Got My Feet Under Me Again

Ahhh... I love being back in school!

You just don't even realize how complacent you become... how very lethargic... when you don't have something to drive you.

When I went back to school last year (quitting a job for the first time in my entire adult life) it was to fill a need in myself so great I couldn't hold it back anymore.

I'd dedicated my life to working whatever job I needed to in order to support my children and I'm very proud of that fact.

However, the back office duties and pathetic pay grades were so frustrating. Management relied so heavily on me in every job to help them gather data, compile reports, write letters and proposals, reorganize departmental processes and procedures... and yet, I was always broke and had nothing to show for it. I was gone long hours and couldn't afford any luxuries for my family.

I wanted more for the kids' lives and my own.

So, I went back to school full time last year. Oh, that first semester was so exciting!! I hadn't been in school in 16 years (OMG, did I just type that?!?!) and was afraid I would be too "rusty". I just knew I wouldn't remember anything!!

I didn't have any study skills (if I ever did) and hadn't had to retain volumes of new info in a long, long time. Maybe I'd forgotten basic grammar rules thanks to Net Speak??

It was intimidating to go back to school where I would be in the habitat of the young, trendy, and smart kids fresh out of high school.

Much to my satisfaction, I finished my first semester with a 4.0. I made lots of new friends/acquaintances and restored my faith in my own potential.

And, then... *deep sigh*... at the end of the FIRST week of the second semester... ARGH!!

I had an accident. Dislocated & broke my shoulder... it sucked. It was a pretty bad break... and recuperation took forever. However, I got really intimate with my new friend, Percocet!! :o)

During the healing process, scar tissue formed all over my shoulder and "froze" the joint... just to add insult to injury... LITERALLY.

I missed too much time and had to withdraw from all of my classes. I had to admit I wasn't as tough as I wanted to believe and just wait for my shoulder to heal.

Now, 7 months after my accident, I'm finally back in class and it's awesome!!

This first day back was exhausting... the shoulder's still a problem, but I'm not going to let it stop me.

This last year I've been able to be home with my kids for the first time in their whole lives... I've finally gotten to take them to and from school, to extra curricular activities, to hang out and do whatever we wanted. It has been fantastic.

Getting to go back to school to continue my education is like icing on the cake.

The finances are just as much a struggle now as they've ever been... probably more so... but it's been worth every bit of extra budgeting!!

Low Tech Blog

So, I went back over to check out BSR's blog...

http://thescottishgypsy.blogspot.com

It reminds me that I'm SO low tech... almost antiquated! I don't know how to post videos and pics... and I am completely lacking in ambition. So, the closest I'm going to come to "jazzing up" my blog is all of my obnoxiously bright colored fonts.

I like them, they're pretty, and they make me happy. So there.

Troubles Come In Threes

What a weekend...

I have a cousin (who we'll call Primo for blogging purposes) who is only three years older than me... I adore him!! He is definitely one of my mentors/idols... he's bad-ass (boxer, hardcore martial artist, soldier), but he's also (conversely) one of the MOST laid-back, chill kind of people. He is so warm and accepting of people and their choices and their mistakes. He's fearless and unflappable. He's always upbeat and cheerful. He has always used his charm and humor to avoid getting in unnecessary fights... but he also never hesitated to put himself between us "kids" and any threat... be it from an abusive parent, boyfriend, or stranger on the street.

I have always looked up to him with the childlike perception that he was almost a superhero... indestructible.

I thought he was...

This weekend he was awakened from a deep sleep by severe chest pains (mind you that he's broken just about everything and thinks pain is no big deal!).

They rushed him, by ambulance, to the hospital and discovered that he had blood clots in his lungs ... OMG!!

My first thought was... God, he spent 18 months serving in Iraq near a pile of unknown rubbish that was always burning (literally)... what was he exposed to that gave him blood clots in his 30's?!?!

He was admitted immediately for a round of blood thinners and pain killers.

One of our aunties wanted to rush down to the hospital to see him in person and... bless her 71 yr old heart... took a nasty spill leaving the house and landed on her face and hand.

