I realize I have been awful at calling, emailing, etc., these past few weeks and I apologize. To catch you up on two major happenings:
1) I am getting braces next month, but will be able to go with the Invisalign ones and I only have to wear them for 5-7 months!!!! I am very excited at the short time period and that I was able to do the less expensive, less painful, and less obvious looking option.
2) I am starting my own business that will open in the next two months or so!! I will give more details later, but I have the website address secured, some of the vendors lined up, two employees lined up, and I'll be applying for my business license soon. I also already have several interested customers and one person who has asked if I'll be a third-party vendor to their grandson's company. I have come up with a solution to a problem and thrown in some fun too, so I couldn't be happier. I am holding off on posting my idea online until it's all organized, but just know that it's coming up! I have been working on this for months and have kept it completely underwraps--even from my own mother--until I had complete info worked out.
So, my thoughts today are that I'm very blessed and grateful that life is progressing well. I am also very pleased with my very cautious self for not only putting myself at risk financially, but also at risk emotionally as this business venture is my baby and I am nervous at sharing it.
Anyway, I hope ya'll are doing well! Have a great day!
Love,
me, LLC :)
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
The things one learns...
So, I have been sick now (yes, again) for a whole week. I am sick of being sick. Anyway, I finished off an entire box of Tylenol Severe Cold, which did help with the headaches a lot and earaches a little bit, but I finally came to the realization that it was just not going to cut it. With that, I headed off to Urgent Care today and got in right before they closed. Turns out I do have a severe cold, but also tonsillitis, so it's a good thing I went as I need an antibiotic. I also remembered to ask for an inhaler refill, as the ones I have on hand have all expired and that, of course, is no good. Anyway, during this fun today, I learned two things:
-While reading a magazine in the Urgent Care waiting room, I learned that if you gargle just regular water (no salt or anything) for 15-seconds, three times a day, you cut down your throat-related illnesses by 36%. For me, this is a huge deal, as that's where I get sick the most--in my throat and in my lungs.
-At the pharmacy, the colorful pharmacist (who once told me about her mental illnesses and the treatments for such--and whose son is getting married to a girl from Pakistan on Dec. 23rd--and she's sewing the dresses, but her sewing machine is on the fritz and has to go to the repair shop) asked me if I knew how to correctly use an inhaler. I told her that, given my 15 years of inhaler usage, I did indeed know how to use an inhaler. She said that those who have used them the longest are the worst offenders. I thought, "Not me." But, she insisted she demonstrate to me how to correctly use the inhaler and though I'm proud of myself for doing almost everything correctly, I have been screwing up on one thing--the actual inhalation. She told me that I'll use the inhaler and think I got ultra-albuterol as the difference will be so noticeable when I do inhale correctly. Though I think the lady is a bit much to take at times, she was correct as I do feel like I have ultra albuterol this time. Wahoo!
So, my thoughts this evening are that though I haven't felt like doing much--let alone learn new things--I'm grateful that I had to wait a moment for the doctor so that I could read that magazine article that can only help and I'm also grateful that I have a good pharmacist who takes the time to make sure I'm well informed. OH! And, I did learn one more thing tonight while watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition--there's a device you can hook your cell phone to that allows your incoming texts to appear on your television screen! That's very exciting, considering my text addiction. Anyway, I hope all is well with each of you!
PS--Only one week until I'm with my family in Utah! WAHOO!!!
-While reading a magazine in the Urgent Care waiting room, I learned that if you gargle just regular water (no salt or anything) for 15-seconds, three times a day, you cut down your throat-related illnesses by 36%. For me, this is a huge deal, as that's where I get sick the most--in my throat and in my lungs.
-At the pharmacy, the colorful pharmacist (who once told me about her mental illnesses and the treatments for such--and whose son is getting married to a girl from Pakistan on Dec. 23rd--and she's sewing the dresses, but her sewing machine is on the fritz and has to go to the repair shop) asked me if I knew how to correctly use an inhaler. I told her that, given my 15 years of inhaler usage, I did indeed know how to use an inhaler. She said that those who have used them the longest are the worst offenders. I thought, "Not me." But, she insisted she demonstrate to me how to correctly use the inhaler and though I'm proud of myself for doing almost everything correctly, I have been screwing up on one thing--the actual inhalation. She told me that I'll use the inhaler and think I got ultra-albuterol as the difference will be so noticeable when I do inhale correctly. Though I think the lady is a bit much to take at times, she was correct as I do feel like I have ultra albuterol this time. Wahoo!
So, my thoughts this evening are that though I haven't felt like doing much--let alone learn new things--I'm grateful that I had to wait a moment for the doctor so that I could read that magazine article that can only help and I'm also grateful that I have a good pharmacist who takes the time to make sure I'm well informed. OH! And, I did learn one more thing tonight while watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition--there's a device you can hook your cell phone to that allows your incoming texts to appear on your television screen! That's very exciting, considering my text addiction. Anyway, I hope all is well with each of you!
PS--Only one week until I'm with my family in Utah! WAHOO!!!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
A new adventure!
Well, it is extremely late and I should be in bed, especially considering that I have my big Christmas shin-dig tomorrow evening, but I had to take a moment to post about the new accomplishment I have under my belt!
Tonight, I worked on getting the party favor bags ready for tomorrow, which required me to....hand-dip pretzels in milk chocolate and then decorate with colored white chocolate! It was a triumphant moment for me when I looked over the finished product. So, my thought at this late hour is that though new things (no matter how trivial they may seem) can be very scary, it's well worth the try--particularly when chocolate is involved!! :)
Tonight, I worked on getting the party favor bags ready for tomorrow, which required me to....hand-dip pretzels in milk chocolate and then decorate with colored white chocolate! It was a triumphant moment for me when I looked over the finished product. So, my thought at this late hour is that though new things (no matter how trivial they may seem) can be very scary, it's well worth the try--particularly when chocolate is involved!! :)
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
I'm a regular Christopher Columbus!
Today, my friends, I made a most interesting discovery--very comparable to Chris finding America (even if he wasn't the first one). Incidentally, Queen Isabella is a distant, distant cousin of mine, so it stands to reason I would make such a great discovery. This is also a find with which you--yes, YOU!--can experiment and see for yourself!
This all started with me trying to give a friend the directions to my house. So, I typed:
"Park anywhere but in the covered parking and I’m on the main floor in apt #818." (You can open MS Word and copy this sentence there if you want to try this for yourself.) You will (or should, if your Word works the same as mine) see that "I'm" is underlined with the green squiggly line, suggesting a recommended change. If you right-click to see the suggestions, you will find that it suggests using "I is" instead of "I'm". Now, "I is" would never be a correct usage in any sentence, so the fact that it suggests this is not only odd, but very witty in that MS didn't catch this. But, wait--it gets better! (Much like a Ron Popeil offer...)
Change the sentence to read "Park anywhere and I'm on the main floor." Now, the "I'm" has another suggestion--this time it's to use "I are". Again, this is never acceptable usage so truly an odd suggestion and oversight by supposedly intelligent programmers.
Based upon these amazing discoveries, you can clearly see that were you and I, Kadeopher Kimberumbus, to take a voyage together we would obviously find other amazing things that could also change the world! My thought is that it's a good thing I'm--or should that be "I is" or "I are"?--a fan of traveling, as it's clear that the world needs my genius to be spread abroad.
This all started with me trying to give a friend the directions to my house. So, I typed:
"Park anywhere but in the covered parking and I’m on the main floor in apt #818." (You can open MS Word and copy this sentence there if you want to try this for yourself.) You will (or should, if your Word works the same as mine) see that "I'm" is underlined with the green squiggly line, suggesting a recommended change. If you right-click to see the suggestions, you will find that it suggests using "I is" instead of "I'm". Now, "I is" would never be a correct usage in any sentence, so the fact that it suggests this is not only odd, but very witty in that MS didn't catch this. But, wait--it gets better! (Much like a Ron Popeil offer...)
Change the sentence to read "Park anywhere and I'm on the main floor." Now, the "I'm" has another suggestion--this time it's to use "I are". Again, this is never acceptable usage so truly an odd suggestion and oversight by supposedly intelligent programmers.
Based upon these amazing discoveries, you can clearly see that were you and I, Kadeopher Kimberumbus, to take a voyage together we would obviously find other amazing things that could also change the world! My thought is that it's a good thing I'm--or should that be "I is" or "I are"?--a fan of traveling, as it's clear that the world needs my genius to be spread abroad.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Drunks, dogs, and dentists...oh my! (A long post)
I wrote this earlier today at work and it wouldn't post, so here it is now...
Well, it has been a few days since I last wrote and needless to say, much has happened. Saturday night was my company Christmas party, which was a night of fun, food, dancing...and an open bar. This was the first mistake. Not for me, mind you, but for plenty of others who don't know when to stop. The second mistake was having different bartenders and not keeping track of how many drinks a person had, thus resulting in me seeing many co-workers and their spouses in a totally different light. As soon as one particularly reserved co-worker came sloshing up to me and was beyond loud, I knew I was in for a fun night! Actually, it was a lot of fun--the food was great, I have a lot of awesome co-workers with whom I love to visit, and I love me some good music and dancing, so dance I did! A co-worker took some pictures of me and another co-worker tearing up the dance floor to a disco song, which I'll post here later.
I danced for hours and dragged others on to the floor with me, resulting in even more fun. Sure, I dance like a white kid from Utah, but as I really don't care how foolish I look, I just had fun and enjoyed the time. I was sweating like a stuck pig (granted, pigs don't sweat; but, if they did and they were stuck, this would be comparable to how I looked after the hours of dancing). The party continued on well into the night as we moved from the hotel ballroom to a club there in downtown Raleigh. I had been to this club before and had enjoyed it, but this time it wasn't nearly as much fun. I was D.D., as usual, so I couldn't just take off once I got bored either. The more interesting parts of the evening were when a co-worker's date started another co-worker's hair on fire while lighting his cigarette; another was when a guy literally collapsed next to me. He hit his head on the concrete floor and was completely out. I immediately thought, "Alcohol poisoning!!" So, I bent over and was checking for a pulse when he came to. It was a huge relief. I picked him up off the floor and draped him over his drunk girlfriend's back so she could drag him out of the building.
I had agreed to dog-sit for another co-worker, so by the time I took home one co-worker and her significant other, it was really late and I still had to take Bailey out to do his thing. Bailey is a 125-lb. St. Bernard, pitbull, yellow lab mix. He's huge. He's such a big baby too...and sooooo sweet. I just love my Mr. Bailey--except for when his nails haven't been clipped and he jumps up on me. He almost pierced my nipple once by doing this. Anyway, I drove to Cary and took Bailey out in the freezing cold and we made a quick trip around the lake. I got home and took out Matza and Peanut, finally having my head hit my pillow at 4:45 a.m. I was exhausted. However...
