While I was not shocked when I found out Patrick Swayze died yesterday as he had been battling his cancer for a couple years now, I was still saddened by it and my thoughts are with his family and friends. While he wasn't really on my radar as an actor (I think I've only seen a handful of his movies), he seemed like a nice guy and I have to say that Ghost is one of my favorite movies (probably in my top ten). I love, love, love that movie and even though the special effects are way outdated today (hey, it did come out in 1990), I think it still remains a great movie and my favorite scene is when he first "meets" Whoopi Goldberg and I always tear up at the "Ditto" scene with Demi Moore. Seriously, if you've never seen that movie, I highly recommend it.

And on another not as serious note, Kanye West is a massive tool, douchebag, asshole, and the biggest baby on earth all rolled up into one. Dude, seriously, is there ever a moment where you can't be the center of attention. The world does not evolve around you! You were rude to Taylor Swift AND Beyonce. Look, I know not everybody always agrees with who wins what award (and seriously, it was just a fucking MTV Award...not a Grammy, nobody gives a shit about MTV awards anyway), but you should vent about it in your blog like any other normal person. (Like me!) Though in a weird way, maybe Taylor should thank you for increasing her sales.

I have to admit I was more shocked than sad when I heard about Michael Jackson's death yesterday. Probably because I thought he was some andriot who never aged or got sick and died. While I didn't care for MJ as a person (personally I think the real MJ died back in the early '90s when he made his last good record), I do think he was an extremely talented artist and had a huge influence on pop music. They've been playing his music on the radio all day and he had a lot of great songs, but like I said most of them were from the '80s and early '90s. After that he became "Whack-o Jack-o."

But I was thinking, this is the first time a major star has died that I've known of all my life. Sure, there's Princess Diana who was married to Charles the year I was born (I think), but I don't remember her being on my radar when I was a little kid. I do, however, remember listening to MJ (and Madonna) TAPES (hahaha) with my friend when I was growing up in the '80s.

But what I find really fascinating is the wide range of responses his death is getting. I've lurked at this site where I get all my celeb gossip and news since 2003. In the past, when a celeb has passed away, whether a person was a fan of their work or even of the celeb in question, the would post their sympathies. Even with Anna Nicole Smith, who we all know was batshit crazy and everyone always had a joke about her, people were sympathetic towards her after she died. But it's interesting to read the MJ board. There are people who are devestated he's gone, but there's also people saying pretty callous things. Actually, the only other celebrity that I can think of who got "I don't care he died" responses was what's his name who was a member of the NRA. Heston. But most people are like me, not sad about disturbed MJ, but sad about the pop icon.

To tell you the truth, I'm staying away from my TV for the next two weeks as we all know it's going to be a MJ mourning fest. I do wonder how the late night talk show hosts will handle it seeing as he was the butt of many of their jokes, but it would be a little callous of them to make jokes now, no matter how you felt about him.

Check out the iTunes top ten. Six of his songs are in the top ten songs and nine of his albums are in the top ten albums.

Now that the election is over, time for a frivolous poll.

Poll #1293946 Best Fictional POTUS
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 6

Who is the best fictional POTUS?

Okay, I don't know how to edit polls, but obviously I meant Harrison Ford in "Air Force One."

It's nice to see a major news story that's positive and uplifting. (Even if you're Republican, you have to admire and appreciate this historical time in our country). It seems when there's a major story in that national or local news, it's something horrible and depressing that makes you feel angry or sad, so thank God for a change!

The good news for Obama: he's following Bush. I mean, how can he (or anyone else for that matter) be worse than Bush?

The bad news for Obama: he's following Bush. He's got a big mess to clean up. I don't envy him of his new job at all.

I believe these were McCain's downfalls:
1. Choosing Palin as his running mate.
2. He wasn't Obama.

