January 2, 2007
Superhero & Super Villain Personality Tests
Your results:
You are Superman
| You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.  |
Click here to take the Personality Test
Your results:
You are Mystique
| Sometimes motherly, sometimes a beautiful companion, but most of the time a deceiving vixen. |
Click here to take the Super Villain Personality Test
From Jamison via Wil Wheaton.
Posted by Dianne at 2:01 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
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Spiderman. "You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility."
Posted by: reno at January 2, 2007 2:43 PM
Funny Dianne, I had you pegged for a sure fire Poison Ivy. Go figure. I have to say "deceiving vixen" definitely descriptive dear. ;p
Posted by: Jamison at January 2, 2007 2:49 PM
I'm Dr. Doom. Blessed with smarts and power but burdened by vanity.
Posted by: dar at January 2, 2007 3:37 PM
It's funny, I got Dr. Doom for my villian and the Hulk for my hero.
Posted by: Jamison at January 3, 2007 12:41 PM
I've told you...you're the male version of me!
Posted by: Dar at January 3, 2007 1:51 PM
December 17, 2006
Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?
| You Are Rudolph |
 Why You're Naughty: You sometimes stick that nose where it doesn't belong Why You're Nice: Christmas would be a sad affair without you! |
Posted by Dianne at 9:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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November 30, 2006
Are You A Good Cook?
| You Are an Excellent Cook |
 It's likely that you have what it takes to be a top chef, should you have the desire... |
Posted by Dianne at 1:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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Are You Psychic?
| You Are 80% Psychic |
 But you already predicted that, didn't you? You have "the gift" - and you use it daily to connect with others. You're very tapped into the world around you... Just make sure to use your powers for good! |
Posted by Dianne at 1:15 PM
What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?
| Your Dominant Intelligence is Spatial Intelligence |
 You can close your eyes and "see" images. You have innate artistic talent. An eye for color and shapes, you're also a natural designer. Since you think in pictures, visual aids and demonstartions help you learn best. You would make a good navigator, sculptor, visual artist, inventor, architect, interior designer, or engineer. |
That's pretty much me! ;O)
Not that this will surprise anyone.
| Your Dominant Intelligence is Logical-Mathematical Intelligence |
 Always curious about how things work, you love to set up experiments. You need for the world to make sense - and are good at making sense of it. You have a head for numbers and math ... and you can solve almost any logic puzzle. You would make a great scientist, engineer, computer programmer, researcher, accountant, or mathematician. |
Posted by Dianne at 1:13 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
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You would make a great musician, disc jockey, singer, or composer.
Posted by: cjmr at November 30, 2006 1:49 PM
November 26, 2006
Grammar Test
Way to go! You know not to trust the MS Grammar Check and you know "no" from "know." Now, go forth and spread the good word (or at least, the proper use of apostrophes).
Are You Gooder at Grammar?
Make a Quiz
Posted by Dianne at 6:02 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
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I got a 98%. My wife got a 100%. We still disagree about the one I suppossedly got wrong. Of course, she'll be a certfiied teacher come May.
Posted by: Jerry at November 26, 2006 9:43 PM
Do you deserve your high school diploma?
68-84% Pretty good, you know that there are libraries and newspapers, and you remember what you've read. You were a child that wasn't left behind!
Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz
Considering I rarely cracked a book in high school I think that speaks for itself! ;o) Now college on the other hand...There was some cracking there! ;o)
85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!
Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz
The tragic part I guess is the fact that now I'm mad to know which ones I missed. Probably the English questions!!!
Found via Count It All Joy.
Posted by Dianne at 5:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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How Evil Are You?
How evil are you?
It will be interesting to see where Jamison ranks on this one! ;o)
How evil are you?
I'm confused on what role my web browser selection makes in determining how evil I am.
Found via Living the Scientific Life.
Posted by Dianne at 3:07 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
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Maybe its a MicroSoft test? You'll are having fun today. Like the turkey song.
Posted by: mums at November 26, 2006 4:11 PM
I came up...Twisted! I think deep down I knew that.
Posted by: dar at November 27, 2006 9:32 AM
I can see you being a little twisted! ;o) LOL
Posted by: Dianne at November 27, 2006 9:48 AM
What Tarot Card Are You?
You are The High Priestess
Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.
The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods.
What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.
Dianne asked me to take the test too.
You are The Devil
Materiality. Material Force. Material temptation; sometimes obsession
The Devil is often a great card for business success; hard work and ambition.
Perhaps the most misunderstood of all the major arcana, the Devil is not really "Satan" at all, but Pan the half-goat nature god and/or Dionysius. These are gods of pleasure and abandon, of wild behavior and unbridled desires. This is a card about ambitions; it is also synonymous with temptation and addiction. On the flip side, however, the card can be a warning to someone who is too restrained, someone who never allows themselves to get passionate or messy or wild - or ambitious. This, too, is a form of enslavement. As a person, the Devil can stand for a man of money or erotic power, aggressive, controlling, or just persuasive. This is not to say a bad man, but certainly a powerful man who is hard to resist. The important thing is to remember that any chain is freely worn. In most cases, you are enslaved only because you allow it.
What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.
Muhahahaha!!!
Via Monica.
Posted by Dianne at 12:37 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
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I am...
