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Saturday, October 30, 2004

GUESTMAP!!

I just added a guestmap so you can "pin" your location on it, so please STICK IT TO ME!! lol (thanks Debs, you were the first one!)

GETTIN' THE HANG OF IT.....

Well peeps, I'm finally starting to get the courage to do some add-ons in here, and I must say it's a blast! You'll notice, regretfully, if you use the e-card service in here that the clip-art isn't all the greatest, nor is there much of it. Well don't be gripin' at me for it, lol...... that's all that came with it. I'm in the midst of trying to get some better stuff, and more of it for choices. However it's another one of those damn "challenges" I've been eluding to lately. I can't figure out yet how to get stuff in there. However, I DID get some mighty fine midi's in there, if I do say so myself! My biggest pride and joy is my beeooteeful Canadian flag, waving a big howdy to y'all! Anyway I hope you have some fun with what e-card choices there are for the moment.
**(update: I have FINISHED off the e-card service, there are lots of pictures and backgrounds....and music too, to choose from now! So try it out if you'd like to send a card to someone!)**

Went to the dentist today, which wasn't bad cuz it was just my 6 month 'clean and checkup'..... I love getting my teeth cleaned. However, I need a root canal, and THAT sucks, and a filling. So I have to go back twice more. THAT sucks. Ewwww! I can't stand the drills! Why is it that dentists don't begin asking you questions until your mouth is full of their hands and tools??? No Debs, not THOSE kinds of tools; the metal ones that they scrape at your teeth with, and you think they're scraping off every last bit of enamel you ever had on your poor teeth. And why do they always get such a sadistic gleam in their eyes when they announce to you "You need a ROOT CANAL!! MUA HA HA HA!!" Do they really LIKE hurting people? I think when I go back for mine, I'm going to grab his balls and tell him if he hurts me, I'll hurt him worse. LOL I wouldn't be surprised if all dentists wear black leather sadistic outfits under their doctors coats and secretly video tape all of us white-knucklers hanging on for dear life while lying so helplessly prone in their chairs. Anyway after I left there today, with my nice white and shiny clean teeth, I made a couple stops and got most of the balance of my Christmas shopping done. I had a lot to haul home with me (I don't drive, I walk) but it was nice to get it done. And now it's late and time for bed. I've stared at this computer long enough for today methinks. So have a great weekend everyone! PEACE........

Thursday, October 28, 2004

ATTENTION PLEASE!!

FINALLY GOT ME A GUESTBOOK ~ I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU'D POP IN TO SAY HOWDY! THANKS BUNCHES!

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

MY "FRIDAY" WEDNESDAY.....

I just got home from a wonderful dinner and visit out with 3 of my girlfriends.... Crystal, who is expecting her first baby; Roxy, who has been by my side for years as I've gone through rough times and good; and Monica, my sweet little friend who is getting married on the beach in Oahu in a couple weeks. She's the one I just made the wedding gift for that I can't say on here cuz she might read it, LOL. I adore these three women, as I do all of my close friends. Every single one of them are warm, giving, loving human beings and I love them so dearly. I am TRULY blessed, and I know it. I always have such a great feeling when we spend time together, and tonight was no exception. As we were leaving the restaurant, we noticed how beautiful the moon was, the bottom half of it was turning this stunning red, and it was so......haunting, almost. To me, it felt like a "parting gift" from the Universe as we said our goodbyes until next time.

Wednesdays to me are my "Fridays", as I don't have to go back to work until Monday. This is my favourite night of the week, naturally! It was a LONG day and an extremely busy one, but it was a good one, you know? Had a couple problems balancing the Travel Dept.'s deposit this afternoon, but it was fixed up and overall I felt it was a satisfying day. It's now 10:00 p.m. and I've been up since 6:00 a.m. this morning, so it's about time I got this warpaint off my face and this damn bra off! LOL But when I get in the door I always have to check my emails and blog, and my friends' blogs ~~ not to mention the S.A. Forum!! So I haven't yet made it to the bathroom to scrub the makeup off and hit the showers.
Just chillin' out in front of the computer for a bit first!

