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Still freaking myself out whenever I see email from Mike in my inbox. His name is too similar to mine. Well, 2 of 3 names are the same. I'm Matt, he's Mike. Freaky, I tell ya. If he starts telling me his family nickname is Jake, the alternate universes will come crashing together and Nala will be left holding my dead body.
I joke a lot about my NOT being a hick. But, I am the proud son of a redneck. My dad once told me there was no shame in being a redneck, because a redneck is not a hillbilly, a yokel, or white trash. A redneck is just a person from the country. Now, I know this may not be book definition, but it's what I grew up with.
So, by my dad's definition, I grew up a poor redneck. And yes, I grew up Christian, although we did not go to church. Some people would say I'm damned to hell just for that, but that's not where I'm headed.
Dubya, or the President Select, as some like to call him, has got it in his head that an AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION needs to happen. A constitutional BAN on gay marriage. Why? Because it doesn't fit with his beliefs, and he's so close with God that he knows what's good for us. All of us.
I'm so angry I could vomit.
I know a lot of people wish Bush would meet some terrible end, but I don't. It wouldn't solve any problems. I wish his one of his daughters would come out as a lesbian. "Daddy, I'm a dyke."
And not just a dyke. A radical communist dyke. Problem is, I know no girls who would want her (well, either of them. there are two, right?). No guys, either, for that matter. But it serves my imagination well.
Thanks to Nala, I've started to look bigger picture on a lot of things. See trends in a global scheme. Over centuries.
Bush says gay marriage would destroy the family. Perhaps he hasnt seen it disintegrating over time on its own. How many times are people getting married? How few years does a marriage last? What reasons are there, aside from taxes and insurance, to get married?
And hasnt anyone addressed the issue of overpopulation? Oh wait. We're living in the 80s. Consume! Consume! Consume! Have 10 kids you cant pay for. Credit is our god! WOoHOo! Good times!
The fleecing of America. I think NBC needs to revive that documentary.
someone has been abusing her phone priveleges, and her boss has been neglecting it. it's way over budget and over those included minutes. in fact, at least 2/3 of all minutes were personal. on the work phone.
she doesn't expect to pay. funny. you cost us $100/month by calling your husband/babysitter/parents/inlaws/etc, and you don't expect retribution?
amazing.
I was checking my email last night, and I realized my disk was full. Also realizing I had several thousand junk mails, and an unemptied Trash, I mass deleted.
But then, the messages started reappearing in my inbox.
WTF?!
Command-Q. That usually fixes things.
Fixed it good, this time. Fired up Mail.app again, and the "Welcome" screen pops up, asking me to set up my first mail account.
Don't have time to deal with this, but if I don't reply to you for a while, you'll know why. 2700 messages in my inbox (mostly real). Yes, I needed to clean it out. But, without my settings, I don't have your email addresses. Or phone numbers. Or street addresses. Or directions to get there.
Other people have been having this problem too, I read on the Apple message boards. All of them this week.
Fun! But so 1993.
And yes, as a matter of fact, I DO believe that all techno is inherently annoying, thanks, especially when I have to listen to it against my will. But I guess I shouldn't complain about nonstop circuit clone music; it's so liberating, after all...
Even I cant see listening to techno all day. I grew up in the lesser cowlands (which ironically means "land of more cows"), where the only radio stations around were classic rock, hair band top 40, and country. When I got to college, I listened to strictly alternative. Then I moved home, and listened mainly to my cds which I had bought during my year and a half at State.
When I finally moved away again, I was thrilled to finally be in a town with real musical diversity, and I ate it up, working for a commercial college station. But, there again, I was bombarded all my waking moments by college music, which down deep isn't all that diverse.
I was seeking something completely different. And I found techno. House. Anything with driving rhythm and repetition. And, in my life outside of college, and outside of work (which was college), I needed something completely different.
And there it was.
There's more to this story
than I'm letting on...
I'll return to this again, after my afternoon in hell.
