Seven.Caged.Tigers

So for the fourth time in a year, my laptop has gone belly up losing every bit of info I once stored on it.  This is becoming something more than a mere inconvenience.  It’s a travesty committed by HP and Best Buy.  In any case, this should be the four time is a charm for the store to lemon my computer out.  I wanted to add that these haven’t been small issues.  I’ve lost what will be three motherboards, at least one hard drive, and the internal power supply/USB connectors in the past year. There’s probably more but I think 3 motherboards speaks for itself…bah…

So I’m back on JT’s computer much to his chagrin.

You know me.  I don’t believe in any gods.  That said, the god of all things computin’ has taken away my laptop.  Hence the lack of new Zack photos for the past week and a half.  The computer is at Best Buy being fixed.  I could do it myself, but because I have the plan (you know, the one that has replaced my computer once and given it two new motherboards) that gets things fixed when need be.  Damn.  It takes a long time.

I’m filling my time now with selling shiznit on Half.com.  I have like 300 CDs, 20 music video/concert DVDs, and even one (gasp!) book listed.  So far I’ve made like $50 off of crap I got for free from various people (both friends and foes).  I’m even selling good stuff, it’s just I don’t need three of any one CD regardless of how good it is.  I think I even had four copies of some titles.  No joke.

Zack is now 12 weeks old and still incredibly adorable. He’s big, cute, and sleeping through the night. I know everybody is jealous. He actually started sleeping through the night a week and a half ago. He’s continued the routine much to my happiness (and relaxation). Here are a few new photos with my new camera.

Smiling (with his tongue):

Sleeping:

Looking Cute (it’s sooo natural):

And then a few new more flower pics…

Thistle:

Queen Anne’s Lace:

Weird Purple Flower:

The Princess:

I was walking down the hallway yesterday and these two girls were handing out gum for something…I don’t know what. They asked me if I wanted any and I responded “no thanks.” As I walked by the second girl she caught a glimpse of my round belly (I look pregnant from the side, not the front really) and exclaimed “you are so cute!” All I could say was “thank you.” It definitely brightened my day. Seriously–I feel fat and completely unable to do anything. At least those personal issues don’t seem to seep into how I carry myself (yet).

Speaking of yesterday, my cell phone broke. I don’t really like it anyway (none of the group of us who got it do) but it is still a gigantic pain in the butt to have to trek over to Verizon and explain that I can’t get the charge cable to actually charge the phone (nix that–I can’t get any of the umpteen cables we have to work). I don’t know if they will just hand over a new one, but regardless I do need to pick one up. I’m not much of a phone gal. Heck, I don’t like talking on the phone at all. But I still think it’s reasonable to have a cell phone when I’m doing all this commuting and when we have this still nameless kid.

Speaking of the kid, JT and I picked up a lovely cottage-ey oak changing table (it looks like a dresser) and chifferobe. We also got a gliding rocker. We haven’t actually picked them up from Flint Babies r Us yet, but they are definitely purchased and ours. Every little thing like that makes this whole “having a baby” process seem much more real. I kind of like it. By the way, as with the bedding the furniture was something else that JT had a definite opinion about. I like that. I almost always go with what he wants when he is so specific–it is a rare, rare thing.

Courtesy of Toothpaste for Dinner:

This probably doesn’t make sense to anybody but my sister (who sent this to me) and me. Why? Well, robie was this yellow and black automatic bank who you fed your change. You put it on his hand, he put his hand to his mouth, it disappeared. The little guy would also “do a dance” when you fed him. He had a tongue. It was red and flicked from side to side. Here’s a photo of the real Robie (a toy from Radio Shack from the 1980s).

Robie makes me smile.

This whole pregnancy thing is just a joy. A few days ago I mentioned having a migraine. Well, it happened again but this time I actually called the doctor. Well…to make a long story short I ended up making a trip in and came out with two prescriptions. One is for my headaches and one is for my high blood pressure.

In addition, I found out a lot more. I was referred back to the nephrologists to check out my kidney function. It seems that this is the likely culprit of my blood pressure woes. I personally just hope my one remaining kidney is functioning well enough. My swollen ankles? Edema…and since it’s kind of early to have that kind of swelling they are worried about that. I also discovered I have an “anterior placenta” which basically means I can’t feel the kid until he’s a bit larger because “it’s like he’s kicking a pillow.” I was also told to go back on the caffeine because it helps headaches. Finally, the doctor measured me and there is a good reason I feel fat–I AM FAT! I measured between 2-4 weeks ahead of schedule. I’m 22 weeks and feel and look somewhat larger.