Some GREAT news for us Def Leppard fans ~~ the Official Site today says that North America is getting the new releases afterall!!!! Sometime next year. So that topped off my day even more. Doesn't this make more sense??? I couldn't believe it when they said it wasn't going to happen here.......

I just got an email from my sister Brenda ~ they have a couple of big dogs, one is a black lab named Sadie...... Sadie has had trouble recently putting any weight on one of her front paws........ turns out she has cancer, the poor thing, and it's already in her lungs too. So Brenda figures they may only have a week or two left with Sadie. How sad. For now she's on painkillers but when that isn't doing it anymore they will put her down to put her out of the pain and discomfort. I was heartbroken to hear it. It's going to be a rough time for them, especially the kids. Death is a part of life, I know; but it sure isn't an easy part.

Halloween is just a few days away now....... I'd love to hear what you all are doing for it, if anything; and particularly if you are dressing up for any parties or anything! I don't do the costume thing, I just get too damn hot! LOL But decorating is fun! Hope your Wednesday was as good as mine was, and if it wasn't (like poor Danni!) I hope tomorrow will be better!
PEACE TO ALL!



Tuesday, October 26, 2004

HO HO HO

This year at work, we're getting an early start on our Christmas plans. We always used to pull names and get gifts for each other for around $10, and it was fun. But last year we decided that we didn't need another gift when there are so many unfortunate families. So we started something that we'll forever do, and not only does it help people in need, but it makes us feel better in the long run.

Our office is only about 45 people strong, but it's enough to really make a difference. Yesterday we began making plans for this Christmas, and we get so excited about it that it doesn't feel "too early" to get started, if you know what I mean. We split up into groups of about 4 people, and we have lists of what to buy for children, from toothbrushes to games to toys and clothing. And each team has either a boy or a girl, and from ages 0-3 right up to teens. And together, when every person on the team spends around $10 each, that amounts to some nice stuff for a child who otherwise would get NO CHRISTMAS. And then, we also choose 2 families (with the help of an organization specializing in this) who have nothing, and we start 2 separate food hampers. And believe me, when these hampers are full, there is a complete Christmas dinner, Christmas morning breakfast, and a whole cupboard full of canned and boxed foods as well ~ it's really something. And then of course when the time comes, some of us volunteer to drive the stuff to the families. It's really rewarding, and quite touching to see the reactions of the kids and their parents.

I've already got my name on the two food hampers for about 3 different items each, and I'm working now on shopping this weekend for the child's stocking... my team this year has a girl, age 0-3, so that should be easy and fun. (I'm not good at buying for boys, never had brothers and haven't a clue what boys like! LOL) Anyway it's something that once again has us all excited to particpate in..... Last year I added a couple of things to the hampers that were "extras". We have a Buck or Two store (like a "Dollar Store") just a few doors down from us, and they were selling 2 foot Xmas trees, decorations and tiny sets of mini lights....and of course nothing was over $2.00 each. I got everything I needed to completely decorate 2 trees, and assembled them at the office and added them to the hampers. That way both families at least had some sort of Xmas tree, which they wouldn't have had otherwise. It was so much fun.

Well peeps I guess I've rambled enough for now, I must finish getting ready for work! In the next couple of weeks we'll be getting our yearly reviews (and possible raises) so I don't wanna start being late now!! I hope you all have a good day ~ Peace be yours!

Monday, October 25, 2004

GOOD MONDAY MORNING!

Another weekend passed......and here we are at another Monday morning.... most people hate Mondays, I don't exactly love them, but I can't bitch as I only have to work 3 days a week anyway. I do find that Monday mornings in particular are CRAZY at work ~ I've a lot of extra things to do first thing, and the phones are usually nuts! However, at least this week I don't have to sit in classes for hours on end...lol, and I'm looking forward to just doing my regular thing at my job!

My hubby came to the rescue and we finally got the ink (both black and coloured) in our printer. There were NO instructions in the book that came with the printer, nor on the packaging for the ink, if you can believe it. However, I remembered suddenly that there was this huge sheet that came with the printer, we had to use it to hook the printer up to the computer, and there on it were instructions for the ink! And then, much to my embarrasment once we got the ink packaging opened up, were even more instructions...... heh heh.... So at least now I can print stuff off again when I need to..... for example, the "hidden" emoticons for Yahell I.M. that Janna turned me on to ~ thanks my Southern Sista!!