Last night, around 7 o'clock, while I was at work, everyone had to be evacuated to the tornado shelter because the weather was really bad and the sirens were going off. There must have been over 100 people in the shelter: the residents, employees, and family members who were visiting. It was like stepping into a sauna when I walked in. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but a couple of us employees stepped outside to look at the weather. (We were under an awning so we didn't get wet and there wasn't a tornado nearby or anything). It was POURING, like coming down in buckets. Apparently we got 5 - 8 inches of water. There were all these black, ominous clouds in the sky and thunder and lighting. Scary stuff. While there was no actual tornado that came through, they had to take the precautions anyway. Clayton and I passed out water and after about 45 minutes, Mary let us go back to the kitchen to do dishes since there are no windows in that room. An hour after they they let the residents go back to the room.

The really sad news is that about fifty miles north from here, there was a boy scout camp in Iowa that got hit really bad by the tornado. There were four boys (out of 96 people, so it could have been MUCH worse) who were killed - two 13 year olds and two 14 years old, and three of them were from Omaha. How awfully sad. I feel so horrible for their families. They kept repeating that on the news last night every half hour. I didn't realize how young the boys were until I read more about it today.

My mom came to Omaha today and we went out to eat at the Macaroni Grill. Right before we were about to leave, our waiter came over and told us there had been a shooting at Von Maur, an upper class department store at the mall which was in the same area as the Mac Grill, that happened about five minutes ago from the time we were leaving. We saw lots of people were looking out the windows where there were police cars and ambulances positioned everywhere around the mall. President Bush had been in town this morning and at first I thought the shootings had to do with him, but then I thought, why the hell would the POTUS go to some Omaha mall? And he had already left by the time the shootings had happened, anyway. We were allowed to leave (and there were a lot of other cars leaving too and we saw people huddling in the parking lot everywhere around the mall) and we put on the radio to listen to the news. There wasn't too much information on the news, just people recounting what had happened. They said they believe five people had been injured and the shooter was a young black male wearing a green vest and carrying a rifle!? (Seriously, how the fuck do you get inside a mall without anyone noticing you're carrying a rifle! And it turns out he was a white guy.) People estimated that he shot about 35-40 rounds from the third floor of Von Maur. Mom and I continued to watch the coverage on TV when we got back to my house. I don't live that far from the mall...it's about a three minute drive from my apartment and we could hear the helicopters that were hovering over the vincinity. It turned out that nine people had died, including the shooter who killed himself and five were wounded. It was really scary to hear the people who had been in the store, recounting what they saw. They said he was on the third floor and was shooting over the balcony at people below. One woman was on the esculator and he shot a guy that was standing next to her...that would be so fucking scary. And another guy who worked at customer service said the shooter show a woman in the chest. They interviewed two women who were shopping and had hid in the shoe stock room. One of them was from Las Vegas and said nothing like that had ever ever happened to her....until she came to Omaha! Omaha has its "bad neighborhoods" but - oh, an ambulance just passed by my apartment...it came from the direction of the mall - this mall is located in a pretty safe place. Goes to show you're really not safe anywhere anymore :-(

I'm just so glad that Mom and I hadn't been shopping there today, because we usually do go to Von Maur because my mom likes to look at the purses and I like to look at the Philosophy counter. Makes me wonder how long it's going to take to repair the place. I won't be going to that mall for a long time!

Here's the story.

I was watching Oprah today and obviously she had a special about the VA Tech tragedy. Very chilling hearing the recounts of the students who were there and survived it. Near the end of the hour she had on an ex-Columbine student who lost his sister in that shooting and now talks to students across the country with his father about school violence. (BTW, how eerie is it that two days from now it will be exactly eight years since the Columbine shootings happened? It happened when I was a senior in high school and I still remember it like it happened yesterday. It freaked me out so much that I had nightmares about it). Anyway, the young man said something that I majorly agreed with. He said that the media should focus on the victims and their families and not (solely) on the gunman and how the teen gunmen at Columbine were almost "glorified" in a way by very sick people because their faces were plastered all over the news and on the cover of Time and People. Major WORD to that.

