Can you see auras?

My neighbor says she has a friend who can. Of course, there is no evidence that she really can, so it could just be delusional thinking. I suspect it is because she doesn't always get it right.

Casdok had this little quiz on her blog, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Your Aura is Violet

Idealistic and thoughtful, you have the mind and ideas to change the world. And you have the charisma of a great leader, even if you don't always use it! The purpose of your life: saying truths that other people dare not say Famous purples include: Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Susan B. Anthony Careers for you to try: Political Activist, Inventor, Life Coach

What Color Is Your Aura?

Caught in the Speed Trap

I got stopped for speeding this morning. I was speeding. I was supposed to be driving 55, but I was going 65, and there was a state police officer in wait. A soon as I saw him, I knew I'd been had.

It was really stupid too. I set the cruise control on 79 (I know it should be 75, but they usually don't waste their time on anything under 6 miles over), and I keep it there for the whole drive. After the Chubbuck exit it changes to 65, so I cruise that speed until I get to the SLC exit. The freeway is under construction past the Clark street exit, but the speed limit changes to 55 right at the exit, and I knew that. It had been such an easy drive this morning, and I really wasn't trying to speed. I wasn't late. As a matter of fact, I was earlier than I thought I would be. There wasn't much traffic and I wasn't paying attention to how fast I was going.

So I got pulled over. It took me forever to find my registration in my car pouch. I have so many maintenance receipts. I finally found it in the most obvious place, the insurance pouch. I gave it to the officer, he went back to his car, and I waited for him to write the ticket. In no time at all he was back. Wanted to know how many days I drive all the way to ISU from Twin, I told him the two days, and he handed my license and registration back to me. He said that the speed limit was 55 and that I should be more aware of my speed. No ticket! NO TICKET! I looked him in the eye and thanked him. I was ready to get my punisher, but no! It was a negative reinforcer that I intend to pay great attention to.

How silly is it to follow the rules for 130 miles, then the last two blow it for nothing? I will definitely be paying more attention from now on!

He was kind of cute. He thought the smell of styrofoam was strong in my car. I had some styrofoam shapes that I took to drawing class. I couldn't even smell it. I still can't believe he didn't give me a ticket. that was so nice.

P.S. My art teacher doesn't hate my work so much after all. my midterm grade is an A.

Justice at Work

We went to Terry Dale Devereaux's sentencing today. His mother was there, and immediately went to work on intimidating Zach. I told her to leave him alone. Then I got to say some things to the judge, something like since Zach and Terry were in school, Zach has always been his friend. When Terry was getting out of Juvenile detention, it was Zach he looked up to be his friend, and turned it against Zach. I said he immediately started "grooming" his victim, turned our lives upside down over the past 10 months, and almost killed Zach in the process. I told the judge about the cat scans and the night at the ER. I told him that I agreed with the state that Terry needed help. What he did to Zach showed just how malicious he could be. I said I think he should pay for what he did to Zach, but that society needs to be protected from him as well. That Terry's criminal career wasn't over, by any means.

I left out the part about Terry showing how little regard he had for life. I really wanted to say that, but I forgot when the time came.

So here it is: 8 years, 4 years fixed, sentence set aside upon successful completion of the program at Cottonwood. It is called a retained jurisdiction commitment. I guess he has to spend six months in therapy to be recondition to be a productive member of society. If he does complete the program successfully, he will be set free on probation, but will serve the full term if he does anything illegal while on probation. If he doesn't complete the program successfully, he serves the 4 years fixed.

It's ok, if the re-programming works. Although, even if he successfully completes the program, if he is released to the care of his mother it will all be unlearned all to quickly. So I guess I'll have to show up to the 6 month hearing to let them know how dangerous it would be to set him free with her. She aught to love that.

We were in the courtroom when Terry's "girlfriend" came in. That just gave Judy the warm and fuzzies, I guess, because she started smiling and laughing and looking at me as if she had just won. It was weird. So when Zach and I were heading for the car, we passed the group and once again, she smiled at me. I looked at her and asked her "why are you so happy all of a sudden?" Terry's "girlfriend" told me to just keep walking and don't say anything. (Zach couldn't get to the car fast enough - or I would have stopped at this point. He was safely out of sight, so....) Yeah, right.

Judy started in, I don't remember what she said, it was weird, so I told her that I intend to see to it she pays for her part in it. I told her that it is illegal to buy vodka for under-aged people, and that she was just as responsible for what happened as Terry. She started coming at me, screaming "You just couldn't keep your mouth shut in their could you? You just had to say those things about him, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did!" I said. Then she started failing her arms as though she wanted to hit me. I think she was trying to get me to flinch or something. He father got in front of her, Terry's girlfriend was behind her, and they were trying to get her under control. Once I realized they weren't going to let her hit me (darn it!) I taunted her. "Go ahead, hit me! Hit me NOW!" I said to her. She backed off, but had to call me a pig.

No, I didn't call her a crack whore. I don't know why. I do know that this isn't over. I will check in with the prosecutor and see what is happening with Judy. She really needs to be prosecuted for her part in it. Then, maybe I'll have just that much more to add at the six month hearing.

Yes, she is one of those mothers who feel her son shouldn't be held responsible for what he does to others. But by God he had better not turn on her!

