Happy Gobble Gobble!...

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I am so very thankful for a wonderful partner, a loving family, generous friends, and my place in life.

I hope everyone has a wonderful start to the holidays this weekend! Enjoy lots of laughter and love! To help with the laughter, enjoy this tasty morsel:




It's called Lemon Turkey Zest!! HAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAHAHA

That was so much fun...

I don't ever want to do it again!!! They had me walking that night of course, and passed all my "tests" to go home the next day. Been busy laying around the house since. Today was the first day I sat up alot and did not just lay around on my back... Gotten off the pain meds as well today. Strictly back to advil and tylenol. They gave me the really good stuff in the hospital of course, but I do not like the way pain meds knock you out of it (and stop you up - that's the WORST part!)

Anyways, just a short note right now. I am posting the picture my lovely bride-to-be took of me while waiting in pre-surgery. I had been walking around for the 2 weeks prior to the surgery with a cane but was told not to bring it to the hospital because they did not want me using it afterwards. So, I got to hobble up to the surgery center until they got me into the bed and I got approved for pain-meds! And, the few times I had to visit the ladies room I had to have someone with me at all times.... this is what I was designated! My honey still has it in her "keep-sakes" and thought it was hilarious.

I, too, think it's an absolutely fantabulous commentary on my travels through this life in my given skin...

Let the drumroll begin...

It's the night before surgery,
And all through the house
The dogs were all excited
Cuz they knew something was up.

Arrangements have been made
Even dad's coming down
Who knows how that'll go
Always daddy's little girl.

Go in at 10
Surgeon's fitting me in at 1.
Semi-private bliss waiting for me
At least I'll get to eat real food this trip.

One night in St. Luke's
Of course the patron saint of docs
I'll be back to boot-scootin in no time
They'll have me walkin that night!

A little bit of fear
A lot to look forward to
I'll have to remind myself
I'm in recovery afterwards.

LOL!! I'll be back to the couch in a few days after recovering from back surgery. Enjoy my horrible poetry until then.... had no clue what I was going to write at first and then it just "spewed" out!!! AHAHHAHAHHAHHAHA

A night of sleep...

Is such a wonderful thing! I was actually asleep in bed last night before 3 am!! WOO HOO! I was excited. Course, I woke up at 530 this morning but almost 6 hours of sleep is sooo good!! Ahhh, enough bragging for now! : ]

Scars are tattoos with better stories. ~From a Toyota advertisement in Sports Illustrated magazine, 3 June 2002

Isn't that a great quote? I read that and was excited. Course, some tattoos have really good stories as well. Course, I'm sure that ad is only talking about physical scars. Really good emotional scars sometimes have the best stories, huh? Not always good, but not always bad either.

I've figured out that MS itself leaves all sorts of scars... We all can very accurately describe that day in the doc's office where we were told we have MS. Then all our wonderful MS paths differ... because of the great disease that is this CD we all get various, differing, paths - some more rocky, sloped, and bumpy than others!

I got my first tattoo when I was 18 years old, during the spring of my senior year of high school. A friend of mine had a date that decided that no meant yes, then the prick turned up HIV+. So, my friend now has to go get tested - at least the bastard told her about his situation. Course, Kharma caught up to the prick and I last heard he ended up wasting away w/o family or friends. My friend luckily turned up HIV- so we decided to celebrate by going to get tattoos. Yes, we could appreciate the irony of the "celebration"...

I love dolphins... always have and always will. Of course I did the girly thing and got a dolphin on my ankle. My friend ended up getting an ankh, which is the Egyptian symbol for life (in short terms) on her bikini line. She didn't ever want anyone to know about hers.... Me, well, I went through a "who gives a crap phase" and wanted everyone to know. Made sure and wore super light hose the night of senior banquet so that everyone saw.... It was hilarious - no one was saying anything until one of my friend's mothers commented that she was impressed by the detail of the fins and coloring... Not another word was mentioned until that summer when my father blew a gasket upon seeing it. He banned me from getting anymore - and that did not last.

I named her Darwin - after the wonderful Charles Darwin. Course, that's the only tat that has a name. All the others can just be!

Caught BWNS...

