Bad Medicine

I wanted to tell everyone I made a perfect score on my final paper for my first class toward my Bachelor's Degree. That news, however, was overshadowed by my recent joy ride. I've never been in an ambulance, as a patient anyway....until recently.

One day I was sitting at my desk, just returned from a meal break and beginning to work on what I do, making Auto Trader magazines. My heart felt like it was beating kind of fast. That feeling continued, and it also progressed. As it worsened, I realized I couldn't hear, my vision went black and I couldn't respond to people asking me questions. I recovered enough to tell my boss yes, he should call an ambulance.

The paramedics came into the building and naturally I was somewhat better...my heart rate was still 146, very high. They asked if I wanted to go to the hospital and I said yes. That doesn't happen for no reason and I wanted to know what was going on. They took me to what they said was the nearest hospital, Medical Center of Arlington.

I arrived in the ER and one of the first people there was the admissions clerk, asking for my insurance card. The important stuff first, right. Nurses, nurse practitioners and physician's assistants all came in to see about me, took blood samples, etc. After the first 30 minutes or so, they were done with me and no one came to check on me. More than once I pushed the "Call Nurse" button and nobody came to see about me.

I became a pro at unhooking the wires and tubes so I could walk down the hall and around the corner to the restroom. I also figured out how to hook myself back up to the medical equipment because nobody was there to do it for me.

Nobody answered my questions, it was the worst experience I've had in a hospital...and I've had a few hospital experiences. Nobody there was very warm and fuzzy, nobody there was verycaring, nobody there was very helpful in numerous ways...nobody knew what was going on, or when my tests were, what my tests were, nobody knew when I was going home...just a few more minutes turned into hours. My mother said when I was in MCA, nobody took care of me the best.

It turned out to be my potassium level was low. That can affect your heart. The symptoms leading up to heart palpitations were lost on me because they are the same symptoms I suffer from everyday, leg cramps, etc. The doctor said to eat baked potatoes, avacodos, citrus fruits, raisins and bananas...all foods rich in potassium.

I'll never go back to that hospital....hopefully I won't need another hospital but if I do, it will not be Medical Center of Arlington.

Until next time. Stay well.

Make Your Other Half Feel Special

I was sleeping with one eye open on the television one morning and a segment on one of those morning long news shows comes on offering advice to make your spouse or other half feel special and not so left out during the holiday season.

Two things popped into my mind. One is that this advice should be taken all year, not just during the holiday rush. Isn't this why we have or are trying to meet that someone special, so we can show them on a daily basis why we think they are special? I dunno, could be just me. I miss that part of a relationship...doing the extra things for someone. I suppose I could continue that practice with my cat but she really doesn't appreciate those gestures.

The other thing I remember thinking is that we shouldn't need the morning news to tell us how to make the special ones in our lives feel more than adequate. Yes we live in a McDonald's society where everyone, even our pets expect instant gratification but we need to remember to take extra time and special attention for all of our loved ones. I could be wrong but isn't this time of year for showing those closest to you how you feel about them and how special they are anyway. Who cares if you dry cleaner got your holiday card or your second cousin's father-in-law receives a gift from you. Christmas...well life in general...is about making the ones who truly hold a place in your heart remember why or even that you love them.

Years ago when my husband and I decided we wanted to get married, the preacher I contacted...he was my youth minister...conditionally agreed to perform the marriage ceremony. We had to attend counseling sessions and when he felt we were ready for the nuptials, he would let us know. Part of the counseling was advice for a happy marriage (I know its ironic know, but it would have worked if my ex had followed this advice).

Fool-proof advice for successful relationships from a divorcee

The one and only thing I remember from those counseling sessions was this. The preacher said its important not to keep score in the petty acts of selfishness but to try to out-give the other, and not in a materialistic way. Go out of your way to do the little and special things for your other...and if they come back with some special act of kindness then its ok to one up them.

The Grades Are In

On my third week of school, I am proud to announce that I am maintaining an A average. Each week we have an Individual Project worth 125 points and a class discussion project worth 50 points. I have a perfect score on each discussion board project and 115 points on each Individual Project---only because I haven't named my files correctly when I turned them in.

I knew school was going to require a lot of time and commitment, but I guess I really didn't realize how much time I would have to put into it. At the same time I realize I will get back what I put into it, my efforts will be rewarded....just look at my A average.

My next unit of study, which begins January 7, is College Algebra. I am going to need LOTS of help with that subject. I may have mentioned before in this blog, my highest math class in high school was Algebra I, it was all that was required to graduate in 1988 and in college I took a math specified for elementary school teacher majors and it was very easy for me. College Algebra on the other hand is going to be so difficult. If any of you have a fifth grader who can tutor me I'd appreciate the help.

I recently took some pictures around the house. Roommate and I have a flower garden along the path leading up to the door. Neither one of us really have time to deal with a flower garden so its filled with gravel and decorations. One of the pretty decorations is a gazing ball, so here is the picture I took of it. When I look at the picture I want to say, "In your future I see....." Maybe one day in the near future I will get out to the Japanese Garden and take some pictures.

Until next time.

Times, they are changing

Well, I just celebrated another birthday...if you really want to know e-mail me and ask. I also started the second chapter of my education on the same day as my celebration. For a quick update, I realized my education was outdated and the best way for me to attain the goals I set out for myself was to go back to school and FINALLY get that bachelor's degree.

Well, the two events occurring on the same day made me wonder if there was some big life calendar that flipped over to the next big phase in my life. After all, I am recently (relatively recently) single. In the past year I've gone through a metamorphosis of sorts, I suppose in order to prepare myself for this stage of life.

If all things are working together to culminate this passage then it makes me think that the new year of my life and the new segment of my life has to be the outcome of some type of design...it can't be just pure chance or fate can it? And is fate the same as design?

And, if everything in the past has been preparing me for this segment of life, am I ready or is everything from here on out going to be a breeze. Have the stars all lined up just right for me to have good fortune for the next 15 or 20 years? I'm feelin' lucky.

Until next time.

School Days

I am about to start classes....FINALLY!!

I've talked about going back to school for a long time now. I always knew I needed more education but didn't realize that until I moved to a larger city. When I was looking for a job and having only an associates degree I was limited to the choice of jobs I qualified for. In a smaller town I was doing fine...until technology passed me by; another reason to go back to school. Maybe once I have the education in place I can find a better paying job with better hours. Working nights is hard on a social life. Of course, when I first took this night job I didn't have a social life and it didn't matter. Now, I've met some people and I have a more social lifestyle and working nights just isn't conducive.

My first class is Theory and History of Visual Communication. It should be fun and fairly easy for me. However, my next two classes...which run simultaneously...is College Algebra and Biology. HELP ME!!! I was terrible at algebra in high school and don't remember taking it in college.

