I recently went to look at the new Dodge Ram trucks. I looked specifically at the RAM 1500. It is quite a beauty, let me tell you all about it!
Engine: The basics here: 5.7 liter HEMI V-8 to generate more horsepower and torque. What this means is that there is a lot of power under that hood. If you need to pull, say a horse trailer like my friend Debbie, or a camping trailer like me, this truck will do it without a problem. It is not a girly girl truck. When the commercials on TV say Dodge trucks are RAM tough, they are definitely talking about this baby.
The Looks of the Truck: The Dodge Ram 1500 has 4 bed lengths. Can you imagine that ? FOUR. And the cab sizes, but each cab comes with its own specific bed length, except for the regular cab. You can get a regular cab and a short bed (6’4”) or a standard bed at 8’.
Cab Size:The Quad and Crew cabs come either with a 6.4” bed, but you loose a little space in the rear seats, or you can get the Crew 15000get a little more room in that rear passenger seating area, but you lose close to a foot on bed size (comes in at 5’7”).
Paint Colors: I’ve not seen all of the colors of this truck, but the AUSTIN Tan Pearly is kind of ugly. I know I have changed poopy diapers with that color in it. I personally don’t like Sunburst orange pearl wither. I know someone who did purchase a RAM 1500 in this color. It doesn’t look RAM tough! My fav is Detonator Yellow and next I really like the metalics.
Storage: They call this thinking inside the box, with their variety of stroage and cargo management systems. For the bed of the truck, , you can get two locking weatherproof, lit, drainable storage bins, that work together with a cargo bed divider (which also can doable as a bed extender for those really long pieces of wood or drywall,. On the inside, that are in floor stage bins, a two-tier glove box, and a center console. Pretty cool.
Engine: I surely don’t claim to be a gear head, but here is what I know about the engine. It looks pretty complicated, as most do these days. There is a 5.7 liter HEMI V-8, which has better torque and horsepower, which translates into a lot of pulling power in this baby. It is easily enough to pull my friend Debbie’s horse trailer without feeling the strain.
What I think: I wouldn’t purchase one of these simply because I can’t afford it. It is a really awesome truck though. It really fit’s the Ram tough image. The truck is huge, taller than my mini-van, but about the same length. I had a hard time climbing into it; if I were to purchase one of these, I would have to get the optional side step thingy. Once in though, it is amazing. I love the new car smell in the first place, and to be in something up so high was really cool for me. Once out on the roads, the truck drove like a charm. I was surprised at how smooth the ride was. We used to own a Ford F-150, and it's ride wasn't nearly as smooth as the Dodge Ram 1500. A quick run down the highway convinced me that if I could afford this baby, I would definitely purchase.
Contact Information: You can check out at any dodge dealer or online at dodge.com/ram.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
11-7-08 attitude of gratitude
I am grateful for:
my son who turned 14 two days ago.
my friend, Sheila, who supports me always.
my friend, Marti, who loves me.
my husband, who even though he is so tired, still listens to me and works hard to provide for our family.
my insurance that it is so good and allows me to go to therapy each day.
my house.
living in Missouri where I get to see all four seasons.
my son who turned 14 two days ago.
my friend, Sheila, who supports me always.
my friend, Marti, who loves me.
my husband, who even though he is so tired, still listens to me and works hard to provide for our family.
my insurance that it is so good and allows me to go to therapy each day.
my house.
living in Missouri where I get to see all four seasons.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
OBAMA: He's My Man!
I don't think I can express just how happy I am with the turnout of people for the elections yesterday. It wasn't just in my St. Louis either. There were record numbers of voters all over the country. How awesome is that? That is how is should be for each and every election. People should realize just how powerful that their opinions and ideas are. We must stop this mentality of thinking we don't count and we can't make a difference! We do -- and we can.
Take me for example, one month ago, I was ready to end my life. I was in a lot of pain spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I was lost with my direction of life. Now, I am acting proactively with my health to try to get it together. I am working on the spiritual and emotional parts too. For the first time in my life -- did you get that one -- for the first time in my life, I am doing what I want to do and what I think I need to do. I am in therapy working furiously on issues. I would like to leave -- it is so hard some days, but I still go, chipping away at all that is not me. A rebirth, of sorts, exposing the new, vulnerable, but true self. It has taken so long to get to the point where I could even do this. I am still not 100% honest about things. I guess that sort of trust takes time. I don't know. But I am working on it.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden won the election because they took a leap of faith. I made a huge leap of faith that this will all turn out right, as did my family. You can do it too. The time is at hand.
