I'm no scientist, but I am human and I'm tired of being made to feel less that human for living a modest (in terms of energy consumption) life by those who chose to spend their time jet setting around the planet and building two or three homes. So, they chose to drive a Prius to the Oscar's, they could have chosen public transportation. That would have made a statement.
I am not thoroughly convinced that global warming is as big an issue as as it's being made to seem by the media and politicians, and from what research I've done on the subject, the scientific community seems to be just as split. This article by George F. Will brings up some interesting points regarding global warming, the use of renewable energy, and the Kyoto Protocol.
I also found this article from JunkScience.com interesting. If you don't want to read all the scientific mumbo jumbo, here's a brief excerpt.
"So, humans aren't affecting the planet or its temperature.

Whoa! We didn't say that at all. This discussion is on greenhouse effect and possible enhanced greenhouse, but that's a long way from anthropogenic effect in total. Whether or not they really affect global mean temperature, human endeavors have significant local effects. The heat island effect mentioned above or the local effect of increased water vapor from large scale irrigation schemes would be good examples. Then there's land use change which can be variable depending on latitude -- replacing dark forest with wheat fields might significantly affect local albedo and cooling one region while denying shade in a more heavily irradiated region might cause ground heating through increased absorption. There are many effects in a hugely complex system, some will be negative, some positive and all represent change, although that is neither good nor bad in and of itself. That humans affect the region of their activities is true -- that enhanced greenhouse from human activity is known to be a current or imminent catastrophe is not. And this document is only dealing with greenhouse effect and "global warming."
What are the take-home messages:

* The temperature effect of atmospheric carbon dioxide is logarithmic, not exponential.
* The potential planetary warming from a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide from pre-Industrial Revolution levels of ~280ppmv to 560ppmv (possible some time later this century - perhaps) is generally estimated at less than 1 °C.
* The guesses of significantly larger warming are dependent on "feedback" (supplementary) mechanisms programmed into climate models. The existence of these "feedback" mechanisms is uncertain and the cumulative sign of which is unknown (they may add to warming from increased atmospheric carbon dioxide or, equally likely, might suppress it).
* The total warming since measurements have been attempted is thought to be about 0.6 degrees Centigrade. At least half of the estimated temperature increment occurred before 1950, prior to significant change in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Assuming the unlikely case that all the natural drivers of planetary temperature change ceased to operate at the time of measured atmospheric change then a 30% increment in atmospheric carbon dioxide caused about one-third of one degree temperature increment since and thus provides empirical support for less than one degree increment due to a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
* There is no linear relationship between atmospheric carbon dioxide change and global mean temperature or global mean temperature trend -- global mean temperature has both risen and fallen during the period atmospheric carbon dioxide has been rising.
* The natural world has tolerated greater than one-degree fluctuations in mean temperature during the relatively recent past and thus current changes are within the range of natural variation. (See, for example, ice core and sea surface temperature reconstructions.)
* Other anthropogenic effects are vastly more important, at least on local and regional scales.
* Fixation on atmospheric carbon dioxide is a distraction from these more important anthropogenic effects.
* Despite attempts to label atmospheric carbon dioxide a "pollutant" it is, in fact, an essential trace gas, the increasing abundance of which is a bonus for the bulk of the biosphere.
* There is no reason to believe that slightly lower temperatures are somehow preferable to slightly higher temperatures - there is no known "optimal" nor any known means of knowingly and predictably adjusting some sort of planetary thermostat.
* Fluctuations in atmospheric carbon dioxide are of little relevance in the short to medium term (although should levels fall too low it could prove problematic in the longer-term).
* Activists and zealots constantly shrilling over atmospheric carbon dioxide are misdirecting attention and effort from real and potentially addressable local, regional and planetary problems."

As I said in the beginning of this post, I'm not scientist, but neither is Al Gore and he just won an Oscar for his documentary on the issue.

Taylor has RSV. I don't know too much about it, but I know that any time an infant is sick it's no fun for anyone. Laurie is sick herself with an infection in both breasts and Abbey just barely got better. I wish I lived closer so I could help out. I know Laurie must be so overwhelmed.
After reading the posts by Kristen and Aola, I'm enjoying a new approach to the diet/exercise regimen. I'm trying very hard to listen closely to my body and know when it is hungry and when it is not and focusing on what exercise does for my heart and muscles rather than my waist. This listening to my body rather than telling it what it should do is an entirely new idea. Today I ate a grilled cheese sandwich for the first time in a very long time and laughed as I thought about how long it's been since I haven't obsessed about what I was or was not eating and if I was or wasn't working out. Even at the times when I wasn't watching what I ate, I was always thinking about it and beating myself up about it. I'm anxious to see what will happen if I take that pressure off of myself and really listen to what my body needs.
I just finished reading "The Memory Keepers Daughter". It was well written, but completely frustrating to me. I wanted to fix things for the charicters or at least tell them how to fix it for themselves.