After that, the classes get much easier. They include illustration, advanced graphic design, web design (which I'm really excited about), typography, multimedia and corporate identity development...that's where the money is!!!! Ka-Ching. If you know me I am not money driven...I just want to be comfortable, pay my bills and help those less fortunate than me (which doesn't include a lot of people right now).

When I'm done with this education I should be able to find a much better job. Although the company I work for is a great company. Not many places offer 2 weeks paid vacation available in the first year...not after one year. Also, the insurance was effective immediately and I was eligible for all paid holidays immediately. It would be difficult to start over...especially where vacation time is concerned.

If I had children I would tell them two things. First, get all the education you can...as much as possible. You can never have too much education. I know sometimes more than a bachelor's degree seems useless, but when it comes to you choosing a job or a job choosing you....I'd rather my kids be able to choose a job. Secondly, I would tell them not to take a break from getting that education. Don't stop to get real world experience, you can do that later. I know from experience that once you start making money, you will never go back to college. You get used to making money then you need to make the money and you can't stop to go back to classes, its a vicious cycle, so just don't stop.

I don't have children to pass along this information, so if you know someone who can benefit from my experience then pass it on. I turn 38 the day my classes start, the kids don't want to be in the same boat as me, you don't want your kids in that boat either.

One more thing, I would not be able to achieve this goal if it weren't for my parents. They have offered to help me however they can. After the grants and loans I still owed some tuition money...something I don't have. Thanks to Mom and Dad for helping me. I hope that one day I can pay them back. I am glad they are in a position to help me...they made it possible to continue my education.

Until next time.

Customer Service 101

I was reading a list of little known facts recently and one of the items said there is more money printed for Monopoly everyday than actual US currency. This brought to mind a commercial on television the other day where Monopoly is advertising you can now play with credit cards.

Many children over the last 50 or so years have learned to count money using Monopoly currency. However, I find the whole matter irrelevant. If you've been anywhere to spend cash recently you probably understand why.

I once paid for a $9.76 ticket with $10.01. It confused the cashier, but he read what the register told him my change should be and I got my quarter. Another time, I wanted to pay partial cash and partial check card but the little old lady didn't understand why. I think I could have understood if she were a teenager, but this lady had kids older than me.

I have found not to add to my payment amount after the cashier has entered the amount into the register. I tried this once and confused not only the cashier but the front end manager as well. It wasn't worth getting back a five instead of four ones and a bunch of change.

People who operate cash registers used to be required to know not only how to make change but also how to count it back. Nowadays, all that is required is to read what the cash register says the amount of change should be.

I also remember from my days of customer service at the local discount store that employees who dealt with the public were supposed to be courteous. You go into a discount store now and good luck finding someone who cares if you are finding what you need. I'm not saying all of these employees are discourteous and unhelpful, but a majority of them fall into this category.

Some of the rules from my days working customer service and the cash register include the 10-foot rule, meet and greet, ensure customer satisfaction, and...my favorite...the customer is NOT always right but don't let them know.

The 10-foot rule is simple, but hardly ever enforced nowadays. If you see a customer within 10 feet of you, they must be acknowledged in some form or fashion and this is always coupled with a smile.

The meet and greet rule is similar to the 10-foot rule and sometimes is used in conjunction with each other. You must make eye contact with the customer, smile, say hello and let them know they can contact you if they need help.

Ensuring customer satisfaction is fairly straight forward. You must do everything within your power to make the customer happy. This is hardly ever followed anymore, at least its not initiated by the store employees. Customers must search for someone to help them.

The Customer is NOT Always Right rule is great because it empowers the store's employee. This is where the manager gets involved and tells the customer they don't get what they want just to make the customer happy. This is usually reserved for the mean and nasty customers.

Ghosts, Goblins, & Ghouls

Halloween is on its way, the time of year when people like to be frightened out of their skin, for some unknown and little understood reason. I've never been one for scary movies or ghost stories around the camp fire. I can remember once when I was about 5 or 6 I talked my parents into letting me stay up late to watch Johnny Carson. There was a commercial for a scary movie that came on and I started thinking someone was sneaking up behind me. It was not long before I went to bed.



For as long as I can remember strange, unnatural things have happened to me. I tried not to think a lot about it, but my friends always were amazed...especially when I seemed to be able to predict the future. I knew my friend Wendy was going to have a baby before she told me. I had a dream that she told me she was pregnant. The next day she said she had something on her mind that was bothering her. I told her I knew she was going to have a baby and she was shocked that I knew because she had not told anyone.



Another time, I had a dream that my co-worker Doris brought a cat to work. I know that sounds like a strange dream, what was even more strange was the fact that Doris hates cats. She told me I should quit eating spicy food right before bed, it gives me strange dreams. Just minutes after that conversation I went outside (during the days I was a smoker). I heard a faint meow coming from her car. I called her outside to pop her hood. When she did an orange tabby cat jumped out. I said, "See Doris, you brought a cat to work."



I have many stories like that, I won't bore you with anymore...just let it be known that I can't harness this ability, so don't ask.



There are other things, unexplainable events that have happened to me that are very unsettling. In addition to dreams of visits from those gone from this earth, I have deja vu type experiences...but we all do right? I can't be the only one with these odd events, can I? Here are some more samples of the oddities.



When I was a teenager I had a cat, she was indoor/outdoor versatile. Once, while I was home alone, I let her outside. A few minutes later I noticed she was sitting on the floor in front of me. How did she get back in the house? I was the only one there. I let her out again...she wanted to go outside. About 20 minutes later, the same thing happened again, she was in the house and wanted out again. I can't figure out how she got back in the house.



Another time, my friend Wendy and I were "playing" with her Ouija board in my bedroom. I never put a lot of stock into that thing...until this night. The planchette pointed to letters and spelled out "Watch this. I'm going to scare Linda", my mom is Linda. She was in the laundry room. A few minutes later, my mom came into my bedroom and asked me what I wanted. I told her I didn't need anything. She said, "You came into the laundry room and just stood there, you didn't say anything." I insisted I had not left the bedroom, but I can't imagine she ever believed me...especially if she saw me. How did that happen? How did she see me in the laundry room when I never left my room?



As I said before, there are a lot more experiences...not all I want to share with everyone. If you want to share your experiences with me, please post a comment or e-mail me. Please let me know if I can share these experiences here or if you want me to keep them confidential.

I'll have more stories next time.



Until then, be safe.

Resolutions

Generally, resolutions are made at the beginning of a new year. As I stated in my last blog posting, this is the beginning of a new Lisa. I am embarking on a new phase of my life, a passage which calls for resolutions. Unlike the annual promises I've made in the past, I hope, through support of my close friends and family, that I will be able to fulfill these resolutions.



