You've heard the cliches before; "look before you leap", "don't judge a book by it's cover" and the ever popular "things aren't always what they seem". As I have always maintained, cliches are coined for a reason - generally because they are TRUE.
I have had the truth of these sage words driven home to me a number of times since we moved. Well, three times, to be exact. I think you will enjoy these little vignettes (from Dictionary.com, " A short, usually descriptive literary sketch") of my education.
1. April Freshness Can be Overrated.
At the beginning of all the unpacking, I opened a box of bottled items, stashing everything away in their appropriate spots. One of those items was a bottle of liquid acetaminophen for adults. It is called Apap Elixer and is essentially a stronger version of kid's Tylenol. It is actually cheaper than Tylenol, works faster and is better for a gastric bypass patient such as myself. I've been taking it for so long now that I no longer bother to measure. I know that two swigs is exactly the amount I need for relief of whatever.
A couple of days into settling, I stepped off our front deck and onto a large, sharp wood shard . I lightly twisted my ankle and hurt my heel where I landed on the wood. My ankle was soon better, but the pain in my heel intensified. Finally, I decided that I needed some Apap. I went to the bathroom and knocked back a quick swig. Right away, I knew something was wrong. With my mouth full, I looked down into the bottle. Instead of cherry elixir, I saw milky green liquid. And then I remembered: When I was packing my cleaning supplies, I was down to only about two cups of Downy softener, Mountain Spring scent. I didn't want to pack the large jug or throw away the Downy, so I had poured it into an empty Apap Elixir bottle.
I spit out the Downy and spent the next 15 minutes brushing my teeth, rinsing out my mouth with Diet Coke and drinking anything to take the flavor away. Downy may smell wonderful on my clothes, but let me tell you that it tasted horrible in my mouth! April Fresh, my hiney!
Later, I found a new bottle of Apap that I had packed with the other bathroom supplies. I opened it and checked it carefully before putting it in the bathroom medicine cabinet. And that's when I realized that I should have found it odd that, in a box full of laundry and cleaning supplies, I found one random bottle of medicine. Too bad it didn't occur to me when I first unpacked it....
2. The Upside Down Cicada.
According to the internet, there are something like 17 varieties of cicadas. One is a brown variety that is loud and harmless - but huge. Another is a black and white variety - also loud, harmless and huge. According to my research, these are not locusts. The 17-year cicada is actually set to emerge next summer, so while we've had a few "early ones", next June should be very loud.
One morning last week, Champs and I were taking Sweet Girl to school when I saw a black and white cicada upside down in a lawn; like it was standing on its head. I assumed it was stuck and showed it to Champs so he could rescue it (sorry, I don't touch bugs). As he nudged it out of the lawn, it gave a loud raspy buzz and then fell back, dead. Sweet Girl felt sorry for the "upside-down cicada" (I had to explain to her that "upside-down" was a position, not a bug species).
The next day, as we walked Sweet Girl to school, we again saw a bug; this time it was a classic brown cicada laying on the sidewalk on it's back. We passed it by and took the girl to school. On the way home, I stopped to nudge it. Based on its position and our experience with the previous bug, I was sure this one was dead. It was huge and interesting, though, so I thought to turn it over and investigate it. I stooped low over the big winged thing and nudged it over with my toe. As it rolled over and its wings were freed and its legs hit the pavement, it let out a huge rasping buzz and took to the sky, flying up to a tree. I let out the most blood curdling scream and danced in place, crying out "Oooo, that one was ALIVE!". Champs, in direct contridiction to his marital vow to protect me, stood laughing until tears ran down his cheeks as I danced and shook on the sidewalk. From now on, I will not nudge upside down bugs, regardless of how dead they may appear to be!
3. Sweet Girl's Bad Dream.
One day last week as Sweet Girl was getting ready for school, I was brushing her hair and she gazed up at me in the bathroom mirror. "Mom", she said gravely, "I had a bad dream last night." I crooned sympathetically and asked her what she had dreamt about.
"Well", said she very seriously, "there was this monster crap and it was scaring everyone. Everyone was screaming to get away." I held my breath for a moment to suppress my giggles and then said, "well, yes, honey, I am sure that was very scary. However, you know we don't say that word. You should say a monster poop".
Sweet Girl wrinkled up her nose, turned to look right up at me and said, "no, Mom... A monster CRAB."
"Oh, well", I weakly replied. "Yes, I can see how that would have been much scarier".
Yes, my friends, things are not always as they seem... so keep your eyes and ears open, your shoes on and your medicine cabinet properly stocked.
This is one of my favorite posts and generated a LOT of comments:
Prego said...
Reminds me of when my sister (true story) mistook Krazy Glue for her eye drops. Haw. Haw.
Later. I have to go take a monster crap. Oh.. excuse me. monster poop.
here via michele today. nice to see you again.
jsdaughter said...
I'm laughing so hard I'm having a hard time typing this comment! Thanks for sharing. I too am in Illini Heaven.. Small world :) Here via Michele..
Azgreeneyes said...
I'm sitting here lmao! Thanks for the late night grins! Here via Michele's...
Carmi said...
You are a wise Mom indeed. That's sage advice...I'll never look at the Downy in the same way again.
Thanks for popping by my blog. I'l so glad you're settling in and things are going well.
Geekwif said...
Yes, you are indeed the master. I bow....
#1 - Eeewwww!
#2 - Eeeeeeewwwwwwwwww!!!!!
#3 - HA! There's a big monster poo chasing me! I've had some scary dreams in my life, but that's...well...that's just...well...I don't know what it is, but it made me laugh pretty darn hard!
Thumper said...
Oh man, my tummy was already a touch off before I read this...now, with the smell of Downy still in the air from my son's doing of his laundry, I'm really queasy... :)
kenju said...
I sure hope you had no long lasting effects from the Downy. I once read that you should NEVER pour anything that isn't edible in to a bottle that holds something edible. Good case in point!
Thanks for the visit, BG, it's been a long time.
vanx said...
Check, check, and double check.~,:^)
C said...
Monster poop would be much scarier.
MissMeliss said...
Don't feel bad about swigging Downey....I once accidentally brushed my teeth with Ben Gay.
Tracie said...
I will never look at Downy the same way again! I bet that really was gross.
Watch out-those "upside down" bugs are really dangerous.
Monster poop! Too funny!
Tia said...
Hi BG, and thanks for stopping by my blog with "name advice" earlier! This post was hilarious!!! I can't decide if drinking Downy or being chased by monster poop would be the worst?.....
HolyMama! said...
this was a delightful post, although swigging downy sounds so bad. so bad i almost felt guilty at giggling over it - almost. :D
Suzy said...
Thanks for the Downy warning. I tend to do things like what you did...lol. And then end up swallowing before I'm even aware that I did it. THATS the scary part. Oh, and monster CRAB....too cute!
Hope all is going well with the move!
Trish said...
This was hysterical!! wow girl do you have storiesto tell. You should seriously think of becoming a writer! way tooo funny!
Sunday, September 3, 2006
Friday, September 1, 2006
13 Things I Miss About Minneapolis
Thirteen Things I Miss About Minneapolis:
1. Geekwif. Yes, I know she is not a thing, she is my best friend. Doesn't matter. I miss her and it's my list so there.
2. My Mom. Yes, she probably should have been first on the list, but I am working on a campaign to move her here to IL, so I know I'll have her back. Geekwif won't move to IL since she's busy building a new home in Wisconsin, so that's why she was first.
3. My job at The Big Company. I accepted a second part time job today. One will pay 13.00 an hour and the other 7.50 an hour. I'll work about 46-50 hours per week now and still come nowhere near to what I was earning at my old job. Yes, the employment thing is probably my only real concern in this move. Oh, and I miss my work friends like crazy, especially Smoothie and Naked Girl!
4. Benefits! Medical and Life Insurance! Auugh. Champs got a job with a sparse benefit package and it doesn't go into effect until 90 days. He has an eye disease and I have diabetes. As you can imagine, this leaves me a little, um, concerned. Again, miss the Big Company.
5. Tall buildings! The tallest building here is a 22 story hotel and it sticks up from the 3 and 4 story surrounding buildings like an obelisk. I grew up with a fantastic skyline, so this is still a bit of a shock.
6. The MTC public bus. Yes, I complained about it plenty when I was there, but it was relatively cheap and reliable transportation and gas costs money. We have the MTD here, but it is not as widely applicable as in Minneapolis. Oh, and I used to have the cost taken out of my paycheck at a great discount, and that's gone too. Bye-bye, MetroPass.
7. Money. OK, this one is temporary, since Champs is working now and I start my new part-time job on Tuesday. But we're paying rent on a deficit and it was really hard to watch a payday come and go without that happy deposit. Man, I love direct deposit! Especially since we are now three states away but still using our Minnesota credit union. I know, I know... I should change. But I've been a member there for 24 years and in this age of electronic everything, it should work once all the direct deposit is set up.
8. The worship at our church. Great musicians, great songs, great time to lose myself in gratitude to my God and to watch my daughter dance with joy. We haven't found that here yet, but we've only visited two churches, so I am sure it will take time.
9. Free local calls to my friends. Well, I have a cell phone with free long distance, so that's not too big of a deal - but I prefer the home phone over the cell phone, you know?
10. Cub Foods! The best supermarket ever, and about 21 or so in the metro area; 3 in close proximity to our home. County Market, which is owned by the same parent company, is a close second, but it's not quite as good.
11. Water! 15,000 lakes makes for a beautiful getaway at any time. I had two full-on lakes just a half mile from home in Minneapolis. Not here; they have a pond that they call a lake. It still makes me laugh everytime I see it.
12. Amy Monaghan (yes, you can follow the link to hear her music). She's an upcoming Christian artist who is wonderful. Her husband is in a great Christian rock band called the Wannabe Hasbeens (yes, songs there, too). I miss being able to go hear them perform. Amy's CD is wonderful, but I want to see her perform live again.
13. Multiple store branches. If you go to Famous Footwear in Minneapolis and they don't have the size you need, they call another store the next city over, have them hold it for you and you go get it. Not here. One branch. If they don't have it, you go to another store. It's that way with all the stores except Wal-Mart. We have two of them, one at each end of the city.
Well, that's my list. I'll post again soon with a more entertaining offering. I have some stories to relate, I'll tell you!
Here's some comments from this post:
Shannin said...
Hey, BG!! I miss our walks, too. And the weather is getting so nice! I remember when I first moved to MN how flat it seemed! I'm sure as you get to know more people it will become easier. Thinking good thoughts for you and the family...
Geekwif said...
Awww. You miss me? I miss you too. I want my friend back. And my goddaughter. I drive by your old house now and then and miss you. It's much sadder now than before. Then, I knew that even though you weren't in that house, you were just a few miles away. Now, you're WAY far away. :-(
As for #5, I'm not a huge fan of tall buildings myself. I prefer tall trees, but I must admit we do have a particularly lovely skyline here.
All in all, I believe this is a very nice first T13, even if it is a little sad. I'm looking forward to having you back in blog world (and many more Thursday Thirteens!) now that you're beginning to get settled in your new home.
Suzy said...
Awww.....I'll be praying for you, girl! I know, a move isn't easy, but God has big plans for you in this, right?
Your first TT looked great...loved the post and it make me feel so thankful for the blessings I have. Sorry that things are sad for you right now. It will come around. I know it will! =)
Tracie said...
Very nice first TT! Sad, but nice. I hope that you are able to get adjusted and that everything will fall into place for you all (especially with that whole direct deposit thing....no money stinks!)
Carmi said...
We added an unlimited long distance plan to our home phone. And when I'm feeling particularly geeky, I use Google Talk's voice chat feature. I'll be using it when I travel again next week. Freaky stuff!
This entry reminds me so much of when we moved to London. It was a strange city, far from home, and we knew no one here. It took a while, but eventually we grew roots and came to like this place.
Technology helps.
bluesphee said...
You should listen to Sufjan Steven's album Illinois. Then you'll think Illinois is cool: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufjan_Stevens
1. Geekwif. Yes, I know she is not a thing, she is my best friend. Doesn't matter. I miss her and it's my list so there.
2. My Mom. Yes, she probably should have been first on the list, but I am working on a campaign to move her here to IL, so I know I'll have her back. Geekwif won't move to IL since she's busy building a new home in Wisconsin, so that's why she was first.
3. My job at The Big Company. I accepted a second part time job today. One will pay 13.00 an hour and the other 7.50 an hour. I'll work about 46-50 hours per week now and still come nowhere near to what I was earning at my old job. Yes, the employment thing is probably my only real concern in this move. Oh, and I miss my work friends like crazy, especially Smoothie and Naked Girl!
4. Benefits! Medical and Life Insurance! Auugh. Champs got a job with a sparse benefit package and it doesn't go into effect until 90 days. He has an eye disease and I have diabetes. As you can imagine, this leaves me a little, um, concerned. Again, miss the Big Company.
5. Tall buildings! The tallest building here is a 22 story hotel and it sticks up from the 3 and 4 story surrounding buildings like an obelisk. I grew up with a fantastic skyline, so this is still a bit of a shock.
6. The MTC public bus. Yes, I complained about it plenty when I was there, but it was relatively cheap and reliable transportation and gas costs money. We have the MTD here, but it is not as widely applicable as in Minneapolis. Oh, and I used to have the cost taken out of my paycheck at a great discount, and that's gone too. Bye-bye, MetroPass.
7. Money. OK, this one is temporary, since Champs is working now and I start my new part-time job on Tuesday. But we're paying rent on a deficit and it was really hard to watch a payday come and go without that happy deposit. Man, I love direct deposit! Especially since we are now three states away but still using our Minnesota credit union. I know, I know... I should change. But I've been a member there for 24 years and in this age of electronic everything, it should work once all the direct deposit is set up.
8. The worship at our church. Great musicians, great songs, great time to lose myself in gratitude to my God and to watch my daughter dance with joy. We haven't found that here yet, but we've only visited two churches, so I am sure it will take time.
9. Free local calls to my friends. Well, I have a cell phone with free long distance, so that's not too big of a deal - but I prefer the home phone over the cell phone, you know?
10. Cub Foods! The best supermarket ever, and about 21 or so in the metro area; 3 in close proximity to our home. County Market, which is owned by the same parent company, is a close second, but it's not quite as good.
11. Water! 15,000 lakes makes for a beautiful getaway at any time. I had two full-on lakes just a half mile from home in Minneapolis. Not here; they have a pond that they call a lake. It still makes me laugh everytime I see it.
12. Amy Monaghan (yes, you can follow the link to hear her music). She's an upcoming Christian artist who is wonderful. Her husband is in a great Christian rock band called the Wannabe Hasbeens (yes, songs there, too). I miss being able to go hear them perform. Amy's CD is wonderful, but I want to see her perform live again.
13. Multiple store branches. If you go to Famous Footwear in Minneapolis and they don't have the size you need, they call another store the next city over, have them hold it for you and you go get it. Not here. One branch. If they don't have it, you go to another store. It's that way with all the stores except Wal-Mart. We have two of them, one at each end of the city.
Well, that's my list. I'll post again soon with a more entertaining offering. I have some stories to relate, I'll tell you!
Here's some comments from this post:
Shannin said...
Hey, BG!! I miss our walks, too. And the weather is getting so nice! I remember when I first moved to MN how flat it seemed! I'm sure as you get to know more people it will become easier. Thinking good thoughts for you and the family...
Geekwif said...
Awww. You miss me? I miss you too. I want my friend back. And my goddaughter. I drive by your old house now and then and miss you. It's much sadder now than before. Then, I knew that even though you weren't in that house, you were just a few miles away. Now, you're WAY far away. :-(
As for #5, I'm not a huge fan of tall buildings myself. I prefer tall trees, but I must admit we do have a particularly lovely skyline here.
All in all, I believe this is a very nice first T13, even if it is a little sad. I'm looking forward to having you back in blog world (and many more Thursday Thirteens!) now that you're beginning to get settled in your new home.
Suzy said...
Awww.....I'll be praying for you, girl! I know, a move isn't easy, but God has big plans for you in this, right?
Your first TT looked great...loved the post and it make me feel so thankful for the blessings I have. Sorry that things are sad for you right now. It will come around. I know it will! =)
Tracie said...
Very nice first TT! Sad, but nice. I hope that you are able to get adjusted and that everything will fall into place for you all (especially with that whole direct deposit thing....no money stinks!)
Carmi said...
We added an unlimited long distance plan to our home phone. And when I'm feeling particularly geeky, I use Google Talk's voice chat feature. I'll be using it when I travel again next week. Freaky stuff!
This entry reminds me so much of when we moved to London. It was a strange city, far from home, and we knew no one here. It took a while, but eventually we grew roots and came to like this place.
Technology helps.
bluesphee said...
You should listen to Sufjan Steven's album Illinois. Then you'll think Illinois is cool: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufjan_Stevens
Sunday, August 20, 2006
From the cat's perspective
This week has been hard on all of us. Champs' back and shoulder are beyond sore. My right heel is done in. Poor Sweet Girl just wants school to start before she dies of boredom (I mean it - I haven't found a box of her toys yet, so her world has been reduced to watching us unpack, helping when I can find a small job for her and playing with the amazing collection of McDonald's Happy Meal Polly Pocket toys she's collected since we left Minnesota).
However, if the cat were to posses the power of speech, I think he would have the most interesting story to tell. Since he doesn't, I'll just have to reach into my powers of empathy and tell you what we've put this poor animal through. It isn't pretty.
Prior to our move, I consulted with our vet about poor Gus. This cat does not travel well. The vet's office was only three blocks away from home and that short ride nearly sent the poor animal over the edge the few times he went. He would caterwaul the entire way there. Funny me, but I got to thinking that if I didn't enjoy the music the ballistic cat provided for a three-block ride, I really wasn't going to enjoy his company for a 550 mile ride! Thankfully, my vet agreed and prescribed a nice kitty downer. (Sidebar: At about this point in the story, people usually say "oh, benadryl, right? That's what they gave my cat to calm it down." No, my vet understood and proscribed a very real, very strong sedative. I really like that man.)
