Typical White Person

It's Been Awhile

2009-07-06T12:53:00.001-05:00

Busy.

House-hunting.

Losing Weight (12.6lbs to date).

Chasing my two year old.

YES

2009-05-29T12:19:00.001-05:00

Had my first weigh-in for weight watchers yesterday.... down 4.4lbs so far. WOO HOOOOOOO.

Just so y'all know, you'll probably find that I am on facebook much more than here so if you are interested in knowing what I am up to - send me a friend request. I am also on twitter for those of you who care.

Ta.

So Maybe I Should Post Something?

2009-05-20T19:44:00.001-05:00

Or maybe not. I just can't see that too many people are all that interested in every detail of my life!

I am graduating (with honors by the way) with my B.A. in Accounting on Saturday. And no, Aunt Tammi is not going to be there - she has more important things to attend to ;) Love Ya Mean It!!

Patrick just turned two - his birthday was the 17th. He is getting so big y'all. Talking up a blue streak and all kinds of stuff!

I finally applied for my concealed carry permit - it should be here any day now. Had to make sure and get it before they are outlawed or something. Now I just gotta find a way to "carry". Anyway - not too much else going on. What are you up to?

Testing

2009-05-13T12:34:00.001-05:00

I am posting this from my new iGoogle gadget. Hope it works!

In Case You Want To Know

2009-04-28T12:56:00.003-05:00

Found a daycare yesterday - they are only $5/week more than what I am paying now. They are a small, family run place, all the kids there seemed very well behaved. They have heard of breath holding spells and know what they are and how to deal with them. They do lots of learning activities (ABC's, counting, days of the week, months of the year) and also cooking activities, pizza and pajama parties, and lots of art projects. They have a separate playground for each age group so the big kids can't harrass the little kids. It's closer to home so my husband can share in the drop off and pick up duties. All of the teachers there are very well educated (not just the mom's who have no job skills and need a place to work types). Oh yeah, they work on potty training with the 2 year old class too. They don't serve lunch like the place I am at now does, but that is a small price to pay for all the good things he is going to do and learn there.

I called the old place today and told them and they were very sad :(

I think Patrick will like this new place much better - he is going to start on May 11th

WOO HOO

2009-04-24T12:03:00.002-05:00

So the daycare search is really a pain. I didn't realize how extremely cheap the place we're at now is until I started looking for a new place. Everywhere I've found is AT LEAST $100 more a month. I looked at one today that seems to be really good - it's pretty close to my job and to his doctor, they do lots of learning activities, and they have another kid there with breath holding spells so they aren't going to be retarded about it like where he's at. The only thing is meals are extra so I'll have to get used to packing him lunch everyday.

The job is going well. If I could just nail down this daycare thing so I don't have to spend an hour in car each way every day we'll be all set.

I found facebook - it's much more fun (and easier) than blogging - so you probably won't see me too much around here anymore. I'll still be reading all my fav's though ;)

Rest In Peace

2009-04-15T20:54:00.000-05:00

To a good friend who has finally lost his long, hard, battle with cancer. Ray, we will miss you! I am praying for your family to find peace.

Love,
Carmen, Keith, and Patrick

So Far, So Good

2009-04-13T18:43:00.001-05:00

So, the new company is really cool so far, lots of employee amenities, reminds me a lot of the place I left in Clearwater except on a smaller scale. Remind me not to wear those shoes on any more walking tours though, my feet are KILLING ME!!! After the drive home today, I think we definitely need to rethink the daycare situation. The drive in was okay, but home? MURDER. Traffic sucked wet ones. Like all the people so far, two of the girls invited me to lunch on Wednesday :)

hmmmmm

2009-04-09T15:07:00.002-05:00

I *knew* there was a reason I started looking for another job. I just found out today that they may not hire someone to replace me (in my SAFE position). I'm betting it was only a matter of time before they let me go too.

Also - the boss sent an e-mail that she wants to close at 1pm tomorrow. WOO HOO. I don't have to work a full day on my last day. I can't get out of here fast enough. Since I gave my notice I have decided I AM REALLY GLAD to be leaving and didn't like this job as much as I thought I did.

Starting the new job Monday!

LOVING the Wii Fit

2009-04-03T09:15:00.003-05:00

Can I just tell you how much I love this thing!?

I've unlocked all of the balance activities and all the aerobics except one. Still working on the strength training and yoga poses - about halfway with each. I just LOVE the hula hooping. The stepping is OK, but I wish they would let you go faster! I just finally tried the rhythmic boxing last night - it's pretty cool. It would be nice if they would have random patterns though.

Some of the strength stuff is really hard! And the yoga - I've never done yoga before, but I can tell you, those tree poses - yeah. Not any good at them...lol.

I did finally get all the way across the tightrope so that's good!

Anyway - the point being, I am working so hard to earn points and unlock stuff, next thing I know I've been at it for an hour and I'm sweating like a pig and DYING for water.

This could be a good thing peeps.

:)

Oh yea - and I WILL make it down the dang river in the bubble damn it!

Here We GO.....

2009-03-27T09:46:00.002-05:00

Ok - I called and accepted the offer.

Sent a message to my boss asking for time to talk later (to tell her I'm leaving).

Contingent on background check, employment verification, and successful drug test - should be NO problems.

WOO HOO

I'm excited!

OMG - I'm going to pee myself!

2009-03-26T11:29:00.002-05:00

THEY OFFERED ME THE JOB!!!!!

2k a year more than what I make now, so not much BUT

For the same price I pay now for insurance I can insure MY WHOLE FAMILY instead of just me and my son. My husband can stop worrying about kidney stones all the time!!! This is a really big point for me!

ALL benefits start after 90 days - even 401k - so I can roll it over right away - here I had to wait a year

It's a job doing what I want to do, not what I have to to stay employed - also it's what I'm spending money (well mom's money mostly but still) to go to school for

It's a little bigger company - but still family owned, which is nice

Where I'm at now we obviously just had layoffs - and it's in the travel industry so I'm not certain there won't be more, and fairly soon. I just don't see people spending money on travel right now. We are down probably 30% so far and next year is not looking good either

I won't have to work under someone who actively tells everyone she sees NOT to use my husband's shop cause her mom is crazy (that's a story for later)

The only downside I see is that I DON'T want to move Patrick's daycare - right down the street from where I am now and the "new job" would be kind of across town (I think it's like 15 miles or so) so I would have to drive over here and then back towards my house every day to go to work and then the opposite in the afternoon. But, maybe the job will be worth and and if it gets too annoying I can re-visit moving his daycare.

WOO HOO

Anyway - anyone see any downsides to this move?

Got A Voicemail

2009-03-26T09:28:00.001-05:00

From the job I interviewed for - not sure what it's about as they didn't say in the message. I called back but had to leave another message myself. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Something Fun

2009-03-23T13:32:00.001-05:00

Your Taste in Music:

Classic Rock: Highest Influence

Country: Highest Influence

Nineties: Highest Influence

Adult Alternative: Medium Influence

Alternative Rock: Medium Influence

How's Your Taste in Music?

I Still Have A Job

2009-03-19T10:29:00.002-05:00

Apparently there were layoff's here after I left last night - four people (our office is small) and of the four I was only friends with one of them. The other three, while I feel bad for them - were NOT the best employees here and will not be missed.

So - the interview went well. I did really well on the testing and really well on the HR portion of the interview. The interview with the hiring manager....well....let's just say he made me nervous and there were a few things I stumbled over that I shouldn't have and I'm not expecting an offer - I'm sure with the market the way it is there was SOMEONE who did much better than I did. I think it went OK, don't get me wrong, but I don't think I WOW'd him. So I'm still looking.

Had my birthday during the absence. We had a party last weekend and it was a really good time and got a bunch of stuff for my Wii. But since my husband's a slacker he of course didn't order my Wii Fit in time so I still don't have it. But I'm getting one. WOO HOO!!!! I also got MarioKart - which is really cool, and some game with darts and skill ball and other arcade type games that's pretty cool. Oh, and another remote and nunchuk so my husband and I can box each other ;)

All in all - it's been good. Oh, and it looks like I started getting my $13 a week from Obama. Do you think I should send a thank you letter? BLERG

TTFN

Need Opinions

2009-03-04T14:49:00.002-05:00

From Everyone - yes, you too lurker.

BTW - does everyone hate Patrick's haircut or what?!

Anywho - part of my depression as of late has been due to money issues - which directly relate to the job I'm in - don't get me wrong I like it and all, but I just don't see any chance of advancement and/or a raise any time soon. Not to mention no chance of a return to my glorified bookkeeper/accounting position any time soon either. SO, in light of the fact that much money has been spent to get myself a bachelor's degree and in light of the fact that I am getting more and more disgruntled with my new position every day, I polished up my resume and have been actively looking for open positions (not that there are very many). I found one the other day that looked like it might fit what I was looking for and applied. Go figure, they called today to schedule an interview.

Here's my dilemma - I have NOT told my current employer yet. I am not sure how they will react. SO, should I tell them now, or wait to see if they offer me a position? With jobs few and far between, I am afraid if I do tell them now, and I don't get an offer anytime soon, my life here could become miserable real quick. On the other hand - I feel like I should just in case the "new job" wants to call and check my details. So what do you all think?

TTFN

The Reason for my Sanity

2009-03-02T20:04:00.001-05:00

Patrick had his first haircut this weekend. The curls are all gone :( Now he is a big boy!

Kill Me

2009-03-02T09:14:00.000-05:00

Life sucks. And the worst part - I had intended for this to be my venting place and now find that I can't bring myself to spew my private life details here for all to read so there's really no point to it then is there?

PISSED OFF!

2009-02-26T08:19:00.002-05:00

Beyond words. At this. Whatever you do Aunt Tammi - do NOT click on that link. I'll be finding a new team to root for next season.

One More Thing

2009-02-16T11:07:00.002-05:00

Kudos to the Republican Congressperson I saw on Fox News yesterday who threw the ~~stimulus~~ pork sandwich on the ground after chastising the rest of the ~~Congress~~ group of thieves and idiots for not reading it and not letting the American public read it.

Hey whoever you are - come to Florida, I want to vote for you. Better yet, run for President.

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee

2009-02-16T10:31:00.000-05:00

I am the official Wii boxing champion.

Seriously.

I think I found my new cardio workout.

Everything is OK

2009-02-09T16:47:00.001-05:00

Crisis (or lack thereof) has been averted.

