Life has been crazy lately.
Once April hit, work got very busy. Weird, right? Who would have thought a lot of people are procrastinators and needed last minute help... I was working quite a bit of overtime and I even worked on the weekends!
On April 19th, I started class... again. I had forgotten how boring class was and started falling asleep in class every now and then... so I had to start drinking coffee again, even though I had stopped cold turkey back in January when I had my first full day of answering calls. Coffee was my friend for the past three weeks... but now that I'm back on the phones and with even MORE things to remember, check, and have to do (since I can seriously mess shit up now if I don't do it correctly), I'm officially done with coffee... again... for now. Either way, it's a LOT of responsibility and a LOT of stress that I'm going to seriously mess something up and get a horribly wrong call for something super easy!
I'm really enjoying this job; I'm making new friends, meeting new people, and learning a lot of new things (see the above paragraph). My boss is awesome, my friend's boss is *amazing* (I said that just for you!), my lead is hilarious, and my new friends are great company. LOVE it. I'm the "social director" for my team at work, so I organize all sorts of fun things for us to do. As a team, we've been sponsoring an animal at the Oregon Humane Society and doing fundraisers in order to do so. We've also been collecting food and other items to donate to the shelter. So far, the first two dogs we chose to sponsor have been adopted! Now, we're sponsoring a bigger dog named Cassie; she's a cutie. This weekend, I will be making whoopie pies for our bake sale fundraiser on Monday! There will be a whole lotta whoppie (baking) going on in my house!
A few weeks ago, I built up enough courage to go to the dentist... and I had a root canal. Go me. My jaw hurt for a few days... it hurt to talk, eat, chew gum, etc. Once it started feeling better, I had to go back in for the real filling! I went through the pain all over again... but thankfully I won't be going back in again until June (for a full exam and then a cleaning). Eventually, that lucky tooth will be getting a crown, but for now, it will be fine the way it is...
These past couple of days in Portland have been sunny and somewhat warm! I am hoping that tomorrow is nice enough for me to finally work in the garden! This year, I plan on planting flowers. No tomatoes, no veggies, just flowers. The herbs from last year are coming back, but I've decided I want a flower garden in the front yard. I'll get my vegetable planters and green house next year (I hope). Also, we recently bought a brush-cutter attachment for our weed eater... making it easy to cut down blackberry vines! I am excited to get a start on clearing out our backyard... even though I have a feeling we're going to end up hiring someone to clean it out for us. :) Yes, it's THAT overgrown... that's what a lot of rain does to a backyard.
Speaking of making our backyard look pretty... it's less than a month until my 30th birthday!! How did I get that crazy transition, you ask? For my birthday party, I plan on having a BOUNCE HOUSE! In order to have a bounce house, we will need to clean out the backyard, and possibly even level part of it. I have been wanting a bounce house for my 30th party for some time now... and I am going to do everything in my power to make sure I have one! I've been looking at prices, options, etc... and I've decided I'm getting a combo house with a slide! It's just going to be a toss-up on the style... should I go for a princess castle or just a basic primary colored house with a slide? :)
The kittens we found last November are getting big, super cute (and one of them is super FAT!), and somewhat annoying. We're noticing some bad habits they picked up along the way... we're not sure how they got them, but we do know they have them now and it's hard to break them, especially since they're so stubborn! Ellis (aka dinner for 2-3) is getting round... but he's so fluffy and soft! He only meows when there's a chance of food... it's cute, but strange. Zo's feet are big and somewhat awkward, but he's still got his beautiful blue eyes. He likes to wake me up at 6am to snuggle, rub his mouth on my nose, and purr until I wake up. He's a persistent little jerk... but he's too cute to get mad at. Odin is still a happy kitty; I keep finding him his favorite flower bell toys while we're out shopping and he keeps playing fetch with them! Odin doesn't usually seem to like the kittens, but he seems to tolerate them when he's sleeping. :) Grimm is still peeing all over the house... but he LOVES Friskies cat treats and we give him those when we see him use the cat box on his own. I like positive reinforcement, even with my kitties. :) He's still not doing very well, so we're not sure how much longer Grimm will be with us; however, I think Grimm is too stubborn to leave us on his own. I think that's a trend with all our kitties... they're too stubborn for their own good. Jerks.
Now that my house is quiet, my job is stressful, and my kitties are insane, my life feels normal again. :)
Just remember: C is for Cookie, Cupcakes, and Cake... and that's good enough for me.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu...!
In November, we welcomed two 18 year olds into our house as a kind gesture to help them get back on their feet and be able to contribute to society again. They said no one would give them a chance, that everyone judged them without getting to know them. Well, we gave them that chance and we got to know them. And now it's the end of March and they have left...
With this parting, I am hoping they learned a few things:
1. We did not force anyone to live here. We offered it and they accepted. At the time we offered this assistance, we were shit-ass broke and could barely afford the expenses with just the two of us. But somehow, Sam and I managed to pull together and work a few extra hours in order to make ends meet. Our water, food, electric, and gas bills increased and we still managed to pay for the four of us. That's what working does; it gives you money to be able to afford all of life's expenses, whether it's for two or four people.
2. We gave them a few tasks to complete while they were here. We had them take the bus, get valid identification, and apply for food stamps. Sure, they ended up having an adventure in a new city by getting lost on the bus, but everyone is bound to get lost or miss their stop their first time on a bus. There were times when we gave them a ride somewhere and they took the bus home. That's what being self-sufficient is; you have to learn how to do things in order to make it on your own.
3. We gave them chores while living here, too. We didn't ask too much of them, for example, dishes were to be washed and put away everyday (since our dishwasher is broken), the kitchen was to be cleaned on Thursdays, and the bathroom was to be cleaned on Fridays. Those were the two rooms primarily used by both of them, including their room, which we asked them to keep clean and we noticed it rarely was. Sure, doing chores isn't fun, but when you're unemployed, that's what you do... because that's what you CAN do everyday. Take pride in your home if you can't take pride in your work... but cleaning your home IS your work. It's a fact of life, unless you want to live in a slob, with filth and germs everywhere... which is one step away from becoming a trash hoarder. Cleaning; that's what you do when you're living on your own.
4. We gave them rules while living here as well. Keep in mind, there were alternatives to these rules (and chores): Pay rent = No rules. Go to college full-time = No rules. And even then, the rules were simple; go to bed when we go to bed, wake up before we leave, and apply for jobs daily. When you're unemployed, your primary goal is to either go to college to learn new skills or apply for jobs non-stop until you find a job. Most people have rent or a mortgage to pay and they don't have the pleasure of looking for "the perfect job." They take what they can get, no matter what it is, and they take the time and the effort to go from place to place, in person, to look for a job. When you're unemployed, waking up early ensures that when you go somewhere to apply in person, the manager will most likely be there... and when you go to bed at a reasonable hour, chances are you won't be a zombie when you wake up early. Again, being self-sufficient is key when living on your own.
5. While they were here, we were at work during the day. We left them in our house, with our things, all day... we trusted them with our PS3, TV, our cats, my laptop, everything. They both knew what was supposed to be done during the day, they both knew the rules, and they both knew what was expected of them. Responsibility; that's one of life's HARDEST lessons to learn.
Everything Sam and I have done for them in the past 19 weeks (yes, really, 19 weeks) was to help them LEARN how to make it on their own. Now, what they will actually take from this is beyond me... if anything. I am hoping that they will one day look-back and realize how nice it was to live rent-free for four months, to have their meals cooked for them almost every night, and to have no bills, no worries, and no real responsibilities (other than a few weekly chores). Things didn't end the way we wanted them to, but it needed to happen... and sooner, rather than later.
I felt as though we were being taken advantage of and Sam felt as though they blew an opportunity to change the way people perceived them; that wasn't cool in our own house. We opened up our home to them; we brought them in so they would have a roof over their heads, a safe place to live, somewhere to find/get jobs, and start fresh. Unfortunately, they seemed to think that we were suckers, that they were manipulating/playing us... and that was unacceptable to both of us. We bought them necessities, like soap, shampoo and conditioner, and made sure the house was always stocked with food since they didn't have their own money. We were made out to be the bad guys on a few occasions and to several different people... too bad we caught them in their own lies. No, they did not starve for three days; they ate and there was PLENTY of food in the house to eat... I promise. Yes, they had their own money to take the bus and buy necessities; they chose to mail cash out of state so someone else could buy them "gifts" on eBay. They also seemed to acquire things that I don't remember them buying while we were out shopping... No, we did not make them do chores; they CHOSE chores over having to pay rent. No, we did not make one do all the chores while the other one played on the computer all day; they chose to split the chores between them like that.
When the time came for them to leave, rules were no longer adhered to, jobs were no longer applied to, and words were barely spoken to one another. It was a very awkward and tense week leading up to their departure. It got to a boiling point though during the last week; things were said/done that should NEVER have been said/done... and that got both Sam and myself very upset. We (but really, more Sam) had a chat with them one night about all the shit that was being said/done and how fucked up that was. We also told them our unedited feelings about the past 19 weeks and our general observations... which couldn't have been easy to listen to, but it needed to be said. Things seemed to be much better around the house after the "airing of grievances."
On the last day, I took them shopping for snacks on their trips home. While I was out with the teens, Sam stayed home. While Sam was taking both teens to the train station for the boy's farewell, I stayed home. I started laundry (sheets from their room) and realized they had left a few things behind... Top Ramen! Now, for those of you that know Sam, Top Ramen is NOT something that is typically allowed inside of our house, but we made an exception just for them these past nineteen weeks... anyway, I noticed the Ramen and went to put it in her suitcase. When I opened the suitcase, I noticed a few things that I wish I wouldn't have... and when Sam and the girl got home from the train station, I had a little airing of my own grievances, which was probably bad timing seeing as how she had just said goodbye to her boyfriend not an hour before and she was all sad already... but shit had to be said. When we took her to the bus station, we made sure she had money, pepper spray, and a calling card, just in case her phone dies and she needed to call someone. Sam put her luggage on the bus, we gave her hugs, she thanked us for everything, and we sent her on her way. As much as I will miss her, I am glad that she's going to get an opportunity to start college, live with her mom, and get a job (where her mom works) in Indiana... and I'm grateful that her mom made it work a month earlier than previously planned.
Again, all I'm hoping is that they LEARN from this experience; they didn't seem to learn from it while they were here, so I'm hoping they both learn something eventually... and sooner rather than later.
With this parting, I am hoping they learned a few things:
1. We did not force anyone to live here. We offered it and they accepted. At the time we offered this assistance, we were shit-ass broke and could barely afford the expenses with just the two of us. But somehow, Sam and I managed to pull together and work a few extra hours in order to make ends meet. Our water, food, electric, and gas bills increased and we still managed to pay for the four of us. That's what working does; it gives you money to be able to afford all of life's expenses, whether it's for two or four people.
2. We gave them a few tasks to complete while they were here. We had them take the bus, get valid identification, and apply for food stamps. Sure, they ended up having an adventure in a new city by getting lost on the bus, but everyone is bound to get lost or miss their stop their first time on a bus. There were times when we gave them a ride somewhere and they took the bus home. That's what being self-sufficient is; you have to learn how to do things in order to make it on your own.
3. We gave them chores while living here, too. We didn't ask too much of them, for example, dishes were to be washed and put away everyday (since our dishwasher is broken), the kitchen was to be cleaned on Thursdays, and the bathroom was to be cleaned on Fridays. Those were the two rooms primarily used by both of them, including their room, which we asked them to keep clean and we noticed it rarely was. Sure, doing chores isn't fun, but when you're unemployed, that's what you do... because that's what you CAN do everyday. Take pride in your home if you can't take pride in your work... but cleaning your home IS your work. It's a fact of life, unless you want to live in a slob, with filth and germs everywhere... which is one step away from becoming a trash hoarder. Cleaning; that's what you do when you're living on your own.
4. We gave them rules while living here as well. Keep in mind, there were alternatives to these rules (and chores): Pay rent = No rules. Go to college full-time = No rules. And even then, the rules were simple; go to bed when we go to bed, wake up before we leave, and apply for jobs daily. When you're unemployed, your primary goal is to either go to college to learn new skills or apply for jobs non-stop until you find a job. Most people have rent or a mortgage to pay and they don't have the pleasure of looking for "the perfect job." They take what they can get, no matter what it is, and they take the time and the effort to go from place to place, in person, to look for a job. When you're unemployed, waking up early ensures that when you go somewhere to apply in person, the manager will most likely be there... and when you go to bed at a reasonable hour, chances are you won't be a zombie when you wake up early. Again, being self-sufficient is key when living on your own.
5. While they were here, we were at work during the day. We left them in our house, with our things, all day... we trusted them with our PS3, TV, our cats, my laptop, everything. They both knew what was supposed to be done during the day, they both knew the rules, and they both knew what was expected of them. Responsibility; that's one of life's HARDEST lessons to learn.
Everything Sam and I have done for them in the past 19 weeks (yes, really, 19 weeks) was to help them LEARN how to make it on their own. Now, what they will actually take from this is beyond me... if anything. I am hoping that they will one day look-back and realize how nice it was to live rent-free for four months, to have their meals cooked for them almost every night, and to have no bills, no worries, and no real responsibilities (other than a few weekly chores). Things didn't end the way we wanted them to, but it needed to happen... and sooner, rather than later.
