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Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
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4:08 pm - MR's new pilot
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I read a while back that Michael Rosenbaum would be in a new NBC comedy with Henry Winkler, Nick D'Agosto and Allison Munn. So I went online and got a ticket to the pilot taping. I was looking forward to seeing it this afternoon, only to find that it's been rescheduled for Thursday evening. This is the third time the taping's been pushed back, which sounds like there's massive rewriting going on. I'm torn. As much as I'd like to see Michael, I do want to watch SPN tomorrow. Arrgggg! *shakes fist at timing*
current mood:  disappointed
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| Sunday, April 19th, 2009
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1:26 pm - It's raining men and Russian bots
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It seems those pesky Russian bots are at it again. Two have attached themselves to my LJ recently. If any bot barnacles appear on your friends' list, do report them here and LJ Support will investigate and suspend accordingly.
Lately, I've been in the company of men other than Mr. Nite.
( The plumber, the plasterer and the termite guy... )
current mood:  hot
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| Sunday, March 1st, 2009
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10:00 am - Belated birthday greeting
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A belated Happy Birthday to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) chaeysa!
I hope you're having a super grand weekend. While I miss your presence on LJ, I'm happy knowing that your life is going well. Here's wishing you continued joy and success! *hugs*
current music: Something's Coming - West Side Story
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| Sunday, February 22nd, 2009
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10:56 am - Help me pick a fridge poll
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Now that my mother's doing a little better (with her broken collarbone) and her bladder infection's cleared up, I can finally start looking for a new fridge. I have to say I am hugely disappointed with Sears. The Kenmore we bought died after only 8 years whereas my old Amana lasted a good 18. So, which brand should we try? I could use your help, f-list.
Poll #1353619 The Cold Facts
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: AllWhat brand of refrigerator is currently in your kitchen? According to Consumer Reports, a refrigerator should last on average, 14 years. What's the longest a fridge of yours has lasted? Which brand(s) have you had the best luck with, in terms of reliability and longevity?
current mood:  busy
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| Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
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10:50 am - What goes up, must come down...
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I've been happily basking in the spate of 80 degree weather we've been having in SoCal lately. That is until last week, when my mother slipped in the kitchen and fell on her shoulder. Between her age and her osteoporosis, the odds weren't on her side; I knew I had to take her to the ER.
The bad news was, the ER closest to us (less than 10 minutes away), was the one I liked the least, due to the way they handled my father a few years ago. Even though it was a longer drive, I decided the westside ER was our best bet.
Good news: the traffic on the freeway was better than I expected. Bad news: upon arriving, I discovered that the entrance to the ER had been closed due to the entire hospital undergoing major renovation. It took another five minutes to find the new entrance and figure out where to park.
Good news: my mom was seen by a triage nurse and a doctor within 30 minutes. Bad news: x-rays did show that she'd fractured her clavicle. It couldn't be splint(ed?), so they gave her was a sling and a scrip for Tylenol with codeine. The ER doc told me it'd take 4-6 weeks to heal, but my mom's orthopedic surgeon snorted at that timeframe. Realistically, it could take up to 3 months along with some p/t. And on top of that? She's dealing with a bladder infection.
Good news: despite all the medications she'll be taking, her prescription program is keeping the cost reasonable. Bad news: I'm the one who has to keep track of when she takes what, while crossing my fingers that the antibiotic doesn't wreak too much havoc on her stomach.
But, three things I'm grateful for:
1) She didn't break her hip. I don't even want to think about how awful that would've been for her/us.
2) The ER wasn't overly busy; we were in and out in just under two hours. And everyone, from the triage nurse to the x-ray technician to the attending doctor, was nice to us.
3) Barack Obama is now officially in office. \o/
This is my third trip to the ER with my mother. As much as I wish three times were the charm, it probably won't be my last...
current mood: busy
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| Friday, January 9th, 2009
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10:26 am - Calendar boys...
