All I Am Going To Say On This

While I have stayed out of the blogger fray on this Zimmerman/Martin Shooting and Trial until now I will share some of my thoughts with you all here.
Feel free to move along and not read this if you can't help letting emotions cloud your powers of reasoning.

It really doesn't matter what anyone thinks happened or didn't happen in those 2-4 minutes that are unaccounted for in the timeline of this incident. The only ones who truly "know" what transpired and in what order are Messrs. Zimmerman and Martin.  Ultimately the state of their immortal souls is between their individual consciences and their makers(if they believe in one).

I believe cases like these, which are labeled racial incidents but aren't necessarily so, are used to push certain politic groups agendas forward and these groups really don't give two farts about the actual humans involved and what the resulting Trial Circus does to their lives.

And the trying in the court of public opinion and the media only serves to divide our country as a nation.  But that is how the Powers That Be keep control over us all, by diverting our attention and separating we, the people, from each other and thus dissipating our group power.

If the race baiters like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton truly cared for their "people", where is the outrage over the thousands of African American youths that have been killed in the time since this highly publicized deemed "racial" killing occurred, African American youths who have been killed by other African Americans in their own racial community?
I think rapper Lupe Fiasco said it best in his tweet....."Yeah gimme that anger...once again that rage...that misguided angst when you true enemy is your own complacency and cowardice.".

Our lives are all about the choices we make.  As PF bloggers you all know that if you are in a bad place with money, it isn't only because of bad luck or for no reason.  Primarily, you make your own luck in life by the choices you make throughout your life.  Sure, a fluke thing can happen to throw your finances into a tailspin but it's all those decisions you have made, all those little, seemingly insignificant and "unrelated to any other choices" decisions you made, that pile up year after year which had formed the path on which you are now trodding into your financial future.

Life is about personal responsibility.

And much like the financial decisions you make over the course of a lifetime, you make other non-financial decisions too that have led you to where you are today in life in all aspects of that life.

This article HERE sets the Martin/Zimmerman incident on it's ear, by presenting that while this shooting was what many call tragic and certainly a needless waste of human life, that it could have possibly been avoided or drastically altered by the actions and decisions made by, Trayvon's parents and Trayvon himself.

By making the personal life decisions that they did, shouldn't his parents be held accountable for forging the path that led to a drugged up 17 yr. old gang member from a broken home in the first place?
The fact that his parents didn't put this kid's needs in life ahead of their own wants and desires speaks volumes about them in particular and about our society as a whole.
Kids are not throw about objects that you have just because you can and only take care of when it's convenient for you and the life you lead.

I know "the system", since it is run by fallible humans with their own issues, to an extent is still rigged against certain classes of citizens, but you can't blame "the man" for all your failings and ills in life and take no responsibility for what befalls you.  Sure, you may have more challenges in life than the next guy/gal due to who your parents are or what socio-economic class you/they are from, but many in our world have risen above challenges and by making those little choices, one heaped upon the other, have built lives that honor themselves and their families.  I can cite you volumes of  cases of "the world was against them but they rose above their situation" people.


I feel for both families of Messrs. Martin and Zimmerman.
But I want to tell them maybe instead of looking to other's faults we should be looking within at our own hearts and the place of personal responsibility in our lives for that justice  that they feel is still eluding them.

God speed George Zimmerman.
Rest in peace Trayvon Martin.

Sluggy

Blog Business and Linky Love

Taking care of some blog stuff today and sharing some linky love.  These links may inspire you, or call you to act, or broaden your knowledge,  so sit back and enjoy. 8-)

** First up, I had a request from a longtime reader, Syama.
She had a blog a year or so ago and was a regular commenter here under the Non De Plume of Free!,  but "life happened" and she had to shut her blog down and schooling kept her from being around the blogisphere.

She is facing a medical crisis now and reached out to me to help her publicize a site she has created in order to raise funds so she can go to MD Anderson in Houston TX for cancer treatment.  She needs to raise cash for plane tickets for her kids so their grandparents in CA can care for them while she is undergoing treatment.
If you think you are in a position to donate to her cause or can share the site somewhere else, go check out her page on this site HERE.

