Happy's Obsession

Life is so unfair...

2010-03-05T16:43:46Z

I have recently been on this health kick - eating right (and low cal), exercising (recumbant exercise bike), and the weight has been coming off. I have also been addicted to Facebook games, and spend a lot of time just trying to keep current on those.

After work last night, I relaxed in the recliner, watching my taped Womens Free Skate (finally!), and generally enjoying life. I got up about 11:30 to head to bed, and decided to do a final check on my FB games. Sat down in the chair in front of the computer...

... and yow! My tailbone area was *killing* me! It felt kind of like a pulled muscle, especially to the left side. I shifted about, tried stretching (how the heck do you stretch *that* area?), but it still was pretty damn painful. After sitting for a bit, it was a dull ache, then standing again and yow! I was hoping it was just some unexplained oddness, so I went to bed, hoping to feel better on awakening.

I didn't. Not worse, either, but definitely not better. This is *totally* going to screw with my exercise program. Although that *may* be one of the problems.

I have bad feet, plantar fasciitis most likely, self diagnosed, somewhat helped with NeoVita inserts. I have an official podiatrist appt on the 18th. I used to walk a lot to lose weight, and it worked well, but I haven't been able to do that for over a year. So I got this recumbant exercise bike. It's a good quality one, not some cheapie. I started riding it on Feb 22, just 20 minutes. I did that 3 times over 6 days, then I upped it to 30 minutes daily for several days, then to 40 minutes. I had to take a break on Monday, because my legs were so tired and achey I just couldn't keep up to speed. But on Tuesday, I felt right as rain again, and hit it 40 minutes Tues-Thurs. I've also been slouched over in the chair a lot in front of the computer, mousing away at FB games.

Of course, I googled "unexplained tailbone pain" and came up with several causes. The only causes that seem to apply are repetitive stress from cycling, and/or faulty posture while sitting. Of course, there are several sites that say it is all psychosomatic, but tell my ass that!

I'm hoping that taking a break from cycling, and sitting with better posture while on the computer will help. I certainly don't hope it's my new recliner couch, because I *love* it, and that's the only other new thing I have that could be causing it.

It's probably my obsessive nature, which has had me upping my exercise rapidly (after months of a sedentary lifestyle) though. I'm so upset, though, because I *want* and *need* to lose weight, and if I have to try to do it by diet alone? Not as effective. And I need the cardiovascular benefits of cycling, as I can't walk until my foot issue is resolved.

I just wanna cry.

qafhappy @ 2010-01-25T21:59:00

2010-01-26T05:59:29Z

It happened again.

I left the living room, where I was watching Project Runway, to get a drink. I passed through the dining room, into the kitchen... then whirled, and raced back. Why?

Because I'd left my cut up landjaeger in a small bowl on the coffee table. And Boyo *always* was right there whenever I left. Any door that didn't click completely shut, anything dropped on the floor, or left unattended for any period of time... he was always right there. Trying to go out it/eat it/etc.

But he isn't here anymore. Or rather, he is... cremated in a box on my mantle. Next to my little girl, Boo.

Two cats, so different... but each so smart. Boo was almost human seeming. She didn't like other cats, attacked them, even, to keep them away. She was totally bonded to me, and seemed to understand me uncannily. When it was summer, and she'd get on my lap, her little claws would hurt my bare legs. So she would jump up, lay down, and tuck her paws under. I didn't teach her that... she just knew.

Boo was an indoor-outdoor cat, and once, while I lived in Berkeley, she just... didn't come home. It was a 3 day weekend, no school, and even if there had been, no way would I have gone anywhere until I found her. I made copies of a cat pic from a calender who looked like her ("but she's a little thinner") and went door to door, passing out flyers. I called her up and down the neighborhood, from about 10 am Saturday morning until 5 pm... and then I heard a mew. Her little mew. I called again, and she cried back. Over and over, as I tracked her down... locked inside an apartment/condo garage. Luckily, it had a solid metal door that lifted up, and had a little wiggle. I pulled the edge out, reached underneath, and she touched me with her nose.

