The Tipping Glass » Katrina

Ohio State Shooting

Katrina — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:34:53 +0000

When does killing someone become your best option?

I was in high school when Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold walked into their high school and massacred students. After the killing was over it was discovered that their plan had been to cause even more destruction, but their home made bombs did not go off.

I have a few friends who were on campus when Seung-Hui Cho locked students in a building and killed many of them in cold blood. The campus was paralyzed and students devastated by the actions of one man.

Most recently, around 3AM this morning, three people were shot on the campus of Ohio State University, one was killed and the condition of the others is unknown. The shooting took place at a university maintenance building and no students were harmed – but life was still lost.

When did it become commonplace to hear about a shooting at a school? It began with High Schools and has moved on to colleges. And most of the perpetrators are members of my generation. What has happened to folks in our generation that killing our peers even crosses anyone’s mind?

I am sobered and sad about the shooting at Ohio State, but even more so, I’m sobered by the knowledge that my generation is responsible for most of these actions. Unless more of us stand up for our generation, we will be remembered for this.

This is an awesome post from The Tipping Glass

Ohio State Shooting

My Life as a Country Song – Why Don’t We Just Dance, Josh Turner

Katrina — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:15:18 +0000

Guess the little bitty living room aint gonna look like much
When the lights go down and we move the couch its gonna be more than enough
For my two left feet and our two hearts beatin’ nobody’s gonna see us go crazy

My husband and I are at the age that everyone we know is either getting married or having babies. The number of weddings we’ve gone to together in the three years we’ve known one another is more than either of us attended prior to that time. One good thing about going to that many weddings is that you learn the good, the bad and the ugly things which can be done.

One of the things that I decided was that first dances are mostly snooze fests. The couple chooses a 5 minute long song, puts their arms around each other, and rocks back and forth while people are STARVING. It’s very special for them, but after about 30 seconds the crowd is ready for the next thing. So I decided mine would not be like that – and took my fiancé along for the ride.

I did give him a choice – I’m not that much of a slave driver! We could do a real bona fide dance – like a waltz, or we could do some crazy choreographed dance. He chose the former. We figured out our song and I went on the internet to figure out what dance to do. We came up with the Viennese Waltz. There were bunch of instructional videos on You Tube, so we learned how to dance from the internet.

Our living room was actually empty at the time, and also didn’t have curtains. Jason didn’t want to learn to dance in front of the whole neighborhood, so for a few weeks we’d practice our dance in the dark in our living room. Sometimes it was frustrating, but others it was so much fun. And it was a huge hit at our wedding. I don’t think those people were bored for our first dance!

This is an awesome post from The Tipping Glass

My Life as a Country Song – Why Don’t We Just Dance, Josh Turner

Wedding Tips – The Guest List

Katrina — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:45:24 +0000

The guest list. Of all the things you must decide on for the wedding, this could very likely cause the most contention. All parties involved have a vested interest in who is there, and a different idea of who should be invited.

1. I would suggest that you fist sit down and make your pie in the sky list. If you could invite everyone you know, this would be the list. This list should be comprised of people you as the bride and groom want to invite, as well as invitees of both of your parents. This will be your starting place.

2. Once you have your pie in the sky list you either have to cut some people or decide to invite all of them. If you have to cut your list, decide on the final number you would like to attend and add fifteen percent. You can generally count on fifteen percent of invitees declining for various reasons.

3. Now that you have your pie in the sky list and the final amount you would like plus fifteen percent, you have the number of people you can invite. Take the people on your pie in the sky list and separate them into two list. Your A list will be the folks who initially get an invitation – the number you came up with in step 2. Your B list will be the folks who do not get an invitation initially, but if you have more than 15% decline, you can send these folks invitations.

Keep in mind that your idea of who should attend may be very different than the two sets of parents’ ideas. If either set of parents are pitching in for the wedding, they do have a say of who gets invited. If their portion of the list is much larger than yours it may require sitting down and having an honest conversation with them. However, remember that this is not just a big day for you, but also for them. They want those who are close to them to be there for the big day, and as long as they’re reasonable, you should accommodate them.

If you choose to have a very small wedding, be very specific where you draw the lines. You can’t invite one Aunt but not another, and groups of friends may have their feelings hurt if you invite some in the group but not others.

This is an awesome post from The Tipping Glass

Wedding Tips – The Guest List

My Life as a Country Song – Cryin’ For Me, Toby Keith

Katrina — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:29:31 +0000

I’m not cryin’ cause I feel so sorry for you, I am cryin’ for me

When I started dating my husband I quickly fell in love with his family – specifically very much with his Grandmom and Grandpop. They welcomed me with open arms and took an interest in me the way few others did. I found myself getting very excited to see them, and over the next three years every time I had the opportunity to be around them I enjoyed it more than I can say.

