Thursday, April 20, 2006

Mama said there'd be days like this... An' she wasn't kidding!

Boy, when a day decides to give you lemons, and changes its mind and grows a grove on you instead, you know you're in for a long week. Yesterday would be classed as this very type of day. Actually this string of blunders began on Tuesday. The weather was nice but it was only a facade on what was about to be three days of bad. After setting the kids off to school and then finally putting my little down for a nap, I decided to head out into the backyard and pick up some of the spring cleaning items that was going to be picked up on Thursday. I first headed over to the kids green turtle sandbox to dump the sand and add it to the pile of garbage going out. I get there and lift it by the face and all it does is bend. When you have over 200 lbs. of wet sand (it rained the night before) it doesn't help much. So I grabbed by the side and lifted and finally was able to flip the dang thing. It wasn't till a day later I found out the muscles I pulled doing that stupid stunt. Oy!

But it doesn't end there, I decided to use some of the sand on my grapevine, seeing that sand hold moisture fairly well and it will be benefical for the hot dry summer months in keeping the soil moist for the vine. I placed the sand all around and then moved it with my foot. There was an upside-down old clay pot in the way so I go and move it. But instead of moving it, I sliced my forefinger open nearly an inch from a piece of pottery that had flaked off into a extremely sharp edge. From finger tip to just a smidge before the first knuckle. Boy did that bitch hurt! It wasn't really deep, but it hurt like the worst cardboard cut one could ever get. And if any of you have ever gotten a cardboard cut, you know what I'm talking about. I go inside clean it up and go on cleaning. Except the whole day I could feel the cut reopening anytime I used that hand for anything strenuous. So that completed that day.

DAY TWO (morning): That morning the kids are going on their first field trip. They are completely ecstatic about the trip. And in the notes given by the teachers, all children need to bring a sack lunch. No problem there, we were prepared for this. I packed their lunches and the last thing to place in the sack, a piece of fruit. All we had were banana's, so in they go. Except they don't go in very far. Too damn big. No worries, I'll just cut them in half and each will have one-half for lunch. Grabbing a common butter knife sharp PLASTIC knife, I cut downwards. Now mind you I have it in the hands and I am cutting towards my open palm. I didn't even think of any consequences since it was a dull PLASTIC butter knife. But low and behold the blasted knife cut me at the base of the forefinger of my left hand. Something is up with my forefingers lately. Arrgh! For a nice little slice that somabitch hurt. Didn't help much when cleaning some dishes I'm using Dawn with bleach. Nothing like adding some burning sting to the mess!

DAY TWO (evening): Here I sit at my computer desk playing a little WoW with the wife and my computer starts stuttering during the game. Really annoying! After a little bit of game play, she retires for the evening and I decide to check on whats going on. After moving the computer desk, I pull out my case and I can see my processor fan wavering and vibrating as it spins, making a mechanical whirring noise. Not a good whirring noise like a fan in condition would make, but one of a fan that is off-kilter and is unable to realign itself. Its barely spinning, my heatsink is really heating up big time, and then I notice that my fan on my fairly new video card is barely clinging onto the video card processor! JEEZ! All this happening on one frickin' evening, I decided to doing an online order for one. Man is there a ton of fan/heat sink combo's out there. All I wanted was a stinking proc fan dammit! After searching I found one at Newegg and should arrive on Saturday or Monday (probably Monday). So I had to shut the old girl down for the night to prevent her from overheating (hence no post from last night).

DAY THREE (afternoon): This afternoon I did some juryrigging and managed to get the fan running semi-decently but I don't foresee it lasting much longer. But in the process of messing with my computer, my right thumb bumps the case fan and it strips away a good chunk skin from the knuckle and I start bleeding, which doesn't help matters any. And somewhere along the line the toe next to the big toe, during the numerous trips going up and downstairs, is cut and I have no clue as to when that happened. So by the end of it all, I have four bleeding cuts, a processor fan and video card fan on the blink, and a few pulled muscles. Well they do say, bad things come in threes. *sigh*

Thanks for stopping and reading! Peace and bright blessings to each and everyone of you out there! Nighters. Oy, my back...