I couldn't wait to see if someone came home. It was already late, and a 3-day weekend. I raced home, got K, and we yanked the hell out of that door until we could strain it wide enough for her to get out. The saddest day of my life was when we had to put her down, after the vets couldn't do any more. Boyo was the second saddest.

~~~
As I've been sitting here, typing this, the landjaeger has been sitting, unprotected, on the coffee table. At least... 15 minutes? I just glanced out to see - no cat. Called Rosie... and she meowed from where she was, crouched on the computer tower not more than 2 feet from me.

Rosie is a different cat, one with many interesting habits, likes, and dislikes... but I guess that describes a cat. I think she would be happy to be thought of as a good cat. She'd be all like, "Yes, I am! I'm a good cat!"

Boyo would have been all "F*ck that shit, I'm in charge!".

I do miss him so...

So, I went to poker last night...

2010-01-25T05:46:43Z

Put in $20 bucks, as did 11 other people. Two bought in again when they ran out of chips.

I won! $240!!!!

Oh holy hell...

2010-01-12T02:00:04Z

Just got a call from the SO - wondering why I had blown the Narrows Toll bridge 6 times.

For a split second, I was all "WTF?!?" Then I realized...

I had a rental car from December 8th to the 17th, a total of 9 days. Of course, 2 were weekend days. So I crossed 7 times (12/8-12/11, 12/14-16), flying through in the "Good To Go" lanes, like always... without a "Good to Go" transponder.

How much does it cost to cross with a transponder? $2.75
How much does it cost if you blow the toll booths? $52
How much does Enterprise charge you for blowing the toll booth in their car? $10

So instead of $2.75 a shot, it was $62.

They only got me for 6 days - I wonder if one more is coming in the mail, or if they missed it.

I called GtG, but it was after hours. Looking at their webpage, it's a Washington State Patrol issue, and I'll probably have to go to court to try to get the fine reduced - if the judge will take stupidity as an excuse. But for $372-434? I'm at least going to try to go to court on it.

Maybe everything will work out... but I have a bad feeling about it.

qafhappy @ 2010-01-07T20:10:00

2010-01-08T04:10:33Z

When I came home Dec 26th, and Boyo was gasping and grunting under the sink, I couldn't believe it. The cat sitter reported he had been happy and healthy just 9 hours before. After testing, the internal medicine vet first said it was his heart (congestive heart failure), but that didn't fit with his athleticism and energy. Then the drugs for CHF made his kidneys go south, because they dehydrated him (to pull the fluid from his lungs... which didn't work), and then his liver enzyme levels started to skyrocket, which they thought was possibly a blocked gall bladder.

But they couldn't treat it, because the treatments for CHF and kidney disease are diametrically opposed (dehydrate vs super-hydrate) and then his breathing got worse, and there was nothing to be done. So I had to put him down. They asked if I wanted an autopsy (or necroscopy, as they call it for an animal), and I said yes. I had to know what caused this healthy 9 year old to just.... die. It was only $150, and after all the money I'd spent trying to save him... I had to do it.

I got the results back today.

Turns out that while he did have heart disease, that isn't what killed him. The fluid buildup in his lungs was due to some sort of inhaled toxin, like a gas. There was also some necrosis of his intestines, indicating that he had swallowed some of whatever killed him.

The report says it was something like ammonia, phenols, or something else (the report is in the car, I can't remember it). They said that it was something commonly found in cleaning products, liquid pourpourris, and something else. But I don't keep cleaning products where they can get to them, the sitter says no cupboards were open (and she's good about that), and K doesn't like liquid pourpourri, or any other kind. I *did* have a bag of homemade toiletries on the kitchen table, which had soaps in fabric bags, and 2 bottles of liquid pourpourri, but they were sealed, with no punctures or leaks.

We found him under the kitchen sink - a place he almost never goes, but where the other cat hides if people are here, or she's not feeling well. There were only 2 child-proof bottles of dishwasher detergent there, and some of those little plastic sacs that have detergent and drying agent in them... but none of those were punctured or torn open. The only new thing down there were those little dishwasher cleaner sacs.

But we *did* have work done on our house, and a new dishwasher put in. I'm wondering if maybe he punctured a hose back there and some kind of compressed gas/fluid sprayed into his mouth and nose. He *loved* to just puncture things with his teeth - not tear them up, or eat them, but just *pop* through, like a kid with bubble-wrap. And a small puncture could seal itself up (like a needle through the rubber top of a medicine bottle), or be a slow leak, and we use the dishwasher so infrequently, just once since then (Monday, and he was hurt a week before that).

I'm going to call the manufacturer and see if there is anything like that, although there must be, because there's a compressor that pulls the water out after it washes, and pushes it through to clean it.