The Empress
Beauty, happiness, pleasure, success, luxury, dissipation.
The Empress is associated with Venus, the feminine planet, so it represents, beauty, charm, pleasure, luxury, and delight. You may be good at home decorating, art or anything to do with making things beautiful.
The Empress is a creator, be it creation of life, of romance, of art or business. While the Magician is the primal spark, the idea made real, and the High Priestess is the one who gives the idea a form, the Empress is the womb where it gestates and grows till it is ready to be born. This is why her symbol is Venus, goddess of beautiful things as well as love. Even so, the Empress is more Demeter, goddess of abundance, then sensual Venus. She is the giver of Earthly gifts, yet at the same time, she can, in anger withhold, as Demeter did when her daughter, Persephone, was kidnapped. In fury and grief, she kept the Earth barren till her child was returned to her.
Posted by: Darlene at November 27, 2006 9:21 AM
November 19, 2006
How Open Minded Are You?
| You Are 56% Open Minded |
 Tolerant and flexible, you appreciate most lifestyles and viewpoints. But you also know where you stand firm, and you can draw that line. You're open to considering every possibility - but in the end, you stand true to yourself. |
This one will probably surprise just about everyone but Dianne and I.
| You Are 48% Open Minded |
 You're tolerant enough to get along with others who are very different... But you may be quietly judgmental of things or people you think are wrong. You take your own values pretty seriously, and it would take a lot to change them. |
If the questions were worded slightly differently I could have come out on top. But the test is what it is.
Posted by Dianne at 2:24 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
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72% I am open minded and well grounded not bad for a engineer.
Posted by: Royal at November 19, 2006 9:46 PM
December 29, 2005
What Hit Song of 2005 Are You?
| Your 2005 Song Is |
 "But since you've been gone I can breathe for the first time I'm so moving on" In 2005, you moved on. |
Funny enough I actually love this song. I like Kelly Clarkson in general for that matter. My favorite song of hers right now is Because Of You, but this one is good too. :o)
Posted by Daffodil at 5:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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November 28, 2005
Which mythical creature resides in your soul?
Dianne's creature
SIREN
You are a siren. A siren is an
enchanting seductress that usually inhabits a
remote isle in the sea. The siren's voice is
beautiful and alluring. The siren's voice is
irresitible to all those who hear it. Upon
hearing her fatal melody the listener will
either plunge to their deaths in the icy ocean
waters or they will perhaps finally reach the
siren. Once the siren has hold of them they
have no chance. The siren represents sensuality
and passion.
Which mythical creature resides in your soul? (11 Results + Pictures)
brought to you by Quizilla
Jamison's creature
DRAGON
You are the dragon. A dragon,
in western lore, is a giant lizard with wings.
It usually has the capability to breathe fire.
The dragon symbolizes immense power, physical
strength, and courage. The dragon has also been
a symbol of wisdom and of protection. Dragons
may also appear to be greedy as many a tale
depict them as keepers of vast hordes of
treasure.
Which mythical creature resides in your soul? (11 Results + Pictures)
brought to you by Quizilla
Posted by Daffodil at 2:10 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
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CHIMAERA
You are a chimaera. A chimaera is a monster with three heads, usually a lion, a goat, and a serpent. The chimaera is a very interesting and mysterious creature. The serpent is often interpreted as a symbol of evil and deceit. On the other hand lions signify courage and honor, and goats could symbolize sustenance and prosperity. Overall though the chimaera is the ultimate symbol of mystery and the supernatural.
Posted by: cjmr at November 28, 2005 6:45 PM
Neener neener. Everyone wants to get this one:
ELF
You are an elf. An elf is like a human but much fairer and pure. Elves are usually tall, with pointed ears, and resemble humans very closely, but elves are usually much more beautiful. Elves are a distant race. They prefer to keep to themselves, because often, many of them feel that their race is superior to humans. Elves symbolize wisdom, prudence, love, and hope. They are very merry and happy. They are forever young and delight in music. They are natural artists as well.
I have no idea how I managed to get that, not with that "natural artists" bit at the end.
Posted by: reno at November 28, 2005 7:01 PM
reno,
You actually draw quite well, and sing quite well, too. Too bad you weren't ever encouraged to develop those talents.
Posted by: cjmr at December 1, 2005 7:37 AM
November 26, 2005
What is your French name?
Your French name is
~Nuit~
It means 'night'.
You are a quiet person who enjoys being alone.
Unlike Congele, you are accepted, you just like
to have time to yourself to think. You
especially like the nightime, because looking
at the stars makes you think of how small we
all are in the world, and how much there is
about the universe that we don't and can't
know...
What is your French name?
brought to you by Quizilla
Found via An Etherealgirl's Adventure in Cyberland.
Posted by Daffodil at 8:55 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
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I posted my results here
Posted by: Night Bird at November 26, 2005 11:16 AM
I think I like your picture better.
Posted by: Night Bird at November 26, 2005 11:23 AM
I got:
Your French name is
~Aime~
It means 'beloved'.
You need to love and be loved. You love with all of your heart, and expect the same in return. What you want most is to make the ones you love happy. You are warm and affectionate.
Which is an awesomely correct if ironic choice. Why ironic? That's my little sister's name. Also I have three perfectly good French names to choose from all my own--my first name (Cheri), my maiden surname, and my married surname.
