The Black Lioness

Academy Awards

2012-01-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

Academy Awards

Any surprises for you? How about disappointments?

Personally I was hoping to see some Sherlock Holmes. I don't know about you, but it feels like the Oscars aren't what they used to be. It feels less like a dreamy award show and more like a 'Here you go, say thanks. NEXT!'

Meh, I don't know.

Facebook and Caylee Maire Anthony

2011-07-07T10:01:00.000-06:00

ATTENTION: Those of you who are leaving your porch lights on for Caylee are idiots. You are wasting precious energy and are running up you bill. And for what? Can your neighbors look at your porch lights and go "Oh, those are on for Caylee". NO! More in likely they are shining into the window of someone's bedroom and/or annoying your neighbors in other ways.

You want to do something for Caylee, be more active in volunteer work for kids. Donate money to charities that help the families of murder victims. Make a wood sign for ALL the children lost to murders. You know Caylee isn't the only one but no one can name the others even though the cases were well televised at the time.

Get off your lazy ass and do something that actually MATTERS!
How does wasting energy and money help the child? SHE IS DEAD. She no longer needs help. Where were you when she was still alive? Not giving a damn that's where. No one cares or even notices until there is a cold body.
One woman of 51 years old spent over $3,000 on hotel and food and spent over 100 hours waiting in lines to go into the courtroom to watch this case. The money and time could have benefited children and families in need but it was wasted.
This country is fucked up.

Just as I thought.

2011-06-12T20:47:00.000-06:00

Okay so a little background so you're not completely lost...
I have a 10 year old son (he'll be 11 in November) and for the last six years his father has had him up in Colorado. I live in New Mexico and have spent much of the last six years arguing and fighting with his father just to get my court ordered rights to call our son and have visitation. We were never married.

My ex is a big bully and likes to push me around and make me cry. Until four years ago I let him push me so far as I actually stopped calling because I could not handle the anxiety I would get when I'd go to talk to our son because of the remarks and comments the ex would make before putting our son on the line. I couldn't even get him to agree to any dates for visitation. As he put it, he didn't have any days to "sacrifice" to me going up to Colorado and meeting them someplace. I let it all slide because I had no knowledge of the law and I believed the ex's threats.

Four years ago I met my now fiancee and when he learned my story he encouraged me to grow a spine and helped me stand up to the bully ex and even intimidated him into picking a date for visitation and stick to it. Still with all of the intimidation and crying (on ex's part for once) I have seen our son a total of three times. And that's not because I've backed off, but because the ex likes to make it difficult for me to visit. Because he insists on being there for each and every visit despite the fact the current parenting plan states that after the second visitation I can have unsupervised visitation. We had to fight to get that third visitation to be unsupervised. So on that, I asked if I could have our son to take him to Sea World--a request that last summer the ex agreed to, of course that was right before our son broke his elbow playing on the trampoline--but of course this year the answer is not just no but basically a hell no, ex doesn't want me to even take our son out of Colorado. But I can have our son for a week.

For me to stay in Colorado for a week would cost more than I pay in child support for an entire year. And there is absolutely no reason for him to demand that I stay in state. However as our current parenting plan stands, he can decide whatever and I have to abide by it. So we (that is my fiancee and I) decided it was high time to update the parenting plan and make some fair changes to it. And just so you know, the current parent plan is totally in his favor. It states that I get to call our son once a week at a chosen time. I get the child tax credit once every five years. Like I said it was very his sided.

Near the end of May (the 27th to be exact) I sent a purposed parenting plan to update our seriously outdated parenting plan that wasn't a permanent one to begin with. All I asked for was summers at my house in New Mexico and every other year in taxes and holidays. I also asked that the ex pay half of the expenses on travel for me to get and bring our son back to Colorado.

He refused to accept the purposed parenting plan. Even when he KNEW it meant we'd go to court to have it settled. He rather spend the money I send to him a month in child support on court and attorney costs because he is still bitter about something that happened over 11 years ago.

What is seriously sad is the fact that my fiancee and I KNEW he was going to do this! So we have back-up plans. And yes, we are going to file the purposed parenting plan that was drawn up, but with some major changes that benefit me. If he wants to go to court that is more than fine with us. We've got quite a bit saved up for this exact thing. Why? Cause like I said, we knew the ex wouldn't agree to anything that didn't benefit him more than me.

So now we know what we are going to be doing this summer. And you know what? I AM ECSTATIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry I don't update this poor thing more often. I try. :)

Sleep is elusive.

2011-04-13T22:40:00.001-06:00

I have not been sleeping well at all as of late. Last couple of nights it has been because I got a rug burn on the top of my left foot from the first joint of my big toe down to above the ball of my foot and it smarts something fierce, especially at night (and I'll leave how I got that rug burn up to your imagination - I do have a small rug burn on the last joint of my right big toe as well if that helps). I cannot think of anything else going on that would be keeping me awake at night. Yes the end of term is nigh but I have only two classes and they are both fairly easy.

Thank goodness for Tylenol PM. Kills the pain (mostly) and puts me to sleep. I just wish the pain releaver part wouldn't wear off after six or eight hours. I do so hate that.

I have my one month check up this Friday. I have lost 30lbs (I haven't weighted myself in a while so I am guesstimating here--I'll supply real numbers at a later date). And I am sure the only thing the doc is going to be concerned about is the fact I keep forgetting to eat. I swear this surgery wipes out the memory part of one's brain! I hate that. I also decided that my mini stomach just isn't ready for heavy meats like steak. Eating should make you feel good inside in the 'this meal was incredible and tasted heavenly' type way (not the 'I am sad let food comfort me' way). Not sit so heavy in your stomach that you feel like puking just to get rid of that feeling, which steak has been doing to me lately. It does bum me out that for awhile there will be foods I just won't be able to eat. Like Albertson's french bread. I adore their french bread (and let's face it bread itself) and even more so when it is fresh from the oven. I am strangely missing well made grilled cheese too. Perhaps that is the lack of bread in the diet talking. But I tell you, the sandwich I miss the most right now is peanut butter and pickle.

That's right I said pickle. You weirdos who eat peanut butter and jelly are the strange ones. Found out my youngest Travis likes peanut butter and cheese sandwiches. Can't knock it as I have never tried it. I do love cheeses as well.

PM meds kicking in now, so it's off with the light and deep uninterupted sleep for me--hopefully.

I wish the days would fly by.

2011-04-05T21:03:00.000-06:00

I know it is strange to want days to fly, specially since there is still much to be done before October. But I would very much like to be fully recovered from my surgery. The incision has healed beautifully, only three small scabs that I have nicknamed Orion's Belt, are left. I keep having horrible muscle pain all around the incision area that felt like I had been doing sit ups all day long. At first I thought that I was having cramps, because I began my period but now that it has finished I called the nurse and asked her about it. She thinks that perhaps I am over doing it and I should rest more. Problem with that is that my muscles hurt the most after sitting at a table at school and there isn't much I can do about it. I find it strange that just sitting there is taxing me. Outside the fact that it seems no matter the chair height my incision area rubs against the side of the table.

Other than that I am doing well, I managed to scare Steve to death today by simply taking one of my Tramadol (pain medication) because I was suffering and it knocked my little empty stomach ass out. So I did not hear the house phone ring or my cell phone go off with calls and texts (of course I turn all sound but alarms off at night and had not turned it back on) and it is not like me to not answer even when I am upset. Steve had many things going through his mind and didn't do well in either of his classes and then rushed home to find me laying strangely on our bed and not responding to him, his touch or when he rolled me over. It wasn't until he was rolling me onto my right side that I sort of woke up. It would be a few more scary moments before I could answer Steve and answer his questions. He was about to call 911 because he had no idea what was going on. I feel a little bad about that but it wasn't something I could actually control.

I do have an appointment with my doc who did the surgery on the 15th of this month so I can ask him questions. Steve didn't have school or anything else for that matter after he had his surgery so he didn't go through a lot of muscle pain. Lucky bastard.

Sent via DROID on Verizon Wireless

15 days later......

2011-03-29T19:24:00.001-06:00

On March 14 2011 at 7:30 am I was wheeled into the operation room in Lubbock TX and had my first (and hopefully the last) surgery. A Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and I have lost 30lbs since.

And in case you are wondering, I didn't have a panic attack when I got to the hospital nor when I was shown to that room they put you in as they prep you for surgery. I did however cry. Just a little...until they put the IV in and then oh holy hell did I cry because it hurt so bad. I cried so bad that Steve was getting teary-eyed because of it. I don't mind admitting I bawled like a baby--seeing that this was my first surgery and I was scared to death. Steve having already got through this exact surgery told me what to expect when they wheel me back...I had to scootch over to the operation table and they tied my arms and then they were suppose to put a mask on my face and tell me to count back from ten....problem is the last thing I remember is the lady putting the heart monitor stickies on me warning they would be cold, just like the operating room. That's it. Next thing I remember is waking up but not wanting to open my eyes. The nurse turned on a bright light and then I was getting wheeled to my room, still didn't open my eyes until I heard Steve's voice. He had flowers and a card for me as well as my stuffie leopard that I have to sleep with or I seriously can't sleep. He stayed with me until I was released from the hospital the next day (with the exception of the times he had to check on Scott, get something to eat or needed a small break) and was completely supportive and understanding of everything I was going through. I am so very glad I have Steve, not just because he's a wealth of information (both on Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and other things) but because I really don't think I could have gotten through this without his love and support.

I have survived what many who have had bariatric surgery call "hell week". That first week after surgery that during it you sit and wonder why the hell you did this to your own body. The first couple of days I personally was thinking 'when is this going to end' than anything else. I didn't really question why I did it, just when am I going to feel better and start feeling human once again. Since Thursday (March 17) when I was able to remove the pain ball and take a shower for the first time I have started to feel a bit more human than I had since Monday (March 14). Friday (March 18) I felt even more human by getting out of the hotel room in more than my pjs and robe to walk around and even venture to Wal-Mart (which is next door to the hotel) and then later go for a car ride. Saturday (March 19) I was up in the morning and quite agreeable to a trip to Dallas, TX (oh holy god of everything I will tell you about this trip in a few I promise!) to see the Sixth Floor Museum and Delaney Plaza (JFK assassination for those who don't know) then come back to Lubbock TX on Sunday afternoon. Tuesday (March 22) was my one week appointment with the doctor and I was released to go home. I went to Steve's appointment on Friday (he had this surgery back in December of 09 and this was one of his follow up appointments) and the doctor was quite pleased with my progress and healing.

Now about that Dallas, TX trip.....

As many know I love history and museums, so when the opportunity to go to a museum arises I am more than willing to go with it. And really Dallas isn't too terribly far from Lubbock....just you know 5 hours at the most. Well I had no problems with the drive to Dallas. Once we got into the Dallas area however, a whole new story emerged. Right off the bat a semi-truck decided it would be a great time to go around the person going slow in front of them, unfortunately they decided to merge into the lane we were already occupying just as we decided to pass the semi. Steve had to slam on the brakes so that we didn't end up part of the semi. Normally that isn't a big deal. But add the fact that I have an healing incision on my abdomen that even laughing a little hurts a whole heck of a lot and you have a small recipe for making me cry. Then when trying to get to the next exit so that we can get into the truck for my pain meds we get pulled over for speeding. Thankfully after showing the cop my incision he let us go with no warning or ticket, which was nice.

But seriously the drivers in Dallas TX are freaky scary. They tailgate you like you're the new guy in jail. They cut you off like they're more important than you are. And then they hand out parking tickets like they're fliers. Seemed like every time we parked we'd come back to a parking ticket. All because our handicap placard sits on the dash instead of being hung up on the mirror. The first one we got said that it was expired--when Steve went in to the courthouse to get them straightened out the cop had put that the placard expired 09-20-11. Not quite sure how that qualifies it to be expired, but okay. All of them were dismissed--the other one we got stated that it wasn't properly displayed. NM placards can be displayed on the dash or on the mirror, which it states right on the placard itself but apparently this isn't so for Texas placards.

The museum was brilliant however, even if it could have been done differently. There were WAY too many people in that place. Thankfully I wasn't elbowed or anything of that nature, they gave us audio tours things and we all got one of those pressed pennies that for some strange reason I have to get one whenever I see the machines. The museum had a lot of great information and the corner where Lee Harvey Oswald apparently shot JFK was glassed off with a reconstruction of how all the boxes were arranged. Sadly no pictures were allowed to be taken in the museum; that however did not stop me from taking a picture from the window next to the window from which Oswald shot from down to where JFK was shot. I also took pictures outside on the Grassy Knoll and from the spot marked on the road up to the window. Which you can see on my Facebook page. If you know my Facebook page that is.

By Tuesday March 22 I was so ready to go home. Now that I am home, the cats haven't left me alone for very long. Memnoch is always close by, Bast gets quite upset if I haven't made room for her on my bed and Trouble demands his hourly head butts. I am hoping (somewhat as I like the kitty attention) that things will go back to normal soon. Now that I am out of the binder I feel more human....although I keep thinking I'm a freak with the little I eat and the fact that I can only eat certain things or I get the acid reflux feeling, but without the acid. This feeling is so not fun and I do avoid it.

I have experimented with certain foods to see if I can tolerate them or not. I however stick to the diet so I don't do any damage to my stomach more often than not. But it's nice to try to pretend that I'm a normal person though. I can't wait until I am where Steve is now. I just got to get through the rough and tough first couple months. Steve's promised to take me to see Disney's 'African Cats' on Earth Day next month if I survive. LOL

More updates if I remember.

It's been awhile...

2011-03-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have neglected this blog. I don't do so on purpose, I just....forget. So let's not dwell on it.

Now that I have a Droid X I can post more often if I feel up to it straight from my phone. Okay so I've had the phone for a couple of months now, just didn't think about Blogger is all. Life happens.

Speaking on life, I am having my first (and last) surgery this Monday. I have realized I tend to have panic attacks when thinking on this subject and I am usually pretty good with the panic and anxiety. I'm not worried about the surgery, I've got the best Doctor this side of the Rocky Mountains and Mississippi River. Everything else however scares the living crap out of me.

Needles in the hands of uncaring, unfeeling women with funny accents? CHECK!
Waking up and freaking out because I have absolutely no clue where I am? CHECK!
Forgetting I'm going to have limitations? CHECK! CHECK!
Relying on others when I am used to being more or less independent? Errr....

And I'm not a big fan of pain and discomfort which I am assured is all part of the process. Despite everyone telling me not to worry, I tend to do just the opposite. Not because I'm a rebel and do stuff like that but those sweet, nice, caring words everyone has for someone having any kind of procedure done just doesn't seem to work on me. No matter how hard I try to calm down, apparently my mind has other ideas.

