Saturday, March 31, 2007

Loving It

Wow, I am finding some awesome hacks for the blogs these days, I found one for showing recent comments (see the bottom half of my sidebar), and I found another one that I use sometimes for truncating long posts. I have a three column template on my test blog (mishkatestrun.blogspot.com) that I am trying out. It looks nice, but I am not sure if I like it or not. I found another for removing the nav bar, but sometimes not having it there is a pain in the butt since the links to get to your blog dashboard are up there...I end up having to go through my profile everytime and not all of my blogs are listed on my profile, so I don't know if I would remove the navbar forever or not. I did find but can't get to it, a navbar that comes and goes like the start bar at the bottom of a Windows page...I just can't get to the hack to try it out because the person who did the hack has made his blog private....we'll see if I can get invited or at least sent the code to try it out.

Oh and I am loving the new newsreel widget offered in the layouts if you have them...you can put in what ever terms you want displayed on yours and then when you click on the term, the news from Google news shows up with that search term. I am sure my search terms will fluctuate depending on the day but I think the widget itself is pretty cool.

HAPPY BDAY CHICKEN!!!!

Whooooooohooooo!!! You did it....I hope you have a great one. I wish I could be there to help you celebrate....:(

Friday, March 30, 2007

NPR : New Study Could Change Approach to Heart Health

Here is a quote from this article that I have heard in radio form several times this week...

"a new study found that a healthy lifestyle and drug treatment could be just as good at preventing heart attacks as angioplasty and the insertion of stents"

While this is great, meaning less people should have to go under the knife...the reason that most of them have to go under the knife is because a "healthy lifestyle" is not something they seem to be able to accomplish on their own. It is like having a study that says, exercise and eating right is as effective as gastric bypass in helping people to lose weight....yeah, we know that but sometimes the exercise and eating right is beyond the grasp of the individual's will power.

I am by no means advocating surgical fixes to things that could otherwise be fixed by living healthy lifestyle, I am just griping about the fact that we always have these studies come out (that I am sure cost tons of money) stating obvious facts that we all already know. Can't we spend that money somewhere studying something we don't know instead?

Limitations

Okay, I have started to limit myself on my tasks per day because I am so easily distracted by all the little things. So today, I have five things on my list...and only two of them are big ones so I should be able to hack them off with no problem...2 of them are just running errands kinds of things.

We had some rain yesterday so everything in the yard is looking pretty fresh and that is nice but it still needs some attention. I also have an unwelcome visitor issue....when I am in my office, I can hear scratching again...don't know if it is birds nesting in our gutter outside (which I guess is happening quite a bit right now) or if we have another little mouse...I had to set the mouse traps upstairs in the attics yesterday just to be sure.

My tulips in the back containers have finally bloomed..the green has been up for ages but our weather has been so weird that I am not sure they knew what to do. Anyhow, I have already used up my allocated computer time for this morning up helping on the help group and updating one of my blogs...time to get going. Hair color is first on the list...haha.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

3 More Days

UNTIL CHICKEN IS 32!!!!!

Everyday Humdrum

Well, I went to the dealership today and spent 3 hours in their waiting room. They replaced my muffler and half the exhaust pipe and now my truck is not backfiring...whoooeeee!!! Nice thing is that it was covered under the warranty. I paid to have them replace my fuel filter (service needed) and they checked my power steering system (service not needed until 45000 miles) and it was good to go.

After leaving there, I went to Lowe's to look at paint possibilities for our front door since there is no paint here at the house that matches it. While there, I got a call from J. We decided to meet up for lunch since he forgot a few things he needs on this trip that he is on (only a few hours away) so we met in the middle and had some down home bbq'd cooking, and it was good. I didn't get the paint yet but did get some chips so I can match up the door better tomorrow when it is light. I also talked to several people about what our options were to keep the new weatherstripping we just did from sticking to the new paint we are going to apply. The answer is silicone spray...I'll let you know if it works.

I was able to catch J up on the house visit with the realtor yesterday and what things we should move around in the house to make it look nicer and seem more spacious. Figure I will be taking a lot of small things up into the attic for hiding just to declutter. We gave his old dresser to a friend of his that is going to use it for storing some stuff and I am glad it went to a good home because it was still usable but not in nice enough condition to give to Habitat or Goodwill.

