love this scosche passPORT

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I love my iPod Touch. As with my previous iPod, I like to listen in the car. I have a Monster iCarPlay to connect to my car's audio system. (it's not perfect and I have had to remove the car's attenna to reduce the intervention.) The firt time I plugged my iPod Touch in, I got a prompt that said I could not charge the iPod. Hmmm... I checked it out and found that my iCarPlay won't charge the iPhones & iPod Touch. OK, what about a new iCarPlay? Yes, there is one bit the reviews are not favorable. And other connectors either won't work because of design, too expensive or rated poorly.

I decide I can live with what I have as I don't drive around much. But I find that I have to recharge during the day if I am listening to podcasts, which I do. Then one day, I see something called passPORT. Hmmm... will this work for me? And the price is not too bad. So I add it to my wish list.

Last week, I went down to Brandon to the newer Apple Store and look for the passPORT. Of course, I went unprepared and could not temember the name of the passPORT. Luckily, the store is rather small and I soon found it and bought it (finding the checkout was almost as difficult). I got back to my car and pulled out my wicked Swiss Army knife to open the friggin clamshell packaging and connected the passPORT. It works and I'm happy.

big decision

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Two years ago, I went to school for Andy's IEP. They wanted me to switch Andy from Sunshine State Standards to Special Standards. That meant that Andy wouldn't have to take the FCAT but could take an easier to administer alternative assesment test. They would also focus on life skills like how to use money and how to read a map. I was shocked! I had no idea that Andy was dreading the FCAT. I was angry that they had assumed that I would agree to this without knowing anything ahead of time. I declined saying I needed time to think about it. I thought a lot about this and it felt like I would be agreeing to giving up on my child's education. "He can go to school until he's 22!" Then what? They had no answers and I don't think they even cared since he would no longer be their problem. Nice.

I expected it to come up again at his next IEP but it didn't. I had no intention of giving up on Andy. He just seemed too young to make such a huge decision. But I knew the day was comimg when I would have to decide.

Last fall, I was picking up one of the boys to go to the dentist, I saw Andy's teacher. She mentioned that she wanted to meet after the holidays and talk about Andy. Crud. I knew what this was meant and it made me sad. It makes me feel bad, like I didn't do enough for him. But this is selfish. I should do what is best for him not what will make me feel better. Even this logic didn't make me feel any less naseous.

A few weeks ago, the invitation came and I mentioned it to dad and asked if he wanted to come along. Yes, he would join me. Whew! Someone to support me and ask those questions I forget to ask.

The day came and dad could not join me but I had time to come to terms with the decision that had to be made. And the decision turned out not to be as awful as I had been told 2 years ago. Andy would still be learning the same cirriculum as the regular students but would be learning at his pace and with the help he needed. He would also be able to earn a regular diploma but could take his time doing it. I am feeling much more positive about his future.

this & that

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• I went to Panda Express for the first time today. I had an urge for egg rolls. Now I have an urge for a good egg roll.


• I am in love with Starbuck's Black Tea Lattes


• I am really tired of this cold weather. I have only 4 pairs of pants and I am really sick of wearing them.


• I thought about trying to walk a marathon on a month, then it rained yesterday and it was too blustery today.


• I am good at coming up with excuses.


• I had this idea to do some details of my home for POTD's Home Sweet Home week but I could only come up with one.


• I used to like Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop. It takes like salted packing peanuts these days.


• I think I baked too much in December. I haven't baked at all this year.


• Orville's All Natural Butter Popcorn is very good. Tastes like the stuff I used to make on the stove.


• I had too much caffeine this afternoon.

glory, glory

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Glory, Glory (Bestselling Author Collection) Glory, Glory by Linda Lael Miller

My review


rating: 2 of 5 stars
Glory got pregnant at 18 and was forced to leave home and stay away. She comes back 10 years later to see her mother get married. She sees Jesse, her old boyfriend who is know the sheriff. And she meets Liza, the daughter she had given up for adoption.

You can see where this is all going and it does. Glory tries to get to know her daughter while Jesse hates her for running away without a word. But the attraction is there and they have no trouble having sex even while they argue before and after.

But eventually, the truth comes out and everything gets resolved way too quickly.

View all my reviews.

starbucks wi-fi

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I don't go to church though every Sunday morning I leave the house at 9:30 and return before noon. Dad thinks I go to church. It makes him feel better when I go so I continue this little white lie.


In the past, I used to go Panera and get some tea & a pastry. But this doesn't fit in with eating healthy. I decided to try Starbucks though I don't drink coffee but I knew I could get some tea. It was Christmas time and they were featuring specialty hot cocoas. Yum! Each week I tried a new flavor.


While there, I would journal & catch up on podcasts Then I got my iPod TouchMyself and could use their wi-fi. I didn't want to pay for it I remember Madge saying that the wi-fi is free if you register a gift card and use it once a month. OK, done. The first week I couldn't get on because I didn't have the password. (warning tangent! I started using 1Password which I love. One of the features is that it will generate and save a new password for each site. It then will recall them when you revisit those sites. I used it for my wi-fi password so it's not an easy one for me to remember.) The next week I thought I had it saved but realized you can't access the email if you aren't logged in. The third week, I reverted to a low tech method and wrote it down. Yay! I got in. Now it's week four and I can't find that stupid piece of paper.


Big forehead slap.

four in hand

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Four In Hand Four In Hand by Stephanie Laurens


My review


rating: 3 of 5 stars
I bought this book thinking it was NEW from Laurens. I love her books. But this one was off. There were too many characters and not enough book. This was smaller than other Laurens books and it really should have been expanded into 4 larger books. After I finished, I saw that this book was originally published in 1993. Oh that explains it. I wish there would have been some warning that this was an older book.

I don't like when publishers reprint a book just because to make some money. This one should have been left in the archives.


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