Since the house would be open all day Friday while we packed the moving truck, my mom came over to get Gus on Thursday. By now, I had packed half his stuff and reduced him to the "little" combo water/food bowl and the kitty carrier had been out for a couple of days, so he knew something was up (yeah, the growing pile of packed boxes probably tipped him off as well). Both mom and I agreed that six miles probably didn't warrant pulling out the stash, so she enjoyed (yes, I am an optimist) Gus' serenade on the way home.
On Friday, Gus was very clingy to my mom, thinking that I must have abandoned him or something. She said he barely let her sleep Thursday or Friday nights since he kept crawling up onto the bed and trying to sleep on her pillow. Silly cat; he didn't seem to realize her head was already there. Actually, I've noticed that fact seems to rarely deter any cat, does it?
On Saturday, we called mom before we left the hotel and she drugged the hungry and thirsty cat (nothing after midnight when you're drugging your cat, you know). Just like a surgery, "Operation CatMove" was underway. Our vet had said to give the cat a quarter of a tablet and if he didn't settle down in half an hour, give him another quarter tablet. He didn't, so we did. That cat didn't know what hit him; he was walking sideways and couldn't seem to focus. That seemed like the perfect time to start the trip, so off we went. We loaded Gus into his cat carrier (always a feat in mechanical engineering, since he hates that thing) and strapped him into the front seat.
Gus still serenaded me for the first 20 minutes of the trip, but it was very soft, as though he had switched from the hard rock station to easy listening. Eventually he settled down to sleep. Now, our trip should have been 10 hours. Unfortunately, we had truck problems, so when 6 hours of kitty nirvana had passed, we were still only 100 miles out of Minnesota and were getting the truck fixed. So I let the cat out to see if he would do his business. Yeah, right. Of course, I couldn't just let him walk away, so I put him on a leash, which he didn't like at all. He was having no part of the kitty box. All he wanted was to get back into his carrier. So, we gave him more drugs and let him go back (I think this will be the only time I ever see that cat voluntarily get into his carrier). We got back on the road and it was all good until the 12th hour of our trip, when the drugs wore off. Remember, the trip should have taken 10 hours. It took 15. I got three hours of one pissed off cat doing his best Alanis Morrisette impression in the front seat next to me. Yeah, that was one jagged little pill, all right.
Finally we arrived and you would think the poor cat's trials would be over. Not so. If you read my previous blog post, you know that we had to wait nearly a week for our house to be ready in order for us to move into it. So we stayed at my mother-in-law's house from Sunday to Friday. Not a problem except for two things: Grandma Nee doesn't enjoy cats much and she has a bird. This meant that, except for carefully controlled visits, Gus lived in one room of the house for a week. Needless to say, this didn't go over too well with the cat and he would sing about the injustice of it all every time we got near his doorway. I'm amazed he didn't wear out his meower, to be honest. Finally we got enough in the house that we were able to bring him home on Friday night. It was just in time, too. He had stopped eating and drinking, probably in protest or maybe out of boredom.
Now that we are home, Gus is in a place where he can roam freely, eating and drinking at will and taking the Nancy approach to drugs ("just say no!"). Of course, with all the boxes and upheaval around, not to mention a plethora of new smells, he is on full investigative mode 24/7. I haven't actually seen a lot of him, and he hasn't forgiven me enough to be willing to snuggle down and purr for me. Oh well, he'll come around. Eventually he's gonna want those ears scratched, and only Mom knows that one special spot.
All in all, he did really well and we survived. Now that we're here, though, I am wondering if we can find a vet just a block away...
Here are some comments from this post:
kenju said...
Hello! I love the new look for the blog, Blond Girl, and this post is very well-written and entertaining! Welcome back - it seems a very long time since we have seen you around at Michele's. She sent me!
colleen said...
Well, I'm glad the cat's off drugs and your moved in even if your shoulders are sore. Michele and are saying HI.
Carmi said...
I'm so happy that Gus is settling in and that he's past the kitty drugs phase of his life. When we moved - first from our little apartment to our first house across town, and then later to a city far, far away - we struggled with what to do with our beloved cat, Shadow.
The move across town was tough enough. We resorted to vet-prescribed kitty valium when we moved to a new province.
He, too, made the trip without too much damage, and was a happy part of our life for many years thereafter.
Congratulations on getting the worst of the move behind you. I'm so excited for you all!
princssis said...
Can you imagine the cold shoulder you'd be getting now if you had left Gus here for a month? I'm glad he's survived the trip and I'm sure he'll acclimate to his new surroundings quickly!
Geekwif said...
Glad to hear Gus is happy now...well relatively. Hopefully he'll be back to his purring self soon.
utenzi said...
You're an amazingly tolerant family, Blond Girl. I doubt Gus would still be with me! My girlfriend is like you though--and her pets (3 cats and one dog) are treated far better than I am. (dammit!)
It's good that Gus can finally get himself comfortable in a house once more. Poor Gus!
Linda said...
Oh my, I DO remember those days with my kitty. While I miss that kitty dearly (the ex got custody), I don't miss those dealings at all!
Good luck - Gus will come around and love you again!
Shannin said...
Love the new blog look - very you!
Sorry to hear Gus had a less than enjoyable trip. And to think I was the one who needed the Valium with a vodka back to get two dogs from Los Angeles to Minneapolis.
Glad you are getting settled... Thinking of you guys!
Tracie said...
I'm glad to see you back!! Sorry that Gus had it so hard, but don't worry-he will be back purring for you in no time.
However, if the cat were to posses the power of speech, I think he would have the most interesting story to tell. Since he doesn't, I'll just have to reach into my powers of empathy and tell you what we've put this poor animal through. It isn't pretty.
Prior to our move, I consulted with our vet about poor Gus. This cat does not travel well. The vet's office was only three blocks away from home and that short ride nearly sent the poor animal over the edge the few times he went. He would caterwaul the entire way there. Funny me, but I got to thinking that if I didn't enjoy the music the ballistic cat provided for a three-block ride, I really wasn't going to enjoy his company for a 550 mile ride! Thankfully, my vet agreed and prescribed a nice kitty downer. (Sidebar: At about this point in the story, people usually say "oh, benadryl, right? That's what they gave my cat to calm it down." No, my vet understood and proscribed a very real, very strong sedative. I really like that man.)
Since the house would be open all day Friday while we packed the moving truck, my mom came over to get Gus on Thursday. By now, I had packed half his stuff and reduced him to the "little" combo water/food bowl and the kitty carrier had been out for a couple of days, so he knew something was up (yeah, the growing pile of packed boxes probably tipped him off as well). Both mom and I agreed that six miles probably didn't warrant pulling out the stash, so she enjoyed (yes, I am an optimist) Gus' serenade on the way home.
On Friday, Gus was very clingy to my mom, thinking that I must have abandoned him or something. She said he barely let her sleep Thursday or Friday nights since he kept crawling up onto the bed and trying to sleep on her pillow. Silly cat; he didn't seem to realize her head was already there. Actually, I've noticed that fact seems to rarely deter any cat, does it?
On Saturday, we called mom before we left the hotel and she drugged the hungry and thirsty cat (nothing after midnight when you're drugging your cat, you know). Just like a surgery, "Operation CatMove" was underway. Our vet had said to give the cat a quarter of a tablet and if he didn't settle down in half an hour, give him another quarter tablet. He didn't, so we did. That cat didn't know what hit him; he was walking sideways and couldn't seem to focus. That seemed like the perfect time to start the trip, so off we went. We loaded Gus into his cat carrier (always a feat in mechanical engineering, since he hates that thing) and strapped him into the front seat.
Gus still serenaded me for the first 20 minutes of the trip, but it was very soft, as though he had switched from the hard rock station to easy listening. Eventually he settled down to sleep. Now, our trip should have been 10 hours. Unfortunately, we had truck problems, so when 6 hours of kitty nirvana had passed, we were still only 100 miles out of Minnesota and were getting the truck fixed. So I let the cat out to see if he would do his business. Yeah, right. Of course, I couldn't just let him walk away, so I put him on a leash, which he didn't like at all. He was having no part of the kitty box. All he wanted was to get back into his carrier. So, we gave him more drugs and let him go back (I think this will be the only time I ever see that cat voluntarily get into his carrier). We got back on the road and it was all good until the 12th hour of our trip, when the drugs wore off. Remember, the trip should have taken 10 hours. It took 15. I got three hours of one pissed off cat doing his best Alanis Morrisette impression in the front seat next to me. Yeah, that was one jagged little pill, all right.
Finally we arrived and you would think the poor cat's trials would be over. Not so. If you read my previous blog post, you know that we had to wait nearly a week for our house to be ready in order for us to move into it. So we stayed at my mother-in-law's house from Sunday to Friday. Not a problem except for two things: Grandma Nee doesn't enjoy cats much and she has a bird. This meant that, except for carefully controlled visits, Gus lived in one room of the house for a week. Needless to say, this didn't go over too well with the cat and he would sing about the injustice of it all every time we got near his doorway. I'm amazed he didn't wear out his meower, to be honest. Finally we got enough in the house that we were able to bring him home on Friday night. It was just in time, too. He had stopped eating and drinking, probably in protest or maybe out of boredom.
Now that we are home, Gus is in a place where he can roam freely, eating and drinking at will and taking the Nancy approach to drugs ("just say no!"). Of course, with all the boxes and upheaval around, not to mention a plethora of new smells, he is on full investigative mode 24/7. I haven't actually seen a lot of him, and he hasn't forgiven me enough to be willing to snuggle down and purr for me. Oh well, he'll come around. Eventually he's gonna want those ears scratched, and only Mom knows that one special spot.
All in all, he did really well and we survived. Now that we're here, though, I am wondering if we can find a vet just a block away...
Here are some comments from this post:
kenju said...
Hello! I love the new look for the blog, Blond Girl, and this post is very well-written and entertaining! Welcome back - it seems a very long time since we have seen you around at Michele's. She sent me!
colleen said...
Well, I'm glad the cat's off drugs and your moved in even if your shoulders are sore. Michele and are saying HI.
Carmi said...
I'm so happy that Gus is settling in and that he's past the kitty drugs phase of his life. When we moved - first from our little apartment to our first house across town, and then later to a city far, far away - we struggled with what to do with our beloved cat, Shadow.
The move across town was tough enough. We resorted to vet-prescribed kitty valium when we moved to a new province.
He, too, made the trip without too much damage, and was a happy part of our life for many years thereafter.
Congratulations on getting the worst of the move behind you. I'm so excited for you all!
princssis said...
Can you imagine the cold shoulder you'd be getting now if you had left Gus here for a month? I'm glad he's survived the trip and I'm sure he'll acclimate to his new surroundings quickly!
Geekwif said...
Glad to hear Gus is happy now...well relatively. Hopefully he'll be back to his purring self soon.
utenzi said...
You're an amazingly tolerant family, Blond Girl. I doubt Gus would still be with me! My girlfriend is like you though--and her pets (3 cats and one dog) are treated far better than I am. (dammit!)
It's good that Gus can finally get himself comfortable in a house once more. Poor Gus!
Linda said...
Oh my, I DO remember those days with my kitty. While I miss that kitty dearly (the ex got custody), I don't miss those dealings at all!
Good luck - Gus will come around and love you again!
Shannin said...
Love the new blog look - very you!
Sorry to hear Gus had a less than enjoyable trip. And to think I was the one who needed the Valium with a vodka back to get two dogs from Los Angeles to Minneapolis.
Glad you are getting settled... Thinking of you guys!
Tracie said...
I'm glad to see you back!! Sorry that Gus had it so hard, but don't worry-he will be back purring for you in no time.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Oh, WHERE do I begin?!?!
Hey all! Blond Girl is in the HOUUUUSSSSSSEE!
We are here safely in Illinois, but we have had a CRAZY week! First, I must give thanks and Kudos to Geekwif, who made this wonderful template for me as a gift. The exact type of gift I am not sure of; it is either a going-away present or housewarming present - but in anycase, she worked with me to give me exactly what I wanted and reflects my personality perfectly. Isn't it beautiful?!?!
Now, as for all our travails getting to our new home. Here's the looonng story short (Reader's Digest version, I promise!):
* Friday: We worked till about 6:00 getting everything done. We loaded a 26-foot truck with everything we owned and said goodbye to Robbinsdale, MN. Our eternal gratitude goes to our friends Mark, Steve, Paul, Dan and Tammy for the help. We would not have made it without them.
* Saturday: After a minor insulin scare (I realized I was out until my new insulin would be delivered to our new home, but my mother-in-law saved the day), we got on the road at about 10:00 a.m. Champs drove the truck and I drove our car with Sweet Girl tucked in back and a meowing, drugged cat riding up front (I still don't think Gus has forgiven me). What should have been a 10-hour trip became a 15-hour fiasco, thanks to a disabled truck. We spent a LOT of time in Eau Claire, WI getting the truck serviced (twice!) and finally arrived in IL, exhausted and disheveled, at 1:15 a.m.
* Sunday: After a nice breakfast at a local pancake house, Champs, Sweet Girl and I headed over to the rental house to clean before our friends and family arrived to help unload the truck. As I was cleaning in the kitchen, something was bugging me about the house. It soon became apparent that what was bugging me was... Bugs! The house had a very bad bug problem. The refrigerator had three dead bugs in it and one live one that wanted me to shut the door. The cabinets had little bugs crawling all over inside. The next door neighbor had a pest-control truck, so we went over and asked the man to tell us if what we thought we were seeing was valid. Turns out the kitchen and bathroom were infested with German Cockroaches (or "croaches", as Sweet Girl calls them). We packed up the few things we had pulled off the truck, called the landlord and told him we were not moving into that house. I explained that we would either need a better, bug-free house or we would need our money back. Later in the day, he met us at another available rental house which is beautiful. It's got more space, a family room with a fireplace, a brand-new refrigerator and kitchen floor, tons of storage space and a much nicer neighborhood - for only $70.00 more per month. So, we rented that, instead.
* Monday: Of course, with the house still being worked on, it wouldn't be ready for us until later in the week. The truck needed to be returned, though, so we unloaded everything into the garage of the new place (with invaluable help from my brother in law, Tank, and his friend, Eric. They are the ones who did all the update work on the house for our landlord). Then we went to return the disabled truck and sign a new lease - then contact everyone to tell them the change of address. Champs applied to SuperValu and hopes to have something come of that soon.
* Tuesday: I had a second interview with an Ameriprise Financial Advisor as a part-time para planner/project manager. I will meet with them on Monday to discuss final offer and compensation details, so my job seems to be settled, though I will still be looking into a few other things as I go.
* Today (Friday) and beyond: The house is finished and we started moving in today. Princsiss came and helped us clean; in fact, she got our stove looking stellar, but worked like crazy on it for hours. We joked that she'll be playing "the stove card" for a very long time to come anytime she needs or wants anything from me. We've got all the furniture into the house now, but this won't be the normally organized move that I am used to. The garage is a mish-mash of stuff, so it is going to be very interesting indeed to make sense of it all. Sweet Girl starts first grade on Wednesday, 8/23 and couldn't be more excited.
So there it is, in a nutshell. I left out tons of details. In the end, though, God is so good. We got a much better house than we had planned on, and we don't need to share space with "croaches". Hopefully we'll be completely settled in a month or so.
Here are some comments from this post:
Star said...
Boy, did you accomplish a lot. Glad to hear from you. Sounds like things are going well.
Ginger said...
LOVE the template!
Sounds like you've been having that wonderful, chaotic time that always goes with moving. Ugh. I'm always so happy when the things are at the new place and the settling begins. Glad you got into a much nicer place.
Linda said...
boy oh boy...I thought *I* had some moves from hades! At least you were able to get another place right away for a decent price. We just moved to Kansas, and it took us 10 days to find a place that wasn't WAAAAAAY overpriced. I spent a year in Germany prior to that (although my household goods only spent 6 months, traitors!). yeah...moves from hell just SUCK.
Glad you're getting settled and finding a home (and jobs).
Michele sent me today, but I think I'll be here regularly, I like how you write.
Geekwif said...
I must admit, I sort of skimmed this one because...
a) I know all (or at least many) of the details you left out, and
b) I got the email and read that one thoroughly.
I had to laugh when I read, "The house had a very bad bug problem." Okay, from what I heard, that is the understatement of the millenium!!! Just struck me as funny seeing as how you are not the understated type. :)
Missing you and your girl, though it's funny – I think we've talked more in the past week than we did in the entire month before that.
I hope you are unbelieveably happy in your new home. Wait, I take that back. If you're unhappy, maybe you'll come back to me...hmmm.
Nope. I can't do it. As much as I want you here, I can only hope you are happy where you are.
vanx said...
It was five years ago this month that we sold our home of 16 years and moved into our home of....five years. What an incredible experience. It was the beginning of big changes in my family's life. Some good, some bad. At any rate, the change was a symbolic juncture in our life. I think most big moves are.
srp said...
Here from Michele.
That moving with the U-haul can be so trying. My stuff is all in storage as I stay with my folks and I keep saying that when things work out and I again have a home, it will be like Christmas opening up all the boxes.
Good luck.
princssis said...
I know it's been a crazy week, but you've made it through and ended up with something better! A better neighborhood, house, school. What else could you ask for?
I welcome you here, but now you need to change your location on the sidebar to your new state! I know you'll always have Minnesota in your heart, but I know, with time, you'll bleed orange like the rest of us!!! Hee-hee.
utenzi said...
Holy Carp, BG. You and your family have been through a lot this past month. I hope the job change works out great for both of you and that your daughter loves her new school.
