Hmmmmmmmm.....Interesting......

All I did to find out my stripper name was to type my name in this window and press a button.

It sounds a little like the name for a gun moll.

I think it fits me, because it rhymes with one of my body-parts: trick-knee...

Your Stripper Name is: Trixie

Get your own Stripper Name

Yummy!

Click on the following link and see where it takes you. There's no catch. You won't get kidnapped by aliens or roped into something you don't want to do (though I don't know if you can resist temptation, but don't blame me for that). Are you ready for the link?

Okay! Here we go...

Yummy!

Now, that didn't hurt too badly, did it? In fact, it was probably downright fun!

Some Thoughts On Stanley Tookie Williams And His Upcoming Big Funeral

The following was originally a post I put on a messageboard but I've decided to print it several other places in order to get its message spread around as much as possible...

 

I seem to recall the case of another kind of gang leader of sorts who might or might not have gotten his hands dirty in the actual killing of many people of all ages. However, he encouraged blood-letting and witnessed several executions.

He was, in fact, on his way to commit/oversee more hate crimes when he had a life-changing experience.

There were (as in the case of Tookie) some people who were skeptical that he'd changed, but, after much praying, they gave him a chance, anyway.

Paul proved himself and is known for his beautiful and encouraging letters to the early churches.

Ironically, he ended up getting executed--but by the people who liked him better the way he used to be and were getting rid of him because he wasn't their type anymore.

To this very day, Paul is considered to be a saint--even though he has said himself that he was the worst of sinners.

It's quite likely that Stephen--who was praying for the forgiveness of those stoning him to death--also gurgled at some point, and his executioners might have gotten a thrill out of that.

Or, maybe, his executioners were more like those who believe in the death penalty. They might have heard his gurgling and seen his blood spill but--while this gave them no personal thrill--thought that he deserved this so they weren't about to become bleeding hearts over this.

There's some doubt that Tookie killed those four people--or had anything to do with it. I believe that, in his changed state-of-mind, he would have owned up to it (even though there's the chance that he would have blocked it from his memory)--especially, if it meant escaping execution.

Whether he did or not, he still turned his life around and made it his mission to do everything in his power to discourage young people from joining gangs.

We remember that Paul oversaw a lot of executions of Christians and was on his way to kill even more Christians when he became a changed person through Jesus.

But this isn't what he's primarily remembered for. He's primarily remembered for letters of encouragement and for his leadership in the early church.

If someone told Stephen's family and friends that the sneering man at their loved one's stoning would even have Popes taking his name and wearing it with pride in the future, I wonder how they would have felt.

I wonder how they would have felt to know that an excerpt from his writings would often be read as part of the celebration of two lives being joined in marriage and that songs would even be written using his words as lyrics.

There would have, likely, been a mix of feelings among them.

However, if someone told this to Stephen, himself, his response would, no doubt, have been, "Praise Jesus!!!"

There is going to be a funeral service of great size and importance for Stanley Tookie Williams this week, and all kinds of celebrities are going to be there along with many everyday people as well.

Doesn't that seem to be a lot of fuss to be made over a criminal--which Tookie definitely was by the very fact that he was one of the two leaders of the Crips gang?

Yes! It's too much fuss to be made over a criminal.

But those who will be turning out for his funeral won't be celebrating the demonic life he lived in the past but, instead, the changes in his life and how he, like Paul, was so dedicated to bringing about that change in others!

It's my prayer that the legacy he'll leave behind is the continuation of getting out of the gang mentality and resolving our differences in loving ways.

May it speak to the people who think that street gangs are glorious.

May it speak to those (of any color) who join (or consider joining) groups promoting racism.

May it speak to those who see it heroic to fly into buildings full of innocent people or set off explosives in marketplaces, schools, daycare centers, and other places.