I challenge everyone I know to make, and keep, the same resolutions as I am making. I hope you will be inspired to commit to a better lifestyle, just as I have. I have to say that my inspiration to have a healthier body comes more from fear than anything else. I don't want to grow old before my time. As I heard a physician once say, you want to become old as late as possible. I think I'm paraphrasing there, but that's the point she was making.



I am looking to the future now with my turning the new leaf and all that. I don't want to become overwhelmed with physical problems one day, so I need to take care of the somethings first. I can manage my weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol etc. So, why not fix the things I can so fighting the one thing I can't fix (Rheumatoid Arthritis) will be easier as I age.



I plan on eating better, exercising more and generally being fit all over. If I don't fix the things I mentioned I can manage then they will get out of hand and become a problem. So by being proactive, I am making a preemptive strike against bad health. Possibly by creating a healthier body, the doctor will be able to control my RA...something that has been impossible so far.


This is where you all come in. I need encouragement, inspiration, suggestions, exercise buddies (for walking), and someone to be accountable to. Don't coddle me, but be nice. If I want to do something physical...you better let me do it if you want to to be around in the future. Trust me, if I think I might hurt myself, I will let you know.



If you have a book I might be interested in, or a diet I can follow, or even a cookbook that would help, please--PLEASE let me know. I am always open to suggestions. The same goes for exercise. If you have any DVDs or exercise tips for me, I am listening.



What kind of life do you want to live in your golden years? Do you want to be counting pills, making trips to the doctor, resting because you are too tired from simple chores? I want to be traveling the world, or at least the United States. I want to see it, there is so much I've only read about or seen on TV. I won't have time to stop for ill health. Living is meant to be an experience, not a spectator sport. If you won't join me, at least encourage me!



Until next time.

Don't Need No Education

Alright, quit hounding me. I know I've slacked in the blogging department. I have had a lot of things going on recently...the last month to be more precise.



After the procession of events last year (when my husband and I separated and I moved) I realized the education I received when I was a young adult was not enough to further myself in this or a new career. For sometime now...possibly a couple of years or more...I've been wanting to go back to school. What has kept me from doing so is money, or better stated, the lack of money. I never wanted to accumulate student loans because as a teenager I heard professionals discussing the amount of loans they had amassed. I never wanted to start my life out with a debt over my head so I just didn't finish college. Logical right?





I have a good friend who convinced me that the value of an education was underestimated in today's society. Furthering my educational career would never be a bad thing. I looked at several different schools and programs. This friend, Charles, suggested AIU...American Intercontinental University. The school has proper accreditation and has a course just for me. I am going to seek a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art with emphasis in Digital Design.


My Friend, Charles


The tuition for this school is much less than traditional university's in the area and other on-line schools did not offer the right program for me. I thought if I am going to dish out the money and effort for a degree, I am going to have a diploma in something I can and will use...not finance or business administration (snooze).



Good news where my employer is considered. Since I work for Cox Communications, I am entitled to a tuition discount from AIU. Also, after being on the job a year, I am eligible for tuition reimbursement from Cox. They pay 100 percent of tuition if it relates to my job or a possible promotion (and I pass with a minimum of a C average).



Something else I've decided to do, something to help supplement my income and maybe pay for vacations (since the awesome company Cox gives 2 weeks available immediately). I am going to sell items through parties...similar to Pampered Chef or Southern Living or Home Interiors, but NOT. I have put some money aside and plan to buy a kit in the NEAR future. If I work it right, I should make enough money at one party to pay for my kit. Anyone interested can email me at lisa.jackson.duke@gmail.com.



A lot has changed since a year ago. I have a plan for my life, and it doesn't include livin' from paycheck to paycheck. I plan to retire early and see the world. I firmly believe that life is for living. I am willing to sacrifice now to be able to play later.



Speaking of sacrifice. The other night I was at a restaurant with roommate and a gentleman seated next to us was speaking loudly. I couldn't help but overhear him. He was talking to three friends and the topic was children. He said, "People who don't have kids are selfish and don't know what its like to make sacrifices." I wonder if he really thought about what he said, of if he was speaking out of jealousy. I think that was a truly insensitive comment. The really bad thing is that was not the first time I've heard that comment. Someone at church made the same comment about two years ago. Tell me what you think, email me or leave a comment.



Until next time.

Siblings, No Rivalry Though

Me and My Brother, Kevin
For the first time since I was 17 and he was 10, Kevin and I have our picture made together. Wait, I think we had one made when I was 22 and he was about 15, whatever--its been a while since we had a photo made of just the two of us. His wife, Jennifer, took the photo. She did a fantastic job. We had the same teacher--O. Rufus Lovett. Rufus was an intern of famed photographer Ansel Adams.

Kevin lives about 20 miles from me but I hardly ever see him and Jenn. He works a lot and they used to be real busy with their friends, I guess they still are. Plus, my work schedule is not conducive to socialization. I miss out on a lot because of my crazy hours. People don't even call me because they are afraid of interrupting my sleep. Anyway, I am happy to see them when I can.

OK, I am still in my funk, but its getting better. I had a doctor's visit last week, just a routine check up but they did some lab work. The blood tests revealed an elevated cholesterol level--big surprise. The nurse said the overall level is 209. Next week, I go back in for a fasting blood test and they will test my HDL, LDL and Triglyceride levels so we will know for sure what is causing the elevated amounts.

I looked on Web MD and it said 209 wasn't an extremely high amount so I am not really concerned. I have made MAJOR dietary changes this past year, I am willing to make more and add exercise to my routine. I wanted to get a membership to LA Fitness, they have water aerobics there. I am going to look into the cost, I would appreciate prayers that I not only afford LA Fitness, but once I get a membership I am inspired to go and work out on a daily basis, or as my work schedule will allow.

The lab tests also revealed I had E. Coli (is that poisoning or an infection?) Either way, I have to take a seven day supply of antibiotics--yuck! Just think, I almost didn't go to this appointment. There seemed to be nothing wrong, so why go right? As an afterthought, the E. Coli explains a few things about the last few days though. RELIEF, I thought it was just a bug going around.


I don't know who all I've told, but I started chronicling the adventures of my separation and divorce. I don't know if anything will ever come of it, but my best friend Teri thinks it could be something to help others going through a similar experience. I infused the painful parts with wit, humor and a bit of sass. Maybe I will sample it here for you at some point. We'll see.

Things at work have been slow. I am very concerned about this. When I started at this job last January, everyone warned me that in the summer the workload would increase significantly. So far, it has not increased at all and with school starting, things are slacking off. There are too many people and not enough work. I am really worried about how this is going to play out. I would appreciate prayers for guidance. I don't know if I should look for another job or continue sticking it out without any hope for a raise or future production bonus. I do have terrific insurance and other benefits that I don't want to lose.