We are here safely in Illinois, but we have had a CRAZY week! First, I must give thanks and Kudos to Geekwif, who made this wonderful template for me as a gift. The exact type of gift I am not sure of; it is either a going-away present or housewarming present - but in anycase, she worked with me to give me exactly what I wanted and reflects my personality perfectly. Isn't it beautiful?!?!
Now, as for all our travails getting to our new home. Here's the looonng story short (Reader's Digest version, I promise!):
* Friday: We worked till about 6:00 getting everything done. We loaded a 26-foot truck with everything we owned and said goodbye to Robbinsdale, MN. Our eternal gratitude goes to our friends Mark, Steve, Paul, Dan and Tammy for the help. We would not have made it without them.
* Saturday: After a minor insulin scare (I realized I was out until my new insulin would be delivered to our new home, but my mother-in-law saved the day), we got on the road at about 10:00 a.m. Champs drove the truck and I drove our car with Sweet Girl tucked in back and a meowing, drugged cat riding up front (I still don't think Gus has forgiven me). What should have been a 10-hour trip became a 15-hour fiasco, thanks to a disabled truck. We spent a LOT of time in Eau Claire, WI getting the truck serviced (twice!) and finally arrived in IL, exhausted and disheveled, at 1:15 a.m.
* Sunday: After a nice breakfast at a local pancake house, Champs, Sweet Girl and I headed over to the rental house to clean before our friends and family arrived to help unload the truck. As I was cleaning in the kitchen, something was bugging me about the house. It soon became apparent that what was bugging me was... Bugs! The house had a very bad bug problem. The refrigerator had three dead bugs in it and one live one that wanted me to shut the door. The cabinets had little bugs crawling all over inside. The next door neighbor had a pest-control truck, so we went over and asked the man to tell us if what we thought we were seeing was valid. Turns out the kitchen and bathroom were infested with German Cockroaches (or "croaches", as Sweet Girl calls them). We packed up the few things we had pulled off the truck, called the landlord and told him we were not moving into that house. I explained that we would either need a better, bug-free house or we would need our money back. Later in the day, he met us at another available rental house which is beautiful. It's got more space, a family room with a fireplace, a brand-new refrigerator and kitchen floor, tons of storage space and a much nicer neighborhood - for only $70.00 more per month. So, we rented that, instead.
* Monday: Of course, with the house still being worked on, it wouldn't be ready for us until later in the week. The truck needed to be returned, though, so we unloaded everything into the garage of the new place (with invaluable help from my brother in law, Tank, and his friend, Eric. They are the ones who did all the update work on the house for our landlord). Then we went to return the disabled truck and sign a new lease - then contact everyone to tell them the change of address. Champs applied to SuperValu and hopes to have something come of that soon.
* Tuesday: I had a second interview with an Ameriprise Financial Advisor as a part-time para planner/project manager. I will meet with them on Monday to discuss final offer and compensation details, so my job seems to be settled, though I will still be looking into a few other things as I go.
* Today (Friday) and beyond: The house is finished and we started moving in today. Princsiss came and helped us clean; in fact, she got our stove looking stellar, but worked like crazy on it for hours. We joked that she'll be playing "the stove card" for a very long time to come anytime she needs or wants anything from me. We've got all the furniture into the house now, but this won't be the normally organized move that I am used to. The garage is a mish-mash of stuff, so it is going to be very interesting indeed to make sense of it all. Sweet Girl starts first grade on Wednesday, 8/23 and couldn't be more excited.
So there it is, in a nutshell. I left out tons of details. In the end, though, God is so good. We got a much better house than we had planned on, and we don't need to share space with "croaches". Hopefully we'll be completely settled in a month or so.
Here are some comments from this post:
Star said...
Boy, did you accomplish a lot. Glad to hear from you. Sounds like things are going well.
Ginger said...
LOVE the template!
Sounds like you've been having that wonderful, chaotic time that always goes with moving. Ugh. I'm always so happy when the things are at the new place and the settling begins. Glad you got into a much nicer place.
Linda said...
boy oh boy...I thought *I* had some moves from hades! At least you were able to get another place right away for a decent price. We just moved to Kansas, and it took us 10 days to find a place that wasn't WAAAAAAY overpriced. I spent a year in Germany prior to that (although my household goods only spent 6 months, traitors!). yeah...moves from hell just SUCK.
Glad you're getting settled and finding a home (and jobs).
Michele sent me today, but I think I'll be here regularly, I like how you write.
Geekwif said...
I must admit, I sort of skimmed this one because...
a) I know all (or at least many) of the details you left out, and
b) I got the email and read that one thoroughly.
I had to laugh when I read, "The house had a very bad bug problem." Okay, from what I heard, that is the understatement of the millenium!!! Just struck me as funny seeing as how you are not the understated type. :)
Missing you and your girl, though it's funny – I think we've talked more in the past week than we did in the entire month before that.
I hope you are unbelieveably happy in your new home. Wait, I take that back. If you're unhappy, maybe you'll come back to me...hmmm.
Nope. I can't do it. As much as I want you here, I can only hope you are happy where you are.
vanx said...
It was five years ago this month that we sold our home of 16 years and moved into our home of....five years. What an incredible experience. It was the beginning of big changes in my family's life. Some good, some bad. At any rate, the change was a symbolic juncture in our life. I think most big moves are.
srp said...
Here from Michele.
That moving with the U-haul can be so trying. My stuff is all in storage as I stay with my folks and I keep saying that when things work out and I again have a home, it will be like Christmas opening up all the boxes.
Good luck.
princssis said...
I know it's been a crazy week, but you've made it through and ended up with something better! A better neighborhood, house, school. What else could you ask for?
I welcome you here, but now you need to change your location on the sidebar to your new state! I know you'll always have Minnesota in your heart, but I know, with time, you'll bleed orange like the rest of us!!! Hee-hee.
utenzi said...
Holy Carp, BG. You and your family have been through a lot this past month. I hope the job change works out great for both of you and that your daughter loves her new school.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Signing Off for a Few Days....
Hello friends!
Well, the big move is almost here. Today was the last day at our jobs for me and Champs. Sweet Girl is at Grandma's for her last "overnight" in Minnesota and Champs and I are finishing up the packing. Our friendly computer is about to be lovingly nested in packing material, so I have to sign off for a few days. Tomorrow we load the truck, Saturday we drive all day and Sunday we unload. I'll be back to my blog as soon as I can be, on that you can bet... and, I might have a little surprise!
In the meantime, I want to say "thank you" to all of you who have offered up your best wishes, prayers and help. Every word means the world to us. If you've left me a comment with a "good luck" message that I haven't responded to, be assured that I've read it and I will respond soon. I haven't yet just because I've been running at mach 3 to get everything done! :-)
TTFN - my next post will be from Hometown City, Another State (otherwise known as Illinois)...
Here are some comments from this post:
princssis said...
Awaiting your arrival! Hope the packing and driving all go well! We'll see you Sunday!
Geekwif said...
Have a good trip. I'm gonna miss you!!!
(Guess I better get to work on that "surprise", huh?) ;-)
HolyMama! said...
hi! looking forward to that surprise. happy homewarming, blond family!
Well, the big move is almost here. Today was the last day at our jobs for me and Champs. Sweet Girl is at Grandma's for her last "overnight" in Minnesota and Champs and I are finishing up the packing. Our friendly computer is about to be lovingly nested in packing material, so I have to sign off for a few days. Tomorrow we load the truck, Saturday we drive all day and Sunday we unload. I'll be back to my blog as soon as I can be, on that you can bet... and, I might have a little surprise!
In the meantime, I want to say "thank you" to all of you who have offered up your best wishes, prayers and help. Every word means the world to us. If you've left me a comment with a "good luck" message that I haven't responded to, be assured that I've read it and I will respond soon. I haven't yet just because I've been running at mach 3 to get everything done! :-)
TTFN - my next post will be from Hometown City, Another State (otherwise known as Illinois)...
Here are some comments from this post:
princssis said...
Awaiting your arrival! Hope the packing and driving all go well! We'll see you Sunday!
Geekwif said...
Have a good trip. I'm gonna miss you!!!
(Guess I better get to work on that "surprise", huh?) ;-)
HolyMama! said...
hi! looking forward to that surprise. happy homewarming, blond family!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
What a difference a year makes!
One year ago today, I had the (I still pray) last major surgery to correct a string of recurrent incisional hernias from my gastric bypass. I fought the insurance company for six long months to give me the surgery, since it included a tubal ligation, hernia repair with gore-tex mesh and, most of all, a panniculectomy (which is pretty much a tummy tuck on steroids). In spite of the in-depth research that I did to prove the long-term success rate of such an approach, the insurance company didn't want to spend the money and it took them awhile to understand that spending $25,000 once would be far more economical than spending $15,000 every three months to repair the hernias that re-opened. Thankfully, they finally listened and I had the surgery. I was in pain! You can go here to read a bit more about it if you're interested.
Now, one year later, I am in a completely different place; one that, back then, I knew was coming but didn't really spend a lot of time contemplating. Two weeks from today we will be leaving Minnesota and moving to Illinois. I've got the truck rented and I'm desperately searching for available friends to help us load a truck on a Friday (sigh!). I weigh about 13 pounds more than I did after surgery, which is a bummer, but I haven't had any hernias, which is wonderful. I'm glad, too. I don't think I could handle it if that happened again. I'm leaving my job with my wonderful benefits for the unknown and it is somewhat unnerving to me.
I know my post isn't making a lot of sense. I guess that should be too much of a surprise; it was over 100 degrees today and I packed a ton of boxes in a house with no air conditioning (well, a tiny unit in the bedroom but that doesn't count for the rest of the house) and no screens on half the windows. Perhaps my brain is fried. Or maybe I am on auto pilot, trying to avoid the reality of the emotional pain of leaving my friends, family and city. Or maybe I'm just really glad that I'm not spending tonight lying in a hospital bed, pressing the morphine button to try to stop the pain of three operations in one.
Oh well... Time to take my confused brain to bed. Nighty night.
Now, one year later, I am in a completely different place; one that, back then, I knew was coming but didn't really spend a lot of time contemplating. Two weeks from today we will be leaving Minnesota and moving to Illinois. I've got the truck rented and I'm desperately searching for available friends to help us load a truck on a Friday (sigh!). I weigh about 13 pounds more than I did after surgery, which is a bummer, but I haven't had any hernias, which is wonderful. I'm glad, too. I don't think I could handle it if that happened again. I'm leaving my job with my wonderful benefits for the unknown and it is somewhat unnerving to me.
I know my post isn't making a lot of sense. I guess that should be too much of a surprise; it was over 100 degrees today and I packed a ton of boxes in a house with no air conditioning (well, a tiny unit in the bedroom but that doesn't count for the rest of the house) and no screens on half the windows. Perhaps my brain is fried. Or maybe I am on auto pilot, trying to avoid the reality of the emotional pain of leaving my friends, family and city. Or maybe I'm just really glad that I'm not spending tonight lying in a hospital bed, pressing the morphine button to try to stop the pain of three operations in one.
Oh well... Time to take my confused brain to bed. Nighty night.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
My heart is a pendulum
I've never thought much about pendulums before... Except in terms of really pretty grandfather clocks and financial matters. A heavy brass marker keeping time. A seller's market responding to inflation and becoming a buyer's market.
But these days, I feel that I am a pendulum, swinging between nostalgia and excitement. I want to move to our new home but I don't want to leave this state. I want to be hired at a new job but I don't want to leave my job at The Big Company. I want to get everything packed, but I want to sleep. Although I am not manic depressive, I find that I am beginning to understand a bit more how it could affect a person.
Our move is three weeks away. I have so much work to do and I worry if I can get it all done. I'm really looking forward to getting to Champaign and getting our truck unpacked and our home settled and our new lives started.
But until that time, my emotions are swinging... A pendulum going back and forth, back and forth until life slows down and the pendulum settles in the center of my life.
Here are some comments from this post:
princssis said...
Just take a deep breath and relax for just a moment. Then, get back to it! I find when I make the decision to finally delve into something, I actually can get things done faster than I thought.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll get it all done. You have to, right? Anyway, we're all waiting patiently down here for your arrival.
See you soon!
kenju said...
That is typical, Blond Girl. Fear of the unknown is always uppermost in our minds. But try to picture the family in the new home, meeting new people, settling in to life in the new place, and you will be motivated to do each day what needs to be done.
Shannin said...
I know what you mean - when I was getting ready to leave California for here I was a constant bundle of emotions all the time. The worst was Don was here...
Chrissie said...
Hi Blond Girl,
Couldn't let you get skipped....
I have moved 42 times 20 years - yes, tis true. I'd find the link to my list of moves, but I'm just way to tired to dig it up - but it's there, somewhere on my blog - within the 80 something posts I've posted.
Each time I feel the pendulum. I don't know why I do it.... I think I was a gypsy in my other life!
But these days, I feel that I am a pendulum, swinging between nostalgia and excitement. I want to move to our new home but I don't want to leave this state. I want to be hired at a new job but I don't want to leave my job at The Big Company. I want to get everything packed, but I want to sleep. Although I am not manic depressive, I find that I am beginning to understand a bit more how it could affect a person.
Our move is three weeks away. I have so much work to do and I worry if I can get it all done. I'm really looking forward to getting to Champaign and getting our truck unpacked and our home settled and our new lives started.
But until that time, my emotions are swinging... A pendulum going back and forth, back and forth until life slows down and the pendulum settles in the center of my life.
Here are some comments from this post:
princssis said...
Just take a deep breath and relax for just a moment. Then, get back to it! I find when I make the decision to finally delve into something, I actually can get things done faster than I thought.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll get it all done. You have to, right? Anyway, we're all waiting patiently down here for your arrival.
See you soon!
kenju said...
That is typical, Blond Girl. Fear of the unknown is always uppermost in our minds. But try to picture the family in the new home, meeting new people, settling in to life in the new place, and you will be motivated to do each day what needs to be done.
Shannin said...
I know what you mean - when I was getting ready to leave California for here I was a constant bundle of emotions all the time. The worst was Don was here...
Chrissie said...
Hi Blond Girl,
Couldn't let you get skipped....
I have moved 42 times 20 years - yes, tis true. I'd find the link to my list of moves, but I'm just way to tired to dig it up - but it's there, somewhere on my blog - within the 80 something posts I've posted.
Each time I feel the pendulum. I don't know why I do it.... I think I was a gypsy in my other life!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Adjusting
Training is going well. So far it's been a lot of "rah rah sis boom bah" - which The Big Company excels at. It's fun, but trust me, the real work is just around the bend. I now know that the specific area of phone service that I will be in is equity trades. I'll actually be using that NASD Series 7 test that I worked so hard to pass back in 2004!
I've been meeting up with old friends and that's been a lot of fun - but it could get me in trouble! My biggest problem has been that I get to talking to my friends and that has made me late from break a couple of times. My trainer has made it beyond clear that this will get me in big trouble if I am not careful. I used to be a salaried employee and I didn't have to worry about being a few minutes late from break - especially since I usually worked more than 40 hours and I didn't get paid OT. Now that I've taken a grade decrease and gone to a phone queue, I am back in the realm of being watched all. the. time. I can't let this be a problem, so I went out and bought myself a hanging watch that I can put on my badge. I'm not a wristwatch type of girl; I just really don't like them. But this should work well for me; it will just hang on my badge and keep me on time.
Another adjustment was that I went out and bought an airbed to use while I'm staying with Mom. She only has a little one bedroom apartment and I was sleeping in her double bed with her, but it didn't work. Hubby, yes. Mom. No. 'Nuff said. Now her room is wall-to-wall bed and I'll share this bed with Sweet Girl until she goes home, but I think it's for the best... at least I know I'll sleep better tonight.
The one thing I don't think I'll adjust to... I MISS CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!! I'm still so grateful for this opportunity, but Oh, do I miss my man!!
The comment:
Paul said...
I'm sure it's tough, but I hope the time goes by fast for you--and Champs. Chin up.
I've been meeting up with old friends and that's been a lot of fun - but it could get me in trouble! My biggest problem has been that I get to talking to my friends and that has made me late from break a couple of times. My trainer has made it beyond clear that this will get me in big trouble if I am not careful. I used to be a salaried employee and I didn't have to worry about being a few minutes late from break - especially since I usually worked more than 40 hours and I didn't get paid OT. Now that I've taken a grade decrease and gone to a phone queue, I am back in the realm of being watched all. the. time. I can't let this be a problem, so I went out and bought myself a hanging watch that I can put on my badge. I'm not a wristwatch type of girl; I just really don't like them. But this should work well for me; it will just hang on my badge and keep me on time.
Another adjustment was that I went out and bought an airbed to use while I'm staying with Mom. She only has a little one bedroom apartment and I was sleeping in her double bed with her, but it didn't work. Hubby, yes. Mom. No. 'Nuff said. Now her room is wall-to-wall bed and I'll share this bed with Sweet Girl until she goes home, but I think it's for the best... at least I know I'll sleep better tonight.
The one thing I don't think I'll adjust to... I MISS CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!! I'm still so grateful for this opportunity, but Oh, do I miss my man!!
The comment:
Paul said...
I'm sure it's tough, but I hope the time goes by fast for you--and Champs. Chin up.
Tuesday, July 4, 2006
This world has nothing for me
Have you heard the song "Rescue" by The Desperation Band?
Here are the lyrics:
You are the source of the life
I can't be left behind
No one else will do
I will take hold of You
I need You Jesus
To come to my rescue
Where else can I go
There's no other name
By which I am saved
Capture me with grace
I will follow You
My heart is Yours for life
I need Your hand in mine
No one else will do
I put my trust in You
I will follow You (This world has nothing for me)
I will follow You (This world has nothing for me)
I need You Jesus
To come to my rescue
Where else can I go
There's no other name
By which I am saved
Capture me with grace
Capture me with grace
(won't You) Capture me with grace
I will follow You
I will follow You
Jared Anderson© 2003 Vertical Worship Songs/ASCAP
I have loved this song since the first time I heard it; everytime it is played in worship I am there, full on. Even so, I heard it on the radio today on my way into work and it totally stopped me in my tracks. Before I even was aware of what was happening, I was in tears. You see, the one part of the song that I never quite connected with was "this world has nothing for me" - because it does! So much of who I am and what I present to the world is tied up in what I do everyday. I am a Communication Specialist. A Toastmaster. A choir member. A daughter. A friend... you get the point.
