Playbill Layout

So, I've been working on the layout for the playbill for my local community theatre, and I have to say, I'm enjoying the work way more than I thought I would be. I'm using Pages on the Mac to create everything on 8.5 x 11 and then a program called Cocoa Booklet can create a pdf with the pages exactly as they need to be for printing.

I also found out that a friend has recently found my blog - hi, Kathleen. Yes - blogging is easy, and you can do it, too. If your interest is tracking your personal life and memories, then there is no need to worry about how many people are reading. Just throw it out there, and you will be surprised how many people will come back and say that they saw what you wrote online :-)

The best way to do it is to start. And then try to update it more than I update mine!

Controlling other people...

One thing that I think my mom helped me learn was that it is wrong to try to control other people. I remember spending time as a kid getting upset and wondering why my friends would occaisionally choose things to do that was not what I wanted them to do or expected them to be doing. Mom would explain that the best thing to do is let them make their own decisions and let it go. Most things happen for a reason - chances are, I would get to spend time with that friend again soon, and whatever was done to upset me would be ancient history.

I look at people around me now and think about how much better it would be if more people learned that lesson. Especially couples - every person is trying to control the other, trying to force him/her to do what is wanted. I try to treat people the way that I want to be treated, so I try to give people a lot of space to make their own decisions and go on from there. After all, it's even worse to be the person who is getting controlled than to be the person who for whatever reason, thinks you need to be controlled.

Anyway, I hope this makes sense to someone out there...

Reasons why I like Wildwood....

You can get there and back on one tank of gas, and it's a nice drive...

The boardwalk and beach are clean and maintained, but the prices are not ridiculously expensive...

Kelly's...

Faith's benefit

Yesterday was the day everyone in my family has been waiting for - Faith's benefit. I'm glad to say that we pulled it off very well. No one has done the final tally, yet, but it should be a big chunk to help Billy and Erica pay for Faith's medical bills.

It was so great to me to look around the parking lot at Todd's Dugout and see all of the people that I knew were there because of a connection to me. Not to mention, all the people that I know that sent donations and kept asking about the baby. For me, it was a call to everyone I know for help, and people responded. If I ever have any doubts about the good nature of people, I will look back on this day and remember that when you ask those around you for help, they will be there, enthusiastically.

Super cute Easter picture of Faith

Because sometimes pictures are better than words.  My words, anyway!! ;-)

Happy birthday to me... tomorrow!

Tomorrrow, I turn 31 - yay.

Today one of my co-workers said to me, "Who likes their life?" when I mentioned that it would suck to live the life of a software developer, with all the responsibilities it entails (especially in an outage situation)...

Well, the truth is, I do like my life.  The liking of your life is entirely up to you.  If you don't like it, change it. :-)

That's what I think, anyway.

12 Hours of Rehearsal

Yesterday's experience is one of the reasons why it took me so long to make a decision as to whether or not I would join Sky alumni. I started with 3 hours of chorus rehearsal at around 9am. Then, I took a short break, though alumni rehearsal technically started at 12. That took until approximately 5pm. Then there was some "fellowship" as some folks would call it (wtf, Reading?!) and then I went to Melrose rehearsal from 6 until 9pm.

It's fun and all, but.....!

Ah, well. It will lighten up after the GAS.

Talking to old people....

So... Last night I was playing shuffleboard at the Elks. In the middle of the second game, one of the really old ladies keys in on me and starts talking and talking and talking. Oh, yeah - she was wearing Easter bunny ears. Oddly, I didn't mind.

She was actually pretty funny, and the first time I laughed, she smiled and said, "There, I made one person smile today." Other than the fact that she's been through two strokes and I'm sure she wouldn't mind not having to deal with being elderly, she has a pretty cool life. She was talking about her family, and how she has great great nieces and grandchildren and it's just a huge family. She's been married to her husband for 36 years. He's in the hospital for something, but he should be okay. She said that because she let me talk to her, she'll be able to sleep because all the stuff she's had going through her head has been released.

Anyway, it was a nice conversation, and I just think it's a shame that a lot of people wouldn't take the time to listen to someone who has been through life and still lives to tell the tale.

Joining stuff...

Okay - it's about time I posted again.

So, I joined two new groups - Skyliners Alumni Minicorps and Skyliners Alumni. Both groups have moderately challenging music I have to learn and memorize to perform for Labor Day weekend. I'll be busy!

But I have to admit, it is good to learn something new...

Oh, and please keep an eye on Faith's blog for information on her benefit!