Take me for example, one month ago, I was ready to end my life. I was in a lot of pain spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I was lost with my direction of life. Now, I am acting proactively with my health to try to get it together. I am working on the spiritual and emotional parts too. For the first time in my life -- did you get that one -- for the first time in my life, I am doing what I want to do and what I think I need to do. I am in therapy working furiously on issues. I would like to leave -- it is so hard some days, but I still go, chipping away at all that is not me. A rebirth, of sorts, exposing the new, vulnerable, but true self. It has taken so long to get to the point where I could even do this. I am still not 100% honest about things. I guess that sort of trust takes time. I don't know. But I am working on it.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden won the election because they took a leap of faith. I made a huge leap of faith that this will all turn out right, as did my family. You can do it too. The time is at hand.
Just Another Saturday
I was going through things that I have written and found this. I had totally forgotten about the event. I thought you might enjoy reading it.
Just Another Saturday
Mar 09 '03
Yesterday there was a fire in my next door neighbor's yard. It burned 90% of their yard. The following began as a letter to my friends, but I thought it would be a great thing to share here with my epinions friends too.
I was in my kitchen when I smelled smoke -- like leaves burning, but we live in a no open fire area. I checked my house first (because my husband had been doing wood working earlier and you know men and their power tools), but I didn't find anything. So I went out on the deck and saw smoke coming from the side of my neighbor's house. I thought he was burning leaves. I came back in the house, and just happened to look out the front window -- all I saw was smoke. I ran outside to find my neighbor's yard on fire and him trying to put it out. I yelled for Alicia and we grabbed trash can lids to try to beat it out, which only fanned the flames. Then I saw our water hose, which I turned on and started spraying. The weird thing about the fire was that my neighbor thought he had it completely out beside his house, but when I went over there with the hose, there were flames licking at the side of his house. It was so windy that areas kept coming back to life.
Anyway, the fire department came and emptied their 500 gallon truck and put out the fire. Then they refilled it and sprayed everything down again to get the hot spots out.
We all calmed down and talked about the blessings that came as a result. It could have been so much worse. My neighbors were home and were on top of it quickly. I was home so my step-daughter and I were able to help. If the wind had been blowing in any other direction, the fire would have spread to multiple yards, but it didn't. It was so windy that there was a lot of trash blowing yesterday; I saw paper blowing around two connecting yards, but it didn't blow into the fire. Although flames licked the neighbors house, the force of water from the fire department's water cannon washed the blackened part off. My neighbors have spent lots of money beautifying their yard, and none of their plants, etc., caught fire. The neighbors had their windows open due to the unseasonably warm weather, but no water got into their house, and although both of our houses smelled horribly of smoke at first, it didn't last. I got to use this as a lesson on giving help even when you are afraid to my children. And finally, this shows how the Lord can take something bad and just turn it around.
Just Another Saturday
Mar 09 '03
Yesterday there was a fire in my next door neighbor's yard. It burned 90% of their yard. The following began as a letter to my friends, but I thought it would be a great thing to share here with my epinions friends too.
I was in my kitchen when I smelled smoke -- like leaves burning, but we live in a no open fire area. I checked my house first (because my husband had been doing wood working earlier and you know men and their power tools), but I didn't find anything. So I went out on the deck and saw smoke coming from the side of my neighbor's house. I thought he was burning leaves. I came back in the house, and just happened to look out the front window -- all I saw was smoke. I ran outside to find my neighbor's yard on fire and him trying to put it out. I yelled for Alicia and we grabbed trash can lids to try to beat it out, which only fanned the flames. Then I saw our water hose, which I turned on and started spraying. The weird thing about the fire was that my neighbor thought he had it completely out beside his house, but when I went over there with the hose, there were flames licking at the side of his house. It was so windy that areas kept coming back to life.
Anyway, the fire department came and emptied their 500 gallon truck and put out the fire. Then they refilled it and sprayed everything down again to get the hot spots out.
