Thoughts of the Day

Disclaimer: Just in case I have not said it before, I am not politically minded. I am neither a democrat nor republican. I do not vote in primaries, but do vote in general elections. I don’t debate politics as I do not have the knowledge to make informed comments. 1. I heard on NPR this morning that the military in Myanmar is beating up the protesting monks. If this is true, don’t they know that beating up a monk is bad for one’s karma? 2. Is it not realistic to expect someone to know what you are thinking or know what you want them to know without telling them? I gave up mind reading long ago, but some people have not learned that about me despite repeated reminders. 3. While someone can make me frustrated and angry, they cannot dictate the actions I take or do not take based on those feelings. 4.A new Stargate Atlantis will help make it all better. 5. Someone will always be better off than me. Somone will always be worse off than me. I need to be content with what I have.

Weekend in Review

This weekend went very well. While not too much happened, I did have a good class Sabbath morning and the children's story went smoothly. I even made it to the 10am Sunday church committee meeting early! Yes it lasted just over two hours, but it was very productive. I even found some time for dishes and laundry. I just need to convince myself to make vacuuming a priority. The only bad part to this weekend was when I tried to boot up my laptop. I'm getting a nasty hard drive "SMART failure" error message and can't boot up. I got a possible fix from the internet, but that will only work if I can get my laptop to start up with the command prompts. Cross your fingers. If it doesn't work, I'm off to visit the Geek Squad. My laptop is probably about 5 years old, so it may be a lost cause. I would like to save all of my files though. We'll see.

No rest for the weary...

It has been an interesting two days. Monday night, after a new traffic system update that kept me at work until almost 8pm, I drove out to Knoxville, TN. For those who don't know the geography, that is 381 miles east of Memphis and is even in another time zone. Why? To attend the UT Knoxville job fair. Once again, you ask "Why?" Because a couple of months ago my dear boss said that HE wanted to go. I understand that we need to go to as many job fairs and recruiting events as possible. It's just that when someone says that they want to go to something and then proceed to remove themselves from the situation, it kinda gets under my skin. None of the managers would go with me and E's schedule changed, so she couldn't come with me. And you know that cancelling the booth that we paid for was not an option. What options were left? For me to go alone. And I did. I took a total of less than 15 minutes for potty breaks and lunch during the 5 hour event (with no one else there, any time I left the booth it was empty, not a good thing at a job fair). Oh, and right after taking down the booth yesterday, I started on the 381 mile trip home. What fun! I can't think of a better way to spend time than 11 hours of driving--5 there and 6 back thanks to Nashville's 5p rush hour. At least I was smart enough to get some audio books and made it through 1 1/2 books in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. I've been wanting to start this series ever since reading a short story by Child in the anthology Thriller. Oh, and I want to make my way to prayer meeting tonight (I enjoy Pastor Lombard's Bible study methods), I have a school board meeting tomorrow night, Sabbath School (long, sad for me story that can be shortened to the end result: I'm now the de facto Youth Sabbath School leader) and Children's Story this week, a church strategic planning meeting at 10a on Sunday, the U of M job fair next Wednesday, and am taking O'Malley to the Vet next Thursday for her annual shots and nail clipping session. Whew! I'm tired just thinking about it.

I've been in Memphis too Long

You Are 72% Massachusetts

You're pretty Massachusetts, but you're starting to slip. Go eat a bulky roll and flip off a New Yorker.

How Massachusetts Are You?

Same Ol' Same Ol'

There hasn't been much going on for the last couple of weeks. I'm still dealing with some trace symptoms from the two-week-old wasp sting, but it is more annoying than painful. My doctor decided that it would be best for me to keep an Epi Pen Kit in my medicine cabinet on the off chance that the ginormous allergic reaction ever morphs into a deadly reaction. Best to be prepared than to be dead. Home ownership is going well. I need to figure out a good cleaning schedule and then it would be better. I lugged some tree limbs to the front of the house this week and was rewarded with a teeny, tiny splinter--which may even be the tip of a thorn--in my middle finger. What makes this one fun is that it is so small and completely under the skin that there is no way to get it out. I've already tried squeezing it and soaking it in hot water in an attempt to bring it to the surface. There is quite a red bump forming. If anyone has some insight on it, that would be most helpful. I guess it could be worse. I could have shingles like my brother. (There is nothing like several contracts falling through on the house you are trying to sell, two kids under the age of 5, and a new job to stress you out!)