Until next time. Have a good holiday.

BUSHISMS

I thought with all the political talk that has been going on, I would take some time to reflect on some of the most profound moments of President Bush's term.

Please, don't misunderstand. This is not to be considered an attack on the president. I enjoy humor, and find it in the strangest of places. I have been told my sense of humor is quite wicked, others think its non-existent. I just laugh at them.

Here are some "Bushisms" and my thoughts on the subject.

“give my chance a plan to work."— April 24, 2007—Well, Ok then.

"Trade is an important subject here at Caterpillar, and the reason why is because a lot of the product you make here, you sell to somebody else, sell overseas to another country. That's trade. And yet it's—it's a topic of hot debate."— Jan. 30, 2007—Economics 101, right?

"And one thing we want during this war on terror is for people to feel like their life's moving on, that they're able to make a living and send their kids to college and put more money on the table."—Jan. 16, 2007—I put my money in the bank, he puts his on the table.

"You never know what your history is going to be like until long after you're gone."—Washington, D.C., May 5, 2006—Do you really ever know what your history will be?

"That's George Washington, the first president, of course. The interesting thing about him is that I read three—three or four books about him last year. Isn't that interesting?"—Showing German newspaper reporter Kai Diekmann the Oval Office, Washington, D.C., May 5, 2006—What’s more interesting, that he read three or four books or that they were really Curious George books?

"I like my buddies from west Texas. I liked them when I was young, I liked them then I was middle-age, I liked them before I was president, and I like them during president, and I like them after president."—Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 1, 2006—Just to be clear, that hasn’t happed yet, right?

"You took an oath to defend our flag and our freedom, and you kept that oath underseas and under fire."—Addressing war veterans, Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2006—I guess some of them were underseas in submarines.

"Those who enter the country illegally violate the law."— Nov. 28, 2005—Can you say, “DUH?”

"I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend."— June 29, 2005—YUCK!

"It's in our country's interests to find those who would do harm to us and get them out of harm's way."—April 28, 2005—Are we protecting those who would harm us?

"And so during these holiday seasons, we thank our blessings. ... "—Dec. 10, 2004—What kind of religion does he practice again?

"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYN's aren't able to practice their love with women all across the country."—Sept. 6, 2004—I must remember to interview new doctors.

"I want to thank my friend, Sen. Bill Frist, for joining us today. … He married a Texas girl, I want you to know. (Laughter.) Karyn is with us. A West Texas girl, just like me."— May 27, 2004—Is George hiding something from America?

"I'm honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein."— May 25, 2004—What is he shaking again?

"[B]y the way, we rank 10th amongst the industrialized world in broadband technology and its availability. That's not good enough for America. Tenth is 10 spots too low as far as I'm concerned."— April 26, 2004—Is this some of that new math?

"[T]he illiteracy level of our children are appalling."— Jan. 23, 2004—Although his wife instituted the No Child Left Behind Act, its too late for George.

"Just remember it's the birds that's supposed to suffer, not the hunter."— Jan. 22, 2004—Quick, someone notify PETA!

"I'm the master of low expectations."—June 4, 2003—Everybody’s got some kind of talent.

"We spent a lot of time talking about Africa, as we should. Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease."—June 14, 2001—Is there such a thing as new geography?

"You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.''—Feb. 21, 2001--How profound. I guess if you teach them to fish, they will be able to fish?

Travelling Guru

A friend of mine is on vacation in California. It's a dream vacation. Fly in to San Francisco, sight see for a few days. Rent a car and take a couple of days driving south on the famous Highway 101. What it must be like to be able to go on a vacation.

Photo is courtesy of Charles Green.

It's been years since I went on a real vacation. I think about 10 years to be exact. The ex and I went camping, tent camping at that, in Arkansas--in the mountains, in October. Not really MY idea of a vacation, but it was a vacation nevertheless. I got to cook outdoors, clean up outdoors and freeze my tail off, outdoors.

I have always wanted to travel. Before I got married, I wanted to go with a group of relatives to Jamaica, couldn't afford it. During my marriage, I wanted to drive to Las Vegas. Not that Vegas is really a place I am dying to see, but the drive--you know getting there is half the fun. Obviously, money was a huge factor and a trip like that wasn't affordable. Later in the marriage, the ex didn't want to go anywhere, he didn't even like going out with my parents to dinner.

This year, be it 2/3 of the way over, has been about the new me. I have made resolutions not to repeat mistakes of the past. Here I am, a 37 year old woman with no husband and no kids. Why shouldn't I travel? Ok, money is still an issue, but I am working on it. I want to go places, experience new things. I want to see San Francisco, that has always been one of my desires. I also want to explore Seattle, parts of Oregon, the Redwood Forest, British Columbia, New Mexico and--at least once in my life--I want to see Bora Bora.

I've devised a system for funding my travels. Once a week, I am going to "borrow" five dollars, no I mean ten dollars from various people I know. Now, just to be straightforward with you, I never intend to pay you back. I also want to hit up others for "gas" money, about $40 or $50 should take care of that. I will also sell items that may or may not belong to me--after all, can we really own anything? Maybe by the time my birthday rolls around in November I should have enough money to take a trip to Fort Worth. I know what you all are thinking. Yes I live in Grand Prairie, but I am not good at being deceitful so I probably won't get very far.

I guess I can scrimp and save like everyone else. One day I will get to one of those "exotic" places, but for now at least I can dream about it and live through my friends. Today this friend of mine went to Alcatraz, I hope they didn't keep him there.

Family

Ladies and Gentlemen, my brother--Kevin Jackson

I am totally jacking this from my sis-in-laws blog.

I wrote a blog about Kevin & Jen bowling--he practiced without her knowledge. When he challenged her to a game, he totally kicked her rear end. They went to an alley near their house in East Fort Worth, the games on Sunday are a dollar each. They had to rent her shoes (I think, wait, she may be using her mom's shoes since the mom is laid up after surgery.) After three games he was ready to whip her again--she begged "NO MORE."

Until next time.

The New Adventures of (Not So Old) Teri

OK,

Teri (who should be driving) and Rachel, I never realized how much they look alike until this picture. I told Teri that Rachel is growing up so fast and she looks so mature (she will be 12 in September), they had better keep an eye on her 'cause the boys will be doing just that. Also, Rachel and her dog Pookie--who's lucky to be here after Teri ran over her.