We all calmed down and talked about the blessings that came as a result. It could have been so much worse. My neighbors were home and were on top of it quickly. I was home so my step-daughter and I were able to help. If the wind had been blowing in any other direction, the fire would have spread to multiple yards, but it didn't. It was so windy that there was a lot of trash blowing yesterday; I saw paper blowing around two connecting yards, but it didn't blow into the fire. Although flames licked the neighbors house, the force of water from the fire department's water cannon washed the blackened part off. My neighbors have spent lots of money beautifying their yard, and none of their plants, etc., caught fire. The neighbors had their windows open due to the unseasonably warm weather, but no water got into their house, and although both of our houses smelled horribly of smoke at first, it didn't last. I got to use this as a lesson on giving help even when you are afraid to my children. And finally, this shows how the Lord can take something bad and just turn it around.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Voting and Therapy for today
I voted today, did you? I surely hope so. It is such an important responsibility that we accept as being and claiming citizenship to our country. I am excitedly watching election returns tonight.
I went to therapy today. I know I missed blogging about a couple of sessions, and I don't want to get too far behind. So -- we have been talking a lot about Human growth and development. I really am liking my therapist, S. She is so together and so smart. She seems to be able to pick my brain.
I am wrapping my head around the fact that a lot of my problems stem from being co-dependent. You know, I have been that way for so long that I can't pin point where self begins or ends and the sickness of being overly codependant starts and ends. I just about have myself talked into going to group recovery for CODa. I don't know for sure yet. Shit, I could spend all of my evenings going to support meetings. There is Al-Anon. I have never been to one of those, but I am really thinking strongly about it also. In addition there is Adult Children of Alcoholics that I would like to try also.
One thing I haved learned in therapy is that I don't know what my triggers for depressive behavior are. That is a real problem, as I can't begin a recovery plan when I am not even sure of the triggers. I am going to work on that really hard for the rest of the week. I am realizing that I really don't want to feel this way for the remainder of my life. I have spent my entire adult life not knowing what or whoe I am -- always wrapping my life around someone else's. Not a good thing if you allow yourself to suffer and fall to the wayside in the process.
Some good things came out of today; at least I think a lot of good things came out of it. Happy election day to you all.
I went to therapy today. I know I missed blogging about a couple of sessions, and I don't want to get too far behind. So -- we have been talking a lot about Human growth and development. I really am liking my therapist, S. She is so together and so smart. She seems to be able to pick my brain.
I am wrapping my head around the fact that a lot of my problems stem from being co-dependent. You know, I have been that way for so long that I can't pin point where self begins or ends and the sickness of being overly codependant starts and ends. I just about have myself talked into going to group recovery for CODa. I don't know for sure yet. Shit, I could spend all of my evenings going to support meetings. There is Al-Anon. I have never been to one of those, but I am really thinking strongly about it also. In addition there is Adult Children of Alcoholics that I would like to try also.
One thing I haved learned in therapy is that I don't know what my triggers for depressive behavior are. That is a real problem, as I can't begin a recovery plan when I am not even sure of the triggers. I am going to work on that really hard for the rest of the week. I am realizing that I really don't want to feel this way for the remainder of my life. I have spent my entire adult life not knowing what or whoe I am -- always wrapping my life around someone else's. Not a good thing if you allow yourself to suffer and fall to the wayside in the process.
Some good things came out of today; at least I think a lot of good things came out of it. Happy election day to you all.
VOTE CHANGE!
Please vote today. Please consider voting for Barack Obama as he has the most effective plans for middle class America to pull our nation out of the slump that has been affected by the Republican party and George W. Bush. If you live in Missouri, I encourage you to vote no on Prop A. Prop A does not add funding to the schools, it takes it away from one source and allows the money to be given from another -- there is no additional funding to schools in this bill. In addition, it allows the current gambling casinos to create a monopoly. Monopolies are never good for the economy. It also lifts the current loss limits for individuals, meaning that an individual could potentially gamble away their life savings in one event. My attitude of gratitude for today is that I am so happy that I live in a country that allows me the freedom to express my opinion without fear of retribution.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Story version 4
Just Another Day -- version 4: If you could read this copy and make suggestions, I would really appreciate it. Uggghhhh -- I don't know if I am cut out for writing stories. Maybe I should stick to what I know. Thanks for reading and commenting.
