Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Looks like a nail file stab wound now.

For those of you wondering, a quick update about my healing process:

Well, my incision no longer looks like a knife stab wound. Now it looks like an evil Leprechaun or elf stabbed me with a metal nail file....which I guess is better.

Note to self: (as provided to me by Andrew) "when given the wussy option at a doctor's office, take it." I, however, did not take the "wussy option."

You see....when my doctor first got done and packed my wound with iodine-soaked gauze that resembled a flat, white shoelace, I had been numbed with lidocaine earlier. So when I had to go back in on Friday for a repacking, the doctor asked, "do you want me to numb it or just pack slowly?"
"Will it hurt like it did Wednesday? [when it was numbed]"
"About the same."
"Okay then no....I don't need it numbed."
"Yeah, most people don't."


Wrong friggin' answer.

There was a steady and pointy jab......jab......jab into my incision as she threaded the replacement iodine-soaked packing into the wound. I know I was tense, looking like a Halloween cat freaking out. 3/4 of the way through, she stops, tells me to take a deep breath, and we start again.

By the time we were done, I was incredibly grateful, gauzed, taped, and on my way.

She says, "When you come back Sunday, they may want to repack it."


Jesus Christ.


I went back in on Sunday, doctor checked it out, and he said, "no, I don't see any reason to repack, but you may have some slight serum drainage."

So now I have a metal nail-file tip-sized hole that, when I change my bandage at home, decides to "cry." It's pretty damn gross, and I will be happy when it heals.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Our Future.............sigh.

Last night, Andrew and I went to a Japanese steakhouse (the kind with the hibachi grill, etc.) As we round the corner, we are seated with 9 LOUD and OBNOXIOUS others (they added their own chair) - all of which were no older than 17 or so - definite high schoolers off for Summer.

It was okay at first, the one guy introduced himself since "we'll be eatin' together and all." They were all laughing, and having a good time, said some disgusting comments, and the one girl with them said, "oh this is going to be like dinner with 5 year olds!"

Now...the rules are very clear in the restaurant's menu - first page, every page and last page...."all meals come with white rice, fried rice $1.50 extra," "gratuity added to parties of 6 or more," and "$4 seat charge for those persons seated but not eating."

Out of the 9, two eat. The others are just sitting there. One guy grabs the chopsticks and proceeds to stick them through his earrings of his pierced ears, twists them so that they are sticking out to the side, trying to poke his friend with them.

The other guy keeps reaching over and taking wasabi off the one guy that was eating's sushi plate and trying to force his girlfriend to eat it.

One girl decides to tell everyone how she can tell the difference between coke and cherry coke without looking at it.

One or two order cokes to drink.

Here comes the chef. The others are REALLY getting into it - like.....annoyingly so....so much that the chef gave them a rude look a few times with some things they were saying (pulling their eyes to the side and speaking in a mocked Japanese accent), etc.

We have dinner. The chef has gone to let us all eat.

One guy says, "I can't eat all of this," and a girl says, "I want some!"

So he grabs a few pieces of chicken with his chopstick, and the girl, instead of using a napkin, spoon, plate, holds her hand out, and he puts the chicken in her hand......that she starts to eat out of like a horse getting at treat.

She shoves her outstretched hand and fingers into her boyfriend's mouth and says, "here....eat some!" as she eats the chicken by her palm, and her boyfriend eats the chicken by her fingers.

The guy that gave her chicken apologizes for getting her hand dirty to which she replies, "Aw, it's okay. My hand was already dirty."

Here comes the check.

Stamped on their checks.....18% gratuity included, but there were no "seat charges." (The checks were lying next to us before the waiter passed them out.....because two of the people in the bunch that ordered cokes wanted cokes "to go.")

The two guys that ate freak out - $22 for THIS! $16 for THIS!

So genius chicken girl decides SHE can figure out why it's so expensive and snatches the $22 bill, "um - what's 'ter ch'?"