** Secondly, I received a note from someone named Heather.  I'm not sure if Heather is a regular reader or hit on my blog by chance, but she asked that I put a link to a site featuring a video she is the subject of on my blog.  In her own words she said, "My journey with cancer was a terrifying one and I'd like to turn my pain into purpose and become someone that other people can look to for guidance, inspiration, and hope in situations like my own."
She received a death sentence from a little known, deadly form of cancer and after intensive treatment is here 7 years later to give others hope.
Check it out HERE.

** Thirdly, I received an email from someone named Sage who has been reading my blog.  She says she has a website to help folks choose non-contract phone plans located HERE.  It looks like a legit informational site from what I can tell
Check her out.

** Fourth on the agenda, I was contacted by a longtime reader(unbeknownst to me)named Tina who started a blog 3 months ago HERE.
She requested that I put her on my blog roll. 
Now I am happy to oblige since her blog looks like something some of my readers would enjoy.   She's an artist, crafter, teacher, gardener, etc. etc. etc.

Let me say, it takes a certain amount of oh, how shall we say?...."balls" to ask to be put on someone's blog roll when you yourself do NOT have a blog roll(or page of links to others) to reciprocate a link back to that person's blog.
So for having "balls" Tina goes on the blog roll.
I like folks with "balls". ;-)


I am happy to encourage and share stories and other blogs on here so feel free to contact me if you would like me to post about you or your site.

And as always, if any of these folks have links and are selling something, I am not endorsing those efforts or sending you there to hand over your hard earned dollars.
I try to check out everything I am sent but I can't be held responsible for where you and what you see/do/go beyond these links.

Sluggy

 

The Boring Blog Box Giveaway Winner Revealed!

 

We had 45 valid entry comments over the coarse of 4 blog giveaway posts.  I used the highly scientific method of putting all the names onto slips of paper and drawing one from a basket.

I am here to tell you the results now.

 

 

Sonya Ann from A Mom, Money & More Blog.

Congratulations Sonya Ann!

Now if you will just email me your mailing address privately, I'll have this fine box of goodies on it's way to your house shortly.

Stay tune everyone else for another Box of Goodies to begin this Week!  Who knows?  You might snag the next box.....

And thanks to everyone for reading and playing along.  8-)

Sluggy

Just a Reminder....Giveaway Ends Tonight!

Don't forget to Enter the Giveaway.
Today is your last chance as it ends tonight at 11:59pm.
Use this link HERE or the one on the right side bar over there ----->

Sluggy
 

This Week On The Dining Table

 This reminds me, it's almost lunch time! woohoo!!

 

Here's what was planned last week--

Sunday--Leftovers(Quiche or Enchiladas)
Monday--Hot Dogs(on leftover buns)w/Chili or Burritos w/Chili
Tuesday--Chicken Salad Sandwiches, boxed veggie
Wednesday--Eating out after taking #2 to camp
Thursday--Mushroom Parmesan, Salad
Friday--Probably more leftovers
Saturday--Salmon, Coleslaw, boxed veggie

 

Everything was served as planned except for Fri. and Sat. meals were switched.

 

It was another big spend grocery week here with the addition of stopping at the grocery outlet on Saturday.  I also bought some food items at Big Lots the previous week and forgot to add those costs in to my spending.  I spent $167.64  on $298.93 worth of groceries at 3 stores last week(+ 1 from previous week).   So much for my "only spending $38 on food" last week, huh? lol
 

This means I have $140.69 left in my food budget for the rest of July(or $70+ change for each of the next 2 weeks).
I have a 43.56% savings rate at this point in the month.

 

Going into this week the leftovers that remain are-some chili, hot dog and burger rolls, small tortillas, a portion of salmon, cole slaw, chicken salad and some pepper strips that came out of the freezer. 

I also have a large quantity of mozzarella cheese that was in the freezer that needs to get used as it's taking up fridge space and won't last forever in there. 