The snow pounded down. Normally Jane and her children loved snow, but this was more of a snow storm, not the gentle fluff they were used to. It matched her mood. Jane Chesney looked like any other suburban housewife, but she wasn’t, or at least she thought she wasn’t. She was suffering from depression, and a host of old ghost-like issues had recently risen up and led to her giving up her job as an inner-city school teacher. She had thought that she would be able to find another job immediately, but hadn’t counted on her depression kicking into high gear. She was in daily, which made jobs hard to find.
So here they were, at Christmas, with just some stocking stuffers for her boys, a storm raging outside that mirrored the one inside her. “Damn, I just wish that I was strong enough to handle things better, to handle life. I can’t seem to get myself together. Shoot, even when I do pull it together for a while, it doesn’t take long before I start to unravel again.”
Hey Mom!” Joel barreled around the corner. “I’m hungry; what’s for dinner?”
The realities of motherhood snapped Jane out of her thought process. “Well, we can either have sloppy joes and fries, burgers and fries, or Hamburger Helper and fries. What…”
“Ewww -- can’t we have something else besides that nasty ground beef and those cheap fries? I am tired of them. When are we going to go grocery shopping?”
Snapping back, Jane snorted, “When I get another job or it starts raining money.”
The crestfallen look on Joel’s face was enough to make her want to eat her words. “I am sorry hon. I didn’t mean to sound ugly. I am tired of the same old, same old too. I am just trying to stretch the money as far as I can. I can’t afford to have anything go to waste and we had this stuff in the freezer. Dad gets paid this week, and I will go shopping. Can we not do this right now, please?”
Joel took a long look at his mom. He saw tired blue half moons under her eyes. He knew that she suffered from mental illness; he just wished they could have a break. He looked out the window at the snow already piled up over a foot deep on the driveway. “Mom, I am sorry. I know you are trying. Let’s make sloppy joes -- come on, I’ll help.”
They walked together through the house. Looking around, Jane never quite felt settled in the house, although they had lived there for almost ten years now. It was squat and looked like a cracker box on end. Not a yummy box of Keebler crackers, but a plain old box of saltines. Nothing pretty or unusual, just a cracker box. It was decorated with cast off and hand me downs, just like the rest of Jane’s life. Even her name was plain. Perhaps that was part of her issues -- that she was to never be happy with anything, that everything always felt and burdensome. Even her family that she loved so much felt that way at times. Like now, when they had to have ground beef for the fifth day in a row -- there is only so much you can go with ground meat.
At 6” tall, Joel looked much older than his 14 years. Sometimes he showed his old soul too. He really was a good kid. Jane watched him as he browned the ground beef at the stove, gathering all of the things he needed for the sloppy joes in between stirs.
”AAAARRRRRRROOOOO!”
“Get it boy!” said seven year old John barreled through the kitchen following Buddy, his big coon hound, closely. “I’ll bet Dad’s home!” John was built like a football player, and acted like a line backer -- he never moved slowly, always rushing headlong into whatever was happening next. This event just happened to be the arrival of Dad; it was cause for celebration every day when he came home
He was loved by his family, that was for sure. He came stomping in. “Brrr, it is cold out there!” John and Buddy both flung themselves on David. “Hey guys, can’t you let me at least get in the door? John, you are never going to learn that if you fling, Buddy flings! Remember that we are trying to teach him calm, submissive -- not knock someone down?”
“Oh yeah, but Dad I just had to get here first to tell you that there is a canned food drive at school for the, for the -- uhhh -- oh yea, for the less fortunate, and the winning class gets out of homework for one whole week! Do we have cans I can take in? Do we?”
“I’m sure we can find something. Now let me go put my briefcase down so I can give your mother a big sloppy kiss.”
“EEEWWWW!”
Jane took it all in. It was a great picture, and she didn’t understand why it didn’t make her happy. It should. She had things that many people never get. A home, a family, and a husband who was good. Good to her, good to the boys, good to everyone.
“Hi honey, how was your day?”
