DJ Devine RL Wife of DJ Texas Tornado's blog: "Inquiring Minds"

Concordia University is actually re-locating to the old Schlumberger facility just down the road from me, quite literally! This is what they had to say on the first page of their webpage announcing this change: "The Board of Regents of Concordia University took a visionary step of faith on May 13, 2005, deciding to relocate its main campus. The new site was selected the following year and put under contract in July 2006. Closing on the property will take place in early 2007. Formerly owned by Schlumberger, an oil services company, the property was developed in 1987 as a research facility. The company closed the site several years ago and moved most of its research activities to Cambridge, England. The original Schlumberger site consists of approximately 440 acres of land divided into four lots. Nearly 250 acres of Lot 2 comprise a protected nature preserve. In addition, six buildings are located on Lot 2 consisting of 195,000 square feet of usable space. Most of Concordia's current academic programs and administrative departments will fit into the existing buildings, after some renovations. New construction on the campus will include a gym, athletic fields and student housing." Of course, because some students would be looking at getting housing off campus, this might drive up the apartment rates of my complex and others around here in this area; however, I view it as an opportunity to complete my education. I have been on an educational roll for quite some time -- having obtained my Paralegal Certificate in 1991 and my Associates in Criminal Justice in 2005 in between working 2-3 jobs at a time and being a single mom raising my daughter as best I could. I have been close to finishing my Bachelors but the platform at the University I was attending was revamped and kept cratering often. So frustrating and then, of course my work schedules have been crazy too to not be conducive to having a schedule for studying habits as well. Oh, well. They have a program for Accelerated Adult Learning where you attend classes one night a week, ie from 6-10pm, and each class only lasts 4 wks. I would love to get into those and with the University relocating less than 2 miles from my apartment, I would have no excuse, other than to try to get my work schedule conducive to attending those classes. Of course, since they won't be officially open until 2008, I have some time to get that accomplished, albeit that time will come before I realize it, I know! Maybe, they will be hiring at the new campus??? I'll definately have to check that out soon. We'll have to see what life brings along my way; in the meantime, something exciting is this way coming for certain and I am giddy with its possibilities!! :D

On the note of the next to the last blog posting in the "Inquiring Minds" blog series, entitled "Stamp Tramps" and "Hook ups", I felt that it is time to start a new blog series called, "Inquiring Minds II"! Of course, it was timely, too, in that there were exactly 300 posts in "Inquiring Minds"!!! :D It was a huge relief to get off my chest a nearly 30 year secret. Amazing how much relief that can be. I have personally taken many measures to ensure regaining my own healthy mind through workbooks and workshops; however, never revealing to another soul my personal interest in being there. Journalling is a huge help when seemingly destined to have to regain one's own strength. As such so is blogging. :) My secret was never revealed to this day to even my parents and siblings. To this day, my parents are puzzled by why their daughter, who graduated from on of the top high schools in San Antonio in the top third of a class of nearly 900 students, was a seemingly "failure" in college and was always partying. If they only knew back then what had really been happening, maybe things would be different; however, how could I tell them that their daughter was not quite so perfect? My parents expected the world of me and I already let them down. No point in telling them now. Maybe never. What would the point be to do that when they have so many health problems of their own??? At any rate..... thank you, CT friends/family, for enduring me while I shared the secret with you. This now becomes the first blog posting of the new blog series. Welcome!

"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You." Dr. Seuss ( Happy Birthday to You!) Today is a day worth celebrating in a sense. (See prior blog.)