I'll have some of the chicken salad for lunch today and the rest I'll feed to the dogs w/their dinner-no grapes in it so no worries.  We've had a lunch and a dinner using it and it's not going to be "fresh" beyond today so the pups will feel special tonight dining on human food.

 

(I've made bold the leftover items I've used in the menu below.)

 Here's this week's meal plan--
 

Sunday--Chicken Fajitas(using some tortillas and pepper strips)
Monday--BLTs, cole slaw
Tuesday--Chicken Sandwiches(using some hamburger rolls), corn, pickles
Wednesday--Lasagna(using some of the mozzarella cheese), Green Salad (Very small piece for me but a really big salad.)
Thursday--Pork Chops, Green Beans(from last Summer's garden), Roasted Potatoes or Mashed
Friday--homemade Pizza(using more of that mozzarella cheese), Green Salad (I'll have leftover something instead and a salad.)
Saturday--Leftovers

It's going to be a scorcher this week so I plan on running the oven Tue. and Fri. only.  I'll cook the lasagna on Tues. while I am cooking the chicken for sandwiches and on Wed. we can reheat the lasagna in the microwave oven.  The pork chops and potatoes on Thurs. will be grilled outside.  I might attempt grilling the pizza on Fri. instead of using the oven.  Wish me luck with that! lol

On the shopping list for these meals--Ricotta cheese, lettuces and turkey deli meat.  That's it.  I may pick up some OJ and fruit(maybe a cantaloupe)but we still have cherries, grapes and that watermelon I didn't slice up yet so we are good for now.  I'll be going to the farm stand next week so saving my food budget money for fresh local veggies at the end of July.

 

I'm figuring about $25 for the list above.  After last week, I need a low spending food week. 8-)

That's what's appearing on the kitchen table this week here at Chez Sluggy.

 What's getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Sluggy

Music Camp & Grocery Porn

So we went back to the teeny tiny town where #2 Son was attending music camp at, on Saturday.
Daughter attended college her freshman year in a town that she said was Podunk, PA.
I told her that the college town this camp was in was even smaller and so small in fact that if you blinked, you'd miss it. ;-)

Finding the theater building, where the concert was to be held, wasn't easy with the map we had. In addition, because of the ongoing construction, some roads were closed and NO ONE put any signs up to help direct us to the appropriate place.
But despite the powers-that-be's best efforts to thwart us, we found the venue.

A photo of the stage before they began.....

An amusing note here**

#2 Son is known far and wide for his forgetfulness when leaving the house.  He always has to make multiple trips back to his room before he leaves the house, as he is forever forgetting stuff.
We saw the camp kids file into the theater and take their seats down by the stage door....only we didn't see #2 Son among the crowd.
Hubs turned to me and without missing a beat said, "I bet he had to go back to his room for his flute."

Yep, we know our kid....

So here are the gratuitous photos of #2 Son with others playing their instruments.
They opened with Boismortier's Allegro in A Minor.  The person on the far right is the flute professor.

Here's a video of the piece being performed by others....

Then the flute choir did "Rockin' Roses" from "The Flute Garden" by Ricky Lombardo.

You will notice the ratio of girls to boys here(one of the guys pictured wasn't a student either).....

Here again, if you want to hear the music, is another group performing it...



There was also an oboe/bassoon camp going on....

And a clarinet camp as well....

The clarinets performed "Crazy Train" as one of their numbers. lol
Ayh, Ayh, Ayh......



*Not the Music Camp students.* lolz

And the 2 girls in the Clarinet Camp photo above on the right hand side were playing Bass Clarinets, which I have never seen before.
Basically this instrument looks like the illegitimate offspring of a clarinet and a saxophone if they had sex......



How about a little Lady Gaga on the Bassoon?



Here is a video of the flute professor's flute choir at the university performing.....




 #2 Son had a grand time and hopefully is jazzed to practice more frequently now.
He is lusting after the bass flute one of the girls had at this camp....

Keep dreaming kid.....at $4K this ain't happening!

We stopped to eat lunch just outside of town after the concert at Eddie's Restaurant....

I had the beer battered fish and chips special.
It was NOT very special is all I am going to say.....