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Dear talitha78:
Your 2009 Clex calendar arrived. What gorgeous illustrations!!! In particular, May through December. If these don't keep a fangirl in a good mood, I don't know what will.
Many, many thanks for your generosity. Fandom's a better place because of people like you.
*big hug*
current mood:  happy
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| Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
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11:26 am - How my f-list saved the holidays
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I spent yesterday in the periodontist's office, while Mr. Nite underwent a procedure. The office itself was in a pleasant location; from the 5th floor, I had a sweeping view of the San Gabriel foothills. However, the reason I was concentrating on the view was because of the waiting area. I think they were trying to go for the "homey" look, but the patterned bands of wallpaper, speckled rugs, peacock motif and green-tiled receptionist's counter just set my teeth on edge.
Tense much? Oh yes. A whopping huge medical bill along with shopping, wrapping, shipping and my annual cardmaking left me feeling stressed to the point where I woke up with my chest hurting. Which scared me a bit. On Christmas Eve we were to meet my father-in-law for lunch, and Mr. Nite elected to drive. About halfway there, I began to feel motion sickness, something I don't normally succumb to unless I'm feeling overly pressured. Fortunately eating helped, but the ache in my chest didn't go away. It did however, reinforce how tightly wound I'd become, running from errand to errand, appointment to appointment.
So, to counteract all that , I'm reminding myself of the little things that made me smile:
• From Mr. Nite--Dexter in the Dark, the 3rd book in Jeff Lindsay's series.
• Also from Mr. Nite--Babes in Toyland with Annette Funicello, Tommy Sands and Ray Bolger. If all that cheerful silliness isn't the perfect antidote to holiday stress, I don't know what is.
• Seeing my nieces squee over their gifts. Those little sharks later wiped me out at blackjack.
The totally unexpected:
• A delightful e-card of birds and a snowman from oxoniensis.
• An afternoon of sightseeing and sharing a hot bowl of udon with sinisterf.
• A raffle win! I can't believe I'm the lucky recipient of one of the P.L. Nunn's Clex calendars courtesy of talitha78.
• And the topper--an e-mail from the LMF Awards committe. My Sentinel short story, Sojourner, won the gen/post-TSbyBS category. *is amazed* My thanks to everyone who participated and voted. The rest of the results are here.
Interestingly enough, my chest has stopped hurting. And I believe I owe it to LJ and my f-list. *g*
current music: Three Dog Night - Joy to the World
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| Friday, November 21st, 2008
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8:57 pm - Birthday greeting under the wire
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While there's still time left here on the West Coast, I want to wish oehel a very Happy Birthday!
Hope you have a fun and relaxing weekend!
current mood:  rushed
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| Wednesday, November 12th, 2008
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6:53 pm - Happy Birthday
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Happy Birthday sinisterf!
Hope it's a fun and fabulous one. And thank you for the v-gift! Chocolate cupcake=tasty!
Btw, the offer to go out for noodles (when you're in the area) still stands! *g*
current mood:  content
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| Tuesday, November 11th, 2008
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12:46 pm - Doctors, painters and a stealth birthday
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If I'd known what a headache the past couple of months were going to be, I'd wish for August back, except that I wouldn't have missed the elections for anything. It would've been a perfect evening but for the passage of Prop 8.
I spent September and October dealing with painters and taking my mom to see a specialist--her blood test showed a scarily high liver count. When her primary doctor told me that, my mind jumped to the worse case scenario, that her liver was failing or something. But Mr. Nite pointed out that if that were the case, she would've been hospitalized immediately. The 7AM MRI wasn't fun (I'm so not an early morning person), but luckily, she began to get better afterward. The doctors though, aren't quite sure what made her spike so high. And just as I thought things were calming down, my father-in-law fell. At the ER, we found out the poor man cracked two ribs. He's been in a lot of pain ever since. Fortunately, he made arrangements with Meals-on-Wheels, so we don't have to worry about him trying to feed himself.
