i m-must do a m-me m-me, folks. that's all there is to it. sorry about the cryptic messages to get you here, but really...

claire made me do it! ;)

*ahem* okaaaay, not the cryptic stuff

so here i goes...

Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they have been tagged and to read your blog!

1. i am a very indecisive person most of the time. i have trouble focusing on one task. that's mostly because i'm so scatterbrained, i usually have a ton of things that need to be finished...i can't concentrate on what i'm trying to do for seeing all the things around me that are undone. this drives me nuts and sometimes leads to a very ungood depressed episode fo rme.

2. my mother bases her whole opinion of you (or at least me) on how clean your house is and how well organized you are. at least most of the time she's that way. now i love my mom, don't get me wrong. she's the most loving, giving person you'll ever meet...but she can really make me a wreck when she's like worrying about what people will think. her mother never made a big deal about a super-clean house. they were poor and mom always felt like if she could clean what little she did have, then everything would be okay. so she cleans like... well, like rabidly! mom's always been very concerned that people think well of her and all of us. she gets embarrassed easily and over very trivial things. she's not like 'snobby' concerned, but worried someone will think we don't behave acceptably or dress acceptably, etc., etc., etc. all this kinda fussing is part of what made/makes me as nervous and such as i am, i believe. and there are other factors, too. i'm not playing the 'blame it all on the mother game' at all. this is just a fact about me.

3. for those who don't know (if there's anyone besides claire still reading here! lol!) i have had diabetes for 32 years. i'll be 40 in november. (you do the math. ;Þ ) most of my life. up until november 2, 2004, i was taking up to 7 insulin injections a day trying to keep my blood sugar under control.... and failing! that's when i got my insulin pump! i. love. my. pump! it has changed my life so much! not that it's perfect, but living with diabetes is sure a lot simpler, that's for sure and certain!! since march of last year, i've lost 30 pounds due to several different things...a] neuropathy/stress/nervous stomach causing me to be nauseated and not eat nearly as much for several months ... which lowered my insulin needs {more insulin = more food -- they must balance} and b] going on a migraine med which caused a lessening of the appetite, still losing more weight (which also lowers need for insulin {lower body weight=lower insulin needs} and c] basically what i just mentioned... the mere fact that i was losing weight, thus needing less insulin, was helping me lose weight! clear as mud? i hope not, but that's how i went from wearing a very tight size 14 jeans to a loose size 10. woo- and hoo! ;)

4. (man, this IS getting hard!) um... i love flowers and backyard birds and butterflies. right now, i don't have much of either because i haven't had the time nor money to spend on getting a nice area ready. i don't even have seed in the feeders, that's how awful i am. :( i have a couple of red knock-out rosebushes. one mom just got me this year, so it's blooming. the other she gave me last year. the bad cold snap got it, so it's had to grow back out again. i put out a couple of hydrangeas, but they look awful. should they do that after setting them out?? *worried face* my dream is to have a wonderful flower garden complete with a pond and small waterfall and no deer skull looking at you from the wall of the fort and no dog pen right in your face when you sit on the patio and no pile of car parts or big ol' trucks looking at you like a creepy monster either. just flowers and water and birds and butterflies. that's a l l ! ! ! hmph!

5. um... oh, here's another boring medical one. i have cataracts. yep. at 39. pardon my french, but .... they suck! diabetics tend to get cataracts earlier than usual annnnd they tend to not do very well with the cataract surgery (because they don't heal well) so i dunno what will happen in the future. of course mine aren't that bad right now. but they sure have put a damper on my reading. i absolutely cannot read a thing unless it's really giant print without my +1.25 drugstore readers. yep, i know those aren't even that strong, but i can hardly read a thing without 'em. urgh!

6. we had revival at our church last week. i know. usually people will say, "we had a revival at our church" which i guess basically means the same thing. and i'm not picking at anyone out there, i'm just generalizing here, okay? i guess when you say "a revival" it kinda sounds like something you take outta a box, ya know? anyhow... even if we did say "a revival" our church and community was revived. Dr. Stan Frye was the 'evangelist'. it's in quotes because he's not actually an evenagelist. he's a missionary. he's been pastor of some giant churches, some that started out tiny...and for years, he's been going over to africa on these trips. not your average mission trip. he went to places that mission boards weren't sending people. you can read more about it on the website. but the man is fascinating. i don't think i've ever met anyone so on fire and literally anguished for lost souls. he was in a wreck over there at the very beginning of setting up this missions organization, when there really was no one to contact, etc.... and his best friend died in his arms. he told the story to us and it was traumatic to me just to hear him tell it through his tears. he preached without fluff, without apology and without caring whether he was going to hurt your feelings. he told you what you needed to hear. that i'm not doing enough for God. that i'm not focused on what's really important and one day, i'm going to have to answer for that. that i need to put the Lord first in my life and let the rest of it fall into place (and it will). he really "socked it to me". and i really needed that.