***
I'm back from Hell. I'm visiting again tomorrow, but back to the story.
I immersed myself in the other world which was techno. I learned all the popular club groups, versed myself in the latest mixes (and which to avoid). I did listen in the car, occasionally, because techno music is great for driving fast on the open highway (which, if you're in school in Athens, there's lots of).
But, when I moved back here, I came back to reality with more of a weak appreciation of it than a love. Don't get me wrong, I'm really not sick. I got back to listening to an eclectic mix. Back to the alternatives I'd been listening to (and walking over) for so long.
I appreciate good techno when I'm out at the clubs, but I also discovered in SF, good friends and good mixes of those same alternative favorites are more wonderful than any sweaty midwestern shirtless fag bar (or a wannabe NYC bar like Pulse, which in my opinion was more parody than flattery.) Mucho thanks to Todd, Robey, Thew, and Walt for dragging my ass to the Stud on that Tuesday night. (Sidenote: Seeing the object of my teen lust fawning over a drag queen was a perfect end to my perfect evening, even if seeing said drag queen give another guy head on stage was not.)
Ok, this has gone in a completely other direction so I'm done now.
I swear it seems like Monday...
So, yet another employee has buckled under the stress. That makes 3: two with heart problems and one (apparently) gone berzerk. And another died in a car crash, so that's really 4. And we've got another retiring at the end of the month (Thursday) and one more at the end of August. That's 6.
The email (Exchange) server was down when I got in to work this morning, and now I found out another web server (not mine) had stalled.
Because I couldnt get into Outlook to check my tasks and get to documents I needed, I'm now running an hour and fifteen minutes late. I am so tempted just to go home and sleep it off. My sinuses would love me.
holy crap. in 6 months, i'm going to be an uncle.
it seems to be contagious.
and, yes, i too am hoping it's twins.
someone pointed out to me that now, I will have someone to spoil, and send hand-me-down toys.
twin boys, please. just don't name them romulus and remus.
remus coon would not be a cool name.
well, i drudged up a bunch of photos from a series (yes, multi-part) that was taken at several drunken IRC parties at my old apartment in Athens.
so far, this is the best.
That's my nose and leg sticking into the left of the frame, my friend OhioJay, and then Jarred (that's Jared, not jar'd.), and a guy who went by Droo online. Jarred, Jay, and I all went to OU. Droo was from Bowling Green if I remember.
I have others... like my friend Bob, who know works at OSU, my ex-roommate, Justin, and a bunch of other, drunken folks who I've not seen much before or since.
Ah, a stroll down memory lane. Time to go to work. My laptop battery has gone thru 70% in 25 mins.
1) dismantle western shield wall.
2) build kitty litter box platform
3) remove wire shelves from former walk-in closet
4) remove remaining anchors from f-w-i-c walls
5) spackle anchor holes.
6) take zandy, ron, nala, mom and dad to lunch.
According to this post by Ernie, Cowtown trails SF in population by under 53,000 people.
Er. Um.
Don't know what else to say. We've got a great local music scene and lower cost of living... but we also have snow and ice and cows.
And, we have our own share of crazies.
Oh, but the SJ-SF-Oak area has Robey, the Doran sisters, and that skank Christine.
for once, this interested me...
dvd or vhs?
dvd!
best literary/movie villan: voldemort (harry potter) or sauron (lotr)?
sauron! although hearing voldemort in political commentary on CBS's Face the Nation was funny
meat: rare or well-done?
beef = rare; everything else, medium.
high speed internet-cable or dsl?
never had dsl so i cant compare. but as TWAOL is pissing me off, dsl's looking better.
women: 1-piece bathing suit or bikini?
depends on the woman
to be fair -- men: boxers or briefs?
boxers, except under shorts or dress pants. or workout gear, of course.
beer or liquor/wine?
wine. unless it's a summer on the deck. or a drinking binge.
coke or mountain dew?
mountain dew. unless i'm having blood sugar issues.
morning or afternoon/night wedding?
a morning wedding is nice. everything's done by evening, and you can still make it home before dark.
carpet or hardwood floors
hardwood!
american cars or foreign?
bicycles!
cutest tv twin: mary-kate or ashley olsen?
they are fraternal twins, so they are different, but, do i care?
coffee: caffeinated or decaf?
decaf is not coffee... but i drink it to maintain sleep patterns
thought-provoking question of the week: computers: do they make life better or worse? why?
worse, i imagine. i'll spare the details for now.
so you all know what i thought about the idea of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and i've discussed it with several other people, all of whom had varying opinions.