"My terriyaki chicken."
"Dude, they charged you for fried rice. I thought that came with your meal. I would so complain....what is gra......grat......grut.....gra-tut......gratuht-it..........well what is that?" (as she points to the 18% gratuity)
"That's because you guys sat here, we got charged for having more than 6 people."
"Well that's bullsh*t, too!"
"I'm not leaving ANYMORE of a tip!"

The waiter was VERY polite and explained that all meals came with white rice....not fried rice, and the guy didn't complain about the gratuity charge.

So as the bunch gets up (finally), they all laugh and giggle and steal all of the napkins.....since they were charged 18% gratuity.

I could not believe it. Andrew and I just shook our heads as we left. We both said the same thing about "genius chicken girl," wow.....your mother is proud."

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Fun times.

For the past couple of days, I had a lump on my breast that at first, didn't really bother me. However, by Tuesday, I was in such excruciating pain from it that it made sleeping difficult. By Wednesday, I wanted to vomit from the pain. I left work early at 4pm and headed to the Urgent Care near my home.

I got there at 4:45pm. I walked in, filled out paperwork, and was almost immediately seen.

The nurse took my vitals, and then brought me into a private room. When I showed her what I was talking about, her face went blank, and all she said was, "Oh my God. Let me get the doctor for you, dear."

In came the doctor, took a look at it, and said to the nurse, "Draw me up some lidocaine."

Nurse: "Are we going to open it up?"
Doctor: "Yes, we have to."

I knew what that meant. The doctor came, wiped the area clean (which had started out the size of a half-dollar and was now the size of half a dollar bill) with a Betadine solution then said, "it's gonna be a pinch and a burn" as he injected lidocaine into my breast.

Next thing you know, he has a scalpel and is opening me up. I couldn't feel the scalpel, but I could feel warm liquid running out, down my ribs and onto the exam table. The look on the nurse's face was of horror. The doctor said, "well....no pain at that part" as he started pushing and moving my skin around.

The nurse said, "that's A LOT of pus!" *gross*

The nurse moved towards my head and made a "this is gonna hurt" face as the doctor said, "ok, this is going to be the most uncomfortable part....I'm sorry."

By "uncomfortable" he meant VERY PAINFUL!

Basically, as he explained it to me AFTER he was done was that my wound was an infection. It was kind of like a 4-leaf clover when it grows and abscesses. He went in with hemastats and went North, South, East, West, pulling and applying pressure to each area (which was NOT numb) to make sure all of the pus and such was completely out and not hiding. I thought I was going to rip the table off.

All I said was, "ow...ow...ow...ow" as the nurse said, "you're being VERY brave."

I thought he was done, relieved, but he had to go in to another part a second time. FINALLY DONE WITH THAT........

He packed my open wound with iodine-soaked gauze and then covered it with gauze and tape.

I was in such pain that the nurse had to help me up from the table. I headed home (bra-less) with prescriptions for two antibiotics, 800 mg Ibuprofen, and Hydrocodone.

Today I thought I'd be better, but I woke up this morning in agony. I called into work (I was hoping to be to work today), and I spent 90% of my day in bed, recovering.

I go tomorrow to have my bandage changed, and I hope that he tells me how to change it at home because I am OCD when it comes to wounds and keeping them clean.

Monday, June 22, 2009

What the heck?!

I'm sitting here on South Cobb Drive near the Shell station light. I am in the right lane of a five lane (including turning lane) road. When all of a sudden, the light turns green, and the truck in front of me (Boar's Head delivery) starts going in reverse! NO reverse lights. All I hear is beeping and see this truck coming towards me. This is a road....not a driveway.

He slams on his brakes hard enough to rock his truck. I'm thinking, "what the Hell is he doing?!"