7. and in that spirit, i'm going to tell you some of the things the Lord has done for me. first off, he saved my soul from eternal damnation. that's probably not popular to say, but it's the truth. i was eight when i went up after the preacher's daughter came back to where i was crying (everyone else was!) and asked me if i wanted to be saved. (well, of course i did! i didn't quite understand what that was at the time, though) i went on and got baptised and thought i was all okay. really, i never gave it much more thought, being a snot-nosed kid and all. but during an evening service one night when i was 11, i felt something. i didn't know what it was, though. when i went to bed that night, i couldn't sleep. i tried and i tried, but i just couldn't. something the preacher said was making me wonder if i was really saved or not. i went crying downstairs to my parents' bedroom to get some help... for some reason neither mom or dad would wake up fully (unusual) and so i had to go pray it out myself until i felt this gigantic weight lift off me.
the next morning (at that time, we did saturday night & sunday morning services) i went up during invitation. i guess they misunderstood me again because they treated like a rededication and at the time, i didn't know for sure if that was what it was or not. but now, i believe that's the night i got saved. not when i was eight.
*heh* how's that for confusing? :)
God kept me safe through my school years. being a kid with diabetes was probably a lot more dangerous back then than it is now. we didn't carry meters to school because they were too expensive! my blood sugar probably stayed way too high most of the time! but i never had any bad complications til after i had both my kids.
speaking of kids... if you can believe it, i occasionally still get the "i didn't know diabetics could have kids" remark. even in the 'twenty-aughts"! lol! God gave me two healthy, cuddly baby boys who've grown into two healthy, handsome, intelligent young men. what a blessing!
He saw me through the horrible depression that followed having my thyroid gland completely destroyed when I was diagnosed with grave's disease. having your thyroid levels go from 5x above normal to zilch? um... not good! that was a dark time, but God helped me make it back to the light.
God pulled me through the nightmarish Stevens-Johnson syndrome. go. read. keeping in mind that before i was finally admitted to the hospital for my two week stay, i'd already been to the e.r. twice in the past 10 hours and sent home. *sigh* see how much the Lord's brought me through?
for some reason, He keeps me around down here. and what a poor example i am. *hangs head in shame*

this past week has rekindled my thirst for the Lord. it's brought our family to church when otherwise, we wouldn't have gone. it's put a desire in us to go at times when we haven't been. i just pray that we can stay close enough to The Fire that we don't let our flame die down.

okay...tag seven people? i'm not sure i even know seven people who still remember me anymore! *siiigh* lemme think a minute.... *think, think, thi...* OUCH! ahhh, okay. how's about marty of not to scale, k8 of two wild monkeys (if she ain't off havin' a baby already), michele of coffee soups, moni of tuff toenail (if she ain't off havin' a baby already), dia of diamonds in the rough, linda of linda's lunacy and osray of being there. ha! i did it!

now...let's see how many-a them do it! hmmmm.....

Posted by subject G~ at 02:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

keep a u.s. citizen out of a mexican jail
(it's about more than the dog, I promise

the above petition is about more than keeping a former drug-addicted-turned-aging-bounty-hunter dude from being tried on ridiculous charges and sentenced to years in a Mexican jail. it's about insisting upon a little sanity. on a little control at our borders. y'know... those kinda things.

[EDITAGE::: after reading this over again, i see that i should have indicated in some way that personally, i'm okay with the dog. i've watched him on several occasions. he's an... erm... eccentric fella. *heh* but what he does is good. he takes people off the streets and not only that, he tries to counsel them. he (and his "posse") tries to make them see what they're throwing away by following the criminal path. he cares for them. so even though duane is a rather rough, even scary looking guy with his thin feather-laden braids interspersed through that blonde poof he usually sports up top and the terminator sunglasses and the leather arm bands, vest-on-skin with matching pants... well, i think underneath it all probably lies a heart of gold.

there you go, dog. i'm with ya, bra. ;) :::END OF EDITAGE]

the gif links to a prezidential canditate's website (a dude i'd never heard of, but i liked what he had to say)... his was the most professional, sensible petition (i've found many sites w/letters or petitions on dog's behalf) and was addressed to the proper authorities. your geographical info is sent to your state capital, then your senator/representative signs the petition (and i assume a number is attached to the signature according to how many signatures are actually submitted)

okay... next topic? the whole ru+ger's thing?? and i have to grit my teeth to just call it "a thing", but to keep my site off the search engine radar, that's what i'll call it... wait. no. it was an outrage. i dunno about any other women out there... women who, like me, are not black, but i was completely livid about this thing. most of you probably know, but in case there's anyone who doesn't... there are two white ladies on the team. one of them spoke quite a bit at the initial news conference (at least i think it was the first one) and she seemed to be just as furious as any other woman on that team. i know i felt totally insulted by it.

now, i'm no women's libber. (lol!) but i am all about respect and the complete injustice of referring to a group of people in such a derrogatory way without any thought to the consequences. i'm not into the "fire him/don't fire him" debate and i'm surely not waving any banners behind one of the main "civil rights" fellas who has been making the rounds on all the news programs and confronting the ignorant dolt who made the comments... no way.

i just believe that as HUMAN BEINGS? we oughta be a little incensed about this. juuuust a tad. *duh* am i for dumping free speech? nope. but i am for public insistance upon cordial treatment of others. i do think that public speakers, especially PAID broadcasters, should be held accountable for what they say.

i know the law and lady justice are blind. that's obvious with just a quick read through the constitution and bill of rights, but that's what humans are for. (i started to say 'judges', but here lately? i'm not sure 'judges' and 'humans' are always one and the same what with many of them repeatedly turning loose rapists and drunk drivers. *gah*)

see? that wasn't so nice, was it? but it wasn't directed at a particular judge or even a certain "team" of judges. it was a general statement with the qualifier "some" thrown in to show i'm open to the possibility that there could perhaps be a judge who is also a human out there somewhere. besides that? it wasn't even a nasty thing to say!

