Time is relative

And now it's time for me to go visit the relatives. As well as do some work.

I'm off to Phoenix this morning. Back Wednesday afternnoon. D sent me with the digital camera. So there will be pictures!!

Y'all be good.

smooches!

Happy Birthday, Les!

Even if it doesn't seem like it RIGHT now... you will achieve all you ever hope and dream of! I am very proud of you. Remember your dear, sweet, favoritest auntie when you become famous!

Things not to ask

Overheard from a customer service rep:

"I had a provider call today.... and ask WHY a patient was on (state) medical assistance."

The phone rep could answer this inquiry one of two ways:

1. "I'm sorry (provider), that is not information that we determine, or are authorized to give out. The only thing a medical provider would really need to know is whether a patient is eligible for a particular service on a particular day, and what the reimbursement rate would be."

2. "It's none of your business! Don't you realize being nosy into a patient's business dealings is against medical practice code of ethics?"

Of course #1 is the more professional response. Even if #2 would be more effective. You would be surprised how many times you hear such an inquiry from medical providers. Or the "it's not fair that this person gets..." Oy. One of the many favorite quotes my old debate coach had was "it doesn't have to be fair... it just has to be".

I seriously pity medical providers should I ever need serious care. It's been an eye-opening experience to realize that even (presumably) educated and trained medical personnel are, after all... human. Prone to idosyncrasities and neurosis just like the rest of us.

It also reminds me I don't get paid enough for what I do.

RIP Caveman

With every good day comes a bit of sadness.

One of our gerbils has passed. Unfortunately (but karmic), it was the good gerbil. We will continue to be haunted by the black demon, Zero.

Ed.: E was reading Holes at the time we bought them.

Both of my boys are sad. :(

It... is... HERE!!!!!

Tada! Bubba's wedding invitation has arrived! Happy day! I'm just so excited. It makes the trip to Seattle all the more real. I can't wait to go!!

These invitations are quite possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen. Megan designed them and printed off all the books, cards, and mailing labels. Read through the booklet below. Couldn't you just about cry? They are just adorable. I can't wait for the wedding! It is going to totally rock.

The band that held all the pieces together says "Happily Ever After"

"A little tale about a LONG LOVE STORY"

"Once upon a time, there was a girl who developed a large CRUSH on a lively bear. He used to tease her, but she liked the attention. Alas, they went their separate ways.

Eight years went by and they met again. It was love, love love! Sadly, they lived so FAR APART. It seemed rather ambitious, but the girl was brave and the bear always travelled first class.

Their time in New Orleans was always a HOOT. Have you ever ice-skated in the Big Easy? Ever drank a daiquiri... in a car?

Always persuasive and a bit sneaky, the bear WOOED the girl to the north woods. It's hard for her to resist a good meal!

Together, they've weathered through thick and thin, through TOUGH times...

and GOOD times (hooray for Italia)!

Nowadays, the girl and the bear love LAZY afternoons. Records, magazines, popcorn and each other.

It was WORTH the wait!"

The RSVP card says either "enthusiastically accepts" or "sadly regrets"

Updates

Happy (late) Birthday, MO!!!

Remember to not drink the water, keep all your clothes on (for a little while), and do NOT follow anyone down a dark alleywalk. I can't wait to get the debrief when you return!

Ok, now that I've taken care of business... here's the scoop.

Preliminary hearing went well. There is enough evidence to order a criminal hearing against the provider committing fraud against the state medical plan. Yay! Our associate with the attorney general's office did a great job. I didn't get to see the festivities today, but heard about it.

The Jeep ended up being simplier than feared. Bad battery cables. They have to order them. Which is okay with me, since I won't be ready for repair bills until later in the month. I did manage to have a bit of excitement getting the Jeep towed this morning. But all in all, it was fine. I even got reimbursed from the insurance company for the tow bill.

Still no wedding invite from Bubba! Wah. That's okay, I'll get over it (eventually). :P

Monster finished his first week of school. He's happy, and appears to have a pretty smooth schedule. The district is being a bit militant with the math training.

We're all ready for the weekend.

What a surprise.... it's a full moon!

Ohmygodcouldntyoujustdie?!?!?

My soon-to-be sister-in-law Megan is really THE most adorable thing. These wedding invitations she made? Daaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrling!!!! I'll link them up as soon as I get my OWN copy (guilt to brother Bubba). I do believe they are the most cute thing I've ever seen. I almost cried.