Haven't been able to sleep for the last few days because I will suddenly awake around 3, 4 am knowing I was having some sort of bad dream but not quite grasping the details of it and just laying there wishing my mind would just shut off. Then the mind wandering to morning of surgery and thinking how things (based upon prior experience being on the other side of this aka NOT the patient) should go and then having a panic attack when I think about them taking me back. Probably because I don't know what happens next and as much as I love surprises and adventure..... there are just some things I think I might want to know.

A complete change of subject---before I have a panic attack thinking about having a panic attack---I would really like to keep this thing up to date. I have another journal (LiveJournal) but it's not public like this one is, for a reason. I know a few people who use blogger and I feel bad that I don't remember to keep this thing up to date. Also the fact that people actually follow this and get nothing from me.....

Just turned on CNN and perhaps I shouldn't have. Tsunami (tsu= port, nami= wave) slamming into Hawaii, 6ft tall waves, and so far one death in California from 8ft tall waves...okay so the guy was taking pictures of the tsunami coming and was swept out to sea....but still.

And apparently the nuclear reactor is having a few major problems...explosion? Yeah unless it's on the Simpson's that's NOT a good thing!! Also depends on what actually exploded. Plutonium, reactor contains plutonium...okay. It's experimental fuel with plutonium. Wouldn't it be nice if the news could not use words like 'radioactive' 'disaster'

The earthquake moved Japan's coast by 8ft. Not sure which direction though.

Another change of topic, apparently men still prefer Marilyn Monroe. When she was told she didn't get the lead in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' she said "That's fine, I'm still the blonde!" I wish I could have experienced her in the flesh instead of through old movies and clips of things here and there. She is one of my old time favorite actresses. Not because she died tragically with more controversy than any Area 51 story. But because she was the "Angelina Jolie" so to speak of her time. She was a great actress but she was quite more than that. She had those "normal" every person type problems. Although she was seriously let down by all of her doctors and even some of the people around her. I can really relate to the things and some of the feelings she went through.

Well there is still much to be done. We leave for Lubbock tomorrow and nothing has been packed and only a few things have been prepared so might as well get to it. :)

A New Horoscope For A New You....

2011-01-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read that right...in addition to all those nifty and nice New Year's resolutions you've made (and possibly already broken) you also get a whole new horoscope! Well...maybe, the debate is still ongoing on this one...

But yes, we all know our signs...or we did if they actually manage to change things on us. And by they I mean the Minnesota Planetarium Society.
Horoscopes as we know it today:
Aries: March 21 - April 19
Taurus: April 20 - May 20
Gemini: May 21 - June 20
Cancer: June 21 - July 22
Leo: July 23 - August 22
Virgo: August 23 - September 22
Libra: September 23 - October 22
Scorpio: October 23 - November 21
Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21
Capricorn: December 22 - January 19
Aquarius: January 20 - February 18
Pisces: February 19 - March 20

This makes me a Taurus. But if what is being said is true and the Horoscopes actually change, I won't be a Taurus any more but instead an Aries.
The Horoscopes of Tomorrow:
Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16
Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11
Pisces: March 11-April 18
Aries: April 18-May 13
Taurus: May 13-June 21
Gemini: June 21-July 20
Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10
Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16
Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30
Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23
Scorpio: Nov. 23-29
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29-Dec. 17
Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20

So why change now? I mean WTF? Right?

Astrological signs are determined by the position of the sun relative to certain constellations on a person's day of birth. These positions were determined more than 2,000 years ago so that nowadays the stars have shifted in the night sky so much that horoscope signs are nearly a month off. This shift is caused by precession, the wobble in the Earth's axis caused by the gravitational attraction of the moon to the Earth's equator.

We're just now hearing about this thanks to Minnesota Planetarium Society board member Parke Kunkle who just happened to mention to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune about the gap between the astrological and the astronomical view. Of course this being the Internet, there's wildfires and the quickness of spreading going on. Funny enough, this isn't breaking news...it's actually old news.

Apparently around 280 B.C. there was an known astronomer named Aristarchus of Samos, perhaps you've heard of him? Yeah me neither..but I only dabbled for fun in the whole astro fields for awhile. But this known astronomer recognized and assessed the movement of precession and I guess just decided not to let the head of the astrology department know that things change....

Scientifically speaking: The Earth is a wobbly top that as it rotates, its axis swings in a circle, pointing in different directions. As the Earth's position shifts so does our perspective of the night sky.

Example: The North Pole Polaris so called because its the star most closely aligned with Earth's North Pole. But when the great pyramids were constructed, the star that aligned with the North Pole wasn't Polaris but a star in the constellation Draco called Thuban. In 12,000 years, Earth's North Star will be Vega the brightest star in the constellation Lyra.

What that means: It will be another 26,000 years before I'm a Taurus again. Not sure I can wait that long and there's no guarantee I'll get my old sign back either.

The good news: There's no evidence the stars have anything to do with peoples day-to-day existence. A study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences used data from more than 15,000 people and found no relationship between date of birth and personality...this was back in 2006. Be that as it may, 25-30% of us still believe in it according to a recent Pew survey.

Did you notice the newly re-added Ophiuchus sign? This constellation is located near the celestial equator and is typically depicted as a man wrangling a serpent. No, not his own serpent...I don't think... anyway, Ophiuchus means serpent-bearer in Greek; The different characters from Greek mythology that Ophiuchus is thought to represent are Asclepius the healer, Trojan priest Laocoon who was killed by sea serpents and Phorbas who saved the people of Rhodes from an infestation of serpents. This sign is already found in the Sidereal Zodiac used by Jyotish (or Hindu) astrologers. Sidereal Zodiac is based on the moving Zodiac that we should have been using all along apparently instead of the fixed Zodiac we have been using in Western astrology. This poor sign was discarded by the Babylonians two millennia ago because they wanted 12 signs per year not 13. So what does this mean for those falling under this sign? Well, those under the Ophiuchus sign seek higher education and enlightenment and are expected to achieve a high position in life (like a doctor much like Imhotep of the 27th century BCE Egypt) and is an interpreter of dreams and vivid premonitions and is envied by their peers and favored by their father and authority figures. (much like the biblical Joseph). Fun Fact: The Asclepius and the Caduceus (the medical staff that represents all things medical) are based on this constellation.

Part of the debate being tossed around is that this new horoscope only effects those born after 2009 also that this does not effect the western world (despite the western world being the only ones who use the fixed zodiac) and that the zodiac depends on position of the sun and stars at the time of birth and not at the Earth's movement.

I don't live by the horoscope and like I mentioned earlier I slightly dabbled in both astrology and astronomy (and archaeology but that's a different story) so I understand the big deal all this is making and just why people are up in arms about it. Personally I think of it as growth. We all change as we age, why not have our sign change with us? I mean yeah okay it is a little silly since apparently I was suppose to be born an Aries not Taurus and I've always considered myself a Taurus at heart but I've added traits to myself knowing or unknowingly so perhaps I am more like an Aries than a Taurus now anyway or some strange mix of the two. I just don't know and possibly will instead when asked my sign (cause unlike our horoscopes that opening line never changes) I'll say "I'm an Arirus." This will hopefully kill two birds with one stone...one showing the guy who actually asked me this question that there are other things beside my sign I am interested in and that I don't take myself too seriously...no matter what an Aries is suppose to be!

If you would like to learn more about this new Horoscope just Google or Bing 'New Horoscopes' and have fun reading! I only got about 125,000,000 results....lol Not bad for the "news" being out for only three days. It was released Thursday January 13 2011

And if you are one of the many who are having a personality breakdown over this, have a cuppa and take a deep breath. You're still the same person you were a few days ago. Nothing is going to change that but you.

The Move

2010-07-28T13:03:00.000-06:00

It was decided long ago that Los Alamos no longer held it's allure for us and that living there did us no good at all. The only thing was to choose a city we wanted to live in and then find a suitable home. After a month we had narrowed it down to two cities; Lubbock TX and Rio Rancho NM. We were having a hard time choosing between the two since both had their appeal...
Lubbock is in a different state, has almost no rush hour traffic, has a lot of parks and ponds/lakes, is visually appealing, has Texas Tech, house prices are low, is far away from both mothers that drop in visits would not happen.

Rio Rancho has all the shops and entertainment we wanted, great new high school, close to dads in case of emergencies, new or newer homes, close to friends, one of us knows our way around the area, area is always growing, new things are being added and home values will rise after a few years.

Of course there were cons on both sides as well.
Lubbock is far away in case something happens to one of our dads, there isn't a lot to keep us entertained, Lubbock isn't expanding and the house market is suspected to remain the same in the next few years.

Rio Rancho is close enough to one of our mothers but she at least isn't known to just drop in without warning first, the rush hour traffic is atrocious, house prices are a little steep, there is construction always around, not a lot of parks or walker friendly areas.

In the end we did decide on Rio Rancho NM mainly due to the fact it is close enough to Albuquerque that there are things for us to do, if something happens to either of our dads the trip to see them is short and doable without breaking the bank, the area is growing and being added to so the house values are expected to rise.

After figuring out the city, finding the house we wanted was actually a lot easier than it had been in the past. We decided to rent the house for the month of June and go to closing at the end of June with promises that any problems we notified the seller of would be taken care of even after closing. The move itself went as well as a move could go. Friday morning of the 4th we went to collect the large moving truck and my mother/step father.

At first there is no organization to how things are being placed into the moving truck which posed to be a big problem since we had more than enough stuff to fill the truck which we didn't actually think we did to begin with. After a few minutes of rearranging things we managed to get all the important things loaded into the truck just before nightfall. We had two friends and my mom and step-dad helping loading the truck. We took everyone out to dinner which cost us a little over $100.

We drove down to the new house that night with my mom and step-dad who helped us unload the beds and blankets then headed home with a promise to come back the next day to help unload the rest of the truck. One of our friends who helped us load was also going to come down to help unload. Apparently sleeping in the spacious library wasn't as good of an idea as was first thought as I supposedly snored badly that night and it echoed off the high bare walls bringing thoughts of Godzilla to unsleeping minds. I still require proof of this event to even consider it as truth.

Next morning our friend arrived and helped us finish unloading the truck. This is also the morning where I actually don't want to drink the coffee I brewed--turns out the water in Rio Rancho is nasty. Not just icky or gross, but downright N-A-S-T-Y. Drinking it straight from the tap made my face swell up and gave me that chipmunk look no one actually wants. It made my coffee undrinkable which I never imagined could happen. We now have 5 gallon and 3 gallon bottles for drinking and cooking water.

My mom and step-dad arrive after the truck is unloaded but help us move boxes and furniture to the appropriate rooms and even with a little unpacking. Quickly the running joke around the house is if we can't find it and ask where such-and-such is the answer is going to be "It's in a box".

We start making a list of problems that need to be fixed so that we can give the list to the seller. We use New Mexico Landlord law as a base on what we should put on the list as things a landlord is required to fix for tenants. We e-mail the list to the seller per the seller's request as they inform us they only pick their paper mail up once a month. Seller keeps giving us different numbers as to what is needed moneywise to bring to closing. In the end we have to milk another three hundred dollars out of an almost tapped out stone known as our checking account.

Closing comes and goes and I am still stunned at the unorganization of the city of Rio Rancho. I'm coming from a city that everything that is needed is found in one place: electricity, gas, water and waste. One call in Los Alamos along with one deposit took care of all four of those much needed services. Rio Rancho however you must call four different companies and supply four different costly deposits in order to get these much needed services. Which no one decided to inform us of until close to last minute. I had set up electricity (PNM) and cable/internet/phone (CableOne--this after a huge run around from Quest on whether or not the area we were moving to offered 20 meg internet services or the 7) services. It wasn't until after moving in that we were informed that we had to set up a gas account with New Mexico Gas and garbage with Waste Management of New Mexico as well as water with the city of Rio Rancho. All wanting deposits over $100--a couple charging it to the account to be paid with the first billing, the other two wanting it up front. Needless to say this extra was NOT budgeted due to the fact we just didn't know.

Before signing we took the paperwork for the house to a friend who is an attorney. They okayed the contract and Steve's mom also said everything looked fine, so at closing I went ahead and paid the money and signed the papers. Shortly after receiving copies of the signed paperwork I take the time to actually read the paperwork I signed and find a few things that was NOT even talked about when we went over the contract with the seller. I.E. paying an extra $215 a month for taxes AND for a insurance policy the seller still has on the house--the seller is already on our home insurance paperwork as requested (we're buying the house through the seller and not through a bank b.t.w.) but now we're also paying their insurance policy they have on our house. Also we're only paying interest on the house, none of the money we pay per month goes towards the actual principal. Which means when the contract is up in 10 years, we're no closer to having the home paid off then we are at this very moment UNLESS we opt to pay extra money per month. Also despite many emails and calls/texts the seller has not gotten back to us on when they plan on having the things we listed before closing that need to be fixed fixed. They called Steve once and congratulated him on the house and that was it. The seller only talks to Steve despite the fact that I am the one on the paperwork and I'm the one who basically is buying the house not Steve. But since that one call we have heard nothing. Everything is going unanswered and I have no idea if we can do anything legally about it since it was requested we email everything and not send it via snail mail and everything is through Steve's email account and not mine. I do know that the seller said "e-mail would probably be better than regular mail because I only pick up my mail every few days, so just send me a list and we will work out something regarding these issues." because every time Steve emailed the seller I was put as a Bcc to everything even replies he made to emails the seller sent him.

The house itself isn't too bad. It needs a few upgrades and a water system so we don't have to keep getting bottled water but these are things we are planning on getting either with my tax house credit (first time home buyer) and/or with a settlement that has nothing to do with the house.

On top of all of this lovely mess, we have to take our previous landlady to small claims court! We moved out of the rental on June 4, we paid rent for the month of May and informed her early May that we were looking at other homes since she hinted at wanting the house we were renting for her in-laws who just moved to the States and were living with her. NM tenant law states that a landlord has 30 days from when the tenant moves out to provide them with in writing a detailed list of what damages were done to the property and where the deposit was used and how much. By July 6th we had gotten nothing from our landlady (we did provide a forwarding address to her) so we emailed her about getting our deposit back and sending her links to the NM Tenant laws that applied; this included the law about the 30 days in writing and what can and cannot be considered as normal wear and tear. She THEN emailed us a list of "damages" and how much she "paid" to fix them, which she claims is more than our deposit was. She is also trying to 'charge' us with normal wear and tear things like painting and cleaning. She also printed out the email she sent us and mailed it to us. Both of them arrived AFTER the 30 days were up. In fact they arrived 32 days after the fact. So we went back up to Los Alamos and filed with small claims court so that we can get our deposit back. All we know at this point is that she has been served the paperwork, no clue on when we have to be in court for this though.