all i'm saying is that we as a society need to grow a brain, a conscience and pick up a moral compass before we check out with the miracle-gro.

the formerally guilty-as-sin but now innocent-as-doves duke lahcrossey players? more horrible injustice here.

i think the good-for-nothing da should be run out on a rail... okay, he should be sued AND charged with all the screwups he made in this whole thing. and this woman? this exotic dancer s t r i p p e r ... let's just be truthful here, uhkay? so the rumor on her is that she has some mental problem and so she didn't know what she was doing or some such drivel. *gag*

gee, `dep-a-dy` barney... then that oughta be all the more reason to go pick 'er up, doncha think?

she needs a thorough mental evaluation, and heck, there should probably be all the other physical afflictions the three students were subjected to while we're at it. fair's fair, after all. let's see how mentally stable she is. if she's got a li'l problem (hmm, maybe the kind that comes in a bottle or syringe? we wonders...) then by all means, lock her up in some "treatment facility" where she can be safe (AND OTHERS CAN BE SAFE FROM HER in case she cries wolf again & pairs up with another despicable da, kwim vern?)

but really, an equally big outrage? where are the so-called 'civil rights leaders' who have been squawling like banshees over the whole eyemush (perfect name for him, don't you think? *heh*) comments??? are they screaming about the year that was stolen and turned into a nightmare and a financial drain for these young men and their families??? um.,, nope.

these boys had CRIMINAL CHARGES leveled against them, had their names, addresses and photos plastered ALL OVER television, the internet and most every newspaper around the world! as disgusted as i am over the ru+gers deal, i am even more nauseated by this injustice. is it really like that? are we really willing to ignore such a horrible thing just because we're all ashamed of what some ignorant, arrogant, offensive old white man said??

does the press feel too guilty to expose the inconsistencies?? do we feel to embarressed by our attitudes and words that might sound too much like eyemush's?? dear Lord, i hope that's not it. surely we're more mature, more informed and educated or more well behaved than that?

*sigh*

wanna discuss it? EMAIL ME!!!! if i have the time annnnd the brain cells, we'll chaw the fat about this stuff. if not, i'll still respond. i just like getting your emails! :)

on the same subject as this whole post, but sorta kinda totally different.....

CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW TIGHT MY NECK AND SHOULDER MUSCLES ARE???

nope. i guarantee you can't. (& neither can this cat! LOL!)

ttfn----

ps::: i'm getting closer on the wordpress stuff. well, at least i THINK i am.... only time will tell, i s'pose. *heh*

Posted by subject G~ at 01:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

eh. i dunno. i guess that's pretty much right.

unless i have a headache.

Posted by subject G~ at 05:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Create your own Friend Quiz here

c'mon people. take the test. i'm reeeeaally curious. *hee hee*

~hugs~

Posted by subject G~ at 03:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

i have this huge migraine today. well, no. it's not exactly a migraine, but my head is killing me. i think it's mostly from the meds i've been taking for the lovely uti i have. gah. i'm not feeling so great today.

but!! i wanted to tell you about this cool party thing i stumbled across today. THE ULTIMATE BLOG PARTY you can find the link there on the sidebar. it's a way to get your blog "out there" in another community of christian families. it's mostly moms, i believe... but you dudes could stop by i suppose. lol! i dunno... there may be some sort of security deal in place that will zap any xy chromosonals who try to access the site. hey, chrys.... *heh*

anyhow.. this is in anticipation of feeling in a wonderfully partyful mood by the time march gets here. surely! i know for me, it is about time to feel more partyful and less whateverish i've been feeling for the past two months.

blah.

so ya'll please cruise on over to 5 minutes for mom and read about all the fun they're planning! prizes even! p r i z e s ! ! !

woah!

i'm so there! i haven't won anything in a coon's age! well, except for that rummy game at linda's. roflol! boy, did i win! woo-hoo! *heh*

but they didn't give me a prize, so i gotta make it over to 5mfm for that party! hafta!

off to do... something now. *whimper*

wishing you a happy, warm, non-headachy, uti-less day. ; Þ

Posted by subject G~ at 01:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

click this link

it's supposed to be linked to a specific, very zoomed area on the map. in the center is a tiny yellow dot-square-linkie thing.

i need you to click on that. and vote yes.

if you remember anything i've told you about my neck of the woods, this place will have a certain signifigance to you.

*heh*

Posted by subject G~ at 05:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (0)

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 0 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Posted by subject G~ at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by subject G~ at 10:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Picto-Personality Test You are a person who is very calm and kind. You go out of your way to help people who need your help. When alone, you appreciate being able to do nothing if you want to, and setting your own pace for things. You are laid back. Anything goes, with you. In the future you will be wise and healthy.

Take this Test at QuizGalaxy.com

my immediate response to that last sentence was "WHEN?!?!" but just as quickly i thought "ahhh, in heaven... tried to trick me that time..." *heh*

Posted by subject G~ at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

i'm serious!

Posted by subject G~ at 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by subject G~ at 12:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All-Around Smart You are all-around smart. Essentially, that means that you are a good combination of your own knowledge and experience, along with having learned through instruction - and you are equally as good with theoretical things as you are with real-world, applied things. You have a well-rounded brain. 40% applied intelligence 40% learned intelligence

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

is this good or bad?

Posted by subject G~ at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Your Social Dysfunction: Normal Being average in terms of how social you are, as well as the amount of self-esteem you have, you're pretty much normal. Good on you.