I felt as though we were being taken advantage of and Sam felt as though they blew an opportunity to change the way people perceived them; that wasn't cool in our own house. We opened up our home to them; we brought them in so they would have a roof over their heads, a safe place to live, somewhere to find/get jobs, and start fresh. Unfortunately, they seemed to think that we were suckers, that they were manipulating/playing us... and that was unacceptable to both of us. We bought them necessities, like soap, shampoo and conditioner, and made sure the house was always stocked with food since they didn't have their own money. We were made out to be the bad guys on a few occasions and to several different people... too bad we caught them in their own lies. No, they did not starve for three days; they ate and there was PLENTY of food in the house to eat... I promise. Yes, they had their own money to take the bus and buy necessities; they chose to mail cash out of state so someone else could buy them "gifts" on eBay. They also seemed to acquire things that I don't remember them buying while we were out shopping... No, we did not make them do chores; they CHOSE chores over having to pay rent. No, we did not make one do all the chores while the other one played on the computer all day; they chose to split the chores between them like that.
When the time came for them to leave, rules were no longer adhered to, jobs were no longer applied to, and words were barely spoken to one another. It was a very awkward and tense week leading up to their departure. It got to a boiling point though during the last week; things were said/done that should NEVER have been said/done... and that got both Sam and myself very upset. We (but really, more Sam) had a chat with them one night about all the shit that was being said/done and how fucked up that was. We also told them our unedited feelings about the past 19 weeks and our general observations... which couldn't have been easy to listen to, but it needed to be said. Things seemed to be much better around the house after the "airing of grievances."
On the last day, I took them shopping for snacks on their trips home. While I was out with the teens, Sam stayed home. While Sam was taking both teens to the train station for the boy's farewell, I stayed home. I started laundry (sheets from their room) and realized they had left a few things behind... Top Ramen! Now, for those of you that know Sam, Top Ramen is NOT something that is typically allowed inside of our house, but we made an exception just for them these past nineteen weeks... anyway, I noticed the Ramen and went to put it in her suitcase. When I opened the suitcase, I noticed a few things that I wish I wouldn't have... and when Sam and the girl got home from the train station, I had a little airing of my own grievances, which was probably bad timing seeing as how she had just said goodbye to her boyfriend not an hour before and she was all sad already... but shit had to be said. When we took her to the bus station, we made sure she had money, pepper spray, and a calling card, just in case her phone dies and she needed to call someone. Sam put her luggage on the bus, we gave her hugs, she thanked us for everything, and we sent her on her way. As much as I will miss her, I am glad that she's going to get an opportunity to start college, live with her mom, and get a job (where her mom works) in Indiana... and I'm grateful that her mom made it work a month earlier than previously planned.
Again, all I'm hoping is that they LEARN from this experience; they didn't seem to learn from it while they were here, so I'm hoping they both learn something eventually... and sooner rather than later.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Update
The kittens are growing up, ans fast, I might add. With time, we've discovered that Zoey is indeed a boy and, accordingly, his name has been changed to Zod (aka Zo). Ellis is still a boy... we're pretty sure of that. The two of them have been sleeping with us most nights and waking me up with purrs and snuggles in the morning.
Grimm seems to be doing a LOT better. He's eating and, without the appetite stimulants, he's actually eating wet food and about 2-3 times a day! It's exciting. He'd put back on a little weight and when we check to see if he's dehydrated, he's not... so we're happy that we aren't having to go to extremes everyday in order to accomplish this. Tonight, Grimm got excited about catnip and rolled around on the mat by the front door. He was even playing with my hand as well as a toy! I am a very happy mom. :) As you can see by my earlier picture, he also "tolerated" Zo sleeping next to him, which is a big accomplishment for both of them. Odin is still doing well; he's our little tank and even more so now that he's been snacking on kitten food and gaining more weight. haha!
Work is work. I'm glad I have a job and I'm glad it's not something I have to take home with me every day. At the end of each phone call, I can wipe the slate clean and start fresh with the next call. I don't have to really remember anything (except maybe publication/form numbers) because it's all saved on my computer and I am allowed, and encouraged, to use the hold button frequently. Since it's not face-to-face contact, like Target was, I am able to dress however I want to (within reason) and I can make goofy faces, flip them the bird, or write swear words and NO ONE knows I'm doing it... except for me. :) (and now you, I suppose...) Over half of the calls I have received are considered "Baby Momma Drama." Good times... and with tax season in full-swing, I'm sure I'll be getting a LOT more calls about that same exact issue.
This spring, Sam and I are hoping to have enough money saved up that we can actually DO something to our backyard to make it usable, as well as functional. We're also hoping to clean out the garage and make it more storage friendly as well as have a little money put aside to work on our bathroom, which is still not being used at the moment. If there's time, Sam wants to build me a greenhouse and some planter boxes for my garden... in the backyard. The front yard garden will be for flowers only. :) I think that will be fantastic... and I can't wait!
That's it for now...!
Grimm seems to be doing a LOT better. He's eating and, without the appetite stimulants, he's actually eating wet food and about 2-3 times a day! It's exciting. He'd put back on a little weight and when we check to see if he's dehydrated, he's not... so we're happy that we aren't having to go to extremes everyday in order to accomplish this. Tonight, Grimm got excited about catnip and rolled around on the mat by the front door. He was even playing with my hand as well as a toy! I am a very happy mom. :) As you can see by my earlier picture, he also "tolerated" Zo sleeping next to him, which is a big accomplishment for both of them. Odin is still doing well; he's our little tank and even more so now that he's been snacking on kitten food and gaining more weight. haha!
Work is work. I'm glad I have a job and I'm glad it's not something I have to take home with me every day. At the end of each phone call, I can wipe the slate clean and start fresh with the next call. I don't have to really remember anything (except maybe publication/form numbers) because it's all saved on my computer and I am allowed, and encouraged, to use the hold button frequently. Since it's not face-to-face contact, like Target was, I am able to dress however I want to (within reason) and I can make goofy faces, flip them the bird, or write swear words and NO ONE knows I'm doing it... except for me. :) (and now you, I suppose...) Over half of the calls I have received are considered "Baby Momma Drama." Good times... and with tax season in full-swing, I'm sure I'll be getting a LOT more calls about that same exact issue.
This spring, Sam and I are hoping to have enough money saved up that we can actually DO something to our backyard to make it usable, as well as functional. We're also hoping to clean out the garage and make it more storage friendly as well as have a little money put aside to work on our bathroom, which is still not being used at the moment. If there's time, Sam wants to build me a greenhouse and some planter boxes for my garden... in the backyard. The front yard garden will be for flowers only. :) I think that will be fantastic... and I can't wait!
That's it for now...!
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Goodbye 2010!
My Random Thoughts on 2010.
If I forgot something, please remind my fragile little mind. ;)
It started out GREAT! I was in LA with friends and family, getting ready for my WEDDING! (which was the best day ever, btw). I had an amazing day with wonderful people... and then we left the next day and headed back home... spent the night in Weed... and then headed the rest of the way to Portland. I went back to looking for jobs and Sam went back to work.
February brought a few friends into our lives, not in the best situation, but they were welcomed all the same. I had two people to hang out with during the day, I had two more people to cook for at dinner, and I had two people to craft and shop with! It was fantastic. :) I was very sad when they left...
March and April brought more job searching and more job interviews... but no jobs! It was very upsetting. In May, I applied for a job with the government, but I never thought I'd hear back from them. It was a job answering phones in a call center in Portland that paid pretty well with decent hours. I was somewhat excited, but I didn't let myself get too excited, given my recent luck with jobs and applications.
In June, I celebrated by 29th birthday... for the first time. ;) hehe... Sam's 20th high school reunion was towards the end of June and we decided to drive down to Napa for the weekend. While we were down, we spent time with his grandparents and mom. We had a fabulous time, despite the 100+ degree weather.
In July, we celebrated the 4th by sitting at home, watching fireworks on TV. :) To my surprise, I received an e-mail about the government job, asking me to complete a brief internet "test." It didn't say how I did at the end of the test, so I had no idea if I'd get a call or e-mail... or not.
In August, Sam celebrated his 38th birthday. We didn't do anything spectacular, but we had a good evening. At the end of the month, my friend Malia came to visit and I had a fantastic time (even though Odin broke a mirror on her first night in town and we had to clean it up)! :) hehe... We went sight-seeing and shopped at Powell's Books... fantastic time.
In September, we went to PAX... and I MET WIL WHEATON! It was amazing... a high point in my life, other than my wedding, of course. :) hehe... We had a fantastic weekend with Whitney, Nate, and a couple of Whitney's friends. My parents also surprised me by driving up to visit towards the end of September. They stayed at a hotel down the street and we hung out for a few days before they had to head back home. It was nice to finally see them... in Portland!
In October, I went down to LA for about a week. My sister was having her baby shower, Colby was turning 9, and Colin was turning ONE! I had a very eventful week while I was in town. I picked Colby up from school several days, I made a Halloween costume for Sam, and I got to go to Disneyland for free (with Colby- it was his birthday gift). I had the most amazing time that week. I was very sad when I had to go home. I also found out that I was going to have a JOB when I got back from my trip! It was the government job I had applied for back in May; I was beyond excited.
In November, I started my new job! I sat in a classroom for 8 hours a day, learning all sorts of new things. I started taking the bus to/from work and saving my car from additional wear and tear, as well as no more buying gas for my car! Yippee! However, the frustrations at my new job began... between the sleepers and the other irritating people... along with being stuck in a classroom for 8 hours a day... yeah. Thankfully, I made a few friends in class... which makes the day go by easier. :) We also got a few house guests... of the teenaged-nature... as well as two of the feline nature. The night before Thanksgiving, my friend Felicia and I found two kittens in an XBOX box down the street from our house, next to a frozen creek, with nothing but a pee-soaked blanket and a handful of kibble inside. Sam named them Nick and Ellis, after a video game called, "Left for Dead." He found it fitting... until we decided that one was a girl and the other was a boy... so their names were changed to Zoey and Ellis. Oh, and I "officially" became an aunt. :)
In December, the classes continued at work, along with a little on-the-job training. Money was finally starting to come in, bills were getting paid, and then Grimm started peeing in random places, including my clean laundry! I was very sad. Sam took him into the vet and, $1500 and a two-day stay at the 24-hour Vet Clinic later, he was diagnosed with chronic kidney (renal) failure and severe anemia. He didn't seem to be doing well when we first brought him home; however, with time, he's been doing better and acting more like our Grimm. The kittens are still here; I'm trying to convince Sam it's a good idea to keep them... even though I don't want to change a litter box for 4 cats! Christmas was good; we bought ourselves a new PS3 and Rock Band 3, including the keyboard. We obviously opened it early. :) We had friends over, ate pizza until we couldn't eat anymore, and baked enough cookies for 20+ friends, 30 co-workers, and 2 teenagers! haha! It was a December to remember. :)
Looking ahead to 2011, I am looking forward to my one year anniversary with my hubby. <3 I am also looking forward to other life changing events... including having a job all year! I am also looking forward to catching up on all bills, slowly fixing up our bathroom, and relaxing in the evening after work. :)
I have decided my resolutions are as follows:
1. Speak my mind when something is bothering me.
2. Lose weight, despite the fact that I sit on my ass at work all day.
3. Be nice to everyone until they give me a reason to stop. (my usual)
I hope everyone has a fantastic 2011...!
If I forgot something, please remind my fragile little mind. ;)
It started out GREAT! I was in LA with friends and family, getting ready for my WEDDING! (which was the best day ever, btw). I had an amazing day with wonderful people... and then we left the next day and headed back home... spent the night in Weed... and then headed the rest of the way to Portland. I went back to looking for jobs and Sam went back to work.
February brought a few friends into our lives, not in the best situation, but they were welcomed all the same. I had two people to hang out with during the day, I had two more people to cook for at dinner, and I had two people to craft and shop with! It was fantastic. :) I was very sad when they left...
March and April brought more job searching and more job interviews... but no jobs! It was very upsetting. In May, I applied for a job with the government, but I never thought I'd hear back from them. It was a job answering phones in a call center in Portland that paid pretty well with decent hours. I was somewhat excited, but I didn't let myself get too excited, given my recent luck with jobs and applications.
In June, I celebrated by 29th birthday... for the first time. ;) hehe... Sam's 20th high school reunion was towards the end of June and we decided to drive down to Napa for the weekend. While we were down, we spent time with his grandparents and mom. We had a fabulous time, despite the 100+ degree weather.
In July, we celebrated the 4th by sitting at home, watching fireworks on TV. :) To my surprise, I received an e-mail about the government job, asking me to complete a brief internet "test." It didn't say how I did at the end of the test, so I had no idea if I'd get a call or e-mail... or not.
In August, Sam celebrated his 38th birthday. We didn't do anything spectacular, but we had a good evening. At the end of the month, my friend Malia came to visit and I had a fantastic time (even though Odin broke a mirror on her first night in town and we had to clean it up)! :) hehe... We went sight-seeing and shopped at Powell's Books... fantastic time.