Allergy Update Update

Upon Nurse Mom's advise, I ended up going to the Urgent Care center today. Three hours and two shots later, I now have a heavy prescription for steroids. Hopefully that will do the trick. If not, then I'll be headed to the ER in a week's time. The doc said that there is a slight chance that some bacteria got into my lymph nodes from the sting. Pray that is not the case and the steroids clear it up. Don't ask why, but I don't like the idea of a coma in my future. In addition, I will be on the look out for a bee keeper's hat to add to my daily wardrobe :)

Allergy Update

This pic does not due the reaction justice. To help you let me just say that I usually have more defined cheekbones. Also that red area goes about an inch or so into my cheek and goes into my hairline around my swollen ear. This is 36+ hours after the wasp sting. The swollen area is very firm to the touch and itchy. I'm off to have Nurse Mom apply allergy cream and tea tree oil. Cross your fingers this passes soon!

Bugger!

I consider myself an animal lover. Until last night the only animal that I could not stand was the ferret. This distaste is directly linked to the fact that a ferret did me wrong when I was very young. My mother took me to visit her then boss and I was allowed to hold the weasel like creature. It wasn't long before the beast bit my face and would not let go. I don't remember how we got it to let go, but I do remember that is the day I discovered ferrets are evil. Last night I realized that the red wasp is evil, too. After dropping some tickets off at LadyBoyd's house, a flying insect came up from behind to admire my hair. It was flapping it's wings around my ear and I could see something big out of the corner of my right eye. I tried to swat it away, but that only lead to more flapping and then a sharp sting on my head just above my ear. It felt like I'd been hit in the head with a brick. (Tangent alert: my father has always said that Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick" should be my theme song.) I got some Tylnol and advise from the Boyds. By all accounts the red wasp does not have a powerful sting and therefore would wear off shortly. But since things can never be easy, that was not the case. I can only assume that I have a non-life threatening allergy to the red wasp. By the time I picked up my parents from the airport (about 30 minutes later) I had a huge lump on the side of my head and had such sharp pains that my father had to drive home. During the drive I found myself punching the arm rest to get my focus off of the pain. It wasn't until 11p--6 hours after the sting and 2 hours after the hydrocortisone cream application--that I started to feel some relief. I was literally crying out in pain when Mom was moving my hair to apply the hydrocortisone cream and tea tree oil to the sting last night. I also was unable to sleep on my right side due to the tenderness of the area. This morning things are a little better. I no longer have the searing pain that was coming from the sting site. However, there is redness, swelling, and itching on the side of my face around my ear and the general area around the sting is tender to the touch. Hopefully the Allegra and ibuprofen I took this morning will start to help. Consider yourself warned: Red Wasps and Ferrets are evil creatures!

House update

For those out there who are wondering what my furnished house looks like, here you go. Just don't mind the clutter :)
Dining Room

Living Room

Bedroom

Living Room as seen from Bedroom

Kitchen with new range hood. Yes that is a Longaberger
basket.

For those out there who are wondering what my furnished house looks like, here you go. Just don't mind the clutter :)

Personality Test

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations.A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you.You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people. Conscientiousness: You have medium conscientiousness.You're generally good at balancing work and play.When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done.But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness.You're generally a friendly and trusting person.But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism.You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have low neuroticism.You are very emotionally stable and mentally together.Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly.Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is medium.You are generally broad minded when it come to new things.But if something crosses a moral line, there's no way you'll approve of it.You are suspicious of anything too wacky, though you do still consider creativity a virtue.

http://www.blogthings.com/thefivefactorpersonalitytest/">The Five Factor Personality Test

Cats and Candles

In what some might see as an ironic twist of fate, O'Malley almost burned down the house last night while I was catching up on past episodes of Rescue Me. I had a large Pottery Barn candle--a housewarming gift from my realtor--lit in it's stand on the side table between the love seat and sofa. I had a gray scarf on the table doubling as a table cloth. O'Malley decided that she wanted to play with the scarf, so she pulled it and the candle off the table. There was a loud crash, a shatter as the glass cracked, and the noise of a full soda can splashing on the carpet. The candle remained lit during and after the fall. My sofa and love seat are skirted, so the only thing that kept them from going up in flames was the glass from the candle holder. Wax went everywhere!

Sometimes I Wish...

You won't hear me say it often, but yesterday was one of those days that I wished I had a husband or at least a male companion to call my own. I lost half a day of work because the cable guy missed the 12-2p window by two hours. It was 4:30p by the time he was done. I could've used someone to wait those extra two hours with/for me or to distract the snaggle-toothed cable guy from unwelcome over-friendliness. I really hated to waste those 4 hours. At least there was unpacking to done that kept me busy. I also brought the two solid wood closet doors out of the back bedroom and up to the attic last night. This took quite a bit of effort, but I was able to do it without dropping either of the doors down the stairs or on my feet. This is where a nice husband or even a roommate with opposable thumbs would've been helpful. If not for his strong back, then for a short massage to get out the kink which has taken up residence in my left shoulder. As it was I had to keep closing doors behind me to prevent O'Malley from investigating the attic and snacking on fiberglass insulation. Additionally, if I had a husband he could be blamed for all of my black and blue marks. I received the gene from my mother that allows me to bruise without touching anything. Heck, if someone looks at me wrong I bruise. My legs, knees, and arms are covered with bruises of every size, shape, and color. The fact that the 27" TV slipped out of my hands yesterday and landed face down on my knees hasn't helped. I'm going to have to take a break from home improvement or rearranging of furniture while I still have working limbs.

