Literally.
My bearded dragon pooped.
I cleaned the cat's litter box.
The LA County Clerk's office is FULL OF SHIT.
WorkSource Oregon's Skill Advancement Team left at 2:45pm today and I showed up at 4pm.
I woke up to the sound of the heater turning on. I noticed the cat's heads perked up and started sniffing... and they were pointing their noses towards the blue bedroom, aka Darwin's room. I opened the door to notice an unpleasant smell and a giant lizard turd in her tank. Awesome. I cleaned that up and gave her some lettuce. Done.
I went into the laundry room to grab a shirt and noticed that Grimm was obviously upset with the fullness of the litter box... and had crapped on my carpet. Nice. So I cleaned that up, changed the box, took it out to the trash can, and washed my hands... again. Done.
Yesterday, I called the LA County Clerk's office regarding a letter I had received in the mail last week. It started that it had been over 30 days since a marriage license had been issued and said license had not been returned. It was an expiration warning; they wanted to make sure it was used and mailed back within 90 days of purchasing the license. I knew the judge had mailed the license the night of the wedding, so I wondered why I was receiving this letter. It should have been mailed and received in January! I spoke with a lady named Angela and she couldn't "find" my file. That worried me. She said she would call me back when she found something, but after seeing that my phone number was a 503 area code, she asked me to call her back the next day (which would be today), since she could not make long distance calls. Nice.
I decided to call the LA County Clerk's office this afternoon. I wanted to see if Angela had "found" my file. I called her back today and she still had not found my file. She thought that maybe my license had already been processed and sent to over to the indexing department... but that would take 6-8 weeks to find out. She also suggested that I apply for a duplicate marriage license. However, in order to receive that duplicate license, I'd have to get everyone, including the judge, to sign the documents... AND pay $30. WTF?! I have to pay $30 for THEIR mistake?! No. No way.
Angela was kind enough to transfer me to her supervisor, Toni. However, Toni was just as clueless as Angela, so it really didn't make a difference. Toni couldn't find Sam's name in the computer, so she asked for mine. I spelled my last name TWICE. She still couldn't find me. So I suggested, "You know, like George Foreman." And *boom* she found me. DUMBASS. Toni then proceeded to tell me that she had no record of me even purchasing a marriage license and asked which location I purchased it from. I told her I got it at the LA County Clerk's office in Norwalk. And *boom* she found it. By this point, I am starting to think that Toni is a high-functioning retard. Toni asked me about the letter I had received; I told her what it said and she informed me that it was "a generic notice sent to all marriage license applicants." She also thought that maybe my license had been sent to the indexing department, but it might take 6-12 weeks to find out. I am supposed to call back in one week and talk to Toni again. Awesome.
Yesterday, I also called the WorkSource Oregon office to talk to someone on the Skill Advancement Team. I called at 3:30pm and was on hold until 5:05pm. Their office stops answering calls at 4:30pm and the office is closed by 5pm. I was slightly upset by this, so I thought I would drive to the office today and actually talk to someone. After a quick drive up the hill, I got out of my car and walked in the rain to the WorkSource Oregon office. I stood around and waited for someone to help me. Five minutes later, I was told that on Thursdays, the Skill Advancement Team leaves the office at 2:45pm. That is not noted on any of my WorkSource documents... it might be online, but I didn't see that. Either way, everyone was gone and I was SOL... shit outta luck. I have to come back tomorrow. Super awesome.
I am at my breaking point, people.
Get your SHIT together.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Life Update
In my last post, I mentioned that the underside of our toilets were covered in black mold. Today, I decided to tackle the task of cleaning off said mold. I grabbed some gloves, my Lysol wipes, paper towels, and the mold cleaner spray. I cleaned the hall bathroom toilet first. I scrubbed, wiped, sprayed, and wiped again. Done. Then, I installed the over-the-toilet DampRid thingie to help keep moisture out and prevent mold from growing. After that was done, I went into our small bathroom (the one off the master bedroom) and did the same thing. The mold under that toilet wasn't half as bad as the hall bathroom... so... yay! I just cleaned what was there and I was done.
But... while I was in there, I noticed the peel-n-stick bathroom tile that was in our bathroom was drying out and starting to lift up... so I looked... and WOW. The flooring underneath was fine, just REALLY dated and REALLY ugly. Go team. I'll have to post a picture of it later. Let's just say I'm looking forward to peeling up all the flooring eventually and seeing what can be done.
-----
On another topic, my last remaining grandparent passed away on Feb. 11th, just three days shy of her 94th birthday. Apparently, she took a turn for the worst around Christmas... she wasn't able to attend my wedding and she wasn't able to see the pictures due to her poor eyesight. She wasn't my favorite grandmother, but she was my dad's mom.
With this in mind, my dad decided to purchase a Corvette. It's a 1999 Torch Red Corvette with a red/black modified interior and a hood scoop. It's a nice little car... he's going to enjoy driving it and I'm going to enjoy visiting. :) haha! Needless to say, my mom isn't very excited about this purchase, but he's hoping she will come around, seeing as how the Corvette is an automatic...!
-----
I have found the one treat that my picky cat, Grimm, TRULY enjoys: Greenies Tuna flavor. He LOVES them. I couldn't believe it- he actually begged for treats today! Odin will eat anything you put in front of him, so I never worry about him liking or disliking treats.
Grimm has also become more social lately. He's been sitting on my lap, purring, and he wakes me up every morning to snuggle. He's such a sweet cat... it's just taken him a little time to finally show it. Grimm has also been out and about more when we have friends over. Maybe he is finally "ok" with Odin and the new house...?
Odin is still a spazz... He runs around the house like his tail is on fire! He runs laps, up and down the hallway, thru the kitchen, around the entertainment center, up the back of the recliner, and back down the hallway. He's insane... but after he's calmed down, he's asleep on my lap, usually under the blanket.
-----
We've been married for a little over 7 weeks now. Nothing feels any different.
I'm still looking for a job. I've had several interviews, even a few second interviews, but still no job. I'm starting to get discouraged...
We got our tax rebate and with some of the money, we bought an LED TV. It's nice... a little too real at times, but nice. :)
-----
I think that's it for now...!
But... while I was in there, I noticed the peel-n-stick bathroom tile that was in our bathroom was drying out and starting to lift up... so I looked... and WOW. The flooring underneath was fine, just REALLY dated and REALLY ugly. Go team. I'll have to post a picture of it later. Let's just say I'm looking forward to peeling up all the flooring eventually and seeing what can be done.
-----
On another topic, my last remaining grandparent passed away on Feb. 11th, just three days shy of her 94th birthday. Apparently, she took a turn for the worst around Christmas... she wasn't able to attend my wedding and she wasn't able to see the pictures due to her poor eyesight. She wasn't my favorite grandmother, but she was my dad's mom.
With this in mind, my dad decided to purchase a Corvette. It's a 1999 Torch Red Corvette with a red/black modified interior and a hood scoop. It's a nice little car... he's going to enjoy driving it and I'm going to enjoy visiting. :) haha! Needless to say, my mom isn't very excited about this purchase, but he's hoping she will come around, seeing as how the Corvette is an automatic...!
-----
I have found the one treat that my picky cat, Grimm, TRULY enjoys: Greenies Tuna flavor. He LOVES them. I couldn't believe it- he actually begged for treats today! Odin will eat anything you put in front of him, so I never worry about him liking or disliking treats.
Grimm has also become more social lately. He's been sitting on my lap, purring, and he wakes me up every morning to snuggle. He's such a sweet cat... it's just taken him a little time to finally show it. Grimm has also been out and about more when we have friends over. Maybe he is finally "ok" with Odin and the new house...?
Odin is still a spazz... He runs around the house like his tail is on fire! He runs laps, up and down the hallway, thru the kitchen, around the entertainment center, up the back of the recliner, and back down the hallway. He's insane... but after he's calmed down, he's asleep on my lap, usually under the blanket.
-----
We've been married for a little over 7 weeks now. Nothing feels any different.
I'm still looking for a job. I've had several interviews, even a few second interviews, but still no job. I'm starting to get discouraged...
We got our tax rebate and with some of the money, we bought an LED TV. It's nice... a little too real at times, but nice. :)
-----
I think that's it for now...!
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
So... Angry....!!!
Second blog in a day. Weird.
Moving on...
ANGER! GRR!
I was watching the local news tonight and I saw a story about a guy who had his new credit card stolen right out of his mailbox. He went to the NEWS to report this incident and asked if THEY could help him find the person(s) responsible. Well, the news contacted the stores at which the card had been used and the store released the footage and two people were found using the card- their faces were shown on the news tonight.
And that made me think...
My ENTIRE WALLET was stolen in May 2008. Credit cards, social security card, driver's license, insurance information, even my library card and cash... ALL gone. I only found out because I needed my checkbook for something and when I looked for it in my purse, I didn't see my wallet... I checked my car and it wasn't there either. I looked online and saw hundreds of dollars being spent on ALL of my cards- I *immediately* called my credit card companies... not the news, not the police, the cards. When I called the cancel them, they told me when and where the cards were last used so I could call the cops and be able to get video footage in order to press charges against the person(s). After calling all of the credit and debit card companies, I called the police. I gave them all the information the credit card companies had given me, but the detective didn't seem to care. In fact, he said it happens everyday and there was "no way" to track that kind of stuff down and to just cancel my cards and file something with the credit agencies that said my cards were stolen and to join a credit theft program (like LifeLock).