Random Thought of the Day

I don't think a person should just do whatever he/she wants whenever he/she feels like it. There's something to be said for taking into consideration another person's needs, wants, beliefs and feelings before acting on your own, selfishly. Sometimes, that means you don't get your way, or you have to wait your turn. I think whoever can achieve this level of discipline will become a better person and will be happier because of it. Also, it leads to a higher level of appreciation when you do get to do exactly what you want.

Philadelphia Flower Show

Ron got some tickets from a coworker to go to the Philadelphia Flower Show, and since we are always willing to try anything, we went! It was a lot of fun!

See pictures here!

We have determined that flower type people eat a lot of ice cream. There was an ice cream vendor every four steps or so, and the lines were crazy! ;-)

Also, when they tell you the best time to come is after 4pm, THEY ARE NOT KIDDING!! It was far easier to go through the displays later in the evening than when we first arrived!

While sampling the local fare (meaning ice cream - lol) we found an ice cream / pretzel combo place, and discovered the most marvelous innovation - the pretzel cone! Good stuff. Anything that mixes something salty with something sweet is okay in my book!

Anonther Dream

Also involving stairs... This time I was on the hall of fame cruise...

I remember going down the stairways... At one point, we were allowed to jump off the back of the ship and swim in the water. This was great until the ship started to move away!! I was still in the water. Somehow, I was able to get back on the ship.

More from the dream dictionary...

Cruise

To dream that you are on a cruise, represents some emotional journey that you are going through. The dream may also be a pun on "cruising" through situations in your life with ease and little effort.

Left

To dream of the direction left, symbolizes the unconscious and your repressed thoughts/emotions. It is an indication of passivity.

To dream that you are left behind, represents feelings of rejection or not fitting into a group. It may also highlight fears of not being able to keep up. You are questioning your abilities and/or may not be utilizing your full potential. If you left something or someone behind, indicates that you are ready to let go of the past and move forward.

Swimming

To dream that you are swimming, suggests that you are exploring aspects of your unconscious mind and emotions. The dream may be a sign that you are seeking some sort of emotional support. It is a common dream image for people going through therapy.

To dream that you are swimming underwater, suggests that you are completely submerged in your own feelings. You are forcing yourself to deal with your emotional difficulties.

Dreams...

Sometimes, I have the weirdest dreams...

The other night, I dreamt that I was at my old high school... It looked as scary as I remember it from when I was in elementary school, and as I was hurrying up and down the staircases, they were being disintegrated by acid.

So, to amuse myself, I looked up some stuff in an online dream dictionary...

http://www.dreammoods.com/dreamdictionary/

Acid

To see acid in your dream, represents feelings of hatred, rage, and/or revenge. Your integrity may be compromised or called into question. Alternatively, seeing acid in your dream, indicates that you are being manipulated by a situation or by someone. The dream may also be a metaphor to symbolize a negative influence in your life. Something or someone is eating away at you.

To dream that you drink acid, indicates that you are emotionally paralyzed and need to learn how to express yourself.

Staircase

To see a staircase in your dream, symbolizes change and transformation.

Stairs

To dream that you are walking up a flight of stairs, indicates that you are achieving a higher level of understanding. You are making progress into your spiritual/emotional/material journey. It also represents material and thoughts that are coming to the surface.

To dream that you are walking down a flight of stairs, represents your repressed thoughts. It suggests that you are going into your unconscious. It also refers to setbacks that you will experience in your life. If you are afraid of going down the stairs, then it suggests that you are afraid to confront your repressed emotions and thoughts. Is there something from your past that you are not acknowledging.

To see spiral or winding stairs, signify growth and/or rebirth.

School

To dream that you are in school, signifies feelings of inadequacy and childhood insecurities that have never been resolved. It may relate to anxieties about your performance and abilities. If you are still in school and dream about school, then it will naturally serve as a backdrop to your dream world.

Alternatively, a dream that takes place in school may be a metaphor for the lessons that you are learning from your waking life. You may be going through a "spiritual learning" experience.

To dream that you are looking for a school, suggests that you need to expand your knowledge and learning.

To dream that your childhood school is in ruins, suggests that you are dwelling on some unresolved childhood issue. Alternatively, the dream represents the passage of time. You need to look toward the future instead of reliving the past.

What on earth is wrong....

with a little music, a little singing, a little dancing, some laughter, and some beverages....?

I got home at a decent time and not completely inebriated....

All I need to do before getting ready for work is some laundry....

Ah well. I guess I just don't "get it."

Acheiving Perfection

Last night, I watched front row center as my dad bowl a 300 game. It was his first and the first ever in the league we bowl in. He had been chasing it for years now.