Nala had the idea for us to do season 2. not guest on the show, but the fab 5. not sure who would be who, but apparently I would be the "computer guy". And if the straight guy got lippy, ohio jay could knock his ass out and prop him up in a corner for the rest of the show.
Well, my friend jalex is a dad!
On 9:57pm EST on July 15 2003, Hope Isabelle Alexander was born. Mass: 7lbs.2oz.(3.230 kilograms) Length: 20 in. (50,8 cm)
look how cute! and man, her grandparents look pretty young.
congratulations, ghetto dad!
a couple days ago, i posted a query regarding missions trips to greece. my friend geoff explains on his site a bit about the reasons for the trip, which I do understand. sounds like this particular trip wasn't so much a missions trip as a "missionaries need support" trip, and by support, I mean rest, worship, and medical care...
my last comment on this is a comment about his quote:
Second, Matt quoted statistics about how many people in America vs. Greece were "Christain". [sic] As I have heard before, and now seen with my own eyes, this saying is true. "There are lies, damn lies and statistics." to say that 92% of the country is Greek Orthodox is a misnomer. Most people are in church 3 times in their life, their baptism as a baby, their marriage, and for their children's baptism. That is not faith. If that's what it takes, I'd call myself a doctor. I was born in a hospital, I had pneumonia when I was 7 and I visited a sick friend a couple times. I am not a doctor and most Greeks are not practicing Christians.
If it takes weekly church attendance, then the US statistics are extremely false also.
And that's all I'm saying on the matter. Or, as the two fat ladies on MadTV would say, "Done."
One more thing, lest you think that Geoff and I totally don't get along... despite the fact we hold such different views, we've always remained friends, and usually we don't discuss the things that separate us. Agree to disagree and all that.
Happy early 30th, Geoff.
um. i just had a request (read: demand, as you do not question requests from that level) from the VP/CFO to update an internal "attaboy" recognition site which has just changed its name. Now, a couple months ago (maybe only 6 weeks) I was charged with putting up a page which detailed the switch in gifts provided and name change. Well, after July 1, when the switch happened, that wasnt good enough. They wanted another placeholder. Delete all that info and make it "Under Construction".
I thought it would be more useful to know what the hell the thing was. But no, I've been trumped.
The VP/CFO thinks a blank "Under Construction" page is better.
So, for the first time in over 6 years, I've had to put up an under construction page. And you know what, I dont run his Office website, so I cant change all the buttons which have the wrong name, linking to this site. I know I'm going to hear about that too.
What the hell? I have 2 big projects I'm working on and THIS is a priority? Oh yeah, let the people who don't know what a browser is make the decisions.
so, a friend of mine, who got stationed in iraq a while back, has sent me a couple updates.
1) he has stories to tell about "weapons of mass destruction" (cant wait)
2) he says it's hotter than Vegas. 120 degrees to be exact.
3) he's "responsible for those raids you keep hearing about"
4) he could "throttle W for saying the war is over"
5) he just found out he wont be coming back till april 2004.
6) he's under attack
7) he's getting married in august 2004.
8) by the time he gets back, he'll have been gone overseas (and in hostile territory) for 24 out of 26 months.
fun.
So, here's an update. I booked one hotel room, 2 double beds, smoking, in Cambridge for Sept. 27. It was $36.75 (daylight savings promotion).
If you'd also like to reserve one, feel free to contact me and I'll email you which hotel and the phone number.
