Cute

I was asked by a friend of mine who is doing student teaching to speak at her elementary classroom this Thursday about being a lawyer, and my Uganda trip. Should be fun. Love little kids, and I have never spoken in an elementary school before! :).

Ordered myself a new black purse yesterday--I love my current Cole Haan, but it is green and does not match with everything, so I want a black purse to go with other stuff. Got a great deal on a Tahari purse on Ideeli (my fav site), and can't wait for it to get here.

Also ordered two new work dresses that I got amazing deals on a couple weeks ago by Calvin Klein, but we will see how they fit whe they get here. Clothes are hard for me to do by ordering online.



Stacey was at a trial in a bad part of Detroit yesterday, where we can only park on the street. No lots or public lot at the court. Her back window got smashed in by a brick and everything from inside stolen (including her beloved Garmin GPS). She reported it, and the guy in the court told her "Oh, this happens every day and we dont have the manpower to patrol around here". Nice. I ordered her a new GPS because I felt bad, so hopefully, it will make her feel slightly better.

Anyway, since this is day 16 in a row of working, I am really looking forward to getting the heck out of here on Friday night! Back to work......

Sick of Work

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Today, at the office, I actually saw parts of my desk that I have not seen in forever. :).

The downside? Half way through the day, my stomach started hurting really badly and it is still hurting. went out to dinner for my Dad's bday, and I could not even eat anything, which sucked. I did order something, and bring it home, so I will eat it tomorrow for dinner if I feel better. I really think I am just overworked and my body is not reacting well today. We have not taken an entire day off in over 2 weeks. Bah.

But, we leave on Friday night for Kansas City, so I do get a little bit of time for myself to celebrate baseball opening day and Easter! :).

Stopped at the book store on Saturday after work and bought some new travel books. Kurt wanted a new one on Costa Rica, and found a Frommer's 2010. I also bought books on Indonesia and Malaysia/singapore. Trying to research our December trip for this year, which I like to book far in advance. I think the top contenders are Sumatra (Indonesia), Brazil (the Amazon), and Australia (and New Zealand). It will all depend on where I can find the kewlest trip at the best price. And who knows, other places might pop up as well. I change my mind frequently with these trips. Travel books are really dangerous, LOL.

Looking forward to the weather warming up here on Tuesday! Hope everyone had a nice weekend!

Exhaustion

Got home from work today, and proceeded to fall asleep, sitting up, on the couch, for like 2 hours. I guess I am tired? :).

Today was yet again, another crazy busy day. Got to work, headed straight to court. Had three hearings and some various filing to do. Got done with that stuff, headed back to office to open and distribute mail, return a couple phone calls, then headed to mediation on a divorce case. Was there the rest of the afternoon, settled the case, headed back to the office to file a couple docs online that were due, then headed home. Mediations EXHAUST me, as they are a lot of waiting, going back and forth, and just take a lot out of me. Glad I don't have to do them very often, but was glad to get things done for this client. He is a very nice guy, and I really wanted to get things done for him today.

Went to dinner with Kurt, but brought most of it home. I think I was just too tired to eat much.

Watching the Michigan State game now, and relaxing. Will work at least one day this weekend, possibly two.

Hope everyone had a nice Friday!

Broken Alarm Clock

So, today, I got up at 837 AM. Which is a prob, since i was scheduled to be in court at 900 AM. Called Stacey to cover my 900 AM hearings, but got to court right in time for the 1000 AM hearing! :). Seriously though, why did the alarm clock not go off? Annoying! I guess I needed the sleep. Kurt always wakes up pretty early, so I have no idea how we both slept in so long.

Tomorrow's court is pretty crazy busy. Kurt and I have three hearings each at family court, and Stacey has a bankruptcy hearing. Jessica is off. So, we are running around a lot tomorrow. I cannot wait until the weekend until....OH WAIT! I am working this weekend too. Boy, I do not like February-April. The months of insanity.

I am so ready for a few days away from the office. And, I need a massage. This week has been horrible for headaches, one night, I got a full migraine and the two nights since i have had smaller headaches kinda in the back of my head. I should not have to take Excedrin daily. Ugh.

Diet Ruby Red Squirt rocks. (that was random, I just felt like saying it).