It was definitely the coolest moment I've shared with my dad since we danced together on my wedding day.

I didn't get nervous until he threw his 8th strike in a row. After that, I watched each shot as it came off his hand, thinking, yes - that could be another one! And four more times, it was!

Congratulations, Dad! You really can do anything!

What dogs do in their crates

Okay, this is it. I need to return to at least weekly blogging. So, I start here.

I decided I really wanted to know what Skippy does when I leave him in his crate for a few hours. So, yesterday, before we left for drum corps rehearsal, I set up my Asus with my quick cam and pointed it right at the crate.

The first 40 minutes were hard to watch. He was whining and barking and howling and trying to get out. After that, he settled in for a nap. Helmut came as soon as the noise stopped and laid near the bathroom door, which is close to the crate.

I was happy to see that once he settled down, he was sleeping most of the time. I really look forward to the time when I can trust him not to chew if we leave him outside the crate. I think we are close, but not quite ready yet.

Happy New Year!

So, here is my first post of the year, 24 days late. Ah, well.

The year started out with a bang - with a cruise vacation! That was just awesome! It's called a "Drum Corps Hall of Fame Cruise" but really, it's for everyone. Closing the piano bar nightly with Milby and Bucky (also known as Santa and/or Colonel Sanders) was great! Next year, Ron and I are going to try to get more friends and family to go.

Other than that, things are just plugging along. Melrose has a new horn instructor who is, thankfully, someone I've worked with before while I was in the Skyliners. Also, the Sky chorus is a lot of fun - ABBA music is great.

Also, Faith is doing well. Really enjoyed seeing her and my brother and his wife for Christmas! Surgery is scheduled for February 11th. You can read her blog entries (listed on the right) for the latest updates.

I guess nothing new or earth shattering to report. I still blame Facebook for my lack of blogging.

Definitely need to post more often...

If I have any readers left, I apologize for being so remiss in updating this that I haven't posted at all since the end of October! I guess I haven't taken much time for ramblings that require thought, and my short term goings on have been well documented on Facebook.

Facebook status is an interesting thing. It can be clever or completely mundane and yet a conversation can still be sparked by it. Suffice it to say that I still need to focus on work, bowl better and play the horn more. Amongst family and dog stuff and the holidays, of course. Upon reflection, 2008 has been a pretty good year, and I am happy and grateful for all the wonderful things I've gotten to see and do.

Happy Anniversary!

So, Ron and I have been married for one year today! :-)

It's kind of a weird thing because we've been together for seven years, but we never celebrated anniversaries before. We don't have terribly grand plans. We bought a 42" flat panel tv that we've been wanting for a while. And we're going out with my parents and grandparents tomorrow. (BTW - my grandparents have also recently celebrated their anniversary!)

Faith is coming home soon!

Great news!!! Erica and Bill will be leaving the hospital with Faith tomorrow and returning home to Connecticut.

Tonight, the new family will be staying in the Launching Pad at the hospital, which is a room where parents and baby can stay in the hospital but do not receive help or care from the nurses or staff. In the Launching Pad, parents have the opportunity to practice caring for their babies with the comfort of knowing that if a problem arises, there are competent nurses and doctors around. It will be Erica and Bill’s first experience caring for Faith totally free of wires or tubes, and the first experience they will have inserting the feeding tube and administering medicine without someone watching them.

If all goes well, Uncle Paul will pick them up tomorrow afternoon and drive them to Bethel, where Faith, Erica, and Bill will see Faith’s room for the first time. Fortunately for Faith, she has two fantastic aunts and a wonderful grammy who went over to the condo the past few weeks to get everything ready for her. J

The next big hurdle will be the next surgery in the spring….which of course Erica and Bill will keep you informed on.

We are all so excited. Erica and Bill and Faith can’t wait for you to come visit. Again, they thank you for all of your well wishes, warm thoughts, and prayers.


Love,

Karen (Billy's sister-in-law)

Hey, Grandma!

From Mobile Pictures

Free MacBook Pro!

All you need to do is fill out one offer and refer some friends...

http://www.freemacbookpro.com/?referral=1a84tbj

I don't normally do stuff like this, but hey - why not?

I've been remiss!

I guess lately I've found it easier to keep updating my facebook status than to actually write something meaningful in here!

Ah, well.

Not much going on, really, besides my niece, which is my brother and sister-in-law's story to tell (she's doing well, btw). Working, drum corps, chorus, play rehearsal and shuffleboard at the Elk's...

Faith's Baptism

Faith is Born!