Ugh-gust

Considering my delicate condition--I haven't been out in the sun since high school and spend most days in the office, therefore my white Irish legs glow even with the lights on--I am hating August. With the rising temps and the fact that it is hotter outside at 5 PM than at noon, I can only assume that Memphis in August is a prerequisite for Hell. I ran out to Walgreen's at 2:45 this afternoon and honestly believe I got a minor sunburn. The fact that I should put on sunscreen to drive my car is insane. While I should know better than to go out in the sun considering the fact that my brother had a malignant melanoma removed from his side a few years ago, I think this is just too much. On the home front, all is well. Mom is still on track for a visit over Labor Day. I'm getting used to the place and have started to put some things away. O'Malley is loving the spaciousness and the stairs. Tonight I will try round two on the bathtub de-clogging project. I truly think Big Foot and Snuffy were the previous occupants of the house. The first batch of liquid plumber didn't even make a dent. I was in water up to my ankles this morning and it was still there 40+ minutes later when I left for work. Cross your fingers. Tonight I'm also stopping into Lowe's to check out/order a new vent hood and then will run over to the scratch & dent store to take a gander at the ranges and microwaves. I'm a little upset at the 21 year-old oven that currently lives in my kitchen. While defrosting waffles this morning I managed to burn my hand pretty badly. And since I haven't unpacked the first aid kit, I made due by dunking my fist in a cup of water on the drive to work and then raiding the burn cream at the office.

Tip of the Day: Chef Tony was right!

Here is the home improvement tip of the day: When in a bind and the proper tool is not available, the Miracle Blade slicer can be used as a saw and will cut through those annoyingly immobile plastic screws used to fasten toilet seats. This will not damage the knife, but will require patience on your part.

PS. Today is my two year anniversary as a Memphian.

And so it begins...

The joys of being a homeowner. I found out on Sunday that the storage room (which is accessed from the outside and houses my circuit breaker) is locked and does not use the key that I was given. The sellers of the house don't have the key either. So, I'll have to spend about $50 for a locksmith to open the door and then I can go and by a new lock. The fact that anyone can access my circuit breaker if the door is unlocked brings to mind all of the scary movies I grew up watching. I also keep finding little things that need to be fixed. There is some smashed tile in the foyer that was covered by a rug and therefore not included in the inspection. Also, the molding above the kitchen cabinets was never finished. I guess they didn't want to mess with the curved shelves. The cabinets are not the greatest anyway so that goes on the list of future replacements along with the stove, vent hood, fireplace screen, closet organizers, foyer tile, etc. Oh, and there is a freaky space between the house and the patio out back. Not really sure what that means either.

Regardless of what all needs to be done, the house is on it's way to feeling like home. All it's missing is O'Malley (who is moving over on Sunday, but don't tell her) and furniture. Bathroom stuff and a shower curtain were brought over yesterday. I spent about an hour or so putting in cabinet liners in the kitchen only stopping when I ran out of liner. Thankfully I found some that I packed when I moved from MA two years ago. I went searching in a box that has remained packed for the last two years in hopes of finding my ducky shower rings--I did--and found quite a bit of extra cabinet liner from my Winthrop to TN move. I'll be putting the rest of that in tonight and changing out the upstairs toilet seat. Why? Well, that seat is cracked and there is nothing worse than sitting down on cracked vinyl. Besides, I have a ducky toilet seat just begging to be used :)

Membership Has It's Privileges

Yesterday afternoon my cell phone rings as I am going into our mid-town office. I didn't recognize the 617 number, but answered it anyway. Much to my surprise, it was someone from Red Sox Nation. I won an autographed Jonathan Papelbon baseball and it will be mailed to my apartment next week. I don't remember the last time I won anything as more often than not I'm not eligible. It's one of the downsides to working in radio which I have become so used to that I rarely enter any contests. The even bigger surprise came this morning. My brother, who almost never calls me, called me at work to fill me in on the rest of the story. Apparently, the Red Sox Nation winners are announced during the live broadcasts of the game on NESN. One of his friends called him during the evening rebroadcast to tell him about my mention. I guess the fact that I live in Tennessee was a point of interest as it became a topic of conversation for the broadcasters. Red Sox Nation is truly nationwide.

FINALLY!