Sorry nothing more exciting, but such is life right now! :). My sister is in Vegas right now, and I am really happy she is on vacay with her hubby. I hope she is having an amazing time.

Interesting Story

So, I was in court today for several hearings and was wondering why Channel Four News was in the courtroom taping. Figured out that it was because of a case of two gay women who broke up, have kids together (one is not the biological parent) and now the nonbiological parent wants custody and parenting time. Of course, Michigan does not recognize gay marriage, gay adopion, gay ANYTHING, etc., so there really is no legal standing or case law to discuss this, which is why I think the Judge will throw out their case due to no legal standing. Who knows though. Either way, i am sure the case will be appealed to the court of appeals and I am *hoping* that MI makes some changes, but I am not really hopeful. The hearing was adjourned. Don't know the reason why, as I was in another courtroom doing a hearing on another controversial area, grandparents rights.

Anyway, click here to read the article.

Today was busy, as usual. We stopped after work to pick up Kurt's new suit I got him half off in Monroe. Love supporting local businesses. I got a package from Sephora the other day with a couple necessities. Got this new lip gloss on clearance by Cargo that I love! And decided to try a new mascara and ended up loving it, by Make-Up Forever.

Anyway, off to bed!

Busy Updates

In the past couple weeks, I have started posts, and not finished, as there is really nothing interesting going on. Boo. Work has been insanely busy, so I have had to focus on that and less on the fun stuff I want to do.

I am very much looking forward to a short trip Kurt and I are taking to Kansas City in April to see the Tigers play on opening day. I think this is going to be a yearly tradition that we go to opening day of baseball, no matter where it is. we both would like to visit every pro baseball field, so this gives us one a year at least! :). Already reserved a hotel on Priceline, and am working on renting a car. There are a few museums and shopping areas I would like to visit in the city as well, while we are there. Bought tickets to the game on Ebay and we have aMAZing seats, between Tigers dugout and homeplate in the lower level. Bought myself two new Tigers shirts at Kohl's with some Kohl's cash I had to use up so I can wear one of them to the game. Whoot! Can't wait to get away for a weekend.

We also are going to go some place for my bday at the end of May. Have not decided where yet, but prob some place in Central America. I was leaning towards Guatemala, but not sure if Kurt wants to go there or not. I would love to visit Tikal and the rain forests of a new place.

Worked all weekend, BOO. But, I did clear a LOT of things off my desk that desperately needed to be done, and filed 8 bankruptcies.

New show I am obsessed with? The Secret Life of an American Teenager. On Netflix. Just wanted Couples Retreat too, which I thought was kinda lame. There was so much hype leading up to it, and I thought it was average and kinda not at all believable.

Another show we watched tonight for the first time? Undercover Boss. Loved it.

Anyway, off to bed. :)

Why I Want to Travel to Borneo...

Orangutan and the Hound

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Updates

Work has been crazy. To the point that I do not really have anything interesting to post about, but thought I was a little bit overdue, so I will try.

Today was super fun. Headed to Clawson to Rebecca's house so we could aimlessly do whatever. Which included shopping at Kohl's, Petco and Old Navy, then lunch with a coupon at Papa Vino's, then shopping at Target and DSWs. I shockingly found nothing I liked at DSW. This may be a first. :). Did get baby Nick three t-shirts at Old Navy (see here, here and here), and got some hair clips and a pepper plant at Target. It was great to see and catch up with Rebecca, and a really relaxing day in general. Rebecca's neighbor blew up a snowman with some fireworks, which was hiLARious.

Last night, had dinner with Gary and his girlfriend at Nick and Nino's, where they had never been to before. Had a nice time catching up with them and having dinner at my fav Monroe place.

I was super psyched today. I got home from Rebecca's, and Kurty announced that he is ready to get on a plane again. I think he is ready to move on from this Flight 253 stuff and try to put it out of our minds. I had been kinda down lately about our lack of travelling, so I am very excited to start planning trips on planes again vs road trips (which I do NOT prefer). We are thinking about taking a baseball trip in April, and then someplace for my bday in May. We were planning on Rome, but now we are a little leery about going to Europe, so will prob end up someplace South of here.