TODAY'S BUMPERSTICKER






Redwolf

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

My double vision always seems to get the best of me!

Not bad for a 2-dimension image appearing 3D, huh? Its an animated form of stereo imaging. It is a method of presenting stereo images using animated .gifs to rapidly switch between left and right images. For most of us, the brain will impose a crude sense of dimensionality. Cool, huh? Though some may feel sick after viewing it for a while. But I think its pretty awesome. Oh and if you want to see some really funky stereo art, visit Grogono Stereo Art page. Just follow the directions and prepare for something über-funky!

Today went without a hitch. Did more spring cleaning, watched a little TV, and checked on my grapevine. No buds yet. Now your probably wondering (or maybe not - but either way) "How much spring cleaning can he be doing?" Well to answer your question, there is quite a bit to do, but when you have a 20-month old it pretty much takes a lot of your time away from the cleaning up part. So I can only do it in short spans, like when he is taking a nap. It helps but boy does it ever break up the daily routine. Then I have to get the kids from school, so that also cuts into my time, as well as help the kids with their homework (they are learning the value of money now), make dinner, and finally eat, then take a break before putting everyone to bed. Ugh. Long days indeed. Gives me a lot of respect for my mother when she had to do it alone. Thanks mom! You're the greatest!

Yesterday we had religions point of view of when 'Shit Happens'. So as promised, I bring you today...

THE POLITICAL VIEW ON...
  • Independent: Shit happens
  • Democrat: Shit is a vast right-wing conspiracy
  • Republican: The rich deserve more shit
  • Moderate: We must also consider shit's right to happen
  • Liberal: Shit will happen if we don't spend enough
  • Conservative: The courts have allowed too much excrement
  • Reform: We can't get our poop in a group
  • Socialist: Support the equal distribution of shit
  • Communist: Come the revolution, shit will not happen again!
  • Libertarian: Legalize all kinds of shit
  • Green: Compost happens
Well it seems that that's pretty much it for today. I wish I had more to impart to you, but alas my life isn't too thrilling (well until drinking night kicks back into gear that is - another topic for another day). Thanks for stopping by and reading! Peace and bright blessings to one and all! Until tomorrow...

TODAY'S BUMPERSTICKER






Redwolf

Monday, April 17, 2006

Here comes the sun

Thar be sun outside today. A bright glowing orb in the night sky lighting up the earth, giving us daylight. Ahhhh, twas wonderful to feel its warmth as I made numerous runs to the garbage can with much of my spring cleaning. Another day of that yearly ritual that just lets you know its spring alright. Plus it gives me a chance to air out the house of that stagnate dry winter air inside. The smell of that crisp air with the touch of sunlight just does wonders for a person. Okay, me then. But to be honest, it seems that my depression that I had been suffering from seems to be lifting. Could it be the sunlight? Very well could be. Could it be the thyroid medication that I am on? Again, it could very well be. One may never know, unless you take one of the possibilities out of the equation. But I'm not about to be strictly housebound if the weather is going to be like this often, and I'm not about to mess with my bodies lack of ability to create the proper hormone to get my thyroid a kick-start and keep it running normally.

BLASTED! I forgot to call the dietician again! Gads! This is starting to get annoying. I spent a good chunk of today making calls here and there. First off, my son wasn't feeling good this morning due to his ear infection. So I had to call the school and let them know that the kids won't be in today. Then I had to call to make an follow-up appointment with the pediatrician for my son, in addition to make an appointment for my daughter as well. Both are due for their 7 year check up. Yay. Then I had to call about a subscription that was still screwed up. The customer service rep was very kind and worked with me on the matter. Made a few other phones to my wife to verify appointments. And all that was cutting into my spring cleaning. ARRGH!