I have delayed writing this blog because I wanted to sort out my thoughts after watching the Tyra show the other day where she had a panel of gals that loved to party and have sex with guys and some guys who offered their opinions on gals who play. It was interesting to hear about the guys' viewpoint. They referred to the gals that had tats in the small of their backs as "stamp tramps" because they feel that the only reason that gals do that is to have guys attention drawn to them and the goods in their pants, hence the nickname of "stamp tramps". Of course, not all gals do that for that reason only, but when you think about it many do. As the show went on, it was further revealed that one of the girls spoken up (unplanned) about how she had been raped long ago and how part of the reason why she has sex with guys is to get back at them with the same non-feeling that they had when they raped her. This part of the show hit me like a brick wall. I had put aside my memories of my being raped, not just once but three times while attending the University of Texas. I was skinny and beautiful and full of life but my love and zest for the intimacy of sex was severely altered during that time. Some nearly 30 years later, I am able to think about it and think about how it has affected my life. While I still very much love sex, I do find myself keep looking for the intimacy that I so desire. The first time was at a frat party on the University of Texas' West Campus. I was a bit drunk and taken upstairs and raped. When my "sisters" took me to the sorority house later in the wee morning hours, I was too out of it and ashamed to say anything. The next time, the same guy called me and told me that he wanted to make up for it; instead, he got me drunk again and we went to the men's dorms on the campus and he raped me in the shower area there. No one was around since most everyone was at a UT football game on campus. The third time was with some male friends of mine who took me down to Saint Mary's University for a party down there. It wasn't them that took advantage of me; it was their friends. I was devastated and ashamed and didn't say anything to them either. It led to a very confusing freshman year. Wow! First time I have let any of that out to anyone. I returned to San Antonio the following year and hoped to reconnect to with my friends that I had trusted so very much when we would go partying throughout high school. Unfortunately, they were all gone. I returned back to Austin the following year where I was "hooked up" with a best friend's cousin, who became my first husband after dating him for 2-3 years. Unfortunately, he and my next husband ended up being quite the abusive nature. I wonder now if the reason I was susceptible to that was because of the series of rapes I endured but didn't dare talk about all these years. Tyra's show certainly gave me a lot to think about and do some soul searching during the past few weeks. My third husband was a doll and showed me that I am truly beautiful, even with the renaissance curves that I have, and he showed me the utmost respect. I regained faith in men after knowing and loving him. Wishing that he never did die, but the good Lord did look upon him and said, "Your job is done." I thank God for the opportunity to have known him. I look forward to whatever the future brings me. I have dated a few good men during the past almost 5 yrs, and discovered a few bad, dishonest fellows along the way. However, my faith in men has already been restored and I know that there are truly some good men out there. In the meantime, I am really not into "hookups" for the sake of having sex. While I do so still love sex, I am saving it for someone who truly wants and desire a relationship with me for the long haul...perhaps, for the rest of our lives. I still keep in touch with the good guys who do have my best interests at heart and stayed away from the bad guys that who I know don't have my best interest at heart. I know CT is a club of sorts; however, that doesn't mean that hookups are on my agenda. I am wholeheartedly looking for that loving, life-enduring relationship that I can share my heart and soul with. Maybe it is only a dream, but I will wait for that special someone to sweep me up and call me all his own. My prince in shining armor who knows how to respect me and love me for who I am. Is he out there? Who knows. He very well could be! Only time will tell. “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” -- Dr. Seuss Moving forward....

There is the kind of love that you have for most anyone in your life... and, then there is that special sort of love that goes beyond measure. Just kind of drives you crazy doesn't it???? Crazy Little Thing Called Love Lyrics ~~ Queen ~~ This thing called love I just can't handle it This thing called love I must get round to it I ain't ready Crazy little thing called love This thing (this thing) called love (called love) It cries (like a baby) In a cradle all night It swings (woo woo) It jives (woo woo) It shakes all over like a jelly fish I kinda like it Crazy little thing called love There goes my baby She knows how to Rock'n'Roll She drives me crazy She gives me hot and cold fever Then she leaves me in a cool cool sweat I gotta be cool relax get hip! Get on my tracks Take a back seat Hitch hike And take a long ride on my motor bike Until I'm ready Crazy little thing called love I gotta be cool relax get hip! Get on my track's Take a back seat Hitch hike And take a long ride on my motor bike Until I'm ready (ready Freddie) Crazy little thing called love This thing called love I just can't handle it This thing called love I must get round to it I ain't ready Crazy little thing called love...

LOL.... I laid down "for just a few minutes" before charging forth for the day in the sunshine and some volunteer work to finish up a project today after playing around with attempting to master being able to morph some images. My two examples are in my photos section under a "Morphing Experimentation" album currently at the bottom of my photo album list. I'll be forgiven for not following up today regarding the volunteering at the department because she knows my crazy work schedule. However, I just hated to sleep the afternoon away. LOL.... I am ready for working tonight, if there is an upside to it at all. Off to watch the Winner....and get things ready to take with me to work tonight. Blessings for a restful Sunday evening for you as well before charging forth for the eventful week ahead!!!

Well, this is certainly and interesting exploration today in learning a little bit out of the norm software for me. I do so love challenges and the learning curve is a bit of a challenge; it's a challenge type that keeps you wanting to perfect the photo before moving on to something else. Or, perhaps, it is just the perfectionist part of me???? LOL... This time I choose a B/W image of me and one of Meryl Streep.... What do you think??? PS I have been told all my life that I look like Meryl Streep. These morphs seem to be proving up the point in a sense. LOL... Off to head for some much needed sunshine in the outdoors!! :D

I missed Church. :( I was going by my clock on my computer. Shouldn't do that. Although my computer is less than 2 years old, it didn't change the time automatically as it should have. Guess I'll need to look up the patch for that at some point or another. In the meantime, I am thankful I got my Church in by watching two services on tv today!!! :D I am thankful that I haven't slept through the morning and I was able to get quite a bit done today already. Heading to where I volunteer in a bit to help out there for part of the afternoon, then back home to rest up before I go to work later tonight. Hoping that you are all having productive days, even if you encounter counterproductive moments like I have had with the morphing explorations. At least, I have learned more new things!!! :D Laters....

Okay. I cratered in and tried to do my first morphing imaging. What do you think????