So I did. I joined LifeLock, I reported myself as a "stolen identity" to the credit agencies, and I canceled all of my cards and got new ones. I never heard from the detective again; I don't know if anything has been found/returned to the police. I called the stores at which my cards were used (Fred Meyer store on 20th Street) and I called Tri-Met, since they used my cards to buy Max tickets... but NO ONE would release video surveillance footage to me or the police. In fact, when I told the police they should call and get the footage, they didn't seem to give a rat's ass.
Well, I am regretting my decision in trusting the police AGAIN. The first time I trusted them, my car was wrecked with blood evidence everywhere and the cops wouldn't do anything- they weren't even willing to check local hospitals for patients with recent head wounds. They told me, "We're not CSI, ma'am." They filed a report, but NOTHING came of that one, either... well, other than my car being totaled by my insurance company and me spending money to get my car fixed so I could drive it again and me not having a car for over TWO MONTHS because the jackasses that fixed it took their sweet-ass time. GRR. ANGER.
I should have called the local news station when my wallet was stolen and maybe they could have helped my find the person(s) responsible for stealing my entire wallet, not just one card out of my mailbox. I contacted the news station's "problem solver" and we'll see if she responds. If not, I feel like calling the news station tomorrow and asking them how that guy managed to get what I couldn't, help. Is he loaded with cash, sleep with the news anchor, or give the manager of Fred Meyer a blowjob...? Either way, I'd like my video surveillance footage so I can press charges against the asshole(s) that took MY wallet!!
*end rant*
Moving on...
ANGER! GRR!
I was watching the local news tonight and I saw a story about a guy who had his new credit card stolen right out of his mailbox. He went to the NEWS to report this incident and asked if THEY could help him find the person(s) responsible. Well, the news contacted the stores at which the card had been used and the store released the footage and two people were found using the card- their faces were shown on the news tonight.
And that made me think...
My ENTIRE WALLET was stolen in May 2008. Credit cards, social security card, driver's license, insurance information, even my library card and cash... ALL gone. I only found out because I needed my checkbook for something and when I looked for it in my purse, I didn't see my wallet... I checked my car and it wasn't there either. I looked online and saw hundreds of dollars being spent on ALL of my cards- I *immediately* called my credit card companies... not the news, not the police, the cards. When I called the cancel them, they told me when and where the cards were last used so I could call the cops and be able to get video footage in order to press charges against the person(s). After calling all of the credit and debit card companies, I called the police. I gave them all the information the credit card companies had given me, but the detective didn't seem to care. In fact, he said it happens everyday and there was "no way" to track that kind of stuff down and to just cancel my cards and file something with the credit agencies that said my cards were stolen and to join a credit theft program (like LifeLock).
So I did. I joined LifeLock, I reported myself as a "stolen identity" to the credit agencies, and I canceled all of my cards and got new ones. I never heard from the detective again; I don't know if anything has been found/returned to the police. I called the stores at which my cards were used (Fred Meyer store on 20th Street) and I called Tri-Met, since they used my cards to buy Max tickets... but NO ONE would release video surveillance footage to me or the police. In fact, when I told the police they should call and get the footage, they didn't seem to give a rat's ass.
Well, I am regretting my decision in trusting the police AGAIN. The first time I trusted them, my car was wrecked with blood evidence everywhere and the cops wouldn't do anything- they weren't even willing to check local hospitals for patients with recent head wounds. They told me, "We're not CSI, ma'am." They filed a report, but NOTHING came of that one, either... well, other than my car being totaled by my insurance company and me spending money to get my car fixed so I could drive it again and me not having a car for over TWO MONTHS because the jackasses that fixed it took their sweet-ass time. GRR. ANGER.
I should have called the local news station when my wallet was stolen and maybe they could have helped my find the person(s) responsible for stealing my entire wallet, not just one card out of my mailbox. I contacted the news station's "problem solver" and we'll see if she responds. If not, I feel like calling the news station tomorrow and asking them how that guy managed to get what I couldn't, help. Is he loaded with cash, sleep with the news anchor, or give the manager of Fred Meyer a blowjob...? Either way, I'd like my video surveillance footage so I can press charges against the asshole(s) that took MY wallet!!
*end rant*
An Ode to Cleaning
Today was a sad day for me as I watched friends leave to re-start their lives in Utah...
I decided since I was up and somewhat caffeinated, I would clean my bathroom... since it's been needing a good cleaning for a while now and I haven't done it because, "It's our bathroom- no one uses it but us."
The ceiling of our bathroom has had small specks of mold growing on it since we bought the house. We figured it was no big deal- we'd clean it and all would be fine. Well, we never cleaned it and it didn't seem to get any worse. Then, our bathroom fan stopped working and we noticed it got worse, especially after the wedding. So today, I decided to scrub the ceiling with this mold cleaner stuff (it also prevents new mold from growing). I got most of it off with my little scrubber, but not all of it because of the stupid texture on the ceiling... the mold liked the small, tiny crevices in the ceiling texture. Imagine that.
Every time I clean or Sam goes to fix something, we discover something new that the previous owners attempted to fix or change... but they FAILED... miserably. If these people actually think they "fixed" the house, they are sadly mistaken and they need to be blacklisted from ALL home improvement stores across the nation. He/She/They SUCK at do-it-yourself stuff. Anyway...
I cleaned the ceiling. Check. Then, I decided it was time to tackle the shower. We apparently have very "rusty" water in Portland because we have a beautiful, reddish shower. Yay. I grabbed the Mr. Clean and a sponge and tackled that. While cleaning, I noticed that the seal around the shower wasn't really there anymore... it had been scrubbed away. Weird, right? Nope... not when you consider the idiots who most likely put the seal down in the first place. I'm glad we bought some tub/shower caulk at Home Depot the other day...!
I cleaned the shower. Check. Then, I thought it would be good to clean the floor... until I remembered that's the LAST thing I should clean because I don't want to get my dirty, wet feet all over a nice, clean floor. So, I decided to clean the toilet instead. I grabbed the blue goo and squirted it around the bowl and then I grabbed my all-natural cleaner to wipe down the outside. As I was cleaning, I noticed the toilet tank was very wet... I kept cleaning. I thought, "Well, if the front of the tank is this wet, I wonder how wet the bottom of the tank is..." And honestly, I could have lived without knowing the answer to that thought.
OMG HOLY BLACK MOLD, BATMAN! GROSS!
It's everywhere. All under the tank, along the hose that leads to the wall... it was even dripping onto the floor, hence why our floor tiles have been kinda damp and seeping water between the cracks... also why our floor looked so dirty behind the toilet and why I thought, "No one uses this bathroom but us so why clean it?"
Yes, ANOTHER thing those people messed up... they never sealed the peel-n-stick floor tiles... they just simply peeled-n-sticked. Nice, eh? So now the sticky is lifting up because there's water underneath... and probably mold, too. GROSS! Anyway...
When I saw the gross blackness that used to be a white paper towel... I looked under the toilet tank and saw the most disgusting thing I've seen in a while. I threw the paper towel in the trash and started cleaning the floor. F*ck it. I just want a new toilet at this point. This is ridiculous... I'm not cleaning that and I know Sam definitely isn't going to. I scrubbed the inside of the toilet bowl and called it a day.
I cleaned the floor. Check. Then, I decided to scrape off the remaining border (and glue) in the bathroom. I sprayed on that fancy blue enzyme stuff and let it sit for a while. In the meantime, I took apart the behind-the-toilet shelf thing that we've been using as a towel rack. My eventual task: take down that HUGE mirror (it's a TINY bathroom, you didn't fool anyone) and put in towel racks, after painting of course. After that thing was in the garage, I went back to scrape off the border. In the process, I noticed I was scraping off PAINT... and a little bit of the actual wall, too!
Yes, another fun fact about this house: These people also had NO idea how to paint, let it dry, and then do something. They also had NO idea how to use wallpaper, borders, or wallpaper glue/paste. Combine the two and that's what had happened in our bathroom. We found out about the wallpaper paste when we tore down the butcher paper in the back bedroom... and we found out they don't like to let things dry before doing something else, also in the back bedroom when we found butcher paper glued to the drywall tape/putty. Time for round 2 in our bathroom, I guess. Anyway...
I got off what I could of the remaining border and glue and left the rest to be sanded. I cleaned the sink, the counter, and the mirror and I was DONE. Then I looked to my right and noticed the medicine cabinet mirror... it was a little dirty, so I cleaned that too... only to find out that the color of the wood was rubbing off with the glass cleaner... and there was rust on the hinges.
Again, WHY would you put metal hinges in a bathroom that you KNOW has water/dampness issues... and why a wooden medicine cabinet that will eventually warp, especially if the wood wasn't properly stained and sealed? /sigh If I see either of the two jerks who "fixed" this house, I'm going to ask them, "What the F*CK were you thinking?!!" Anyway...
I was DONE. Really done. Finished.
I thought I'd go into the hall bathroom and clean that as well. I grabbed all the towels, bathmats, and other assorted things and started a load of laundry. I headed back to the bathroom and thought I'd start with the toilet and clean from there... maybe the floor and later the sink and counter. As I'm cleaning, I notice a LOT of water behind the toilet... so I look... and BOOM!