So, with everything going on, I didn't feel like making a big deal about my birthday in September. Just getting through that month was enough. And still, some of you wonderful f-listers remembered. I received a lovely e-card from chaeysa and a phone call from garryowen.
But I want you all (if you haven't already) to check out lapetite_kiki's birthday manip of Jim and Blair, lazing together in a hammock! It's just what I needed. Oh how I miss summer...
current mood: pleased
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| Friday, October 31st, 2008
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11:18 am - Autumn Skies and AOL update
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Hi, hi, still alive. As I'm sure you've heard (or not), AOL Hometown is pulling the plug on itself, which means my two fanfic sites, Autumn Skies (Sentinel) and Illuminox (Smallville) will be among the casualties. *sigh* Losing them both is annoying, but hardly the end of the world.
The bad news is the timing. One of my TS stories, Sojourner, was nominated again for the LMF Awards this year. (whee!) So, I'm posting it here, in case anyone wishes to read it. Voting's open until Nov. 15th.
The good news is, the lovely tehomet is providing me with a new home. \o/ Or will, once I get all my files updated and uploaded. Which I'm hoping will happen in November, RL willing. *crosses fingers*
Arg. So much going on. I'll update again later. Oh and Happy Halloween everyone!
( Sojourner )
current mood:  determined
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| Thursday, August 21st, 2008
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11:16 am - Update on Mama Possum
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I did check on mama possum several times during the day while fending off my own mother who kept insisting I call Animal Control. I told her it wasn't necessary since all they were doing was sleeping. Besides, what if Animal Control's policy was to euthanize possums?
Mama p. continued to sleep in the same position, curled up on her side, until about eight in the evening. Amazingly, not even the sound of the gardener's leaf blower bothered her. Her babies did get restless, but continued to cling to her. She seemed a little groggy when she finally woke up, but calmly allowed me to sit and watch while her babies nursed.
My mother called again at nine. "Are they gone?" I said, "Not yet." At midnight, I took a little lantern and checked the back corner. No sign of mama p., but when I looked closer, I found her babies all huddled together behind the milk crate. Didn't see or hear her in the backyard, so I assumed she climbed over the fence to forage at the neighbor's. Apparently possums like dropped, rotting fruit, insects, carrion and of course, pet food.
Mr. Nite worried what would happen if for some reason, she didn't return, so I went back online and looked up a wildlife rehabilitator. It's nice to know there's a local one that specializes in tree squirrels and orphaned opossums. The rule-of-thumb is, if the possum measures at least seven inches (from nose to rump) it can be left alone. It's considered a juvenile who can fend for itself. Anything smaller, I call a rehabber. By my estimate, the babies were a little over five inches.
But we needn't have worried. By morning, they were all gone. Mama p. had come back for her babies. And she left as quietly as she arrived--no messes, overturned pots or chewed up plants. Don't think I could ask for a better overnight guest. If she, or one of her brood, ever shows up again, I'll just give my mother a Xanax and enjoy the visit.
current mood: accomplished
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| Tuesday, August 19th, 2008
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3:00 pm - Single mom with 6 kids
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I'm trying to be quiet today, as a rather weary-looking possum mother with six babies is sleeping in our backyard.
She's either trusting or utterly exhausted as she's slept through Mr. Nite backing his car out of the garage and my numerous trips to see how she's doing. The first time I encountered her was two nights ago when I heard a rustling noise outside and went to investigate with my flashlight. I thought one of the neighborhood toms was marking his territory by tearing up our moss patch again. The last thing I expected to find was a cat-sized possum curled up in the middle of our baby tears, along with six babies lined up in a row on her back.
( photo of mama possum )
I admit I'm no frostdoll so I'm making do with a stock photo--it's pretty dang close to what mama p. looks like. I left her some kitty kibble and water and in return, I asked that she kindly not tear up my moss patch. In the morning, both kibble and possum were gone; she left the baby tears slightly squished, but intact. I figured that was that. She'd moved on to greener pastures/yards.