Posted by: cjmr at November 27, 2005 3:05 PM
November 4, 2005
What Mythological Creature are you?
Dianne
 | You scored as Mermaid. Mermaid: Mermaids are also known as Sirens. These creatures were beautiful women who tricked sailors into becoming completely entranced by their haunting voices and found death soon after. Not all stories of Mermaids are about gentle loving sea people. They are mystical, magical, and extremely dangerous. They have a way about them that brings anyone they are around to seem enchanted. They are very mysterious creatures and to meet one... Would mean certain Death. Let the song of the Sea fill your soul, for you are a Mermaid.
What Mythological Creature are you? (Cool Pics!) created with QuizFarm.com |
Jamison
 | You scored as Dragon. Dragon: Now talk about a legend. These magnificent creatures are of many species. Some can be as large as the Earth itself, while others are as small as a mouse. One image that comes to everyone's mind is the large, fire breathing Dragons that loathed humans and loved to sleep on massive piles of gold. Not all dragons have a bad reputation. Most dragons are very wise, caring, and protective. It would make a person very lucky indeed to meet a dragon. Especially if they walked away untouched. I admire your wisdom, for you are the Ancient Dragon.
What Mythological Creature are you? (Cool Pics!) created with QuizFarm.com |
Posted by Daffodil at 11:26 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
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84% Dragon and it is the year I was born in as well.
Posted by: Royal at November 4, 2005 11:48 AM
58% Angel. Something wrong with this quiz.
Posted by: reno at November 4, 2005 1:44 PM
Also a mermaid (75%), although it also said 75% faerie.
Posted by: cjmr at November 4, 2005 4:19 PM
83% Angel
Posted by: Yolanda at November 4, 2005 10:26 PM
Which religion is the right one for you?
 | You scored as Buddhism. Your beliefs most closely resemble those of Buddhism. Do more research on Buddhism and possibly consider becoming Buddhist, if you are not already.
In Buddhism, there are Four Noble Truths: (1) Life is suffering. (2) All suffering is caused by ignorance of the nature of reality and the craving, attachment, and grasping that result from such ignorance. (3) Suffering can be ended by overcoming ignorance and attachment. (4) The path to the suppression of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path, which consists of right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right-mindedness, and right contemplation. These eight are usually divided into three categories that base the Buddhist faith: morality, wisdom, and samadhi, or concentration. In Buddhism, there is no hierarchy, nor caste system; the Buddha taught that one's spiritual worth is not based on birth.
Which religion is the right one for you? (new version) created with QuizFarm.com |
Posted by Daffodil at 11:24 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
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100% Agnostic. Last week's quiz was more useful, I think; this one had too many "Central Tenet of a particular religion: Agree/Disagree" questions.
Posted by: reno at November 4, 2005 1:51 PM
83% Christianity. This one certainly had a lot more questions than the last one, and the ability to shade your answers was nice.
Posted by: cjmr at November 4, 2005 4:26 PM
83% Agnostic. Not bad. Today, I have found out I am a Agnostic Dragon. Which is very close to being who I am.
Posted by: Royal at November 4, 2005 4:44 PM
Which Existentialist Philosopher Are You?
 | You scored as Jean-Paul Sartre. You are Jean-Paul Sartre. You could also be called a humanist, because you believe that humanity has the power to change their condition at any time; no one is born a coward, they only choose to be one. You also like open relationships that are far from monogamous, and you possibily have a lazy eye.
Which Existentialist Philosopher Are You? created with QuizFarm.com |
The monogamous part is way off, but it's an interesting quiz none the less.
Posted by Daffodil at 11:15 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
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Albert Camus. "You have strong liberal leanings, although you annoy the Communists. You are susceptible to driving fast, and possibly crashing into a tree."
Posted by: reno at November 4, 2005 1:55 PM
Apparently I'm not an existentialist philosopher.
You scored as Not An Existentialist. You are not an existentialist. You perhaps follow another philosophy or religion that you believe is incompatible. But remember, the existentialists wanted you to find truth that you could live- and that is essentially what you are doing. You are finding truth that you want to take up into your life. Either way, you are kind of weak, and rely too much on others.
Which Existentialist Philosopher Are You?
created with QuizFarm.com
Posted by: cjmr at November 4, 2005 4:32 PM
October 20, 2005
New Pets!
| adopt your own virtual pet! |
| adopt your own virtual pet! |
Posted by Daffodil at 3:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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October 6, 2005
Attention: Email Woes
If anyone has sent me an email within the past 48 hours and haven't received anything back from me let me know. My email address is being blocked on several servers.
Posted by Daffodil at 10:25 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
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Did you get my 46 page manifesto on how beautiful you are??? I deleted it on this side when I was done. Do I have to start over again??? ;p
Posted by: ManDrake at October 6, 2005 11:04 AM
I missed that one...get to writing again! ;o) LOL
Posted by: Dianne at October 6, 2005 11:07 AM
September 13, 2005
LA Power Outages
The power outages in LA yesterday brought down the blog as it is hosted in that area. For those of you that tried to visit and were not able to pull up Daffodil Lane that is why.
Hope you have a wonderful day!