In September, we went to PAX... and I MET WIL WHEATON! It was amazing... a high point in my life, other than my wedding, of course. :) hehe... We had a fantastic weekend with Whitney, Nate, and a couple of Whitney's friends. My parents also surprised me by driving up to visit towards the end of September. They stayed at a hotel down the street and we hung out for a few days before they had to head back home. It was nice to finally see them... in Portland!
In October, I went down to LA for about a week. My sister was having her baby shower, Colby was turning 9, and Colin was turning ONE! I had a very eventful week while I was in town. I picked Colby up from school several days, I made a Halloween costume for Sam, and I got to go to Disneyland for free (with Colby- it was his birthday gift). I had the most amazing time that week. I was very sad when I had to go home. I also found out that I was going to have a JOB when I got back from my trip! It was the government job I had applied for back in May; I was beyond excited.
In November, I started my new job! I sat in a classroom for 8 hours a day, learning all sorts of new things. I started taking the bus to/from work and saving my car from additional wear and tear, as well as no more buying gas for my car! Yippee! However, the frustrations at my new job began... between the sleepers and the other irritating people... along with being stuck in a classroom for 8 hours a day... yeah. Thankfully, I made a few friends in class... which makes the day go by easier. :) We also got a few house guests... of the teenaged-nature... as well as two of the feline nature. The night before Thanksgiving, my friend Felicia and I found two kittens in an XBOX box down the street from our house, next to a frozen creek, with nothing but a pee-soaked blanket and a handful of kibble inside. Sam named them Nick and Ellis, after a video game called, "Left for Dead." He found it fitting... until we decided that one was a girl and the other was a boy... so their names were changed to Zoey and Ellis. Oh, and I "officially" became an aunt. :)
In December, the classes continued at work, along with a little on-the-job training. Money was finally starting to come in, bills were getting paid, and then Grimm started peeing in random places, including my clean laundry! I was very sad. Sam took him into the vet and, $1500 and a two-day stay at the 24-hour Vet Clinic later, he was diagnosed with chronic kidney (renal) failure and severe anemia. He didn't seem to be doing well when we first brought him home; however, with time, he's been doing better and acting more like our Grimm. The kittens are still here; I'm trying to convince Sam it's a good idea to keep them... even though I don't want to change a litter box for 4 cats! Christmas was good; we bought ourselves a new PS3 and Rock Band 3, including the keyboard. We obviously opened it early. :) We had friends over, ate pizza until we couldn't eat anymore, and baked enough cookies for 20+ friends, 30 co-workers, and 2 teenagers! haha! It was a December to remember. :)
Looking ahead to 2011, I am looking forward to my one year anniversary with my hubby. <3 I am also looking forward to other life changing events... including having a job all year! I am also looking forward to catching up on all bills, slowly fixing up our bathroom, and relaxing in the evening after work. :)
I have decided my resolutions are as follows:
1. Speak my mind when something is bothering me.
2. Lose weight, despite the fact that I sit on my ass at work all day.
3. Be nice to everyone until they give me a reason to stop. (my usual)
I hope everyone has a fantastic 2011...!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Grimm Updates
I figured I'd give everyone a quick update from time to time on Mr. Grimm.
Monday: He seemed more "normal" today. He came out of his hiding spot in the office and slept on the kitchen chair, under the table. He also came out when Sam and I got home and seemed excited about eating dinner; however, a kitten walked up to his food and Grimm was immediately done with eating. (Which usually happens when Odin tries to eat Grimm's food, too.) Sam and I put the food in his room, but Odin went in there after he was done eating... and ate all of Grimm's food! Odin is such a greedy jerk. haha! I talked to a friend of mine at work- she used to work at Dove Lewis. I told her about all the different medications and she agreed; if Grimm isn't puking, he doesn't need the Pepcid. If Grimm is eating, he doesn't need the appetite stimulant. If we check the dehydration signs and Grimm is fine, then he doesn't need the subcutaneous fluids. I felt better about our decisions.
However, we were getting mixed information from the vet today. I called this morning to ask about the Epogen, the hormone that the 24 hour clinic help Grimm's anemia. I also asked WHY we were referred to the 24 hour clinic only to have Grimm come home WORSE than he was when we dropped him off. I was sure to be very blunt and somewhat bitchy... but I ended up crying at some point. :-/ The receptionist apologized because what Grimm has is "so rare" that they don't treat it often. She said she'd ask the vet and have someone give us a call back. With the first call back, Sam was told the shots would be needed one a week. Apparently, that person had never really heard of Epogen and had to do more research on it, even though the 24 hour clinic had told us specifically to follow up with our vet for the Epogen. Later in the day, Sam was told the shots would be needed three times a week with weekly blood tests until the RBC goal was achieved. After Grimm reached that point, he'd need weekly shots and then monthly shots with blood tests every month to monitor his RBCs. Either way, we have decided that this vet is obviously NOT properly educated in how to best help treat chronic renal failure... and we may need to find a new vet that is educated in Epogen treatment. Also, a vet that doesn't over-exaggerate test results would be good, too. I called the vet two times today, once before work and once after work. That's one more time than I should have had to call and complain about my "service..." two more calls even, considering both calls were me complaining about our service/lack of service there within the last 2-3 weeks. /sigh
Sam and I would like to try the Epogen for two weeks... and see what the blood tests show. We found a website that will allow us to buy a 2 week supply at a time, which should give us time to see if the Epogen will work or not. If the Epogen works... then we would have no problem buying it in packages of 6 vials at a time. If it doesn't work, weren't not stuck with 5 vials of Epogen that we'll never use or get reimbursed for. And I'm trying to figure out a way to get the vet to give Grimm the shots three times a week (for free) instead of having us do it at home, considering Grimm will let the vet give him shots, but he puts up a fight when we try to get a syringe full of water down his throat. But I'm still working on that one.
Tuesday: Grimm actually let me scratch under his chin and rubbed against my knuckles today (which is his way of asking me to scratch more). I was overly excited about that. Also, he played with my name badge from work! hehe... I tricked him! He's eating wet food (which is better for him than kibble, considering it contains some water), but he's still sleeping most of the day. I'm glad we're making a little progress.
Wednesday: Grimm came out from hiding for a little bit tonight- I was very excited to see him out and about. It was a nice change of pace.
Thursday: Grimm was on the kitchen table when I got home and he stayed out in the front room most of the evening... including jumping on top of me and purring... TWICE! My heart melted. I was so happy to see him being more like him again. He sniffed the catnip toys, he ate his favorite Greenies (Tuna flavored), and he ate kibble *on his own* and wet food, too! I am beyond overjoyed.
Friday: He's out and about this morning, too! He's sitting by his toy box. Adorable. He doesn't look comfortable, but he's trying to stay out of Odin's way, since Odin is on a crazy war-path, running all around the house with his tail fluffed up... so I don't blame Grimm for looking the way he does. haha! When we came home after being out for New Year's Eve, Grimm woke up and came out of the office to greet us. I was again impressed.
Saturday: I woke up to Grimm sleeping by my feet! It was amazing! He got up and sat in the window, too! I'm going to say my Grimm is back to "normal" again... definitely now more than ever. When he was done in the window, he went back onto the bed, by my feet! It was awesome... and warm. :) hehe... When I took a shower, he was pawing at the door, wanting to come inside the bathroom. He came inside, purred for a bit, and then wanted out. I think he's recovered. :)
Monday: He seemed more "normal" today. He came out of his hiding spot in the office and slept on the kitchen chair, under the table. He also came out when Sam and I got home and seemed excited about eating dinner; however, a kitten walked up to his food and Grimm was immediately done with eating. (Which usually happens when Odin tries to eat Grimm's food, too.) Sam and I put the food in his room, but Odin went in there after he was done eating... and ate all of Grimm's food! Odin is such a greedy jerk. haha! I talked to a friend of mine at work- she used to work at Dove Lewis. I told her about all the different medications and she agreed; if Grimm isn't puking, he doesn't need the Pepcid. If Grimm is eating, he doesn't need the appetite stimulant. If we check the dehydration signs and Grimm is fine, then he doesn't need the subcutaneous fluids. I felt better about our decisions.
However, we were getting mixed information from the vet today. I called this morning to ask about the Epogen, the hormone that the 24 hour clinic help Grimm's anemia. I also asked WHY we were referred to the 24 hour clinic only to have Grimm come home WORSE than he was when we dropped him off. I was sure to be very blunt and somewhat bitchy... but I ended up crying at some point. :-/ The receptionist apologized because what Grimm has is "so rare" that they don't treat it often. She said she'd ask the vet and have someone give us a call back. With the first call back, Sam was told the shots would be needed one a week. Apparently, that person had never really heard of Epogen and had to do more research on it, even though the 24 hour clinic had told us specifically to follow up with our vet for the Epogen. Later in the day, Sam was told the shots would be needed three times a week with weekly blood tests until the RBC goal was achieved. After Grimm reached that point, he'd need weekly shots and then monthly shots with blood tests every month to monitor his RBCs. Either way, we have decided that this vet is obviously NOT properly educated in how to best help treat chronic renal failure... and we may need to find a new vet that is educated in Epogen treatment. Also, a vet that doesn't over-exaggerate test results would be good, too. I called the vet two times today, once before work and once after work. That's one more time than I should have had to call and complain about my "service..." two more calls even, considering both calls were me complaining about our service/lack of service there within the last 2-3 weeks. /sigh
Sam and I would like to try the Epogen for two weeks... and see what the blood tests show. We found a website that will allow us to buy a 2 week supply at a time, which should give us time to see if the Epogen will work or not. If the Epogen works... then we would have no problem buying it in packages of 6 vials at a time. If it doesn't work, weren't not stuck with 5 vials of Epogen that we'll never use or get reimbursed for. And I'm trying to figure out a way to get the vet to give Grimm the shots three times a week (for free) instead of having us do it at home, considering Grimm will let the vet give him shots, but he puts up a fight when we try to get a syringe full of water down his throat. But I'm still working on that one.
Tuesday: Grimm actually let me scratch under his chin and rubbed against my knuckles today (which is his way of asking me to scratch more). I was overly excited about that. Also, he played with my name badge from work! hehe... I tricked him! He's eating wet food (which is better for him than kibble, considering it contains some water), but he's still sleeping most of the day. I'm glad we're making a little progress.
Wednesday: Grimm came out from hiding for a little bit tonight- I was very excited to see him out and about. It was a nice change of pace.
Thursday: Grimm was on the kitchen table when I got home and he stayed out in the front room most of the evening... including jumping on top of me and purring... TWICE! My heart melted. I was so happy to see him being more like him again. He sniffed the catnip toys, he ate his favorite Greenies (Tuna flavored), and he ate kibble *on his own* and wet food, too! I am beyond overjoyed.
Friday: He's out and about this morning, too! He's sitting by his toy box. Adorable. He doesn't look comfortable, but he's trying to stay out of Odin's way, since Odin is on a crazy war-path, running all around the house with his tail fluffed up... so I don't blame Grimm for looking the way he does. haha! When we came home after being out for New Year's Eve, Grimm woke up and came out of the office to greet us. I was again impressed.
Saturday: I woke up to Grimm sleeping by my feet! It was amazing! He got up and sat in the window, too! I'm going to say my Grimm is back to "normal" again... definitely now more than ever. When he was done in the window, he went back onto the bed, by my feet! It was awesome... and warm. :) hehe... When I took a shower, he was pawing at the door, wanting to come inside the bathroom. He came inside, purred for a bit, and then wanted out. I think he's recovered. :)
Sunday, December 26, 2010
My Grimm
I love my Grimm.
I don't know what I'll do without him.
However... things have changed.
I worry about my Grimm everyday now.
In the beginning of December, I was starting to realize how many puddles of pee there were around the house. I was getting tired of cleaning up every puddle only to find another and not know who was peeing all over my house! Then, one night, I put a clean load of laundry on the bed that was fresh out of the dryer. Grimm immediately jumped on the bed, got onto the laundry, and PEED! I was so pissed (for lack of a better word). Sam did some reading and found out that random puddles might mean that Grimm had a bladder infection... so he took Grimm to the vet. The vet thought he was at the tail-end of a bladder infection, based on a urine test, so she prescribed Metacam (an anti-inflammatory) and some eye drops (since Grimm's eyes have been kinda booger-filled). The vet sent them home with a good bill of health.
Two weeks later, Grimm was acting bizarre... well, more unusual than usual... he was sitting in front of his water bowl, not drinking, just sitting. We called the vet and we took him back in. This time, the vet heard a slight heart murmur and checked his blood pressure, which was pretty high, according to the vet. The vet immediately wanted to do a blood test, which we *wanted* them to do... and we waited 30 minutes for the results. When the results came back, the vet gave us two options: 1) go to the emergency 24-hour clinic OR 2) put Grimm to sleep. That left us with one option: Take Grimm to the 24-hour clinic.
At the 24-hour clinic, we were told that Grimm's lab results weren't as bad as the original vet had described. However, Grimm was very anemic and they were worried he had (chronic) kidney failure. Grimm looked so comfortable and happy while we were at the vet. He was laying in Sam's jacket, purring, and somewhat falling asleep while we were waiting. After two hours, Grimm was admitted into the 24-hour clinic and was put on an IV drip with fluids. He was given Pepcid for stomach upset, amoxicillin (just in case), and an appetite stimulant. After 20 hours, Grimm's blood tests were improving and he was eating and acting more "normal," according to the vet tech. However, his blood tests were not improving as much as they would have liked... so we had Grimm stay another night in the hospital. The next morning, the vet tech said Grimm did good overnight. Later that day, his blood tests showed more improvement, but not as much as they would have liked (again). That night, we took him home.