A friend of a friend of a friend, Crystal, has a dog, a male Bichon Frise, that she is giving away as she can't keep him in her new residence. I had looked into adopting him about a month ago, but it sounded like someone else had taken him. So, it was a bit of a surprise when I got a call right as I was heading out to the company party, asking if I'd consider taking him. Well, I didn't have the time to run to Durham to pick him up before the party and I didn't want to get him and immediately abandon him in my apartment, so I arranged to get him the next morning--not realizing I'd be out so late. When I called to arrange for a later meeting time, I seriously sounded like I myself was drunk. It was awful. I was sure Crystal wouldn't want me to come near her dog at that point. As a small example of how the conversation went, this was the opening sequence:
Me: "Hello?"
Crystal: "Hi Kade, it's Crystal."
Me (Half mumbling): "Hi Crystal, it's Kade. Oh wait. You knew that. You said 'Hi Kade'. Oops."
Anyway, despite my drunken-sounding state, she still agreed to let me take "Roo" for a few days to see if he was compatible with Matza, etc. I wasn't so sure about him when he basically fought me away from him when I picked him up to go with me. Crystal had to sit with him in my car to get him to calm down enough for us to leave. Anyway, I had Matza, Peanut, and Roo (named after the Winnie the Pooh "Roo", as he hops a lot when he walks) on Sunday afternoon and evening, which was a bit of a nightmare. You see--Matza is back in heat (I thought I had more time in which to get her fixed) and Roo is not fixed. Keeping them apart and then walking all three of them was a bit of an overload. It made me realize I should definitely not adopt Roo. I can not handle two dogs. However...
My friend, Adrian, decided that he wanted to try out Roo and see if Roo would be good for him to adopt. He renamed him "Rolfe", while I called him "Rolfie", and Rolfie's personality really started to come out more yesterday. He is the sweetest dog and beyond calm. I'm used to Matza (who could never be described as being calm), so this was quite the change. Well, long, long story shorter, Adrian decided today to adopt Rolfe, whom I re-named again last night (this time for good). His new name is Sir Toby Hopsalot Kimber-Powell. As Adrian says I am part owner, I thought the hyphenated last name was best. :) We call him "Toby" for short and he really responds to it quite well. Other than waking at 4:30 this morning, as he wanted to go outside, Toby has been quite good and it'll be nice to have him around to perhaps help calm Matza and give Peanut more energy (she's getting a bit old). He's one year old and is about 15-17 lbs., which is unusually big for a Bichon. He is basically Matza on steroids.
I keep them in different houses during the day--one at my house, one at Adrian's--so that we don't have mini-Matza's running around. However, they all get along very well and even Peanut (who has an especially hard time with other dogs) is okay with him for the most part. He didn't want to leave me this morning to go to Adrian's (admittedly, he does like me more than Adrian, but I think that will change the more he's around Adrian) and I can't wait to see the little furry trio tonight.
This morning, I ended up back at the dentist to have impressions done for Invisalign braces. It wasn't too bad--I read a smutty gossip magazine while the hygienist did her thing--other than that I found out it'll be an additional $1047 per tooth for veneers that I'll need once I have all the extra space between my front teeth. It sucks, but I don't want to look like a hillbilly. I reckon I'll be in this about $10,000 by the time is all said and done, but I'll have one heck of a smile. :) (And my deep bite will finally be corrected, thus saving my jaw and teeth from more damage.)
Anyway, now that I've written a novel, I must get back to work. My thought is that life would be so much easier if I were independently wealthy and didn't need to work. I could spend my days accomplishing errands, doing charity work, socializing, and traveling the world--not to mention playing with dogs and laughing at drunks. In the meantime, I'll just work on a proposal instead.
Hasta!
me
Well, it has been a few days since I last wrote and needless to say, much has happened. Saturday night was my company Christmas party, which was a night of fun, food, dancing...and an open bar. This was the first mistake. Not for me, mind you, but for plenty of others who don't know when to stop. The second mistake was having different bartenders and not keeping track of how many drinks a person had, thus resulting in me seeing many co-workers and their spouses in a totally different light. As soon as one particularly reserved co-worker came sloshing up to me and was beyond loud, I knew I was in for a fun night! Actually, it was a lot of fun--the food was great, I have a lot of awesome co-workers with whom I love to visit, and I love me some good music and dancing, so dance I did! A co-worker took some pictures of me and another co-worker tearing up the dance floor to a disco song, which I'll post here later.
I danced for hours and dragged others on to the floor with me, resulting in even more fun. Sure, I dance like a white kid from Utah, but as I really don't care how foolish I look, I just had fun and enjoyed the time. I was sweating like a stuck pig (granted, pigs don't sweat; but, if they did and they were stuck, this would be comparable to how I looked after the hours of dancing). The party continued on well into the night as we moved from the hotel ballroom to a club there in downtown Raleigh. I had been to this club before and had enjoyed it, but this time it wasn't nearly as much fun. I was D.D., as usual, so I couldn't just take off once I got bored either. The more interesting parts of the evening were when a co-worker's date started another co-worker's hair on fire while lighting his cigarette; another was when a guy literally collapsed next to me. He hit his head on the concrete floor and was completely out. I immediately thought, "Alcohol poisoning!!" So, I bent over and was checking for a pulse when he came to. It was a huge relief. I picked him up off the floor and draped him over his drunk girlfriend's back so she could drag him out of the building.
I had agreed to dog-sit for another co-worker, so by the time I took home one co-worker and her significant other, it was really late and I still had to take Bailey out to do his thing. Bailey is a 125-lb. St. Bernard, pitbull, yellow lab mix. He's huge. He's such a big baby too...and sooooo sweet. I just love my Mr. Bailey--except for when his nails haven't been clipped and he jumps up on me. He almost pierced my nipple once by doing this. Anyway, I drove to Cary and took Bailey out in the freezing cold and we made a quick trip around the lake. I got home and took out Matza and Peanut, finally having my head hit my pillow at 4:45 a.m. I was exhausted. However...
A friend of a friend of a friend, Crystal, has a dog, a male Bichon Frise, that she is giving away as she can't keep him in her new residence. I had looked into adopting him about a month ago, but it sounded like someone else had taken him. So, it was a bit of a surprise when I got a call right as I was heading out to the company party, asking if I'd consider taking him. Well, I didn't have the time to run to Durham to pick him up before the party and I didn't want to get him and immediately abandon him in my apartment, so I arranged to get him the next morning--not realizing I'd be out so late. When I called to arrange for a later meeting time, I seriously sounded like I myself was drunk. It was awful. I was sure Crystal wouldn't want me to come near her dog at that point. As a small example of how the conversation went, this was the opening sequence:
Me: "Hello?"
Crystal: "Hi Kade, it's Crystal."
Me (Half mumbling): "Hi Crystal, it's Kade. Oh wait. You knew that. You said 'Hi Kade'. Oops."
Anyway, despite my drunken-sounding state, she still agreed to let me take "Roo" for a few days to see if he was compatible with Matza, etc. I wasn't so sure about him when he basically fought me away from him when I picked him up to go with me. Crystal had to sit with him in my car to get him to calm down enough for us to leave. Anyway, I had Matza, Peanut, and Roo (named after the Winnie the Pooh "Roo", as he hops a lot when he walks) on Sunday afternoon and evening, which was a bit of a nightmare. You see--Matza is back in heat (I thought I had more time in which to get her fixed) and Roo is not fixed. Keeping them apart and then walking all three of them was a bit of an overload. It made me realize I should definitely not adopt Roo. I can not handle two dogs. However...
My friend, Adrian, decided that he wanted to try out Roo and see if Roo would be good for him to adopt. He renamed him "Rolfe", while I called him "Rolfie", and Rolfie's personality really started to come out more yesterday. He is the sweetest dog and beyond calm. I'm used to Matza (who could never be described as being calm), so this was quite the change. Well, long, long story shorter, Adrian decided today to adopt Rolfe, whom I re-named again last night (this time for good). His new name is Sir Toby Hopsalot Kimber-Powell. As Adrian says I am part owner, I thought the hyphenated last name was best. :) We call him "Toby" for short and he really responds to it quite well. Other than waking at 4:30 this morning, as he wanted to go outside, Toby has been quite good and it'll be nice to have him around to perhaps help calm Matza and give Peanut more energy (she's getting a bit old). He's one year old and is about 15-17 lbs., which is unusually big for a Bichon. He is basically Matza on steroids.
I keep them in different houses during the day--one at my house, one at Adrian's--so that we don't have mini-Matza's running around. However, they all get along very well and even Peanut (who has an especially hard time with other dogs) is okay with him for the most part. He didn't want to leave me this morning to go to Adrian's (admittedly, he does like me more than Adrian, but I think that will change the more he's around Adrian) and I can't wait to see the little furry trio tonight.
This morning, I ended up back at the dentist to have impressions done for Invisalign braces. It wasn't too bad--I read a smutty gossip magazine while the hygienist did her thing--other than that I found out it'll be an additional $1047 per tooth for veneers that I'll need once I have all the extra space between my front teeth. It sucks, but I don't want to look like a hillbilly. I reckon I'll be in this about $10,000 by the time is all said and done, but I'll have one heck of a smile. :) (And my deep bite will finally be corrected, thus saving my jaw and teeth from more damage.)
Anyway, now that I've written a novel, I must get back to work. My thought is that life would be so much easier if I were independently wealthy and didn't need to work. I could spend my days accomplishing errands, doing charity work, socializing, and traveling the world--not to mention playing with dogs and laughing at drunks. In the meantime, I'll just work on a proposal instead.
Hasta!
me
Friday, November 30, 2007
Bumper Stickers
I have never understood bumper stickers. That is to say, I have never understood the need or desire to use bumper stickers--I usually don't have a problem understanding the message. So, I am continually perplexed by cars I regularly follow on my commute to work with stickers all over them. I am convinced that one car in particular is held together entirely by bumper stickers. I don't think any more stickers could possibly fit on this beast. It's hideous. My favorite is the one that says, "Dear God, Please save me from your followers". I chuckle at that one each time, but it doesn't change that fact that I think bumper stickers are tacky (not to mention stupid to put on a car, particularly when it's for a politician who isn't going to be running the whole time you own the car).