But we are moving soon from Minnesota to Illinois. We're down to weeks on this move and I am realizing more and more each day just how many changes are in store for me. So much of what goes into "identifying" me will be stripped away. I will be reduced, temporarily, to the three most important roles I hold in this world: Child of God, Wife of Champs and Mother of Sweet Girl.
As I go through these changes; the laying down of roles, duties, perceived obligations and work to make a new life in Illinois, the only constants I will have are Jesus, Champs and Sweet Girl (well, death and taxes, too, but we won't look at them now :-)
Today, for the first time as I sung the song, I understood what "this world has nothing for me" means to me. Yes, I am still in the world. I will find a new job, new friends (yes, I am keeping the old friends too!) new church - the world will indeed be a part of my life. But this stripping away has brought me to the one true relationship, Jesus, and the two He has placed in my life - my husband and my daughter. Other than that, this world has nothing for me. I am marking time at my job. I can't wait to leave the little place we rent. I am giving away stuff that no longer seems to matter.
It hurts right now to be laying everything down. I'm a security girl; I like my job and my benefits. I like the reputation I have created for myself. I've worked hard to become someone in people's eyes. Right now, my heart is crying out "I need you Jesus. Capture me with grace". and with that cry comes the assurance "I won't be left behind. No one else will do. I will follow You. This world has nothing for me."
Let me not soon forget this moment of Grace, oh Loving God. Thank you.
Editor's Note: My thanks to Margalit, who made the following comment on my meme below, in response to the question, "Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn't?" Margalit's response was, "I guess so, but it isn't going to make you happy. I get VERY uncomfortable when I go onto sites and see the assumption that everyone walks with Jesus. I don't, I'm Jewish and it makes me a bit skeevy to read posts like your first one.'"
Margalit, thank you for telling me what you think. I understand the "skeevy" feeling; it's the same one I get when I go to people's blogs and it appears that they all assume I hold the same political beliefs they do.
However, in response to your comment regarding this particular post, I didn't write it assuming everyone walks with Jesus. In fact, I didn't write it hopeing it would cause someone to want to walk with Jesus. You see, I come from a family where most don't (and wonder why I do) and I work in a company where most don't (and don't understand why I would choose to). But I do walk with Jesus.
I am going through a particularly trying time in my life right now and my faith is a great comfort to me. I assume that yours is to you, as well. I would expect that if you were going through changes and stress, that I might come to your blog and read, possibly, how the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and the observance of Passover brings you the comfort of knowing that Yahweh brings his people out of bondange. I guess my point is, that everyone, whether we agree with them or not, needs to be free to turn to what helps them, and express gratitude for that help. I didn't write this assuming everyone would walk with Jesus. I wrote it because today I walked farther with Jesus. And no, you didn't offend me or make me unhappy. You made me thoughtful.
Thank you!
Here are some comments from this post:
Beverly said...
I've always lived basically in the same place, except for college years and the few years after that. When I married, I lived in the same city that I grew up in. All my roots are here. It would be hard to have to move.
I will think of you and pray for you as you make this move. Someone gave me a little plaque once that said, "The grace of God will not lead you where the grace of God will not keep you."
1:43 PM
Blogger Geekwif said...
He is the only sure thing. Even more than death and taxes. I think it is hard to understand that line now because there are things that we connect ourselves to here. However, I believe there will come a day when we'll understand that line in a way that we cannot now – when we'll say, "Wow, compared to this the world really held nothing for me." Only the things that really matter will be there because they are the only things that are eternal.
Oh yeah, and I'd just like to say that I expect to be part of your life in this world after the move too. Just add me to the list please..."Child of God, Wife of Champs, Mother of Sweet Girl, and Friend of Geekwif". ;)
P.S. That is one of my very favorite songs too. It's a very good car song.
Pearl said...
Wise response.
I write to myself as the first audience, not to convince anyone else. I sometimes forget readers are out there.
Thanks for stopping by my place.
Warm thoughts your way in these days to learn from.
Carmi said...
I'll be thinking of you and wishing you only the best as you make the trek to your new life in Illinois.
As someone who's done the big move, I can confirm that your identity will remain intact. Who you are is dictated not by where you live, but by what you do when you're there. Since you're already a builder of family and community, I suspect your identity will survive and thrive just fine.
rampant bicycle said...
Hang in there! I've made a big move too (Texas to Canada!) and can speak to exactly how uprooted you feel when you do it. The good news is...you can still build once you're there. :)
Shane said...
change is always good -- maybe inconvenient at times -- but there's always silverlining on every black cloud.
did i just write that horseshit? heh heh
Suzy said...
BGirl, I sooooo have loved that song for quite some time now! It brings me such peace inside. Have you heard Jeremy Camp's 'Walk By Faith'? It's my favorite right now because it talks about... 'because this broken road prepares Your will for me'. Comforting!
Glad I stopped by today....I didn't know who sang the 'Rescue' song. =o)
Here are the lyrics:
You are the source of the life
I can't be left behind
No one else will do
I will take hold of You
I need You Jesus
To come to my rescue
Where else can I go
There's no other name
By which I am saved
Capture me with grace
I will follow You
My heart is Yours for life
I need Your hand in mine
No one else will do
I put my trust in You
I will follow You (This world has nothing for me)
I will follow You (This world has nothing for me)
I need You Jesus
To come to my rescue
Where else can I go
There's no other name
By which I am saved
Capture me with grace
Capture me with grace
(won't You) Capture me with grace
I will follow You
I will follow You
Jared Anderson© 2003 Vertical Worship Songs/ASCAP
I have loved this song since the first time I heard it; everytime it is played in worship I am there, full on. Even so, I heard it on the radio today on my way into work and it totally stopped me in my tracks. Before I even was aware of what was happening, I was in tears. You see, the one part of the song that I never quite connected with was "this world has nothing for me" - because it does! So much of who I am and what I present to the world is tied up in what I do everyday. I am a Communication Specialist. A Toastmaster. A choir member. A daughter. A friend... you get the point.
But we are moving soon from Minnesota to Illinois. We're down to weeks on this move and I am realizing more and more each day just how many changes are in store for me. So much of what goes into "identifying" me will be stripped away. I will be reduced, temporarily, to the three most important roles I hold in this world: Child of God, Wife of Champs and Mother of Sweet Girl.
As I go through these changes; the laying down of roles, duties, perceived obligations and work to make a new life in Illinois, the only constants I will have are Jesus, Champs and Sweet Girl (well, death and taxes, too, but we won't look at them now :-)
Today, for the first time as I sung the song, I understood what "this world has nothing for me" means to me. Yes, I am still in the world. I will find a new job, new friends (yes, I am keeping the old friends too!) new church - the world will indeed be a part of my life. But this stripping away has brought me to the one true relationship, Jesus, and the two He has placed in my life - my husband and my daughter. Other than that, this world has nothing for me. I am marking time at my job. I can't wait to leave the little place we rent. I am giving away stuff that no longer seems to matter.
It hurts right now to be laying everything down. I'm a security girl; I like my job and my benefits. I like the reputation I have created for myself. I've worked hard to become someone in people's eyes. Right now, my heart is crying out "I need you Jesus. Capture me with grace". and with that cry comes the assurance "I won't be left behind. No one else will do. I will follow You. This world has nothing for me."
Let me not soon forget this moment of Grace, oh Loving God. Thank you.
Editor's Note: My thanks to Margalit, who made the following comment on my meme below, in response to the question, "Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn't?" Margalit's response was, "I guess so, but it isn't going to make you happy. I get VERY uncomfortable when I go onto sites and see the assumption that everyone walks with Jesus. I don't, I'm Jewish and it makes me a bit skeevy to read posts like your first one.'"
Margalit, thank you for telling me what you think. I understand the "skeevy" feeling; it's the same one I get when I go to people's blogs and it appears that they all assume I hold the same political beliefs they do.
However, in response to your comment regarding this particular post, I didn't write it assuming everyone walks with Jesus. In fact, I didn't write it hopeing it would cause someone to want to walk with Jesus. You see, I come from a family where most don't (and wonder why I do) and I work in a company where most don't (and don't understand why I would choose to). But I do walk with Jesus.
I am going through a particularly trying time in my life right now and my faith is a great comfort to me. I assume that yours is to you, as well. I would expect that if you were going through changes and stress, that I might come to your blog and read, possibly, how the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and the observance of Passover brings you the comfort of knowing that Yahweh brings his people out of bondange. I guess my point is, that everyone, whether we agree with them or not, needs to be free to turn to what helps them, and express gratitude for that help. I didn't write this assuming everyone would walk with Jesus. I wrote it because today I walked farther with Jesus. And no, you didn't offend me or make me unhappy. You made me thoughtful.
Thank you!
Here are some comments from this post:
Beverly said...
I've always lived basically in the same place, except for college years and the few years after that. When I married, I lived in the same city that I grew up in. All my roots are here. It would be hard to have to move.
I will think of you and pray for you as you make this move. Someone gave me a little plaque once that said, "The grace of God will not lead you where the grace of God will not keep you."
1:43 PM
Blogger Geekwif said...
He is the only sure thing. Even more than death and taxes. I think it is hard to understand that line now because there are things that we connect ourselves to here. However, I believe there will come a day when we'll understand that line in a way that we cannot now – when we'll say, "Wow, compared to this the world really held nothing for me." Only the things that really matter will be there because they are the only things that are eternal.
Oh yeah, and I'd just like to say that I expect to be part of your life in this world after the move too. Just add me to the list please..."Child of God, Wife of Champs, Mother of Sweet Girl, and Friend of Geekwif". ;)
P.S. That is one of my very favorite songs too. It's a very good car song.
Pearl said...
Wise response.
I write to myself as the first audience, not to convince anyone else. I sometimes forget readers are out there.
Thanks for stopping by my place.
Warm thoughts your way in these days to learn from.
Carmi said...
I'll be thinking of you and wishing you only the best as you make the trek to your new life in Illinois.
As someone who's done the big move, I can confirm that your identity will remain intact. Who you are is dictated not by where you live, but by what you do when you're there. Since you're already a builder of family and community, I suspect your identity will survive and thrive just fine.
rampant bicycle said...
Hang in there! I've made a big move too (Texas to Canada!) and can speak to exactly how uprooted you feel when you do it. The good news is...you can still build once you're there. :)
Shane said...
change is always good -- maybe inconvenient at times -- but there's always silverlining on every black cloud.
did i just write that horseshit? heh heh
Suzy said...
BGirl, I sooooo have loved that song for quite some time now! It brings me such peace inside. Have you heard Jeremy Camp's 'Walk By Faith'? It's my favorite right now because it talks about... 'because this broken road prepares Your will for me'. Comforting!
Glad I stopped by today....I didn't know who sang the 'Rescue' song. =o)
Saturday, July 1, 2006
Body Worlds... Amazing
Have you heard of Body Worlds? It is a traveling exhibit of "plastinated" human beings. There are three exhibits that travel around; the original one is here in my hometown at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Champs and I went last Saturday night and I must say that, while it was an expensive date; OK, a REALLY EXPENSIVE date, it was also really worth it.
First we attended the Omni Theatre for a movie called "The Human Body", which showed many functions of the body from the inside on a 6 story screen. Pretty cool! The sections on reproduction and the blood were fascinating. It's amazing to see a million tiny red blood cells from wall to wall above you!
After that, we went into the Body Worlds exhibit, where there were portions and entire bodies of more than 200 people. The plastinates, as they are called, are people who donated their bodies to be plastinated after death (you can read how the process is done here) . The tour starts small with individual bones and body parts, then moves to a full body. The muscles are so red and the inner organs are the greys and reds you would expect. Apparently the plastination process does a good job of retaining the colors as it stops decomposition.
The first full body was of a man who had been a smoker. His muscles and portions of his ribs were removed so the lungs would show through. They were amazing - black and putrid. Nearby, you could see the lung of a non-smoker and the difference was profound. It reminded me of when I was a child and saw "Casey Jones" (a Minneapolis children's show) feature two lungs like that. I was five at the time and despite the fact that both of my parents and later two of my siblings smoked, I never once lit up; and I never will, due to that sight.
Anyway... The exhibit continued on with bodies in various poses designed to highlight certain body systems. A man playing chess to show the brain and nervous system. A man's skeleton separated from his muscles to show both systems in their entirety. Perhaps the most profound body was one of a woman who died of a fatal disease in her 8th month of pregnancy. Her baby could not be saved, either. She arranged before her death to be plastinated with her baby. The exhibit of her leaning back on her elbow with her uterus exposed and the babe curled within is so breathtaking... And so sad.
One of the things that I found interesting was the fact that there must have been at least 200-300 people milling through the exhibit and yet, it was so quiet in the room. There was a hush that acknowledged some unspoken rule that the plastinate's humanity and final gift must be treated with reverence.
Near the end, I started to be a bit done with the exhibit. Although it was really interesting, I began to get to the point where I could no longer see them as impersonal. There was one body that had been cut from top to bottom in about 5-6 sections and posed one in front of the other. However, the cuts were not always straight through. The heart, for example, was left whole and mounted in one section, with a corresponding space where it would fit into the slice in front of it. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but he was like a standing human puzzle. The problem is that, unlike almost all of the other subjects, they left his skin on. And he had tattoos. And pubic hair. And a balding head. Seeing the tattoos and hair really kind of did me in. After that, I was ready for it to be done.
I am really glad we went, though. The secrets of the human body are fascinating, mysterious and beautiful. If you have a chance to see this exhibit (and you won't have squeamish nightmares, as some of my friends would), then I recommend you go see it. It truly is amazing.
This post created a LOT of comments:
Heather said...
Okay. I am a nurse and there is NO WAY I would go to that exhibit.
Geekwif said...
I'm glad you were able to see it and that it was so fascinating to you. I am just as glad that I didn't see it as I would have been completely overwhelmed by it.
Ravvy said...
it was here in Adelaide, AUSTRALIA for like one day *or one day that i knew of anyway* and i heard that it was even on on the day that it was happeneing and it was so popular, i would've just loved it completely as im a bit of a freaky geek when it comes to the human body and blood and arty stuff like that... so i woulda loved it and been totally facinated! Unfortunately at the time i had no moolah and was unable to go at all.. i really hope it returns...
Great Blog!!!
Here via Micheles Via AUSTRALIA!! :)
utenzi said...
I've read about this in several of the magazines I get. As much as I like science, even forensics, I don't think I want to see this exhibit. It's just a little too visceral to me. It does sound incredible, and I'd have loved to see it when I was in my teens or 20s but I've gotten more sensitive to "death" in my advancing years. Now I think it'd bother me to see such "real seeming" dead people.
Jean-Luc Picard said...
That sounds really creepy. I don't think I'd be keen on going there.
bobealia said...
Wow! My husband is a Med student, and I think he would love that.
I am guessing you didn't mean to say Palistinians... (when you were talking about the pregnant lady) it confused me for a few good seconds. LOL!!!
How expensive was it?
bobealia said...
That is an expensive date!! It was a super cool one though, sounds like...
kenju said...
That's a great idea, and I would definitely go.
panthergirl said...
It really does sound fascinating. I'm sorry I missed it when it was here...although I'm sure I would not have taken my son to see it. Were there kids there?
Sparkling Diamond said...
Wow, how fascinating! I would love to see something. I have always been so intrigued by the human body and I think it is so amazing that we can do something like this. If donating my body could help science learn something new or save someone's life, I'm all for it!
Shane said...
i always thought this process was quite amazing. i know it's controversial among some sects. People need to learn how to lighten up. I just read a post about someone who was outraged over the Geiko caveman commercials -- get a life (rolling eyes)
David said...
uggh real corpses,, dont think I would pay for that - I also dont watch tv, day or nighttime
Tracie said...
I have heard of this exhibit and read about it in several different places, but I am not sure that I want to go see it for myself.
Dara said...
I don't know how I would have felt about that exhibit. I think it's fascinating that we have the technology to do that and use it as a learning tool. Thanks for stopping by.
The Flamingess said...
I've heard about the plasticised bodies, but your description was very enlightening. I'd definitely go. No idea what the highlight woul d be, but I know I'd be faciniated by the technology. I feel donating ones body to science is is an excellent use for the vessel when we are done with it.
First we attended the Omni Theatre for a movie called "The Human Body", which showed many functions of the body from the inside on a 6 story screen. Pretty cool! The sections on reproduction and the blood were fascinating. It's amazing to see a million tiny red blood cells from wall to wall above you!
After that, we went into the Body Worlds exhibit, where there were portions and entire bodies of more than 200 people. The plastinates, as they are called, are people who donated their bodies to be plastinated after death (you can read how the process is done here) . The tour starts small with individual bones and body parts, then moves to a full body. The muscles are so red and the inner organs are the greys and reds you would expect. Apparently the plastination process does a good job of retaining the colors as it stops decomposition.
The first full body was of a man who had been a smoker. His muscles and portions of his ribs were removed so the lungs would show through. They were amazing - black and putrid. Nearby, you could see the lung of a non-smoker and the difference was profound. It reminded me of when I was a child and saw "Casey Jones" (a Minneapolis children's show) feature two lungs like that. I was five at the time and despite the fact that both of my parents and later two of my siblings smoked, I never once lit up; and I never will, due to that sight.
