Gotta Love A Good Deal.....

This is the best time of the year to shop, hands down......especially at major department stores. I wish we had a Macy's or a Bloomingdale's, but we don't - but I make a point of shopping at Younkers (one of the BonTon stores) every year around this time for great deals, especially in the boys' department. Today I came home with 9 shirts, 1 sweatshirt, and 2 pair of jeans along with one dress for me. Everything is terrific quality - Calvin Klein, Izod, Ralph Lauren. The dress is Evan Picone. If I'd paid full price, they'd have been $647.60. The total price today including tax? $73.50.
Here's a photo of my haul - everything except the dress. By the way, the dress was originally $188, marked down to $7. Incredible.

Working on the show.....

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Originally uploaded by shereenflynn

Devon snapped a bunch of photos as I was recording my show this afternoon from my desk.

I love my BLACKBERRY!

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Originally uploaded by shereenflynn

Winter In Wisconsin

Winter In Wisconsin - A Poem
by Andrew Brenan (thanks, Andy)

It's winter in **Wisconsin**
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At twenty-five below.

Oh, how I love **Wisconsin**
when the snow's up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I could never leave **Wisconsin**

'Cause I'm frozen to the ground!!*

Top 10 Ralph Nader Campaign Promises

Billary Blows

During this increasingly exciting Presidential campaign, I have always said that though I would prefer another dem for the nominee, I'd still vote for Hillary if I had to. At this point, however, I think I'd just stay home if she were somehow able to snag the nomination by convention time, something I do not believe is completely out of the question, as some do.
Though I applaud her efforts, her campaign has, of late, reeked of desperation. We've gone from "I am absolutely HONORED" to be standing with Barack Obama to "SHAME ON YOU, BARACK OBAMA" in the course of a week. This is exactly the kind of doublespeak we voters despise. Now tell me what you really think, Hillary. Because frankly, no one really knows.
"Enough of the rallies", she says. Well, yeah, because Obama draws double the crowds she does. Time to put the green-eyed monster back in the cage and get back to talking about the issues. And that released turban picture? Come on, what a cheap shot.
Hillary has turned me off so much, in fact, that I will even think long and hard about my vote if she even becomes the VP nominee. Billary, you blow.

Thoughts on a Bleary Wednesday

Wednesday is the best day of the week, since it's my day off, but I can't seem to get any "get up and go". I blame the weather. Eight degrees and cloudy. Spring seems like it's months away - oh, that's right, IT IS. Ahhhhh - winter in the northwoods. I'll snap out of it. (Pass the Prozac, please.)
Meanwhile, the kids are doing marvelously in Scouting. Rowan received his 2nd Class Sunday and will go in front of the review board for his 1st Class next week. That means he could be tapped out for Order of the Arrow this summer at camp - I wonder if it will happen for him. I have thought back to the nervous wreck he was last year at camp (which was baffling to me, since he'd gone to camps every summer since Kindergarten) and marvel at how much he's matured and grown in a year's time. It's amazing what a year can do. He'll be on track to be an Eagle Scout early if he keeps it up, and I think he will. Devon is so happy to finally be a BOY SCOUT instead of a cub, and this year he can't wait to go to camp with his brother. They are so lucky to have each other.
I haven't told anyone yet, but yesterday I received my formal acceptance letter into the adult distance degree program at DePaul. I have been keeping it a secret. They've got an interesting program that would fit my schedule - I am starting to believe my goals might someday be a reality - but we'll see. The immediate problem, of course, is figuring out how to pay for it all.

Testing from the Blackberry

Just messing around with the blog, trying to test out mobile blogging. Is this thing on? :)
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld

GOOD NEWS - Um......we think.....

Good news from your government. The Pentagon said Monday it has a "high degree of confidence" that the missile fired at a dead U.S. spy satellite in space destroyed the satellite's fuel tank as planned. The tank had 1,000 pounds of hydrazine, a toxic substance that U.S. government officials believed posed a potential health hazard to humans if the satellite had descended to Earth on its own. So......we "think" it was a success?
I never cease to be amazed.

HEADLINES FROM THE YEAR 2029......

• Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions.

• Baby conceived naturally! Scientists stumped.

• Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking.

• George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2036.

• Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.

• 85-year, $75 billion study reveals diet and exercise are the keys to weight loss.

• Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals violates their civil rights.

• Average height of NBA players is now nine feet, seven inches.

• New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2030.

• IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.