OK, we now continue with my blog, The New Adventues of (Not So Old) Teri. No, I don't like the title either but it came to mind and wouldn't go away, like a pesky insect buzzing around your head. Well, back to Teri. My best friend -- we met in first grade. We were both the new kids in class, plus we live half a block from each other. We hit it off immediately. We had the same interests: barbies, boys, skating, boys, playing pretend bewitched, boys and something else, oh yeah, boys! We also tried to avoid Zoe, a girl in our class. She wanted desperately to be friends with us but Teri and I stood firm, we would not let her in -- we were terrified of her. Zoe was mean with a capital MEAN, plus she didn't like boys.

Throughout our lives, Teri and I have maintained our friendship -- actually, we are more like sisters than she and her own sister. We have gone through so much, moving away from one another-then back again; high school graduation, college and getting real jobs; marriage, kids, divorce, marriage, kids, kids, and more kids. (She has four-I have zero, she won that contest--or did I?)

When I moved from East Texas to the DFW area, Teri was sad-but she understood I was doing what I had to do for myself. She was only a couple of hours away and I still go back sometimes to visit Mom and Dad, so I knew I was going to see her. Well, in May she moved with her husband and kids to Mississippi, OK, that is still close enough for me to go see her and she can come back to East Texas to visit her family right?

Naturally, that is not the end of it--there one thing I know with Teri, wherever she is living, whatever she is doing, I will see her again. Now with cell phones having free long distance and nights and weekends free, I still get to talk to her more than when we were in high school and she moved to Tyler. Back then that seemed like half way across Texas. Technology has increased ways to be with loved ones who are so far away. Since Al Gore invented the Internet, we can thank him for e-mail. We can instantly and daily communicate with family or friends--or people we've met on chat sites--who may be on the other side of the globe. Cell phones allow you to talk to friends while you are on your way to work. Gone are the days you have to be at home to receive a call. Although, that is where I am most of the time because I get so few phone calls.

Back to Teri. A couple of weeks ago, she and her family caravaned to North Dakota, where they have settled down, and they even bought a house. This makes a long weekend trip to visit her a bit more difficult. Since I haven't found a sugar daddy, frequent flying is out of the question, I don't even know if they have a nearby airport. Wal Mart doesn't yet exist--she says it opens next week or the week after. She says there is nothing there. It makes Hankinson (?) sound like Hooterville.

I no longer have anyone to go get manicures and pedicures with, do lunch, go window shopping, laugh like we were kids again. I miss her and I know she misses me, but I guess that is part of life, moving on.

I just hope she is happy. I know deep down that in our crazy mixed up lives, our paths will cross again. We have been friends for far too long to let her fall to the way side, plus she still owes me money from 11th grade. I loaned her $5 to get some popcorn at the movies. Not really, just kidding. She got a large, it was $7.

Until next time.

More Pictures

One of my readers, also my best friend of 30 years, told me she really liked my pictures. So, I thought I would put some more on my blog. I don't really have anything new to discuss, at least not that I want to tell the world right now.

Ok, the pictures are all from the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. I took these back in April, I think. Lately, its been too hot to go.

One photo is of a waterfall behind the building that houses the tropical rain forest. Another photo is of a yellow flower that looks like a poppy. I am not sure what the flower is, I just thought it was a good picture. The third is of a bending tree. I like trees that are unique. I thought I would publish a book one day of different tree pictures, I would name it "Trunk Show". Now somebody will see this and hijack my idea -- just my luck.

Enjoy the pictures, I enjoyed taking them.

As always, if you have suggestions or comments, please feel free to post.

Until next time.

UPDATE -- GRAND PRAIRIE

Yesterday somebody asked me if I had updated my blog, my answer was simply "Nothing new has happened yet." I mean I can put on my blog that I eat, sleep and go to work, but that is really boring and lets face it, I don't need help or spotlight on the boring part of my life.

No sooner than that conversation took place I got a phone call -- a very long awaited phone call. For those of you who know me and my family well, you know that for Kevin (my brother) to call me there must be something wrong or very important he has to tell me. The family joke is Kevin offers information and conversation on a need to know basis. If he thinks you need to know, he will tell you.

The phone call was nothing of urgency, importance or despair. He simply--and shockingly--wanted to get back in touch. He said he's been meaning to call me for some time but his work schedule was busy.

Not only was I excited to hear from him, I was very happy that he called. Just a few hours earlier I told our mother, Kevin never calls me. I call him and leave messages on his cell and home phones and I never hear back from him. I said, Did mom tell you to call me. (laugh). He said no, I just have been meaning to call you.

He was waiting on his friend Bill. They were meeting for their weekly coffee and discuss the problems of the world appointment -- well that is how it started a few months ago. However it developed into bowling. You see, Kevin wanted to secretly practice and get better at bowling so he could kick his wife's butt, at bowling that is. (His wife Jennifer's words, not mine.) Jennifer's grandmother had given Kevin a pair of shoes and bowling ball that belonged to Jennifer's grandfather. That gave Kevin the inspiration to keep secrets from his wife and sneak out of the house. But Jennifer discovered his secret. (He He.) Once she did, she searched Craig's List for a ball of her own.

I used to go bowling a lot. I took it as my PE class in college. When I first got married, Steven and I went all the time. He liked it so well he played in a league from work. Then, he quit going and I could not get him to go with me, so I quit bowling as well. I told Kevin, he and Jennifer are going to have to take me bowling some time. That should be fun. There is an alley in north Arlington that is smoke free, I am sure there are more in the area.

Ok, I know this is not my best and most exciting blog to date. I am sorry, I have a boring life. I am meeting new people and having a great time since moving here from Longview.

Dinner and a Movie -- Ingenious

Saturday, roommate and I planned another outing to Sundance Square in Fort Worth. The weather, however, had other plans. Since its July in Texas and typically hot, dry and things start to get crispy, the rain was welcomed with open arms and the following sauna was ignored.

We altered our plans and took in a movie, with dinner to boot. For the past couple of years something wonderful has been gaining ground in metropolitan areas across the nation. Movie theaters that serve food while you watch the movie. Now, I don't mean the traditional soda, giant popcorn and JuJu Bees. Bring on the burgers, salads, pizza and chicken tenders baskets. Inside the theater, for those of you who have not had the experience, rather than the typical rows of seats, are office style desk chairs with either tables or bars. When you get your ticket you get a menu and a "coaster light". It is an electronic device similar to the buzzer you get an most restaurants. This, however, lights up when you push the button on the side and attracts your server. Before the movie begins you order and either before the movie or during the previews your order is brought to your table. You eat your meal while you watch your movie. Which brings us to the theatrical portion of the evening.

HAIRSPRAY

Alright, let me just say this up front. No, I typically don't like musicals. Just like my dad, when I feel a song coming on, I either change the channel or leave. But on this particular day I intentionally subjected myself to a musical.

