Viva Las Vegas!

So Perfectly’s dad was in Las Vegas on a business trip. He brought me back a PURSE….a totally awesome purse. I adore purses/bags/handbags…or whatever you prefer to call them.

I never purchase really expensive, name brand, leather purses. I generally get them from the clearance racks at places like Kohl’s and J C Penney. I tend to gravitate towards bright colors (although, black is good, too). Patterns are often awesome as well. So a REAL LEATHER purse is quite the luxury for Perfectly…… it’s buttery yellow and all soft and has lots of metal hardware. It’s amazing what a bag does for my mood. Just LOOK at it!!!!


Then….another day of work. Today is the kickoff of the Charitable Campaign for the year. State Employees can donate to the charity of their choice (through the United Way) via payroll deduction. I’m a big proponent of this. I think it’s awesome when someone gives $1 per paycheck….and you may multiply that by 60,000 State of Missouri employees, that we can actually make a change somehow, somewhere. Obviously, many give much more, and some choose not to give, but either way, we provide a large offering to the United Way organizations every year.

With that said, there are SOME organizations that I don’t necessarily choose to contribute to. Actually, I don’t contribute to most, because I only give a small amount each month, so I pick and choose the organizations that I want my few dollars to benefit. So, I suppose I should say that there are organizations that I just plain don’t agree with. I gravitate towards the Humane Society and other animal rescue organizations………

I don’t dabble in politics. Working where I do, it is NOT forbidden to have a political view, or support a party. It is forbidden to do any politicking on work time, and using work resources. However, I firmly believe that peoples politics are their own, and it’s not right for me to stick my neck out for any party, cause or ‘thing’ of the moment. I don’t like confrontation, I don’t like people telling me I’m wrong, when I don’t think I am…I don’t like disdainful looks of people who are unwilling to waiver on any opinion that isn’t their Minister’s.

So, anyway…back to the Charitable campaign….Jakki and I wandered around looking for the bundle of free bootie that we usually get. Remember the loot from last year? Mini cutting boards, lots of paper and pens? Little gadgets? Yeah…this year pickins’ were slim. I managed to get 9 pens, and a snack bar. I try not to take the brochures from the tables, because I really am only interested in the free stuff (unless it’s a booth I want to donate to), and because it’s a waste of that organizations money, because I usually pitch them….If I can’t write with/on them or eat them….then they generally are trash.

But there are organizations that rely on donations to support causes that I patently disagree with—I try to avoid those. Most people are gracious when you politely turn away from their spiel about whatever good they try to do. Today, a pro life organization ignored my polite pass by of their table, and handed me a flyer. I politely returned it to them. Their table was full of propaganda and actual plastic models of babies in different states of gestation. I had no interest in supporting them…..although I support their right to request donations-----if people want to buy into that organization, then so be it.

I am pro choice. CHOICE, people. That means whatever CHOICE a woman or couple makes that is best for them is what I support. I do not support fear mongering and videos of partial birth abortions, and photos of fetuses, and the like scaring the daylights out of a possibly lesser educated person…or someone who doesn’t know that there are other options for them, and if abortion is what they want to consider, than they should be given supportive, solid FACTUAL information to ASSIST them in finding their way. Not bullying or scaring them into a decision that supports the beliefs of others.

I’m sorry, I have dear friends that may not totally agree with me on this topic. I mean no offense to them. That is the beauty of our country and of friendship…it’s OKAY to disagree and still have an awesome relationship with someone. So, for those of you that I adore, but don’t agree with me on this topic, please understand that I respect your personal decisions about it as much as I respect my own….and to please not be offended that I support something that is such a controversy.

See? THIS is why I don’t voice my views out loud, because I always backpedal worrying that I’ve offended SOMEONE. I want to be strong and say what I support, but I don’t want it to interfere with my work and work life, and my sense of fairness for everyone. Ugh. I’m a contradiction.

I’m also nervous as a cat because I brought a co-worker some clam chowder for lunch. No, sillies, not the clam chowder from 2 weeks ago (although, I’ll keep that in mind for people I don’t like…..), and again, my WANT TO PLEASE thing kicks in and I worry that she’ll hate it and choke it down out of obligation. Or something.

It’s Ghost Hunters Wednesday---and I’m looking forward to an evening of Ghostly suspense!!!

Toodles for now!!! Oh, it’s also apparently stinky feet day for me. Phew…..any ways to combat it in sandal type shoes that I wear ALL THE TIME. Icky!!!!