You can cancel without penalty (according to the website) before 4pm the day of the reservation.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, a bunch of us were gonna go visit my parents' farm and go see the Ohio Pumpkin Festival. Maybe do some gambling at Wheeling Downs, and go see Oglebay Park. If we get bored, we can also go to Ikea, or something. And, we'll have to try to eat at the smorgasbord, if it's still open. And Figaretti's. And maybe the Keg Und Kraut.
So, my friend Geoff just took a mission trip to Greece, a country which is 92% Greek Orthodox, 1% Muslim, and 7% other (including 0.43% Catholic).
That is opposed to the US which is 85% Christian (Protestant: 57, Roman Catholic: 22), 2% Jewish, 2% Orthodox, 2% Muslim, and 10% nonreligious.
The current US population is estimated around 283,955,000. 16% (the non-Christian part) would be about 45,432,800.
The current estimated population of Greece is 10,560,000. About 799,392 non-Christian, by my mathematics.
Food for thought. He took a lot of beautiful photos, though.
(monday)
so, i couldnt find an ibook battery under apple's education store (there seems to be a totally different inventory for education as for regular customers, even when searching on part number) so i decided to call their 800 number instead.
after about 8 minutes of waiting, i finally spoke to a representative, who couldnt sell me a battery. she could transfer me to the parts department, which she did. and there I sat for about 5 minutes. then, an automated system came up, and after none of the choices were what i needed, i was transferred to an operator. she then transferred me to someone else, who didnt answer. After a few automated "please hold"s, I got a message "We're sorry we were unable to help you. Please call back later." and then was hung up on.
15 minutes wasted. Now, not only can I not order the part, but also I'm pissed off. I call back. I get the same representitive who couldnt sell me a battery. "Did you speak to someone in parts?" no, nobody ever picked up. and then your system hung up on me. (I'm sure they think that doesnt happen, but I'm here to tell you it did. Politely, but it did.) "I'll stay on the line with you until someone picks up." And finally someone picked up. I explained my situation (now 22 minutes in). Parts Guy #1 couldnt help me. He was desktop parts only. He had to transfer me to Laptop Parts guy. Oh, but you wait. You make sure I speak to him because now it's been over 22 minutes and I've been hung up on. He takes down my phone number "just in case", and transfers me over. Laptop guy tells me they no longer make the part, but they have a couple in stock at $50 more than they're listed on the website. Uh, no, I say. Then he says the ones on the website wont work with my ibook. Funny, there's no description on the site to say so. Oh, well, they won't work. You need this one. Your computer is old. Ok, but it's your company's fault I have to replace it. The OSX 10.2.3 update sucked the battery dry. Did you try the fix, he asked. Yes, of course, but it didnt work. Well, it should work, he said. (Fuck you, I said in my head). Yes, I know, but it didnt. Let me see what I can do, hold please.
40 minutes into it, I had a part number and the regular price from the website. Yeah. Ok. What about my educational discount. Oh, I can give that to you, too. Or you can enter the part number on the website and get that price. I think I'll take my luck with the website.
Oh wait, batteries arent available on your education site. Oh, wait, and part numbers dont work for lookup.
If it werent for the fact that I cant find a battery anywhere cheaper, I'd just give my business to someone else. When the battery costs more than 1/10 of what a new top of the line model would cost, is that highway robbery?
I think so. Especially when it was their software that ruined it in the first place.
Power management my ass.
so, i am the only gay man offended by Queer Eye for the Straight Guy? Am I the only one thinking it reinforces stereotypes about gay men? Am I the only one in this world that thinks that shows based entirely around stereotypes (whether perceived as good or bad) are wrong?
I've been handed several "arguments" as to why it reinforces "good" stereotypes and why I shouldnt be offended.
Uh. No. I am. Calling this show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" is like calling Essence of Emiril "Wops Can Cook!"
so, today we held second interviews for the position at work... two guys, equally enthusiastic and intelligent, balanced technically.
tips:
don't wear jeans to an interview. ever.
or a tshirt or shorts.
or a ballcap.
iron your shirt!
give more than a yes or no (or even worse, an "i dunno") answer.