I really hope that the program works for Terry. He is currently on the fast track to serial fame. He will end up killing someone if something doesn't intervene and turn him around. If it doesn't help, I have no doubt I am on his short list for possible murder victims. Wait, no, he knows I fight back. He wouldn't be brave enough to face me down like that. He would find an innocent woman to take his frustration out on. Unless he figures he's done something stupid and is going to have to go to prison any way, so why not take the bitch out first. I don't know if he would ever come after Zach. I don't think he sees Zach as being responsible for this. I'm the one who made him pay. Well, I have six whole months to not have to worry.

Tooth vs. Bullet

I bit the bullet today, and paid for the computer account, so now I have internet access at school. (It's free at CSI) I decided it would be worth the $25 because a new black ink cartridge for my printer at home is $20. With the computer account, I can print out 30 pages a day, so that's what I'm gonna do. Not really. But I do have three four research papers to do this semester, which means lots of psych article research papers to print out. The computer account will pay for itself. I will also be able to do some of that research at ISU during the 2 1/2 hour break between classes, now, because I have access to the internet.

Two mid-term tests this week. I studied harder for the learning test, and don't really feel as though I'll walk away with the A. We'll see. Since I studied so hard for the learning test, I didn't have time and cognitive resources left to study for the tests and measurements test. I really don't feel as though I did well on that one. I guess I'll find out soon enough.

School is weird. I work so hard for a grade. I never worked this hard at my job. You don't have much studying to do to actually practice what I'm learning. Strange.

Monday is Terry Dale Devereaux's sentencing. I'll let you know what they decide!

My head hit the wall. Again. And again. And...

Well, I let Megan move in with us this summer. She wanted to go back to school and wouldn't be able to do that and pay rent at the same time, so I had this brilliant idea. Instead of paying rent, she could clean the house! I re-textured the ceiling in the room, painted and carpeted. It looks quite pretty. Well, it does today.

You see, not only has she not been cleaning the house - at all - she has also been leaving her cloths piled on the brand new carpet. She gets my hair dryer out, her curling irons, and leaves them in a hopelessly tangled mess on my dressing table. She doesn't dry her cloths in the dryer (she thinks they shrink) so she hangs them to dry on one of those little drying racks. For two weeks.

Needless to say, I have been feeling rather put out by the whole thing. I thought maybe I would use her as the "behavior modification" assignment in my learning class, but changed my mind when another student said it might ruin my relationship with her. Apparently, Megan isn't too concerned about our relationship or she would be respectful enough to do her part, right?

So I showed her today! That's right! I cleaned the house! Yeah! I'll bet she never shirks her responsibilities again, now!

My head hurts.

Guilty Plea

I have never been fond of Senator Larry Craig. He is probably one of the most arrogant, self serving assholes walking this earth today. A part of me thought it was just deserts when the Idaho Statesman outed his recent indiscretion. As the story unfolded, however, I began to wonder "what in the world?" I don't know if the guy is a hetero/homo/bisexual person or what. What I do think is that the situation was extremely questionable. And if he hadn't plead guilty to charges that were so completely strange (even if he did EXACTLY what the officer said, was it even illegal?), he would have continued on his big business, republican red, environmentally destructive way.

But he did plead guilty. If he had been a regular guy who didn't know much about the law, I would buy the "I was coerced" excuse. But Senator Larry Craig is not the regular average guy. He is a US Senator for crying out loud! Hopefully, our senators know the laws - they make them after all. There is no way this guy wasn't fully cognizant of what was going on. He deserves what he is getting. And so does Idaho for electing the numb skull. (I have never voted for him, but the people I vote for usually don't win).

Richard Cohen of the Washington Post has written a very interesting commentary about Senator Larry Craig. In his article A Senator Who Hasn't Learned, he discusses the fact that a US Senator plead guilty to a charge he says he wasn't guilty of, and brings to our attention all of the people who are sent to jail for crimes they were not guilty of because they were coerced into confessing.

It happens all the time, for crimes that are not misdemeanors and can carry stiff sentences, including death. Yet our law makers continue to demand harsh penalties on people who may never have been in trouble before. Larry Craig should stand as the biggest example of how innocent people get railroaded.

And then he should get railroaded.

B's are our friends!

I am choking on a B. It could be worse, though, I could have failed it like almost half the class did. A couple of the questions on the test were so badly worded that I think they should be thrown out. Perhaps I could formally question the validity of the two test questions in question.

I fully intend to study better for the next test, however. B's might be our friends, but I much prefer pointy topped letters. Like A.

My son has started his very own blog on blogger. I suspect it will contain a lot of very strong political and personal beliefs. Right now he is working in his profile. I have been telling him for a long time that he should do this. Eventually, people who are interested in what autistic people think might find his blog useful. I know I will find it useful. I know a lot about what he thinks already, but I also know he will write things he might not feel comfortable saying.

So Sad

Monet's beautiful painting Le Pont d'Argenteuil has been damaged by a gang of teenagers. It breaks my heart that people can be so insensitive, and unaware of how their actions can be so hurtful to all of humanity. They'll repair it, but the damage is done. Like a prized vase glued back together after toppling off the shelf, never again truly whole.