Faith's Birth

More About Faith

I'm in the Wizard of Oz!

I got a call that I will be in the ensemble - yippee!!! :-)

From the makers of Family Guy

LOL - this is great!

Auditions are over

Now we'll see what comes of it. I think I'll probably get some really small role. Looking forward to getting involved no matter what I'll be doing.

Pre call backs

Oddly, I have very little nervousness at all about the call backs tonight. I'm just so happy that I get to go - I'm just going to have fun and see what comes of it!

Wizard of Oz Part 2 - Post Audition

I got called back for tomorrow!!!!!! :-) W00t!

Wizard of Oz Part 1 - Pre-audition

Well, I won't lie - I'm definitely nervous. However, here are some reasons why I shouldn't be worried.

1. I've got nothing to lose. Even if I'm not selected for any role, I still have a group to sing in where people think I'm terrific and various other performance opportunities in drum corps.
2. I've done things that are harder. Like learning and performing that first Skyliner drill.
3. It's not me as a person they are judging. It's the current state of my abilities and whether or not they think that I will be a good fit for any of the available roles.
4. This and every other thing that I strive for is an opportunity to learn and grow.

Great article on writing reports!

This is for usability reports, however, I think that many people in many types of jobs could benefit from the concepts presented.

How to Write a Report

Totally awesome - thanks, Jules! (and Izzy!)

I will be Faith's Godmother!

My brother thrilled and surprised me in an instant message today asking me to be Faith's Godmother! I accepted, and I am crazy excited right now! I know this is a huge responsibility, and I will do my best!

September 11th Blue

It is a gorgeous day out there... There's something about September when summer begins to turn into fall... The sky is so perfectly blue... And all it reminds me of is September 11th...

But Why?

Update - Ahhh, Bach! So, it seems to be a overflow of whatever type of variable they are using. Interesting!

Okay - I found a plethora of blogs and the like pointing out how wrong this is, but can anyone tell me why such an error might occur?

Google Oops - 399999999999999-399999999999998 = 0?

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

So, I've made up my mind - I'm going to audition for the community musical, The Wizard of Oz. In preparation, I had my drum corps horn instructor create some sheet music for me, and I input the solo part into Garage Band (because I'm too impatient to wait for him to give me the recording..) I've chosen Somewhere Over the Rainbow, since it's encouraged to use music from the show. I have it on repeat on my ipod and am hoping that by osmosis I will burn the pitches into my head. I am also working on where to breathe. Auditions are the 24th. Wish me luck!

Drunken drivel is so much fun...

And it wasn't even from me...

Blame it on the Barcelona

Did I tell you about Nancy's wife Joe..?

(Or was it Joe's husband Nancy? Who the hell can tell?)

Add that to singing ABBA (increasingly badly) and you can tell it was one interesting day...!

Rochester 2008

Sky Alumni does drill!!!



It was a great weekend! Some highlights below...

Ron and I walked into a liquor store in New York... Ron asks, "Do you sell beer here?" The store owner answers, "You can't buy beer in a liquor store in New York. Try the nearest gas station." (Wha?)

And now about my night at the opera DCA preliminary competition. My friends manage to get themselves and me let into the VIP section right around the time the larger corps were starting to perform. I was standing behind the two rows of chairs, using what I thought was my indoor voice (but there was beer involved, so maybe I was a little animated...) I had not been seeking conversation, but in the course of a half an hour, several people I knew and one person who seemed to be trying to impress me approached, and we talked. All of a sudden, in the middle of Bush's show, which I had been trying to watch with an open mind, a woman snaps at me, "Can you PLEASE move back. You talk through every corps!" I, naturally, apologized profusely, and as I was walking away, this older woman connected to an oxygen tank chimes in (rudely), "Thank you - I'm trying to hear the music." This led me to the conclusion that I am obviously not cut out to sit in the VIP section. You couldn't pay me to spend time in their company again. It's a shame that not everyone has figured out that drum corps is just as much about the people as it is about the music. I guess maybe you'd have to have MARCHED it to know that. I do feel badly that I disturbed these ladies, though I think they both certainly could have handled themselves better. I'm glad that I took the higher road by simply apologizing and walking away, even though my friend offered to tell them what he thought of them. :-)

The funniest thing about the situation is that if you know me, you know I am not rowdy, so it definitely makes for a funny story. Reminds me of the time someone that I marched with kicked a garbage can when he found out our score and almost got kicked out of the stadium. He was not the usual profile for rabble rousing, either.

It was definitely fun, and I'm glad that we went.

Trapped....

