Rant! And One Teeny, Tiny, Non-Rant

Where to start? Where to start?

Four weeks ago sounds about right. . . I have in my home a 60" Sony LCD flat-screen t.v. and I'm quite fond of it. Not quite out-of-the-blue, it refused to turn on, though it had been acting strangely for some time. The part that got me was that it turned on for me, I watched it while I ate dinner, then left it on while I went to take my shower (for work) and when I got out of the shower it was off, never to be turned on again. Sheeese!

So, I called Sony and dontcha know you have to make an appointment (sort of) to make an appointment! The first time I tried it, they never called back to make the appointment and when I tried the second time to get right to the appointment-making stage (since I'd already gone through the first step), they wanted to start over at the beginning! Sheeeese! So I basically told them to shove it and called a local company who quickly told me what item needed to be replaced (a lamp) and how to do it, thereby saving me the cost of yet another service call.

All was hunky dorry for about a week when, once again, the t.v. refused to turn on (let me tell you know that this t.v. is only 3 years old, forcryingoutloud!). So they come to get the t.v., advise me on the phone that they can turn it on just fine, but there's a yellow tinge that needs to be fixed and that'll cost me $1100-1200! Thankfully, in the week they had the t.v., I had enough presence of mind to call Sears (where I purchased it) and see if I had, indeed, purchased an extended warranty on it. Yaaaaaay! I had! I seldom spend that kind of money on an item without buying an extended warranty to go along with it. . .I just wish I'd remembered I had one before I replaced the lamp for $250. Never mind. Sears is gonna come out and fix it; so the guy came over and ordered the new part for me. Now I just have to wait for that to arrive! Sheeeese!

Now, during THIS whole debacle, my satellite receiver/recorder box now tells me I need a new smart card or I'll lost my programming. Interesting, I think, because this box has never had a smart card, but what the hell, I'll call them and get a card sent to me. They send 3 cards, one for each receiver I have. The bedroom one works just fine, the t.v. in the den is aok, but the t.v. in the living room (the 60" Sony, remember?) isn't working!!!! Sheeeese!

So, then I call Dish and tell them it isn't working and they have me pull out the card, wait 10 seconds and put it back in (correctly, btw). Oh yeah, they think I'm an idiot and can't figure out what the arrow on the top of the card means. So, we do that at least a couple of times, and it's still not working. I have NO t.v. in my living room!!! Next, we re-boot the receiver by pushing in and holding its power button for 10 seconds and waiting for 2-3 minutes for the whole thing to reboot. We try that a couple more times too. Still nothing. Sheeese!

Finally, they decide to send me a technician who tells me it's the cord that goes through the laundry room that's at fault but he's not going to move the boxes in front of it and that he'll order me a new smart card, since this one is clearly fucked. P, God bless him, moves the 3 huges boxes of bottled water that BSJ bought 3 years ago in preparation for hurricane season and which we've never actually used. I receive the new smart card in the mail, insert it, call Dish so they can activate it and I have t.v. . . . . sort of. I can ONLY get HD programs, which cuts out a whole lot of the stations I actually watch!! Sheeese!

Once again, they send a guy, thank God a different one from the 20-something asshole I got before) who tells me a) it's not the cable at all (we've moved the boxes for nothing) and b) when the Dish rep activated my card, she only actived mono mode not dual (or something to that effect). He fixes it and I have t.v.!!!!!

For about a week. At which time the message I am NOW getting on the screen is "your smart card is inserted incorrectly." WTF???? I've had the t.v. working for about a week now and they're telling me the card is inserted wrong????? So, I take out the card, wait ten seconds and re-insert it. Nothing. Sheeeese!

Steam may or may not be coming out of my ears at this point. . . I'm not sure. About the only thing I'm really sure of is I've already gone 3 weeks without being able to watch/record any of my shows and it looks like we're not done yet. So, I call Dish again and, once again, they want me to take out the card and re-insert it (we do this 3 times) and then when this doesn't work she wants me to re-boot it, which I did once. After that, I refuse to do any more and tell her I WANT a technician out to the house (yep, for sure there's steam coming out of my ears by now).
Sheeeese!