So... another cousin swooped her up into the car and rushed HER to a different hospital when they x-rayed and CT scanned her to see what she damaged (she has osteoarthritis... so the risk was pretty high!). Luckily for her, She broke her wrist and thrashed her face pretty badly. We all thought she probably broke her nose at the very least... but thankfully that wasn't the case.

Unfortunately, we had to ban her from going to see Primo so that she wouldn't be exposed to further hospital acquired infections. However, I talk to him every day and report to the family. Just like when he was in Iraq... I need to touch base with him to check on him and make sure he's okay. And, just like then, as soon as he's home safe and sound I'll be able to relax again.

Anyway... then we spent days tracking and preparing for Hurricane Flossie... gathering water, batteries, food stores, and blankets.

It is far enough south that it will probably only cause heavy rains and strong winds... and as long as I turn on my windshield wipers and stay out of the high surf then I'll probably be fine. Since I don't surf, I've already knocked out that possibility!!!

Given the high level of stress over the last four day... well, I just don't feel very witty.

So, that means I'm wrapping up yet another un-entertaining blog!!! Sorry 'bout that...

I'm gonna shake this off and get my head back on straight!!

Yeah, it's a little crooked.

Uhhh...

I got hit with a migraine today. Not literally... that would be a cool superpower, huh?!!

I bet I could normally have rambled on and on about just HOW cool that would be and the various applications of said superpower.

However, that shit ain't happenin' today!!

I seriously think that the friggin' migraine wiped out my personality today. I hope it's only temporary.

Hubby closed all of the blinds and I pulled one of Son's black beanies down over my eyes and I tried to sleep it off.

Needless to say, it was a very unproductive day. I only managed to pull off taxi duty for all of the teenagers and friends several times today.

By the by... nothing prolongs the agony of a migraine quite like the cacophony of two vanfuls of teenagers. Yeah, that's right... I said VANFULS.

Get off my back! I can make up words if I need to... I told you... my brain is fried!!

*groan*

Damn migraine is still kind of lingering around the edges.

I guess I'm just going to have to admit to myself that today's blog is just beyond my abilities. I need to get away from the glaring light of this monitor anyway.

Well, that's that then.

I'll try to take another run at it this weekend. We'll see how it goes. :o)

Father Time is lurking in the bushes

Getting older sucks. Period.

Now, I'm only in my mid-30's at this point... so that slippery slope is still pretty damn steep.

Pretty soon I'll be in my Late 30's... then Early 40's... I'm picking up speed as I go. It's scary!!

My grandfather was just shy of his 98th birthday when he passed away last year... and grandma is going on 96 this year... so I've probably got several decades left in me.

At my current rate of deterioration, however, I'm calculating that I'll be an invalid by 60!

I mean, shoot!! I just left my youth behind pretty recently (relatively speaking... Look how much longer I might hang in there!!!) How can things be malfunctioning ALREADY?!?!

Granted, I'm probably not any farther ahead than the rest of those in my age-bracket. That just means we should ALL be outraged!!

My knees and ankles have started to pop and crackle... jalapenos, and the rest of the capsaicin-bearing family, no longer "agree with me"... I say things like "when I was your age"... and I'd much rather go to a movie than a bar or nightclub.

"I can feel this body dying all around me!!" ~The Last Unicorn (best animated movie of all time, bar none!!!)

HOWEVER... (yeah, you were about to give up on me weren't you my dear bloggers??)

In my head I'm the same person I was at 19... that is probably thanks to having my kids so young. I just have WAY more life experiences under my belt now!

I am still into only the most current TV shows, movies, and music. I still love my cartoons...

Uh, oh... TANGENT TIME!!!!

I am SO frustrated that my Saturday morning cartoons were moved to Digital Cable... so, what? Poor folks don't need animated entertainment?!?! Are you kidding me??

We still have Cartoon Network... Thank you, Baby Jesus!! (quoting Ricky Bobby there in case you missed it)

I bet you are thinking that I only like it for the Adult Swim programming, huh?

HA!! Shows what you know.

Don't get me wrong... I love me some Naruto and Bleach, etc. But I'm talking about real cartoons.

Avatar: The Last Airbender, Teen Titans, Loonatics, Johnny Test, Legion of Superheroes, The Batman, Xiaolin Showdown... etc, etc, et al.