I was also given the big talk about pre-eclampsia (toxemia) which is pregnancy induced high blood pressure. Because I have chronic problems I’m at a much higher risk for developing this issue. Of course I’ve already done my research so nothing the doc said came as any shock. I am being checked for all the signs already–this problem this early in pregnancy is apparently not a good thing.

In any case, I’m broken. Again. Forever.

First of all, I thank EVERYBODY for your well wishes. I can’t wait for Cheryl and Robin’s shipment(s) of monkeys. I promise not to clutter my entire blog up with baby talk, but for now it’s the most interesting thing in my life. Not that anybody should be surprised. In any case, JT and I (with the help of my parents) ordered all the begging and accessories for the nursery. We’re going with a jungle theme that’s primarily tan and mossy green. Once we get that in, we can take a piece to Home Depot and pick out two colors of paint and get planning on installing new neutral carpeting (note NEUTRAL not PINK). This whole baby thing is exciting. If you really want to take a look, here you go. It’s called Zanzibar.

Now that I’ve lost approximately 3/4 of my reading audience….

I’ve done the unthinkable. I’ve purchased a brand new video game, Dragon Quest VIII. I needed SOMETHING to do. My body is hurting enough that it is laughable to even think of exercise. Walking too is out of the question since, well, I live in Michigan. So far at two hours into it, it’s a joy. I also put my name on the waiting lists for both Kingdom Hearts 2 and Final Fantasy 12. Yes, I am a nerd. Don’t get it wrong. What really sucks is that all these oustanding games are coming out in the months prior to the PS3. Not that I’ll get one right away, but I figure I’ll get one within six months or so of its release. Oh well.

As for my reading, I’m stuck. I just finished up F. Paul Wilson’s most recent Repairman Jack book “Infernal.” It was fabulous as always. For those of you who like mystery books with a dash of horror or sci-fi, I highly recommend picking up on the series. Start with The Tomb and work forward. You won’t be disappointed. I’ve also read that there is a new one coming out this year titled The Last Rakosh. I look forward to that one also. As for what I’m reading now, I’m clueless. I’ve got like 10 books on my headboard. Maybe I’ll pick up The Manitou by Graham Masterson. Who knows, though. I also just treated myself to a VERY COOL and VERY LIMITED illustrated edition of six Stephen King short stories. I figured it was an investment of sorts since there will only be 5,000 copies in the whole world. I now own one (or will once it is released and shipped to my home).

After much trouble and after much strife, Jeremy and I are are finally pregnant. I’ve waited this long to announce it in cyberspace because I wanted to make sure that family and friends all knew. We are 19 weeks and it’s a boy (as per an ultrasound on Tuesday). I’m due on June 8. Since we’re letting the cat out of the bag with the gender we’re going to keep the name secret. That said, I will admit that we’ve only begun to think about names. Jeremy wouldn’t consider any until we knew what we were having. We’ve also not registered yet, but I’ll let ya’ll know when we do so we can get presents. We like presents.

So far, everything is going well. I’m seeing an excellent high risk doctor (who, by the way, birthed the Engler triplets…not that I’m bragging there) who is confident that all is well. I’m gaining weight, the baby is looking good, and the only complication appears to be my blood pressure. It’s not because of pregnancy, rather it is a side-effect of missing a kidney. My body doesn’t regulate BP as well. That aside, at my OB appointment this past Wednesday he said “keep doing what you’re doing because it’s working.”

I didn’t have any morning sickness, haven’t had heartburn, but am incredibly tired. My butt hurts, my back hurts, and my belly is getting huge. I’ve had a very fortunate and uncomplicated pregnancy thus far. Considering how long it took to get to this point and what procedures and surgeries and tests we had to endure, I feel like we deserve it. That’s right…we’re going to be parents within FIVE MONTHS! Woot!

I just got the best news ever. Target is opening its doors in two months–just a MILE away from my humble abode. It’s not like I couldn’t drive another 7 miles to get to another Target (please note the French pronunciation–Tar-jay), but still it’s a great store to have within such close proximity. It may also be dangerous but that’s another issue entirely.

Soon here I will be investing in my 60GB video iPod. I want it in black because black is cool. I’m thinking of buying it from the Apple store, but we’ll see how patient I end up being. I will have to actually wait for delivery, then again engraving is free. What better than the coolest gadget out there having my name on it? I can’t think of anything.