New Word for Your Vocabulary

2009-02-03T08:22:00.002-05:00

Years ago when I sometimes used unsavory language, I often used the expression "Bull Sh**." As I grew up a bit and discovered it was not necessary to use such crude language, that expression became "BS" or, in the military, "Bravo Sierra"

Q. What did I really mean when I used those expressions?

A. I meant that something was ridiculous, idiotic, a half-truth, or just stupid. It covered any number of negative formats. The dictionary defines it as: nonsense; especially foolish insolent talk.

I have decided that I will no longer use either of those expressions in the future. When I have the need to express those feelings, I will use the word "Pelosi".

Let me use it in a sentence. "That's just a bunch of Pelosi." I encourage you to do the same. It is such a good word. It really packs a lot of punch. We are no longer being vulgar but it clearly expresses our feelings. If enough of us use it, it's possible we can get the word in the dictionary. That would be an excellent legacy for the Speaker of the House.

May Be Dark A While

2009-01-31T18:43:00.001-05:00

While I contemplate my life and whether I want to continue in the direction it is going.

That's Good Stuff People

2009-01-31T15:46:00.003-05:00

Yes I'm Still Here

2009-01-19T13:22:00.002-05:00

:)

I've just been so busy, please forgive me....LOL

So while I may LOVE my husbands doctor - the hospital is another story. They are billing me the full $490 for his x-ray from his follow-up visit. Bastards.

I got me a new cell phone - I had my old one for quite some time and frankly the battery was dead and I didn't feel like replacing it. Cause I'm lazy. So I was thinking about donating my old phone to cell phones for soldiers - anyone used them, know anything about them - know of a better place? Let me know. I'm sure I could scare up two or three more from my mom's and I'm sure my husband's got one or two or a million stashed in one of his secret "put stuff where it doesn't go" places.

My next session of classes start next Monday - Cost Accounting and Auditing. WOO HOO. Not. Just so y'all know I've been keeping my eyes peeled at about 6 or so companies I might at some point find the job I really want in this area. If I see something I'm definitely posting for it. Not that I'm not happy here - the new job is going ok - but I don't see myself getting back into the Accounting department anytime soon. And even if I did, it's more like bookkeeping than accounting. In other words, a total waste of $130 per class for books.

My son - what can I say about him? Y'all he is growing like a WEED. Learning new words every day, learning new things every day, becoming his own little person. And - sit down for this - I am starting to think maybe I do want another one after all. DAMN. Hell hath frozen over. Just don't tell my husband ok? Besides - we need to get into a bigger house first. I'd also prefer to wait until his mom decides to retire so I don't have to find a way to pay daycare for two kids.

So life is going. I'm avoiding all the Obama hoopla - I'll NOT be watching the inaguration.

:)

Good News for Medical Bills

2009-01-07T14:50:00.002-05:00

Not sure if any of you have ever had to use medicare, but it's kinda weird how it works. Basically since we're not destitute they don't just automatically pay our bills. They did however, qualify us for the "medically needy with a share of cost" program. Basically our income was about $2000 over their threshold so any bills less than that we were responsible for. And it goes by a monthly calendar. So lucky for us the emergency room visit and the surgery were both in September. As of now it sounds like they've paid EVERYTHING for the emergency room and surgery. I can't even begin to express the weight that has lifted from me with this news. :D

So then we had to do two follow ups at the doctor and because of scheduling issues one was in October and one in November. The October visit was $1600 - just shy of the $2000 mark - making us responsible. However, the doctor gave us a self pay discount and sent me a bill for $600. WOW. I can't even believe they discount it that much. Then they called to tell me the November visit would probably also cost around $1500. DAMN. I just got the bill the other day - it was $100. ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. So we had to pay out of pocket a total of $700. God bless this man. I just really love him.

Santa Was Good To Me

2008-12-29T13:24:00.002-05:00

Santa brought me a Wii for Christmas - woo hoo! He couldn't find the Wii fit though so now that Christmas is over I'll have to start saving my allowance ;)

I hope everyone else got what they wanted this year.

:)

Merry Christmas Everyone

2008-12-23T15:41:00.000-05:00

Hope your holidays are special and filled with love.

MySpace is Good For Something....

2008-12-11T09:21:00.002-05:00

Today I had someone who was a REALLY good friend in HS - who I haven't seen for probably 10 years, e-mail me on MySpace. It blew me away. I am so excited!

Christmas is coming and I am WOEFULLY unprepared. I have not bought ANYTHING yet. Nor do I have money to. It really sucks.

Otherwise, I am enjoying life.

:)

Who Knew Cold and Wet Could be SOOOOO Fun

2008-12-01T09:29:00.000-05:00

So - we went to the UF/FSU game on Saturday. Holy crap it POURED and we lost, and we sat next to the MOST OBNOXIOUS UF FANS EVER. But it was an awesome time. I could see Bobby Bowden from my seat!

WOO HOO

GO NOLES

Leaps and Bounds

2008-11-26T13:59:00.001-05:00

Um yeah....

So the early steps lady pretty much thought we were insane. Since I made the appointment he now says mommy, daddy, papa, apple, car, eat, toy, dog, ball, and has said "I'll be good" and "I like it". He walks now as a primary mode of transportation, though he does still crawl sometimes (a lot do, I think) and with Daddy he wants to hold hands a lot more than he does with me. We also figured out that he does give kisses - they are just not traditional kisses. He gets right up in your face and puts his forehead on yours. :)

School is going good - I have an A in my finance class. Tax is another story. I thought I was doing well but did not do so good on my first test. ARG. I'll have to make sure I do really well on the rest of the homework/projects and the final test. As it stands I may only be able to pull out a B. I guess that's acceptable. I hate the instructor though - she is really difficult to work with.

Well, tomorrow is turkey day folks - get stuffed.

:)

No, I'm Not Dead

2008-11-18T11:32:00.002-05:00

Just extremely busy. This new job is a little more work intensive and has seriously cut into my homework/blogging time. ;)

So - husband got the all clear from his doctor - all fragments of removed kidney stone are, in fact, removed. The one in his other kidney is still where it was and NOT free floating yet. This is a good thing because if we can get him signed up for insurance before it does become free floating, they can do the sonic treatment which is much less invasive and much less painful. He has a diet to follow that includes LOTS OF WATER (which he was not drinking before).

Poor Patrick got bit by what we think is a spider at the Grandparents this weekend. He had a huge lump, it looked like someone hit him in the temple. We were told to give him Zyrtec and that should help the redness and such go away. He is now walking on his own more and more and now also says "mommy" (though he still won't address me as mommy) and "papa" - this must be grandpa because Daddy is "da-da". I swear this woman on Friday is going to think I'm insane.

We went to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Saturday - it was really cool. If you've never heard of them you should check them out - you've not heard Christmas music like this!

:)

My Son is a Genius

2008-11-07T09:26:00.002-05:00

Most of you who have been reading here a while know that my son was born premature. In fact, he was six weeks early. So even though he will be officially 18 months old in 10 days, his "adjusted age" as far as meeting milestones go is actually 16 months. Even so, we have struggled with the walking and talking.

He walks - and he's good at it - he is just terrified to let go of mommy or daddy's hand most of the time (he doesn't do that at daycare from what they tell me). When we do let go, he sits down and immediately starts crawling. He's been getting better though - especially when we go outside to walk because he doesn't like the feel of the grass so he will not crawl on it. He stands up and sits down all on his own. He tries to climb up on the couch (he loves falling backwards on it).

Anyway - he really frustrates me with his talking. Every now and then, he will say a complete sentence and then we won't hear him say it again for a week. He kind of says turtle and bee, but not consistently. He says dada and momma, but he does not address us as dada and momma, he just grunts when he wants something. The thing is - I can tell he knows who we are. Don't ask me to explain this - I just know by the way he acts. It almost seems like he knows we want him to so he refuses to. He refuses to give kisses. He would not wave bye-bye. He knows almost all of his facial parts - hair, ears, nose, etc. and can even point them out mommy's facial parts. He will brush his own hair (and mommy's hair).

So - despite all of this, or maybe because of it, I am having a consultation with our local early steps program to evaluate his skills. And since I made the appointment - he has made leaps and bounds as far as development goes.

He is starting to let go of our hands more. He is starting to do the "I can make my way from furniture piece to furniture piece and get around the house" thing. He now waves bye-bye - he just started in in the last two days.

We have our first "official" word. By this I mean that when he sees the object he calls it by name, he says it on a regular basis (in fact, he repeats it about 30 times a day randomly).

APPLE.

What a weird first word. I have no idea why he chose this word, but it comes out clear as a bell. Not like some kids who you think are saying a$$hole instead. Clear.as.a.bell. Maybe he's a perfectionist like his mommy. Who knows.

And the kicker? Last night we were eating - I gave him some diced fruit after dinner. My husband and I were chit chatting while he finished, and I look over, and the kid had built a tower with his fruit. A TOWER. FIVE PIECES HIGH. That takes some steady hands. Especially with slippery diced fruit pieces. And let me tell you. I.was.floored. It literally took my breath away for a second. I got the video camera out but by the time it was on he had dismantled and ate it.

Sometimes I wonder.

Yet Another Reason I Have Ulcers

2008-11-05T15:11:00.002-05:00

My boss approached me the other day and said that him and another manager had a proposal for me - did I have time to meet with them.

Yea. I was REALLY NERVOUS.

There was a girl working in another department who was driving from Ocala everyday (about 45 minutes each way) who found a position closer to home, so she left. They wanted to know did I want this position.

The kicker - the reason they were offering it to me is because it's a pretty much guaranteed position (unless we were to go bankrupt or something), and my position is in serious danger of being let go.

LET GO.

AGAIN.

I HATE GAINESVILLE.

Anyway - so basically I have the option of taking this other position (which is not in accounting), or taking my chances with the economy and staying where I'm at.

Considering that we just elected Mr. give everyone money and bankrupt the US.....yea, I took the position. What else was I going to do? I could look for another Accounting position, but everything I was looking at before that I liked required a Bachelor's before they would even look at your resume.

The odd part is - I promised I would not let on that people may be getting let go if things don't get better. Really - I don't feel bad about that. This is the TRAVEL INDUSTRY - it is a luxury - most people cut that out first. If they don't know their jobs are in jeopardy - they are stupid. The problem is people keep asking me if I'm excited and I really just have a hard time pretending I am - because I'm not. I am an Accounting person. I don't make hotel reservations and plan group travel. That's just the way it is.

They did promise if things got to the point where they needed help in Accounting again that I would have the option of coming back before they would hire another person. And I like the company, and the people are nice, even if they are stupid socialists.

So I don't know - should I start looking for something else? I know I will never get to do the kind of Accounting I like here..... but like I said - I like the company.