Then we made one other stop before we arrived home.  We had passed something called the "Surplus Outlet" and I had meant to have Hubs stop on the way home from dropping #2 Son off at camp, but I forgot.
This trip I remembered to have Hubs stop after we got south of Williamsport.

I thought from the outside of the building it was sort of like Ollie's  but it was a Grocery Outlet. 

It's a cheap ass grocery store and it's Amish owned so closed on Sundays.
I told Hubs after we went down a couple of aisles that is was like shopping in my stockpile in the garage, because some of the stuff was past the "Sell by" dates. lolz

I did find some good deals however.

Crushed tomatoes for .59¢ a can.  These have a touch of salt in them but still ok for my RS diet.

Large cans of green chiles for .50¢ each.  These go for $2.49 at the local Weis PMITA Markets.

Containers of Equal(equivalent to a 5lb. bag of sugar)for $2.89.

And then there is my favorite find......

No Salt Heinz ketchup for $1.09 a bottle.....and it has a Dec. "sell by" date.
This stuff is $2.69 a bottle in the stores in my town and the cheapest place to get it is Wegman's for $2.29.
It was less than half that at this place!
5 bottles I picked up plus the 2 I had at home in the stockpile should last me awhile.

I picked up these as a treat for #2 Son.....

$1.50 a box.  Still pricey for my blood but more reasonable than they are at the Holidays.

And I bought myself these.....

$3.39 each
I don't know how much this stuff runs when you can get it at the Winter holidays but I know it's nowhere near that price.
Plus it's chocolate and nuts and it's low in sodium.
A heart health snack of sorts. ;-)

And then I couldn't resist this.  Just repeat "Precious, precious" in a Gollum voice in your head as you look at the photo.....

A case of Reese's PB Easter Eggs for $5.99
On sale at Rite-Aid as Easter time you can find these for about $2 for a 6 pack(reg. $3.99) which comes out to about .33¢ each.
I got 36 in my box so these are about .16¢ each.

I also picked up a nice watermelon for $2.99.  They had some deals on frozen foods and refrigerated things(like Heluva Good dips for .99¢)but we weren't equipped to cart that kind of stuff home in a hot car trunk.

Now I have to find a good cool place to hide these PB egss from #2 Son and not eat them all at one time myself.
It's tempting....lol

And looky here what I saw at the intersection ahead of us when we pulled out of the Surplus Outlet.....

Didn't know there were Amish this side of Williamsport.
Learn sumthin' new everyday, dontcha?

After the Surplus Outlet I read on this book until we got home......

It's one of the books Firstborn had to buy for some college class, that he cleared out of his old room when he was home.
It didn't even look like he opened the thing!
Anyway it's all about all the behind the scenes goings on and history of the development of Valley Forge area as a public park/historic preservation site.
Details all the shenanigans, in-fighting, back room deals, power struggles between individuals, groups, the state and the federal government to control this historic site.
Man, just shameful behavior by most but not surprising if you know anything about politics and human nature.
Read this and you will never think about your government or view a national park/site in the same naïve way again.

Between the crap in this book and the current culture in this country, me thinks we are all doomed......

I'll try to be a little less morose tomorrow, promise! ;-)

Sluggy

 

Sometimes......

....I wonder about my brain.

When we went to see #2 Son perform yesterday at the "End of Music Camp Concert", afterwards, #2 Son asked me if I had taken video of him playing his flute.
I said NO Silly!.....I have a camera that only takes photos.
It's an inexpensive little thing and it only takes still shots.

To which #2 Son said, "Um, no....you can take video with it."
Now how did he know this and I didn't??

Maybe it's because I NEVER READ THE MANUAL that came with said camera?
Might be......
8-(

So I hit some teeny tiny buttons on my camera this morning(Why do they make these buttons so dang blasted small anyway!?!?) and I found out yes, I CAN take video with my little camera!
Too bad I didn't find out in time to record #2 Son's concert performance for posterity.... 8-(

So here is what I did this morning to test out my video capabilities.
Remember, I am NOT a highly skilled videographer...... LOLZ

Sluggy