In the meantime, the part arrives from Sears to fix the yellow tinge in my picture and the Sears guy installs it and, for the heck of it, when I explain I have no picture for him to look at on the t.v., takes out the smart card and reinserts it. Betcha can't guess what happens then! Oh, you guessed! Yep, the freakin' thing decides to work! Sheeeese!

So that when the Dish tech arrives two days later, I have nothing to tell him. However, he does need me to advise him if it keeps working because if it does, he'll come back and take the new receiver that they sent me to replace this one and send it back to the company.

Knock on wood, t.v. is still working, but God only knows why and for how long! Sheeeese!

Now, as if that's not enough. . . . my body decided that the stress this crap was causing me was something it was NOT gonna put up with. . .the first thing I got (and scroll down if you don't want to read this part, 'cause it ain't purty) was boils on my ass (right cheek only ~ that's the only place I get them). But not just one or two that, with Burt's Rescue Salve or even just straight lavendar oil, goes away in a couple of days, but 6 bright red, itchy, refusing-to-heal boils. . . for 3 straight weeks. In the past, I've always attributed them to my getting run down from not sleeping enough. The 3rd week of all this tsouris I took an Ambien each day to make sure I'd get enough rest and each day I'd still wake up with a new one!!! Sheeeese!

Then, this past Thursday evening, when I woke up to go to work, I find ringworm on my right forearm, to go with the new zits that have popped up on my face in various places. I feel like my body is attacking me from the outside in! Sheeese!

I made an appointment with the dermatologist and by the time the appointment actually occurs (Monday), the ringworm is nearly gone as are the zits. Even the boils are finally beginning to heal, though there IS a new one for her to view that erupted on Saturday afternoon. Man, I'm pooped!!!!!

So, it looks like my body, in coordination with my t.v., is on the mend (finally!!!!!!). I guess I have trouble with stupid. . . and, for the most part, the Dish rep on the phone totally qualifies. As P reminds me, they don't actually know anything and have a book they go by, despite the fact that I'd already done all the things they were telling me to do several times over! Sheeeese! I need to blame HER from my boils, my zits and my ringworm!!!

Oh, and right there at the end, my cordless mouse began acting weird so I put in new batteries. . . to no avail. It would only work when I used my thigh as the mousepad. . . .. sooooo effing strange, but that's my life. T, my "adopted" son, suggested I blow it. . . the mouse. . . using the condensed air thingy and that seems to have helped. Sheeeeese!

The one bright spot, thus far, is that I have lost 10 pounds! A combination of eating less, eating less "junk" and going to my yoga classes regularly! Yaaaaaay! Only 20 more to go (sheeeese!)!

Hugs and kisses, guys!

Words Of Wisdom

Not by Clay but from Clay. . . he picks good people to learn from. This is what he posted on his blog yesterday:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

~Mother Teresa

There is speculation on what made him post this but it could be just as simple as when he used to wear his WWJD bracelet: just a way to remind himself (and us) what our priorities are and/or should be. Or it's just possible (as speculation runs rampant in the Clay world) that someone has, in fact, hurt him yet again. There are people out there who are not happy if they're not attacking him ~ I have yet to understand why.

In other news: I'm on my way out the door for my yoga class (my 2nd, but I signed up for a whole year and will try to go 4-5 times a week). I'm stiff and sore from Tuesday's class but, interestingly enough, my tummy hurts more now if I DON'T keep it sucked in! Yaaaay! Tomorrow will do the earlier class and then hit the gym for a walk on the treadmill before heading home and to bed! Thank God for that epidural!

Live Long, Prosper And Beam Me Up, Please!

