Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Did you lose any money?

The DJ tanked 777 points yesterday. I probably lost a boatload of money. My hard earned 403(b) self directed retirement fund is in the crapper. I'll be working now until I'm dead.

Yesterday a good friend of mine took my daughter to the local community college to get a placement test for admissions. She scored in the highest college level English class, but didn't fare too well in math. She'll have to take beginning Algebra. She is going back next week to meet with a guidance person to see what courses maybe appropriate. Chelsea wants to major in anthropology, humanities, and the like. I told her she needs to focus on something that will get her a career. I know she likes vampires and mummies, maybe there is a career in that area!

Tonight I'll be going to the Cleveland HOB to see Iced Earth. I'm a huge fan and I paid for the "VIP" package @ $75.00. So I'll get a t-shirt, autographed items, and meet the band. The meet and greet happens after the concert. I wish I knew how many VIP package were sold. I'll be bringing my new Nikon. Doors open at 7pm. I found out they have valet parking. Downtown isn't too safe, so valet parking is useful. I'll be there at 7 as I want to be at stage center. I took tomorrow off as a vacation day, hell, I'll never make it to work at 8am. My daughter wants to go, but she needs a ticket. Ticketmaster has them, she just has to get herself up to the market to get one. She even likes their latest CD, which I am amazed, as she likes only a fraction of what I listen to.

I bought two tickets for Yngwie Malmsteen at the Cleveland Agora on 10/18/08. Tim "Ripper" Owens will be the lead vocals. I can't wait. Ripper is one of the few metal singers who gives me goose bumps. Even at my age...goose bumps! Ripper's bands: Brainicide, Winter's Bane, British Steel, Judas Priest, Iced Earth, Beyond Fear, and now Yngwie Malmsteen. My SO will be in attendance sharing the magic.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

I stayed home from work today.

I woke up with a terrific headache and sinus problem. I lost my voice. I sounded extremely horrible. I managed to call the boss and leave a VM message for her. I took Cosmo outside and he did his business. I slept another two hours and then walked Cosmo and fed him. We both went back to sleep and I awoke up at about 10am. I still feel like crap. I take another 2 Tylenol and my allergy pills. I think I took a double dose of allergy pills, I don't remember. The daughter is fast asleep until noon. I'm still pissed off at her. I eat a bowl of cereal, which I can't even taste. I try to go back to sleep and it lasts about 30 minutes. Then I wake up and take Cosmo out and then take a dive into the shower. The hot steam helps me a bit. I hope this is not a sinus infection since I am producing multi-colored junk. I even gross myself out.

I watched some TV, especially the Judge shows, I get a kick out of other people's troubles. Maybe because I have so many of my own that I can't handle. Or maybe some people are just too stupid, airing their own trouble on national TV.

It's now 8pm, and I don't even know what I did all day.


Tuesday, September 23, 2008

I just ate a zillion peppermint patties and drank 3 Labats

I feel no guilt either. I am so stressed out now I could take a header out. My dear daughter has driven me to the breaking point now. I come home from work, totally exhausted and I ask her kindly to remove her food dishes from my room and to leave as I need to lie down on my bed. She screams at the top of her lungs, like a banshee out of hell. I just asked her to remove her dishes and go into the living room. Screaming at the top of her juvenile lungs. She refuses to move. I have had it.

I put the lead on Cosmo and I leave. I have a splitting headache from work, aunt Flo's here even though I am getting daily power surges and I am tired, very tired. She says she takes Cosmo out for walks, but I highly doubt that. Cosmo is always in his crate when I come home. My BF says puppies aren't any fun when they are crated up all day long. She did clean up his crate full of poo, but didn't take it to the dumpster, so the house stunk as well. This is sounding like a bad marriage on the verge of a bad divorce. Except she is my daughter.

She is out tonight with her Scooby-Doo BF and probably be home in the wee hours, and I hope I am fast asleep. She still does nothing in this house. No laundry, no dishes, no cleaning. She won't even clean up after herself in the bathroom! This place should be condemned.

I'm too old to run away and join the circus. I'm not just going to quit my job and leave, but that is what I have been thinking. I want to run far, far away and start my life over. Bit I can't. I'm too level headed and logical. What would Spock do?

It would be better if she would just move out, but she won't. I'm so tired of doing everything and to come home to a screaming banshee is just the breaking point for me. I'm tired of having to manage her multiple meds as she just can't remember, I'm tired of having to arrange her transportation to her mental health appointments which she frequently cancels. I'm tired of schlepping her everywhere and I'm tired of managing her finances.

I just feel like I am doomed until I drop dead.

