Martha is...

A couple of my blogger friends googled their name and "is", so I decided to google Martha is and see what I got. When I google "Martha is" I end up with a bunch of junk about Martha Stewart. Most of it was very boring so I thought I'd get creative and do a blog entry on Aquarius characteristics. One time I read the characteristics of an Aquarius in the encyclopedia. I think I was about 24 or so and I thought that the only thing that had been left out of that article was that my name was not in there. It might as well have said "Martha Moultrie" because it described me exactly!

Here goes:

Aquarius' best accessory is a time machine (since we are fascinated with the past and time travel).

Aquarius' pain is conservatism, being categorized, emotional outbursts.

Traditional Aquarian Traits: Friendly and humanitarian, Honest and loyal, Original and inventive, Independent and intellectual.

On the dark side.... Intractable and contrary, Perverse and unpredictable, Unemotional and detached.

One type of Aquarius is exuberant, lively and exhibitionist, sometimes hiding the considerable depths of their character under a cloak of frivolity (the other is shy and that is not me). Both types are strong willed and forceful in their different ways and have strong convictions as they seek truth above all things.

Aquarians are unprejudiced and tolerant of other points of view.

Aquarians are humane, frank, serious minded, genial, refined, sometimes ethereal, and idealistic, though this last quality is tempered with a sensible practicality. They are quick, active and persevering without being self-assertive, and express themselves with reason, moderation and sometimes, a dry humor.

They are nearly always intelligent, concise, clear and logical.

Aquarians work best in group projects, provided that they are recognized as having a leading part in them.

Among the faults to which they are liable are fanatical eccentricity, wayward egotism, excessive detachment and an inclination to retreat from life and society, and a tendency to be extremely dogmatic in their opinions.

Some other characteristics:

unconventional
detached
intellectual
objective
individualistic
unique
easygoing
free-spirited
independent
open-minded
progressive
rebellious
stubborn
eccentric
erotic
aloof


Ideal Careers: astronomy, scientist, politics, aviation, admissions, photography, acting, music, social services, psychology.

Likes: friendship, freedom, intellectual stimulation, camaraderie, surprises, companionship, feeling understood, emotional safety,Loyalty.

Dislikes: jealousy, possessiveness, control, ego plays, pointless meetings, narrow-mindedness, being ridiculed, routines, fighting/violence, inequality, being taken for granted.

Got a great phone call today

My 4 year old neice called today to sing Happy Birthday to me! It was so cute as she is quite the little singer. Meg said she had been practicing this weekend. It was precious. Happy Birfday to Mafa!

Now I can fully appreciate the fact that I am 'only' 39 as most of my friends out there in blogger world are turning (or have already turned) 40 this year. I knew that being a year younger in school from skipping first grade would eventually be a good thing when it never felt that way in school.

Anyway, hope you have all had a wonderful weekend. George, I hope the concert yesterday was great, and I'm sorry I was not in town to see Chuck while he was there and also see George's band. You will have to let me know when the next gig is.

More Movies

I saw We Are Marshall over the weekend and it was so good - definitely check it out if you haven't seen it yet. It was a really good movie and I seem to find movies that make me cry all the time. I guess that is ok since I want to watch something that moves me and doesn't make me mad or frustrate me (see Legends of the Fall discussion).

I also caught the last hour or so of The Dead Zone last night. If you haven't seen that movie you should check it out. Christopher Walken plays this guy who is in a coma and when he wakes up has psychic visions of future and past events. I saw it a few years ago and it is a way cool movie. Was made in 1983. Has anyone else seen it? Good plot and way cool. South Park also did a parody of it and Cartman has the powers after getting knocked out from a fall.

Addition to USC

So the next time you visit Columbia (or if you live there now) and go through downtown or the USC campus, take a spin through the Greek Village and take a look at the Kappa Kappa Gamma house. You can say that you know the person who is primarily responsible for making that house a reality. I spent about 3 years of my life working on that house from fundraising, planning, and managing the project during construction (as a client). It was a true labor of love as I did not want my chapter to be left out of sorority housing on campus.

Since most of y'all reading this are all male and I don't know if any of you were Greek, if your chapter does not have facilities that are comperable to other groups then your group is at a large disadvantage when recruiting new members and that is the lifeblood of any Greek organization. So as the campus was moving toward housing, I did not want KKG to be left out and worked very hard to make sure the chapter had a house. I am understandibly proud of it!

I did have some good help as there was an alum who was an interior decorator and we were able to do some great things with her donation of time and a discount as a retailer. We also had some alums who donated $$, and others who helped with the fundraising.