"Blogging While Not Sleeping"

You'd think that the sleep meds and heavy duty pain meds would negate the steroids they have me taking.... Nope. Course, I can't sleep anyways because there is absolutely no position I can get in that makes the back feel better. And, I'll get yelled at if I go sleep on the couch by the honey...even though me no-sleep means her no-sleep... Even though I wouldn't be sleeping anyways, I would just have better TV options as the living room as that's where the cable box is hooked up....



Isn't that a freakin' hilarious picture??? Don't we all feel that way about something we have to do sometimes, even when it's something we HAVE to do? I'm sure we've felt this way about work, family functions, medical procedures... My right leg has swollen so much over the last 24 hours... Apparently not abnormal since I'm not using it. I'm that dog facing my surgery! I know it's something necessary to do and it's necessary for my health - again the fear is tempered greatly by a return to "normal".... I really didn't mean for there to be any MEANING to the photo.. I really just wanted to share it!!!

Did I ever share the pic of my "green monster brew" I made for Halloween? Here it is...


Not nearly as funny as the above photo but still pretty knarly, huh? Notice the gummy worms I added? The kiddos really liked those. Next time I'm going to have to add food coloring to the hand-icecubes to make them stand out more...

There's really nothing on regular tv right now... I'm sure I could find a good movie out in the living room. I'd annoy the puppy sleeping in there though, as my puppy in here with me keeps giving me those heavy sigh/growl thingys.

I thought I had a lot to get off my chest here tonight... turns out not so much. We're scheduling the carpet/flooring people tomorrow to come the first week of December. The roofing people should be getting their shingles on the week of Turkey day. The gutter man comes the day after the roof is finished. The fence man should be here next week. Course, he's the husband of one of my co-workers so that's the one I'm least worried about. He's such a good guy! It's sorta worked out better having to wait on the dang insurance people cuz everyone that really needed to get stuff done (I mean - our house was livable so we were in better condition than a lot of others) has wrapped up and now we're having to wait less. We were told it would be 3-4 weeks to get a roof when he first got our estimate. Now, we signed the papers this week and get the roof in less than 10 days.

Watched the movie Kung-Fu Panda tonight.... absolutely worth the time! Very funny and poignant. It's amazing how many adults actually enjoy the Disney/Pixar/Animated pics. Signed up for Netflix since I'm looking at another extended stay away from the job. I had fun creating the list and ranking the order. They've got the classic TV shows you can get! We're looking forward to some good Carol Burnett laughs this weekend.

I'm wondering about my surgery scar(s). Supposedly it's going to be a very small, between 1-3", cut in my back and my buddy said she had a hard time even noticing the scar. I'm a little worried about my tattoo that's back there... Have I come out about my tattoos? I have the one on my lower back but it's not some sissyfied one... It's a rather large tribal art piece with orange, purple, red, and black in it. Probably around 7-8" long and 4" tall. I think they might have to cut into that and I'm wondering how it'll affect it. I can always go and get it touched up - I've already had to re-do one of my ankle tats. Course, it could just be an excuse to get another one!! I'm a little skittish though since I had a week long hospital stay about 2 days after I got my last one. I did mention it to the ER and hospital docs immediately and then they ruled out it being any type of ink infection but it still makes you wonder.

There's at least 2 more I know I want but I'm running out of room... In business clothes and my uniform you would not know that I have any tattoos and I want to keep it that way. Now, I'm very proud to be tattoo'd but it's something very personal and not for others. Each one of my tats is very personal and I still love each and every one of them!

Okay, I think I'm good to go for now. Besides, this is 2 today, huh? Everytime I post and fiddle with my blog I realize there's something more about me I can put into it. That's the point, right? Anyways, I'm a big quote-whore. I love'em! I used to have several volumes of books just of quotes... I've realized I don't really have a quotefinder linked somewhere in my blog. I'm going to part with a quote I found and then go find a quote site I want to link...

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." . . . You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
-Eleanor Roosevelt

And the verdict is...