May it also speak to those who still believe that the death penalty is the answer to crime and get so busy in their obsession with promoting it that they overlook alternative options with successful outcomes that are springing up here and there like neglected orphans--programs that not only rehabilitate those who have already done the crime and are doing the time but, also, prevent people from choosing crime in the first place.

So--celebrities and non-celebrities alike--attend his funeral without shame if you're in the Los Angeles area. For those of us who are many miles away, attend his funeral in your hearts.

Become more like the Tookie whose life was snuffed out prematurely with our laws and tax dollars and less like the Tookie in a life he successfully put behind him!

A Thoughtful E-Mail Message I Received This Morning...

Feel free--in fact I encourage you to do this--to e-mail this to others...

READ THIS
LET IT REALLY SINK IN - THEN CHOOSE.

John is the kind of guy you love to hate.

He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say.

When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, "I don't get it!
You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

He replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood.
I choose to be in a good mood.

Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.

Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," he said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood.

You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."

I reflected on what he said.

Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business.

We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

I saw him about six months after the accident.

When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins...Wanna see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

"The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter," he replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

He continued, "..the paramedics were great.
They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said John. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied.

The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity'.

Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'"

He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude... I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34.

After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

You have two choices now:
01. Delete this.
02. Forward it to the people you care about.
You know the choice I made.

Pretty Accurate If You Ask Me...

Your Personality Profile

You are funky, outdoorsy, and down to earth. While you may not be a total hippie... You're definitely one of the most free spirited people around. You are very impulsive - every day is a new adventure. However, you do put some thought behind all your actions. Still, you do tend to shock and offend people from time to time!

The World's Shortest Personality Test

Trapped By The Pressure To Be A People-Pleaser

I follow the blog of an interesting and talented young lady who is a high school freshman.  Today, she wrote this entry in her blog (Open to read entire story when you get there).

In response, I'm going to leave some feedback for her along with this piece about Jennifer Wilbanks (Remember the runaway bride?).

One of my pet peeves is coming across yet another piece of writing that portrays Jennifer in some sort of Public Enemy #1 light.

A related pet peeve is the overuse of the adjective "selfish."

Yes, there are people whom I feel are selfish in a negative way--and one of the first people coming to mind when I think about an example of that is Michael Schiavo.

Another example are those who over-exercise the right of eminent domain while breaking the commandments of Thou Shalt Not Steal and Thou Shalt Not Covet.

But think of "selfish" being used in the following sentence:

You're just being selfish not to go out to dinner with me.

or

SURELY you can spend a few hours of your Christmas day visiting your lonely great aunt. Think of others for a change and quit being so selfish.

While going out to dinner with the person who invited you might be a nice thing to do--and, even more so, it would be nice to visit your lonely great aunt on Christmas--are you "selfish" for turning down invitations and family expectations?

Could be, because you're putting your own desires ahead of those of others.

But is that wrong?

Sometimes, it's not the best choice to make--but, other times, it is.

It would be better, I think, for the person being invited out to dinner to do something else with his/her friend instead (if the problem is not wanting to eat out--either not caring for eating out or else not being in the mood to eat out at that particular time) or else, if it's a case of timing not being right, to ask for a rain-check.

I believe that your great-aunt would be better off with a phone call or letter from you that comes from your heart rather than a visit that your heart isn't into.

Perhaps, instead of Christmas, you might want to choose a less hectic time to spend real quality time with your aunt.

The most important thing to remember is this:

The person who is trying to "guilt" you into doing something will be getting his/her way, if you cave in and put his/her wishes ahead of your own.  Therefore, that person is selfish in a much worse way because he/she manipulates you into making this happen.

Final thoughts:  It's wonderful to enjoy life with those special people in your life, so it's great to hit upon things that are mutually enjoyable and take place during a time when it's not a strain to go somewhere/do something.

I like this dialogue I read that's supposed to take place between a dating couple...

Man:  If you really loved me, you'd let me sleep with you.

Woman:  And if you really loved me, you'd respect my wishes not to sleep with anyone but the man who marries me.