More delicious black mold... and not just mold, but wet, dripping, gross black mold. Yum.
I didn't even wipe it off. F*ck it. Again, I want a new toilet. I'm not cleaning that- it's worse than in our bathroom (believe it or not, it is)...!! I cleaned the floor and the sink and I got out of there. I cannot believe that BOTH toilets have black mold growing under the toilet tanks! YUCK!
Needless to say, I am done cleaning for now. I might clean more tomorrow, but for now... I'm done. We'll see what Sam says when he comes home tonight and sees the science experiment gone wrong that's under our toilet.
On another note, our house guests left this morning for Utah. A friend of ours and her daughter were staying with us for a week or so until they got their feet on the ground. I'm glad we were able to help them when they needed it most. I was sad to see them go, but I know they're going somewhere more stable than where they've been and they NEED that right now... and they'll have a dog. :) hehe Not only that, but it will give the daughter an opportunity to finish high school and prepare for COLLEGE... I hope she listened to what I had to say about that. Just remember- Portland has some pretty awesome colleges. ;) It will also give her mom a chance to find a job (hopefully) and be able to get her independence back.
I love you both and I wish you both the very, very best.
You know you'll always have a home in Portland with us.
*hugs*
I decided since I was up and somewhat caffeinated, I would clean my bathroom... since it's been needing a good cleaning for a while now and I haven't done it because, "It's our bathroom- no one uses it but us."
The ceiling of our bathroom has had small specks of mold growing on it since we bought the house. We figured it was no big deal- we'd clean it and all would be fine. Well, we never cleaned it and it didn't seem to get any worse. Then, our bathroom fan stopped working and we noticed it got worse, especially after the wedding. So today, I decided to scrub the ceiling with this mold cleaner stuff (it also prevents new mold from growing). I got most of it off with my little scrubber, but not all of it because of the stupid texture on the ceiling... the mold liked the small, tiny crevices in the ceiling texture. Imagine that.
Every time I clean or Sam goes to fix something, we discover something new that the previous owners attempted to fix or change... but they FAILED... miserably. If these people actually think they "fixed" the house, they are sadly mistaken and they need to be blacklisted from ALL home improvement stores across the nation. He/She/They SUCK at do-it-yourself stuff. Anyway...
I cleaned the ceiling. Check. Then, I decided it was time to tackle the shower. We apparently have very "rusty" water in Portland because we have a beautiful, reddish shower. Yay. I grabbed the Mr. Clean and a sponge and tackled that. While cleaning, I noticed that the seal around the shower wasn't really there anymore... it had been scrubbed away. Weird, right? Nope... not when you consider the idiots who most likely put the seal down in the first place. I'm glad we bought some tub/shower caulk at Home Depot the other day...!
I cleaned the shower. Check. Then, I thought it would be good to clean the floor... until I remembered that's the LAST thing I should clean because I don't want to get my dirty, wet feet all over a nice, clean floor. So, I decided to clean the toilet instead. I grabbed the blue goo and squirted it around the bowl and then I grabbed my all-natural cleaner to wipe down the outside. As I was cleaning, I noticed the toilet tank was very wet... I kept cleaning. I thought, "Well, if the front of the tank is this wet, I wonder how wet the bottom of the tank is..." And honestly, I could have lived without knowing the answer to that thought.
OMG HOLY BLACK MOLD, BATMAN! GROSS!
It's everywhere. All under the tank, along the hose that leads to the wall... it was even dripping onto the floor, hence why our floor tiles have been kinda damp and seeping water between the cracks... also why our floor looked so dirty behind the toilet and why I thought, "No one uses this bathroom but us so why clean it?"
Yes, ANOTHER thing those people messed up... they never sealed the peel-n-stick floor tiles... they just simply peeled-n-sticked. Nice, eh? So now the sticky is lifting up because there's water underneath... and probably mold, too. GROSS! Anyway...
When I saw the gross blackness that used to be a white paper towel... I looked under the toilet tank and saw the most disgusting thing I've seen in a while. I threw the paper towel in the trash and started cleaning the floor. F*ck it. I just want a new toilet at this point. This is ridiculous... I'm not cleaning that and I know Sam definitely isn't going to. I scrubbed the inside of the toilet bowl and called it a day.
I cleaned the floor. Check. Then, I decided to scrape off the remaining border (and glue) in the bathroom. I sprayed on that fancy blue enzyme stuff and let it sit for a while. In the meantime, I took apart the behind-the-toilet shelf thing that we've been using as a towel rack. My eventual task: take down that HUGE mirror (it's a TINY bathroom, you didn't fool anyone) and put in towel racks, after painting of course. After that thing was in the garage, I went back to scrape off the border. In the process, I noticed I was scraping off PAINT... and a little bit of the actual wall, too!
Yes, another fun fact about this house: These people also had NO idea how to paint, let it dry, and then do something. They also had NO idea how to use wallpaper, borders, or wallpaper glue/paste. Combine the two and that's what had happened in our bathroom. We found out about the wallpaper paste when we tore down the butcher paper in the back bedroom... and we found out they don't like to let things dry before doing something else, also in the back bedroom when we found butcher paper glued to the drywall tape/putty. Time for round 2 in our bathroom, I guess. Anyway...
I got off what I could of the remaining border and glue and left the rest to be sanded. I cleaned the sink, the counter, and the mirror and I was DONE. Then I looked to my right and noticed the medicine cabinet mirror... it was a little dirty, so I cleaned that too... only to find out that the color of the wood was rubbing off with the glass cleaner... and there was rust on the hinges.
Again, WHY would you put metal hinges in a bathroom that you KNOW has water/dampness issues... and why a wooden medicine cabinet that will eventually warp, especially if the wood wasn't properly stained and sealed? /sigh If I see either of the two jerks who "fixed" this house, I'm going to ask them, "What the F*CK were you thinking?!!" Anyway...
I was DONE. Really done. Finished.
I thought I'd go into the hall bathroom and clean that as well. I grabbed all the towels, bathmats, and other assorted things and started a load of laundry. I headed back to the bathroom and thought I'd start with the toilet and clean from there... maybe the floor and later the sink and counter. As I'm cleaning, I notice a LOT of water behind the toilet... so I look... and BOOM!
More delicious black mold... and not just mold, but wet, dripping, gross black mold. Yum.
I didn't even wipe it off. F*ck it. Again, I want a new toilet. I'm not cleaning that- it's worse than in our bathroom (believe it or not, it is)...!! I cleaned the floor and the sink and I got out of there. I cannot believe that BOTH toilets have black mold growing under the toilet tanks! YUCK!
Needless to say, I am done cleaning for now. I might clean more tomorrow, but for now... I'm done. We'll see what Sam says when he comes home tonight and sees the science experiment gone wrong that's under our toilet.
On another note, our house guests left this morning for Utah. A friend of ours and her daughter were staying with us for a week or so until they got their feet on the ground. I'm glad we were able to help them when they needed it most. I was sad to see them go, but I know they're going somewhere more stable than where they've been and they NEED that right now... and they'll have a dog. :) hehe Not only that, but it will give the daughter an opportunity to finish high school and prepare for COLLEGE... I hope she listened to what I had to say about that. Just remember- Portland has some pretty awesome colleges. ;) It will also give her mom a chance to find a job (hopefully) and be able to get her independence back.
I love you both and I wish you both the very, very best.
You know you'll always have a home in Portland with us.
*hugs*
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Vivid Dreams
Lately, I've been having a lot of crazy dreams. I've been posting short summaries to Twitter on occasion and I'm sure the people involved are wondering, "WTF?!" Believe me, I am too. Here are a few of the ones I can remember:
Sam and I were given a ransom note. We had to bake a cake with chocolate frosting and go to a Shell station to buy sunglasses and a baseball cap before meeting our "contact." We were given specific instructions to go to Stater Brothers market to acquire the cake and frosting; however, the market was under construction and we didn't know where things had been moved. We finally found the baking section, with help from an employee, and Sam was very stubborn on the type of cake we were going to buy (I grabbed sugar free white cake mix and he grabbed regular white cake mix). We got in line, but since the lines were too long and we had to be at the meeting point by a certain time, we found another place to purchase our items.
I woke up before we got to the Shell station. Boo!!
I was a "volunteer" maid/room straightener-upper at a fancy hotel. I was in charge of cleaning/straightening up rooms on the 5th level. I walked into a few rooms around 4am to clean and left the message of, "It's 4am. Do you know where your kids are?" for the sleeping parents. My final room of the night turned out to belong to a friend of mine for the evening. Megh and her hubby were in the room, watching TV while I fixed up the room. I fixed the sheets, blankets, and comforter and cleaned off the table, mirror, and bathroom counter. When I was done, I laid on the bed with Megh and watched TV while her hubby sat at the table, doing something that looked like "important" paperwork.
That's just for the past two nights. When I remember more, I'll have to remember to post them. ha!
Sam and I were given a ransom note. We had to bake a cake with chocolate frosting and go to a Shell station to buy sunglasses and a baseball cap before meeting our "contact." We were given specific instructions to go to Stater Brothers market to acquire the cake and frosting; however, the market was under construction and we didn't know where things had been moved. We finally found the baking section, with help from an employee, and Sam was very stubborn on the type of cake we were going to buy (I grabbed sugar free white cake mix and he grabbed regular white cake mix). We got in line, but since the lines were too long and we had to be at the meeting point by a certain time, we found another place to purchase our items.