I just don't want the same thing to happen to Rosie, although she isn't a chewer.

WTF?

2010-01-04T00:19:43Z

I don't get this... I have a couple of things I'm sending to people in Canada, through Amazon. At first, I thought "just go with amazon.com", but then I wondered if amazon.ca would be better on shipping (since it's within Canada).

The DVD I wanted? $14.49 US/$28.59 CA - which converts to $15.71 CA/$27.17 US. Shipping to Canada was like $7.50, but it's still less than buying and shipping within Canada.

It used to make sense when the exchange rate was like 60c/$1, but now?

Oh, and why would the regular DVD vs BluRay be $14.49/19.99 US, $28.59/25.59 CA? Yep, the standard more expensive than the Blu-Ray in Canada.

Am I bad...

2010-01-02T06:48:32Z

...to be watching Spread with Ashton Kutcher, and really, really loving him as a kept boy?

It is done

2009-12-31T10:10:18Z

At 12:50 AM this morning, my precious little boy went over the Rainbow Bridge. I was with him through the end, and he seemed at peace. Stacey, the catsitter, came to help me through it. I petted him, cradled his head, caressed under his ears, and told him what a good and special boy he was for about ten minutes while Stacey held the oxygen nozzle under his nose. He started getting a little anxious from the lower oxygen, and the vet told me it was time. I loved him, spoke to him, and comforted him until he was gone, and then kept petting him for 20 minutes to comfort myself.

Boy-o was not your typical cat. He was feisty, and didn't hesitate to let you know if he didn't like what you were doing. Everything had to be on his terms, and you'd better keep on your toes, or he'd give you a swack or a nip to teach you. He walked with a tough-guy swagger, and didn't hesitate to jump all over Rosie, who was initially at least 4 times his size. Even when full grown, he was small, fine boned, slim, with a the softest fur you'd ever felt, just like a rabbit. He had on a little bolero and toreador pants in a brown tabby color over a white undercoat. As you can see, he had the prettiest face.

While he didn't like to be held, he did like to come sit on my lap, especially if I lay down with a blanket. He'd start kneading with his front paws, pressing his little mouth to the blanket between them, then get the back ones going too. And with his sharp little claws, I always wished the blanket was thicker. I feel bad about the times I'd shove him to get him to stop, because the sharp pricking was too much. I'd do anything to feel those sharp little claws again.

He loved to push his head into my hand, letting my palm cup the side of his head as my thumb rubbed between his ears. And he loved me running my curved hand under his face, thumb and forefinger massaging the sides of his jaw.

For a long time, they didn't sleep with us, because they were active at night when they were younger, and because one time Bud jumped on Rose, and she tore off across K's back, digging in for traction and drawing significant blood. Once Rosie got ill (she has some intermittent wasting disease they can't figure out), I started letting them sleep in the room again. Rosie insisted on being a "cat hat", curling around my head & kneading in my hair, but Boy-o always curled up behind my knees (if I was on my side) or between them (if I was on my back). I so didn't want to disturb him that I would wake up stiff in the morning, my subconscious keeping his slumber peaceful.

When we'd come home, Boy-o was always the first one at the door. If you didn't watch, he'd try to jump through it. As we'd come in downstairs, taking off shoes, and unloading the car, you'd see one lone kitty eye staring under the door at the top of the stairs, trying to figure out what we were doing. He hated being on the other side of closed doors. He almost never made noise, unless he was cranky for being locked out. If we didn't answer, he'd reach under the door (the house used to have rugs, and the doors were planed), and grab it with his leg, banging it back & forth against the frame until you'd at least get up and yell at him to stop. I wish I could hear that banging again, and see his little white leg reaching under, trying to hook me to him.

I was watering a plant today, and spilled water. When I moved other plants to wipe up the floor, I found his green & gold crinkle ball. It was one of the first toys he had, a 3" diameter ball of stiff crinkly plastic. When he was just a tiny thing, not more than 4-1/2 months old, he would chase it around the house, trying to grab it with his mouth. But it was 1/3 his size, and all he could do was run run run, pushing it ahead of him with his chest, and snapping at it. All over the house, one of the cutest things you've ever seen.

He was always great about using his litter pan; not like Rosie, who insists on peeing in a bare pan, and pooping on paper just next to the pan. I don't know why, but we haven't been able to break her of that. And it's easy to clean up on the linoleum. I'd hate for her to start doing it on the hardwoods. He also was picky about his kitty treats. No "tartar control" for him! No matter how good they said it was, he wouldn't eat it. He loved his MaxxCat dry food, ate it from the time we got him until just a few weeks before he died. It was still out, but since we had to start feeding Rosie more meats, he got that, too.