This blog-entry was first posted in my Dreams Aren't Meant To Be Eaten Around!!! blog at Blogit.com (December 14, 2005 post).

If you are a subscriber to Blogit.com and are signed in, clicking on the following link will take you to the blog (though not the particular post). If not, it will take you to where you'll be seeing only a limited amount of the Blogit.com site unless you either make a move to sign in or subscribe.

Click Me!

Picture Of My Folks

A young pic of my folks taken back in the 1940s. 

Found a blog entry from one of my favorite writers that showed her folks at a young age, and this reminded me of the picture of my folks, so I wanted to share it with her.

Her dad passed away several years ago, and her mom has now followed, as of Thanksgiving. I still have my mom here with me on this side, but my dad crossed over Groundhog Day of 2004.

To see the blog, go here.

Someday, I'll share her beautiful novel with you...

Stanley Tookie Williams Has Been Executed...

I came across the post of this parent who said that his/her nine year old son was weeping quietly and wondered what to tell him. This is what I wrote in response:

What do you tell your son?

Tell him that there was a time when Tookie was a part of an angry group who believed they were doing the right thing but that he came to realize that his life was going in the wrong direction.

After he'd changed, he did all he could to discourage others from making the mistakes that he and other gang members have made, and many people are much better off because of this.

Tell him that Tookie was murdered this morning because there are angry people out there who think they're doing the right thing by continuing to carry out executions--even executing people who are no more deserving of being murdered than the convenience store clerk and the parents and daughter who ran the motel because they have somehow ended up wrongly convicted. I don't know whether or not this was the case with Tookie.

Perhaps someday (like Tookie) they will spread the word that they had been traveling down the wrong path. Some already have, because there are people who were once for the death penalty but now have turned completely around and speak out against it.

The most important thing to tell your son is that Tookie would NOT want for him to live the life that he did in his youth and the best tribute he can pay to him is to stay away from crime and gangs.

Stick To It--Schmick To It! Sheesh!

Remember how I was going to be in bed by one (according to my last post)?

For-GET-it!!!

eom

Think I'll Set My Bedtime Tonight For One--And Stick To It!!!

I'd thought I'd finally have a midnight bedtime tonight, but I think I'm going to change the target to one and, then, stick to my guns!

This will allow for me to have time for a small, healthy meal and to get, perhaps, a couple more pieces finished and posted before turning in.

Also, will give me some time to scan some pictures.

So many things to do and so little time...

Check out this bit of nonsense I wrote about a day ago: Click Me!.

Well, I need to call my mom and tell her goodnight. We've been celebrating my 53rd birthday today as best as we could with the weather the way that it is. Here's a picture of me taken on my first birthday...



Hopefully, it will show up as its supposed to.

Better close this now for sure so that I'll be ready to go to bed at one.

I wonder if the Governor changed his mind and decided to stay the execution of Stan Williams out in California. It would be really tragic if he didn't, because that sends out a message that I believe will make things worse instead of better...

I Think That This Is Pretty Accurate...

You Are the Helper

2 You always put on a happy face and try to help those around you. You're incredibly empathetic and care about everyone you know. Able to see the good in others, you're thoughtful, warm, and sincere. You connect with people who are charming and charismatic.

What number are you?

Cinderella WILL Leave The Ball!

I'm looking at the clock, and it's almost midnight.

There really isn't anything that I need to be doing online tonight, so it looks as if I'm finally going to actually shut off my computer before midnight and be in bed shortly afterwards.

Before I actually get ready for bed, I'm going to drink some juice, iced tea, and water. In the morning, I'll have apples and carrots for starters.

It's still very snowy around here, so I doubt if I'll be leaving the house until about the middle of the week. I think more snow is due to come in this weekend. As soon as it has all fallen, we'll hire someone to shovel us out.

My mom has found a picture that I'd been wanting to get my hands on, and she'll be bringing it to me as soon as it's safe to walk on my sidewalk. I can hardly wait!