Monday when we went to register Scott for high school in Rio Rancho we were informed that we need his actual birth certificate (not a copy) as well as a utility bill proving residence and a $30 registering fee. When we called the district on this issue back in May/June after knowing we were moving there we were told that since Scott went to school in that district for kindergarten we wouldn't need his birth certificate and that a voter registration card with the new address on it would work the same as a utility bill. But Cleveland turned us down flat on both things saying Scott was no longer in the system since it's been a few years since he went to school in that district so a birth certificate was required and that we would need a utility bill no matter what. they really didn't care what district told us this was THEIR rules. We can't register him for school now until the first day so he doesn't know if he's going to get the classes he really wants (forensic science for example) or what bus he's going to take to get home. It's turned into a unneeded nightmare. Not to mention we wasted an hour just to find this information out since they were so unorganized.

All the first month bills have finally been paid and hopefully they will be more manageable now. However, PNM is about the same amount without the deposit as it was with. It is also more expensive than all four services combined in Los Alamos was. There's some part of me that thinks that perhaps some of the pros of moving to Rio Rancho have become cons as it is starting to become more expensive to live in Rio Rancho than Los Alamos. What we save in food/gas/entertainment expenses we are paying in utilities.

Also I have decided that I just cannot trust people anymore. I am being told one thing only to have the other thing be true or something completely different happen than what was originally talked about. Or important things are just not getting talked about and instead left for me to discover when it is too late to do anything about it. Obviously I cannot trust the opinion of others when it comes to my well being and although I know I shouldn't have left the reading of the house papers to others I just didn't have the time to sit down and read through the stack thoroughly. I felt so rushed due to the expiration to get the first time home buyers tax credit and when papers needed to be signed in order to receive said tax credit.

Live and learn I suppose.

Been a while..

2010-07-24T21:53:00.000-06:00

So that should mean I have loads to tell you...

I moved to a new house the first of June, closed on the house the end of June, spent time in the hospital because my dad was in a motorcycle accident that broke both his legs and upper arms, watched a great fireworks display from the deck off the master bedroom, haven't heard from the seller about fixing the problems he promised to fix since I've signed the paperwork and I might be pregnant.

That pretty much sums up June and July. Tomorrow we're going to the Isotopes game (baseball) with some family and Monday we go register son for high school here, he's going to be a Junior so he's almost out of the house. Still have the 10 year old though and possibly a new one. After registering we're heading down to Lubbock TX for a couple of days then to Las Cruces and then home.

Nothing else to report I guess. Or I am just too tired to care at the moment.

STOP! Pony Time!

2010-04-08T14:21:00.000-06:00

No, not even I am above using 80s catch phrases to get attention from time to time. I grew up in the 80s therefore I do strongly believe that I am entitled. Then again that would mean that I am also entitled to wear 80s clothes and 80s style hair-dos...just, no. I already lived through that ONCE and I'm lucky to have survived the first time! Of course there is this thing called fashion that would make anything from the 80s obsolete per say......

But there are just some things from the 80s that in my humble opinion never go out of style or become obsolete. Besides the music of course. And one of those things happens to be My Little Pony. Yes, the toy that has made it's way back into the hearts and homes of little girls everywhere. But I'm not talking just any My Little Pony either, I'm talking the G1s (1982-1992) and the G3s (2000-2009), mainly the G1s as they are the ones I grew up with.

I went through the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010 collecting and actively looking for MLP (My Little Pony) but sometime in February I got distracted. Seriously distracted.

I got swept up in Zoo World a popular game on Facebook and shortly after beating the game I started helping other players with getting animals and items. Found out how to send out feed animals that are greatly sought after in droves that made me quite the popular little Zoo Worlder (of course I'm not the only one who does this for this game--THANK GOD!).

And then there is the fact that I created a fan page for Doc PC Enterprises (my computer business) which has an up-to-date tab about Scam and Rogue applications on Facebook that people should avoid and why these pages/applications should be avoided as well as an ever growing list of helpful tips and things to do to keep your computer safe and running great.

And these two things took me away from my pony searching.

However I still looked for the ponies whenever I happened to be in a thrift store or other such establishment; just haven't done any looking at my favorites places (eBay NOT being one of them although I still look from time to time). This is good for my wallet, not so good for my collection. Although we will be moving soon so adding to the collection might need to be put off so that I don't have to move too much stuff. But because I have realized this fact (and because I have gotten my tax return already) I have declared today a Pony day for me.

No Facebook games, no scam/rogue pages, no sending feed animals out or anything at all on Facebook--besides getting the links for the pages above that is.

I need to spend some time looking at ponies even if I don't buy any and doing other things for awhile. This could turn into a whole weekend type of deal, I haven't decided yet.

So now for some different updates.

S and I have blocked E completely from our lives and have been told by D that she is too oblivious to notice that S isn't responding to a thing. We first tried just ignoring things from her and that went well so now we have completely blocked her. We now get nothing and we couldn't be happier. HOWEVER we plan to move down to Corpus Christi TX if we like the area (neither of us has been there) and if not there then Lubbock. The only way I agreed to move there is if S and I get a restraining order against E. S happily agreed as he really doesn't want her near him.

Please know that the reason we do not like E is not because she has a mental illness. S suffers from bi-polar disorder and I'm still learning ways to deal with his episodes because they can be seriously bad and emotionally draining. We do not like her because she is praying on our family and disrupting an otherwise peaceful life. We both understand that this isn't entirely her fault but she has made us both so uncomfortable and seems to just ignore the facts and instead chooses her fantasies no matter what. Instead of feeding the disease we're ignoring her, which is actually the best thing people in our position can do for her.

S has lost over 100lbs since his surgery and is so much healthier. His diabetes is gone and he expects to get a clean bill of health on that issue from his diabetes doctor tomorrow. The doc who did the surgery is quite pleased with S's progress and all his vitamin/mineral levels are normal. He still needs to be reminded to eat and he has tummy upsets from time to time but everyone is getting the "hang" of things.

Like I mentioned our tax returns have come in and I relented in letting S purchase a pricey high end laptop for himself after spending $320 each on a new laptop for me and our son; one that I like VERY much thank you even if it doesn't have tons of bells and whistles! I grabbed an extra laptop (good price, why not?) to sell on eBay or through my business once the supply has thinned a bit. I also bought S a couple of watches (one he doesn't yet know about), me a nice sapphire and diamond necklace and Wii Resort for the family. Which is something I want to play more of sometime this weekend.

Speaking of gaming systems.......read carefully and be confused!

Tuesday April 6 2010 as I was sitting in our completely paid for 2005 Chrysler Sebring convertible reading a book as I waited for S to be done with the doctor, my cell phone took a flying leap to the floorboard and bounced it's expensive self underneath my seat. When I reached down to retrieve it hoping it didn't shatter its costly yet under warranty self I felt something else beside my phone. At first I thought it was our son's Nintendo DS, it had the right feel, but upon pulling it out from under the seat I froze. It wasn't the DS at all, his DS is white, what I was holding was a light baby blue.

What I had in my hand was a DSi, the latest Nintendo hand-held gaming device..the ones going for close to $200 new. We have not bought a DSi for our son nor would we have gotten it in a light blue if we had. Son is not prone to or ever have stolen anything in his life. So my next course of action was to open it and power it on in hopes of shedding some clues as to who it belonged to. Of course I was thinking of any of the number of friends the son has even though none of them have been in the car since we got it expertly cleaned inside and out at Octopus Car Wash the last week of March.

There was no name, just random letters and numbers, there were some pictures of a little girl (4 or 5 years old perhaps) that I did not recognize. No adults, no other clues. When S and I got back to the car after I met him upstairs at the doctor's office I asked him about it and he was as clueless as I was. We figured we'd ask the son about it when he got home, although we're pretty sure that if anyone lost a DSi in our car they would have called us about it by now.

Before the son got home I noticed that the dates on the picture were from back in 2008 which I knew wasn't right because the DSi is still new and wasn't out then so I checked the system date: 4/12/2008. Someone set it wrong or didn't bother to set it at all...then I noticed that the date of the last picture taken was 4/10/2008; that turns out to be Easter Sunday and we went NO WHERE on Easter Sunday nor did anyone come over to our place and the car is parked in an attached garage. The following Monday we went to the grocery store twice. Tuesday just the doctor's office and that's where I made my discovery. Needless to say we were seriously stumped.

When our son got home we told him about my discovery. It was obvious he had no idea where the DSi could have come from and none of his friends has "such a girly DSi" if one at all.

We talked to a friend who is a police officer about the DSi and she informed us that since it was found in our car (property) we do not have to return it because the owner obviously did not have permission to be in our car. Although I did ask her to keep and ear out for any lost DSi that may surface within the month of April.

So with that in mind I went ahead and erased the data stored on the DSi (after making a back-up copy) and ordered a charger, car charger, protective kit as well as a R4 with an 8 gb memory card so that I could play any number of games on it. It was apparently too girly for our son to want, although like my PSP he'll probably play it on long road trips when he gets bored with the games on his DS.

We are completely baffled as to how the device ended up under the passenger seat of the car. A car that went no where on Sunday, the store twice on Tuesday both times being locked up tight and only to the doctor's office on Tuesday. Someone would have had to broken into the car or the garage- both of which we would have noticed immediately- in order for it to end up there. A check with son's friend's parents proves that none of them are missing a DSi, specially not a baby blue one nor do they have any idea who the little girl is. No one has heard about a missing DSi either.

For now though I have a new DSi that I hope to be enjoying soon. Battery was fully charged when I found it (proof one that it hadn't been there for very long) but if I play around with it too much the battery is going to die and I have yet any way to charge it. DS charger does not work with DSi...games do work between the two systems however and now the son and I can play games with or against each other while traveling. Although I tend to get car sick at times if I'm not looking around me a lot when the car is in motion.

Also, I sort of like the baby blue color! XP!!!

Being sick doesn't help you know....

2010-01-11T15:53:00.001-07:00

....it's even bad for your health so I am told.

I usually don't get sick. My immune system is pretty rocking, unlike my metabolism. *grrr* It generally takes a lot to get me sick as I have the tenancy to pass on viruses to others and not actually be effected myself. For some reason though, when I went to see The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus on Friday night having quickly made a pit stop at Wendy's for something quick and cheap so we didn't have to spend over $20 on snacks at the theater (oh that in itself can be quite the rant) I walked out of the theater after the movie with a small tickle in the back of my throat.

I've never liked small tickles. Anywhere. I even knew what this small tickle was hinting at. I told S about it while driving home (he's in another state for his doctor appointment from his surgery thing) and said I was not happy about it at all. S told me to take a hot shower when I got home and go to bed. I pretty much did that, but in addition I took some Children's Tylenol (works better on me then the adult stuff I do not know why) wrapped my throat with a scarf and went to bed with a hat on.

But sure enough, the next morning dawned with me feeling like a few 100 ton Semi-Trucks ran my ass over, forgot something at the distribution center, turned around, ran me over again and then for giggles ran me over on the way back out. I had the classic symptoms of the flu. Which I haven't gotten in over ten years. The last time I got it, my immune system was down because I had just given birth to my son....this time my immune system was down because I was overly stressed about S's trip to the doctor. But not for the reasons you might think.....

The surgery went well. In case I failed to mention that before hand, no problems, S was up and moving and doing everything he should have been doing just hours after the surgery and he was released the next day. Of course we had to stay in the area for that week until the one week appointment where we were given the okay to go home, which we obviously did.

Now almost a month later, because of something un-surgery related that happened the first trip and the fact that I couldn't make this trip with S, my stress levels have been at their peak---actually they probably could go higher, but that could mean hospital time for me. Which is never good, for me, the nurses or the doctors.

Let me take you back to about November of 2009. Perhaps even October, I'm not sure exactly how long before the surgery to be honest, but that's where this story is starting--officially at least. S is online at a diabetes chat room and someone asks for some information. S shares the information with this person because that's the kind of guy he is and he had it to share. This person takes an interest in S and continues to chat about diabetic stuff since it's a common theme. Shortly after S learns a lot more about this person as they have emailed and chatted in a friendly manner for a bit now. He finds out this person just recently had a baby and is engaged to the baby's father who turns out to be an old friend of S's from his high school days. Shortly after that, S receives an email from old friend's soon to be wife and thinking it was baby pictures and knowing how I enjoy baby pictures he has me come over to look. They weren't baby pictures. They were naked pictures of his friend's wife to be and they weren't mistakenly sent to S either. She wrote "S- hope you enjoy something different, love E" S pales because, well let's face it, having some woman sending you naked pictures of themselves while your sweetie is standing right there isn't exactly high on the to-do list.

S deletes the email not quite sure why she would send him that and doesn't talk to her for awhile. She however knows about the upcoming surgery and keeps asking questions about where he'll be staying and if he needs someone there with him. He tells her that his wife (me) will be there with him as well as his mother. Somewhere in that statement she decides that I am S's ex. He tries a few times to correct her, but she's not listening or something. We're not sure, but we're feeling a bit uncomfortable with the whole situation.

S talks to his friend about E and finds out that E has a history of mental problems. S's friend and E's parents are kept in the loop about her activities towards S. E keeps telling S that she wants to meet him. S tells her that I am not his ex and that he loves me very much and has absolutely no interest in meeting her. Shortly after S gets a text where she states that the baby is asleep and she has alcohol and a knife. S contacts his friend (D) and informs him of what is happening and D takes care of it.

Fast forward to December 19. E decides she is going to drive to Lubbock. When she gets there she decides to call every hotel in Lubbock asking for S and tracks down which hotel we are staying at. She was nice enough to inform S that she was in the area and was coming over to meet him. S isn't happy nor am I but because we don't want to upset S's mother (who also went through surgery remember) S meets E at the restaurant next door to the hotel. He does this on his own since we have no idea how she'd react to me. S returns after throwing away the stuff she gave him after about half an hour and we talk about what we can do about this problem.

