It's Like Pulling Teeth

Have you ever heard the phrase "It's like pulling teeth." Most of the time when this is used, it means something is difficult to do. I am going to have to rethink how I use that phrase from now on.

I have always disliked someone sticking me with sharp needles. Dislike is not the right word, I need a word to describe a deep rooted terror of having a stranger inflict pain and I have to stand there and take it. I have no problem drawing a picture, or a bath but when it comes to having to draw blood, I ..well...just...would rather not.

I don't recall a time when I looked forward for this to happen or when the first time it did happen, or why I became so darn scared. In the grand scheme of things, which is my way of saying of all of what happens in one's life, getting stuck with a needle is about as serious as a paper cut. But then again, I am not going anywhere to get a paper cut, they just happen. I don't have to anticipate the sheer terror of the paper slicing my finger. I can watch movies where aliens are attacking, crazed killers on a rampage, but a scene where someone is getting stuck with a needle and I am cringing like a baby.

This leads me to dentist, which is another of those things that I would prefer not doing. The eye doctor is not so bad, but there is one thing I could not stand, and that was having my eyes checked for glaucoma. The doctor would use a device, not like they use now, with the puff of air, but a small thing he would place on my eye..Oh the terror!

What I don't understand is when one goes for a checkup, they do things to make you feel bad, but when you feel bad, then they do things to make you feel better, what is up with that?

So yesterday I went to have a tooth removed, it was not doing right and needed to go, I found out about this two years ago, and it was not bothering me then, so I figure I would not bother it either. A week ago the tooth decided it was time to go, so it let me know. I would have it removed, on the grounds of it not being fun to have around anymore.

I guess if I was not so darn squeamish about going to the doctors, I would like to study how the body works as a whole. That it is more a working machine with a design and not just a random construct which evolved by trial and error.

I was not as frighten as I would have been, I knew it needed to be done and that it was not going to be a problem. When asked if I wanted to be put to sleep, before the nurse completed the word, I replied with a hearthy "Yeah".

Susan and I arrived on time and filled out the paper work, and lucky there were no paper cuts, so things were going good. I had already stocked up on pudding and ice cream, so I was ready.

I have learned to relax, to breath slowly and steady, and just to get over it. To let myself go with the flow. This was working great till the nurse started taking my blood pressure, which I don't like either..squeezing me like that...but as always this is done once and it is over, but alas I hoped too soon. She told me it was gonna be on there for the entire time, taking the pressure every so often during the surgery. Then there was this machine making beeping noises, and I was wondering what about me was making it beat, it would beat a few times and then faster, then stop, then beat a few times and then faster, there was a pattern, I tried to drowned it out..see the relaxing techinque above.

The doctor arrived and told me the ups and downs of the procedure, and that there could be a 1 percent chance of having some permanent numbness in my lip due to the nerves. I was about to asking him how many times he has done this and if any of them had the numbness, cause if he had done this like 99 times without a problem..well then I knew it would be me. I did not ask, as I always say, Ask not, know not.

However I did make it clear that we were all talking about the same tooth..that was something that was crucial..well at least for me. They called it tooth number 32, I called it the bottom back tooth, on the right, next to my finger..see look, this tooth..

He then reached for my arm. The answer to my question was realized, the method of administering the anesthesia. Yes you got it ...a needle to the arm..duh! What no gas? No blunt instument to the back of the head. It had to be a needle....okay I am there, we are all adults. In all seriousness, I did what the doctor told me, make a fist, and don't move. That was the about all I could do, since they did strap my arm down...smart move on their part.

What really concerned me was the slight noises the doctor was making as if he was having problems with the needle. Hey Doc!..I am the one that has the problem... He poured ice water on the spot to "numb" the area..look Doc, at this point either stick or get off the arm. It is crunch time, ..GET IT DONE!!! Ya better open that pipeline and let that drug do it's magic..times a wasting.

I think that a big difference between someone that is crazy and someone that is sane, has to so with what one says what is on their mind...out loud.