Posted by Daffodil at 7:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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September 1, 2005
Tour of Hope
A few weeks ago when I blogged about the American Cancer Society's Blog for Hope I received an email from my good friend Joanne about one of her friends Christopher Millard who is participating in the Tour of Hope and I decided that I must blog about him.
Here's a little information on Christopher:
Christopher MillardChristopher Millard waited to see a doctor for more than a year after he discovered a lump on his shoulder. He is a well-educated biologist, and thought he knew what a cancerous tumor felt like. But when he finally had the lump looked at, he learned it was a high-grade sarcoma that required immediate and intense treatment.
Doctors told Christopher about a clinical trial and treatment for his cancer that showed a lot of promise. Christopher was taken aback by his cancer diagnosis and was further surprised to learn of the many clinical studies underway to treat it. “I wasn’t aware of how many clinical trials there were and that they were available for the general public,” he says. “I participated in one and it has made all the difference.”
Nevertheless, Christopher says he waited too long to see a doctor about the lump on his shoulder. His procrastination meant a longer and more involved treatment for a tumor that had grown from the size of a quarter to the size of a softball in the course of a year. As a member of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope™ Team, Christopher wants to encourage people to see their physicians immediately if they find a lump or experience any symptoms of cancer.
Christopher is very open about his cancer experience and takes the opportunity to promote early detection and the promise of cancer research. He welcomes questions from friends and acquaintances. “I always encourage folks to ask,” he says. “I want to get rid of the stigma associated with cancer. I want people to know it’s OK to talk about it and learn from it.”
As a cancer survivor, Christopher feels compelled to reach as many people as possible with his message. He’s been given a second chance and wants to return the favor by taking his story on the road with the Tour of Hope. “I hope that others will find strength, hope and knowledge in the Tour of Hope, and see me and my teammates as an inspiration.”
Joanne tells me that he is an amazing person whom she respects a lot. She says she was amazed at how he carried on and worked all through out his cancer treatment. Joanne also says he is a very upbeat person that people really like. Christopher sounds like an all around great person! And on top of this he is involved in a great cause.
The Tour of Hope is a great thing. If you can, check them out and see how you can help. After all every little bit helps and hopefully one day in the very near future they can find a cure for cancer so that everyone faced with this disease will be a survivor.
Posted by Daffodil at 2:08 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
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Thanks for helping to get the word out about this great tour Di!
Posted by: Joanne at September 1, 2005 2:33 PM
It's the least I can do! Let me know if there is anything else that comes up. I'll be happy to talk about it. I'm going to make a donation too.
Posted by: Dianne at September 1, 2005 2:36 PM
That's so nice Di, thanks! I do want to say that the Tour of Hope is not actively asking for donations, rather their mission is to educate and make people aware of how important clinical research is.
Posted by: Joanne at September 2, 2005 9:46 AM
That's true. But hopefully in the process people will look at them and think about making a donation to the American Cancer Society.
Posted by: Dianne at September 2, 2005 11:19 AM
August 28, 2005
Shoreline Workshop and Planting with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Yesterday Jamison and I went to a Shoreline Workshop and Planting Workshop done by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and several other sponsers. I received and email earlier in the week and asked Jamison if he'd go with me. It went like this:
Our annual workshop and planting for landowners and communities to learn Bay-Friendly techniques (such as using native vegetation and bio-engineering) for shoreline protection.Interested volunteers are needed for CBF's annual Living Shoreline Workshop and Planting event on Saturday, August 27, beginning at 9 a.m. We will be installing and planting up biologs with trees, shrubs, grasses and wetland plants. The permit process, design issues and native plant selection will also be covered.
Surprisingly he said yes right off the bat so I talked to Amber and arranged for her to baby-sit so we could go as a friend of mine said and "hang out with the tree huggers". Little did she know how much that used to irritate me, given that I don't think someone who is concerned about our planet should be ridiculed, but then I decided tree hugger was a cool moniker and even though initially people intended it as a slight, it's actually a very cool way of explaining how much you love nature. I'm proud to be a tree hugger, but again that's neither here nor there.
We set off yesterday morning around 8 and headed to the Back Creek Nature Park in Annapolis. We arrived a little before 9 and after we signed in we were immediately immersed in helping getting the plantings going. Our first task was to carry flats of water grass to the edge of the lagoon so that they were where they needed to be to be planted. We each took one flat to the water's edge and then we were assigned the duty of planting trees, shrubs and plants. We started out with a large magnolia tree to plant and let me tell you he was a bugger! But after we got the kinks worked out the next one was a breeze!
The next tree we planted was also a magnolia. It was taller than me! He was easier to plant as I mentioned above because we got the kinks out with the first one, and a landscaper who was also volunteering showed us the trick to get big root bound plants out of their pots. With her trick the rest of the plants were a breeze to remove from their pots!
After we got the second tree planted things went downhill from there for me. I started planting marsh grasses, mallow plants and black eyed Susans, while Jamison tackled some shrubs in the same area. The dirt was compacted by the water and was very claylike. It was a bit difficult to shovel, but not impossible. Even with gloves I managed to get the nastiest, largest blister that ended up being more wound like that I think I've ever had. Seriously folks, it's ugly! I would take a picture and post it, but I don't want the collective internet community to gag so I'll spare you. I got our first aid kit out of Jamison's trunk and cleaned the wound, slathered on some antibiotic cream and covered it with a gauze pad before I put my gloves back on and got back to work.