The only thing worse than Friday-itis is Thursday-when-you-have-Friday-off-and-it's-a-holiday-weekend-itis!

I want to leave for Rochester....

DCA finals, here we come! Just have to get past today first!

Victims of Our Dreams...

Had some friends over for dinner last night, and it was WAY more fun than you should have on a Monday night when you have to work the next day, that's for sure!

My co-worker said the coolest thing at lunch yesterday... He was talking about all the work he did on his garden last week and all the work he'll be doing over the long weekend next week, and he said, "We are all victims of our dreams."

How true...

I can still bowl!

I won a bowling bag!

Last night was the officer's meeting for the leagues at my bowling alley. My dad is the president of my league, and he brings me as a guest. After the meeting, there is a buffet dinner (the food is great!) and then a no tap tournament (which means that you only have to knock down 9 pins to get a strike). I won the women's prize with a 216, 169 and 205! :-)

:-)

http://halcy0n.com/temp/waldo.jpg

I don't care who you are - that's funny right there!

Birthday lunch

Took my aunt out to lunch for her birthday and we had a great time. Gave her the necklace I bought her in November in St. Thomas on Ron and my honeymoon. It's about freaking time!!!! :-)

To the doctor's again

Best of luck to Billy, Erica and Faith as they go in for some more scheduled tests tomorrow.

Friday afternoon thoughts...

View the world through the glasses that are colored the way you want to see the world. Perception may be reality.

The birthday dinner

Thunderstorms, so I couldn't use the grill... Power went out while I was cooking with an electric stove... Steak was overcooked because the thermometer lied to me. Otherwise, dinner was awesome, and Ron really liked it. :-) Oven fries were the best.

Happy birthday, Ron!

Today is Ron's birthday! I'm going to make dinner for him, so if you don't see any posts for a while, we didn't survive. ;-)

Tuesday night rehearsal

I was having a pretty good night playing mellophone yesterday, when all of a sudden, we finished playing a song, and my friend turns to me and says, "Lisa - you blew your BALLS off on that!" Figuratively speaking, of course.

Later that night, I was trying to figure out why my stomach felt like I just did 50 crunches, and then I realized I must have been breathing correctly (yes - there is a correct way to breathe and most of us do it wrong.)

So - yeah - that was pretty cool.

Ouch

Update: She's bruised but okay. The stuff landed on her shoulder.

A good friend of mine got hurt at work today because some overhead shelving fell on top of her. Last I heard, her other half was picking her up to take her to the hospital. Hopefully, all is okay, but since I have no information, I'm worried enough to be distracted.

Baby Shower

Yesterday my mom threw a baby shower for my sister-in-law. It was very nice, and everyone had a good time. My grandfather made some nicely painted wooden birdhouses for prizes, and I was in charge of games. Erica got nearly everything she needs for Faith, and that's without even getting anything from her side of the family yet. She decided to save her family's shower for after the baby is born to celebrate her healthy birth, which I thought was a great idea. So, that puts us about 6 weeks away from the birth of my niece!

Finally! High Heel-a-thon Pictures!

Vonage Launches First-Of-Its-Kind Vonage Pro Offering To Keep Customers Connected to Their Home Phone on the Go

Vonage Launches First-Of-Its-Kind Vonage Pro Offering To Keep Customers Connected to Their Home Phone on the Go

I wrote the billing and cdr requirements for this. :-)

Need to be more assertive....

I think I've finally reached a crossroads where my quiet, easy going nature is going to start affecting my career. My review says in a nutshell that I do good work, but I'm too laid back for my position. I need to become more extroverted and every once in a while say what's on my mind instead of taking 20 years to formulate it exactly the way I want it to come out.

I really want to do this because I want to progress in my career. The question is, can I do it without behaving like someone that I don't want to be?

Fiddlesticks...

Another Monday passes....

And as I told one of my friends at work, now that Monday's over, the rest of the week can't be that bad!

I'm pretty happy with the way Reviews By Lisa is going. I'm getting out a review every other day (still trying for every day!) and some of my friends have sent me some encouraging words.

Skippy's being a maniac tonight, so I'd better get off my computer and help Ron.

Goodnight all!

Mama Mia!

Saw Mama Mia yesterday with some friends from Melrose. It was great - really funny! And I'm sure the music is going to be fun to sing in chorus for the GAS in May. Then went to the Blue Moon for open mic night. It was a good evening to end a long work day in meetings.

In other news, my geek radar is really going nuts over this one - http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/japanfan/a8f6/

Go to Reviews By Lisa!