I'm restricted to bed/couch rest until surgery, probably this coming Wednesday.... I'm walking steady with the assistance of a cane. The good news is that this has absolutely nothing to do with MS. Amazing, huh? I've always been a fan of a good piece of irony, and this is ranking right up there! My doc kept telling me he was sorry for my pain....telling me he wished he could fit me in sooner but his schedule was already packed. Still, I'm writing this while waiting for his surgical nurse to call to fill me in on instructions and the exact day/time.

I'm actually taking this as a blessing in disguise... this explains a lot of my leg/hip pain going on for a while. I'm looking forward to getting back to a more active lifestyle... A friend called me last night and actually went through the exact same procedure and gave me lots of good info!! And she told me I could harass her as much as I wanted... I plan on taking her up on that throughout the weekend.

They went ahead and drew the blood at the doc's office yesterday so I wouldn't have to go back to the hospital again before the procedure. I'm not supposed to be in a car for more than 20-30 minutes, if at all, and that has to continue until 3-4 weeks after the surgery! That's the biggest, messed up thing about this all is that I now can't travel up to North Texas for Thanksgiving because it's just over a 4 hour drive up to my big brother's. I am soooooo freakin' upset that I can't be there surrounded by both my big brothers and the 6 very rambunctious, hyper, totally awesome niece and nephews!!! It was going to be total chaos and I was going to love every minute of it!!!

Course, it was also going to be the first opportunity I had to cuddle and smooch all over my new nephew!! Now, I won't be able to hold him for at least 6-8 months - UGHHHHH!!!! My brother did tell me they would be down to the Texas South right before Christmas and would let me have all the nephew time I needed!!

And, yes, I do have the latest installment of my puppies to bore you with... It's a great illustration of the happy dance I will be doing post-surgery, after a recovery period... but I promise I won't post the video of me doing it... (unless it's really goooooood!)

Here's to the happy things in life!!

Worth a side note...

Thank you Joan for directing my attention to the "Beer Theory" as it relates to MS! I laughed so hard I had to send an immediate email out to fam and friends about it!! Please, ENJOY!

Beer Theory

A HA HA HA HA!!!...

I think I've outsmarted the blog.... Let's try and see if I can LINK the video of the puppies playing with the green monster! If this works I'm going to totally bore your asses off with other videos of the wonderful pups playing! Worst day ever? Watch puppies or babies - cure you right up!!!

IT WORKS! IT WORKS! IT WORKS! I'm now a poster on YouTube to do it, but dammit it's SOOOOOO worth it! Apparently it takes a bit for videos to get approval to be posted (mine took just over a day) so you'll be lucky to not be bored silly with videos on this post.... but as soon as I'm through with this post I'm headed back over for some more voyeuristic pleasure!!!

I had to switch colors because I'm about to go soooo off base of where I had originally started from... I've had to even catch up with myself! So, you see that word voyeuristic up there? I knew that was not the right word for UPLOADING images to have them being viewed so I went to trusty Google over there in my toolbar and typed in "fetish definitions"... and of course Wikipedia came up and gave a list of fetishes in alphabetical order... Notice I've linked the page in that because it was one of the funniest, most hysterical thing! Now, I investigate some of those things in that list and it's not the first time I've seen that list as I do hold BS in Psy... oops, I guess I meant to say I have a BS in Psy! HAHAHHAA

Seriously folks, I'm cracking my ass up over here!!!! I did not find anything, nada, nothing, ZIP relating to discovering that "it's sorta fun to post innocent stuff over there on youtube!" Course, if you're into any of that stuff listed on the linked page to Wikipedia above you should check out a similar website as youtube, but replace the first 3 letters with "red". Be prepared... Very adult material... again discovered through my investigations!

Back to the safeness of green! Meet with the doc tomorrow about my back. Had to come home early today from work because the pain meds I have don't come close to even slowing the pain down... Can't sleep now either because now both sides don't work and can't sleep on my back. Haven't lost my apetite of course, so the fact that I'm totally unable to work out yet still upload all the calories I want into my body... I will be joining a gym again after whatever we decide to do with my back to get access to a pool - I love the water! I so can't wait to go fishing again, and normally this would be a slow time for it but I got told last week that 2 15" reds were caught in the canal!!! Apparently there are some big ones out there that miss human companionship since IKE! I plan to remedy that very shortly!! : ]

Thank YOU!...