The other kicker - my husband works for a SMALL mechanic's shop in our town. For a long time it was the owner (who is his best friend and was the best man at our wedding), my husband, and one other person. They had to let the other guy go a few weeks ago. They are getting no business. So not only is my job in jeopardy, but my husband's is too. I know he would give us as much warning as he could before letting him go, but I am still TERRIFIED we will both end up jobless with a baby in the house. No insurance, no nothing. It's a good thing we don't have a mortgage.

But hey - Obama is going to fix all that for me right?

Sorry to Disappoint

2008-11-05T09:33:00.002-05:00

I know some people were probably expecting some snarky answer to last nights debacle, but I have nothing to say.

On the outside, I am fine, and optimistic. On the inside - I have ulcers developing.

I will stay quiet because I fear what will come out of my mouth will not be good, and I do NOT WANT TO BE THAT PERSON.

This Sure is Appropriate

2008-11-03T15:39:00.001-05:00

See my quote for today in the sidebar - I thought it was appropriate enough to deserve it's own post:

Quote of the Day (November 3, 2008)

The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.: Hubert H. Humphrey

So true!

We Need Some Cute Around Here......

2008-11-01T12:59:00.006-05:00

Funny of the Day

2008-10-31T07:45:00.001-05:00

The following occurred while watching Fox and Friends this morning:

Me: Ug. Al Gore is going to be in Florida today.
Husband: Didn't Al Gore invent Florida.

Ba-da-dum.

Those Bastards!!!

2008-10-30T19:03:00.000-05:00

I am officially outraged. We got polled tonight. It was an automated system.

It went through and asked us what we thought about our county, blah, blah, blah.

Then it asked us what we thought about candidates for county commission, senators, etc....

Press 1 for Democrat so and so
Press 2 for Republican so and so

My husband put it on speaker so I could hear and it was really long and drawn out and boring. After about the third time they said 1 for Dem and 2 for Rep he just started pushing two before they finished reading. Then they get to President - I told him to wait because I wanted to hear exactly how they asked it. And guess what they did....

C'mon - guess. You have to know the answer already

PRESS 1 for REPUBLICAN JOHN McCAIN
PRESS 2 for DEMOCRAT BARACK DOH-BAMA

I have no more words.

I Hate Blogger

2008-10-30T15:57:00.002-05:00

I really do - it doesn't let you tweak your layout easily at all. Not only that - your changes are published as soon as you save them.

So, the cat's out of the bag - I have a new header. Complements of the very lovely and very talented guru of all things header-ish and graphical - Pamibe.

I just love it - it's fabulous and exactly what I had in mind. I am still deciding on my final colors and such so there will probably still be some tweaking and things going on. If you happen to pop in and my background is hot pink or some crazy nonsense - I'm really sorry about that. No, actually, no I'm not - deal with it.

;)

I'm So Excited!

2008-10-30T13:20:00.001-05:00

But I'm going to hide it. Geez. Did I really just say that? I guess I did.

There are some changes coming around here - just you wait.

:)

What a Boy Seeing his Baby Brother for the First Time Looks Like

2008-10-29T15:21:00.002-05:00

I know it's not the best picture in the world, but it really cracked me up.

Welcome Baby

2008-10-25T13:11:00.002-05:00

For those of you who've been by Tammi's you know the news already. For those who haven't my new nephew was born last night around 9pm. Poor mama has kidney stones though. When I told my husband he just groaned.... My nephew asked "grandma" how come all the babies were naked so she explained that babies weren't born without clothes on and he said that was gross :) Then proceeded to point out to everyone in the nursery his brother. Too Cute! I wish I could have been there for that. The kid cracks me up. Anyway.....

Welcome baby Landon!

To the world you may be one person

But to one person you may be the world

- Author Unknown

This is a Public Service Announcement

2008-10-21T08:52:00.001-05:00

Sponsored by the letter D for DUH.

Just so y'all know, if Doh-Bama gets elected, I'm changing my blog name to "Typical White Person"

That is all - carry on.

We Started a Trend

2008-10-14T14:21:00.000-05:00

Our neighbors on both sides have now put out McCain/Palin signs.

I smile to myself everyday when I drive down my street now.

:D

I Had a Dream...........

2008-10-14T07:53:00.001-05:00

I dreamt last night that I met AWTM and she was helping me pick out a new tattoo.

Weird.

:)

Tooting My Own Horn

2008-10-13T13:55:00.003-05:00

I got two Aaaaaaas I got two Aaaaaaaas!!!!

My GPA is now up to 3.8 for all classes towards my bachelor's so far.

Neener neener neener.

My Husband - So Mad He Spits

2008-10-13T11:59:00.002-05:00

Well, the good news is he got his stint out today. The bad news.....

Last weekend we went to a peanut festival and they had a republican booth giving out free McCain Palin signs. So we got one and put it in our yard. Folks, the bad thing about working at one of the only mechanic shops in a small town is that everyone knows you and knows where you live. So one of husband's long time customers shows up at the shop on Friday, walks up to my husband, starts shaking him and says "no, not you too! You've voting for her!?"

Husband: yea, you're not?!
Customer (who is a retired teacher in Gainesville): uh no! She is Stupid! You're smarter than she is!? (I told my husband I think he just insulted your intelligence).
Husband: - ???

and he proceeds to argue with my husband about how WE ALL DESERVE SOME OF BILL GATES MONEY and how GREAT CHINA IS

Give me a frickin' break. Is this guy serious? Yes, he really was. My husband tried to explain the concept of slave labor in China - he said yea right, that doesn't happen there. We have slaves and they are called illegal aliens. My husband, who is a really laidback guy, was so mad he was spitting when he talked. I can't understand it. This guy was a teacher, he should know better than to try and debate someone with inaccurate facts.

Oh God Kill Me Now

2008-10-09T13:22:00.001-05:00

It's official - the majority of the people I work with are wack jobs. I came out of my office to hear someone saying something to the effect of "why are gas prices going down all of the sudden" and of course me being the helpful person I am I said "because of the stock market going down" and do you know someone responded with "yea right - it's because of the election - Republican's control gas prices"

HOLY CRAP.

I almost fainted right there.

All I could say was - uh yea...... that's not really true.

And walk away.

The Debate

2008-10-08T10:05:00.005-05:00

Ugh. That was ugly. And I'm sure all the scary stuff Obama said last night has fallen on deaf ears amongst those who worship him. That is the worst part.

Look. I don't like McCain. I don't agree with a good percentage of the things he believes in. I think he is TOO FAR LEFT to be the Republican nominee. That's what I don't get about Obama's campaign. They keep screaming he's another Bush. He is DEFINITELY NOT another Bush. But he hasn't made that abundantly clear and so the masses of Obama worshippers blindly repeat it over and over. However. McCain does not support Socialism. That is enough for me to vote for him. Socialism is not right for our country. It has not worked around the world. Obama's point? It's not fair that the rich are rich and the poor are poor. And he's right. It's not fair. But is it fair to FORCE wealthier Americans to support people who are probably not doing all they can to support themselves? No, that's not fair either. Face it, LIFE is not fair. I for one do not want to be forced to support lazy people. I don't mind helping people who really need it. But I WILL NOT be told I have to.

See for yourselves

so·cial·ism
Pronunciation:
\ˈsō-shə-ˌli-zəm\
Function:
noun
Date:
1837

1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2 a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
3: a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done

Just one more step along the path to Communism. I thought we all agreed back in the Cold War that Communism was unacceptable.

What I find most interesting? When you go to the page there's an ad to support Obama. Hmmmm....

Anyway - here's my thoughts on the debate.

McCain just isn't doing a very good job pointing out the scary things about Obama. And it HAS TO come from him cause the media sure isn't doing it.

I like the fact that he is so confident about his record, but seriously. Do voters really research that stuff? It's too time consuming. Every election we need to have an UNBIASED place where we can go see everything right there in one place. I want to see what bills they voted on, how they voted, and most importantly WHY they voted that way. A lot of times they will vote against a bill because of all the CRAP that gets stuffed into them. Then they are blasted for voting against a particular aspect of the bill, when they would have supported it without all the unnecessary stuff in it.

Another thing. I was getting angry last night because neither one could answer a question without spending half their talking time putting down the other. A debate is so the American people get a chance to hear your views on the issues and make an informed decision about who they are going to vote for based on those views. Y'all can sling mud all day long at your rallys. And it IS important to hi-light the scary or bad things about a candidate. But it is also important to make sure the public understands your stance on an issue.

The other thing that bothers me - we have taken the whole Republican vs Democrat thing to extremes. There are about 15 other people on the ballot for President. And they stand NO CHANCE IN HELL of getting in to office. Because no one knows crap about them. I am tired of just having two legitimate choices, especially in a year like this one where neither of them impress me. I would like to see the overblown crap (ie the national conventions and such) taken down to scale. I would like to see EVERY candidate get an equal amount from the public to campaign and I would like to see private donations be limited and I would like to see everyone represented at the debates. I know, wishful thinking.

Let me also make another thing clear. If Obama were supporting the other side of the issues (ie the Conservative side) I would vote for him. In a heartbeat. If he wasn't a raving Socialist, I might consider voting for him in this election. Because I am not a fan of McCain. And because we DO need change. But he IS a raving Socialist and I WILL NOT be voting for him.

Busy Busy BEEEEEEEEE

2008-10-07T15:29:00.002-05:00

That's what Patrick says BEEEEEEEEE. He loves bees.

Anyway

I have two papers and two tests to do this week so you'll have to do without my wit and charm for a few days.

TTFN

Oh yea - the bill for my husbands surgery - 13 thousand!!!! I think I'm going to faint.

Everyone Should Go Here Before Voting

2008-10-03T09:30:00.000-05:00

http://www.factcheck.org/

It seems pretty ignorant to vote if you don't know the TRUTH, not what the candidates THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW.

Do it. Be Smart.

I approve this message.

Hey Retard

2008-10-03T08:20:00.001-05:00

You haven't been keeping us updated on your weight loss efforts. Are you still exercising? Lost any weight?

Why Yes, yes I have, thanks for asking.

I finally broke down a few weeks ago and bought a smaller size pair of jeans because mine were literally falling off me. And guess what. The smaller size is now falling off me as well.

Last night when I was exercising, my sweat pants kept sliding down. It's really hard to exercise when you have to stop every few minutes to pull your pants up.

Also - I think I need a smaller bra. WOO HOO!

Feeling Much Better Today

2008-10-02T13:47:00.002-05:00

I decided being a pessimist is no fun, so, I'm not going to kill myself. Yet. Though if all the craziness in my life keeps up, I just may. I think maybe I need a raise at work. I have no idea how to ask. Never had to.

