You Say You Want A Revolution

As I went to bed last night I heard the calls for there were threats that live ammunition would be used on protesters today. I worried. Would this be the end of the protests? Would the fact that Iran's clerical government had the streets flooded with militia.

I woke this morning and the new reported that the streets were quiet. Apparently that was the quiet before the storm. Witnesses described fierce clashes after some 3,000 protesters, many wearing black, chanted "Death to the dictator!" and "Death to dictatorship!" near Revolution Square in downtown Tehran. Police fired tear gas, water cannons and guns but it was not clear if they were firing live ammunition.

Police beat protesters and fired tear gas and water cannons at thousands who rallied Saturday in open defiance of Iran's clerical government, sharply escalating the most serious internal conflict since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

We have heard reports that helicopters have dropped acid on the crowds. This has not been substantiated. We then heard that the water cannons had scalding water. There are reports that the police are arresting people who show up to hospitals for treatment. At one point on twitter I heard that protesters were throwing sand onto the streets to make it difficult for the soldiers motorcycles to drive.

The whole situation is just so very fluid and it's caught the attention of the world. If it were not for technology, things like cell phones, twitter, youtube, facebook, and myspace might not this uprising have been quelled with mass killings and government denials. This is a country that is not above murdering their own people.

What will happen? I don't know. Will the protests continue or will they be put down violently? What will America do? Will we stand idly by? Will we go into the country with covert operatives? I am praying for these people. Praying for the men and women who long for change from an oppressive government.

Hello It's Me

Let me start by reminding everyone that all I am not one of these cellphonegluedtoyourhead kind of gals. I grew up in the age of phones that hung on the wall which you dialed to get in touch with anyone. I often forget to turn my phone call on for days and if I do I might be just as likely to leave the darn thing on forgetting that it's still on.

This morning I checked my phone to see if anyone had called. When I turned my phone on there was a new voicemail message. Being a sweeper, my fingers are always crossed hoping that it is a message about a win.

Even better than a win, I received the following message, "Hello Mom. This is your FAVORITE son. You would think you would answer the phone when your favorite son is standing in the airport in Atlanta." As I told you, my boys often identify themselves with the phrase, "your favorite son." I get a big kick out of it. they sound a little a like so it sometimes takes me a few minutes to identify which son is calling.

Then I realized, it's MIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mike is on leave from Iraq for a couple of weeks. He called to let me know that he arrived safe and sound and that he was headed to Huntsville to see his girlfriend. I tried calling back but I got some guy on the phone that I didn't know. He wound up calling me later and I missed that call too because I was outside watering our vegetable garden and pulling some weeds.

This time I saw a different number and was able to speak with him. I'm so glad he's home and I can't wait to see him. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was a bit jealous that he rushed over to see his girl first but then I remember being young and crazy in love once so I guess I can forgive him.

Not much in the way of traffic for ThriftyMaven today. I had lots of stuff on there today. I also have a contest going on. We are giving away a poster. Yippeeee!!!!!! I get a free poster myself so we'll see how that goes.

Other than that Darryl and I watched Dallas Season 8 and then worked some more outside. I was still having some tummy trouble today but I finally felt better by the afternoon.

Yesterday Darryl and I used a coupon for buy one get one free at Ruby Tuesdays. I have always loved their salad bar. It is soooooo good. The problem was I couldn't eat my dinner after I ate so much of the salad bar. I took my lunch home and put it in the fridge for today. I ate it for lunch today.

Here are the blog contests I entered today:

Prize: $100 HP gift card.

Prize: JVC Everio GZ-MG 630 camcorder (ARV $429.95).

Prize: Casio Digital Camera (ARV $249.99).

Live From Mosul It's Michael

It was incredibly wonderful to hear from Michael today. He called today and it was thrilling to hear his voice. He said he's doing OK and I hope he really is. He told me that this is still considered front lines but he assured me over and over that he's pretty safe.

Today began a very important week for us at school. It's testing week. Our Juniors have been encouraged to try to pass all their tests with a score of 516. This score is actually above and beyond on almost all of our state tests but we've had lots of students who were able to do this in previous years. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will be the case this year.

I feel so very much better today. I guess I just needed some sleep and some Nyquil. Darryl said that there is still no word from these people about my webpage additions. I'm hoping I hear soon or I will have to change the rules before I launch the contest. I really can hardly wait to announce the contest. I want it to be successful. I received my sample today.

Here are the blog contests I entered today:

Win an 8" HP Digital Picture Frame, day two's listing for Mommas March Mania at MommasReview.com.

Prize: Copy of The Human Body: 25 Fantastic Projects Illuminate How the Body Works by Kathleen M. Reilly.

Prize: Kung Fu Panda DVD (ARV $19.99).

Prizes (3): Banana Nut Cheerios free product coupon, banana tree with fruit basket, bread loaf pan and two cereal bowls.

gift basket includes a nutrition journal, water bottle, pedometer with calorie counter, and a kitchen scale.