Yeah, P and I went to see the new Star Trek film on Sunday and I have to say, I loved it. As did most of the audience! There was applause after the movie, which I haven't seen since Karate Kid. The movie definitely touches a chord in us Trekkies (I prefer that term to Trekkers. Sorry, Marius).

It's a movie that needs to be seen at least twice, I think, because it's jam-packed with information, characterization, and seemingly minor twists of plot that are actualy quite huge. But in a nutshell:

I loved seeing "the gang" all together again, even though it's not Nimoy (who is, in fact in the film), Shatner, Kelley and Doohan. These guys do a better than passable interpretation of our fave space travelers on the brink of the major assignment of their lives (the voyages of the Starship Enterprise).

Kirk, as played by Chris Pine is a bit of a hellion, an orphaned wild child convinced of his own superior charisma, intelligence, and attractiveness to the opposite sex. Trouble is, he's mostly right. Good looking and intense, Pine portrays Kirk with beautifully re-created Kirk-isms without once mimicking Shatner. Hell, I'd do him!

Zachary Quinto plays Spock, who is not nearly as loveable as Nimoy's portray of him was, except to (surprise, surprise!) to Uhura (as played by Zoe Saldana). They're practically a couple in this prequel, but not quite because Spock, after all, is still Spock. But who knew?????? Loved that take on these characters. Quinto brings out the side of Spock we don't necessarily love, but we understand because he was bullied as a child for having a human mother. Again, who knew? We probably should have figured out that he'd have been given lots of crap for being different but I, for one, assumed Vulcans were above that. See how wrong I can be sometimes?

Anyway, the only thing that put me off about Spock was that Quinto (around the mouth) looks distractingly (to me) like Ben Stiller (in Zoolander, particularly) and I somehow kept waiting for a "gotcha" moment even though I knew it wouldn't come. And didn't Spock used to raise his RIGHT eyebrow, not his left?

I'm in love with Bones and Scottie all over again. Karl Urban really does have DeForest Kelley's face before we knew him as Dr. McCoy! I just miss his beautiful Southern drawl. And Simon Pegg as Scottie. . .well, he's just too freakin' adorable. And smart. And so darned Scottie-ish!

John Cho as Sulu and Anton Yelchin as Chekov round out a cast that, in all aspects, recreate the characters we know and love in their youth. It's a cast I would happily see again and again.

While, so far, Spock hasn't stirred my girly parts the way Nimoy did, I'd happily show Kirk, Bones, and Scottie a fun time! Spock can join in a little later when he gets his sexy little Vulcan ass together.

Yes, I know I haven't said anything about the plot. Like Marius, I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but is planning to. Please, take me along when you go! As I said before, I think it's a movie that needs to be seen at least twice.

Oh, and I can't really finish without saying just a couple more things: Nimoy is still Spock and as mellow as this version of the youthful Spock, would logically turned out. I <3 Spock, now and always.

And more than a few tears were brought to my eyes when favorite sayings were brought to the forefront, excellently by the way, and the chuckles over inside jokes that only fans of Trek would get were plentiful as well. All in all, a most happy experience. I only wish I had an icon of the Live Long and Prosper hand to end this post with!

. . .And In The News Today. . .

I had my epidural last Thursday and I must say I am mightily impressed.

Let me backtrack for just a moment. . . As you know, I work midnight shift and get home around 6 a.m. Being that I was supposed to be at the doctor's office at 7:15 for an 8:00 procedure, I didn't bother lying down or anything like that. I figured if I was a little tuckered out, it would be all to the good.

On top of that, because I was pretty apprehensive about this whole thing, I took a Valium tablet with me to take before the procedure, figuring that between the lack of sleep and the Valium, I'd pretty much be passed out and not really have to "be there" for the procedure.

Well, clearly I was far more nervous about the whole thing than I thought, because I did not so much as doze off before or during the epidural. What I did do was give the doctor shit over the crap he was playing (musically) in the procedure room and told him he needed to be playing Clay. I even pulled rank on him, reminding him I was old enough to be his mother and he needed not to backtalk me! Relaxed? Oh, yeah! Sleeping? Nah!

