Congratulations Ms. Benz and D!!!

Congratulations on your engagement M and D! I am so incredibly excited for both of you and can't wait for your big day! (Hopefully, D, we shall meet before that day comes!)

Another Herald hottie bites the dust!

Here I go

Among the many wonderful and thoughtful gifts I received this year for Christmas was a mini-Janome sewing machine. I'm not going to lie, I had mixed feelings about this gift. (I.e. a touch of excitement mixed with absolute nervousness.)

For one, I am not what you'd call a domestica diva. I never had a home-economics class in grade school. And, I'm not even sure I've ever sewn a button onto an article of clothing. Because of this, my idea of "hemming" has evolved into grabbing some safety pins and/or duct tape and going from there.

My mom (thank goodness) has taken notice.

At 26 years old, I am now prepared to dip my toes into the pool of domesticity (if that's a word...). Wish me luck.

True meaning of Christmas

My family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve. At 6 p.m. we head to church and then come right home to appetizers, drinks, Christmas music and gifts.

This year, like every year before it, we went to the candlelight service at my childhood church. Unlike past years, though, I found myself really savoring every moment.

My favorite part - when we light our candles and sing Silent Night - has never been more meaningful. Instead of singing, I couldn't help but just take in the moment. My family, overflowing into two pews, looked so happy. So blissful.

I sat there with my wonderful husband, nephew, sister, brother-in-law, mom, dad and three grandparents. (Definitely missed my bro and Aunt J.) Somewhere around the second verse, I couldn't hold back the tears.

I thought of all the years we've been in that same place. The same moment. With the same people. Then, for whatever reason, it hit me. That thought of not knowing how much longer we'd be able to celebrate this way, with all my loved ones. Emotions overtook me.

I pretended I had something in my eye when the lights came back on. My BP knew otherwise.

I don't think I'll ever be able to make it through Silent Night again.

So lucky

I was fortunate enough to hang out with many of my close friends this weekend.

I feel truly blessed to have them - as well as my friends I wasn't able to see - in my life.

I'm so lucky.

Congratulations N and M!!!

Congratulations on your engagement bro-na and M... I can't wait for the big day!

Happy Holidays!

As the holiday season draws nearer, I regretfully inform you that my blogging will indeed be at a bare minimum for the next week or so. I instead will be focused on spending time with my friends and family.

To my faithful (and unfaithful) readers, may your stockings be filled with your favorite treats, your homes filled with laughter and your hearts filled with love.

"Political correctness" aside... Merry Christmas to all!

Did you know...

... that to be a law professor, some colleges and universities do not require individuals to take the bar? Nope. As long as you have your J.D., you're all set to teach.

I found this incredibly interesting. As a person with absolutely no background in law, I would think that I'd want to be taught by lawyers who have some hands-on experience in their field. What do you think?

Happy Birthday M!

Happy Birthday to one of my best buds, M! I hope you have the most wonderful birthday and year ever! Can't wait to see you!

(I don't usually get into cats all that much but was quite fond of this picture for some reason...)

Merry Christmas message...

My father-in-law, G, would like to send a yuletide greeting your way. Please click here.

(I was having some trouble opening it in Firefox... Explorer seemed to do the trick.)

The next Paris?

Do you think she should get to keep the crown?

Read story here.

Thoughts thus far

1) I LOVE coming home to my husband every night.
2) Detroit is not as bad as I thought it'd be. (Although, I literally get off the expressway and am on campus.)
3) I miss my Mac!
4) Having a fenced in yard for Cooper is definitely less irritating.
5) I'm amazed by the diversity at WSU.
6) I love coming "home" and turning on E!
7) I miss our home.
8) I miss our beautious Christmas tree.
9) I hate not knowing things at work.
10) Traffic sucks.
11) I think I'll really enjoy working with the women in my office. (There are no men.)
12) I've never met so many lawyers in one day.
13) I miss my old officemates :(

To be continued...

Silence no more!

So long silence! Our Jeep will soon have a radio/cd player/mp3 player installed!

After nearly two years of nothing but my own thoughts to keep me company, I rejoice at the mere thought of melodic verses and bumpin' beats.

Thank you so much to B and G! What a WONDERFUL and incredibly thoughtful anniversary gift!

* The device featured is only a representation of our gift.

One down...

...And hopefully many, MANY more to go.

A and I were able to celebrate our one-year anniversary this year with the help of our good friends, T and C, who got married on Saturday. (A BEAUTIFUL wedding, I must say.)