I sit there for a few seconds, put my turning signal on, and here he goes again - Reverse...beeping....coming closer to my car. I couldn't go anywhere - there was a line of cars behind me. I lay on my horn - he stops again. At this point, I'm pissed. Obviously, he can't see me....or the twenty other cars behind him flashing their lights, laying on their horns..............during the lunch hour.

I FINALLY get a chance to pass him when someone lets me in, and I LAY on my horn at him and glare at him. I looked in my rear view mirror to see him still reversing...down South Cobb drive....and into a shopping plaza parking lot (instead of just turning right into the Shell station, coming back out at the light, or using the cut through in the Shell parking lot).

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Rough and Tough Weekend

Andrew and I left at 6am Saturday morning to pick up Wisterria near Dublin, Georgia. Ugh. What a drive. It didn't help that we were about 30 minutes from the person's farm, and they call, ask where we are, and say they "got a family reunion to git to in a few minutes" but they "guess they could wait."

We get there, and POOR HORSES! NO grass. CRAPPY weedy hay. Scrap metal in pastures. Just SAD. Wisterria loaded on the trailer like a dream, and we were off. She rode quietly in the trailer the entire way.

We unloaded her at the new farm in Ball Ground, and I think she thought she died and went to Heaven.

Andrew was headed back to return the truck to his parents' house, and I was headed to take the boys (dogs) home. We get a call asking us if we can please come back and help with a colicking horse.

I was almost home, dropped the boys off, and Andrew turned around and went back to the barn.

We spent awhile herding around a colicking mare who was the hardest to catch before setting up some fence panels and herding her in. We gave her an injection, and got her settled for the night. It wasn't that exhausting, but phew - it was a chore. I went down with the owners' daughter and brought up two other horses, putting one mare in with her stallion in the round pen for breeding.

We stayed until about 10pm before heading out to eat, sleep, and do it all in the morning.

Andrew agreed to ride down with one of the owners to Fort Myers, Florida to help bring back some equipment from a relative. I watered the horses, drove the one of the farm's F-350 Dually trucks over to Andrew's parents house where he proceeded to replace the brake pads. We headed back to the farm, truck was emptied out, and they were on their way.

Then there were.....four: Me, farm owner, farm owner's daughter, and farm owner's mom who came by.

We got some grain, went down in the Mule and transferred moms and babies into another pasture, then we grained them. Then the fun part.

The farm owner's teenage daughter and I were bringing the yearlings down to a pasture: yearlings who hadn't been out in awhile. I got the pain in the ass.

Damn good thing I wore cowboy boots as they do not lead very well, and every little thing spooked them. I held on tight, dug my heels in, and let the big yearling colt swing around, hollering, me...avoiding feet as he went.....reeled him back in, and continued walking. After some bouts of spooking, hollering, rearing, me circling him, we got him down to the pasture.

I moved another horse over to another pasture, and then I had to go to meet friends for dinner.

I got home around 7pm or so, and PHEW! I took the boys out, put my food away in the fridge, and now I'm jumping in the shower.

Tomorrow, after work, I'm headed out there for some minor stuff: mucking Wisterria's stall, feeding, and watering the horses since it will only be the owner there tomorrow.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Grimm - 5 mths old - Sitz/Bleib commands


My WORST nightmare...

I hate spiders.

That shouldn't come as a shock to any of you that know me.

So what's the most horrific thing that could happen to someone who doesn't like spiders? Andrew answered it with, "tons and tons of spiders."

BINGO!

Last night, I walk inside, and something falls on me. I jumped sideways, brushing it off. At first, I thought it was a giant beetle that hangs out outside of my apartment. I couldn't figure out why the giant beetle brought ants with it - tons and tons of ants squirming and scattering all over my kitchen floor.

Then I realized what it was.

I saw more "ants" come off the "beetle's" body, and then I counted, "6-7-8....8 legs."

It was a friggin' WOLF SPIDER with its BABIES on its back! I.......freaked........out! I realized that these "ants" were its babies spreading out, covering my kitchen floor. I wanted to scream, I wanted to throw up, instead....I freaked out and cried.

