Michael Buble-Everything
I got a 100 on my Foxtrot Ballroom dance skills test. :)
This is the song our class danced to.
Also, Billy Joel's Lyrics are stuck in my head:
What's the matter with the clothes I'm wearing?
Can't you tell that your tie's too wide?
Maybe I should buy some old tab collars?
Welcome back to the age of jive.
Where have you been hidin' out lately, honey?
You can't dress trashy till you spend a lot of money.
Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new sound
Funny, but it's still rock and roll to me
What's the matter with the car I'm driving?
Can't you tell that it's out of style?
Should I get a set of white wall tires?
Are you gonna cruise the miracle mile?
Nowadays you can't be too sentimental
Your best bet's a true baby blue Continental.
Hot funk, cool punk, even if it's old junk
It's still rock and roll to me.
Oh, it doesn't matter what they say in the papers
'Cause it's always been the same old scene.
There's a new band in town
But you can't get the sound from a story in a magazine...
Aimed at your average teen
How about a pair of pink sidewinders
And a bright orange pair of pants?
You could really be a Beau Brummell baby
If you just give it half a chance.
Don't waste your money on a new set of speakers,
You get more mileage from a cheap pair of sneakers.
Next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways
It's still rock and roll to me
What's the matter with the crowd I'm seeing?
Don't you know that they're out of touch?
Should I try to be a straight 'A' student?
If you are then you think too much.
Don't you know about the new fashion honey?
All you need are looks and a whole lotta money.
It's the next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways
It's still rock & roll to me.
Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new sound
Funny, but it's still rock and roll to me
Now, I am going to be a bad student (after all, if I try to be a straight A student, I just think too much) and I'm going to go make fuzzy navels (but mix it up with vanilla vodka b/c we're out of regular) with my roommate! And we're going to be silly.
After all, Wednesday's are the new Thursday's which is the college kids Friday!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Senatory Kay Bailey Hutchison's response to my e-mail on health care reform:
Preface: I occasionally write to my senator's in congress telling them my view points, so they can stay in touch with their constituents. I recently wrote to the Texas senator's on the health care issue that is currently being debated, and this is Kay Bailey Hutchison's response. (just in case anyone else wants to see her view point on this issue.)
Dear Friend:
Thank you for contacting me about health care reform legislation. I welcome your thoughts and comments.
Texans are particularly aware of the dire need for reform. Our state has 6 million uninsured residents, the highest percentage of uninsured in the nation. This number poses a huge challenge for our health care workers, hospitals, taxpayers, and many working individuals and families that cannot afford the health care coverage they need. In fact, Families USA reported that in 2005, health insurance premiums for Texas families with insurance included an extra $1,551 due to the cost of care for the uninsured. We must take care not to undermine what should be the foundation of health care in America – patient choice, affordable coverage, and the highest quality of care.
At this time, several bills are being considered by Congress that would make dramatic changes to your ability to access medical services and obtain health insurance. I do not serve on either of the Senate committees that have jurisdiction over health care reform legislation. One of the most troublesome aspects of the legislation being considered is the massive government expansion it would enact. I strongly oppose a government-run option and believe current government-managed programs such as Medicare and Medicaid make a case against this proposal. Billions of taxpayer dollars are wasted on fraud and abuse in Medicare every year, and the program will be insolvent by 2017. Furthermore, 40 percent of physicians turn away Medicaid patients because the system is poorly administered, resulting in reduced choices and access to care for beneficiaries. I believe a government-run option will inevitably lead to a single-payer system in which private insurance providers are crowded out of the market and care is rationed to Americans. I would not want my family to be covered by this government plan, and therefore I do not find it acceptable for other American families and individuals.
After hearing from constituents over the last several months, some members of Congress have now learned that using the term “government plan” elicits a strong negative response from voters, so they have now latched onto a new way to describe the same thing: a co-op. Texans should not be confused by this new packaging of the same idea. The co-op is a back door to a government takeover of our health care. The co-op would be started with federal funds, and it remains unclear whether taxpayer dollars would be used if the co-ops began to fail. The Administration has tried to bail out the banking, housing, and auto industry; would these co-ops be next?