Monday, September 22, 2008

I hate Mondays

I had a very full day at work. I am really hating Mondays right now. I just spent an hour paying bills, cleaning up after dinner and Cosmo. I made delicious chicken breast and basmanti rice and green beans. Of course, I at alone with the dog. Again. My dearest daughter is at work and will call me at 10:00pm to come and collect her from her job. I was pretty busy at work as I have to triage intake calls for several hours today. That isn't one of my favorite tasks. We get a lot of strange calls and it's worse when there is a full moon. Because of confidentiality and I've sworn to secrecy, I can't tell you what I do or who I speak with. It's way too stealth, even my own daughter doesn't know what exactly I do at work. I need to change as I feel like I'm getting too predictable. That isn't good for me.

Cosmo destroyed another toy. The toy was made of fireman's hose and was made especially for the strong chewer. Yea, right. It was destroyed in no less than one hour. He ripped it open faster that Wall Street was given money to bail themselves out. It
was that fast. I bought another Nylabone, the one made for lions. I am hoping that will last. Cosmo has the bite and strength of a pit bull. I have never had a pupster than can destroy toys so quickly. I'm just glad he doesn't go after my shoes. He stopped chewing up my bedding, so I am bit relieved. He gets plenty of walks and enough attention to choke a bird. Maybe its too much attention. Only the dog whisperer knows for sure. If anyone out there in dogland can come up with a toy that lasts please let me know. I'll buy stock in your company. I'm ready to write to a NASCAR driver for a used tire for Cosmo as a chew toy. Yes, I have seen the tire toys but he can destroy those in a heartbeat. There has to be a toy out there he can't totally destroy!

Friday, September 12, 2008

FedEx Smart Post?

I ordered a medication from Drs. Foster and Smith (in Wisconsin) and they advertise "free shipping" with this brand of medicine, "Interceptor" a heartworm prevention taken once per month. I was clearly assured I would receive the med within 3-7 days via their "free shipping" services. I have done some interesting research on the collaboration between the USPS and FedEx. I also have read many entries from sad consumers who have tracked their packages across the USA while being "en route" to their destinations. One consumer saw their package in six states, in their own state twice, yet to be delivered. It seems this is a very cheap way to send merchandise weighing less than 70 pounds. I will continue to track and post the journey of my package in this entry.

I have contacted Drs. Foster and Smith to never ship anything to me via FedEx Smart Post. They told me I should receive my package within 7 business days.

Here are two links from sad consumers:

http://www.gearbits.com/archives/2007/07/fedex_smartpost_1.html

http://mindfulmusings.net/weblog/2006/10/17/fedex-smartpost-what-a-terrible-service/

The original Rx was mailed to the company on 9-4-08 and just received yesterday on 9/11/08. They don't accept consumer faxed Rx; only from the vet, who was hesitant to give me the Rx to begin with. At the vet the cost per pill is $6.00, from the company it is $3.65. This Rx mailed from Cleveland to Wisconsin. That's a very long time for the US mail. I just hope my Cosmo has no ill effects from the lack of the medicine. If I knew how poor the FedEx Smart Post was, I would have gladly paid for another shipping method.

This is an explanation for FedEx Smart Post:

http://fedex.com/us/smartpost/

I promise to update daily until the package arrives.


9/12/08. So far the package left Drs. Foster and Smith on 9/11/08.

UPDATES:

Date Time Description Location
September 20, 2008 8:31 AM Delivered CLEVELAND,OH
September 19, 2008 11:21 PM DC/EVS Arrive CLEVELAND,OH
September 19, 2008 10:30 AM USPS Entry CARRIER SECTIONS, OH
September 19, 2008 2:35 AM USPS Electronically Notified CLEVELAND,OH
September 19, 2008 2:30 AM Sortation Center Departure LEETSDALE, PA
September 17, 2008 5:26 AM Sortation Center Arrival LEETSDALE, PA
September 16, 2008 9:43 AM Sortation Center Departure NEW BERLIN, WI
September 12, 2008 9:30 PM Sortation Center Arrival NEW BERLIN, WI

It's says delivered, but my office is closed on Saturdays!

I'm happy to say I received the package today at 9am. Cosmo took his pill when I arrived home and all lived happily ever after.







Tuesday, September 9, 2008

It's my choice!

I don't agree with everything Sarah Palin stands for, but the fact that we may have a woman as a VP thrills me. Roe v Wade will never be overturned, and that was my biggest concern. I know she is anti-choice, as many people are. I can live with that. I hate taxes, and as a single parent fully employed, I pay a hell of a lot of taxes. No, I know that Europeans pay a lot more, but they also have a lot more social services available to them as well. It is a trade off, more services equals more taxes. Climate change or global warming, we have sealed our own doom. We can't control the amount of pollution China and other nations contribute to the demise of our Earth. Off shore drilling? I do my part by taking a commuter bus to work, thereby avoiding a 60 mile round trip to downtown Cleveland. I'm not thrilled gas cost are very high, maybe off shore drilling and alternative energies are the way.