To the many men and women, past and present, who have given their heart, sweat, tears, and lives to preserve our country! Both my grandfathers served in WWII: one in Army and one in Navy. My uncle served 2 tours with Army in Vietnam. One of my brothers was a Navy pilot during the Gulf Wars. My best friend's brother and his wife are currently in Germany with the Army - he has survived 2 tours in Iraq, 1 in Afganistan, and had a very harrowing experience in North Korea and his wife has done 1 tour in Iraq and will be going back there shortly. I have 2 co-workers, one still active and his wife retired, that lost their only son early last year during his 3rd tour in Iraq. I have had 2 co-workers/friends that have served between 1 and 3 tours in Iraq and Afganistan with the National Guard. I am very thankful for their service. I don't care if you support the US' actions overseas but always, ALWAYS, be thankful for those willing to sacrifice their lives to make sure you have the right to disagree publicly with those actions. [My favorite Super Bowl commercial of all time was the '06 Budweiser one showing the troops walking through an airport... here's the link.

Now, onto other matters. I've realized I've been flipping back and forth between trying to stay postive and giving into the negative. I've read a bunch of awesome posts lately from other MS bloggers that say it so much better than I could ever hope to say it... So, I'm going to mooch from them for this post. I want to include links to some of the posts that have hit a personal nerve (without any myelin deficient interference!)... I hope you enjoy them.

Amazing.... from Braincheese a letter about this CD

From Lazy Julie: She's got a bunch of good views of CD but read "The Spoon Story" story on the right side of the post, around 1/2 down... The good thing about that is isn't it always only the spoons left over from work when you forget your fork at home?

She might think the empire has gotten smaller but I think the strength of the force is still great!

My other half is now home and we're going to look at the revised insurance settlement paperwork we officially received today that covers EVERYTHING! Now the official snoopy dance can commence!

WTF?...

Has anybody ever gotten through and gotten help about a problem with blogspot? I can't find anyway to actually contact a human via email and STILL cannot post my freakin' awsome video of my puppies playing with the green monster!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

I've decided my alternate name for MS.... CD - CRAPPY DISEASE! I will not use it sparingly either... cuz even when we're having great days with our multiple sclerosis we really can't relax cuz we know that day is quite possibly tomorrow! CD works no matter what!!! I'm a huge music lover so don't take it as hating on music - I own waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many CD's even in the age of itunes (which will be the downfall of my pension!) I'm surprised I haven't bored y'all yet with numerous references to lines of lyrics that relate to my life in some past/present/future way.... And I listen to a little bit of everything but country is my main thing .... and I've been done wrong and own beachfront in Arizona!! : ] So, consider this as a warning for a future post...

CD CD CD CD CD CD!!! It just rolls off the tongue! I also just realized that it's not good to watch a very funny comedian (Ralphie May) and post at the same time.... but I'm going to move forward! Remember 2 posts ago when I was going on about the wonderful Texas blue skies.... it's in hiatus for the next couple of days. We're about to hit our "wet" season....which is just Texan for winter. Seriously, we needed the rain though... ever since Ike, we've only gotten a few inches of rain. Course, if you count the 20+ we got during the hurricane.... I love the rain and thunderstorms and the sound of heavy rain hitting my Jeep soft-top. My chocolate lab does not like the rain or the thunderstorms....she used to take it out on the blinds but we've since learned to pull them up so she can at least see outside. She has been known to take it out on any unprotected tennis shoes left in the living room or kitchen or any unsuspecting blankets... I've got her on her little doggie herbal anti-anxiety stuff I mix with her food and that has seemed to help. Didn't even come home to an accident today!!

Did not know this would be such a rambling post... I'm beginning to lose function of my right leg again... I got taught how to use a cane today in PT.... Go back to the doctor later this week - should be interesting... I'm sure it'll be another multiple, in-capitals CD post!

Later! : p

S)$*(Q*&#$(@&....

Apparently I'm not the only one that's having issues loading videos in their posts... I went to the help blogs and I wasn't the first, nor will I be the last, to state their issues... And nobody had answered anybody yet... so I'll have to check back later...

