THE DECEMBER WEEKLY THOUGHTS THREAD - DEC 28 - JAN 3

Hope everyone had a great holiday. And for those who are celebrating the new year, Happy New Year and here comes 2010. Hard to imagine 2010 is on the horizon.

Back to school next week.

MOVIE REVIEWS

As the holiday season is upon us there are a slew of movies out or soon to be out. I thought it might be interesting and fun to share any feedback you may have on any movies you have seen, whether the film is a new release, something you have seen on video, or an old classic, it doesn't matter.

THE DECEMBER WEEKLY THOUGHTS THREAD - DEC 21 - DEC 27

As we head into our final few days before Christmas, here are some thoughts to keep with you:

"Christmas comes from the heart. It is something that is on the inside that needs to come out."

This is a quote from the book "The Grinch who Stole Christmas" which has always been one of my favorites because of the message it conveys. That Christmas is not just a day but a state of mind that many of us seem to forget the other 364 days of the year.

So enjoy your holiday, cherish your friends and loved ones, and keep the spirit of Christmas with you year round.

Share any stories, experience, and thoughts you may have as we head into Christmas and the upcoming year.

THE DECEMBER WEEKLY THOUGHTS THREAD - DEC 14 - DEC 20

Good week people and only less than 2 weeks before Christmas. Now anyone who wants cookies needs to send me their address. We slaved over the oven this weekend and made tons and tons of cookies. Lord I can't even remember all the varieties.

Have a good week all.

SCRAPBOOK

I am creating a special post for the scrapbook Diana created for Natalia. She actually sent it to me and I was finally able to get it printed so that it could be sent to Natalia for the memory box being created for er. As promised, I am posting the final product contents.

THE DECEMBER WEEKLY THOUGHTS THREAD - DEC 7 - DEC 13

"Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree.In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall."

So we put up our Christmas Tree this weekend. Actually 2 of them. Our neighbor gave us anothee tree they were going to get rid of and it's a white artificial prelit tree. Now mind you, our main tree is real, a frasier fir which is beautiful and fragrant. Anyway we were skeptical bec ause neither of us has ever had a white tree. Low and behold it's beautiful. I bought some inexpensive read and green ormanent bulbs for it and that's all we did for decorating it and it looks very pretty. It's in the family room area where the main tree is in the living room.

I admit to having not been in the holiday spirit so much but this changed things a bit. Next is Baking next weekend. A bit later than normal but I'll be headed over to mom's for that. Mom who does very little cooking at all these days aside from cookies for xmas.

THE DECEMBER WEEKLY THOUGHTS THREAD - DEC 1 - DEC 6

Good day to all. Hope everyone is settling into the month of December. The Holidays are upon us with the hustle and bustle and chaos.

We decided this year to forgo all the Christmas parties and such and just focus on family this year and try to keep things simple and small with the baby and my and Tim's immediate families.

THE END OF NOVEMBER DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

Hope everyone had a great holiday. We are now in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holidays. I hope everyone takes a few moments this holiday season to be grateful and thankful for all we have and appreciate what Christmas really means.

THE HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK AND WEEKEND THREAD

To all those who post here and to those who just peruse, have a happy happy holiday. Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for what we as Americans have but more importantly, who we have to share our lives with. Please feel free to share anything today and over the weekend. Stories, what you are grateful for, anything that comes to mind. Of course no topic is off limits

These quotes were posted on the Huffington Post Blog this morning so I stold a couple of them from there. With that I found a couple that seemed to hit home more than others.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." -John Fitzgerald Kennedy

"Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day." -Robert Caspar Lintner

"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving." -H.U. Westermayer

NOVEMBER 24, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

So each post for the day will start out with a quote or saying. I thought with Thanksgiving upon us, a quote from the wonderful Erma Bombeck would be appropriate.

"What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?" - Erma Bombeck

NOVEMBER 23, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

It's time for Thanksgiving and for all of us to give thanks to our blessings plus it's time to eat a lot.

NOVEMBER 20, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

TGIF People. Let's all party

NOVEMBER 19, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

Post it ladies.

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

"I think I've discovered the secret of life - you just hang around until you get used to it."

Charles Schultz

Post it.

NOVEMBER 17, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

Go.For.It

TO ALL POSTERS

REMINDER(FROM MY FRIEND DIANA)

IF YOU HAVE NOT POSTED ANYTHING FOR NATALIA'S MEMORY CARD PLEASE DO. A SENTENCE OR TWO IS SUFFIFICIENT.

NOVEMBER 16, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

Anyday day, another pound. Yeh I lost 5 more pounds. 10 to go.