First, I tried shooing the Wolf Spider away by throwing Post-Its at it (yeah it didn't work). I looked around (mind you, the babies are still scattering around the kitchen), and I grabbed my Gardening Insecticide and started blasting the Hell out of it. I covered the babies in it. If anything, I thought it would slow them down.

Then I doused "mom." Then I picked up Clorox spray..........and I doused everyone again (mom was STILL alive!), and I finished it off with a nice layer (*cough* half a can *cough*) of RAID.

The babies weren't moving, but my floor was soaked. "Mom" went underneath the fridge, but, before she did, she expelled all of the remaining babies on my floor *gag*

I waited a good hour before I got brave enough to grab an umbrella, and poke the spider to death. Well, I say "to death," but the fact it didn't move, and its entrails squished out probably means it was already dead.

My worst nightmare.....................and now my apartment smells like RAID.

Andrew tries to make me feel better, "Yeah, everytime I go out on the patio, I kill TONS of 'bad spiders' trying to make their way in." It's like THEY KNOW I don't like them! I think it's a spider coup!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Really? Do I seem that naive?

I had a woman call me at work, and this is how the conversation went:


Caller: Hello. This is Judy calling from your copier's customer service. I just need to get the serial number of your ImageRunner copier.

Me: (knowing she was going to try to sell me toner or just send one and bill us, I replied) We don't have an ImageRunner. (which we don't)

Caller: Yes, you do.

Me: No, we don't. We only have one copy machine here, and it is NOT an ImageRunner.

Caller: [getting mad] Uh, YES you do. If it's not an ImageRunner, what is it then?

Me: I don't know; it's in the other room. You know what? Let me go check......it's a Canon.

Caller: *scoff* Well that IS an ImageRunner.

Me: What is this in regards to?

Caller: [rude] I'm just calling to get the serial number. This is customer service.

Me: We don't have a sticker on the front. We do all of our customer service through another company.

Caller: This has nothing to do with that. [getting condescending] Right on the front where it says CANON IMAGERUNNER, it has the serial number. Starts with 224 and goes from there? I need that.

Me: What is this in regards to? We DO NOT have an ImageRunner nor a serial number sticker on the front of our copy machine.

Caller: It IS an ImageRunner *she hangs up*

---------------------------------------------

Right............."your copier's customer service." Damn, I wish I had been quick-thinking and said, "Damn! I didn't know my copy machine had its own customer service network working for it!"

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Isn't it funny how life works out sometimes?

I was without a horse, and I was missing doing some down and dirty manual labor.

I had accomplished unpacking every single box I had, planted three flower beds as well as planted a flower pot, and raked the entire backyard. There's not much manual labor left to do around here.

I put an ad on Craigslist (thinking it probably wouldn't be answered). I was wrong. It took a couple of weeks, but I had two responses. One was from a nice lady who owned two horses and rented a throw-together farm; however, she knew very little about horses. The second one seemed more promising: a prominent Quarter Horse, Paint Horse barn who was big time show people in the AQHA/APHA circuit before deciding to switch to eventing horses (think "Olympics").

They were in the process of moving into a larger facility and really needed some help.

We played phone tag a bit, and we finally caught up. We talked about their program, their location, and their plans of having a disabled veteran hippotherapy program there in the future.

Andrew and I drove out there Friday night: it is 20 miles away, and takes about that long to get there. That drive places us in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the community of Ball Ground, Georgia.

We miss the turn off for the barn the first go-round, but Andrew caught sight of it, "holy crap - look at that barn!"

We make a U-turn, pull into the driveway, and are confronted with a barn modeled after a French Chateau or English manor home. You know the main entry into the Biltmore? That's what this barn looks like. On either side there are 6 barn windows, pastures on either side, and a full-sized, lighted riding arena. As we walk inside, it is lined, on either side, with approximately 12-14 stalls, a wash area, a tack room, bathroom, and some other nooks and crannies.