I feel bad because he was always coming into the kitchen at Rosie's feeding, and pushing her out of the way from her food. After a while of gently pushing him back, I started to get more abrupt and forceful, trying to impress on him that Rosie's dish was hers, and he should eat from the one next to it (which had the same meat, but less). I was always so gentle with him, that I regret this slight cruelty. Maybe I was too wrapped up in worrying about Rosie, so I didn't notice he had a problem? Looking back on it, I think he may have been eating a little less lately. He seemed to walk away from the meat plate after just a few bites, but I know he went back later - I heard him in the kitchen.

I just don't understand how he could go from seeming healthy and hearty, jumping 5 feet up into his kitty tree from the ground, pounding through the house... to dead. In less than a week. From healthy to on death's door in 9 hours. I'm having them do an autopsy, because I need to know. I feel bad because I didn't ever take him to a vet, because he hated it so. He screamed, fought, and acted like a feral cat the two times he had to go. The vets were actually scared of him.

But he was my sweet little boy. I will forever miss his softest fur, his curling up on or next to me, his exuberance. I know I'll be finding his toys all over the house, and it will kill me a little, each time.

I have to kill my cat tonight

2009-12-31T04:54:00Z

We came home from CA at 10:00 pm Sunday night. The cats had a professional sitter who came in for 30-45 minutes a day, feeding them, cleaning their litter boxes, and playing with/petting them. She had last seen them at just before 1 pm, and everything was fine.

Always, when we come in, curious Boyo is there, at the door, his little face pressed against the floor to look under the door, down the stairs, and see with one eye what's going on. But he wasn't there. Rosie was, on the kitchen table. We put our stuff away, and then went looking for Bud. We called, and called. Nothing. Where could he be? OMG, did he somehow get out? I started getting frantic, and dashed around the house, telling K to look under the kitchen sink (which is where Rosie hides when there are people over, or she feels bad).

Then I hear, "There you are! What are you doing under there? Come on out of there..." trailing off to "What's wrong? Why are you all wet?"... then "Oh my God, somethings wrong with the cat!"

I went rushing into the kitchen, and saw Boyo hunched over crouched on the floor, his head turtled in between his shoulders, making this horrible gasping grunting sound. I screamed to K, "Get the cat carrier!" It get's a little fuzzy there, but I think K ran downstairs, leaving the door open (and Boyo always ran for that door if it didn't latch), and Boyo didn't move, just kept up that gasping, grunting, yowling sound. He set the cage right in front of him, which would normally make him run, but he didn't move. K put him in, and I rushed him to the Animal Emergency Clinic.

At first, they thought he might have choked on something, because his lungs were swollen with fluid. Then they discovered that he had congestive heart failure, which makes no sense as he was jumping 5 feet in the air to his cat tree, racing through the house, and leaping onto the couch from several feet away just days before. The pet sitter, who has been caring for him for the last 10 years, didn't notice anything different, and she's really good about that.

Now his liver enzymes are going though the roof because he is a chubby cat who can't eat now, he's been in an oxygen cage the whole time (still gasping) and can't take more than a few minutes out of it, his kidneys are showing signs of dehydration, which is what the meds for his lungs do, but his lungs are no less congested. The liver enzymes could be due to a blocked gall bladder, but he isn't stable enough for surgery, and that would only account for the liver findings anyway, not the heart, lungs, kidneys...

It's K's birthday, and he can't take Boyo dying on it. But he's just barely hanging on, only getting worse, and he seems like he's tired of fighting. His little nictitating membranes are half way up over his eyes, he's panting all the time, he can't eat, or drink... and it's been 3 days. I was hoping they'd find the cause of his sudden downward spiral, but they can't. And now I have to put him to sleep.

I have to work tomorrow, leaving the house by no later than 7:45, as I have a student coming in to observe. K wants me to go back tomorrow before work, but I know I'll be torn up about it, and if I'm all made up, I'll cry it all off. Plus, I need time to decompress from it, before I have to face an over-booked day trying to explain things to a student.

K wants me to go in before work to do it. He can't handle it being on his birthday. I told him in that there was no hope, but he just kept asking if I could do it before work tomorrow. I think he's in denial. He hasn't been able to handle it at all. He can't even go see Boyo in the pet hospital, "can't bear to see him like that." So I've been going alone, every night after work, waiting to see him, and talk to the doctor. He wants to try to forget the cat problems tonight, just try to do "birthday things," like open the present I got him, and then give each other the presents we planned on doing Monday night for our belated Christmas. So that's what I'm going to do for him, as another gift. I will dry my tears, paste on a happy smile, and act like this isn't happening.