One of my friends from high school might be coming to visit me in the next week or so and I am excited to see her. She is the mom of one of the four people I hung out with and she was like a second mom to all of us. I was able to see her and her son this December when we were driving through Florida but it will be nice to have her visit here too....now if I could just get some more of our family and friends out here before we take off....hint hint hint.

I stopped by another friend's place on the way home from lunch because I hadn't seen them in ages and because they are the landscaping and garden center owners we like to use. I was hoping I could get a fern and some color for my yard but alas, they are waiting until the middle of next month to do their annuals just in case we get another frost here. I might have to get a few things at Lowe's but we'll see. I am not in a hurry and it's not like I don't have five million other things on my list that I could be doing. It was great to see them and I will get back over there in the next few days because I need some bark, and some iron for my poor yellowed looking plants. I wish I was more motivated for the yard right now but I am not, even though I want it to look nice...weird huh?

Speaking of frosts, it was in the mid 80s today and tonight it will be in the mid 50s and tomorrow is supposed to stay in the mid 50s with rain...I guess we are getting some cold weather in from the north....brrrr. The pine pollen is still dropping like crazy...I took a pic of the car the other day before i rinsed it off so I will get that posted soon. If it does rain tonight and tomorrow, we will have little greenish yellow run off trails all over the place.

Now it is almost 8:30pm and I haven't eaten dinner (lunch was late and filling) and I have been playing on myspace (trying to get the statcounter to work) and on the blogger support help group...I need to get a help group for myself so that I can be more focused on my stuff...sometimes I walk from one room with the intention of doing something and while there will get distracted into another task and so on and so forth...it is terrible. I better go so I can say I actually accomplished something today.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Where Does The Time Go?

Today is almost over and I didn't get nearly as much stuff done as I would have liked....I still have some time but most of it is going to be inside stuff...haha.

I met with a friend this morning for a walk that turned into an all day thing (which was okay because we haven't seen each other in a while), and then I met with a realtor a few minutes ago so we could go over things in the house.

I tried to picture how things must look through his eyes...and it seems to me that we have too much clutter. That is okay, J put some extra plywood down in the attic so we have more room to hide some things. I can spread out some stuff too and that will make it seem less cluttered....I am such a pack rat...terrible I know.

So I am going to head off, drink some Diet Coke since I am falling asleep, work on a project for a friend while watching a movie I know J won't want to see, and then we'll see what else I can get done. I am sure that I will throw some laundry and dusting in there somewhere as well. I should get over to the gym this evening so I can get some muscles....haha.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Started Again

They started the road work on our street this morning. Perhaps this means that they will get it finished before we put the house up...wouldn't that be great?

I was able to get out in the yard and get a few things done yesterday after spending a good part of the afternoon walking in the woods looking for geocaches. The caches were actually pretty good, and the exercise was great. I had a lot of fun, except for the fact that I was out on my own and it would have been more fun with someone for company.

We have a huge red ant colony living in the new landscaping and I am dealing with it as we speak. I filled one of the feeders for the birds but moved it closer to the house so they wouldn't be picking up fallen seed near the fire ant treatments (which is right under the bird feeders). I got some stuff cleaned up and watered and hopefully, I can get some planting that needs to happen in the next week or so done.

We want to get things done so we can have some time to enjoy the area and our friends before we have to leave. I almost feel guilty when I leave a place and feel like I haven't taken advantage of all it has to offer, seen all the sites and culture available, but a person can only do so much.

Anyhow, better go, still have a lot on the list to do.

J is on a business trip and I want to make a dent in things before he gets home. It seems that while I keep knocking things off the list there are always more that pile up behind them. I am making headway and things are starting to look better. J got the entire garage done before he left and it looks so much better. Now we are just working on one room of the house at a time.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Weather Unfortunates

The skies are clear, the temperature is warm and the breeze is lovely. I can't open the windows and enjoy it all because the pine pollen has started its 5-21 day drop in this area and you don't want to have every surface in your house covered in it, believe me. Why is the nicest weather of the season always trumped by this issue.....grr

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Construction Again

Not long after the second lot across the street from us was cleared and construction started, a third lot (next to it) was cleared. This was almost a year ago. Since then the second lot house has been built, sold and moved into. The third lot has just sat empty.