They say that love grows stronger over time. With A, I find this to be 110 percent true.

The moment I met my BP, I knew. He was the one who made me laugh harder and smile longer than anyone I'd ever been with before. He respected me. He believed in me. He loved me. And, I him.

Since I met him, I wake up each day feeling more lucky than the last. I am truly blessed to have such an incredible partner in life.

I love you A.

Goodbye Owens

Well, it's been real. :)

I can't believe this chapter is officially over.

It's amazing how many wonderful people and friends have come out of it.

From the gang at work to the 'ol PC, T-Town has certainly been good to us.

Man, we were very lucky.

Cheers to new chapters.

Feelin' it

I'm feeling the love today.

I was so lucky to work with such wonderful people at the OCC.

I will truly miss the people and the many "drink nights" with the gals.

Thank goodness for blogs.

So true. So true.

The quote of the day today is by Albert Einstein...
"The hardest thing to understand in the world is the income tax."

Personally, I wholeheartedly agree. (Although, I'm pretty sure I haven't really tried to understand EVERYthing in the world.)

No wonder I'm a fan

Check out Neil Patrick and Jason from "How I Met Your Mother" on the Megan Mullaly Show. These guys are truly talented.

Click here.

A perfect "Holiday"

A and I went to see "The Holiday" last night. I must say, I enjoyed every moment of it. I really love Jude, Kate and Jack. And, Jude and Cameron seemed to have such chemistry on screen.

It was one of those that I could have sat through all over again - right after it finished.

I will definitely own this movie.

*P.S. I would also like to state that Jude Law is back on my list. His smile is just brilliant.

A terrifying trend

Wow. I was reading a feature story on msnbc.com today about this whole new “pro-ana” (pro-anorexia) revolution happening online these days. That, combined with the last episode of the always hilarious and witty “Boston Legal” that featured a “pro-ana” plantiff, made me very interested in learning more.

I googled “pro-ana” and found hundreds (maybe thousands) of websites devoted to losing weight. Apparently, many “pro-ana” supporters believe that anorexia is a lifestyle choice – not a disease. In their websites, they've found a place to network with other supporters to discuss their diets, new weightloss techniques, fasts and "thinspo" (inspirational images of emaciated models and celebrities).

This whole thing both scares me and makes me sad. Here are some of the comments that I read.

“With the holidays fast approaching, I know we all want to stick to our caloric restriction plans, and meet our goal weights. I thought we could post our stats, and goal weights. Maybe that will help us stay on track! Height: 5 feet Current Weight: 80 pounds Waist: 22 inches Hips: 29 inches Goal Weight by December 25th: 75 pounds I'm having a hard time lately because everyone is forcing food on me. Parties and family gatherings are the worst. Everyone's like, ‘Have a cookie,’ ‘Eat this, I made it myself.’ Great... guilt.”

And…

“Evening peeps. Hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to the weekend. Well I’m a big fat failure: Day Two of my lemon detox and I caved. Stuffed a whole flapjack into my body. 500 Calories. I almost passed out at the gym so thought hmmm I’ve a calorie target of 14,000 to burn by Christmas perhaps I should eat a little something seeing as I was running on the treadmill with what felt like a goldfish bowl on my head. Why did I choose such a rubbish option? Greed I guess :-( Anyhow managed to burn 1100 calories today. Didn't bother going to work hehe - 1h30 in the gym and 90 minutes Bickram…killer but YAY only 10,000 calories to go. Should I hate myself or be excused seeing as I worked hard at the gym. Obvioulsy I don't eat again today. I’d love to hear your thoughts and how anyone is getting on. Bye for now”

I can’t imagine. The pain. The agony. The hunger. The sadness.

I know there’s no stopping websites like this from popping up. I just hope parents out there are playing an active role in the children’s lives and watching their computer habits. Peer pressure and the need to fit it can take hold of anyone I suppose.

* As I was looking for a picture to accompany this post, I actually felt like I was going to vomit from seeing some of the photos. How can anybody think that's attractive?

Yeah for Dr. Scott!

Congratulations to my best bud H, who is graduating this weekend from the University of Michigan with a doctorate in physical therapy.

I am so excited for you! I can't believe it's actually here!

Have a great time celebrating tonight... Wish I could be there with you!

Love you!

Nooooo!

People.com – Perhaps Project Runway's Tim Gunn should take his own advice and "Make it work."