WOO HOOO Texas Tech!!!! They stomped OSU!! Guns Up baby!! The Red Raiders are going to stop the Tide from rolling when they get the chance!! Then, the only issue will be if I'll be hosting the national championship party or one of my many Tech alum friends... we'll have to see!

Course, the Texans are sucking it up so bad right now I've changed the channel! I swear our quarterback doesn't know the difference between our wide receivers and the defense! And they're wearing PURPLE this week!!!!! AGHHHHHHHHHH!! Seriously, good thing my mood doesn't depend on the outcome of my teams... luckily I've grown past that (to an extent - I'm glad my Cowboys have a bye week cuz I don't think I could handle anymore of a drop in my depression!!!!)

I've been thinking about something lately. As MSers, we're all very thankful for our care-givers, especially in the many shapes they come in. I've got a work team that picks up my print-outs from the printer and does any general "errands" they can when I'm having a not-so-good balance day and they don't want to see the human pinball version of me walking between the cubicles... (it's actually sorta funny until I get home and see all the bruises on my arms and hips). I've got my family that watches me like a hawk anytime I'm around and doesn't let me do stuff still... I thought I'd finally overcome it, being the baby in the family and all... nope. Then, we have our loving partners, live-in roommates, or live-in family that take care of us. They actually get mad at US if we don't let them do stuff for us...

I don't have any two-legged kids (yet - to be determined in the future...) but there's ALOT of MSers out there that do have them. Parents are the ultimate care-givers... especially since that job never ends... My father is now caring for his parents who are no longer able to survive on their own (and my Nana - love her to death!!!!! - has gone completely off the deep end). Yet, he's still my dad and trying to be a care-giver to me.. He was going to come down and live with me for that month I was blind in that one eye and live in a hotel to do it... I luckily, for our relationship, talked him out of that but he wanted to do it. How do you handle being a care-taker and being a care-giver?

My partner also is a member of the autoimmune disorder team....with Crohn's Disease. We actually share some similar symptoms - joint pain, fatigue, general ugh-iness. Her current medicine that has her in remission is a pill that's currently being looked at for a possible oral medication for MS. We joke about competing hospital visits...although I've got a 3-1 edge on her right now.... not really something you really want to win, ya know? Anyways, I don't like it when I can't be all the care-giver I can be because MY autoimmune disorder prevents me from doing it... Her innards are giving her fits and she just needs to hang out on the couch... Groovy! I want to be able to be the one to get all the drinks, snacks, anything she needs me to bring her... but if then my hips decide they don't want to work that day - or I can't really move all that well because my back... I don't like it. I don't like not being able to give, to do for my care-taker.

How am I supposed to be able to be a partner if I can't give my share? How do I not become nothing but a taker when I want to give? I want to be able to do not only my share of household chores and general partnership duties but I also want to be able to take care of her when she needs it. I want to be able to do my part of providing. Of all the crap that this crappy disease takes away, I think it's the imbalance it creates that really hurts. I am one of those people that seeks out and needs affection and wants that other half around for everything. I'm not a loner - I'm a partner. I want to grocery shopping, errand-running, and vacationing with my better half. That's the way I'm built. But I do not want to drain my other half. I don't want to leave my other half needing more from me than I can provide. If I use all of it up, where does that leave me, her, our relationship? I bitch enough about the physical aspects of this illness because it's easier to take your frustrations out on the "visible" aspects... and makes it easier to ignore the "hidden" ones.... I just think the whole thing bites! I'm determined to outsmart this aspect of the disease... I'm working on the details of how to do it, but the main thing is I'm working on it!!!

This is why you live in Texas...

Cuz the skies are this blue, no clouds, enough breeze to keep you cool... and plenty of football! Went and saw my middle nephew play football this morning. Had already seen the other 2 play a couple of weekends ago. Major bragging to ensue now... My nephew scored 4 of the 5 touchdowns scored by his team!!! WOOOO HOOOO!! He ran 2 in, caught a pass and ran in, and then recovered a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown!! MAJOR STUDLY!!! And, he's the smaller/faster one of my 2 SE TX nephews (not to be confused by my 3 N TX nephews!) and the "cool" one. I actually got a full hug today, which made me very priveledged! My oldest one is already taller than me and he threw for 2 touchdowns this morning and also ran one in... Playoffs start next week so it's going to be good, cold, football Saturdays coming up. They were all then headed to watch some HS football games this afternoon....