Towards the end of 2008 Grandmom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. We all knew that she was suffering from some dementia before that, but the new diagnosis was a blow. For some time she did pretty well, but about a year from when she was diagnosed she took a turn for the worse.

We lost Grandmom in December. I had only known her for three years, but in that time she had earned my love and respect, and I felt cheated. Jason and his family had had her for years and years, and I only had her for a short time. I knew that she was in a much better place, that she was no longer in pain, and that her thoughts were finally clear.

Shortly after she passed away I heard this Toby Keith song for the first time, and it really said exactly what I was feeling. Grandmom, the tears I’ve cried are not because I feel sorry for you, I’m crying for me.

This is an awesome post from The Tipping Glass

My Life as a Country Song – Cryin’ For Me, Toby Keith

Senator Spotlight – Barbara Boxer, CA

Katrina — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:23:37 +0000

Senator Barbara Boxer, Democrat
California
Senator since: 1992
Next up for election: 2010

Where does she stand on the issues?

Gay Marriage:
In 1996, was one of 14 Senators to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act.

Abortion:
Senator Boxer authored the Freedom of Choice Act in 2004.

Healthcare:
She has written a bill to make health insurance tax deductible and another bill to let any American buy into the same health insurance program that members of Congress have.

Death Penalty:
Boxer has been a consistent advocate of the death penalty until recently. In 2006, she introduced a bill calling for a moratorium on the death penalty.

The Middle East:
In 2002 voted against the use of force in Iraq.

Stem Cell Research:
Is an advocate of Embryonic Stem Cell research.

What about her personal life?
Senator Boxer has been married to Stewart Boxer for 48 years. They met at Brooklyn College. The couple moved to California in 1965 to raise their two children, Doug and Nicole. They have four grandchildren-Zachary, Zain, Sawyer and Reyna.

Senator Spotlight is designed to give the every day person a look a concise look at their senators – where they stand on the issues that matter. If you would like for something else to be included, let me know!

This is an awesome post from The Tipping Glass

Senator Spotlight – Barbara Boxer, CA

Wedding Tips – Setting the Date

Katrina — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:13:47 +0000

It’s the day you will be celebrating for the rest of your life. The day that, hopefully, your husband won’t ever forget. Your wedding day. You may think that there is nothing to choosing the day, but there are many factors to think about.

1. Are your vendors, or any vendors for that matter, available?
If you choose to set a date which is in the very near future, you narrow your choices on pretty much everything. So, if you set a quick date, you can’t be picky about anything else

2. Any chance of natural disaster?
If you choose a date in the dead of winter, you may risk their being inclement weather. In the spring, a lot of rain. Weigh the consequences. I hope no one had a wedding planned this past weekend on the west coast – chances are no one came due to the snowpocalypse

3. Any conflicts?
I always thought I wanted a fall wedding. Until I met my football fanatic husband. Now, don’t get me wrong, he would have given up football for our wedding. But I was thinking down the road to our 7th anniversary when I want to go somewhere, and he wants to make sure his fantasy team is going to dominate. So we decided to get married in the Spring

4. Is there a significant date in your life?
Whether it be a grand-parents anniversary, the day you started dating, your favorite number, etc. choosing a significant date in your life may be the way to go.

5. Is it on a weekend?
You can save a lot of money by having your wedding on a Wednesday, but will anyone come? Also, people will not stay late and have as good of a time at a reception if they have to go to work the next day.

Remember, this is a day you will be celebrating for the next 50 or so years, so make sure it’s the right date!

This is an awesome post from The Tipping Glass

Wedding Tips – Setting the Date

Senator Spotlight – Kirsten Gillibrand, NY

Katrina — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:26:29 +0000

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat
New York
Senator since: 2009
Next up for election: 2010

Senator Gillibrand was appointed by the governor of New York to take the place of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton when she resigned to take her place as Secretary of State.

Where does she stand on the issues?

Gay Marriage:
Has said that she is for gay marriage, but legislatively, is seeking to make civil unions, not homosexual marriage, legal on a federal level.

Abortion:
Senator Gillibrand is pro-choice.

Healthcare:
Voted for the most recent version of President Obama’s Health Care Bill in the Senate.

Death Penalty:
I have unconfirmed reports that she is for the Death Penalty.

The Middle East:
Voted to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, however, has no published stance on the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Stem Cell Research:
Voted to have tax payer dollars pay for Embryonic Stem Cell research.

What about her personal life?
Gillabrand graduated Magna Cum Laude from Dartmouth College in 1988, and received a law degree from the UCLA school of law in 1991.

Born and raised in upstate New York, Senator Gillibrand now lives on the banks of the Hudson River in Hudson, New York, with her husband, Jonathan Gillibrand, and their two young sons, five year old Theodore and one year old Henry.