I'm not telling him now, but I'm going in at 12:30 am, so it's officially after his birthday, and do it. Stacey, the pet sitter, has offered to go with me for emotional support, and I'm going to need it. I can't make him suffer through until tomorrow night, as he's only worsening. And it's not like I'll be able to get any good sleep, anyway. If I go in late, late tonight, I can grieve through the night, then get up, wash my face, put on my warpaint, and try to face the day.

I just don't know how I'm going to be able to do it. But I have to.

'

Rest in peace, my precious little boy.

OMG

2009-12-25T22:19:46Z

My right wing, conservative "no, Constitutionalist" mother just told me she didn't believe that the Constitution (or the Bill of Rights) said that a black person was only 3/5 of a white. She wanted me to "show her". Told her I couldn't get the original Constitution, but found it on Wiki. She seemed... not convinced.

Of course, I shouldn't be surprised. She also believes that Obama is from Kenya.

Great party last night eyeroll

2009-12-20T18:21:43Z

Went to a Xmas party that some friends have been throwing for the last 10+ years. Usually a big affair, 25-30 people, tons-o-food, ornament exchange. Knew it would be a little... different... this year, as the couple is getting divorced this spring because the guy found out his wife had a fling with a good mutual friend. They are waiting until after the holidays to tell their 2 small kids, because they don't want to ruin Xmas for them.

It was a small affair, only like 9 adults & 5 kids. The only person I haven't known for years was this blonde 'christian' woman, who is a preschool teacher at the local Christian school.

There was alcohol around, & everyone indulged a bit. Because K was havina quite a few beers, I kept it to 2 drinks early in the evening, so I could drive home. Even though I didn't know this new woman, she certainly wanted to tell me all about herself. It probably wouldn't have been so bad, but she was so drunk that she was quite rambling, and the stench of her breath made me want to wince. I'm sure I got that look of partician familial disapproval on my face that I've seen so often on my mother & grandmother. Not that I tried, but at least once I felt my face set into familiar lines.

She went on & on about her Masters in Education, how she was working on a doctorate in the same area. Then some long story about her husbsnds family, how they wew Russian jews (or atheists, as she intermittently called them), twins with spondylosis who did vaudeville as kids. Owned several ski resorts, race cars, made many million dollars... like she was trying to impress us. How her kid had back pain, but she wouldn't take him in because there was "nothing they could do about it." How the family "breaks like icicles in the snow" so several had died skiing due to their disease. Downstairs, in the wife's part of the house, she told K how she used to be a lingerie model at Nordstroms 10 years & 60 pounds ago, how her husband says she's too fat for him to fuck, which I agree is a bad attitude for a spouse. But if she talks to him like that? He'd should be able to find better uses for her mouth that would please him & shut her up. K tried to be supportive, which only egged her on, probably.

When it was finally time to go, I found out that she'd gone all moony-eyed over K, got him to go over to her house w/2 other people to "check on her 2 teenaged sons" (who she admitted on the drive weren't even home), sat all over him in the car, & then tried to kiss him at her house, as she was giving them the grand tour. Then later as we were packing up uo go, after I'd sat there semi-patiently (well, OK, maybe I *did* point out a few irregularities in her ramblings), she told K that I was a bore.

And while I'm sure that *some parts* of this story are a bit boring, I don't think that's usually the case.

Good Christian morals there.

qafhappy @ 2009-12-17T21:05:00

2009-12-18T05:05:57Z

I'm exhausted. The owner is hiring a new doc "a few days a week", and I'm wondering if my job is secure. I mean, I have had some issues with being a little late to work in the past (but not now), and can't seem to work quite up to the 4 pts/hr pace that would be desired. I mean, I do, but I run behind, so sometimes patients are not so happy. And I don't blame them.

I got my schedule for tomorrow. At first, I thought it must be the owners, because there were exams like every 15 minutes for significant portions of the day, 1st day post ops, gonioscopy... all in 15 minute slots. And I have to do it. Somehow. Even though I usually only see 2 exams per hour, and 1-2 follow-ups. Because there is someone sniffing around my job, and it's the best job I've ever had. I just don't know how I'll do it, because I really don't feel right cutting any corners, and the insurance companies say it isn't a full exam unless you do a whole bunch of tests which sometimes are important (ie - if the patient has complaints, or you can elicit them), but often are not needed.

And I'm dealing with my Dad probably having his final illness (usual interstitial pneumonia), one of my best friend with inoperable lung cancer, and my cat, who seems to have gained a bit of weight on the "all meat" diet, but is still bone thin - my previously fat cat.