Well the drugs took effect, and the next thing I knew I was in another room, I saw my wife looking at me and a nurse asking me how I was doing..which I guess she understands mumbling, cause they let me go.

One neat thing that is on the list of things to do after the operation was "the patient SHOULD" get a milkshake....not to shabby.

Over all it has been a good experience. Although I felt fine, a bit numb, a little pain..bout normal for me on a day to day basis..my wife stayed home with me, fixing me soup, asking my how I am doing..and just being concerned. That was the nice part of the day..knowing she was there.

So the next time I complain about how difficult something is to do, I will not use the phrase "It's like pulling teeth." but rather "It's like paying the bill for pulling teeth"

I may have spoken too soon about blogging in July

In the last blog I stated that July was a dry blogging month, well I may have been a bit early in making that announcement. I gots another blog to do, and it is just under the wire. Lots has happened in the last 48 hours.


I bought and sold a vehicle. I sold my Ford Explorer which was on it's last legs, or axles as the case may be. I bought a 2008 Chevolet Aveo LS. I wanted to get a smaller car and to save gas mileage as well.


Two weeks ago I started looking, and then I found this vehicle. More or less stumbled upon it, yesterday, took it for a test drive, was offered a price, I wanted to check another place and they were able to beat the first dealer, by a little. I called the first dealer to let them know I may be getting a car elsewhere and before I could tell them anything, they gave me a much better price, so I called back the other dealer to let them know and they countered with a much better offer, which I took. Had I been impolite, and not called to let the know, I would have not gotten as good a deal.

Now onto the Ford Explorer, the last few cars I have had, were donated to the kidney foundation, and I used it as a tax deduction. I was planning to do the same with the explorer, due to the transmission which was wearing out, as well as having a non-cooling air conditioner, or as I would call it, my inboard hair dryer, and since I have not much hair, I did not need that extra feature.

I took the Explorer to my dad's so he could try to sell it, today I went over and cleaned out the car and washed it. My dad took it to a neighborhood auto shop, to have the guy check it out, and he was given an offer to buy it. I was offered a bit more than I would have be okay to sell it for and sold it.

So July still ended as a low blogging month. And the neat thing is that I was able to do all the car dealing with the help of my dad.

July a dry blogging month

It seems that July has been a dry blogging month for me. I guess it is the heat, or my new work schedule, or looking for a new car, or making new creatures for SPORE.

SPORE? You ask...uh what is SPORE? It is a computer game. Well actually it is a number of computer games smashed into one single game. For those that are not computer gamers may not understand, but most games can be put into groups. I have not yet played the actually game, but have been working with the creature editor. With the editor, one can create any number of animated creatures like those seen in a Pixar movie. The game is being released on September 7, 2008. If you are intrested please drop by for my review.

I moved to another department in my job, and have to deal with the new aspects of what to do, and well it is more like being thrown into a situation and having to make it work. Which is fine but somewhat frustrating. It is that when I was done with work, I just was not up for any blogging.

I have wanted to get another car, for reasons of gas, as well as it is getting about time to get a new vehicle. I don't drive that much, work is close as well as any where I need to go, however, I still need a car. The other thing about my car is the transmission is messing up and has been for a while, as well as the air conditioner does not work. I could spend $1500.00 to fix the transmission and some more for the air conditioner, but then I would still be driving a car I don't like. I will be going car shopping with my Dad and it will be fun for us to harrass the sales people. By the way, the other week when we when looking at the cars, the sale person said they were flying off the lot..so be careful when you go past a Toyota lot.

I will need to do any update on the parking area, which is operational, as much as parking a car on it, but there is more to do, and we now have two more pallets of flagstone. Will it ever end? Oh and there is talk of getting railroad ties to boarder the parking area...oh what joy it will be, hauling that around.

July is about over and I need to do a blog, at least once a month. So this is that blog.

Blogging

I have decided to post yet another blog about blogs.

It seems that there are thousands of blogs laying around cyberspace and most are unique, but basically it is one person's means to express themselves, or at least communicate something that others will find as having value.