I woke up before we got to the Shell station. Boo!!
I was a "volunteer" maid/room straightener-upper at a fancy hotel. I was in charge of cleaning/straightening up rooms on the 5th level. I walked into a few rooms around 4am to clean and left the message of, "It's 4am. Do you know where your kids are?" for the sleeping parents. My final room of the night turned out to belong to a friend of mine for the evening. Megh and her hubby were in the room, watching TV while I fixed up the room. I fixed the sheets, blankets, and comforter and cleaned off the table, mirror, and bathroom counter. When I was done, I laid on the bed with Megh and watched TV while her hubby sat at the table, doing something that looked like "important" paperwork.
That's just for the past two nights. When I remember more, I'll have to remember to post them. ha!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Happy New Year!
... a few weeks late, but better than never, eh?
Oh, so by the way, I got married on January 2nd... that is, if you didn't already know that.
I thought I'd share a few pictures, even though they're all on Facebook and this blog post will eventually post to Facebook... Oh, well. Double exposure, right?
The Whole Group: Matthew, James, Li, Mitch, Eric, Sam, Sarah (me), Jenny, Malia, Shyleen, Felicia, Meghan. Flower Girl: Emma Ring Bearer: Colby
Me and My Boys: Matthew, Eric, Sam, Sarah (me), Colby, Li, Mitch, James.
Me and My Girls: Shyleen, Jenny, Sarah (me), Malia, Felicia, Meghan.
Just the Two of Us: Sarah and Sam
The Actual Ceremony. Dark, but you get the idea.
Our First Dance: "Nothing Else Matters," by Metallica.
Teaching the kiddos how to dance! Sarah, Emma, Megan, Felicia, Colby.
A good time was had by all... and my dress was the talk of the night!
Thanks again for everything, everyone!
*hugs*
Oh, so by the way, I got married on January 2nd... that is, if you didn't already know that.
I thought I'd share a few pictures, even though they're all on Facebook and this blog post will eventually post to Facebook... Oh, well. Double exposure, right?
The Whole Group: Matthew, James, Li, Mitch, Eric, Sam, Sarah (me), Jenny, Malia, Shyleen, Felicia, Meghan. Flower Girl: Emma Ring Bearer: Colby
Me and My Boys: Matthew, Eric, Sam, Sarah (me), Colby, Li, Mitch, James.
Me and My Girls: Shyleen, Jenny, Sarah (me), Malia, Felicia, Meghan.
Just the Two of Us: Sarah and Sam
The Actual Ceremony. Dark, but you get the idea.
Our First Dance: "Nothing Else Matters," by Metallica.
Teaching the kiddos how to dance! Sarah, Emma, Megan, Felicia, Colby.
A good time was had by all... and my dress was the talk of the night!
Thanks again for everything, everyone!
*hugs*
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Christmas Baking
This year, I will not be doing my typical "hundreds of holiday cookies."
Instead, I am getting married.
I hope that is ok with everyone... because if it's not, I can send you some crappy store-bought cookies in a tin with a "Made from Scratch" sticker to make it look more authentic.
If it is ok with you, look forward to next year... when I shall resume the hundreds of holiday cookie making tradition. Oh, and cakes, too. :)
Maybe I will make a few cookies while I am in California...
Instead, I am getting married.
I hope that is ok with everyone... because if it's not, I can send you some crappy store-bought cookies in a tin with a "Made from Scratch" sticker to make it look more authentic.
If it is ok with you, look forward to next year... when I shall resume the hundreds of holiday cookie making tradition. Oh, and cakes, too. :)
Maybe I will make a few cookies while I am in California...
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Randomness at its Best
I have a wedding countdown on the fridge. I update it every morning when I get up. :)
TWENTY DAYS.
It's the first time in a WEEK that our high temperature has been above freezing. I actually walked outside today in a t-shirt to get the newspaper. It felt fabulous.
The boys, and Whitney, are over playing D&D tonight. I am making meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and apple cinnamon compote for dinner. I also made banana bread. It smells delicious.
The Winter Festive Tree is up and decorated. The icicle lights are actually up this year and some of my candles are on display. Oh, and there are actually a few presents under the tree, despite this horrible economy.
Heard some of the BEST NEWS EVER. from my friend and former co-worker, Kirksey, today. I gave him a high-five, it was THAT awesome. :)
Bridesmaids all have their dresses... Groomsmen all know where to reserve their kilts/accessories from... All is well on that front. FINALLY. I pick up my dress on FRIDAY. TWENTY DAYS.
Oh, 20 days, like a 20-sided dice. Wow.
I'm a geek after all.
TWENTY DAYS.
It's the first time in a WEEK that our high temperature has been above freezing. I actually walked outside today in a t-shirt to get the newspaper. It felt fabulous.
The boys, and Whitney, are over playing D&D tonight. I am making meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and apple cinnamon compote for dinner. I also made banana bread. It smells delicious.
The Winter Festive Tree is up and decorated. The icicle lights are actually up this year and some of my candles are on display. Oh, and there are actually a few presents under the tree, despite this horrible economy.
Heard some of the BEST NEWS EVER. from my friend and former co-worker, Kirksey, today. I gave him a high-five, it was THAT awesome. :)
Bridesmaids all have their dresses... Groomsmen all know where to reserve their kilts/accessories from... All is well on that front. FINALLY. I pick up my dress on FRIDAY. TWENTY DAYS.
Oh, 20 days, like a 20-sided dice. Wow.
I'm a geek after all.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Random Thought of the Weekend
This weekend, I realized...
I've been a very quiet person when it comes to my "private" life. It became very apparent to me at my bridal shower this weekend when the most correct answers was 10/20 (not including my bridesmaids who threw the party and were ineligible to earn a prize). One of my family members suggested that I e-mail her weekly with something about me that she didn't already know. :)
So I wondered... What do people want to know about me? I mean, really...?
Here's your opportunity. Ask me a question, or two or three, that you'd like me to answer (I'm not going to answer anything too personal). I'll give it a week or so for all the questions... and then I'll post a response with all the answers.
Here's the answers to most of the questions I was asked this weekend, mainly at my 10 year high school reunion:
I'm not married (yet).
I don't have any kids.
I'm living in Portland.
I own a house.
I'm currently unemployed... but still looking.
Now it's your turn.
Ask away. :)
I've been a very quiet person when it comes to my "private" life. It became very apparent to me at my bridal shower this weekend when the most correct answers was 10/20 (not including my bridesmaids who threw the party and were ineligible to earn a prize). One of my family members suggested that I e-mail her weekly with something about me that she didn't already know. :)
So I wondered... What do people want to know about me? I mean, really...?
Here's your opportunity. Ask me a question, or two or three, that you'd like me to answer (I'm not going to answer anything too personal). I'll give it a week or so for all the questions... and then I'll post a response with all the answers.
Here's the answers to most of the questions I was asked this weekend, mainly at my 10 year high school reunion:
I'm not married (yet).
I don't have any kids.
I'm living in Portland.
I own a house.
I'm currently unemployed... but still looking.
Now it's your turn.
Ask away. :)
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Bridal Shower Stress
For those of you reading this, either knowing my family or being a part of my family, I apologize in advance; but I need to get this off my chest.
Honestly, planning a bridal shower should NOT be stressful. In fact, it should be relatively easy, especially when a date has been set. When I threw my sister's bridal shower, we had a date, we had a place, and we had a time (about). Done. I bought some food and some decorations and Jenny and I set the thing up at my aunt's house one the day of. Done.
My original shower date was tentative, but it would be somewhere between November 6-8th. The reasoning behind that date was due to the fact that I would already be in town for a week filled with a birth, a birthday, and a baptism. Since I live in Portland and the shower would be in California, it would be ideal to have the shower while I was already planning on being in town. I want to have one bridal shower in California and one in Oregon. Done.
Granted, the timing of my original date wasn't the best, given the fact that my Matron of Honor (Jenny) is pregnant and due around the time I was planning my shower (Nov. 4th), but when the possibility of a cesarean surfaced, we all took a step back to ponder the situation. Some of us did more pondering than others, I think...
My mom, for example, decided that Jenny should not be on her feet, helping at the shower, no matter how she felt physically if we had my shower in November as planned. Even if Jen had the procedure done two weeks prior, my mom still did not feel comfortable asking Jenny to attend, let alone help out. She also did not want to burden Jenny with the task of driving wherever we may be with a newborn and possibly in pain, only to sit on an unfamiliar couch and have to breastfeed with strange people around. She also decided it was bad for the baby to be around all those people after just being born for such a long time. Basically, no matter what, Jenny should not be involved if we had a shower in November due to the newborn baby and possible cesarean.
My mom also thought in order to help with the amount of people around the newborn, I could have two showers; a family shower and a friend shower. That way, Jenny's baby is only around me, Jen, Shyleen, Megh, and Malia... My mom felt as though that would be best anyway since we've known each other for so long and for them to sit with my family (people they "don't know") would be uncomfortable for them.
When two of my bridesmaids were concerned that Jenny wouldn't be able to come and didn't want to exclude her, I decided it was best to proceed with caution and have the shower earlier as opposed to later (like, in December). They were also concerned with how busy my week in November was going to be, between helping Jen with the new baby and helping Shyleen with Colby's birthday/baptism extravaganza.