While Grimm was being "discharged," the vet tech was telling us a LOT of information. We were sent home with 5 cans of Science Diet k/d for renal failure, a bag of fluid along with 10 needles, a bottle of amoxicillin, and appetite stimulant pills... along with a list of what to do, how much, and how often. Sam and I sat down and figured out that the easiest option would be do give Grimm most of his meds at night, when we were both home. That included the subcutaneous fluids, amoxicillin, pepcid, and appetite stimulant (every three days). However, we were going to have to give Grimm amoxicillin in the morning before leaving for work, as well as in the evening. We tried to give Grimm the fluids the following evening, but he wanted nothing to do with it. We managed to give him the pepcid, but it didn't seem to make him feel any better. The amoxicillin went down, no problems. We just felt like horrible parents... I didn't want to do this to him, even though it was for his own good. The following day (Christmas), we managed to get the amoxicillin down, but not the appetite stimulant and not the pepcid. We got in some fluids (50ml out of the 150ml we were supposed to give him)... after wrapping Grimm up in a towel and holding him completely still in the bathroom. Again, we felt as though we were pissing Grimm off with every needle, pill, and liquid we shoved into him.
Tonight, we came to the conclusion that we want Grimm to live... as comfortably and happily as possible, for as long as that may be. I do not want to stick a needle in my cat every night while he's wrapped like a burrito in a towel, looking sad and angry. I am tired of popping pills down his throat when we don't even know that it's doing anything, especially the pepcid and appetite stimulant (since he's eating ok without it). Grimm seems to be breathing harder and his pupils are dilated... which isn't a good thing, we know... but we did what we were told to do (for the most part), and nothing has seemed to help so far. We're wondering if the 24-hour clinic didn't slip him a sedative while he was there... and he's just now coming out of the medicine-induced sleep. Either way, we are keeping an eye on him... a very close eye.
We do, however, want to talk to the vet tomorrow. The 24-hour clinic recommended an injectable medication to help with Grimm's anemia. We want to look into that... and we would prefer to take Grimm to the vet everyday that he needs a shot, so we don't mess it up. We also want to finish giving him the amoxicillin... his eyes are clearing up, without the drops. However, the drops are good for Odin, too... if he ever needs them again (he used them as a kitten). We also want to ask the vet about Science Diet k/d kibble for Grimm to munch on during the day, since he prefers kibble to wet food. We already bought Grimm a new water bowl that says, "Thirsty" on it. *super cute*
Odin and the kittens seem to be leaving Grimm alone, for the most part. Grimm has been hiding under my desk, on top of the pink ottoman. He's been there most of the time; he only gets up to pee, drink water, and eat food (on occasion). He surprised us on Christmas by getting up and coming into the kitchen when he heard me open a soup can. I was shocked... and Sam immediately gave him wet food. :) Grimm also came out tonight and showed interest in the new toys I bought the kitties today at Wal-Mart (since Odin's flower toys were inside the stocking). I ended up giving Grimm a catnip toy in the office, along with his old friend, the stick. :)
I'll keep everyone posted on Mr. Grimm via Twitter and FB. I'm just glad he's home and sleeping, safely under my desk. <3 I love my Grimm (aka Bubba). I don't want to see him leave this world prematurely... he's only 4 years old and he's too good of a kitty to have such a horrible thing happen to him.
I don't know what I'll do without him.
However... things have changed.
I worry about my Grimm everyday now.
In the beginning of December, I was starting to realize how many puddles of pee there were around the house. I was getting tired of cleaning up every puddle only to find another and not know who was peeing all over my house! Then, one night, I put a clean load of laundry on the bed that was fresh out of the dryer. Grimm immediately jumped on the bed, got onto the laundry, and PEED! I was so pissed (for lack of a better word). Sam did some reading and found out that random puddles might mean that Grimm had a bladder infection... so he took Grimm to the vet. The vet thought he was at the tail-end of a bladder infection, based on a urine test, so she prescribed Metacam (an anti-inflammatory) and some eye drops (since Grimm's eyes have been kinda booger-filled). The vet sent them home with a good bill of health.
Two weeks later, Grimm was acting bizarre... well, more unusual than usual... he was sitting in front of his water bowl, not drinking, just sitting. We called the vet and we took him back in. This time, the vet heard a slight heart murmur and checked his blood pressure, which was pretty high, according to the vet. The vet immediately wanted to do a blood test, which we *wanted* them to do... and we waited 30 minutes for the results. When the results came back, the vet gave us two options: 1) go to the emergency 24-hour clinic OR 2) put Grimm to sleep. That left us with one option: Take Grimm to the 24-hour clinic.
At the 24-hour clinic, we were told that Grimm's lab results weren't as bad as the original vet had described. However, Grimm was very anemic and they were worried he had (chronic) kidney failure. Grimm looked so comfortable and happy while we were at the vet. He was laying in Sam's jacket, purring, and somewhat falling asleep while we were waiting. After two hours, Grimm was admitted into the 24-hour clinic and was put on an IV drip with fluids. He was given Pepcid for stomach upset, amoxicillin (just in case), and an appetite stimulant. After 20 hours, Grimm's blood tests were improving and he was eating and acting more "normal," according to the vet tech. However, his blood tests were not improving as much as they would have liked... so we had Grimm stay another night in the hospital. The next morning, the vet tech said Grimm did good overnight. Later that day, his blood tests showed more improvement, but not as much as they would have liked (again). That night, we took him home.
While Grimm was being "discharged," the vet tech was telling us a LOT of information. We were sent home with 5 cans of Science Diet k/d for renal failure, a bag of fluid along with 10 needles, a bottle of amoxicillin, and appetite stimulant pills... along with a list of what to do, how much, and how often. Sam and I sat down and figured out that the easiest option would be do give Grimm most of his meds at night, when we were both home. That included the subcutaneous fluids, amoxicillin, pepcid, and appetite stimulant (every three days). However, we were going to have to give Grimm amoxicillin in the morning before leaving for work, as well as in the evening. We tried to give Grimm the fluids the following evening, but he wanted nothing to do with it. We managed to give him the pepcid, but it didn't seem to make him feel any better. The amoxicillin went down, no problems. We just felt like horrible parents... I didn't want to do this to him, even though it was for his own good. The following day (Christmas), we managed to get the amoxicillin down, but not the appetite stimulant and not the pepcid. We got in some fluids (50ml out of the 150ml we were supposed to give him)... after wrapping Grimm up in a towel and holding him completely still in the bathroom. Again, we felt as though we were pissing Grimm off with every needle, pill, and liquid we shoved into him.
Tonight, we came to the conclusion that we want Grimm to live... as comfortably and happily as possible, for as long as that may be. I do not want to stick a needle in my cat every night while he's wrapped like a burrito in a towel, looking sad and angry. I am tired of popping pills down his throat when we don't even know that it's doing anything, especially the pepcid and appetite stimulant (since he's eating ok without it). Grimm seems to be breathing harder and his pupils are dilated... which isn't a good thing, we know... but we did what we were told to do (for the most part), and nothing has seemed to help so far. We're wondering if the 24-hour clinic didn't slip him a sedative while he was there... and he's just now coming out of the medicine-induced sleep. Either way, we are keeping an eye on him... a very close eye.
We do, however, want to talk to the vet tomorrow. The 24-hour clinic recommended an injectable medication to help with Grimm's anemia. We want to look into that... and we would prefer to take Grimm to the vet everyday that he needs a shot, so we don't mess it up. We also want to finish giving him the amoxicillin... his eyes are clearing up, without the drops. However, the drops are good for Odin, too... if he ever needs them again (he used them as a kitten). We also want to ask the vet about Science Diet k/d kibble for Grimm to munch on during the day, since he prefers kibble to wet food. We already bought Grimm a new water bowl that says, "Thirsty" on it. *super cute*
Odin and the kittens seem to be leaving Grimm alone, for the most part. Grimm has been hiding under my desk, on top of the pink ottoman. He's been there most of the time; he only gets up to pee, drink water, and eat food (on occasion). He surprised us on Christmas by getting up and coming into the kitchen when he heard me open a soup can. I was shocked... and Sam immediately gave him wet food. :) Grimm also came out tonight and showed interest in the new toys I bought the kitties today at Wal-Mart (since Odin's flower toys were inside the stocking). I ended up giving Grimm a catnip toy in the office, along with his old friend, the stick. :)
I'll keep everyone posted on Mr. Grimm via Twitter and FB. I'm just glad he's home and sleeping, safely under my desk. <3 I love my Grimm (aka Bubba). I don't want to see him leave this world prematurely... he's only 4 years old and he's too good of a kitty to have such a horrible thing happen to him.
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Oh Hai...!
I haven't blogged in a while... so I thought I might just give everyone a quick update.
First of all, HAPPY OCTOBER! October means that Halloween is just a few weeks away and I am EXCITED! Halloween is my favorite day of the year. When else is it appropriate to dress up in costumes and knock on your neighbor's doors, asking for candy? :) hehe
Most recently, my PARENTS drove up to Portland for a visit! It was a kinda last minute thing, but it was fantastic. I enjoyed having my parents over to finally show them the house, where I've been living, and they got to meet a few of our friends while they were here. It was good times. I can't wait for their eventual return. :)
Towards the end of August, my friend Malia flew up for a short visit. She stayed at the house and I enjoyed her company. We went to Multnomah Falls, Powell's Books, and The Bridge of the Gods. We had a fantastic time... until Sam and I drove her up to Centralia to meet a friend for part 2 of her vacation. I was sad to see her go... but I know she'll be back eventually, too. :)
I'm headed down to Napa in a few weeks for a Not Thanksgiving Dinner with Sam's family. It should be a good time. Thankfully, Sam had some Alaska Airline miles saved up and his mom was kind enough to loan us the additional money needed to FLY to Napa. It's only a weekend trip, but it will be good to see that side of the family again. :)
I'm headed down to LOS ANGELES a few days after I return from Napa. Crazy, I know. I wanted to go to my sister's baby shower and my mom was kind enough to pay for my flight down there. Another weekend trip, but I haven't been down there since February and I'm starting to seriously miss "my boys," Colby, Gavin, and Colin. This trip has been in the works for a while now... Colin's first birthday, Colby's 9th birthday, my sister's baby shower, etc... I'm just hoping I can get everything squeezed in! :)
My kitties are doing fine. Grimm is surprising me daily. He has been jumping on my lap while I'm watching TV, snuggling next to me in bed, and purring a lot more. Odin is still a spazz that likes to be held and snuggled whenever and however possible. Logan (the indoor/outdoor/not really ours cat) has been coming in for food only lately. Although, it's been decent weather outside, so he hasn't needed to stay inside to keep dry.
I'm STILL unemployed, BUT... within a few weeks, I should know if I'm getting a job with the IRS. :) I applied for this job back in April or May. I was fingerprinted last month and now they're running a complete background check on me. Good times. Hopefully, I pass and I have a job. This is what I've been waiting for, right? :)
Finally, this Labor Day weekend... was PAX. Sam and I went along with our friends Whitney and Nate. We had a fantastical time.
I MET WIL WHEATON!!!
I can finally say I've met someone famous. I've always like Wil Wheaton... I am a true ST:TNG fan. He was such an awesomely sweet guy, too. He commented on how AWESOME my She-Ra shirt was. Don't worry... I washed it. :) hehe...
That's it for now... I'll have to post pictures later, I guess... if I feel like it. :) Hope you have a GREAT October!!
Remember: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Wear Pink For The BOOBS!!
First of all, HAPPY OCTOBER! October means that Halloween is just a few weeks away and I am EXCITED! Halloween is my favorite day of the year. When else is it appropriate to dress up in costumes and knock on your neighbor's doors, asking for candy? :) hehe
Most recently, my PARENTS drove up to Portland for a visit! It was a kinda last minute thing, but it was fantastic. I enjoyed having my parents over to finally show them the house, where I've been living, and they got to meet a few of our friends while they were here. It was good times. I can't wait for their eventual return. :)
Towards the end of August, my friend Malia flew up for a short visit. She stayed at the house and I enjoyed her company. We went to Multnomah Falls, Powell's Books, and The Bridge of the Gods. We had a fantastic time... until Sam and I drove her up to Centralia to meet a friend for part 2 of her vacation. I was sad to see her go... but I know she'll be back eventually, too. :)
I'm headed down to Napa in a few weeks for a Not Thanksgiving Dinner with Sam's family. It should be a good time. Thankfully, Sam had some Alaska Airline miles saved up and his mom was kind enough to loan us the additional money needed to FLY to Napa. It's only a weekend trip, but it will be good to see that side of the family again. :)
I'm headed down to LOS ANGELES a few days after I return from Napa. Crazy, I know. I wanted to go to my sister's baby shower and my mom was kind enough to pay for my flight down there. Another weekend trip, but I haven't been down there since February and I'm starting to seriously miss "my boys," Colby, Gavin, and Colin. This trip has been in the works for a while now... Colin's first birthday, Colby's 9th birthday, my sister's baby shower, etc... I'm just hoping I can get everything squeezed in! :)
My kitties are doing fine. Grimm is surprising me daily. He has been jumping on my lap while I'm watching TV, snuggling next to me in bed, and purring a lot more. Odin is still a spazz that likes to be held and snuggled whenever and however possible. Logan (the indoor/outdoor/not really ours cat) has been coming in for food only lately. Although, it's been decent weather outside, so he hasn't needed to stay inside to keep dry.
