I blind :(

I finally took him to the vet after a week or so of worrying and trying to get him to eat and drink. He can't walk straight or keep his balance either.

sigh

If the antibiotics don't help it may be tumors which means the joy juice.

I am bummed.

Mandatory suicide prevention classes that make you flash back to when you were suicidal. And it's 1 of 3 classes.

Some ads never close caption. The results can be confusing.
Sometimes funny.

Behold the eHarmony ad. "You can review your matches for free!" The announcer says.

"You'll find them in the cracker aisle" the CC says.

I do hear stuff in the elevator, I live on the 16th floor so I have many chances for that.

So I am in the elevator going up when two black teens come in still yakkin about food. One of them said he was from Lynchburg Virginia. Then he commented on how messed up that name was. LYNCHburg Virginia, he said, is mostly african american population.

You know... I never thought of that... he sure is right though. How messed up is that, indeed.



http://www.lynchburgva.gov/

The fire lieutenant told us yesterday that he wanted to warn us, as there were bootprints in the tub from where one of the firefighters had to open the bathroom window.

I went to take a shower this morning, I discovered there WERE prints in the tub. There was no window in the guest bathroom however so I was wondering. Small itsy bitsy kitty paws prints. O.O

The fireman was COVERING FOR THE KITTIES!

Which would also go a long way to explain why the kitties were licking me last night.

Lick paw, lick paw, clean off soot. *YUCK* {{wipe tongue off on human}}
Lick paw, lick paw, clean off soot. *YUCK* {{wipe tongue off on human}}

I thought I heard a noise. It sounded like machinery of some kind. I was sitting in the recliner watching the Monk marathon. Karen came running in.

-- GET OUT! GET OUT! THERE'S A FIRE IN THE GARAGE!

I got. I never thought of anything like my computer or my meds or my book, I just got. I stopped long enough to grab my coat and shoes from near the door. (33-34 degrees farenheit) I put them on outside.

There were already people out there. The guy from across the street came over to get everyone out of the house 'cause it was on fire. Smoke was pouring out of the garage in alarming volume. Karen was on the phone to 911. People kept asking us if anyone else was in the house. I kept telling them 'just the cats'. Somebody went IN for the cats.

He came out with the box fan box (my xmas present) it was meowing indignantly. He could only get the one cat, he said, the one that had hidden in the box. Somebody kept him (and anyone else) from going back.

There was a loud bang/pop.

We all moved away. I was carrying a big box fan box with an upset kitty. I kept having visions of him being the lone survivor. We could see flames under the car. They looked a bit like flames in an oven.

A gazzillion firetrucks showed up. Ok, maybe 5. Neighbors were swarming. One helped me tape up the box. One took photos for insurance. One got Karen some boots to replace the slippers she was wearing. One took the kitten in. One took care of the neighbors (teen and tweenty) year old kids who were home alone and unsure what to do since their (parent's) house was right next door to a fire. Several offered to take us in their homes to get warm.

Well we went to one. They gave us water and offered coffee, breakfast etc. We sat and talked about retirement, westerns, kids.

The firemen showed up a few times to tell Karen stuff, ask questions (and bring her her cane)

They finally came to give us the all clear. The lieutenant was apologizing because while in the process of opening all the windows they left bootprints in the tub. Karen looked at them like "what? who cares?"
It seems some people get all upset with firemen about stuff like that. We made it *EXTREMELY* clear that we were only and very grateful to them for putting out the fire while it was still in the garage and we did not care the teensiest bit about bootprints. (no one does really, but when traumatized by a fire I suppose people get upset about the weirdest shit)

So we are back in house, all three adults and all three felines ok. (We did manage to get the boxed kitty back from the across the street neighbors. He had seduced them. He was running about their house. They seemed all to willing to take all three cats in if necessary)

Even Karen's CAR is ok, and it was in the garage. It goes to dealership shop tomorow.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Some people just make me go "uh... why?"

I was doing mumbletymumble50ina35 road with some impatient person on my tail when this raggedy car goes farting past me very fast and gets in front of me. The tailgater also gets over and speeds up.

Really, honestly, does going that much over the speed limit with a bad muffler really qualify somebody as a badass? Or does it just explain the disabled plates?

I lucked out. No lines when I went. Four years ago it was out the darn door. (and down the hall and around the gym) Today I just breezed in. The lady told me I had just missed a rush. *whew*

I realized as I looked at the ballot, that this is the first election I voted FOR someone. Positively. Not just AGAINST someone else.

For once, I felt good about checking the box.

Dear Miss Manners,

My co-workers and I at the lab have a dilemma. Our lab's P.I. injured himself seriously about a month ago. We were horribly shocked. We took up a collection, trooped over to the hospital; then we dropped into the gift shop to buy a card, flowers and a bunch of cra... gifts. We visited him and gave him the card we all signed.