There is one phrase that everyone's used before in one form or another in day-to-day conversations, or even at work. But it makes one wonder how certain groups see it. I give you...

THE RELIGIONS VIEW ON...
  • Taoism: Shit happens
  • Hinduism: This shit happened before
  • Confucianism: Confucius says: Shit happens
  • Buddhism: It is only the illusion of shit happening
  • Zen: What is the sound of shit happening?
  • Islam: If shit happens, it is the will of Allah
  • Jehovah's Witnesses: Knock, knock: 'Shit happens.'
  • Atheism: There is no such thing as shit.
  • Agnosticism: Maybe shit happens, and maybe it doesn't
  • Protestantism: Shit won't happen if I work harder
  • Catholicism: If shit happens, I deserve it
  • Judaism: Why does shit always happen to me?
  • Televangelism: Send money or shit will happen to you
  • Rastafarian: Smoke that shit
Tomorrow... The political point of view.

Hmmmm, that pretty much seems about it. Man, do I lead a boring life. I need a hobby. Oh yeah, I have one, this is it. Lame ain't it. I need new friends. Anyone wanna hang? Didn't think so...

Oh well... Thanks for taking the time to stop by and reading. Peace and bright blessings to you all! Till tomorrow!

TODAY'S BUMPERSTICKER











Redwolf

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Two posts for the price of one!

GASP! I didn't post yesterday. Numerous reasons, but mostly because I was playing WoW with the wife and we were doing pretty good. So I just thought I would combine yesterday's and today's post into one. So here we go!

Tax man cometh and he taketh away. Well not entirely true, we got money back, although I did have to pay back taxes from 2003. Perfect timing, eh? Evidently somewhere along the line, I didn't pay enough taxes and they just now found it. Oh well. I paid it and all is well once again in Oz.

The twins had their birthday on Saturday. They turned the wonderful age of 7, and they were delighted. But unfortunately Jaxom wasn't too thrilled at his gift. He was given the gift where you can't forget you got it. He woke up to a painful ear ache. Now I know the boy wasn't pulling any legs, because he wanted nothing to do with birthday cake. And this boy doesn't pass up birthday cake. So the wife took him to the acute center and sure enough he has an ear infection. The doc put him on some antibiotics and some over the counter allergy medicine. The allergy medicine is to remove the fluid in his ears. Evidently, allergy medicine drains the fluid faster than the body would normally, so it gives the antibiotics a chance to work faster. Who would've thunk it.

Today, he felt a wee bit better and was able to go to the wife's parents house for easter and birthday. Unfortunately when he came home he was running a fever of 101.2 degrees. So we got a dose of children's ibuprofen in him and it dropped within the half hour. He still didn't want much to do with cake after dinner. Not even a small piece. Can't rightfully blame him. When you got that much pain in your ear, you really don't want to eat anything.

Gads! I can't believe the kids are seven years old already. Dang! And the youngest is 20 months old already. Is it me or is time actually flying by faster than I perceived it to be doing so? One of my friends kids are already mid-teens. Mid-teens! This is just making me feel older by the minute. Ugh.

Spring cleaning is still in progress. I seriously need to stop doing it in small chunks. I gotta hit it hard and get it done quickly. Though the weather isn't making it easy in the slightest. I work so much better when its all sunny. But all its been around here is cloudy and windy, and today is no exception. It reached a blustery 48º. What happened to spring? We skip it altogether and headed straight back into fall or something. That's one thing I can say about Illinois weather, you can never truly predict whats its going to do. But at least I got the majority of the big stuff done. Now its just a matter of all the small stuff that dots the house. Yay.

Well that pretty much seems to be the jist of the last two days. One sick kid, a little spring cleaning, and back tax paying. It's just an awesome roller coaster ride here in the Den. Oh yeah, the dietician was not available on saturday. So its onto Monday once again. Thanks for stopping by! Peace and bright blessings!

TODAY'S BUMPERSTICKER






Redwolf