I'm sure by now everyone is aware of that creepy "media package" the VA Tech gunman sent to NBC. (I'm sure he chose NBC because it's the most watched nightly news network, at least last time I checked it was). Now you know he wanted this to be shown and get his "fifteen minutes of fame", if you can even call it that even though he's not able to revel in his newfound glory :::rolls eyes::: I understand that it was breaking news and they probably felt that it was important to show, but I don't know, it kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth and it goes back to what the guy who went to Columbine said about giving too much attention to the psychopath. And surprise, surprise, he idolized Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and called them "martyrs". I think it would have been better to mention the package and tell the people what was in it, but not show anything that was in it. But like I said in the subject line, I'm not sure what to think about it. Showing the photos and videos is exactly what he wanted.

Also, I can't remember what show I saw this on, but there was a quick clip of someone interviewing the guy who owned the gunshop where the killer bought his gun (last month, I believe) and while he expressed his condolences, I seriously felt like kicking him. Now, I've never bought a gun (much less been in a gunshop) before, but aren't you suppose to have background checks on people who purchase firearms???? And wasn't it clear that this guy had a record and there was something clearly disturbed about him??? Something just seemed really off about that. It was only probably less than a minute, so I don't know the full story, but they really need to do something about gun control in this friggin country!

Today I went on break with Verenice and we were looking through the paper which was mostly news about Katrina. We are so evil because I was reading this one article about building New Orleans in a different location. Verenice cracks, "Then it will be New New Orleans!" I read the article and start cracking up when I see the line "new New Orleans," so I point that out to Verenice and we have a good laugh over that, and then we immeditely feel guilty for laughing over a tragic event. I also read aloud how they think they should build the city fifty miles from the Mississippi (I forget the quote), and Verenice was like, "They're going to build the new New Orleans in Mississippi?" LMAO....yeah, that makes sense! So I correct her. Oh, and there was this kid who said he thought New Orleans was a freaking state at first. Um, okay, somebody needs to take geography 101 again! Verenice said that Katrina sounds like the kind of name some bitchy girl would have and be like, "DON'T MESS WITH ME, BITCH." Bwahh...that is so true.

Okay...I have a new pet peeve...when people pronounce New Orleans like "New Or-lee-ans." I pronounce it "New Or-lans," and sometimes the fun way, "N'awlins."

I made HNTW dolls in winter wear!:
Hermione
Ginny
Cho
Lavender
Luna
Pansy

Although I really didn't care if Kerry of Bush won the election, I have to admit I feel a bit smug about Bush winning because I am so sick of smug liberals saying how Kerry was going to sweep it (I even thought he was going to win) and I was so sick of the TV media always kissing up to Kerry and also the celebirty Kerry kiss ups and the Kerry signs at my school. UGH! HATE! I also feel sorry for the pathetic Kerry supporter who were out in the COLD and RAIN and DARK on Monday evening campaining for him on a streetcorner. And there was like only seven of them which made it even more pathetic. I suppose we'll be getting interviews from Michael Moore in the next couple of days. :::rolls eyes::: Please, I bet Moore is delighted Bush won because he'll be getting all this attention from the media. He would proably get one interview if Kerry one, then that would be that.

Ohio is the new Florida!

I think Kerry could have and probably would have won if it were only the Democrats and Republicans in the ballot. It's stupid to have the Independent, Green Party, and Libetarian candiates in there when you know they're not going to win! I bet a lot of independent voters would have voted for Kerry. Looks like the young people didn't turn out for Kerry either. It was the same percentage this year as it was four years ago. Okay...I admit I didn't vote but that's becaue I didn't know if I was registered or not and I didn't want to go to the polls and look stupid. Plus the whole thing kinda intimidates me...I wouldn't even know who to vote for in my state issues because, well, I haven't been paying attention.

God, Irvin is whining to me now. Shut up, Irvin!

Wednesday I drove out to the mall where I met mom in front of Gloria Jean's so we could do some shopping. I was a little early, so I stopped by B. Dalton which was on the way to the coffee shop and bought the Oscar Odds issue of Entertainment Weekly. (One of my favorite issues). Then mom came and we (well, she) bought me some new clothes at Lerners and The Limited.