I've started another blog!

http://reviewsbylisa.blogspot.com/

The purpose is to provide my unique point of view on the products and services that I use every day and maybe make some money in ad revenue and by being an Amazon Associate. I really hope you enjoy it! Please let me know what you think.

Hi, Mom!

Found out that my mom is reading my blog. Cool! I'll be even more impressed when she starts one!

Also, happy birthday to my brother, Billy.

Strokes are Bad

Found out that one of my coworkers had a stroke over the weekend and is in ICU. He's only 35 years old. Don't know many details, but from what I've heard, it was bad enough that he's paralyzed and can't talk right now.

Unreal... Your whole life can change just like that.

Prepare for the future while enjoying life now, I guess. You never know what kind of hand life is going to deal you.

IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!

Hooray for Friday!

Trip to the ER instead...

Wanted to go to the Elks meeting, but we ended up in the ER instead. Ron had gone to his doctor's office, and they were worried he had pneumonia, so they sent him to the ER. Thankfully, it was determined it was bronchitis. Hopefully, he'll feel better soon!

Elks Tonight!

Tonight is the first Elks meeting that Ron and I will attend as members! :-)

I'm very excited, especially since this will be a meeting to bring in some more people, so we get to see the ceremony that we had to participate in from the outside. I'm really looking forward to getting involved. Just have to be careful of making too many time commitments!

Clifton Show

Saturday was the Clifton DCA show, and it was extremely fun. Really enjoyed seeing the people that I used to march with. Singing the National Anthem with the chorus was nice, though too quick!

There is definitely a special bond that forms between you and the people you have marched with.

Also had the company picnic that day. That was fun, too, but I had to leave early. Am glad that I went to both events.

Yay - I made it to the finish line!

Had a great time at the Regis and Kelly high heel-a-thon. I didn't win or make it on tv, but it was a lot of fun, and my aunt and cousin enjoyed it, too. I was slow and steady and not last. :-)

I'm number one (hundred and ninety)!



I am in this clip somewhere - I came in around when the clock above the finish line was in the 40's, and when I cross the finish line, I raise my arms above my head. I'm in a white t-shirt towards the right of the screen!

Another cool thing is that we will be in the Guinness Book of World Records for participating in the largest high heel race!

Go Team Faith!

Tomorrow's the Race!

Okay - I think I'm set! I have my new pink heels, homemade Team Faith shirt and shorts ready! I will be sure to post plenty of pictures.

Global Warming

Global Warming

PDF is now a standard!

This is a good thing. Everyone is using it - it might as well gain an extra measure of legitimacy.

http://www.sdtimes.com/content/article.aspx?ArticleID=32477

High Heel-a-thon!

The funniest thing happened. I was looking for ways to help Faith, and I came across this website while on the March of Dimes website:

http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/regisandkelly/special/highheel/index.html

It's a High Heel-a-thon sponsored by Regis and Kelly - proceeds of registration going to the March of Dimes. I applied through a lottery system, never expecting to actually get picked, and I found out that I am registered to participate! I believe I'm one of about 400 women participating. It would be unliekly, but if I were to win, the $25,000 would be enough to pay for all of the surgeries my niece will have to endure by the time she is two years old. If nothing else, I would get to be on TV, get noticed and possibly meet Regis and Kelly!

Yay - I didn't screw up!

I actually took care of a birthday lunch today for two of my coworkers. I bought cards, made lunch reservations, got the cards signed and bought a cake. So far so good. I didn't leave anything home or mix up the cards or anything else crazy that could have happened. :-)

Nintendo Wall Graphics

Is it wrong for me to think this is awesome?

http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/stickers/a6d0/?cpg=74H

Cool Article

If this is true in humans as well as mice, this is quite a breakthrough!

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/06/gene-editing-co.html

Monday afternoon drivel....

I remember turning 30 in April and being so happy that I had finally (sort of) figured things out. Now between losing the cat, finding out about Faith, having a new puppy and various other things that are going on in my life right now, I can honestly and truly say that I don't know anything. I guess that's okay, though because it's quite possible that nobody else really does either. We all just go around acting like we do. I guess it's a human thing.

Have a Little Faith

http://faith.sillica.com/

I'm an Elk!

Ron and I were initiated into the Elks last night. Yay!

"The faults of our members we write on the sand, their virtues upon the Tablets of Love and Memory."

Powerful stuff...

Train Stations Need Parks (or something)...

I've been taking the train and Vonage shuttle to work this week because my car is in the shop and my mechanic can't figure out what the heck the noise it's making is from. (Hey, if he's ruled out all the major stuff, I'm willing to live with the noise.)