We're going to be watching Texas Tech continue their awesome run to a national championship tonight!! Friends coming over to yell at the TV with us!! It's going to be tough but we'll make it through... Love football!!!

I'm going to try and post my green monster video with the puppies again.... and it's not freakin' working!! AGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I'm going to try and post it on the side... must share the fun with you! And I've tried for the last 2 hours to upload it... I will not give up!!!! I am not a quitter! It'll have to wait... for a bit!

Friday!...

Stayed home from work today to sleep. Slept last night but needed more. Slept til 245 this afternoon. Could go to sleep right now at 830 and sleep til tomorrow at 245. I think the rest of my body is pissy with my back... I think the rest of my body is saying "screw you" to my back.. I think the rest of my body, really meaning my MS, is jealous of my freakin' back. I think my MS is pissy because I'm not paying it any attention. First, I take away it's tizanidine. Then, I replace it with vicodin. I don't think MS likes pain meds.... I think it would rather have a yummy fatigue medicine or my spatisicty meds back instead of boring pain meds. I mean, come on, everybody's on some type of pain med.... but you have to be really special to get on some of the MS meds we have access to!! That's my theory anyways... Enough of that! I did make a follow-up appointment my neurosurgeon yesterday and will go next week. I'm not doing surgery ... there's going to be a middle option...

Okay, so I have some really good footage of the pups playing with the green monster... and I've tried 3 times to upload it onto the site.... I'll try again tomorrow. I need to get some quality time in with the other half since I slept the day away!!!

WARNING!...

Rambling nonsense and verbal effusion about to ensue... There is absolutely no point to this point. Nada. Nothing. If something shiny pops in front of my face I'm likely to change topics mid-sentence (goes back to why I like the "...." so much!!!)

Had a crazy busy work week! UGH! One of those weeks you like because it's Friday tomorrow and I swear it was just Monday morning. One of those weeks you hate because you barely had time to eat lunch or even think during the week!! And, being what my profession is, busy is not good for me. I'm like the antithesis of what you want to be busy (and I just re-read that sentence and realize how ridiculous it is, but that's why I'm keeping it...Have I mentioned lately how much I like blogging??? LAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA)

SHINY THING!!! Watching Friends reruns on TV. That is the one show I can equate with anything in life!! So funny! Who was your favorite Friend? My favorite girl was Monica...although I was known as Phoebe my freshman year in college. No comments! My favorite boy was always Chandler. Gotta love cute smart-asses! Sarcasm, done right, is sooooo yummy sometimes...

Another SHINY THING!! Lovable pooch running around with new dog toy that's as big as her!! So, it's a frog/spider thingy with 8 legs and it makes a really good squeaky sound. It's literally the size of the front part of her body! And she's been running around like crazy, squeaking it, and making the legs go all around her body... teasing the other puppy with it! I'll have to try and get a picture of it - hilarious!!!

Had to go rescue a friend tonight... abandoned in the galleria area of town having gotten out of a person's vehicle and refused to get back in. I don't blame her. That other person is Basic Instinct psycho!!!!!!!!!!! Good thing my friend does not have rabbits or any other pets! So, that was 2 hours in the car that we'll never get back. You can't bitch too much, cuz that's what friends are for... and she'd turn around and do the same dang thing for us! Course, I'm happy to be drama-free now... There are points in your life (when you're younger and stupider!) that you think it's not life if there's no "drama" but then you grow up and get smarter and realize it was the drama that life can always do without!! Then, puppies with green things taking up their entire mouth come running at you and you realize that's what life is about!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Course, nookie's good too!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA SHINY THING!! Course, isn't that always a shiny thing? You can be all serious in a meeting or with family and then BANG - nookie thought! You can't help it. See, it even distracted me from blogging!!