Furthermore, I am worried about the effect these health care proposals will have on small businesses and individuals during an economic downturn. Employers may have to pay a tax penalty despite the fact they already offer insurance to their employees, and the most recent proposal from the Senate includes a tax of up to $3,800 a year for those individuals who do not purchase health insurance, something the President opposed when he was campaigning for office.
The large proposed cuts of federal reimbursements to hospitals are also of particular concern. Hospitals are required to provide millions of dollars in uncompensated care to uninsured residents. Our rural hospitals, which serve a low number of patients, operate with little to no profit margin. Reducing these hospitals’ badly needed federal reimbursements could result in reduced services, or even worse, the closure of entire facilities. Additionally, to keep their doors open, hospitals may be forced to pass these cuts to patients with private insurance, resulting in even higher premiums and driving up health care costs further in Texas.
The proposals being put forward will reduce patient choices, drive insurance companies out of business and have minimal impact on the uninsured population. Further, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has repeatedly stated that both House and Senate bills will not bend the curve on cost growth over the long term.
Reform must provide an opportunity for everyone who wants health insurance to obtain it. The insurance market must be one in which competition is encouraged between insurance providers based on transparency and value, making health insurance a buyer’s market in which patients have affordable choices and know what plans cost and offer. I am a cosponsor of the Health Care Freedom Plan that would provide a $2,000 voucher for individuals and $5,000 voucher for families to purchase health insurance on the private market. Increasing the number of insured will increase competition in the market place and bring down costs. This bill ensures individuals receive the same tax benefits that businesses receive for health insurance coverage, allows individuals to keep their insurance policy, and lets them keep the doctors they trust even if they change jobs. By enacting these reforms, and by simultaneously containing skyrocketing costs through payment reform, prevention initiatives, and the provision of adequate care for those with chronic conditions, we could achieve quality health care reform.
You are among thousands of concerned Texans who have written to express their views on this topic. As the debate on health care reform continues, I encourage you to express your concerns to members of Congress, particularly those who have not publicly taken a stance on the dangerous consequences of the proposals put forth. You may be assured that as health care reform legislation comes for consideration before the full Senate, I will keep your views in mind.
I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope that you will contact me on any issue that is important to you.
Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
Dear Friend:
Thank you for contacting me about health care reform legislation. I welcome your thoughts and comments.
Texans are particularly aware of the dire need for reform. Our state has 6 million uninsured residents, the highest percentage of uninsured in the nation. This number poses a huge challenge for our health care workers, hospitals, taxpayers, and many working individuals and families that cannot afford the health care coverage they need. In fact, Families USA reported that in 2005, health insurance premiums for Texas families with insurance included an extra $1,551 due to the cost of care for the uninsured. We must take care not to undermine what should be the foundation of health care in America – patient choice, affordable coverage, and the highest quality of care.
At this time, several bills are being considered by Congress that would make dramatic changes to your ability to access medical services and obtain health insurance. I do not serve on either of the Senate committees that have jurisdiction over health care reform legislation. One of the most troublesome aspects of the legislation being considered is the massive government expansion it would enact. I strongly oppose a government-run option and believe current government-managed programs such as Medicare and Medicaid make a case against this proposal. Billions of taxpayer dollars are wasted on fraud and abuse in Medicare every year, and the program will be insolvent by 2017. Furthermore, 40 percent of physicians turn away Medicaid patients because the system is poorly administered, resulting in reduced choices and access to care for beneficiaries. I believe a government-run option will inevitably lead to a single-payer system in which private insurance providers are crowded out of the market and care is rationed to Americans. I would not want my family to be covered by this government plan, and therefore I do not find it acceptable for other American families and individuals.
After hearing from constituents over the last several months, some members of Congress have now learned that using the term “government plan” elicits a strong negative response from voters, so they have now latched onto a new way to describe the same thing: a co-op. Texans should not be confused by this new packaging of the same idea. The co-op is a back door to a government takeover of our health care. The co-op would be started with federal funds, and it remains unclear whether taxpayer dollars would be used if the co-ops began to fail. The Administration has tried to bail out the banking, housing, and auto industry; would these co-ops be next?