Although... Oh, I still miss all of my "old" cartoons. I've been looking up lots of clips on YouTube lately.

Starblazers, Thundercats, He-Man (and She-Ra), GI Joe, The Herculoids, Jem, Thundarr the Barbarian (OMG... is it weird that I thought Ookla the Moc was hot??), Transformers, Johnny Quest, Dungeons & Dragons (ewww, not the RPG people... damn)

I could go on... but you get the drift, right?!!

I'm gonna set my heels and refuse to ever "outgrow" my cartoons. Anybody got a problem with that?!! 'Cause we'll throw down. I may be short (you didn't think that was a joke, did you?) but it's easy to take someone out at the kneecaps... how convenient for me!!

Ok, let's get back on track. The Cartoon Tangent is officially over... for the time being.

Of course, just because I feel young does NOT mean that my teenagers concur. *Snort*

Oh, no... heavens no.

I can throw them into convulsions if I threaten to sing or dance in public. Oh, the temptation!!!!

What... it's not cool for Mama to sing and dance to Justin Timberlake or Beyonce?? Huh... how 'bout that. I guess they don't remember that look of horror on MY face when they pitched that tantrum in public??

The perks of parenthood is the payback (was that an alliteration?)

(( I keep losing track because I'm trying to watch bits of Letterman & Leno... and listening to Daddy Yankee on my iPod ))

Anyway. I think my point was just that my kids are almost grown and my bones are starting to ache... and I don't wanna grow up!!!! Oh, no... all this talk of getting old is giving me indigestion...

Heh... heh... *sob*

Ok, peeps (another sign of getting old is using outdated lingo)

I'm gonna wrap it up (in an ole lady shawl) and head for the couch to finish watching the late shows... Gotta hang in there until after Ferguson!!

Time for me to roll out... Peace!! :o)

Wow... I shouldn't watch the news!!

I don't normally watch the news... neither local nor world news.

It's just too depressing to know that much about what's going on out in the world. Ignorance is bliss... yadda, yadda.

Today, however, I felt my semi-monthly pull to get caught up.

So, I start perusing news sites and find out that so far this week (Oh, yes... it's only Wednesday, mind you!!) there are 6 miners trapped in Utah, a tornado in Brooklyn, a major 2-day heatwave cooking most of the Eastern half of the U.S., a major quake in Indonesia, murder and mayhem, etc...etc... ad nauseam.

So, I'm going to cross my fingers for all those poor people in the world that I can't help... and then I'm going on News Hiatus again for a couple weeks.

I know that it's important to bring atrocities to the forefront and combat them. I understand that knowledge is power (I prefer "ignorance is bliss" but it's just not practical).

But once you stack your own personal life, the lives of those people closest to you, then the people in your community, then the people in your state... in an ever-increasing ripple of empathy... by the time you get to national news you're completely overwhelmed and teetering on depressed.

Then, trying to include world news... you know, where the REAL tragedies are being experienced by and imposed upon millions of people... is enough to incapacitate someone with delicate sensibilities!!

So, I need to close my web browser for a little while and give myself a break.

Maybe some chocolate would help me purge all of this negative imagery I've collected on the internet today...

Hell, it's worth a shot!!

Insomniac Maniac

Ok. Here's the deal...

I got WAY too little sleep and I'm about to make NO sense. I'm sure of it because I'm having trouble even thinking of simple words... I certainly can't come up with witty and urbane verbiage.

Was I EVER capable of witty and urbane...? I don't know... but it's definitely not happenin' today!!!

It seems so silly to admit that you stayed up all night with your spouse... *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* Oh... and thanks Hubby.

The man is 40... this is getting ridicules... I need sleep!!!

Most women would swoon (who am I? Scarlett??) to have this much attention... but... damn!! I'm seriously tired!!!

I think that probably makes me a "typical female" because I'd almost rather skip the acrobatics in lieu of a nice, long, decadent night's sleep. Sorry, Hubby!!! Sheesh...

I'm in my mid-30's... that's supposed to be my "Peak" or something... well, nobody told me it was because I was climbing Mt Everest!!! Lack of oxygen, sleep deprivation, muscle fatigue...

You'd think I'd get weekends off for good behavior at the very least... but, no deal!!