The Bravo TV star may not be joining judges Nina Garcia and Michael Kors and host Heidi Klum (who also executive produces the show) when Runway returns for its fourth season, Entertainment Weekly reports in its new issue.

His responsibilities as chair of the fashion design department at New York City's Parsons school, where Gunn, 53, has worked for 23 years, make him unavailable for filming during the academic year.

Last season – which resulted in a win by bad-boy designer Jeffrey Sebelia – began shooting after the end of a semester. Next season's schedule reportedly has not been locked in.

"As we have in past seasons, we will find a way to work around everyone's schedules, and are confident the team will be back," said Sarah Rothman, a spokeswoman for The Weinstein Company, which produces the show.

Gunn's good-natured mentoring of the Runway contestants has made him a fan favorite – and the feeling is mutual. "I'm the luckiest man on earth," he told PEOPLE earlier this year about his newfound fame.

ANTM

Yeah. I'm hip to the beat. I called it ANTM. (Only real fans know to use this acronym.)

So, if there are any other ANTM fans out there, what did you think of the results last night? Are you glad the "loose cannon" won or were you rooting for the "bitch."

Personally, I was rooting for CD all season but, after seeing the runway "walk" last night, could have easily been swayed to the dark side.

They'll both do well.

* Side note: Tyra needs to start covering up those floatation devices of hers. They're getting to be bigger than her head and are incredibly distracting to viewers.

Twinsies

Have you ever been out and about, and glanced around only to see a couple wearing matching jackets, sweatshirts, pants and the like? I have. And, every time I see it I ask myself if I would ever do such a thing with my sweety.

Is it corny? Is it lame? Is it cute? I can’t decide. I think it depends on the couple and their ability to pull it off in such a way that doesn’t leave audiences wanting to put their fingers down their throats.

What do you think? Would you do it?

* This post came to mind as A and I looked in the mirror last night while we were getting ready for bed. We had both put on (without the other’s knowledge) a bright yellow shirt and gray pajama pants. Made us both crack up.

P.S. I have absolutely no idea who the people are in the above picture.

It's been far too long

Went out to look at Christmas lights last night – one of my absolute favorite things to do this time of year. Anyway, on the way home we stopped for sundaes at McDonald's. I ordered strawberry, which brought back memories of childhood. (After school, my mom would sometimes treat me to either a small fry or a sundae at McD's.)

It was so wonderful. There will definitely be more strawberry sundaes in my future.

* I got mine with no nuts.

So sad

Well, James Kim's body was found only about a mile from his family's car. (He had traveled about 8 miles according to the article.)

This story is just so unbelievably sad to me. Makes you want to hold on tight to your loved ones.

Read the story here.

Heartbreaking

I saw this story on The Today Show earlier this morning. I watch the news every morning but, for some reason, was really affected by this one.

I just can't imagine what that family is feeling right now. And, I know that my husband, like many other loving and brave significant others out there, would have totally done the same thing.

I'm certainly praying for the Kim family.

Yikes!

Don't celebs have stylists?
Don't they have mirrors at least?!

I heart Christmas

Like so many people out there, I joined the masses this weekend and set off to the mall for some holiday shopping.

It was a very successful trip.

K's list? Completed. A's list? About five more people to go.

I decided to wrap when we got home. And, sitting in our living with our Christmas tree and other decorations, I looked around and got "that" feeling. The feeling of happiness. Of bliss. Of celebration and song. Of Christmas.

Please. Just call me Tiny Tim.

Me First

A and I went to see Me First and the Gimme Gimmes – a kick-ass cover band – on Friday in D-town. Awe. Some. They were so great. They came out in cowboy hats and aviator shades (in true SuperTroopers style) and turned songs like “Goodbye Earl” and "Jolene" into punk. (Apparently they have a new “country and western" album out.)

Other favorites included “I Believe I Can Fly,” “Rocketman,” “End of the Road,” “Seasons in the Sun,” “Rainbow Connection,” “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” “Wild World,” “Summertime,” etc. (You get the idea… I liked them all!)

Seriously, nothing beats seeing that type of crowd jam to Boyz II Men and the Dixie Chicks. Truly amazing.

One thing I don’t understand about these types of concerts, though, is the moshing and body surfing. How is that in any way enjoyable?

To learn more about the Gimme Gimmes, click here.

From Express to Warrior

I'm going to be a Warrior my friends! I start my new job as a development officer at Wayne State University's School of Law on December 18.