I'm STILL unemployed, BUT... within a few weeks, I should know if I'm getting a job with the IRS. :) I applied for this job back in April or May. I was fingerprinted last month and now they're running a complete background check on me. Good times. Hopefully, I pass and I have a job. This is what I've been waiting for, right? :)
Finally, this Labor Day weekend... was PAX. Sam and I went along with our friends Whitney and Nate. We had a fantastical time.
I MET WIL WHEATON!!!
I can finally say I've met someone famous. I've always like Wil Wheaton... I am a true ST:TNG fan. He was such an awesomely sweet guy, too. He commented on how AWESOME my She-Ra shirt was. Don't worry... I washed it. :) hehe...
That's it for now... I'll have to post pictures later, I guess... if I feel like it. :) Hope you have a GREAT October!!
Remember: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Wear Pink For The BOOBS!!
Saturday, August 07, 2010
A New Idea
At first, my great idea was to have people over once a month, on the second Sunday of the month, for a good home-cooked meal and friendly conversation. That worked, for a while, but it was usually the same people every month, no matter how many people I invited and no matter how long/short of notice people were given.
Then, my monthly "dinner" turned into a monthly get-together for D&D, for which I still cooked dinner... but the only conversation was between the boys (and Whitney) about the game. It wasn't especially fun for me, except that I got to cook for 8-10 people, which I love to do.
Then, my "monthly" dinner turned into an almost weekly experience when the D&D game became more exciting, if you can say that. I was cooking for 8-10 people every week! It was awesome, but again, I ended up cooking, doing laundry, and playing The Sims on Sunday evenings...
Now, D&D is pretty much non-existent, due to conflicting work schedules. It's upsetting, sure, because I don't have a house full of people every week/month like I used to and there's no one here to cook for, except for Sam! haha!
Here's my NEW idea. Once a month. One person (the person picking rotates every month) chooses a LOCAL restaurant. We all go. We all have a good time. Simple.
~*~*~*~*~*~
For example:
August: Sarah
Food: Dick's Kitchen
3312 SE Belmont St
Portland, OR 97214
Time: Sunday, August 22nd at 6pm.
~*~*~*~*~*~
September: Whitney
Food: Delta Cafe
4607 SE Woodstock Blvd
Portland, OR 97206
Time: Sunday, September 19th at 6pm.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Here's the rule: NO COMPLAINING.
And yes, that's coming from me.
I've decided I've come to a point in my life where I need to explore new foods, new tastes, and new places. I think this will be a good experiment and a way to see what other people want for food, not just what I want!
Yes, the thought crossed my mind about expenses, but if we all go to a place that is local, chances are the prices will be decent and the food will be fantastic! Not only that, but the "picker of the month" will be at blame if the restaurant is too pricey. :)
What do you think? :)
Then, my monthly "dinner" turned into a monthly get-together for D&D, for which I still cooked dinner... but the only conversation was between the boys (and Whitney) about the game. It wasn't especially fun for me, except that I got to cook for 8-10 people, which I love to do.
Then, my "monthly" dinner turned into an almost weekly experience when the D&D game became more exciting, if you can say that. I was cooking for 8-10 people every week! It was awesome, but again, I ended up cooking, doing laundry, and playing The Sims on Sunday evenings...
Now, D&D is pretty much non-existent, due to conflicting work schedules. It's upsetting, sure, because I don't have a house full of people every week/month like I used to and there's no one here to cook for, except for Sam! haha!
Here's my NEW idea. Once a month. One person (the person picking rotates every month) chooses a LOCAL restaurant. We all go. We all have a good time. Simple.
~*~*~*~*~*~
For example:
August: Sarah
Food: Dick's Kitchen
3312 SE Belmont St
Portland, OR 97214
Time: Sunday, August 22nd at 6pm.
~*~*~*~*~*~
September: Whitney
Food: Delta Cafe
4607 SE Woodstock Blvd
Portland, OR 97206
Time: Sunday, September 19th at 6pm.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Here's the rule: NO COMPLAINING.
And yes, that's coming from me.
I've decided I've come to a point in my life where I need to explore new foods, new tastes, and new places. I think this will be a good experiment and a way to see what other people want for food, not just what I want!
Yes, the thought crossed my mind about expenses, but if we all go to a place that is local, chances are the prices will be decent and the food will be fantastic! Not only that, but the "picker of the month" will be at blame if the restaurant is too pricey. :)
What do you think? :)
Friday, August 06, 2010
Happy Birthday, Sam!
The husband, Sam, is officially 38 years old. On one of my "creative" days, I found a website that had a quick tutorial on how to make a Star Wars cake... R2 D2! I thought I'd make one, but a small one, since no one was coming over for the big event.
I think I did pretty good for a first try. No fondant; just frosting. Sam was pleasantly surprised. :) Happy Birthday to him!
I think I did pretty good for a first try. No fondant; just frosting. Sam was pleasantly surprised. :) Happy Birthday to him!
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Today's Lesson
Previous Lesson: Life isn't fair and you don't always get what you want.
Today's Lesson: Life is a waiting game.
After talking to my doctor today, I realized that life is a waiting game. When you're in the womb, you have to wait to develop properly and your mom waits for you to come out... and sometimes, 3-4 days in the hospital later and you (the baby) still haven't arrived. (*hugs* to our friend Laurie who waited and waited for her baby boy... and he finally arrived!) Then you have to wait to crawl, walk, talk, etc... it's not a given. You have to wait and learn it/grow into it. You wait to grow tall enough to be able to ride all the rides at Disneyland. You wait to attend college until you're old enough/have a high school diploma/GED. You wait to find "Mr./Mrs. Perfect" and then you wait to marry them... however long it takes. You (generally) wait to have kids until after the wedding. You wait... and wait... and wait... until you die.
I've been waiting to get a job for over a year. I've been waiting for the money to be able to buy a plane ticket to LA to see my friend's kids and my family. I've been waiting for my computer to fix itself (HA! Not going to happen, but I'm optimistic). I've been waiting for Odin to stop acting like a kitten and act like an adult cat (and sleep more often). Heck, I'm staring to wait to be 30 so I can be a "real grown-up."
I'm tired of waiting.
I want life to be "normal," like it's supposed to be when you're older.
Today's Lesson: Life is a waiting game.
After talking to my doctor today, I realized that life is a waiting game. When you're in the womb, you have to wait to develop properly and your mom waits for you to come out... and sometimes, 3-4 days in the hospital later and you (the baby) still haven't arrived. (*hugs* to our friend Laurie who waited and waited for her baby boy... and he finally arrived!) Then you have to wait to crawl, walk, talk, etc... it's not a given. You have to wait and learn it/grow into it. You wait to grow tall enough to be able to ride all the rides at Disneyland. You wait to attend college until you're old enough/have a high school diploma/GED. You wait to find "Mr./Mrs. Perfect" and then you wait to marry them... however long it takes. You (generally) wait to have kids until after the wedding. You wait... and wait... and wait... until you die.
I've been waiting to get a job for over a year. I've been waiting for the money to be able to buy a plane ticket to LA to see my friend's kids and my family. I've been waiting for my computer to fix itself (HA! Not going to happen, but I'm optimistic). I've been waiting for Odin to stop acting like a kitten and act like an adult cat (and sleep more often). Heck, I'm staring to wait to be 30 so I can be a "real grown-up."
I'm tired of waiting.
I want life to be "normal," like it's supposed to be when you're older.
Friday, July 30, 2010
... anger... rage...
My main computer of over 6 years has taken a shit. I am VERY upset. VERY. It had all of my music, pictures, documents, downloads, games, etc. on it... and it's ALL gone. Sure, I had uploaded a few pictures to Photobucket and Facebook, so I have those. Sure, my music is all on my iPod, so I have that too, I guess. I suppose my resume is saved on the e-mails that I've sent to multiple companies, so that's ok. But for the most part, I'm not only out of six years worth of stuff... I'm also out the cash for a new freakin' hard drive. I am SO pissed off right now.
I think what I am mostly mad about, whether or not someone wants to think it's valid, is that nothing was done to prevent all of my stuff from being lost. No regularly scheduled back-ups were done, nothing was copied or saved to other places like it should have been... and there were warning signs of my computer going south a few months ago when the fan on my motherboard/processor didn't want to work properly. At that point, I would have saved everything, backed it all up, and then done what needed to be done. Don't blame it all on me, either... I am *NOT* the computer person in our house... that's the husband's job, both at work and at home.
I'm sure some of you might be thinking, "But Sarah, it's your computer... why didn't you back it up?" Well, where should I back it up to? We have a portable hard drive, but I was under the impression that it was for music ONLY. And not only that, but if I wanted to save music on that hard drive, I had to have it in "proper format," which is why none of my music was saved over there... for fear I'd put something in the wrong format (which is very possible, even with actual written instructions) and get yelled at. So why would I even dare to back up my computer, let alone any files, on there, especially with the high possibility of getting yelled at? No thanks.
Sure, it's not the husband's fault that the computer died. I know that. But I do feel as though he could/should have seen this coming and "prepared" a little better for it. Maybe I should have taken the fan not working as a sign and at least backed up all my pictures on a CD or something... but I didn't... so maybe I'm mad at myself, too. Either way, I'm simply mad as hell and don't exactly know how to vent my anger and frustration... so here's a blog... that I'm typing from "my new computer," the laptop. Thank goodness we bought this, right? haha!
On another note, it seems like everyone I know is either pregnant or popping out a baby. It's insanity, I say! What I do find bothersome, however, is that more and more people I know are being diagnosed with PCOS, which makes it harder to conceive. Not only that, but the ladies I know with PCOS, no matter how mild it may be, seem to be intelligent ladies that genuinely want to have kids... but yet, there are people in this world that have sex ONCE and BOOM! they're pregnant.
It just doesn't seem fair. But as Sue always said... "Life isn't fair and you don't always get what you want." Nothing more true than that... unfortunately.
I think what I am mostly mad about, whether or not someone wants to think it's valid, is that nothing was done to prevent all of my stuff from being lost. No regularly scheduled back-ups were done, nothing was copied or saved to other places like it should have been... and there were warning signs of my computer going south a few months ago when the fan on my motherboard/processor didn't want to work properly. At that point, I would have saved everything, backed it all up, and then done what needed to be done. Don't blame it all on me, either... I am *NOT* the computer person in our house... that's the husband's job, both at work and at home.
I'm sure some of you might be thinking, "But Sarah, it's your computer... why didn't you back it up?" Well, where should I back it up to? We have a portable hard drive, but I was under the impression that it was for music ONLY. And not only that, but if I wanted to save music on that hard drive, I had to have it in "proper format," which is why none of my music was saved over there... for fear I'd put something in the wrong format (which is very possible, even with actual written instructions) and get yelled at. So why would I even dare to back up my computer, let alone any files, on there, especially with the high possibility of getting yelled at? No thanks.
Sure, it's not the husband's fault that the computer died. I know that. But I do feel as though he could/should have seen this coming and "prepared" a little better for it. Maybe I should have taken the fan not working as a sign and at least backed up all my pictures on a CD or something... but I didn't... so maybe I'm mad at myself, too. Either way, I'm simply mad as hell and don't exactly know how to vent my anger and frustration... so here's a blog... that I'm typing from "my new computer," the laptop. Thank goodness we bought this, right? haha!
On another note, it seems like everyone I know is either pregnant or popping out a baby. It's insanity, I say! What I do find bothersome, however, is that more and more people I know are being diagnosed with PCOS, which makes it harder to conceive. Not only that, but the ladies I know with PCOS, no matter how mild it may be, seem to be intelligent ladies that genuinely want to have kids... but yet, there are people in this world that have sex ONCE and BOOM! they're pregnant.
It just doesn't seem fair. But as Sue always said... "Life isn't fair and you don't always get what you want." Nothing more true than that... unfortunately.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Oh, joy...
The other night, I was talking to my friend Sansa (Leah) and I realized... not only have I been unemployed for over a year now, but I've been going on at least 4-5 interviews a month, sometimes more, for the past 13 months. That's more than 60 interviews, including some second interviews... and NOTHING. Still no job offers.
That's depressing.
Seriously.
And what do I have to show for these past 13 months of being unemployed?
Nothing.
Well, I've done a little work around the house, but not much. I cleaned out a few boxes of stuff in the garage, but it's still not organized the way I'd like it to be. I've watched a LOT of mindless crap on television, including all episodes of Las Vegas on TNT. I've wasted A LOT of time on Twitter and Facebook... and craigslist, JobDango, and other job websites. I've driven so many miles, answered and made so many phone calls, sent hundreds of e-mails, and had Sam send faxes at his office. I've crafted several items, including magnets, picture frames, and made several baked goods and tasty meals. I've taken several naps, with and without the kitties, and I've been known to sleep in until 2pm. I've planted a garden, picked some blueberries, and watered the flowers. I've washed the cars, gotten my car fixed, and changed my own blinker light and air filter. I've played fetch with my kitties, taken care of the neighborhood kitty, we adopted a bearded dragon (who eats a TON of food!), and taken care of my fishies. I've driven to CA, flown to CA, and gotten married in CA... which I *FINALLY* got a copy of our marriage license, by the way...!
