Seven.Caged.Tigers

Some nasty bug has infested my lungs. I’m coughing like a maniac, often awaking in the middle of the night to the feeling of drowning or choking on my own phlegm. It really isn’t appetizing in the least, but misery loves company…and there you are, my company (willing or not).

Pirate “arghs” all around.

JT’s birthday is Monday. He will be 28. An old man…of course only until I turn 28 in December in which case I too will join the ranks of the elderly. I’ve already given him his gifts. I got him the Netgear Wireless Digital Music Player. He’s already got it installed and working. It FINALLY makes our digital music collection make sense–the one we spent hours assembling well before the invention of Napster and it’s many minions. Anyway, it was easy to put together and is pretty darned cool (for people who really like gadgets).

I also picked up Batman - The Animated Series, Vol. 1 for him. It was a toss-up between that and Challenge of the Superfriends but I settled on the former because it seemed to be more my dear husband’s style. Now, if they’d come out with some Spiderman and X-Men cartoon collections our lives as a married couple would be complete. Really, we aren’t THAT hard to please. Of course, I am still hoping for a Twin Peaks Second Season DVD to be released, but that might just be a pipe dream at best.

Anyway, before I cough up my other lung I’ll be going. Funny who stumbles onto rather modest online sites like this one on occasion…it really is…

JT and I have now been married for three years on the nose.  Together for another four to bring the total to seven.  It has gone incredibly quickly which is, I think, a testament to the quality of what we have.  Who knew all those years ago that I would end up with him.

Not my sister who, upon speaking to JT for the first time asked him a very inappropriate question regarding our relationship.  I won’t go any further into it, but I will say I had COMPLETELY forgotten about it (of course I was drunk, she was drunk, and it was in September 1997).

Anyway, today has gone well.  Our flight in from LA last night was comfy.  It had NOTHING in the least to do with the fact that we were both upgraded to first class for the four hour trip.  NOTHING AT ALL.  Really…I could get used to this kind of service.  Then again, I couldn’t ever pay that much money for a ticket.

Errr…yeah…and today.  I got a new computer (on which I am now typing).  It’s a lovely HP (not my first choice, but who am I to complain when it replaced a non-functional 1 1/2 year old Toshiba).  I am happy, happy, happy.  I also got a new computer bag to replace the one that led to the demise of my dear Toshiba.  I got Jeremy a UPS for his anniversary gift.  Boy are we romantic.  Our anniversary dinner was spent at Buffalo Wild Wings (BW3).  It may seem a bit low-rent but consider for a moment that it is my favorite restaurant.  So I got some boneless Captain Morgan’s wings and played trivia (I won both games).  Life is good.  Really it is

I remember.

I helped him in his workshop; he was a wonderful craftsman who prided himself on his careful and precise projects. I still have a beautiful doll cradle he crafted for me. I still have those memories and I hold the close and dear to my heart.

His crossword puzzles were incredibly fulfilling. Even as a child, I found them to be fun and also strangely enriching. I remember helping him solve them. I remember loving every moment.

And then there was his motorcycle and snowmobiles. I adored riding on the back of either as we zipped around the river on cold winter nights. He was always somebody to look up to and somebody who always appreciated a little excitement and held me close to make sure I wasn’t too frightened. Then we would go ice skating on that same river around the rink neatly cleared of snow.

On Christmas, he would light the huge spruce on the road with what seemed like thousands and maybe millions of lights. He then would pass out presents to the entire family. A veritable Santa Claus, he was kind an gentle and everything a little girl could ask for.

The summer days were incredible. A mix of watersports, swimming, and basking in the warm Michigan sun made those long months pass even more slowly. I adored every moment and wished that those hours and days and weeks and months would last an eternity.

But they did not.

Fall days “on the river” were equally wonderful. The cottage (as it was known) was situated close to state land. The trails extended for miles. I flew kites and walked the Baja Trail careful to avoid the protruding roots. Further investigation with him turned up succulent wintergreen berries.

Those days are over.

There is more. I remember his stories of Scotland and of the old Buick tool and die shop. He always had something to say and had a wonderful, old insight into the ways of the world so many years ago. He had great pride in his heritage and never failed to speak at end about it. I didn’t appreciate it then, but I realize now that I should have savored every moment.

Today, as I realize these days are long since gone, I wish that I could return to my years of youth. I wish that I could hop on the back of that snowmobile or see him turn on that glorious tree one last time.