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com Please note that we aren't, nor do we claim to be, psychologists. This quiz is for fun and entertainment only. Try not to freak out about your results.

Posted by subject G~ at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Posted by subject G~ at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

pretty slick trick, eh? :)

well, *l* thought so...

Posted by subject G~ at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBacks (0)

I've always thought those "what i'm doing right now" jiggies on other peoples' blogs were neat. i never took the time to try and put one on my blog, not even when i could read and write the blasted code myself (i'm so sick of this blah blue!!!) but still, it's neat. so here... just this once and in post form

• listening to: the dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer ... and occasinoally a random unitelligible utterance from male offspring in the back somewhere
• smelling: a soft petals Gl@de melty candle oily thingie --mmmmm
• reading: just my Bible, but not nearly enough and a hilarious email i might share later
• feeling: better than usual, thank God! i ran around town all day saturday by myself (imagine! i actually had a vehicle! happy day!) i was sickish with that stupid intestinal ick a bit sunday, and achy again, but not feeling horrible like i have for the past almost-2-weeks. today? well, obviously, i've been working some thus my audio listings above *heh* i've even scrubbed in the bathrooms, if you can believe that i am pretty stiff today... it is only 40 degrees and that feels warm after earlier this morning! *brrr* so anyhow, the cold always makes me feel really stiff and achy, but on top of the stiff muscles, it can be murder sometimes! overall, though? i'm doin' great for the shape i'm in. *huge grinning wink*
• wondering: gah! lots of stuff! my mamaw's been in the hospital since thursday before last. she went in hemorrhaging from the bowels and ended up in icu for a couple days... now she requires oxygen 24/7 and is unable to even get to the bathroom by herself. there's a long story here that i'll save for another post, but what to do about mamaw's care and the ugliness that could ensue has my mom in a bad way and me very concerned.

  i also wonder when we'll ever get this blasted exploder fixed. the tranny's kinda stuck up under the thing, which is as far as tommy and the boys could get it after working all day (corey and tommy) and then having to "waller" around in the cold wet gravels under a 250lb or so tranny? *shudder* now it's even colder out, so i just dunno when it'll get done. it's kinda not so pressing now that we do have something else to drive, but it's the principle of the thing, i guess.
  and all the tools laying all over.
  and the two passenger side windows that are down because they needed them down so as to yell directions for driving up on the ramps... then the fuse blew... then another fuse.
  it was nice out, they needed to get the tranny out and over to the tranny guy in a hurry, so the windows were kinda put on the back burner, so to speak. apparently when the tranny comes out, the starter goes too, so the windows are down for the duration and the black garbage bags in gusty wind-whipping rain just don't cut it.
  urgh. i took a roll of duct tape to the things yesterday when it was nice and dry and nobody else was home. i'm sick of worrying about those bags flappin' around out there!

  i wonder a bunch of other things too, but for now, i gotta shup.

i'm off to town now. gotta get some keys made, buy some sustinence and such. i'm headed to the winter clothes totes to dig out some long underwear!

baby, it's cold outside! (yeah, i'm a weenie. so whacha gon' do about it?)

*heh*

have a warm, peaceful day, friends!


Posted by subject G~ at 02:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Absolutely unrelated things that are or have been going on around here lately....

• tomorrow is "d-day" for the friend that I've kinda 'been with' from the beginning (almost 4 yrs now) of her divorce odessey. finally, after all manner or her foot-dragging or his plain ol' sorryness (like not paying his lawyer)... the day is finally here. i think she must have called me as soon as she got the court date confirmation in the mail. she didn't ask me outright to come stay with her and we got interrupted, so it was about a week later that i called and left her a voicemail saying that if she wanted me to, i'd be there. she called back about 30 minutes later to say she did.

  *deeeeep breath* so, tomorrow is the day. i dread it just because of all it represents, even though there really seemed to be no reconciliation possible because he wasn't interested in marriage unless she was fine with him running all over town with whomever he pleased. um, yeah....

• yesterday i got a phone call from a lady at "our" church... the one we'd gone to and belonged to for so long, but haven't attended regularly in over a year. very, very odd since even when we were there every week, this gal and i didn't have much in common and she never spoke to me. anyhow, she proceeded to say how maybe i didn't know her, but she was such-n-such from church, y'know, from sunday school class, and they were going to have a cookout on monday and she was just calling to let everyone know.

  i. was. dumbfounded. *blink, blink* to say the least!! anyhow, so i just asked some pertinent questions about the time and such and said i'd find out from tommy if we could come. he laughed more than i did. *sheesh*

  seriously, none of these people have spoken to us or ever called to see where we were in almost two years now! very odd.

• i haven't been having big major headaches, at least not all the time. only occasionally, thank God! today, though i found this knot/bump/whatever on the back of my head on the left side. (thus the post title!) it's sore as can be and once i realized it was there, i noticed that when i do have a minor headache, the pain can radiate from there. i have no clue when or where i could have gotten it. hmmmm........
• last week we got yet another blasted eyeareess-ish type letter. this one was from the state, though. it looks as though i may have been deducting the amount tommy pays for health insurance premiums when i shouldn't have. although i have no idea how that can possibly be legal. on our forms there's a reference to 'cafeteria plan', which is not a term used EVER at t's work. sheesh! i assumed that when you pay the stinkin' premiums with the money you earned then you paid the premiums with the money you earned!!!! if there's some distinction to be made between preteeax and after teeaxes, then MAKE IT, but daggone it, he worked just as hard for his money as the other guy did. why aren't his insurance premiums eligible to deeduct? i am madder than fire over this.

  they want info for FOUR YEARS so we may be sunk, children. sunk for sure. the only way i've stayed sane (well, mostly sane) is to just keep laying it at Jesus' feet...crying out to Him. i really don't know what we'll do. case is needing glasses, corey will need a new pair very soon and folks, the g~ is needing them bad! *sigh* life is feeling heavy these days... a-ton-of-lead heavy.