Anyway... The exhibit continued on with bodies in various poses designed to highlight certain body systems. A man playing chess to show the brain and nervous system. A man's skeleton separated from his muscles to show both systems in their entirety. Perhaps the most profound body was one of a woman who died of a fatal disease in her 8th month of pregnancy. Her baby could not be saved, either. She arranged before her death to be plastinated with her baby. The exhibit of her leaning back on her elbow with her uterus exposed and the babe curled within is so breathtaking... And so sad.
One of the things that I found interesting was the fact that there must have been at least 200-300 people milling through the exhibit and yet, it was so quiet in the room. There was a hush that acknowledged some unspoken rule that the plastinate's humanity and final gift must be treated with reverence.
Near the end, I started to be a bit done with the exhibit. Although it was really interesting, I began to get to the point where I could no longer see them as impersonal. There was one body that had been cut from top to bottom in about 5-6 sections and posed one in front of the other. However, the cuts were not always straight through. The heart, for example, was left whole and mounted in one section, with a corresponding space where it would fit into the slice in front of it. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but he was like a standing human puzzle. The problem is that, unlike almost all of the other subjects, they left his skin on. And he had tattoos. And pubic hair. And a balding head. Seeing the tattoos and hair really kind of did me in. After that, I was ready for it to be done.
I am really glad we went, though. The secrets of the human body are fascinating, mysterious and beautiful. If you have a chance to see this exhibit (and you won't have squeamish nightmares, as some of my friends would), then I recommend you go see it. It truly is amazing.
This post created a LOT of comments:
Heather said...
Okay. I am a nurse and there is NO WAY I would go to that exhibit.
Geekwif said...
I'm glad you were able to see it and that it was so fascinating to you. I am just as glad that I didn't see it as I would have been completely overwhelmed by it.
Ravvy said...
it was here in Adelaide, AUSTRALIA for like one day *or one day that i knew of anyway* and i heard that it was even on on the day that it was happeneing and it was so popular, i would've just loved it completely as im a bit of a freaky geek when it comes to the human body and blood and arty stuff like that... so i woulda loved it and been totally facinated! Unfortunately at the time i had no moolah and was unable to go at all.. i really hope it returns...
Great Blog!!!
Here via Micheles Via AUSTRALIA!! :)
utenzi said...
I've read about this in several of the magazines I get. As much as I like science, even forensics, I don't think I want to see this exhibit. It's just a little too visceral to me. It does sound incredible, and I'd have loved to see it when I was in my teens or 20s but I've gotten more sensitive to "death" in my advancing years. Now I think it'd bother me to see such "real seeming" dead people.
Jean-Luc Picard said...
That sounds really creepy. I don't think I'd be keen on going there.
bobealia said...
Wow! My husband is a Med student, and I think he would love that.
I am guessing you didn't mean to say Palistinians... (when you were talking about the pregnant lady) it confused me for a few good seconds. LOL!!!
How expensive was it?
bobealia said...
That is an expensive date!! It was a super cool one though, sounds like...
kenju said...
That's a great idea, and I would definitely go.
panthergirl said...
It really does sound fascinating. I'm sorry I missed it when it was here...although I'm sure I would not have taken my son to see it. Were there kids there?
Sparkling Diamond said...
Wow, how fascinating! I would love to see something. I have always been so intrigued by the human body and I think it is so amazing that we can do something like this. If donating my body could help science learn something new or save someone's life, I'm all for it!
Shane said...
i always thought this process was quite amazing. i know it's controversial among some sects. People need to learn how to lighten up. I just read a post about someone who was outraged over the Geiko caveman commercials -- get a life (rolling eyes)
David said...
uggh real corpses,, dont think I would pay for that - I also dont watch tv, day or nighttime
Tracie said...
I have heard of this exhibit and read about it in several different places, but I am not sure that I want to go see it for myself.
Dara said...
I don't know how I would have felt about that exhibit. I think it's fascinating that we have the technology to do that and use it as a learning tool. Thanks for stopping by.
The Flamingess said...
I've heard about the plasticised bodies, but your description was very enlightening. I'd definitely go. No idea what the highlight woul d be, but I know I'd be faciniated by the technology. I feel donating ones body to science is is an excellent use for the vessel when we are done with it.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
I missed the one-year mark! Auughhhh!
I should have written this post on Monday, but I just didn't realize. I am 6 days late. That's appropriate, I guess. I am always late. Heck, I was two weeks and 48 hours late for my own birth, so my continued lateness should be a surprise to no one. I guess my only comfort is that Geekwif is late, too.
But I digress.
I am late for my one-year blogiversary. I started my blog on June 19, 2005. Through this year, I've blogged about funny things, heartbreaking things, exciting things and mundane things. I've met new friends and acquaintances and I've forged closer relationships with my sister-in-law and my mother-in-law in Illinois.
I started my blog as a way to chronicle our transistion from living in Minnesota to Illinois, and continued it when it became apparent that we would not be moving to Illinois as quickly as we has planned. Since I started my blog, I've had a major operation and we have done a home remodel project, sold our house and moved into a rental property. When I started my blog, I expected to choose a school for Sweet Girl to attend kindergarten in Champaign - and she just completed kindergarten in Minneapolis. When I started my blog, my mom lived with us and now she has her own apartment and is living by herself for the first time in her life.
Yes, it has been a year of sweeping changes, unexpected delays and unavoidable frustrations. It has also been a year of growth and joys. I know I haven't been very consistent with my blog, but I will remain committed to it. When we do move in August, it will allow friends and family here to remain connected with us. And when I need to cry or laugh or just shake my head at all the changes life is throwing at me, I know my blog - and all of you - will be here to listen and help me renew my perspective of thankfulness and joy.
Happy year to you all! And happy blogiversary to you, Geekwif!
But I digress.
I am late for my one-year blogiversary. I started my blog on June 19, 2005. Through this year, I've blogged about funny things, heartbreaking things, exciting things and mundane things. I've met new friends and acquaintances and I've forged closer relationships with my sister-in-law and my mother-in-law in Illinois.
I started my blog as a way to chronicle our transistion from living in Minnesota to Illinois, and continued it when it became apparent that we would not be moving to Illinois as quickly as we has planned. Since I started my blog, I've had a major operation and we have done a home remodel project, sold our house and moved into a rental property. When I started my blog, I expected to choose a school for Sweet Girl to attend kindergarten in Champaign - and she just completed kindergarten in Minneapolis. When I started my blog, my mom lived with us and now she has her own apartment and is living by herself for the first time in her life.
Yes, it has been a year of sweeping changes, unexpected delays and unavoidable frustrations. It has also been a year of growth and joys. I know I haven't been very consistent with my blog, but I will remain committed to it. When we do move in August, it will allow friends and family here to remain connected with us. And when I need to cry or laugh or just shake my head at all the changes life is throwing at me, I know my blog - and all of you - will be here to listen and help me renew my perspective of thankfulness and joy.
Happy year to you all! And happy blogiversary to you, Geekwif!
Moving: A Nice Idea if You Can Handle the Stress!
Our family is moving to Illinios in August. The second week of July we are heading down for a week to try to find a place to live and, hopefully, get some jobs lined up. We're driving in two vehicles; our car and Champs' truck with a U-Haul trailer filled to the gills. We're going to get a storage space and drop off all the stuff until we move. Then we're going to leave the truck at Princsiss' home (Thanks sis!) until we move.
We're hoping to also take our cat down and leave him with someone for the month. The move will be a four day process; two of them driving. The cat doesn't travel well. Our vet is two blocks away and he caterwauls the entire time! We'll have to drug him for the trip, so it would be easier and better for him to be drugged for one day instead of two. Also, we don't know for sure if a hotel will allow the cat overnight. We want to get another cat to keep Gus company, but it's too much work figuring out how to move him, much less move two of them. We'll get another cat in Illinois, probably.
We'll move in Mid-August. That will be, as I mentioned, a four-day process:
Day one: Get the 24-foot truck and load it.
Day two: Leave very early and drive to Wisconsin Dells and spend the afternoon playing and get some good sleep.
Day three: Finish the drive to Champaign (Champs will drive the truck and I'll have Sweet Girl in the car) and start unloading the truck.
Day four: Finish unloading, get our stuff from the storage space, and return the truck.
I was saying the other day that the stress of this move is almost doing me in. I figure, what with arranging the move and then getting everything settled and starting a new job, etc. I should be almost back to normal in, oh, say... October - just in time for the holidays.
I am trying to be positive and upbeat about all of this, but there is just so much going on and so many details to see to - and it seems to be all my responsibility. Champs is on the road three days a week, so I am taking care of the small details. Thank goodness I have him to help with the heavy lifting! haha!
I'm excited about the move, but I'm not happy about leaving my job and my family. What I am excited about, though, is the change in pace for our family. Hopefully Champs will have a normal, in town job that will let him come home every night and I am hoping to start a new business. So it isn't all bad. It isn't all good. It is all busy, and all stress, but when it's done, everything should be right where it's supposed to be.
We're hoping to also take our cat down and leave him with someone for the month. The move will be a four day process; two of them driving. The cat doesn't travel well. Our vet is two blocks away and he caterwauls the entire time! We'll have to drug him for the trip, so it would be easier and better for him to be drugged for one day instead of two. Also, we don't know for sure if a hotel will allow the cat overnight. We want to get another cat to keep Gus company, but it's too much work figuring out how to move him, much less move two of them. We'll get another cat in Illinois, probably.
We'll move in Mid-August. That will be, as I mentioned, a four-day process:
Day one: Get the 24-foot truck and load it.
Day two: Leave very early and drive to Wisconsin Dells and spend the afternoon playing and get some good sleep.
Day three: Finish the drive to Champaign (Champs will drive the truck and I'll have Sweet Girl in the car) and start unloading the truck.
Day four: Finish unloading, get our stuff from the storage space, and return the truck.
I was saying the other day that the stress of this move is almost doing me in. I figure, what with arranging the move and then getting everything settled and starting a new job, etc. I should be almost back to normal in, oh, say... October - just in time for the holidays.
I am trying to be positive and upbeat about all of this, but there is just so much going on and so many details to see to - and it seems to be all my responsibility. Champs is on the road three days a week, so I am taking care of the small details. Thank goodness I have him to help with the heavy lifting! haha!
I'm excited about the move, but I'm not happy about leaving my job and my family. What I am excited about, though, is the change in pace for our family. Hopefully Champs will have a normal, in town job that will let him come home every night and I am hoping to start a new business. So it isn't all bad. It isn't all good. It is all busy, and all stress, but when it's done, everything should be right where it's supposed to be.
The Last Heartbeat
My grandmother, who I loved more than anyone can imagine, passed away of pancreatic cancer when I was 17; one week before Christmas. My mom and my aunt were with her when she passed. Mom told me later that she laid her hand on Grandma's chest and felt Grandma's last heartbeat. She described it as incredibly peaceful as Grandma's pain and suffering were over.
The image has never left me and 23 years later I still feel the impact. Most people I know find it comforting to lay their head on someone's chest and hear the strong heartbeat of their loved one. Not me. When I lay my head on my husband's chest, it isn't long before I begin to think of the last heartbeat. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to feel it. So I move my head to the crook of his arm and rest my ear on his shoulder. His shoulder can't pull any surprises on me, right?
I have no fear of death in terms of what will happen to me after I die; Jesus is my Lord and I am confident of His promise of Heaven. I have to admit, though, that the process of getting there does scare me a bit. The thought of my husband or daughter dying scares the bejeebers out of me. So much so that my best friend, Geekwif, convinced me that I needed to stop watching "ER". All those emergency room scenes had me completely worked up over my family!
I wonder what my life would be like without the assurance of Heaven? Without the bone-deep awareness of God's grace? My niece is right; life is short - the promise of each heartbeat fleeting. How wonderful that we can look beyond our last heartbeat on earth... to our first in Heaven.
The image has never left me and 23 years later I still feel the impact. Most people I know find it comforting to lay their head on someone's chest and hear the strong heartbeat of their loved one. Not me. When I lay my head on my husband's chest, it isn't long before I begin to think of the last heartbeat. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to feel it. So I move my head to the crook of his arm and rest my ear on his shoulder. His shoulder can't pull any surprises on me, right?
I have no fear of death in terms of what will happen to me after I die; Jesus is my Lord and I am confident of His promise of Heaven. I have to admit, though, that the process of getting there does scare me a bit. The thought of my husband or daughter dying scares the bejeebers out of me. So much so that my best friend, Geekwif, convinced me that I needed to stop watching "ER". All those emergency room scenes had me completely worked up over my family!
I wonder what my life would be like without the assurance of Heaven? Without the bone-deep awareness of God's grace? My niece is right; life is short - the promise of each heartbeat fleeting. How wonderful that we can look beyond our last heartbeat on earth... to our first in Heaven.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
300th Post (when it was on my old blog)
Editor's Note: This was the 300th post when it was on my first blog. Here it's about the 70th or so, but it was still worth retaining, so here goes:
Have you ever let the weight of expectation build up to the point where a reasonable task becomes an insurmountable task and you don't get anything done? Well, that's what happened to me. This is my 300th post and I've wanted it to be really special. Fantastically special. I couldn't come up with an approach that met my hopes for a great post, so I never wrote anything. The sad part of this, aside from the fact that I let the weight of expectation rob me from reflecting on some really great events lately, is that I have pretty much decimated my readership. Used to be that if I missed a few days of posts, I had comments from people asking where I was. Oh well. Who knows who will read this?
There is a certain sense in which maybe it doesn't matter for now, though I want it to. Our family's move to Another State is getting closer than ever and there are days when I feel like the stress of it all is more than I can take. I have so, so, soooo much to do before we move and I'm not sure I can get it all done. That being the case, I'm note sure how much actual blog writing I'll be doing for the next couple of months. Once we move, however, I'm sure I'll be back with a vengeance as I sort out the new chapter in our lives.
But, this is my 300th post, so I do have to write something. Let's go for my 30 top 10's from recently.... These are in no particular order; more a stream of conscienceness posting, OK?
1. I just got an insulin pump! It is so cool and it will really help to control my diabetes. It is the coolest thing and it can calculate exactly how much insulin I need for each meal or anytime. I must say, though, that it is really weird having something attached to me 24/7.
2. Sweet Girl just turned 6 years old. This is a post in itself, really. We had a wonderful party and she enjoyed every minute of it.
3. Champs may soon move from a 3-day trip to a 2-day trip. Or, his boss may make it a 2-day trip just before we move, so we'll see....
4. Sweet Girl got a free swingset. She loves it. I painted it blue and Champs worked like crazy putting it together. Again, a post in it's own right.
5. Sweet Girl is done with kindergarten and couldn't be prouder of herself. Shortly before school ended, she was tested at a third-grade reading level, so we couldn't be prouder, either.
6. I had a third Longaberger party since January. While it was very successful, I think I am basketed out for awhile!
7. I have a possible job interview on Tuesday morning. Well, I do have the interview, it is the job that is possible. It would be a virtual job, allowing me to work evenings, weekends, from home, etc. I'll know more on Tuesday.
8. I am so happy that "Last Comic Standing" has returned! Love that show!
9. You know, salvation belongs at the top of every "top 10" list, so please pretend that was right up there.... I am beyond grateful to Jesus for His grace.
10. I have a new boss at work and I love her. She is supportive, flexible and understanding. She's also helping me cope with the changes that are coming with great humor.
11. I bought the cutest black high heels in the world and believe it or not, they are comfortable! And soft! And I bought them on clearance!
12. I recently discovered Myspace.com. I must admit that it is a bit confusing, but I'm learning. I need to borrow a teenager to give me an instructional tour.
13. My Longaberger consultant is retiring after 20 years. She had a sale of TONS of baskets and pottery that have piled up over the years. I bought some wonderful pieces at a great price. Of course, I could have spent much, much more. I'm actually proud of myself for holding back.
14. Sweet Girl starts new daycare on Monday. I was blessed to find a great daycare provider whose husband is a teacher. They're a great couple and will work to keep Sweet Girl's learning up over the summer while ensuring she can run around to her heart's content.
15. Today is Princssis' birthday! Happy birthday, pretty lady!
16. I have an idea for a business when we move to Another State. Everyone I've told it to thinks it is a great idea. Now I need to create my business plan, etc. Nothing like a little goal to keep you motivated.
17. Our zoom-zoom car (97 protege) is heading to the 94,200 mile mark and doing wonderfully. I love my zoom-zoom car!
18. Champs, Sweet Girl and I are heading to Hometown City, Another State the second week of July. We are hoping to have job interviews and to find a place to live. We also want to get a storage place for some of our stuff and hopefully find someone who will watch our kitty, Gus, for a month between our visit and our move date. Again, a post in and of itself.
19. My dearest friend, Geekwif, is getting a puppy and she and the Geek are beside themselves with joy over little Razz.
20. Speaking of the Geek and the wif, they are Sweet Girl's godparents. They gave her the most lovely kid's bible for her birthday. This is an easier version for her to read, and it should carry her through to her early teen years. She loves it. Way to go Geekwif!
21. My friend, Amy, has a great website where she's promoting her new CD, "Sparkle". It's Christian pop/rock and a great album. Sweet Girl is Amy's biggest fan and can sing along to almost every single song. I just got a signed copy of the CD today for Sweet Girl. Though we've already got the album, she'll love having her own copy.
22. The local wading pool just opened. It's about 2 blocks away and Sweet Girl can't wait to go. It has a fountain tree for the kids to play in.
23. I was told today that I have the two most important features a woman should have; a great personality and a great pair of legs. Since it was my husband's co-worker and he said it in front of Champs, then there is no guilt and I can just enjoy the compliment. I needed that!
24. We took Sweet Girl to the build-a-bear workshop for her 6th birthday. You've never seen a child have so much fun! The best part: she choose a velvet bear and dressed her in a purple dress. The voicebox she chose? A lion. So my girl has a sweet bear dressed in purple who ROARS! Tell me, what does this say about my daughter? I'll tell ya - Helen Reedy better not stop by here!