Mike Made It To Mosul In One Piece

Mike emailed me to tell me that he made it to Mosul in one piece. I'm thankful. I worried about him being transported because of IED's.

last night was pretty rough for me. I'm still sick with all this new carpet smell. I was up and down all night long. At one point I turned on my computer to write Michael and that's when I saw this crazy news story. It involved a solider stationed at Ft Eustis where Michael was stationed.

A soldier dressed and wearing face-paint like Batman villain The Joker was shot and killed by police in the Shenandoah National Park after he pointed a loaded shotgun at them after a chase, an FBI affidavit says.

Army Spc. Christopher Lanum, a suspect in the stabbing of a fellow soldier at Fort Eustis, was killed hours after the attack when officers attempted to stop the minivan he was driving, according to court documents filed Wednesday that first disclosed the weekend shooting.

Lanum's girlfriend Patsy Ann Marie Montowski, a passenger in the van, was hit by gunfire and treated at a hospital. She was arrested Wednesday evening and charged with being accessory after the fact to assault, authorities said.

Joker outfit at the time of an argument early Sunday with his Fort Eustis suite mate, Spc. Mitchell Stone. Montowski told the FBI that Lanum idolized the character.

Stone told emergency workers that Lanum stabbed him and used a stun gun on him, authorities said, adding he was taken to a hospital for serious injuries and later released.

Stone told emergency workers that Lanum stabbed him and used a stun gun on him, the affidavit said. Stone was taken to a hospital for serious injuries and later released.

Lanum and Montowski fled in her van, which a park ranger spotted about 200 miles northwest of the base, according to authorities. The ranger called for help, and Lanum led police on a slow-speed chase before running over a spike strip laid down by police and crashing, they added.

The FBI said Montowski told them that Lanum handed her the shotgun and asked her to kill him, but she refused. The affidavit says Lanum pointed the gun at police, his finger on the trigger, and refused commands to drop the weapon. A trooper fired through the driver's side window, Lanum's shotgun discharged, and police fired several times.

Michael didn't know anything about it.

Today was teacher work day. Thank God because, as I said earlier I was miserable I was able to bunker down in my classroom most of the day. Next week is testing and the week after is spring break.

Darryl might have a job interview. He received a couple of calls from different recruiters. Keep your fingers crossed. One of the jobs would be back up in Virginia. Darryl thinks it's Northrup Grumman. Wow. That would be cool. I won't get too excited though. So far things haven't played out too well.

Blog contest:

Prize: Green Toys Cookware and Dining Set made from recycled milk jugs.

Prize: Gorilla onesie in size 3-6 months (ARV $30).

Prize: $50 Petit gift certificate.

Prize: Bottle of Nature's Source Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner.

Prize: Dress-up costume in choice of style and size from Sugarplum Dreams.

Prize: Copies of I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak and How Do I Love You? by Marion Dane Bauer.

Prize: Pair of See Kai Run shoes.

Prize: $40 Gift Certificate to Cottonseed Clothing.

Prize: Itsy Bitsy Hearts onesie or tee.

First Prize: Twilight prize pack (ARV $150)
Second Prize: $25 Twilight Walmart gift card.

Prize: Combo blu-ray and dvd package of Pinocchio's 70th Anniversary Platinum edition from Walt Disney.

First Prize: Twilight prize pack (ARV $150).
Second Prize: $25 Twilight Walmart gift card.

Prize: Rachel Getting Married DVD.

Prize: Bumbleride 2008 Flyer stroller (ARV $359.99).

Prize: 6-month supply of Pampers diapers, 3-month supply of Pampers wipes, five One-Pack = One Vaccine bodysuits, and One Pack = One Vaccine bear with branded bodysuit.

Prize: New Native Inc. baby carrier.

One Of My Students Won Today

I'm getting ready to teach my students about advertising. Monday I will discuss premiums. Tuesday I will cover contest, and Wednesday I will cover sweepstakes. The kids have been bugging to learn this stuff for weeks. One of my students was friends with a boy who had me last year. He knew about Blingo from him. He asked me if I'd won from the lately. You see I had won a portable DVD player from them. The kids were all over it wanting to know about how to register. I told them to wait until Wednesday. Of course the one student told the other who then registered for Blingo. He did a Blingo search today at the beginning of class today and BAM he won $100. They gave him a choice between $100 Walmart Card or a $100 in cash. He picked cash.

So if you haven't signed up for BLINGO let me tell you how easy it is to do. First let me invite you to be my BLINGO friend:



Once you sign up, everything else is really easy. Once you've registered simply search. If you search at the right time you can WIN. Each search (up to 25 per day) is a chance to win great prizes instantly. To date Blingo has given away 92,649 prizes, and new prizes are announced on the site every day! They've given away lots of prizes every day. 92,649 to date!

I had hoped that package at the post office was my IPod but it wasn't. It was the Valentine Cards and wouldn't you know they came postage due. The envelope was huge so who wouldn't know you needed more postage? Oh well.