But I can not.

He remembers me, but not the me of now. He knows my face and name, but I am forever known as the girl I was ten or even fifteen years ago. I see him regularly and every time he cries and whimpers the words “it’s been so long since I’ve seen you…” It has not, but he doesn’t know that. He’ll never see the children that are in my future; he’ll never know my husband nor will my husband ever really know him. What now exists is a mere shadow of the proud, intelligent, grateful man who once was so loving.

My Grandfather is sick. Physically he looks so very healthy but after years of living with Alzheimer’s, it has finally gotten the better of him. He no longer drives and can no longer visit my physically very sick Grandmother who must unfortunately live out the rest of her own days in a nursing home. Without a car, he’s announced he may as well be locked up forever. It’s painful to see him, especially when he doesn’t know me. Sure he loves me, but not the me of now–the child and teenage me.

He is a complex fellow full of contradiction. On one level he is meek, mild and teary. But on another he is full of range and contempt. These two latter characteristics are what are leading to his next move in life. A man who was always too proud to admit fault is now being put in a nursing home for his own safety and for the safety of everybody else.

I remember him as he was. I don’t want to remember him as he is.

Just checking in while I’m in Vegas.  I haven’t (yet) dropped off the face of the earth, but I’m hopeful that it may still occur.

So far so good.  I’ve won nothing and lost a lot but I’ve managed to ride in a variety of limos and eat in at least one REAL gourmet restaurant.  My sister is now officially married–she’s now Mrs. Bresnark.  It’s kinda weird, but Robin is a great guy.  So I’ve also got a new (British) brother.  Who knew

Anyway, all is well.  Now if I can just win like my mother (up $500) or even better father (he won $1000 with a Royal Flush in Video Poker).  Hmph.  Oh well.  I didn’t come here to win, only to “hopefully” not lose my shirt while losing.

Nothing new, hence the delay in posts. Life has been creeping along. I approximate it to the same pace taken by an elderly sloth. It really is THAT slow. It doesn’t help that my dear computer is belly up. Not that it just died, I did drop it, but still it doesn’t make me in the least bit happy. It’s under warranty, but we’ll see if it can be fixed for minimal charges. If it can’t, well, I’m going to have to save up my Epinions checks for the next year or so to buy myself a new swanky computer.

Everything is creeping along also because I’m headed to Las Vegas on Monday to vacation and to be with my sister as she is married. I’ve never been to Vegas so it will all be an experience for this small town girl. I actually think I’ll enjoy it. JT doesn’t fly until Wednesday so for a few days I’ll be with my family/on my own. I’m fine with that. Heck, I’m actually GREAT with that prospect.

Um. Yeah. Uh. In other news I’m stumped as to what to read next. I read a book or so every week or two (more if I’m “in a mood” or on vacation). I recently finished F. Paul Wilson’s Gateways (Repairman Jack, baby!) and eagerly anticipate the release of the new book in the series later this year. Pretty much everything pales in comparison to Repairman Jack. Maybe I’ll have to re-read some of the older volumes to the story. Or maybe I’ll just read some raunchy horror novel. That could definitely cleanse the palate.

Since I don’t have anything good and/or new to talk about, I give to you the most recent freaky searches that turned out my site as a result. Enjoy!

would you rather be a happy pig or an unhappy human [ummm…pig?]
i can feel my biological clock ticking away [indeed]
2004 men at age of 35 up with contacts in japan [English, please?]
funniest picture ever that aren t rude [all pictures on the ‘net are rude]
rotten cabbage picture [WTF?!]
why do dogs eat strange things [Because they are stupid]
pictures of michael alig without makeup [He’s more interesting made up]
june bug infestation [THE HORROR!]
st anger grammy wtf [True, true]
real castration pictures [Not here, I promise you that]
why has my dog got an itchy bum [Sounds like a personal problem]
clay aiken license plate [Looks like we have a stalker]

Well, the second wedding of the month has officially come and gone with little fanfare and even less strife. JT and I drove down to Chillicothe, Ohio on Saturday morning & after 4.5 hours of driving checked into our hotel.

This was definitely the south–foothills, accents, and everything.

Anyway, it was hot. Who knew that Southern Ohio’s temps would be that much worse than Southeast Michigan’s? Not me, that’s for sure.