So to appease my disappointment that the new Def Leppard DVD isn't going to be released in North America (at least for now??) I went to HMV yesterday to at least buy their Pyrographic DVD, which I'm told has a lot of Sav being interviewed. Well guess what, they were out of them!! I'll keep checking back now and then, and if I have to I'll just order it from them. Gotta have SOMETHING to play in my new DVD player ~~ when it finally gets hooked up, that is! Heh heh... I still need some help with that too ~ and my sister says she can help with that.

Well it looks like old man winter is here to stay ~ RATHER EARLY THIS YEAR!
Damn it..... even though our temperatures are above freezing during the day it's not enough to get rid of the huge dump of snow we got. And mostly the pain in the butt thing is the icy alleys and side roads. Not to mention parking lots ~ I damn near fell and busted bones a few times yesterday when we were out shopping, going from mall to grocery stores....... gettin' OLD ya know, and my bones ain't what they used to be, so I have to tread carefully on that stuff!!

I bought myself one of those "magnetic" bracelets a week ago ~~ they're supposed to make you healthier. lol Actually I normally think they look kinda icky, but this one has stones in it ~ which I'm so into ~ this one has tigers eye and some black ones, but it IS magnetic. Do any of you have a magnetic bracelet, and if so, have you noticed any difference??? Let me know, I'm curious. Even if it doesn't do a damn thing, I like it cuz it's actually kinda pretty. Anyway I'll let you know after awhile if it's slowly killing me or making me healthy......lol

Guess that's about it for now, I must go get dressed and ready for work. I hope you all have a great Monday and a good week ~ and like Debs did, which was such a nice thing, I'd like to thank everyone who comes in here to "see me" and check out my blog. And thanks for the comments!! To you all,
PEACE!!

Saturday, October 23, 2004

NOT SO HAPPY CAMPER......

Okay my mood took a dive real fast this morning......lol I recently posted that I just bought myself a new DVD player, and although I've been thinking about it for a couple years, what brought it on now is the fact that my fav band in the whole world, Def Leppard, is coming out this month with a new CD and DVD. Well, I don't know what happened yet, but today on their official site, it was announced that North America won't be getting one now ~ just the U.K. Not a biggie, as you can easily order one online from the U.K. However, it said that the DVD's over there are "Region 2" DVD's and won't play in a DVD player that isn't one of those. I just checked the book on my new player, and it says "Region 1". Aaarrgghh!! So we'll have to wait and see what happens, don't know yet what the deal is with the release in North America, the official site just said that the band was disappointed about it......... crap! Not that I don't need a DVD player anyway, but this was something I was looking soooo forward to ~ their new DVD!!

On a lighter, more "fun" note ~~ last night my sis Pammie and I watched a movie she bought, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". I know it came out awhile ago, but if you haven't seen it, you MUST!! It was hilarious!!
Great troupe of actors in it, and the story is so funny! I haven't done movie theatres in years cuz it's waaaay too expensive, and you can't get up to pee or grab a sammich without missing the show...lol. So I catch movies usually when they come out on T.V. later. Right now I'm taping a movie on T.V. "Blue Lagoon", which I saw years ago when it came out, but I wanted to see it again. I'm going for a nap right away, and I'll watch it when I get up.

Well peeps that's about it for this time...... oh, thanks to Debs I got my new version of Yahoo I.M. working better, and instead of my usual "doorbell" alert when someone is calling me on I.M., I now have Sav's laugh! (Sav being the bass god from Def Leppard ~ sexiest voice I ever heard) **Thanks Debs!!** And thanks to my Southern Sista Janna for the great chat last night too...... here Janna, this one's for YOU!! lol
Peace to all!




