Seven.Caged.Tigers

Easter is done with and my stomach is feeling the after-effects of two days of food. Filet Mignon one night and ham the next afternoon. I almost never get food that good, and now I’m paying the price. But in the end it’s all worth it. I got to spend time with my parents and my husband. The parents are always so happy to see us…in fact I’m convinced that JT is the son my dad never had.

I mentioned it, and my dad told a funny story. I remember this happening vaguely, but didn’t remember my reaction. My dad wanted boys. Actually, he seemed to like daughters but wanted us to hunt and fish. Well…dad decided to take Cheryl and I our rabbit hunting by my grandparent’s house on state land one time. I remember being miserable and not wanting to shoot anything. Anyway, there were “fluffy bunnies” as we called them everywhere. Dad said to shoot. Apparently Cheryl and I first cried and then started clapping to scare them away.

It was then that my father decided that hunting was a lost cause. I guess maybe that’s why JT is such a breath of fresh air for the guy. Go figure.

Still no comment system. JT is currently helping me to install a PHP one rather than dealing with the CRAP of having to use a restrictive one hosted elsewhere. I guess it’s high time I learn PHP, eh? We’ll see how much of it I end up figuring out.

This weekend, we’re headed up to Gladwin to see the folks. We visit every month or two. I kind of wish it were more often, but right now with JT’s school we just don’t have time or money enough to head up all the time. Though this weekend we have an excuse. It is Easter. We want to eat. Actually we’re headed out to this fancy steakhouse place in West Branch to eat. They said they couldn’t pay because plates are something like $25 each. I hope it’s as good as the price seems to suggest!

Oh yeah. And I was wrong about AI AGAIN. Carmen is still somehow in contention. She bit. Bad, but apparently voters were sick and tired of Kimberly Caldwell’s obnoxious shenanigans. She seems to think it cool to talk to Ryan Seacrest like he’s an old bud and to suck up to everybody. I’m convinced it wasn’t her lack of talent that got her eliminated, but her bad attitude.

Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye!

I’m in the process of attempting to get a comment system functioning. It is taking some pretty major tweaking. So much so in fact that I probably would have been just as well off to design my own rather than using another engine. Oh well. Hopefully in the end that’s what I do anyway.

Taxes are in and done. And instead of owing thousands of dollars (like last year) we are getting about $850 back. The tax lady said “that’s not much,” but JT and I were honestly very happy just not having to pay. Seriously now, we were absolutely freaked out last year. It was so much (like I said, THOUSANDS) that we had to set up an installment plan with the gov’t to pay them back.

For reference, if you sell a whole bunch of stock to buy a house expect to get nailed on taxes that year. We knew it was coming, just when it hits it’s never a pretty sight.

Tonight is American Idol. Last week, Rickey Smith went away. I wasn’t shocked that he went really, only that he left before Carmen Rasmusen and her horrible rendition of Call Me. My prediction? She needs to go home next. That is unless of couse Joshua, Kimberly C., or Trenyce really misstep in which case one of them could EASILY get the boot. Eh whatever. It’s all in good fun…and laziness of course

I’ve survived the weekend…again. Not that there was much going on. Not that I actually want something to go on either. I’d just prefer life to be quiet.

JT and I spent hours outside in the Spring sun working on the yard and garden. We got everything cleaned up and looking pretty spiffy. He worked on re-edging the garden. It now looks wonderful. In addition, JT took me up on a comment I made. I suggested in passing it would be funny to tie Dewey, Sara, and Max up outside in the sun. All three of them loved it. Dewey basically ate grass the whole time and hunted for invisible birds. Max ate grass and tried to escape. Sara just lounged. It was a lovely afternoon.

Finally, there are these bratty kids (okay like 16-year-olds) that have decided my neighborhood is public property. JT and I saw this one brat run through our flower garden and around the corner of our house playing some bastard version of hide and seek. We didn’t catch him. But when I saw another one flop down on my front yard, I immediately went outside and commensed to yelling at him. Told him to get out, stay out, and informed him that what he was doing was WRONG. And of course to have respect for people’s property. He informed me that he was going to get his daddy to settle this. I think he thought I was a kid. Seriouly. I look so young, I get accused of being twenty or so years old just about every day. Plus I was wearing a Stone Temple Pilots t-shirt. That couldn’t have helped my case. Needless to say, daddy never showed up. Though I wish in many ways he had considering the disrespectful behavior of his lout of a son.