The wedding between cousin Ella and Jeremy (her fiance, not my husband) went off wonderfully. It was in a gorgeous, old church. Everything was lovely. The reception was nice, too. Though I’m now officially convinced that Southern Ohio is just plain different. They did strange dances and had some interesting customs, but it was all in all a nice time. My whole family was there–aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. It was lovely (but hot).

On Sunday, JT and I packed up and headed the 4.5 hours north and home. Long drive, yes, but easy. So I can’t complain. Plus, I got lots of reading done and finished the most recent F. Paul Wilson Repairman Jack novel Gateways. It was gooood.

So that’s that.

So yesterday, I was sitting at my desk minding my own business when the woman that works at the front said that there was somebody named “Amy” here to see me. Since I only know one Amy and she is nowhere in the area I knew it wasn’t here and put my guard up. So I walked out of my office to greet “Amy.”

She was already making her way around to the entrance to my office when I stopped her and asked her what it was in regards to. Anyway, she said “I have some legal paperwork for you.” I was completely and utterly mystified but freaked out so I let her in.

She began by saying is your name Shelly XXX. I said yes, that was my maiden name. Fine and dandy. She then continued by asking if I had ever seen a Dr. Drescher (dentist). I had not. In fact, I’ve only been to two dentists in my entire life. I told her so, too. She then asked if I’d ever lived in Jackson. I have not–so I said so and then added that I’ve only lived in Hartland, Gladwin, Sault Ste. Marie, and Lansing.

She then asked again if my name was Michelle (Shelly) XXXX. I again said it was but the person whom she is seeking is not me and reiterated that I’ve not used that name in the three years since I’ve been married. She seemed bewildered. So she asked how I spell “Shelly” and I told her. The “Shelly” on the paperwork was actually “Shelli.” ‘Tis not me, I told her. Turns out that this Shelli XXX hadn’t paid a great deal of her dentist bill for quite some time. How long, I don’t know. But I did see some $1200 on one piece of paper.

After I finally got the collections lady to leave (with my business card once again proving it was not me) I did a search online. Had they been smart AT ALL they would have done the same thing. There is indeed another Michelle XXXX–but spelled Michele. Hmmm…methinks that’s the culprit. EVILDOER GETTING THE EVIL COLLECTION “AMY” ON THIS INNOCENT SHELLY’S ASS.

It freaked the crap out of me. I’ve been late (by a few weeks) with a payment accidentally but have always paid everything–off when I can! I’ve never been charged late fees…nothing. Even funnier is that last year I think I spent $2k in dentist bills out of pocket because of a root canal, etc. That Shelli chick, grrr. Just what this nervous Shelli needs is another reason to be nervous. I’m gonna end up like I was 8 or so years ago–carrying an industrial size bottle of Tums with me everywhere.

I hate myself. Seriously. I’m not made of money, nor is my husband. But don’t tell that to my apparently slippery fingers. I managed to drop my laptop on the floor at work. It was an accident, but that doesn’t make me feel any better about the situation. We have a warranty through Best Buy but considering what is now wrong with my laptop (LCD screen & PCMCIA slots) in addition to old issues (broken USB) it seems like a longshot that they will fix it…

I hope they do or else I’ll be saving up all that hard earned Epinions money for a BIG purchase. I told JT he made a mistake in buying me a laptop to start with. Now I can’t do without one…

Gosh I suck.

Well, I just finished my first weekend wedding in July. It’s the first of three and the one I was most “officially” involved in making happen. Everything went off beautifully, and Karyn (my friend) looked more gorgeous than anybody could have hoped.

I was off from work for a total of four days to allow for both the wedding and the holiday. In the process of everything else, I managed to meet my best friend Amy’s little guy Braden for the first time. They’ve been in Japan and Florida since he was born and I’d yet to have the opportunity. He’s a gorgeous little guy–a veritable cherub.

Err…yeah. And I bought a bunch of perennials from a garden in my hometown. Actually, to be precise my father taught with the owner for years and she along with her husband provided to me the blooms for my wedding. They so didn’t have to give us a gift, but they did. So after three years, I finally used up my gift certificate on lilies and daisies. They should be gorgeous for years to come and will add more color to my already colorful garden. And yes–I do have a pretty decent flower garden.

Errr…finally for those who are incredibly bored this has been stolen from her who in turn took it from here. Enjoy. Oh, and movies I’ve seen are bolded.