This is an awesome post from The Tipping Glass

Senator Spotlight – Kirsten Gillibrand, NY

The Marriage 15

Katrina — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:59:26 +0000

Before going to college everyone warned me about the Freshman 15 – Fifteen pounds that most freshmen gain when they go to college because of all the late night pizzas and beer. I did gain a few pounds – the summer after my freshman year – but it certainly wasn’t because of pizza and beer, and I managed to lose it pretty quickly.

No one warned me about the marriage 15. I have been married for 9 months, and I have gained just over 15 pounds in that time. I have never weighed this much in my whole life. I have heard of men gaining weight after marriage because they go from cooking for themselves – which generally means they eat a lot of tuna fish sandwiches – to having a wife who loves to cook for them.

But no one told me it could happen to me too. I blame it on several things. First, it is the food I’ve been cooking. I cook more often now that I’m married, and I want to cook things that Jason will like. Unfortunately, the things which taste the best are not the best for you.

Additionally, Jason and I have always enjoyed having a beer together. When we were dating and engaged, we lived far enough away from one another that we only saw each other on the weekends. So we’d have a few beers on the weekend, not a big deal.

After we got married the weather had just gotten really nice. So we started a tradition of sitting outside after a long day and drinking a beer – almost every day. We weren’t getting drunk or anything, but those extra calories certainly do not help the waistline.

So now we’ve both gained between 15 and 20 pounds. In nine months. And neither of us like it one bit. So we’re working on it. Eating healthier, drinking less beer, and working out six days a week. I said it: I’m working out six days a week. I’ve never done that in my life, but desperate times call for desperate measures. We’re working on getting back into the shape we were in for our wedding by our one year anniversary.

So for all of you about to get married, this is your warning. If you want to still fit into your wedding dress one year after your nuptials and don’t have to start working out six days a week nine months in, watch out. It’s just as dangerous as the dreaded freshman 15!

This is an awesome post from The Tipping Glass

The Marriage 15

My Life as a Country Song – Some Beach, Blake Shelton

Katrina — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:38:15 +0000

Some Beach, somewhere, there’s a big umbrella casting shade over an empty chair
Palm trees are growin’ and a warm breezes a blowing
I picture myself right there, on Some beach, somewhere

In this song, the character goes through a series of unfortunate situations throughout the day, and during each one, he imagines himself on a beach somewhere.

We are about to get a major snowfall here in Baltimore. The fifth or sixth time this year we’ve gotten enough snow to talk about – and this time, like the snowfall we got in December, it will likely shut down the city for a few days. Upwards of 20 inches. That doesn’t happen here. I’d like to be on some beach, somewhere.

Last night I woke up to an emergency in the middle of the night. It took me over an hour to fall back asleep. I wish I had been at some beach, somewhere.

Last Thursday it took me two and a half hours to get home from work. I have a 70 mile commute, so a long ride is usual, but two and a half hours is crazy. I could see myself in that beach chair drinking a Corona.

How nice would life be if we could just transport ourselves to a beach when we are in situations which are less than desirable? I think I’d be there for a portion of every day…

This is an awesome post from The Tipping Glass

My Life as a Country Song – Some Beach, Blake Shelton

Wedding Tips – The Church

Katrina — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:06:03 +0000

Here comes the bride… You just imagine walking down the aisle, your friends and family looking on, walking towards the man with whom you will spend the rest of your life. But what aisle in what location?

If you are going to do a church, this post is for you. There are many things to keep in mind when choosing a church.

Do you want to get married in your church? The church you grew up in, the church you currently attend, etc. If you really want to, I say go for it. Less work in finding a church!

If you do not have a church, or choose not to get married in it, it can get a little complicated. When I was looking for a church, I found that many churches would not allow you to get married there unless you were an attendee. I understand the logic, they are sort of endorsing your marriage by allowing you to get married there, and if they don’t know you from Adam, how do they know that your marriage is worth endorsing?

Second, churches also often require that you use their clergy. It goes along the lines of them endorsing your marriage, so they want a minister they trust to do the ceremony. This may not be a deal breaker for you, but if you have someone you want to perform your ceremony, this won’t work.

So, the first thing you should do is start calling churches to see if they’ll allow people who are not attendees to get married there, and if you’ll be allowed to bring in your own officiant. Don’t waste your time visiting churches that won’t work for you in the first place.

Once you have found a few which will fit your needs, go and visit! Take cost into account, but also remember that you will have a ton of pictures of this church, so you want it to be aesthetically pleasing as well. Make sure you take into account the distance from the hall you have chosen, if you have already done so.

The nice thing about churches is that, unless you are choosing somewhere very popular, like the chapel on a college campus, they don’t book up too far in advance. You should be able to find one you like for the right date!

This is an awesome post from The Tipping Glass

Wedding Tips – The Church