Book Club Notes

The book club was a success, with a good group and great conversation. We've set the ground rules and have decided to meet the first Friday of each month at the municipal airport, which my friend Angela runs. They have comfy leather couches and a nice atmosphere that will be perfect for our group. Since it's after hours we can bring wine or whatever else we want to drink, and will each bring an appetizer to pass. It's a great way to take the pressure off each person individually to host, which can be stressful and expensive. We'll take turns choosing the book and coming up with three basic starter questions, assuming that the conversation will flow from there.
The book I've chosen for the first official discussion meeting is All that Matters, by Jan Goldstein, which tells the story about a young woman who attempts suicide only to be brought back to an appreciation for life by her grandmother, an elderly Holocaust survivor whose fighting spirit is a testament to all she has endured. I labored over the first book, wanting to pick the perfect title, but now I'm regretting it. Three quarters through the book I find I'm hating it, not to mention the suicide subject matter is proving to be possibly inappropriate since one of our book club members had a husband who killed himself - ack, I don't know. We'll see, maybe I'm over-thinking the whole shebang. I just hope Angela's pick for April is better than this one.
It is obvious from the spirited conversation Friday night that we will have plenty to talk about as a collective group, regardless of the book title chosen. I'm looking forward to the next meeting, April 4th.

Lunar Eclipse

Last night we were treated to a spectacular view of a lunar eclipse. Shortly after nine, the moon was completely shrouded in the Earth’s shadow. Still, the refracted light from the sun managed to line the moon with a blush of color. I had been at my aunt's house for a wonderful evening with our visiting cousin Scott and his partner Andy, and didn't have my good camera with me. By the time I returned home, the color was gone and the photos I took were less than spectacular. I'm posting one I was able to find on the web from a photographer in Milwaukee. The kids stayed up with the intention of riding with my stepfather to the edge of town for a better view, but found that conditions were so perfect right here at home, they didn't need to leave our front yard for the show.
While a lunar eclipse is now simply beautiful and entertaining, many years ago it had an important role in science, convincing skeptics that the earth was a spherical shape.
The next lunar eclipse won't occur until December, 2010.

Enough Snow, Already....

Enough Snow, Already....
Originally uploaded by shereenflynn

This year, we've had more snow already than we've had in the past 11 years. It's ridiculous. The snowbanks are higher than I can ever remember them. I've got a few photos in the neighborhood so you can see just how much we've got. Click on the photo to see the rest on my Flickr page!
And yeah.....spring can come anytime, now.....

Obama Visits Wausau, Hillary Coming Today

Presidential hopeful Barack Obama visited our own NTC Campus yesterday in Wausau, speaking to a closed-door group of about 50 students and city officials. Billary is coming today to an open session at the UWMC fieldhouse but I'm unable to attend thanks to the blizzard we have going on. I think it's curious that she chose the UWMC fieldhouse to make her public appeal - since that is by far the smallest gym in the area. I can only guess it will look awfully packed in campaign photos.
And by the way, I officially joined the Democratic Party today. Made my online donation and made it official. I see no reason why to pretend I'm on the fence any longer, as it has become increasingly apparent that my values and views are far more aligned with the Dems than they will ever hope to be with the GOP.
(Photo from the Wausau Daily Herald)

Book Club Starts Friday

One thing that has always been true about me - I am a voracious reader. I have always, since I was a little girl, liked nothing better than to immerse myself in a good story. I typically read one book per week, more in the summer. I take a book everywhere (and always carry a purse large enough to hold one) since you never know when you might have a few minutes to spare waiting in lines to read a few lines. When I finish a good book, I want nothing more than to talk about what I've read, but the book clubs around here don't hold much sway for me, since the thought of joining a club in which I know absolutely no one is a little intimidating, even for me. And so, I've started my own.
The first official meeting of the Friday Night Book Club meets next weekend at my house. I've invited about 8 of my friends that I know share my love of reading to come to my house to organize the group. I am in the process of choosing the first book, since I think it'll only be right for me to offer to hold the first actual discussion meeting. The plan is to have each person take a turn hosting the club - about once every 4-5 weeks. The hostess will choose the book and be responsible for coming up with a few discussion questions, and provide light food and drinks (of course, don't forget the drinks!). In this way, I think we'll have an interesting variety of books to read - ones that will be out of our normal comfort reading zone. I realize that I am a bit of a control freak so I may have to change how this all works once everyone has their say next Friday.
I believe I'll be choosing the book I'm currently engrossed in, "Strange Fits of Passion", by Anita Shreve. The book deals with domestic violence and abuse, kidnapping, and murder, but in typical Shreve fashion goes beyond the typical to give compelling reasons to think twice about each situation. If I get to the end of the book and change my mind, my backup plan is to use "The Pilot's Wife", by the same author, which is a compelling read about an airplane crash and it's aftermath, during which the pilot's wife discovers not only her husband's dual life, but also his choice to bring down the aircraft. We'll see. Regardless, I'm looking forward to a night of great discussion.