With the wound there was no way I was going to be shoveling anything anymore so Jamison and I devised a system where he would dig the hole, I would take the plants or shrubs out of the pots and put them in the hole, he'd fill in the hole and I'd take the pots and markers to the recycling area. Yes, yes he had a bit more physical labor, but it was working. We work pretty good together, what can I say, but it became apparent that I was making my hand worse so after we got the plants planted in our area and they had the workshop portion of the day we ended up heading home earlier than we had intended.
This event was a wonderful experience and I can't wait to participate in similar events again! The diversity of people who showed up to help was astounding! (Jamison has a blog post brewing in his head something along the lines of the "Sociology of Ecologists" that should prove to be interesting, but I digress.) Anyway, it was nice to see everyone working together as a team, even though there were a few minor ideal clashes that were relatively quiet, everyone managed to work through any issues and get done what needed to be done. It's amazing the little things that can restore some of your faith in humanity.
I really wish I had batteries for my camera, because it was amazing the transformation that took place around the lagoon while we were there! Hopefully the Chesapeake Bay Foundation will post some pictures on their website. I'll post a link here if they do. Also check out their section on Bay-Friendly Landscaping. It covers a lot of the things we were doing at the lagoon on Saturday and gives an idea of how you can get started on your own property.
Overall the whole day was fascinating! To be able to see some of the Best Managment Practice principles I've read about for the past few years in action was phenomenal and it was also good experience. Jamison was teasing me about finding "my people" and though he was being silly, he was right! I felt very at home amongst the aquatic biologists and the ecologists.
All in all it was a fun day, wounded hand not withstanding. The Back Creek Nature Park is beautiful and the environmental education program they are setting up is a very good program. I can't wait to take Alexis over there to check things out. I told Jamison the minute we got there that Alexis would have loved that place! If you ever get a chance check it out. And if you ever get a chance volunteer for a workshop/planting with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation or something similar in your area. You'll learn a lot and have fun in the process.
Posted by Daffodil at 9:07 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
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I have pictures of the magnolia planting, but I'm leaving for two weeks. Will send copy to Marcy, CBF.
Posted by: Creek geek at September 2, 2005 11:17 PM
Thanks!
Posted by: Dianne at September 3, 2005 8:46 AM
July 13, 2005
I Love London
I've seen numerous I heart London signs over the internet the past few days and I decided to make one of my own. London you are still in my thoughts and prayers.
UPDATE: I've added a link in the left hand column on the smaller image of the picture above for the British Red Cross's Bombing Relief Fund. Check it out and donate if you can.
Posted by Daffodil at 9:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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July 4, 2005
Finals Looming
Finals are once again looming and thank the good Lord these are my last finals! I'm scheduled to take one final Friday night and one on Saturday, but I'm hoping to take them both on Friday night and be done with it! For those of you that didn't know this is my last semester and I will be graduating with a Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Management. I'm excited and relieved all at the same time. So this week I will be scarce, but I'm sure Jamison will pick up the slack in the posting department or at least he will for the next two days anyway. Jamison has Thursday and Friday off so he can watch Alexis and I can focus entirely on studying for finals and he usually doesn't post much on those days as Alexis thinks she needs his undivided attention. So wish me luck and I'm sure I'll be celebrating come the weekend! :o)
Posted by Daffodil at 7:29 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
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Wishing you loads of luck on your finals Di!
BTW...I am finally home! Yippie!
Posted by: Cindi at July 6, 2005 4:10 PM
Thanks Cin and yeah! I know you're glad to be home. After I finish finals I'll send you a long email and let you know what's been going on here. :o)
Posted by: Dianne at July 6, 2005 4:17 PM
Christian Alliance for Progress
When reading the previous article that I linked in the previous post I came across the Christian Alliance for Progress. They've got some very good things to say. For instance the quote on the front page speaks volumes:
I feel embarrassed and angry that Christianity has been used to divide our country and to promote bigotry and war. I joined this movement to stand up for compassion and justice.
I couldn't have said it better myself. And how about this?:
How We Seek to Follow the Jesus of the Gospels - Seven Values We Share:*Compassion and Care for "The Least of These"
We follow Jesus' call to compassion and his command to "love your neighbor as you love yourself."*Responsibility and Obligation
We heed the call to take up our cross - to transform our lives, but also to do more: to move beyond the "personal" and to take responsibility in our communities and country.*Justice for All
We stand against powerful systems of human injustice in our world as Jesus stood against them in his.*Equality and Inclusiveness
Like Jesus did among women, tax collectors, Samaritans and others, we reject hurtful exclusionary distinctions between "us" and "them."*Faithful Stewardship
We follow Jesus' call for responsible stewardship - caring protection for the environment and sharing of our worldly treasure.*Right Use of Power
We turn away from fear; we use the power of God that flows through us to protect the innocent and build justice in the world, not to coerce others to our will or force others to accept our vision.*Spiritual Foundation
We turn to God as our spiritual foundation.
Check them out here.
