My kind of cat

This is my kind of cat!

Found this through a friend on Plurk yesterday. That site is such a horrible enabler of procrastination, especially on a beautiful Friday afternoon! Oh well, at least now it’s a three-day weekend. Woohoo!

McCain announces young Alaskan gov. as running mate

Presidential candidate John McCain has picked Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (left) as his running mate, a senior McCain campaign official told CNN today.

At 44, Sarah Palin is “the first woman and the youngest person to hold the state’s top political job” according to CNN.com.  She’s currently in her first term as governor.  Previously, she held the positions of mayor and council member of the small town of Wasila and was also chairman of the state Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (a group that regulates Alaska’s oil and gas resources) in 2003 and 2004.  Born in Idaho, she moved to Alaska with her family in 1964 and graduated from Wasila High School in 1982.  She then returned to Idaho and received a bachelor of science degree in communications-journalism from the University of Idaho in 1987.

Her husband is Todd Palin, an oil production operator on Alaska’s North Slope. They have five children, including a son who enlisted in the Army last year and a baby boy (born April 2008) with Down Syndrome (with Sarah and Todd at right).  Palin’s choice to proceed with the pregnancy despite the diagnosis made her a bit of a hero in the eyes of the anti-abortion community.  “We’ve both been very vocal about being pro life,” Palin said. “We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential.”  This well-known stance, as well as the fact that if elected, Sarah Palin will be the first female vice president – possibly a consolation for Hillary supporters? – undoubtedly played a factor in McCain’s decision.

“She stands up for what’s right, and doesn’t let anyone tell her to sit down,” McCain said in his announcement. “She is exactly who I need. She’s exactly who this country needs, to help me fight.”

Check out a native Alaskan’s take on the situation here: McCain’s Next Trophy Girl.

Orange Sunrise Smoothie

Mornings really suck sometimes.  Especially mornings like today, when I didn’t get home til after 11 (when I was falling hard from a major caffeine high – venti frappuccino after a cup of regular isn’t recommended for someone who hardly drinks coffee at all!) and then I still forced myself out of bed at my standard pre-dawn hour for work.

To make matters worse, I was expecting a quiet office to myself for an hour or so … my fellow early bird officemate has an appointment this morning … but someone else in the office decided to try to catch the worm today!  Arg.  And this particular coworker often has a habit of his music and his thoughts with everyone else in the room, whether we’re interested or not. **sigh**

So, all that to say that on some mornings, an extra boost of sunny, citrus-y goodness is exactly what I need to get my motor running, and that’s when I head for the local Jack-in-the-Box drive-thru to pick up a tasty Orange Sunrise Smoothie.  It’s made with real fruit and non-fat yogurt, so I’m not worried about an overload of fat like I’d be with some other blended drinks I could choose (Starbucks, anyone?)  A 16 oz version of the Orange Sunrise contains 280 calories, 0 grams of fat, and 3 grams of protein.  It is high on the carb end … 70 grams with 53 from sugar, so if you’re watching carbs and/or sugar intake, you’d better opt for a smaller size.  And even if you’re not, it should still only be an occasional treat.   But seriously, on some mornings when I just don’t have time for a healthier homemade version, the Orange Sunrise can be a lifesaver.

Even better, I just discovered a coupon!  Considering that I’ll be paying rent and all that no-fun grown-up stuff real soon, coupons are my new best friend.  Get yours here and let me know how much you love the Orange Sunrise Smoothie too!