I'm so excited – and nervous – for this whole process.

Thank you all for being so supportive!

Written in the stars?

I’ve never been one to get too heavy into astrology and horoscopes. Yes. I’ll occasionally read my horoscope online or check out the Sunday paper. I’ve always found such things intriguing. But for the most part, I’ve never really taken it very seriously.

I realized something this week, though. Most good change – like big change – in my adult life has occurred during the winter months. I transferred from good ‘ol Suck 4 to WMU in January. A few years later, I took off for East Lansing in the winter for grad school. I obtained my first full-time job and moved to Ohio in February of 2004. I got married last December. And, now, I’m geared up to start a new job (YES! I SAID IT!) just before Christmas.

Perhaps something is written in the stars that change – for me – comes only in the wintertime. Not sure when (or why) I had this little revelation but I’m pretty sure I’m more interested in astrology and such.

Has anyone else noticed any weird patterns in their life?

So cute

I have no idea who this little guy is, but when my BP sent his pic I couldn't resist posting it.

I was tagged

Three things that scare me: mice, loved ones dying and those crime shows A makes me watch
Three people who make me laugh: A (my husband), M (my brother-in-law) and N (my other brother-in-law)
Three things I love: (The husband, family and friends are a given) my dog (most of the time), our new computer (I can finally watch shows online!) and clothes
Three things I hate: dishonesty, people who keep driving in a lane that is ending (mostly during construction), people who cut in line
Three things I don't understand: Inequality, why I didn't grow just a little taller, celebrity marriages
Three things on my desk: Eyedrops, a turtle candle, a learn to draw Nemo book I got for free that I'm going to give to my nephew
Three things I'm doing right now: talking to M, wishing my work was done, thinking about what to get people for Christmas
Three things I want to do before I die: travel to Europe, take the Alcatraz tour in San Francisco, spend lots of time with family and friends
Three things I can do: make a mean cheesy potato dish (thanks mom!), sing karoake (how well wasn't the question...) and write
Three things I can't do: roll my tongue, a cartwheel, fly
Three things you should listen to: your gut, your heart and your mom
Three things you should never listen to: an alarm clock, nagging, that awful "O. H. I. O." chant
Three things I'd like to learn: to speak french, to cook, learn about different cultures and religions
Three favorite foods: crab legs, key lime pie and mashed potatoes
Three beverages I drink regularly: water, milk (skim!) and Vernor's
Three TV shows I watched as a kid: TGIF (back in the good 'ol days with Full House, Perfect Strangers and such...), Punky Brewster and Growing Pains

B Furtah... It's your turn!

Happy Birthday!

Happy (belated) Birthday to my bro, C, who turned the big 3-1 on Tuesday! Hope you had an awesome day!

And, Happy Birthday (today) to my wonderful dad! Hope you're feeling better today and can celebrate your birthday in style:)

Are you kidding me?

Between these three getting all chummy and Pam and Kid separating after only four months of marriage, I've had about enough today in celebrity news. Vomit.

Thumbs up to long weekends

A and I were so productive this week/weekend. Our biggest accomplishment? We finally raked all of the friggin leaves in our backyard! Seriously, sometimes home ownership is overrated. (Hehehehe...)

I really think we should have two-day work weeks more often.

Hope all of you wonderful readers had a stupendous holiday with your fam and friends... Only a few more weeks until Christmas!

White or colored lights?

Are you a white light person or a colored light person?

I grew up loving white lights. I think they are so elegant and beautiful. My husband grew up liking colored lights. So, every year, we butt heads a bit as to how to decorate our humble abode. (This year, white lights on the front of the house and the tree, and colored lights on our back deck. Chalk one up for me.)

Anyway, are we the only couple that clashes on Christmas decor?

* Pictured above right? Our tree!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all (5) of my faithful blog readers.
May you eat, drink and be merry surrounded by those closest to you.

Elated

I get to see my BP for six days straight.

Six WHOLE days.

I can't wait.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday J! I hope you and T have a marvelous celebration together! Hopefully we'll get to see each other over Christmas this year!

* This certainly does not beat the 'ol card sent to your house thing that you always do... You're such an awesome friend:)

Nooooooo!

No Britney!!! We are all rooting for you to make a gigundous comeback. If you keep hanging out with Paris Hilton, I'm afraid I (like many others out there) won't be in your corner much longer.

An awakening

My bro came “out” when I was a junior in college. I remember saying to him, “Awesome. It’s about time.”