25. Champs bought me the most beautiful diamond "mother and child" necklace for mother's day... Now if I could just pick a great present for him for this father's day...
26. I found the cutest frame in the store the other day; it is decorated with daisies, buttons, denim and lace. It says "Sweet Girl". Well I had to buy it! How could I not?
27. When we move to Another State, hopefully (and most likely), Champs won't have a traveling job. Oh, it will be so nice to have him home all week! It's been three years now that he travels three days a week and it is wearing on him, me... even Sweet Girl.
28. OH! I almost forgot! Champs saw his eye Dr. today and though his right eye is still rejecting the transplanted cornea, the rejection is getting better and the doc feels strongly that it will be completely done rejecting in in the next few months. Woo Hoo!
29. My brother-in-law, Tank, is home from Iraq and he is safe. We are proud and truly grateful.
30. The last of my 30 Top 10 is just this: I have so many people who I love and who love me back. They make my life complete and give meaning to all the crazy things I do. Champs, Sweet Girl, my mom, Geekwif, my brothers and sisters, Champs brothers and sisters, friends from church... There are so many. When life gets to be too much (as it has lately), they really anchor me. Thanks, all.
So that's my 30 Top 10. Hope that suffices for a 300th post; the weight of expectation aside. I have to admit it took a lot of thinking, especially near the end of the list, but I think I'll come back soon and talk about a few of these. Night night!
Here are some comments from the post:
Geekwif said...
Yay for 300! Sorry I didn't finish that little project in time. I actually am working on it, believe it or not. Time is just very limited.
A few comments on your top 30 -
#7 - New development? This is news to me. I must know more!
#12 - I've checked out Myspace a couple times, but can't get over the teenie-bopper aspect of it. I think I'm getting old.
#20 - While we would be proud to be parents of such a beautiful little girl, you may want to add the letters g-o-d to that one to avoid any confusion. :) Glad you like the gift.
#24 - Ha! Hear her ROAR!!
#30 - You are always welcome. It goes both ways.
Blond Girl said...
Yeah, Geekwif, Champs saw that about #20 and advised me to change it before you saw it... We were laughing that, if you did see it before I fixed it, you would be soon calling to see when we were dropping Sweet Girl off to her new home.... I've fixed it now. And yes, you are the most wonderful G-O-D-parents!
I'll tell you about #7 soon. We need to get on the phone!
princssis said...
Congrats on #300! Great list, especially #15! :) Thanks!
Have you ever let the weight of expectation build up to the point where a reasonable task becomes an insurmountable task and you don't get anything done? Well, that's what happened to me. This is my 300th post and I've wanted it to be really special. Fantastically special. I couldn't come up with an approach that met my hopes for a great post, so I never wrote anything. The sad part of this, aside from the fact that I let the weight of expectation rob me from reflecting on some really great events lately, is that I have pretty much decimated my readership. Used to be that if I missed a few days of posts, I had comments from people asking where I was. Oh well. Who knows who will read this?
There is a certain sense in which maybe it doesn't matter for now, though I want it to. Our family's move to Another State is getting closer than ever and there are days when I feel like the stress of it all is more than I can take. I have so, so, soooo much to do before we move and I'm not sure I can get it all done. That being the case, I'm note sure how much actual blog writing I'll be doing for the next couple of months. Once we move, however, I'm sure I'll be back with a vengeance as I sort out the new chapter in our lives.
But, this is my 300th post, so I do have to write something. Let's go for my 30 top 10's from recently.... These are in no particular order; more a stream of conscienceness posting, OK?
1. I just got an insulin pump! It is so cool and it will really help to control my diabetes. It is the coolest thing and it can calculate exactly how much insulin I need for each meal or anytime. I must say, though, that it is really weird having something attached to me 24/7.
2. Sweet Girl just turned 6 years old. This is a post in itself, really. We had a wonderful party and she enjoyed every minute of it.
3. Champs may soon move from a 3-day trip to a 2-day trip. Or, his boss may make it a 2-day trip just before we move, so we'll see....
4. Sweet Girl got a free swingset. She loves it. I painted it blue and Champs worked like crazy putting it together. Again, a post in it's own right.
5. Sweet Girl is done with kindergarten and couldn't be prouder of herself. Shortly before school ended, she was tested at a third-grade reading level, so we couldn't be prouder, either.
6. I had a third Longaberger party since January. While it was very successful, I think I am basketed out for awhile!
7. I have a possible job interview on Tuesday morning. Well, I do have the interview, it is the job that is possible. It would be a virtual job, allowing me to work evenings, weekends, from home, etc. I'll know more on Tuesday.
8. I am so happy that "Last Comic Standing" has returned! Love that show!
9. You know, salvation belongs at the top of every "top 10" list, so please pretend that was right up there.... I am beyond grateful to Jesus for His grace.
10. I have a new boss at work and I love her. She is supportive, flexible and understanding. She's also helping me cope with the changes that are coming with great humor.
11. I bought the cutest black high heels in the world and believe it or not, they are comfortable! And soft! And I bought them on clearance!
12. I recently discovered Myspace.com. I must admit that it is a bit confusing, but I'm learning. I need to borrow a teenager to give me an instructional tour.
13. My Longaberger consultant is retiring after 20 years. She had a sale of TONS of baskets and pottery that have piled up over the years. I bought some wonderful pieces at a great price. Of course, I could have spent much, much more. I'm actually proud of myself for holding back.
14. Sweet Girl starts new daycare on Monday. I was blessed to find a great daycare provider whose husband is a teacher. They're a great couple and will work to keep Sweet Girl's learning up over the summer while ensuring she can run around to her heart's content.
15. Today is Princssis' birthday! Happy birthday, pretty lady!
16. I have an idea for a business when we move to Another State. Everyone I've told it to thinks it is a great idea. Now I need to create my business plan, etc. Nothing like a little goal to keep you motivated.
17. Our zoom-zoom car (97 protege) is heading to the 94,200 mile mark and doing wonderfully. I love my zoom-zoom car!
18. Champs, Sweet Girl and I are heading to Hometown City, Another State the second week of July. We are hoping to have job interviews and to find a place to live. We also want to get a storage place for some of our stuff and hopefully find someone who will watch our kitty, Gus, for a month between our visit and our move date. Again, a post in and of itself.
19. My dearest friend, Geekwif, is getting a puppy and she and the Geek are beside themselves with joy over little Razz.
20. Speaking of the Geek and the wif, they are Sweet Girl's godparents. They gave her the most lovely kid's bible for her birthday. This is an easier version for her to read, and it should carry her through to her early teen years. She loves it. Way to go Geekwif!
21. My friend, Amy, has a great website where she's promoting her new CD, "Sparkle". It's Christian pop/rock and a great album. Sweet Girl is Amy's biggest fan and can sing along to almost every single song. I just got a signed copy of the CD today for Sweet Girl. Though we've already got the album, she'll love having her own copy.
22. The local wading pool just opened. It's about 2 blocks away and Sweet Girl can't wait to go. It has a fountain tree for the kids to play in.
23. I was told today that I have the two most important features a woman should have; a great personality and a great pair of legs. Since it was my husband's co-worker and he said it in front of Champs, then there is no guilt and I can just enjoy the compliment. I needed that!
24. We took Sweet Girl to the build-a-bear workshop for her 6th birthday. You've never seen a child have so much fun! The best part: she choose a velvet bear and dressed her in a purple dress. The voicebox she chose? A lion. So my girl has a sweet bear dressed in purple who ROARS! Tell me, what does this say about my daughter? I'll tell ya - Helen Reedy better not stop by here!
25. Champs bought me the most beautiful diamond "mother and child" necklace for mother's day... Now if I could just pick a great present for him for this father's day...
26. I found the cutest frame in the store the other day; it is decorated with daisies, buttons, denim and lace. It says "Sweet Girl". Well I had to buy it! How could I not?
27. When we move to Another State, hopefully (and most likely), Champs won't have a traveling job. Oh, it will be so nice to have him home all week! It's been three years now that he travels three days a week and it is wearing on him, me... even Sweet Girl.
28. OH! I almost forgot! Champs saw his eye Dr. today and though his right eye is still rejecting the transplanted cornea, the rejection is getting better and the doc feels strongly that it will be completely done rejecting in in the next few months. Woo Hoo!
29. My brother-in-law, Tank, is home from Iraq and he is safe. We are proud and truly grateful.
30. The last of my 30 Top 10 is just this: I have so many people who I love and who love me back. They make my life complete and give meaning to all the crazy things I do. Champs, Sweet Girl, my mom, Geekwif, my brothers and sisters, Champs brothers and sisters, friends from church... There are so many. When life gets to be too much (as it has lately), they really anchor me. Thanks, all.
So that's my 30 Top 10. Hope that suffices for a 300th post; the weight of expectation aside. I have to admit it took a lot of thinking, especially near the end of the list, but I think I'll come back soon and talk about a few of these. Night night!
Here are some comments from the post:
Geekwif said...
Yay for 300! Sorry I didn't finish that little project in time. I actually am working on it, believe it or not. Time is just very limited.
A few comments on your top 30 -
#7 - New development? This is news to me. I must know more!
#12 - I've checked out Myspace a couple times, but can't get over the teenie-bopper aspect of it. I think I'm getting old.
#20 - While we would be proud to be parents of such a beautiful little girl, you may want to add the letters g-o-d to that one to avoid any confusion. :) Glad you like the gift.
#24 - Ha! Hear her ROAR!!
#30 - You are always welcome. It goes both ways.
Blond Girl said...
Yeah, Geekwif, Champs saw that about #20 and advised me to change it before you saw it... We were laughing that, if you did see it before I fixed it, you would be soon calling to see when we were dropping Sweet Girl off to her new home.... I've fixed it now. And yes, you are the most wonderful G-O-D-parents!
I'll tell you about #7 soon. We need to get on the phone!
princssis said...
Congrats on #300! Great list, especially #15! :) Thanks!
Friday, May 26, 2006
Women are from Mercury and men are from Pluto
Editor's Note: I am a member of Toastmasters, an international speaking club. I've been in three clubs so far since 1997 and I am working towards the highest designation you can earn, the Distinguished Toastmaster. Currently I am an Advanced Toastmaster - Silver, and I am almost done with my Advanced Toastmaster - Gold. What you are about to read is from an advanced speech I gave today. It is from the Professional Speakers program and is meant to be an entertaining speech. I hope you enjoy it!
John Grey, the famous author of "Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus" made great strides in the male to female relationship realm and much of what he said makes sense. However, I think that, while he got a good start, he got it wrong. Venus and Mars are only two planets apart. If you ask me, he didn't make the chasm wide enough! The truth, my friends, is that women are from Mercury and Men are from Pluto. I have proof. It all comes down to the facts of territory, temperature and time.
When a man marries a woman, they become one. The trouble starts when they try to decide which one. It doesn't take much to figure it out, though - just the powers of observation. I know as I explain this that you will think I am just supporting a stereotype. Maybe I am. You see, stereotypes exist for a reason - because they are true. No one would make joke after joke about Imelda Marcos' shoes if there weren't a gazillion other women out there storing shoes in every unseen corner of the home, relying on her significant other to look at her feet and say "oh, black shoes" instead of differentiating between the black pumps with the bows, the black slingbacks and the black mules.
So, for the next few minutes I would like you to step out of the socially acceptable politically correct mindset and instead, step into my marriage. I am a true Mercurian and my husband the ultimate Plutonian.
When I say that women are from Mercury and Men are from Pluto, my first reason is the temperature of the respective planets. You see, being so close to the sun, the average daytime temperature of Mercury is about 350 degrees. That sounds about perfect to me. If I were on Mercury, I might finally feel warm! I don't know why, but I am always, always cold. I've lost a lot of weight and since that 100 or so pounds went away, it seems that I cannot get warm to save my life. I am always cold; cold to the point that, if the maracas were missing, you could use my chattering teeth to keep time. Actually, I'm so cold, normally, that my husband would tell you that I am devoid of life. He seems to think that I am a cadaver walking around; something akin to a modern day "Stepford Wife". And there is the distinct possibility that he is correct.
I have become a heat-seeking missile of sorts, looking for sources of warmth to which I might attach and leech out the heat. In the summer, when we are lucky enough to have 95 degree days, all my friends are rushing indoors to the air conditioned comfort of the office while I can be found outside, cheerfully warming myself on a rock. I type for a living and I find that if I stay in the air-conditioning too long, I work up a wind chill on my hands.
It's sad, really. The other day Champs and I were at a band tournament. There were stage lights, food prep machines and over 200 bodies all working together to make the club warm. Of course, they had to turn the air conditioning on. While no one else was even aware of it, the vent some 20-odd feet away from me soon had me shivering miserably. I leaned forward and placed my hands on Champ's thighs. I could feel his warmth - but he could feel my cold through the denim of his jeans! He looked at me in shock and even over the loud rock music, I could hear him exclaim, "good god woman, are you even alive?!?" When I get cold, my skin pebbles with goose flesh so badly that I look like a freshly plucked chicken. Just dip me in 11 secret herbs and spices and fry me up.
Please.
Champs, on the other hand, likes it cool. He would flourish on Pluto. The temperature there is about minus 350 degrees. Just think, permanent air conditioning and you don't even need to have a saver's switch installed to keep the cost down. In winter, Champs sleeps in his underwear only, a stark contrast to my full-on flannel. He is like a furnace putting out an extra 1500 BTU's per hour and I am powerless against the lure of free heat. He finally found a way to keep my cold feet off him at night when he bought me an electric blanket and started "pre-heating" my side of the bed each night. It worked, too. See, all winter long when I got into bed, I would luxuriate in the warmth of my 2 foot wide heated "safe zone". I tried to put my feet on the back of his knees, but it meant moving out of the safe zone, so I stayed where I was. Champs still considers it the best money he's ever spent.
There's another reason that I can prove that women are from Mercury and men are from Pluto; it's a matter of territory. Just look at it's name - Mercury is the god of commerce. Um, hello? This is a guy who understands a woman's prime function in life: shopping!
As the second smallest planet, it is the perfect size for shopping, and shopping is definitely part of my territory. I have a world to decorate, people! Now, like I said, I am dealing in stereotypes here, but they are stereotypes into which I fit like a glove.
I suppose there are a few women out there who don't enjoy shopping, but I have never met any of them. Food, clothes, shoes, beads, crafts; it doesn't matter. We all love and need to shop. Champs has figured this out and pretty much leaves me to my own devices. He has learned to give me a list of what he needs and then wait for me to bring it home. It is much less painful for him than going shopping with me. In fact, there are only two places that he will happily accompany me shopping: Cub Foods and Home Depot and that is only because they fit firmly into his territory.
Let's face it, men are all about the food and the tools, and when you can combine the two, you've pretty much reached nirvana. What, you don't believe me? Just watch any man grilling up brats or a steak. He is in his element. He is in his territory. It fits; Pluto is the god of the dead and the ruler of the underworld. Sounds like a dead cow sizzling over flames to me.
Not to mention, Pluto is the name of a famous dog. Doesn't every husband want a dog? Oh yeah, and then there's the spiders. Correct me if I am wrong, but it is every husband's job to kill any and every offensive bug that creeps into his territory, isn't that correct?
Yes it is.
God of the dead, I tell you.
Another thing about this territory issue is the size of the territory. Pluto is the smallest planet and Mercury is a bit larger. This is appropriate. If you look at the average house, it is clear that the woman has the larger territory. The garage? That is Champs' territory all the way - but I have the house and I mean just about all of it. Every closet, no matter whose clothes are hanging in it, is mine. The bathroom is mine. OK, yeah, you've always heard that the bathroom is the man's, but if you really think about it, the toilet is his. Everything else? My territory. Here's how it works: if I clean it or I decorate it, it's mine.
When you look at the territory of men, what one word comes to mind? Tools. Yes, tools. Home Depot is Mecca to my husband. He has a list of power tools that he needs. This is a man who really doesn't want to build anything, he just wants to know that he could be ready to do it at a moment's notice if so inspired. I didn't understand this at first.
I've come a long way in my understanding, however. When Champs first started explaining all the tools he "needed", I couldn't begin to grasp why the man would need 5 saws. A jigsaw, a handsaw, a miter saw, a reciprocating saw and a table saw. Um, isn't a saw supposed to cut? How many ways to cut are there, anyway? But then I got it; it's like shoes! Just like I could not expect one pair of shoes to meet the needs of my cute feet, Champs could not expect one saw to meet his cutting needs. And now we understand one another: I get shoes, he gets tools. The secret for us Mercurian women is to truly understand the pull of the power tool on our Plutonian men.
Case in point: This last Valentine's Day was the first time in our marriage that Champs and I had enough money to actually buy presents for one another. Since he was going to be out of town on the big day, I asked him two days earlier what he wanted to do about the holiday. I expected him to say something like leave Sweet Girl with Grandma and go out to dinner that night. But he pulled the rug out from under me. He said he already had something planned. After a bit of drilling, I found out that he had spent about $100.00 on me and I would get it when he was out of town. Auugh! I had to figure out quickly what to do for him that would equal what he was doing for me - and have it ready by the next night. It had to be loving, meaningful and above all, romantic. I could not think of even one thing that was romantic and would fit the spending limit! I thought of a bracelet I had seen at the jewelers, but I knew that, while I always think jewelry is a good gift, it would not mean much to Champs. If it were Christmas or his birthday or anytime when I didn't have to be romantic, I would have no problem; power tools all the way, man. But this was Valentine's Day! Unless Cupid uses an air-compressed bow and arrow, I couldn't see how tools would be romantic.
I polled all my friends. I was asking one friend on the elevator for her opinion when a man who was couldn't help hearing our conversation spoke up. "Go with the tools", he said. "You can't go wrong with tools". My friend nodded in agreement. Soon I was asking every guy I could find; bracelet or power sander? Without reservation, every guy said how cool a power tool would be. "But that's not romantic!" I would exclaim with dismay. One guy finally cinched it for me:
"Do you love him?"
