Barb from AAA talked to Mom and has listed the accusations as "unfounded". Great, wonderful, but they're still there and that's going to fester a bit, I think. Supposedly, she's going to try to find out what aide has been bringing food. We think the cold and the ceiling tile thing came from Lynn, Grandma's caseworker. However, we're off the hook as far as any investigation or anything like that.
I talked to a counselor today. I'll talk to her again next week and I think I might try to keep it up. I don't know how much it'll cost, but I think I need it. She asked me what I really want right now if I could have it and the answers were simple: more time to myself that I don't feel like I'm "stealing" and time to go back to school face to face, not just by computer. I enjoy school. I love going to classes and being with other students. It's fun. Of course, the only way either of those two goals would be accomplished is if: A, Mom gives up any life she has or B, the relatives start taking some responsibility for their mother/grandmother. Now, since the first is totally unfair to Mom and the second is almost an impossibility, I'll just have to keep doing what I'm doing. I'm just hoping I get out of this whole situation still loving my grandmother and not hating her for what we've gone through for the past five years.
*snort* I told her about the last two times I tried counseling and the unmitigated disasters that ensued and she promised me she wouldn't recommend letter or journal writing, so what am I doing now? No, I need to reclaim my writing, no matter what else happens in my life. It's a piece of my soul that I've been missing for far too long.
On a good note, except for the idiocy with the accusations, today and yesterday have been Grandma Days. Mrs. Hyde is nowhere to be seen. She's been talking to us, making jokes, starting conversation. She just ate some soup without a fight because she was cold. Usually I get at least token resistance about soup, no matter how freezing she is. Yesterday when we talked to her about the accusations she scoffed at them. On Grandma Days she knows we are here to take care of her. She's pretty cool on those days. Two in a row! It's when Mrs. Hyde is visiting that I stay in my room. We just ate in the kitchen together, talking nicely. She had her soup and I had a ham sandwich. It was nice.
Oh, I also finished my needle roll for my cross-stitch exchange. I really like how it turned out. The designs are based on Aesop's Fables. When the recipient gets it, I'll post a picture. Hee-hee. I worked on some of it while I was talking to Penny (the counselor). I even told her. She didn't say anything about it, so I don't think she minded. I just hate sitting around doing nothing with my hands while I'm on the phone or watching television for a long period of time. That reminds me, Mom is supposed to try to teach me how to crochet again...
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Warning: Extreme Grandma Rant!
I don't know if I can truly express how angry and upset I am right now. I just received a call from the Area Agency on Aging. Apparently, Grandma's caseworker had some concerns about Mom and I when she visited last for two reasons.
1. The ceiling tiles in the bathroom need repair. They do, and my uncle has been promising to do it for the last two years. Mom and I simply don't have the knowledge to fix them. We replaced the roof a few years ago and had to rip out the old tiles. We were able to get most of them replaced before we ran into a snag that we couldn't fix. My uncle keeps saying he'll come out, but never seems to have the time. We have been slowly removing those that look like they have a tenuous hold on anti-gravity. I guess the case-worker saw them and is afraid they'll all come down and bonk grandma on the head. Fine, we've been trying to get them fixed, but I guess we should have, I don't know, hog-tied one of my uncles or the cousin who've been in construction, dragged them over and forced them to help take care of their mother/grandmother.
2. (And this is the one that really burns my ass) Supposedly, some of the aides have been bringing Grandma food because she says "there is none in the house". We buy food for her before and a hell of a lot more often than we buy it for ourselves. The pantry is full, so is the refrigerator. The problem lies in the fact that she simply doesn't want to eat anything other than chips, butter pecan ice cream, jello and fruit, with her diet soda washing it down. Mom and I buy stuff that's nutritious and filling, therefore it doesn't exist in Grandma's eyes. She eats it when she feels like it, if she feels like it and I guess none of the aides are pushing the issue with her like we have to. Of course, when TAFH is in, she eats whatever is put in front of her, because TAFH is taking care of her and dancing constant attendance.
I'm pissed, truly and utterly pissed. I'm shaking so hard that I have to keep hitting the backspace key to erase typing mistakes. I may not enjoy taking care of Grandma nine times out of ten, but I took on this responsibility and I will be damned if someone tells me I'm not taking care of her correctly. I give her more care and attention than I give my own health and mental well-being. Mom cries herself to sleep many nights. I just don't know what else to say. To think someone doesn't believe I'm taking care of her is mind-boggling.
They can live with her and try to get her to eat, bathe and change clothing. They can put up with her glaring at you if you dare to stay downstairs and watch television with her. They can learn to ignore constant insults about your weight and the fact that you "read too much" and "have too many books" and do those stupid crafts all the time (the only fucking things keeping me sane since I can't go back to school and get my degree because, surprise surprise, all the relatives are too fucking busy with their lives to let me go to classes). They can see what it's like to have one of the nicest people in your young life turn into Mrs. Hyde on you when you try to help her. They can come here and see the difference in her personality when there is anybody here but Mom and I. She's an entirely different woman: personable, sweet, nice, kind. Everyone always tells me, "Oh, your Grandma is so nice and sweet." Yeah? Live with her. She's crabby, cold, unfeeling and a plain old bitch about four days out of the week. Two of the other days, she's just totally ignoring us because we made her eat something she didn't like or had to go somewhere and made her leave the house to sit in the car with the heat on full blast (she refuses to enter stores, so we rush around like mad chickens getting stuff done and out quickly) and maybe, just maybe, she'll actually be nice to us on the seventh day. We live for those days. On those days, my Grandma is back. My real Grandma - not the ready-to-die woman I've been living with for going on five years.
Ooh, I'll bet the fact that all Grandma wants to do is sleep on the couch all day is our fault, too. Maybe we should drag her up and out of the couch and somehow force her to do exercises. Anyone have a remote-operated, body-control device I can use?
This has not helped cool me down, especially since I know, logically, that the AAA was doing what they are meant to do and I'm grateful for their existence. They do a lot of good and are extremely necessary. I just never would have thought they'd think Mom and I don't take care of Grandma right. I'm crying now. I'm going to go break my diet and have some chocolate.
1. The ceiling tiles in the bathroom need repair. They do, and my uncle has been promising to do it for the last two years. Mom and I simply don't have the knowledge to fix them. We replaced the roof a few years ago and had to rip out the old tiles. We were able to get most of them replaced before we ran into a snag that we couldn't fix. My uncle keeps saying he'll come out, but never seems to have the time. We have been slowly removing those that look like they have a tenuous hold on anti-gravity. I guess the case-worker saw them and is afraid they'll all come down and bonk grandma on the head. Fine, we've been trying to get them fixed, but I guess we should have, I don't know, hog-tied one of my uncles or the cousin who've been in construction, dragged them over and forced them to help take care of their mother/grandmother.
2. (And this is the one that really burns my ass) Supposedly, some of the aides have been bringing Grandma food because she says "there is none in the house". We buy food for her before and a hell of a lot more often than we buy it for ourselves. The pantry is full, so is the refrigerator. The problem lies in the fact that she simply doesn't want to eat anything other than chips, butter pecan ice cream, jello and fruit, with her diet soda washing it down. Mom and I buy stuff that's nutritious and filling, therefore it doesn't exist in Grandma's eyes. She eats it when she feels like it, if she feels like it and I guess none of the aides are pushing the issue with her like we have to. Of course, when TAFH is in, she eats whatever is put in front of her, because TAFH is taking care of her and dancing constant attendance.
I'm pissed, truly and utterly pissed. I'm shaking so hard that I have to keep hitting the backspace key to erase typing mistakes. I may not enjoy taking care of Grandma nine times out of ten, but I took on this responsibility and I will be damned if someone tells me I'm not taking care of her correctly. I give her more care and attention than I give my own health and mental well-being. Mom cries herself to sleep many nights. I just don't know what else to say. To think someone doesn't believe I'm taking care of her is mind-boggling.