By the way, my sister dug up a photo of my family that I didn’t recognize. I think it’s from this past summer at a family reunion I didn’t attend (for my own, selfish, and entirely reasonable reasons). This is a group of my cousins, second cousins, aunts, and father (the big scary looking fellow in the back row). Enjoy…and be very afraid. You screw with me and you screw with this terrifyingly white-bread fam.

There is something that you all need to realize. I am a writer. I identify myself in this way despite the fact that I’m too rough on my work and that I am my own worst critic. Like me, my sister is also a writer but her style is much dryer and much more humorously sarcastic than my own. Dear sister Cheryl (whose blog can be found here) was asked by a fellow if he could use an entry from her journal in his upcoming book. As any good attention whore would, she said yes.

The book was recently published and can be gotten here. 2005 Blogged: Dispatches from the Blogosphere (edited by Tim Worstall) collects entries from some of the best writers. My sister’s entry is apparently one of the more memorable. It is short, it is sweet and it is about something we all dread. Colonoscopy. Well…the Guardian (a popular UK paper) picked up on the book and gave it an outstanding review.

A handful of the entries were pulled out and Cheryl’s (or “Chocolate Covered Bananas”) earned its own little paragraph. Despite the topic, it is an awesome testament to her talent. She apparently always wanted to be in the Guardian, but never really wanted it to be in this way. Alas, here is her paragraph:

Vitriol on UK blogs is exchanged mostly in left-wing trench warfare over Iraq. More common and much more entertaining are the tens of thousands of journals in which ordinary folk document their lives with self-deprecating, deadpan irony. It is a tone that one day will be globally recognised as the house style of the British blogosphere. ‘Dear My Colonoscopy,’ starts an open letter on the blog, Chocolate Covered Bananas. ‘Things you don’t want to hear as you slip into sedation: “Is this the clean camera”?’

So this morning I used my remote start, chipped off what ice was still left and headed off for work. As I reached the stop sign at the end of my street I turned on my wipers. Apparently I didn’t get a bit of the ice that had the blades glued to my car. Something horrible happened.

The next thing I knew, my wiper blades were tangled together. I got out, untangled them, and tried one more time to get them to work. Alas, they did not. My driver-side blade flopped over the side of my car while the passenger one flailed around uselessly. Ironically, the passenger one has not worked properly for a while (it never went all the way down) and now with both of them broken it actually sits like it should. Go figure–that’s just my luck.

I called and told JT that the wipers were broken and if breaking your car can be funny, this was the time. I had to drive the truck to work. I was fortunate enough to find an end space (we ONLY have parallel parking). I don’t think I could have parked had I not found something I could pull into or back out of. The Impala is going in tonight for work. Looks like I’ll be driving the truck tomorrow too. Hmph.

Stolen from Jess…

It seems to me I’ve taken similar tests in the past. I always come out nerdier than I think. My husband on the other hand would be an even larger nerd as he’s a linux fellow, has his master’s degree, and uses telnet pretty much all the time. Me? Well, I figured I’d be a “slight nerd” when in reality I’m a “high nerd.” Eh. Oh well. I suppose there are worse places to be in life.

For all of you who live in the Southeast Michigan vicinity, how’d you like that wind yesterday? Michigan (aside from great lakeside communities) doesn’t usually get much at all. Yesterday we had sustained winds at 40MPH and gusts at 50-60MPH. It was relatively incredible. Fortunately unlike my neighbor, we had yet to actually rake leaves. On Saturday he spent the whole day cleaning and tidying his yard. When I woke on Sunday morning all the leaves were back on the ground and it looked as if he hadn’t done anything.

Now that all our leaves have fallen, it’s definitely time to get to the yard work. Fall is my least favorite time as far as that goes. At least in the Spring and Summer you’re dealing with green things and flowers. In the Fall you’re dealing with damp, cold, rotting things that I’d prefer to not touch even on my best and least girly days.

So we sold the Honda a few weeks back and got a good expected chunk for it. Well, today we find out that our new old truck (a lovely green 2000 Z71 Silverado) is in need of some repairs. They aren’t too major–no real engine or transmission issues. However they are just substantial enough to get our attention. Of course the price tag has a lot to do with that. We’re cheap. Err…JT is cheap. He doesn’t like to spend money on things that aren’t fun.

In lieu of the season:

With today came an unexpected break from Michigan’s typical fall. Temps upwards of 70 degress, a mild breeze, and generally balmy feel proved pretty shocking to my system. The time change this weekend was also pretty shocking (boy does it get dark early now), but I’m really adjusting well.