Clowns, Musicians, and Saturday Night

One of the groups I play with, the Wausau Symphonic Band, had a concert last night with a circus theme. It was fun music with a lot of extras for the audience. The director wore a ringmaster's coat, and we had wonderful posters from Circus World to add to the theme. The only ick factor was the clown troupe that participated onstage, much to the delight of the theatre goers....but for me, the only thing worse than a clown is a clown with a squirting flower. I hate them and have an almost pathological fear of them. Their hair, the shoes - the makeup - ohhhhh, it's not funny at all. I practically had to xanax myself just to get onstage and play. But play I did and it was a good show. The second half featured Hornhead Michael B. Nelson on trombone and it was phenomenal. It's always so satisfying to be part of a group effort and have it all turn out well. Rehearsals begin anew next week for the next group's performance, though this group doesn't start up again until mid-March.

New Drumset

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Originally uploaded by shereenflynn

The drumset Rowan has been looking to get is now in the house. I picked it up this afternoon at October Guitars from Dion. It's a great brand - Sonor - in a nicely priced Studio kit. He's been taking drums for four months now and is determined to continue. Up until this point he's only been learning fundamentals and practicing with a pad, but his instructor indicated it was time to find the right sized equipment - so we went with it. Rowan is totally stoked!

Workouts Resumed, Ann's Surgery, Super Tuesday

Workouts resumed February 1st, as promised, and I feel sore all over. Today I will miss since I spent the morning up at the hospital where my aunt is recovering from her double mastectomy. Thankfully, they are confident they got it all and she won't have to go through chemo or radiation, but we are awaiting final word from the biopsy done on lymph material removed, which will be back in a few days. Typical drive-thru medicine - surgery was yesterday and she's going to go home today already. Cripes, don't get me started.
As far as the workout routine goes, I have so much more energy when I get to the gym. The "resolutionists" are still there in full force but I expect the place to slowly empty out over the next month or two, which is just fine with me. The thing that keeps me going on the cardio is music, and every day I'm putting together a new mix of songs that get my blood moving. I want to stay on the treadmill or the elliptical just to hear one more song. It's a strategy that's working and I've logged a lot more time on the machines than I typically would have.
Amazing what a little physical activity can do for you.
On another note, I'm glued to CNN today to watch the news on Super Tuesday. This is such a tight race - it's really interesting. My boy John Edwards dropped out, so I am now solidly backing Barack Obama in the primary. The more I look into his record, the more impressed I have become. It isn't that I don't agree with Hillary Clinton's views - but those pants suits have got to go, for Pete's sake. I see she got a little Botox, which has helped her not to look quite so much like the Crypt Keeper. And why can't she get her husband to shut his mouth? I thought she wore the pants in the family.
Well, the pantsuits, anyway.

Creepy?

My sister just IM'd me: "I think blogs are creepy....."
How is that possible?

DO NOT SWALLOW YOUR CHEWING GUM......

Super Bowl

Loved the SuperBowl this year.....thought Jordin Sparks did well on the national anthem, which is my favorite part of the whole shebang.....Tom Petty was fantastic at half time, too. Great all around. And of course the fact that I won $100 in the work pool on the final score coupled with my loathing for all things Tom Brady made that Eli Manning touchdown pass in the final :35 of the game all that much sweeter. Nice job.
How unsportsmanlike for Bill Billicheck to leave the field before the final play - maybe he had to make sure Tom Brady's mascara wasn't running. What a jerk - but what a game!

Forty Isn't Fabulous?

This September, I turn 40. Like so many of my friends facing the same big fat number, I am having a bit of a crisis about my life. It seems I am not alone.
According to a recent study, 40 isn't fabulous after all. For years, we've been told "life begins at 40". Not so, according to new research that clearly indicates dissatisfaction among women in their 40's. It's that midway point - life is half over. The kids are getting older. It's a time to begin asking serious questions about what we've accomplished and what we have yet to do.
I graduated 6th in my class with a 3.9 GPA. And what am I doing now? Yakking on the radio, analyzing radio airplay. Writing here & there. I'm certainly not doing anything truly meaningful. I never did go to med school. Never went to law school, not working for the Innocence Project. Not winning a Pulitzer prize for my writing anytime soon. Not even finishing my novel. So what's next? How do I fix it, and start living the life I want to lead? That's the question, and one I have no answers for. It's not about money - I couldn't care less about what I have or what I don't. It's the personal satisfaction, the belief that I can leave a positive mark on the world - that's what matters. And when I'm gone, what will I be remembered for?