They can live with her and try to get her to eat, bathe and change clothing. They can put up with her glaring at you if you dare to stay downstairs and watch television with her. They can learn to ignore constant insults about your weight and the fact that you "read too much" and "have too many books" and do those stupid crafts all the time (the only fucking things keeping me sane since I can't go back to school and get my degree because, surprise surprise, all the relatives are too fucking busy with their lives to let me go to classes). They can see what it's like to have one of the nicest people in your young life turn into Mrs. Hyde on you when you try to help her. They can come here and see the difference in her personality when there is anybody here but Mom and I. She's an entirely different woman: personable, sweet, nice, kind. Everyone always tells me, "Oh, your Grandma is so nice and sweet." Yeah? Live with her. She's crabby, cold, unfeeling and a plain old bitch about four days out of the week. Two of the other days, she's just totally ignoring us because we made her eat something she didn't like or had to go somewhere and made her leave the house to sit in the car with the heat on full blast (she refuses to enter stores, so we rush around like mad chickens getting stuff done and out quickly) and maybe, just maybe, she'll actually be nice to us on the seventh day. We live for those days. On those days, my Grandma is back. My real Grandma - not the ready-to-die woman I've been living with for going on five years.
Ooh, I'll bet the fact that all Grandma wants to do is sleep on the couch all day is our fault, too. Maybe we should drag her up and out of the couch and somehow force her to do exercises. Anyone have a remote-operated, body-control device I can use?
This has not helped cool me down, especially since I know, logically, that the AAA was doing what they are meant to do and I'm grateful for their existence. They do a lot of good and are extremely necessary. I just never would have thought they'd think Mom and I don't take care of Grandma right. I'm crying now. I'm going to go break my diet and have some chocolate.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Diets and Women's Sizes
I'm on a diet. It's been mildly successful so far. I've lost 2 .75 inches around my waist in a few weeks. I consider this a major step forward. It's a damn good thing I actually like salads.
I've been trying to figure out my end goal (size 12) and what I need to lose to get there. The problem is there are quite a few different measurement charts to go by. The US Standard size chart, which the clothing manufacturers in the United States aren't required to use, for some reason, states thus:
Size 10 (might be cool to be this tiny again): bust - 32.5, waist - 25, hips - 34.5
Size 12 (ultimate goal): bust - 34, waist - 26.5, hips - 36
Size 14 (goal for vacation at the end of July): bust - 36, waist - 28, hips - 38
Apparently, this sizing standard is falling into disuse by everyone because of its age, vanity sizing (yes, I believe it exists) and designers whims.
By contrast, the majority of catalog sales measure sizes thusly:
Size 10 : bust - 37, waist - 28, hips - 38.5
Size 12 : bust - 38.5, waist - 29.5, hips - 40
Size 12 : bust - 38.5, waist - 29.5, hips - 40
Size 14 : bust - 40, waist - 31, hips - 41.5
I would love to make it to the US Standards idea of size 12. I'd feel so skinny it's not even funny. However, just to get to their size 14 waist, I'd still have 15.5 inches to go in three months. I think the catalog one is a little more doable. It makes me wonder, though, I'm already wearing size 18. It doesn't take dropping almost 16 inches to lose two sizes, does it?
Oh, did I mention I keep putting off the exercise portion... *stupid stupid*
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
LibraryThing addiction
Well, I've passed 1000 books. I haven't tagged them all yet, but I'm getting to it. Can I just state now and for the record that LibraryThing is almost as addictive as LiveJournal. It's so fun just perusing others' libraries, especially if they have a lot of the same books I have.
I pretty much knew it would happen, but my tagging efforts are bringing home just how much fluff I read and re-read. So far my tag for contemporary romance is leading the pack, thanks to all those silly Harlequin and Silhouettes I buy. I was hoping my history tag would be able to win, but I really knew it wasn't going to happen. Oh, well. If I didn't re-read these books and wasn't going through and getting rid of books I no longer have any interest in whatsoever, I'd feel guilty. As it is, I do re-read them and am only keeping those I feel I really will read again.
I'm posting most of the books I no longer want on the PaperbackSwap website. There will be some I just bring to the Book Swap, though. Those are the books that I really don't think anyone will want - Harlequins and such.
Hah! The fun part now is opening up all of my downloaded e-books and finding the ISBNs that will work in the files. For some reason, those listed in the "front page" don't register with Amazon.com, so you have to find the books in a very backwards way or manually input them yourself. It's a good thing I'm patient.
I pretty much knew it would happen, but my tagging efforts are bringing home just how much fluff I read and re-read. So far my tag for contemporary romance is leading the pack, thanks to all those silly Harlequin and Silhouettes I buy. I was hoping my history tag would be able to win, but I really knew it wasn't going to happen. Oh, well. If I didn't re-read these books and wasn't going through and getting rid of books I no longer have any interest in whatsoever, I'd feel guilty. As it is, I do re-read them and am only keeping those I feel I really will read again.
I'm posting most of the books I no longer want on the PaperbackSwap website. There will be some I just bring to the Book Swap, though. Those are the books that I really don't think anyone will want - Harlequins and such.
Hah! The fun part now is opening up all of my downloaded e-books and finding the ISBNs that will work in the files. For some reason, those listed in the "front page" don't register with Amazon.com, so you have to find the books in a very backwards way or manually input them yourself. It's a good thing I'm patient.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Feminism and Dinosaurs
I have this thing about the movie Jurassic Park. I absolutely adore it. I got hooked on dinosaurs when I was a wee, little thing. Well, young and short, anyway. I've never been wee or little. Despite the movie's scientific inaccuracies or improbabilities it is one of the double handful of movies I have seen repeatedly in the theater (Aladdin [3 times], JP [6 times], all four HPs [too many to count between them]).
I just noticed something today while watching it for what must be the thousandth time (JP marathon - Wahoo!). When Hammond picks up the phone in the bunker, he automatically assumes it's Grant on the other end. Now I thought Grant was lost in the park with the kids and Ellie and Muldoon were resetting the controls. At no time in the action does it show Ellie letting Hammond know that Muldoon is dead and she met up with Grant and the kids. Now, after her verbal bitch-slap of Hammond and his "sexism in survival situations", you would assume he'd just think it was Ellie, right?
Am I just over-analyzing this? Probably. I blame my friends Sinspired and Morchades, of course. I've been reading their journals way too often if my brain is starting to process throwaway lines with a feminist slant.
Although, if you really think about it, the whole movie is a feminist heaven. Except for the dinos in the wild, which they didn't use, all of them are female. That includes the T-rex that chomps Gennaro's ass and the velociraptors that ambush Muldoon (who really should have known better since he called them a pride to begin with and knows pack-hunting behavior!). Also, the girls really get to do a lot of the heroic stuff. Ellie foils the velociraptor chasing her in the control shed - sorta. She gets to do all sorts of action-hero stuff, while giving Hammond something to think about in regards to sexism. She gets to be the wise elder of the piece with her conversation with Hammond when Grant and the kids are still missing.
Lexie, in the book, was a bratty little sister who played with a baseball and annoyed her older brother, contributing absolutely nothing. Tim in the book was the older brother who was the dinosaur expert and the computer whiz. Thankfully, in the movie they split Tim's role - or I would have suggested offering Lexie up as an offering to the velociraptors' gods. Lexie was the computer nerd/hacker who managed to get the systems rebooted while the adults were fending off one of the velociraptors. Except for her girly-ickishness regarding the brachiosaur sneezing and the T-rex trying to eat her (like we'd all react well to that), she managed to come out as a smart character who could save the day.
