i am not feeling well.... (see my new blog title header? i feel like that!)

i have this (middle and inner versions) and i think this too! wikipedia is my new doctor, except it can't prescribe medicine. missing 2 1/2 days of work is much different since the promotion. i tried to tell me doctor, "i can't keep getting sick like this, i'm a QA lead!" but she seemed confused. you see, when i call in sick, it is unpaid. combined with my terrible health insurance as a consultant, and i am screwed. my medication cost over $100 and i am working from home this weekend (unpaid) to catch up on work.

ok, the bitch and moan session is over. for now!

in other news, i have a bill collector hounding me. he called 2 saturdays ago, to ask me what i was going to do about paying my perkins loan. i had to say, "dude, i just woke up an hour ago and you're calling me about an almost 20 year old college loan? yeah, i'm not sure what i'm going to do!" i asked him to send me an invoice and said i'd need some time to figure it out. since then this lunatic has not sent me anything in writing, but called my cell phone 2-3 times a day. so now i am ignoring him out of spite, something groundcat seems nervous about. he he he.....welcome to my nightmare! the guy is more of a debt buyer then a loan collector, and i am taking some time to research my options. he's just so damn rude!

and finally, i was laying on the couch, sick with the ick, and flipping tv channels. i saw a really good video on mtv, which is shocking. the band is called the national and i love the guy's voice. it sounds like a band i would have loved in high school. so i might actually go out and buy a CD, which is shocking, and see if as an old lady i'd like the music.

i would say this is a classic blog post: wikipedia links, bitching and complaining, and a youtube video. enjoy!

i've add a link to anthony cartouche (formerly of waffle ass, a funny, political blog.) anthony is a long time friend and must remain anonymus. he's trying to keep the hoardes of fans away from his front door! i can tell you he's an awesome bowler.

my family have been blogging like crazy! glittermom has some great pics of the mysterious sophie on her blog, and my little sis and brother in law have ended their lazy blogging ways! i only had to boss them a little.....

the best blog of the summer award (i made this up, so don't expect a prize) goes to b-hax. his blog has been funny, interesting, and included some great photos in recent months.

my super cute boyfriend and friends listed in "peeps & homies" section have all been blogging pretty regularly. even long-lost copaX has been back to updating! let's all boss zakky to upload some pics of those gorgeous cats he stole away from me. i miss old fat hank!

as for me, i've been "sick with the ick" (otherwise known as sinus infections/ ear aches.) i am way too old to be getting ear aches! then again, i am probably too old to buy a hello kitty toothbrush.... i've been enjoying my summer by camping out when it's cool out, and staying inside and cranking the AC otherwise.

and now, a random monkey pic! everyone loves monkeys!!!!

we have tomatoes and butterflies.....

we have a lot of fun

i want a baby alpaca!

"couples" portrait.....

every couple likes to have a nice photo of themselves. and as my mom pointed out in a recent comment (blog), groundcat and i don't seem to have any luck taking a nice pic.

these 2 above are featuring my bad ginger hair

the pic above (right) is the only photo of us together taken over vacation!

so maybe i need to offer a reward..... if someone can get a nice, flattering photo of us, i will pay you, i don't know, some decent money. or make you dinner.

it's not an easy task. we've both got rather large heads, like to make faces, drink beer, and act goofy. so good luck!

if we don't get a good photo soon, i am booking a session at olson mills. we're gonna pose in front of a big wagon wheel!!!!

the proudest day of my life....

"congratulations!!!"

"you are...................hardcore!!!!"

here's a few blurry pics from last night's cook out:

and some more in focus pics of my beloved grill....

our new freaky seahorse vase.....

some potpourri in a bowl (don't know why, but i like this pic)

and finally, one of the back porch gargoyles.

or.....
update on last night's post: i am entering dixie in the calendar dog contest! the senior sanctuary does a "graying muzzles" calendar every year, and i am going to submit one of these beautiful pics of dixie. it costs $10 to submit each photo, but the money goes to the sanctuary, so it's all good! let me know which photo (see above) everyone likes best.

also- we had groundcat's mom, sis and some family friends out for dinner last night. it was groundmom's b-day recently. ("groundmom"? that doesn't have quite the same ring as "glittermom"... hhmm, might have to think of something better.....) anyways, we had a great time. and i am loving the grill! i did BBQ chicken (my specialty!) and corn on the cob. i grilled some corn still in the husks and used the side burner to boil some ears too. i took pics and will upload tonight.

as a few people have pointed out to me recently, we are very lucky people to have so much fun. we have a great time with family and friends. lots of laughter, good food, and just a lot of fun. i guess i am just feeling lucky, happy, and all that.

until my sister comes over and starts her dumb robot impressions! oh, and groundcat's sister is totally dead to me, since she was not impressed with my skyflake crackers!!!!!!!!

please think about adopting an older dog...............

Dixie. August 2003. Dixie, an 8-9 y/o Border Collie was picked up as a stray on the streets of Cleveland. Through a joint effort with the City of Cleveland Kennel and The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs, Dixie has taken up residence with Miracle at Sunrise Assisted Living in Rocky River, OH. Dixie is somewhat of a celebrity. She starred in a recent TV spot about dogs in assisted living facilities. We are proud of Dixie and her friends Miracle and Hans. Hans lived at Sunrise for seven months until he crossed the Rainbow Bridge. UPDATE: Dixie returned to the Sanctuary when the management at Sunrise changed. She has been diagnosed with Cushings disease and was adopted in June 2004 by Jennifer who loves her tremendously and has undertaken care of her disease management.

she was the best dog ever, and i only had her 2 years. please think about adopting a senior dog!

click here to learn more!!!! (i am posting this for becca, who reads my blog sometimes....)

remember the episode of seinfeld where george dated a lady who was "too tan"? she was a dark brownish orange, almost burnt sienna. well, i have seen some "too tan" people downtown lately and want to say: STOP IT! A DARK ORANGE-BROWN TAN DOES NOT MAKE YOU LOOK HEALTHY. AND LADIES, IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU LOOK THINNER! IT MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A WALKING PIECE OF BEEF JERKY. SO CUT IT OUT!!! a little color is good. some sun is good for you (i've heard tell.) just stop baking yourself like some crispy oatmeal cookie.

there was a reality show we caught this weekend, where the dad is some rich guy who throws a party for his daughter, blah blah blah.... but the dad, he's this little jewish guy, in his 60's, who is super dark tan, with feathered blonde hair. i have spent my entire lunch break trying to find the name of the show or pics of the guy, but no luck. i know there's a reality show about girls who work in a tanning parlor, and a show on the BBC with 2 semi-famous people getting married (fake boobs, fake tan people.) but if someone can tell me the name of the show with the super dark tan father, i will award you an awesome prize.

sadly, i can't find links for any of the shows i just mentioned above. dammit to hell! the internets are dead to me! and i am left with 1 pic to use to show an example of a bad tan. very sad....