Friday, October 22, 2004

I'M A HAPPY CAMPER

I guess it doesn't take much to make me happy, lol. I finally caved in and downloaded the newer version of Yahoo (or "Yahell" as it sometimes can be...) Instant Messenger. I was getting tired of not having the new and cooler emoticons that some of my contacts have, and now I have them too. There's one on there, the smiley guy is rolling on the floor and pounding it with his fists, he's laughing so hard ~ that's ME on occasion (specially when I'm being tortured with belly laughs by Debs) so I can really relate ~ lol. I may not be able to have my Lepp skin on the new version, but it's no biggie I guess, as long as I can figure out how to get his "laugh" as my alert sound when someone "calls" me on it.

And don't laugh, but the more days go by and my buttroid shrinks more and more, the happier it makes me too. Kinda feeling like I got the world by the tail just cuz I can sit without hurting, lol. Like I said, it doesn't take much.......

AND....... I got real brave last night (I'll admit I broke out into a sweat once or twice though) and downloaded the CD for my digital camera, so I can email pix from it. Well, let me just clarify that okay? I downloaded the CD, but I still can't get the damn thing to work when I hook up my camera to the computer. I just sit there going... "yeah? And NOW what????" It doesn't do anything. Sheesh. I'll get it one of these days, if not by myself, with some help. But still, I was so proud of myself for getting at least THAT far! What can I say.....

Today is laundry day for me, so that'll keep me out of trouble for a little while anyway. Mayhaps I won't get the chance to bugger anything up on the computer or the camera for awhile......lol This weekend is a stressful one for one of my friends, and I really just wish that I could be there to dispense hugs and squeeze hands. But alas she's much too far away for that, so I hope if she reads this she'll know where my heart is at least. In the meantime I'll be thinkin' about her as I go about my household chores here. Sendin' love and good energies your way!!

My goal is to get both a Guestbook and a tagboard on here one of these days. A tagboard is where you guys can yak back and forth to each other too, and it's looking like it's kinda fun. However...... adding things to my blog is yet another challenge for me. Can't ever seem to be able to figure stuff out as I'm just NOT versed in HTML stuff. I have a friend who is always willing to help, but I like to drive myself to the looney bin first before I scream "help"!! At least that way I know I tried.... and I DO learn a thing or two just trying. Anyway one of these days you guys will be able to (please) sign my guestbook on here, and chatter on my taggie......

Good grief Halloween is only a little more than a week away, and there's been no decorating started yet in my household.... I'm looking forward to doing some of the new stuff we've got. I bought some sheets of cheesecloth and tea stained them, and then shredded them and tore holes in them in places. I plan to hang them in my living room window where my scary pumpkin will be lit and sitting. Hope it turns out looking good enough!

Well my friends and family, that's about it for this update into my life. If anyone out there is moved to do so, please say a prayer for all the men and women who are overseas keeping the peace or fighting for it on our behalf. May God bring them all home safe and sound. Amen!
Peace to you all!






Wednesday, October 20, 2004

SORE BUTT, DIFFERENT REASON

OY VAY . I gotta tell ya, sitting in a classroom all day is a LOT more tiring than working all day! .....and that was classes 2 days in a row I just did too. My heiny muscles and my neck and shoulders are killing me now. I've gotten a tad smarter though about our jobs in the new department. Plus we all learned a lot more about the other departments, which we need to know about if we are to point members coming in our doors in the right direction. Not that if affects me so much as I don't work out front, but whenever I'm out there going from one place to the other for various reasons, I run into members coming in the door too. It's not that we're "door greeters" like Walmart has, but the people who work in our department (and who don't already happen to have a member at our department's counter) are supposed to approach someone who looks like they don't know exactly where they need to go, which happens a lot.

My hubby bought us a digital camera last Christmas, and believe it or not we haven't gotten around to figuring out how to use the damn thing yet. (I already have a great regular camera) One of my friends asked me to take a picture of the wedding gift I just made for another friend, and email it to her. Hah! Sounds easy if you know what to do. I have to get out the book and see if I can figure this out. Just not tonight.... I'm too sore from sitting, and here I am sitting again doing this ~ lol Anyway it's another thing to challenge myself with. I'm on the topic of new things here, so ......... last week my sister and I both decided to each buy a DVD player ~ we both have VCR's that work fine so we didn't want to buy the combination. She got hers all hooked up, she's a whiz at that stuff anyway. Well mine's sitting where it should be, lookin' all pretty, but not hooked up, lol. And I finally bought some ink for my printer/fax/copier/scanner. It ran out for the first time awhile ago, so we've never had to replace it yet. Do you think the book that came with the copier says anything at all about how to do this?? Of course not!!
Nor does the packaging the ink came with. I have so many new challenges........ so little time....... And I STILL haven't even figured out how the hell to get a guestbook working in this blog!! lol

Well that's about all the exciting news I have for now, and Debs is bugging me to finish this, so see ya'll later!!