Before that phone call, there was almost a sort of wall between us. Like no matter how hard I tried to understand him – my own brother – I couldn’t really get to know him.

Since then, I’ve never felt closer – even though he lives across the country in a different time zone.

I love my brother so much and respect him for being brave enough to be himself. I also thank him for all he’s taught me – whether he realizes it or not.

This weekend was J and J’s wedding. (Absolutely beautiful!) Afterward, a few of my friends and I went out on the town and managed to hit a “gay” bar.

So. Much. Fun.

We laughed, drank, danced and were merry until the wee hours.

When we left, I had an awakening.

I’ve always thought of myself as a very accepting person, but, for the first time in my life, I didn’t even think about it. I didn’t think about how there were guys flirting with guys. Only that they were people. And, they seemed to be really happy.

I woke up the next day feeling really great (with the exception of my enormous headache and upset stomach…).

Thank you, C, for helping me get to this point.

Happy customer

Dear Wet 'n Wild nail polish,

You are freakin’ awesome. You apply well, dry quickly, cost half of your competitors and last a good week without chipping.

I will continue to rave about your performance.

Revlon and Maybelline don’t stand a chance.

Sincerely,

T

Will you see it?

"Casino Royale" has been getting rave reviews. Apparently, it's already made more money in its first day of release than any other 007 film.

I think last Bond film I saw was the one with Denise Richards where she was supposed to be some kind of scientist. Definitely not very convincing.

I'd probably be open to seeing "Royale" though. You?

* P.S. I can't quite seem to figure out if I think Daniel Craig is good looking...

Going to the chapel...

Our good friends J and J are getting married this weekend. (Yes, on the same weekend as the big game...) Anyway, I'm incredibly excited. Should be a great time for all.

J and J, I wish you the best of luck! Can't wait to come over and celebrate with some pinot grigio in your bee-infested hottub:)

* The picture to the right is not that of J and her flowers. The wedding is tomorrow.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Timmers! Hope you have a spectacular day tomorrow!!!!

Live at the Magic Stick

My BP and I are going to see Me First and the Gimme Gimmes in a couple of weeks... I think my hubby is in heaven.

If you're into any kind of punk/alternative music, you might enjoy. They're known for covering classics and making them their own. Think "The Rainbow Connection" (yes, the song that Kermit made famous) gone punk.

Very cool. I haven't been to a concert in ages.

Check out the Gimme Gimmes at www.gimmegimmes.com.

So good

Mmmm. Mmmm. And, mmmm... English muffins just might be my favorite breakfast food nowadays. Seems to hit the spot every time.

Have a bit of decency

It looks as if getting cleared of murder wasn't enough for OJ. Now, he's going to make mucho bucks off a book titled, "If I Did It, Here's How It Happened."

Awful.

I refuse to even post his picture on my blog.

Read the full story here.

Awesome.

The last show was on Monday and I'm still thinking about it. Awesome.
Can't wait for next week. (Monday, 9 p.m. on NBC.)

Great Expectations

After marinating in my own disappointment over our REALLY BAD wedding pictures long enough, I finally emailed our photographer to let him know we weren't the happiest of campers.

Now, I realize that wedding photographers aren't perhaps as skilled as the photographers we work with here at the OCC. However, I do expect that they have a slightly higher skill level than, say, Great Aunt Bertha.

Anyway, I constructed a list of things that were "wrong" with our photos and sent them to our photographer (who, by the way, was somewhat of a family friend - not a good idea). I then asked him if he might just send us the master photos so I might retouch and tweak on my own.

We got our cd yesterday. I'm definitely happier. Had I not sent the email, I probably would have still been upset about this situation 30 years down the road.

Besides, everyone loves constructive criticism, right? :)

Who says this?

Msnbc.com – Fergie, of the Black Eyed Peas, says that anyone who insults her voice insults God. “I may not have the type of voice you like, but I can sing,” the white hip-hopper told Vibe. “You can’t take that away from me, ‘cause singing is a gift from God, and when people say I can’t sing, it’s kind of like insulting God.”

I just lost whatever remnants of respect for Fergie I once had. I liked the Black Eyed Peas. I just don't think Fergie is as "Fergalicious" as she thinks she is.

Can't wait for Gwen's new album.

Baby boy

I found out I'm going to be an aunt to another little boy not too long ago! Yay!