Today someone at the grocery store told me I look like Sarah Palin.

Go figure.

TTFN

This Market Shit Makes Me Want to Slit My Wrists

2008-09-29T15:01:00.002-05:00

I don't pretend to be an economist, but GOD DAMN. Why are we trusting the ignoramuses who got us into this mess to get us out. F- U Pelosi, Reid, Obama, the whole sorry lot of you. Here's a novel idea. How about we make EVERY ONE work for what they get in life?!

Husband is OK

2008-09-29T12:51:00.002-05:00

Just sore. He is at home today drugged up on Darvocet and it really hurts when he pees but other than that we are good.

We were at the hospital ALL DAY Friday. We got there around 9:15am and did not get home until around 10PM - they were just showing the last question on the debate when we walked in the door. It was a long day of waiting. They were able to flush out all the pieces while they were in there so he didn't have to pass any at home. They are sending them for testing but the Dr. said based on his observation they looked like part calcium and part acid. He said if that is the case we can control with medication and diet and he will probably never have them again. WOO HOO!

I am so glad this is over. Now to get all the paperwork in so they can give us emergency medicaid....

TTFN

Some People are Just Strange.........

2008-09-26T05:38:00.002-05:00

Here - you learn something new every day.

The Bad Thing About Being a Working Mom

2008-09-25T09:58:00.002-05:00

You only get phone calls when your kid starts walking instead of seeing it for yourself.

:(

I've been busy ignoring the obvious, sorry. Husband's surgery is tomorrow and as the day approaches I get more and more nervous. And it's not really about the surgery. From what I understand this is a fairly normal procedure so I'm not really worried about complications. It's the money. They are applying for emergency medicaid for us but I'm just afraid we won't get approved and we'll end up paying for this surgery until we're 80. I knew I should have pressed my husband harder to look for an individual insurance plan, but I didn't, and now we're screwed. It's giving me an ulcer I swear. Add to that the fact that I have a car payment to make and my kid's college to save for, and a house to save for, and I am just not liking life right now.

TTFN

In Case Anyone Cares.....

2008-09-22T07:35:00.002-05:00

I got an A on my paper.

OMG! Where Is This Woman So I Can Punch Her?!

2008-09-17T14:27:00.003-05:00

Just found this here - apparently ABC is taking "celebrities" opinions on Sarah Palin:

Margaret Cho

"At first I thought Sarah Palin was some kind of Republican pandering -- a misguided attempt to woo Hillary voters over to the dark side, as if they believed women voters were so stupid that they would vote for anyone in skirt, but now I see that she is much, much worse."
"I have nothing against hockey moms -- I just don't want to be one. If Sarah Palin had her way, she would take away that right not to be a mom. She wants to outlaw abortion -- so to call her a feminist is as laughable as calling evangelicals 'Christians.' They shouldn't have the right to call themselves Christian, for they have no Christ-like attributes. I am a feminist and a Christian -- and when I see Sarah Palin -- I see neither." -- statement to ABCNews.com, 9/11/08

I can't even BEGIN to explain all the levels of STUPID in this comment. Hello - ever hear of birth control. FUCKING MORON. Ever hear of MURDER? That's what abortion used as a method of birth control is. MURDER. FUCK OFF MARGARET CHO. You are what is wrong with America today.

Maybe They Should Just Give Me My Degree NOW ****UPDATED

2008-09-16T14:50:00.005-05:00

So I had a test in each of my classes last week. The first one in Intro to Computer Info Systems, I got a 100% WOO HOO

The second one, for Business Ethics, I got a 96% WOO HOO AGAIN. The teacher sent an email saying "no one failed MISERABLY" that had me going. The lowest score was a 56%. Nah, I wouldn't call that MISERABLY failing. :D

I have a 3 page paper due tomorrow by 11pm on Object Oriented Programming Languages - which I haven't actually written yet. That's pretty true to form. I'll write it tomorrow at work and it will be fabulous, you just wait!

/messiah-like praise of myself

Seriously though - I CAN NOT write a paper more than 2 days before it's due. I just can't. It does not happen. ARG!

UPDATE*** We were able to get into our ethics test to see what we got wrong. I missed ONE question and it was one that I seriously considered changing but didn't. Had I changed the answer I would have gotten a 100% on that test as well. DANG IT!

BTW - I started my paper last night but then my computer crashed out on me. I am currently into the third page of three with my last body paragraph and conclusion to go. Can I just tell you, I LOVE these online databases we get access to through the school library. The actually prepare the entry for a works cited page for like 8 different styles of citation, and all you have to do is export it to word. I am soooo not missing having to figure out all that when I'm finished. WOOO HOOOOOOO

2nd update*** It's done, It's done! WOO HOO!!!!! I'm sending it to a few people here in the office to read over and let me know how it sounds.

PHEW.

Husband Update

2008-09-15T15:21:00.002-05:00

By now y'all are probably as sick of this as I am. :D

We went in for a consultation with the Urologist today - I questioned the need for it, but now I see they really did need to explain what options we had for surgery - because there are more than one!

I've discovered when you have college with arguably one of the best medical programs in the country in your town, YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR HEALTHCARE. It's a fact of life. Our appointment today was at 11am - they got us back pretty quick - but I didn't get back to work until 2pm. GEEZ.

So anyway - apparently they can do a "sonar" type thing where they put you in a pool and it "pulses" and breaks up the stone. However, those people don't take charity cases (the doctor told us they don't take patients w/o insurance).

They can go in through the back with a wire and create a "hole" where they go in and take the stone out whole. However, since this requires going through the meat of the kidney, there's a chance he could bleed - so that option requires an overnight hospital stay (can you spell cha-ching?). Also - if he bleeds it's likely he'll need a transfusion.

The third option is of course going in through the peni$ - they put in a "stint" to hold open the ureter and then they shoot the stone with a laser to break it up. The risk with this method is they might blow fragments back up into the kidney which he will then have to pass (but they would be smaller and more likely for him to pass without help). They also said there is a chance the ureter would be so tightly clamped that they couldn't get the stint in and then they would have to go in through the back anyway.

We decided to go with option three - he is scheduled for Friday Sept. 26. If anything changes before then and he can't wait we are to call and let them know and they will bump us up. Husband insisted on a Friday so he could have the weekend to get used to the stint (they have to leave it in for like 2 weeks) before he has to go back to work. He plans on not taking any time off if he can help it.

I am looking into an individual plan for him that would only cover "catastrophic" illness (like a surgery or hospital stay) - I am told the monthly premiums on those type of plans are much more affordable.

TTFN

This is for the idiots at work I overheard yesterday

2008-09-12T13:31:00.003-05:00

Found on CNN - I hope Glenn Beck doesn't mind if I quote him

Here's a novel idea folks - how about you don't believe everything you see and hear?

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Campaigns are ugly. Watching the way politicians act makes you long for the respect and self-control of the Sopranos. Throughout, there are legitimate attacks and outright lies.
Every once in a while, I get a call on my radio show from someone telling me that Barack Obama is secretly a Muslim, who admitted it in an interview with George Stephanopoulos, and has a fake birth certificate. No, no, and no. As I tell them, there are legitimate reasons not to vote for Barack Obama, no need to make them up.
But the newest target is Sarah Palin. Let's take a quick look at just a fraction of what she has faced in her first few days as John McCain's choice for vice president. iReport.com: Do you think Palin is being treated unfairly?
"Sarah Palin believes God told her to go to war with Iraq!"
There has been some hard-core journalistic malpractice on this one. The Associated Press ran this headline about a speech she gave at her church: "Palin: Iraq war 'a task that is from God'"
In the story, they omit the first part of the sentence they're quoting along with the entire previous sentence for good measure.

Here are her actual words: "Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."
Palin is clearly praying that we're doing the right thing in Iraq, something sensible for an introspective woman of faith concerned about the lives of our troops to do. She's not saying that she just received a text message from heaven's BlackBerry ordering her to launch missiles. Sorry to disappoint you.
And for those of you who think politicians asking God for guidance is offensive, might I remind you of this famous politician's prayer:
"Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will." --Barack Obama
"She has no experience!"
It's fair to assume that Barack Obama believed he was qualified to be in the White House when he announced he was running for president. At that point, he had been a U.S. Senator for 767 days. When Sarah Palin was announced as a vice presidential candidate, she had been the governor of Alaska for 634 days.
While I'm sure those extra 133 days were filled with personal discovery, I can't imagine anyone seriously trying to make the case that Obama is experienced and Palin isn't.
Unless, of course, you're Matt Damon, who said a Palin presidency would be a really "scary thing" because she has been "governor of Alaska for...for less than two years!" (Damon originally expressed his presidential preference for Obama in December 2006, when he had been a senator for less than two years.)
More importantly, Palin's career has been filled with executive experience. She's the only one of the four in this race who has run a business, town, and/or state (a state that gives her crucial energy experience in the middle of an energy crisis).
When Obama's campaign complains that Palin would be one heartbeat away from the presidency, they should consider that their candidate would be zero heartbeats away.
"But Obama is running a huge campaign -- Palin was just a small town mayor!"
Believe it or not, this one was actually trotted out by Obama himself.
"My understanding is, is that Gov. Palin's town of Wasilla has, I think, 50 employees. We've got 2,500 in this campaign. I think the budget is maybe $12 million a year. We have a budget of about three times that just for the month."
Apparently, Barack missed that she's become the governor of Alaska in the interim. Why would he compare his current duties with her former duties?
Well, since he announced his candidacy, Barack Obama has raised about $22 million a month. That's a large organization for sure, unless you are directly comparing it to Sarah Palin, who is handling state revenues that are about 61 times as large, or more than $1.3 billion per month.
"Palin only supports abstinence to be taught in sex-ed!"
This claim is usually followed by a super classy comment about her daughter and the use of contraception, but the premise is false. Palin hasn't said she doesn't want condoms discussed in sex-ed, calling their discussion "relatively benign."
"I'm pro-contraception, and I think kids who may not hear about it at home should hear about it in other avenues. So I am not anti-contraception. But, yeah, abstinence is another alternative that should be discussed with kids. I don't have a problem with that," Palin said. Hers is hardly an extreme point of view in America today.
"If she cares about children with special needs, then why did she cut spending on them by 62 percent?"
Actually, Palin almost tripled their funding in only three years from $26,900 per student to $73,840 per student.
Incidentally, the amount of government money you spend on a specific group doesn't equal the amount you care for that group, but that's another story for another column.
All of these represent just a small percentage of the bizarre collection of claims being thrown at Palin by her opponents and some in the media -- who are desperately hoping something will stick. I leave you with my favorite so far: The Internet rumors that she harbors racism against Eskimos. If true, she sure has a strange way of expressing it -- her husband, Todd, is half Yupik Inuit Eskimo.
To balance that out, she must really love his other half

I'm Just Really PO'd Right Now

2008-09-11T09:57:00.002-05:00

So - we were given a "charity care" packet at the ER when they sent my husband home - they said fill out the paperwork and once it's in the system call them back to do the surgery. Basically she was telling us that they HAD to have the paperwork in the system beforehand or they couldn't discount anything. That's the main reason they sent us home instead of just doing everything while we were there last week. I've been calling the hospital since Tuesday and finally today got through to the person I needed to speak to. She said - and I quote " that's a bunch of crap". I am so pissed right now I don't even know what to say. They could have done all this last week and we could be done with it by now. Instead my husband has SUFFERED ALL WEEK in pain. Man I want to hit someone. And the worse news - we will get AT MOST a 50% discount. That means will could still end up UP TO OUR EYEBALLS IN DEBT. But there is nothing we can do about it, the surgery is necessary - his stone is to big to break up and too big to pass on its own.