And he's devious... oooh... he's a tricky bugger... because he manages to "talk me into it" all the time. He says he knows where the override button is... LOL

But he's turning me into a slavering idiot... an insomniac maniac!!! Is that even grammatically correct?!?!

That's what I get, I guess, for being gone on vacation for several weeks without him... and being incapacitated by my injury before that for months.

He's making me work off my debt now, I think.

Oh, holy crap... after I get a nap today I'm probably going to have to come back and read this post. I hope I have the sense to delete it at that point...

If only he hadn't called to say he was on his way home from work and he couldn't wait to "put me back to bed"... oh lordy, lordy... can't I just sleep through it?!?!

Blogwide Infamy!!!

OMG... OH... EM... GEE!!!

With only three blogs under my belt, I have done it!!! My blog-powers astound even me...

Well, let me back up a bit here and explain.

I've gained second-hand fame... or, perhaps, infamy??

After my second post (you know, my witty banter about being home alone and bored? Yeah, that's the one...), I spent some time wildly hitting "Next Blog" at the top of my screen and perusing some other blogs.

Oh, and if that creeps you out... sorry, folks!! I'm almost perfectly harmless. I promise!!

Ok, so I wandered through quite a few... a lot were in different languages (which made me feel very uneducated - thanks a bunch!!), some were all about knitting (however, I'm not a octogenarian yet!!), some were about sports (no depth-perception... lots of fast-balls to the face -- NOT AS GOOD AS IT SOUNDS -- got evicted from PE in elementary, never to earn a reprieve... lost my taste for sports unless hanging out with my guy friends was involved)...

Then... FINALLY... I found one.

Oh, it was a beauty!!! Funny, smart, sarcastic, liberal use of comics/animation, love for Wifey, several posts in opposition of bigotry of any kind.... Aaaahhhh... so refreshing I could ALMOST feel the bubbles tickling my nose!!! (in homage to my previous 20 year love affair with Diet Pepsi)

Well, I felt compelled to post a comment on the awesome, aforementioned blog. To my delight he gave me a shout-out on his blog!! Oh, and that's not all folks... he posted a LINK to my blog... Wait!! Wait!! I'm not done yet... THEN, adding generous and kind to the list of positive attributes, he came back and read my blog again AND TALKED ABOUT IT AGAIN ON HIS BLOG!!! *panting from exertion*

See... I told you it was second-hand fame!! Hey, it's still exciting to ME!! Geez... give a girl a break... damn.

...and JUST IN CASE anyone else ever reads this blog... you MUST... yes, I dare say that I INSIST... you must go check out this blog:

http://thescottishgypsy.blogspot.com/

If you don't join the official BSR fan club... well, folks... you just have no taste!!!

Oh!! Speaking of taste - Ron had some "concerns" about favorite foods I listed on the last blog. Let me edumacate ya on some divine goodies that you should be able to find in a good Asian market (like Uwajimaya if you have one in your area).... except the Pebers... they're Danish!!

CUCUMBER KIMCHEE -- Ahhh... nice, crunchy pieces of fresh cucumber soaked in a Korean brine of garlic and chili peppers, etc. No fermenting underground or other "traditional" prep methods in US markets!

TURKISK PEBERS -- sweet Black Licorice hard candy treat... with a very salty filling!!! It is a very concentrated form of black licorice... so it says "Extra Hot" on the packaging.

LI HING MUI -- dried plums coated in powdered sugar, salt, and anise/licorice flavorings. This comes in either a dry or WET variety actually... and there are also Li Hing Peaches, Mango, Lemon Rings... tons of stuff!! You should try it!

ARARE -- also called Kaki Mochi or Mochi Crunch... these are small rice crackers cooked with a coating of soy sauce (SHOYU... add this word to your repertoire people!!!) and comes in a variety of shapes and some are spicy and some have NORI (seaweed)... many different kinds. VERY stinky to eat... but DELICIOUS!!!! Besides... part of the experience is the joy of bothering people around you!!

CHICHIDANGO -- this is a soft ... um... hmmm... hard to explain I guess... it's almost "gummy"... it's a confection made from sweet mochi rice flour and sugar. It's cooked up in pans into a semi-solid state and cut into cubes.