Furthermore, I am worried about the effect these health care proposals will have on small businesses and individuals during an economic downturn. Employers may have to pay a tax penalty despite the fact they already offer insurance to their employees, and the most recent proposal from the Senate includes a tax of up to $3,800 a year for those individuals who do not purchase health insurance, something the President opposed when he was campaigning for office.
The large proposed cuts of federal reimbursements to hospitals are also of particular concern. Hospitals are required to provide millions of dollars in uncompensated care to uninsured residents. Our rural hospitals, which serve a low number of patients, operate with little to no profit margin. Reducing these hospitals’ badly needed federal reimbursements could result in reduced services, or even worse, the closure of entire facilities. Additionally, to keep their doors open, hospitals may be forced to pass these cuts to patients with private insurance, resulting in even higher premiums and driving up health care costs further in Texas.
The proposals being put forward will reduce patient choices, drive insurance companies out of business and have minimal impact on the uninsured population. Further, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has repeatedly stated that both House and Senate bills will not bend the curve on cost growth over the long term.
Reform must provide an opportunity for everyone who wants health insurance to obtain it. The insurance market must be one in which competition is encouraged between insurance providers based on transparency and value, making health insurance a buyer’s market in which patients have affordable choices and know what plans cost and offer. I am a cosponsor of the Health Care Freedom Plan that would provide a $2,000 voucher for individuals and $5,000 voucher for families to purchase health insurance on the private market. Increasing the number of insured will increase competition in the market place and bring down costs. This bill ensures individuals receive the same tax benefits that businesses receive for health insurance coverage, allows individuals to keep their insurance policy, and lets them keep the doctors they trust even if they change jobs. By enacting these reforms, and by simultaneously containing skyrocketing costs through payment reform, prevention initiatives, and the provision of adequate care for those with chronic conditions, we could achieve quality health care reform.
You are among thousands of concerned Texans who have written to express their views on this topic. As the debate on health care reform continues, I encourage you to express your concerns to members of Congress, particularly those who have not publicly taken a stance on the dangerous consequences of the proposals put forth. You may be assured that as health care reform legislation comes for consideration before the full Senate, I will keep your views in mind.
I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope that you will contact me on any issue that is important to you.
Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
Monday, September 21, 2009
5
5 Things I can do:
5. Computer program (I even tutor students in html...my life for the past few weeks).
4. Dance
3. Receive Communion in the Catholic church
2. Wiggle my eyebrows independently of one another...
1. Cook a meal without a recipe
5 Favorite Place I have been:
5. Monterrey, Mexico
4. Brussels, Belgium
3. Munich, Germany
2. Innsbruck, Austria
1. Panama City, FL
5 Things to look forward to:
5. Going to China October 17th!
4. ACL October 2nd! (and seeing Christine!)
3. Going to NYC over Christmas break!
2. Graduation
1. Possible trips: Graduation trip, Las Vegas, Mardi Gras!
5 things I am NOT looking forward to:
5. The ENTIRE month of October
4. Graduation and starting the real world
3. Tests and the massive amount of group work and homework to complete
2. Any one of the possible trips falling through
1. Texas A&M losing horrendously in football (I like Aggie football-went to the Alamo bowl 2 years ago even, I just dislike that my dad can say that Aggies don't have a football team, and I really can't say anything to defend it).
5 Things I get joy from:
5. Giving people gifts
4. Hanging out with friends
3. Making A's (and yes, occasionally studying)
2. Receiving texts/postcards/letters from friends
1. Helping others
5 Random Things about me:
5. I have Hard Rock shirts from everywhere and I have not bought one. (Stockholm, Malaysia, Lake Tahoe, Germany, London, etc.)