I was really hoping for Hillary, but that did not happen. The fact that Obama has spend less than 143 days in the Senate scares me. So, he was a community organizer. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and am a volunteer with the Ohio Medical Reserve Corps...does that make me a better candidate for president? The fact that Obama has little real world experience scares me as well. I don't like war, who does? WWI and WWII were just wars. We did the job in the Gulf region and it is time to go home. I do support the troops. Will the US ever get Bin Laden, I have no clue. Have we stopped terrorism, hell no, but we have slowed it down. 9/11 was the breaking point for my country. I'll always have that bitterness inside of me.

Yes, I have been a Democrat all my adult life, and this is coming from a "silver spoon in my mouth" family. I grew up having everything. I am a social worker and have chosen the road less traveled. I am very proud to call myself a social worker. I'm not rich, and will never be, but I am happy in serving people who have little change at anything in life.

I maybe voting Republican for the first time. So be it.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Las Vegas, The Great Geauga County Fair, and The Cleveland National Air Show! Oh my!!!

First of all, I hope that Hurricane Gustav fades away quickly and no lives will be harmed.

It has been a crazy week. First my daughter and myself flew to Las Vegas and stayed at Planet Hollywood for five days. Then my boyfriend and myself went to the Cleveland National Air Show and to the Great Geauga County Fair.

I have a great tan and am very relaxed, only to go back to work tomorrow. I am posting several photos from the above three events.

Las Vegas hasn't changed much since last May. The City Center which is a monstrosity being built across from Planet Hollywood is slowly being completed. I have heard there has been a large number of workers who were killed while completing the project. There are also several other projects in various stages of construction on the strip. The average daytime temperature was 102 degrees. On Wednesday night at 10:00pm with was 98 degrees. The average humidity was 10-14%. All the casinos are air conditioned. Even the shops are cool, and most of them leave their doors open, as do the downtown casinos, but when you walk in the air is very cool. As soon as I sat down at the Golden Nugget I was asked what I wanted to drink. I waited about 45 minutes at Planet Hollywood before I was asked what I wanted to drink. What's up with that?

Las Vegas is hurting for money and tourists. There have been plenty of layoffs as per the local newscasts. On a bus ride down the strip, the "Deuce" as it is called, I heard a United Nations of languages. Dutch, Spanish, German, and Japanese were the most common. I also heard a lot of Australian and New Zealanders as well. Since the USD is in the toilet they are able to purchase many bargains. That pisses me off a bit.

I had much better luck winning downtown and Slots A Fun on the north end of the strip. Planet Hollywood didn't have very lose slots, I only won $25.00 there. I won enough at Slots A Fun and on Fremont Street to buy another Coach purse, a Dooney and Bourke purse, cheesy souvenirs, and a few nice meals. I only told my dear daughter I won $50.00. She thinks whatever I win is hers...yea right! Of course she was with friends when I had my little fun. A few beers and a frozen Pina Coloda later....

We came home after 10:00pm this past Thursday. We were totally exhausted. I slept till about 9:00am and then went to pick up Cosmo, who wanted to stay at the boarders. He really liked the doggy daycare. Cosmo smelled really great as they had just bathed him. He learned some new behaviors there. He now lifts his leg to make a wee-wee. He also humped my boyfriend, but only once, and has not done since. I may have to have him neutered.

My boyfriend arrived before dinner on Friday just as my daughter was going to spend the long weekend with her boyfriend. Everything worked out pretty well.

We woke up early Saturday morning and got ready for the air show. I really love the Blue Angels and they gave a great show along with the other acts and the numerous static displays. However, I had a problems with my battery, it didn't last as long as I thought and I forgot my backup. I was really kicking myself. I had just bought a new backup battery in Las Vegas, too. My boyfriend will email me photos of what I missed. We arrived home, but before we stopped at Damon's for a slab of takeout St. Louis ribs. Cosmo missed us, and we took him on a very long walk.

On Sunday we went to the Great Geauga County Fair. We met up with the Sheriff who had Midge in tow. She is the worlds smallest working drug detection dog. Midge is pretty famous, being on TV and in print. I was able to see all the fuzzy and furry animals and hairy animals. I really applaud all the 4H youth who worked so hard with their animals. Most of the animals they raise are for food and it can't be easy to see them go. But they know that from the get go. They earn a lot of money when the animals are sold and either use it for a new animal or for college, as one parent told me.


Well, thats the long week I had. I go back to work tomorrow. It will be a shock!