When I ended up behind this giant bumper sticker with wheels this morning, I got thinking about what I would write if I were to create a bumper sticker. These were the two winners I came up with:
* Driving the speed limit is NOT a crime. Speed up!
*Tolerance is not a sin!
I thought that those effectively cover two of my biggest pet peeves: slow drivers and bigoted, hateful, close-minded people.
So, with this in mind, to the old man in the tan Corolla with "I <3 Taiwan's Independence" (as do I, of course), the middle-aged woman in the really old gray Accord with "whY aRe yoU yoU?", and the young lesbian in the red Echo with "Pro-Constitution/Anti-Bush", I say to you that I tolerate you (even though I don't understand why you put these stickers on your car), but that you really get on my nerves on a regular basis as you are three of the slowest drivers on this earth! SPEED UP!!!!
When I ended up behind this giant bumper sticker with wheels this morning, I got thinking about what I would write if I were to create a bumper sticker. These were the two winners I came up with:
* Driving the speed limit is NOT a crime. Speed up!
*Tolerance is not a sin!
I thought that those effectively cover two of my biggest pet peeves: slow drivers and bigoted, hateful, close-minded people.
So, with this in mind, to the old man in the tan Corolla with "I <3 Taiwan's Independence" (as do I, of course), the middle-aged woman in the really old gray Accord with "whY aRe yoU yoU?", and the young lesbian in the red Echo with "Pro-Constitution/Anti-Bush", I say to you that I tolerate you (even though I don't understand why you put these stickers on your car), but that you really get on my nerves on a regular basis as you are three of the slowest drivers on this earth! SPEED UP!!!!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
And then... (A long update)
So, I had a great rest of my birthday last night. I had an incredible dinner that could only have been made better by having my family there. Otherwise, it was perfect. I was surrounded by great friends, amazing food, my favorite cake (triple-layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, raspberry sauce, and fresh raspberries on top), and my beloved furry friends (Matza, Peanut, and Lacy). It was wonderful. I spent a great deal of the day on the phone talking or texting friends and family who called/texted to wish me a happy birthday (and oh my word, talking with my nephews was one of the best things of my day--they couldn't be sweeter if they tried), as well as reading multiple e-mails, FaceBook and MySpace comments, and cards in the mail. I couldn't have asked for anything better, as anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I don't really have any needs and I clearly fulfill many of my wants. So, the best gift for me this year was to simply have time visiting with friends and family, whom I love tremendously. It was just a nice day and a great kick-off to my 27th year.
Today was not nearly as fun as yesterday--nor would it be considered a great day even if yesterday was a normal day. It all started with my dental appointment that I had planned on only lasting an hour or so. Three hours later, I was out the door with a $5,000 potential dental bill (plus another $5000+ in related expenses---more on that in a moment), an appointment to go in again next week, and a whole heap of stuff on my mind. Good thing it's a bit slow at work (I wrapped a present at my desk to kill some time today), as I spent my afternoon trying to get everything figured out. Essentially, the problem is that I need braces. I know--you wouldn't think it to look at my teeth as they are perfectly straight and already look like I've had braces (though I haven't). But, as I have what's called a deep bite (as opposed to an overbite) and I grind my teeth to the point I've gone through two $500 custom mouthguards this year, I have no choice but to get braces to help stop the grinding and save my teeth from being destroyed. I had a consult with an orthodontist last year and she said I could get away without having to have braces for about two years as long as I wore my mouthguard every night without fail. Well, here I am a year later and it's not looking possible to wait that second year.
The dentist is having me come in next week to get impressions of my teeth in order to send them to Invisalign (the clear braces that are more like a mouthguard, but have to be worn all day and night). The people at Invisalign will look over my impressions and see if I even could get away with going that route (as opposed to the $6000 metal bracket braces). They will also send back pictures of what my teeth will look like throughout the progression of me wearing the braces. Here's the 411 of how this will work and the pros/cons:
Pros:
-It turns out my dental insurance actually covers $1500 of adult orthodontia, which is amazing since adults are not usually covered under most plans.
-I will have my teeth problem corrected and will ultimately save myself teeth problems and extra expense and pain in the long run.
-There are payment plans available for Invisalign, to where I could stretch it out to a five year period and with the insurance of $1500, I'd reduce my monthly payments to less than $100/month.
-It's less unsightly to do Invisalign than metal bracket braces.
Cons:
-It's $5000.
-Did I mention it's $5000?
-I could not be "normal" and have the problem of having too big of teeth for a small mouth. Instead, I have the exact opposite issue. (Yes, I have a big mouth--but my teeth are too small.) So, rather than having to worry about finding enough space for my corrected teeth to fit, the dentist says I'll actually have major gaps--to the point I'll look like a donkey in the front teeth section. My teeth will be kept together in the back and all of the spacing will be concentrated into the front teeth, which brings me to my next problem...
-I would need to get veneers for my front teeth, as I'm not going to look like a donkey and the veneers would cover the gaps.
-Veneers will run me about $5000 more than the cost of the braces.
-I won't have my same dental coverage as of next fall when I go to law school, so if I'm going to take advantage of saving 25-33% (depending upon if I go with Invisalign or metal), I have to do it soon. Plus, I don't want to have to go to a different dentist right after having them put on, so I want the bulk of my treatment done while I live here in Raleigh. This puts pressure on me and my decision.
-Oh, and it's $5000.
Neutral at this point:
-The dentist said my entire profile and looks will change, as my teeth will be brought further forward. This could improve my looks (heaven only knows how appreciative I'd be for that) or make me look worse (which would suck). So, this is a neutral point for me right now.
There are also some other problems going on that the dentist is concerned about, but I won't scare/bore you with those details until I know more. I've ordered my past panoramic x-rays from my dentist and the ortho for as many years as I could get a hold of in order to help my dentist do a comparison to what showed up today. Once that is done, I will be able to share more details and be more informed. (My feeling is that it's nothing and that I'm just fine, which the dentist said could very well be the case.)
So, there you have it...today was not nearly as fun as yesterday. BUT, the good news is that yet again, I have no cavities. GO ME! Well, it's about three hours past when I had hoped to get to bed, so me and my freshly cleaned pearly whites are going to hit the hay. May you each be experiencing great dental health and may your ortho bills be non-existent. :) Those are my thoughts at this late hour.
~me
PS--To those whom I have not yet spoken with, THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart, for making yesterday such a tremendous day. Sure, today sucked, but I know it'll be just fine as I have the best people in the world in my life regardless of whether my day is good or bad and how big my dental bills are. :) So, thank you!!!
Today was not nearly as fun as yesterday--nor would it be considered a great day even if yesterday was a normal day. It all started with my dental appointment that I had planned on only lasting an hour or so. Three hours later, I was out the door with a $5,000 potential dental bill (plus another $5000+ in related expenses---more on that in a moment), an appointment to go in again next week, and a whole heap of stuff on my mind. Good thing it's a bit slow at work (I wrapped a present at my desk to kill some time today), as I spent my afternoon trying to get everything figured out. Essentially, the problem is that I need braces. I know--you wouldn't think it to look at my teeth as they are perfectly straight and already look like I've had braces (though I haven't). But, as I have what's called a deep bite (as opposed to an overbite) and I grind my teeth to the point I've gone through two $500 custom mouthguards this year, I have no choice but to get braces to help stop the grinding and save my teeth from being destroyed. I had a consult with an orthodontist last year and she said I could get away without having to have braces for about two years as long as I wore my mouthguard every night without fail. Well, here I am a year later and it's not looking possible to wait that second year.
The dentist is having me come in next week to get impressions of my teeth in order to send them to Invisalign (the clear braces that are more like a mouthguard, but have to be worn all day and night). The people at Invisalign will look over my impressions and see if I even could get away with going that route (as opposed to the $6000 metal bracket braces). They will also send back pictures of what my teeth will look like throughout the progression of me wearing the braces. Here's the 411 of how this will work and the pros/cons:
Pros:
-It turns out my dental insurance actually covers $1500 of adult orthodontia, which is amazing since adults are not usually covered under most plans.
-I will have my teeth problem corrected and will ultimately save myself teeth problems and extra expense and pain in the long run.
-There are payment plans available for Invisalign, to where I could stretch it out to a five year period and with the insurance of $1500, I'd reduce my monthly payments to less than $100/month.
-It's less unsightly to do Invisalign than metal bracket braces.
Cons:
-It's $5000.
-Did I mention it's $5000?
-I could not be "normal" and have the problem of having too big of teeth for a small mouth. Instead, I have the exact opposite issue. (Yes, I have a big mouth--but my teeth are too small.) So, rather than having to worry about finding enough space for my corrected teeth to fit, the dentist says I'll actually have major gaps--to the point I'll look like a donkey in the front teeth section. My teeth will be kept together in the back and all of the spacing will be concentrated into the front teeth, which brings me to my next problem...
-I would need to get veneers for my front teeth, as I'm not going to look like a donkey and the veneers would cover the gaps.
-Veneers will run me about $5000 more than the cost of the braces.
-I won't have my same dental coverage as of next fall when I go to law school, so if I'm going to take advantage of saving 25-33% (depending upon if I go with Invisalign or metal), I have to do it soon. Plus, I don't want to have to go to a different dentist right after having them put on, so I want the bulk of my treatment done while I live here in Raleigh. This puts pressure on me and my decision.
-Oh, and it's $5000.
Neutral at this point:
-The dentist said my entire profile and looks will change, as my teeth will be brought further forward. This could improve my looks (heaven only knows how appreciative I'd be for that) or make me look worse (which would suck). So, this is a neutral point for me right now.
There are also some other problems going on that the dentist is concerned about, but I won't scare/bore you with those details until I know more. I've ordered my past panoramic x-rays from my dentist and the ortho for as many years as I could get a hold of in order to help my dentist do a comparison to what showed up today. Once that is done, I will be able to share more details and be more informed. (My feeling is that it's nothing and that I'm just fine, which the dentist said could very well be the case.)
So, there you have it...today was not nearly as fun as yesterday. BUT, the good news is that yet again, I have no cavities. GO ME! Well, it's about three hours past when I had hoped to get to bed, so me and my freshly cleaned pearly whites are going to hit the hay. May you each be experiencing great dental health and may your ortho bills be non-existent. :) Those are my thoughts at this late hour.
~me
PS--To those whom I have not yet spoken with, THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart, for making yesterday such a tremendous day. Sure, today sucked, but I know it'll be just fine as I have the best people in the world in my life regardless of whether my day is good or bad and how big my dental bills are. :) So, thank you!!!