The plot

I didn't know much about the show other than it was a musical. I knew from commercials, previews, talk shows, etc, that John Travolta dressed in drag to play the mother of the main character. I did not realize the plot was about integration and equality. Scenes from the movie caused laughter, applause and praise to erupt in the theater.

The main character stands up to the local TV station, in 1962, to allow the Corny Collins dance show, a cross between American Bandstand and the Mickey Mouse Club, to be integrated. The Corny Collins Show once a month has "Negro" day. The main character Tracy wants every day to be "Negro" day. "Just because you are different doesn't mean you should be left out", I am paraphrasing so the quotes really should not be there. It was a feel good movie because at some time every one feels like they are different and discriminated against. With Tracy, she is a big girl, a very large girl and so is her mother. The upcoming star of the Corny Collins show, Link Larkin, falls in love with Tracy because she can dance and she stands up for everybody. Tracy's best friend, Penny -- whose mother is a religious fanatic -- falls in love with Seaweed. He is the son of the host of "Negro" day. In the end, the antagonist gets exposed as a fraud and bigot, and is consequently fired; all young people are paired up with the one they love; stars are discovered by talent agents at the "Miss Hairspray" contest; the Corny Collins Show is "now and forever integrated" and everybody wins. You leave the theater feeling like you can dance, sing and do anything. You are on top of the world. Was it the movie or the serge of sugar from the food you just ate.

If you decide to attend the Studio Movie Grill, the food portions are large but the quality is only OK. If you want a refill on your drink, ask for it way before you need it because it takes a while to receive one. In this particular theater, the restroom was bottlenecked because of the design and the floor near the entrance was wet because the sinks are right there and the paper towel dispensers are across the entry way from the sinks.

I don't have any new pictures to post. I am looking at obtaining a web site to post all of my photos. I hope to sell some one day. I did stick my camera in my purse yesterday in case I saw something photo worthy, but with the rain it just was not feasible.

Until next time.

Saturday Outing

I don't have any new pictures to post, but I can certainly find an old one to post. Here is one of my only child, my 4-legged dependent. Cricket picked me at an animal shelter. I was there to find a mouser since we had a slight rodent problem. I was looking at a cat in one of the top cages when I felt something pulling my shirt. I looked down and saw a calico paw sticking out clawing my clothes. I just couldn't resist. That was 11.5 years ago. She had been abandoned in an apartment for a few days before the maintenance man found her. When I first took her home she would sleep with one paw on me or my ex so she would know when we moved and she has always followed me around like a puppy -- she still does. This picture has been Photoshopped. I made it look like a painting. I call it Painted Cat.

Yesterday, roommate and I went out for the day with a friend of hers from church. We started out at Central Market. After a trip through the market, where I bought some fresh fruit -- YUM -- we ate at the deli. I had a Chicken Quesadilla and fresh fruit salad, it was very good. The three of us sat and talked for what seemed like forever. It was very nice not to be rushed for time. After that, we went to Montgomery Street Antique Mall -- we got there 7 minutes until closing. Maybe we should have hurried, at least a little, at Central Market.

Being right behind the botanic gardens, we decided to drive through -- it was a bit hot since it's July in Texas. While driving we saw a sign for a fragrance garden. Of all the times I've been there and the sights I've seen at the gardens, I did not know there was a fragrance garden. We parked and walked through. It is a very small, filled with lots of basil, thyme, rosemary, plumeria, etc. It was fantastic. It's located behind the restaurant.

Upon leaving there, we drove through Trinity Park since I had never been over there before. I didn't realize how large the park is. It went on and on forever. Although it was hot out, there were a lot of people there. Cyclists resting on a bench, a man reading a book, a family birthday party, what looked like a pervert waiting to expose himself to the next person who looked his way. All kinds of people. We drove under the bridge and saw water canals with fountains and lots of ducks and some homeless people.

We were very near the Import Store, my little corner of heaven. So I convinced roommate to drive to the Import Store, they were havin' a Big Ugly Sale. You all know me, that is my kind of sale. Of course, they were closed. So we drove downtown to see what was going on.

I can't remember the street, but we saw a store called Earth Bones and right next to it was a Thomas Kincade Gallery next to that was Risky's Barbecue and across the street was La Madeleine's. So we found a parking spot and went window shopping. Earth Bones was a great little shop. They had a little bit of everything -- clothing, home decor, purses, jewelry, novelty tees, gag gifts. I was very tempted to buy the instant adoring boyfriend dvd. You just pop it in and he comes on the tv screen telling you how great, beautiful and smart you are and how lucky he is to have you. I decided to save my money and wait for the three dimensional kind. He may not tell me all the things the dvd guy says but he will be easier to snuggle with.

We ventured next door to the Thomas Kincaid gallery. I just love his work. I finally realized why he is called the "Painter of Light". On every wall were rheostats to adjust the light. You turn down the light and the painting changes. There was a painting of Salt Lake City from a distance. When the lights went down it was like the sun was setting. It was so beautiful. Roommate went around the gallery adjusting all the lights. I spent my time talking with a gallery worker named Laura who turned out to be Thomas's sister-in-law. She told me all about Thomas growing up, how he began painting, about his wife Nanette, why N shows up in so many of his paintings, etc. There is going to be a movie coming out in December about Thomas's teenage years, how he met a Hollywood director who became his mentor. I had a very nice visit with Mrs. Kincaid. The gallery in downtown Fort Worth is one of 3 owned by Thomas's company, the others are independently owned.

From there we went across the street to La Madeleine's and drank coffee and had dessert. We sat there and talked for a long time. It was so nice to have intelligent, meaningful conversation. I have that sometimes with roommate but her grand kids are around so often that our conversation usually involves Veggie Tales. The people I work with don't have time for deep conversation, so its usually very superficial and silly.

At some point roommate said, "It's almost nine o'clock ladies, I think we need to be getting home." So we gathered ourselves and left, making it home around 10 -- since we had to stop in Arlington and drop off her friend. Roommate said it had been a long time since she was out that late on a Saturday night -- then she said how sad was that? I sometimes feel old but dang, I don't ever want to think that staying out past 9 on a Saturday night is late.

It reminds me of several years ago, I was dating this guy who took me out for my birthday. He had me home by 9 on my 25th birthday. I never saw the guy again. As far as birthdays go, I haven't had too many terrific ones. The last TWO years, my ex forgot my birthdays. We will see what the future holds for the next one. I may take a trip for my next birthday. I mentioned before that roommate and I are thinking of going to Galveston. We may take a detour through Port Lavaca -- which is where my Aunt Allie lives.