The thing is this... I like to get to the train station early because I'm paranoid. So, I'm generally hanging out for a half an hour to get on the 8:42 train. The only thing to look at is Henry St.

Once I get to Hazlet, I need to wait 20 minutes for the shuttle. There is nothing but parking lot.

Beautiful day like today... Out in the fresh air... No scenery.

Seems wrong, no?

Blah.

I am having the worst case of Friday-itis I've had in a long time... Too bad it's Wednesday. :-(

Wildwood

Drum corps is fun :-)

Rest in Peace, Pumpkin

Pumpkin died this morning, June 8th, 2008. I know a lot of people say this about their pets, but he was an incredible cat. He used to demand attention by crawling on Ron's back while he was on the computer, jumping into our laps, or laying on my books as I was studying for my master's degree. He would visit us at night, lay on my hair and spend hours purring while we were trying to sleep.

Pumpkin taught me what it is to really have a pet and not have your parents do all the work for you like my previous pets.

From Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem In Memoriam:27, 1850:

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

Pumpkin

I think Pumpkin is dying... He now outright refuses to eat, he cries when he tries to walk. He pees all over the floor even though Ron got him a litter box for the basement.... He sleeps face down with his nose touching the floor.... :-(

Random Update

Skippy pees on the floor.

Pumpkin is still extremely fussy about eating.

Helmut will wait until you take him out alone to do his business (or even walk more than 3ft away from the house!)

Had a cold. Gave it to Ron. Had an eye infection.

Getting new sunglasses tomorrow.

Work is busy.

I've lost 5 pounds since starting Wii Fit and that's with not using it every day.

Welcome, Skippy!

Skippy

BTW - for anyone who might be wondering, Pumpkin is still eating, though it's been tough to get him to. Taking it a day at a time.

Wii Fit Rocks!

Pre-ordered Wii Fit from Amazon.com and got it yesterday. Tried some of the balance exercises last night and worked on 10 minutes of Yoga this morning. I like how it tells you when you're supposed to breathe. Now I can do Yoga with instruction and feedback in an environment where I don't feel like a moron. Maybe I've finally found a good excuse to be a little more active.

In other news, congrats to David Cook on winning American Idol!!! I'm glad that the comments from the judges didn't skew the votes the wrong way.

It's (going to be) a girl!

Billy and Erica found out today that my niece will be a girl! :-)

Name That Puppy

Here is the cute little puppy that I will be bringing home on May 24th! If you would like to help me select a name, please take the poll!

Relay for Life

The Relay for Life was a lot of fun and I was very glad to have participated! Thanks to all who have supported me and my team in this!

Weekend Events

Got a lot of stuff going on this weekend (between cat feedings), so it should be pretty exciting!

Marching with the Melrose Blackhawks in Staten Island on Saturday. Then it's down to Vonage for the first Holmdel Relay for Life. Then after a few hours of sleep, it will be down to Atlantic City for our bowling league's bus trip on Sunday.

Pumpkin seems to be doing okay. He's eating when I put the food in front of him with a spoon, but not on his own. I'm going to see if I can get through next week without having to work from home.

GAS pictures and stuff

GAS Pictures - some pics from the trip to Canada

Well, Pumpkin was refusing to eat this morning. Turns out he was just tired of tuna. Ron got some baby food w/ ham, and I got him to eat almost half the bottle. He's been drinking water, too, which is good. He's also been visiting the litter box in the morning. I've been working from home in the mornings to accommodate his multiple feedings. I hope he doesn't get too used to my feeding him with a fork or a spoon.

Fancy Feast Tuna with Gravy

Well, Pumpkin just plain doesn't like the vet food, but he's grooving on Fancy Feast Tuna with Gravy. Got him to eat almost a full can yesterday, and he's already off to a good start today. Hoping to talk to my vet today to see how he feels about this. I just can't see stressing the cat out further by forcing him to eat something he obviously doesn't like when there's a food out there that he does like.

My cat hates me :-(

Okay, note to self... Cats hate to be force fed. I guess we got him to eat more than normal, but it certainly wasn't 3/4 of a can of high calorie cat food. Turkey baster wasn't working, so we resorted to my fingers. I've been trying to corner him and get him to smell the food and lick my fingers - all the while saying, "Pumpkin, lick lick!" I just really hope we can get him to eat this stuff or else my vet will be sticking a tube in his stomach. And I'm sure he will not like those feedings any better...

I baked a pie and other news!

I found a recipe for coconut custard pie online and made it for my mom for Mother's Day. It was awesome! Also learned how to play some "Mexican Train" dominoes game. That was interesting. And finally saw my aunt's new house. That was cool.