Stacey is in Aruba right now, and I am super jealous! We will miss her at the office next week, but I am glad she is off relaxing some. :). Kurt wants her to take pics of the bar Natalie Holloway disappeared from, LOL. And Megan is recovering from surgery, but will be back in the office on Monday. We will be happy to have her back as well, the phones have been crazy without her around! I was thrilled her surgery went well too, I get nervous when people have surgeries.......

The weather this weekend has been GREAT! I did not even wear a coat today while shopping, which is a first for this year! Whoot! I heart pre-Spring weather.

ABDULMUTALLAB'S BOMB NOT ENOUGH TO BRING DOWN FLIGHT 253

by Kurt Haskell

I found this interesting article yesterday:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1255722/Test-explosion-shows-Christmas-Day-flight-landed-bomb-detonated.html#comments


Apparently, Dr. John Wyatt, an international terrorism and explosives expert replicated the flight 253 attack with the explosive fully detonating. The result was that the passengers would have been sprayed with body parts of Abdulmutallab and may have had burst eardrums, but the flight would have landed safely. Seems like a strange result considering Abdulmutallab went through such trouble to obtain the bomb in Yemen and sew it in his underwear. It seems likely that he would have made sure that his bomb would have downed the plane. Several of you that have contacted me have indicated that he in fact, achieved his designated goal and that his bomb was only intended to scare us and be caught on film in order to achieve certain U.S. Government policies. Hence, the reason he was intentionally let on the plane. This article would lend credence to that theory. I take no position on this theory. Please note that the following videos also support Dr. Wyatt's theory:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZENvUVG6TE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbPeaBb0QT0&feature=fvw

A LETTER FROM JOHN DINGELL

By Kurt Haskell

As I previously indicated, I contacted my political representatives early in January regarding my concerns over the Flight 253 matter. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin have to date, failed to respond to me in any way. John Dingell, however, did recently send me a letter. The letter, dated January 25, 2010, was received by me on February 26, 2010. What follows is a word for word transcript of the letter:


January 25, 2010

Dear Mr. Haskell:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the need to protect our country against terrorism. I understand your concern and appreciate your comments.

As you may know, Northwest Airlines Flight 253 was a passenger flight from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit, Michigan on December 25, 2009. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian Passenger aboard the flight, attempted to set off plastic explosives sewn to his underwear as the plane reached its final descent. The plastic explosives failed to detonate properly, resulting only in flames and popping sounds. A Dutch passenger, Jasper Schuringa, tackled and restrained him as others put out the fire.

On January 6, 2010, a federal grand jury indicted Abdulmutallab on six criminal charges, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted murder. If convicted, he faces a sentence of life in prison plus 90 years. The next day, President Obama released the "White House Review Summary Regarding 12/25/2009 Attempted Terrorist Attack," which can be found online at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/white-house-review-summary-regarding-12252009-attempted-terrorist-attack. Disturbing preliminary reports indicate U.S. intelligence agencies had sufficient information to have uncovered and potentially disrupted the December 25th attack.

A complete investigation into the attack is being conducted by the Detroit Joint Terrorist Task Force which is led by the FBI and includes U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and other law enforcement agencies. Attorney General Eric Holder has claimed, "this invesitgation is fast paced, global and ongoing, and it has already yielded valuable intelligence that we will follow wherever it leads. Anyone we find responsible for this alleged attack will be brought to justice using every tool- military or judicial-available to our government."

I am committed to ensuring that our nation is safe from terrorist attacks. I am greatly concerned that Abdulmutallab was allowed to board the plane and enter U.S. airspace despite being flagged in at least one U.S. intelligence database of potential terrorism threats. I agree with President Obama on the necessity of a through investigation into this incident. Serious questions remain about the miscommunication between our various intelligence agencies and whether information sharing between them is effective. Although Abdulmutallab was unsuccessful in his attempt, without better precautions, our country will be vulnerable to future attempts . The proper Congressional Committees must exert their oversight authority and hold thorough investigations into this attempted attack and the systemic problems within our intelligence community. Rest assured I will continue to monitor the situation closely and will work with my colleagues to protect American citizens from extremist threats.

Again, thank you for being in touch. For news on current federal legislative issues, please visit my website at www.house.gov/dingell; you can also sign up there to receive my e-newsletter. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me again if I may be of assistance with this or any other matter of concern.

With every good wish,

John Dingell