Most of the guys actually got the short end of the stick. Hammond got killed in the book, but just ended up as a sort of broken, old man in the movie. He had some clever lines and funny moments, but he came off as the overzealous, unthinking person who gets what he deserves. Gennaro gets chomped on by the T-rex, which he has coming to him for running out on the kids. Muldoon, well, see the parentheses above about the velociraptor. *fumes* Nedry gets eaten by dilophosaurs after betraying Hammond and setting everything into motion. John Arnold's family might be able to bury his arm someday, even though he never really did anything in the movie to deserve his fate. Malcom gets injured, has some really funny lines, leads the t-rex away from the kids and leads Ellie to the right place, but his defining contribution is his character's moralistic viewpoint. Wu and Harding get away, which I like, especially since I have a soft spot in my heart for B.D. Wong.
Grant and Tim come off the best of all of the guys. Grant, of course, saves the kids (with Malcom's assistance) and gets them home. He softens up towards children and gets to be all kick-ass with the shotgun. He notes the fact that the dinos are breeding (which never comes up again, damnit!) and gets to do the whole looking at the future and the past in the last shots of the movie. Little kids can be so annoying in movies. Tim comes off well. They gave his character the dinosaur smarts, which he uses to identify the "meatasauruses" from the "veggiesauruses" for his sister, getting them out of trouble. He gets to be the annoying little brother a few times, but is also the one who first realizes the danger of the T-rex. He even gets the best stunt.
Ah, well. A little semi-feminist snippet from someone who is now going back to enjoy the second JP movie and all the clever quips that are to come. Cheers.
I just noticed something today while watching it for what must be the thousandth time (JP marathon - Wahoo!). When Hammond picks up the phone in the bunker, he automatically assumes it's Grant on the other end. Now I thought Grant was lost in the park with the kids and Ellie and Muldoon were resetting the controls. At no time in the action does it show Ellie letting Hammond know that Muldoon is dead and she met up with Grant and the kids. Now, after her verbal bitch-slap of Hammond and his "sexism in survival situations", you would assume he'd just think it was Ellie, right?
Am I just over-analyzing this? Probably. I blame my friends Sinspired and Morchades, of course. I've been reading their journals way too often if my brain is starting to process throwaway lines with a feminist slant.
Although, if you really think about it, the whole movie is a feminist heaven. Except for the dinos in the wild, which they didn't use, all of them are female. That includes the T-rex that chomps Gennaro's ass and the velociraptors that ambush Muldoon (who really should have known better since he called them a pride to begin with and knows pack-hunting behavior!). Also, the girls really get to do a lot of the heroic stuff. Ellie foils the velociraptor chasing her in the control shed - sorta. She gets to do all sorts of action-hero stuff, while giving Hammond something to think about in regards to sexism. She gets to be the wise elder of the piece with her conversation with Hammond when Grant and the kids are still missing.
Lexie, in the book, was a bratty little sister who played with a baseball and annoyed her older brother, contributing absolutely nothing. Tim in the book was the older brother who was the dinosaur expert and the computer whiz. Thankfully, in the movie they split Tim's role - or I would have suggested offering Lexie up as an offering to the velociraptors' gods. Lexie was the computer nerd/hacker who managed to get the systems rebooted while the adults were fending off one of the velociraptors. Except for her girly-ickishness regarding the brachiosaur sneezing and the T-rex trying to eat her (like we'd all react well to that), she managed to come out as a smart character who could save the day.
Most of the guys actually got the short end of the stick. Hammond got killed in the book, but just ended up as a sort of broken, old man in the movie. He had some clever lines and funny moments, but he came off as the overzealous, unthinking person who gets what he deserves. Gennaro gets chomped on by the T-rex, which he has coming to him for running out on the kids. Muldoon, well, see the parentheses above about the velociraptor. *fumes* Nedry gets eaten by dilophosaurs after betraying Hammond and setting everything into motion. John Arnold's family might be able to bury his arm someday, even though he never really did anything in the movie to deserve his fate. Malcom gets injured, has some really funny lines, leads the t-rex away from the kids and leads Ellie to the right place, but his defining contribution is his character's moralistic viewpoint. Wu and Harding get away, which I like, especially since I have a soft spot in my heart for B.D. Wong.
Grant and Tim come off the best of all of the guys. Grant, of course, saves the kids (with Malcom's assistance) and gets them home. He softens up towards children and gets to be all kick-ass with the shotgun. He notes the fact that the dinos are breeding (which never comes up again, damnit!) and gets to do the whole looking at the future and the past in the last shots of the movie. Little kids can be so annoying in movies. Tim comes off well. They gave his character the dinosaur smarts, which he uses to identify the "meatasauruses" from the "veggiesauruses" for his sister, getting them out of trouble. He gets to be the annoying little brother a few times, but is also the one who first realizes the danger of the T-rex. He even gets the best stunt.
Ah, well. A little semi-feminist snippet from someone who is now going back to enjoy the second JP movie and all the clever quips that are to come. Cheers.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Celiac Disease and AIDS false positive results
For any Celiacs actually reading this blog, I came across a link to an article regarding various auto-immune disorders and possible false positives for AIDS. Personally, I have Epstein-Barr Virus on top of Celiac Disease. EBV is listed as a possible cause for false positives. Oh, joy.
The article is from 1996, so there is probably a lot more current data, but it's an interesting read. There are a lot of illnesses that might throw off the readings.
The article is from 1996, so there is probably a lot more current data, but it's an interesting read. There are a lot of illnesses that might throw off the readings.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Ageism is alive and well these days...
Today I encountered a woman who put my back up in the worst way. Our very cool bus driver asked her how she was doing when we got on and somehow she ended up in a rant about young people these days. The only reason I didn't say anything was because of her age and the general rule I have about respecting old people and not calling them out for being obnoxious assholes. (This one was a nasty old bat, not an elderly person!) She went off about young people not being taught manners or respect, then just had to mention a neighbor of hers who was a slut (her words) and the children she had, all three of whom are also sluts. When Joe (the bus driver) kind of just uh-huhed her she had to mention that one of the slutty children was a man in his thirties. She then wished that he'd get AIDs because he deserves it. Of course, then the topic had to change to the fact that the taxpayers have to pay for all the children of these slutty young people, who have sex before marriage and all that.
I guess every single person of her generation (both genders) was a virgin before marriage. No pre-marital sex in the Thirties, Forties and Fifties.
I was amazed by the vitriol spewing from the mouth of this small, kindly-looking woman. I commented to Joe later something along the lines of her being the picture of Christian charity and good will. He just shrugged and said that he just lets people like her go, because he has to face them each day. He's right, the poor guy.
I would love it if, for once, some older person didn't lay the blame for everything on the younger people. I'm thirty. I have manners (mostly good) and a decent respect for the elderly (Count the holes in my tongue from not telling the old bat where she could stick her prejudices!) and my mother's generation. I also try to respect my contemporaries and the generation after me. Why is it that I am somehow less deserving of the respect due the elderly? Do these people who treat younger generations like crap not have any clue as to what they did when they were young and what happened in their own times and those before them? It must be selective memory/ignorance because some of the things my mother and great-relatives have told me about I wouldn't try if you paid me a million dollars.
Just a side note: when looking up "ageism" for the Wikipedia link, I encountered a lot more links relating to discrimination against the elderly. There were some nice links dealing with discrimination towards teens and such, though. You just have to look for them. You know, at this point there are a lot more advocates for the discrimination against the elderly than there are for discrimination against youth, although neither seem to be getting much accomplished in regards to either problem.
I guess every single person of her generation (both genders) was a virgin before marriage. No pre-marital sex in the Thirties, Forties and Fifties.
I was amazed by the vitriol spewing from the mouth of this small, kindly-looking woman. I commented to Joe later something along the lines of her being the picture of Christian charity and good will. He just shrugged and said that he just lets people like her go, because he has to face them each day. He's right, the poor guy.