So, P drove me home and I hopped into bed and slept most of the day and the entire night away. When I woke up on Friday morning, I was pain free, for the first time in 9 years or so. Seriously. I was so excited! I'm still figuring out what to do with this "new" body. I can actually bend over without pain, so I'm doing some light exercising to build up my stomach muscles so that, God willing, I'm not put in this position again.

I went to work Friday night and discovered that sitting is still somewhat problematic, but not nearly to the extent it had been previously. P and went to the movies last night to see "Earth." For the first time in longer than I can remember, I didn't have to sit in the very last row (where I sit so I don't piss off the people behind me with my fidgeting). I sat through the entire film with nary a twitch! And getting out of a booth or simply getting up from a chair in a restaurant has become a piece of cake! So, I am a happy camper on that front.

Not so happy on the t.v. front. . . I have 3 of 'em and I can't watch a one! The big, 'spensive Sony that's in the living room refused to turn on and was taken away to the shop last Tuesday. They brought it back today and we discovered that it . . . won't turn on! So the delivery guys took it back with them. Apparently the techs at their company had it running (in a pig's eye!).

So there's a back up t.v. in my bedroom. I never watch t.v. in the bedroom. . . it's really only here in case I'm dying of some mysterious illness and can't make it into the living room to watch the Sony (which isn't there at the moment). I've had to install a new Dish card and get it activated, which I did this morning and when I left the house to go to the chiro and then get my nails done, I had t.v. Got home this afternoon and I have "Acquiring Satellite Signal. Please Wait." And that's it. So, I'm missing Dancing With the Stars and may well miss American Idol tomorrow night unless the Dish service tech who is coming out tomorrow can fix it and the t.v. in the den, which gets a lot of snow, despite the fact that, it too, is hooked up to satellite. Sheeeeese!

And speaking of nails, my friend, J, and I have been prowling for a couple of months now, trying to find a salon that we both like. We didn't find it today.

So this day has pretty much been for shit, although dinner at the Singing Bamboo far exceeded my expectations for a Chinese restaurant. And BSJ has not yet been eaten by bears (or cougars) and seems a bit more financially secure since he got his income tax refund. Mazel Tov!

All I have to say is, thank goodness for the Sims2. . . it's all I have to keep me entertained until I go to sleep tonight!

Oh, and Marius! I have a few little chores for you, so hurry up and get your behind down here! Honest, can't be more than 4 or 5 little, teensy, tiny projects for you. . . heck, you'll probably do them all before lunch!

Plans are underway to go see Clay in Raleigh in October and that's always exciting. Yeah, there ARE some bright spots. Actually, there are mostly bright spots with just a few pissy, aggravating irritations interrupting them. But it's all good. I have a good job, I'm not in pain, I'm healthier than most people my age, and I have family and friends who adore the crap out of me. Life is good, no television access not withstanding.

'Night y'all!

I'm A B-A-A-A-A-A-D Girl

Well, not so much bad as neglectful. And I sincerely apologize. Especially to those who look forward to my Clay updates.

Clay has actually been very busy! On March 30, Clay presented Tyra Banks with an award at the GLAAD, given to her as the media personality who increases the visibility and understanding of the LGBT community. On April 8, Clay was a guest judge on America's Next Top Model, after doing a short acting scene with each of the remaining girls. And most recently, on April 21, Clay himself received an award from the Family Equality Council in recognition of his being a gay dad.

Borrowed from "The Life and Times. . . of Clay Aiken" (the bottom-most link to the right):

Clay Aiken is a humble man and, during his acceptance speech, he gave the honor back by acknowledging those who have fought for family equality and for their years of dedication. Clay stated:

"I've only been doing it for 8-1/2 months, and so the hard work, and the most important work, has been done by many of the people in this room, who've been doing it for years. And many of the people outside of this room who have been doing it for years. So really the honor should go to everyone here who have done everything, and I'm just humbled to be a part of, a part of this group and to be a gay dad, and to be proud of that. To be proud of my son and to be able to raise him hopefully in an environment that is accepting, in a country and a society that is accepting, and that's being done thanks to the work of everyone who's involved in the Family Equality Council."