I was planning on being in town for our 10 year High School reunion on October 9th. My bought my plane tickets the other day; I fly in on October 8th and leave on October 12th. That gives me a weekend to do wedding related things... possibly the shower.
I consulted my bridesmaids and they all seemed okay with that idea, especially Saturday, October 10th. The two bridesmaids that stepped up to the plate to help out with planning/implementation were happy to hear of the date change. I talked it over with Jenny and she seemed happy (relieved, almost) that she would still be pregnant and able to help, if needed. I talked to my mom and she also liked that date. I told her I wanted an all-in-one bridal shower, family and friends, and she seemed okay with that as well, especially since there wouldn't be more than 20 people total (including children if they came). She was still a bit hesitant, but I told her that's how I wanted it; one big, happy bridal shower.
The last phone call ended sometime after 10pm last night... after a day full of phone calls and text messages regarding this whole ordeal.
Tonight, at 10pm, I get a phone call from my mom, informing me that my aunt has a "concert date" for the evening of October 10th. Basically, my mom was telling me that my aunt was not available on that date and that I needed to "reschedule;" either plan a family shower in November and keep the friend shower in October, or reschedule the all-in-one to another day. My initial thought: Too damn bad; this day works for everyone else and I'm not going to reschedule for one person, no matter how related we are.
My secondary thought: This is the same aunt, who, at my birthday dinner in June, left the restaurant while I was in the bathroom, without a word. When I came out of the bathroom, I asked where she was and my mom said she had gone home... and I didn't get the chance to thank her for my gift or give her a hug goodbye, since I hadn't seen her in a while. I love my aunt, don't get me wrong, but to leave a birthday dinner without telling the birthday girl goodbye... I think that's a little messed up. And now she can't come to my bridal shower because the concert is more important? But I digress.
My mom then proceeded to tell me that her former principal was planning her retirement party sometime in October and she was worried that it was on the 10th as well. She told me that both her and my aunt would be invited and therefore unable to attend my bridal shower, even if it was in the afternoon since the retirement party would most likely be in the afternoon as well. My mom then said it was probably best for me to plan a family party in November so that she and my aunt could be there with the other family members, since they may be uncomfortable around my friends without my mom and aunt there.
I told my mom that the idea of having a bridal shower was stressing me out and that this should NOT stress me out as much as it was at that moment. And I hung up. I couldn't take it anymore. Less than 24 hours after a date was settled, it was unsettled...
WHAT THE F*CK, PEOPLE?!!
This is FAMILY. Where are your priorities?
Not only that, but I am your DAUGHTER.
That, in my opinion, is FAR more important than your former principal. (Granted, this former principal is a *wonderful* woman, but I know she would understand... it's family.)
Don't worry; I will be calling my mom back tomorrow and letting her know that there will be ONE and only ONE bridal shower and that priorities need to be set. If I'm not a priority, fine; I can live with that, but I need to know where I stand.
My bridal shower WILL BE on October 10th in the afternoon. For those of you living in California who might be interested, let one of my California bridesmaids (Jenny, Malia, Megh, and Shyleen) know and they will hook you up with an invitation. For those of you in Portland who would like to attend my eventual bridal shower (date TBA), let my Portland bridesmaid (Felicia) know and she fill you in as soon as we decide on at date/time/etc.
Honestly, planning a bridal shower should NOT be stressful. In fact, it should be relatively easy, especially when a date has been set. When I threw my sister's bridal shower, we had a date, we had a place, and we had a time (about). Done. I bought some food and some decorations and Jenny and I set the thing up at my aunt's house one the day of. Done.
My original shower date was tentative, but it would be somewhere between November 6-8th. The reasoning behind that date was due to the fact that I would already be in town for a week filled with a birth, a birthday, and a baptism. Since I live in Portland and the shower would be in California, it would be ideal to have the shower while I was already planning on being in town. I want to have one bridal shower in California and one in Oregon. Done.
Granted, the timing of my original date wasn't the best, given the fact that my Matron of Honor (Jenny) is pregnant and due around the time I was planning my shower (Nov. 4th), but when the possibility of a cesarean surfaced, we all took a step back to ponder the situation. Some of us did more pondering than others, I think...
My mom, for example, decided that Jenny should not be on her feet, helping at the shower, no matter how she felt physically if we had my shower in November as planned. Even if Jen had the procedure done two weeks prior, my mom still did not feel comfortable asking Jenny to attend, let alone help out. She also did not want to burden Jenny with the task of driving wherever we may be with a newborn and possibly in pain, only to sit on an unfamiliar couch and have to breastfeed with strange people around. She also decided it was bad for the baby to be around all those people after just being born for such a long time. Basically, no matter what, Jenny should not be involved if we had a shower in November due to the newborn baby and possible cesarean.
My mom also thought in order to help with the amount of people around the newborn, I could have two showers; a family shower and a friend shower. That way, Jenny's baby is only around me, Jen, Shyleen, Megh, and Malia... My mom felt as though that would be best anyway since we've known each other for so long and for them to sit with my family (people they "don't know") would be uncomfortable for them.
When two of my bridesmaids were concerned that Jenny wouldn't be able to come and didn't want to exclude her, I decided it was best to proceed with caution and have the shower earlier as opposed to later (like, in December). They were also concerned with how busy my week in November was going to be, between helping Jen with the new baby and helping Shyleen with Colby's birthday/baptism extravaganza.
I was planning on being in town for our 10 year High School reunion on October 9th. My bought my plane tickets the other day; I fly in on October 8th and leave on October 12th. That gives me a weekend to do wedding related things... possibly the shower.
I consulted my bridesmaids and they all seemed okay with that idea, especially Saturday, October 10th. The two bridesmaids that stepped up to the plate to help out with planning/implementation were happy to hear of the date change. I talked it over with Jenny and she seemed happy (relieved, almost) that she would still be pregnant and able to help, if needed. I talked to my mom and she also liked that date. I told her I wanted an all-in-one bridal shower, family and friends, and she seemed okay with that as well, especially since there wouldn't be more than 20 people total (including children if they came). She was still a bit hesitant, but I told her that's how I wanted it; one big, happy bridal shower.
The last phone call ended sometime after 10pm last night... after a day full of phone calls and text messages regarding this whole ordeal.
Tonight, at 10pm, I get a phone call from my mom, informing me that my aunt has a "concert date" for the evening of October 10th. Basically, my mom was telling me that my aunt was not available on that date and that I needed to "reschedule;" either plan a family shower in November and keep the friend shower in October, or reschedule the all-in-one to another day. My initial thought: Too damn bad; this day works for everyone else and I'm not going to reschedule for one person, no matter how related we are.
My secondary thought: This is the same aunt, who, at my birthday dinner in June, left the restaurant while I was in the bathroom, without a word. When I came out of the bathroom, I asked where she was and my mom said she had gone home... and I didn't get the chance to thank her for my gift or give her a hug goodbye, since I hadn't seen her in a while. I love my aunt, don't get me wrong, but to leave a birthday dinner without telling the birthday girl goodbye... I think that's a little messed up. And now she can't come to my bridal shower because the concert is more important? But I digress.
My mom then proceeded to tell me that her former principal was planning her retirement party sometime in October and she was worried that it was on the 10th as well. She told me that both her and my aunt would be invited and therefore unable to attend my bridal shower, even if it was in the afternoon since the retirement party would most likely be in the afternoon as well. My mom then said it was probably best for me to plan a family party in November so that she and my aunt could be there with the other family members, since they may be uncomfortable around my friends without my mom and aunt there.
I told my mom that the idea of having a bridal shower was stressing me out and that this should NOT stress me out as much as it was at that moment. And I hung up. I couldn't take it anymore. Less than 24 hours after a date was settled, it was unsettled...
WHAT THE F*CK, PEOPLE?!!
This is FAMILY. Where are your priorities?
Not only that, but I am your DAUGHTER.
That, in my opinion, is FAR more important than your former principal. (Granted, this former principal is a *wonderful* woman, but I know she would understand... it's family.)
Don't worry; I will be calling my mom back tomorrow and letting her know that there will be ONE and only ONE bridal shower and that priorities need to be set. If I'm not a priority, fine; I can live with that, but I need to know where I stand.
My bridal shower WILL BE on October 10th in the afternoon. For those of you living in California who might be interested, let one of my California bridesmaids (Jenny, Malia, Megh, and Shyleen) know and they will hook you up with an invitation. For those of you in Portland who would like to attend my eventual bridal shower (date TBA), let my Portland bridesmaid (Felicia) know and she fill you in as soon as we decide on at date/time/etc.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Dinner!
The second Saturday of every month = Dinner at my place!
Which, by the way, I LOVE, because I get to cook yummy food and lots of it... enough to feed all of my hungry friends! Tonight, I made meatloaf, a turkey-loaf, garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and garlic bread! For dessert, I made cupcakes... Confetti with Whipped Cream frosting, Yellow with Lemon frosting, and Chocolate with Chocolate frosting. And then...
I was so proud of my cupcake tower of tastiness. It looked great... until Yav ate one right from the front of the tower! haha!
If you're in Portland on the second Saturday of the month and you don't have any plans, you should swing by my house and see what's for dinner! I'd be glad to have you over!