I would love it if, for once, some older person didn't lay the blame for everything on the younger people. I'm thirty. I have manners (mostly good) and a decent respect for the elderly (Count the holes in my tongue from not telling the old bat where she could stick her prejudices!) and my mother's generation. I also try to respect my contemporaries and the generation after me. Why is it that I am somehow less deserving of the respect due the elderly? Do these people who treat younger generations like crap not have any clue as to what they did when they were young and what happened in their own times and those before them? It must be selective memory/ignorance because some of the things my mother and great-relatives have told me about I wouldn't try if you paid me a million dollars.
Just a side note: when looking up "ageism" for the Wikipedia link, I encountered a lot more links relating to discrimination against the elderly. There were some nice links dealing with discrimination towards teens and such, though. You just have to look for them. You know, at this point there are a lot more advocates for the discrimination against the elderly than there are for discrimination against youth, although neither seem to be getting much accomplished in regards to either problem.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Nerd Type
Okay, this was too good not to post. I have found out what type of nerd I am. It's not a book nerd, despite the fact that I found this quiz while taking a short break from entering books on LibraryThing (636 books and counting). I am...
Of all things, a drama nerd?! *swishes hair back dramatically* How absurd!
;p
| What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Drama Nerd You sure do love the spotlight and probably have a very out-going and loud personality. Or not. That's just a stereotype, of course. Participation in the theatre is something to be very proud of. Whether you have a great voice for musicals, or astounding skills for dramas/comedies; keep up the good work. We need more entertainment these days that isn't television and video games (not that these things are bad, necessarily.) | |
| Social Nerd | |
| Literature Nerd | |
| Artistic Nerd | |
| Gamer/Computer Nerd | |
| Science/Math Nerd | |
| Musician | |
| Anime Nerd | |
| What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace | |
Of all things, a drama nerd?! *swishes hair back dramatically* How absurd!
;p
Friday, March 23, 2007
Adding a few things
Okay, I'm adding an In-between and a Down.
In-between: I just found out that when the gentleman at Sleepy's swiped my card for the last payment, it didn't go through. I'm calling this an In-between, not a down, because I can still pay the delivery guys tomorrow. *sigh* I just really wanted it all paid off, you know.
Down: There's a rocket launch at Kennedy Space Center...on August 3rd, the last day of our cruise. I'm going to be so close to a real launch and still miss the blasted thing! Pun intended, of course.
In-between: I just found out that when the gentleman at Sleepy's swiped my card for the last payment, it didn't go through. I'm calling this an In-between, not a down, because I can still pay the delivery guys tomorrow. *sigh* I just really wanted it all paid off, you know.
Down: There's a rocket launch at Kennedy Space Center...on August 3rd, the last day of our cruise. I'm going to be so close to a real launch and still miss the blasted thing! Pun intended, of course.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
A week of ups, downs and in-betweens
Up: Mom and I put a down-payment on our cruise at the end of July to the Caribbean. Also, we'll go a day early and see Kennedy Space Center before we cruise.
Down: Grandma had a sugar-spike episode in the middle of Old Country Buffet on Tuesday.
Up: I paid off my mattress and it's being delivered this Saturday between noon and 4pm.
Down: I have to finish reorganizing my room in two days so the guys can actually deliver the blamed thing. (So why are you on the computer, idiot?)
Up: Reorganizing my room will give me more space to work with (if I can move the dresser) and let me sort through my books; get rid of those I don't want on PaperbackSwap (Shameless plug - check out the link on the list on the right) and actually catalog the rest on LibraryThing.
In-Between: I have decided to go on a diet to lose two sizes (at least) before the cruise. Blech! It's a good thing I actually like salads and rice cakes.
Down: My brother was just here pirating our wireless for his job hunt and received a call from my oldest cousin, asking him if he wanted to go out for drinks. She has never asked me and I feel a little (a lot!) depressed at always being the odd cousin out. Oh, and when she was told where my brother was, she didn't bother asking how Grandma was doing or ask to talk to her.
Up: My brother and I had a normal conversation while he was here and he didn't, for once, try to tell me how to live my life. He was actually pretty nice for the most part and kept his snide remarks to a minimum.
Up: I sorta told off (gently) the co-worker who torments me the most after she kept taking the supplies I needed to do my job so she could do hers instead of getting them for herself. I felt good about that.
Up: I'm already pretty far on my nephew's birthday present after less than a week of stitching. I think I'll finish it in a matter of weeks, not months like I'd hoped. The Temple will take longer, but I expected it to take a while.
In-between: Kwan Yin is sort of on hold until I find out if I'll be able to get her to her recipient, as the girl quit where we work and I have no address for her at the moment. I have to email her and make sure she keeps me updated on it.
Wow! There are more ups than downs. I like that.
Down: Grandma had a sugar-spike episode in the middle of Old Country Buffet on Tuesday.
Up: I paid off my mattress and it's being delivered this Saturday between noon and 4pm.
Down: I have to finish reorganizing my room in two days so the guys can actually deliver the blamed thing. (So why are you on the computer, idiot?)
Up: Reorganizing my room will give me more space to work with (if I can move the dresser) and let me sort through my books; get rid of those I don't want on PaperbackSwap (Shameless plug - check out the link on the list on the right) and actually catalog the rest on LibraryThing.
In-Between: I have decided to go on a diet to lose two sizes (at least) before the cruise. Blech! It's a good thing I actually like salads and rice cakes.
Down: My brother was just here pirating our wireless for his job hunt and received a call from my oldest cousin, asking him if he wanted to go out for drinks. She has never asked me and I feel a little (a lot!) depressed at always being the odd cousin out. Oh, and when she was told where my brother was, she didn't bother asking how Grandma was doing or ask to talk to her.
Up: My brother and I had a normal conversation while he was here and he didn't, for once, try to tell me how to live my life. He was actually pretty nice for the most part and kept his snide remarks to a minimum.
Up: I sorta told off (gently) the co-worker who torments me the most after she kept taking the supplies I needed to do my job so she could do hers instead of getting them for herself. I felt good about that.
Up: I'm already pretty far on my nephew's birthday present after less than a week of stitching. I think I'll finish it in a matter of weeks, not months like I'd hoped. The Temple will take longer, but I expected it to take a while.
In-between: Kwan Yin is sort of on hold until I find out if I'll be able to get her to her recipient, as the girl quit where we work and I have no address for her at the moment. I have to email her and make sure she keeps me updated on it.
Wow! There are more ups than downs. I like that.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Oh, the Drama! And a serious note at the end.
She's home from the hospital. Actually, she came home on Thursday. She's back to her good moments and bad moments, so everything's normal. She has promised to eat vegetables, though and for the past few days, she has. Let's just see how this goes, eh? Of course, the week had to have more drama than just Grandma in the hospital, right?
Here goes, on Wednesday, yours truly decided to cut herself with a box cutter at work and is now typing (and attempting to cross-stitch at times) with two stitches in her left index finger. I had to go to Moses Taylor, where the nurse who stitched me up was so understanding and good about my needle phobia I left her a Reese's cup as a reward for dealing with me. Although, I kind of wish she had just knocked me put with a hammer when she gave me the drug to numb my finger for the stitches. Why is a cure always worse then the injury?
I found out after I got back to work, even though Moses Taylor had called Medcor about it from the hospotal, that I needed a drug test. So after work Mom took me to pee in a cup. Thursday, before Grandma was let out, I went to the company doctor to be told how much could work. Um, I had pretty much done everything I usually do right after getting the stitches and during the day on Thursday, so I've been officially told I can work full-duty. Go figure. The funny thing is that one of the stitches is cutting its way to the actual cut every time I fully extend the finger, so now I just have to make sure I keep it slightly bent.
We found out on Tuesday that a cousin died while on a cruise in the Carribean. The body was still held up and no-one was sure when the funeral was. The worst part is that his aunt has pretty much cut off ties to the family and no-one in New York knew how to get hold of her. We knew where her daughter worked, so Mom was going to go there and leave a message for her. Well, TAFH, who was really close to the deceased cousin, decided to take care of it herself and not let Mom know about it. She called my cousin, who had the daughter's phone number and apparently called her, never telling Mom, who then proceeded to waste part of her morning off going to the place the daughter worked and trying to get hold of her, finally leaving a message for her. Mom + TAFH's arrogance and ignorance = a not-very-happy Mommy.