Making his way through boys and dogs across the house to the kitchen, David walked over to Jane and kissed her. “I had a great day, how about you?”
Jane looked around her -- at her family, at her house, and realized that she had everything she wanted right here. “I had an OK day. Dinner is almost ready. Why don’t you go change?”
Wanting to be what her family needed, Jane worked hard at getting her depressive episode in check. She knew that she needed to get back to work, but therapy was going so well right now. She was watching David with the children, and suddenly realized that he was exceptionally happy looking tonight. Her brain kicked into overdrive, and old worries began to surface.
“Didn’t you hear me Mom? I asked you how therapy went today. Are you OK?” The look on David’s face changed from happy to worry in a flash.
“I’m sorry. I did hear you. Therapy went really well. I really like the group leader, and I am learning things about myself and how my brain works. So, Jane paused for a moment while she watched the worry drain from her David’s face, “You said that your day went very well, anything interesting?”
David just smiled mysteriously. “Oh nothing really. I’m gonna go change.”
Just then, Joel said to his mom, “Sloppy Joes are ready, are the fries? And, can John set the table? I mean, I cooked and all, and he knows how to do it.”
“Kay, hey Johnny, can you set the table for mommy? I will help you.”
John came into the kitchen with Buddy, whose tail was wagging as briskly as a whisk broom in a busy hand, trotting behind. “Sure mom, you gonna pay me?”
Laughing, Jane answered, Pay you in what? Kisses? I sure don’t have any money!”
Just then David walked back into the kitchen. Leaning down to scratch Buddy behind the ears, he said casually, “I got a promotion today.”
“You what?” Jane squealed!
“I got a promotion,” he paused dramatically, “and a raise! A huge raise, a $10,000 raise, and a bonus!”
“Oh my gosh! I can’t believe it! Right before Christmas! Did you say a $10,000 raise?”
I did,” David said proudly. If that isn’t good enough for you, ask me how much my bonus is!” Before anyone could even get the question out, David blurted out, “Equal to my raise! Do you realize how many bills we can pay off?” Beaming like the Christmas lights that decorated their house, David hugged his family close.”
Jane realized then that she was going to be OK. She would always be affected by her depression, but she had a loving, supportive family, and she would continue fighting the good fight.
End
The snow pounded down. Normally Jane and her children loved snow, but this was more of a snow storm, not the gentle fluff they were used to. It matched her mood. Jane Chesney looked like any other suburban housewife, but she wasn’t, or at least she thought she wasn’t. She was suffering from depression, and a host of old ghost-like issues had recently risen up and led to her giving up her job as an inner-city school teacher. She had thought that she would be able to find another job immediately, but hadn’t counted on her depression kicking into high gear. She was in daily, which made jobs hard to find.
So here they were, at Christmas, with just some stocking stuffers for her boys, a storm raging outside that mirrored the one inside her. “Damn, I just wish that I was strong enough to handle things better, to handle life. I can’t seem to get myself together. Shoot, even when I do pull it together for a while, it doesn’t take long before I start to unravel again.”
Hey Mom!” Joel barreled around the corner. “I’m hungry; what’s for dinner?”
The realities of motherhood snapped Jane out of her thought process. “Well, we can either have sloppy joes and fries, burgers and fries, or Hamburger Helper and fries. What…”
“Ewww -- can’t we have something else besides that nasty ground beef and those cheap fries? I am tired of them. When are we going to go grocery shopping?”
Snapping back, Jane snorted, “When I get another job or it starts raining money.”
The crestfallen look on Joel’s face was enough to make her want to eat her words. “I am sorry hon. I didn’t mean to sound ugly. I am tired of the same old, same old too. I am just trying to stretch the money as far as I can. I can’t afford to have anything go to waste and we had this stuff in the freezer. Dad gets paid this week, and I will go shopping. Can we not do this right now, please?”
Joel took a long look at his mom. He saw tired blue half moons under her eyes. He knew that she suffered from mental illness; he just wished they could have a break. He looked out the window at the snow already piled up over a foot deep on the driveway. “Mom, I am sorry. I know you are trying. Let’s make sloppy joes -- come on, I’ll help.”