I'm sure I've done a lot more than that, but that's all I can think of right now. Maybe I'll add to my list later. Either way, I feel as though these past 13 months I have been extremely unproductive. I haven't gone back to college, I haven't volunteered, I haven't done as many home improvements as I would have liked to, and, most importantly, I HAVEN'T FOUND A JOB! Ugh.
I think what has been irritating me the most lately... are all these damn cupcake shows on TV. One day, I'd like to own my own cupcake shop. I think it would be AWESOME. I'd get to do something I love to do on a day-to-day basis. I love baking and I love cupcakes; how awesome would that job be?! Anyway, I get so upset with these shows because some of the people on there are younger than I am, but they have their own bakeries. HOW did they afford it?! I mean, did their parents buy the shop for them? It's frustrating... and annoying. I'm going to be 30 next year; I want to be a productive, contributing member of society... I want to make a difference! If I wasn't in the situation I am now, I'd be all over going to a bank and asking for a business loan, but I know that ain't gonna happen... especially not with this economy. This SUCKS. Ugh.
On a side note... I'm playing fetch with Odin and his favorite toy as I type. I love this cat; he makes me laugh... especially when he slips on the hardwood floor while trying to catch his toy as it, too, slides across the floor. :) Grimm, on the other hand, is peacefully sleeping inside the curtain by the sliding glass door. That's his new sleep spot; I'm just glad he's not sleeping on the bathroom rug anymore. hehe...
That's depressing.
Seriously.
And what do I have to show for these past 13 months of being unemployed?
Nothing.
Well, I've done a little work around the house, but not much. I cleaned out a few boxes of stuff in the garage, but it's still not organized the way I'd like it to be. I've watched a LOT of mindless crap on television, including all episodes of Las Vegas on TNT. I've wasted A LOT of time on Twitter and Facebook... and craigslist, JobDango, and other job websites. I've driven so many miles, answered and made so many phone calls, sent hundreds of e-mails, and had Sam send faxes at his office. I've crafted several items, including magnets, picture frames, and made several baked goods and tasty meals. I've taken several naps, with and without the kitties, and I've been known to sleep in until 2pm. I've planted a garden, picked some blueberries, and watered the flowers. I've washed the cars, gotten my car fixed, and changed my own blinker light and air filter. I've played fetch with my kitties, taken care of the neighborhood kitty, we adopted a bearded dragon (who eats a TON of food!), and taken care of my fishies. I've driven to CA, flown to CA, and gotten married in CA... which I *FINALLY* got a copy of our marriage license, by the way...!
I'm sure I've done a lot more than that, but that's all I can think of right now. Maybe I'll add to my list later. Either way, I feel as though these past 13 months I have been extremely unproductive. I haven't gone back to college, I haven't volunteered, I haven't done as many home improvements as I would have liked to, and, most importantly, I HAVEN'T FOUND A JOB! Ugh.
I think what has been irritating me the most lately... are all these damn cupcake shows on TV. One day, I'd like to own my own cupcake shop. I think it would be AWESOME. I'd get to do something I love to do on a day-to-day basis. I love baking and I love cupcakes; how awesome would that job be?! Anyway, I get so upset with these shows because some of the people on there are younger than I am, but they have their own bakeries. HOW did they afford it?! I mean, did their parents buy the shop for them? It's frustrating... and annoying. I'm going to be 30 next year; I want to be a productive, contributing member of society... I want to make a difference! If I wasn't in the situation I am now, I'd be all over going to a bank and asking for a business loan, but I know that ain't gonna happen... especially not with this economy. This SUCKS. Ugh.
On a side note... I'm playing fetch with Odin and his favorite toy as I type. I love this cat; he makes me laugh... especially when he slips on the hardwood floor while trying to catch his toy as it, too, slides across the floor. :) Grimm, on the other hand, is peacefully sleeping inside the curtain by the sliding glass door. That's his new sleep spot; I'm just glad he's not sleeping on the bathroom rug anymore. hehe...
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The Bathroom... Part 3
Not much happening in the bathroom this week, other than taking down the huge mirror, the medicine cabinet, the "cove base," and pulling out a few screws and drywall anchors. Nothing too exciting, but I did find several different colors of paint during this process!
Total colors found: Red, Beige, Yellow, and Blue... so that's four.
The mold that used to be under the toilet is gone, but it looks like there's mold on the drywall that's right next to the shower...
The shower floor/drain looks as though it has been there since the house was built... or at least since the 70's linoleum was put down.
The "cove base" around the bottom of the wall/top of the floor was also original and had been there since the linoleum had been put down.
This week's task: prep the walls for a latex-based primer that is mold and mildew resistant.
Total colors found: Red, Beige, Yellow, and Blue... so that's four.
The mold that used to be under the toilet is gone, but it looks like there's mold on the drywall that's right next to the shower...
The shower floor/drain looks as though it has been there since the house was built... or at least since the 70's linoleum was put down.
The "cove base" around the bottom of the wall/top of the floor was also original and had been there since the linoleum had been put down.
This week's task: prep the walls for a latex-based primer that is mold and mildew resistant.
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
In response...
A friend of mine recently posted a blog containing a forwarded e-mail she had received titled, "If George W. was an idiot..." I'm sure you've seen or heard of it by now; it's been going around the interwebs for the past 6 months or so. I found some of this e-mail very disturbing and I've been looking for a Democratic response of some sort... but for now, I found this amazing "explanation" on a fellow blogger's page: Media Monitor. All of the pictures discussed can be found on the direct blog.
Sure, not all of the topics were covered, but most of them are.
Some points that were not included:
If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?
"On the June 1 edition of Fox News' Special Report, reporting on the Obamas' May 30 personal visit to New York City, anchor Bret Baier stated that according to a May 31 New York Post article promoted by Internet gossip Matt Drudge, "aircraft expenses for the date cost you at least $24,000." Prior to his report, Baier promoted the story in two teasers, each of which highlighted the cost of the trip. But like Drudge and the Post, at no point did Baier note that such use of taxpayer funds for private travel by the first family is typical; former President George W. Bush, for example, reportedly used Air Force One for trips to his ranch in Crawford, Texas, which he reportedly visited 77 times over the course of his eight years in office."
Media Matters
If George W. Bush had stated that there were 57 states in the United States, would you have said that he is clueless?
It was a joke. Get over it. Sheesh. As a child, I know it felt like there were 57 states, seeing as how many we drove through while traveling in the summer. Imagine a campaign trail.
If George W. Bush would have flown all the way to Denmark to make a five minute speech about how the Olympics would benefit him walking out his front door in Texas, would you have thought he was a self important, conceited, egotistical idiot?
Obama wanted to bring the Olympics to the United States; Chicago had been chosen by the Olympic Committee BEFORE Obama had taken office. It's not like Obama was trying to make Chicago a "new" location for his convenience.
If George W. Bush had created the position of 32 Czars who report directly to him, bypassing the House and Senate on much of what is happening in America, would you have approved?
I have a link, explaining czars. ""Czar" is a label bestowed by the media – and sometimes the administration – as a shorthand for the often-cumbersome titles of various presidential advisers, assistants, office directors, special envoys and deputy secretaries. (After all, what makes for a better headline – "weapons czar" or "undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics"?)" If you click on the PDF file, you will see: Bush had 35 "czars" and Obama has 32. FactCheck.org
One day, I will write a "If you think Obama is an idiot..." response... or I'll have the husband do it for me. :)
I am just tired of all the hateful, intolerant lies that are being spread throughout the United States in attempt to "get our country back."
Get our country back from what? A non-US born Muslim with black skin?
In the wise words of my late "second mom," Sue:
Life isn't fair and you don't always get what you want.
A widely-spread email entitled "If George W. was an idiot?" is full of inaccuracies, half-truths, and innuendo. The anonymous email is being distributed as fact to thousands of websites, blogs, and individual emails despite having no byline, attribution, or source citations. Here is a detailed response to most of the allegations in the email, with help from Media Matters Action Network.
"If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan’s holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved?"
It's untrue that President Obama "gave the unions a majority stake in GM." According to the May 27, 2009 Wall Street Journal, "General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers agreed to a new restructuring plan that would give the union a significantly smaller stake in the company than previously envisioned..." This agreement was worked out between GM and the UAW, not by the president, who made the decision earlier in the year to rescue the company from bankruptcy. It's also not true that the Obama "reduced {your?} retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90 percent." GM stock declined in value because the company was going bankrupt, not because of anything the president did. The stock went from more than $40 a share in October 2007 to under $4 on the last day of trading BEFORE Obama took office. So the 90 % decline happened under Bush, not Obama. The stock (it's now called Motors Liquidation Company) is now trading for 75 cents a share now, but could be zero if the government had let it go under. (Source: http://www.factcheck.org/).
If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?
Yes, the gift of 25 classic American movies the president gave Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown were on DVDs formatted on the American video standard, but did you know that George W. Bush had done EXACTLY THE SAME THING in 2004 when he gave the Queen of England an incorrectly-formatted DVD movie in 2004? (See http://intotheunknown.co.uk/2009/04/ukgov-announces-wholly-british.html).
If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?
It's untrue that the president gave the Queen of England an iPod "containing videos of his speeches." Instead, the iPod was loaded with video footage and photos of THE QUEEN on her 2007 official trip to the U.S.
If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved?
Conservatives have derided the President for allegedly bowing to the King of Saudi Arabia. The White House says that it was not a bow, but whether it was or was not, how did you react when George Bush actually KISSED the Saudi King? Check these images out here.
Were you upset? Did you protest? (For more information on the cozy personal and financial relationship between the oil-rich Bush family and the Saudi family, read investigative reporter Craig Unger's book, "House of Bush: House of Saud" (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780743253390
If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the fourth of May (Cuatro de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?
You claim that President Obama made a mistake when speaking Spanish. It appears that he was making a joke about the holiday being observed on the fourth of May at the White House, and immediately pronounced "Cinco de Mayo" correctly afterwards.
If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?
In visiting Austria, President Obama said "I don't know what the term is in Austrian." This may have been a slip-up, but it may have been, as one Austrian writer said, Obama’s attempt not to offend Austrians as referring to their language as German. Nonetheless, how did you react when President Bush addressed Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Spanish? You will note that Italians do not speak Spanish. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/science/earth/10notebook.html?ref=world )
If George W. Bush had mis-spelled the word advice would you have hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and potatoe as proof of what a dunce he is?
You state that President Obama did not spell the word "advice" correctly. This is debatable. I found it very unlikely that a graduate of Harvard Law School and author of two best-selling books would make this mistake, so I did some research on this and found the copy of the letter the president wrote a concerned citizen. The "c" in advice looks somewhat like an "s," but in enlarging the word it looks like a "c" to me (see image of letter).
Who was claiming a "media cover-up of Obama's spelling error"? (It's not surprising that these chain emails attacking Obama rarely cite sources or reveal their source material, because to do so would expose that the charges come from a biased viewpoint.) I found that the source of this charge came from the Media Research Center, a right-wing conservative organization founded by Brent Bozell III. Media Matters describes L. Brent Bozell III as "a zealot of impeccable right-wing pedigree (see http://conwebwatch.tripod.com/outthere/otmeltdown.html). Regardless of whether you believe that the word was not spelled correctly, one thing is not debatable -- you can't spell "misspell" correctly!
If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?
When referencing the Special Olympics, Barack Obama made a joke about himself on a late-night comedy show. His joke hadn't even aired when he called the chairman of the Special Olympics board to apologize for comparing his bad bowling skills to Special Olympics (ABC News). Did George W. apologize for offending more than 90 percent of the world's population when he said this: "Perhaps freedom is not universal. Maybe it's only Western people that can self-govern. Maybe it's only, you know, white-guy Methodists who are capable of self-government." (George W. Bush, London, June 16, 2008). Come to think of it, did George W. apologize for any of his numerous offensive remarks?
President Obama has made a few gaffes so far, but President Bush during his eight years in office misspoke hundreds of time. Here is a compilation: http://www.slate.com/id/76886/ In one of his misstatements, he called Africa "a nation that suffers from incredible disease." (My six year-old knows that Africa is not a country, but a continent!) Did you send out emails to your friends every time Bush said something truly idiotic?
If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how he inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?
Again, you are incorrect in stating President Obama was the first president to install and use a teleprompter at a press conference. George Bush used a teleprompter. Oh yeah, Ronald Reagan also used a teleprompter. Check out these images here. Unlike these two presidents, however, Barack Obama has written and edited many of his own speeches.
If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans , would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?
Your email notes that more people were killed by floods in the Midwest than died as a result of Hurricane Katrina. I looked it up and it just is not true. Of the many storms in the Midwest in 2009, the highest death toll thus far is 36 confirmed deaths. http://prod.newsday.com/flash-flood-warning-issued-for-louisville-area-1.1347443 In comparison, there were 1,836 confirmed deaths caused by Hurricane Katrina. http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/offices/page.asp?ID%3D192%26Detail%3D5248. Again, you just can't seem to get your facts straight in your vendetta against Barack Obama, but hey, maybe if you get enough like-minded people to pass on these untruths without checking into anything, maybe they'll believe them!
