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I would have given anything to hear them talk substantially about things that are important to me: 1. Education 2. Social Security 3. Taxes 4. ANYTHING domestic Piss poor debate on a whole - not just by the candidates but by Fox also. Jen Arianna Frances

You are not kidding. I've got ALL of his CDs! I went through a period where I was buying a CD a month going through the orchestra (technically you'll be hard pressed to find guitar in an orchestra, but I looked anyway), and picked up his greatest hits. To date, I have 17 ( or so) guitar CDs, and only 7 CD for clarinet (my major). Kinda sad huh? Could be why I'm back in school for computer programming... Jen Arianna Frances

If you need any help with this gimme a shout. I majored in classical music in college (education major with emphasis on clarinet, sax and piano) - and symphonic music was a large part of my studies. My husband makes fun of me - even if I don't know the piece, after 1 stanza I can tell you at least what period it comes from, if not the composer. It pisses him off The 'romantic' period is probably my favorite era, with Debussy being my favorite composer. I still have those certain songs that bring me to tears - literally (yep, its strange). Best of luck - far too many people are losing this aspect of our history. Jen Arianna Frances

Hey Darren!

most definitely mac n' cheese! can't wait to have it again Jen Arianna Frances

We're in the same boat then - I've been with them for 2 years and I'm put on hold too Jen Arianna Frances

oh ya, thats a given. I'd do it again in a second - made me feel really special to know that I did something nice for someone - even if it was sending a stupid e-card. chemoangels is a great organization for anyone that would be willing to give it a try. Jen Arianna Frances

I'm a bit sad tonight. A good friend of mine died over the weekend... but I've never met him. Mike was 23, with leukemia and bone cancer for the last 5 years. I've been his 'chemo angel' for the last 2. I'd send him cards and cute momentos every few weeks. We'd exchange emails. We were friends. I hadn't heard anything from him for about a month, only today I got an email from his mom saying he'd passed. He never went to college (wanted to play football at ND), never had a steady girlfriend, never had his own car. But he had many friends and a wonderful support system in his family. I'm so sad tonight. I can't believe this. I guess through all of our correspondance I never really thought much about his cancer. We never really talked about it. I'd occasionally email his mom to see what things Mike would like, and she always told me how he looked forward to my emails and gifts. Hell, it was the least I could do. Poor kid Mike... I won't think twice about doing it again though. Got some spare love and kindness to share? http://www.chemoangels.com/ Jen Arianna Frances

I've been involved with several of these exercises in my job at Rhode Island Hospital (usually explosions at the airport) so I think they're pretty cool... but... Wackos Against Schools and Education?? They'll have to be more original than pining homeschoolers as the 'root of all evil' http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-5/109569331454310.xml Mock attack will test terrorism response Monday, September 20, 2004 By Lynn Moore CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER Terrorists will strike a busload of students in the Whitehall area on Tuesday, killing more than a half-dozen and sending dozens more to hospitals. It's not a crystal ball that allows such a disaster to be foreseen. It's all in the plans -- disaster preparedness plans, that is. The disaster won't be real, but it will look real, and the participants -- including students, emergency room personnel and firefighters -- will act as if it's real. The exercise, one that is becoming familiar in the post 9/11 era, is part of attempts by emergency responders and Muskegon County school districts to prepare for the worst. The exercise, which will involve the aftermath of a supposed explosion on a school bus at 9:30 a.m. at Durham and Holton-Whitehall roads in Whitehall Township, is being funded by homeland security grants awarded to several area school districts and Muskegon County. Local school district transportation directors instigated the exercise because they wanted to test their abilities to respond to emergencies, said Tom Spoelman, transportation consultant for the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District. They eventually hooked up with Muskegon County Emergency Services, and planning for the event has been under way for about a year, Spoelman said. The exercise will test not only school transportation directors, but also the Muskegon County Emergency Operations Plan, which involves many agencies throughout the county. About 60 middle and high school students from Reeths-Puffer and Whitehall public schools will be part of the exercise, according to Kristin Tank, public information coordinator for the MAISD. Local law enforcement agencies, fire departments, human service agencies, transportation services and medical services will participate. Students from Muskegon Community College and Reeths-Puffer will assist in applying makeup to add to the reality of the gruesome scene. Between 200 and 300 people will observe the exercise, including school bus drivers, school administrators, emergency personnel and evaluators from agencies across the state who will provide feedback. The exercise will simulate an attack by a fictitious radical group called Wackos Against Schools and Education who believe everyone should be homeschooled. Under the scenario, a bomb is placed on the bus and is detonated while the bus is traveling on Durham, causing the bus to land on its side and fill with smoke. The exercise will begin with the bus -- an out-of-service vehicle donated by Ravenna Public Schools -- on its side, having been placed there by Dale's 24 Hour Towing Service, which is donating its time and resources. Fire departments will respond and test their abilities to get at victims inside a mangled bus. Hackley and Mercy General both will be able to test their new emergency rooms, each of which will get between 15 and 20 "victims." Eight or nine deceased students, represented by mannequins, will be transported to the county morgue, Tank said. Frantic parents will be part of the staged disaster, flocking to schools and hospital emergency rooms. The exercise is similar to an event staged a year ago at Heritage Landing that involved a mock chemical disaster, which also was the supposed work of terrorists and tested the county's emergency preparedness. White Lake Fire Authority Chief Bob Phillips said his department is lucky to be heavily involved in Tuesday's exercise by virtue of the location planners chose. "The potential exists (for a devastating incident) every day the school buses are on the road," Phillips said. "It's not something that happens a lot, but it's something we need to be trained in. "That's what we're hoping for is to learn what works and what doesn't work before an incident actually happens." Arianna Frances