Not to mention today is the anniversary of 9/11. You know, that day where the terrorists attacked us - yea, you remember. Pray for the families of the victims today.

And Now For Something Fun...

2008-09-09T10:38:00.003-05:00

Found this over at VW's place and I thought I'd try it............

Finish the sentence:

1. My uncle once: brought home a squirrel to live with us.

2. Never in my life: have I been so frustrated.

3. When I was five: I don't remember when I was five.

4. High school was: a pain in the ass.

5. I will never forget: ?

6. Once I met: no one important.

7. There’s this girl I know: who moved to Tennessee and now I can't get in touch with her.

8. Once, at a bar: A co-worker and I TP'd the auditor's car (they bought all our drinks by the way).

9. By noon, I’m usually: starving.

10. Last night: I vegged on the couch.

11. If only I had: lots of money.

12. Next time I go to church: will probably be never.

13. What worries me most: is how we're going to pay for my husband's surgery.

14. When I turn my head left I see: a window (the blinds are closed).

15. When I turn my head right I see: a wall of file cabinets.

16. You know I’m lying when: I can't stop smiling.

17. What I miss most about the Eighties is: being a kid.

18. If I were a character in Shakespeare I’d be: no one, they were all wack jobs.

19. By this time next year: hopefully I'll have a bigger house.

20. A better name for me would be: The Queen of Sarcasm.

21. I have a hard time understanding: people who want to vote for Obama.

22. If I ever go back to school: Already there - almost done.

23. You know I like you if: I bother to show up at your parties or events.

24. If I ever won an award, the first person I would thank would be: my family.

25. Take my advice: make sure you have health insurance.

26. My ideal breakfast is: Waffles or French Toast.

27. A song I love but do not have is: Geez - I have to think of one?

28. If you visit my hometown, I suggest you: stay away from the college - especially on Game Day.

29. Why won’t people: get a grip on reality.

30. If you spend a night at my house: be prepared to wake up early.

31. I’d stop my wedding so: we could wait for the people who didn't make it on time.

32. The world could do without: Obama.

33. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: nothing - I would never get that close to a cockroach.

34. My favorite blonde(s) is/are: my son.

35. Paper clips are more useful than: staples

36. If I do anything well it’s: drive my husband crazy

37. I can’t help but: be sarcastic

38. I usually cry: when I'm frustrated or nervous

39. My advice to my child/nephew/niece: enjoy your childhood. It sucks to be an adult.

40. And by the way: life sucks and then you die.

See, You Can Learn Something Here.

2008-09-08T10:12:00.002-05:00

So I was doing research online about "breath holding spells" because my daycare people are insistent that Patrick is having seizures - I wanted to have something in print to give them until we get our EEG results and can PROVE it. So anyway - I noticed people were finding my site by doing searches on "fainting spells in infants" and well, having been there myself I thought I would do them a service and post what I found.

From WebMD:

What are breath-holding spells?

Breath-holding spells are brief periods when young children stop breathing for up to 1 minute. These spells often cause a child to pass out (lose consciousness). Breath-holding spells usually occur when a young child is angry, frustrated, in pain, or afraid. However, the spell is a reflex, not a deliberate behavior on the child's part.

Breath-holding spells are categorized as either cyanotic or pallid.

Cyanotic breath-holding spells, the most common type, usually occur in response to anger or frustration. A child's skin typically turns red or blue-purple.
Pallid breath-holding spells produce a pale appearance to a child's skin. These spells usually occur in response to fear, pain, or injury, especially after an unexpected blow to the head.

Some children have both cyanotic and pallid spells at one time or another in their lives.

Breath-holding spells are most common in children between 6 months and 4 years of age. Their frequency varies; some children have a spell once a year, while others have spells several times a day.

Breath-holding spells are usually not serious, do not cause permanent damage or affect a child's future health, and gradually go away on their own.

What causes breath-holding spells?

Breath-holding spells are usually caused by either a change in the usual breathing pattern or a slowing of the heart rate. These reactions may be brought on by pain or by strong emotions, such as fear or frustration.

In some children, breath-holding spells may be related to iron deficiency anemia, a condition in which the body does not produce a normal number of red blood cells.

What are the symptoms?

In general, breath-holding spells cause a child to faint and may sometimes cause the muscles to twitch or the body to stiffen.

Specific symptoms of cyanotic spells include:

A short burst of rigorous crying lasting less than 30 seconds.
Hyperventilating (overbreathing).
A pause in breathing after exhaling.
Red or blue-purple skin color, especially around the lips.

Specific symptoms of pallid spells include:

A single cry or no cry at all.
Slowing of the heart.
Pale skin color.
Sweating.
Sleepiness or fatigue after the episode.

Some children also have seizures during breath-holding spells, which does not mean they have a seizure disorder. Seizures are different from mild twitching. They are more likely to occur in children who have long periods of breath-holding.

How are breath-holding spells diagnosed?

Breath-holding spells usually are diagnosed by a report of the symptoms observed during a spell. The health professional will examine your child and ask you to describe the spells. Recording the symptoms will help you describe them more accurately.

If your doctor thinks your child has a seizure disorder or another condition, such as iron deficiency anemia, certain tests may be done.

How are they treated?

There is no medical treatment for breath-holding spells, unless a health professional determines that a health problem, such as a heart irregularity, is the cause.

Help protect your child from injury during a spell by laying him or her on the floor and keeping the arms, legs, and head from hitting anything hard or sharp.

You can help decrease the chance of breath-holding spells by making sure your child gets plenty of rest, helping him or her feel secure, and helping minimize and manage his or her frustration.

Some additional information from other sites that adds to this:

Because breath-holding spells do share several features in common with seizure disorders, the two are often confused. In epileptic seizures, a child may turn blue, but it will be during or after the seizure, not before. Rarely, other medical conditions may look like breath-holding spells and a visit to the doctor’s will help clarify the situation.

They occur only while the child is awake.

During a breath-holding spell:

Your child may make 1 or 2 cries and then hold his breath until he becomes blue around the lips and passes out.
Your child may stiffen and may have a few twitches or muscle jerks.
Your child will breathe normally again and become fully alert in less than 1 minute.

Breath-holding spells are not dangerous, and they don't lead to epilepsy or brain damage.

The majority of children will regain consciousness and be fine within a minute or two, but some will fall asleep for an hour or so.

The most important treatment is reassurance to the family, because witnessing a breath-holding spell is a frightening experience for observers. There is generally no treatment available or needed for breath holding spells, as the child will eventually outgrow them.

Nope, Not Insane Yet

2008-09-05T13:18:00.002-05:00

PHEW! You just can't believe everything that has happened here since Wednesday....

I know I've posted before about Patrick's "fainting spells" - we had two at daycare and were sent to a Cardiologist who said he did NOT have a heart problem and to a Neurologist (who we saw just this morning - more on that in a minute). Well Wednesday morning we were getting ready to go to work - I was in the bathroom with the door shut and apparently Patrick was standing on the other side of the door (which I didn't know at the time) so I pulled the door open and he fell forward - I think he hit his head (but not hard) and it really scared him so he started crying and I picked him up. He does this thing where he cries, but no sound comes out - it's almost like he's not breathing/can't breath. So he was doing that and I was telling him Breathe, Breathe, like I always do and he all of the sudden got STIFF and his face was all screwed up and he wasn't looking at me or responding and I don't think he was breathing so I handed him to my husband and grabbed the phone to call 911. Well by the time I picked the phone up he was done so I hung up and then next thing I knew Keith is yelling Patrick, Patrick and he set him on the floor and was trying to do CPR - he said later he went limp and he wasn't breathing so I picked the phone back up and this time I DID dial and I was screaming at the 911 lady HELP MY KID IS NOT BREATHING I NEED AN AMBULANCE and she was all calm down where are you and then he came out of it and he was crying and I was crying and by the time the ambulance got there he was fine but I was NOT (can y'all give me a shot) and I was shaking for like three hours after that it was the most horrible thing I have EVER experienced in my entire life. But hubby and I were like a well oiled machine - we never even looked at each other, we just DID and it was awe-some.

So anyway the EMT's said they thought it sounded like a seizure and he was fine and didn't need to go to the ER so we could just take him in to his primary care to be examined. So we did that and primary care said he thought it sounded like a "breath holding episode" which is apparently common in children his age and that we should explain this all to the neuro on Friday (today) and that we should be okay until then.

So that night my husband tells me his kidney is bothering him again. I think I mentioned several weeks ago that he had a kidney stone? Well he went to a walk in clinic because he doesn't have insurance and they gave him pain pills and antibiotics and sent him home and told him to go to the ER if the pain does not go away. So in a few days the pain went away and we forgot about it. Well Wednesday night it came back, and it was WAY WORSE than it was, but he wouldn't let me take him to the ER (he neglected to mention that he was not peeing - a sure sign that he had blockage). Anyway, he did not sleep at all Wednesday night and I insisted Thursday morning I would drop him off at the ER and go in to work (I've been missing a lot lately b/c of the hurricanes and Patrick being sick) and he was to call me and let me know what was up. Well about 10:30 he calls to say they are transferring him to another hospital - he needs surgery. HOLY CRAP PEOPLE!! I think this is punishment for something. So anyway I get to the hospital.... apparently he has a 18mmx6mm stone. Folks if you've had stones before or know anything about them you'll know - that is HUGE. There is no way he can pass that on his own, and the sonar technology they use these days to break them up? It's too big for that too. I did mention he doesn't have insurance? Yea. That bites. BIG. So while we were waiting for all the doctors his pain went away (I guess they think it shifted) so they decided he could make it another 10 days until we can fill out the emergency financial aid paperwork to get a reduced or waived surgery fee and once that's done we have to go back for surgery.