My son Michael just called. He will be leaving for Iraq on Monday. I knew this day would come and now it's here. I feel so incredibly sad. He says he will be gone a year. He says he will be safe but saying and being can be two things.

Here are some blog contests I entered:

Enter to win a gift basket with a hard copy of the kids book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" and 3 different flavors of homemade cookies!

Prize: Autographed Soul CD.

Prizes (2): Breaking Bad: The Complete First Season DVD and t-shirt

Prize: He’s Just Not That Into You soundtrack CD and hoodie.

Prize: Copy of The Penguin That Hated The Cold by Barbara Brenner.

Prizes (2): Mary Poppins 45th Anniversary Edition DVD.

Prize: Pair of eyeglasses from EyeBuyDirect.com.

Prize: Winner's choice of Cowboy or Cowgirl shirt from Chew Chews closet.

Prize: Organic cotton t-shirt from The Green Path Company.

Prizes (4): Breaking Bad Season One DVD.

Prize: Beverly Hills Chihuahua DVD.

Ker-bang

What a busy day. First things first. The school board actually sent over their head guy to look at my outlet. Technology and the electricians are going to work at getting it fixed. I'm thrilled. An added bonus was that I finally had my bulletin board hung up. It took seven years to finally get them to hang it but they did and I'm just thrilled.

I'm not feeling especially well tonight. They are painting the walls at the school and it's making me sick. So I'm going to keep this short and sweet.

On the positive side, and I do need a positive side after today, the past two days have brought back former students of mine. Three different girls stopped by to see me and it was interesting to say the least. One of them, an itty bitty girl who was pregnant the year I taught her, stopped by school to pick up one of her relatives. The funny thing was that I just thought about her about three days ago. I thought that was interesting because it reminded me of that test I did with the Secret, think about someone and the Universe will conspire to bring you news about that person. I had simply wondered about how she was doing and there she was, three days later. Turns out she now has three kids and is a CNA. I told her I was very proud of her. She told me that she missed my class and that when she sees the show Ellen she thinks of me. "Why?" I asked. Well you're both silly.

Another former student came by yesterday to pick up one of her relatives and she ran up to me, "Ms Cope, Ms. Cope, do you remember me?" Of course I did. Turns out she's married now and living in Texas. Her husband is in the military. She's up her visiting for a few weeks and her husband is stationed in Iraq right now.

Yet another former student was picking up a former student and she held her arms out and said "Ms Cope. Hey girl" I hugged her and she told me that she finished a semester at West Georgia University but took some time off because her mother is having health problems.

It was so great to see former students and know that I made a difference to them. What didn't make me happy today was one kid giving me crap about taking up his phone. The rule is no phone yet they all feel they must have their ipod and or their phone out constantly. He wanted to argue with me about the school policy. Another student told her parent an untruth because she was upset at me because I got after her for not paying attention in class. Her parent called my principal and he emailed me and told me to call the mother. I hate that. I just hate it. I did try to call the mother several times but was unable to get in touch with her. I gave the girl my number and told her to give it to her mother.

We're still watching two episodes of Dallas a night. Who would have thought I would learn a word by watching the show.

Cussedness

Cuss"ed*ness\, n. [Cussed (for cursed) + -ness.] Disposition to willful wrongdoing; malignity; perversity; cantankerousness; obstinacy. [Slang or Colloq., U. S.]

I did get to enter a few blog contests.

Enter to win an electronic grocery list maker!

One person will win a free email tarot card reading by Rhiannon

Prizes (3): Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Chipettes DVD

Prizes (2): Oliver and Company 20th Anniversary Edition DVD.

Prize: Motorola ZN5 camera phone

Prize: 8GB Cowon S9 portable media player

Share the Magic of Giving

I consider myself a compassionate person. When my sons were younger I was usually the Mom who assumed the role of class Mom and I was a Cub Scout den mother. I felt it was important to teach these boys the value of volunteering so we visited nursing homes, adopted a highway, and adopted families for the holidays.

My youngest son is now in the Army and getting ready to leave for Iraq. Over the past several years I’ve had students leave for the same destination. It is for this reason I have been involved with the Adopt a Soldier Program. We send a goodie box to soldiers once a month as well as cards and letters.

I have also contributed about 50 diabetes meters to a local church which serves many of our public housing students. Amazingly more children now than ever before have developed Type II Diabetes. It is important that we find a cure to this devastating and sometimes preventable illness.

This year I helped serve Thanksgiving meals to shut ins are part of our church’s ministry. The human contact during these visits are just as important as the sustenance itself.

As an FBLA sponsor my students are involved with the can-a-thon. These days many people are making difficult choices about what bills to pay and how to buy groceries. I think it’s important that my students learn by example the importance of giving back.

Trust me I know times are tough. I’m living that right now. My husband was laid off from his job just two weeks ago. Still you can do something, no matter how small, for others. The rewards are incalculable. Volunteerism and community spirit should be something we think of not only during the holidays but all year round.