... and if you enjoy a little RPG action, it seems as though Sam has added on a fascinating game of D&D after dinner. Fun for everyone! (Well, kinda...)
** October's dinner shall be postponed until Halloween... since I will be out of town for my 10 year high school reunion... hehe **
Which, by the way, I LOVE, because I get to cook yummy food and lots of it... enough to feed all of my hungry friends! Tonight, I made meatloaf, a turkey-loaf, garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and garlic bread! For dessert, I made cupcakes... Confetti with Whipped Cream frosting, Yellow with Lemon frosting, and Chocolate with Chocolate frosting. And then...
I was so proud of my cupcake tower of tastiness. It looked great... until Yav ate one right from the front of the tower! haha!
If you're in Portland on the second Saturday of the month and you don't have any plans, you should swing by my house and see what's for dinner! I'd be glad to have you over!
... and if you enjoy a little RPG action, it seems as though Sam has added on a fascinating game of D&D after dinner. Fun for everyone! (Well, kinda...)
** October's dinner shall be postponed until Halloween... since I will be out of town for my 10 year high school reunion... hehe **
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Cake Topper Madness!
Alright everyone... The moment you've all been waiting for!
(Well, not really, but...)
We've narrowed it down to three options, in no particular order:
1. The Kiss
2. Infinite Love
3. Dancing Couple
Not that we're going to necessarily listen to your opinions when we make our final decision, I'm just curious as to which one you like!
(Well, not really, but...)
We've narrowed it down to three options, in no particular order:
1. The Kiss
2. Infinite Love
3. Dancing Couple
Not that we're going to necessarily listen to your opinions when we make our final decision, I'm just curious as to which one you like!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Random Thought of the Day
Note: This is not meant to offend anyone or rub you the wrong way; it is merely an observation.
As I approach the three year mark of me moving to Portland, I have realized one thing:
Only ONE person from California has come to visit me since I moved.
That one person was not a parent or family member.
I remember people complaining, worrying, and being afraid that I would never come back to California to visit... and I have... SEVERAL times. But has anyone, other than that one person, come to visit me? No. I have driven down to California, flown into LAX and Long Beach several times for different events and functions, but no one has returned the favor. Some have talked about coming up, but it never happened. Some have been close, but yet, understandably far enough away so they can't visit.
I only recently thought about it when the thought of getting pregnant and having a baby became more of a reality than a daydream. Would my parents actually, FINALLY, come up and visit me? Would my friends come up for the birth? Would I actually have someone other than X and Yav staying in the spare bedroom overnight?
I love visiting California and I love seeing and hanging out with my friends... but I would REALLY love to be able to show my California friends my house, my kitties, and have them meet my Portland friends! I just don't know when that's going to happen.
As I approach the three year mark of me moving to Portland, I have realized one thing:
Only ONE person from California has come to visit me since I moved.
That one person was not a parent or family member.
I remember people complaining, worrying, and being afraid that I would never come back to California to visit... and I have... SEVERAL times. But has anyone, other than that one person, come to visit me? No. I have driven down to California, flown into LAX and Long Beach several times for different events and functions, but no one has returned the favor. Some have talked about coming up, but it never happened. Some have been close, but yet, understandably far enough away so they can't visit.
I only recently thought about it when the thought of getting pregnant and having a baby became more of a reality than a daydream. Would my parents actually, FINALLY, come up and visit me? Would my friends come up for the birth? Would I actually have someone other than X and Yav staying in the spare bedroom overnight?
I love visiting California and I love seeing and hanging out with my friends... but I would REALLY love to be able to show my California friends my house, my kitties, and have them meet my Portland friends! I just don't know when that's going to happen.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Mathematics and YOU!
A lesson to all you boys and girls out there... Mathematics is a good thing to know! It will save you $50 in the long run... I promise!
My former employer sends me an e-mail, telling me that the $50.53 is supposed to come out of EVERY paycheck, and since this was my final paycheck, it was still a paycheck.
So I did the math and check this out:
I paid $50.53 every two weeks for my health insurance coverage, which comes out to $1313.78 a year. Per month, that comes out to $109.48. In January, February, March, April, and June, there were two pay periods and my total contributions came out to $101.06, which means I was short by $8.42 for those five months, which comes to a total of $42.10. In May, however, there were three pay periods in which I paid a total contribution of $151.59, which means I overpaid by $42.11.
If you take that overpayment in May and apply it to the underpayments for the other five months, I am paid in full for my health insurance for the year of 2009... all six months I was employed and paying.
Thanks for playing, stupid former employer... Now... PAY UP, SUCKA!
*evil grin*
My former employer sends me an e-mail, telling me that the $50.53 is supposed to come out of EVERY paycheck, and since this was my final paycheck, it was still a paycheck.
So I did the math and check this out:
I paid $50.53 every two weeks for my health insurance coverage, which comes out to $1313.78 a year. Per month, that comes out to $109.48. In January, February, March, April, and June, there were two pay periods and my total contributions came out to $101.06, which means I was short by $8.42 for those five months, which comes to a total of $42.10. In May, however, there were three pay periods in which I paid a total contribution of $151.59, which means I overpaid by $42.11.
If you take that overpayment in May and apply it to the underpayments for the other five months, I am paid in full for my health insurance for the year of 2009... all six months I was employed and paying.
Thanks for playing, stupid former employer... Now... PAY UP, SUCKA!
*evil grin*
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
The Office Blow-Out.
I am no longer employed. I have been officially unemployed since July 1, 2009. My boss fired me on the 30th of June, most likely saving her some cash and making it easier for her tax records. Nice, eh? Funny how my last blog post was on the day I was fired... yet, I've had so much more free time since then. HA!
Here's what's been happening:
June 19th:
She's driving me INSANE and overcharging patients and insurance companies. I put in my 6 week notice, as required by her office manual, due to my personal morals and ethics.
June 30th:
She fires me a week and a half later. She gave me NO alternatives; she watched me pack up my stuff and took my keys on the way out. No hug, no nothing. I send her an e-mail, telling her I want to work until my 6 weeks is complete OR she can give me a signed note, saying she terminated my employment before the end of my notice.
July 1st:
She replies that she will NOT be re-hiring me (at 10:30pm).
July 2nd:
I get my check IN THE MAIL 48 hours after she fires me. The check is short $30, by my calculations, but there is no pay stub included to show the math behind the final paycheck. I e-mail her, requesting the math.
July 6th:
I get the "stub" in the mail, showing that she deducted $50 for health insurance charges out of my final paycheck. I e-mail her, telling her I want my $50.
July 8th:
She replies that the $50 was my "final" June installment on my health insurance charges. I e-mail her, telling her I paid my two $50 installments in June, with the 12th and 26th paychecks.
I am just tired of this shit. By Oregon law, my boss was supposed to have my check ready to go within 24 hours of firing me, not in the mail. And to have my check SHORT by a certain a mount of money is ridiculous! At least get it right before you mail it out; don't come up with some lie that you've pulled out of your ass! I'm tired of sending e-mails and not getting replies. I don't think I should even have to send e-mails, but she won't return my calls and I know she'll get the e-mail if nothing else.
This is just petty, childish bullshit... and this is why I was planning on leaving before I originally intended. I was originally going to leave right before school started in September, but I couldn't put up with insurance fraud and being a bitch to me and Christy on a daily basis anymore; I don't know how or why Christy is still managing to work there... other than the fact that she got a nice raise once I left and complete control of the office.
I have been applying for jobs like crazy... Let's hope someone calls me back... or I don't know how the mortgage is going to get paid next month!
Here's what's been happening:
June 19th:
She's driving me INSANE and overcharging patients and insurance companies. I put in my 6 week notice, as required by her office manual, due to my personal morals and ethics.
June 30th:
She fires me a week and a half later. She gave me NO alternatives; she watched me pack up my stuff and took my keys on the way out. No hug, no nothing. I send her an e-mail, telling her I want to work until my 6 weeks is complete OR she can give me a signed note, saying she terminated my employment before the end of my notice.
July 1st:
She replies that she will NOT be re-hiring me (at 10:30pm).
July 2nd:
I get my check IN THE MAIL 48 hours after she fires me. The check is short $30, by my calculations, but there is no pay stub included to show the math behind the final paycheck. I e-mail her, requesting the math.
July 6th:
I get the "stub" in the mail, showing that she deducted $50 for health insurance charges out of my final paycheck. I e-mail her, telling her I want my $50.
July 8th:
She replies that the $50 was my "final" June installment on my health insurance charges. I e-mail her, telling her I paid my two $50 installments in June, with the 12th and 26th paychecks.
I am just tired of this shit. By Oregon law, my boss was supposed to have my check ready to go within 24 hours of firing me, not in the mail. And to have my check SHORT by a certain a mount of money is ridiculous! At least get it right before you mail it out; don't come up with some lie that you've pulled out of your ass! I'm tired of sending e-mails and not getting replies. I don't think I should even have to send e-mails, but she won't return my calls and I know she'll get the e-mail if nothing else.
This is just petty, childish bullshit... and this is why I was planning on leaving before I originally intended. I was originally going to leave right before school started in September, but I couldn't put up with insurance fraud and being a bitch to me and Christy on a daily basis anymore; I don't know how or why Christy is still managing to work there... other than the fact that she got a nice raise once I left and complete control of the office.