This morning, my mother made a big commotion and showed me the sleeping possum. Mama p. had somehow found a way into our backyard (over the neighbor's fence) and had wedged herself into the far corner under the big shovels. The babies were sprawled all over her. They yawned and blinked sleepily at me.
My mother has never seen a possum before and doesn't quite understand what it is. She just wants it gone, but my understanding is that possums are nocturnal and transient, so my hope is that come evening, mama p. will get up and trundle off with her brood in search of food. In this big, bustling city, I certainly wish her and her babies well.
current mood:  surprised
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| Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
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12:18 pm - WALL-E and the latest buzz...
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Stopping by to say hello and to summarize the last few weeks...
The Good:
• WALL-E: Allowing this tale, about two robots who develop feelings for each other, to unfold without the benefit of dialogue in the beginning is an amazing feat. It reminded me of silent movies and Charlie Chaplin. On top of that, I loved Ben Burtt's sound effects. The noise WALL-E makes, when he reboots got the biggest laugh. Afterward, Mr. Nite and I talked to a storyboard artist who thought it was the best thing to come out of Pixar yet.
• I am done with jury duty! I've been calling in daily, but haven't had to report to court. Last night, the recording said my stint was complete and to mail in the affidavit. Being on call right before a major holiday totally worked in my favor. \o/
• The doctor said my mom qualified for disabled parking. So I took the form to the DMV on the westside (definitely worth the extra drive) and got a new parking placard in less than 10 minutes. Now I can park in the handicapped zones. That is, when I'm driving my mom around. Very convenient.
The Bad:
• Medical stuff, involving my brother-in-law. Mr. Nite and I were worried, but we talked to him yesterday and he sounded much better. He should be released from the hospital shortly.
The Weird:
• Okay, so I'm not the sharpest X-acto blade in the box when it comes to encounters with insects. I should've known, when I heard very loud buzzing in the backyard that something was up. But did I do the sensible thing and check? Nooooo. It wasn't until I'd finished watering that I finally looked up and saw a huge swarm of bees...over my head. Eeek! Thankfully, they weren't the Africanized version. Leaving them alone seemed the best course of action, so I backed away slowly and left. Whew.
This weekend I'll be catching up on some chores and spn_j2_bigbang. Maybe even catch some evening jazz at the museum. Hope you all have a terrific 4th of July!
current music: John Mellencamp - R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.
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| Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
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10:12 am - Piping up...
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Ahhh, the weather. It's doing 30-degree jumps again, from the 90's back down to the 60's. But I don't mind. The tortoise and I are glad to get a break from the heat.
A quick rundown of my (ever-so-exciting) life lately:
1) Repiping -- One of those time-consuming (and expensive) projects that needed to be done. The plumbers took longer to finish than I expected (three and a half weeks) and left several large, lovely holes in the walls inside and out.
2) Plastering -- It took another week to repair all the holes. The next step will be getting painting estimates.
3) Gas Leak -- Would've probably gone unnoticed for several days had it not been for Mr. Nite mentioning that the ants were swarming around the garden hose pot in the back. Seriously. I couldn't figure out what was causing them to do that, so, I opened the door to the little furnace room, just to make sure none of the pipes inside were leaking. That's when the smell of gas hit me. I switched off the control box and made a note to call the Gas Company ASAP.
4) No More Baby Tears -- I mean the mossy kind. We have a small patch (2 feet by 4 feet) of it growing underneath a bedroom window. It's the perfect spot for it--north facing, almost always shady. And with careful watering and tending, it was all green and poofy. Only now, it looks like shredded carpeting. Argggg. I can't imagine one of the neighborhood cats being this destructive. It had to be a dog or maybe a possum?