Err….yeah…I really don’t have much else to say so instead of babbling on about nothing, I’ve culled through my stats to find the most bizarre ways people have found me recently. I’m always surprised at how weird/stupid/perverted/crazy people are. I guess I shouldn’t be, it is the internet. A whole goup of strange and generally antisocial people has found solace in the text-based pleasures of cyberspace.

So without any further waiting, here are this month’s most ridiculous searches that have the least to do with 7CT.

caged girls
bet and caged children in ohio
how to get rid of buck teeth without surgery
seven days free porno
mackinac bridge open grate
who the hell is ezra fitch
how tall is mark oliver everett
royal oak honk horn
castration pictures
baby pictures of rj helton

I want to comment on a few of these. First, you can use a file on those buck teeth if you don’t want braces. Second, Mark Oliver Everett is pretty darned short. Third, the open grate on the Mackinac Bridge is COOL not SCARY. Fourth, I don’t have any castration photos on my website (despite the frequent searches). Finally, who the hell IS Ezra Fitch?

Tonight might mark the end of our long journey with the Honda. A kid desperate for a new car after whacking a deer is stopping by for a test drive. His pop apparently already gave him the go-ahead with our pricetag attached–$2100. He told us he was going to the bank and that he wanted to meet this afternoon so he could get to AAA before they close. It seems as if he is DEFINITELY expecting to buy it.

My driveway will seem empty without ye olde Honda Accord. She’s lived a good life with us–7+ of her 13 years. It’s time for the pink bomber to go live with somebody else. She has been replaced by a 2000 Z71 Silverado. Hubby seems to think that this vehicle is much more manly and “cool” than the pink 1992 Accord. I can’t imagine why (and he’ll never admit it’s pink).

In any case, cross your fingers for us. I hope to have about $2k in my sweaty palms tonight. I like fondling money.

Driving through parts of Ann Arbor yesterday I noticed something incredible–gas for less than $2.60 a gallon. A year or two ago, I’d have thought that price to be outrageous but things have changed. One thing that’s really been left unchanged is the ridiculous price of gas in Brighton and Hartland (my home area). Right on M-59 (where I am usually forced to get gas for lack of any other option) it currently rests at $2.94 at Speedway of all joints. They are usually cheaper. I’m feeling VERY ripped off by it all.

There is some hope on the horizon. I saw a new story yesterday about something dubbed E85 which is an ethanol-based fuel that is biodegradable, 105 octane, and pollutant free. There are apparently a few stations in the Detroit area that already supply the alternative fuel–one in Dearborn Heights and one in Southfield. There are also stations in Dimondale (tiny town outside of Lansing) and Greenville that have E85. You can find out more about the alternative fuel and if your car is compliant here.

Neither the truck nor the Impala can take the new juice. That said there are tons of vehicles from as long ago as 1998 that can use the gas. It is cheaper (by 20 to 40 cents a gallon) and cleaner and some say more efficient. That site above also has a list of cars that car take E85. People are going to have to consider other fuel sources in the not too distant future. Oil is becoming too expensive and in places like Michigan where there is zero public transportation we have no other option than to drive (unless you live close enough to civilization to bike or walk).

What is up with all the stupid spammers? I’m getting so much crap (it’s been worse in the past though) offering me bondage instruments, shoes, mortgages (I’ve got a good one, thanks), prescription drugs, dirty pictures, and various other interesting items. Really folks–you’re just going to be deleted as soon as I find you (and I will find you much more quickly than Google will).

Today will be uneventful just like yesterday and tomorrow. The only good thing about this day is that it is Friday and I will then have two days sans work. I don’t really like having to wake up at 5:15am and not getting home until nearly 6pm. It makes me feel like I don’t have a life. I guess I really, honestly don’t. Why does work in Michigan have to go against the whole 9-5 rule? It really does suck.

So yeah. That’s it. How many times can I say I’m boring?

Because I’m slighly ADD, a completist, and a writer I enjoy reviewing mostly music (and sometimes books and movies) at Epinions.com. I republish my crap at RockReviews.net trying to net more hits and therefore make a bit more money. In any case, over the years I’ve received death threats for disliking Tears for Fears, attacks from Donnas fans, and a myriad of other freaks who attack with no provocation aside from them being illogical, unintelligent fanboys(girls). It’s to the point that you can only get humor out of it.