I have been applying for jobs like crazy... Let's hope someone calls me back... or I don't know how the mortgage is going to get paid next month!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Criticism.
As some of you know, I put in my "six week" notice to my current employer on June 19th, at the end of the day. I said I would be leaving within the six weeks... so if I was offered a job position during that waiting time, I would be able to leave when needed instead of waiting until the end of July to leave my current position. As it stands, I will be out of here on July 31st. I am looking forward to the end of July. As it stands, I have no current job offers, even though I've put my resume out there on numerous occasions. I'm optimistic, though. And if I still don't have a new job by the end of July, I can work with a staffing/temp. agency until September, when I can go back to substitute teaching. It's all part of my master plan... hehehehe....
Today, I decided to look back at the last 6 months in the appointment book and see why my boss was complaining about there being "lots of openings" in the schedule and "no full patient days," resulting in why I was scored so low on my annual review in April. As a reminder, I was given a 2 in scheduling out of a possible 5, meaning "needs improvement." (And somehow, my co-worker got a 5 out of 5 on scheduling on her recent review)
As I was looking through the schedule, I only counted openings of 3 spaces or more, since no appointment should be schedule for less than 30 minutes (30 minutes for acupuncture and 40 minutes for a visit). There were a few 10 and 20 minute openings here and there, but not too many. If there was a chunk of time, I split it into 30 and 40 minute appointments; I didn't count that as one opening. I was fair.
Here's what I got for the last six months:
January: 13 working days, 2 days full, 25 openings (some due to snow), and a total of 108 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
February: 12 working days, 6 days full, 10 openings (some due to snow), and a total of 113 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
March: 13 working days, 3 days full, 20 openings, and a total of 107 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
April: 13 working days, 6 days full, 11 openings, and a total of 117 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
May: 13 working days, 5 days full, 15 openings, and a total of 116 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
June: 13 working days, 6 days full, 8 openings, and a total of 128 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
My review was in the middle of April. I wonder if I would have gotten more of a raise if the review would have been done at the end of this month...? haha I'd just like to know where all the "openings" and "empty days" are.
Granted, there were a few days, looking back, that were absolutely horrible and empty, but, as another doctor put it, "That reflects poorly on the doctor, not on the staff."
When I went to my chiropractor a few weeks ago, he asked me, "Don't you hate it when people no show for their appointments?" (He knows I'm a receptionist) I agreed and said, "I feel bad for your receptionist." He asked why... I told him, "Doesn't it look poorly for her, seeing as how the schedule isn't full now?" And he replied, "No, it looks poorly on the patient- they are the one that didn't show up."
I wish *my* boss realized that.
I'm so glad I'm out at the end of July.
SO GLAD.
I will be a much happier, improved Dot.
It's a good thing.
Today, I decided to look back at the last 6 months in the appointment book and see why my boss was complaining about there being "lots of openings" in the schedule and "no full patient days," resulting in why I was scored so low on my annual review in April. As a reminder, I was given a 2 in scheduling out of a possible 5, meaning "needs improvement." (And somehow, my co-worker got a 5 out of 5 on scheduling on her recent review)
As I was looking through the schedule, I only counted openings of 3 spaces or more, since no appointment should be schedule for less than 30 minutes (30 minutes for acupuncture and 40 minutes for a visit). There were a few 10 and 20 minute openings here and there, but not too many. If there was a chunk of time, I split it into 30 and 40 minute appointments; I didn't count that as one opening. I was fair.
Here's what I got for the last six months:
January: 13 working days, 2 days full, 25 openings (some due to snow), and a total of 108 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
February: 12 working days, 6 days full, 10 openings (some due to snow), and a total of 113 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
March: 13 working days, 3 days full, 20 openings, and a total of 107 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
April: 13 working days, 6 days full, 11 openings, and a total of 117 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
May: 13 working days, 5 days full, 15 openings, and a total of 116 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
June: 13 working days, 6 days full, 8 openings, and a total of 128 patients seen/appointments scheduled.
My review was in the middle of April. I wonder if I would have gotten more of a raise if the review would have been done at the end of this month...? haha I'd just like to know where all the "openings" and "empty days" are.
Granted, there were a few days, looking back, that were absolutely horrible and empty, but, as another doctor put it, "That reflects poorly on the doctor, not on the staff."
When I went to my chiropractor a few weeks ago, he asked me, "Don't you hate it when people no show for their appointments?" (He knows I'm a receptionist) I agreed and said, "I feel bad for your receptionist." He asked why... I told him, "Doesn't it look poorly for her, seeing as how the schedule isn't full now?" And he replied, "No, it looks poorly on the patient- they are the one that didn't show up."
I wish *my* boss realized that.
I'm so glad I'm out at the end of July.
SO GLAD.
I will be a much happier, improved Dot.
It's a good thing.
Monday, June 22, 2009
At home...
So, here I am, sitting at home at 10am on a Monday morning.
I'm sure you're thinking, "Why aren't you at work, Sarah (Dot)?"
I'll tell you... My car is in the shop.
Yeah, gross.
On Friday, I drove home from work- no problems. On Saturday, I drove into Clackamas twice and then around town for a bit with a friend, running "errands." No problems with the car. On Sunday, I went to start the car and it had a hard time wanting to start. It was weird. I called my dad- he thought it might be the battery, since it's been a while since it was changed. I ran my errand and when I got in the car to start it up again, it had a VERY hard time starting up. I drove to Felicia's house and left it there and we ran a few more errands. When I tried to start it at her house to go home, it almost didn't want to start... it took a few times, but it finally did.
I got it home and Sam took a look at it. We thought it was the battery, but took it to AutoZone and they said it was the alternator. Apparently, the alternator is hard to get to on my car... so Sam and I took it to a shop this morning. The guy called me no more than 30 minutes after we dropped it off- "It's not the alternator."
Yeah, it's the battery.
Way to go AutoZone.
Long story short... I'm on my way to pick up my car to park it in front of the house, waiting for Sam to get home so we can buy a battery and he can install it for way less than a shop. Exciting.
Anyone want to come over and craft wedding invitations with me?? :) haha
I'm sure you're thinking, "Why aren't you at work, Sarah (Dot)?"
I'll tell you... My car is in the shop.
Yeah, gross.
On Friday, I drove home from work- no problems. On Saturday, I drove into Clackamas twice and then around town for a bit with a friend, running "errands." No problems with the car. On Sunday, I went to start the car and it had a hard time wanting to start. It was weird. I called my dad- he thought it might be the battery, since it's been a while since it was changed. I ran my errand and when I got in the car to start it up again, it had a VERY hard time starting up. I drove to Felicia's house and left it there and we ran a few more errands. When I tried to start it at her house to go home, it almost didn't want to start... it took a few times, but it finally did.
I got it home and Sam took a look at it. We thought it was the battery, but took it to AutoZone and they said it was the alternator. Apparently, the alternator is hard to get to on my car... so Sam and I took it to a shop this morning. The guy called me no more than 30 minutes after we dropped it off- "It's not the alternator."
Yeah, it's the battery.
Way to go AutoZone.
Long story short... I'm on my way to pick up my car to park it in front of the house, waiting for Sam to get home so we can buy a battery and he can install it for way less than a shop. Exciting.
Anyone want to come over and craft wedding invitations with me?? :) haha
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
My Work Ethic
I know, I always complain about where I work... and I know you're probably thinking I should just cut my losses and quit, and believe me when I say I'm seriously thinking about typing up my notice today, but I need to get this off my chest/conscious first.
First, a break down of my doctor's cash rates:
New Patient = $235
10 min = $64
20 min = $80
30 min = $96
40 min = $135
50 min = $185
"extended service code" = $144 (basically anything that runs over the first 50 minutes)
Now, the story:
About a month or two ago, we had a new patient come into the office who lives in another state. She is the mother of a good friend of my doctor. This woman came into our office and unfortunately did not have insurance coverage for her visits, so she agreed to pay cash. The lady came in twice before she had to go back home; both visits were a little longer than our usual visit time and the lady was charged accordingly.
Her first visit was $235, the usual charge, but then $50 worth of in-house lab fees on top of it. Total: $285
Her second visit was $285, which includes a $44 discount off of the extended service code, but had an additional $71 in pharmacy, $30 of in-house lab fees, and a (refundable) $10 thermometer. Total: $396
Her third visit is the one I'm having a personal issue with. And so did the patient when she saw her bill.
For her third visit, my doctor called her (which is "cash" anyway, since insurance won't cover phone consults, regardless) and talked to her for 40 minutes. At the end of that time, my doctor asked if it was ok for her to call the patient back after she was done with the next patient (who was waiting). The patient agreed; my doctor called her back for another 25 minutes. The total time of 65 minutes is documented in both the chart as well as on the patient's personal notes about the visit. The patient got charged $329 for the visit, $25 for a nutritional evaluation, $30 for another in-house lab, and $293 in pharmacy purchases. Total: $692, after her $10 thermometer refund and $25 in shipping charges to mail the pharmacy items to her home.
Wow, this patient must be rich by the way she's spending all this cash at our clinic, right?! WRONG.