Of course, now that we will be putting our house on the market in month or so, they have to come out and start leveling it for a foundation....

They are also supposed to be repairing and repaving our entire street in March but they have only just started. At first we were glad to see we were on the top of the list because that meant it would be done before we put the house up...with the way they are creeping about doing it, it won't be started until the day we go on the market.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Don't Forget To Click

Hey everyone...don't forget to go to this link once a day and click on all the colored tabs to support the different organizations. All it costs you is a bit of time, but it can make a huge difference. I have installed a button to the Animal Rescue version on my sidebar but all the colored tabs need support so don't be stingy with your clicking....haha.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Moving News

Well, it looks like we are moving this summer. We have a employment and educational (not to mention, traveling) opportunity that has opened up for us back in Japan where I was going to school before. We decided to take the "twice in a lifetime" opportunity to live in another country for a while, and since we have already been there before, we have friends and experiences to return to.

We are both very excited about the move even though we haven't been here nearly long enough and of course the move is going to require a lot of work and preparation. We have already started jumping though all the loops of process required to get things rolling. Thankfully, because we have been there before, we at least are a step ahead.

We are planning on taking Chase (our cat) back with us and Japan is one of the stricker countries to bring animals into. She is turning out to be the toughest part of the preparation so far but things are moving along.

I need to start reviewing my Japanese books so I can communicate a bit when we get there.

Friday, March 16, 2007

Commercial Peeves Redux

Okay, the chick on the new Quiznos commercial that says the sandwich is full of lots of meat and that is what a real woman wants drives me nuts when she laughs....she is a freak!!!

Has anyone else noticed that Wendy's is using the Femmes Blister in the Sun in the background of their new commercials? They aren't using the words, only the music....hmmm, I wonder why?

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Bottled Water

I understand the use of little bottled waters for people on the go, in the car, or at sporting events, but what I don't understand is people buying cases at a time of 8-12 oz bottles of water to drink at home....what happened to using a gallon jug and pouring it into a glass or using a filter either at the sink or in the refrigerator and pouring it into a glass....I just see our landfills (because you know most of these people are not recycling these little bottles*) filling up with empty bottles of water that could have been avoided if people weren't so stupid.

*While I am a diligent recycler, out off all my friends, I am the only one that does, so I figure the ratio has to be about the same across the world...sad to say.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Sad Birdie News

This morning I woke up to a dead Carolina Chickdee in our sun room. I couldn't figure out how it got in there but then I saw that the screen door to the sun room was open about 2 inches and the slider was open to vent the room. Apparently, J left it open the night before and this little guy must have gotten in the room, couldn't get out and Chase terrorized it until it died from shock, I am assuming since it wasn't really torn up at all.

I was so sad to see it....Chase seemed a bit proud of the whole thing, and there were little feathers in the room, so I am sure it tried for a while to get away. Poor thing.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Carvinal and Costa Rica

Did you see on the news how a tourist on a Carnival ship killed a robber in Costa Rica last week? At first the news was reporting that they were tourists from our boat (the Legend) but it turns out that they were on the Liberty but on the same cruise itinerary as we had...8 days in the Caribbean and Central America. That could have been us....huh?

I thought it was interesting how the news made a big deal out of how the guy was a retired military person with self defense training...like he was some sort of lethal weapon or something...if you ask me, the lethal weapon was the idiot holding the gun to begin with.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Still Waiting

After weeks and weeks of pain in the ass tactics, my mother finally received the Ipod Nano that I got her for her birthday in November. Amazon had to send it twice to get it there. A month later, the first one they sent (which we assumed had been stolen since it wasn't insured) arrived and she sent it to me to deal with (which is what I told her to do).

Starting in January, I have been emailing Amazon to get a return label sent to me so I can return this item to them (since they didn't charge me for the second one to be sent, it would be stealing to keep this one). They promptly wrote back that a return label would be in the mail.....

It is now March and I still don't have a return label. I emailed them a third time this morning to see if they can get on the ball...