Posted by Daffodil at 9:10 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
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I really like these guys as well. What I think they are missing is a method of dealing with the Neo-Christians. I mean the fact that they have abandoned all of the principals of Jesus is directly related to their absolutist embracement of the teaching of Paul. Paul had a much more aggressive and intolerant view of the world and it's reflected heavily in his writings. Most Neo-Christians find Jesus to be a liberal hippy peacenik and they have no stomach for that kind of thinking so they ignore everything he said. In place of his teachings they put the sexually obsessed teachings of Paul and his quest for ruthless expansion of his church no matter the human costs. It's hard to reconcile the Jesus parts of the new testament and the later writings of Paul. It's like they are talking about two different religions and I think fundamentally they are. Normal Christians are members of the Jesus center religion and the Neo-Christian hate mongers are members of the Paul centered religion.
Posted by: ManDrake at July 4, 2005 1:59 PM
I think it's high time that the world see that being a Christian doesn't involve buying into this hate ideology that the Neo-Christians are spreading. Groups like this will be popping up over the next few months because we're tired of people assuming that all Christians believe in their hate and angst.
Posted by: Dianne at July 4, 2005 2:55 PM
Actually I don't think they will form that many groups if anything I think you'll see them forming into one massive organization with a common goal. The Neo-Christian hate ideology is so vile and so heinous, that it will galvanize together groups that would have normally just gone it alone. Of course, this will all play into some old rivalries as well. Remember the current Pope has wildly rushed to embrace the hate ideology of the Neo-Christians, so this might remind people of the reasons why their churches broke away from the Catholics again. The friends of my enemy are my enemy sort of thing. This may end up looking like another Protestant Reformation before it's all over.
Posted by: ManDrake at July 4, 2005 3:19 PM
That's possible, but it's heartening to see these voices come out none the less.
Posted by: Dianne at July 4, 2005 3:24 PM
July 3, 2005
What Flavor Ice Cream Are You?
| You Are Strawberry Ice Cream |
 |
Posted by Daffodil at 5:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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June 22, 2005
Notice
If anyone tried to post any comments late this afternoon and you got some weird error message that would be because I was messing with some html. Everything is back to normal now and commenting should be possible once again. Sorry for the confusion.
Posted by Daffodil at 8:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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June 20, 2005
New Patio Furniture
Posted by Daffodil at 1:58 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
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Very nice...and very BIG!
Posted by: dar at June 22, 2005 11:55 AM
It's HUGE, but I love it! The table top is tile and I'm thinking about getting some decorative tiles for the center.
Posted by: Dianne at June 22, 2005 12:00 PM
where did you buy this patio furniture????
I WANT ONE! :O)
Posted by: Virginia (Vicky) Saavedra at April 9, 2006 7:16 PM
We've really enjoyed it! I am thinking about getting some decorative tiles to put in it this summer, but haven't decided yet. We got it at BJ's. They still have it this year too. :o)
Posted by: Dianne at April 9, 2006 7:52 PM
June 9, 2005
A Little Early Morning Political Humor
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
The girl's got a point! Honey, I think I need a new t-shirt! ;o)
Have a great day everyone!
Posted by Daffodil at 8:50 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
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That is too funny. I really like the double entendre, find out where they are selling them and post it!
Posted by: ManDrake at June 9, 2005 10:32 AM
I want one, Maybe get Uncle Bill to sign it.
Posted by: Donna at June 9, 2005 11:13 AM
Now that would be a great fund raising device!! Of course, a lot of the humor of it's lost because most Republicans aren't smart enough to get the joke by themselves.
Posted by: ManDrake at June 9, 2005 11:15 AM
Unfortunately if Bill signed anything that was sexual in nature, even though it's funny as hell, the Neo-cons/christians would be all up in arms about how bad he is, and how he is such a bad influence on America's youth and blah, blah, freaking blah.
Posted by: Dianne at June 9, 2005 12:09 PM
I keep forgetting how uptight they are about things.
Posted by: ManDrake at June 9, 2005 1:06 PM
May 19, 2005
New Central Heat and Air System
How's this for big and tall??
And how's this for cute??
Posted by Daffodil at 8:54 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
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That is seriously cute.
Posted by: Pat Johnson at May 19, 2005 10:37 PM
It looks like she's on top of a rocket ship headed for the moon! LOL :o)
Posted by: Dianne at May 20, 2005 8:19 AM
April 5, 2005
Tupperware
Attention!:
My sister Katherine is now a Tupperware consultant. If anyone out there in cyberland is interested in buying some Tupperware or having an online Tupperware party check out her website. I'm sure she can hook you up with just what you're looking for! I'll also add a link to the side bar of the blog with her link in case you need it in the future.
I now return you to your regularly scheduled Daffodil Lane.
Posted by Daffodil at 8:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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March 14, 2005
Ghost Shrimp
On Friday Alexis and I went to PetsMart to buy a new snail and stare wistfully at the cats. As we were purusing the fish tanks I saw something I had never seen before; fresh water shrimp! They are called ghost shrimp and as the name suggest they are ghostly in appearance. They can grow up to 2 inches long and their body is predominately clear and let me tell you those little guys are hard to see! We got two of them and so far the fish haven't bugged them that much. If you'd like to see a ghost shrimp they have some pretty good pictures here.
Posted by Daffodil at 8:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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March 13, 2005
Will You Send Us Postcards From Hell?