And today? We had Patrick's appointment at the neurologist. It was at 9am. We saw the Dr. at 11:30. JEEEEEE SUS!!! They are the only neuro within driving distance of our house. But I digress. When we finally DID see him, we explained everything, and he had us walk him around the room and interact with him and guess what he said? He agrees with our Primary care. It's "breath holding episodes". I can't even begin to tell you how happy it will make me to know my kid does not have brain issues. However, this is not something that's treatable in the sense that you can take a pill to make it go away. He just has to outgrow them. The good news is, it is only brought on by stress (which means we don't have to worry about him holding his breath in his sleep) and unless he doesn't start breathing again it's not life threatening (He said the chances of that were really slim anyway). and NO PILLS. But we are going for an EEG just to be sure.

And B R E A T H E.

Anyone want to donate a day at the spa? Or on an island somewhere? I think I am losing my sanity.....seriously though? Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes, we really appreciate them.

What is WRONG With People?!

2008-08-29T07:36:00.003-05:00

Army Wife's post this morning reminded me of something...........

So I was listening to the Mike Savage show last night - don't know if he is local or if anyone else has heard him before..... Anyway I wasn't listening on purpose, I was trying to find the Bucs game since our NBC is out of Atlanta of all places (don't ask).

So he has this MORON on the air who called in about NObama - he was going on and on and on singing the praises of the messiah and the host was asking him why he is voting for him - apparently he said something about culture or race (I missed that part but it was apparent by the way the conversation was going) so he says - well let me ask you this - how do you feel about the issues - and goes on to ask the IDIOT his opinion on guns etc. Hmmmmm the RETARD doesn't want the Gov't to take his guns away, he's pro life, etc. So Mike Savage is like .... uh .... have you read NObama's stand on the issues? HE TOTALLY DISAGREES WITH EVERY OPINION YOU HAVE. And the guys like yea but..... and Savage is like, no, I don't think you get it. He is the polar opposite of everything you say you believe in, he's so far left he's further left than the majority of democrats! And the guys like yea, but I'm still going to vote for him - HE'S BETTER THAN McCAIN. I have no words. I am banging my head against the wall. Pamibe - I need your emoticons....LOL

WTF is wrong with people!? I can not understand what would inspire that kind of IGNORANT blind devotion for someone who totally disagrees with everything you believe in!? For the record, the guy sounded to be about 18 or 19. What scares me is how many of these Fucktards are going to show up at the polls in November.............

Stll Here

2008-08-27T13:55:00.002-05:00

Just been a little busy - the new session at school started and work and baby and all that. We are going d0wn to St. Pete this weekend to see mom and Tammi and hopefully pass out the $150 worth of pictures I just had taken of my adorable son. He is getting molars - I'm pretty sure anyway - and life is pretty miserable for poor Patrick - I think he's going to end up chewing his finger off poor kid!

You may have noticed the paypal and amazon buttons I added. Don't worry - I don't intend them for any of you readers - they are more for my personal/family use and are in a place where everyone can see them now. Though I won't turn down anything you lovely readers wish to send me ;)

Otherwise I just need to say one thing. All you idiots in New Orleans - there is a storm coming your way - this is plenty of advance warning - get your shit together and get out now - don't expect the government to save your sorry lazy asses.

Wow, This is FUN

2008-08-22T16:20:00.000-05:00

So this has turned out to be the most disappointing storm. We haven't even had a flicker of power. It's not raining right now and it seems that the bands of rain are going right around us. We were supposed to have gotten HEAVY rain once the eye passed but I didn't notice anything. I guess I shouldn't complain but DAMN. I've been home stuck in the house for two days now for nothing. Woo Hoo.

TTFN

Everything is A-OK So Far

2008-08-21T15:51:00.000-05:00

So maybe some of you didn't realize, but we are about 15 miles NW of Gainesville, so we are about to have the "eye" of TS Fay go over us. It's been ok so far, some rain, but not heavy. From what I can tell though, there are some pretty heavy storms on the other side. We'll see what happens. No school today, which meant no daycare, so I've been home all day. But I made the mistake of eating something bad last night so I've been watching my son play in between bathroom trips after vomiting all night. FUN.

We'll probably shut the computer down right before the eye passes, so I'll check in again later.

TTFN

It Gets Worse.........

2008-08-20T07:43:00.002-05:00

So being the good consumer I am, I downloaded my yearly free credit reports yesterday. Imagine my surprise when I find on my Experian report, a section called "alternate social security number" and it shows my jackass exes number there. WTF!? First of all, what is an "alternate SSN"? I just don't even understand why that would exist. Secondly, this must be why I keep getting phone calls from debt collectors looking for him. Thirdly - how does this bode for consumer protection? Why would you EVER put someone's SSN on another person's report where someone OTHER THAN THE OWNER CAN SEE IT?! So I immediately come to the conclusion that if his is on mine, then mine is probably on his. THIS IS VERY BAD. I DON'T TRUST HIM IN THE SLIGHTEST. Not that he would be smart enough to figure out how to run his credit report, but I digress.

So I call them up. And express my concern and that they should remove his number from my credit report. Ok fine, we can do that - is there anything else we can help you with?

Why yes, there is. You can make sure my number is not on his, and if it is, remove it.

I'M SORRY MA'AM WE CAN NOT DO THAT.

Huh?!

What do you mean you can not do that?

Well, we have to have his permission to access his account.

Well - you're not going to get it because A) I don't know how to contact him and B) We left each other on bad terms so even if I did, he probably wouldn't do it. Anyways, it's a moot point because it's MY social security number, and I didn't give him permission to have access to it.

She kept insisting so I asked to speak with a supervisor. She insisted the supervisor would say the same thing. I said I don't give a shit, let me talk to her right now. So she put me on hold.

She came back a few minutes later (NOT the supervisor) to inform me I would have to obtain a COURT ORDER to get my SSN removed from his report.

WTF? How in the HELL does that protect my privacy as a consumer! I cussed her out. I couldn't help it, I was PISSED. So I went online to the FTC and filed a complaint. I am not sure what to do at this point. Someone suggested I call back today and ask to speak to a supervisor from the get go and try again. I just don't know if that will work but I guess I will try. Anyone have any other suggestions?

Why Bother?

2008-08-19T08:59:00.002-05:00

I want to know why I should bother to have insurance. Seriously. I pay 175 every pay period (that's every two weeks) for my son and I to have coverage (and that's a discounted rate - my employer pays extra for my coverage vs. others in my office).

We went to a DOCTOR'S OFFICE to see the cardiologist. They did the EKG THERE - IN THE OFFICE. But because the doctor was in the Shand's Medical Plaza (which is affiliated with Shand's Hospital) I have to pay an outpatient hospital services co-pay of $200 FOR EACH TEST THEY DID instead of $75 for "diagnostic services". WTF??!!

And the neuro we're supposed to see - he's also in the Shand's Medical Plaza. I tried looking up another Pediatric Neuro or "independent testing facility" (since I know they're going to want to do an EEG). Yea.... this is Gainesville. They are OWNED by UF and Shands. THERE IS NO WHERE ELSE TO GO.

BLUE CROSS CAN KISS MY ASS

This is a Public Service Announcement

2008-08-14T15:08:00.000-05:00

Yea...... don't have fiber one yogurt and TWO fiber one granola bars all in the same day. Unless you like having uncontrollable gas while you're at work.

I hope your day has been made better by knowing that.

Carry on.

I Guess I Woudn't Make a A+ Catholic

2008-08-11T10:16:00.003-05:00

I got a B+ for my final grade in the Catholic class. He didn't give us our test scores though. I may e-mail him and ask but I would assume it was a B based on that final grade.

I got irritated with the neuro and asked if I could see another doctor - and had to be transferred to the main office. Apparently they are really busy but got my message and are working on trying to get me an earlier appointment. We'll see.

I have to say - Patrick was indeed very good during the picture taking process. I kid (mostly) about him being the devil baby. He really is extremely mild mannered and well behaved. And DANG IT, that kid loves to laugh. He also has my evil streak - this weekend he was trying to pull out daddy's arm hair - then showing him what he got and laughing hysterically. I guess I'll keep him. :)

TTFN

Put on Your Shades.....

2008-08-09T16:45:00.009-05:00

You're going to need them to look at the awesome cuteness that is my son.

Why Dogs Are Man's Best Friend

2008-08-06T20:15:00.002-05:00

You Have GOT to be Kidding Me

2008-08-05T13:57:00.004-05:00

Srsly - this was a question on my final exam - GOD SAVE US FROM THE LIBERAL WACK JOBS!

The year is 2012. The drought in Florida, because of global
warming, has gotten worse. The aquifer is showing alarming signs of depletion.
Similar crises loom elsewhere in the country. President Obama has set Vice
President Jeb Bush (!) on the task of coming up with ways of avoiding
disaster. Jeb’s plan for Florida involves a total ban
on any new lawns. All new developments may use only native, drought-tolerant
plants, (a practice known as xerascaping). Residents with existing lawns face
the prospect of being able to water 2x a week for just 4 years, after that,
just 1x per week for 2 years, and after that must abandon their expanses of
lawn entirely. (replacing them with xerascaping if they choose) A group called
“Water Rights” has formed in the Villages, and is arguing that as Floridians
and American citizens, they have a right to have traditional lawns, and to
water them sufficiently to keep them healthy and green. They point out that
existing lawns represent a substantial invertment of money, and that many
people have incurred the additional expense of putting in their own wells
which are also going to be restricted if the law passes. The issue is being
debated hotly and not always rationally all around the state. Even churches
are getting involved. Assume that you are a member of the curia of the diocese
of at Augustine, and you have been asked to prepare recommendations for your
Bishop on the position the church should take on this issue. What is you
position? (Not very important.) And WHY do you hold that position-- What is
your reasoning. (VERY important).

In all honesty, it took all I had not to write this as my answer:

Dear instructor,

Not only is global warming a farce made up by Man Bear Pig (Al Gore for those of you who don't watch South Park) but I find it truly offensive that you dare to put "President Obama" in print, let alone you would seriously suggest that Jeb Bush would be his Vice President. I totally resent the fact that this question even exists and refuse to answer on principle.

Thank You - Concerned Student

Is It WRONG to Want to Kill a Politician?

2008-08-04T10:19:00.002-05:00

I'm not going to get all ranty except to say someone needs to impeach Nancy Pelosi and her childish "I'm not going to do it just because BushHitler and the Rethuglicans want me to" BULLSHIT.