I can't even get Xmas presents wrapped, yet alone to the parcel store to ship, so I'll have to take them on the plane in checked baggage, and hope they don't get lost.

And I just can't take it.

But on a brighter note... AVATAR IS ALMOST HERE!!!

Even though I work this weekend, I'm going to find a way to see it, maybe Sun PM, in iMax 3D!

I've now got the new LiveJournal Messenger.

2009-12-16T06:24:15Z

I've now got the new LiveJournal Messenger. My Windows Live ID is qafhappy@livejournal.com. Sign up now and we can chat!

True Blood - QaF Crossover Fics

2009-12-14T07:25:54Z

By septemberoses

1.) Date Night
Rating: PG13/R for impure thoughts, language, Eric
Pairing: Eric/Godric/(Justin/Brian)
Word Count: 2300
Summary: Eric and Godric are looking for company for the evening...

2.) Change in Plans
Rating: PG13/R for humans, non-con, threats, Scary!Eric
Pairing: Eric/Godric(Justin)
Word Count: 2500
Summary: Eric picks up a boy…

3.) The Foursome
Rating: NC17
Pairing: Eric/Godric/(Justin/Brian from Queer as Folk)
Word Count: 4700
Summary: And thus we proceed with the sexing… this is a sequel to Date Night, when Godric and Eric pick Brian and Justin up in a bar. Now the four of them are in a suite at the Palace Hotel in New York…

4.) The Shower
Rating: NC17 for watersports, spanking
Pairing: Eric/Justin (from Queer as Folk)
Word Count: 2700
Summary: this is the outtake from The Foursome, for those of you who wanted to know exactly what went on in the bathroom between Eric and Justin. Bon appetit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's an Eric/Godric fic - Tenderness
Rating: PG
Pairing: Eric/Godric
Word Count: 1900
Summary: Eric teaches Godric something new. Another installment in my Beginnings series, shortly after Eric is made a vampire.

OMG! I LOVE COACH!!!

2009-12-13T19:22:45Z

I went to SouthCenter mall yesterday for dinner and a movie with a friend. While we were there, I went to the coach store. I'd seen some ocelot print bags in Portland, but the two that were there were too small, and there were no other larger ones online.

As I went in, the saleswomen were very helpful (as always). As I was just starting to look, my friend called out to me excitedly. I turned... and she had an ocelot print bag in a decent size! It was beautiful! I was so excited! I hurried over to look at it, setting my purse down.

The saleslady asked if she could look at my 4 year old black Carli. I had no idea why, but was so overjoyed by the ocelot bag that I said OK, keeping an eye on it of course. The seemed to be looking all over the top edge of the bag.

My friend & I were discussing the bag. She asked me how much it cost - $398. Wow, more than I wanted to spend. Then the saleslady told me that there was fabric damage on the top edge of my Carli (which I knew), and that it was a manufacturers defect. That because it cost the same as the new bag, they would take my old Carli and exchange it straight across for the new one!

But I love my old bag. Yes, it's a little damaged, but that means that I can travel with it, and not worry about something happening to it. It can get shoved under a seat, and no worries.

The saleslady must have seen the look on my face, because she then said that instead of exchanging it, she could sell me the new bag at 40% off! I squealed, "I'll take it!" and literally jumped up and down!

Here is an on-line pic of it, and here is the real thing!

And here's my old Carli, with the fabric damage. I squished the top down a bit so you can see it, it's right along the crease at the top of the fold.

test

2009-12-10T18:02:05Z

post from my Cliq - does it go?

Accident update

2009-12-07T04:33:01Z

First, K & I are fine. Some initial neck/back ache, but that went away in a few days.

I kept calling the Allstate adjuster (his insurance), to see if Andy Weiss had called. He hadn't, day after day. By Wednesday, the adjuster was getting a bit upset with him too, for not returning calls. Of course, there was nothing he could do, except start a letter mailing process, which "at some point, a few months from now, would culminate in a registered letter informing him that they would not cover him for this accident."

What does that mean?

It means that he would still get to keep his insurance, no problem there. But if/when I sued him for not dealing with it? They would not cover his losses. So he wouldn't even lose his insurance.

!!!!

Needless to say, I was pretty irate. I mean, come on! If he doesn't call, isn't that admitting guilt? Or at least, if you say no, and aren't willing to pay, shouldn't he be canceled?

No.

So I got a bit cranky, and decided to take matters into my own hands. I Googled his name ("Andy Weiss") and where he lived (Olympia). There was one listed, a guy who worked for the Dept of Wildlife and Fish, as a database manager. I called the number listed for him, and got a voicemail that sounded like the same guy (older, gruff low voice). I didn't leave a message, but wanted to see if he was in town, or maybe there was a good reason he wasn't calling? What to do...