Me: Do you see the Plecostomus?
Jamison: No.
Me: You didn't even look!
Jamison: Hence why I didn't see it!
Posted by Daffodil at 7:58 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
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In my defense I was watching TV. ;)
Posted by: ManDrake at March 13, 2005 8:27 AM
March 9, 2005
Attention Family and Friends
If you've tried to send an email to our regular email accounts (which I won't post here for obvious, spammers are scum, sort of reasons) and we haven't gotten back to you, or you've gotten an error message, don't sweat it! Our email provider is having issues. You can still reach us at our Daffodil Lane email addresses, which are working fine. They had hoped to have the issues resolved by noon today, but now they are saying it will be by 7 this evening. Needless to say that doesn't bode well. Just wanted to give you all an update! Have a nice afternoon everyone!
Posted by Daffodil at 3:02 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
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They just updated it again after I told them they had a typo in their message. It's now 8 pm.
Posted by: ManDrake at March 9, 2005 4:31 PM
That doesn't surprise me in the least. I bet it won't be fixed in the morning! LOL
Posted by: Dianne at March 9, 2005 6:12 PM
The good news is that these are the same people that want to give us phone service. :) Ready to upgrade yet?
Posted by: ManDrake at March 9, 2005 8:54 PM
Umm...no...not just no, but HELL no! LOL
Posted by: Dianne at March 10, 2005 11:27 AM
In there defense, the internet is still working fine. So lost email for a couple of days, nobody has just one email address any more.
Posted by: ManDrake at March 10, 2005 12:18 PM
Have you seen the latest message.
"At this time email services have been restored, however the email servers are currently slowed due to a backlog of email. Some email functions may be intermittent for a while until the backlog is reduced. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience."
They would appreciate your patience dear. :) If you didn't get all those spam messages they wouldn't have such a backlog to deliver.
Posted by: ManDrake at March 10, 2005 12:28 PM
I saw it. I wasn't impressed! LOL
Posted by: Dianne at March 10, 2005 12:40 PM
What Jesus Wouldn't Do?
AlterNet is running an excellent article written by Jim Wallis edited from his new book, God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It, which I have on my Amazon WishList and can't wait to read once I graduate. The article is below with the link the AlterNet after the piece. It's very thought provoking and eloquently says a lot of the things I've been feeling lately about the "Christian" movement in this country, that in my opinion is way off track of what God really wants. Check it out.
The politics of Jesus is a problem for the religious right.In Matthew’s 25th chapter, Jesus speaks of the hungry, the homeless, the stranger, prisoners, and the sick and promises he will challenge all his followers on the judgment day with these words, “As you have done to the least of these, you have done to me.” James Forbes, the pastor of Riverside Church in New York City, concludes from that text that, “Nobody gets to heaven without a letter of reference from the poor!” How many of America’s most famous television preachers could produce the letter?
The hardest saying of Jesus and perhaps the most controversial in our post–Sept. 11 world must be: “Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.” Let’s be honest: How many churches in the United States have heard sermons preached from either of these Jesus texts in the years since America was viciously attacked on that world-changing September morning in 2001? Shouldn’t we at least have a debate about what the words of Jesus mean in the new world of terrorist threats and pre-emptive wars?
Christ commands us to not only see the splinter in our adversary’s eye but also the beams in our own, which often obstruct our own vision. To name the face of evil in the brutality of terrorist attacks is good theology, but to say they are evil and we are good is bad theology that can lead to dangerous foreign policy. Christ instructs us to love our enemies, which does not mean a submission to their hostile agendas or domination, but does mean treating them as human beings also created in the image of God and respecting their human rights as adversaries and even as prisoners. The words of Jesus are either authoritative for Christians, or they are not. And they are not set aside by the very real threats of terrorism. The threat of terrorism does not overturn Christian ethics.
The issue here is not partisan politics, and there are no easy political solutions. The governing party has increasingly struck a religious tone in an aggressive foreign policy that seems much more nationalist than Christian, while the opposition party has offered more confusion than clarity. In any election we choose between very imperfect choices. Yet it is always important to examine what is at stake prayerfully and theologically.
This examination among evangelicals became clear in the 2004 Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility, an unprecedented call to social action from the National Association of Evangelicals. In contrast to the Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson era, evangelicals are now showing moral leadership in the fight against global poverty, HIV/AIDS, human trafficking, and sustainability of God’s earth.
These changes represent both a reaction against overt partisanship and a desire to apply Christian ethics to a broader set of issues. Many people of faith have grown weary of the religious right’s attempts to narrow the moral litmus test to abortion and gay marriage. For example, when likely voters were asked in a 2004 poll whether they would rather hear a candidate’s position on poverty or on gay marriage, 75 percent chose poverty. Only 17 percent chose gay marriage. Any serious reading of the Bible points toward poverty as a religious issue, and candidates should always be asked by Christian voters how they will treat “the least of these.” Stewardship of God’s earth is clearly a question of Christian ethics. Truth telling is also a religious issue that should be applied to a candidate’s rationales for war, tax cuts, or any other policy, as is humility in avoiding the language of “righteous empire,” which too easily confuses the roles of God, church, and nation.