NATALIA MEMORY CARD

I am posting this for my friend Diana Compelli. She is a member of Natalia's fan club and recently received a packet with a ton of pictures and a letter from Natalia thanking her for her support.

Anyway, she wants to send Natalia something, a memory card, in lieu of her departure from GH and she is asking for contributions. She'd like the card to include thoughts and/or experiences you may have had with Natalia. Anything really to convey your thoughts and/or appreciation to her.

So please post your thoughts here and Diana is going to take the information posted here and from other sources and include it in a memory card/booklet for Natalia. Once completed, she is going to post the memory card online prior to sending it out.

Apparently she has some software available to do this And I hope some of the folks who have not visited here or don't feel ready to post yet do so for this effort.

Note: SHe sent me the first few pages of what she's done to this point below

NOVEMBER 14-15, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

Here's the thread for the weekend. Go for it.

I want to know Natty's final airdate so I know what day to watch.

Can Rebecca run off with the Cassadine fortune in tow and leave Nikolas broke please.

NOVEMBER 13, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

Another day and Tyler is still a tool. Go Natalia and fly fly fly and don't EVEREVEREVER look back.

NOVEMBER 12, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

Post it. Chad Brannon back for 1 day to wrap up Rebecca. Could it be Zander and Emily alive somewhere. Kind of an F/U to NEm fans but at this point I don't care. It's about Natalia getting some respect on her way out.

NOVEMBER 11, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

What happened to some of the Paraphat folks like Laura, Marsha, Lavinia. Or is the negativity maybe too much?

NOVEMBER 10, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

Go for it. Another day another dollar.

NOVEMBER 9, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

Post it ladies.

And a reminder. The folks at NLB want to get a recording for Natty for an xmas/going away gift of sorts. Please if you have a couple of spare minutes on your cell, call and leave a message. It's actually very very easy

When recording your message, please start off "Hi Natalia, this is {your name} from {city, state}" you can then continue with your message. I would prefer you start the message this way so Natalia knows who the message is from. You do not have to use your first and last name if you do not want to.

Recording your message:

- If you are recording the message and emailing it please make it in either mp3, wav or wma format and email it to natalialivingstonfans@gmail.com
- If you are unable to record your own audio, I have set up a SayNow account for you to call and leave a message. Call 347-767-3886, and record your message.

NOVEMBER 6, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

Off to school this AM. Later chickies.

NOVEMBER 5, 2009 DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

WHAT THIS COUNTRY NEEDS IS MORE UMEMPLOYED POLITICIANS!

Bill Cosby has done it again...

Nothing we haven't all said.. but not so eloquently.

BACK TO CASH AND CARRY WOULD HELP ALSO!

Bill Cosby has a great way of "distilling" things. Looks like he's done it again!


AMERICA NEEDS A CANDIDATE WITH THIS PLATFORM!!

I HAVE DECIDED TO BECOME A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT IN THE YEAR 2012..
HERE IS MY PLATFORM:

(1). Any use of the phrase: 'Press 1 for English' is immediately banned. English is the official language; speak it or wait outside of our borders until you can.

(2). We will immediately go into a two year isolationist attitude in order to straighten out the greedy big business posture in this country. America will allow NO imports, and we'll do no exports. We will use the 'Wal-Mart 's policy, 'If we ain't got it, you don't need it.' We'll make it here and sell it here!

(3). When imports are allowed, there will be a 100% import tax on it coming in here.

(4). All retired military personnel will be required to man one of the many observation towers located on the southern border of the United States (six month tour). They will be under strict orders not to fire on SOUTHBOUND aliens.

(5). Social Security will immediately return to its original state. If you didn't put nuttin in, you ain't gettin nuttin out. Neither the President nor any other politician will be able to touch it.


(6). Welfare. -- Checks will be handed out on Fridays, at the end of the 40 hour school week, the successful completion of a urinalysis test for drugs, and passing grades.

(7). Professional Athletes -- Steroids? The FIRST time you check positive you're banned from sports .... for life.

(8). Crime -- We will adopt the Turkish method, i.e., the first time you steal, you lose your right hand. There is no more 'life sentences'. If convicted of murder, you will be put to death by the same method you chose for the victim you killed: gun, knife, strangulation, etc.

(9). One export of ours will be allowed: wheat; because the world needs to eat. However, a bushel of wheat will be the exact price of a barrel of oil.

(10). All foreign aid, using American taxpayer money, will immediately cease and the saved money will help to pay off the national debt and, ultimately, lower taxes. When disasters occur around the world, we'll ask The American People if they want to donate to a disaster fund, and each citizen can make the decision as to whether, or not, it's a worthy cause.

