This morning was the 1st weight in.  I weight 133.9 pounds. My goal is to at least lose 1 pound aweek if not more. I’m hoping by Feb. 20, 2009 I will be at my goal weight. Well I will see how this week goes.

I have decided to lose weight by just eating less and exercising more.  I’m going to try to lose one pound a week. If I stay on my goal I’ll be down to 120 by Feb. 22, 2009. I’m not going to go crazy if I have a dessert now and then. That happens in life. What I’m trying to do is “learn” how to eat with out eating every thing in site. So this is my start date for losing weight. I’m hoping doing it slowly will keep it off. I have done some diets were I did lose weight fast by always put it back on over time. This time I don’t want to do that. I just want to get down to 120 and stay there. I will see what happens.

Tomorrow I will weight my self in the morning when I get up. I’m thinking I will be around 135. But we will see.

I got to thinking that not many people have read this document. This would be me included. I have gone my whole life not thinking about it. Then I realized that people that are voting don’t even know who the Vice-Presidents are that are running. Its a scary thought.  It’s an important decision on who will be running this country for the next four years. Weather you are a Democrat or Republican you should know the basics of how the government works. So I plan on educating my self on the workings of our government.

So I have posted the Declaration of Independence.

In Congress, July 4, 1776

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

— John Hancock

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Well I haven’t been flying much lately. But I guess that’s what it has been like for a lot of people.. With gas being a bit high. Plus for us construction has been a bit slow. So we are working harder these days. Which isn’t a bad thing. But we haven’t been doing a lot of flying.

Today was a nice day. So Ken and I decided to take Juliet out so she could stretch her wings today. I got to do all the flying. We just mainly went over to Inverness airport so I could do some touch and goes.  It was a very smooth day.  Not very many bumps at all. It was a nice clear flight over to the airport. Frankly I didn’t even pay attention to how long it took us to fly there. I was just enjoying the ride.

When I got to the airport no one was even in the pattern.  I went down wind, base then final and flew all the way to the ground.  Then did a very smooth landing. I decided to do another one. This one was the same way. Not one mistake.  I had another really good landing. I thought after those two landings I should just head back to our airport.. On the way back I just sat there letting Juliet take us back home.  Then I had another great landing back at home.  It was a great flight.

Even though it was not a long flight, it was a great one.  When I have these types of flights it makes me feel good that I haven’t lost it.  Even though I’m not flying that much right now.  I know I can still get in a plane and fly.  Plus I have some one to share it with.

To day was a great flight and I’m sure to have more.

Second Life is a virtual world.  The first time I herd of it was when we were in our plane flying up north to Tenn. We were listening to XM radio through our GPS.  And what we herd wasn’t good. The host was talking about this guy that had a “second virtual” family and left his real family out.. And started to get more involved with his virtual family then his own real family. Some people called in to say that’s not what happens 98% of the time.. Well I didn’t think much about it other then well it seems interesting but I have know interest in it..  Well months later Second Life came up again..

So my husband is the first one to do research on it. Then decided to join and find out about it.  I saw what he was doing and decided a week later I would join. Ken did most of the research, so in a way I was learning from him. We both explored Second Life together. It’s really neat place with talent people there. And people are making money in this world. Even major groups like NASA and major colleges have places in Second Life.

You can do things in Second Life that you can’t do in the Real World. Build buildings that you could never be built in Real Life. Its a world were a artist can really be an artist. I have even seen real life photography be sold in Second Life. You can meet people from all over the world and feel like they are standing right next to you. Well at least their avatar is. I can just see this world growing bigger as people, groups, companies join in on this new way of communicating.

Yes there is the side of it were someone “can” lose him/her self to Second Life and forget about their First Life or develops an family in Second Life.. But as I recall that has happen in Real Life also. I remember hearing about a man that had two families going on for many years. The two families never knew about the other..They even made a movie about it.  So those things can happen, but probably that is rare.

But for me its fun to do and I get to meet people and make friends.. What ever group you are interested in you can find someone with the same interest. Although it does take some getting use to. But when you give it time everything will start to come together. I think it will be the wave of the future in teaching and how companies market the products. Just test it out in Second Life.. Then sale it in Real Life..

Some people may not be at all interested in doing something like Second Life. But I think it will become a NEW social medium for people.  Second Life is only about 6 years old.. But I can see it getting even better as computer speed gets faster and graphics get better.

If you want to know more about Second Life, go see it for yourself. Then make the decision on what you think about it.  See you in Second Life.

My Father In Law turn 80 years old today. The whole family got together over the weekend to celebrate his birthday. I hope to be as active as he is at his age. He stays young by being involved in the things he loves to do. We all can learn from that. Everyone at the party enjoyed them selves just by being there. It’s always nice to see the family together. Not everyone was able to show, but as big as Ken’s family is that’s probably normal. Not everyone can be there.

If Guy keeps this up he will be celebrating his 90th soon.