BOREDOM SETS IN

Today boredom officially set in. It happens in the summer, that is my slow or down time. I absolutely hate summer in Texas. It has been wonderful until now. With all of the rain we've had the temperatures have been mildly terrific. The clouds went away and the heat rose. I tried to get out earlier today, roommate and I went out to lunch and then tried to shop but it was just too hot. We came home, went to our respective rooms and both took a nap -- unusual for both of us.

In the summer time I don't mind getting out, but its usually just for the car ride to the museum or the mall, no extensive time outdoors. In the autumn or spring -- or even winter for that matter -- I enjoy outdoor activities like the zoo, botanical gardens, etc. During summer, I watch a lot of TV and movies about the things I like to do rather than doing them. I also -- big surprise -- spend a lot of time on the Internet. The picture is of a tree at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. I took the picture in early to mid April. I titled it Wayward Tree.

As a result of the increasing heat, I have been on the prowl for inside activities. I found an exhibit at Fair Park in Dallas showcasing Ancient Treasures of the Holy Land. It's been there since March but I just heard about it. I would like to go, but it ends later this month. Not a lot of time to make plans to go see this. If you want to check it out for yourself, go to http://www.holyland1.com/.

Another exhibit I recently heard about is at the Dallas Museum of Art, called from the Ashes of Vesuvius, it starts tomorrow. This exhibit shows artifacts found from the seaside village Stabiae on the Amalfi coast. Everyone knows about Pompeii, being destroyed by Vesuvius in 79 AD, but more than just that village was wiped out. If you want to know more, go to http://www.dallasmuseumofart.org/.

The Kimbell Art Museum is always a favorite of mine and roommate likes it also, as I mentioned before we have a lot of similar interests. At the Kimbell, there is an exhibit showing portraits painted by Picasso, Monet, Matisse and other masters. I would very much like to see this. I may have to get a second job to support my habits. Art museums are things I could never share with my EX, he was not interested in things like that.

Another place I just heard about is the Nasher Sculpture Center. I am not much into modern art, but some sculptures can be very intriguing. If I have a chance to go I hope it is not a waste of $10, plus gas and time to get there. If any one reading this knows about the Nasher, please let me know what you think.

By the way, I am still working on my next trip -- in the fall to Galveston. If you have suggestions on places to go, people to see, etc. drop a line.

Until next time.

Photos

Well, now that I've mastered uploading pictures to my blog, I will probably get notified that there are too many pictures. Until I get censored, here are some photos to enjoy. More of my recent trip to Oklahoma City. One of the places we visited included the OKC botanic gardens. They have an indoor tropical rain forest enclosed in what they call a "crystal bridge". I took some really great pictures there, some others were not so great. We will stick to just the good pictures here, ok. Rufus would be proud -- maybe. One picture is a striped plant it is kind of purple and white, I called it a spider plant but I am not sure of the real name of this thing. I can tell you if you look closely at one of the leaves (one or two o'clock if it were a clock face) there is a lizard on the leaf.

Another picture is a snake-like plant with leaves on the end of it that resembles Hen and Chicks, a favorite succulent of my mom's. They are fairly easy to grow -- unless you have a brown thumb like me and Jennifer. Then everything, easy to grow or not, dies. No matter how much or how little it gets watered, fed, etc. It all just dies.

More pictures of the memorial include a lawn photograph of the entrance walls, partial walls of the original building, the remembrance chairs close up (they have an acrylic base with a light underneath) and a different view of the survivor tree. Enjoy the pictures. Also, there is a picture of the Weeping Jesus from behind.

I am planning my next trip with roommate -- we travel well together. This time we are talking about going to Galveston to see Moody Gardens, the Aquarium and the Bishop's Palace -- maybe other land marks. I haven't been to Galveston since I was 14 or 15, I would love to go back. Maybe get my brother and his wife to go with us (hint, hint).

At some point we do want to go back to Oklahoma City, but after our stay at Hawthorn Suites, we will have to have a pretty spectacular stay guaranteed at another hotel.

Until next time.

Tinkering

Hi everyone. I am experimenting with photos. I have tried in the past to upload pictures to accompany my blogs, but as you may have noticed my blogs are fairly word heavy with no accompanying artwork.

Before I actually upload the pictures from Oklahoma City, I wanted to tinker with some I already uploaded using Google's picture program called Picasso. For those of you who haven't really noticed, my e-mail, home page, blog and picture manager are all associated with Google -- I am a Googley Girl. I am sure many of you have other opinions or spins on that, please don't share them, what I don't know won't hurt me.

Ok, if it works out, one of the images is the Chihuly Tower, the main attraction for the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. I got the image from their web site. The other picture is of roommates grandkids, it was taken this spring at the Fort Worth Botannical Gardens -- the kids just turned 4 and 5 this month.

I will be back with more photos, or -- if this experiment didnt work -- I will be back with pictures to prove it!

Until next time.

Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Alright, as promised I will let you know about the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, which is where roommate and I spent Sunday morning. We were there for 2 and 1/2 hours and didn't see it all. This is a fantastic museum and the main attraction was the Chihuly glass collection. If you have a chance, go to the museum's web site to see more than what I can tell you in this blog.
Here is some info about Chihuly:

Dale Chihuly's well-grounded academic and practical background includes a B.A. in interior design from the University of Washington, a M.S. in sculpture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a M.F.A. in sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design, and honorary doctorates from the University of Puget Sound and the Rhode Island School of Design. He was also awarded a Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation grant for work in glass and studied at Italy's prestigious Venini glass factory on a Fulbright Fellowship.

Chihuly's work is included in over 200 museum collections including the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, and he has received world renown for his extensive glass series, international projects, and large architectural installations such as the Museum's Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick Memorial Tower, which is his tallest installation to date. Dale Chihuly: The Exhibition represents over three decades of Chihuly's finest work and heralds this brilliant luminist as the most important artist working in glass since Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Until next time: when I will have some pictures from the trip.

Home Sweet Home -- Updated

Pictures include:
Weeping Jesus in front of the entrance to memorial; Reflection Pool which covers the at one time street where truck bomb was parked; and the still charred Survivor Tree. Photos copyrighted 2007, Lisa Jackson Duke.

Well, roommate and I just got home from our trip to Oklahoma City. Ahh, it's good to be home again. Don't misunderstand, we had a good time. A great, no fantastic time, but like Dorothy said while tapping her ruby red slippers together, there's no place like home.
Let me tell you about the stay.