Peace!



Monday, October 18, 2004

MURPHY'S LAW..........

Ain't that just the way it goes........ I have to get up real early tomorrow so natch, I can't get to sleep. Man, I'm my own worst enemy, ya know? With the integration of two departments in our office, we have to go for 2 days of classes for training. Well tomorrow and the next day are my days there. With all this damn snow and icy road conditions that the North Pole decided Edmonton needed so early this AUTUMN, the lady who is car pooling me (I don't drive) decided that we'd better leave extra early, as where we have to go for these classes is clear across the city. And seeing as it takes me almost 2 hours (yes, believe it) to straighten my damn mop of hair in the morning, I have to get up earlier than normal. Sigh. So even as tired as I am, my ol' eyeballs are staring at the ceiling again, KNOWING full well that I have to get to sleep. lol
It's funny..... I think most of my posts here have been in the middle of the damn night. Call me nocturnal. No don't, really I am a morning person. My body just doesn't remember that lately.

So, what else is new........... well, as I was telling my friend Debs tonight, my "buttroid" has just about disappeared now. That is BIG news as far as I'm concerned! lol ( I was just trying to cheer her up, and maybe she really does care about the health of my butt, lol) 2 weeks ago I couldn't even sit, or sleep for the pain, so that's why I'm so excited to share this news just in case you were wondering. And it's a good thing, seeing as I now have to spend the next 2 days SITTING in a classroom atmoshphere, not being able to get up every 10 seconds, wincing with pain, like I would have been had these classes been 2 weeks ago. Everyone would have wondered "who is this chick who can't sit still and what is her problem"?

I got a good start on my Christmas shopping last week, I'm buying some things, and making some things. Only several more weeks till Christmas people!! My hubby has really icky taste in aftershave, the stuff he likes to buy makes my nose hairs burn.......and I love the smell of Obsession for Men on him, it's nice and subtle and he smells good enough to eat! He ran out of the Obsession I bought for him a while back and went out and bought some more nose-hair-burner stuff. So I'm being persistant, and bought him some more Obsession ~~ think he'll take the hint?? lol And I got some stocking stuffers for other people. Geez with the snow we have right now I feel like I should start getting my Christmas tree up already. I sure hope this melts and we get a reprieve before the "real" winter comes. This is ridiculous. Waaay too early man!

You'll have to listen to more of my ramble, as I'm still not sleepy yet. Aren't ya glad you stopped by?? lol I'm just kidding......I'm running out of gab now anyway. Well I hope you all don't have to get up too early in the morning ~ if you do, you more than likely won't be able to get to sleep, and it'll probably mean you're gonna get snow. Make sense? Well it doesn't to me either, but it's happening here!!! Until next time........... PEACE!!

P.S. ~ Newsflash: it's now 7:15 a.m. and I'm getting ready to go. I NEVER SLEPT ONE WINK ALL NIGHT. Sigh... gonna be a loooooong friggin' day.



Saturday, October 16, 2004

ME & MY BIG MOUTH.....

Well I forgot to knock on wood........ last night a cold front moved in from northern B.C. and it started SNOWING here ~ snowed all night, still snowing today, and supposed to snow more the next day or two. Now it's supposed to stop snowing then, but the temperatures are staying cool. Hmmmmm.... so much for a Halloween without it??? We'll see. We're supposed to have one of those El Nino winters this year, which for us out here usually means not much snow and not too cold.

On another topic, my ISP has been pissing me off since last night!! I couldn't get into my internet, which also means email, almost all night. I finally got in, and then this morning when I turned the computer on it did the same dang thing until about an hour ago, and it's late afternoon. I don't think I'd know what to do now without my email and my online friends!! Anyway for the moment it's working and I can only pray that whatever the problem was that it's gone now!