Click on —–> Uncle Guy’s Birthday

North Central Florida Photography Club tries to be a well rounded club. Like most clubs they have their problems. One thing about this club is they want club involvement in every thing. Although only board members gets to vote on club changes. They do want to know what the club thinks and they vote by what the members say.

Like we just changed a few things for next year. And the non-board members had input. One of the changes is to have more educational classes. So now at least 3 of the months will be for education. A few months will be for competition and probably some months will be of critiquing photos. So a lot of changes has been made for the up and coming year.

Our club was becoming like most clubs were you just had competitions and nothing else. Well the membership spoke up. And some screaming and yelling went on. But ideals got out and people got to say what they felt about their art of photography and were the club should go. I’m going to help out in this change, I’ll be helping out with coming up with educational sessions. Thank god I’m not the only one doing it. I think next year will be a good change for the club…

I’m setting watching The Olympics like must people.. Watching through the T.V. since going there would be to expensive!!! In a way I wish I was there!!! Because it reminds me of the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. I can say I was apart of the Olympic/Paralympic Games.

I was an member of National Civilian Community Corps, which was pick as a group to help out with security for the games. There was 4 campus for NCCC. Each campus choose a different way for picking how many people was going to go. There was limited amount of people that would be allowed to go. Charleston campus had the biggest number of people that was allowed to ger involved.. I’m figuring because we were the closets campus to Atlanta. I think around 200 people from Charleston got to go.. Our campus decided to do a lottery.. You put you name in if you wanted to go.. Well the choice for me was a YES. Since this probably would be the only time I would get to experience anything like this..

Well it was a few weeks later that I found out indeed I was one of the lucky people.. I couldn’t believe it.. We had a listed of people that was picked tape to a wall.. I had to go look at it just to see for my self… And yes my name was on it…

We were soon off to Atlanta in 13 passage vans. We got there around the beginning of July and was there to after the Paralympics games. So we were probably there for a good 2+ months. As a group we help out with security for the games and did other volunteer work having to do with different groups in Atlanta. There was a lot going on even before the Games started. Finishing touches on buildings and the athletes coming in to get pre-paired for the games. Plus we did some training for the security part we would be doing.

When the games finally got underway Atlanta was packed to the gills with people. I didn’t know you could get that many people in to one city. There was no driving down in Atlanta at least not near the Centennial Park. A lot of streets were blocked off which didn’t make the locals happy. But you really didn’t need a car to get around in Atlanta. We used the subway and walking was the easy way to get around.

Looking back it was a fun time and I met a lot of nice people. I got to meet people from all parts of the world and work with some also. I also enjoy the Olympic experience. Pin trading was a big deal. Every company and country had pins. If you had pins you traded them.. Of course NCCC didn’t think to get us any pins to trade.. So any of the pins I got from people I didn’t want to give up. Plus we were given pins that were just for the people that worked with the Olympics. So I do have those and never gave them up..Plus I have a whole box full of Olympic stuff I collected and pictures. I don’t think I’ll give any of it up. It was apart of my life.

All I can say is I’m glad I had the Olympic Experience.

I don’t think so…Bryan and Joanna are the exact opposite of boring and uncool people. At least from what I have seen. They grant people a lot of beingness. Plus they are doing so well in life and making things go right for them. I have seen Bryan go from only having a private pilot license to working for a commercial airline in about a year or so.. That’s quite a feat. Right now he is co-pilot for an airline and seems to really like it. He set a goal of doing that and he made it. He did what he set out to do. What ever he does in his future he will do well in.

Joanna is the same way. It always seemed she could get a job with out even thinking about it. It would amaze me how she could do that.. Not to mention the support she gives Bryan in his airline training or any of the interest he does. I also know she will make a wonderful stay at home mom.. I believe that is where she really wants to be.

They will do well in life and as parents. I look forward to future moments with them and sharing there joys with them. So they are far from boring or uncool.. They are great people to be around and I’m glad I know them..

Well we had a nice weekend with David, Malika, Ely and Maggie (their dog). Everyone came up to see us, but also David wanted to show off his new car they just bought. It was nice to see them. We don’t get to see them as much being we live about 2 hours north of them. But we always manage to keep in communication with them.

They stayed two nights with us. We had dinner hear both nights and went out to lunch to a restaurant call Blackwater Inn which is on St. Johns river. It was a nice drive over there. Ely fell a sleep on the way to the restaurant and stayed a sleep pretty much until we got home. So far she is a good little baby. She didn’t fuss to much.

Ely will be 7 months this month. I can’t wait until she gets older and starts talking and walking then that will get really interesting! Ken and I enjoyed being able to get to know her just a little bit more.

We also enjoyed being with David and Malika and seeing how their lives are going with the Ely now in the picture. They seemed to be doing well with it. You can never predict what life is going to be like when you bring a new life in to the world. But they seem to be doing well with it.

Hopefully it will not be before long when Ely is coming up here to visit us with out the parents.. But that will be a while at least until Ely is not so depended on mommy and daddy.

All of us had a wonderful weekend.

Click on Link —> Pictures of our weekend