Monday, November 26, 2007
My Birthday: The Should-be National Holiday
Good evening, friends, neighbors, countrymen...but please don't lend me your ear, as that'd be nasty and I have two perfectly good ones of my own, thanks.
It is now 5:11 on the eve of my birthday. I have 19 more minutes to be at work, but as I don't have anything going on at my desk right now, I shall write a blog instead of work. I suppose I could've done this at any point during the day, as I've put maybe 30 minutes of actual work in today. The rest of the time I have spent shopping for handheld vacuum/spot cleaners. I had a great deal in my shopping cart at homedepot.com, but by the time I did my price comparison shopping and debated over spending any money, the item was gone. Alas, such is my lot in life for being poor/fiscally responsible.
So, what, you ask, am I doing for my birthday? Well, it all started off with me making a mad dash to get ready for work, only to have to go back in my apartment twice for forgotten items, and subsequently arriving at work 18 minutes late after driving in dense fog. I arrived to find the obligatory birthday card from my co-workers on my keyboard and my boss telling me he was taking me to lunch for my birthday, along with some of the other managers.
After a swamped morning of....well, nothing but partaking of Cyber Monday, we headed off to this Mediterranean restaurant I've heard a lot about. It was most delicious. I won't attempt to spell the various foods I had that I hadn't tried before, but suffice it to say, it was most delicious and worth going back to eat again. We rode in my boss's BMW, which I must say is certainly a vehicle to which I aspire in regards to purchasing. It was so comfortable.
I spent my afternoon looking for good vacuum deals and reading reviews, along with chit-chatting with co-workers. I am about to shut down the laptop and head on home so I can go to my "surprise" birthday dinner with a bunch of friends. I know what part of the menu is too, but I will be surprised about some of it. I love surprises (not to be confused with the kind of surprise that involves someone jumping out at me from a dark place or closet/grabbing me during a tense moment in a scary movie), but I always manage to find out information beforehand that ruins it for me. So, I'll go act surprised and just enjoy the evening with some great friends. I wish my family and Darin and Cammie Jan could be here, but I'm grateful for the friends that I will be able to spend time with and I'm also glad I was able to spend a few days with Darin and Cammie Jan anyway. I'll see my family next month, which will be here before too long anyway.
So, though my day wasn't entirely exciting, it has still been a great day and I look forward to having a great evening too--and hopefully a great year ahead, as I embark into my 28th year of life. Thanks to those in my life that truly enrich it and make it a life of which many could be envious, as I have such great people around me. Not everyone is so fortunate and I'm grateful that I can be one who is. Happy Birthday to me, I say!
It is now 5:11 on the eve of my birthday. I have 19 more minutes to be at work, but as I don't have anything going on at my desk right now, I shall write a blog instead of work. I suppose I could've done this at any point during the day, as I've put maybe 30 minutes of actual work in today. The rest of the time I have spent shopping for handheld vacuum/spot cleaners. I had a great deal in my shopping cart at homedepot.com, but by the time I did my price comparison shopping and debated over spending any money, the item was gone. Alas, such is my lot in life for being poor/fiscally responsible.
So, what, you ask, am I doing for my birthday? Well, it all started off with me making a mad dash to get ready for work, only to have to go back in my apartment twice for forgotten items, and subsequently arriving at work 18 minutes late after driving in dense fog. I arrived to find the obligatory birthday card from my co-workers on my keyboard and my boss telling me he was taking me to lunch for my birthday, along with some of the other managers.
After a swamped morning of....well, nothing but partaking of Cyber Monday, we headed off to this Mediterranean restaurant I've heard a lot about. It was most delicious. I won't attempt to spell the various foods I had that I hadn't tried before, but suffice it to say, it was most delicious and worth going back to eat again. We rode in my boss's BMW, which I must say is certainly a vehicle to which I aspire in regards to purchasing. It was so comfortable.
I spent my afternoon looking for good vacuum deals and reading reviews, along with chit-chatting with co-workers. I am about to shut down the laptop and head on home so I can go to my "surprise" birthday dinner with a bunch of friends. I know what part of the menu is too, but I will be surprised about some of it. I love surprises (not to be confused with the kind of surprise that involves someone jumping out at me from a dark place or closet/grabbing me during a tense moment in a scary movie), but I always manage to find out information beforehand that ruins it for me. So, I'll go act surprised and just enjoy the evening with some great friends. I wish my family and Darin and Cammie Jan could be here, but I'm grateful for the friends that I will be able to spend time with and I'm also glad I was able to spend a few days with Darin and Cammie Jan anyway. I'll see my family next month, which will be here before too long anyway.
So, though my day wasn't entirely exciting, it has still been a great day and I look forward to having a great evening too--and hopefully a great year ahead, as I embark into my 28th year of life. Thanks to those in my life that truly enrich it and make it a life of which many could be envious, as I have such great people around me. Not everyone is so fortunate and I'm grateful that I can be one who is. Happy Birthday to me, I say!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
A day of thanks...
Greetings from Darin's computer. I'm typing this on his computer, while he sits on the other couch working away on his blog using my computer. Unusual, yes. But, that's not the only thing out of the norm today. Overall, this, by far, has been one of the most unusual Thanksgiving days I've ever had. How, you ask? Well, I shall share with you how. It all started this morning, when Darin and I ventured forth for breakfast--at Bojangles, where I enjoyed delicious boberry biscuits. They are most choice. Anyway, following this, Derriere and I took a short drive through the amazing roads lined by trees with amazing colors before coming back home to watch TV for a while. We finally got out and about again, heading over to my complex's gym where we worked out for hours and hours. OK, well, maybe not hours, but for a good 20 minutes at least. After that sweat-provoking experience, we headed off to my friend's indoor pool (even though it was warm enough today that we could've swam outside just fine). After swimming for a bit, we came back and cleaned up and then headed off to that ever-popular Thanksgiving dinner--Chinese food. I had sweet & sour chicken. I suppose sweet & sour turkey would have been more apropos, but given my disdain for that nasty poultry variety, I wouldn't have eaten it anyway. So, after our festive dinner, we headed off to our next part of the holiday meal--hot fudge sundaes at McDonald's. Oh, we did take a little detour to CVS, where we bought some bags of peanut M&M's to go with our hot fudge sundaes. Anyway, we are now at my house watching TV and waiting for Cammie Jan's arrival. We will go collect her from the airport in about fifteen minutes or so. I just checked the flight arrival website and she's flying along at 601 MPH right now and is 180 miles away. So, she'll be here shortly.
Despite the rather unusual Thanksgiving day (we're doing our Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday), during which nothing was the same as my usual traditions, there is one thing that remains the same--my gratitude for so many things. I am especially grateful this year, as so much change and progress has happened in my life during the last 365 days. I am grateful for my mostly-good health and for my job, home, vehicle, dog, etc. But, even more than this, I'm grateful for my family and friends. I have such a tremendous and fun support system that I truly love and I could not survive without. My mom, sisters, bro-in-law, nephews, and grandma are all amazing and I miss them tremendously. However, that's not my only "family" that I'm grateful for. Besides many others, my dear, long-time, always faithful and wonderful friends, Darin and Cammie Jan, particularly mean a lot to me. I am so happy they're here (or almost here) and that we can spend some time together, even if it is only a few days. It's better than nothing. Sure, I talk or text them almost daily, but it's even better to have them here in person. Above all else, I'm particularly grateful for the lessons my Heavenly Father has allowed to come into my life since last Thanksgiving. I don't even feel like the same person, as so much growth and maturity has come into my life. It's amazing. So, my thoughts on the eve of this fun and unique holiday are that I'm so very blessed with things much more valuable than any material possession. I am blessed with a family and friends that couldn't be any better and with good health. What more could I ask for? Nothing--unless I wanted to be really greedy. So, to all who read this, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! May it truly be a day of gratitude and may the year ahead be another year of great blessings and joy!
Despite the rather unusual Thanksgiving day (we're doing our Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday), during which nothing was the same as my usual traditions, there is one thing that remains the same--my gratitude for so many things. I am especially grateful this year, as so much change and progress has happened in my life during the last 365 days. I am grateful for my mostly-good health and for my job, home, vehicle, dog, etc. But, even more than this, I'm grateful for my family and friends. I have such a tremendous and fun support system that I truly love and I could not survive without. My mom, sisters, bro-in-law, nephews, and grandma are all amazing and I miss them tremendously. However, that's not my only "family" that I'm grateful for. Besides many others, my dear, long-time, always faithful and wonderful friends, Darin and Cammie Jan, particularly mean a lot to me. I am so happy they're here (or almost here) and that we can spend some time together, even if it is only a few days. It's better than nothing. Sure, I talk or text them almost daily, but it's even better to have them here in person. Above all else, I'm particularly grateful for the lessons my Heavenly Father has allowed to come into my life since last Thanksgiving. I don't even feel like the same person, as so much growth and maturity has come into my life. It's amazing. So, my thoughts on the eve of this fun and unique holiday are that I'm so very blessed with things much more valuable than any material possession. I am blessed with a family and friends that couldn't be any better and with good health. What more could I ask for? Nothing--unless I wanted to be really greedy. So, to all who read this, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! May it truly be a day of gratitude and may the year ahead be another year of great blessings and joy!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Thanksgiving
As I sit here at work, wondering why on earth the office is even open since I have nothing to do, I can't help but think of the upcoming Thanksgiving feast! I am so blasted hungry. Fortunately, we're closing at 3:00, but I don't think that'll be soon enough. I will most likely have devoured my fist by that time. However, though the hairy fist would be tasty I'm sure, I think I will just hold off on that and dream of how tasty the feast I have planned will be. This, dear reader, is what I have planned for the Thanksgiving consumption:
Appetizers: Seasoned Oyster Crackers; Ricotta-Blue Cheese dip with green apple slices, crackers, and cheese straws
Sides, etc.: Cranberry-Orange Sauce (I make this every year and it just gets better and better each time); Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta; Orange-Scented Green Beans; Mashed Red Potatoes with Brown Gravy; Sweet Potato Casserole; Pimento Cheese Stuffed Celery, Olives; White Yeast Rolls
Main Dishes: Peach-Glazed Cornish Game Hens with Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing; Turkey Breast Cutlets with Pan Gravy
The best part in all of this is that it's for a grand total of three people (counting myself). So, there will be more than enough for all and we'll have some mighty tasty leftovers too. :) I also can't wait for Darin and Cammie Jan to get here--I am bouncing off the walls in anticipation. It's been almost a year since the three of us have been able to spend time together and as they're very much a part of my family, it will be great to have them around.
Well, on that happy note and with those thoughts, I'm heading to the kitchen to scavenge for food. Perhaps I'll find a crumb or two to tide me over.