• case signed up for b-ball at the Y last week on what was billed to be the laaaast day of sign ups. when we called the next week to find out why we hadn't heard from anyone about the schedule, we were told they didn't get the "response" they'd hoped and so they had extended the signups another week. i called back at the beginning of the next week and they put me on with the guy over the program. he told me they barely had enough kids sign up for two teams, let alone a whole league!!! argh!

  i was afraid something like this would happen after last year's sorry program. *sigh* i just hate it for casey. he's improved sooo much over last year! i was really looking forward to seeing him play, even if i do have to wear earplugs to the gym! ;)

• thursday begins the world famous chicken festival. (don't ask) if you're reeeeaally curious, you can go here to learn more. both the boys will be patrolling with the emt cadet program each evening. oh, and the forecast is for rain each night. of course it is. bah.
• oh, one last thing... don't ask me why cuz i'm not quite sure, but i went and got myself a myspace account. i don't intend to blog over there, but it is something that is strangely appealing and oddly addictive. *pthththt* i'm having a horrible time trying to find a decent pic of myself in which my nose doesn't look like rodney dangerfield's. urgh!!! if you're on it and i haven't tracked you down for an add, then add me!! ;)

well, i guess that's it for now. i really should have already hit the hay. i do have a headache right now and have to be up early to get to the courthouse. *siiiiigh* yick!

have a wonderful rest of the week!

blessings----

Posted by subject G~ at 10:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

...in the meantime I thought I'd leave you with a pick-me-up. If your weather is as gray and gloomy as mine has been for the past week or so, then you might need this as much as I did. However, I gotta admit, one dose was pretty much enough for me...even though, it is pretty stinkin' funny!!!

I promise to try and get together a real semi-live post as soon as I can. I've actually even started a couple, but just could never pull them together, ya know? *sigh* But we're all good here. Busy with school and such.

Appreciate the love ya'll give me! :)

Here's more energy than any one person should ever have. Be sure to turn up the sound, put on your aerobic shoes and....Enjoy.

Posted by subject G~ at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

The nominees for Best Desktops have been announced and here are a few of those vying for nods in the People category:

"Being Cool With A Poodle"

"Whaddya Mean 'Gimme My Hat?' "

"Bow-Shootin' Buddies"

"It's My Turn To Shower - - No, It's Not!"

"Being Cool 101 - - 1989 Edition"

"Baby In A Bucket - - 1994"

Be sure to cast your votes!! (yeah, yeah... you can vote more than once! LOL!)

Posted by subject G~ at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Just wanted to mention the awful plane crash at Bluegrass Airport on Sunday morning. We were stunned when we sat down to watch our favorite preacher to find all the news reports had preempted the service.

As the reports kept coming in all day, some of the names started coming out. The honeymooning couple they mentioned? We knew them sort of indirectly. And what a really strange bizarre way we knew them...

First, the bride's father is a friend of Tommy's. He owns a tire store here and over the years has been so kind as to let us make payments on tires. He's also a big kart enthusiast, so of course they spent a lot of time together talking about that stuff.

The groom is the guy who Mom bought her set of Golden Retrievers from about 18 months ago. She's also known his grandmother for years. A friend of ours goes to church with his mother. He played baseball and so my cousins knew him well since they were also great baseball enthusiasts and had always followed their son and daughter's high school and college ball careers.

The bizarre part comes now. I get kind of light headed when I think about it. Seriously. It's that weird.

I had a young 22 year old first cousin who died in a car crash about 5 years ago. He was a baseball player and so was pals with the groom from the plane crash. Deano was in some turmoil, trying to figure out what to do with his life. He'd just dropped out of college. He'd just finished rebuilding a souped-up engine for his pick-up. He had a pretty, popular girlfriend, so in a lot of ways, he had the world by the tail too... Nobody's sure what happened on that curvy road... Did he just think he could take the curve going too fast? Was he not paying attention? Was he trying to top someone else's speed? Was he under the influence of something?

We never knew. His truck exploded immediately upon the tremendous impact with a large tree. There was nothing left but enough to tell that it used to be a truck. Deano was gone entirely. It was a horrible experience for us all.

The bride from the plane crash was Deano's girlfriend at the time of his death.

God has a plan, even if I don't understand it.

And I really, really don't.

I thank You Lord, that You are in control and not me!

Posted by subject G~ at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

Hey you guys! Thanks for all the sweet comments. I'm alive and mostly well, comparitively speaking. ;) I've been really busy but I have been working on a post... it's just not finished yet.

But I did run across something that I couldn't keep to myself. No, make that I didn't WANT to keep it to myself. I've never been to/heard of this place before and somehow linked to it while looking for some other info that in no way, shape, form or fashion is in any way related to this topic and well... I thought some of you might be having a slow day or something...

