said, its hard to imagine any professional football, basketball or baseball team doing this, but the members of the Blackhawk’s claim any "hockey" team would have done this. This is one reason I continue to be a big hockey fan, and another reason I am excited about this Chicago team. I thought I would share as this story appears to have gone unnoticed.

Perfect Eyesight

A woman is standing nude looking in the bedroom mirror.
She is not happy with what she sees and says to her husband,
'I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment.'
The husband replies, 'Your eyesight's damn near perfect!'

RIP Bettie Page

Bettie Page died yesterday at the age of 85. She'd been sick and in the hospital for 3 weeks, had a heart attack and was then removed form life support. I think we should all have a bit of Bettie Page in us............... if for nothing else, to keep life interesting.

Sack Lunch

If ever I get the chance, I'm so going to do this.
J

The Sack Lunches
I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assignedseat.
It was going to be a long flight.
'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.
Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start aconversation.
'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest tome.
'Chicago - to Great Lakes Base. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Iraq '
After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached Chicago, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time. As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch.
'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to Chicago ' His friend agreed.
I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill.
'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me.
'My son was a soldier in Iraq; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'
Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'
'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked.
She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class.
'This is your thanks.' After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me.
'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.
Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, 'I want to shake your hand.'
Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand.
With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.'
I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers. Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm. When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!
Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars.
'Itwill take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.'
Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little...
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check Made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'
That is Honor, and there are why too many people in this country who no longer understand it.'

An Angel

I wanted to let you all know that this weekend, Jon Jon passed away. You may remember me putting a post up over the summer about dad shaving his head for St. Baldrick's. The money raised was for Jon Jon. If you'd like to learn more, please visit the site and read his mother's blog at
www.jonjonsjourney.com

May you rest in peace sweet little boy.