I asked a very broad, open ended question, that went something like this.
You've been asked to design and implement an e-commerce system for the university. Three items will be sold, all of which are uniquely configurable. Two non-traditional methods of payment will be used. These items will be made available for pick up or delivered to the customer. What are some questions you might have, and what would be some steps in your process?
The answers were very different.
Answer 1: (and I'm paraphrasing, but not much) Well, I would get the details on how each item was configurable, and then I would start building.
Answer 2: (paraphrasing again, from my notes) First, get the details about what products are configurable which way, then the details about payment processing. Find out about the customers -- how will they be using the system (use cases). Use project scope docs to keep on target with clearly defined problems and goals. Research which technologies would be the best, and will the servers be able to handle the load, and is security an issue. Get users to test at different stages of the game, including prototyping.
Guess who we went with?
it's a monday/tuesday delayed mission, and it's not religious, so I'll actually attempt it.
1. When was the last time you were in the hospital as a patient? As a visitor?
Patient? Hm. Almost everything I've had was outpatient... but the last time I was in was for rhinoplasty. They removed some bone, moved some blood vessels, and I had 6 weeks or so of gauze-packed nose. And yes, it was medical, not superficial. I had chronic nosebleeds. If you count my stress tests and echo-cardiograms, that was just 7 years ago.
2. Have you ever been put under anesthesia or sedation? For what reason? Did it mess with your mind?
Yep, for the above surgery, as well as for the removal of my wisdom teeth, and some others. The first time I had anesthesia, I had horrible crazy dreams.
3. Have you (or someone close to you) ever had any major surgery? How did it go?
Yes. My dad had balloon angioplasty and 3 stints installed in blood vessels around his heart. Nala had butt surgery. I know other close friends have had surgery too, but I'm sort of not clear-headed this morning. My grandmother had her gall bladder removed, and later her pericardium (due to its destruction by misprescribed congestive heart failure meds). She had her breastbone put back together after a bad car accident in 1980, too.
4. How about the emergency room? Have you ever had to be taken there, or had to accompany someone else? What happened?
I had to take Nala there for severe muscle spasms in his chest. I had to take my dad there for suspected heart attack, and later when he fell from a ladder (it buckled under him). I had to go for bee stings, and once for a flea bite which made my arm swell up like a watermelon.
5. Have you ever donated blood (or other fluids)?
Yep. Plasma too, back when I was poor. Can't go anymore... that whole gay sex thing.
6. Are you an Organ Donor? How do you feel about having your organs being donated to those in need once you die? Have you or someone you know ever been the recipient of donated organs?
Yes, and I think "why not"... I'm not going to be using them. Nobody I know ever got donated organs. A friend from school, Paul, died waiting on a new heart.
7. Do you know any men who refuse, or are too afraid, to go to see a Doctor? Why are so many men like that?
Don't know why, but a lot of my dad's friends won't go. Some other people I know have a hard time dealing with getting a second opinion.
Continuing on Nala's thoughts...
It was a long weekend. The front yard is (practically) done, aside from a small bit o demolition, which may happen next weekend.
Lots of fun, too, with dinner on Friday with the gang, and Vijay's clambake Saturday.
Have to get the litterbox platform done for the basement! Must must must finish laundry! And on and on. Spackle, sand, find out how much it will be to rent a drywall jack.
Homeownership. Grand.
Oh, the place we looked at 3 months ago is still up for sale. Back then it had been on the market for 444 days. Take a look... price reduced. The empty shell at 1219 E. Long is still vacant and hasnt changed hands yet, either. Looks like they pulled it off the market.
as i'm baking, and cleaning, i'm muttering...
A bunch of us joked at Mr. Pickles and Kelmeister's wedding about heading east for the Ohio Pumpkin Festival (not to be confused with the Circleville Pumpkin Show) in September. It could be a fun get-away, and it wasn't actually me that came up with the idea.