If you figured out any earthshattering reasoning behind this thing... please share it with the rest of us. I am completely stumped because hey, I thought all them people over there were supposed to be all sophisticated and stuff.....

*scratching my head*

Posted by subject G~ at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

THURSDAY
#1

planning a surprise party is harder than I thought it'd be

#3

it was a good way to celebrate the big four-oh for Tommy

#4

even though way less than half the people who were invited showed up, which confirmed my suspicions a good time was had w/the fine company present

#5

like elements gather in one place

#6

Mutants really aren't so scary when they aren't eating and, well, you know....they wipe their mouthses and stuff...

SATURDAY

#7

A yapping poodle, and expressive children who delightfully express their delight at seeing said poodle, who in turn then yaps all the louder, which in turn either further delights or scares the bejeebers out of said children which of course, will bring expressions of delight and/or terror issuing forth loudly from their angelic little mouths, which in turn.... well, you get the picture, no? Well, all those things and The Monster? Not a good mix. Oh, and add to that a blood sugar of :

um... yeah... I didn't feel so good for quite some time on Saturday when all of the Lindases were here. But thank God, the sugar finally went down and the headache finally eased to a dull throb, the ears to a low trill and I could enjoy a little conversation. Thank You, Lord!

#8

now I know why fancy people take photos around their house before they have a big party....

...so they can like, tell when somebody's been in the medicine cabinets and stuff...

{this used to be one of those stress ball things--the cover wore off (sooprize!) and all that was left was this squishy balloon, apparently filled with flour (I wondered what was in there. now I know!) I s'pose somebody got interested in seeing their very own pix on my screensaver and poked my squishy? That's my theory... but I haven't heard back from the detective yet. It probably would work better if I actually cleaned up the desk first so you could tell the mystery mess from the usual, everyday mess, eh? LOL!!

Ahhhh.... and I slept most of the day Sunday except for awhile when my friend Karen came by for a visit. Nothing much to do but sleep when you don't have any mode of transportation and you're stranded at home because someone took the only vehicle you have... *AHEM*corey*COUGH*mel*HACK*

;) It was okay this time, though... I really REALLY needed the sleep!

Posted by subject G~ at 09:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Two guys who worked together were both laid off, so off they went to the unemployment office. When asked his occupation, the first guy said, "Panty stitcher...I sew the elastic onto women's panties."

The clerk looked up panty stitcher. Finding it classified as unskilled labor, she gave him $300 a week unemployment pay.

The second guy was asked his occupation. "Diesel fitter," he replied.

Diesel fitter is listed as a specialized job, so the clerk gave the second guy $600 a week.

When the first guy found out he was furious. He stormed into the office to find out why his friend and co-worker was collecting double his pay.

The clerk explained, "Panty stitchers are unskilled, and diesel fitters are skilled labor."

image courtesy of googly-goo

"What skill?!" yelled the panty stitcher. "I sew the elastic and he pulls on it and says, 'Yep, dese'll fit 'er.'"

So boys and girls, using the correct (*shrugs* or sometimes incorrect) terminology is very VERY important.

Thank you.

Posted by subject G~ at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

I just wanted to let ya'll know that things are... well, "a-goin'" around here.

The mess that Daddy, T and Corey worked on last Sunday? Dad got a call at around 5am Monday morning saying the offices were flooded. GAH! So much for sleeping in. (the plan was to wait til lunch to start work) Mom even ended up having to go help do some cleanup.

Thing is, it's not the place they worked on that caused this flood. It's a long complicated story, so I'll spare you (and me!) but it's obviously a big worry. Will they try to stick Dad with all the expenses? Will they try to sue him?! Will his insurance pay for it? Will they drop him?!?

Sheesh. So... he's in a pretty precarious mood. I just feel so bad for him. Tommy feels like he should have done some things differently. But on the other hand... the whole building is pretty old, and is one of those "add on over the years" kinda thing. Know what I mean? They've added a room here, a production line there, etc., etc. Each time, adding some water or drainage lines to existing stuff. Etc, etc., etc. BLAH!

To me, who hasn't even been there and knows next to nothing about such things, it would seem that even if you used some mega-mondo thingamabob (I'm trying not to divulge too many details here while still making a little sense... yeah... ) given that you had a larger water line (a much larger one) that surges back and forth, thus causing motion, etc.... even using a stronger coupling would not have helped because ... as demonstrated here... the line will pull apart somewhere else.

SHEESH!

But of course, if things go in the terlet, they are going to argue differently and try to blame this on Dad. Lord help us!

*sigh*

Okay... so much for fast.

Anyhow... they go again this Sunday to try again. Corey is taking TONS of pictures. (go, Corey!) and I swear, I'm thinking maybe they need to get some neutral party to come in at least for a minute to see what they're doing. y'know... like an inspector or something. just someone to say what they see. I dunno. I'm going nuts)

So far, seems Mom and Dad are dealing with the whole thing pretty well, but I know they're stressed. *sigh*

Okay, well, I'm off to mow the yard and see what else I can get done while I'm feeling like tackling some a-beggin' chores!

Ta-tah & have a great day!!