B and M (Haha... "BM") are throwing around some names at the moment. They seem to like Blayne, Nathan and Andrew as middle names (for obvious reasons...). Anyway, does anyone have any ideas for a first name?

I'm through with you

Apparently, Tom and Katie are now in Rome preparing for their big day.

(Don't get me wrong, one of my biggest guilty pleasures in life is following and reading about celebrities. I'm not sure what it is about them. I'm just fascinated.)

But, Tom and Katie (or "Kate" I should say) just give me the heebie jeebies. He got so creepy. I wish they'd just settle in the suburbs somewhere and never be heard from again.

Other celebs I'm sick of reading about? Jen and Vince, Brad and Angie, Paris and Nicole, Lindsay Lohan, Anna Nicole Smith and K-Fed. I'm sure there are more. Fortunately, I can't think of them right now.

P.S. Does anyone else find it incredibly strange that Nicole Kidman is NEVER photographed with her and Tom's kids?

Don't cry over spilled... wax

I just spent the better part of the hour scraping wax off of my coffee table. C and I were in the middle of playing tug-o-war when we both let go of his little basketball and watched the candle squirt an insane amount of wax all over the table and rug.

To say that I'm a little emotionally unstable these days would be an understatement. Every little thing tends to set me off. Just ask my hubby.

Tonight, though, I kept my cool. For that, I'm very proud.

Orchids and Onions

– Orchids to seeing my BP tonight.

– Orchids to Fridays.

– Onions to celebrity marriages.

– Onions to stupidity.

– Onions to cheap, clingy dresses.

– Onions to long drives w/o radio.

– Orchids to surprise flower deliveries.

– Onions to people writing offensive things on bathroom stalls.

– Orchids to the 2006 mid-term election results.

– Onions to people picking at their teeth around food services.

Random Friday facts

– In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the rule of thumb."

– Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled "Gentlemen Only... Ladies Forbidden"...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.

– Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.

– Coca-Cola was originally green.

– The state with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska.

– The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400.

– The average number of people airborne over the U.S. in any given hour: 61,000.

– If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

– Obsession is the most popular boat name requested.

– In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase "goodnight, sleep tight."

– In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them "Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down." It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's."

* Brought to you by my friend, D.

A step forward or a step back?

Detroit Free Press – Michigan voters sent a clear message about affirmative action programs that offer preferences to women and minorities: It's time for them to end.

Election Day numbers Tuesday showed the controversial proposal winning by a wide margin. Michigan becomes the third state to outlaw giving preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting, 58%, or 2,129,506 people, voted yes on Proposal 2 and 42%, or 1,538,520 voters, opposed it.

The proposal was largely prompted by a 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld a general affirmative action admissions policy at the University of Michigan's law school but struck down the undergraduate admission formula as too unyielding because it awarded points based on race.

U-M is the only university in the state that uses affirmative action to a great extent in admissions, but all public colleges and universities would have to reevaluate their outreach, scholarship and grant awards if they benefit gender or racial or ethnic groups. Programs that target specific groups in K-12 schools also would be affected.

According to a poll of voters conducted by Mitchell Research and Communications Inc. of East Lansing, voters under age 40 were the only group to oppose the measure in significant numbers on Tuesday.

Men overwhelmingly supported the ban; women narrowly opposed it. Democrats opposed it while Republicans and independents favored it. Black voters strongly opposed the proposition, but it was passing among white voters.

Pride

"I recognize that many Americans voted last night to register their displeasure with the lack of progress being made" in Iraq, the president said. "Yet I also believe most Americans — and leaders here in Washington from both political parties — understand we cannot accept defeat." – George W. Bush

"Most" Americans "understand?" Interesting...

Pride certainly is a tough thing to swallow. Continuing down a path for the sake of pride, though, might not necessarily be in the best interest of our country.

It's about time

I'm not sure why I'm so excited about Britney finally ditching K-Fed. I haven't been a huge fan of the Britster for quite some time. Still, I've never been so excited for a Hollywood couple to call it quits. He just seems like such a big loser.

Time to reinvent and refocus. Maybe there's still hope for you yet BS.

Read the full scoop here.

Priceless

Click here to see Faith Hill's reaction to Carrie Underwood winning Female Vocalist of the Year at the CMA's last night. Absolutely priceless.

For the record, I still like and believe in Faith. This too shall pass.

Congratulations Carrie.

To the polls we go!

Tomorrow is mid-term election day. Be sure to vote (if you're into that whole bag).