The best part was watching the construction during 2003. The framing was the most exciting part. I never realized what went into building something like that and I learned alot. Now I know what rebar is, what it is used for, and how expensive commercial kitchen equipment is!

Anyway, we opened it in the fall of 2003 and what an adventure that was. I had a great time and made some great friends along the way. I also learned how to do some planting and amateur landscaping, and I can feel confident in my own yard now on some small projects. I am posting one picture now, and I'll post more later as I have tons on my computer at home. If I ever win the lottery, I know I would love to volunteer for a living. I really miss working with the undergraduate women as it was very rewarding. I understand now why my dad enjoyed coaching sports as advising the girls was so rewarding - although there were times they could drive me crazy!

New Car?

So before Christmas we decided to look at cars. Just thinking about them since I am driving my 1996 Toyota Celica that I bought new in May of '96. It has been paid off since 2001, and I have not really wanted anything else or to have another car payment. The problem is Jim can't stand my car and it is 12 years old. I love it, but he said that the only requirments for me getting another car is it has to be 4 door and has to be automatic - so where's the fun in that? And of course, he knows how I hate being told what to do. I just can't stand it. I don't know why.

So I drove a Camry Solara convertible. Yes it is a 2 door, but I am not going to buy a car based on the fact that we might decide to have a baby. Besides, if we do have a baby I am going to be the one putting it in and out of the car and not him. If he has it, then he will have his car and it has 4 doors. So if I am ok with it then why isn't he? I got all excited when the Solara comes with a sport package that allows you to use a manual transmission. But it was really lame - no clutch. You move it to the manual transmission and only shift a stick up or down to change gears. Totally not fun. Totally misses the point of shifting gears with a manual transmission. Plus, while I liked the V6, the gas milage is terrible. I am getting 400 miles on a tank in my Celica - which cost $37 to fill up yesterday - yikes! So I am getting really good gas milage now and I don't even want to get rid of my Celica.

So Jim picks at me and says that if I keep the Celica and get a new car, the Celica cannot be parked in the garage - not cool. So I think I have answered my own question about a new car - don't get one. Although I must admit I was getting lots of looks driving around with the top down (just to clarify the car's top was down not mine!) the day I drove it and I enjoyed that thoroughly. I also enjoyed the feel of a new car as it was great. I think I have decided to spend $300 and get my spoiler repainted since it needs it and that was the estimate. Not too bad I thought and definitely cheaper than a new car payment! Plus, my car is red, has a sunroof and while that is not as fun as a convertible it is better than nothing. There are also not a whole lot of Celicas on the road right now. I detailed it a couple of weeks ago and it is looking pretty sharp.

Movies

Well I saw a couple of movies this weekend and I realize how behind I am on movies. We DVR'd The Lake House over the weekend, and it was really good. I was a mess at the end, but it had a good ending. I also watched Titanic again (most of it) as it was on tv. Two movies and Martha crying again - it doesn't seem to take much these days for me to get upset especially over sappy movies.

Also had dinner with some friends last night and we were discussing movies. I said that I hated Legends of the Fall. My friend liked it and couldn't figure out why I didn't. He thought it was because the girl kills herself at the end - at the end of that movie I was ready to do the same! Actually that movie frustrated me. There were two people who loved each other and should have been together but were not - not a good thing. Why would I watch a movie so I could be depressed and frustrated (isn't that what real life is for)? He agreed that the part where Brad Pitt leaves for a couple of years was stupid and I said yeah. And then he tells Susannah to marry another - WRONG. As I said, if I had been that girl I would have offed myself too. That was actually the part of the movie that made the most sense (scary)! I don't hate many movies, but that one has to be at the top of my list for being eighty shades of wrong.

I would like to see Atonement, but it is billed as a tragic romance. Why would anybody want to see a picture where the people that are in love are not together?

Maybe that's why I like V for Vendetta. Awesome plot movie and "Good guys win, bad guys lose". The Good Shepard is a great plot movie too as I saw that a couple of weeks ago. The only bad part about Good Shepard is that he doesn't marry the girl he loves and who loves him. Uggggggh.

Sad week

Well I hate to post sad news, but yesterday we attended the second family funeral in less than 13 months. My mother's sister, Aunt Lib, died very early Monday morning on her 67th birthday.

While this was certainly sad, she had been in a nursing home/home health care type of situation for almost two years and had been unable to move her legs or one arm for some time. She had also struggled with mental illness most of her adult life, and while we are sad at her passing, her birthday gift this year was to go to heaven and be with Jesus which I think is the only thing she ever looked forward to in her life.

One very good thing about this is that I know that Grandma is even happier today that Lib is finally well and with her and Jesus. It would have been a terrible thing for Grandma to have outlived Lib and the thing that would have made yesterday truly unbearable would have been for Grandma to have to go through that.