Not to mention the fact that all of his friends were gathered on the front yard of the neighbors across the street wrestling. Why do some people have to be such idiots.

Friday can never come too soon. This week it’s arrived a day or two late it seems. But I’m not going to complain, I’m just happy that it’s finally here. FINALLY. Watch out for some major redesigns today. I’ve got something pretty nice ready to go up later (hopefully if all goes well). So be warned. In the meantime, enjoy this fine Spring morning.

Damn. I was wrong. Carmen stayed (despite a horrendous performance) and in the bottom three were Rickey, Kimberly, and Kimberley. Kimberley (Locke if you’re keeping track) got the free parking and left the other two. Rickey is gone. Eh. Oh well. At least he was bad, had somebody decent gotten kicked off I would have had to swear off of American Idol.

I got my computer back. She’s ALIVE!!!!!!!!! All happiness aside, I’m going to have to suffer with just one USB port forever. But that’s fine. I can always switch my mouse to PS2…I’ve got about a trillion of the USB/PS2 adapters in the drawer next to me.

And so goes my boring life. Maybe it wouldn’t seem so boring if I didn’t write about it almost every day.

American Idol was last night and once again I watched alone. JT was of course in class… The topic at hand was Billboard #1 songs. You’d think that there would have been more variety but the majority of the songs were ballads. Overall, the performances were good. I mean I truly enjoyed Kimberley Locke and Ruben Studdard. Aside from those two, I’m getting bored of Kimberly Calwell and Clay Aiken. Both of them need to really change up their style. But what I found really funny (not even music-wise) was Clay’s face. He had a layer of tanner on and when they showed full-body shots it was clear that his hands were approximately twelve shades lighter. It was hilarious. Also hilarious in a bad way were Carmen Rasmusen and her pitiful rendition of Call Me from Blondie and Rickey Smith…ewwww…I predict Ms. Rasmusen’s departure to be tonight.

I did not sleep well at all last night. Funny thing was, there was no reason for it. I went to bed at 10:30 after helping JT to draft a big ol’ list of his qualities. He’s worked at the same place for three years as an Engineer. You’d think he would have gotten some decent raises. But noooo…an asshole has gotten a raise more than once for being bossy and a jerk and nothing more. JT, who has always gotten positive feedback, is too passive and as a result they’ve taken advantage of him. My idea? To come into his review this week with a printed list of his skills and qualities to be given to his boss or bosses. He liked that idea. Hopefully it works. I told him he’s got to threaten leaving…it works for everybody else.

So that is my life. Or something like it.

I realize it is Michigan, but why in the world is snow necessary on April 7th? I mean come on! An ice storm on Friday/Saturday brought down tree limbs and power lines. Just as things were improving the sky this morning opens up and lets loose with a white blanket of snow. It’s apparently supposed to be 3-6 inches when the storm is all said and done. Oh joy. Really…I’m happy. Or not.

In the meantime, I’d like to expound a little on what I think of the whole situation. Not just that, but a word of advice to people thinking of NOT getting the warranty for their computer.

I found this and it said that I have a lot in common with Beth. Let me know our compatability if you try.

SimilarMinds.com Compatibility Test

Your match with beth you are 83% similar you are 68% complementary

How Compatible are You with me?

Darn it all, Max.

That cat is walking the thinnest of fine lines toward being given back to the Humane Society. We are very seriously thinking about getting rid of him, a prospect that really frightens me. I’m afraid that we will be killing him and that because he is so anti-social and so strange and so needy and sprays that nobody will want him despite his good looks. It’s going to take some serious bravery to do the deed.

I’ve already told JT that I don’t want to go with him when/if we get rid of Max. I don’t want to at all…it makes me cry to even think of doing such a thing. But we’ve tried it all…all the behavioral training, attention, chemicals, sprays, and various other things. There’s really nothing left to do…and for that I feel guilty as hell.

Three years ago we scooped a tiny gray kitty up from the Humane Society. Now, look what we have to do.

After a day off of work, I’m re-energized. An afternoon of exhaustive shopping led to a dent in my bank account and some tired feet. Aside from that, it was certainly the release I needed. Three pairs of shoes, a stop a Victoria’s Secret, and a valance later I’m at work and ready to do whatever it takes to finish out the week. Not that I needed shoes, but you know…girls have their quirks. Shoes are mine.

Hmmm…that’s about it.