Appetizers: Seasoned Oyster Crackers; Ricotta-Blue Cheese dip with green apple slices, crackers, and cheese straws
Sides, etc.: Cranberry-Orange Sauce (I make this every year and it just gets better and better each time); Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta; Orange-Scented Green Beans; Mashed Red Potatoes with Brown Gravy; Sweet Potato Casserole; Pimento Cheese Stuffed Celery, Olives; White Yeast Rolls
Main Dishes: Peach-Glazed Cornish Game Hens with Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing; Turkey Breast Cutlets with Pan Gravy
The best part in all of this is that it's for a grand total of three people (counting myself). So, there will be more than enough for all and we'll have some mighty tasty leftovers too. :) I also can't wait for Darin and Cammie Jan to get here--I am bouncing off the walls in anticipation. It's been almost a year since the three of us have been able to spend time together and as they're very much a part of my family, it will be great to have them around.
Well, on that happy note and with those thoughts, I'm heading to the kitchen to scavenge for food. Perhaps I'll find a crumb or two to tide me over.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Time flies...
...whether you're having fun or not. This has been a most crazy week for me and not all of it was fun, but yet the time has flown and I realized I've neglected my little space on the Net. So, despite the fact I should be in bed as I've got a full Monday ahead of me, I am going to take a moment to share in life's happenings.
Those who know me can attest to the fact that I am, without a doubt, a bargain shopper. So, it should come as no surprised that I found and wholeheartedly took advantage of a great deal last night at Target: I bought an automatic shower cleaner! (Well, two of them actually--in addition to three CDs, a DVD, a box of chocolate chunk cookies, four bottles of Old Spice body wash, and a...well, let's just call it an item shall we?) So, I bought this shower cleaner that I've been wanting for some time. It was marked down from its $20 retail price and came with a $5 Target gift card, leaving the final price at just over $13. This, my friends, is a good deal. It not only includes the actual machine, but Energizer batteries to run it, an attachable shower caddy, and two bottles of cleaning solution as well. This made me very happy, as I HATE (yes, I said "hate", which I don't normally say, as it's such a powerful word and very rarely warrants use) to clean the bathroom--particularly the shower. Sure, I do it and regularly too, I might add. I just don't enjoy doing so. However, if this little wonder does all that it's designed to do, my days of scrubbing my shower are over. So, I have made a mental note as to how the shower looks now and I'll be watching it over the next few days to see how it changes in appearance. Heavy mildew build-up is supposed to disappear in 12-14 days and as I don't have heavy build-up, I'm hoping for miracles in just a few days. I shall keep you posted on this marvel.
My one concern is that the Scrubbing Bubbles solution container (yet another reason I bought it, as I seriously heart Scrubbing Bubbles) says that the solution is safe to be sprayed on soap, shampoo, and body sponges. How is this possible? How can a liquid designed to remove heavily cakes mildew be safe to use on the human body? If I notice my skin start to evaporate or turn transparent, I will know that this product is not, after all, safe.
So, there you have it--another thought from Tot. I hope all is well with each of you and that you have a most wonderful Thanksgiving if I don't talk to you before then! (PS--Only 8 days until the blessed event---my birthday, that is! :))
Those who know me can attest to the fact that I am, without a doubt, a bargain shopper. So, it should come as no surprised that I found and wholeheartedly took advantage of a great deal last night at Target: I bought an automatic shower cleaner! (Well, two of them actually--in addition to three CDs, a DVD, a box of chocolate chunk cookies, four bottles of Old Spice body wash, and a...well, let's just call it an item shall we?) So, I bought this shower cleaner that I've been wanting for some time. It was marked down from its $20 retail price and came with a $5 Target gift card, leaving the final price at just over $13. This, my friends, is a good deal. It not only includes the actual machine, but Energizer batteries to run it, an attachable shower caddy, and two bottles of cleaning solution as well. This made me very happy, as I HATE (yes, I said "hate", which I don't normally say, as it's such a powerful word and very rarely warrants use) to clean the bathroom--particularly the shower. Sure, I do it and regularly too, I might add. I just don't enjoy doing so. However, if this little wonder does all that it's designed to do, my days of scrubbing my shower are over. So, I have made a mental note as to how the shower looks now and I'll be watching it over the next few days to see how it changes in appearance. Heavy mildew build-up is supposed to disappear in 12-14 days and as I don't have heavy build-up, I'm hoping for miracles in just a few days. I shall keep you posted on this marvel.
My one concern is that the Scrubbing Bubbles solution container (yet another reason I bought it, as I seriously heart Scrubbing Bubbles) says that the solution is safe to be sprayed on soap, shampoo, and body sponges. How is this possible? How can a liquid designed to remove heavily cakes mildew be safe to use on the human body? If I notice my skin start to evaporate or turn transparent, I will know that this product is not, after all, safe.
So, there you have it--another thought from Tot. I hope all is well with each of you and that you have a most wonderful Thanksgiving if I don't talk to you before then! (PS--Only 8 days until the blessed event---my birthday, that is! :))
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Vomitville
...lovely title, eh? Well, this time it is not me who is sick, but rather my poor, cute little doggy, Matza Ball. She is sick as a dog...literally. She has vomited non-stop since about 2 a.m. The nastiest was when she threw up on me. Fun times. So, I have a sick little baby and I am a nervous wreck. I called the vet four times as I debated over taking her in or not. They said they'd charge $400+ for testing and they'd transfer her to the emergency hospital and observe her overnight. As that sounds ridiculously expensive, I've opted to watch her at home for the next 24-hours and feed her a bland diet. I just got done boiling her some chicken and rice, which is so far staying down. Meanwhile, I fortuitously borrowed a spot cleaner from a friend of mine and so I have it on hand to continually clean the carpet from Matza's episodes. It's very handy and I've decided I must have one for myself. Well, it's back to nursing my little baby better...so much for the rest of my plans for today.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Kade the Lush
I have decided that being an alcoholic may not be such a bad thing. I may start working on this venture in a minute or two here at my desk. Sure, I am not a drinker and sure, being a lush costs money and liver life...but, at this point I'm not caring so much, given the incredibly insanely busy day I've had. And it's only 3:30. Look out whiskey...here I come!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Roomies vs. Vomit: Which is worse?
Well, today brings yet another crappy day of illness to my life. I feel so nauseous and I don't know why. I have been feeling just fine the past few days, but now it's a whole heap of yuck all over again. In the meantime, I discovered that my roommate not only paid his rent late last month, incurring a late fee that he didn't completely pay off, but that he also has failed (for the fourth month) to get our electricity switched over into his name instead of the apartment's. He was able to get out of the last $200 fine for that one, but now he's got another $50 fee to work on. Oh, and he didn't write a check big enough to cover the rent this month, as he forgot how much he's supposed to pay. I e-mailed him today and broke down all the finances for him, as he seems to struggle with them. He can't even remember from month-to-month how much he is supposed to pay in rent or even how much our total rent is. I am tired of having to act like his parent. I have to ask him to do the dishes, take out the trash, clean his cats' litter box, etc. It is ridiculous.
So, here I sit amongst an apartment full of dirty dishes and nasty kitty litter (I took the garbage out last night, so at least that's missing from this equation), feeling like I need to vomit as my stomach is just killing me, and I can't tell which I dislike more--feeling sick or having a roommate. My thought is that I will absolutely, positively not have a roommate during law school as school is going to be stressful enough without having to parent someone else's child. Those are my angry thoughts at this hour.
So, here I sit amongst an apartment full of dirty dishes and nasty kitty litter (I took the garbage out last night, so at least that's missing from this equation), feeling like I need to vomit as my stomach is just killing me, and I can't tell which I dislike more--feeling sick or having a roommate. My thought is that I will absolutely, positively not have a roommate during law school as school is going to be stressful enough without having to parent someone else's child. Those are my angry thoughts at this hour.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Pancakes and Grapefruit Juice
So, this morning I woke up feeling very motivated. Not so much a "Solve World Hunger" movitated, but more of a "Solve Kade's Hunger" motivated. With that level of motivation, I decided to venture forth and make breakfast...pancakes, actually. Now, this may not seem like such a challenge or even a big thing, but keep in mind that this is me here. I have never made pancakes on my own. Given today's experience, I may not be making them on my own again any time soon.
You see, I am challenged...almost handicapped, if you will (which I'm sure you will), by my own visions of grandeur. I think, "I shall make pancakes," but in reality, I'm thinking of these beautifully round and golden gems that would be featured on the front of any respectable cooking magazine sold only to those with the most discriminating tastes. So, it's no wonder that I'm thoroughly disappointed at this moment.
Sure, I could follow the directions for "Melt in your Mouth Pancakes" (except I was a bit confused when they said "blend ingredients"--does this mean until smooth or just until all ingredients are incorporated?? Why can't they specify?!), but when it came time to actually cook them, I was presented with a challenge. My first issue was that I don't own a flat griddle. So, I used a large frying pan. I didn't heart using a large frying pan. Everytime I flipped my not-so-golden-or-round lumps of cake, they would end up not flipping so smoothly and would thus leave raw batter over the edge and down the curved side of the pan.
Then, there was the issue as to how much batter to put on at one time. Sure, the recipe says scant 1/4 cup, but since I was using an over-sized coffee mug to scoop the batter into the frying pan, the focus became more on trying to dump less on the stovetop than it did on measuring the amount making it into the pan. However, despite these challenges, I learned that by moving the pan around a bit when the batter is first put in, one can make a bit better of an actual circle. My first attempts were oblong and angular things. Next, I learned that though the directions say simply to make sure the griddle is "hot", keeping the pan on medium-high to high is not the way to do this. The pancakes "cooked" during this particular phase sure were melt-in-your-mouth--well--they'd have to be as they were just raw batter in the middle of dark brown crispy covers.
So, by the time all was said and done, I had cooked up a heap of expirementation, which didn't taste too bad when combined with lots of Brummel & Brown, a mouthful of peach jam, and a big swig of apple juice or milk. I was able to down almost five of my succulent little batter masses by utilizing these extra measures. While I'm thinking of it, for those who are fans of fruit juice, if you haven't tried the "Simply Orange" brand juice line, you are soooooo missing out. Not only is the "Simply Orange" great (as orange is my favorite juice), but the "Simply Grapefruit" and "Simply Apple" are also absolutely delicious and I highly recommend them. It is as the title suggests--it's 100% juice with no sugars, additives, etc. And, it's amazing.