I was very happy to have that bit of light in my otherwise freaking annoying "what have I done for my god to forsake me?" kind of day. Oy vey. How has my day been trying? Let me count the ways.

1. I have to dress for court today. Thankfully not because I was in trouble. But rather to observe criminal proceedings. Thankfully again not against me. I'm on the side of the good guys, and they're prosecuting a woman taking advantage of the state's medical welfare program.

2. It's HUMID. Thick, cut the air with a knife, humid. And I'm wearing a pantsuit. Gawdammit! PS: But I do look good!

3. My truck won't start. It turns over and makes a horrendous clicking sound. Dash signals go faint. Nice. I have no power.

4. E has to get to school. It's only the second day of school. We're already late, since we got into the truck with just enough time to get there on time. So I shoot off the first of my "we're going to be late to school" calls. I feel like a derelict parent.

5. I have to summon D home from work. Where he just got back from a day off. And has to catch up with added duties. He is not happy. sigh

6. The court hearing is in one hour. D has to come home from work, take E to school, and me to work in time to catch a ride to court with my boss. Thankfully D is thinking clearer than I, and drops me at work first.

7. My coworker-in-crime had some good-for-nothings break into her truck last night. Rather than just steal her stereo from the dash.... they take the whole section facing panel out! So now she has a gaping hole in her truck.

8. We go to the court hearing. I have had no caffiene (forgot the coffee in the truck, didn't have time to grab a soda, and you can't take drinks into chambers), no food, and no break from 9:00 a.m. to noon. My tummy is grumbling! We also don't make as much progress on the hearing as hoped for. Back tomorrow for another round. double sigh

9. After we do get to eat lunch, I get a monumental headache. No amount of caffiene, sugar, protein, or heat(pad) is alleviating it. I really just want to crawl onto a massage table and let a strong and handsome man rub my neck for an hour. The headache never goes away.

10. D's valiant attempts to recharge my battery are not enough. So I expend $60.00 to get the fabulous 10-year, high amp (?) Cadillac of batteries. Still won't make my truck turn over. Just freaking GREAT! Now I'm looking at auto repairs right before I go to Phoenix. Also before I get paid again. After I just paid all the monthly bills out of my last paycheck, so I could spend money in Phoenix with little regret.

Mother's birthday dinner was tonight, so I was forced to leave the scene of my aggravation. I go to dinner, and decide I'll just take tomorrow off to have the truck towed to the dealer's. It will probably end up being an alternator or starter. If the dealer is diagnosising the problem, it's not going to be cheap. LOVELY (not)!

So all in all, I give up. Tomorrow has got to be better.

Wait, there's more!

Happy Birthday, Squirrely Jean!!!

It's my momma's bbbbbbirrrrrfday! I even posted it in that yucky ol' Powercat Purple.

Spank her if you get the chance. Gifts and devoted adoration are always appreciated, too!

Perspective

I hate it when reality comes crashing into my finely crafted fantasy mind. Don't they realize how long it's taken me to construct this? Oy.

Shopping, part 2

There are few things more humiliating than going shopping for clothes. Rather, trying on clothes when you go shopping. The shopping part? That's fun. Mix and match, catch up on the latest style, watch people, etc.

But crissakes, it sucks to try stuff on. The paranoid me thinks there is a camera behind every mirror. The neurotic me is convinced those mirrors are from the carnival fun house. Am I really that wide?!?!?!? And the "fitting rooms"? They are little more than bath stalls. If stores were serious about you dropping some significant money, they would put a wet bar back there.

All in all, it was a successful night. Three new pairs of trousers, and an uncharacteristicly (for me) respectable-lengthed skirt. It went below my knee. No comments from the peanut gallery than any length of material longer than 12" will do that! I *may* even stop wearing my boot cut leggings as work pants. Not sure yet. They are hella comfortable.

Oh, and I did go back for the cream suit jacket. I have just fallen in love with that outfit. After seeing the chocolate pinstripe pants the next day, I don't like those as much. So there will be one (hopefully) last trip back to return the exiles.

PS: Also on my list of things to get -- Weezer's new album. It has received good reviews. Anyone know if they are worthy?

I really am a good girl

Today has been a good day.

Got the monster ready for school, exercised a bit, went shopping for work clothes, and took auntie out to lunch. We then went to check on Uncle D, recovering from knee surgery. He is doing very well, although not as well as he is expecting for himself. Double bonus, my uncle from Austin is up to help out while UD gets back on tract.