They walked together through the house. Looking around, Jane never quite felt settled in the house, although they had lived there for almost ten years now. It was squat and looked like a cracker box on end. Not a yummy box of Keebler crackers, but a plain old box of saltines. Nothing pretty or unusual, just a cracker box. It was decorated with cast off and hand me downs, just like the rest of Jane’s life. Even her name was plain. Perhaps that was part of her issues -- that she was to never be happy with anything, that everything always felt and burdensome. Even her family that she loved so much felt that way at times. Like now, when they had to have ground beef for the fifth day in a row -- there is only so much you can go with ground meat.
At 6” tall, Joel looked much older than his 14 years. Sometimes he showed his old soul too. He really was a good kid. Jane watched him as he browned the ground beef at the stove, gathering all of the things he needed for the sloppy joes in between stirs.
”AAAARRRRRRROOOOO!”
“Get it boy!” said seven year old John barreled through the kitchen following Buddy, his big coon hound, closely. “I’ll bet Dad’s home!” John was built like a football player, and acted like a line backer -- he never moved slowly, always rushing headlong into whatever was happening next. This event just happened to be the arrival of Dad; it was cause for celebration every day when he came home
He was loved by his family, that was for sure. He came stomping in. “Brrr, it is cold out there!” John and Buddy both flung themselves on David. “Hey guys, can’t you let me at least get in the door? John, you are never going to learn that if you fling, Buddy flings! Remember that we are trying to teach him calm, submissive -- not knock someone down?”
“Oh yeah, but Dad I just had to get here first to tell you that there is a canned food drive at school for the, for the -- uhhh -- oh yea, for the less fortunate, and the winning class gets out of homework for one whole week! Do we have cans I can take in? Do we?”
“I’m sure we can find something. Now let me go put my briefcase down so I can give your mother a big sloppy kiss.”
“EEEWWWW!”
Jane took it all in. It was a great picture, and she didn’t understand why it didn’t make her happy. It should. She had things that many people never get. A home, a family, and a husband who was good. Good to her, good to the boys, good to everyone.
“Hi honey, how was your day?”
Making his way through boys and dogs across the house to the kitchen, David walked over to Jane and kissed her. “I had a great day, how about you?”
Jane looked around her -- at her family, at her house, and realized that she had everything she wanted right here. “I had an OK day. Dinner is almost ready. Why don’t you go change?”
Wanting to be what her family needed, Jane worked hard at getting her depressive episode in check. She knew that she needed to get back to work, but therapy was going so well right now. She was watching David with the children, and suddenly realized that he was exceptionally happy looking tonight. Her brain kicked into overdrive, and old worries began to surface.
“Didn’t you hear me Mom? I asked you how therapy went today. Are you OK?” The look on David’s face changed from happy to worry in a flash.
“I’m sorry. I did hear you. Therapy went really well. I really like the group leader, and I am learning things about myself and how my brain works. So, Jane paused for a moment while she watched the worry drain from her David’s face, “You said that your day went very well, anything interesting?”
David just smiled mysteriously. “Oh nothing really. I’m gonna go change.”
Just then, Joel said to his mom, “Sloppy Joes are ready, are the fries? And, can John set the table? I mean, I cooked and all, and he knows how to do it.”
“Kay, hey Johnny, can you set the table for mommy? I will help you.”
John came into the kitchen with Buddy, whose tail was wagging as briskly as a whisk broom in a busy hand, trotting behind. “Sure mom, you gonna pay me?”
Laughing, Jane answered, Pay you in what? Kisses? I sure don’t have any money!”
Just then David walked back into the kitchen. Leaning down to scratch Buddy behind the ears, he said casually, “I got a promotion today.”
“You what?” Jane squealed!
“I got a promotion,” he paused dramatically, “and a raise! A huge raise, a $10,000 raise, and a bonus!”
“Oh my gosh! I can’t believe it! Right before Christmas! Did you say a $10,000 raise?”
I did,” David said proudly. If that isn’t good enough for you, ask me how much my bonus is!” Before anyone could even get the question out, David blurted out, “Equal to my raise! Do you realize how many bills we can pay off?” Beaming like the Christmas lights that decorated their house, David hugged his family close.”
Jane realized then that she was going to be OK. She would always be affected by her depression, but she had a loving, supportive family, and she would continue fighting the good fight.
End
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