Phew. I feel better now.

In other news - my husband has a kidney stone - at least, we're as sure as we can be without an x-ray because HE doesn't have insurance and DAYUM x-rays are expensive. The pain is lessening and there is no more blood in his urine, but as far as he knows, he hasn't passed it yet so I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.

Apparently there are a lot of kids with neuro problems because we still have not been able to get an earlier appointment. BAH. Also - Patrick is teething again which makes for miserable, non-sleeping baby and miserable non-sleeping mommy and daddy. Sometimes I wonder if God thinks all this is funny. No, lets make it take a year or more of pain and suffering to get all our teeth in, that would be downright amusing.

Tonight is my last night of the hated Catholic class I had to take. I have to say though, it has been enlightening and I almost want to spend time researching other religions and their beliefs. ALMOST. We should be getting our reports on our visit to mass back tonight and I am wondering how well I did. Our final is online this week and class is over on Saturday at midnight. Then a short break until the next session starting August 18. On the schedule: Business Ethics and Intro to Computer Information Systems - my last elective. I'm thinking these should be two more easy A's.

Other than that, I have been faithfully exercising and TRYING to eat better, and I am definitely noticing a difference in how my clothes fit, though I still haven't weighed myself so I have no idea how much weight I've lost since the 6lbs from the last weigh-in. Progress is being made though. It would probably help if I humiliated myself more publicly, but I just don't see a market for video's of me making an ASS out of myself.

ANYway - have a great day people.

TTFN

I'm Brilliant ***Updated

2008-07-23T14:34:00.002-05:00

So this is the last week for my wonderful Business Writing Course. We have a final project due that is worth 200 points. I did so well in the class I only need 123 out of 200 to keep my A.

WOO HOO

I got 188 out of 200 - so I got an A. Woo Hoo!

Gotta Learn to be Quicker with the Camera **UPDATED

2008-07-23T10:54:00.003-05:00

Dang it. I missed the cutest, cheesiest grin ever this morning, y'all would have DIED if you saw it.

FYI - Patrick is scheduled for the Neurologist on Sept. 5th. Unfortunately, our insurance plan here at work is changing on the 1st of September - no more co-pays - now it's going to be a $500 deductible and then 20% of the cost. ACK! I called this morning to see if there was anyway they could put me on a cancellation list so if someone cancels I can get in sooner, and they were like "no, you'll just have to call us every other day" WTF!? Like I have nothing better to do?! Geez Louise!

***I left out the part about the no more copays only being for specialists - we still pay a co-pay to see our primary care

If You Really Love Me You'll Leave Me a Comment

2008-07-22T13:21:00.003-05:00

I need some help all you cooking guru's out there. Anyone know of a tasty HEALTHY way to cook okra? I've never had it other than fried so I'm not sure. Is it good by itself or is it generally added into soups/stews etc? Our neighbor gave us a metric assload of the stuff so I think we should probably eat it.

That is all.

Terrible Twos? Try Terrible Ones.

2008-07-17T08:40:00.005-05:00

Yes, that's right people, my kid has taken to throwing temper tantrums if he doesn't get his way.

Don't get food off mommy's plate? temper tantrum
Won't let him tear up daddy's cheaper than dirt catalog I asked him to put up umpteen thousand times? temper tantrum
Change his diaper when he doesn't want to? temper tantrum
Don't let him chew the washcloth in the tub? temper tantrum

I think you get the idea.

He actually throws himself backwards and SCREAMS. I think I may have to kill myself.

However, I noticed his gums are very swollen on one side this morning, so maybe it's just teething. Hey - I can dream can't I?

TTFN

We are off to see the Neurologist

2008-07-15T07:35:00.002-05:00

We did an EKG, and an echocardiogram. We did NOT find anything that would cause fainting episodes. However, we did find a slightly enlarged aorta which the doctor said bears watching as it could lead to problems down the road. He also said it would probably correct itself. We also had to take home and wear a holter monitor for 24 hours. Basically a portable EKG - with lots of wires for a baby to mess with and piss him off while he's trying to sleep. Yea. That came off this morning. They got a good 15 hours worth of readings. The cardiologist does not expect to find anything else with this but wanted to be sure.

So - one down, one to go.

TTFN

Let Me Know

2008-07-11T13:45:00.003-05:00

If the music gets annoying. I found this cool little tool for my myspace page and I thought it would be cool to use here.

:)

Don't you hate it when you just can't get rid of evil people from your past? Why can't they just crawl under a rock where they belong?!

_)(#*_($*($&*()*(

PS - I need this

BWWWWWAAAAHHHHHHAAAAAHHHHAAAA

2008-07-10T08:37:00.001-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/us/politics/10jackson.html

Dude. I thought they said Obama had support from blacks?

And what kind of moron is Jesse Jackson that he thinks he can smooth this over? And why would he want to? Why not just man up and say, yeah, I think Obama is trash. Why? Because then everyone would know he's in it for the fame and money and he doesn't really give a shit about blacks or their problems, that's why.

What a jackass.

Both of them.

Patrick Update

2008-07-04T08:47:00.000-05:00

We have an appointment with the Cardiologist on July 14th. They said they will review what his primary had to say, examine him, and if they feel tests are warranted they will do them right there in the office. Keep your fingers crossed.

Call Me Crazy...

2008-07-03T14:06:00.002-05:00

But I really like Glenn Beck

Case in point:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/02/beck.oilexploration/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

There was another article he did the other day on what a conservative believes that I really liked as well. Can I vote for him?

I Am the Supreme Ruler of Complaint Letters

2008-07-02T16:37:00.001-05:00

Guess what was waiting for me when I got home today??!! A check from Honda of Ocala. FOR $100!!!!

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!

Updates

2008-06-30T13:48:00.002-05:00

Well we found out my poor baby's digestive system just is not ready for milk. Dr. has recommended a calcium supplement and that we can try milk again in a month or so. I still have not heard back about an appointment for the cardiologist. They said up to a week so I am giving them until Wednesday and then I'll be up their a$$.

I have a 96% at the mid-point of my wonderful Business writing class. Thank GOD it's almost over. I don't know how much more I can take of bad grammar 101.

Tonight I start my on-campus class. Since I'm attending a PRIVATE catholic university, I have to take a religion class - Catechism for Adults is the name of the text. This promises to be VERY INTERESTING. Thankfully since it's summer session the class is only 6 weeks. I hope I don't have to write some kind of paper or I might blow my top.

We were given a free pool this weekend - one of those Wal-mart quick set dealies, about 4 feet deep, 14ft diameter. They were going to throw it away so we said sure we'd take it. So now Patrick, who seems to really take to the water, has his own pool to play in. It was nice yesterday - after my husband working in the yard and wanting to cool off and I needed a break from fussy butt - they went in the pool together and had a great time.

We haven't heard anything else on the house front - they are still looking. I did find out that they paid cash for the house, so since there is no mortgage for them that increases our chances of getting in - we may be able to work out a "rent to own" deal if we can't get a mortgage. I've heard it's pretty tough right now.

Ummmm - I think that's about it.

Oh yea, anyone want some corn?

TTFN

And Now For Some Good News (well sort of)

2008-06-27T14:32:00.002-05:00

Thanks everyone so much for the prayers and support. At this point we are not too "excited" about everything. I'm sure by the time we see the cardiologist, I will be in full on panic mode, but for now I am still OK. I believe in the power of positive thinking so I am right now telling myself it is nothing major and can be easily fixed.

Now to the (sort of) good news. My brother and his baby mama (ha - she would die if she saw that) are having another baby. And we found out today it's ANOTHER boy. So mom is now the proud grandma of THREE grandsons. They were hoping for a girl and now everyone is looking at ME for the girl. That is the sort of part. NO MORE KIDS FOR ME!!!!

At least they have lots of hand me downs. It's a good thing I've been sending all of Patrick's outgrown stuff to mom's house to live.

TTFN

Pray for Patrick

2008-06-26T08:24:00.003-05:00

I don't know if I posted about this the first time it happened or not. My son has some kind of issue and we don't know what it is, but it's enough to warrant a referral to both a cardiologist and a neurologist.

Yesterday I was in a meeting at work and the receptionist comes in to interrupt, saying I had a phone call.

My heart stopped. I knew it could only be the daycare, and it could only be for one reason that they would interrupt me in a meeting. Patrick "passed out" again. The first time this happened was about 3 months ago. He was playing, seemed a little fussy, and then he just went limp, eyes rolled back in head, not responsive. Lasted about 15-20 seconds and they weren't able to confirm if he was breathing or not. We took him to the doc (ended up seeing the practitioner, NOT his doctor). They did blood work, the assumption being he had a blood sugar dip since he took an extra long nap that day and missed lunch. Blood work came back OK. I was concerned about seizure activity since my mom had childhood seizures. She was pretty certain it was NOT a seizure. So we chalked it up to not sure and left it alone.

Back to yesterday. I get on the phone and she says it happened again. He had just ate, and she set him on the floor to get ready to change him, and he fell over and went stiff as a board (instead of limp like last time). They still never told me if they could tell if he was breathing, but she did say his face looked a little blue. The owner sat him up and blew in his face and then he snapped out of it and started crying. She said he had a blank stare on his face and didn't really seem aware of what was going on. So I went back to the doc. Pretty much didn't give them an option, they were going to see us RIGHT NOW. Lucky for me it was towards the end of the day so they didn't have any appointments at that time. We saw HIS DOCTOR this time, not the practitioner. I again expressed my concerns about seizures. He said it was possible but he was more inclined to believe it was a heart problem. So first, to the cardiologist and if we don't find anything there, to the neurologist, and if we don't find anything there, then at least we got the big stuff ruled out.

Veggie Tales

2008-06-23T14:15:00.002-05:00

So - that bucket of beans I mentioned - yeah..... it was about three gallon size bags. Now we have about 5 million ears of sweet corn, a large bag of zipper peas, and acre peas we still have not done yet. My god, our freezer is getting full (that would be the FREE deep freezer we got a while back that I neglected to mention - it's a stand up freezer too).

Neener Neener Neener.

Oh yea. We may have another house opportunity soon. A couple we know may be moving since the husband got a new job that's a little far for a daily commute. They've already agreed we get first dibs on the house if we can get financing - four bedroom, two bath, den, dining room, family room, bonus room on the back, screened in pool, on 7 WOODED acres - right down the street from where we are now so we could practically carry our stuff over there. It's a pre-fab home, so steel walls etc - VERY hurricane friendly - not that we get to many of those in N Central Florida. BEAUTIFUL house. HUGE - I think it's 2800 S.F. I'm not sure what the price they would ask is yet - I'm hoping somewhere around 200k based on what they paid for it in 2005. Doable people, definitely doable. Keep your fingers crossed.