Most of what I blog is for my family, therefore limiting the meaning or value of the blog to those not related. Unless they find my family interesting for themselves. I find some personal blogs interesting, but I'm not going to invite it over for dinner and a movie. I have no time for Blogs that are out to sell something. Not the ones with an ad, but when the entire blog is about what they are selling.

I have a cluster map which shows that there are many people looking at my blog. I did post a poll to find out which of my favorite television shows were liked by those that visited my blog and for 6 days only one person responded and stated they did not like them. One person..that's like 100% of the number of people that participated in the poll did not like my favorite shows. What up with that? There have been 200 people visit my blog, I know at least 19 of those folks. So who are the other 181? And which one answered my poll?

I think my stuff is interesting. Jorge Garcia, the guy that plays Hugo Reyes on LOST, one of my favorite television shows that was listed in the poll (see above), he has a blog. He post about stuff, just normal everyday stuff, like growing plants, his dog, or the time he was in Monte Carlo. Okay touring Monte Carlo is not normal everyday stuff, well not for me anyway. However, he gets lots more comments than I do. I post about normal stuff, well not Monte Carlo. My time with my family at the beach was great and normal. I guess I would have to be an actor starring in a hit show, to get more comments. Still a comment would be nice, maybe I will blog about something controversial

It seems that I have gotten to my preset limit on the length of a blog. I think the longer blogs are not read as much as shorter ones. Maybe I will post a poll on the length preferences that folks like to read, and if they like or don't like to make comments.

A Day at the Beach Part Three

A day at the beach part three.

It has been about a month since the beach trip, however, there are still a few more things left to share about my time with my family.

This "Day at the Beach" blog is about my mom. She is a special lady. She is patience, caring and very helping. She is a great Mom!

She loves to spend time with her Greatgrand children.

Savannah and...

Mason, to name a few.

She likes cooking for the family.......

She enjoys visting with friends...

And to go on walks with her husband.

She is a great Grandmother, Mother, Friend, Wife, Cook and Housekeeper

I am proud of my Mom.

I am not ashamed to be out in public with her at my Dad's 80th birthday dinner.

But when the cards hit the table and the shuffler come out..

She is a sight to behold.

She whooped up on her sons, with the help of my wife Susan. When it comes to Canasta, my mom become a machine..but not an adding machine...as my dad states.

She don't cheat just makes math errors...

Seriously, I love playing cards with my mom..who wouldn't..well someone that don't like to lose..that's who.

A Week at the Beach Part Two

The following sequence of events happened during a week at the beach. This is what occurs when a Great Grandfather decided to play with a Great Grandson. They decided to wrestle and the gloves..or rather the socks came off..and the winner of the match goes to....

I guess I would fall down if I smelled those toes!

In pure Tyler fashion he bounces back..

Tyler wins with a Knockout!!!! (We all know that Dad also won..see the smile on his face.)

A Week at the Beach Part One

A week at the beach, part one.

Yeap, that's about it, when looking out over the great expanse, the final frontier, the big blue sea, well you get the point. It just keeps on keeping on, wave after wave. All I did was step in.
Do you think the hat is a bit much? It is either that or sunburn on the ole noggin. It was very windy the day we walked on the beach and had much to be concerned with like loosing my hat, and what hair I have left..However, Katelyn, figure out an intresting was to keep from being blown away..
Lucky for her, she had friends and family about, to make sure any wayward dogs, did not find their way to her spot on the beach.

There was one person in our group that was not effected by the blustering wind, because he moved a bit faster than the malstrom..

Tornado Tyler, Joe and Amy's son and Savannah's younger brother. Here is a better picture to see what happens when Tyler is confinded indoors.
What Tyler lacked in staying in one place, he made up in just being so darn cute.