I just now finished making a wedding gift for my good friend Monica. It's quite beautiful if I don't say so myself (wink, wink) and although I can't say anything about it on here as she might see it, let's just say that I know she won't get anything like it from anyone else! It's for their bedroom, so I colour-coordinated it appropriately.

Tonight my sister Pam and I are making one of those home-made Kraft pizzas, we bought some toppings for it and my mouth is watering just thinking about it. My poor hubby worked from about 7:30 a.m. yesterday and didn't get home to bed until about 2:30 this morning, so he's napping away in the bedroom right now and I don't expect him to surface for awhile.

And lastly, an update on my bum........ it's feeling better, not gone yet but the prescription is working to shrink the problem "pain in my ass" quite a bit. So I'm hoping.......... and on that note ~~~ THE END. lol Hope you all have a great weekend!!

***Peace***

Friday, October 15, 2004

MY FAVOURITE SEASON

I hate sweating. And I hate being hot. I know I already just talked about menopause, but one thing I didn't mention about it is the fact that for all the several years you go through it, you're HOT HOT HOT. And not just hot flashes either...... although those suck. But it just takes nothing to get hot ~ the weather can be warm, or you can be exerting a bit of energy just walking or cleaning out a sink...... anything ~ and it makes you HOT. And sweat. Just sleeping can do it too. All year round, even in the winter, I have a fan that blows across the foot of my bed all night just so I can keep my feet and legs cool, which in turn cools me off. All my life I've been a "sweater girl", I've always loved sweaters and worn them. It's been YEARS since I've been able to..... as a matter of fact, even in the winter I wear my summer blouses. That bites. The point of all this? SUMMER IS GONE!! YAY!! Sounds pretty bad coming from someone who used to love summer and be a sun worshipper (don't do that anymore, bad for the skin) but with the summer temperatures comes the menopausal body heat.

Winter has become somewhat of a relief for me just because I can cool off fast when I need to. And believe me, when you have a hot flash, for example, cooling off feels sooooo good, that you close your eyes, smile, and say "aaahhh" lots. However, I don't like the icy conditions winter brings, and although I love the snow, I really think it's beautiful, I don't like so much of it that it makes driving, walking and keeping your sidewalks clear difficult. So having said that, the BEST season for me is autumn. Beautiful colours, I can't get enough of that; plus the temperatures are so much more comfortable. Autumn is when you can have really beautiful weather and not be too cold nor too hot.
I particularly love going for walks when the leaves are still colourful on the trees but there's enough of them on the ground that you get to walk through them, hearing them crunch beneath your feet, and smell them beginning to return to the earth.

I also am becoming a bit more excited about Halloween in recent years. My favourite holiday has always been Christmas, and it always will be. And I go crazy decorating for that! But my sister Pammie, who lives in the suite downstairs in my house, loves Halloween above all else, and she goes NUTS decorating for it every year! And I have to tell you, it looks great down there when it's done! She has everything from lit pumpkins to an indoor tree decorated with ghost and pumpkin lights and other goodies. We live in a bi-level house, which means coming up the front sidewalk, you can see right into Pam's big living room windows, and at Halloween, the kids AND their parents all love seeing what she's done down there. And the spooky Halloween sounds and tunes she has blaring out of her window helps too!

The last couple of years she's started decorating outside too, and I've got involved in it. We've bought lots of stuff for it, including spooky coloured flood lights, skeletons, tombstones and the like. It's great, and a lot of fun. So because of her, I've got the Halloween bug now and I'm looking forward to getting it all spiffed up out there again this year. Last year we flooded it with red lights, thinking of blood... mua ha ha ha..... but this year we're thinking of an eerie green instead. I think that'll be even better. We often have our first snowfall right around Halloween, like last year, it snowed the day before. Now and then we have one without snow, and I think the decorations, particularly the gravesites we make, look better without the white stuff. I was hoping this year we might get lucky, but I don't know. They're calling for some white stuff this weekend, probably just a skiff of it. But who knows. It's been a nice Indian Summer so far, a bit cooler but sunny and pleasant. So here's hoping!