My vet called this morning. The fatty liver disease is definitely what Pumpkin's got going on. We need to start force feeding him high calorie food because he's still not eating enough. I figure best to start him on that tomorrow morning... New day, new food. Plus, Ron has been at a drum corps show today, and if we don't figure out how to set up the force feeding stuff together, there's no chance that we'll ever do it the same way. Suspecting that this would be the news, Ron and I picked up a tube of NutriCal last night that I've been randomly sticking on the cat's paws. I think that this has probably only led to him wanting less food in tonight's feeding, though. When we move to force feeding, we're going to have to feed him at least 4 times a day, which he is not used to, so it's going to be tough. At least he is our (more) gentle cat and he doesn't have front paws claws. (Edited on 5/12 because the thought of my cat running around with no front paws was making me laugh hysterically! -LV)

So, I have no idea how we're going to coordinate it, but we're soon going to be on the road to recovery, so wish us luck!

And waiting some more...

Looks like the test results may not come back until tonight whenever. Pumpkin seemed peppy this morning, though. When I came down the stairs, he was not in the basement as he's been lately, but he was on the back of the couch! He chowed down on the food I gave him until he decided he was full and then spent some time on the living room floor. Then, as I brought some clothes up from the laundry room, he was upstairs in the bedroom!

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

Still waiting for Pumpkin's test results, but the vet is heavily leaning towards Feline Fatty Liver Disease. This means that he will be fine so long as we can keep him eating. He ate a good amount of wet food tonight - and let me keep feeding it to him even when he walked away, which seems like something positive. He's snoozing now so maybe I'll wait a little while and see if he'll drink down some cat milk. Seeing Pumpkin not interested in eating is definitely unusual and I hope he's back to his old self soon!! I would not like to have to set the poor little guy up with a feeding tube!

Note for future reference....

An ultrasound for a cat is between $400 and $475, exact amount to be determined when they actually do the test. They won't be able to do the biopsy because one of his blood numbers came up high. Hopefully, they can find out what's wrong with just the ultrasound and we can act appropriately.

Pumpkin didn't seem to be eating that well this morning. He did eat one treat and a little bit of deli ham, so at least it's something. I'm sure it's pissing him off that we keep taking him to the vet. This is his third visit in three days.

UPDATE: They did the ultrasound and the vet was surprised to see that the liver was enlarged and the gallbladder was small. He thinks that they can do the test with the needle to get a sample so that he can get a diagnosis. We'll be able to pick him up tonight and we'll probably get the results in by tomorrow afternoon.

Fingers crossed....

Looks like there is a good chance Pumpkin's weight loss may be due to liver damage. I will keep the world updated as we get through a few days of testing.

Stupid, stupid, stupid....

I feel like a total ass... Ron and I took Pumpkin to the vet today because we're worried that he's losing weight. While we waited for the doctor, we heard a dog whining continuously. We thought he just didn't want to be at the vet's... When we walked out, I saw it was a keeshond! Well, normally, I'm pretty shy and I don't just start talking to strangers... Well, I blurt out, "Is that a keeshond?" then I said to the dog, "What's the matter, baby?" Well, the wife of the couple that was waiting with the dog starts crying and leaves the room. Ron taps me on the shoulder and says, "I think they're putting it down." Stupid, stupid, stupid. I could have spent the next 10 minutes hiding under a rock. My emotions keep flashing from anger at the vet's office for not providing a private room to this poor family to sadness that such a beautiful dog has to be euthanized to disgust at myself for opening my fat mouth and making that poor woman suffer even more through my dumb ignorance...

I'm hoping that maybe I balanced out my karma by attending an eagle scout ceremony for a great boy in Hazlet this evening.... Or hopefully, it's good enough that I'm at least smart enough to feel badly about the situation...

This is where I'm going!

http://www.mapquest.com/mq/7-vyZU

Goodbye, Skyliners...

I think I am done trying to get the Skyliners back on the field. I can't work with a group of backstabbers.

We're All Freaks!

Intelligent life? What are the chances?

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/04/21/extra-terrestrial-life.html

Relay for Life

Please help me and my team raise money for the Relay for Life at Vonage this year.

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RelayForLifeEasternDivision?px=6008888&pg=personal&fr_id=11177&s_tafId=168861

I Relay because I want to join people around the world in celebrating those who have survived cancer, remembering the people we've lost, and fighting back by supporting the lifesaving mission of the American Cancer Society.

Thanks!

Quote of the Day

A picture is worth 1,000 words. Which 1,000?