When TAFH left the funeral last night she called us (Mom did not call her on the carpet) and told us that my deceased cousin actually saved a woman while he himself was drowning. Those of you who have been reading this blog know I try not to call attention to my identity because I'm not always the nicest person to my relatives, but I feel that my cousin, Eric Reistetter, deserves recognition for his selfless act of heroism. He could have been rescued before another person caught in the undertow but he had the rescuers go to her, a panicking woman, before himself. He left behind a wife, two young sons, a father, mother, various siblings and a lot of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who cared about him. He was a popular man in his community who participated in children's sports and helped people when he could as much as he could. He was a genuinely good man and his loss will be felt deeply.
Drowning victim remembered as hero, friend
BY JULIET CHUNGNewsday Staff WriterMarch 3, 2007, 8:53 PM EST
In his eulogy of Eric Reistetter Saturday, a childhood friend recalled how the pair would often play street hockey while growing up.
Once, when he blew out his knee during a game, Reistetter carried him five blocks to his home, said Greg Martino.
"This was the kind of friend Eric was to me," Martino said before more than 100 mourners gathered at Pinelawn Memorial Center for a burial service.
When he was recuperating from knee surgery years later, Reistetter prescribed him an old-fashioned pain remedy, Martino, of Hauppauge, recalled. He then produced a 23-year-old bottle of Southern Comfort.
"One shot to be taken every four to six minutes until you experience no pain," he read off the homemade label as the crowd chuckled.
"Although my heart is broken for the loss of my friend," Martino said, "the memories I have of Eric will last forever."
The funeral, held under sunshine and clear blue skies, capped days of grieving for Reistetter, 43, a Hauppauge father and baseball coach who drowned off the coast of Anguilla on Feb. 22 after directing rescuers to attend first to another swimmer in distress.
He and his family were on a cruise; Reistetter was swimming when he got caught in an undertow, witnesses said.
Robin Reistetter described her husband's last actions as typical. "I really wanted to be mad at him for what he did, but I can't, because that's who he is."
A shipping manager, Reistetter's real passion lay with his family -- Robin, 41, and sons, Matthew, 14, and Michael, 11 -- and with the boys he coached or refereed as an umpire, family members and friends said.
They were among the nearly 300 mourners who attended the morning funeral Mass at St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church in Hauppauge. A smaller procession continued to the cemetery, making detours to drive past Reistetter's childhood and family homes and past the ballfield where he coached.
At Pinelawn, mourners showered roses onto Reistetter's coffin, which held a baseball signed by the Long Island Baymen, a baseball team he coached that included his son Michael.
Relatives described Reistetter as the glue that held the family together. Reistetter's fellow coaches and young charges praised him for teaching with a smile.
Brandon DeRamo, 11, said Reistetter made his players laugh, even when they played poorly. He added Reistetter had improved his game."I would never line up my knuckles when I hit and he got me to do that," he said.
Teammate Nick Martin, 11, called Reistetter unforgettable.
"I thought he was a hero."
Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.
Here goes, on Wednesday, yours truly decided to cut herself with a box cutter at work and is now typing (and attempting to cross-stitch at times) with two stitches in her left index finger. I had to go to Moses Taylor, where the nurse who stitched me up was so understanding and good about my needle phobia I left her a Reese's cup as a reward for dealing with me. Although, I kind of wish she had just knocked me put with a hammer when she gave me the drug to numb my finger for the stitches. Why is a cure always worse then the injury?
I found out after I got back to work, even though Moses Taylor had called Medcor about it from the hospotal, that I needed a drug test. So after work Mom took me to pee in a cup. Thursday, before Grandma was let out, I went to the company doctor to be told how much could work. Um, I had pretty much done everything I usually do right after getting the stitches and during the day on Thursday, so I've been officially told I can work full-duty. Go figure. The funny thing is that one of the stitches is cutting its way to the actual cut every time I fully extend the finger, so now I just have to make sure I keep it slightly bent.
We found out on Tuesday that a cousin died while on a cruise in the Carribean. The body was still held up and no-one was sure when the funeral was. The worst part is that his aunt has pretty much cut off ties to the family and no-one in New York knew how to get hold of her. We knew where her daughter worked, so Mom was going to go there and leave a message for her. Well, TAFH, who was really close to the deceased cousin, decided to take care of it herself and not let Mom know about it. She called my cousin, who had the daughter's phone number and apparently called her, never telling Mom, who then proceeded to waste part of her morning off going to the place the daughter worked and trying to get hold of her, finally leaving a message for her. Mom + TAFH's arrogance and ignorance = a not-very-happy Mommy.
When TAFH left the funeral last night she called us (Mom did not call her on the carpet) and told us that my deceased cousin actually saved a woman while he himself was drowning. Those of you who have been reading this blog know I try not to call attention to my identity because I'm not always the nicest person to my relatives, but I feel that my cousin, Eric Reistetter, deserves recognition for his selfless act of heroism. He could have been rescued before another person caught in the undertow but he had the rescuers go to her, a panicking woman, before himself. He left behind a wife, two young sons, a father, mother, various siblings and a lot of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who cared about him. He was a popular man in his community who participated in children's sports and helped people when he could as much as he could. He was a genuinely good man and his loss will be felt deeply.
Drowning victim remembered as hero, friend
BY JULIET CHUNGNewsday Staff WriterMarch 3, 2007, 8:53 PM EST
In his eulogy of Eric Reistetter Saturday, a childhood friend recalled how the pair would often play street hockey while growing up.
Once, when he blew out his knee during a game, Reistetter carried him five blocks to his home, said Greg Martino.
"This was the kind of friend Eric was to me," Martino said before more than 100 mourners gathered at Pinelawn Memorial Center for a burial service.
When he was recuperating from knee surgery years later, Reistetter prescribed him an old-fashioned pain remedy, Martino, of Hauppauge, recalled. He then produced a 23-year-old bottle of Southern Comfort.
"One shot to be taken every four to six minutes until you experience no pain," he read off the homemade label as the crowd chuckled.
"Although my heart is broken for the loss of my friend," Martino said, "the memories I have of Eric will last forever."
The funeral, held under sunshine and clear blue skies, capped days of grieving for Reistetter, 43, a Hauppauge father and baseball coach who drowned off the coast of Anguilla on Feb. 22 after directing rescuers to attend first to another swimmer in distress.
He and his family were on a cruise; Reistetter was swimming when he got caught in an undertow, witnesses said.
Robin Reistetter described her husband's last actions as typical. "I really wanted to be mad at him for what he did, but I can't, because that's who he is."
A shipping manager, Reistetter's real passion lay with his family -- Robin, 41, and sons, Matthew, 14, and Michael, 11 -- and with the boys he coached or refereed as an umpire, family members and friends said.
They were among the nearly 300 mourners who attended the morning funeral Mass at St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church in Hauppauge. A smaller procession continued to the cemetery, making detours to drive past Reistetter's childhood and family homes and past the ballfield where he coached.
At Pinelawn, mourners showered roses onto Reistetter's coffin, which held a baseball signed by the Long Island Baymen, a baseball team he coached that included his son Michael.
Relatives described Reistetter as the glue that held the family together. Reistetter's fellow coaches and young charges praised him for teaching with a smile.
Brandon DeRamo, 11, said Reistetter made his players laugh, even when they played poorly. He added Reistetter had improved his game."I would never line up my knuckles when I hit and he got me to do that," he said.
Teammate Nick Martin, 11, called Reistetter unforgettable.
"I thought he was a hero."
Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Favorite five movies quiz
Okay, this is a very simple quiz. If you can only watch five movies for the rest of your life (or you're stuck on a desert island with a dvd player, tv, portable generator and five movies), what are they? And why? They can be from any genre, era or country.
Mine would have to be:
1. 1776 - The perfect musical. It has action (cane fights), drama ("The slavery clause has to go."), comedy ("My name is Richard Henry Lee"), romance (John and Abigail Adams are great as long-distance lovers) and of course, a (slightly-flawed) history lesson, all wrapped into two hours of pure bliss.
2. The Mummy - Brendan Fraser, Oded Fehr and Arnold Vosloo for eye candy; Kevin J. and John Hannah for the comic elements and a LIBRARIAN (Rachel Weisz) as the heroine! Need I really say more?
3. Arsenic and Old Lace - Cary Grant being Cary Grant, with Peter Lorre added to the mix in this classic, oh-so-wonderful black comedy.
4. The Creature From the Black Lagoon - Gillman is my favorite classic movie monster. The giant Gila Monster comes cloes, but Gillman is the best. He's human at the same time he's alien. He's the ultimate what-if.
5. Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home - This was a major toss-up between that and Wrath of Khan, let me tell you! However, in the end, that whales of the non-Moby Dick variety had to win out.
It was actually painful to not be able to put movies like the first three Star Wars, the other Star Treks (minus the first, of course) and practically the bulk of Steven Spielberg's work. However, limiting the list to five meant I had to be ruthless. I'm so sorry to: Steve, Dean and Roland, George, Bud and Lou. There are many more actors and directors to apologize to, but I don't have enough room.
Mine would have to be:
1. 1776 - The perfect musical. It has action (cane fights), drama ("The slavery clause has to go."), comedy ("My name is Richard Henry Lee"), romance (John and Abigail Adams are great as long-distance lovers) and of course, a (slightly-flawed) history lesson, all wrapped into two hours of pure bliss.
2. The Mummy - Brendan Fraser, Oded Fehr and Arnold Vosloo for eye candy; Kevin J. and John Hannah for the comic elements and a LIBRARIAN (Rachel Weisz) as the heroine! Need I really say more?
3. Arsenic and Old Lace - Cary Grant being Cary Grant, with Peter Lorre added to the mix in this classic, oh-so-wonderful black comedy.
4. The Creature From the Black Lagoon - Gillman is my favorite classic movie monster. The giant Gila Monster comes cloes, but Gillman is the best. He's human at the same time he's alien. He's the ultimate what-if.
5. Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home - This was a major toss-up between that and Wrath of Khan, let me tell you! However, in the end, that whales of the non-Moby Dick variety had to win out.
It was actually painful to not be able to put movies like the first three Star Wars, the other Star Treks (minus the first, of course) and practically the bulk of Steven Spielberg's work. However, limiting the list to five meant I had to be ruthless. I'm so sorry to: Steve, Dean and Roland, George, Bud and Lou. There are many more actors and directors to apologize to, but I don't have enough room.
My Mother's a Jinx! (A Grandma Update)
We had a day off. TAFH came in for the weekend and Mom and I jumped ship on Saturday. After much wrangling, we decided to go down to Jim Thorpe for the day, stay overnight, then head back this morning. I think Mom jinxed us.
Grandma hasn't been feeling 100% lately. About a month ago she had a bad bout of constipation. The doctor recommended Magnesium Citrate and the problem was solved. He also added Colace to her pills and the problem has pretty much been in control. About the middle of the week, she told us she was constipated again and we used Correctol, which, according to her, helped. She neglected to tell us it didn't totally clear the problem up, which has been getting worse.
When Mom and I were talking about going places, the wretched woman kept saying she didn't want to be too far away in case Grandma went into the hospital. The jinx! Last night we got a call at the hotel from TAFH asking us what we did the last time Grandma had this problem. We elaborated and it turns out that this time it was much worse than the last. TAFH called the doctor's service and was told to take Grandma to the hospital. All of us decided to hold off on that a bit.
Around four in the morning it got too much for Grandma and TAFH brought her to the hospital. It turns out that she has some obstruction in the upper part of her intestines, too high for an enema to reach. Basically, she's on a liquid diet for a few days and lots of suppositories. The docs think it'll clear up on its own after massive doses of liquids added to her suppository indignity. There might be an infection going on in there, so she is going to be at the hospital at least tonight. There is the chance of her coming home tomorrow, but I somehow doubt she will.
So, Mom is still at the hospital with my eldest aunt. I bailed around 2pm. I was hungry, had laundry to do for work tomorrow, and had no interest in wearing a hairshirt or proving how devoted I am by staying cooped up in a hospital all day and night. My youngest cousin and her mother had no problem leaving after a visit of less than an hour, so I asked them for a ride home. It's not like Grandma even reacted to my leaving at all. She ignored the kiss I gave her and stared right through me when she realized I wasn't my youngest cousin giving her a kiss goodbye. So be it.
It just means that tomorrow, I'll actually be able to take my time coming home. (Borders, baby!) Grandma may or may not be getting out by the time I do. Mom has to work until at least five. My eldest aunt gets out after school around 3pm, but might have to teach CCD. My uncle works until 6pm. I think that, if she gets out tomorrow, my eldest aunt will pick her up. TAFH had to go home to meet some deadlines for a project she's working on and can't afford to miss by getting stuck here by snow. Good for her, even if she actually feels guilty that Grandma ended up in the hospital on her watch.
*snort* Does that mean I have to feel guilty every time something happens to Grandma when I'm home alone? Nope! I think I'll deal with the guilt I actually deserve and no more. Anyway, that's the latest Grandma Update.
Grandma hasn't been feeling 100% lately. About a month ago she had a bad bout of constipation. The doctor recommended Magnesium Citrate and the problem was solved. He also added Colace to her pills and the problem has pretty much been in control. About the middle of the week, she told us she was constipated again and we used Correctol, which, according to her, helped. She neglected to tell us it didn't totally clear the problem up, which has been getting worse.
When Mom and I were talking about going places, the wretched woman kept saying she didn't want to be too far away in case Grandma went into the hospital. The jinx! Last night we got a call at the hotel from TAFH asking us what we did the last time Grandma had this problem. We elaborated and it turns out that this time it was much worse than the last. TAFH called the doctor's service and was told to take Grandma to the hospital. All of us decided to hold off on that a bit.
Around four in the morning it got too much for Grandma and TAFH brought her to the hospital. It turns out that she has some obstruction in the upper part of her intestines, too high for an enema to reach. Basically, she's on a liquid diet for a few days and lots of suppositories. The docs think it'll clear up on its own after massive doses of liquids added to her suppository indignity. There might be an infection going on in there, so she is going to be at the hospital at least tonight. There is the chance of her coming home tomorrow, but I somehow doubt she will.
So, Mom is still at the hospital with my eldest aunt. I bailed around 2pm. I was hungry, had laundry to do for work tomorrow, and had no interest in wearing a hairshirt or proving how devoted I am by staying cooped up in a hospital all day and night. My youngest cousin and her mother had no problem leaving after a visit of less than an hour, so I asked them for a ride home. It's not like Grandma even reacted to my leaving at all. She ignored the kiss I gave her and stared right through me when she realized I wasn't my youngest cousin giving her a kiss goodbye. So be it.
It just means that tomorrow, I'll actually be able to take my time coming home. (Borders, baby!) Grandma may or may not be getting out by the time I do. Mom has to work until at least five. My eldest aunt gets out after school around 3pm, but might have to teach CCD. My uncle works until 6pm. I think that, if she gets out tomorrow, my eldest aunt will pick her up. TAFH had to go home to meet some deadlines for a project she's working on and can't afford to miss by getting stuck here by snow. Good for her, even if she actually feels guilty that Grandma ended up in the hospital on her watch.
*snort* Does that mean I have to feel guilty every time something happens to Grandma when I'm home alone? Nope! I think I'll deal with the guilt I actually deserve and no more. Anyway, that's the latest Grandma Update.