oh bummer If I'd known I would have tapped it for ya! Best of luck with your classes - Wednesday is one of the only nights (besides Friday) that I don't have a night class. Jen Arianna Frances

Yep, same here. I'm dying to know what the yellow lab is all about, since I'm pretty sure it wasn't on the plane. Jen Arianna Frances

Since I'm such a huge ALIAS fan (if you can't tell from the avitar) I had to watch LOST, as they're both written/directed by JJ Abrahms. It was pretty cool. I'm not going to spoil it for anyone that hasn't seen it yet. But I'll leave it at a jet liner crash that dumps about 50 people on a small island in the pacific - and the island is occupied by 'strange things'. Very interesting... Jen Arianna Frances

Anybody else watching? Pretty cool so far... Jen Arianna Frances

I had to put my baby girl Layne to sleep a few weeks ago, but brought home a new baby girl just a few weeks ago. Her name is Katrina (aka trina bina, katrina ballerina or kit kat - she doesn't answer to any of them anyway LOL) She's WAYYY too much fun! Jen Arianna Frances

Nope... and if it were me I wouldn't want my family there either. I want to have (and my family if it were me) pleasant memories. Jen Arianna Frances

OMG Sheena - thats so gross!! Hope he can get the rest of it out today!! ewwww! Best of luck

Hey! You're mean Can we do that when we get to FL? Pretty please, pretty please??! I wanna be mean too Jen Arianna Frances

Hey!

hehe- I remember talking to you. It was still early Jen Arianna Frances

LOL - ok, so we were still at my house when I talked to you Now, you've talked to me before (when I'm sober) so at least apologizing to you for my behavior means something cause you've heard me otherwise! LOL Hope it was entertaining - Kelly and Darius said it was Jen Arianna Frances

Ok, so I was sober (sort of) when I first tried to call you... We tried you again? Woah... see what a whole bottle of cointreau and 1/2 bottle of tequilla (aka to-kill-ya) will do to ya! Took me all day Saturday to survive my hangover... Jen Arianna Frances

OMG - I talked to you? holy shit.... I was really wasted then... cause the next day I was wondering if I got to talk to you LOL Jen PM sent btw Arianna Frances

oh god, wish I had a tape recorder for some of these calls! LOL Jen Arianna Frances

Holy crap! Thats why we were running in the fields?! ha! All I remember was being outside in the middle of the sod field with Kelly when we turned around and went back in. My shoes were covered in grass/mud the next morning (ya, the morning that the room was still spinning)! Glad I made ya laugh! hehehe Jen Arianna Frances

ok... who did we call? I don't even remember talking to anyone after talking to slappie about 9:20 PM According to my phone record I called a TON of people! HOpe you were amused worst danm hangover I've ever had Jen Arianna Frances