I looked up the number to the Director of his Department, and called. Spoke to the secretary, asking if he was there. She didn't know, as he worked in another building. I gave her the story in a nutshell, and she transferred me to the Unit Secretary for his section. He also did not know if Andy was there, as "he works on the 5th Floor, and I work on the 6th." So I again gave him the nutshell story, and he transferred me to Andy's supervisor. This time, I gave my name (hitting on the Dr part), and said that I'd been trying to reach Andy for 5 days, but hadn't been able to. Was he away, or in the office? The supervisor was very professionally polite and apologetic, stating that he was in, and would definitely call me back today. He repeated my number (caller ID), and told me he would give him the message immediately. I thanked him, then told him that he could also have Andy call his insurance adjuster, who has been trying to reach him for his statement about the accident. He said he would.

Then I go to Facebook. Google "Andy Weiss Olympia" - and discover that there is another person, same name, same town. Looks like a young guy, definitely not like the voice sounded on the voicemail. Uh oh... I send him a message through FB, briefly telling the story, and apologizing if it was his boss I called. Asked him to reply if this is what happened.

Wednesday afternoon - he didn't call them. Thursday afternoon - still no call. So I call back to his voicemail, and ask him to please call his adjuster, or I'll have to start sending letters and the video of the accident scene to his superiors. Or if I have the wrong person, could he be so kind as to let me know?

Friday, I wake up early to take the train to Portland for a Girls Weekend. On the way down, the adjuster calls, says that Andy was away in the Sierra Nevada's (which is why he didn't call). That he states he doesn't know what happened to cause the accident. We were in the carpool lane, he was in the fast lane, and somehow his front left bumper came into contact with our right rear. So they are willing to accept responsibility, and pay for my car, and a rental.

I know he has to know what happened. My guess? Looking for something in the car, maybe talking on a cell or texting. I know we didn't drift over, because I'm a freak about even getting close to the lines, and get called a nag all the time for my hyper-vigilance while a passenger. But I guess it doesn't matter, because they are fixing my car.

WTF?

2009-11-30T07:36:13Z

The SO & I were heading for the airport Thursday, to fly home for Thanksgiving. We were going at 63 mph (cruise control), talking away, and...

BLAM!!

Some idiot managed to rear-end us. We didn't even see him. His front left hit our back right, punching in the bumper, mis-aligning the trunk. Thank God he didn't spin us out.

The only thing I can figure is he was flying up in the fast lane (we were in the carpool lane), somehow got distracted, drifted over, and hit us. He had to be going at least 15-20 mph faster than us.

K got out, pretty much screaming at the guy, asking how the f**k he managed to hit us at that speed. The guy was pretty flat faced, didn't give any explanation. But he did ask if we were backing up.

Yeah. Backing up, in light/no traffic, in the carpool lane, on I-5. If we had been backing up? He would have killed us, because he was doing at least 80.

He hasn't contacted his insurance agency yet, even though we called ours, and his, the same day. But he was going to the airport, so maybe he was traveling this weekend too. According to his insurance adjuster, he has to contact them in a "reasonable time" (which is not specified). If he does not, than a process is started whereby letters go out to him, telling him to respond. If he doesn't, than his policy is canceled.

So what if that happens? Do they pay us?

No.

If he doesn't get back to them, he loses his insurance, and we get nothing. Or I can go through my own insurance, pay a $500 deductible, and they will try to get the money back for us. Oh, and if I go through my insurance? I have no rental car coverage, so I'll have to pay for that. If he is honest about what happened, then I get a rental from his insurance.

He sure the hell better call his insurance company.

Oh, and my car is 10 years old, high miles... the repairs might be more than the car is worth, although it gets 28 mpg. So I'll get like $2-4K towards a new car. Yeah, *that* will get me one...

Ah, it's almost Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T05:21:37Z

I'm going home for the holiday weekend for the first time in years, prompted by my father's illness. While his pneumonia is better, he is still on oxygen, and I worry that he may not have too many holidays left, although he *did* sound stronger on the phone the last time I talked with him.

I can't wait to see everyone - my siblings, nieces and nephews, those people married into the family or hopefully to be married into it someday (Maddy!). For that half that is Jehovah's Witness, I hope they'll make the family dinner on Friday.

The one person I'll miss the most is my sister, hsifeng. She is doing something with a friend who I guess asked her a hundred other times, but it just worked out this year. It seems like the last few times I've come down, she's had other commitments. I sure miss seeing her!

Hey, Sissy! I'm coming home for Christmas, too, and I better see you!

Finally home!

2009-11-18T06:39:49Z