So yesterday we went to Aiken and I saw several people that I had last seen at Grandma's funeral barely a year ago. My sister sang, and the service was very moving. The minister left us with words that Lib would ask total strangers - do you know Jesus? I am glad that I do, and I know that Jesus has healed her.

Peace be with you.

Star Trek Trivia - by request

Well I have thought up some questions just for fun and will post them to see who knows what. Have fun and see ya around the galexy.

What is the name of the ship and rogue captain in the episode The Omega Glory?

What is the name of the yeoman that dresses up like a princess/lady in Shore Leave?

What is the name of Kirk's love interest in Shore Leave?

What is the name of the planet in the episode The Apple?

What is the name of the creature in The Apple? This is the thing that the people of ______ feed when it rings the dinner bell.

What is the name of the computer that is being tested in The Ultimate Computer?

What is the name of the librarian in All Our Yesterdays? Do you know who Spock's love interest is in this same episode (the one that lives in the ice age)?

Name the episode where Kirk, Spock, and McCoy encounter a mute girl who heals McCoy.

What is the name of the rock creature in The Savage Curtain?

Have some fun with these! And yes they were right off the top of my head! Scary I know.

Virtual Reunion

Wow, this blog thing is fun. I am catching up with so many friends! I wish I had been able to make it to the 20th reunion in late '06. Did any of y'all go? Our anniversary is 10/16, and that was the weekend of the reunion. Jim had already planned a trip to Helen, GA for the weekend - Ein Prosit! So I could not do both and it was the first time that we took a trip away for an anniversary since our first one and our honeymoon.

We got married in October of 1999 - can't believe that has already been eight years. Our honeymoon was at Disney, so it was really fun to go back there in early December. Jim already wants to go back for our 10th.

I did catch up with Stephanie Steele just before the reunion. She is in Columbia and had recently been divorced. I was sorry to hear that, but it does happen.

I think it's time to annoy my husband with some Star Trek this weekend. His Aunt got me this Star Trek trivia game, but Jim says I can't play it. He read through several of the questions on a number of cards and I knew all the answers! This is one of those games that you get to keep taking turns as long as you get the answer right. He said that I could play but be limited to just one right answer and could not keep going since I would win the game every time more than likely. The bad part was when he argued with me about one of the answers and I pulled out my Star Trek Concordance and proved him wrong. Silly man, he knows better than to argue with me about Star Trek!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm an IT nerd, not a doctor.

Sunday Night

Well this is a little out of order, but Sunday nite around 11 Jim heard something in the front yard. We have this koi pond that the people that lived here before us built, and Jim thought this bird that has been after the fish lately got caught in the leaf net as something was hollering in the yard.

It turns out that a dog had fallen in :(. Jim got the flashlight and I got the net and he was finally able to fish this poor thing out of the pond. It was a little gray poodle, and we thought he was a stray because he was so thin. We dried him off with towels and brought him inside as he was yelping and crying so. We were really worried because that water is probably 35 or so degrees. Jim got him dry and I heated up one of those microwave body buddy things and got more dry towels to try and warm him back up. This dog was so pathetic because he could barely stand up. He also couldn't really see as Jim said his eyes were glassed over.

I did not know what to do, so I called animal control. If they had not come to pick him up and take him in, I was going to drive him to the Charlotte 24 hr vet and have him put down because he seemed to be really bad off. It was very upsetting.

The animal control guy came around 11:35 or so and we made sure that the dog would be cared for properly and not put down. He didn't have a collar or tag, and we just didn't know what else to do.

So after the dog leaves, I just bawled for about 20 minutes (I did not need to cry again). Jim was so good with the poor thing. He kept trying to soothe the dog and get him warm while I called around to figure out what to do and kept the warm towels coming and reheated the thing in the microwave. It hurt me so bad to see that little thing crying and in shock.

Yesterday morning, we saw some people walking down the street. They were looking for the dog. Turns out this poor little thing is 19, can't see, can barely hear or stand. They had been out looking for him about midnight or 12:30 with their other dog who picked up his scent around our pond. They expected to find him dead in the pond. We told them what we had done for the dog, and we called animal control so that they could go get him.

I was really upset that this poor little thing was so old and couldn't see or barely walk. It was so sad and no wonder he fell in the pond and was in such bad shape. Jim and I could not stand to see that poor little thing suffer. It took me another hour after the dog got picked up to wind down and go to sleep after I clogged up my sinuses again with tears. I thought about that dog on and off yesterday and it makes me so sad. I pray that the owner had enough sense to put the dog down if he was still suffering as that is very old for a doggie.