I'm also looking forward to Pam's annual Halloween dinner ~ every year she has a great dinner complete with a grizzly menu.....she takes ordinary dishes (meatloaf, salad, whatever) and names the dishes with ghoulish names like "fingernail salad" (with toasted almond slices) or the meatloaf looks like "brain something-or other" etc. etc. It's fun, and our young nephew and neice really get a giggle out of it. Anyway, it's all much more fun that what I did for years, just handing out candy at the door. Of course we still do, but now we get to listen to all the "oohs and aahs" that come with our decorating. Fun! For all of you out there who also love Halloween and the Autumn season........ enjoy!!

Scare ya later peeps!!

Monday, October 11, 2004

MY BUM HURTS!

All right, it may be a common problem, but dammit!! it's not one that I've had in my 52 years and I don't want it!! I've suddenly got me a real nice embarrasing hemorroid..... bad enough that I had to go see my doc about it yesterday (don't think THAT'S not degrading!!) I have some prescription cream and it seems to be shrinking the f**ing thing.....but now I'm thinking...."is my bum ever gonna be the same again???" I'm not pregnant, haven't been constipated for years, why me lord??? Sigh. Well apparently it can be hereditary, and my poor Dad had them bad. I can't believe I'm even talking about this on here, lol , but hey, that's life, and this is my blog!! lol

So to make it even worse, I'm not supposed to sit (or stand either) for long periods of time. Well, I can't lay down to be on the computer or to cross stitch, or to cook or to clean or to go to work. etc. etc. etc. And it sucks having gooey stuff on my ass all the time. I just want my old bum back. I miss it, and I never realized how you can take your healthy bum for granted. This is, literally, a big pain in the ass!

Ah.....getting older. Maybe that's part of it too. The nurse I talked to about it likened it to how the rest of your body sags and loses elasticity as you age. So why not your bum's interior?? NICE SUBJECT, YOU SAY??? Yeah, well if you feel that way about this post, go sit on it! (that's one nice thing about getting older, you can tell it like it is and get away with it more, lol) Speaking of aging, a good online friend of mine is going through the "Big M" right now, as I am. I feel for her so much, and I wish I lived near her so we could sit and talk over coffee and commiserate, sharing our stories and buoying each other up. It helps to be around other women going through it. Menopause bites. Don't let your mothers tell you otherwise! It's worse for some than for others, just like periods are. But even the not so bad ones are gross. My periods were always so bad, I used to say to my Mom that I couldn't WAIT until I hit menopause and stopped having them. She would always say to me, "don't say that!!" And now, if I had a daughter and she said that to me, I'd say the same thing my Mom did.

Don't get me wrong, I like being older and wiser. I love where I am emotionally and spiritually. I just wish I had the body of a 20 or 30 year old to go along with it. Honestly, I actually say out loud to myself sometimes that I feel like my body is betraying me. That's what it feels like. My bones and joints just don't want to work properly anymore, nor do they want to stop hurting. Why? Menopause. My old slim self of all my adult years is now bloated and fat. Why? Menopause. Excersise it off, you say?? Can't, my bones won't take it anymore. I tried to keep up my excersises when this started, and I could hardly walk because of it. I can't remember anything without writing it down anymore. I have little post-it notes all over the place at home and at work. Why? Menopause. When my husband isn't keeping me awake snoring, I still can't sleep. Why? You guessed it, you ain't no dummy! The Big M really, really bites hard. However, I don't have it as bad as some women, and for that I'm grateful.

Two interesting things about it. Did you know that body fat carries estrogen in it? It's a known fact (got this straight from a gynie) that a lot of women who take really good care of themselves and are slim when menopause hits, have worse symptoms than chubby women do. It's because they don't have a little extra store of estrogen in body fat. How ironic is THAT?? Geez. And the other thing that I found interesting: did you know there's a correlation between PMS and menopause, in that how your periods were is a lot like how your menopause will be?? If you suffer bad physical PMS you'll most likely have the same in menopause. If you suffer bad emotional PMS, same with menopause. In other words, I didn't have the "bitchy" problem with PMS, just the bad cramps and bleeding to death. lol In menopause, I'm not moody either, just the physical crap. But apparently women who are bitchy when they get their period will most likely be moody and hard to live with through menopause. I'm no expert, but I keep hearing it and it makes sense to me. In short, I'm still loveable, just screwy and fat. And with a sore bum.