E sends S an email:

Hey S,
How are you feeling? I'm good, just tired and stiff from being in the car most of the day. I enjoyed getting the chance to finally meet you. I wasn't sure if we ever would with all the problems we've been having. I really hope I didn't cause you any problems with your ex and your mom. That's the last thing you need is them jumping your ass just because you went to meet a friend that they didn't know; I'm sorry but I think that's pretty fucked up. You're an adult just like them, although I know you're more responsible and trustworthy than they'll ever be. Anyway, I hope you liked the pictures; those were some of the better ones I could find. I look like a lawyer in my senior picture. LOL! Oh, well. It could've been worse. Btw, I think my senior pic is on MySpace. I know there's a few of R when she was 13 or 14 but she looks like she could pass for 17 or 18. Believe me, makeup does alot. I wish I didn't have my braces in my 9th grade prom pic. They didn't really tie in very well with the dress I wore. On the plus side, if I had not gotten them, I wouldn't have the smile I have today. I hope you had a good time like I did today, even though we didn't do anything except walk around Wal-Mart.
I know I've been changing the topic alot but what do you think Sjr (our son) will say when he meets me? I'm just a little nervous, you know? He's never met me, just seen some pics of me from high school. I think he's noticed that you're happier now. I'm not sure what made you so happy to talk to me, though. I mean, before T introduced us, I was a total stranger to you and vice versa but now we've become pretty good friends. Things sure do change fast. I just hope he won't be disappointed. I don't know what he thinks about our age difference since I'm closer to his age than yours. It's not a big deal to me but it might be to him. I'm sure he's a nice young man but from what I've heard about all of the trouble he's given you lately, I think he'll be exactly like his dad (not to say that it's a bad thing).
I thought that blanket would come in very handy for you. I know you're pretty uncomfortable right now so I thought something soft and warm might help you relax a little. I wasn't very sure about the color but, unfortunately, it was the only color they had. Try to behave yourself and take it easy, ok? The less stressed you are, the more relaxed you'll be and the faster you'll heal. Trust me, just take things slow and you'll be fine; I could tell that you were in a lot of pain earlier just by looking at your face. Facial expressions can say much more than words because you can tell almost instantly when something's wrong. I don't know if you've heard of this but there's a psychological technique called guided imagery. It's the same thing psychologists use to reduce stress and help manage pain; they tell you to do something relaxing: "Picture yourself on a warm beach, either with a loved one or by yourself, listening to the waves. You can smell the salt water, feel the warmth of the sun on your body, hear the waves lapping along the edge of the beach, see the sunset and the colors on the water..." or "Imagine yourself lying on a cool bed of grass with sounds of rushing water from a nearby stream. It's a nice sunny, breezy day. You turn to see a patch of blue wildflowers in bloom and can smell their fragrance..."
It usually takes to between 10 to 15 minutes to complete but sometimes it doesn't even take that long, depending on how stressed an individual is or how much pain they're in. You can also listen to some soft music, keep yourself comfortable, or dim the lights, if this helps you. I've used this technique a few times while I was working in the assisted living facility because either the individual didn't want to get addicted to pain meds or the meds weren't working. You can ask someone to help you or you can do this on your own. Even doing this in the shower, with the warm water relax your muscles, it works really well. I've had to do this on my own because of my own stress or pain level. It may be kinda tough at first but think about something that relaxes you and it'll be a little easier because you're not thinking about it as much. Try this later and see if you feel any better; your mom may even find this helpful. Well, I have to go so I can get some of these gifts wrapped but I'm sure you'll see me later. I'll be here later if you want to talk but I'll have my cell phone with me as well. Talk to you later!
~E~

Thankfully she thinks we live in a different city than we do and our son knows nothing of this. He doesn't need the added stress and there is no reason he has to know. D of course was informed and he's trying his best to keep her from stalking S further, but he can't always be around her and keep an eye on her.

S told her that because our insurance has changed he could no longer go to the Dr. in Lubbock and has to go to a different dr which isn't a complete lie. He's not in Lubbock but the fear that she'll try to track him down is still there for both of us. She's not mentally stable enough to just be ignored, she's already threatened suicide once when we tried to tell her to go away. Getting the police and other officials involved isn't going to help matter either sadly.

She lives in the Southern part of the state close to Texas with her fiance and baby, far away from us thankfully but that doesn't mean she won't suddenly decide to go to where she thinks we or rather S is and try to track him down. Doesn't mean that when I'm in Lubbock or any part of that particular area I won't be looking over my shoulder wondering if some psycho is going to come out of the bushes yelling at me.

Obviously this has caused some stress on both S and I and on our relationship. We however have just celebrated our 3 year anniversary on the 6th of January.

What really upsets me is the fact it's out of my hands as to what happens. S cannot in good mind block this woman and never talk to her again for fear she will kill herself over it. D cannot keep an eye on her 24-7 nor can her parents and she acts perfectly sane to those who don't know her real well. I have no idea what to do or what I can do to not stress about it. It upsets me on so many levels and angers me on so many more.

This is sadly why I am sick. Although I feel a bit better today than I have over the weekend, still light headed and a bit sore, my voice sounds horrid although it doesn't hurt to swallow anymore or talk.

S won't be home until tomorrow. I'm not even sure if he'd tell me if she tracked him down again for fear of stressing me out more and making me cry. S does hate it when I cry. I hate it when I cry, can't breathe out of my nose and it drips too.

The movie by the way was great, I really did enjoy it and spending some time with the son. We're excited for Alice in Wonderland to come out this March and are going to try to see it in 3D. We saw Avatar awhile ago in 3D (kept the damn $3.50 glasses too!) and loved it.

Aside from this stalking problem, all is well. Find out tomorrow what the dr thinks about S's one month from surgery profile. S has lost quite a bit of weight and I'm both proud and jealous of him. Guys always loose weight faster and easier than us girls. Stupid DNA making us gals keep extra weight because we can bear children and that weight might be needed in case of a sudden famine while we're pregnant. *sigh*

I need to get back to bed before I over do it out here and just make myself sicker.

Hope everyone had a good New Year and Christmas.

Donate for the Holidays!

2009-12-12T10:55:00.003-07:00

I get that lately times have been tough, but it is the time of year (cause people only give once or twice a year) when we should stop thinking about ourselves and start thinking about others. Some would actually argue that is what Christmas is all about, but it isn't. It's not about what you get or give, but what you've done to deserve what you have gotten. So let's get out there and show that we do deserve everything we've gotten, everything that may come and everything that will be. An actual charity has not been determined since the entire group of us can't decide although we've already raised $53.02. So help us out in more than one way!

For more information on the Charities below, please look them up at Charity.com

Which Charity do you feel we should donate the money we raise?

ASPCA
WWf
American Red Cross
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association
A Special Wish Foundation Inc.
Children Incorporated
Olive Crest
Goodwill
Easter Seals

To cast your vote (Since I don't feel like dealing with html at the moment sorry), just comment with the charity of your choice. If someone has already commented with the charity of your choice, just reply to that comment. If you have another charity you would like to see receive some funding this holiday season, please leave a comment with the charity's web-site to this entry. If someone has already suggested the charity you had in mind, just reply to their comment.

I wouldn't change what I did for a living even if I can no longer do it. Even if I knew then what I know now I would have still trained and handled animals. No amount of pain can ever change that. Please see it in your heart to give! ♥

Snow.

2009-12-07T15:04:00.001-07:00

Well it figures it would snow on the day S needs to head South. Which of course isn't going to be a problem, it's when he needs to head back North that has me slightly worried. Of course we knew this was coming. We've been keeping an eye on the weather and will continue to do so until we get back.

Also need to note, for no good reason except that it's cute and makes me smile to think upon, my kitten (okay so she's 1 year and five months old) has a thing for the My Little Ponies I have gotten recently. These are gently used from other homes and they don't have a bad odor to them at all....but something about them makes her go a little quirky and attack them. It's mostly with the G3s, not the G1s which is some relief, although soon the G3s I like are going to become rare. Already can't find them in the stores thanks to Hasbro's 'New Design' disaster they call My Little Pony. But kitten doesn't do the ponies any harm, just loves up on them pretends to chew on them and is currently laying in the middle of them. Either this is her way of telling me that I need to play with her more or she wants to be a My Little Pony too. My Little Kitty perhaps (why does that sound like something that actually was done in the 80s??????).

So the countdown has begun to the trip to Lubbock, TX. Of course no one has donated even a penny to the cause which doesn't surprise me in any little or big way. I didn't actually think anyone would care, but it never hurts to ask now does it? I keep changing my homepage in that area but have finally (we can hope) come to a decision as to what to put! I mean, how do you ask total strangers for money?? On the internet? Never was good at panhandling. Good thing I don't have to do it. *lightbulb moment* Okay I have once again updated the home page to say that any money donated that isn't used for the surgery or related will be passed on to others. Not going to hold my breath though.

Since I will be spending most of today and tomorrow alone I figured I'd work more on my web-site. Problem is, I haven't a clue what else I should add! I don't even have any non-MLP related links for crying out loud! I have MLP related stuff, old fan fiction from three different movies, random stuff I'm selling, links...I guess I'm just going to have to sit back and think about it for a bit. At least I've got a couple of movies to watch tonight; Sleepless in Seattle which I've seen before but it's still cute. Plus it takes place in my hometown which I sort of miss and Julie and Julia that movie about Julia Childs. Been wanting to see it and now have a copy in my hot little usb drive.

Okay Little Tech (that adorable kitten of mine--this is her nick-name when I am working on computers and she comes in to help) is making me nervous by suddenly taking an interest in the computer I'm using. She keeps looking into the tower window as if she's looking for something. This isn't a new case, she's seen it before so now I'm wondering what she's about.

I think the snow has made the cats too quirky. Bast the kitten is running through the house after Memnoch our female 11 year old black bombay. Usually it's Bast and Trouble (the male black bombay, only 3 years old and has no tail) running through the house. I guess I can die of shock if I see B.K. our 5 year old female bi-polar orange long hair, running through the house with any cat. In fact, I haven't even seen B.K. today. Must not be a social-able day for her.

I think I'm going to go work on the sales page. Make it more friendly and with easy add to cart buttons.

The Black Lioness Site

Surgery date set!

2009-12-03T14:02:00.002-07:00

S has finally gotten his surgery date for his gastric by-pass! He'll be going in on the 14th of this month, which means we have only a week to pull together funds for hotel and accommodation's for ten days in Lubbock, TX. Thankfully the bills are alright for this month and I'm hoping nothing unexpected pops up between now and the 22nd at least. Monday he goes to Lubbock, TX for pre-op stuff then comes home Tuesday night. Wouldn't be so bad if we didn't live in Los Alamos, NM which is around 435 miles, 7 to 10 hour drive from Lubbock. This means that the rest of the money I have in my Pony Fund (money that me and S agreed on together to put aside to allow me to buy My Little Ponies) will now instead go for this trip, the kids will be left at home with our friend and his wife, I'm hoping that we'll be able to stay home for Christmas instead of having to drive down to Las Cruces NM (a 318 mile, 5 hour drive) to see his parents and everyone knows that Christmas will be a small event this year. And I do mean small, almost non-existent where gifts are concerned.

For the most part, the family is completely understanding and okay with that....unfortunately this does not include S's mother. She still expects us to buy presents for not just her, but others in the family as well, on top of coming down to her house for the holiday. What really pisses me off about this (and this on it's own makes me never want to talk or have any contract with her) but she's having the EXACT same surgery on the EXACT same day with the EXACT same doctor as S, but she's flying down (and expects us to pick her up from the airport in Lubbock then drop her off when she's cleared to go home) instead of driving and expects US to understand why SHE can't afford presents or anything fancy for Christmas. And yet our situation is the same and we're expected to buy everyone presents..not just from us, but also buy presents from HER too. I am absolutely dumbfounded on the lack of logic. The fact that she would even expect that actually doesn't surprise me even in the tiniest bit. The fact that she's going to be very put off and upset at us because we're not going to do as she wishes makes me want to write her off completely and never see her again.

Unfortunately his dad is the sweetest person on the planet (right next to my own dad of course) and writing her off would also mean writing him off and that's just not fair to him. Specially since the kids love him (Grandma not so much). God knows hell will rise if we go down there empty handed so even though I'm completely uncomfortable even thinking about asking this, I have set up a donation taking section on my website and I do ask that if you can, please, please help! Even a donation of just a dollar will go a long way (I still have connections--I'm hoping at least!) and will go 100% to the surgery and everything around it. I already know that the small amount we're going to do this year is going to piss my "mother-in-law" off and probably make her hate me even more, but she's not the one who is most important here, S is. S looked into this surgery first. S picked out this doctor first. S got his surgery date first. And for reasons even our children cannot understand she has to copy him. The woman has mental problems she is in denial of I am sure. Either way a little is better than nothing and she will be happy with that or I will find a way to keep S's dad in the picture while completely cutting her off.

If you can help financially, please see my website The Black Lioness and scroll to the bottom of the main page there for the Paypal donate button and click on it. You do not need a Paypal account (but they are free and if you decide to sign up for one I do suggest getting a free Merchant account--saves on fees, trust me!) you can use a credit card or eCheck. I originally set up the donate account for donations to help me pay for customizing and collecting ponies that I never got around to actually using so the thank you page has a happy Butterscotch My Little Pony on it.

If you cannot help financially I do not mind at all. An e-hug and grumblings about S's mother is just as welcomed. Share a few "mother-in-law" stories yourself so I don't feel like mine is beyond Cruella DeVille evil. Donations of My Little Ponies are also welcomed (I actually have a page for that), but we need the money more than the ponies. However, I never look a gift horse in the mouth so send away! Feel free to roam the site, it's a bit small at the moment and sign the book if you wish.

Thanks to everyone for everything.
To my fellow MLP lovers gals and guys alike, for keeping the My Little Pony Trading Post and My Little Pony Arena alive and hopping, for being willing to part with your ponies at prices I can actually afford and just for being a great group of individuals!
To my friends who'll read this and still like to tease me about my new addiction to My Little Ponies, I love you for that. You're the ones who help keep me sane by reminding me it's not always serious.
To the women with nightmarish mother-in-laws or boyfriend's mothers, ladies be strong! I know this time of year is the hardest and it seems like holidays always bring out the worst in them, just remember it's not about them though. It's about the ones closest to you whom you spend all or most of your time with. You can't make everyone happy all of the time. Pick your battles!

Happy Holidays and best wishes to you all!

Go America!

2009-10-22T22:50:00.000-06:00

Did you know these nine facts about America?