(11). The Pledge of Allegiance will be said every day at school and every day in Congress.

(12). The National Anthem will be played at all appropriate ceremonies, sporting events, outings, etc.


GOD BLESS AMERICA!


Sincerely, Bill Cosby

Please forward this to everyone you know, no matter which side of the fence they're on.

H1N1 Spreading Faster Than Vaccine, CDC Says

The H1N1 flu vaccine is becoming more available, but it is still being outpaced by the virus itself, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.

“Essentially what we’re seeing is that the virus continues to be spreading across the country and we are seeing a steady increase in the availability of the vaccine, but not as quickly as we’d like it to be,” CDC Director Thomas Frieden said during an afternoon press briefing.

The government has received 31.8 million doses of H1N1 vaccine and expects to receive several million more by the end of the week, Frieden said.

Pennsylvania last week had to discard 6,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine because it was not properly refrigerated. With the U.S. already facing a shortage, Frieden said every dose is important, but that relatively few mishaps have occurred since the vaccine became available.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE BLOG

Please provide input, suggestions, items you would like to see added, changed, enhanced as it relates to this blog. I am not the most apt and savvy person creatively so I am probably not the best judge of the final product.

Peace - Kate

NOVEMBER DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

I set this up for the month of November so that people can feel ree to ramble on about anything. Sort of a potpouri topic. We'll see how this thread goes and perhaps as things progress we won't need it anymore who knows. If you would like a specific topic started let me know. I'm still working out the kinks on this blog.

Kate - Peace.

PEACE CORP WORLDWIDE SCHOOL CORRESPONDENCE MATCH

World Wise Schools matches up Peace Corps Volunteers in the field with U.S. classroom teachers. The result? A vibrant two-year exchange of ideas, stories, pictures, and artifacts that helps U.S. students in the classroom learn about the people, geography, environment, and culture of the world from the direct experience of Volunteers living in other countries.


Read more at this link. Nikolla you might be interested as well as any other teachers or Peace Corp Volunteers.

http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/correspond/about.cfm

MEMORY BOOK FOR NATALIA

This is being coordinated by NLB. Very sweet idea for Natty. There were some lovely pics and stuff posted at The Parapet before it shut down with Natty at SSW and stories of memories of 2007 when Emily's death was shown.

Please send your submissions for Natalia's Memory Box to:
natalialivingstonfans@gmail.com with "Memory Box" in the subject line. You can be as creative as you like. Images to go along with letters/stories would be a really nice touch for the box. I think it would mean a lot to Natalia to have something to remember those of you she has met in person, and all of you who have supported her in some way during her time on the show.

It would be great to fill this box full of fond memories and fun stuff, so we hope many of you will submit something. If you have never met Natalia, maybe you have a favorite moment from her time at GH, or you would simply like to send her some good wishes as she prepares to depart the show.

If you have any questions. EMail us at natalialivingstonfans@gmail.com

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD YOUR OWN TOPICS

I have added some and put a link to the archives on the side of the blog to allow you to easily get to older topics. In addition I added a comments section which I believe shows the 10 most recent comments made to the blog

But please feel free to add your own topics - things you would like to discuss.

Peace out.
Kate

FOOTBALL THIS WEEKEND

My thoughts

College first. I am tired of Florida, USC, OU, and Penn State winning(I do have a soft spot for Penn State). But I am beyond thrilled Illinois(my alma mater) beat Michigan and my Cinderella team, Iowa, just keeps on winning.

Next week I need Florida to please lose a gan and please please please let Penn State kick Ohio State's ass.

Professional. Well my bears won - yeah it was only the Cleveland Browns, but after last weeks disaster they needed a big pick me up.

On a low note, why oh why. I hate that a Brett Favre Minnesota beat the Packers. I really need Favre to crash and burn.

GIRL CRUSHES

We all have a girl crush or two right? You know, a chick you admire to the point of total adoration. It’s not romantic—you just want to invite her over to swap clothes and chat about important things like how to fix both the economy and your love life. I hope some don't find this skeevy or sick but lets all share our girl crushes. Who and why.

This is a really cool article about Girl Crushes(no they are not sexual) from the NY Times Mag

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/11/fashion/thursdaystyles/11CRUSH.html

HUGH JACKMAN NOT HOSTING OSCAR'S NEXT YEAR

Hey there is a job opening in Hollywood Hugh Jackman is not taking. Any suggestions?


Next year's Academy Awards may be without the song and dance that made critics of the 2009 ceremony alternately cringe and applaud: Hugh Jackman will not return to host the Oscars, sources told Variety last week.