The grapefruit one made me think back to the mornings spent at my grandparents' house, when we'd have fresh grapefruit with powdered sugar sprinkled on it. I was half tempted to sprinkle some powdered sugar in my juice as it would've made the moment perfect. So, I guess this actually proves in the end that some experiences do pan (no pun intended) out to be as wonderful and amazing as they are in one's head. Yes, I suck at pancake making and my attempts in no way reflect what I envisioned. But, at least the grapefruit juice, for instance, completely matches how I remember wonderful times spent with my grandparents.
Sure, I can't physically go back in time to to their house in Idaho and those great mornings spent fighting with my sisters over who got to sit in the single counter stool, but I can go back in my mind to those times when I felt loved beyond measure. So, I guess that instead of giving up completely on being able to make pancakes, I should continue to attempt it, as who knows...maybe one day I'll taste a melt-in-your-mouth pancake and it will take me back to this time in my life, when I also feel happy and loved beyond measure. I reckon that's motivation enough to keep trying things that I don't do so well or haven't ever tried. Next up on the new experiences agenda...painting the frame of a wall hanging. Again, something I've never done before--and the paint is black. Pray for me. :)
You see, I am challenged...almost handicapped, if you will (which I'm sure you will), by my own visions of grandeur. I think, "I shall make pancakes," but in reality, I'm thinking of these beautifully round and golden gems that would be featured on the front of any respectable cooking magazine sold only to those with the most discriminating tastes. So, it's no wonder that I'm thoroughly disappointed at this moment.
Sure, I could follow the directions for "Melt in your Mouth Pancakes" (except I was a bit confused when they said "blend ingredients"--does this mean until smooth or just until all ingredients are incorporated?? Why can't they specify?!), but when it came time to actually cook them, I was presented with a challenge. My first issue was that I don't own a flat griddle. So, I used a large frying pan. I didn't heart using a large frying pan. Everytime I flipped my not-so-golden-or-round lumps of cake, they would end up not flipping so smoothly and would thus leave raw batter over the edge and down the curved side of the pan.
Then, there was the issue as to how much batter to put on at one time. Sure, the recipe says scant 1/4 cup, but since I was using an over-sized coffee mug to scoop the batter into the frying pan, the focus became more on trying to dump less on the stovetop than it did on measuring the amount making it into the pan. However, despite these challenges, I learned that by moving the pan around a bit when the batter is first put in, one can make a bit better of an actual circle. My first attempts were oblong and angular things. Next, I learned that though the directions say simply to make sure the griddle is "hot", keeping the pan on medium-high to high is not the way to do this. The pancakes "cooked" during this particular phase sure were melt-in-your-mouth--well--they'd have to be as they were just raw batter in the middle of dark brown crispy covers.
So, by the time all was said and done, I had cooked up a heap of expirementation, which didn't taste too bad when combined with lots of Brummel & Brown, a mouthful of peach jam, and a big swig of apple juice or milk. I was able to down almost five of my succulent little batter masses by utilizing these extra measures. While I'm thinking of it, for those who are fans of fruit juice, if you haven't tried the "Simply Orange" brand juice line, you are soooooo missing out. Not only is the "Simply Orange" great (as orange is my favorite juice), but the "Simply Grapefruit" and "Simply Apple" are also absolutely delicious and I highly recommend them. It is as the title suggests--it's 100% juice with no sugars, additives, etc. And, it's amazing.
The grapefruit one made me think back to the mornings spent at my grandparents' house, when we'd have fresh grapefruit with powdered sugar sprinkled on it. I was half tempted to sprinkle some powdered sugar in my juice as it would've made the moment perfect. So, I guess this actually proves in the end that some experiences do pan (no pun intended) out to be as wonderful and amazing as they are in one's head. Yes, I suck at pancake making and my attempts in no way reflect what I envisioned. But, at least the grapefruit juice, for instance, completely matches how I remember wonderful times spent with my grandparents.
Sure, I can't physically go back in time to to their house in Idaho and those great mornings spent fighting with my sisters over who got to sit in the single counter stool, but I can go back in my mind to those times when I felt loved beyond measure. So, I guess that instead of giving up completely on being able to make pancakes, I should continue to attempt it, as who knows...maybe one day I'll taste a melt-in-your-mouth pancake and it will take me back to this time in my life, when I also feel happy and loved beyond measure. I reckon that's motivation enough to keep trying things that I don't do so well or haven't ever tried. Next up on the new experiences agenda...painting the frame of a wall hanging. Again, something I've never done before--and the paint is black. Pray for me. :)
Saturday, November 3, 2007
A better day...
So, it's incredibly late (i.e., 2:00 a.m.) and one would think I'd be in bed...but clearly, I'm not. Why, you ask? I shall share...it's because with all of this virus crap all week, I've done nothing but sleep odd hours and now my internal clock is so messed up that I am wide awake when I should and could be sleeping. So, to fill this time, I will write today's adventures.
It all started when I went in to work...at about 2:00 p.m. I was feeling really crappy again this morning, but talked myself into going in as I have several projects I wanted to work on that I couldn't do at home. I am supposed to be able to log in with my work laptop from home and have access to all of the office networks, etc., but something is wrong with my home network when I go to do so. Therefore, to access the files I needed, it required me throwing on jeans and a sweater and dragging myself into the office--drag being the key word here. My boss told me to turn right around and go back home, but I told him I think I'm past the contageous point (I'm not sure if I am or not, but I am so sick of being cooped up at home that I had to escape somehow). Anyway, I got a few things done at work, planning to leave by 5:00. At 6:00, I was finally out the door. It's amazing to me how often that happens--time just gets away from me. But, at least I have a really fun and interesting job, so that helps.
Well, I got home and took Miss Matza out for her evening walk, which involves picking up the mail too. What did I find in my mailbox? None other than an acceptance letter and 25% tuition scholarship offer from Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan! I had just turned in my application to them two weeks ago, so I was surprised to see an acceptance so soon. I was very happy about this, as it ensures that I'll be going to law school, even if all of the other schools don't offer me admissions. To celebrate, I made two friends, Adrian and Beth (along with Beth's two adorable kids, Faith and Cameron), go with me to Red Lobster for dinner. I had to twist their arms soooooo hard (note the sarcasm). I ordered the endless shrimp feast, but while eating my first helping (buffalo shrimp), I discovered something that did not at all resemble a shrimp. I poked it and it was hard, so I broke it open with my hands to find that it was a part of the shrimp bag wrapping that had been breaded and fried. It wasn't the most appetizing thing, but it didn't completely ruin my appetite--because right then and there, I knew it was free dinner for Kade night!
I called over the waiter, who immediately got the manager, who came and apologized profusely and said they'd buy my dinner and dessert. Then, after a while, another manager came over and gave me a gift card so that I'd come back again. I had a bit of a pile up of shrimp dishes on my plate, as the kitchen all of a sudden sped up and got my refills to me two seconds after I ordered them. So, the waiter boxed up a bunch of food for me, along with my free dessert, and filled a giant take out bag with all of my loot. Beth and Adrian looked at me in disgust as I lugged the bag of freebies to the car. It was most enjoyable. I'm all about freebies, as anyone who knows me can testify.
The thing is, a shrimp wrapper in a shrimp dish is not that far-fetched or disgusting as say, a finger or a condom or a bandaid or a hair or...well, you get the idea. So, it really wasn't so bad that I wanted to vomit or anything. My thought is that I'm all about freebies, so anytime that a kitchen worker at Red Lobster wants to throw in a wrapper piece that will result in me getting $40 in goodies, I am all for it. And that, my friends, was my day and my thoughts at this, 2:22 a.m.
Later,
Tater
It all started when I went in to work...at about 2:00 p.m. I was feeling really crappy again this morning, but talked myself into going in as I have several projects I wanted to work on that I couldn't do at home. I am supposed to be able to log in with my work laptop from home and have access to all of the office networks, etc., but something is wrong with my home network when I go to do so. Therefore, to access the files I needed, it required me throwing on jeans and a sweater and dragging myself into the office--drag being the key word here. My boss told me to turn right around and go back home, but I told him I think I'm past the contageous point (I'm not sure if I am or not, but I am so sick of being cooped up at home that I had to escape somehow). Anyway, I got a few things done at work, planning to leave by 5:00. At 6:00, I was finally out the door. It's amazing to me how often that happens--time just gets away from me. But, at least I have a really fun and interesting job, so that helps.
Well, I got home and took Miss Matza out for her evening walk, which involves picking up the mail too. What did I find in my mailbox? None other than an acceptance letter and 25% tuition scholarship offer from Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan! I had just turned in my application to them two weeks ago, so I was surprised to see an acceptance so soon. I was very happy about this, as it ensures that I'll be going to law school, even if all of the other schools don't offer me admissions. To celebrate, I made two friends, Adrian and Beth (along with Beth's two adorable kids, Faith and Cameron), go with me to Red Lobster for dinner. I had to twist their arms soooooo hard (note the sarcasm). I ordered the endless shrimp feast, but while eating my first helping (buffalo shrimp), I discovered something that did not at all resemble a shrimp. I poked it and it was hard, so I broke it open with my hands to find that it was a part of the shrimp bag wrapping that had been breaded and fried. It wasn't the most appetizing thing, but it didn't completely ruin my appetite--because right then and there, I knew it was free dinner for Kade night!
I called over the waiter, who immediately got the manager, who came and apologized profusely and said they'd buy my dinner and dessert. Then, after a while, another manager came over and gave me a gift card so that I'd come back again. I had a bit of a pile up of shrimp dishes on my plate, as the kitchen all of a sudden sped up and got my refills to me two seconds after I ordered them. So, the waiter boxed up a bunch of food for me, along with my free dessert, and filled a giant take out bag with all of my loot. Beth and Adrian looked at me in disgust as I lugged the bag of freebies to the car. It was most enjoyable. I'm all about freebies, as anyone who knows me can testify.
The thing is, a shrimp wrapper in a shrimp dish is not that far-fetched or disgusting as say, a finger or a condom or a bandaid or a hair or...well, you get the idea. So, it really wasn't so bad that I wanted to vomit or anything. My thought is that I'm all about freebies, so anytime that a kitchen worker at Red Lobster wants to throw in a wrapper piece that will result in me getting $40 in goodies, I am all for it. And that, my friends, was my day and my thoughts at this, 2:22 a.m.