As of May 2008, 13% of the 100 top-grossing films of all time were made by either Steven Spielberg or George Lucas. – The Week Magazine, 5/2/08
47% of dogs in the United States sleep in a family member’s bed. – The Week Magazine, 8/10/07
2.4% of all newlyweds are over 65, says the U.S. Census Bureau. – Arizona Daily Star, 7/30/06
76% of American commuters drive to work alone. – The Week Magazine, 6/6/08
55% of all deaths caused by firearms in the United States are suicides. – San Diego Union, 7/1/08
2.4% of all Americans are in the criminal justice system somehow. 7,200,000 Americans are now either behind bars, on probation, or on parole. – The Week Magazine, 6/27/08
Americans throw out 27% of the 350,000,000 pounds of food they buy each year. – New York Times, 5/18/08
70% of all trees cut for use as Christmas trees are whisked to departing trucks by helicopter. – The Week Magazine, 12/28/07
23% of all the psychiatrists in the country are in the New York City metro area. – The Week Magazine, 5/19/06

Just a bit confusing...

2009-10-22T20:07:00.001-06:00

So what exactly do you do when you have two different doctors saying different things about diet?

On the one hand I have a doctor telling me to forget about my calorie and fat intake and keep a real close eye on my carb intake.

The other doctor is telling me to watch my calorie, fat and carb intake.

These two views completely go against each other.

The second doctor's advice not only narrows down what I can eat anywhere, but it also then makes my grocery bill much much higher, which I just cannot afford to strictly follow. The first doctor's advice isn't as restrictive, but it does limit the food and it also isn't as hard on money as the second doctor's.

The second doctor is backed up by a nutritionist. No idea if the first doctor is.

What I'm thinking is 'do what is easier on your wallet...if you can't afford to commit 100% then don't commit at all.' Which of course points to following the first doctor's advice.

Problem is I won't be the only one following either advice and I don't think the other is really sold on the first doctor's advice because they know very little about it. Another problem is we don't have much time to try doing one for a few months or years then if it doesn't work try the other. And yet another problem is that the second doctor's advice might work for my other, but so far I have found myself extremely hungry instead of satisfied, which as we all know is not going to help me keep to the diet.

According to doctor the second my intake of calories should be no more than 1300 and my fat no more than 30 grams a day.

Doctor the first says that for the first few weeks my net carb (again that is when you subtract the Dietary fiber grams from the total carbohydrate grams) intake should be no more than 20 a day.

Problem the first:

Michelina's Lean Gourmet Flatbreads Chicken Club.
Serving size One package
Calories 290
Total Fat 7g
Cholesterol 20mg
Sodium 870mg
Total Carbohydrate 42g
Dietary Fiber 2g
Sugars 3g
Protein 15g
Net Carbs 40g

Please tell me how I am to follow them both? Doctor the second never gave any guidelines to just how many carbs I should be taking in so telling me to watch my carb intake is a joke. After calling doctor the second's dietitian she said about 60g of net carbs a day.

What if that's not enough or too many carbs for me to loose weight? My other needs to stay away from fat in order for his liver to shrink so that when he goes into surgery doctor the second doesn't have to make a huge incision.

The only reason I am trying to figure this out is because I want my other and I to succeed in our endeavor. What's the point of doing it if you don't succeed?? If we're both on the same page, then there's no chance of having food in the house that could be a bad temptation.

What's even worst, is that everyone has their own thoughts and 'beliefs' on the matter of dieting, but what works for one person, doesn't mean it's going to work for another. And there really is no right or wrong, despite what a lot of health nuts want to believe. Reminds me of religion actually.

I guess the only thing that can be done is to try a little of both. Never feel bad about what is eaten and the most important is to get enough exercise. At least that last part we're doing well in.

Something of Importance.

2009-10-15T14:08:00.001-06:00

Will possibly not be found here....sadly. Although I could have sworn there was something I really wanted to say or share...oh well. If it is important it will pop back into my head.

Until then I would like to share with you a comedian that I truly enjoy. His name is Jeff Dunham and he is an American ventriloquist. He has three Comedy Central specials; Jeff Dunham: Arguing with Myself, Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity, and Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special and a new show that premiers Thursday October 22, 2009. You can find him all over Youtube and he's even got a little space over on Myspace that has videos and other things you can check out.

I have a Myspace, but I pay no attention to it anymore. Why would I? It's gone seriously downhill in my opinion and has more asshats then nice people who are only interested in getting between groups of friends or people in relationships. The last "What are you doing?" thing from me was that Myspace is a toxic place. Which is how I actually feel. So being the smart young lady that I am, I stay away from Myspace. Still have a profile on it, I just am not there.

Ahhh, I knew it would pop back into my head! I KNEW it! :)

My trip to Lubbock Texas was very educating! In so many ways...first perhaps the important things learned.

I am on the cusp of being morbidly obese according to the BMI and what doctors say a person should fall. Let me put it perhaps a bit easier for you...

BMI	Obesity Category
Below 19	Underweight
20-24	Normal
25-29	Overweight
30-34	Obese
35-39	Severely Obese
40-49	Morbidly Obese
50+	Super Obese

So after you check what your BMI is with the link provided above and see where you fall on that table, you have a better idea what I'm talking about. Please note that the BMI does not work if you are heavily muscled. Muscle weights more than fat so if you have a lot of muscle mass, the any BMI calculator is going to be wrong. If you're really worried, see your doctor. Also, I'm not a doctor. Don't ask me!

My BMI is 44. Yes, I am chubby, I actually wear my weight well and I love food. I no longer get the exercise needed to keep me at a healthy weight as I used to. I think it all started with my graduation gift of a 1975 AMC Hornet. But that's not as important as the things I learned from The Advanced Bariatric Surgery Center.

Which of course is in Lubbock Texas and the reason I was there (Although I think I have a friend that lives/lived there). What I learned from visiting and getting information on gastric by-pass made me a bit sad and also made me think.

According to Dr. Syn obesity is the result of genetics and environment. All humans are genetically prone to storing fat, since back in the caveman days it was the ones who could store it that survived when food was scarce. The ones with the high metabolisms didn't obviously so their genetics weren't as likely to be passed on. Environment should be an easy one to determine. Take a look around, count how many fast food restaurants there are now compared to....let's say 1920. It is now completely acceptable and normal for people to eat out instead of at home. So you've got that...

Then there's the myth that "Surgery is the easy way out."
What in the hell is easy about surgery? Even before I went down there (down then over?) I knew there is nothing ever easy about any surgery. There is a .5% chance of dieing with any surgery. And what a person has to go through after wards is not easy either. You really have to be committed to making a change in your life. You want to add back the 20 years that you lost from being obese in the first place changes need to be made.

Change is not easy.

Take 1,000 people, put them at the base of Everest and tell them to climb to the top. Tell them they have to do it or they'll be shot dead. How many people are actually going to make it up there? No training is given, perhaps some tools and supplies but not many, a lot of different opinions on how to best make it to the top is available for those who want it, but pretty much they are on their own.

How many would make it to the top?

It's basically the same thing when it comes to the morbidly obese and dieting. Out of 1,000 who try to do it on their own only 5 will actually make it. Surgery is the first choice and generally the only choice for a lot. The people who would actually sit there and tell these people that they should have the willpower enough to be able to push themselves away from the table and just stop eating or stick to a diet don't know shit. They're always, and I do mean always the ones who have never suffered with obesity at any level above BMI 29.

If you've never been there, don't pretend to know how to come back from that place. Don't assume anything...that only makes an ass out of you....not me. ;)

If you are obese don't be ashamed of needing surgery. At least you have taken a step to improve yourself knowing damn well that something needs to change and you have the courage to change it. Do not let those narrow minded people out there make you feel bad about anything.

And for the love of God do not do the Lap-band. It is bad for you. You will not loose weight. It's extremely hard to find any actual data on the research done on lap-band in Belgium where it first came out back in 1994 (year might be wrong, but it was the 90s) and there is new results showing why the lap-band, vertical banding, Gastroplasty, Jejuno-ileal bypass, VBG (Vertical Banded Gastroplasty) doesn't work. I can tell you what Dr. Syn told us, but unless the results can actually be found that isn't bias to the Lap-band, all you have is what I've been told and opinions.

When people with the above procedures (Called Restrictive [Vertical Banded, Gastroplasty for example] or Malabsorptive [Jejunoileal Bypass for example]procedures) try to eat heavy solid foods like beef and vegetables they end up throwing it back up, but soft foods like Hershey's syrup and cake stay down because they can easily pass by the band or small opening left in the stomach. How can you loose weight if the only foods that pass through are the ones that aren't good for you? Even if you chew the heavy foods up well and only eat a little bit at a time, you're still throwing them back up, so naturally you're going to eat the foods that don't make you puke. And naturally, you're not going to loose weight this way.

The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass however is different and has in-total the most favorable efficacy, durability and complication profile when done by a trained/experienced bariatric surgeon.

I think the real key here is to find an experienced and trained bariatric surgeon. Not a doctor who went to a weekend retreat in the mountains to learn how to place a lap-band on a pig. They have no idea what a slip looks like, or any signs of a slip. Check out doctors who only do bariatric surgeries. Nothing else and I am sure they can tell you better than I what to do.

Sadly I cannot accurately remember everything that was said on Tuesday. This is what I remember and I will admit some of it might be off. I'm not a doctor. Talk to someone who is. Dr. Syn is a bariatric surgeon and nothing else. I've linked to his web-site and I suggest you check it out. Get more information.

Personally, I rather have one surgery and not have to worry about 'adjustments' in a foreign object in my body.

The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass isn't a bunch of flowers and joy either though. A lot of changes in eating habits have to be made. No more eating out (at least at first), no more soda (ever) and having to be very careful what goes into the mouth, making sure there's enough protein and other vitamins so that malnutrition doesn't happen isn't freaking easy.

Don't choose a surgery based on price. That is foolish. Your health in all aspects is too important to let money make the deciding factor. I personally have no medical insurance at all and I will have to save up to have any surgery. But all this gives me the time I need to at least try to be one of those 5 in 1,000. Like I said, I'm pretty much on the cusp at a BMI of 44. If I can eat right, get out more there could be a chance of my BMI dropping. Or even after all my attempts I might still need surgery. I don't know. I rather not have surgery because I do not do well in hospitals. I've been in too many of them as a visitor and I become anxious and quite scared. Not a good thing for being a patient.

Perhaps that fact will help. Maybe I'll get support from my family. Maybe my mindset and lifestyle will change. Probably having someone in the home who plans to have the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery will also help.

Guess we'll wait around and see.

The other thing I learned in Lubbock?

They have some damn nice homes! VERY nice houses!

Well...didn't see that coming....

2009-10-10T18:43:00.002-06:00

Thursday 8 October, Andrew Lloyd Webber unveils his brand new production “LOVE NEVER DIES” at a global launch in London. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long awaited new show will have its World Premiere in London at the Adelphi Theatre on Tuesday 9 March 2010 followed by New York on Thursday 11 November and in Australia in 2011.

“LOVE NEVER DIES” continues the story of ‘The Phantom’, who has moved from his lair in the Paris Opera House to haunt the fairgrounds of Coney Island, far across the Atlantic. Set 10 years after the mysterious disappearance of ‘The Phantom’ from Paris, this show is a rollercoaster ride of obsession and intrigue...in which music and memory can play cruel tricks...and ‘The Phantom’ sets out to prove that, indeed, “LOVE NEVER DIES”.

“The Phantom of the Opera”, based on the French novel by Gaston Leroux, has proved a huge success the world over and has been seen by over 100 million people, making it the single most successful entertainment entity in history. The show has been translated into 15 languages and appeared in over 25 different countries including China, Brazil, Poland and Korea. “The Phantom of the Opera” opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London on 9 October 1986 starring Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford and celebrates its 23rd London birthday tomorrow on 9 October. “The Phantom of the Opera” won a staggering 50 awards worldwide, whilst global album sales currently stand at over 40 million copies.

I have been a phan for ages and adored the 2004 movie. I've seen Phantom of the Opera on stage three different times ages ago when I lived in Seattle. (I've also seen Cats on stage before it stopped playing) I would be delighted to see this in London, but of course that's not looking like it'll happen. At least an opportunity for it to happen has yet to present itself.....I do have until March though. *wink*

Other news, apparently Darth Vader made an appearance in the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta this year. It made it's first appearance in 2007. I haven't been to the Fiesta since 2003 I think....it's been awhile to say the least. If you live in New Mexico or love balloons and haven't heard of this yearly event, then you my friend must get out of the house. Seriously....this time of year it is a royal bitch to drive through Albuquerque...which is why I am at home. The Fiesta ends tomorrow and on Monday we (just me and my guy) get to drive through on our way to Lubbock TX. We have business to do there and we'll be back home late, LATE Tuesday night. There will be death to the 15 year old if he even thinks about throwing a party. You think Darth Vader's bad...wait until you cross me...there is a reason one of my nicknames is Darth...seriously. Not funny.

Just thought I'd take a moment to say how much I love my dear close to me friends....all two of them. -_-; It's hard to keep a hold of friends when you or they move (specially since one of them is part of the Army life) or your lives just go in a different direction. I know I have more than just two friends, but the ones I'm thinking about are ones I've had for years. That doesn't happen to often with me. I have a nasty habit of outgrowing friends or acquaintances. Although a small search on pipl.com shows that a friend from a long time ago seems to be following me....and by that I mean living in parts of the country I had lived a few years ago. I just found that interesting and shared it for no other reason.

Apparently LSU has a real live tiger as their mascot. No, seriously...and he is very well taken care of too. Which is good....yeah, no Tony the tiger jokes...his name is Mike. That just makes me want to go to LSU...Mike was named 5th best mascot in the nation. I'm surprised it's only fifth. I would have thought he would have at least come in first. Sparty from Michigan State, Ralphie of Colorado and Purdue Pete from Purdue round out the top five. Yeah...nice ESPN. Sometimes you really do suck. Specially since I get your ruddy magazine and I can't read articles on the web-site without having to buy an Insider Pass....yeah suck it babe, not getting any money out of me.

Still like the Mike the Tiger though...

Been reading Dan Brown's new novel The Lost Symbol. I have to stop from time to time to figure out the codes here and there because I find that stuff fun and pleasurable. Also trying to see if I can't figure it out before the characters do. Although that's sort of difficult since the book has already been written....yeah talk about possibly being confusing. LOL.

Getting a headache from being on the computer for so damn long, so I'm going to get back to my book. As in the one I'm reading, not writing.

WOW....just Wow!

2009-10-05T17:21:00.002-06:00

I think every true American in this country should take an afternoon and go see Michael Moore's Capitalism A Love Story. Seriously. Go now.

Why might you ask?
Why not?

Did you know there was almost a Second Bill of Rights? Do you know why there isn't or even what those rights would have given us? Without cheating and reading the Wikipedia article I linked.