Pickles's friend Dina came up with it. Blame her.
So anyway, I've been looking at getting hotel reservations. If it were just me and Nala, we could stay with my folks. Since it could be many more, I'm looking for hotels. Now, we could stay east in St. Clairsville or Wheeling, or west in Cambridge.
So far, the hotels are $10-$15 cheaper in Cambridge. However, I know less unique places to eat there than in St. Clairsville and Wheeling. Perhaps a day-trip to Oglebay Park and Wheeling Downs would be in order? Hmm... wonder how much the B&Bs are...
Ron, if you're reading this, you need to help me think of places to go and see...
so, yesterday afternoon, the parents got their power back. i know simply because I got a "hi jake" IM from them. of course, I wasn't in my office at the time.
yesterday, we started interviewing for our student position at work. if juice were more technically inclined, i would ask him to interview. hey, at least it's something.
The bad thing is, we're seeing somewhere between 2/3 and 3/4 of the applicants are already graduates. for a student position, posted on the student job boards. We can only hire students, get it?
3 of 4 applicants who came in yesterday were graduates, which they did not make clear on their application or resume. the first girl who interviewed had fantastic skills, and was already employed by the university. but, she had graduated already. this of course didnt come out till the end of the interview.
then, number two, who was already there when we thought to call to make sure she was a student. (you know, why are these people even applying if it's a student position? i refuse to feel bad if i cant tell if you're a student and you apply for a student position and i have to send you home because you graduated...) she was a real winner. frowning when she walked in, daintily, like you would expect the queen to walk. gently placing her coat over the back of the chair and extending her hand for us to kiss. yes, thank you, goodbye. our first question was "you are a student, correct? no? thank you, but this position was clearly listed for a student employee. sorry. goodbye."
Number three we couldnt get ahold of to ask before he arrived. Great skillsets. Perfect personality. He just clicked. About 10 minutes in, we verified his student status... nope. So we asked him, why is everyone applying for these student positions? He said the combination of high unemployment rates and the fact that we were located further off campus (higher chance of having positions open for more than students...) Ugh.. painful when you know he would've made a great addition to the team. But, he seemed hopeful he could help us find someone to match our needs, and took several business cards to give friends.
Number four was really a student. Charismatic, friendly, honest about his skillset and desire to learn. Normally a good match, but also needed work.
Five more interviews today.
Wow. Mom and Dad are entering day 4 with no power. There has been no single time when the power was off for this long, in the entire 26+ years they've been there.
Sure, it went out several times every year, and we got used to it. But it was back on within a day or two.
I blame cutbacks in AEP.
I heard three news items this morning: they (AEP) hope to have 90% of outages back up by noon tomorrow (weather and new outages permitting), they've brought back retirees and people they laid off for this emergency, they're bringing people in from other states/companies, and they themselves were already helping out with outages in Indiana.
Meanwhile, I'm sure my dad is keeping his gas tanks full for the generator.
hot. stormy. gross.
the storms woke me up quite a bit last night, along with the noisy cats (found the electronic mouse). other than that, it was a good night for sleep. the winds were high, though, and knocked down branches and trees all over Columbus.
Last night, I called my parents, and found out they were without power for the second day in a row. Wonder if they have it yet.
The office next to mine smells like dead rat.
What a lovely day.
Ever wonder who would win in a Space Ghost vs. Wonder Twins monkeyfight? My GOD this is funny! Thanks, Dan!
Friday's belated five:
1. What were your favorite childhood stories?
Blueberries for Sal, Andre, Amos and Boris, Kipling's children's stories, Stone Soup.
2. What books from your childhood would you like to share with [your] children?
All of the above. The Kipling book was my grandmother's.
3. Have you re-read any of those childhood stories and been surprised by anything?
Nope. Haven't read them in years.
4. How old were you when you first learned to read?
Three. By 6, I was reading and writing in cursive and doing 3-digit multiplication by age 7.