Tomorrow, I'm going to be doing a Bible study online and finishing some pieces at Epinions.com that I have partially done but are in draft form. I might not do all of those but, at least, I'll do the shorter ones. Hope to be spending quite a bit of time at both Writing.com and Blogit.com. I'd been promising different people from each place that I'd be there for longer than it takes me to breeze in and out.

Well, I see it's time to shut off my computer, so I'd better post this, check my e-mail (one box of it) once more, and call it a night...

At Least, I'll Sleep Well...

I think that, from now on, I'm going to copy and paste all entries into here, because my mouse and keyboard have a tendency to become overwhelmed by this place for some reason.

However, this is short, so I'm just going to type it in.

Anyway, this is the morning after the night that I said I was going to be in bed by midnight. Before long, I'm going to be going to bed for a few hours--and putting my computer to bed for a few hours, as well.

Tonight, I WILL go to bed by midnight...or so I say now.

Anyway, I thought that this blog would look more impressive with more than one entry in it at this time, so I've decided to share this review I did of a children's book about a pig.

I'll probably write another something in here in a few hours, but this is all she wrote here for now...

Introducing: The Smiley-Face Blog Of Ainsley Jo Phillips!!!

Note: In case you're wondering, this isn't all there is to this blog. If you arrived here by clicking on a hyperlinked smiley-face, where you've landed is merely the introduction to this blog. You'll find an exit into the main body of the blog at the bottom of this page. If this is your first time here, however, you might want to go ahead and read through this. It isn't long...

What you're looking at below is a sig-block that will follow such things as all of my e-mail from at least one e-mail address and will even follow some of the comments I leave at different places. In those places, the smiley-face will be activated so that it will lead back to this blog.

Therefore, the contents of this blog will be--plain and simple--what I've promised to deliver to those who click on the live smiley-face!

Okay! Scroll down past the copy of my sig-block (copy without the smiley-face being hyperlinked, that is) to read more introductory details...

Ainsley Jo Phillips

a.k.a.

Ainsley Jo, AJ, Baby Bear

or

I'll answer to about anything if you're calling me to dinner
J

Click on my smiley-face to find out more about me

Because, in order to keep the body of this blog from looking too cluttered (wish it were this easy to unclutter my real-life environment), I've decided to show ten posts tops in the body, posts will quickly make their way into the archives and along the sidebar.

I think you won't find it too difficult to look up those blasts-from-the-past, should you want to.

However, I think that there are some things that should stay in the foreground, so I've included them in this introduction.

They're fixed to open into their own windows so that you don't have to leave this page to look at them:

Bible Gateway You never know when you'd like to look up some Scripture, and this wonderful CyberBible has it for you in several versions and languages--along with different ways to go about looking it up.

My profile here and a list of all of my public blogs at Blogger/Blogspot Take a look around and see if you don't find something you like. Some blogs are more active than other ones--and they also have a way of taking turns at being active in some cases, so you'll never know when you'll find some kind of action going on...

My profile page at Epinions.com This is not only one of my main, free-to-the-public hang-outs but it also has quite a lot of things to read and do on my profile page (including a guestbook to view and sign). But don't get so busy there that you forget to read my Epinions...

Amazon.com Homepage If you like to shop at Amazon.com, you might as well start from here so that I'll get something out of it, too. What I mean by that is that I'm one of their associates now, so any purchases you end up making will line my bank-account anywhere from a little to a lot...

My Domain Website One of my older websites but it still has a lot of useful information on it...

Baby Bear AJ's Work-In-Progress This is my online store at Cafepress.com, and it definitely is a work-in-progress, so keep revisiting it because you might find something new and special there for you--and, while there, visit some of the other stores, too. As long as you're still in the visit from this link, I'll get paid a percentage of sales made in other places...

I think I've given you a good enough interduction that it's now time to release you into the mainstream of this blog...

EXIT