And finally, in true Clay Aiken fashion, he challenged us. He challenged us to use our voices to spread the word of equality:

"I'm just going to speak to these some of these very interesting ladies in the room right now on the outskirts. We were talking earlier this evening, before we came into the room about how, and I'm going to get political here for just a second, how in the 1960s and the earlier part of last century when the civil rights movement really was taking hold, there was a lot of activism not only on the part of African Americans but on the part of white Americans who were very active for integration and equality for African Americans in the Country.

I think it's just as important now and days when we have individuals who are straight and are being activists for gays and lesbians and transgender and bisexual people. But it's really a tough job for you because gays and lesbians and all us folk can say as much as we can, but it really is going to take a lot of effort on your part as well.

So to you who have come and have been so supportive of me, not only tonight but for years and years and years, I'm very honored that you're here tonight and I'm very appreciative and I hope that you'll go and spread this message to the people who you know in your communities who may not know about the work of Family Equality Council or the power and the love that's in every single family in the country."

Clay is a remarkable man; his opening remark that he was "late to the party" tells us that this has been a journey for him and that he's finally coming to terms with who is and learning to love that person. And in spite of his celebrity, he remains a humble, caring man, deeply committed to leaving a kinder "footprint," on this earth. The "interesting ladies" he refers to are, I believe, his straight, female fans who attended the event solely so he would know that WE know his sexuality does not define him as a person or an artist; to support him in his journey to become more and more himself; and to let him know our love for him is unconditional. That he bothered to acknowledge their presence speaks volumes about the kind of man he is (and oh, Lord, I adore him!).

And to prove just how much he loves us in return, he recently started a thread on his fan website where he promised to answer as many questions as he could as long as they were not too personal (about Parker, his son; Jaymes, his best friend and the baby's mother; and/or his career, since he'll announce that stuff on the main page of the fan site). After 7 hours, on and off, spent answering our sometimes asinine questions, he closed the evening out with this:

Lots of interesting questions today and lots of energy. One question in particular got me (and Jaymes) to thinking. "Clay, will you ever record ... Just You?"

Well folks... truth is.. . I did. Long ago. As a matter of fact It was one of the first songs we recorded for the album A Thousand Different Ways. It was recorded before the label asked me to do the album of cover love songs and before the budget was officially approved, so I actually paid for it myself. Then, as I recall, when the decision was made to do the cover album, the label opened a budget for the album, but it did not include reimbursing me for songs I had recorded that did not fit the concept. So, here I have had this song all along that, to my knowledge, I own the only copy of. What to do with it.. what to do? Well, this evening (with some encouragement from Jaymes) I decided.... let's just give it to them. Why not? We do have plans (which we will tell you about eventually) to be back in the studio and record in the near future, but until then... you might as well get a bit of something you haven't been able to hear in a while. "New" music.

Now... here's the deal. I want to give it to you because you deserve it. You've stuck by me and been patient for a long time. But, also, I really have to give it to you. Since I didn't write it or produce it, I can't sell it to you... but I hate to encourage getting music for free. You all have always been SOOOO ethical when it has come to downloading music. I know my fans are probably some of the most scrupulous in the country and I believe that you never steal music. That said... We are gonna do this on the "honor system"... Go ahead.... download the song. It's yours. Share it with your friends. It's free. But... I want to make it count for someone... so let's make it count for tens of thousands of children in the US with developmental disabilities If you can't afford anything for it.. then don't pay... but... if you can... I encourage you... I ask of you... that you make a donation to the Bubel/Aiken Foundation for how ever much you feel the song is worth. If you want to give $1... great. If you want to give $1000... GREAT... if you can only give $.05 ... that's fine too. It's a tough time we're living through nowadays, and non-profits are hurting more than ever as well. BAF (which will soon be known by a different name) has had amazing success in fulfilling it's mission, and is embarking on a long term plan to continue including kids in every aspect of life. But, it will continue to need help from all of us in order to make that possible.