I'm not sure what has gotten in to me lately. I haven't been returning phone calls. I haven't wanted to go anywhere or do anything. Home seems like the most comfortable place to me and so it has become my hideout. If it weren't for David and Erin, no one would see me. I don't feel sad or depressed. I just want to be home. I want things to be quiet and still for a while. I haven't been sleeping well lately and I'm sure that plays a role in my new found longing for solitude. I'm not a nice person when I don't get sleep. My mind is buzzing with all the questions that life has just taken on. I'm not worried about what will happen. I'm a planner. So, I spend every moment, even those which should be spent sleeping, planning. Yet making a plan so early seems pointless. The last six months have provided every twist and turn imaginable. Who's to say the next six won't do the same?

I talked to Laurie today. Abbey is sick with what they think is the flu. That's really bad news with a 12 day-old baby on board. Please offer a prayer that Abbey will get better and that Taylor won't get sick at all.

David didn't get the offer to go to San Diego. He's a little bummed even though it wouldn't have been our first choice. He just said he wanted to be asked, which I totally understand. Who knows what selection criteria they used. David said that the group he was in had a lot of poeple who have been there 20+ years including the people who train him. I just left the entire mess in God's hands. A part of me was excited about the possibility of moving to San Diego, but the bigger part of me just wants to move to PA and be done with it.
We will be moving to PA in September. YEAH! He has a job through Septembr 1st. He will then receive a severance package and a bonus for staying 6 months even though he won't have a job at the end of it. They will be going over the severance package and bonus information on the 16th. In the meantime, David is applying for several positions within the company, and the company has hired an agency to help the employees find a job so he's working with them as well.
I talked with my dad about the move last night. He's excited that we will be there so soon. My step mom said that I can get a job as a CNA at the nursing home where she works and they will even pay for me to go to school. It sounds like a solid plan. My brain is racing with all of the things that need to be done. What goes? What stays? Most importantly, we have to buckle down on the budget and save like crazy to have the money to move. We hope that we will be able to make an adventure out of the journey across the country. It does change our plans to visit OK in April. Instead, we will stop by on our way through. That's the plan for now at least.

This section of my college career ended as soon as it began. I dropped out of the two classes I was enrolled in today. I saw not point in continuing when there is a very high possibility that we will be moving before the semester is even over. We aren't sure what will happen if David is not transfered to the San Diego branch. It could mean that they would give him his severance package on Wednesday and let him go. I just didn't want to waste the $150 for the classes if I'm not even going to be able to finish them. I was only taking them in order to preregister next semester and now that won't be necessary. Enrolling and going to the first class did serve a purpose. I learned that I don't have to be so afraid of going back to school. Wherever we land after all of this commotion, I will return to school.
I still need to finish the post about Taylors birth, and I have pictures to share from Erin's 11th birthday on Saturday. We had a blast. Four girls spent the night Saturday and kept me up until very late having a "girl talk". It all started when Erin and I had a talk about being embarrassed and not feeling like she fit in. To prove to her that every girl feels that way, I sat down with all the girls and we started talking about the boys they liked and the friends they had. Eventually I worked in how we all feel insecure at times. The girls shared what they didn't like about themselves and what they would change if they could. We talked about our differences and how no two girls were alike. Then we went around the room and told each girl what we liked about her. It was so sweet to see the girls really take time to think about what they liked about each girl, and the sparkle in each girls eyes as her friends delighted in her was priceless. Just as I was getting ready to leave the room for bed, the girls stopped me because they wanted to tell me what they liked about me. They all said that they loved having someone they felt like the could talk to who understood what it is like to be eleven and feel awkward inside your own skin. It made me warm inside.

I need to gather my thoughts about Taylor's birth before I post about it. I was able to be there for her entry into the world, and it was more beautiful than I can express. I am working on a post for it. In the meantime, I have much more to blog about.

The new song is an accurate description of my life right now. David just found out Friday that his company is moving the main building, which he works in, to San Diego. For us, this could mean a few different things. Option A: He is part of the top 50% that will be asked to move to San Diego with the company. We are not sure how likely this will be because he has only been with the company for a few months and his productivity isn't as high as some who have been there several years. This option is also a tad scary because we don't know anyone in San Diego or anything about living there. It's an eight hour drive from here. Option B: He isn't offered the job in San Diego but we convince his company to transfer him to their Pittsburgh office. This option would mean a huge move very soon, but it is a huge step towards our ultimate goal of living close to my family in Pennsylvania. Option C: He is not offered the job in San Diego, they won't let him transfer to the Pittsburgh branch, so we take the severance package, I give my two week notice and we move to Pennsylvania anyway. And the final least likely option is that he doesn't go to San Diego, or Pittsubrugh, but is offered a job somewhere within the San Ramon branch, we stay here, and life continues as normal (whatever that means).
They will be letting everyone know on Wednesday if they will be going to San Diego or not. If he is chosen to go, we will move in July. If he is not chosen, we could be moving much sooner. Just when I thought I had things a little figured out, everything is thrown up in the air again. I've pretty much given up on making any solid plans about the future. I'm just going to hang on tight and try to enjoy the ride.