Later,
Tater
Friday, November 2, 2007
Colonic Activity
Well, let me first start this blog by stating that what I'm going to write is probably a bit different than what you're thinking when judging by the blog title. It's probably not nearly as disgusting as your thoughts are, you nasty individual. :)
So, I was just sitting here (no pun intended) thinking about the colon. Why, you ask? Well, I shall tell you. I was going through my favorite URLs list and came across one I had titled "Informative Ulcerative Colitis Site". As I haven't visited this site in some time, I ventured forth to see what exactly I had found that was so informative. You see, I, like 500,000-2 million other Americans, have ulcerative colitis. When I was first diagnosed last Fall, I had no idea what on earth that even was or how it would affect my life. So, I did what any normal person would do and I started to do my research. This research lead me to the site I titled as "informative". (For those wondering, this is the site: http://www.medicinenet.com/ulcerative_colitis/article.htm
There was an ad on TV the other night about some new ulcerative colitis site, but I can't remember what the URL was. I'd be interested to see what is being said on that one. Fortunately, in my case, this was detected very early on and so I am one of the lucky ones. I have to take incredibly expensive aminosalicylate anti-inflammatory drugs on a daily basis (to the tune of $15/pill), but this should prevent any further spread of this disease. Anyway, that's not the point of this blog. The point is this: Every one (particularly those over 40) needs to have a colonoscopy done--and don't put it off!! Just the other day, a co-worker told me that they went ahead and had a colonoscopy done, as I had encouraged them to do. Yes, some would say that it is odd that I'd encourage co-workers to have colonoscopies, but given my family history of colon cancer and my own personal genetic diseases related to the colon, I can not encourage any one too much to have this done.
And, I should note here that colonoscopies are not nearly as horrible as you'd imagine them to be. The worst part of it is the preparation, during which you either have to drink two 16-oz. bottles of the nastiest saltiest liquid you'll ever taste, or you'll have to take approximately 30 salt pills that are also very nasty. However, once you're past downing this liquid and through with, shall we say "vacating the colon", it is not bad from there. You're totally unconscious during the procedure and it does not take long at all. I think the longest it's ever taken for me is about 45 minutes. It really is a fast, worthwhile procedure that you (yes, you!) need to stop putting off!
OK, now that I have my strong admonitions done, I shall share a site I just found that made me laugh out loud (or LOL, if you will--and I'm sure you will). I need to add this exhibit to my list of must see places. After all, how often can one experience walking through a 20-foot long and 8-foot high replica of a human colon, I ask you: http://www.preventcancer.org/colorectal/
So, with that thought (crappy as it may be :)), I shall bid you adieu for now. But, remember, a healthy colon is a happy colon. And those are Tot's Thoughts.
So, I was just sitting here (no pun intended) thinking about the colon. Why, you ask? Well, I shall tell you. I was going through my favorite URLs list and came across one I had titled "Informative Ulcerative Colitis Site". As I haven't visited this site in some time, I ventured forth to see what exactly I had found that was so informative. You see, I, like 500,000-2 million other Americans, have ulcerative colitis. When I was first diagnosed last Fall, I had no idea what on earth that even was or how it would affect my life. So, I did what any normal person would do and I started to do my research. This research lead me to the site I titled as "informative". (For those wondering, this is the site: http://www.medicinenet.com/ulcerative_colitis/article.htm
There was an ad on TV the other night about some new ulcerative colitis site, but I can't remember what the URL was. I'd be interested to see what is being said on that one. Fortunately, in my case, this was detected very early on and so I am one of the lucky ones. I have to take incredibly expensive aminosalicylate anti-inflammatory drugs on a daily basis (to the tune of $15/pill), but this should prevent any further spread of this disease. Anyway, that's not the point of this blog. The point is this: Every one (particularly those over 40) needs to have a colonoscopy done--and don't put it off!! Just the other day, a co-worker told me that they went ahead and had a colonoscopy done, as I had encouraged them to do. Yes, some would say that it is odd that I'd encourage co-workers to have colonoscopies, but given my family history of colon cancer and my own personal genetic diseases related to the colon, I can not encourage any one too much to have this done.
And, I should note here that colonoscopies are not nearly as horrible as you'd imagine them to be. The worst part of it is the preparation, during which you either have to drink two 16-oz. bottles of the nastiest saltiest liquid you'll ever taste, or you'll have to take approximately 30 salt pills that are also very nasty. However, once you're past downing this liquid and through with, shall we say "vacating the colon", it is not bad from there. You're totally unconscious during the procedure and it does not take long at all. I think the longest it's ever taken for me is about 45 minutes. It really is a fast, worthwhile procedure that you (yes, you!) need to stop putting off!
OK, now that I have my strong admonitions done, I shall share a site I just found that made me laugh out loud (or LOL, if you will--and I'm sure you will). I need to add this exhibit to my list of must see places. After all, how often can one experience walking through a 20-foot long and 8-foot high replica of a human colon, I ask you: http://www.preventcancer.org/colorectal/
So, with that thought (crappy as it may be :)), I shall bid you adieu for now. But, remember, a healthy colon is a happy colon. And those are Tot's Thoughts.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Not-so-Happy Halloween!
Shalom!
Well, I am a bit bitter today. I woke up feeling ill again (under the weather would be an understatement) and this made me anything but a happy camper. I finally dragged myself from bed and made it to work at about 2:00 pm, as I had a few projects I needed to work on. It was also "Cube or Treat" today, for which I had signed up, so I stopped at the grocery store on my way to work and picked up some good ol' Little Debbies for my contribution. I had planned to make some clever, homemade, and festive treats, but illness prevented that from happening.
So, as I was pulling into the store, I passed a delivery truck for some cigarette company and on the side, the slogan read, "From our farm to you...", as if to imply that the cigarettes were nothing more than just tobacco fresh from the farm. They forgot to mention that it took a detour when it left the farm and traveled to the store by way of a large factory where toxins and seductive packaging were added. Slight oversight on their part, I think. It pissed me off, actually. I knew then that I was not feeling well, when I let a delivery van ad make me that angry. This anger later re-surfaced when I received a holiday catalog from Harry and David at work. I don't know which company first sold my information, but I now hold the distinction of getting more mail on a daily basis than anyone else in my division. This includes the executives. Once people see that I'm in marketing, the push to sell me something is phenomenal.
Anyway, getting the catalog didn't anger me, but the picture on the front did. It was of this perfect pear half, without a single bite taken from it, but there is a spoon shown dangling in front of said pear half with a bite of this fresh pear all ready to be eaten--and pear juice dripping from the spoon. Why would this make me angry, you ask? It's because the stinking pear half didn't have a bite taken from it, so how did a bite end up on the spoon???? I know what they were trying to achieve with the look, but where's the logic? How can a bite of a pear appear on a spoon, when the pear hasn't been touched? Grrrrr...I'm getting worked up over this all over again.
So, I clearly am not feeling up to par today. The doctor took a blood sample and tested it for mono, given my mononucleousis-ridden history, just to make sure I didn't have it again, but as I expected, the test came back negative. It doesn't feel like mono anyway...the only similarities are that I'm dead tired and my whole body aches. Other than that, I have no sore throat (sore being a term that in no way accurately describes the amount of pain one experiences in the throat with mono---"razor-sliced with salt and lemon juice poured in the gaping wound" is a little more of an accurate description of that pain), my spleen isn't painfully swollen, and my liver is not so enlarged that I can see it through my t-shirt. So, I didn't need a blood test to tell me it wasn't mono. However, it is good to rule things out I suppose.
Anyway, I am working at home tomorrow and probably Friday too as I am contageous and am supposed to be resting, drinking lots of fluids, taking Tylenol, yada yada yada. The one good thing in all of this is that the doctor told me I can't do any exercise or keep up my usual routine, as I'm supposed to take it easy. So, at least I have a doctor's orders to be a slacker. :) (Hey--anything to relieve some guilt from my very-guilt-prone self.) Besides, this is apparently the reason I find myself back in the position of being ill, after feeling so great on Monday. I overdid it on Monday, after three days of sickness, and that brought this whole thing back on. Alas...
Well, Matza is starting to snore, so I take that as my sign that it's time for me to go to bed. I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!
Later,
Tater
Well, I am a bit bitter today. I woke up feeling ill again (under the weather would be an understatement) and this made me anything but a happy camper. I finally dragged myself from bed and made it to work at about 2:00 pm, as I had a few projects I needed to work on. It was also "Cube or Treat" today, for which I had signed up, so I stopped at the grocery store on my way to work and picked up some good ol' Little Debbies for my contribution. I had planned to make some clever, homemade, and festive treats, but illness prevented that from happening.
So, as I was pulling into the store, I passed a delivery truck for some cigarette company and on the side, the slogan read, "From our farm to you...", as if to imply that the cigarettes were nothing more than just tobacco fresh from the farm. They forgot to mention that it took a detour when it left the farm and traveled to the store by way of a large factory where toxins and seductive packaging were added. Slight oversight on their part, I think. It pissed me off, actually. I knew then that I was not feeling well, when I let a delivery van ad make me that angry. This anger later re-surfaced when I received a holiday catalog from Harry and David at work. I don't know which company first sold my information, but I now hold the distinction of getting more mail on a daily basis than anyone else in my division. This includes the executives. Once people see that I'm in marketing, the push to sell me something is phenomenal.
Anyway, getting the catalog didn't anger me, but the picture on the front did. It was of this perfect pear half, without a single bite taken from it, but there is a spoon shown dangling in front of said pear half with a bite of this fresh pear all ready to be eaten--and pear juice dripping from the spoon. Why would this make me angry, you ask? It's because the stinking pear half didn't have a bite taken from it, so how did a bite end up on the spoon???? I know what they were trying to achieve with the look, but where's the logic? How can a bite of a pear appear on a spoon, when the pear hasn't been touched? Grrrrr...I'm getting worked up over this all over again.
So, I clearly am not feeling up to par today. The doctor took a blood sample and tested it for mono, given my mononucleousis-ridden history, just to make sure I didn't have it again, but as I expected, the test came back negative. It doesn't feel like mono anyway...the only similarities are that I'm dead tired and my whole body aches. Other than that, I have no sore throat (sore being a term that in no way accurately describes the amount of pain one experiences in the throat with mono---"razor-sliced with salt and lemon juice poured in the gaping wound" is a little more of an accurate description of that pain), my spleen isn't painfully swollen, and my liver is not so enlarged that I can see it through my t-shirt. So, I didn't need a blood test to tell me it wasn't mono. However, it is good to rule things out I suppose.
Anyway, I am working at home tomorrow and probably Friday too as I am contageous and am supposed to be resting, drinking lots of fluids, taking Tylenol, yada yada yada. The one good thing in all of this is that the doctor told me I can't do any exercise or keep up my usual routine, as I'm supposed to take it easy. So, at least I have a doctor's orders to be a slacker. :) (Hey--anything to relieve some guilt from my very-guilt-prone self.) Besides, this is apparently the reason I find myself back in the position of being ill, after feeling so great on Monday. I overdid it on Monday, after three days of sickness, and that brought this whole thing back on. Alas...