He has been gone all this time, recovering. And while we do miss him, honest, life is a bit easier in the lab without him poking his nose in and making changes that mess everything up.

He was supposed to come into the lab yesterday. We all thought that was silly, because it was too early, but what can you do. Scientists can be pretty dam.. darned stubborn.

He never showed up. It seems he overdid it and re-injured himself and might have to go back to the hospital for surgery.

Does this mean we have to repeat all that fuc... nonsense again? Do we all have to fork over our hard earned money and schlep all the way back to the hospital to give him more shi.. gifts?

signed,
annoyed in the lab

I thought it was legend, really.

In the old building that used to house the Institute, there was a wonderful auditorium. It was all dark wood, big stage, curtains, nice chairs and many general portraits on the walls.

(one of) the Institute legends repeated among the enlisteds way back when was about the portrait of General S. He was shown holding a cigarette. The legend went that the brass wanted to paint out the cigarette, but they were not allowed to do it unless they bought the painting @whatevermillion$ so they never did.

Well, its been many years now and we haven't been in the old building for a long time. The new auditorium is bland, boring and small :P and there are no portraits.

But this afternoon I was leaving the building and there was General S. on the wall near the front door. The ol' guy is no longer smoking. Guess it wasn't legend after all!

Three stalls in the restroom. Full. I was in one. I was minding my own business when the soldier in the stall next to me started singing. The Star Spangled Banner no less.

I don't know what the proper thing to do is when one hears our national anthem but are... busy.

I've been watching all the Gustav stuff on tv. I saw Mayor Nagin giving a press conference. He said basically: get out get out. Then he said that the buses would officially stop running at noon (but they will still run, just not as much.) Then he said a bunch of other stuff then he mentioned that west bank was under mandatory evacuation order since 8 this morning and the east bank would go under a mandatory evacuation order at noon today.

Uh.. Mayor? I think I detect a tiny flaw in that plan. Order a mandatory evacuation when the buses officially stop running?

I just learned there is a very important difference between "my feet hurt" and "I hurt my foot"

If my feet hurt I normally go home, put them up, take some ibuprofin and chill. Next morning, no problem.

My right foot was simply not getting any better, and even when not standing or walking it just ached. After a week I made an appointment with a doctor.

"you have to come in today but we don't have any appointments" they said Monday.

great

I went in today.

I sprained my foot.

Ow.

chili dogs with no beans: not too spicy

splooch some olive oil into a pan
fire up burner
add onion (teaspoon or so)
add garlic (half teaspoon or so)
splish of cooking sherry

let it get hot

I used one burger pattie from a package of 4 what... 1/4 lb or so?
I used beef, could be chicken or turkey, I have not tried yet.

brown, drain, put back in pan
sprinkle on a pinch or 5 of cumin
sprinkle on a whole bunch of McCormicks Mexican chili powder
I put on half a little bottle of heinz 57 chili sauce
let heat on low while I

Heated up two hot dogs (just weiners.. again, could be any kind)
got out two buns
made a slice of new york sharp cheddar

put hot dogs in bun
splort out a line of mustard (I used store brand spicy dijon)
break cheese slice in half, put on hot dog
cover whole thing with chili

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/13/nyregion/13detain.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss

...

In April, Mr. Ng began complaining of excruciating back pain. By mid-July, he could no longer walk or stand. And last Wednesday, two days after his 34th birthday, he died in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a Rhode Island hospital, his spine fractured and his body riddled with cancer that had gone undiagnosed and untreated for months.

...

In federal court affidavits, Mr. Ng’s lawyers contend that when he complained of severe pain that did not respond to analgesics, and grew too weak to walk or even stand to call his family from a detention pay phone, officials accused him of faking his condition. They denied him a wheelchair and refused pleas for an independent medical evaluation.

...

The federal judge who heard that petition on July 31 did not make a ruling, but in an unusual move insisted that Mr. Ng get the care he needed. On Aug. 1, Mr. Ng was taken to a hospital, where doctors found he had terminal cancer and a fractured spine. He died five days later.





The whole story is disgusting. All the more for just being one among many stories. It seems to be business as usual. And I do mean business, these are contractors.

I was driving home. Got behind this slow car. I noticed that there was a tattered old "Rookie Driver" bumper sticker on the bumper.

Sure enough. The "R" had been torn off.

Don't they have crosswalks in Canada? Don't Canadians know to use them? Here I was, innocently driving (at the speed limit, of course) on the Sligo Creek Parkway and I had to stop for these damned Canadian pedestrians. They were in single file, a couple were taller than the others. They took their sweet time waddling across the road. I had to come to a complete stop.

:p

Isn't it easier to FLY when you are migrating?

Silly Geese

Never take lasix just as you order pizza delivery.