I may just go back and buy the cream jacket to match the trousers. I couldn't justify it first time around. I still can't understand why they couldn't have carried the jacket to the chocolate pants. Who can really use a light-colored suit? Other than during the summertime? But supposedly you can wear white all year long. Presumably if you aren't me (the heathen). :P

Let's just hope "What Not to Wear" doesn't show up on our doorstep.

Fun things to do

Go to Fark.com. They have all kinds of fun things to look at.

Some user profiles also have links to online quizzes. I just found out I'm Esmarelda from Pulp Fiction. Now I have to go back to the movie page to remember who she was! :P

You're a hardworking individual enshrouded by an overwhelming sense of mystery, beauty, and intrigue. Though always on the go, you keep focused, helping -- often rapturing -- those you meet. Take the What Pulp Fiction Character Are You? quiz.

They say it's your birthday..

Happy Birthday to my almost sister-in-law, Megan!

I hope you have a groovy day. We're looking forward to seeing you soon in SEATTLE!

PS: Please also smack my lazy brother and tell him to call me. :P

PPS: I'm at 69 posts. Dude!

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

I'm not sure why in my right mind I would agree to go to Phoenix in three weeks. It's still a bazillion degrees there. As the guys say down there "it's summer here for most of the year". Oh joy!

But it will be a good trip. Other than I won't be able to take my boys with me. Thankfully I'm only staying a couple of days. Time enough to come in, take care of business, and come back home.

For cousin Mark -- I'd love to be able to see you guys if I can. I'll be coming in the afternoon of August 29. I hear Jeremy and Meg will be coming to see you soon. If they will still be there then, let me know! I emailed Jerm a couple days ago to call me, but he's too cool to get back to me.

Yay, yay! And a nay :(

Yay, my pictures arrived! As soon as I mount 235 photos, I'll be caught up through the fall.

Of 2003. Hey, that's not terribly far behind... in comparison to some croppers! :P

Yay, yay... I got to see the Goddess! She is doing well and looks great. Her strength is up, and she's doing all things necessary to keep it that way.

Now if the powers that be just don't stress her out along the way. Otherwise I'm gonna have to be pit bull-kicking some butt. I hope she gets handed the kind of gig that works best with her life and loves.

As for the nay part. Dumbarse auto guys overlooked putting the window molding back correctly. I wasn't even looking for something to be wrong! This is an "oops" so apparent even I found it. After 9:00 p.m. After driving for 2+ hours.

So that's gonna be the first stop tomorrow morning.

Dumbarses. I should have gone with the spinners.

Irony for the Anemic Diet

Conversation I had this morning...

Me to auto glass worker: Thanks for taking me over to work.
Auto worker: No problem, where do you work?
Me: Just over there at (company name withheld). We are contracted by the state...
Worker: Yeah, I'm looking to not be at this job too much longer. Less people, more work....
Me: ???? Oh! Well, here's my stop. Thanks for the ride! [Jumps out and quickly makes her way inside the building.]

And these are the people I've just entrusted my Jeep baby to. Oy! Hopefully he's not the guy doing the work, though. I hope, I hope, I hope.

Goodbye to Ghettoville

So you say my ride ain't fly? Well, I talked to the nice lady at the bank. Can you say "pimp my ride"? Scarily enough, it was all arranged in one afternoon. I may actually be on the road to becoming an adult. Yikes!

Come Tuesday, the divamobile starts one of many makeover dates. We're going shopping this afternoon for wheels and tires. Unfortunately, spinners are not in the budget.

But if I can find an affordable chrome crash gate... there may be negotiations. ha!

You got to change your evil ways

Instant karma can be a beautiful thing. As long as it's not happening to you!

My ex now has a person on this planet that will thoroughly challenge and inspire him. A minature version of himself. He may have thought his wife was a project. And long ago he probably realized that he'll never have the upper hand on their daughter. Since she is the scale replica of her mother. But a son? Oh, yes. He will most likely think "this is the one person that I can truly mold and develop". Bwahahahaha. How disappointed both he and his wife will be to see their own Jedi Mind Tricks reflected back to him. Their birth numbers are the same, and the birthday reversed. Oh, the fun it will provide.

My son is much too mild-mannered to have ever truly threatened him. I am lucky to have such a good and sweet child.

So now I have to go and do nice things for other people. Because I am enjoying recent events way too much.