5. Do you remember the first 'grown-up' book you read? How old were you?
I remember being interested in UFOs, and in first or second grade (they were the same year) trying to check a book out from our school library. It was a big book with small type, more of an enncyclopedia of UFOs. But our librarian had this strict rule: if you wanted to check out a "grown up" book, you had to prove to her that you could read it.
I went to the counter and my friends stood there in disbelief (she was a mean librarian!). She glared at me and said "You know you can't check that book out. Go get something from the kids' section."
'No. You said if we can read it, we can check it out.'
"Well, then," she smirked. "Read it for me," she demanded, flipping to a random page. "Start at the third paragraph."
And I did. And her jaw dropped, briefly, followed by another scowl. She angrily stamped the card and handed me the book.
My friends cheered me for pissing off Mrs. Gray. But, after that, she always resented me. As did they.
And now, if there was a Monday Mission...
everything is slowly coming together. really.
but, i'd really like to say "no more parties, no more weddings" until we get finished with unpacking.
nala started getting his office set up. moving books upstairs will be the next part.
I'm still trying to catch up on laundry. Then I have to build the kitty litter-box platform for the basement. Then I still have 10 anchors to pull off the wall in the room which used to be the walk-in-closet. Pam and Paul have inspired me to actually attempt the drywall in there to repair the ceiling. I bought the tools needed for wallpaper border removal, too.
I can't wait to be in my new office, even thought it might be a month or so before it happens... but I've got great shelves and great ideas for paint and lighting.
so i've been stewing about my aunt all day. and i think if she reads this, too bad.
i lose all ability to write anything witty when i'm this angry. and all eloquence is gone too.
i said to a friend... "i wanna bitchslap that... bitch!"
i just couldnt use another word.
in my mom's email last night/this morning, she asked me not to be angry with her for not telling me.
i'm not angry at her. she didn't know what was going on.
i'm angry at her sister and brother, who knew and didn't bother to tell her. what the hell is that? your mother is potentially dying (quicker than expected), and you don't bother to tell your sibs?
thus far, i've managed to avoid emailing my aunt and telling her exactly what i think of this whole mess, because i know that it will solve nothing, and will only serve to distance my immediate family more from the family as a whole. and she'll just tell me to come and take care of Gram myself.
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. She is almost 94. Grammie was diagnosed with breast cancer in late May.
Mom didnt tell me because she didnt have details and was waiting to hear them from her siblings. Her siblings didnt call about it during the whole month of June. Or email. Nor has she gotten more than "she's on chemo" (Arimidex) and "she seems/says that she's fine" from them via phone now.
Gram had 2 lumps. One as big as a robin's egg, the other small. They wouldn't do surgery.
Happy Independence Day. I know where I'll be going if I get a vacation this fall.
his opening act rocked balls, too. Sevara Nazarkhan and her amazing band.
so, i've been known to read a few ohio and ex-ohio blogs, but i actually never think anyone on the blogger a-list (or even b-list) ever visits cowtown. certain former a-list bloggers are excluded, since we all know annalisa and the skank come back once every couple years.
well, i was mistaken. someone was in town for the Blondie show.
not that i have much in common with a 33-year old bodybuilder, but how much do any bloggers have in common?
well, i knew they grew up differently. i knew the wanting-for-nothing spun them off the family circle in a totally different direction. i just had no idea that my cousin would now be doing mechanic work in the Arctic.
wow. from artistic welder living on a commune to gearhead working in the Arctic.
congrats to him, i think.
Ok... that's all I'm gonna say.
Well, that and thanks to Fab J for the tix. She rocks balls, too.
I remember when I first met nala, and had just started going to his apartment to watch movies. He had a freaky, nelly roommate named Terry and a quiet straight roommate named Preston. I remember thinking how totally disorganized the house was, with the computer and tv in the living room. Great apartment, ugly furniture, bad use of space... but 3 people in an apartment (and one recently having moved out) can do that.
What a change a new place makes.