TTFN

HONDA OF OCALA SUCKS

2008-06-19T07:56:00.002-05:00

I just send this FABULOUS letter to the general manager of Honda of Ocala......By the way, I know the thing we are upset about is cheap, but it's the principal of the matter.

Good Morning,

I am writing you to hopefully get resolution to an issue I have been experiencing with the used car sales department. First off, let me say the reason we chose your dealership (even though we live closer to the Gainesville Honda) is because we heard you had the best prices and service. And we did get a great price on our car. However the service left quite a bit to be desired.

My husband and I purchased a used 2004 Accord from your lot at the beginning of May. Our sales person, (name withheld to avoid legal issues), promised us he would be replacing the Honda emblem that was missing from the trunk when we purchased the car. He stated that it had already been ordered and should arrive within two weeks, and that he would call us when it came in. He even had us sign an “IUO” from the dealership stating that Honda of Ocala did in fact owe us a trunk emblem for our car. Since we were to be traveling down to St. Petersburg in two weeks, it was
perfect timing for us to stop by and pick it up. We do not normally travel to Ocala since the cost of gas has risen so much as I’m sure you understand. However, the two weeks came and went with no call from jerk sales person. After another few days, I decided to call and inquire as to the status of our “order”. I left a message for jerk sales person that was not returned. I called again a few days later, and again, my call was not returned. My husband called two or three times. Again, no calls were returned. My husband decided to call the parts department directly and was
told they could have an emblem for us the next day. Now I’m sure you can
understand my concern since at this point it had been almost a month since our
purchase, and we still had not received the emblem we were told had already been
ordered.

At this point I decided it was useless to call Mr. jerk sales person since he seems to be unable to return phone calls. We again stopped by the dealership on our way down to St. Petersburg the following weekend thinking being there in person would get us results. We were wrong about that. We showed up around 9:15 or so (the hours of the lot according to your website are 9am to 9pm on a Saturday) thinking we would get immediate service as the lot could not be that full first thing on a Saturday. We
were told the staff was in a sales meeting, and were not able to leave the meeting to assist us even though we expressed that we had just driven 45 miles and explained our issue with getting service. I am not sure why the sales staff has their daily staff meetings during the time they are supposed to be on the lot servicing customers. If they want to have meetings at 9am, then the lot should not be open until 9:30 or whatever time the meeting is over. Someone then showed up and said they were heading over to the meeting and would ask Mr. jerk sales person about our emblem. We expressed to him that we had an appointment and could not wait more than 5-10 minutes. After 15 minutes when he had not called the secretary nor returned with news for us, we left.

I called the following Monday and insisted on speaking with someone else who could help us since Mr. jerk sales person apparently had NO INTENTION of ever returning our calls. The person I spoke to said he would look into it and call me the following morning to let me know what was going on. He did, in fact, call me the following morning to say the parts department would have to order the part. Imagine my surprise after I had been told when we bought the car that it had ALREADY BEEN ORDERED. At this point I explained to him that we would NOT be driving to Ocala again to pick up the part and that we wished it to be either sent to the Gainesville Honda to be picked up by us or mailed to our home. This was approximately two weeks ago. WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE AT HONDA OF OCALA SINCE THEN.

I am tired of waiting on something it seems apparent to me now your dealership never had any intention of giving me. My husband ordered an emblem from Honda of Gainesville and it came in the NEXT DAY at a cost to us of $19.40 (including
tax). We expect to receive a check from Honda of Ocala to reimburse us for
this expense. Rest assured, we will NEVER do business with you again, nor will we ever recommend you to anyone.

Regards,

Carmen - pissed off ex-customer

I Dont Gots No Bad Grammers

2008-06-18T13:28:00.003-05:00

Holy Crap People. The class I'm taking this session is called "Essential Business Skills" but it's essentially Business Communication - how to write for business.

We have to post answers to a discussion question once a week. These people are discussing grammar, spelling etc. in their answers, BUT THEY HAVE NOT A CLUE HOW TO USE IT THEMSELVES. How did all these people get to college level? Seriously - most of the posts I read had AT LEAST one spelling error and SEVERAL grammatical errors. Not that I profess to be a genius, but at least I use spell check and make an effort to sound like an intelligent human being when I'm submitting work that others will read and comment on.

What really sucks is that most of these idiots will probably pass the class. Hell, they passed their elementary, middle, and high school English classes without a proper understanding of grammar and spelling (nor how to form complete, coherent sentences) why should college be any different? And people wonder why America is going to hell in a hand basket.

Its Nice When You Get All the Instructions Upfront

2008-06-16T09:31:00.003-05:00

So. I got a 93 on my letter because I didn't make up letterhead with contact info for it. That kind of irritates me because 1) he didn't say anything about letterhead in the instructions, and 2) I thought about doing it but didn't. So I lost points I could have had if I decided to be less lazy.

I have been doing well on the bike riding - I've been going every other day (when it isn't raining) because my legs can't handle every day. I don't have a scale so I can't weigh myself yet, but I feel "tighter" so that is good. Through research with my mom this weekend I've determined for my body size and height that I should weigh between 130 and 140 (approximately). My goal is 135 so that equates to about 45-50 lbs I need to lose. OMG THAT IS A LOT. Oh, and according to same chart, I am not only "overweight" but borderline "obese". That is a hard pill to swallow. Especially considering I was always between 120 and 125 until about 18 when I had issues in my life (that I am still not going to disclose here because I am ashamed of them) which caused the start of my weight gain. I have definitely been getting more fruit in my diet and it definitely helps with the sweet tooth. This morning I had a banana and peanut butter milkshake (with 1% milk) for breakfast. IT WAS YUMMY! I got the recipe out of my Fitness magazine. There was also a recipe for honey whipped cottage cheese with fruit and fresh mint that I will be trying. I guess I have to grow mint in my herb garden now too!

Speaking of gardens, I have a 5 gallon bucket of green beans that I will be freezing this evening. YUMMY!! We also have red and orange peppers, white corn, zipper peas, romaine lettuce, radishes, and soon, tomatoes. Our neighbor brought us potatoes, squash, and okra. We are swimming in veggies. WOO HOO. I think we are going to try cucumbers again next year as well as brussel sprouts. We try to plant the stuff that's expensive in the store to save money. It works out really well so far.

TTFN

I Need Your Opinions Please

2008-06-13T13:04:00.004-05:00

The class I am taking is Business Communications - basically a Business Writing course. So my first assignment is to respond to the following letter:

I see state employees driving BMWs and sports cars. These cars are a
waste of tax-payer money!

Sincerely,

Rick Shipley

Yea.....what fun. I HATE WRITING!!!!! WITH A PASSION. So I wrote a response and I'm counting on the two people who read here to give me an honest assessment of my work. Grammar and spelling count.

June 13, 2008

Mr. Rick Shipley
100 Anywhere Street
Alachua,
Florida 32615

Dear Mr. Shipley,

Thank you for your
comment regarding city employees driving luxury vehicles. The Governor
asked me to research the issue and I am happy to report that no taxpayer dollars
were spent on these vehicles!

According to the Department of Public
Safety, the vehicles you mentioned were confiscated during criminal
investigations. Rather than auction or sell the vehicles, the state has
decided to use them for their employees who need to drive as part of their
job. This allows them to refrain from purchasing new
vehicles.

In the 10 years this program has been in place, the state
has confiscated 43 vehicles – this means taxpayers in Florida have saved the
money it would cost to purchase new vehicles. The Department of Public
Safety plans on keeping this program in place and saving even more money in the
future.

The Governor’s office is always happy to receive comments
and feedback from the citizen’s of Florida; we look forward to serving you for
another
term!

Sincerely,

Carmen
Assistant to the Governor of Florida

Because I Have Nothing Better To Do

2008-06-11T14:25:00.000-05:00

At least for the moment. I guess I'll play along with the Meme I got tagged with.

The rules:

1. Post the rules of the game at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What were you doing five years ago?
Five years ago I was on the verge of wasting my life with a pathetic loser. And then I woke up.

What are five things on your to-do list for today?
1. Find something to do (ha ha just kidding)
2. Fix my POS computer
3. Complete my writing assignment for class
4. Play with the most adorable baby in the world
5. Go Biking

What are five snacks you enjoy?
1. Cheese
2. Cheese
3. Anything sweet
4. Cheese
5. Do I really have to repeat myself....?

What are five things you would do if you were a billionaire?
1. Pay off my parents house and get mom a new kitchen
2. Get my brother and GF a new house with room for the baby (so they don't have to put him/her in the bottom dresser drawer)
3. Set up college fund for my son and nephew (and the new baby too) - and a trust fund for them each to have a house when they are ready
4. Purchase about 10 wooded acres and build a custom home EXACTLY to my specifications
5. Consider having another baby since I could afford to be a stay at home mom

What are five of your bad habits?
1. SWEETS
2. Harrassing my husband all the time (in a wonderful loving manner of course)
3. Being set in my ways and unflexible
4. Being vindictive and spiteful to a-holes - oh wait - is that considered a bad habit?
5. Being Sarcastic ALL THE TIME - again, is that a bad habit?

What are five places where you have lived?
1. Florida
2. Florida
3. Florida
4. Florida
5. Florida ;P

What are five jobs you’ve had?
1. File Clerk at a doctor's office
2. Data Entry clerk at a mail order company
3. Data Entry clerk for the City
4. Accountant for a fortune 500 company
5. Accountant for a MUCH SMALLER company

And I tag....hmmm...let me think about this one.... LeeAnn and ummm.... LeeAnn, and LeeAnn again, and uh.... okay LeeAnn two more times just for fun. Or maybe it's cause she celebrated a little too much when Aunt Tammi didn't tag her. Yea ok that's it. Damn, that sarcasm habit is hard to break!

;P

Yes Virginia, There is a Hill (or two) in Florida

2008-06-10T09:30:00.002-05:00

Let me just say - this bike riding stuff is killing me. Last night I decided to go a little further than I have been since I wasn't worn out yet. There were four or five small hills along the route (it was probably about 2 miles though I couldn't tell you for certain) and by the time I hit them coming back, I thought I was going to DIE. I probably could have walked faster than I was pedaling at one point. I kept thinking, "what if there is some crazy knife maniac hiding in the woods waiting to jump out and kill me." Yea. He probably would have killed me 'cause I don't think I could have ridden fast enough to get away. I'll be taking my phone with me from now on. And my iPod for that matter.

TTFN