Back in the real world.... and I didn't even realize what a great transition that line would actually be. MS - doing good. Pretty tired most of the time and I think I'm going through a "fatigue" phase but I'm getting through it and caffeine is my best friend right now.... Back - double, horrible big freakin' : p~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have a follow-up appointment with the neurosurgeon next week. I don't think the PT is working... now , have I been as good about doing my stuff at home but when you get home and the back hurts.... WTF? Anyways... I'm going to see if there's an in-between option between PT and surgery... I dunno. The allmighty internet says there are some pain-therapies that can be tried but it seems like it just dulls the pain to make life easier.... course, isn't that the solution? To make it where your life is not disrupted?? Enough about that - I'm sick of talking, bitching, whining, doing general discourse about it...

No, I wasn't reading the word of the day toilet paper today... I go through my SAT moments.... My verbal kicked ass (but I really don't know how much lower my math could have gone since you didn't have to repeat your name!) Shessh, have I bored myself enough? Probably. Tomorrow's Friday!! WOOO HOOOO!!

Good thing I'm about to end anyways, cuz I'm watching one of those funniest video shows and there's some funny stuff! I always thinks the animals are the funniest, cuz there's really no way to be planned or staged!

Hey, did you notice I put a new comedian over there in the video bar? He's Gabriel Igleasis.... Google his name or watch some of those videos!! Again, you can watch a butt load of his stuff on YouTube! He's got some bits about being pulled over by the popo that bring me to snot and tears!!! In such a good way!! Notice I'm a bit heavy on the metaphors tonight? Skydiving just came though..... I want to do that at some point - before I'm doing a copy of W Sr. Oooooh, have you seen the previews for the movie Twilight? It's based on Stephanie Meyers books... I cannot wait!!!!!!!

Okay, seriously, wrapping up right now. Right this second. I'm done. Finito. That's a wrap. Off-duty. End of shift. Crapped out. Later alligator!

An American's Duty...

Is to vote. I don't care who you vote for (my buddy over at http://texas2tennessee.blogspot.com/2008/10/throwing-you-curve-ball.html says it much better than me) but you need to vote! I did... I didn't cash in for my free cup of Starbucks, Chik-fil-a sandwich, or scoop of Ben & Jerry's. I did it because that's what you're supposed to do. I'm refusing to watch any TV tonight or go to any internet site that has any reporting capabilities of the election... which is EXTREMELY hard to do at this point! I can't check my email on the computer because Y has nothing but election coverage.

I voted for 1 of 2 people for president. I'm not going to say which one. I'll do my duty as a citizen and stand behind the leader of our free country. I might or might not be happy about it. My big thing is this... No Vote = No Bitch! So, no matter which man ends up in the office I can be a big ol' whiney butt about their policies - cuz I voted! I am glad I don't live in the county in which I work however because our new district attorney, no matter which person it is, is going to be horrible and going to "fix" a lot of things that do not need "fixing". SHEESH!! Course, that might have a big impact on my job... but not too much. I know I'm going to lose a couple of my friends in the prosecutor's office that are going to either go to the dark side (defense attorney) or get with another agency.

Now, onto really important matters... I woke up the other night gasping for air... It was about an hour after my C shot so I don't think it was that weird side effect that supposedly hits around the 3rd year on it. Now I'm noticing that I'm getting these "quickies" in deep breath gasps every now and then.... Not enough to be concerned about it but enough to cause me to blog about it (obviously!) Just needed to get it off my 'chest'... AHAHAHAH I didn't even plan that one!

Then, I had a really pissy day at work. No real reason for it, but you know those days that just make you want to run screaming from the building? Yeah, one of those. Again, no real reason for it. Had fun teaching the cadets at the academy yesterday. None of them fell asleep on me or my partner so that was a good thing! Ran into a buddy of mine who's going to be working for a former boss of both of our's... It will be interesting!

OH, UPDATE ON THE SNOOPY DOG BATTLE! WE WON!!! I told you it was on like donkey-kong! Truth be told, it really wasn't much of a fight. They received my well written letter detailing the faults of their plan and my corrections last Monday. Yesterday, an adjuster supervisor came to the house and AGREED WITH US! He was pissed because he said this was the 3rd one he'd done in the past week in which the original adjuster had seriously fubar'd up their report. So, we should be hearing something by the end of this week. I got to call the fence guy today and tell him to put us on the schedule. And, the adjuster supervisor got our roofer's name (who came to the meeting for us as he understood our argument that he does not get any $ if we don't get any $!) and said he would deal directly with us!