Laying Flagstone or How to Drop Flat Rocks

Previously on.....Extremely Slow Yard Makeover.
Phase One: Digging the dirt, aka clay aka red mushing stuff when it is wet or red cumbly stuff when it is dry.
Phase Two: Covering the area with a base of gravel, and leveling it as much as possible which is more not as possible as it is possible since the area has a slight slope. You think that is confusing, try leveling on a slope.
Phase Three: Spreading a layer of sand, or creating a tempting bathroom for the local feline residents


Now we are into Phase Four: The laying of the flagstone.


There are many way to express oneself, the written word or painting on a canvas. I've always looked for way to express myself through art and for me writing is bout right, however there are other means that I have explored. I have found out that placing flagstone as a means of artistic expression is not the way to go. It is not as complex as other venues, just carry and drop.


This is the best help anywhere, My Dad, who I think is part mule due to how hard he works, not to mention his near-mule like stubbornness.
Picture by Mom

I am glad my Mom was there, so she could hang out with us while we worked, she read and took a few pictures.
Picture by Susan


This is Buddy, he just watched.

He did not take any pictures, but was a bit upset due to what we did to his outdoor "sandbox"


Here are the results of some hard work and patience. The hard work was done by Dad and myself, and the patience part was Susan, who was the "artist" of this project.


She is the one that is solving the "jigsaw" puzzle, cause only she has the picture.

So basically here is how it was done.

Chose a flagstone:
Which consisted of picking up the closest one, look at it, then look where it can fit, which is almost anywhere, however, there are some decisons to be made, see Susan above.

Then carry the flagstone to that location and drop. This by far is the easiest aspect of the project, but one must be alert as to where one's toes are during the dropping. Then all you have to do is...............

Dust off and repeat....

Over and over and over again......

This is mid stage of Phase Four. There will be more flagstone to lay, and then shift them around until they "fit". Then onto Phase Five, getting this thing finished.

Parking Area Update.

The easy part was digging the hole, now I have to go back and fill the thing up, somehow the logic of that escapes me, but I guess the ends justifies the means..or at least the process.

This is not the final stage of Phase Three. It is the middle of the process, however I had some help. Which was very helpful and without a doubt the best help out there.

Wait a minute, that is not the helper I am talking about, that's me.

Here's the guy that really made a difference in the project.

My Dad...best help...anywhere!

The rest of this phase will be leveling and tamping down the sand as much as possible, then start laying the flagstone.

Extremely Slow Yard Makeover

Welcome to Extremely Slow Yard Makeover. Today the project is filling in the hole we dug Friday. What makes this show different than the one we did three years ago. Where we had some trees removed, was that the family went to Disney World for the week. This year the family is doing most of the work.



As you can see the gravel has been spread, however it seems that we may need more. The task was not as difficult as expected, the gravel was a mix of rocks, and dirt, making it easier to shovel. It is going as planned.

The next phase is to tamp this down, which will consist of the use of a tool we purchased a long time ago for this project, it has been used only once before on a similar yet smaller project we did a few years back. Had this tool been on trial for not having been used in the past six months, it would have been convicted and sentenced to a yard sale.

On a side note, this is a good analogy of my life, I spent lots of time planning, than actually doing anything. So when it is time to do anything, I am at least ready, as far as applying the "six-month" rule, with me. I would be sitting at a yard sale with a price tag hanging around my neck.

Well I am done for today, blogging that is. I am planning on tamping the dirt during the week and if needed, will call in some more gravel.

On the next episode of Extremly Slow Yard Makeover or in Phase Three, we will be laying the flagstone and we may have some suprise guest to help.

How to Remove Dandelions

It seems that spring has sprung as well as the dandelion population, a colony of them have decided to plant themselves in our side yard. There are various ways to get rid of them, some will pick them, others will spray with chemicals, however I have found a way to get to the root of the problem and make a statement to any other freeloading dandelions that just happen to be in the neighborhood.



Okay, now that I think about it, I may have overreacted.


Digging up the dandelions was more of a fringe benefit of what is actually going on. Normally I would park my car in that area. We have been working on ways to reduce the amount of grass. So we are going to put in a flagstone parking area as well as widen the driveway with flagstones on either side.