Thursday, October 07, 2004

FILM AT 11:00............

There is a (Cable) God.......For 12 years I've lived in this house, and for 12 years the reception on my basic TV channels has sucked. The cable channels were fine, but every time anyone from our cable company was out here for one thing or another through the years, they all said that the reception problem was a result of some weird problem with the electrical power coming into the house. Last week I started having some problems with my internet, which happens to be through my cable company. (I have high speed internet, and it wasn't high speed....) So today the cable guy came to my house (no, not Jim Carrey, LOL) to look at my modem and see what was up with my internet. To make a long story short, he gave me a new modem ~ but he also had a look around and fixed a few other problems, like old cable line, which he replace with new, and he discovered that the way our cable was coming into the house needed fixing too, which he did. Now, after 12 years of TV reception that sucked big time, we have perfect reception, AND my high speed internet is once again high speed!! Yippee!!! It just took one guy, 12 years later, to finally look at something and say "oh this is the problem, let me fix it for ya". Geezlouise. So now when I'm trying to do something on the internet I won't get so frustrated that I just turn it off ~ me, impatient?? Nah!!

Things at work are going pretty good with the new stuff I'm being trained for. I just have to get another week or so under my belt and I should be able to do that part of it without someone having to advise me or help me. And next week I start training a new lady in the cashroom ~ she's hired to be my "job-share". I work Monday to Wednesday and she does the Thursday to Saturday. (that's the shift I started out with there, and did it for 4 years) I love training and I've been told I'm pretty good at it too ~ but I admit it is twice the work, as everything has to be done at slow speed for awhile. I'm just going to be concentrating on teaching her all the actual "cashier" duties first, and after a few weeks she should be able to start learning the rest of the job, telephone reception and computer work. Anyway I'm looking forward to meeting her and having someone else in there on a permanent basis. ( since our integration, we lost my job share lady as she went to Travel..... so the end of the week shifts in the cashroom have been covered by a few different people that I've trained as back up over the last couple years.)

I just got a wedding announcement in the mail today; one of my best girlfriends is getting married in November on the beach on Oahu! The picture on the announcement is soooo cute ~ a bride and groom running into the water, in their bathing suits (she's also carrying flowers and wearing a veil) and they're both wearing flippers! It's just darling and suits my friend and her fiancee so well! There's going to be a reception dinner and dance here in December, and I'm really looking forward to it. Congratulations Monica and Shane!!!

And on that note, that about sums up my week. It's been busy and went by fast, but then the older I get the faster time goes by anyway...... I can't believe that it will be a year on Halloween that my Mom was complaining of terrible pain, and a couple weeks later we found out she way dying of cancer. 3 weeks later she was gone. And I can't understand where the year went, because it seems like just a couple months ago that we lost her..... God bless you Mom, and Dad ~~~





Saturday, October 02, 2004

GOT ME SOME "CULTURE"!

Well the girls night out at the symphony was WONDERFUL! We had a lovely time and the performance was beautiful. I really felt like I should have had opera glasses with me or something......LOL..... unlike the binoc's I've taken to some rock concerts! Anyway here in Edmonton the ESO (Edmonton Symphony Orchestra) has their home at our Winspear Center, a VERY classy joint right downtown, and honestly there isn't a bad seat in the house. And accoustically it is perfection. When we were leaving after the performance we all agreed that this is something we should do at least once a year. I had to laugh, going in, I said to my sister that her and I sure do the gammit from one extreme to the other..... we go to AC/DC and Def Leppard to the Symphony....LOL The place that Def Leppard comes to play here is just around the corner from where we were last night. Alas, they don't fill our Colliseum anymore like they used to, so the days of their playing there are gone. I'd like to think they could do it again though......

Well, whether it's classical or the Lepps, rock on!!