4. I have been skydiving.
3. I tutor student athletes, however my last day is Friday!
2. My roommate and I are entirely too close and I steal all her sun chips.
1. I am left-handed
5. Computer program (I even tutor students in html...my life for the past few weeks).
4. Dance
3. Receive Communion in the Catholic church
2. Wiggle my eyebrows independently of one another...
1. Cook a meal without a recipe
5 Favorite Place I have been:
5. Monterrey, Mexico
4. Brussels, Belgium
3. Munich, Germany
2. Innsbruck, Austria
1. Panama City, FL
5 Things to look forward to:
5. Going to China October 17th!
4. ACL October 2nd! (and seeing Christine!)
3. Going to NYC over Christmas break!
2. Graduation
1. Possible trips: Graduation trip, Las Vegas, Mardi Gras!
5 things I am NOT looking forward to:
5. The ENTIRE month of October
4. Graduation and starting the real world
3. Tests and the massive amount of group work and homework to complete
2. Any one of the possible trips falling through
1. Texas A&M losing horrendously in football (I like Aggie football-went to the Alamo bowl 2 years ago even, I just dislike that my dad can say that Aggies don't have a football team, and I really can't say anything to defend it).
5 Things I get joy from:
5. Giving people gifts
4. Hanging out with friends
3. Making A's (and yes, occasionally studying)
2. Receiving texts/postcards/letters from friends
1. Helping others
5 Random Things about me:
5. I have Hard Rock shirts from everywhere and I have not bought one. (Stockholm, Malaysia, Lake Tahoe, Germany, London, etc.)
4. I have been skydiving.
3. I tutor student athletes, however my last day is Friday!
2. My roommate and I are entirely too close and I steal all her sun chips.
1. I am left-handed
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Obama to come to Texas A&M- Oct. 16, 2009
Something that surprised me when I heard about it: Obama will be gracing Texas A&M October 16th at the George Bush Presidential Library to hold a presidential forum on community service.
I am surprised Obama is coming to A&M, because, it is of course (according to USA Today) the #1 Conservative school. But, it is also ranked really high (I think it's been #1 before but I don't remember where I saw it) for high rates of volunteerism.
From what the article states, George H. started a US Volunteer initiative and an organization to promote it, and as we've seen, Obama stands for volunteerism and community service as well.
I actually feel quite a bit of respect for Obama and George H. Bush for holding this forum and especially for Obama coming to Texas A&M when I'm sure they could have decided to hold this in Washington DC or a number of other places.
Kudos
I am surprised Obama is coming to A&M, because, it is of course (according to USA Today) the #1 Conservative school. But, it is also ranked really high (I think it's been #1 before but I don't remember where I saw it) for high rates of volunteerism.
From what the article states, George H. started a US Volunteer initiative and an organization to promote it, and as we've seen, Obama stands for volunteerism and community service as well.
I actually feel quite a bit of respect for Obama and George H. Bush for holding this forum and especially for Obama coming to Texas A&M when I'm sure they could have decided to hold this in Washington DC or a number of other places.
Kudos
Sunday, September 13, 2009
aTx = debauchery
I feel compelled to write about this city, because last week Christine wrote a pleasant note about C.S. First things, first.
1. Baby Acapulco's Purple Margaritas
I should have eaten more food and should not have attempted this after all the rum and cokes, so this is not entirely Baby A's fault. But everclear, really? I'm also surprised I recovered so quickly and relatively painlessly from that. Also, I'm glad I wasn't driving. Although, maybe I shouldn't be glad Christine was....
2. 6th Street
The infamous 6th Street. Definitely more bars than Northgate and just as crowded. I was pleasantly surprised that the first night, beers were only $1, and the first place we went on Saturday, we were given free drinks by Kim's friend. Pays to know the bartender. ;) Wish I had tipped him more. I was disappointed by the lack of service at the 2nd place we went...we literally stood staring at a guy behind the bar for a good 7 minutes before someone else came and helped us. Also something to note, the first night, we also definitely saw a man walking with a full size blow-up doll down the street.
A lot more debauchery I will refrain from writing about on this ever so public blog....so you will just have to wonder.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Perhaps I will go to Austin (or perhaps not?)
Things I feel compelled to write about but really don't want to.
1. My job offer...
2. Lessons Learned from School
3. Kolaches
4. China
5. Stress
1. My job offer...
2. Lessons Learned from School
3. Kolaches
4. China
5. Stress
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