Last night I got an e-mail from one such freak. This time the object of their affection was Tonic. Apparently Tonic is the shiznit and I suck because I think they, well, suck. I reviewed the album Lemon Parade some time ago and gave it one star (the rarest rating I give out). Somebody didn’t like what I had to say and instead of e-mailing me civilly tossed me this run-on pile of garbage:

i’d just like to start off by saying, your opinions about tonic SUCK and so do you, you ugly piece of poop, you need to get YOUR head on straight you fool, you also need a makeover IMMEDIATELY, get a life you worthless waste of space

I don’t think I’ve been called a piece of poop since elementary school. The whole thing about what I look like is of no matter either–I mean, can’t this basement dweller come up with better insults? I’m no beauty queen, but I’m not ugly either. In any case, I just wanted to share. This is the joy of my life. Insults from stupid people–how much better can it get?

I was lazy this weekend. I like being lazy. Of course “lazy” in Shellyland means that I still did laundry, dishes, and spiffed up a bit. Still, I can’t help but feel a bit stagnant.

Ever since Brighton got a Best Buy JT and I have been spending a bit of time there. It’s a lovely store full of lovely things I want. We were there on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday–and bought something each of the three days. Though of those purchases less than $100 was actually out of our account. On Friday, I picked up the new X-Men Legends 2 game for the PS2. On Saturday, I spent my Epinions check on a PSP, an accessory kit (case, USB cable, etc…), and five games (yes, I did have that much moolah saved up). On Sunday, JT bought two hard drives for Turtlehut testing purposes. That place is making a serious mint off of folks like us. At least earlier this year (when we bought the dishwasher) we signed up for the Reward Zone and we’re getting cash back on all our purchases. It’s so worth it.

I can’t help but be pleased with the cash I make at Epinions. It’s not huge, but $$$$ a year or so works nicely in buying things I otherwise wouldn’t. I get lots of goodies that way. I’ve bought a LCD monitor, PSP, MP3 Player, Portable CD Player, and much else. I’m a freak for gadgets. I’m sure that folks that don’t know how I get them think I’m going broke doing it. Little do they know my secret source of income mwahahahaha!

One last thing–thanks to John and Tracy (”real world” folks) who thought of us while in Italy. They brought us a bottle of a fancy lemon liquor that is intended for desert as some sort of digestive aid. We’ve not tried it yet, but apparently it’s pretty scrumptious. I think it’s called “Limone di Sorrento” or some such thing or maybe simply a limoncello. It’s actually a liquor distilled from lemons and not a liquor flavored by them.

Hmph. And that’s about it. My life is boring. But I have a PSP now, so all is well.

I’m on a med right now that makes me HOT. Not like as in looking good but as in body temperature. I’ve had some challenges sleeping because of it. Between that, the emotional pulling, the surgeries (sometimes emergency), the procedures, and the tests this whole infertility thing is really pretty awful. I’m not going to go into it any more, but it continues to be a long and winding road with no certainty on the horizon.

There are but a few things that take my mind off of all the stress. Books have always eased whatever pain I’ve felt. I’m currently on a post-apocalyptic and horror kick. My PA collection is up to about 100 titles and I’ve got another 65 on a list waiting for purchase/discovery in a used bookstore. As far as horror goes, I’ve just finished The Rising by Brian Keene which is a PA zombie book. I’m currently embarking on its sequel City of the Dead. I’m a sucker for blood n’ guts n’ gore (if you can believe that).

One other outlet I have is shopping, but since I don’t have unlimited cash resources I steer clear of malls and outlets and Kohls because otherwise I’d be making purchases. Instead I just order the bare minimum of what I need/want from J. Crew or Gap online instead. That way I can’t be wooed by the sale racks and new items.

The last real outlet I have is the Playstation 2. I’m a girl, I know that, but I do love games. Heck, I’ve ALWAYS loved games from my early childhood appreciation of pinball machines through the ColecoVision, Sega Genesis, and Playstation 1. My first love was for platform games followed by first-person shooters and puzzles. The last few years since I bought the hubby the PS2 I’ve become addicted to RPG titles. I’ve of course enjoyed Final Fantasy x and X-2. I’ve also enjoyed Suikoden III and Suikoden IV. Oh yes, and Kingdom hearts–that was a really good one. X-Men Legends also was very enjoyable Unfortunately, I got bored of Star Ocean and Wild Arms. Right now, though, I’m on the third title of the .hack series. I beat the first two and this one is just a continuation of those. There is one more which I will need to also finish ASAP so I can get started on X-Men Legends 2 when it arrives in my post office box.

Infertility is worse than even I could imagine. It’s a nightmare. I find that I must escape into fantasy lands to forget.