UPDATE: um... i had a motor vehicle accident. i wrecked the lawn mower. *growling at self* it's mom's fault. she flagged me down as i mowed the path between our houses, so i stopped to talk to her a second and as is her usual practice, she had stuff to give me. sheesh! she came out with a shirt on a hanger. "um... no, mom." okay, she tells me 'come back and get that later'. gee, thanks! then she runs in to get a bowl of mushmelon. *cantelope* for you city folk. heh. i thought, cool, i can do that.. and it'll sure taste good after mowin' is done... so up to the house i go at a pretty good clip... up the little hill where the telephone pole is... when the bowl slipped, and the wheel kicked ... and i almost got whiplash, broke my knee and threw out my back! put it big gash in the pole, but THANK GOD, it didn't tear up the mower! you don't know HOW thankful i was for that! i'll eventually, probably heal up, but that mower? it'd cost a fortune to get fixed! gah. anyhow...um, the day didn't end up being so productive as i'd hoped... but at least i didn't die. and the mower still works. *whew*

Posted by subject G~ at 09:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

time: late afternoon

setting: after Mother has gotten me out of bed for a long, hot day of errand-running, she's dropping me off at my house and she mentions feeling very tired and I say...

So do I!!

Mother, with hyper-concerned tone- You too?? I thought you were feeling better.

Me, with my calm-down-it's-nothing-to-freak-out-about tone- Yeah, I had been. I think it's just because Aunt Flo(w) is coming.

Mother, with wide-eyes and panicked tone- Aunt Flo's coming? Is she going to stay with you?

Me, not knowing if she's kidding or not- Um...yeah. For a little while.

Mother, obviously wondering why I don't have my house in better shape for company [and she's NOT kidding]- When is she coming?

Me, getting way too tickled at Mom now- I'm not sure. But she's due any day now.

Mother, incredulous- You don't know for sure when she'll be here?!?!? Is it Fred's sister or one of Lola's sisters? (FIL & MIL)

Me, feeling it's just too much to take now- Mother...Aunt Flow...F-L-O-W...y'know...that time of the month...fatigue, cramps...YOU KNOW!!!????

Mother, flustered and a little embarrassed- Oh good grief! I've never even heard such a thing before! *slight chuckling* Go away!

Sheesh. This older generation. What will they not think of next?

Posted by subject G~ at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Okay, people. You'll realize once I get on with this post that I've obviously been thinking about the topic for quite some time. I wasn't sure I'd post about it, though.

But I've decided I will. Why? Well, I'm not yet sure about that part. I've debated about whether posting my thoughts here would be
1) embarrassing to myself or
2) embarrassing to my husband or
3) make him angry instead or
4) be discouraging to anyone who knows me as a Christion (which I'd hope is everyone, but *sigh*...) or
5) all of the above.

The more I thought on it though...the more I thought it might instead be an encouragment. If nothing else, it would be an example for pointing to and saying See? I don't have it so bad! Ha! ;) or It's not just us...everyone has problems.

Anyhow, the topic? Marriage. My marriage, to be exact.

Our 21st anniversary will be here in two days. Yep. Two days. It's weird how that doesn't seem possible. I mean, 20 seemed like such a monumental accomplishment (by the grace of God!) and it's not that we're all like Oh, has it really been 21 years?! Um no. We're more like Are you sure it isn't like 81? Check the date again...

*sigh*

Maybe it's just the stage of life we're in now, but it seems every single day it becomes more obvious how little we have in common. It seems the kids and the mortgage are the only common threads that connect us to each other anymore.

Sounds dismal, eh?

I could go into a big tirade of all the long-standing disagreements we've had over the past two decades. I could recount for you the defining moments when I didn't think we were going to make it through. All the ways I feel he's abandoned me....and maybe times I've made him feel that way too. *sigh*

After all this time? It's just a literal pile of crap. Unresolved issues that, when brought up in an effort to finally resolve them...well, let's just say they n-e-v-e-r get resolved.

So anyway...it seems like perhaps maybe in the past week or so that he might be showing a little interest in trying to figure things out and make them better before it's just me and him left here with nothing to talk about. It's so hard not to just blow that off because he's like that...really gung ho about something for a day or two, then nothing.

As it stands, I just feel really sick over how we've failed at our duty to our kids, to our family, let alone to each other. I've always felt like I tried "more" to make things work. I'm not sure how Tommy feels about that, but it's my take on how it's been. I suspect he may agree. He's spent a lot of time working, very hard and very long, but all that amounted to was a lot of time away from home. As a young wife, it was hard not to be angry that he didn't spend or "want to" spend that time with me. And then there were the ideas that got planted by others...maybe he wasn't where he said he was....etc., etc. None of which was true, of course, but when you're young...ya know.

*sigh*

I just wish we'd both had better training to be a married couple, ya know? I wish we'd understood what was really important, how to communicate effectively with each other. I wish we'd been mature enough, not necessarily in age, but emotionally and spiritually, to build a stronger marriage.

Ah well...but perhaps God has had another plan in mind all along. I'm finding it hard to reach Him these days too. There are moments when I can pray earnestly for this situation, for the boys and others in my life....but then there are times I just feel there's nothing in me to reach with. Can anyone relate to that?

I know God isn't very pleased with the way we've been living our lives. Not that we're boozin' and doin' drugs now, but we're not at all where we should be with Him...we've allowed Him to be pushed to the outskirts of our lives from the center, where is His rightful place. Pushed out by worries, anger, hateful actions of others, etc., etc.

But I also know He is a forgiving God. I'm trying so hard to get back under His wing where I belong. I think Tommy might be trying too, in his own way. I pray that he is, anyway.