If George W. Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?
False again. President Obama inherited an economy in disarray and since taking office, has aimed to drastically revamp our nation's failing health care system and our crumbling infrastructure. I was curious to see how the national debt changed during the Bush years and according to the unaffiliated website PolitiFact.com, "When Bush took office; the national debt was $5.73 trillion. When he left, it was $10.7 trillion." http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/jan/22/rahm-emanuel/5-trillion-added-national-debt-under-bush/. When he took office, Obama not only faced the fallout from the worst economic downturn in 30 years, but also inherited this massive debt. One Republican, David M. Walker -- who served under George W. Bush -- said this: "There's no question in my view that Bush was the most fiscally irresponsible president in the history of the Republic...Obama was handed a bad deck."
Since you seemed concerned over wasteful spending did you know that billions of dollars were wasted during the Bush administration, particularly in massive contracts given out to private contractors that operate in Iraq and Afghanistan: According to one commission set up to investigate the use of private contractors, "billions of dollars of that amount ended up wasted due to poorly defined work orders, inadequate oversight and contractor inefficiencies. In one example, defense auditors challenged KBR after it billed the government for $100 million in costs for private security even though the contract prohibited the use of for-hire guards."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2009-06-08-report-dod-spending_N.htm
I hope that we are always critical of those we elect, but I see that you are not being consistent or fair in your criticism. Your complaints about President Obama are ironic, given the fact that President Bush did in fact make so many similar and even more egregious mistakes and made them much more often. Have you heard that expression: People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Sure, not all of the topics were covered, but most of them are.
Some points that were not included:
If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?
"On the June 1 edition of Fox News' Special Report, reporting on the Obamas' May 30 personal visit to New York City, anchor Bret Baier stated that according to a May 31 New York Post article promoted by Internet gossip Matt Drudge, "aircraft expenses for the date cost you at least $24,000." Prior to his report, Baier promoted the story in two teasers, each of which highlighted the cost of the trip. But like Drudge and the Post, at no point did Baier note that such use of taxpayer funds for private travel by the first family is typical; former President George W. Bush, for example, reportedly used Air Force One for trips to his ranch in Crawford, Texas, which he reportedly visited 77 times over the course of his eight years in office."
Media Matters
If George W. Bush had stated that there were 57 states in the United States, would you have said that he is clueless?
It was a joke. Get over it. Sheesh. As a child, I know it felt like there were 57 states, seeing as how many we drove through while traveling in the summer. Imagine a campaign trail.
If George W. Bush would have flown all the way to Denmark to make a five minute speech about how the Olympics would benefit him walking out his front door in Texas, would you have thought he was a self important, conceited, egotistical idiot?
Obama wanted to bring the Olympics to the United States; Chicago had been chosen by the Olympic Committee BEFORE Obama had taken office. It's not like Obama was trying to make Chicago a "new" location for his convenience.
If George W. Bush had created the position of 32 Czars who report directly to him, bypassing the House and Senate on much of what is happening in America, would you have approved?
I have a link, explaining czars. ""Czar" is a label bestowed by the media – and sometimes the administration – as a shorthand for the often-cumbersome titles of various presidential advisers, assistants, office directors, special envoys and deputy secretaries. (After all, what makes for a better headline – "weapons czar" or "undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics"?)" If you click on the PDF file, you will see: Bush had 35 "czars" and Obama has 32. FactCheck.org
One day, I will write a "If you think Obama is an idiot..." response... or I'll have the husband do it for me. :)
I am just tired of all the hateful, intolerant lies that are being spread throughout the United States in attempt to "get our country back."
Get our country back from what? A non-US born Muslim with black skin?
In the wise words of my late "second mom," Sue:
Life isn't fair and you don't always get what you want.
Uh huh... Riiiiight...
Tonight at the gym, I was once again subjected to FOX News. Luckily for me, it wasn't Glenn Beck this time... it was "America's Election Headquarters," since tonight is the primary elections in some states.
To those who say, "FOX News is fair and balanced!" I say: "BULLSHIT."
I say this for a few reasons (these are just my recent discoveries; there are many more reasons):
1. While I was watching tonight, FOX showed all of the Republican candidates and who was winning where. FOX did not show the Democratic candidates and who was winning where EXCEPT for the California Governor race. That was it. If it was indeed "America's Election Headquarters," they should have shown each state with each party and which candidate had how much of the vote... not just the Republican candidates.
2. I also noticed that FOX was streaming how many seats the Republicans needed to "win back" the Senate and House. Nothing about how many seats the Democrats needed to hold on to the majority. And to be honest, this was JUST the primaries, not the actual election! No one is winning any seats tonight, just the Republican or Democratic candidate nomination for the actual vote, which isn't until November.
3. Sure, FOX had both a Republican and Democratic "advisor/analyst," but the news anchor only talked to the Republican advisor about candidates and their positions and policies. The news anchor had a "discussion" about female candidates with the Democratic advisor and asked why he thought more women were winning this time around... nothing about Democratic policies or positions. It was a fascinating thing to read while on the elliptical... I'm glad it was close-captioned for my "convenience."
Last week, I was on the elliptical (headphones in and turned way up) and a guy asked me if I was watching CNN. I shook my head no and he went up to the front desk and asked for the remote so he could change the channel. I looked at my watch and realized it was almost 2pm... I still had 15 minutes left on my workout time. The guy turned it to FOX News and walked away. I was pissed. The guy didn't say he was going to turn it to FOX News... he just asked if I was watching CNN. I'd rather have CNN on in front of me, in the background, compared to Glenn Beck and his intolerant, hateful self preaching hateful messages, full of lies and speculation. Once Beck came on the TV, I immediately got off the machine and went to the front desk to complain. After, I went to the women's only gym... no TVs in there... just music. I finished my workout (on a treadmill since all the ellipticals were taken) and went on with my day.
Either way, I have expressed my feelings to the manager of our local Bally's about FOX News being on the TVs at our local gym (and so has the husband). I'd rather the news channel be dedicated to actual news, like CNN or MSN. Actual news is fine (even if it's on FOX News, but I have yet to see actual news on their channel), but I can't tolerate "opinion-based" shows that spread lies, intolerance, and hateful messages across this country.
To those who say, "FOX News is fair and balanced!" I say: "BULLSHIT."
I say this for a few reasons (these are just my recent discoveries; there are many more reasons):
1. While I was watching tonight, FOX showed all of the Republican candidates and who was winning where. FOX did not show the Democratic candidates and who was winning where EXCEPT for the California Governor race. That was it. If it was indeed "America's Election Headquarters," they should have shown each state with each party and which candidate had how much of the vote... not just the Republican candidates.
2. I also noticed that FOX was streaming how many seats the Republicans needed to "win back" the Senate and House. Nothing about how many seats the Democrats needed to hold on to the majority. And to be honest, this was JUST the primaries, not the actual election! No one is winning any seats tonight, just the Republican or Democratic candidate nomination for the actual vote, which isn't until November.
3. Sure, FOX had both a Republican and Democratic "advisor/analyst," but the news anchor only talked to the Republican advisor about candidates and their positions and policies. The news anchor had a "discussion" about female candidates with the Democratic advisor and asked why he thought more women were winning this time around... nothing about Democratic policies or positions. It was a fascinating thing to read while on the elliptical... I'm glad it was close-captioned for my "convenience."
Last week, I was on the elliptical (headphones in and turned way up) and a guy asked me if I was watching CNN. I shook my head no and he went up to the front desk and asked for the remote so he could change the channel. I looked at my watch and realized it was almost 2pm... I still had 15 minutes left on my workout time. The guy turned it to FOX News and walked away. I was pissed. The guy didn't say he was going to turn it to FOX News... he just asked if I was watching CNN. I'd rather have CNN on in front of me, in the background, compared to Glenn Beck and his intolerant, hateful self preaching hateful messages, full of lies and speculation. Once Beck came on the TV, I immediately got off the machine and went to the front desk to complain. After, I went to the women's only gym... no TVs in there... just music. I finished my workout (on a treadmill since all the ellipticals were taken) and went on with my day.
Either way, I have expressed my feelings to the manager of our local Bally's about FOX News being on the TVs at our local gym (and so has the husband). I'd rather the news channel be dedicated to actual news, like CNN or MSN. Actual news is fine (even if it's on FOX News, but I have yet to see actual news on their channel), but I can't tolerate "opinion-based" shows that spread lies, intolerance, and hateful messages across this country.
Saturday, June 05, 2010
The Bathroom Part 2
Tonight, I decided I needed something to do... so I grabbed the spray Goo Gone, paper towels, a scrub pad, a hand towel, a washcloth, and a screwdriver and went to work in the bathroom. Within an hour, I was able to pull up the 5.5 remaining tiles and de-goo the remaining "floor," if you can call it that anyway.
The result: I think I gave myself carpel tunnel. Other than that, I am quite pleased.
If you didn't get the memo... I'd like Home Depot gift cards for my birthday. :)
*hint hint*
I REALLY want to finish this bathroom, but our home improvement budget is limited.
Next on our list of bathroom tasks:
1. Pull down the trim around the floor.
2. Take down the mirror and medicine cabinet.
3. Take out busted bathroom light/fan fixture.
4. Prep the room to paint.
5a. Paint walls:
1) Mildew-resistant primer.
2) Light turquoise paint.
5b. Paint medicine cabinet: Light Brown/Tan
6. Install new bathroom fan/light fixture.
7. Remove toilet.
8. Put down new waterproof flooring.
9. Re-install toilet.
10. Caulk entire bathroom properly.
11. Re-hang mirror and medicine cabinet.
12. Install over-the-toilet shelving.
13. Install new shower head and shower door seal.
DONE!
Now... can we get all of this done before my friend Malia visits at the end of August...? I sure hope so! That's only about 78 days from now!
The result: I think I gave myself carpel tunnel. Other than that, I am quite pleased.
If you didn't get the memo... I'd like Home Depot gift cards for my birthday. :)
I REALLY want to finish this bathroom, but our home improvement budget is limited.
Next on our list of bathroom tasks:
1. Pull down the trim around the floor.
2. Take down the mirror and medicine cabinet.
3. Take out busted bathroom light/fan fixture.
4. Prep the room to paint.
5a. Paint walls:
1) Mildew-resistant primer.
2) Light turquoise paint.
5b. Paint medicine cabinet: Light Brown/Tan
6. Install new bathroom fan/light fixture.
7. Remove toilet.
8. Put down new waterproof flooring.
9. Re-install toilet.
10. Caulk entire bathroom properly.
11. Re-hang mirror and medicine cabinet.
12. Install over-the-toilet shelving.
13. Install new shower head and shower door seal.
DONE!
Now... can we get all of this done before my friend Malia visits at the end of August...? I sure hope so! That's only about 78 days from now!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
The Bathroom
On Monday, I started ripping up some of the peel-n-stick tile in our "master" bathroom... I use that term lightly since the "master" bathroom is freakin' TINY!
Here's what I've done so far...
As you can see, the people/dumbasses that owned the house before us, put non-waterproof peel-n-stick tile OVER the existing linoleum... but why, you may ask...? If you look closely on the second picture, you can see where they tried to pull/peel/scrape off the linoleum, but did not succeed... so decided to just put peel-n-stick tile over it. Also, they did not remove the toilet before placing the tile... so I didn't have to remove the toilet to remove the tiles. In fact, those were the easiest tiles to remove, other than the ones that were water-logged from the shower door leaking. Nice, eh?
Admit it... you *LOVE* that linoleum pattern, don't you??
Either way, I have about 5.5 tiles left to pull up... and then I need to get out the Goo Gone and get rid of all the sticky, gooey glue from the linoleum. After that, I can take down the mirror and medicine cabinet (I'm thinking about painting it a different color) and prep the room for painting. I'm putting on a mildew-resistant primer and then a light turquoise blue top coat (to match our comforter). Then, when we have a little extra cash, we can put down some new waterproof flooring... that will be exciting (for me, not Sam).
I shall keep you posted on the slow, but eventual, progress.
Here's what I've done so far...
As you can see, the people/dumbasses that owned the house before us, put non-waterproof peel-n-stick tile OVER the existing linoleum... but why, you may ask...? If you look closely on the second picture, you can see where they tried to pull/peel/scrape off the linoleum, but did not succeed... so decided to just put peel-n-stick tile over it. Also, they did not remove the toilet before placing the tile... so I didn't have to remove the toilet to remove the tiles. In fact, those were the easiest tiles to remove, other than the ones that were water-logged from the shower door leaking. Nice, eh?
Admit it... you *LOVE* that linoleum pattern, don't you??
Either way, I have about 5.5 tiles left to pull up... and then I need to get out the Goo Gone and get rid of all the sticky, gooey glue from the linoleum. After that, I can take down the mirror and medicine cabinet (I'm thinking about painting it a different color) and prep the room for painting. I'm putting on a mildew-resistant primer and then a light turquoise blue top coat (to match our comforter). Then, when we have a little extra cash, we can put down some new waterproof flooring... that will be exciting (for me, not Sam).