Monday, January 08, 2007
A few things and a very interesting link...
This last weekend was interesting. Grandma was nice, nothing really bad happened. The insurance was taken care of - nothing we did was wrong and the lady had no clue what the heck was going on that we were getting weird calls. In fact, Grandma laid into the insurance people. The Allstate insurance agency on Ravine St. in Dickson City is not handicapped accessible. They don't even have a handicapped parking spot. Grandma nearly tripped getting up the odd steps to their door. She told them to look to their own house before criticizing others'. You go, Grandma! The whole mess started when we were told we had to add a railing to the flight of steps that leads to the sidewalk. That's why we were thrilled when she did that.
While Mom and Grandma were taking care of the insurance, I went into JoAnn's Fabric and got a pattern for either a wedge pillow or an elephant pillow to make for Mom for Christmas with my new little sewing machine. ;) I also grabbed some 32 count linen. The lady sort of laughed when I told her I don't have any. She asked me "You actually know, huh?" I, of course, said yes. As if any cross-stitcher worth her salt doesn't at least have a good idea of what she does and does not have in her stash.
My brother called. He's probably going to be coming home to the DC airport the same weekend I'll be in DC. Wouldn't it be a kick if my friends and I could meet his plane? Along with his new girlfriend...
Sunday morning was interesting. As I was laying in bed I noticed small splashes of color all over the walls and ceiling of my room. The sun was already up and reflecting them off something in my room, but it took me a bit to figure it out. A friend gave me a glass-mosaic candle for Christmas. It's all pastels and those were the colors on the walls and ceiling. I just laid there watching them move as the sun moved in the window. One of the spots ended up on my light fixture and as it moved across the edge, it looked almost like an eclipse, with half of the color on the light and half a short ways away on the ceiling. As I was studying the candle to match up what particular piece was reflecting where, I noticed a swarm of colors on the belly of Seshet. She's in a doll-stand right next to the candle and was getting the full spectrum. It was amazing. I'll have to take a picture of it the next sunny morning and post it.
I made Mom a biscornu last night. It's only one and a half inches. I'm almost there. I'll get to the point where I can make them about an inch yet.
While Mom and Grandma were taking care of the insurance, I went into JoAnn's Fabric and got a pattern for either a wedge pillow or an elephant pillow to make for Mom for Christmas with my new little sewing machine. ;) I also grabbed some 32 count linen. The lady sort of laughed when I told her I don't have any. She asked me "You actually know, huh?" I, of course, said yes. As if any cross-stitcher worth her salt doesn't at least have a good idea of what she does and does not have in her stash.
My brother called. He's probably going to be coming home to the DC airport the same weekend I'll be in DC. Wouldn't it be a kick if my friends and I could meet his plane? Along with his new girlfriend...
Sunday morning was interesting. As I was laying in bed I noticed small splashes of color all over the walls and ceiling of my room. The sun was already up and reflecting them off something in my room, but it took me a bit to figure it out. A friend gave me a glass-mosaic candle for Christmas. It's all pastels and those were the colors on the walls and ceiling. I just laid there watching them move as the sun moved in the window. One of the spots ended up on my light fixture and as it moved across the edge, it looked almost like an eclipse, with half of the color on the light and half a short ways away on the ceiling. As I was studying the candle to match up what particular piece was reflecting where, I noticed a swarm of colors on the belly of Seshet. She's in a doll-stand right next to the candle and was getting the full spectrum. It was amazing. I'll have to take a picture of it the next sunny morning and post it.
I made Mom a biscornu last night. It's only one and a half inches. I'm almost there. I'll get to the point where I can make them about an inch yet.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Life...
Good and bad for the New Year...
Bea has told us that she can only work Mondays now. She watches her grandkids for her daughter (for free) and said daughter is looking for a day job and likely to get it soon. If we can't get anyone else that'll mean Mom can only work every weekend and all nights during the week. We can't afford for me to just quit altogether and I've been late and had to call off enough times lately that my next review is going to suck majorly. I might ask if I can cut my hours down to 32 each week. We can't afford it, but until we find a replacement for Bea that might be the only way to fairly work this.
I wonder if I should even visit Sunni and Sheri at the end of the month. Do we really have the money for me to spend on the bus fare and doing things down there? Gods, I hope so. I need the time away. So does Mom, but I can't do anything about that.
There is, as usual, much more going on, from insurance fiascos to Grandma's sugar being totally out of whack for the first time in months. She has agreed to give us a list of foods she'll eat and she was going over them with my cousin and me (mostly my cousin). They're all foods we already know she'll eat for us. If the other relatives think we're not doing our duty by her, they're nucking futs. She has also promised Dr. G that she'll eat three times a day for us. If she can't get the sugar under control in a month, then he adds more pills. She hates pills.
The insurance thing is about our house insurance. We took it over along with the rest of the bills and have been paying it each month thanks to our bank's computer payment system. Well, they now say they issued us a refund when the front step railing thing was handled. Not one of us has received or cashed a check, but they say we owe them almost $400. Worse yet, they don't return Mom's phone calls or leave messages on our machine, but call my aunt and uncle (whose names aren't even on the policy) and discuss the situation with them and ask them to get in touch with us. Isn't there something wrong with this picture?
As for the good, I actually went out for New Year's Eve! *chuckle* Only my friends and their friends would find watching The Muppet Show on New Year's Eve amusing, but it really was. I also fractured my brain watching Jackass 2. I fear I will never get the image of a fully nude midget racing across a table directly toward the camera out of my mind. If only he had been handsome, it wouldn't hurt so much. Kim's friend (the host) likes the Creature from the Black Lagoon as much as I do! Yes!
I crashed at Kim's and ended up staying there all day New Year's Day. The ladies had a small dinner party for Thanksgiving, Christmas and such. It was fun. Mom gave me one instruction: to bring home the cutting board of the cheese thing I brought to the party. I did. So I forgot the bowl I brought the dip in at Kim's house. Next time I see her I'll have to bring it home.
My brother called a few days ago and Mom told him I'd gone out and hadn't gotten home until late the next day. He was shocked, to say the least. Tee-hee. It's nice to know I can surprise him every once in a while. He seemed shocked when Mom reminded him I can't drink. He's known about the fact that I can't drink all of our lives. What a maroon.
He comes home this month. I hope by saying it and typing it I don't jinx him or his fellows. He's an annoying PITA most of the time, but I love him dearly and don't know what I'd do if anything happened to him.
Anyone reading this, please wish him and the others stationed overseas good luck. They need it.
Bea has told us that she can only work Mondays now. She watches her grandkids for her daughter (for free) and said daughter is looking for a day job and likely to get it soon. If we can't get anyone else that'll mean Mom can only work every weekend and all nights during the week. We can't afford for me to just quit altogether and I've been late and had to call off enough times lately that my next review is going to suck majorly. I might ask if I can cut my hours down to 32 each week. We can't afford it, but until we find a replacement for Bea that might be the only way to fairly work this.
I wonder if I should even visit Sunni and Sheri at the end of the month. Do we really have the money for me to spend on the bus fare and doing things down there? Gods, I hope so. I need the time away. So does Mom, but I can't do anything about that.
There is, as usual, much more going on, from insurance fiascos to Grandma's sugar being totally out of whack for the first time in months. She has agreed to give us a list of foods she'll eat and she was going over them with my cousin and me (mostly my cousin). They're all foods we already know she'll eat for us. If the other relatives think we're not doing our duty by her, they're nucking futs. She has also promised Dr. G that she'll eat three times a day for us. If she can't get the sugar under control in a month, then he adds more pills. She hates pills.