While it's still early in the host-selecting game for the show's producer Laurence Mark and executive producer Bill Condon, Jackman, 41, has made it clear that he is not interested in seeking a second term.

The Australian actor is currently starring with Daniel Craig in a Broadway production of "A Steady Rain." When the show's run on the Great White Way ends, Variety reports that Jackman will turn his attention to preparing for "The Real Steal," which begins production in the spring of 2010.

DAILY THOUGHTS THREAD

I set this up but I am not sure this is necessary. I figured I'd just setup a thread for daily ramblings, nonsense, ranting, raving etc. And since we are all still sort of in mourning in a way, use this thread as a place for sharing those thought also. We'll see how this thread goes and perhaps as things progress we won't need it anymore who knows.

Also, please everyone feel free to create a thread for any topic you feel like talking about.

Peace Out - Kate

BLOG CHANGES

I will be making adjustments to the blog format over the next few weeks seeing what does and does not work. If there is something you see that you like, prefer, don't like, don't prefer, please post it here.

I have added a Chat feature but I am still trying to get it to work properly. I will keep you posted.

Thanks - Kate

FITNESS

Any one want to discuss. I am particularly interested. I started on a fitness program end of August and it's been 2 months and I gained so much with the baby. But I am now feeling good. Been going to the health club early AM when the hubby is still home and watching my diet. I have lost 25 pounds in the past 2 months. I am looking and feeling loads better. Now I have about 15 more pounds to go.

WELCOME TO THIS BLOG

Welcome to the new "I HAVE PMS AND AM PROUD OF IT" blog. We are here to continue those connections and friendships we have made over the years through our love for Natalia and Tyler but now we can talk and share about just anything. Frustrations with your job, the state of current events, joy over your kids(or not), any old thing. And I suppose if you must, you are allowed to talk about General Hospital(*gasp) but be warned,we are trying to wean ourselves away it. So share share share to your hearts content. Feel free to share any NON GH related updates related to Natalia just please stay away from anything GH related.

And bear with me. I will continue to make revisions to this blog over the next few weeks so don't be shocked to see things here evolve.

Peace to all of you
Kate

MOVIES

Ok I figured I would start a comment about recent films. There is NOTHING out I want to see but I did happened to see Milk with Sean Penn. What an amazing film and Sean Penn like him or not is an amazing actor.

Julie and Julia I loved. Why. It was pure entertainment and good acting. No sex, no special effects(unless you count the food), and a sweet enjoyable story. Meryl Streep I have always had a girl crush on(not just Natalia people) and Amy Adams was amazing.

Even my husband enjoyed it. Yeah I took him to see it and I have seen it twice. It was more fun the second time around.

NATALIA HOLIDAY MESSAGE

Yes GH is done but don't forget to share your thoughts with Natalia

From www. natalia-livingston.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The holidays are upon us and I thought this would be the perfect time to show Natalia what she means to us. I would like everyone to record a message for her (please make it under 2 minutes) telling her what she means to you. You can tell her how she inspires you, tell a story about a time you met her, or maybe you have a favorite moment like when she won her Emmy. Please try to stay off the topic of General Hospital, remember this is about Natalia, not who you want her with on the show.

When recording your message, please start off "Hi Natalia, this is {your name} from {city, state}" you can then continue with your message. I would prefer you start the message this way so Natalia knows who the message is from. You do not have to use your first and last name if you do not want to.

Recording your message:

If you are recording the message and emailing it please make it in either mp3, wav or wma format and email it to natalialivingstonfans@gmail.com
If you are unable to record your own audio, I have set up a SayNow account for you to call and leave a message. Call 347-767-3886, and record your message.

Both options are private and myself and Natalia will be the only ones hearing the messages. They will not be posted anywhere on the internet or used for anything else other than this project. Messages that are over 2 minutes in length will NOT be included on the CD.

The deadline for all messages is Friday, December 11, 2009. I will then put all the messages on a CD and send it to Natalia.

Thank you in advance for participating in this project and please spread the word to all Natalia fans.

P.S. If you have any questions, please email natalialivingstonfans@gmail.com

WELCOME PETTERS

Welcome to the new NOT PARAPET Blog. We are here to continue those connections and friendships we have made over the years but now we can talk and share about just anything. Frustrations with your job, the state of current events, joy over your kids(or not), any old thing. And I suppose if you must, you are allowed to talk about General Hospital(*gasp) but be warned,we are trying to wean ourselves away it. So share share share to your hearts content.

And bear with me. I will continue to make revisions to this blog over the next few weeks so don't be shocked to see things here evolve.

Peace to all of you
Kate