I shall keep you posted on the slow, but eventual, progress.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The ZOOOOOOO!!!
On May 11th, my friends Whitney, Felicia, and I went to The Portland Zoo. On the second Tuesday of every month, the price for admission is $2.00! Can you believe it?! And if you take the MAX, it's only 50 cents to get into the zoo! That's crazy... but oh, so affordable! I've been to the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park several times and the Denver Zoo only once... so going to the Portland Zoo was another zoo experience! Yes, I know, I grew up in LA and NEVER went to the LA Zoo. I was spoiled as a child, I guess...
We decided we were going to look for letters of the alphabet within nature while at the zoo. We were inspired by a collection of prints we saw at the local craft store and thought, "We can do this for cheap!"
Here are the letters I found (in ABC order):
Somehow, I missed the letters G, Q, and W, but I think I did good for my first "ABC trip" to the zoo! Besides, who needs those letters anyway? HA!
Until next month...!
We decided we were going to look for letters of the alphabet within nature while at the zoo. We were inspired by a collection of prints we saw at the local craft store and thought, "We can do this for cheap!"
Here are the letters I found (in ABC order):
Somehow, I missed the letters G, Q, and W, but I think I did good for my first "ABC trip" to the zoo! Besides, who needs those letters anyway? HA!
Until next month...!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
May Update
Everyone has been blogging lately... I feel like a slacker! I guess I shall update everyone on what's going on here in Portland... and the POD situation. Random pictures, and my first video, will be posted inbetween updates! Yippee!!
If you remember, last summer, my parents boxed up all of the stuff in my bedroom in CA and shipped it to Portland in a POD. Well, I never really got around to going through those boxes... until last week. Last Monday, my friend Whitney was kind enough to help me go through some boxes in the garage (I bribed her with Oreo cookies... hehe). We bagged up 5 bags of garbage and about 5 bags to donate to the ARC (Value Village)... in one afternoon. The following Thursday, I went back into the garage and cleaned all day, getting through the rest of the boxes, except for what was labeled, "Partylite" or "Candles." I put several things on Craigslist, both for free and for sale, and got rid of everything I posted. What didn't disappear... went to The Goodwill. I donated a LOT of shoes, clothes, and old toys that I didn't want or could replace in the future if needed.
Unfortunately, I found SEVERAL ITEMS that were NOT mine within the boxes. That made me very upset... I know I had a lot of stuff in my old bedroom, but come on. That's just ridiculous. There was also broken items sent to me. It's BROKEN. Throw it away! Sheesh. I found a lot of things that were meant for children... I don't know who was having a girl, but I found a 3-pack of onesies among baby toys, Hot Wheels, Spiderman toys, and Play-Doh. /sigh. I found things that probably belonged to my sister and mom while going through all the boxes. So annoying. What am I supposed to do? Mail it back to them? How lame is that? Also... how petty are my parents that they mailed me stuff that wasn't mine, was broken, or was simply trash in the first place?! Irritating.
Now that all the boxes have been gone through, I just need to rearrange what's left so there's room to walk in the garage. Sam wants to build shelves in the garage for added storage space, as well as make it easier to access boxes within the garage. He also wants to make it more of a "shop" type garage, with a Warhammer 40k table on the side. Great. The only good thing about organizing the garage: I get a planter's bench for all my gardening needs. I am excited about that! Now I just need to get Sam to build it! HA! That'll be a while...
With the start of May, I started a QuickBooks class at Mt. Hood Community College near Gresham, Oregon. It's about 25 miles from my house, but unemployment is paying for me to go, in hopes that it will help me find a job! It's a 5 week course, designed to teach me the basics of QuickBooks... but so far, the teacher is driving me insane! There is NO book and NO student copy of QuickBooks (for home use). The teacher uses handouts for everything, I'm getting an in-depth lesson on accounting (which is mind boggling to me), and whenever someone slow in the class needs help, we ALL have to wait for the teacher to help him/her! It's SOOOOOOOOOO annoying! I can't wait for this class to be over and done with. Two more weeks. Thank goodness!
The cats are good. Grimm (on the arm on the couch) is continuing to play peek-a-boo in the bathroom, in hopes that someone will give him fresh water from the sink. Odin (on the blue blanket) is still obsessed with the lizard. Logan (on the black blanket) is still in and out of the house, but he stays in about 8-9 hours during the day, passed out on the back of the couch. The lizard, however, is a different story. She's trying to lay eggs. I've never had a female bearded dragon before; I know nothing about the females and their egg laying habits. Her tank is a MESS (omg... seriously) and she's only laid about 7 eggs... but we can feel more in her belly! The eggs look like yellow jellybeans, which to me says the eggs are unshelled, which means there's more of a chance to be impacted inside of her, unable to get out, which could cause an infection... and a $200 vet bill. Ugh. And if you're thinking, "Wait, how can she lay eggs if she hasn't been around a male bearded dragon?" The answer is: A female bearded dragon lays eggs, fertile or not. Yup... so we have this to look forward to every year... Yippee. It almost makes me want to raise a male bearded dragon, so we can at least make a small profit every time she lays eggs...! HA! But she does like her worms... superworms, to be exact. Look at this: (forgive the taking in the background.. I can't figure out how to edit it).
My good friend, Malia, is coming up in August to visit and I AM EXCITED! This will be the second friend from CA to visit me since moving to Portland. However, she will be my first CA friend to see, and stay at, my house! :) My friend, Jenny, is trying to convince her hubby to come to Portland for their 10 year anniversary... I completely support this idea. <3 Before August, there are a few things that need to be done around the house. For starters, the lizard needs to be relocated... I know Malia doesn't want to spend the night with the lizard. :) Then, our "master" bathroom needs to be fixed up a bit so we're not all three sharing the hall bathroom. I'd love to fix up the hallway bathroom a bit, too, but I'm not going to get my hopes up. If it happens, it happens... I am trying to be more realistic about our "home improvements."
My good friend, Tevys, *might* be moving in with us in June. I am also looking forward to this possibility. I think it would be a good place for her. However, I know her life is ever-changing and it may not actually happen, but if it does and she moves in with us next month, I will be a very happy Dot. :)
The job situation has been very... well... not promising. I've been on several interviews, but only a few second interviews and no job offers. I have sent out several hundred resumes, e-mails, and cover letters, but I only hear back from about 10% of what I send out. I've applied with two temp agencies now and they haven't even called me! I am just getting frustrated and tired of this whole process. Eventually, I will get a job... I know I will... it's just going to take some time.
On a healthier note... Sam and I have been going to THE GYM! We've been going almost everyday for the past two weeks. It's a good thing. We renewed my membership for $100 for an entire year! Instead of $19 a month, it comes out to about $8 a month! That's a huge savings! :)
The garden is looking GREAT! The peas and tomatoes are growing, the flowers are blooming, and there are a few green blueberries on the bush! I am excited for this year's edible harvest! I'll have to wait until the fall to eat the garlic, but it is worth waiting for. My cilantro is also growing, which means I'll be making lots of salsa this summer!
Oh, and we saw Iron Man 2 at midnight on opening day. It was fun... and a good birthday gift for Sam's friend (and best man), Eric. Eric and his wife are amazing people. I wish we lived closer... I know they're just in Vancouver, but that's still in another state! hehe...
And with that... you're caught up.
Well, except for our fun trip to the zoo earlier this month. I'll post pictures from the zoo on another blog. Promise.
If you remember, last summer, my parents boxed up all of the stuff in my bedroom in CA and shipped it to Portland in a POD. Well, I never really got around to going through those boxes... until last week. Last Monday, my friend Whitney was kind enough to help me go through some boxes in the garage (I bribed her with Oreo cookies... hehe). We bagged up 5 bags of garbage and about 5 bags to donate to the ARC (Value Village)... in one afternoon. The following Thursday, I went back into the garage and cleaned all day, getting through the rest of the boxes, except for what was labeled, "Partylite" or "Candles." I put several things on Craigslist, both for free and for sale, and got rid of everything I posted. What didn't disappear... went to The Goodwill. I donated a LOT of shoes, clothes, and old toys that I didn't want or could replace in the future if needed.
Unfortunately, I found SEVERAL ITEMS that were NOT mine within the boxes. That made me very upset... I know I had a lot of stuff in my old bedroom, but come on. That's just ridiculous. There was also broken items sent to me. It's BROKEN. Throw it away! Sheesh. I found a lot of things that were meant for children... I don't know who was having a girl, but I found a 3-pack of onesies among baby toys, Hot Wheels, Spiderman toys, and Play-Doh. /sigh. I found things that probably belonged to my sister and mom while going through all the boxes. So annoying. What am I supposed to do? Mail it back to them? How lame is that? Also... how petty are my parents that they mailed me stuff that wasn't mine, was broken, or was simply trash in the first place?! Irritating.
Now that all the boxes have been gone through, I just need to rearrange what's left so there's room to walk in the garage. Sam wants to build shelves in the garage for added storage space, as well as make it easier to access boxes within the garage. He also wants to make it more of a "shop" type garage, with a Warhammer 40k table on the side. Great. The only good thing about organizing the garage: I get a planter's bench for all my gardening needs. I am excited about that! Now I just need to get Sam to build it! HA! That'll be a while...
With the start of May, I started a QuickBooks class at Mt. Hood Community College near Gresham, Oregon. It's about 25 miles from my house, but unemployment is paying for me to go, in hopes that it will help me find a job! It's a 5 week course, designed to teach me the basics of QuickBooks... but so far, the teacher is driving me insane! There is NO book and NO student copy of QuickBooks (for home use). The teacher uses handouts for everything, I'm getting an in-depth lesson on accounting (which is mind boggling to me), and whenever someone slow in the class needs help, we ALL have to wait for the teacher to help him/her! It's SOOOOOOOOOO annoying! I can't wait for this class to be over and done with. Two more weeks. Thank goodness!
The cats are good. Grimm (on the arm on the couch) is continuing to play peek-a-boo in the bathroom, in hopes that someone will give him fresh water from the sink. Odin (on the blue blanket) is still obsessed with the lizard. Logan (on the black blanket) is still in and out of the house, but he stays in about 8-9 hours during the day, passed out on the back of the couch. The lizard, however, is a different story. She's trying to lay eggs. I've never had a female bearded dragon before; I know nothing about the females and their egg laying habits. Her tank is a MESS (omg... seriously) and she's only laid about 7 eggs... but we can feel more in her belly! The eggs look like yellow jellybeans, which to me says the eggs are unshelled, which means there's more of a chance to be impacted inside of her, unable to get out, which could cause an infection... and a $200 vet bill. Ugh. And if you're thinking, "Wait, how can she lay eggs if she hasn't been around a male bearded dragon?" The answer is: A female bearded dragon lays eggs, fertile or not. Yup... so we have this to look forward to every year... Yippee. It almost makes me want to raise a male bearded dragon, so we can at least make a small profit every time she lays eggs...! HA! But she does like her worms... superworms, to be exact. Look at this: (forgive the taking in the background.. I can't figure out how to edit it).
My good friend, Malia, is coming up in August to visit and I AM EXCITED! This will be the second friend from CA to visit me since moving to Portland. However, she will be my first CA friend to see, and stay at, my house! :) My friend, Jenny, is trying to convince her hubby to come to Portland for their 10 year anniversary... I completely support this idea. <3 Before August, there are a few things that need to be done around the house. For starters, the lizard needs to be relocated... I know Malia doesn't want to spend the night with the lizard. :) Then, our "master" bathroom needs to be fixed up a bit so we're not all three sharing the hall bathroom. I'd love to fix up the hallway bathroom a bit, too, but I'm not going to get my hopes up. If it happens, it happens... I am trying to be more realistic about our "home improvements."
My good friend, Tevys, *might* be moving in with us in June. I am also looking forward to this possibility. I think it would be a good place for her. However, I know her life is ever-changing and it may not actually happen, but if it does and she moves in with us next month, I will be a very happy Dot. :)
The job situation has been very... well... not promising. I've been on several interviews, but only a few second interviews and no job offers. I have sent out several hundred resumes, e-mails, and cover letters, but I only hear back from about 10% of what I send out. I've applied with two temp agencies now and they haven't even called me! I am just getting frustrated and tired of this whole process. Eventually, I will get a job... I know I will... it's just going to take some time.
On a healthier note... Sam and I have been going to THE GYM! We've been going almost everyday for the past two weeks. It's a good thing. We renewed my membership for $100 for an entire year! Instead of $19 a month, it comes out to about $8 a month! That's a huge savings! :)
The garden is looking GREAT! The peas and tomatoes are growing, the flowers are blooming, and there are a few green blueberries on the bush! I am excited for this year's edible harvest! I'll have to wait until the fall to eat the garlic, but it is worth waiting for. My cilantro is also growing, which means I'll be making lots of salsa this summer!
Oh, and we saw Iron Man 2 at midnight on opening day. It was fun... and a good birthday gift for Sam's friend (and best man), Eric. Eric and his wife are amazing people. I wish we lived closer... I know they're just in Vancouver, but that's still in another state! hehe...
And with that... you're caught up.
Well, except for our fun trip to the zoo earlier this month. I'll post pictures from the zoo on another blog. Promise.
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