Currently this is Phase One, which is somewhat complete, I am in the process of getting all the loose mud out of the hole, for the beginning of Phase Two, which is spreading out a layer of rocks, which I have had practice doing before, and one thing I learned is that rocks don't like being moved..and can become very stubborn about leaving their spot.

Phase Two starts tommorow, so I need to rest a bit.

Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning is two words, one I love, the other ...well... I do my best to avoid at all cost. Both inspire rebirth. Rebirth may not be the best word to use in this comparison, if one considers what may have not been cleaned during the other three seasons, something that has been sitting there alone in the dark, pondering it's existence, "Am I something someone wants or at least has an unwarranted or unexplainable desire to keep around, or am I something that can not be explained and attracts proclaimations such as "Oh my stars, What is that?" and the most feared, "I am not touching that, call a professional."

Let's turn to Spring. It's the best time of year, flowers bloom, pollen flies, nose get stuffy, but there is no more damp, dark and dismal days. The days get longer, the nights getting brighter...On Broadway, okay so that's not the exact lyric, but the sentiment is there.

Spring is the time of excitement, maybe not on the level of a Broadway production, at least the temperature rises and the landscape gets brighter, however, the ticket prices are more reasonable.

What about the dust, the reason for cleaning, to understand cleaning, we must first understand dust, it has to make it's home in this world, however, cleaning sets in, there are some that will clean before the dust has a fighting, almost suicidal chance to settle, to find a comfortable place to rest, but there is cleaning happening and the dust realizes that it must go elsewhere, to a place where the vigilante unrelenting mission of cleaning is not as "restrictive"

So the destitute dust shows up at my house, finding a place that is somewhat more "user friendly". It is quiet, silent and realizes that if it just lands on the places that have the least restrictive cleaning regimen, it would be..to use a word..happy.

This is the reason that cleaning is a difficult thing for me, the idea of putting many dust particles in a state of homelessness, is something that don't sit well with me. Well.. until my wife states the obvious, dust is bad..it must go!


Sorry dust, but I do love the Spring...

This is a lousy day, I am tired and have a sore throat

Life is good, in general. The day is just lousy.

Here is the question, Are the days themselves lousy or just the stuff that happens on those days? It is not like salted in the shell peanuts, every now and then, you open a shelled peanut and find a dried up and ugly peanut, therefore, a lousy peanut, I am thinking that it is not the day, just the stuff that happens on that particular day.

Something in the back of my mind is concerned about the above analogy, but I like peanuts so it will stay.

So I guess all my days are great, since they are there, and only come once a....uh...day. It would be best to be glad of that and any day.

So we come to the conclusion that lousy stuff, happens. The day is not responsible. So I guess the phrase "I am having a lousy day", is not directed at that day, be it Monday, Thursday or any of the other seven.

So to keep on topic of the title of this blog. Today is a lousy day, not because of the day, but because I am in this day and I am tired and have a sore throat.

And I had to work on this day, and it seems that the word "work" is always preceeded with the words "had to". Go ahead and test it. Most of the time that the use of the word "work" or similar word is used, it always follows "had to".

So for me at this time, a lousy day consist of, work, being tired and a sore throat. But what about this blogging moment, I like doing this, so is the day still lousy, my throat would agree, as well as other worn out body parts.

But for me this day is turning out just fine, cause I like writting this blog.

I am at home, my wife is watching a movie, the cats are not running amok in the house, I am still tired and have to work tomorrow. Is the day still lousy? not really, just parts of it..it is those lousy "hours" that mess up the day, but that is for another blog.

A reason to Blog?

The thing about a blog, is what to blog?

There is also the big question, When to blog? Which is not that important, unless there's a select group needing to check in at preset times each week, I guess it has something to do with schedules, or checking their calendar.

I have a calendar, however, So I will know what month it is, and at times I'm lucky to know the day. I just know that I have to work tomorrow, so that is all the info I need as well as being off Monday.