1. Titanic (1997) $600,779,824
2. Star Wars (1977) $460,935,665
3. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) $434,949,459
4. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) $431,065,444
5. Spider-Man (2002) $403,706,375
6. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003) $377,019,252
7. Passion of the Christ, The (2004) $370,025,697
8. Jurassic Park (1993) $356,784,000
9. Shrek 2 (2004) $356,211,000
10. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002) $340,478,898
11. Finding Nemo (2003) $339,714,367
12. Forrest Gump (1994) $329,691,196
13. Lion King, The (1994) $328,423,001
14. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) $317,557,891
15. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) $313,837,577
16. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) $310,675,583
17. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $309,125,409
18. Independence Day (1996) $306,124,059
19. Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) $305,411,224
20. Sixth Sense, The (1999) $293,501,675
21. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $290,158,751
22. Home Alone (1990) $285,761,243
23. Matrix Reloaded, The (2003) $281,492,479
24. Shrek (2001) $267,652,016
25. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) $261,970,615
26. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) $260,031,035
27. Jaws (1975) $260,000,000
28. Monsters, Inc. (2001) $255,870,172
29. Batman (1989) $251,188,924
30. Men in Black (1997) $250,147,615
31. Toy Story 2 (1999) $245,823,397
32. Bruce Almighty (2003) $242,589,580
33. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) $242,374,454
34. Twister (1996) $241,700,000
35. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) $241,437,427
36. Ghost Busters (1984) $238,600,000
37. Beverly Hills Cop (1984) $234,760,500
38. Cast Away (2000) $233,630,478
39. Lost World: Jurassic Park, The (1997) $229,074,524
40. Signs (2002) $227,965,690
41. Rush Hour 2 (2001) $226,138,454
42. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) $219,200,000
43. Ghost (1990) $217,631,306
44. Aladdin (1992) $217,350,219
45. Saving Private Ryan (1998) $216,119,491
46. Mission: Impossible II (2000) $215,397,30
47. X2 (2003) $214,948,780
48. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) $213,079,163
49. Back to the Future (1985) $210,609,762
50. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) $205,399,422
51. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) $204,843,350
52. Exorcist, The (1973) $204,565,000
53. Mummy Returns, The (2001) $202,007,640
54. Armageddon (1998) $201,573,391
55. Gone with the Wind (1939) $198,655,278
56. Pearl Harbor (2001) $198,539,855
57. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) $197,171,806
58. Toy Story (1995) $191,800,000
59. Men in Black II (2002) $190,418,803
60. Gladiator (2000) $187,670,866
61. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) $184,925,485
62. Dances with Wolves (1990) $184,208,848
63. Batman Forever (1995) $184,031,112
64. Fugitive, The (1993) $183,875,760
65. Ocean’s Eleven (2001) $183,405,771
66. What Women Want (2000) $182,805,123
67. Perfect Storm, The (2000) $182,618,434
68. Liar Liar (1997) $181,395,380
69. Grease (1978) $181,360,000
70. Jurassic Park III (2001) $181,166,115
71. Mission: Impossible (1996) $180,965,237
72. Planet of the Apes (2001) $180,011,740
73. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) $179,870,271
74. Pretty Woman (1990) $178,406,268
75. Tootsie (1982) $177,200,000
76. Top Gun (1986) $176,781,728
77. There’s Something About Mary (1998) $176,483,808
78. Ice Age (2002) $176,387,405
79. Crocodile Dundee (1986) $174,635,000
80. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) $173,585,516
81. Elf (2003) $173,381,405
82. Air Force One (1997) $172,888,056
83. Rain Man (1988) $172,825,435
84. Apollo 13 (1995) $172,071,312
85. Matrix, The (1999) $171,383,253
86. Beauty and the Beast (1991) $171,301,428
87. Tarzan (1999) $171,085,177
88. Beautiful Mind, A (2001) $170,708,996
89. Chicago (2002) $170,684,505
90. Three Men and a Baby (1987) $167,780,960
91. Meet the Parents (2000) $166,225,040
92. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) $165,500,000
93. Hannibal (2001) $165,091,464
94. Catch Me If You Can (2002) $164,435,221
95. Big Daddy (1999) $163,479,795
96. Sound of Music, The (1965) $163,214,286
97. Batman Returns (1992) $162,831,698
98. Bug’s Life, A (1998) $162,792,677
99. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) $161,963,000
100. Waterboy, The (1998) $161,487,252

That seems like…well…a hell of a lot movies for one girl to see…

Another cartoon worth checking out courtesy of none other than Michael Moore:

I’m so bad sometimes…