What a long day! First, patients went until 7. Then I had to clean my 2 fish tanks at work (walls scrubbed free of algae, every decoration scrubbed in a bucket of tank water), drain 1/2 the water out, refill (after making sure temp & dechlor in place), and replace everything. Then the damned computer wouldn't shut off, because someone had forgotten to log off the back station, and I was afraid if I just powered it off, the system would crash (it has before). Finally got the office manager on the phone after 9 pm to tell me how to get it done.

Then there was some weird weather change outside, so my entire car fogged up on the *outside*, and as I was waiting for it to de-fog... the inside did because of me.

So I'm finally home, cats fed, PJ's on, frozen dinner just coming out of the micro... and it's after 10:30. I have to sit up at least an hour after I eat, so... I'll surely be tired tomorrow, too.

At least I have something fun to look forward to! The final Progressive Dinner of the Year!

One of the good things about being sick...

2009-11-15T06:55:22Z

... is catching up on your TV. I'm fully caught up on Desperate Housewives (watched 7 episodes), Greys Anatomy (3 episodes), Lie to Me (2 episodes), V (2 episodes), and am now going through Ugly Betty (currently have watched last 3 eps of S3 & the 1st of S4). I'm hoping to finish the last 4 eps between tonight & tomorrow.

My Comcast VC-R is no longer exploding!

Speaking of Ugly Betty... when she did her big make-over, and I saw her glasses, I thought "those look like Prodesign Denmark!" The office I'm in now doesn't carry them, but the one I worked at 5 years ago did. The clean architectural lines were something I really liked. But was I right?

Thank goodness for Google - you can always find the answer. I was right!

qafhappy @ 2009-11-14T14:09:00

2009-11-14T22:09:18Z

I've been sick for a week, 1 cup of soup a day is about the max I could tolerate. Fever dropped yesterday, and the SO said he would cook something for me (us) for dinner.

He made home-made crabcakes and razor clams.

The smell was... *shudder*

I managed 2 pieces of toast. Later. Much later.

Do you think he really could be that oblivious?

Thanks for the good wishes!

2009-11-14T21:41:47Z

I'm feeling better temp wise, down to normal. Still weak and having a hard time eating, but recovery is imminent!

I realize I've been a pretty miserable post-er lately, either whiny or just depressing. I think the reason is that I see LJ as my place to be me, to talk about my issues in a forum where I don't have to worry about someone running to my SO/mother/father/boss about what I've said. I get feedback on personal issues for things I wouldn't otherwise get. Only 1 person on here really knows my SO - that is my sister, and while I've had a few moments of worry when I posted something personal, I know she wouldn't carry tales.

The SO actually freaked out about a FaceBook account I'd set up for him, and spazzed over deleting it, because two people from his work got in trouble about pictures or things they'd posted. He sat me down and talked forcefully about *not* posting *anything* about him on FB. In addition, he was worried because someone might be able to trace back to him through me, and "see all that freaky gay shit you have." I'm sure he wishes I would delete mine, too, but I told him that FB is something people I work with or who know us in real-life read, and I have to censor it. That LJ is my own place, and that he can't be linked.

Of course, it doesn't help that his good friends young daughter somehow found my fic website a few years ago, and asked him why "his" webpage had guys kissing on it.

qafhappy @ 2009-11-11T13:50:00

2009-11-11T21:52:36Z

I've got the freaking H1N1, and it feels as bad as you'd think. Like the flu, multiplied. Coughing so much my stomach muscles hurt, near constant body chills from a 101 fever, body aches, headache, runny nose, nausea...

And while the SO is doing his best to be supportive... it's hard with the troubles we're having. And I can't take loud words or arguments right now. I can barely take living.

I know I asked TPTB for: 1) a week off of work, and 2) to lose weight... but I didn't mean like this.

There was a dead man lying on the side of the freeway tonight

2009-10-16T03:16:10Z

He was just lying there, half in the fast lane, half across the fog line, all twisted like a corkscrew. I didn't know him, I don't know who hit him, I didn't actually see him get hit. The police had just arrived, and he was just laying there.

I'm kind of freaked out about it. I mean, it's not like I never saw a dead person before. Cadavers in school, bodies at the mortuary (I used to date a student mortician)... but not the immediately traumatically deceased.

The SO doesn't understand, thinks that it's more of a "huh" thing. But I'm freaked.

What do you think? Would it bother you a lot, a little, or not at all?

Source1 Source2

Happy's Obsession

Life is *so* unfair...

qafhappy @ 2010-01-25T21:59:00

So, I went to poker last night...

Oh holy hell...

qafhappy @ 2010-01-07T20:10:00

WTF?

Am I bad...

It is done

I have to kill my cat tonight

OMG

Great party last night *eyeroll*

qafhappy @ 2009-12-17T21:05:00

I've now got the new LiveJournal Messenger.

True Blood - QaF Crossover Fics

OMG! I LOVE COACH!!!

test

Accident update

WTF?

Ah, it's almost Thanksgiving!

Finally home!

One of the good things about being sick...

qafhappy @ 2009-11-14T14:09:00

Thanks for the good wishes!

qafhappy @ 2009-11-11T13:50:00

There was a dead man lying on the side of the freeway tonight

Life is so unfair...

Great party last night eyeroll