There is a guy that is gonna to dig up some dirt for me, so I can build a parking area beside my, I mean "our" driveway. I've been married for eight years, the usage of "we" as opposed to "I" is one of those things that I (notice I did not use "we") need to work on.

I am guessing that some of you are wondering about what I said about a guy digging up dirt and what that has to do with anything. I, yes that was just me, not a "we" situation, was thinking of having a flagstone laying party at my..opps.. I was getting the hang of the I/we thing and ran headlong into a my/our situation. Let me rephrase, I was thinking of having a flagstone laying party at our house.

The beauty of this invite is that it is does not have an exact date in mind, so those "calendar driven, or is that calendar dependent" folks have an out. For this time only the following will be acceptable. "I wish you would have told me earlier, I have already booked.. ___________(fill in the blank) for that time."

Now to answer the burning question, A reason to blog?. Cause my dad wants me to.

And that is as good enough reason as any.

Today is Monday March, 24, 2008

The title of this post is kinda fitting since this is the day that I am writing this. I had a great day on Sunday with my Family (capitalized cause they are a special bunch of folks). I worked the weekend, and have a few comments about the Easter holiday

Intresting fact. Easter baskets are not purchased till the week of the big event, they sat in the store for at least a month..sitting..sitting...waiting for that day. Then bam, gone..sold out..within a week. (sorry..to bad ....so sad... for those that wait till the last minute.. there is a lesson there..)


So the big question is Why the gift baskets of toys and candy????

Easter is not supposed to be like Christmas, although both holidays are centered around the same person, there is a distinct difference.

Christmas is about giving gifts, The gift received by us from God, Jesus. We give gift to acknowlege this.

Easter is about the gift we received. Easter is the time of true thanksgiving..not of what we have, but what we were given, that being salvation, pretty neat gift if you ask me.

This is my blog for now.

I was told to write one a week, I will try to stay the course. If anyone has a topic they would like to discuss, please let me know.

PS....giving out chocolate should be a year round event...so I am "down" with that..

PSS "down" is slang for "I concur with your postion on said subject". So if you wanted to comment on my post and you agree with it..you could say ....Yo dawg I'm down wit dat.

PSSS "Yo dawg" is slang for "Yes (or Hark) , my friend"

PSSSS "wit" and "dat" Is just "with" and "that" but with an attidude.

It is almost Spring and I have not blogged

Well, it seems that I have been slighly amiss in blogging. Since I am new to this, I did not realize that there were time intervals for blogging. I though you just blogged when you had the need to blog. I am not sure I can dealt with the pressure of having to blog. Blogging for me is a mean of expressing myself in words or pictures.

There really is no point to this blog post or Blost, (this is a new word I just created for the internet.), well there is. And If I have to make a statement, then a statment I will make.

The statement is, I will blog when I want to blog, or better still, when I have something of worth to share to the masses, or at least the masses that read this blog. Which seem to be a few, which is not bad. But as far as the world wide population goes, the percentages is way below my projected audience.


So for those expecting a blog from me, here it tis.

I think I will post another one sooner..at least before I go to the beach with my family..yeah!!!!

2008

Jee, it is now 2008...it's like 2007 was like a month ago..wait..duh it was. Thanksgiving is over, Christmas is over and the "new" year is over. Why can not these things be spread out, I mean Thankgiving could be anytime, Christmas..well that could be all year ..I mean we are taking about Jesus..he should have the whole year..I don't mean giving gifts..but just everyday we need to celebrate.

I don't know what is in store for "08" but I would like to see "09" My dad's 80th birthday is this year which means my 50th is as well.

I I don't feel 50..well I do have a few aches and pains..but that is my body..and I know my dad don't feel 80, and I am sure he has aches and pains..

If there is anything I could say to my Dad and my Mom ...you guys are the best..If I had the chance to hang out with anyone, I would like to hang out with my parents..why cause I know them and they know me.

So for me 2008 is gonna be a year to spend with my parents and my family..and the year I turn 50... that is a strange thing..cause I don't feel 50..however, my body may have something to say about that.