I'm a homeowner! There have been many frustrations these last twenty-four hours. After the shock of yesterday, I got a call at 10a saying that the close was getting pushed back to 3p because the bank hadn't brought over the papers yet. Then a little after two I call the title company to get a confirmation on the amount I need to get from the bank. Guess what? Somehow in less than 24 hours the amount increased by another $200! So there goes that last little bit of cushion I was keeping for the movers. Thankfully I did have it or I would've lost the house. I guess God was reminding me that I still had too much and need to put my full faith in him for my daily needs. Anyway, the seller's paperwork wasn't in yet, but they gave me the house key after I signed my life away. Fun stuff!

You are kidding me!

I had a good weekend in New England. I got to go to L's 30th birthday bash. I've never seen her so surprised in my life and E&J got the whole thing on video. I even got a chance to drive up to NH and see my cousin and his wife who are due to have their first baby any second. This weekend was fun and even refreshing. I finished Harry Potter (no spoliers, but I will say that I could've done without the epilogue) and spent time in 4 states in 48 hours. Today has been full of a week's worth of ups and downs. It all started on my way to work. I was 10 minutes out and got a call from one of the sales assistants. "The auditors are here." I knew they were in town but thought that would be at Union. I thought wrong. They were not getting what they needed in a timely manner at Union, so they stopped by my office first. I don't mind that they are here. I am ready for the audit, just not the time they needed today. I dropped off the majority of what they needed from me and rushed in to my Tuesday morning managers meeting about 5 minutes late. Then I spent the rest of the day being interrupted by sales people, my GM & the auditors. Just to give you a better understanding: I didn't get lunch until 1:30 (Taco Bell drive through), it took me 20 minutes to eat ONE taco at my desk, and I didn't get my first cup of coffee until 2:50. As if that wasn't enough, I got a call at 4p from my mortgage officer. Apparently she had made a mistake. The sellers agreed to pay all but $200 of my closing costs (which are about 5% due to it being a no money down loan and the taxes), but legally they can only pay 3% in closing costs! What does that mean? Well instead of getting back $300 of earnest money and not having to make my first mortgage until October 1, the seller reduced the price by $2,100 and I have to present a cashier's check for just under $1,100 by 11a tomorrow! Oh, and I can't afford the extra closing costs associated with the additional pre-paid interest, so my first mortgage payment will be September 1. After the initial shock wore off and I was once again able to function, I sat down with my checkbook. So, after transferring 99% of the money from my ING savings account and paying my rent for August on the 3rd (because it takes up to 3 days for the ING transfer to go through and my apartment does not consider the rent late until the 6th) and deciding to hold off paying one of my credit cards until next payday, I'll be able to pay the additional closing costs and have $2.12 to spare. Thankfully my pantry is stocked with Ramen and Mac & Cheese. :) At first I was wondering if God was trying to tell me that I'm not supposed to buy this house. Then, when I saw that I have just enough money to pay the closing costs, I realized that God is showing me that Yes, I should buy this house and to always remember that when you are faithful to God (When calculating if I could pay the $1,100 I refused to factor in any reduction in the amount of semi-monthly tithes and offerings that I committed to back in January.) He is faithful to you. It is also a reminder that God will provide exactly what you need. He may not give you more than you need, but he won't give you less!

Soon and Very Soon

In less than a week, I'll own my own house! The closing is scheduled for 11 am Wednesday. I can't wait. I had three girls from Pathfinders over last night to help me pack. Two pizzas and $20 each later, my kitchen is 90% packed (we ran out of boxes), my closet and dressers are barren, and all of my linens are packed. Apparently, I "have a lot of stuff." :) We accomplished all of this in about two hours! The girls were a blessing and even volunteered to come back to finish up free of charge. Thankfully I have a full weekend coming up to distract me from the fact that I'll be living in a sea of boxes for awhile.

Breathing easier

I heard back from the appraiser and all he had was praise for my new house :) Appraiser, praise...get it? Anyway, everything is falling into place nicely. I double checked with Lowes yesterday about the technical differences between slide-in and freestanding ranges. According to them there is no issue with using the cheaper freestanding range between the cabinets. Woo-Hoo! I'm also looking at over the range microwaves. I gave away my old microwave when I moved as my apartment had one built in. The hood that is currently in place needs some work, so might as well upgrade. I'm just praying it is at least 30"; I'll measure it during my final walk through. LadyBoyd's hubbie has been volunteered to help me with the details of the mini-renovation. I won't make him doing any of the install, just the cutting :) As for HP, I'm up to page 100+. I don't remember exactly where I stopped, but it was midnight when I put the book down. I'm hoping to get a lot of reading in this weekend. Maybe I'll even finish it by Monday so I can start reading all of the spolierish articles on line. I'm not good with waiting for surprises, so it is killing me not to read about the ending.