Did you know that the company you work for might get more out of your death than your own family? That in the inner circles of your company this practice is rudely called Dead Peasant Policies? How about that it's been going on for a very long time and it's not small businesses doing it, but rather the large ones? And apparently even if you quit or are fired, they can still collect when you die.

How about the fact that if your house gets foreclosed upon, you don't have to leave? Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur took to the House floor telling the American People to make them prove they now own your home.Demand the bank to produce the original mortgage note. Nine times out of ten they won't be able to find it. "So I say to the American people, you be squatters in your own homes. Don't you leave." That there have actually been people "squatting" in the homes they have been asked/told to leave and yet after a time, the bank has just given up on trying to make them leave.

I have to say I learned a lot of things while I watched this movie. Things I think we as Americans ought to know. Granted, Michael Moore might not be the greatest of teachers, but at least he's a starting point. At least the things that were covered in the documentary got me and others to really start thinking and curious. What's great is the haven't-been-seen-in-decades archives of FDR's State of the Union Address that introduced the Second Bill of Rights. Little bits and pieces of evidence and of course the tug-on-your-heartstrings footage of people just like us.

Which is why -- although you can bet many will try -- Capitalism: A Love Story can't be dismissed as a left-wing tirade. Its condemnation of the status quo is too grounded in real stories and real suffering, its targets too evenly spread across the political spectrum. Indeed, Jay Leno, America's designated Everyman, was so moved by the film he insisted that Moore appear on the second night of his new show, and told his audience that the film was "completely nonpartisan... I was stunned by it, and I think it is the most fair film" Moore has done.

Of course, like Arianna Huffington points out in the above snippet of article (full version here) the most important question of all: "What can I do?"

You can of course Bear Witness over at The Huffington Post, but really what is that going to do for where you live?

That's a good question, one myself I have no answer for. Maybe you'll have better luck and share it with others. Of course no matter what one or all of us do, if we really want our country to be great we have got to stand together on all things. Not just when our tallest buildings get hit by terrorists. The ones who are hurting us won't take just one of us seriously. Look at what has happened to Michael Moore. For 20 years he's been trying to get into that building. If we rally and LEGALLY do things to get their attention that we do not plan on living in a country where only 1% of it has wealth while the other 99% suffer, starve and work hard. Equal rights, share the wealth, etc.

But please, what ever you choose to do, do it in a safe legal and mature way. Don't destroy private property, don't ruin something that someone worked hard for even if you believe they didn't actually work for it. All that says is that those who aren't part of that 1% are not smart or deserving of the wealth. Kill them with "kindness" people.

Now, because life has its ups and downs, it's time for a few good laughs and other articles.

I don't know how much of a people watcher any of you are, but I've been known to take a good look around me from time to time no matter where I might be. My favorite place to do this is the local Wal-mart. Why? Because all sorts of people wander into Wal-Mart! And now three guys have created a web-site showing us the "creame ah la creame" of the people who dare come out. Of course this is all about what the people have control over....you know, like their clothes and is worth a few pages look. People of Wal-Mart

Songs to Torture and Intimidate by....and you have to admit...that for some of these, just hearing them once is torture!

And you thought your summer job was bad or weird...meet some celebrities who started like the rest of us.

And in case anyone is wondering, I have been working on that story again. Once again I am recreating it as I discovered something important. My protagonist had no objective. How sad is that to realize???? LOL! But I am glad I discovered my grievous mistake before I tried to send any manuscripts out.

It's All About Our Dreams.

2009-09-30T18:23:00.000-06:00

I have a reputation of having some of the strangest dreams. I mean not everyone can boast that they've driven a 911 Porsche convertible in the pouring rain while wearing an evening gown....and having the steering wheel both not a wheel but as a large crank and on the passenger side of the car. BUT! Still being able to drive it while sitting in the American driver side! Yeah....I still haven't lived that one down. Not just the dream, but the fact I was silly enough to share it.

Despite lessons that should have been learned by sharing above mentioned dream (and come on, we both know nothing was learned since I just put it on the lovely Internet!) I am about to share another, quite unusual dream that I had early this morning....

Imagine, if you will a huge opera house...now imagine the huge stage, and I do mean H-U-G-E. Separate the stage from the rest of the house with a huge Plexiglas that runs from ceiling to floor, one wall across to the other. Seats are placed right against this glass and the seating is multi-floor--no large open spaces. Instead of looking out at rows of people, you look out to rows and floors of people. Each floor only having one row and the rows were divided up like box seats. Real nice.

The reasoning behind all of this is because, for some strange reason, the stage area gets flooded with water. This is the performance. Down basically underwater. My brother is doing a performance and I am sitting with my mother in one of the box seats. I unlatch myself from the chair to get up because I have done the performance my brother is doing and I want to help him. My mother says "No Way!' while making the baseball sign for safe and she accidentally hit's the Plexiglas. It shatters dramatically and we both go scrambling for our lives as the audience part is rapidly filling with water. We manage to get out of the place into open air, other people are pouring (literally too!) out of the doors behind us and I start running around calling my brother's name looking for him.

My brother just turned 25 this year and he is my younger brother, but in this dream, when I find him he looks to be the age of twelve. I hug him very much glad to have found him safe then thought that we really should go find my sweetie to let him know we all were alright since he wasn't at the performance.

I woke up. I immediately decided that I shall have no Fruit by the Foot before bedtime ever again.

Although my nighttime or early morning time is quite filled with interesting and strange things to write about, my daytime muse seems to have left the country for a bit. I've been wanting to write something else besides fan fiction. Something that if I wanted to I could actually send to a publishing house and if it was good enough I could get published. There are a few ideas rattling around upstairs, but nothing is actually forming from those ideas. Not even bad stuff.

I have noticed that of course this road is a lot harder than the fan fiction road and I can usually come up with a pretty good beginning and end for a story, but get a little lost in the middle. I have a hard time getting the story from where it starts to where I want it to end having it end exactly as I want it to with the amount of emotion I want it to. Truthfully I hardly ever get to the end part. I usually run out of steam shortly after the beginning. Which is quite sad since I've had some great ideas fizzle out on me. I've got an entire folder filled with stories that have beginnings, outlines, story boards, but no ends. At least not put in a acceptable story form. I always think that I'd get back to those stories (some of these are fan fiction too!) but I never do come back around to them.

Except for one story. One that isn't quite fan fiction but holds close to a very popular genera. I even have gone and rewritten what I had before, starting and molding it and the characters differently then I had before, but keeping with the same desired outcome. Not sure if it would even be accepted enough to be published, but I have always seen it becoming a series of books. Everyone loves a good series. Keyword there is good.

There has to be a reason I keep coming back to that particular story over all the other ones I've done. I've never rewritten a story before. I never keep wanting to actually come back to a story no matter how long of time has past.

My problem is that no matter how many times I open the folder, it still sits on my server not added to. I have all the materials, all the articles and facts I need to really work on it, but I keep coming to a roadblock and I don't have the tools to dismantle the block and keep going.

Sad really. People keep telling me I should write because apparently I'm good at it. Of course to find out if those people are just blowing smoke up my tail pipe or if what they say has any ring of truth to it, I need to finish just ONE bleeding story and send it to different places. Or something along those lines. Oh dear..I feel some information finding coming...might need to hold on to something.

[A whole minute passed]

Okay, so finding the answers and information I suddenly was curious about didn't take as long as I thought it would. I also used bing.com for the first time instead of Google...do forgive me google, I shall always love you.

My sudden question was how exactly should a person go about getting something published? Obviously this needed to be answered before I could troop any further (and maybe actually knowing and maybe learning some new things will take down that block of mine) although one could argue that why know it since you haven't gotten anything to publish?

Well, I have finished a short story. Of course it would be better placed in the pages of Playboy than anywhere else.

What I found might be helpful. A place called Right-Writing.com The page I'm linking to is devoted to publishing a novel and is written by a person who is a publisher at a publishing house so I'm thinking they'd know.

From just glancing over that page alone it looks like the articles alone would help me on my writing. Not to mention how to go about getting something published. Hopefully this information indeed helps. I guess sometime down the road you'll know if you ever pick up one of my books. *wink* And trust me...if you read it, you'll know it is me.

So much for my happy ending (aka the italic post)

2009-09-27T11:25:00.000-06:00

You ever notice that very few 'romantic comedies' these days end in disaster? I mean the girl always gets the guy and of course vice versa. What the fuck is that? I mean I know the whole idea of movies is to escape reality (which is why to me the increase of reality shows is absolutely destroying regular television) but unless it is sci-fi (or is it now SyFy? and why???) shouldn't we expect a little bit of realism in movies....like, for an example (and because I just got done watching it for the first time) How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days? Yes it's sweet and a bit amazing that the two ended up together, but since all these movies are ending in the same way, you expect the main characters to end up together! It's predictable and safe.

Screw that!

I want to see a romantic comedy where the two main character do not end up together despite how much they go through trying to be together or end up together. And I want it to be good. Why? Because frankly that is how real life generally goes. The girl does not always get the guy and vice versa. One would think that because reality television (or crap tv as it is referred to in my house) is so bleeding popular these days that some of it would leak over into movies. Even just a drop. Or perhaps screenwriters have thought the same as little me but the big wigs sitting high in their studio offices overlooking their kingdom of fantasy do not want to see such a thing happen to their precious fiefdom. Because, you know remaking movies like Friday the 13th is so much better than coming up with anything new and interesting.

Bugs Forbid!

Of course they can continue the ever increasing trend of taking really well written novels and screw them up by turning them into 'b' rated movies. Although I seriously do not know what it is when they take horribly written and accepted books *cough*stepheniemeyer*cough* and turn them into even worst movies.........good business sense I suppose. Even if the movie versions have increasingly disappointed and confused fans (example: the burning of the Weasley's home in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.) they continue taking what ever they can get their hands on and ruining it. And we know that novels (and crap-tackular books) are not the only victims of these Kings of Fantasy Fiefdoms--comics have no immunity despite the superheros that between the pages are immune to much. Although I do admit to enjoying the X-Men movies, but that may just be due to the fact that I have never read any of the comics--truthfully I've never read any comic and I am pretty sure graphic novels do not count as comics despite the way they're set up. Their first try with The Incredible Hulk which was actually titled The Hulk was a complete and utter flop. Their second try (The Incredible Hulk) faired a bit better...but not by too much. They've also tried with many many other comics...Tank Girl, Watchmen, the Blade movies, The Crow, Punisher, Hellboy,The Incredibles, The Phantom, etc. Seriously, an entire list of comics to movies has been complied--just to tell you what the movie is about because there is no way it's going to base itself on the comic it's characters are actually from. The actual key to surviving watching such movies whether they're based on award-winning novels, crap books or comics, is to never ever read the novel/book/comic in the first place!

I am not too stuck up or blind to openly admit that there has been a few gems that came stumbling from one of those Fantasy Fiefdoms...if there hadn't been at least one then the making of such movies wouldn't be a growing trend---yes, that is putting some faith into those glorious Kings puttering around in their large comfortable offices that no doubt have posters in elegant frames of award winning movies like Indiana Jones.

There is some hope for the future.....?

I do hold out some hope as I glance at a few titles that are currently in theaters, coming to theaters or in production. But that hope is souly based upon the previews I have seen of such movies as 9 (Tim Burton creates the greatest things--usually), All About Steve (although a part of me says that she'll end up winning the guy in the end even though in real life something like that would not happen. At least I'm prepared to not be surprised), Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (I'm a sucker for kid films--at least with them, the predictability is quite low), Love Happens (At least this one is a bit more real than most), The Informant and Surrogates. (A movie all about fantasy..) Of course the real test will be the movies themselves and if they can hold up to the promises they have made in the previews and trailers.

So as I sit here and enjoy --and do trust me, most of the movies I gripe about being predictable I do enjoy nonetheless--the stuff that has made it past those silly Kings of Fantasy Fiefdoms, I still can't help but yearn for something unpredictably creative and new.

Sometimes it's not worth it.

2009-09-07T10:15:00.003-06:00

Obviously I lost my interest in actually posting the synopsis of True Blood. I still watch it though, now in it's second season, I just don't feel the need to write the entire synopsis down and comment on it.

Happy Labor Day.

This weekend I went to Alamosa Colorado and checked out the Early Iron Festival. It was brilliant and I saw a lot of really nice cars (I'm a mustang girl) and took quite a few pictures--I just can't for the life of me find my stupid cord that connects the camera to the PC so I can share said pictures. There's so much computer stuff in this house it just isn't funny. Seriously. Not. Funny. I got a sunburn along with those pictures, then we went to Colorado Gators and I got to hold a little gator named Roswell and of course we got our picture taken. I would have loved to have taken the Gator Wrestling class, but it was $100 a person and fuck that shit. It was still fun to walk around, feed, look, and pretend to throw the 15 year old to them. I remember seeing the place on Wreckreation Nation which was on the Discovery Channel for a bit. Oh look...YouTube has a snippet.

Today though it's just a simple bbq with steaks and other meats. Sounds like a lot of excitement huh? Well, let's hope not.

True Blood.

2008-09-17T07:58:00.002-06:00

And now it's time for my rundown on the second Episode of HBO's True Blood.

So, here once again are the guidelines: Everything you see that is not contained in brackets [ ] and is not a blue color is the actual synopsis from HBO, found on the official site. The things contained in brackets [ ] and are a blue color are my thoughts and comments pertaining to that part of the synopsis/show. Anything that shows up in any other color was in the synopsis itself and is just reconstructed here for no real good reason. You can also watch this (and probably future episodes) on the site in case this isn't clear enough for you or like me you have some extra time on your hands between classes.

Episode 2: The First Taste [Oh, this should be interesting...who's tasting whom?]

Late at night in Merlotte's empty parking lot, the Rattray's savagely beat Sookie, kicking her twisted body with every intent to kill her. [Starts where we left off last week..that's good..Apparently 'the Rats' get off on hurting people. Where the fuck is Bill?] When the dog that hangs around the bar approaches, growling, [Oh, screw Bill! Hello puppy!] Mack trains a gun on it, but before he can fire a shot, he flies up into the trees, snatched by some unseen force. Moments later, he lands on the ground, his back broken. [Okay, NOW we see some mystical being running around saving Sookie's butt.] A shape, moving too fast to see, finishes him off and also kills Denise. [The Rats are no more? I'm not crying. So, who's the stranger with the boots?]

[Title credits roll, still don't like the music. :P Images--still freaky. "I wanna do bad thing with you."]