"Yeah."
"Does he love tools?"
"Well, yeah."
"O.K., then get him what he loves to show him your love."
With a sigh of resignation, I bought Champs a hand held screwdriver and a power palm sander. I wrote on the card "you smooth out my rough edges" (I didn't mention the screwdriver since that pun would have been a little over the top). He loved it! Funny me, I thought the dozen roses he had delivered to my office were pretty romantic, but to him, that was romance. Go figure.
Now, if you still need proof that women are from Mercury and men are from Pluto, all you need to do is consider the element of time. Did you know that a year on Mercury is only 88 days long, but a full day (from sunset to sunrise) takes 176 days? How typical is that, ladies? Your day is ALWAYS longer than your year!
Not only that, but of all nine planets, Pluto is the only one that doesn't orbit around the Sun in an orderly fashion. Pluto orbits the Sun on a different plane than the other eight planets, going over them and below them. While all the other planets are going around in an orderly circle, Pluto has this elliptical orbit, where it goes around the sun in an oval shape so that it can quickly run ahead of its neighbor, Neptune, every hundred years or so and try to get there quicker. Now, I ask you: Won't ask for directions or follow the map and is always trying to get there quicker... Who does that sound like? I'm telling you, men really are from Pluto!
It has been said that too many couples marry for better or for worse but not for good. You can be married for good. All it takes is a true understanding of the unique traits of the man and the woman in the marriage. I mean, women may be from Mercury and Men may be from Pluto, but thank God we are at least in the same solar system!
Here are some comments from this post:
Mom Nancy said...
That's an amazing essay. YOu should send it to a woman's magazine or something!
princssis said...
OK. How in the WORLD do you come up with this stuff? Either you have a very vivid imagination or you do a lot of research before blogging!
I had to laugh about the "Pluto is the god of the dead and the ruler of the underworld. Sounds like a dead cow sizzling over flames to me." However, I have to disagree with you about the spiders. I am the spider killer in our household! Who would've thought a 6 foot tall man would shudder when a spider is in sight and call for his wife to kill it!? Ahem. HERE!
kenju said...
I have decided that men will not ever understand women in the same way that women understand men. Mine wouldn't know a tool if it bit him, so that doesn't work as a gift in our family....LOL
Geekwif said...
You're too too funny. Good speech. I hope your fellow TMers loved it.
Shannin said...
Very, very funny... I may have to print this out for my husband, although he's not a tool guy (deathly afraid of anything that has to be plugged in - some deep, dark trauma from his childhood I think).
Guppyman said...
Tools are ALWAYS good. And you should have gone with the screwdriver pun.... that's always good too.
Oh, and by the way... I actually use my garage full of tools.... Most women I see NEVER wear half the shoes they own.
princssis said...
Oh, I see you added the editor's note! That 'splains all the "research". You changed it a little, too, didn't you?
It's still very good!
Blond Girl said...
Very observant, Princssis; not on the "editor's note" - that's pretty big, but on the other changes. Yes, I added some things from the actual speech that got some good laughs as well as edited out some little problems that I created by cutting and pasting from Word.
I'm so glad you liked it! Now I just need to get my butt in gear and write another post....
John Grey, the famous author of "Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus" made great strides in the male to female relationship realm and much of what he said makes sense. However, I think that, while he got a good start, he got it wrong. Venus and Mars are only two planets apart. If you ask me, he didn't make the chasm wide enough! The truth, my friends, is that women are from Mercury and Men are from Pluto. I have proof. It all comes down to the facts of territory, temperature and time.
When a man marries a woman, they become one. The trouble starts when they try to decide which one. It doesn't take much to figure it out, though - just the powers of observation. I know as I explain this that you will think I am just supporting a stereotype. Maybe I am. You see, stereotypes exist for a reason - because they are true. No one would make joke after joke about Imelda Marcos' shoes if there weren't a gazillion other women out there storing shoes in every unseen corner of the home, relying on her significant other to look at her feet and say "oh, black shoes" instead of differentiating between the black pumps with the bows, the black slingbacks and the black mules.
So, for the next few minutes I would like you to step out of the socially acceptable politically correct mindset and instead, step into my marriage. I am a true Mercurian and my husband the ultimate Plutonian.
When I say that women are from Mercury and Men are from Pluto, my first reason is the temperature of the respective planets. You see, being so close to the sun, the average daytime temperature of Mercury is about 350 degrees. That sounds about perfect to me. If I were on Mercury, I might finally feel warm! I don't know why, but I am always, always cold. I've lost a lot of weight and since that 100 or so pounds went away, it seems that I cannot get warm to save my life. I am always cold; cold to the point that, if the maracas were missing, you could use my chattering teeth to keep time. Actually, I'm so cold, normally, that my husband would tell you that I am devoid of life. He seems to think that I am a cadaver walking around; something akin to a modern day "Stepford Wife". And there is the distinct possibility that he is correct.
I have become a heat-seeking missile of sorts, looking for sources of warmth to which I might attach and leech out the heat. In the summer, when we are lucky enough to have 95 degree days, all my friends are rushing indoors to the air conditioned comfort of the office while I can be found outside, cheerfully warming myself on a rock. I type for a living and I find that if I stay in the air-conditioning too long, I work up a wind chill on my hands.
It's sad, really. The other day Champs and I were at a band tournament. There were stage lights, food prep machines and over 200 bodies all working together to make the club warm. Of course, they had to turn the air conditioning on. While no one else was even aware of it, the vent some 20-odd feet away from me soon had me shivering miserably. I leaned forward and placed my hands on Champ's thighs. I could feel his warmth - but he could feel my cold through the denim of his jeans! He looked at me in shock and even over the loud rock music, I could hear him exclaim, "good god woman, are you even alive?!?" When I get cold, my skin pebbles with goose flesh so badly that I look like a freshly plucked chicken. Just dip me in 11 secret herbs and spices and fry me up.
Please.
Champs, on the other hand, likes it cool. He would flourish on Pluto. The temperature there is about minus 350 degrees. Just think, permanent air conditioning and you don't even need to have a saver's switch installed to keep the cost down. In winter, Champs sleeps in his underwear only, a stark contrast to my full-on flannel. He is like a furnace putting out an extra 1500 BTU's per hour and I am powerless against the lure of free heat. He finally found a way to keep my cold feet off him at night when he bought me an electric blanket and started "pre-heating" my side of the bed each night. It worked, too. See, all winter long when I got into bed, I would luxuriate in the warmth of my 2 foot wide heated "safe zone". I tried to put my feet on the back of his knees, but it meant moving out of the safe zone, so I stayed where I was. Champs still considers it the best money he's ever spent.
There's another reason that I can prove that women are from Mercury and men are from Pluto; it's a matter of territory. Just look at it's name - Mercury is the god of commerce. Um, hello? This is a guy who understands a woman's prime function in life: shopping!
As the second smallest planet, it is the perfect size for shopping, and shopping is definitely part of my territory. I have a world to decorate, people! Now, like I said, I am dealing in stereotypes here, but they are stereotypes into which I fit like a glove.
I suppose there are a few women out there who don't enjoy shopping, but I have never met any of them. Food, clothes, shoes, beads, crafts; it doesn't matter. We all love and need to shop. Champs has figured this out and pretty much leaves me to my own devices. He has learned to give me a list of what he needs and then wait for me to bring it home. It is much less painful for him than going shopping with me. In fact, there are only two places that he will happily accompany me shopping: Cub Foods and Home Depot and that is only because they fit firmly into his territory.
Let's face it, men are all about the food and the tools, and when you can combine the two, you've pretty much reached nirvana. What, you don't believe me? Just watch any man grilling up brats or a steak. He is in his element. He is in his territory. It fits; Pluto is the god of the dead and the ruler of the underworld. Sounds like a dead cow sizzling over flames to me.
Not to mention, Pluto is the name of a famous dog. Doesn't every husband want a dog? Oh yeah, and then there's the spiders. Correct me if I am wrong, but it is every husband's job to kill any and every offensive bug that creeps into his territory, isn't that correct?
Yes it is.
God of the dead, I tell you.
Another thing about this territory issue is the size of the territory. Pluto is the smallest planet and Mercury is a bit larger. This is appropriate. If you look at the average house, it is clear that the woman has the larger territory. The garage? That is Champs' territory all the way - but I have the house and I mean just about all of it. Every closet, no matter whose clothes are hanging in it, is mine. The bathroom is mine. OK, yeah, you've always heard that the bathroom is the man's, but if you really think about it, the toilet is his. Everything else? My territory. Here's how it works: if I clean it or I decorate it, it's mine.
When you look at the territory of men, what one word comes to mind? Tools. Yes, tools. Home Depot is Mecca to my husband. He has a list of power tools that he needs. This is a man who really doesn't want to build anything, he just wants to know that he could be ready to do it at a moment's notice if so inspired. I didn't understand this at first.
I've come a long way in my understanding, however. When Champs first started explaining all the tools he "needed", I couldn't begin to grasp why the man would need 5 saws. A jigsaw, a handsaw, a miter saw, a reciprocating saw and a table saw. Um, isn't a saw supposed to cut? How many ways to cut are there, anyway? But then I got it; it's like shoes! Just like I could not expect one pair of shoes to meet the needs of my cute feet, Champs could not expect one saw to meet his cutting needs. And now we understand one another: I get shoes, he gets tools. The secret for us Mercurian women is to truly understand the pull of the power tool on our Plutonian men.
Case in point: This last Valentine's Day was the first time in our marriage that Champs and I had enough money to actually buy presents for one another. Since he was going to be out of town on the big day, I asked him two days earlier what he wanted to do about the holiday. I expected him to say something like leave Sweet Girl with Grandma and go out to dinner that night. But he pulled the rug out from under me. He said he already had something planned. After a bit of drilling, I found out that he had spent about $100.00 on me and I would get it when he was out of town. Auugh! I had to figure out quickly what to do for him that would equal what he was doing for me - and have it ready by the next night. It had to be loving, meaningful and above all, romantic. I could not think of even one thing that was romantic and would fit the spending limit! I thought of a bracelet I had seen at the jewelers, but I knew that, while I always think jewelry is a good gift, it would not mean much to Champs. If it were Christmas or his birthday or anytime when I didn't have to be romantic, I would have no problem; power tools all the way, man. But this was Valentine's Day! Unless Cupid uses an air-compressed bow and arrow, I couldn't see how tools would be romantic.
I polled all my friends. I was asking one friend on the elevator for her opinion when a man who was couldn't help hearing our conversation spoke up. "Go with the tools", he said. "You can't go wrong with tools". My friend nodded in agreement. Soon I was asking every guy I could find; bracelet or power sander? Without reservation, every guy said how cool a power tool would be. "But that's not romantic!" I would exclaim with dismay. One guy finally cinched it for me:
"Do you love him?"
"Yeah."
"Does he love tools?"
"Well, yeah."
"O.K., then get him what he loves to show him your love."
With a sigh of resignation, I bought Champs a hand held screwdriver and a power palm sander. I wrote on the card "you smooth out my rough edges" (I didn't mention the screwdriver since that pun would have been a little over the top). He loved it! Funny me, I thought the dozen roses he had delivered to my office were pretty romantic, but to him, that was romance. Go figure.
Now, if you still need proof that women are from Mercury and men are from Pluto, all you need to do is consider the element of time. Did you know that a year on Mercury is only 88 days long, but a full day (from sunset to sunrise) takes 176 days? How typical is that, ladies? Your day is ALWAYS longer than your year!
Not only that, but of all nine planets, Pluto is the only one that doesn't orbit around the Sun in an orderly fashion. Pluto orbits the Sun on a different plane than the other eight planets, going over them and below them. While all the other planets are going around in an orderly circle, Pluto has this elliptical orbit, where it goes around the sun in an oval shape so that it can quickly run ahead of its neighbor, Neptune, every hundred years or so and try to get there quicker. Now, I ask you: Won't ask for directions or follow the map and is always trying to get there quicker... Who does that sound like? I'm telling you, men really are from Pluto!
It has been said that too many couples marry for better or for worse but not for good. You can be married for good. All it takes is a true understanding of the unique traits of the man and the woman in the marriage. I mean, women may be from Mercury and Men may be from Pluto, but thank God we are at least in the same solar system!
Here are some comments from this post:
Mom Nancy said...
That's an amazing essay. YOu should send it to a woman's magazine or something!
princssis said...
OK. How in the WORLD do you come up with this stuff? Either you have a very vivid imagination or you do a lot of research before blogging!
I had to laugh about the "Pluto is the god of the dead and the ruler of the underworld. Sounds like a dead cow sizzling over flames to me." However, I have to disagree with you about the spiders. I am the spider killer in our household! Who would've thought a 6 foot tall man would shudder when a spider is in sight and call for his wife to kill it!? Ahem. HERE!
kenju said...
I have decided that men will not ever understand women in the same way that women understand men. Mine wouldn't know a tool if it bit him, so that doesn't work as a gift in our family....LOL
Geekwif said...
You're too too funny. Good speech. I hope your fellow TMers loved it.
Shannin said...
Very, very funny... I may have to print this out for my husband, although he's not a tool guy (deathly afraid of anything that has to be plugged in - some deep, dark trauma from his childhood I think).
Guppyman said...
Tools are ALWAYS good. And you should have gone with the screwdriver pun.... that's always good too.
Oh, and by the way... I actually use my garage full of tools.... Most women I see NEVER wear half the shoes they own.
princssis said...
Oh, I see you added the editor's note! That 'splains all the "research". You changed it a little, too, didn't you?
It's still very good!
Blond Girl said...
Very observant, Princssis; not on the "editor's note" - that's pretty big, but on the other changes. Yes, I added some things from the actual speech that got some good laughs as well as edited out some little problems that I created by cutting and pasting from Word.
I'm so glad you liked it! Now I just need to get my butt in gear and write another post....
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Corporate stupidity sent me home
I had planned to work until 5:00 tonight. I left the office at 4:30. I gave up; corporate stupidity had done me in.
As a Communication Specialist, I do at least 90% of my work in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. I store all my documents that are being developed or are legally approved in a shared drive on the company network. Our shared drive is running out of room.
Today I worked for over 5 hours on two letters that were not so much written as designed. Fully formatted with forms, information sheets, disclosures and the most carefully worded enhancement offer for our annuity clients. Lots of work, folks, and works of art, if I do say so myself.
I also worked on the updates to two financial statements that are set to go into production in one week. They are being developed but the developers realized they couldn't use some text I had written and had legally approved because our system couldn't calculate the date to go with the text. So, I had these two statements going through a rush (and I mean a mach 20 rush) legal approval.
In the midst of all this work, I went to access the statements and found that someone had DELETED ALL MY DOCUMENTS OFF THE SHARED DRIVE! People, we are talking about four years of document development! After I got my heart started again I contacted our technology desk. They said the documents were probably deleted because they needed the space for "regulatory documents". Um, people? Everything I write is legally approved and stored for NASD audit. How much more regulatory do you need?
I know they'll get my documents back. See, they did this two weeks ago, too. Apparently I didn't make myself clear last time when I said they couldn't delete my work. Tomorrow I am going to make them figure out who hit the delete key and I am going to personally visit them. Then, when they restore my files, I am changing the name of my folder to "Don't Delete These Documents if You Value Your Life". Maybe that will work.
I love working for The Big Company. But once in awhile, corporate stupidity can really put a crick in your week, you know?
Here are some comments from this post:
Geekwif said...
Just one of the many reasons why I hate working for big companies. I hope they are able to get back all your docs.
Shannin said...
Ha!! That's why anything I cannot lose/recreate I copy to my P drive as well. I know, I know - not company policy, but when a year's worth of data gets "accidentally" deleted that's not a good thing.
As a Communication Specialist, I do at least 90% of my work in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. I store all my documents that are being developed or are legally approved in a shared drive on the company network. Our shared drive is running out of room.
Today I worked for over 5 hours on two letters that were not so much written as designed. Fully formatted with forms, information sheets, disclosures and the most carefully worded enhancement offer for our annuity clients. Lots of work, folks, and works of art, if I do say so myself.
I also worked on the updates to two financial statements that are set to go into production in one week. They are being developed but the developers realized they couldn't use some text I had written and had legally approved because our system couldn't calculate the date to go with the text. So, I had these two statements going through a rush (and I mean a mach 20 rush) legal approval.
In the midst of all this work, I went to access the statements and found that someone had DELETED ALL MY DOCUMENTS OFF THE SHARED DRIVE! People, we are talking about four years of document development! After I got my heart started again I contacted our technology desk. They said the documents were probably deleted because they needed the space for "regulatory documents". Um, people? Everything I write is legally approved and stored for NASD audit. How much more regulatory do you need?
I know they'll get my documents back. See, they did this two weeks ago, too. Apparently I didn't make myself clear last time when I said they couldn't delete my work. Tomorrow I am going to make them figure out who hit the delete key and I am going to personally visit them. Then, when they restore my files, I am changing the name of my folder to "Don't Delete These Documents if You Value Your Life". Maybe that will work.
I love working for The Big Company. But once in awhile, corporate stupidity can really put a crick in your week, you know?
Here are some comments from this post:
Geekwif said...
Just one of the many reasons why I hate working for big companies. I hope they are able to get back all your docs.
Shannin said...
Ha!! That's why anything I cannot lose/recreate I copy to my P drive as well. I know, I know - not company policy, but when a year's worth of data gets "accidentally" deleted that's not a good thing.
We Scare Me
Not long after Champs and I were married we found, like most couples, that we tend to think alike. It wasn't long before we were finishing one another's sentences. Before much longer, we were thinking of the same thing at the same time - things like Champs saying "you know, it's been awhile - we should go to Chevy's for dinner" at the same time I was thinking that going downtown for a mess of fajitas sounded like a good idea.
I think it was about a year into our marriage when I first said "We scare me". When we think of the same thing at the same time, we scare me.