MANJU -- this one is similar to Chichidango in that it is made from sweet rice flour... but they are steamed Japanese cakes usually filled with sweet azuki bean paste... but there are many kinds!!! I prefer then to be rolled in sesame seeds and baked a little to brown up the outside!!

IKA -- this is the Hawaiian word for cuttlefish (little squid, I believe). Is it dried, shredded, and spiced. DIVINE... and another wickedly stinky thing to eat!!!

Oh, no. This is not good. Now I'm starving!!! I don't have a SINGLE one of those treats stocked in my pantry at the moment (they don't last!!) so I'm gonna have to settle for nachos or green beans.

DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!!!

Well, gotta go leave a comment for BSR....

Aloha Kakahiaka!!

Ahhh... a nice cup of iced tea and some oatmeal on my desk and I'm ready to face the day!

Now, I'd much rather have a big plate of scrambled eggs, rice, and linguica (or eggs, potatoes, and bacon)... but I am gonna have to settle for oatmeal and tea today. Payday can NOT come soon enough... sigh!

I think I'd have much more of a spring in my step if I was full of eggs and linguica... as it is, I'm probably going to shuffle and drag my feet today.

Calorically, the oatmeal is probably better... maybe even based on it's nutritional content... but EMOTIONALLY?? Yeah, the protein-laden, salty, palate-pleasing, rock-in-your-belly fullness of the preferred breakfast of truck-stops across America wins HANDS DOWN!!

Maybe if I concentrate REALLY hard I can make myself believe that this oatmeal tastes like a nice fluffy batch of scrambled eggs... I'll close my eyes... maybe pinch my nose closed... put some ambient chicken sounds on the computer...

Uh, oh... my gag reflex is tensing up in anticipation of this attempt! Hmmm... maybe I won't push my luck.

Food is one of my favorite things.

What is that you say?? You could tell?!! Ha!! You have only glimpsed the very tippy-top of the iceberg, my friends!!!

I could go on and on about black licorice alone!! I know... I know... black licorice is one of those things that is absolutely a love/hate with people. You love it... or you HATE it. Personally... I am bored by red licorice. It's so flat tasting... one-dimensional... SNOOZE!!

Mmmm... but, black licorice?? Once a Danish friend of mine introduced me to the myriad types of black licorice (salty, sweet, gummy, hard, soft, filled, candy coated), I was hooked forever!!!

Add it to my assortment of strange treats not widely accepted by the general populace...

Cucumber Kimchee
Turkisk Pebers
Li Hing Mui
Arare
Chichidango
Manju
Ika

(OMG, this oatmeal could NOT be less appealing right now)

Growing up in places like Japan, the Philippines, and Hawaii has exposed me to some of the most amazing food... and made me more willing to try new things than most people, I think. Lucky me!!

However... it has had ONE drawback... I expect all of my food to be exciting.

Guess what the opposite of exciting is...??

OATMEAL.

I've only managed to gag down (almost literally) half of my breakfast so far.

Well, I guess I'd better go concentrate on imagining that I don't HATE oatmeal.

If I don't blog for a while it means that I choked to death on BLAND today.

*deep, dramatic sigh*

Fare Thee Well...




"If you see someone without a smile, give 'em one of yours!" ~Dolly Parton

Back To School Time!

Ahhh... peace and quiet!!

It always starts off that way, anyway. There is that first hour after they've both gone off to school that feels very decadent because it's so quiet and I can do whatever lazy thing I want to do.

By the second hour it starts to get boring...

The third hour is downright lonely...

Of course, the errands and fighting and taxi-service start up with a frenetic vengeance as soon as they hop in the van. That's what I anxiously looked forward to during the 4th and 5th hours?!?! LOL

Being off of work and school with my shoulder injury this last 7 months is driving me a wee bit crazy, obviously!!

Well, folks, we're now halfway through the second hour and I'm punctually bored!!

I guess I'll go search through the icebox and pantry for something I can put feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes on for breakfast!! Wish me luck!! :o)

Meet me here next time for my ruminations on the emotionally and physically healing properties of black licorice!! YUM.

*If you see someone without a smile, give 'em one of yours!* ~Dolly Parton