We ended up staying for almost 6 hours talking to the owners. They are truly wonderful and kind people. We hit it off immediately. As we leave, the owners tell us we're welcomed to come up whenever, and they give us the security code for the gate.

We leave, and Andrew's as excited as I am. The owners didn't have a lot of time to do things so far this season due to moving, etc. but they had high hopes: hopes that Andrew and I could take part in.

Andrew left to go camping today with his dad and nephew, and I headed to the barn to take measurements for the English garden to plant in front of the barn area. The owner met me outside, and I helped her feed, talked some more, she gave me a mini tour, and I finally settled (3 hours later) stating that I would be back tomorrow after work.

I can't wait to tell Andrew all we talked about today! What an amazing place and an even better opportunity.



Friday, June 5, 2009

Wow.

I won't be going near any theatres when this movie comes out!

Yahoo versus Google

I was on a Yahoo website, mistyped "Google," and Yahoo's search engine brought up this screen with a search box:

"You could go to google.com, or stay here and get straight answers:"

WTF, Yahoo?

Thursday, June 4, 2009

My new addictive pleasure - texts from last night

http://textsfromlastnight.com

Such great things from the 404 as:

(404): I hate seeing commercials about babies when i'm high
(954): Yeah, I don't like babies at all
----------------------------
(404): I cant believe you went over there and f**ked her last night after everything you said
(770): she invited me over to play the wii, it's not like i intended to
(404): You KNEW her power was out...
-----------------------------
(404): I just bought the big bottle of Patron. It looks small. What have I done with my life?
(503): Succeeded.
-----------------------------
(404): A little girl and i are having a face making battle in mcdonalds
(404): She started it, but I totally finished it.
----------------------------
(404): FYI..good luck when you get back from work.. mom and dad know about the boy you brought home last night
(1-404): haha good one..how did you even know?
(404): we all know. he obviously didn't leave when you might have told him to.. he came down when we were eating because he coud smell mom's cooking. the dude ate with us and offered to say grace. so yeah, good luck.
---------------------------
(404): Not sure what happened last night, but there are four mini bikes outside and some guy is wearing my shirt passed out in the breakfast nook. Won't be telling the grand kids about this one.
---------------------------
(843): lets hang out tonight and do stupid stuff.
(404): Dating you for 6 months was stupid enough. But thanks.
--------------------------

Grasshoppa No More


Actor David Carradine Found Dead in Bangkok

click here to read full story

The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok says Kung Fu star David Carradine has been found dead in the Thai capital.

Carradine, 72, was shooting a film in Bangkok at the time of his death.

An embassy spokesman said he was found dead in his hotel room, but did not release details of the death.

The U.S. actor was in the 1970s TV series Kung Fu and was in movies such as Kill Bill, Kill Zone, Dangerous Curves and Brothers in Arms.

He played Bill, the snake charmer in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Pay $1, Punch "Speidi."

I'm not really one to watch reality t.v. shows, but I half-started watching, "I'm a Celebrity...get me out of here!"

It's a "reality" show with a cast of celebrities that are placed in a Costa Rican jungle (though it looks like a sound-stage). It's basically.....celebrity Survivor except the audience can vote on who they want to keep each week/day/whatever. The "winner" gets money for their charity.

The list of "celebrities" is as follows:

Stephen Baldwin
Lou Diamond Phillips
Janice Dickinson
John Salley
Sanjaya Malakar
Patti Blagojevich
Torrie Wilson
Frangela (two women)
and
"Speidi" - Spencer and Heidi Pratt from "The Hills."