We got into town around 4 pm Friday, we got a late start, had to make a lot of stops and encountered rain. We went to check into our hotel room before we met friend and her family for dinner. When we first decided on the dates for our trip I booked a room on-line at Hawthorne Suites. I knew Hawthorne is a fairly decent chain with good amenities and should be a good place to stay -- it was a nightmare. When we got to the front desk the guy said he found my reservation but didn't have a room for us. A lot of the rooms were blocked for some reason and it would take him about 30 minutes to figure it out. The manager happened to stop at the front desk at that time and we got him involved. He wanted to see the print out of my confirmation that was e-mailed to me so roommate went to the car to get it. I was about to ask him what was the point of a reservation if it didn't hold the room when he told me to go sit down in the lobby while he figured out what was going on. I was so shocked, I did what he told said. Finally about 7 minutes later he found a room for us to stay in for two nights.

Some time later the next afternoon, another guy from the front desk knocks on the door saying he tried to book people into our room because it shows to be empty -- did we miss check out time? Then, when we did check out, the manager's wife asked why were we checking out early because the computer showed we were supposed to be there for another night! I thought I was going to scream. I will not recommend Hawthorne Suites to any one ever again and I will be contacting their corporate office.

When we finally got checked out and were leaving, a young couple were outside waiting for a ride and the guy was on the phone with Hawthorne corporate complaining about their stay. I asked the young lady what was happening. She said in the night she called the front desk asking the manager for more towels and complained that there was a dirty towel left hanging on the bathroom door. She said the manager yelled at her so loud over the phone it woke up her boyfriend/husband. It was a bad experience for at least four people, don't let it happen to you!

Ok, about OKC. The first night we ate at a place called Elephant Bar and Restaurant, it was an African themed restaurant and thankfully they served fish, shrimp and chicken not TO, pronounced (toe). According to my brother, who went on a mission trip to Africa it was a main dish of one of the villages he visited. I can't remember what he said it was made from but I doubt I would order it at a restaurant. After we ate we walked around the mall that was near the restaurant and very close to the hotel.

The next morning we got up and out the door by 8:30, went to the lobby for the continental breakfast, which was pretty good. Then we headed out to the main area of downtown where there are a lot of attractions. This area is called Bricktown. We parked at the botanic gardens and caught a trolley ride (for a quarter each) over to the Memorial for the explosion of the federal building. It was quite moving and I took several pictures which will appear here at some point in the near future. We left there, caught the trolley to another stop, walked around Bricktown -- where I bought some gifts for my family members. Then we went to the botanic gardens tropical rain forest. It was humid inside but fantastic. There were so many beautiful flowers, butterflies and lizards (which I almost stepped on one). We left there, went back to the hotel to get cleaned up and then out to dinner. Roommate wanted a steak, I didn't protest because I love a good piece of meat.

We ate at a place called Cimarron Steak House. The steaks were melt in your mouth good. We were exhausted so we just went back to our room and early to bed. But not early to rise, we slept in late the next morning. When we finally got up, we gathered everything and checked out. We ate at IHOP in Bricktown and then went to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, I will have to tell you all about that next time because I want to research the artist whose work we saw, plus it's late and I am going to bed.

Until next time.

Weekending

Well, my weekend is usually interrupted by working Friday night/Saturday morning. Next weekend however, I am taking a vacation day and Roommate and I are taking a short trip across the border. The north border to Oklahoma. We are visiting the National Memorial for the explosion of the federal building in Oklahoma City. A co-worker of mine visited there last month, brought back pictures and I had the desire to visit myself.

I know it will be emotional. I think the first question I asked was about the chairs at the monument, there is one for each person who perished. I asked if the chairs were all the same size. No. I got choked up just thinking about that. I know there is a reflecting pool and a statue across the street at what used to be a church parsonage. According to my co-worker, the statue is of Jesus, with his back t the monument and the inscription reads, "And Jesus wept."

I hope my RA, rheumatoid arthritis, keeps in check for my trip. I unfortunately have had a "flare up" for the last seven months and doubt that I will be pain free for my short vacation. As of right now typing this I am missing a birthday party for a dear sweet 5-year old girl because I can barely get around. There is pain in my fingers, toes, back and chest. I am stiff all over. The fatigue is terrible. I sometimes feel so lazy due to the fatigue. I understand my ex's assumption that I was lazy due to the amount of rest needed for this terrible debilitating disease. If you know someone with RA, I highly recommend getting an education in all aspects of this infliction. The more you know, the more understanding you can be with your loved one who suffers in so many ways. The worst is those around you who do not understand fully what someone with RA or Lupus, Crohn's disease, etc. goes through.

I know that I don't get to update this spot as often as I should, just bare with me because I am doing the best I can. When I first separated from my husband and moved in with Roommate, I purchased a journal to keep track of my thoughts etc. I wrote out my prayers -- very cathardic and I highly recommend it to all. I did real good at keeping it up for a few months, but I don't think I've made an entry since March. I hope to update this site once a week, maybe more often. If you think I should make a change, e-mail me -- or if you are a personal friend, call me.

Well, I think I've rambled enough. Until next time!

Well, I don't get to post information everyday. I have a really busy lifestyle: work, crafts, church, family, friends, work, etc.
This past week I have been really inflamed from my RA. A scary thing happened, my calves and ankles were swollen so much it hurt to wear shoes and socks. Also, I could feel my heart working really hard and felt out of breath. SCARY! I think it is even more scary that these symptoms just stopped.
My room-mate (cousin) and I are planning a trip to OK City. A co-worker went to the National memorial there and showed me the pictures. It was beautiful. I know it will be emotionally hard to see, especially knowing the truck that exploded was parked on the day-care side of the building and the empty chairs that are part of the memorial are different sizes. I also am looking forward to the OK City Zoo and science museum.
That is all for now. I have to get ready for work.
Until next time.

Beginnings

Thanks to my sis-in-law Jen for inspiring me to have my own blog. There has been a lot going on in my life the last six months or more and maybe this will be a way to "talk" about all of my craziness.
I am not sure where to start, but just for background information -- I have Rhuematoid Arthritis, I just started a new job in January moving away from my home, family and friends, and last October my husband decided he wanted a separation/divorce.
The job is going great. I work strange hours and nobody is sure when they can call me so my phone seldom rings. I work for AutoTrader magazines as a book builder. That means I determine how many pages go in the magazine based on number of ads sold; make sure the ads go on the correct pages and color goes on the right ads. It is easy work, but mistakes can happen.
I have been on a new treatment for RA but despite raved reviews of this medicine, I have not experienced any relief. I will give it six months before I ask my doctor for something new. Just as a side note, the surgeon who operated on my knee (4 times) and first thought I might have fibromyalgia was recently arrested for drug use (the street kind) and lost his license.
The pain from RA is severe at times and I am grateful for pain management but I want the progression of the disease to stop as well. So far, no luck.
More about my job and disease later.
Steven, my husband, should be filing the first petition for divorce soon. I guess by the fall I will be legally single againl.
More next time. Everyone take care.