We started bombing Iraq later that evening. (Thank God it happened after the American Idol outcome and Survivor.) So now the rest of the world probably hates us, but hopefully this will work in our favor. Dubya better pray this works for him as it could make or break him. But hey if he's all for getting rid of So-Damn Insane, then I'm for it! So I was watching the news this morning and they were talking to this woman at anti-war protest march in NYC and oh my God, what an idiot. She somehow got talking about 9/11 and made the comment that her "two daughters saw the World Trade Center get bombed from their school window." Um, okay, you idiot. The WTC wasn't bombed on 9/11. (That was 1993). God, people are such morons.

Went home on Thursday because I didn't want to wake up super early on Friday since I had to go to work. Theresa and I worked in the kitchen on Friday and there was a freaking sale from 4-7 for a catfish dinner for $2.88. And since it was Friday during Lent, EVERYBODY got it. We were really bombarded. We ran out of catfish and Bob had to come back and bread some for us while we dealt with the customers.

Before we got busy, Theresa wanted to know if I could come to her baby shower that's next Sunday, but I told her I had to work. But I said maybe if I could come if John let me come in at 4 or 4:30 instead of 1. So I wrote a note to John asking him if I could come in later since I wanted to attend Theresa's baby shower. Then Theresa made me my very own invitation with the time and date and address and directons to her aunt's house where the shower will be held. And she said for a present she wants anything pink. LOL, of course. I told her I was reminded of her when I saw all the pink clothes when I went shopping. I was so happy because Theresa wanted to work on Sunday and she asked if she could work for me instead and I said, "Hell yes!" Now I get to watch the Oscars live! Yay! They better not postpone them!!!

Today we still had that damn sale, but it wasn't as busy since people could eat meat. DIPSHIT DAVID WASN'T AT CENTRAL PAY TODAY!!! Oh, that made me so happy. And it made me so happy to know that I'm not the only one detests that asshole. Justin commented, "God, I hate that kid" when he heard Theresa and me praising the Lord (literally) that Dipshit wasn't working tonight. Katie worked at central pay instead and she was collecting everybody's name tags and wearing them. LOL, it was really funny. She had about 12 of them. Mine was the fourth one she got. Theresa was working over in floral and she called around six and asked me if John would let me come in at four next Sunday and I said that he said it was okay. She was really happy and say, "Yay, I'm so happy." Hehe. I feel so loved.

Mom came at 11 o'clock to clean my apartment and she brought more food. Yay! I gave her the laundary key and an extra door key and showed her how to work the washer and dryer.

Went to poetry class and it was boring as ever, but we got out an hour early so that was yay! Since I had an hour to kill, I went to Wal-Greens and bought new headphones for my Walkman and a nifty ponytail holder.

Came home and Mom had gone to the World Market or whatever it's called. My place was all nice and clean. Yay! Mom came home and we watched Oprah. There was a CBS Special News Report and at first we both thought that we had bombed Iraq or the war had started or something like that, but it turns out that the missing girl from Utah, Elizabeth Smart, was found alive. Thank God for that. I remember when she was abducted in her room back in June. I'll be curious to hear more of the details on that story.

We had dinner at HoNut Mongolian Dinner. It was so cool. You go up and get the meat and veggies and sauces you want and they make it for you. First I had egg drop soup, then Mom and I went to gather our food for our main dish. I had pork and beef with noodles and onions, carrots, snow peas, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and baby corn mixed with sweet and sour sauce and peanut thai sauce. They then cooked it and we ate it. It was really good but I got A LOT of it. A little too much. It was good, but I couldn't eat it all because I was so stuffed. But not so stuffed that we couldn't go to Culver's and get a chocolate ice cream cone, hehe.

Mom told me that Tiffany Shannon had called and left a message saying that she wanted to get in touch with me, but mom didn't call her back or anything. I told Mom about the e-mail I had recieved from her that just said, "Do you want to be a bridesmaid in my wedding?" I just deleted it. I'd rather swim in nails.

Mom left. I watched the result show of American Idol and Vanessa was voted off. Whatever.

I FINALLY FINISHED READING TTT!!!!