The patient called on Monday, asking if I would re-check the bill I sent her for her most recent visit. She was concerned about the $354 charge for her office visit alone (about half of her total charges). I looked it over and checked her chart and realized something wasn't right. In the patient chart, there is a documentation for the initial call of 40 min, then the call back of 25 minutes, then a random 30 minutes, 10 minutes and then it says: "Write up = 10 min." at the end of the chart notes with a total below of 95 minutes... which, if you actually add up would equal 115 minutes in total.
I asked my doctor if there was any way we could reduce her fees and my doctor informed me that the phone consult from start to finish was 95 minutes- so what ISN'T documented is the additional "30 minutes" worth of time that my doctor is claiming to have spent writing chart notes, patient instructions, etc. after the phone call ended. Either way, I'm expected to relay this information to the patient and have everything be OK enough for the patient to actually want to schedule another phone consult with my doctor.
So, I call the patient back and explain our fees to her and let her know that the charge for up to 50 min = $185, but since she went over by 15 minutes, that's why there was an extended service fee of $144. The patient understood, since she had noted a call time of 65 minutes, but asked if my doctor could reduce the fee, since it was only 15 minutes over. When my doctor got that note, she was puzzled; my doctor had told me to explain to the patient that she was being charged for an additional 30 minutes worth of paperwork, chart notes, and other documentation at the end of the phone call. I told my doctor that I had a hard time explaining that to the patient and my doctor told me to say exactly what was on the note, word for word, so the patient would understand better. I said ok and just went on with my business.
So, here's my concern:
1. Wouldn't you expect chart notes/documentation to be "included" in your doctor's fees?
2. In the chart, it says 10 minutes for write-up... not 30 minutes. Even then, you shouldn't charge the patient because you write slow!
3. I should NOT have to be stuck in the middle of my doctor's greed.
I need to go to lunch before my head explodes. I'll write more later.
First, a break down of my doctor's cash rates:
New Patient = $235
10 min = $64
20 min = $80
30 min = $96
40 min = $135
50 min = $185
"extended service code" = $144 (basically anything that runs over the first 50 minutes)
Now, the story:
About a month or two ago, we had a new patient come into the office who lives in another state. She is the mother of a good friend of my doctor. This woman came into our office and unfortunately did not have insurance coverage for her visits, so she agreed to pay cash. The lady came in twice before she had to go back home; both visits were a little longer than our usual visit time and the lady was charged accordingly.
Her first visit was $235, the usual charge, but then $50 worth of in-house lab fees on top of it. Total: $285
Her second visit was $285, which includes a $44 discount off of the extended service code, but had an additional $71 in pharmacy, $30 of in-house lab fees, and a (refundable) $10 thermometer. Total: $396
Her third visit is the one I'm having a personal issue with. And so did the patient when she saw her bill.
For her third visit, my doctor called her (which is "cash" anyway, since insurance won't cover phone consults, regardless) and talked to her for 40 minutes. At the end of that time, my doctor asked if it was ok for her to call the patient back after she was done with the next patient (who was waiting). The patient agreed; my doctor called her back for another 25 minutes. The total time of 65 minutes is documented in both the chart as well as on the patient's personal notes about the visit. The patient got charged $329 for the visit, $25 for a nutritional evaluation, $30 for another in-house lab, and $293 in pharmacy purchases. Total: $692, after her $10 thermometer refund and $25 in shipping charges to mail the pharmacy items to her home.
Wow, this patient must be rich by the way she's spending all this cash at our clinic, right?! WRONG.
The patient called on Monday, asking if I would re-check the bill I sent her for her most recent visit. She was concerned about the $354 charge for her office visit alone (about half of her total charges). I looked it over and checked her chart and realized something wasn't right. In the patient chart, there is a documentation for the initial call of 40 min, then the call back of 25 minutes, then a random 30 minutes, 10 minutes and then it says: "Write up = 10 min." at the end of the chart notes with a total below of 95 minutes... which, if you actually add up would equal 115 minutes in total.
I asked my doctor if there was any way we could reduce her fees and my doctor informed me that the phone consult from start to finish was 95 minutes- so what ISN'T documented is the additional "30 minutes" worth of time that my doctor is claiming to have spent writing chart notes, patient instructions, etc. after the phone call ended. Either way, I'm expected to relay this information to the patient and have everything be OK enough for the patient to actually want to schedule another phone consult with my doctor.
So, I call the patient back and explain our fees to her and let her know that the charge for up to 50 min = $185, but since she went over by 15 minutes, that's why there was an extended service fee of $144. The patient understood, since she had noted a call time of 65 minutes, but asked if my doctor could reduce the fee, since it was only 15 minutes over. When my doctor got that note, she was puzzled; my doctor had told me to explain to the patient that she was being charged for an additional 30 minutes worth of paperwork, chart notes, and other documentation at the end of the phone call. I told my doctor that I had a hard time explaining that to the patient and my doctor told me to say exactly what was on the note, word for word, so the patient would understand better. I said ok and just went on with my business.
So, here's my concern:
1. Wouldn't you expect chart notes/documentation to be "included" in your doctor's fees?
2. In the chart, it says 10 minutes for write-up... not 30 minutes. Even then, you shouldn't charge the patient because you write slow!
3. I should NOT have to be stuck in the middle of my doctor's greed.
I need to go to lunch before my head explodes. I'll write more later.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Pill Poppin' Dot!
My doctor has me on the following pills... I know, because I refilled my pill box today, in order to "restart" my pill poppin' badness on Sunday:
Multivitamin 3/day
Fish Oil 2/day
Calcium 2/AM
ProEnt2 2/AM & 2/NOON (but I'm slowly working my way up to that dose)
Florastor/DigestaGuard 1/day
Feverfew 1/day (self-prescribed for headaches)
Biotin 1/day (recommended by my Kaiser doc from a LONG time ago)
And then at bedtime:
Calcium 2/PM
Seriphos 2/PM
In total, that's 18 pills a day, once I'm at my full dose of ProEnt2.
Damn.
That's a LOT of pills.
Then again, I could be on her amino acid dosing schedule, which calls for a MINIMUM of 14 pills a day. It only goes up from there. I'm grateful I'm not doing that, not only because it's over $150/month, but because I don't want to take all of those PLUS what I'm taking now! haha
Wish me luck!
Multivitamin 3/day
Fish Oil 2/day
Calcium 2/AM
ProEnt2 2/AM & 2/NOON (but I'm slowly working my way up to that dose)
Florastor/DigestaGuard 1/day
Feverfew 1/day (self-prescribed for headaches)
Biotin 1/day (recommended by my Kaiser doc from a LONG time ago)
And then at bedtime:
Calcium 2/PM
Seriphos 2/PM
In total, that's 18 pills a day, once I'm at my full dose of ProEnt2.
Damn.
That's a LOT of pills.
Then again, I could be on her amino acid dosing schedule, which calls for a MINIMUM of 14 pills a day. It only goes up from there. I'm grateful I'm not doing that, not only because it's over $150/month, but because I don't want to take all of those PLUS what I'm taking now! haha
Wish me luck!
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Napa Family
I'm on my cell phone... posting a blog... on vacation. How pathetic am I right now? lol
So here's the scoop: Sam and I left work early and drove down to Napa on Friday afternoon. We left at 3pm and arrived in Napa at 2am. His mom was already annoying him... and the dog was already whining and freaking out. The next morning, we got up and started driving around Napa. We ran a few errands and then went to Jackie's house, the girlfriend of Sam's Uncle Mark. At dinner, Sam's mom called him to her seat and told him to announce the good news. I was mortified! First of all, it's not her good news and we should decide when and how we want to tell people.
After dinner, we had cake. Justin, Sam's cousin, and his wife had a present for Grandma and Grandpa Henderson's anniversary. And the gift... a picture of the two of them in a cheesy, corn-ball pose. /gag How conceited can you get? The wife, Christina, then proceeded to tell me that they wanted to share a hobby so they took a community college course in photography. They have two super expensive digital cameras and a "special" computer program so they can edit their photos. And no, it's not Photoshop. Those two made me sick.
We're leaving this afternoon and hitting up In-N-Out on the way home for Felicia and Andrew... and us. haha
My favorite thing of the weekend: Sam's mom wants my cell phone number. I'm going to try NOT to give it to her... I'm hoping we can leave without her remembering. haha She's so annoying...!
So here's the scoop: Sam and I left work early and drove down to Napa on Friday afternoon. We left at 3pm and arrived in Napa at 2am. His mom was already annoying him... and the dog was already whining and freaking out. The next morning, we got up and started driving around Napa. We ran a few errands and then went to Jackie's house, the girlfriend of Sam's Uncle Mark. At dinner, Sam's mom called him to her seat and told him to announce the good news. I was mortified! First of all, it's not her good news and we should decide when and how we want to tell people.
After dinner, we had cake. Justin, Sam's cousin, and his wife had a present for Grandma and Grandpa Henderson's anniversary. And the gift... a picture of the two of them in a cheesy, corn-ball pose. /gag How conceited can you get? The wife, Christina, then proceeded to tell me that they wanted to share a hobby so they took a community college course in photography. They have two super expensive digital cameras and a "special" computer program so they can edit their photos. And no, it's not Photoshop. Those two made me sick.
We're leaving this afternoon and hitting up In-N-Out on the way home for Felicia and Andrew... and us. haha
My favorite thing of the weekend: Sam's mom wants my cell phone number. I'm going to try NOT to give it to her... I'm hoping we can leave without her remembering. haha She's so annoying...!
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