Consider this track a "charity recording" .... donate whatever you can or whatever you are willing to... and accept our thanks.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/g5wkm8

The song is for you...JUST YOU... from me.

c

So tell me, who else gives away their songs to the fans? Yes, I donated even though I donate monthly already. It's more than a good cause and I'm always more than happy to do whatever it is he asks of us. It sure seems like a small thing to do, in light of all the joy he's brought to our lives, not to mention the good he's done for his foundation, UNICEF and other charities.

Thus ends the Clay portion of this entry.

I'm having my epidural tomorrow. . . the week ago Friday turned out to be a consultation (who knew?). . . I'm eager to have the pain gone, but apprehensive about it as well. Nothing that a valium won't cure! I have to be there a full 45 minutes before the procedure, which is one of the nerve-wracking things about it. It's not "just a shot," after all, though I'm not 100% clear on exactly what it entails. Clearly, I'll know more tomorrow and will fill you in. I AM hoping to be pain-free for a while; long enough, at least, to get in some good, gentle exercising that will strengthen my core muscles and, hopefully, stave off further back pain. Wish me luck.

It's been a long entry this time, hasn't it? I apologize for the length, but it's entirely due to my being so negligent and I will really try harder to blog at least once a week. Really, that's not a lot to ask, is it? No, it's not and I'm really, REALLY gonna try! Promise. Cross my heart. Pinky-swear even!

In the meantime, play nice, y'all!

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

Most of you will be too young to remember that song, but it was a big hit for Connie Francis, back in the day. It's just my way of letting you know I'm taking a little time (5 days) off work. I have NOTHING exciting planned, but I'm hoping to get my e-mails pared down to a reasonable number (1600+ is NOT reasonable!) and maybe do some fun things too. P is taking some vacation time too so we'll be hanging out together for the upcoming week. I don't think we're planning anything specific; just gonna take each day and mood as it strikes us. Now, if only Clay would make himself available to me for that week, that would be my idea of a P-E-R-F-E-C-T V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!

Looks Like I'm Gonna Live

Had my MRI last Monday and on Wednesday the doc called me to tell me that everything looks okay (for my age, I presume), but that he believes I need pain management (an epidural). I was really resistant at first; I look at the whole shot-in-the-back thing as being a prelude to a surgical solution and I honestly don't think I'm that badly off. I'm pretty well convinced it's because I sit at work for 10 hours a night (4 nights a week) with virtually no get-up-and-walk-around time, mostly because where the hell am I gonna go in the wee hours of the morning?????

But I did mention the cortisone shot thing to my chiro yesterday and he's in favor of it, saying it would probably, among other things, reduce the inflammation and alllow him to treat the condition with more success. So, I guess I'll make an appointment tomorrow morning to be shot. Fortunately, I'm off next week (taking some well-needed vacation time) and P is taking time off as well, so he can drive me there and back, if necessary.

For those of you expecting Clay content, far be it from me to disappoint: he presented a GLAAD award to Tyra Banks, for her contribution to enabling the understanding and acceptance of Lesbians, Gays, Bi-Sexuals and Transgender persons (LGBT). He wrote all his remarks by himself and and did an outstanding job of making the presentation to her. I am so proud of him! And yes, I still WANT him!

P.S. BSJ called and he ain't been eaten by bears yet. However, he's already warned me he'll be away this next weekend and will be in a place where he could get stampeded by elk. I suggested to him that, since he'll be with a group of people, to simply shove one of those other people in front of the elk and take off running! He's promised to do just that (ha! if you know him, you know exactly why I said, "ha!").