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Lunar Eclipse

We were able to see the lunar eclipse here on the east coast at a local park but we had some clouds between 6 and 7 (when it was in full eclipse so I didn't get any good pics of it then). After we watched it come out of the eclipse a bit, we went home so I could get our telescope out and check it out further. We have a lot of trees around our house so that is why we went to the park initially so by the time it had really cleared the trees here at the house, it was back to a full moon.

I took some pictures of the full moon with my digital camera by just holding it up to the lens on the telescope...not the best way to do it I am sure but they still came out okay... as you can see from this photo.

It always amazes me when I look at the moon through our telescope because you can really see the details (more so on an not full night) and it makes you realize just how small we all are. I need to get the telescope out more...maybe if my sis and mom are able to visit before we move. I know they would love to look through it.

It Came In The Mail Today

My diploma....I am official!!!!

Friday, March 02, 2007

Is It Possible...

That Blogrolling's "recently updated" function is working again? I don't want to get excited yet, but I have noticed over the last few days that some blogs are showing as being recently updated and it was not because of me (my pinging of all of your blogs ended after only a day or so of effort on my part).

I have been self pinging my own blogs for sometime now because I am convinced that Bloggers ability to do it has not be available. The Autopinger website does it automatically for me but I do it manually as well when I update, just for the fun of it. I usually only hit about 7 of the main ones and it only takes a second.

Anyhow, if Blogrolling is working again, I will be thrilled (although it still doesn't reflect Wordpress or Typepad blogs correctly). I won't miss updates like I have been when I am forced to go at it on my own.

Dental Work

I noticed a few weeks ago that Chase (our cat) had really bad breath. I got out our little finger toothbrush thingy so I could give her a cleaning and realized that her gums were very imflamed. It looked like it was time to have her teeth done again.

So I called my friend to get a number of a good vet and called to make an appointment. Yesterday I took her in to get the work done. I ended up also having to do blood work on her since she is getting older and we had her microchipped as well.

I picked her up late yesterday afternoon. She seems fine although her cheeks looked a bit puffy all evening. I softened up some hard cat food for her and she ate (good sign). They sent me home with some pain killers for her because it seems they had to extract a tooth (that might be the foul smell). She seems to be doing okay and other than administering her pain killers, I haven't tried to see in her mouth yet. I will give it a few days and then I might try to see which tooth they ended up taking out...

I had to explain to them before they saw her, that she was not subjected to abuse...just a really bad hair cut.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Turn Around Day

If you can believe it, I have been too sick over the last few days to even think about sitting at my computer for any length of time. Normally, a head cold (when I get them which is not often) makes me feel bad for about 3 days and then I start to feel better as it moves into my chest.

Three days ago, I thought I was going to start to feel better and each day, the turnaround day did not come. Yesterday, after another horrible night of no sleep (even on Nyquil), I decided I better see if things were going to need some help. After making some phone calls to the advice nurse and our insurance, I decided to see a doctor to make sure I was okay.

Normally I wouldn't go to a doctor for a cold...they can't do anything for you and if they do give you something, it just so that you don't feel like you wasted your time, but in reality, colds and flu just have to run their course. My problem was that this cold didn't seem to be running its course and if anything, it was getting worse, and I was feeling really drugged up. The advice nurse confirmed what I had predicted (my cold had turned ugly), and her recommendation to get to urgent care was all I needed.

I saw the doctor yesterday and it turns out that I have a sinus infection. I have never had one before, so it explains why this "cold" seemed so different. This one hurt really bad from day one and I have never had a "cold" do that to me before. This one also started in my chest, which is also not normal for me.

Regardless, I am on antibiotics and prescription strength cold medicine now and last night, I actually slept through the night without feeling completely doped up. It was fabulous. I am starting to feel better today but I am going to continue to take it easy until I kick this thing. I had to get up early this morning to take the cat in for dental work but I am planning to eat some breakfast, take some medicine and hit the couch with a box of kleenex, my afghan and a pillow. If I can get some more rest in, I am sure I will be feeling better soon.

The antibiotics seem to be giving my body the kick it needed to beat this little bug up and as soon I can hear again, I will know for sure that I am on my way to recovery....haha.