Well, Matza is starting to snore, so I take that as my sign that it's time for me to go to bed. I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!
Later,
Tater
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
I caved in...
Greetings and welcome to the first edition of Tot's Thoughts...my first blog that is not a MySpace blog. Who do I have to blame for this new distraction and time consumer in my life? None other than my good friend, Darin. OK, so he's technically my best friend, but he can sometimes be good too. Anyway, Darin started his blog some time ago and predicted that I, too, would have my own blog shortly. I held out for a healthy period of time (something about not wanting Darin to think he was right) and then, as I sat here feeling very ill and bored out of my mind, I had the choice between being a) productive and working on my law school resume and personal statements or 2) starting a blog and wasting time, I clearly chose the more unproductive route. However, I do at least have the resume file open on my desktop, so that's better than nothing I reckon.
Well, as I just stated, I am feeling very ill and I'm not at all happy about this. It all started on Friday, when I woke up feeling like death warmed over--and I looked it. I had to go to work for several hours, as I had some major project deadlines that I absolutely could not miss. So, I went in later in the day and worked into the evening to get all of this wrapped up. I have been fundraising for my latest cause, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) 5K for the past couple of months and the 5K was on Saturday morning. Feeling even worse than I did on Friday when I woke up Saturday morning, I did not go. A friend of mine had their '80's themed birthday party on Saturday night, for which I was really prepared, having shopped at the Goodwill store repeatedly for weeks to find just the right costume. That, too, I had to miss. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. Well, Sunday brought a little bit better health and by Monday morning, I was back to my regular self--with even more energy than normal, as I had three days of lying about to make up for. After spending yesterday bouncing off the walls, I was very disappointed to wake up today to find that I was back to the same illness that had plagued me for the weekend. Let's just hope it's gone again tomorrow as I have a lot that needs to be done and I don't want to be using up my PTO time for sick days--I'd much rather use them for vacation.
Speaking of vacations, I am most excited about the upcoming Thanksgiving and also the national holiday--my birthday, of course. Well, at least it should be a national holiday. Anyway, I really could care less about Thanksgiving, as I hate turkey and I prefer Christmas, but this year is different. This year I am hosting my very first Thanksgiving dinner! Yes, it's true, dear readers, your's truly is gearing up to cook a feast for...three. Well, maybe just two. I'm not quite sure yet, actually. If Cammie Jan can get cheap airfare, she'll be joining Darin and myself here in Raleigh for the feast of a lifetime (or at least a delicious meal, as I can actually cook). If she can't join, it'll be me and Darin...oh, and Matza Ball (my furry little companion).
Dear Matza...she's such a loyal, dutiful little doggie. She's just stayed curled up next to me (or on me) while I've been home dying. It's rather a nice break for her I'm sure, as she's normally alone all day while I work. I just took her out for her just-before-bed potty break and it was a bit of a challenge for her. No, she wasn't having bladder or colonic issues, but rather, shall I say, wardrobe malfunctions. You see, I have always treated my dogs well and Matza is no exception. In fact, Matza kind of takes the cake when it comes to spoiled dogs. As she came along when my income is the highest it's ever been (though I'm flat broke--go figure) and with no nephews living close by to spoil regularly, she has been the recipient of great love and affection--and clothes. She has her own section of my walk-in closet and she dearly loves her attire. I am not kidding either...she seriously loves to wear clothes. She even nips at me when I try to take them off of her...and then she tries to put them back on herself. It's a hoot. She has pajamas she wears every night and a whole slew of attire for a number of occasions. The item I broke out for her tonight is one I bought her while on vacation at Myrtle Beach a month or two back. It's a very nice fleece-lined winter coat. The black and white checkered pattern looks great on her, but the fasteners presented a problem when she went to pee. She likes to spread her front paws out a bit to brace herself and the strap from the coat prevented her from doing this--so she ended up doing a face plant right into the freezing cold wet grass. She couldn't quite figure it out. So, I had to take it off of her and she just stood there and shivered. There's not much to her---about 7 pounds total, and mostly fur---so she gets cold really quickly. I, too, was shivering as it's gotten really cold really quickly. It's in the lower 40's right now and very, very chilly. Don't get me wrong--I'm very grateful it's cooled down, as it was an unbearably hot summer, but man is it cold all at once. So, out came mine and Matza's sweaters.
Well, it's really late and I must get up tomorrow for another riveting day at the office...and Halloween. I hope ya'll have a great Halloween and get lots of candy. Matza and I will be going Trick or Treating with a friend and her children and dog. She has a puppy version of Matza (the dog is about five months old and is about three pounds total in weight), so they look really cute together. Matza was going to be a bumble bee, and then a lady bug, and then a pumpkin, but it's so hard finding costumes that fit. So, all of those went back and now she's going to go as a two-bit hooker. She has a red patent-leather jacket that looks kind of hooker-ish, so it will be both functional in the cold as well as a good costume. It was between that and making her wear her Christmas shirt I bought her last night that reads, "Rudolf's got nothing on me" and the reindeer antlers I bought her at the beach. I think she'll do better as a hooker. I know I do. :) Anyway, those are my thoughts...take them as you will.
Later,
Tater
PS--Darin is the one to blame for the origination of my blog, but the name can be blamed upon my uber-adorable nephew, Kyeler. Kye and I were in a name-calling battle a while back and when he ran out of names to call me, the cute little guy said, "You....you....you....Kader Tot!" So, I'm now uncle Kader Tot. My Auntie Di already called me Kader Tater, so Kader Tot fits in...plus, I was born in Idaho, so it stands to reason that I'd be an Idaho stud. I mean spud. Stud...spud...whatever.
Well, as I just stated, I am feeling very ill and I'm not at all happy about this. It all started on Friday, when I woke up feeling like death warmed over--and I looked it. I had to go to work for several hours, as I had some major project deadlines that I absolutely could not miss. So, I went in later in the day and worked into the evening to get all of this wrapped up. I have been fundraising for my latest cause, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) 5K for the past couple of months and the 5K was on Saturday morning. Feeling even worse than I did on Friday when I woke up Saturday morning, I did not go. A friend of mine had their '80's themed birthday party on Saturday night, for which I was really prepared, having shopped at the Goodwill store repeatedly for weeks to find just the right costume. That, too, I had to miss. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. Well, Sunday brought a little bit better health and by Monday morning, I was back to my regular self--with even more energy than normal, as I had three days of lying about to make up for. After spending yesterday bouncing off the walls, I was very disappointed to wake up today to find that I was back to the same illness that had plagued me for the weekend. Let's just hope it's gone again tomorrow as I have a lot that needs to be done and I don't want to be using up my PTO time for sick days--I'd much rather use them for vacation.
Speaking of vacations, I am most excited about the upcoming Thanksgiving and also the national holiday--my birthday, of course. Well, at least it should be a national holiday. Anyway, I really could care less about Thanksgiving, as I hate turkey and I prefer Christmas, but this year is different. This year I am hosting my very first Thanksgiving dinner! Yes, it's true, dear readers, your's truly is gearing up to cook a feast for...three. Well, maybe just two. I'm not quite sure yet, actually. If Cammie Jan can get cheap airfare, she'll be joining Darin and myself here in Raleigh for the feast of a lifetime (or at least a delicious meal, as I can actually cook). If she can't join, it'll be me and Darin...oh, and Matza Ball (my furry little companion).
Dear Matza...she's such a loyal, dutiful little doggie. She's just stayed curled up next to me (or on me) while I've been home dying. It's rather a nice break for her I'm sure, as she's normally alone all day while I work. I just took her out for her just-before-bed potty break and it was a bit of a challenge for her. No, she wasn't having bladder or colonic issues, but rather, shall I say, wardrobe malfunctions. You see, I have always treated my dogs well and Matza is no exception. In fact, Matza kind of takes the cake when it comes to spoiled dogs. As she came along when my income is the highest it's ever been (though I'm flat broke--go figure) and with no nephews living close by to spoil regularly, she has been the recipient of great love and affection--and clothes. She has her own section of my walk-in closet and she dearly loves her attire. I am not kidding either...she seriously loves to wear clothes. She even nips at me when I try to take them off of her...and then she tries to put them back on herself. It's a hoot. She has pajamas she wears every night and a whole slew of attire for a number of occasions. The item I broke out for her tonight is one I bought her while on vacation at Myrtle Beach a month or two back. It's a very nice fleece-lined winter coat. The black and white checkered pattern looks great on her, but the fasteners presented a problem when she went to pee. She likes to spread her front paws out a bit to brace herself and the strap from the coat prevented her from doing this--so she ended up doing a face plant right into the freezing cold wet grass. She couldn't quite figure it out. So, I had to take it off of her and she just stood there and shivered. There's not much to her---about 7 pounds total, and mostly fur---so she gets cold really quickly. I, too, was shivering as it's gotten really cold really quickly. It's in the lower 40's right now and very, very chilly. Don't get me wrong--I'm very grateful it's cooled down, as it was an unbearably hot summer, but man is it cold all at once. So, out came mine and Matza's sweaters.
Well, it's really late and I must get up tomorrow for another riveting day at the office...and Halloween. I hope ya'll have a great Halloween and get lots of candy. Matza and I will be going Trick or Treating with a friend and her children and dog. She has a puppy version of Matza (the dog is about five months old and is about three pounds total in weight), so they look really cute together. Matza was going to be a bumble bee, and then a lady bug, and then a pumpkin, but it's so hard finding costumes that fit. So, all of those went back and now she's going to go as a two-bit hooker. She has a red patent-leather jacket that looks kind of hooker-ish, so it will be both functional in the cold as well as a good costume. It was between that and making her wear her Christmas shirt I bought her last night that reads, "Rudolf's got nothing on me" and the reindeer antlers I bought her at the beach. I think she'll do better as a hooker. I know I do. :) Anyway, those are my thoughts...take them as you will.
Later,
Tater
PS--Darin is the one to blame for the origination of my blog, but the name can be blamed upon my uber-adorable nephew, Kyeler. Kye and I were in a name-calling battle a while back and when he ran out of names to call me, the cute little guy said, "You....you....you....Kader Tot!" So, I'm now uncle Kader Tot. My Auntie Di already called me Kader Tater, so Kader Tot fits in...plus, I was born in Idaho, so it stands to reason that I'd be an Idaho stud. I mean spud. Stud...spud...whatever.
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