The insurance thing is about our house insurance. We took it over along with the rest of the bills and have been paying it each month thanks to our bank's computer payment system. Well, they now say they issued us a refund when the front step railing thing was handled. Not one of us has received or cashed a check, but they say we owe them almost $400. Worse yet, they don't return Mom's phone calls or leave messages on our machine, but call my aunt and uncle (whose names aren't even on the policy) and discuss the situation with them and ask them to get in touch with us. Isn't there something wrong with this picture?
As for the good, I actually went out for New Year's Eve! *chuckle* Only my friends and their friends would find watching The Muppet Show on New Year's Eve amusing, but it really was. I also fractured my brain watching Jackass 2. I fear I will never get the image of a fully nude midget racing across a table directly toward the camera out of my mind. If only he had been handsome, it wouldn't hurt so much. Kim's friend (the host) likes the Creature from the Black Lagoon as much as I do! Yes!
I crashed at Kim's and ended up staying there all day New Year's Day. The ladies had a small dinner party for Thanksgiving, Christmas and such. It was fun. Mom gave me one instruction: to bring home the cutting board of the cheese thing I brought to the party. I did. So I forgot the bowl I brought the dip in at Kim's house. Next time I see her I'll have to bring it home.
My brother called a few days ago and Mom told him I'd gone out and hadn't gotten home until late the next day. He was shocked, to say the least. Tee-hee. It's nice to know I can surprise him every once in a while. He seemed shocked when Mom reminded him I can't drink. He's known about the fact that I can't drink all of our lives. What a maroon.
He comes home this month. I hope by saying it and typing it I don't jinx him or his fellows. He's an annoying PITA most of the time, but I love him dearly and don't know what I'd do if anything happened to him.
Anyone reading this, please wish him and the others stationed overseas good luck. They need it.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
First Fractured Fairy Tales, Now this...
Shadowspun! Why did it have to be Shadowspun?
Which movie was this quote from?
" method="get">Get your own quotes:Sunday, December 24, 2006
Holiday Wishes
Christmas Eve. NO snow.
Happy Yule (belated) to the Pagans, Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it, Happy Hannukah to the Jewish persuasion, Happy Kwanzaa to the African-Americans who celebrate it. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone's seasonal celebration, so just have a happy holiday - whatever it may be. If you don't celebrate anything then have a happy un-holiday.
On a coolness note: Grandma is going to TAFH's house for a few days after the holiday. Can we say "Vacation"?! I am going to be getting the Superman Boxed Set with my holiday haul, so after work, which will be a major pain in the Christmas-Clearance ass (Please people, buy clearance toys at Target. Stock up for next year's gifts. Buy for next year's Toys for Tots and angel trees.) I'm definitely going to need to unwind. Hey, maybe I'll actually be able to pull some overtime finally.
The current plan is that we'll have New Year's Day off, unless we want to make sure we get 40 hours, in which case we can scrounge hours as cashiers. Yeah, right - and I like getting my eyeballs plucked from my head, too. I'll live with my meager 32 hours for that week. I might even go out New Year's Eve. Anyone know anything about that whole First Night deal? I'll have two, count them, two three-day weekends in a row. How often does that happy occasion occur in a retail-lifetime?
Wait a minute. I was searching for the Superman boxed set to link to and it looks like I may not be able to get it. Apparently, Warner Bros. screwed up and Borders may not be able to order it for me. I have to call them bright and early on Tuesday morning and see what's going on. I have pinned my entire Christmas gift hopes on this one item. Stupid stupid stupid idiot - you know your luck. Well, I will report back on Tuesday night about whether or not I got it.
Happy Yule (belated) to the Pagans, Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it, Happy Hannukah to the Jewish persuasion, Happy Kwanzaa to the African-Americans who celebrate it. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone's seasonal celebration, so just have a happy holiday - whatever it may be. If you don't celebrate anything then have a happy un-holiday.
On a coolness note: Grandma is going to TAFH's house for a few days after the holiday. Can we say "Vacation"?! I am going to be getting the Superman Boxed Set with my holiday haul, so after work, which will be a major pain in the Christmas-Clearance ass (Please people, buy clearance toys at Target. Stock up for next year's gifts. Buy for next year's Toys for Tots and angel trees.) I'm definitely going to need to unwind. Hey, maybe I'll actually be able to pull some overtime finally.
The current plan is that we'll have New Year's Day off, unless we want to make sure we get 40 hours, in which case we can scrounge hours as cashiers. Yeah, right - and I like getting my eyeballs plucked from my head, too. I'll live with my meager 32 hours for that week. I might even go out New Year's Eve. Anyone know anything about that whole First Night deal? I'll have two, count them, two three-day weekends in a row. How often does that happy occasion occur in a retail-lifetime?
Wait a minute. I was searching for the Superman boxed set to link to and it looks like I may not be able to get it. Apparently, Warner Bros. screwed up and Borders may not be able to order it for me. I have to call them bright and early on Tuesday morning and see what's going on. I have pinned my entire Christmas gift hopes on this one item. Stupid stupid stupid idiot - you know your luck. Well, I will report back on Tuesday night about whether or not I got it.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
They're here.
My sister-in-law has arrived. Well, she got here early Monday morning, but it took until Thursday for Mom and I to have the kids - due to our work schedules. They have grown so much in the last few months. My s-i-l has already had to buy my nephew new pants for school. Apparently, the first batch ended up looking like high-waters on him. My niece is still skinny as a rail, but a few inches taller, too. What do they eat out in New Mexico? Plant food?
We get them tonight and tomorrow, too. Tomorrow we're taking them to a late showing of Happy Feet after we go to Schuylkill Haven to visit Grandpa. I'll be dead at work Monday, but who cares? I miss the little buggers.
Oh, I finally met my s-i-l's new husband. He seems nice, if a bit quiet. Maybe he was just nervous meeting me.
I'm currently searching out chameleon cross-stitch patterns for my nephew. That's what he wants me to stitch for him, so that's what he'll get. My niece's Mermaid will be finished in time. I'm ahead of schedule on John's Starbuck's logo. The ornaments just have to be given out and I'll start the bookmarks for my exchange after the Mermaid is done and the Calla Lily will be finished after I do two or three of the bookmarks. Then I get to start back on Kwan Yin, start the chameleon and the Temple design for the Art Show and I'll do some little projects in between them. Once I finish the chameleon and the Temple I'll keep working on Kwan Yin, finish a Santa and some ornaments I started a couple of years ago and finally finish one of my Charles Wysocki's. I'm hoping to clean out a bunch of the small projects in my WIP bag this next year, so I can make fresh starts on the projects running about in my brain.
We get them tonight and tomorrow, too. Tomorrow we're taking them to a late showing of Happy Feet after we go to Schuylkill Haven to visit Grandpa. I'll be dead at work Monday, but who cares? I miss the little buggers.
Oh, I finally met my s-i-l's new husband. He seems nice, if a bit quiet. Maybe he was just nervous meeting me.
I'm currently searching out chameleon cross-stitch patterns for my nephew. That's what he wants me to stitch for him, so that's what he'll get. My niece's Mermaid will be finished in time. I'm ahead of schedule on John's Starbuck's logo. The ornaments just have to be given out and I'll start the bookmarks for my exchange after the Mermaid is done and the Calla Lily will be finished after I do two or three of the bookmarks. Then I get to start back on Kwan Yin, start the chameleon and the Temple design for the Art Show and I'll do some little projects in between them. Once I finish the chameleon and the Temple I'll keep working on Kwan Yin, finish a Santa and some ornaments I started a couple of years ago and finally finish one of my Charles Wysocki's. I'm hoping to clean out a bunch of the small projects in my WIP bag this next year, so I can make fresh starts on the projects running about in my brain.
Quiz - What American Accent do you have?
| What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio. | |
| Philadelphia | |
| The South | |
| The Inland North | |
| The West | |
| The Northeast | |
| Boston | |
| North Central | |
| What'>http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_american_accent_do_you_have">What American accent do you have? Quiz'>http://www.gotoquiz.com/">Quiz Created on GoToQuiz | |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)