Tonight we SO scared me.
First, the background: In January Champs and I bought two MP3 players which were, to put it mildly, pieces of crap sold by Samsung. We returned mine, but before we could return his, Champs accidentally dropped it from about 12 inches above the ground. The face cracked. This was four days after we purchased it. Best Buy couldn't take it back because it was "customer damaged". I called Samsung who refused to make good on their product. I explained (ad nauseum, to whomever I got on the phone) that an item made to be portable needed to be of higher quality. I can't tell you how many times I've accidentally dropped my Kyocera cell phone or my Palm Pilot - and they have emerged unscathed. As I explained to the Customer Service Manager, if the company makes a product that breaks that easily and the company will not support the repair or replacement of that item, what am I to assume but that they produce crappy products and they know it?
All to no avail. We still have the damaged Samsung player and no satisfaction from the company. As far as we are concerned, all Samsung products are crap and we will NEVER purchase anything made by that company again.
Fast forward to tonight. A cell phone commercial came on with two guys bragging about all their phones could do. Live TV, text messaging, video and theft deterrent. The "theft deterrent" came in when one guy threw his phone at the other guy.
Then the commercial broke to the product. It was a Samsung cell phone. Champs and I started laughing and had this conversation:
Champs: "That wouldn't stop a thief!"
Me: "Yeah, it would break the first time. Well, it is a theft deterrent, actually."
Champs (laughing) "Yeah, it's a Samsung. No one's going to steal it!"
Then he pretended to be a thief taking a phone and looking at it and pretending to return it to his victim: "Oh, man, I'm sorry. You can have your phone back. This is a Samsung. Here you go!"
And this is where we scare me: Champs and I then said, in almost exact candence: "In fact, man, here's another phone." (meaning that the thief would feel so sorry for anyone having a Samsung phone that he would give the guy one of the others he had stolen). Then we both looked at each other and busted out laughing. The same thought, the same moment.
We SO scare me!
(I hope you can picture it - it really was a funny moment, but it's a little hard to describe it without facial expressions and vocal intonation...)
I think it was about a year into our marriage when I first said "We scare me". When we think of the same thing at the same time, we scare me.
Tonight we SO scared me.
First, the background: In January Champs and I bought two MP3 players which were, to put it mildly, pieces of crap sold by Samsung. We returned mine, but before we could return his, Champs accidentally dropped it from about 12 inches above the ground. The face cracked. This was four days after we purchased it. Best Buy couldn't take it back because it was "customer damaged". I called Samsung who refused to make good on their product. I explained (ad nauseum, to whomever I got on the phone) that an item made to be portable needed to be of higher quality. I can't tell you how many times I've accidentally dropped my Kyocera cell phone or my Palm Pilot - and they have emerged unscathed. As I explained to the Customer Service Manager, if the company makes a product that breaks that easily and the company will not support the repair or replacement of that item, what am I to assume but that they produce crappy products and they know it?
All to no avail. We still have the damaged Samsung player and no satisfaction from the company. As far as we are concerned, all Samsung products are crap and we will NEVER purchase anything made by that company again.
Fast forward to tonight. A cell phone commercial came on with two guys bragging about all their phones could do. Live TV, text messaging, video and theft deterrent. The "theft deterrent" came in when one guy threw his phone at the other guy.
Then the commercial broke to the product. It was a Samsung cell phone. Champs and I started laughing and had this conversation:
Champs: "That wouldn't stop a thief!"
Me: "Yeah, it would break the first time. Well, it is a theft deterrent, actually."
Champs (laughing) "Yeah, it's a Samsung. No one's going to steal it!"
Then he pretended to be a thief taking a phone and looking at it and pretending to return it to his victim: "Oh, man, I'm sorry. You can have your phone back. This is a Samsung. Here you go!"
And this is where we scare me: Champs and I then said, in almost exact candence: "In fact, man, here's another phone." (meaning that the thief would feel so sorry for anyone having a Samsung phone that he would give the guy one of the others he had stolen). Then we both looked at each other and busted out laughing. The same thought, the same moment.
We SO scare me!
(I hope you can picture it - it really was a funny moment, but it's a little hard to describe it without facial expressions and vocal intonation...)
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
About a year ago I apologized to a friend for rescheduling the second time. I explained that I was just so busy I was juggling everything. She basically told me she didn't care how busy I was; I was copping out by playing the busy card.
It caught me up short.
Since then I've tried to not make "I'm busy" an excuse. And for the most part it has worked. The only problem is that I am now trying to cram even more stuff - work, time with the hubby, time with the Sweet Girl, appointments, friends, ideas, housework, move planning, free-lance work for others, worship team, etc., etc., etc. into the same about of time. I heard once that if you want something done, ask the busy person to do it, since that person is likely to find a way to do it.
I seem to be that person.
One unfortunate side effect of all this busy-ness is that my blogging has been suffering. While I think there are people who would read my blog faithfully if I wrote in it faithfully, I am pretty sure I've alienated them all. Sigh.
I'm not sure, short of cloning, what the answer is. I do know that I will be glad when we have moved to Another State and gotten everything settled. I am finding that this big of a move affects everything. Absolutely every aspect of my life is in flux right now.
Speaking of the move and being in flux, here is something you can pray with me about, if you will.
There are two reasons are family has not yet moved to Another State, although we've been officially planning the move for almost a year now. The first reason is that Sweet Girl is still in kindergarten and we didn't want to uproot her in the middle of a school year. That alone put our move out to summer.
The second reason is more complicated. Champs had a corneal transplant in his right eye on April 27, 2005. In order to move, we need to have his eye in good health and, preferably, with a special contact fitted for him. Well, he has been fighting rejection in that cornea since the beginning. That eye is the last piece to fall in place for us to move.
We just met with Champ's eye specialist on Friday. The last time he was in a couple of months ago, the doctor said the rejection was still there, but weakening. We were hoping for a good report when we went in this time, but it wasn't what we were hoping for. As it turns out, this cornea is still rejecting. However, it is only about a 30% rejection and is focally-located, meaning it is a very small, specific area of rejection. The doctor explained that this is unusual. He has seen it before and it can still be quelled. Essentially, Champs has too good of an immune system; you can't pull the wool over his eyes (no, that pun was not intended, really!)
So, we know that he won't have a special contact fitted before we leave. The question now is, can we quell the rejection so we can leave? The doctor gave Champs another cortisone shot beneath his eye (ouch!) to hopefully stop the localized swelling. He is also sending Champs to his internal medicine doctor for a new treatment; a type of anti-rejection medication used on other types of transplant patients. It has to be monitored carefully with liver tests and, apparently, is very expensive. This makes me worry about the cost of medicine after we move. Who knows what our insurance situation will be? Some jobs will insure a worker immediately, while others will make you wait six months or a year.
Yeah, I'm treading water - in more ways than one!
It caught me up short.
Since then I've tried to not make "I'm busy" an excuse. And for the most part it has worked. The only problem is that I am now trying to cram even more stuff - work, time with the hubby, time with the Sweet Girl, appointments, friends, ideas, housework, move planning, free-lance work for others, worship team, etc., etc., etc. into the same about of time. I heard once that if you want something done, ask the busy person to do it, since that person is likely to find a way to do it.
I seem to be that person.
One unfortunate side effect of all this busy-ness is that my blogging has been suffering. While I think there are people who would read my blog faithfully if I wrote in it faithfully, I am pretty sure I've alienated them all. Sigh.
I'm not sure, short of cloning, what the answer is. I do know that I will be glad when we have moved to Another State and gotten everything settled. I am finding that this big of a move affects everything. Absolutely every aspect of my life is in flux right now.
Speaking of the move and being in flux, here is something you can pray with me about, if you will.
There are two reasons are family has not yet moved to Another State, although we've been officially planning the move for almost a year now. The first reason is that Sweet Girl is still in kindergarten and we didn't want to uproot her in the middle of a school year. That alone put our move out to summer.
The second reason is more complicated. Champs had a corneal transplant in his right eye on April 27, 2005. In order to move, we need to have his eye in good health and, preferably, with a special contact fitted for him. Well, he has been fighting rejection in that cornea since the beginning. That eye is the last piece to fall in place for us to move.
We just met with Champ's eye specialist on Friday. The last time he was in a couple of months ago, the doctor said the rejection was still there, but weakening. We were hoping for a good report when we went in this time, but it wasn't what we were hoping for. As it turns out, this cornea is still rejecting. However, it is only about a 30% rejection and is focally-located, meaning it is a very small, specific area of rejection. The doctor explained that this is unusual. He has seen it before and it can still be quelled. Essentially, Champs has too good of an immune system; you can't pull the wool over his eyes (no, that pun was not intended, really!)
So, we know that he won't have a special contact fitted before we leave. The question now is, can we quell the rejection so we can leave? The doctor gave Champs another cortisone shot beneath his eye (ouch!) to hopefully stop the localized swelling. He is also sending Champs to his internal medicine doctor for a new treatment; a type of anti-rejection medication used on other types of transplant patients. It has to be monitored carefully with liver tests and, apparently, is very expensive. This makes me worry about the cost of medicine after we move. Who knows what our insurance situation will be? Some jobs will insure a worker immediately, while others will make you wait six months or a year.
Yeah, I'm treading water - in more ways than one!
Thursday, May 4, 2006
I Feel Pretty
My hair has gotten very long and has been feeling pretty lifeless - that's the way a lot of life has been feeling lately. My friends have been complaining about my reliance on ponytails. I needed to cut off some of the length and give myself a reason to use some styling mousse instead of a scrunchie every morning. Not to mention, I'll soon have to go on a bunch of job interviews for our new life in Illinois. Clearly, it was time for a haircut.
I used to have a gal named Lisa do my hair at a salon back before I met Champs, but I stopped going to that salon when Lisa left and started going to another salon every 11 months whether I needed it or not.
Well, my friend Amy told me about her hair stylist, Lisa, awhile back. She said she does hair in her home and recommended that I go. Meanwhile, another girl at church, Sarah, kept telling me I had to have her roommate, Lisa, cut my hair. I planned to go see Amy's Lisa, but I kept forgetting and forgetting to get Lisa's number. Finally a week or so ago I remembered and got it from Amy.
Yes, you guessed it - turns out Sarah's Lisa is Amy's Lisa who was my Lisa. Cue the Disney "small world" music... I had so much fun catching up with her! Her little girl and Sweet Girl played together while I got a triple foil color, cut and brow wax.
I took along a photo of Reese Witherspoon with the haircut she had in the movie "Just Like Heaven" as a starting point. No, I don't think I look like Reese, but we both have high cheekbones and pointed chins, so I felt that a cut that looks good on her will have a great chance of looking good on me. Lisa agreed, got out the scissors and, boom, 6 inches of my hair, GONE.
Now I have a shoulder length bob with lots of lovely blond highlights and lowlights. It has lots of layers and moment. I love it.
Plus, I got my brows waxed. It's been awhile. I won't kid you; it hurt! Especially the right eye. Those hairy little buggers didn't want to come out. I think my eyeball folded on that one it hurt so much. But I didn't yelp or cry or anything. Hey, I'm a woman. I've had 5 abdominal surgeries and I give myself 5 shots of insulin everyday. I can handle a little wax pain. That said, don't EVER ask me to get a bikini wax! Man, it just ain't happenin!
I feel pretty tonight. I needed this. Who knows? Maybe when the redness goes down, I might even post a picture of my new look.... Maybe.
I used to have a gal named Lisa do my hair at a salon back before I met Champs, but I stopped going to that salon when Lisa left and started going to another salon every 11 months whether I needed it or not.
Well, my friend Amy told me about her hair stylist, Lisa, awhile back. She said she does hair in her home and recommended that I go. Meanwhile, another girl at church, Sarah, kept telling me I had to have her roommate, Lisa, cut my hair. I planned to go see Amy's Lisa, but I kept forgetting and forgetting to get Lisa's number. Finally a week or so ago I remembered and got it from Amy.
Yes, you guessed it - turns out Sarah's Lisa is Amy's Lisa who was my Lisa. Cue the Disney "small world" music... I had so much fun catching up with her! Her little girl and Sweet Girl played together while I got a triple foil color, cut and brow wax.
I took along a photo of Reese Witherspoon with the haircut she had in the movie "Just Like Heaven" as a starting point. No, I don't think I look like Reese, but we both have high cheekbones and pointed chins, so I felt that a cut that looks good on her will have a great chance of looking good on me. Lisa agreed, got out the scissors and, boom, 6 inches of my hair, GONE.
Now I have a shoulder length bob with lots of lovely blond highlights and lowlights. It has lots of layers and moment. I love it.
Plus, I got my brows waxed. It's been awhile. I won't kid you; it hurt! Especially the right eye. Those hairy little buggers didn't want to come out. I think my eyeball folded on that one it hurt so much. But I didn't yelp or cry or anything. Hey, I'm a woman. I've had 5 abdominal surgeries and I give myself 5 shots of insulin everyday. I can handle a little wax pain. That said, don't EVER ask me to get a bikini wax! Man, it just ain't happenin!
I feel pretty tonight. I needed this. Who knows? Maybe when the redness goes down, I might even post a picture of my new look.... Maybe.
Monday, May 1, 2006
The New Tot in Town
Here in the land of 15,000 (at least) lakes, we have a number of news stations. Most of my friends or folks I talk to tend to watch Kare-11. There's others, but none that are as happy. And you know, to Minnesota Nice, there is nothing so important as being able to find a happy place in the middle of whatever else is going on. Gas prices too high? Murder at Block E ("E" for execute, perhaps) getting you down? War in Iraq too much to listen to? Well, at least there are the smiling faces of Mike and Julie to soften the blow and Bobby and Belinda to tell us how to make our roses grow.
Now, I know I sound sarcastic, but I don't mean to. I can't help it, really; sarcasm is like breathing for me; sometimes it's fast and shallow and others deep and belabored, but it's always there. I digress. In spite of sounding sarcastic, the truth is I prefer it. If I didn't, I would watch a different channel. But I like Kare-11. And I like their new weekend meteorologist, Sven Sundgaard.
I was talking to my mom on the phone the other day when she mentioned Sven. Or tried to, anyway. Our conversation went something like this:
Mom: Have you seen the new weekend weather guy? (She doesn't attempt a word like "meteorologist". The woman has at least a cursory understanding of her limits)
Blond Girl: Yeah. I like him. He's young, but personable.
Mom: Yeah, he's young. What's his name? Seven? Sween? Sw....????
BG: Mom, his name is Sven.
Mom: Yeah, that's right. Sween. No, Seven... ????
BG: Mom, it's Sven, can't you pronounce that? (Insert amazed tone here - how many Sven and Ollie jokes has my father told over the years?)
Mom: Nope, it's too hard.
BG: Really? Mom, you're a native Minnesotan! You're half Scandinavian. "Sven" should be a no brainer to say - like "tater tot hotdish"!
Now, whenever I watch the weekend news on Kare-11, I'll be tempted to say, "Oh, there's that nice new weatherman, Tater Tot!"
Here's some comments from this post:
Geekwif said...
Holy cow! The guy looks like he's about 16! I guess you really meant it when you said "tot".
Shannin said...
I don't think he's allowed to do the 10:00 news - it's after curfew!!
I remember when he was introduced and Don and I, native Californians and all, had to make fun of Sven Sungaard... Hey, back home we had Fritz Coleman and Dallas Raines...
HolyMama! said...
ok, i don't know how to pronounce sven either.
Anonymous said...
I live in an apartment complex in West Minneapolis and was riding the elevator when one day is see Sven hop on. Wow, he is a pretty short guy... 5'3" maybe.
Moncrief Speaks said...
I sort of love your blog.
And you know Sven has his own blog, right?
http://www.kare11.com/cs/blogs/sven_sundgaard/default.aspx
Now, I know I sound sarcastic, but I don't mean to. I can't help it, really; sarcasm is like breathing for me; sometimes it's fast and shallow and others deep and belabored, but it's always there. I digress. In spite of sounding sarcastic, the truth is I prefer it. If I didn't, I would watch a different channel. But I like Kare-11. And I like their new weekend meteorologist, Sven Sundgaard.
I was talking to my mom on the phone the other day when she mentioned Sven. Or tried to, anyway. Our conversation went something like this:
Mom: Have you seen the new weekend weather guy? (She doesn't attempt a word like "meteorologist". The woman has at least a cursory understanding of her limits)
Blond Girl: Yeah. I like him. He's young, but personable.
Mom: Yeah, he's young. What's his name? Seven? Sween? Sw....????
BG: Mom, his name is Sven.
Mom: Yeah, that's right. Sween. No, Seven... ????
BG: Mom, it's Sven, can't you pronounce that? (Insert amazed tone here - how many Sven and Ollie jokes has my father told over the years?)
Mom: Nope, it's too hard.
BG: Really? Mom, you're a native Minnesotan! You're half Scandinavian. "Sven" should be a no brainer to say - like "tater tot hotdish"!
Now, whenever I watch the weekend news on Kare-11, I'll be tempted to say, "Oh, there's that nice new weatherman, Tater Tot!"
Here's some comments from this post:
Geekwif said...
Holy cow! The guy looks like he's about 16! I guess you really meant it when you said "tot".
Shannin said...
I don't think he's allowed to do the 10:00 news - it's after curfew!!
I remember when he was introduced and Don and I, native Californians and all, had to make fun of Sven Sungaard... Hey, back home we had Fritz Coleman and Dallas Raines...
HolyMama! said...
ok, i don't know how to pronounce sven either.
Anonymous said...
I live in an apartment complex in West Minneapolis and was riding the elevator when one day is see Sven hop on. Wow, he is a pretty short guy... 5'3" maybe.
Moncrief Speaks said...
I sort of love your blog.
And you know Sven has his own blog, right?
http://www.kare11.com/cs/blogs/sven_sundgaard/default.aspx
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