5) Iron Man -- From the moment I heard AC/DC blaring away, I knew that I was going to like it. Lovely chemistry between Downey and Gwyneth. It was exactly the sort of bright, fun, uncomplicated summer movie I needed.
6) Mad Men -- We watched 6 episodes in a row over the Memorial Day weekend. Mr. Nite and I worked in advertising for many years, so this series was of particular interest to us. In a way, it was like seeing the dark flip side of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Very absorbing.
7) Jury Duty -- The one thing in my favor is that it starts right before July 4th. I'm crossing my fingers that the court I've been assigned to will be very slow that week.
And how've the rest of you been?
current mood: busy
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| Saturday, March 22nd, 2008
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3:12 pm - Springing forward
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For me, the official sign of spring has nothing to do with groundhogs, robins or the Easter bunny. The true harbinger is our tortoise, who came out of hibernation the other week. He's still groggy--just hunkers in the sun with his eyes closed--but soon, he'll be tooling around the backyard, looking for something green and tasty to knock over and eat.
This year, I finally got the brilliant idea to grow some lettuce for him. In a tall pot. The last time I planted them in the ground, the shoots didn't stand a chance. The tortoise mowed 'em all down in one afternoon.
Last week was my final caregiver's support group meeting. For a homework assignment, we had to pick a specific problem behavior about ourselves and fill out a questionnaire. I chose my relationship with my mother. (Mr. Nite said he was surprised I limited myself to only one sheet. Hah.) As I was the only one who actually wrote out answers, I got to read it out loud to the group. At least I made the facilitator laugh.
( More about the support group... )
current music: Aerosmith - Love in an Elevator
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| Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
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10:45 pm - Birthday Greeting
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This is a little early, but (unlike last year) I want to make sure I get to wish chaeysa a timely Happy Birthday!
Hope everything--life, love and work--all continue to go your way this year! *big hug*
current music: simon & garfunkel
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| Thursday, February 14th, 2008
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2:46 pm - B-day greeting
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Happy Birthday justforspite!
Hope you're having a fabulous day.
And Happy Valentine's Day to my Flist! ♥
current music: The Last of the Mohicans
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| Friday, January 25th, 2008
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11:54 am - Belated New Year's update
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It's very soggy around here. It rained bucket loads last night and this morning, and another storm'll be rolling in tomorrow. Mr. Nite and I switched cars since he has a long commute today, and handling stop-and-go traffic is never fun with a stick shift. His car is also lower to the ground than mine, so I'll have to be mindful of flooded intersections when I go out.
I'm rather glad that December is over. Not that I had anything against the holidays. It's just that between buying, wrapping, sending gifts and preparing meals, things got so bunched up and hectic, the whole month whizzed by in a big stressy blur. My wish for this year would be for my mom to relax and not harp on every little thing. It would make getting her stuff done, a whole lot more pleasant.
I did get my Christmas cards done and out (more or less) on time. I tried a reindeer design, which turned out nicely, though I'd underestimated how much time it'd take to actually cut and assemble everything. Must remember to start the design process a little earlier.
( My dad, New Year's, Disneyland... )
current mood: damp
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| Friday, November 30th, 2007
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4:03 pm - Things that annoy...
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I haven't changed my settings, so the adult content warning shouldn't be appearing on my posts, correct? If for some reason it does, do let me know, 'cuz that's not what I want.
Now I have no quarrel with anyone who changes their setting to adult content. I just wish, when I click on one of those posts, it would automatically display in ?style=mine. Is that so hard, LJ?
Other annoyances--coming home to find a new sign posted on the lamp post in front of our place that reads: No Parking on this street from 7AM to 10PM. That's 15 hours!
I plan to call the teeny, tiny number on the sign and see what's going on.
ETA: I called. Apparently a pizza commercial's being shot a few houses down from us, which explains all the no parking signs and orange cones. Don't know how much shooting they'll get in though. It's been raining off and on all day...
current mood: irked
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