So....I ask that you would pray for us when it comes to your mind, please. We need emotional and spiritual healing. It seems to me everywhere I turn, there's hurt...in my marriage, bitterness from my kids (maybe? can't tell WHAT it is?!), anger at myself, deep wounds from people in churches who've tried (and succeeded somewhat) to cause division in our marriage..... We just need to heal.

So if you think of it, or when you think of me, please lift us up and know I thank God for you all everytime I think of you.

Thanks.

Posted by subject G~ at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

ALWAYS BE PREPARED

Posted by subject G~ at 02:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

"Life's Just A Bowlful of Cherries"

Whoever came up with that??? I'd like to know! Really!!

Aren't we led to believe that means something great and wonderful? That if your life is "just a bowful of cherries" then you're to be envied? Right?

Well, whoever that was oughta be kicked in the pants!

Cuz see, I recently ate a bowful of cherries and my experience since then hasn't been anything near great or wonderful or anything even the biggest idiot would envy.

Good grief!!

So don't let 'em fool you. Whenever someone says that life is just a bowlful of cherries, what they reaaaaaally mean is you'd better pick up some of this on the way home.

For some stomach disorder fun of your own, click here....

Posted by subject G~ at 03:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm SERIOUS!!

See?

Oh wait...I mean "Drawing a BLANK!" Gah!! I just can't think of a thing to write. Even though there are the usual gobs o' gas and corrals o' crap going on around here.

Maybe it's that I don't feel like taking the time to write about it.

YA THINK?!?!?!

Sheesh.

Okay...lemme concentrate reeeeal hard....

Oh, okay here's something: Casey went with Corey to the annual fireworks thingie where Corey and the other Cadets patrol. He just wanted to go hang out since, really, he'd never been. We've just never really felt like going in there like four or five hours early so we could park close enough to avoid a 3-mile hike into the place, then try surviving the heat (surrounded by nothing but kiddie stuff...picture huge blowup bouncy things-GAH!) and THEN, THEN...trying to get outta the place after the fireworks are over?!?!

Forget about it!!!

The Cadets who don't drive themselves over get "hauled over" in an ambulance. (funny, huh?) Well, coming back? AN AMBULANCE sat in traffic INSIDE THE PARK for over 30 minutes!!!!! I couldn't figure out for the life of me why they didn't flip them lights on and fire up them si-reens. The kids that drove out? They were back at the station in about 13 minutes. SHEESH!

Anyhow, so that's the story, mangled as it is, of why we never went. You can see the fireworks just fine withOUT going into The Pit of Mayhem and Misery. BUT while Casey was in there with the Cadets, the Cadet Supervisor asked Corey if he thought Casey would want to join the Cadets.

Corey told him that Case was just 13 (the minimum "stated" age is 14). Mr. Supervisor was a little shocked and commented on how mature Casey was. (he's obviously not sat around our dinner table, but that's another post) So he asked Case if he would be interested.

Last night, Casey went to his first meeting. This is after spending the last couple of days reading the first aid book through a couple of times and going over several quiz sheets Corey gave him. He came home with an official Cadet t-shirt and will be patrolling with the Cadets at the county fair next week.

*gulp*

We've asked him several times if he is sure this is something he can commit to, because it's really important. He says yes. So....here we go!

I hope it will be a good experience for him. That it will teach him some compassion for others, and a great amount of patience. I see it already kicking his butt to read. (I almost fell over when I saw him reading that book!! ;) Then to know he'd read it through? A COUPLE OF TIMES?!?!?)

All I can say is Praise the Lord!!! What an answered prayer that is!!! Now Lord, if he would only apply that kind of enthusiasm and responsibility to school work!!! Please?

Hmmm....

Okay...so I found something to write about after all. You knew I would, didn't you? (no smart remarks, you guys!! and you know who you are!!! =: |

I gotta run. I'm getting a handle on the house slowly, slowly...but had to go into town everyday this week since Tuesday. GAH! And have to go today to find Case some EMT pants!

EMT PANTS?!?!? What? Do I gotta go get 'em right off'n an EMT whilst he's a-wearin' 'em?!?!???!

*sigh* The things a mother does for her kids....

Posted by subject G~ at 09:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

So...about that mixing of paint...

=============
Remember when we painted the family room? That wall down the center? That runs into the kitchen, that doesn't have a breaking point upon which to stop with one color and start with another? Which means that center wall has to be the same color in both rooms? Even if one is a nice creamy color and the other is a strange green?

Well, I had planned all along to SOMETIME just do the entire kitchen with the creamy color. I have a chair rail height wallpaper border with clapboard-style paper underneath right now. Well, I always have had that kinda setup, just with different styles. After The Horrid Pink (which, yeah, I admit to loving at the time *sigh*) with a roses border, I went to This Green with a strawberries and blossoms on white lattice border and white clapboard with green shadowing beneath.

The reason I picked the color green that I did is because Mom offered to buy the paint for the kitchen. I was TRYING to pick paint that would match the rose border!!!! I didn't KNOW she was gonna turn around AFTER THE FACT and wanna buy new border too. GAAAH!

Anyhow...it is a very odd color green...it works okay, but I would never really choose it on its own mertis, ya know? Even me, the green lover that I am. This just isn't my kinda green. Too teal and bold to suit me, I guess.

Okay...so now Mom's bought me this border (you'll see in a sec). She EVEN let me pick it out! *GASP!* So I'M buying the paint, the top will be the same creamy color and below the gorgeous border will be another color instead of more paper.

This is what I'd started to put into another