Jason--under interrogation at the police station for the murder of Maudette Pickens--also receives a rescue of sorts. Bud and Andy show him a sex tape the woman made of her encounter with Jason, and when the action ends with Jason's hands wrapped around her lolling neck he freaks out and flees the scene thinking he's killed her. [We already seen that video...but now we see where he holds on a little too tight to Maudette's neck...damn, looks like he might have killed her after all.] The lens continues to focus on Maudette's limp body...until she begins to laugh and walks over to turn off the camera. [What a fucking bitch! Although, I'm laughing my ass off!] Shocked and relieved at the proof of his innocence, Jason tells the cops about the other tape he saw, featuring Maudette and a tattooed vampire, but it's nowhere to be found. [He didn't kill her, but somebody sure as hell did!]

Sookie passes out, and when she wakes up with Bill kneeling next to her, she can't feel her legs. Bill slashes his own wrist and instructs her to drink his blood. She hesitates and he demands, "Do you want to live or not?" She grabs his wrist and gulps deeply. [I don't want to be a vampire....I guess she and Bella need to trade places then. :P So she's getting her ass saved by drinking Bill's blood that won't turn her weird ass into a vampire.][We then go briefly over to Tara's where we see her mother passed out on the couch. Tara picks up an almost empty bottle of vodka and grumbles then goes into the kitchen.Tara calls up Lafayette who is still one of my faves, and he tells her he's on his way to a party and she wants him to come get her to which after some fun banter he agrees to do but tells her that she might have to find her own ride home if he gets lucky. She simply says "Your standards are so low you always get lucky." Lafayette doesn't disagree with her. Next we see Jason at Dawn's house being really "distressed' over all he's been though.] Sookie wakes up [She passed out again after drinking Bill's blood] to Bill licking the blood from her forehead. [Bill is licking Sookie like a dog! Or a Popsicle! :P] When she asks whether she tastes different from most people, Bill asks her again, "What are you?" She explains how she can hear the thoughts of others, prompting Bill to ask if that includes him, though once she fills him in on the details of her talent, he's sympathetic. [Sookie admits why she likes Bill, can't say I blame her for liking him for that reason. "Bill, you were just licking blood out of my head, can't get more personal than that."] "How do you manage a social life," he asks. [ We see a few of Sookie's previous dates...and I can say I've been there and done that! Sookie is forgetting to ask that favor for her Gran. Although I can understand why that is.][We then are at the party Lafayette was headed to previously where we see Tara chilling with a beer as a guy with a hair pick apparently stuck in his hair--perhaps it got tangled in his ratty ass hair that morning?--comes over and seriously starts hitting on Tara. I absolutely love Tara. She is good at telling err...stories. LMAO! You go girl! Lafayette has disappeared..Now, back to Jason and Dawn where Jason has once again got his freak on. He likes it rough, and I do mean rough. And in every position possible.] At the end of this conversation, Sookie realizes all her wounds have healed. Bill walks her to her car, and before leaving Sookie requests that he speak to her grandmother's Civil War group. He agrees and asks permission to "call on her." Laughing at his formality she agrees. [Civil War finally come up. Damn Bill, calm down baby. Take a deep breath--oh, wait...I forgot. :P Aww, Bill is going to do her the favor. So, how is she going to explain the blood and stuff on her shirt. Sam's still up but heard nothing...riiigghht]

When Jason wakes up later though, he's disgusted to notice healing fang marks on Dawn's neck. [Waking up to a new day and another woman who got freaky with a vampire. She'll end up dead you know...and Jason will be blamed because he was the last one to fuck her.] Sookie, Gran and Tara have breakfast and watch a debate between American Vampire League spokeswoman Nan Flanagan and Fellowship of the Sun leader Rev. Theodore Newlin, who is so incensed by a vampire's presence that he refuses to address his opponent directly. [God wants Spiritual Fruit, not Religious Nuts!] Sookie notices the sausage she's eating takes "more complex" than usual, her heightened senses a said-effect of the vampire blood in her veins. [Sookie now has a better sense of taste. Ut oh, Gran looks worried. Gran calls Jason a good boy, but good for what is what I wanna know!] But when Gran receives a call with the news that the Rattrays' trailer was hit by a freak tornado, Sookie's mood turns dark and she rushes to the scene.[Well, Sookie and we know the real truth behind the Rattrays' death, but of course she needs to go check it out.][It's a great cover! Who needed those two anyway? Who's the van?] Bud and the coroner, Mike Spencer, [Oh dear...the Sheriff and the coroner.] find her there and quickly segue from small-talk to question her about Bill, searching for a connection between the Rattrays and Maudette. Angry at the men's prejudice towards vampires, Sookie defends Bill, assuring Bud and Mike that he's "not that much different from you and me." ["Sookie, you're a good girl. I hate to see you go down the this road." "Oh lucky for you Sheriff Dearbourne no one is forcing you to watch."]

Back at Gran's house that night, [Gran is the cutest thing ever! And she's really worried about Sookie now that she just found a stale cracker. "You're always careful Sookie about what counts and I can always depend on that. That right?"] Sookie waits with Gran, Jason and Tara for Bill to arrive. [Sneaky vampire things that Sookie doesn't like. OH! The 'You have to invite me in' rule applies to this mythology as well! Wicked!] Once she grants him an invitation--after a bit of teasing--Bill is able to enter the house and meet the family, [Gran is still so damn cute. I really can not get over how cute she is...I miss my Grandma-ma.] though Jason remains a bit hostile. Bill promises Gran he'll speak to the Descendants of the Glorious Dead, but when the Civil War discussion leads to Bill's admission that his father owned slaves, [Leave it to Tara to bring up slavery.] Tara is offended. [Someone needs to smack Jason upside his fool head! I mean damn. Open your brain Jason. O_O!!!!!!!!!! "Thanks for making me look like a fool in front of him Gran." "Jason, you don't need any help looking like a fool." Have I mentioned that I love Gran?] After Sookie and Bill leave, Tara explains to Jason that she understand he's trying to protect Sookie, even if no one else does.

Outside, Bill tentatively answers Sookie's questions [Now we learn about Bill. And there's the "stray" dog. Sookie finds out what exactly Vampire blood does to mortals. "You'll have keener senses.." think she might have figured that one out. "...your libido will be more active." Oh dear lord. "I'll always be able to feel you. I'll be able to find you fast. If you're ever in trouble that could come in quite handy." Yeah, ya think? I've got the feeling she might get into trouble every now and again. You know how us mortals tend to be and all.] about feeding on humans--admitting he drained the Rattrays.

Tara and Jason connect for a moment [Maybe you should get a lick of sense there Jason baby. "How did you get to be so smart?" "I'm not smart at all, Jason I'm not. I'm always constantly doing things I shouldn't that end up getting me in trouble." "Yeah" "I look like a fucking idiot sometimes." "Can I tell you a secret? I am too." "It's not that much of a secret." Tara flirting with Jason...]--until Jason remembers he has to meet Dawn.

When Bill mentions his ability to "glamour" or hypnotize people, Sookie goads him into trying it on her. [At least Bill is honest with the things he tells Sookie. Silly mortal....calling a vampire chicken.] His power has no effect, [Glamour doesn't work on Sookie? Of course not!] but Bill remarks that Sookie seems far more comfortable around vampires then most people, "Who am I to be squeamish about something out of the ordinary," she asks, briefly flashing back to her own struggles as a child.[Sookie has flashbacks! Reads body language and is highly observant...yeah, rigghht. And Bill one-ups her by loosing all of his family who are mostly buried right there in that cemetery. Can't change form, can't turn invisible, can't levitate. "What can you do?" "I can bring you back to life." OH OWNED!!!! PAWNED! DAMN! About that libido thing guys.....lol.. Sunlight on the skin...I actually like that smell] Bill leans in, kissing her, then pulls away, his offer to walk her home slipping past extended fangs. [...and what was I saying about libido?]

Jason arrives at Dawn's house, where she promptly ties him to the bed. [Damn, she ties Jason to her bed.] Turned on, he tries to convince her to skip work, but she leaves him bound--and angry-- though she promises to be home around midnight. [And leaves him there all day. I suddenly like her.] When she arrives at Merlotte's, Tara does a not-so-subtle job of feeling out the waitress's intentions with Jason. [Tara lays down the law. I love what she said to that one lady before getting her another drink.] Sookie deals with her own invasion of privacy across the bar, when a drunk college kid sticks his hand up her shorts. Before she can even react, Rene has hold of the transgressor, nearly breaking his wrist before the kid apologizes to Sookie. [And Rene is coming to Sookie's rescue at work? And then steals the college kids' left over beer.] Shaken [But not stirred] and irritated, Sookie heads back to the waitress station, where Sam asks her whether its true that she can't hear Bill's thoughts [How did Sam know Sookie can't hear Bill's thoughts??] "Must be very relaxing," he replies when she answers in the affirmative. When he asks if she can hear his thoughts, she recoils, telling him she'd never listen in on her boss. "You might be surprised what you hear," he tells her [Oh, I don't think she is..or would be..] She returns to the bar, [Oh, nice painting of a dog watching over a little girl in Sam's office...foreshadowing anyone??] where news on the television reports that Rev. Theodore Newlin was killed in a freak auto accident. [Oh damn, the main Anti-Vampire guy and his family are killed in a car "accident". That just can not be a conscience!]

After work, Sookie drives over to Bill's house, but the calming atmosphere she's seeking has definitely evaporated. A car in the driveway--carrying a vanity plate that reads "fangs1" [Interesting car...and bumper stickers.]--marks her first clue that something is wrong. [And yet, she doesn't turn heel and run? Oh bother.] Before she can even make it inside, she's surrounded by three evil-looking vampires: a female and two males, one of whom is the tattooed monster from Maudette's sex tape. [And we found that really crazy ass vampire....] When Sookie swallows her fear and asks if Bill is home, the female vampire replies: "Maybe."

[And of course the credits roll...guess we're going to have to get used to this huh? These damn cliffhangers every week...of course that is an excellent ploy to bring your viewers back...even though we know Sookie isn't going to die just yet....cause Bill or ~~Sam~~ the dog will save her.] Find music from 'The First Taste' on True Blood Wiki

And that's concludes this episode...come back next week where we'll see Sookie not get killed. :P

And to show that I probably shouldn't be reading New Moon and watching this show at the same time, in my notes about the tornado I had written "Tornadoes in Washington?" when of course True Blood is actually set in Louisiana, the Twilight series are in Washington. Oy Vay.

HBO's New Series, True Blood.

2008-09-11T15:23:00.005-06:00

Alright so last Sunday I caught the last thirty minutes of HBO's newest show TrueBlood. I was debating on whether or not to watch this show because of all the vampire stuff running around right now. (The movie Twilight based off of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series books being one, and I do have thoughts on that, but I'll save it for another day.) I had forgotten about the premier episode completely until randomly turning on HBO Sunday night. So I got my hands on a copy of the episode and watched it Monday and wrote down a few notes. This may not be the most intelligent thing you've read all day. I make no claims that my thoughts/reviews/ideas are always intelligent. Just so you're aware...

So, here are the guidelines: Everything you see that is not contained in brackets [ ] and is not a orange color is the actual synopsis from HBO, found on the official site. The things contained in brackets [ ] and are a orange color are my thoughts and comments pertaining to that part of the synopsis/show. Any other colors you see come from the synopsis itself. You can also watch this (and probably future episodes) on the site in case this isn't clear enough for you or like me you have some extra time on your hands between classes.

A small warning: The synopsis below may contain spoilers that might not have been in the show that aired 9-9-08.

Episode 1: Strange Love.

At night on a rural Louisiana highway, a frat boy driving his girlfriend's SUV [they got that backwards]-- while her hand works busily in his lap [Bored while driving? Who hasn't been there? But who does what she's doing??? lol]--notices a neon convenience store sign for Tru Blood and pulls into the lot. Inside, an evil-looking clerk watches Bill Maher interview American Vampire League [oh god there's a LEAGUE now??] spokeswoman Nan Flanagan, who deftly parries his questions about vampires' historical violence. "We never owned slaves," [we've obviously never read Anne Rice or seen the movie based on one of her books ABOUT VAMPIRES either] she says, "or detonated nuclear weapons. Since the Japanese perfected synthetic blood, which satisfies all our nutritional needs, there is no reason for anyone to fear us." [Cause we'd never have any rouge vampires who doesn't want to give up their "steak and potatoes" diet and live solely off Slim-Fast. No. NEVER.]

The frat boy steps up to the counter and smarts off about the vampires of New Orleans drowning during Hurricane Katrina, and the pale, angular clerk replies that vampires can't drown "because we don't breathe." [New Orleans is the mecca for Vampires? Who knew? Perhaps anyone who has read any of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. OH yeah, they don't breathe either...uh, duh??] Frozen in terror, the frat boy mumbles an apology, but a moment later the clerk breaks into a goofy cackle, dropping the act and saying how he "totally had them." A cameo-clad good ole boy in the back of the store isn't amused, however, and when the frat boy asks the clerk about scoring some drug-like vampire blood, the real vampire in their midst reveals himself [Billy Bob--they'll let anyone be a vampire these days don't they?]--and his fangs. As the frat boy flees with his girlfriend, the good ole boy steps up to the counter, slams down a four-pack of Tru Blood and tells the clerk, "You ever pretend to be one of us again, and I'll kill you. Got it?" [And not to mention that there's A LOT of vampire pretenders! Hell I used to be one of them.]

[Theme song and opening credits roll--Um Nathan, hunny, that's a horrid theme song. Just not my sort of music and the visuals? Can be disturbing.]

At Merlotte's Bar and Grill, Sookie Stackhouse serves beer and burgers to her customers, hearing snippets of their private thoughts as she makes her rounds. [Apparently our waitress/main character (Cher/Sookie??) can hear thoughts.] For a moment, the vague, watery musings of everyone in the room seem to close in on her, but she takes a deep breath and banishes the noise. [Go to your happy place darling, go to your happy place and make all those bad voices go away.] Sookie's boss, Sam Merlotte, pulls her aside to let her know that her friend Tara Thornton is on the phone. Sookie takes the call, apologizing to Sam, only to find out that Tara, a bit of a hothead, has quite her job and is coming to Merlotte's. [There is a scene before Sookie takes the call and after she's gone to her happy place showing exactly how and why Tara has quit her job. Which caused this comment from me: Seriously, I like no, LOVE Tara. PLEASE for the love of God let her be in more episodes, and especially THIS episode!!!!] Another waitress, Dawn Green, catches up with Sookie to warn her that Mack and Denise Rattray--problem customers and even worse human beings-- are sitting in her section. She takes their order, trying to ignore Mack's perverted internal assessment of her. [Dawn then takes a call and we hear her mentioning HBO "If so-in-so says that a movie on HBO is too scary for you it probably is" which brought about HBO....gee I wonder if they're behind this show? LMAO!]