War, of course, is also a deeply theological matter. The near unanimous opinion of religious leaders worldwide that the Iraq war failed to fit “just war” criteria is an issue for many Christians, especially as the warnings from religious leaders have proved prophetically and tragically accurate. The “plagues of war,” as the pope has referred to the continuing problems in Iraq, are in part a consequence of a “Christian president” simply not listening to the counsel of religious leaders who tried to speak to the White House. What has happened to the “consistent ethic of life,” suggested by Catholic social teaching, which speaks against abortion, capital punishment, poverty, war, and a range of human rights abuses too often selectively respected by pro-life advocates?
The religious right’s grip on public debates about values has been driven in part by a media that continues to give airtime to the loudest religious voices, rather than the most representative, leaving millions of Christians and other people of faith without a say in the values debate. But this is starting to change as progressive and prophetic faith voices are speaking out with a confidence and moral urgency not seen for 25 years. Mobilized by human suffering in many places, groups motivated by religious social conscience (including many evangelicals not defined by the religious right) have hit a new stride in efforts to combat poverty, destructive wars, human rights violations, pandemics like HIV/AIDS, and genocide in places like Sudan.
In politics, the best interest of the country is served when the prophetic voice of religion is heard—challenging both right and left from consistent moral ground. The evangelical Christians of the 19th century combined revivalism with social reform and helped lead movements for abolition and women’s suffrage—not to mention the faith-based movement that directly preceded the rise of the religious right, namely the American civil rights movement led by the black churches.
The truth is that most of the important movements for social change in America have been fueled by religion—progressive religion. The stark moral challenges of our time have once again begun to awaken this prophetic tradition. As the religious Right loses influence, nothing could be better for the health of both church and society than a return of the moral center that anchors our nation in a common humanity. If you listen, these voices can be heard rising again.
See the Alternet piece here.
Posted by Daffodil at 12:01 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
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Such an appropriate sermon for this wicked world. Wonder how many read it?
Posted by: Donna at March 10, 2005 6:33 AM
Funny, I was just discussing stewardship with a pastor friend of mine yesterday. They had a community meeting to propose that Ingleside Avenue be turned into a historical district. Someone opposed to the idea started quoting the Bible in an attempt to convince the gathering that the idea would turn that section of town into an "uppity, rich neighborhood" and what were you suppose to do, if you couldn't afford to keep your property up to historically accurate standards. The whole "taking care of the poor" thing back fired on her when Van countered that taking care of the poor was only one aspect of the Bible. That we were also suppose to be stewards...and that means taking care of our neighborhoods and our planet in general.
Posted by: Dar at March 10, 2005 9:11 AM
Very good point Darlene. I think sometimes we lose sight of that in the whole grand scheme of things. Stewardship is very important.
Posted by: Dianne at March 10, 2005 9:14 AM
February 26, 2005
A Fun Day
This afternoon Jamison, Alexis and I drove over to Great Falls, Virginia to have a late lunch with one of Jamison's coworkers, his wife and their 9 month old son. Yesterday I kept telling Alexis we were going to see Rob, Patty, Baby Sam and Sadie (their dog). She'd sit and say, "Baby Sam! Baby Sam!" Today however she just would point at him and say, "Baby!" and refused to actually say Sam.
Alexis amused me with Sam today because she would go along behind Sam as he was crawling and put her hands under his bottom like she was afraid he was going to fall down. It was cute! She also would show Sam how his toys worked as if they were hers and he had never seen them before. I think Sam thought she was invading his space, but he was pretty laid back about it! I meant to take my camera to get a picture of Alexis and Sam together, but I forgot to take it with me.
Lately Alexis has developed the new skill (I use the term skill very loosely!) of squealing in delight at the top of her lungs. She often stands in front of the fish tank in awe and shrieks with delight! (At first the fish were TERRIFIED of Alexis. Any time she got close to the tank they'd all hide. Now they just look at her in a fishy way as if to say, "Oh look, the loud, jumpy creature is back!) When she saw Sadie she went nuts! She started squealing, in that oh so annoying and not endearing way, and saying rapidly, "Dog! Dog! Dog!" She clearly loved Sadie, although she wasn't too keen on her licking her face, but she liked petting her.
Even though we didn't get there until 2:30 or so, around 4:15 we headed home. Alexis does not enjoy being in the car that much. Her tolerance for car trips is about 30 minutes at most. Sometimes you can stretch it out to around an hour if you're creative in distracting her, so we figured we couldn't stretch it much longer. We actually only spent a couple of hours at Patty and Rob's, but we had a lot of fun none the less.
Posted by Daffodil at 7:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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February 15, 2005
Meet Satan and Gabriel
Satan
Gabriel
In short Satan is Jamison's fish. When we went to get the big tank last week he saw the tank with the fan tail goldfish and asked me why we didn't have any cool fish like that, so I had to get him one! He pretty much runs the tank, but since we have a "Satan" I decided to name the angelfish after an angel. I'm thinking about getting a white fan tail goldfish and naming him "God" just to even things out. Who said fish tanks aren't fun?
Posted by Daffodil at 3:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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February 9, 2005
Best Wishes to John Paul
While John Paul and I have fundamental ideological difference, as long as I've known about the Catholic Church, John Paul has been it's leader. Hearing that he was unable to lead the Ash Wednesday services sure seems to indicate that his health i