I have never been so ashamed to be a twenty-something in my entire life after watching two episodes of this show. Listening to the Bert Show every morning, I knew some background on "Speidi." They are/were/whatever a couple from the television show, "The Hills." That's about all they are good for besides fanning the flames of paparazzi. They are 200% selfish and self-centered that I wanted to punch both of them. If it wasn't the constant, "I'm too famous and rich to be here" spouted from the annoying mouth of Spencer, then it was Heidi spraying hairspray or whatever product it was on her hair and then on Spencer's hair....as Spencer was talking....to the camera when they decided to quit.

If I could say one thing to them, it would be "I'm not sorry for this" right before I punched them both in the face.

I cannot believe how absolutely rude they are....telling everyone they're too famous to be here....they can't believe they're here with "these people" and even made reference to being more rich and famous than Stephen Baldwin and Lou Diamond Phillips. Upon "leaving" (because we know they'll be back), Spencer told Phillips, "Thanks for 'Young Guns,' man. I don't know what I'd do without it." I've always liked Phillips. He's managed to stay out of the trouble, do some good things, and stay out of the limelight.

"Speidi," on the other hand have had everything handed to them from day one. Am I saying this because I'm jealous? Absolutely not. I have a feeling that they would starve if someone didn't provide them with ready-made meals.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Chile pah-leeze.

Got this from an ad on Craigslist.....person wants someone to steal cable tv for them...enjoy:

OK I HAVE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE CALL ME TEXT ME AND EVEN COME OVER WHO CLAIM THEY CAN AND WILL HOOK MY CABLE UP BUT DONT COME BACK. IM A REAL M.F HUSTLER AND I KNOW HOW TO GET MONEY SO ALL YOU FAKE A** NIGGAS WHO SAY THEY KNOW HOW TO GET MONEY BY PUTTING FAKE A** JOBS ON CL GET REAL AND TAKE NOTES. IF YOU CLAIM YOU CAN DO A JOB MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE TOOLS TO DO IT EVEN I KNOW THAT, LOL. AND DONT GIVE EXCUSES CAUSE MY TIME AND MY MONEY IS VALUABLE. AND STOP PLAYING PHONE TAG IF YOU A HUSTLER GET YOUR LAZY A** UP AND GET MONEY STOP LETTING YO WIFE OR GIRLFRIEND STOP YOU CAUSE THE B**CH GONE WANT SOME WHEN YOU GET IT. IF SHE AINT DOWN WITH YOU GETTING MONEY LET THE H*E GO.

SO LIKE A SAID I HAVE $40 DOLLARS AND THATS IT SO DONT ASK , MY LINE IS ON A POLE SO DONT ASK ,AND IT IS TAGGED IT WOULD ONLY TAKE ABOUT 15 MIN TO 30 MIN AT BEST TO HOOK IT UP SO IF SOMEONE CAN HELP WHO LIVES CLOSE TO DEKALB COUNTY (STONE MOUNTAIN, DECATUR, CLAKSTON, TUCKER) AND HAS THE EQUIPMENT PLEASE CALL ME.


(The person's name is "Precious.")

Monday, June 1, 2009

Law Enforcement - Radar/Night

No, I didn't get pulled over, but for anyone that gets pulled over for speeding at night by an officer whose vehicle had NO visible lights on (parking or otherwise) that was NOT Georgia State Patrol:


Direct from a State Trooper SGT:

In GA anyone (except the Highway Patrol) has to have lights on when running radar at night as you are required to be seen for 500' while running radar.


TITLE 40. MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
CHAPTER 14. USE OF SPEED DETECTION AND TRAFFIC-CONTROL SIGNAL MONITORING DEVICES
ARTICLE 2. SPEED DETECTION DEVICES

O.C.G.A. § 40-14-7 (2008)

§ 40-14-7. Visibility of vehicle from which device is operated


No stationary speed detection device shall be employed by county, municipal, college, or university law enforcement officers where the vehicle from which the device is operated is obstructed from the view of approaching motorists or is otherwise not visible for a distance of at least 500 feet.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1968, p. 425, § 7; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1968, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 586, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2785, § 30.