In the kitchen, Sookie tells the cook, Lafayette Reynolds, that it would be perfectly fine if he served the Rattrays' onion rings off the floor. He compliments her makeup, and she responds that it helps her tips--even though rumors about her "talent" have led the whole town to fear her. [Lafayette? I like him as well! "Peaches and cream." "A little coco." LMAO!][There is a scene here where we meet Sookie's brother Jason -but we don't know that is who he is just yet- and the kinky Maudette Pickens watching a show -well she is, he's down between her legs-- completely naked, hence my Ut oh, not a show for children! Boob alert! then Jason notices a bite mark on Maudette's inner thigh and is suddenly disgusted and pulls away from her, which caused the Almost dick alert....cause you do almost see something. He asks her about it and she tells him that a vampire paid her $1000 if she let him bite her--$1000 for a bite--and Jason mentions an article he read in Hustler--OH yes Hustler is such a reliable publication. :P--and she says she taped her having sex with said vampire--Vampire porn..dear god, what's next?--and then asks if Jason wants to watch it] Back in the barroom, Tara has arrived and started complaining that she needs a new job. Just as Sookie steps into the discussion, she's distracted by a strange force.

Looking up, she sees Bill, a 167-year old [apparently they can't agree how old he is since in the bio he is stated as 173 years old] vampire, step into the bar. [Sookie immediately knows he's a vampire and explains that she has always wanted to meet one ever since they've "Came out of the coffin two years ago."--Came out of the coffin??? Two years ago??? *headdesk*] Laughing nervously, she approaches his table. Sam looks on protectively as Sookie apologizes that Merlotte's is out of Tru Blood--they just never had a vampire come in. Bill replies, "Am I that obvious?" [A moody guy who is pale and looks like he needs a few pounds put on a vampire? Who'd guess.] As Sookie steps away to get him a glass of red wine [so he'd have a reason to be there, which Sookie replied with something along the lines of "Whatever the reason, I'm glad you're here" which made me wanna barf a little.], the Rattrays lean in to introduce themselves. [This is where we viewers learn who they are--Mack Rattray and his wife Denise. There's a last name. Seriously not foreshadowing anything at all with that one.....] At the bar, she [Sookie] gushes about Bill to Tara and Sam (who thinks she's insane for not fearing the vampire) and wonders why "the Rats" [as they are affectionately known around town possibly behind their backs] are so interested in him.

Across town, Sookie's brother, Jason Stackhouse, sits with a local girl named Maudette Pickens. He's simultaneously turned on and revolted by the video she's playing for him: A homemade porn starring Maudette, a vicious-looking vamp and a bondage hook hanging from her ceiling. [Sex with Vampires. Seems rough doesn't it?] The video is only foreplay, however, and as Maudette gets the main event started, [by going down on him while he's watching the video] Jason's disgust takes a back seat to his libido.

As the Rattrays continue cozying up to Bill at Merlotte's, Sookie listens in to their thoughts, only to realize that the couple plans on draining Bill's blood for sale on the black market. Tara and Sam assure her that a vampire can take care of himself, but when she notices the Rattrays have left with Bill, she runs to the parking lot, [Why the hell is what-ever-her-name-is so worried about a vampire?] grabbing a heavy chain to use as a weapon. [Ah, she can tell just where exactly the thoughts are coming from, how handy!] [We take a quick jump back to Jason and Maudette now in the middle of actual sex, with Maudette in the exact same position--on the bondage hook--as she was in the homemade porn video staring the vampire. All the while Jason is calling her dirty and other things while he slams into her--Oh yeah, she really disgusts you buddy. *eyeroll*--repeatedly, obviously getting off on it all. We leave these two with Jason's hands wrapped around Maudette's neck and her looking a little worried as he continues to get off.] Sure enough, Mack and Denise have snared Bill [Okay, how did they over power a vampire??? HOW???] using fine silver chains, which have burned their way into his skin, and begun draining him a pint at a time. Sookie sneaks up on them and smacks Mack in the head with the chain. [Waitress-girl to the rescue?] When he turns on her with a knife, the chain, as if by magic, wraps itself around his neck. [Why is the chain tightening? Bill looks plenty surprised as well, so it's not him. ] Sookie, to distraught to notice a strange blue-eyed woman nearby vanishing into the night, [I missed that too! Holy cow...going to have to watch this again now! XD] picks up Mack's dropped knife and focuses on Denise, who collects her wounded husband [after getting a verbal SMACK DOWN from Sookie! Gawd DAMN!] and leaves, promising "This ain't over." [after gong back and watching this part a couple of times, I still do not see anyone vanishing into the night at all.....]

Sookie rushes to Bill's side, [Oh look! A chain of ?? (silver perhaps?) holding down Vamp boy.] and after freeing him from the chains, is shocked to watch his burns disappear before her eyes. [*headdesk* Shut up. Bless your heart. Oh my stars. Denise also suddenly comes in driving a car and tries to run both Bill and Sookie over while screaming "I'm gonna get you bitch!" but lucky for us, Denise completely misses them both since Sookie grabs Bill and hauls his vampire ass out of the way technically saving his "life" for a second time that night.] Though he gruffly thanks her, [which is when the random dog comes running in and licks Sookie's face, barks pointingly at Bill to which Bill says "He's checking on you." Sookie replies with "That's just some old dog that hangs around the bar sometimes. He must live nearby." Bill gives her an amused look and says "Oh no doubt"][Sookie realizes that she can not hear Bill's thoughts.] Bill also probes Sookie's boundaries, fist mentioning the "juicy arteries" in her groin [Damn waitress girl has got values! "Hey! You just shut your nasty mouth mister! You might be a vampire, but when you talk to me you will talk to me like the lady I am!"] then offering to let her keep his drained blood. [Bill, talking about her drinking the blood Mack and Denise collected "I understand it makes humans feel more healthy. Improves their sex life." to which Sookie lamely replies with "I'm as healthy as a horse. And I have no sex life to speak of so...you can just keep it."] Both comments disgust her, which seems to pleas Bill, as if she's passed a test.[Bill does the famous 'Vampires can move really, freakily fast" move and asks Sookie "What are you?" Sookie's reply? "Well....I-I'm Sookie Stackhouse and I'm a waitress. What's your name?" I don't think that's what Bill meant when he asked you what you are darling. When he tells her his name is Bill, she literally cracks up and has a small laughing fit right there in front of him, teasing him on his name.] [Oh yeah it's {the chain} silver. Werewolves and silver...he's not a werewolf, but I am sure now that this show will include those creatures as well.] He asks her to keep his weakness to silver a secret, and she agrees before abruptly returning to work. [Where is Sam anyway? Didn't he run after Sookie? OH, there he is...after the fact. *serious plot shadowing perhaps???*] Sam waits for her outside the bar, and inside, Tara has managed to bully her way into a new job pouring drinks. [Tara, in response to Bill telling her that it would only be a matter of time before she went off on a customer, "I only go off on stupid people." Sam replies with: "Most of my customers are stupid people." Nice negotiations there Tara dear. And yes, that IS {Tara knowing how to make whiskey sours for her mom since forth grade} fucked up!] When Jason enters the bar [Oh, Jason....Sookie's brother....Mr. freaky with the chick who screwed a vampire and was ~disgusted~. *barf* ], appearing nervous and looking for Sookie, Tara softens and says hello, but she immediately scoffs when Jason starts flirting with Dawn.

Sookie goes home and tells her Gran [Gran....so cute.] about meeting Bill, leaving out the part about the parking lot brawl. In bed, [Tina...Russian blue with a huge purr!] [I do believe Sookie is dreaming right about now.] she has a dream [Yep. Thought so.]that Bill waits outside her window [There's Bill, standing in Sookie's yard...], but when she comes down to see him, thinking they'll have sex, [I think she wants to get laid....by Bill] he extends his fangs to bite her. Unsettled, she wakes up before his teeth sink in.

The next morning, Jason comes by the house to reprimand Sookie for fighting with the Rattrays; Word is already making its way around town. She shoots back that they were gong to kill Bill [volume one or two??], and though Jason doesn't understand why she'd want to help a vampire, this ends the argument. Over breakfast, Gran answers the a phone call and hears that Maudette Pickens was found strangled in her apartment. [Someone ends up dead...there's a big surprise considering its a show with Vampires. Maudette Pickens aka girl who got freaky with a vampire and Jason was "disgusted" by.] Jason seems angry and frightened at the news.[Jason knows way too much about fangbangs and special hookers. ;)--on Sookie's disgust that she's working her ass off at the bar and hookers can get a $1000 just for laying there--Sookie! $10/hr is good money for what you're doing woman!] [Sookie can tell something is up with her brother and tries to listen to his mind but of course he wants to keeps his secrets even from darling sis.] He leaves for work, but later the police pull up to his road crew to question him about Maudette. Sheriff Bud Dearborne and Detective Andy Bellefleur feel him out before eventually telling him they found a video tape of him having sex with the victim on the night of the murder. [Since when did being caught on tape having sex become illegal?]

As Sookie puts on her makeup before work, Gran asks her whether she thinks Bill was around during the Civil War. [Gran has a thing for the Civil War?] Her historical group, [Oh...that's why.] the Descendants of the Glorious Dead [another interesting name for you!], would certainly love to hear a first-person account of the war. Sookie, amused, promises to ask. [There is a little scene between Lafayette and Tina that I love, this happens also to be where I came in on Sunday night.] She gets to Merlotte's just in time to hear all her coworkers discussing Jason's arrest. Frightened--and furious that she's the last person to know ["I am not physic!" No, but you can hear people's thoughts! Which is very different. Thankfully.]-- she demands that Jason's friends, Rene Lenier and Hoyt Fortenberry, fill her in on the details. [Sookie, talking about Jason--"He is selfish, egotistical and a horn dog. But he's not a killer!" Not the words I'd use to describe my brother. Perhaps cause he's not any of those but still....] Just as she becomes so worked up that the thoughts in the room start to overwhelm her, Bill walks into the bar. [Vamp boy Bill is back! Wonder if she'll remember to ask that thing for her Gran? And man are people judgmental in this little town!] When she greets him, [By commenting on how cold his hands are, which Bill replies with "Yes I'm afraid I'm not as warm as the men you must be accustom to." and, if you can believe it, Sookie answers "What men?" Can she sound any more pathetic? And desperate?] he asks, "What are you?" The vampire has picked up that she's different, [Sookie is an unusual name.] but only asks if he can visit her at her home. [She didn't know what call on her meant.] She consents and then remembers her Gran's request [And she did remember her Gran! Good girl, didn't loose all mental capacity around a vampire.] and asks him, "Would you mind meeting me at the back of the bar when I get off at, probably around 1:30?" Bill agrees but, feeling uncomfortable under the gaze of everyone in the bar, [DAMN! Every person is staring at them! She {Sookie} really is something.] decides to leave.

As soon as Bill is gone, Sam pulls Sookie into his office and admonishes her for associating with a vampire: "What do you have, a death wish?" Before she can finish her retort, Tara bursts through the door and delivers a similar message. Hearing their thoughts--Sam's love for her [Sam, just tell her you love her already. Please? I don't think I could stand another show where someone pines for another character for the first three seasons!!!!!!!!! And why does he keep calling her Cher? Is he suppose to be saying chere? Or maybe cheri? The second would make sense since they are in Louisiana and French has been spoken down there from time to time.] and Tara's concern for Jason--Sookie finally loses her cool and, yelling that she can take care of herself, slams the door on her way out.

Later that night, as she's leaving work, [Sam asks if he should wait with her but she says No and Sam goes home--LMAO! Sam lives next to his bar...I missed that last night. {Meaning Sunday night of course}] Sookie notices a beat-up car [the same one that almost ran her down the night before] in the parking lot, and just as she places her recognition of it, the Rattrays jump from the shadows and knock her down, kicking viciously. They have every intent to kill her, but all she can do is curl into a fetal position [Guess Sookie can't take care of herself...where's Bill? Surely he'll step in and save the day night?] as she spits up blood. [End credits then roll.] [Nope, apparently the writers want to leave us with the Rat's beating Sookie up....until next week!]

And there you would have a basic run down of the first episode. There is a great chance that there will be a run down of this coming Sunday's episode as well. Probably won't be posted until Monday or later on in the week.

Feel free to comment with your thoughts about the show, or about my thoughts/comments on the show.

Until next time.

Allow me to introduce myself....

2008-09-11T14:37:00.002-06:00

...and I dare you to try and stop me.

My name is Angelina. It is my middle name and my family has a strange tradition of calling all the women of the family by their middle names...unless they happen to get themselves in trouble that is.

I was born and raised in Seattle Washington. I left that state back in 1998 and moved to Colorado. A few years after that, I moved South to where I am now in New Mexico. I miss the color green if you want to know the truth and I dearly, dearly miss the ocean which is why I usually go to Puerto Penasco at least once a year.

I'm an animal lover. I don't care what sort of animal it is--with the strange exception to monkeys--I love it. My favorite over all has got to be tigers. Of course I love other big (and small) cats as well. I share my house with a couple of them.

I also share my home with my boyfriend of 21 months (but who's counting?) as well as his 14 year old son. I myself have given birth to one son who is currently in the custody of his father in Colorado.

Thanks to my boyfriend I know more then I need to about computers. Thanks to my love of animals I get to work with the furry ones on an almost daily basis. Thanks to my parents, I'm here on this planet wondering where it all went wrong.

I am opinionated and I don't always think before I talk and sometimes I suffer the consequences of that action. I do not push my opinions or beliefs onto others, but I will state them if I want to and just leave it at that.

I like to cook, hate to clean (unless it's my kitchen I'm cleaning), love to create (draw, write, play with play-dough), love being outdoors, like to travel, and love to eat.

I'm not short, I'm fun sized--I'm not overweight either.

I like movies and some television shows. I can not stand reality shows. I watch television to escape reality, why the bleeding hell would I want to watch someone else's reality? Specially when those someones are boring and shouldn't be on the telly to begin with! I like shows that make me think, or just plain out entertain me. I will from time to time watch and review the latest television show or movie, I generally put in snarky comments while going over synopsis' and you should be able to tell those comments from the original synopsis. I'll make it easy for you even if you don't know me.

Sometimes I'll review books as well. Just basically share my thoughts on whatever happens to cross my path at any given time.

Guess now is a good time as any to begin.............