I'm now doing the SNOOPY DANCE!!

We might even get all the stuff done before Thanksgiving.... apparently we've missed the rush that most people were yelling for and could probably have the fence done next week, the roof about 10 days later, and the gutters right after that... course, then we have to get the bedroom carpets and kitchen floor after that!!!!!!!!! Ok, so we won't be hosting turkey day this year ... now it's just seeing if Christmas Eve will be back in Galveston like it should!
Keep your fingers crossed!!

Whew... been busy...

I want to look as good as Tina Turner when I'm 68 years old!!! That was the best concert I've ever seen in my life! And I'm a concert-goer who has been to some good concerts! Garth in 2001 was amazing! But this was a phenomenal, extraordinary, wonderful performance from a personal favortie of mine! Supposedly she was also my first concert when I was around 2-3 years old. My mom told me and she and her 2nd husband took me to a Tina Turner concert and they had front row seats. Supposedly I was asleep for most of the concert, curled up in a ball, and supposedly (based on my mom's telling) I was the focus of Tina Turner's attention for a few seconds when she asked how anyone could sleep through her concert.... She played for over 2 1/2 hours, including a 25 minute version of Proud Mary! Spectacularly awesome!! I took a picture with my new phone... It's hard to see but part of the stage came up and became a plank to go out over the crowd and she was dancing all over it... Best Legs Ever!


So, that was Monday night. Then, I got a great call from my cousin JP and he was in town for work. Now, he's around 8 hours older than me and we've taken our first steps together, our early tastes of adult beverages together, and lots of mayhem in Little Rock growing up! But, like so often happens, LIFE happens and time gets away from us and we don't call or write enough. It doesn't matter with us though... we're always full of hugs and lots of laughter and feels like we just saw each other the week before. We had two wonderful nights together, catching up, and getting re-acquainted with each other since it had been about 3 1/2 years since we saw each other last. He's such a great man! I love him sooo much (and I'm not just saying this cuz I actually gave him the link to this blog!!!!)!!

So, that was Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Actually didn't have anything Thursday night but pretty much came home, ate and passed out due to the late previous 3 nights!! Course, Friday night... HALLOWEEN BABY!!! That is my absolute fave holiday of the year! Hard to guess one of my favortie colors is Orange - the kick-ass color of my kick-ass Jeep Wrangler (with a black top of course!) Our neighborhood has a ton of kids that come around and so we buy mucho candy and pass it out by the handful... this year it was actually a little less, and I think it's because it was a Friday night and people have parties and church's have get-togethers.. We ended up in a neighbor's yard drinking beer and laughing and talking for a little longer after no more visits by goblins! Besides candy, I found a recipe for a Monster Brew and was handing out little cups of it with gummy worms in it!! It was a mixture of OJ, sprite, lime sherbert, white grape juice, and some green food coloring - made it a very nice baby-poop green!!!! The kiddos loved it and some of the parents also found it a bit fun. Course, I was also offering an "adult" version of it with the vodka underneath my chair!!! LOL

Now, today... a very good day. I'm feeling pretty good, I've got a great honey, some very wonderful 4 legged kiddos - and we moved my partner's parents back home to Galveston Island today!!! We have taken back control of our house! Now, they were wonderful to have around and I'm actually going to have to get used to the quiet again... and going to have to cook dinner during the week again!! AHAHHAHAH Course, today was the first time back to the island for us... very depressing. I can't imagine seeing it even a couple of weeks ago, as the in-laws said that a lot of debris had been picked up. It was so brown with all the grass and trees and shrubs dead from the salt water soaking it got. The tons and tons and tons of sand where it should not be... But, there were some smiles to be had as well as there were a lot of people working and rebuilding and getting life back on track.

Sheesh, maybe I should've posted a warning label at the beginning of this post to warn you about the needless data that would be posted!!!!! Life is good. It pretty much always is, with the ups and downs, but my life is hunkey-dorey! I'm very thankful!!